Prime minister Boris Johnson said the UK was at a 'critical moment.' Photo: Stefan Rousseau- WPA Pool/Getty Images UK prime minister Boris Johnson has said he will not hesitate to introduce further restrictions on daily life to tackle the COVID-19 second wave, fuelling fears among business leaders of more government-ordered closures. At a press conference in Downing Street on Wednesday, Johnson said: If the evidence requires it, we will not hesitate to take further measures that would, Im afraid, be more costly than the ones weve put into effect now. The prime minister earlier this month introduced new restrictions limiting people to gatherings of six and last week told pubs and restaurants to shut by 10pm in a bid to curb the spread COVID-19. People have been urged to work from home, marking a u-turn on earlier guidance, and local lockdowns have been introduced in hotspots in the North of England. I wish I could tell you tonight that the impact of this package has already begun to appear but it will take time, Johnson said. Watch: Boris Johnson warns of further measures if coronavirus advice ignored The Evening Standard reported on Wednesday that restrictions on mingling between households in London could be brought in as soon as next week. At his press conference, the prime minister urged the public to follow the rules in their local area in order to avoid further restrictions. Johnson said the UK was at a critical moment. I really dont want to do this. I dont want to go back to a national lockdown, Johnson said. We want to keep the economy moving. The prime ministers warning is likely to alarm business groups, which have already warned of the impact of the recent new restrictions. Carolyn Fairbairn, the director general of the Confederation of British Industry, last week said curfew rules dealt a crushing blow to many bars and restaurants. She said a second full lockdown would be devastating for our economy. The government might have no choice but to resort to ordering businesses to close across the UK again, Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote in a note last week. Story continues Watch: All you need to know from the Government's coronavirus briefing He said the logical first step would be to close bars and restaurants. This would halt the recent rebound in UK GDP and return the economy to contraction. Data published on Wednesday confirmed the lockdown between March and June heralded the worst recession in modern history in the UK. New COVID-19 cases have been rapidly rising in recent weeks and the prime minister has said the UK is in the midst of a second wave. Britain recorded 7,143 new cases on Tuesday, the highest daily total yet. Johnson said the UK recorded 7,108 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours and has recorded 71 new deaths linked to the virus for the past two days. (CNN) More than 1 million Americans have already cast their ballots in the presidential election. It's a small fraction of the votes that will be cast this year -- but it's a start. Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. Debate The first presidential debate went down last night, and it was, in a word, chaotic. President Trump bulldozed the evening by repeatedly interrupting, talking over and disregarding Joe Biden and Fox News' Chris Wallace, the debate's moderator. Trump dodged questions about his pandemic record and openly called the race for a vaccine "a very political thing." He also refused to denounce White supremacists, even as Wallace gave him ample opportunities to do so. Over the course of the evening, Biden called Trump a "clown," a "racist" and "the worst president America has ever had." So, if you were looking for deeper insight into either man's policies, you were fresh out of luck. And probably exhausted. The next debate will be between Vice President Mike Pence and VP candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, a week from tonight in Salt Lake City. In the meantime, get all the voting info you need to know for your state with CNN's voting guide. 2. Coronavirus More than 63 million people in India may have contracted Covid-19, according to a new study. That stunning figure is 10 times higher than the official tally for the country of 1.3 billion as officials acknowledge cases could be severely underreported. In the US, two new studies found coronavirus cases surged among young people just as colleges got back in session. It's one harbinger of the increased fall and winter outbreaks so many medical experts have warned about. Some European leaders, like Germany's Angela Merkel, have reinstated restrictions in preparation for a predicted winter surge. On a positive note, the World Health Organization has announced a deal to make about 120 million rapid Covid-19 tests available to low- and middle-income countries across the globe. And early data shows promising results from Regeneron's antibody cocktail to treat coronavirus patients. 3. Government shutdown The Senate has voted to advance a stopgap spending bill to avert a looming government shutdown. Neither party wants a shutdown right now, especially so close to the election, and this bill would keep the government running until December 11. Without a measure in place, government funding will expire at midnight tonight. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took control of the Senate floor yesterday and is forcing a procedural vote on a bill that would protect people with pre-existing conditions if the Supreme Court sides with the Trump administration and strikes down the Affordable Care Act. This is extremely rare since the majority leader, now Mitch McConnell, usually controls what gets considered on the floor. Any senator can do what Schumer did, but it's usually avoided because doing so regularly would shut down the Senate. 4. Economy Disney is laying off 28,000 US employees as the pandemic chews into its parks and resorts business. The cuts account for a large chunk of the division's 100,000-person US workforce, and most will affect part-time workers. Disney's profit dropped a whopping 91% in the first three months of 2020 as pandemic precautions all but halted its profitable park and resort operations. It's a tale as old as time across travel and tourism industries: Airline employees, including pilots, have endured huge furloughs and reduced hours, and some worry without further assistance, the airline industry may not be able to recover. Despite it all, new research shows Americans feel better about the economy, short-term business outlooks, the job market, and their financial prospects now than at any point during the pandemic. 5. Amnesty International Human rights organization Amnesty International says it has halted its operations in India after the "complete freezing" of its bank accounts by the government there. Staff have been laid off, and campaign and research work in the region paused. Amnesty has been critical of the Indian government in recent years, and the executive director of the group's India office said the latest actions are retaliation for its calls for greater government transparency. Amnesty said its Indian headquarters was raided by Enforcement Directorate officers in 2018 as part of a finance investigation, but no irregularities were found. The acting secretary general of Amnesty International called this latest financial freeze an "egregious and shameful act by the Indian Government." BREAKFAST BROWSE Nordstrom will no longer sell fur or exotic animal skins Luxury just got a little more animal-friendly. The year's best social media stock is ... Pinterest! Time to create that desperately needed 2021 vision board. Bad Bunny's glow-in-the-dark Crocs went on sale -- and promptly sold out Well yeah, they're GLOW-IN-THE-DARK CROCS. Americans over 30 have been drinking more during the coronavirus pandemic That's according to new research (or just asking anyone over 30 what they're up to nowadays). 5 parrots at a wildlife park were moved after swearing at visitors Nature is beautiful. TODAY'S NUMBER $300,000 That's nearly how much federal income tax Joe Biden and his wife Jill paid in 2019. Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris both released their tax information before yesterday's debate. TODAY'S QUOTE "We recognize the fundamental failings of our health care and political systems in serving vulnerable communities." A line from a more inclusive Hippocratic oath, written by students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The oath acknowledges racism, the coronavirus pandemic and the killing of Breonna Taylor to redefine what it means to be an ethical medical practitioner. TODAY'S WEATHER Check your local forecast here>>> AND FINALLY No debating, just munching You deserve a break this morning, and if it's spent watching a herd of capybaras going to town on a giant pumpkin, so be it. (Click here to view.) This story was first published on CNN.com, "5 things to know for September 30: Debate, coronavirus, shutdown, economy, Amnesty." Remember March? It seems like a long time ago, but in this endless year, there was a disorienting two weeks right before the lockdown when we all knew about the virus, but we were still coming to grips with its urgency and with how radically life was about to change. On the first day of that month, the comic Michelle Buteau filmed a stand-up special that showed no trace of anxiety. The next day, Joe List did, too (he centered a whole joke around a cough without drawing attention to it), and within a week, Beth Stelling shot her hour without mention of Covid either. These were a few of the last specials recorded before comedy clubs went quiet. By March 13, when Lewis Black walked onstage in Michigan, the last time he performed in front of a live crowd, the landscape had dramatically changed. His dark opening joke: Thanks for risking your life. These specials, only recently released, now are a portrait of a world in transition. Michelle Buteau, Welcome to Buteaupia Watch on Netflix (Bloomberg Opinion) -- When wildfire ripped through Bolivias Chiquitania region last year, razing a swath of forest the size of Belgium, the official response was tepid. Then-President Evo Morales had encouraged the blazes with a decree making it easier for farmers a key constituency for any leader seeking reelection to clear their land with fire. Nor was there much fuss from abroad, where all the handwringing was over the burning Brazilian Amazon. So Jhanisse Vaca Daza and her band of fellow human rights activists got creative. Waiting for nightfall, they beamed images of the blaze on the side of the environment ministry building in La Paz, converting the conflagration into a national spectacle. The guerilla theater provoked public outrage and ultimately shamed Bolivias new government into rescinding the incendiary executive decree a rare win for civil society inured to slash-and-burn partisan politics and government by fiat. Latin Americans should take note. In a hemisphere prey to populists and institutional capture, democracy and the rule of law too often seem like damaged goods. While the region boasts the highest level of voter participation in the world, corruption is rife and income inequality is second to none. In a recent survey, Latinobarometro found that support for democracy had sunk to a dismal 48%, while those professing indifference to authoritarianism had more than doubled to 28% since 2009. Never in the last four decades has the future of democracy been as threatened as it is today, the Brookings Institutions Daniel Zovatto concluded. The funk filled the streets with demonstrators and mutineers last year. Coronavirus dampened the protests, but only compounded the frustrations. As growth plunged, the burden fell disproportionately on the poor, especially those who work hand to mouth in what Manuel Orozco, an economist at Creative Associates International, called the worlds largest informal economy. And since felony loves misery, Latin Americas violent crime epidemic with 8% of the worlds population but 37% of its homicides is unlikely to abate. Story continues So aspiring young adults could be forgiven for seeing organized politics as Latin Americas preexisting condition. Its far more energizing to hit the streets in a Guy Fawkes mask than to stump for votes in parties run by fossils in suits. If you are a young idealist in Latin America, you dont join a political party but a movement. Parties are seen as the homes of opportunists and crooks. Thats bad, because this way parties remain what they are today, says Moises Naim, a distinguished fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. Bolivian politics is dominated by caciques party bosses who leverage divisions of class, race and culture for electoral advantage. That toxic combination helped to poison last years election, which ended in cries of vote rigging, insurrection and an ostensible coup detat. Morales, a leftwing populist turned authoritarian, was replaced by populist rightwinger Jeanine Anez, who turned her seat as caretaker into a throne. While neither will be on the ballot (Morales is in exile and Anez was pressured to drop her candidacy), next months thrice-delayed election threatens to deliver more of the same. Theres still a big risk the elections could be unsuccessful, with no smooth path to transition, said Rodrigo Riaza, of the Economist Intelligence Unit. Hence, Riaza added, the next government could face not only an economy ravaged by Covid-19 and worsening fiscal and current account deficits, but a crisis of governability. Daza, aged 27, knows the drill. As a rising voice of dissent, she was a catch for struggling party elders searching for viable candidates. Daza demurred, turned off by Bolivias corrosive politics. Nor was she convinced by the Andean nations tired trope of dissent, with marches, roadblocks, takeovers of public buildings and strikes accounting for some 90% of all public protests. We realized these protests were repetitive and easy for authorities to ignore, Daza told me. She founded Standing Rivers, a civic group, to reboot activism, through non-violence and civil disobedience. Dazas inspiration came from the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Greta Thunberg, North Koreas Park Yeonmi and native daughter and feminist Domitila Chungara. Political parties have a very vertical structure and a militant mindset, she said. Movements are more agile, can grow quickly and have shared leadership, making us less predictable. Whether movements are better at effecting change is an open question. What the region needs is not only rage but renovation. Renan Ferreirinha made the leap. As a kid in Sao Goncalo, a mostly poor, crime-ridden city across the bay from Rio de Janeiro, he knew a lot about life at the losing end of Brazils lopsided democracy. He landed a scholarship to Harvard, studied politics under democracy scholar Steven Levitsky, and came back intent on rebelling from within, winning a seat in the Rio state legislature in 2018. Why slog into politics when his peers were marching? The only way to change Brazil is through education, and the only way to strengthen education is through political decisions. Rio was a critical case, where bottom-feeding politicians had done their worst. Four of the preceding five state governors have been jailed or implicated in crimes. A sixth, Wilson Witzel, is on the edge of impeachment for his alleged ties to a scheme to pillage the public health system amid the coronavirus pandemic. A 26-year-old freshman lawmaker, Ferreirinha helped make the case. His report flagged seven projected field hospitals approved on Witzels watch in varying states of disrepair, with only around 200 of the 1,300 beds promised for treating Covid-19 patients in operation. On September 23, the state assembly voted 69 to 0 to send Witzel to an impeachment tribunal. Ferreirinha called it a victory for politics. When I first saw the Brazilian congress, my friends called it a zoo. I thought it was fascinating. Its the place where decisions are made about spending billions that change lives, he told me. Young people have energy and idealism, but we need to channel it. We cant fix democracy if we dont strengthen institutions and become part of the process. Its no mystery what ails the Latin America. Why does the region lag in global competitiveness? Why do we lead the world in violent crime, inequality and the informal economy? said Naim. We know the list. The way forward is through reform, and that is a political process. For the young and frustrated, that may seem like the low road to a better world. Yet Latin Americans need to be both woke and effective, and that means finding the way from the barricades to the ballot box. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Mac Margolis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Latin and South America. He was a reporter for Newsweek and is the author of The Last New World: The Conquest of the Amazon Frontier. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. 'Ready for talks with Greece', Erdogan writes to EU leaders On the eve of European Council: 'let's solve disputes together' (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 30 - ''I would like to stress once again that we are ready for dialogue with Greece without preconditions'', wrote Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a letter sent to EU leaders on the eve of a European Council that will discuss tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and possible sanctions against Ankara. In the message, sent to the heads of European institutions and to the heads of state and government of the Union, with the exception of Greece and Cyprus, the Turkish leader stressed the importance of relations between the EU and Turkey and the ''progress made'' on the issue under his governments. ''Lately, our relations have faced a new challenge, in light of developments in the eastern Mediterranean'', Erdogan also wrote, indicating as Turkey's main objectives ''the delimitations of areas of maritime jurisdiction in a fair and right way'' and the guarantee of an ''equal'' distribution with the Turkish minority of the rights coming from the exploitation of the energy resources of Cyprus. ''Finding a peaceful and just solution to problems in the eastern Mediterranean is our common responsibility'', concluded the Turkish president. Meanwhile Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has renewed Turkey's appeal for the organization of a regional conference to try to resolve disputes in the eastern Mediterranean where Ankara is opposed to Greece and Cyprus for the sovereignty on energy resources. The invitation of Erdogan's government comes after the announcement of the upcoming resumption of ''explorative talks'' with Greece in Istanbul. The Turkish foreign policy chief however criticized international influence in disputes, pointing his finger in particular against the partial removal of the US arms embargo against Cyprus, which according to Cavusoglu ''breaks the balance between sides on the island'', which has been divided in two since 1974.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). 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Avner Ben-Bassat, President and CEO of Plataine, adds: There is a rising demand for renewable energy, and as rotor blade manufacturing involves complex kitting and packaging processes, significant opportunities for further optimization and material savings are created. We are excited to work with ENERCON and partner with them to push the productivity envelope while maximizing production efficiency. About Plataine Plataine is the leading provider of Industrial IoT and AI-based optimization solutions for advanced manufacturing. Plataines solutions provide intelligent, connected Digital Assistants for production floor management and staff, empowering manufacturers to make optimized decisions in real-time, every time. Plataines patent-protected technologies are used by leading manufacturers worldwide, including Airbus, GE, Renault F1 Team, Stelia North America, Muskogee Technology, IAI, Triumph, General Atomics, TPI Composites and Ethan Allen. Plataine partners with Siemens PLM, McKinsey & Company, VIRTEK, the AMRC with Boeing, and CTC GmbH (an Airbus Company), and is also a part of the National Composites Centre (NCC) membership network, to advance the Factory of the Future worldwide. For this work, Plataine has received a Leadership Award from Frost & Sullivan and Innovation Awards from the JEC and CompositesUK organizations, as well as the Shanghai Society of Aeronautics (SSA). Plataine is ISO 27001 certified for compliance with information security management requirements. For more information, visit: http://www.plataine.com. New Delhi, Sep 30 : Indian Youth Congress and Mahila Congress activists on Wednesday staged a protest after the death of the Hathras gangrape victim and demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Hundreds of IYC and Women Congress activists led by Srinivas B.V. and Sushmita Deb gathered outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan here and demanded resignation of Adityanath. Speaking to the media, Srinivas said, "To save the criminals involved in the gruesome crime, the Uttar Pradesh government at midnight carried out the last rites of the victim. The government did not even give her family proper time to prepare for the last rites." "Performing late night last rites of the rape victim has exposed the state government and the Chief Minister must resign from his post," Srinivas said. The IYC and Women Congres activists were detained by Delhi Police. The protest comes in the wake of cremation of the Hathras rape victim late at night by the administration. However, Hathras police have denied the charges and has issued a statement saying the coercion being talked about on social media is a canard. It said: "The family cremated the body with due rituals under the supervision of police and administration." The victim, who was paralysed after allegedly being dragged in the field by her attackers on September 14, died at the Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday after battling for her life for a fortnight. WA Health Minister Roger Cook confirmed no new COVID-19 cases in the state on Wednesday morning. The Patricia Oldendorff bulk carrier. Credit: YouTube Speaking from the Pilbara, where Mr Cook has travelled to meet with community leaders over the outbreak on board the bulk carrier Patricia Oldendorff, off the coast of Port Hedland, he said all crew members were in good health, with daily cleaning of the stricken vessel reducing its risk profile. "Every precaution is in place," he said. "Everything is going well." Mr Cook said crew quarantined in a Port Hedland hotel were in a wing separate from other guests, with no risk posed to the community. US President and his Democratic rival fiercely clashed over a number of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, economy and climate, during the first presidential debate, marked by angry interruptions and bitter accusations. During the first of the three presidential debates in Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday night moderated by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, 74-year-old Trump and his 77-year-old rival Biden also traded barbs about each other's families, making it one of the most chaotic White House debates in years. "The fact is that everything he's (Trump) saying so far is simply a lie. I'm not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows he's a liar," Biden said. Trump responded, saying Biden is a liar and graduated last in his class. Attacking Trump over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 people and infected over 7 million in the US, Biden said the president has "no plan" to fight the deadly disease and he lied to Americans. "He still hasn't even acknowledged that he knew this was happening, knew how dangerous it was going to be back in February, and he didn't even tell you. He is on record as saying it. He panicked or he just looked at the stock market, one of the two, because guess what, a lot of people die and lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter, a lot quicker," he said. Trump hit back, saying, "don't ever use the word smart with me." "When you talk about numbers, you don't know how many people died in China. You don't know how many people died in Russia. You don't know how many people died in India. They don't exactly give you a right number. Just so you understand," Trump said, defending his handling of the crisis. As the two rivals clashed on medicate, Trump said the Democrats were planning socialising of medicine. Biden replied, "What this clown is doing?" Trump also justified his administration's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate deal, saying the agreement was a "disaster". Biden, however, vowed to rejoin the historic accord if voted to power. They also clashed over the issue of racism in America during the debate wherein the Republican leader hesitated to condemn white supremacists. "Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down?" the moderator asked Trump. "I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not the right wing," Trump replied. "I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace." When pressed further, he said, "Give me a name", to which Biden chimed in, "Proud Boys", referring to a far-right outfit that has been designated as a hate group by the nonprofit legal advocacy organisation, Southern Poverty Law Centre. "Proud Boys -- Stand back, stand by," Trump responded and then moved attention to the left-wing anti-fascist movement known as Antifa. Biden alleged that Trump has used everything as a "dog whistle" to try to generate racist hatred and division. Defending his record as president, Trump attacked Biden for his role in crafting the 1994 crime bill. "I'm letting people out of jail now," he said to Biden. "You've treated the black community as bad as anyone in the country. You called them superpredators and you've called them worse than that." "I never said that," Biden responded. The former vice president was also critical of Trump's handling of the events after the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. Trump also asserted that he paid millions of dollars in income taxes and dubbed the recent New York Times report that he paid just USD 750 in income tax in the year he was elected US president as "wrong". Biden described Trump as the "worst president America has ever had." On nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court to fill up the vacancy following the death of Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Trump said: "We won the election and we have a right to do it". Biden disagreed. Trump also rued that Biden was getting better press than him. "They give you good press. They give me bad press because that's the way it is, unfortunate...I don't care. I've gotten used to it. But I'll tell you, Joe, you could never have done the job that we did. You don't have it in your blood," Trump added. Biden also branded Trump "a fool", when the president was talking about the large crowd that he has been drawing in the election campaign. Hitting back, Trump said nobody shows up to Biden's rallies. Trump also expressed hope that the November 3 election would be "fair" and urged his supporters to watch "very carefully" the entire voting process to ensure there is nothing fraudulent. Trump raised concerns over the use of mail-in ballots, saying there are high chances of the process getting manipulated. "I hope it's going to be a fair election, and if it's a fair election, I am 100 per cent on board, but if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can't go along with that, Trump said, in his latest instance in which the Republican leader has refused to commit to accepting the results of the polls. Biden said Trump is scared of mail-in ballots since he is scared of the election result. "Here's the deal. The fact is that I will accept it and he (Trump) will too. You know why? Because once the winner is declared after all the ballots are counted, all the votes are counted, that will be the end of it, Biden said. "If it's me in fact, fine. If it's not me, I'll support the outcome, he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) But Christensen disputed that. "There was no coded message," he said. "There was no secret language in there." He meant the speech to be taken as a joke, one that he initially conceived of in May but held off on delivering because of the number of people this summer who were bringing serious issues before the council, he said. Christensen, whose father Roy Christensen is a councilman, said he knows many on the council personally and wanted his joke to bring levity to the Aug. 31 meeting, which he thought had a mostly benign agenda. As for this issue, Ander Christensen contemplated how to react to news of the Proud Boys rally. "If we give too much credence to the people who want to spread hate and want to spread bigotry, they take those things (jokes and laughter) away from us," Christensen said. Since going viral, Christensen said he's sought to fan the fame flowing from his speech to help put the spotlight back on restaurants, particularly those who make his beloved chicken wings, in a time when they've struggled during the pandemic. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, 69, doesnt face a serious threat in her race for re-election. Her 54-year-old Republican opponent, Michael J. Cross, is known primarily for his failed campaign to recall Gov. Kate Brown and his lack of a law degree and conspiracy-theory assertions make him a poor fit for the job. Rosenblum, the Democratic incumbent since 2012, hands down has the experience, judgment and record to merit Oregonians' vote. That said, Rosenblum was not invulnerable this year particularly from the left. She was criticized for urging the U.S. Supreme Court not to reverse earlier rulings allowing criminal convictions by nonunanimous juries in Oregon and Louisiana. Although Rosenblum supports requiring unanimity, she has argued that voters should be the ones to change Oregon law, warning that a Supreme Court reversal could throw thousands of cases into question. The court, however, disagreed and ruled nonunanimous juries unconstitutional. While critics are right to keep the pressure on, Rosenblums explanation of how her office is addressing the different kinds of cases that are affected by the ruling demonstrates her measured evaluation of impacts to defendants, victims and the justice system. Such consideration for all segments of the public reflects the broad view that an attorney general should have. Rosenblum deserves a third term. -The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board For more November 2020 voting recommendations, visit our main endorsement link. Subscribe to our free weekly Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: Advertisement Frustrated Australians have been stuck inside and unable to travel for months due to coronavirus travel restrictions. But now adventure-seekers have been given the chance to unlock some hidden gems in remote parts of the country - without leaving home. Incredible footage has emerged that gives people the chance to explore secret spots around Castle Rock Beach in Western Australia. But there is more to the footage than meets the eye - as it was created by game developer Matt Newell, not by camera. Incredible footage of an idyllic Australian beach (pictured) has emerged, showing of some of the country's best kept secrets Mr Newell created the footage as a 'virtual sightseeing experience', allowing users to explore the sun-soaked Australian beach without leaving their homes. The footage begins on the stunning white sand before giving users the chance to explore the rough terrain. The picturesque beach was once a secret spot only locals knew about, but it has since gained popularity with tourists. Adventure-seekers have been hampered by border closures since the coronavirus crisis escalated in March. Western Australia closed its borders in April to slow the spread of the deadly disease. After months of isolation, the state will finally relax its rule on Monday with more people from NSW allowed to enter WA as the exemption list is expanded. But there is more to the video of Castle Rock Beach, West Australia, than meets the eye. The seemingly normal footage was created by a game developer Matt Newell Mr Newell created the footage as a 'virtual sightseeing experience', allowing users to explore the sun-soaked Australian beach without leaving their homes The change means NSW residents will be subject to the same rules as residents from all other jurisdictions except Victoria. Anyone entering WA has to undertake 14 days of quarantine with a Covid test on the 11th day. 'We expect this change will allow for more exempt travel to occur from New South Wales, similar to our original hard border arrangement in place from April 5,' Premier Mark McGowan said. 'This is a positive step forward for our nation. We can make these adjustments to our border controls because of the positive results we have recently seen over east.' Mr McGowan, who faces an election on 31 March, said WA's hard border will remain in place until community transmission is under control in all states. 'Western Australia is the envy of the world. Our health and our economy is in the best possible position considering what is happening around us. That is why a cautious approach is necessary. 'As always, like everything, we will continue to monitor the situation over east. But until we have confidence that community spread is under control, the border will stay in place. 'I have been clear and consistent about this. We look to our friends in Victoria and we hope that as they come out of lockdown, we continue to see community spread get under control. So then as a nation we can continue on the same positive path out of Covid-19.' The nation was horrified and captivated in 2018 when Chris Watts murdered his picture-perfect family in Frederick, COthen scrambled to cover his tracks. The case is about to achieve new notoriety thanks to a new Netflix documentary, "American Murder: The Family Next Door," which will start streaming on Wednesday. But the home at the center of the macabre tragedy is languishing in its own kind of legal purgatory. The documentary details how Watts strangled his pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, in their five-bedroom home during a fight in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2018. Chris told her he was having an affair with a co-worker and asked for a divorce. Shanann reportedly shot back that he'd never see his daughters again. So he killed her. That same night Chris murdered daughters Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4, after driving them to Anadarko Petroleum, where he worked as an operator, and smothering them in his car. He went on TV the following day, begging his wife and children to return home. But he would eventually fail a polygraph test and confessed his grisly crimes to the police. Shanann's body was found in a shallow grave on the Anadarko site, and his daughters were discovered in oil tanks. He is now serving multiple life sentences behind bars. But the fate of the Watts' roughly 4,200-square-foot, brown house, at 2825 Saratoga Trail in Frederick, is still uncertain. The unassuming, single-family house in the suburbs sits in legal limbo. The lender that owns the mortgage on the home, built in 2013, foreclosed on the property and put it up for auction. But no one bought it within a year of when it went up for sale. So the county took it out of foreclosure. ___ Watch: See Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy's Notorious Former Property ___ That means that it's still owned by convicted murderer Chris Watts. "It's not getting any bids because people know the sordid history of the house, and nobody wants it," says Denver-based bankruptcy attorney Clark Dray, who works with foreclosures. "It just sits in limbo until [a creditor] comes along and tries a foreclosure again," says Dray, who is not affiliated with the home or its former owners. The couple purchased the brand-new home for $399,954 in May 2013. It's now estimated to be worth $648,100, according to realtor.com. "Usually at least the mortgage company will attempt to buy the home so they can resell it," says Dray. That could mean the lender is worried the home won't fetch a good price or simply won't attract a buyer. Real estate investors also shied away. It's also likely to lead to significant price cuts. "The longer the house sits vacant, the bigger the discounts. [And] it's been vacant over two years," says real estate appraiser Orell Anderson, of Strategic Property Analytics. "When there are kids involved, the discounts are higher. People really dont like that, says Anderson, who specializes in real estate damages, which include properties where crimes occurred. The Netflix documentary will likely exacerbate the stigma, making the house even more toxic. Anderson expects the house will need to be discounted by 15% to 25% to sell. "It's a great neighborhood of nicely built homes. It's family-friendly. It's a great location. You can get to Denver quick from there, you can get to Boulder," says local real estate agent Tanja Nelson, of Sellstate Peak Properties, of the upper middle-class community. But the crime "was a huge deal. ... It was talked about for months." If it sells at all, it will likely be to an out-of-state buyer, Nelson says. "Everybody knows the story around here," says Nelson. "It's a nice enough house and the neighborhood's awesome. It would have sold by now if someone local felt comfortable enough to buy it." For the Watts house to be auctioned off, one of the creditors owed money from the property would have to put it back up for foreclosure. Or the state could do it if the delinquent taxes pile up. Creditors are those who have liens on the property for unpaid bills. They include Shanann's parents, Sandra and Franklin Rzucek, who won a $6 million wrongful death lawsuit against Chris, according to the property's title report. There is also the mortgage lender, water company, and local homeowners association. Potential buyers who aren't scared off by the heinous act that occurred in the home may be scared off by the attention it will likely continue to receive. They may want to alter the home's appearance, with a new color of paint or different landscaping. Or they may want to knock it down and put up a new home on the property. "If you can make the house look different from [how it was portrayed in the media], you don't get all the looky-loos," says appraiser Anderson. The post 'Nobody Wants It': Colorado Home at the Center of Netflix Murder Documentary Hangs in Limbo appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia is expected to cede some high-end surgeries to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital if Jefferson completes its acquisition of Einstein. Read more A top Thomas Jefferson University executive on Tuesday provided a glimpse of Jeffersons plans for Einstein Healthcare Network if Jefferson can complete the acquisition that the Federal Trade Commission has sued to block. Jefferson would shut the emergency department and eliminate the 60-bed inpatient program at Einsteins small Elkins Park campus, replacing them with expanded doctors outpatient offices and turning over more space to MossRehab, which shares the grounds. Jefferson would also shift some highly complex and rare types of surgery from Einsteins main hospital on Broad Street to its flagship hospital in Center City or to Abington Hospital, the executive said. Bruce A. Meyer, president of Jefferson Health, described these plans while testifying on the fourth day of a hearing on the FTCs bid for a preliminary injunction to block the sale. The hearing, held before U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert in Philadelphia, is to continue Wednesday and perhaps spill into Thursday. READ MORE: Jefferson-Einstein merger would cut competition, raise prices for Philadelphia patients, FTC says Its not clear when Pappert will issue his opinion in the case. After the hearing concludes, all parties will have 10 days to file their conclusions from the hearing. The losing side would be able to contest Papperts decision at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The FTC, as well as Attorney General Josh Shapiro, oppose the purchase, saying that it will reduce competition and thus increase prices. Meyers boss, Stephen K. Klasko, who is president of Thomas Jefferson University and chief executive of the health system, also testified. But it was Meyer who provided some of the nuts and bolts of how, he said, Jefferson could save as much as $100 million annually after acquiring Einstein as well as how it would improve care. He said the emergency department at the Elkins Park campus handles only 16,000 visits annually a relatively light 44 a day. In addition, he said the facility typically had about 30 patients in its beds daily, half its capacity. Einstein didnt respond to an email asking how many doctors, nurses and other staff care for those patients. Jefferson would use the space at Elkins Park to create treatment rooms at MossRehab, which shares the 30-acre campus, to avoid driving patients elsewhere for services. READ MORE: Jefferson, Einstein say its North Philadelphia hospital is at risk without a merger The plan for Elkins Park also calls for an expansion of specialty outpatient services, such as ear, nose and throat and cardiology. At the same time, Meyer said, theres a dearth of primary care in the two-three mile service area around Elkins Park that Jefferson would address by bringing in new doctors to provide that kind of basic care. Another goal would be to convert MossRehab, which has 187 beds, so all patients can stay in single rooms, Meyer said. He also said Jefferson would move its mental-health services from its main hospital at 10th and Walnut Streets to the main Einstein facility in North Philadelphia. And, he said, Jefferson would shift some extremely sophisticated surgeries to its flagship. Such cases include brain surgery, intracranial catheter placement, complex cardiac cases, and head and neck cancer surgeries where you have to do full neck dissection, Meyer said. They all tend to be expensive in terms of the resources required, he said. "We want to use those extensive resources most efficiently and effectively for patients and families. Mathura : , Sep 30 (IANS) A civil court in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking to remove the Shahi Idgah Masjid in the Hindu holy town on grounds that it was built over the Krishna Janmabhoomi land. The order was passed by Assistant District Judge Chhaya Sharma. The court declined to entertain the plea, citing the bar on admitting the case under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The civil suit moved by Hindu deity, Lord Shri Krishna Virajman, had, through next friends, had sought the removal of encroachments and the mosque. The President, HE Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo has dismissed suggestions that government's decision to increase cocoa prices is to court the electorates for votes. According to him, cocoa farmers deserve better than what they were receiving under the previous administration for the prices of the commodity. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Hello Fm's King Edward De Slave, President Akufo-Addo revealed that he had been working on this for a very long time to ensure that cocoa farmers are treated better. He further pointed out it is in light of this that his government decided to provide more warehouses to improve the cocoa farming industry which actually is boosting the countrys economy. "I, and the president of Cote dIvoire have gone into negotiations with various stakeholders in the cocoa industry just to ensure that the cocoa farmers receive what is due them. The recent producer announcement in Cocoa Prices was not only done in Ghana, but our farmers in Cote dIvoire are also receiving the same so why will you say that the new cocoa price is for votes, he queried. My government has an interest in the welfare of Ghanaians which was a document policy of the NPP Government," he stated. President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the increment of new Cocoa producer price by 28% to 10,560 per metric ton starting from October 1, this year. Addressing the Chiefs and the people of Sefwi Wiawso, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that the increment represents a hike of more than 28% over the price obtained in the outgoing crop year of 2019/2020. During the launch of the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, in Sefwi Wiawso on Thursday as part of day 1 of his 3-day tour of the Western North Region, he added that it is also the governments intention to reward farmers for their work as part of it 2016 manifesto promise. By this substantial increase in the producer price, we are also delivering on our 2016 manifesto promise to reward handsomely the hard work of our cocoa farmers and their unequalled contribution to the economy of Ghana over the years, he reportedly said. According to him, the unstable nature of cocoa prices on the world cocoa market remains one of the biggest challenges With Ghana and Cote dIvoire responsible for 65% of the raw cocoa beans used in making chocolates, the President bemoaned the fact that cocoa farmers from the two countries just US$6 billion from an over $100 billion chocolate industry. Watch Video Below Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Republican Senator Mitt Romney said 'of course' President Donald Trump should have condemned white supremacists during the presidential debate Tuesday night. 'Of course, of course,' Romney, who's openly criticized Trump when he disagrees with the president, told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning. 'It was not a Lincoln Douglas debate, that's for sure,' he added of the clash between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden that pundits dubbed a 's*** show' and 'dumpster fire.' And Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who is in a tough re-election bid, said Trump should 'absolutely' condemn white supremacy. Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden during the 90 minute debate, much to the frustration of the Democratic nominee and moderator Chris Wallace. The night ended up in verbal irruption and irruption with talk it was one of the worst presidential debates in history. In one of the night's many stand out moments, Trump declined to condemn white supremacists and civilian militias when asked. The president then appeared to issue a call to arms to the Proud Boys, a militant group of mostly white men. Republican Senator Mitt Romney said 'of course' President Donald Trump should have condemned white supremacists during the presidential debate Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said President Trump should clarify his remarks on white supremacists made in the presidential debate Brian Kilmeade (right), one of the co-hosts of Trump's favorite morning show 'Fox & Friends,' said President Trump needs to clarify his words Author Bob Woodward said of Trump: 'I don't want to overstate this, but he is assassinating the presidency' Some of the president's other supporters also said he missed out on the chance to condemn such hate groups, including Brian Kilmeade, one of the co-hosts of Trump's favorite morning show 'Fox & Friends.' 'Donald Trump ruined the biggest layup in the history of debates by not condemning white supremacists,' Kilmeade said on the cable news morning show Wednesday. 'I don't know if he didn't hear it, but he's gotta clarify that right away,' he added. 'Why the president didn't just knock it out of the park, I'm not sure.' And Bob Woodward, who conducted multiple interviews with Trump for 'Rage,' his book on the Trump presidency, had harsher words. 'I don't want to overstate this, but he is assassinating the presidency,' he said of Trump on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe.' Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Trump's longtime nemesis, said she was praying for the president. 'This is so tragic, because I pray for him every day. I pray for the personal security of him and his family. I pray that God will open his heart to the goodness of the American people so that we can come together,' she said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe.' Other Republicans said they would give the president a chance to explain, including Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black GOP senator. 'I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wllace's comment,' Scott said on Capitol Hill Wednesday. 'He was asking Chris what he wanted to say. I think he misspoke. I think he should correct it. If he doesn't correct it I guess he didn't misspeak.' Republican Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska agreed: 'I think the President has strong performance. But I also believe that he needs to be clear about his stand against white supremacy. It's important. I said that over and over again and I think he needs to clarify that.' And Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana said the president should have been clear that extremist groups from both the left and right should be condemned. 'He should have been very clear, and he should have made it very clear that there's no room for people on the far left or the far more far right. When it comes to either an antifa or these white supremacist groups should have been very clear,' Young said. Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee agreed. 'I think its important to say no extremist, left or right, that's not permitted,' she said. And Hogan Gidley, the spokesman for the Trump campaign, said the president condemned them three times during the debate. 'He did call them out. He has condemned them,' Gidley said on CNN. 'He said sure three times.' President Trump told the Proud Boys to 'stand back and stand by' when he was challenged to condemn them during Tuesday's presidential debate. He also attacked antifa instead and said the protests in the country on race relations were a left-wing problem. 'Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' Trump said. Proud Boys is a far-right and neo-fascist organization that admits only men as members and promotes and engages in political violence. The group believes white men and western culture are under siege. One member of the group tweeted their pride at being mentioned and said the president gave them permission for violence. 'The Proud Boys are ecstatic tonight about getting mentioned in the debate tonight. 'Trump basically said to go f*** them up! this makes me so happy,' writes one prominent Proud Boy,' Mike Baker tweeted. Joe Biden retweeted that person, writing: 'This. This is Donald Trump's America.' Trump has been accused of being a racist after his defense of the Confederate Flag and his criticism of the Black Lives Matters protests that sprung up in the wake of George Floyd's death - the Minnesota black man murdered by a white cop. President Donald Trump told white supremacists to 'stand back and stand by' when he was challenged to condemn them 'Patriot Gathering' of a few hundred heavily armed nationalists met at Carrie Gaulbert Cox Park and marched in downtown Louisville earlier this month Debate moderator Chris Wallace asked the president if he would condemn white supremacists and militia groups. 'I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing,' Trump said. Wallace asked him to clarify what he meant. 'I'm willing to do anything, I want to see peace,' Trump said. 'Then do it, sir,' Wallace challenged. 'What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name,' Trump said. 'White supremacist and right wing militias,' Wallace said. Instead, Trump turned to attack antifa, an unorganized group opposed to extreme right-wing political groups like fascists. 'Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' he said. But antifa is not an organization - it's a political idea that many different groups support. And law enforcement has found no evidence these groups were working with the Black Lives Matter protesters in cities across the United States. Trump has declined to call out the citizen militias that have sprung up during the protests as he declined to do Tuesday night. 'Antifa is an idea not an organization. His FBI director said,' Biden said. 'Antifa is a dangerous, radical,' Trump started saying as Wallace interrupted him to say they were moving on to another topic. But the president got in one last zinger on antifa: 'They'll overthrow you.' Race relations, like other debate topics, resulted in a furious back-and-forth, shouting over each other conversation between the presidential contenders. The debate on racial relations got so bad that at one point Joe Biden called Trump a 'racist' At one point in the night, Biden called Trump a 'racist' when the two men debated race relations in the country. Trump was defending his decision to end racial sensitivity training for federal workers when his Democratic rival hit him with the 'racist' label. The president said the training was resulting in 'very sick ideas' and teaching people 'to hate our country.' 'If you look at the people, we were paying people hundreds of thousands of dollars to teach very bad ideas and frankly, very sick ideas. It really, they were teaching people to hate our country. And I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to allow that to happen. We have to go back to the core values of this country,' Trump said. 'Nobody is doing that. He's racist,' Biden said. He defended the training programs. 'The fact is there is racial insensitivity. People have to be made aware of what other people feel like. What insults them, what is it demeaning to them. It's important to people. Now, many people don't want to hurt other people's feelings, but it makes a big difference,' he said. And then he pivoted it to emphasize his blue-collar roots and hinted Trump is a snob. 'It makes a gigantic difference in the way a child is able to grow up and have a sense of self-esteem. It's a little bit like how this guy and his friends look down on so many people and look down their nose on people like Irish catholics like me who grew up in Scranton. They looked down on people who don't have money, they looked down on people who are of a different faith,' he said. As the two men bickered on race, Biden invoked the death of Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that sprung up in the wake. Trump invoked his 'law and order' presidency. The president has accused Biden on multiple occasions of wanting to defund the police, which Biden has said he would not do. During the debate, the Democratic nominee said most police officers are 'good' but the bad ones need to be rooted out. 'The vast majority of police officers are good, they risk their lives every day to take care of us, but there are some bad apples and when they occur, when they find them they have to be sorted out,' Biden said. 'Cops aren't happy to see what happened to George Floyd. These cops aren't happy to see what happened to Breonna Taylor. Most don't like it, but we have to have a system where people are held accountable. And by the way, violence and response is never appropriate. Never appropriate. Peaceful protest is. Violence is never appropriate,' he said of protests. Trump hit back: 'What is peaceful protest? When they run through the middle of the town and burn down stores and kill people all over the place? That is not peaceful protest.' The president also has complained Biden hasn't said he's for 'law and order,' a phrase Trump has used to define his presidency. 'They don't want to talk about law and order. Are you in favor of law and order?,' he asked Biden. 'I'm in favor of law,' Biden said. But he attacked Trump's approach of handling racial unrest across America. 'The point is that is why he keeps trying to rile everything up. He doesn't want to calm things down. Instead of going in and talking to people and saying let's get everybody together, figure out how to deal with this, what does he do? He just throws gasoline on the fire constantly. Every single solitary time,' he said. Twitter users despaired last night as the first presidential debate descended into an unappetizing shouting match between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Viewers longed for moderator Chris Wallace to turn off the candidates' microphones like a Zoom call as the two nominees treated the host 'like an inner city substitute teacher' and constantly talked over each other during the 90-minute clash. One voter adapted a joke from The Simpsons to summarize the debate with the newspaper headline: 'Old Man Yells At Old Man'. Another simply shared a picture of a weeping American continent - as the country readies itself for two more debates before the November 3 election. 'It's safe to say that we're in trouble,' one viewer said as he posted a mocked-up picture of Trump and Biden as young children. Astronomer Antonio Paris posted a picture of himself in a spacesuit and joked: 'I'm literally moving to Mars in the morning. Who's with me?'. Kaniela Ing remarked that 'there is one clear loser in this debate: Chris Wallace' after the moderator struggled to keep order. Some viewers reacted with relief when the debate finally ended, with one posting an image of Frodo celebrating the Dark Lord's demise in Lord of the Rings. Others wished the candidates could have had their microphones turned off, with David Sinclair joking that Wallace should have had on-and-off switches for Trump and Biden. Journalist Jen Ortiz offered a 'free idea', saying: 'Mute the mics when they're not supposed to be talking have we learned nothing from Zoom'. Hannah Jewell commented: 'I think this might be more productive if they just wrestled.' One viewer imagined further chaos with an image of long-shot candidate Kanye West appearing to take the microphone. Another envisaged the view from north of the border, with an imaginary Canadian responding with the comment: 'This is f***ed'. The debate in Cleveland, Ohio, was as bad-tempered as had been feared, with Trump leading the way in yelling over his challenger and the moderator alike. Trump went as hard on 77-year-old Biden as he'd threatened, saying the 'radical left' had the centrist Democrat 'wrapped around their little finger.' And he got personal, seeking to rile the former vice president by accusing one of his sons of corruption, and telling Biden that 'there's nothing smart' about him. Biden hit back by launching the kind of attack on Trump which the billionaire president has rarely had to endure to his face. 'Liar,' 'racist' and 'clown' were just some of the missiles launched from Biden, who also branded Trump the 'puppy' of Russian President Vladimir Putin. At one point an exasperated Biden, who leads strongly in the polls, turned to Trump and said: 'Will you shut up, man!' At times, neither Biden nor Wallace could get a word in, as Trump loudly touted his economic record and went after Biden's son Hunter. Trump had spread theories right up until the last minute that Biden would need drugs or an earpiece secretly providing answers to get through the night. The anger-filled event did nothing to calm fears around the country that the presidential election, taking place in the middle of an ongoing coronavirus pandemic, could end in chaos. Asked by Wallace whether they pledged to urge calm and refrain from declaring victory if the results are not immediately known November 3, Biden said: 'Yes.' Trump, though, wouldn't commit, saying that if he saw 'tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can't go along with that.' And when asked if he condemned far-right armed militias like the Proud Boys group, Trump gave a cryptic reply: 'Proud Boys - stand back and stand by.' Raging Northern California wildfires claimed another life, with a body discovered amid the ashes in Shasta County even as officials warned Wednesday that wind and dry conditions would likely fuel the Zogg and Glass fires, putting more lives and homes at risk in the coming days. The Zogg Fire, near Redding, burned 55,046 acres and was 9% contained by Wednesday night, with four deaths now linked to the blaze and 147 structures lost. More than 1,500 homes and other buildings remained threatened. Farther south, extremely low humidity and stronger winds threatened to push the Glass Fire beyond its few containment lines in Sonoma and Napa counties after a relative lull Wednesday restricted the growth to less than 2,000 acres overnight. Residents were advised to be on high alert in the coming days as a red flag warning was issued for Thursday afternoon through Friday evening, officials said. Since Sunday, entire Wine Country communities have been forced to evacuate. On Wednesday, most of St. Helena was under an evacuation warning, while those in hillside neighborhoods were ordered to leave. Officials ordered new evacuations northwest of already emptied-out Calistoga on Wednesday morning. Where the fire made its main push into east Santa Rosa, nothing had burned in 80 years, creating tinderbox-like conditions after a dry winter. It isnt taking much for fires to establish there, said Cal Fire Chief Mark Brunton. Even without the wind, its still a huge challenge. The dry conditions confronted more than 2,000 crew members on the lines of the Glass Fire. Two firefighters were forced to take cover in their emergency shelters late Sunday night, officials disclosed Wednesday. The two were working an active portion of the blaze when gusty winds created intense fire conditions, forcing them to take refuge, Cal Fire officials said. They were uninjured, though several support vehicles were damaged in the incident. The Glass Fire burned 51,266 acres as of Wednesday evening, with containment at just 2%. To date, more than 80,000 people have been displaced from Sonoma and Napa counties alone, many of them still waiting to find out whether their homes were spared. More than 200 structures have been destroyed, including 143 homes. Standing outside the Santa Rosa neighborhood of Skyhawk on Wednesday morning, Renee Pierce already knew the fate of her home: a smoldering pile of rubble. But police still blocked her and neighbors from going in to see it, as crews put out hot spots and cleared downed power lines. This is the third maybe fourth time that Pierce has evacuated her home of 16 years, as flames bore down on the neighborhood. Its just stuff, said Pierce, whose son was able to get into the community Tuesday and send her a picture of her burned-down home. Its not like a lost person. The cause of the Glass Fire is still under investigation, and determining what sparked it could take up to a year. But Cal Fire officials said they have pinpointed an area where the blaze might have begun: the 200 block of North Fork Crystal Springs Road, a road off Silverado Trail, east of Larkmead. Within that site were a blackened hillside with scorched oak trees and a destroyed small garage or mechanics shed. Nearby were several downed power poles, and PG&E personnel were there Wednesday afternoon documenting the damage. Caution tape hung off a tree near 280 North Folk Rd. But it was unclear exactly where the fire was touched off or how. Pam McGivern said she believes she was one of the first people to see what would become the Glass Fire as it erupted around 4 a.m. Sunday. A neighbor called to wake her up, and told her to look outside her window toward Bell Canyon. Now Playing: Wildfires are once again ravaging Northern California's Wine Country. The Glass Fire threatens communities in Sonoma and Napa counties, including Santa Rosa, that suffered destruction from blazes in 2017. Video: San Francisco Chronicle I jumped out of bed, flung the door open, and was like Holy s! she recalled. From her home on Crystal Springs Road, McGivern, 64, said she could feel the heat and see the towering flames racing toward her from near a water treatment plant in Bell Canyon. She called neighbors and then 911. There was no warning. When I saw those bright, bright orange flames coming down the canyon, it was horrifying, she said. I just knew it was bad. McGiverns home was spared, but she lost her high-end Cabernet grapes that were ready to harvest for her Seiler Family Vineyard. The grapes are ruined, and she said, she faces a $150,000 loss. The ongoing blazes as well as any new spot fires in the coming days and weeks could grow exponentially worse as powerful seasonal gusts known as Diablo winds kick up in October. The 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County and the Wine Country fires in 2017 and 2018 started as small spot fires, but winds of up to 70 mph propelled them into destructive firestorms. So far, more than 8,100 wildfires have ripped across well over 3.9 million California acres this fire season, according to Cal Fire. Thats twice the 2018 record of 1.98 million acres burned. With the blazes have come 30 deaths, and destruction of more than 7,200 structures as of Wednesday Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California The National Weather Service said a red flag warning would take effect at 1 p.m. Thursday for the North Bay mountains and the region around the Glass Fire in anticipation of gusting winds and low humidity that could fan the flames. The warning is to last through at least 6 p.m. Friday. Smoke from the Glass Fire and other fires in Northern and Central California is likely to drift into the Bay Area through at least Friday. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air alert through Friday, but officials warn that shifting winds and burning fires mean the region may have to deal with smoke for days to come. Despite the dire weather forecast and the fact that the Glass Fire was still largely uncontrolled, some evacuees from east Santa Rosa neighborhoods untouched by the destruction were allowed to return home Tuesday night, and some evacuation orders were reduced to warnings The fire has been devastating to the regions wine industry, damaging or destroying buildings, interfering with the harvest and possibly damaging grapes. Industry experts say the damage inflicted by just four days of the Glass Fire exceeds the losses caused by the 2017 Wine Country fires. Law enforcement officials continued to patrol evacuated areas and there had been no reports of looting, Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said. Five people were arrested, however, for being inside Glass Fire evacuation zones without approval. We suspect they were looking for crimes of opportunity, Essick said. Wildfires continued to spread elsewhere in Northern and Central California despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters, including crews from the National Guard, other states and Mexico. Californias largest-ever wildfire, the August Complex, had torn through 949,672 acres in Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, Tehama, Lake, Colusa and Glenn counties as of Wednesday evening and was 47% contained. Crews were hampered by extremely dry vegetation, falling trees, downed power lines and exploding fuel tanks. More than 1,600 firefighters were battling the blaze. In Santa Rosa, with her home in ruins, Pierce said she would probably try to rebuild despite the fact that climate change will likely only bring new fires. Where else do you go? she said. What place doesnt have earthquakes or fire, or something? Where do you go? Staff writers J.D. Morris and Aidin Vaziri contributed to this story. Jill Tucker, Trisha Thadani and Michael Cabanatuan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com, tthadani@sfchronicle.com, mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker, @trishathadani, @ctuan Telecom tariffs are "still very low" and pricing revival is critical for the long-term growth of the sector, Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam said on Wednesday. Addressing Idea Ltd (VIL) shareholders at the company's Annual General Meeting, said the telecom industry had witnessed the first round of tariff hikes by all operators in December 2019. "However, tariffs are still very low and therefore pricing revival is critical for the long-term growth of the sector," he said. The Average Revenue Per User (ARPUs) in the Indian market continue to remain the lowest in the world, while data consumption is among the highest globally. "The verdict on the long-pending industry issue of Adjusted Gross Revenue or AGR also added to the financial woes of telecom operators... Efforts from the Government of India to soften the financial burden by recommending payment through instalments has now been upheld by the Supreme Court," said. In a stock exchange filing, Idea said multiple items - including resolutions seeking approval of borrowing powers of the company, alteration of Articles of Association, nod of issuance of securities of up to Rs 15,000 crore - as set out in its September 4 notice, were transacted at the AGM. The results of the voting will be intimated separately, the filing said. Earlier this month, the board of Vodafone Idea approved fund-raising plans of up to Rs 25,000 crore through a combination of equity and debt instruments, subject to shareholders' nod. The board's move had come just days after Supreme Court directed telecom operators to pay 10 per cent of total Adjusted Gross Revenue-related dues this year, and rest of the payments in 10 instalments starting from next fiscal year. The ambitious fund raising plans promise to throw a lifeline to cash-strapped Vodafone Idea, which has suffered massive losses, has been losing subscribers and ARPUs, and faces outstanding statutory dues of about Rs 50,000 crore. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new life in Germany begins for a group of unaccompanied minors and vulnerable asylum seekers relocated from Greece. IOM Athens, Brussels, Geneva - The Government of Greece, together with IOM, the International Organization for Migration, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNICEF, the UN Childrens Fund today (30-09) welcomed the relocation of 139 asylum seekers to Germany, which has brought the total number of people relocated from Greece to other European Union (EU) Member States through a European Commission-funded programme this year to over 1,000. This was the 16th relocation flight organized under the EU programme implemented by IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF in cooperation with the Government of Greece through the Special Secretary for the Protection of Unaccompanied Children, and in close collaboration with the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). This year, a total of 1,066 asylum seekers have been relocated from Greece to Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and Portugal. Among the group that arrived safely in Germany today were families with children with special health needs and 53 unaccompanied children, 37 of whom had been transferred to the Greek mainland after multiple fires completely destroyed the Moria reception and identification center three weeks ago. We feel grateful for the people that helped us in Greece and well never forget them. We dont speak German, but well try hard to learn the language. My brothers live in Germany and Im excited that Ill see them again after such a long time, said Lina Hussein from Syria who travelled today with her husband, Osman, and her sons, Yousef and Mohammad. Since the tragic fires at Moria, IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF have worked together with the financial support of the European Commission and leadership of the Ministry of Migration and Asylums Special Secretary for the Protection of Unaccompanied Children to move 724 unaccompanied children from the islands to the mainland in anticipation of their relocation to other European States. All children have been settled in temporary facilities run by IOM and partners on the mainland where support is provided in line with EU standards. The relocation initiative, which started last April, has proven to be a workable act of responsibility sharing. The UN agencies are encouraged by the expression of solidarity and action by some Member States to welcome additional asylum seekers and recognized refugees from Greece at a time of heightened hardship. This milestone is a remarkable testament that cooperation among partners can change the lives of children and other vulnerable people for the better, said Ola Henrikson, IOM Regional Director for the EEA, EU and NATO. Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, relocation flights are happening almost every week. We hope this momentum is sustained and expanded, with more European states participating soon. Following many calls for enhanced responsibility-sharing in Europe and the particular need to relocate unaccompanied children and other vulnerable people from Greece, we are very pleased to see this taking concrete shape and gradually expanding, said Pascale Moreau, UNHCR Director for Europe. We are grateful to the countries concerned and hope that more countries follow this positive example and demonstrate their solidarity with Greece. The relocations of unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable children continue to be an important part of protecting the rights of refugee and migrant children, said Afshan Khan, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe. These children, many of whom have fled abject poverty and conflict, have the right to be safe and develop to their full potential. Prior to departure and through the provision of updated information, a childs best interest assessment is supported by UNHCR, EASO, UNICEF and NGO partners to ensure that the relocation is appropriate for these children, with their informed views also considered during the process. At the same time, pre-migration health assessments including COVID 19 testing, are provided in line with the protocols established by Greece and the Member States of Relocation. As of mid-September, there were almost 4,400 unaccompanied and separated children in Greece in urgent need of durable solutions, including expedited registration, family reunion and relocation. Among them, over 1,000 are exposed to severe risks, including exploitation and violence, and facing homelessness and precarious conditions in urban centres. The Agencies call for more EU solidarity through relocations following the release of the European Commissions New Pact on Migration and Asylum, which contains a series of legislative proposals on the EUs approach to migration and asylum. The release of the Pact provides a unique opportunity for the EU to move beyond one-off relocation exercises and establish more predictable arrangements for relocation within the EU, for longer-term impact. For more information, please see: IOM Relocation Fact Sheet on Relocations from Greece UNHCR Explainer about relocations of unaccompanied children from Greece: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/78746 For more information, please contact: IOM: Ryan Schroeder at IOM Brussels, [email protected] + 32 492 25 02 34. + 32 492 25 02 34. Christine Nikolaidou at IOM Greece, [email protected] + 30 6947 833 412 + 30 6947 833 412 Angela Wells at IOM Geneva, [email protected] +41 79 430 5365 +41 79 430 5365 Safa Msehli at IOM Geneva, [email protected] +41 79 403 5526 UNICEF: Olga SiokouSiova, UNICEF Greece, [email protected] +30 211 2340 297, +30 211 2340 297, Chulho Hyun, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia (Geneva), [email protected] +41 79 643 3452 UNHCR: Mr. Biden False. The trade deficit with China the gap between what America exports to China and what it imports fell sharply between 2018 and 2019 as Mr. Trumps trade war suppressed commerce between the worlds largest economies. So far this year, the trade deficit in goods with China is running below last years levels, as the United States imports fewer products. But while Mr. Trump has lowered the trade deficit with China, deficits with other countries have grown and the overall trade deficit is once again trending up. American consumers have shifted to buying more goods from countries like Vietnam and Mexico, in part because Mr. Trumps tariffs on $360 billion worth of Chinese goods have raised prices on those imports. The overall United States trade deficit shrank last year for the first time in six years. So far this year, it is once again climbing sharply, as both imports and exports remain below pre-pandemic levels. The monthly trade deficit in July hit the highest level in 12 years, and the trade deficit in goods with Mexico hit a new record. A Texas art teacher says she was fired for wearing a Black Lives Matter mask, but school administrators say she "effectively resigned" by refusing to follow the dress code policy. Lillian White, a teacher at Great Hearts Western Hills, a K-12 charter school in San Antonio, said she started wearing her handmade mask with the slogan "Black Lives Matter" to in-person teacher training days once the school reopened in July during the coronavirus pandemic. "I've been wearing these masks, you know, since the pandemic started. I started making them and just hadn't even thought about it. I wore them to work for about a week and a half before anyone even said anything," White said in an interview. White said she got a text message on July 31 from Assistant Headmaster Heather Molder instructing her to wear a different mask. Because parents would soon arrive on campus, Molder said, White should refrain from wearing her Black Lives Matter mask because the school chooses not to discuss "the current political climate." Video: How this 20-year-old became a pivotal voice in the BLM movement White said that after she got the message, which she shared with NBC News, she knew it would be an uphill battle with her employer. Molder has not responded to multiple requests for comment. "Well, my heart rate rose immediately," she said, commenting on her initial reaction to the text message. "This isn't going to be just a brush-it-under-the-rug kind of thing." The school asked her to change her mask and subsequently sent her home on four separate occasions, she said. White said she was terminated from Great Hearts Western Hill on Sept. 5. Great Hearts Texas Superintendent Daniel Scoggin rebutted he claim, saying that White was not terminated but that she quit by refusing to adhere to the school's regulation. "The administration of the school worked with Ms. White for weeks, reminding her of the dress code and providing remote work assignments. When at last she wrote to the administration that she would not comply with the dress code, the school was advised by counsel that she had effectively resigned her position by stating that intention and the school so informed her," Scoggin wrote in a statement. Story continues White, however, maintains that she was terminated. "I didn't once say, 'I quit.' I didn't say, 'Here's my letter of resignation.' I was perfectly willing to continue showing up on campus," she said. But White said she never once considered agreeing to the school's requests. "I was so stressed out thinking about even the possibility of backing down it just made me so sick to my stomach," she said. "This doesn't seem like an issue that anyone should have to compromise on. And if I'm compromising, then what am I actually getting done?" Image: Lillian White's masks (Courtesy Lillian White) White said her mask was part of a larger effort to promote equality and to endorse her plan to diversify the school's curriculum. "So none of it has anything to do with anything that's not racial discrimination," she said. "That's one of the main things that I want to change, is have some representation in what these kids are reading, have some representation of joy in what these kids are reading." Scoggin said the school is committed to supporting the Black community. "Great Hearts was founded and exists today to serve the innate dignity and worth of every human being," his statement said. "We stand with the Black community and all who are suffering. Great Hearts deplores bigotry and its crushing effects on all those subjected to it. Great Hearts is committed to an America where racism, violence, and injustice do not happen, because such acts find no home in the hearts of a great people." White said she will not stop advocating for racial justice initiatives. In August, she started a Change.org petition demanding that the school implement staffwide anti-racism training, create a more diverse curriculum and declare support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The petition has garnered nearly 4,000 signatures. White said that even though she sent multiple emails about her action plan and her petition to senior school officials, the administration has been silent about her proposed racial justice initiatives. "While I regret not being able to stay with [my students], I do not regret standing up for this decision. ... They should see that there are going to be consequences to the decisions you make. But regardless of how strenuous it can be on you, it's worth it if you know it's right," she said. The police had initiated an inquiry after social media reports indicated that the three men were labourers from Rajouri and had gone missing in Amshipura in Jammu and Kashmir Srinagar: The DNA samples of three men who were killed in an alleged fake encounter with the Army in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district in July have matched with their families from Rajouri, a senior police officer said on Friday. Asked whether the three men were indeed labourers, as claimed by their families, and not involved in militant activities, he said it is a matter of further investigation. On 18 July, the Army had claimed three militants were killed in Amshipura village in the higher reaches of south Kashmir's Shopian. It initiated an inquiry after social media reports indicated that the three men were from Rajouri and had gone missing in Amshipura. The families of the three men claimed they worked as labourers in Shopian and lodged a police complaint. The police also launched an investigation and collected the DNA samples of the three families from Rajouri to match with the slain men. "The DNA report has come and matching has taken place," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told reporters in Srinagar. Asked if he meant that the DNA samples of the three men have matched with the families from Rajouri, he said, "There is positive matching with the families from Rajouri." On whether it had been established that the three men were labourers and not involved in any militant activities, Kumar said, "The police are now taking up further investigations in the case." The Army completed its inquiry into the matter in a record four weeks. On 18 September, the force said it had found "prima facie" evidence that its troops "exceeded" powers under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) during the encounter and has initiated disciplinary proceedings. Former Disney star Bella Thorne shared a post to Instagram on Wednesday that had her fans enthusiastic. The Shake It Up actress was seen in three new images where she had on a white lace wedding veil as the beauty wrote in her caption, 'Such a happy girl.' The star - who was born Annabella Avery Thorne - appeared to be suggesting she was either married to or was going to wed her boyfriend of one year, Benjamin Mascolo. Fans went nuts: Former Disney star Bella Thorne shared a post to Instagram on Wednesday that had her fans gushing Not only did she have on a fancy white veil, but on her wedding finger looked to be a diamond engagement ring that was next to a large emerald ring. There were many reactions to her new images. Her friend Paris Hilton shared a love-eyed emoji and clicked like but did not make a comment. Novaampliacao asked, 'Want to marry me beautiful bride ???' while Bellaxoxodaya, demanded, 'Marry ME.' The link took her over 20M Instagram followers to her OnlyFans account, which fans need a subscription to see. Wedding bells? The Shake It Up actress was seen in three new images where she had on a white lace wedding veil as the beauty wrote in her caption, 'Such a happy girl' The former Disney Channel star seems to be serious with her beau Mascolo. On Tuesday she was seen heading to dinner with the Italian artist in West Hollywood. The 22-year-old paired the top with a matching black ruffled mini skirt, which showed off her toned legs in a pair of black leather platform combat boots. She finished the ensemble with a black 'vote' face mask, a chunky pearl Chanel choker, a matching handbag, a white Clinch Belts belt with a gold buckle and diamond bling on her wrists and fingers. Mrs Mascolo? The star - who was born Annabella Avery Thorne - appeared to be suggesting she was either married to or was going to wed her boyfriend of one year, Benjamin Mascolo Bella held hands with Benjamin, 27, who sported an equally pink look, as they arrived at the celeb favorite hotspot Craig's. She previously took to her Instagram Story to show off a bouquet of roses he bought her, writing: 'My boyfriend is perfect perfect perfect.' The actress gushed to her 23.8million followers: 'Come on. I mean... Come on, my boyfriend, number one stunner. Come on! I mean, just gorgeous. Gorgeous!' She also took to her profile with a behind-the-scenes photo from her Stupid F***ing B**** music video, showing her in a white bikini and matching pearls, looking into a poolside monitor. It's love love love: Bella held hands with Benjamin, 27, who sported an equally pink look, as they arrived at the celeb favorite hotspot Craig's (pictured this summer) Bella teased the video for her new single the night before on Instagram, writing: 'STUPID F***ING B**** just about to drop this on my ONLY fans !!! Link in bio BE THE FIRST TO HEAR AND SEE' She launched her OnlyFans last month, charging $20 a month, $51 for a three-month subscription or $102 for six months. The Assassination Nation actress was reportedly the first content creator on the platform to earn $1million in their first 24 hours, after briefly crashing the site. She told the Los Angeles Times that she made $2million in the first week, and she's 'putting the earnings into her production company and toward charity.' Business minded: She launched her OnlyFans last month, charging $20 a month, $51 for a three-month subscription or $102 for six months Although the site is mostly for adult entertainers to monetize their work, Thorne tweeted: 'Also nooooo Im not doing nudity!!!' But she quickly stirred up controversy, when she charged $200 for nude photos, which weren't actually nude, prompting many users to complain and request refunds. The site subsequently implemented some unwelcome changes, like capping payments at $50 for pay-per-view posts, as well as a hold that would require some international users to wait 30 days for their payout. Many sex workers who rely on the platform for their livelihood blamed Bella for making their jobs more difficult. She later apologized on Twitter, writing: 'I wanted to bring attention to the site, the more people on the site the more likely of a chance to normalize the stigmas, And in trying to do this I hurt you. (TNS) The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM) is seeking information from state education agencies about how they are working to protect the privacy of both K-12 and college students amid the coronavirus pandemic.Despite the fact that remote education is now the norm in Massachusetts and not the exception, the state still lacks sufficient privacy protections to ensure students are not being improperly monitored or tracked by corporations and the government, Kade Crockford, director of the ACLUMs Technology for Liberty program, wrote in a statement.The organization has therefore submitted a public records request to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) on Tuesday, asking for all information about policies, guidelines and training the agency has in place related to remote learning and student privacy.The group has for years spearheaded legal efforts to ensure there are barriers to governmental surveillance in Massachusetts, including a statewide campaign to ban governmental agencies' use of facial recognition technology With its most recent records request, the ACLUM is seeking information from DESE about privacy requirements and protection standards for the use of remote learning apps and software, including online classroom and proctoring technology.The organizations request comes as hundreds of school districts across the commonwealth have shifted to completely online learning and hybrid models of remote and in-person instruction due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Some lower risk communities have kicked off the academic year with fully in-person learning.In this context, schools may take varying approaches to education technology and privacy policy, leaving some students more protected and others more exposed to privacy harms. But thats unacceptable, particularly when remote education is for so many students mandatory," Crockford said.The transition has highlighted not only privacy concerns, but also inequities in the education system at both the state and national level, according to the ACLUM.Several school districts, including Boston , have worked during the pandemic to ensure all students have access to computers and WiFi to be able to effectively participate in remote learning.Ahead of the first day of classes earlier this month, Chromebooks were still being handed out in Boston and in Worcester to public school students in need of them.In Springfield, Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick pointed out last week there were some technical issues during the first week of remote learning, but attendance was strong.In May, the ACLU of Massachusetts sent a letter to DESE, urging the agency to remedy what it called an inequitable and unsafe manner in which remote learning is being provided to public school students.In its letter, the group encouraged DESE to redouble its efforts to ensure students have equal access to the various technologies that make effective remote learning possible and establish adequate privacy protections for students engaged in online instruction.More than three months went by, and the ACLUM never received a response from the state agency, the organization claimed.Moreover, we have seen that equal access to technology-related resources in Massachusetts has not been adequately measured or reported, at least publicly, the group said.To understand the scope of remote learning problems in Massachusetts, the ACLUM requested information about the commonwealths plans for addressing such issues. The organization is also seeking records related to the outcomes of any measures taken to ensure students are able to access technology and the spending on software for schools and districts across the state.Along with the records request the ACLUM submitted to DESE, the organization is also seeking information from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the Executive Office Of Education about what approaches the state government and higher education institutions are taking to protect data collected on college campuses amid the pandemic.Institutions of higher education across Massachusetts have been subject to much scrutiny this fall, with some schools - including Holy Cross, Boston University Northeastern University and Salem State University - reporting large gatherings of students that fly in the face of public health guidance.Other schools - like Boston College Merrimack College in North Andover and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst - have reported COVID-19 outbreaks on or off their campuses.The ACLUM pointed out that many public colleges and universities are asking and, in some instances, requiring that all students agree to be tested for the coronavirus every couple of weeks and sign up for contact tracing apps to stave off transmission of the viral respiratory infection.Students have also been asked to sign waivers that allow institutions to access their medical records and other personal data, according to the ACLUM. These efforts are permitted but not required by the Board of Higher Education, the organization noted.Troubling nationwide reporting has shown that at some colleges, students testing data is also being shared with law enforcement, the ACLUM claimed.The organization cited the case of a student at Miami University in Ohio who was discovered to have tested positive for the coronavirus after a police officer scanned his license, CBS News reported.The ACLUM is seeking all records from the state about how both higher education and K-12 institutions as well as governmental agencies are using technologies to limit the spread of the virus at school and how data gathered by such tools is being stored and shared.Health privacy must be central to the governments COVID-19 response, but at present, the public has not been privy to the governments plans to ensure school-based testing data remains confidential," Crockford wrote in her statement. We seek records that we hope will provide transparency into how state government is handling critical student privacy matters related to remote learning and COVID-19. Appeal in Babri demolition case to be taken after studying judgment says CBI counsel Babri demolition verdict: All you need to know about the key figures Babri verdict runs counter to SC judgement, constitutional spirit: Congress India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Sep 30: The Congress on Wednesday said the decision of the special CBI court to acquit all the accused in Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to a Supreme Court judgement and the constitutional spirit. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said every Indian who has innate faith in the Constitution and in the spirit of communal amity and brotherhood expects and urges the central and state governments to file an appeal against the decision of the special court. 'The decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to Supreme Court judgement as also the constitutional spirit,' Surjewala said. The Supreme Court in its judgement on November 9 last year, pronounced by five judges, had clearly held that the demolition of Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and "egregious violation of the rule of law", Surjewala told reporters. 'But the Special Court exonerated all the accused. It is clear that the decision of the Special Court runs counter to the decision of the Supreme Court of India,' he said. 'Entire Country witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by BJP-RSS and its leaders to destroy the country's communal amity and brotherhood for usurping power at any cost,' he alleged. RSS calls for harmony while welcoming Babri verdict All the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case, including BJP veterans L K Advani and MM Joshi, were on Wednesday acquitted by a special CBI court here which said there was no conclusive proof against them. Delivering the much-awaited verdict in the 28-year-old case, CBI judge S K Yadav did not accept newspapers and video cassettes as evidence. The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, which triggered riots for several months leaving nearly 2,000 people dead across the country. The United States today imposed a new round of sanctions on Syrian officials, including the governor of the Central Bank of Syria, in the Trump administration's latest push to squeeze President Bashar al-Assad of his financial backers. The United States will continue to employ all of its tools and authorities to target the finances of anyone who profits from or facilitates the Assad regimes abuse of the Syrian people, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement today. Prominent Syrian businessman Khodr Taher bin Ali was among the key enablers named in the latest round of sanctions. The Treasury Department said bin Ali acts as an intermediary and contractor for the 4th Division, an elite military unit in the Syrian Arab Army, and has run a number of companies used to launder money on behalf of the regime. The Treasury imposed sanctions on Husam Muhammad Louka, the head of the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate, accusing him of torturing of detainees in the Syrian city of Homs and involvement in a massacre that killed 19 people at a childrens playground in 2015. Central Bank governor Hazem Younes Karfoul was also designated, along with Nasreen Ibrahim and Rana Ibrahim. According to US officials, the Ibrahim family acts as a front for Assad and his wife, Asma. The Trump administration embarked on a sweeping sanctions campaign this summer, largely aimed at preventing reconstruction in government-held parts of Syria. In June, the Caesar Act took effect, which gives the administration the authority to impose sanctions on anyone Syrian or foreign who provides assistance to the regimes military operations or the countrys construction, engineering, energy or aviation sectors. Damascus blames Western sanctions for its economic devastation, with the Syrian foreign minister telling the United Nations on Saturday that the Caesar measures were an inhumane attempt to suffocate Syrians. US officials have stressed that the sanctions do not target humanitarian assistance and that exemptions are built into the Caesar law so that much-needed supplies, including food and medicine, can reach the population. In a statement today, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the sanctions announced today came on the third anniversary of an attack on Armanaz in Idlib province. Backed by Russia, the regime launched overnight airstrikes on the rebel-held town, killing more than two dozen people, according to war monitors. The administrations designations of senior government of Syria officials, military commanders, and corrupt business leaders will not cease until the Assad regime and its enablers take irreversible steps to end their campaign of violence against the Syrian people, Pompeo said. Last week, the United States announced $720 million in additional assistance for Syrians inside the country and refugees in the region, bringing the total US contribution since the start of the Syrian crisis to more than $12 billion. We need Australian stories on our screens. Its important to Australias cultural identity and, with the production sector employing 25,000 people, its important economically too. That is why, for decades, there have been rules requiring commercial television networks to show specified amounts of Australian drama, documentaries and childrens content. Meeting these "sub-quota" requirements, along with an overall requirement to show 55 per cent Australian content, costs Australias free-to-air television broadcasters tens of millions of dollars a year. Yet audiences for free-to-air television are dropping sharply, down more than 30 per cent in five years. Revenue too is way down. (Photo : SpaceX via Twitter (@SpaceX)) American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., popularly known as SpaceX, will soon have two Dragon spacecraft docked on the International Space Station, bringing crew and cargo for space missions. In 2021, at least one Dragon will stay docked for the entire year, with the other going back to the planet for resupplies and cargo haul. In the coming months and year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ISS will be the so-called 'Dragon's Nest' as it will hold a duo of SpaceX's reusable crew and cargo spacecraft, the Dragon 1. SpaceX's brilliantly designed crewship is the first privately-owned and made ship ever to board the ISS. SpaceX's Dragon can also bring significant amounts of home cargo from space, aside from its intended utilization, to bring load up in the ISS or other bodies of the celestial heavens. Passengers are also the Dragon capsule's primary focus as it promises seven persons at each departure, orbiting the Earth, and returning. NASA's astronauts will again don the SpaceX Dragon as its trusted spacecraft for intergalactic travel to the International Space Station. The reusable design of SpaceX makes it an efficient and smart choice for all profound space travels. The Dragon currently has 23 launches on its belt with 21 visits to the ISS since its original launch ten years ago, in 2010. SpaceX was able to utilize several Dragons for 're-flights' with an impressive nine reflown missions. ALSO READ: UAE Plans to Land on the Moon on 2024 After India, Israel, and Japan Have Failed; Will Set up a Colony by 2117 ISS: Dragon's Nest for 2021 According to SpaceX's official Twitter account (@SpaceX), the next Dragon launch would be a crewed mission, bringing astronauts to space. After the manned launch, SpaceX will deploy its upgraded version of the Dragon that is specifically made for cargo missions. The next cargo mission will be the 21st cargo resupply to the ISS. Once this Dragon docks to the @space_station , there will be two Dragons docked simultaneously. Between crew and cargo missions, there will be at least one Dragon spacecraft attached to the @space_station for the entirety of 2021 SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 29, 2020 The 'resupply' Dragon will make history as it will have two of SpaceX's capsule docked simultaneously in the International Space Station. The alternating cargo and crew missions to and from the ISS will leave at least one Dragon capsule on the ISS for the entirety of 2021. Twitter users speculate on whether the October 31 or Halloween launch mission will be the said Dragon to be the first in ISS. However, Mario Billiani (@_starbase_) clarifies that it would be a different mission, with the said Dragon bound for ISS will launch in November. SpX-21 #CRS21 is currently scheduled for Nov. 15. Dragon will dock to the zenith IDA/PMA-3 port of the Harmony module, whereas #Crew1 Dragon will dock to the forward IDA/PMA-2 port of Harmony.https://t.co/5a9ZgGr2NZhttps://t.co/T1kTxPLRi5 pic.twitter.com/GbmonWb0T5 Mario Billiani (@_starbase_) September 29, 2020 A Google Calendar even shows the launches that will happen in the coming days, particularly in October's Halloween and the November SpaceX Dragon bound for the ISS. Twitter Dubs the Name: Dragon's Nest Several Twitter users use a Game of Thrones homage for the SpaceX's mythical creature name, Dragon. Blake Wylie (@blakewylie) dubs Elon Musk to be the 'Mother of Dragons,' much like the character, Daenerys Targaryen or Khaleesi, in the hit HBO series. Elon Musk, first of his name, breaker of fossil fuels, mother of dragons. @elonmusk Blake Wylie (@blakewylie) September 29, 2020 Kevin (@spaceXcentric) said that people should start calling the ISS as 'The Nest.' The dragon's nest in mystical folklore is a mighty throne for the creature that possesses great power. The analogy of dragons and nest to both SpaceX's crewship and the ISS shows humans' astounding innovations in terms of space travels. ALSO READ: [Confirmed] SpaceX Next Falcon 9 Launch of GPS III Space Vehicle 04 Will Be on September 30: Netizens Scramble Over Lack of Details This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SPRINGFIELD A 35-year-old Holyoke man who was arrested in 2019 as part of a multi-agency crackdown on drug dealing in that city was sentenced to 14 months in prison on Tuesday. Jayson Quinones pleaded guilty in May to federal charges of distributing heroin and possessing of heroin with the intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni ordered him to serve 14 months in prison and then three years on probation. Quinones was one of 17 arrested for dealing heroin in October 2019 during Operation Open Air, a coordinated action targeting drug activity happening in plain sight around Holyoke. Twenty-five other people were arrested on charges of drug possession or other charges. Pantone, the color registry company, has introduced a new shade Period red that it hopes will get people talking about a part of life that often goes unmentioned. By focusing on menstruation, Pantone said, it wants to overturn a taboo and draw attention to a regular life phase with a color that is energizing and dynamic. Period red emboldens people who menstruate to feel proud of who they are, said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute. She added that the goal was to urge everyone, regardless of gender, to feel comfortable to talk spontaneously and openly about this pure and natural bodily function. The announcement is partly a marketing stunt: Pantone has teamed up with the Swedish feminine products brand Intimina, and the brands Seen+Heard campaign, to help make periods just a regular part of everyday life. Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter. Story by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA HARRISBURG One day after President Donald Trump fanned manufactured fears of election fraud in Pennsylvania, Republicans in the state legislature pushed forward an effort to create an election integrity committee that Democrats characterized as a stealth attack on voting. The resolution would create a committee of five House lawmakers three Republicans and two Democrats to investigate and review the Nov. 3 election. The group would be empowered to subpoena witnesses and documents and initiate legal filings. Democratic lawmakers, outnumbered in both chambers, called the resolution an overreach of power with a high potential for abuse. The committee could even attempt to impound uncounted ballots, House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D., Allegheny) claimed potentially delaying the certification of Pennsylvanias election results. To put it simply this is a dangerous threat to our democracy, Dermody said in a statement. Rep. Garth Everett (R., Lycoming), who introduced the resolution, dismissed those concerns, saying Wednesday the intent of the measure was to review the election and make recommendations for improvements. Sample HTML block The only thing it has the power to do is ... oversight and investigation, Everett said. It cant make up rules, it cant pass laws, it cant do anything. Only [the legislature] can do that. He also said the committee could not subpoena ballots because the state constitution does not allow for measures that violate the secrecy of the election process. Outside observers questioned that assertion. Bruce Ledewitz, professor of constitutional law at Duquesne University, said he wasnt sure why Everett would use that section of the constitution to make such a claim. It may be true, Ledewitz said. I certainly hope so. Pat Christmas, policy director of the nonpartisan Committee of Seventy, said if ballots are subpoenaed after they are removed from envelopes its unclear if voter privacy would be violated. This seems to be yet another uncertainty as to how this committee would operate, Christmas said. House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R., Centre) said the resolution is a response to recent state Supreme Court rulings that have injected chaos into the general election. Earlier this month, the court directed counties to accept ballots that arrive up to three days after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked on or before Nov. 3, and gave voters the option to use satellite drop boxes. GOP leaders have appealed the deadline extension to the U.S. Supreme Court. Separately, a Trump campaign lawsuit aimed at prohibiting drop boxes and allowing partisan poll watchers to serve anywhere in the state is ongoing in federal court. The House State Government Committee on Wednesday passed the resolution 15-10, along party lines, after an at times heated debate that saw Everett threaten to call security on Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia). The measure cannot be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, and only requires approval from a majority of House lawmakers. The full House could vote as early as Thursday, a GOP spokesperson said. As passed, the resolution does not make explicit when the work of the committee would begin, which concerned several Democrats. While Everett said the intent is for the review to take place post-election, the measure states that the committees work would be done in part to improve the conduct of the Nov. 3 election. The way its written now, I think my constituents would have grave and serious concerns that this somehow would be conducted in a manner that could interfere with that election, Rep. Pam DeLissio (D., Philadelphia) said. To address Democrats' concerns and clarify the resolution, Everett said he may offer an amendment to the resolution when it reaches the House floor. If Democrats and Republicans are able to find a way for this resolution to move forward in a way that both sides agree to, thats great, said Christmas, of the Committee of Seventy. But if they cant, then this thing will produce more harm than good. He also stressed that counties for months have been begging lawmakers to pass legislation granting them more time before Election Day to begin processing mail-in and absentee ballots. Without such a change, officials say it may take days or even weeks to produce a final count. That gap, Christmas said, could create a very, very risky window where misinformation is going to envelop the entire state. House Republicans advanced a measure in early September that would allow the process to begin three days before the election. That bill, Democrats said, was made in bad faith, as it would also ban satellite drop boxes and allow partisan poll watchers from across the state to volunteer in any county a move that could be used to intimidate voters. Wolf has promised to veto the bill as written because he said it would suppress voters. Rep. Kevin Boyle (D., Philadelphia), minority chair of the House State Government Committee, said negotiations between the GOP and Democrats have completely stopped. We believe increasingly that there is a broader plan to sow chaos, he said. And the best way for them to do it is to delay the tabulation and reporting of votes, most particularly in very Democratic urbanized areas where you have a lot of voters and then also a very high number of people voting by mail. While a spokesperson for the Senate GOP said conversations are continuing to see if there is anywhere to go, a spokesperson for House Republicans claimed the governor refuses to work with us. Lyndsay Kensinger, a spokesperson for Wolf, countered that the governor and others in the administration have spoken with leadership. 100% ESSENTIAL: Spotlight PA relies on funding from foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. If you value this reporting, please give a gift today at spotlightpa.org/donate. Actor Sonu Sood has been honoured with the prestigious SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for helping thousands of migrant workers reach home during lockdown. "This is a rare honour. A UN recognition is very special. I have done whatever little I have done in my own humble way for my fellow countrymen without any expectations. However, to be recognised and awarded feels good. I fully support the UNDP in its endeavours to achieve SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) by 2030. Planet Earth and mankind will greatly benefit from the implementation of these goals," Sonu said. The award was presented to him via a virtual ceremony. Apart from arranging transportation facilities for migrant workers to help them reach homes during lockdown, Sonu also looked after the educational needs of underprivileged students. He recently launched an initiative to provide full scholarships for higher education to students facing financial challenges. Sjaak Swart, the agent to Donny van de Beek, has hit out at Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, for not starting the player i... Sjaak Swart, the agent to Donny van de Beek, has hit out at Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, for not starting the player in the Premier League since he joined the club. Van de Beek completed a 40million switch from Ajax to Old Trafford this month. Since then, he has featured only as a substitute in the first two matches, playing 23 minutes Crystal Palace and for the final moments against Brighton. Van de Beek scored against Palace and was instrumental as United won 3-2 at the Amex Stadium. Speaking to VoetbalPrimeur, Swart said: A substitute, I dont like it at all. I couldnt do it myself, standing in with four minutes to play. I have to say he did three more good things. The penalty, where the winning goal came from, it came from him. Normally they shouldve lost 7-1. Brighton hit the post and bar five times. They have a nice team, but that should not happen to Manchester United. Van de Beek started for United in their Carabao Cup win over Luton, but was substituted after 78 minutes. I ts officially Spooky Season, and Netflix has plenty of scary offerings to scare you witless in the run up to Halloween. From the truly terrifying The Conjuring to the more mild Addams Family Values (and not forgetting the frightfully funny Hubie Halloween) theres plenty to keep the whole family enthralled until the 31st. Heres a full list of chilling cinema available on the streaming giant this month. What Halloween films are available on Netflix in October 2020? Addams Family Values (October 1) Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar Gomez and Morticia are welcoming a baby boy however, Wednesday and Pugsley are not too happy, and decide to eliminate the infant. Corpse Bride (October 1) A classic: Tim Burton's Corpse Bride Victor is swept into the Underworld when reciting his vows for his wedding, and ends up entangled with an undead woman in Tim Burtons childrens classic. Into The Storm (October 1) This found footage film focuses on a number of individuals who go all out to film an unprecedented onslaught of powerful tornadoes that ravage a small town while others flee for safety. Paranormal Activity 4 (October 1) p43 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4, from Paramount Pictures. Five years since the events of the first movie, a new family falls prey to nightmarish horrors. The Conjuring (October 1) New Line Cinema The period horrors see paranormal investigators are summoned to a farmhouse with an ever-growing supernatural presence. The Binding (October 2) A woman takes a trip to southern Italy to visit her fiance's mother, but soon realises that there's a mysterious and malevolent curse intent on claiming her own daughter Hubie Halloween (October 7) Adam Sandlers latest film focuses on good-natured Hubie, the community volunteer who is victim to the towns numerous pranksters only to find himself at the heart of a real murder investigation. Overlord (October 11) The best Halloween movies of all time 1 /13 The best Halloween movies of all time Halloween Well, how else could we start? They literally named the film for it. From the sinister opening sequence, shot in POV, to the terrifying moment serial killer Michael Myers sits up, appearing to come back from the dead, Halloween is packed with some of the most nerve-shredding scenes in horror history. Masterful direction from John Carpenter saw him establish himself as one of the leading genre filmmakers in the 70s and 80s, while Jamie Lee Curtis burst onto the scene as protagonist Laurie Strode. A string of sequels and reboots range drastically in quality (from the surprisingly good Rob Zombie film Halloween II in 2007, to the unsurprisingly naff Halloween: Resurrection, which starred Busta Rhymes, Tyra Banks and American Pies Thomas Ian Nicholas in 2002), but the thrill of the original movie and its impact on horror cinema cannot be understated. Edward Scissorhands Edward Scissorhands, the first of many Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborations, proved one of the most memorable dark romances of its time when it was released in 1990. The surprisingly affecting movie tells the story of a young man with scissors for hands, who comes to experience a new life in suburbia after years in isolation. He might have turned into a parody of himself in recent years with turns in the likes of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Pirates sequels, but Depp delivered an inspired performance in the film. He proved himself as one of the most unique and compelling talents of a generation with the role, bringing the titular character to life with heartbreaking vulnerability. Poltergeist Forget the derivative 2015 reboot the original Poltergeist from 1982 is the only version of the horror classic worth investing in this Halloween. With a screenplay by Steven Spielberg and directed by Texas Chainsaw Massacre filmmaker Tobe Hooper, the film made a big impact upon audiences at the time, establishing itself as one of the most compelling supernatural horrors of all time. The visual effects are a little dated by todays standards, but the movie remains a genuinely creepy viewing experience, and the famous theyre here sequence will change the way you look at your TV screen forever. Hocus Pocus The definition of a cult hit, Hocus Focus gradually found an audience after years of relative obscurity, and its now seen as one of the most loveable comedy horrors of the early 90s. The movie focus on three witches who are accidentally summoned by a teenager in modern day Massachusetts. A young Sarah Jessica Parker stars in the movie, which is fantastic fun and a top film to to unwind to this Halloween. Donnie Darko Richard Kellys Donnie Darko is one of the most original movies of the last few decades, and theres real darkness at the core of this ambitious piece of filmmaking. A strange narrative plays out against weird, unconventional cinematography, all helped by an excellent soundtrack and star-making performances from Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The integral appearance of a halloween costume in the movie makes it a perfect fit for the occasion too. Beetlejuice Tim Burton mixed horror inflections and inspired weirdo comedy in the unforgettable cult classic Beetlejuice. An electric performance from Michael Keaton in the title role sparks the films ghostly narrative into life, while Burtons typical visual flair and oddball aesthetics give the film real personality to boot. Revisit the classic this Halloween, but just dont say his name three times in a row... Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock The Exorcist It's regarded by many as the greatest horror film of all time, so what better time to scare yourself silly than revisiting William Friedkins masterpiece the Exorcist? The film is still one of the most unnerving movies ever made and the sequels and spin-off films are (mostly) worth checking out too. To say theyve been mixed through the years in an understatement that a man as talented as Richard Burton was in Exorcist II is a cinematic horror in itself but Exorcist III is also a phenomenal achievement in its own right, and contains one of the best jump scares ever too. The Addams Family Not every Halloween film has to be terrifying. The Addams mysterious but loveable gothic world is the perfect place to revel in this October. Christina Riccis Wednesday Addams and Christopher Lloyds Fester proved endearingly idiosyncratic characters, while heads of the family Morticia and Gomez are total couple goals too. Its always a movie worth re-watching, making for perfect Sunday afternoon viewing. The movie (which was given a PG rating in 1992) makes it a family-friendly option too. Scream The iconic mask featured in Scream is genuinely disturbing and one of the most unforgettable American pop culture images of the 90s but its easy to forget just how much fun the film is. The movie incorporates dark humour and a strong cast list of emerging stars (Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan and Courteney Cox to name a few) while simultaneously channelling and subverting slasher movie tropes, creating one of the trashiest, but most compelling horrors of the decade. A Nightmare on Elm Street A Nightmare on Elm Street eschewed gore and cliche for uncanny and eerie qualities to create some of the most chilling moments in 80s horror cinema ideal for an unsettling Halloween watch. Robert Englund delivers an unforgettable performance as the dream-haunting serial killer Freddy Krueger, bringing a terrifying physicality to the screen, while director Wes Craven creates some of horrors most skin-crawling moments. Sequences such as Freddys tongue emerging through the phone to lick Heather Langenkamp are the kind that stay with viewers for years. New Line American paratroopers drop behind enemy lines on D-Day only to find a number of sinister experiments waiting for their arrival. Cadaver (October 22) After a nuclear disaster, a starving family is lured by the offer of a meal to participate in a play at a hotel but things quickly turn strange. There are also some terrifying TV series to catch up on The Haunting of Bly Manor (October 9) The story tells of a young governess hired by a man to look after his niece and nephew at the family country house after they fall into his care but she beings to be terrified when she starts to see apparitions. Unsolved Mysteries (October 19) Host Robert Stack presides over an investigation into unsolved mysteries ranging from murders to UFO sightings. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks fell on Wednesday as a chaotic and unusually bitter face-off between U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden overnight stoked concern about the U.S. election outcome. Anxiety over rising coronavirus cases also weighed on markets, with Germany outlining new measures in a bid to contain the spread of the virus over autumn and winter. On the data front, German unemployment declined for a third month in September while retail sales rose much more than expected in August, separate reports showed. The benchmark DAX dropped 62 points, or half a percent, to 12,764 after ending 0.4 percent lower the previous day. Specialty chemicals company Covestro slumped 6.7 percent after it signed an agreement to acquire the Resins & Functional Materials business from Royal DSM. Travel & leisure stocks were moving lower, with airline Deutsche Lufthansa losing 1.3 percent. Infineon Technologies fell over 1 percent after U.S. chipmaker Micron Technology forecast fiscal first-quarter revenue to be slightly below Wall Street estimates. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Official Global Launch of the Brand-new Jetour X70 PLUS at the Beijing Auto Show BEIJING - September 30, 2020: The Beijing International Auto Show officially kicked off on September 26, 2020. At the press conference, Chery Holding Group's Jetour brand announced the official global launch of the brand-new X70 PLUS. The new Jetour X70 PLUS follows the overall design language of the "the best in Huizhou" family, and creates a mobile space full of oriental flavor by incorporating various classical elements of Chinese Huizhou culture and the design connotation of home. In appearance, in accordance with the characteristics of Jetour products like good looks and large space, the automobile body design is dynamic, fashionable and rich in oriental cultural temperament. In addition, 4749/1900/1720mm oversize body, 2745mm ultra-long wheelbase, 5/6/7 seats available, all of which create large and comfortable space suitable for family and travel. On the interior, the X70 PLUS adopts a 10.25-inch full LCD smart dual screen and a touch panel for air conditioning control. The overall style is simple and full of the sense of technology. Besides, the interior material uses a variety of fabrics to splice for better layering. In terms of power and intelligent configuration, the 1.5T and 1.6T engines are available with a maximum output of 156 HP and 197 HP, respectively. Moreover, the new car is equipped with a large intelligent screen, panoramic reversing image and other intelligent configurations. The brand Jetour focuses on travel +, and is committed to providing more families around the world with more reasonable automobile solutions by offering products with attractive appearance, large space, multi-functions and intelligence. Virginia voters broadly support police reform, but split along partisan lines on some of the particulars, according to a new poll from Christopher Newport University. In the CNU survey released Tuesday, 96% supported requiring training on de-escalation, 95% backed requiring body cameras and 94% supported requiring officers to intervene when a colleague uses unlawful force. Asked whether they back making it a crime for police to use chokeholds or strangleholds, 56% said yes and 42% said no. Among self-described Democrats, 80% supported or strongly supported making it a crime, as did 58% of independents. Among self-described Republicans, 67% opposed or strongly opposed making it a crime. (Virginians do not register by party.) Voters backed the idea of allowing civilians to sue for misconduct with 52% in favor and 44% against, with another strong partisan split. The pollsters asked respondents which of two statements comes closer to their own views. Seventy-seven percent of Democrats and 64% of independents chose: Police need to be held accountable. Among Republicans, 74% chose: Police need protections from lawsuits. A majority of voters opposed the idea of banning police use of military grade weapons, with 50% against the idea and 47% in favor. Police reform has been a key focus of the Virginia legislatures special session, initially meant to reassess the state budget amid COVID-19. Protests in Richmond and around the nation following George Floyds death in the custody of Minneapolis police spurred renewed emphasis on law enforcement. Democrats in the legislature say the killings of Floyd and Breonna Taylor crystallized the need for changes that are past due. Republicans have contested a number of the proposed measures, saying they would make it harder to recruit and retain good officers. Majorities across all demographic groups white, Black, men, women, young, old, college or not give police poor marks on race, Wason Center Academic Director Quentin Kidd said. But theres a partisan divide. Solid majorities of Democrats and independents rate police poorly on race, but nearly two out of three Republicans say police treat racial and ethnic groups equally. Asked to rate how well police across the country do at treating racial and ethnic groups equally, 62% of Republicans said either good or excellent, compared with 18% of independents who said good or excellent and just 9% of Democrats. Other police reform ideas that drew strong support included: requiring public reports when force is used, backed by 76%; establishing a public database on misconduct, supported by 76%; and creating civilian oversight boards to investigate allegations of police misconduct, backed by 70%. The House and Senate have taken differing approaches to police reform, with the Senate backing an omnibus measure and the House passing individual bills. The chambers will have to reconcile significant differences in some of the measures they have passed. COVID-19 On the pandemic, 47% said Virginias restrictions are about right, while 29% said there should be fewer restrictions and 24% said more restrictions are necessary. As for schooling, 46% of respondents backed a hybrid mode with a limited amount of in-person class time, while 28% endorsed fully virtual education and 23% favored solely in-person instruction. The Wason Center interviewed 796 registered Virginia voters on cellphones and landlines between Sept. 9 and Sept. 21. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. Kuwaits new leader, Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, was sworn in on Wednesday following the death of his brother, longtime ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the day before. The new leader called for domestic unity in his first speech as ruler of the Gulf state, the state-run Kuwait News Agency reported. Our nation is facing acute circumstances and critical challenges, which can only be overcome by unifying ranks and working hard together, Sabah told parliament upon his accession. The deceased emir was respected by other world and regional leaders, including those on opposite sides of Middle Eastern conflicts. Both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar offered high praise for him following the death. He painted an image of moderation and balance, said Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Last week, US President Donald Trump presented the late Sabah with the prestigious Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, in part for his role in mediating international crises. Sabah will now be tasked with conducting Kuwaits long tradition of an independent foreign policy. Most recently, Kuwait has mediated the dispute in the Gulf between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Sabah will also need to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kuwaiti government has taken an active role in mitigating the spread of the virus and has continuously updated health guidelines. Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy. Power is divided between the emir, the prime minister appointed by the emir and their Cabinet, and the elected parliament. Sabah mourned his brother and focused on domestic issues in his speech. We affirm our keenness on our constitution and democratic practice, and we are proud that Kuwait is a state of law and institutions, said Sabah. Huang had fled to Cambodia when police found his parents dead last month He is suspected of killing them after an argument about his studies in the UK The Chinese man was arrested by Cambodian police at his hideout on August 17 He has been deported to China where he could face execution if found guilty A Chinese man studying in the UK is facing execution after he was suspected of killing his parents who tried to stop him returning to Britain from China during the coronavirus pandmic. Huang Mouyang, 22, had fled to Cambodia in August when his parents were found dead by police. He was later arrested at his hideout in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. ADVERTISEMENT The suspect has been deported from Cambodia to China, where he could face the death penalty if he is found guilty. Huang, who had been studying in the UK before returning to China temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic, is suspected of having murdered his lawyer father and professor mother in a row about him continuing his studies abroad A Chinese man studying in the UK is facing execution after he was suspected of killing his parents who tried to stop him returning to Britain from China during the coronavirus pandmic Huang is pictured being arrested by the Cambodian police He is seen being deported home on Tuesday Click here to resize this module Huang, who had been studying in the UK before returning to China temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic, is suspected of having murdered his lawyer father and professor mother in a row about him continuing his studies abroad. He is believed to have wanted to return to studying abroad, but his parents disagreed, leading to him killing them in a fit of rage, reported Cambodia News English. The couple were found dead in the dormitory of a school in the city of Nanning in southern Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on August 10. The bodies appeared to have been there for some days, local police said. Chinese authorities identified the couple's son as a suspect and found that he had fled to Cambodia. They began working with their Cambodian counterparts to locate him. Huang is believed to have wanted to return to studying abroad, but his parents disagreed, leading to him killing them in a fit of rage, reported Cambodia News English The suspect, a 22-year-old Chinese international student, was deported on the China Southern Airlines flight CZ8314 from Phnom Penh to Guangzhou in China on September 29 Huang Mouyang, 22, fled to Cambodia in August after his parents were found murdered. He was arrested at his hideout in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on August 17 Huang was then arrested in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on August 17. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese man had been studying in the UK. Due to the pandemic, he returned to China temporarily. The suspect was deported on the China Southern Airlines flight CZ8314 from Phnom Penh to Guangzhou in China on September 29. He could face the death penalty if convicted. ADVERTISEMENT The investigation continues. "He said 'sure' three times," Gidley said on CNN, referring to his response to questions about whether he would condemn supremacists. "The President does and he did call them out." But outside of Trump's staff, even many of his staunch supporters struggled to make sense of his comments and spin them in a favourable light. "I think he misspoke, I think he should correct it," said Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican senator. "If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak." Former vice-president Joe Biden Biden embarked on a seven-stop train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Credit:AP Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a Republican, said on CNN that "the Democrats owe a lot to Chris Wallace," blaming the moderator for having asked the question that elicited Trump's Proud Boys comment. "He was asking the President to do something he knows the President doesn't like to do, which is, say something bad about people who support him." The Trump campaign felt compelled to rehash in a video the times over the years that the President has condemned the Ku Klux Klan. "Here Are 7 Examples Of President Trump Condemning The KKK," the campaign's "Trump War Room" account tweeted. But the President himself did not walk back his comment, criticising Wallace, instead, and retweeting comments from conservative backers attacking Biden. The controversy echoed the blowback over Trump's handling of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, three years ago, when he said there were "very fine people on both sides." Biden said those comments spurred him to run for president, and now he's capitalising on a sequel to fuel his campaign in the closing weeks. Trump's aides have been hoping to reshape the final weeks of the campaign in terms Republicans think work to his advantage as a choice between himself and Biden, whom he portrays as a tool of the Democratic Party's extreme left wing. US President Donald Trump during the first presidential debate. Credit:AP The reaction to Tuesday night's debate, however, appeared to lock in the current framework of the race a referendum on Trump, which has clearly favoured the Democrats. On network morning shows, a key source of information for swing voters who tend not to closely follow politics, Republicans had difficulty defending Trump. On CBS' This Morning, for example, former Republican Party chair Reince Priebus tried to avoid commenting on Trump's remark about the Proud Boys, claiming he hadn't heard him say it. "You'll have to ask him," Priebus said when host Gayle King asked if Trump would condemn white supremacists on Wednesday. Even Brian Kilmeade, a Trump-friendly host on Fox & Friends, the President's favourite television show, expressed sharp disappointment. "Donald Trump ruined the biggest lay-up in the history of debates by not condemning white supremacists," he said. "I don't know if he didn't hear it, but he's gotta clarify that right away. That's like, are you against evil? Why the President didn't just knock it out of the park, I'm not sure." Trump was also rebuked by the sheriff of Portland, Oregon, whom the President claimed during the debate was a supporter. "I have Florida, I have Texas, I have Ohio," Trump said. "Excuse me, Portland, the sheriff there just came out today and said, 'I support President Trump.' " But Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese went on Twitter on Tuesday to deny any such support. "As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him," he tweeted. The aftermath of the debate could pose a threat not only to the President, who has trailed Biden for months, but also to Republicans up for re-election in swing states, such as Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who are already struggling to keep the backing of Trump supporters while distancing themselves enough from the President to woo swing voters. The debate could also hurt Republican efforts to hold onto swing congressional districts in the nation's suburbs. "Many found the entire debate disturbing," said Sarah Chamberlain, president of the Republican Main Street Partnership PAC, a group that supports the dwindling band of Republican centrists in the House. "Our polling shows he damaged the brand in suburban areas," she said. As the post-debate commentary swirled, Biden embarked on a seven-stop train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania, and underscored a theme he tried to get across in the din of Tuesday's debate. Loading "Does your President understand at all what you're going through?" he said. "Does he see you where you are and where you want to be? Does he care? Has he tried to walk in your shoes to understand what's going on in your life?" Trump plans a rally later in the day in Minnesota. Analysts were puzzled by what Trump was trying to accomplish in the debate. He needs to win over moderate Republicans and wavering independents to overcome Biden's lead in polls. But instead he appears to have unnerved them. Two public snap polls poll of debate viewers showed Biden winning the debate; 60 per cent-28 per cent in a poll by CNN; a closer outcome, 48 per cent-41 per cent, in one by CBS. Trump Biden 2020 Our weekly newsletter will deliver expert analysis of the race to the White House from our US correspondent Matthew Knott. Sign up for The Sydney Morning Herald's newsletter here, The Age's here, Brisbane Times' here and WAtoday's here. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In its bid to prepare for opening up international travel, American Airlines has initiated a plan for preflight coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. This move is expected to inspire and rebuild confidence in air travel and advance the travel industry's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The carrier is beginning with testing for customers travelling to Jamaica and the Bahamas, and will expand the testing to additional markets in the weeks and months ahead. American Airlines is collaborating with several foreign governments to begin offering preflight COVID-19 testing protocol for customers traveling to international destinations. American has reached agreement with Jamaica to launch an initial testing program at its Miami International Airport (MIA) hub next month for Jamaican residents traveling back to their home country. If tested negative, the 14-day quarantine in place in Jamaica will be waived. American is also working with the Bahamas and CARICOM, an integrated grouping of 20 Caribbean countries, to launch similar program next month. The discussion is afoot with CARICOM about expanding the program to additional Caribbean markets. Apart from international markets, the airline is working with the government of Hawaii to develop a series of options that fit the Hawaiian requirements for travel to the state. It will begin preflight COVID-19 testing program at its Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) hub for customers traveling to Hawaii from October 15. Beginning next month, American will offer three options for preflight testing to customers with flights from DFW to Honolulu (HNL) and Maui (OGG) - At-home test from LetsGetChecked, In-person testing and Onsite rapid testing. The testing under the COVID-19 predeparture testing program must be completed within 72 hours of the final leg of departure. Travelers who test negative will be exempt from the state's 14-day quarantine. American Airlines had in August announced its decision to suspend services to 15 markets, effective October, reflecting weak demand as well as the expiration of the air service requirements associated with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security or CARES Act. In the same month, the company had announced plans to cut about 19,000 employees in October when the US federal aid expires, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the travel and tourism industry. The total workforce will shrink by at least 40,000, including 19,000 involuntary cuts, in October. In June, American Airlines had warned around 25,000 employees, which is about 20% of its total workforce, about possibility of furloughs. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) were first successfully imported from China to the United States in 1881. Their first successful release in Minnesota came in 1916. The ring-necked pheasant is one of Minnesota's most popular upland game birds. Of course, Americans would have learned a lot more if Mr. Trump had obeyed the rules he agreed to before the debate, allowing Mr. Biden to answer questions without constant interruption. It would have been more edifying if the president had brought more than falsehoods, personal attacks and threats to the stage. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Wednesday that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues. We agree: If there are to be two more debates, the moderators should be given control of the candidates microphones and they should cut off the president if he again shamelessly disregards every principle of decorum and decency. OFFALY retailing legend Tom 'Texas' McNamara will be opening his new store on William Street, Tullamore on Monday, October 12 next. Mr McNamara's return to the shopping scene will be welcomed by those who remember him from the massive outlet he had in Tullamore, along with his business in Athlone. He also developed Main Street in Tullamore, an entirely new street comprising retail, commercial and residential accommodation in a formerly disused part of the town. More recently Mr McNamara ventured into the food service business with the Coffee Club on Harbour Street. The new store, which is located in the former ESB shop, will open its doors at 12 noon on October 12 but 12 hours earlier, at midnight, the online outlet, texastom.ie, will go live. Through texastom.ie, which will have a loyalty club, online shoppers are promised next day delivery of fashions at what Texas social media says will be exceptional value. Detailing his plans earlier this year, Mr McNamara said the fashion store will be 60% ladieswear, with the remainder evenly split between menswear and children's. Texas department store began its life on William Street in 1981 in the premises which is now Charming Hand and Foot spa. It then moved into the former Duffy's supermarket, also on William Street, and crowds flocked from all over Ireland to take advantage of the wide selection of clothing and jewellery at knock-down prices. Having spent 11 years at that premises, Tom moved to the former Irish Mist facility on Offaly Street, opening in 1996. Texas spent another 11 years there before selling to Navan businessman Eamon Duignan who had plans to build a shopping centre incorporating the former Texas and Tesco properties, along with other adjacent sites. Last week the Tullamore Tribune revealed that local businessman Tony Flanagan intends to build a 7.5m retail and mixed use complex there. There are coastal paths, and then there is The Gobbins. Stepping through 'Wise's Eye', a hole bored into basalt off the coast of Islandmagee, Co Antrim, salty sea air whacks me in the face. The ocean's roar cranks up in volume. I grip the chain handrail. Ahead is a mile or so of hand-chiselled paths, deftly engineered bridges, steps, caves, coves and at one point a 22m tunnel that actually takes our walking group below sea level. The hard hats we wear are not for fun. At several points, I find myself not just walking along the Irish Sea, but actually right out over it. Surf slurps and booms into hidden crevices. Two sea-kayakers bob past us in the near distance, and birds babble overhead. 'The Gobbins' opened as a 21st-century tourist attraction in 2015. But as walkers learn, it began life as an Edwardian engineering marvel designed to attract travellers in a golden age of railways. "On a busy day, they say the Gobbins was busier than Royal Avenue in Belfast," says Eddie, the guide leading our group through 'Wise's Eye'. Expand Close Walking a section of The Gobbins. Photo: Pol O Conghaile / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Walking a section of The Gobbins. Photo: Pol O Conghaile All access to the coastal route is guided for safety reasons, and the trail now has Northern Ireland's Good to Go charter mark in place - with enhanced, Covid-19 health measures including pre-booking and one-way systems. A higher cliff path is free to access, but to walk the original, restored route, you need to buy a ticket (20pp) at the visitor centre near Whitehead, joining a group safety briefing and a five-minute bus ride to the trailhead. Group sizes are restricted, but my minibus was still fairly full, so don't forget those face masks. The trail starts with a short but steep descent, passing farmsteads where tea was once poured and dishes like boiled bacon served for Edwardian day-trippers. Today, the scene is rustic and calm - onions are laid out to dry in a shed, apple trees are popping with autumn fruit; a clucking hen dips about by a parked tractor. On the horizon, an undulating line of land is visible. "Thats Scotland," Eddie says. The path itself is tight, hugging the coast so much that backpacks are not permitted. We walk in single file, with waves lapping just a few feet beneath us - and regularly spraying visitors on wetter or windier days. Today's bridges are shiny stainless steel, but traces of the original iron and concrete works are still visible. Built "with hand tools by men in cloth hats", as we're told, the original Gobbins dates from 1902, when it was designed as a tourist attraction to wow travellers using newly expanded railway lines. Whitehead, on Islandmagee, was one beauty spot, and this path engineered by Berkeley Deane Wise became one of the island's most talked about coastal attractions. Incidentally, Wise also worked on the extension of Dublin's Kingstown line around Bray Head in the 1870s - a network of tunnels, viaducts and bridges you can still see on the Bray to Greystones cliff walk today. Expand Close Pol O Conghaile on The Gobbins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pol O Conghaile on The Gobbins 'Wise's Eye' is named after the Chief Engineer. And 'The Gobbins"? "It means headlands or snout'," Eddie says. "Do you know the phrase, 'Shut your gob?" The original path fell into disrepair after closing during the Second World War. Maintaining it had become too costly for a railway company hit by the Depression of the 1930s, and the growing popularity of cars. A section reopened in the 1950s, but it was closed again in 1954 following a landfall and finally abandoned some years later. The guided walk unfolds at a gentle pace, with plenty of stops for stories of smugglers, views of the old constructions, or educations on the wildlife flitting about above and below. Seals and dolphins can be spotted offshore, puffins nest in the cliffs (in season), and there are gannets and cormorants diving for fish too. April to August is best for birdwatchers - but there are no guarantees, of course. "Nature shows up when it wants to show up," as Eddie says. One highlight (or lowlight, if you're at all claustrophobic) is that 22m tunnel that passes below sea level. Our feet stay dry, but it's a tight crack to creep through, and the booming sound of the surf adds an edge - so let your guide know if you feel anxious or if you'd prefer to go to the front of the group. Larne borough Council have done a super job restoring the iconic attraction - in the future, I'd love to see investment to link the lower and upper cliff paths into a loop. That really would be a coastal trail for the ages. Sign up for our free travel newsletter! Like what you're reading? Subscribe to 'Travel Insider', our free travel newsletter written by award-winning Travel Editor, Pol O Conghaile. Need to know Expand Close Walking the Gobbins. Photo: Pol O Conghaile / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Walking the Gobbins. Photo: Pol O Conghaile Level: Moderate. The path is short and won't trouble fit hikers, but there is a steep descent (and ascent at the end). "It is the equivalent of climbing and descending 50 flights of steps", the official website says - so think twice if you have back and joint problems, or heart and breathing conditions. Tours do operate in strong wind and heavy rain, but not in severe weather conditions - either way, expect to get wet. Distance: 4.5km (3 miles) approx. Allow 2.5 hours for the tour. Tips: Guided tours run from 9am to 3pm (they leave promptly, so arrive early). Tickets cost 20/14.50, with a family rate of 42 for two adults and up to three children. Book in advance, use the loo at the visitor centre, and note that trainers are not allowed (boots or walking shoes can be hired for 5). A bite nearby: There's a basic cafe alongside the exhibition at The Gobbins Visitor Centre, doing breakfast fry-ups, quiches and the like. It's no great shakes, but you may like a cuppa there after the walk. More info: thegobbinscliffpath.com; discovernorthernireland.com Your walking checklist Safety comes first on a walk, no matter how easy. Check the weather, leave word of where youre going and when youll be back, and pack smart. And remember, never leave valuables visible inside parked cars. A fully charged phone, water and snacks, layers of appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear are essential for most walks. Bring a bag for rubbish, and clean shoes and socks in the boot for afterwards. Covid-19 measures: Avoid peak times at busy spots (going early, late or midweek), dont arrange to meet in large groups, observe social distancing, and park considerately leave room for farmers, locals and emergency services to pass. Check websites before travelling for the latest opening hours for restaurants and pubs, most require booking ahead, and have a Plan B in case your car park is full. Responsible walkers always respect private property. For more great walks, visit our Irish walks hub. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Muthi Achadiat Kautsar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 20:35 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4846a99 1 Food Bruule,spaghetti-bruule,spaghetti,Tokopedia,food Free Good news for those who have the privilege to work from home: You will never be short of access to good food, thanks to app-based delivery services that are always ready to bring the food you order to your door. Whats even better is that when you order food, you help delivery partners earn income, while also helping micro, small and medium (MSMEs) entrepreneurs keep their businesses afloat. The Jakarta Post reported that food delivery service platforms have seen a significant increase in transactions during the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), hence the trend of ordering food from home has led to food and beverage (F&B) MSMEs focusing more on online sales, as well as the emergence of new F&B businesses. Businesses shifting from offline to online sales must bear a few things in mind, including strengthening their presence on digital platforms and adopting digital commerce tools, as pointed out by a briefing released on April 14 by market research firm Kantar, titled COVID-19 Impact on Indonesian Attitudes & Behaviors: Learning for Brands. Thankfully, F&B businesses of any scale, from MSMEs to established brands, are faced with many options of digital platforms they can cooperate with, ranging from app-based delivery services to marketplace platforms that are part of tech giants, each with its own styles, features and campaigns to help them thrive. One of many success stories of newly established F&B businesses that optimize the use of digital platforms is that of Bruule, a brand that makes baked spaghetti called spaghetti bruule. Husband and wife Reza Harisky and Sarila, cofounders of Bruule, told the Post in a video conference that they started the business in late March, targeting to sell 12 pans a week using a social media platform. However, as the business grew, they saw a higher number of transactions per day, hence the need for a marketplace platform to manage their business. We joined Tokopedia in July, three months after opening, when we felt challenges in administration, delivery and ordering process for the customers using social media, said Sarila, who used to receive orders through Instagrams Direct Message (DM) feature. It turned out that opening a store at Tokopedia led to skyrocketing sales of Bruules baked spaghetti. Reza and Sarila admitted that selling Bruules products through Tokopedia helped them reach a wider market, and it helps customers order easily, too, hence boosting sales. They still sell and promote the product through the Instagram Story feature, but now for customers, instead of sending direct messages to order, they only need to swipe up the story and will be taken directly to Tokopedia to place an order. This really helps us in with administration, because [digital platforms] already have a system that makes taking orders much easier. We will receive the order, [prepare the goods] and request [for the goods] to be picked up without having to [manually] confirm [the orders] with customers, Sarila explained. She went on to say that taking orders manually through messenger services and/or social media could be tedious, as she and her partners had to reconfirm a few times, and that taking orders through digital platforms was simpler and left less room for mistakes. However, other than just optimizing the digital platform, Bruule owes its success to knowing its markets preference. . (Courtesy of/Bruule) Sarila said that spaghetti bruule is actually based on her familys recipe, and the dish is often enjoyed at family gatherings. The original spaghetti recipe has a strong taste of tomato, but Sarila and Reza decided that they wanted to adjust the flavor to cater to the common Indonesian palate, which is sweeter, with a strong hint of spices. At the base [of the spaghetti bruule] is the regular spaghetti bolognaise, with minced beef and mushroom, and on top of it, we put a layer of bruule cheese and then we bake it, said Reza, adding that bruule cheese refers to creamy cheese sauce the brand developed itself to top the spaghetti layers. The couple then added chili flakes to the spaghetti bruule, as they understand Indonesians will like it. At the end, we have to look at our target market, what they like to eat, and that is why we decided to modify our family recipe, to create the [spaghetti] bruule that Indonesians like, Reza explained. Reza went on to say that 40-50 percent of the revenue Bruule earns was generated from sales at Tokopedia, and he hopes his store at Tokopedia will reach an even wider market, hence generating higher revenue from sales at the platform. While its Tokopedia store has one dropping point in the South Jakarta area to cater to the market in the capital, Bruule also has dropping points in West Javas Bekasi, Bandung and Bogor; Bantens Tangerang; East Javas Surabaya and Lampung. The dropping points are to serve the market in their surrounding areas, and for those areas, orders still have to be processed manually. But, according to Reza, a discussion with Tokopedia for more Bruule stores in more areas is already in the pipeline. As for customers, ordering ready-to-eat food from a technology company with a marketplace platform like Tokopedia, options that can satisfy various preferences abound. If you happen to be in the same area as Bruules Tokopedia dropping point, you can place an order in the morning and expect to have the freshly-made food delivered in the afternoon. On certain days, however, you may have to be on the waiting list, as the days stock may have sold out quickly. Hand sanitizer dispensers line the hallway at Paul Robeson High School in University City this week. Philadelphia public schools are currently doing remote learning due to the coronavirus. Read more New Jersey officials said Wednesday that 43 staff and students have been infected with the coronavirus at school since returning to classrooms this month, with seven of the 11 schools affected located in South Jersey. Three schools in Cape May County, two in Burlington County, and two in Gloucester County have reported cases of in-school transmission. Officials did not identify the schools but said anyone connected with an affected school is notified before the cases are reported publicly. They did not say any of the 11 schools statewide had closed. With about 3,000 schools open for some in-person learning, according to the interim state education commissioner, the outbreaks have affected a very small fraction of students. Gov. Phil Murphy said the scope of in-school infections so far is probably as good as I would have hoped but the last thing we want to do is pat ourselves on the back and wake up the next day and find that number went up by multiples. But I would say as objectively as I can, its a pretty darn good result. READ MORE: What does in-person school look like in the COVID-19 era? Heres a look inside. The Pennsylvania Department of Health remains most concerned about college students, Secretary Rachel Levine said Wednesday, and is working with Pennsylvania State University in particular to try to decrease the number of new cases there. Since some Penn State students returned to the State College campus in August, the university has reported 2,475 cases, 701 of which were active as of Monday, the last time the schools virus dashboard was updated. Pennsylvania on Wednesday reported 1,153 newly confirmed cases and 19 additional deaths. Philadelphia reported 141 new coronavirus cases and 10 newly identified deaths; the citys seven-day average sat at three deaths per day. Cases were increasing in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. On Wednesday, Pennsylvanias average number of new cases per day was about 38% higher than one month ago; New Jerseys was 92% higher; and Delawares was 66% higher, according to an Inquirer data analysis. READ MORE: Coronavirus antigen testing could fill the need for a rapid screening technology, despite accuracy problems Reporting 722 new cases, New Jersey officials said 188 of those are in Ocean County, where an outbreak is growing. Nearly all those cases were reported in Lakewood, known for its large Orthodox Jewish population. While the states positivity rate is 3%, it is 27% in Lakewood, meaning more than a quarter of tests taken there have been positive, said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. Health officials have sent additional contact tracers to Ocean County and will be visiting this week to meet with community leaders and assess the situation. This is something we are taking very, very seriously, Murphy said. Were all trying to figure out the Ocean County spike. The cases in schools were announced as New Jersey launched an online dashboard on the states main COVID-19 page to track school outbreaks. An outbreak is defined as when two or more students or staff in a school become sick within the same two-week period. Schools with two cases from the same classroom can remain open, Persichilli said, provided that contacts of those who were infected stay home for two weeks. If multiple staff members, students, and families served by one school become sick, local health officials can recommend the school be closed for two weeks. As of the start of the school year, 434 school districts were using a hybrid teaching model and 68 were offering full-time in-person instruction. The rest, 242, were remote only. Kevin Dehmer, interim commissioner of education, said some schools are still having problems getting electronic devices, and state officials are still working to get all students access to classes online. The state will also soon distribute 2.4 million masks from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to schools. Were re-creating an entirely new delivery system of public education, he said. Staff writers Erin McCarthy and Rob Tornoe contributed to this article. The last residential school closed in 1996, but the scars both emotional and physical still impact everyday life for many Indigenous people in Canada. Each fall since 2013, the Orange Shirt Day movement honours young Phyllis Webstead who was stripped of her brand new orange shirt and had it replaced with a school uniform at St. Joseph Mission Residential School in 1973. Its supposed to be a reminder of things that happened in the past with residential school, so that those things can never be repeated, said Muriel Ducky Bray, a Family Preservation/Maternal Child Health Worker at the NkMip Resource Centre. But it was not the only bad thing that happened to First Nations. She works with families in crisis and those involved with the Ministry of Children and Family Development, and has seen first-hand the intergenerational impact caused by not only residential schools, but a range of government actions that impacted generations of Indigenous people in Canada. Bray has a close personal connection to the many attempts of assimilation by the Canadian government. Brays mother was taken to the Kamloops Indian Residential School which closed on July 31, 1978. Students were transported from Oliver and Osoyoos to Kamloops in cattle trucks and some Indigenous children from the area were taken to the Eugene Mission Residential School just north of Cranbrook which was open until June, 1970. Students started attending at the age of five and most remained until they graduated from Grade 12. The school was segregated by gender and brothers and sisters were not allowed to speak to each other. Many were beaten for speaking anything but English, and all were stripped of their culture, their family and more. (My mother) said that it affected every area of her life, Bray said. It affected her health, her education, loss of language and culture, loss of family connection, loss of spirituality. Brays mother also spent two years in Coqualeetza Hospital, also known as the Sardis Indian Hospital. Indian hospitals experimented on the children, the native children. They were looking for cures for tuberculosis and all kinds of things. The only thing my mother said about her two years there was she can remember being tied to a bed and the doctors putting hundreds of needles in her back, Bray said. The same kinds of things happened at Indian hospitals as they did at residential schools. People being tied up or not being able to eat or drink water, or anything. Bray has helped survivors of Indian hospitals share their stories in a $1.1 billion class-action lawsuit currently before the federal government. She has also assisted those involved in a class-action lawsuit for the Sixties Scoop. In the mid-1960s churches and government ministries forced Indigenous children from their families into the child welfare system, in most cases without the consent of their families or bands. Brays oldest brother is one of the children who was taken to live with a non-Indigenous family in Alberta. (The lawsuit) just went through recently and there are some people on this reserve who have already received settlements for that, Bray said. While she enjoys assisting her community in getting reparations for their suffering, Bray knows her work cannot reverse the generational impact. It feels good to help people receive some kind of financial settlement for the things they have suffered through in their life, but the financial component is not nearly enough, Bray said. It helps now, but the biggest thing is counselling. I make many referrals to people for counselling because the best thing is to deal with things yourself. Generational Impact The government-sanctioned assimilation of Indigenous people in Canada may have started over a hundred years ago, but the effects of attempting to systemically destroy a culture echoes out through generations to today. As they grew into adults, the ones that did survive the residential school experience, many could not even say I love you to their own children because they never heard it, Bray said. Even as they got older and had children of their own, if their child went to them crying and hurt, they never thought to ask whats wrong? Are you OK? Because they were never asked if they were OK. In her work, Bray has seen how deep the effects of surviving residential schools can run. Many of them have odd things that they do on a regular basis. I know of some people who collect clothing because they didnt have their own clothing, they had to wear the uniforms every day, Bray said. So there are some Elders who collect toys because they didnt have toys. The psychological impact can show itself in more detrimental ways as well, Bray said, recalling one survivor who suffers anxiety attacks around schools, and some who have trouble standing their ground or voicing concerns. Many of the children of residential school survivors had to kind of make their own way and learn how to parent themselves because their parents didnt teach them how to parent, Bray said. She has lived through this experience herself, and while residential schools shaped a generation, it did not define them. Even though some survivors of residential school experienced horrible abuse, that has been passed down from residential school, and even though that is the case we love our parents who did go to residential school, Bray said. I myself have said to my own mom that I hate what residential school has done to her. I love my mom and would not want another one. She has taught me many things in my life because of what she has experienced. She was not the perfect parent, but neither was I. I know my children love me. My mom knows I love her, and thats all that matters. It is worth noting, Bray said, that not all those Indigenous children who attended residential schools had the same experience. However, many missed out on a childhood connection with their parents. Some of them had a not-so-bad experience, they werent as physically abused or anything. I think thats why today many native children are in the Ministry of Child and Family Developments care because their parents did not know how to parent because their parents did not know how to parent, Bray said. Forgiveness Orange Shirt Day is about reconciliation, Bray said, and in her work with families in her community, forgiveness also plays a vital role in the healing process. When you forgive somebody, I believe that forgiveness is actually for yourself so that you can heal. Its not to forgive and forget what somebody has done to you, it is to help yourself heal and move forward with your life, Bray said. I hate to say this, but I do believe many things happen for a reason and I believe that with every action there is a reaction. Helping others get some financial compensation from the government is part of that positive reaction for Bray. All of these bad things happened, now we need to swing over to the opposite side of the pendulum to see all the good happen as well. Thats what part of the class action lawsuits are helping with, the other end. I remember one thing my mom said: the government cant destroy us, no matter how hard they try. Read more about: People concerned about the proliferation of wind farms in North Kerry and the impact of the giant structures on tourism say they have been left deeply upset by Failte Ireland's submission to the County Development Plan - for a special 'Energy Trail' in the region. In its submission to Kerry County Council's draft County Development Plan (CDP) 2022-2028, Failte Ireland stated the Authority should develop a 'Renewable Energy Trail in North Kerry'. The region shoulders the majority of the renewable sector in the county and is braced for widespread renewable development into the future. One campaigner described Failte Ireland's proposal as nothing less than 'shocking' this week. The proposal comes amid a slew of other submissions to the CDP taking issue with the development of wind energy in the county. The Kerry Hotels Federation and the Killarney Chamber of Commerce in particular each stated they believe the development of wind farms east of Killarney would seriously hinder the famous tourism industry of the area. Former Chair of the North Kerry Tourism Forum John O'Sullivan described the Failte Ireland proposal as 'shocking' this week. "I think it would be an insult to North Kerry people all over the world," Mr O'Sullivan told The Kerryman. "It's deeply upsetting, rather than maximise the scenery or rich heritage of North Kerry, Failte Ireland has decided this is the right fit. We should, in my view, be declared a natural heritage area in order to preserve our unspoilt landscape, history and heritage. He said it was very concerning that a State body such as Failte Ireland would suddenly endorse a sector with ostensibly nothing to do with its tourism mission: "Now you have Failte Ireland coming in endorsing windfarms. What are they saying? That people would want to, and should, come into North Kerry to walk under these wind turbines? "There are many worrying questions raised by this if this is some initial plan that's in its earliest stages. "Has Failte Ireland consulted Kerry County Council and local interest groups on this? Is the Minister for Tourism and Minister Norma Foley aware of this? "Has Failte Ireland changed its national policy regarding renewables? This would seem to go completely against its stance over windfarms close to Donald Trump's resort in Doonbeg, to which they objected," Mr O'Sullivan added. Mr O'Sullivan already found out by FOI that Failte Ireland did not object to a single windfarm in Kerry. "Going on this, they are not likely to on the basis they will be a tourist asset." Jourdan Dunn has shared her concerns for her son Riley's future in an emotional letter following 'cases of injustice and brutality against black people'. The model, 30, admitted that her son's innocence has been 'shaken' and she feels helpless trying to comfort him while she also feels 'afraid' following recent events. In the letter, which was penned for the November issue of Harper's Bazaar, she encouraged her son to be a 'joyful black boy', in a world determined to paint him differently. Candid: Jourdan Dunn has shared her concerns for her son Riley's future in an emotional letter following 'cases of injustice and brutality against black people' An extract from the letter, read: 'My love for you runs so deep. It's my mission to instil you with the greatest examples of affection, nurture and care. 'But I worry that this world will break your kind and loving spirit. Your innocence has been shaken by the recent cases of injustice and brutality against black people. 'At times, I've felt helpless finding the right way to comfort you while I myself am in pain afraid, hurt and angry. Like me, occasionally you will lose faith in humanity, but it will be restored again and again. 'You owe people nothing but you do owe it to yourself to be happy and carefree and set this world on fire. Be a joyful black boy in a society that wants to portray you in a different light. Sharing: The model, 30, admitted that her son's innocence has been 'shaken' and she feels helpless trying to comfort him while she also feels 'afraid' following recent events 'Some will want to label you because of misperceptions based on racial hate and pettiness, but only you can own your narrative, only you can create your own story. 'Your future is so bright, I'm excited to witness it. It's all yours for the taking, Ry... You're Black history in the making.' Jourdan was encouraged to draw inspiration from Maya Angelou's essay collection Letter To My Daughter and write missives to their children. Jourdan gave birth to Riley in 2010 when she was 19-years-old and returned to the modelling nine-months later, while she has continued to manage motherhood and her career ever since. Jourdan gave birth to Riley in 2010 when she was 19-years-old and returned to the modelling nine-months later, while she has continued to manage motherhood and her career ever since (pictured 2008) Jourdan celebrated turning 30 on Monday 3 August and was brought out a personalised cake with pictures of her fondest memories. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the British beauty has had a year of celebrations following her engagement announcement to her partner Dion Hamilton in February. Jourdan has kept information about her other half secret, but hinted last month that they started dating in 2019 when she shared a picture of him during their holiday in Jamaica. Engaged! Despite the ongoing pandemic, the British beauty has had a year of celebrations following her engagement announcement to her partner Dion Hamilton in February The model's post in January sparked speculation that she had already married Dion, as she shared the holiday post of themselves alongside her beloved son Riley, nine. The accompanying caption was rather telling. She wrote: '2009 my son entered my life, 2019 my life partner entered my life. Stepping into 2020 with both by my side is priceless.' While she pixelated her man's face, the trio had all co-ordinated their outfits for the occasion. The November issue of Harpers Bazaar is on sale from 1 October 2020 Family: Jourdan has kept information about her other half secret, but hinted last month that they started dating in 2019 when she shared a picture of him during their holiday in Jamaica Ukraine supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said, Trend reports with reference to the Ukrainian media. War is always trouble and destruction. The current situation shows that frozen conflicts are not frozen at all and can explode at any time, Kuleba noted. The FM said that it is important to support the territorial integrity of the countries. Weve supported and will continue to support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, just like Azerbaijan supported our territorial integrity. Our position remains unchanged, he added. The Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale provocation, subjecting the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibers in the front-line zone on Sept. 27 at 06:00 (GMT+4). The command of the Azerbaijani Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation of Azerbaijani troops along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Ashagi Abdurrahmanli, Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district were liberated. Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. The forum was organized to discuss how to harness opportunities emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic to support a robust recovery and sustain longer-term growth. Speaking at the ceremony, Planning and Investment Minister Nguyen Chi Dung stressed the Vietnam Reform and Development Forum 2020 was held at the time when the country is preparing for the 13th National Party Congress and implementing the development strategies for the period 2021 - 2030 and economy growth plan for 2021 2025. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted on all aspects of the countrys socio-economy which requires Vietnam to make difficult adjustments to its medium-term development plan and long-term strategy but also brings about more opportunities for the Southeast Asian country. He added that Vietnam has had strong growth and impressive accomplishments. Per capita income reached US$2,800 and residents quality of living condition is improved; yet the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening all achievements. Thanks to entire machinery of states determination to fight against the disease, Vietnam has well controlled it but the country is facing difficulties and challenges in the future. To overcome and grow more, the government of Vietnam will make most of its advantages and opportunities to change. Minister Dung expressed to learn experience from other countries and listen to opinions as well as consultations from experts especially those from the World Bank and Germany. The Vietnam Reform and Development Forum is the biggest policy dialogue of the year between the Government of Vietnam and development partners. Planning and Investment Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam H.E Robyn Mudie attended the forum. The forum took place during the Covid-19 pandemic; therefore, it was held online and offiline at the International Conference Center at 11 Le Hong Phong Streets in Hanoi. By Anh Phuong Translated by Dan Thuy The East African Court of Justice will on Wednesday rule on a challenge to a decision by Uganda's supreme court to uphold a constitutional amendment that removed the age limit for presidential candidates. The 2017 amendment eliminated the requirement that candidates vying for the presidency be under 75 years old. It allowed President Yoweri Museveni, who is over 75 years old, to run for another five-year term in the January 2021 general elections. He has been in power since 1986. Lawyer Male Mabirizi went to the East African Court, based in neighbouring Tanzania, to challenge the supreme court's verdict. He wants the clause on an age limit for presidential candidates reinstated. He said in court papers that the constitutional amendment was done "through violence and deployment of military police in and outside parliament", the Daily Monitor newspaper reports. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Gov. Phil Murphy returns to the Trenton War Memorial at 1 p.m. Wednesday to hold his final coronavirus press conference of the month. The briefing will be streamed from the George Washington Ballroom on the governors YouTube.com channel. Murphy will be joined by as always by state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli and State Police Superintendent Colonel Pat, Callahan. Another regular Department of Healths communicable disease service medical director Dr. Edward Lifshitz is also scheduled to attend. Interim Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer and Zakiya Smith Ellis, Murphys chief policy adviser, are also slated to appear. Then at 5 p.m., Murphy will host a virtual town hall on his YouTube.com page. At 6 p.m. hell be interviewed on Univision. The Spanish-language television station will replay the segment with the governor at 11 p.m. Officials on Tuesday reported 505 more COVID-19 cases and 10 additional deaths. There have been 204,563 New Jersey residents infected since the first case was announced March 4, though the overwhelming majority were asymptomatic, or had mild or moderate symptoms and have long since recovered. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Azerbaijan has made great success in Sustainable Development Goals, President Ilham Aliyev said while addressing the meeting of Heads of State and Government on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond on September 25. Addressing the meeting held via a videoconference format, Aliyev said: In 2016, we established the National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development, whose primary task is to define national priorities and to align different state programs and strategies with the SDGs. Having attained the Millennium Development Goals, Azerbaijan achieved a great progress in implementation of SDGs as well. Our success was reflected in the Sustainable Development Report 2020, where Azerbaijan ranks 54th among 166 countries in the Sustainable Development Goals Index. Azerbaijan has been one of the few states to submit voluntary national reviews to the United Nations twice. Azerbaijans economy has developed rapidly. The GDP tripled in the last 17 years. Poverty in Azerbaijan went down from 49% to 5% within 17 years. The external public debt of Azerbaijan is one of the lowest in the world and constitutes only about 20 percent of the GDP and Azerbaijan ranks 9th for this indicator globally. Azerbaijan has the lowest external debt among the oil exporting countries. Foreign Exchange Reserves of Azerbaijan exceed the external public debt by 6 times. More than 260 billion USD were invested in the country within 17 years. According to the statistics provided by the International Monetary Fund, currently Azerbaijans economy accounts for 70% of the entire economy of the Southern Caucasus region based on the purchasing parity power method. Azerbaijan places a special emphasis on the equal distribution of energy revenues between current and the future generations. To this end, the State Oil Fund was established in 1999. The assets of the Fund, which was 270 million USD at its commencement, currently exceeds the GDP of the country. Azerbaijan has achieved one of the highest income equality levels. The military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan has led to the occupation of almost 20% of the territory of our country. As a result of the Armenian occupation more than 1 million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons. Azerbaijan has made tremendous stride to improving living and housing conditions of internally displaced persons. About 8 billion Azerbaijani manats amounting to nearly 5 billion USD has been allocated for addressing needs of this vulnerable group. Over 300,000 internally displaced persons were provided with free houses and apartments. Due to the difficulties caused by occupation of our territories by Armenia, Azerbaijan was receiving humanitarian aid from international community during the early period of its independence. Later Azerbaijan itself became a donor country. Overall, Azerbaijan provided financial and humanitarian assistance to nearly 120 countries during the last 15 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on all the countries of the world. Millions of people are expected to be pushed back into extreme poverty. Pandemic has affected our economy as well. Despite the decrease in the state revenues during the pandemic period the government has allocated fund around 3% of GDP to the protection of jobs, economic growth and the public health. In order to counter the negative impact of pandemic the socio-economic stimulus package worth over 2 billion USD has been released to ensure economic stability, tackle unemployment issues, and ensure macroeconomic and fiscal stability. The social relief measures cover nearly 5 million people, which is a half of our population. Funding for the fight against the pandemic was provided only from domestic sources, without any external financial support. In addition, Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian and financial assistance to more than 30 countries with respect to COVID-19. In the post-pandemic period, our main priorities are to ensure the economic growth, to maintain economic and financial stability, to further develop healthy and competitive human capital, to create sustainable jobs and to develop new areas of economic activity. Only through solidarity and joint action humanity can fight against pandemic and overcome its negative consequences. As the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, Azerbaijan requested to convene the Special Session of the UN General Assembly in response to coronavirus. More than 130 UN Member States supported this initiative. I believe the Special Session will serve as a framework for addressing the pandemic's impact on all spheres and contribute to the global efforts of eliminating its consequences. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The British fishing industry is hoping for a post-Brexit renaissance. - Matt Cardy /Getty Images Britain offered Brussels a three-year transition period on fishing during trade negotiations with the EU, it emerged on Wednesday as the Government hailed a historic fisheries treaty with Norway. UK negotiators submitted plans to gradually scale down EU fishermen's share of the catch in British waters from 2021 to 2024 in a bid to soothe fears over the impact of Brexit on European coastal communities. In London, it was announced the UK had signed its first fishing agreement since leaving the EU, and its first as an independent coastal state in 40 years. The Framework Fisheries Agreement with Norway provides a legal basis for annual negotiations on access to waters and quotas after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31. In a tweet David Frost, the UKs chief Brexit negotiator said he was "delighted". Delighted we have today signed a fisheries agreement with Norway. It's a crucial step forward for when we leave the EU's Common Fisheries Policy in three months' time. @DefraGovUK@Regjeringenhttps://t.co/JhCmNaWznu David Frost (@DavidGHFrost) September 30, 2020 Phasing in the new arrangements has long been suggested as a possible solution to the deadlock. British sources refused to comment on the fishing transition period, which was first reported by The Guardian, but one senior EU diplomat said the offer had not brought a breakthrough in the talks. British negotiators want annual negotiations on fishing opportunities and the calculation of opportunities using the "zonal attachment" method. Brussels wants a longer term arrangement and protection of ancient fishing rights. Story continues France, which has come under pressure from some member states to soften its stance, is insisting on a system of permanent fishing quotas. It will resist the plan to phase out shares, arguing that access to British waters is the price of the zero tariff trade deal offered by Brussels. "This is nothing new because the UK has been saying this for months. It shows things are not moving very fast," said one senior EU diplomat, "this is not a topic that will be easily resolved by phasing out". "The fishing industry's fear from the beginning has been that we would again be sold out as we were in the 1970s, and that fear hasn't gone away," said Barrie Deas, the chief of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations. "In some ways it is a litmus test for Brexit," added Mr Deas, who said the Norway agreement proved the EU's demands were an "aberration in international fisheries terms". On Monday night, Ireland's foreign minister, Simon Coveney, said there was a "good chance" of agreeing a trade deal before the EU's end of October deadline. "The obstacles are not insurmountable," he said, adding that a deal would mean controversial provisions in the Internal Market Bill, which overrides parts of the Withdrawal Agreement would fade away, he said. Micheal Martin, the Irish prime minister, will discuss the Bill with EU leaders when they are updated on Brexit on Friday during a European Council meeting in Brussels. The current round of trade negotiations is the last scheduled, and ends on Friday morning. It is hoped enough common ground will be found to begin more intense negotiations to finalise the trade deal by the October 15 EU summit. EU sources said a British offer this week over state subsidies did not go far enough. The EU wants the power to suspend parts of the trade deal if state aid rules are ignored by Britain. Some British exports could still face EU tariffs even if there is a free trade agreement with Brussels, it emerged after Lord Frost appeared to admit defeat in securing a key demand of the UK car industry. He told carmakers the EU had rejected "in any circumstances" a proposal that would allow assembled car parts from non-EU countries to count as "British" goods and so qualify for zero tariffs. In a letter seen by the BBC, Lord Frost said the UK "obviously cannot insist upon it". He was criticised by industry sources, who suggested he had fought harder for fishing. Moves to secure an exemption for electric cars and bikes have also been stonewalled by the EU. In this Thursday, March 8, 2012, file photo, Clarium Capital President Peter Thiel speaks during his keynote speech at the StartOut LGBT Entrepreneurship Awards in San Francisco. Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, Palantir Technologies is finally going public. Thiel, the iconoclastic entrepreneur and PayPal co-founder, holds the largest chunk of Palantir stock. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File) Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, the data-mining outfit Palantir Technologies is finally going public in the biggest Wall Street tech offering since last year's debut of Slack and Uber. Never profitable and dogged by ethical objections for assisting in the Trump administration's deportation crackdown, Palantir forged ahead Wednesday with a direct listing of its stock, gaining 31% in its first trading day. Rather than selling newly minted shares to raise money; Palantir listed existed shares for public trading. After a delay, trading began after noon and the stock closed at $9.50 after reaching a peak of $11.42. The low-key stock strategy was in character for a secretive company long reliant on spies, cops and the military as customersand whose founders are keeping voting control of the company. The big question for both investors and company management: Can Palantir successfully transition from a business built on the costly handholding of government customers to serving corporate customers at scale? The company is a hybrid provider of software and consulting services that often embeds its own engineers with clients. Analysts say its future depends on selling multinationals on its tools for gathering disparate data from an ever-expanding data universe and using artificial-intelligence technology to find previously undetectable patterns. Those can theoretically guide strategic decisions and identify new markets much as they have aided in tracking terrorists and sorting military intelligence. The company sets itself apart from most U.S. technology providers, and just moved its headquarters to Denver from Silicon Valley. Palantir colors itself patriotic and belittles other tech firms that won't unquestionably support U.S. dominance in war-fighting and intelligence. "Our software is used to target terrorists and to keep soldiers safe," CEO Alex Karp wrote in a letter accompanying Palantir's offering prospectus. While Karp acknowledged the ethical challenge of building software that "enables more effective surveillance by the state," Palantir's prospectus touts its work helping U.S. soldiers counter roadside bombings and fight the Islamic State group. In this Wednesday, May 15, 2019, file photo, Palantir CEO Alex Karp arrives for the Tech for Good summit in Paris. Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, Palantir Technologies is finally going public. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) But investors also have to reckon with the Peter Thiel factor. The iconoclastic entrepreneur and PayPal co-founder endorsed President Donald Trump in 2016, worked on his transition team and holds the largest chunk of Palantir stock. Thiel already exerts tremendous power from the board of Facebook, which dominates global media and seeks to create a digital currency. In its IPO prospectus, Palantir paints a dark picture of faltering government agencies and institutions in danger of collapse and ripe for rescue by a "central operating system" forged under Thiel's auspices. As the offering is structured, Thiel will be the dominant voice among the Palantir co-founders who will retain voting control. "Is that someone who you want deciding how a component of the (national) security apparatus is designed?" asked New York University business professor Scott Galloway. "If you believe that power corrupts and checks and balances are a good idea, this is just from the get-go a really bad idea." Earlier in September, BuzzFeed reported that Thiel hosted a known white nationalist, Kevin DeAnna, at a 2016 dinner party, citing emails it obtained and published whose authors refused to talk to the online news outlet. Thiel declined through a spokesman to discuss the report with The Associated Press. Critics say he shares the blame for Facebook's incomplete removal of toxic disinformation disseminated by the pro-Trump far-right fringe. Then there are Palantir's fundamentals, which Galloway considers lousy. The company has just 125 customers in 150 countries, including Airbus, Merck, Credit Suisse and the Danish National Police. Slightly less than half its 2019 revenues were from government agencies, and three clientswhich Palantir did not nameaccounted for almost a third of revenues. "They're massively unprofitable and they've never been able to figure it out," Galloway said, noting that it took Google three years to earn a profit, and Amazon seven. Over a much longer span, Palantir has accumulated $3.8 billion in losses, raised about $3 billion and listed $200 million in outstanding debt as of July 31. Palantir, named for the mystical all-seeing stones from Tolkien's "Lord of The Rings," has recently been deepening its relationship with Uncle Sam, including winning a modest contract early in the COVID-19 pandemic for helping the White House gather data on the virus' impact. In this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, traders, foreground center, gather at a post on the NYSE trading floor during the direct listing of Palantir Technologies, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. Shares of data-mining company Palantir jumped 47% to $10.67 on their first day of trading. The company was born 17 years ago with the help of CIA seed money. Palantir isn't selling new shares to raise money. Instead, it's listing existing shares for public trading. (NYSE Photo/Courtney Crow via AP) Senior emerging technology analyst Brendan Burke of Pitchbook says he isn't worried that Thiel's association with Trump will hurt the company if Trump loses the election. "The political connections don't appear to be the main driver of their recent substantial contract wins," he said, although he noted that government contracts can be more volatile than corporate ones, where Palantir's foothold is less firm. Palantir offers two software platforms. Foundry is designed to link disparate and largely incompatible data sources into a central operating system. It's the company's primary hope for broadening its business. An earlier product, Gotham, has been used by defense and intelligence analysts and police departments to identify patterns deep within datasets. But the value of "predictive policing" tools developed with the platform have been questioned for their potential to unfairly target people of color. The New Orleans and New York City police departments have used it. A 2017 research paper by University of Texas sociologist Sarah Brayne, who studied the Los Angeles Police Department's use of Gotham, found the software could lead to a proliferation of unregulated personal data collected by police from commercial and law enforcement databases. On Monday, Amnesty International issued a briefing that says Palantir is failing to conduct human rights due diligence around its contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling it "deeply ironic" that the company crows about its determination not to work with regimes like China that abuse human rights. Palantir's ICE contracts involve the maintenance and improvement of two tools used in deportation raids, court records and federal documents show. One is web-based Falcon, for which Palantir enhanced data accessible to investigators "involving the illegal movement of people into, within, and out of the United States," according to documents obtained by the nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center in a freedom-of-information request. The other is the Integrated Case Management system. Palantir has acknowledged in its SEC filing that "unfavorable coverage in the media" and from social activists could hurt its business. It also says its contractual obligations might prevent it from being able to defend its actions publicly, although it recently named a former Wall Street Journal reporter to its board. Negative publicity over ICE contracts may also have hurt company recruitment on college campuses. Explore further Palantir to begin New York trading on September 30 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Dr. Li-Meng Yan, a scientist from Hong Kong now self-exiled in the United States (US), has hit the headlines often over the last several months. The turncoat scientist is being lauded as a whistleblower by some media for her anti-China statements about the coronavirus pandemic. Through giving an exclusive interview with Fox News, the scientist first came into the limelight in July, 2020. In the interview, she accused China of covering up coronavirus cases and claimed to have fled to the US for her life in April. Several media outlets have given the interview a high degree of uncritical coverage, without feeling the need to cross-check her statements. However, many scientists around the world have categorically ruled out the authenticity of her claims against China. While getting rejected and reprimanded for lying against China, Yan and her patrons have been desperate to establish their pack of lies against the country. Now she has come up with a 'research article' claiming that the virus was not of natural origin. In the article titled 'Unusual Features of the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Suggesting Sophisticated Laboratory Modification Rather Than Natural Evolution and Delineation of Its Probable Synthetic Route,' Yan and her colleagues have claimed the virus was synthesized in laboratories controlled by the military of China. Prominent scientists, including experts at the Science Medicine Center (SMC) of the UK, have termed her article a preprint, an unpublished non-peer-reviewed paper, which means it has not passed through a peer-review process. Opinions of some experts of the SMC have been incorporated herewith for the understanding of readers. The opinions were published on the website of the center on September 15. Dr. Gkikas Magiorkinis, assistant professor of hygiene and epidemiology and scientific coordinator of the National Reference Centre for Retroviruses, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, also labeled the article as a preprint publication. The peer-review process is an essential part of scientific publications, it means that independent scientists have read the study and have concluded that it is sufficiently robust and valid. He mentioned that their peer-reviewed article titled 'Full-genome evolutionary analysis of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)' rejects the hypothesis of the emergence of the virus as a result of a recent recombination event. "We analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 genome in comparison with available coronavirus sequences and by means of molecular evolution analyses. We saw that the genome of SARS-CoV-2 is more than 95 percent similar to another coronavirus RaTG3 isolated from bats," the Greek scientist said. Closely related coronaviruses have been retrieved from animals such as bats and pangolins, which makes the scenario of naturally occurring evolution far more likely than any scenario of laboratory manipulation. "In fact, we have a clear history of the zoonotic origin of lethal coronavirus outbreaks such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The article by Li-Meng Yan does not provide any robust evidence of artificial manipulation, no statistical test of alternative hypotheses (natural evolution verses artificial manipulation) and is highly speculative," he concluded. Daniel Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, said analysis of the origins of SARS-CoV-2 has been one of the most contentious areas in research during this pandemic. For his taste, the bulk of the data fit with the consensus that this is a virus transferred to humans from bats or pangolins, where one can find terribly similar coronaviruses. The study by Yan is interesting, but perhaps an outlier opinion. Dr. Andrew Preston, reader in microbial pathogenesis at the University of Bath, said the preprint article by Yan cannot be given any credibility in its current form. It is not based on an objective interpretation of the SARS-CoV2 genome. The interpretations made are not supported by data, are unsubstantiated and the interpretations are largely stated but not explained. He mentioned that the language of the article is reminiscent of a conspiracy theory, for example, it says "Although it may be convenient to copy the exact sequence of SARS RBM, it would be too clear a sign of artificial design and manipulation. The more deceiving approach would be to change a few non- essential residues while preserving the ones critical for binding." The expert has also pointed his finger at the affiliation of Yan with the Rule of Law Society and Rule of Law Foundation, New York. He mentioned that this is an organization whose vision is to permit the people of China to live under a national system based on the rule of law, independent of the political system of the People's Republic of China. Though I am not an expert on the field, my journalistic mind tends to believe that the affiliation of Yan with an organization whose mission and vision is to interfere in the domestic affairs of China proves her bad intentions to tarnish the image of China with the study and its outcomes. Moreover, Preston has concluded that given the unsubstantiated claims in the publication, which has not been peer-reviewed, the report cannot be viewed with any credibility as it stands. Dr. Michael Head, a Senior Research Fellow in Global Health, University of Southampton, said this particular conspiracy around the deliberate release from a laboratory has been doing the rounds throughout the pandemic. It has been rebutted several times already. Ultimately, it could be damaging to public health if reported uncritically without looking at the wider evidence. If people are exposed to and then believe conspiracy theories, this will likely have a negative impact on efforts to keep COVID-19 cases low, resulting in more death and illness than there needs to be. The genomics of the virus and likely origins have been disentangled previously, for example, a peer-reviewed paper in Nature states that their analyses clearly show that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus. Other evidence also shows that this type of coronavirus has existed in bats for decades. This new manuscript by Yan is not peer-reviewed and obviously does not offer any data that overrides previous research. Apart from the aforementioned experts from the West, many scientists around the world, including the World Health Organization, have already concluded that the outbreaks of the coronavirus are totally natural. Several Western media outlets have also strongly disagreed with the lies told by Yan against China about the coronavirus pandemic. Popular social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have already banned her for spreading unscientific information about the pandemic. Meanwhile, while the world has realized that Yan pursues her personal interests by spreading lies against China, some sinophobes are still trying to smear China by using her as a propaganda tool. While a few media outlets are giving her wide coverage out of their anti-China sentiment, many international affairs analysts believe that she is a propaganda puppet for sinophobes playing into the hands of anti-China forces who are determined to contain the rise of China, anxious of replaced by China, the second-largest economy in the world. The author is the China Correspondent of the Bangladesh Post. The defence lawyer for former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn has admitted she recently spoke to the president in person about her clients case, a revelation that once again raised eyebrows about whether Donald Trump is pressing his thumbs on the scales of justice to help his friends escape legal trouble. The defence attorney, Sidney Powell, told federal judge Emmet G Sullivan in a Washington, DC, courtroom on Tuesday that she asked the president not to issue a pardon and gave him the general update on the case. Ms Powell met with the president and 2020 Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis once in recent weeks, she said, adding that until that meeting she had never spoken with the president about the case. I provided the White House with an update on the overall status of the litigation, Ms Powell said. Mr Sullivan probed further. Did you make any requests of the president? the judge asked. Ms Powell responded: No sir, other than he not issue a pardon. Nothing legally prohibits Mr Flynns lawyers from simply talking to Mr Trump about the case. And the Justice Department (DOJ) has backed the ex-national security advisers motion to dismiss the case against him for lying to the FBI about his contacts in 2016 and 2017 with Russia. But Ms Powells remarks on Tuesday raised several ethical concerns about a criminal defendant whose legal team has direct access to the president, who oversees the federal justice system in which he is being prosecuted. Please let this sink in: DOJ lawyers have been arguing all day that Mike Flynn received no special treatment. Then, Flynn's lawyer, Ms Powell, said she recently had a personal meeting w/the president, briefed him on Flynn's case & told Trump not to pardon Flynn! tweeted former US Army prosecutor and MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner. The Trump campaign, conservative media outlets, and Republicans in Congress have seized on Mr Flynns case as supposed evidence that a so-called deep state of career intelligence and DOJ officials sought to entrap incoming Trump officials in legal troubles in early 2017 to hamstring Mr Trumps presidency from the outset. While DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz has issued a report claiming political bias did not influence the FBI and DOJs 2016 and 2017 counterintelligence operations regarding Mr Trump and his associates possible connections to Russia, the president has nonetheless coined the expression Obamagate as a catch-all term for his friends and advisers legal troubles. Mr Flynn initially admitted in court on more than one occasion that he lied to the FBI about his communications in late 2016 and early 2017 with then-Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He has since withdrawn that plea, arguing that his alleged lie to the FBI was immaterial to their ongoing investigation into alleged ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and transition team and Russia. Attorney General William Barrs prosecutors on the case later backed that argument in a court filing agreeing to drop the charges. Mr Sullivan the judge presiding over the case and Mr Flynn's legal counsel have for months been involved in a complicated legal back-and-forth after Mr Flynn backed away from pleading guilty at the 11th hour earlier this year. At a sentencing hearing in 2018, Mr Sullivan openly expressed his disgust" and "disdain for Mr Flynn's behaviour as an "unregistered agent of a foreign country while serving as the national security adviser to the president of the United States," referring to another case involving Mr Flynn's previous lobbying work for the Turkish government. Mr Flynn was never charged with violating foreign agent registration laws. The case Mr Sullivan is overseeing has taken many turns over the last eight months. First, in January, Mr Flynn sought to revoke his guilty plea. Throughout the winter and spring, Mr Trump publicly called for his former aide and friend to be cleared of all charges of lying about his contacts with Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign and Mr Trump's transition period in 2016 and early 2017. In May, after a four-month internal review ordered by Mr Barr, the DOJ acquiesced, filing a document in court backing Mr Flynn's motion to dismiss and saying the criminal case against Mr Flynn lacked "any legitimate investigative basis." But Mr Sullivan, now in charge of the case, did not grant that motion, and instead appointed another former federal judge to review the DOJ's motion to dismiss the case. That retired judge, John Gleeson, authored a scathing amicus brief indicating that the DOJ's decision to drop Mr Flynn's case was politically motivated. Mr Flynn then appealed to a three-judge panel of the DC Circuit Court, which ruled in his favour in June that the DOJ could in fact move forward dropping the case, despite Mr Sullivan's objections. In August, a fuller panel from the DC Circuit ruled, 8-2, to overturn that decision: Mr Sullivan was permitted to move forward with his review of the DOJs decision to drop the case under suspicion it was underwritten with malign political intentions. Mr Sullivan stressed at the court hearing on Tuesday that it is not his job to act as a rubber stamp for the DOJs decisions on moving forward with or dropping cases. The DOJs team of prosecutors pushed back against suggestions they were influenced by higher-ups to drop the case because Mr Flynn was a friend and former adviser to the president. Allegations against our office that we somehow acted with a corrupt political motive are just not true. It didn't happen here, said US attorney Kenneth Kohl, a longtime prosecutor in the US attorneys office in DC. Backing the motion to dismiss charges was the right call for the right reasons, he said. gure is in addition to the 16.5 million emergency fund they donated in March In July they said they Hans and Julia Rausing have almost doubled a multi-million-pound fund they set up to help struggling charities during the pandemic. The couple announced in July they were providing a 10 million 'lifeline' for small and medium charities under the Charity Survival Fund. But they have increased this to 18 million due to the 'quality and quantity' of applications they received. The figure is in addition to the 16.5 million emergency funding the philanthropists donated in March and April for other Covid-19 causes, including 1 million for the Mail Force campaign set up by this newspaper to provide PPE to NHS frontline staff. Hans and Julia Rausing, who provided a 10 million 'lifeline' for small and medium charities under the Charity Survival Fund this year, have added another 18 million to their fund It means The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust has handed over an astonishing 34.5 million since the start of the outbreak. Mr Rausing, 57, whose Swedish grandfather Ruben founded food packaging firm Tetra Pak, and his art expert wife said: 'We were overwhelmed by both the quality and quantity of applications we received for the Charity Survival Fund. 'It highlighted to us the perilous state that so many amazing charities have found themselves in due to the loss of day-to-day income caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 'It is because of this need that we increased the funding available through the Charity Survival Fund to 18 million and we are pleased that this funding will enable so many extraordinary charities to continue their excellent work and support their local communities at this difficult time. 'We would like to thank every organisation that applied and we hope the Charity Survival Fund will encourage others to support charities in need.' The fund is targeted at organisations that have lost vital income due to the pandemic. Fundraising events have been cancelled, high street shops have closed and those that reopened have suffered a slump in takings due to problems including social distancing. Up to 200 charities throughout the UK were due to be supported under the original scheme. The couple donated a 16.5 million emergency fund in March and April for other Covid-19 causes The latest donation means The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust has handed over an astonishing 34.5 million since the start of the outbreak This was increased to 329 charities, ranging from 15 whose regular annual income is less than 20,000 to 170 who usually generate upwards of 500,000 a year. They include Candlelighters, which supports children facing cancer across Yorkshire, from the point of diagnosis to helping bereaved families. Chief executive Emily Wragg said: 'We have seen a huge gap in funding due to the devastating impact of Covid-19, with mass participation event cancellations and a severe drop in community and corporate fundraising. 'This incredible gift from The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust will help keep our candle burning so we can continue to bring light to families in the darkest of times.' Another beneficiary is Fresh Start Portslade in Brighton, which converted a disused park toilet into a cafe, running youth work training and other local community projects. Project worker John Shepherd said the funding from the cafe, which provided much of its operating surplus, was 'wiped out'. He added: 'The funding from Julia and Hans Rausing will fill this void, allowing us to continue our work.' The latest donation means Mr and Mrs Rausing, who were already among Britain's most generous philanthropists, have provided over 800 grants totalling more than 230 million through their trust. Back in April, the Government announced a 750 million bailout fund for the voluntary sector. But this left a huge shortfall as research showed billions had been wiped out from charities' incomes. Research by the Charities Aid Foundation suggested further devastation, with almost one in three charities going under within 12 months if the crisis continued. The revered living goddess is not leaving her temple this year. The old palace courtyard packed with hundreds of thousands of people each year during the Indrajatra festival is deserted, the temples are locked and all public celebrations are banned by the government to curb the coronavirus. Autumn is the festival season in predominantly Hindu Nepal, where religion, celebrations and rituals are big parts of lives, but people this year will have to scale down their rituals within their homes. Many in this Himalayan nation believe they would anger the gods by shunning the rituals which would cause catastrophe. Even violent clashes broke out between police and devotees defying government orders during a separate chariot festival south of Kathmandu. A lockdown was ordered around the eight days when the canceled Indrajatra festival would have been held, and instead, a small ceremony to seek forgiveness from Indra, the Hindu god of rain, was held under government security. During the festival, Kumari, a girl revered as the living goddess, is taken around the core part of Kathmandu in a chariot pulled by devotees. After the cancellation, she never left her temple palace. Her chariot is locked in the shed and armed police guard the courtyards. There would be hundreds of thousands of devotees crowding the courtyard and streets during the festival which would have put so many of them at the risk of getting the coronavirus, said Kumaris chief caretaker Gautam Shakya. We had to stop this centuries-old festival for the first time ever. Shakya and his family have been taking care of Kumari for generations. A young flawless girl is chosen from a single clan and is worshipped as the living goddess until she is replaced at puberty. High officials and commoners touch her feet to get her blessing. A small group of devotees who slipped through the lockdown and security to pray before the living goddess said they needed to continue the tradition followed by their ancestors. The festival and Kumari is not just a tradition, it is our culture and a big part of our lives which we just cannot stop for anything, not even for pandemic, said Shanker Magaiya, a launderer who was able to offer flowers and sweets to the goddess. Magaiya felt heartbroken by the cancellation, saying while they understand the government order, they needed to protect their religion, culture and tradition. We have disappointed the gods and we need to keep the gods happy so we all can be happy and prosper, he said. Nepalese authorities imposed a strict coronavirus lockdown in March that was eased in July. More than 76,000 people have been infected and 491 have died. But the ban of outdoor festivals and religious gatherings continues and temples remain locked. Near Kumaris temple, a huge statue of Hindu deity Swet Bhairav is opened to the public only once a year during the festival. Devotees push each other to get a sip of the rice wine that is released from a pipe attached to the head of the statue. This year, the doors were only cracked open and a very few people were lucky enough to sip the holy wine. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Heightened equity market volatility extending beyond the U.S. presidential election is the most significant risk for investors, AIA Groups chief investment officer said on Tuesday. Mark Konyn, group CIO at the insurance and securities firm in Hong Kong, told the Reuters Global Markets Forum that his fund had put in place hedges that protect investments in equities for a period well beyond the election on Nov. 3. Where we have equity hedge strategies in place to protect the downside, we have extended the term until well after the election to avoid being caught out in this period of higher volatility, said Konyn. Investors are preparing for prolonged uncertainty after President Donald Trumps refusal to commit to accepting the election outcome and a peaceful transfer of power, and his attacks on postal voting. Konyn, who manages $221 billion worth of assets, said AIA does not directly trade volatility. Konyn said his longer-term view was overweight equities, while staying constructive on risk assets. He expected the price recovery in equity markets to broaden, while giving a 75% chance to a U-shaped recovery. A significant fall in the U.S. S&P 500 index was a low-risk outcome, he said. Konyn said he expected the U.S. dollar to fall 5% from current levels, adding the currency will remain structurally weaker but cyclically robust. (Reporting by Divya Chowdhury; editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Simon Cameron-Moore) Topics USA GLEN CARBON Area bean-dependents and caffeine-cravers may soon have another reason to rejoice as Glen Carbon discussed and approved a plan Monday to build Illinois first Scooters Coffee location. Robert Semptimphelter with 1818 Development, LLC, in Edwardsville, requested to move forward with this project, which would be located at 4208 Troy Road on 15,000-square-feet, across from Homestead Financial Mortgage and diagonal from the Hardees. The single-family home there now would be demolished. The property is zoned general commercial and this use is permitted under the villages code. The building would comprise 550-square-feet with parking slots for four employees; as this would be a drive-through coffee kiosk, there would be no dine-in opportunities. As part of a presentation to the committee, Semptimphelter said Scooters prefers to build where the site will see at least 25,000 vehicles pass by per day, has in-your-face visibility, quick-and-easy access from more than one direction and plentiful signage opportunities. Besides coffee, Scooters offers hand-tamped espresso drinks, hot tea, hot chocolate, blenders and fruit smoothies, breakfast all day, plus the companys signature drink, the Caramelicious. Diners can select from breakfast burritos, bagels, ciabattas, oatmeal and baked-from-scratch pastries. Founded by Don and Linda Eckles in 1998 in Bellevue, Nebraska a suburb of Omaha, the company tagline is Amazing People, Amazing Drinks Amazingly Fast! Scooters is in the midst of an expansion drive. The closest current locations are in Missouri St. Peters and Jackson with additional locations in Kirksville, Columbia, Sedalia, Jefferson City, Rolla and one coming to Sikeston soon. The next step for Scooters is to put it before the planning and zoning commission for preliminary plat review and approval. In other action, the committee discussed moving forward with a review of its request for proposals (RFPs) and buying laptop computers for committee members. Laptops would allow committee members to receive digital documents instead of paper packets that must be printed and distributed to them, the mayor and relevant administrators, saving money, time and resources. For more details on Scooters Coffee, click here. Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 659-5735 The location for Wentworth, a former Newport education site, has been deconstructed of its prison fittings after filming concluded earlier this month. But they may be given to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Federation Square. Or are there other notions afoot? The Victorian Government have plans for that site, we always had to move out of there this year, executive producer Jo Porter has told the Herald Sun. But weve relocated sites once before. Indeed. The first three seasons were filmed at an old pharmaceutical factory in Clayton. The Newport site is set to be razed, likely for apartments. Last night the final episode of Season 8 Part I screened on FOX Showcase, with the final 10 episodes to screen next year. But, as recently tipped by TV Tonight, producers Fremantle have also not ruled out other plans for the show. Script Producer Marcia Gardner recently said, I believe that anything is possible. But thats out of my hands. Its entirely up to Foxtel. Never say never, Porter also indicates. It feels like this chapter of the show has finished. This season has had a big spike in audience domestically. Were getting new audiences all the time. Theres a few characters who survive, there are possibilities but at the moment were focusing on this being a beautiful bow to draw a close to this chapter. Srinagar: Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital in Srinagar after he complained of chest pain late on Wednesday night, a close aide of the separatist leader said on Thursday. The 87-year-old complained of uneasiness and chest pain and was admitted to SKIMS Hospital for treatment, he said.Doctors at the hospital said Geelani has been admitted to the ICU and his condition is stable. The separatist leader stayed back in Kashmir this season and did not follow his annual practice of shifting to Delhi during winter to escape the cold-related health complications. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 8:05AM Embed from Getty Images A day before Google's hardware event where the new Nest Audio might be launched, Sonos has filed another lawsuit against the search giant. The company claims Google infringed on five more patents, including patents that cover technologies some of Sonos' best-known features are based on (including the Trueplay tuning tool). This new lawsuit is more about modern wireless speaker system features, which seem to focus on smart speaker control (like setting the volume on a speaker from your phone). Eddie Lazarus, Sonos' chief legal officer, is confident that the company can beat Google, even if they challenge the claims. "If they seek to challenge the patents on obviousness grounds, we believe we will win," he said. "We believe that most people involved in wireless home audio today infringe on our patents in one way or the other." Lazarus says Sonos has also presented Amazon with similar patent claims it showed Google, hoping to resolve them. He said, "We were ahead of our time. These technologies weren't commonplace when Sonos designed them." While this new lawsuit can further strain the companies' relationship, Sonos has tried to keep the legal issue out of product discussions. "The goal is to have a positive relationship with Google, one in which they recognize the value of our inventions and we work on consumer-friendly innovations in the future," says Lazarus. "We've tried to keep the two sides of the house separate." Sonos first filed its lawsuit at the start of the year, with Google countersuing in June. Sonos claimed Google violated five of its speaker patents, including one that details a tech that lets wireless speakers sync with one another. Google claimed the speaker maker has been using its search, software, as well as networking and audio processing tech without paying a licensing fee. Source: The Verge + Engadget Kentuckys attorney general has asked to delay the release of grand jury recordings and documents involved with proceedings that failed to indict any officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor. In a motion filed on Wednesday, Attorney General Daniel Cameron has asked for another week to redact identifying information from jury transcripts and recordings in the interest of protection of witnesses, and in particular private citizens named in the recordings, he argued. The materials were expected to be filed on Wednesday, following a lawsuit from an anonymous juror who accused the attorney general of using the grand jurys secrecy as a shield to mislead the public following indictments against now-former Louisville Metro Police Department detective Brett Hankison. Mr Hankinson was fired three months after her death for "wantonly and blindly" firing 10 rounds into the building, for which he was charged with wanton endangerment, a felony. None of the officers were charged for the killing of Ms Taylor, including two officers who fired the six shots that hit her. The attorney general told local news outlet WDRB this week that he said the grand jury was never presented with murder charges. He said it was "not appropriate" to recommend charges officers Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove "If they wanted to make an assessment about different charges, they could have done that," he said. "But our recommendation was that Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in their acts and their conduct." Ms Taylor, a 26-year-old black emergency medical technician, was at home in bed with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker on 13 March when officers used a ram to break the door to her apartment shortly after midnight. All officers fired their weapons, the attorney general revealed, but officers Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in their return of deadly fire" because Mr Walker had fired first, he said. That justification bars the office from pursuing criminal charges against them, he said. Story continues Mr Hankison has pleaded not guilty. The lawsuit was filed just days after the indictment was announced so that the truth may prevail, the motion argued. It also asks that the jurors be allowed to speak about the case as a matter of public interest. It is patently unjust for the jurors to be subjected to the level of accountability the attorney general campaigned for simply because they received a summons to serve their community at a time that adherence to the summons forced them to be involved in a matter that has caused such a palpable divide between sides, the motion argued. In a statement on Monday announcing that his office would comply with the request to release the documents, AG Cameron reiterated that the grand jury is meant to be a secretive body" and that its apparent that the public interest in this case isnt going to allow that to happen. Read more Secret grand jury files in Breonna Taylor case to be public Breonna Taylor case: Attorney general Daniel Cameron accused of deception by juror over charging decision Breonna Taylor protests: NYPD criticised for charging at BLM demonstrators among diners in Manhattan Breonna Taylor's family condemns 'sham proceeding' as over 100 arrested in Louisville protests Being a Christian in North Korea is extremely dangerous due to the North Korean Regime's intolerance and cruelty. A representative from Asia has informed the Christian Non profit Open Doors which is devoted to supporting Christians who are persecuted in over 60 countries, that a new North Korean believer has been arrested. A North Korean Refugee explained the dire situation at hand, having himself grown up being told that Christians were evil. "We watched the government's propaganda alongside public executions. It told us that Christians wanted to kidnap children and that the cross was a symbol of the devil. Even in nursery school, we had to bow to the pictures of the first leaders of North Korea, Kim Il-Sung and his son, Kim Jong-Il. The first man I saw executed was a Christian. They said he had smuggled Christian things into the country and had enticed people into the church. The whole village was told to come and watch. The children were allowed to sit at the front to get a good view. It enforced this belief that Christians were dangerous." Open Doors now urges for Christians around the world to keep this captive North Korean Believer in their prayers. Considering past punishments inflicted upon Christians in North Korea, Open Doors fears that this new member of the Church could be in danger of torture, but hopes that the world's combined prayers could lead to some form of salvation and relief. The Open Doors Representative from Asia specifically wrote asking, ""Pray that God will intervene and that he will be released. If not, we will likely never hear of him again." Batavia Downs has announced that there will be a guaranteed pool of $3,000 for the Pick-5 wager on Wednesday (Sept. 30). The pool is part of the United States Trotting Associations Strategic Wagering Program and as such, free program pages are available courtesy of Trackmaster on the USTAs website. The Pick-5 wager begins in Race 1 and runs through Race 5. It is a 50-cent base wager and if all five winners arent selected, any carryover pool will be moved to the Pick-5 wager on the Saturday (Oct. 3) program. Post time for the first race Wednesday is at 5 p.m. (Batavia Downs) Fall Creek Falls State Natural Area in Bledsoe and Van Buren counties has been inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network, a national network of protected, native, publicly accessible mature forests.We are proud to receive this designation, Roger McCoy, director of the Division of Natural Areas for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said. Fall Creek Falls is a natural wonder in our state, and we are pleased to see it get national recognition.Dr.Sarah Horsley, network manager of the Old-Growth Forest Network, presented a plaque last Friday to celebrate the dedication of the forest. Attendees hiked the Base of the Falls trail to see features of the forest in the Fall Creek Falls State Natural Area.We are excited to include Fall Creek Falls State Natural Area in the Network, Dr. Horsley said. We depend on local, county-level volunteers to help us identify the candidate forests they want to see recognized and work with forest and park managers to make sure these forests will remain protected.Fall Creek Falls is a 16,181-acre natural area located within Fall Creek Falls State Park. Its waterfalls, cascades, streams, gorges, forests and cave features make it one of the most visited natural areas and state parks in the southeast. Fall Creek Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, plunging 256 feet into a shaded pool. Piney Falls, Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades, which are also in the park, are smaller but equally impressive falls. A pine-hardwood forest covers much of the plateau above the falls. The National Democratic Party (NDC) arguably is the most well to sought party in Northern Ghana, including the Upper West Region. The party popularity in the Upper West Region has always been translated into election outcomes. Apart from the Sissala belt where the PNC used to perform fairly in capturing one or two seats, the NDC is very much dominant in the Upper West Region. In the 1992 election for instance the party secured all the seats. The analyst argues that the NPP boycott of the parliamentary election made it easy for the party. Fast forward to 2012, the party secured 10 out of 11 seats, with an independent candidate for Jirapa Constituency who once has his root from the NDC. It must be stated that the party performance in the 2016 elections is the worst of its kind as against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) that secured 5 seats to the NDC 6 seats. Although the NDC still gathered majority votes in the presidential election, the percentage decline represents the wheel of change that saw the NDC voted out of power in the 2016 elections. The NDC has the historical pedigree and the bragging rights in terms of performance in the Upper West Region. However, the NPP reference to the 2016 elections equally gives them the ambitious thoughts of winning more seats. The dynamics of political seasons coupled with the change in mind-set from voting parties based on symbols to track records and competence should serve as a caution to the NDC. The NDC attempts to addressing internal wranglings with setting up a balance regional campaign team might not work out for the party, as some members are losing touch with constituents and foot soldiers. Respectfully, the campaigned Team some distinguished academia with recognizable names and men of integrity in the persons of Prof Francis Bacho and Dr. Hamida, Hon. Nuhu Putiaha and others, the inclusion of the former Upper West Regional Minister and Former Road and Highways Minister Alhaji Aminu Amidu Sulemana are mind bobbling. The likes of Alhaji Aminu Sulemana are a major part of the main reasons the party had performed poorly in the Upper West Region in the 2016 elections. He served as a Minister of Roads and Highways and Upper West Regional Minister, with no recognizable achievement. He could not prioritize the Wa Tumu Bolga road as a Minister. Alhaji Eng. Aminu Amidu Sulemana who has a near-death experience in the Wa- Tumu roads resulting from an armed robbery attack still did very little to fast-tracking the completion of the road. Also, Alhaji Aminu Amidu Sulemana had failed to properly connect with his constituents as MP, this cost him the seat in 2016. Two critical questions discerning voters would be asking; What message of hope would Alhaji Aminu Amidu Sulemana give to the people of the Upper West Region? How would he convince the many constituents to repose confidence in the party? Alhaji Aminus inclusion is the NDC regional campaign team is leaving man party faithful to wonder his choice as a member. Though, the appointment is in the confines of NDC constitutions regarding the composition of the campaign. Alhaji inclusion as former appointees' representative is not out of question. Is the party (NDC) not concerned with his integrity crises? We can recall that, after the 2016 defeat, Alhaji Aminu Aminuu Sulemana announced his retirement in politics disclosing that it was already his decision to quit before the 2016 elections but was pressured by power brokers within the party to contest. announced his retirement from politics and this is what he said I did not want to contest the seat in the first place, but there was pressure on me from the party. That is how come I contested, but some party members are to be blamed for my abysmal performance (Ultimate FM, Wed 14th December, 2016). The question is; did Alhaji come out of retirement to demonstrate a true commitment to working for the NDC? or he is just hovering around for appointment as usual? Alhaji Aminu Aminuu Sulemana has been a Former Regional Minister and Roads and Highways; former member of parliament for Sissala West Constituency, an engineer and former university lecturer and Former Ghanas ambassador to Egypt and hold other high positions in government. Even though Alhaji Aminu Amidu Sulemana has a rich credential, his political leadership and rich CV influenced a positive course? From domineering attitudes among some regional executives to some questionable personalities in the campaign team, the party has a lot of convincing to offer electorates. The vibrancy for political engagement is lucking in the NDC. This is not to say the party is not campaigning. The lack of coordinated campaigns; unity of purpose devoid of ill feelings; and greed is breaking the party. Nonetheless, the NDC has the greater chance to secure 91% of the parliamentary seats in the 2020 elections, however, the gap and neglect of the key figures in the grassroots are not helping the course of the party. The electrifying of political leadership by the Wa West Constituency parliamentary candidate should be a reference point to marshal mobilization for the party. The NDC as a matter of urgency needs to corrects the wrongs and strategically managed the wrong elements that have found their way onto the party. By so doing the could relive 2012 election victory memories. Author; Tahiru Lukman Youth Activist, Devt Consultant & Pan- African Author Email: [email protected] Tel: 0209154057 / 0551018778 The 4 million Calf Investment Scheme was announced by the Department of Agriculture for the 2020 calving season to support calf rearing infrastructure such as automatic feeders and calf penning. The Calf Investment Scheme needs to be rolled over ahead of the 2021 calving season, the ICMSA has claimed. With more than 1.5 million dairy cows forecast to calf down this spring, the ICMSA said it was essential that on-farm calf-rearing capacity was expanded so that farmers could retain young calves for longer on the holding of birth. The 4 million Calf Investment Scheme was announced by the Department of Agriculture for the 2020 calving season to support calf rearing infrastructure such as automatic feeders and calf penning. However, only half of the available funds are likely to be drawn down under the scheme, with just 700 claims for payment submitted to-date from a total of 2,400 applicants. Denis Drennan of the ICMSA rural affairs committee reminded farmers that the closing date for the submission of payment claims for the scheme is this Wednesday (September 30). Mr Drennan blamed the low uptake of the current tranche of the Calf Investment Scheme on the impact of Covid-19. Unfortunately, the impact of Covid-19 in early spring affected farming like all sectors and many interested farmers were forced to delay investments given the uncertainty around the duration of the virus and the reduction in farm incomes, Mr Drennan said. However, the ICMSA representative pointed out that more calf-rearing capacity will be required at farm level given the ongoing growth in the dairy herd. ICMSA is therefore calling on the Minister for Agriculture to re-open the Calf Investment Scheme immediately for new applicants so that farmers can get approval for calf equipment in advance of the 2021 calving season, he said. Grant aid of 40pc is available under the scheme for the purchase of calf-rearing equipment or the installation of facilities such as calf pens. The maximum grant attainable under the scheme is 3,000. Meanwhile, Arrabawn is the latest dairy processor to increase its milk price for August. It lifted its price by 0.25c/l to 31.25c/l. In other milk pricing news, Tipperary held its August price at 31c/l, while North Cork Creameries is up 1c/l to 31.5c/l. Boherbue Co-op is paying 31.2c/l for August supplies, an increase of 0.2c/l. Strathroys base price for August milk is 30.83c/l. Richard Thompson has been the CEO of RWS Holdings plc (LON:RWS) since 2017, and this article will examine the executive's compensation with respect to the overall performance of the company. This analysis will also assess whether RWS Holdings pays its CEO appropriately, considering recent earnings growth and total shareholder returns. Check out our latest analysis for RWS Holdings Comparing RWS Holdings plc's CEO Compensation With the industry Our data indicates that RWS Holdings plc has a market capitalization of UK1.6b, and total annual CEO compensation was reported as UK922k for the year to September 2019. That's a notable increase of 67% on last year. We think total compensation is more important but our data shows that the CEO salary is lower, at UK415k. On comparing similar companies from the same industry with market caps ranging from UK778m to UK2.5b, we found that the median CEO total compensation was UK1.6m. This suggests that Richard Thompson is paid below the industry median. Moreover, Richard Thompson also holds UK1.6m worth of RWS Holdings stock directly under their own name, which reveals to us that they have a significant personal stake in the company. Component 2019 2018 Proportion (2019) Salary UK415k UK350k 45% Other UK507k UK202k 55% Total Compensation UK922k UK552k 100% Speaking on an industry level, nearly 66% of total compensation represents salary, while the remainder of 34% is other remuneration. RWS Holdings sets aside a smaller share of compensation for salary, in comparison to the overall industry. It's important to note that a slant towards non-salary compensation suggests that total pay is tied to the company's performance. RWS Holdings plc's Growth Over the past three years, RWS Holdings plc has seen its earnings per share (EPS) grow by 17% per year. It achieved revenue growth of 4.2% over the last year. Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. It's also good to see modest revenue growth, suggesting the underlying business is healthy. Moving away from current form for a second, it could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future. Story continues Has RWS Holdings plc Been A Good Investment? Most shareholders would probably be pleased with RWS Holdings plc for providing a total return of 52% over three years. So they may not be at all concerned if the CEO were to be paid more than is normal for companies around the same size. To Conclude... As previously discussed, Richard is compensated less than what is normal for CEOs of companies of similar size, and which belong to the same industry. Considering robust EPS growth, we believe Richard to be modestly paid. And given most shareholders are probably very happy with recent shareholder returns, they might even think Richard deserves a raise! CEO compensation is a crucial aspect to keep your eyes on but investors also need to keep their eyes open for other issues related to business performance. That's why we did some digging and identified 1 warning sign for RWS Holdings that you should be aware of before investing. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a different set of stocks. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. In a recent interview, R Madhavan shared his views on Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, which has become the prime focus of news channels in the past few months. Madhavan is happy that the case is getting the attention it deserves, but he emphasized on wanting to remember Sushant as a guy full of energy. "I am very hurt with what happened with Sushant Singh Rajput and definitely justice needs to be given for a situation like that. On that front I am happy that so much attention has been drawn. I don't agree with everything that has been done with the case because I feel that I want to remember Sushant as the strong powerful guy that I met for a few times only," said Madhavan, speaking to Pinkvilla. He further said that he remembers the late actor as a guy full of energy and wishes that memory of him was kept alive instead of all the things being said about him. Madhavan added, "Of course, the entire industry is being rattled because of all the other investigations happening. I don't want to add to the chaos. I really believe that India is in the right hands when it comes to our agencies. I am very confident that they will come up with absolute truth as far as Sushant's demise is concerned." Contrary to some of the negative things being said about the Hindi film industry, Madhavan talked about having had positive experiences. "But, the Bollywood industry is an industry of very good people too. I have had opportunities of dealing with some of the nicest people, who are big superstars and would not even look at the fact that I am from a non filmy background and come and do a guest appearance in my film only because I asked them to. I have seen very generous people in the industry too and hence, sometimes feel it is sad that everyone is getting dragged into this," he said. For the unversed, Sushant was found dead in his apartment in Mumbai on June 14. His death was initially declared to be a suicide. However, CBI, the apex investigating agency of India, is probing his death and many across the country are awaiting the results of the probe. ALSO READ: R Madhavan: People Told Me 'You're A Tamil Actor, You Won't Get Hindi Films' ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty Makes Explosive Revelations About Sushant's Depression And His Family - Main Points A woman and two children have been taken to hospital after fire destroyed a house in Brisbane's south overnight, forcing the evacuation of neighbouring homes. Emergency services were called to Kitchener Street, Coorparoo about 3am on Thursday after reports of the blaze. The 30-year-old woman suffered "significant burns" to her legs and was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a serious condition, Queensland Ambulance Service acting operations supervisor Brendan Leech said. Meanwhile, a five-year-old girl received burns to her face and was in a serious condition. The other girl, aged 3, suffered smoke inhalation and her condition was considered stable. Both were taken to the Queensland Children's Hospital for further treatment. One debate down, and it wasnt pretty. Joe Biden left Cleveland this morning using his signature mode of transportation an Amtrak train car to campaign through Western Pennsylvania. Hes starting in Pittsburgh but then cutting through a swath of whats become Trump Country in the state. Its also an area where some polls show him cutting into the presidents support among white working class voters something that could prove politically fatal for Trump if it doesnt change. For all the instability of 2020, and the vitriol last night, one thing has been remarkably stable: this presidential race. Biden enters the homestretch with a national lead largely unchanged from before the pandemic and with a sizable edge in Pennsylvania, which is increasingly seen a must-win for Trump. Meanwhile, a new kind of early voting started in Philadelphia. But that wasnt pretty either. Well explain what happened and what Trump got wrong about it. And were hearing from voters on our Election 2020 Roundtable about the future of the Supreme Court. Follow all our election coverage. And email us at election@inquirer.com. Julia Terruso, Andrew Seidman (@JuliaTerruso, @AndrewSeidman, election@inquirer.com) Amtrak Joe rides into Trump Country Bidens campaign trail hits the rails today, with an Amtrak whistle stop tour that stops in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, New Alexandria, Latrobe, and ends with a socially-distanced drive-in rally in Johnstown. Biden is going straight into the heart of Trumps support in Pennsylvania. Some towns on his itinerary are in counties that voted for Trump by double digits in 2016, and where Republicans have made voter registration gains since. But there are signs of a slight erosion in Trumps support in the southwest, driven in part by white working class voters who are more open to Biden than they were to Hillary Clinton. Even a slight drop-off could be a big deal. We spent a few days in and around Johnstown earlier this month and will be back today, so more on that coming soon. Southwestern Pennsylvania has been a frequent destination for Trump, too. He held airport rallies in Pittsburgh and Latrobe this month. Westmoreland County saw the states largest net increase in registered Republicans in the last four years, adding about 10,000 voters to GOP ranks. In Cambria County, Democrats outnumbered Republicans by almost 15,000 voters in 2016. Now its almost evenly split. Why cant Trump afford to lose ground here? Because Biden appears to be blowing him out in the states suburbs, including some gains even in more traditionally Republican ones like outside Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Biden is beating Trump among white working class women, and hes eaten slightly into Trumps support among white working class men. Put it all together, and thats how you get two widely respected pollsters showing Biden up by 9 points in the state. Hes gotten here partly by centering his campaign around appeals to these voters (hes going from the debate to Johnstown, not Philly). Biden calls the election a battle between Scranton and Park Avenue, and now hes got revelations about Trump paying just $750 in federal income taxes to add to the pile. Biden touted his everyman credentials at a town hall this month outside Scranton, saying guys like Trump look down on people who went to state school like Biden. Now hes back on Amtrak, which he famously used to take the train from Washington to Delaware every day to be home for his two young sons. He kept that habit up for 36 years and 2 million miles. Today, hell try to ride it a few stops closer to the White House. Trump says bad things happen in Philadelphia. Heres what actually happened. Trump closed out last nights debate by repeating his false claim that poll watchers had been blocked from observing the first day of in-person early mail voting in Philadelphia. Heres what you need to know. Philadelphia opened the first of 15 new satellite elections offices yesterday, where voters can request, receive, fill out, and submit mail ballots in one stop. Technical issues led to frustrations and wait times. So its like early voting in other states? Not really. Its basically mail voting without using the mail. Youre not voting on a machine like you would at a polling place. This is all through the states new election law enacted last year, which greatly expanded mail voting. Other counties are setting up similar satellite offices. What did Trump say? In Philadelphia they went in to watch, he said last night. Theyre called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They werent allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia. Is that true? No, and heres why. The Trump campaign has no poll watchers approved to work in Philadelphia at the moment. And there are no actual polling places open in the city right now. Its true that voters were casting ballots, but the locations where they were doing so are just elections offices, and poll watchers dont have the same rights there that they do at traditional polling places on Election Day. Al Schmidt, a Republican and one of the city commissioners, who run elections, put it succinctly: We dont give someone a poll watcher certificate to watch somebody fill out their ballot at their kitchen table. Read more: Bad things happen in Philadelphia, Trump says at debate, renewing false claim about poll watchers -Ellie Rushing, Chris Brennan, and Jonathan Lai What were paying attention to Overheard on the campaign trail When you are doing outreach to moderate suburban white folks and minimal campaigning in Black disenfranchised communities, thats problematic if you want to win. I feel like theyre leaving votes on the table. Philadelphia City Councilmember Kendra Brooks on what she called a lack of Biden campaign outreach to progressive voters. Our voter Roundtable on the Supreme Court fight Our most recent convening of The Inquirers 2020 Election Roundtable, a representative group of 24 voters from across Pennsylvania, focused on Trumps push to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before Election Day. The GOP-controlled Senate is moving forward with confirmation hearings, while Democrats assail Republicans for not following the standard they set in 2016 when they cited an election that was months away in refusing to consider President Barack Obamas nominee. Here are a few highlights from our recent discussion. Well be posting a fuller recap soon, so check out the Roundtable page. And were talking to them about the debate next. The Democrats, if they were in the same boat that the Republicans are in today, they would be doing the same thing, said Lauren Jessop, a 62-year-old Republican in Northampton County. Melissa Robbins, a 47-year-old Philadelphia Democrat, said: Its about power. Its always been about power. Its always been about white men dominating, making the rules, changing the rules. It completely delegitimizes our democracy. Scott Young, a 51-year-old Bucks County Republican, said he was uneasy with the optics of taking something that should be a purely apolitical position and centering it around an election deadline. David Graham, a 66-year-old Republican from Johnstown, blamed Democrats for their treatment of Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings. But Graham also said he didnt like how the GOP handled Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick Garland in 2016. The federal government is broken, he said. with Lauren Aguirre 5 1 of 5 Apu Gomez / AFP via Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Csondy/Getty Images Show More Show Less 5 of 5 Amidst Californias wildfire season, we all could use some beauty in our lives. National Geographic Adventure magazine posted a video taken by photographer Greg Harlow in 2017 on its Twitter account last week, showing the first rays of light and the spray from Yosemite Falls coalescing into a radiant rainbow mist. Luo Liping, a 22-year-old woman from a village in South China's Guangdong Province, wins the silver medal at the World Skills Competition in the Russian city of Kazan in August 2019. [For cnr.cn] Luo Liping, a 22-year-old woman from a village in South China's Guangdong Province, represented China in the World Skills Competition in the Russian city of Kazan in August 2019 and won the silver medal in Visual Merchandising, breaking the long-standing monopoly of European countries. Visual Merchandising is known as window display. It requires the competitor to be familiar with more than 100 materials and tools, and to master professional knowledge including graphic design, display design, space design and marketing. In addition, it requires many other skills. For example, the measuring point deviation of the back-glue technology cannot exceed 2 millimeters, cutting boards cannot have burrs, and wall paintings cannot have stains. On her journey from the factory to the world stage, Luo had gone through much hardship. After graduating from high school, she began to work in a factory. She realized how tough life can be if you are directionless. "Am I going to be like this for the rest of my life?" she thought. Learning from friends that rural students can attend a technical school for free, Luo immediately realized it was an opportunity. She went back to school again, and studied hard. She was on the podium of the World Skills Competition when she was only 21. Luo Liping at the 45th World Skills Competition held in the Russian city of Kazan, in August 2019 [For cnr.cn] Now, Luo's life has changed and she has helped lift her impoverished family out of poverty. Every time Luo meets young people who don't want to continue studying, she tells her own story to make them realize the importance of learning a skill and of being independent in society. After her success in the world competition, Luo received many offers to work at other companies, but she chose to become a tutor at a technical school. "I will try my best to teach my students and win more honors for my country," Luo said. (Source: cnr.cn/Translated and edited by Women of China) Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter. By Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA and Ryan Deto of Pittsburgh City Paper SCHELLSBURG It was a bit after 11 p.m. in late August when Frank Nitty and a group of Black and white civil rights activists stopped along a highway in rural Bedford County. The group was on day 20 of a march from Milwaukee to Washington, D.C. While walking the roads through Indiana, Nitty said, police barred access to gas stations for fuel or restroom breaks. In Ohio, people driving by threw food at them. Frankly, Nitty said, it was the kind of response they had anticipated. But on that night in Pennsylvania, with just flashlights and the occasional passing car lighting their way down Lincoln Highway, things got out of hand. The marchers and their caravan of almost 20 cars were on the side of the road to organize for an uphill hike ahead. Then shots rang out. The incident made national news for a day, another thread in the countrys ongoing struggle with racism. But a closer examination by Spotlight PA and Pittsburgh City Paper reveals a changing narrative by law enforcement authorities the next day, the effects those inconsistencies had in how the story was portrayed, and how local community members took up arms in response. Pennsylvania State Police initially said an argument between residents and the marchers culminated in gun fire. But by the end of the day, the official story had changed twice. In the final version of events, police said the property owners had called them about a gathering of people in a private business parking lot. Before troopers could arrive, police said, the property owners confronted the marchers, the confrontation escalated, and gun shots were exchanged. But interviews with nine marchers and a review of four videos from the scene do not support those official accounts namely, the contention that there was some form of confrontation with the marchers before the shots, and the possibility that a marcher had fired first. The marchers contend state police have, at every turn, attempted to place at least some of the blame for what instigated the shooting on them. In another video taken after a news conference the day after the shooting, and reviewed by the news organizations, the marchers directly disputed the characterization of an argument with a state police detective, who then agreed that the argument did not happen. It was clear that we didnt start anything, said Leena Le, 20, one of the marchers. It upset me that they twisted the story. Pennsylvania State Police investigating shooting in Bedford County. Media staging at Crossroads Bible Church, 5564 US-220, Bedford, Pa. No press conference scheduled at this time. pic.twitter.com/HJpftSqQcF Trooper Christopher Fox (@PSPTroopGPIO) August 25, 2020 But the narrative that the marchers were somehow at fault took hold. Fueled by social media posts that parroted and then embellished the state polices version of events, white vigilantes wielding guns descended upon their town squares in Bedford Borough and McConnellsburg, sure that they needed to protect their small towns from Antifa. As a result, the marchers faced continued threats in the days that followed, including being threatened with a gunshot a second time, and having to walk on roads chalked with messages such as ns suck, pick cotton, and go home. Theres no way to mentally prepare someone to being called n, Nitty said, adding that getting him and his team through to the Maryland border required resilience and prayer. One month later, there has yet to be a final account of what happened that night. A spokesperson for the state police said the investigation is ongoing and declined to answer any questions. Meanwhile, the Bedford County district attorney hasnt filed any charges. This investigation is being conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and is ongoing, therefore my office will not be releasing a statement at this time, District Attorney Lesley R. Childers-Potts said. Matthew Zatko, an attorney representing Terry Myers one of the residents involved said Myers was not the aggressor that night and he responded to actions taken against him. Zatko declined to answer specific questions, citing the ongoing investigation. Answers need to be forthcoming sooner rather than later, he said. Clearly I want my client to be exonerated of any wrongdoing and I would like that to happen promptly, but I want that to happen after a thorough investigation. Civil rights marchers on a journey from Milwaukee to Washington, D.C. are seen here in Youngstown, Ohio. The marchers' path by the Myers' properties was just one tiny stretch of their 750-mile walk to Washington, where they planned to arrive on the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech. The trek was meant to pay homage to the 54-mile peaceful walk that King and others made from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama in 1965. They were coming by my neighborhood, and I followed them along, said Ebony Lee Lombardi, 44. When we got to Gary, Indiana, Frank turned around, looked at us, and said, Are yall coming? It was like Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. Thats what it felt like. A documentarian had also joined the group from the start of the march in Wisconsin to capture the experience for a short film. When they got to Schellsburg, three people in the group went live on Facebook. The videos show that the marchers stopped at the bottom of a hill to prepare for a climb, loading children and older marchers in vans so they didnt have to make the venture uphill. On one side of Lincoln Highway was a white house. On the other, a towing garage. Both belong to John Myers. We all pulled up. Some people were parked on the shoulder of the road, but Im not sure if anyone was on this business persons property, said Sandy Solo, 49, of Milwaukee. Updated Shooting Investigation pic.twitter.com/CVd3wO3h4W Trooper Christopher Fox (@PSPTroopGPIO) August 25, 2020 Solo said she saw a man in the white house looking at them. I says, Hey yall, theres a guy thats looking out the door. It was dark, dark, dark, dark in this rural part of Pennsylvania, anyway. And after seeing that, I immediately heard gunshots. The footage shows some marchers questioning what they heard before a second shot is fired. In the video, John Myers emerges from his house after the first shot is fired and then meets his son, Terry, who appears walking down the road toward the marchers. Terry hands an item to his father and then aims a shotgun back at marchers. In one video, the younger Myers yells at the marchers to get the f out of here, before another gunshot is heard. In footage captured by a marcher on a cell phone, Tory Lowe, a marcher who was in front of the crowd, pleads with John and Terry Myers, saying theres no need to be violent, before another round is fired. This man came out of nowhere and just started shooting, Lowe said. I kept screaming that there are children with us, and it wasnt until I said there was a pastor with us that he stopped shooting. One marcher was shot in the face, treated at a nearby hospital for minor injuries, and released the next day. From the beginning, Pennsylvania State Police publicized a similar story to John and Terry Myers' account. In its first news release, issued early the next morning, state police said that an area residence and a group of individuals engaged in an argument, which culminated in gunfire. The account then changed later in the day to an incident between the activists and two residents. By that afternoon, the official version of events changed again. The confrontation escalated, and gunshots were exchanged between the property owners and the activists, said a press release. But in the videos, the only time Terry Myers can be heard yelling at people to get away is after the first shot was fired. White man with a riffle shot at us... We headed to the hospital now. Cino was hit. Posted by Tory Lowe on Monday, August 24, 2020 I can tell you that we had not interacted with either man before the gunshots rang out, said Renee Muza, a video producer who was filming the documentary about the marchers and caught the shooting on camera. We did not speak to, on any occasion, either man. We didnt even see them. When asked for the source of the narrative that an argument or confrontation resulted in gunfire, state police spokesperson Ryan Tarkowski said in an email that it was based on detectives interviewing witnesses who were willing to talk. All nine marchers interviewed by Spotlight PA and Pittsburgh City Paper said they told state police similar stories the next morning about a man shooting at them unprovoked. The marchers also said they gave state police the same footage the news organizations reviewed. When marchers learned of the press releases, they confronted state police detectives while streaming live on Facebook. The detectives said on the stream that the narrative about an argument isnt coming from us. Cpl. Aaron Allen, an officer assigned to the unit that responds to hate crimes in the western region of the state, said that he fixed the original press release to show that there wasnt an argument, changing it to an incident. An organizer challenged Allen on a live stream, saying, You know how dangerous this is to put a narrative like this out there? As the state polices story changed, the suggestion that the marchers were, at least in part, to blame took hold on social media, sparking a snowball of misinformation that culminated in new threats to the group on their way to Washington. On Tuesday, the day after the shooting, Facebook users speculated without evidence that the marchers had looked inside the Myers' property and were threatening to burn down a local Walmart as well as town centers. It's Time to Defend Yourself & Your Neighbors. Together we rise, dived we fall. This morning I woke up to crazy... Posted by Lindsey Nicole on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 A Facebook post that has since been deleted said, All Bedford County Hunters not busy tonight at 6 might want to go to Bedford County Courthouse to help defend it!!! BLM and Antifa are planning on burning it down!!! Another Facebook post, shared 1,000 times, urged residents to defend their homes after the Schellsburg shooting. I couldnt believe it, the post read. Right in my backyard. Threats from BLM and Antifa pouring in to destroy buildings and homes We will not allow you to destroy our towns. This has to end. The marchers never came, but that didnt stop dozens of people from showing up at the Bedford County Courthouse on Tuesday evening, wielding military-style rifles and camping out for more than four hours. Some demonstrators told a local TV news crew they were waiting for the civil rights marchers. That same night, while many armed demonstrators were still at the courthouse, a group of other armed vigilantes learned the marchers were staying at the Hampton Inn hotel three miles away. One of them, Jeremy Decker, 43, drove to the hotel and fired a gun into the air outside the hotel. Decker was charged by state police with possessing a prohibited firearm, having a firearm not to be carried without a license, and reckless endangerment, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the news organizations. On Wednesday at around 10:40 p.m. two days after the original shooting as the marchers made their way to the outskirts of McConnellsburg, in Fulton County, they walked over roads chalked with messages including ns suck, video taken by the group shows. Also shown on the video drawn on the street: pick cotton, slaves, and go home. When the marchers finally got to McConnellsburg, around 1 a.m., there were several people waiting there for them, according to live video feeds. Some were friendly and offered water, others were confrontational and argued with Nitty and refused to shake his hand. Alexis Kaleigh, a McConnellsburg resident who supports the marchers and the Black Lives Matter movement, said she joined Nitty and the other civil rights marchers on Route 30 and saw the racist messages drawn on the street. We wrote Black Lives Matter and we love you in chalk, said Kaleigh. We wrote things to outweigh the hate. 100% ESSENTIAL: Spotlight PA relies on funding from foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. If you value this reporting, please give a gift today at spotlightpa.org/donate. Most College Students Self-Censor on Campuses: Survey The largest ever survey focusing on freedom of speech on U.S. college campuses found that most students, especially those who identify as the political minority at their institutions, feel they cant express their opinions on controversial topics out of fear of perceived intolerance. Sixty percent of students can recall at least one time during their college experience when they did not share their perspective because they feared how their peers, professors, or school officials would respond, according to a survey and report published Tuesday by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a First Amendment rights advocacy group, and news website RealClearEducation. Conducted by analytics company College Pulse, the survey covers some 20,000 college students at 55 U.S. institutions. The survey result shows that students who identify as conservatives are more likely to report a previous self-censorship experience (72 percent), compared to those identify as liberals (55 percent). More than 42 percent of the students believe their college would punish a student who expresses his or her controversial or offensive ideas instead of defending the speakers freedom of speech. Abortion is identified by more than 45 percent of college students as the topic that is most difficult to have an open and honest conversation about on campus, the report said. It is followed by race (43 percent), gun control (41 percent), and transgender issues (40 percent). Using a zero-to-100 scale, the survey also ranks the 55 schools according to how much freedom of speech students say they have on their campus. At the top of the list is University of Chicago, whose conservative minority spoke highly about the administrators efforts to prevent them from being ridiculed or marginalized. That being said, most of the UChicago students responses published in the survey expressed fear of being bullied by other students because of their unpopular opinions. A student walks at the University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas, on June 23, 2016. (Jon Herskovitz/Reuters) Indiana-based DePauw University ranked last in the survey, with the highest percentage (71 percent) of students who said they have self-censored out of fear of retaliation. A professor was making a comment on how all Republicans are racist and selfish, a DePauw student told surveyors. As a Republican, I felt that I could not speak up and defend myself because of the position of power the professor was in. A spokesperson for DePauw told The Epoch Times that the universitys leadership is working to ensure that all students feel comfortable and supported exercising these values in harmony with one another. We want to be a university where all students, no matter where they reside on the political spectrum or any other form of identity, believe they can express themselves freely, the spokesperson said. We are a work in progress and I am confident we are headed in the right direction. A university should be a lively marketplace of ideasa place where different beliefs and opinions can be discussed, analyzed, and challenged with widest possible freedom, Nathan Harden, a RealClearEducation editor, said in a statement. If students dont feel free to speak their minds, or if they arent exposed to diverse points of view, it greatly diminishes the value of their education. By Cate Cadell BEIJING (Reuters) - An Australia-based Chinese journalist whose home was raided as part of an Australian foreign interference investigation in June said the action was unfounded and "baseless", in an account released by Chinese media. China announced that Australian intelligence and police had raided four of its journalists as part of a broader investigation into an alleged plot to influence an Australian state politician. The Chinese journalist, Yang Jingzhong, who was the Sydney bureau chief for the state news agency Xinhua, said Australian authorities raided his home at 6:30 a.m. on June 26 and conducted a seven-hour search, confiscating a number of electronic devices and documents. "I was shocked, but I quickly calmed down because I knew I had not violated any laws. However, my daughter had never experienced such a scene and was very frightened," said Yang. The raids were carried out on the same day as a raid on the office of Shaoquett Moselmane, the Australian politician allegedly targeted by foreign interference efforts. Australian Federal Police and the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) declined to comment. This month, Australia named China in a court document as the foreign state under investigation by police in its first foreign interference investigation. Beijing dismissed the allegation as an anti-China smear. Ties between Australia and its biggest trading partner have been plagued over recent years by Australian complaints of Chinese interference in its politics. China has denied the accusations. Yang, in his account of the raid, referred to an earlier response from China's foreign ministry, which said Australia had not given a reasonable explanation for the investigation. Beijing earlier confirmed that all four journalists had returned to China. 'FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION' Yang's account comes amid a broader debate in some Western countries over the overseas activities of Chinese state media, which put an emphasis on promoting China's image abroad, and amid deepening diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Canberra. Story continues In the past year, the United States has required U.S.-based staff of China's top state media outlets, including Xinhua, CGTN and the People's Daily, to register as "foreign agents". "I have always put the promotion of friendship and cooperation between China and Australia as the focus of my work," said Yang, adding that most of his work involved reporting on cultural and economic exchanges between China and Australia. News of the raids targeting Chinese journalists was released by Beijing shortly after two Australian journalists were evacuated from China, in a tense diplomatic standoff between Beijing and Australian embassy officials. Chinese police questioned the Australian journalists before they left in relation to the case of Cheng Lei, an Australian journalist with Beijing's state-run CGTN news channel detained in China in August. The questioning of the Australian journalists has been widely interpreted as a tit-for-tat response to the raid on Chinese journalists in Canberra, though the China's foreign ministry has denied they are linked. (Reporting by Cate Cadell; Editing by Tony Munroe and Robert Birsel) New Rochelle, NY, September 30, 2020--Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, a leading international, independent publisher of cutting-edge peer-reviewed journals, and Editage, the flagship brand of Cactus Communications (CACTUS), a technology company accelerating scientific advancement, have announced a strategic editorial services partnership. Under this partnership, authors submitting to the journals published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers can utilize Editage's world-class editing, translation, and research communication services for their manuscripts. Commenting on the partnership, Donald Samulack, Head, Global Stakeholder Engagement, Cactus Communications said, "This partnership is a win-win-win for all involved. Authors submitting to Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers' journals will have access to best-in-class editorial and research communication services that can be leveraged to build successful research programs. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers will be able to support an extended global stakeholder community, with a wide range of research communication services powered by Editage. In parallel, Editage will be able to support Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers and their author community by expanding the reach of its author services ecosystem." Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers distributes cutting-edge peer-reviewed journals in specialized fields such as biotechnology, biomedical research, medicine and surgery, public health research and policy, technology and engineering, law, and environmental research and policy. Editage has a global team of in-house and freelancer editors that specialize in these fields. "We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Editage and Impact Science. This partnership will allow us to provide our authors with first-rate services to prepare and promote their manuscripts for optimal impact and visibility around the world," said Bob Vrooman, Publisher, New Business Development, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. ### About Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a leading independent publisher known worldwide for its establishment of authoritative peer-reviewed journals, books, and trade publications in cutting-edge fields such as biotechnology and regenerative medicine, biomedical research, medicine and surgery, public health research and policy, technology and engineering, law and policy, environmental research and policy, and other specialized disciplines. The company publishes over 90 peer-reviewed journals, leading trade magazines, and specialized newsletters, in addition to society membership management and conferences. About Editage Editage has so far helped over 430,000 authors publish around 1.2 million research papers in scholarly journals across over 1000 disciplines through editorial, translation, transcription, and publication support services. Editage is a brand of Cactus Communications, a technology company accelerating scientific advancement. CACTUS solves problems for researchers, universities, publishers, academic societies, and life science organizations through innovative products and services developed under the brands Editage, Cactus Life Sciences, R, Impact Science, UNSILO, and Cactus Labs. CACTUS has offices in Princeton, London, Aarhus, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai; a global workforce of over 3,000 experts; and customers from over 190 countries. CACTUS is considered a pioneer in its workplace best practices and has been consistently ranked a great place to work over the last several years. Hyundai will develop vehicles that blend "robotics and wheeled locomotion technology." Hyundai Hyundai announced Monday that it's forming the New Horizons Studio, a division that will develop what Hyundai calls "ultimate mobility vehicles." The vehicles will combine robotics and wheeled locomotion to travel across harsh off-road terrain, Hyundai said. The studio will start by developing the Elevate, a concept vehicle with four robotic legs that Hyundai first teased in 2019. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. When most people think of land vehicles, a general idea comes to mind: moving boxes, typically with four wheels. But the folks at Hyundai think that basic blueprint could use a major update think, instead, moving boxes that can both roll down highways on four wheels and walk across land on four legs. Hyundai announced Monday the formation of its New Horizons Studio, which will focus on developing what the company calls "ultimate mobility vehicles," or UMVs. The UMVs will "push the extreme limits of vehicle development," and will "traverse off-road terrains with unprecedented mobility, through a combination of robotics and wheeled locomotion technology," Hyundai said. The design studio's details are vague for now, but Hyundai did say the studio will begin by developing the Elevate, which debuted in concept form at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2019. Hyundai said the Elevate could help first responders reach people during natural disasters. Hyundai The Elevate's standout feature is that its four wheels are attached to four robotic legs. That, according to Hyundai, has numerous real-world applications. Hyundai envisions that an Elevate-style vehicle could help first responders traverse harsh terrain after natural disasters, or pick up wheelchair users who don't have access to an ADA ramp right at their doorstep. The Elevate could theoretically pick up wheelchair users right at their doorsteps, Hyundai claims. Hyundai In announcing the Elevate last year, Hyundai also said the concept would be able to travel at highway speeds, climb a five-foot wall, and replicate "both mammalian and reptilian walking gaits, allowing it to move in any direction" you know, the stuff you see in sci-fi movies, not real life. Hyundai said its New Horizons Studio will help "further Hyundai Motor Group's vision to shape the future of mobility," but didn't say when it may reveal a working prototype. Read the original article on Business Insider UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion conducted a survey Sept. 18-25, 2020 of 921 North Carolina likely voters. Topline (pdf) Highlights (pdf) Methodology (pdf) Press Release Key Findings The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals building in San Francisco. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press) A federal appeals court decided Wednesday to let stand a preliminary injunction barring the Trump administration from shutting down the census count early in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2 to 1 that stopping the Census Bureau's count now risks undermining its mission. Given the extraordinary importance of the census, it is imperative that the Bureau conduct the census in a manner that is most likely to produce a workable report in which the public can have confidence, wrote Judge Johnnie B. Rawlinson, a Clinton appointee, for the majority. Judge Morgan Christen, an Obama appointee, joined Rawlinson in the ruling. The panel called the planned speedup "hasty and unexplained." The coronavirus outbreak severely disrupted the census count this year. The Census Bureau, which is part of the Department of Commerce, had to suspend field operations in March, and when they resumed it was unable to recruit enough temporary employees to work in the field. Early on during the pandemic, there was widespread agreement that the count would have to be extended into next year. The legal deadline for getting the results to the president is Dec. 31. The Census Bureau asked Congress to extend the deadline to the end of April 2021. The House approved the extension. The Senate has not yet done so. With no extension in place, the Trump administration argued that field operations had to end a month early to get the census to the president by the legal deadline. The count is used for various federal decisions, including apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the electoral college. In early August, a senior Department [of Commerce] official in the Trump administration changed course and ordered the bureau to complete its fieldwork and data collection by Sept. 30, the court said. A group of civil rights groups and local governments, including Los Angeles County, challenged the speedup. A federal district judge last month blocked it, saying the Trump administration knew that suspending operations a month early would lead to an inaccurate count. Story continues Judge Patrick J. Bumatay, a Trump appointee, dissented, arguing the lower court lacked the authority to issue an injunction. Nearly every Americans plans this year have been roiled by the virus, Bumatay wrote. But it cannot roil the law. He said courts were "not empowered to swoop in and rescue the elected branches from themselves." The Trump administration also wants to exclude immigrants without documentation from being included in the count that determines reapportionment. Trump issued a memorandum ordering the change in July, but a federal court in New York blocked it this month. Trump has appealed the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. The 9th Circuit will continue to consider the government's appeal of the district court's decision. The government may appeal the panel's decision within the 9th Circuit or ask the Supreme Court to intervene. A spokesperson for the Justice Department could not be immediately reached for comment. The U.S. census, taken every 10 years, is mandated by the Constitution. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The researchers at Linkoping University used fruit flies to study mutations that could contribute to ageing. Credit: Magnus Johansson/Linkoping University The number of mutations that can contribute to aging may be significantly higher than previously believed, according to new research on fruit flies. The study by scientists at Linkoping University, Sweden, supports a new theory about the type of mutation that can lie behind aging. The results have been published in BMC Biology. We live, we age and we die. Many functions of our bodies deteriorate slowly but surely as we age, and eventually an organism dies. This thought may not be very encouraging, but most of us have probably accepted that this is the fate of all living creaturesdeath is part of life. However, those who study evolutionary biology find it far from clear why this is the case. "The evolution of aging is, in a manner of speaking, a paradox. Evolution causes continuous adaptation in organisms, but even so it has not resulted in them ceasing to age," says Urban Friberg, senior lecturer in the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Linkoping University and leader of the study. Nearly 70 years ago, evolutionary biologists proposed two theories concerning two different types of mutation that contribute to aging. Both of these mutations have a detrimental effect as the organism becomes olderwhich leads to agingwhile they are either advantageous or neutral early in life. Researchers have, however, not been able to determine which of the two types of mutation contributes most to aging, despite experimental studies. A new theory was proposed a few years ago suggesting that aging is caused by mutations with a detrimental effect early in life, and whose negative effects increase with age. Those who support this hypothesis believe that many of the mutations that arise have negative effects right from the start, compared with the normal variant of a gene. Martin Iinatti Brengdahl, PhD student at Linkoping University, examining fruit flies in a microscope. Credit: Magnus Johansson/Linkoping University The study now published describes experiments to test the theory of mutations that have a detrimental effect throughout life and contribute to aging. The authors used one of the most well-studied animals in the world, namely the fruit fly, or Drosophila melanogaster. They tested 20 different mutations that they had placed into the genetic material of the flies. For each individual mutation, they studied a group of flies with the mutation and a control group without it. Each mutation had a specific, visible effect, which made it easy to follow, such as a somewhat different appearance of the wings or a different shape of the eyes. As an organism ages, the probability that an individual dies increases, and its ability to reproduce falls. The researchers determined the fertility of the fruit flies and used it as a measure of aging. They counted the number of eggs laid by each female early in life, after two weeks, and finally after a further two weeks (which is a ripe old age for a fruit fly!). The researchers wanted to see whether the difference between flies with the mutations and the control group changed as they aged. The results support the theory they were testing. Most of the mutations had a negative effect on the fertility of the fruit flies early in life, and most of them also caused reproductive aging to occur more rapidly. "The results suggest that mutations that are detrimental early in life can also contribute to aging. Thus it may be that mutations that bring on aging are significantly more common than we previously believed," says Martin Iinatti Brengdahl, doctoral student in the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology and principal author of the study. Explore further Reproductive strategy drives slower female aging More information: "Deleterious mutations show increasing negative effects with age in Drosophila melanogaster", Martin I. Brengdahl, Christopher M. Kimber, Phoebe Elias, Josephine Thompson and Urban Friberg, (2020), BMC Biology, published online 30 September, Journal information: BMC Biology "Deleterious mutations show increasing negative effects with age in Drosophila melanogaster", Martin I. Brengdahl, Christopher M. Kimber, Phoebe Elias, Josephine Thompson and Urban Friberg, (2020),, published online 30 September, DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00858-5 Japanese Film Festival 2020 will run in Malaysia for a whole month from this October. 30 Sep Despite the pandemic, the 17th edition of the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) is all set to be held in Malaysia from this October to November. This marks the first film festival to be held at GSC since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced in March. Moviegoers need not worry, however, as JFF 2020 will adhere to the SOPs mandated during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) in order to ensure everyone's safety. His Excellency Oka Hiroshi, Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, assured so during his welcome speech at the press conference held earlier today. His Excellency Oka Hiroshi, Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, said that JFF 2020 will follow SOPs. It was revealed at the press conference that this year's lineup will be made up of 10 titles, including "One Summer Story", which is making its premiere in Malaysia ahead of its 2021 Japanese release, and "Talking the Pictures", Masayuki Suo's directorial work that will also serve as JFF 2020's opening film. Though the film festival officially launches next month, a Pre-Festival Event marked its beginning earlier this month. "JFF 2020 first kicked off in September with a pre-festival screening at GSC NU Sentral with three movies, which was very well received with almost full occupancy, and this reflects Malaysian audience's appetite for good Japanese movies," said Ms. Koh Mei Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Screen Cinemas Sdn. Bhd. Ms. Koh Mei Lee, GSC CEO, revealed that the Pre-Festival Event was well-received by Malaysians. Meanwhile, Dato' Kamil Othman, Executive Director of Limkokwing Film Academy, likened the film festival to breaking fast. After a long period of refraining from going to cinemas for movies due to MCO, now cinephiles can celebrate the end of the drought by enjoying movies on the big screen, as intended. JFF 2020 will first be held in the Klang Valley area (GSC Mid Valley, GSC 1 Utama, GSC NU Sentral) from 15 to 21 October, followed by Penang (GSC Gurney Plaza) from 22 to 25 October, and Johor Bahru (GSC Paradigm Mall JB) from 29 October to 1 November. It will then wrap up after a simultaneous run in East Malaysia, namely Kuching (GSC CityONE Megamall) and Kota Kinabalu (GSC Suria Sabah), from 12 to 15 November. Tickets, priced at RM9.50 each, will be available for purchase starting from this 8 October. Further details on film festivals in Malaysia can be found HERE. "People will start to realize that we are still all connected, that there is no 'me' and 'you,' it's 'us.' That's our hope. I'm an optimist, and I'm not giving up." Michael Lang In the latest episode of the podcast talkin bout Our Generation airing today, host Julian G. Simmons talks with Michael Lang, the visionary creator of Woodstock, that iconic 1969 event that drew more than a half-million people to a three-day "Aquarian Festival of Peace and Music" in the bucolic farmlands of upstate New York. Lang, who was just 23 when he organized Woodstock, sees many parallels between then and now. "Today, politics has really driven big wedges between people. I think that's what is so significant about the Black Lives Matter movement. In the Sixties, we had a lot of those references that were real, in our face." Assassinations, racial tensions, riots, the Vietnam War and a divisive generation gap all created a tumultuous time, Lang says, much like today. Lang feels that the shocking video of the George Floyd murder and the resulting demonstrations are an echo of the response to the horrors of the Vietnam War Americans witnessed on television. We were all united by the Vietnam war, Lang says, which hung over everybody's head. You could go to the mailbox any day and there you were, fighting a war you didn't believe in." Lang talks about the changes in the world which made Woodstock 50 a failure last year. The backers, he says, just did not understand that it was not all about the money. But at 75, he says he remains optimistic. The spirit of the counterculture in the sixties gave him hope that remains alive. "It's really what made me believe that something like Woodstock could happen, that you could bring together this counterculture, who were embracing a more peaceful world and a more compassionate way to relate to each other, and to share things together." Remarkably, in a crowd of a half-million young people over three days, there was no violence. The event is still seen as a catalyst for a historic, positive cultural shift in America. Beyond the election, Lang sees a critical need to bridge the divide that now plagues the nation, which was one of the major achievements of Woodstock. It brought together conservative rural townspeople and urban Hippies, and he believes that we will see that happening again. "I think the biggest threat facing the human race is Global Warming. That's not something you can stop at a border. That's everybody. "I think that people will have to realize that and come together over that problem, hopefully not too late. And it's getting late. "But I think that that people will start to realize that we are still all connected, that there is no 'me' and 'you,' it's 'us,' in every sense of the word. I think that that's our hope, and I think it's a real possibility. I'm kind of an optimist anyway, and I'm not giving up." "talkin' 'bout Our Generation" is a bold, irreverent conversation on culture, society, science, history, politics and everyday life with the voices of the Baby Boomer Generation. You can listen to the hour-long conversation with Michael Lang starting today on the podcast website at https://www.talkinboutourgeneration.com, or on all major podcasting platforms. # # # As announced in Purdue Today, the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence and the American Council for Educations Womens Network of Indiana are co-sponsoring a town hall series focused on higher education and COVID-19. The third panel session in the series, "Networking/Collaborating in a Virtual Environment," is scheduled for noon -1:30 p.m. Oct. 14. The 90-minute session will feature a panel of three speakers: Amisha Shah, assistant professor, Lyles School of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue; Paaige K. Turner, dean and professor, College of Communication, Information, and Media, Ball State University; Ximena Bernal, associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue. Faculty, staff and students of Purdue, the ACE Womens Network of Indiana members, and the national ACE Womens Network are welcome to attend. Registration is required and may be completed online. The link to access the virtual event will be emailed only to registrants a day before the event. For more information, contact butlercenter@purdue.edu. Yerevan: Heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh continued for a fourth straight day on Wednesday, with statements from both sides indicating that the flare-up of a decades-old conflict that has killed dozens of people since Sunday was no closer to an end. The president of Azerbaijan said Armenia's withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh was the sole condition to end fighting over the separatist territory. Armenian officials alleged Turkey's involvement in the renewed conflict and said its neighbour's actions hinder the efforts of the international community to cease the hostilities. Azerbaijani men gather in a military commissariat to join the army in Tartar region, Azerbaijan. Credit:AP Meeting with wounded servicemen, Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev said Armenia must unconditionally, completely and immediately leave Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies within Azerbaijan and has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994. If Armenias government fulfils it, the fighting will stop, blood will not be shed, there will be peace, Aliyev was quoted by the Russian state Tass news agency as saying. Azerbaijan is restoring its territorial integrity, and we have every right to do so. The Company intends to focus its search for a target in the next-generation mobility, transportation and sustainable industrial technology sectors, but may pursue a target in any stage of its corporate evolution or in any industry, sector or geographic location. It is led by Barry Engle, a former General Motors executive. The offering is expected to close on October 2, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. J.P. Morgan and Barclays are acting as joint book running managers in the offering. A registration statement relating to these securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 29, 2020. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, telephone: 1-866-803-9204, or by email at [email protected]; or Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone 1-888-603-5847, or by email at [email protected]. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Forward Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, including the successful consummation of the Company's initial public offering, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. MEDIA CONTACT: Colleen Robar 313.207.5960 [email protected] SOURCE Qell Acquisition Corp. The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), with support from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), has embarked on a National Aflatoxin Sensitisation and Management (NASAM) project in the Ashanti on Region to educate Agricultural actors in the grain value chain and the general public on standards requirements and the dangers and management of aflatoxins in grains. The sensitization programs held in three various districts of the Ashanti Region brought together over 300 players in the grain value chain. Forty Agric Extension Officers in Kumasi, the Regional capital, were trained on the dangers associated with aflatoxin contamination in grains and management methods to reduce these contaminations. They were then tasked to take the information to their farmers to educate them on Aflatoxins. During the training, Mr. George Kojo Anti, Business Development Manager at the GSA expressed worry about the Aflatoxin menace and encouraged the extension officers to educate the farmers on the management of these Mycotoxins. "Adhering to these good farming practices will not only help you produce grains free from aflatoxins but will also allow you to get premium prices on produce sold," he added. He also pointed out that Aflatoxins are not only causing harm to consumers but they are affecting our economic growth as a country due to the continuous rejection of our grains by the European Union (EU). Farmers, traders, and Agric officers in Ejisu, Bosomtwe, and Kwabere, all in the Ashanti Region, were then trained on the methods of reducing aflatoxins in grains, mainly, maize, groundnuts, sorghum, Agushie, and rice. They were taken through various ways aflatoxins contaminates grains and teaching practices that could help reduce the menace. The aim of the project is to catalyze and sustain an inclusive agricultural transformation by improving food safety and security through increased knowledge about aflatoxins, its impact, and management. Finally, the project 'train' ended up at the Ashanti Region which was the last of the regions to be covered in order for the sensitization to be widespread throughout the whole country. The project has directly impacted over 10,000 actors, including farmers in the grain value chain throughout the whole country over the two year period of the project. Eight new amendments to the seed potato industrys assurance scheme will come into force this week, providing added protection for British exports. The certification scheme, Safe Haven, has recently been reviewed and updated to cover areas such as closer monitoring of water use and crop storage. Administered by Red Tractor, the scheme protects against any pest or disease that can be imported or introduced by seed. The seed potato sector is important for the British potato industry as a whole as seed potatoes are a valuable export commodity. UK seed and fresh potatoes exported between July 2019 and June 2020 were worth just under 113m, with seed potatoes representing a large proportion of this figure. The scheme's amendments include water use, tools, and equipment, transport, contracted or shared machinery, grading and packing, storage, and traceability. Safe Haven will also now cover the disease Brown Rot and pest Epitrix, in addition to the existing coverage of Ring Rot and Dickeya. The AHDB welcomed the changes, saying they reinforced the value of the scheme in supporting individual businesses and the long term health of the British potato industry. Patrick Hughes, AHDB head of export trade development said: It is important to regularly review the standards to ensure they are fit for purpose and keep pace with the changing environment we operate in. We work closely with important export destinations for British seed and know that our customers in countries such as Egypt, Israel, and Thailand recognise the standards and the security Safe Haven offers. Safe Haven will play an increased role after the transition period for exiting the EU ends, safeguarding existing markets and helping us to develop future opportunities with international markets. What is included in the updated standards? There are three key areas of emphasis in the updated standards: Enhanced traceability controls to allow for informed decisions to be made and to flush disease-affected stock out of the system. Water: identified as a key vector for the transfer of bacterial pathogens, particularly Brown Rot and Dickeya species. While irrigation of seed potatoes is relatively unusual, selection and management of water is a key risk-reduction step. Seed storage: identified as an important element of the process and an area of particular risk. Ukrainian photographer Oleksandr Ranchukov, who died last year, primarily made a name for himself shooting architecture, and his pictures of buildings and urban spaces have appeared in several academic publications. But he also liked to take his camera out onto the streets of his native Kyiv and other cities to pursue his own gritty brand of street photography. As he took many of these photos in the 1980s, his bleak black-and-white images provide a record of life in the latter days of the Soviet Union that stands in stark contrast to that which was portrayed in the official propaganda of that era. In a recent essay on his work, fellow photographer and art critic Oleksandr Lyapin said Ranchukov primarily saw himself as a chronicler of his times and hoped his images would "complement the story of the sad end of the U.S.S.R., the dull streets of the city showing its decay..." "Ranchukov was a street photographer, but he had almost no interest in the aesthetics of street photography," Lyapin said. Instead, he simply "painted the picture of Soviet everyday life -- dull and inexpressive, even dead: identical gray streets, unsightly clothes, street vendors, puddles, and dirt." Needless to say, conditions for street photography were not ideal in the somewhat paranoid milieu of the U.S.S.R., which is probably why Ranchukov relied mainly on the Soviet-era Kiev 4 camera for most of his city shots. According to Lyapin, this "quiet but very accurate" device meant that Ranchukov was often able to photograph people without being noticed, thus ensuring a natural, realistic depiction of Soviet streets. In addition to capturing what one critic has called the "gloomy dignity" of Soviet life, Ranchukov was also on hand to record the dramatic changes that occurred on the streets of Kyiv as the Soviet system rapidly collapsed. Indeed, his shots showing the advent of capitalism in his native city rank among his most striking images. Not surprisingly, for most of his career, there wasn't much official appetite for Ranchukov's warts-and-all approach to street photography and it wasn't until the latter days of perestroika that he and other like-minded photographers were allowed to exhibit their depictions of city streets. Nonetheless, even in such relatively relaxed times, these photographs' unflinching look at Soviet life caused consternation among the authorities, and one of their first exhibitions in Kyiv was shut down after just one day by scandalized KGB and Communist Party apparatchiks. Although these images didn't go down well with Soviet bureaucrats, they obviously struck a chord with ordinary Kyiv residents, and crowds of people lined up to see them when the exhibition reopened at another location sometime later. One of those who visited the Ranchukov exhibition in 1989 was a Canadian exchange student named Chrystia Freeland, who later became a prominent journalist and politician and is now her country's deputy prime minister. Describing Ranchukov as a "brilliant and prolific documentary photographer," Freeland was instrumental in getting his images and those of some of his peers to the editors of The Independent newspaper in London, who "were hugely impressed by his work, and promptly published it." "I was deeply moved by his ability to reveal the reality of life in Ukraine -- the countrys people, places, and streets," she told RFE/RL in an e-mail. "In capturing a key moment in Ukrainian history, often at personal risk, Oleksandr laid the groundwork for future Ukrainian photographers and artists to bring their work to the world stage. " Sometimes good practices occur after a tragic accident. A collision between a train and a school bus loaded with children is often devastating to multiple families. On August 22, 1955, the small rural community of Spring City in the northeast corner of Rhea County was the site of such a fatal collision between a freight train and a Rhea County School bus containing 47 students and the bus driver. Rhea County primarily being an agricultural community school had started early in the fall in order that the kids living on a farm could be given a week or so as a long break during the harvest season. The town kids would get an extra week out of school also. At 3:00 p.m. the final school bell rang indicating the end of the school day. The students who rode to school on the bus would head to their bus or one of the other bright yellow buses lined up in the schools driveway. The driver of the bus was a farmer who had started driving a school bus at the beginning of the school year. He would turn left going off school property and after travelling a couple of blocks turned right on New Lake Road to head west out of town onto what was then Tennessee State Route 68. Going west Route 68 crosses U.S. 27 and about 100 yards further crosses the Southern Railway tracks at a signal protected grade crossing. However 65 years ago the crossing consisted of bells and lights without gates. Alternating red lights and the sound of an attention-getting gong were activated when the bus crossed U.S. 27 on the green light. No automatic crossing gate to prevent the bus from entering on to the track was in existence. The investigation following the crash indicated that the bus driver had unsuccessfully tried to beat the train as it tried to make the crossing. The rear end of the bus was struck by a long freight train being pulled by two diesel engines and travelling about 45 miles per hour. When the engineer saw that the bus was not going to stop before crossing the tracks he slammed the brakes into full emergency in a desperate attempt to slow down the train but the lead locomotive tore into the rear half of the bus with a tremendous impact that ripped the bus open. Ten children were instantly killed and several others were ejected from the bus and sustained serious injuries. An eleventh student later died at the hospital in nearby Rockwood. The tragic accident had happened in the center of town, only two blocks from the elementary school and 100 feet from Spring Citys main business street, which runs parallel to and on the opposite side of the tracks from U.S. 27. Emergency medical treatment was very primitive in 1955 but the community responded in a positive manner and transferred the injured in private vehicles to all nearby hospitals in Dayton, Rockwood, Crossville and even Chattanooga, 55 miles away. Fortunately most of the injured kids recovered with 31 of the students either being killed or injured, leaving only 16 of the 47 on board unhurt. The bus driver who was unhurt was charged with involuntary manslaughter and ultimately was tried, convicted and sentenced to one year in jail. He initially unsuccessfully tried to claim he stopped the bus before going onto the tracks, several box cars on a nearby railing blocked his view, that the signals werent working, and that the train engineer never blew the horn. He was released on bond due to high community feelings of anger but had to be placed in protective custody and moved to another town after threats of vigilante street justice were made against him. None of the drivers excuses were accepted and Tennessee Governor Frank G. Clement arrived in Spring City and gave a speech at the train depot before a large crowd. He promised a thorough in-depth investigation and personally visited each and every child that was hospitalized. Due to the public outcry, legislation was drafted which would require every school bus in Tennessee, when transporting children, to stop at all railroad crossings, and for the school bus drivers to actively look and listen for a train and not proceed until the way was safe. Because of political pressure by the mothers of the slain and injured children and the Spring City Parents Teachers Association (PTA) the new regulations passed the Tennessee General Assembly rapidly. The law became a model for other states and within a year all 48 then existing states had enacted their own version of the bill. It would take over a decade for Congress to pass a version of the bill and to require each state to pass and enforce such a law. The victims of the crash were initially memorialized with a Memorial Fountain at Spring City Elementary where it stood for 50 years but it was destroyed when the school was completely reconstructed. On the 50th anniversary (2005) of the crash a new and larger memorial was erected on the lawn of the citys restored train depot. The physical presence serves as both a permanent memorial and reminder of the tragedy and the community effort to get laws passed that have probably saved hundreds of lives at school crossings since 1955. * * * Jerry Summers (If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com) The Gulaal and Gangs of Wasseypur director Anurag Kashyap has been summoned by the Mumbai Police in connection with the alleged sexual harassment case filed against him by an actress. "Mumbai Police summons film director Anurag Kashyap asking him to appear at Versova Police Station tomorrow at 11 am, in connection with the alleged sexual assault against actor," ANI tweeted. Kashyap's lawyer, Priyanka Khimani has released a statement on the director's behalf over allegations of sexual misconduct. This statement said that her client is in deep pain and that a movement as significant as me too has been co-opted for vested interests. The lawyer trashed all allegations against her client as 'baseless' and the statement further read, "Fictitious allegations of this nature seriously undermine the movement and seek to unconscionably trade upon the pain and trauma of actual victims of sexual harassment and abuse. My client has been fully advised of his rights and remedies in law and intends to pursue them to the fullest extent." The actress had registered an FIR against Kashyap under the charges of rape, wrongful restrain, wrongful confinement and outraging a woman's modesty at Versova Police Station last week. She had met the Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on Tuesday, seeking action against Anurag Kashyap. She was accompanied by the Rajya Sabha MP, Ramdas Athawale and the two of them had also met the Mumbai JCP (Law and Order) Vishwas Nangre Patil, seeking protection for the actor. Also read: Kangana Ranaut digs out old 'confession' interview of Anurag Kashyap The presidential debate of 2020, and please, let Tuesdays roadkill be the only one, will live in history as the Worlds Most Powerful Human trying to show strength by acting like a third-grader. I apologize to third-graders everywhere for that remark. Connecticut emerges as one of the biggest losers on a night that shortchanged voters across America and collectively embarrassed the nation. This state, like other blue states, has swung too far to the left and Trump leaves Republicans unable make headway. In Trumpworld, the place where each candidate falls on the scale of perceived strength and weakness surpasses all issues, all other measures. Health care access, the coronavirus crisis, job recovery, climate change, immigration (which never even came up Tuesday), law enforcement, Black Lives Matter none of it amounts to much in the balance between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. More for you Seven things CT voters should know about the first... Sure, Trump supporters might vote for him because he favors a faster reopening of the economy or more tax cuts or a ban on refugees or maybe an end to vehicle emissions standards. But any Republican can deliver that stuff. The magic of Trump, the reason hes president, the explanation why he was willing to bring shame on himself and the nation Tuesday night, is that he understands character is irrelevant to his supporters and issues are just levers on the machine of perceived strength to his hardcore base. Simply put, he wins re-election if his base, plus 8 percent of voters, agree he appears tougher, stronger, more resolute, less compromising. Thats all they talked about on Fox News after the debate, and theyre not wrong. Strength through bluster, strength through intimidation, strength through mind control by lying, strength through name-calling, strength through constant interruption, strength through other peoples stumbles, strength through mockery. Its all a show to hide his profound weakness as a person. Why else would the president of the United States refuse to denounce neo-fascist white supremacists? Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, but Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left, he said to one of his notorious hate groups when moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News asked him to disavow them. Why else would the president of the United States refuse to say, when asked three times, that he will respect the will of the people on Nov. 3, absent evidence of real election fraud from mail-in voting? He needs a bogeyman and he makes up stories about ballots gone missing. Why else would the president of the United States concede only halfheartedly that human activity is causing climate change to an extent, yes while blaming forest management for the historic wildfires? He needs a villain in order to look strong and fossil fuel doesnt fit that bill. Trumps strategy badly hurts conservatives and especially moderate Republicans in blue states such as Connecticut, arguably the bluest. They must share a ballot line with him, a heavy burden. Certainly Trump holds sway with many in the state GOP who appreciate how hes moving the nation rightward, especially through the courts. But the party hits a low ceiling in blue states, with our tradition of old-line, business Republicans (who pay their taxes instead of cheating) and Yankee fiscal conservatives GOP state chairman J.R. Romano, a Trump Republican under fire in his own party, though not for supporting Trump, makes a valiant argument that the president doesnt hurt Connecticut Republicans. Some legislative races may surprise us on Election Day, he insists. But overall the roster of challengers is less than what the loyal opposition should mount in a state thats damn near broke. Far less. Consider, on Wednesday the state House of Representatives is poised to ram through a risky bill that will force Eversource and United Illuminating to compensate ratepayers in extended power outages. Sounds great but it is likely to backfire and lead to higher electricity prices, precisely the opposite of what we need. Its not that Republicans all oppose the bill; many support it. But some in the opposition party at least want to wait for cooler heads and the levity of a full session in 2021. They dont have the numbers or the power in part because of Trumps childish ways and thus the clown show, as Biden rightly called it, hurts the state. And it hurts the whole democracy because, really, who wants to play this game? I was unable to line up a Connecticut rank-and-file conservative Tuesday for a post-debate analysis I had hoped to do with watchers from the left and right. Can you blame them for laying low? Biden played along lest he appear weak and took matters too far. Its hard to get any word in with this clown, he said at one point, after earlier snapping, Will you shut up, man? The Delaware Democrat even engaged in some arrogant bluster of his own, rebuffing a point about the party platform by saying, I am the Democratic Party right now, the platform of the Democratic Party is what I approved of. Ill never understand why Biden and the Dems dont make Trumps weakness as a leader the main theme. The challenger also missed, by my count, eight easy opportunities to score points. For example, he failed to follow up Trumps last-in-his-college-class jab by saying at least he took his own entrance exams. He failed to properly defend the science behind masks against Trumps mockery. He failed to cite numbers showing the Obama jobs record is better than Trumps by almost any measure, even without the corona-collapse. But Biden did what he had to do not crack under the taunts. Well see whether thats enough to hold his lead through Election Day. What we already know is that the Trump chaos hurts Republicans and conservatives in sophisticated states like Connecticut at a time when, in this liberals view, we need balance against one-party rule. dhaar@hearstmediact.com GREENSBORO When the 46th season of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" premieres this weekend, the UNCG community will have its eyes on Lauren Holt, who'll be one of three new cast members. The Charlotte native graduated from UNCG in 2013 majoring in studio art, with a concentration in photography. At least one professor in the School of Art remembers Holt as being quite the comic. "She was always incredibly sharp and witty and kept us laughing," said Leah Sobsey, who taught Holt in photography classes. "We all felt like she was sort of destined for it having a life in comedy." Sobsey remembers Holt joining her and others on a study abroad trip to Iceland. During long bus rides, Holt "nailed it with impersonations of faculty, in the best way ... It kept us laughing on the bus the whole time." When she heard about Holt making it to "SNL," Sobsey said: "I was thrilled for her and also not surprised. It felt like she was on her way there." After college, Holt moved to Los Angeles and pursued that comedic career path. WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX Williamson County recently was honored for its floodplain management efforts, officials announced on Wednesday. The county was bestowed the County Floodplain Management Excellence Award from the Texas Floodplain Management Association in recognizing its efforts, according to an advisory. The association honors those who have made exemplary contributions to floodplain management during the group's annual conference, county officials explained while noting that only one county out of the 254 counties in Texas is recognized at the gathering. The Williamson County Floodplain Team, which is under the direction of County Engineer Terron Evertson, was honored this year for their excellence in the field of floodplain management, according to the advisory. To secure the honor, team members had to demonstrate effectiveness in reducing flood property losses and loss of life prevention attributable to county program, officials explained. Moreover, officials added, the county had to show initiative in encouraging residents to take action to minimize the impact of flooding. Williamson County took on the responsibility of flood plain management just 10 years ago," Evertson said in a prepared statement. "Our team has been working to improve our services to the public for the past decade, and this award is recognition of that effort." The Texas Floodplain Management Association's Member Services Committee recommends the county based on its achievements, officials noted, but the association's board makes the final vote. Recipients were at the association's conference that was staged remotely as a result of the ongoing spread of COVID-19. Graphic provided by Williamson County. Top photo (left to right): Williamson County Floodplain Management Team members Russell Williams, PE, CFM; Kelly Morrelli, PE, CFM; David Zwernemann, PE, CFM, celebrate being honored for their efforts. Terron Evertson, PE, CFM, DR, is not pictured. This article originally appeared on the Round Rock Patch A journalist today accused Twitter of suspending users for failing to toe the government line on Covid after she was locked out of her account for a post condemning the lockdown. Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson was responding to a BBC article about the risk of coronavirus spreading in universities when she tweeted that she 'wanted' students to get the virus to 'speed us towards herd immunity'. The author Lionel Shriver previously had an audio column about the importance of obesity rather than race in explaining Covid death statistics removed from YouTube because it 'contradicted World Health Organisation guidance'. Pearson's tweet led to her account being suspended for a day - despite her insisting this view reflected the opinions of scientists including Oxford's Prof Sunetra Gupta and the Nobel Prize winner Prof Michael Levitt. The Government have been pressurising social media companies to tackle 'false and misleading narratives' about Covid, and through its Rapid Response Unit claims to have 'resolved' 70 such incidents a week. This led some commentators to draw a line between Pearson's experience and the wider Government drive against perceived misinformation, with Big Brother Watch accusing ministers of an 'Orwellian' effort to police legal speech. Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson was responding to a BBC article about the risk of coronavirus spreading in universities when she tweeted that she 'wanted' students to get the virus to 'speed us towards herd immunity' How Lionel Shriver had her audio column removed from YouTube Lionel Shriver recently complained that a column she read out loud and posted onto YouTube was taken down for violating the site's 'community guidelines'. The Spectator columnist argued in the article that ethnic and racial disparities in Covid death rates were 'overwhelmingly due to obesity'. But she was shocked when her spoken version was taken down by YouTube. Lionel Shriver writes for the Spectator Describing the experience in the Spectator on September 19, she wrote: 'The explanation was pro forma: the column violated the site's opaque 'community guidelines'. 'An appeal produced the further explanation: 'YouTube does not allow content that spreads medical misinformation that contradicts the World Health Organisation or local health authorities' medical information about Covid-19, including on methods to prevent, treat, or diagnose Covid-19 and means of transmission of Covid-19. Learn more'. 'Thus if I were to 'learn more' from YouTube, I would only be allowed to absorb information in lockstep with the government line.' Advertisement Pearson's full tweet, posted on Monday, read: 'How hard is it for people to understand? We WANT students to get the virus. They will speed us towards community immunity. It may not be very far off.' By yesterday morning she had been locked out of her account, although it was restored 12 hours later and was live by today. After explaining what had happened she asked in the Telegraph: 'Is it a coincidence that the Twitter algorithms, which put me on the Naughty Step for 12 hours, align so closely with government policy? 'Or is it that Lefties get to shut down any version of the truth but their own?' The Government has been urging social media companies to step up their efforts to combat perceived misinformation about Covid. Its Rapid Response Unit, operating from within the Cabinet Office and No10, is involved in identifying 'false narratives' online and flagging these to social media companies to be resolved. Ministers insist this work is vital to ensure the public has access to proper medical advice to protect themselves and save lives. But today campaign group Big Brother Watch suggested the Unit - and Twitter's suspension of Pearson - were both examples of a wider attempt to 'censor' freedom of expression around the virus. Its director, Silkie Carlo, said: 'It's an affront to fundamental rights for Twitter to censor people's lawfully held opinions, however controversial or poorly worded. 'The pandemic makes freedom of expression, open debate and rebuttal more important, not less. Censorship has never aided science, only power. 'It's a little known fact that a mysterious government 'counter disinformation' unit is pressuring social media companies to act as speech police online, silencing lawfully held opinions. It's Orwellian in the extreme.' Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice also criticised the Government's initiative. He said: 'There is an easy clear line between preventing criminal scams and preventing genuine debate by people. 'Twitter have crossed this, quite possibly aided and abetted by the Government which is in thrall to Imperial College and clearly trying to shut down views from Oxford University related scientists. 'It is appalling and terrifying, what you expect in North Korea not Whitehall.' The Government has been urging social media companies to step up their efforts to combat perceived misinformation about Covid. Boris Johnson is pictured today Meirion Jenkins, a Conservative councillor for Sutton Mere Green in Birmingham, called Twitter's move 'quite troubling'. 'Allison is obviously a very credible and high quality journalist. I agree with almost everything she says, but that's not the point' he said. 'Whether you agree or disagree with what she says, restricting what she can tweet is quite unacceptable, especially given that her tweets are based on fact'. 'It should be left to the good common sense of the British public to read the information that is available out there and then make up their own mind.' Pearson's criticism of the lockdown has been echoed by several leading scientists, including Professors Sunetra Gupta and Michael Levitt, who she referenced in her article. Both scientists have criticised the Government's lockdown, with Prof Gupta arguing that restrictions weaken the immune system and leave people vulnerable to future pandemics. Pearson's criticism of the lockdown has been echoed by several leading scientists, including Professors Sunetra Gupta The epidemiologist also released a study suggesting that coronavirus had arrived in the UK in December and caused a significant 'herd immunity' - rivalling official advice from Neil Ferguson of Imperial College that it could cause 500,000 deaths. Prof Levitt Stanford University chemist has also criticised lockdowns as driven by 'panic' and suggested the measures have cost more lives than they have saved. Pearson also attacked ministers for suggesting the rule of six could curb Christmas gatherings, saying it was 'disgusting' to claim the celebration 'is their gift'. Social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have vowed to tackle Covid 'misinformation' posted during the pandemic. Facebook now sends myth-busting messages to users who have liked, reacted or commented on posts containing 'harmful misinformation' about the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Twitter tags tweets containing disputed information - but insists it will only remove searches that are 'harmful'. Twitter said: 'We enforce the Twitter Rules judiciously and impartially for all account holders. When we identify any account that violates our rules, we will take enforcement action.' - Photos of an upside-down hanging cake have got many talking online as people praised its beauty and the efforts of the baker - Many social media users wondered what is holding the cake from falling off, saying they would like to have the same - One of the shared pictures showed the owners of the cake, a lovely couple, cutting it at their wedding ceremony Trending topics on the go: How we write news at YEN.com.gh Cakes go a long way at weddings. No wonder they are always some of the important things couples settle first during marriage planning. While creative bakers keep pushing the boundary in coming with designs, only a few could arguably match the one that recently surfaced online on Tuesday, September 29. A Twitter user with the handle @athabrahamss shared photos of an upside-down hanging cake her mother baked. She said she is obsessed with the beauty of the cake. In the pictures she shared, the piece could be seen being held by a slightly parabola decorated pole. It is such a wonder to behold. The first question that comes to one's mind is how come the cake is not falling off and what exactly could be holding its fragile structure in place? See photos below: In response to people asking how the wedding cake was cut at the wedding ceremony, @athabrahamas shared another photo showing a couple with a knife slicing through it. A collage showing the cake. Photo source: Twitter/@athabrahamss Source: UGC The tweet has generated so many reactions online with many praising the effort that went into the baking. Below are some of them: @OsafanmenI said: Wow this is beautiful... But is the groom supporting it with his hand??!! Or it's just me @SevenDozenRoses said: So beautiful! But my mother, upside down cake? So your marriage would be upside down? From large to small? You wont hear the end of it @maeadjoa said: Its beautiful but this cake is stressing me out. Its anxiety Kyotonite. Id be starring at it all night waiting for it to fall @Mamphoh said: Just scrolled through her Instagram and noticed she is the same lady that did my friends wedding cake earlier this year, her work is stunning. I'm definitely getting her numbers from Nono Meanwhile, it was earlier reported another cake-related story. A Nigerian man disclosed how he was contacted from Uganda after making an aeroplane cake for Air Peace. The man identified as Prince Obua took to Facebook to share a screenshot of a conversation he had with a man from Uganda. He was contacted by a man from Uganda after seeing the cake he made for Air Peace and urged him to do the same for his country's anniversary. Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! Ghanaian multi-instrumentalist Dela Jackson has charged the youth in Africa to wake up | #Yencomgh Share your stories and news by getting interactive on our Facebook page! Source: YEN.com.gh The Election Commission on September 29 that bypolls to seven of eight vacant assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh will be held on November 3. The votes will be counted on November 10. The seven assembly seats where byelections will be held are Naugawan Sadat, Bulandshahr Sadar, Tundla, Bangermau, Ghatampur, Deoria, and Malhani. Six of these seats were held by MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while one (Malhani) was held by an MLA of the Samajwadi Party (SP). Five of the assembly seats fell vacant after the incumbent MLAs died. The Bangarmau seat fell vacant after BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was disqualified of his membership after getting convicted in the Unnao rape case. Hindustan Times reported that the EC has decided not to hold byelections to the Suar assembly seat in UP's Rampur district. The seat had fallen vacant after the Allahabad High Court had set aside the election of SP MLA Abdullah Azam for submitting fake documents. Sumit Mukherjee, Senior Principal Secretary, ECI, said: The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the bypoll after taking into consideration various factors such as local festivals, weather conditions, movement of forces, and the coronavirus pandemic. CHICAGO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Insulating Glass Window Market by End Use (Residential & Commercial), Spacer Type (Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Intercept, 4SG Thermoplastic, & Others), Sealant (Silicone, Polysulfide, Polyurethane, Hot-melt Butyl, Others) and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Insulating Glass Window Market is projected to grow from USD 12.8 billion in 2020 to USD 16.2 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2020 to 2025. The market is witnessing average growth across the world due to factors such as, the optimal energy saving performance of insulating glass windows, the growing construction industry in regions like the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and the rising demand for value added glass products. PDF Download: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=36258309 Browse and in-depth TOC on "Insulating Glass Window Market" 116 - Tables 41 - Figures 187 Pages View detailed Table of Content here - https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/insulating-glass-window-market-36258309.html By end use, residential segment is estimated to be the faster-growing segment of insulating glass window By end-use industry, residential segment is projected to record a higher growth in the global Insulating Glass Window Market, during the forecast period. Nowadays, a triple-paned window system or IGU is being used in residential construction, which is estimated to have an R-value of about 5. There are also other variants in insulating glass windows that are incorporated in residential construction, such as Low-E insulating glass windows and dual-seal silicone insulating glass windows. These factors are expected to drive the insulating glass window growth in the residential end use segment. By spacer type, other spacer is estimated to be the leading segment of Insulating Glass Window Market from 2020 to 2025. By spacer type, other spacers are estimated to be the largest segment in insulating glass window market in 2020. The other spacers considered in this report are silicone spacers, structural foam spacers, composite spacers, and warm edge spacers. These spacers fall under the non-metal spacers category and offer the primary benefit of thermal efficiency for insulating glass windows. This factor is estimated to drive the growth of other spacer segment in the Insulating Glass Window Market during the forecast period. Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=36258309 By sealant type, hot-melt butyl is estimated to be the fastest growing segment of Insulating Glass Window Market from 2020 to 2025. By sealant type, hot-melt butyl is estimated to be the highest growing segment in Insulating Glass Window Market during the forecast period. Hot-melt butyl is a butyl rubber-based sealant used in insulating glass windows as a secondary sealant. The key benefit offered by this sealant is a low moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR). When applied at the correct temperature, this sealant sets quickly from its molten state, allowing insulating glass window units to be moved from their assembly location in few minutes after application. Insulating glass windows can, therefore, be sealed and glazed within the same day. This factor is estimated to drive the growth of hot-melt butyl segment in the Insulating Glass Window Market during the forecast period. North America is estimated to lead the global Insulating Glass Window Market during forecast period North America is projected to be the largest region for Insulating Glass Window Market globally. The market for insulating glass windows in North America is driven by moderate growth in the construction industry. Glass insulation is considered to be a viable option for making buildings energy-efficient. Government regulations and new building codes, such as US Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2001, are resulting in an increase in demand for insulating glass units (IGUs) or insulating glass windows. These factors are estimated to lead the insulting glass window market in North America region. Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA (France), AGC Inc. (Japan), Central Glass Co., Ltd. (Japan), Glaston Corporation (Finland), Guardian Glass (US), Internorm International GmbH (Austria), JE Berkowitz (JEB) (US), Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd. (Japan), Viracon (US), H.B. Fuller (US), Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Germany), Dymax Corporation (US), Sika AG (Switzerland), and The 3M Company (US), are the key players in Insulating Glass Window Market. Get 10% Free Customization on This Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=36258309 Browse Adjacent Markets: Ceramics and Glass Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Ultra-thin Glass Market by Thickness, Manufacturing Process (Float, Fusion, Down-Draw), Application (Semiconductor Substrate, Touch Panel Display, Fingerprint Sensor), End-use Industry, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/ultra-thin-glass-market-40947094.html Cellular Glass Market by Product Type (Blocks And Shells, And Foam Glass Gravels), Application (Construction, Industrial, and Consumer Abrasive), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Rest of World) - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cellular-glass-market-121052324.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA : 1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/insulating-glass-window.asp Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/insulating-glass-window-market.asp SOURCE MarketsandMarkets One of the most important votes you will cast this year is for Montana Supreme Court. Most people ignore judicial contests, so your vote will carry extra weight. Mike Black is by far the superior candidate. Black, a fourth generation Montanan, was raised at Havre in a railroad family. He enjoys the support of all seven of the retired Supreme Court Judges. The incumbent whom he is running to replace was backed in her election by a dark-money group, the Montana Growth Network, and is essentially a puppet for the Koch organization. Consequently, she votes consistently in favor of corporation... New Delhi, Sep 30 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday dubbed the "forcible cremation" of the Hathras gang-rape victim by police as a "shameful" move of the Uttar Pradesh government. "It is a shameful move of the state government to oppress the Dalits and show them their place in society," he tweeted in Hindi, tagging a news report on the cremation of the 19-year-old woman. "Our fight is against this despicable thinking," the Congress leader added. Earlier, the party had demanded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation for "not acting in time". The 19-year-old Dalit woman from Hathras was cremated early Wednesday in her native village amid tight security. Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... By Akbar Mammadov Peace in the region is impossible without the implementation of Security Council resolutions and the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, President Aide Hikmat Hajiyev said on September 30. We generally welcome the holding of closed-door consultations at the UN Security Council on September 29 in connection with the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, Hajiyev said. The presidential aide recalled that in 1993, the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Armenian forces from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Armenia has not yet implemented those resolutions. This is, first of all, disrespectful to the Security Council itself, he added. The members of the Security Council should raise the issue of the importance of the implementation of these resolutions during all relevant discussions. Peace in the region is impossible without the implementation of the Security Council resolutions and the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Sisi told the UK premier that the Nile water is a matter of national security for Egyptians Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi had a phone call with UK Prime Boris Johnson on Tuesday in which they discussed the Libyan situation and the ways to restore stability to the war-torn country, the Egyptian presidency said. El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's long standing strategic position on the Libyan crisis which aims to restore stability and security to the country and calls on all Libyan parties to positively engage with the constructive paths coming out of the Berlin Conference and the Cairo Initiative, in order to bring peace and stability, to restore the pillars of the state, and to end the chaos of terrorist groups. The British prime minister expressed his appreciation for the Egyptian efforts to reach a political settlement in Libya and he agreed to continue consultations and joint coordination with Egypt on the issue. Several Libyan factions arrived in Egypt on Monday and are holding talks in Hurghada. El-Sisi and Johnson also discussed the latest developments regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The president stressed that water is a matter of "national security" for the Egyptian people and Egypt would therefore hold to its water rights though reaching a binding deal regulating the filing and operation of the dam and achieving the common interests of all parties. Concerning the peace process in the Middle East, El-Sisi and Johnson agreed on the importance of the global efforts at this stage to resume the talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The pair also discussed Egyptian-British relations, especially the security, military, commercial and touristic ties. Search Keywords: Short link: MORRISTOWN, N.J., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has been honored with the 2020 Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey's (CIANJ) Companies that Care award for a donation made in conjunction with FirstEnergy Foundation to Lake Riviera Middle School in Brick Township. The funds allowed the school to purchase a greenhouse that is being used to grow food for the school's culinary arts program as well as for donation to local food banks. CIANJ's Companies That Care award salutes the generosity of New Jersey businesses who demonstrate meaningful philanthropy that is impacting the communities they serve. The award was presented by CIANJ and COMMERCE Magazine at their annual Best Practices Conference held virtually on September 30. "JCP&L continues to be a strong supporter of the local communities we serve, and we are humbled to be recognized for these efforts," said Jim Fakult, president of JCP&L. "We applaud the students and staff at Lake Riviera Middle School for their focus on environmental education while helping to put food on the tables of local families who need it the most." Construction of the greenhouse is part of the school's Green Team energy conservation project, which helps students connect to science, math, social studies and language arts as well as the practical, performing and visual arts through hands-on learning for all levels of learners. The FirstEnergy Foundation is funded solely by FirstEnergy Corp. and provides support to non-profit, tax-exempt health and human services agencies; educational organizations; cultural and arts programs and institutions; and civic groups in areas served by FirstEnergy's 10 electric operating companies and in areas where the company conducts business. JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL, or online at www.jcp-l.com FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com Close Trump rows back and says he 'doesn't know who the Proud Boys are' after debate outrage Donald Trump and Joe Biden gave back-to-back remarks at the 2020 Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, broadcast virtually from New York, typically a tuxedo affair that during an election year features candidates delivering chummy remarks and discussions of faith during the Catholic charities fundraiser. This year, the president accused his rivals party of housing anti-Catholic bigotry" as he pitched his Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, moments after Mr Biden invoked his own Catholic faith. The former vice president spoke to the hope and possibility for Americas future as it emerges from the public health crisis. Their appearances follows Tuesdays chaotic debate, though the presidents campaign has pushed against the Commission for Presidential Debates plan to add more structure to the next rounds after the opener was marred by constant cross-talk and the presidents interruptions. His campaign accused the nonpartisan committee of political bias and listed a number of unofficial online polls declaring the president the winner of the first debate.Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, who moderated the first debate between Mr Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden, said it was the president who bears the primary responsibility for what happened. The White House was repeatedly asked to unambiguously denounce white supremacy, following remarks by the president at the debate urging nationalist gang the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by during while he dodged demands to condemn white supremacism. Republicans have distanced themselves from his remarks while the FBI warns that the election and pre-inaugural period could be potential for violent flashpoint among right-wing extremists. Follow live coverage as it happened Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load After fierce debate, city council voted Wednesday to recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day in Houston, acknowledging it as an alternative to Columbus Day. The vote was 15-2, with Councilmembers Greg Travis and Mike Knox opposed. The holiday falls on Oct. 12 this year. Ive been on council for seven years, and every year we have a group of indigenous peoples that come to council asking for this to be done, said District I Councilmember Robert Gallegos, who led the effort. This resolution does not aim to erase history or undo injustices, but it is an important step toward accuracy and inclusivity. Officially recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October provides a more balanced representation of our cultural and diverse history. Houston joins a long list of cities and some states, including Austin, Dallas and Louisiana, that have adopted Indigenous Peoples Day as Christopher Columbus colonialist legacy has garnered renewed scrutiny. Columbus Day has been a federal holiday since 1937. The alternative of Indigenous Peoples Day first was suggested by a delegation with representatives from more than 120 Native nations at the 1977 International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations. The resolution has been a long-sought goal of local indigenous advocates, who for years have made annual pleas to the city in October to recognize the alternative. Several organizers asked the council to support the resolution during the councils public session Tuesday. Houstons approval Wednesday came after tense discussion about whether the new name would override or be recognized in addition to Columbus Day. Gallegos and Mayor Sylvester Turner said the resolution was meant as an alternative, meaning people can choose which holiday they want to celebrate. The city does not have authority to override the federal holiday of Columbus Day, which City Hall does not mark as a holiday. Its reflective of sharing that day, Turner said. Its not a put-down of anybody else. Its an acknowledgment of the contributions that people have made, that made the city what it is. Travis and Knox, however, sought to give Indigenous Peoples Day its own spot on the calendar. Travis proposed an amendment that would make Indigenous Peoples Day the first Monday of October and formally recognize it as a city holiday. I think we need to make it special. I think we need to be inclusive, and diverse, and be aware that it needs its own special day, Travis said. When you piggy-back off an Italian-American day, youre not making this day special for indigenous people, and I think they deserve their own day. Knox said the original resolution amounted to political theater. We do a lot of things that are symbolic, and this is an opportunity for us to do something meaningful and real, while presenting both our current history and recognizing the true history of the Houston and Texas area, Knox said of Travis amendment. District K Councilmember Martha Castex-Tatum pointed out that the indigenous advocates pushing for this recognition specifically had asked for the second Monday in October, not their own day. So, what I think is important is, if we support Indigenous Peoples Day and indigenous people, we would support what they have asked of us, and not feel like it is our place to tell them how we should celebrate what is important to them, Castex-Tatum said. Travis amendment failed, 15-2, with only Knox joining him. Im very concerned about how this looks to Italian Americans. Were subsuming their day, theyre going to have to share a day when they should have separate days, Travis said after his amendment failed. It doesnt come across as inclusive, it doesnt come across as diverse. It comes across as if were trying to subsume the Italian-American (day). And the Italian-Americans faced decades of discrimination that rivaled other ethnic groups. This was their day, and now were making them share it. Other council members said they do not recall Columbus Day marking a celebration of Italian-American heritage. It was Columbus Day, and it was about celebrating the so-called discovering of America, District H Councilmember Karla Cisneros said. Travis cited a one-time proclamation of Columbus Day in 1892, which he said was meant to placate Italian-Americans after the lynchings of 11 immigrants in New Orleans. Columbus Day became a national holiday about 45 years later after intense lobbying from the Knights of Columbus. If you look at how Italian-Americans were treated back then, they were treated very similarly to Black Americans, Travis said. Obviously, I dont want to equate Italian-Americans to Black Americans because theyre two different experiences, but they were similar in many respects. That prompted exasperation among some of his colleagues. District F Councilmember Tiffany Thomas asked the mayor to end the debate and call for a vote. Everybody wants to talk about Black folks until its time to talk about Black folks, Thomas said. This conversation may go a whole nother way. Can we call this vote? Soon after, the mayor did so. The resolution passed, 14-2. In June, the city removed a statue of Columbus from Montroses Bell Park after it was repeatedly vandalized. City officials said they were seeking a more suitable site for the statue, which had been in the park since 1992. dylan.mcguinness@chron.com In South Africa, local operations of international motor manufacturing companies must constantly innovate to meet global demands and offer competitive value. The way work is done is constantly changing. The current technologies adopted in the workplace are ever smarter than those that went before. This trend, driven by economic forces, does not always lead to social improvements. Automation and the use of robots in manufacturing, combined with new working methods and systems, can have negative social impacts on workers. Job automation in South Africa There has been an increase in technology in South Africa's automobile sector since 2003. Most of the work in vehicle manufacturing has been automated, which makes manufacturing easier, faster, and more productive. More units of cars are produced daily. Companies used to manufacture only 20 units of cars hourly. Now they are manufacturing over 100 units an hour using the same number of autoworkers. Our study of the industry found that automation is well advanced. The sector's body shop is fully automated. The paint shop is 80% automated. There is about 20% technology utilisation in the car assembly line. And logistics is making a lot more use of machines than before. These percentages are an indicator of how workers have lost the contest with technology in the industry. Many workers are being deskilled: they no longer fully use their skills to do their job, because robots do most of the work. The remaining workers are being reshuffled to assembly lines likely to be automated with time. This increase in job automation and deskilling can cause some workers to lose their jobs because their skills have been substituted by machines. We gathered data through in-depth interviews with 30 participants, drawn from three automobile companies. They included managers, autoworkers and workers' representatives. Our interviews with management revealed that management does not necessarily prefer machines over human workers. But in order for the product to compete, they have to consider production capacity, quality and workplace economics. Where they intend to introduce machines, it is not to take over the jobs of the workers but because some tasks require the use of machines. For example, one cannot expect workers to lift a car while another person is working underneath it. A machine can do that without endangering the workers. Still, management said that if given the chance, they would replace more workers with machines as robots perform more tasks efficiently and boost productivity without the need for negotiation. What automation means for workers Though robots have eased the process of labour, their increasing use stagnates the population of workers on the shop floor, paint floor, body shop and assembly line. The decisions that resulted in the reallocation of many autoworkers from the body shop and paint shop to the assembly line are almost irreversible. One worker said: If you have to look at the traditional press line, you would have an average of 20 operators. Now you only need four operators just to pack the parts. So, 16 workers are reduced by introducing five robots. The affected workers are moved to other departments within the industry for now. Growth in the automobile industry does not create more jobs for human workers. Where automation does create jobs, it is mostly in managing the technology. It doesn't create work for existing skills. This creates the threat of a rising unemployment rate , which was at 30.1% in the first quarter of 2020. That, in turn, contributes to South Africa's position among the most unequal countries in the world. Driving forces The adoption of technologies can relieve workers from strenuous tasks and boost productivity but will most likely also relieve workers of their jobs entirely. As an initiative to boost productivity and save costs, the global auto industry expects thousands of job losses with an estimation of 234 000 jobs cut by 2030 in Germany, 12 000 job cuts by Ford in Europe by the end of 2020, and 2 000 job losses in India by the end of 2020. We noted in our research that the capacity of the auto workers' trade union, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa , to collectively restructure the auto sector with management and benefit all stakeholders is weakened due to the coercive control of the management and top-down labour arrangement. Innovation is the driving force of consumers and this is what management responds to. But instead of valuing innovation above all else, industrial policy-makers should seriously examine how far it can boost the human condition before it becomes a problem by contributing to job losses, employment uncertainty, deskilling and inequality. The solutions would be to retain existing jobs, increase job opportunities, revamp industrial policy, reduce the rate of task allocation to technologies, and make the automobile sector's production process more labour intensive than capital intensive. The state, car companies, unions, workers, consumers and society in general all have a role to play in effecting meaningful economic change and employment reform that is sustainable for all. Bianca Ifeoma Chigbu receives funding from the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, in collaboration with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa. Prof Fhulu. H. Nekhwevha does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. By Bianca Ifeoma Chigbu, Doctoral candidate, University of Fort Hare And Prof Fhulu. H. Nekhwevha, Acting Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Teaching and Learning, University of Fort Hare, University of Fort Hare NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IPC, a leading global provider of secure, compliant communications and networking solutions for the financial markets community, today announces a major regional expansion of its Connexus Cloud platform in Latin America. IPC is now directly connected to some of the region's largest exchanges and regulatory bodies, such as: B3 Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (The Mexican Stock Exchange) Bolsa de Santiago Bolsa de Valores de Colombia Bolsa de Valores de Lima BYMA, Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos Matba Rofex "IPC's network ecosystem-as-a-service was strategically designed to address not only our clients' technical requirements, but their regulatory and compliance needs as well," said Jeffrey Britell, Senior Vice President, Global Network Services, IPC. "The breadth of our solutions is particularly important in regions like Latin America." IPC continues to expand their LATAM capital markets with a managed Network-as-a-Service model presenting market participants with adaptive and on-demand connectivity crucial to the communication needs of trading firms in the region and globally. Offering a purpose-built network, focused exclusively on the capital markets, along with global customer service support linking LATAM to the rest of the financial ecosystem. IPC recognizes the need to interconnect global financial centers for end-to-end service level consistency bringing support to trading firms throughout the LATAM region connecting on a global scale. IPC's Connexus Cloud is an unparalleled private, secure cloud solution for the global financial markets. By providing and integrating private and hybrid clouds, and enabling secure access to over 550 public clouds. Connexus Cloud empowers the use of cloud for secure, guaranteed, high-performance data and voice communications. This includes optimized deliveries for blockchain, market data and transactions. The Connexus Cloud multi-cloud platform links together the global capital markets with sell-side and buy-side firms, inter-dealer brokers, liquidity venues, energy firms, trade lifecycle providers, and market-data vendors as well as clearing and settlement firms. They are interconnected in a financial cloud ecosystem of nearly 7000 capital market participants across 750 cities in over 60 countries across the globe. With a diverse community of market participants across asset classes IPC offers an extensive buy-side ecosystem comprising pension funds, insurance companies, corporate treasuries, mutual funds, hedge funds and private equity firms. The sell-side community includes leading investment banks, brokers, dealers, inter-dealer brokers, prime of prime brokerages and regional banks. Along with a range of liquidity venues, such as traditional exchanges, ATS's, ECNs, MTFs and dark pools. Further asset classes cover market data vendors, providers of trade lifecycle services, clearing and settlement services. About IPC IPC is a technology and service leader powering the global financial markets. We help clients anticipate change and solve problems, setting the standard with industry expertise, exceptional service and comprehensive technology. With a customer-first mentality, IPC brings together one of the largest and most diverse global financial ecosystems spanning all asset classes and market participants. As the enabler of this ecosystem, IPC empowers the community to interact, transact and react to market changes and challenges, and we collaborate with our customers to help make them secure, productive, compliant and connected. Visit ipc.com and follow us on Linkedin and Twitter (@IPC_Systems_Inc). Certain statements contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or similar terminology. Any forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Media Contacts: Patrick Chambeau Drew Pierson IPC Systems, Inc. Finn Partners for IPC +33 1 55 82 91 50 +1 212 529 4810 [email protected] [email protected] Terri Bloore Raewyn McBain Finn Partners for IPC Pink Tiger Media for IPC +44 207 017 8422 +852 9765 9275 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE IPC Systems, Inc. Related Links http://www.ipc.com The leader of the PNL (National Liberal Party), Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, on Tuesday stated that, for the time being, there is no discussion about the possibility that Nicusor Dan, the elected general mayor of the Capital City, joined PNL. "This is a decision that Nicusor Dan has to think about. We are not discussing this topic yet. For now, Nicusor Dan was elected with our support and with the support of USR PLUS, but especially with the vote of the people of Bucharest," Orban told B1 Tv private television broadcaster.He claimed that in some sections the votes given to Nicusor Dan disappeared."Where our people have not been vigilant enough, votes for Nicusor Dan have disappeared," Orban said, noting that there are inaccuracies in districts 1, 2 and 5. He gave the example of the fact that in sector 5, 90 votes for PNL were counted in the minutes for the Roma Party.Orban also spoke about the statement of the co-chair of USR PLUS Dacian Ciolos, who stated that the possible partnerships after the parliamentary elections will be thought according to his own vision on how Romania should be governed and will not sit at "bargains" and that his party will explain the principles for building good governance."What does he mean he will not negotiate? Together we supported Nicusor Dan. (...) But what I am interested in is the data. PNL won the elections with 34 per cent, PSD ranked second with 30 per cent (...) and then came USR, third, with 13 per cent. This is the result, and in terms of winners, I saw that some people only see the victories of USR PLUS in Timisoara and Brasov. Very well, that was the wish of the voters, although both mayors we had have great results, maybe their mandate was too long, maybe they had an inability to communicate, but the concrete results are visible," said Orban.Regarding the number of mayors, he indicated that, according to the partial results, PSD has 1,430, PNL - 1,250 mayors, PMP - 50 mayors, USR PLUS - 45.Orban also mentioned that PNL has 17 presidencies of county councils.He said the local elections were a battle of "extreme difficulty" and that of Bucharest "epic." The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Public transport officials in NSW have warned fans attending NRL games that public transport wait times may increase to ensure physical distancing is maintained, as stadium capacity limits are increased from today. Stadiums can increase their capacity from 25 per cent to 50 per cent if they have detailed COVID-19 action plans in place. Outdoor stadiums, such as ANZ, will be allowed to be filled to 50 per cent capacity. Credit:Getty Images Under the new limits, up to 40,000 people can attend ANZ Stadium, 23,000 can attend the SCG and 15,000 can attend Bankwest Stadium. Transport for NSW's chief operations officer Howard Collins said regular train, bus and light rail services will be running for games and that all services will require physical distancing. Those attending games are expected to wear a mask when they are not sitting at their seat. This includes walking to and from designated seats, using stadium facilities and of course on public transport when getting to and from the venue," Mr Collins said. "If you are able to, we urge you to drive, walk, cycle or catch a taxi or Uber to see your team play in an effort to reduce numbers on public transport. Please abide by the road rules, pre-plan your parking and allow extra travel time. If you must catch public transport make sure you plan ahead and please maintain physical distancing, sit or stand on green spot approved places, maintain good hygiene, use Opal and contactless payments where needed, and we strongly recommend wearing a mask. You will likely encounter longer wait times, so please be patient." Mr Collins said people attending games should use trip planning apps to monitor whether transport services are at capacity. "If it is please wait for the next one, or seek out a different way of getting to the game," he said. Our trains, buses, ferries and light rail services will continue to be cleaned regularly, and we will be monitoring patronage and have staff at key locations across the, with marshals out to help customers navigate busy interchanges. Armenia has accused Azerbaijans ally Turkey of shooting down one of its warplanes and killing its pilot. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have denied it. Armenia and Azerbaijan are currently in a dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and the shooting down of the plane would mean a major escalation of a conflict that has been going on for decades. Armenian warplane shot down over Armenian airspace As per reports, Armenia has stated that one of its SU-25 aircraft was shot down over Armenian airspace by a Turkish F-15 that had taken off from Azerbaijan. Fahrettin Altun, communications director for Turkeys president has responded to Armenias claims and has stated that the allegations were completely untrue. Earlier, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry had claimed that Armenia had shelled the Dashkesan region in Azerbaijan while Armenia has claimed that Azerbaijani forces opened fire on a military unit in the Armenian town of Vardenis, setting a bus on fire and killing one civilian. Armenias foreign ministry has denied the that the shelling took place and has stated that Azerbaijan is laying the groundwork for expanding the geography of hostilities, including the aggression against the Republic of Armenia. Read: Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Russia Urges Turkey To Work On Ceasefire Read: Azeri Army Fires Shells Towards Armenian Positions As per reports, fresh fighting between the two countries broke out on Sunday, September 27 and since then 84 Armenian servicemen have been killed and Azerbaijan has also reported at least 10 civilian deaths but has not revealed any military casualties. The Nagorno-Karabakh region lies within Azerbaijan but the region has been controlled by Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for an immediate ceasefire and wishes for both countries to return to the negotiating table. Merkels spokesperson, Steffen Seibert has added that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe provides for a forum where both the countries can hold talks and contribute to a peaceful solution to the fighting. Even the US has commented on the increased fighting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging both the countries to stop the violence and to return to substantive negotiations as quickly as possible. (With AP inputs, Image: AP) Read: Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: UN Chief Urges Leaders Of Both Sides To Stop Fighting Read: Tensions Mount As Armenia, Azerbaijan Continue Fighting "The Crown" is about to get big, as the historical drama series is set to welcome a number of iconic characters in the upcoming season. The countdown began after Netflix USA dropped the trailer of the highly anticipated show last August. The 33-second teaser showed Queen Elizabeth II, played by award-winning actress Olivia Colman, riding a horse as she stepped out of the vicinity of Buckingham Palace. "Something as important as the monarchy simply cannot be allowed to fail," Colman mentioned in the trailer. Following this, the streaming giant announced via Twitter that the new season will debut on November 15 with additional members Gillian Anderson and Emma Corrin. More recently, Netflix USA teased fans with behind-the-scenes photos of two iconic characters that will be featured in the upcoming season. Now, roll out the red carpet as we give you three more reasons why you shouldn't miss "The Crown" Season 4. Emma Corrin as Princess Diana One of the most remarkable yet controversial phases in the monarchy is when then-Lady Diana Spencer joined the British Royal Family. Set in the late 70s and early 80s, Season 4 will delve into the story of the young Princess Diana, played by "Pennyworth" actress Emma Corrin and her budding romance with Prince Charles, portrayed by Josh O'Connor. The upcoming season will also cover their nuptials, dubbed as "the Wedding of the Century," and their 1983 tour to Australia and New Zealand. In his interview with Vogue, "The Crown" creator Peter Morgan spoke about the 24-year-old newcomer being the Princess of Wales. "Emma is a brilliant talent who immediately captivated us when she came in for the part of Diana Spencer. As well as having the innocence and beauty of a young Diana, she also has, in abundance, the range and complexity to portray an extraordinary woman who went from anonymous teenager to becoming the most iconic woman of her generation," Morgan shared. Upon learning the news, Corrin said she was "beyond excited" and "honored" to be joining the hit Netflix series. She told The Hollywood Reporter that she has been a fan of the show since its first season and can't wait to be part of the show. "Princess Diana was an icon, and her effect on the world remains profound and inspiring," Corrin furthered. Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher Another familiar face arriving in "The Crown" Season 4 is none other than the first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. Branded as "the iron lady," she was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century -- from 1979 to 1990. Portrayed by the Emmy and Golden Globe winner Gillian Anderson, Thatcher was considered a controversial figurehead due to her uncompromising politics and leadership style. Prince William in "The Crown" Season 4 The eldest son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana will also make his debut in the upcoming season. The hit drama series will recreate the famous 1983 tour of the royal couple in Australia when Prince William was still 9-month-old. READ MORE: Netflix USA: 3 Upcoming Horror Movies To Watch This Halloween Dani Garcia now has his own food delivery service. He'd been thinking about it for two years and then the quarantine in March pushed him to take the idea up again. La Gran Familia Mediterranea was launched last week in collaboration with Just Eat. First in Madrid and then over the next few weeks in Barcelona and his native Marbella. The service will be based in kitchens (known as 'dark kitchen') strategically placed to reach the maximum number of people and areas (to begin with there will be three in Madrid, two in Barcelona and one in Marbella). Once again Garcia takes a leap forward into the unknown with this innovative, multi-brand home delivery service. His objectives are the same as when he hung up his Michelin starred chefs' jacket: for his cuisine "to reach more people". He repeated this last week during the Twitter launch of this new project with the general director of Just Eat in Spain, Patrik Bergareche, just one week before expanding in Madrid with the opening of the Dani Brasserie at the Four Seasons Hotel. "Certainly home delivery is a completely different game from serving food in a restaurant and for that reason we have kitchens dedicated to just this. I would love to be delivering a Lobito del Mar rice dish or apples stuffed with foie gras from my restaurante Lena, but that's not feasible. We try to satisfy customers with common sense dishes and ones that travel easily," explained Dani Garcia, who guaranteed that on the menu will be one of his star dishes, BiBo brioche. There will be others too, such as Russian salad with fried egg, smoked eels, croquettes and his renowned mac 'n' cheese, sushi and even the 'happy hippo' dessert. The idea is to satisfy the whole family with just one 'click', with an average price of around 20. Dishes and characters The dishes under his brand will include different types of cuisine through characters: Bocatas Garcia, Senor Brasas, Madame Wasabi, Molta Mamma, Pancho Suey, Tita Brava, Shanna and Mixter, who will supply the cocktails. "The Gran Familia Mediterranea will have 140 dishes, many from Lobito, BiBo and Lena restaurants," said Garcia, as he showed some of the packaging for his new concept which aims to be fully functional in Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella in one month and with which he aspires to open around twenty kitchens. "I really want to open in Malaga, Valencia and Seville too, but we have to move forward little by little," he admitted. Any ambitions? asked Patrik Bergareche. "How many countries is Just Eat in?" replied Garcia. The answer: 22. "Well I want us to open in all of them," said the chef, stating that he has many brands and projects he wants to develop. It is nearly the first anniversary of Dani Garcia's departure from haute cuisine; it was in November last year that he left to do precisely this, to undertake new challenges and an ambitious international expansion plan. He has already started in Doha and the plan will take him to the United States and Miami at the end of the year. Meanwhile he has been preparing to open his new restaurant in Madrid, Dani Brasserie, on the top floor of the Four Seasons Hotel. There he will combine haute cuisine dishes with others more 'laidback'. The inauguration is today, Friday: another leap forward for the Marbella chef. President Klaus Iohannis had a meeting on Wednesday with representatives of the Coalition for the Development of Romania (CDR), during which the organization's evaluations and proposals were discussed in relation to the main sectors and economic measures of the National Investment and Economic Recovery Plan. During the discussions, proposals and directions were formulated regarding the prioritization and acceleration of transport infrastructure projects, directions and measures to support the agriculture and the agri-food industry, as well as the need to develop and implement a National Strategy on Digitization, which should support the governing quality and the good use of public funds, shows the Presidential Administration. As regards the proposals made, Klaus Iohannis stressed that the business environment "remains a very important partner of the Presidential Administration and of the Government, a partner that can significantly strengthen the agenda of good governing in Romania and can thus contribute to accelerating the investment projects in the National Investment and Economic Recovery Plan, as well as to improve the absorption of European funds". At the same time, were highlighted the clear priorities that the Presidential Administration and the Government pursue in order to ensure a sustainable economic growth, based on investments and on the efficient use of European funds in all priority areas for the sustainable development of Romania. The meeting underscored the need for a sustained dialogue between business representatives and decision makers, so that measures and policies are best adapted to Romania's economic and social needs and to ensure the necessary support for economic recovery. President Klaus Iohannis also mentioned the need for employees and employers to continue to comply with the rules of social distancing and prevention, so that economic activity can take place under conditions of health safety. India on Wednesday successfully test fired a new version of the surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos having a range of around 400 km from an integrated test range at Balasore in Odisha, officials said. The missile, featuring a number of indigenously developed sub-systems, was flight tested from a land based mobile launcher for a designated range at 10:30 am from the integrated test range in Balasore. The range of the new land attack version of the missile has been extended to 400 km from the original 290 km, the officials said, adding its speed has been maintained at Mach 2.8 which is nearly three times that of sound. India has already deployed a sizeable number of the original BrahMos missiles and other key assets in several strategic locations along the de-facto border with China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. The test firing of the missile comes at a time India and China are locked in a bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh. "BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile featuring indigenous booster and airframe section along with many other 'Made in India' sub-systems was successfully flight tested for designated range at 1030 hours today," the defence ministry said. In a statement, it also said the successful launch has paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos weapons system. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated all the team members of Defence Research and Development Organisation and BrahMos for the mission. "Congratulations to Team @DRDO_India and @BrahMosMissile for the successful flight testing of #BRAHMOS Supersonic Cruise Missile with Indigenous Booster and Air Frame for designated range. This achievement will give a big boost to India's #AtmaNirbharBharat Pledge," he tweeted. BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms. In May last year, the Indian Air successfully test fired the aerial version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. The BrahMos missile provides the IAF a much-desired capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target at sea or on land with pinpoint accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions. The IAF is also integrating the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile on over 40 Sukhoi fighter jets which is aimed at bolstering overall combat capability of the force. NASA Artemis Mission: Astronauts Training For Moonwalk Underwater News oi-Sharmishte Datti NASA Artemis mission aims to send humans to the Moon in 2024. Ahead of the liftoff, the premier space agency is in full swing with preparations. NASA is helping astronauts prepare for various hardships they may face on the lunar surface, including their tread. This is why NASA astronauts are undergoing Moonwalk lessons underwater. NASA Astronauts Moonwalk Underwater As part of the training, NASA astronauts are performing tasks underwater. NASA has built giant pools customized with harsh environment settings similar to the Moon. The training takes place at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where astronauts train in spacesuits and perform tasks like picking samples, examining the lunar lander, and even planting the American flag. "This early testing will help determine the best compliment of facilities for hardware development and requirements for future Artemis training and missions. At the same time, we are going to be able to gather valuable feedback on spacewalk tools and procedures that will help inform some of the objectives for the missions," said Daren Welsh, extravehicular activity test lead for the Artemis preparation test runs. Going into the details, the NBL is at least 202 ft length, 102 ft width, and 40 ft depth - and can hold 6.2 million gallons of water. The teams have several factors to bear in mind during a Moonwalk - like climbing down and up the ladder, swinging a chisel, and so on. Why Is It Important? All astronaut training sessions are very important and critical for the mission. Welsh explains that the team "can evaluate tools in a lab or the rock yard, but you can learn so much when you put a pressurized spacesuit on and have to work within the limitations of its mobility." The Moonwalk underwater helps astronauts to understand the pressure, environment, and other factors they may face when they actually land on the Moon. The NASA Artemis mission is crucial for many future space exploration missions. NASA plans to liftoff to Mars from Moon, for which the Moonwalk will be extremely crucial. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Goldstein Market Intelligence announces the publication of its research report titled 3d Bioprinting Market, 2021. The report contains up to date financial data derived from varied research sources to present unique and reliable analysis. Assessment of major trends with potential impact on the market during the next eight years, including a deep dive analysis of market segmentation which comprises of sub markets, regional and country level analysis. The report provides SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org released the annual Women in the Workplace report, the largest study of its kind. After six years of slow but measurable progress in the representation of women in corporate America, 1 in 4 women are now considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers due to Covid-19. In a single year, this would wipe out all of the hard-earned gains we've seen for women in managementand unwind years of progress toward gender diversity. The report is based on data and insights from 317 companies employing more than 12 million people, along with survey responses from more than 40,000 individual employees. It urges companies to act immediately to avert this potential crisis and includes recommendations for addressing the feelings of burnout and being "always on" for work that many employees are grappling with right now. "If we had a panic button, we'd be hitting it," said Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and co-founder of LeanIn.Org. "Leaders must act fast or risk losing millions of women from the workforce and setting gender diversity back years." Kevin Sneader, global managing partner at McKinsey & Company, agrees. "This crisis for women is not going away, but the solutions are within reach," said Sneader. "Companies need to adapt their strategies to more fully support women's lives amidst a new world of work." Covid-19 has been hugely disruptive for all employees. The new report also highlights the effects of the pandemic on women, including the distinct challenges for mothers, women in senior leadership, and Black women. Working mothers are deeply concerned about how Covid-19 will impact their careers. They are more than three times as likely as fathers to be managing most of their family's housework and caregiving during the pandemicand twice as likely to worry that their performance will be judged negatively due to their caregiving responsibilities. They are also far more likely to feel uncomfortable sharing work-life challenges with colleaguesor that they've got children at home. Senior-level women are juggling huge demands both at work and at home. Senior-level women are more likely than women at other levels to be mothers. Senior-level women are also more likely to be in dual career couples than senior-level men, which means they are trying to balance work and home without the extra support that a partner who doesn't work often provides. And they are almost twice as likely as women at other levels to often be the only or one of the only women in the room, which often comes with heightened scrutiny, such as needing to provide additional evidence of their competence. Likely because of these factors, senior-level women are more likely than senior-level men to feel "always on" and under pressure to work more. They are also 1.5 times as likely to think about leaving the workforce or downshifting their careersand almost 3 in 4 cite burnout as a primary reason. Companies can't afford to lose women leaders. Compared to men at the same level, senior-level women are more likely to mentor or sponsor women of color and are more likely to be allies to women of colorfor example, 60 percent of senior-level women say they publicly acknowledge the work of women of color, compared to only 44 percent of senior-level men. Women in leadership are also more likely to enlist their peers to support racial equality and take a public stand in support of it. Black women were already having a distinctand by and large worseexperience at work. Compared to women of other races and ethnicities, Black women face more systemic barriers, receive less support from managers, and experience more acute discrimination. Now, the difficult events of 2020 are disproportionately impacting Black women. They are more than twice as likely as women overall to say that the death of a loved one has been one of their biggest challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. And incidents of racial violence across the U.S. have exacted a heavy emotional toll on all Black employees. On top of this, for many Black women, work isn't a supportive place. Compared to other employees, Black women feel more excluded at work and are less likely to say they can bring their whole selves to work. Nothing about 2020 is business as usual. Companies need to take bold action to make work more sustainable and inclusive for womenand especially women of color. The Women in the Workplace report provides specific, concrete steps companies can take, including embracing flexible working norms, guarding against bias in performance reviews, communicating openly and empathetically with employees, and providing training to help managers and colleagues show up as allies. The report also points to long-term opportunities. If companies set better norms for remote workand build on the programs they are putting in place to help employees weather this crisisthey can lay the building blocks for a better workplace. The complete Women in the Workplace report is available at womenintheworkplace.com. KEY FINDINGS The State of the Corporate Pipeline We have made slow but steady progress in women's representation over the past six years. This was most pronounced in senior management: Between 2015 and the beginning of 2020, the share of women grew from 23 to 28 percent in SVP rolesand from 17 to 21 percent in the C-suite. Women remained dramatically underrepresentedparticularly women of colorbut the numbers were slowly improving. However, the "broken rung" is still holding women back. For the sixth year in a row, women continued to lose ground at the first step up to manager. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 85 women were promotedand this gap was even larger for some women: Only 58 Black women and 71 Latinas were promoted. The Impact of Covid-19 The Covid-19 crisis could erase all the gains women have made in management and senior leadership since the beginning of this study. One in four women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce because of Covid-19. This is a sharp departure from past yearsin the six years of this research, women have been leaving their jobs at similar rates as men. For mothers, Covid-19 has made balancing work and home even more challenging. Mothers are more than three times as likely as fathers to be responsible for most of their family's housework and childcare during Covid-19. On top of this, mothers are more than twice as likely as fathers to worry that their performance is being judged negatively because of their caregiving responsibilities. Black and Latina mothers are juggling even more. They are more likely than white working mothers to have a partner that works full-time outside the home and to handle all of their family's housework and caregiving. Senior-level women are under enormous pressure. Senior-level women are more likely than men at the same level to feel burned out, under pressure to work more, and "always on." Several factors are contributing to this dynamic: Senior-level women are more likely than women at other levels to be mothers, more likely than senior-level men to have partners who work full-time, and nearly twice as likely as women overall to be "Onlys"the only or one of the only women in the room at work. Senior-level women have a meaningful impact on company culture. Compared to senior-level men, they are much more active allies to women of color. They are more likely than senior-level men to mentor or sponsor women of color, suggesting that the loss of senior-level women could impact the whole pipeline for years to come. Black women are having a worse experience and receiving less support. In addition to the heightened pressures Black women who are mothers and senior leaders are experiencing, they are dealing with distinct issues because of their race. And for many, work isn't a supportive place: Fewer than 1 in 3 Black women report their manager has checked in on them in light of recent racial violence, and a similar number say their manager has fostered an inclusive culture on their team. Plus, Black women are far less likely than white colleagues to say they have strong allies at work. All of this is having an impact on Black women. Compared to other employees, Black women feel more excluded at work and are less likely to say they can bring their whole selves to work. How Companies are Supporting Employees In many ways, companies are stepping up to support employees. Companies have taken several steps to support employees during the Covid-19 crisis. Many are sharing valuable information with employees, including updates on the company's financial situation and details about paid leave policies, and have expanded services related to mental health, such as counseling and enrichment programs. And almost all companies are providing tools and resources to help employees work remotely. However, many companies have not adjusted the expectations that may be responsible for burnout. Less than a third of companies have adjusted their performance review criteria to account for the challenges of Covid-19, and only about half have updated employees on productivity expectations during the pandemic. That means many employeesespecially those who are parents and caregiversare facing the choice between falling short of pre-pandemic expectations that may now be unrealistic, or pushing themselves to keep up an unsustainable pace. The Future of Work The Covid-19 crisis has prompted companies to rethink fundamental beliefs about remote work. Ninety-three percent of companies now say more jobs can be performed remotely, 67 percent predict a significant share of their employees will work remotely a year from now, and 70 percent think remote work will allow them to increase diversity in hiring. Employees see benefits of remote work, too77 percent say they want to continue to work from home more often than they did before Covid-19. ABOUT THE STUDY Women in the Workplace 2020 is the largest comprehensive study of the state of women in corporate America. Since 2015, McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org have published this report annually to give companies and employees the information they need to advance women and improve gender diversity within their organizations. This year, 317 companies employing more than 12 million people shared their pipeline data and/or completed a survey of their HR practices. In addition, more than 40,000 employees were surveyed on their workplace experiences, and we interviewed women and men of different races and ethnicities, and LGBTQ+ employees, and women with disabilities for additional insights. McKinsey & Company also conducted similar research in 2012. ABOUT LEANIN.ORG An initiative of the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, LeanIn.Org aims to drive systemic change by helping women achieve their ambitions and working to create a more equal world. LeanIn.Org runs programs to combat bias, conducts original research, provides free education materials, advocates for better public policies, and offers support through Lean In Circles, small groups of peers who meet regularly to learn and grow together. The Lean In community includes more than two million women and men and 49,000 Lean In Circles in 183 countries. The Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, which also runs OptionB.Org, is a private operating nonprofit organization under IRS section 501(c)(3). ABOUT MCKINSEY & COMPANY McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm, deeply committed to helping institutions in the private, public, and social sectors achieve lasting success. For more than nine decades, the firm's primary objective has been to serve as our clients' most trusted external advisor. With consultants in more than one hundred offices in sixty countries, across industries and functions, McKinsey & Company brings unparalleled expertise to clients anywhere in the world, working closely with teams at all levels of an organization to shape winning strategies, mobilize for change, build capabilities, and drive successful execution. MEDIA CONTACT We are actively monitoring [email protected] for press inquiries. SOURCE LeanIn.Org Related Links LeanIn.Org Travel companies in Ho Chi Minh City have seen demand for tourism pick up sharply over the last few days as the second outbreak of COVID-19 in Vietnam has been brought under control. According to tourism company Vietravel, they have been taking bookings again since the end of August. The number of tourist group departures as well as the average size of each group increased in September. From September 26 to 28, over 2,000 guests embarked on tours with Vietravel. The Mekong Delta, Vung Tau City, Con Dao Islands, Phan Thiet City, Nha Trang City, Phu Quoc Island, and other northern Vietnamese locales have been the most popular destinations. Seeing a positive turnout, the firm expects to welcome over 10,000 tourists by the end of September. A representative of travel agency Saigontourist revealed that the firm received 1,334 bookings from solo travelers for their tour services from September to November. It is also preparing to welcome groups of travelers, adding another 4,309 customers to the total. Saigontourist anticipates it will serve around 16,000 customers from groups going on tours, attending seminars or doing teambuilding in October and November. Another firm in the tourism sector, TST Tourist, reported 1,000 customers in September and expects to see 1,500 unique visits in October. A variety of tours, which include cruises through terraced rice fields in the mountainous areas of northern Vietnam and getaways to temperate areas in Dak Nong Province or Da Lat City in the Central Highlands, have proven popular with travelers. Tourists have felt secure enough to embark on new tours," Vietravel said. "While the previous tourism stimulus package was only applicable to certain times of the year, tourists at the moment can book tours with discounts of up to 50 percent from now to the end of the year." According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, travel agencies are putting themselves back to the market at a faster rate than the first post-coronavirus recovery phase of the tourism sector back in May. This is attributable to their sensitivity to market shifts, customer demands, as well as their strict adherence to safety guidelines. Several firms said they have not frozen their activities completely during the second outbreak in Vietnam, but rather organized tours of small groups to locations deemed safe. As the second COVID-19 wave has been kept at bay, domestic flights have been restored, which has in turn helped Vietnamese travel agencies get back on their feet much faster. Considering the current situation, Vietnamese tourism will have to rely predominantly on the domestic market until international tourists are allowed back into the country. Speaking of foreign tourists, a representative of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said the agency is devising a phased plan to bring back international visitors into the country, which requires close cooperation of stakeholders in the supply chain to ensure safety and service quality. Previous calculations showed that the reopening of Vietnams borders to foreign tourists in Q4 would bring in 4-4.5 million international visits in 2020, a decline of 13.5-14 million compared to last year. Despite their dire need to get foreign tourists back, tourism firms speculate that they will only be able to welcome their customer base again in early or mid-2021. Vietnam began barring entry to foreign nationals on March 22 and has suspended international commercial flights from March 25 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. Although certain inbound commercial flights have resumed, no tourists are allowed in. Other mandates to combat the pandemic, including a 21-day nationwide quarantine period starting April 1, was detrimental hits to domestic tourism. In an effort to bail out the tourism industry, Vietnamese authorities launched the first domestic tourism demand stimulation program in May. However, after the country was hit by a new wave of coronavirus infections, which occurred when a locally-transmitted case was recorded in central Da Nang City on July 25 after 99 days of zero community transmissions nationwide, customers shied away from the tourism sector for a second time. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Under the change to the protocols that are jointly developed and overseen by the league and the NFL Players Association, the handful of unvaccinated players assigned to the eight remaining playoff teams will now will be tested only when they have symptoms, as with vaccinated players and team staffers. Residents of Bluffton, South Carolina, and the surrounding area can sell their used vehicles at Hilton Head Honda. Buying a new or used vehicle can be a stressful process, but its only exacerbated when the car buyer also has to sell the vehicle they already own. Residents of the Bluffton, South Carolina, area can reduce some of that hassle by selling their vehicle directly to Hilton Head Honda. This is often referred to as a trade in if it goes hand in hand with buying a new vehicle to replace the old one, but thats not the only reason Hilton Head Honda will buy a vehicle. The dealerships staff would be happy to purchase a used vehicle even from individuals who arent purchasing a new vehicle from the dealership. Residents in the area that are looking to get rid of that extra vehicle they no longer use, or who purchased a vehicle from an individual seller who didnt want to buy their old vehicle in exchange and so on can also take advantage of this service from the dealership. Potential sellers need to just reach out to the staff at the dealership to begin determining whether the vehicle is something they will purchase and continue the process from there. Selling a vehicle this way is a much less stressful experience than attempting to sell the vehicle on ones own, as they would have to handle not only finding a buyer, but taking care of the paperwork and everything else that selling a vehicle entails. Selling the vehicle to a dealership like Hilton Head Honda removes that hassle, as they take care of it all instead. Interested parties can get in touch with the staff of Hilton Head Honda by contacting 833-331-0238. More information can be found by visiting the dealerships website, http://www.HiltonHeadHonda.com. Hilton Head Honda is located at 161 Fording Island Road in Bluffton. MENLO PARK, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gamma Biosciences, a life sciences tools platform created by KKR, today announced that it has acquired Nanopareil LLC, a South Dakota, US-based company developing next-generation nanofiber membrane products for chromatographic separation in bioproduction. Nanopareil's membrane technology employs a novel, durable nanofiber structure that offers significant performance advantages compared with conventional chromatography resins as well as similar, non-resin-based separation technologies. Gamma will operate Nanopareil as part of its existing subsidiary, Astrea Bioseparations. Together with Astrea's recent acquisition of Essential Life Solutions, the US-based developer of SNAP brand chromatography columns and other accessories, Nanopareil positions Astrea as a leader in next-generation, downstream purification for biopharmaceuticals and advanced therapies. Matt Gunnison, President of Gamma Biosciences, commented, "We are excited to bring Nanopareil into the Gamma family as part of Astrea. Nanopareil's highly innovative technology and deep expertise in the field of bioseparations supports our commitment to help our customers achieve new levels of process efficiency and performance." Dr Steve Burton, CEO of Astrea Bioseparations, added, "Nanopareil's robust and highly porous nanofiber membrane provides significant performance advantages in comparison to beaded chromatography media and competing non-woven membranes, including very high surface area and binding capacities, as well as pore sizes compatible with today's larger advanced therapies. With almost instantaneous binding and residence times in the region of one second, Nanopareil brings a combination of features that addresses key challenges currently faced by the biomanufacturing industry." The acquisition complements Astrea's ligand discovery capabilities, expanding its range of derivatizable substrates to develop custom separation products for a wide variety of biopharmaceutical applications. Gamma plans to invest substantially in further productization and technology development, application development and customer support as it establishes Nanopareil as a key platform within Astrea's growing range products. "We are equally excited to be joining the growing team of world-class professionals at Gamma Biosciences and Astrea," said Dr. Todd Menkhaus, Co-Founder and CSTO of Nanopareil LLC. "We look forward to our collaboration that will bring forward Nanopareil's technology to dramatically improve downstream purification operations for biopharmaceuticals" "From our first meeting, we quickly developed an extraordinary partnership with Astrea," said Craig Arnold, CEO of Nanopareil LLC. "The Astrea team has a strong track record of bringing innovative new products to the market. With their leadership and capabilities, Nanopareil will be well positioned to become the next-generation market leader." Nanopareil was advised in the transaction by John Chickosky of Binder Associates, GmbH. About Gamma Biosciences Gamma Biosciences is a life sciences tools platform created by KKR. Gamma's mission is to build a leading player in next-generation bioprocessing for advanced therapies by acquiring high-potential businesses with outstanding technology and accelerating their growth. For more information about Gamma Biosciences, please visit www.gammabiosciences.com. About Astrea Bioseparations Astrea Bioseparations Ltd. (formerly Prometic Bioseparations Ltd) provides bioseparation products to the pharmaceutical and biotech markets, including chromatography adsorbents, custom adsorbent discovery and development services and pre-packed chromatography columns and column hardware. A wholly owned subsidiary of Gamma Biosciences, a life sciences tools platform supported by KKR, Astrea Bioseparations has R&D laboratories located at Cambridge, UK and manufacturing facilities located at the Isle of Man, British Isles, Joliette, Quebec, Canada and Stoughton, Massachusetts, USA. For more information about Astrea Bioseparations, please visit www.astreabioseparations.com. About Nanopareil Nanopareil, LLC was founded on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) and was a beneficiary of several projects sponsored by the US National Science Foundation. Nanopareil's range of products will allow customers to benefit from off-the-shelf installation into existing manufacturing processes while providing industry-leading binding performance and production advantages, including faster throughput, lower operating pressure, higher adsorptive capacity, less water consumption, less waste generation, and greatly improved manufacturing simplicity and reproducibility to realize the promise of end-to-end single-use biopharmaceutical manufacturing. For more information about Nanopareil, please visit www.nanopareil.com. SOURCE Gamma Biosciences Related Links https://www.gammabiosciences.com Adopted child to be removed after Iranian court rules Christian parents are 'not fit' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An appeals court in Iran has ruled that an adopted daughter with health problems must be taken away from her parents because of convictions related to their participation in a house church in southwestern Iran, watchdog groups have reported. Article 18, a London-based nonprofit that exposes abuses against Christians in Muslim-majority Iran, reports that an appeals court panel in the city of Bushehr upheld on Tuesday a July 19 ruling against Christian converts Sam Khosravi and his wife, Maryam Falahi. The court found that they are not fit to be their adopted daughter, Lydias, parents. According to the nonprofit, the initial ruling came even though Judge Muhammad Hassan Dashti acknowledged that the nearly 2-year-old child felt an intense emotional attachment to her adoptive parents and that she may spend the rest of her life in state care because of her severe health problems related to her heart and stomach. An Article 18 spokesperson told The Christian Post that Lydia remains in her parents' custody. However, Irans child welfare agency will look to remove the child when it is made aware of the couple's failed appeal. Advocacy Director Mansour Borji said in a statement that the July verdict against the parents clearly demonstrates an unwillingness from the judge to hand down the sentence. Borji contends that Judge Dashti was coerced by the representative of the Ministry of Intelligence. He added that it is a clear example of the lack of independence of the judiciary in cases involving Christians. Condemning these people to prison because of their possession of Bibles and Christian symbols is a clear demonstration that Irans foreign minister and others arent telling the truth when they say that no-one is put in prison in Iran simply because of their beliefs, he stated. The advocacy group stated that the only reason why the verdict was issued against the parents is because of their identity as Christian converts and the fact that Lydia is considered by law to be a Muslim. Dashti reportedly stated the child should never have been placed in their care. Last week, the appellate court judges issued a short ruling, stating that they do see any specific or reasonable evidence to overturn the verdict. The decision is a crushing blow to Sam and Maryam, for whom Lydia fulfilled a long-held dream, having been unable to have a child of their own, the Article 18 report explains. The couple has been married for over 13 years and was never able to have a child of their own. Falahi has worked as a nurse for over 20 years, while Khosravi works in the hospitality sector. The couple was among a group of seven Christians who were given sentences ranging from prison to work restrictions in June. Khosravi was sentenced to serve one year in prison and two years of exile from the city for the alleged crime of engaging in propaganda against the state related to his membership in a house church. Both Falahi and Khosravi have been banned from gaining employment in their professional fields. The couple has appealed their criminal convictions. According to Article 18, Khosravis brother, Sasan, and his wife, Marjan, also received similar sentences along with three other Christian converts. These people have done nothing that could be construed as propaganda against the state or acting against national security, but nevertheless they have been treated so unjustly, Borji stated. The international community must hold Iran to account for this miscarriage of justice, and many others like it. Irans theocratic regime has long been criticized by international human rights activists for its treatment of Christians and other religious minorities. Governed by Islamic law, Iran ranks as the ninth worst country in the world for Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs World Watch List. Iran not only prohibits church services in the predominant language of Farsi but also bans Muslims from leaving Islam. Thus, crackdowns against Christian converts are severe. Christians can face arrest just for attending underground church services. During the 2020 reporting period Nov. 1, 2018, to Oct. 31, 2019 Open Doors reports that at least 169 Christians were arrested in Iran. The Left parties on Wednesday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government stating that the burial of the gangrape victim in Hathras without her familys consent was blatant denial of justice and exposed the prevalence of caste-based violence in the state. In a press statement, the Politburo of the CPI(M) said the barbaric caste based rape" was reflective of the utter lawlessness" in the northern state. The 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped in a village in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Delhis Safdarjung hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday. The woman was cremated in Hathras during the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging that the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. The CPI(M) strongly condemns the actions of the Adityanath Government on the blatant denial of justice to the Hathras dalit rape victim and her family. Her death is the result of the callous approach of the Government," the statement said. The victim was grievously injured in the barbaric rape crime committed by four upper caste men on September 14, her tongue was cut out, she was bleeding profusely but the police refused to file an FIR for five days, denied the victim the immediate medical treatment which could have saved her and in the ultimate act of caste cruelty, the police cremated her body, denying the family the right to give their daughter a dignified funeral," it said. The CPI(M) Politburo alleged that under the BJP government, patronage given to casteist and reactionary forces was leading to a big increase in crimes against Dalits and women. The party demanded action against the police personnel who reportedly refused to file an FIR in the case and against those responsible for the forcible cremation of the victim. CPI general secretary D Raja in a separate statement said according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, in the past few years crimes against Dalits are on the rise and at the same time the convictions rates have substantially declined. The official statistics further indicate that UP is leading in crimes against Dalits especially Dalit women, he said. The womans death was one more instance laying bare the violence of caste society and the absolute humiliation engendered by the ideology of Brahmanical Patriarchy", Raja said. Her death poses a deep moral question upon the Indian society which even after seven decades of the formal establishment of the modern democratic republic continues to be organised and operating through the archaic, irrational and violent caste collectives. While the four upper caste perpetrators have been arrested, this entire incident draws attention to the deplorable situation prevailing in Uttar Pradesh under Adityanath," he said. The CPI leader further accused the Adityanath government of subscribing to and practicing the unconstitutional caste norms and alleged that a culture of violence is carefully being cultivated and social hierarchies are being bolstered. Violence is the cornerstone of this divisive vision of the Hindu rightwing. The CPI condemns the Adityanath government for failing in its responsibilities as an elected government. Adityanath government has completely failed to uphold the constitution and to protect the human rights and dignity of the Dalits and adivasis," the Left leader said. The CPI demanded that Adityanath step down as chief minister, saying he has no moral right" to continue on the post. It also demanded stringent punitive action against the perpetrators under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocity (POA) Act. Making the demands on behalf of his party, Raja also called for a nation-wide protest against the rape and murder. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Ian Wang became the CEO of NuEnergy Gas Limited (ASX:NGY) in 2014, and we think it's a good time to look at the executive's compensation against the backdrop of overall company performance. This analysis will also evaluate the appropriateness of CEO compensation when taking into account the earnings and shareholder returns of the company. Check out our latest analysis for NuEnergy Gas How Does Total Compensation For Ian Wang Compare With Other Companies In The Industry? At the time of writing, our data shows that NuEnergy Gas Limited has a market capitalization of AU$18m, and reported total annual CEO compensation of AU$97k for the year to June 2020. We note that's a decrease of 66% compared to last year. In particular, the salary of AU$76.7k, makes up a huge portion of the total compensation being paid to the CEO. On comparing similar-sized companies in the industry with market capitalizations below AU$283m, we found that the median total CEO compensation was AU$355k. In other words, NuEnergy Gas pays its CEO lower than the industry median. Component 2020 2019 Proportion (2020) Salary AU$77k AU$263k 79% Other AU$20k AU$20k 21% Total Compensation AU$97k AU$283k 100% Talking in terms of the industry, salary represented approximately 76% of total compensation out of all the companies we analyzed, while other remuneration made up 24% of the pie. Although there is a difference in how total compensation is set, NuEnergy Gas more or less reflects the market in terms of setting the salary. If salary dominates total compensation, it suggests that CEO compensation is leaning less towards the variable component, which is usually linked with performance. A Look at NuEnergy Gas Limited's Growth Numbers Over the last three years, NuEnergy Gas Limited has not seen its earnings per share change much, though there is a slight positive movement. It has seen most of its revenue evaporate over the past year. We would argue that the lack of revenue growth in the last year is less than ideal, but the modest EPSgrowth gives us some relief. It's hard to reach a conclusion about business performance right now. This may be one to watch. While we don't have analyst forecasts for the company, shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow. Story continues Has NuEnergy Gas Limited Been A Good Investment? Since shareholders would have lost about 71% over three years, some NuEnergy Gas Limited investors would surely be feeling negative emotions. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously. To Conclude... As we touched on above, NuEnergy Gas Limited is currently paying its CEO below the median pay for CEOs of companies belonging to the same industry and with similar market capitalizations. But then, EPS growth is lacking and so are the returns to shareholders. We're not critical of the remuneration Ian receives, but it would be good to see improved returns to shareholders before compensation grows too much. We can learn a lot about a company by studying its CEO compensation trends, along with looking at other aspects of the business. We identified 5 warning signs for NuEnergy Gas (3 make us uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here. Important note: NuEnergy Gas is an exciting stock, but we understand investors may be looking for an unencumbered balance sheet and blockbuster returns. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Those impacted by the May mid-Michigan dam failures have until Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time to register for disaster assistance with FEMA and apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loan. Registration and disaster information is still available by calling the FEMA helpline, going online or using the FEMA mobile app, as follows: Call 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585). The toll-free numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available. Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov. Download the FEMA App. Note that the end of the registration period does not mean FEMA is leaving. The agency will continue working with the Michigan Department of State Police/Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division to help survivors and communities in their long-term rebuilding and recovery efforts. Once youve registered, its important to stay in touch with FEMA to track your application or to notify the agency of changes to your mailing or email addresses or phone numbers, and to report insurance settlements, unmet needs or additional damage you may have discovered. FEMA staff may contact you for various reasons, including to discuss your case or to request additional information. You should answer those phone calls to make sure your application process continues. If you are in any doubt when receiving a call from someone stating they work for FEMA, do not give out any information. Instead, call 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET to verify that the call is legitimate. The SBA helps businesses, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. To apply for a low-interest disaster loan before the Sept. 30 deadline, complete an online application at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. To reach an SBA Customer Service Representative directly, call 800-659-2955. Email questions to FOCE-Help@sba.gov. For more information, visit sba.gov/. FEMAs mission is helping people before, during and after disasters. Ashley Benson showed her casual chic style Tuesday while out and about in Los Angeles. The 30-year-old actress wore a vintage Iggy Pop album T-shirt along with a short black skirt adorned with red cherries and black ankle boots. The Pretty Little Liars star accessorized with black sunglasses, necklaces, bracelets and rings. Casual chic: Ashley Benson showed her casual chic style Tuesday while feeding a parking meter in Los Angeles while out and about with her two beloved dogs She also covered her mouth and nose with a black face mask amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Ashley had her blonde hair straight down around her shoulders and let her natural beauty shine without makeup. Her distressed T-shirt featured an image of Iggy, 73, on the front and read 'BLAH BLAH BLAH' on the back in a reference to the rocker's 1986 seventh studio album 'Blah-Blah-Blah'. Ashley brought her two beloved dogs with her while visiting a design studio and they shared a double dog leash. Vintage shirt: The 30-year-old actress wore a vintage Iggy Pop album T-shirt along with a short black skirt adorned with red cherries and black ankle boots Seventh album: Ashley's distressed T-shirt featured an image of Iggy, 73, on the front and read 'BLAH BLAH BLAH' on the back in a reference to the rocker's 1986 seventh studio album 'Blah-Blah-Blah' The Anaheim Hills, California native last week took to social media to encourage her 21.3 million followers on Instagram to vote. She shared a selfie Friday using a filter to color her face with hearts, smiley faces, the female gender symbol, flowers and a voting sticker. 'Vote!' was written across her forehead, while 'power to the people,' was near her hairline and 'BLM,' was drawn on her cheek Ashley also held up a dainty gold necklace that read 'vote' and she reiterated her message by writing the same word as a caption. Civic duty: The Anaheim Hills, California native last week took to social media to encourage her fans to vote She also took to social media last week to share a video of her mother Shannon ringing a bell to mark the end of her cancer treatment. Captioning the image, the actress wrote that she's 'so proud' of her mother as she expressed her love for her. Ashley added: 'So happy for my mom finishing her last day of chemo. I love you.' The actress is best known for her portrayal of Hanna Marin on Pretty Little Liars from 2010 to 2017 and also starred in the films Spring Breakers, Ratter and Her Smell. Bell ring: Ashley also took to social media last week to share a video of her mother Shannon ringing a bell to mark the end of her cancer treatment Shares of data-mining company Palantir jumped 47% to $10.67 on their first day of trading. Read more The secretive big data and surveillance company Palantir Technologies offered its stock to public investors for the first time Wednesday, a long-anticipated move that will bring public scrutiny to one of techs most secretive start-ups. The direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange was one of the most hotly anticipated tech IPOs in years, giving investors the chance to capitalize on a business that has grown by almost a third each year since 2009. So far, it is largely seen as a successful listing: Palantir stock started trading at $10 a share Wednesday higher than its earlier reference price of $7.25 a share and rose modestly in the afternoon. Shares closed at $9.50. Of greater significance is the way in which the public offering will lift the veil of secrecy around the companys technology and finances. The first financial filings shared with investors ahead of the offering revealed that Palantirs business is concentrated among a handful of loyal customers, raising questions about whether it can scale up the same way as other tech outfits. The records show that Palantir has just 125 corporate and government customers, a relatively small number for a large, publicly traded tech company. Two-thirds of its revenue comes from its top 20 customers, raising concerns that it could lose business as long-running government contracts are renegotiated. It generated an average revenue per customer of $24.8 million last year. To some, the surprising concentration of Palantir's customer base shows the limits of its business. Palantir's reliance on that insular market could make it a risky bet for many investors, said Rohit Kulkarni, a senior analyst at MKM Partners in San Francisco. "The company is still almost at the mercy of a small number of government contracts," Kulkarni said. "If and when they come up for renewal, the investment community will get extremely spooked about how those negotiations go." Others see it as a sign that Palantir still has room to grow. Palantir chief operating officer Shyam Sankar said the company is just beginning to build out a modern sales operation and hired its first formal salesperson last year. It shows you how much headroom we have in front of us. ... We have six customers in the Fortune 100 and 94 more to go, Shyam said. We have a way of building deep, meaningful relationships. ... Its what you expect if you aspire to be the central operating system of an institution. Named for a mysterious black orb that a dark wizard uses to communicate with a giant disembodied flaming eye in J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Palantir has long been one of Silicon Valleys most closely held secrets. It was founded in 2004 by billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel with financial help from the CIA and has stayed private far longer than many observers thought it would. Although government contracts make up more than half of its revenue, it has attempted to recent years to build new lines of business serving corporate customers. Today, its algorithms, sporting names such as Gotham and Foundry, are applied to problems as high-stakes as spotting terrorists and as mundane as analyzing payroll. Some of Palantir's contracts with the U.S. government have been a lightning rod for human-rights activists and its own employees. It has a lucrative partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, providing digital profiling tools to the federal agency as it carried out President Donald Trump's policies for apprehending and deporting undocumented immigrants. The company acknowledged in its filing with securities regulators that some of its contracts have made it a target for protests, but did not detail any of its work with ICE. Palantir has also nosed its way into the Defense Department's information technology industry, capitalizing on efforts to modernize the department's technology to compete with foreign nations such as Russia and China. In an $800 million coup for its military business, Palantir in 2019 beat out Raytheon to become the primary provider for the Army's battlefield intelligence system. That sort of work is expected to take on a higher profile in the future as the U.S. military seeks to rely more heavily on artificial-intelligence algorithms and unmanned weapons systems. In offering its shares in a direct listing, the company sold existing shares and did not create new ones, as would have occurred with an initial public offering. Although the shares can be more volatile at first, the company also gets to avoid underwriting fees. Brendan Burke, an analyst at venture capital industry research firm PitchBook, said he thinks investors have valued Palantir as if it were an enterprise software company. But its financials suggest it is primarily in the government contracting business. "It's clearly not an enterprise software company with government customers," Burke said. "It is a government contractor that is expanding and transferring some of its lessons to the private sector." Palantir is still growing revenue rapidly like a tech company, but because it invests heavily in sales and marketing, its profit margins are below typical software companies. At about $20 billion, Palantir would be valued in line with other business software makers such as Splunk and Elastic. At that price, public market investors would be betting the company can find new avenues of growth. "It has achieved high growth. I think investors expect high growth to continue," Burke said. Eric Munsun, a technology investor whose Adit Ventures firm invested in Palantir in 2014, said he thinks Palantir can double its customer base and its revenue in the next 18 months. This is the kind of inelasticity of demand that we like to see as investors, said Munson, referencing Palantirs surprisingly small customer base. We like quality management teams who have experience and a commitment to their vision. These are committed customers who built their systems around Palantirs technology. Apple has confirmed that it has removed gambling apps from the Chinese App Store. The company says gambling apps are illegal in China which is why it has taken this move. As per Chinese state media CCTV, Apple has removed nearly 25,000 gambling apps out of the total 1.8 million apps available on the Chinese App Store. In a relief to guest teachers, the has directed its schools to engage services of all guest teachers who had been hired in the last academic session. There has been uncertainty over the engagement of the 20,000 odd guest teachers - who are paid per day of work - since schools were closed in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The heads of government schools were earlier authorised to call 50 per cent teaching and non-teaching staff from September 21 for smooth running of teaching, learning and assessment activities, for online teaching and tele counselling and other related work," an official order by the Directorate of Education (DoE) said. "Hence, in order to ensure smooth functioning of schools, all heads of government schools are hereby directed to engage all such guest teachers (except non-CTET) who were engaged during the last academic session, subject to the availability of vacancy in their schools, within three days positively," it added. In July, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said guest teachers would be re-engaged as part of the remote teaching-learning plan. The education department had then issued directions to all heads of schools to "engage willing guest teachers and contract teachers, wherever required, for online teaching-learning activities". (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Before the Tribune published the story Tuesday afternoon, a spokesman for Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said the department had made up for the loss of district officers by forming a new citywide unit currently staffed with about 500 and tasked with responding to sudden flare-ups in violence in neighborhoods away from downtown. He also said the citys summer mobile patrol unit, a temporary citywide unit of about 200 cops, would be in place in the residential areas until November. Muckamore Abbey Hospital is at centre of an abuse probe A woman arrested by police investigating claims of abuse at Muckamore Abbey Hospital has been released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS). The 44-year-old was apprehended in the Antrim area on Wednesday and was the 11th arrest so far in the probe. No one has been charged as yet. Police are investigating claims of ill-treatment of patients at the Antrim hospital which treats people with severe learning disabilities and mental health needs. Police are investigating claims of physical and mental abuse of patients in the psychiatric intensive care unit between 2017-18. It is suspected that 1,500 criminal assaults took place over a number of months in a ward with six beds in the hospital. Police have been reviewing thousands of hours of CCTV footage. There have been 59 precautionary suspensions of staff. Health Minister Robin Swann also confirmed a public inquiry will be held into alleged abuse at the hospital. The inquiry follows two reports into the abuse at Muckamore - a serious adverse incident report and a recently-published review into the leadership and governance of Muckamore by Belfast Trust. To help reduce COVID-19-related health disparities in vulnerable populations in Texas, a multi-institutional team of researchers led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) will identify disease hotspots and testing deserts in three racially diverse areas, and then develop and evaluate intervention strategies to increase COVID-19 testing. The study, which is funded by a $5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to UTHealth through the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), will focus on three areas of the state with high infection rates - South Texas, Houston/Harris County, and Northeast Texas. Study partners include The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT). "Finding the reasons behind the disparities in testing is a first step to reducing those disparities in vulnerable populations," said David McPherson, MD, principal investigator for CCTS-related research and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. "By quickly identifying those who have COVID-19, we can reduce spread, which is critical for saving the lives of those most affected by the virus." The study is funded through the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative. As part of the initiative, the RADx Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program will support research that aims to better understand COVID-19 testing patterns among underserved and vulnerable populations; strengthen the data on disparities in infection rates, disease progression, and outcomes; and develop strategies to reduce the disparities in COVID-19 testing. UTHealth is one of 32 institutions across the country that received an NIH award through the RADx-UP program to support projects designed to rapidly implement COVID-19 testing strategies in populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic. These groups include African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Latinos/Latinas, Native Hawaiians, older adults, pregnant women, and those who are homeless or incarcerated. "It is critical that all Americans have access to rapid, accurate diagnostics for COVID-19, especially underserved and vulnerable populations who are bearing the brunt of this disease," said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD. "The RADx-UP program will help us better understand and alleviate the barriers to testing for those most vulnerable and reduce the burden of this disease." The study will seek to understand why vulnerable populations, such as those with medical comorbidities and people experiencing homelessness, have significant disparities in coronavirus infection and mortality rates. Underserved populations such as Blacks, Hispanics, those who live in rural areas, and underinsured individuals, have higher rates of comorbid conditions including diabetes, obesity, asthma, and hypertension, which places them at risk for severe disease. In Texas, Hispanics make up 29.4% of the population, but 40.1% of COVID-19 cases, and 47.9% of confirmed fatalities, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. "The long-term goal is to reduce COVID-19-related disparities and improve health and quality of life of underserved populations," said Maria E. Fernandez, PhD, lead co-principal investigator of the study and the Lorne Bain Distinguished Professor in Public Health and Medicine at UTHealth School of Public Health. "One of the coolest components of the study is the community engagement piece where we will meet with people in the neighborhoods most affected and prioritize together the education and strategies needed for intervention." The study has three overall aims: Identify priority areas based on disease hotspots, access to testing, and prevalence of chronic conditions. Identify and examine relationships among the various organizations in these priority areas that are providing services. Use data from the first two aims to prioritize intervention activities, tailoring and implementing the materials, methods, and strategies to increase testing. "We want to not only encourage people to get tested, but for them to follow up on results and, if needed, practice behaviors to protect themselves and others, and participate in contact tracing," Fernandez said. To identify priority areas, researchers will use data from regional health departments and hospital records to estimate real-time testing availability and use by residents. They will also examine the incidence and test-positive rate. The higher the positivity rate, the more likely that testing is low in a particular area. For the second aim, by looking at the relationships among organizations providing services, researchers hope to maximize system-level performance to increase testing. Community engagement is integral to the study and in the third aim, is used to develop, implement, and evaluate adaptive intervention approaches in real time that correspond to rapidly changing conditions and needs of priority communities to increase testing. Researchers will study whether the engagement approaches and the resulting interventions increase COVID-19 testing and follow-up. "The integration of these aims and how they influence each other is unique and exemplifies how public health can be practiced. We work to understand the issue and then intervene in a way that uses data to make best decisions," said Belinda Reininger, DrPh, professor and regional dean of UTHealth School of Public Health in Brownsville. "The areas where we are working are in high need because of health disparities. The proposed study will test strategies to improve access to testing across rural, border, and inner-city populations." Fernandez said the team will use "Community Just In Time Interventions," an innovative concept that identifies priority areas dynamically using rapidly changing data, so that strategies can be quickly tailored to meet the needs of the community. The work will bring together researchers and community partners for a truly collaborative approach. Co-lead investigators for the study are Fernandez; Reininger, who is in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences; and Marcia C. Otto, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences at UTHealth School of Public Health. The lead investigator for UTRGV is John M. Thomas III, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, College of Sciences; and for UTHSCT is Paul McGaha, DO, MPH, chair and associate professor in the Department of Community Health for the School of Community and Rural Health. Numerous researchers from the partner institutions are involved to ensure a multidisciplinary approach is used to address this complex issue. "This study will have great significance for the underserved populations in Northeast Texas," McGaha said. "Many do not have access to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and services. As the only health science center in the area, we want to assist our regional communities in responding to the coronavirus pandemic." Community and health care organizations in Houston participating in the study include UT Physicians, Avenue 360, Healthcare for the Homeless, HOPE Clinic, and Spring Branch Community Health Center. Community partners include the City of Houston, 2-2-1 Texas/United Way of Greater Houston, Harris County Public Health, Greater Houston Partnership, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Health Disparities, Cameron County Public Health, City of Brownsville, Northeast Texas Public Health District, Pro-Salud, Texas Association of Health Centers, and Baker Ripley. Laboratories include UTHealth Pathology and Baylor College of Medicine. ### Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Men have forgotten God; thats why all this has happened Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn With the 2019 Pew Research Poll showing the percentage of Christians in America dropping from 77% in 2009 to 65% in 2019, the religious transformation of Americans cannot be ignored. For many Americans, religion is seen as a personal matter which should be disconnected from public life. Many of the political left assert Christian values are a danger to public decision making. Amy Coney Barrett was grilled by Democratic Senators about the potential dangerous role her religious beliefs might play during the 2018 Appeals Court confirmation hearings. The reality is that the level of religion in a nation is of utmost importance to the future of the nation. The prophetic warning of the danger of national Spiritual decline, by author and Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, is what America desperately needs right now. Let me explain. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born in Russia in December 1918. Though Baptized in a Russian Orthodox family, Solzhenitsyn experienced the anti-Christian fervor of the Soviet Union growing up and he became a militant atheist communist. During World War II, Solzhenitsyn served as an Artillery Captain and was thrice decorated for bravery fighting Nazi Germany. Despite heroism in the Red Army, in 1945 Solzhenitsyn was given an 8-year sentence to a Soviet Gulag due to private criticism of Stalin. It was during that period the Solzhenitsyn experienced a religious conversion back to the Orthodox Christian faith of his youth. He came to see the hatred of Christianity at the heart of Communism, and came to better understand the ultimate reason for the horror of 60 million dead in the Soviet Union. As Solzhenitsyn wrote, it took root due to the nation turning from God. Solzhenitsyn was released from the Gulag in 1953, and attempted to publish works critical of the Gulag system and the Soviet Union. After persecution by the Soviet authorities, Solzhenitsyn was ultimately stripped of his Soviet citizenship and expelled from Russia. He lived in America from the 1976 until after the fall of the Soviet Union, when, in 1994, he returned to his home country of Russia. While in America, due to his international acclaim as a writer and dissident Solzhenitsyn was invited to give many speeches to various Western audiences. In 1978, Solzhenitsyn shocked liberal Harvard University by warning of the danger of the materialism and rising secularism he saw pervading and corroding the West. Solzhenitsyn compared the horrible consequences of state enforced atheism in Communism Soviet Union to the secularism and materialism he saw in America. It was at his 1983 address when receiving the Templeton Award that Solzhenitsyn succinctly explained the reason for the Bolshevik Revolution and the barbarity and atrocities it wrought on the world: Men have forgotten God, and thats why all this happened. This was the ultimate explanation for the horrors of Socialism. Solzhenitsyn was also providing warning that America could experience the same by forgetting God. According to Solzhenitsyn, violent revolution followed Godlessness and increased Godlessness: It was Dostoevsky, once again, who drew from the French Revolution and its seeming hatred of the Church the lesson that revolution must necessarily begin with atheism. That is absolutely true. But the world had never before known a godlessness as organized, militarized, and tenaciously malevolent as that practiced by Marxism. Within the philosophical system of Marx and Lenin, and at the heart of their psychology, hatred of God is the principal driving force, more fundamental than all their political and economic pretensions. Militant atheism is not merely incidental or marginal to Communist policy; it is not a side effect, but the central pivot. To achieve its diabolical ends. Communism needs to control a population devoid of religious and national feeling, and this entails the destruction of faith and nationhood. Solzhenitsyn went on to explain the counter to the Marxism and secularism of his day. Prophetically, this provides the answer to the rising Marxism and anarchy we find growing in America today. As Solzhenitsyn explains, contrary to the group, racial, and class divisions of Marxism, America must look to God, both as a nation and as individuals: All attempts to find a way out of the plight of todays world are fruitless unless we redirect our consciousness, in repentance, to the Creator of all: without this, no exit will be illumined, and we shall seek it in vain. The resources we have set aside for ourselves are too impoverished for the task. We must first recognize the horror perpetrated not by some outside force, not by class or national enemies, but within each of us individually, and within every society. This is especially true of a free and highly developed society, for here in particular we have surely brought everything upon ourselves, of our own free will. We ourselves, in our daily unthinking selfishness, are pulling tight that noose. In America today, we see the increasing attacks on the foundations of our traditional Christian faith and our nation by groups like antifa and BLM and ideas like Critical Race Theory and the 1619 project. Whether by destruction of statues and memorials to the nation and Church, or by shaming national history through fraudulent alternative historic narratives. Solzhenitsyns answer to this is the unbeatable power of Christianity. The centralized atheism (Soviet Union) before whose armed might the whole world trembles still hates and fears this unarmed faith (Christianity) as much today as it did 60 years ago. Yes! All the savage persecutions loosed upon our people by a murderous state atheism, coupled with the corroding effect of its lies, and an avalanche of stultifying propaganda all of these together have proven weaker than the thousand-year-old faith of our nation. This faith has not been destroyed; it remains the most sublime, the most cherished gift. After his conversion from Communist to Christianity in a Soviet Gulag, Solzhenitsyn always foresaw the ultimate triumph of Christianity. Joseph Pearce put it best of Solzhenitsyns life and our hope in Christianity: Little could Solzhenitsyn have known when he languished as one of the many millions in the Soviet prison system that he would outlive the Soviet system and, furthermore, that his own courage would play an important part in that very systems collapse. Like Solzhenitsyn, let us put our faith in the power of Christianity to triumph over the modern darkness seeking to envelop our nation and let us never forget God. All NHS staff must be tested for coronavirus every week to prevent them being put at 'further unnecessary risk' of catching and spreading the virus, MPs have said. The Health and Social Care Committee urged ministers to provide swabs to Britain's 1.3million-strong healthcare workforce as a matter of urgency, and warned it was 'yet to understand' why they had not done this earlier. Matt Hancock pledged 'regular surveillance testing' for nurses and doctors on June 24, but has since failed to follow up on his commitment. Weekly testing is already available to care homes, but many revealed yesterday that they have staff members waiting a week or more for their results, meaning they are often going for a second swab before receiving the results from the first. The UK's 'world-leading' testing system went into meltdown after schools and offices returned in September, with demand spiralling up to four times capacity. Officials claimed the delays in processing swabs was due to a 'bottle neck' in laboratories, leaving them unable to complete more than 250,000 tests a day. Boris Johnson has promised to raise this to 500,000 by the end of October. The Health and Social Care Committee urged ministers to provide weekly swabs for Britain's 1.3million-strong NHS workforce no later than the end of October. (Stock) There were 2,049 patients being treated for the disease on Sunday, rising from 764 a fortnight ago and 1,319 last week. This figure had been falling for four months straight after peaking at 20,000 in mid-April Care homes are waiting up to THREE WEEKS to get their coronavirus test results Care homes are waiting up to three weeks to get their coronavirus test results, it was claimed today as the UK's swabbing fiasco continues. The Government had promised to get carers swabbed every week, and residents every 28 days, so new cases could be detected quickly and isolated. But the 'world-leading' testing system is failing to turn around samples on time as it battles to get through an ever-growing backlog of samples. Care home leaders have branded the situation 'totally unacceptable', and warned it is only going to 'get worse, not better' because 'test results are not coming back quickly enough'. The chairman of the Sheffield Care Association, Nicola Richards, told the Daily Telegraph she had to wait almost three weeks to get results for some swabs carried out on staff. 'Such a delay is putting the residents, staff and the public at serious risk,' she said. 'By not getting the results back in a timely manner, it's unsafe. 'I know it's a national problem as well as a local one. We have a Whatsapp group for local care professionals, and there are people on that group saying they haven't had results for a week.' Advertisement Holding the Government's feet to the fire, the cross-party group of MPs urged them, in a report published today, to explain 'why it is yet to implement weekly testing of all NHS staff'. They added: 'The committee accepts the advice from many eminent scientists that there is a significant risk that not testing NHS staff routinely could lead to higher levels of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections in any second spike. 'Regular testing of NHS staff will also help to reassure the public that NHS services are safe to use.' The committee said further clarification was also needed from Englands chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, regarding 'whether he has advised the Government to introduce routine testing of all NHS staff in the current virus hotspots and if not, why'. Health and Social Care Committee chairman, and former health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said: 'Weekly testing of NHS staff has been repeatedly promised in hotspot areas but is still not being delivered. 'Failure to do so creates a real risk that the NHS will be forced to retreat into being a largely Covid-only service during a second spike.' The report also sets out failures in communication with patients about delays and cancellations to their referrals and appointments as a result of the pandemic. 'Some patients even with life-threatening conditions such as cancer have reported the emotional distress that has resulted from them being unclear as to when their medical appointment will take place,' they said. MPs cited the NHS Confederation, which has warned that the overall waiting list for treatment could grow from 4.2million to 10 million or more. Urgent cancer referrals have also suffered a massive drop and there has been 'substantial disruption to chemotherapy appointments', the report said. 'During our inquiry, we have heard about the backlog of appointments, a decrease in referral rates and a reduction in the overall use of cancer services. 'Some notable concerns raised with us, include the following Cancer Research UK has reported that urgent referrals for diagnostic tests for suspected cancer have dropped by 75 per cent in England, despite national guidelines stating that urgent and essential cancer treatments must continue.' Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, pictured in the Commons last week, said weekly testing of NHS staff has been 'repeatedly promised' in hotspot areas but still hasn't been delivered Around 36,000 cancer operations had also been cancelled by mid-May in the UK, the report went on. Meanwhile, at least eight million courses of dental treatment have been cancelled due to the pandemic. The committee said it was calling for urgent action to assess and tackle the huge backlogs seen across the NHS. Mr Hunt said the pandemic has 'massively impacted normal NHS services, something that could have been mitigated with earlier infection control measures in hospitals and clearer communication to patients whose care was disrupted. 'Weve heard of severe disruption to services, especially cancer, and here we could be looking at tens of thousands avoidable deaths within a year. 'If were to avoid this going forward, it is time to give as much priority to avoiding harm and death caused by the interruption of normal NHS services and introduce mass testing for all NHS staff. 'Today we set out these and other steps the Government and NHS leaders must take to manage services through a second wave.' Presenting a spectacle just 35 days ahead of the biggest elections across the globe this year, President Donald Trump and his democratic challenger are engaging in their significant round of debate on Wednesday. There was no handshake as the two men took the stage and while this was due to Covid-19 restrictions, the absence of the traditional greeting symbolized the bitterness engulfing the country in the final countdown to November 3. Before theyd even met on the stage in Cleveland for the first of three 90-minute live television showdowns, Biden made public his tax returns to capitalize on revelations that the billionaire Trump avoided paying almost any federal income taxes for years. Read HTs full coverage of US Presidential elections 2020 here Here are the live updates: - Donald Trump and Joe Biden take stage in first presidential debate - How you doing, man?: Joe Biden greeted President Trump at the start of their first debate, where they adhered to social distancing protocols by not shaking hands - Trump, Biden spar over Barretts nomination Donald Trump said that he had the right to choose a replacement for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, while former Vice President Joe Biden alleged the presidents nominee would end health coverage for millions of people as they opened their first debate. We won the election, Trump said in answer to the first question, about his nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Elections have consequences. We have the Senate, we have the White House and we have a phenomenal nominee. - Trump on nominating Amy Coney Barret: We won the election. Elections have consequences, said Trump. We have the Senate. We have the White House and we have a phenomenal nominee, respected by all. - Trump on Obamacare: No matter how well you run it, Obamacare is a disaster - President Trump keeps promising to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions, but the truth is hes in Court trying to rip their protections away. And now, hes trying to jam through the confirmation of a Justice who will help him get it done. We cant let him win. Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 30, 2020 - Trump knew. He knew COVID-19 passes through the air. He knew it was deadlier than the flu. He knew it was dangerous to everyone. Yet he purposely downplayed the pandemicand now more than 205,000 Americans are dead. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 30, 2020 - At first presidential debate, Joe Biden says everybody knows Trump is a liar Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Tuesday branded President Donald Trump a liar and told him to shut up as the pair clashed in a bad-tempered start to their first televised debate. The fact is that everything he is saying so far is simply a lie. Im not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows hes a liar, Biden said. - On healthcare Biden, told by Trump that he has adopted former Democratic presidential rival Bernie Sanders socialized medicine proposals: Everybody here knows hes a liar. ... You picked the wrong guy on the wrong night at the wrong time. ... Folks, do you have any idea what this clowns doing? I tell you what, he is not for anybody needing healthcare. After Trump explained his health proposal, Biden said, He has no plan for healthcare. ... The fact is this man has no idea what hes talking about. At another point, while being interrupted by Trump, Biden said, Will you shut up, man. This is so unpresidential. ... Keep yapping, man. - When I hear 200,000 deaths, I think of the empty chairs at dining room tables all across the country, which just months ago were filled by loved ones. It didnt have to be this bad. Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 30, 2020 - Joe wants to shut down this Country. I want to keep it OPEN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2020 - At presidential debate, Biden says Trump has no healthcare plan as over 7 million in US have contracted Covid-19 - Joe Biden calls Donald Trump a clown as candidates spar in first debate Folks, do you have any idea what this clown is trying to do? Biden said to Americans as Trump talked over him. Will you shut up, man, he grumbled moments later. - Trump fires back at Biden at presidential debate on tackling Covid-19 Cornering Biden, Trump said, You could never have done the job weve done. You dont have it in your blood - Responding to New York Times report on his tax returns in the debate, Trump claims he paid $750 tax the year he was elected. His counterpart Biden then asked the President to show his tax returns. On Trumps rallies - President Donald Trump says hes had no negative effect from massive campaign rallies with thousands of attendees not adhering to social distancing recommendations amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. - On Racism Vice president and Democratic nominee Joe Biden attacked the US President and said that whatever Trump has done has been disastrous for the African-American community. - Trump says radical left has Biden wrapped around their finger - Trump interrupts, Biden talks to folks at home In the Presidential debate which was marred by interruptions from Trump, Biden is taking a more personal approach. At several times during the debate, Biden addressed his comments to you folks at home watching on television as he looked straight into the camera. - On taxes Trump said he has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in federal income taxes. President Donald Trump wont say when he will finally make his personal taxes public as he has long promised. During the first presidential debate Tuesday, Trump was asked specifically about a report in The New York Times that revealed he paid only $750 in personal income taxes each of those years. All presidents except Trump have publicly released their taxes since the presidency of Richard Nixon. Trump has said since 2016 that he would eventually release them. But when asked by moderator Chris Wallace when, he said only: Youll get to see it. Democratic nominee Joe Biden quickly used that as a point of attack, saying Trump does take advantage of the tax code and pays less tax than a schoolteacher. Trump shrugged off the attack, saying that all business leaders do the same unless they are stupid. - President Donald Trump and Joe Biden trade barbs on families Trump resurrected past claims about the former vice presidents son Hunter working overseas. Trump said Hunter Biden reaped millions in ill-gotten profit from China and other overseas interests, accusations that have been repeatedly debunked. Biden shot back, None of that is true. He then added of Trump, His family, we could talk all night. - On Covid-19 deaths in African Americans President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden are making their pitches to win over Black voters in the coming election, with Biden mockingly questioning: This man, this man is a savior of African Americans? This man has done virtually nothing. Biden says that 1 in 1,000 African Americans has died because of the coronavirus, and if Trump doesnt do something quickly, it will be 1 in 500. - Joe Biden says Donald Trump is Russian President Putins puppy Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Tuesday accused Donald Trump of failing to confront Russia, accusing the US leader of being the puppy of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ive gone head to head with Putin, and made it clear to him -- were not going to take any of this stuff. Hes Putins puppy, Biden said of Trump. - Joe Biden evokes son Beau to criticize Donald Trumps remarks Democrat Joe Biden has evoked his son Beau Biden to criticize President Donald Trump for reportedly calling members of the American military who lost their lives losers and suckers. Raising his voice at Tuesday nights debate, Biden described his son as a hero. Beau Biden died of cancer in 2015. Trump responded by pivoting to a familiar attack, on Bidens other son, Hunter. Demetrius Freeman Former Hillary Clinton aides, ex-intelligence officials and Senate Democrats are accusing Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe of laundering Russian disinformation before an election after Ratcliffe suggested Clinton attempted to manufacture a scandal about Russian interference in the 2016 election on behalf of President Trump. On Tuesday, Ratcliffe, a loyalist whom Trump placed atop U.S. intelligence in the spring, sent Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) a letter claiming that in late July 2016, U.S. intelligence acquired insight into a Russian intelligence analysis. That analysis, Ratcliffe summarized in his letter, claimed that Clinton had a plan to attack Trump by tying him to the 2016 hack of the Democratic National Committee. Trump, in late July 2016, had publicly called for Russia to purloin Clintons emails. And both U.S. intelligence and former special counsel Robert Mueller have since attributed that hack to Russia. None of the subsequent Trump-Russia investigations have verified the claims Ratcliffe published, although top House intelligence-committee Republican Devin Nunes of California has insisted baselessly that Clinton and not Trump colluded with Russia. Ratcliffe stated that the intelligence community does not know the accuracy of this allegation or to the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication. Though he subsequently insisted that his letter was not itself a disinformation campaign by Russian officials, his move to send the letter, and Grahams decision to release it, was roundly criticized. DNI Ratcliffe should be ashamed of his blatant politicization of his position, said Nick Shapiro, the former CIA deputy chief of staff to John Brennan, who was CIA director in 2016 and whose notes are cited in Ratcliffes summary. Trumps Pick for Intelligence Chief Follows a Slew of QAnon Accounts Graham, who spoke to The Daily Beast on the phone Tuesday evening, said he did not know whether the information presented by Ratcliffe was true and said he was not concerned with releasing the uncorroborated allegations to the public even with the presidential election just 35 days away. Story continues "There are allegations from the CIA that the Clinton campaign was involved in Russia. I don't know if that is true, Graham said. It's not about whether it is true. It's about whether the FBI took [the allegations] seriously. That's the question. I supported the Mueller investigation. I dont get why you wouldnt look with the same suspicion with both campaigns. The point is what did they [the FBI] do with the information?" Grahams post-facto rationalization was just the latest illustration of how uniformly invested Trump allies have become in the narrative that Russian involvement in U.S. politics is either overstated or deliberately fabricated as a means of delegitimizing the president. Now that belief has been adopted at the senior most level of U.S. intelligence, something Democrats and former intelligence officials greeted with alarm. It's all straight-up Russian disinfo, said Jesse Lehrich, the foreign-policy spokesperson for the 2016 Clinton campaign. Since the 2016 presidential election, U.S. intelligence officials have paid particularly close attention to the ways in which Russia uses disinformation to sow chaos among Americans. As early as March of 2019, officials in the intelligence apparatus and within the national security community have tracked how Moscow uses proxies, including journalists and Russia-friendly politicians, to propagate conspiracy theories about Biden, his son Hunter, and their dealings in Ukraine. Several internal reports warned of the efforts of Andrii Derkach, a Ukrainian parliamentarian, to dig up dirt on the Bidens. Derkach worked closely with Trumps personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, to do so, and his talking points showed up in Giulianis cable appearances on Fox News and One America News throughout 2019 and 2020. Last month, the Treasury Department listed Derkach as a Russian agent and for his attempts to meddle in the 2020 election. Despite several warnings from the intelligence communities that Russia is actively trying to denigrate the Biden campaign and interfere in the 2020 election, Democrats now say that Graham and Ratcliffe have themselves engaged in proliferating Russian propaganda. Indeed, both the substance and the timing of the Ratcliffe summary, coming hours before the first presidential debate, drew the ire of former Clinton aides, intelligence veterans and the vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee for politicizing intelligence. Its very disturbing to me that 35 days before an election, the director of national intelligence would release unverified Russian rumint, or rumors-intelligence, said Sen. Mark Warner, the panels top Democrat. Politico reported that the Senate intelligence committee, on a bipartisan basis, rejected the allegation Ratcliffe published as false. Im very, very proud of the bipartisan work of the intelligence committee [over] three and a half years and five volumes, and that work speaks for itself, Warner told reporters on Tuesday. Mueller Defends Russia Investigation After Top Aides Criticism in Tell-All Book Warners Democratic colleague on the panel, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, said Ratcliffe was abusing his power exactly as I feared he would shortly before Novembers election. His politicization of intelligence, including through selective releases to political allies, damages the country and undermines the intelligence community he purports to lead, Wyden said in a Tuesday statement. Ratcliffe is even willing to rely on unverified Russian information to try to concoct a political scandal, a shocking abdication of his responsibilities to the country. Ratcliffes summary comes two days after Maria Bartiromo reported for Fox News that it was unlikely a Justice Department prosecutor scrutinizing the intelligence agencies origins of the Trump-Russia probe was unlikely to bring charges before the election. Attorney General William Barr claimed earlier this month that bringing charges prior to the election was a possibility, despite the long-standing policy of the Department to not announce charges so close to Election Day. Ratcliffes statement suggested that Barr concurred with the decision to release the summary, saying Barr has advised that the disclosure of this information will not interfere with ongoing Department of Justice investigations. The office of the Director of National Intelligence did not clarify Barrs role in the Tuesday release of the summary. A former senior intelligence official stopped short of claiming Ratcliffe was laundering Russian disinformation, claiming a lack of familiarity with the underlying intelligence. This should be taken with an entire shaker of salt unless the actual documents are released, the ex-intelligence official said. The selective release of information is getting rather obvious. Fits right in the pattern in the Flynn case, where they are releasing every document that suggests that an individual agent had a concern. Representatives for the director of national intelligence did not respond when asked if they would release the material undergirding Ratcliffes summary. Ratcliffes summary alleged that then-CIA Director John Brennan briefed President Obama and others on both the alleged Russian intelligence and a claim that Clinton had approved a plan to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference from Russian security forces. That interference remains the assessment of U.S. intelligence. Ratcliffe cited Brennans handwritten notes as the basis for that heretofore unknown assessment. Clintons alleged approval came, per Ratcliffe, on July 26, 2016, the day she accepted the Democratic presidential nominationan assertion her former campaign staffers found preposterous. Hillary would never sign-off on manufacturing a scandal the way the alleged Russian intel, as summarized in Brennan's notes, indicate, said Lehrich, the former Clinton campaign spokesperson. For one thing, she would've been incensed that anyone would think she needed to cheat to beat Donald Trump. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. MI, Milgard, and our Charitable Foundation are determined to help in the fight against this awful disease by raising awareness and contributing resources to those searching for a cure, said MI CEO Matt DeSoto. MI Windows and Milgard Windows & Doors will donate more than $50,000 towards breast cancer research in October. The companies non-profit affiliate, the MI Charitable Foundation is committed to donating $25,000 to both the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. In addition, both MI and Milgard are showing support for breast cancer awareness in the following ways: Pink Labels: The addition of a pink-colored National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label will be placed on each window and patio door produced in the month of October. These labels help homeowners compare energy efficiency on windows and doors. Local Outreach: Each MI and Milgard facility is raising funds through sales of pink-branded merchandise for a local breast cancer charity in their area. Spread Awareness on Social Media: The MI Charitable Foundation will donate $10 for every Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter post that includes the hashtag #MIGoPink or #MilgardGoPink up to $10,000, which will be split between the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. MI, Milgard, and our Charitable Foundation are determined to help in the fight against this awful disease by raising awareness and contributing resources to those searching for a cure, said MI CEO Matt DeSoto. Giving back is ingrained in our culture. By using pink labels and donating to these worthy foundations, we hope to inspire others to join the fight against breast cancer. MI and Milgard encourage those who wish to participate and donate to visit: http://www.miwindows.com/2020GoPink. About the MI Charitable Foundation In 2015, the MI Charitable Foundation was founded on the belief that we all have an obligation to help our fellow citizens. The charitable foundation has committees at each of its locations that raise and donate funds for local initiatives as well as three noteworthy causes veterans affairs, child wellbeing, and cancer. About MI MI is a fenestration products manufacturer that owns and operates two brands MI Windows and Doors and Milgard Windows & Doors. MI is one of the nations largest suppliers of precision-built and energy-efficient windows and doors. With more than 10 manufacturing plants located throughout the United States, MI brands manufacture stylish, high-performance, and market-preferred products for both new construction and replacement applications. For more information, visit http://www.miwindows.com or http://www.milgard.com. ### Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has been given an extension to release grand jury recordings in the Breonna Taylor case. A judge ruled Monday that Cameron must release recordings of proceedings in Taylor's case, in which one officer was indicted, but not for her death. Cameron's office said Monday that it would release recordings by Wednesday at noon, but court documents show a motion for extension was filed sometime on Tuesday. In the motion, Cameron asks for another week in order to redact personal information. He says it will help protect private citizens and witnesses. Read the motion here On Wednesday, a judge granted Cameron a two-day extension to complete those redactions. Another motion, a protective order, was then filed by 13 unnamed witnesses, who we're told are LMPD officers, saying they do not want their addresses, phone numbers and other personal identifying information released. The order to release the records came from the judge presiding over Brett Hankison's case, the only (former) officer to be indicted. He faces three counts of wanton endangerment for bullets that went into Taylor's neighbor's apartment that night in March. Cameron said in his filing that Hankison's counsel agreed with the delay. Cameron's communications director Elizabeth Kuhn said the audio recording is more than 20 hours long. She said a judge is expected to rule on the motion Wednesday. The judge's initial ruling to release the recordings also came on the same day a grand juror filed a motion in Jefferson County for the court to release all records in the investigation. The unnamed juror's filing said they wanted "the full story and absolute truth of how this matter was handled." More background on the grand jury decision Cameron's office investigated Taylor's death for several months and a week ago, after days of meeting, the grand jury delivered its report. It was announced that Hankison, one of three officers who fired shots that night, would be the sole officer to face charges. We now know that the grand jury was not asked to consider any other charges, including any against the two other officers involved, Sgt. John Mattingly and Det. Myles Cosgrove. Cameron said in a statement Tuesday it is because his investigation found that evidence supported that the two were justified in shooting since Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired first. This means the grand jury did not decide for or against charges on those officers -- Cameron's office did. There has been public outcry for more transparency about what the grand jury was actually presented with to come to its conclusion. Cameron asserted Tuesday, when he agreed to comply with the judge's order, that he is confident the public will see a thorough case was presented. NEW LOOK has said some of its store landlords want the fashion retailer to take a gamble that could result in the eventual winding up of its Irish arm, with the loss of 475 jobs. A lawyer for the company told the High Court that examinership was its only means of survival amid ongoing financial losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Kelley Smith BL said landlords opposing examinership instead wanted the company to keep going until it reached the precipice. Mr Justice Denis McDonald reserved judgement on whether to confirm the appointment of an examiner to New Look Retailers (Ireland) Limited, which operates 27 stores. An interim examiner will remain in place until the case comes back before the court in two weeks. At a continued hearing on Wednesday, Ms Smith responded to submissions made earlier by Rossa Fanning SC, for the three opposing landlords of four stores in Liffey Valley, Dublin; Navan, Co Meath; Mullingar, Co Westmeath and Ballincollig, Co Cork. She said sales were declining, with an independent analysis showing a current drop of 49pc on last year. The company had been trading at a loss since the beginning of the pandemic and all indications were that it would continue to do so for the foreseeable future, she said. The company was in a loss-making position in 2018, had made a small profit in 2019 and had now returned to loss. A projected post-examinership cash figure of around 11.2million did not take into account liabilities such as rent arrears, she said. An independent expert predicted both cash flow and balance sheet insolvency by March 2021. If New Look got to March and continued paying debts, eventually the company was looking at liquidation, the loss of 475 jobs and the depletion of whatever dividend remained, Ms Smith said. Mr Fanning had said the companys evidence was speculative but Ms Smith said with the pandemic, it was an unprecedented retail environment and there had to be some looking forward. With significantly reduced income, the company was bound into long-term leases on premises that were above market rents and over rented, at an estimated 4.5million per annum, Ms Smith continued. If an examiner was appointed the repudiation of leases became possible, she said. The opposing landlords feared market rent, she said; they wanted the company to gamble and just keep going." The penalty is a high one if the gamble doesnt pay off, Ms Smith said; it could end up in the winding up of the company and loss of jobs. On Monday, New Look was allowed to pay a 2.7million Revenue bill so it could get tax clearance to apply for the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) for workers. Even with the benefit of the EWSS, insolvency is on the horizon and the only means of ensuring survival is for the court to grant protection in the form of examinership, Ms Smith said. Mr Justice McDonald proposed to continue with the interim examiner, Ken Fennell of Deloitte and adjourned the case to October 14, when he said he hopes to be able to deliver judgement. Yesterday, Mr Fanning said the application for examinership was not about saving jobs but an attempt to rewrite the companys contracts with landlords, who are owed "substantial arrears." He said the company's insolvency was "contrived" and it was seeking to make changes that could save it around 5million per year in rent reductions. Younger Australians will be offered new incentives to fill a growing jobs gap in the regions as part of a budget package that aims to boost farm production to $100 billion within a decade. The new measures seek to encourage people on JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to take the farming jobs when the industry cannot recruit enough foreign workers during the pandemic. Young job seekers will be given incentives to work on farms picking fruit and vegetables. Credit:Jason South The Morrison government also wants to encourage foreign backpackers to stay in Australia longer and keep working in agriculture at a time when new travellers cannot replace those who have left the country. A separate plan to help the regions "bounce back" from the pandemic will include $135 million for regional services, to be announced on Wednesday by Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Michael McCormack. A group of aggrieved contractors have vowed to expose all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who took bribes from them on contracts awarded for the construction of ultramodern toilet facilities across the country which parts of the projects have been claimed by government in its infrastructure achievements. They said on Tuesday that some MMDCEs took between 5 to 15 percent from them before awarding the contract, knowing very well that Ghana First Company limited took only 2 percent. The decision came up following government and for that matter Ghana First Companys failure to pay them their contractual sum after 60% completion of projects. The contract was awarded to individual contractors between the period 2017 and 2019 and all contracts according to them were prefinanced. Per the contractual agreement, after 60% completion of the project, the amount involved shall be paid to the contractor. They said at a press briefing that all contractors have complied and fulfilled the first part of the agreement, however, not a pesewa has been paid any of us. Should government refuse to adhere to their concerns, they have sworn heaven and earth to call and mobilize all communities where some of these uncompleted toilet facilities are being constructed to demonstrate massively against government and Ghana First Company. They said they will again press upon fellow contractors, families and workers not to vote. Below is their Press Statement PRESS STATEMENT DELIVERED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE HELD BY NEW WORLD CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA ON TUESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2020 AT THE CLOGSAG CONFERENCE HALL, ADUM KUMASI BY: EMMANUEL DAPAAH CHAIRMAN Good day, Ladies and Gentlemen. We thank you all for honouring our invitation. We have gathered here as members of New World Contractors Association of Ghana; that is contractors who have been contracted by Ghana First Company Limited to build ultra-modern toilet facilities across the length and breadth of our country. Ghana First Company Limited is working in collaboration with the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry and Ministry of Water and Sanitation. In fact, it is the MMDCEs that grant the site for the project. The project specifications and cost of each are stated below: a) 14 seater at the cost of Two Hundred and Ninety Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighty Four Ghana Cedis (GHC 290,484.00), b) 16 seater at the cost of Three Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Nine Ghana Cedis and Thirty Six pesewas (GHC 326,259.36), c) 20 seater (A) at the cost of Five Hundred and Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Thirty Five Ghana Cedis (GHC 503,935.00), and d) 20 seater (B) at the cost of Three Hundred and Thirty Three Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy Six Ghana Cedis (GHC 333,676.00). TERMS OF REFERENCE PER CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT 1. The contracts were awarded to individual contractors between the period 2017 and 2019. 2. Contractors were to pre-finance the project and after 60% completion, the amount involved shall be paid to the contractor. 3. Furtherance to that, a letter was issued to each contractor specifying certain conditions. Copies of the letters have been provided here. We are stating that all contractors have complied and fulfilled the first part of the agreement; however, not a pesewa has been paid any of us. Meanwhile, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in delivering his address on the infrastructure projects executed by his government made reference to a lot of the projects we have done. How can we be denied our money but for the government to claim credit for those projects? We see this as a deliberate attempt by the Government and Ghana First Company to kill the spirit of contractors in this regard. Our members procured loans from banks to execute the projects. Now, we are being chased by those banks for repayment. Several appeals to Mr. Frank Akuley, the C.E.O. of the Ghana First Company Limited have fallen on death ears. He is blaming the government for the delays. We are using this medium to draw the attention of the government to our plight. The government should come out to state its position on this matter. We dont want to believe that this is a scam which has been endorsed by this government. REQUEST We are giving the government 10 days to respond to the following issues: 1. Explain to us the contractors, its position and involvement in the Ghana First Company issues, 2. Why the sector ministers gave Ghana First Company introduction and support letters knowing the companys inability to pay, 3. Why the MMDCEs refusal to perform their part of the contract with Ghana First Company by providing the land title documents as per their undertaken letters, (sample shown) 4. Why the sector ministers: Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Minister of Water and Sanitation have refused to respond to the Ghana First Company blaming the Local Government for delaying on their part to raise funds to pay the contractors, 5. Why the government captured our projects (Ghana First Toilet Facilities) as its achievement during the town hall meeting in Accra by the Vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, when during the same town hall meeting in Kumasi, we were told by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah that it is a private project. 6. The government should intervene by helping Ghana First Company to have access to funds and pay the contractors. OR The government should take over the projects and also engage us, the affected contractors, on the way forward. If the government refuses to adhere to our concerns, we will take the following actions. a) We will call and mobilize all the communities where some of these uncompleted toilet facilities are being constructed to demonstrate massively against the government and Ghana First Company. b) We will press upon members, their families and workers not to vote and we will campaign massively against the government in this years elections. c) Lastly, we will expose all the MMDCEs who took between 5% 15% from our members before awarding the contracts knowing very well that Ghana First took only 2%. Thank you. www.leakynews.net Joey Yozviak was arrested and charged with second-degree child cruelty after his daughter died from cardiac arrest brought on by an extreme case of untreated lice. (Wilkinson County Sheriffs Office) Authorities in Georgia believe that a girl had such a severe lice infestation that it triggered a heart attack and killed her. Her parents have now been charged in her death. WMAZ-TV reported that Mary Katherin Horton, 37, and her partner Joey Yozviak, 38, are each facing a second-degree murder charge for the death of their 12-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn Yozviak. The couple was also charged with second-degree child cruelty. The Wilkinson County Superior Court Judge Brenda Trammell ruled on Monday that enough evidence was present to justify the murder charges and proceed to convening a grand jury. Special Agent Ryan Hilton of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told the court that the girl "had the most severe" case of lice his office had ever seen. The GBI's report suggested she suffered "excessive physical pain due to medical negligence." Mr Hilton explained in his testimony that the three-year long lice infestation likely lowered the iron levels in her blood, which resulted in her becoming anemic. Eventually her condition caused her to fall into cardiac arrest and she died. The girl was pronounced dead on 26 Aug after her mother called first responders to report that her daughter was unconscious and unresponsive. The girl's mother told authorities that she had not bathed for at least a week and a half. When authorities arrived to answer Ms Horton's emergency call, they found it infested with vermin. Georgia state Special Agent Mary Chandler said the girl's family had an extensive history with the state's Department of Family and Children Services. Kaitlyn's two brothers were previously removed from the home due to its unsanitary conditions. The DFCS opened another case against the family shortly after Kaitlyn was born when the family decided they were not going to put her up for adoption. Despite the agency's concerns, it did not receive a complaint about the family until 2018, when a call reported the home as "bug-infested [with] excessive cats, and hazardous conditions." Story continues As result, Kaitlyn was removed from her home and went to live with her aunt. She was returned to her parents less than a week later. Read more City declares state of disaster after brain-eating amoeba in water supply killed child FBI offers $10K reward to find fugitive porn boss facing trafficking and child exploitation charges BANGKOK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thailand is among the planet's most searched travel destinations on Google. Yet search results are where problems often start, especially for people seeking reliable and insightful answers to their questions about the country. THAILAND NOW is set up by the public and private sectors with support from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a hip, user-friendly and insightful online hub helping non-Thais find up-to-date and in-depth information about Thai ways of life, cultural practices, beliefs and holiday destinations. Designed to be the most reliable one-stop source of information on the country, the website features a user friendly interface with fun, informative articles that shed an insightful light on the Land of Smiles, its people, and ways of life. Whether travelers want to live, work, travel, eat, relax, invest, study, do business, or simply learn more about Thailand, travelers will find all on the THAILAND NOW website. THAILAND NOW will become a treasure trove of reliable and factually correct information that informs and entertains at the same time. The new online platform will guide users on their virtual explorations of Thailand through the eyes of experienced local writers who offer insights into their homeland. A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes, and THAILAND NOW has an abundance of colourful images by leading local photographers and catchy infographics by young designers. On top of it all, the site provides useful links to help users find trusted sources of information on specific topics and explore them from different angles. The aim of the site's myriad features is to assist users in filtering their search for specific or customised contents by providing up-to-date information. Visitors to the site are also invited to submit their recommendations for new information and topics through the "Contact Us" tab. In addition to its main site, THAILAND NOW also allows people to explore various faces of Thailand through the use of several social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. So go ahead and visit THAILAND NOW at www.thailandnow.in.th to start learning more about Thailand, now. Most Spanish regions on Wednesday supported a plan to introduce new coronavirus restrictions in large cities with high transmission figures. But Madrid, Galicia, Catalonia, Andalusia and the exclave city of Ceuta rejected it, while Murcia abstained. The Catalan government spokesperson, Meritxell Budo, said that Catalonia already has its own restrictions in place and that these are more stringent than those established by the Spanish Health Ministry. Madrid regional officials had on Wednesday afternoon once again cast doubt on the possibility of a deal with the Spanish Health Ministry over new coronavirus restrictions that could mean the confinement of the capital. In a statement ahead of an afternoon meeting of central and regional officials to approve the plan, the Madrid health department said that it must be noted that Madrid is a collection of 21 districts, of which 18 have over 100,000 residents, and therefore the indicators cannot be applied to the city as a whole. Madrid mayor: "We cannot afford a confinement" Madrid Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, of the Popular Party, said on Wednesday that the capital cannot under any circumstance afford another confinement like the one experienced in March and April, when the country was in lockdown. Obviously we have to safeguard health, and without health there is no economy, but we also need to consider that the economic and social situation that we are facing and that we are going to face means taking measures and finding a balance that prioritizes health, but without the entire economy collapsing, he said. The regional health department demands to know the scientific and technical basis supporting the new criteria of [a 14-day cumulative incidence rate of] 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants proposed by the Health Ministry. It also asks to use more criteria than just the three indicators that were established in the last few hours. The remarks alluded to a preliminary deal reached on Tuesday evening between the Madrid region and the Spanish government, after the latter had threatened to step in if the regional government which has powers over healthcare did not take measures to address the soaring levels of coronavirus infections. The new developments cast doubt on the success of a deal meant to address the situation in Madrid, which accounts for one third of all new cases, where primary healthcare professionals are seeing up to 120 patients a day, and where some hospitals' critical care units are already at capacity. The Health Ministry had managed to get the regional administration of Isabel Diaz Ayuso, of the conservative Popular Party (PP), to accept the conditions that its experts were demanding. These measures include the confinement of areas with a population of 100,000 and over that meet three criteria: a cumulative incidence of Covid-19 over 14 days above 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a positivity rate the number of PCR tests that come back positive of more than 10%; and 35% of intensive care beds occupied by coronavirus patients. Under the plan approved on Wednesday, if a region detects that a municipality has figures above these thresholds, it must order the selective confinement of the area within 48 hours, according to the draft agreement reached by both sides on Tuesday. This means that residents in the affected zones will only be able to enter and leave for essential business, such as to go to work, to school, to take care of a dependent or for a medical visit. Trips to renew permits and official documents or for exams will also be allowed. Traffic will be permitted to pass through the restricted area as long as it is coming from and heading to a different destination. Madrid premier Isabel Diaz Ayuso at a press conference on Tuesday. JuanJo Martin (EFE) Within the affected zones, residents will be able to move about while respecting social distancing and other safety rules. Confinement measures, however, will not be needed if at least 90% of coronavirus cases detected in the municipality correspond to identified and controlled outbreaks outside of the family sphere, according to the document. Areas that exceed the thresholds for transmission, positivity and ICU occupancy rate will also be subject to restrictions on social activities. According to the draft, social gatherings will be limited to six people, both in private and public spaces. Exceptions will be made for people who live in the same home and the workplace. Under the proposal, childrens playgrounds will be closed in the affected areas, while capacity at religious sites will be cut to one-third and funeral attendees reduced to 15 people in outdoor spaces and 10 indoors. Shops, hostelry establishments and betting houses will see capacity reduced to 50% indoors and 60% outdoors. All commercial establishments will have to close by 10pm, and consumption at bar counters will be prohibited. The cities of Madrid, Parla and Funlabrabada in the Madrid region and Pamplona in Navarre are among those that may be affected if the agreement is approved by Inter-territorial Health Committee. According to the draft, 11 cities have an incidence rate above 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Madrid indicators Madrid has the highest 14-day cumulative incidence of Covid-19 in Spain, with 789 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, more than double the national average of 294. The regional government which is run by the conservative Popular Party (PP) in coalition with center-right Ciudadanos (Citizens), and propped up by far-right Vox has restricted movement in 45 basic healthcare areas in a bid to control contagion, but the Health Ministry urged for tougher action. It wanted the restrictions to be extended to all areas with an incidence rate above 500 cases per 100,000, a reduction in capacity in bars across the region, and the total prohibition of consumption at bar counters. After long negotiations, the Madrid administration of PP premier Isabel Diaz Ayuso on Tuesday agreed to accept the confinement criteria incidence rate above 500 cases, positivity rate above 10% and ICU occupancy at 35% but on the condition that it be applied to all areas in Spain with more than 100,000 residents. This was one of the main demands of Ayusos government in recent weeks, with the PP claiming that the inexistence of these criteria allowed the Spanish government which is run by a coalition of the Socialist Party (PSOE) and junior partner Unidas Podemos to punish Madrid for political reasons. English version by Melissa Kitson and Susana Urra. This combination of pictures created on September 29, 2020 shows US President Donald Trump (L) and Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 29, 2020. The group that sponsors the presidential debates said Wednesday that it will make format changes to the next two showdowns between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden "to maintain order" in light of their fractious first showdown. A source close to the Commission on Presidential Debates told NBC News that no final decisions have been made on the changes. But the source also said that the group is considering cutting off a candidate's microphone if they violate the rules. The initial debate between Trump and Biden in Cleveland on Tuesday night quickly descended into disorder, with frequent name-calling and interruptions. Trump on several occasions resisted moderator Chris Wallace's admonitions to follow the rules and to allow the former vice president Biden to speak uninterrupted. In a New York Times interview Wednesday, the Fox News journalist Wallace said, "I never dreamt that it would go off the tracks the way it did," he said. "Last night's debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues," the Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement. The commission added that it "will be carefully considering the changes that it will adopt and will announce those measures shortly." The commission said it was "grateful to" Wallace "for the professionalism and skill he brought to last night's debate and intends to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates." Tim Murtaugh, spokesman for the Trump campaign, said of the commission, "They're only doing this because their guy got pummeled last night." "President Trump was the dominant force and now Joe Biden is trying to work the refs. They shouldn't be moving the goalposts and changing the rules in the middle of the game," Murtaugh said. Trump in a tweet about the planned changes said, "Try getting a new Anchor and a smarter Democrat candidate!" Biden told reporters at a campaign event in Ohio that he supported the idea of making changes to the debate format. "I just hope there's a way in which the debate commission can control the ability of us to answer the question without interruption," Biden said. "I'm not going to speculate on what happens in the second or third debate." Biden, referring to Trump's conduct on Tuesday night, said, "He not only attacked me constantly and my family, but he attacked the moderator." Wallace told The Times that, "As a practical matter, even if the president's microphone had been shut [on Tuesday] he still could have continued to interrupt, and it might well have been picked up on Biden's microphone, and it still would have disrupted the proceedings in the hall," he said. The next debate between the Republican incumbent Trump and Biden is scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami. Steve Scully, the political editor at C-SPAN, is the moderator for the second debate. It will be in a town hall format. A third presidential debate is scheduled for Oct. 22 at Belmont University in Nashville. NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker will moderate that debate. The first and only vice presidential debate between incumbent Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is scheduled for Oct. 7 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. USA Today's Washington bureau chief, Susan Page, is the moderator for that event. In the search for clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels, one promising solution relies on photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells - water-splitting, artificial-photosynthesis devices that turn sunlight and water into solar fuels such as hydrogen. In just a decade, researchers in the field have achieved great progress in the development of PEC systems made of light-absorbing gold nanoparticles - tiny spheres just billionths of a meter in diameter - attached to a semiconductor film of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NP). But despite these advancements, researchers still struggle to make a device that can produce solar fuels on a commercial scale. Now, a team of scientists led by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has gained important new insight into electrons' role in the harvesting of light in gold/TiO2 NP PEC systems. The scientists say that their study, recently published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, can help researchers develop more efficient material combinations for the design of high-performance solar fuels devices. "By quantifying how electrons do their work on the nanoscale and in real time, our study can help to explain why some water-splitting PEC devices did not work as well as hoped," said senior author Oliver Gessner, a senior scientist in Berkeley Lab's Chemical Sciences Division. And by tracing the movement of electrons in these complex systems with chemical specificity and picosecond (trillionths of a second) time resolution, the research team members believe they have developed a new tool that can more accurately calculate the solar fuels conversion efficiency of future devices. Electron-hole pairs: A productive pairing comes to light Researchers studying water-splitting PEC systems have been interested in gold nanoparticles' superior light absorption due to their "plasmonic resonance" - the ability of electrons in gold nanoparticles to move in sync with the electric field of sunlight. "The trick is to transfer electrons between two different types of materials - from the light-absorbing gold nanoparticles to the titanium-dioxide semiconductor," Gessner explained. When electrons are transferred from the gold nanoparticles into the titanium dioxide semiconductor, they leave behind "holes." The combination of an electron injected into titanium dioxide and the hole the electron left behind is called an electron-hole pair. "And we know that electron-hole pairs are critical ingredients to enabling the chemical reaction for the production of solar fuels," he added. But if you want to know how well a plasmonic PEC device is working, you need to learn how many electrons moved from the gold nanoparticles to the semiconductor, how many electron-hole pairs are formed, and how long these electron-hole pairs last before the electron returns to a hole in the gold nanoparticle. "The longer the electrons are separated from the holes in the gold nanoparticles - that is, the longer the lifetime of the electron-hole pairs - the more time you have for the chemical reaction for fuels production to take place," Gessner explained. To answer these questions, Gessner and his team used a technique called "picosecond time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (TRXPS)" at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS) to count how many electrons transfer between the gold nanoparticles and the titanium-dioxide film, and to measure how long the electrons stay in the other material. Gessner said his team is the first to apply the X-ray technique for studying this transfer of electrons in plasmonic systems such as the nanoparticles and the film. "This information is crucial to develop more efficient material combinations." An electronic 'count'-down with TRXPS Using TRXPS at the ALS, the team shone pulses of laser light to excite electrons in 20-nanometer (20 billionths of a meter) gold nanoparticles (AuNP) attached to a semiconducting film made of nanoporous titanium dioxide (TiO2). The team then used short X-ray pulses to measure how many of these electrons "traveled" from the AuNP to the TiO2 to form electron-hole pairs, and then back "home" to the holes in the AuNP. "When you want to take a picture of someone moving very fast, you do it with a short flash of light - for our study, we used short flashes of X-ray light," Gessner said. "And our camera is the photoelectron spectrometer that takes short 'snapshots' at a time resolution of 70 picoseconds." The TRXPS measurement revealed a few surprises: They observed two electrons transfer from gold to titanium dioxide - a far smaller number than they had expected based on previous studies. They also learned that only one in 1,000 photons (particles of light) generated an electron-hole pair, and that it takes just a billionth of a second for an electron to recombine with a hole in the gold nanoparticle. Altogether, these findings and methods described in the current study could help researchers better estimate the optimal time needed to trigger solar fuels production at the nanoscale. "Although X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is a common technique used at universities and research institutions around the world, the way we expanded it for time-resolved studies and used it here is very unique and can only be done at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source," said Monika Blum, a co-author of the study and research scientist at the ALS. "Monika's and Oliver's unique use of TRXPS made it possible to identify how many electrons on gold are activated to become charge carriers - and to locate and track their movement throughout the surface region of a nanomaterial - with unprecedented chemical specificity and picosecond time resolution," said co-author Francesca Toma, a staff scientist at the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) in Berkeley Lab's Chemical Sciences Division. "These findings will be key to gaining a better understanding of how plasmonic materials can advance solar fuels." The team next plans to push their measurements to even faster time scales with a free-electron laser, and to capture even finer nanoscale snapshots of electrons at work in a PEC device when water is added to the mix. ### Co-authors with Berkeley Lab's Gessner, Blum, and Toma include lead author Mario Borgwardt, Guiji Liu, Johannes Mahl, Friedrich Roth, Lukas Wenthaus, Felix Braue, and Klaus Schwarsburg. Researchers from the Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg; Deutsches Electronen Synchrotron/DESY; and the Institute for Solar Fuels, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fur Materialien und Energie GmbH, Germany, also contributed to the study. This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science. The Advanced Light Source is a DOE Office of Science user facility located at Berkeley Lab. The Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) is a DOE Energy Innovation Hub supported through the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Liquid Sunlight Alliance (LiSA), a solar-fuels Hub led by Caltech in partnership with Berkeley Lab, will continue to build on JCAP's work to advance solar fuels. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest scientific challenges are best addressed by teams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and its scientists have been recognized with 13 Nobel Prizes. Today, Berkeley Lab researchers develop sustainable energy and environmental solutions, create useful new materials, advance the frontiers of computing, and probe the mysteries of life, matter, and the universe. Scientists from around the world rely on the Lab's facilities for their own discovery science. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory, managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science. Madhav Godbole, who was the union home secretary at the time of Babri Masjid demolition, says he finds it difficult to accept there was no criminal conspiracy behind the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. It comes as a big surprise to me," Godbole says in this interview to News18. CBI judge Surendra Kumar Yadav on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case. The court observed that the demolition was not pre-planned and evidence brought before it was not strong. In a book he wrote after his retirement, Godble claimed that as the union home secretary, he had prepared a contingency plan to avoid the incident of December 6, 1992. He wrote that the home ministry had recommended to then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao that the structure be taken over by the government by invoking Article 356 of the Constitution. But Narasimha Rao did not accept the Home Ministrys proposal. Here are excerpts of the conversation: What are your views about the judgment? It is impossible to believe that a huge mob of this size could have assembled spontaneously. If this is the verdict that has been declared 28 years after the incident, it is a comment upon our criminal justice system. The Supreme Court itself declared the razing of the structure as a criminal act. That the court did not find any evidence of conspiracy I find it hard to believe. You wrote to the then PM Narasimha Rao recommending that the structure be taken over by the government by invoking article 356. You say that you went with the contingency plan to the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Senior Advisor to Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Prime Minister on November 4, two days before the incident but nothing happened. Why do you think it turned out this way? [Laughs] Thats exactly what happened. Nothing happened. I think Narasimha Rao was not prepared to take a decision on the matter. I think that they did not find invoking article 356 politically acceptable. Beyond that I cannot say anything else. Inferences can be made. You went to Ayodhya yourself a few days after the structure was razed to the ground. How did you feel about the visit? Well, all I can say again, is that I find it very difficult to believe that there was no conspiracy. Apparently the court had examined nearly 500 witnesses but found no conspiracy. It comes as a big surprise to me. Delhi civic bodies have become the fulcrum for political debates in Delhi since the past couple of months. Elections in MCD are scheduled for 272 wards in 2022. The fervour of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to induce the common people to engage with issues to set a favourable electoral mood is noteworthy. The battleground is teeming with claims and counter-claims made by the two prominent contenders BJP and AAP on what are the contours of legitimate rule in MCD. In its unique dialogical style, AAP under the leadership of MCD in-charge and young Turk, Durgesh Pathak, has time and again asked foundational questions about BJPs almost one- and-a-half decades of alleged failed governance in municipal administration. With every passing week, there is a churning of issues that CM Arvind Kejriwal is catalysing to trigger a comparison between municipal administration under BJP and the Delhi model of governance in the state level. Clearly, the electoral strategy of the political parties is slowly unfolding. The larger question of democratisation of political arena is provoked by the decision of the BJP-led North MCD to suspend 22 AAP councillors for the next three sittings of the House. Traditionally, the House is convened only once in a month. Therefore, the suspension will be for a period of three months. Constitutionally speaking, the suspension should be the last resort to maintain discipline and tranquillity in the conduct of the business of the House but has become a political measure to stifle voices that interrogate and register dissent. The political behaviour of representatives in political institutions has seen a drastic change since the early decades of Independence. The battleground is teeming with claims and counter-claims made by the two prominent contenders BJP and AAP on what are the contours of legitimate rule in MCD. (Photos: Reuters) In the past year, the suspension has become a way of life for municipal administration making a mockery of democratic practices. AAP councillors have been suspended in NDMC in September 2019 and in April 2020 for 15 days respectively. The constitutional intent regarding suspension as a practice in extraordinary circumstances is demarcated in Section 79 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act of 1957. It lays down the procedure for suspension of councillors. There is categorical mention of gross disorderly behaviour to be the reasonable ground for suspension of councillors by the presiding officer of the House. In the first instance of disorderly behaviour of the councillor, the Mayor can direct him to withdraw and he, in turn, will absent himself during the rest of the meeting. In the second instance, if the councillor is ordered to withdraw a second time within 15 days, the Mayor may suspend the councillor from attending the meetings of the Corporation for a period of not exceeding 15 days. The suspension is a state of exception. It is a matter a pertinent concern to delve into the constitutionality of frequent suspension of opposition members in the House. Also, it is a pointer towards the dismay at the silent transition and tweaking of democratic procedures for political convenience. The contention between the AAP and BJP councillors, in this case, was renegotiating the agenda of the House to allow the opposition to initiate discussion on matters of financial impropriety in the MCD. The debate around fixing accountability for the poor financial condition of the civic body became the point of dissidence. The question of sharing of revenue between municipal units has generated considerable tension in public forums. It is alleged that approx. Rs 2100 crores is lying in the coffers of South MCD that was borrowed from North MCD. It is anticipated that once there is repayment of borrowed money the financial woes of North MCD will be sorted out. There have been massive protests by municipal employees over non-payment of their salaries and pension dues. AAP has been rallying about the corruption in MCD that has structurally destroyed its governance architecture as well as the cleanliness quotient of the city. They have made steady demands about equal resource sharing and answerability. A more strenuous campaign by the opposition will establish an ecosystem of stability and prosperity in municipalities. A critical engagement with re-politicisation of municipal administration has brought common citizens routinised struggles to the forefront. The decline of political institutions is a visible trend in our democracy. A well-informed debate in the House only strengthens and reinforces citizens confidence in the democratic system. Building political consensus on matters of public interest is essential for effective governance. Intimidating tactics to circumscribe the power of councillors to a limited role in opposition is a sign of institutional decay. Political accountability of all councillors from both the ruling party and opposition has to be fixed so that democracy does not get suspended in the near future. Also Read: Covid-19, taxes, schools hog focus in run-up to Delhi MCD elections 2022 The Department of Public Health will being to separate out Champaign County from the rest of the region, which also includes Decatur and Danville, in determining whether to institute stricter rules. However, if those rules are put into effect, they would apply to Champaign County as well. Jiawei Liu has been announced as the new CEO of Huawei UAE to further support the UAEs digital transformation journey. Having worked for the tech giant for over a decade, Liu will lend his international leadership experience to the growth and development of Huaweis UAE operations across carrier, enterprise, and consumer segments. Huawei is determined to optimise support to UAE digital transformation, ICT ecosystem, driving verticals business development and local talents nurturing towards sustainable diversified digital economy. Liu will be responsible for strategy and operations, in addition to providing consultancy and support to customers. He will continue to drive Huaweis position as a facilitator of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) enablement for public and private sector entities in the UAE, through the provision of leading information and communication technologies. In addition, he will also be providing technical support required to help overcome the challenges resulting from the spread of Covid-19 and support achieving the recovery targets. Speaking on the appointment, Charles Yang, President of Huawei Middle East said: With Lius impeccable track record and undeniable leadership expertise, we are confident of his ability to further harness Huaweis technology capabilities to build the UAEs ICT ecosystem and support the countrys digitisation efforts. We look forward to working with Liu to support the UAE ambitious digital targets. Commenting on his new role, Liu said: It is a privilege to have the opportunity to head operations in a market as exciting as the UAE. Known for its progressive approach to technology and innovation adoption, the UAE offers significant opportunity for Huawei technologies, particularly in terms of our 5G, AI, and cloud-based solutions. Enabling digital transformation throughout the emirates by empowering our customers with cutting-edge technology will be my priority. The UAE was forward thinking years ago by prioritising digital transformation and harnessing new technologies. That is part of its wider national economic development and diversification transformation. The countrys leadership realised very early on that in order to compete with the best in the world in the future. UAE is building its future on technology innovations and the power of disruptive technologies in envisioning UAE future as a digital nation. The UAE National Innovation Strategy, the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, and the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan embody UAE ambitions that Huawei is keen and committed to support, Liu added. In his previous role, Liu served as CEO of Huawei Uganda. He has previously held the position of CEO in Mauritius and Malawi, prior to which he worked in South Africa, Mozambique, and China. Throughout his career with Huawei he has been instrumental in enhancing the companys position as an influential player in the local information and communications technology (ICT) market. -- Tradearabia News Service Camper fire claims the life of two people in Marshall County Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The 'Global 3-Methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol (MMB, CAS 56539-66-3) Market Outlook 2019-2024' offers detailed coverage of 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol industry and presents main market trends. The market research gives historical and forecast market size, demand, end-use details, price trends, and company shares of the leading 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol producers to provide exhaustive coverage of the market for 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol. The report segments the market and forecasts its size, by volume and value, on the basis of application, by products, and by geography. The report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from key industry participants. The global 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol market has been segmented into five major regions, namely, North America (U.S., Canada, and others), Europe (U.K., France, Germany, Russia, and others), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, and others), South America (Brazil, Argentina, and others), and Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and others). Furthermore, the report also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key vendors operating in this market. Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/3786 Key Regions - North America - Europe - Asia Pacific - Middle East & Africa - South America Key Vendors - Kuraray Co., Ltd. - China Catalyst Huabang (Dongying) Co., Ltd. - request free sample to get a complete list of companies Key Questions Answered in This Report - Analysis of the 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol market including revenues, future growth, market outlook - Historical data and forecast - Regional analysis including growth estimates - Analyzes the end user markets including growth estimates. - Profiles on 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol vendors including products, sales/revenues, SWOT, and market position, recent developments. - Market structure, market drivers and restraints. More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/3786 EZLynx has partnered with Flood Risk Solutions Inc. to provide flood insurance quotes to independent insurance agencies inside the United States #1 Comparative Rater. Agents can now easily quote flood insurance to their clients instantly without double-entry or leaving EZLynx software. Flood Risk Solutions places primary and excess flood insurance programs on behalf of select insurance partners across the U.S., providing more flood options than any other technology platform. The addition of this service to EZLynxs portfolio of Connect Partners gives independent agents more opportunities to cross-sell to their clients directly from the Comparative Rater, allowing them to earn more commissions. The information provided by Flood Risk Solutions automatically displays as a quick link inside EZLynxs Rating Engine while agents are quoting policies to their clients. Having this information at their fingertips allows agents a seamless transition into offering flood insurance along with home, auto and life policies while the new client is still on the phone. "EZLynx is the premier technology platform, across the United States for homeowners and auto, said Managing Director of Flood Risk Solutions, Inc, Brendan Moeller. Our partnership will add complimentary flood capacity to their platform, which made complete sense from an agency efficiency standpoint. We offer the broadest flood product suite in the marketplace, and we look forward to supporting the EZLynx ecosystem across the country. Were excited to add Flood Insurance to the Connect platform, said EZLynx Product Manager Derek Armentrout. Increasing agency sales by quoting flood for every property risk is now easier than ever, with no more jumping between systems and entering the same data over and over. Flood Risk Solutions Inc. is the latest addition to the EZLynx Connect platform. EZLynx Connect provides third-party businesses an avenue to distribute their products and services directly within the EZLynx platform. Weve opened the EZLynx framework and invited carriers and vendors to work side-by-side with our technologists to innovate and integrate solutions to better the agency workflow. About EZLynx: EZLynx is one of the leading software solutions for independent insurance agencies. In 2003, EZLynx pioneered real-time rating, enabling agents to generate quotes from multiple insurance carriers with a single data entry point. EZLynx has continued to create innovative software solutions that transform every facet of agency life, including agency management, client self-servicing, sales pipeline management, marketing and communications, accounting, eSignature, and more, all available on a unified, one platform solution. Over 20,000 agencies rely on EZLynx to provide more than 4 million home, auto, and package transactions every month. Learn more at http://www.EZLynx.com. About Flood Risk Solutions Inc.: Flood Risk Solutions is an Insurtech managing general agent with a market leading rate/quote/bind technology platform for flood insurance. The platform provides agents with quotations from numerous leading domestic and surplus marketplace's including Lloyd's of London and the NFIP. With proprietary data and seamless carrier integrations, FRS enables real time quoting and binding of risks without elevation certificates, all within the FRS platform. Learn more at http://www.floodsol.com. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor We all know someone with a disability who may have seen a glimmer of hope in the throne speech last week. A friend who battles depression, a nephew with autism, or perhaps a co-worker with multiple sclerosis. But despite being surrounded by people with disabilities, we often dont see the impact of disability on their lives. Disability income support programs often reflect this lack of understanding of the real experience of disability. The federal governments proposed Disability Inclusion Plan could offer a great step toward true inclusion or could reinforce the problems of current programs. For this plan to work, it needs to be grounded in principles that ensure no one is left behind. Inclusion for people with disabilities must be both economic and social. A program focused solely on facilitating employment devalues the worth of individuals when they cannot work. Disabilities impact individuals in different ways at different times, and they should be able to move in and out of the labour market with a flexible income support program. Programs that force people to continually reapply for benefits create barriers to sustained economic engagement. An income adequate to keep people out of poverty cannot be understated as a means to social inclusion. Those without employment should be able to live with dignity and participate in their communities. Those who work often require extra funds to reach the poverty line and meet basic needs. Disability should never mean isolation, hunger or homelessness. The federal plan cannot and will not stand alone. For federal and provincial programs to provide adequate income, punitive clawbacks by one program of anothers funds must end. The current treatment of EI, CPP-D and earned income leaves Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients respectively worse off, no better off or marginally improved. Benefits should stack onto each other not cancel each other out. Income supports should also work in tandem with housing, employment, childcare, and other programs to lift people out of poverty. An inclusive plan would address individual needs and recognize individual barriers to inclusion. Every persons story is different, and a disability support program, like health supports, should have the ability to recognize and address individual needs. Equity must also guide the allocation of resources, ensuring the specific needs of, and barriers faced by, people from marginalized communities, including those who identify as Indigenous and Black, are addressed. This will require responsive and flexible program planning and delivery. If done correctly this plan would meet the requirements of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, including the right to work, which Canada is duty-bound to uphold. There is no inclusion when a persons fundamental rights are violated. For example, ODSP recipients are effectively deemed to be in common-law relationships after three months of cohabitation whereas it takes three years for non- disabled persons to be deemed common-law by the province. This has created a barrier to forming relationships, which may partly explain why over 80 per cent of people on ODSP are single. Underlying all this is probably one of the most divisive and difficult conversations in the disability rights community the definition of who is actually disabled. Restrictive definitions of disability have created barriers to support for many. Currently, definitions vary by program and level of government. The definition for ODSP appropriately focuses on a broad assessment of functioning to determine disability and provides a good model for other programs. It falls in line with the lived experience of having a disability. Change, however, will require more than just an appropriate definition. In practice, documenting functional limitations has been difficult for doctors who are trained to see symptoms and make diagnoses, and harder still for programs to adjudicate fairly without regard to gatekeeping or quotas. This new federal program could represent a historic moment for persons with disabilities in Canada. Without input from the broader disability community, it could result in further marginalization. Those who know the system best, those who live with disabilities, must be included in the design of the new benefit. We hope the federal government is ready to grab this opportunity to advance the human rights and dignity of people living with disabilities. MOSCOW, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Material scientists from NUST MISIS commissioned by JSC Atomenergoproekt have started to carry out certification studies of the existing material and select a new one for the manufacture of a "melt localization device" - a capsule located in the containment building of nuclear reactors - for the largest domestic and foreign projects of Rosatom Corporation. The melt localization device is one of the nuclear safety passive protection systems and provides isolation of the foundation and soil from the corium - the melt of the reactor vessel and its core - in case of man-made accidents. At present, Russia is building nuclear power plants in Turkey, Finland, China, Belarus, India, Bangladesh, etc. Rosatom's foreign orders portfolio includes 36 power units. Additional passive protection systems, the so-called "melt containment devices", are planned to ensure the increased safety of generation 3+ reactors. A melt localization device ("melt trap") is a steel capsule with a special filler located in the containment building of a nuclear reactor, designed to localize the melt of a nuclear reactor vessel, internals and the core of a nuclear reactor in severe accidents, which provides soil and foundation isolation, and also cools the melt. In the event of a severe loss of coolant accident - as in the largest incidents at the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plants - the reactor vessel can melt. In this case, the remnants of the core radioactive toxic materials fall into this trap, where they are cooled to temperatures at which the rescue teams will be able to work. Specialists of the Department of Metallurgy and Strength Physics at NUST MISIS, together with the Hybrid Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, are working on a project to select a new material for the melt trap, which will guarantee the required performance of the reactor, including extreme modes. In Russian protection systems, a "melt trap" is built directly under the reactor (at the bottom of the mine) and is a cone-shaped metal structure with a total weight of about 750 tons. The trap is filled with a special, so-called "sacrificial material" (filler), consisting mainly of iron and aluminum oxides. The filler is dissolved in the fuel melt to reduce its volumetric energy release and increase the heat exchange surface, and water fills this mass through special pipelines in the trap body. "In our laboratory, we managed to simulate the emergency operation of a nuclear reactor and track the behavior of various materials proposed for making a trap," - explained Alexander Komissarov, head of the Hybrid nanostructured materials laboratory. - "Analysis of the materials' behavior will make it possible to calculate the minimum level of strength of the trap case, which ensures guaranteed and safe elimination of the consequences of the reactor core melting. The trap is capable of preventing the grave consequences of an accident at a nuclear power plant, but I am sure that with the development of today's nuclear safety technologies, it will never have to be used." SOURCE The National University of Science and Technology MISiS The Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is fending off allegations that an abandoned gold and copper mine in Papua New Guinea, vacated two decades ago, is leaking poisonous waste into the region's rivers. More than 150 people living in the island of Bougainville have filed a complaint with Australian authorities, claiming the mine has left a toxic legacy of poisoned water, polluted fields and a ruined river valley. Waste from the Panguna mine has caused ongoing problems for the 12,000 residents nearby who claim the abandoned site is a violation of human rights. Theonila Roka Matbob, traditional landowner and member of the local parliament of Bougainville, said residents are living with the impacts of Panguna every day. Ms Matbob said in a statement released by the Human Rights Law Center: Our rivers are poisoned with copper, our homes get filled with dust from the tailings mounds, our kids get sick from the pollution. She added: Every time it rains, more waste washes into the rivers, causing flooding for villages further downstream. Some communities now have to spend two hours a day walking just to get clean drinking water because their nearby creeks are clogged up with mine waste. The Panguna mine was run throughout the 1970s and 80s by the Rio Tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), and was one of the regions largest copper and gold mines. Anger in the local community over the site's environmental damage, disputes over the distribution of profits and the outbreak of the Bougainville civil war, during which an estimated 20,000 Bougainvilleans died, forced the mine's closure over two decades ago. Rio Tinto cut ties with BCL in 2016 and handed a 53 per cent stake of the mine to the government of Papua New Guinea but many feel the company should still take responsibility for cleaning up the site. Following the overwhelming peoples vote for independence in Bougainville in December 2019, there has been renewed interest in the future of the site and in the possibility of reopening Panguna and establishing new mines in the region. These are not problems we can fix with our bare hands, Ms Matbob said. We urgently need Rio Tinto to do whats right and deal with the disaster they have left behind. A spokesperson for the mining firm told the Sydney Morning Herald that theyre willing to speak to the current owners of the gold and copper mine as well as the local community. We are aware of the deterioration of mining infrastructure at the site and surrounding areas, and claims of resulting adverse environmental and social, including human rights, impacts, they told the newspaper. Earlier this month, Rio Tintos CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques and two other senior executives resigned amid controversy following the destruction of a sacred 46,000-year-old Aboriginal site in Pilbara, western Australia. The advocacy group is petitioning the Australian government to investigate Rio Tinto over their abandonment and a complaint has been filed with the Anglo-Australian minder and federal Treasury Department. The group claims pollution as a result of the mine has put both the community and livelihoods at risk and that Rio Tinto should assist in the long term clean up and rehabilitation process. The complaint has been signed by 156 Bougainville residents who urge commitment from the company to contribute to an independent fund and address the health and safety dangers caused by the mine. New Delhi, Sep 30 : The white spirits have often been unanimously hailed as one of the most popular when it comes to cocktail making. With the colourless, distilled spirit of vodka being a common favourite for so many, the 4th of October is celebrated as International Vodka Day. It raises a toast to this one-of-a-kind creation in the world of spirits. While the origins of vodka lead back to the 14th century, the word vodka stems from the Russian word 'voda', which means water, attributing to its production process, unique taste and versatility. Distilled and fermented, vodka can be made of grains, potatoes and even grapes! Its refreshing and fresh flavour profile can be molded into any way that flatters the drink by adding the simplest of ingredients. While, it's traditionally consumed neat in a lot of countries, the liquid has been internationally known for its classic cocktails of Bloody Marys, Martinis, White Russians, Gimlets, and Cosmopolitans. Experts from Diageo India share some classic and unconventional ways to create an effortless drink using the sophisticated and smooth taste of Ketel One and Smirnoff Vodka. So, bring out your favourite glassware and your blend of choice. It's time to create a vibrant cocktail made with the simplest of ingredients from your kitchens. GINGER AND TURMERIC MARTINI Ingredients: 60ml Ketel One Vodka 15ml Lime Juice 15ml Honey Water A pinch of Turmeric Powder * 2-3 Fresh Ginger SlicesGlassware: Martini Glass Method: Muddle the ginger slices and mix in Ketel One Vodka, honey water and turmeric powder in a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes to the shaker. Double strain the mixture and pour fresh in a martini glass. Garnish with a slice of ginger. THE DUTCH MULE Ingredients: 60ml Ketel One Vodka 15ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Ginger juice * 15ml Orange Oleo Saccharum* * 120ml Soda waterGlassware: Rocks Glass/Copper Mug Method: For the Oleo Saccharum: Peel the entire surface of an orange into a bowl with sugar and muddle well. Rest for 4-6 hours. Push the peel to the sides of the bowl, allowing the oils to gather in the centre. Remove the peel and chill the syrup before using. For the Cocktail: Add all the ingredients to a rocks glass (copper mug if you have one). Stir to combine. Fill the glass with ice and garnish with a slice of lime. SMIRNOFF AND SODA Ingredients: 45ml Smirnoff No.21 120ml Soda * 1PC Lime Wedge/SliceGlassware: Highball [Tall Glass] Method: Fill a highball glass with lots of ice. Pour in Smirnoff No.21 vodka. Top up with soda and stir well. Garnish with a Lime Slice or Wedge. APPLE OF MY LIE Ingredients 45ml Smirnoff Green Apple 3 Fresh Mint Sprigs * Soda to topGlassware: Highball [Tall Glass] Method: In a highball glass drop the mint sprigs and gently muddle to release its flavours. Pour in Smirnoff Green Apple and fill with ice. Top with soda, gently stir and serve. Expands DDAI Business Model to Cable Systems Throughout the US VANCOUVER, WA / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc. (OTC PINK:AATV), today announced the latest stage implementation for the expansion of its business plans to optimally service cable television systems throughout the United States beyond the current core business of its Dynamic Digital Ad Insertion (DDAI), with the completion of construction of its IPTV head-end facility in Arizona. Over the past ten years, the Company has consistently improved its Dynamic Digital Ad Insertion (DDAI) business model and has now completed construction of its new IPTV head-end facility near Mesa, Arizona. This high-tech facility will serve as the nerve center for the Company's earlier developed, advanced cue-tone hardware and software technology which delivers reliable ad insertion digital cue-tones to all AATV systems. Cue-tones are electronic signals sent by Adaptive to Cable TV Systems and other video providers, "cuing" them to insert specific advertisements into the Adaptive video ad network. The Company's CEO, J. Michael Heil, states: "Our new high-tech IPTV head-end facility, serving as the hardware and software nerve center for our cue-tone generation, now allows us to deliver our cloud-based digital ad insertions into programs on all major cable television networks throughout the US, exceeding 98% effectiveness in inserting advertising content. This is achieved by utilizing our own proprietary software and ever-evolving hardware in this IPTV head-end facility to deliver our DDAI services to our clients throughout the US, making us independent from third party network centers." Mr. Heil continues: "For over fifteen years we have been serving independent cable television systems by delivering state of the art and leading-edge cloud-based ad insertion technology and services. During this time, we have observed and studied the unfortunate and widespread abandonment of small communities by cable television systems. This progressive abandonment by cable television companies has resulted in a nation-wide demand for a new and efficient provider of cable television content and programming. We are now responding to that demand, announcing details very soon." The Company is a pioneer in cable television ad insertions serving independent cable television systems in all markets and its proprietary hardware and software set the standard that other companies must meet in the cable television advertising industry THE ADAPTIVE SYSTEM Adaptive's proprietary software and hardware, installed in scores of cable television systems across the United States, creates a "network" of linked cable systems that provide advertisers the ability to purchase ads across the network, reaching consumers in areas previously overlooked. ABOUT ADAPTIVE Adaptive Ad Systems Inc. is a digital media and video communications company that, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, develops and deploys Dynamic Digital Ad Insertion (DDAI) and video streaming media hardware and proprietary processing software for the Cable TV, Satellite and IPTV markets. The Company targets and serves the often-over-looked 2nd and 3rd Tier and now also Tier 1 US markets. Adaptive exclusively sells all available advertising space in each market it has contracted, while maintaining complete technology ownership. Currently, the Company's technology and business model allows it to dynamically serve over 75 designated marketing areas in over 40 states. Adaptive also provides broadband and cable TV services in some niche major markets. For additional information, please visit: www.aatv.co. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, financial projections, statements regarding the plans and objectives of management for current and future operations, the development, regulatory approvals and commercialization of the Company's products, or any of the Company's proposed services, systems, services, licensing arrangements, joint ventures, partnerships or acquisitions. Such forward-looking statements are not meant to predict or guarantee actual results and performance and actual events or results may differ considerably. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any projections may include, without limitation, delays in the Company's development of its products and services, the inability to obtain additional financing, the impact of significant new or changing government regulation on the industry, existing or increased competition, results of arbitration and litigation, stock volatility and illiquidity, and the Company's general failure to effectively implement the Company's business plans or strategies. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. CONTACT: Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc. 4400 NE 77th Avenue Suite 275 Vancouver, Washington 98662 310-321-4958 info@aatv.co www.aatv.co StockWatchIndex San Diego, California 442-287-8059 info@stockwatchindex.com www.stockwatchindex.com www.swiresearch.com SOURCE: Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608434/Adaptive-Ad-Systems-Announces-Completion-of-Construction-for-new-IPTV-Head-end-Facility-in-Arizona Richa Sharma By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The opposition has termed the decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case as shocking and a travesty of justice and said that it runs counter to the Supreme Court judgment and Constitutional spirit. Urging the Central and State governments to file an appeal against the decision of the Special Court, the Congress said that the Supreme Court in its judgment dated November 9, 2019, pronounced by five judges clearly held that the demolition of Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and an egregious violation of the rule of law. But the Special Court exonerated all the Accused. It is clear that the decision of the Special Court runs counter to the decision of the Supreme Court of India. The entire country witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by BJP-RSS and its leaders to destroy the countrys communal amity and brotherhood for usurping power at any cost, said Congress media in-charge RS Surjewala. ALSO READ | Did Babri Masjid get demolished magically, asks Owaisi, terms acquittal a 'black day' Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel termed the verdict shocking for it goes contrary to principles of natural justice and even the SCs observation. The then BJP government of Uttar Pradesh was a co-conspirator in the designed attack on Indias Constitutional ethos. So much so that the Supreme Court was misled by filing a wrong affidavit on oath. It is only after detailed examination of all these aspects, facts, and evidence that the Supreme Court held the demolition of Babri Masjid to be an egregious violation of the rule of law, said the party. ALSO READ | Not enough evidence to suggest Babri demolition was pre-planned: Court acquits all accused It further said that every Indian, who has innate faith in the Constitution as also in the spirit of communal amity and brotherhood, expects and urges the Central and state governments to file an appeal against the decision of the Special Court and follow the letter of the law and the Constitution, without any partiality and pre-meditated prejudice. This is the true calling of rule of law and our Constitution, it added. Calling it a travesty of justice, the CPM politburo said that it took 28 long years for this verdict. It will stain the image of India as a secular democratic country governed by the Constitution. The CBI must immediately appeal against this judgment. All the top leaders of the BJP-VHP-RSS who were present at the scene guiding the criminal act have been found to be innocent of the charge of conspiracy to demolish the mosque. The Supreme Court in its Ayodhya judgment in November last year had called the demolition an egregious violation of the law. Now, the Lucknow court has found the main perpetrators of this crime not guilty, said the party. WATCH | Not enough evidence to suggest Babri demolition was pre-planned: Court acquits all accused The political slurry in which we find ourselves in the final weeks of this campaign season has lots of ingredients. But as in past years, one constant is abortion. It figures prominently, if not always explicitly, in the presidential campaign as well as in the debate about the next Supreme Court justice. The Rev. John Vogler sparked a lively debate in the opinion pages of the Post-Dispatch when, in a Sept. 17 letter, he argued that pro-life must mean more than pro-life in the womb. I agree with him. But I disagree with subsequent writers who said that those who oppose abortion are imposing their religious beliefs on others. I also disagree with another writer who said that abortion is not a moral issue. The issue is far more complicated than that. Some things, such as the divinity of Jesus, Gods forgiveness of sins and the existence of heaven, are religious questions. They only make sense to people of faith who assent to them by saying: I believe this is true. Abortion is important to believers, but it is not just a religious issue. Rather, it raises three questions that are fundamental to human existence: What constitutes human life? When does personal human life begin? And how much protection does nascent human life deserve? Any decision we make that involves justice, truth-telling, public safety, even economics, is based on some assumptions about the answer to these questions. They must be considered by every rational person. The reason the abortion debate is so intractable is that we have no public consensus about these questions. Catholics (and many others) assume that the fertilized ovum is a person from the moment of conception. Many pro-choice advocates dispute this, but they dont offer an alternative. Is it a mass of cells, a non-person, a pre-person, or what? Roe v. Wade represents a compromise of sorts by allowing abortion during the first trimester, when the embryo does not apparently have the qualities of a person, but restricting it later when the fetus begins to look more like a child. Abortion opponents even those whose position is influenced by religious belief have a constitutional right to articulate their views and to bring them into the public debate. But we must remember that we live in a pluralistic society. Politics is the art of the possible, and civil law is essentially pragmatic. Its purpose is public order, so it often has to make compromises. Both St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas said that not everything that is immoral should necessarily be illegal. Public law has to have enough support for it to be enforceable. We may be firm in our conviction about the personhood of embryonic life, but we may not get 100% of what we want. If our conviction is not shared by enough other citizens to sway the law in our favor, we may have to live with current law and use persuasion to build a broader consensus that can support a change in the law. This requires more patience than the quick fix of a judicial decision. But if our understanding of the person is a reasonable conclusion based on scientific facts and not a religious mystery, it is not only possible but much more durable in the long run. Those who support abortion rights must also exercise some restraint. All of us believe that free choices made after careful reflection are a fundamental human capability. But a fully human choice is not an indifferent selection of one neutral option over another. It is not just freedom from but freedom to, because it strives for the best good possible. Moral choices are creative acts in which we become the best persons we can be. So the choice to have an abortion or not is a moral choice. It is personal, but not private. We cant put it behind a curtain and say that this choice has no moral content. Whether we are religious or not, the important choices we make are moral choices. Vogler gave sound advice. We must expand our agenda to build respect for all life. Even if we do not agree on the full extent and nature of human personhood, we can agree on a great deal about what it means to be human. Humans need respect, freedom, friendship, education, health care and culture to achieve full personhood. If we can work together toward these things, the sharp edges of the abortion debate would seem much less daunting. The Rev. Charles E. Bouchard is a health care ethicist and a former professor at Aquinas Institute of Theology. Jeremy Clarkson cut a casual figure as he arrived in the Scottish Highlands to film scenes for The Grand Tour on Wednesday. The TV presenter, 60, was joined by James May and several crew members as they filmed a segment of the show in an open field. Jeremy was seen behind the wheel at one point as he filmed in a bright blue car towing a caravan. Arriving: Jeremy Clarkson cut a casual figure as he arrived in the Scottish Highlands to film scenes for The Grand Tour on Wednesday The broadcaster opted for a laid back look for the shoot, sporting a khaki green jacket and a pair of blue jeans as he chatted to his co-host James. Jeremy and James adhered to Covid-19 guidelines as they sported face masks while waiting between takes and maintained social distance. The Grand Tour was created by Jeremy, James, Richard Hammond and Andy Wilman, conceived after the three hosts left Top Gear. In December, the former Top Gear stars appeared in the first of a series of specials called The Grand Tour Presents: Seamen. Filming: The TV presenter was joined by James May and several crew members as they filmed a segment of the show in an open field Casual: The broadcaster opted for a laid back look for the shoot,sporting a khaki green jacket and a pair of blue jeans as he chatted to his co-host James The feature-length episode saw the captivating trio head off on an adventure across the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia, where they captain three very different types of vessels. In the special, Jeremy, James and Richard headed out on a 800km journey through Vietnam and Cambodia that begins Tonle Sap Lake. During their trip, the trio had to weave their way through a series of challenges and unexpected mishaps as they make their way to the Mekong Delta. To go on this epic adventure, Jeremy headed out on a Vietnam-era PBR (Patrol Boat River), which most famously appeared in Apocalypse Now. And Richard channelled his inner Don Johnson by setting off on a Miami Vice style speedboat, while James headed out on a classic 1939 wooden river cruiser. Six candidates for two open seats on The Woodlands Township Board of Directors introduced themselves to voters in an online forum on Tuesday. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the forum date was changed to a day earlier and the event was plagued by video and audio difficulties. Hosted by The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, four candidates for the Position 2 seat and two candidates for the Position 4 seat met at the chamber offices to do the meet and greet via Facebook Live. Residents could ask questions ahead of time for the candidates to answer and a live-chat feature was set up for viewers to post additional comments. The feeds of the forums began in odd fashion as no sound could be heard for several minutes and throughout the event, candidates asked for help with the microphone and were at times subjected to strange zoom-in, close-ups of their faces. Voters who want to watch the forums can go to the chambers Facebook page to view the videos, although the audio of the discussions is disjointed and at times hard to hear. Margo McZeal, governmental affairs coordinator for the chamber, said the technical issues with the forum will be fixed for Thursdays event, between Position 1 candidates Gordy Bunch and Dr. Jerry D. Smith. A third candidate who will be on the ballot still, Ron Keichline, has quit the election and requested no one vote for him. He will not be at Thursdays forum. Related: Citing job issues, Woodlands candidate Keichline ends election bid We did have technical issue with the sound but was able to improve it, she said of the Sept. 29 video feed. Positon 2 hopefuls all present The Position 2 seat race in the 2020 township election has the most candidates, with four people vying for the seat held for most of two terms by Brian Boniface. Boniface resigned from the position on April 9 after being called to a six-month humanitarian relief mission with the U.S. Army Reserves. After his resignation, township directors appointed in a 4-2 vote Jason J. Nelson, a local pastor, to replace Boniface. Related: Boniface resigns from Woodlands board due to Army Reserves call-up Nelson is seeking to be elected to the seat officially and has three challengers: Jimmie Dotson, the first Black candidate in the townships short history; Thomas Chumbley, a local leadership specialist who ran in 2019 and lost to Ann Snyder; and Luis Louis Granados, who also ran in 2019, also losing to Snyder. Nelson said he wants to protect The Woodlands for future generations of families. He also said he was proud of the board for being fiscally sound during the COVID-19 pandemic. Related: Woodlands board appointee Nelson seeks to keep seat in Nov. 3 election I believe (our 2021 budget) is going to help The Woodlands grow and I am so excited, Nelson said. I am a man of faith, I deal in prayer and I stand for the national anthem. I want to protect not just the future of The Woodlands, but the future of the community for our children and keep this community a safe, secure place for generations to come. Dotson, a long-time police official in Houston, Chattanooga, Tenn. and at the Houston Independent School District, has lived in The Woodlands more than 30 years over two stints and in three different villages, now residing in the Village of Creekside Park. He was a member of the townships law enforcement advisory board in the mid-2000s. Related: Dotson is first Black candidate for Woodlands Township board I served my country and served one term in Vietnam. I moved to Houston when I finished my career in the Marine Corps, he said. Upon returning back to the community we love in 2005, I served as a law enforcement advisor by helping in the drafting and implementing the first law enforcement plan, which his still in effect today. I am opposed to incorporation. Chumbley said it would be a mistake to create a new government by incorporating the township into a city. Unlike his jittery 2019 forum performance, Chumbley was polished and had a list of talking points he discussed in-depth. Related: Bid for Woodlands board about serving community for Chumbley Clearly we are at a crossroads, Chumbley said of incorporation. An opportunity exists for a future that is bright. You can create a worse tyranny than youre trying to avoid. We did not know the financial costs (of incorporation) until recently. Granados is in his third attempt to win a seat on the board in three years. Granados has requested that a more recognizable spelling of his name be on the ballot. Instead of seeing his real name, Luis Granados, voters will see Louis Granados. Related: Granados seeks Woodlands board seat in third campaign effort I moved to The Woodlands in 2015, and this degradation (is bad)when I start looking around, I see deforestation, Granados said. I was asking myself, Where is this traffic coming from? Where are these people coming from? (We need to be) Asking questions and pointing out The Woodlands is run by the Howard Hughes Corp. If we proceed with this trend (of development), it will not be The Woodlands in 10 years. Position 4 candidates keep comments brief The two candidates for the Position 4 seat, two term incumbent Bruce Rieser and challenger The Rev. Dan Hannon, kept their forum discussion extremely brief due to continued difficulties with the audio at the event. Between the two candidates presentations, they spoke for less than 10 minutes each before ending the forum. Much of their comments were unintelligible due to audio problems with the video feed and could not be deciphered despite multiple attempts to view the video. Rieser, seeking his third term, discussed his platform for office in this Villager profile. At points of the forum, he said incorporation would prevent unchecked development projects which are often out of control of directors due to not being a city. Hannon, who was the founding pastor at Christ Church United Methodist for 28 years, was profiled by The Villager in this article. He said in part that directors on the board needed be respectful to others, notably in areas of gender, race and other identities. The township election is Nov. 3, with early voting starting on Oct. 13, and continuing in three sessions with varying hours and days of operation through Oct. 30. There is one Sunday voting session this year, on Oct. 25. Directors serve two-year terms and are not paid for their services. jeff.forward@chron.com Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Poems by local writers are being turned into public art pieces, rolling through the city on buses and hanging in the windows of neighbourhood libraries. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Poems by local writers are being turned into public art pieces, rolling through the city on buses and hanging in the windows of neighbourhood libraries. The Winnipeg Words project is a celebration of contemporary poetry and the brainchild of the Winnipeg Arts Council and Di Brandt, the citys inaugural poet laureate. Work by Brandt, Shirley Camia, Rosanna Deerchild, Catherine Hunter, Charles Leblanc, Sharanpal Ruprai, Katherena Vermette, Duncan Mercredi and Chimwemwe Undi has been selected for the project. "Im excited to be part of a project that puts poetry in front of people," says Undi, a 26-year-old poet and recent law school graduate. "I think a lot of people say that they dont like poetry, but theres a huge amount of variety in poetry and the stuff that you learned in high school is not necessarily a great representation of what there is out there." MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chimwemwe Undi, one of the poets selected for the Winnipeg Words project, hopes having her work displayed downtown at the Millennium Library will inspire passersby to explore poetry in their own way. Undi herself had an atypical high school poetry experience. Drawn to the artform by a love of music lyrics, she became a member of her schools poetry club, where the focus was on enjoying verse instead of analyzing it. That informal, approachable relationship with poetry has guided her writing and spoken-word performances over the last decade. "I think the benefits of a public art project like this and of spoken word are the same, in that they aim to make poetry accessible," Undi says. "To bring it out of the classroom and the coffee shop and into peoples daily lives." In her own life, reading and writing poetry has kept her grounded while starting work as an articling student and throughout the coronavirus pandemic. "For me, its really about connecting to other people," she says "That a poem about what can seem like a really individual and idiosyncratic experience can speak to so many people reminds me that we are all connected." An excerpt of Undis poem, On Naming (after Audre Lorde), will be posted at the Millennium Library as part of the Winnipeg Words project. I think a lot of people say that they dont like poetry, but theres a huge amount of variety in poetry and the stuff that you learned in high school is not necessarily a great representation of what there is out there. Chimwemwe Undi When she wrote the poem in 2017, she was thinking about Lorde an American writer, feminist and civil rights activist and the ways Black women have been excluded from feminist movements. Three years later, the work still resonates. "Frustrations and insights that were expressed by somebody writing decades before I was even alive, still felt really pressing and urgent and even more so now," Undi says of Lordes work. "I find it actually a little bit sad to think about how the exclusion of Black people from stories, historical and fictional, remains relevant." Undi hopes having her work posted downtown will inspire passersby to explore poetry in their own way. KC ADAMS PHOTO Duncan Mercredi, Winnipegs poet laureate for 2020-21, got his introduction to poetry through his kookum. "Id love for this to be something that introduces people to a poem that they love," she says. Duncan Mercredis poem Children of the Earth will be installed at the Transcona Library. The piece was selected from Mercredis 1992 poetry collection, Dreams of the Wolf in the City, and is a meditation on his connection to the land growing up on Misipawistik Cree Nation, otherwise known as Grand Rapids. "Our ties were with the land," says the Cree and Metis writer and storyteller. "Everything that we learned was land-based how to survive, how to honour that connection we had with the Earth." At least, thats where he thinks the poem came from. Unlike Undi, Mercredi actively avoids revisiting old work. "I rarely go back to what Ive written," he says. "To me, the writing is just a release, its something Im thinking about, so I write it out and then its done." His introduction to poetry came from his kookum, Charlotte Mercredi, who was a constant and talented storyteller. "The stories that she told were legends and maybe some personal stories, but the way she told stories was more poetic than the way we tell stories now," he says. "You influence the way the story is told when you tell it orally as opposed to reading it." The stories that she told were legends and maybe some personal stories, but the way she told stories was more poetic than the way we tell stories now. Duncan Mercredi on his kookum, Charlotte Mercredi Mercredi started writing poems when he had to leave his community and travel to Cranberry Portage for high school. "I started writing mostly just to remember what it was like to be at home and that evolved into a kind of poetic form." While Mercredi isnt convinced many commuters will notice the Winnipeg Words panels while waiting for the bus, he hopes his work resonates with those that do look up from their phones. "I hope it (gives) maybe a little more understanding of the way we think," he says. "People like to think of Canada as this unified country, and I dont see it that way. I think were more divisive than we are unified." Mercredi is Winnipegs poet laureate for 2020-21, a role that has taken the self-described "isolationist" well out of his comfort zone, but has resulted in a flurry of new writing that can be found on the Winnipeg Arts Council website. A full list of poems included in the Winnipeg Words project can also be found at winnipegarts.ca. eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @evawasney If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. The COVID-19 epidemic has made it impossible for foreign players to participate in Weifang, but online platforms allowed them to join the festival, with 51 kite teams from 45 countries and regions sharing their kite-flying on screens to echo the audience on the spot. This is also the first time for the fair to be held in autumn. The festival, which will last until October 8, seeks to promote a forward-thinking, open and charming kite culture. It will also see other events held such as the 2020 Diplomatic Envoy and International Sister City Mayor Weifang Tour, the 2020 Belt and Road International Dance Conference and the 15th "Kite Cup" Standard Dance International Open. Weifang International Kite Festival has been held for 36 consecutive sessions, becoming the largest kite cultural activity in the world and an exchange platform for Shandong to spread Chinese culture and make friends with other countries. On the afternoon of the opening ceremony, a signing ceremony was held for key cooperation projects of the fair and the China-Japan-Korea Industries Expo, involving 29 projects with a total investment of 13.941 billion yuan. Weifang is seeking to attract both investment and talents to create a new high ground for opening up to the outside world and promote high-quality development, said Liu Jianguo, Weifang's vice mayor. Liu said that the local government has rolled out a series of policies and measures to promote investment promotion and development, support talent innovation and entrepreneurship, among others, to create a first-class environment for all parties to invest in Weifang, adding that these contracted projects are in line with Weifang's industrial development and city function plans. Image Attachments Links: Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=373121 Caption: Players fly various creative kites at Weifang Binhai Economic and Technological Development Zone on September 26. Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=373127 Caption: Players fly various creative kites at Weifang Binhai Economic and Technological Development Zone on September 26. SOURCE The Publicity Department of Weifang People's Government (Newser) Borat is back. Sacha Baron Cohen has filmed a sequel to his 2006 film Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan that Amazon plans to release before the election. The streaming giant confirmed Tuesday that it has acquired worldwide rights to the film, the AP reports. It's reportedly titled: Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan. Reports have steadily accumulated about the project throughout the summer as it was filmed in secret during the pandemic. story continues below In June, Cohen appeared at a far-right rally in Olympia, Wash., posing as a sponsor of the event. He led the crowd in a racially charged singalong. In early July, Rudy Giuliani called the police on Cohen after an interview in which Cohen emerged in character. Giuliani told Page Six: This guy comes running in wearing a crazy, what I would say was a pink transgender outfit. It was a pink bikini, with lace. Cohen originated the character of Borat Sagdiyev, a fictional Kazakh journalist, on his series Da Ali G Show. The 2006 film, directed by Larry Charles, grossed $262 million worldwide and was nominated for best adapted screenplay. (Read more Sacha Baron Cohen stories.) More than 100 hospitality businesses in the UK - including pubs, restaurants and hotels - have written to the Prime Minister demanding that Covid restrictions are reviewed every three weeks. The letter accuses the Government of making 'this fight to survive even harder' and warned that thousands of jobs will be lost if businesses do not survive 'this bleakest of winters'. In the letter, industry leaders say that even before the latest Covid-19 restrictions, half of all hospitality businesses did not believe they would survive beyond the middle of next year. Among those involved are JD Wetherspoon and the British Beer & Pub Association, whose members include Greene King, Young's, Fuller's and Admiral Taverns. More than 100 companies, including pub and restaurants bosses, have written to the Prime Minister over concerns about the 10pm curfew as critics say the restriction is 'doing more harm than good' due to large numbers of revellers spilling on to streets and transport at 10pm Letter states the latest restrictions, including 10pm curfew, will 'make it even harder to survive' and are urging the Government to review whether they're appropriate every three weeks It comes as companies prepare for what to do when the Government's furlough scheme ends on October 31. The letter, led by trade associations the BBPA, UKHospitality and the British Institute of Innkeeping, states the latest restrictions, including the 10pm curfew, 'have made this fight to survive even harder'. Businesses are urging the Government to commit to reviewing the appropriateness of the latest restrictions at least every three weeks, and to remove them if they prove ineffective in halting the spread of the virus. It states that the Government needs to provide more support and that the Chancellor's winter support package 'does not go nearly far enough for our imperilled sector'. The letter calls on the Prime Minister to remove employer contributions for the hospitality sector to the Job Support Scheme and provide a package of grant funding for those businesses that face restrictions. To plan and rebuild beyond the winter, industry leaders say the VAT cut and business rates holiday must also be extended through 2021 and beer duty cut. The letter asks the Prime Minister 'to intervene as a matter of urgency' and offers a meeting of sector leaders to help draw up a support package for the sector. The demand comes as questions continue to be asked as to why Government Ministers have chosen to target pubs and restaurants with economically-crippling measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. Critics have said the measures do not make sense given that the official data suggests they are barely to blame and that most cases can be traced back to schools and offices. How the proportion of outbreaks in different settings have changed since the week ending August 9. Silver = educational settings, care homes = dark blue, workplaces = pink, restaurants = green, hospitals = brown, prisons = yellow, and other settings = orange The PM is facing a rising tide of anger over his handling of the crisis after Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the government's drinking deadline was merely shifting the partying into homes and doing 'more harm than good'. Scores of drinkers were spotted in trendy Moseley, Birmingham, on Saturday night twirling around to a brass bands, despite restrictions urging social distancing. Similar extraordinary scenes were witnessed in London and Manchester as the restrictions appeared to backfire spectacularly. MPs have also reacted with outrage to signs that ministers could go even further in toughening up the measures soon, by banning mixing between households indoors - something Nicola Sturgeon has already done in Scotland. Former Labour leadership contender Mr Burnham said: 'I received reports that the supermarkets were absolutely packed to the rafters, lots of people gathering after 10pm. 'I think there needs to be an urgent review of the emerging evidence from police forces across the country. My gut feeling is that this curfew is doing more harm than good. 'It's potentially contradictory because it creates an incentive for people to gather in the streets or more probably to gather in the home. That is the opposite of what our local restrictions are trying to do. 'I don't think this has been properly thought through to be honest and it also of course damages the bars and restaurants.' Just 22 of 532 outbreaks of acute respiratory infections were reported in food outlets in England between September 14 and 20. Seventeen of these were confirmed to be down to Covid-19, while the others could have been flu or other viral illnesses Separate data published by Public Health England revealed that eating out, shopping and going on holiday were the most common activities reported by people who had tested positive for Covid-19, before they developed any symptoms His words were echoed by Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson. The city has seen its average number of daily cases almost treble in two weeks, pushing it on to the Government's lockdown watchlist. Slamming the Government's blanket approach, he said: 'You can't have off-licences and supermarkets open until midnight selling beer, and pubs emptying at 10pm, when people go to the off-licences, buy beer, drink either out in the street in large groups or go to houses, and drink in large groups. It will just spread the virus. 'The situation currently is making things more dangerous and not better. 'I think it's stupid to close restaurants at 10pm,' he said, adding that midnight would be 'more responsible' and that pub closures should be staggered. One enraged Conservative MP also voiced his concern over the measures, telling Politico: 'Which clown-faced moron thought it would be a good idea to kick thousands of p***** people out from the pubs into the street and onto the tube at the same time? 'It's like some sort of sick experiment to see if you can incubate a second wave.' Meanwhile, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is set to save Boris Johnson's blushes by refusing to call a rebel Tory amendment on coronavirus curbs this week - despite more MPs joining the revolt. The PM is struggling to quell growing fury from his own MPs over the restrictions and the lack of parliamentary scrutiny. There are claims that up to 100 are ready to line up behind an amendment tabled by Conservative backbench chief Sir Graham Brady, which would force ministers to get approval in advance before bringing in more restrictions. However, in spite of the groundswell of support, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is not expected to allow a vote on the change. Pictures showed thousands of revellers crowding onto England's streets and public transport this weekend after the curfew kicked in at 10pm. Data from NHS Test and Trace reveals that between September 21 to 27 the most common place of transmission was reported as in the household, or being a visitor to another household. The data also showed that coronavirus sufferers were most likely to report eating out or shopping prior to developing symptoms, followed by a holiday or living alone or with family. Scientists are divided over the 10pm deadline which 'doesn't seem to be based on evidence', instead suggesting that it was arrived at using a trade-off between economic damage and a desire to curb the viral spread. Im very much about how it looks, Ms. Wendell said. I dont do anything feng shui-wise unless it looks good. In the back of the textbook were instructions for rites, including one that involved cutting a nine-inch piece of red thread, wrapping it around the knobs of my fighting doors, visualizing the end of discord and cutting the string in the middle. Would any of this work? Some people have found aspects of feng shui easy to ridicule. And Ms. Wendell, who has a degree from the long-running BTB Master Feng Shui Training Program, among other credentials, is well aware of this. At the start of each class she shared a cartoon poking fun at feng shui, which is pronounced fung shway and means wind and water. She had quite a collection, most dating from the 1990s, when, apparently, there was enough awareness of feng shui for it to become the butt of jokes. It became broadly popular here in the 1980s, after relations between China and the United States opened up, though immigrants from countries where feng shui spread very likely brought the practice here well before that. Today it is used for everything from decorating nurseries to selecting burial plots. Some of its tenets seemed like plain common sense. The concept of yin and yang was a reminder that rooms need a balance of rounded and straight-edged objects, for instance and never too much of a single color or pattern, although Ms. Wendell said that some rooms might call for more yin than yang, and vice versa. A home or place of work should not be overly cluttered. Kangana Ranaut recently took to her Twitter page to share her journey from being being considered a 'village clown' to sitting in the front rows of the London, Paris, New York fashion weeks. The actress had an eye for fashion even as a kid, but was "laughed at" back then. Kangana summed up her journey with three pictures and captioned them as, "When I was a little girl I decorated myself with pearls, cut my own hair, wore thigh high socks and heels. People laughed at me. From being a village clown to attending front rows of London, Paris, New York Fashion weeks I realised fashion is nothing but freedom of expression." Kangana Ranaut As A Kid In the first picture dating back to Kangana's childhood days, the actress is seen posing in a floral knee-length dress with a string of pearls around her neck and thigh-high socks. Happy Girls Are The Prettiest The second picture features a close-up of the Manikarnika actress flaunting a smile while posing for the camera. Kangana Has Come A Long Way In the third picture, the actress is seen wearing the same clothes as in the second snap, and sitting in the front row at a fashion event. In an interview in 2018, Kangana Ranaut had said that she was judged for her fashion sense during her early days in the film industry. "I was from the mountains, so I dressed differently. If you are not launched in a certain manner, if you are not groomed in a certain way, then your journey is a bit different from the others," she was quoted as saying. Cut to present, Kangana has walked the ramp several times and is known for her experimental fashion sense. ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut: BMC Has Served Notices To My Neighbours, Threatened Them To Socially Isolate Me ALSO READ: Madhoo On Jaya Bachchan-Kangana Ranaut's Spat: It Depends On The Colour Of The Glass You're Wearing Your friend has told you theyre not going to vote. What do you do? Why would any American not vote when so many of our ancestors risked their lives to give us that right? Voting is important to democracy even under the best of circumstances. But this years presidential election regardless of our partisan leanings is likely to be the most important in our lifetime. This election isnt just about Donald Trump and Joe Biden. At stake: the pandemic, climate change, health care, what, if anything, we do about systemic racism, and many more issues that affect our daily lives and our future. During such a pivotal election year, how should we deal with friends and family who are choosing not to vote? Read on to find out how you might preserve your relationships and your sanity. We have some basics on how to talk to them, and some specific arguments that may help get through. Ask why There are lots of different reasons why people dont exercise their right to vote, explained Suzanne Almeida, interim executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, a nonprofit that breaks down the barriers to voter participation. Some dont feel like they have enough information. Others are too bogged down with day-to-day responsibilities to make voting a priority. We can help people remedy these issues, Almeida said. Whats especially problematic: When people dont vote because they dont think their voice matters. These people wont vote because they feel that, fundamentally, the system is broken, Almeida said. But refusing to participate doesnt make the system better. In fact they are giving up their right to move the needle at all. No good comes of that." Really listen to their reasons Dont blow off your nonvoting friends as simply ignorant and ill-informed, said Donnell Drinks, the election protection coordinator for the Pennsylvania ACLU. When we dismiss others, we are treating them as though their voices dont matter and thats the same vibe they are getting from elected officials. Understand their decision not to vote is their way of being heard, a form of rebellion," Drinks said. The problem is many people Black people and Black men dont see the positive changes that come from voting, nor do they see the negative change that comes from the lack of voting. Explain why voting is important to you Share your personal story on why you vote, said David Nickerson, a professor of political science at Temple University. If this person likes you or at the very least respects you, they may be able to relate to your point of view. Keep your example short and sweet and refrain from shaming. For example, Nickerson said, tell them about how a policy personally affected you or someone youre close to. Its not about telling them who to vote for, its about being very clear why voting matters, Nickerson said. Consider these following scenarios. Politics are a waste of my time. Im in the same boat no matter who is president. Real talk: A lot of people in poor and in underserved communities would be absolutely right when they say their quality of life doesnt really change based on who is president, Nickerson said. Thats no reason, however, to let them off the hook, especially this year. The presidential candidates have such different policies, its likely they will be acutely felt on the local level on issues like funding for social programs and police reform. One facet of democratic politics that people dont appreciate is that everything is negotiated, Nickerson said. We all have to consider the candidate in this election who is going to negotiate on behalf of you and your community." Your drop-the-mic answer: The decisions that affect your community and your livelihood are going to be made for you whether you vote or not. Dont you want to play a part in choosing the people who will have a seat at the table and who will be speaking on your behalf? I dont like either candidate. Why should I participate in a system that forces me to choose between the lesser of two evils? Real talk: The president is like the CEO of the company you work for: He isnt your friend. Voting for someone doesnt mean that you think that person is perfect or you wont take issues with their positions, said Adjoa B. Asamoah, a political strategist whose focus is Black voter engagement. It also doesnt mean that you are 100% aligned with that person. Even our spouses dont solve our problems. But someone has to manage this country. Your drop-the-mic answer: Dont squander your right to vote because youre not a fan of the candidates personalities. Vote and hold them accountable. If you dont like their policies, vote them out the next election, but dont let someone get in office who you know doesnt give a hoot about improving your quality of life. My vote doesnt matter. Real talk: Oh, but it does. Voters in Pennsylvania will have a powerful impact on this years presidential election, said Dan Hopkins, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania. This is because Pennsylvania is a swing state meaning we can go either red or blue and of the swing states, Pennsylvanias 20 electoral votes makes it the third-largest swing state behind Texas and Florida (which have 38 and 29, respectively). A presidential candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the election. If Joe Biden wins Pennsylvania, theres a chance he can win the whole election," Hopkins said. READ MORE: 5 questions that will help decide the presidential race in Pennsylvania And we arent just voting for a president. Pennsylvania voters will be choosing an attorney general, an auditor general, a treasurer, and seats in Congress and in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. These elected officials routinely make decisions that impact our day-to-day lives. For example, attorneys general in the past four years have been responsible for deciding whether or not to charge police officers in cases like George Floyds and Breonna Taylors, or whether major tech companies such as Google and Facebook should be investigated for antitrust violations. Your drop-the-mic answer: Every vote in this election counts. You dont want to be among the few who cost your favored candidate the one who is more likely to work on your behalf to lose the election. The tighter the election, the more your vote will count. Trying to figure out how to vote is just too complicated. Real talk: Yes, voting is not easy, said Carolyn DeWitt, president and executive director of Rock the Vote. Our system puts the onus on the voter to register the deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania is Oct. 19. And polling places change from year to year thanks to constant updates in redistricting. This year brings the extra added stress of the coronavirus and a whole host of challenges and concerns for voting by mail. But help is out there. READ MORE: Pennsylvania's Voters Guide There are places you can go for help, including Rock the Vote and former first lady Michelle Obamas nonprofit When We All Vote. You can also check out Common Cause Pennsylvania for up-to-date information for voting in your county, or our guide at inquirer.com/howtovote. Your drop-the mic-answer: If you dont take advantage of your right to vote now, it could impact how you vote in future elections, experts say, because of redistricting or changes to voting laws. Know when to fold Here is the rub: Even after you lay out your case, other peoples decision on whether or not they vote is ultimately their choice. With the right to vote comes the right not to vote," Almeida said. So understand when its time to let go. Your heart rate, blood pressure, and peace of mind will thank you. At noon on Wednesday, the first day in months that New York Citys restaurants were allowed to resume indoor dining, Aroma Brazil in Queens had only three diners inside hardly a crowd. But for the owner, Sydney Costa, even three people was cause for celebration. The return of indoor dining is a major step forward in New Yorks recovery and a critical moment for a restaurant industry that has been struggling for months in the face of a pandemic that devastated it. But it remains to be seen if limited indoor dining will be enough to help keep struggling restaurants afloat. When the coronavirus swept into New York, Mr. Costas restaurant closed for three months. In June, he reopened for outdoor dining only to learn that eating at tables on bustling Roosevelt Avenue was not popular with his customers. So Mr. Costa, who has laid off 12 employees and no longer draws a paycheck, desperately hoped the return of indoor dining, however limited, might boost his bottom line. (Photo : Tesla) Tesla Fremont Gigafactory (Photo : Tesla / YouTube) The new 4680 Battery Tesla has recently dropped its plans to acquire a mining company in Nevada after getting rights to 10,000 acres of "lithium-rich clay deposits" in the state as announced in the recent Battery Day event. This is part of Elon Musk's ambitious plan to mine its own lithium as Tesla's deal with Cypress Development Corp. did not materialize. However, the mining company declined to comment on the deal's status. Tesla already has a Gigafactory in Nevada and sourcing out lithium in the state would be cost-effective as the transport cost would be reduced. Instead of buying out the mining company, the automaker has secured rights to legally mine lithium, which will allow Tesla to produce its cathode materials and reduce the cost by 12%. However, Tesla may have some issues with starting a mining company in Nevada as cattle ranchers rely on underwater reserves, which the automaker is likely to tap to produce the metal in large quantities. At present, lithium mining is common in Australia and South America where it is usually harvested into a brine. In contrast, Australian miners get lithium from rocks, which are turned into spodumene concentrate. Experts questions Tesla's lithium mining plans Lithium mining is a key to the CEO's vision for Tesla's drive to innovate the manufacturing process as Tesla plans to boost its supply chain and develop longer-lasting and much cheaper batteries. The affordable battery would eventually cut the cost of electric vehicles and enable Tesla to build a $25,000 self-driving electric car in three years. During Battery Day, Musk explained how Tesla would extract lithium from clay by mixing it with salt and adding water. The process will produce no water waste while the processed clay would be returned to the site. This would be the first time that a company would have clay to metal production on a commercial scale. However, experts raise questions about Tesla's plan to produce lithium on its own. "Are we just supposed to take Elon Musk's word for it that the cost will be lower than existing lithium projects?" asked Chris Berry who is president of a consulting firm for the lithium industry. Meanwhile, Musk promised "about three years" while people who are familiar with the industry claimed it may take more time to jumpstart lithium production, which would delay the company's timeline for a $25,000 model. "If Tesla really wants to fly solo, we're talking about four to five years to really see any kind of lithium production," Global X Lithium & Battery Technology ETF research analyst Pedro Palandrani told Reuters. Tesla's tables battery Tesla has introduced its new tabless battery cell design that will reduce the battery price by 14% as well as cut the production cost by 18%. The bigger 4680 battery will reduce the price per kilowatt-hour by half. If lithium-ion battery costs about $100/kWh, it would make a battery pack to cost at least $125/kWh with its additional components. However, Musk aims to drop the price further to less than $100/kWh. Read also: Elon Musk Tesla's Bigger, 6X More Powerful Battery Cell with 5X Energy Reduces Manufacturing Cost per kWh by 14% This is owned by Tech Times Written by CJ Robles 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. What do you see when you see the photos of Gwyneth Paltrow celebrating her 48th birthday in her actual birthday suit? Some have called her nude photo, posted to her 7.4 million fans on Instagram, a ploy to sell Goop's latest body butter; her own daughter Apple, meanwhile, appeared somewhat displeased, posting the simple comment "MOM" under the photo. Don't know about you, but I see a woman who is happy with life and comfortable in her (expensively moisturised) skin. This is a woman whose Goop company keeps an 'orgasm guru' on retainer and makes scented candles called 'This Smells Like My Vagina', so it's safe to say that stripping off in front of the camera, in a forest, is probably no biggie for the wellness guru. Nothing screams 'this is me' like a photo where the star is - quite literally - divested of designer labels and fancy frocks. Yet if the ensuing online commentary is anything to go by, the sight of Gwynnie flashing the flesh is evidently A Bit Of A Thing. Hollywood has had a complex history with famous women daring to bare their bodies. Doing it for a role, when 'the work' required it, was one thing; quite another was electing to strip off in your spare time, for a magazine or selfie. Read More What used to be downright shocking and controversial is now the sign of a body-proud woman, happy to give two fingers to the naysayers. In the post Me-Too era, posing nude as a famous woman is now the biggest power move you can pull. Where once it was synonymous with subjugation, now a nude shoot is a triumph that's less about the male gaze than the female perspective. It wasn't always thus. In the 1920s, photographer Alfred Cheney Johnston was famed for full frontal images of showgirls from the Ziegfield Follies, but in 1933 a sea change was ushered in when Hedy Lamarr, by then a famous actress, appeared fully nude in Ecstasy. Twenty-odd years later, Marilyn Monroe's centrefold for the first issue of Playboy was printed, promoting a stampeded to the news-stands. According to lore, Monroe, then in the early stages of her career and desperate for money, was paid just $50 for the iconic pictures. She signed the model release 'Mona Monroe'. Expand Close Christine Keelers iconic 1963 chair image / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christine Keelers iconic 1963 chair image "I don't know why, except I may have wanted to protect myself," Monroe said years later. "I was nervous, embarrassed, even ashamed of what I had done, and I did not want my name to appear on that model release." This would prove to be something of a recurring Hollywood trope for years: a young starlet 'pressured', whether out of financial imperative or the promise of a professional leg-up, into appearing nude in photo or on film. It wasn't uncommon for a nude shoot to somehow 'resurface' and derail an actress' career in full flight. Video of the Day Yet running parallel to this was an idea that there was a certain amount of cultural capital in stripping off. It was certainly one way of landing oneself on the map, and there's no denying that a platform like Playboy would prove a successful career launch pad for stars like Pamela Anderson or Anna Nicola Smith. Christine Keeler's iconic 1963 'chair' image, taken in the wake of the Profuno Affair scandal, turned her from a struggling model into an icon of sexual liberation. Expand Close Love Islands Maura Higgins also has nude photos on her social media / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Love Islands Maura Higgins also has nude photos on her social media The public reaction to women baring all has always run a wide gamut, from grudging admiration to outright distaste. Even by the 90s, and we'd had several decades of famous women posing naked in magazines, there was still somehow virgin ground yet to be plundered. In 1991, Demi Moore's iconic Vanity Fair cover was another game-changing moment. Proud and heavily pregnant, Moore became a pop culture force to be reckoned with (and, for good measure, followed it up with two more naked covers for the magazine). Madonna, likewise, found herself comfortably in the middle of a cultural earthquake a year later with her Sex book, a coffee-table compendium of fabulously fleshy images. Expand Close Demi Moores pregnant Vanity Fair cover in 1991 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Demi Moores pregnant Vanity Fair cover in 1991 Just when it seemed that provocation by posing nude seemed old-hat, Kim Kardashian broke the internet with her full-frontal shoot for Paper Magazine in 2015. It did little to hurt the Kardashian brand at any rate, not least because Kardashian took a familiar empowered stance: "I'm never one to preach, but I felt really positive and really good about myself," she said. "I love the photos, I did it for me, I hope other people like them." Emily Ratajkowski, similarly, is no stranger to celebrating her body, whether on social media or in print magazines. "I believe in sexuality," she has said. "I think it's a wonderful thing and, if anything, I want women to understand their own sexuality outside of a patriarchal male gaze. We're the core of sexual beings, and I think that's something that should be celebrated rather than attacked." Still, there have been instances in which racy photoshoots have felt less than empowered. Celebrity photographer Terry Richardson, who was partial to an A-list nude shoot, was barred from working with several of the world's top magazines, after several allegations of sexual harassment. His particular modus operandi was to blow apart the stuffy world of haute couture with 'softcore porn' work that 'pushed boundaries'. Safe to say he did just that, with some rather NSFW photos, taken during a photoshoot for the cover of Candy magazine. Richardson later uploaded all of the explicit photos from the shoot to his own blog. While the shoot itself divided opinion, Richardson's decision still somehow leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The empowered nude photoshoot has become a counterpoint to the 'leaked nude' phenomenon. Last year, Love Island fans unearthed old photos on Maura Higgins' social feed. Proving that she was not in the least bit fazed at the photos resurfacing, Higgins shared another photo to Instagram, this time enjoying date night in the bath with her then-boyfriend Curtis Pritchard. The reaction to a star baring all is varied, often depending on their year, career and age, but it's still very much a cultural event. Today's crop of birthday-suited beauties is certainly owning it, refusing to let it overshadow their careers. As Gwyneth proves, now it's just the small matter of getting disapproving teenage daughters on side. New Delhi: The Mumbai Police has summoned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap in connection with the alleged sexual assault case, reports news agency ANI. Kashyap has been asked to appear at Versova Police station on Thursday at 11 am. The filmmaker has been accused of sexual harassment by an actress. Two weeks ago, the actress took to Twitter and alleged that Anurag Kashyap "forced himself upon her". The incident dates back to 2015-16 when he was working on 'Bombay Velvet'. Anurag Kashyap, however, denied the allegations leveled against him, and termed them "baseless". Later, his lawyer released a statement on his behalf, saying that the allegations are "completely false, malicious and dishonest" Last week, the actress filed a written complaint against Anurag Kashyap at Versova Police station, Mumbai. The written complaint was lodged for the offence rape, wrongful restrain, wrongful confinement and outraging modesty of woman U/S 376, 354, 341, 342 of IPC. Her statement was also recorded at the police station. In Hungary, Orban on Tuesday denounced the European Unions Jourova for an interview she gave to Germanys Spiegel newsweekly last week. In it, she said: Mr. Orban is fond of saying that he is establishing an illiberal democracy. I would say he is establishing an ill democracy. Criticism of the Hungarian government can hardly be found anymore in the Hungarian media, such that a large majority of Hungarians is likely no longer able to develop an independent view. The comments by MEA also came on a day when China needled India and questioned the status of Ladakh as union territory of India. New Delhi: India on Tuesday categorically rejected China''s "so-called unilaterally defined" Line of Actual Control(LAC) of 1959, and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from advancing an "untenable" interpretation of the de-facto border. The Indian government also reminded China that its insistence there is only "one LAC" is contrary to the solemn commitments made by Beijing in previous bilateral agreements, and expected it will "sincerely" abide by them in their entirety. The assertion by the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) came in response to comments by a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson that China continues to follow its 1959 stand on the perception of the LAC. The sharp exchange of words between the two countries on the perception of the LAC came in the midst of their nearly five-month-long tense border standoff in eastern Ladakh with both sides deploying thousands of troops as well as heavy weapons like tanks and missiles in the mountainous region. "India has never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Control. This position has been consistent and well known, including to the Chinese side," MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to a question by the media on China insisting that it takes the 1959 line on perception of the LAC. Srivastava further said the two sides had engaged in an exercise to "clarify and confirm" the LAC up to 2003, but the process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it. The spokesperson's comments came after the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Hindustan Times that China abides by the LAC as proposed by then Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter dated November 7, 1959. The comments by Srivastava also came on a day when China needled India and questioned the status of Ladakh as union territory of India. "China does not recognise the so-called ''Ladakh Union Territory'' illegally set up by India. We are opposed to conducting infrastructure development for military purposes in disputed border areas," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a media briefing in Beijing. Wang said this in response to a question by a Western journalist that India is prioritising the construction of high-altitude all-weather roads on its border with China in the Ladakh region. When China voiced its opposition last year to creation of a separate union territory of Ladakh, India had said it does not comment on the internal affairs of other countries and similarly expects other countries to do likewise. On Tuesday, Srivastava also referred to various pacts including the 1993 agreement on maintenance of peace and tranquility along the LAC, the 1996 pact on confidence building measures (CBMs), the 2005 protocol on implementation of CBMs and the 2005 agreement on political parameters and guiding principles for settlement of the boundary issue, to emphasise that both sides were committed to "clarification and confirmation of the LAC" to reach a common understanding about its alignment. "In fact, the two sides had engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC up to 2003, but this process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it," he said. "Therefore, the insistence now of the Chinese side that there is only one LAC is contrary to the solemn commitments made by China in these agreements," he added. Referring to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh''s recent address to Parliament, Srivastava said it is the Chinese side which by its attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts of the Western Sector has tried to unilaterally alter the status quo. "As we have previously made clear, the Indian side has always respected and abided by the LAC," he said. The MEA spokesperson also talked about repeated affirmation of the Chinese side in the last few months that the current situation in the border areas should be resolved in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries. "In the agreement reached between External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart on 10th September also, the Chinese side has reiterated its commitment to abide by all the existing agreements," Srivastava said. "We therefore expect that the Chinese side will sincerely and faithfully abide by all agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC," he added. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held a bilateral meeting in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet. At the talks, the two sides reached a five-point agreement to resolve the standoff in eastern Ladakh. The agreement included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC. On the basis of the understanding reached between Jaishankar and Wang, the two sides held a nearly 14-hour-long high-level military dialogue on September 21 following which they announced a slew of decisions to de-escalate the situation. The decisions included to stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters. It was for the first time that the two armies announced specific measures to ease tensions in eastern Ladakh where the face-off began in early May. The situation escalated manifold after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15. The Chinese side too suffered casualties, but it is yet to divulge the details. The situation further deteriorated following at least three attempts by the soldiers of the Chinese People''s Liberation Army(PLA) to "intimidate" Indian troops along the northern and southern bank of Pangong lake area between August 29 and September 9 where even shots were fired in the air for the first time at the LAC in 45 years. The two sides are expected to hold another round of diplomatic talks this week under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs. Cemex has decarbonisation roadmap validated by Carbon Trust 30 September 2020 Cemex announces that the Carbon Trust has validated its roadmap to decarbonise global operations in line with the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach (SDA) 2-degree scenario (2DS) developed by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The validated roadmap would enable the company to achieve a 35 per cent reduction of net carbon emissions by 2030. The validation scope included Cemexs worldwide cement operations, with a detailed analysis of plants expected to contribute at least 80 per cent of the direct and indirect organisational CO 2 emission reductions needed to achieve the 2030 target. The Carbon Trust assessed the technical feasibility of key technology and decarbonisation levers based on guidelines defined by international institutions such as the International Energy Agency, the Cement Sustainability Initiative and the European Climate Research Alliance. The CO 2 reduction levers included alternative fuels, decarbonated raw materials, renewable power projects and novel cements, among others. The validation also included a thorough review of Cemex's commitment to implement these levers based on governance mechanisms and business planning. The analysis concluded that all the technologies considered are sufficiently mature and market ready. The right business planning is in place to achieve the results within the required time frame. The estimated CO 2 emissions reductions from planned initiatives were found to be realistic, considering plant-specific characteristics and local market conditions. "The Carbon Trust validation confirms that Cemex has a robust climate change strategy, the appropriate corporate governance and planning mechanisms for the implementation of a pathway to reduce our CO 2 emissions in line with the 2-degree scenario," said Vicente Saiso, Cemex's Director of Sustainability. Published under Updated at 4:33 p.m. ET on 2020-09-30 The United States on Wednesday announced an immediate ban on imports of palm oil and related products from a Malaysian company, saying a year-long investigation had uncovered indications of forced labor in the production process. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it would issue an order requiring shipments of palm oil and palm oil products from FGV Holdings Berhad to be detained at ports of entry under a federal law that prohibits the import of goods produced by forced labor. We are issuing a Withhold Release Order on all palm oil and palm oil products manufactured by FGV Holdings Berhad, Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner of CBPs Office of Trade, told a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, referring to one of the worlds largest palm oil companies, in which a Malaysian government agency has a 12.4 percent stake. She said the order was being issued due to information we have that forced labor was in their production process. Smith said the action came after a year-long investigation of allegations from a variety of sources, including labor rights groups. This is the first time CBP has taken action against a palm oil producer, she added. The investigation revealed a number of forced labor indicators, including abuse of vulnerability, deception, restriction of movement, isolation, physical and sexual violence, intimidation and threats, retention of identity documents, withholding of wages, debt bondage, abusive working and living conditions, and excessive overtime. We also have indications that forced child labor is potentially being used in the FGV palm oil production process, Smith said. The use of forced labor is not acceptable to the U.S., Smith said. Palm oil is a common ingredient in products that U.S. consumers encounter every day in grocery and convenience stores. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, palm oil is increasingly found in processed foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soap and biodiesel. Malaysia and Indonesia produce about 85 percent of the worlds palm oil, as part of a $65 billion global industry. One of the worlds largest producers, FGV Holdings employs around 30,000 foreign workers and managing about 1 million acres. It reported 13.26 billion ringgit (U.S. $3.1 billion) in revenue in 2019, according to an earnings statement. U.S. officials did not cite Indonesian palm oil producers on Thursday, although an investigative report published by the Associated Press last week alleged industry abuses from debt bondage to outright slavery in producers in both Malaysia and Indonesia. We have received allegations around the broader palm oil industry so will continue to pull the thread on any other companies in this industry that we have concerns about, Smith said. We would urge the U.S. importing community to do their due diligence and to ensure that supply chains are clear of forced labor, and we encourage U.S. consumers to ask questions about where their products come from. Company response Following the CBP announcement, FGV Holdings Berhad told BenarNews in Kuala Lumpur that the labor irregularities cited by the U.S. agency were from 2015 and had been remedied. FGV has made clear the chain of events which involved FGV contractors that basically happened in 2015 which have since been resolved, said Azhar Abdul Hamid, the chairman of FGV Holdings Berhad. If they [the U.S.] basically wish to prolong this matter that now is no longer relevant, it is their prerogative. Hamid was referring to a 2015 Wall Street Journal investigation on labor practices at the company, which was then called Felda Global Ventures. At the time, WSJ reported alleged abuses at the companys palm oil plantations including forced labor, denial of wages, debt bondage, dangerous working conditions and zero medical care or compensation. CPBs Smith said that as far as the agency was concerned, FGV Holdings and Felda Global Ventures were one and the same entity in terms of the scope of the investigation, despite the name change. In 2018, after conducting its own investigation prompted by the WSJ article, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) sanctioned the company and suspended its membership. Sanctions were re-imposed on some of the companys plantations this year, according to reports. Based in Zurich, the RSPO is a multinational entity that monitors the industrys ecological impact and labor practices, but is regularly criticized as ineffectual by environmental groups. New allegations Meanwhile, an AP investigation published on Sept. 24 alleged widespread exploitation in the palm oil industry, from debt bondage to outright slavery. Reporters interviewed more than 130 current and former workers from two dozen companies across Malaysia and Indonesia, including from FGV Holdings, the news agency said. They described various forms of exploitation, with the most serious abuses including child labor, outright slavery and allegations of rape, it said in a follow-up report. In response, FGV Holdings issued a statement on Sept. 26 saying it was committed to respecting human rights and upholding labor standards. FGVs sustainability and human rights agenda remain a top priority as we continue to dedicate our energy to enhance our labour practices, the companys statement said. It said it was implementing a long-term plan to further strengthen various aspects of our labour practices such as our recruitment process, human rights training programmes, working and living conditions, as well as grievance mechanisms, among others. Activists blame lax controls Malaysian and Indonesian activists told BenarNews that workers in the palm oil industry in their countries labor under abysmal conditions, adding the workers are paid poorly, lack health care and live and work in unsafe and unsanitary environments. The activists blamed the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia, saying they dont do enough to ensure proper safeguards and standards are in place on palm oil plantations. Nor are punishments handed out for violations, they said. Alex Ong, a coordinator at Migrant Care Malaysia, said the governments of both countries need to be serious when investigating allegations of poor labor practices by palm oil companies. Identify policy gaps, introduce transparent policy and implementation of standard operating procedures with a carrot-and-stick approach, set aside politics for good governance practices, Ong told BenarNews. FGV Holdings must be transparent and open to public scrutiny, he said. Indonesias Minister of Manpower, Ida Fauziyah, acknowledged that violations occur in palm oil plantations. Such breaches include employers failure to comply with regulations on social security, work contracts, wages and the relationship status of workers families, Ida told BenarNews. Social security that has not been implemented, wages that do not comply with regulations, inadequate safety aspects and companies employing children, are the top violations, she said. Ida said the Indonesian government, through labor inspectors, on many occasions met with and talked to trade unions, laborers and employers to ensure that rules are followed." The Indonesian Palm Oil Association, called GAPKI, told BenarNews that it denies allegations of exploitation and labor rights violations, saying its members conduct business activities in accordance with Indonesian law. The allegations of labor exploitation and child labor are completely absurd, said Sumarjono Saragih, director for manpower affairs at GAPKI, in a statement. Malaysian government officials did not respond to BenarNews requests for comments. Responding to the AP story, the Malaysian Palm Oil Association said in a statement that the report made serious allegations, which if true, represent [a] serious violation of Malaysian employment and immigration law. The authors of the AP article should offer evidence to the relevant authorities so they can investigate, the association said. It then blamed palm oils competitors such as canola and rapeseed manufacturers and their financial might for incessant attacks on the industry, despite the fact that palm oil plantations are far more sustainably managed today. These competitors, the statement said, have a very real concern that palm can supplant all other edible oils, allowing millions of hectares of agricultural lands in colder climates to return to forest cover. Palm oil companies blaming others for attacks on them is a familiar and wearisome excuse, according to Hotler Parsaoran, a labor specialist at Sawit Watch which advocates for ecological justice in Indonesia. Even if there are findings by labor unions or NGOs, the government always responds by calling them smear campaigns against the palm oil industry and they refuse to follow up or verify to see the real conditions, Hotler told BenarNews. Nisha David in Kuala Lumpur and Ronna Nirmala and Ahmad Syamsudin in Jakarta contributed to this report. COVID-19 telephonic survey: Why you should answer the call from the number 1921 Indian women spend 5 hours a day on domestic work, while men 1.3 hour: Survey India oi-Briti Roy Barman New Delhi, Sep 30: Women in India spend about five hours a day on unpaid domestic work, or thrice as much time as men, according to a first-of-its-kind 'Time Use Survey' conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The first Time-Use survey shows only about 18 per cent of women participated in employment and related activities in a day, against 57 per cent of men, following wide gender disparity. Also, women represent 49 per cent of the nation's population yet contribute only 18 per cent to its economic output, about half the global average. COVID-19: Uttar Pradesh becomes first state to conduct 1 crore tests The participation of Indian women in the labor force is among the least in the world and they earn 35 per cent less on average than men. It shows women participation in unpaid domestic services for household members - cooking, cleaning, household management - is as high as 81.2 per cent each day compared with 26.1 per cent for men. Women spend 299 minutes (almost 5 hours), thrice as much as men (97 minutes or 1 hour 37 minutes). 'Time Use in India 2019', whose findings were released Tuesday, has been conducted for the first time in the country. The primary objective of the survey was to measure participation of men and women in paid and unpaid activities as well as measure the time dispositions on different activities. Babri Demolition Case:Court acquits all 32, says 'leaders tried to prevent demolition'|Oneindia News As many as 1.39 lakh households across the country comprising 4.47 lakh persons over the age of six were enumerated. The survey also shows that Indians are reluctant in doing unpaid volunteers or trainees or to take part in community or organisation-based unpaid volunteering. Only 2.4 per cent of the respondents said they volunteer for such work. The time spent on volunteering is around 101 minutes a day. Coronavirus outbreak: India records nearly 87,000 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours Where, chatting, conversing, community participation by taking part in gatherings and religious participation, is very high with almost 91.3 per cent of the respondents taking part in these activities each day, spending on an average around 143 minutes each day. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was one of the people who helped prep President Donald Trump for for his first debate against Democratic challenger Joe Biden. So naturally, when Christie appeared on a panel Tuesday night on ABC after the often chaotic, frequently combative debate was finished, he was asked directly: Is that the debate they prepared for? No, Christie, now a paid political analyst on ABC, responded. It was too hot, he said about Trump, a fellow Republican and longtime friend who is so far trailing Biden in the polls. You come in and decide you want to be aggressive, and I think it was the right thing to be aggressive. But that was too hot. I think that the advice was for the president to be aggressive, but it was hotter than it was planned to be, Christie added. Hot may be an understatement. Trump and Biden repeatedly talked over each other, which the president often pounding the former vice president with questions and insults mid-answer. Biden, meanwhile, told Trump to shut up" and called him a clown" more than once. Much of the evening featured moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News trying in vain to regain control of the whole affair. Christie said when it comes to Trump, what happened was: With all that heat ... you lose the light. That potentially can be fixed, added Christie, a fellow Republican. Maybe, maybe not. Well have to see on the Trump side. ... Potentially you can turn that heat down a little bit. "Is that the debate you prepared for?" @GStephanopoulos asks. "No," @ChrisChristie says, saying Pres. Trump was "too hot," but that Joe Biden did not turn in a "reassuring performance." https://t.co/wGz0RuZ29W #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/mdlpAy9iDb ABC News (@ABC) September 30, 2020 But the former governor had even harsher words for Biden, saying the former V.P. did not deliver a reassuring performance to the American people and that hed be very concerned his problems cant be fixed." He looked very shaky at many, many times at this debate, Christie said. His numbers were way off. He would wander off in mid-sentence. And he used lots of name-calling and insulting language. Thats not rising above it." If youre not up to being able to stand up there for 90 minutes and be consistently coherent, people are gonna wonder whether youll be able to do that when youre sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office," the ex-governor added. Christie also weighed in on a controversial moment, when Wallace asked Trump if he would denounce white supremacists. Im willing to do that, but I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing, Trump said. Im willing to do anything. I want to see peace. When Wallace pressed him again, Trump asked: What do you want to call them? Give me a name." Biden mentioned the Proud Boys, a far-right group that openly believes white men are under siege. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled them a hate group. Proud Boys stand back and stand by, Trump said. But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left. Asked by debate moderator Chris Wallace to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, Pres. Trump replies, "Sure, I'm willing to do that." "Then do it, sir," Wallace says. https://t.co/kLSOfYWoGJ #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/PyPJyfDf0m ABC News (@ABC) September 30, 2020 Christie defended Trump, saying the president did say he was willing to denounce white supremacists and that Trump was being sarcastic" when he asked Wallace to tell him what he wanted to hear. Because I know he feels frustrated, the former governor said. He feels like he has said a number of times that hes denounced white supremacists and he denounces neo-Nazis. And I think that was him saying to Wallace: Tell me exactly what you want me to say so I can put this to rest. Matt Katz, a radio reporter for WNYC in New York City who once covered Christie for the Philadelphia Inquirer and wrote a book on the politician, had wondered during the debate during Twitter how Christie would react to Trumps comments on white supremacy considering his own record. Wondering what @ABC analyst @GovChristie who once won 51% of Hispanic vote, nominated a Muslim man to the state Supreme Court, got a standing O at Whitney Houstons funeral (!) thinks about the president, whom he coached for this debate, refusing to condemn white supremacy. Matt Katz (@mattkatz00) September 30, 2020 Christie is a longtime friend and ally of Trump. After dropping out of the 2016 race for the Republican presidential nomination, Christie helped Trump with debate prep against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Trump praised the ex-governors help, saying he was harder to debate than Hillary." This week, Christie said he was helping Trump with debate prep again, this time for the first showdown with Biden. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. This afternoon public health note applies to the entire nation as officials imagine that Americans have the patience to make a Zoom call during dinner. Sadly, this time around political debates betwixt family members won't be possible amid the ongoing pandemic. And, of course, all of this depends on who wins. Read more: Linn County families displaced from their homes due to the recent wildfires can still vote in the upcoming general election on Nov. 3, according to Linn County Elections Supervisor Derrick Sterling. That includes people who may be temporarily living outside of Linn County and even voters whose mailboxes were destroyed by the fires. The Linn County Clerks Office will provide replacement ballots in person at the office, located inside the Linn County Courthouse at 300 Fourth Ave. SW in Albany, or will mail ballots to a temporary mailing address, Sterling said. Ballots will be mailed on Oct. 14, so there is time for Linn County residents to make the appropriate change to their mailing address. We know people have lost their homes and may be living with other family members or in shelters, Sterling said. We stress this is a temporary situation, but we also realize it may go on for several months as families start rebuilding. Sterling said residents can change their addresses online, but they must have a valid Oregon drivers license, permit or ID. If not, they can print out the materials online and mail them to our office, Sterling said. They can also come into the office and make the address changes or pick up a ballot. Temporary mailing addresses can be updated by visiting oregonvotes.gov/myvote or contacting sdruckenmiller@co.linn.or.us, or by mailing a signed note or voter registration form to the Linn County Clerk, PO Box 100, Albany, OR 97321. Sterling reminds voters to mail their ballots at least seven days before Election Day or to use an official drop box before 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Oct. 13 is the deadline for new voter registrations, for persons who have not previously registered to vote in Oregon. Previously registered voters have until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 to update their registration, obtain a ballot and vote. The Clerks Office is working closely with the Linn County GIS Department to identify areas of the county that were severely affected by fires. Simply changing a mailing address through the U.S. Postal Service is not sufficient. The Clerks Office must be notified if voters want ballots sent to their new temporary mailing addresses. Individuals who are already registered to vote do not need to re-register, just provide their new temporary mailing address. No matter where people are temporarily living, their ballot will include the local election measures in their permanent residential area, such as law enforcement levies or other taxing district measures. For more information, call 541-967-3831 or go online at www.co.linn.or.us/elections/. Contact Linn County reporter Alex Paul at 541-812-6114. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 D emocratic nominee Joe Biden leads incumbent Donald Trump in The Evening Standard's reader's poll. As it stands 73 per cent of our readers believe that Mr Biden will be the next president, with only 27 per cent backing Mr Trump. For Trump, 74, Tuesday's debate represented one of the few remaining chances to change the trajectory of a race that most opinion polls show him losing , as the majority of Americans disapprove of his handling of both the pandemic and protests over racial injustice . Biden, 77, has held a consistent lead over Trump in national opinion polls, although surveys in the battleground states that will decide the election show a much closer contest. It was hard to determine whether the debate would move the needle. TODO: define component type apester Mr Trump has more debates with Mr Biden scheduled for October, while Vice President Mike Pence and Mr Biden's vice presidential running mate, Kamala Harris, have a debate next week. Who won the first US election debate? The first of three televised matchups represented one of Trump's few remaining chances to change the trajectory of a race that most national opinion polls show him losing, as the majority of Americans disapprove of his handling of both the coronavirus pandemic and protests over racial injustice. The Republican Trump, 74, will spend the day in Minnesota -one of the few states his campaign is targeting that voted Democratic in 2016 - with a fundraiser in the afternoon before a rally in Duluth. Pennsylvania, which narrowly voted for Trump in 2016, is seen by many strategists as the most crucial of the six most competitive states that will likely decide the election outcome, which also include Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll of Pennsylvania gave Mr Biden a slight advantage there. Ohio, which Trump carried by 8 percentage points in his 2016 defeat of Democrat Hillary Clinton, is among the Republican-leaning states that Mr Biden hopes to put into play in November. Tuesday's debate, which frequently devolved under Mr Trump's constant interjections and Mr Biden's angry rejoinders, appeared unlikely to significantly alter the campaign's dynamics. Will Trump be re-elected? With less than five weeks to the November 3 election day, the debate represented one of the few remaining opportunities for Mr Trump to reshape the contours of the race. Already more than 1.3 million voters in 15 states have cast early ballots, according to the US Elections Project at the University of Florida. Mr Trump repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to fluster his opponent and force him into a gaffe, but largely neglected to make any affirmative case for why he is the candidate best suited to tackle fundamental election issues. The hyper-aggressive performance would almost certainly draw raves from his core supporters, but was unlikely to win back critical swing voters, especially suburban women who have turned away from the president over his divisive and combative rhetoric, political strategists say. Loading.... How are polls used to gauge election campaigns? As of Tuesday evening, more than 1.3 million Americans already had cast early ballots. With time running out to change minds or influence the small sliver of undecided voters, the stakes were enormous as the two candidates took the stage five weeks before the November 3 Election Day. Polls take a sample size of voters to show how well a candidate is performing with the electorate at large. They can show where a candidate is popular or unpopular, and with who. A federal judge has rejected a request from a Libyan military commander who once lived in Virginia to toss out lawsuits accusing him of war atrocities. At a hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Judge Leonie Brinkema said the accusations against Libyan National Army leader Khalifa Hifter are very problematic and they're allegations of some very, very serious conduct. The lawsuits, filed by the families of victims, claim that civilians were killed indiscriminately during Hifters military campaigns. Some family members allege that relatives were singled out for torture and execution by Hifter's army. Hifter, once a lieutenant to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, defected to the U.S. during the 1980s and spent many years living in northern Virginia. According to one of the lawsuits, Hifter and his family purchased 17 properties in Virginia between 2014 and 2017, paying $8 million in cash. He is widely believed to have worked with the CIA during his time in exile. Hifter returned to Libya in 2011 after Gadhafis fall, and his army gained control of eastern Libya, including Benghazi. Last year, he launched a campaign to take Tripoli, Libya's capital. But his army suffered significant setbacks in recent months after the United Nations-backed government opposing him received military support from Turkey. Hifter has received backing from Russia and Egypt. While Brinkema is allowing the core claims in the two separate lawsuits to go forward, she did toss out some. She also dismissed Hifters two sons, who served as battalion commanders in the Libyan National Army, as defendants. Brinkema also ordered a pause in the case for 60 days while she solicits an opinion from the State Department on whether allowing the suits to proceed will interfere with diplomatic efforts. One of the arguments Hifter's lawyers are making in favor of dismissal is that the matter is a political question not suited to judicial review, and that allowing a judge to render an opinion on whether Hifter committed war crimes interferes with the executive branch's ability to conduct foreign policy. After the stay is lifted, the case would then proceed to discovery, which could theoretically allow for Hifter to be questioned under oath in a deposition. Brinkema, though, acknowledged the logistical difficulties and suggested it could take years. I don't have any idea how in the world plaintiffs will get discovery, Brinkema said. Mumbai: Two men employed at a fabrication workshop died and one of their colleagues injured after a loft inside the unit collapsed on them in suburban Kurla, police said on Wednesday. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon and the police have registered a case against the owner of the workshop that is located in Jari Mari area, an official said. The workers got trapped after the loft inside the fabrication unit caved in. The loft fell as it was overloaded with welding rods," senior inspector of Sakinaka police station Kishor Sawant said. Following the incident, the police were alerted and the injured workers were rushed to a hospital. However, two of them were declared brought dead, he said. An offence was registered against the 55-year-old owner of the workshop under IPC section 304A (causing death by negligence), Sawant said. The injured is undergoing treatment at Bhabha Hospital, he said. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor A territorial approach to the Sustainable Development Goals in Bonn, Germany The city of Bonn, Germany, has a long-standing commitment towards sustainable development. The city has gone through a comprehensive process to link the citys 2030 Sustainability Strategy to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Strategy seeks to address the main challenges faced by the city in terms of providing affordable housing, expanding and maintaining green spaces, shifting to clean forms of transport and energy, and providing employment opportunities for all, especially for low-skilled workers. The SDGs can also help to institutionalise Bonns Sustainability Strategy and allocate adequate resources to its implementation. They also provide a holistic framework to manage trade-offs between climate, sustainable mobility and affordable housing goals, while striving to reduce inequalities. In series:OECD Regional Development Working Papersview more titles HomeDoctor, a Warsaw, Poland- and Amsterdam, The Netherlands-based digital healthcare provider, raised 3,7m in Series A funding. The round was led by Cogito Capital Partners with participation from the companys founders. The company will use the funds to continue the growth of its operations in Poland, building its team and capacity in order to further expand geographically and build strategic partnerships aimed at scaling-up its offering and market reach. Founded in 2016 by Szymon Horaczuk, CEO, HomeDoctor provides online medical consultations and delivery of healthcare services to patients homes. The company is operating as a b2b2c and a b2c medical services platform that enables delivery of both, online and phone consultations (telemedicine channel) and booking a doctor appointment (home visit). Home Doctor is also a partner for largest medical centres and insurers in Poland. The services are available online as well as through a dedicated mobile app (connecting doctors and patients). For home-visits business, the company uses geo-location technology, to ensure that the nearest available doctor is dispatched to a patient, which allows for delivery of a home visit within 1 hour of wait time. This feature is combined with over 200 GPs dedicated to home-visits. The company currently works with over 350 doctors (GPs as well as 16 different specialisations) who call on patients across Poland. FinSMEs 30/09/2020 The Bank of England's chief economist blasted doom-mongers 'catastrophising' the impact of coronavirus today, saying that overly pessimistic view could hold back the recovery. Andy Haldane cautioned against 'the economics of Chicken Licken', a reference to a folk tale about a chicken who worried the sky was falling down. He said the central bank expects the economy to rebound with 'vertiginous' growth of 20 per cent in the third quarter and said the faster-than-expected recovery should not be overlooked. It came as revised figures showed that the UK's economic plunge at the peak of coronavirus lockdown was not quite as bad as thought - but still the worst in modern history. Official figures for the fall in GDP during the three months to June have been revised down from 20.4 per cent to 19.8 per cent. Speaking at an online event today, Mr Haldane said the economy faces an 'unholy trinity of risks' from rising Covid-19 cases, mounting job losses and the end-of-year Brexit deadline, but stressed there was a danger of exaggerating the threat they pose. 'Encouraging news about the present needs not to be drowned out by fears for the future. Now is not the time for the economics of Chicken Licken,' he said, adding that the speed and scale of the recovery has been 'fairly remarkable'. His call for a more upbeat attitude came after Rushi Sunak last week took aim at coronavirus doves with a warning that the UK must adapt and learn to 'live without fear' to avoid an economic catastrophe. In an economic address to MPs the Chancellor set out measures designed to protect jobs and business after the PM had partially reintroduced lockdown measures across the UK. They are believed to have clashed over the scope of the new measures, with Mr Sunak seen as having won concessions from the PM who wanted to make it more draconian. However Mr Johnson has made it clear that he reserves the right to make further steps in necessary. Andy Haldane cautioned against 'the economics of Chicken Licken', a reference to a folk tale about a chicken who worried the sky was falling down The UK economy grew by 6.6 per cent in July - the third consecutive month of growth - but lower than the 8.7 per cent recorded in June Chicken Licken' also known as Henny Penny and a host of other names, is a European folklore character. He is a cowardly fowl who gets hit on the head by an acorn and concludes that the sky is falling in Top economist who once backed anti-capitalist protesters Andy Haldane has been the Bank of England's chief economist since 2014. He sits on the Bank's central Monetery Policy Committee, which among other things decides on UK interest rates. Rather than take the low profile taken by so many economists he has written prolifically, authoring four books and more than 200 articles on economics. He attended state school in Leeds before studying at Sheffield and Warwick Universities. In 2012 he backed Occupy protesters who camped out in St Pauls Cathedral, saying they were morally and intellectually right to attack the financial system. He told an event the movement was successful in attacking the problems of the global financial system and helped stir improvement in financial services. Protesters staged considerable protests in London and New York against economic inequality and the influence of the financial services industry eight years ago. Hundreds of movement members camped outside St Pauls for more than three months after they were prevented from entering nearby Paternoster Square, where the London Stock Exchange is located. Addressing an event by Occupy Economics at the time, he said: Occupy has been successful in its efforts to popularise the problems of the global financial system for one very simple reason; they are right. Occupys voice has been both loud and persuasive and policymakers have listened and are acting. In fact, I want to argue that we are in the early stages of a reformation of finance, a reformation which Occupy has helped stir. Advertisement 'The economy began its recovery from this dramatic fall earlier, and has since recovered far faster, than anyone expected,' he said. Mr Haldane has been one of the most optimistic over the UK's economic recovery from the pandemic and insisted in his speech that 'policy authorities, including the Bank, have a public responsibility to avoid economic catastrophising'. Today he acknowledged that Britain faced an 'unholy trinity of risks from COVID, unemployment and Brexit' but it was important that the economy's quicker-than-expected recovery, so far, from the lockdown was not overlooked. 'My concern at present is that good news on the economy is being crowded out by fears about the future,' he said in an online presentation to a business group in northwest England. 'This is human nature at times of stress. But it can also make for an overly-pessimistic popular narrative, which fosters fear, fatalism and excess caution.' Haldane criticised media coverage of economic data released in August, which showed a record 20 per cent collapse in output in the second quarter, most of it in April when the lockdown was at its height. Reporters should instead have focused on figures released at the same time which showed strong growth in June, he argued. 'Positive economic news was media-filtered into an extreme negative event,' he said. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has also concluded that UK plc performed worse during the first quarter of the year than previously thought. The economy contracted 2.5 per cent between January and March, compared to previous estimate of 2.2 per cent. Overall GDP is now 21.8 per cent smaller than at the end of 2019 - underlining the threat to millions of jobs as Boris Johnson struggles to balance getting the country back up and running with tackling a rise in cases. Separate figures published earlier this month showed GDP went up by 6.6 per cent in July. The ONS said: 'While it is still true that these early estimates are prone to revision, we prefer to focus on the magnitude of the contraction that has taken place in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Chicken Licken, the fowl who feared the worst Chicken Licken' also known as Henny Penny and a host of other names, is a European folklore character. He is a cowardly fowl who gets hit on the head by an acorn and concludes that the sky is falling in. He begins warn the other animals of the impending Armageddon and they join his journey to join the king and warn him. But in the panic a sly fox is able to lead them to his lair, where he is able to capture and eat them. The moral of the story is that doom-mongers and panic can make things worse. It has been attested to since Victorian times and may go back considerably further. Advertisement 'It is clear that the UK is in the largest recession on record. 'The latest estimates show that the UK economy is now 21.8 per cent smaller than it was at the end of 2019, highlighting the unprecedented size of this contraction.' It came as TSB said it will cut around 900 jobs as part of plans to close 164 of its high street bank branches. The Edinburgh-based bank said it expects most of the redundancies to be voluntary but did not rule out forcing staff out. TSB added that its branch network would be the seventh biggest in the UK after the closures reduce it by a third. In comes in the context of a bloodbath on the high street, with 193,731 job losses now announced by major British employers since the start of the lockdown in March. TSB also said that more than nine in ten customers will have less than 20 minutes travel to a branch, and that people are increasingly banking online. The bank, part of Spain's Sabadell, said the cuts were part of its three-year strategy to reduce costs to stay competitive. The company has previously said it intended to reduce the size of its branch network but has now accelerated plans amid the pandemic. It will leave the bank with 290 branches, more than halving its store estate over the past seven years. The announcement comes after a study by consumer group Which? in July found banks and building societies had closed, or scheduled the closure, of 3,588 branches since January 2015, at a rate of about 55 each month. Boris Johnson (pictured in Exeter yesterday) is struggling to balance getting the country back up and running with tackling a rise in cases TSB chief executive Debbie Crosbie said: 'Closing any of our branches is never an easy decision but our customers are banking differently - with a marked shift to digital banking. 'We are reshaping our business to transform the customer experience and set us up for the future. 'This means having the right balance between branches on the high street and our digital platforms, enabling us to offer the very best experience for our personal and business customers across the UK. 'We remain committed to our branch network and will retain one of the largest in the UK.' Employee unions Unite and TBU strongly criticised the cuts, with Unite calling it a 'dark day for the finance sector'. TBU General Secretary Mike Brown said: 'To throw hardworking staff on the scrap heap in the middle of a pandemic and against the backdrop of the worst financial crisis in a generation is nothing short of scandalous.' Dominic Hook, Unite national officer, added: 'Unite has urged the bank to rethink these plans and protect these much-needed jobs during the current health pandemic. Furious Speaker Lindsay Hoyle blasts PM over Covid laws Speaker Lindsay Hoyle today delivered a searing rebuke to Boris Johnson for treating the Commons with 'contempt' by ramming through coronavirus lockdown curbs. Sir Lindsay said sweeping powers for ministers to deal with the public health crisis were being abused, with measures imposed without any proper scrutiny or a vote. Reading the riot act to the PM as he sat silently in the chamber, Sir Lindsay made clear that he is ready to side with dozens of Tory rebels and opposition parties to ensure more scrutiny - warning that the government's must act now to restore 'trust'. 'The Government must make greater efforts to prepare measures more quickly, so that this House can debate and decide upon the most significant measures at the earliest possible point,' he said. 'I am now looking to the Government to rebuild the trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt that it has shown.' The Speaker did reject an amendment tabled by Tory rebels that would have forced votes before new measures are imposed, saying it would breach parliamentary procedure. However, the intervention appeared to be enough to trigger an immediate climbdown from the government. Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce concessions in the Commons shortly, with rebels confident they have secured guarantees of advance scrutiny for major changes. The barrage - which Mr Johnson completely blanked as he started PMQs immediately afterwards - came just hours before the premier is due to address the nation at a press conference alongside Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance. But he has been urged to drop the scientists from such briefings, with complaints that they are being used as 'propaganda' to back up increasingly draconian restrictions. MailOnline understands Cabinet hawks are increasingly frustrated by the dire warnings from the medical and science chiefs about a second wave. Former Downing Street aides have been calling on the government to take the experts out of the limelight, warning they are not great communicators and it gave the impression decisions were clear cut rather than a matter of judgement for ministers. Senior Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin upped the ante today by swiping that the government is using 'science as propaganda'. Advertisement 'Premier League clubs can afford a few bob': Tory MPs blast Government's 20million bailout to struggling non-league sides after mega-rich teams splashed 1.1BILLION on transfers his summer Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden is overseeing the Government bail-out to aid non-league clubs Tory MPs today blasted the Government for handing a 20 million taxpayer-funded bailout to struggling National League football clubs as they said the Premier League should be picking up the tab and called on top players to donate a week's wages. Ministers have decided to hand clubs in the National League, the National League North and the National League South a total of up to 3m a month so they can start their season this weekend. Many of the 67 clubs faced financial ruin without the match day revenue they rely on after the Government announced earlier this month that fans would not be allowed into stadiums from October 1 as had been planned. The life support package is being put together by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and it will cover 'essential lost revenue' so that matches will be able to be played. But the handout has prompted fury among some Tory MPs who believe mega-rich Premier League teams should have provided the funding rather than the taxpayer - especially after top sides splashed out 1.1bn on transfers in the current transfer window. One senior Tory MP told MailOnline: 'They should chip in. A lot of these major clubs have got traditional links with smaller Football League and non-league teams. 'They can afford a few bob from their coffers to support these teams which are often the feeders for the big clubs. CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS National League and many EFL clubs say the Covid-19 pandemic has left them on the brink of financial ruin. Yet Premier League clubs have once again spent big on new players, with Chelsea spending an eye-watering 89m to get German star Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen. The 21-year-old is the most expensive transfer this summer with Manchester City's 64m acquisition of Ruben Dias, a new club record for Pep Guardiola's side, the second most expensive in the Premier League in this window. Havertz's Germany team-mate Timo Werner ranks third after his 54m move from RB Leipzig to Chelsea. The other transfers with the biggest fees were: 4. Ben Chilwell Chelsea to Leicester 50m 5. Diogo Jota Wolves - Liverpool 41m 6. Donny van de Beek Ajax Manchester United 40m 7. Nathan Ake Bournemouth Manchester City 40m 8. Ferran Torres Valencia Manchester City 37m 9. Nelson Semedo Barcelona Wolves 37m 10. Rodrigo Valencia Leeds 35m Advertisement 'It is the case that the smaller clubs are really important to the game and the big clubs have got a duty to support them. They could afford a lot more than 20m.' Tory MP Steve Brine, a member of the Commons Culture Committee and former minister told MailOnline taxpayer money could be better spent as he suggested the best paid players could 'buddy up' with lower league teams to keep them afloat. 'Players like Gareth Bale who are earning 600,000 a week should 'buddy up' with a National League club and they should give them a grant of one week's wages,' he said. 'For many of the National League clubs one week's wages from Gareth Bale would sustain them for a year.' Mr Brine said there are 'many other places where we could put Government money' and 'as much as the country loves the national game there is a limit to what we have got as taxpayers'. The handout was confirmed this afternoon in the House of Commons by the Minister for sport, Nigel Huddleston, who said local teams are the 'heartbeats of their communities'. Football has been one of many sports begging the Government for financial aid in recent months. But many believe wealthier clubs should be stepping in to help smaller, struggling teams, rather than the taxpayer. The handout for the National League comes after Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week unveiled his latest business bailout which economists estimated could cost 5bn, potentially taking the total of the Government's Covid-19 support to 200bn. Meanwhile, official statistics published last week showed the UK's public sector debt continues to climb above 2 trillion - a record high. There has been a deafening silence from the top clubs when lower level teams - both in the EFL and further down the football pyramid - have asked for financial help during the unprecedented crisis. While some clubs are sceptical about providing EFL clubs with a handout, others primarily the smaller clubs are far more sympathetic. There is a growing acceptance that top-flight clubs will have to inject cash into the EFL to keep several teams afloat, knowing that not doing so will have grave consequences and will damage the Premier League's image. Some club officials want to avoid a scenario where it appears they are offering financial support under duress; or, even worse, not giving them any money at all. There is a belief that the Government are reluctant to include the Premier League and EFL in a financial relief fund for UK sport after plans to reintroduce fans at stadiums were scrapped. National League clubs are to receive government funding to allow their season to commence. But they will play in empty stadiums rather than in front of fans (above at Halifax) While news of the bailout was welcomed by employees and supporters of non-league clubs, others felt it was not the duty of the British taxpayer to fit the bill to help these teams. 'Its almost like the govt doesn't expect to get any of this money back or repay their enormous borrowings back,' one critical fan wrote on Twitter. 'Think they've forgotten whose money they are giving away, it's not govts money, it's our money, the British taxpayers.' Twitter account, The Away Section, which focuses on supporters at the grass-roots level, was equally scathing, insisting the 20m would be 'paid back in the long term'. They wrote: What a waste of money - nothing to celebrate really. On one hand its good clubs will get this crisis softened but there really is no sense in this??. Plus govt's don't give money away for free - don't believe that. We will all pay in the long term.' Another called on non-league fans to take a stand against the Premier League as it is the government, not the 20 top-flight teams, providing the cash to ease the financial worries of teams at step five and six in English football. 'If the Premier League decide they can't spare some change for the National League clubs, I hope all Non League fans respond by cancelling their TV subscriptions to the sports channels,' he wrote. Yet Brighton chief executive Paul Barber, speaking today on Radio 5 Live, said it was unreasonable to demand Premier League clubs riude to the rescue while they, too, were suffering from the absence of fans. 'We're being asked to support the football pyramid, but what we're asking for is to be able to sustain our own businesses to put us in a better position to be able to do that,' he said. One fan described how the Dias money could have funded the entire lower league for a year In a show of defiance, a non-league fan called on supporters to boycott sport TV subscriptions The reaction to the news was not all positive as one user felt it was not the responsibility of the British taxpayer to step up and bail-out clubs operating in non-league The Away Section described the Government bail-out as a 'waste of money' long term Manchester City's 64m signing of Ruben Dias left non-league fans irritated that Premier League clubs have not offered money to help clubs lower down the football pyramid Earlier this week a letter co-signed by 17 individuals including former Football Association chairmen Greg Dyke and Lord Triesman and BBC and BT Sport pundit Robbie Savage and 10 MPs said help was urgently needed to ward off the threat of financial collapse. The letter, sent to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden warned: 'Without any plans being made to rescue clubs, many in the EFL and others in the National League as well, are now actively preparing to make all but essential staff redundant, cease playing, close down their youth academies and community foundations, and put their business into administration,' the letter warns. BBC and BT Sport pundit Robbie Savage (left) and former FA chief Greg Dyke (right) both signed the letter with clubs in the EFL standing to lose 200m without crowds this season The letter sent to Dowden in full We wrote to you in May this year setting out the financial crisis facing football clubs, and particularly those in the English Football League (EFL), because of the loss of match-day revenue resulting from the government's policies to combat COVID-19. We also detailed a game plan that could be put in place to prevent this. Since then clubs have been able to sustain themselves through advance season ticket sales, solidarity payments from the Premier League, and had agreed to start playing the new season in the belief that fans would be allowed to return to stadiums this autumn. It's now clear that spectators will not be back in EFL grounds, even in limited numbers, for the foreseeable future. As a consequence clubs will not only lose this budgeted-for income, but will also have to refund season tickets to fans who will now be prevented from attending matches. There has been no agreement reached by the football authorities on a bailout for clubs that need it, many of whom were already heavily indebted before the coronavirus arrived. From the statements made by ministers at DCMS questions in the House of Commons on 24 September, it's equally clear that the government has no current proposals to provide financial support, and nor is it prepared to offer any guarantees for the future. Without any plans being made to rescue football clubs, many in the EFL and others in the National League as well, are now actively preparing to make all but essential staff redundant, cease playing, close down their youth academies and community foundations, and put their business into administration. This could lead not only to the failure of many historic community clubs, but the collapse of the national league structure that we have known for over one hundred years. These are decisions that will be made in the coming weeks, with many clubs unable to meet their payroll obligations for next month. There is still time to act, but not long left. The government made 1.5billion available to rescue arts and cultural organisations across the country that faced closure because of the coronavirus. We believe that football, like other well-loved professional sports in this country, is also a cultural activity. We would ask that the government now make clear what financial support it's prepared to give before it is too late. In particular, we believe that in order for clubs to sustain themselves over the winter and keep playing, they would need to be compensated for the loss of match ticket sales. The absence of this income is not a result of their actions, but the policies that have been put in place by the government in response to a public health emergency. We understand that you had hoped that the Premier League clubs might make a significant additional contribution to support the EFL. Whilst this would be welcome those clubs too face swingeing losses from lost ticketing receipts and falling revenues from broadcasting matches. However, it cannot be the Premier League's sole responsibility to sort out issues arising from government policy. The government itself needs to take responsibility, or many already-embattled towns - often in areas of the country which have suffered many hardships in recent decades - will lose their last focal point. SIGNATORIES Damian Collins MP, former Chairman of the DCMS select committee Charlie Methven, co-owner Sunderland FC Lord David Triesman, former Chairman of the FA Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Vice-President The National League Lord Goddard of Stockport Malcolm Clarke, Chairman of the Football Supporters Association Robbie Savage, former player and sports broadcaster Greg Dyke, former Chairman of the FA Karl McCartney MP for Lincoln and Chairman of the APPG for Football Ian Mearns MP for Gateshead and Chairman of the APPG for Football Supporters David Amess MP for Southend West Rehman Chishti MP for Gillingham Damian Green MP for Ashford and member of the DCMS Select Committee Kevin Brennan MP for Cardiff West and member of the DCMS Select Committee Advertisement Questions will now shift to whether clubs in the EFL will be granted a similar bail-out to off-set their losses without fans. The EFL fear its 72 clubs stand to lose 200m this season without crowds, having already lost 50m last season. There is growing pressure on the Premier League to fund an emergency bail-out of the EFL but, as of today, nothing has been agreed. It is anticipated that the Football League stands to lose 200m this season without supporters Pilot events for fans returning to stadiums had commenced but have since been stopped with an increase in Covid-19 cases and the Government pushing back plans for an October return date. That proved particularly damaging for clubs in the third, fourth, fifth and six tiers, who had been planning for a spike in revenue next month. Gillingham owner Paul Scally recently revealed to the Mirror that the League One club were losing 40,000 a month at the current rate and their existence was very much under threat. 'You cannot tell me that with Chelsea spending 200m in the transfer market there is no money in the Premier League to help out the EFL clubs,' Scally said. 'We should be a family in football. We've been a family for 125 years and now when a member of the family is struggling badly it's time for wealthy big brother to step up and help the family. It's as simple as that.' The National League is set to start on Saturday, while National League North and South clubs are in FA Cup qualifying action. Oil majors Rosneft and Saudi Aramco are unlikely to bid in the privatisation of Indian refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp, sources familiar with the matter said, as low oil prices and weak fuel demand curb investment plans. Russia's Rosneft had expressed interest in buying the federal government's 53.29% stake in Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) when CEO Igor Sechin visited New Delhi in February, while India's trade minister has said that Aramco was enthusiastic about the stake sale. A Rosneft source, however, said his company will not buy BPCL. Another source said Rosneft would only be interested in BPCL's marketing business comprising fuel depots and more than 16,800 fuel stations. "For this, India has to sell BPCL in parts," the source said. The Indian government - looking to finance welfare schemes and bridge a fiscal deficit that has already topped the annual target - had aimed to raise $8 billion to $10 billion through the sale of its BPCL stake. But the BPCL share price has plunged nearly 30% over the past year to trade at about 386 rupees on Tuesday. "This is not the time to invest in refining ... demand would be there for oil to chemicals and not conventional products," said one of the sources familiar with Saudi oil giant Aramco's thinking. Aramco said it does not comment on rumours or speculation, adding: "We continue to explore potential growth opportunities in Asia, including India, and will make appropriate updates as and when necessary." The Saudi government discussed BPCL's privatisation with an Indian oil ministry official in July, according to an oil ministry document. However, a second source familiar with Aramco's thinking said that after showing interest initially Aramco has not submitted a formal expression of interest (EoI) even though the process was extended by two months to Sept. 30. A third source said that Aramco has halted most of its India investment plans because of the oil price crash and is unlikely to bid for BPCL. "India will not get the deserved price for the BPCL stake sale in the current environment," said a fourth source familiar with Aramco's thinking. India may have to pursue other avenues to raise funds to meet its spending commitments, said Kiran Jadhav, who runs his own asset management firm with a 2 billion rupee ($27 million) portfolio. "If big firms are backing out, this will definitely hurt the share price and valuation of BPCL," he said. Sources said that neither Rosneft nor Aramco see much value in refining because the government in the Indian state of Kerala, home to BPCL's biggest refinery, might challenge the privatisation in court and BPCL's two other refineries are in cities, leaving little scope for revamps and expansion. Aramco and Rosneft did not immediately respond to requests for comment. India's finance ministry also did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters reported last week that India's efforts to privatise BPCL could spill into the next fiscal year, citing a government document and sources. "Aramco has not participated in the EoI so far. Initially we had expected them to show interest. We are weighing our options," said a source familiar with India's government stake sale programme. Around one in six state secondary schools in England were not fully open last week, latest government figures have show. Eighty-four per cent were open to all students last Thursday, according to Department for Education (DfE) data. This is a drop from 92 per cent on 17 September. Partial closures were mainly due to coronavirus-related reasons, the DfE said. A tiny proportion of state schools 0.2 per cent were completely closed on 24 September, according to the latest available figures. Meanwhile, 93 per cent of state schools in total were fully open - down from 94 per cent the week before. The latest figures come amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the UK, which has reported some of its highest ever daily tallies in recent days. Six per cent of state schools who responded to the government survey said they were not fully open due to a suspected or confirmed coronavirus case last Thursday. This equates to around 1,000 schools in England. Commenting on the latest figures, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: We are extremely concerned to see a drop in the number of secondary schools fully open due to Covid cases and the resulting requirement for groups of pupils to self-isolate." "This reflects the extremely difficult circumstances in which schools are operating amidst rising infection rates in the community." New restrictions were announced for England last week amid rising cases, including a new 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants. Employees were also told to work from home again where possible. Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, said: It is encouraging to see that the vast majority of schools remain open, with more than 7.2 million pupils estimated to be attending schools last week gaining all the benefits of being in the classroom. Only a small minority of pupils are currently self-isolating and there is remote education provision in place for the short time they are unable to attend school." He added: Im hugely reassured schools have the right protective measures in place to reduce the spread of the virus, and are only asking close contacts of confirmed cases to self-isolate." When you need to warm up, what's your favorite winter comfort food? Kieran Wood joins EfficientIP as part of global expansion that signals ongoing momentum despite the pandemic EfficientIP, a leading provider of network security and automation solutions specializing in DDI (DNS-DHCP-IPAM), today announced the addition of Kieran Wood as its new country manager and sales director for the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. This addition comes as part of an overall global expansion, as the company has seen a 38% growth in billings in the first half of 2020. As part of his duties, Wood will oversee the onboarding of a new sales team across Northern Europe as well as the implementation of a new channel program designed to develop and nurture new partners. The move signals EfficientIP's commitment to the United Kingdom as a region worthy of ongoing investment and expanding strategic initiatives. "I am incredibly excited to be joining EfficientIP right now," Wood said. "More than ever, businesses need solutions that offer strengthened network security and enhanced operational efficiency-I'm eager to help deliver these to new regions and new customers." A respected sales leader with over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology sector primarily from within the partner channel, Wood guides large, cross-functional teams across markets in order to build relationships with strategic partners. He joins EfficientIP from Cloud Business, where he spent two years in a multi-faceted role including Sales and Business Development Director. Prior to that, he spent seventeen years with LAN2LAN, overseeing professional sales personnel in order to position the company as the UK's leading technology partner and system integrator in the areas of IT Security, Infrastructure, Messaging, Collaboration, Mobility and WLAN solutions. Wood's appointment comes as EfficientIP experiences a period of high growth. In the first half of 2020, the company saw 40% increase in billings, fueled in no small part by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are operating in a 'must have' market," said Phillippe Mailland, VP of Europe at EfficientIP. "We are providing the services that are critical for network infrastructure to perform, allowing users to securely access their vital apps and services stored in the enterprise or in the cloud. This is more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we're excited to see how Wood and his team will help us bring these services to users in new regions." Mailland explains that IT budgets, historically very tight, have started to expand more and more to include solutions for network automation, and that DDI projects receive some allocation in almost all cases. With more than 145 professionals around the world, EfficientIP serves clients in all verticals, from communication companies and internet service providers to the retail, finance and higher education sectors. -ENDS- ABOUT EFFICIENTIP EfficientIP is a network automation and security company, specializing in DNS-DHCP-IPAM solutions (DDI), with the goal of helping organizations worldwide drive business efficiency through agile, secure and reliable infrastructure foundations. Integrated solutions enable IP communication and simplify network management with end-to-end visibility and smart automation, while patented technology secures DNS services to safeguard data and ensure application access. Companies in all sectors rely on EfficientIP offerings to face the challenges of key IT initiatives such as cloud applications and mobility. For further information, please visit: www.efficientip.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005059/en/ Contacts: PRESS CONTACT APCO Worldwide for EfficientIP Thomas Eyre teyre@apcoworldwide.com 07741144297 Spitting Image has defended its decision to include a puppet of Greta Thunberg in its new series. The political satire show returns on Saturday (3 October) to streaming service BritBox, with a new series of episodes taking aim at political and pop cultural figures through the use of distorted and caricatured puppets. However, after an image of Thunbergs puppet was released, many critics argued that it was unfair to mock the climate activist, who is 17 years old and has autism. In response, group director of streaming video on demand at ITV Reemah Sakaan said that the Swedish teenager was fair game and would be making an appearance to mention rising temperatures on Earth. Its a very straightforward joke and is nothing to do with her as an individual, Sakaan told the Broadcasting Press Guild. Spitting Image bosses have insisted Greta Thunberg is fair game (PA) BritBox boss Will Harrison also pointed out that Thunberg had liked the picture of her puppet on Twitter after it was revealed last week. It comes after Spitting Image creator Roger Law insisted that the new series would mock both right and left-wing figures on its return. Explaining that there was no fun in only targeting the right, Law said: Theres lots of ammunition to throw at the other side as well. You go for them all. As well as Conservative politicians such as Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab being parodied in puppet form, celebrities including Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, RuPaul, Adele, Elon Musk, Beyonce, and James Corden will also be given the Spitting Image treatment. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Reports on India Provides the Trending Market Research Report onIndia In-vitro Fertilization Market By Technique (ICSI IVF v/s Non-ICSI/ Traditional IVF), By Product (IVF Culture Media, ICSI Machine, IVF Incubators, Cryosystem, Others), By Donor (Fresh Non-donor, Frozen Non-donor, Fresh Donor, Frozen Donor), By Infertility (Male v/s Female), By Embryo (Fresh Embryo v/s Frozen-thawed Embryo), By End User (Fertility Clinics, Hospitals, Others), By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, FY 2026under Healthcare category. The report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, competitive intelligence and Market reports. India In-Vitro Fertilization Market is forecast to grow at a formidable rate of around 13% and surpass $ 1 billion market by FY 2026. The countrys in-vitro fertilization market is driven by improving healthcare infrastructure and rising availability of modern healthcare facilities at affordable prices. This fact is also giving rise to medical tourism thereby propelling the in-vitro fertilization market in the country. Additionally, changing lifestyle patterns are leading to various diseases such as PCOS and other kinds of reproductive diseases. Furthermore, increasing number of single super specialty hospitals is projected to fuel the market over the next few years. Besides, growing awareness towards male infertility in the country is expected to positively influence the market over the next few years. Request a free sample copy of India In-vitro Fertilization Market Report http://www.marketreportsonindia.com/marketreports/sample/reports/2171156 The India in-vitro fertilization market is segmented based on technique, product, donor, infertility, embryo, end user, and region . Based on technique, the market can be split into ICSI IVF and Non-ICSI/Traditional IVF. The ICSI IVF segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the benefits associated with this technique such as better fertilization and minimization of multi-nucleation since only one sperm and one egg is involved in this technique. Additionally, there is no acrosome reaction taking place in this technique. Based on end user, the market can be categorized into fertility clinics, hospitals and others. The fertility clinics segment is expected to dominate the market owing to the growing consumer preference for availing treatment at these facilities. Additionally, growing penetration of fertility clinics & centers chains is further expected to fuel the market growth through FY2026. Major players operating in the India in-vitro fertilization market include Merck India (Merck KGaA), Origio India Pvt. Ltd. (Cooper Surgical), IMV India Pvt. Ltd (Hamilton Thorne, Ltd.), Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt. Ltd., Travancore Trade Links (Vitrolife AB), Cook Medical India, Morpheus Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Max Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Olympus Medical Systems India Pvt. Ltd., Fujifilm India Private Limited and others. Years considered for this report: Historical Years: FY2016-FY2019 Base Year: FY2020 Estimated Year: FY2021 Forecast Period: FY2022FY2026 Objective of the Study: To analyze and forecast the market size of India in-vitro fertilization market. To classify and forecast India in-vitro fertilization market based on technique, products, donor, infertility, embryo, end user, company and regional distribution. To identify drivers and challenges for India in-vitro fertilization market. To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in India in-vitro fertilization market. To conduct pricing analysis for India in-vitro fertilization market. To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in India in-vitro fertilization market Our Research performed both primary as well as exhaustive secondary research for this study. Initially, Our Research sourced a list of fertility centers across the globe. Subsequently, Our Research conducted primary research surveys with the identified companies. While interviewing, the respondents were also enquired about their competitors. Through this technique, Our Research could include the manufacturers which could not be identified due to the limitations of secondary research. Our Research analyzed the manufacturers, distribution channels and presence of all major players across the globe. Our Research calculated the market size of India in-vitro fertilization market using a bottom-up approach, wherein data for various end-user segments was recorded and forecast for the future years. Our Research sourced these values from the industry experts and company representatives and externally validated through analyzing historical data of these product types and applications for getting an appropriate, overall market size. Various secondary sources such as company websites, news articles, press releases, company annual reports, investor presentations and financial reports were also studied by Our Research. Key Target Audience: In-vitro fertilization fertility centers, hospitals/clinics and other stakeholders Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers Organizations, forums and alliances related to in-vitro fertilization Market research and consulting firms The study is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for the industry stakeholders such as fertility centers, hospitals and clinics, end users, etc., besides allowing them in strategizing investments and capitalizing on market opportunities. Report Scope: In this report, India in-vitro fertilization market has been segmented into following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below: Market, By Technique: ICSI Non-ICSI/ Traditional IVF Market, By Products: IVF Culture Media ICSI Machine IVF Incubators Cryosystem Others Market, By Donor: Fresh Non-Donor Frozen Non-Donor Frozen Donor Fresh Donor Market, By Infertility: Male Female Market, By Embryo: Fresh Embryo Frozen-thawed Embryo Market, By End User: Fertility Clinics Hospitals Others Market, By Region: North South East West Competitive Landscape Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in India in-vitro fertilization market. Available Customizations: With the given market data, Our Research offers customizations according to a companys specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report: Company Information Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five). Browse our full report with Table of Content : http://www.marketreportsonindia.com/marketreports/india-in-vitro-fertilization-market-by-technique-icsi-ivf-v-s-non-icsi-traditional-ivf-by-product-ivf-culture-media/2171156 About Market Reports on India: Market Reports on India is an excellent source to obtain top quality market research reports that helps you to understand the business in the Indian market. We cover various industries, identifying and understanding key macro and micro-economic trends, insights and futuristic growth opportunities. To help achieve all this and more, Market Reports on India is the answer to all your business needs. Contact us at: Market Reports on India Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773 Email: info@marketreportsonindia.com Website: www.marketreportsonindia.com Follow us on: Twitter,Facebook, LinkedIn Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Muthi Achadiat Kautsar (The Jakarta Post) - Wed, September 30, 2020 20:59 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4847195 1 Science & Tech GrabProtect,Grab,GrabCar,Grab-Bike,Papua Free Life will never be the same again after we have seen many changes as a result of the lingering health crisis. Those who are optimistic will say that crisis is the mother of invention, hence we see many an invention we had never thought of. While we can still consider online transportation itself a new invention, we are now seeing more ride-sharing cars equipped to comply with COVID-19 health and safety protocols. As a precautionary measure to maintain the health of its partners and its users, Southeast Asias leading super app Grab recently launched GrabProtect in Papuas Jayapura, in partnership with the citys mayor and transportation agency. GrabProtect embodies health and safety protocol to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission, and it materializes in safety features, cleaning equipment and several rules that meet the top standard in the ride-hailing industry. Halim Wijaya, Grab Indonesias head of East Indonesia, stresses the companys commitment to innovations in digital platforms that are safe for customers as well as driver partners during the pandemic. Safety has always been Grabs main focus, and through GrabProtect, we have become the pioneer in the improvement of hygiene standards in the ride-hailing industry, Halim said in a statement. Going further east: GrabProtect, which embodies health and safety protocols through certain in-app features, cleaning equipment and several rules, is finally launched in Jayapura, Papua, in partnership with the citys mayor and administration. (Courtesy of/Grab) He went on to say that GrabProtect was present in dozens of Indonesian cities from Sumatra in the west to Papua in the east. The special unit of ride-sharing cars and bikes equipped with GrabProtect has served more than 26 million kilometers across the archipelago since its launch in April, a distance equivalent to 4,600 return trips between Aceh and Jayapura. Jayapura Mayor Benhur Tomi Mano said he hoped the driver partners commitment to comply with health protocol could become a frontrunner in public participation to prevent wider transmission of COVID-19. I believe that this partnership will help people conduct their activities easily and safely, so that we stay healthy and the regions economy will thrive, he said. Drive safe: A driver partner sits behind the wheel of a GrabCar Protect unit. GrabProtect, an initiative recently launched by Grab, aims to maintain its partners and users health. Recently, Grab rolls out GrabProtect in Jayapura, Papua, following a milestone of serving more than 26 million-kilometer across the archipelago since its initial launch in April. (Courtesy of/Grab) GrabProtect steps begin with ensuring that passengers are in a healthy state and giving them the option to cancel a trip or send feedback to Grab if the driver partner doesnt wear a mask, as well as encouraging them to use a cashless payment method. On the other hand, driver partners can also cancel the trip if the passenger refuses to wear a mask. Moreover, Grab rolls out two new in-app features, namely the online declaration form on health and cleanliness and mask monitoring feature using a selfie in which driver partners and delivery partners are asked to take a selfie while wearing mask after they fill the declaration forms. Meanwhile, as part of GrabProtects hygiene program, Grab has deployed GrabCar and GrabBike Protect units equipped with high-quality plastic partitioners to minimize contact between driver partner and user. For Papua, Grab has deployed dozens of GrabCar Protect units to begin with and plans to deploy more. To ensure that the GrabProtect initiative achieves its mission to help curb the spread of coronavirus, Grab has updated its rating and feedback feature as well as its in-app Help Center for reports regarding health and safety. These features will enable users to report driver partners who seem unwell or are not wearing masks. Grab will monitor the reports and take needed action to protect the safety and health of its users. Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath has revealed that ministers were not told about the Leaving Cert calculated grade error at Cabinet on Tuesday. In an interview with the Irish Examine, Mr McGrath said that despite this issue being known about for a week, Education Minister Norma Foley did not inform her colleagues at their weekly meeting. So, this issue was not brought up at Cabinet. So I'm only learning about this today in the same way as everybody else, and I haven't had the opportunity of being fully briefed on it. I haven't got any any detailed briefing from the department on it but it was not discussed at Cabinet, he said. Mr McGrath said it was "understandable that Ms Foley would not reveal the details until she and her department had a sufficient grasp of the issue. Well I can understand that before you bring an issue like that into the public domain, you need to be able to answer questions and people who are impacted would understandably want answers to questions, he said. The minister said the episode is a deeply unfortunate turn of events, and said he really feels for the class of 2020. What we need to do is to ensure that all of those who are impacted, that they get the course that they would otherwise have got, he said. Mr McGrath said it was "understandable that Ms Foley would not reveal the details until she and her department had a sufficient grasp of the issue. Picture: Maxwells Mr McGrath said if students end up with higher points as a result of a change in their grades, then there is an obligation of government to make sure that they get the place they would otherwise have got. He also said the contract signed with the outside company must be examined to see what recourse is there for the State. And, of course, that contract now needs to be very carefully examined, to see what recourse the state may have in relation to these errors. But I think the immediate priority is to is to address the issues that this creates for the students, he said. Mr McGrath said that while this was the States first attempt at a calculated grades system in exceptional circumstances, they are not an excuse for the errors found. That is not an excuse for errors of this nature occurring. Clearly, they should not have occurred and we just have to make sure no that the people who were given a poorer result than they should have been given as a result of the errors are looked after. That's the challenge we have to knuckle down to immediately, he said. Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. A Lakewood first grader who tested positive for COVID-19 is remote learning at home with meals, vitamins and Motrin provided by the school district and a local health center, school officials said as teachers continued to raise questions about whether the district is handling coronavirus cases correctly. A preliminary review found Lakewood Public Schools officials followed the districts policies and did nothing wrong when they allegedly did not quarantine the infected first graders class and told his teachers to return to work, Michael Inzelbuch, the Lakewood school board attorney, said Tuesday. The records and data demonstrate that all policies were complied with, Inzelbuch said. A first grade teacher and an ESL teacher at Spruce Street School said they were told last week that one of their students had tested positive for COVID-19 after going home sick from school with mild symptoms the previous week, according to a report Friday in the Asbury Park Press. Both teachers said they were pressured to return to work before getting their COVID-19 test results and only three students who shared a table with the infected child were asked to quarantine at home for 14 days, the report said. When the teachers questioned why the whole class and all of the childs teachers were not told to get tested and quarantine, they said they were told they only had casual contact with the infected student, not close contact" within six feet for 15 minutes or more, so no action was needed. Inzelbuch said the districts initial review shows Aleida Salguero, the schools principal, did nothing wrong in how the case was handled. A preliminary review has been completed and her stellar reputation continues untarnished. As to the baseless accusations hurled at this veteran educator, same are without any merit and are being investigated, Inzelbuch said in an email. A preliminary review also found Lakewood Superintendent Laura Winters followed the districts procedures, Inzelbuch added. Three teachers who taught the infected first grader have tested negative for COVID-19 and two were in their classrooms Tuesday, school officials said. No other students have reported positive test results. "In accord with our plan and the governors directives ... two of the three staff were allowed to return to work today at their request with the third staff member, despite wanting to return today, being informed that the staff member needed to be out 14 days as she reported 'close contact with the student in question, Inzelbuch said. Many teachers in Lakewood are concerned the district is not putting the safety of teachers and students first as cases in Ocean County continue to rise, said Dawn Hiltner, a spokeswoman for the Lakewood Education Association, the local teachers' union. We know that theres a spike right now in the community of Lakewood, and theres no way for that to not make its way into the schools, Hiltner said. Unfortunately, the district hasnt really been forthcoming with what the testing has been. Under the states guidelines, schools can remain open when one or two people test positive for COVID-19 in a single classroom. But those who came in close contact with person who tested positive should be told to stay away from the school and quarantine for 14 days. The state guidelines define close contact as being within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes with a person with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. The guidelines leave the decision to quarantine entire classes or close schools up to the local district in consultation with local health officials. Most New Jersey public schools that have had positive cases have asked all students and teachers in a classroom to get tested and quarantine when one or more students or teachers have tested positive. Other districts have gone beyond the guidelines and closed entire schools and switched to remote learning after one or more cases. Lakewood, which has about 6,000 students, is one of the largest public school districts in the state that reopened for the new school year with all in-person classes, five days a week. The majority of the states public schools have reopened with all-remote learning or hybrid models in which students rotate going to school and learning at home to reduce the number of people in the classroom each day. Some Lakewood teachers have complained classrooms are too crowded and the district cant enforce social distancing guidelines with most students in class each day. The union has called for the district to switch to a hybrid learning plan. If you have half the number of people in the building, it makes it a lot easier to keep people safe, Hiltner said. You would have opportunities for more efficient social distancing, for better cleanup. Just to limit the number of people in a room, thats what we feel is the safest thing to do at this point. The union is also concerned students temperatures are not being taken when they board school buses in the morning and schools are not tracking and collecting the daily health screening forms students are supposed to submit before entering the building each day. Not all of them have been coming back, and many of them are being filled out by the kids themselves, Hiltner said. Lakewood officials did not respond Tuesday to questions about whether the temperature screenings and health form procedures are being followed. The concerns in Lakewood are being raised as Ocean County has become the states hotspot for new coronavirus cases. As of Tuesday, Ocean County had averaged 157 cases a day over the last seven days, state officials said. That was well ahead of the next highest counties of Middlesex, with an average of 54 cases a day, and Monmouth, with 44 cases a day. Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to visit Ocean County later this week to speak with local officials about the rise in cases. The alarm level has been raised, Lakewood Mayor Raymond Coles told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday. Lakewood, which has more than 100,000 residents, is the largest township in Ocean County and one of the fastest growing in New Jersey thanks to its expanding Orthodox Jewish community. It also has one of the most unusual school districts in the state, with 6,000 students in public schools and another 30,000 mostly Orthodox Jewish students enrolled in the towns 130 private schools. Most private religious schools in New Jersey were not required to submit reopening plans to the state detailing social distancing measures, but they were required to file documents saying they plan to follow the states guidelines for reopening schools safely. Staff writers Matt Arco and Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. It's crystal-clear that the media branch of the Democrat party thinks Joe Biden blew it last night and damaged his electoral prospects in the first of three scheduled debates with President Trump. There seems to be pretty widespread consensus on the left that when it comes to Biden, the less voters know about him by watching him in a presidential spotlight, the better. Fox News has assembled a large number of calls on Biden to go back to his basement on the next two debate nights, October 15 and 22. CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer kicked off the network's post-debate coverage by pondering about the future of the Trump-Biden face-offs. "It will certainly raise a lot of questions ... about the future of presidential debate between these two candidates. I wouldn't be surprised, by the way, if this is the last presidential debate between the president of the United States and the former vice president of the United States," Blitzer said. At rabidly anti-Trump CNN, Blitzer had company: "Should there be other debates?" CNN anchor Anderson Cooper asked. "The vice-presidential debate is next and there's supposed to be two more debates." "I have to say I don't think the country is going to be yearning for another one of these," CNN analyst David Axelrod responded. "I think Biden has a decision to make." MSNBC was not about to let CNN steal the no-more-debates show: "This is a disgrace, a low point in American debate history. There is no reason, not one, that Joe Biden should participate in another debate," MSNBC host Joe Scarborough tweeted. (snip) Cancel the remaining debates," former MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry said. "The debates are now a danger to public safety and a direct threat to Black life. Cancel the debates." Only one MSNBC commentator, former McCain campaign official Nicolle Wallace, saw the downside of bugging out: During MSNBC's post-debate coverage, "ReidOut" host Joy Reid questioned her colleague Nicolle Wallace, who has worked on presidential campaigns in the past, if Biden should bother showing up to the next debate. "If you were Joe Biden's team, would you do another one?" Reid asked. Wallace quickly answered that Biden needs to fulfill his commitment. "Joe Biden has to go because you don't stand up to a bully, who is trying to do whatever he's doing, lift his leg and pee on our democracy, by not showing up and standing up to the bully," Wallace said. "You stand there because you made a deal and you hold up your end of the deal." Lefty print journalists saw the downside of more debates as worse than the downside of breaking a commitment: The liberal magazine The Atlantic ran an op-ed with the headline "Cancel the debates." "Tonight was the first presidential debate of the 2020 election, and if there is any sense or mercy left in this nation, it will be the last, too," Atlantic staff writer David Graham wrote. (snip) Slate ran a similar piece with the headline "Cancel the Rest of the Debates." My own take is that Biden has almost no enthusiastic supporters. His support comes from people who hate Trump, many of them because of his abrasive style. They are not highly motivated, to say the least. Last night, Biden demonstrated that when it comes to rudeness, he is at least the equal of Donald Trump. So if getting rid of rudeness is the motivation, there is no reason to bother voting for Biden. KOCHI: Kerala, the state which attained global acclaim for implementation of successful model in containing COVID-19 in the initial phase, has entered the most critical phase of the pandemic. It is one of the states having the highest number of active cases in the country. The test positivity rate is steeping to new heights with the current rate is 12 positive cases among 100 tested. Even as the daily caseload has crossed 7000 with a total of 61791 active cases as on Tuesday, the state government is not considering a complete lockdown to rein in the rising virus transmission curve. An all-party meeting convened by the government has turned down the proposal for enforcing total lockdown citing its adverse impacts on the economy and livelihood of common people. The government is also not favouring the recommendation for declaring a health emergency as suggested by the Indian Medical Association. Though the IMA has written to the government stressing the need to declare health emergency considering the gravity of the situation, the chief minister said that the current situation doesnt require declaration of a medical emergency. The IMA in its letter to the government also sought increasing the number of COVID-19 testing. However, the chief minister has made it clear that the situation is very critical warranting implementation of stricter pandemic protocols. The government will soon issue a new set of guidelines regarding the restrictions on the number of people allowed in social events, marriages and funerals. The government is not against conducting protest programmes of political parties. But everyone should strictly follow the social distancing norms and other health advisory, he added. Meanwhile, the Opposition UDF has already announced that it would not conduct any kind of mass protests and gatherings until the situation improves. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has made the announcement in this regard. But, the BJP state leadership said that the party has no plans to stop mass protests against the government. According to the health departments assessment, the number of fresh cases is likely to be in the range of 10,000-15,000 in the coming weeks. However, the state is able to maintain a low mortality rate and a stable recovery rate. The total number of deaths due to virus infection is 719 while the number of cases reported is 1,87,276. LONDON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lili Niemann, Founder and CEO of South Africa based E-Square Education Enterprises, has been named twice in the Business Worldwide Magazine 2020 Global Corporate Excellence Awards. The Awards seek to identify and honour the most respected companies and their C-level executives, rewarding outstanding performance, innovation and ethics across international business and finance communities. Lili has won two awards: 'Social Entrepreneur of the Year- South Africa' and 'Business Leadership and Dedication to the Community Award'. The way people access education has changed dramatically over recent years, with online learning now becoming more popular than ever. But as the new global environment becomes more competitive and knowledge based, millions of people without online access are getting left behind. Lili Niemann has built her career on redressing the balance by making quality learning accessible to all. Lili established E-Square in 1994, since then growing the business to the point where it has earned the enviable reputation as one of South Africa's most impressive educational facilities. She has always been driven by her passion for music, education and helping others achieve their full potential, over the years working as a lecturer and running Saturday Schools. To date, the institution has educated over 37 342 learners aged between 6 and 80, across multiple campuses. The overall goal is to produce self-motivated individuals who are ready to tackle the next phase of their lives, whether in education or the corporate world. Lili is also a committed philanthropist, launching the Rara Avis Foundation to help talented learners and students achieve their potential, as well as bursaries for Excellent Achievements in Academic, Music and Sport. This student value was achieved with the support of corporate sponsor donations, to the value of over R13m over the past 25 years. eCUBE Online is Lili's latest venture, reinforcing her dedication to innovation and entrepreneurship. The new online service will eventually offer nearly 1,000 varied courses that will be available to candidates all around the world, any time, any place, through any mobile device with an internet connection. The move towards online learning is critical as the world faces the challenges of COVID-19, and Lili and her team of passionate, dedicated educational professionals are focused on making quality education as easily accessible as possible. Lili explained her success and aims to Business Worldwide Magazine: "My vision is for E-Square Education to become a world class organisation, a global provider of relevant, quality online learning and an Institution which creates entrepreneurs who are job creators, rather than seekers. I strongly believe that education should not be about teaching students for a profit, but about making money in order to provide quality education for all." To find out more about E-Square Education and eCUBE ONLINE, visit: http://e-square.co.za https://rara-avis.org https://ecubeonline.com http://lilibouwerniemann.com An article on Lili Niemann can be found on the Business Worldwide Magazine website: https://www.bwmonline.com/2020/08/17/lili-niemann-the-ceo-taking-world-class-teaching-to-a-global-level/ Further information about the Business Worldwide Magazine Awards can be found at https://www.bwmonline.com/awards About Business Worldwide Magazine Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few. Contact David Jones Awards Department E: david.jones@bwmonline.com W: http://www.bwmonline.com A trader works before the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, on Aug. 14, 2019. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images) House Bill Would Restrict US Investments in Chinese Regime-Linked Companies U.S. Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), and Denver Riggleman (R-Va.) introduced a proposal aimed at stopping the flow of U.S. investment funds into entities connected to the Chinese Communist Party. The measure, named the Protecting National Security in Financial Investment Act (H.R. 8407), would require the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to submit a report assessing whether investments in Chinese-linked companies placed on the U.S. entity list should be disclosed in accordance with securities laws. The entity list, administered and enforced by the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security, names foreign companies considered to be posing a threat to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. American firms are required to obtain a special government license before they can do business with companies on the list. The bill proposes that following the report, the SEC may establish regulations requiring financial institutions to disclose investments made in companies on the entity list in their annual reports. The Chinese Communist Party and its companies are exploiting U.S. capital markets to covertly access investment dollars to fuel their malign activity, McCaul said in a Sept. 29 statement. This legislation will provide the federal government with tools to target CCP malign efforts, protect hardworking Americans savings and investments, and deter financial flows to foreign companies that undermine our national security, Reschenthaler added. Currently, more than 300 Chinese companies are on the list, including telecom giant Huawei and 152 of its affiliates. The bill would also require creating a new entity list, to be compiled by the secretary of state, of Chinese companies that have ties to four Chinese military and government entities: the Peoples Liberation Army (Chinas military), the Armed Police Force, the Ministry of State Security (Chinas chief intelligence agency), and the Coast Guard. Companies that carry out Chinas military-civil fusion strategy, subsidiaries of Chinas defense universities, and defense contractors also would be added to the list. Within a year after the bill is enacted, the new list would be submitted to Congress and annually thereafter. Beijings military-civil fusion strategy is a state-directed initiative to leverage cooperation between the military and private industry to advance technology innovations. According to the U.S. State Department, Beijing aims to achieve military dominance with the strategy by acquiring and diverting the worlds cutting-edge technologiesincluding through theft. The proposal follows about a week after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave a speech at Wisconsins state capitol on the challenges of confronting Chinas threats. One of the concerns he mentioned was U.S. state pension funds investing in Chinas state-controlled companies, such as Wisconsin Retirement System investments in Chinas state-owned telecom firm China Mobile. Theyre an integral part of Chinese Orwellian surveillance system. Do you want your teachers, your firefighters, your policemen invested in those kinds of activities? Pompeo said. Chinas major telecom firms are known to cooperate with authorities in monitoring citizens movements, phone calls, and text messages. The Wisconsin Retirement System provides retirement benefits to University of Wisconsin (UW) System employees and most state public employees. According to the UW System trust funds quarterly investment review released in June, it invests in a portfolio with several Chinese companies making up the top 10 holdings, such as state-owned China Construction Bank, Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Tencent, and China Mobile. The California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), the largest pension fund in the United States, has also recently come under close scrutiny for its investments in Chinese companies. After China implemented a new security law in Hong Kong earlier in the summer which restricted political freedom of its citizens, two declarations were raised at the United Nations Human Rights Council, one that supported Beijing's move and another which expressed its concerns. The Cuba-drafted declaration which commended China for its implementation was backed by 53 other nations. On the other hand, the United Kingdom expressed its worries about the legislation, which was shared by 27 other countries. Massive display of power According to the Wall Street Journal, China's recent display of authority is the latest success in Beijing's attempt to garner support from international organizations. Beijing has moved to gain influence at the United Nations to allow China to aggressively act and ignore international scrutiny in the mainland and abroad. In March, China acquired a seat on a five-member panel that is authorized to select U.N. rapporteurs on human rights abuses. The officials were the ones who previously targeted Beijing for its alleged imprisonment of its ethnic Muslim Uighurs in the controversial province of Xinjiang. The United States government has recently tried to stop China from gaining too much influence and freely gaining supporters worldwide. However, Washington's responses have had little impact on China's aggression on the world stage. One of China's latest moves to gain influence in the world stage was on September 29 when Chinese President Xi Jinping his country was ready and willing to cooperate with Argentina and other international community members in supporting the World Health Organization (WHO). Also Read: World Tensions Rise After President Xi Jinping Accuses Trump of Spreading Political Virus During UN General Assembly The declaration comes as the WHO is playing the leading role in the battle against the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the world. Xi has also emphasized the need to eradicate the threat of the COVID-19 as soon as possible, as reported by CCTV. The Chinese president noted that China and Argentina have long been on good terms and have previously joined hands in battle. President Xi stated his administration is ready to provide as much support and assistance as it could to Argentina. Criticisms and allegations China's actions also come at a time when United President Donald Trump has consistently denounced the Asian country as a global menace. The Republican leader has commonly referred to Beijing as a malevolent actor and claimed it was responsible for the initial spread of the coronavirus pandemic worldwide because of its lack of proper containment. According to The Time, President Trump also accused China of pulling puppet-like strings to stir the world to its favor and gain influence among international organizations such as the WHO. However, Beijing has since denied all allegations and called them baseless claims. While Trump criticized and attacked China, the U.S. president has also attempted to extend his influence across the world and presents himself as the sole person capable of beating Beijing into submission with the previous trade deal between the two countries. Republicans, including the U.S. president, say that Democrats are the ones who are bowing down to Beijing and allowing China to increase its power and authority on the global stage. Trump claimed that former Vice President Joe Biden aimed to forge ties to China during his several visits to the Asian country. Related Article: Trump Criticizes President Xi After Allegedly Hiding COVID-19 Information in Cooperation with WHO @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Already Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in their worst fighting in decades in the disputed Nagorno Karabakh region. Now only three days into fighting, at least 100 people have been killed, which includes soldiers and civilians on both sides, amid tank warfare and the deployment of infantry and artillery units. There's also increasing signs of direct aerial combat. Raising the likelihood of a full-blown regional war in the Caucuses, Turkish President Erdogan's office shocked on Tuesday with a direct threat of intervention on its ally Azerbaijan's behalf: Turkey raised the spectre of full-blown war in the flashpoint Caucus region of Nagorno Karabakh on Tuesday after vowing to help its ally Azerbaijan seize the disputed territory back from Armenian control. As fighting in the region raged for a third day, Turkey said it was fully committed to helping Azerbaijan take back its occupied lands, which Azeris were driven out of during the civil war of the early 1990s. Azerbaijan fired artillery against Armenian forces on Wednesday in the biggest eruption of their decades-old conflict since the mid-1990s https://t.co/0DHlqLeZf7 pic.twitter.com/G22DxIxU6b Reuters (@Reuters) September 30, 2020 The spokesman for the Turkish president made the statements already as Azerbaijan is poised for a full-scale military incursion into Nagorno Karabakh, which would trigger a national Armenian armed forces response. Yereven already on Sunday into Monday gave a nationwide 'full troops mobilization' order, and additional forces are flooding into the breakaway region which Armenia has for decades protected, despite the territory being officially within Azerbaijan's borders. Tensions ran high between Ankara and Yerevan after on Tuesday Armenia's Defense Ministry claimed a Turkish F-16 shot down an Armenian SU-25. While Turkey immediately denied the claim, slamming it as "fake news" and "propaganda," Armenia the following day published photographs of wreckage it says proves the aircraft downing over Armenian airspace. An official Government of Armenia run account issued the photo set: On September 29, F-16 multifunctional fighter of the Turkish Air Forces downed SU-25 Fighter within the airspace of #Armenia. It was carrying out combat tasks to repel the attacks of #Azerbaijan on military and civilian objects. Pilot Major Valeri Danelin was killed pic.twitter.com/ew01OZujPc Armenian Unified Infocenter (@ArmenianUnified) September 30, 2020 The aircraft shootdown incident was widely reported yet has not been independently verified, with outside observers fearing the intense 'fog of war' environment makes information and claims hard to verify. As for Turkish intervention, it's widely believed this is already taking place covertly on the ground, especially via transfer of Turkish-backed Syrian jihadists who previously waged proxy war on Assad. Today Azerbaijani armed forces launched attacks on military-civilian infrastructures of the internationally recognized territory of Armenia.This includes the civilian population, killing one civilian, a civilian bus was shelled, SU 26 was shot down#NKpeace#AzerbaijaniAgression pic.twitter.com/wwJZlInOx5 Armenian Unified Infocenter (@ArmenianUnified) September 29, 2020 Though initially only reported in local and independent Mideast media, The Guardian and others have finally taken note: Syrian rebel fighters have signed up to work for a private Turkish security company as border guards in Azerbaijan, several volunteers in Syrias last rebel stronghold have said, at a time when the long-running conflict between Baku and neighbouring Armenia is showing dangerous signs of escalation. The potential deployment is a sign of Turkeys growing appetite for projecting power abroad, and opens a third theatre in its regional rivalry with Moscow. Indeed Turkey and Russia are now on opposite sides of three different proxy wars: in Libya, Syria, and now the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. These reports of Turkish supplied Syrian mercenaries began days ago, even shortly before the start of hostilities Sunday, in what regional analysts predicted would be a huge escalation in hostilities in the Caucuses. Turkish troops in Azerbaijan last month for joint training operations, via Anadolu Agency/Getty Images. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously slammed Turkey's meddling in the conflict. Ankara had called Armenia "an obstacle" to peace after the fresh hostilities broke out. Yerevan has now formally confirmed Turkey is supplying fighters. Meanwhile, Moscow has a long-running defense pact with Armenia, including the presence of a large Russian military base in Armenia's northwest, while Turkey is considered a "brother country" of Azerbaijan, also with a key pipeline that runs across Turkey into the EU originating there. Should Erdogan actually follow through with this newest threat to intervene more forcefully on Baku's behalf, there's little doubt that Armenia will trigger its defense treaty with Russia, calling in support from the Kremlin. BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Three speeches by President Xi Jinping when attending a series of events celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 2019 will be published in the Qiushi Journal on Oct. 1, China's National Day. The speeches by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in the 19th issue of the journal. Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 29 (ANI): A 55-year-old woman returned home from Oman after 11 months, saying she was harassed by her employers there. "I went to Oman on October 23, 2019. An agent used to come here and convince me to go to Oman. He sent me there for work but bad things happened. I was sold on three occasions. People over there used to force me to do menial jobs. Also forced me to have physical relations," the woman told ANI. "When I contacted my son, he sent a letter to the embassy. So they gave my papers to the local police and my phone number as well. They found me and brought me to an office in Oman. After 11 months I reached my home. I thank the Indian government and my son," she said. The woman returned to Lucknow from Muscat on August 25. Her son Mosim Khan said, "I do book-binding work in Lucknow. Due to the economic crisis in our family, my mother went there. The agent mentally pressurised my mother to go to Oman." "I had asked the agent to give me papers belonging to my mother before going to Oman so that I have proof of my mother going there. The agent had told her that he was sending her free of cost, but he took Rs 50,000 from my mother," Khan said. "No one knew about it, but when my mother was in trouble and contacted me, then she gave these details. I have contacted the Embassy and Human Rights Commission and wrote to the Indian government and I thank them that my mother is back home now," he added. (ANI) President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland. Read more So, that debate was a lot and thats saying something after nearly four years of Trump. Here we are, less than five weeks to Election Day, and not one word that Ive heard or read quite captures the disaster of the first presidential debate. Well, maybe one word does, courtesy of CNNs Dana Bash, but Im not allowed to use it here, because some people are still pretending that civility and decorum havent died in Trumps America. Biden tried to be civil. He did. But sometimes you just have to call a clown a clown. And while I was more than OK with his saying the words many politicians and pundits still cant when talking about Trump wrong, liar, racist Biden was his best when he looked straight into the camera and spoke directly to Americans watching in horror. Those Americans, by the way, dont include members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group with a visible presence in Philadelphia, who celebrated Tuesday night after Trump mentioned them. Asked if he would instruct members of the neo-fascist terrorist group to stand down and cease the violence they have committed during protests. Trump twisted the phrase and did the opposite, telling the group: Proud Boys: Stand back and stand by, while also refusing to condemn white supremacy. And then he gave them marching orders: But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left. The group wasted no time cropping the words Stand Back, Stand By onto their logo. The Philadelphia chapter edited a photo of Trump to be wearing a Proud Boys polo shirt, captioned with, Stand by boys... Ive said this before, but I will keep saying it. Trump is a racist. And so are his supporters, especially if theyre still sticking by him after what New York Times opinion writer Peter Wehner called a bonfire of hate. And spare me your incredulous cries. You dont get to insist youre not a racist while supporting one. Its a package deal with Trump, who is both a racist and a liar. Bad things happen in Philadelphia, Trump said, repeating on national television his lie that poll watchers had been blocked from observing the first day of in-person early voting in Philadelphia. But as my Inquirer colleagues quickly corrected, official poll watchers havent yet been approved, and no polling places are open in the city. Trump was right in one respect. Bad things do happen in Philadelphia: gun violence, homelessness, poverty and so many other things that Trump has said and done nothing much about unless you count stoking the fire. He empowered white supremacists on national television. Just ask Gwen Snyder, a community organizer who tracks the Proud Boys movements and says shes been repeatedly targeted by the group. Last summer members made a late-night visit to her home. She wasnt there, but a group of men who showed up talked to her neighbor, she told police, and warned that Snyder needed to stop posting the names of members and other information on Twitter. Before leaving her street, two of the men put Proud Boys stickers on poles on the block, and another on her front door. Snyder said police who investigated told her that they couldnt prove theyd done anything illegal. I wondered what it felt like to hear the president legitimize them on national television. It was surreal, but it was a confirmation of what I suspected his game plan has been, she told me Wednesday. "He told us exactly who he is and what hell do. Its terrifying, and its what anti-fascists have been saying for a long time. " But then, as Phillip Bump noted in his Washington Post article, it wasnt just the Proud Boys: Trump also refused to dissuade supporters from a violent response to the election. Im urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully, because thats what has to happen, Trump said. I am urging them to do it. Meanwhile, in homes across the country, Americans watched our country become an even bigger disgrace at the hands of a man who shows us and tells us time and time again that he is willing to destroy everything around him to win. Because this is all a game, right? And politicians and pundits enthusiastically line up to play along. Treating these debates and this election as sport is going to be the death of us. It already has been for the more than 200,000 Americans who have died from a pandemic that Trump continues to mismanage and downplay. On Tuesday, he downplayed masks and mocked Biden for wearing one. Every time you see him, hes got a mask, Trump taunted. He could be speaking 200 feet away from it. And he shows up with the biggest mask Ive ever seen. Americans continue to die at record numbers, and the president of the United States jokes. There was a clear loser on Tuesday night, but it wasnt anyone on stage. It is us, fellow Americans. We are the losers here, and were going to continue to lose unless we do everything in our power to change course. Now. Facilitating integrated payments is a key component to Payrocs strategy and we couldnt be more excited to partner with Aleran Software, bringing seamless payment integrations to companies using their platform for managing business, said Jared Poulson, EVP of Integrated Payments. Payroc LLC and its affiliates (Payroc), a leading merchant acquirer and global payment processing organization, announced today their partnership with Aleran Software, an automated sales and ordering platform to provide a streamlined integrated payments solution for any marketplace. Facilitating integrated payments is a key component to Payrocs strategy and we couldnt be more excited to partner with Aleran Software, bringing seamless payment integrations to companies using their platform for managing business," said Jared Poulson, EVP of Integrated Payments. Financial technology is improving rapidly, businesses want transparency and automation so they can focus more time on growing their business with less time having to manage their business. The partnership with Payroc advances our overall mission of creating a simple and cost-effective end-to-end sales order management platform, says Alex Sayyah, CEO of Aleran Software. Whether our customers are using our software to create an e-commerce store, turn a PDF into a shoppable catalog, or track sales orders and commissions, it's been a goal of ours to eliminate payment processing headaches with an automated, secure and integrated solution." The primary value of the integration is to enable businesses to easily and securely accept and manage payments, while unifying payment data under one integrated platform. This strategic partnership meets businesses needs by combining payment automation into the superior sales and ordering processes offered to Alerans clients. Learn more by visiting https://payroc.com/ and https://www.aleran.com/. About Payroc Payroc and its affiliates, with offices in Chicagoland, Atlanta, Toronto, Whitefish, Montana and Salt Lake City is a high-growth American, Canadian and international merchant acquirer, processor and payment facilitator powerhouse operating in 46 countries, processing over $29 billion in annualized volume for more than 66,000 merchants. Payroc offers best-in-class sales enablement and merchant processing technology on a global basis, delivering proprietary, innovative and full-service merchant acquiring solutions together with key card brand network payment sponsorship registrations. Payroc LLC, together with its wholly-owned affiliate Payroc Processing Systems, LLC, is a registered Visa third party processor (TPP), Mastercard third party servicer (TPSV), payment facilitator (payfac) and encryption support organization (ESO) for Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio-chartered bank, Cincinnati, Ohio (Fifth Third). Payroc LLC is a registered independent sales organization (ISO/MSP) for Fifth Third and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Concord, California (Wells). NxGen, one of Payrocs companies, is an Elavon payments partner and registered as an ISO/MSP of Elavon, Inc., Georgia, a wholly owned subsidiary of US Bank Minneapolis. The companys Canadian business unit is a registered ISO/MSP of Wells and Peoples Trust Company, Vancouver, Canada. About Aleran Alerans all-in-one sales order management platform gives businesses exactly the tools they need to succeed and lead in todays ever-evolving B2B sales landscape. Founded in Minneapolis, MN by pioneering technologists in eCommerce, CRM and digital innovation, Alerans goal has always centered on making complex and expensive technologies simple and affordable for the small to midsize business or manufacturer. Today, Alerans software-as-a-service platform does just that, offering an easy to use, cloud-based system for managing sales orders, gathering real-time business insights, reconciling commissions and creating secure, shoppable B2B and B2C online stores and PDF catalogs. ### More than $250,000 has been raised for a grieving mother-to-be after her husband died when he was hit by a car in a self-harm incident while she was pregnant with triplets. Matt and Ashleigh Conwell, from Brisbane, had been tightly budgeting to care for their three unborn babies after they were both financially impacted by COVID-19. But the 29-year-old's dreams of a happy family were dashed when her 'beloved soulmate' took his own life on September 2. Matt and Ashleigh Conwell on their wedding day in 2017 were excited to start a family Following the sudden loss of Mr Conwell in after he was hit and killed by a 4WD on September 2, members of the community rallied behind Mrs Conewell to help support her With their three babies due just before Christmas, kindhearted strangers took it upon themselves to raise much needed money for Ms Conwell. As of Thursday morning $255,640 had been been raised by more than 3,700 donors since the GoFundMe was launched. Nicola Britton, GoFundMe's Australian senior regional manager, said the heartbreaking story resonated with members of the community, The Courier Mail reported. 'The more close-knit a community, the quicker donations come in, and this one escalated very quickly due to the circumstances,' she said. 'Generosity hasn't slowed down this year, and that's really surprised me; at a time of such social and economic uncertainty, people are turning compassion into action and donating is their way to show they are there for someone.' To help with the costs associated with being a single mum-of-three, a devastated Mrs Conwell agreed to let her friend Alex Nesevski set up a GoFundMe page. On September 2, Matt Conwell (pictured) was hit and killed by a 4WD in Carindale, south-east Brisbane 'Ashleigh isn't the sort of person who would ask for help, and money can never replace the loss of her husband, but she knows she needs support,' Mrs Nesevski previously told Daily Mail Australia. She explained the costs of pregnancy, delivery and caring for triplets that would be 'challenging for any couple' are especially difficult for a jobless single mother. 'They were already stretching every dollar and budgeting tightly for the arrival of their unexpected but so very wanted family ... the financial hardship she now finds herself in is significant,' she said. 'She has to see a specialist every two weeks because carrying three babies is a huge physical strain - growing bones and brains.' Queensland Police confirmed it was a self-harm incident, with Senior Sergeant Tom Nelson saying it had been 'very sad' The page has been overwhelmed with friends and family offering support for the young family, as the amount of money raised continues to surge. 'I passed the scene of the accident and I can assure you that the emergency services were doing all they could to help Matt,' one woman wrote on the fundraising page. 'I wish you the very best for the arrival of your beloved babies and for the beautiful life that you will create together with them and your families.' Another shared: 'As someone who lost their husband before giving birth to our first child, my heart is broken for you. This will be the biggest ride of your life, but I promise you, these babies will get you through the darkest days and you will see the sun again.' The couple met in 2008 when Mr Conwell saw his future wife pictured on the cover of a local newspaper after she attended a fundraising event for leukaemia Mrs Conwell's sister Emily Fallon, 27, told the Courier-Mail that her 'very caring and genuine' brother-in-law wasn't thinking clearly when he took his own life. 'It was a snap decision, a moment of clouded judgement, and totally out of character,' she said. She explained that he struggled after being financially impacted by COVID-19, but 'it wasn't meant to be this way'. 'This year's been tough for everyone, even the strongest people you thought could get through it ... it just shows suicide doesn't discriminate,' she said. Parents-to-be Matt and Ashleigh Conwell, from Brisbane , had been tightly budgeting to care for their three unborn babies after they were financially impacted due to COVID-19 Ms Fallon said the families rallied around Mrs Conwell with love and support to show that she will not raise her children alone. A pregnant Mrs Conwell arrived at the scene and broke down and suffered 'extreme shock' following her husband's death. Mrs Nesevski told Daily Mail Australia the mother-to-be has vowed to raise her children knowing who their father is. 'Losing Matt has placed an almost overwhelming burden on Ashleigh, and she's the strongest person I know,' she said. 'She keeps saying "I'm going to be strong for our babies".' Phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 for suicide support and information. CALGARY - Hundreds of Canadian employees of Royal Dutch Shell could be affected by its plan revealed Wednesday to cut between 7,000 and 9,000 jobs worldwide by the end of 2022. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In this May 17, 2019, file photo, a car leaves a Shell station after getting gas in Sacramento, Calif. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Rich Pedroncelli CALGARY - Hundreds of Canadian employees of Royal Dutch Shell could be affected by its plan revealed Wednesday to cut between 7,000 and 9,000 jobs worldwide by the end of 2022. The company has 3,500 workers in Canada, accounting for about 4.2 per cent of its global workforce of about 83,000 employees, confirmed Shell Canada spokeswoman Tara Lemay. If the cuts are made proportionately, they would result in between 294 and 378 fewer jobs in Canada. "We do not have an exact figure because the details are still being worked out and we have never had a target to reduce a particular number of jobs," Lemay said in an email. Shell's presence in Canada was reduced in 2017 when it sold most of its Alberta oilsands assets to Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. However, it heads up the consortium building the $40-billion LNG Canada export project on the West Coast, owns about 1,300 retail fuel stations and retains interests in conventional oil and gas production, refineries in Sarnia and near Edmonton, and petrochemical plants. The cuts are being made following a global collapse in demand for oil and a subsequent slide in prices during the coronavirus pandemic. The parent company said around 1,500 employees have already agreed to take voluntary buyouts this year and that it's looking at a raft of other areas where it can cut costs, such as travel, its use of contractors and virtual working. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Overall, it said it expects the cost-cutting measures to secure annual cost savings of between US$2 billion and US$2.5 billion by 2022. "We have to be a simpler, more streamlined, more competitive organization that is more nimble and able to respond to customers," Ben van Beurden, the company's chief executive, said. "To be more nimble, we have to remove a certain amount of organizational complexity." In June, rival BP said it was cutting around 10,000 jobs from its workforce to cope with the impact of the virus. Shell also said that it expects third-quarter production to be between 2.15 million and 2.25 million barrels of oil equivalent a day, and that daily production levels have been impacted by between 60,000 and 70,000 barrels because of hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. With files from The Associated Press. New York: North Korea has a "reliable and effective war deterrent for self-defence" and will now focus on developing its economy, North Korea's UN ambassador Kim Song told world leaders, local time, though he acknowledged that international sanctions were a hindrance. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Kim also said the "anti-epidemic situation in our country is now under safe and stable control" as a result of measures taken to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. North Korea has said it has no confirmed cases, though some US officials have cast doubt on that claim. Kim Song, the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, left, shakes hands with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in 2018. Credit:AP Already weighed down by tough international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Pyongyang is also facing significant economic damage from strict border closures and other measures aimed at preventing a coronavirus outbreak and struggling to cope with damage from recent storms and flooding. "Based on its reliable guarantee for safeguarding the security of the state and people, the DPRK is now directing all its efforts to economic construction," said Kim, using his country's formal name - Democratic People's Republic of Korea. SSE Airtricity employees Derek Conty, left, Francie Byrne, middle, and Ryan Doran, right, install solar panels on the roof of Kinsale Community School in Kinsale, Ireland. The installation is part of a project with Microsoft to demonstrate the feasibility of distributed power purchase agreements. Credit: Naoise Culhane Solar panels being installed on the roofs of dozens of schools throughout Dublin, Ireland, reflect a novel front in the fight against global climate change, according to a senior software engineer and a sustainability lead at Microsoft. The technology company partnered with SSE Airtricity, Ireland's largest provider of 100% green energy and a part of FTSE listed SSE Group, to install and manage the internet-connected solar panels, which are connected via Azure IoT to Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing platform. The software tools aggregate and analyze real-time data on energy generated by the solar panels, demonstrating a mechanism for Microsoft and other corporations to achieve sustainability goals and reduce the carbon footprint of the electric power grid. "We need to decarbonize the global economy to avoid catastrophic climate change," said Conor Kelly, the software engineer who is leading the distributed solar energy project for Microsoft Azure IoT. "The first thing we can do, and the easiest thing we can do, is focus on electricity." Microsoft's $1.1 million contribution to the project builds on the company's ongoing investment in renewable energy technologies to offset carbon emissions from the operation of its datacenters. A typical approach to power datacenters with renewable energy is for companies such as Microsoft to sign so-called power purchase agreements with energy companies. The agreements provide financial guarantees needed to build industrial-scale wind and solar farms and connections to the power grid. The new project demonstrates the feasibility of agreements to install solar panels on rooftops distributed across towns with existing grid connections and use internet of things, or IoT, technologies to aggregate the accumulated energy production for carbon offset accounting. "It utilizes existing assets that are sitting there unmonetized, which are roofs of buildings that absorb sunlight all day," Kelly said. New business model Brian McCloskey with green energy provider SSE Airtricity checks out a dashboard inside Kinsale Community School in Kinsale, Ireland. The dashboard monitors energy generated by solar panels installed on the schools roof as part of a project with Microsoft to demonstrate the feasibility of distributed power purchase agreements. Credit: Naoise Culhane The project is also a proof-of-concept, or blueprint, for how energy providers can adapt as the falling price of solar panels enables distributed electric power generation throughout the existing electric power grid. Traditionally, suppliers purchase power from central power plants and industrial-scale wind and solar farms and sell it to consumers on the distribution grid. Now, energy providers like SSE Airtricity provide renewable energy solutions that allow end consumers to generate power, from sustainable sources, using the existing grid connection on their premises. "The more forward-thinking energy providers that we are working with, like SSE Airtricity, identify this as an opportunity and industry changing shift in how energy will be generated and consumed," Kelly noted. The opportunity comes in the ability to finance the installation of solar panels and batteries at homes, schools, businesses and other buildings throughout a community and leverage IoT technology to efficiently perform a range of services from energy trading to carbon offset accounting. Kelly and his team with Azure IoT are working with SSE Airtricity to develop the tools and machine learning models necessary to unlock this opportunity. "Instead of having utility scale solar farms located outside of cities, you could have a solar farm at the distribution level, spread across a number of locations," said Fergal Ahern, a business energy solutions manager and renewable energy expert with SSE Airtricity. For the distributed power purchase agreement, SSE Airtricity uses Azure IoT to aggregate the generation of all the solar panels installed across 27 schools around the provinces of Leinster, Munster and Connacht and run it through a machine learning model to determine the carbon emissions that the solar panels avoid. The schools use the electricity generated by the solar panels, which reduces their utility bills; Microsoft receives the renewable energy credits for the generated electricity, which the company applies to its carbon neutrality commitments. The panels are expected to produce enough energy annually to power the equivalent of 68 Irish homes for a year and abate more than 2.1 million kilograms, which is equivalent to 4.6 million pounds, of carbon dioxide emissions over the 15 years of the agreement, according to Kelly. Victory Luke, a student at Collinstown Park Community College in Dublin, Ireland, gave a speech about combatting climate change at the 2019 Global Conference on Energy Efficiency, which was organized by the International Energy Agency. Credit: Fennell Photography "This is additional renewable energy that wouldn't have otherwise happened," he said. "Every little bit counts when it comes to meeting our sustainability targets and combatting climate change." Every little bit counts Victory Luke, a 16 year old student at Collinstown Park Community College in Dublin, has lived by the "every little bit counts" mantra since she participated in a "Generation Green" sustainability workshop in 2019 organized by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SSE Airtricity and Microsoft. The workshop was part of an education program surrounding the installation of solar panels and batteries at her school along with a retrofit of the lighting system with LEDs. Digital screens show the school's energy use in real time, allowing students to see the impact of the energy efficiency upgrades. Luke said the workshop captured her interest on climate change issues. She started reading more about sustainability and environmental conservation and agreed to share her newfound knowledge with the younger students at her school. "I was going around and talking to them about energy efficiency, sharing tips and tricks like if you are going to boil a kettle, only boil as much water as you need, not too much," she explained. That June, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland invited her to give a speech at the Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Dublin, which was organized by the International Energy Agency, an organization that works with governments and industry to shape sustainable energy policy. "It kind of felt surreal because I honestly felt like I wasn't adequate enough to be speaking about these things," she said, noting that the conference attendees included government ministers, CEOs and energy experts from around the world. At the time, she added, the global climate strike movement and its youth leaders were making international headlines, which made her advocacy at school feel even smaller. "Then I kind of realized that it is those smaller things that make the big difference," she said. Conor Kelly, left, a senior software engineer and sustainability lead at Microsoft, and Fergal Ahern, right, a business energy solutions manager and renewable energy expert with SSE Airtricity, stand outside a Microsoft office in Dublin, Ireland. The two companies partnered on a project to demonstrate the feasibility of distributed power purchase agreements. Credit: Naoise Culhane SSE Airtricity and Microsoft plan to replicate the educational program that inspired Luke and her classmates at dozens of the schools around Ireland that are participating in the project. "When you've got solar at a school and you can physically point at the installation and a screen that monitors the power being generated, it brings sustainability into daily school life," Ahern said. Proof of concept for policymakers The project's education campaign extends to renewable energy policymakers, Kelly noted. He explained that renewable energy creditsa market incentive for corporations to support renewable energy projectsare currently unavailable for distributed power purchase agreements. For this project, Microsoft will receive genuine renewable energy credits from a wind farm that SSE Airtricity also operates, he added. "And," he said, "we are hoping to use this project as an example of what regulation should look like, to say, 'You need to award renewable energy credits to distributed generation because they would allow corporates to scale-up this type of project.'" For her part, Luke supports steps by multinational corporations such as Microsoft to invest in renewable energy projects that address global climate change. "It is a good thing to see," she said. "Once one person does something, other people are going to follow. Explore further Researchers analyze the use of solar energy at US airports NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- It's only our 1st anniversary and this young start-up is already a running success. But how do you celebrate in these unprecedented times? Having a virtual reception and virtual toasts? Listening to a virtual speech? Instead, allow us to list our accomplishments right here. In just one year, we've generated more than 70 inquiries from U.S. companies interested in doing business in Berlin and Berlin's companies looking to expand to U.S. markets. In just one year, we hosted several Berlin-USA events for companies with partners such as Berlin Partner for Economics and Technology and Berlin Chamber of Commerce (IHK Berlin) and in the U.S. with German American Chambers, government agencies, industry associations, German Consulates, and more. We thank you all! What's more, is that our newly launched website showcasing Berlin's industry clusters and strategic advantages recently won the Gold Stevie Award at the 17th Annual International Business Awards for Best Website for Non-Profits. We are constantly active in social media such as Twitter and LinkedIn to promote and perpetuate the benefits of doing business in Berlin. It doesn't end there. Berlin companies like Hello Fresh, N26, Omio or GetYourGuide successfully conquered the U.S. market while U.S. companies like Tesla, PCI Pharma Services, Berry Plastics, Impact, have expanded to Germany's capital. Berlin Senator Pop: "Happy Birthday! Only one year and so much achieved although the last couple of months have been worldwide very challenging. The goal of our berlin business office is to strengthen the existing economic relations between Berlin and the USA. The office highlights Berlin's unique offerings from industry, education, science and technology to attract partners and promote the development of new innovative products and services to solve challenges in the global economy. Thank you for the great work in the first year, we are looking forward to more common projects in the future." So much for our first year. Now imagine champagne and fireworks and celebrate with us! We're looking forward to working with you in the next one. If you're thinking about exploring new global horizons, look no further. The Berlin Business Office is a FREE resource providing valuable introductions, recommending networks, conferences and suggestions for the ideal geographical location. We are part of the Berlin Senate for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises in September 2019. Kristina L. Garcia, Managing Director Berlin Business Office, USA Tel: +1 631-303-8866 [email protected] SOURCE Berlin Business Office Related Links https://www.berlin.de/ On the Frontline Against China, the US Coast Guard Is Taking on Missions the US Navy Can't Do Competition with China has drawn more Pentagon resources to the Pacific, but the most visible U.S. military presence there... Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy She revealed in an interview published Monday that the late Chadwick Boseman had donated money from his own salary to boost her pay on the movie 21 Bridges. And on Tuesday, Sienna Miller was seen out and about in New York City's West Village were she enjoyed lunch with a female friend. The actress, 38, looked stylish in a houndstooth shirt tucked into cropped black jeans which she paired with bright red Gucci loafers. Famous face: Sienna Miller was seen out and about in New York City's West Village on Tuesday looking stylish in a houndstooth shirt tucked into black jeans paired with red Gucci loafers Miller wore her blonde hair tied back from her face and put on a face mask as she left the Italian eatery. She accessorized with a couple of necklaces and several earrings. Action thriller 21 Bridges was released in November 2019 and was one of Boseman's last roles before he succumbed to colon cancer on August 28 at age 43. While it was a big budget movie, Miller explained to Empire magazine, the studio refused to meet her pay demand. That's when the Black Panther star, who also served as a producer on the project, stepped in and supplemented her pay from his own. Catching up: The actress, 38, who wore her blonde hair tied back from her face, enjoyed lunch at an Italian eatery with a female friend Abided by COVID-19 rules: She accessorized with a couple of necklaces and several earrings and put on a face mask as she left the restaurant after her meal Miller, who is mom to daughter Marlowe from her former relationship with actor Tom Sturridge, revealed she wasn't prepared to take on the part in 21 Bridges unless she was properly compensated. 'This was a pretty big budget film, and I know that everybody understands about the pay disparity in Hollywood, but I asked for a number that the studio wouldn't get to,' she told Empire. 'And because I was hesitant to go back to work and my daughter was starting school and it was an inconvenient time, I said: 'I'll do it if I'm compensated in the right way.'' She added: 'And Chadwick ended up donating some of his salary to get me to the number that I had asked for. He said that that was what I deserved to be paid.' The actress described the gesture as 'testament' to Boseman's character and said she couldn't imagine any other man in Hollywood 'behaving that graciously or respectfully'. Paid tribute: In an interview with Empire magazine, published Monday, Miller revealed her 21 Bridges co-star Chadwick Boseman had supplemented her pay from his own salary Gracious star: Miller said she wasn't prepared to take on the part in 21 Bridges, released in November 2019, unless she was properly compensated and that's when Boseman stepped up Senator John McCain spent nearly six years being tortured as a prisoner of war. The president said, Hes not a war hero and called him a dummy. During his 44 years in the Marine Corps, Secretary of Defense James Mattis received multiple military awards including the Bronze Star and Combat Action Ribbon. The president called him the worlds most overrated general. The Russians paid to have U.S. troops killed. The president did nothing. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman served in the Army for more than two decades, receiving the Purple Heart after being wounded in combat. The president called him insubordinate and stated he received poor performance reviews. Sen. Tammy Duckworth lost both legs in combat. The president tweeted a comment calling her a coward. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service in the Viet Nam war. The president called him a fool. When the president was queried regarding his multiple draft deferments he replied, You think Im stupid, I wasnt going to Vietnam. The president considers our troops who died in combat as losers and suckers. As a Navy hospital corpsman serving as a combat medic in Viet Nam, I provided emergency medical care for wounded and dying Marines. These men were not losers or suckers. Active duty military personnel and veterans know what it means to serve and sacrifice for our country. Service and sacrifice mean nothing to the president. He has no respect for members of the military. He insults veterans. He is not fit to be commander-in-chief. Mike Felker, U.S. Navy hospital corpsman 8/68-8/72, Combat Medic, 1st Marine Division, Viet Nam, 12/69-12/70, Philadelphia, Pa. Coronavirus cases surged nationally among 18- to 22-year-olds between Aug. 2 and Sept. 5, according to a report released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which urged young adults as well as colleges and universities to take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. Weekly cases among the age group jumped 55% across the country during that time and made up a bigger share of overall cases, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The agency said the increase in cases could not fully be explained by ramped-up testing as colleges reopened for the fall. The Northeast saw the biggest spike in virus cases among 18- to 22-year-olds, with a 144% increase. Cases in the Midwest among that age group also rose dramatically, with a 123% increase. Also on Tuesday, a public university in North Carolina mourned the death of a student from complications that followed a diagnosis of covid-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. As colleges across the country resume classes this fall, the incidence of virus cases is being closely watched to see whether universities are increasing the spread of the novel coronavirus - and what students and school officials can do to try to prevent that. About 45% of 18- to 22-year-olds are enrolled in college, according to the CDC. Colleges have crafted a wide array of plans, including efforts to reduce communal housing, ramp up testing and persuade students to keep their distance from others. Some schools have seen case numbers in the thousands, while others report several. The CDC also examined a university that saw a large spike in cases at the beginning of the semester. Communal housing and student gatherings on and off campus probably contributed to the clusters of cases at a university in North Carolina, the agency concluded in a separate report released Tuesday. The swift spread of the disease at the school "underscores the urgent need to implement comprehensive mitigation strategies," according to the report. The CDC did not name the university, but footnotes implied that it was the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the state's flagship campus, which had clusters of cases in August. Universities should take enhanced precautions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the agency said, including reducing the number of people living in dorms, ensuring that people are complying with public health guidelines, increasing testing for the virus and discouraging students from gathering in groups. Preventing spread of the coronavirus at universities "presents a unique set of challenges because of the presence of congregate living settings and difficulty limiting socialization and group gatherings," the report noted. Very little data was available before August about the coronavirus at universities, since most schools shut down abruptly in March, sending students home to finish spring classes online. In August some universities reopened dorms and classrooms somewhat, providing a glimpse of what could happen. At UNC-Chapel Hill, the start of the school year in August looked different from normal, with students in masks, much of the instruction online and many fewer students in dorms. Still, 5,800 students lived on campus, and many more lived nearby in and around Chapel Hill. And just a week after classes began, faced with a spike in cases among students at three dorms and a fraternity house, school officials announced a reversal and implementation of all-virtual instruction. Spokesmen for UNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. A spokesman for North Carolina State University, which executed a similarly abrupt pivot days after UNC saw rising numbers of coronavirus cases on campus, did not immediately respond to a respond to a request for comment. On Tuesday, the chancellor of Appalachian State University in western North Carolina announced that a student, Chad Dorrill, had died after suffering from complications of covid-19. His family told the university he had been diagnosed with the coronavirus this month while taking online classes and living off-campus near school, went home to recover but suffered complications after returning to Boone, N.C., where the school is located. "His family's wishes are for the university to share a common call to action," Sheri Everts, Appalachian State's chancellor, said in a statement, "so our entire campus community recognizes the importance of following COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines." University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans echoed Everts's call to remain vigilant with safety behaviors. "Any loss of life is a tragedy," Hans said in a statement, "but the grief cuts especially deep as we mourn a young man who had so much life ahead." Everts said many had told the student's family that "I wear my mask for Chad." "Please let us all honor Chad and his contributions" Everts wrote, "by taking care of ourselves and our community." PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: IAF) (the "Fund"), a closed-end equity fund, today announced that it paid on September 30, 2020 a quarterly stock distribution of US$0.12 per share to all shareholders of record as of August 21, 2020 (ex-dividend date August 20, 2020). Your Fund's policy is to provide investors with a stable distribution rate. Each quarterly distribution will be paid out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital. This stock distribution was automatically paid in newly issued shares of the Fund unless otherwise instructed by the shareholder to be paid in cash. Shares of common stock were issued at the lower of the net asset value ("NAV") per share or the market price per share with a floor for the NAV of not less than 95% of the market price on September 21, 2020. The market price per share for this distribution was $4.47. Fractional shares were generally settled in cash, except for registered shareholders with book entry accounts at Computershare Investor Services who had whole and fractional shares added to their account. To have received the quarterly distribution payable in September 2020 in cash instead of shares of common stock, the bank, brokerage or nominee who holds the shares must have advised the Depository Trust Company as to their full and fractional share requirements by September 18, 2020 for shareholders who hold shares in "street name", and written notification for the election of cash by registered shareholders must have been received by Computershare Investor Services prior to September 18, 2020 for shares that are held in registered form. Under U.S. tax rules applicable to the Fund, the amount and character of distributable income for each fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related Rules, the Fund may be required to indicate to shareholders the source of certain distributions to shareholders. The following table sets forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the Rules adopted thereunder. The table has been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The table includes estimated amounts and percentages for this distribution and for the cumulative distributions paid fiscal year to date (11/01/2019 08/31/2020), from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated composition of the distributions may vary from quarter to quarter because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies. Estimated Amounts of Current Quarterly Distribution per share ($) Estimated Amounts of Current Quarterly Distribution per share (%) Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per share ($) Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per share (%) Net Investment Income $0.0204 17% $0.0884 17% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains* - - - - Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains - - - - Return of Capital $0.0996 83% $0.4316 83% Total (per common share) $0.1200 100% $0.5200 100% *includes currency gains The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy"). The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions in 2020 will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The following table provides information regarding the Fund's total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Fund's annualized and cumulative distribution rates. Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 07/31/20201 5.97% Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV2 9.79% Fiscal Year to Date (11/01/2019 to 07/31/2020) Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 0.37% Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 7.53% 1Return data is net of all fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of July 31, 2020. While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2010, the Fund may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Fund during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Fund, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the terms of the distribution policy. The final determination of the source of all distributions will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report distributions for federal income tax purposes. The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. The Fund's Board of Directors has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. To the extent stockholders elect to receive cash under the Distribution Policy, there may be a resulting decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. Cash elections under the Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. The Fund's Board of Directors has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Standard Life Investments (Corporate Funds) Ltd. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the NAV of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. If you If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected] aberdeeniaf.com SOURCE Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. Related Links http://aberdeeniaf.com Authorities are searching for a motorcyclist accused of striking and dragging a Massachusetts State Police trooper on Route 138 late Tuesday, officials said. The trooper was trying to talk with two motorcyclists at the Shell gas station on Route 138 in Canton after authorities received a report of motorcycles racing in the area, according to a statement from state police. The motorcyclists are accused of speeding away from the trooper. Authorities claimed one of the drivers then hit the officer with his bike and dragged him a short distance from the pumps at the gas station out onto Route 136. He suffered minor injuries. Canton firefighters treated him at the scene. The trooper declined to be taken to a hospital and remained on the job, according to state police. State police are asking for the publics help to identify the suspects. Law enforcement has released images and video of the motorcyclists pumping gas. Anyone who recognizes either motorcyclist or has information about the incident has been urged to contact the state police Milton barracks at (617) 698-5840. Authorities are searching for a motorcyclist accused of dragging a Massachusetts State Police trooper on Route 138 in Canton late Tuesday. Anyone who recognizes either motorcyclist pictured or has information about the incident has been urged to contact the state police Milton barracks at (617) 698-5840. (Massachusetts State Police) BRIDGEPORT Police are responding to a report of a person shot in the citys West End neighborhood. Police and emergency medical personnel were called to the corner of State Street and Iranistan Avenue for a report of a gunshot wound, Bridgeport police said in a tweet. The message was sent at 5:25 p.m. Police said they had no further information on the extent of the injuries. The corner sits near a market and the Evangelical Baptist Church on the eastern end of West Side. Check back for updates. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 13:30 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c482d5ab 1 National KSPN,konfederasi-serikat-pekerja-nasional,national-federation-of-trade-unions,strike,omnibus-bill-on-job-creation,mogok-kerja,protest,mogok-nasional Free The National Federation of Trade Unions (KSPN) says it has instructed its members to not take part in a national strike set to be held from Oct. 6 to 8 to oppose the deliberation of the jobs bill. Five million workers planned to stage a strike as the House of Representatives and the government concluded the deliberation of labor issues in the omnibus bill on job creation on Sunday, abandoning an earlier plan to drop the articles. The House is expected to hold plenary sessions to pass the bill into law. The federation said in a statement on Tuesday that joining the strike was not necessary as its members had already provided critical advocacy. Read also: Workers set to strike as House, govt agree on labor cluster in jobs bill It has also considered economic conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federation has been called on by its members in the regions to skip the strike because some of them had been furloughed, while others were in the process of being laid off. Considering all the aforementioned reasons, the federation will not partake in the nationwide strike that is set to be held from Oct. 6 to 8. We encourage our members to remain calm and stay alert for developments regarding this matter, said the statement. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. A man accused of kidnapping and raping his ex-wife told jurors Tuesday he never confined her in Butte over several days, never used a stun-gun to threaten or hurt her, and said the sex in question was consensual. Seidel Lee Pine said he gave the woman gas money twice so she could return to Missoula but she never did, and contrary to her claims, she was free to leave the house they were sharing with his friends in November 2018 at any time. She was never held against her will, Pine, 33, said during the second day of his trial before District Judge Robert Whelan. He admitted backhanding his ex-wife five times during an argument while they were driving near Rocker, and pushing her to the ground and kicking her when outside. But he denied raping her in the car that same day. So after two kicks and five backhands, you think she can consent to sex? Prosecutor Mike Clague said sarcastically on cross-examination. You beat the hell out of her and then say, Lets have sex. Pine said the two were trying to reconcile that November and although their relationship was dysfunctional, the sex that day was make-up sex and not unusual. We went from 100 percent hating each other to 100 percent loving each other, he told Clague. Pine is charged with felony aggravated kidnapping and sexual intercourse without consent and misdemeanor partner-family member assault. He could face up to life in prison on the kidnapping charge and up to life or 20 years for the rape charge. Pine and the woman were together for several years and had four children, were then married for a year but got divorced in 2015. They met up again in November 2018 and she came to Butte and stayed with him at the house in Butte. Both admit to spending much of the time drinking and doing meth, but she says things got bad during an argument on Nov. 17 and he started using a stun gun to hurt, threaten and control her until she got away on Nov. 29. She says he drove her to a dirt road near Rocker on Nov. 26, got angry and made her strip naked and walk outside in the cold and snow. He followed her, punched and kicked her and then drove to another location and forced her to have sex against her will, she says. She was able to get to Stokes grocery store on Nov. 29 and have an employee call police, and an officer arrived with his body camera filming. It was shown to jurors Tuesday, and although much of the audio was garbled, she was clearly distraught and crying and can be heard recounting some of the alleged ordeal, including a Taser device being used on her. She was taken to St. James Healthcare and photos were taken of injuries that included a black eye, several large bruises on her legs and back and red marks and broken skin that prosecutors suggest were from a stun gun. The pictures were shown to jurors. Police found Pine that same night hiding in a closet at the house and Detective Jeff Williams, lead investigator in the case, retrieved a flash light about 7 inches long that also doubled as a stun gun. He did not locate a charger, but police ordered one. Williams showed it to jurors Tuesday, pressed a button and blue sparks were emitted as a loud crackling noise filled the courtroom. The prosecution rested its case and after a Belgrade police officer testified about an encounter with Pine and the woman on Nov. 23, defense attorney Victor Bunitsky called Pine to the stand. The flashlight was his, he said, but the stun gun on it did not work and he never used it. He said his ex-wife got angry and hysterical when a female friend called Pine on Nov. 17, and she became very belligerent when someone called during their drive near Rocker. Pine said she started hitting him, grabbed his nose, jerked the steering wheel and then stabbed him with a knife. Police photos showed he had a small cut on a finger and on his stomach, but Pine says he did not seek medical attention. I kind of lick my own wounds and take care of my injuries myself, he told Bunitsky. He acknowledged backhanding the woman during the argument and shoving and kicking her soon after, but said he never told her to strip then go outside, and never raped her. He said they drove to Deer Lodge after having sex, bought a liter bottle of vodka, and each drank a third of it while heading back to Butte. "We were just passing it back and forth," Pine said. Jared Weaselboy also testified for the defense via a video link, saying he had known Pine for a couple of days in November 2018 when Pine and the woman gave him a ride and went to a friends house Nov. 25. He said the woman was talking and holding hands with Pine, she had no injuries and there was no sign of discord. Jurors were shown a few photos of Pine and the woman, which the defense says were taken around that time, and she is smiling. But upon questioning from Kelli Fivey, the lead prosecutor in the case, Weaselboy acknowledged that he was only with the two for about 30 minutes that one day and it was before the alleged assault on Nov. 26. Prosecutors also noted that Pine, when initially talking with police, denied hitting the woman before later acknowledging backhanding and kicking her. The trial was to resume Wednesday and Bunitsky said he planned to call several witnesses. When Judge Whelan asked if they would be testifying in court or remotely, Bunitsky said he wasnt sure what the mix would be. I forgot who is in custody and who is not, he said. There is a chance the jury could start deliberations sometime Wednesday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. New Delhi: HDFC Bank on Wednesday launched Festive Treats for customers, offering special deals on all banking products. The offers will be available across the entire range of financial solutions for retail as well as business customers with discounts on processing fee on loans, reduced EMIs, cashbacks, gift vouchers and more benefits, the Bank said in a statement. The Bank is offering 50 percent off on the processing fees on auto loans, personal loans and business growth loans and zero processing fee on two-wheeler loans. Live TV HDFC Bank has also tied up with retail brands to offer discounts, cashbacks and extra reward points on both in-store and on-line purchases. Online majors such as Amazon, TataCliq, Myntra, Pepperfry, Swiggy and Grofers will offer special deals during this time. Leading retail and consumer brands like Lifestyle, Bata, Monte Carlo. Vijay sales, Kohinoor, GRT, ORRA are a few big names that will offer up to between 5 percent to 15 percent cashback on various products and services. With 53 per cent of branches in semi-urban and rural areas the bank plans to take this offering to the most remote corners of the country. It has tied up with hyperlocal stores and kiranas to line up over 2000 offers at the regional level On all Apple products including the newest launches, HDFC Bank Customers can avail cashback of up to Rs 7000. A shopper can avail of cashback of up to 22.5 percent and convert their purchases into a no extra cost EMI on leading brands such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Godrej and Panasonic. Aditya Puri, MD, HDFC Bank said, These are unprecedented times. What we have witnessed is that even during this period the people of our country have shown courage and resilience. The launch of #FestiveTreats is our effort to celebrate this spirit of India. Post lockdown we are seeing green shoots. We want to create positivity and boost consumption. We want to be there for our customers and ensure that they have everything they need to meet their demands this year. Consumers have held back on purchases during the lockdown and there is a lot of pent up demand that has built up in the system, said Mr. Parag Rao, Country Head - Payment Business, Merchant Acquiring Services and Marketing, HDFC Bank. In the past 2-3 months we have seen renewed customer interest and buying patterns. We see this continuing through the festive season as well. Its our endeavor that no matter what the dream, with HDFC Bank money should not be a constraint for our customers. Were therefore bringing together a never before seen range of 1000+ offers across brands and across all our banking products in one place. We are confident that well fulfill every dream of our customers through Festive Treats, he added. THE Climate Change Advisory Council is seeking a 9 increase in the carbon tax in next weeks budget, a charge 20pc higher than the Government is planning. Calling for a radical shift in gear, the council warns that our greenhouse gas emissions are showing no significant change and we will need huge efforts to meet existing 2030 emission reduction targets. It warns those targets will become more challenging in line with new EU and Programme for Government commitments. The council stresses the urgency of shifting from planning to action if Ireland is to go further and get on track to net zero emissions by 2050. It says the Government should frontload increases in the carbon tax and move urgently to help householders replace fires and heating systems fuelled by coal and peat, followed by a phase-out of oil. Read More Reducing livestock on farms, focusing electric vehicle incentives on commercial and rural motorists while creating disincentives for petrol and diesel vehicles must also be priorities. The imperative for climate action remains, despite the understandable immediate focus on Covid-19, said council chairman, Professor John FitzGerald. Climate change is happening now. Recent extreme events, such as storms Ellen and Francis in August, show that we are vulnerable and that adaptation to climate change is essential." The council highlights that 2019 was the ninth consecutive year with temperatures above normal in Ireland and that the winter of 2018-2019 was the warmest for 119 years. The Government has pledged a 7pc annual in emissions over the next ten years to halve the countrys emissions by 2030 - a doubling of the target in last years Climate Action Plan. But the council says: It is not yet clear in the Programme for Government where the additional emissions required to achieve this target will come from. The recommendations come in what is likely to be the councils final annual review in its current guise as the body is to be replaced with a strengthened, statutory Climate Action Council under the new Climate Bill due to be published next week. The call for a greater hike in the carbon tax will present difficulties for the Government which was already going beyond the 6 annual increase signalled in last years budget to propose a 7.50 increase this time. A 9 increase would bring the cost of carbon to 35 a tonne, adding approximately 1.76 to a 60 litre fill of diesel, 20.25 to an average gas bill and 23.24 to a 900 litre fill of home heating oil. Professor FitzGerald said any negative impacts of the carbon tax on the poorest households could and should be compensated for through the revenues it raised. The council is clear that the burdens and benefits of policy measures necessary to tackle climate change must be fairly distributed across the population, ensuring that those on lower incomes or with other vulnerabilities are not disadvantaged," he said. The council warns that without public acceptance, ambitious climate action will fail. Citizen engagement is crucial to support increased ambition. A dialogue of blame for emissions is not useful, it says. The review gives particular attention to transport emissions, expressing concern that current policy relies too heavily on very rapid deployment of electric vehicles. Better planning of towns and housing to cut down on the need for forced car ownership and greater investment in public transport is urged. Incentives for electric vehicles need to be better targeted towards those with high mileage, including commercial and rural drivers, it says. These should be supplemented by disincentives for petrol and diesel vehicles. The council also recommends setting a separate 2050 target for methane emissions from farming. These need not be zero but significant reductions were needed. It supports the idea that farm payments under the Common Agricultural Policy should be tailored to encourage farmers to cut emissions through reduced livestock numbers, reduced fertiliser use and increasing forestry and unfarmed wilderness to act as natural carbon sinks. New Delhi : A Supreme Court judge on Thursday recused himself from hearing the bail plea of self-styled godman Asarams son Narayan Sai in a case in which he is accused of offering bribe to officials to weaken a rape case filed against him by a Surat-based woman. As soon as Sais counsel got up to start advancing arguments, Justice U U Lalit, who was sitting with senior judge Justice M B Lokur on the bench, wished to recuse himself from the hearing. The court then referred the matter to Chief Justice J S Khehar for it to be listed before another bench. Earlier, the Gujarat High Court had rejected the bail application of Narayan Sai, 44, who is at present lodged in Surat jail. It has been alleged that when Sai was being interrogated in connection with a rape case, the city crime branch unearthed a plan to bribe policemen, doctors and even judicial officers to dilute the sexual assault case. Sai was arrested for repeatedly sexually assaulting one of the two Surat-based sisters, who was the inmate of his ashram here between 2002 and 2005. In February, 2014, the Surat police had filed a charge sheet in a special court against Sai and eight others under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with the bribery case. The police had named nine persons, including Sai, as accused in the charge sheet. Sais follower Uday Sanghani and builder from Surat, Ketan Patel, were also made accused in the charge sheet. The sisters had lodged two different complaints against Sai and another against his father accusing them of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges. The police had booked Sai under the various IPC sections including rape, unnatural sex, molestation, wrongful confinement, unlawful assembly, rioting armed with deadly weapon, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy. In her complaint, the younger of the two had accused Sai of repeated sexual assault between 2002 and 2005 when she was living at the Surat ashram. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch, investigation into the case of disappearance of a CISF official since May this year. A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar passed the order while hearing a habeas corpus petition by the wife of CISF constable Venkata Rao seeking to know the whereabouts of her husband who went missing after visiting his Dhaula Kuan office here. An FIR was lodged at police station Usmanpur under Section 365 IPC (kidnapping or abduction with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) on September 17 on the direction of the high court. A habeas corpus petition is filed seeking direction to produce a person who is missing or illegally detained. The woman, Godi Raja Kumari has approached the high court seeking to know the whereabouts of her husband, who was working as a driver, as she suspected foul play in his disappearance due to frequent tiffs with his superior. Advocate R Bajaji and K. Sravan Kumar, representing Kumari, said Rao is missing since May 26, this year after he allegedly visited his office at Dhaula Kuan to seek clearance of his leave to visit his native place in East Godavari Andhra Pradesh along with his wife and her septuagenarian father. The counsel submitted that the matters required to be transferred to the crime branch to instill confidence in a fair and impartial investigation as there are several contradictory claims made by the CISF and the Usmanpur police station. Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain said they have no objection to the case being transferred to the Crime Branch for further investigation. The high court directed the Crime Branch to submit a status report within four weeks and listed the matter for further hearing to November 9. The petitioners counsel said the court agreed with their contention that the matter ought to be transferred to the Delhi Polices Crime Branch since prima facie the Usmanpur police had not conducted a fair investigation as it had recorded an FIR nearly four months after the disappearance of the official. He said the court also asked the wife of the constable to file an application with the CISF for immediate release of salary arrears from May till date, after which the authorities should consider it expeditiously. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Down in the opinion polls with five weeks to go until the November election, U.S. President Donald Trump sought to use the first presidential debate to bully his way back into the race. Repeatedly interrupting and sparring with opponent Joe Biden, the Republican Trump tried to knock the Democratic former vice president off his feet Tuesday night and alter the dynamic of a contest he has been losing for months. It was unlikely the president succeeded, largely because of his own combative and chaotic behavior but also because the insult-filled and often fact-free affair may have left the few undecided voters watching at home more dispirited than engaged. "It's doubtful that this mentally exhausting debate changed any minds," said Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist in Washington who advised Trump's 2016 transition team. "Each side walked away with something, but the shock of the personal attacks against one another probably turned many people off." Trump drew raves from some diehard supporters for his show of aggression toward Biden. But he spent little time attempting to persuade swing voters, particularly women who have been critical of his tone and tactics, that he is the candidate best suited to tackle fundamental election issues such as the coronavirus pandemic , healthcare and race relations. Also read: US elections 2020: Wouldn't forget the virus from China, says Donald Trump The debate was held in Ohio, where Biden will campaign on Wednesday and one of a group of Midwestern states where the race is expected to remain competitive. With Biden chipping away at Trump's base in battleground states that decide elections, the president may have squandered a chance to reach voters he needs. Reuters/Ipsos polling this month found that four in 10 white non-college-educated likely voters in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin said they were backing Biden this year, up from 2016 when Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was supported by about three in 10 non-college whites in those states. Also read: US Elections 2020: Joe Biden trashes Trump's claims about imminent COVID-19 vaccine The polling shows Biden with a sizable lead overall nationally but with a smaller edge in those key states. "Debates usually have very little influence on how people vote. It's even more difficult to see how this one could persuade voters one way or the other, since it gave us so little opportunity to learn about the candidates and their plans," said Christopher Devine, an expert on presidential campaigns at the University of Dayton in Ohio. TRUMP 'A CLOWN,' 'WORST PRESIDENT' Trump did manage on occasion to push Biden out of his comfort zone, leading the Democrat , who before the debate pledged to keep his cool, to deride Trump as a "clown" and the "worst president" in U.S. history. Biden struggled to repel Trump's attacks concerning Biden's support of the protests that have erupted nationwide over racism and police brutality, sometimes turning violent. The former vice president has embraced some of the goals of the peaceful protest movement, but not its push to de-fund police departments as Trump has suggested. Biden also refused to answer Trump's direct question about whether he would, as president, seek to add more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court to counter its rightward turn. Also read: 'They don't give real numbers': Donald Trump questions India, China's COVID-19 data Biden at times was able to squeeze in the key themes of his candidacy, that Trump was unfit for a second term for his handling of the pandemic and his divisive leadership style. In a dig at Trump's flagging support with the critical suburban voting bloc, Biden said: "He wouldn't know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn." But Trump often spoke over his rival and moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News, making it difficult for them to say much at all. When Biden did get a chance, he made a point of addressing the camera, trying to speak directly to voters, while Trump stared at him balefully. "That was a game plan that Biden had and he executed it," said Aaron Kall, an expert on presidential debates at the University of Michigan. "Trump couldn't get past his own disdain for Biden." Trump again demurred when asked point-blank to reassure voters that he would accept the results of the election, instead raging against mail-in ballots and ominously warning viewers at home that the contest would not "end well." Also read: US Presidential Debate: Biden calls Trump 'liar', 'clown', Trump retorts 'nothing smart about you, Joe' If he is hoping to win over undecided voters, Kall said, Trump will need to outline a sunnier, more optimistic vision for the nation in the next two debates - a tall task for a politician who favors scorched-earth warfare. The calendar is against him. Subsequent debates typically are watched by fewer people, and many Americans will have voted by then. As the underdog, Trump lost precious time on Tuesday. "This was the one opportunity that existed to make a good first impression on the small segment of undecided voters," Kall said. "That is not what we experienced tonight." Republican Sen. Tim Scott said Wednesday that he believes President Donald Trump "needs to correct" comments from his debate with former Vice President Joe Biden, where Trump did not explicitly condemn White supremacists and violent right-wing groups. Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, said, "White supremacy should be denounced at every turn. I think the president misspoke, and he needs to correct it." He added: "If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak." Scott, a supporter of Trump's who spoke at the Republican National Convention, gave those remarks to reporters before heading into a meeting with Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's Supreme Court nominee. The White House declined to comment on the South Carolina senator's remarks. But when asked earlier Wednesday about the president's controversial comments at the debate, White House communications director Alyssa Farah said, "I don't think that there's anything to clarify." Trump had been asked in the debate with Biden to condemn the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group. The president instead told the group to "stand back and stand by," a message its members reportedly celebrated. Later Wednesday, Trump told reporters outside the White House, "I don't know who the Proud Boys are." "Whoever they are, they need to stand down," Trump said, according to a pool report. When asked specifically about White supremacy, Trump said, "I've always denounced any form of any of that" and reiterated his contention that Biden needs to condemn antifa. In the vicious, bare-knuckled brawl of a debate Tuesday night, Trump had been asked by the moderator, Fox News' Chris Wallace, if he was willing to condemn White supremacists and right-wing militia members who have added to the recent civil unrest seen in U.S. cities. "You have repeatedly criticized the [former] vice president for not calling out antifa and other left-wing groups, but are you willing tonight to condemn White supremacists and militia groups and say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we've seen in Portland?" Wallace asked. Trump initially said, "Sure, I'm willing to do that." But when repeatedly prompted by Wallace and Biden to follow through and flatly condemn those groups, the president pivoted back to his denunciations of the left. SEATTLE, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DefinedCrowd, the leading data provider for Artificial Intelligence (AI), today announced a product portfolio that addresses one of the biggest challenges in the AI industry: access to high-quality training data. DefinedCrowd Corp. The portfolio includes: DefinedData, an online catalog of off-the-shelf datasets launched earlier this year; DefinedWorkflows, self-service workflows for highly customized data collections; DefinedCrew, a crowd-as-a-service platform for freelancing on-demand work for AI data collection and augmentation; and DefinedSolutions, an expert professional service for complex AI projects. "As AI becomes more ubiquitous in our daily lives, and as our reality becomes increasingly voice-enabled, AI innovators are more discerning than ever about the data they use to train their algorithms. Our in-depth knowledge of the market enables us to understand the needs of industry leaders, which is why we realized we had to provide a broader and more defined range of data solutions. With this portfolio, DefinedCrowd has become a one-stop data shop: we provide off-the-shelf data available for immediate use, customized data collections, professional services, and even an on-demand crowd. Whatever your AI training need, DefinedCrowd has the solution," said founder and CEO, Dr. Daniela Braga. Companies can start by browsing DefinedData, the online catalog, for pre-collected, annotated, and validated AI training data. It is targeted to clients who need data immediately but don't want to sacrifice on quality. While the online catalog is constantly being updated, clients who can't find what they need can use DefinedWorkflows to configure standardized AI data pipelines to get other demographic variations to fill their models' needs. For clients with more complex requests that need specially customized and crafted solutions, the DefinedSolutions professional services team will work with customers from beginning to end to meet their AI needs. If customers have their own collection or annotation tools and want to augment their managed crowd, DefinedCrew offers a diverse and certified global workforce via Neevo.ai's global network of over 300,000 contributors. All four products are now available via the newly rebranded DefinedCrowd website. "As one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, in one of the most rapidly evolving industries in the world, change is our only constant. Over the last five years, we have embraced this change and evolved from a start-up to a more mature scale-up, represented by our rebranded product offering. We believe this suite of products solidifies our position as the leading data provider for AI in the world," said Mark Bomber, VP of Marketing at DefinedCrowd. DefinedCrowd was founded and 2015 and was recently listed by Inc. 5000 as the 27th fastest-growing private company in the United States, after experiencing a growth in revenue of 8550.28% from 2016 to 2019. Learn more about the company and the new products at definedcrowd.ai. Contact Catarina Peyroteo Salteiro Director of Global Communication & Brand [email protected] Related Images definedcrowd-header.png DefinedCrowd header Related Links Website SOURCE DefinedCrowd Corp. Carola Cunningham cant say enough about what it means for families who will soon be calling a new affordable housing complex in northeast Edmonton home. This building will improve the quality of life for Indigenous people and remove those systemic racism barriers theyve faced their entire lives, said Cunningham, CEO of NiGiNan Housing Ventures. Officials from all levels of government federal, provincial, municipal and Treaty 6 cut the ribbon Sept. 28 for the 42-unit combination of six town homes and one and two-bedroom apartments. The $13-million capital costs for the complex saw the federal and provincial governments share $6 million of expense and the city of Edmonton contributing another $3 million. The balance of $4 million will be covered by a mortgage. The project is part of the federal governments National Housing Strategy, which is a 10-year, $55-billion plan that will create 125,000 new housing units. It will also see the repair and renewal of more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent. The National Housing Strategy is a partnership between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and on continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private sectors. Cunningham says its money that has been long overdue I think that people have been suffering needlessly on the street when they could have been housed and cared for. she said. The new housing has yet to be given a traditional name although Cunningham is speaking with an Elder. The naming ceremony will take place when all residents can participate. Cunningham expects all the units to be filled by the end of November. The complex will provide accommodation for people who are level one Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) recipients or on income support and unable to find adequate housing. Level one AISH recipients are those who cant work because of a myriad of medical disabilities. Some of the units are set-up to accommodate the disabled. Many of those who will be calling the complex home are people that NiGiNan Housing Venture served at the Transit Hotel, also located in northeast Edmonton. Those services included re-homing help and providing two family meals each day. However, NiGiNan had to abandon the convenient set-up due to lack of proper city permits and complaints from a local business organization. The affordable housing development is a joint partnership between NiGiNan Housing Venture and Right at Home Housing. Right at Home is responsible for rent-taking and looking after the building, while NiGiNan is responsible for programming and caring for the people in the building. The accommodations are open to non-Indigenous people, as well. Its designed and led by Indigenous people for Indigenous people to live in, but anybody that thinks living the way we practice and walk in the world as Indigenous people is welcome to come also, said Cunningham. For some, the complex will provide permanent accommodations while others will use it as a stepping stone to something else. After all, says Cunningham, it is easier to find employment once the living situation has been taken care of. If you have a leg up and you have a place to live and you can have a shower and dress presentably and go on a job and have an address and a phone number, the ability to retain employment increases one-hundred fold, she said. NiGiNan Housing Venture also operates Ambrose Place, another 42-unit facility. It provides 14 units for those seeking safe, affordable housing and 28 units for supportive housing. Cunningham says Ambrose Place has saved governments millions of dollars in its six years of operation. Its saved at least $2 million a year because people dont go to the hospital, they dont have fits on the street, theyre not riding the bus illegally, theyre not getting into trouble, theyre not drinking in the back alleys, she said. Edmonton could use three more complexes like Ambrose Place and NiGiNan would also like to look at building bridge housing. Bridge housing is short-term, continuous stay accommodation that helps people move from homelessness to permanent housing. Applications have been filed, says Cunningham, but there are no starting dates as of yet. Now with all this commitment from federal money and provincial money coming forward, I think that well probably have dates sooner than later, she said. It took about one-and-a-half years for the NiGiNan and Right at Home project to be completed. CFWE Read more about: Haiti - News : Zapping... EDH : CSC/CA approves contract with General Electric On Tuesday, the Court of Auditors approved the contract signed between the Haitian State and the American firm "General Electric". This contract covers the supply and construction of a 55.5 Mw gas-fired power plant at Carrefour for an amount of US $ 55,488,000 "Thank you and congratulations to the CSC/CA for the benefit of the emergency granted to the contract linking Ed'H to the firm General Electric. Thanks to this decision Port-au-Prince will soon benefit from at least 12 hours per day of electricity, indicates the Ministry of Public Works. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31565-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31326-haiti-flash-moise-gives-details-on-his-project-to-electrify-the-country.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31483-haiti-news-zapping.html Kelly Bastien quits the radical opposition Former Senator Kelly Bastien is abandoning the radical opposition of the so-called "Democratic and Popular Sector" movement denouncing "an internal war of bad quality" and threats against himself. In addition, he specifies that he does not want to occupy a position in a possible transitional government. Exchange rate : denial of customs The General Customs Administration (AGD) invites all those interested in the issue of the exchange rate to inquire with the relevant departments at the General Customs Directorate and not to give credence to rumors. The rate used in the customs clearance process complies with the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) reference rate and the requirements of the Law. 36 Dominican diplomatic representatives dismissed in Haiti Dominican President Luis Abinader has decided to revoke the appointment of 110 consular representatives from various Dominican embassies and diplomatic offices in 10 countries, jobs deemed unnecessary, duplicates or complacency. 36 were in office in Haiti: 10 consular officials in Port-au-Prince, 18 in Ounaminthe and 8 vice-consuls in Cap Haitien. New magistrates' march The Bar of Port-au-Prince announces a new peaceful march in Port-au-Prince on October 5, to continue demanding justice in the assassination of Me Monferrier Dorval https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31905-haiti-flash-assassination-of-me-dorval-killers-and-accomplices-identified.html . This march will start from the Court of Cassation and end in front of the offices of Me Dorval's office. New Ambassador of Haiti to Spain This Monday, September 28, 2020, Louis Marie Montfort Saintil presented the illustrated copies of his credentials accrediting him as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Haiti to the Kingdom of Spain. The ceremony was an opportunity for diplomats to review bilateral cooperation and discuss new perspectives. HL/ HaitLibre EDMONTONA utility company says contract staff have been fired for making racist comments during a smudging ceremony at an Edmonton public school. Epcor says school officials reported that students and staff heard construction workers swearing, using racist language and running their equipment during the ceremony last week at Edith Rogers School, which teaches students from Grades 7 to 9. The workers were at a dry pond project across from where the students were participating in the smudging ritual in which Indigenous peoples burn sacred herbs and medicines for cleansing or health purposes. EPCOR does not condone racism or hate of any kind, and we thank the students and staff who brought this incident to our attention, the company said in a statement Tuesday. The company said the workers were with a subcontractor, Wilco Contractors Northwest, and under the control of Sureway Construction Group. Epcor, Wilco and Sureway said they will together donate $30,000 to the Edmonton Public School Boards amiskwaciy Academy, a junior and senior high school that offers Indigenous programming. Wilco said in a separate statement that it has fired the workers involved and that racism will not be tolerated. The hurt experienced by the students and staff is front of mind for us, and we hope the actions we are taking demonstrate to them how seriously we take this situation, Wilco said. Edmonton Public Schools said it was waiting to notify parents before releasing a comment on Epcors decision. In an earlier statement, the public schools spokeswoman, Carrie Rosa, said: Edmonton Public Schools is committed to truth and reconciliation by providing a variety of learning experiences in all of our schools, which includes events like Fridays smudging. We aspire for all of our learning and working environments to be free from hatred, racism and hurt. Thats why what happened at Edith Rogers School was so deeply unsettling and unacceptable for our staff and students who were participating in the smudging ceremony. Epcor shut down the construction site last week and said work would resume after an investigation was complete. Read more about: PARIS - Frances highest court on Wednesday gave the green light for Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga to be extradited to a special international court in Tanzania, rejecting his appeal. Kabuga, one of the most wanted fugitives in Rwandas 1994 genocide, was arrested outside Paris in May after 25 years on the run. He is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity for equipping militias that killed more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus who tried to protect them. Kabuga has denied involvement in the massacre. In June, a French appeals court ordered Kabuga, 87, to be turned over to the U.N.s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which had sought his arrest since 2013. Laurent Bayon, one of Kabugas lawyers, told The Associated Press that the court decision all but assures that Kabuga will be transferred to Arusha, Tanzania, to face the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which works with the Mechanism. He left open the possibility of a further appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, which allows for emergency rulings, and he asserted that the medical exam, given by a prison doctor at Paris La Sante penitentiary, was inadequate. Twice weve asked for a professional medical expertise to be conducted on Felicien Kabuga in order to ensure his health was compatible with the transfer. Twice, we were turned down, Bayon said. So, I am asking myself how today the court, in the wake of these refusals, could have decided his health condition was compatible with this transfer. Unless one assumes the magistrates are also doctors. Frances Court of Cassation rejected arguments to keep Kabuga in France. Rwandan prosecutors say financial documents found in the capital, Kigali, after the genocide indicated that Kabuga, then a wealthy businessman, used dozens of his companies to import vast quantities of machetes that were used to slaughter people. He also was accused of establishing the station Radio Television Mille Collines that broadcast vicious propaganda against the ethnic Tutsi minority, as well as training and equipping a militia that led the killing spree. Kabuga was close to former President Juvenal Habyarimana, whose death when his plane was shot down over Kigali sparked the 100-day genocide. Kabugas daughter married Habyarimanas son. The Mechanisms chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said Tuesday ahead of the court decision that a team from the Mechanism is in Kigali to assess evidence against Kabuga, contact witnesses and seek out new evidence. The objective is to update and strengthen the existing case, Brammertz said. We continue the search for the remaining fugitives, he said, adding that the main challenge is lack of co-operation from countries where we believe the fugitives are hiding, or travelling to. Commenting earlier this month for the first time since Kabugas arrest, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said on national television it was possible that those who sheltered him didnt want the death of the aging fugitive on their hands. The French court decision was issued in a statement. ___ Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda, and Masha Macpherson in Paris contributed. Read more about: Two Lebanese soldiers were killed by "terrorists" overnight in the north of the country, the Lebanese army said on Sunday. "Terrorists in a car opened fire on the guards of an army post in the locality of Arman-Minyeh... Two soldiers were killed, in addition to one terrorist," the army said in a statement. "The other terrorists fled," the statement said, adding the army had launched an operation to track them down. The incident comes amid an ongoing operation to locate a cell involved in the recent killing of four soldiers and three other people. The Lebanese army said on Friday that it had detained a suspect in the killing of the four soldiers in the Hilane-Zgharta area east of the northern port city of Tripoli. KENTUCKY - A lawyer for the grand juror in the case of Breonna Taylor has suggested on Tuesday that the case which have been presented to the panel may have misrepresented by the Attorney General to the public. The attorney for the anonymous grand juror, Kevin Glogower shared with the reporters that his client wants to make sure that the truth gets out. The move of the grand juror requesting in court that any or all of the transcripts, recordings, and reports of grand jury relating to the case will be released to the public was a surprising and unusual move for a former prosecutor of Kentucky, CNN reported. The anonymous grand juror's attorney, Glogower shared on Tuesday that his client's position was the things that were presented to the jurors is not being publicly disclosed or made available. On Monday, Daniel Cameron, the Attorney General of Kentucky shared that he did not charge any of the officers involved with killing Taylor, instead he only recommended charging them with of wanton endangerment. In a statement, Cameron mentioned that prosecutors presented all evidence, and even though the use of force was showed by two officers still they were not charged as it was justified for, they were fired upon. Representing the Taylor family, Ben Crump together along with two other lawyers shared that the assertion of the grand juror supports their stand. Taylor's party claimed that Cameron was not able to present a case which is aimed to support justice for Taylor. Read also: Presidential Debate: Biden Denies Son Hunter Received $3.5 Million from Former Moscow Mayor's Wife According to Yahoo! News, the attorneys mentioned in a statement on Tuesday that they are in full support of the calls to release the full transcript of the proceedings. According to them it is the only way to find out what evidence was presented before the jury and how they came up with the decision. Aside from the possible release of transcripts and recordings, the juror, based on the court documents that were reported, also asked the court to make a binding declaration to give the right to the grand juror in releasing and disclosing the information. It also asked for some information regarding the process and the proceedings, specifically the motion stated, to avoid fears that Cameron will be attempting to use the powers of contempt by the court in the case of public disclosure. Glogower shared that the initial public statements of Cameron had laid a lot of responsibility at the feet of the grand juror. However, Cameron's latest declarations attempted to walk that back. Glogower also added that the juror reached his office on Friday afternoon and emphasized his motion as highly unusual in his 15 years of practice. Moreover, the public statements of Cameron left questions unanswered regarding what evidence was presented to the grand jury and what charging recommendations were made. While waiting for the response of Cameron, the office of Greg Fischer, the Louisville Mayor repeated on Tuesday that they want to release as much as possible investigative files coming from the police department without jeopardizing any part of the ongoing criminal investigations. Related article: Plot Twist: Sole Witness in Breonna Taylor's Case Changes His Story @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that during his separate phone calls with Armenias Zohrab Mnatsakanian and Azerbaijans Jeyhun Bayramov, Lavrov urged the two sides to immediately cease fire and resume negotiations as soon as possible. He also reaffirmed his readiness to host a trilateral meeting of the ministers in Moscow. Lavrov already called Mnatsakanian and Bayramov hours after the outbreak on Sunday of the worst hostilities in the Karabakh conflict zone since 1994. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said, meanwhile, that Baku will halt the hostilities involving tens of thousands of troops and many tanks and artillery systems if Armenia agrees to unconditionally, fully and immediately leave our lands. This condition remains in force, and if Armenias government fulfills it the hostilities will stop and peace will come to our region, Aliyev said during a visit to a military hospital in Baku. Pashinian said on Tuesday that Baku has failed to achieve its military objectives in Karabakh. I hope this will make Azerbaijan realize that there is no military solution to this conflict, he told a Russian TV channel. According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Mnatsakanian discussed with Lavrov Turkeys direct military-political involvement in the continuing fighting along the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact in Karabakh. Mnatsakanian also reiterated Armenian concerns about the reported deployment in Azerbaijan of Turkish-backed mercenaries from Syria. The Azerbaijani army denies the presence of such fighters within its ranks. The Armenian military claimed throughout the day that F-16 fighter jets and combat drones of the Turkish Air Force joined Azerbaijani warplanes in striking civilian and military targets across Karabakh. Karabakh officials said three civilian residents of the northern Karabakh town of Martakert were killed in one of those air strikes. Both Ankara and Baku deny any Turkish involvement in the Azerbaijani military operations. Aliyev on Wednesday thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his resolute and brotherly stance and tough statements in support of Azerbaijan. Commenting on the Turkish role in the escalation of the Karabakh conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian military officials are very closely monitoring developments and meticulously analyzing all information coming from on the frontlines. We disagree with them [the Turks,] Russian news agencies quoted Peskov as saying. As I said yesterday, one must not add fuel to the fire. The United States, France and other Western powers have also been trying to stop the Karabakh war. U.S. National Security Adviser Robert OBrien phoned Erdogans top aide, Ibrahim Kalin, as part of those efforts. The White House told RFE/RL that OBrien stressed the importance of restoring the ceasefire regime in Karabakh and restarting Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations mediated by the U.S., Russia and France. According to Erdogans office, Kalin made clear that Ankara will continue to strongly support Azerbaijan and press Armenia to pull its troops out of the occupied territories. There is no military solution to this dispute, OBrien tweeted on Monday. This violence must stop now, before more lives are unnecessarily lost. Of all the profound truths written by the prophets in the Old Testament, why did Jesus choose this verse for this time? Isaiahs writings were particularly popular, and eventually would be quoted more times in the New Testament than all other prophets combined. But Jesus had a purpose. A mission about to begin. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound" Isaiah 61:1 Jesus walked into the synagogue, as he would any other Sabbath. But this time, the people sensed something different. When the scroll was handed to Jesus, he found the passage that needed sharing. At this time. For this moment. He spoke these words, The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lords favor (Luke 4:18-19 NIV). He stopped before the end of a verse, but said all that needed to be said. When worshippers in the synagogue heard Jesus speak the words, The spirit of the Lord is upon me, they couldnt take their eyes off him (Luke 4:20). Theyd no doubt heard those words recited from the scrolls before, so why such a radical difference on this day? What incredible meaning was behind Jesus words? Something had changed. The moment held special significance. They knew it then, and we can also celebrate it now. Discovering more about this phrase, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, will help us not only understand its meaning, but also find renewed hope in the unmatched message of Jesus Christ. Photo Credit: Getty Images/ipopba Why Did Jesus Say The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Me? Of all the profound truths written by the prophets in the Old Testament, why did Jesus choose this verse for this time? Isaiahs writings were particularly popular, and eventually would be quoted more times in the New Testament than all other prophets combined. But Jesus had a purpose. A mission about to begin. Lets take a few steps back to the prior days in Jesus life and see what events led to this extraordinary Sabbath day. Luke chapter 3 records Jesus baptism by John in the Jordan River, when something remarkable happened. The Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove (Luke 3:22). The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in a visible way. What a miracle! Imagine being in the crowd of seekers that day waiting to be baptized and witnessing the Holy Spirit empower the son of God on this earth. Its barely fathomable, but we know it happened. Jesus also knew what awaited him in the coming days and months, and he would need the Spirit to lead him. He would soon face things too difficult for human strength. Leaving the Jordan, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil (Luke 4:1-2). Hungry and exhausted, the devil threw everything he had at Jesus. Yet the Holy Spirit led Jesus there, stayed with him, and also guided him out. Luke assured us through his account, Jesus continued to walk in the Spirit. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside (Luke 4:14). The Holy Spirits power to withstand the enemys worst attack gives us hope. Many times I feel overwhelmed with all life throws my way. And I just dont have the strength to go another step. So Im grateful for Jesus example he so willingly lived out for us. The same Spirit helping Jesus in the wilderness lives in me today. I have reason to not give up! ...the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you (John 14:17). Photo Credit: cocoparisienne Who First Said, The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Me? It was customary for teachers in the synagogues to read the recordings of the prophets. Around 700 years before the day Jesus stepped up to read in his hometown of Nazareth, Isaiah spoke prophetic words of encouragement and admonition to his people. Isaiahs name meant, the Lord saves, which so perfectly proclaimed the message God used him to deliver. We must rely on God alone. Putting our hope in any other source will only lead to disaster. Isaiah offered a voice of truth in a time when Gods people sometimes strayed from the Lords ways. Yet these God-inspired words would hold more significance than Isaiah could possibly know. The Matthew Henry Commentary puts it this way, As Isaiah was authorized and directed to proclaim liberty to the Jews in Babylon, so was Christ, Gods messenger, to publish a more joyful jubilee to a lost world. These are the verses Jesus turned to that day in the synagogue. Words that would pierce the darkness and give life to the hopeless. Isaiah 61:1-2 reads, The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lords favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. Photo Credit: Getty Images/ByczeStudio Alternative Bible Translations of Isaiah 61:1 American Standard Version: "The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound;" King James Version: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;" The Message Bible: "The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners." New American Standard Bible: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted , To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;" New International Version: "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners," What Is the Significance of Isaiah 61:1? Before Jesus reached the end of the passage, he handed the scroll back to the attendant and returned to his seat. But why would he stop mid-verse? Why would he skip the part about the Lords vengeance? Jesus special purpose as the sinless son of God would be revealed. Hed been baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, and tempted by evil. Now here he was, right where he should be. Teaching Gods people in new ways. Jesus moved among people offering healing, mercy, and grace to Jews and Gentiles alike. He gave unconditional love to all, regardless of where we came from or what wed done. What a life-giving message. This was what Jesus came to tell us. The time to share about Gods wrath for unbelievers would wait. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 points out the sobering truth about what happens when we refuse to follow Christ. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. Jesus didnt share that part of the verse, and we can trust he knew best. The time for understanding the Lords vengeance would come later. Reading the chosen passage fulfilled the prophecy Isaiah spoke so long ago. Jesus ministry began at that moment. He began by saying to them, Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing (Luke 4:21). What Do These Incredible Words Mean for Me Today? When Jesus told the world the Spirit anointed him to proclaim the good news, he also told us who he came to save. The poor, brokenhearted, captives, and prisoners. He came for you and me. Are you poor in spirit today? Has the baggage youve carried crippled you under its weight? Jesus came for you. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). Has loss or grief left you brokenhearted? Do you feel alone, like no one cares? Jesus came for you. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me (John 14:1). Have you been bound by addiction? Or felt like youre suffocating, overwhelmed, and cant break free? Jesus came for you. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1a). We can claim these verses as truth over our lives today. The good news of salvation is for all of us. How Do I Live Out This Message? But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you (John 14:26 ESV). We can rejoice today knowing the Holy Spirit guides us, just like He did with Jesus. Whether we face daily struggles or lifes most difficult challenges, the Holy Spirit empowers us to keep moving forward. He will be our strength, our guide, and our comfort. All we need to do is ask him. And when we read this phrase, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, lets remember the saving grace of Jesus and our forever hope through him. Photo Credit: Unsplash Kristine Brown is the author of the book, Over It. Conquering Comparison to Live Out Gods Plan, and the companion devotional for teen girls. For more resources from author Kristine, including prayers and mini-studies to help you become more than yourself through Gods Word, visit her website, kristinebrown.net. Yo u can also connect with her on Facebook. This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today. This Is the Day the Lord Has Made Iron Sharpens Iron Blessed Are the Peacemakers Faith without Works Is Dead Be Anxious for Nothing Mobility experts reveal key transformational trends and new business models across the leasing ecosystem SANTA CLARA, California, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Before the pandemic hit, the global vehicle leasing market (including B2B and B2C segments) enjoyed a strong 2019, registering year-over-year (YoY) growth of 5.3% and crossing 15 million new lease sales. However, in 2020, lease sales are expected to decline by -16.4% due to the COVID-19 crisis. As market companies expand their focus areas, private leasing and SME leasing are expected to rise, while innovative leasing models create new investment hot spots. Join Frost & Sullivan experts Abishek Narayanan and Octavian Chelu; Sam Heymans, CEO & Co-founder, LIZY; and Sandeep Gambhir, Managing Director, ORIX Leasing and Financial Services, for the Growth Opportunity briefing, "Global Vehicle Leasing Industry: 4 Growth Opportunities Revealed," on October 7 at 11 a.m. EDT. The briefing will discuss how digitization is revolutionizing the value chain and help you create a strategic roadmap to succeed in the industry. For more information and to register for the webinar, please visit:http://frost.ly/4k0 Key benefits of attending this webinar: Understand developments in vehicle leasing in 2020, from fleet procurement to fleet aftermarket. Explore trends and strategies for electric vehicles and used car leasing markets across regions. Learn about expansion strategies for the next three to five years. for the next three to five years. Uncover the critical success factors for leasing companies, such as product flexibility, product features, and technologies. for leasing companies, such as product flexibility, product features, and technologies. Recognize the potential of partnerships with technology providers for customer retention and data monetization strategies. The event will also be recorded and available on-demand at http://frost.ly/1ti. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Press Contact: Srihari Daivanayagam Frost & Sullivan +91 9742676194 Srihari.Daivanayagam@frost.com Press across the globe have branded the United States a laughing stock following Tuesday night's tumultuous debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. In the heated debate, Trump bulldozed over Biden with repeated interruptions, insults were thrown back and forth and moderator Chris Wallace failed to maintain order amid the chaos. Papers and news outlets across the globe deemed the debate a 'shame', a 'chaotic spectacle of political theater', and Trump's potential re-election 'the first line of America's obituary'. Press across the globe have branded the United States a laughing stock and a 'national humiliation' following Tuesday night's tumultuous debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden The Guardian, UK The Guardian slammed the debate a 'national humiliation' that will prompt the rest of the world and future historians 'to weep'. The paper said if Trump wins re-election this November, itll be 'the first line of Americas obituary.' The Times, UK The Times said: 'The clearest loser from the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was America.' Der Spiegel, Germany News Magazine Der Spiegel eviscerated the debate as a 'joke, a low point, a shame for the country'. Author Markus Feldenkirchen blasted Trump and Biden as 'two over-70s who interrupt each other like 5-year-olds' and the president as having 'uncouth, undignified behavior.' El Pais, Spain The Spanish newspaper denigrated the debate as 'the most chaotic and least edifying spectacle of political theater ever produced on American television.' Le Monde, France The French newspaper bashed the debate as a 'terrible storm', and Trump as a bully who sought to 'push his opponent off his hinges'. Liberation, France The French outlet described the event as 'chaotic, childish, grueling'. Corriere Della Sera, Italy The Italian outlet dug into Trump as an 'un-presidential president who throws verbal punches in every direction every time he is put in trouble.' Sydney Morning Herald, Australia The newspaper blasted United States democracy as a whole following the chaotic debate saying: 'Many wondered if the chaos and tenor of the event said something more fundamental about the state of American democracy.' Times of India, India The Indian newspaper likened the debate to 'mud-wrestling', adding 'The United States embarrassed itself before the world for nearly 100 minutes'. Global Times, China The state-run newspaper hailed Tuesday's display as 'the most chaotic presidential debate ever'. The outlet wrote: 'This debate was like the country: Everybody's talking. Nobody's listening. Nothing is learned. It's a mess.' Google announced a $2.1 billion deal to acquire Fitbit in November last year. The Alphabet-owned company is yet to get regulatory approval from the EU for its planned acquisition of Fitbit. According to Reuters, Google has submitted new concessions to appease the EU regulators in approving the deal. The company will restrict the use of Fitbit data for Google ads. While Google already made this statement back in July, it will now tighten the monitoring process. It will also allow third-party services from accessing data from Fitbit users with their consent. Google might soon get approval from the EU for its Fitbit acquisition Were also formalizing our longstanding commitment to supporting other wearable manufacturers on Android and to continue to allow Fitbit users to connect to third-party services via APIs (application programming interfaces) if they want to, Google said in a statement. Advertisement While the European Commissions (EC) decision is scheduled to be announced on December 23, it might even come out earlier. However, the EC regulators will now meet with competitors and consumers to collect feedback on Googles new concessions. It will then decide to clear or block the $2.1 billion deal. The meeting between the regulators and competitors could also lead to more demands for allowing the deal. With Fitbit under its control, Google will be competing with Apple, Samsung, and others in the wearable segment. In its initial days, Fitbit has been a market leader in the fitness tracker market. The deal is also under scrutiny in the US and Australia The increasing popularity of the smartwatches restricted Fitbits wearable market share to just 3 percent in the first quarter of 2020. Apart from Apple and Samsung, the wearable segment is also dominated by several Chinese brands with their affordable fitness trackers. Advertisement The Google-Fitbit deal is also under scrutiny by the authorities from the US and Australia. Google is also facing backlash from consumer groups in several countries. The company has been saying that this deal is only about the devices, not data. Currently, the company lacks any hardware product in the consumer wearable market. In the last few months, there are a couple of leaks about the Pixel-branded smartwatch from Google. The company might officially debut the wearable segment once this deal closes. It will be facing tough competition from the Apple Watch. In the first half of 2020, Apple Watch has accounted for more than 50 percent of the overall smartwatch market revenue. "There is little differentiation and innovation in the coffee category in the U.S.; leaning in to our brand heritage and decades of coffee proficiency, Tchibo is bringing a cleaner, more sustainable and fresher coffee experience to the U.S.," said Thomas Linemayr, Chief Executive Officer, Tchibo. Linemayr is an accomplished industry executive and served as CEO of Lindt & Sprungli for its U.S. business from 1999 to 2016, before joining Tchibo. "As the pandemic continues to impact coffee behavior and consumption, consumers are looking for a brand to trust, one providing a reliable, authentic experience from the comfort of home. With a strategic commitment to building and delivering a strong foundation of differentiated product, services and solutions, the time is right to bring the Tchibo experience to the U.S. and get the first batches brewed in these new markets," added Linemayr. The Tchibo Difference is grounded in the concept of ROST FRISCH. Tchibo has redefined what it means to be fresh: from growing and harvesting to roasting and packaging, every step in the Tchibo process is dedicated to creating exquisitely fresh coffee for consumers to enjoy at home. It's not when you make it, but how you make it. At the exact moment when beans' flavors are most vibrant, fresh and intense from the roasters, they are sealed to lock in different aromas as well as lock oxygen out. The sleek, gold packaging is innovatively engineered with the patented Aroma Protect Technology to preserve the smell and taste of the exquisitely crafted coffees until they are poured into a cup. The team of Tchibo Rostmeister single roast the beans to a perfect finish, allowing their unique character and aromas to fully and individually develop. Tchibo recognizes that in order to achieve the freshest, most sustainable coffee, it's imperative to have a healthy planet. The company believes in fair business practices along the coffee value chain. As a family-owned business, Tchibo has been personally and culturally committed to sustainability and fairness for decades. Tchibo is one of the leading drivers in sustainable coffee initiatives and fairness standards, and committed to protecting the future of coffee, the environment, biodiversity, water resources, and workers safety and rights. Available in ground or whole beans and in an assortment of sizes and formats, Tchibo will launch with a selection of its finest and freshest coffees, ranging in price from $9.99 to $17.49. The four varieties include Morning Blend, Colombia Origin, Classic Blend and Rostmeister. "Our goal is to put 'better for you' products into the market and the commitment of Tchibo to freshness, sustainability and innovative technology is superb. With the rise in at-home coffee consumption and continued changing consumer behavior as a result of the pandemic, there has never been a more important time to provide better choices to consumers," said Chris Mattina, Founder and President, Rainmaker Food Solutions. About Tchibo Founded in 1949, Tchibo has been delighting coffee connoisseurs for over 70 years. Now available in the U.S. and carried throughout Europe, Tchibo is the roasted coffee market leader in several European countries. In addition to coffee products, Tchibo operates a wide range of non-food businesses in Europe with a large retail arm operating in more than 900 shops, 24,300 outposts at third-party retail outlets, and online stores. Tchibo has 11,450 employees worldwide, and generated revenues of over $3.6 billion in 2019. The Tchibo difference is grounded in the concept of ROST FRISCH, redefining what it means to be fresh. From growing and harvesting to roasting and packaging, every step in the Tchibo process is 'fresher by design' and dedicated to creating exquisitely fresh coffee for consumers to enjoy at home. Tchibo recognizes that it is imperative to have a healthy planet to achieve the freshest and most sustainable coffee. With global headquarters in Hamburg, the family-owned business has been recognized with multiple awards for its sustainable, fair-trade practices, including the award for Corporate Ethics and the Environmental Logistics Award and the European Union's CSR Award. Learn more at Tchibo.us . SOURCE Tchibo Related Links https://tchibo-usa.myshopify.com GardaWorld first said it was planning a bid for G4S earlier this month (Gareth Fuller/PA) Security giant GardaWorld has tabled a formal bid of nearly 3 billion for its British rival G4S. The Canadian company said it would pay 190p per share in G4S, valuing the business at 2.97 billion. It has approached shareholders in the company directly, rather than negotiating with G4Ss board. Later on Wednesday afternoon, G4S said its board was unanimously rejecting the offer. In a message published on the market and intended for shareholders, GardaWorld accused G4Ss management of failing stakeholders for a decade. G4S has a long history of overpromising and underdelivering GardaWorld It said the boards views on G4Ss prospects are inconsistent with the facts. G4S has a long history of overpromising and underdelivering. Over the last seven years, despite spending hundreds of millions of pounds in restructuring programmes and sizeably increasing its technology-related revenues since 2015, G4Ss margins have not improved, GardaWorld said. It added: Over the same period, even after adjusting for dividends, G4S senior management has destroyed nearly 1 billion of shareholder value. GardaWorld first said it was planning a bid for G4S earlier this month. Since the announcement, the companys share price has shot up, and after a 4% rise on Wednesday it was trading at 197.3p over 7p more than the bid. However, GardaWorlds offer is still 30% higher than G4Ss share price on September 11 before the bid was made public. It promised to provide experienced, professional management to G4S and help it overcome challenges. John Connolly, chairman of G4S, said: The unsolicited 190p offer launched today by GardaWorld is unchanged from the proposal that has already been carefully considered and unanimously rejected by the G4S board as significantly undervaluing the company and its prospects. Since rejecting GardaWorlds last proposal, G4S has announced continuing resilience in its trading with underlying earnings ahead of the prior year for the first eight months of 2020. GardaWorld chief executive Stephan Cretier said: The G4S board has behaved in a cavalier way by rejecting our potential offer out of hand. We look forward to meeting with investors to explain the challenges ahead and why this is a full and fair price for an asset which faces turbulent times and difficult operating conditions. Fredericton city council is considering ending the custom of opening public meetings with a poem after the city's poet laureate read lyrical verses about abortion during a meeting Monday night. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. City Hall in Fredericton is seen on April 21, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stephen MacGillivray Fredericton city council is considering ending the custom of opening public meetings with a poem after the city's poet laureate read lyrical verses about abortion during a meeting Monday night. Poet laureate Jenna Lyn Albert triggered the controversy when she read, "Those Who Need to Hear This Wont Listen," a poem about a personal experience with abortion written by Ottawa-based writer Conyer Clayton. Some councillors said the poem was overly political and inappropriate, others said it reflected the mood among residents and was timely given the expected closure of one of the province's few abortion providers. "I'm terribly concerned that we are now politicizing poems," Coun. Dan Keenan said during Monday's meeting. "I completely agree with freedom of speech and the right for people to say what they want to say but that was never the intention for this forum." Keenan said he felt the council should reconsider whether its meetings should begin with a poem, lamenting how the custom has become a form of "political activism." Councillors said Monday the city's governance committee will look into whether it should end the custom. Albert said she picked the poem because she felt it was timely ahead of Clinic 554s planned closure at the end of the month, which would leave N.B. residents with only three hospital-based options to access abortion services. "I think its always important to use whatever platform that an artist may have to address issues that are really concerning the community," Albert said in an interview Tuesday. Part of the role of the poet laureate is giving a voice to the LGBT+ community, disabled people and people of colour, who she said aren't always being heard at city hall. Clayton, the Ottawa-based writer who penned the poem more than a year ago, said she was inspired by the debate over reproductive rights in the United States to to explore the experience of her own abortion. I had never written about the subject so directly before, she said in an interview Tuesday. I was just frustrated because the narrative you often year from conservatives is that everyone regrets their abortions and that its an extremely traumatic experience for everyone and that may be true for some but that was very much not aligned with my experience, Clayton said. Coun. John MacDermid said he disagrees the poet laureate position has become overly politicized. Reading a poem before council meetings is appropriate, he said in an interview Tuesday, adding that the verses chosen by Albert reflected feelings in the community about the clinic's expected closure. "The deeper we got into the poem, the more engaged I became and it became very clear to me that it was a poem that was really hitting the mark at an appropriate time," he said. "Its not always comfortable and thats what art is about, holding a mirror up to society and asking people to reflect on it." The poet said she was blown away when she learned Albert had read her poem in council and said she sees it as a necessary act within the wider conversation about abortion access. Its not her job to just say some pretty words before a council meeting, Clayton said, referring to Albert. Art is there to raise discussion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2020. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. This decade has been appropriately christened a Decade of Centenaries. However, we must bear in mind that one person's celebration of a centenary can be another person's humiliation. One community's celebration can be another community's horror story. What one community sees as a good wine, the other sees as a deadly poison. Nonetheless, one person's commemoration can be another person's commemoration as well. Both people can participate in and appreciate - albeit differently - the historic event that is intrinsic to the commemoration. And so the establishment of Northern Ireland, which took place in 1921, can be simultaneously commemorated next year by two communities looking at it from opposing political points of view. The fact is that there were winners and losers in the creation of this state. Therefore the idea that, in a divided society such as ours, both sides can genuinely celebrate something that is, by its very nature, the cause of its internal division is absurd. However, although they both cannot celebrate that formative event, they can at the same time reflect upon it and learn from it in a peaceful and respectful fashion. As a society, for us to do so in a structured and non-triumphant fashion would be a sure sign of reaching a high degree of maturity in our politics. Other contentious historical events, such as the Home Rule Bill of 1914, the 1916 Easter Rising and the 1918 general election have been dealt with in a respectful and dignified way. The Irish Government wisely took the initiative to structure these events to ensure that they were under the state's care and control and were given serious reflection. While they have been primarily celebrated south of the border, they have also been commemorated north of the border. For example, in the Assembly at Stormont in January 2019 Speaker Robin Newton and the Ceann Comhairle Sean O'Fearghail organised a joint public event in the Senate chamber on the 100th anniversary of the formation of Dail Eireann. A lecture was given by that encyclopaedic Irish historian Dr Eamon Phoenix. It was attended by an audience of politicians, people and students. It was a powerful examination of our history and its continuing impact on our contemporary society. There was no celebration, no triumphalism, just an honest attempt at remembering a very significant event in a civilised fashion. It may have been a politically awkward event for the Speaker, who is after all a DUP MLA, but he probably recognised that his attendance and sponsorship of the public lecture was an important contribution towards a greater understanding of a formative event in our parliamentary history on this island. As a unionist he undoubtedly did not celebrate Dail Eireann's formation in 1919, but he commemorated it with his characteristic sense of public duty and personal good humour. Recently East Belfast DUP MP Gavin Robinson, in a thoughtful statement about the upcoming centenary of Northern Ireland, stated: "For me and many others it will be a year of celebration. But I recognise that, for others, they may wish to appropriately reflect on events of the past century in their own way." This was a sensible and conciliatory approach by a leading DUP figure to the issue of whether or not to celebrate such a contentious event by those who are not unionist. Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken has also acknowledged the problem with non-unionists celebrating the foundation of the state. He said: "We fully understand that, for some people, the centenary of Northern Ireland will not be a cause for celebration and that is their right." However, he went on to remind us all: "We have shown respect for events, which we too wish had happened differently or not at all, including the Easter Rising." This is an important reminder - not least that the Queen herself visited Dublin in 2011 and laid a wreath at the memorial of those who died in the Irish War of Independence. This unprecedented act was a powerful gesture of respect and reconciliation by the Queen. It was very much appreciated at the time by the Irish President Mary McAleese and a wide section of the Irish public. It should also be remembered that in February 2016 First Minister Arlene Foster travelled to Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin and took part in an open discussion on the Easter Rising. The event was not an official commemoration of the rebellion, but was "designed to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising by exploring it historically". It was in keeping with the view that you do not have to approve of an historical event in order to set a tone of respect and tolerance. This is, surely, the hallmark of a maturing democracy. A wave of more than 1000 primarily unsanctioned, spontaneous strikes has rippled across the United States since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic fuelled by worker safety fears. The wildcat strikes have been further propelled by protests against racism following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Teachers, parents and children march in Brooklyn, New York, to protest against the reopening of public schools. Credit:AP About 260 walkouts, sick call-ins and industrial actions were recorded between March 1 and May 31, according to the US-based PayDay Report, which tracks the events. The numbers accelerated by another 750 between June and the beginning of September. Frustration with weak employee protections and low pay in the service industry has prompted staff to walk off the job in protest over safety amid the surge in coronavirus deaths. The death toll in the US has vaulted over 200,000 following a disjointed response overseen by US President Donald Trump. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Perk Labs Inc. (CSE:PERK)(OTCQB:PKLBF)(FKT:PKLB) ("Perk Labs" or the "Company") the parent company of Perk Hero, the all-in-one mobile ordering, contact-free payments and loyalty app, announced an agreement with EasyPark to provide their customers with the convenience of paying for parking with their phone, via the Perk Hero app, at EasyPark's busy Gastown and Pacific Centre parking locations located in downtown Vancouver. As British Columbia's Phase 3 Restart Plan reopening continues, traffic volumes and demands for parking spaces continue to increase with more people returning to work and accessing businesses. "Expanding our merchant reach into other verticals, such as parking payments, gives Perk Hero users and EasyPark customers a seamless and effective option to pay for parking in a safe and convenient way, while also earning loyalty rewards," says Jonathan Hoyles, Perk Labs CEO. "We are excited to have EasyPark as part of our community of Perk Hero merchants and support their mission of providing safe, clean, friendly, convenient and affordable parking to the Greater Vancouver community." Nigel Bullers, CEO, EasyPark says, "My philosophy has been about ensuring EasyPark implements effective technology to lead the parking industry and have our customers feel safe and secure when parking with us. Perk Hero is a great addition to support that as we continue to offer the best in safe payment options, to our valued customers, with reward incentives." The latest news and information about Perk Hero's features can be found at www.perkhero.com and stakeholders can read about the Company's strategy and ongoing advancements in technology on the company blog, which can be viewed at https://medium.com/@perk_labs. About EasyPark Founded in 1948, EasyPark's mission is straightforward: "make parking easy." Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, its mandate is to provide safe, convenient and affordable parking, with operations that include 135 parking facilities in 60 client accounts in B.C., which are part of the EasyPark brand. For more information about EasyPark, please visit www.easypark.ca. About Perk Labs Inc. Perk Labs Inc. is the owner of Perk Hero, a digital loyalty management platform that enables merchants to provide their customers with digital rewards and a more engaging and convenient customer experience. For more information about Perk Labs, please visit www.perklabs.io For more information contact: Jonathan Hoyles CEO Perk Labs Inc. (833) 338-0299 investors@perklabs.io Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "may", "believe", "thinks", "expect", "exploring", "expand", "could", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "pursue", "potentially", "projected", "should", "will" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. These forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, relate to, among other things, the discussion of the Company's business strategies and its expectations concerning future operations, and expanding the Company's merchant reach into other verticals. Although the Company considers these forward-looking statements to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking information, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. SOURCE: Perk Labs Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608396/Perk-Labs-Announces-Launch-at-Select-EasyPark-Locations The number of Baldwin County residents left in search of emergency housing after Hurricane Sally has become a growing concern in recent days, though the county sheriff said that so far hes seen no evidence of illegal evictions. Reports emerged this week that numerous residents at two Foley apartment complexes, The Reserve at Foley and Savannah Park, had been told they had to leave storm-damaged apartments. Foleys city administrator, Mike Thompson, said hed heard about 100 to 125 units were affected at The Reserve and about 25 at Savannah Park. However, Thompson said the issue wasnt limited to apartments or to Foley, a point made by others as well. Sheriff Huey Hoss Mack said he was aware of several other complexes that had told residents they had to leave, including one in Loxley and another in Robertsdale. Mack said Tuesday that the Baldwin County Sheriffs Office (BCSO) had received about 40 complaints about evictions and had investigated about half of those so far. Investigators hadnt found found any basis for criminal charges. To our knowledge nobodys actually been evicted, he said Tuesday. He said people had gotten notices very similar to an eviction, but they were based on storm damage. Since the Category 2 storm made landfall in Baldwin County on Sept. 16, Facebook postings from the management team at The Reserve to tenants have provided a window into the situation, illustrating both the scope of the problem faced by the owners of damaged properties and the stark consequences for tenants. Sept. 21: We have just endured a horrific storm that has had a huge negative impact on the lives of everyone here in our community, staff and residents. We are urgently working with contractors to start immediate remediation in your homes. We are asking for your patience as we work through this together. This was not expected, the damage to our community is massive. We are doing all we can under a considerable about of stress; we too have suffered damage to our homes, to our vehicles, to our neighborhoods. We are committed to working with you through this process. Sept. 21: Thank you again for your patience. We will continue to share important information as it becomes available to us. For those residents who have received damage and will need to find temporary housing, please register with FEMA as soon as possible. There are 3 ways to register: [The post went on to provide registration info.] Sept. 22: Our phone lines are up and running. Please call the office to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. The office is currently closed as we have received extensive damage and it is unsafe to enter the building. As a reminder; we are a large community and it may take a while to get through. We appreciate your patience. Sept. 22: "We are receiving reports that some renters insurance claims are being denied because of flood damage. What our community has experienced is wind and water intrusion. If you have had a claim denied for this reason please contact your insurance company and update this information. If your agent has any questions, please have them contact our office. Sept. 25: If you are in need of moving boxes, we have 4 pallets of boxes located at the southeast end of the complex by the trash compactor. Please help yourself to as many as you need. Sept. 28: Summit Church across the street from The Reserve of Foley will be providing lunches for our residents today. Please come to the office after 12:30. Mobile-based Gulfbelt Properties manages The Reserve. Gulfbelt President John Napper said his company manages a range of properties, from apartments to rental homes, and that others suffered damage in Sally. But the widespread damage at The Reserve was in a class by itself. Our company hasnt experienced anything like this since damages our communities received from Hurricane Katrina in Pascagoula he said. Napper said the number of units affected was well over 100 and might approach 175. The damage varied widely, he said: Some units obviously will have to be gutted to replace sheetrock and carpet. While others may look okay, they have high moisture readings, confirmed by testing performed by an independent restoration company -- a sign of water in the walls that could lead to other problems. The repair timeline likewise will vary: Some units may be shut down for a few days, while others could take months to fully refurbish. Napper said The Reserves owner had been on location since the storm hit, working to speed the process along. We gave a shorter notice than I would have liked, Napper said, but it was driven by the need to get people out of potentially unsafe conditions and to get on with repairs. Reactions had varied, he said, with some tenants accepting the need and others angry about the inconvenience. I understand their frustrations, this is not what we want for our residents but ultimately, their health and safety is of utmost importance, he said. Unfortunately, a hurricane and subsequent damage is out of our control. Napper said Gulfbelt was refunding rent, effective the day the storm hit, and was returning deposits. The company was giving people the option of reserving their old units to return once repairs were made, and doing what it could to guide tenants to aid and other housing. Mack said his advice to people who think theyve been unfairly evicted is to call the consumer hotline at the Alabama attorney generals office, 1-800-392-5658 or 334-242-7335. Complaints logged there are referred back to local agencies, he said, and he has one investigator working on nothing but hurricane-related complaints. Locally, he said, the most common question hes gotten is that they know theyve got to move out because the place is uninhabitable, but they want to know if they can go back and get their stuff. Mack said that in an eviction they do not, but in this situation they do. As for finding alternate housing, Mack said his advice is that You just have to reach out to every resource. He mentioned the American Red Cross and FEMA as examples, specifically FEMAs mobile registration centers. Those are particularly helpful to people whove lost their phone or Internet service, he said. The range of programs under FEMA can be dauntingly complex. But some, including parts of the Individuals and Households Program, do provide direct help with housing. FEMA announced Tuesday that it was adding new Mobile Registration Intake Centers, and expanding hours at ones already open, to increase access for residents of Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the following sites: Atmore: Operating through Wednesday, Sept. 30, on the parking lot in the Atmore City Hall Complex, 201 E Louisville Ave. Brewton: Operating from Thursday, Oct. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Brewton Civic Center, 1010 C Douglas Ave. Fairhope: Operating Thursday, Oct. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 3, at 1100 Fairhope Ave. Foley: Operating through Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Foley Satellite Courthouse, 201 E. Section Ave., Foley in Baldwin County. Mobile County: Operating Wednesday, Sept. 30 through Saturday, Oct. 3, at Bishop State Community College, 351 N. Broad St. in Mobile Tuesdays notice said that additional MIRCs will open in Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties in the coming days. The locations and dates will be announced when details are finalized. As yet, no one seems to have a firm number of how many people have been displaced by storm damage. I would think its in the hundreds, Sheriff Mack said. I dont know that weve hit the thousands. Thompson said local officials such as those in Foley have no real capacity to provide housing, so they pass information about the problem up to county officials, hoping from there it goes to state and federal officials who can direct aid. Greg Robinson, Alabama EMAs external affairs director, said that state-level officials are working with Baldwin County to get the complete scope of the housing demand. The latest figures available to Robinson showed that 3,366 individuals and households have been approved for assistance totaling $12,329,939. It wasnt clear what portion of those numbers related to people who needed alternate housing. Robinson said that breakdown might not be available for a few days. Whatever the number might be today, Mack and Robinson said they expect it to grow. Some people who stayed in their homes despite initial damage are having to move due to mold and other problems that have followed water damage. More will have to move out while repairs are made. Thompson said that Foleys building inspectors had been flagging some homes as untenable. We have whats called a red card. I think weve red-carded 17 to 20 houses, he said Tuesday. We have not red-carded any apartments, to my knowledge. The problem of finding alternate housing is exacerbated by Baldwins explosive population growth in recent years, he noted. The county and some of its communities have led state growth figures in recent years, with 2018 census figures showing that the countys population had grown 20% in eight years. Before the hurricane we had a tight housing market, Thompson said. Napper echoed the comment. In a soft market, Gulfbelt might have been able to broker moves into other properties it manages. But not in 2020. There really was very limited availability before the storm, he said. Robinson said that any resident in need of immediate housing or housing support, should call 800-621-3362 and register with FEMA, as they may be eligible for renters assistance. He also recommended that anyone who receives a determination that theyre ineligible should call the number again and ask two questions: Why was I denied, and What can I do? Sometimes a denial is due to minor issues that can be sorted out, he said. On Wednesday, FEMA and Alabama EMA sent out a fresh advisory saying that Alabama renters who face eviction or have been evicted from their hurricane-damaged apartment complex may be eligible for disaster assistance from FEMA. This may be so even if they were previously determined ineligible for FEMA assistance. That notice, in full, follows: Residents of Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile counties impacted by Hurricane Sally have several ways to apply for disaster assistance: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. Use the FEMA mobile app. Call FEMA at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or VRS) or 800-462-7585 (TTY) anytime from 6 a.m. to midnight (Central Time) seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available. If you have received a determination letter from FEMA but have since been evicted, call FEMA with your eviction papers in-hand to find out if you may be eligible to re-apply for assistance. If you have already registered with and were later evicted due to damage to other parts of your complex, you can upload your eviction papers to your personal FEMA account at DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for assistance. Renters may be eligible for grants from FEMA to help with disaster-related expenses, such as: Renting a home when the renters previous home is unsafe to live in due to the disaster or their apartment complex is under repair. Disaster-related medical and dental expenses. Child-care assistance. Moving and storage fees. Replacement or repair of necessary personal property lost or damaged in the disaster, such as appliances and furniture, textbooks and computers used by students, and work equipment or tools used by independent contractors. Repair or replacement of vehicles damaged by the disaster. Uninsured and out-of-pocket disaster-related funeral and burial. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 02:17:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Experts worldwide hailed that the proposals put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the UN Summit on Biodiversity on Wednesday will have practical and far-reaching significance on protecting biodiversity and building a beautiful world. Speaking at the UN summit, Xi highlighted the major risks in loss of biodiversity and the degradation of the ecosystem and made four proposals, including adhering to ecological civilization and increasing the drive for building a beautiful world; upholding multilateralism and building synergy for global governance on the environment; continuing with green development and increasing the potential for high-quality economic recovery after COVID-19; and calling on countries to strengthen the power of action to tackle challenges to the environment. Ronnie Lins, director of the China-Brazil Center for Research and Business, said the four-point proposal is enlightening and important for the human society to achieve green development and promote ecological civilization. He also said that he believes that fostering high-quality economic recovery in the post-pandemic era requires enhancing cooperation and exchanges across borders. Egyptian Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said the international community should devote to maintaining biodiversity in a way that supports environmental protection by attracting more investments to related international activities and cooperation. Crucial natural reserves and environmental sites around the world should be developed and managed based on global ecosystems development in order to preserve them and maximize economic, social and cultural development, the minister said. Dr. Hariet L. Hinz, co-director of the MARA China-CABI European Laboratory, said that the protection of biodiversity is therefore a global urgency, and it is imperative that all parties work together to address the serious challenges facing global biodiversity. "China has made it clear that it is an advocate of multilateralism and has always been an active participant and facilitator of the multilateral process for the protection of biodiversity," she said. "China has a large community of scientists and policy researchers working on biodiversity-related areas. The lessons and experiences made by China could be particularly valuable to developing countries going through a similar economic development path," she added. Pinhas Alpert, professor emeritus and former head of Porter School for Environmental Studies at Tel Aviv University, said China, a major player in promoting global biodiversity, has taken large steps in this field in recent years. "I've visited China several times in recent decades. And I was very impressed by its dedication to sustainability and climate change," said Alpert. Brendan Guy, manager at the International Policy of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said President Xi has articulated a vision of humanity living in harmonious relationship with nature. Noting that China is to host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming next year, he said the world is looking to China to set an ambitious example. Enditem Fans of Austrian Airlines style can enjoy a little of the airlines experience at a new pop-up shop in Viennas city centre. After the successful relaunch of its online store in autumn 2019, the Austrian flag carrier is now selling its red-white-red branded goods in cooperation with strictly Herrmann at Taborstrae 5, 1020 Vienna. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Since Vienna International Airport unfortunately lacks passengers due to corona, we decided at short notice to land in downtown Vienna, explained Amir Aghamiri, brand manager at Austrian Airlines. We want to keep the pop-up store open at least until the Christmas business. While there is strong online demand for the airlines Puma sneakers (54.95) and model aircraft (from 31.95), the airline expects that face masks (14.90) and the Badeente duck 6.95) will be bestsellers in the city centre store. The airline owes the development of the well-known rubber duck to its frequent flyers. The so-called HONs (HON Circle Members, from 600,000 flight miles) collected rubber ducks on their worldwide travels and deposited them in a row at their own HON access point at Vienna Airport. They later said that they would like to buy an Austrian Airlines duck. A new UK and French taskforce has stopped 500 migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. Almost 100 suspected organised people smugglers have been arrested in France in two months, law enforcement officers today. The Joint Intelligence Cell has also played a part in preventing hundreds of migrants who pay up to 5,000 Euros reaching Britain in inflatable boats and kayaks. The National Crime Agency and Immigration Enforcement are working on Project Invigor with the French Police Aux Frontieres unit. Shared intelligence led to several boats being prevented from setting off from France, while a number of new alleged conspirators were identified. Of 98 arrested, at least 10 have already been convicted in France with others awaiting trial or in the French judicial system. Around 7,000 migrants are believed to have crossed the worlds busiest shipping lane to reach Dover in small boats this year. Some have died due to harsh conditions. Migrants coming from safe countries will be refused asylum, the government said yesterday. Smugglers use social media to advertise their wicked trade, said NCA Deputy Director Matthew Long. He said they were working with platform owners to shut down accounts to make that a non-viable option. Mr Long said: Organised immigration crime is a chronic threat, and the scale and complexity evolves all the time. We stood up in response to an increasing number of attempted small boat crossings over the summer. It is not just about the exchange of intelligence, but also about joint investigations, and we have had incredible support from our French colleagues. Together we are determined to disrupt and dismantle these criminal groups wherever they are operating, in the UK, in France or elsewhere in Europe. These gangs are cynical and exploitative, putting the lives of migrants secondary to profit. We see that in the dangerous attempts to cross the Channel in small boats, or in the tragic events in Essex last year where migrants were found dead in a lorry. Invigor, NCA and wider UK law enforcement have stepped up their efforts against them, both domestically and internationally. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: Working with international partners our immigration and law enforcement teams are stepping up our activity against the threat posed by organised immigration crime - preventing people from making dangerous Channel crossings and bringing the vile criminals responsible to justice. Only yesterday, 12 people were arrested in France, the Netherlands and the UK as part of a joint operation targeting a gang engaged in smuggling people across the Channel in small boats. I remain committed to putting a stop to illegally facilitated Channel crossings and my message to those exploiting the vulnerable for profit is simple we are coming for you. The under $10 morning menu offers everything from breakfast burritos and sandwiches to tater tots and assorted sides. For lunch, a custom menu under the Bellamys Blacktop BBQ branding showcases a half pound of BBQ rib tips or a generous mound of tender pulled pork, each $11 served as an entree with two side choices as well as a beef brisket sandwich, served with fries, for $9.50. The sumptuous sides, which start at $2.50, include island coleslaw and collard greens as well as steamed cabbage, BBQ baked beans and creamy macaroni and cheese. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 18:59:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of fighters have been killed over the past 24 hours during intense clashes in Syria's southern province of Sweida between a Russian-backed military unit and local fighters, a war monitor reported on Wednesday. The clashes took place in the town of al-Qurayya in the western countryside of Sweida between local fighters from Sweida and the Russian-backed Fifth Corps, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The UK-based watchdog group said 12 fighters were killed and 23 wounded from the Fifth Corps as well as 16 local fighters from Sweida. A well-informed source in Sweida told Xinhua that the clashes started when local fighters from al-Qurayya attacked positions of the Fifth Corps to retrieve agricultural lands the Fifth Corpse had previously taken and positioned at. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said the local fighters managed to retake the areas but later lost it again when the Fifth Corpse fighters launched a counter-attack in al-Qurayya. The Russian-backed Fifth Corps is an alliance of five Syrian rebel groups that was formed in September 2014. All five units were affiliated with the rebels' Free Syrian Army (FSA) before joining the Syrian government forces under Russian supervision. Enditem President Donald Trump has made disparaging remarks about Oakland many times, and he did it again in the Tuesday night debate with former Vice President Joe Biden. Fox News' Chris Wallace, who moderated the debate, asked the president about his frequent assertion that cities with Democratic leadership are more violent than Republican-run ones. When Wallace said Republican-controlled cities show similar trends of violent crime, Trump launched into a stream-of-consciousness response that, at one point, included an assertion that Oakland was "more violent" under President Barack Obama and asked where law and order was under the Obama-Biden watch. This is the vegetable delivery man who befriended a single mum before secretly stalking and harassing her in what a judge called "a despicable crime". Eamon Byrne (59) sent vile text messages of a sexual nature to Amy Dunne (30) from unknown numbers and started leaving vegetables and washing powder on her doorstep, putting her in fear of her life and safety. He has been given a four-month suspended sentence for harassing and stalking Ms Dunne. The defendant, of Beechwood Drive, Marley's Lane in Drogheda, Co Louth, pleaded guilty to harassing Ms Dunne over a four-month period from August 2016 to November 2016. Byrne and Ms Dunne had met when he started to deliver vegetables to her home and they became friends. Sergeant Ray Brady told the court the defendant became the young mum's confidant. "But then vegetables started to turn up on the doorstep with no note," said Sgt Brady. "Byrne then began to turn up at her house when her child was home from school, offering her lifts. "Ms Dunne started to receive anonymous messages of a sexual nature, about her underwear, being a lone parent. The messages were always sent at night time. Admitted "Ms Dunne started to confide in Byrne and sought advice from him, but on the other hand he was the one sending the anonymous texts and vegetables." Ms Dunne reported the messages to gardai as she was in fear of her life and safety. Following an investigation, the defendant was identified as the suspect and admitted what he had done. During the investigation, gardai had to seek help from UK police due to the defendant destroying sim cards and buying credit from a UK mobile phone company. In her victim impact report, Ms Dunne told the court that Byrne came into her life as a vegetable delivery man who was old enough to be her grandfather. "I had a boyfriend at the time but then he would turn up everywhere when this relationship ended," Ms Dunne said. "He made me feel like I depended on him, like a father figure." Ms Dunne said the text messages always came at night and mentioned she was alone and spoke about some of her movements during the day. "I lost trust and confidence and he was offering his help, telling me not to report it to gardai as it would be a waste of time." Ms Dunne said when gardai told her it was Byrne who was harassing her and sending the vile messages she said she was "absolutely shaken". "I felt like throwing up. He portrayed himself as a person I could depend on," she said, adding that since he was exposed as her harasser she has not been able to sleep easy, and is suffering from anxiety. "I find it difficult to trust anyone now. This has affected my personal relationships. I believed he groomed me and had a plan," she said. Vulnerable "I am a vulnerable, single woman with no father figure. He made me feel like I was dependent on him, like a father figure. "I lost my sense of freedom because of what he has done." A Probation Report was handed into court but a part of the report concerned Judge Erin McKiernan where Byrne claimed he didn't frighten Ms Dunne as she is someone who "was not easily frightened". However, he then acknowledged in court that he did frighten her and apologised. "I am really sorry. I do understand the bad effect it had on her. I would like to say it did happen and will never happen again in 100 years," Byrne told the court. "I was angry at the time, she owed me money but I didn't put that in my statement. "I am sure she was devastated and still is but it is unlike me to do anything like this again." Defence solicitor Patrick Goodwin handed in letters from Byrne's doctor outlining his health issues. Judge McKiernan said the crime was very serious and "absolutely despicable". "It's a double whammy - she confided in you," said Judge McKiernan, "and you attempt to justify it with the Probation Services." The judge imposed a four-month sentence but "because of the passage of time" since the offences she suspended the sentence for one year. "I am not impressed with you at all," the judge told the defendant and ordered he have no contact with Ms Dunne for 12 months. By Trend Armenia, which occupied the Azerbaijani lands, committed genocide in Khojaly city and today the whole world is witnessing that Armenia is once again targeting the civilians, Trend reports, referring to the statement of the Turkish Defense Ministry in connection with the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh region. Just like 30 years ago, Armenia is still an enemy of peace and stability," said the statement. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Mayank Tiwari By Express News Service HYDERABAD: As many as 423 institutes intimated Btech, BPharm, PharmD students, (who were promoted earlier due to Covid-19 pandemic) to write the exams from the second week of October, after Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University, Hyderabad (JNTUH) released a notification. The university is asking all the students of its affiliated colleges to write the exam, months after the semester has ended and students have already started lessons for a progressive semester after the university promoted them. Students who are against the exams started online protests since last week and are asking the university to promote all students. Students from various affiliated institutes released an online poster on social media accounts, in which, said they will stop attending online classes if the university conducts the exam. Most of the JNTUH affiliated institutes are already boycotting online classes in a protest against the university. We are studying for the fourth semester since July. How can we write the exam on the third semester in October? asked a student from MGIT college who wished to remain anonymous. This is totally unjust. We will have to write exams for ten subjects and also focus on our mid-term exams, not very later we will have to write the current semesters exams. No other university except JNTUH is doing it, the student adds. Recently the university, in a notification, said, This second spell of semester exams comprises regular and supplementary examinations of all PG courses (including Pharm D.) and all I-1, II-1, III-1 and IV-1 supply exams of B.Tech and B.Pharm courses. The semester exams for all the students studying in JNTUH and affiliated colleges are scheduled to be conducted along with the mid-term exam that is to happen in October. JNTUH Vice-Chancellor, Jayesh Ranjan said, We are following All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) directions to conduct pending semester exams. We decided to conduct the exams in October. Even earlier, we have said that the decision of postponement of the exam can be changed if the situation becomes favourable. We have already conducted the end semester exams for final year students successfully. After careful consideration, we have finally decided to conduct exams for all students, so there is no going back. added the vice-chancellor. Heartland Christian has become the first Council Bluffs school to switch to remote learning for all students. The school, which offers instruction for students age 3 through 12th grade, went to distance learning after the administration was notified of a positive COVID-19 test result Thursday, according to a press release from the school. Initially, school officials planned to stay in remote learning mode until Oct. 5, but on Monday, that was extended to Oct. 12. The additional five days should be plenty of non-contact days to suffice any contact that we may have not anticipated, Executive Director Larry Gray said in the press release. Around the area, Fremont-Mills Community Schools changed to remote learning on Sept. 21, according to Superintendent David Gute. We had nine COVID cases through Saturday, Sept. 19, he said. We have roughly 465 students, with some doing virtual learning this year. As of this Saturday (Sept. 26), we were at 18 cases. The school district did not need permission from the Iowa Department of Education to go virtual last week, because students were in school full time the week before, Gute said. They considered last week hybrid learning because of a 50% in-person rule average over the two weeks, he said. Gute received permission over the weekend for the school district to remain in remote learning this week, he said. Activities are also canceled until the return to in-person instruction on Oct. 12. Avoca-Hancock-Shelby-Tenant-Walnut Community Schools switched to all remote learning Tuesday, according to Board Secretary Kelly Allen. Students were off Monday because of professional development activities, she said. Superintendent Darin Jones confirmed that some people in the school had tested positive in his Sept. 21 blog. On Saturday, Jones wrote, Due to the current health circumstances and number of students and staff impacted by either a positive case of COVID-19 or contact tracing resulting in primary exposure, the AHSTW District has made the decision to cancel school for Monday, Sept. 28. With positive cases, as well as primary exposures, absenteeism percentage would be impacted as follows: Primary Average absenteeism for past two weeks, 5%; current absenteeism due to COVID-19, 12% Intermediate Average absenteeism for past two weeks, 6%; current absenteeism due to COVID-19, 25% High school Average absenteeism for past two weeks, 7%; current absenteeism due to COVID-19, 29%. Jones went on to say that the district would go into 100% virtual learning Tuesday through Friday, Oct. 2. In addition, he stated that the school board, during a special meeting Saturday, approved requesting that the state allow them to extend the virtual format, if needed. As we have experienced for the past month, teaching and learning in person is what is best for everyone, he wrote. Our hope is that, with extra caution and attention to public health and CDC guidelines, we will be able to return to that as quickly as possible. Jones urged families to wear masks wherever they might come in contact with other people and avoid gathering with anyone from outside their household for any length of time, for any reason. Keep your kids home, he said. If we continue to follow all of the guidance and safety measures within the school but those same practices are not followed outside of school, then our efforts will be for naught. We are definitely #BetterTogether! In Denison Community School District, the high school switched to hybrid learning on Sept. 23 due to an increase in daily absences at the high school level, according to the Denison Bulletin & Review. The district plans to have the high school continue in the hybrid mode through Oct. 16. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Massive protests broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Wednesday (September 30) as many people blocked roads and main market seeking justice for Hathras gang-rape victim. The protesters also raised slogans against police and local administration and said that the government must take action to ensure that 19-year-old girl who died after being brutally gang-raped by four men should get justice as soon as possible. The gang-rape victim was shifted to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday in critical condition where she died due to grievous injuries. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday (September 30) said that a three-member panel has been set up to investigate the case. Secretary Home, Bhagwan Swarup, will lead the SIT and DIG, Chandraprakash, and Commandant PAC Agra, Poonam, will be its members. The SIT has been asked to submit its report in seven days. CM Yogi also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him over this horrific incident and has asked him to take strict action against the culprits of this heinous crime. Live TV Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh police cremated the body of the girl at around 2:30 AM on Wednesday despite strong protests by family members. The family of the victim said that the police forcibly performed the last rites of the 19-year-old gangrape victim despite strong protests by them. The family members said that they were not allowed by the police to bring back the body of the victim to home for the last time. Talking to ANI, the victim's brother said that while the family members were staging protest outside the Safdarjung Hospital demanding justice for the victim on Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh police took the victim's body to Hathras without informing the family members. The woman was first admitted to the AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital. She was shifted to the ICU of Safdarjung hospital after her condition worsened. MBABANE The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has cleared its Friday calendar and reserved it specifically for embattled CTAs General Transport Manager Washington Khumalo. According to the schedule released by the PAC, Khumalo is expected to give feedback on all the anomalies regarding charges for repair costs of government vehicles. For the past month, during the sittings of the PAC, all ministries who appeared before the committee raised concerns that they were made to pay for vehicles which were sometimes reported to have been in car accidents, yet that was not the case. In some instances, for example, under the Ministry of Defence and National Security, one vehicle S048 was reported to have gone for panel beating on December 17, 2019 at a cost of E39 431.60. Cost Interestingly, five days later, on December 22, 2019, the same vehicle was reported to have once again been taken for panel beating at a similar cost. This led to the PAC coming to the conclusion that some of the bills were duplicated for some reason by officers at the Central Transport Administration. The auditor general, in his compliance report, further noted that the unrecovered costs for accident-damaged government vehicles by government officers and other parties amounted to over E48.3 million. However, most ministries denied that most of their vehicles had been involved in accidents as they were recorded at the CTA and disputed some of the bills forwarded to them. In most instances, when the PAC asked the GTM what had happened to a specific vehicle, he would ask to be given time to go and investigate before giving feedback. The PAC, through its Chairperson Matsanjeni North Member of Parliament (MP) Phila Buthelezi, said this was the reason that they had set aside the whole day to deal with the CTA/GTM issues. On Friday, the PAC is also expected to meet with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which is the parent ministry for the CTA and the accountant general ( AG) to thrash out the formula for calculating CTA charges. Khumalo is also expected to give updates on PAC recommendations and other audit queries. The CTA GTM is also expected to give feedback on all the anomalies regarding the changing of number plates on the secretary to Cabinet vehicle and the recovery of ex-Anti Corruption Commissioners vehicle, reads the agenda. About three weeks ago, the PAC had instructed Khumalo, with the help from the police, to go and recover the vehicle, a Mercedes Benz from South Africa where it was said to be. Other issue that were highlighted during the course of the PAC sittings was how government paid E102 000 to repaint former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Edgar Hillarys brand new BMW. Insolence Meanwhile, last week Friday, Khumalo was temporarily locked up in Parliament after the PAC stated that he was displaying insolence by refusing to respond to questions posed and instead firing back a question to the PAC. Khumalo is already under fire from his parent ministry where he was slapped with a charge of insubordination. Last week, the GTM was even forced to drive himself to the Lobamba Police Station where he had even contacted his attorney, Noncedo Ndlangamandla, but it was discovered that no charges had been laid against him by Parliament. When MP Buthelezi asked Khumalo to briefly excuse them from sitting the former had submitted in vernacular that mvaleleni sekake ayomphompa loosely translated to mean go lock him up so he can go and cool off. Partially submerged village in the mangrove-covered delta region the Sunderbans, some 100 km south of Kolkata, in May 2009 after a cyclone tore into the northern coast of the Bay of Bengal More than 300 million people in low-lying river deltas, mostly in poorer nations, are exposed to flooding from tropical storms made more deadly and destructive by global warming, researchers said Tuesday. One in ten live on floodplains hit by once-a-century cyclones that can generate 350-kilometer (200-mile) per hour winds and up to a meter (40 inches) of rain per day, they reported in Nature Communications. Warmer oceans and more moisture in the atmosphere mean these powerful storms may become more frequent, including in regions rarely touched by their terrible power in the past. Densely populated deltas where rivers meet the sea are especially vulnerable to flooding caused by such warm-weather monsters, which crisscross the world's major oceans in summer and fall. As the reality of climate change sinks in, policymakers must figure out not only how to slow rising temperatures but also prepare for inevitable climate impacts already in the pipeline. But up to now, the population of the world's cyclone-exposed river deltas was not precisely known, making it difficult to plan ahead. "The big question we are trying to answer is how may people live on river deltas and what is their vulnerability to coast flooding," lead author Douglas Edmonds, a geomorphologist at Indiana University, told AFP. To find out, Edmonds and colleagues combed through 2017 data for 2174 deltas across the globe. They calculated that 339 million people lived within their boundaries, all but 10 million of them in developing and least developed countries. Nearly 80 percent of the 339 million people living in river deltas are in only 10 of them Not enough sediment More than three-quarters reside in only 10 river basins, including the Ganges-Brahmaputra, with 105 million people, and the Nile delta with 45 million. All but a few delta dwellers are potentially in the pathway of tropical storms, with exceptions such as Saint Petersburg, Russia, built at the mouth of the Neva River. Deltas, the researchers discovered, occupy just over 0.5 percent of Earth's land mass, but are home to nearly five percent of the planet's human population. "We were surprised to learn that most of the deltas with a large number of people living in the 100-year tropical cyclone floodplain are sediment-starved," Edmond said. That, he added, is very bad news in the face of rising seas and ever bigger storm surges. "Delta landforms exist at the coastline because sentiment is deposited near shore," he explained. "When sea level rises, the delta can respond by either shrinking in size or by filling the space with sediment." But much of the silt and sediment that once enriched agricultural land and built up natural defences against ocean tides and surges has been blocked by dams upstream in virtually all major river systems. "That means natural mitigation through sediment deposition is not possible," Edmond said, noting that the problem is often compounded by subsidencecities sinking under their own weight and due to depleted water tables. A third of greater Jakarta, home to 30 million people, could be submerged by 2050, according to experts. The only option left in that case to combat coastal flooding is "hard engineering measures," Edmond added. Explore further River deltas are 'drowning,' threatening hundreds of millions of people More information: Douglas A. Edmonds et al. Coastal flooding will disproportionately impact people on river deltas, Nature Communications (2020). Journal information: Nature Communications Douglas A. Edmonds et al. Coastal flooding will disproportionately impact people on river deltas,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18531-4 2020 AFP FORMER mayor of Limerick Maria Byrne is seeking the Fine Gael nomination in the Seanad by-election to replace Michael DArcy. Ms Byrne lost her seat on the agricultural panel of the Upper House earlier this year. Previous to that, she had also missed out on election to the Dail after Fine Gael saw only one of its two Limerick City candidates returned, Kieran ODonnell. When contacted by the Leader today, Ms Byrne confirmed she will be putting her name forward. The Seanad seat has become vacant after Mr DArcy, a former junior minister and Wexford TD, resigned to take up a role as chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Management. Back in April at the Seanad election, Ms Byrne was the final candidate to fail to be elected. Having polled the same number of first preference votes as Mr DArcy, it was her transfers which helped him and two other Fine Gael running mates across the line. Sources close to the OConnell Avenue woman feel this, and the fact no female senators were elected to the agricultural panel by her party put her in with a good claim to the Fine Gael nomination. Add to this too the difficulty of securing a nomination for that panel, as the long-serving politician also has in place. A long-serving politician, Ms Byrne won election to the old Limerick City Council in 1999, securing the seat previously held by her father, the late Bobby. She was returned in 2004 and 2009 when served a term as mayor in 2010/2011. After she won election to the new Limerick City and County Council in 2014, she was then elected to the agricultural panel of Seanad Eireann in 2016. Fine Gael will run its candidate selection process for the next few weeks. Its likely Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party will unite behind a sole candidate. And with the government parties holding a healthy majority in the Upper House, whoever the nominee is would be strong favourite to be elected. Already Ian Marshall, an Independent Unionist from Northern Ireland has declared his candidacy. Unlike regular Seanad elections, in by-elections, only members of the Oireachtas can vote in these. RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Indivior PLC (LON:INDV) is calling for a public health dialogue aimed at breaking the stigmas associated with substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder (OUD) as patients face widespread challenges in the midst of COVID-19. One organization tackling this complex issue is Shatterproof, a national non-profit dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. Shatterproof recently released a White Paper outlining the launch of a National Movement to End Addiction Stigma. Four types of stigma have been identified in negatively impacting those with OUD: public stigma, structural stigma, self-stigma, and stigma against medications for opioid use disorder. Stigma surrounding OUD creates an atmosphere where individuals with OUD do not feel accepted in society and feel as if their addiction is a moral failing instead of a disease.1 Less than one in five Americans are willing to closely associate with someone who is addicted to prescription drugs as a friend, colleague, or neighbor.2 Among those 12 and older who needed treatment for substance use but did not receive it, 14.9% felt that getting treatment would cause their neighbors or community to have a negative opinion of them.3 Those with OUD often accept the negative beliefs surrounding them, causing them to lose faith in themselves, discouraging them from seeking care.4 Furthermore, stigmatized individuals, such as those with OUD, may be excluded from treatment options. For example, a study in Massachusetts found 24% of emergency, family, and internal medicine providers believe if their practice treated OUD, it would attract undesirable patients.5 Those using medications for OUD are often viewed as not in recovery, but instead still addicted due to the use of another medication. As a result, less than 10% of those with OUD received medication-assisted treatment in 2017.6 Stigma, therefore, inhibits those with OUD from seeking and receiving adequate treatment, contributing significantly to the apparent treatment gap in those with OUD. "Organizations like Shatterproof are bravely taking on the challenge of breaking the stigmas associated with OUD," said Mark Crossley, CEO of Indivior. "Currently, isolation is heightened, intensifying the epidemic on drug use and stress for those seeking treatment for substance use disorder.7,8 It is important that all of us advocacy, industry, government, patients and HCPs work together on a collective solution to ensuring the needs of patients are addressed with the utmost sensitivity throughout their treatment journey." Another valuable resource for those struggling with OUD during this challenging time, is the first-of-its-kind online Addiction Treatment Needs Assessment tool created by Shatterproof, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and OpenBeds. This online resource, which includes 13 questions, is designed to help people looking for addiction treatment by providing a provisional recommendation for the best level of care, or treatment setting. Treatment options, particularly outpatient treatment, are under-advertised in the U.S., causing most individuals struggling with substance use disorder to believe that "going to rehab" is their only option.9,10 The new Addiction Treatment Needs Assessment describes to users the type of treatment setting, for example, outpatient treatment or residential, and other features to search for based on their needs. As such, the resource helps to empower patients and families by increasing their knowledge of where to start. For more information about Shatterproof's resources, please visit www.shatterproof.org. About Shatterproof Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the course of the addiction crisis in America. Shatterproof is focused on ensuring that American substance use disorder treatment is based upon proven research and ending the stigma of addiction. The organization advocates for changes to federal and state policy, payer reform, treatment quality assessment, and provides public education through online programs. For more information about Shatterproof's resources, please visit www.shatterproof.org. About Indivior Indivior is a global pharmaceutical company working to help change patients' lives by developing medicines to treat addiction and serious mental illnesses. Our vision is that all patients around the world will have access to evidence-based treatment for the chronic conditions and co- occurring disorders of addiction. Indivior is dedicated to transforming addiction from a global human crisis to a recognized and treated chronic disease. Building on its global portfolio of opioid dependence treatments, Indivior has a pipeline of product candidates designed to both expand on its heritage in this category and potentially address other chronic conditions and co-occurring disorders of addiction, including alcohol use disorder. Headquartered in the United States in Richmond, VA, Indivior employs more than 700 individuals globally and its portfolio of products is available in over 40 countries worldwide. Visit www.indivior.com to learn more. Connect with Indivior on LinkedIn by visiting www.linkedin.com/company/indivior. References 1 Alexander C. Tsai et al. "Stigma as a fundamental hindrance to the United States opioid overdose crisis response." PLoS Med 16, no.11 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002969. 2 "Americans Recognize the Growing Problem of Opioid Addiction." The Associated Press- NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. April 2018. https://apnorc.org/projects/americans-recognize-the-growing-problem-of-opioid-addiction/. 3 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). "Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in theUnited States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health." (HHS Publication No. PEP19 5068, NSDUH Series H 54). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2018-nsduh-annual-national-report. 4 Lawrence H. Yang et al. "A New Brief Opioid Stigma Scale to Assess Perceived Public Attitudes and Internalized Stigma: Evidence for Construct Validity." Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 99 (April 2019): 44-51. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6716158/. 5 Caroline Davidson, Chetna Bansal, and Shannon Hartley (2019). "Opportunities to Increase Screening and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders Among Healthcare Professionals." https://rizema.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GE-Rize-Shatterproof-White-Paper-Final.pdf 6 Alexandra Duncan. "Why Those With Opioid Use Disorder May Not Receive Treatment." The Pew Charitable Trusts. December 10, 2018.www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/12/10/why-those-with-opioid-use-disorder-may-not-receive-treatment. 7 Kaiser Family Foundation. The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use. KFF, 21 Apr. 2020, https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use. 8 Marcelina Jasmine Silva, DO; and Zakary Kelly, MBA. The Escalation of the Opioid Epidemic Due to COVID-19 and Resulting Lessons About Treatment Alternatives. The American Journal of Managed Care, 1 Jun. 2020, https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2020/2020-vol26-n7/the-escalation-of-the-opioid-epidemic-due-to-covid19-and-resulting-lessons-about-treatment-alternatives. 9 American Society of Addiction Medicine. Public Policy Statement on Ethical Promotion and Patient recruitment by Addiction Treatment Programs. https://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/public-policy-statements/ethical-promotion-of-treatment-programs_for-bod-vote_clean.pdf?sfvrsn=b82042c2_8 10 Office of National Drug Control Policy. National Drug Control Strategy: National Treatment Plan for Substance Use Disorder 2020. ONDCP, Feb. 2020, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-NDCS-Treatment-Plan.pdf. SOURCE Indivior Related Links http://indivior.com We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Authorities say they found a 59-year-old man with 138 grams of cocaine Tuesday afternoon after pulling him over in Plymouth for an expired inspection sticker. Massachusetts State Police Trooper Devon Arnold was on patrol in Plymouth shortly before 4 p.m. when he noticed the blue Honda Civic with the expired sticker, according to authorities. Arnold followed the Civic as it exited Algonquin Terrace onto Samoset Street and pulled the car over in a parking lot, state police said in a statement. Once the Honda came to a full stop, Arnold approached the drivers side window and started talking with the driver, later identified as Charles Thompson, according to the statement . After telling Thompson why he was stopped, Arnold discovered the Kingston mans license was suspended, the statement said. He was removed from the car to be investigated further, at which point Trooper Eric Savard arrived at the scene to help out. The troopers searched the Civic and quickly located a plastic bag of what state police claim was cocaine. Thompson was immediately arrested. Arnold requested more help searching the car, and Trooper Steven Culver arrived at the scene with a state police K-9 named Flash, according to state police. Flash sniffed the Honda and found two more bags of what authorities say again was a large amount of cocaine. The combined weight of the suspected drugs was 138 grams, law enforcement said. A bail commissioner ordered Thompson to be held without bail, state police said. The 59-year-old man is expected to be arraigned in Plymouth District Court at a later date on charges of cocaine trafficking, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, driving a car with a suspended license and operating a vehicle with an expired inspection. NEW DELHI: From robotics to cyber security, from human computer interface to augmented reality, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are setting up specialized technology hubs to develop products, people and patents" for Industry 4.0, and the department of science and technology is funding them generously. While IIT Delhi is focusing on collaborative robotics, IIT Roorkee tech hub is eyeing areas like defense, healthcare and telecom sector. IITs in Kanpur and Jodhpur are focussing on cyber security and virtual and augmented reality. IIT Mandi is eyeing man-machine interface, while IIT Guwahati is looking at underwater exploration. While the move could boost elite tech and engineering schools research capabilities in deep technology, it is being viewed as a move to help the country adopt Industry 4.0 better and foster industry-academia collaboration for finding market solutions and take products and services from lab to the market. A unique part of this initiative is not only promotion of R&D but also collaborative research with professors and departments in other universities and countries. The tech hub at IIT Delhi is collaborating with 50 professors from abroad, including Japan, South Korea, the US, and the UK, and shall focus on four verticals including medical robotics, agriculture and disaster management, defence, and smart manufacturing. Other than the department of science and technology (DST) funding of 170 crore, the tech hub are free to raise funds from industry as well for product development and commercialization. IIT Kanpur is collaborating with top Indian institutions like Indian Institutes of Science, IIT Kharagpur, University of California, San Diego, New York University, Tel Aviv University and Ben Gurion University in Israel for the cyber security research in the tech hub. We have got Rs.135 crore commitment from DST to establish the tech hub and work on seven verticals including defence, urban development, telecommunication and health research. The hub will not only help boost R&D in deep technology but also develop quality products and human resource for Industry 4.0 that relies heavily on technology adoption. Over two dozen companies are in touch with us and shall on board as the work progresses," Sudeb Dasgupta, professor at IIT Roorkee said over a telephone interview. Dasgupta, who is also in charge of the technology hub, said different IITs are working on focused areas by setting up tech hubs with support from DST and the target is to become self-sustaining in five years carry forward the good work of the hubs. Products, and people, and patent will come out of this initiative. And I see industry coming forward to improvise, commercialize products developed at the technology hub. For example, we are working on a fetal heart rate monitoring technology in the hub, and a young company is already talking to us to improvise it and take it to tier three cities and towns to. Similarly, we are working in improving traffic signaling by monitoring pedestrian movement," Dasgupta said. Similarly, IIT Jodhpur in its website says that its tech hub with a DST support of 115 crore will focus on areas like bio-medical imaging, computer vision and augmented reality for industry 4.0 and intelligent multimedia platform for digital learning. IIT Jodhpur says, it will nurture startups, drive appropriate technology interventions and bring on board faculty members, research scholars, developers and scientists among others. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Rhian Sugden Looks Sensational As She Puts On A Busty Display In A Pink And Black Bikini During Turkey Getaway Rhian Sugden was sure to wow her followers with her latest sizzling snap, which she shared on social media during her trip to Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday. She often litters her Instagram with a slew of sexy lingerie snaps. The model, 34, looked sensational in a plunging two-tone pink swimsuit that had black caged detailing on both the bikini top and bottoms. Rhian's Curvy Kate swimwear showed off her amble assets as she posed for a sun-soaked selfie, while the bottoms accentuated her toned stomach. She opted to keep her accessories simple for the beachside look, as she shielded her eyes with a pair of chic oversized shades. The blonde beauty wore her golden tresses in a sleek, wet look, and she appeared to wear a light palette of make-up for the outing. Clearly delighted to be enjoying her holiday, Rhian wrote in the caption: 'Cant beat a sunset selfie!' Earlier this month, Rhian revealed she put on a half a stone during lockdown but is embracing her new curves. She wrote on Instagram: 'Has anyone else packed on a few pounds in lockdown? Ive put on over half a stone and cant for the life of me get motivated to go to the gym. 'But putting my gym gear on is a step in the right direction right? 'I wish I was one of those people that enjoys working out and running etc... I just like eating and laying down too much.' The glamour model is married to former Coronation Street actor Oliver Mellor and the couple have been enduring gruelling IVF for 20 months. After discovering that she wouldnt be able to conceive naturally, they went through two rounds of IVF and are planning their third. Throughout the process, experts recommended she stopped using all cosmetic products that contain hash chemicals or additives, which is when she decided to go tan-free for over 12 months. source : Dailymail ORANGE A pediatrician who authorities say acting outside the scope of his medical practice when he prescribed two people Oxycodone will serve six months in federal prison, officials said. A judge on Tuesday sentenced 57-year-old Sheikh Ahmed, of Orange, to six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Court documents indicated that Ahmed, a pediatrician, ran the East Hartford Medical Center practice on Burnside Avenue. But the medical practice didnt just focus on children, federal authorities said. From December 2017 to May 2018, Ahmed prescribed controlled substances, including Oxycodone, to two people outside the scope of professional medical practice, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham. The two individuals paid Ahmed $500 for 30-day supplies of Oxycodone. Federal authorities said Ahmed agreed to increase the patients dosages in the future, without any discussion about the medical justification for such an increase. Instead, authorities said, he counseled the patients about the need to gradually up dosages to avoid any potential scrutiny from the pharmacies. Ahmed also had the patients bypass normal financial intake procedures and took cash payments directly from the patients, the news release said. Ahmed failed to perform sufficient examinations to assess the patients pain levels prior to issuing the prescriptions. Investigators also found that Ahmed failed to pay $117,893 in employee withholding taxes to the Internal Revenue Service from five of his businesses, including the East Hartford Medical Center, from 2013 to 2016. He was arrested on Nov. 28, 2018. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 8, 2019, to prescribing outside the scope of medical practice and willful failure to pay withholding taxes. Ahmed has paid full restitution to the IRS, federal authorities said. He was released on a $200,000 bond and told to report to prison on Nov. 10. The company will become the System Integration partner for Canon IT Solutions' Web Performer Platform TOKYO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- QuEST Global, a global product engineering and lifecycle services company, has partnered with Canon IT Solutions (Canon ITS) as a System Integration partner (SI Partner) for their Web Performer Platform. As an SI partner, QuEST will help in developing enterprise solutions and applications using Web Performer Platform for the end customers of Canon ITS, thereby reducing the cost and development time. As part of the partnership, QuEST will help Canon ITS to develop tailored solutions on Web Performer for the Japanese market. The company will also leverage its extensive knowledge of the platform and deep domain expertise in developing enterprise solutions for Canon ITS customers across industries. One of the key benefits to the customers through this partnership would be helping them to improve supply chain efficiencies in the manufacturing, industrial, logistics, and transportation domains. Haruhiko Okubo, Vice President, Canon IT Solutions, said, "Canon ITS is delighted to expand our existing partnership with QuEST Global and welcome them as an SI Partner for our Web Performer Platform. The need for an application development platform that can achieve a sophisticated and rich user interface to meet corporate needs at high speed is on the rise. With the Web Performer partner program, we aim to speed up enterprise software solution development and realize high quality and high-speed solutions that increase the competitiveness of companies while reducing development cycles and maintenance costs." Commenting on this partnership, Dush Reddy, Global Business Head, QuEST Global, said, "At QuEST Global, we strive to develop outstanding engineering capabilities with a goal to build a scalable and sustainable organization that lasts generations. We are happy to further strengthen our partnership with Canon IT Solutions and aim to jointly develop enterprise solutions using Web Performer that will help our customers save time and improve the quality of their solutions." Web Performer is an automation platform that realizes ultra-high-speed development/ low-code development using the automation technology cultivated by Canon ITS. Built as an Eclipse plugin, the platform enables visual development of applications and code generation. The platform will enable its users to improve the development speed, and maintain uniform quality, improve the operational efficiency of system users and operators. About QuEST Global For more than 20 years, QuEST Global has aimed to be a trusted global product engineering and lifecycle services partner to many of the world's most recognized companies in the Aero Engines, Hi-Tech, Aerospace & Defense, Transportation (Auto and Rail), Power, and Industrial, Oil & Gas and Medical Devices industries. With a global presence in 14 countries, 72 global centers, and 11,800+ personnel, QuEST Global believes that it is at the forefront of the convergence of the mechanical, electronics, software, and digital engineering innovations to engineer solutions for a safer, cleaner world. QuEST Global's deep domain knowledge and digital expertise aim to help its clients accelerate product development and innovation cycles, create alternate revenue streams, enhance the consumer experience, and make manufacturing processes and operations more efficient. COLUMBUS, Ohio - A woman convicted of felony murder for the 2017 killing of 5-year-old TaNaejah McCloud was not entitled to have a jury consider a lesser charge of reckless homicide, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. The courts unanimous decision affirming Ursula Owens' conviction in the death of TaNaejah upholds the rulings of the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals and Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Kelly Ann Gallagher. In March 2017 Owens was engaged to Tequila Crump. Owens, Crump and Crumps daughter TaNaejah lived in a Cleveland apartment when TaNaejah was beaten and died as a result of her injuries. The Supreme Court concluded that Owens was not entitled to a jury instruction that would have allowed jurors convict her of the less-serious crime of reckless homicide instead of felony murder, according to a summary of the decision by Court News Ohio. Writing for the court, Justice R. Patrick DeWine explained that a defendant can be entitled to an instruction allowing a lesser charge when the less-serious charge is a lesser-included offense of the more serious offense. But reckless homicide is not a lesser-included offense of felony murder, DeWine wrote. Thats because a felony murder charge doesnt require any proof of mens rea, or state of mind, in regard to the death of the victim, he wrote. Reckless homicide, on the other hand, requires proof that the defendant recklessly inflicted harm on the victim, meaning it isnt a lesser offense of felony murder, the court decided. Justices Sharon L. Kennedy, Judith L. French, Patrick F. Fischer and Melody J. Stewart joined DeWines opinion. Chief Justice Maureen OConnor concurred in judgment only. Justice Michael P. Donnelly also concurred in judgment only, stating that he was reluctant to say reckless homicide is never a lesser-included offense of felony murder, especially since a 2009 Supreme Court decision stated reckless homicide can be a lesser-included offense of aggravated felony murder. Disciplining TaNaejah Owens' son spent the night at the apartment and testified that he awoke in the morning to sounds of Crump and Owens screaming at TaNaejah. The boy said he witnessed Crump trying to discipline the child, then his mother told Crump the discipline wasnt harsh enough. Owens then punched the childs stomach, arms and head, and stepped on the girls back. She also picked up the girl twice and threw her against the wall, and then against a dresser. The girl lost consciousness. Owens and Crump placed the child on her bed and attempted to wake her, but were unsuccessful, according to court documents. Later in the evening, Crump noticed the girls heartbeat had slowed and called 911. The girl was taken to a hospital and died the next day from a traumatic brain injury. At the trial, Gallagher sentenced Crump to 15 years in prison and Owens to life with a chance at parole after 25 years. Court analysis A criminal defendant is sometimes entitled to have a trial judge instruct the jury to consider convicting them of a lesser offense, DeWine wrote, however, the lesser offense only qualifies when the greater offense cannot be committed without the lesser offense also being committed. The court compared the elements in state law for felony murder and reckless homicide to determine if reckless homicide qualifies as a lesser charge. Ohio law states a person commits felony murder if the death is caused by the result of committing or attempting to commit an offense of violence that is a felony, such as felonious assault. Owens' charge of felony murder was based on the felonious assault of the child, which led to the childs death. A person commits felonious assault when they knowingly cause serious physical harm to another, the opinion stated. In contrast, reckless homicide is defined in Ohio law (2903.41) as recklessly causing the death of another. To prove felony murder, prosecutors dont need to prove the defendants state of mind as to whether they knowingly or recklessly caused the victims death. Instead, when the felony murder offense is based on felonious assault, prosecutors must prove the defendant knowingly caused serious physical harm to the person who died. If that physical harm leads to a death, then the accused can be convicted of felony murder, the court explained. Donnelly, in his concurring opinion, wrote that based on the facts of Owens' case, an instruction to the jury of reckless homicide was not warranted. However, it was unnecessary for the Supreme Court to make such a sweeping declaration in this case, he noted, especially in view of the majority opinion in a 2009 case. I am not convinced that reckless homicide can never be a lesser-included offense to felony murder, Donnelly wrote. The better course is to simply decide the case before us, without handicapping all future defendants seeking a reckless-homicide instruction in a felony-murder case. Other coverage: Ohio Chief Justice Maureen OConnor blasts her party, Ohio GOP, for irresponsible criticism of judge Ohio officials detected coronavirus in Akron, Mansfield, Oregon and prison sewage before cases ticked up After announcing Ohio will receive millions of antigen tests, Gov. Mike DeWine to hold Tuesdays coronavirus update: Watch live Ohio liquor commission has punished bars and restaurants for COVID-19 violations. Heres a list of decided cases since the pandemic began. Among other major actors are Iran, China, and North Korea. Microsoft has delivered over 13,000 nation state notifications (NSN) over the past two years, most originating in Russia. "When a customer (organization or individual account holder) is targeted or compromised by nation state activities that Microsoft tracks, we deliver a nation state notification to the customer. Over the past two years, Microsoft has delivered over 13,000 NSNs. The highest percentage of NSNs represented activity originating in Russia, followed by Iran, China, North Korea, and other countries," according to a Microsoft Digital Defense Report dated September 2020. Read alsoRFE/RL: U.S. releases cybersecurity advisory on new 'Drovorub' Russian malwareRussian hackers: Background Russian hackers have been widely accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In particular, Russians had successfully gained access to voter lists in several U.S. states ahead of ballot day. Microsoft said a Russian-linked hacker group, previously accused of hacking into DNC mail servers, was responsible for the attacks on the Windows operating system. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the UN Security Council called on Russia to stop cyber attacks aimed at destabilizing other countries. In August 2020, U.S. intelligence agencies warned about previously undisclosed Russian "Drovorub" malware. The Bombay high court on Wednesday refused to relax its interim stay on all demolitions and evictions due to the pandemic situation asked the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to inform the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that its order for eviction of encroachments in a river bed cannot be implemented till October 31. The court also held that as more than 100 parties who were to be evicted as per the NGT order were not impleaded in the PCMCs application, they were not inclined to pass orders in favour of the PCMC behind their back. A full bench headed by chief justice Dipankar Datta, justices AA Sayed, SS Shinde and KK Tated while hearing the interim application of PCMC in the suo motu petition initiated by the high court in March was informed by advocate G H Keluskar that the corporation had approached the HC seeking relaxation of its interim order which stayed all demolition and eviction during the pandemic situation. Keluskar informed the bench that the NGT through a September 2019 order in an application made by environmentalist Sarang Yadwadkar had directed the PCMC to remove illegal reclamation and evict encroachments on the floodplains of the Ram Nadi river. Keluskar submitted that in June 2020 the NGT had sought compliance of its order but as the HC had stayed all demolitions and evictions through its suo motu writ petition, the PCMC was seeking relaxation of the stay to the extent that it could comply with the NGT order. In September 2019, the NGT while hearing the application of Yarwadkar relating to illegal reclamation of floodplains, diversion of the original and natural flow of the rivers, encroachment by way of dumping and unauthorized construction on the floodplains of rivers flowing through Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad cities of Maharashtra had directed the removal of the same after identification. Yarwadkar had again approached the NGT in June, 2020 seeking implementation of its September order as non-implementation of the same by PCMC could have a disastrous effect on the city of Pune during the rains. The NGT had directed the commissioner of PMC to comply. After hearing the submissions, the bench said that its March 2020 interim stay order which has been extended from time to time could not be relaxed. Is the NGT not aware of the HC order? Did you inform NGT about the HC order? justice Datta asked PCMC. Similar orders have been passed by all high courts across the country. As the persons who will be affected by the relaxation of our stay are not before us, we are not inclined to grant any relief as we do not want anyone to be dispossessed and without a home during the pandemic, said justice Datta. The bench then directed the PCMC to inform the NGT about the stay and that it would continue till October 31 and hence its order of eviction and removal of encroachments and illegal constructions along the Ram Nadi floodplains could not be implemented till then and disposed of the interim application. Photo credit: RunPhoto - Getty Images From Delish The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have both issued warnings about a salmonella outbreak linked to dried wood ear mushrooms. The mushrooms in question were sold to restaurants and not to customers directly. Wismettac Asian Foods of Santa Fe Springs, CA, distributed the mushrooms. At the time of publication, 41 individuals have been infected with the Salmonella Stanley strain. Of those 41 people, the infections are currently affecting 10 states and four people have been hospitalized. There have been no reported deaths linked to this outbreak. The products were shipped to 30 states, but the states affected thus far include Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. On September 23, Wismettac Asian Foods recalled the product which is referred to as wood ear mushrooms, Kikurage, Dried Black Fungus, Dried Fungus, or Muer/Mu Er/Mu-Err. The product was sent to restaurants in six-packs of five-pound bags labeled as Shirakiku brand Black Fungus (Kikurage) with a UPC bar code 00074410604305, item #60403, and were imported from China. The CDC reported that four illness clusters were connected to restaurants serving the mushrooms in ramen dishes. If you're dining out at a restaurant, you can ask an employee what mushrooms were used in the food to be safe. The investigation is still ongoing, but in the meantime, be sure to get rid of any affected products in your possession, clean and sanitize all surfaces you were cooking on, and report your symptoms to the health department should you get sick. You Might Also Like In a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath dispensation in Uttar Pradesh over the Hathras gangrape incident, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said the victim was "killed by a ruthless government", its administration and its ignorance. The 19-year-old Dalit woman, who died in a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gangraped in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday. Her family alleged the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. However, local police officers told PTI that the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family". In a video statement posted on the Congress' official Twitter handle, Gandhi said crores of people were sad and angry and the "demoniac behaviour that Hathras' daughter had to suffer is a blot on our society". Asking if it was a crime to be a poor person's daughter, Gandhi questioned the Yogi Adityanath government in the state as to why "the cry for justice" of the victim's family was not heard for weeks. "There was an attempt to hush up the matter. The girl was not given timely treatment and a daughter is no more amongst us. I want to say that Hathras' Nirbhaya has not died, she has been killed -- by a ruthless government, by its administration and by the UP government's ignorance," the Congress chief said. "When she was alive, she was not heard, she was not protected, and after her death she was also deprived of her home's soil. She was not handed over to her family and a crying mother was not even given the chance to bid final adieu to her daughter. This is a big sin," Gandhi said. She alleged that the woman's body was cremated "forcibly". Even in death there is a person's dignity and the Hindu religion talks about that as well, she said. "But that girl was cremated like orphans by using the force of the police. What kind of justice is this, what kind of a government is this. You think that you can do anything and the country will just keep looking. No, the country will speak out against your injustice," Gandhi said. "From the Congress party, I demand justice for the Hathras victim. India is a country for all and everyone has the right to live with dignity. The Constitution has given us this right. We will not allow the BJP to break the country and the Constitution," she asserted. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, said, "A daughter of India is raped-murdered, facts are suppressed and in the end, the right to perform the last rites is also taken away from the victim's family." "It is insulting and unjust," he said in the tweet in Hindi using the hashtag 'Hathras Horror Shocks India'. Rahul Gandhi also tagged a video purportedly of the cremation site showing a police officer not answering queries on whether the body of the victim was being cremated there. Tagging a report on the cremation in another tweet in Hindi, he said, "This is a shameful move of the UP government to suppress Dalits and show them their 'place' in the society." The Congress' fight is against this "disgusting" thinking, he said. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said, "I was on the phone with the Hathras victim's father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair." "He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night the victim's father was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites," she said in a series of tweets. Tagging Adityanath, she tweeted, "RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as chief minister." In another tweet in Hindi, she alleged that at 2:30 am Wednesday the "victim's kin kept requesting", but the UP administration "forcibly" cremated the deceased. "The government did not protect her when she was alive. The government did not provide her timely treatment when she was attacked. After her death, the government took away the right of the family to perform the last rites of their daughter and did not respect the deceased," she said. She was relentless in her attack on the chief minister. "Gross inhumanity. You did not stop the crime but behaved like criminals. You did not stop the atrocities, but committed atrocity on an innocent child and her family twice," she said. At a press briefing, Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev said there must be an inquiry into the whole incident, but the subject matter of the inquiry must go beyond the activities of the rapists. There should be an inquiry into the "gross and criminal negligence" of the UP chief minister, who is also the home minister of the state, Dev said. "The way she was cremated is a gross violation of her human rights. The way she was left in a normal ward for more than six days is a gross violation of her human rights. For eight days, there is no FIR and when there is an FIR, look at the sections this hopeless and ruthless government gives, no sections of rape," she alleged. "The way the cremation was carried out at 2:30 AM in an unjust manner, to give justice, the only answer is that the prime minister should ask for UP CM's resignation. If the PM does not do so, then there will be no justice to her," Dev said. On a Special Investigation Team formed by the UP government to probe the matter, Dev wondered if the SIT has the power to call the CM. Dev also attacked BJP MP Smriti Irani for not speaking out on the issue and said she would go down in history as the "worst women and child development minister". Irani should resign as an MP of Lok Sabha given the state of crime and women security in UP, Dev said. On September 14, the young woman had gone to the fields with her mother and went missing soon after. She was found later, beaten and tortured, her tongue cut as she bit it when the accused attempted to strangle her. She was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will hold a virtual meeting in December, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said here. Momen made the remarks after the sixth Joint Consultative Commission meeting, which was held virtually in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Momen led the Bangladesh side while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar led the Indian team at the meeting. He said the two prime ministers will hold the virtual meeting in December. Momen said he laid emphasis on "early resolution" of the Teesta water-sharing issue apart from resolving water sharing of other common rivers during the meeting. "We have got positive responses from the Indian side on the issue, he told a media briefing here on the outcome of the JCC talks. Momen said his meeting with Jaishankar also featured the issue of potential water sharing agreements on six of the remaining trans-boundary rivers - Monu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gomti, Dharla and Dudhkumar. "Both sides underscored the necessity of early resolution of the Teesta water sharing and early resolution of agreements on sharing of all common rivers," the Bangladesh foreign office said in a statement. The two sides also agreed to hold the long pending Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) meeting soon at the ministerial level to address outstanding issues on water resources cooperation. "It (JRC meeting) will be held very soon," Momen said. The two ministers discussed several issues including trade, line of credit and air bubble. According to the statement, Bangladesh thanked India for the concessions being provided under SAFTA but said various non-tariff barriers and lack of adequate trade facilitation was impeding flow of Bangladeshi products into India, particularly. Momen requested New Delhi to address issues of accreditation, certification, standardization, port restrictions and developing port infrastructure to enable exports of Bangladesh into India, it said. "The Foreign Minister requested his Indian counterpart to look into the export of essential commodities, such as onions by India, it added. Bangladesh, it said, also stressed on the equitable application of investment policies by India. The JCC also reviewed the projects under the Indian line of credit and Dhaka put emphasis on expediting the implementation process of those projects and decided to form a monitoring committee to regularly review their progress. "Enhancing cooperation on energy and power sector through facilitation of tripartite power-energy cooperation among Bangladesh-India-Nepal and Bangladesh-India-Bhutan was also discussed, the statement said. Momen said the two sides discussed about cooperation on access to potential COVID 19 vaccine. He said the Indian side has assured that Bangladesh would get priority in receiving any potential vaccine which it could develop. Both sides discussed collaboration in the health sector "especially in terms of supply, delivery, distribution and co-production of COVID-19 vaccine," the statement said. A senior official at the Indian High Commission, who is familiar with the talks, said India proposed third phase clinical trial of a vaccine it was working on in Bangladesh as soon as its trial begins at home. "Bangladesh side in principle agreed to the proposal," the official said on condition of anonymity. Momen said that his Indian counterpart agreed with him to bring down border killing to zero level. "We don't want any death along the frontier, he said. The Rohingya crisis appeared to be another issue discussed during the meeting. The foreign ministry statement said Momen expressed hope that as a non-permanent UNSC member India would play a "more meaningful role" for a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis. Momen and Jaishankar jointly unveiled two commemorative stamps as part of the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The two ministers agreed to jointly celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the independence of Bangladesh and the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. They also discussed the joint programmes for celebrating the Mujib Year, marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of Prime Minister Hasina. The 5th India-Bangladesh JCC meeting was held on February 8 last year in New Delhi. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe By Myra Wu Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. Editor's note: This story was reported by the Beacon Project, a student journalism initiative supported by the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. It is independent of the university's administration. As one of the highest paid city managers in California, Tom DeSantis has drawn criticism from Moreno Valley residents for the circumstances surrounding his retirement last year. These complaints include allegations of closed-door dealings and raise questions about the money paid out to DeSantis when he left the job under the label of "retirement" last December. DeSantis made $401,000 in 2019, according to documents obtained by the Beacon Project via the California Public Records Act. He remained on the city's payroll this year, receiving more than $600,000 in payments, even though he no longer works for the city of Moreno Valley, in northwestern Riverside County. DeSantis is not the first Moreno Valley city manager to receive a big payout upon leaving the position. The city paid his predecessor, Michelle Dawson, $590,000 in 2018, thanks to a clause in her contract that granted her a full additional year of pay if she were terminated without cause. Dawson had been in the job for four years, after being promoted from assistant city manager when her boss, Henry Garcia, resigned during a corruption probe. Garcia had been one of the highest paid city employees in California in 2013. DeSantis declined a request from the Beacon Project for an interview, but Charles Duggan, city manager of neighboring Redlands, said the job duties are similar to those of a corporate CEO, with transparency and accountability being very important for the position. "A good city manager should serve as a bridge between the city council and local departments," he said. 'WE WISH HIM THE BEST' DeSantis was a public servant for almost 30 years. He became the city manager of Moreno Valley in December 2017, after Dawson was terminated. He had been Dawson's assistant city manager since May 2013. Prior to joining Moreno Valley, he was the assistant city manager in Riverside for five years. He resigned from that position in 2010, following revelations that he had purchased a police gun illegally and driven a car with untraceable license plates. Moreno Valley isn't the kind of city you'd expect to have such a surplus of cash. With an estimated population of 213,000 and a median household income of $63,500, according to the United States Census Bureau, almost 16% of its residents live below the poverty line. icon DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS Get our daily newsletters for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy The terms of DeSantis' contract listed his salary as $287,000 per year, with the stipulation that he would be paid "a lump sum cash payment equal to 12 months of Salary and benefits" in the event he were terminated "without cause." If he were to quit instead of being terminated, he would be paid for 45 days, in addition to any accrued vacation or sick time. DeSantis' base salary falls within the range typical for city managers and administrators in California. The city manager of Redlands, which has a population of 71,500, makes $240,000, according to public records, while the city administrative officer of Los Angeles, population 4 million, makes $306,500. But the question on the minds of Moreno Valley activists is why DeSantis was still kept on the payroll if he quit. On Dec. 10, DeSantis, who is now 57, sent out an email to city employees stating that the Moreno Valley City Council had accepted his resignation. Although the news may have seemed sudden, he wrote, it followed previous conversations with the mayor about his retirement. "Even when he became the city manager at the beginning, he had been considering retirement," Moreno Valley Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez said the following day. "We wish him the best. I think he did a good job." After accepting DeSants's retirement, the city council appointed a new interim city manager, Mike Lee, who had been serving as the economic development director. On DeSantis' LinkedIn page, he now lists himself as a retired city manager, with his term ending in December 2019. With DeSantis retiring instead of being terminated, it would seem that he wouldn't have been eligible for any additional payout beyond 45 days of salary and accrued time off as an employee who left the job voluntarily. Nevertheless, his settlement agreement, dated December 10, 2019 and obtained by the Beacon Project through the California Public Records Act, said he would be separated from employment with the city on July 24, 2020. In addition, the agreement granted him an additional four months of salary and benefits, "pursuant to Paragraph 4.2 of Employee's employment contract," the same paragraph that granted a full extra year of pay if terminated without cause. Somehow this all added up to DeSantis being paid more than $400,000 in 2019 and more than $600,000 in 2020, even though he announced his retirement in December. 'NEEDS TO BE AFFIRMED IN A PUBLIC VOTE' So, was DeSantis fired, or did he quit? The difference is more than semantics. Some Moreno Valley residents have done the math and decided it looks like DeSantis is being paid out as if he were terminated, even though he and the city claimed he retired. "When you retire, that's it," said lifelong Moreno Valley resident Debra Craig. "You get nothing, right?" On Feb. 11 of this year, Craig filed a lawsuit in Riverside Superior Court against DeSantis and the city, alleging "a gift of public funds" that was in violation of the law. "The problem is that Tom never initiated a negotiation with the city so there's no reason for a settlement agreement," said Craig's attorney, Michael Geller. Craig's lawsuit asks for the invalidation of the settlement deal between DeSantis and the city because it was never brought to a public vote in a council meeting. The deal was signed by DeSantis, Mayor Gutierrez and City Attorney Martin Koczanowicz. "The terms of a settlement deal have to be voted on by the entire governing body because ultimately, the decision needs to be affirmed in a public vote," said Geller. He told the Beacon Project that even though the city council might have discussed the deal in a closed session, it was still illegal to pass it. The lawsuit references the Ralph M. Brown Act, which was passed by the California legislature in 1953 and requires local government business to be conducted in the open. "The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know," reads the act's introduction. DeSantis said in an email to the Beacon Project that he "must respectfully decline your request to discuss matters involving the City of Moreno Valley." Koczanowicz, who was removed as city attorney earlier this year, said he had no comment on DeSantis' retirement. Thanks to his own settlement deal, Koczanowicz will be receiving his $254,000 a year salary through November. It's unclear where the payouts to Koczanowicz and DeSantis fit into the city's overall budget, but taxpayers are footing the bill somehow. Mayor Gutierrez did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Neither did councilman David Marquez, councilwoman Victoria Baca or city manager Mike Lee. Councilman Ulises Cabrera said in an email that he could not comment on a personnel matter that was discussed in a closed session. Councilwoman Carla Thorton appeared to hang up the phone when asked about DeSantis' retirement. On Box Springs Mountain, the letter 'M' overlooks the city of Moreno Valley in Riverside County. (Keith Plocek) 'A NEWS DESERT' Jason Hunter, a longtime community activist in Riverside County, is not even sure that members of the city council are aware of DeSantis' settlement agreement. "Most of the council members didn't realize that he's gonna be on the payroll for the next 12 months," he said. "The deal was only between the mayor and Tom, and the city attorney." Hunter found the settlement agreement by filing public record requests with the city. He said most Moreno Valley residents have little interest in local politics. "The place has always been a news desert," he said, referring to a situation that allows local government to operate with minimal accountability. The Press-Enterprise has been the primary newspaper in Riverside and San Bernardino counties for many years. Part of the Southern California News Group, the paper has undergone major layoffs and budget cuts over the past decade and is no longer able to conduct long-term investigations into local politics. "We have lost a bunch of people and there's a gap that was created in our coverage of cities around Riverside County," said Beau Yarbrough, a staff writer at SCNG who covers politics in Moreno Valley and neighboring cities. "Nobody would disagree that we aren't giving the local coverage we should do." In this news desert, local residents have started up their own websites and Facebook groups and conducted their own investigations into the dealings of their elected officials. Their findings are often fueled by strong emotions. Lindsay Robinson is a member of the Facebook group Moreno Valley's Politics Matter, which has been active in monitoring city government. She's opposed to various projects being put forward by the city, including the World Logistics Center, a massive warehouse complex that would take up about 10% of the land in Moreno Valley. When reached for comment, she told the Beacon Project: "The corruption here goes back way before Tom DeSantis." Chandler France contributed to this story. WE LOVE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS When it comes to style and fashion, Ali Fazal is as versatile as anyone can possibly be. No matter what the outfit you can think of, a posh tuxedo, or a basic, bohemian pair of joggers and a T-shirt, he can make everything look blissfully cool. Such is his calibre. Viral Bhayani The actor is gearing up for one of the most anticipated releases of this year. It wouldnt be farfetched to say that a great number of Indias OTT audience is waiting for the 23rd of October for Mirzapur season 2. Well, in the meantime, the star cast of the show has kept their audience engaged on social media, and of course, through the paparazzi. Viral Bhayani Recently, Ali was spotted at the Mumbai Airport in a rather blissful outfit. If ever in your mind, there has been a doubt about what exactly boho chic is, or what exactly does dressing like a bohemian actually mean, this is the outfit to consider. Viral Bhayani Ali Fazal was a wearing a very basic, black, printed T-shirt, along with a pair of corduroy joggers along with a neck-cowl like mask to cover his face. You also cant miss the stole that hes wearing, which happens to match his trousers. Whether it was by accident or a deliberately calculated move, we dont know; what we do know, is that it looks pretty dope. Viral Bhayani And then there are the humble, hipster-looking slippers. It seems during the lockdown, a lot of our celebrities have had a new found love for slippers, given just how effortless they seem to be. No matter how basic you want to go when youre dressing down, a good pair of slippers always seems to work. Viral Bhayani Given the pandemic and how most people are actually avoiding to fly unless it is absolutely necessary, why someone would want to dress down to the basics, is pretty easy to understand. Were actually glad that people have started stepping out and are embracing the new normal with plenty of precaution. Viral Bhayani As for Ali Fazal, well, we just hope that Mirzapur, and his upcoming Hollywood project, Death On The Nile, perform phenomenally well. ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Elizabethtown College launched a new initiative in an effort to combat food insecurity. The Blue Jay Pantry, a food pantry located on campus, will be available to the College's student body. "We established the Blue Jay Pantry in an effort to minimize the burdens that food insecurities can place on our students," Elizabethtown College President Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D. said. "It's estimated that one in five college students have inadequate access to food and we want to put an end to that starting on our campus, and eventually expanding our efforts to the broader community." The mission of the pantry is to provide free, non-perishable food items for Elizabethtown College students experiencing hunger and/or having difficulty buying food as well as offering a resource to help students create healthy meals. Elizabethtown College joins over 700 schools nationwide who operate an on-campus food pantry and is now a member of the College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA). CUFBA provides colleges and universities with support, training and resources to connect more students with the food and resources they need for educational success. The goals of the Etown pantry goals include: To eliminate food insecurity at Elizabethtown College . . The pantry is intended to be accessible to all students in order to eliminate barriers to access for students experiencing hunger and having difficulty buying food and will operate in ways that maximize hospitality and privacy. The pantry, in partnership with offices and programs on campus, will provide resources to help students learn how to create nutritious meals. The Blue Jay Pantry will be managed by Etown's Center for Community and Civic Engagement and staffed by student volunteers. Provisions for the pantry will be sourced through donations, both of non-perishable food items and monetary contributions. Learn more about the Blue Jay pantry. About Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown College, located in southcentral Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is a private coed institution offering more than 50 health, science, engineering, political science business, communications, fine art and music, and education degrees. Discover more: etown.edu. Contact: Keri Straub Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Elizabethtown College (717) 725-6907 [email protected] SOURCE Elizabethtown College Related Links https://www.etown.edu/ Elijah Taylor's AFL career with the Sydney Swans appears over after he pleaded guilty to assaulting his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend, Lekahni Pearce, in a hotel room in Perth's CBD. Taylor was arrested on Sunday, September 13, and spent more than five hours with detectives at Cannington Police Station before being released that night. The Swans stood down Taylor from all club duties a day after he was charged with aggravated assault. Taylor pleaded guilty to the charge in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning and will reappear for sentencing on December 2. Drug dealers are moving out of dark alleys and setting up their illegal operations online, with some very unexpected Australian towns plagued by a wave of meth and cocaine. An increasing number of users are placing orders on popular social media platforms like Instagram, and getting drugs delivered to their door to seemingly idyllic towns. New data also reveals which Australian suburbs have become the biggest drug-dealing hot spots in the midst of the changing dynamics of the narcotics trade and the COVID-19 pandemic. A bag of magic mushrooms is up for sale on the popular social media platform Instagram (pictured) An increasing number of users are placing orders on popular social media platforms like Instagram (pictured, left and right, drugs for sale on the app) In New South Wales, the picturesque beachside community of Merewether, two hours north of Sydney, topped the list for most instances of drug dealing with 268 busts recorded in the year to March 2020. The affluent surf spot had a staggering five times more arrests than Mt Druitt which was next on the list followed by Kempsey on the Mid North Coast, Waterloo and Zetland, Liverpool, Chippendale and Darlington, Redfern, Newcastle, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst and Cabramatta. Even more surprising was Mudgee - an idyllic rural town known for its world renowned vineyards - was the number one location for ice and amphetamines dealing. The small town recorded 226 arrests for amphetamine dealing in that time, almost twice the number of the Central Coast's Bateau Bay, Long Jetty and The Entrance, which entered the list at number two. 'I suspect a large amount of recreational drug use is increasingly being sourced off social media,' Dr John Coyne, the head of Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute told the Daily Telegraph. 'Now all of a sudden the guy who delivers your meal can also deliver your marijuana or other drugs. So we've got this storm of change and social change where people are having and getting used to doing more from home.' Drug dealing hot spots in NSW: 1. Merewether: 268 2. Mt Druitt: 59 3. Kempsey: 26 4. Waterloo and Zetland: 23 5. Liverpool: 22 6. Chippendale and Darlington: 21 7. Redfern: 18 8. Newcastle: 16 9. Surry Hills and Darlinghurst: 13 10. Cabramatta: 13 Source: Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data from March 2019 to March 2020 Advertisement Drug dealing hot spots in Victoria: 1. Melbourne's CBD: 164 2. Yarra: 125 3. Wangaratta: 116 4. Mildura: 72 5. Port Phillip: 72 6. Knox: 66 7. Warrnambool: 63 8. Southbank: 60 9. Dandenong: 53 10. Shepparton: 50 Source: Crime Statistics agency data from March 2019 to March 2020 Advertisement 'I suspect a large amount of recreational drug use is increasingly being sourced off social media,' Dr John Coyne said (pictured, a man is arrested in Melbourne on drugs charges) The former Australian Federal Police officer added that a decade earlier, authorities were highly concerned about potentially out-of-control drug dealing on the dark web. But they didn't consider was that deals would go down on mainstream social media apps with billions of users. In Victoria the top spot where drug dealers were nabbed was Melbourne's CBD with 164 offences, followed by Yarra with 125 and Wangaratta near the NSW border, with 116. Mildura, Port Phillip, Knox, Warrnambool, Southbank, Dandenong and Shepparton also made the unenviable list. Australian Border Force Acting NSW Regional Commander Matthew O'Connor said since the onset of the pandemic, mail and air cargo drug seizures have spiked. In NSW, the picturesque beachside community of Merewether (pictured), two hours north of Sydney, topped the list for most drug dealers Mudgee (pictured) - an idyllic rural town known for its wines - was the number one location for ice and amphetamines dealing In total, there have been 13,151 drug detections from January 2020 to July 31 - a 34 per cent increase on the corresponding period last year. Queensland figures take into account offences for drug possession as well as dealing. The spot with the most arrests was Brisbane City with 1,756 arrests, Fortitude Valley with 1090 and Bowen Hills 652. The top ten was rounded out by Spring Hill, South Brisbane, Woodridge, Beenleigh, Inala, Kingston and Nudah. A spokesperson for Facebook, the company that owns Instagram, said the site has taken down drug-related content on 1.4 million occasions between April and June, 2020. The company reiterated they do not allow the sale of any illicit substances on their website and have been focusing on working with experts and investing in technology to keep drugs off the platform. An Australian Border Force officer searches through a man's kitchen in September 2020 (pictured) where he allegedly ran a national mail order drug distribution network A change of guard is set to take place at the Leh-based 14 Corps, with its current commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh moving out shortly after completing his one-year term, officials said on Wednesday. Singh is heading to Dehradun as the commandant of the Indian Military Academy where cadets are groomed to become officers, they said. Singh will be replaced by Lieutenant General PGK Menon, who held an important appointment in the sector as a brigadier a few years ago. Menon was present along with Singh at the latest round of military talks between Indian and Chinese commanders in eastern Ladakh on September 21. The change of guard will take place around mid-October, the officials said. Singh led six rounds of military talks with China. The September 21 talks over the dispute at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remained inconclusive, with Indian negotiators firmly demanding comprehensive disengagement at all flashpoints and restoration of status quo as the only approach towards de-escalation, and China asking India to withdraw its soldiers from strategic heights on the southern bank of Pangong Tso to reduce friction. The two sides, however, made some headway. According to a joint statement, released in New Delhi and Beijing on September 22, the two sides agreed to stop sending more troops to the front line, and to hold a seventh round of commander-level talks as soon as possible, take practical measures to properly solve problems on the ground, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border area. The Limerick Township Friends Club hosted a Harvest Dinner takeout event on Sept. 26, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Limerick Community Centre. While they had initially planned to have this fundraising dinner back in August, COVID-19 restrictions delayed those plans, as it has for the rest of their events this year up until now. Proceeds from this dinner will go toward supporting local charitable programs within the community. At the Recreation Committee Meeting on Sept. 23, the Limerick Friends Clubs Joanne Carrol gave the committee an update; So, were going to go ahead with the dinner on Saturday. So far, the girls have it under control. Theyll be somebody coming Friday to do the prep work and somebody coming on Saturday to do the cooking and to take the money for the takeout, she said. Carrol mentioned that while washrooms are available for the staff working the dinner, they are going to be closed to the public. Mayor Stefanski suggested having privies brought to the site for the public to use, just in case it was needed. He mentioned that the township owned them from when the septic lines froze at the Recreation Centre last winter. Everyone thought that was a great idea, and indeed on the day of the dinner, they were there for the patron use. Patrons at this Harvest Dinner were in for a culinary treat, as they picked up their meals. They were served roast pork, scalloped potatoes, roasted vegetables and coleslaw. Dessert was apple crisp. Joanne Carrol and Diane Percy were there, along with several other volunteers cooking the meals. The Friends Club had a bunch of roasts from other dinners they had planned that couldnt happen due to COVID-19, so in addition to this dinner, they also donated several pork roasts to Tudor and Cashel Township for the dinners they put on for their seniors. The cost for this dinner was $12 for adults, $6 for kids aged six years to 12 years, and kids five years and under ate free. Orders were served as takeout, and all patrons respected and observed physical distancing. According to Dawn Lockheart, the chair of the Friends Club, the whole event was a success. It went fantastic. It went really well. Were very happy, as we had about 75 people come out. So, it was great, she says. As one would expect, COVID-19 has really impacted the Friends Club itinerary, as it has for most organizations. In a typical year, Lockheart says they have something going on every month except January and February, like brunches, dinners, a booth in August at the Coe Hill Fair, and a craft sale in November. As far as how much money was taken in from the Harvest Dinner, Lockheart still isnt sure, as they need to figure out the grand total of money raised versus all the expenses incurred. We may be having another dinner in October, according to Lockheart, We havent decided yet, but were going to discuss it. But I think it will happen. GODFREY Resurrection Lutheran Church in Godfrey is hosting a food drive Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon to benefit the Crisis Food Center. Donations can be delivered to the church at 1211 Homer Adams Parkway, Godfrey. Monetary donations are also accepted; please make checks payable to the church and write Crisis Food Center in the memo line. BRUSSELS : European Union nations should step up surveillance against possible outbreaks of avian flu among wild and domestic birds, the EU said on Wednesday. The disease is highly contagious for birds, but risks of transmission to humans are considered low, EU health and food agencies said in a report published as the continent battles a new spike of coronavirus infections. "EU countries are being urged to step up surveillance and biosecurity measures to guard against possible new outbreaks of avian influenza this year," the report said. The warning follows outbreaks over the past few months among wild and domestic birds in western Russia and Kazakhstan, which are on the autumn migration route for wild water birds heading to Europe. Transmission to humans is rare, but has occurred in the past and can lead to death. "The risk of transmission of avian influenza viruses to the general public in Europe remains very low," the report added. "However, to minimise the risk of transmission to humans, people are advised not to not touch dead birds without wearing appropriate personal protective equipment." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. If youve never heard of an ag-gag law, get ready: you may start hearing the term a lot more in Manitoba. Popular in the United States, these laws are designed to gag would-be whistleblowers in the agriculture sector by making it an offence to enter farms and slaughterhouses under false pretenses," or to covertly record footage. Their purpose is to stop the public from finding out about animal abuse and mistreatment at farms and slaughterhouses. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion If youve never heard of an "ag-gag" law, get ready: you may start hearing the term a lot more in Manitoba. Popular in the United States, these laws are designed to gag would-be whistleblowers in the agriculture sector by making it an offence to enter farms and slaughterhouses under "false pretenses," or to covertly record footage. Their purpose is to stop the public from finding out about animal abuse and mistreatment at farms and slaughterhouses. Ag-gag laws are an American export that should have never made their way north of the border. In the past year, Alberta and Ontario passed Canadas first ag-gag laws. Manitoba appears to be considering similar legislation. The provincial government is using an online survey to consult Manitobans on a range of legislative amendments to combat rural crime. Some of the proposals are aimed at tackling issues such as metal theft and damage to crops caused by careless ATV drivers, but the provinces proposed amendments to The Animal Diseases Act should raise the alarm for anyone concerned about the treatment of farmed animals, worker health and safety, and public health. The wording of the survey is ambiguous at best , but what is clear is that the province plans to take an Orwellian page from the ag-gag playbook and designate slaughterhouses, farms, and transport trucks as "animal protection areas." It says it wants to protect biosecurity and farmers from animal activist trespassers, but has not pointed to a single instance of activists trespassing in the province. It fails to mention the fact that trespass and mischief are already illegal. The province also appears to be pondering restricting rights to peacefully protest on public property outside of slaughterhouses. The governments proposal sounds dangerously similar to how Ontario and Alberta described their ag-gag bills. Those governments also suggested the laws were merely aimed at protecting farmers from trespassers, and gave their ag gag bills unobjectionable names about protecting "law-abiding property owners" and "food safety." In reality, the Alberta and Ontario bills were a Trojan horse for trampling freedom of expression rights. Trotted out under the guise of stopping trespassers, they in fact go much further, making it an offence to enter a farm under "false pretenses." This is a way of preventing investigative journalists or individuals associated with animal-protection groups from gaining employment at farms and slaughterhouses. It makes it an offence to not reveal to ones employer that one intends to expose animal abuse or unlawful activity witnessed on the job. Employee whistleblowers follow all requirements of the job and pose no risk to biosecurity. Whistleblower footage at Puratone Corp. near Arborg exposed disturbing treatment of pigs , including thousands of pregnant pigs in gestation crates so small the animals could not even turn around, pigs bleeding from untreated wounds, and piglets killed by being slammed into concrete floors and a metal post. With outbreaks of COVID-19 at slaughterhouses across the country, including at the Maple Leaf plant in Brandon, whistleblowers can also play a valuable role in exposing unsafe working conditions and public-health risks. Now is the time for more transparency in our food system, not less. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Any ag-gag law introduced in Canada will almost certainly be subject to costly constitutional challenges based on the guarantee of freedom of expression in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. According to legal experts who voiced public concern over Ontarios ag-gag law, such challenges are likely to be successful, just as they have been in the United States, where courts have struck down ag-gag laws as unconstitutional in five states. Whistleblower exposes are in the public interest. Because there are no legally binding standards of care for animals on farms, and no proactive public inspections to monitor animal welfare on farms, these exposes are one of the only ways the public, as well as law enforcement authorities, are alerted to the abuse of farmed animals. They also promote open dialogue about animal use practices and food safety. In fact, ag-gag laws can have unintended consequences for industry, reducing public confidence in farmers by leaving consumers wondering what it is that industry wants to hide. Lets hope the provincial government focuses its attention on real threats facing rural communities and respects the basic constitutional rights of its citizens. Better yet, Manitoba should create legally binding, proactively enforced standards to improve the well-being of animals on farms throughout the province. The public has until Oct. 31 to comment on this proposal a fitting deadline, since the threat of ag-gag rearing its ugly head here in Manitoba is a truly frightening prospect. Kaitlyn Mitchell is an animal rights lawyer at Animal Justice, Canadas only non-profit group focused on using the law to protect animals. She lives in Winnipeg. School students in Greece have escalated their protest against the unsafe reopening of schools, with 700 schools across 35 towns and cities under occupation as of yesterday. Following last weeks marches and rallies, protests will go ahead again tomorrow in Athens, and in Greeces second largest city, Thessaloniki, and other towns and cities. Demonstrations are taking place on Greek islands including Crete and Rhodes. The school occupations have been underway for more than a week. Last Friday, the number of occupations reached more than 200 and then soared to their current numberwith 250 in Greeces most populated region, Attica. Given that it is mainly secondary education impacted, more than one in five of the countrys 3,168 high schools have been occupied. A banner held by protesting students in Athens reading that there is money for (left column) tanks, warplanes, submarines, bombs; there is no money for (right column) schools, hospitals, public transport, peace (credit: Keep Talking Greece) Yesterday Greece reported another 416 new cases of coronavirusthe second highest total recorded in a 24-hour periodand five fatalities. Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire throughout the education system, following the decisions of the conservative New Democracy (ND) government to reopen the economy, including the tourist sector, followed by schools (from September 14) and universities this term. As of Tuesday, 150 schools had been forced to close departments or close entirely due to infections. Virtually no safety measures were put in place in schools to stop students and staff being infected. By September 23just eight days after schools returned50 students, 16 teachers, and one support worker had been tested positive, with the true figure undoubtedly much higher. The occupations are demanding the limiting of classroom groups to at most 15 students, hiring more teachers to fill the gapsespecially as Greece has lost 20,000 education staff after a decade of savage austerity in which the education budget was slashed 27 percent, more permanent cleaning staff, and that cameras are not installed in schools for e-learning, as proposed by the government. A pupil hugs his mother before going into class, at a primary school, during the start of the new school year in Athens, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, Pool) In fighting for their demands, students are demanding that the government cuts spending on Greeces military and fund schools, and health care. The call supporting the occupations by the Athens Students Co-Ordinating Committee read in part, We as students have proved with our stance that the reasons for which we are mobilising are serious. We have made the problems we face in our schools known everywhere! We faced the slander and misrepresentation of our struggle by being portrayed us as the movement of nothing, as student anti-maskers, they said they are doing it to skip lessons all the usual things. Now they are telling us that our protest actions are public health time-bombs. SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC HEALTH TIME-BOMBS! We are fighting SO THAT THEY ARE NOT, by wearing our mask and practising social distancing And this is what is driving us onto the streets. This week they [the government] gave 2 million euros to TV channels so they produce TV spots on the pandemic. Why are they saying that in our case they cant even hire one more cleaner in every school? Why are they not giving us a single euro? They were annoyed when we told them that we dont like our parents taxes not going to education but to armaments! They asked how we know about such things. What do they want? For students to like their country taking part in war operations in which children are killed? The gates of an occupied lyceum in the rural town of Rizomata in the Imathia prefecture in Northern Greece. The banner of the students on the school fence reads, above, "Occupied" and below, In one corner of Mars they found water while for one month [our school] has been looking for a physics teacher The occupations are being widely supported on social media. The Greek Covid19 Solidarity Campaign Facebook page (Menoume EnergoiWe are staying active) posted a message in support of the occupations. The group highlights issues about the spread of Covid-19 and have campaigned over the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). They sent greetings to students occupying the lyceum in the rural town of Rizomata in the Imathia prefecture in northern Greece. The banner of the students on the school fence reads, In one corner of Mars they found water while for one month [our school] has been looking for a physics teacher. Menoume Energoi states, At the lyceum in question the students are asking for a physics and English teacher to be finally hired and for the provision of free Covid tests, given that the husband of one of their teachers tested positive for coronavirus and so it is possible that she has also been infected. Kyriakos Mitsotakis government was venomous in its denunciations of the occupations this week, after sending police squads to a number of schools last weekarresting pupils at oneand threatening parents and teachers who backed them. Anastasia Gika, secretary general of the Ministry of Education, denounced the occupations declaring, Its an illegal act to take over a public building. Its the worst thing one could do given that schools remained closed during the previous months as well due to the coronavirus. Constantinos Bogdanos, an ND deputy who has consistently made overtures to the far-right, referred to students' occupying schools as snakes in a twitter post which also provocatively portrays them as monkeys. Referring to national school occupations in the 1990s, he declared, "Those who were involved in school occupations from my generation led us to a new national divide, an additional 100 billion in debt, national defeat on the Macedonian issue, forced settlement [of migrants] and causing havoc in protests with impunity. I'm sorry, but it seems that we haven't understood what sort of snake we are tolerating in the bosom of our schools." In an interview on Mega Channel yesterday, Bogdanos doubled down on attacking students, stating, "Occupations are destroying school infrastructure and are consolidating a culture of impunity, bullying and lawlessness." He threatened that "Occupations [are illegal under criminal law]. The government has delayed. Referring to possible judicial moves against schoolchildren, he demanded, The occupations must be broken up by legal means if necessary. Education Minister Niki Kerameus told ANT1 TV on Monday that her government would consider negotiations over the students demands, but insisted, "Talks will only be held with open schools. Nobody can deny to someone else the right to learn and to disrupt the education process." Thursdays protest is being backed by the Federation of Secondary School Teachers (OLME) trade union, who have called a partial strike from 11am until 2pm so their members can attend the protests. OLMEs president is an official of the ruling New Democracy partys trade union wing, the Democratic Independent Workers Movement (DAKE). OLMEs declaration in support of the protest was necessitated by growing opposing by teachers and other school staff. But OLMEs real position is that schools must remain open. The involvement of teachers in the protests follows last weeks strikes by doctors and transport workers, pointing to the spread of social opposition among workers whose social position has been devastated by a decades of austerity. TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to provide maximum security to its users, Tenpo has recently closed an alliance with Paygilant, a world leader in authentication and prevention of digital fraud. Paygilant will secure Tenpo's signature protection system, while improving the user's experience. Tenpo is the first and only fintech prepaid card issuer in Chile, which provides its clients with bill payments, transfers and deposits, top-up prepaid services and withdrawals. Tenpo selected the Paygilant solution because it provides robust mobile fraud prevention, without impacting the user's experience. "We selected Paygilant because it is designed for the financial industry and we believe that they actively meet the security challenges that exist today," said Fernando Araya, CEO of Tenpo. Araya stressed the importance of the Paygilant platform stating that it "Enables us to offer the highest security standards to our clients, maintaining ourselves as leaders in fintech financial technological development. The new forms of account fraud are a reality, so we must be prepared, without affecting the experience of our clients. Financial institutions must provide powerful protection signals to their clients against possible threats." Paygilant's solution is designed for fintechs that require fraud prevention, without compromising the user's experience. Paygilant enables financial applications like Tenpo to attain customers trust, accelerate growth and prevent money loss. "We are honored to be trusted by such an innovative and forward-thinking organization," said Ziv Cohen, CEO of Paygilant. Paygilant supports Tenpo's mission to redefine the LATAM financial services market, providing a secure, complete, seamless customer experience. About Paygilant Paygilant is a revolutionary frictionless digital banking and payments anti-fraud company. Its solution is designed to eliminates the trade-off between strong fraud prevention, frictionless authentication, and user privacy. For more information you can visit: https://www.paygilant.com About Tenpo Tenpo was established with the notion of democratizing finance through technology. Regulated by the Commission for the Financial Market (CMF), the same entity that oversees the large traditional banks in Chile, Tenpo seeks to transform the financial environment into a more efficient and fairer system. The Tenpo application allows customers to manage their finances from their mobile device quickly, easily, and safely. Through the Tenpo platform a customer can make transactions abroad, make phone recharges and pay bills for all kinds of basic services. For more information you can visit: https://tenpo.cl/ Contact: Yossi Geller VP Marketing, Paygilant [email protected] SOURCE Paygilant Related Links https://paygilant.com/ KEY HIGHLIGHTS MSMEs have demanded GST compliance parity between offline and online sellers, claiming the new indirect tax regime is taxing for the firms switching over to online platforms Post COVID, due to lockdowns and disruptions, smaller players and artisans are trying to sell their goods online MSMEs' demand assumes significance given that festive season is round the corner and customers are fast shifting to online in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic The industry has pitched for a range of changes for online sellers from registration to composition scheme to tax collected at source (TCS) Terming the GST compliance burden as taxing for micro, small and medium enterprises making shift to online selling platform, industry players have urged the government to ease the rules. They have claimed that regulations prescribed in the GST Act for businesses selling online impose a higher tax rate and compliance burden in comparison to businesses selling offline thus preventing MSMEs to swiftly make a transition to online platforms. ALSO READ: Allow cash flow-based lending for MSMEs: industry body to RBI Post COVID, due to lockdowns and disruptions, smaller players and artisans are trying to sell their goods online. "The need of the hour is to encourage and enable smaller players affected and uprooted by the COVID pandemic and not make their life more difficult," said Animesh Saxena, President of Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME). The industry has pitched for a range of changes for online sellers from registration to composition scheme to tax collected at source (TCS). The sector experts have claimed that various barriers are discouraging offline players to start selling online. Tax experts suggested to do away with mandatory GST registration requirement for online selling. They also sought to reduce compliance burden due to imposition of TCS. ALSO READ: MSMEs bat for opening payment dispute councils to medium enterprises The demand assumes significance given that festive season is round the corner and customers are fast shifting to online due to the need for social distancing in the wake of pandemic. "The GST policy on e-commerce needs to be completely reviewed as a successful tax policy needs to ke ep pace with technology, particularly when business is facing an unprecedented challenge like we are witnessing at present. The current GST framework provides impediments in selling online, especially for MSMEs," said Kunal Wadhwa, Partner (Indirect Tax) PwC at a webinar. While listing out various challenges faced by the MSME sector, the experts participating in the webinar noted that removing regulatory bottlenecks would not just encourage new and emerging players but also help the larger industry streamline their businesses towards revival. "It is imperative that policy reforms specifically target easing the process of digitalisation for MSMEs," said tax expert Vidushi Gupta. The pandemic has severely disrupted the 60 million strong MSME sector in India that employs over 110 million people, considered the largest after farm sector. ALSO READ: Centre says no data available on number of startups, MSMEs closed during COVID-19 lockdown Xtalks Life Science Webinars Over the past two decades, much progress has been made in the development of mouse models which are able to achieve at least 70% replacement of mouse hepatocytes with human hepatocytes. Animal models are traditionally used in the drug development process to determine the safety and efficacy of new drug candidates. Yet, translation between animals and humans is not always straightforward due to inherent differences between species. A promising way to bridge this gap has been the development of chimeric mice possessing humanized livers. Over the past two decades, much progress has been made in the development of mouse models which are able to achieve at least 70% replacement of mouse hepatocytes with human hepatocytes. This has enabled the use of these models for an increasing variety of applications in the preclinical drug development process. The first segment of this webinar will focus on the genetic basis of these liver-humanized mouse models, as well as their historical development and characterization. The second and major segment of the presentation will illustrate their use in a wide variety of in vivo and in vitro applications over the past decade. These include liver disease models such as hepatitis B and C virus infection. Numerous publications have described the use of liver-humanized mouse models for studies on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, enzyme induction, drug clearance projections, identification of human metabolites and the prediction of clinically relevant drug-drug interactions. Liver toxicity studies have been carried out both in vivo and in vitro, the latter utilizing hepatocytes isolated from these liver humanized mice. Finally, these models are useful to test the delivery of gene therapy reagents to the liver, as well as to repopulate the liver with genetically modified hepatocytes. Join David Thompson, Ph.D., Sr. Director, Mechanistic Pharmacology & Toxicology, Inotiv in a live webinar on Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 1pm EDT. For more information or to register for this event, visit Applications of Liver Humanized Mouse Models in Preclinical Drug Development. ABOUT XTALKS Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers. To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/ ZAMBOANGA CITY Eight villages in the southern Philippine province of Sulu are now free from the influence of the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf... Emgage PAC, a bi-partisan group that many consider to be the largest Muslim political action committee in the U.S., recently announced they will not offer an endorsement in District 22. Democratic congressional candidate Sri Preston Kulkarni nor his Republican opponent Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls will receive an endorsement in the upcoming November election. The candidates are seeking to replace Congressman Pete Olson as the House District 22 Representative, a seat which includes a large portion of Fort Bend County. Olson, who announced he was retiring earlier this year, defeated Kulkarni in a hard-fought campaign during the 2018 election, during which time Emgage PAC offered Kulkari their support. Since then, group officials decided things had apparently changed. After careful consideration, we have decided not to make an endorsement in this race as we believe neither candidate is sufficiently aligned with the interests and values of the Texas Muslim community, Emgage officials said in a release posted online. Group officials said they endorsed Kulkarni in the 2018 election because of his significant outreach to the Muslim community in CD-22. Since then, Emgage has discovered that some of Kulkarnis largest donors and closest supporters are leaders of organizations promoting Hindutva. This far-right ideology, whose early founders openly praised Nazism, is completely antithetical to the inclusive and pluralistic values espoused by Emgage. During meetings leading up to the 2018 endorsement, group officials said Kullkarni claim he was without ties to any foreign ideology. But has since then declined to publicly denounce his ties the organizations or repudiate donations from Hindutva-inspired organizations such as RSS, HSS, and BJP, or repudiate his donors linked to these organizations. In the upcoming November presidential election, Emgage PAC has endorsed Joe Biden and point to his public denouncement of the BJP-led Modi government in India against the Muslim minority population, including the passage of the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA), the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and the abrogation of statehood for Kashmir as a reason for their support, a stance they say isnt publicly shared by Kulkharni. Group officials say they didnt receive a completed endorsement questionnaire from Nehls, who was also reportedly unavailable to meet with group members seeking to evaluate the possibility of an endorsement. In addition, his support for President Trump and the border wall and a long list of violations that led to his firing from the Richmond police, show there are many issues with his candidacy that would be of concern to the Texas Muslim community, group officials said. Kulkarni responds In a statement posted to his campaign website, Kulkarni argued nothing had changed since he first met with group leaders in 2018 and instead blamed actions by nefarious actors. While none of these things have changed, I am saddened that Emgage as an organization has been under attack by nefarious actors to the point that they dont feel they can safely stand by their own past assessment. I want to make it clear that I am, and always have been, an ally to the Muslim community, he wrote. Throughout my life, my career, and both our past and current campaign, I have consistently spoken out against Islamophobia and bigotry and in support of human rights for the Muslim community and all minorities, both here in the United States and abroad. I disavow any Islamophobic or bigoted comments or ideas, no matter where or who they come from. I believe in creating a big tent coalition, and that communicating with one another is the key to creating real change. Many of our Muslim constituents have specifically expressed human rights concerns about minority rights within India. I have committed to publicly opposing any actions to strip citizenship away from the Muslim community in India. I would like to take this moment to restate that, with regards to the Muslim communitys concerns around the wording of the CAA and NRC, I promise that I will publicly oppose any use of these legislations to strip citizenship from the Muslim community in India. I will continue to speak out against human rights violations, as I have done regarding the situation in Kashmir and the violence in Delhi, and any acts of Islamophobia, the promotion of nationalism, and/or fascism. knix@hcnonline.com OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly three-quarters of marketers have been working from home since March, but do they believe their creative work, productivity or communications with team members have suffered or thrived in the new normal? Turns out, the answer depends on who you ask, according to a new survey from global creative platform 99designs. Productivity has actually increased for many marketing professionals now working from home Marketers weighed in with predictions on how the pandemic will affect the agency of the future For example, while about a third (32%) of marketers believe their productivity has improved, Account Managers and Brand Managers are almost twice as likely to have experienced improved productivity levels than their senior leaders when working remotely (44% vs 25%). Conversely, younger marketers have found creative collaboration significantly more difficult working remotely when compared to their older colleagues. However, some unexpected benefits have also emerged: one in five marketers believe opportunities for career advancement have actually increased during the pandemic, and 42% of managers said communication with their teams has also improved while working from home. Another point of difference? More than half (56%) of agency employees would actually prefer to return to the office full-time, compared to just 38% of their in-house counterparts. These are just a few of the findings of the 99designs study conducted with research firm Corus to coincide with the launch of 99designs Studio and Select : two new services to help brands and marketers access and collaborate with remote freelance talent. The company surveyed hundreds of marketers and brand managers at all levels about how the pandemic and social unrest in 2020 have impacted their work, careers and the industry as a whole. "Holding important strategy sessions in sweatpants while our kids homeschool in the background is quickly becoming the new normal," said 99designs Head of Marketing, Shayne Tilley. "Pandemic, climate crisis, social movements, civil unrest each month of 2020 has brought something new to test us, both personally and professionally. "No industry has been spared some level of disruption, marketing included. Although the upheaval has been shared, what's interesting is that the effects have not been one-size fits all. Factors like age, seniority and whether you work in-house or at an agency all seem to play a role in how our work and careers have been affected. While we're certainly not out of the woods yet, the good news is that we're starting to see some silver linings emerge from the chaos that have the potential to positively impact the industry for years to come." Impact on the Industry Moving Forward Many marketers also predict big changes to the industry as a whole, for example: 1 in 5 marketers expect fixed retainers to become obsolete in a post-COVID world A quarter of agency executives anticipate retainers will disappear altogether compared to only 14% of in-house marketers 39% of marketing professionals expect there to be a shift in demand towards project-based work 1 in 3 agency workers believe they will hire more remote freelancers in the future to bring flexibility to teams and project delivery For more data and insights as well as downloadable infographics, visit https://99designs.com/blog/marketing-advertising/marketing-learnings-2020/. About 99designs: 99designs is the global creative platform that makes it easy for designers and clients to work together to create designs they love. Founded in 2008, 99designs has grown from a small, online forum into a worldwide community of talented designers who have earned more than $300m through the platform. With headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, 99designs also has offices in Oakland, California and Berlin, Germany. Methodology 772 responses from marketing professionals collected online via market research platform Corus in August 2020. Responses were collected from the United States (528), Australia (145) and Germany (101). 37% are currently working in an agency, 36% are employed by a brand in-house and 27% are currently freelancing. MEDIA CONTACTS: Aimee Wells [email protected] (US) 415.706.1906 [email protected] (Rest of world) +61 400 958 887 SOURCE 99designs Related Links https://99designs.com On September 24, 2020, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona entered final consent judgments against two former brokers whom the SEC charged with defrauding investors. According to the SEC's complaint, filed on April 16, 2013, Jeffrey Stebbins of Mesa, Arizona, and Corbin Jones of Gilbert, Arizona, solicited investors for a tankless water heater project over a three-year period. As alleged in the complaint, Stebbins and Jones misappropriated $1.8 million of investor funds for themselves and fraudulently deprived other investors of their ownership interests in multiple companies that the defendants controlled. The SEC's action against the defendants was stayed pending the resolution of a parallel criminal case filed by the Arizona State Attorney General based on substantially the same conduct. In 2019, the defendants pleaded guilty to three felony counts of selling unregistered securities in the matter. Stebbins was sentenced to 60 days in prison plus eight years of probation and Jones was sentenced to four years of probation. The defendants were ordered to pay criminal restitution, on a joint and several basis, of $1,771,995. In the SEC action, Stebbins and Jones have consented to final judgments enjoining them from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, the registration provisions of Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act, and the beneficial ownership reporting requirements of Sections 13(d) and 16(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 13d-1, 13d-2 and 16a-3 thereunder. Stebbins and Jones also consented to a penny stock bar and to pay, on a joint and several basis, disgorgement of $1,692,323 plus $323,567 in prejudgment interest, subject to offset by amounts paid as restitution in the Arizona criminal case. In a separate administrative proceeding, the SEC also barred Stebbins from the securities industry. The SEC's litigation was led by Amy Longo with assistance from Junling Ma. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Arizona State Attorney General's Office. 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And its crossing its fingers and hoping the third times a charm. At its Jan. 12 meeting, the board of supervisors voted unanimously to resubmit its SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to... Americans can be pretty stubborn, and as a result even the best plans too often fail, because leaders be they in government, business, the nonprofit sector or even in our social circles or families cant get enough buy-in from followers. Even the idea of being a follower is repugnant to many Americans. The one exception is the military. In the military, people respect the chain of command. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines especially Marines have it drilled into their brains from the moment they enter basic training that when the chain of command breaks down, people can die. So if the commandant of the Marine Corps decides that his subordinates are going to do something, you can bet theyll do it. That includes complying with the congressional mandate to start training male and female recruits together at its Parris Island and San Diego training depots. The fact that Commandant Gen. David Berger is even raising the possibility that the Marine Corps might not be able to comply with that mandate at the existing bases and instead might have to shutter them and build a whole new base suggests either that theres a serious breakdown in the military command structure or else that hes not trying hard enough. Military.com, which broke the story last week about the idea of building a new depot, notes that the Marine Corps continues to fight to keep its platoons segregated by gender, though it has trained several more coed companies. It quotes Kate Germano, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel who led Parris Islands female 4th Recruit Training Battalion, as worrying that shuttering Parris Island and San Diego would further hobble the integration effort by pushing back the timeline and by causing male Marines to blame women for the loss of tradition. Whatever you think about the idea of coed recruit training or women in combat, or even female Marines the chain of command doesnt stop at the commandant. It keeps going right on up through to the president and, indirectly, the Congress, which writes the laws that presidents are supposed to execute. And whatever the reason the commandant might not be able to get his subordinates to do their jobs, the answer is not for Congress to reward him with a new base. National defense is the top job of the federal government, so we need to spend what is necessary to maintain a strong national defense. But that doesnt mean we need to squander money on unnecessary new military bases. Our government has an obligation to spend our military dollars as wisely as any other dollars. We recognize both training bases have long-term challenges: Parris Island is increasingly susceptible to sea-level rise; San Diegos base is so constrained by the surrounding city and airport that its recruits must visit a different base to fire rifles. Those are legitimate concerns that the Marine Corps eventually will need to address; its difficulty meeting a mandate for coed training is not. Closing the Parris Island depot would have a devastating effect on the Beaufort areas economy, at least in the near term. It generates more than $700 million a year in economic activity and is associated with more than 6,000 jobs. But S.C. elected officials, understandably galled at the idea that the Marines could shutter Parris Island, need to understand that the issue here is larger than preserving a military base in South Carolina, which can go toe-to-toe with California or any other state when it comes to offering a military-friendly climate. The issue is about the militarys willingness to do the job the Congress gave it to do, without any foot-dragging or empire-building. Massimo Merlini/iStockBy JACQUELINE LAUREAN YATES, ABC News (NEW YORK) -- The lack of size inclusivity on Fashion Week runways is slowly changing for the better. Italian designer Versace, for example, has been making strides to diversify its lineup of models. For the brand's Spring/Summer 2021 presentation, onlookers were excited to see models Precious Lee, Jill Kortleve and Alva Claire star in the show. Lee posted a video from the show, her first for Milan Fashion Week. This is also the first time Versace has cast full figured women. "I will never forget this moment and how I felt before walking out," Lee said in a statement. "The power and beauty of this brand has ALWAYS inspired me & now to be the first... wow." Donatella Versace, whose brother founded the company, further praised Lee on Instagram by welcoming her to the Versace family. "You killed it on the runway!!!" Donatella said. Claire showed gratitude for her Versace moment, writing, "I'm so emotional writing this, to walk for the iconic Versace has always been a huge dream of mine!" She continued, "I am so proud of @preciousleexoxo @jilla.tequila and myself we made history with this and I will never forget how I feel right now! This moment is for all of us!!! I'm full of love!! Thank you so much." Versace has described the Spring/Summer 2021 collection as a "fantasy underwater dreamspace." Familiar faces such as Joan Smalls and Irina Shayk were also spotted at Versace's show wearing bright pops of pinks and orange. While mostly celebrated, Versace's Spring/Summer 2021 show was met with some mixed opinions. "To see plus size girls walk for Versace is so empowering," wrote Twitter user @AngelCindyS in a post. "Despite the collection, let's give it up for these beauties." Others said these changes shouldn't have taken this long. "I celebrate designers who are open, creative and celebrate the human form in all its sizes and shapes, not designers who take half a century or more to realise what they are missing out on. I would have been impressed if they led the way, not celebrate them following others," tweeted one user. Fashion houses such as Rihanna's Savage x Fenty, Chromat and Christian Siriano have continued to be at the forefront of casting size-inclusive models. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. The Alamo Citizen Advisory Committee has given up on moving the Cenotaph, but members arent budging on providing an inclusive, authentic interpretation of 300 years of history at the site of the Alamo not just the 1836 siege and battle. City Councilman Roberto Trevino, one of the tri-chairs of the committee, is dead-set against ideas proposed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas Historical Commission Chairman John Nau to keep the $450 million makeover project focused almost entirely on the famous Battle of the Alamo, which has taken on mythical status. This is something that I wont entertain, Trevino said. I think its misguided. And I think that has been also part of a conversation amongst the THC members, in terms of how they feel that the project can be changed. At the committees meeting Wednesday, members said they oppose letting the Legislature take over the public-private Alamo project, as has been suggested in recent days, if it means the renovation of the plaza and planned new museum would center primarily on 1836. Sue Ann Pemberton, an architect and committee tri-chair, said the project must include the past, present and future of the Alamo story. The Mission de Valeros role as a missionary-led community of indigenous people, she said, really was the impetus for the growth and development of San Antonio. She acknowledged the inclusiveness of the Alamo plan may be ahead of its time. Meeting by videoconference because of the pandemic, the 30-member panel agreed by consensus to reaffirm its support of the Alamo plans nine-page vision and principles document, which includes the chronicled 1724 beginnings as the Mission San Antonio de Valero. The plan calls for permanent street closures, a museum and renovation of part of Alamo Plaza, where the 56-foot-tall Cenotaph is located, as an outdoor interpretive space. Although the city owns part of the plaza and entered a long-term lease with the Texas General Land Office to operate it as part of the site of the Texas shrine, Trevino said he wont bow to pressure from Naus and Patricks demands for a very exclusive 13-day 1836 story of the siege and battle. On ExpressNews.com: Alamo project in limbo after decision on Cenotaph While remaining clear that he wants the project to go forward, Trevino hinted at the possibility that the citys legal advisers are studying options for a possible exit strategy from the project, if it gets taken off course, possibly by voiding the citys 50-year lease agreement on the plaza, or its cooperative agreement with the Land Office and nonprofit Alamo Trust. I cannot comment much further because we are in very sensitive territory in terms of what were doing legally, and the conversations that attorneys may be having, Trevino told committee members. The most powerful message is that were all committed to our vision and guiding principles. It was the first time the councilman, who also is chairman of a six-member Alamo Management Committee that has been a key deciding body on the project, has spoken openly since last weeks 12-2 vote by the state commission against a permit to move the Cenotaph a few hundred feet south, placing it in front of the Menger Hotel. He said he has accepted that outcome. The Cenotaph is not moving. Barring any miracle, thats not changing, Trevino said. But the three-way partnership that has taken six years to build, to finally address complaints heard for decades that the Alamo is too small and unimpressive as a historic site, now is threatened by philosophical disagreement that clashes with the vision and guiding principles, which is to tell a complete story, he said. Part of that has been complexity in which we have put this project together, Trevino said. While the conflict may appear to be a political rift between a progressive councilman and an ultraconservative lieutenant governor, it also touches on local cultural perspectives. The Alamo was saved from ruins and converted by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to a shrine to the Anglo and Tejano defenders of the fort who all died in 1836. But some feel the lives and contributions of the early mission Indians, African Americans and other people of color at the site have been underrepresented for far too long. The right plan In urging the historical commission not to allow the Cenotaph to be moved last week, Patrick argued the Alamo project still could move forward, even if the memorial stayed where it is. Patrick offered to lead a charge in the Legislature, set to hold a regular session next year, for the state to fully fund the project, without private fundraising, with the right plan in place. The Legislature already has allocated about $100 million for the project in 2015 and 2017, including $31 million to restore the mission-era Alamo church and Long Barrack. The lieutenant governor said he supports telling a broader story of the site but wants the focus to be the 13-day siege and battle the most important 13 days of Texas and Western civilization. Following up on Patricks comments, state Rep. Kyle Biedermann this week announced he plans to file a bill giving the Legislature more oversight of the project. In a release, Biedermann, R-Fredericksburg, said the projects politically correct vision and guiding principles must be revisited. He supports placing materials about other periods of history in the museum, but not in the plaza. Commission members didnt discuss Biedermanns proposal Wednesday, but said they stand by the committees vision document, which seeks to tell an in-depth history of the Alamo area as a tribute to all who lived, fought and died there. Committee Tri-Chair Lionel Sosa said the panel should stick to our guns and let people know some state leaders are trying to undermine what could be a great project to depict the nearly 300 years of recorded history with passion and authenticity. We have to put it on them. They have broken an agreement, and we will not stand for it. We should all be together on what we agreed we would do, said Sosa, a public relations consultant. Trevino said he and the other tri-chairs would craft a position statement, reaffirming support for the vision and guiding principles, and ask the citizen committee for input before releasing it. Committee member George Cisneros had the strongest criticism for state officials and others who argue mission-era interpretation at the Alamo should be minimal because, they say, San Antonio already has four federally run mission sites to tell that story. Cisneros disagrees. On ExpressNews.com: Citizen panel to revisit Alamo project Its been an area where people have lived. It is a cemetery, it is a battleground, it is a commercial zone, Cisneros said of the Alamo site. And those are all things that are part of the character and the blood of San Antonio. And I just feel that our role still is a landlord. And I dont want a bad tenant for the next 50 years. Another panel member, Leonard Rodriguez, who has ancestors buried at the Alamo, said hes disappointed with how slowly the project has progressed, particularly in regard to interpretation of mission Indians and early Hispanic people. He said project leaders picked the wrong fight in trying to move the Cenotaph. Ive lost a lot of confidence in this team thats leading this effort. Im very confused on where this is going, Rodriguez said. Trevino said the management committee will meet again Friday, and as often as necessary to try to figure out a lot of the moving parts with this project. Were going to move methodically and thoughtfully through this, he said. Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. To read more from Scott, become a subscriber. shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn refused to answer any questions about the charges against him in Japan as he launched a business programme at a Lebanese university in his first public appearance in months Fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn made his first public appearance in months Tuesday to launch a business programme at a Lebanese university. The ex-Nissan chief was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on financial misconduct charges and spent 130 days in detention, before he dramatically jumped bail and smuggled himself out of the country late last year. The 66-year-old businessman for the first time appeared in public in Lebanon in January, claiming he was a victim of a plot by Nissan and Japanese officials. On Tuesday, he held a press conference to launch new business courses at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), north of Beirut. But he refused to answer any questions about allegations against him, or his former business partner Greg Kelly who pleaded not guilty on September 15 as his trial opened in Japan. "I am not going to deviate this conference from its centre and the centre is USEK," said the tanned Brazilian-born businessman, who also holds French and Lebanese nationalities. Instead he spoke of a new executive management programme, as well as two other entrepreneurship and information technology courses, which he said aimed at "serving the country". An organiser said students would receive one consultancy session with Ghosn, and a certificate at the end of their studies signed by him. Lebanon is mired in its worst economic crisis in decades, and still reeling from a monster blast at the capital's port that killed more than 190 people and ravaged large parts of Beirut. lar/ah/jmm/kir By Trend The Armenian armed forces used the Tochka-U tactical missile system during the ongoing battles in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Trend reports on Sept. 30 citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. "The launched missiles did not explode because the military equipment belonging to the Armenian armed forces was outdated and of poor quality," the defense ministry said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Man Charged After Pointing Gun at Another Person During Clashes in Portland Has "Proud Boys" tattooed on arm but group says he's not a member A 50-year-old man seen pointing a gun at another person during clashes in Portland last month was taken into custody and charged, prosecutors said. Alan Swinney is being charged with assault, attempted assault, menacing, and other crimes, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced Wednesday. According to court documents, Swinney allegedly fired a paintball gun on Aug. 15 to cause physical injury to another person and unlawfully discharged mace or a similar substance as well as trying to assault others. Swinney is accused of again causing physical injury to another person, unlawfully discharging mace or another substance, and pointing a revolver at someone, placing that person in fear of imminent serious physical injury, during a street brawl that involved members of the Proud Boys and Antifa in downtown Portland on Aug. 22. Police officials said they declined to intervene in the brawl because too many officers had been working during the ongoing, near-nightly riots, leaving too few to be able to insert themselves between the groups. Alan Swinney fires a paintball gun in Portland, Ore., Aug. 22, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images) Alan Swinney in a mugshot on Sept. 30, 2020. (Multnomah County Sheriffs Office) A Proud Boys rally and a counter-demonstration on Sept. 26 went more smoothly after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared an emergency and sent state troopers to Portland. Swinney was arrested on Wednesday and is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday. It wasnt clear whether he had a lawyer. Some news outlets reported that Swinney is a Proud Boys member and he has Proud Boys tattooed on his left arm. The group didnt respond to a request for comment. Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys leader, told a journalist that Swinney is not a member and never has been. Proud Boys is a group of Western Chauvinists that says it advocates for the Second Amendment, closed borders, and minimal government. Members have been involved in violent clashes with Antifa, a far-left, anarcho-communist group, in several cities in the past. On Tuesday, Swinney posted on Twitter asking for donations. Help me fight these people. Please like and retweet. Every retweet makes a terrorist lose his or her mind, he wrote. The fundraiser page said Swinney has been going to rallies for President Donald Trump since August 2018 and been targeted by Black Lives Matter and Antifa. I am being prosecuted today because I didnt allow left-wing terrorists to attack me and others at the rally, he claimed. Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of Health and Human Services, swabs his nose as he demonstrates a new fast result COVID-19 antigen test during an event with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Read more If you are confused by all the talk about game-changing coronavirus tests that are fast, cheap, and convenient, its no wonder. President Donald Trump, governors, public health experts, and the media often have done a lousy job of explaining the nature and limits of these recently introduced antigen tests, and how they differ from better-known molecular diagnostic tests. Antigen tests can signal a potential new infection even before it causes symptoms, by detecting a protein the virus starts making soon after it invades the body. The cell-phone-size device gives results in 15 minutes wherever the test is used, with just a swab taken from the front of the nose. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says antigen tests can be used for rapid detection and diagnosis of coronavirus infections, but the agency cautions that these tests arent as reliable as lab-based molecular diagnostic tests, which detect viral genetic material. Positive antigen test results often need to be confirmed by a molecular test. In August, for example, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tweeted that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and would be quarantining for 14 days. Hours later, he tweeted that a second test had come back negative. DeWine first had an antigen test. Then he had two molecular tests the long-swab-way-up-the-nose kind that have been a technical, logistical, and public health nightmare in the United States. Experts say the lower accuracy of antigen tests is not necessarily a problem. The challenge is to find a balance between convenience and accuracy. If antigen tests are given often enough to a group of people say, college students or nursing home residents then the frequency will offset any inaccuracy. That means, for about $5 a day per person, antigen tests could fill the gaping need for a coronavirus surveillance tool, says Michael Mina, a Harvard Medical School epidemiologist and testing expert. He has been advocating that approach since before the first antigen test, made by Quidel, was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August. He points out that molecular tests can be too sensitive, giving positive results days after a person is no longer spreading infectious virus. Antigen tests, in contrast, only work during that early transmission period, when the coronaviruss telltale protein surges and then plummets. Officials almost invariably lump molecular and antigen tests together, perhaps to make their numbers look better. This week, Trump, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and Assistant Health Secretary Brett Giroir (who is also Trumps coronavirus testing czar) heralded the announcement that the federal government would distribute 150 million antigen tests made by Abbott Laboratories to the states. READ MORE: Chester County will notify thousands of questionable COVID results, in wake of Inquirer story But using antigen tests effectively will require careful deployment strategies, and standardized rules for reporting and classifying the data things that are sorely missing now, the Washington Post reports. If the challenges can be overcome, Mina, for one, believes antigen testing really could be a pandemic game-changer. Using the technology to screen millions of people every few days in hot spots would be more than enough to suppress the outbreaks that are happening and make the country much safer, Mina said during a recent lecture posted on YouTube. Three types of COVID-19 tests All of these tests are on the market, and all serve specific purposes. Heres a rundown: Molecular diagnostic tests (a.k.a. PCR or viral tests): the long-swab-up-the-nose type. Pro: They are the most accurate because they detect actual viral genetic material, not just proteins made by the virus or the immune system. Con: Must be analyzed on machines usually found only in high-complexity labs. Results typically take at least a few days. Only provides a snapshot in time. Cumbersome for screening. Rapid antibody tests: These look for disease-fighting proteins, called antibodies, in the blood. Pro: Antibody tests can help define the scope of outbreaks by measuring how many people in a particular population have antibodies. In New York City, for example, this seroprevalence was a whopping 23% in May. (But herd immunity requires about 60% seroprevalence, so were far from that.) Con: The tests arent very accurate, and no one knows if immunity lasts or what antibody level is protective. Hopes that antibody tests could identify people who are truly immune to the virus have faded. Antigen tests: Can flag a new infection, even in people with no symptoms, by detecting proteins the virus makes soon after it invades the body. Pro: Inexpensive and gives results that can be read on the spot in minutes. Can be used on a regular basis to screen groups such as students or nursing home residents. Con: Not as reliable as molecular tests, and provides only a snapshot in time, so negative results offer only limited reassurance. Positive results may need confirmation with molecular diagnostic tests. US Ambassador Calls For Taiwan to Be Part of United Nations TAIPEI, TaiwanThe U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft has voiced support for Taiwan to be included in the United Nations system. The world needs Taiwans full participation in the United Nations system, particularly with respect to matters that affect public health and economic development, said Craft while speaking at a virtual Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) event on Sept. 29. A United Nations without Taiwans full participation is cheating the world, Craft added. Taiwan deserves the highest platform where it can share its remarkable innovation and expertise in data science, in medical technology, and in cutting-edge communications. The United States and Taiwan established the GCTF in June 2015, using it as a platform for Taiwan to share its expertise with partners around the world. Japan joined the platform in 2019. Taiwan lost its seat at the United Nations to China after the world body passed U.N. Resolution 2758 in 1971. Eight years later, in January 1979, the United States ended its diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijingwhich considers the island a part of its territory, despite its self-ruled status with its own democratically-elected government. Washington has since maintained a non-diplomatic relationship with Taipei based on the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), signed into law by former President Jimmy Carter in April 1979. The TRA authorizes the United States to provide the island with military equipment for its self-defense, and set up a nonprofit corporation called the American Institute in Taiwan, which is now the de-facto U.S. embassy on the island. Over 100 officials and experts from over 20 countries took part in the GCTF event, including AIT Director William Brent Christensen, Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, and Akira Yokochi, deputy representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Associations Taipei Office. The GCTF event took place while U.N. members were holding the general debate of the 75th session of the General Assembly, which began on Sept. 22. Craft added: Taiwan has a trusted friend in President Donald J. Trump, and an administration that champions the international role that Taiwan holds. Washington and Taiwan relations have warmed considerably under the Trump administration, which sees Taiwan as an important ally in its Indo-Pacific strategy. Two senior U.S. officials have visited Taiwan in the past two monthsHealth and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Under Secretary of State Keith Krach. The U.S. ambassador also criticized the Chinese regime for making every effort to suppress Taiwans international profile, actions that she said were undertaken out of fear of a free and open society. Craft pointed to the current pandemic as another reason why Taiwan should participate in the UN. She explained that Beijing blocked Taipeis attempt to warn the world that COVID-19 spreads from human-to-human contact. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. Taiwan officials said they warned the World Health Organization that the virus could be contagious in an email on Dec. 31. According to internal government documents, Beijing knew of the viruss potential to spread among humans, but did not publicly acknowledge it until Jan. 20. On Jan. 21, both Taiwan and the United States reported their first confirmed COVID-19 cases. Craft also applauded Taiwans public-private partnership for ramping up local mask production capacity from about 2 million to nearly 20 million dailykey to Taiwans success in containing the spread of the virus, she said. As of press time, Taiwan had 514 COVID-19 cases, with seven deaths. And since April, Taiwan has donated more than 50 million masks to countries around the world. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen thanked Craft for recognising #Taiwans contributions to public health & economic development and supporting our inclusion in the @UN system, in a tweet on Wednesday. Tsai added: We know that with greater intl participation, we can do even more for the world. 12 of Taiwans diplomatic allies, including Belize, Eswatini, and Nicaragua, publicly called for Taiwans inclusion in the U.N. system during the U.N. general debate, according to Taiwans government-run Central News Agency. Consumers are being advised that a popular chicken product has been recalled due to the presence of Salmonella. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) say the implicated batch of Roosters Southern Fried Poppin Chicken was sold in Aldi stores. The product is manufactured in Poland and the affected batch L:15320 has a best before date of May 25, 2022. "Point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in stores supplied with the implicated batch. The implicated batch was sold in Aldi stores," reads a notice published by the FSAI. "People infected with Salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between six and 72 hours. The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody. "Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. Diarrhoea can occasionally be severe enough to require hospital admission. The elderly, infants and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness," adds the notice. Japan Airlines will stop addressing passengers as ladies and gentlemen in favor of gender-neutral phrases, in an effort to be more inclusive. Starting Thursday, announcements on flights and in airports will use new forms of address, including Attention all passengers and Good morning, everyone. Announcements in Japanese will remain unchanged, according to The New York Times, as they do not use gender-specific language. We aspire to be a company where we can create a positive atmosphere and treat everyone, including our customers, with respect, airline spokesman Mark Morimoto told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. We have committed to not discriminate based on gender, age, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or other personal attributes. Related: While there have been similar initiatives before previous Games, Pride House Tokyo is the first to get official International Olympic Committee backing. Other airlines have changed their announcements to recognize nonbinary and gender-nonconforming travelers, including Air Canada and the low-cost European carrier EasyJet. As the community continues to evolve and expand beyond binaries to ensure everyone feels welcome, steps like the one Japan Airlines is taking are the right ones, Jonathan Lovitz, senior vice president of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, told NBC News. Lovitz said the travel industry is often on the leading edge of inclusion for customers, employees and even suppliers. Making their welcome messages, pronoun choices and the like more inclusive is not just a best practice we can expect to see across the industry, its an essential element to their ongoing work ensuring everyone is welcomed on board their flights at every level of operation, Lovitz said. Being inclusive and authentically engaging, he added, is key for any brand, including an airline, to earn LGBTQ consumers economic and social loyalty. Story continues In 2018 alone, global LGBTQ travelers spent $218 billion, according to market research group Out Now. Last year, Japan Airlines hosted a charter flight to bring LGBTQ travelers from Tokyo to the annual Pink Dot Pride celebration in Okinawa. The airline began offering family benefits to LGBTQ employees in 2017. Today about a third of Japanese companies have similar measures in place. Related: Of the 980,000 same-sex couple households reported in 2019, 58 percent were married and 42 percent were unmarried partners, U.S. Census Bureau data showed. While homosexuality is still a taboo topic, support for LGBTQ rights in Japan is inching forward: According to the Pew Research Center, just over half of Japanese people said they accepted homosexuality in 2002. Today its closer to 70 percent. And among those 18 to 29, the figure is 92 percent. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Japan, but in 2015, Tokyos Shibuya district started issuing same-sex partnership certificates. Since then, some two dozen wards, towns and cities across the country have followed suit. These proof-of-partnership documents can help with hospital visitations and other rights, but they are not legally binding. A Pride House is slated to open in Shinjuku on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, ahead of the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Organizers are billing it as "Japan's first permanent LGBTQ center." Follow NBC Out on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram Pompeo said during a visit to Crete that he had discussed the clashes in talks earlier with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias. The foreign minister and I addressed the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh where both sides need to stop the violence and work with the Minsk Group co-chairs and return to substantive negotiations as quickly as possible, he said. The Minsk group was set up by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the early 1990s to encourage a resolution to the conflict. It is co-chaired by France, Russia and the United States. France also wants Minsk Group talks. We will trigger in the coming days a coordination of the Minsk Group to clear up what happened, who is responsible and find a way out, an official at President Emmanuel Macrons office said on Tuesday. The clashes between Armenian and Azeri forces over Nagorno-Karabakh have increased concern about stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets. Overseas New Zealanders are being asked to "meddle" in their looming national election, as part of a new citizen-led campaign designed to increase voter turnout. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern regularly exhorts New Zealanders to band together as "team of 5 million" to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand Opposition Leader Judith Collins and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Credit:Getty Images But as the country's October 17 election approaches, an Auckland resident who spent 15 years living in New York, Shanghai and Amsterdam has launched a non-partisan campaign to get New Zealand citizens living overseas to vote. Tracey Lee, a brand strategist and sociologist, teamed up with creative agency Special Group and film partner Sweetshop to launch the Every Kiwi Vote Counts campaign on Wednesday, the first day overseas citizens can vote. All donated their time and expertise. A handful of voters also donated to the campaign's "shoestring budget". The new series of The Crown will portray the Queen and Margaret Thatcher as 'twins who are not the same', its creator has revealed. Peter Morgan said learning the monarch and politician were born just six months apart was 'a breakthrough' for him when writing the fourth season of the hit Netflix programme. The drama, which premieres November 15, covers the span of time from 1977 to 1990 and sees Gillian Anderson's Margaret Thatcher joining Olivia Coleman's Queen Elizabeth in the show for the first time. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Peter explained he had found many similarities between the two women, saying: 'They're both very resilient, very committed, work incredibly hard, have an extraordinary sense of duty. They're both really committed to the country. The new series of The Crown will portray the Queen and Margaret Thatcher as 'twins who are not the same', it's creator Peter Morgan has revealed (pictured, Stephen Boxer playing Dennis Thatcher with Gillian Anderson's Margaret Thatcher in a scene from the Netflix show) The drama covers the span of time from 1977 to 1990 and sees Gillian Anderson's Margaret Thatcher joining the show for the first time (pictured Dennis and Margaret entering Downing Street in 1979) 'They both have a strong Christian faith. They're both girls of the war generation who switch the lights off when they leave a room.' Both were also women in great power at a time when the world was not used to that dynamic, mothers of young adults, and from a rarified background. However, Peter added: 'But then they had such different ideas about running the country.' Despite Peter's comments, it is believed the Queen and Thatcher will square off against one another in the new series. Peter has said learning the monarch and politician were born just six months apart was 'a breakthrough' for him when writing the fourth season of the hit Netflix series (pictured, Olivia Coleman in the new series as Queen Elizabeth, Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip) Some of the key moments in the series featured have been given artistic licence and do not exactly replicate images taken of the Royal Family (pictured, the Queen attending the Royal Variety performance in 1989) There have long been claims about tensions between the Queen and Lady Thatcher during her time in Downing Street, fuelled by suspicions of class tensions. A book released in 2015, In The Queen And Mrs Thatcher: An Inconvenient Relationship, chronicles how the two women 'met and disliked each other on sight'. Mr Palmer, a TV producer, wrote: 'For over a decade they quietly waged a war against each other on both a personal and political stage, disagreeing on key issues including sanctions against South Africa, the miners' strike and allowing US planes to bomb Libya using British military bases.' However, in later life the two women are said to have formed a stronger bond. When Lady Thatcher died in April 2013 at the age of 88, the Queen attended her funeral at St Paul's Cathedral. The Crown's creator has pointed to similarities between the two women, including their duty and strong Christian faith (pictured together in 1979) The Crown Series Four will begin as the 1970s are drawing to a close, with the Royal Family preoccupied with safeguarding the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles who is still unmarried at 30. It will document Diana's blossoming romance with Prince Charles, as the trailer features the moment she emerges to greet an army of photographers, along with crowds cheering her name as she travels the world on behalf of the monarchy. Meanwhile the British nation is struggling with the impact of the divisive policies introduced by Britain's first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Tensions between the Prime Minister and the Queen are expected to only get worse as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War, generating conflict within the Commonwealth. Peter's comments come after new images from the series were released yesterday ahead of it's November premiere Photographs of the series released yesterday showcase the moment Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher arrived at Downing Street in 1979 after being elected for the first time, supported by her proud husband Denis (played by Stephen Boxer). Some of the key moments featured have been given artistic licence and do not exactly replicate images taken of the Royal Family. One example of this is a picture of Olivia, playing the Queen at the Royal Variety performance in 1984, alongside Tobias Menzies, who plays her husband Prince Phillip. In reality the royal couple did not attend the annual showcase until the following year. The fourth season of the hit drama will introduce new characters, including Gillian's Thatcher and Emma Corrin's Princess Diana (pictured) It was recently announced The Crown will run for six series instead of five. Creator Peter revealed he decided to 'return to the original plan,' meaning Imelda will now appear for two series as an older Queen Elizabeth II. Producers decided to a U-turn after their January announcement The Crown would end after its fifth series. Peter said: 'As we started to discuss the storylines for Series 5, it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons.' The COVID-19 stimulus talks are facing a deadline of noon Wednesday. The House Democrats are looking for the new COVID-19 fiscal stimulus package's talks to be finalized on Wednesday noon as they aim to pass it before the November presidential election. A top House Democrats said late Tuesday that the Democrats would be waiting until Wednesday noon for the White House's response, with a counteroffer to the new $2.2 trillion aid bill that they unveiled on Monday. Rep. Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House, told reporters that "a substantive response tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, by noon," was what Democrats were waiting on. It could very well mean hopes for a new stimulus package are dead until the winner of the post-election lame-duck session if both sides of the political divide will go ahead and vote on it, as per Market Watch. The discussions for the next round of stimulus had remained mostly dormant since early August. But stimulus talks flickered to life as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on Tuesday for the second time in less than 24 hours. Later, Pelosi was upbeat about the approximately 50-minute phone calls. She said in an interview on MSNBC: "Our conversation was a positive one. We'll get back together tomorrow to see how we can find common ground." White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, one of the White House's negotiators in past COVID-19 relief talks, also stated that he and Mnuchin discussed the issue with President Donald Trump. "The secretary and I have had a couple of conversations this morning. We also had a conversation with the president, so hopefully, we'll make some progress and find a solution for the American people." Meadows told reporters as he accompanied new Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in Capitol Hill to the latter's meetings with individual senators ahead of the confirmation hearings. With Mnuchin and Pelosi's conversations, the renewed stimulus talks had been the most extended discussion in weeks, come against a background that is increasingly dominated by the upcoming presidential election, as per MSN. This is the last week that House and Senate lawmakers are scheduled to be in the Capitol before the November election, aside from the Senate possibly coming back to vote on Barett. With the Senate in play to potentially flip to Democratic control, many lawmakers are eager to wrap up business and hit the campaign trail for the final few weeks. The Senate is set to approve a new stimulus bill on Wednesday to keep the government temporarily funded through December 11 and is expected to stick around through Thursday. The House is slated on Friday to vote on a slimmed-down version of the sweeping stimulus bill they passed in May. The Democrats said that vote could come as early as Wednesday. "When we reduced it, we didn't take out priorities. We just reduced the timeline as to how long those benefits would last," Pelosi said of what the House Democrats called "Heroes 2.0." The initial bill had a $3.4 trillion price tag, an amount reduced to about $2.2 trillion in the new stimulus bill. Check these out: Heroes Act 2.0: New Stimulus Package, Inclusions Stimulus Checks Might Be Released Mid-October Once Pelosi, Mnuchin Reached a Deal Second Stimulus Check: Here Are the Essential Things to Know About the Possible New Payment live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shareholders of Thrissur-based Dhanlaxmi Bank have ousted the Managing Director and CEO, Sunil Gurbaxani, at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the bank on Wednesday. Over 90 percent of the votes were polled against Gurbaxanis appointment, according to people familiar with the development. On Tuesday, Moneycontrol reported that a section of shareholders could vote against the CEO, Sunil Gurbaxani. According to persons familiar with the development, major shareholders of the bank were unhappy with Gurbaxanis favourable approach to investors from the North Indian lobby. These shareholders feared that the bank would lose its Kerala identity and, hence, wanted to oust Gurbaxani from the bank and bring in a more fit and proper candidate. Gurbaxani assumed office as CEO in February 2020. A veteran banker, he has 35 years of experience with the State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur (now State Bank of India), and Axis Bank. The shareholders' move is significant since the removal of an RBI-appointed CEO is rare and could lead to a management crisis. Recently, bank employee union, AIBEA, had written to the RBI seeking the regulators intervention in the bank. We have already written to the RBI. The RBI should remove the CEO in the backdrop of voting results and appoint a more fit and proper person, said C H Venkatachalam, general secretary of AIBEA. On Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed one of its officers on the Board of Thrissur-based Dhanlaxmi Bank for a period of two years from September 28, the bank informed the stock exchanges. The RBI has appointed D K Kashyap, General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, Bengaluru Regional Office, as Additional Director on the Board of the Bank, the lender said As of March 2020, prominent investors in the bank include B Ravindra Pillai (10 percent), Gopinathan C K (7.5 percent) and Kapilkumar Wadhawan (5 percent). Foreign portfolio investors hold 11.4 percent. Last week, the RBI had written to the bank's Board seeking termination of a key executiveone chief general Manager, P Manikandan. It was an unprecedented move for the banking regulator to intervene in the matter of a CGM-level officer. But the regulator was upset about the non-adherence to the highest standards of corporate governance and Manikandans alleged involvement in board matters, according to persons familiar with development. The RBI had received complaints against this officer, they said. The RBI was alerted by a series of exits from Dhanlaxmis Board since June. The first one was on June 29 when Sajeev Krishnan, part-time chairman and independent director, quit. Krishnan had joined the Kerala-headquartered bank in February 2018 for a three-year spell. He had around eight months left in his term. The other two were KN Murali, independent director, and G Venkatanarayanan, an additional director. Both resigned with effect from June 29, 2020, before their terms came to an end. Murali joined the bank nearly a year and a half ago while Venkatanarayanan joined only a few months ago. Following these exits, the bank had appointed new Board members. These include PK Vijayakumar, G Rajagopalan Nair, G Subramonia Iyer and Suseela Menon R, also as additional directors (Independent Category) to the Board. Shareholders voted in favour of all other appointments at the AGM. Last week, Lakshmi Vilas Bank shareholders ousted seven directors including the interim CEO and statutory auditors. Shareholders were unhappy about the way the Board and the management function and the deteriorating financial situation of the lender. Following this, the RBI appointed a three-member committee of directors to oversee the daily functions of the bank. Dhanlaxmi Bank posted a 69 percent decline in net profit at Rs 6.09 crore for the first quarter ended June 2020 due to higher provisioning. The bank had registered a net profit of Rs 19.84 crore during the same quarter of the previous fiscal. On a sequential basis, however, its net profit in the quarter under review increased from Rs 2.6 crore in the March 2020 quarter. Total income during April-June 2020 increased to Rs 278.62 crore from Rs 256.75 crore in the year-ago period, the lender said in a regulatory filing. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 08:13 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c480fe20 1 Opinion commentary,munir-said-thalib,tim-mawar,Kopassus,#commentary,Jokowi,Joko-Widodo,Efek-Rumah-Kaca,human-rights Free I could drown in the ocean / I could be poisoned in the air / I could be killed in the streets / But I will never die / Will never stop. I always have mixed feelings every time I listen to these lines in Di Udara (In the Air), a song that indie rock band Efek Rumah Kaca dedicated to Munir Said Thalib, the fearless human rights defender who was murdered 16 years ago. On the one hand, these lines reflect the tireless struggles of human rights activists and families of the victims and the survivors of human rights violations as they continue to call for the state to fulfill its responsibility in seeking truth and reconciliation. At the same time, I realize that this song might not have been written at all if the government had made sure that justice was served. The reform movement came with a hefty price tag: Dozens of prodemocracy activists were abducted at the end of the New Order regime in the late 1990s and thousands of people died in the antigovernment demonstrations and the rioting that ensued, while others were killed in security crackdowns. But 22 years on, the government has continued to turn its back on the sacrifices these individuals made, whether by choice or not, to give rise to a democratic Indonesia. The recent appointment of two former members of the Armys Special Forces (Kopassus) to top posts in the Defense Ministry is the latest example of the governments refusing to pay its debt to those who fought for democratic reform. Read also: Rights body questions government commitment to human rights In particular, that President Joko Jokowi Widodo signed the controversial appointments contradicts the pledge he made before the survivors and families of the victims of past human rights abuses. Never mind that Jokowis handpicked choice for Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, was found by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) in 2006 to have ordered the abduction of prodemocracy activists in 1997-1998, when he was the Kopassus commander. Nine activists were later returned alive, but 13 others, including activists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) and poet Wiji Thukul, remain missing to this day. Now Army generals, Brig. Gen. Dadang Hendrayuda and Brig. Gen. Yulius Selvanus were among the 11 commandos of the infamous Tim Mawar (Rose Team) who were convicted in 1999 by the Military Court for their involvement in the activists abduction. The court also ordered that five of the convicted soldiers be discharged, which included Yulius. The military discharge was later annulled after the five appealed their verdict at a military tribunal, which is closed to the public. Dadang and Yulius were among four ex-members of Tim Mawar who were promoted to one-star generals and given government positions in 2016. The Army defended the promotions, saying that the soldiers had been punished, though survivors and families of the disappeared begged to differ. The stalled efforts to reform the military justice system is partly to blame. But Jokowi, like the other democratically elected presidents before him and the supreme command of the Indonesian Military (TNI), has opted to keep intact the pre-democracy culture of state and military impunity. So lets call a spade a spade: Jokowis pledge to resolve gross human rights violations of the past have remained mere rhetoric of his 2014 and 2019 election campaigns. He, too, has turned a blind eye and heart to the small group of Kamisan protesters who held a rally every Thursday outside Merdeka Palace for nearly 13 years, before the pandemic struck the country in March. Dressed in black, they have long demanded justice for all victims of human rights violations. Unsurprisingly, the public doubts Jokowis capacity and will to resolve past human rights cases, as evidenced by a 2019 Kompas survey. Read also: Jokowi vows to settle past human rights abuse cases. But which ones? Jokowi once said that resolving past human rights atrocities was not an easy task, even though he owes his political ascendancy to the post-New Order democratic system. Still, many of the human rights cases implicate those individuals who helped him win the presidency in 2014 and reelection in 2019. Some of these very same people now hold strategic posts in his administration. Bringing closure to past human rights violations should not pose much difficulty for the President of the country, if only he were committed to the cause. Many witnesses are still alive, as are the military personnel implicated in these cases, including those who have never faced justice. Komnas HAMs preliminary investigations into at least 11 unsolved cases of human rights violations have been submitted to the Attorney Generals Office (AGO), where they have languished in abeyance for years. All it takes is the Presidents political will and courage to order the Attorney General to follow up on the groundwork that Komnas HAM has already done to unveil the facts behind the atrocities. In the case of the 1997-1998 forced disappearances of prodemocracy activists, Jokowi should lead the charge by issuing a presidential decree to establish an ad hoc human rights court, as the House of Representatives recommended 11 years ago. The least Jokowi can do for now is to stop endorsing those found complicit in human rights violations for public office. Otherwise, he is not only granting impunity to perpetrators of past human rights abuses, but also trampling on the sacrifices of those who fought and died for the very democracy. So have courage, Pak Jokowi. Be fearless like Munir. Break the chain of impunity, lest history put you down as just another president who failed the democratic aspirations of his people. ---------- Staff writer at The Jakarta Post Two suspected robbers have been gunned down following a shoot-out with police officers on the Ofankor-Achimota main road in Accra. The Greater Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Afia Tenge shared with Citi News incidents that led to the shootout. On September 29, 2020, around 10: 30 pm, a gentleman was attacked by two unidentified men on a motorbike on his way to his residence at Tantra Hills in Accra. The two who were on a motorbike chased him to the front of his gate. They then pulled a knife on him and ordered him to surrender every valuable on him. The riders sped off with the victim's Samsung phone and GHS 800.00 cash. The victim immediately called on the Mile 7 police for assistance. The two were later spotted at midnight around the St. Johns Senior High School (SHS) on the Ofankor-Achimota Main Road. Upon seeing the police, one of the suspects pulled out a pistol on the police. The police however detected this earlier and gunned them down before he could pull the trigger, she added. The police found a pistol with 7 rounds of ammunition and cash on them as well as the Royal Motorbike. Both bodies have been deposited at the Police Hospital for preservation, identification, and autopsy. The victim however has identified them as the robbers. citinewsroom The alleged forceful cremation of a 19-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh, Hathras, after she succumbed to injuries sustained when she was gang-raped has created a furore across the country. People from all walks of lives are expressing their anger and sadness on social media. Popular artistes and actors from the film industry have also questioned the motive behind the alleged forceful cremation of the rape victim at midnight, calling it a matter of shame. The womans family has claimed that the police took away the dead body of their daughter in the middle of the night. The police have forcibly taken the dead body, and my father along with them for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the crematorium) by the police, the womans brother told news agency PTI. Actress Richa Chadha took to Twitter to say that this society hates women and does not allow them to be born. She added that if the women manage to survive, they have to fight to live with dignity. The actress stated that the society hate women as little girls and as movie stars. She concluded her post by writing, Comments under this tweet will prove how much we hate women. No country that hates women will ever be at peace. At the end of the post, she dropped a bow-arrow emoji. We hate women.We dont allow them to be born, if they do manage to live,its a battle to live with dignity.We hate women as little girls,we hate them as movie stars.Comments under this tweet will prove how much we hate women. No country that hates women will ever be at peace https://t.co/s7M2IWCSD4 TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) September 30, 2020 Actor Farhan Akhtar asserted that the Hathras incident will forever remain a blemish on the fabric of this nation. Lashing out at those who shield perpetrators, he said that its barbaric to deny the bereaved family last rites of their daughter. In the end, he stated, Humanity is dead. #Hathras will forever remain a blemish on the fabric of this nation. Shame on all those who shield people who commit such crimes and all those who cover it up. To deny an already broken & grieving family their daughters last rites is barbaric. Humanity is dead. Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) September 30, 2020 Famous poet and writer Javed Akhtar, who is the father of Farhan Akhtar, questioned what makes those people who allegedly forcefully cremated the body of the victim at the midnight confident that they will get away with this audacity. He asked who gave them the assurance that nothing will happen to them. The UP police cremated the body of the rape victim of Hathras at 2.,30 in the night without the permission or even the presence of the family . It leaves us with a question . What makes them confident that they will get away with this audacity . Who has given them this assurance Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) September 30, 2020 Comedian and actor Vir Das shared a video posted by NDTV, in which a man (presumably the victims father) can be seen requesting to the police to allow them to take the dead body home. Expressing his angst, he wrote, What happened here is disgusting. These men are disgusting and I hope they pay the heaviest price possible for taking away the right to mourn from their family. Disgusting. What happened here is disgusting. These men are disgusting and I hope they pay the heaviest price possible for taking away the right to mourn from thie family. If our authorities and leadership do not take action, we have ZERO right to call ourselves a democracy. https://t.co/B8RY5HwjgU Vir Das (@thevirdas) September 30, 2020 He added that if action is not taken then this country cant be called a democracy. Here are some more reactions: We forgot the Hathras victim. We failed her at every level. This is on our collective conscience. Dia Mirza (@deespeak) September 29, 2020 How long do we have to tolerate these brutal crimes !! The culprits of this horrific crime should be punished #Hathras Huma S Qureshi (@humasqureshi) September 29, 2020 The victim succumbed to her injuries after being admitted in a Delhi hospital for 15 days on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. Boys Basketball: Watertown wins over Rapid City Stevens Reese Stark and Drew Norberg combined for 41 points to propel Watertown to a 61-51 high school boys basketball win over Rapid City Stevens. Congratulations, Downing Street! The Cabinet has achieved the impossible and unified the nation. Whatever our politics, wherever we live in Britain, we all think they're idiots. As a diner in one of my restaurants said yesterday: 'Frankly, at this point, I would feel safer if the coronavirus held a press conference telling us how it's going to protect us from the Government.' Congratulations, Downing Street! The Cabinet has achieved the impossible and unified the nation. Whatever our politics, wherever we live in Britain, we all think they're idiots I am beside myself with frustration at the latest measure: imposing a 10pm curfew on the hospitality industry. Pubs and restaurants that have been helping to keep people safe with stringent hygiene and social distancing measures must eject everyone on to the streets at the stroke of 10pm. Last Friday and Saturday, soon after 10pm, I walked through Soho in Central London and the area was like an illegal rave, with thousands of people mingling noisily. It was mayhem. Many were simply partying in the street. Others were trying to get away, cramming cheek-by-jowl into Ubers and black cabs, or milling around, waiting for the Tube and buses to be less jammed. It would be ridiculously naive to suppose they were all going home to bed. Across London, people were heading to illegal house parties, where there would be no precautions against the spread of Covid-19. For the Government to shut us down at 10pm is counter-productive and destructive (pictured scientific advisors Sir Chris Whitty (left) and Sir Patrick Vallance (right)) Vigilant By invoking powers that most of us did not know were legal and imposing this ludicrous curfew, the Government is herding countless drinkers and diners away from safe environments. Frankly, it turned my stomach to see pictures last week of council-funded 'inspectors' wearing high-visibility jackets, patrolling Soho and peering into letterboxes to check nobody inside was having fun after the curfew. No one is better equipped for keeping customers safe than the hospitality industry. We have the staff, the infrastructure and the motivation it's vitally important to us that we enable people to meet on our premises while shielding them from the risk of catching the coronavirus. The most reliable figures I've seen suggest that a mere 3 per cent or 4 per cent of Covid-19 infections occur across pubs, restaurants and even hotels. That's far less than the transmission rate on public transport, for instance, or practically anywhere else. After 45 years in the restaurant business I know that as long as they are with us, they are in almost no danger. Our kitchens at restaurants including The Wolseley, The Delaunay and Brasserie Zedel are proven to be safer than the average domestic kitchen. In the dining areas, waiting staff are scrupulous about ensuring patrons are masked when they are not at their tables, and that customers are well-separated. They take their responsibility very seriously because they know their jobs depend on it. There is no need for Covid marshals in a restaurant. Every waiter has to be vigilant. To shut us down at 10pm is counter-productive and destructive. Famously, many restaurants survive on very tight margins. You might think closing at 10pm rather than 11pm would make little difference: it's only an hour, after all. But in many cases, that means that a 'second sitting' is impossible and with it goes any chance of turning a profit. It really does feel as if a specially commissioned think tank has been assembled to find ways of bringing Britain's restaurant industry to its knees. The threat of draconian fines for people caught disobeying rules that no one (not even the Prime Minister) can explain, the flip-flopping policies (and, in London, the seven-day congestion charge) all combine to threaten with an extinction a sector that employs three million hardworking people across the UK. Boris Johnson's mixed messages are beyond parody. 'Go to work / Don't go to work. Eat out to help out / Drink up and go home.' All this conspires to make people feel that restaurant dining simply isn't worth the trouble. We don't know what we're allowed to do and so, being a law-abiding nation, we end up doing nothing. All over Britain, cafes and restaurants, the independents as well as the big chains, are being wrecked. My establishments cater to a wide demographic, but no one is immune to the effects of the disaster. Tragedy Mercifully, many of us are supported by loyal customers who help us keep our heads above water. The atmosphere in my restaurants has actually been quite electric, buzzing with the dogged determination of our regulars to keep enjoying themselves in spite of confused and counterproductive government edicts. But thousands of places have been unable to open again. They've gone under, and I'm afraid more will follow. That is a tragedy for the customers to whom favourite restaurants are very special: one diner described it to me as 'a kind of bereavement'. When people treat themselves to a meal out, they are not only buying food. They want to enjoy a special atmosphere with friendly, welcoming staff who recognise them and make them feel valued. Every restaurant is a sort of club for its regulars. Even if some of the shuttered businesses might one day reopen, that ambience will be gone. Different staff will be hired, in many cases, because the old ones have been forced to seek work elsewhere. An atmosphere that took years to be lovingly built up is snuffed out. For me, that is heart-breaking. My staff are like my family. I've known them for many years and their contribution has been invaluable. We've been desperate to avoid redundancies, but Chancellor Rishi Sunak's furlough scheme was cruel to restaurant workers as it failed to take into account tips and service charges. As a result, many of my staff were reduced to about 40 per cent of their earnings, instead of 80 per cent. I know staff who are facing eviction for non-payment of rent and others who have racked up dangerous levels of debt. We are doing everything we can to support them, but the only realistic way to help is to get them back to work. That's why I've taken the huge gamble of reopening our restaurants (the three I have already mentioned, plus Colbert, Soutine and Fischer's). This isn't business as usual. It's about people's livelihoods. All this sacrifice might feel more worthwhile if I had any confidence in the medical science behind the curfew. Instead, I have yet to meet a person in the medical profession who believes the Government is doing the right thing. Misguided One of the pleasures in owning restaurants is the opportunity it provides to meet a range of people one might otherwise never talk to. In recent days I have chatted to the director of a hospital trust, an epidemiologist and several doctors. Like me, they fear this policy is deeply misguided and will cause further economic misery. Worse even than the curfew is the panic that has turned cities into ghost towns. This mindless over-reaction is destroying the fabric of the country. Parts of my industry will be able to withstand the curfew, at least in the short term. But millions of jobs in all industries will be lost, undermining the British economy, if the emptying of our cities continues. Curfews and lockdowns cannot kill Covid-19. Sadly, the virus will just flare up again. But these insane policies can kill countless individual businesses and with them our whole way of life. Restaurateur Jeremy King is co-founder of Corbin & King. Melania Trump has revealed she always knew her husband would win the US presidential election 'if and when he ran,' as she opens up about how her childhood in Slovenia and travels as a model has led her to serve as First Lady. In a rare interview featured in the British lifestyle magazine Tatler, the 50-year-old spoke about her humble beginnings, her strong belief in capitalism, and Donald Trump's presidency. While the former fashion model featured regularly as a cover girl during the heyday of her career, since her husband's shock election in 2016 she hasn't appeared on any major magazine front covers. And Tatler's November issue offers no exception. That honor was handed to another internationally recognized woman from a powerful family: Meghan Markle. Opening up: Melania Trump, 50, spoke about her humble beginnings, her belief in capitalism, and President Donald Trump in an interview with Tatler During the in-depth interview, Melania recalled how her husband announced on the Larry King Live show in 1999 that he was considering running for office, but she said they had known then that the time was not right. 'We knew it wasn't the time. But I did know that if and when he ran, he would win,' she told the publication. Following Trump's stunning defeat of Democratic nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, he, his wife, and their son Barron moved from Trump Tower penthouse to the White House. Cover: The interview is featured in the November issue of the British magazine As First Lady, Melania launched her Be Best initiative, which focuses on well-being, online safety, and tackling opioid abuse. After three and a half years in office, she shared that she is most proud of the measures the Trump administration has taken against addiction. 'We have to take away the stigma and shame that comes with addiction and treat it as an illness,' she said. 'I'm proud of the strides and results this administration has made, resulting in saved lives.' Melania was born Melanija Knavs in 1970 and grew up in the small industrial town of Sevnica, in Slovenia. The economically crippled country was under the rulership of the Slovenia Communist Party at the time, with democracy not established until 1990. Her father, Viktor Knavs, was a car dealer, and her mother, Amalija Knavs, was a designer for children's clothing. 'I grew up with a beautiful family and had a wonderful childhood,' she said. 'My mother and father taught us the importance of education, hard work, and family.' Looking back: Melania recalled how her husband announced on the Larry King Live show in 1999 that he was considering running for office, but it wasn't the right time Confident: Melania, pictured at President Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017, said she knew that 'if and when he ran, he would win' Role of a lifetime: Melania said her childhood in Slovenia, her life as an international model, and her time in New York has let to her 'serving our great nation as First Lady' Melania started modeling when she was 16, and by the time she was 18, she was signed with an agency in Milan, Italy. She worked in both Milan and Paris before she moved to New York in 1996. She met her future husband at a fashion party in 1998, and they married in a lavish ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2005. A year later, they welcomed their only child together, Barron, who is now 14. Trump has a total of five children. He shares three children Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric with his first wife Ivana Trump, and he has a younger daughter Tiffany with his second wife Marla Maples. Melania told Tatler that her childhood and subsequent years living across Europe had prepared her for where she is now. 'Growing up in Slovenia, living in both Milan and Paris at a young age, then moving to the United States and living in New York City in my 20s all of that has led to my serving our great nation as First Lady,' she said. Melania is the first First Lady to be a naturalized citizen as well as the first whose native language is not English. When asked how her life experiences and growing up under communism had shaped her, she said: 'I can tell you that I believe in free-market capitalism.' Accomplishments: Melania, pictured at Concord Hospital in New Hampshire, said she is most proud of the measures the Trump administration has taken against addiction Making history: Melania, pictured with Queen Elizabeth II in December, is the first First Lady to be a naturalized citizen as well as the first whose native language is not English Family: The President and First Lady have one child together, 14-year-old Barron Melania's interview is promoted on the cover of the magazine with the headline: 'The final days of the First Lady? Melania talks to Tatler.' While she rarely does in-depth interviews, she does not star on the cover of the November issue, with Meghan Markle featured. Last year, the First Lady became embroiled in a high-profile spat with legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour after she passed on having her as the cover star of the fashion magazine. 'To be on the cover of Vogue doesn't define Mrs. Trump, she's been there, done that long before she was First Lady,' spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said at the time. Wintour never specifically expressed she would never feature Melania Trump on the cover again but suggested she isn't enthused by the prospect - partly because she said the magazine is not impartial when it comes to politics. 'I believe and I think that those of us that work at Conde Nast believe that you have to stand up for what you believe in and you have to take a point of view,' Wintour said to CNN at the time. Former First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on the cover of the magazine three times while her husband was in office. The magazine has also featured New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and former first Hillary Clinton. 'Obviously these are women that we feel are icons and inspiring to women from a global perspective,' Wintour continued. 'I also feel even more strongly now that this is not a time to try and I think one has to be fair, one has to look at all sides but I don't think it's a moment not to take a stand.' Grisham said the comments demonstrate how 'insecure' and 'small-minded' the Vogue editor is in retort. But similarly to Vogue, other high profile publications have shunned Melania from its covers during her more than three years as first lady. Her absence from their front pages has mirrored her broader lack of public appearances and comments. Samir Husni, director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi, told NBC that 'some magazine editors may be putting politics ahead of money and vice versa,' In the fall of 2018, Catherine Cerulli, director of the University of Rochesters Susan B. Anthony Center and the Laboratory of Interpersonal Violence and Victimization (LIVV), packed her suitcase to travel to India. Under the Fulbright Specialist Program by the US Department of State, Cerulliwho is also a professor of psychiatry at the Universitywas going to spend the month of September teaching courses on the intersection of law, policy, and social science to students at the law school of Jamia Millia Islamia, a central university in New Delhi. A renowned researcher on domestic violence, the former assistant district attorney is well aware of the regions acute problems with gender-based violence and the urgent need to improve womens safety. Horrific stories of gang rape, sometimes involving very young victims, continue to rock Indian society and keep making for shocking headlines worldwide. Once on the ground, Cerulli noticed immediately her students thirst for information on how to tackle the regions most pressing public health problems. Two students in particular stood out: not only did they sit in the front row and attend every class, but they also sometimes even repeated them. Toward the end of her stay, the two young men, Naseer Husain Jafri and Umair Ahmed Andrabi, asked Cerulli for help in starting an academic journal. The duo had already created a not-for-profit called FAITHthe Foundation for Academia, Innovation & Thoughtto host a peer-reviewed journal, as well as colloquia and other pilot projects that would focus on the intersection of law, public policy, and evidence-based science to address pressing social justice issues. When Cerulli returned to Rochester, the team continued to meet via Zoom for the next several months. Soon the group grew to include the assistant director of the Universitys Susan B. Anthony Center, Catherine Faurot, who has extensive editorial and academic writing experience. Together, Cerulli and Faurot became the editors-in-chief for the journals inaugural edition that was to focus on violence against women. Its a harrowing situation for girls and women in South Asia, says Faurot. In the face of a patriarchal culture that devalues women profoundlythere are women, girls, men working to transform that culture, working to transform womens lives. Its is profoundly inspiring to see what these women and girls face just trying to get to school or trying to get to work. Their hard work paid off: the first of two inaugural issues of the South Asian Journal of Law, Policy, and Social Research is now out. Accessible online, the peer-reviewed journal focuses on how to respond to gender-based violence with articles ranging from navigating sexual harassment on the Delhi metro, to unpacking the role of womens collectives in addressing intimate partner violence in South Asia, to engaging boys in a comprehensive model to address sexual and gender-based violence in schools. A Rochester alumna, Sachi Inoue 19, a microbiology major who is now pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University, is one of the contributors, writing about the state and future directions of gender-based sexual violence against women in India. Bridging the communication gap on gender-based violence Noting the imperative that research be accessible to policy makers at all levels of government in order to change approaches to pressing social problems, Cerulli says there is a tremendous amount of international research already available about gender-based violence. However, there is also important research being conducted in Asia that can help shape interventions prior to their being created, implemented, tested, and refined. The journal provides an opportunity to bring together all kinds of different sectors, says Cerulli. Pointing to the apparent gap in sharing research across South Asian countries, the FAITH founders Andrabi and Jafri say they wanted to create a mechanism to come together for debate, discussion, and sharing ideas, and to contribute information backed by facts and sources to the world. They write in the prologue of the first issue that often a research gap can impede progress towards dialogue. According to Faurot, the two students sought to bypass the misinformation thats being spread on social media and by a politically influenced press in the region. We believe that bridging the communication gap between the academicians of these countries, in partnership with legal practitioners and policy makers, through an interdisciplinary research platform, is a means to finding solutions to multiple regional issues, write Jafri and Andrabi. Finding qualified authors was a surprisingly quick undertaking, recalls Faurot. As the team put out the call for submissions, they were overwhelmed with interest from authors across a variety of disciplines, despite a quick deadline. Thats why the Susan B. Anthony Center decided to host two inaugural issues instead of just one, says Faurot. Pulling together an international editorial board and peer reviewers also went smoothly because people could get behind the focus of the issueto move from an idea to direct implementation, adds Cerulli. In Rochester, John Cullencurrently the SBACs acting director while Cerulli is in Washington, DC, as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowand Diane Morse, an internal medicine physician and researcher, along with medical students from the University of Rochester Medical Center pitched in, too. Anchored in science, available to all From the get-go the founders had an overriding principle in mind: not only was the journal to be firmly anchored in scientific, research-tested best practicesit was also to be widely accessible. Open access meant that everyone would have access to the articles while the authors maintained ownership over their work. But that was easier said than done. Meanwhile, the Susan B. Anthony Center successfully applied for a grant to the Universitys Office for Global Engagement to host Jafri and Andrabi for a few weeks in Rochester, New York, in September 2019. That way the two students could attend research meetings, complete their human research subjects training, and meet with potential hosts for the journal. Our office was thrilled to see this work coming from the ground up and echoing on a global level, says Ruth Levenkron, director of global affairs and engagement. We are delighted to provide support and cant wait to see what continues to develop for this project. While free access is important, theres hardly ever such a thing as a free lunch. Often, the online hosting charge is simply passed on to the authors. Yet academics in developing countries frequently lack the funds to pay such a fee. Thats where SSRN, originally founded in Rochester, stepped in and agreed to provide the online hosting for free. SSRN, formerly known as Social Science Research Network, is an Elsevier-owned repository for preprints and international journals devoted to the rapid dissemination of scholarly research in the social sciences and humanities. Originally, the journal was set to be printed and officially launched in New Delhi in early March of this year. Cerulli and Faurot were already in India, still feverishly making last copy changes from their hotel rooms, when COVID-19 turned into a pandemic. The two returned home; the physical launch was scrapped. Five months later, however, the journal was ready for prime time. Since its launch in late August, the journal has experienced tremendous responses: within a few days, the online publication had already climbed to SSRNs top ten on three separate download lists. Indian news outlets were taking note, too, reporting positively on the journal. Cerulli says there clearly is a need for this topic to be addressed in a thoughtful, academic way and then to be translated into effective policies and plans of action. We at the Susan B. Anthony Center are grateful that we were able to act as a catalyst to help launch this important initiative and offer our students and faculty a chance to partner with other international participants. ### On the other hand, several brands are yet to open their stores. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The Camaieu shop has been offering its goods on Bratislavas Obchodna Street for years. However, it emptied the space a few weeks ago as its French owner is facing serious financial problems, the Index economic magazine reported. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Although the parent company has found a new owner for its local stores, the recovery plan probably does not count on foreign branches. Moreover, the Slovak one is going bankrupt, Index wrote. Accumulating problems The Camaieu brand was founded in 1984 in France and has since expanded abroad. It had more than 1,000 shops in 18 countries across the globe, including Slovakia, during its best times. The company has faced several problems in the past few years. It opted for a transformation and back in March, information leaked that it wanted to withdraw from several markets. It planned to close altogether 135 shops in Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia, Index reported. In addition, it was hit hard by the coronavirus crisis, which slowed down its cash-flow. Following several restrictions, the shops had to close, and the company asked the courts for protection. The problems continued after it failed to receive a state loan to survive the crisis. While in Poland the company had revealed plans to close down already in May, the process in Slovakia is unknown, according to Index. Camaieu had 12 shops in Slovakia, situated in Bratislava, Kosice, Banska Bystrica, Zilina and Trencin. New brands expected Apart from Camaieu, retail brands like Forever 21, Freywille Promod, Adidas, Tous, and Klenoty Aurum either have withdrawn or plan to leave the Slovak market. Some were planning their departures before the pandemic or will leave the market gradually, the recent CBRE survey suggests. On the other hand, several retail brands want to expand their activities. This includes the fashion brands Oysho, Springfield, Woman Secret and Gap, the gastronomy brand Paul Bakery, and the furnishings brand Zara Home. The Slovak wine brand Matysak plans to expand to shopping centres, the Dennik N reported, citing the CBRE report. If America returned to 1950s family values with obvious improvements (constitutional civil rights and reasonable environmental regulations), would we be turning the clock back or forward? There is substantial evidence that this would turn the clock forward, given societys backward trend over the last sixty years family breakdown, retreat from religion, and educational and moral malaise. When Attorney General William Barr spoke at the Notre Dame Law School, he attributed this decline primarily to the progressive movement. Amy Wax and Larry Alexander argued for a return to 1950s values (the bourgeois culture that reigned from the 1940s to the mid-1960s) to mend Americas torn social fabric and disparate class gap: That culture laid out the script we all were supposed to follow: Get married before you have children and strive to stay married for their sake. Get the education you need for gainful employment, work hard, and avoid idleness. Go the extra mile for your employer or client. Be a patriot, ready to serve the country. Be neighborly, civic-minded, and charitable. Avoid coarse language in public. Be respectful of authority. Eschew substance abuse and crime. Wax and Alexander do not offer a path back to the script. Congress has no will to act, and the President cannot legislate. However, a revitalized federal court system, starting with the Supreme Court (SCOTUS), can lead the way. President Trump has moved the Court in the direction that would allow it to reverse past activism. Putting a strict constructionist in Justice Ginsburgs seat is the precursor to another four years of Trump that would move the federal courts in this direction for decades to come. This essay suggests ten key areas of change for SCOTUS, each of which could help turn America around. These changes might not contain all that needs to be done to restore the republic, but they would move us far down the path. These categories allow a cohesive, united country to emerge to solve our problems in an innovative process not possible under the current administrative state. Category I. Taxation. Legal scholar Richard Epstein argues that the Fifth Amendment by mandating compensation for property seized for public use -- means that higher tax rates on different people constitute an illegal taking. Progressive taxes, therefore, are illegal. The alternative is a flat tax law that could be codified in a couple of hundred pages instead of the current 80,000 pages. It would be a tremendous stimulus to the economy perhaps up to a 3% economic growth rate over time. Category II. Federal Agencies and Regulations Revoked. The Education Department could be a test case because education policy falls under state authority. The President could say that the Feds have no authority in education and withhold funding from the Education Department. If the Supreme Court agrees, this process could be repeated in numerous other cases. The President could issue an Executive Order defunding dozens of agencies that are not constitutionally authorized, leading to a scaled-back Federal government as initially designed. Also, SCOTUS can declare Federal government regulations unconstitutional in many cases. Courts can fill in legislative gaps as they did before the rise of the administrative state. These regulatory rollbacks could generate as much as a 2% economic growth rate over time. Since tens of thousands of state and local entities are tied to federal regulations hand and foot, the decline of the administrative state would free them as well. Category III. Education. Education vouchers should prevail throughout schools. This would free education, allowing schools, new and old, to thrive in a competitive environment. Category IV. Religion. SCOTUS should return prayer to public schools and the public square and allow governments to post the Ten Commandments. Religious freedom reigns both privately and publicly. Category V. Equality. SCOTUS's decisions should reflect that America is not a nation of warring tribes, that all citizens are created equal before the law, and that no one is more equal than another. Category VI. Free Speech. A decision should affirm that free speech is a civil right enforceable under the civil rights laws, making it illegal to enforce speech codes on campuses or elsewhere. The FBI can arrest those who impede free speech, those rioting against free speech, and those who foment violent action against free speech, including those who plan and fund such actions. The FBI may recommend prosecution to the DOJs Office of Civil Rights. Category VII. Self-Esteem Decisions. The abortion, homosexual marriage and transgender decisions were self-esteem decisions. Activist courts essentially said, To improve your group self-esteem, we shall create a special right thats not in the Constitution. The Court should rethink these rulings, not only because abortion is abhorrent, marriage is a settled institution, and transgenders need mental health care, not legal approval, but because these decisions undermine the Constitution. SCOTUS should not operate by saying, Anything goes, as long as you have the votes. Category VIII. Immigration. SCOTUS should affirm that the President has broad powers under the law to restrict immigrant entry to the country, that petitioning to enter the country does not equal a right to citizenship, and that the President has broad powers to expel non-citizens from the country. Category IX Second Amendment. The Court must roll back gun control laws. Category X. The Constitution. The Court can use its bully pulpit to encourage everyone to read and understand the Constitution, something few Americans do. As more citizens appreciate its basic tenets, it will be more difficult to subvert. People will dismiss the notion of mandated equal outcomes in favor of constitutionally mandated equality of opportunity. Conclusion. Will all these categories play out as suggested? Maybe not, but we can evaluate the concept of a realistic proposal in light of SCOTUS history. Would ordinary Americans have thought an activist Supreme Courts decisions would be realistic? If the Court acted on the above categories, over time, America would rediscover its America The Beautiful destiny. The DC swamp would become solid ground. Congressional vote value would plummet along with lobbyist salaries. Ideas would have to compete in a real marketplace of ideas. Education would thrive. Religion would be planted in fertile soil. We would be Americans, not a nation of warring tribes. Serious immigration problems would be reduced. The environment and the economy would be appropriately balanced. Free enterprise and untold innovation would emerge, leading America and the world to new heights. Western civilization would be robust. The clock would be set forward, and an enhanced version of American values would prevail to the great advantage of young and old. The Supreme Court can be a positive or negative force. When it is in a living constitution mode, it is a dangerous oligarchy with the final say over everything, making it the most powerful institution in America. Originalist orientation puts a brake on how far the judicial oligarchy can go, but were still left with a ruling oligarchy. The three branches of government are supposed to be equal. How can they be equal if one branch is Supreme? By shrinking government and limiting its reach, a strict constructionist Court can return the American government to its proper constitutional balance. Christopher Garbacz is a former professor of economics with expertise in regulation. He has published extensively and reviews for academic journals. He served as an advisor to Ben Carson in his presidential campaign. Image: Supreme Court of the United States. Pixabay License. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 09:53:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday called on all nationals to work towards a rapid rebound in employment after 2.2 million jobs were lost nationwide in the second quarter of 2020. "Our success in responding to this unprecedented crisis will be measured by the speed of our labor market recovery," Ramaphosa said. Ramaphosa made the remarks after data released by Statistics South Africa revealed that South Africa's unemployment rate fell to 23.3 percent in the second quarter from 30.1 percent in the first quarter due to fewer people looking for work amid the nation's strict coronavirus lockdown. It marks the lowest rate since the third quarter of 2009. "This sharp fall in the unemployment rate in quarter two is not a reflection of an improvement in the labor market but rather an effect of the national lockdown, since the official definition of unemployment requires that people look for work and are available for work," said the statistics body in its quarterly labor survey report. "We must ensure that every job lost during the crisis is replaced and more jobs are created so that we can meaningfully reduce unemployment," Ramaphosa said, adding that the cabinet is finalizing a program for a return to growth and a rebound in employment. Structural reforms, investment in infrastructure and other measures will play a crucial role in boosting the recovery of the labor market in the medium term, he said. The government has set up the unemployment insurance fund to provide over 43 billion rand (about 2.5 billion U.S. dollars) in temporary relief to more than 4 million workers in efforts to prevent further job losses and keep businesses alive, the president added. Besides, additional social protection measures have been provided to over 16 million South Africans, more than a quarter of the country's population, during the lockdown, he said. Enditem CSM's (Superior Council of Magistracy) section for prosecutors decided to transfer Giorgiana Hosu to the General Prosecutor's Office after she resigned from the office of prosecutor-in-chief of DIICOT (Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism). "The section for prosecutors of the Superior Council of Magistracy, after supplementing the agenda, decided that prosecutor Hosu Elena - Giorgiana should continue to work at the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, starting with 26.09.2020, as a result of her resigning from the office of prosecutor-in-chief of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, on 25.09.2020," the CSM decision states.Giorgiana Hosu asked the CSM to be allowed to continue her activity as prosecutor while working for the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice - Guidance and Control Service.Hosu resigned last week as head of DIICOT, after her husband, former police officer Dan Hosu, was sentenced by the Bucharest Court to three years suspended prison in the 'Carpatica Asig' case, for committing crimes of instigating illegal access to a computer system and instigation to the use of information not intended for the public. OTTAWA - After being rushed through the House of Commons in a single day, a bill authorizing new benefits for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic has hit a speed bump in the Senate. Sen. Marc Gold, the governments representative in the Senate, was denied leave Wednesday to have the upper house deal with Bill C-4 on Thursday, after having an opportunity to question Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough about it. Senators may yet hear from the two ministers on Thursday but they will not begin debating the legislation until Friday, barring further holdups. Sen. Scott Tannas, leader of the 13-member Canadian Senators Group, said he was among a number of senators who denied the unanimous consent Gold needed to proceed with the bill Thursday. And he said they did so to protest the fact that Gold has still not proposed a way for the Senate to resume its full functions during the pandemic, with all senators able to participate in debates and votes, either in person or virtually, as is being done in the House of Commons. Since mid-March, the upper house has met only periodically for single-day sittings to pass pandemic-related emergency aid bills. For those sittings, only a small number of senators have attended, leaving the rest with no role to play. The situation has been particularly hard on senators from Atlantic provinces, which have imposed travel restrictions on their residents during the pandemic. Weve got to be the last chamber in all of the Westminster system that is still operating with no hybrid (format) or not even a glimmer of it, Tannas said in interview. He said senators are also frustrated that the government is pressuring them to approve billions worth of aid legislation in a matter of hours and then go home and do nothing until the next emergency bill comes along. In the case of Bill C-4, he questioned the urgency, noting that applications for one of the proposed new benefits arent scheduled to open until Monday, and not until Oct. 11 for the other two. We just thought today was a good day to provoke some conversation and see if we could get to the bottom of it and get a resolution, having satisfied ourselves that this would not put anybody in jeopardy in terms of the extension of benefits, Tannas said, adding its still possible to pass the bill on Friday or to hold a special weekend sitting to get it done. Tannas said Gold has a motion for hybrid Senate sittings ready to go but has not introduced it because he wants to arrive at a consensus with all groups in the 105-seat upper house. Thats been stymied by the 21 Conservative senators, whom Tannas said continue to want everybody to be in the chamber and, if you cant be in the chamber, then you should take a sick day. A motion for hybrid sittings can be passed without the Conservatives and Tannas said no one can figure out why Gold hasnt tried to proceed without them. I dont know why. He knows full well that 80 per cent of us are ready to vote on it today. Sen. Yuen Pau Woo, leader of the largest caucus group in the chamber, the Independent Senators Group, said his members are equally frustrated and mystified about why Gold has not introduced a motion on hybrid sittings. This issue of hybrid sittings has been discussed for many months, Woo said in interview, adding that he supports Tannas efforts to force the issue. Many of us were expecting that there would be a motion this week ... It surprises many of us that we havent seen such a motion being tabled. Nevertheless, Woo stressed that ISG senators are committed to passing Bill C-4 this week. In a written statement, Gold said that he fully supports the implementation of a hybrid approach as soon as the Senates internal administration reaches a state of operational readiness. He said much progress has been made to make hybrid sittings possible this fall but declined further comment since discussions among Senate leaders are ongoing. Opposition MPs have expressed similar frustration about the short time theyve been given to deal with emergency aid legislation. Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois MPs voted Tuesday against the governments bid to fast-track Bill C-4 through the Commons. With the support of the NDP, the government was nevertheless able to speed up passage of the bill, which was eventually approved unanimously in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Conservative and Bloc MPs took shots Wednesday at the NDP as they explained why they supported the bill after vigorously opposing the manner in which it was sped through the Commons. This is a minority government, not a coalition government, Conservative House leader Gerard Deltell said. We have to keep that in mind and I hope that the NDP will continue to do their job. They are there as an opposition party and they have to do opposition work in the House of Commons. Deltell said Conservatives ultimately supported the bill because, in the big picture, we are talking about Canadian workers. They need some support. Canadian business, they need some support. So this is why we approved the bill at the end of the process. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet echoed that position, saying the principles of the legislation are pretty good. Yet both he and Deltell continued to complain about the fast-tracking, with Blanchet saying the Liberals decision to rush the aid package was a blow to democracy, robbing MPs of a chance to analyze and possibly improve the bill. We were not given time to proceed with the analysis and the improvements that this law might have received because the government decided for some particular reasons or purpose that it was important enough for the government to impose the shut-up procedure, Blanchet said. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh shot back that New Democrats supported the bill only after forcing the government to make changes that will help millions more Canadians. And he mocked the other two opposition parties for complaining that the NDP fought to get help to people too quickly. We fought and we won for Canadians, Singh said. The Conservatives and the Bloc have done nothing. Throughout this pandemic, theres not a single win they can point to that theyve helped out Canadians. I think thats a pretty bad record. All opposition parties have blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for creating the need for the speedy approval of the bill by proroguing Parliament for a month, during which time it could not deal with anything. Bill C-4 replaces the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which came to an end last weekend after helping almost nine million Canadians weather the pandemic. The CERB is being replaced with a more flexible and generous employment insurance regime and, for those who still dont qualify for EI, a new Canada Recovery Benefit. The bill also creates a new sick-leave benefit and another new caregiver benefit for those forced to take time off work to care for a dependent due to the pandemic. At the behest of the NDP, the government has increased the proposed new benefits to $500 per week from the originally proposed $400, aiming to see that no one receives less than they were getting under the CERB. It has also expanded the eligibility criteria for the sick-leave benefit so that it applies not just to individuals who contract COVID-19 but also to those with underlying health conditions or other illnesses, including the flu or the common cold, that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. Read more about: A mother has died while unsuccessfully trying to save her autistic son during a house fire in California. Feda Almaliti, 43, escaped the blaze which broke out inside her Fremont home shortly after 2 am on Saturday morning. Feda's sister and niece also managed to safely evacuate the residence - but the mom decided to head back inside after realizing her 15-year-old son, Muhammad, was not with them. In a statement, obtained by Mercury News, the Fremont Fire Department claimed that Feda 'bravely re-entered the residence in an attempt to rescue him as flames and heavy smoke rapidly advanced from the first floor to the second floor'. Feda Almaliti, 43, died while unsuccessfully trying to save her autistic son, Muhammad, 15, during a house fire in California on Tuesday morning Feda rushed back into the burning home to try and rescue Muhammad from the second floor. Smoke is shown billowing out from the Fremont, California home Flame are seen pouring out the top of the Fremont home on Tuesday morning Firefighters promptly arrived on the scene, and 'began an aggressive interior attack with simultaneous search and rescue efforts.' They discovered the mother and son in a rear bedroom on the second floor of the home. A neighbor told FOX 2 that firefighters found the pair were 'embracing'. The pair were rushed to a nearby hospital, but died from their injuries. 'This is a tragic and heartbreaking incident,' the fire department's statement read. 'Feda Almaliti courageously risked her life to save her son's. Her actions were selfless and valiant.' Fire crews rushed the mother and son to hospital, but they died from their injuries Feda is being remembered as a trailblazer who fought for the rights of autistic children Tributes are pouring in for the mother and son, who were said to be inseparable. 'Muhammed was the center of her universe. There is no way that she - she couldn't exist in a world without him, and he couldn't exist in a world without her,' friend Sarah Trautman told FOX 2. Feda is being remembered as a trailblazer who valiantly fought for the rights of her son. Mercury News reports that she was among a number of parents who fought tirelessly for SB 946, a bill which requires insurance companies to cover treatment for autism. SB 946 became law in 2012, changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Californian parents who have autistic children. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, of storing weapons near a gas company in Beiruts neighbourhood, swiftly denied by the Iran-backed group. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Netanyahu warned about a possible explosion in the Jnah neighbourhood, urging residents to protest and tear down the depots. I say to the people of Jnah...Youve got to protest this. Because if this thing explodes, its another tragedy..Iran and Hezbollah have deliberately put you and your families in grave danger...You should tell them, tear these depots down, said Netanyahu in a pre-recorded message. The Israeli leader displayed a photograph during his speech which purportedly showed an entrance to a missile factory in Beirut. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah denied the existence of any such missile site which was followed by the movements media centre arranging a tour for a large of journalists to what it said was the site mentioned by Netanyahu. The journalists reportedly found machines used to cut metal and gas cylinders at the site on a residential street in Jnah. Read: Netanyahu, Wife Accused Of Bringing Dirty Laundry To White House; Embassy Dismisses Report Read: IDF Confirms 15 Rockets Fired From Gaza As Netanyahu Signed Historic Accord In US Beirut blast and aftermath The Lebanese government, formed in January with the support of Hezbollah movement, resigned over the blast which wreaked havoc in the city of Beirut. Lebanon's Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad was the first top official to quit over the devastation, saying the government couldnt meet the demands of the public and the reality does not match our ambitions. Canada had offered to join Lebanons investigation into the Beirut port explosion, which claimed at least 180 lives and left thousands injured, on the condition of transparency. After meeting Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in televised remarks that Ottawa would assist in the probe under some defined conditions. "The Lebanese people expect that if Canada participates in this investigation it is because it is going to be credible, transparent and get to the bottom of things to get justice," said Champagne. Read: Lebanon's PM Designate Mustapha Adib Steps Down Over Cabinet Formation Dispute Read: US To Mediate Talks Between Israel And Lebanon Regarding Longstanding Maritime Dispute (With AP inputs) After more than a year of circling each other, Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden met on the debate stage Tuesday night in Ohio. The 74-year-old president and the 77-year-old former vice president are similar in age, and they share a mutual dislike. But they differ starkly in style and substance. All of that was evident from the outset on the Cleveland stage, in the first of three debates between the candidates. Trump is no stranger to going on offense, but his aggressive posture on stage left his Democratic opponent fighting to complete a sentence. Trump frequently interrupted Biden mid-sentence, sometimes in intensely personal ways. Theres nothing smart about you, Trump said of Biden. 47 years youve done nothing. While Trump played into his reputation as a bully, it may have been effective at breaking up the worst of Bidens attacks simply by talking over them. Moderator Chris Wallace was none too amused, delivering a pointed reproach to Trump for his interruptions. Frankly, youve been doing more interrupting, Wallace said, appealing to Trump to let his opponent speak. Trump came out of the gate looking to challenge Biden at every turn and the former vice president's patience was soon spent. You are the worst president America has ever had, Biden said. Here's a look at what the candidates said about the topics covered in the debate: The Supreme Court The first face-off for Trump and Biden came over a clash concerning a presidents prerogative to push through an election-year Supreme Court nominee. Trump says that Republicans won the election and therefore we have the right to choose Amy Coney Barrett as a replacement for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump added that he felt Democrats wouldnt even think about not doing it if given the chance to nominate a justice with just weeks until the election. Biden and other Democrats have decried Trumps nomination of a new justice given Republicans refusal to consider President Barack Obamas selection following the 2016 death of Antonin Scalia. Biden didn't mention that during the debate, however. Biden says that Barrett seems like a very fine person but that her nomination after tens of thousands of people have already voted was troubling. The debate became contentious as the candidates began to speak over each other with moderator Chris Wallace attempting to regain control of the conversation. Biden said Barrett believed the ACA was unconstitutional and would strike it down. COVID-19 Turning to the coronavirus pandemic, Wallace asked both candidates why the public should put their trust in them. 200,000 dead, Biden started, alluding to the number of Americans that have died under President Trumps watch. We have 4% of the worlds population and 20% of the deaths. The president has no plan, he continued. Biden criticized Trump for downplaying the virus at the start of the outbreak, despite audio recordings showing the president understood its danger. He waited, and waited and waited, Biden charged. If we listened to you, Trump said, millions would be dead. Trump added it was Chinas fault for the virus spread. The president criticized Biden for calling him xenophobic, which Biden interrupted saying it was unrelated to the presidents COVID-19 response. President Trump touted his virus response, lauding his administration supplying ventilators and tests. You could never have done the job we did, Trump said to Biden. He followed up criticizing the Obama administration, which Biden served as the Vice President, about the number of deaths from swine flu, which Biden said was far fewer deaths than COVID-19. Biden spat back with the personal effect the virus has had on Americans under Trumps watch. How many of you woke up today with an empty chair at the kitchen table? Biden said. His own CDC director says we could lose another 200,000." On the topic of reopening, Biden said businesses must have the money to reopen. Trump accused Biden of wanting to shutdown the country. Trump said more people will be hurt if they reopen. Wallace asked Trump if he believes in masks, which Trump produced a mask from his breast pocket as proof. Masks make a big difference, Biden said, and alluded to Trumps own head of the CDC saying they are effective. Trump responded saying the CDC has been wrong as well. Wallace asked about the candidates different rally sizes. People want to hear what I have to say, Trump said. Wallace asked if Trump is worried about virus spread, which Trump moved away from saying Biden had smaller crowds. Hes not worried about you," Biden criticized. Hes been totally irresponsible with the way hes handled social distancing." Trump accused Biden of only holding small crowd sizes because he couldnt get larger crowds. The Economy On the economy, Trump repeats his campaign line that he shepherded in the best economy in the nations history and claimed that Biden would ruin it by shutting it back down. Biden maintained that the economic recovery is only helping the wealthy. He added that the only way to get the economy moving is to fix the COVID-problem.You cant fix the economy until you fix the COVID crisis, Biden said. The conversation moved into the recent New York Times investigation that showed Trump paid $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017. Trump refuted the report and said he paid millions of dollars in taxes in those years. Biden interrupted and told the president to release his tax returns, which the president said he would do after an audit is over. Biden said Trump does take advantage of the tax code and pays less tax than a schoolteacher. Trump shrugged off the attack, saying that all business leaders do the same unless they are stupid. Race After fighting to gain control, charging Trump with the lion's share of interrupting Wallace asked candidates about how they plan to deal with protests and riots in major cities. "It's about equity and equality. It's about decency and the constitution," Biden said. The former vice president alluded to the president's "very fine people" comment during the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" protest, accusing him of stoking tensions. Biden argued against Trump's claim that he has done more than any president, save for President Abraham Lincoln, for the Black community, by criticizing that the coronavirus disproportionately kills Black Americans. Trump spat back on Biden's support of the 1990 crime bill, saying Biden referred to Black Americans as "super predators." Trump criticized Biden's lack of support from police officers and sheriffs. He touted his response to protests and riots, particularly sending in federal troops to Portland, Oregon. Wallace asked both candidates about the Breonna Taylor case. Biden said he believes there is systemic injustice for Black Americans in the United States, but also said most police officers are good people. Biden said he would call together a gathering of civil rights groups and police representatives to find a solution to systemic injustice. He also said "peaceful protests" are appropriate but riots are not, a statement which Trump was skeptical of. Wallace asked about Trump's administration ceasing racial sensitivity training in federal agencies, which Trump said was "racist." He called racial sensitivity training "radical." "They are teaching people to hate our country," Trump said. Biden disagreed, and said Trump is a racist. Wallace asked Trump if the protests and riots are a party issue, which Trump said it was. Trump continued to attack Biden saying he couldn't support the suburbs. "He wouldn't know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn," Biden said. Asked about reimagining policing, Biden said he wanted more funding and community policing to assist in relations between officers and the community. Trump asked Biden to name one law enforcement group who supported him, which Biden attempted to move on from before Wallace moved to the next question. Wallace asked if either candidate has called governors suggesting they crackdown on protests. Biden said he is not a serving member of government and hadn't. He continued that governors would have an easier time dealing with them if Trump would stay out of the way. Trump said the National Guard should be sent in. Wallace asked if Trump was willing to ask militant groups to stand down in protests. Trump said he would, saying, particularly to the Proud Boys, "stand back and stand by." Climate Change As wildfires rage out west and the Atlantic Ocean on the tail-end of a historic hurricane season, the issue of climate change was addressed during the debate in an unexpected twist. President Trump says he wants crystal-clean water and air. I want beautiful, clean air, but did not elaborate on a plan to improve the environment. President Trump says he believes humans contribute to global warming to an extent, but maintained that better forest management would help in the battle against wildfires. The president defended his rollback of Obama-era protections on fuel-efficiency standards, saying the the car is much less expensive, and its a much safer car and that the difference in fuel emissions was tiny. Were in real trouble, said Biden when he began to discuss the billions of dollars spent on recovery in areas impacted by hurricanes and other major storms like the derecho that tore through Iowa in August. Biden said, if elected, he would rejoin the Paris climate accord and would encourage environmental standards for other countries. Election Integrity Wallace asked both candidates what they were prepared to do to reassure the U.S. to feel confident in the coming election with so many mail-in ballots being cast. "Prepare to let people vote," Biden said. He followed that there is "no evidence" that mail-in ballots lead to corruption. "Show up and vote" he implored Americans. Trump claimed Hillary Clinton and other members of government attempted "a coup" to stop him from being president but, "We've caught 'em," he said, "we've caught 'em all." Trump called mail-in ballots "a disaster." He then said that while "solicited ballots," ballots a voter requests, are OK, mail-in ballots would lead to fraud. Wallace asked if Trump is counting on the Supreme Court and nominating Amy Coney Barrett to settle the election, to which Trump said yes he believed it could end up in court. Biden said many states have used unsolicited ballots for decades with no major issues. "He's just afraid of counting the votes," Biden said. Wallace asked if Biden is concerned about a Supreme Court with Barrett could affect the results, which Biden said he was concerned about any court being a part of the process. Wallace asked the candidates if they would urge supporters to stay calm as the votes are counted, as well as will they pledge not to declare victory early. Trump raised concerns about cheating and said he couldn't pledge if his supporters saw corruption at polls. Biden pledged he wouldn't claim an early victory and for his supporters to remain calm. He also raised that the military votes with mail-in ballots and asked why that isn't considered corrupt. Biden said he would be a steady presence for the American public. "I will be a president for Democrats and Republicans," Biden ended the debate with. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Non-food bank credit growth decelerated to 6 per cent in August as against 9.8 per cent in the same month last year, RBI data showed on Wednesday. Non-food credit stood at Rs 90.46 lakh crore as on August 28, according to the data on sectoral deployment of bank credit released by the Reserve Bank. Credit to agriculture and allied activities increased by 4.9 per cent in August 2020 as compared with a growth of 6.8 per cent in August 2019," it said. Growth of credit to industry decelerated to 0.5 per cent from 3.9 per cent in August 2019. Within industry, credit to food processing, petroleum, coal products and nuclear fuels, leather and leather products, wood and wood products and paper and paper products segments registered accelerated growth in August 2020 as compared to the growth in the corresponding month of the previous year. However, credit growth to beverage and tobacco, construction, infrastructure, rubber plastic and their products, chemical and chemical product, glass and glassware and all engineering decelerated / contracted. The RBI further said credit growth to the services sector decelerated to 8.6 per cent in August 2020 from 13.3 per cent in the same month last year. Within this (services) sector, credit to computer software, trade and tourism, hotels and restaurants registered accelerated growth in August 2020 vis-a-vis the growth in the corresponding month of the previous year," it said. Personal loans continued to perform well, registering a growth of 10.6 per cent as compared to 15.6 per cent expansion in August 2019. Within this sector, vehicle loans registered an accelerated growth in August 2020 as compared to the same month of the previous year. A Government minister has told civil service chiefs they are 'too reliant' on hiring private consultants to solve their problems and must reduce the amount of money they spend on outside help. Lord Agnew, a Cabinet Office and Treasury minister, said in a leaked letter the amount of work being farmed out to the private sector was 'unacceptable' and that it 'infantilises' the civil service. In the letter, sent two weeks ago, he said too often private consultants provided 'poor value for money' as he called for Government departments to keep more of their work in-house. The shot across the bows comes after Whitehall spending on consultants has surged in the wake of the 2016 EU referendum, hitting more than 1.5billion in 2017/18. Lord Agnew, a minister at the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, has told civil service bosses to reduce the amount of money departments are spending on private consultants The amount of money spent on consultants has surged since the EU referendum in 2016, with expenditure trebling over three years to more than 1.5 billion in 2017/18 How much does the Government spend on private consultants? There has been a massive spike in Government spending on private consultants in recent years. New controls introduced in 2010 saw spending dramatically curtailed from 1.9bn in 2009/10 to 651m in 2010/11. Annual expenditure then stayed between about 400m and 700m for the next six years. But between 2015/16 and 2017/18 spending on consultants trebled in real terms, according to the National Audit Office, from 513m to more than 1.5bn. The surge in spending came as the UK wrestled with its divorce from the European Union. Official figures for 2018/19 and beyond are yet to be released but the advent of the coronavirus crisis is expected to have had a considerable impact on spending on consultants this year. This is how much the Government has spent on private consultants since the start of the last decade: 2009/10: 1.9bn 2010/11: 651m 2011/12: 383m 2012/13: 451m 2013/14: 723m 2014/15: 669m 2015/16: 513m 2016/17: 970m 2017/18: 1.5bn Advertisement Departments often hire consultants when they believe specialist advice or expertise is needed. But in the letter seen by The Guardian, Lord Agnew made clear that the civil service should be making better use of its own staff. He reportedly wrote in the letter: 'Four years after voting to leave the European Union it is unacceptable that the civil service still has not developed the capability to deliver this through our own civil servants. 'We are too reliant on consultants. 'Aside from providing poor value for money, this infantilises the civil service by depriving our brightest people of opportunities to work on some of the most challenging, fulfilling and crunchy issues.' The peer said the civil service appeared to be 'ineffectual' at making the most of its new recruits to do more of the work. He said instead projects are too often 'outsourced to consultants using similar people at a vastly inflated cost' - something he described as 'unacceptable'. In the wake of the 2016 Brexit vote consultancy firms cashed in on Government contracts to the tune of approximately 1 billion. That then increased to more than 1.5billion in 2017/18. That represents a massive leap in spending after new controls introduced in 2010 saw annual outlay fall to between 400 million and 700 million over the next six years. Official figures for 2018/19 and beyond are yet to be released by the Government. Lord Agnew also hit out over different IT and HR systems being used across Whitehall which make it difficult for the Government to know precisely how much is being spent on consultants. However, defenders of the civil service are likely to point out that it has had to deal with three prime ministers in a four year period while also trying to smooth the UK's split from the EU, making an increase in spending on consultants inevitable. Lord Agnew, pictured far left on the day of the Budget on March 11, said Whitehall is 'too reliant' on outside help and should do more of its work in-house Dave Penman, the boss of the FDA union for senior civil servants, said ministers needed to 'understand the challenges placed on the civil service if they seriously want to make rational reform'. A Government spokesman said 'considerable steps' had been taken since 2010 to 'reduce unnecessary spending' but ministers are concerned Whitehall is 'too reliant on consultants'. The spokesman said ministers had made clear to departments that 'services should only be procured when external expertise is essential and represents value for money'. Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: U.S. private equity firm Advent International closed its latest fund, Advent Latin American Private Equity Fund VII (LAPEF VII), at $2 billion. The global private equity investor said in a news release that it has raised a total of $22 billion in private equity capital across its strategies in the past 16 months. LAPEF VII is 4.8% smaller than its predecessor, the $2.1 billion Advent Latin American Private Equity Fund VI, which closed in 2014 and was at the time the largest private equity fund ever raised for the region. A broad base of institutional investors participated in LAPEF VII, including public and corporate pension funds, endowments and foundations, funds of funds, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and other financial institutions. The majority of the capital came from limited partners in LAPEF VI, with Advent admitting a select number of new strategic investors into the Fund as well. Investors in the latest fund include California State Teachers' Retirement System, West Sacramento; Washington State Investment Board, Olympia; Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund, Tigard; Michigan Retirement Systems, East Lansing; Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., Juneau; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and District of Columbia Retirement Board. "LAPEF VII is a testament to our strong track record in Latin America, established over six generations of funds and several economic and private equity cycles," said Patrice Etlin...................... To view our full article Click here Page Content The Right to Rebel Against an Oppressive Government The second day (September 25, 2020) of the ACRPS conference on The Constitutional Question and Democratic Transition in the Arab Countries was devoted to presentation of international experience, with the participation of experts from the United States of America, Scotland, Switzerland, Argentina and Germany. In the keynote opening lecture, moderated by Coordinator of the Democratic Transition Project and Conference Coordinator Abdel Fattah Mady, Professor of International Law and Political Science at the University of Chicago Tom Ginsburg discussed the critical issue of the right to rebel against unjust authority, outlining the historical evolution of the inclusion of this right in the constitutions of countries around the world. Ginsburg raised this thorny issue from the perspective of comparative constitutional law, asking the question: Is an uprising against an unjust authority justified, or not? The question was of deep interest to the founders of the United States, and it is no surprise surprising that the constitutions of many countries allow for their people to resist their governments or even to overthrow them under certain circumstances. However, there has seldom been systematic and empirical analysis of the extent to which this right of resistance and rebellion against authority has been enshrined within national constitutions, or of the incentives that drive the architects of constitutions to ensure that this right is so incorporated. In his approach to the study of this issue Ginsburg relied on data from the Comparative Constitutions Research Project that he co-administers, a project revealing the critical intent of constitutions encompassing the right of resistance, and clarifying their effective performance in many instances. Ginsburg made reference to the evolution of this right in the ancient civilization of China and in Islamic history, and subsequently among Western liberal thinkers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, also touching upon on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its enshrinement of the right to self-determination in the event of a foreign domination. In discussing the upcoming United States presidential elections and their uncertain outcome with some anticipating a constitutional crisis after several recent statements made by the current president, Donald Trump Ginsburg noted that in the United States certain state constitutions such as in Kentucky incorporate the right to rebel against authority. Lessons of Latin America The opening lecture was followed by two sessions, the first, devoted to reviewing experiences related to constitutional transformation in many countries of the world, was moderated by Sultan Barakat, Professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and Director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies. It featured: Nathan L. Brown, Professor of Political Science at George Washington University and former president of the Middle East Studies Association; Markus Bockenforde, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law in the Department of Legal Studies at the Central European University and Acting Director of the Constitutions Building Project at the International Foundation for Democracy and Elections in Stockholm; and William Elliott Bulmer, Professor at the University of Dundee in Scotland and Director of the Research Project on Preliminary Preparations for Building Constitutions. At the outset, Nathan Brown reviewed the process of constitution-writing in the Arab region, observing that despite a century and a half of familiarity among Arab countries with constitutions, most of the constitutions of the region were laid down by the central authority, and constitutions were not instrumental in establishing that authority, until the advent of the Arab Spring. With the latter development, a debate arose over the nature of the regime and new constitutional frameworks were proposed, raising the profound question: does a mass movement lead to different constitutional documents, or different constitutional processes? Did they lead to the development of applicable constitutional principles? Brown referred to some Arab experiences, such as Kuwait, Egypt, Palestine and others, highlighting the concept of the constitutional moment and the importance of political pluralism to ensure the implementation of constitutions, as well as of studying contexts above and beyond constitutional texts. Marcus Bockenforde raised the issue of presidential term limitation, citing the Arab countries of North Africa persisting under a long-term dictatorial rule until the Arab Spring came and toppled autocrats and their constitutions, thereby handing elites the difficult task of drafting new constitutions. Among the difficulties they faced was the determination of the powers of the executive authorities, at the heart of which lies the issue of restricting the period presidents spend in their posts. Bockenforde reviewed the design options that North African states had adopted to limit the power of the president by restricting the constitutional term, and assessed how successful they have been thus far, in the process comparing the experiences in the decade of the Arab Spring with those in countries of sub-Saharan Africa and in some Latin American countries. In his lecture, William Elliot Bulmer discussed comparative case-study knowledge in constitution-building, based on his years of work at International IDEA in support of constitution-building and constitutional reform processes in a number of countries, through the presentation of comparators. Bulmer elucidated the importance of providing direct technical information to parliamentarians and negotiators during the stages of democratic transition and at the moment of enacting constitutional reforms; the importance of the role of specialized technical institutions in providing vision and technical evaluation notes on draft constitutions; the critical role of educating civil society organizations on constitutional knowledge, referencing also the writing and editing The Constitution Building Introductory Series that was published by International IDEA on the topic of comparative constitutional design, globally. Bulmer concluded by underlining the importance of comparative constitutional knowledge and the role of constitutional expertise, calling for more south-south and south-north knowledge transfers. The second session of foreign experts was moderated by Omar Ashour, Professor at the Doha Institute and Head of the Masters Program in Critical Security Studies, with interventions by Katia Papagianni, Director of Policy Support and Mediation at the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva and an expert in designing processes of national dialogue, and Gabriel Negretto, Professor of political science at the Institute of Political Science at the Catholic University of Santiago de Chile, an expert in institutional design, and constitutional and electoral reform. Katia Papagianni reviewed lessons learned from peace processes and their relevance to constitution-making in countries affected by conflict. She explained the differences between the constitution-making process in countries that have suffered from conflict and the constitution-making process in countries undergoing a transition that did not result from armed conflict, highlighting factors such as an absence of foundations for civil order and a continuation of violent conflict during the negotiations on the constitution: these have implications for the usefulness of large-scale broad-ranging consultations and public participation, as well as the impact of an absence of security on participation. As a result of these factors and their repercussions, draft constitutions may be produced that are dominated by the views of the armed actors, rather than by the considerations of society as a whole. In addition, sometimes the negotiations may exclude major societal groups from the negotiating table for various reasons, and the ensuing drafts remain as a result closer to being peace agreements than constitutions ordering gains achieved from military equilibrium but which do not establish a basis for a permanent political settlement. Gabriel Negretto presented the lessons that can be learned from the institutional design of Latin American constitutions and the wave of democratization that began in Latin America at the end of the 1970s and that led to a series of constitutional changes aimed at dismantling the institutions inherited from the dictatorial past. Such constitutional adjustments have not always deepened democracy, whether in terms of its principles, contents, or implementation. At the beginning of the transition to democracy, multiple authoritarian regimes had enough bargaining power to retain constitutional articles that severely limited the electoral and institutional power of the majority. At the same time, the multiple constitutional changes carried out under democracy have served to strengthen the power of presidents and reduce legislative or judicial oversight, as well as restricting the power of elected representatives to enforce accountability. In Negrettos view, the changes that contain the greatest potential for deepening democracy are those that have been approved because of comprehensive negotiations and deliberations that have taken place between most of the elected political forces. Following this session a prolonged discussion took place on many interrelated issues, most notably authoritarian rulers manipulation of constitutions, the importance of implementation of constitutions, the centrality of the constitutional issue in Arab countries after the 2011 uprisings and right up to the current wave of protests, and the importance of caring for societies that have witnessed civil wars. The Cases of Spain, South Africa, and Chile The third day of the conference, 26 September 2020, opened with two sessions devoted to international experiences related to constitutionalizing transformation and inaugurating efforts for the transition to democracy. During these two sessions five papers were presented discussing constitutional experiences from various regions of the world, through a comparative case study approaches to South Africa, Spain, Chile, Poland, and Indonesia. In the session headed by Marwan Qabalan, Director of the Political Studies Unit at the Arab Center, presenters included Ahmed Edali, Professor of Political Science at Ibn Tufayl University in Morocco; Mohammed Ahmed Bennis, professor and researcher at the Regional Center for Educational and Vocational Professions in Tangiers; and Mohammed Naimi, Professor of Organizational Sociology at the Center for Social Development in Rabat. Ahmed Edali discussed the South African case, which he highlighted as an example of pragmatic constitutionalism. Context forced parties to the countrys protracted conflict to seek out a consensus-based route forward to put a stop to the whirlwind of violence: this by employing constitutional bases upon which to democratically rebuild the political system and its institutions. The South African case offered a new constitutional architecture that fortified the interconnection between the processes of constitutional and democratic transition, in that the negotiators who adopted the logic of consensus found their way to wide-ranging constitutional norms that functioned as regulators to reduce the degree of hesitation and uncertainty inherent in transition periods. The constitution succeeded in bringing the army under civilian administration and turning it into the defender of democracy. Edali isolated an element demonstrating the constraints that stood in opposition to this experience, explaining that the transition process is more than merely a legal phenomenon. Standard-setting and constitutional limits are not enough to entrench the values of democracy; rather, a prerequisite for its achievement is embodied in policies guaranteeing that the constitutional standard will be translated into lived reality. Mohammed Bennis, presenting his research on the Spanish experience, enumerated the factors that led it to success as a high point in the wave of democratization that swept several countries across southern and eastern Europe. Bennis focused on the elite consensus factor, which made this experience a unique case of the constitutional issues relationship to democratic transition through incorporating a deeper understanding of ideological and political contradictions among political actors during the 1976-78 transition period. The constitution contributed to framing a social, economic and political consensus that transcended the political and constitutional legacy of the past, and overcame the foundational problems that faced the actors, opening the way for a complex process of rebuilding the Spanish state. He added that the role of the elites in understanding the necessity of not dismantling the previous regime all at once, to avoid sharp polarization was critically important for a peaceful democratization process. Bennis pointed out that the consensus achieved around the 1978 constitution ended decades of societal division and opened the way for mutual recognition between various social and political forces. Mohammed Naimi spoke on the constitutional experience in Chile, stating that while there were limitations on the success achieved in this instance relating primarily to the constitutional issue and latent manifestations of authoritarianism in the constitution that had been inherited from military rule, there were other constraints. The most important of these was the economic problem imposed through the adoption of neoliberal policy options from the time the dictatorship was established. Here, Naimi drew attention to the crucial role played by social movements, especially their ability to sustain peaceful protest against the military regime. This feature, effectively driving the transitional process, depended on the ability of democratic forces to transcend their political and ideological differences and forge strong alliances amongst themselves, enabling them to lead a transition towards democratic solid ground. Then he showed how the elites leading the transitional process had the primary role in laying out the foundations and rules of the state of law and subsequently their incorporation within a constitutional document that represented the supreme law expressing a social contract between rulers and the ruled. Discussion followed these presentations of the lessons applicable in the Arab world from these cases, the roles played by the armies, and of the ways to maintain equilibrium with military power during negotiations over the transition to democracy. The session closed with attention focusing on the economic dimension and the struggles that these cases witnessed in seeking to integrate social and economic rights in the emerging constitutions. Designing Constitutions and Building Trust In the session headed by Khalil Al-Anani, Researcher at the Washington branch of the Arab Center, Marwa Fekry, Professor of Political Science at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University, spoke, followed by Ahmed Hussein, Researcher at the Arab Center and Managing Editor of the journal Siyasat Arabiyya. Marwa Fekry offered a comparative perspective on designing constitutions and building confidence, citing four cases that succeeded in achieving democratic transition, namely Poland, Chile, South Africa and Indonesia. Fekri reviewed the common factors that contributed to this success, concluding that the political and social aspects of the constitution design process outweigh, in terms of importance, the legal and technical aspects: the role of the elites in conducting bargaining and negotiations was of critical importance in these contexts. In the four cases, the transition followed not a revolutionary but a gradual path of negotiation and bargaining, that extended during several years. The constitution-design process in these instances was comprehensive, with none of the main political actors being excluded including elements of the ancien regime and forces allied with it, regardless of what they may have committed in the past; the approach to transitional justice in these cases was remote from any logic of revenge or settling of scores. The four cases were furthermore characterized by the adoption of arrangements limiting the absolute power of the majority, thereby instilling confidence among political contenders in the midst of a climate of uncertainty, such as may prevail during transitional periods. Ahmed Hussein then spoke of the constitutional experience of the European Union, reviewing the conjunction of constitutional framing through unification treaties, with the expansion of the group and the inclusion of new members. The countries of the European Community, entering a new phase of cooperation and integration, signed the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 which ushered the European Community into a Union, in form and substance, with multi-treaty tracks generating the idea of a European Constitutional Treaty. Hussein presented the contexts that led to the drafting of the Constitutional Treaty and its contents, the methods underlying the failure of its ratification, and the resulting shift of attention to the signing of the Lisbon Reform Treaty. Hussein outlined many of the elements of this treaty that render it clearly democratic: its direct election of the President of the European Commission; its expansion of the voting circle by the qualified majority; its encompassing of new areas for joint action by member states. The discussions of this session touched on importance of the European Court of Human Rights, political conditionality and criteria for accession in the European case, the factors of Indonesias success versus the Arab countries failure, the concept of transitional constitutionalism, the importance of external factors in Arab cases, and the role of the external factor in the dynamics of the transition in South Africa. GST The Centre has extended the deadline for furnishing annual returns under the goods and services tax (GST) for FY19 by a month till October 31, 2020. The move has been done after permission from the Election Commission (EC) as model code of conduct is in place due to the upcoming Bihar elections, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said. In a tweet on its official handle on September 30, CBIC said that due date for submission of annual return in GSTR-19 and GSTR-9C for 2018-19 has been extended from September 30, 2020 to October 31, 2020; and that a notification to this effect will be issued by the Finance Ministry soon. After obtaining due clearances from the Election Commission in view of the Model Code of Conduct, Government has extended due date for furnishing Annual Return in GSTR-9 and GSTR 9C for 2018-19 from 30.09.2020 to 31.10.2020. Notification follows.@nsitharamanoffc @ianuragthakur CBIC (@cbic_india) September 30, 2020 After obtaining due clearances from the Election Commission in view of the Model Code of Conduct, Government has extended due date for furnishing Annual Return in GSTR-9 and GSTR 9C for 2018-19 from 30.09.2020 to 31.10.2020. Notification follows, the tweet read. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Earlier in September, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) wrote to the GST Council seeking deferment of 2018-19 GST annual return filing deadline by three months till December 31. In its representation, ICAI said majority of the offices are working only partially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that, traders' body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) had on August 20 asked the Finance Ministry to extend the last date for filing annual GST return by two months to October 31. In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, CAIT said prescribed Form GSTR 9 for filing annual return "is still very complicated" and several information sought in the Form are new and in spite of best efforts traders are finding it difficult to comply with the same. The government had in May extended the last date for filing annual GST return for FY18-19 by three months till September 2020. GSTR 9 is an annual return to be filed yearly by taxpayers registered under GST. It consists of details regarding the outward and inward supplies made or received under different tax heads. GSTR-9C is a statement of reconciliation between GSTR-9 and the audited annual financial statement. Moderator Chris Wallace has been branded the loser of the first 2020 presidential debate after he failed to rein in 90 minutes of chaos between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Viewers and political analysts likened the Fox News anchor's performance to that of a kindergarten teacher as he repeatedly asked the candidates to stop interrupting each other and his pleas fell on deaf ears. By the end of the night Wallace had spent more time scolding - mainly in Trump's direction - than he did asking the questions he had to fight to get out. Among the chorus of critics taking aim at Wallace were three of his Fox News colleagues - Laura Ingraham, Greg Gutfeld and Brian Kilmeade. 'Trump is debating the moderator and Biden,' Ingraham, host of the Ingraham Angle, tweeted midway through the melee on Tuesday night. 'Why is @JoeBiden allowed to interrupt? @realDonaldTrump is not,' Kilmeade of Fox & Friends asked. Gutfeld responded to a tweet accusing Wallace of laughing at Trump with Biden, writing: 'That was not good.' Trump himself chimed in on Wednesday morning, asserting that Wallace ganged up with Biden to attack him. 'Chris had a tough night. Two on one was not surprising, but fun,' the president tweeted. Moderator Chris Wallace has been branded the loser of the first 2020 presidential debate after he failed to reign in 90 minutes of chaos between Donald Trump and Joe Biden Viewers and political analysts likened Wallace's performance to that of a kindergarten teacher as he repeatedly asked the candidates to stop interrupting each other Among the chorus of critics taking aim at Wallace were three of his Fox News colleagues - Laura Ingraham, Greg Gutfeld and Brian Kilmeade Trump himself chimed in on Wednesday morning, asserting that Wallace ganged up with Biden to attack him Trump had already indicated that he thought Wallace did a poor job just minutes after the debate ended as he retweeted several posts to that effect - including one from The Blaze's CEO Tyler Cardon. 'Regardless who you're pulling for, I think we can all agree that Joe Rogan would do a much better job moderating this thing than Chris Wallace,' Cardon wrote. The Commission on Presidential Debates apparently wasn't happy with how everything went down, as it announced on Wednesday that it would be changing the format of the next candidate clash. However, the Commission said it was grateful to Wallace for 'the professionalism and skill' he brought to the debate'. Fox News Media's CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace - no relation - also praised the anchor in a company-wide memo on Wednesday afternoon. 'We'd like to take a moment to thank and congratulate Chris Wallace for moderating last night's extraordinary debate,' the executives said. 'We are extremely proud of his professionalism, skill and fortitude in a unique situation while doing everything possible to hold both candidates accountable. No moderator could have managed a debate of that magnitude better than Chris.' A representative for Wallace did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. Wallace was tasked with trying to keep Trump and Biden in line with what the Commission had laid out, which had been agreed to by both presidential campaigns. He opened the debate by saying: 'My job is to be as invisible as possible' - but that didn't happen. Early on, Wallace was often struggling to get questions out, tripped up by candidate interruptions. 'If I may ask my question sir,' he told Trump near the top of the 90-minute face-off. 'Over the last four years you have promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, but you have never, in these four years come up with a plan, a comprehensive plan, to replace Obamacare.' Trump shot back 'Of course I have, I got rid of the individual mandate.' Wallace pointed out he hadn't asked his question yet. 'Excuse me, I got rid of the individual mandate,' Trump insisted. Wallace interjected, 'That is not a comprehensive plan,' with Trump adding, 'It's absolutely a big thing.' 'You're debating him, not me,' Wallace told Trump. 'Let me ask my question.' But interruptions continued throughout the night, with mostly Trump, but also Biden, often cutting into the other candidates' answers. 'Your campaign agreed that both sides would get two minute answers uninterrupted,' Wallace said at one point, directing the comment at Trump. 'Why don't you observe what your campaign agreed to?' Wallace also noted, 'If you want to switch seats ... we can do that.' At another point the moderator told Trump: 'The country would be better served if we allowed both people to speak with fewer interruptions. I'm appealing to you, sir, to do it.' 'And him, too?' the president replied with a nod toward Biden. 'Well, frankly, you've been doing more interrupting,' Wallace hit back. By the end of the night Wallace had spent more time scolding - mainly in Trump's direction - than he did asking the questions he had to fight to get out Viewers sounded off on social media, begging Wallace to rein in the interjections so both candidates could lay out their points. Famed presidential historian Michael Beschloss tweeted: 'Moderate this debate - now.' A small group viewers sought to defend Wallace by saying that there wasn't much he could have done to control the chaos. 'Without the ability to mute a microphone, what could another moderator have done?' journalist Yashar Ali questioned. The tweet came from The Blaze CEO Tyler Cardon, who said that 'Joe Rogan would do a much better job' The criticism continued after the debate's conclusion as the talking heads at CNN, Fox News and other outlets began rehashing the night. On CNN, Dana Bash called the debate a 's***show', while her Jake Tapper branded it 'a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck'. In his web recap for the outlet, media reporter Oliver Darcy charged that Wallace was responsible for 'the circus that aired on national TV'. 'He lost control of the debate early, and failed to ever regain order,' Darcy wrote. 'It appeared as if Wallace were pleading with Trump to respect the forum like a parent would plead an out-of-control child to behave.' Many critics echoed Trump's assertion that Wallace was overwhelming biased against - asserting that he interrupted the president 76 times, versus 15 times for Biden. 'Chris Wallace was a terrible moderator,' Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor wrote. 'It wasn't just that he got steamrolled & didn't enforce the rules. It's that most of his questions flowed from the Fox News / white grievance framework. He described Biden's economic plan "big government, big spending." A complete failure.' 'Chris Wallace was a 2nd opponent for @realDonaldTrump last night,' another outraged viewer tweeted. 'He interrupted the President 5 times more than Sleepy Joe. He bailed out Biden multiple times? A moderator is supposed to ask questions ONLY! Wallace was NOT impartial. He FAILED his assignment last night!' A different critic panned: 'Chris Wallace, a Democrat, failed to maintain control over the debate. It was hard to pay attention to anything but Wallace's Biden bias. 'His persistent partisanship reached a new low. From interrupting Trump & not Biden at nearly every turn, Wallace's presentation was appalling.' Several of the detractors said they hoped that C-SPAN anchor Steve Scully, who is signed on to moderate the second debate on October 15, was paying attention so he'll avoid Wallace's mistakes. The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday announced charges against a Louisiana man for orchestrating a foreign currency trading scheme that defrauded at least 28 investors, most of whom are from the Baton Rouge area. The SEC alleges that Todd W. Mixon, a Baton Rouge resident with no known financial industry experience, raised at least $576,000 by misrepresenting to investors that he had learned how to successfully trade foreign currencies and by promising investors that he would use their funds to trade foreign currencies. The SEC's complaint further alleges that Mixon provided investors with forged brokerage statements to create the illusion that Mixon's trading was extraordinarily profitable, achieving consistent monthly profits as high as 160%. In reality, as alleged, Mixon did not use investor funds to trade foreign currencies as he had promised to do, but rather spent those funds on personal travel and other expenses and to make Ponzi-like payments to investors. The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in Louisiana, charges Mixon with violations of the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. The SEC seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Alexander Charap and Kathleen Strandell in the Miami Regional Office and supervised by Jessica M. Weissman and Glenn S. Gordon. The SEC's litigation is being led by Andrew Schiff. What can Africans celebrate to mark the 60th anniversary of the Year of Africa? Not much, writes Haitham Nouri The United Nations marked 1960 as the Year of Africa when 17 African countries gained independence in the largest wave to get rid of European colonialism since the 15th century. However, none of the 17 countries were in a celebratory mood to mark 60 years of independence, citing coronavirus as the reason. The pandemic has so far infected 1.5 million and killed 35,000 Africans. It is more probable political and social frustrations regionwide prevented Africans from celebrating their hard-earned freedom. For more than 50 years, these African countries didnt achieve the changes they aspired for. The majority of the 17 countries wrote tragic stories instead, ranging from civil wars to military coups and famines. Between 1 January 1960, when Cameroon gained independence from France, and 28 November 1960, that marked Mauritanias liberation, Africans experienced moments of euphoria that reached their peak in August when eight African countries gained independence from France: Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire, Chad, Central Africa, Congo and Gabon. While 14 African countries were liberated from French rule in 1960, the decade saw a similar number of African countries breaking the chains of British colonialism: Nigeria in October 1960, Sierra Leone and Tanzania in 1961, Uganda in 1962, Kenya in 1963, Malawi and Zambia in 1964, Gambia and Zimbabwe in 1965, Botswana and Lesotho in 1966, Mauritius and Swaziland (which was recently named Eswatini) in 1968, and Seychelles in the following decade (1976). Spain had a share in the African cake, but it saw the independence of Equatorial Guinea in 1968. The Western or Moroccan Desert was freed in 1976. The region was the subject of dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front, which declared the Sahrawi Republic, recognised by the majority of African countries, prompting Rabat to withdraw from the Organisation of African Unity in 1983, before joining the African Union a few years ago. Following the collapse of fascist rule in Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Cape Freddie, Sao Tome and Principe, and Angola gained independence in 1975. France lost its last two colonies in the Comoros in 1975 and Djibouti in 1977. In the 1990s, Namibia gained independence from South Africa, Eritrea from Ethiopia in 1991 and finally South Sudan from Sudan in 2011. The grand path to independence, diligently strived for since 1951 when Libya was liberated, was harsh, cruel and not without glorious sacrifices. The multiple phases of Sudans Civil War started before the country seized independence from Britain in January 1956. Khartoum endured the 1958 coup with Ibrahim Abboud, the 1969 coup led by Gaafar Numeiri and the 1989 Islamist coup spearheaded by Omar Al-Bashir, who was overthrown following the December 2018 Revolution. Throughout the 64 years of Sudans independence, it has witnessed coups for 52 years. The country was torn when the south seized independence in 2011, when war broke out in Darfur in 2003 and during the 1983-84 famine. Sudan was aspiring to be the food basket for the Arabs and Africans, but it turned into a country striving to remove itself from the US list of countries harbouring terrorism and searching endlessly for an international partner for development. Nigeria, Africas most populous country and the richest in oil south of the Sahara, had seen several military coups that finally ended in 1999 after it had endured 30 years under military rule. Making the living conditions even worse in Nigeria was the 1967-1970 Biafran war that claimed the lives of at least a million Nigerians. The country is also engaged in a vicious war against the terrorist Boko Haram organisation that is wreaking havoc in northeast Nigeria as well as parts of Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Rampant corruption in Nigeria has hindered the country from benefiting from its oil wealth. Ethiopia, which was not completely occupied, fared no better than other African countries. It was shackled by the civil war with Eritrea since the 1950s, and suffered famine that resulted in the overthrow of emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. Ethnic and racial tensions are eating up Ethiopia, leading observers to warn Addis Ababa is on the edge of disintegration if the coming general elections are misconducted. The elections were slated for August 2020, but were put off by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for one year. The Great War of Africa claimed the lives of between three and five million people in Congo. It took place in 1996 and again between 1998 and 2003. Ten million Congolese lives were lost due to Belgiums plunder during the occupation. The Congolese peoples woes were renewed with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, as they demanded the taking down of the statue of King Leopold II who caused Congolese misery. Congo didnt benefit from its vast mineral resources nor from its river that can generate hydroelectric power more than any river in the world. Small countries endured massive civil wars as well, such as the Rwanda massacres against that resulted in the death of 800,000 people from the Tutsi, Twa and moderate Hutu in 100 days, from 7 April to 15 July 1994. Democracy collapsed in Mali following the toppling of Moussa Traore in the early 1990s due to mass protests. Supported by a large French force, Mali is waging a vicious war against terrorist groups, much like the majority of African Sahel countries, such as Chad, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger some of the poorest countries in the world. Somalia never recovered from the horrors of its 1990 civil war that overthrew Siad Barre. The country has disintegrated into the self-proclaimed states of Somaliland and Puntland, as well as Somalia with its capital, Mogadishu. Oil-rich Libya is divided between two regionally and internationally supported governments and armies in the east and west. The Government of National Accord in the west is backed by the UN while the eastern House of Representatives is the only elected institution in the country. Libya turned into a failed state, exploited by human traffickers and armed groups, and is suffering terrorism and foreign intervention. Tunisia has not seen, due to political turmoil between Tunisian political groups, an economic achievement in the past decade following the ouster of Zein Al-Abidine Ben Ali in early 2011. Algeria lost 200,000 of its population in the 1990s as a result of conflicts between the state and its Islamist opponents after the army cancelled the second stage of legislative elections, in the first round of which the Islamic Revolutionary Front had won the majority of votes. Decreased oil revenues, coupled with social and political tensions, heighten worries that Algeria will slip into another 10 years of darkness. To the south, Zimbabwe didnt recover from the decades long rule of Robert Mugabe and the Western sanctions imposed on the country after Mugabe had forced white farmers out of their farms when the US and the UK refused to fulfill their pledge to fund the sale of the farms to the black majority. The black majority of South Africa are surviving under dire conditions. Despite apparent improvement since the fall of Apartheid in 1994, slow reforms are increasing tensions in the country known for its diverse ethnicities. While each of these African countries is burdened with domestic problems, tensions between the states of the continent are contributing to their woes. Ethiopias neighbours are complaining about its dams on transboundary rivers, such as the Omo River that empties into Lake Turkana on the border with Kenya. The dam has lowered the level of water in the lake by two metres since 2016, according to official statements in Nairobi. Somalia has also repeatedly complained about the Shebelle River Dam that decreased water flowing into south Somalia. That is in addition to deadlocked negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. On the economic front, China, which is the principle infrastructure developer in Africa, has rejected several projects, such as the railway between the Ethiopian capital and Sudan, and the resumption of the railway line in east Africa between Kenya and Uganda. Africa is the worlds youngest continent, with the majority of its population made up of youth who seek job opportunities they cant find. Africas youth are an angry power feared by democratic and dictatorial governments alike. Now that the majority of African capitals are each inhabited by millions of people, with no real potential to absorb new generations, and with many of the continents countries lacking a national mega project that wins the support of their people, African youth dont find much to celebrate after 60 years of independence. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: BJP veterans LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti were among 32 accused acquitted in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case on Wednesday, 28 years after the incident pushed India into a cycle of communal riots and politics. Pronouncing the verdict, special CBI judge SK Yadav said there was no conclusive proof against the accused, who, apart from the three BJP leaders, included former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, former BJP MP Vinay Katiyar, right-wing leader Sadhvi Rithambara and Champat Rai, the general secretary of the trust in charge of constructing the Ram Temple. The court held that the demolition of the 16th century mosque on December 6, 1992 was not a pre-planned incident but a spontaneous act, adding that former Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief Ashok Singhal and other Sangh Parivar leaders wanted to save the structure as Ram Lalla statues were inside. Judge Yadav observed that leaders who were present on the dais repeatedly tried to persuade the kar sewaks, led by the VHP, against taking any action on that day. During the course of the trial the CBI produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the court, but the judge on Wednesday observed that the CBI had failed to substantiate the charges levelled against the accused. It added that video recordings submitted to the court were tampered with. Charges were framed against 48 people, but 16 had died during the course of the trial. Over two dozen of 32 accused were present. Advani (92), Joshi (86), Bharti (61), Singh (88), Nritya Gopal Das and Satish Pradhan were not present in court but appeared via video conferencing. Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh are admitted in separate hospitals after testing positive for Covid-19. Shortly after the verdict, celebrations broke out in Ayodhya and outside the Lucknow court with supporters of the accused distributing sweets. Calling the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya a cherished dream, Advani says he feels blessed that the judgment comes in the footsteps of another landmark verdict of the Supreme Court given in November 2019, which gave the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site to the Hindus. Co-accused Joshi called it a historic decision. This proves that no conspiracy was hatched for December 6 incident in Ayodhya. Our program and rallies were not part of any conspiracy. We are happy, everyone should now be excited about Ram Mandirs construction, he said. While the BJP too hailed the verdict with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath saying truth had triumphed, the opposition called it a travesty of justice. A complete travesty of Justice. All charged with criminal conspiracy to demolish Babri Masjid acquitted. It self imploded? The Constitution Bench headed by then CJI had said that demolition was an egregious violation of law. Now this verdict! Shame, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said the verdict has sent out the message that mass violence pays. Who demolished the masjid on December 6, 1992. Who broke the locks and vandalised the entire area? The whole world saw what happened, accused were inciting violence. The judgment satisfies the collective consciousness of Hindutva ideologies, he said. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden faced off in the first of three presidential debates tonight. Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace moderated what is being called a "chaotic" debate. Here are a few takeaways from tonight: President Trump refused to denounce white supremacy. When asked by Wallace to condemn white supremacy and supremacist groups, Trump would not directly respond. "I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not the right wing, Trump responded. Im willing to do anything. I want to see peace. Proud Boys Stand back, stand by," Trump eventually responded. "But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not right-wing problem..... This is a left-wing problem." The Proud Boys is a far-right and neo-fascist organization focused on anti-political correctness and anti-white guilt." Things got personal. Both Biden and Trump flung insults at each other, with Trump telling Biden, "Theres nothing smart about you," and Biden calling Trump a "clown." At one point, Biden told Trump, Youre the worst president America has ever had. Family came up but only Biden's family. Biden addressed his son Hunter's drug addiction after Trump alleged Hunter had been dishonorably discharged from the military for drug use. "My son, like a lot of people we know at home, had a drug problem," Biden said, addressing viewers. "Hes overtaken it. Hes fixed it. Hes worked on it and Im proud of him." Climate change did come up despite worries it wouldn't. When climate change didn't show up on Wallace's list of topics for the debate, some were concerned that prevalent issues like the fires burning in California would go unaddressed. When asked, Trump refused to say that he believes in the science of climate change, saying that he believes humans contribute "to an extent." Trump again refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power. Wallace asked each candidate if they would urge their bases to stay calm during what is expected to be an extended period of ballot counting "I am urging my supporters to go into the poll and watch very carefully because that's what has to happen," Trump said. I am urging my people I hope its going to be a fair election. If its a fair election, I am 100 percent on board. But if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that. Before, Trump also doubled down on his claims that mail-in ballots will cause an increase in election fraud. This is going to be a fraud like youve never seen," Trump said. Lithium producers do not feel threatened by Teslas plan to produce lithium in Nevada. Miners, as well as analysts, believe that despite the recent drop in lithium prices, the industry is in for a supply shortage after 2025 as automakers significantly ramp up electric vehicle (EV) production. Massive amounts of additional lithium supply will be needed to support not only the EV revolution but also the expected surge in stationary battery storage to support the wider adoption of renewable energy. Therefore, lithium mining companies and researchers are looking to develop innovative ways to produce lithium more efficiently, in order to meet what they expect will be growing demand from the automotive sector in the coming years. Tesla, for its part, is looking to source its own lithium in the United States in a more environmentally friendly way, Elon Musk said on Teslas Battery Day last week. Lithium extraction needs to reinvent itself to meet demand, the chief executive of Standard Lithium, Robert Mintak, told Bloomberg in a recent interview. Were not going to be saddled with 20-year-old processes and refining capabilities, Mintak told Bloomberg. Standard Lithium has just launched its direct lithium extraction project near El Dorado, Arkansas. Standard Lithium uses a proprietary and environmentally friendly technology that selectively extracts lithium ions from tail brine that is a byproduct of existing bromine production facilities, the company said in September. Compared to the conventional methods for recovering lithium from brine, the process significantly reduces recovery time to several hours versus as long as a year, and the rate of recovery is 90 percent versus 40-60 percent in conventional production, according to Standard Lithium. Related: Could ESG Investing Disrupt The LNG Boom? Earlier this year, a team of researchers from Australias Monash University, Australias national science agency CSIRO, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Texas at Austin, said they had developed a new filtering technology to extract lithium ions from brine. This technology has a much higher recovery rate than current extraction techniques and cuts the extraction process time down to just a few hours from several months to years in current lithium extraction and could potentially cut the production costs of one of the key components of lithium-ion batteries. Tesla is also moving into lithium extraction, Musk said on the Battery Day, noting that Basically, theres so much damn lithium on Earth its crazy. According to Teslas CEO, Nevada alone holds enough lithium to convert the entire U.S. vehicle fleet into electric. Tesla has rights on over 10,000 acres of a lithium clay deposit in Nevada, from which it plans to extract lithium. Tesla will also aim to reinvent every aspect of cell production, from mining the ore to a complete battery pack, because its the fundamental constraint. Were not getting into the cell business just for the hell of it, its because its the fundamental constraint, its the thing that is the limiting factor for rapid growth, Musk said. Stocks of lithium producers plunged in the wake of Teslas announcement, but analysts believe there will be more than enough room for everyone in the market, considering the increase in EV production and stationary storage installation globally. We appreciate Teslas goal to secure its raw materials supply. However, we disagree with the claim that Tesla will be able to supply all its own lithium. While we view lithium as an abundant resource, with lithium present in ocean water, nearly all of the world's lithium is not economically viable to extract at current prices, Seth Goldstein, a senior equity analyst for Morningstar, wrote after Teslas Battery Day. According to Morningstar, Nevada could supply less than half of U.S. demand for EVs in 2030. Related: Iraq Ships More Crude Oil Despite OPEC Output Cut Pledge Even if Tesla was to produce some lithium, we think greater demand would sop up the new supply, leaving our long-term lithium price forecast intact, Morningstars Goldstein said. According to Wood Mackenzie's Accelerated Energy Transition (AET) scenario, which sees global warming limited to 2.5 degrees Celsius, the worlds lithium market could surpass 1 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in 2025. However, except for a small group of companies, OEMs are yet to take the plunge with investing in mining assets. If OEMs do not choose to secure their own supply, Wood Mackenzie says EV sales penetration rates are unlikely to surpass 15% in the medium term, the consultancy noted. With many legacy automakers unveiling EV models and plowing billions of U.S. dollars into electric mobility, global demand for lithium will grow this decade, and the market will need every new efficient method of extraction, be it from lithium producers or carmakers invested in lithium mining assets. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Facebook has officially slid Messenger into Instagram's Direct Messages. The social media giant announced an update that merges the two messaging services into one unified system. The rollout includes more than 10 new features including stickers, Watch Together and a vanish mode that allows users to set messages to automatically disappear after they are seen. The most notable change is that people using Messenger can communicate with those on Instagram without having to download the app - and vice versa. News of the integration first surfaced in 2019 when Facebook revealed plans to merge Messenger, Instagram Direct Messages and WhatsApp. The company was still in the early stages of the work last year, but had set 2020 for when the move would be complete. Scroll down for videos Facebook has officially slid Messenger into Instagram's Direct Messages. The social media giant announced an update that merges the two messaging services into one unified system Although WhatsApp did not make the cut, Facebook has kept to part of the plan. 'More than a billion people already use Messenger as a place to share, hang out and express themselves with family and friends,' Facebook shared in a blog post. 'Thats why were connecting the Messenger and Instagram experience to bring some of the best Messenger features to Instagram so you have access to the best messaging experience, no matter which app you use.' The merge was rolled out last month to a few users, but now every Instagram user can update the app for access. The most notable change is that people using Messenger can communicate with those on Instagram without having to download the app - and vice versa The roll out includes more than 10 new features including stickers, Watch Together and a vanish mode that allows users to set messages to automatically disappear after they are seen Facebook rolled out an update that merges Instagram with Messenger, providing users with access to a list of features in Direct Messages. Users have access to new colorful look for chats, a new list of emojis, the swipe to reply to message option and the ability to chat with friends on Facebook bringing the messaging services into one platform. The update includes Message Controls that allows people to decide who can message them directly and who cannot message them at all. The move also comes as CEO Mark Zuckerburg battles with government regulators who are investigating the possibility of breaking up the social giant. The update includes Message Controls that allows people to decide who can message them directly and who cannot message them at all Facebook recently went in front of Congress, which is investigating the social media site's acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp. However, Zuckerberg is hitting back stating the claims are based on Instagram's present-day success. 'It was not a guarantee that Instagram was going to succeed,' he said. 'The acquisition has done wildly well, largely because not just of the founders' talent, but because we invested heavily in building up the infrastructure and promoting it.' With the merge, it will be more difficult for government officials to break up the social media giant. In July, Florida Rep Matt Gaetz has called for the Justice Department to investigate Zuckerberg for allegedly lying to Congress about political bias in the social media giant's content moderation practices. The move also comes as CEO Mark Zuckerburg battles with government regulators who are investigating the possibility of breaking up the social giant. Facebook recently went in front of Congress, which is investigating the social media site's acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp The Republican congressman sent a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr on Monday accusing Zuckerberg of making 'materially false statements to Congress while under oath' during two hearings in April 2018. 'On both occasions, members of Congress asked Mr. Zuckerberg about allegations that Facebook censored and suppressed content supportive of President Donald Trump and other conservatives,' Gaetz wrote. 'In his responses, Mr. Zuckerberg repeatedly and categorically denied any bias against conservative speech, persons, policies, or politics. Mr. Zuckerberg also dismissed the suggestion that Facebook exercises any form of editorial manipulation.' Gaetz cited a recent investigation from Project Veritas, a right-wing activist group, which found that the 'overwhelming majority' of content filtered by Facebook's artificial intelligence was in support of Trump and other Republicans and conservative ideals. There is a fierce battle between Armenia and Azerbaijan for the fourth consecutive day in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. 98 people have reportedly died so far in a fight that once again broke out over the dispute that had been going on for decades. At the center of this dispute is the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which Azerbaijan calls its own, although this area has been occupied by Armenia since the fighting ended in 1994. During the war that lasted from the late 1980s to the 1990s, thousands of people were killed and more than 1 million people were displaced. During that time, the separatist forces took control of some areas of Nagorno-Karabakh, although the standoff continued even after the ceasefire in 1994. The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Charleston, South Carolina resident Drew Morgan Ciccarelli for his role in a pump-and-dump scheme in the stock of Rarus Technologies Inc, a former New York-based microcap issuer. The Commission's complaint alleges that Ciccarelli was hired by a shareholder group that secretly controlled Rarus to promote and increase demand for Rarus stock in order for the shareholder group to sell its shares at inflated prices. According to the complaint, Ciccarelli used intermediaries he controlled to pass funds from the shareholder group to the promoters. The complaint alleges that, by using the intermediary companies, Ciccarelli concealed the shareholder group's sponsorship of the promotional campaign. According to the complaint, in exchange for arranging the stock promotion, the shareholder group paid Ciccarelli $150,000. The Commission's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, charges Ciccarelli with aiding and abetting violations of the registration provisions of Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act of 1933 and the antifraud provisions of Sections 17(a)(1) and (3) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder. The SEC seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, civil penalties, and a penny stock bar. The SEC's litigation will be led by J. Lauchlan Wash, Trevor Donelan, Deena Bernstein, and Amy Gwiazda of the SEC's Boston Regional Office in coordination with the Enforcement Division's Microcap Fraud Task Force. The SEC appreciates the assistance in this matter of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). A parent offers encouraging words to her child just before they attend the first day of grade 2 at P.S. 130 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, US. (Image: Reuters) A ll governments like making rules. Its in their nature. If the rules dont work, their usual response is not to ask why but to toughen up enforcement and make new ones. Look at whats happening now, as Covid infection rates go up despite the severe restrictions already in place. We have mask wearing, the new rule of six, curfews and the forced closure of theatres, concert halls and stadiums, as well as local lockdowns of the sort which have spread across so much of northern England that the word local is becoming meaningless. These dont seem to be holding back infection so now there is talk of more rules perhaps even a lockdown across London, which would ban people from meeting anyone outside their household. And if that doesnt work, there would be more changes through the winter. We support restrictions like these to keep our city safe, even though the consequences are bleak for many of the things which make our city great. But we dont think that announcing daily changes to what you can do, when you can do it, and where, is the way to beat Covid. Yesterday the Prime Minister had to apologise after getting mixed up and the Business Secretary moaned that it was unfair to ask him what was allowed. If they dont understand things, how can they expect anyone else to? Were reaching the point where youll need a lawyer to guide you through life. Such frantic shifting of micro-regulations misses the point, which is that clear, simple rules which people trust, and which are made in a fair way, are much more likely to be followed than a barrage of fast-moving threats. It is the Standards belief that it is vital London stays open, and as the World Health Organisation said yesterday, Londoners can avoid a second lockdown if they are able to follow the existing rules. But for that we need constant clarity. And we need to believe in those rules and how the decisions to impose them are reached. A key problem is that the rules seem to emerge from some sort of secret machine inside government. Based on what? We rarely get to know. How was the 10pm curfew for bars and restaurants settled? Why does the rule of six include children in England but not under-12s in Scotland and under 11 in Wales? MPs are right to demand that Parliament get a say. This is partly about communication, which the Government has been terrible at. But at its heart it is about confidence. Ministers need to not makes rules up on the hoof but consider them carefully, and explain them. Paris leads on curfew We report today that Paris where, like London, premises with bar licences must shut at 10pm changed the rules this week so that restaurants can trade later as long as their customers are eating. It deemed restaurants to be less of a risk. In London one study suggests that allowing our restaurants to stay open later could be worth nearly 1 billion in extra revenue, and Public Health England figures show infections coming from restaurants that comply with the guidelines are minimal. Loading.... The 10pm curfew here followed Paris. However that city had the sense to change it. So should we. LOUISVILLE, Ky. A Kentucky judge has delayed until Friday the release of secret grand jury proceedings in Breonna Taylors killing by police. Audio recordings of the proceedings were originally supposed to be made public Wednesday. Attorney General Daniel Camerons office asked a Louisville court for a weeks delay, so it could redact the names of witnesses and personal information such as addresses and phone numbers. On Wednesday, Judge Ann Bailey Smith granted a shorter delay, giving the attorney general until noon on Friday. Camerons office sought the delay in the interest of protection of witnesses, and in particular private citizens named in the recordings, according to its legal motion Wednesday. The recordings are 20 hours long. Taylor was shot and killed in her Louisville home by police who were executing a narcotics warrant in March. The grand jury decided this month not to charge any of the police officers involved with her death; instead, one officer was charged with shooting into a neighboring home. That decision angered many, and protesters took to the streets in Louisville and around the country to demand accountability for her killing, as frustrations spilled over after months of waiting for Camerons announcement. Activists and Taylors family called for the grand jury file to be released. One of two Louisville police officers shot during protests last week called for law enforcement, protesters and other city residents to work together to move forward. Maj. Aubrey Gregory, who was shot in the hip, returned to light duty earlier this week. He said fellow officer Robinson Desroches, who was shot in the abdomen, is still in a lot of pain and faces a longer recovery. Gregory said he doesnt blame all protesters for the actions of the gunman. If we cant come together to find solutions, then were not going anywhere, Gregory said. Violence has never been the answer and never will be. Authorities arrested 26-year-old Larynzo Johnson in the officer shootings, charging him with two counts of first-degree assault on a police officer and 14 counts of wanton endangerment. Johnson has pleaded not guilty. Facing questions about the grand jury this week, Cameron acknowledged that he did not recommend homicide charges for the offices involved. Instead, he only recommended one of the officers be indicted, for the wanton endangerment of Taylors neighbors. Cameron, a Republican protege of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the states first African American attorney general, said the other two officers who fired their guns were justified because Taylors boyfriend had fired at them first. Cameron said the record will show that his team presented a thorough and complete case to the grand jury. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical worker, was shot five times in her Louisville apartment on March 13 by officers carrying a narcotics warrant. Taylor and her boyfriend were watching a movie in her bedroom when police came to her door and eventually knocked it down. The warrant was related to an investigation of a drug suspect who didnt live with her, and police found no drugs at her apartment. Former officer Brett Hankison, who was fired from the force for his actions during the raid, pleaded not guilty to three counts of wanton endangerment on Monday. Officers Jonathan Mattingly, who was shot in the leg by Taylors boyfriend, and Myles Cosgrove, who Cameron said appeared to have fired the fatal shot at Taylor, according to ballistics tests, remain on the force. We often hear about con artists duping others for money and every time, we are left shocked to find out about the many ways people get fooled. According to a Times of India report, a man was lured with the prospect of becoming a male escort for women seeking his services and got conned into losing Rs 15 lakh. The police said he was attracted to the offer as his business unit in Vile Parle, Mumbai, was failing due to the coronavirus-induced pandemic. The man was informed that he would have to date a new woman every day to make money. The people from the 'escort agency' asked him to pay for registration fee and other payments. Also read: 65-Year-Old Woman Conned The Government Into Giving Her 1 million In Benefits Over 15 Years Freepik (Representational Image) How did it begin? The man's business was going down the drain and that is when he first received a call from a woman who identified herself as 'Sonali'. A police official said, She initially inquired about his age, asked for his photo and some background data and offered him a job in dating services and told him that he would earn Rs 20,000 to 25,000 a day besides other perks to befriend women. As he showed interest, she asked him to register by paying Rs 26,500 through an e wallet facility". After that, Sonali sent him photographs of four women who "needed his services" and asked him to choose one. He was also provided with the contact numbers of the women. The man chose a woman named 'Radhika' who asked him if he had an 'escort service license'. When he informed her that he does not have it, she told him to first get one by paying Rs 1.14 lakh. Freepik (Representational Image) All in all, the man ended up paying the escort agency Rs 7 lakh for 'registration fee' and other charges. When he demanded his money back, an unknown man from the agency called him and told him to deposit Rs 4.7 lakh in order to get his refund. A police officer said, They ended up duping him of Rs 15 lakh in all. At one point, the caller even deposited Rs 10,000 in the man's account to win his trust". Also read: Priest From Kerala Duped Of Rs 3.5 Lakh By Woman He Befriended On Social Media Freepik (Representational Image) The pandemic has pushed people into doing unimaginable things and with the economy falling apart, people are resorting to things he would have never done before. It is a time to be careful, with your health as well as your expenses since we don't know how long this will go on for. Also read: 'Act Of God' Coronavirus To Contract The GDP By 18.3% As Indian Economy Faces Slump "This November, you have a clear choice," Myers said. "A vote for my opponent means four more years of diverting funds from public education into private businesses, a funding formula that denies schools the resources they need and disdain for educators." "We will fight for you so that your schools get the resources needed and you are free to teach the student (and not to the ILEARN test). We will fight for you to be paid for your education, experience and the valuable services you provide our communities. We will fight for you to make sure our students get the best education possible." The outcome of this year's governor's race is unusually important for education policy, since the governor who takes office in 2021 will essentially control the Indiana Department of Education through his secretary of education appointment. The Republican-controlled General Assembly, with Holcomb's approval, last year agreed to strip Indiana voters of a direct say in state education administration by ending 148 years of Hoosiers electing the state superintendent of public instruction. Gallery: Red for Ed Action Day Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, are meeting in Cleveland on Tuesday for the first of three debates ahead of the Nov. 3 election, when Trump is seeking a second term in office. Here are takeaways from the matchup: WILL YOU SHUT UP, MAN? Trump is used to sparring with reporters, and he kicked off Tuesdays debate by using the same tactic he uses in the White House briefing room: interrupting. Trump repeatedly interrupted or sought to talk over Biden and the debates moderator, Fox News host Chris Wallace, during a discussion about the Supreme Court and the Affordable Care Act. At times the debate split-screen showed the two candidates trying to talk over one another while Wallace spoke at the same time, pleading for clarity. Please let the vice president talk," Wallace admonished Trump during one of his interruptions after earlier making clear that he was the moderator. Will you shut up, man?" Biden eventually said to Trump. GUEST LIST Presidential candidates invite guests to debates with a calculated purpose: to emphasize a core campaign theme. Ann Dorn, whose retired police officer husband was killed amid anti-racism protests in St. Louis in June, is among Trumps guests, a month after appearing in a video on his behalf at the Republican National Convention. Trump has hammered away at a law-and-order" message in response to widespread civil unrest over police brutality and racism and accused Democrats of failing to support law enforcement. Another Trump guest is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who played an integral role in trying to find dirt on Bidens son Hunter and his business dealings in Ukraine. Although the effort helped lead to Trumps impeachment, Giulianis presence lends credence to reports that Trump intends to attack Hunter Biden anew at the debate. Bidens guests include Kristin Urquiza, whose father, a Trump supporter, died of the coronavirus after dismissing its deadliness. The former vice president has sought as much as possible to turn the campaign into a referendum on Trump, and specifically on his handling of the outbreak, which has killed more than 205,000 Americans. Bidens other guests included two local residents: Gurnee Green, a small-business owner, and James Evanoff, a steelworkers union member, who both represent the working families Biden is fighting for, his campaign said. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Imagine being able to tint the windows of your car or office from bright sunlight within seconds of tapping a screen and to heat them in harsh weather, preventing fog from being a safety issue. What if doctors were able to prescribe a new type of bandage that could help to heal chronic wounds, rather than simply cushioning them from further damage? How about a cheap, paper-based tester to check water or food for bacteria that is often the culprit of foodborne illnesses, like E. coli? Daunert These were all innovations presented by nanoscience graduate students at the NanoFlorida 2020 conference last Friday, hosted by the University of Miamis Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, also known as BioNIUM. Since its inception in 2012, BioNIUM has trained more than 200 students in nanoscience and nanotechnology strategies, and the institute has secured more than 50 patents and received more than $200 million in funding, said its director, professor Sylvia Daunert, the Lucille P. Markey Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Miller School of Medicine. Graduate students Michael Moraskie, Jessi Hersh, and Umer Bakali organized the virtual conference, which was attended by more than 500 participants. We are excited not just about developing science at the most basic level, but in translating it into the clinic and into other commercial applications, Daunert said in her welcoming remarks. The 13th annual NanoFlorida conference brought together students, faculty, and staff from across the Sunshine State, many as part of the Florida Association for Nanotechnology, to share ideas and collaborate on research to propel the field. Nanotechnology has uncovered ways to manipulate materials as small as atoms and molecules to produce breakthroughs in science, medicine, and technology. At NanoFlorida 2020, some of the fields pioneers, including biochemistry and engineering professor Paul S. Weiss, the UC Presidential Chair in the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Thomas J. Webster, the Zafiropoulo Chair of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University, spoke about the massive inroads nanoscience has made since the field began about 39 years ago. Weiss What we are best known for is looking for the ultimate limits of miniaturization, the smallest switches and motors in the world, said Weiss. Once upon a time I was the first one to move atoms around on a surface with a scanning microscope. We were looking for whats beneath the atoms and trying to figure out why they were where they were. It really opened up this world where we could make structures and then test them. Later, at the suggestion of his collaborator and wife, Anne Andrews, who is the Richard Metzner Endowed Chair in Clinical Neuropharmacology at UCLA, Weiss lab applied the process to cells in the human body. We learned to place those molecules and assemblies into controlled chemical environments, said Weiss, who is part of a research team that was awarded $100 million in funding by President Barack Obama to investigate the inner workings of the brain. And we used that to develop artificial receptors that could be put in the brain to listen in on chemical signaling. Uncovering that process allowed them to map brain activity, which could help lead to further advances in medical treatments and devices. Meanwhile, the field of nanotechnology has created things like cell therapies to treat genetic diseases, cancer immunotherapy treatments, and gene-modified stem cell therapy, to regrow human tissue. This also inches the medical field toward individualized medical treatments by isolating a persons own diseased cells, identifying their genes, and devising a personalized treatment. One thing touted by Weiss, Daunert, and Webster was the collaborative nature of nanotechnology. Webster Because our field developed by bringing together people from chemistry, physics, biology, clinical medicine, neuroscience, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, pharmacology, and so forth, we learned to speak each others languages, to take on each others problems and approaches, and to develop new approaches, Weiss explained. What keeps Weiss intrigued is the constant flow of fresh ideas and applications for nanoscience. We are developing new solutions to existing or new problems, and theres an infinite number of them, he said. In particular, Webster said one area where nanoscience could help is with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Viruses are nanostructured, he said. So, what better to stop it than a nanomaterial? Webster explained that the global pandemic has unveiled a host of problems with the United States health care system, including its one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. But many of these issues could be solved with nanotechnology. For example, targeted therapies could be applied to a person based on their own physiology, he said. The virus interacts differently with different people, and yet we have the same approachto treat every patient the same, Webster said. We have a reactionary system, which has gotten us in trouble with COVID-19. In addition, he said that since COVID-19 is transmitted through the air, medical treatments could be developed that would be aerosolized, like inhalers are used to treat asthma. Nanoparticles can easily be aerosolized, so what better target opportunity than something you could put in an inhaler and breathe in, to attach to those COVID-19 cells in your lungs, Webster added. Nanotechnology can even be applied to masks, Webster pointed out. A company in Israel is now selling masks that use nanoparticles of zinc oxide to capture and deactivate COVID-19 within the face covering, he said. And his colleague, Nian Sun, an electrical and computer engineering professor at Northeastern University, is working on a prototype of a mask with sensors that can detect if COVID-19 is in the room. Also, one of the vaccines being developed for COVID-19 by Moderna uses nanoparticles as part of its approach, according to Webster. Due to the endless innovation offered by the field, Webster said that the United States could be in a much stronger position to combat the next novel pathogen. Lets do a much better job preparing for the next pandemic, and use nanotechnology to prevent it, he said. Second alignment plane of solar system discovered A study of comet motions indicates that the Solar System has a second alignment plane. Analytical investigation of the orbits of long-period comets shows that the aphelia of the comets, the point where they are farthest from the Sun, tend to fall close to either the well-known ecliptic plane where the planets reside or a newly discovered "empty ecliptic." This has important implications for models of how comets originally formed in the Solar System. In the Solar System, the planets and most other bodies move in roughly the same orbital plane, known as the ecliptic, but there are exceptions such as comets. Comets, especially long-period comets taking tens-of-thousands of years to complete each orbit, are not confined to the area near the ecliptic; they are seen coming and going in various directions. Models of Solar System formation suggest that even long-period comets originally formed near the ecliptic and were later scattered into the orbits observed today through gravitational interactions, most notably with the gas giant planets. But even with planetary scattering, the comet's aphelion, the point where it is farthest from the Sun, should remain near the ecliptic. Other, external forces are needed to explain the observed distribution. The Solar System does not exist in isolation; the gravitational field of the Milky Way Galaxy in which the Solar System resides also exerts a small but non-negligible influence. Arika Higuchi, an assistant professor at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan and previously a member of the NAOJ RISE Project, studied the effects of the Galactic gravity on long-period comets through analytical investigation of the equations governing orbital motion. She showed that when the Galactic gravity is taken into account, the aphelia of long-period comets tend to collect around two planes. First the well-known ecliptic, but also a second "empty ecliptic." The ecliptic is inclined with respect to the disk of the Milky Way by about 60 degrees. The empty ecliptic is also inclined by 60 degrees, but in the opposite direction. Higuchi calls this the "empty ecliptic" based on mathematical nomenclature and because initially it contains no objects, only later being populated with scattered comets. Higuchi confirmed her predictions by cross-checking with numerical computations carried out in part on the PC Cluster at the Center for Computational Astrophysics of NAOJ. Comparing the analytical and computational results to the data for long-period comets listed in NASA's JPL Small Body Database showed that the distribution has two peaks, near the ecliptic and empty ecliptic as predicted. This is a strong indication that the formation models are correct and long-period comets formed on the ecliptic. However, Higuchi cautions, "The sharp peaks are not exactly at the ecliptic or empty ecliptic planes, but near them. An investigation of the distribution of observed small bodies has to include many factors. Detailed examination of the distribution of long-period comets will be our future work. The all-sky survey project known as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will provide valuable information for this study." ### This story has been published on: 2020-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Are the friends of Khloe Kardashian worried that the reality star will end up like the late Michael Jackson if she does not stop getting her nose done? A tabloid claims that the reality star is obsessed with getting her face fixed and her friends are alarmed by her behavior. Khloe's nose change? The National Enquirer released an article claiming that Khloe Kardashian is obsessed with tweaking her nose and her friends are worried that she would end up looking like Michael Jackson if she does not stop. An alleged source said that Khloe's nose had been pruned to the point where it looks odd on her face.The source added that she is getting a lot of stares and most are directed at her nose. The tabloid then claimed that Kardashian had made numerous surgical changes to her nose. Both the tabloid and the source were vague on just how many operations the reality star really had. The source then added that even though Khloe spent thousands trying to get her nose right, she still does not like it. Also Read: Popular Movies Where the Romantic Leads Did Not End Up Together Quoting its own previous reporting from 2019, which raises doubts because the outlet is wrong often, the outlet insisted that Khloe had spent more than $1 million on plastic surgery. The alleged source also told the tabloid that the friends of the reality star are worried that Khloe would end up looking like pop culture icon Michael Jackson if she does not stop getting her nose done. The insider explained that toward the end of Michael Jackson's life, people joked his nose was in danger in falling off. No one wants Khloe to suffer the same fate, but she will wind up looking like a freak show unless she curbs her surgery obsession. Debunking the claims The site Gossip Cop has noticed that the rumors surrounding the reality star are frequent. The claim of the outlet that she spent $1 million on plastic surgery was also published last year. Khloe Kardashian has been upfront with her fans about her life, including some of the unflattering portions, so if she did get her nose done, she would be the first to admit it. Khloe even talked about her desire to get a nose job in the future in an Instagram comment. She said that one day, she would get one because she thinks about it every day, but she is scared, so for now it is all about contour. There have also been rumors that Khloe is struggling financially, and the report follows the narrative. The tabloid's hand wringing over the cost of all these alleged plastic surgeries is not necessary. Khloe is doing fine financially, she is busy with her reality show, and her business The Good American and there is no evidence that she is spending millions on plastic surgery. The tabloid has also been wrong about Khloe in the past. The Enquirer once claimed that she had begged actress Kate Beckinsale to find her a boyfriend. But it turns out that it was not true as no source close to the two women confirmed the rumor. Related Article: Kourtney Kardashian Questioned for 'Weird' Friendship with Addison Rae, as Lesbian Rumors Resurface @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Appointment 30 September 2020 Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a nationally recognized hotel owner and management company and division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), today announced the appointment of Andrew Flack as its first ever chief commercial officer. Flack is a globally-experienced, results-oriented, proven leader with over 30 years of hospitality industry experience. Flack most recently served as vice president marketing & eCommerce with Hilton Worldwide. In this role, he supported more than 5,000 managed and franchised properties, with oversight for 140 team members located throughout the Americas. Andrew's previous roles with Hilton included vice president of product marketing & customer insights and vice president of global brand marketing. His international posts with Hilton included vice president sales & marketing Asia Pacific and regional director of sales, marketing & revenue management in Sydney, Australia. Flack received a bachelor's degree in economics & accounting from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK and his MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management in Sydney. "Our country depends on scientific and technical innovation and Kourtney is a leader in capturing the imagination of young girls and women to pursue these disciplines." John Elms, CEO of Critical Alert. Critical Alert is proud to announce that Kourtney Govro, VP of Clinical Services and Business Development, was chosen to give the keynote address at the 7th Annual STEMMy Awards Gala Luncheon. The event took place virtually on Thursday, September 24th. The STEMMy Awards, hosted by the Central Exchange, celebrate women who are making a difference in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine in the Kansas City area. The annual luncheon recognizes the achievements of women in STEMM including business and civic leaders, students and educators, entrepreneurs and advocates who work together to ensure there are opportunities for women in these areas of business. We are proud of Kourtney and the mark she has made and continues to make on the STEMM community, stated John Elms, CEO of Critical Alert. Our country depends on scientific and technical innovation and Kourtney is a leader in capturing the imagination of young girls and women to pursue these disciplines. She has inspired many and will, no doubt, continue to do so as a role model with her passion and dedication to support women involved in STEMM, said Elms. What a tremendous honor it was to be the keynote speaker at this years STEMMy awards, said Kourtney Govro, vice president of clinical services and business development at Critical Alert. Acknowledging inspiring and dedicated women in STEMM is so important, and I am delighted to have been a part of this event, continued Govro. Click Here to Watch Kourtneys Keynote Address About Critical Alert Critical Alert offers a cost-effective solution set of enterprise-class, software-based products, services and strategies that enable hospitals and healthcare enterprises to give patients a voice, empower clinical staff with actionable intelligence, and unburden their support and IT teams. CommonPath Enterprise, our software-driven patient communications platform, is FDA-cleared as a Class II Medical Device and includes UL-1069 nurse call, overlay software to modernize legacy nurse call systems, alarm management & event notification, patient experience monitoring, advanced clinical analytics, and a portfolio of integrated partner offerings. For more information, visit: http://criticalalert.com/ and follow on LinkedIn. About Central Exchange Central Exchange empowers and connects women across generations, promotes equity for women, ignites confidence in women and cultivates and accelerates women leaders in Kansas City. One look at the saiga antelope, and it will appear like a species from another planet. Its unique fleshy nose is a sight to behold. Called "the keeper of the steppe," the saiga acts as the flagship species for the Eurasian steppe region that serves as its habitat. Unfortunately, this animal is severely threatened and dedicated conservationists like Elena Bykova are its only hope for survival. Although nature has shaped the saiga antelope to thrive in the extreme environment of its habitat, human action has brought its numbers down. Once abundant throughout its range, today it is one of the rarest species in the region. The fall of the Soviet Union speeded up the decline of the saigas. Stricken by poverty, locals started hunting them extensively for profit and sustenance. Starting in the late 1990s, the unsustainable hunting of these animals brought their population down by 95% in just a decade, forcing IUCN to declare this species as critically endangered. Saiga males in Stepnoi reserve, Russia. Image credit: Andrey Gilev The saiga antelope would have been eliminated by now but the hard work and dedication of conservationists like Elena Bykova from Uzbekistan have kept the species alive. Elena is a mammologist and Executive Secretary of the Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA), an international NGO devoted to protecting the saiga. She and her colleagues at SCA are currently striving hard to revive the species in the Ustyurt plateau. Once the area was described as a cemetery of the saigas as it was strewn with saiga remains left over after hunting. However, today it is a protected landscape, and a safe haven for the species. In 2011, the Whitley Fund for Nature recognized Elena's remarkable efforts at conserving the species by awarding her the prestigious Whitley Award, also called the Green Oscars. World Atlas had the privilege of interacting with Elena to learn more about her story and that of the beautiful antelopes she is trying to conserve. Read the interview here: What ignited your passion for wildlife conservation? Elena in Ustyurt Plateau. Image credit: Alexander Esipov Participation in an international wildlife conservation project as a young zoologist was the turning point in my life. The project involved the assessment of the extinction risk of endangered species in Central Asia. It was there that I met many senior specialists from the conservation world. Interactions with them introduced me to the real fascinating yet challenging world of wildlife conservation. Years ago, I also met Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland, later Dr. David Mallon, Dr. Rodney Jackson, Dr. Jim Sanderson and other conservation science experts whose inspiring words and work motivated me a lot. Soon, I realized that wildlife conservation is not mere science but much more. It is a philosophy that I wished to follow. It is not just about saving species but also about exploring the relationship between humans and the rest of nature. I also understood that nothing is impossible. Even if the situation appears hopeless, something can be done to improve it. Also, when I saw the poached remains of saigas, I was more than determined to try and save them despite their dismal numbers and extreme threats. And today I am happy about my choice. How did you direct your education and career to allow you to follow your passion? I graduated from the Biology Department at the Russian University in Western Siberia. Following that, I worked as a zoologist for several years in Uzbekistan when I studied mammals, their habitats and connections within the ecosystem. In addition to acquiring knowledge on the biology and ecology of various species, I also honed my skills in other areas like community engagement, policy development, etc., that are all necessary to become a conservationist. When and why did you start working on the conservation of the saiga antelope? Saiga painting by a local kid from Muinak village in the Aral Sea region. I started my work on saiga conservation in 2004 when I was invited to contribute to a small project focussed on the protection of the species. There were enough reasons to feel discouraged as I was myself witness to how the saiga turned from a common game species into a critically endangered one in a noticeably short period. The dramatic decline in the population of the species, however, made me even more determined than before to fight for its survival. I knew that I had to contribute towards undoing the negative chain of events triggered by my own species. And I was confident that I had the capacity and skills to do so. Please brief us on the current conservation status of the species in Uzbekistan. Saiga skulls with horns removed by poachers found on Resurrection Island. Image credit: Alexander Esipov Unfortunately, the saiga numbers are now extremely low in my country, Uzbekistan. Not many years ago, these beautiful antelopes numbered hundreds of thousands but today, only over a hundred thousand animals survive globally. Although this may still sound a significant number, for a species like the saiga this is a cause of great alarm. These animals have a natural tendency to stay in large groups or herds. It is a behavioral trait that serves as a vital survival/adaptation mechanism, a result of years of evolution. Given the low numbers, viable herds of saiga are now extremely rare. In Uzbekistan, there are only about 150 to 200 saigas left in the wild. These animals belong to the transboundary Ustyurt population. They are found in the Ustyurt plateau region within the administrative borders of two countries - Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In the past, a part of the population migrated further south from Kazakhstan through Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan. Saigas typically exhibit seasonal migrations moving between summer and winter pastures. As the snow cover gets established in late fall, these antelopes move towards Uzbekistan. Here, they stay till late spring when they migrate back to Kazakhstan. A frightful fact is that since 1990, this Ustyurt population has decreased by over 99.5%. In very recent times, however, a slight increase in the population has been observed giving us hope to continue our fight to save them. Furthermore, a separate group of Saigas also inhabit the Aral Sea region all year round. Here, these animals can be found in the drained bottom of the sea and adjacent territories. What are some of the fascinating facts about the saiga antelope? Running saiga female. Image credit: Alexander Esipov Everything about the saiga antelope is fascinating but what bewilders me most is the way it is so perfectly designed by nature to survive in the extreme conditions of its habitat. The unique humped nose of the saiga is its most striking feature. It works as both a natural vacuum cleaner in the dusty summers and as a heater in the chilly winters of its habitat. It keeps the air entering the lungs clean and warm. The saiga can also survive without water for a long time. It can also run at incredibly high speeds of up to 80 kph / 50 mph! What is the importance of the species in the ecosystem? Saiga Day Celebration in Uzbekistan. Image credit: Olya Esipova Since ancient times, the saiga has been called "the keeper of the steppe." This naming itself indicates its immense importance in the preservation of the ecosystem. The survival of predators that depend upon it for food and the health of the vegetation on which it feeds are both under threat due to its declining numbers. In places where saiga numbers have fallen, their predators like wolves and birds of prey like golden and imperial eagles have suffered. Regression of pastures has also happened decreasing the number of other herbivores sharing habitat with the saiga. The fall of the saiga has created an imbalance at all levels of its trophic chain. Ultimately, such adverse conditions affect humans as well. What are the major threats facing the saiga antelope in Uzbekistan? Fresh saiga horns for sale at a pharmacy in Shenzhen, South-East China. Image credit: Elena Bykova The saigas are subjected to a multitude of threats, the worst being poaching. These animals have been hunted for a long time and continue to be killed by the locals for their meat. Their horns are also illegally traded to be used for the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine in China and some countries of Southeast Asia. In addition, new threats have emerged in recent years. The construction of linear infrastructure including border fence and railroad has put the transboundary Ustyurt population under pressure. These structures have been built without taking into consideration the movement of these animals along traditional migration routes. What actions are being taken by you and your team to protect the species? Since 2006, I and my colleagues at Saiga Conservation Alliance have been working to protect the saiga antelopes of Uzbekistan. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the sustainable and long-term conservation of the saiga antelope and its historical habitat. We have taken several steps in this direction. With poaching being the primary threat, we first analyzed it in detail and then began to act. We also started interacting and working with the local communities inhabiting the saiga range states. They are mainly villagers from remote areas in northwest Uzbekistan. Ancestors of these people led a largely nomadic life dependent on cattle rearing and hunting of wild ungulates. Today, they are mostly settled but continue to have close spiritual and historical ties with the flora and fauna of the region including, of course, the saiga antelopes. These special animals often feature in their folklores. Members of Steppe Wildlife Club, Uzbekistan. Image credit: Alexander Esipov Keeping this age-old connection in mind and knowing that the future survival of the saiga demanded the involvement of the locals in conservation activities, we developed a complex program to protect the species. One of the greatest achievements of this program has been the establishment of a successful environmental education system for youth and children. It aims to influence adults with the help of the younger generation and to discourage them from hunting saiga and trading in their horns and meat. Another goal is to create a new, nature-friendly vision, a long-term platform for nature conservation in this region as a whole. Our education program has now crossed Uzbek boundaries and a network of steppe clubs have been set up in Russia and Kazakhstan as well. With hunting being a traditional source of livelihood in the region, we also knew that providing alternative sources of livelihood to these people was a necessity. It was the only way to divert them from killing saigas for sustaining their homes. So, we started launching projects like participatory monitoring engaging ex-poachers or an embroidery program for jobless women who buy saiga meat from the local market. In one of the villages where this program was implemented, local girls have earned significant success in creating and selling hand-designed traditional Karakalpak embroidery. Of course, successful conservation can only be achieved when we work at all levels. From the very beginning, we clearly understood that we needed to influence the strategy of the state concerning this species. We also needed to assist the state organizations to perform those tasks that were not supported by government funding. When we started, things were in bad shape. Uzbekistan was going through a period of severe economic crisis. We all know that when human lives and livelihoods are at stake, the preservation of nature and other species is completely ignored. Still, we had to continue our fight for the saigas. At the international level, it was vital to get the species recognized as a threatened one to protect it from hunting. The first thing we did was suggesting to change the status of the saiga from a hunting species to a threatened species. Fortunately, this recommendation was accepted and added to the Red Data Book, thereby changing the priorities from the use of saiga products to the protection of the species. Landscape of the Saigachy reserve, Uzbekistan. Image credit: Elena Bykova Also, for many years we have been fighting for the creation of a protected area on the Ustyurt plateau. And the good news is that now the largest landscape reserve (848,100 ha) in Uzbekistan has been created. It has been named the Saigachy Reserve. This year, camera traps from our colleagues from the Succow Foundation recorded newborn saiga calves in this area, which gives us a lot of hope for the restoration of the local saiga population. An important part of our work was also working with customs to ensure that they have the needed knowledge, capacity, and tools to arrest the smuggling of illegal saiga products across state borders. What are the major challenges involved in conserving the species? The sparsity of financial and human resources for quick and effective action is the major impediment to successful conservation action. The complicated transboundary rules and regulations also create a lag in implementing effective conservation programs and actions. It is often difficult to co-ordinate the activities of the two countries despite the existence of international and bilateral agreements on the conservation of the species. One of the biggest reasons of tension has been the railway and border fence in Kazakhstan cutting through the migratory route of the saiga. However, lobbying by conservationists of the two countries and the hard work of our colleagues in Kazakhstan has helped achieve some constructive changes. The fencing issue has been resolved to a certain extent but the obstacle caused by the railways on the Beineu-Shalkar section to the movement of the saigas is yet to be fixed. Since 2015, saigas have been unable to migrate normally from summer pastures located in Kazakhstan to winter pastures in Uzbekistan due to these linear infrastructural barriers. What are your current goals regarding the conservation of the saiga antelope? SCA team in Saigachi Reserve, Uzbekistan. Image credit: Alexander Esipov Now our main plans are related to the continuation of our work in Ustyurt including our programs involving the local communities. We also aim to promote Saiga conservation in the Saigachi Reserve. There are several ways of doing so- by increasing the professional capacity of its protectors, involving them in monitoring and eco-education programs, and incorporating the reserve in the international network of protected areas. We are also launching a completely new program aimed at preserving the saiga in the Aral Sea region, with the self-explanatory name Vozrozhdenie (Resurrection). The Aral Sea region has a notorious reputation as a zone of ecological crisis. Here, extensive farming during the Soviet period led to the almost complete disappearance of the 4th largest lake in the world - the Aral Sea. The catastrophic situation led to the extinction of many species of animals and plants in the region and a severe economic crisis for the people living there. The goal of our program is to preserve the natural ecosystem of the Aral Sea, and restore the saiga population living on the former islands of the Aral Sea. What would be your message to the world about why it is important to save the species? A new born baby saiga. Image credit: Andrey Gilev To answer this question, I will provide a very simple answer. I am a biologist and I understand very well that we people are all part of the global ecosystem. It seems to me that the time has come to lower our ambitions. We need to realize that we are just a tiny part of this complex mechanism. Preserving species within larger ecosystems is equivalent to saving ourselves. We must finally establish balance by stopping the destruction of animals. To attain this stability, we need to shift our priorities. We must stop viewing the work put into nature conservation as something residual and not so important as our own development. Awareness of our positions, roles, and responsibilities on this planet - these are the most important things that we need to consider. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Win McNamee-Scott Olson/Getty Images) Presidential Debate Organizers Considering Format Changes After Tuesdays Event Following the debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, the Commission on Presidential Debates said it would implement additional structure to future debates. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) sponsors televised debates for the benefit of the American electorate. Last nights debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues, the group said. Those sponsors will now be carefully considering the changes that it will adopt and will announce those measures shortly, the commission said, without elaborating. The Commission is grateful to Chris Wallace for the professionalism and skill he brought to last nights debate and intends to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates. The debate was tense at times as both Trump and Biden interrupted one another, with Wallace unable to get a word in edgewise. At points, Wallace and Trump sparred over the subject of the questions. It led Trump to tell the Fox News host: First of all, I guess Im debating you, not him. But thats okay. Im not surprised. Chris had a tough night, Trump later wrote. Two on one was not surprising, but fun. Many important points made, like throwing Bernie, AOC PLUS 3, and the rest, to the wolves! Radical Left is dumping Sleepy Joe. Zero Democrat enthusiasm, WEAK Leadership! The CPD works with both candidates before the debates to come up with a set of rules. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in their first 2020 presidential campaign debate held on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Trump said on Twitter on Wednesday after the commissions statement was published, Try getting a new Anchor and a smarter Democrat candidate! The debate led some left-leaning pundits and Biden surrogates to speculate on whether the former vice president should boycott the next two debates set in October. A campaign spokesperson for Biden said he would attend them. Biden told reporters in Ohio on Wednesday that I just hope theres a way in which the debate commission can control the ability of us to answer the question without interruption. Im not going to speculate on what happens in the second or third debate, he said. Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Bidens choice for vice president, will meet next Wednesday for their only debate of the election cycle. The next Trump-Biden debate is slated for Oct. 15 in Miami, Florida, and the second one is scheduled for Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee. Sorry! This content is not available in your region By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover with Ecuador increased during the period of January-August 2020, local media has reported. Thus, during the reporting period, trade turnover between two countries amounted to $27.6 million against $21.3 million during the same period of 2019. Moreover, Spain, Mexico and Ecuador were the top three countries with which Azerbaijan conducted the most trade transactions from among Spanish-speaking countries. Trade turnover with Spain, during the reporting period, amounted to $268.7 million, against $585 million in 2019. In the meantime, trade turnover with Mexico also decreased from $39.5 million in 2019 to $38.1 million in 2020. Likewise, these countries are also three leaders among the Spanish-speaking countries, in terms of Azerbaijans import. In the meantime, Azerbaijan has increased import from Ecuador and decreased from Spain and Mexico. During the reporting period, import from Ecuador amounted to $27.6 million, against $21.3 million during the same period of 2019. Import from Spain decreased from $44.9 million in 2019, to $40.5 million in 2020. In addition, import from Mexico decreased from $39.4 million in 2019 to $37.9 million in 2020. Additionally, Spain, Argentina and Colombia were three leaders among the Spanish-speaking countries in terms of Azerbaijans export. Azerbaijans export to Argentina has increased from $40,180 in 2019 to $3.3 million in the first eight months of 2020. Exports to Spain amounted to $228.1 million in 2020, against the $540 million in 2019. In addition, Azerbaijans export to Columbia amounted to $641,160 during the reporting period. Earlier it was reported that Iran with $204.2 million, the United Arab Emirates with $26 million and Saudi Arabia with $8.3 million were the top three counties among the Persian Gulf with which Azerbaijan conducted the most trade operations during the period of January-August 2020. As to the CIS region, the top three leaders among CIS countries with which Azerbaijan conducted the most trade operations were Russia with $1.7 billion, Ukraine with $555 million and Belarus with $170 million. Azerbaijans top three trading partners among European Union member states were Italy with $3.3 billion, Germany with $502.5 million and Greece with $354.7 million. Italy is Azerbaijans main trading partner in the period between January and August 2020. Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover amounted to $16.5 billion during the period of January-August 2020. The value of export amounted to $9.8 billion or 59.6 percent of the total turnover, while the value of import amounted to $6.6 billion or 40.4 percent. Thus, foreign trade turnover resulted in surplus of $3.1 billion. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Two young brothers were forced to live alongside their mother's corpse inside their Texas home for a week after she died of a suspected heart attack and they were unable to call for help. Police found the two boys, aged five and seven, fending for themselves inside their home in Talty, east of Dallas, on Sunday. The boys' mother, 71-year-old Connie Taylor, was found dead inside the home. Taylor had officially adopted the boys last month after initially being their foster mother. The brothers have not been identified. Police found the two boys, aged five and seven, fending for themselves inside their home in Talty, east of Dallas, on Monday after their mother Connie Taylor collapsed and died The boys were only found after authorities were called out to the home to carry out a welfare check after they failed to show up at their nearby elementary school for a week. Police said the boys opened the door for officers and told them their mother was 'passed out' on the floor and wouldn't wake up. The boys said they had tried to use Taylor's cellphone to call for help but they didn't know the password to unlock it. They also said they didn't know their neighbors and were too scared to go outside. Police said the boys fended for themselves for a week by eating food from the pantry and refrigerator. A neighbor told DFW CBS that the boys had gone into 'survival mode'. The boys were only found after authorities were called out to the home (above) to carry out a welfare check after they failed to show up at their nearby elementary school for a week Teachers in the Forney Independent School District (above) had become concerned when the boys hadn't shown up for class since September 21 'They thought mum was asleep and the police officers were going to be able to wake her up,' the neighbor said. Teachers in the Forney Independent School District had become concerned when the boys hadn't shown up for class since September 21. The school said the teachers were used to communicating with Taylor and raised the alarm when they couldn't contact her. 'We are so thankful that our teachers are building relationships with families to know something wasn't right, and for our officers that check in our families,' the district said in a statement. 'Our hearts break with the family, and we are keeping them close in our thoughts and prayers.' Authorities say Taylor died of natural causes and suspect she suffered a heart attack. The boys have been placed in the care of child protective services. A Minnesota man who was shot by a sheriffs deputy during a raid last year has settled a federal lawsuit for about $6 million. Shawn Olthoff, 35, was left paralyzed and uses a wheelchair after a Carlton County deputy shot him during the raid at a Moose Lake home he shared with his mother. Law enforcement officers had gone to the home to arrest Olthoff who was accused of pointing a gun at a deputy during a traffic stop just days before. Three officers involved in the raid told investigators later that Olthoff was unarmed and raised his hands when ordered to do so. The fourth officer, Deputy Jason Warnygora, shot Olthoff and said he saw him with a handgun. No weapon was found in the home. Warnygora told an investigator from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension he had two beers hours before the raid. Olthoffs attorney, Robert Bennett, said Warnygora knew he was going to be part of the raid and should have opted out of the assignment because he had been drinking, the Star Tribune reported. Carlton County did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement with Olthoff. No charges were filed in the shooting. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Minnesota As President Donald Trump argued during Tuesday night's debate that vast numbers of law enforcement officials are supporting his campaign, he began listing his the locations of his alleged police backers. "I have Florida, I have Texas, I have Ohio," he said. "Excuse me, Portland, the sheriff there just came out today and said, 'I support President Trump.'" Not so, says the sheriff in the Portland, Ore., area. Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese quickly took to Twitter on Tuesday night to forcefully deny any affinity for the president. "In tonight's presidential debate the President said the 'Portland Sheriff' supports him. As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him," Reese tweeted. In fact, as Trump has seized on unrest in Portland as a campaign issue and sent federal agents to the city for weeks of violent standoffs with protesters, Reese has regularly criticized the president's handling of the situation. Reese became sheriff in 2016 when the previous top cop in Multnomah County resigned amid a rising tide of scandals over his spending and allegations of bullying and sexism. As sheriff, Reese has backed policies shared by many Democratic politicians, including embracing Portland's status as a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants. As he campaigned to keep his seat as sheriff in 2017, he blasted then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for demanding that local police help with immigration enforcement. "As Multnomah County Sheriff, I am personally committed to serving this community and defending its values of equality and inclusion," he tweeted at the time. Reese won the nonpartisan sheriff's election in 2018. This summer, he's pushed back against Trump's decision to flood Portland with federal agents. When Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, sought a meeting during a Portland visit, Reese turned him down, saying that Wolf's statements had made it "clear law enforcement in the City of Portland was becoming highly politicized." He also lashed out at federal agents in July after they used tear gas and less-than-lethal munitions on protesters. "The actions by out-of-state federal agents last weekend failed to display good decision-making and sound tactical judgment," Reese said in a statement at the time. "The use of force did not appear proportional to the actions of the demonstrators." So Reese was apparently as surprised as anyone listening to the debate to hear Trump's claims that he had just publicly endorsed the president. It's still not clear what Trump was referring to; his campaign didn't immediately return a request for comment on the claim. (For the record, Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin J. Joyce, the sheriff representing the Portland, Maine, region, also does not appear to have publicly endorsed Trump.) On Tuesday night, Reese reiterated that he believes Trump's actions in Oregon have only made police-work more challenging. "Donald Trump has made my job a hell of a lot harder since he started talking about Portland, but I never thought he'd try to turn my wife against me!" he tweeted. Oman faces billions in looming loan repayments, including from China, and needs even more money as its youthful population wants jobs and its government cannot afford the cradle-to-grave benefits given in other Gulf Arab nations. Ratcheted-up tensions between Iran and the U.S. either with Donald Trump still in the White House or a new Joe Biden administration could see Oman brought into the middle of a situation that nearly sparked a war at the beginning of the year. And the sultanates long-cherished neutrality finds itself challenged by regional disputes. When I headed to Portland, Maine to be part of my cousin's wedding, I was excited to tack on some extra days to explore the area. Portland has always been on my list. My love of seafood is just understood here. Not only are there what seems like countless lobster dishes, but you get to down a big bowl of hearty lobster bisque or a lobster roll all while taking in the coastal views and stunning lighthouses. Where to Stay Portland Regency Hotel & Spa The historical Portland Regency Hotel (20 Milk St.) was at one time, according to its website, a 19th-century neoclassical armory building and remains a historical site in Portland. The location cant get any better. Its located in the Old Port District, close to amazing restaurants, shops, and the waterfront. Portland Harbor Hotel Another great option is the Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.). Their comfortable, modern rooms and great location make it a perfect place to stay along with great service and much needed amenities. Relaxing with a drink by their outdoor fire pit is a great way to end a long day of exploring Portlands neighborhoods and lugging around heavy shopping bags. Things to Do Portland's Old Port District is full of bars, restaurants and boutique stores along Exchange and Commercial streets. Its also home to some of the well-known lighthouses in Portland like the 1791 Portland Head Lighthouse (12 Captain Strout Circle, Cape Elizabeth). Making time to see at least one of the lighthouses around Portland is crucial when heading to Maine. Im not one for touristy things, chains, or malls, but I will say that going to Portland without visiting the L.L. Bean Store (95 Main St., Freeport) seems like a crime. Its not just the store, theres a giant L.L. Bean boot that you can take a picture with, countless clothing stores and home goods. Its like they have their own little plaza mall. They even have a restaurant, Linda Beans (88 Main St, Freeport), that has really good reviews. I have to admit I was blown away. They had fairly priced lobster dinners, with perfectly cooked lobster. The blueberry chicken wings were incredible, and thats saying a lot because Im from Buffalo. The sauce, an ode to Maine blueberries, was delicious. You can take a day trip out to Boothbay to grab a lobster lunch and check out boutique shops and country stores. I like to find old-school candy shops, and Ornes Candy Store checked that box. The Boothbay Gimbel & Sons Country Store had some fun trinkets, the Sweet Bay shop had plenty of knickknacks and decor, and the Coastal Maine Popcorn Company had delicious flavors like wasabi soy, rosemary sea salt, juicy pear, orange cranberry and more. Mung Bean was great for handcrafted items. Places to Eat I had my eye on the Portland Oyster Shop (123 Washington Ave.) by Island Creek Oysters for quite some time. I even have the Island Creek Oysters cookbook, and Ive been a fan for as long as I can remember. Upon arrival, I ordered an oyster shooter and took a seat to scan over the menu that included a variety of shellfish along with appetizers and dips. (For craft beer fans, they have plenty of local beers on tap.) When youre ready to order, you just bring your checklist to the front with which kind of oysters you want, and how many. They shuck them fresh, served on a bed of ice with a lemon wedge. They also have other items like anchovy toast and fresh crudo. When eating shucked oysters, you want to makes sure the liquor inside is crystal clear, a telltale sign that the oysters are extremely fresh. And they were. I highly recommend this place. Where do I start with the Portland Lobster Co. (180 Commercial St.)? It looks like a small whitewashed shack, but those always seem to be the best places. You stand in line to place your order at the register and when your number is called you get a plastic tray with your food. I ordered a buttery hot lobster roll along with a cup of lobster stew. While you wait, you can grab some Maine Root blueberry pop and grab a table. When my number was called, I grabbed my tray and dug in. Tons of fresh lobster meat glistening with warm butter loaded the roll, but it wasnt soggy (a key element). I went to take the first bite of my lobster stew and pulled out a huge chunk of lobster meat right away. Everything was incredible. I love a good doughnut shop and I knew that The Holy Donut (7 Exchange St.) needed to be added to my list of places to eat in Portland. Theyve gained national recognition because of a secret ingredient: local potatoes. According to their website, they discovered that adding soft mashed potatoes gives the doughnuts an edge and keeps them from drying out. They have amazing flavors like fresh lemon with hand-squeezed lemon juice and zest; maple; coffee brandy; bacon cheddar-filled doughnuts and more. I suggest getting a box to try a taste of a few different flavors. Jessica Kelly is a food and travel writer from Buffalo. @adventures.are.waiting The modest, ranch-style building with the khaki-colored exterior and the window-unit air conditioners looks like a throwback to times gone by. For unknowing passers-by, the only obvious clue that theres a restaurant inside is a dangling metal sign with a hand-painted catfish logo that is practically hidden among the trees out by the highway. THE ARK, the sign says in all-cap letters. Family RESTAURANT. Not that anybody around St. Clair County or neighboring Talladega County needs any help finding The Ark, a local institution with a national reputation and a colorful history that goes back to Prohibition. Shirley Abts started coming to The Ark with her husband, Richard, on their visits to Lake Logan Martin more than 30 years ago. We would come down here a lot of times on the weekend to eat, Abts recalls. The food was always good, and when you sat down in here, you never knew who was going to walk through that door. So, nearly seven years ago, when Abts heard The Ark was in danger of closing its doors for good, she bought it. This place, for some unknown reason, gets in your blood, she says. "When I first came here, I thought it was just another business venture. Right now, I probably need to be retiring, but I feel an obligation to the place the employees and the customers. A few of those employees have worked at The Ark for three or four decades, and many of the customers have been coming here for longer than that. We have people come in that are like 90 years old and this is where they got engaged to their spouse or had their first date, Abts says. Its really cool. This rustic sign, which is almost hidden by trees, is the only marker that lets customers know they have arrived at The Ark restaurant.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) Like going home to eat supper Located on U.S. 78 near the Coosa River in the small St. Clair County town of Riverside, The Ark has a reputation for miles around for its crispy fried catfish and crunchy hush puppies. Soon after the nearby Talladega Superspeedway opened in 1969, it became a favorite of visiting NASCAR drivers, too. On race weeks at the Talladega track, guests at The Ark could usually count on running into a handful of drivers at the restaurant, including NASCAR legends Richard Petty, Richard Childress, Red Farmer and the late Dale Earnhardt. I guess I first came here in 1970 or 1971, and I cant quit coming, Petty told former Birmingham News sportswriter Mike Bolton in 2002. Ive been coming here so long I guess I know everybody. Its like going home to eat supper. When Petty walked in the door of the 100-seat restaurant, heads always turned, longtime server Aleisa Threatt recalls. It would take him a few minutes to sit down because he would walk around the whole building and shake peoples hands and sign autographs, she says. "Ive waited on him several times. Hes real polite, very friendly. These days, most of the drivers stay in their trailers at the Talladega Superspeedway during race week and rarely venture far from the track, choosing to have their meals catered instead. So, NASCAR celebrity sightings arent as common at The Ark anymore, although fans still make a pilgrimage to the restaurant before races such as this Sundays YellaWood 500. We have the same people come in just about every year, Abts says. We usually get a pop (in business) on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, theyre all out at the track. A private dining room at the one end of the restaurant has been a popular gathering spot for state and local politicians over the years, Abts says. We used to have lots and lots of big-time politicians, she says. "And we still have a lot of lawyers and judges and stuff. If those walls in that back room could talk, I would be a rich woman. The Ark also plays a cameo role in the new Netflix thriller The Devil All the Time, in which it doubles as the White Cow restaurant in Chillicothe, Ohio. The Ark was closed for a week for filming last year. The production team installed a temporary White Cow sign out by the highway, and since the movie takes place in the 1950s and 60s, the interior of the restaurant was retro-fitted to make it look even more dated. The neatest thing is, I got a message on Facebook from the people who owned the original White Cow diner, and I sent them some pictures, Abts says. Real picky about our catfish The fried catfish is still the favorite among regulars, but The Ark also offers it grilled. Some order the whole catfish while others prefer the filets. Well pretty much serve it any way you want, Abts says. Well cut it in nuggets. Well cut it in strips. Well grill it. Well fry it. If its catfish and we can do it, you got it. In 1997, the Catfish Institute named The Ark one of the Top 10 restaurants in America to eat catfish, and more recently, the restaurant was a finalist in the 2018 Bamas Best Catfish Restaurant Challenge sponsored by the Alabama Catfish Producers. The Arks catfish and shrimp are also included on the Alabama Tourism Departments list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die. The Ark buys its catfish from the Heartland Catfish Company, whose signs are proudly displayed alongside the NASCAR memorabilia on the restaurants dark-paneled walls. Heartland is based in Itta Bena, Miss., but the company buys some of its catfish from farmers in Alabamas Black Belt. Im real picky about our catfish, Abts says. We use nothing but U.S. farm-raised catfish. But theres more to the menu at The Ark than catfish and hush puppies. Lester Haynes, who runs Bootleggers Lounge next door, eats at The Ark at least three times a week, he says, and he is more partial to the Philly cheesesteak, the ribeye and the hamburger steak with gravy. Ive had just about everything on the menu except the frog legs, Haynes says. The Ark restaurant began around 1930 and moved into this location on U.S. 78 in Riverside, Ala., about 30 or so years later.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) An oasis between dry counties The Ark goes back to around 1930, when A.J. Bud Thompson took an old river barge and converted it into a restaurant and bar although it soon became better known as a bar than a restaurant. At a time when both St. Clair and Talladega counties were dry and didnt allow alcohol sales, Thompson got around that inconvenience by anchoring his restaurant about 30 feet out in the Coosa River. Customers arrived by boat or via a narrow walkway that led from riverbank to the barge. The floating restaurant, as Marie West Cromer wrote in a 1990 Birmingham News story, was like an oasis between dry counties. They served river catfish and hush puppies and all the beer you wanted, and neither St. Clair or Talladega law could touch them because it wasnt located in either county, a long-ago Ark patron told Cromer in that story. Beer was 15 cents a can, and a sign said, All the catfish and hush puppies you can eat, 60 cents. The old barge later burned and sank, according to newspaper accounts, and Thompson moved The Ark to dry land, building a log-cabin structure on the west bank of the Coosa River. When a fire destroyed that building, too, The Ark settled into its current location on U.S. 78, just south of the Coosa River bridge, in the early 1960s. After Thompson died, Bob and Sylvia Cornett bought the business from Thompsons widow in the late 1970s, turning the oftentimes rowdy roadhouse into more of a family-friendly restaurant. The Cornetts continued to steer The Ark for more than 30 years. The Ark restaurant in Riverside, Ala., is famous for its fried catfish and hush puppies. In 1999, The Ark was included among the Top 10 catfish restaurants in America, as selected by the Catfish Institute.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) Well, lets do it Abts, who is only the third owner in The Arks 90-year-history, came to buy the restaurant in a roundabout way. She and her husband, Richard, were retired and living in nearby Cropwell when the 2008 financial crisis took a huge bite out of their retirement fund. Abts, who had worked in management for BellSouth for 30 years, bought Even Odds, a restaurant and bar in Cropwell, to bring in some extra money. Managing is managing, she says. If I can manage (at BellSouth), I guess I can manage a restaurant. Meanwhile, Sylvia Cornett and her son, Warren Smith, continued to run The Ark after Sylvias husband, Bob, died in 2007. Then, in 2013, Sylvia came to visit Shirley to see if she would be interested in buying the restaurant. I said, Sylvia, look at me; Im getting a little too old for that, Abts recalls telling her. She said, Well, if you dont buy it, Im going to lose it. Ill have to shut it down. Abts couldnt bear to see The Ark close. I just couldnt stand the thought, she says. "I went home and talked to my husband. . . . He said, Well, lets do it. Abts made it clear to her husband who was going to be the boss, however. He and I had an agreement, she says. You can sit at the bar and drink beer. Thats all. Thats it. Ill run the business. Sylvia Cornett -- who co-owned The Ark restaurant with her husband, Bob Cornett, for more than 30 years -- is flanked by NASCAR drivers Kyle Petty, left, and his father, Richard Petty, right, on one of their visits to the restaurant. Bob Cornett died in 2007, and Sylvia Cornett died in June 2020, six days shy of her 78th birthday. (Photo from Birmingham News archives; used with permission from the Cornett family) All in the family For sisters Aleisa Threatt and Tammy Truss, working at The Ark is in their blood, too. The sisters started helping their mother, Hazel Castleberry, around the kitchen when they were about 11 and 12 years old, respectively. That was nearly 35 years ago. They were short on dishwashers, so she would bring us up here to wash dishes because they didnt have anybody, Threatt recalls. We have five brothers, and I think four of them worked up here at one time or another. Their mother, who came up with the barbecue-like sauce that The Ark serves with its hush puppies, worked at The Ark for about 30 years. She passed when she was like 51, Threatt says. She was still working here up until like a week before she passed. Threatt has done a little of everything at The Ark from washing dishes to busing tables to cooking. For the past 18 years, shes been a waitress. And now, there is a third generation in their family working at the restaurant. Sheerie Smith, Tammys daughter, also waits tables at The Ark. The dark-paneled walls at The Ark in Riverside, Ala., are covered with NASCAR memorabilia, mounted fish and newspaper and magazine articles singing the praises of the restaurant's famous fried catfish.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) Make sure yall keep going These past couple of years have been trying times for Shirley Abts. Her husband died at 83 in early 2019, and she underwent triple-bypass surgery late that same year. This spring, though, when she had to close the dining room at The Ark and transition to a takeout-only business due to the COVID-19 outbreak, she was quickly reminded how much the restaurant means to the folks in St. Clair and Talladega counties. The community completely, 100 percent, supported us, she says. "The first weekend we had to shut down (the dining room), I was stressing major stressing. Everything Ive got is tied up in this. Well, before I knew it, they were lined up all the way down the road to get orders to go. We had one customer call us and had us mail him a gift certificate for $400 when he couldnt even come in and eat, she adds. He said, Dont worry; when everything settles back down, Ill come in and use it. When the dining room re-opened to limited capacity in early May, Abts saw lots of old, familiar faces. People came in that we hadnt seen in years, she says. They said, We just want to make sure yall keep going. The Ark is at 13030 U.S. 78 in Riverside, Ala.. The phone is 205-338-7420. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For to-go orders and more information go here. READ MORE: Singing the praises of a North Alabama barbecue staple The little Alabama deli where everybody knows your name The cool story behind this essential Auburn snack This Alabama burger joint keeps on rocking, 62 years later A Chinese man studying in the UK is facing execution after he was suspected of killing his parents who tried to stop him returning to Britain from China during the coronavirus pandmic. Huang Mouyang, 22, had fled to Cambodia in August when his parents were found dead by police. He was later arrested at his hideout in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. The suspect has been deported from Cambodia to China, where he could face the death penalty if he is found guilty. Huang, who had been studying in the UK before returning to China temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic, is suspected of having murdered his lawyer father and professor mother in a row about him continuing his studies abroad A Chinese man studying in the UK is facing execution after he was suspected of killing his parents who tried to stop him returning to Britain from China during the coronavirus pandmic Huang Mouyang, 22, fled to Cambodia in August after his parents were found murdered. He was arrested at his hideout in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on August 17 Huang, who had been studying in the UK before returning to China temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic, is suspected of having murdered his lawyer father and professor mother in a row about him continuing his studies abroad. He is believed to have wanted to return to studying abroad, but his parents disagreed, leading to him killing them in a fit of rage, reported Cambodia News English. The couple were found dead in the dormitory of a school in the city of Nanning in southern Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on August 10. The bodies appeared to have been there for some days, local police said. Chinese authorities identified the couple's son as a suspect and found that he had fled to Cambodia. They began working with their Cambodian counterparts to locate him. Huang is believed to have wanted to return to studying abroad, but his parents disagreed, leading to him killing them in a fit of rage, reported Cambodia News English The suspect, a 22-year-old Chinese international student, was deported on the China Southern Airlines flight CZ8314 from Phnom Penh to Guangzhou in China on September 29 Huang Mouyang, 22, fled to Cambodia in August after his parents were found murdered. He was arrested at his hideout in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on August 17 Huang was then arrested in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on August 17. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese man had been studying in the UK. Due to the pandemic, he returned to China temporarily. The suspect was deported on the China Southern Airlines flight CZ8314 from Phnom Penh to Guangzhou in China on September 29. He could face the death penalty if convicted. The investigation continues. Leaders of securities firms have a conversation during a meeting on Yeouido in Seoul, on Aug. 27. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung Securities firms' decades-long practice of only releasing "pro-business" stock reports keeps tarnishing their reputation and raising investors' eyebrows. The biggest problem is that there are no proper legal measures to put the brakes on the practice. This raises concerns that more and more retail investors and beginners in stock investing may fall prey to the practice When investors look at corporate analysis reports released by major securities firms, they rarely find any negative reports on the business prospects of major conglomerates or their affiliates. Most of the reports advise investors to buy their stocks, raising their target stock price. It is true that investors are responsible for their own failed investments, but the authorities are also being urged to crack down on some misleading reports. To some extent, it is also understandable for securities companies to release such reports, as part of their revenue source. They are under pressure to keep releasing reports in favor of big companies which are major advertisers in them. "Analysts are being forced to publish such pro-business reports by citing some plausible evidence," an official from an investment company here said. The practice has remained in place for over a decade, and chances remain slim that they will make any changes in consideration of the business ties between the securities firms and advertisers, the official added. Securities firms have also recently shown what is deemed a "two-faced" attitude in their investments. When LG Chem announced its plan to spin off its battery business in mid-September, most securities firms here released a series of reports advising investors to actively purchase LG Chem shares, saying its valuation will continue to rise from a medium- to long-term perspective. But data showed otherwise. According to data from the Korea Exchange, securities and asset management firms here net-sold LG Chem shares worth 20.48 billion won for three trading days since Sept. 16 when the spinoff news made headlines here and abroad. But investment industry sources urged retail investors not to have any unconditional trust in investment reports from securities firms, as it is hard for them to release negative analysis reports when major firms make big decisions. "Any analysts and researchers from local securities firms are under pressure to hype up such a decision by releasing reports, and make as little comment as possible regarding the negative side effects following the decision," a securities firm official said. Even if it is important for securities firms to generate more profits this way, they are also being urged to share a balanced analysis with investors to prove their brand value and regain their trust. Many customers of Vietnamese mobile operator MobiFone in several localities reported that a network outage took place on late Tuesday afternoon and evening, which appeared to disrupt both data and voice connectivity on their 3G and 4G networks. The issue began at around 4:30 pm, according to a MobiFone representative. The representative reported that MobiFone engineers were already working to resolve the outage as soon as possible. In the meantime, affected customers were shown a No Service message on their devices. Some were unable to make or receive calls, while others had problems sending messages or using mobile data. MobiFone customers bring their mobile phones to a store for checking during a network outage on September 29, 2020. Photo: Truong Trung / Tuoi Tre Many customers first thought there was something wrong with their phones or SIMs. Some people even brought their mobile phones to stores for repair. The disruption reportedly happened to MobiFone customers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. By 8:00 pm on the same day, the service had appeared to return to normal, according to a MobiFone customer in Ho Chi Minh City, while other users in Da Nang City still experienced problems. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States has long been a friend of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries. Speaking by video at the annual U.S.-ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that our visions for the future of the Indo-Pacific is closely aligned. The United States is committed to ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific, and to supporting the prosperity of our ASEAN partners," he said. We are providing 89 million dollars in assistance to fight COVID-19 in ASEAN countries of the 20 plus billion dollars that we have provided worldwide. We've delivered 850 ventilators to Indonesia, with another 150 expected to be delivered in the course of the next couple weeks, and 100 ventilators in the Philippines as promised as well. Secretary of State Pompeo announced a number of new initiatives designed to help ASEAN countries strengthen their sovereignty and growth: First, we're pleased to adopt the ASEAN-U.S. plan of Action for 2021 to 2025 to guide our future engagement together, in line with ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We're launching, too, the Mekong-U.S. Partnership to expand our engagement with the five countries of the Mekong region, a region of tremendous importance to ASEANs prosperity and unity. We're proud too, to advance the US-ASEAN and Leaders Statement on Human Capital Development and back it up with new initiatives. The US government intends to provide $5 million for the new [Young Southeast Asian Leaders Academy] and Fulbright University Vietnam. Thats in addition to over 13 million dollars provided for programs under the US-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership to build productivity and improve people's lives. Finally, the United States has devoted new resources to help ASEAN countries face the current pandemic, as well as future ones: The ASEAN Public Health Emergency Coordination System, with one and a half million dollars in funding from the State Department, will increase ASEAN's ability to respond as a region to emerging public health crises and, frankly, to help prevent the next pandemic, too. We've created a new Health Futures Alumni Network to share best practices in fighting and dealing with COVID. And our Department of Health and Human Services also wants to formalize its relationship with the ASEAN health sector. I'm proud of America's work to support our friends in the [ASEAN] region, said Secretary Pompeo. You can count on it continuing. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. (Photo: AFP/VNA) Tokyo Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is planning to visit Vietnam and Indonesia around mid-October in his first official overseas trip since taking office earlier this month, Kyodo News cited government sources as reporting on September 30. If the trip goes ahead, the premier is expected to hold talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Suga will make a final decision on whether to travel after examining the coronavirus situation at home and in the two Southeast Asian countries, where the spread of infections has remained relatively stable compared with other countries such as the US, according to the sources. The plan to visit the ASEAN member states comes as Japan seeks to strengthen ties with countries in the region amid growing tensions between its main security ally the US and its biggest trading partner China, over trade, security and other issues. Vietnam and Indonesia were also the first overseas destinations for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after he assumed the premiership for the second time in December 2012. Abe pursued closer economic and security ties and Suga is expected to follow suit. After becoming prime minister on September 16, Suga has held bilateral phone talks with leaders of countries including the US, the Republic of Korea, China and Russia. Bronfman A British-educated aspiring Olympic show jumper has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for her role in the Nxivm "sex cult". Clare Bronfman, 41-year-old heiress to the Seagrams liquor fortune, was the first person to be sentenced in the case. She wept as she pleaded guilty in April 2019 to charges of conspiracy to conceal and harbour an illegal alien for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification. Bronfman, whose fortune is estimated at $210 million (163m), faced 30 months behind bars under federal sentencing guidelines, but Judge Nicholas Garaufis sentenced her to 81 months. Four others, including the convicted "cult" leader Keith Raniere and former Smallville TV actress Allison Mack, who pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges, are still awaiting their fates. Nxivm On Wednesday the court in Brooklyn heard from nine women who were victims of the cult, which Raniere described as a self-help group, but which saw women forced to starve themselves, have sex with him and brand his initials on their hip. Bronfman financed the cult and recruited new members. The survivors described her in court as a dangerous megalomaniac and predator. Did you ever consider they wanted your money? What would happen if you just stopped giving your money? asked Susan Dones, who fled the upstate New York group. In my opinion, youre a predator. Let that sink in. Kristin Keeffe, who worked with Bronfman for 11 years as a paralegal, also spoke, recalling how her one-time boss helped Raniere dodge child support payments for the son they share. I saw Clare mentally descend over several years into a dangerous megalomaniac, said Keeffe, who fled with her son, Gaelyn, now 13, in 2014. Ranieres ex-girlfriend, Barbara Boucher, told Bronfman she had been duped by Raniere. Clare, do you realise they lied to you? You thought you were in the inner circle. You were six layers out, she said. He used you. He pawned you. He made you feel special. Story continues Mack Bronfman was first introduced to Nxivm, which sells itself as a self-help and empowerment group, through her sister, Sara. The sisters even managed to convince their father Edgar to join, and he initially praised the group. He rapidly grew disillusioned, however reportedly when he learnt that Bronfman had lent the organisation $2 million. In 2003 he told Forbes magazine that the organisation was a cult and he wished his daughters had never got involved. I think its a cult, he said, adding that he was troubled about the emotional and financial investment in Nxivm by his daughters, to whom he hadnt spoken in months. Bronfman rose through the ranks, and in the summer of 2010 organised a seven-day celebration of Raniere's 50th birthday. The retreat, held in upstate New York, cost up to $2,120 and was billed as the prototype and blueprint for a new era of civilised humanity. Bronfman, the event coordinator, wrote that the very purpose of VWeek is to get the chance to experience a civilized world... [and] craft for ourselves a more fulfilling, purposeful life. In November of the same year, Vanity Fair reported that as much as $150 million was taken out of the Bronfmans trusts and bank accounts and handed over to Nxivm. Bronfman The sums included $66 million allegedly used to cover Ranieres failed bets in the commodities market, $30 million to buy property in Los Angeles and around Albany, $11 million for a 22-seat private plane, and millions more to support a barrage of lawsuits across the country against Nxivms enemies. Bronfmans father died in December 2013, aged 84. Her British mother Georgiana had divorced their father in 1983, and is now married to actor Nigel Havers. On August 28 Bronfman wrote to the judge, and refused to disavow Raniere. Many people, including most of my own family, believe I should disavow Keith and Nxivm, and that I have not is hard for them to understand or accept, Bronfman wrote. Nxivm and Keith greatly changed my life for the better. Most of my teenage years and early 20s, I was ashamed of who I was, constantly focused on my shortcomings and ridden with self-hate. Nxivm changed that. I learned a sense of who I am beyond my faults and the tools of how to transform things I didnt like about myself into traits and behaviors I do. I started to embrace myself and turn outwardly to care for and help others. A private group of conservative Victorians has put together a fighting fund of almost $500,000 to sue the Andrews government for negligence over its bungled hotel quarantine program. Two lawyers who successfully represented player Israel Folau against Rugby Australia have been hired to lead the charge. The group has chosen to remain secret out of concern for the sensitivities of taking on the state government in a high-profile dispute. No chief plaintiff has been named, but it is expected the group will file proceedings in the days after former judge Jennifer Coate releases findings from the inquiry into hotel quarantine. Toronto police are looking for a suspect in an assault after a mask dispute in Flemingdon Park. An unknown man entered a convenience store in the Don Mills Road and Gateway Boulevard area, not wearing a mask, at about 9 p.m. Sept. 18, police said in a news release Wednesday. When another customer in the store questioned him about it, the unknown man punched him in the face, breaking some of the customers teeth, police said. Police have released security camera images, and said the suspect is tall, 22 to 23 years old and has black hair. Police said the victim described him as wearing grey clothing and speaking Dari, and said his name may be Faisel. Anyone with information is urged to call police or Crime Stoppers anonymously. Manuela Vega is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: mvega@thestar.ca By Express News Service HYDERABAD: "Did the mosque get demolished magically?" AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi asked while slamming the Central Bureau of Investigation court for the acquittal of key politicians in the Babri Masjid demolition conspiracy case. He termed it a black day in the history of the judiciary and urged the CBI to appeal against it. Speaking to mediapersons, a livid Owaisi made reference to the Supreme Court judgement in the Babri Masjid civil dispute case, wherein the court had said the demolition of the mosque was 'an egregious violation of the rule of law'. "If the SC is saying that, then did the mosque get demolished magically? On December 28 and 29, did someone magically install the idols?" he asked sarcastically. ALSO READ: Not enough evidence to suggest Babri demolition was pre-planned: Court acquits all accused Owaisi did not mince his words while laying into LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati and others who were acquitted by the CBI court in the case. Owaisi claimed that the accused achieved political success because of the demolition. He said, "If they acheived success in politics it is because of the demolition. You demolished our mosque and this is why you became ministers, governors and so on." While urging the CBI to appeal in the matter, Owaisi said that this judgement will send a detrimental message in the case of Kashi and Mathura where a similar controversy is brewing due to presence of mosques in the area. "Through this judgement you have given the message that 'you can do what you want when it comes to Kashi or Mathura, I will give you a clean chit'," he said while adding that if the CBI does not appeal the judgement, he will request AIMPLB to do the same. Owaisi further said that Wednesday's judgement was an injustice for Muslims and added, "I felt helpless when the mosque was demolished. I took it as a humiliation. Today, I am feeling that same humiliation and helplessness that I felt during 1992," he added. By Trend The grouping of Armenian armed forces has been surrounded, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. An operation is underway to destroy the surrounded Armenian armed forces with shellfire and to clean up the area in the Aghdara-Tartar direction of the front, the message said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz WASHINGTON The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday night more resembled a bar fight than a contest for the nations highest office. It looked more like the mid 1800s when there were brawls in Congress, than any recent debates even 2016, said Christopher Mann, assistant professor of political science at Skidmore College. Amid the vitriolic shouting and endless interruptions, a perceptive viewer could glean some policy and personality differences between the two, but it was tough to make sense of much of what was yelled over the course of the hour and a half. This highly publicized debate is the most uncivil and disrespectful presidential debate that I have ever observed, political science Professor Gary Rose of Sacred Heart University said. Neither President Trump or former Vice President Biden conducted themselves in a presidential manner. In my view, this debate diminished the stature of the American presidency. Here are the seven things you should know: Moderator Chris Wallace could not control the interruptions. From the top, Trump came in hot with interruptions, attacking Biden on his health care plan, while Biden interrupted right back to try to correct what he said wereTrumps mischaracterizations of his positions. Within minutes both had called each a liar. Its hard to get any word in with this clown, this person, Biden said at one point. Wallace, a veteran journalist and anchor of Fox News Sunday, tried and mostly failed to stop the verbal barrage. I hate to raise my voice but why shouldnt I be different from the two of you? Wallace asked the candidates at one point, imploring them to cut it out. Late in the debate, Wallace reminded Trump that his campaign agreed to the rules of the debate and by interrupting he was breaking them. The moderator was terrible, said Paul Herrnson, political science professor at the University of Connecticut and fellow at the Center for Responsive Politics. He let Trump talk all over himself and over Biden. Mann defended Wallace for asking good questions and trying to enforce the rules. Political science research shows that people are turned off by incivility in politics, Mann said. In particular, the cross talk with Chris Wallace - a well known and well-liked Fox News anchor - was not a good look for Trump. With Biden, this cross talk might look like a political argument. The cross talk with Chris Wallace looked like he was bullying and disrespectful. Biden, Trump explained how they will handle delayed and disputed election results. At the close of the debate, Wallace asked both candidates if they will urge voters to stay calm during a possible extended period after the election when the results could be unknown as the ballots are counted. He asked if they would pledge not to declare victory until the election results are independently certified. Trump, who responded first, said he urged his supporters to go to the polls and act as poll watchers as ballots are being counted to watch very carefully and look for misconduct. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that, Trump said, again raising the prospect that he may not commit to a peaceful transition of power, if he loses the election. Biden said he would not declare victory until the results have been independently certified. He defended the use of vote-by-mail as standard practice by the military and in five states Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Utah where almost all ballots are cast by mail every election. Biden promised that if he is not the victor of the election, that he will support the winner. Given the variety of election laws among the states, each state has a different deadline for counting absentee ballots, said Gayle Alberda, assistant professor of political science at Fairfield University. For Americans, we might not know who wins on Election Day. Leaving that as the last issue for the debate was beneficial in helping voters set expectations for obtaining election results. Trump would not explicitly disavow white supremacy during debate over race, violence. In a key exchange during a discussion on race and protests, Wallace the moderator asked Trump if he would explicitly condemn white supremacy. Trump said: Sure, I would be willing to do it. But when pressed by Wallace he never followed through with his condemnation and instead said the people agitating peaceful protests are a left wing problem. Trump's unwillingness to condemn white supremacists when directly asked about to do so by Chris Wallace is likely to be the moment most likely to end up in TV ads, Mann said. Wallace also pressed Biden on why he would not call the mayors of Portland, Ore., or other cities experiencing lengthy periods of civil unrest over racial justice issues and demand they stop looting and rioting in their cities. Biden responded, I dont hold public office now. I am a former vice president. He added: Violence is never appropriate. Biden slammed Trump for his response to the death of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Trump attacked Biden for his work on the 1994 crime bill. Positioning himself as the law and order candidate,Trump pressed Biden to name one law enforcement group that had endorsed Bidens campaign, but Biden stared blankly and could not respond with one. He said he wanted to reform policing by rooting out bad apples and encouraging discussion between community members and the police. Trump said he ended racial sensitivity training at federal agencies because it was teaching people to hate our country and rife with sick ideas. I ended it because its racist, Trump said. I ended (it) because a lot of people were complaining they were asked to do something that was absolutely insane. Biden declared Trump a racist, saying: People have to be made aware of what other people feel like. This is the man who told you to inject bleach. Speaking to the camera, Biden asked the American public how many people had an empty chair at their kitchen table because someone died from coronavirus. Biden blamed Trump for the deaths, claiming he never had a plan to fight the virus and had minimized the pandemics seriousness and refused to offer the country the support it needed to stop the virus outbreak and heal the economy. In a memorable line, Herrnson said, Biden quoted Trump who said, it is what is about the virus, and then retorted it is because of what you are. He mocked Trump, saying this is the man who told you to inject bleach. Trump said the remark was sarcastic. The president highlighted his work putting in placing an early travel ban on China that Biden and other Democrats criticized as unnecessary and xenophobic, and said he made the right decision to shut down the greatest economy in history due to the China plague. Now he supports reopening. Trump repeatedly stated that Democratic governors were keeping their states shut down until after the November election for political reasons because, they think theyre hurting us by keeping it closed. Its so sad whats happening in New York," Trump said. "Its almost like a ghost town. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Trump divided Biden from progressives on the environment. Throughout the debate, Trump sought to portray Biden as a radical socialist who was puppeteered by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Then, when Biden refused to support some ideas backed by progressives, Trump jeered that Biden was now losing those voters. Trump claimed that Biden supported the Green New Deal, a progressive policy proposal to fight climate change. Trump said it would put airplines out of businesses, take peoples cars away and even take the cows out. After stumbling once over his words, Biden said, I dont support the Green New Deal ... I support the Biden plan that I put forward, describing how he believes investments in renewable energy, weatherizing homes and buildings and other changes can create new, good-paying jobs. I am not sure that Biden said anything that ends up in TV ads, except perhaps his misspeaking about the Green New Deal, Mann said. Biden will take some heat from the left wing of his party for moving to the center, but the left wing is already far more motivated to vote against Trump than for Biden so this won't cost any votes. On his own views on climate change, Trump said he believed a lot of things contribute to global warming. We have to do everything we can to have immaculate air, immaculate water, he said. He brought up the recent wildfires burning in the western states and blamed them on poor forest management. A similar dynamic unfolded when Trump claimed Biden wanted to take away peoples private health insurance. Biden countered that he did not he wanted to expand Medicaid so more people would have access to a public option, he said. Your party wants to go to socialist medicine, Trump said. I am the Democratic party right now, Biden said. The platform of the Democratic party is what I approved of. Trump said he paid millions in federal taxes. After a New York Times investigation that revealed details of Trumps personal and business tax practices, Trump claimed he paid millions in federal taxes in 2016 and 2017. The New York Times investigation revealed Trump paid $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and no income taxes in 11 of the 18 years that the Times reviewed, thanks to huge businesses losses he carried, among many other findings. Trump has broken with tradition by refusing to release his tax returns contending it is because he is being audited by the Internal Revenue Service and waging a legal battle to keep them hidden. Hours before the debate, Biden released his 2019 tax return showing he and his wife paid nearly $300,000 in federal taxes, a little less than a third of his adjusted gross income of $985,000. Biden urged Trump to show us your tax returns. Trump said: Youll see it as soon as its finished. Biden repeatedly linked Trump to millionaires and billionaires making profits off the pandemic, while talking up his Scranton, Pa., roots. Bidens working class background and public service career came across. He sought to connect with everyday people, focus on policy, and address the performance of government, Herrnson said. Trumps background also came across. He was born into wealth, went into business and reality TV, and developed a public persona as a bully. His interruptions and personal attacks were consistent with his background. The animosity could not have been more clear. Trump and Biden did not hide their disdain for one another, although to win in November, each must win a portion of moderate voters, some of whom backed Trump in 2016 and some of whom supported Democrat and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Youre the worst president America has ever had, come on, Biden to Trump during a segment on taxes. He called Trump a clown more than once. Trump suggested that Biden graduated last in his college class and attacked his intellect. He repeatedly called Biden a socialist. He lambasted Bidens son, Hunter Biden, for his work for a Ukrainian energy firm and getting kicked out of the military, among other allegations. A shook-up Biden said his son Hunter struggled from a drug problem, like many people, but has recovered and that Trumps other allegations were false. One of the big take-aways was the lack of real policy debate, Alberda said. Too often they focused on zingers or interrupting each other and not on sharing with voters where they stand on the issues. Both the candidates dodged questions, which is expected, but the extent to which they did often can leave many voters in the dark. A Beatrice man is facing several drug-related charges after colliding with a Wymore Police car Tuesday afternoon near Sixth and Washington Streets in Beatrice. According to the police report a vehicle driven by Jacoby Wilcox, 27, hit a marked Wymore Police unit at approximately 4:51 p.m. on Sept. 29. Beatrice Police arrived on scene with reports stating that one officer knew Wilcox possessed an active Nebraska Department of Corrections absconding warrant. The warrant was confirmed by Southeast Communications and Wilcox was placed under arrest. Wilcoxs right front fender was damaged and he was informed that the vehicle would be towed and inventoried. The officer noted that Wilcox displayed signs of nervousness and was concerned about what would happen to his vehicle before admitting to officers that there were drugs in the vehicle. When searching the vehicle, police reportedly discovered a backpack containing crystal rocks that were field tested positive as methamphetamine, several small bags of suspected marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms, as well as other drug paraphernalia including a bag of needles, a measuring spoon and a grinder. Police also found $694 in cash wrapped in a hairband in his front pocket. Wilcox received medical clearance from a local hospital before being transported to the Gage County Detention Center and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance marijuana over one ounce, possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug money and possession of drug paraphernalia. Love 0 Funny 14 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 0 Secret grand jury recordings in the Breonna Taylor case will be released on Friday after a judge granted a two-day delay. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron filed a motion on Wednesday asking a court in Louisville for a week's delay to allow the names of witnesses and their personal information, including addresses and phone numbers, to be redacted. Cameron's office said this afternoon that a judge granted a shorter delay, saying the material should be made public on Friday. The audio recordings were originally supposed to be released on Wednesday. On Tuesday night, Cameron sought to defend himself ahead of the release of records that the grand jury was shown. He has been accused by an unidentified juror of publicly misrepresenting the incident with his submission of evidence and by recommending that only one of the cops should be charged. On Wednesday, his staff claimed they needed more time to redact some of the names involved. They want another week to complete their redactions. The evidence includes statements from a neighbor who first claimed to have heard the cops announce themselves but then changed their story to say that they didn't. The evidence also includes 'recordings' but it's unclear if those are bodycam recordings or other types of footage. On Monday, a juror filed a motion earlier this week to have all of the evidence released to the public. They say they are in turmoil over the fact that Cameron's office only recommended that one of the cops should be charged with wanton endangerment, letting the two others completely off the hook, and without charging any of them with murder. Taylor was shot and killed in her home in Louisville in March after three cops - Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove - opened fire on her apartment, where she was asleep with her boyfriend. They were executing a no-knock search warrant for her apartment that was part of a drug trafficking probe into her ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, at the time. Taylor's boyfriend at the time of her death, Kenneth Walker, awoke to the officers breaking down the door with a battering ram and opened fire. He says they did not announce themselves. The cops returned fire and Taylor was killed in the crossfire. Daniel Cameron on Tuesday night sought to defend himself ahead of the release of records that the grand jury was shown. He has been accused by an unidentified juror of publicly misrepresenting the case Breonna Taylor, 26, was shot and killed by Louisville police in March Neither Jonathan Mattingly (left) nor Myles Cosgrove (right) have been charged over Taylor's death Despite global outrage over the killing - one of several this year that have highlighted police brutality against black Americans and sparked protests worldwide - nothing was done to charge the officers until last week when, after a grand jury was convened, Hankison was indicted. Cameron's office say that the two others are justified in returning fire and killing her because Walker opened fire first. Brett Hankison is the only cop out of the three who was charged. He was charged with wanton endangerment for a bullet that went into Taylor's neighbor's home In an interview on Tuesday night, Cameron said that the jury should have brought murder charges against the other two cops if they wanted to but that his office didn't because they would never have been able to prove them at trial. 'Basically your question is about whether we recommended any murder charges against Cosgrove and Mattingly. 'The answer is no. Ultimately, our judgement is that the charge that we could prove at trial beyond a reasonable doubt was for wanton endangerment against Hankison. 'They are an independent body. 'If they wanted to make an assessment about different charges, they could have done that. 'But our recommendation was that (Jonathan) Mattingly and (Myles) Cosgrove were justified in their acts and their conduct,' he told WDRB TV. The juror spoke through their lawyer to say they were never given the option to charge the other two cops and that they were in 'turmoil' over the outcome. 'This is something where the juror is not seeking any fame, any acclaim, any money,' their attorney, Kevin M. Glogower, told The New York Times on Tuesday. Mosley worked at the school between 2011 and 2017, initially in Howards financial aid office and then as associate director of the universitys bursars office. But between November 2016 and May 2017, prosecutors said Mosley orchestrated the theft by fraudulently entering more than $100,000 worth of financial aid awards into the account of another former employee, who also was a former student. Boris Johnson's father faces a 200 fine after he was spotted breaching coronavirus rules and shopping without a facemask. Stanley Johnson, 79, who just months ago flew to his Greek villa in brazen defiance of the pandemic travel warnings, was spotted without a face covering as he popped into his local newsagents in West London on Tuesday for a newspaper. The scenes come after the Prime Minister today pleaded with the British public to 'follow the guidance' and urged people to wear a mask in shops and on public transport during a Downing Street press conference. After being caught red-handed without a mask, the Prime Minister's father admitted he was 'maybe not 100 per cent up to speed' with the rules having just returned from abroad and said he was 'extremely sorry'. Stanley Johnson, 79, was spotted without a face covering as he bought a newspaper at a newsagents in West London on Tuesday He told The Mirror: 'I was maybe not 100 per cent up to speed but that was my first day back in England after three weeks not in England. 'So they (the rules) may have changed in that time. I'm not really a big shopping man. 'I'm extremely sorry for the slip up and I would urge absolutely everybody to do everything they can to make sure they do follow the rules about masks and social distancing.' The scenes come just months after the Prime Minister was met with a furious backlash after his father jetted to his four-bed home in Greece - ignoring Foreign Office guidance which stated no one should travel unless it was essential. Despite the Government advising against all but essential travel, Mr Johnson claimed he needed to 'Covid proof' his villa before the letting season began. The retired Tory MEP told local and international press: 'There is no question of my breaking the law. The minister of tourism here has my papers. 'It was always absolutely clear from the Greek government that the only thing they were banning were people coming in from direct flights from Britain.' The scenes come after the Prime Minister today pleaded with the British public to 'follow the guidance' and urged people to wear a mask in shops and on public transport Locals claimed he arrived to the region by private car after documenting his controversial journey from the UK on social media, sharing a video of himself on a plane and a selfie. When he was later confronted by international media in Pelion, Mr Johnson said he was unaware of the outcry in Britain about his flight. 'It is true I took the pictures down,' he said. 'But I didn't put them up in spirit of defiance. I certainly had no intention of provoking anyone.' Today Boris Johnson pleaded with Britons to 'follow the guidance' in an effort to prevent a second 'more costly' lockdown national lockdown. He said: 'Let me just say what I've said to everybody, please everybody follow the guidance. 'Bearing in mind, you are doing it not just to protect your neighbour but ultimately someone that you could transmit the disease to that could end up infecting someone that you love. It is absolutely crucial that we stop the spread of this disease.' He added: 'Wear a mask on transport in the way that is recommended. 'And, bear in mind that the fines are now very considerable and they will be imposed.' Last week, the Prime Minister revealed that fines for failing to wear a face covering would rise to 200 and will become compulsory for bar staff, shop workers, waiters and taxi passengers. Just because a business does not make any money, does not mean that the stock will go down. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. Nonetheless, only a fool would ignore the risk that a loss making company burns through its cash too quickly. So, the natural question for Cambridge Cognition Holdings (LON:COG) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. The first step is to compare its cash burn with its cash reserves, to give us its 'cash runway'. See our latest analysis for Cambridge Cognition Holdings When Might Cambridge Cognition Holdings Run Out Of Money? You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. As at June 2020, Cambridge Cognition Holdings had cash of UK2.0m and such minimal debt that we can ignore it for the purposes of this analysis. In the last year, its cash burn was UK1.3m. Therefore, from June 2020 it had roughly 18 months of cash runway. Notably, however, the one analyst we see covering the stock thinks that Cambridge Cognition Holdings will break even (at a free cash flow level) before then. In that case, it may never reach the end of its cash runway. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time. How Well Is Cambridge Cognition Holdings Growing? At first glance it's a bit worrying to see that Cambridge Cognition Holdings actually boosted its cash burn by 30%, year on year. The revenue growth of 5.8% gives a ray of hope, at the very least. Considering both these factors, we're not particularly excited by its growth profile. Clearly, however, the crucial factor is whether the company will grow its business going forward. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company. Story continues How Easily Can Cambridge Cognition Holdings Raise Cash? Cambridge Cognition Holdings seems to be in a fairly good position, in terms of cash burn, but we still think it's worthwhile considering how easily it could raise more money if it wanted to. Generally speaking, a listed business can raise new cash through issuing shares or taking on debt. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations. Cambridge Cognition Holdings' cash burn of UK1.3m is about 7.8% of its UK16m market capitalisation. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money. So, Should We Worry About Cambridge Cognition Holdings' Cash Burn? As you can probably tell by now, we're not too worried about Cambridge Cognition Holdings' cash burn. For example, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap suggests that the company is on a good path. While its increasing cash burn wasn't great, the other factors mentioned in this article more than make up for weakness on that measure. There's no doubt that shareholders can take a lot of heart from the fact that at least one analyst is forecasting it will reach breakeven before too long. Looking at all the measures in this article, together, we're not worried about its rate of cash burn, which seems to be under control. An in-depth examination of risks revealed 4 warning signs for Cambridge Cognition Holdings that readers should think about before committing capital to this stock. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Queensland and Western Australia are sitting ducks waiting for COVID-19 outbreaks because they are a 'virgin' ground for the virus, experts have warned. There are concerns over a cargo ship floating off the coast of WA, where 17 crew members have tested positive for coronavirus, with ten now in quarantine at Port Hedland. WA went 171 days without any community transmission prior to the ship's outbreak, sparking fears in epidemiologists that eased restrictions and complacency could lead to a second wave. Melbourne University epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely claimed WA was a 'tinderbox' that could be in trouble if the coronavirus spread into the community. Queensland and Western Australia are sitting ducks waiting for COVID-19 outbreaks because they are a 'virgin' ground for the virus, experts have warned There are concerns over cargo ship Patricia Oldendorff (pictured) floating off the coast of WA, where 17 crew members have tested positive for coronavirus Ten crew members are now in hotel quarantine in Port Hedland after being taken off the COVID-riddled ship 'They have a virgin population, a completely susceptible population and they are at the maximum allowed in terms of opening up,' he said. 'If the virus gets in it will very easily take off,' he told news.com.au. ABC health expert Dr Norman Swan warned 'the fuel is on the ground ready for the fire in WA, Queensland and other states'. 'They have been lulled into a false sense of security. Testing rates are low, and that's the problem,' he said. Western Australia has the lowest levels of coronavirus testing in Australia, with an average of just 1,790 residents are getting tested per day. Curtin University modelling expert Associate Professor Nick Golding warned WA could suffer a similar fate to New Zealand, who saw an unexpected surge in cases after 101 days of no community transmission. 'The rate at which people are coming into contact with other people who they are seeing each day is high enough that if there was disease transmission then it would spread very quickly,' he said. AMA president Omar Khorshid said a virus outbreak in Port Hedland would have a 'catastrophic outcome' and prove to be a 'death sentence' for vulnerable Indigenous communities. Epidemiologists say WA is a 'tinderbox' that could be in trouble if the coronavirus spread into the community 'If the virus gets out into the Port Hedland community, particularly into the Indigenous community in Port Hedland, we would expect a catastrophic outcome that would be worse than what we have seen in Melbourne with severe illness and death resulting in an outbreak,' Dr Khorshid told the West Australian. But Western Australian Health Minister Roger Cook is confident the cargo ship's outbreak will soon be resolved and says there is no risk to the local community. He will travel to Port Hedland on Wednesday and will attend a community forum for concerned residents. The response is being handled by the West Australian Medical Assistance Team, which successfully managed COVID-19 outbreaks aboard the Artania cruise ship and the Al-Kuwait livestock vessel earlier this year. 'While there are some unknowns, the WAMAT team has done this before on a much larger scale with the Artania and with the Al-Kuwait,' Mr Cook said. 'We are prepared and we are ready based upon clear protocols and planning.' The ship, carrying 20 Filipino nationals and the captain, is anchored eight nautical miles off WA's northwest coast. It arrived from Manila on September 16. Australian Defence Force personnel will arrive on Thursday to help police and security guards oversee the hotel quarantine. Nine crew are needed to maintain the ship while it is anchored, and maritime laws require 13 people to be aboard when it departs for international waters. ABC health expert Dr Norman Swan warned 'the fuel is on the ground ready for the fire in WA, Queensland and other states' Western Australia has the lowest levels of coronavirus testing in Australia, with an average of just 1,790 residents are getting tested per day 'My preference is that we take the crew off. We can care for them better there, we can do the deep clean of the vessel and we can get it under sail,' Mr Cook said. 'The limitation we have is we've only identified about five crew that we can actually put back onto that ship.' Once some of the hotel occupants have exceeded their incubation period and are no longer infectious, they could form part of a 'clean' replacement crew. 'We're anticipating that this scenario will resolve itself within a fortnight,' Mr Cook said. No new cases were reported on Tuesday, leaving the state with 22 active cases, including five unrelated to the Patricia Oldendorff. (Newser) Kentucky's attorney general is seeking to delay the release of secret grand-jury proceedings in the Breonna Taylor case just as audio recordings were set to be released to the public. Attorney General Daniel Cameron's office filed a motion asking for a week's delay to enable the redaction of names and personal information. A court in Louisville had been expected to release the audio recordings on Wednesday, and a ruling on the motion should come today, reports the Courier-Journal. The filing said the delay is necessary "in the interest of protection of witnesses, and in particular private citizens named in the recordings," with a rep for Cameron saying the recording is 20 hours long. story continues below Judge Ann Bailey Smith on Monday ordered Cameron to release the recordings as evidence in the case against Brett Hankison, who was charged with wanton endangerment. Cameron on Monday said he would comply. He acknowledged this week that his recommendation to the grand jury was that only one of the officers be indicted, and only for the wanton endangerment of Taylor's neighbors. He has been criticized since announcing the grand jury's indictment for not seeking charges against the officers for killing Taylor. Cameron said the other two officers who fired their guns were justified because Taylors boyfriend had fired at them first. Cameron said the record will show that his team "presented a thorough and complete case to the grand jury," reports the AP. (Read more Breonna Taylor stories.) Arts at Emory welcomes autumn with several October events including concerts, theater productions and conversations with authors and poets. Most events are free and all will be held through virtual platforms. Michael C. Carlos Museum Families can attend events at the Michael C. Carlos Museum virtually, such as the educational workshop Thursday, Oct. 1, at 3:30 p.m., Connecting the Dots: A Deep Dive into the Art and Biology of Whale Sharks. Educators from the Carlos Museum and the Georgia Aquarium lead kids on a deep dive into the world of whale sharks, followed by an instructional video on how to create a shark effigy inspired by a ceramic sculpture in the Carlos Museum. The cost is $20 for members of the Carlos Museum or Georgia Aquarium and $25 for nonmembers. On Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m. the Carlos Museum hosts a discussion with Claudio Saunt, Richard B. Russell Professor in American History at the University of Georgia, regarding his new book Unworthy Republic: The Dispossession of Native Americans and the Road to Indian Territory. In the book, Saunt explores how expulsion became national policy and describes the chaotic and deadly results of the operation to deport 80,000 men, women and children in order to secure new lands for the expansion of slavery and to consolidate the power of the southern states. In celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day, Emory English professor Craig Womack (Creek) chairs a panel discussion titled "McGirt V. Oklahoma: Understanding the Implications of the Recent Supreme Court Decision Across Native America" on Monday, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m. The Carlos Museum invites teachers to attend the STEAM: Myths & Mechatronics workshop on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Through Zoom sessions and tutorial videos with teaching artist Lakeem Winborne, teachers get hands-on experience in creating a storyboard, learning to code as a form of storytelling, building a robot and writing code to make their robot vimana enact their story. The workshop costs $105 for Carlos Museum members and $135 for nonmembers. Space is very limited; advanced registration is required by Saturday, Oct. 3. Music The 2020-2021 Candler Concert Series kicks off on the new Schwartz Center Virtual Stage Friday, Oct. 2, with Jane Bunnett and Maqueque performing at 8 p.m. The free concert features internationally acclaimed flutist, saxophone player and pianist Jane Bunnett Cuban joining the award-winning jazz ensemble Maqueque showcasing Afro-Cuban melodies and jazz. The Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta (ECMSA) presents several free virtual concerts this month. In celebration of Beethovens 250th birthday, Emorys string quartet in residence, the Vega String Quartet, performs Beethovens String Quartet Cycle V on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m. An accompanying lecture by Bill McGlaughlin streams earlier that day at 1 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 18, at 4 p.m., the Vega Quartet performs with pianist William Ransom to celebrate Beethovens birthday. The First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta co-hosts several virtual ECMSA concerts this month, including performances of Beethovens Cello Sonata No. 4 and Violin Sonata No. 8 on Friday, Oct. 9, at 12 p.m. and Cello Sonata No. 2 and Violin Sonata No. 5 Spring on Friday, Oct. 30, at 12 p.m. All concerts are free and open to the public. Theater Theater of War Productions presents a virtual performance of the groundbreaking project Antigone in Ferguson Friday, Oct. 2, at 5 p.m. The performance fuses dramatic readings of Sophocles Antigone with live choral music performed by a diverse choir from St. Louis, Missouri, and New York City, and culminates in powerful, healing discussions about racialized violence, police brutality and systemic oppression. This event is co-sponsored by the Emory College Center for Creativity in Arts and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Emory student Elizabeth Jones, a junior majoring in African American studies and human health, will join the panel discussion after the performance. The reading is free and open to the public with registration. Join Theater Emory for an all-student reading of The White Plague, available Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. and streaming until Sunday, Oct. 11. Written in response to the rise of the Nazi regime, Karel Capek's work warns of issues that continue to plague the world today fascism, disease and xenophobia and how each individual holds responsibility. Visit Theater Emory for the event link and password. Literature The Decatur Book Festival ends its festivities Sunday, Oct. 4, at 4:30 p.m. with an endnote by poet and author Natasha Trethewey, a former creative writing professor at Emory whose papers are in the Rose Library archives. This virtual event opens with an introduction by Yolanda Cooper, Emory dean and university librarian. Rosemary Magee, former director of the Rose Library, interviews Trethewey and discusses Tretheweys recent release, Memorial Drive: A Daughters Memoir. The event is free, but registration is required. Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison and his supporters are continuing their foul attacks on historian Joseph Scalice following his lecture First as Tragedy, Second as Farce: Marcos, Duterte and the Communist Parties of the Philippines. The lecture established on the basis of overwhelming evidence that Sison and the CPP had actively assisted the fascistic President Rodrigo Duterte to come to power in 2016 and gave support to his murderous war on drugs. Dr. Joseph Scalice The latest in Sisons vicious campaign, drawing on the long history of Stalinist lies and threats, is a photoshopped image depicting Scalice and Leon Trotsky as rats about to be killed by an angry peasant. The WSWS is posting below Dr. Scalices response to Sisons crude methods posted on his Facebook page. We encourage our readers to send us letters defending Dr. Scalice. Jose Maria Sison, founder and ideological leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has posted yet another attack on Trotskyites, accompanied by a caricatured image of Trotsky and me as vermin. An angry peasant, wearing a traditional salakot hat, holds two rats, Leon Trotsky and Joseph Scalice, in his hands and knocks their heads together. It is a disgusting image. Sison is dredging up some of the worst filth of the twentieth century. The bestial depiction of Leon Trotsky has its origins in the anti-semitism of the far right. The White Russian emigres first responsible for these depictions served as the ideological inspirations of Nazism. Stalin embraced this vicious heritage and ensured that images of Trotsky, the demon Jew, found wide circulation. Stalinism has a long history of using barbaric and racist imagery against its Marxist opponents in the Trotskyist movement. The flagrant lies told by the Stalinist leaders to cover up their betrayals of the working class and secure their hold on power were given visual form in the grotesque imagery which they employed in their art. Cartoon attacking Trotsky and Scalice Anyone who has made a careful study of the imagery employed by the CPP will recognize its dishonest and frankly barbaric character. Looking to cover up their complicity in his rise to power, the CPP has produced effigies of Duterte that are beyond grotesque. The man they hailed as progressive is now depicted as a demonic beast, complete with slavering fangs and horns and blood-red rolls of gratuitous fat. There is no class depicted, nothing at all that references capitalism, just the pure embodiment of evil. It is a measure of their political desperation that the CPP is drawing on the propaganda of the far right and the medieval bestiary. An effigy of Duterte at a recent demonstration In the same fashion, as the CPP and the organizations that follow its political line have aligned with sections of the bourgeoisie closely tied to Washington, they have begun denouncing Duterte as a puppet of Chinese imperialism, and have produced images that draw on the regions long history of anti-Chinese racism. The statement that accompanied the image of Trotsky and me as vermin was written for Sison by the so-called MLM Study Group. It is as fundamentally dishonest as the artwork. Sison refuses to deal with any of the basic historical facts raised by my scholarship. Instead he regurgitates the historical lies of Stalinism. The statement claims that Trotsky supported the Nazis, that Trotsky opposed the peasants, and on and on. Any politically literate student of the twentieth century should know the origin of these lies. There were countless little compendia of such poisonous falsehoods published around the time of the Moscow show trials. They served as a kind of Stalinist breviary, shoring up the political line of the party with lies and justifying the mass murder of their opponents. I am a historian. I wrote a thousand-page dissertation that examined for the first time every extant scrap of what the party wrote in the late 1960s and early 1970sbooks, pamphlets, leaflets, and fliersand collated these into a coherent account of events leading up to the imposition of martial law. Sison has responded to none of this. He cannot account for his support for Macapagal, whom he hailed as a revolutionary; for his endorsement of Marcos in 1965; for his alliance with the elite opposition from 1970-72 as they sought to secure the reins of martial law for themselves; or for his support for Duterte in 2016. Instead, he resorts to slanders and threats and lies and bestial caricatures in a desperate attempt to cover up his own political culpability. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) shed over 9 percent intraday and was the biggest Nifty50 loser on September 30 after the government extended the deadline for selling a stake in the company the fourth time. The government extended to November 16 the deadline for submission of expression of interest (EoI) for selling its stake in the company, Economic Times. This is the fourth time the government has given more time to potential bidders, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The previous deadline was to end September 30. "In view of further requests received from the interested bidders and the prevailing situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, the last date for submission of EoIs is further extended to 16th November, 2020 (by 5 pm )," the department of investment and public asset management said in a statement. At 1442 hours, Bharat Petroleum Corporation was quoting at Rs 350.55, down Rs 35.65, or 9.23 percent on the BSE. The share touched its 52-week high of Rs 549.70 and 52-week low of Rs 252.00 on November 21, 2019 and March 24, 2020, respectively. It is trading 36.23 percent below its 52-week high and 39.11 percent above its 52-week low. The boss of Pilbara Ports has warned degrading mental health of maritime crews has significantly raised the risk of a shipping catastrophe and has called on governments to allow crew changes to occur easier. Pilbara Ports chief executive and Ports Australia board member Roger Johnston said thanks to COVID-19 restrictions seafarers were not allowed to disembark the ship while in port and swapping crews had become difficult, which was harming the health and wellbeing of about 200,000 people across the globe. The boss of Pilbara Ports worries the risk of an accident is growing to unacceptable levels because of COVID-19 restrictions. Credit:Bloomberg Mr Johnston oversees some of the biggest and busiest ports in the country and raised serious concerns about the welfare of seafarers in control of some of the world's biggest bulk carriers. He said some had spent nearly 14 months at sea and he was worried the risk of a major accident was growing to unacceptable levels. The BDA Centre for Medical Training is organising the patient safety PSPCI Conference 2020 in strategic partnership with King's Centre For Professional Development/UAE. This conference, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA), is the first of its kind in Bahrain and GCC states. It will start on the first Thursday of October with a 4-day Programme, dedicating the first day to Covid-19 and the latest updates on tackling the virus and its various consequences. The conference, which will be held virtually and titled "Webinar version" (Patient Safety: An Emphasis on Prevention & Control of Infection Conference), will be attended by 16 prominent speakers from Bahrain, the region and the world. They are Dr Jameela Al-Salman, Dr Azhar Nasseb, Dr Nehad Al Shirawi, Dr Sumaya Husain, and Dr Amal Al Sabbagh from Bahrain. From the United Kingdom, Prof Farry Jeffrey and Dr Hala Afifi. From Saudi Arabia, Dr Bishr Adnan, and Prof. Kamis Gaballah from Libya. From the United States, Dr Howard Scott and Dr Mark Schnitzer and Dr Adam Jurecki, and from Lebanon, Dr Georges Abi Zeid, and from Jordan Dr Haleama Al Sabbah, and from Iraq Dr Reem Saeed, and from Palestine Dr Layla Aiash. Prof Jeffrey, Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the PSPCI conference, stressed the significance of this event in improving health care fields, and said that it coincides with WHO's celebration of the World Patient Safety Day and the Health Worker Safety Charter, praising the pioneering role and passionate commitment of Bahrain in promoting patient safety. "We are also excited to promote the significant concept of patient safety as the core focus of implementing the principles of quality in healthcare, and we are fortunate to have speakers with us from all over the world to share their invaluable experiences and perspectives on this topic, achieve maximum benefit and create a safer healthcare environment that we create for current and future generations," Prof Jeffrey added. PSPCI conference aims to Gain insights into current developments in patient safety as an essential element within patient safety, discuss the patient safety and future priorities and learning how they apply to ones organisation, understand the need to improve investigations and develop more consistent regulation in patient safety, learn about the role of Patient Safety Collaborative, and discuss with colleagues the importance of involving and engaging patients in helping to improve services and ensure continuous quality improvement in healthcare. In addition to that, the conference provides a platform for exchanging ideas about current patient safety priorities, learning about the role of the Patient Safety Collaborative, attend workshops discussing current priorities for patient safety and share insights into progress and next steps, In-depth understanding of PCI as a vitally important component of patient safety from across diverse sectors, network with colleagues, share experiences and contribute to broader thinking on improving patient safety and PCI in all healthcare settings. The conference is exclusively aimed at quality directors in hospitals and health and medical facilities, heads of patient safety, medical and nursing directors, directors of infection prevention and control, infection control lead practitioners, specialist nurses, heads of pharmacy, surgeons, risk managers, in addition to academics, researchers and concerned parties. -- Tradearabia News Service V Velayudham By Express News Service KGF: A KGF police team seized 229 kg of ganja valued at Rs 1.25 crore which was illegally stored in a newly constructed pit behind a house, said Central Range Inspector General of Police Semanth Kumar Singh. Speaking to The New Indian Express, he said during the first week of the month, the KGF police seized 186 kg of ganja valued at Rs 1 crore in a house and in this connection two people were arrested. After the incident, the police were taking regular follow-up action to uproot the drug menace. Accordingly, under the supervision of SP Ilakiya Karunakaran and Dy SP Umesh, a team headed by inspectors Surya Prakash and Venkatramanappa and other cops searched in and around the house of Pouli, Joseph and Raja, residents of Krishnagiri Lane under Marikuppam police limits. During the raid, police checked behind the house and found a stone slab. When they removed the slab, the ganja was found in a pit around 12 feet deep. Singh said a case has been taken up in CEN Police Station in this connection. Giving details of the accused, Ilakiya Karunakaran said the police have booked Pouli, Joseph, Raja, Vasanth, Karthick, Murali and Pushparani and added that a few of them are facing criminal cases in KGF region. All the accused are at large and a team has been formed to nab them. Singh distributed appreciation certificates for inspectors Surya Prakash and Venkatramanappa and cash rewards for cops including Venkatramanapa, Mahendra, Chethan and Ramesh. Singh said totally around 400 kg of ganja has been seized across the central range, 70% of which was in KGF region alone. Phil Klay's debut novel is "Missionaries." (Hannah Dunphy) Here is what happens when a man is chainsawed in half in the public square of a village, reads a sentence in Missionaries, the beautiful, violent and almost perfect new novel by Phil Klay. Its not the first sentence in this long, winding journey across the killing fields sowed by the American empire. But it gives a flavor of its brutality and raw power. An Iraq War veteran and author of Redeployment, a short story collection about our misadventures in Iraq and Afghanistan and one of the best books of 2014, Klay has now grafted his skill at smaller set pieces onto a much larger project. Missionaries not only revisits the ugly conquests in the Middle East and Central Asia (and introduces heartbreaking characters you would hate to see cut in half) but also attempts something altogether old-school: to make a complex and thought-provoking argument about American foreign policy over the last generation. The novel starts slowly almost fatally so, becoming mired in a milieu weve seen too often before. A wire journalist named Lisette lives in the Kabubble of wartime Afghanistan. In these early pages, hoary cliches about the way the news sausage gets made coalesce around Lisettes rush to file a 125-word news brief. The process-heavy scene, establishing one of the novels major characters, is not totally lame but toggles between mild tone-deafness and mere proof of research. Perhaps youve heard journalism is the first draft of history? I realize Im running out of steam, Lisette says inanely. Or maybe Im running out of f. OK. Klay finds his footing just in time, as Lisette leaves Kabul and texts an old flame, a soldier turned contractor. Are there any wars right now were not losing? He responds with one word: Colombia. Using his formidable gifts for scene-setting, meaningful irony and deep human empathy, Klay weaves together a set of stories over the course of nearly three decades: Young Abel, his family slaughtered in a Colombian village, rising in the ranks under Jefferson, his brutal paramilitary boss; Juan Pablo, a colonel in the Colombian military, whose only daughter, Valencia, finds herself face to face with Jefferson; American soldiers Mason and Diego, groomed on the frontlines, adapting to a war in which even the concept of victory is lost in the fog; and finally the reporter Lisette, who brings everyone together in a gory denouement. Story continues Among the sundry military men, aid workers and journalists, Abel is the heart and soul of this sprawling story. In a dark and thrilling twist, his struggles to be good in the face of Jeffersons savagery sometimes feel doomed, in part because of the warlords charisma: He is a kind of sadistic warrior saint, a conscienceless Lao Tzu. In ancient times, Jefferson muses, all wars were holy wars, Later, trying to explain why hes so loyal to his power-mad boss, Abel mumbles something about protecting freedoms. Only a slave fights for freedom, Jefferson says. Men fight for something more. (Penguin Press) Its almost Cormac McCarthyesque, the lurid appeal of Klays depraved moral universe. Jefferson takes Abel up onto a mountain, where a compatriot has been beaten and killed. They dont mention the corpse. Jefferson lights a big fire. Abel considers whether hes about to burn to death. He moved mechanically, without expression, he says of Jefferson, and I wondered whether he was capable of love or horror. Inside my own hollow body, inside the space where my soul had been, echoes of pain and loss rang out, and I knew my nightmares would never cease. Spoiler: more nightmares to come. Klay isnt just assembling dispatches from the moral void; he has larger aims. Jumping ahead in time while maintaining masterful control he begins to connect the violence of Colombia to Americas Afghanistan fiasco in sneaky and profound ways. Combat is not like people think, a soldier explains during a raid in one of those jaw-droppingly gorgeous Afghan valleys. Its much slower and more deliberate. With muscular and compact sentences and dazzling details, Klay zooms in on a young boy walking back to the ruined village, evidence of Americas hollow victories. In a couple of years, a U.S. soldier says, you think well come back and kill him? Amid raging fires and illness and constitutional crises, Klays book roars something vital: Never forget about war or the blood and bone and the evil and the reckless idealism of who we all really are. We send men (and women) out to fight. For what? And what happens to them when they return? One particular chapter in this compact epic of a novel contains perhaps Klays finest writing yet, featuring Juan Pablos misty memories of faith and family. It might feel messy and disorienting, whipsawing from U.S. soldiers on home leave to aid workers teasing out victim testimonials, but these several dozen pages part philosophical treatise, part Columbian military memoir could stand alone as one of the best short stories youll ever read. Its as sly and magnificent as Alvaro Mutis, perhaps secretly Colombias greatest writer, or Salvadoran Horacio Castellanos Moya, whose novel Senselessness Klay has no doubt studied carefully. Chiles Roberto Bolano also haunts this book. More could and should be said about the writing of actual Iraqis and Afghans and Colombians who grapple with these stories as survivors, instead of works by a generation of young, mostly male U.S. veterans with their own trauma but also the comforts of empire. Some of these victors histories likely wont endure, like Kevin Powers hammy, overcooked 2012 novel The Yellow Birds. But others, like Klays Redeployment and now this excellent novel, seem poised to educate us for many wars to come. Well worth the wait, Missionaries is (among its many virtues) a prime example of what can ideally follow a first great war book. Intricate and ambitious, its a rich network of converging stories in which the plot itself becomes the destiny of its characters. And the ceaseless engine driving it forward is American foreign policy, oriented as it always is toward the previous war. U.S. soldiers learned techniques in the Balkans that they deployed in Iraq, a system of targeted raids and assassinations on steroids that was easy to export to Colombia (and Yemen and on and on in the forever war). Missionaries is horrifying and refreshing, challenging us to reflect not just on the destruction of our own national institutions but also on the ugly and ongoing consequences of American power abroad. It bears remembering, that somewhere, in a lab or on some ugly white board, yet another too-clever American idea is being readied for deployment. Deuel is the author of Friday Was the Bomb: Five Years in the Middle East. By Akbar Mammadov The group of the occupying Armenian armed forces has been surrounded, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said on September 30 at 10:30 am. An operation to destroy the surrounded Armenian forces by an artillery fire ad clean up the area in the Aghdere-Terter direction of the front is conducting, the ministry said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz I wrote that piece to honor the moral authority of the Catholic Church and its capacity to influence and make things better for people all across the world, Pompeo said at a news conference with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. They have historically stood with oppressed peoples all around the world. The piece was written and our policy has been all along to bring every actor who can benefit the people of China from to take away the horrors of the authoritarian regime the Chinese Communist Party is inflicting on these people. That was our mission set, and it will remain our mission set. Its been so long before the election; it will remain so after the election. The Thunder Bay Museum will be hosting a travelling quilt exhibit starting Jan. 31. The exhibit, titled Threads of Hope, explores hope, longing and desire for the future of the world. Fibre Art Network artists express world issues through their work in the exhibit. Each artwork is connected Royal Dutch Shell says it will axe between 7,000 and 9,000 positions by the end of 2022, of which 1,500 staff have already agreed to take voluntary redundancy this year Royal Dutch Shell will axe up to 9,000 jobs or more than 10 percent of its global workforce, the energy giant said Wednesday as the coronavirus pandemic slams oil demand and prices. The Anglo-Dutch group will cut between 7,000 and 9,000 positions by the end of 2022, including 1,500 staff who have agreed to take voluntary redundancy this year, it said in a statement. "This is an extremely tough process. It is very painful to know that you will end up saying goodbye to quite a few good people," said Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden, who oversees 80,000 staff across more than 70 countries. "But we are doing this because we have to, because it is the right thing to do for the future of the company. "We have to be a simpler, more streamlined, more competitive organisation that is more nimble and able to respond to customers," he added. The virus has hit the entire energy sector, with Shell's fierce rival BP axing about 10,000 jobs or 15 percent of its staff. Shell on Wednesday added that it aims to generate annual savings of between $2 billion and $2.5 billion (1.7-2.1 billion euros) by also cutting back on refining capacity. It will help the company to achieve a $3-$4 billion efficiency drive announced in March and that runs to 2021. Shell had in July flagged that job cuts were in the pipeline after posting a colossal $18.1-billion second-quarter net loss. On Wednesday it warned that it would suffer more post-tax impairment charges of $1.0-$1.5 billion in full third quarter earnings due next month. Van Beurden added that Shell was looking at a raft of other areas where it can cut costs, such as travel, its use of contractors and virtual working. COVID-19 slammed the brakes on the global economy and sent oil prices off a cliffeven causing them to briefly turn negative in April. The market also crashed on the back of a vicious price war between key producers Saudi Arabia and Russia. The resulting meltdown ravaged revenues and profits. Shell was already in the red in the first quarter, which prompted it to cut its shareholder dividend for the first time since the 1940s. Oil prices currently stand at about $40 per barrel, which is still well down on the same time last year. Explore further Shell cuts costs, slashes spending on virus turmoil 2020 AFP Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The President of the United States makes an annual determination on refugee resettlement levels in the U.S. at the start of the fiscal year in October. This process was established in 1980 by the U.S. Refugee Act. With no indication that a determination will be signed by midnight tonight, the refugee resettlement in America comes to a screeching and disconcerting halt. As we at Bethany Christian Services state in a new report released yesterday, COVID-19 comes amid the most critical year to date of the refugee crisis. At the end of 2019, the UN Refugee Agency reported that 1% of all humanity was displaced from their home. We found that the pandemic has exacerbated the global refugee crisis and has disproportionately affected children, who account for 40% of displaced people around the world. This year, resilient refugees have faced not just a pandemic but also poor living conditions, travel bans, and more profound economic uncertainty. Due to the global food shortage, most refugees are at higher risk of dying by starvation than contracting COVID-19. An estimated 60,000 Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica are currently starving. Recently, a devastating fire in Greeces overcrowded refugee camp, Moria, left thousands homeless. This is the same refugee camp where 1,300 people were reported to be sharing one tarp. Many well-intentioned Americans might assume that this closure is about keeping Americans safe. I think, Elizabeth Neumann, former assistant secretary of counterterrorism and threat prevention at the Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration said it best in a National Immigration Forum press call yesterday, Refugees are the most thoroughly investigated population coming into the United States." In terms of protecting Americans from disease, refugees resettling in the U.S. undergo extensive health screenings before entering the country, including COVID-19 testing and symptom screening. The CDC has even published guidelines on how to safely resettle refugees. Nonprofits that specialize in resettlement have the capacity to assist thousands more refugees, especially children, in the United States the ones for whom resettlement is literally their last chance at survival. At Bethany, we are motivated by our faith to serve the populations of people who desperately need safety and resources. We abide by a call from the Scriptures outlined in Matthew 5:37-40: Then those sheep are going to say, Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you? Then the King will say, Im telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me you did it to me. (MSG) Refugee resettlement is historically one of the few things that has consistently had bipartisan support. In fact, recent surveys show that both Trump and Biden supporters see immigrants as having a positive impact on society. There is no need to unnecessarily politicize a decision that can only do good for vulnerable people and the world, many of whom are overlooked or ignored. As a country, we must face the moral reality of this global crisis. When we shut our doors, we are not prioritizing the safety of Americans. Instead, we are leaving people around the world vulnerable to trafficking, starvation, and violence. We are refusing to provide respite and protection to those persecuted for their religious beliefs. We are keeping families separated as refugees already resettled in the U.S. would lose any hope of starting a new life with their family. We are turning our backs on the people who need help the most. We can do better. We must. 34 days until Election Day. 14 races in Michigan for seats in the U.S. Congress. With just more than a month until Nov. 3, races span across the state as far north as the Upper Peninsula and several in the southeast Michigan and Detroit areas. Here is a roundup of the races, including the 28 major-party candidates and the handful of third-party ones. Candidates filled out answers for previews on where they stand on several issues, according to questionnaires compiled by a partnership between MLive and the League of Women Voters. Access the full guide and search for candidates in your area at vote411.org. U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, (left) is running for a third term against Democratic challenger Dana Alan Ferguson (right). Both photos are courtesy of the candidates' campaigns.Courtesy Photo U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman looks to keep northern Michigans 1st District red amid challenge from Democrat Dana Ferguson Northern Michigans representative in Washington has been a Republican for more than a decade. Incumbent Rep. Jack Bergman wants to keep it that way. Dana Alan Ferguson is his Democratic challenger in the 1st Congressional District. Ferguson topped church leader Linda ODell in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, earning about 45,000 votes, 64% of the electorate. Bergman, R-Watersmeet, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. Related: Ferguson wins nomination to face Jack Bergman in Michigans 1st Congressional District Northern Michigan is one of the stronger Republican strongholds in the state, but Ferguson, a former production manager at lumber company Bell Forest, is vying for a chance to turn it blue for the first time since Rep. Bart Stupak won in 2008. I think too many (Democrats) look at the 1st District and look at Northern Michigan and theyve written it off, Ferguson said. This is a huge mistake, because I can say with certainty after traveling to all 32 counties multiple times over the last year, it is far from a waste of my time. This is a very, very winnable district, and there are so many people who have more progressive principles that are going to be voting. According to the Cook Political Report Partisan Voting Index, the 1st Congressional District is strongly Republican, trending +9 points red. Bergman, a retired Marine lieutenant general, topped 2018 Democratic challenger Matt Morgan by more than 42,000 votes, winning the seat by more than 12 percentage points. The Republican initially won the seat in 2016 by 53,000 votes over Lon Johnson, former Michigan Democratic Party chair. He sees his role as Northern Michigans congressman as working to allow people from either political persuasion to live the American dream, with more freedom from federal control. Get a good K-12 education, then allow them to have options like college or tech school or military or into the workforce... whatever it happens to be, Bergman said. Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, left, faces a challenge in the November 2020 general election from Democrat Bryan Berghoef, a Holland pastor. Huizenga faces Democratic pastor in quest to keep 2nd Congressional seat West Michigans representative in the U.S. House of Representatives is facing a Democratic challenge from a pastor and political newcomer. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, is seeking a sixth term representing Michigans 2nd Congressional District. Challenging him for the two-year term is Democrat Bryan Berghoef, pastor of the Holland United Church of Christ. Also appearing on the ballot are three third-party candidates: Jean-Michael Creviere, representing the Green Party; Max Riekse, representing the Libertarian Party; and Gerald T. VanSickle, representing the US Taxpayers Party of Michigan. Michigans 2nd Congressional District includes all of Lake, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa counties and areas of Allegan, Kent, and Mason counties. Democrat Hillary Scholten and Republican Peter Meijer Republican Peter Meijer, Democrat Hillary Scholten seek to replace Justin Amash in Congress in 3rd District The race to replace U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, L-Cascade Township, in Congress features two political newcomers: Republican Peter Meijer and Democrat Hillary Scholten. Neither Miejer, a 32-year-old Army veteran and former analyst, nor Scholten, a 38-year-old attorney, have held public office. But both candidates say they have what it takes to effectively represent Michigans 3rd Congressional District. Heres a look at the candidates: Meijer, of Grand Rapids Township, is the great grandson of Hendrik Meijer, who started the Meijer supermarket chain. He is a U.S. Army veteran, and most recently from April 2018 to January 2019 worked as an analyst at Olympia Development of Michigan. Scholten, of Grand Rapids, served as a judicial law clerk and attorney adviser for the U.S. Department of Justice Board of Immigration Appeals from 2013 to 2017. She left the department after President Trump took office, returned to West Michigan, and later took a job as a staff attorney for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. The 3rd Congressional District includes the city of Grand Rapids, a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia County, Barry County and Calhoun County, which is home to Battle Creek. Republican Incumbent John Moolenaar, far left, will be facing off against three contenders during the Nov. 3 election, pictured from left to right - Democrat Jerry Hilliard David Canny of the Libertarian party, Amy Slepr of the Green party. Courtesy of the Women League of Voters, Vote411. U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar faces 3 contenders for central Michigans 4th Congressional District Republican U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar faces three contenders in the November general election for the right to represent mid-Michigan in Congress. Moolenaar, of Midland, is seeking reelection on Nov. 3. He faces Democrat Jerry Hilliard, David Canny of the Libertarian Party and Amy Slepr of the Green Party for the 4th District seat. Moolenaar previously served on the Midland City Council as well as in the Michigan House of Representatives and in the State Senate. Prior to his governmental experience, Moolenaar worked as a chemist, small business administrator and a school administrator. He holds a bachelors from Hope College and a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University. Hilliard has served as the former chair and vice chair of Isabella County Democratic Party and has been a precinct delegate, poll worker, and poll watcher. Currently, Hilliard is an adjunct faculty member at Lansing Community College in economics. He holds a bachelors from Central Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan - Flint. Canny is a retail seafood executive, who handles tasks such as operations, global procurement, marketing, and product development while Slepr is a retired nurses aide who holds a bachelors in psychology from Central Michigan University. Democratic U.S. Rep. Daniel Kildee is facing Republican Tim Kelly, Libertarian James Harris and Working Class Party candidate Kathy Goodwin in the Nov. 3 election for the 5th district seat.(Photos supplied to MLive) U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee faces former state representative Tim Kelly, 2 others for 5th District House seat Democratic U.S. Rep. Daniel Kildee, who represents the 5th Congressional District in mid-Michigan, faces three challengers in the Nov. 3 general election. Tim Kelly is the Republican candidate opposing Kildee and a former Michigan state representative from Saginaw County. Also on the ballot are Libertarian James Harris and Working Class Party candidate Kathy Goodwin. The 5th Congressional District includes Genesee, Bay, Arenac and Iosco counties and parts of Tuscola and Saginaw counties. Democrat Jon Hoadley is challenging Republican Fred Upton for the U.S. House District 6 seat on Nov. 3. State Rep. Jon Hoadley among a trio challenging Congressman Fred Upton for the 6th District seat State Rep. Jon Hoadley, D-Kalamazoo, is considered the front-runner among those seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, to represent Michigans 6th Congressional District. The district has long been a Republican stronghold. Upton is seeking his 18th consecutive term in the November general election. In addition to the Democratic Party, the other challengers appearing on the Nov. 3 ballot are members of the Libertarian and Green parties. Libertarian Jeff Depoy, 35, is a machinist and veteran from Berrien Center. For more about his experience and campaign, visit facebook.com/jefffor6th Green Party candidate John Lawrence, 31, is a medical dispatcher and logistics and courier transporter from Kalamazoo. For more about his experience and campaign, visit facebook.com/RapsRantsRamblings Upton, 67, was first elected in 1986. In the August primary he secured 62.66% of the votes to defeat GOP challenger Elena Oelke. The 6th Congressional District covers much of Southwest Michigan, including the counties of Kalamazoo, Van Buren, Cass, St. Joseph, Berrien and Allegan. Gretchen Driskell, D-Saline, hopes to unseat incumbent Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, to represent Michigan's 7th Congressional District. (Photos provided to MLive) Walberg, Driskell face off for third time for 7th Congressional District seat Gretchen Driskell hopes a third times the charm to unseating Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg in November. The former Saline mayor and Democrat is running for Michigans 7th Congressional District against incumbent Walberg, of Tipton, now in his sixth term. Walberg beat Driskell in 2018 with 54% of the vote in the Republican-leaning district. The 7th Congressional District also supported President Donald Trump in the 2016 election when Walberg beat Driskell with 55% of the vote. The district includes Monroe, Lenawee, Hillsdale, Branch, Jackson and Eaton counties, along with western Washtenaw. Voters in Michigan's 8th Congressional District will choose between Paul Junge, left, and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, on Nov. 3, 2020. (MLive File Photos) U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin faces challenge from Paul Junge in Michigans 8th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, is seeking a second term after flipping Michigans 8th congressional district, while GOP challenger Paul Junge is vying to reclaim the seat for Republicans. Slotkin is a former CIA analyst elected in 2018 to represent a district that supported President Donald Trump two years earlier. Junge, a former prosecutor and television anchor, argues he can better represent the politically-mixed district, though Slotkin touts a bipartisan record in her first term. Junge earned the Republican Partys nomination by winning a four-way primary with 35% of the vote. Slotkin ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Libertarian candidate Joe Hartman is also on the Nov. 3 ballot. Hartman, a tax accountant and former math teacher, is not taking campaign donations and said hes running to bring more awareness to libertarian issues. The 8th District covers the traditionally Republican-leaning Livingston County, Democratic-leaning Ingham County and portions of Oakland County that have begun to trend blue in recent elections. However, Trump won the 8th District by 7 percentage points in 2016 and will be on the ballot with Junge on Nov. 3. Slotkin won by a narrow 3.5 points in 2018. She lost Oakland and Livingston counties but won Ingham County by a wide margin, giving her enough votes to become the first Democrat to represent the 8th District since 2001. U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Twp., left, and Republican challenger Charles Langworthy will face off in November for Michigan's 9th District congressional seat. Levin, Langworthy offer very contrasting visions in 9th District congressional race U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Twp., is looking to keep his congressional seat in the family for a 20th term as he faces Republican challenger Charles Langworthy in the Nov. 3 election. Levin won the seat in 2018, replacing his father Sandy Levin, who represented the district for 18 terms before retiring. Langworthy, briefly a U.S. Navy sailor and now a realtor with Liberty Way in Lake Orion, earned 57% of the vote to defeat Gabi Grossbard in the Republican primary on Aug. 4. He received more than 32,000 votes to win the nomination. Read more: Langworthy wins primary, will challenge Congressman Andy Levin in November The 9th Congressional District spans portions of northern Oakland and Macomb counties. The Cook Political Report rates the district as trending +4 points Democratic. Langworthy calls himself a constitutional patriot and a proud American that loves this nation and its people. He has appeared with other Michigan Republican candidates alongside the Trump Unity Bridge. I am a man of conviction with a good moral compass that wants nothing more than to live in a free and prosperous nation, he says on his campaign website. Before being elected to Congress, Levin was a business owner, a director of the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth under former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and a staff attorney for former President Bill Clintons labor law reform commission. LEFT: Republican 10th Congressional District candidate Lisa McClain. RIGHT: Democratic 10th Congressional candidate Kimberly Bizon. (Courtesy photos) Lisa McClain, Kimberly Bizon face off in Michigans 10th Congressional District Voters in Michigans 10th Congressional district will be picking a new person to represent them in Congress this fall, choosing between Republican businesswoman Lisa McClain and second-time Democratic candidate Kimberly Bizon. McClain, the senior vice president of the Michigan-based financial services company Hantz Group, came out the victor in a competitive three-way primary with state Rep. Shane Hernandez and retired brigadier general Doug Slocum. She said she initially thought about running when former U.S. Rep. Candice Miller left office, but ultimately put it on the back burner because her youngest child was still in middle school at the time. This year, she said, her family was discussing politics at dinner one night when her daughter suggested she try running for office. She looked across the table at me and said, 'Mom, if you dont like the situation, why dont you change it? McClain said. And that really started me thinking again...I think with my leadership ability, my experience, my logicalness in my ability to bring people together, I think the timing is perfect. Bizon, an environmental activist and the web and interactive director at Sussman Agency, defeated Kelly Noland, a U.S. Army veteran and longtime nurse. In 2018, she ran an unsuccessful challenge against current U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell, and said she decided to run again because I still wasnt pleased with the representation that we were getting in Congress, and also, you dont quit on things that matter. The 10th is traditionally considered a safely Republican seat Republican candidates have won the district since 2003, and President Donald Trump carried the region by 32 points in 2016. Voters in Michigan's 11th District will choose between U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Rochester Hills, and Republican Erik Esshaki in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. (MLive File Photos) U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens faces Eric Esshaki in Michigans 11th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Rochester Hills, is running for reelection against Republican attorney Eric Esshaki in Michigans 11th Congressional District. Stevens, who previously served as chief of staff on an auto industry task force convened by former President Barack Obama, was first elected in 2018 and replaced a retiring Republican. Esshaki, a Birmingham attorney and former nurse, is running to flip the district back into Republican hands in his first bid for public office. Esshaki earned the Republican Partys nomination in August, winning a five-way primary with 31% of the vote. Stevens ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Libertarian candidate Leonard Schwartz, a retired professor of business law and economics, is also on the Nov. 3 ballot. The 11th District covers portions of northwestern Wayne County and southwestern Oakland County. The district has been represented by Republicans for most of its existence. Stevens is the first Democrat to represent the district since David Curson was elected to serve a partial term in 2012. If she wins reelection, Stevens would be the first Democrat to serve a second term in the districts modern form. Stevens was elected in 2018 by a 7 point margin. Two years earlier, President Donald Trump won the district by 4 points. In an interview, Esshaki said he is running to ensure the economy recovers after the COVID-19 pandemic. He also supports traditional Republican policies like banning abortions, protecting the second amendment and keeping taxes at the current level. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, speaks during a "Where do we go from here?" rally on the University of Michigan Diag on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. Dingell faces 2 repeat challengers in Michigans 12th Congressional District race As U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell looks to keep her seat in Congress another two years, she faces two repeat opponents in the Nov. 3 election. Republican Jeff Jones and Working Class Party candidate Gary Walkowicz are both taking another shot at unseating the Dearborn Democrat in Michigans 12th Congressional District. The last time they faced off in 2018, Dingell won by a wide margin, netting over 80% of the vote in Washtenaw County precincts and nearly 60% in Wayne County precincts. They also faced off in 2016. This is Jones' third time running against Dingell, and Walkowiczs fourth time. The district includes the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas, Dearborn and Downriver communities. Dingell was first elected in 2014, taking over the seat previously held by her husband, the late John Dingell, who served nearly 60 years in Congress. Walkowicz, a United Auto Workers member, lists 45 years working in an auto plant among his credentials. Jones is a pastor from Taylor with a financial services background. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit walks onstage to greet Bernie SandersDemocratic presidential primary candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at a rally at TCF Center in Detroit on Friday, March 6 2020.Jacob Hamilton/MLive.com U.S. Rep Rashida Tlaib seeking 2nd term in 13th District race against David Dude Dudenhoefer First-term U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, is expected to retain her seat in Michigans left-leaning 13th Congressional District. After routing Democratic challenger Brenda Jones in the August primary, she is set to face Republican nominee David Dude Dudenhoefer. Many saw the Democratic primary as the larger hurdle for Tlaib. According to the Cook Political Report Partisan Voting Index, the 13th Congressional District is the most Democratic district in Michigan, trending +32 points blue. After the resignation of former U.S. Rep. John Conyers. Detroit-area voters chose Jones to finish Conyers' term and Tlaib for the new term that started in 2019. Dudenhoefer, who lists his occupation as a casino employee, defeated two other Republicans for the nomination by earning more than 47% of the vote. He made headlines by raffling an AR-15 rifle as a symbol of support for 2nd Amendment rights and a campaign fundraising tool. The rifle is a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport II that retails at $752. Related: Michigan congressional campaign raffling AR-15 rifle The gun giveaway is part of a month-long contest Dudenhoefer is holding for his supporters, who are encouraged to become monthly contributors to his campaign, according to a Sept. 16 press release. I am a proud advocate of Americans right to self-defense as enshrined in the Bill of Rights, Dudenhoefer said. Were already having an incredible response to our AR-15 giveaway already and expect it to grow as we get closer to the October 11th deadline for entries. The auction begins Wednesday and runs through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11. Entries are being taken on Dudenhoefers campaign website. As a freshman congress member, Tlaib has staked out a position as one of congresss more progressive members and stood opposite President Donald Trump on some high-profile issues, from saying shed work to impeach the mother****er to when Israel denied her entry at Trumps urging. U.S. Representative for Michigan's 14th District Brenda Lawrence addresses supporters during a campaign stop for democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden at Renaissance High School in Detroit, on Monday, March 9, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence to face challenger Robert Patrick in 14th District Voters in Michigans 14th Congressional district will decide between incumbent Democrat Brenda Lawrence and Republican challenger Robert Patrick. Lawrence earned 93% of the Democratic vote in the August primary, with 126,449 ballots cast in her favor, beating Terrance Morrison of West Bloomfield Township. Patrick, a self-employed general contractor, earned 65% of the Republican vote, with 12,476 ballots in his favor, besting Daryle Houston, a former assistant prosecutor for Wayne County who garnered 6,587 votes, or 35%. The 14th District includes portions of Wayne and Oakland counties and leans strongly in favor of Democrats. No Republican has represented the district in the last 70 years. It is among the most Democratic-voting districts in Michigan, according to Cook Political Reports Partisan Voting Index, the 14th District trends +30 points for Democrats. Lawrence was first elected in 2014 and is seeking a fourth term. She was re-elected to a third term in 2018 and did not face a Democratic primary challenger that year. Lawrence served as the mayor of Southfield for 13 years before joining the U.S. House in 2014. Patrick has appeared with other southeastern Michigan candidates, such as Langworthy, alongside the Trump Unity Bridge. SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- James Clear's blockbuster book, Atomic Habits, hit # 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List, two months in a row and is the number one bestseller on five renowned lists: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Amazon Charts, and Audible. The book has been featured for over 45 weeks and has been translated into over 20 languages. Upon hearing the recent news, Megan Newman, Publisher, at Avery (division of PRH) shared, "James Clear's groundbreaking book and #1 Best Seller Atomic Habits has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. It continues to change the way people approach their daily lives, at home, at work, in the classroom, at the gym and more." This must-read focuses on Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results, and the science of building small habits to create compounding beneficial effects over time. Through Clear's practical and applicable methodology, minuscule shifts in daily behavior allow individuals to get 1% better every day. Along with the book's massive international impact, Clear also offers readers looking to better themselves a deeper dive into Atomic Habits with virtual keynote speaking. He has presented his habit-building expertise to companies in search of creating stronger more efficient teams at: Cisco, Thompson-Reuters, McKenzie, Mutual of Omaha, Redfin, LinkedIn, Citrix, Intel, Stanford, Dell, Volkswagen, Mutual of Omaha, and JP Morgan Chase. His virtual keynote insights on Atomic Habits are being facilitated by BigSpeak Speakers Bureau. Ken Sterling, EVP and Head of Talent Management at BigSpeak was ecstatic with Clear's most recent accomplishments. "We are so thrilled with being on the top of five lists and to be representing James. He is an impressive thought leader, dynamic keynote speaker, and a top author of our time. Atomic Habits is life-changing." About BigSpeak: BigSpeak is a full-service speakers bureau, serving 72% of the Fortune 1000 and is the first choice for clients who need virtual keynote speakers. BigSpeak's virtual keynote speakers range from business speakers , world-class athletes , best-selling authors , award-winning entertainers to global icons , and more . James Clear is accompanied on BigSpeak's exclusive roster by other entrepreneur speakers like Kevin O'Leary , Marc Randolph , Omar Johnson , former CMO Beats, Mitch Lowe , Kim Perell , Adam Cheyer , creator of Siri , and Ken Schmidt formerly from Harley Davidson . CONTACT: Jennifer Neisse, 805-450-2541, [email protected] SOURCE BigSpeak Speakers Bureau Related Links www.bigspeak.com Iraq's foreign minister holds talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington last month before a surge of attacks on US interests prompted a US pullout ultimatum Baghdad is "not happy" with a "dangerous" threat by Washington to pull its troops and diplomats out of Iraq, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Wednesday. Several political and diplomatic sources have told AFP that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued an ultimatum last week that all US personnel would leave Iraq unless the government puts a stop to a rash of attacks against them. "A US withdrawal could lead to further pullouts" by members of the US-led coalition fighting holdout jihadists, which would be "dangerous, because the Islamic State group threatens not only Iraq but the whole region," the minister said. "We hope that the United States will rethink its decision," which at the moment is only "preliminary", Hussein added. "Some people in Washington make parallels with Benghazi but it's a faulty analysis, just as this is a faulty decision," he said, referring to Libya's second city. Four US personnel, including the ambassador to Libya, were killed in Benghazi in 2012, when Islamist militants among a crowd of protesters stormed the US consulate. Between October 2019 and July this year in Iraq, around 40 rocket attacks have targeted the US embassy or bases housing US troops. Since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi was received in the White House amid great fanfare in August, the frequency of such attacks has increased significantly. In the space of just two months, another 40 attacks have taken place, targeting not only the embassy and military bases, but also the supply convoys of Iraqi contractors for Washington and its allies. "Attacks on foreign embassies are attacks on the government, which has responsibility for protecting them," the Iraqi minister said. Recent attacks have mostly been claimed by little known factions among the array of Shiite armed groups equipped and trained by neighbouring Iran during the war against the Sunni extremists of IS. Story continues The armed groups have been locked in a tug-of-war with Kadhemi, who is seen as more pro-American than some of his predecessors. Underlining the risks, a rocket attack targeting Baghdad airport hit a nearby home on Monday evening, killing five children and two women from the same family. The US still has hundreds of diplomats in its mission in the high-security Green Zone in Baghdad and around 3,000 troops based in three bases across the country. ak-sf/sbh/kir/fz Kyle Rittenhouse, left, with backwards cap, walks along Sheridan Road in Kenosha, Wis., with another armed civilian, on Aug. 25, 2020. (Adam Rogan/The Journal Times via AP) Crowdfunding Site Raises $500,000 for Kyle Rittenhouses Legal Defense A crowdfunding page for 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who is accused of shooting and killing two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has raised more than $500,000. The funds were raised via GiveSendGo, a page created after the teen allegedly shot people in the midst of riots, arson attempts, and unrest. His legal team has argued that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense. Rittenhouse was arrested in Lake County, Illinois. His lawyers are fighting his extradition to Wisconsin. Now, Kyle is being unfairly charged with murder by a DA who seems determined to capitalize on the political angle of the situation, the fundraising page said. The situation was clearly self-defense, and Kyle and his family will undoubtedly need money to pay for the legal fees. Rittenhouse was in Kenosha, the site of several nights of arsons and unrest following the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake. Lawyers representing Rittenhouse also said on Wednesday they will be preparing a defamation lawsuit against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidens campaign. Bidens campaign tried to link Rittenhouse to white supremacists in Kenosha. Biden defamed Kyle Rittenhouse by suggesting on this video that he is a White Supremacist. The #Left just will not stop. I am working on the retraction demand now for Mr. Biden and his campaign, attorney Todd McMurtry wrote on social media. Marina Medvin, who is also representing Rittenhouse, said in a statement that there is absolutely no evidence, not even a pinch, of this defamatory accusation that my client Kyle Rittenhouse is a white supremacist. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Justifying his administration's decision to withdraw from the on climate change, US President has said it was a "disaster" and people were happy being out of it, while his Democratic challenger vowed to rejoin the historic accord if voted to power. The Trump administration notified the United Nations in November last year that the US would withdraw from the climate agreement as the deal puts an "unfair economic burden" on Americans. The notification begins a one-year process of exiting the global climate change accord, culminating the day after the 2020 US election on November 3. "I want crystal clean water and air. I want beautiful clean air. We have now the lowest carbon. If you look at our numbers right now, we are doing phenomenally. But I haven't destroyed our businesses. Our businesses aren't put out of commission," Trump said during the first presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday. "If you look at the Paris Accord, it was a disaster from our standpoint. And people are actually very happy about what's going on because our businesses are doing well," he said. The president was responding to a question by debate moderator Chris Wallace. Over your four years, you have pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Accord. You have rolled back a number of Obama environmental records. What do you believe about the science of climate change, and what will you do in the next four years to confront it? Wallace asked Trump. The Paris accord committed the US and 187 other countries to keeping rising global temperatures below 2C above pre-industrial levels and attempting to limit them even more, to a 1.5C rise. The decision by the US - one of the world's biggest emitters of greenhouse gases - has led to condemnation from environmentalists and expressions of regret from world leaders. During the debate, Biden said he would rejoin the deal on climate change, if elected to power in the November presidential election. "The first thing I will do, I will rejoin the Paris Accord...because with us out of it, look what's happening. It's all falling apart," Biden said, responding to a question on climate change. He, however, to the surprise of many, said the 'Green New Deal' being pushed by his party is not his plan. Trump asked Biden if he was so concerned about climate change, why he did not do it when he was a Senator and the vice president of the country. "Why didn't he do it? For 47 years, you were vice president why didn't you get the world. China sends up real dirt into the air, Russia does, India does, they all do. We are supposed to be good and by the way, he made a couple of statements. The Green New Deal is USD 100 trillion not USD 20 billion, Trump said. Responding to Trump's remarks, Biden said, That is not my plan. The Green New Deal. Biden said if voted to power, his administration will ensure that it is able to take the federal fleet and turn it into a fleet that are electric vehicles. We're going to put 500,000 charging stations in all of the highways that we're going to build in the future," he said. Meanwhile, on the issue of wildfires, Trump said, "As far as the fires are concerned, you need forest management in addition to everything else. The forest floors are loaded up with trees, dead trees that are years old and they're like tinder, and leaves and everything else. You drop a cigarette in there, the whole forest burns down. You've got to have forest management. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 16:13:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) on Tuesday expressed strong indignation and opposition to the U.S. UN ambassador's Taiwan-related activity and remarks. On Tuesday, U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Kelly Craft attended an online event hosted by Taiwan and delivered remarks undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, to which China expresses strong indignation and opposition, said a spokesperson of the Chinese mission. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole China, said the spokesperson. The one-China principle is a broad-based consensus of the international community. UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 restores China's lawful seat in the UN and establishes the one-China policy in the UN, which is strictly observed by the UN system and widely respected by UN member states, said the spokesperson. Noting China resolutely opposes official contacts of any form between the United States and Taiwan, the spokesperson pointed out that as a high-level government official, the U.S. permanent representative attended the event hosted by Taiwan and clamored for the so-called Taiwan's participation in the UN, thus seriously violating the one-China principle, the three China-U.S. joint communiques and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. Emphasizing that the Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and involves China's core interests, the spokesperson said the Chinese government is rock-solid in its resolve to uphold China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and has an unshakable conviction to safeguard China's core interests. China urges the United States to fully recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question, abide by the one-China principle, the three China-U.S. joint communiques and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, deal with Taiwan-related issues with caution, stop any forms of official contacts with Taiwan, and not to move further down the wrong and dangerous path, said the spokesperson. Enditem LONDON/NEW YORK Mergers and acquisitions came back with a bang in the third quarter as executives rushed to revisit deals left on hold at the height of the coronavirus pandemic and boardrooms regained confidence after a roller-coaster year. A deal frenzy in September led to a record third quarter with more than $1 trillion worth of transactions around the world, mostly focused on coronavirus-resilient sectors such as technology and healthcare, according to Refinitiv data. The third-quarter spike, however, failed to take up all the slack after a lacklustre start to the year. M&A deals overall were down 21% at $2.2 trillion in the first nine months of 2020, with U.S. transactions coming in at $800 billion, a 43% slump from the same period last year. "The way out of this crisis is through M&A and we have started to have really engaging conversations with CEOs and boards around strategic positioning post-COVID," said Alison Harding-Jones, Citigroup's head of M&A for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, known as EMEA, and vice chairman of EMEA banking, capital markets and advisory. "People have realised they need to consolidate to create stronger and better-equipped businesses to deal with what the world looks like going forward," she said. M&A activity in July, August and September leapt 80% from the previous quarter when the spread of COVID-19 triggered global lockdowns and brought business to a standstill. In the United States, deal volumes rose threefold to $414 billion from the second quarter, Europe was up 21% at $231 billion and Asia Pacific spiked 67% to $274 billion. "The market is picking up quite rapidly. Ironically, the prospects for M&A activity are stronger now than they were pre-COVID," said Peter Weinberg, founding partner and chief executive of Perella Weinberg Partners. 'Get on with life' The latest transaction to become a casualty of the pandemic was LVMH's $16 billion takeover of U.S. jeweler Tiffany , which is hanging in the balance after the French luxury giant said it could not meet a deal deadline. While that was a blow for transatlantic mergers, the deal flow between the United States and Europe was partly restored by Nvidia's $40 billion swoop on British chip designer Arm Holdings. German health firm Siemens Healthineers and French drugmaker Sanofi , meanwhile, spent billions on U.S. takeovers, buying Varian Medical Systems and Principia , respectively. Other big deals included PetroChina's sale of its oil and gas pipelines for $49 billion and a $42 billion move by Altice's Franco-Israeli founder Patrick Drahi to take the telecoms firm private. The third-quarter deal frenzy, however, gave mid-market mergers the biggest boost. Transactions in the $5 billion to $10 billion range are up 24% so far this year while combinations worth more than $10 billion have dropped 37%. Dealmakers said the looming U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3 was a factor for companies considering acquisitions but a sustained economic recovery should help stimulate merger activity, regardless of the winner. "The election is in focus with clients right now. But if you look back, the underlying strength of the economy and the capital markets are better predictors of M&A activity than any single event like the election," said Chris Roop, co-head of North America M&A at JPMorgan Chase & Co. In Europe, a long-awaited season of banking deals kicked off over the summer with Spanish and Italian banks finalising merger discussions, raising expectations that German and Swiss rivals might follow suit. "The critical phase of when nobody knew what was happening is over. CEOs want to get on with life and business implementation as they've realised they cannot stand still," said Patrick Frowein, co-head of EMEA investment banking coverage and advisory at Deutsche Bank. "One CEO recently told me: 'In the morning I work on the theme of crisis and in the afternoon I work on the topic of opportunity. The mornings are getting shorter and the afternoons longer'." Stock deals favored In general, the pandemic has pushed companies to reconsider what it means to diversify their business, Stephan Feldgoise, global co-head of M&A at Goldman Sachs said. "The willingness of corporations to look through what is market uncertainty is really what's evolved right now," Feldgoise said. "COVID has changed the perception of what it means to be diversified. To refocus a business, to have multiple products lines and to achieve geographic diversification is helping to drive M&A." Despite the market volatility, companies have largely used stock as their preferred acquisition currency, locking in high valuations while keeping cash reserves intact to help weather the coronavirus storm. "Stock deals are increasingly attractive because there's often a lower premium to pay and the target shareholders will participate in the upside of the combined entity," said Philipp Beck, M&A head for EMEA at UBS. "This is a theme that will continue as it allows the parties to preserve balance sheet flexibility and ease liquidity concerns," he said. Deep-pocketed private equity investors have largely been on the sidelines, wary of buying assets that are hard to price without visibility on how long it will take for growth to return to pre-pandemic levels. "When you look at the market fundamentals, you see that there is a lot of private equity money to be deployed. But high multiples and hefty valuations continue to remain the main challenge for most funds," said Simona Maellare, global co-head of alternative capital at UBS. Going forward, however, the mood is set to change, with financial investors likely to follow in the footsteps of U.S. buyout fund KKR , which has been a prolific dealmaker during the pandemic, bankers said. "There is a window of opportunity for financial sponsors to drive post-COVID-19 growth. If you look at the cycle we're at a low point but there are signs of a recovery in many segments," Deutsche Bank's Frowein said. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (HKG: 0386, "Sinopec"), China's leading energy and chemical company and now Saudi Aramco's largest onshore drilling contractor, congratulated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on its 90th National Day and expresses support for the Saudi Vision 2030. With firm commitment to responsibility, integrity, excellence, innovation and benefit for all parties, Sinopec's business operations in Saudi Arabia mainly cover the exploration and development of oil and gas fields, oil field services, refining and chemical engineering services, international trade of crude oil, refined oil, petroleum and chemical equipment, as well as investments in refining and chemical projects and sales of chemical products, lubricants and catalysts. The petrochemical trade makes up 50 percent of total bilateral trade volume between China and Saudi Arabia, contributing to the economic development of both countries as well as serving their respective societies. Sinopec established its Middle East Center for Research and Development in Saudi Arabia in 2016 to enhance cooperation and the exchange of resources, services and learning. Sinopec has achieved positive cooperation with petroleum and chemical companies in Saudi Arabia. Including the establishment of the Sinopec SenMei (Fujian) Petroleum Company Limited with its Saudi counterparts, the largest refined oil supplier in China'sFujian Province, as well as establishing Fujian Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (FREP). Sinopec, the first Chinese company to enter the Saudi Arabian oil field service market, regards localization as the key to its strategies and actively to fulfill social responsibilities. The company seeks to provide the largest possible number of job opportunities for young people in Saudi Arabia. The Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (YASREF) is one of the largest Chinese investment projects in Saudi Arabia with total investment amounts to US$ 8.6 billion, and a joint venture that promoted bilateral cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia to a higher level has offered training and employment opportunities for Saudi Arabian citizens. YASREF Oil Refinery expanded an existing refinery from producing 20 million tons on yearly basis and uses some of the world's most advanced digital plant automation technologies to achieve integrated management and control. Owning a group of the largest refining facilities in the world, YASREF adopts HSE standards in its production and operation management which ensuring to produce gasoline and diesel products that meets US and EU standard. Sinopec has established extensive and in-depth cooperative relations with Saudi Arabia to achieve win-win results and comprehensive economic, environmental and social benefits. The Belt and Road Initiative is built on trust and mutual respect, and Sinopec always adheres to that principle and the highest international standards for health, safety and environment management. Providing high-quality, reliable and efficient drilling services per the principles of the United Nations Global Compact initiative, Sinopec's professional construction teams with years of practical experience hold substantial advantages in design, procurement, construction and management - meeting international standards in Europe, Asia and the United States. Sinopec is committed to establishing strategic partnerships between China and Saudi Arabia to support the Saudi Vision 2030 and sustainable development of both countries. Sinopec is part of Saudi Arabian society providing resources, technology and equipment, offering support for the local projects in transportation, communications, public health and infrastructure to improve people's lives while respecting Saudi Arabian traditions and culture. About Sinopec Sinopec Corp. is one of the largest integrated energy and chemical companies in China. Its principal operations include the exploration and production, pipeline transportation and sale of petroleum and natural gas; the sale, storage and transportation of petroleum products, petrochemical products, coal chemical products, synthetic fiber, fertilizer and other chemical products; the import and export, including an import and export agency business, of petroleum, natural gas, petroleum products, petrochemical and chemical products, and other commodities and technologies; and research, development and application of technologies and information. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1294566/1.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/960416/SINOPEC_Logo.jpg Young people across the Peterborough area are reacting with a sigh of relief to the Liberal governments throne speech, saying it highlighted issues that matter to them. The Sept. 24 speech, delivered by Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette in the House of Commons in Ottawa, included issues young people want included in Parliamentary debate, including more mental health care, more action on climate change and the COVID-19 response. We must address these challenges of today. But we also cannot forget about the tests of the future, Payette said, reading from the speech. Chante White, volunteer fellow for the Peterborough hub of Future Majority, said she considers climate change the biggest threat to people and thats what drew her to become involved with Future Majority. The Governor General sort of stating climate change is going to kind of be the cornerstone supporting jobs across the country is something that really hit home for me, she said. Mental health was also an issue that had the ear of many young people listening to the throne speech. I am specifically an advocate of mental health, said Madeleine Barberian, an organizer with Future Majority. I think that talking about health in rural communities and addressing addiction and mental health services across Canada are super important and I think that contributes to people being able to go back to work or even go to work in a way that is effective. Future Majority is a non-partisan group that mobilizes youth to get out and get involved in the political process, either through voting or volunteering. We just want people to realize that we all have a voice and it is important to express that regardless of how you align politically, said White. The throne speech was able to draw the attention of a lot of young people, said Elenor Marano, Peterborough media lead for Future Majority. Climate change and jobs, student welfare, those are all things the youth have been demanding for quite some time, Marano said, adding she is happy politicians are finally taking young people seriously as they make up a large block of the vote. We really will be pushing for them to be accountable for what they say as they should be, she said. They are politicians, we are the biggest voting block and what we say and what we do with our vote should matter. White said theres more to be done. I think there is still a lot of work to do, she said. I think we have a long way to go and we need to continue to push and organize and show up and show out, because we are just starting to get the ball rolling. We are just getting these politicians to recognize that these are issues we want acknowledged. Future Majority will be holding town hall meetings in November to talk about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on groups, especially youth. It has definitely hit some groups pretty hard and youth among that because their lives are already up in the air, said Barberian. Something like this has a pretty big impact, that is why we have planned the town halls we have in November. We want to push a recovery that is green and just, meaning it tackles climate action while also tackling things like racial equality, job security for young people, universal mental healthcare, things we believe can happen in our recovery and should happen. Future Majority held a series of town hall meetings earlier this year, via videoconferencing, to explore many of the same issues addressed in the speech from the Throne. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Win McNamee-Scott Olson/Getty Images) Trump, Biden Declare Victory After First Presidential Debate The campaigns for both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden declared victory following the first presidential debate on Tuesday. There was one leader on stage tonight and one liar, said Kate Bedingfield, the deputy campaign manager for the Biden campaign, to news outlets. There was one president on the debate stage tonight, and it was not the person who flew on Air Force One. Trump made few statements about the debate on Wednesday, although he made several Twitter posts that were critical of both Biden and debate moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said it was a free exchange of ideas but declared a Trump victory. The president was in command of every moment of that debate, Murtaugh said, according to USA Today. Trumps allies with the Republican National Committee also said the presidents aggressive debate tactics forced Biden to reveal his position on controversial issues including defund the police, Antifa, tax cuts, and the Supreme Court. Trump made a confident, commanding and compelling case for his re-election and took Joe Biden to task for supporting radical policies that would raise taxes, destroy jobs and make our communities less safe, GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel wrote. President Donald Trump supporters watch the presidential debate in Old Forge, Penn., on Sept. 29, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) Joe Biden repeatedly refused to say if he would overhaul an entire branch of government. It is totally disqualifying, she also wrote on Twitter, referring to Bidens unwillingness to release a list of candidates for the Supreme Court. Trumps detractors and Biden surrogates on social media said the president acted in an unprofessional manner by interrupting Biden and talking over Wallace, with some pundits going so far as to say Biden should not attend the next two debates. They also asserted that due to Trumps strategy, Biden came off as looking more composed and presidential, although Biden also interrupted the president and laughed dismissively at some of his remarks. In the debate, Biden struggled to repel Trumps attacks about Bidens support of the protests and riots that have erupted nationwide against police. On Twitter, Trump focused his attention on Wallace. Chris had a tough night, Trump said. Two on one was not surprising, but fun. And of Biden, the president added, He will destroy our Country! Trump is scheduled to attend an afternoon fundraiser in Shorewood, Minnesota, a suburb to the west of Minneapolis, before appearing at an evening campaign rally in Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior. Biden opened his day by delivering a speech alongside the rails of Clevelands train station. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Cast: Niv Sultan, Shaun Toub and Navid Neganbhan Platform: Apple TV+ Rating: 3.5/5 The eagerly-awaited Tehran, which was released on Apple TV+ a few days ago, is a fairly engaging thriller that hits the right notes. The show revolves around what happens when an India-bound flight is forced to land in Iran. The basic storyline, which deals with the Iran-Israel conflict, is compelling and makes a solid impact on its political undertones. The execution is quite effective and does justice to the intriguing premise. The screenplay relies heavily on 'showing' as opposed to 'telling', making it easy for the audience to relate with the reel action. Tehran opens on a gripping and haunting note and this sets the tone for what is to follow. The opening sequences leave the target audience spellbound with their organic intensity, lighting the human side cost of the political conflict being explored in the series The first episode itself features quite a few major twists, which has been executed rather well and this goes a long way in building the universe of the show. The subsequent episodes too, have plenty of surprise elements to keep fans hooked. Some of the subplots are not as compelling as the others, diluting the impact a bit. This, however, is not a major issue as Tehran has its heart in the right place. Some of the political/cultural references, which form the backbone of the show, too might not click with a section of the audience. The layered characterisation of the protagonists, however, adds an emotional connection to Tehran and this adds a new dimension to the viewing experience. Coming to performances, Niv Sultan is the heart and soul of the series. The 28-year-old gives it her all and makes a decent impact. Iron Man actor Shaun Toub does justice to a layered character. His intense body language adds new life to a key scene in the first episode. Navid Neganbhan too delivers the goods despite getting limited scope in the opening episodes. The supporting cast is top-notch. The background score could have been a bit better as it does not add a new dimension to the 'thrill quotient' of Tehran. Some of the dialogues are a bit caustic and ups the recall value of the series. The other technical aspects have handled with rather competently. TORONTO - A remorseless and incorrigible con artist who bilked a woman of her life-savings was handed a six-year sentence on Wednesday and ordered to repay the hundreds of thousands of dollars he stole. In jailing Shaun Rootenberg for fraud, the judge described him as cold and calculating in his dishonesty for abusing his victims romantic feelings toward him. He does not in the least regret what he has done, Ontario Superior Court Justice Beth Allen said. He has been unimpeded by the constraints of the law. Allen had convicted Rootenberg, 52, of Thornhill, Ont., in May 2019 of bilking Victoria Smith of $595,000. The pair had met on the e-Harmony dating site in July 2013, shortly after his release from prison for previous frauds. The judge ordered him to repay Smith $558,456 within five years of his release or be sent back to prison for another four years. She did give him 462 days credit for the time he had spent in pre-trial custody. The married father of two declined to address the court before sentencing. His lawyer said afterward his client was disappointed with both the sentence and Allens characterization of him. He maintains his innocence and will be appealing both his conviction and sentence, Bryan Badali said. Smith was a divorced mother of two when she first met Rootenberg. She believed she had developed a close, sharing and monogomous relationship with a successful financier, who called himself Shaun Rothberg. Smith soon gave him $595,000 to invest for her. Instead, Rootenberg used her money to buy himself a new BMW and pay off gambling and other debts. Smith went to police about 18 months into their relationship after she accidentally discovered his real identity and learned he was similarly romancing another woman. The ongoing emotional and financial devastation he wrought on Smith was akin to rape, and left her suicidal and struggling to make ends meet, court heard. My life story has been written by a villain, Smith had previously told court. Prosecutor Mitchell Flagg said the penitentiary sentence recognized the trauma Rootenberg had inflicted. Major fraud is also a crime that affects society more broadly, Flagg said. The court recognized the need to deter and denounce this conduct. Allen also imposed a fine of $558,456, to be reduced by any amount he repays Smith. If he fails to pay the fine within five years of his release, he would be given a further four-year term. She also barred him from having any control of other peoples property or finances, and ordered him to provide a DNA sample. Toronto police initially charged Rootenberg with defrauding a second woman, Dr. Kim Barker, but those charges were dropped. Barker resigned under a cloud as medical officer of health for the Algoma Public Health Unit in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., in 2015 after her affair with him became known. She had hired him as Shaun Rothberg to be interim chief financial officer of the unit. Barker declined to comment on the sentence. Allen noted Rothbergs inglorious history of frauds: He was convicted in 2006, and served a four-year sentence after a second conviction in 2009. His victims included his own brother, prominent psychiatrist Dr. Jonathan Rootenberg, whom he impersonated and fleeced for $1.8 million. Nevertheless, his victimized brother and a few others offered their support, something Allen found puzzling given Rootenbergs criminal lifestyle, lack of remorse and over-inflated sense of self-entitlement. Months after his conviction, Rootenberg argued unsuccessfully for Allen to declare a mistrial. He cited her refusal to stay the proceedings against him over problems with pretrial disclosure and his frequent strip-searches in prison. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 30, 2020. It has been eleven years since he made his soap debut with the recurring role of Trey Palmer in the long-running series, Home and Away. And Luke Bracey, 31, is undoubtedly on the precipice of massive Hollywood stardom thanks to his dashing good looks and ability to hold his own against some of the industry's leading names. Already having starred alongside the likes of Selena Gomez, Dwayne Johnson and Reese Witherspoon, the Australian actor is set to add to his envy-inducing acting credentials with his new flick Holidate, alongside Emma Roberts. Hunk alert: Luke Bracey, 31, is undoubtedly on the precipice of massive Hollywood stardom thanks to his dashing good looks and ability to hold his own against some of the industry's leading names With initial plans to become a professional rugby player or pursue a career in construction, a chance opportunity to audition for Home and Away changed the course of his life. Following his stint on the Australian soap, the budding star - who hails from Freshwater, New South Wales - was offered an exciting role in the movie Monte Carlo alongside Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester. The then 20-year-old took the exciting movie offer as an initiative to pack up his belongings and relocate to Hollywood. Luke has since been working steadily in Los Angeles with roles in popular movies such as 2013's G.I. Joe: Retaliation and 2016's Oscar-winning, Hacksaw Ridge. Humble beginnings: It has been eleven years since he made his soap debut with the recurring role of Trey Palmer in the long-running series, Home and Away Leading man: The Australian actor is set to add to his envy-inducing acting credentials with his new flick Holidate, alongside Emma Roberts The Ralph Lauren model's fanbase certainly intensified this year after he starred alongside Reese Witherspoon in the Emmy-nominated series, Little Fires Everywhere. He is set to end the year on a high thanks to his new rom-com Holidate, which released its trailer on Tuesday. Pairing up with American Horror Story actress Emma, the movie will see the two play acquaintances who hatch up a plan to be each other's platonic dates for every holiday. The movie will hit Netflix on October 28. Opportunity: Following his stint on Home and Away, the budding star - who hails from Freshwater, New South Wales - was offered an exciting role in the movie Monte Carlo alongside Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester [pictured] Impressive: At 20, Luke packed up his belongings and relocate to Hollywood. He has since starred in 2013's G.I. Joe: Retaliation, 2015's Point Break [pictured with co-star Teresa Palmer] and 2016's Oscar-winning, Hacksaw Ridge Meanwhile, Luke's mother will certainly be having a tough time with his new status as Hollywood's go-to leading man. Speaking previously to Interview Magazine, Luke explained she hasn't been too keen with his reputation as a sex symbol. 'My poor mother. Every time I get a job she asks, "Am I gonna have to watch you kiss someone again in this one?" and I say, "You're probably gonna have to watch me kiss someone in most of them,"' he said. The big time: The Ralph Lauren model's fanbase certainly intensified this year after he starred alongside Reese Witherspoon in the Emmy-nominated series, Little Fires Everywhere Upcoming: He is set to end the year on a high thanks to his new rom-com Holidate alongside Emma Roberts. The movie will hit Netflix on October 28 Meanwhile, with his chiselled good looks, Luke is undoubtedly off the market. The star has been in a relationship with stunning Mexican actress, Eiza Gonzalez, since November last year. Despite his dazzling new Hollywood stardom and gorgeous movie-star girlfriend, Luke is very much an Aussie boy at heart. He is a keen surfer who regularly hits the waves when he makes the long journey home. In this still image from video, a man walks up to sheriff's deputies and opens fire without warning or provocation in Compton, Calif., on Sept. 12, 2020. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via AP) Suspect Arrested in Ambush Shooting of Two Los Angeles Deputies in Compton A 36-year-old suspect was arrested in the shooting of two Los Angeles Sheriffs Deputies in Compton earlier this month. Deonte Lee Murray, 36, of Compton, was charged with two counts of attempted murder of the two law enforcement officers, facing a maximum sentence of life in prison if he is convicted. Murray is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and District Attorney Jackie Lacey made the announcement during a press conference, saying that Murray fled the scene of the attack in a black Mercedes that was stolen in a carjacking that Murray was involved in. Surveillance footage that was released after the incident appeared to show Murray approaching a vehicle that the two deputies sat in before firing several shots. Officials said both deputies were struck in the head. They became victims of a violent crime for one reasonthey were doing their job and they were wearing the badge, Lacey said on Wednesday in announcing the charges. There are people who have such deep-seated hatred against law enforcement that theyre just willing to kill anybody unprovoked, Villanueva said. According to public records, Murray has a prior criminal history. Homicide Bureau Captain Kent Wegener told Fox11 that he a convicted felon and was arrested two weeks ago in connection with a carjacking and shooting of a man in Compton. The shooting of the two deputies came in the midst of monthslong protests and riots that triggered a wave of anti-police animus following the death of George Floyd in police custody in May. After the deputies were taken to a hospital earlier this month, a group of demonstrators gathered around the building and chanted Black Lives Matter-related slogans, drawing condemnation from local officials. There were a number of users on Twitter who cheered on the shooting of the deputies, saying police deserved it. Theres no place in civilized society for anybody to draw an arm and to shoot our law enforcement officers that put their lives on the line, Los Angeles May Eric Garcetti said in an interview on Sept. 13. And I wont ever let a couple voices that not only are uncalled for, but its abhorrent to say something like that when we have two deputies, who are sheriffs deputies, in grave condition, Garcetti, a Democrat, said in the interview. A reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect had increased to more than $600,000 in recent days. The two deputies were released from the hospital several weeks ago. Anyone with information on the case can call the sheriffs tip line at 323-890-5500, while anonymous tips can be left for Los Angeles Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or at lacrimestoppers.org. PHOENIX, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TILT Holdings Inc. (TILT or the Company) (CSE: TILT) (OTCQB: TLLTF), a provider of business solutions to the global cannabis industry, today announced that it will be participating in the following conferences: Wednesday, September 30 th , 2020 : Canaccord Genuitys 2020 Cannabis Symposium Management will present at 4pm EDT as well as participate in virtual one-on-one meetings Management will present at 4pm EDT as well as participate in virtual one-on-one meetings Thursday, October 15th, 2020: Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Management will participate in panel discussions as well as virtual one-on-one meetings For updates and more information, please visit https://investors.tiltholdings.com/ir-calendar . About TILT TILT helps cannabis businesses build brands. Through a portfolio of companies providing hardware, software, logistics, cultivation and production, TILT services more than 2,000 brands and cannabis retailers across 33 states in the U.S. as well as Canada, Israel, Mexico, South America, and the European Union. TILTs core businesses include Jupiter Research, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary and leader in the vaporization segment focused on hardware design, research, development and manufacturing; Blackbird, a software and operations solutions provider for wholesale and retail distributors; and cannabis operations CAC in Massachusetts and Standard Farms, LLC in Pennsylvania. TILT is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.tiltholdings.com . Investor Relations Contact: Media Contact: Gary F. Santo, Jr., IRC Lisa Weser SVP, Head of Capital Markets and Investor Relations Trailblaze on behalf of TILT gsanto@tiltholdings.com lisa@trailblaze.co The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Gonzalez, of the 3600 block of Appaloosa Road in Joliet, was out on parole and has six prior felony convictions three for drug possession and one each for unlawful use of a weapon, defacing identification marks on a firearm and aggravated battery to a police officer, according to prosecutors. State and county records show he was paroled in March after serving prison time for a 2017 drug arrest in Chicago. Japan has planned to lift restrictions on overseas travel in October. According to reports by a local news organisation Nikkei Asian Review, the government will be giving priority to 10 countries which include Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam. All COVID-19 related restrictions on domestic travel were lifted in Japan in the month of June, in a bid to revive the hard-hit economy. Japan eases restrictions Japan has also issued a set of travel guidelines through a system which is divided into categories. These categories consider the potential risk and safety in relevant locales. As per September 28, there were 159 countries under level 3. The level 3 countries also included China and the United States. The level 3 mark urges Japanese citizens to avoid travel to these areas. In the case of Level 2 countries, it is advised to avoid nonessential travel. From next month onwards, Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Brunei, and Belgium will be included in this list. Read: Pompeo To Participate In QUAD Ministerial Meet In Japan On October 6 Japan is also trying to negotiate with 16 countries to resume business travel. These countries include China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Also, from October 1, foreigners will be permitted to stay in the country for more than 3 months. The COVID-19 pandemic which saw its first outbreak in a wet market in Wuhan, China last year has now spread all across the world. The virus, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation, has infected 33,872,977 people worldwide with the global death toll reaching 1,013,146. According to a tally by the John Hopkins University, Japan has a total number of 82,494 cases with 1,557 fatalities. Read: Japan Snubbed Beijing's Overture To Reduce Maritime Activities In East China Sea: Report The country began lifting lockdown restrictions in May. In the month of June, Japan ended the state of emergency which allowed citizens to return to work and bars and restaurants to reopen, however, with social distancing measures. The deadly coronavirus outbreak in Japan severely affected the hotels, resorts and areas which heavily rely on tourism. Read: JIMEX-2020: India, Japan Conclude 3-day-long Bilateral Maritime Exercise Also Read: Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga 'determined' To Host Tokyo Olympics In 2021 (Image Credits: Unsplash) A barrier erected by the US in Hassakeh was broken through by a Russian military convoy, feeling tensions between the two sides writes Al-Masdar. The Russian Armed Forces broke through a barrier setup by US troops along a road in Hassakeh, the Russian publication, Avia.Pro, said on Tuesday. A Russian military convoy, despite the opposition of the Americans, managed to break through into the eastern part of northern Syria, the publication said, referring to an incident that took place in the city of al-Malikiyah in northeastern Hassakeh. The publication said the Russian military convoy was able to break through the roadblock and reach their base, which they pointed out was along a road to the Iraqi border. Meanwhile, the Syrian army continued their strikes on the jihadist positions in the Jabal al-Akrad region of Lattakia this morning, hitting several sites around the Kabani hills. Using both artillery and missiles, the Syrian Arab Army began their attack this morning by striking the jihadist trenches along the Kabani frontlines. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The COVID-19 pandemic has made 2020 a tough year for many businesses, but for many Indigenous enterprises, its been even tougher, according to a new report by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council. When this years ledgers are totalled, Atlantic Indigenous businesses are expecting a 40 per cent drop in own-source revenues, APEC states in the report commissioned on behalf of the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat. This drop will result in a dramatic decline in community services, said Fred Bergman, senior policy analyst at APEC, noting a second wave could further compound the issue. The federal government doubled the Indigenous Community Support Fund, which covers preparedness measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and provides for mental health, educational, and other supports for Elders and vulnerable community members, to $610 million as part of its pandemic response measures. Bergman said its a step in the right direction, but APEC is calling for the fund to be doubled once more, a move that he added would still cover only 35 per cent of the anticipated fiscal shortfall for Atlantic First Nations. More than two out of five Atlantic First Nation businesses are expecting their revenues to drop by at least 50 per cent because of COVID-19, said Bergman. Thats a higher proportion than the 30 per cent for all Atlantic businesses. Prior to the pandemic, the Atlantic Indigenous economy was valued at $1.1 billion, with First Nations business sales of $1.6 billion in 2016, Bergman stated in the report. The pandemic has resulted in lower revenues from fishing, gaming, retail, hospitality and tourism, he said. There are also modest declines in retail activity, due to lower fuel prices and less foot traffic, said Bergman, adding that some gas bars experienced a 25 per cent drop in revenues. Indigenous tourism in the province normally directly employs 829 people, according to the Indigenous Tourism Board of Canada. Patricia Dunnett, general manager of Metepenagiag Heritage Park and Red Bank Lodge, near Miramichi, said numerous international visitors originally booked from May to October had to cancel earlier this summer due to pandemic-related travel bans. Other operators had to reduce the maximum number of guests per tour. Similarly, powwows, which are a central source of revenue for many artists, craftspeople and others were all cancelled. In St. Marys First Nation, while sales at the community grocery store initially climbed by 20 per cent at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the store had to pay more for cleaners, security, and personal protective equipment. It also paid employees a $2 per hour premium. However, sales soon diminished due to less foot traffic, resulting in a 10 per cent net loss, said Bergman. Many Indigenous businesses did not qualify for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy because they were tax-exempt and could not meet the burden of proof by CRA, said Bergman. APEC is calling for broadening of the eligibility rules for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to include all Indigenous businesses, said Bergman. Indigenous businesses had a larger drop in revenues, more layoffs and a smaller proportion than non-Indigenous businesses will survive a year without support, he said. Calls to Fort Folly, Buctouche and Elsipogtog First Nations requesting comment on the report were not returned by press time. Read more about: Britain and Canada have imposed sanctions on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his son and other top officials for allegedly rigging the country's presidential election and committing acts of violence against protesters. The sanctions are the first imposed by major Western powers against Belarusian government officials and subject them to an immediate travel ban and asset freeze. Lukashenko's post-election crackdown has resulted in the arrest of more than 12,000 people who participated in mass demonstrations that erupted after he claimed victory in an election that opponents allege was stolen. Lukashenko has denied the election was fixed. "Today the U.K. and Canada have sent a clear message by imposing sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko's violent and fraudulent regime," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. "We don't accept the results of the election," the statement added. "We will hold those responsible for the thuggery deployed against the Belarusian people to account and we will stand up for our values of democracy and human rights." In an interview with Reuters, Raab also mentioned Lukashenko ally Vladimir Putin, although the sanctions did not target the Russian president. Franklin Graham prayer march On Saturday, over 50,000 people converged on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This was a peaceful gathering of people from every race, color and political persuasion who came together to pray to God and seek his favor upon this nation. My question is, why was there no coverage, that I could find, in your print newspaper? We have been subscribers for 23 years. I think you owe it to those of us who live in this region to publish news of national events that are of interest to us. This was over 50,000 people of faith. And the Houston Chronicle couldnt see fit to publish one word about this, truly, peaceful gatherng. Catherine Keegan, Humble Vote for the arts Regarding When artists windfall becomes a shortfall, (G7, Sept. 27): Molly Glentzer does her usual masterful job in addressing this complicated issue of arts funding. Funding of the arts and other charities was not permitted from any Texas citys taxpayer funds in 1979 by state law. Change to another Texas law permitted use of local Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax for arts and art-related services by any Texas city that approved this use. Then Houston City Council approved the Local Option to authorize such use. This was done under the aegis of the newly chartered Cultural Arts Council of Houston (predecessor to Houston Arts Alliance), joined by the Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau (predecessor to Houston First.) The CACH applied and was appointed to perform the work of allocating these funds under its by-laws. The first annual disbursement from the City to the CACH was just over $800,000. That amount was not disbursed in the year of receipt, but was held to form the basis for disbursement of allocations the following year. If that procedure had been observed through all of the years, there would have been no surprise shortfall to endure. To clarify, however, There is no failure of financial accountability here. The Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax collected from visitors to Houston has produced, since CACH was chartered in 1979, probably well over $300,000,000 for Houston arts organizations and artists, a true partnership of the arts with the visitor industry, envied internationally. The blaming of this partnership for the economic impact of the pandemic on arts funding is misplaced. Vote. Britt D. Davis, chairman, organizing board of the Cultural Arts Council of Houston, 1979 A scene from BTS' "Dynamite." Screen capture from YouTube South Korean boy group BTS' recent hit "Dynamite" has returned to the top spot on Billboard's main singles chart, helped by the recent release of remixes, Billboard reported Monday. On Billboard's latest Hot 100 chart dated this Saturday, "Dynamite" finished first and was trailed by the former No. 1 song "WAP" by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion. "Holy" by Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper and "Laugh Now Cry Later" by Drake featuring Lil Durk placed third and fourth, respectively. The full chart will be updated Tuesday, measuring all-genre U.S. streaming, radio airplay and sales data. "Helping 'Dynamite' in the week ending Sept. 24 were four new remixes released Sept. 18: its 'Bedroom,' 'Midnight,' 'Retro' and 'Slow Jam' mixes, which, combined, accounted for 52% of the song's overall sales in the tracking week," Billboard said. "Dynamite" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, becoming the 43th song in Billboard's history to do so. It had spent two consecutive weeks at the top spot before sliding to the No. 2 spot where it again remained for two weeks. The song has led the U.S. music industry, in terms of digital song sales, for five consecutive weeks since its release, according to Billboard. The septet's first English-language track became the first song to top Digital Song Sales for five weeks in a row since Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, achieved the feat last year. "It returns to No. 1 from the runner-up spot on the strength of 14 million U.S. streams (up 11%) and 153,000 downloads sold (up 96%) in the week ending Sept. 24," it said, citing related data from Nielsen Music/MRC Data. It also drew 20.8 million radio airplay audience impressions, up 8 percent, from a week earlier, it added. At the same time, "Dynamite" topped Billboard's two other global charts the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. On the Billboard Global 200, which ranks the top song based on streaming and sales activity from more than 200 territories around the world, including the U.S., the song gained one notch to move up to first place this week, pushing down "WAP" to the runner-up position. The song grabbed the top title for two straight weeks on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, which compiles data from regions excluding the U.S. BTS celebrated their third No. 1 feat on the Hot 100 with its fans. "Thanks to your support, a miracle happened to us again," it tweeted. "Thank you BTS ARMY for your support and love. You made this happen!" BTS is the first-ever South Korean artist to top Billboard's main singles chart. Previously, the highest-charting South Korean artist was soloist PSY with his 2012 hit "Gangnam Style," which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Billboard, "Dynamite" is also the first song among duos or groups to spend more than three weeks at No. 1 in nearly two years. (Yonhap) Recruiters from banks hold an online interview with applicants during a financial job expo that took place for three days from Aug. 26 in Seoul. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung Commercial banks here are reinforcing their digital workforce by cutting recruitment of bank clerks and expanding that of IT experts, in their bid to become online-driven and digitally agile lenders at the earliest possible date. The nation's five largest banks shared their plan to cut the number of new employees in half this year, compared to a year ago, amid unfavorable market circumstances induced by the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic. The lenders including KB, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NongHyup hired a combined 3,000 new bank clerks in 2019, but they plan to recruit only half as many this year, with a focus on experts in digital banking and data management. All of the major lenders have included a category of digital and IT experts for this year's recruitment as part of their efforts to embrace the post-coronavirus banking paradigm shift represented by online-driven transactions. CEOs from the lenders have in recent months underlined their determination to prioritize making their organizations more digitally agile in line with the rise of non-face-to-face transactions becoming increasingly prevalent after COVID-19 swept across the nation and changed consumers' shopping patterns. "Employees and the organization need to make more efforts to be more agile and responsive to the digital era where a creative and open culture is being established," KB Financial Group Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo said in a message to celebrate the group's anniversary, Tuesday. The diminishing number of new bank clerks is partially due to new trends in recruitment, with lenders favoring year-round recruitment particularly in the digital sector, rather than sticking to their decades-long practice of hiring thousands of new clerks at certain times of the year. "Despite the widespread belief about the conservative nature of the banking industry, most banks are moving to let go of their long-lasting public recruitment culture and hire new employees from time to time, in a bid to adapt to the rapidly changing market environment," an official from one lender said. But it remains to be seen whether banks can hire skilled IT experts, as those well-qualified for the positions are unlikely to work for the banking industry, according to another official from the tech industry. "In general, those with outstanding experience in the IT industry rarely want to get a job in the banking industry," the source said. "Most of them prefer other tech-driven conglomerates or promising IT startups. Banks may have to extend exceptional offers to recruit top-level technicians." A staffer on Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidens campaign on Monday suggested that Orthodox Catholics, Jews and Muslims should not be allowed to serve on the Supreme Court because of their intolerant beliefs. The comments came during a Twitter conversation between Biden campaign deputy data director Nikitha Rai and Brookings Institute senior fellow Shadi Hamid in which Rai attacked Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barretts Catholic beliefs. A search for Rais Twitter account now yields a message saying, This account doesnt exist. Hamid had responded to a tweet that said Barrett was a trustee at a Catholic school that opposed same-sex marriage as homosexual acts are at odds with Scripture. Hamid replied, Wait, why is this news? Isnt this the standard position for any orthodox Catholic? Unfortunately yes, Rai said. When Hamid pointed out that Orthodox Muslims and Jews generally hold the same view, Rai said, True. Id heavily prefer views like that not be elevated to SCOTUS, but unfortunately our current culture is relatively intolerant. It will be awhile before those types of beliefs are so taboo that theyre disqualifiers. Heres a @JoeBiden staffer saying that orthodox Christianity, Islam, and Judaism should be made taboo and driven from the public sphere. Beneath all the talk of interfaith and pluralism, this is what they really believe. pic.twitter.com/PrN8S1qaLG Jeremy McLellan (@JeremyMcLellan) September 29, 2020 The former vice president often touts his Catholic faith on the campaign trail, though critics note that some of Bidens positions such as his support for abortion and same-sex marriage stand in opposition to Catholic teachings. Barretts faith has been widely scrutinized in the media as extreme and cult-like since the president announced he would nominate the 48-year-old Notre Dame professor to fill the vacancy on the Court left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Story continues Barrett, a former clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, has been attacked for her faith for years now, beginning with her 2017 confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee when Democrats questioned whether her Catholicism should disqualify her from being a judge. Why is it that so many of us on this side have this very uncomfortable feeling that dogma and law are two different things, and I think whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) said at the time. The conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, Feinstein added. And thats of concern. More from National Review A family with three children from the Moria refugee camp in Greece, which was recently ravaged by a fire, landed at Luxembourg Airport on Tuesday. The family from Afghanistan with children aged seven, eight and ten was welcomed at the airport by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn. A second family and several unaccompanied minors, who were accommodated in the Moria camp, will also be relocated to Luxembourg. Since 1 January, the Grand Duchy has taken in 125 refugees from Greece. This year's campaign for governor pits two candidates with very different impressions of how Montana is doing and what should be done to make life better against one another. At a construction site in Helena, Montana, Republican Greg Gianforte told a group of contractors clad in orange shirts and work boots that things had to change after 16 years of Democrats controlling the governor's mansion to make sure Montana's best days are ahead. "We're going to get government out of the way," the technology entrepreneur and Montana's current sole representative in Congress said to applause, later vowing to swiftly change leadership in regulatory government agencies such as the Department of Environmental Quality and Fish, Wildlife and Parks if elected. A few hours earlier at a park in Missoula, Democrat Mike Cooney, the lieutenant governor and career public servant, was describing a very different state the next governor would inherit. "I was given a pretty darn good Montana, and I want to make sure we hand off an even better Montana to the next generations," he said in an interview. Unlike Gianforte, Cooney's better Montana isn't achieved by cutting regulations and reducing government spending, but rather continuing the work started by his boss Gov. Steve Bullock. The current lieutenant governor has focused on programs he argues will improve the lives of Montanans, including Medicaid expansion, investing in veteran mental health and education and establishing state-wide pre-K education. Cooney, a Butte native, first embarked on a career in politics in 1977 when elected to the Montana State House of Representatives. He followed this debut by working as chief of staff for Montana's former U.S. Senator Max Baucus, serving three terms as Montana's secretary of state, a stint as president of the Montana State Senate and most recently as lieutenant governor to Steve Bullock. The Gianforte campaign has criticized Cooney's work in the public sector, saying in one ad, "He's a career politician and government bureaucrat who has never had a real job." The Cooney campaign countered public service is something to be proud of. "Throughout his career, Mike helped to create 46,000 Montana jobs, and thanks to his strong leadership alongside Gov. Bullock," Cooney's communications director Ronja Abel wrote in a statement, "Montana's unemployment rate was the lowest it's been in over a decade, prior to the outbreak of COVID-19." That outbreak marks another clear difference between Cooney and Gianforte. "I just want to say when I'm your next governor, we are going to adopt public policy to keep people safe--the vulnerable--and we're going to rely on personal responsibility, not government mandates," Gianforte said during the Helena event. He went on to joke about a man he met in Colstrip that asked him if he was shaking hands. "Buddy, I'll give you a hug if you want it!" he said he told him. Cooney, on the other hand, has been a fixture at Gov. Steve Bullock's COVID briefings and has toured the state urging social distancing and mask-wearing. Cooney has noted his campaign's been intentional about gathering with small, masked crowds in outdoor settings. Though Cooney has been a fixture in state government for decades, experts said that his lack of name recognition will be his biggest hurdle to clear on the trail to the governor's seat. "Even though there is a purple independent streak in Montana, especially for some of these marquee races, generally Republicans have sort of a built-in advantage that Democrats need to overcome," said Carroll College political science professor Jeremy Johnson. "...Right now...[Cooney's] not yet overcome that." Johnson said to make his case, Cooney must have money to spend on advertising. But that effort is made harder by the fact that Gianforte, one of the top three wealthiest members of Congress, has access to enormous personal wealth to help finance his run. The Republican has already loaned his campaign $2.5 million, a total that just about doubles the $2.9 million he has raised as of August 15. Cooney has raised $2.49 million for his campaign, but $1.4 million has come in just the past three months. But the source of Gianforte's wealth is one of his biggest assets the Congressman points to when arguing what makes him right to lead Montana. Sara Diggins/Community News Service Mike Cooney is the Democratic candidate for Governor. Computing giant Oracle purchased the Bozeman-based RightNow for $1.5 billion in 2011. Gianforte, a former resident of New Jersey, made his first political debut in Montana when he narrowly lost the 2016 gubernatorial race to Bullock. He followed defeat with a win in Montana's special election for Congress in 2017, despite assaulting a reporter and misleading police afterwards; an incident that earned him a misdemeanor conviction. "Gianforte is a polarizing figure," Johnson remarked. "But even though you're a polarizing figure doesn't necessarily mean you're going to lose an election in Montana." While in Washington, Gianforte aligned himself closely with President Donald Trump and he has echoed those issues while campaigning for governor. He told the crowd in Helena he would uphold a commitment to law and order, fund the police and oppose a transition away from fossil fuels. This November, voters will decide whether to stick with the divided government of a Democrat in the governor's mansion and Republicans controlling the legislature that has marked the last decade of state politics or if it is time to change the equation. CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parkland Corporation ("Parkland", "we", the "Company", or "our") (TSX:PKI) is pleased to publish its inaugural Sustainability Report which outlines its established environmental, social and governance practices and sets the stage for the development of an enterprise-wide sustainability strategy. The report includes insight into Parklands 2019 operations and key 2020 milestones and is available at www.parkland.ca/Sustainability Our inaugural Sustainability Report is a natural next step in our sustainability journey, said Bob Espey, President and Chief Executive Officer. While sustainability practices are already deeply embedded across our business, we have completed critical work to identify five strategic focus areas that are important to our business and stakeholders and align with our ambitious growth strategy. This report and the work that underpins it are just a start. Together, they set the stage for us to develop an enterprise-wide sustainability strategy that is grounded in meaningful targets, ongoing transparency and regular performance reporting. The report highlights Parklands existing sustainability practices coupled with the companys philosophy and aspirations within each of its five strategic focus areas; Climate Change: We are committed to meeting our customers growing need for energy while at the same time contributing to the worlds transition to a lower carbon future. We are committed to meeting our customers growing need for energy while at the same time contributing to the worlds transition to a lower carbon future. Safety and Emergency Preparedness: Safety is foundational to our organizational culture, and the safety of our people, customers and communities is our top priority. Safety is foundational to our organizational culture, and the safety of our people, customers and communities is our top priority. Product Transportation and Storage: Extensive systems and processes across our operations protect the environment and ensure our products stay safely where they belong. Extensive systems and processes across our operations protect the environment and ensure our products stay safely where they belong. Diversity and Inclusion (D&I): Underpinning our focus on attracting and retaining the best talent, we are committed to delivering equal opportunities and an environment where all employees can contribute their best. Underpinning our focus on attracting and retaining the best talent, we are committed to delivering equal opportunities and an environment where all employees can contribute their best. Governance and Ethics: We measure our business practices against the highest standards of ethical conduct, and are guided by our values of Safety, Integrity, Community and Respect. This report highlights the importance of sustainability to Parkland and provides a springboard to the creation of our enterprise sustainability strategy, said Christy Elliott, Vice President, Senior General Counsel and Executive Sponsor of Sustainability. We will build on our accomplishments and low carbon leadership and are actively developing meaningful targets across our business. Parklands Sustainability Report is aligned with recommendations from the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and includes guidance from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). About Parkland Corporation Parkland is an independent supplier and marketer of fuel and petroleum products and a leading convenience store operator. Parkland services customers across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean region and the Americas through three channels: Retail, Commercial and Wholesale. Parkland optimizes its fuel supply across these three channels by operating and leveraging a growing portfolio of supply relationships and storage infrastructure. Parkland provides trusted and locally relevant fuel brands and convenience store offerings in the communities it serves. Parkland creates value for shareholders by focusing on its proven strategy of growing organically, realizing a supply advantage, acquiring prudently and integrating successfully. At the core of our strategy are our people, as well as our values of safety, integrity, community and respect, which are embraced across our organization. Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information and statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, the development of an enterprise-wide sustainability strategy that is grounded in meaningful targets, ongoing transparency and annual performance reporting, and Parklands aspirations with respect to Climate Change, Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Product Transportation and Storage, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) and Governance and Ethics. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Parkland does not undertake any obligations to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by securities law. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of numerous risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, general economic, market and business conditions; industry capacity; the ability of suppliers to meet commitments; actions by governmental authorities and other regulators; changes and developments in regulations; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Parkland. See also the risks and uncertainties described in "Forward-Looking Information" and "Risk Factors" included in Parkland's Annual Information Form and in "Forward-Looking Information" and "Risk Factors" in Parkland's quarterly MD&A, each as filed on SEDAR and available on the Parkland website at www.parkland.ca. For Further Information 22-year-old Kiran G, a guest faculty at a private ITI College in Karnataka's Krishnapura turned a drug peddler to allegedly sustain his family during the lockdown. Twitter A resident of Sangareddy in Telangana, Kiran claimed he started selling drugs as he did not get salary due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. Police have arrested three persons including Kiran after 127 kg of ganja, a car and three mobile phones were seized from them. The other two believed to be Kiran's associated have been identified as 24-year-old Asgar Khan alias Asgar of Adigara Kallahalli near the town of Anekal and 22-year-old Mahipal P, also from Sangareddy. Tough times After receiving a tip-off, a sub-inspector of JP Nagar Police Station questioned a youth outside Sir M Visvesvaraya playground who was to allegedly buy drugs from one of the arrested men, Asgar on Saturday evening. Later that night, Asgar was detained and questioned. "We seized 649 grams of ganja from Asgar. During interrogation, he revealed that Kiran and Mahipal were his suppliers," said police. The cops have learnt that the duo would come to Bengaluru to supply huge quantity of ganja to Agar and many others. Kiran has told police that his parents are farmers and he had no source of income. He decided to purchase ganja from Zaheerabad to sell it in Bidar. In a bid to earn more money, he and his associate Mahipal started supplying it to Asgar in Bengaluru. Mahipal had completed his degree from a private college but failed to get a job. Asgar is a life operator who started selling drugs to provide for his family. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department After a three-week manhunt, a Los Angeles man was arrested and charged Wednesday with attempting to murder two sheriffs deputies who were ambushed as they sat in their car. Deonte Lee Murray, 36, is facing two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and possession of a firearm for allegedly walking up to the squad car parked outside a Metro station on Sept. 12 and opening fire, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said Wednesday. They became victims of a violent crime for one reason: They wear a badge, L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a press conference. Cowardly: Video Shows Gunman Ambushing Two L.A. Deputies in Patrol Car Murray, who faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, was recently charged with attempted murder for a carjacking in Compton two weeks before the shooting. He allegedly used the stolen car as a getaway vehicle in the ambush. He faces further charges of being part of a criminal street gang, discharging a rifle inflicting great bodily injury, and personal use of a rifle in the carjacking incident. The two Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies, identified in media reports as 31-year-old Claudia Apolinar and a 24-year-old man, were sitting in their car in Compton when Murray allegedly approached the front passenger side and opened fire. A security video showed a man in dark clothing approaching the patrol car before raising his handgun and firing several rounds through the window. One deputy is then seen emerging from the car and stumbling for several seconds. Despite being critically injured, deputies valiantly cared for each others wounds and safety, communicated their location and plight to others and tactically prepared for another attack, the sheriffs department said in an earlier statement, adding that the suspect fled the scene in dark a Mercedes-Benz. Claudia Apolinar, who is unable to speak after the shooting, relays messages to a sheriff on the phone to President Donald Trump. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Apolinar was shot in the jaw while her partner was shot in the headand both are now at home recovering. The shooting was seized on by President Donald Trump, who claimed it was part of ongoing attacks on law enforcement by anti-police brutality protesters. Story continues While authorities on Wednesday wouldnt comment on Murrays motive, Kent Wegener, captain of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau, said the 36-year-old obviously hates policemen and he wants them dead, not specifically. These acts and that day, I will not forget it, and it represents the worst in humanity, and it shocked the whole nation, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva added during the press conference. And that evening I said well find this man, and I can report today we have found our suspect. That worst of humanity was followed by the best of humanity, he added. Our entire department rallied together. Murray was charged earlier this month over the Sept. 1 carjacking. He allegedly confronted another man in Compton, shot him in the leg then stole his car. He was found and arrested on Sept. 15 after a lengthy standoff in Lynwood. Speculation was rife after the Sept. 15 standoff that Murray was the same person who had ambushed the deputies, although officials said at the time that he wasnt. On Wednesday, however, Wegener said authorities later learned the car Murray used to flee the scene of the ambush on Sept. 12 was the same car hed stolen two weeks prior in the carjacking. A ghost gun used in the shooting was recovered by investigators in Compton. Murray is scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court Wednesday, where prosecutors are recommending bail be set at $6.15 million. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. A voter places his ballot in a Camden County ballot drop box for mail ballots at the Audubon Municipal Building on July 6. Read more Most New Jersey voters wont be casting their ballots from inside a voting booth this election season. Gov. Phil Murphy announced in August that most registered voters would automatically receive ballots in the mail, a measure meant to protect public health during the coronavirus pandemic and also improve voting access. Murphys plan, unveiled amid growing concerns about U.S. Postal Service delays, leaves New Jersey voters with more ways to cast a ballot than ever: by mail, by drop box, by physically handing a ballot to a poll worker, or the traditional in-person way. The July primary, in which more than 87% of New Jersey voters cast mail ballots, had the second-highest primary turnout in the states history, officials said. We want voters to trust that New Jerseys elections are going to function properly, said Alicia DAlessandro, a spokeswoman for the state Division of Elections. READ MORE: Looking for information about Pennsylvania? We've got that covered, too. Noting the proliferation of election misinformation and disinformation in 2020, DAlessandro added: Whether the information that is out there is slightly wrong or totally wrong, if the end result is that a voter is somehow discouraged or prevented from joining this election, thats voter suppression. Even before the pandemic led to a surge of mail ballot applications, more than 600,000 New Jersey voters were already signed up to vote by mail in recent election years, DAlessandro said about a tenth of the voting-age population. Whats different now is the expected volume of mailed ballots. Ballot drop boxes are new in New Jersey, but they were modeled after those already used in several other states. Its not new to the people who run the elections, DAlessandro said. "Its just being turned up a notch. Heres what you need to know. How do I register to vote? You can register online at the state Division of Elections website, voter.svrs.nj.gov/register. To register by mail, print and send a paper application. You can download the form or call your local county elections office to request one. You can also fill one out in person at your local municipal or county clerks office. You must have a valid drivers license or state-issued identification card, or a Social Security number. Whats the voter registration deadline? Tuesday, Oct. 13, is the last day to register for the November general election. Mailed applications to register must be postmarked by that date. How can I apply to vote by mail? All active, registered New Jersey voters should automatically receive mail ballots. When will I receive my mail ballot? What if I dont? Counties are mailing ballots now to avoid overburdening the Postal Service in the weeks ahead. Counties will mail most ballots by Monday, but people who dont register to vote until closer to the registration deadline might not receive theirs until later. Once you are registered to vote, you can track the status of your ballot online. If you registered before the deadline and have not received your ballot by mid-October, DAlessandro recommended checking online or calling your county elections office. As long as you have your ballot by Nov. 3, you can walk it to a [drop box] or the polls, she said. Can I vote in person even if I receive a mail ballot? Or if I never got one? Yes, you can fill out a provisional ballot at a polling location. In that case, your vote will be counted after mail ballots are tallied and election officials determine that you havent already voted by mail. People should not vote twice to test the system, DAlessandro said. Because you will get caught, and if youre found to have done it intentionally, thats a felony. The earliest provisional ballots would be counted is Nov. 11, DAlessandro said. "An important thing for people to realize is that provisional ballots are real ballots, and they do count, " she said. Where can I return my mail ballot? New Jersey voters have three options: Mail your ballot on or before Election Day, put it in a ballot drop box, or go to a polling location on Election Day and hand-deliver it to a worker there. Whats the deadline for returning my ballot by mail? New Jersey officials will count ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and received up to seven days after. When will my ballot be counted? Murphy signed an order allowing election officials to start counting ballots up to 10 days before Election Day this year, so if you mail it early, it may be opened before Nov. 3. The order mandates that all vote counts be kept confidential, but some state lawmakers have expressed concern that such information could still be disclosed before Election Day. DAlessandro said anyone who disclosed voting results would face felony charges. Anyone who did would also be quickly identified, she said, given the small number of people who have access to that information. Theres a lot of reasons I feel confident in saying weve got a system that is secure, Murphy said this week. Where do I go if I want to vote in person or deliver my ballot to a poll worker? How do I find my closest drop box? The number of polling locations in the state will be reduced by about half, but officials said there should be at least one in every municipality. Every county will have at least 10 ballot drop boxes, DAlessandro said. To find where polling places and drop boxes are, go to the information portal at nj.gov/state/elections/vote.shtml or call your county elections office. Do I need ID to vote? No. When are polls open on Election Day? From 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Indiana voting rights advocates are applauding a federal judge's order requiring election boards to count mail-in absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 and received on or before Nov. 13, instead of enforcing the statutory receipt deadline of noon on Election Day. "This is a huge win for Hoosier voters," said Julia Vaughn, policy director at Common Cause Indiana, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. "Indiana has seen a surge in requests for mail-in ballots and this ruling will help ensure all those voters who choose to vote by mail do not face the unnecessary barrier of an overly strict return deadline in making their voice heard." Common Cause and the Indiana chapter of the NAACP challenged the absentee ballot return deadline in August "to prevent mass disenfranchisement of Indiana voters" due to disruptions and delays at the U.S. Postal Service. "Indiana voters can now rest easier knowing that when they vote absentee by mail, their vote will be counted," said Barbara Bolling-Williams, Indiana NAACP president. New Delhi, Sep 30 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday formally appointed former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as its election 'prabhari' (in-charge) for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The death case of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput, who hailed from Bihar, has snowballed into a major poll issue ahead of the Bihar elections, and Fadnavis has been championing the cause of the late actor, questioning the Mumbai Police's handling of the matter. The appointment, which comes into play with immediate effect, has been okayed by BJP's national President J.P. Nadda, informed BJP leader Arun Singh. Fadnavis has been participating in all the virtual meetings on Bihar polls from the very beginning, and also went to the state recently. His appointment assumes significance given that fact that a driving narrative in this year's Bihar polls has been about the 'son of the soil' allegedly being 'wronged' by the system in Maharashtra. Fadnavis, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister, recently called Sushant Singh Rajput the son of Bihar and said that the people of India want justice for the late actor and the BJP would ensure that it is delivered. The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to the polls in three phases -- on October 28, November 3 and 7 -- and the results will be announced on November 10. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Press Release September 30, 2020 Highlights of Sen. Pia Cayetano's responses to Sen. Joel Villanueva's interpellation on CREATE Sen. Villanueva asked what sectors face the biggest threat vs. automation Sen. Pia: Security of our labor force and decent jobs is part of SDG 8. So embedded in every possible nook and cranny of the CREATE bill is the attainment of our SDGs. And that is why the most basic investments would automatically receive Tier 1 incentives, precisely because the fact that they add jobs and are focused on helping us achieve our sustainable goals, we are already incentivizing those businesses. The World Economic Forum says by 2030, 50 percent of jobs will be changed by automatio... But it does not mean 50 percent will lose their jobs. Only 5 percent of jobs will be eliminated. In other words, the effect of automation is that workers need to upskill... By upskilling, by putting to good use TESDA, we will be able to address this issue. By accepting that the world is a volatile world, there are changes coming all the time, and we are ready to accept it by continuous upskilling, we will survive and thrive... Nine out of 10 jobs will require digital skills... The most vulnerable workers in the future are really from agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. Most likely 90 percent of them will be affected. That is why I cannot overemphasize that I told the DA to study what is the future of food because gawa pa rin tayo ng gawa in the same way... Scientists tell us we cannot feed the population at the rate we are using up our resources. We have to start investing in that way. Otherwise, affected talaga ang 90 percent... The next affected sector would be financial and insurance activities, and then industry except manufacturing... And then transportation, storage, accommodation, and food service. Again, technology will really affect these. And then real estate activities... What CREATE does is... when there is use of technology, there is innovation, then you will get the highest level of incentives. And then, I must emphasize, there is a misunderstanding that this is simply based on industries. No, it is also tied with geographical location. Anywhere you invest in a less developed area, the incentives will be on the higher side... Because we want to push jobs in those areas, we want to achieve the sustainable goals in those areas... One of the options for an investor for incentive is to avail of the enhanced deduction. And under enhanced deduction, use of labor will receive a 150% deduction, expense for the training, upskilling of workers includes 200% deduction, and the use of domestic input - and this will spur the growth of MSMEs - is 150% also. In a nutshell, that is how we are addressing this need to reskill and the need to incentivize activities that will assist our people in reskilling... Sen. Villanueva asked how the trainings will be in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution Sen. Pia: It also starts with education... One of the things I learned in Futures Thinking is that we have to ensure that we are teaching our children and youth 21st Century skills. Because if we are still teaching them spoon feeding, in the classroom, "Memorize this, memorize that," those were 20th Century skills because information was not readily available. These days, information is easily available. What we need to teach them are critical thinking skills. Because if they develop those critical thinking skills, then as soon as they are in Senior High or even earlier than that, they can already make use of these skills and easily dive into other specializations. The point is, it starts with education. And then we have to continually embed in their minds that it's about retooling all the time. That's part of their education. Hindi yung one-track mind na hanggang dito lang kayo. So it starts with education, and after that, we have post-education retooling that happens all the time, and it should be an accepted part of our life... Sen. Pia: I join his honor in really pushing for the retraining of our workers in the various fields. And we have to also put a budget for that. If I may also add, included in the retraining is also basic research. Because if you also don't know what you are retraining them for, wala din po yun. The good Chair of the Committee on Higher Education knows that I share his frustration that the budget that he included, which I supported, for research in SUCs was not included for the 2020 release... That is so sad. They are the ones on the ground all over the country... They could have contributed. So I hope we would see more support for our push for research also. Sen. Villar & Sen. Gordon interject Sen. Pia: One of the reasons why we are creating the FIRB the way we are is precisely because we do not have even the data that is very much needed for us to make certain decisions, for our government agencies to make these decisions... Sen. Villanueva asked about the proposed enhanced deductions to be offered to businesses under CREATE Sen. Pia: This option is very enticing because they will really be able to make a lot of deductions. For those running a business well, andami talaga nila made-deduct. So we really anticipate a big number would be availing of these enhanced deductions. The three I always point out are: labor, training, and domestic input. In a simulation they've [DOF] done for 1,332 firms, they actually have a response to that, and it's 54 percent of the 1,332 firms are interested in availing enhanced deductions. Sen. Pia: We would incentivize a company if they will invest in our country and they will produce jobs, offer technology and innovation, and are willing to capitalize. Sen. Pia: The general rule is, all corporations doing business in the Philippines pay taxes. And then we've made a number of exceptions. One exception is for MSMEs. Below 250,000 gross receipts, there is no tax on the income of an MSME. Above 250,000 but with assets below 3 million, they will only be taxed 8 percent. So that is already our exception in the recently passed TRAIN Law that supports MSMEs and their employees. The labor cost is an allowed deduction. What we do with CREATE is we sweeten the pie. We are providing for those who are creating more business opportunities through specific industries... It could be as basic as any of the SDGs, they would already be qualified to be a registered enterprise receiving incentives. But remember, this is an exception to the rule. So, there are also a lot of training programs... These are programs that the government can provide and should provide. But they are not enhanced deductions in terms of incentives we want to offer companies that are specifically investing in industries that we are promoting. We need to be rational in our identification of these industries and where they are locating... Ito po ang essence ng CREATE. Lloyds has launched a new first-of-its-kind business interruption policy for small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), specifically designed to protect them against IT disruption or downtime. Parametrix Insurance offers simple and reliable coverage by removing the traditional indemnity trigger that most insurance policies today use. Instead, the new solution uses a parametric trigger, meaning that the policy automatically pays out if a customers critical IT services such as cloud, e-commerce or payment systems are disrupted, said Lloyds in a statement, noting that this will significantly reduce the time insurers spend assessing a loss or adjusting a claim. The new product is led by Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK) and supported by other members of Lloyds Product Innovation Facility (PIF) including RenaissanceRe. It is the first off-the-shelf parametric IT downtime policy tailored towards SMEs, said Lloyds. A Lloyds representative said the product is currently in a proof of concept phase, offered for SMEs in Israel. Its a controlled experiment which we hope goes well, and we can then scale once we understood more, said the representative. Businesses have shifted to managing most of their critical IT operations by using third-party service providers, thereby increasing their vulnerability to disruption, said Yonatan Hatzor, co-founder and CEO of Tel Aviv-based Parametrix Insurance. As a result, critical technology downtime has become the fastest growing risk for businesses today, whether you are a technology company or not. On top of this, the existing claims process in the field is complicated, expensive and time consuming, added Hatzor. Parametrixs approach addresses all these issues, providing a solution that saves both time and money, while making tech insurance accessible to new business segments. We are thrilled to launch the first off-the-shelf parametric insurance product for IT downtime, he said. This is a great milestone for us, and we are grateful to TMK, Howden and Lloyds Product Innovation Facility for helping us to develop our product and providing us with valuable insights and support along the way. We know that insurance products and services have to evolve to respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and help our customers cover new or heightened risks that they may encounter now or in the future, commented Trevor Maynard, Lloyds head of Innovation. That is why Lloyds Product Innovation Facility and our new Lloyds Lab cohort are both looking at ways the industry can do this more effectively. I am delighted to see evidence of this today with the launch of Parametrix, Maynard added. Third party cloud service providers help our clients trade within an ever-changing world and Parametrix have done a great job in developing an insurance product that helps build resilience in this space, said Tom Hoad, head of Innovation at Tokio Marine Kiln and chair of the Product Innovation Facility. David Rees, cyber broker at Howden, said this ground-breaking project combines the best of Lloyds product innovation and capacity, as well as working with our market leading cyber capability in Howden Israel led by Shay Simkin. Source: Lloyds Topics InsurTech Excess Surplus Tech New Markets Lloyd's Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 23:14:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NUR-SULTAN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh Health Minister Alexey Tsoi on Wednesday proposed to suspend the resumption of additional international flights from Oct. 5, in a bid to prevent the spread of imported COVID-19 cases. At a government session, Tsoi suggested not increasing the number of restored flights and curbing the number of flights to Turkey, referring to the worsening epidemiological situation in foreign countries. Passengers arriving from the countries with which Kazakhstan has restored air traffic must go through a temperature check, fill out a survey, and have a PCR certificate with a negative result. Arrivals without a PCR test will be isolated in a quarantine hospital for up to two days for COVID-19 laboratory examination. Similar requirements will be applied to those crossing land borders with countries of the Eurasian Economic Union and Uzbekistan. As of Sept. 30, Kazakhstan has registered 107,908 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 102,874 recoveries and 1,725 deaths. The health ministry added that 104 COVID-19 cases have been registered among school children since the beginning of the school year. Enditem Certainly, it is possible to note Trumps remarkable skills at the form, honed from his years on reality television: the way he first cocks his head, then moves in close to the microphone, then waits for just the right pause in his opponents delivery to find a tiny space in the air, allowing him to lower his voice, ingest the microphone seemingly half way down his throat and utter an intimate, supremely well chosen, sotto voce counter-commentary as brief as it is immediately devastating. He couldnt circle Biden as he did Hillary Clinton four years ago. But he merely adapted to new conditions. No politician has ever been as good at this and, four years later, the creaking machinery of debating as we have known it still has found no way to counteract Trumps skill. The raucous debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden turned into a game of alphabet Tuesday when moderator Chris Wallace asked the two candidates whether the U.S. economy is in a V-shaped or K-shaped recovery from the coronavirus recession? Trump said it was a V while Biden said looked like a K. The exchange raised a more basic question: What is a V- or K-shaped recovery anyway? A V-shaped rebound is when the economy contracts sharply but bounces back just as dramatically. Many economists believed this downturn might well be V-shaped because it was triggered by a pandemic that forced the shutdown of restaurants, shops, movie theaters and other businesses, and decimated the airline and hotel industries by chilling travel. Yet as soon as the outbreak eases and businesses reopen, the economy theoretically can return to its previous output level. V-shaped recovery Initially, the recovery did resemble a V. After the U.S. shed 22.1 million jobs in April and May, it recouped 7.5 million in May and June as restaurants and other businesses began reopening in phases. But job growth slowed to 3.1 million in July and August and a report Friday is projected to show 850,000 payroll gains in September. The totals are expected to dip further in coming months as many restaurants and other outlets operate at limited capacity and many consumers shy away from public gathering spots amid the continuing spread of the virus. The travel industry remains in dire shape. And Congress is deadlocked over a new stimulus package to prop up struggling businesses and unemployed workers. Theres also long-lasting damage: Failed businesses, and workers who have been permanently laid off. Gus Faucher, chief economist of PNC Financial Services Group, doesnt expect the country to recover all the jobs lost in the pandemic until 2023. Its a solid recovery but its going to take time to get back to where we were, Faucher says. President Donald Trump's supporters remain committed, though former Vice President Joe Biden leads in several polls. Another way to assess the rebound is by looking at the nations gross domestic product the sum of all goods and services the economy churns out. After plunging at a record 31.4% annual rate in the second quarter, the economy is estimated to have grown about 32% in the third quarter (July-September). Story continues More layoffs: Disney parks to lay off 28,000 workers in California, Florida But that gain doesnt offset the similar-sized loss because the economy was smaller after the big decline. Returning to the nations late 2019 GDP level would require a 54% surge in output, says Ian Shepherdson, chief economist of Pantheon Macroeconomics. How about a 'U'? Faucher estimates the economy will reach that benchmark late next year. As a result, what started as a V-shaped recovery is starting to look more like a U a gradual climb back. Some economists disagree. Morgan Stanley suggests the U.S. is in a relative V-shaped recovery, estimating it will take 18 months to reclaim its pre-pandemic GDP compared with 30 months in the Great Recession of 2007-09. K-shaped recovery A rebound that resembles a K occurs when some parts of the economy bounce back sharply while others stumble. That is happening now and in more than one way. Some industries like restaurants, hotels, movie theaters and music venues may continue to struggle for some time. Others like grocery stores and technology providers such as Amazon and Zoom are thriving. Home sales also have come back to pre-crisis levels on historically low mortgage rates and Americans desire to move to rural and suburban areas less affected by the pandemic. Another way to look at the economys split personality is by income level. Low-income workers in service industries such as restaurants and retail continue to struggle while professionals who can work from home remain largely unscathed. Wealthy Americans, meanwhile, are benefiting from the stock markets rally from its pandemic-induced crash earlier this year, as Biden pointed out. So which is it V or K? Its possible for the recovery to be V- and K-shaped at the same time, Faucher notes, if the strides made by some sectors or workers offset others struggles enough to swiftly lift the economy overall. Smart accounting or fraud?: Trump's tax returns: 5 key takeaways from experts But that would be a tough balancing act, and many top economists reckon thats likely not the current scenario as the U.S. continues to claw back from the wreckage of COVID-19. So while the recovery is almost certainly K-shaped, it probably won't be a V. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Presidential debate: Is economic recovery a Trump 'V' or a Biden 'K'? OTTAWA - A sombre Yves-Francois Blanchet reflected Wednesday on his own experience with COVID-19, saying he was lucky to have caught a mild case of the illness but that many Canadians are not so fortunate. The Bloc Quebecois leader made the comments as he and Conservative Leader Erin OToole returned to Parliament Hill after being diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month. Both underscored the responsibility that Canadians have to keep their guard up against the illness, which has so far infected more than 158,000 people in the country and left 9,200 dead. Blanchet, whose wife also tested positive for COVID-19, made a point of focusing attention on those who have died as he was asked during a news conference what it was like to have had the illness. Some people go through it much more painfully than I did, he said. I was very, very, very lucky. Some people die of that thing. He went on to state that while there is no absolute protection from COVID-19, all Canadians have a responsibility to keep up their guard against it to protect those who might be at risk of serious illness. There is only ways to reduce the probability of catching the thing and giving it to somebody that might be more vulnerable to it, he said. And for that very reason, we must be very, very careful. OToole made similar comments ahead of a meeting with members of his caucus Wednesday morning, after he and his wife Rebecca also tested positive this month. We all have to be very cautious, he said. Were in a second wave in Ontario and Quebec, in particular. So we must stay cautious. Ive been working with public health about coming back. Im excited, I feel good. Ontario alone reported 625 new cases of COVID-19 and four new deaths Wednesday, with new modelling predicting that the province could see 1,000 new cases each day by the first half of October. OToole rose in the House of Commons to applause as he put his first question to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Opposition leader. Seeing him in good health, seeing the leader of the Bloc Quebecois back in the House as well, is a good thing, Trudeau said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. Read more about: FP Trending Bharti Airtel has announced the launch of a set of cybersecurity solution for business customers called Airtel Secure. As part of Airtel Secure, the company also said it will invest Rs 100 crore in a Security Intelligence Centre in the National Capital Region. This facility will offer its tracking services to all businesses 24/7. In a statement issued by the company, they have stated that with businesses shifting to cloud and digital platforms to serve customers better, they are also encountering increasing incidents of sophisticated cyber-attacks. The origins of these mostly remain unknown and they wreak havoc on operations. According to Airtel, India is not only the worlds second-largest internet market, it ranks fifth globally when it comes to incidents of cyber-attacks and frauds. As per the statement, Indian cybersecurity market is expected to cross $13 billion by 2025. Speaking about Airtel Secure, Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel said that at Airtel they constantly ask customers hat more can they do to help them in their digital transformation journeys. According to him, through these conversations, they have been made aware that cyber security is a critical requirement. "Airtel Secure has been built to serve this need. It combines Airtels robust network security with cutting-edge solutions delivered through global partnerships so as to deliver end-to-end managed security services. With the incredible trust we enjoy from our customers we believe Airtel Secure will provide our customers peace of mind, enable faster response times to potential threats and help protect their data so as to reduce business risk," he added. The company also announced it will be jointly bringing to market a wide range of cutting-edge security solutions that secure networks, endpoints, applications and the Cloud along with Cisco. According to the company, the partnership will allow Airtel to have access to advanced monitoring, analysis and investigation of malicious code to protect people and information. Chuck Robbins, President and CEO, Cisco said that Airtel will now be able to help customers streamline operations with integrated threat and security management through Cisco's security portfolio. Delivered as managed security services (MSS), these offerings will benefit Airtel's enterprise as well as small business customers, allowing customers to reduce their technology-capex investment and maximize efficiency, he added. Airtel also announced a partnership with Radware, through which the first global data scrubbing centre in India has been set up to ensure threats to data and information is attacked and eliminated at the source in the country. These were among reports received by the Calvert County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police for this edition of Local Living. Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call 410-535-2800 or 301-855-1194 or use the Submit a Tip feature on the mobile app. Call the Crime Solvers line at 410-535-2880 or the state police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400. By Trend Armenia is an occupier, Azerbaijan is restoring justice, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Affairs Policy Department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Hikmat Hajiyev said in an interview with TRT World TV channel, Trend reports. Hajiyev spoke about Armenias provocative actions and aggression against Azerbaijan, Yerevans inadequate statements, and also exposed the fake news about the "shot down Armenian SU-25", stressing that there is no information in the Azerbaijani radar system about Su-25 which took off from Armenias territory. The full interview is available here: Britain's business secretary Alok Sharma. Photo: Leon Neal/AFP via Getty Images The state bank in charge of two crucial UK COVID-19 support programmes warned the government in May that the schemes risked widespread fraud and poor value for money. Keith Morgan, chief executive of the British Business Bank, twice wrote to business minister Alok Sharma in May raising concerns about the Bounce Back Loan scheme and the Future Fund. Billions of pounds have been lent and invested under both programmes since the formal concerns were raised. In a letter published on Wednesday, Morgan said the Bounce Back Loan scheme was at risk of very significant fraud. The scheme, launched in May, allows small businesses to borrow up to 50,000 with minimal checks. The loans are 100% state-backed. The scheme is vulnerable to abuse by individuals and by participants in organised crime, Morgan wrote. Watch: The governments job support scheme explained Morgan added that the Bounce Back loan scheme carried considerable credit risk given the minimal checks on the loans and the dire economic conditions. It could leave the government with huge losses as the loans mature. Yahoo Finance UK understands that some measures have been put in place to protect against fraud since the objections were raised. These include mandating anti-money laundering checks on loans and detection processes to spot things like recently changed company details or duplicate applications. A spokesperson for the government said: Weve looked to minimise fraud with lenders implementing a range of protections including anti-money laundering and customer checks, as well as transaction monitoring controls. Any fraudulent applications can be criminally prosecuted for which penalties include imprisonment or a fine or both. An investigation by the Mail on Sunday in August found fraudsters and criminals appear to be targeting the Bounce Back programme. In recent months, the National Audit Office and parliaments Public Accounts Committee have both launched investigations into the value for money and fraud risk of the Bounce Back Loan scheme. Story continues In a separate letter, Morgan raised concerns about the Future Fund. The Fund makes loans of up to 5m ($6m) to startups struggling due to COVID-19. These loans can then be converted into equity at a later date. The overriding fact is that the value for money outcome from this scheme is highly uncertain, Morgan said. READ MORE: Government urged to name tech startups backed by Future Fund He warned that the best companies will not use this funding route, as investors will fund those companies without HMG [Her Majestys Government] support. This will result in HMG investment going to the second tier of companies, which will likely result in higher associated loss rates. Morgan said the programme was not well-targeted and companies may be supported which did not need the intervention. The Fund also carried the risk of perverse incentives and could ultimately leave the government with a sizeable portfolio of direct equity investments it would need to manage. Morgan said the cost of the Future Fund was likely to outweigh any benefits it delivers. The British Business Banks letter will raise pressure on the government to increase the transparency around the Future Fund. The government has refused to name any of the businesses receiving investment. Some have been named in the press, including a craft soft drink company, a vegan restaurant chain, and a sex party organiser. READ MORE: Vegan restaurant, wind farm, and soft drink maker get Future Fund backing The state-owned British Business Bank is in charge of administering both the Future Fund, which invests government money, and the Bounce Back scheme, which relies on bank capital but carries a state guarantee. About 38bn has so far been lent under the Bounce Back programme and the government has invested 720m into over 1,000 startups through the Future Fund. A government spokesperson said: Our loan schemes have provided a lifeline to thousands of businesses across the UK helping them survive the outbreak and protecting millions of jobs. Our support has been targeted to ensure we help those who need it most as quickly as possible and we wont apologise for this. Watch: What are negative interest rates? Kim Song, the head of the North's diplomatic mission to the United Nations. Capture from United Nations Web TV, Yonhap North Korea will not sell off its dignity for its economic development while it will also safeguard its own security with "absolute strength" it has built, the head of the North's diplomatic mission to the United Nations said Tuesday. "It is a matter of fact that we badly need an external environment favorable for economic construction. But we cannot sell off our dignity, just in the hope of a brilliant transformation the dignity which we have defended as valuable as our own life. This is our steadfast position," Kim Song said in a speech at the U.N. General Debate. The North Korean diplomat noted his country's leader, Kim Jong-un, has already ordered his country to break through the difficulties by "confronting them head-on by dint of self-reliance." "The maneuvers of hostile forces to stifle the DPRK and other numerous difficulties will continue impeding our advance. However, the struggle of the people to overcome them and open up a road to prosperity by its own efforts will also be further intensified," the North Korean ambassador told the world body in New York. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim said his country was now directing all its efforts to economic development, claiming it has already secured a "reliable guarantee" for its own security. "Based on its reliable guarantee for safeguarding the security of the state and people, the DPRK is now directing all its efforts to economic construction," he told the U.N. meeting. North Korea declared having perfected its nuclear and long-range missile capabilities after staging its sixth and last nuclear test in September 2017, which was followed by a series of intercontinental ballistic missile launches. Kim reaffirmed his country's resolve to maintain its military capabilities, insisting its security guarantee came from its "absolute strength" to prevent war. "It is an undeniable reality of today that cutting edge military hardware, including stealth fighters, continue to be introduced into the Korean Peninsula and nuclear strike means of all kinds of directly aimed at the DPRK," he said. "The conclusion we have drawn is that peace never comes off itself, by a mere wish of one side and it is not granted by someone else, either. In the present world where high handedness based on strength is rampant, genuine peace can only be safeguarded when one possesses absolute strength to prevent war itself," he added. His remarks come amid a prolonged deadlock in denuclearization negotiations between the United States and North Korea. U.S. President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader have held three meetings, but their talks have stalled since their second bilateral summit, in Hanoi in February 2019, ended without a deal. The first Trump-Kim summit, which also marked the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit, was held in Singapore in June 2018. Kim's remarks also come after South Korean President Moon Jae-in, in his own speech at the U.N. meeting last week, proposed declaring an official end to the Korean War, which he said would provide a security guarantee that Pyongyang has long sought. South and North Korea technically remain at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended only with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The North Korean diplomat offered condolences to the bereaved families of those lost to the new coronavirus, and said the situation in his country "is now under safe and stable control" thanks to what he called "far-sighted leadership" of its leaders. North Korea closed its borders shortly after neighboring China and South Korea reported outbreaks of the novel coronavirus at the beginning of this year. The impoverished North has yet to officially report an outbreak, while access to information regarding conditions in the North remains extremely limited. Kim noted his country suffered considerable losses due to a series of typhoons but is overcoming such damage on its own. (Yonhap) Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves, but its oil industry is hobbled by US sanctions which have thrown the country into its worst economic crisis in years, Press tv reported. Caracas, Sep 30 (IANS) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that US financial sanctions have caused Venezuela's oil revenue to plunge 99 per cent over the last six years. Maduro said on Tuesday that 30 billion dollars have been lost each year since 2015, adding "it's impossible to imagine the amount of pressure placed on our economy." "For every 100 dollars obtained through oil sales in 2014 we receive one today," which means oil revenues fell from more than 56 billion dollars in 2013 "to less than 400 million dollars last year", he said. According to Maduro, Venezuela experienced the "sharpest" foreign exchange losses in its history between 2014 and 2019. "In six years we lost 99% of our foreign exchange revenues," he said. The main reason for the huge drop in revenues was "the war declared on oil prices," to "attack the world's major producers," he said. With most shipowners and oil traders shunning business with Venezuela for fear of the sanctions, Iran has emerged as the only country helping Caracas bring its refineries back to service and cope with an acute fuel shortage. The Iran-flagged tanker Forest, the first of a group of three tankers transporting some 270,000 barrels of Iranian fuel for Venezuela, entered the waters of the South American nation on Monday, reports said. The two following Iranian tankers, the Faxon and the Fortune, are estimated to arrive in early October. They are together expected to deliver about 820,000 barrels of gasoline and other fuels, helping to ease shortages in Venezuela. The same vessels and two additional Iranian tankers delivered 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and diesel fuel to Venezuela between May and June despite US threats to stop them, while the South American nation shipped a cargo vessel carrying alumina to Iran's Bandar Abbas port. An Iranian very large crude carrier (VLCC) is expected to leave Venezuela's Jose port with 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy oil for sale in Asia. On Tuesday, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza was quoted as saying that his country had learnt from Tehran how to confront the coercive US measures. An Iranian supertanker that shipped the country's first oil cargo to Venezuela last week despite US threats to stop it is loading the Latin American country's crude for export, Bloomberg reports. Arreaza also said after talking with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif via a video call that Venezuela's historic relations with Iran are at their best. Washington has sought to disrupt the deepening bilateral trade between the two countries. Last month, the US government went on a full-throttle propaganda campaign, claiming that it had seized 1.116 million barrels of Iranian fuel because it was bound for Venezuela. Iran, however, asserted that neither were the ships Iranian nor their owners or their cargo had any connection to the Islamic Republic. Venezuela pledged to continue trade with Iran after the US announced new sanctions on Iranian official entities as well as President Maduro this month. --IANS sdr/bg BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Abiquo , the leading Cloud Management Provider, helps businesses leverage complex hybrid cloud environments for competitive advantage, while simplifying workflow for cloud users. Version 5.1 delivers real business benefits by offering new features and functionalities that will help companies to reach its goals. Deploy VMs faster than ever In many clouds, the workflow to configure and deploy VMs can be convoluted and time consuming, and often requires a significant level of technical expertise, costing companies both time and money. Abiquo helps save valuable time and reduce management complexity by automating these tasks. Abiquo 5.1 gives a competitive advantage by speeding up IT processes, enabling users to deploy VMs even more quickly and easily , helping save employee time and reducing time to market for new products and services. Self-service VM snapshots, the safe way Cloud platform users often look for a way to ensure that data is safe while performing maintenance or other one-off tasks, and look to IT teams to take care of this with solutions such as backups on demand and VM snapshots. Each of these comes with a downside though; Backup on demand requires restore on demand to be really effective, while snapshots can create performance issues and can easily get out of control. This is particularly true in a multi-user and, even more, a multi-tenant cloud environment. Abiquo v5.1 supplements the existing scheduled and on-demand backup and restore functionality with new self-service VMware snapshots . Users can take snapshots and roll them back on demand, while configurable snapshot depth and scheduled auto-consolidation ensures that workloads do not run from snapshots indefinitely. More control over public clouds Companies need public cloud management to be simpler, easier and more focused on their unique needs, with tools available to customize cloud management processes to deliver competitive advantage. Abiquo's new version 5.1 delivers on that vision, introducing a new way to customize network elements. The platform allows to create and specify the address range for the VDC to use as part of a custom private network configuration. Virtual Datacenter Management Abiquo 5.1 incorporates new functionality to help users organize their workloads on multiple clouds . Now, a new filter by providers makes it easier for users to find virtual datacenters. Use VM Hardware profiles across multiple cloud providers more easily Private cloud platforms based on VMware, KVM and others do not natively offer hardware profiles, but rather present users with a free choice of CPU and RAM. Abiquo has long offered the option to use hardware profiles in private cloud to mirror your public cloud providers. Now, Abiquo 5.1 introduces hardware profile families and types to improve the organization of HPs and help customers with usage hints to select the perfect HP. This feature also allows users to select a similar Hardware Profile between clouds, facilitating easy deployment of a defined application blueprint on all clouds. Save money by setting bandwidth limits Companies can now not only save money but also offer different network SLAs to their customers, which gives another way to monetize network resources. Abiquo 5.1 enables the user to set a bandwidth limit in a virtual datacenter for each Public IP using Quality of Service (QoS traffic shaping) parameters. This feature applies to public IPs in infrastructure and managed by NSX in vCenter and vCenter clusters. Get your Virtual Resources better organized than ever! Organizing resources well is just the first part of saving companies' time and efforts. Now Abiquo makes it possible by introducing a new Locations section in the Cloud view . Virtual resources are now even more organized, by locations and by datacenter, which will helpsave time and efforts when checking cloud resources. For more information visit www.abiquo.com About Abiquo Founded in 2006 with headquarters in London and offices in Europe, Abiquo is a leading developer of Hybrid Cloud management solutions. Abiquo delivers cloud orchestration software for cloud service providers; Abiquo multicloud platform allows customers to quickly build and monetise cloud services, whilst managing hybrid, private or public cloud infrastructure from one intuitive portal. Abiquo serves the complex needs of enterprises and service providers as they advance their virtualization implementations into cloud services, adding value through greater efficiency, visibility, simplicity and control. Media contact: Anna Mari Marketing and Communications Manager, Abiquo [email protected] SOURCE Abiquo Europe Ltd The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) has announced that it will consider changing the format of the remaining two debates, after Tuesdays chaotic event was widely criticised. During Tuesdays presidential debate, which is planned to be the first of three before 3 Novembers election, Mr Trump repeatedly spoke over Mr Biden and avoided answering questions posed by the moderator, Fox News host Chris Wallace. At one point, the former vice president told Mr Trump: Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential, after he interrupted him, and Wallace had to regularly shout in order to keep the conversation moving. On Wednesday, the commission, which sponsors televised debates in the US, released a statement, which read: Last nights debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues. The CPD will be carefully considering the changes that it will adopt and will announce those measures shortly. The organisation added: The Commission is grateful to Chris Wallace for the professionalism and skill he brought to last nights debate and intends to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates. The format for presidential debates are designed following weeks of negotiations between the Democratic and Republican candidates, which Wallace reminded Mr Trump of when he broke the agreed terms, according to Bloomberg. The two candidates camps agreed on six 15 minute sections dedicated to an individual topic each, with both Mr Trump and Mr Biden allowed two minutes interrupted to speak. However, after the president repeatedly interrupted Mr Biden, Wallace told him to stop speaking over the Democratic candidate and reminded Mr Trump that he had agreed to the format. Following Tuesdays event in Ohio, several political pundits, alongside supporters of the Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden, called for the former vice president to drop out of the remaining two debates. In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Joe Scarborough, the host of MSNBCs Morning Joe and a former Republican congressman, told the former vice president that he should refuse to take part in any more debates. Mr Scarborough, who left the Republican party to became an Independent after Mr Trump became president, wrote: This is a colossal waste of the American peoples time. If they are not going to cut his mic so we can have an exchange of ideas, then Biden should not attend any more debates. He added: Hey Team Biden, if this continues you, pull him off the stage. And do not do anymore debates. This is a disgrace. David Axelrod, who worked with Mr Biden while a senior adviser to former president Barack Obama, said that he should consider not attending the two future debates. I think Biden has a decision to make, he said. I dont think the country will be yearning for these. You know what will happen if Biden says he doesnt want to dignify another debate. I dont think the country wants another one of these spectacles. Journalist Eric Boehlert echoed those remarks and uploaded an article to PressRun.Media on Monday morning titled, call off the next two debates, which he shared on Twitter with the caption: Its not possible to stage a two-person debate when one of them is a sociopath. In the article, Mr Boehlert wrote: Trump turned Tuesdays presidential debate not only into a brawl, but also a national embarrassment. Behaving like a petulant teenager, Trump rolled his eyes, constantly interrupted, hectored, tried to pick fights, and generally made a fool of himself as more than 80 million Americans tuned in, most of whom were likely thinking, What have we become as a nation? However, Mr Bidens running mate Kamala Harris dismissed the idea that the former vice president will refuse to take part in any future debates. Speaking on CNN, Ms Harris said: Joe Bidens never going to refuse to talk to the American people. In a call with reporters, which included members of The Hill, Biden deputy campaign manager and communications director Kate Bedingfield said: We are going to the debates, guys. I dont know how many different ways we can say it. Yes, we are going to do the debates. She added: I would imagine there will be some additional conversations [with the Commission on Presidential Debates]. But yeah, we are committing to attending the debates. The second presidential debate is scheduled to take place on 15 October in Miami with C-SPAN's Steve Scully moderating. The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, has criticized judiciary reforms by the Hungarian and Polish governments as a "major source of controversy" and "serious concern." The commission made its assessment in its first report about failings in the rule of law across the bloc released on September 30, a day before the bloc's 27 EU leaders gather in Brussels for a two-day summit. It said Hungary was among member states where "the direction of change has given rise to serious concern about the impact of reforms on judicial independence," while "Poland's justice reforms since 2015 have been a major source of controversy." Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga quickly dismissed the report in a statement on Facebook, calling it "flawed" and "unfounded." Warsaw and Budapest have repeatedly clashed with EU leaders over their moves to increase state control of the judiciary, media, nongovernmental organizations, and academia. The 2020 Rule Of Law Report addresses justice systems, anti-corruption frameworks, media freedom, as well as other checks and balances. It said that in Hungary, the prosecution of high-level corruption "remains very limited," while the absence of legislation and transparency in the distribution of state advertising has opened the door for the government to "exert indirect political influence over the media." The Commission's vice president, Vera Jourova, told RFE/RL, "Its a big pity Hungary didnt join the new European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO)," a new EU body tasked with fighting corruption and fraud in the 27-member bloc. So far, 22 EU member states have joined the Luxembourg-based EPPO, expected to be up and running at the end of the year. The report comes after the European Commission earlier this week rejected Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's demand for Jourova to be dismissed or resign after she said his vision of "illiberal democracy" was in fact spearheading the creation of an "ill democracy" in Hungary. "I don't have any personal experience in resignations. I am not going to resign. If I resign one day, it will be because I will feel myself that I am not able to do the job properly, which is not the case today," Jourova told RFE/RL. She also said that there should "definitely be space for independent media in Hungary," where media outlets critical of Orban have been muted or acquired by entities with ties to the government. Bulgaria and Romania are also among the countries criticized in the report for shortcomings in ensuring judiciary independence. The commission also called out Bulgaria for threats against journalists and the lack of transparency of media ownership. Jourova reiterated to RFE/RL that the media situation in Bulgaria was "not rosy." She spoke about "a trend in many member states where the media situation is worsening from the economic point of view, job security, and political pressure." Jourova reiterated the importance of an independent media for democracy. "When they do their job right, the media are the defenders of democracy and freedom of speech," she told RFE/RL. Budget Battle The report could have repercussions for negotiations on the bloc's long-term budget. While EU leaders have agreed in principle on a 1.8 trillion-euro ($2.1 trillion) economic recovery package for 2021-27, they have yet to find common ground on a distribution mechanism. Reports say that a majority of the EU's 27 countries have approved a proposal over how to make payouts from the bloc conditional on upholding the rule of law -- a move opposed by Poland and Hungary. "The rule of law and our shared values are the foundation of our societies," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on September 30. "They are part of our common identity as Europeans. The rule of law protects people from the rule of the powerful. While we have very high rule-of-law standards in the EU, we also have various challenges," she added. With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak, Reuters, AP, and AFP Prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dialled Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath demanding strictest action against the culprits in Hathras gang rape case. A special three-member SIT has also been formed to probe the case and has been directed to submit a report in 7 days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed that strictest action should be taken against the culprits involved in Hathras gang-rape incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji spoke to me over Hathras incident and he said that strictest action be taken against the culprits, Yogi Adityanath tweeted. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday also constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe Hathras incident where a 19-year-old was gang-raped, Chief Ministers Office said. The SIT comprises Chairman Secretary Home Bhagwan Swaroop and Chandraprakash, Deputy Inspector General of Police and Poonam, Commander in chief, Provincial Armed Constabulary. The CMO informed that SIT will present a report in seven days. A three-member SIT has been constituted by Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath ji to investigate the incident of Hathras in which Chairman Secretary Home Shri Bhagwan Swaroop and Shri Chandraprakash, Deputy Inspector General of Police and Mrs Poonam, Commander in Chief, PAC, Agra will be the members. SIT will submit its report in 7 days, the CMO tweeted. Also Read: Babri Masjid Demolition Case LIVE Updates: Special court set to pronounce verdict today, LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti to skip court Also Read: With spike of over 80,000 cases, Indias Covid-19 tally crosses 62L mark He has given strict instructions to prosecute accused in fast track court. Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath ji has given clear instructions to prosecute and effectively advocate in fast track court against accused person in incident of Hathras, the CMO added. The 19-year-old died in Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday, after she was gang-raped in Hathras a fortnight ago. The victim was brought to Safdarjung Hospital on Monday from Aligarh Muslim University Medical College. Last rites of Hathras gang-rape victim was performed at her native place here in the wee hours of Wednesday. Also Read: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu tests positive for coronavirus Global Watch Japan Airlines says yes to gender-neutral flight announcements If you're used to hearing Ladies and Gentlemen during in-flight announcements, this won't be the case anymore the next time you're in a Japan Airlines(JAL) flight. In a welcome move, JAL has decided to drop the greetings "ladies and gentlemen" while making announcements in English. It will instead look towards making more gender-neutral announcements. Read here to know what led to the move. President Trump's administration is preparing to carry out an immigration enforcement blitz next month specifically targeting American cities that have adopted 'sanctuary' policies. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation could begin later this week in California before being expanded to other cities including Denver and Philadelphia. The ICE operation is part of Trump's attempt to project himself as a 'law and order' president in the run-up to November's election. The Trump administration is planning an October crackdown on 'sanctuary cities' (file photo) Trump is planning to direct his influence at cities, usually Democrat-run, where leaders have 'failed to protect their citizens from dangerous criminals'. The plans which have been seen by the Washington Post will see acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf travel to at least one of the jurisdictions to promote ICE's work. Two officials told the Post anonymously that the operation is more about getting a political message across than a major operation by ICE, stressing that the agency is already working hard to combat violators of immigration policy daily, often without much publicity. ICE officials have already threatened cities and counties that use sanctuary policies and say the agency will send more agents to make arrests in their jurisdictions if they continue advocating such policies. The plan involves ICE entering major Democrat California cities before expanding to Denver and Philadelphia to boost president's image on 'law & order' (file photo) Earlier this summer the president hinted that Sanctuary Cities such as New York and Chicago might soon have to change their ways 'We do not comment on any law enforcement sensitive issues that may adversely impact our officers and the public,' Mike Alvarez, an ICE spokesman, said on Tuesday. 'However, every day as part of routine operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement targets and arrests criminal aliens and other individuals who have violated our nation's immigration laws.' 'Generally speaking, as ICE has noted for years, in jurisdictions where cooperation does not exist and ICE is not allowed to assume custody of aliens from jails, ICE is forced to arrest at-large criminal aliens out in the communities instead of under the safe confines of a jail,' he said. Cities that normally operate with sanctuary policies usually refuse to hold immigrants in jail longer than they are required so that ICE officers can take them into custody. Although ICE agents are still able to pick up people suspected of immigration violations they do so without the help of local law enforcement such as a coordinated handover. It means that ICE have a much harder time picking up wanted people in cities which do not officially cooperate with the agency. Statistics suggest that 70 percent of ICE arrests only occur after the agency is notified about an immigrant's pending release from jail. Previously, the Trump administration has occasionally threatened to specifically target sanctuary cities. One plan from earlier this year was to bus migrants from the Mexican border and then release them in San Francisco. Since news of the ICE operations have been given greater publicity, many undocumented immigrants have gone even deeper underground over fear that they or their children could be arrested and deported, despite their kids often being U.S. citizens having been born in the country. (Natural News) Although 38 Covid-19 vaccines are now undergoing clinical evaluation, a handful of candidates have been at the head of the pack from the beginning, including the vaccine developed by Oxford University in tandem with the British biopharma giant AstraZeneca. Helped along by a whopping $1.2 billion infusion from U.S. taxpayers and $750 million from two Bill-Gates-backed global health organizations, Oxfords assertive grab for frontrunner status has been reinforced by a friendly media, such as CBSs recent statement that the Oxford vaccine is widely perceived to be one of, if not the strongest contender among the dozens of coronavirus vaccines in various stages of testing [emphasis added]. (Article republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org) Oddly, CBS furnished this ringing endorsement shortly after Oxford and AstraZeneca called a temporary halt to their clinical trials in five countries. The brief hold was prompted by a UK participants report, after her second dose of vaccine, of a serious adverse eventa demyelinating condition called transverse myelitis (TM) associated with pain, muscle weakness, paralysis and bowel and bladder problems. Two-thirds of those who experience TM remain permanently disabled. Belatedly, AstraZeneca also disclosed that the September pause was actually the second time-out in two months. The first incident, which initially went unpublicized, occurred in July when another UK participant experienced TM after one dose of vaccine and ended up with a brand-new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). TM is well recognized as sometimes being the first symptom of an autoimmune or immune-mediated disease such as multiple sclerosis. In the U.S., the media and top National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials hastened to spin the two pauses as par-for-the-course safety checks and proof that care is being taken, also suggesting that the incidents could well be coincidental. According to the New York Times, not only did AstraZeneca not immediately inform the public about the neurological problems of either participant, but it did not say anything publicly until the information was leaked and reported by STAT. Under the circumstances, the decision to restart the clinical trials only a few days into the September pause raised more than a few eyebrows, yet the British Health Secretary immediately hailed the decision as good news for everyoneand especially for AstraZeneca, which saw its share price largely rebound following a precipitous $11.3 billion drop in market value in the wake of the second pause. In the U.S., the media and top National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials hastened to spin the two pauses as par-for-the-course safety checks and proof that care is being taken, also suggesting that the incidents could well be coincidental. Whether the 18,000 clinical trial participants will find these soothing pronouncements sufficiently reassuring remains to be seen, however, especially given Oxfords prevaricating participant information sheet (dated September 11), which states that the TM and TM-plus-MS incidents were either considered unlikely to be associated with the vaccine or there was insufficient evidence to say for certain that the illnesses were or were not related to the vaccine. conditions involving demyelination and paralysis are among the top vaccine injuries for which Americans (primarily adults) have filed claims with the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). TM is not new Internet searches for transverse myelitis surged following the news that the Oxford/AstraZeneca clinical trials had been halted, but the term myelitis is nothing new. Myelitis, which refers to an inflammatory disease process affecting the spinal cord, is a component not just of TM but also of encephalomyelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)involving both brain and spinal cord inflammationas well as acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) and, of course, poliomyelitis. Experts refer to these conditions as forms of spinal cord damage not due to trauma. Based on analysis of information posted at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims website, conditions involving demyelination and paralysisTM, ADEM, Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)are among the top vaccine injuries for which Americans (primarily adults) have filed claims with the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). GBS is currently the NVICPs second most compensated vaccine injury. Of the 330 TM-related petitions adjudicated to date, the program has awarded approximately $150 million in damages to 266 claimants (including estimated annuities), while dismissing 55 claims and leaving 9 still pending. In prior years, most NVICP claimants linked their TM to hepatitis B vaccines, but in more recent years, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) and influenza vaccines have become the principal suspects. A systematic review of TM case reports gleaned from 19702009 corroborates these claims, identifying 37 cases of TM associated with multiple vaccines given to infants, children and adults (including hepatitis B, measles-mumps-rubella and DTP) and showing that TM symptoms can arise anywhere from several days to several months and possibly several years post-vaccination. A more recent report by some of the same researchers also describes a case of TM following H1N1 influenza vaccination. The authors conclude: [T]he induction of transverse myelitis post-immunization is plausible in view of the increasing frequency of case reports in the medical literature demonstrating this phenomenon as well as the growing biological evidence of a post-vaccination autoimmune pathogenesis. Additional myelitis signposts It is important to remember that historical reports of myelitic conditions track closely with pediatric vaccination trends and with the concurrent rise in the very practice of injection. Describing a 1949 polio epidemic, for example, an Australian researcher reported a relation, in a number of cases, between an injection of an immunising agent and the subsequent development of paralytic poliomyelitis. In fact, clinicians of that era coined the terms provocation poliomyelitis and provocation paralysis to describe polio cases that followed pediatric injections. In the 1990s, observations of post-vaccination paralysis in Africa and IndiaAFM and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP)sparked new interest in polio-like illness and the provocation phenomenon, and, over the past decade, African and Indian researchers (though not U.S. investigators) have continued to point to vaccines and injections as likely AFP causes. The occurrence of not one but two cases of TMa condition ordinarily reputed to be rareought to raise a red flag Another reason to question Oxfords disingenuous attempts to decouple the two reports of TM from its vaccine has to do with the information readily available in vaccine package inserts. The inserts for vaccines on the U.S. market link TMeither through clinical trial data or post-marketing datato 11 different vaccines, including vaccines involving various combinations of chickenpox, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, influenza, measles and meningitis. For the conditions labeled myelitis, encephalomyelitis and ADEM, the inserts connect them to some of the same vaccines plus six others (including those against hepatitis A and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). Twenty-one different vaccine package inserts list GBS (also characterized by muscle weakness and paralysis) as an adverse event. The occurrence of not one but two cases of TMa condition ordinarily reputed to be rareought to raise a red flag because the Covid-19 vaccine, by its developers own acknowledgement, is highly reactogenic. The Oxford researchers July report in The Lancet (published around the same time as the first TM incident) indicated that a single dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine had a higher reactogenicity profile (a stronger inflammatory response) than the meningitis vaccine against which it is being compared. That is saying something, given that the type of meningitis vaccine being used as a comparison is itself notorious for producing serious adverse reactionsincluding TM. Commenting on this point, one observer who is favorable to the push for a Covid-19 vaccine but questions the Oxford groups decision not to use an inert saline placebo has stated, comparing an experimental COVID-19 vaccine that has so far been shown to cause a fair amount of physical reactions . . . to a meningitis vaccine that can also cause these temporary side effects will certainly paint a kinder picture of the COVID vaccine. What websites do not mention is AstraZenecas pattern of knowingly and systematically hiding negative information about its products and paying out millions in fines and settlements for false claims. A dangerous pattern? In a surprisingly scathing critique of Oxfords and AstraZenecas mishandling of the two TM incidents, the New York Times noted recently that finding even one case among thousands of trial participants could be a red flag and added that [m]ultiple confirmed cases . . . could be enough to halt AstraZenecas vaccine bid entirely. In the equally blunt words of a vaccine expert interviewed by the Times, If a third case of neurological disease pops up in the vaccine group, then this vaccine may be done. At the time of the September clinical trial pause, the investment website The Motley Fool pointed out that AstraZeneca is in a close race with its competitors to be among the first Western-based companies to successfully develop a COVID-19 vaccine. Noting that the first round of Covid-19 vaccines are expected to be high-value products for their manufacturers, the investment site speculated that the clinical trial pause might give Pfizer and Moderna an important competitive edge. On the other hand, the site stated, this single vaccine is not a make-or-break product for this top pharma company [AstraZeneca]. What websites like The Motley Fool do not mention is AstraZenecas pattern of knowingly and systematically hiding negative information about its products and paying out millions in fines and settlements for false claims. As Jeremy Loffredo pointed out in a Childrens Health Defense commentary, this pattern of behavior should be taken into account when considering whether Oxford/AstraZeneca made the right call in rushing to relaunch the clinical trials. In the words of a former Harvard Medical School professor, The dangers to the public for taking an unproven and undertested vaccine are [already] overwhelming, and the opaque veil that limits transparency of the vaccine testing and approval process is only making a bad situation worse. Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org UPDATE: Teen boy killed in Bethlehem park shooting, authorities say Bethlehem police are investigating a reported shooting Tuesday night in Saucon Park. The shooting was reported at 9:35 p.m. in the park along Route 412 in the city, according to a shift supervisor at the Northampton County 911 Center. About five minutes later, police were called to a second scene at Route 412 and Lynn Avenue. Asked for details about the incidents, police Capt. Ben Hackett said it is an ongoing investigation but we do not believe there is any danger to the public at large. Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck said authorities should have an update Wednesday morning. Police were seen on Traveler Avenue, between Millside Drive and Norwood Street, for part of the evening, and were in the area until early Wednesday morning. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Phil Hazlewood and Laurence Benhamou (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom Wed, September 30, 2020 11:45 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4824dfd 2 World UK,Canada,Belarus,Alexander-Lukashenko,sanctions Free Britain and Canada on Tuesday became the first major nations to slap sanctions on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko over the country's seething political crisis. The move came as Russia lashed out at what it dubbed "unprecedented external pressure" on Minsk after Lukashenko's disputed election victory triggered massive street protests and Western condemnation. The European Union has so far failed to impose blanket sanctions on Lukashenko, with only its small Baltic members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania targeting the strongman leader and around 100 senior regime officials. But French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday signaled that EU sanctions were in the offing after he promised that Paris would help foster mediation of the crisis. London and Ottawa imposed the sanctions on Lukashenko, his son and senior regime figures for a string of alleged human rights violations. Belarus has been in upheaval since a disputed August 9 presidential election in which opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya claimed victory against Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994. The United States, European Union, Britain and Canada regard his presidency as illegitimate, but he has the backing of long-time ally Russian President Vladimir Putin. Macron met Tuesday with Tikhanovskaya in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius in what was seen as a major show of support for the activist. Tikhanovskaya fled to the Baltic EU state bordering Belarus in the aftermath of the vote as mass protests in former Soviet republic were met with a brutal crackdown in which thousands were arrested. "Europe is putting itself in a position to exert pressure, through sanctions that we will have to take in the coming days and weeks," Macron told reporters. EU leaders are preparing to adopt sanctions against Lukashenko and other top Belarusian officials at a summit later this week. Lukashenko 'has to go' Macron on Sunday said that Lukashenko "has to go", but has also vowed support possible mediation in the crisis by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). "Our objective is for this mediation to begin in the next few days or weeks," Macron said, adding that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU chief Charles Michel would "push" Belarus to accept mediation. "The aim is a peaceful transition, the release of people who are in prison for their political opinions and the holding of free elections under international observation," he said. Tuesday's meeting with Macron was Tikhanovskaya's most high-profile so far. She has previously addressed the UN Human Rights Council and the European Parliament and has met with EU foreign ministers and the leaders of neighboring Poland and Lithuania. Tikhanovskaya, a political novice whose blogger husband is in prison in Belarus accused of trying to overthrow the government, told AFP after the meeting that she had accepted an invitation to speak at the French parliament. Parliamentary officials said she would address the lower house's foreign affairs committee. 'Difficult situation' Tikhanovskaya said the crisis should be resolved "as soon as possible" and new free and fair elections should be held by the end of the year. "[Macron] supports the idea of mediation because he understands that powerful countries need to be involved to begin negotiations with Lukashenko. He is ready to help with this," she said. "I think he will speak with the Russian side about Belarus and will do everything possible to involve Russia in these negotiations." Macron has said that Putin, Lukashenko's main ally, is favourable to mediation in the Belarus crisis by the OSCE. But Putin on Tuesday said that Belarus was in a "difficult situation" and was facing "unprecedented external pressure". Addressing a forum on the Belarusian and Russian regions, the Kremlin chief said Moscow was ready to stand by Minsk, describing ties as "timeless and all-weather". Putin has promised to provide Lukashenko with security assistance if the political crisis worsens and gave Belarus a loan of $1.5 billion. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed Macron's talks with Tikhanovskaya, saying it amounted to a meeting between the "French president and a Belarusian citizen". Additional reporting from Press Association. A record 424 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Northern Ireland today. One new death has also been reported by the Department of Health there, with the total toll in the region at 579. There have been close to 2,000 new cases of the disease confirmed in the North in the past week. Yesterday, Northern Ireland registered a then-record number of cases, with 320 people testing positive for the disease in that 24 hour period. The figures came as an 11pm curfew was announced for the hospitality sector in the region in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. Royal visit The Norths First Minister Arlene Foster has described the increase in cases as of serious concern to the Executive, and said if not stopped, it will inevitably lead to an increase in hospital admissions and deaths. Advertisement It comes as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived in the region today for a series of engagements across a one-day visit. The royals met with a number of young nurses who recently completed their training early to help with the coronavirus pandemic during a visit to the Ulster Museum in Belfast. Bykea, which leads the ride-hailing market in Pakistan, has raised $13 million in a new financing round as the four-year-old startup looks to deepen its penetration in the South Asian country and become a super app. The startup's new financing round, a Series B, was led by storied investment firm Prosus Ventures . Its the first time Prosus Ventures has invested in a Pakistani startup. Bykeas existing investors Middle East Venture Partners and Sarmayacar also invested in the round, which brings its total to-date raise to $22 million. Bykea leads the two-wheeler ride-hailing market in Pakistan, and also operates a logistics delivery business and a financial services business. The startup has partnered with banks to allow customers to pay phone bills and get cash delivered to them, Muneeb Maayr, founder and chief executive of Bykea, told TechCrunch in an interview. Fahd Beg, chief investment officer at Prosus, said firms like Bykea are helping transform big societal needs like transportation, logistics and payments through a technology-enabled platform in Pakistan. Bykea has already seen impressive traction in the country and with our investment will be able to execute further on their vision to become Pakistans super app,' " he said in a statement. Bykea works with more than 30,000 drivers who operate in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore. (Two-wheelers are more popular in Pakistan. There are about 17 million two-wheeler vehicles on the road in the country today, compared to fewer than 4 million cars.) The new investment comes at a time when Bykea restores the losses incurred by the coronavirus outbreak. Like several nations, Pakistan enforced a months-long lockdown to curtail the spread of the virus in March. As with most other startups in travel business globally, this meant bad news for Bykea. Maayr said the startup did not eliminate jobs and instead cut several other expenses to navigate the tough time. Story continues One of those cuts was curtailing the startups reliance on Google Maps. Maayr said during the lockdown Bykea built its own mapping navigation system with the help of its drivers. The startup, which was paying Google about $60,000 a month for using Maps, now pays less than a tenth of it, he said. Starting in August, the startups operations have largely recovered, and it is looking to further expand its financial services business, said Maayr, who previously worked for Rocket Internet, helping the giant run fashion e-commerce platform Daraz in the country. The startup has been able to out-compete firms like Careem and Uber in Pakistan by offering localized solutions. It remains one of the few internet businesses in the country that supports the Urdu language in its app, for instance. "Our brand is now widely used as a verb for bike taxi and 30-minute deliveries, and the fresh capital allows us to expand our network to solidify our leading position, he said. I asked Maayr what he thinks of the opportunities in the three-wheelers category. Auto-rickshaws are some of the most popular mode of transportation in South Asian nations. Maayr said on-boarding those drivers and figuring out unit-economics that works for all the stakeholders remains a challenge in all South Asian nations, so the startup is still figuring it out. Would he want to take Bykea to neighboring nations? Not anytime soon. Maayr said the opportunity within Pakistan and Bykea's traction in the nation have convinced him to win the entire local market first. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE New Mexicos top health officials want residents to take care of their mental health not just watch for a fever as the coronavirus pandemic lingers into the fall. Neal Bowen, a psychologist and director of the state Behavioral Health Services Division, said anxiety, depression and other psychological distress are climbing across the country as a result of COVID-19 a particular risk in New Mexico, a state that already has high rates of substance abuse and suicide deaths. In an online briefing Tuesday, he encouraged New Mexicans to seek help if they notice troubling changes in their anxiety levels or experience other symptoms, such as difficulty sleeping or headaches. Holding on and waiting to see if it gets better is not a good idea, Bowen said. A good place to start, he said, is the New Mexico crisis and care line at 1-855-NMCRISIS, or 662-7474. People can call any time about a behavioral health concern, even if theyre not in crisis. New Mexico, Bowen said, is preparing for a surge in behavioral health needs starting this fall as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state is pursuing a mix of short- and long-term strategies to boost its capacity to provide behavioral health services including expanding the use of telehealth visits, a setting that seems to work particularly well for mental health care, he said. The push to address behavioral health services comes as New Mexico confronts a jump in new coronavirus cases. The state reported 178 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths Tuesday as infections continued to climb. The share of tests that come back positive is also increasing to about 3%, about a percentage point higher than it was three weeks ago. In Tuesdays briefing, Human Services Secretary David Scrase encouraged New Mexicans to stay home more often, avoid large gatherings and be sure to wear a mask in public settings. The state is on track to blow past its goal of averaging just 168 or fewer new cases a day. Passing the threshold, Scrase said, would put a halt to any further relaxation of the public health order until we get this under control. The deaths reported Tuesday were men from Eddy County one in his 30s and one in his 80s, both with underlying medical conditions. The statewide coronavirus death toll now stands at 875. Bernalillo County led the state with 48 new infections Tuesday. The 83-year-old new leader succeeds Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 91, who died yesterday in the United States where he had been hospitalised since July. Considered the "dean of Arab diplomacy, the late emir was able to maintain relations with Washington, Riyadh, Tehran and Doha, a path the new leader is likely to follow. However, he is not expected to join the Abraham Accords. Kuwait City (AsiaNews) The new emir of Kuwait, 83-year-old Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, took the oath of office today in Parliament, as the country prepares for 40 days of national mourning to honour his predecessor, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who passed away yesterday at the age of 91. The elderly emir travelled to the United States this summer for medical treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The precious trust that the people of Kuwait have placed in us will be preserved as the apple of our eye, said the successor when the remains arrived at Kuwait airport this afternoon. According to sources close to the Royal Palace, only the emirs closest relatives will attend the funeral to avoid crowds and gatherings because of the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. Born in 1929, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was the great-grandson of the founder of modern Kuwait, Sheikh Mubarak al-Sabah, who signed the Anglo-Kuwaiti Agreement of 1899, which turned the country into a British protectorate. Appointed foreign minister in 1963, two years after independence, he led the country for the next 50 years, except for a brief interlude during the Iraqi occupation of 1990-1991. In 2006 he became emir after the death of Sheik Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the abdication of his cousin Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah after only nine days. He was dubbed the "dean of Arab diplomacy" for his efforts at restoring relations with states that had backed Iraq during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, when Kuwait was invaded by its neighbour. He often played the role of mediator over the years, the last time when Saudi Arabia (and its allies) and Qatar broke off relations over the latters relations with Iran. He did the same as the two competed for paramountcy among Sunni Muslim countries. In light of the policy of neutrality, Kuwait also steered clear of Syria's civil war, favouring instead diplomacy as well as donor conferences for humanitarian aid. Arab and other world leaders expressed their condolences, including King Abdullah of Jordan who twitted in Arabic: Today we lost a big brother and a wise and loving leader... who spared no effort for Arab unity. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates, tweeted: "Sheikh Sabah epitomised wisdom, tolerance, and peace and he was a great pioneer of Gulf cooperation." United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the late emir an extraordinary symbol of wisdom and generosity, a messenger of peace, a bridge builder". Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is succeeded by Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed, crown prince since 2006, a half-brother who has occupied several top positions in the countrys hierarchy, including Defence Minister in 1990 when his country was invaded by Saddam Hussein. Born in 1937, the new emir will face many challenges if he wants to secure a stable future for a country with a population of 4.8 million, including 3.4 million foreign workers. Despite having the sixth largest oil reserves in the world, Kuwait too has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of oil prices. In foreign policy, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed is expected to keep the line drawn by his predecessor, maintaining relations with regional and world powers, from the United States and Saudi Arabia to Iran and Qatar. With respect to the Abraham Accords, he is not expected to follow the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain because of strong grassroots hostility to the agreements and strong support for the Palestinian cause and the demand for a Palestinian state next to Israel. A Missouri man died in a crash Wednesday that resulted in non-life-threatening injuries for a Jacksonville man. A Morgan County sheriffs deputy saw a car traveling in excess of 90 mph on West Morton Avenue at 2:53 a.m. and tried to stop the car, but Sheriff Mike Carmody said the car was so far ahead that the deputy could not catch up to it. About 15 minutes later, a resident on Witty Road near Alexander called police and said someone was bleeding and asking for assistance. A sheriffs deputy found the vehicle from earlier next to railroad tracks and a 19-year-old Missouri man dead in the passenger seat. The vehicle appeared to have struck a pole. The driver, a 19-year-old man from Jacksonville, was taken to Memorial Medical Center. Neither person has been identified pending notification of relatives. Alcohol was found in the vehicle, but Carmody said it has not been determined whether that played a role in the accident. The Morgan County Sheriffs Department, Lifestar Ambulance, South Jacksonville Fire Department, South Jacksonville Police, the Morgan County coroner and Illinois State Police were called to the scene, as was an air ambulance, but it was canceled. Marco Cartolano Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The government's plan for flexible season tickets to help part-time workers have been paused over fears of the impact of a second wave of coronavirus. Speaking during a Commons adjournment debate, Conservative MP Greg Clark said a train ticket tailored to the needs of part-time and flexible workers should be introduced without delay. Season ticket farce: Why its cheaper to commute five days a week rather than three Daily tickets costs 39.90 so someone who travels to work three times a week pays 119.70 In total for the whole year it would be 5,626 The cost of a weekly season ticket is 4,926 so it's actually cheaper travelling to work five times a week rather than threeSeason ticket farce Advertisement He said it was 'ludicrous' that workers from his Tunbridge Wells constituency are still being subjected to the same fare structure since the 1950s. And said commuters who pay daily fares of 39.90 to go into London three days a week must pay 5,626 - 700 more than those with season tickets who can travel five days a week. Mr Clark urged ministers to allow for a more flexible system in response to the changing working patterns created by the coronavirus crisis. 'The Covid pandemic, unknown to the world nine months ago, has required businesses, people and government to make huge and rapid changes to the way we live our lives with a speed that was unthinkable before coronavirus struck,' said Mr Clark. However Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris said the Government is looking at the option of flexible ticketing in the future, but they need to observe the pandemic's impact on commuting behaviour first. 'For all of the tragedies and the privations of the last few months, it has been a time of agility and innovation in the way that we do things. 'Yet through this period of the most tumultuous change that any of us have experienced during our lifetimes, one thing that has proved impervious to alteration, a monument to inflexibility, is the railway season ticket.' 'He continued: 'My constituents in Tunbridge Wells, High Brooms and Paddock Wood, if they take a Southeastern train to work in London face the same bill of fare that they've had since the 1950s. 'They either have to buy a seven-day-a-week season ticket from Southeastern or they have to buy daily tickets at the highest fare for the journey with no discount for frequent and regular travellers.' Mr Clark explained that travellers are currently faced with paying more to make journeys on fewer days of the week. Conservative MP Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells) said a train ticket tailored to the needs of part-time and flexible workers should be introduced without delay He told MPs: 'The price of a daily standard peak return ticket is 39.90. This means that someone travelling three days a week to London for 47 weeks of the year must pay 5,626. 'In other words, it costs over 700 more to travel three days a week than five days a week or even seven days a week. This is a ludicrous anachronism and an outrageous injustice that we have had the same fare structure for workers as we did in 1950.' Mr Clark added: 'It's time now to make this change. It doesn't have to be this way. If we can bring in a job retention scheme within days of the need being identified, if we can invent a scheme in July to help thousands of restaurants attract back millions of customers in August. 'If businesses can switch to conducting meetings online virtually overnight, then surely we're more than capable of introducing without further procrastination a train ticket to meet the needs of part-time and flexible workers.' However Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris confirmed the Government are looking at the option of flexible ticketing in the future but said they need to observe the pandemic's impact on commuting behaviour first. 'We are all well aware that improving our rail network is at the heart of the Governments plans to build back better and to boost Britain's economy coming out of the pandemic. ''Looking forward to the post-Covid recovery, we need to build a railwork which is fit for the future. 'To deliver this, we are placing some focus on punctuality and performance, investing massively on infrastructure to level up the country and indeed considering how we can provide simpler, more flexible ticketing to deliver a better deal for passengers and deliver a deal for passengers that works in the new environment that they will be travelling in. Someone travelling three days a week to London for 47 weeks of the year must pay 5,626 'Flexible season tickets has long been an ambition of this Government,progress has been made with many train operators around the country having launched flexible products that can provide passengers who work or commute part-time with a better deal. 'I appreciate how the lack of availability of flexible season tickets might be frustrating for some passengers. 'The pandemic has led to a lot fewer journeys being made. 'The Government recognises that the pandemic is likely to cause a fundamental change in the commuting patterns in the future and this is very likely to have long-term effects on commuter behaviour. 'I think it's quite difficult to judge now what would be the right product to tempt commuters back in our railways before we actually know how we are going to extract ourselves from a second peak in the pandemic'. 'We can't say at this stage what the long term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic will be on commuter behaviour and we need to ensure any steps we take can flex and adapt to changing circumstances. ' Three people in a vehicle being pursued by Hamilton County deputies on Tuesday night were injured after the vehicle crashed after going into Georgia. At approximately 10:10 p.m., deputies attempted to stop a vehicle in the 2100 block of Gunbarrel Road. The vehicle fled from deputies and continued across the state line. The vehicle being chased immediately struck a vehicle at the intersection of East Brainerd Road and Gunbarrel Road once the pursuit was initiated. Minor injuries were reported. The pursuit continued into Georgia where Georgia State Patrol conducted a PIT maneuver. All three suspects in the vehicle reported injuries and were transported to a local medical facility. Currently, the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Georgia State Patrol are conducting investigations. Webster Area uses hot-shooting performance to roll past Roncalli Webster Area used a strong offensive performance, shooting better than 50% from the field to down Aberdeen Roncalli 68-39 on Friday night in Aberdeen. Have you ever been to a gathering where a stranger asked you what you did for a living and, when you answered, it was assumed you were an abuser? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Have you ever been to a gathering where a stranger asked you what you did for a living and, when you answered, it was assumed you were an abuser? I have. Im a pastor. As a pastor, I have to acknowledge my profession has a sordid history of abuse and coverup. One way some pastors try to deal with it is the "bad apples" argument. Its a few isolated cases, thats all. In truth, it is just a few. But that argument still doesnt work not for pastors, or for police. Thoughts about pastors, police and bad apples have been on my mind for some time, as I have watched stories about police violence against people of colour in the United States and Canada. Now, in the wake of a lack of murder charge for the killers of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., it feels like its time to talk about what it means when people use the bad apples argument. As a pastor, I have learned any abusive behaviour is a scourge on my profession. It hurts and tarnishes everyone who serves as clergy, regardless of denomination or faith group, and we have to make it stop. So we name the actions; we dont hide from them. We name the conditions that allowed those actions to occur, and we call for the abusers to held to account. We also attend mandatory seminars on boundaries and abuse to ensure we dont become abusers ourselves. When it happens, we tell the abuser: "You cant be a pastor anymore." Whats true for my profession should be true for policing, too. The actions of police who have acted violently towards Black people and people of colour cant be excused as the actions of a few bad apples those who do it need to be held accountable. Its not a pie-in-the-sky dream. It is possible. It happens all the time in other professions. You abuse people? You cant be a pastor. You hurt children? You cant be a teacher. You steal money from a client? You cant be a lawyer. You sleep with patients? You cant be a doctor. You take bribes? You cant be a judge. You commit violence against unarmed people of colour? You shouldnt be a cop. Its not revolutionary, in other words. But it will take a lot from all of us, demanding police do better at holding each other accountable. It will especially take a lot from the police themselves, demanding their colleagues who tarnish their profession as clergy who abuse have tarnished mine are held to account and lose their jobs. So when incidents such as Taylor being killed March 13 by police in her own house, or the death of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis, or the death of any other Black person at the hands of the police, the 99 per cent of good cops (the good apples) really can say, "Enough! Those bad cops have lost the trust of the people theyre supposed to protect. Theyve lost the privilege of being a cop. They can no longer be a police officer." Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Or they can say, "its only a few bad apples" and "the work we do is more important than these isolated cases" and "lets circle the wagons" and think that this is good enough. Its not. It took clergy decades to learn about accountability. Because of that, we left a trail of victims and caused countless others to lose trust in organized religion. My feeling is until the good police officers learn to call out the abuse and violence done by their co-workers, and have the courage to say, "You cant be a police officer anymore," Im going to have company answering awkward questions at parties and bonfires. Kyle Penner is a pastor at Grace Mennonite Church in Steinbach faith@freepress.mb.ca Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's Major Investigation Team have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in a flat in the Crebilly Road area of Ballymena. Police have named a man who was found dead in a flat in Ballymena as 33-year-old Donald Fraser-Rennie. Detectives launched a murder inquiry following the discovery of Mr Fraser-Rennie's body at the property on the Crebilly Road, adjacent to the Tesco in the town. Shortly after 9am this morning, the police said they had arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of murder. At 11.30am, a PSNI spokeswoman said a second man, aged 33-years-old, has also been arrested on suspicion of murder. Both men remain in police custody. Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said: My thoughts are with Donald's family and his fiancee at this very sad and difficult time. At this stage I believe that Donald was the victim of a vicious, sustained and violent beating which resulted in his death. I am appealing to anyone who has information that could assist with the investigation to contact us. I am also keen to speak to: Anyone who had been in contact with Donald at any time between yesterday, Tuesday, 29 September and 1.00am this morning, Wednesday, 30 September. Anyone who was in the Crebilly Road between mid-day yesterday and 1.00am this morning. I am particularly keen to establish whether witnesses saw or heard anything suspicious. "I would ask anyone who has any information, no matter how inconsequential you may think it is, to contact detectives on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 52 30/09/20. Alternatively information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. " - President Museveni will be looking to stretch his 34-year-rule for another five years should he win the 2021 General Election - Activists moved to court to challenge a constitutional amendment that removed the presidential term limit in 2017 - The matter was moved to the East African Court of Justice in Arusha where a decision will be delivered later in the day PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed The fate of Uganda President Yoweri Museveni's re-election bid now hangs in the balance after a law activist sued him over the age presidential limit. The East African oldest and longest-serving president will be looking to stretch his 34-year-rule for another five years should he win the 2021 General Election. READ ALSO: Kenyan newspapers review for September 30: Uhuru altered speech on school reopening, threw education officials under bus Museveni will be running for the sixth term. Photo: Yoweri K. Museveni. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Former TV anchor Louis Otieno says he is returning back on TV Court battle Museveni's age is now a matter of a court battle before the East African Court of Justice in Arusha after Ugandan lawyer Male Mabirizi challenged his eligibility, CTGN Africa reported. Mabirizi moved to the Tanzania-based East African Community court seeking to have an earlier ruling by Uganda's apex court which gave Museveni a green light overturned. In 2017, the Ugandan parliament controversially voted to remove the presidential age limit which was 75, a move that saw pro-government MPs exchange blows with Opposition colleagues. READ ALSO: US elections 2020: Donald Trump, Joe Biden lock horns in chaotic debate Ugandan MPs go physical during debate to remove presidential term limit in 2017. Photo: African News. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Man posts before and after photo of shanty he transformed to mansion Mabirizi who heads the Uganda Law Society and a couple of other activists moved to the constitutional court which upheld the amendment in a ruling in July 2018. The petitioners then sought the advice of the Supreme Court which again failed to overturn the lower court's decision prompting them to take the matter to the regional court. Court determination The matter had been dragging in the Arusha court until today, Wednesday, September 30, when judges Monica Mugenyi, Charles Nyawello and Charles Nyacha will make a determination. You are hereby required to appear in court via video conference and abide by the guidelines for video conferencing. Please note that if there is no appearance on your part, the court will proceed to deliver the judgment and make necessary orders, your absence notwithstanding, the notice read. Uganda's ruling party, the National Resistance Movement, in July unanimously endorsed Museveni for the sixth term. He picked the papers from the party headquarters on Monday, July 20, and was the first aspirant to show interest in flying the outfit's flag for the top seat in the upcoming elections. The only person who has picked expression of interest forms and nomination forms for the presidential flag bearer as of 12:30pm this afternoon is President Museveni. He sent his personal lawyers who also picked forms for national chairperson, he said. Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme. This is me coming to you with a heavy heart. My friends left after I got cancer - Esther Nyambura/TUKO TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands to World Economic Forum (WEF) founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab after he deliverend a speech at the Congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on Jan. 21, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) What Does The Great Reset Mean for the US Economy? How serious is an edict from Europe that claims the power to compel Americas economic and societal transformation? Commentary A rather small cluster of people in Europethe global elite, as it werehave decided that the entire world must be reset in 2021. In fact, the Great Reset is the theme of next years World Economic Forum summit to be held in February in Davos, Switzerland. Reset or Crackdown? But what does the Great Reset mean? Ill let the good folks at the World Economic Forum explainfrom their own websitewhat it is that they have in mind: The Great Reset is a commitment to jointly and urgently build the foundations of our economic and social system for a more fair, sustainable, and resilient future. It requires a new social contract centered on human dignity, social justice, and where societal progress does not fall behind economic development. The global health crisis has laid bare longstanding rupture in our economies and societies, and created a social crisis that urgently requires decent, meaningful jobs. Theres much more to this reset business coming out of the World Economic Forum than green fuel opportunities and sustainability. Proclamations from Prince Charles and other elite world leaders talk about changing the entire world all at onceand soon. Per His Royal Highness, Prince Charles: We need to evolve our economic model and put planet and people at the heart of global value creation. We need to put nature at the heart of how we operate. We simply cant waste any more time. There are so many questions that I almost dont know where to begin. Is the World Economic Forum proposing that the United States turn its economy over to them, or some other international body, to turn it into a green economy overnight? It sure sounds like it. US Social and Economic Foundations Not Good Enough? But why is it that we have to build the foundations of our economic and social systems when weve already done that? The U.S. Constitution is the foundation of our economic and social system, and it has outperformed the rest of the worlds other social and economic systems for centuries. Private property, the rule of law, capitalism, and individual rightsthese are the values and rights of a free people. The worldand the would-be titans of Davoswould do well to emulate those aspects, not trash them. But, according to Klaus Schwab, founder and chief executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, we Americans shouldnt really have a say in the matter. If thats the case, why are we wasting all this time with a national election to decide our next president? For our edification, Uncle Klaus instructs us that: We only have one planet and we know that climate change could be the next global disaster with even more dramatic consequences for humankind. We have to decarbonize the economy in the short window still remaining and bring our thinking and behavior once more into harmony with nature. Really? The entire world must do as this Klaus character says or it is doomed? Isnt that what Vice President Al Gore said 20 years ago, as he made millions on green-tech investments? China Is the Problem, Not the US or UK Is the worlds biggest problem the unregulated, unrestrained capitalism of the United States and the UK or is it the potential threat of climate change? Schwab then asserts that the CCP virus hit both countries hard, the pandemic has shown once again that neoliberalism in this form has had its day. Thats quite a stretch. The United States is the most vibrant and innovative economy in the world, while the UK is the sixth-richest nation in the world. Besides, given that the pandemic was willfully caused and spread throughout the world by the Chinese Communist Party, its quite obvious that Schwab has misplaced the blame. He should be condemning the brutes in Beijing for what theyve done to the world, not countries that have been victimized by it. Germany certainly blames China. So, too, does Italy, the UK, Japan, the United States, and many other nations. How does a virus that likely came from a Wuhan lab in totalitarian China and then spread around the world via unrestricted air travel from Wuhan to the rest of the world amount to an indictment of the liberal economic order? Who Is Klaus Schwab? I dont remember Schwab being on the ballot in the United States back in 2016, nor do I see his name on the ballot in 2020. Why does he think he has the authority to dictate how the U.S. economy is arranged or rearranged? Perhaps Schwab would be better served by remembering that over the past century, every time a European had an itch to tell the rest of the world what to do, it ends up going very, very badly for people everywhere. (Beijing and Moscow might want to keep that in mind, as well.) Decarbonize NowOr Else And by the way, just how soon must we decarbonize the planet by eliminating carbon dioxide from our energy sources? According to the prince of Wales, theres simply no time to wasteeven though projections for the United States to decarbonize indicate that it will take until 2050 to do so, and will cost decent, meaningful jobs in the process. Perhaps whats most disturbing about these very undemocratic diktats coming from the organizers of the World Economic Forum is that they feel eminently justified in announcing them and expecting the United States to follow their orders. That begs the question: What do they know that we dont? James R. Gorrie is the author of The China Crisis (Wiley, 2013) and writes on his blog, TheBananaRepublican.com. He is based in Southern California. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. TWIN FALLS Come celebrate the return of fall in downtown Twin Falls this weekend. Oktoberfest is from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday on Main Avenue between Hansen and Gooding streets. There will be beer, food, live music and a kids zone. This years event will have a more Oktoberfest feel with more German type music, and different Oktoberfest inspired games, said Nick Rohall, sales coordinator at The Go Agency, in an email. The purpose of this event is to bring that true Oktoberfest feeling to Twin Falls while getting people out with their families to enjoy all the fun and festivities. This is the seventh year for the event. Last years version drew more than 5,000 people downtown. The event is free and open to the public. It is family-friendly because while there is drinking there is also live music for kids to dance to, fun games for kids to take part in as well, petting zoo and family-friendly vendors, Rohall said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Balasore (Odisha): India on Wednesday successfully test-fired BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with several indigenous features from a test range in Odisha, in a major step towards achieving "Atmanirbhar Bharat" pledge, defence sources said. The surface-to-surface cruise missile, featuring indigenous booster and airframe section along with other Made in India sub-systems, blasted off from the launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) near here, a defence statement said. Describing the trial conducted at 10.30 am as "successful", Defence Research and Development (DRDO) officials said, all parameters were met during the flight test of the missile which has a strike range of more than 400 km. The BrahMos Land-Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) was cruising at a top speed of Mach 2.8. The successful trial of the state-of-the-art cruise missile is one more major step in enhancing the indigenous content, the statement said. "Today's successful launch has paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos Weapon System realising Atma Nirbhar Bharat pledge," it said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and DRDO chairman congratulated DRDO personnel, team BrahMos and the industry for the spectacular mission. The BrahMos missile can be launched from land, sea platforms as well as fighter jets, defence sources said. Jointly developed by the DRDO and NPOM, a leading aerospace enterprise of Russia, the BrahMos missile is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines, warships, fighter jets or land. The first extended version of the missile, which had a strike range of 450 km, was successfully tested on March 11, 2017. On September 30, 2019 a shorter range land version of BrahMos was successfully test fired from Chandipur ITR. The sophisticated missile, already operational with the Army, Navy and Air Force, is regarded as the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world, the sources said. Welcome to the third article in the Build Your Own PC series, powered by AMD Ryzen and Radeon. While our previous articles helped you find the right type of PC for your needs as well as the components that you can use to build it, now it's time to understand how to go about actually buying those components. If youve identified the right components for your build, youre already quite a long way along the road to building your own PC. However, so far, youve only invested your time and effort, but now its time to invest your money in buying those components. Buying the components for the best prices possible isnt as easy as one would think. Sure, you could take a walk down Lamington Road, Ritchie Street, or SP Road with a fat wad of cash but chances are youll be identified as a mark from miles away. In the digital realm you could click on the first link that appears for your component searches, but you will probably not get the most bang for your buck. In this video well try to arm you with all the know how you need to get the right deals from the right places. For now, if that list of hardware looks daunting to you (and maybe youre wallet too), fear not, simply follow along and get some info. Were going to look into the various sources you can go with, the benefits and pitfalls of each, as well as some of the emerging trends in component shopping and how to make the most of them. Lets first start with understanding the basic scenario youre facing right now. How do you begin shopping for components? At its core, shopping for PC components is the same as shopping for anything else - you need to be looking for the best value for your money as well as a convenient and trustworthy shopping experience. When it comes to buying PC components, offline stores have retained quite a bit of popularity for a while now, especially among veteran PC builders who know the ins and outs of various offline markets across the country. Places like Lamington Road in Mumbai and Nehru Place in Delhi have served many aspiring and established PC builders for years. In fact, for many people, the store owners and staff have become helping hands in their build process, where they might even recommend better deals and highlight possible compatibility issues in the items youre looking to purchase. However, it is usually only recommended for seasoned shoppers to use the services of these markets and theres a reason behind that. Good things are often accompanied by bad things. Unfortunately, that is also applicable to shopping for computer hardware offline. Owing to a number of cases of various scams and frauds pulled off in the notable IT markets mentioned earlier, these markets have also gained the reputation of being a risky place to spend your money. For instance, a store owner might recommend a different product from the one youre looking for, assuring you that it is a better product while it is in fact not one. A more ingenious version of this is where you ask for a specific product, but they give you a different product with some commonality in the specifications which is the only thing that gets mentioned on the invoice as well. You can find multiple instances of these and other scams in a simple Google search, which have, unfortunately, even harmed the reputations of other genuine stores in such markets. Dont get us wrong, these markets can often lead you to a good deal, but you should always exercise absolute caution when going to shop there. Always check for official, authorised retailers. If possible, do your research on online prices beforehand and stick to the components you want. On the other hand, you could just go with online shopping and forget about most of these problems. How to go about shopping for PC Components online In this section of the video well discuss how to get the best deals online. Shopping online for PC components was not a real possibility not too long ago. However, since then, multiple online stores of reputable real world shops have come up. Stores like Primeabgb, MDComputers and Vedant Computers boast of a large number of loyal patrons for components of all types and price ranges. They certainly cover the obvious benefit of being able to check the specifications of your components in great detail. In addition to that, you get well-defined return and refund policies to avoid confusion later. The specialised stores that we just mentioned used to also be the only places that could assure availability. Not too long ago, popular eCommerce websites didnt match up to these specialised stores in terms of stocking updated PC components, but that has already changed a lot. In recent times, eCommerce marketplaces have greatly expanded the availability of all kinds of PC hardware particularly Amazon making it possible for you to shop for your build end-to-end without ever needing to leave Amazon in most cases. How does that help you? Chances are that youve already been shopping on Amazon for the reliable ordering and delivery experience they provide, as well as detailed customer reviews, seller evaluation and feedback options. Obviously, all of that can make your PC component shopping experience quite peaceful. Broadly when shopping online, you can also compare product details with those on the brand website. Additionally, online shopping allows you many more tools that offline shopping cannot compare with. But to make the most of them, you have to do one thing: You have to go beyond the store What this essentially means is you have to use all the available resources online for things like price comparison, checking pricing trends, coupons, card discounts, shopping festivals and more. For instance, you can use reliable browser add-ons and price tracking services to compare prices across multiple websites in real-time. You can even set up certain services to alert you when the price of a particular component drops below a certain point. Some popular options are Keepa.com and BuyHatke which give you features like historic price graphs, automatic coupon application, price comparison and even alerts for flash sales. You can even compare these prices with some offline stores. For example, Delta Peripherals has a detailed price list of all components they sell up on their website, where all you need to do is run a Ctrl+F search to find the indicative offline price for the exact component you want and compare it with the rates youre getting online. Another great source to stay updated with online prices is hardware forums. Places like Digit Forum, Tech Enclave and r/indiangaming have threads where like-minded PC builders post build recommendations along with updated prices from the best-priced source. Many of these places have bad seller lists too. If you combine all of these information sources properly youre bound to get the best deal on what youre looking for. Now, lets figure out how to find what youre looking for Even with the convenience of online shopping and the added benefits of doing so on Amazon, sometimes, it is not easy to find the components youre looking for on the website - often due to a large number of options or even improperly named listings. Various sellers might follow different naming conventions for their products and also provide specifications in different formats. This might end up confusing you further when youre looking for, say, the latest-gen quad-core processors and the listings that show up have no mention of the generation at all. Fortunately, Amazon provides you with all the tools necessary to get around this through its search functionality and product classification. Without boring you with more such terms, let us show you an example. Let us suppose that youre looking for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X processor for your build. The simplest way to go about that is to enter that exact keyword on the Amazon search bar. If the multiple results leave you with some doubts, another approach to take is to look for the model number. To do that, go to the brands website, in this case, AMD, and look up the exact model you want. For the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, youll be looking for something known as the OPN-PIB number, which is 100-100000022BOX in this case. Searching with that on the Amazon search bar will lead you to the single model correct for you. If narrow searches dont work start broadening your searches. For example you can try locating your exact component via the category navigation. Take what you know about the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X and go to Amazons category tab, click on Mobiles, Computers > Components. Once here as an added bonus youll also get a category landing page with attractive deals. In the landing page, click on processors from the filters on the left. This should refresh the page with new products and filters. Use the filters on the left to pick Hexa-core and AMD for Number of Cores and Brands respectively. Chances are that youll get a few results to look through, among which you will find the processor you desire. Just make sure youve got as much information about the products you want before you go hunting, and you should be fine. Once youve ordered all the products you need, the real fun begins finally putting it all together into a PC! And this step is what our next article is all about. Check out the links below to view the rest of the articles in our Built Your Own PC series. 1. Build Your Own PC: The PC built for your needs 2. Build Your Own PC: Which CPU, GPU, Motherboard, etc should you buy 3. Build Your Own PC: How to get the best deals on computer parts (You are here) 4. Build Your Own PC: How to assemble a PC 5. Build Your Own PC: How to install Windows 10 and setup your PC 6. Build Your Own PC: Testing for cooling and performance 7. Build Your Own PC: Common mistakes while building a PC [Sponsored Post] Visitor policies to long-term care homes are changing yet again to limit the spread of COVID-19, but not everyone agrees with the measures. On Tuesday, the Ontario government announced almost $540 million in funding for long-term care homes to prepare for a second wave of COVID-19, along with an update to existing visitor policy that will restrict non-essential visitors in regions with high rates of COVID-19 cases as of Monday. The essential caregivers, that will remain; the general visitors are being stopped right now because of the rising cases, said Minister of Long-Term Care Merrilee Fullerton. Its very clear now that as the cases rise in the communities, that it gets harder and harder to keep cases out of long-term care. As of Sept. 27, there was an outbreak at one long-term care home in Hamilton, and three in Burlington. According to the provincial guidelines, a general visitor is someone who visits to provide non-essential services. A caregiver is one type of essential visitor designated by a resident who provides direct care, and can include family members. Currently, caregivers are allowed to visit residents in facilities even in an outbreak, so long as the local public health unit allows. While the names of the hot spot regions have not been released, some long-term care staff believe the policies should be stricter. Bimpy Taiwo, a nurse in a Hamilton long-term care home said allowing visitors during an outbreak at all makes it difficult to control the spread. That is not best practice, she said about the policy. How would you contain the outbreak if youre still allowing people to go into the facility that has an outbreak? That is not protecting the residents, that is not protecting the visitors, even though the visitor may be wearing PPE. In long-term care homes, an outbreak means theres at least one lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 (in resident or staff) and the local public health unit or the home has declared an outbreak. Caregivers must have a negative COVID-19 test within two weeks of a visit to a long-term care home, undergo active screening at the home, and wear a mask and additional PPE as directed, according to provincial policies. Debbie Keay, a caregiver for her aunt in long-term care, said while she agrees with Taiwos desire to reduce risk during an outbreak, she said the emotional impact of being separated from a loved one can be heart-rending. If I hadnt had an aunt and an uncle in this situation, I wouldve been in total agreement with (Taiwo), said Keay. But it depends, how long is the lockdown? Is it two weeks? Is it five months? A lockdown of that nature like the COVID (one) for us as caregivers its hard. Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario, an association representing not-for-profit long-term care homes, including 34 facilities in Brantford, Hamilton and Niagara, said finding the right visitor policy is a real balancing act. We have to make sure that residents have access to their family members, she said, noting she was glad to see the province create an essential visitor category. She said restricting general visitors in areas with higher numbers of cases makes sense. Its a very tough situation and ideally, you want to be able to just completely lock down the home, but this has been going on for so long, Levin said, adding that its important to take direction from public health agencies. Asked if Hamiltons medical officer of health would like to see the visitor restrictions in place locally, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said in an email sent by a spokesperson, We will be continuing to monitor our local cases and needs, and will work with the province around recommendations to extend control measures. Maria Iqbal s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories focused on aging issues. Read more about: Hours before his first debate with President Donald Trump, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden released his 2019 tax returns and his campaign called on Trump, who has come under fire for not releasing his returns, to do the same. Biden, due to share the stage with Trump on Tuesday evening (Wednesday morning AEST) in Cleveland, took the step two days after The New York Times reported that Trump had paid just $US750 ($1050) in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 and none in 10 of the previous 15 years after reporting years of heavy losses from business enterprises. Former vice president Joe Biden released his tax returns showing he and his wife paid $US346,000 in federal taxes in 2019, before seeking a refund. Credit:AP Trump had long sought to keep his personal financial records secret. Biden's taxes showed that he and his wife Jill paid more than $US346,000 in federal taxes and other payments for 2019 on an income of nearly $US985,000 before seeking a refund of nearly $US47,000 they said they had overpaid the government. An Egyptian economic court sentenced on Wednesday two TikTok personalities to six years in prison each for "violating family values and principles" and "inciting prostitution." The economic court also fined the defendants Sherifa Rafat and her daughter Nora Hisham, known on social media platforms as Sherry Hanem and "Zamorroda EGP 100,000 and ordered that they be placed under police supervision for three years upon their release. The defendants were arrested in June after posting videos that contained profanity and sexual innuendo, and the prosecution charged one of them with using social media to solicit prostitution. Prior to her arrest, Sherifa operated two accounts on the popular social network TikTok, where she had over 400 videos and 164,000 followers. Hanem and her daughter also have a YouTube channel with 56,500 subscribers and over 416 videos, some of which were imported from TikTok. The two social media figures were initially reported to the public prosecutor by lawyer Ashraf Farahat, who has launched an online campaign called Lets clean it, which targets female influencers on Tiktok whom he describes as violating Egypt's family values. A number of female TikTokers have been arrested over the past few months on similar charges, some of whom have been sentenced to prison. Search Keywords: Short link: Jeff Piedmonte is president of the Syracuse Police Benevolent Association. This is in response to the articles about the police department adjusting hours and schedules to best protect the officers from a deadly illness (Syracuse taxpayers paid police officers to stay home while city faced financial disaster, Sept. 18, 2020). From Day 1 of the coronavirus pandemic, the department was in contact with departments across the country, while the PBA was seeking information on how other departments were handling the pandemic. The department was very good at providing disinfectant, sanitizer, gloves and masks to our officers. This provided some protection for an illness that was very much unknown. The department studied various work schedules different than the 4-2 schedule, just as the fire department analyzed its situation. The fire department went to a 24-hour schedule and the police department went in a different direction. Recently a fire station needed to be shut down with all firefighters sent home for a time. This is the exact situation the police department feared. If a patrol officer became infected and didnt realize it, the threat of the illness could shut down an entire platoon. To ensure that the department had officers available to work in case of an outbreak, the department followed the lead of other agencies and the health department. Im not in the practice of defending the chiefs office, but if they didnt take any precautions, and dozens of officers were infected, they would then be criticized for that. The decisions made were the best decisions based on information at that time. Meanwhile, the city administration analyzed the entire city workforce and adjusted most city employees' schedules, but that isnt written about. Most city employees were ordered to work from home, insulating them from Covid-19 exposure. The police department had officers working from home, those that could, and patrol officers reporting as usual. The department continued to work with the Health Department and gather input from other agencies on how to best protect officers from exposure and spreading the illness. After deciding not to adjust patrol officers schedule until it was necessary, the department decided one day per week officers would be off, but only when scheduling allowed for it. This day off did not occur every week for the patrol officers. During this off day, they were not allowed to work overtime during their duty hours. If the audit requested by the Common Council is to see if patrol officers were paid overtime during their shift to work other details, the answer is they were not allowed to do that. Councilor Joe Carnis concerns sound valid, in that he is simply stating he doesnt know if anything is inappropriate about this but wants it investigated. Some of the other non-police friendly councilors make it appear the department was doing something inappropriate. Overtime was severely limited during these months except for Covid-19 related issues such as safety at test sites, covering food distribution locations and delivering letters to persons' homes who tested positive for Covid-19. Therefore, most of the money spent was related to the pandemic and reimbursed by FEMA. We also had police personnel working round the clock obtaining PPE equipment from various sources as well as gathering pertinent information. If the council wants the schedule analyzed, why dont they ask about the entire city workforce? Some employees were given every other week off with pay, while some worked one day then had two off. This schedule would total three workdays in a two-week period when the employee started with Wednesday as their workday. Are the councilors looking into the school district to see how long teachers were online with their students in March through June? Im sure no other city employees are being looked at because, in todays climate, anti-police sentiment means votes for politicians. Carni has been supportive of the police so I am not lumping him into this category. Its very sad if that anti-police sentiment is what this about. Everyone needs to remember this was rapidly changing. Conflicting reports stated you cant catch it from surfaces while others stated you can, then a mask will protect you while others stated a mask will protect others. While working the Covid test sites, our officers were told that wearing a mask can be harmful because it catches airborne particles. With the CDC changing its position, as well as the health department, the police department was also making decisions on the fly. Sending patrol officers home when not needed, once a week at the most, was part of that decision. I find it funny but not ironic that two councilors have a problem with this overtime spent but not for the over $600,000 spent protecting protesters walking throughout the city. Drastic times call for drastic measures, and the city and police department needed to take drastic measures. Once again, its the Syracuse Police Department that is criticized while Im sure many other agencies made similar decisions. I believe the mayor and chief made the best decision they could with the information they received from the Health Department at the time. Its easy to second-guess decisions months after they needed to be made. How to submit letters and commentary to Syracuse.com Coronavirus super-spreaders were behind the explosion of covid-19 in India, the country with the most cases after the U.S., researchers said. A group of patients that included about 8% of India's confirmed cases later led to almost two-thirds of its total infections, scientists said Wednesday in a study published in the journal Science. The research, based on tracing more than 3 million contacts in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu through Aug. 1, is the first major study of transmission in a developing country. While most research on the pandemic has come from China, Europe and North America, cases are now burgeoning in India and other developing countries, according to researchers led by Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy who wrote the study. Barriers to health care are greater in these nations, and the risk of getting severely ill and dying from covid is higher, they said. "We've never had this degree of information to say, hey, some people are really transmitting the virus in a massive way," Laxminarayan said in an interview. In contrast with the super-spreader minority, 71% of confirmed cases whose contacts were traced weren't found to have spread the virus to anyone. A nationwide serological survey showed that one in 15 Indians have been exposed to the coronavirus. Hospitals in several states are now struggling to secure medical oxygen, needed to assist patients with trouble breathing on their own. Data for the Science study were gathered by thousands of contact-tracers during India's lockdown, when mass gatherings were banned, schools were closed and people were ordered to wear face masks in public. Almost 130 million people live in the two Indian states, accounting for about 10% of the country's population. India has recorded more than 6.2 million covid-19 cases. Both states reported their first SARS-CoV-2 infections on March 5. Health workers traced as many as 80 contacts per confirmed case, using skills and resources honed from routinely tracking potential transmitters of HIV and tuberculosis, Laxminarayan said. Prolific SARS-CoV-2 transmitters tended to spread the virus during prolonged close contact on buses and other forms of transportation, according to the researchers, who were also from Princeton University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Indian state governments. In such settings, there was a 79% chance of an infection occurring. That compares with only a 1 in 40 chance of catching the virus from someone in the community who wasn't a household member, Laxminarayan said. Children under 14, though, were found to be frequent "silent" spreaders of the virus, especially to their parents and peers. "This shows that even without schools being functional, children-to-children transmission seems to be quite important," he said. "As terrible as it is to say -- with two kids at home myself -- it's actually important to keep the kids home." Mahmoud Vaezi, the most influential man in Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's entourage as well as his chief of staff, has reasserted the Islamic Republics stance that talks with US President Donald Trump's administration are not an option. We have to make sure that what he failed to achieve at home will not be covered by a foreign policy gain, Vaezi said of Trump, adding that Iran will look out in the remaining weeks until we pass this stage by. The Rouhani aide was referring to the US presidents multiple offers for talks, which Tehran has so far turned down. Vaezi also described as a disaster the first televised debate between Trump and his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. The trajectory of the ongoing presidential race in the United States, Vaezi claimed, is not in favor of the sitting president, who is clueless about international politics. In his latest overtures, Trump has scrambled to tempt Iranians into a new agreement to replace the Iran nuclear deal the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed by the administration of his predecessor, former President Barack Obama. Following its departure from the accord in 2018, the Trump administration has been exercising its maximum pressure policy to bring the Iranian economy to its knees and force the government in Tehran into renegotiating the accord. They have reaped no fruit from their foreign policy, be it in Iran or elsewhere, said Rouhani at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. From Rouhanis view, the first US presidential debate revealed how America is caught up in tough conditions, including the worst coronavirus pandemic management and the worst unemployment rate. Trumps maximum pressure policy has only intensified in the run-up to the US vote, strengthening speculation that he is seeking a last-minute deal with Tehran to boost his election standing. Iranian officials, nevertheless, insist they are not pinning hopes on Nov. 3 and wont rejoice over a Democratic or a Republican victory. Yet the Democratic Partys nominee has declared that if elected president, he will reinstate the JCPOA should Tehran resume its full compliance to the deal. One year after the United States departed from the JCPOA, Tehran initiated a phased breach in its commitments but has stated that a full return could take place in almost no time if the other signatories honor their side of the deal. If Trump is elected president, the door to negotiations will still remain open, said veteran Iranian career diplomat Davoud Hermidas-Bavand. However, a [victory by a Democrat] will better serve Irans interests, he told the Reformist daily Shargh. Still, he argued that given the recent years regional developments after the JCPOA, a Democratic president in the Oval Office might seek revisions to the original nuclear deal. LANSING, MI - The Michigan Senate approved bills that increase the penalty for ballot harvesting and fraudulently filling out absentee ballot applications to a felony. Senate bills 977 and 978 would make filling out an application to receive multiple ballots, providing false statements on the application or forging a signature a felony punishment leading to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000 or both. They were sponsored by Sen. Kevin Daley, R-Lapeer. The Senate approved the bills 32-6 during session on Wednesday, Sep. 30. The House voted 77-26 in favor of the bills on Sep. 24. Absentee ballot application fraud punishable by felony under pending Michigan bill Daley pointed to bipartisan commitment to securing our elections" and that the bill will make potential violators think again about committing voter fraud. I think the strong support shows that both Republicans and Democrats can agree that securing our elections is important, he told MLive. Its amazing what we can do when we work together. We should all be able to trust the outcome of elections - win or lose. The legislation will be sent to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for consideration. A message was left with Tiffany Brown, Whitmers spokeswoman, to clarify the Governors position on the bills. Providing false information on an absentee ballot is currently a misdemeanor punishable up to 93 days in jail or a $500 fine. Clerks across Michigan planned to mail more than 2.2 million absentee ballots to Michigan voters last week. Ballots can also be dropped off at local ballot boxes, which can be located here, or at clerks offices. All voters can track the progress of their absentee ballots by looking up their voter information here. Michigan clerks begin mailing absentee ballots this week In the August primary, more than 2.6 million people requested absentee ballots, which a Secretary of State spokesman said is expected to double for Novembers general election. Currently only the following people can submit an absentee ballot application: the applicant or a member of their immediate family; a person living with the applicant; a mail carrier on duty; a registered elector with certified permission from the applicant to return the application; or a clerk or authorized election official. The Senate legislation, which passed in the House Judiciary Committee by an 8-3 vote with two passes, attempts to curb any attempts at multiple vote submissions. Rep. Anne Bollin, R-Brighton, pointed to Secretary of State policies and court rulings that allow a voter to choose any person they wanted to return their absentee ballot for them, which she called ballot harvesting. She defended the Senate bills, as well as two of her own covering similar ground, that she said would attempt to intervene on that practice. More than ever, there is a lot more being imposed on our local clerks, she said. I have a lot of faith in them in that theyve certainly and thoroughly vetting those signatures (and information), but now with that mass increase of AV applications...this is one step in the direction to enhance the trust factor in integrity in our elections on behalf of the voter. The Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed on Sep. 16 a lower courts ruling that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson acted lawfully when she she sent absentee voter ballot applications to all registered voters ahead of primary elections. In a 2-1 decision, the appellate court found that state law allows Benson the authority to provide unsolicited applications to absentee ballots. Appeals court rules sending absentee ballot applications to all registered voters was legal The injunctions issued by the Court of Claims on Friday directly contradict many of the protections the Legislature has put in place to protect the integrity of our elections, Bollin said. While the Secretary of State should appeal, she appears too focused on her own agenda to defend the laws that were put in place to safeguard our elections. House bills 5880 and 5881, co-sponsored by Bollin, were sent back to the House Judiciary Committee for further deliberation. Read more: With seven weeks to Election Day, lawmakers are considering these changes to voting laws Why it takes so long to count absentee ballots Michigan court: SOS can mail absentee ballot requests to registered voters Michigan Secretary of State sending postcards encouraging people to apply online to vote absentee Some mums are reported to be struggling to access support. (posed by models, Getty Images) Many health visitors are considering leaving their roles because of the pressure COVID-19 restrictions have placed on their careers, a report from University College London has found. Added to which, most (96%) are concerned about the plight of vulnerable families, especially women and children at risk of domestic violence and abuse. Dr Cheryll Adams, executive director of the Institute of Health Visitors, said it keeps them up at night. Read more: Millie Mackintosh reveals daughter has silent reflux People may assume that local lockdowns are playing a role in whether or not the health visitor has the ability to do their job, but Dr Adams explains thats not necessarily the case. Its all down to local decision making, she says. Blackpool managed to keep services up and running the whole way through lockdown. Some areas have found it too difficult so just havent tried and others have seen it as a challenge. Health visitors have confirmed their concerns over vulnerable new parents during the pandemic. (posed by models,Getty Images) While some health visitors are wearing PPE to continue home visits, others are conducting their checks over the phone or via Zoom calls. This has led to an increase in concern about vulnerable women, as its easy for simple cues to be missed over Zoom. Things can be missed via Zoom - you cant sense if theres a dad being difficult in the house, explains Dr Adams. Read more: Kate Ferdinand opens up about back pain in pregnancy Dr Adams also raised concerns over the fact that more families in the UK are being plunged into poverty and becoming vulnerable as a result of the pandemic, which could mean they miss out on health visitor appointments. Its assumed that everybody has access to telephone credit and internet and thats not the case, she adds. Its not just vulnerable new parents feeling the impact of limited health visiting services, either. Women have shared stories of going into birth alone and have reported how their children have changed during lockdown in heart-wrenching accounts. Watch: These celebrity parents look eerily like their children Story continues Rosie Little, 33, from Brighton, had her first child six weeks before lockdown. While she was able to have one check-in with her health visitor after her baby was born, she has had no further checks or support since then. We got a call at the start of lockdown to say our health visitor had been seconded to the front line and we wouldnt have a replacement. All we got was a leaflet about weaning in the post but it had been photocopied so many times it was unreadable, Little explains. Due to the restrictions, drop-in clinics were closed, leaving Little with no indication of whether her sons weight or development was on track. The main thing Ive missed is being able to get advice and support on things like his weight, breastfeeding, reflux, rashes - the kind of stuff you dont want to bother a GP with, especially as its been so difficult getting hold of a GP too. These checks are clearly important enough that theyre thought to be necessary in normal times, so I cant help but feel my son is missing out and if anything is wrong it might not be spotted until its too late. You do feel a bit abandoned. Its hard enough as a first-time mum without the support network being taken away, she added. Health visiting should be reinstated Almost 40% of health visitors saw the number of children they were responsible for go up between 19 March to 3 June. We went into COVID-19 with not enough troops on the ground, Dr Adams explains. The profession suffered 30% government cutbacks over the five years leading up to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning they were underprepared for the impact. Usual health visiting protocol has been impacted by the coronavirus. (posed by models, Getty Images) This, coupled with the risk of contracting the coronavirus, meant health visitors were unable to visit peoples homes. Others were re-deployed to other areas of the NHS, leaving an already struggling profession depleted according to Dr Adams. The report found that health visiting services should be reinstated (where not happened already) as a matter of urgency as a vital support and safety-net for children, with appropriate measures put in place, including the use of PPE, to reduce the spread of the virus. Read more: Mums are loving Ashley Grahams postpartum stretch marks Help is available Its not clear if and when this UK-wide reinstatement will happen. At the moment, its a recommendation, but Dr Brooke Vandermolen, Obstetrics & Gynaecology doctor and co-founder of The Birth Collective online antenatal classes, says that high-risk women should be being seen as a priority. Women at higher risk (known psycho-social vulnerabilities, those who had an operative birth, premature/low birthweight baby or other medical or neonatal complexities) should be prioritised for face-to-face follow ups, Dr Vandermolen explains. If you have had a traumatic birth experience you can ask for a debrief appointment before leaving hospital, or if you didnt know at the time then ask your GP, midwife or health visitor to refer you. This can be really helpful in processing the experience of a traumatic birth and even prevent longer term complications like postnatal depression. She says that it shouldnt be necessary for women to reach out to health visitors and that they should hear from one, particularly as the RCOG (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists) advises that the first postnatal check at home after discharge should ideally be face-to-face and this is usually with a community midwife. If for any reason, women havent received a call from their health visitor or midwife, Dr Vandermolen recommends: Ring your postnatal ward, community midwife, health visitor or GP for support. Most services are still running, but they may be running in a different way to previously. This website gives helpful advice around health visitors and the pandemic. Read more: Baby born at 25 weeks is finally strong enough to go home Midwife, author of The Modern Midwife and creator of the Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond series, Marie Louise, concurs with Dr Vandermolens statement, saying Help and support pregnancy wise there is actually a lot still running. Firstly maternity services are still very much offering their support and the first line for women to seek any support from during pregnancy and 28 days following birth. There are midwives and doctors that specialise in perinatal mental health, she explains. On occasions where women feel that theyre not sure where to turn during the pandemic, Marie Louise recommends two useful resources. The first is the charity Tommys which the midwife finds particularly useful because it has a wellbeing tool for women to access for free. Similarly, she often refers women to the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, which supports women and children in all situations. It is important to remember that help is absolutely available, Dr Vandermolen concludes. Watch: Everything you need to know about your period At last, some good news on the testing front in the battle against COVID-19. Health Canada has finally approved a rapid testing device that may cut down the need for people to line up for hours to see if theyre infected by the coronavirus. Thats a win for health professionals and politicians, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who have been loudly calling for rapid tests to be made available in Canada. Other countries have had them for months, they asked, so why not us? A very good question so Health Canadas decision to green-light the test device from an American company, Abbott Diagnostics, is mostly a win for people in areas where the second wave of COVID-19 is at its worst. Those are the same areas where demand for tests has skyrocketed, leading to those frustrating hours-long lineups. But what a tangled way to break the logjam. Health Canada took its usual cautious approach to approving the tests for use in Canada, even as the calls for quick deployment grew ever louder. The federal government, as recently as last Thursday, went out of its way to say it would not lean on the scientists to get a move on. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland pledged to respect the independence of our regulating authorities. Then suddenly on Tuesday the government proudly announced it had signed a deal with Abbott for 7.9 million testing kits and thousands of the devices needed to process the results. That was at a time when, as far as the public knew, Health Canada was still evaluating their effectiveness. But on Wednesday, barely 24 hours later, Health Canada announced the tests were good to go. We dont know exactly how all this played out, but it beggars belief that the rising chorus of criticism didnt play a role in prompting the health department to finally cough up a decision. Now the question is when when will these long-awaited tests actually be available for use by doctors and clinics? When will people worried that they or their kids might be infected be able to get a quick test and receive results in under 15 minutes, rather than the days it can now take to find out? And when will those unacceptable lineups for traditional tests shrink to manageable proportions? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the first batch of devices will be available in the coming weeks an awfully long delay at a time when the number of COVID-19 cases is on a rapid rise. If the government had been on top of this through the summer, those tests could have been available now, in time to help deal with the long-predicted second wave. The government needs to pick up the pace. The next step in this area is to approve a so-called antigen test, which could be used in schools, workplaces and many other locations, with quick results. Health Canada says its reviewing several possible tests, and the government should make sure there are no unnecessary delays. The experience of the Abbott Diagnostics test finally approved this week showed the obvious that a sense of urgency can in fact speed up the decision-making. All this being said, acquiring rapid testing is no excuse for bungling traditional testing, as happened in too many locations in Ontario and Quebec in the past few weeks. And it may not be the game-changer that Ford claims it will be. As its supporters pointed out, the Abbott test has been approved and in use in the United States for months. Yet that country is the poster-child for how to bungle the health crisis. Testing, of whatever kind, is just one element of a much wider solution. That will require quick government action on many fronts. And, as public health officials remind us daily, it will require continued vigilance by us all to follow their advice and keep the second wave from swamping our health system. Ukraine continues to support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and this principle is invariable, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. "One of the cornerstones of Ukrainian foreign policy is support for the territorial integrity of states. And we have consistently supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, just as Azerbaijan supported our territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, and this principle remains absolutely unchanged for us," Kuleba said an online -briefing on Wednesday. According to him, the main thing in the Caucasus now "is not to stir up the already very high emotions." It is necessary to work to calm down emotions and stop the bloodshed, the minister added. "You can recall that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry was one of the first to express its position on the escalation. We continue to monitor these events. We are negotiating with our partners in order to have a coordinated position. I had a telephone conversation with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister. Our position is very clear: war is always grief, sacrifice, destruction and we sincerely regret that these events are taking place in the Caucasus now," the minister said. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he sees one more serious try at securing a deal with Congress on another fiscal stimulus package and suggested hell offer Democrats a proposal for roughly $1.5 trillion in pandemic relief. Mnuchin said Wednesday on CNBC that the administrations counteroffer to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is similar to a plan put forward by a bipartisan group of House members which included an escalation in spending up to $2 trillion if the coronavirus pandemic persists. Thats still short of a $2.2 trillion relief package that Democrats unveiled Monday and are preparing to bring to a House vote. Mnuchin said he hopes to have an "understanding" worked out by Thursday. Pelosi has asked Democrats to deliver a "strong vote" for the party's latest package, which is smaller than the $3.4 trillion they passed in May but rejected by Republicans. In a letter to colleagues, she described it a "proffer" in talks. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told fellow Democrats Wednesday his intention is to send the bill to the floor Wednesday or Thursday if there is no deal with Mnuchin. Mnuchin and Pelosi will talk Wednesday afternoon, the Treasury chief said. Renewed optimism on the potential for a compromise saw U.S. stocks open to gains, after futures had earlier tipped another down day. "Whether we get this fiscal deal done or we don't, I am confident we will continue to have economic growth and rebound," Mnuchin said. "I'm confident we can get something done, and if we don't, we will come back and work on it after the election." READ MORE: Coronavirus cuts hit the classroom: Rutgers eliminates some adjunct positions He also underscored that more support for airlines is critical, as carriers face the risk of a wave of layoffs. Mnuchin said that he doesn't expect a stand-alone bill for airline aid, and that he'll update top executives on the talks after he confers with Pelosi. The negotiations between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats are at a critical juncture. Either Pelosi can cut a deal with the White House or the Democratic-led House will vote on her $2.2 trillion plan without Republican support, allowing members leave town for preelection campaigning. If no deal is reached, Democrats could vote by Thursday. Timing will depend on the result of Pelosi's talks with Mnuchin. House Republican leaders have already rejected the proposal. While the legislative text adds clarity to the Democratic offer, the top-line spending level is no closer to what Republicans say they'll support. President Donald Trump has indicated he could agree to as much as $1.5 trillion in aid but even that is more than the $650 billion put forth in a "skinny" aid package by Senate Republicans earlier this month. Officials in both parties privately questioned whether the differences could be bridged. Pessimism about reaching a deal was one of the factors that helped push stocks lower on Tuesday. Private economists have increasingly abandoned predictions for a deal before the election. JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs recently cut their forecasts for growth next quarter as a consequence. The negotiations have been at an impasse since August. Pelosi on Tuesday continued to say she is hopeful that an agreement can be reached. "We're in a negotiation and hopefully we will come to a bipartisan agreement," she said on MSNBC after talking with Mnuchin. Yet Pelosi said on MSNBC that GOP resistance to rolling back tax breaks in the March stimulus has proven to be an obstacle. The bill contained tax breaks used by real estate businesses; the housing sector has since boomed thanks to record-low mortgage rates. Republicans continue to oppose the scale of spending Democrats favor. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, speaking on CNBC Tuesday morning, said the true cost of the Democrats' bill is closer to $2.6 trillion and about one-third of it is related to subjects that Republicans don't believe are strictly tied to the pandemic. "For some reason, we just can't get it done, but the conversation, the talks will continue," Kudlow said. "The other team wants a gigantic package and we don't think we need that." Pelosi said the much of the difference between the May House plan and the latest proposal is the length of time many of the provisions would be in effect. "We didn't take out priorities," she said. "We just reduced the timeline as to how long those benefits would last." A key point of disagreement has been the Democrats' push for large-scale aid to state and local governments. The plan released Monday has $436 billion for one year of assistance less than a previous demand for $915 billion, which triggered scorn from Trump administration officials who called it a bailout for poorly run states. The Democratic plan includes new aid for airlines, restaurants and small businesses that wasn't in the original House package, and it has more than double the amount for schools. The bill would provide another round of $1,200 direct relief payments to individuals and $500 per dependent less than the $1,200 for dependents Democrats originally proposed. It also has $600 per week in extra unemployment benefits through January, the same amount that expired in July and helped disposable incomes surge even as the economy tipped into recession. With the Senate under Republican control, and its leaders now preoccupied with the president's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, the bill is unlikely to advance absent a major push from the Trump administration. ______ Bloombergs Josh Wingrove contributed to this report. Artistic image of a graphene bolometer controlled by electric field. Credit: Heikka Valja. Physicists at Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Center of Finland have developed a new detector for measuring energy quanta at unprecedented resolution. This discovery could help bring quantum computing out of the laboratory and into real-world applications. The results have been published today in Nature. The type of detector the team works on is called a bolometer, which measures the energy of incoming radiation by measuring how much it heats up the detector. Professor Mikko Mottonen's Quantum Computing and Devices group at Aalto has been developing their expertise in bolometers for quantum computing over the past decade, and have now developed a device that can match current state-of-the-art detectors used in quantum computers. "It is amazing how we have been able to improve the specs of our bolometer year after year, and now we embark on an exciting journey into the world of quantum devices," says Mottonen. Measuring the energy of qubits is at the heart of how quantum computers operate. Most quantum computers currently measure a qubit's energy state by measuring the voltage induced by the qubit. However, there are three problems with voltage measurements: firstly, measuring the voltage requires extensive amplification circuitry, which may limit the scalability of the quantum computer; secondly, this circuitry consumes a lot of power; and thirdly, the voltage measurements carry quantum noise which introduces errors in the qubit readout. Quantum computer researchers hope that by using bolometers to measure qubit energy, they can overcome all of these complications, and now Professor Mottonen's team have developed one that is fast enough and sensitive enough for the job. "Bolometers are now entering the field of quantum technology and perhaps their first application could be in reading out the quantum information from qubits. The bolometer speed and accuracy seems now right for it," says Professor Mottonen. The graphene bolometer and how it works. Credit: Ella Maru studios The team had previously produced a bolometer made of a gold-palladium alloy with unparalleled low noise levels in its measurements, but it was still too slow to measure qubits in quantum computers. The breakthrough in this new work was achieved by swapping from making the bolometer out of gold-palladium alloys to making them out of graphene. To do this, they collaborated with Professor Pertti Hakonen's NANO groupalso at Aalto Universitywho have expertise in fabricating graphene-based devices. Graphene has a very low heat capacity, which means that it is possible to detect very small changes in its energy quickly. It is this speed in detecting the energy differences that makes it perfect for a bolometer with applications in measuring qubits and other experimental quantum systems. By swapping to graphene, the researchers have produced a bolometer that can make measurements in well below a microsecond, as fast as the technology currently used to measure qubits. "Changing to graphene increased the detector speed by 100 times, while the noise level remained the same. After these initial results, there is still a lot of optimisation we can do to make the device even better," says Professor Hakonen. Now that the new bolometers can compete when it comes to speed, the hope is to utilize the other advantages bolometers have in quantum technology. While the bolometers reported in the current work performs on par with the current state-of-the-art voltage measurements, future bolometers have the potential to outperform them. Current technology is limited by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle: voltage measurements will always have quantum noise, but bolometers do not. This higher theoretical accuracy, combined with the lower energy demands and smaller sizethe graphene flake could fit comfortably inside a single bacteriummeans that bolometers are an exciting new device concept for quantum computing. The next steps for their research is to resolve the smallest energy packets ever observed using bolometers in real-time and to use the bolometer to measure the quantum properties of microwave photons, which not only have exciting applications in quantum technologies such as computing and communications, but also in fundamental understanding of quantum physics. Many of the scientists involved in the researchers also work at IQM, a spin-out of Aalto University developing technology for quantum computers. "IQM is constantly looking for new ways to enhance its quantum-computer technology and this new bolometer certainly fits the bill," explains Dr. Kuan Yen Tan, Co-Founder of IQM who was also involved in the research. Explore further Radiation detector with the lowest noise in the world boosts quantum work More information: R. Kokkoniemi, J.-P. Girard, D. Hazra, A. Laitinen, J. Govenius, R. E. Lake, I. Sallinen, V. Vesterinen, P. Hakonen, and M. Mottonen, Bolometer operating at the threshold for circuit quantum electrodynamics, Nature (2020). Journal information: Nature R. Kokkoniemi, J.-P. Girard, D. Hazra, A. Laitinen, J. Govenius, R. E. Lake, I. Sallinen, V. Vesterinen, P. Hakonen, and M. Mottonen, Bolometer operating at the threshold for circuit quantum electrodynamics,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2753-3 This country has failed women, has been failing women time and again. Just existing in India alone is a threat to women in this country and the string of brutal rape cases have not brought about any kind of change or reform as one might have expected. At this point, the 'beti bachao' slogan is more of a warning than anything else. After Nirbhaya, the entire country rallied together, but clearly, nothing changed. After an 8-year-old little girl was raped and murdered in Kathua, nothing changed. It's almost as if no one cares about making the country safe for women. Twitter Now, in another horrific incident, a young woman lost her life because some men decided they were entitled to rape her. The Hathras Gangrape case is a chilling reminder that this is no country for women. Here's a timeline of the heinous incident of the 19-year-old becoming victim to the inhuman crime and then succumbing to her injuries. September 24: The first reports of a 19-year-old Dalit woman being allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh came in. In her statement to the police, she said that four men raped her on 14 September when she had gone to collect fodder for animals. She sustained severe injuries on her spine and tongue, according to reports. Reuters She was taken to AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh the day after the incident took place. On 24th September, ten days after the incident occurred, the report was filed as a rape case as it was earlier speculated as an attempted murder case over old family enmity. One suspect named Sandeep was already in custody, but three more were booked. September 26: After the injury to her spinal cord left the victim paralyzed, her condition kept on deteriorating and she was put on a ventilator. By this time, according to Hathras Superintendent of Police Vikrant Vir, all the four men were arrested and charged under section 376 D (gangrape). Reuters September 28: Since the victim did not show any improvement in her condition, she was transferred to the Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi for further treatment. September 29: After battling for two weeks, the victim succumbed to her injuries and her family was notified of her passing. Reuters Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and his supporters held a protest at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital and said, "I appeal to all members of the Dalit community to take to the streets and demand the death penalty for the guilty. The government should not test our patience. We won't rest until the culprits are hanged." September 30: #HathrasCase UP Police officials forcing grieving parents to cremate the body overnight saying Im from Rajasthan & in our culture we dont keep the body for long. Baaki sab aap dekh lijiye Mother is begging in front of the cops, please let me take the body home once, only once pic.twitter.com/aQjoTlvSvl Tanushree Pandey (@TanushreePande) September 29, 2020 On Wednesday at around 2: 30 am, her body was cremated by the UP Police personnel, allegedly without any of her family members present. Multiple videos of cops burning the body without the family's knowledge surfaced online and even videos of the family members questioning why they couldn't take their daughter's body home. ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE - Right behind me is the body of #HathrasCase victim burning. Police barricaded the family inside their home and burnt the body without letting anybody know. When we questioned the police, this is what they did. pic.twitter.com/0VgfQGjjfb Tanushree Pandey (@TanushreePande) September 29, 2020 People are speculating that this middle of the night cremation, without her parents' consent, was done to alter the narrative and manipulate the case for further investigation. The body wasn't just cremated, but any evidence for the case was also destroyed. Meanwhile, protests have broken out in different places with people demanding capital punishment for the culprits. Even the victim's family is demanding that the state government further investigate and hang the culprits. The UP government has turned out to be an insensitive and inhuman regime. It is the familys inalienable right to do the last rites of their daughter. Why are they being treated as if they are terrorists ?#HathrasHorrorShocksIndia Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) September 30, 2020 After everything, the fact that the parents weren't even allowed to say their goodbyes and see their daughter for the last time is almost as infuriating as the crime itself. And, the worst part is that the culprits of this crime are the people who are supposed to uphold the law and protect the people. This incident has also shed light on how prevalent castism is and how a Dalit woman was brutalized by upper-class men. The upper caste in UP have started a rally in support of the Thakur's who raped her. So anyone thinking it has nothing to do with caste can stfu https://t.co/tt9mSCh7ti Susq (@SunChen97) September 30, 2020 The men behind this obviously need to be given the maximum form of punishment, but it's truly terrifying to see that it honestly did not make a difference in the past. The Nirbhaya case culprits have been hanged and yet, we see a similar story of a young woman tortured and raped. The change needs to come from higher authorities who should actively fight for the women of this country to make a safer India. Once again Indias daughter suffers terribly. At a loss of words to express my anger & sorrow about the #Hathras incident. I stand with the family who lost their loved one to this heinous crime. Strict action must be taken against this inhuman behaviour #JusticeForManishaValmiki Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) September 30, 2020 The entire country is in shock. They erased her like she never existed... Jahnavi Uppuleti.. (@JUppuleti) September 30, 2020 Literally, nothing can justify this, nothing. How on earth could you justify this...?.. every indian should realise that our families are never safe in the hands of such brutal fanatics.#HathrasHorrorShocksIndia #ShameOnYogi #JusticeForManishaValmiki #JusticeForManishapic.twitter.com/BqbfFgookx Sandeep Choudhary (@Sandeepnewsman) September 30, 2020 This is inhumane. Victim burnt against her familys will. Police locked family members & locals inside the house & forcibly burnt the body. Family couldnt even see their daughter for one last time. This is beyond humanity.#JusticeForManishaValmiki.#ModiSpeakUp4Dalits pic.twitter.com/2gjK3CvEdc Abdul Karim Chowdhary-MLA (@KarimChowdhary) September 30, 2020 Press Release 30 September 2020 "The first Golden Age of drinking is widely regarded as the 1830s to Prohibition in the United States. It was the dawn of the modern era of drinking. There's a reason we still drink martinis, Manhattans, and the Old-Fashioned, which was the first cocktail in 1806." In the midst of a global pandemic, relaxing at a bar with your co-workers on a Friday evening, with a cocktail in hand may now seem like a distant memory. But the beverage sector has successfully navigated through its transitions from the highs of its first Golden Age, to the lows of the Dark Age (the World Wars and the Great Depression), to the current second Golden Age - and there is no reason to believe that this time will be any different. Advertisements Globally, the alcoholic drinks market is expected to reach USD$1.37 trillion in revenue in 2020. With world-class bars becoming increasingly popular and the competition only getting stiffer, the drinking scene has been at an all-time high. In this 'second Golden Age', Paul Gabie, CEO and Co-Founder of Proof & Company, dished up the stories in a webinar with EHL on how the company has fashioned some of Asia's top bars, presenting their concepts which are an intoxicating mix of fun, imaginative, and truly experiential. How some of Asia's best bars were conceptualized? ATLAS Bar Singapore ATLAS This means that each opportunity is unique, and neither is any one project as capital or time intensive as another. The Pontiac, one of Hong Kong's most famous craft cocktail dive bars, has been listed on Asia's 50 Best Bars since its inception in 2016. Headed by bartender Beckaly Franks, Pontiac has been a force of genuine character in the industry and a voice of inclusiveness, being at the center of the LGBTQIA+ community and having a female-led team for years. Yet, it took a mere 60 days, a relatively small amount of capital, and a lot of personality to develop, renovate, and re-conceptualize this now-iconic bar." The bar scene as we know it today is relatively young - over half of the bars on the list of Asia's Best Bars have barely been around for 5 years. Yet, concocting a world-class bar concept takes more than just incredible bartenders and a ton of passion and commitment. The renowned ATLAS bar in Singapore has become a quintessential name in the sector, famous for its Art Deco grandeur and finest selections of gin - and the seamless, breathtaking experience it offers makes the concept appear almost effortless. But as Paul explains, ATLAS is the result of a distinctive blend of having a clear vision from its owners, in a dramatic, one-of-a-kind space - along with 2000 to 4000 man-hours of patience and dedication, just from the concept development perspective. Each concept is thus a careful amalgamation of what the Proof & Company team calls the '20 Pillars', which refer to 20 individual layers that collectively shape the guest experience; the team, food, interior design - each is its own layer. "The Layout, we don't often think about as a separate layer from design and decor, but it is. You know, how the space flows really shapes how humans experience space and how they react to it, so layout is its own layer," Paul emphasized. Even Location is a pillar on its own that influences the type of guests you receive and peoples' perception of the venue, as he shared the story of a bar called the Vagabond in Singapore which, despite a strong concept and beautiful interior design, faces challenges attracting guests due to its location. The Design of ATLAS; the Team at Pontiac; above all, Concept is the first pillar that defines the rest of the layers down to the smallest of details, including the type of glassware at the bar. While ATLAS serves a martini in a bespoke Waterford Crystal - an expensive and beautiful heavy glass, the Pontiac serves up martinis in an unpretentious down glass - with no stem and a bit of attitude; reflective of their respective styles. In other words, each detail must have been woven through what Paul calls the 'golden thread of concept', and it is only through considering the 20 pillars holistically, that success may be underscored amongst an increasingly discerning clientele. Staying relevant in the current times With the ever-changing nature of consumer preferences, savvy businesses have long learned not to rest on their laurels when it comes to success. 28 Hongkong Street is known as one of the first American craft cocktail bars in Singapore, having opened back in 2011. While the fundamental principles of commitment to hospitality, quality ingredients, and craftsmanship - which have been the hallmarks of the second Golden Age - are how 28 has remained relevant as a concept through the years, its team and customers have gone through generations of chapters that have continually renewed and refreshed the bar to where it has stood at each stage of its lifecycle. Therefore, while such stakeholder evolution is a natural part of a growing business, the key is in being able to anticipate and manage this change, whilst remaining true to the fundamentals. Proof & Company clearly is no stranger to this need for deliberate and constant agility in thought, as Paul describes how every 3-4 years, the company makes it a point to carefully reflect on the forces that they believe will shape the next 5 years of the drinks' industry. In 2016, they identified that Sustainability would be a game-changer for the sector. Fast-forward to 2020, Proof & Company has launched ecoSPIRITS - the world's first low-carbon, low-waste spirits distribution technology. 33 billion liters of spirits were sold worldwide in 2019. Assuming the standard bottle size of 750ml, this may translate to approximately 44 billion glass bottles in a single year, many of which may not have even lasted 20 minutes at a popular bar. In response, ecoSPIRITS patented the 'ecoTOTE', which is a 4.5-liter, fully reusable vessel for transporting spirits. It eliminates packaging waste from the supply chain and reduces the carbon footprint of spirits production and distribution by about 80%. "We're definitely making strides on single-use plastic, but we believe that one of the next bigger conversations will be about single-use glass and that's what ecoSPIRITS is all about," Paul explained. Similarly, second on their list of forces was Regionalization and Localization, urging them to partner with local distilleries on the ecoSPIRITS platform, which has been reinforced by the growing trend towards 'supporting local'. The ecoTOTE by ecoSPIRITS GRAIN at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney Proof & Company's implementation of JERRY, a comprehensive learning platform that had been developed internally to increase cross-collaboration and learning efficiency, has been yet another demonstration of the company's forward-thinking views, as it invests in technology not because it needs to - but because it wants to. Rather than engaging in reactive change, Proof & Company has been seeking out opportunities for proactive change. This has also allowed them to use their capabilities for a good cause, as they opened the platform free-of-charge for individual learners on furlough or unpaid leave due to COVID-19. They amassed 2,000 learners within a month to undergo a full beverage certification training - a scale which could only have been possible through effective technology use. Many would agree that the concept of ecoSPIRITS is a next big step for the bar and restaurant industry, as more establishments join the movement to remove straws from their inventory - although the real impact of such initiatives on a standalone basis may be contentious. Demand for environmentally sustainable practices has never been higher, and Proof & Company's timely ability to roll out these initiatives along with these major trends, is a result of deliberate planning that has given them the time to take on these changes substantively and establish concrete solutions, rather than waiting to jump on the bandwagon of new trends. Their success in staying a step ahead is a testament to the importance of anticipating and understanding - from an early stage - the external forces that will, or at least may shape the industry, and acting on them swiftly and precisely. Optimism for bars in a post-COVID world Amid continued social distancing measures and no clear end to the pandemic, many bars have had to innovate for survival; turning to cocktail deliveries, DIY cocktail kits, and even creating virtual bars. The short-term prospects of hospitality and the bar scene may thus seem to be on the rocks, especially as many of us in the industry continue to wonder: 'will we ever recover?'. However, promising results signaling strong pent-up demand in countries such as China and New Zealand, which have eased measures, have been showing signs of positivity. Proof & Company reported revenues in China equal to their H2 2019 numbers in June, while their New Zealand operations recorded their best month in history in June. Therefore, while the question of when may remain uncertain, the straight answer is that given humans' innate desire to connect, socialize, and experience, we most certainly will recover from this crisis - garnished with a small wedge of lemon and a dash of optimism for the future. Appeal in Babri demolition case to be taken after studying judgment says CBI counsel Babri demolition verdict: All you need to know about the key figures Victory triumphs: BJP leaders welcome Babri verdict India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Sep 30: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday welcomed the Babri Masjid demolition case verdict, in which all 32 accused including BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti saying victory has triumphed. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News Taking to Twitter, BJP leader Ram Madhav welcomes the Babri Masjid demolition case verdict, saying victory has triumphed. He says, the acquittal in RJB conspiracy case was long overdue and asks everyone to welcome the judgement. BJP slams Congress over tractor-burning incident near India Gate In one of the first reactions to the Babri conspiracy case verdict, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi tweets "Jai Shri Ram". "All the accused, including Advaniji, acquitted. There was no pre-planned conspiracy to demolish the Babri structure," he added. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed happiness over the Babri Demolition case verdict and said justice wins. He also said that the decision makes it clear that for political bias by the then Congress government, who indulged in vote bank politics, led them to defame the country's revered saints, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, senior officials associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and various other social organisations. The UP Chief Minister also said those responsible for the conspiracy should apologise to the people of the country. This year has been a year like no other - how we live our lives has changed drastically, and breastfeeding support is no exception. When the country locked down, La Leche League (LLL) responded, hosting its first virtual meeting on March 18. Since then, there have been close to 200 meet-ups, almost daily, on a wide variety of platforms. Each virtual meet-up is guided by at least one internationally accredited La Leche League Leader, providing evidence-based, up-to-date information as well as practical support for mothers. New babies are vulnerable and need support, and so too do new parents. Although they may be determined to breastfeed, it is increasingly difficult for expectant and new parents to know where to access correct information and breastfeeding support. It is normal to have questions and concerns about breastfeeding when it is so new to both baby and you. With current restrictions limiting access to family and community support, many parents have increased anxiety levels around breastfeeding. LLL aims to empower new parents by continuing to provide accurate breastfeeding information. With all in-person meetings currently suspended, La Leche League Leaders remain available to parents during this time by phone, social media and virtual meet-ups. During the current pandemic, more parents are choosing breastfeeding to optimise the health of their children. Babies benefit from multiple and diverse immunological proteins, including antibodies, provided in human milk, particularly through direct breastfeeding. Breastmilk contains numerous live components including immunoglobulins, antiviral factors which help destroy invading pathogens and boost the babys own immune system. New research shows that IgA antibodies with reactivity to the Covid-19 virus have been detected in the breastmilk of mothers previously infected with Covid-19. With over 60 years of breastfeeding experience, LLL encourages and supports all families to establish and sustain breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and pregnant parents can access support during this difficult time of social distancing via phone, Messenger and social media. It is nice to have that support at the touch of a button, especially when you feel quite isolated. Advice, tips and encouraging support helps boost our confidence and encourage us as mothers, says Laoise, LLL member. They can also virtually attend group meet-ups and connect with other parents in the same situation. "The online Zoom meetings provide me with a sense of calm and normality, allowing me to be content at home and nurse my baby, says Aine, LLL member. La Leche League Kilkenny hold a weekly zoom meet up on Wednesday mornings at 10.30am. This is open to all mums to be and breastfeeding mothers, who would like to connect with other breastfeeding mums and our leaders, for a chat or for breastfeeding information. Please contact 086-6627290 for information or on our Facebook page Kilkenny La Leche League. Details of virtual meetings can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. La Leche League groups are listed on www.lalecheleagueireland.com, Facebook www.facebook.com/lalecheleagueireland, Instagram @lalecheleagueofireland, Twitter @LaLecheIreland. A military court-martial in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Wednesday, dismissed a soldier and sentenced him to five years in prison for raping a 13 years old girl and attempting to kill her. The soldier, Corporal Aliyu Yakubu, with service number NA/2009/0263, was on July 13, 2020, arraigned before the 7-Division general court-martial on a two-count charge bothering on defilement and assault against a 13-year-old girl in Bama town. According to the prosecutor, Mr Yakubu on July 1, 2018, dragged the teenager to an uncompleted building in Bama where he assaulted her before he raped her. The girl told the court that she was raped by the soldier when she was leaving her aunts house for her mothers. The soldier reportedly sighted her and followed her until he caught up with her. He asked where I was going to, and I told him I was going home, he then held my hand and asked me to follow him, the Judge-Advocate, Aminu Mairuwa, a captain, quoted the girl as saying. He dragged her to an uncompleted building behind the old prison and covered her mouth with her hijab as she was shouting for help. He brought out a knife and threatened to kill her; after he had naked her and could not penetrate her, he asked if she had ever had sex before, and the girl said no. He then forced his penis into her. After he had done raping her, he used a piece of a block to hit her head and then left unconscious, Mr Mairuwa said. The judge advocate said the girl later regained consciousness and cried out for help. After she was taken to the hospital, where she regained full consciousness, the teenager was able to identify the soldier who raped her. The court said investigating officials of the police and military found evidence at the scene of the crime which indicted the soldier. The judge advocate said the soldiers dog-tag which bore his credential, was found at the scene of the crime. The accused soldier, who denied the allegation, said he was not in Bama on the day the girl was raped. He told the court that he was in Maiduguri on June 31 to see a doctor over his ill health; a claim the court said was false as June has 30 days. The soldier also claimed that he could not travel to Maiduguri after he had obtained a medical referral on June 30 because there was no vehicle; adding that he had to leave the next day, which he said was June 31. The court-martial later delivered its judgment after members of the court had reviewed the ruling that indicted the soldier. Delivering the sentence, President of the court, Arikpo Ekubi, a brigadier, said the soldier had been found guilty on the two counts filed against him. This honourable court found you 2009NA/63/2603, Corporal Aliyu Yakubu, guilty of the offences of defilement and assault contrary to sections 78 and 104, subsection 2A of the Armed Forces Act, respectively. These offences offend the tenets of military regimentation and professionalism, which are synonymous to discipline and law-abiding personnel. You betrayed the confidence and trust reposed in you by the Nigerian Army, to ensure dignity and respect to the citizens you are expected to protect. You sit logic on its head by failing to protect the rights of the vulnerable individuals in society. This amounts to taking us to the ages of darkness and barbarism at a time the Nigerian Army is sparing no effort at safeguarding the rights of women and children. Having listened to the soldiers plea that he was a first time offender, had served the army for a long time and was a family man, the court said it recognised his plea for mitigation of sentence. The tribubal sentenced the rapist as follows Advertisements Count one; sentenced to five years in imprisonment! Count two dismissal from the service. The sentence is subject to the confirmation of a higher military authority. The court had during the ruling said parents of the teenager had to relocate the little girl to Lagos to avoid stigmatisation. The court said it learnt that the girl, who is now 15 years old, had gotten married in March 2020. CHild marriage, though illegal by Nigerian law, is still practised in many parts of Northern Nigeria, where it is allowed by state laws. David Paterson Former New York governor David Paterson has joined Kivvit, the PA and strategic communications shop. The Democratic politico will provide strategic counsel and help Kivvits managing partners develop and implement a diversity, equity and inclusion plan. Paterson was lieutenant governor when he succeeded governor Elliot Spitzer upon his resignation in 2008 due to a prostitution scandal. He is the Empire States only Black governor. Paterson said that he's worked with a lot of PA firms, but none of them impressed him as much as Kivvit. Their continued commitment to data, analytics and innovation is unparalleled in this space, he said in a statement. Kivvit also announced the hiring of Josh Vlasto as managing director. He was press secretary to NY senator Chuck Schumer, chief of staff to governor Andrew Cuomo and head of corporate communications at MacAndrews and Forbes. By Trend The US reaffirms its commitment to facilitating a peaceful negotiated solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a Minsk Group Co-Chair, US Ambassador James S. Gilmore to the Special Permanent Council said, Trend reports citing US Department of State. The United States is deeply concerned by reports of large-scale military action along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that has resulted in a significant number of deaths, including among civilians. We extend our condolences to the families of those killed and injured, Gilmore said. We call on the sides to stop fighting immediately and return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and without preconditions. United States Deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun has already reached out to the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to urge de-escalation, to use the existing direct communication links between them to prevent further escalation, and to refrain from unhelpful or inflammatory rhetoric and actions that further aggravate tensions on the ground, he said. Gilmore added that the US calls on the sides to take immediate steps to reduce tensions, to ensure security measures are proportionate, and to respect international human rights. The United States believes participation in the escalating violence by any external party would only exacerbate regional tensions. There is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The sides must stand down and come to the negotiation table, he said. As a Minsk Group Co-Chair, the United States reaffirms its commitment to facilitating a peaceful negotiated solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. There is still time to turn this around and prevent the further deaths of civilians and military personnel, Gilmore added Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Two people were shot in back-to-back daytime shootings in the Jersey City Heights Wednesday morning, authorities said. The non-fatal shootings, which occurred just before 11 a.m., are the latest spasms of violence in an ongoing conflict between rival groups from the Heights and neighboring Hoboken, Jersey City Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh said. The inter-city feud has resulted in six shootings in the Heights since August, Saleh added. The Jersey City Police Department and the Hoboken Police Department are working hand and hand together to take care of this situation, Saleh said. I will be fighting to get more units here in the Heights in those locations so there is a stronger police presence. This kind of violence is unacceptable, and we are going to hold these groups accountable. Police first responded to the area of Leonard Street and Summit Avenue just after 10:50 a.m. where a person was shot. Minutes later, at least three shots rang out at Franklin Street and New York Avenue just over a mile from the site of the first shooting. A male was struck three times, police said in radio transmissions. More than a dozen shell cases were found at the scene. Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said the two people who were shot Wednesday suffered injuries that are not life-threatening. She said the investigation into the shootings continues. Shortly after authorities responded to Franklin Street and New York Avenue, a Toyota Rav-4 believed to have been used in the shooting was found unoccupied on Marshall Drive in Hoboken, police said. Wallace-Scalcione said the owner of the vehicle has been located by the police. Authorities were also on the lookout for a Honda that fled the scene of the Leonard Street shooting, according to police radio transmissions. On Aug. 14, a person was shot in the area of Webster Avenue and Griffith Street, blocks from the scene of Wednesdays second shooting. Another person was shot in the leg 11 days later in the area of Manhattan and Sherman avenues, leading to the arrest of a 20-year-old on gun charges. Its unclear when the other two shootings took place. Having been born and raised here, I have seen it during the bad times, and I have seen it change," Saleh said. "I see it now sliding back and we need to make sure we are supporting our police department when it comes to issues like this. Journal staff writer Joshua Rosario contributed to this story. Donald Trump has been condemned online after claiming that his campaign rallies have had no effect on the spread of coronavirus. During Tuesday night's first debate, the president said "we've had no negative effect", when quizzed about indoor events held by his team earlier this year. With new infections soaring, the president held a number of indoor rallies that appeared to flout social distancing guidelines. More recently, the president has been setting up shop outdoors. But images from those events have shown thousands of his supporters packed closely together, many of them not wearing masks. Following his "no negative effect" claim, Twitter was quick to remind Mr Trump, 74, that Herman Cain, the former GOP presidential candidate, died in July after contracting the disease after attending a campaign rally. "Donald Trump is a LIAR!!!" fumed one user. "He just said that his rallies during a pandemic have had no negative affect on people? Ask Herman Cain how that worked out for him! And that rally was INDOORS! He is the Spreader-in-Chief!" Another said: "Did Donald Trump really say theyve had no problems with COVID related to his rallies? Did I dream up Herman Cains death?" A third said: "You are a joke. Everything has been fine at your rallies. How about Tulsa? Herman Cain is dead. And how many other people got sick from that Rally? You lie and deflect. Cain had attended a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma in June without wearing a mask. He was taken to hospital for treatment after coronavirus complications in early July and died just over a week later. It is unclear where Cain contracted the disease and there is no evidence to suggest he got infected at the Trump Tulsa rally. The commander-in-chief himself has denied Cain got infected at the rally. "No, I dont think he did," he told White House reporters hours after Cain's death. At the first of three televised debates Mr Trump and Mr Biden, 77, clashed over the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 200,000 lives. In what has been described as the most bad-tempered clash in living memory, the pair also went toe-to-toe on race relations, the economy, the president's tax records, the Supreme Court and the legitimacy of the 2020 election result. Mr Biden appeared to get the better of the president, who attempted to repeatedly interrupt his rival. At its Launch Night In event, Google introduced the new Chromecast with Google TV, as expected. The new Google TV interface combines movies, shows, live TV and more from across your apps and subscriptions and organizes them just for you. It plugs into your TVs HDMI port, powers up using USB Type-C port, supports up to 4K HDR at up to 60 frames per second, has support for Dolby Vision, and also supports HDMI pass-through of Dolby audio content. There is also a new remote with YouTube and Netflix buttons and dedicated Google Assistant button that can help you find something to watch, answer everyday questions and also control your smart home devices. There are programmable TV controls for power, volume and input. Stadia support is coming in the first half of 2021, said Google. Google Chromecast with Google TV Specifications Up to 4K HDR, 60 FPS, supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos (pass-through) audio Connectors: HDMI that plugs into TV, USB Type-C port Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth Android TV OS Dimensions: 162x61x12.5 mm; Weight:55g Bluetooth voice remote with IR to control TV, soundbar, or receiver, Integrated microphone for Google Assistant, Accelerometer sensor Google TVs For You tab gives you personalized watch suggestions from across your subscriptions organized based on what you like to watch. Google TVs Watchlist lets you bookmark movies and shows you want to save for later. You can add to your Watchlist from your phone or laptop, and it will be waiting on your TV when you get home. YouTube TV membership with live TV recommendations in the For You tab, alongside other curated content from streaming services The new Chromecast with Google TV comes in Snow, Sunrise and Sky colours, is priced at $49.99 (Rs. 3,675 approx.) and will be available in the United States (except Puerto Rico), Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom, starting from October 15th with pre-orders starting from today. No details about the India launch yet. A Briton who traded working in a call centre to chase the aurora borealis across the world has said the natural phenomenon offers a spiritual rush. Eight years ago Matt Robinson left his call centre role in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, where he said he was sick of life, to join Kielder Observatory in Northumberland as a science communicator. He has since worked as an astronomer for celebrities including Coldplays Chris Martin and seen the aurora hundreds of times in countries across the world. Hey Twitter! Have you ever wondered what the northern lights look like in real-time? Here you go, show the world pic.twitter.com/9mF1ASIgKi Matt Robinson (@Astromackem) September 27, 2020 Its wild when I think about it because Im just a lad from the north, but the risks have paid off up to now, said the 34-year-old, who spoke to the PA news agency from a fjord in the far north of Norway. Just before I left the observatory, my best friend died, he was 31 so for around six months I was in a daze. I decided I had to live because he no longer was and Ive never looked back. After seeing the northern lights for the first time in Whitley Bay five years ago, Mr Robinson moved to Finland to work for holiday company the Aurora Zone. From there the 34-year-old took astronomy jobs in Chile and the Maldives. Working in an open-air restaurant in the Maldives, he would point out stars to celebrity guests, including Coldplays Martin, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and WWE wrestler Randy Orton. They would dine and Id show them galaxies, planets, tell them about the constellations, Mr Robinson said. It was amazing, it didnt matter how big a star they were, they all absolutely loved it. He also met his Swedish girlfriend Jacqueline at the restaurant and they now live in Norway. The pair moved there in December to start a content-creation business, making films and advertisements, until their plans were stalled by the coronavirus outbreak. However, the pandemic restrictions have given them plenty of time to chase the aurora borealis. The amazing thing is, you never know what youre going to get it could be quite uneventful or totally unforgettable, Mr Robinson said. The feeling you get when seeing the northern lights pulsing, flowing, and dancing above your head is like a spiritual rush. As humans, we see the sky above us and also space as difficult to reach, so therefore a place of wonder. To then see these lights then flowing across like rivers of light really does make you want to worship it, Im not religious but if I were, my god would be the aurora borealis. The northern lights have now been dancing in Norway for 6 hours due to a geomagnetic storm! Now we hand over the fun to the US and Canada. Here's a short video of what we saw tonight :-)@weatherchannel @NWSSWPC @ericfisher pic.twitter.com/wamm2BzOy1 Matt Robinson (@Astromackem) September 28, 2020 The aurora is a natural display of light caused by interactions between the Earths magnetic field, molecules in the atmosphere and the solar wind. It can be seen around the poles, with the Southern Hemisphere version called aurora australis. (The solar wind) is a steady stream of particles with is thrown out by the sun constantly, Mr Robinson added. Its these particles that cause the northern lights when they connect with oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the Earths atmosphere. Thought usually visible only in the far north or south, Mr Robinson said the aurora has been on show in the past few days in north-east England due to an increase in the speed of the solar wind. (Natural News) Democrat judges in Pennsylvania whose rulings revised crucial election laws violate the Constitution, particularly its clauses on the conduct of elections, according to a Sept. 26 post by Joe Hoft of the Gateway Pundit. Magistrates on the states Supreme Court bench earlier ruled in favor of extending the deadline for mail-in ballots for up seven days after the election, banning the Green Party on the states presidential ballot, and rejecting a proposal to permit out-of-county poll watchers to observe election proceedings. However, they ruled against counting so-called naked ballots ballots that were not put inside the required envelope when sent back. Hoft commented on the rulings by the states Supreme Court Justices, branding them as partisan attempts to swing the election. He added that the judges ruling on the Green Partys removal in the states presidential ballot was done to ensure possible votes for Joe Biden will not be eroded by a third candidate. Judges are willing to overlook the Constitution to aid their party in the elections After the ruling, Republicans in the state Senate petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to stop an order by the states Supreme Court permitting mail-in ballots received three days after Election Day to still be counted if they are postmarked by Nov. 3. Republicans in the Pa. Senate argued that the state courts ruling violated a federal law ordering elections to be held on a single day, in addition to violating the Constitutions Election Clause. According to Article I, Section 4: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof. Simply put, only lawmakers and not judges can revise election rules. Hoft remarked that the judicial branch, at any level of government, has no role in deciding when, where and how congressional elections will be done, and this constitutional restriction extends to elections for any federal officeholder including the president, based on Article II, Section 1: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors Mail-in voting susceptible to vote fraud President Donald Trump won Philadelphia in 2016 by a razor-thin margin of about 44,000 votes, back when in-person voting was widely practiced. However, with the prevalence of mail-in voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic the president has repeatedly spoken out against it. (Related: Donald Trump lays out evidence of mail-in voting fraud to reporters.) He warned about instances of mail-in ballots being thrown out if they have the name Trump on them, citing reports of ballots being found in a wastepaper basket and some others bring dumped in a river. Lending credence to the presidents warning, irregularities in the mail-in voting process were found in Pa.s Luzerne County. According to a Sept. 24 report from The Epoch Times, authorities discovered a number of discarded mail-in ballots in Luzerne County. Seven of the nine recovered ballots had votes cast for Trump, while the votes for the other two were unknown as the countys election officials resealed them in the required envelopes. Reports of mail-in ballots being discarded have also surfaced in Wisconsin, another key battleground state. Three trays of discarded mail, including ballots with votes cast for Trump, were found on the morning of Sept. 22 along Wisconsin Highway 96. The recovered mail-in ballots were returned to the United States Postal Service, and an investigation on the matter was launched. The presidential election is happening in five weeks, so expect more news about mail-in ballots for Trump being discarded in different places. Sources include: TheGatewayPundit.com CBSNews.com Senate.gov 1 Senate.gov 2 TheEpochTimes.com WASHINGTON: A religious organization tied to Amy Coney Barrett, President Trumps Supreme Court nominee, sought to erase all mentions and photos of her from its website before she meets with lawmakers and faces questions at her Senate confirmation hearings. Barrett, a federal appeals judge, has declined to publicly discuss her decades-long affiliation with People of Praise, a charismatic Christian group that opposes abortion and holds that men are divinely ordained as the head of the family and faith. Former members have said the groups leaders teach that wives must submit to the will of their husbands. A spokesman for the organization has declined to say whether the judge and her husband, Jesse M. Barrett, are members. But an analysis by The Associated Press shows that People of Praise erased numerous records from its website during the summer of 2017 that referred to Barrett and included photos of her and her family. At the time, Barrett was on Trumps short list for the high court seat that eventually went to Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Last week, when Barrett again emerged as a front-runner for the court, more articles, blog posts and photos disappeared. After an AP reporter emailed the groups spokesman Wednesday about members of Jesse Barretts family, his mothers name was deleted from the primary contact for the South Bend, Indiana, branch. All issues of the organizations magazine, Vine and Branches, were also removed. Sean Connolly, People of Praises spokesman, confirmed in an email that information was being wiped from the groups website. Recent changes to our website were made in consultation with members and nonmembers from around the country who raised concerns about their and their families privacy due to heightened media attention, Connolly said. The deletions come at a time when Barretts background is under intense scrutiny by senators who will soon vote on whether to approve a lifetime appointment to the nations highest court, and by womens rights groups, religious organizations and voters who will try to determine how she might rule on crucial issues that are likely to come before the Court. The AP was able to track the deletions and access the missing information through the Internet Archive, a nonprofit group that has saved digital versions of more than 330 billion web pages since 1996. Barrett, 48, did not mention People of Praise in her 2017 or 2020 Senate judicial questionnaires, the most recent of which was released Tuesday. And a request to interview her made through the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, where she currently serves as a judge, was declined. The AP reported earlier this week that People of Praises belief system is rooted in charismatic Catholicism, a movement that grew out of the influence of Pentecostalism, which emphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus and can include baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Founded in 1971, the groups 22 branches organize and meet outside the purview of the Roman Catholic Church and include people from several Christian denominations, though the majority of its roughly 1,800 adult members remain Catholic. Former female members of the group told AP earlier this week that wives were expected to obey their husbands wishes in all matters, including providing sex on demand. One of the women also said she was forbidden from getting birth control because married women were supposed to bear as many babies as God would provide. Current People of Praise members, including Amy Barretts father, told AP that suggesting male members dominate their wives is a misunderstanding of the groups teachings and that women are free to make their own decisions. Our members are always free to follow their consciences, formed by reason and the teachings of their churches, Connolly said Monday. Decision making in the People of Praise is collegial, engaging the entire community in consultation on significant matters that affect us. Additionally, women take on a variety of crucial leadership roles within People of Praise, including serving as heads of several of our schools and directing ministries within our community. Adult members of the group take a covenant that includes a passage where members promise to follow the teachings and instructions of the groups pastors, teachers and evangelists. Its unclear whether Barrett took the covenant. But members of the organization and descriptions of its hierarchy show that members almost invariably join the covenant after three to six years of religious study or they leave, so it would be unusual for Barrett to be involved for so many years without having done so. Among the items that were scrubbed in 2017 were select back issues of Vine & Branches that included birth and adoption announcements for some of the couples seven children. Also deleted was a 2006 issue of the magazine that included a photo of a smiling Amy Barrett attending the groups Leaders Conference for Women. A 2008 feature article described how three of Amy Barretts young daughters in Indiana were using then-newly developed video conferencing technology to keep in touch with their grandparents in Louisiana. Web pages and articles that mentioned Amy Barretts father, Michael Coney Sr., who has served as the principal leader of People of Praises New Orleans branch and was on the groups national board as recently as 2017, also disappeared. And a 2006 magazine story about Barretts parents that referred to Linda Coney as a handmaid, a female leader assigned to help guide other women, was also deleted. The article noted that five of the Coneys seven children were People of Praise members, though it did not say which ones. A 2012 tribute written by Jesse Barrett about his recently deceased grandfather, Eugene Geissler, also disappeared. The story recounted how Jesse Barretts grandparents joined the religious community in 1976 and raised 16 children in the group. At his wake, according to the tribute, a longtime member recounted how the couple was once audited by the Internal Revenue Service because the large number of dependents claimed on their return was considered suspicious. In response, Barrett wrote, his grandfather loaded all his children into a station wagon and drove them to the IRS examiners office. Jesse Barrett, a former federal prosecutor who now works in private practice, did not respond to voicemail or email sent through his South Bend law firm. In her speech accepting Trumps nomination at the White House on Saturday, Amy Barrett put particular emphasis on the partnership of her own marriage, saying she expected from the start the she and her husband would run their household together. As it has turned out, Jesse does far more than his share of the work, she said. To my chagrin, I learned at dinner recently that my children consider him to be the better cook. ___ Associated Press Writer Michelle R. Smith in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP Investigative Reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck. ___ Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor MIAMI, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This trade activity organized by ProColombia, the government entity that promote exports, investment and tourism, will take place from November 3 to 13, 2020. Participants will include 1,000 Colombian exporting companies and more than 450 international companies from 35 countries in the region, along with three guest countries: The United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel. Registration to participate in the business meetings is still open for a few days. "This promotional activity is one of the most important of its type in the region and it aims to accelerate commercial exchanges between Colombia and the rest of the continent with a view to stabilize intraregional trade relationships. Additionally, this is part of Colombia's reactivation plan under the umbrella of the presidential Compromiso por Colombia plan, given that of the 57 countries prioritized therein, 27 are part of the Americas. We also chose the Americas because of the region's logistics advantages and Colombia's 12 regional trade agreements, which give us access to one billion potential consumers," says Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia. "Virtual tools have been an essential for businesses and internationalization to continue moving forward. Since March, when we held Virtual Macro Business Matchmaking Forum 80, to the current date, we have grown more capable and will be able to successfully hold the Virtual Macro Business Matchmaking Forum of the Americas next November," she adds. Participation is expected from agrifood purchasing companies in sectors such as fresh fruit and vegetables, coffee derivatives, beverages, aquiculture and fishing, sugar, cacao and cacao derivatives, dairy and dairy derivatives, oils and fats, and livestock. Industry 4.0 companies are also expected with software and IT products, cybersecurity, BPO, digital advertising and marketing, animation (VR and AR), audiovisual production, and videogames. Fashion will be represented with companies from sectors such as textiles and materials, apparel, leather manufacturers, shoes, and fashion jewelry. The manufacturing sector will be present with household items, instruments and equipment, car parts, handicrafts and POP material. Chemicals and life sciences will have cosmetics, plastic and rubber, pharmaceutical, hospitality supplies, and chemical companies. It is worth highlighting that, in 2019, Colombian exports of 4,605 non-mining and non-energy products to the Americas had a total value of US$11.413 billion. This year, 6,432 Colombian companies, each with exports of more than US$10,000, have exported to this market. The sector with the greatest share of exports to the Americas was that of manufacturing and other industries, accounting for 50 percent of all exported products. Additionally, the departments with the greatest number of exports to the Americas in 2019 were Antioquia, Bogota, Valle del Cauca, Cundinamarca, and Bolivar. The countries that made the most purchases were the United States, Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico. Interested companies can sign up via the following link: https://www.macrorruedasprocolombia.co/macrorruedainternacional2020/ SOURCE ProColombia NOTE: The toll arrangements have been revised since this article was published. Residents of three inner-city suburbs will be given a toll rebate for the Go Between Bridge equivalent to about 30 trips when construction begins on Brisbane Metro. Tolls will be removed on Brisbanes Go Between Bridge for the residents of South Brisbane when work begins to make the Victoria Bridge car-free in mid-2021. The announcement came as the state government finally reached agreement with Brisbane City Council over the $1.2 billion Brisbane Metro busway project. Brisbane Metro's electric mega-buses will use fast-charging technology from ABB. Credit: The council and toll company Transurban will share the toll expense while construction of the Brisbane Metro Cultural Centre bus station is under way at South Brisbane and the changes to the Victoria Bridge begin. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Around 315 Kashmiri students studying in various colleges and universities in Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad and around 100 Pakistani nationals crossed over to Pakistan from the Attari-Wagah border on Wednesday after being stranded in India for the last six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nasir Khuehmi, founder president of J&K Students Association said, "On the request of the Pakistani government, the Indian government allowed 315 Kashmiri students to cross over to the Pakistani side via Attari-Wagah border today so that they can resume their studies in various educational institutions in the neighbouring country. Most of these students are doing MBBS in various medical colleges and universities in Pakistan. During the last one month, this is the second group of Kashmiri students who left for Lahore from the Attari-Wagah border. Earlier, a batch of around 350 students had returned to Pakistan on September 10." "There are around 1,000 students from Kashmir studying in medical and engineering colleges in Pakistan," he said. An official at the border said that of the 100 Pakistani nationals who went back, 55 had come from Gujarat, besides Delhi, Chhattisgarh and other places. They had to bring their COVID-19 negative report but were screened by a team of doctors deputed by the Punjab government at the integrated check post at Attari before they crossed over. Farooq who hailed from Srinagar said that he had been stuck at home for the last few months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and had for some time been attending online classes. Now, as his medical college has started classes he is going back and will join the college tomorrow. A woman from the neighbouring country said she had come to India for a medical procedure and was living with her sister-in-law but due to the lockdown she had been stuck for the past six months and now is delighted to go back and join her family. "We had come to India for an operation and had been here for the last sixteen months and now today we are finally going back home," said a couple from the neighbouring country. The Book of Two Ways By Jodi Picoult Ballantine. 417 pp. $28.99 Reviewed by Karin Tanabe In the mood to contemplate your own mortality? Then Jodi Picoult has the book for you. The best-selling authors latest offering, The Book of Two Ways, follows Dawn Edelstein, a former Yale Egyptology student turned death doula. In Dawns orbit theres a whole lot of death, starting with Win, the dying woman shes caring for, the memories of those Dawn lost, and the very, very deceased (as in mummified in Middle Egypt 4,000 years ago). In short, if you are looking for comic relief, you are out of luck. But readers dont pick up Picoult for the LOLs. Instead, they come for the heart-wrenching moral choices, the complicated family dynamics, the deep dive into ethical issues, and, lately, the nonlinear plots. Picoults last book, A Spark of Light, told the story backward; The Book of Two Ways presents two possible timelines and settings: Land/Egypt and Water/Boston. This is an homage to an ancient Egyptian coffin text also called The Book of Two Ways, which contains one of the first known maps of the underworld. While the ancient Egyptians believed that one could get to the afterlife either by land or water, Picoults book is not choose your own adventure. Instead, timelines occur simultaneously (think Sliding Doors but without Gwyneth Paltrows iconic hairdo). When we're introduced to Dawn, she boards a plane that soon begins to "fall out of the sky." As it goes vertical, she contemplates that "Ancient Egyptians believed that to get to the afterlife, they had to be deemed innocent in the Judgement Hall. Their hearts were weighed against the feather of Ma'at, of truth." She's not sure her heart will pass the test. Her guilt stems from her thinking not of her steady quantum mechanics professor husband, Brian, but of Wyatt Armstrong, a British Egyptologist whom she hasn't seen in 15 years. In what could be her final moment, she's grasping for another man, for the Egypt she left behind and the dissertation she never finished. That's when the path breaks into two. Option one: Dawn is a brilliant graduate student at Yale, an expert in The Book of Two Ways. All is going as planned, including taking part in a dig in Egypt with Wyatt, when news that her mother is dying puts everything on hold. Turns out, that hold is going to be a long one. Stateside, Dawn meets Brian and soon after, Dawn and Brian meet marriage and a baby. Dawn pivots from the long dead to the dying, becoming a death doula, a job shes devoted to, especially with new patient Win who is trying to answer what-might-have-beens before she passes. Wins journey inspires Dawn to question her own lost loves: Wyatt and Egypt. Option two: When the airline offers up their mea culpa to survivors of the crash in the form of a plane ticket, Dawn asks not for a one-way home, but a ticket to Cairo, knowing Wyatt is in Egypt, still digging, now making a name for himself, and perhaps still thinking about her. It sounds simple enough, but it's not. Picoult weaves us around, at times not clarifying which story line we're in. Some readers may find the ambiguity frustrating, others may enjoy trying to figure out Dawn's path. While there's ambiguity in the story, there's none regarding Picoult's passion for Egyptology. After 26 novels she is a master researcher, but she's also usually a master of weaving in information without letting it slow the pacing. Not this time. She knows her stuff, but she's showing readers her 200 best vacation pictures instead of 20. As a result, the history can feel heavier than a sarcophagus. That heaviness aside, The Book of Two Ways is a return for Picoult to the themes of her earliest books motherhood, complicated romantic love when she did not build tension in a courtroom or hospital. Picoult, at this point in her career could skillfully build tension in a broom closet, but the best part of this book is not the suspense; its the look at the complexity of a woman as she enters middle age. When Win muses that, women dont get to have midlife crises where they run off to find themselves, Dawn instinctively knows shes right. Men leave their wives and children behind every day, and no one is shocked, she thinks. Its as if that Y chromosome they hold entitles them to self-discovery, to reinvention. But Picoult allows her protagonist to have both, and that backward reflection and forward glance lift the narrative, reminding fans that Picoult always tells both sides of a story not with judgment, but with grace. Tanabe is the author of five books, including, most recently, A Hundred Suns. She wrote this for the Washington Post. New York, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation today announced the winners of the 2020 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health: Myrna Weissman, Ph.D, for her transformative work in the mental health care of disadvantaged persons suffering from depression, and Sir Michael Rutter, CBE, for advancing our understanding of and treatments for mental health problems in children. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., received an Honorary Pardes Prize for promoting the biological basis of mental illness. The 2020 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health, which carries an honorarium of $150,000, is awarded annually to recognize individuals whose contributions have made a profound and lasting impact in advancing the understanding of mental health and improving the lives of people with mental illness. It focuses public attention on the burden mental illness places on individuals and society, and the urgent need to expand mental health services globally. In making the announcement, Herbert Pardes, M.D., for whom the prize is named, said, Recipients of this years Pardes Prize have used their scientific knowledge, understanding of human behavior and compassion to improve the lives of millions of people with mental illness, including children and people living in poverty. Dr. Pardes, President of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundations Scientific Council and Executive Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, added, Through their work, we broaden the scope of mental illness treatment around the world and the use of knowledge for the betterment of our diverse global family. Dr. Weissman, Professor Rutter, and Dr. Torrey exemplify what it means to be world-class behavioral scientists and humanitarians, said Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. We honor all three for their outstanding commitment in the pursuit to alleviate the pain and suffering of mental illness. 2020 Pardes Prize Recipient Myrna Weissman, Ph.D. Dr. Weissman received a Ph.D. in epidemiology from Yale University School of Medicine in 1974. She is currently a Professor of Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and Chief of the Division of Epidemiology at New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Weissmans research career, mostly as an epidemiologist, has focused on studying depression in families, seeking ways to break the cycle of transmission across generations and to develop better understanding of the mechanisms underlying transmission. Her current research is on understanding the long-term risks of mood and anxiety disorders in individuals and transmitted to families using methods of epidemiology, genetics, and neuroimaging. Inspired by her research, Dr. Weissmans humanitarian effort globally and in the U.S., has been transformative in the mental health care of disadvantaged persons suffering from depression. She developed Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) with Gerald Klerman, M.D., and, since his death in 1992, she simplified and implemented it for health workers around the world. IPT addresses depression associated with disruption of attachments due to grief, disputes, transitions or loneliness. These problems are universal and common in persons suffering natural disasters, war and forced dislocation. She also adapted IPT for African and Muslim countries and donated the copyright to the World Health Organization. She participated in the first clinical trial of psychotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa, and modified IPT for the study (JAMA, 2003). She actively contributes to Strong Minds, a humanitarian effort, providing IPT to over 70,000 depressed, impoverished women in Uganda and Zambia. This effort has won a number of major international awards. She also participates in an NIH funded implementation project, PRIDE-SSA, which will improve mental health services in Mozambique. 2020 Pardes Prize Recipient Professor Sir Michael Rutter, CBE Professor Sir Michael Rutter was trained in general medicine, neurology and pediatrics before specializing in psychiatry. He was appointed the first consultant of child psychiatry in the UK and has been head of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, London, and Honorary Director of the Medical Research Council Child Psychiatry Unit. His studies of autism, depression, antisocial behavior, reading difficulties, deprived children, overactive children, school effectiveness, and children whose psychiatric problems have a clear organic component has resulted in many publications. One of the most influential was Maternal Depression Reassessed, in which he argued that it was the norm for children to form multiple attachments rather than a selective attachment to just one person. Professor Rutter is recognized as contributing to the establishment of child psychiatry as a medical and biopsychosocial specialty with a strong scientific base. In 1994, he established the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry. The goal of the center is to bridge the gap between nature (genetics) and nuture (environment) as they interact in the development of complex human behavior, such as depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children. Professor Rutter was knighted in 1992 and is an honorary member of the British Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a founding Fellow of the Academia Europea and the Academy of Medical Sciences. The Michael Rutter Centre for Children and Adolescents at the Maudsley Hospital, London, was named for him. 2020 Honorary Pardes Humanitarian Prize Recipient, E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. Dr. Torrey has made extraordinary contributions to people with mental illness, both in his research, which has had a profound impact on advancing the understanding of mental illness, and also by his advocacy for the rights of people with mental illness. He is currently Associate Director, The Stanley Medical Research Institute, investigating the causes and treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, including ongoing collaborative research on infectious agents as a cause of these diseases. In the 1970s Dr. Torrey introduced what was then a radically new and revolutionary approach, an infective/inflammatory etiology and pathophysiology of mental illness. Over the years, this hypothesis has led to the testing of many new treatments of mental illness. Dr. Torreys early work on inflammation and infection in mental illness has been transformative, as hundreds of researchers and hundreds of millions of grant dollars are now devoted to research in this field. Anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs are being studied as potential treatments. His other major contribution is in education and advocacy. For 40 years he has been responsible for hundreds of public lectures, radio and TV shows, National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and Treatment Advocacy Center reports, editorials, op-eds, and letters to the editor. He has written five books, all intended to educate the public about the biological basis of serious mental illness. About the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation awards research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on suicide prevention. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $418 million to fund more than 5,000 leading scientists around the world, which has led to over $4 billion in additional funding. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in research grants. BBRF operating expenses are covered by separate foundation grants. BBRF is the producer of the Emmy nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, which aims to remove the stigma of mental illness and demonstrate that with help, there is hope. SARS-CoV-2 Assay for BD Veritor Plus System to be available in Europe by end of October FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced its rapid, point-of-care, SARS-CoV-2 antigen test for use on the BD Veritor Plus System has been CE marked to the IVD Directive (98/79/EC). The new test delivers results in 15 minutes on an easy-to-use, portable instrument, which is a critical improvement in turnaround time for COVID-19 diagnostics, because it provides real-time results and enables decision-making while the patient is still onsite. The company expects commercial availability of this new assay at the end of October for countries in Europe that recognize the CE mark. "Availability of the SARS-CoV-2 assay on the BD Veritor Plus System in Europe builds on our molecular test on the BD MAX System that has been available since March," said Roland Goette, president of BD EMEA Region. "The addition of a truly portable, point-of-care test that can deliver results while the patient waits will be welcomed by health care providers and patients alike to help protect against additional waves of COVID-19." The test, which has been available in the United States since July through an Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), uses the BD Veritor Plus System, which is already in use across Europe to test for conditions such as Group A Strep, influenza A+B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The BD Veritor Plus System, which is slightly larger than a mobile phone, offers an easy-to-use workflow that makes it an ideal solution for point-of-care settings. It also offers customers traceability and reporting capabilities through the optional BD Synapsys informatics solution. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently released guidance that all patients with acute respiratory symptoms should be tested for both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A+B in parallel during flu season1. The BD Veritor Plus System can test for both infections on the same platform. BD is leveraging its global manufacturing network and scale to produce 8 million SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests per month by October and expects to produce 12 million tests per month by March 2021. For Product Enquiries and How to Order: All BD SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic products have regulatory authorizations in the markets where they are sold. European customers interested in BD diagnostic solutions for SARS-CoV-2 should visit bd.com/VeritorSystem-EU or contact BD's local customer service. About the BD Veritor System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Assay The BD Veritor Plus System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Assay has been CE marked to the IVD Directive (98/79/EC), but has not been cleared or approved by FDA. The test has been authorized by FDA under an EUA for use by authorized laboratories. The test has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens; and, the test is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. The BD Veritor Plus System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Assay is not authorized for use by consumers or for at-home use. About BD BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 65,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians' care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers' capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com. 1https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/surveillance/testing-strategies President Donald Trump and Joe Biden appeared onstage together for the first time Tuesday. It was not exactly a debate. Shouting, interruptions and often incoherent cross talk filled the air as Trump purposefully and repeatedly heckled and blurted over his rival and the moderator alike in a 90-minute melee that showcased the presidents sense of urgency to upend a race in which polls show him trailing. Biden laboured to get his points in over Trumps stream of interjections, turning directly to the camera for refuge from a scrum that hardly represented a contest of ideas. But Biden did not stumble, contradicting months of questions from the Trump campaign about his mental fitness, and Trump seemed to do little to bring over voters who were not already part of his base. The impact on the race of the messy affair given that 90 per cent of voters say they are already decided is an open question. Here are six takeaways from the first debate. Trump trampled over everything. From the opening bell, Trump came out as an aggressor, speaking over Biden in what seemed to be almost din-by-design: Pull the former vice president, who has run as a statesman promising to restore the soul of America, into a mudslinging contest. He bulldozed Biden and the moderator, Chris Wallace, throughout the evening. But his goal, other than making for a convoluted contest, was less clear. Trump seemed principally focused on undercutting and disorienting Biden, rather than on presenting an agenda or a vision for a second term in the White House. Ive seen better-organized food fights at summer camp, said Michael Steel, a Republican strategist. But Trump needed a clear W, and he didnt get it. Bidens own performance was mostly adequate. He swallowed some of his own lines, and Trump talked over others. Before the debate, Wallace had said that, if successful, his job was to be as invisible as possible. He sometimes managed to recede, though at other times he was caught up in the shout-fest. Rarely did he exert control over the chaos. If you want to switch seats? he offered gamely at one point to Trump. The performance kept the focus squarely on Trump often where he seems to like it but also where the Biden campaign wants all the attention in a 2020 election the Democrat has cast as a referendum on the current president. Biden, at his strongest, pivoted to the camera and away from Trump. Bidens visceral dislike of Trump practically burst through the screen. He told Trump to shut up. He called him a clown and a liar. He tagged him as a racist. Youre the worst president America has ever had, he said at one point. Keep yapping, man, he said at another. But for the most part, Biden succeeded in avoiding the chum that Trump was tossing into the debate water. Instead, he kept turning physically to face the cameras and address the American people instead of his chattering rival. This is not about my family or his family, Biden at one point, after Trump tried to bait him with an attack on his son Hunter. Its about your family. The American people. He doesnt want to talk about what you need. The former vice president was strongest and most comfortable on the issues that he has focused on overwhelmingly in the past six months: the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. How well are you doing? Biden asked the television audience about the economy, casting Trump as the candidate of the well-to-do, seizing on the recent report from The New York Times that Trump had paid only $750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and 2017. Turning to the cameras gave Biden refuge from the constant stream of words coming from across the stage, and it helped him land some of his more effective and empathetic lines an area that his advisers see as crucial to his appeal. When Trump bragged about his large rallies that are being held against the guidance of many public health officials, Biden said, Hes not worried about you. Trump still wants to wear the outsider mantle. Trump is the president. He held his convention speech on the White House grounds. But he found some of his greatest success four years ago when running against Hillary Clinton as a failed Washington insider. And he is not ready to give up that angle in 2020. In the 2016 debates, Trump hammered Clinton over her failure to fundamentally change the country. Shes been doing this for 30 years, he said then. He reprised the same line almost verbatim against Biden. Why didnt you do it over the last 25 years? Trump challenged him about overhauling the tax code. In 47 months, Trump said in one of his better, if clearly well-prepared, lines, Ive done more than youve done in 47 years, Joe. Like it was for Clinton, it was at times a hard attack for Biden to answer. But unlike her, he had Trumps record to slash at. Hes going to be the first president of the United States, Biden countered at one point, to leave office having fewer jobs in his administration when he became president. Trump would not condemn white supremacy or urge his supporters to stay calm. One of the chief reasons Biden has said he is running for president as a 77-year-old is because of the white nationalists who gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and Trumps unwillingness to condemn them. The president declined to condemn white supremacists again Tuesday, despite being asked directly by Wallace if he would do so. Im willing to do that, Trump began, before instead saying that almost everything I see is from the left wing. Not from the right. Eventually, after Biden suggested he condemn the Proud Boys, a far-right organization widely condemned as a hate group, Trump declared, Proud Boys: Stand back and stand by. It was a moment likely to outlast the night. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said: The problem is not that Trump refused to condemn white supremacy. Its much worse. Its that he acknowledged he was their leader by telling them to Stand by. Later, Trump also refused to say he would abide by the results of the election and declined to tell his supporters to stay calm and avoid civil unrest. If I see tens of thousands of ballots, I cant go along with that, Trump said, urging his supporters go to polls and watch very carefully. Biden said he would abide by the results and urged calm. Trump did little to address the gender gap. Biden has staked himself to a steady lead in the race largely because of a historic gender gap: Women are supporting him far more than Trump, and by a far greater margin than Trumps advantage among men. While Trump tried at times to explicitly tailor his points to suburban women, who have been at the centre of his demographic erosion, his bullying performance seemed unlikely to win them back. Trump has long seen politics in terms of strength and weakness, winning and losing, but his interruptions and self-aggrandizing seemed ill-suited to expanding his political coalition. Unless his strategy was to alienate more women to see if that helps him pick up more men, no, said Sarah Isgur, who was a spokesperson for Jeff Sessions when he was serving as attorney general in the Trump administration and who is now a writer for The Dispatch, a conservative news site. Or as Anne Caprara, a Democratic strategist and chief of staff to Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, put it, I dont know any woman watching that who isnt going to be disgusted by everything Trump did. Trumps struggles in the suburbs are, in part, a result of his diminishing support among college-educated voters. His mocking of Bidens decision to regularly wear a mask which health officials have recommended underscored his rejection of science when it suits his political purposes. I dont wear a mask like him, Trump said. Every time you see him, hes got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from it, and he shows up with the biggest mask Ive seen Biden rebuffed the leftist label. Beyond his attacks on Bidens mental fitness which redounded to Bidens benefit by driving down expectations for his performance one of Trumps most consistent lines of attack has been that Biden is actually a leftist or even a socialist masquerading as a centrist. Trump, whose narrow 2016 victory was aided by disaffected liberal supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders who either stayed home or voted for a third party, has worked hard to foment ideological divisions among Democrats. Biden repeatedly took the opportunities Tuesday to distance himself from his partys left wing without denouncing them. And he left little doubt who was in charge. The party is me, right now, Biden said. I am the Democratic Party. He said his eventual stance on adding seats to the Supreme Court on which he has avoided taking a position would become the party line, and he rejected the Green New Deal without looking down on expansive environmentalism. I support the Biden plan, he said. Bidens delivery was not always forceful. He did occasionally lose his cool and succumb to Trumps barrage of taunts. But he mostly emerged unscathed, and for most Democrats, anything but a loss was welcomed as a clear win. Read more about: On the day bypolls to 28 assembly seats in were announced, the state cabinet approved granting of constitutional status to the State Backward Class Commission, as earlier promised by Chief Minister Home Minister and cabinet spokesman Narottam Mishra gave the information to reporters on Tuesday after the state cabinet meeting. The Election Commission on Tuesday announced that by- elections to 28 seats in MP, most of which fell vacant when rebel Congress members resigned from the party and the assembly to join the BJP, will be held on November 3. "The constitutional status that the Centre had granted to the Backward Class Commission at the central level, has now been accorded to the state-level body," Mishra said. "The previous Congress government had given a lollipop of 27 per cent reservation to the backward classes. But the BJP government has granted constitutional status to the commission on the lines of the Centre, which was earlier announced by Chouhan," the minister added. The commission will have a chairman, a vice-chairman and three members, he said. "They are empowered to summon officials," Mishra said. State Congress media cell chairman and former minister Jitu Patwari, however, alleged that the BJP government was trying to fool the people through this move. "If they were serious about it, they should have granted the constitutional status earlier. What message are they trying to give by according this status just when the EC was announcing the bypoll schedule? It is like giving a lollipop to the people from backward classes," he added. Meanwhile, the cabinet also gave its approval to give Rs 4,000 annually per farmer in the state as welfare fund, which will be in addition to the Rs 6,000 given by the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Mishra said. "It will ensure that every farmer in the state with small land-holding will get Rs 10,000 per year," he said. According to him, there are 80 lakh farmers in the state. "Under central farmers' scheme, gets nearly Rs 5,000 crore every year and the state government will contribute additional Rs 3,000 crore. This way, the farmers will get total Rs 8,000 crore into their accounts annually. And in five years, this amount will be Rs 40,000 crore," Mishra said. The state government has already given Rs 8,000 crore under the crop insurance scheme, he said while alleging that the earlier government only duped them. "Not a single farmer's loan of up to Rs two lakh was waived as promised (by the Congress government). Whenever they were asked, they used to say that the coffers are empty. But now you can see how farmers are getting money into their bank accounts," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) PITTSBURGH: A flash that lit up the skies over parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio in the wee hours of Wednesday was probably a random meteor, an expert said. Many social media users around the Pittsburgh area reported seeing a streaking fireball shortly after 4 a.m. It remained in the skies for a short time before disappearing from view. A security camera at a property owned by Mark and Rosemary Sasala in New Lyme, Ohio, northwest of Pittsburgh, captured a brief, bright flash partially obscured by clouds around 4:20 a.m. The American Meteor Society, a nonprofit group, said it received more than 200 reports of a bright fireball over eastern Ohio. Robert Lunsford, a society official, said the fireball was most likely a random meteor not associated with any known meteor shower. It takes an object only the size of a softball to create a flash as bright as the full moon, Lunsford said. This object was probably a bit larger, Lunsford said, but more analysis would be needed to determine its size. The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh said it was aware of the reports but had no information. Officials at the University of Pittsburghs Allegheny Observatory did not immediately comment. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor The apology is to the thousands whose lives were ruined by the movement to demolish Ayodhyas Babri Masjid and build a Ram Mandir at the very spot where it stood You see a massive crime unfolding before you. You follow its every evil turn and twist, aghast at the depths to which the perpetrators can go, shocked at the way they destroy others lives. Then, the judge acquits them all, blaming unknown persons for bringing the perpetrators plans to fruition. What then of the things you saw, the consequences of which are being played out till today? Thats the reason I cannot bring myself to read CBI judge SK Yadavs judgment acquitting all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case. As a journalist, read it I must, but first, I must apologise for it. The apology is to the thousands whose lives were ruined by the movement to demolish Ayodhyas Babri Masjid and build a Ram Mandir at the very spot where it stood. Mandir wahin banayengey, the slogan of the Ayodhya movement launched by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and then led by BJP leader LK Advani, left no one in doubt about its intention. The decade from 1982 to 1992 saw Hindu-Muslim riots erupt in places hitherto untouched to any serious extent by communal violence. The VHPs yatras during that decade, aimed at arousing Hindus to support their cause, and then Advanis rath yatra, unleashed such venom that small towns even in Karnataka and Kerala erupted. The countrys most cosmopolitan city, its commercial capital, had slogans saying "Is desh mein rehna hoga to Vande Matram kehna hoga" and "garv se kaho hum Hindu hain" on its walls. When the BJPs Jaywantiben Mehta won her Lok Sabha seat in the 1989 general elections, temple bells rang out, and slogans of "Hindustan Hinduon ka, nahin kisike baap ka were raised. The Ayodhya movement changed the image of Hinduism, transforming the persona of Ram from Maryada Purshottam to a vengeful warrior god. It was then that the gentle greeting 'Jai Siya Ram became the war cry 'Jai Sri Ram' that it remains to date. "Bacha bacha Ram ka, ya chaachi ke kaam ka was the triumphant slogan raised in Indore outside Muslim homes after the 1989 riots there, which erupted after a VHP ram shila pujan procession was stopped, and claimed 27 lives. "Give us your sons, or we shall make you have ours, theyll all be Ram bhakts," was what the Indore police told the Muslim women when they came on their nightly raids. Listening to these women, I remember feeling ashamed at what the VHP-BJP-Bajrang Dal had done to Hinduism. Todays judgment seems to send a message that the movement that spawned this debasement of an ancient religion known for its inclusiveness (though not towards its own "low" castes) was alright. Advani, Ashok Singhal, 'Sadhvi' Rithambara whom I heard at a well-attended rally exhorting Hindus to destroy all illegal mosques and seize the land on which they stood, all these rabble-rousers stand validated today, for they did no wrong. So also the RSS men who initiated Mumbais youngsters into the Bajrang Dal with trishuls, telling them to use them "freely against anti-nationals". Werent they encouraging violence, I asked after the initiation, invariably held inside a temple. "Its time Hindus became extremist," they would reply angrily. Now they have a judgment backing what they did. And what of Mumbais victims? There were two options for the victims of the riots that flared up in this city hours after the Babri Masjid was demolished. A few took the easy option: they helped Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon execute bomb blasts two months after the riots. The rest waited patiently. First they testified in front of a judge in a courtroom full of policemen who had refused to help them when they were being attacked. Then they waited for action to be taken against those indicted by the judge. At every stage, they approached the courts, from the Supreme Court to the magistrates courts. Mostly, the courts heard them out, even gave them hope that one day justice would be theirs. For years they waited for that day, knowing that the delay was not because of the courts but because successive Maharashtra governments were hell bent on protecting the accused. Now, they dont know. Was their wait worth it, they ask. Theres no reply to that. There was a third option too: SIMI. The late Fazal Shad, founder of the Bombay Aman Committee, spent nights in the JJ Hospital morgue during the riots, helping desperate families who came looking for their missing menfolk. He was witness to the worst form of trauma resulting from the riots. Yet, when the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) put up its notorious poster of the Babri Masjid domes shedding tears and the words "waiting for another Mehmood Ghaznavi" on it, it was Shad who was the first to denounce it. Todays judgment would bring a bitter satisfaction to those who designed this poster. To Fazal Shad, to the Indore women, to Mumbai riot victim Farooq Mapkar, whos gone to every court possible to get the policeman who shot him as he bent down for namaaz punished; to victims, Hindus included, whose childhood was destroyed when their fathers were killed by policemen or mobs roused to a frenzy by leaders like Advani and Uma Bharti, after todays judgment I can only say "Sorry. This isnt justice." The only way to make amends is to send out the message that no matter what governments and courts do, they are not speaking for the majority of Hindus. At the height of the Ayodhya campaign, a Hindu father had complained to his daughters school principal about a teacher who had distributed VHP badges of the Ram Mandir in class. For that, he was roughed up by VHP supporters who barged into his flat and demanded that he withdraw his complaint. He refused. We need to be like that Hindu. Gettyimagesbank For safety reasons, some important information about the author, including her name, was altered. ED. By Su-jin Escaped from North Korea in 2006, arrived in South Korea in 2007 (repatriated from China in 2002 and 2004). I attempted my first escape from North Korea after I began to learn about the outside world when I was in high school. I had some friends in North Korea who would share movies from South Korea and America. My mind was moved by what I had seen. I couldn't wait to get out of North Korea. I dreamed of escaping, but I was also terrified. It seemed it would be easier to fly to the moon. The first time I tried to escape, I was captured quickly. The second time, I was in China for a few weeks, but I was captured again when someone informed the Chinese police about me. Looking back, I am not surprised that I was captured so easily both times. I was young, naive and just ready to escape, hoping for a miracle. By the third attempt, I was much more mature and carefully planned things; I was paranoid rather than hopeful. My early years in South Korea were fantastic, but then I got married and my life changed for the worst. He had been so nice before we got married everyone thought he was so fantastic. But after I became his wife, he seemed to think I was his property. Publicly, he would talk about me being the queen of our home, pretending that he was running home to be with me. But at home, he would bully and dominate me. Finally, he beat me up so badly that I couldn't leave the house for weeks. His beatings didn't break me. He had done everything he could to isolate me and that harsh beating was probably meant to show me what he could really do to me if I continued to disobey him. However, I didn't give up. I wanted to be a good wife, but I hadn't escaped from North Korea to live as an abused wife. When I told him that I wanted to learn English, he tried to block me. He was clearly frustrated that I was so determined. I started studying on my own; then I found TNKR (Teach North Korean Refugees). He can't speak English so I guess that is a reason he saw my desire to learn English as a challenge to his authority. He finally agreed I could study one-on-one, but only with female tutors and I had to return home after studying. He refused to let me study at a traditional university, so I found a cyber university. He finally relented, as long as I didn't study on the university campus or interact directly with other students. He was so determined not to let me associate and mingle with others. I suspect that he even put a tracking device on my phone because he would know the places I had been. In North Korea, my life had changed because of foreign movies. In South Korea, everything changed because of studying at TNKR and a cyber university. My self-esteem had been broken, but English and learning as a student gave me something new, gave me confidence in myself, and reminded me that I shouldn't throw away my life as an abused wife. Finally, I could take on the challenge to leave him even though I knew my life would be difficult as a divorced woman in South Korean society. My tutors had no idea about my situation, but their messages asking me if I wanted to study always delighted me. And of course, the TNKR leaders who knew about my situation would check on me, giving me more confidence that I could succeed and letting me know that I was not alone. The divorce was difficult. I had to go into hiding for a while, moving from place to place. At last, I am free. I am going through a healing time now. Coronavirus has made everything more difficult, but thankfully I escaped from my terrible situations in both North Korea and South Korea so I can live even through this difficult time, but as a free woman. I am now re-establishing my identity and gaining confidence in myself as a human being. I am free because of movies and English. Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center, was the 2017 winner of the "Social Contribution" Prize from the Hansarang Rural Cultural Foundation and the 2019 winner of the "Challenge Maker" Award from Challenge Korea. TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee translated the refugee's remarks from Korean to English. (Newser) Eric, Jade, Elsie, Tyson, and Billy are getting separated. The five African gray parrots were recently donated during the same week, by different owners, to the UK's Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, but something strange happened after they were quarantined in the same room, then put on display together: They started cursing at park staff and visitors, per Lincolnshire Live. "It just went ballistic, they were all swearing," Steve Nichols, the head of the park, tells CNN. "I get called a fat t--t every time I walk past." The park is also home to Chico, a parrot who gained world fame after a video of it singing Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" went viral, and Nichols says those who used to come to see Chico are now enthralled with the cursing parrots, yelling obscenities into the bird enclosures to try to elicit a response. story continues below "It's turned into an adult theme park at the moment but ... for language," he tells Lincolnshire Live. Plus, parrots get off on the reaction of observers, so if humans watching them start to laugh, make a face, or hurl their own expletives, the birds simply ramp up their cussing, Nichols says, adding that the birds' most common swear term is "f--- off." Despite the amusement the parrots have provided to adult spectators, it was decided to take the birds out of the main display area so that kids wouldn't be exposed to the blue squawking. They've also been split up, with park staff crossing their fingers that the parrots will pick up more appropriate language from their new non-swearing bird mates. "I'm hoping they learn different words within colonies, but if they teach the others bad language and I end up with 250 swearing birds, I don't know what we'll do," Nichols tells the BBC. (Read more parrots stories.) Aontu Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Toibin has called NPHET the most powerful entity in the country and has called on increased accountability and transparency surrounding the bodys actions and decisions. Addressing the Taoiseach in the Dail yesterday, an Teachta Toibin stated NPHET is the most powerful group in the country. Its decisions have a massive effect on millions of people. Yet TDs cannot ask them questions, cannot challenge them or tease decisions out. I know of TDs who have had to ask journalists to ask Nphet questions. This is intolerable in a democratic state. I understand that they are busy and doing the best they can, but they have been called before the Covid Committee for two weeks and have declined. "Nphet have been charged with fighting Covid. However the elected TDs have a far broader terms of reference. We are responsible for every aspect of Irish society many of which are being massively hammered. The non Covid aspects of the Health service have also experienced significant capacity cuts, especially in Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke and Mental Health. "At the present time there is little accountability. Ireland has not faired well through the decades when there is no accountability of any organisation. The democratic system has been worryingly weakened by this government: the Dail was routinely bypassed throughout the first lockdown and scrutiny prevented, broad powers afforded to Gardai and government ministers, the speaking rights of the Opposition TDs severely diluted, unelected Ministers allowed to continue in office for 150 days after the General Election and the Dail as a legislative body neutered. Also read: One death and 363 new cases confirmed Many people outside Derry say - and others may frequently feel like saying - that the city does go on a bit about its grievances. This week is no exception, with another eruption of rage over Bloody Sunday. This time the proximate cause was the announcement yesterday by Marianne O'Kane of the Public Prosecution Service that the decision last March to charge a single soldier with the 1972 killings would stand. None of the 15 other paratroopers present in the Bogside over the minutes of the massacre would face legal proceedings. 'Soldier F' alone, charged with the murder of James Wray and William McKinney and the attempted murder of five others, is to stand trial. The prospect is of one rank-and-file soldier taking the rap for the shooting spree that left Rossville Street littered with bodies. Family members and other campaigners gathered at the Bloody Sunday monument on that street yesterday after word of the latest foretold development came through. "How can they think that that will do us?" asked Kate Nash, whose 19-year-old brother William was killed and her father Paddy wounded when he went out on to the street to comfort his dying son. "They are still asking us to call it quits," she said. "That's not going to happen. They have a nerve." Appeals to "move on" in the interest of reconciliation cut no ice with Ms Nash: "Who do they want me to reconcile with?" Bloody Sunday was different. Not in the scale of the killing - greater numbers died in other Troubles crimes - but in the circumstances of the deaths and the political ramifications. Almost all of the atrocities that mark out the via dolorosa of the North's last half-century can be ascribed to groups purporting to represent one community visiting death on the other community. But not Bloody Sunday. Nor were the Bloody Sunday deaths perpetrated by ambush in the dead of night, or furtive bomb affixed to a van, or acrid eruption into a late-night pub or a bookies'. The killings were done in broad daylight, on a crisp winter's afternoon, in a crowded area where thousands had gathered after a civil rights march. Each killing was witnessed at close quarters by scores of local people scurrying for safety. All of the victims, with one exception, came from the Bogside/Creggan/Brandywell area. From the evening of that day until now, Bloody Sunday has been experienced not as a series of killings leaving broken families to be comforted, but as a pitiless onslaught against the entire community. It has left the communal wound that was on display yesterday, as on every day for decades when a new possibly decisive development was believed to be imminent. The men who did the shooting were uniformed to represent the British state. Everybody surrounding the Bloody Sunday monument yesterday will have had it consciously in mind that the DPP in whose name Ms O'Kane was speaking is an element of the same state served by those paratroopers. This is not an abstract theory but a felt fact. It will go on. Yesterday's developments arose only because lawyers for the families had secured a judicial review asking for the decision to charge only one soldier to be set aside. The families' lawyers are now on their way back to court to ask for the latest decision, too, to be overruled. Ms O'Kane's measured words were no doubt honestly offered. But against the background of the long march towards the truth, they will continue to elicit only cynicism. "I know that today's outcome will cause further upset to those who have pursued a long and determined journey for justice over almost five decades," she said. "I can only offer reassurance to all of the families and victims of Bloody Sunday, and the wider community, that my decisions were conducted wholly independently and impartially, and in accordance with the code for prosecutors." There are many people in Derry quite prepared to disbelieve this. "I wouldn't trust any of them for a minute," says Kate Nash. "The whole establishment wants us to shush. They say Catholics and Protestants should come together to make a united community. "I have no problem whatsoever with that, but it's got nothing to do with Bloody Sunday. Protestant people weren't involved in shooting my brother and my father. It was the paras and the people who sent the paras. "I don't believe they give two hoots about any community here. They want to pretend their own hands are clean." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias speak during their meeting in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, on Sept. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos, Pool) Pompeo Pledges US Support to Ease GreeceTurkey Dispute THESSALONIKI, GreeceU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sept. 28 that Washington will use its diplomatic and military influence in the region to try to ease a volatile dispute between NATO allies Greece and Turkey over energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Pompeo began a five-day regional tour in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, days after Greece and Turkey committed to restarting a diplomatic dialogue on the dispute that triggered a dangerous military build-upand fears of military conflictin the disputed maritime area over the summer. The United States and Greece reiterated their dedication to enhancing their close cooperation as NATO allies, using all appropriate means at their disposal, in order to safeguard stability and security in the wider region, the two countries said in a joint statement after Pompeo met with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias. Relations between Greece and neighboring Turkey deteriorated sharply this year over disputed maritime boundaries and exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey sent a research vessel, accompanied by warships, to prospect for energy resources in an area Greece claims is on its own continental shelf and where it claims exclusive economic rights. Athens sent warships of its own to the area. Pompeo welcomed the decision of Athens and Ankara to restart exploratory talks and said maritime disputes should be solved through dialogue, not demonstrations of power. Weve watched the Greeks move in that direction trying to achieve that, he told Greeces ANA state news agency. We hope the Turkish government will see it the same way, and we hope the exploratory talks not only get kicked off right, but its important that theyre resolved in a way that delivers outcomes that each of the two nations find more than acceptable. European Union members later this week are to discuss imposing sanctions on Turkey for its actions. In Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced support for the peaceful resolution of disputes and renewed a call for solutions that would protect everyones rights. I invite all countries in the Mediterranean that are our neighbors, and especially Greece, to stop viewing the eastern Mediterranean as a zero-sum game. Come, lets together turn the Mediterranean into a basin of peace once again lets make energy a matter for cooperation, not conflict, Erdogan said. Pompeo had discussed the situation in the eastern Mediterranean late on Sept. 27 with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg as he headed to Greece. Pompeos regional tour will also include Italy, the Vatican, and Croatia. Later on Sept. 28, he will depart to the Greek island of Crete where he is scheduled to meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and visit a U.S. naval base at Souda Bay. Last October, Pompeo visited Athens and signed a revised defense cooperation agreement with Greece that provided for increasing joint U.S.Greece and NATO activity at three locations in Greece as well as infrastructure and other improvements at Souda Bay. Amid the tension with Turkey, Greece has announced major arms purchases, including fighter jets from France, as well as warships, helicopters, and weapons systems. Pompeo is the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit Greeces second-largest city of Thessaloniki. Security was tight in the port city, with the venue of Pompeos meeting with Dendias changing from the originally planned location, a local ministry, to a hotel for security reasons, authorities said. About the time Pompeo was due to fly to Crete, about 1,500 people gathered in Thessalonikis center for two separate demonstrations to protest his visit, carrying signs reading The hawk of war is not welcome in our country, and The murderers of the peoples are not welcome. The protests were organized by left-wing groups and the Communist Party. During his visit to Thessaloniki, Pompeo signed a bilateral science and technology agreement, and hosted energy sector business leaders for a discussion to highlight energy diversification and infrastructure projects in Greece. He also joined members of Thessalonikis Jewish community to commemorate Yom Kippur at the local Jewish Museum, as police cordoned off a large section of the city center. No date has yet been set for the start of the GreekTurkish exploratory talks. By Costas Kantouris Donald Trump's four children were pictured not wearing masks during the debate despite the guidelines (AP) Donald Trumps four children were seen ignoring the mandatory mask rule while watching the presidential debate. Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trump were pictured entering the Cleveland, Ohio venue wearing a mask, as per guidelines put in place by Cleveland Clinic doctors. But then they were pictured with their masks off once they sat in their seats at the front row of the venue. These seats were spaced apart to abide by social distancing guidelines. Melania Trump, who sat nearby, was spotted wearing a mask when she went to her seat. But Bloomberg reporter Tyler Pager reported she removed the mask once she reached her seat. Guests were told to wear the masks throughout the entirety of the debate, which took place at Case Western Reserve University on Tuesday evening. NBC News reported that a Cleveland Clinic doctor tried to approach the Trump children and other guests over their lack of masks while at the venue. Someone shook their head as the doctor got close to the family, NBC reported, and ultimately the doctor did not approach them. No one the doctor asked to put on a mask from the presidents group of guests actually put one on, it was reported. When the doctor walked away from the group a debate staffer was heard telling her: Thats all you can do. It was reported by Bloomberg that more than half of Mr Trumps side of the debate were not wearing masks throughout the event. In comparison, Dr Jill Biden and all other members on Joe Bidens side wore a mask during the debate. An observation from inside the debate hall: Everyone in Bidens side of the hall is wearing a mask. More than half on Trumps side, including his four children, are not wearing masks. According to the Cleveland Clinic, its a requirement that all guests wear masks. Tyler Pager (@tylerpager) September 30, 2020 The Commission on Presidential Debates altered its debate rules due to the coronavirus pandemic. The two presidential candidates did not shake hands at the start of the debate and their podiums were spaced further from each other on the stage. The mandatory mask rule was also in place for all members of the audience. Story continues Also, everyone who entered the venue was tested for the coronavirus. Donald Trump Jr went on Fox News with Sean Hannity after the debate and joked that he tested negative for the coronavirus and needed to state that publicly to avoid facing backlash. Coronavirus was one of the six topics brought up during the debate, and Mr Biden said the sitting president was totally irresponsible the way he's handled social distancing and discouraging people to wear masks." Mr Trump has been holding large campaign rallies in recent months where most attendees are not socially distanced or wearing masks. During the debate, the president claimed the only reason why Mr Biden was not holding similar rallies was because his campaign would not draw a similar crowd. Last week the United States reached the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths from Covid-19 a figure Mr Biden continuously mentioned to argue his position that the Trump administration has mishandled the novel virus. Read more When Trump was asked about Covid at the first debate, his presidency hit a new low 2020 debate: Four things we learnt from the first Trump-Biden showdown Sanders brands Trump most dangerous president in history after chaotic first debate with Biden Trump during the first presidential debate against Biden at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images President Donald Trump hesitated to condemn white supremacists during the first presidential debate. "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said on Tuesday evening after being pressed by former Vice President Joe Biden. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. President Donald Trump hesitated when asked to condemn white supremacists during the first presidential debate on Tuesday evening. During a segment dedicated to race, Chris Wallace, the moderator, asked Trump, "Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down?" Trump tiptoed around the question and instead doubled down that "almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing." Wallace pushed back on Trump, along with former Vice President Joe Biden, and again asked him to address right-wing violence. "What do you want to call them?" Trump asked. "Give me a name, give me a name." "Proud Boys," Biden said, referring to a far-right group. "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump responded. The Proud Boys regularly espouse anti-Muslim, anti-immigration, and misogynistic positions. They've been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Members of the group quickly exploded online with interest in Trump's comments, resharing and embedding the words into a graphic with their logo. The president has faced immense criticism for failing to explicitly denounce white supremacy at times, notably after a far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 that led to violence. Read the original article on Business Insider New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will need help from coalition partners to form a government after the general election, according to the latest polls. On Wednesday night, the 40-year-old Labour leader admitted she had used cannabis 'a long time ago' in a fiery debate with the National Party leader Judith 'Crusher' Collins, the fourth debate ahead of the October 17 vote. Ardern jibed at Collins, 61, to 'take a deep breath' following a series of feisty interruptions, before the host said he'd like to ask the PM about cannabis. 'That will be a deep breath won't it,' Collins said, prompting laughter from the socially-distanced audience. New Zealand is holding a cannabis referendum in conjunction with the election, which Collins has rallied her party to vote 'no' in, while Ardern has not revealed how she will vote. It comes as the closely watched 1News-Colmar Brunton poll revealed that Ardern's party had dropped a crucial point to 47 percent, meaning that Labour would have 59 seats two short of the 61 required for a majority. National Party Judith Collins, 61, (left) takes on New Zealand PM and Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern during Wednesday night's fiery debate The closely watched 1News-Colmar Brunton poll revealed that Ardern's party had dropped a crucial point to 47 percent, meaning that Labour would have 59 seats two short of the 61 required for a majority. Ardern's liberal cause is likely to be shored up by the Green Party which is predicted to take eight seats. Meanwhile, Collins's National Party has been making strides since her strong performance in last week's televised debate, gaining two percentage points. Ardern was praised by some commentators for her efforts to hit back harder at Collins in Wednesday night's Newshub Leaders Debate after she was labelled 'a wet bus ticket,' for how she had allowed the National Party leader to trample over her arguments the week before. Following that debate Collins had labelled her opponent 'a poor wee thing' and claimed victory. She did not make the same claim on Wednesday night. In the 1News-Colmar Brunton poll, taking into account questionnaires filled out up to the end of last week, Ardern's popularity as preferred PM remained steady at 54 percent, while Collins rose to 23 percent, up five percentage points from the last poll. Ardern, who was labelled the 'saviour' of New Zealand by a Maori leader earlier this year, has won support and global admiration for her response to last year's attack by a white supremacist on two mosques, a fatal volcanic eruption and her success in tackling the coronavirus. Ardern jibed at Collins, 61, to 'take a deep breath' following a series of feisty interruptions, before the host said he'd like to ask the PM about cannabis. 'That will be a deep breath won't it,' Collins said, prompting laughter from the socially-distanced audience (pictured: Collins, left, and Ardern, right, during the clash) The Newshub Leaders' featuring Labour Party Jacinda Ardern (left) and Leader of the National Party Judith Collins in Auckland, Wednesday, September 30 National leader Judith Collins has her hair sprayed as she participates in a televised debate with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern She was asked on Wednesday night whether US President Donald Trump was a dangerous influence on the world to which she replied diplomatically that she would work with whoever America elected. Collins gave a warmer response, praising Trump for the peace deal brokered between Israel and some Gulf nations. 'He has actually done some quite recent stuff with Israel and UAE and so actually that's better than war, don't you think? He hasn't been ready to rush into war.' Collins said. Ardern hit back by saying, 'It is a worry when the best thing you can say is we haven't had war.' It comes as Trump and former US vice president Joe Biden clashed across the Pacific for their first presidential election debate in Ohio. Trump, like Ardern, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Last month Ardern lashed out at Trump's comments that New Zealand was experiencing a surge in COVID-19 as 'patently wrong'. 'The idea that we would be compared to the outbreak in the U.S. by President Trump, I totally reject that and I stand by my response,' said Ardern, whose brand of liberal, inclusive and compassionate leadership has led to some people labelling her 'the anti-Trump'. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted to smoking cannabis during the debate on Wednesday National Party Judith Collins is seen during the Newshub Leaders' against Labour Party Jacinda Ardern New Zealand has had 25 coronavirus related deaths, among the lowest in the world, while fatalities in the United States have crossed 200,000. Tough restrictions to contain coronavirus limited New Zealand's total cases to less than 1,500 and just 25 deaths, far fewer than other developed nations, and the virus is largely contained. But Ardern won't have it all her own way. Analysts say Labour has largely failed on its big ticket policy promises like providing affordable housing, reforming tax and building key infrastructure. Collins is a seasoned politician well known to the electorate, who is mostly associated with issues such as law and order, and infrastructure. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson go for a street walk in Palmerston North this month Meanwhile, support for the National Party, who are the main opposition under new leader Judith 'Crusher' Collins (pictured), rose two points to 33 per cent on Monday She has made efforts to connect more strongly with the farming community, but her appeal remains local while Ardern is known for her statesmanlike representation of New Zealand on the global stage. 'Ardern has turned that feeling right up to maximum volume, while Collins does not get any play in that space,' said Richard Shaw, of Massey University. Ardern will be hoping that she can get a boost from around 67,000 New Zealand expat voters registered overseas and the inclusion of the cannabis and euthanasia referendums as part of the poll could encourage more participation. The majority of those enrolled are in Australia, at nearly 60 percent, followed by the UK at 17 percent and more than 6 percent in the US. With the tightening in the latest polls, Ardern has urged New Zealanders across the world to vote. 'Every single vote counts, including those Kiwis in Australia,' she told Australian broadcaster Channel Nine. 'They're almost the equivalent to a seat.' A long scroll on display at Beijing's Poly Art Museum is showing visitors how obsessed ancient Chinese intellectuals could be over rocks. The highlighted work, around 28 meters in length and titled Ten Views of a Fantastic Rock, was painted by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) artist Wu Bin over one of his friend Mi Wanzhong's Lingbi stones. Lingbi stone is a kind of ornamental rock with rare textures and shapes found in the county of Lingbi in East China's Anhui province. During the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, these rocks gradually became tributes for the royals. Wu portrayed the rock from 10 different vantage points, and Mi wrote the introductions for each of the views. The painting was created in the early 17th century and Mi's literary friends named it "Feifei Rock", indicating there are abundant possibilities to interpret the rock's special shape. Afterward, calligraphers and painters including Dong Qichang, Chen Jiru, Huang Ruheng and Xing Tong that were contemporary with Wu and Mi, and Qiying of late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) also left messages and stamped signatures on the painting. Mi, calling himself a "rockaholic", was a descendent of Mi Fu, one of the most renowned calligraphers in Chinese history and a rock lover himself. According to calligrapher and painter Xiao Ping, Wu applied rich changes in color, shade and lines to portray the rock and left blank cracks to represent the rock's "tendons". Xiao said the artist was largely influenced by Zen thoughts and his living environment at his mountainous hometown of Putian, located in today's Fujian province. The artist included all his feelings toward nature into the work. Xiao was speaking at a conference held in Beijing during the weekend to discuss Wu and Mi's life experiences, and the features, techniques and artistic values of their work. The practice of appreciating the rocks at home, whether putting them on tables or holding them in their hands, was a substitution for trekking into the real landscape to seek an ideal life path, according to Shao Yan, a Chinese painting history professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. She said Wu used the techniques of drawing clouds, fire and water elements often applied in Taoist paintings to paint the rock. Zhu Wanzhang, a researcher at the National Museum of China, pointed out that Mi himself was good at drawing Taihu stones, another kind of well-known ornamental rocks mainly found in the Taihu Lake area in today's Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, while Wu especially focused on Lingbi stones. During the late Ming Dynasty, Zhu said, the Chinese were living in a turbulent society where there were acute social contradictions. As the rocks are firm and hard, intellectuals of the time would take stones as a showing of their perseverance. Previously, part of the work was exhibited in the United States and Switzerland. This marks the first time the whole scroll is on display. The work will go up for auction at the 15th anniversary celebration of Beijing Poly Auction on Oct 16 to 20. A preview will be held through Oct 13 to 15. The exhibition runs through Oct 8. PORTLAND, Ore. The top U.S. prosecutor in Oregon on Wednesday rejected a request from Portlands mayor to end the federal deputation of dozens of police officers as part of the response to ongoing protests, saying it was the only way to end lawlessness. In a joint statement, U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy J. Williams and Russ Berger, the U.S. Marshal in the state, swatted down Mayor Ted Wheelers request and called him out for a lack of leadership that they said has allowed acts of violence to overshadow more than four months of nearly nightly protests since the death of George Floyd. Wheeler said Tuesday that he had asked the U.S. attorneys office to withdraw the designation that deputized the officers. Deputizing the Portland officers gives federal prosecutors the option to charge anyone arrested by those officers with federal crimes, which often come with more severe penalties than the state crimes for which local police usually make arrests. It also allows law enforcement a route around Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidts decision not to file state charges against hundreds of protesters arrested for lower-level and non-violent offenses, a policy that has angered some in the law enforcement community. Portland has seen protests almost every night since Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis. Many of them have ended with some protesters vandalizing police and other government buildings, setting fires, shining lasers into the eyes of police and throwing objects at officers. Last week, violence reached a new level when protesters hurled three firebombs into a line of advancing police officers. Wheeler has declined offers of assistance from federal law enforcement and Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, has declined to call up the National Guard. Trump sent U.S. agents from the Department of Homeland Security to guard a federal courthouse in July, setting of two weeks of intense protests and clashes with federal authorities in a two-block area of downtown. Those agents withdrew in late July, however, after a deal brokered by Brown that saw Oregon State Police take over crowd control. Williams and Berger said rank-and-file law enforcement needed more support as the protests approach their fifth month. Importantly, the federal deputation supports front line law enforcement officers and their families in a way that they have not seen from City Hall. Portlanders, and Oregonians in general, are sick of the boarded-up and dangerous conditions prevalent in downtown Portland due to a lack of leadership, the statement said. We call upon citizens of this city and state to denounce violence, demand accountability, and work together to end the violence. Fifty-six Portland officers were deputized before a rally in the city last weekend by the far-right Proud Boys group. Portland city officials apparently did not know that their officers federal deputization status would last until the end of this year. A key feature of the designation is that anyone who assaults a federally deputized official could be subject to federal charges, Wheelers statement said. Fortunately, I am confident the Multnomah County district attorney will continue to prosecute anyone who assaults or otherwise harms police officers or others. In an email to the U.S. attorneys office obtained by Oregon Public Broadcasting, Portland city attorney Tracy Reeve wrote that city leaders had been under the impression that the deputization would end with the termination of the governors state of emergency declared only for last weekends protests, which ended Sunday evening. During Tuesdays presidential debate, President Donald Trump refused to condemn armed militias. When prompted about the Proud Boys, he said: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. The president also referenced the Portland protests in his remarks. On Wednesday, Wheeler condemned Trumps statements on the Proud Boys. Yesterday morning, City leaders met with the Western States Center for a training about the history and tactics of white supremacy. We learned about its hallmarks, and how to recognize it, he said. Then, last night, we saw it in action when Donald Trump refused to denounce white supremacy, and in his not-so-veiled call for his supporters to engage in intimidation at the polls and elsewhere. The Proud Boys have visited the city several times since Trumps election, often drawing a response from hundreds of counterprotesters. Alan Swinney, a member of the Proud Boys, was booked Wednesday on suspicions of a dozen charges, including allegations he pointed a revolver at counterprotesters and fired a paintball gun and mace at them on two separate occasions in August. Swinney, who is scheduled for a court appearance Thursday, was charged in a secret indictment Sept. 11 but not arrested until Wednesday. An attorney for Swinney was not listed in court records. Swinney remained in custody Wednesday and it wasnt immediately clear if he had retained an attorney or would be assigned a public defender. Protests in Portland continued overnight Tuesday. Authorities said arrests were made after police told protesters not to go on the property of a public safety building and officers towed a vehicle that had shields, helmets, gas masks and paintball guns that demonstrators may have planned to use. Two juveniles were detained and released and a man was arrested on a charge of interfering with a peace officer, disorderly conduct, trespass and escape, according to police. ____ Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 17:01 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c483f8b5 1 Business WTO,global-trade,COVID-19,protectionism,Donald-Trump,US-China-trade-war Free Indonesia wants the next World Trade Organization (WTO) director-general to uphold the multilateral trade system, support developing countries interests and be able to handle the United States-China trade war, an official has said. Syamsul Bahri Siregar, the countrys ambassador to the Geneva-based trade body, said on Tuesday that the candidate should also be willing to maintain consensus-based decision-making in the organization amid some members concerns that the technique limited the organizations decisiveness. The new WTO chief, Syamsul added, should seek closer coordination with other international organizations to address the COVID-19 pandemic, which had led to export restrictions, a global trade contraction, food insecurity and disruptions in the global value chain. A director-general who could nudge the United States and China toward the negotiation table would be helpful to Indonesia because the country depends on trade with the worlds two biggest economies. This is perhaps the most difficult, especially for developing countries, based on how we feel. When the US proposes something, China rejects it. It is hard for us to choose a position in the middle, Syamsul said in a virtual discussion held by the Trade Ministry and the Trade Policy Forum on Tuesday. Indonesias non-oil and gas exports to China and the US accounted for 18.19 percent and 12.08 percent, respectively, of the overall non-oil and gas exports in the January to August period, making the two countries its top overseas markets. The WTO is trying to fill the void left by Brazils Robert Azevedo after he stepped down in late August amid a growing appetite for protectionism in response to the pandemic. The multilateral body has forecast a contraction of between 13 percent and 32 percent in global trade this year because of the global health crisis. Replacing Azevedo has become increasingly important as the US President Donald Trumps administration threatens to leave the trade body and hinders the process of appointing members to its Appellate Body, which hears members appeals in trade disputes. Many consider Amina Mohamed of Kenya, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria and Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea the frontrunners in the three-stage selection process, raising expectations that the WTO may have its first female leader. The United Kingdoms Liam Fox and Egypts Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh are also seeking the post. Syamsul said there was a growing preference for a director-general from an emerging economy and an underrepresented country. Riza Noer Arfani, the head of the Center for World Trade Studies at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, said WTO politics could influence the outcome of the selection process and would outweigh considerations of candidates competence in trade issues. The new leader, Riza added, would face many challenges, especially related to the political economy of COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution. I am proposing that we choose a director-general based on their COVID-19 handling, said Riza. For the long term, we need a director-general candidate who has a mind to reorganize supply and commodity chains, production networks and value chains. The WTO members are set to confirm the new leader no later than Nov. 7 by consensus, although the organizations rules allow for a vote as a last resort. The option has never been used. Trade Policy Forum advisor Hatanto Sumitro said Indonesia would need a director-general who had experience in developing a countrys trade, in trade negotiation and who had sympathy for developing countries struggles, among other qualifications. It would be even better if [the new leader] could assure developed countries that reviving their economies [from the pandemic-induced downturn] will also depend on the revival of the economies of smaller countries, like Indonesia, or African countries, like Nigeria, said Hatanto. Kiki Bertens left the court in a wheelchair after scraping into the third round of the French Open and was then accused of faking injury by opponent Sara Errani. Fifth seed Bertens and qualifier Errani, a former finalist at Roland Garros, played a wild match before the Dutchwoman finally prevailed 7-6 (5) 3-6 9-7 after three hours and 11 minutes. There were 24 breaks of serve and Bertens saved a match point before taking her third chance and falling to the court, where full body cramps took over. Kiki Bertens left the court in a wheelchair after prevailing against Sara Errani at French Open Errani openly mocked her opponents' injury during the fiery second-round contest Errani, who after her defeat accused Bertens of faking injury, pretends to be injured Errani, who had earlier appeared to mock her opponent's struggles by grabbing at her leg, left the court without acknowledging the stricken Bertens and did not hold back in her press conference. The Italian said: 'I don't like when somebody is joking on you. She played an amazing match, but I don't like the situation. For one hour she's injured, then she run like never. I don't like that. 'She goes out of the court on the chair, and now she's in the locker room perfect, in the restaurant. I don't like these things. 'Then after people say to me that I'm an unfair person. It's funny for me these things. I don't think she did a good attitude on court. I didn't like that.' Bertens scraped through her second-round contest, beating Errani 7-6 (5) 3-6 9-7 Errani was left furious following her narrow defeat at Roland Garros on Wednesday Bertens laughed off Errani's comments, saying: 'She can say whatever she feels like but maybe I should take some more acting classes or should pursue a career in that. I'm not sure what she's thinking, but, no, I didn't feel really good on court. 'I don't want to try to take it too personal because I also know her frustrations. I think she's also frustrated with herself that she could not close out that match.' Errani was not helped by problems with her ball toss and was warned several times for taking too long after throwing it up and catching it repeatedly. She said: 'It's not my first time. If you follow me the last two years, I had many problems. There are days where it's really bad, it's very tough for me, so I just tried to compete with everything I have.' The coronavirus pandemic is affecting another decades-long tradition in San Antonio. Organizers for the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner said Wednesday the event will not take place in person this year in response to COVID-19 and will instead deliver meals. The event, in its 41st year, usually takes place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. This year, Jessica Jimenez, the granddaughter of the late Raul Jimenez, said the plan is to deliver 10,000 meals to feed San Antonio's elderly and less fortunate. Raul Jimenez, a restaurateur who died in 1998, started the dinner in 1979 to help feed the elderly who could not prepare their own Thanksgiving meal. The event now feeds anyone looking for a meal and has grown into a massive family run gathering carried on by Raul's descendants. "Despite it being different and feeling a bit different, it's still a very strong cause that we are very proud to be able to carry on," Jessica said about this year's altered plans for the event. READ ALSO: New San Antonio seafood restaurant to cause a stir with unique to-go concept Last year, Jessica said 550 turkeys and 9,400 pounds of food fed about 25,000 people and included the help of 5,000 volunteers. The city is allowing the family to use the convention center on Thanksgiving Day to prepare the food. "We are really excited about this year and what it brings," Jessica said. "... There is so much need in San Antonio, and 10,000 meals is a lot. We are still committed to our founding mission, which is to provide seniors and underprivileged families a warm, delicious meal on such a special holiday." Organizers are working with the city to determine how many volunteers they will need this year but expect fewer than in normal years. Details on the distribution process and volunteer opportunities will be announced at a later time on the organization's website and Facebook page. Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre The school days for Jersey City students may get a little shorter as remote learning continues, but dont shut down those laptops early just yet. Jersey City Superintendent Franklin Walker said he is considering shortening the school day, citing parents' concern over how much time they are spending aiding the children in their schoolwork. Most of the people who reached out to the district were parents of children in the lower grades who may need more help during their remote learning, he said. Walker said he has not yet met with his senior leadership team to discuss what a shorter day will look like, but he will have a better idea by Friday. We received feedback from a number of parents especially the parents of the lower grades they had some concerns about the time factors, the time between classes ... and a number of factors, Walker said. We are going to review so that we can shorten the day, so it becomes more beneficial for the children and certainly for the parents as well. Walker said shorter days could involve cutting time on non-core subject classes, such as art, music and foreign language. If 30,000-student district was to move to an abbreviated school day it would only be during full remote learning, he said. Once the district moves to the hybrid plan on Nov.17, the shorter day would have to be reconsidered, he said. New Jerseys second-largest school district hasnt had children in the school buildings since March when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit. Michael Yaple, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Education, wouldnt speak directly to the districts plan. He said according to state regulations, a school day cannot be less than four hours but beyond that school districts have flexibility as long as they operate within the confines of state requirements. Parents like Deanna Hernandez-Arza have since taken more responsibility in their childrens education. While Hernandez-Arza and her husband are both working from home right now, they are still finding it tough to keep up with their fourth-grader and sixth graders new schedules and keeping their attention on the screen. We had some bumps the first two weeks, Hernandez-Arza said If one (of us) isnt available hopefully the other one is available and we try to address things like sometimes (my kids) cant get into Zoom, confirming they are in the right class and making sure they are in class. Parent Megan Verheyen said she hopes this will mean fewer calls from her five kids with questions while she is at work. She said it is hard to help when you cant see the screen, or you are just getting home. The Change for Children candidate slate of Asheenia Johnson, Sonia N. Cintron and Karen Poliski, who are running to replace incumbents Lorenzo Richardson, Gina Verdibello and Lekendrick Shaw, said Walker must be prepared to provide answers and a clear, concise plan that moves the school forward. Similarly, he must be able to comprehensively demonstrate what impact this decision or this plan will have on students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have pulled out of next weeks New Yorker Festival, the star-studded annual event held by The New Yorker magazine, in solidarity with unionized editorial staff members, who are planning a digital picket line. Ms. Warren, the Massachusetts Democrat who made an unsuccessful bid to be her partys presidential nominee, and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, were scheduled to appear as keynote speakers on Monday night, the first night of the annual event. The New Yorker Union had planned a one-night picket then, starting at 8. In a letter last Thursday to the two politicians, the union asked them to reconsider their participation in light of its labor dispute with New Yorker management. The NewsGuild and The New Yorker Union are fighting for basic dignity on the job, and we stand with them, Ms. Warren and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said in a joint statement to The New York Times. We will not cross the picket line and attend the festival unless the New Yorker leadership agrees to the unions demands they should do so immediately. A couple who accused a sperm bank of misrepresenting its process for screening donors and providing incorrect medical and educational history of the donor they selected can proceed with a lawsuit against the sperm bank, Georgias highest court ruled Monday. A Fulton County judge had dismissed all but one of the claims in the lawsuit the Normans had filed in November 2017 against the sperm bank, Xytex Corporation, and the intermediate appeals court, the Georgia Court of Appeals, had upheld that ruling. The Georgia Supreme Court partially reversed that ruling, sending the case back to the trial court for some of the claims to be decided. It feels great and its justice, said Nancy Hersh, an attorney for the couple, Wendy and Janet Norman. Because the trial court dismissed the case at an early stage, the high court had to rely on unproven allegations by the plaintiffs, said Ted Lavender, an attorney for Xytex. If this case does move forward, Xytex is confident in the actual evidence that exists to refute the allegations, he wrote in an email. The Normans bought sperm from Xytex, and Wendy Norman gave birth to a son in 2002. As the boy got older, the Normans discovered he had inherited serious medical and mental health problems, some requiring multiple hospitalizations, according to the lawsuit. The Normans sued Xytex, the medical director at its Atlanta location and an employee. The lawsuit seeks damages, alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation, battery, negligence unfair business practices, false advertising, unjust enrichment and other wrongdoing. They also sought to require Xytex to release information about the donor. The Normans chose Donor (hash)9623, whom Xytex promoted as one of its best donors, a Ph.D. candidate with an IQ of 160, a clean mental health history and no criminal record. But they later discovered that wasnt true. The donor had lied and had actually been hospitalized repeatedly for diagnosed mental health problems, including psychotic schizophrenia, the lawsuit says. He also had been arrested for burglary and other crimes and had no college degree at the time the Normans bought his sperm, the suit says. Xytex argued that the lawsuit brings claims for wrongful birth, which are barred under a 1990 Georgia Supreme Court ruling, that said we are unwilling to say that life, even life with severe impairments, may ever amount to a legal injury. That precedent has resulted in the dismissal of other similar lawsuits filed in Georgia, though cases filed in other states have resulted in settlements, Hersh said. In Mondays unanimous opinion, Justice Nels Peterson said that stance remains unchanged, noting that the high court has repeatedly declined to allow damages in cases that necessarily presume that life itself can ever be an injury. We reaffirm that rule today, the opinion says. But that rule does not fully resolve this appeal, which is about what sort of damages the rule actually bars. The Court of Appeals should not have broadly applied the precedent to all of the claims in the lawsuit because some of the claims for damages do not necessarily state their childs birth as an injury, Peterson wrote. For example, the opinion says, the lawsuit invoked Georgias Fair Business Practice Act, claiming Xytex misrepresented the quality of its goods and services. Hersh said that part of the opinion is very helpful for their case. The next step, she said, will be to figure out which claims for damages fit under the high courts rulings so they can go back to the trial court to pursue them. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Claims Georgia SARASOTA, Fla., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- INVO Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB: INVO) developers of INVOcell, the world's only in vivo Intravaginal Culture System, announced today it has teamed up with Dr. Francisco Arredondo, MD, a respected and experienced board certified reproductive endocrinologist, and Dr. Ramiro Ramirez, MD, a physician and owner of several successful enterprises in Mexico, to establish a joint venture through its wholly-owned subsidiary INVO Centers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("INVO Centers"), focusing on developing the Mexico market for INVOcell. The new jointly-owned operation, named Positib Fertility, S.A. de C.V. ("Positib Fertility"), is a Mexico registered company that will focus on establishing fertility centers dedicated to offering INVOcell, with the initial center to be located in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. The INVOcell system is a novel fertility treatment that uses a woman's own body as a natural incubator during fertilization and early embryo development. The IVC (Intra-Vaginal Culture) process using the INVOcell is cost-effective and has shown highly effective pregnancy rates and may have the ability to significantly increase patient access. The Company further believes the INVOcell system helps eliminate the need for costly infrastructure and overhead associated with IVF, one of the primary hindering factors to fertility treatment capacity. Under terms of the agreement, INVO Centers, Dr. Arredondo and Dr. Ramiro Ramirez Gutierrez (through his entity, Security and Health, LLC, a Texas limited liability company), will each own a 1/3 share the venture. INVO Bioscience will provide the device, training and general technology support to the joint venture, while Positib Fertility will be responsible for the operations of the INVOcell clinics in Mexico. Each partner will equally invest in start-up and capital expenditures and share in the revenue and profits of the joint venture. Dr. Arredondo was an early adopter of the INVOcell solution as he began offering IVC via the INVOcell to his patients at fertility clinics in San Antonio and Austin in 2016. In 2017, due to the success in expanding the accessibility of infertility treatment to patients utilizing INVOcell, he decided to open a center where he would exclusively offer the INVOcell solution in McAllen, Texas. Dr. Arredondo successfully sold his U.S.-based fertility clinics in 2019 and is now focused on bringing the INVOcell solution to Mexico. Steve Shum, CEO of INVO Bioscience, commented, "We are extremely pleased to have INVO Centers entering this agreement with Dr. Arredondo and Positib Fertility to bring dedicated INVOcell clinics to Mexico. Dr. Arredondo has been a champion of INVOcell for nearly five years, having successfully operated centers offering INVOcell within the United States. We believe he is a tremendous partner, and one already fully up to speed and well versed in the benefits that INVOcell can provide to patients, something that we believe will allow us to accelerate our collective efforts to build the INVOcell technology throughout Mexico. As with any new international market, we must work through the required registration process before we can begin to import. We have already begun this effort and as the timing becomes more visible, we will provide updates. In the interim, we are now working closely with Dr. Arredondo and Dr. Ramirez to prepare our first Mexico clinic in Monterrey." Francisco Arredondo, MD., MPH, of Positib Fertility, S.A. de C.V., commented, "INVOcell is a truly remarkable technology that provides patients with an effective and affordable infertility solution and one I believe can be administered by OBGYN's thereby increasing the network of providers and the potential to increase patient access to this advanced infertility treatment. Having been one of the pioneers of adapting INVOcell to commercial use in the United States, I look forward to applying my experience, and passion for treating our patients, to the citizens of Mexico through this joint venture with INVO Bioscience. Democratizing fertility services and social entrepreneurship are the next frontiers for professionals and represent a huge opportunity in the future." Ramiro Ramirez, MD, of Positib Fertility, S.A. de C.V., expressed, "This international joint venture is very close to my belief that you can increase excellent medical care, fulfill a need in the society and be profitable. Those concepts are not mutually exclusive and now are the norm in successful medical entrepreneurship." Since January 2019, INVO Bioscience has signed commercialization agreements in the United States, India, as well as parts of Africa and Eurasia for the INVOcell device. The Company believes the worldwide fertility treatment market to be severely underserved with only 1% to 2% of the estimated 150 million infertile couples being treated and is a market in need of an affordable and scalable solution to help expand care, something INVOcell believes it can address. About INVO Bioscience INVO Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB: INVO) ("INVO") is an innovative medical device company developing solutions for the global infertility industry. INVO's goal is to increase access to care and expand fertility treatment across the globe while seeking to lower the cost and increase the availability of care. INVO's lead commercial product, the INVOcell, is a patented Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) used in the treatment of infertility. The INVOcell device and procedure is unique as the first Intravaginal Culture (IVC) system in the world used for the natural in vivo incubation of eggs and sperm during fertilization and early embryo development. As an alternative to traditional in Vitro Fertilization (IVF), the revolutionary in vivo method of vaginal incubation offers patients a more natural and intimate experience. INVO Bioscience is headquartered in Sarasota, FL. For more information, please visit http://invobioscience.com/ Safe Harbor Statement This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company invokes the protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our filings at www.sec.gov. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE INVO Bioscience, Inc. Related Links http://invobioscience.com/ Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 21:15 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4847aba 1 Business bank-indonesia,BI,PBOC,China,central-bank,Local-Currency-Settlement,yuan,rupiah Free Bank Indonesia (BI) and the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework promoting the use of local currencies for trade and direct investment. With the local currency settlement (LCS) agreement signed by BI Governor Perry Warjiyo and PBOC Governor Yi Gang, both central banks agreed to promote the direct exchange rate quotation and interbank trade for the Chinese yuan and the Indonesian rupiah. Going forward, the two central banks will strengthen the cooperation through regular information sharing and discussion. This collaboration marks a key milestone in strengthening bilateral financial cooperation between China and Indonesia, reads a BI statement issued on Wednesday. The authorities believe that it will positively contribute to encouraging the use of local currencies for settlement of trade and direct investment between the two countries. Bank Indonesia has signed similar agreements with other central banks, namely Bank of Thailand and Bank Negara Malaysia, as well as with the Japanese Finance Ministry. The importance of LCS increases as trade between Asian countries grows, according to an earlier publication from BI. Trading without having to go through the exchange rate of the United States dollar can result in a more efficient price. China is Indonesias largest trading partner. Indonesias non-oil and gas exports to China reached US$17.81 billion with imports amounting to $24.72 billion in the JanuaryAugust period, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data. The head of the HSE has warned that "it's going to be a winter like we have never experienced before." Urging people to change their behaviour, HSE chief executive Paul Reid has said 75% of Covid outbreaks were in homes last week "The reality is 26% of our positive cases last week were in the 15-24 age group - that transmits into homes and there it transmits rapidly," he said. Mr Reid said that we now need to "call out" behaviours such as gatherings of students in Galway this week but also family celebrations. He warned that cases in Dublin are three to four times higher than the rest of the country in recent days but added: "I still think we can turn this around," "At this point in time, people are tired, frustrated, angry, winter's coming in, it's getting darker and colder. And people are really hoping for a kind of magic turnaround or a very big new solution to how we approach this. "We do need to give people hope there will be an end to this awful phase that we're all going through." Until then he said people need to live their lives in a different way. "If there is a positive to take from Covid; it has enhanced how we're delivering health care systems in Ireland" But he told Newstalk Breakfast that this winter would be a challenge for the health service as it will have to deal with covid and the treatment of non-covid patients. New Delhi: There has been 50 per cent cut in budget for anti-corruption body Lokpal to Rs 4.29 crore for 2017-18. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has been allocated Rs 27.68 crore for the next fiscal, the same amount given to the probity watchdog for 2016-17. An amount of Rs 8.58 crore was allocated to the Lokpal for the current financial year. However, the allocation was later revised to nil as the anti-corruption body could not be set up. The Rs 4.29 crore grant outlined by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Union Budget today is for establishment and construction-related charged expenditure for the Lokpal. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, (also known as Lokpal) provides for the establishment of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into allegations of corruption against public functionaries. The government has not yet established Lokpal. The 2017-18 outlay for the CVC is to meet secretariat expenditure. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. It's essential to have a proven, world-class protection technology to ensure continued operation of our client's most critical IT systems. Neverfail and Technorizon LTD located in the UK, have reached a strategic distribution agreement for the sales and services of Neverfail Continuity Engine. These new markets will be in the UK and Ireland. With business continuity and disaster recovery playing a key role in the survival of any business; it's essential to have a proven, world-class protection technology to ensure continued operation of the most critical IT systems. Neverfail Continuity Engine provides continuous availability powered by application-aware failover and its recovery orchestration process that already protects tens of thousands of application servers worldwide. This ensures when something interrupts the delivery of the business service, Neverfail Continuity Engine is there to restore these mission-critical systems with near zero downtime. Technorizon represents a unique strategic alliance for us, for local distribution in the UK where we typically sold direct or through a few select system integrators, said Michael Wrightson, General Manager, Neverfail. This new agreement opens up our reach into a whole new group of systems integrators servicing the entire UK, and we couldnt be more excited to be working with Technorizon. We are excited to partner with Neverfail. Their products add critical components, which we are currently missing in our portfolio, to the cutting-edge solutions we offer our reseller channel all over the U.K. and Ireland. We will combine Neverfails solutions with our reputed pre and post-sales support to make it easier for our channel to sell Neverfail. emphasized Girish Ajoomal, Director, Technorizon (U.K.) Ltd. About Neverfail Neverfail delivers Continuous IT Controls and Availability solutions to some of the most highly recognizable brands in the world. More than 5,000 customers in over 60 countries depend on Neverfail to reduce risk through zero trust compliance automation and continuity solutions without the worry, time, or cost of traditional methods. Neverfail is headquartered in Austin, Texas with offices in Scotland, England, Romania, and Costa Rica. To learn more, visit http://www.neverfail.com. About Technorizon Headquartered in London England, Technorizon specializes in the IT security market with new, fresh and straightforward solutions to provide their clients with a better way to avoid security problems. With over 20 years of distribution experience, Technorizon excels at helping protect their customers from cyber threats. Candidates need to qualify the entrance examination in order to get admission to several engineering, hotel management, office management and other programs in Uttarakhand. The Uttarakhand Board of Technical Education Roorkee (UBTER) has released the Joint Entrance Examination rank card for Polytechnic on its official website. Candidates who have appeared in the JEEP can check their rank cards and results online at ubter.in and ubtejeep.in. The technical education board conducted the Uttarakhand Joint Entrance Examination (Polytechnic) from 20 to 21 September, reported Hindustan Times. The test was held at various centres spread across the state. Candidates need to qualify the entrance examination in order to get admission to several engineering, hotel management, office management and other programs in Uttarakhand. Follow these steps to download your UBTER JEEP rank card 2020: Step 1: Visit the official website of the UBTER JEEP at ubtejeep.in Step 2: Go to the link on the homepage that reads: DOWNLOAD JEEP-2020 RANK_CARD Step 3: You will be directed to another webpage where you need to enter your JEEP roll number Step 4: Click on the button Show to see your rank card Step 5: Now other details like Candidate Name, Father/ Husband's Name, Roll Number, Date of Birth, Category, Sub Category, Gender, App Form No., Group, and Rank need to be filled. These will be automatically filled once you enter your application no. Step 6: Now select Print to take a print out of the rank card Here is the direct link to download the JEEP rank card. According to The Times of India, the board is going to announce the dates for the UBTER JEEP counselling procedure soon. Candidates must visit the official site from time to time to stay updated. Only those students who managed to qualify the JEEP will be called for counselling. The board will ask the eligible candidates to choose the subject and the institute during the counselling process. Candidates will be given the provision based on their rank in the merit list. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. A subset of COVID-19 patients face a severe form of the disease with hospitalization, respiratory failure, or death. Severe COVID-19 is primarily characterized by respiratory distress, and the common risk factors are older age, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and poor lung function. Three small studies reported that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) might be a potential risk factor for severe COVID-19. OSA is a sleep disorder characterized by repetitive apnea-hypopnea cycles during sleep, which causes shortness of breath and can often lead to sleep disruption, severe oxygen desaturation, and an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Study: Sleep apnoea is a risk factor for severe COVID-19. Image Credit: Brian Chase / Shutterstock The common risk factors for OSA are older age, obesity, male sex, and upper-airway structure anomalies. Since OSA affects nearly 8% of the population and has a higher prevalence of over 20% in individuals above 60 years, its association with the risk of severe COVID-19 infection leading to hospitalization is worrying. Thats why a team of researchers from the University of Helsinki; Helsinki University Hospital; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, decided to build on those small studies and test the link between OSA and COVID-19 using a large-scale biobank with health data of patients. Study focused on testing the link between OSA and COVID-19 In their recent preprint paper published on the medRxiv* server, the researchers discussed their study that aimed at testing the association between OSA diagnosis and risk of COVID-19 transmission and severity. They wanted to specifically evaluate if OSA increases the risk for severe COVID-19 infection independent of other common risk factors such as age, sex, hypertension, and diabetes. Image Credit: corbac40 / Shutterstock The key objective of the study was to investigate if OSA patients were at an elevated risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing the severe form of the disease leading to hospitalization. The team conducted a retrospective case-control study with the help of the FinnGen Study cohort, the National Infectious Diseases Registry, Finnish National Hospital Discharge Registry, and Causes of Death Registry. Details of OSA diagnosis and infection with COVID-19 of 305 patients were gathered from the FinnGen study. All the patients tested RT-PCR positive for COVID-19 infection, and 26 (8.5%) of these patients also had OSA. Infections requiring hospitalization were considered as severe COVID-19. Among the severe COVID-19 patients, 16 (19.3%) individuals had OSA. Additionally, the team also analyzed other proven risk factors for both OSA and severe COVID-19 from the FinnGen data. OSA is an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 The results of the study showed that OSA patients with COVID-19 were at 5 times more risk of developing complications and being hospitalized. OSA is an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 that requires hospitalization. It elevated the risk regardless of age, sex, hypertension, body mass index, diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and coronary heart disease. Our findings are in line with the previous reports which have hypothesized the connection between OSA and COVID-19 as they share a number of comorbidities and risk factors. However, OSA was not associated with the risk of contracting COVID-19 infection. Sleep apnea does not affect the risk of COVID-19 transmission Based on the analysis done in this study, the researchers concluded that OSA patients have a 5-fold risk of being hospitalized when they have a COVID-19 infection compared to individuals without OSA. However, another key finding was that OSA patients are not at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 infection than individuals without OSA. The findings suggest that during the assessment of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients, OSA should be considered a comorbidity risk factor for developing a severe form of COVID-19. These findings agree with previous reports that suggested a connection between OSA and severe COVID-19 risk because they share many risk factors and comorbidities. While previous reports suggested that men are at elevated risk of COVID-19, this study found that COVID-19 infection was more prevalent in women. Also, women with severe COVID-19 infection were older than men (women - 69.5 years and men - 61.9 years). Our findings should be interpreted in the context that registry-based ascertainment through hospitalization may miss non-hospitalized OSA cases (false negatives) and treatment information such as CPAP or MAD compliance. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Cash position of 2.9 million as of June 30, 2020 Non-binding term sheet signed and extension of 2 months of the procedure for judicial reorganization (PJR) requested Regulatory News: ASIT biotech (ASIT BE0974289218) (BSE:ASIT) (Paris:ASIT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and future commercialization of breakthrough allergy immunotherapy products, today announces its 2020 half-year results1, and provides a business update. The Company continues to minimize its expenses. As of June 30, 2020, the Company had a cash position of 2.9 million. The Company continues its efforts to valorize its assets. Significant events after June 30, 2020 On September 20, 2020, the Company announced that it has signed a non-binding term sheet with a partner in the allergy field and requested an extension of 2 months of the PJR. The 2020 half-year financial report can be downloaded on the website of the Company under the section Investors Documentation Financial reports FINANCIAL RESULTS AS OF JUNE 30, 2020 In thousands of euros IFRS 30.06.2020 30.06.2019 Revenue Other Operating Income 16 859 Research Development Expenses -413 -6,885 General Administrative Expenses -711 -1,783 Operating profit loss -1,108 -7,809 Financial income expense -213 -15 Tax 3 Net profit loss -1,218 -7,824 The Company has significantly reduced its expenses immediately after the below efficacy threshold results of the Phase III study in grass pollen. The operating loss as of June 30, 2020 amounted to 1.1 million, compared to 7.8 million the previous year. FINANCIAL STRUCTURE On June 30, 2020, the Company had a cash position of 2.9 million and had 11,1 million outstanding liabilities. OUTLOOK The Company has important milestones to materialize in the second half of 2020: To obtain a second extension of its PJR; To obtain the approval of its creditors on a plan for reimbursement of its deferred debt under the PJR; To close the transaction with the partner so the new group can develop a new generation of allergy products; To refinance the new group based on the new equity story; About ASIT biotech ASIT biotech is a Belgian biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and future commercialization of a range of breakthrough immunotherapy products for the treatment of allergies. Further information can be found at www.asitbiotech.com. Follow us on LinkedIn Legal notice This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for the Company's shares in any jurisdiction. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus. Any purchase of, subscription for or application for, Shares to be issued in connection with the intended offering should only be made on the basis of information contained in the prospectus and any supplements thereto, as the case may be. Forward-looking statements This release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guaranteeing future results. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this document, unless specifically required by law or regulation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005381/en/ Contacts: Company Michel Baijot, CEO ASIT biotech Tel.: +32 2 264 03 90 investors@asitbiotech.com This file photo illustration taken on Sept. 14, 2020, shows the logo of the social network application TikTok and a U.S. flag on the screens of two laptops in Beijing. AFP A federal judge on Sunday postponed a Trump administration order that would have banned the popular video sharing app TikTok from U.S. smartphone app stores around midnight. A more comprehensive ban remains scheduled for November, about a week after the presidential election. The judge, Carl Nichols of the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia, did not agree to postpone the later ban. The ruling followed an emergency hearing Sunday morning in which lawyers for TikTok argued that the administration's app-store ban would infringe on First Amendment rights and do irreparable harm to the business. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump declared that TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, was a threat to national security and that it must either sell its U.S. operations to American companies or be barred from the country. TikTok is still scrambling to firm up a deal tentatively struck a week ago in which it would partner with Oracle, a huge database-software company, and Walmart in an effort to win the blessing of both the Chinese and American governments. In the meantime, it is fighting to keep the app available in the U.S. TikTok said in a statement that it was pleased with the court ruling and continues to work to turn its deal proposal into an actual agreement. The Commerce Department, which is responsible for the specific orders banning TikTok, said it will comply with the judge's order but intends to vigorously defend the administration's efforts against the app. Judge Nichols did not explain his reasoning publicly, and instead filed his judicial opinion under seal. Initially both the U.S. government's brief in the case and the entire Sunday morning hearing were also due to be sealed from the public, although the court later relented. In arguments to Judge Nichols, TikTok lawyer John Hall said that TikTok is more than an app, since it functions as a ''modern day version of a town square.'' ''If that prohibition goes into effect at midnight, the consequences immediately are grave,''' Hall said. ''It would be no different than the government locking the doors to a public forum, roping off that town square'' at a time when a free exchange of ideas is necessary heading into a polarized election. TikTok lawyers also argued that a ban on the app would affect the ability of tens of thousands of potential viewers and content creators to express themselves every month and would also hurt its ability to hire new talent. In addition, Hall argued that a ban would prevent existing users from automatically receiving security updates, eroding national security. Justice Department lawyer Daniel Schwei said that Chinese companies are not purely private and are subject to intrusive laws compelling their cooperation with intelligence agencies. The Justice Department has also argued that economic regulations of this nature generally are not subject to First Amendment scrutiny. ''This is the most immediate national security threat,'' argued Schwei. ''It is a threat today. It is a risk today and therefore it deserves to be addressed today even while other things are ongoing and playing out.'' Schwei also argued that TikTok lawyers failed to prove the company would suffer irreparable business harm. The Justice Department laid out its objections to TikTok's motion for a temporary injunction in a brief under seal, but it was unsealed in redacted form to protect confidential business information. Trump set the process in motion with executive orders in August that declared TikTok and another Chinese app, WeChat, threats to national security. The White House says the video service is a security risk because the personal information of its millions of U.S. users could be handed over to Chinese authorities. Trump has given tentative approval to a proposed deal in which Oracle and Walmart could initially own a combined 20% of a new U.S. entity, TikTok Global. But Trump also said he could retract his approval if Oracle doesn't have ''total control'' of the company; the president did not explain what he meant by that. The deal remains unfinalized, and the two sides have also appeared at odds over the corporate structure of TikTok Global. ByteDance said last week that it will still own 80% of the U.S. entity after a financing round. Oracle, meanwhile, put out a statement saying that Americans ''will be the majority and ByteDance will have no ownership in TikTok Global.'' Government-owned media in China have criticized the deal as bullying and extortion. ByteDance said Thursday it has applied for a Chinese technology export license after Beijing tightened control over exports last month in an effort to gain leverage over Washington's attempt to force an outright sale of TikTok to U.S. owners. China's foreign ministry has said the government will ''take necessary measures'' to safeguard its companies but gave no indication what steps it can take to affect TikTok's fate in the United States. TikTok is also asking a federal court to declare Trump's Aug. 6 executive order unlawful. The Chinese firm said the president doesn't have the authority to take these actions under the national-security law he cited; that the ban violates TikTok's First Amendment speech rights and Fifth Amendment due-process rights; and that there's no authority for the restrictions because they are not based on a national emergency. (AP) President Donald Trumps failure to condemn white supremacism during Tuesdays debate was frightening and a dangerous menacing reality, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said. Speaking on CBSs The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Booker, D-N.J., said Trump instead sent signals to an extremist group to be on call in case he lost his re-election bid. There is a dangerous, menacing reality going on right now where the president of the United States is failing to endorse the American 200-year-old tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. a president who has said undeniably, If I lose, the election was rigged," Booker told Colbert. Now he is calling out to right wing, white supremacist organizations and telling them to stand by. That to me was so frightening, so anti-American spirit, so contrary to the heart and the soul of this country. To me, he has violated his very oath to defend the Constitution." Donald Trump was asked to condemn white supremacists tonight. He wouldnt. He must be defeated. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) September 30, 2020 Trump, who in 2017 said there were some very fine people among the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, shouting anti-Semitic slogans, was asked to specifically condemn white supremacy during the debate. Sure, Im prepared to do that, Trump said. But I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. If you look, Im willing to do anything. I want to see peace. You want to call them? What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, go ahead who would you like me to condemn? White supremacists and right-wing militia, moderator Chris Wallace said, as Biden simultaneously mentioned Proud Boys, a right-wing organization labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Trump then repeated the name of the group. Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, Trump said. But Ill tell you what somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left wing problem. Former Gov. Chris Christie, who helped prep the president for the debate, said Wednesday on ABCs Good Morning America said Trump condemned white supremacists, but suggested he might want to make it clearer. I heard it differently, when he said, Sure, I will, right off the top," Christie said. The next opportunity the president has to clarify that answer, then he should do that. Booker said the Proud Boys wore Trumps comments as a badge of honor. "They are now online using those words almost as if they are licensed from the president of the United States to stand ready in an election to engage, he said. The Proud Boys are already selling a "Standing By" t-shirthttps://t.co/AKvhlIqy0j pic.twitter.com/O1YRjsFlit Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) September 30, 2020 The Anti-Defamation League reported that 90% of the murders by terrorist groups in 2019 came from white supremacists and other right-wing organizations. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a draft report that white supremacist extremists who increasingly are networking with likeminded persons abroad will pose the most persistent and lethal threat, according to Politico. And FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Homeland Security Committee earlier this month that more of the domestic terrorism threats come from white supremacists. Within the domestic terrorism bucket, the category as a whole, racially motivated violent extremism is, I think, the biggest bucket within that larger group," he said. "And within the racially motivated violent extremist bucket, people subscribing to some kind of white supremacist-type ideology is certainly the biggest chunk of that. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. A few days ago, I was talking with a Mexican friend about COVID in Mexico. I was trying to find out more information about the cases and deaths in Mexico. He could not answer the question, and it wasn't because he did not want to... He just didn't know, and I can understand that, because no one else really does. He did say corruption is the reason why doctors treating COVID-19 patients do not have better protective gear. Corruption is a way of life south of the border, and most people are now realizing that it does more harm than good. It may get you a birth certificate quickly, but it poisons the bureaucracy. Ioan Grillo, author and journalist, wrote this truth in the New York Times: Corruption tears at the soul of Mexico, and many here see it as one of the country's leading problems. It's the reason killer cartels flourish, roads have potholes, and doctors treating Covid-19 don't have better protective gear. It also pervades everyday life, with bribes functioning as the grease that keeps the system moving, and in this way it makes a large part of the country complicit. Bureaucrats get cash tips for issuing birth certificates for example, and police pocket cash for turning a blind eye to motorists running red lights. The "angels" at the bottom take bribes, too. But when the "gods" at the top are rotten it has the most devastating consequences. Yes, it does. Let me share a simple example. During my time in Mexico, I was the passenger, and a colleague was driving to a business meeting. We were stopped by a policeman. It was a stupid reason, something like the brake light was not working. The policeman was apologetic but started writing the ticket. My friend laughed and offered money. He looked at the peso bill and said it was not enough. My friend screamed. The policeman said he had to pass some of the bribe up the chain. We increased the bribe and moved on. As we drove away, my friend said this is like a "pyramid" and everything that's wrong. President Andres Lopez-Obrador promised to clean house his version of draining the swamp. Can he do it? Many people are still hoping he can, but the clock is ticking. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Image: Pixabay. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative, in partnership with the NerdiTNow Foundation and Samuel Consultancy Group, are holding a Technology Repair Pop-Up Event in West Philadelphia. The team is providing free technology repair to residents, employees of small businesses working remotely, K-12 students and jobseekers looking for work but lacking access to the best technology. With properly functioning technology, students, employees, and prospective employees can work virtually and be less vulnerable to catch COVID-19 by reducing the possibility of in-person transmission of the disease. The event will require on-site visitors to maintain social distancing, as well as allow for drop off or drive-in services to repair the most common technological problems. The available services include virus removal, screen repair for phones, tablets, or laptops, camera repair, keyboard repair, and operating system install and updates. This event is sponsored by AT&T through its 'Believe Philly' Program. AT&T Believes is a localized effort to create positive change in Philadelphia communities. Jabari Jones, President, West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative, stated, "We are expecting to repair more than 200 devices for members of the community. In the current work and school environment, having access to working smartphones and computers is critical to achieving success. We want to thank our sponsor AT&T and our partners for their work on this effort." Markevis Gideon, Founder, NerdiTNow Foundation, stated, "We are happy to work with the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative. We specialize in fixing consumer accident and damage issues, such as phone repair and virus removal. It is vitally important that this community have access to working technology at this critical time in history." Date: Saturday, October 03, 2020, and Sunday, October 04, 2020 Media Attendance: 1:00pm ET Distribution Time: 10:00am ET 4:00pm ET Pre-Registration for Resident Repairs : bit.ly/techrepair2020 Location: Please Touch Museum (Fairmount Park), Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131 Media is encouraged and invited to attend for Day One, October 03, 2020 at 1:00pm ET. Social Distancing and Masks will be enforced. About the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative The West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative is the largest business coalition in West Philly with participation from fourteen business associations that represent twelve commercial corridor shopping districts and over 2,000 small businesses represented. To learn more, visit http://westphillycc.org Media Contact: Teresa Lundy TML Communications O: 215-500-8749 E: [email protected] SOURCE West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative Related Links http://westphillycc.org Trade Wars, US-China Relationship, EU-US Trade Relations Talking Points: US-led trade wars with China and the EU likely to continue under Trump administration Multi-layered geopolitical issues not pertaining to trade may spill into trade discussions Biden administration may ease tensions with EU but less incentive to relieve China pressure Donald Trump Becomes President Doubling Down on China If re-elected, President Donald Trump would likely double down on China and seek additional concessions through Phase 2 of their long-awaited, comprehensive trade agreement. While Phase 1 was signed, the coronavirus pandemic complicated what was an already-fragile situation. Domestic demand was hammered and as a result, China was unable to hold up its end of the bargain. 10 Key Dates in US-China Trade War Timeline January 22, 2018: US tariffs all imported washing machines and solar panels ( not just from China) March 8, 2018: US orders 25% tariff on steel imports, 10% tariff on aluminum April 2, 2018: China imposes tariffs of up to 25% on 128 U S products August 7, 2018: US posts list of $16 billion of Chinese goods to be taxed at 25%. China retaliates with 25% duties on $16 billion of U S goods December 1, 2018: China and US agree to 90-day ceasefire, both sides talk to discuss resolution May 5, 2019: After trade talks failed, Trump tweets intent to raise tariffs on $200b of Chinese g o ods to 25% on May 10 August 1, 2019: US-China trade talks failed at G20, Trump announces 10% tariff on $300b of Chinese imports August 5, 2019: China halts US agricultural purchases, USD /CNY breaks past 7.000 exchange rate September 20, 2019: After 2-day meeting, USTR announces tariff exclusions on 400 Chinese products October 11, 2019: Trump announces Phase 1 deal. It is officially signed on January 15, 2020 There are an additional +30 key dates worthy of accounting, but the most recent developments at the time of writing are listed in this article. Furthermore, reconciliation is made even more difficult based on different accounting methods both the US and China employ. Not entirely by coincidence, each sides approach favor their respective positions. Mr. Trumps pivot towards greater leniency in the trade war in late 2020 may have been the result of a practical maneuver to avoid stirring economic and financial turbulence ahead of the election. Impact of US-China Trade War on Foreign Exchange Markets Daily Chart Source: TradingView Having said that, if re-elected, the President would likely revive pressure on China alongside an aggressive pursuit for the ratification of Phase 2. This may also occur in tandem with the diplomatic strains with Beijing over the sweeping national security bill for Hong Kong that has drawn international criticism. Growing tension over that geopolitical hot spot could spill over into trade talks like it did in 2019. Another hot-button issue that may rattle stocks and cycle-sensitive assets are issues pertaining to China-based technology software. Controversy over TikTok, WeChat and Huaweis 5G installations continue to be sticking points in cross-Pacific relations and will only likely be amplified under a Trump administration. The restriction of technology exports to Huawei has led China to start creating a plan to develop its own semi-conductors. Political stress in the South China Sea over Beijings military and economic activities have also intensified US-China relations. In addition to island-building and base constructions, the Asian giants aggressive claim to strategic fisheries has further created regional discontent with Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines to name a few. The Trump administrations stronger stance against China could raise the risk of a head-on conflict though this is still a relatively low probability. The South China Sea: A Fishermans Utopian Dystopia Source: Bloomberg using image by University of British Columbia Together, these geopolitical risks could put a premium on haven-linked currencies like the US Dollar and anti-risk Japanese Yen but a discount on growth-anchored FX like the Australian and New Zealand Dollars. They could be particularly susceptible to deteriorating US-China tensions given their strong reliance on the latters robust economic performance. This dynamic may be amplified if these issues spill over into trade talks. Open a demo FX trading account with IG and trade currencies that respond to systemic trends. Honing in on Europe From a market-oriented perspective, the re-election of Donald Trump could push the US Dollar higher along with the anti-risk Japanese Yen based on trade considerations discreetly. In his first term, the President not only started a trade war with China that many believe throttled global growth prospects, but his administrations policies also fractured relations with Europe. The latter was hit with aluminum and steel tariffs with threats of additional import duties. Arguably the most formidable tax threat against Europe which has not yet been taken off the table is auto tariffs. This one in particular could be economically devastating since it would directly impact Germany the regions largest economy and biggest car manufacturer the hardest. Last year, Trump almost used Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, a Cold War-era policy measure that would have increased auto tariffs by 25%. The European Union responded in kind by using tariffs targeted at politically-strategic states with key exports. Orange juice and bourbon were two of the many products that were hit. The former is a key export from Florida, a swing state in US elections and the latter is a signature export of Kentucky - the state of Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell. 10 Key Dates in US-EU Trade War Timeline March 1, 2018: Trump announces US is preparing to impose metal tariffs March 3, 2018: EU plans to retaliate with politically-strategic tariffs like Bourbon and orange juice March 8, 2018: US orders 25% tariff on steel imports, 10% tariff on aluminum March 22, 2018: US gives temporary exemptions to the EU among others May 22, 2018: US announces in investigation on whether auto imports pose a national security threat June 1, 2018: EU-US trade talks fail on permanent exemption from aluminum and steel tariffs June 6, 2018: US imposes tariffs on EU, Europe says ready to respond with 2.8b worth of duties July 1, 2018: EU warns US that nearly $300b of US auto exports may be hit with tariffs July 25, 2018: Trump and then-EC President Junker broker a deal, metal tariffs are lifted Note: From July 25, 2018 on, the EU and US engaged in a multiple tit-for-tat trade exchanges and threats of additional countermeasures too long to list. The most recent one is listed in the paragraph below. An almost two-decade trade dispute with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over illegal subsidies to aircraft giants Airbus and Boeing are another force widening the US-EU rift. The most recent ruling tilted in favor of Washington, which was given the largest arbitration award in the organizations history. It authorizes the US to legally impose $7.5 billion worth of tariffs on European goods and Washington took it. This came much to the chagrin of EU policymakers who were hoping to reach a tariff-free resolution. In mid-August, Washington said it would keep a 15% tariff on Airbus and a 25% tariff on other European goods. Brussels is now waiting to hit back with its own tariffs should it be afforded WTO approval for illegal US subsidies to aeronautical giant Boeing. Diverging foreign policy approaches in the Middle East specifically towards Iran may also add another layer of geopolitical tension that hinders cross-Atlantic cooperation. After Trump backed out of the 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, EU policymakers scrambled to find ways to incentivize Iran to stick to the agreement. This came much to the disdain of key officials in the Trump administration. European officials created what is known as the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX). This special purpose vehicle (SPV) allows European firms to circumvent US sanctions by facilitating non-SWIFT and non-US Dollar denominated trade with Iran. Washington warned that such an action could result in the sanctioning of EU firms, but Brussels made it clear that such policies could result in tariffs on US firms. Joe Biden Becomes President Lighter Pressure on China Given what Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris have said in the election cycle, it appears their approach to China on trade will have a lighter touch. Mr. Biden said that Americas farmers have been crushed by [Trump]s tariff war with China. Harris echoed this sentiment, saying that the economic conflict was punishing American consumers [and] killing American jobs. Having said that, the removal of tariffs may come with strings attached. In order to avoid being labeled as soft on China, especially with Beijings national security bill in Hong Kong, Biden may also have to stand up to the Asian giant. In addition to growing tension in the South China Sea, he may have to leverage alleviating pressure on trade in exchange for strategic geopolitical concessions in the aforementioned areas. The prospect of reconciliation - or at least not escalating tension - could boost market sentiment and help restore confidence in the gradual restoration of international trade norms, a considerable contribution to global growth. Cross-continental equity markets would likely rally from this prospect along with growth-anchored currencies like the Australian and New Zealand Dollars. The anti-risk Japanese Yen and US Dollar, however, may not thrive in this environment. Reconciling With Europe In line with Bidens comparatively more conventional approach to policy, cross-Atlantic reconciliation would likely be high on the agenda. Repealing the $7.5 billion worth of tariffs on European products and general normalization of bilateral trade relations could be one part of a broader multi-pronged effort to restore fractured relations. This could help lift equities but undercut demand for havens like the US Dollar. Having said that, Biden may encounter some friction with EU policymakers on issues pertaining to digital sovereignty, through perhaps to a lesser degree than what Trump has faced. In 2019, France almost signed into a law a digital tax that appeared to overwhelmingly target US firms. The Trump administration fell back on their modus operandi and subsequently threatened to impose tariffs if the bill became law. The so-called GAFA group Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon have also had run-ins with EU lawmakers. What a resolution under Bidens administration would look like is unclear, but what is almost certain is the expectation of continued tension between EU officials and US tech giants. Uncertainty here may hurt technology stocks, but the ripple effect may be comparatively smaller than if Trump were to deal with it. --- Written by Zabelin, Currency Analyst for DailyFX.com To contact Dimitri, use the comments section below or @ZabelinDimitri on Twitter China: Authorities abduct, torture priest to force state conversion Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Communist authorities in China have abducted and tortured a 46-year-old priest in the southeastern province of Fujian for refusing to join the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, according to reports. Father Liu Maochun from the Diocese of Mindong was ruthlessly tortured, according to Bitter Winter, a magazine that reports on religious liberty and human rights in China. Officers banged a gong beside his ear and shone a bright light into his eyes for several consecutive daysa torture method known as exhausting an eagle when people are deprived of sleep for a long time, the magazine said, quoting a source in the diocese. Liu Maochun, who assists the dioceses auxiliary bishop Guo Xijin, was taken away by police on Sept. 1 while he was visiting patients in a hospital. He was reportedly taken to a detention house in the county-level city of Fuan. The government claimed that Fr. Liu Maochun has disobeyed its rule and was ideologically radical, the source was quoted as saying. Bishop Guo had also refused to join the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. The government earlier pressured a deacon in the diocese, threatening to demolish his house and sack his children if he further supported Guos refusal to join the Patriotic Church, the magazine said. An insider in the Fuan city government told the magazine that the authorities suspect that Fr. Maochun may have shared information with foreign media about another priest, Fr. Huang, who too was tortured for not joining the Patriotic Church. China has an estimated 12 million Catholics and two major groupings, those registered with the state-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and an underground church of Catholics, who reject state control, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Vatican signed an agreement with China in 2018 on the leadership of the Catholic Church, after which tensions between the authorities and diocesan priests increased. The Vatican is now seeking to renew that agreement, overlooking concerns over religious freedom and human rights. Christian human rights groups and some Catholic bishops have voiced their concerns with the Vaticans decision. While certain details of the deal remain unknown, reports of the agreement indicate that Chinese officials submit a candidate for bishop to the Vatican and the pope has final say over the matter. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a United Nations-accredited persecution watchdog, has also signaled its concerns about the deal. CSW is deeply concerned about the timing of this provisional agreement between the Chinese government and the Vatican, CSWs East Asia team leader, Benedict Rogers, said in a statement. While we understand some of the motivations behind the Vatican's effort toward an agreement, there are significant concerns about the implications for freedom of religion or belief in China. Rogers added that if the agreement was to have real value, the deal itself must have freedom of religion or belief as one of its central components. We reiterate our call on the Chinese authorities to release all Catholics in China held in any form of detention, and all others detained in connection with their peaceful religious activities. China has been cracking down on underground churches and Christian activists for years. In 2015, more than 1,000 crosses were removed from church roofs and entire church buildings were destroyed across the Zhejiang province. The Chinese government continued its campaign against Christianity during the countrys coronavirus outbreak by destroying crosses and demolishing a church while people were on lockdown. More than 60 million Christians live in China, at least half of whom worship in unregistered or so-called illegal underground churches. The morning after the first presidential debate of the 2020 campaign, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz recorded a special episode of the Political Gabfest. This transcript of their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. David Plotz: Now that weve had time to absorb the horror of a remarkably horrible 90 minutes in American political history, what was your reaction to last nights debate? Emily Bazelon: It was so unpleasant. The interrupting, the rank bullying from Donald Trump. Biden was in a really tough position. He held his ground, though there were moments when he missed opportunities for comebacks. The best moments of the debate were when Biden spoke directly to the audience and was able to get himself on message and back on track from the pandemonium. I also started out feeling frustrated with moderator Chris Wallace, but by the end I thought hed done as good a job as you could do in that circumstance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was that staggering moment in which the president refused to condemn white supremacists and gave a call-out to the Proud Boys, a hate group. So that was pretty shocking. Plotz: There were so many shocking moments, but the moment when he refused to even remotely wave at endorsing the legitimacy of the election was more shocking to me. Its pretty clear that the re-election strategy is that there is no election, there is just victory, and we will delegitimize the democratic process to do it. He doesnt appear to be campaigning for anything like let me win this legitimately by winning electoral votes with a majority of votes in each of the states where Im going to get electoral votes. Advertisement John, what did you make of it? John Dickerson: The president is behind in the polls and has been shedding voters from his coalition since 2016. I should think that the way he behaved shoved anybody who was trying to give him a second look away from him. I just kept thinking, hes the president of the United States, and he wasnt behaving in any way presidential. I get that he was trying to throw Biden off course, trying to get into his head. He was trying to fluster him and make Biden look unsettled. Biden mostly weathered it. When youre a challenger, and you do that against Hillary Clinton, and shes unpopular, it might work a little bit better, but hes now the president of the United States, and Joe Biden is not unpopular in the way that Hillary Clinton was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And, by the way, the stakes right now are extremely high. There are real and important things to be talking about in the country, and the fact that the president was more animated about some conspiracy theory about Hunter Biden than he was about any of the other issues I guess he was also self-interestedly passionate about mail-in ballots. The fact that he showed no passion toward the obligations of his job and only toward the tactics of his strategy was a misalignment. Advertisement Advertisement But, finally, on the point of white supremacy that Emily mentioned, there shouldnt be an easier job for a president than to condemn white supremacy. William Howard Taft said, Speak not so that youre understood, but speak so that its impossible to misunderstand you. Is there a person on the planet who has a faster trigger finger when he wants to condemn somebodyincluding teenagers, gold star mothers, the mayor of London after a terrorist attackand yet when it comes to condemning white supremacists, he gets marbled-mouthed. Advertisement Advertisement Plotz: Emily, do you agree with John that the interrupting was a conscious strategy to disorient Biden? Bazelon: Thats what bullies do. They throw you off course. They overwhelm you if they can. And it felt like a pummeling from the playground. Weve heard these stories about Trump in high school being a jerk to the people around him. It felt like he was channeling all of that id, and I have to say, watching that debate as a woman I live with lovely men, but all the moments Ive had in my life of men just being caustic and cruel and unfair and over-the-top in their aggression washed over me. Advertisement Advertisement When Biden was trying to land some lines about Beau Biden serving in Iraq, and Trump went after him with such viciousness about Hunter Biden These are his kids, and he has plenty of ammunition to lay out about the Trump kids if he wants. He has decided not to do that. I think that was wise. But that moment, which I understand the Republican Party is playing this morning as their victory clip, I had to hide under a blanket I was so upset about what felt to me like a totally underhanded, below-the-belt way of debating. Advertisement Advertisement Dickerson: Were in a position where everybody feels jagged about the way the world is going right now. As COVID is rising with the colder weather, people need to be taken in the opposite direction, and Trump came with a sawtooth. Bazelon: Do you remember how President Obama kind of messed up the first debate with Mitt Romney? I was thinking that maybe being president does not prepare you very well to debate. Not just because you dont have enough time to read all the books, but the environment that youre in is one thats affirming almost all the time, and debating is about actually addressing your own weaknesses, and thinking from other points of view. Trump was so unable to do that. Advertisement Advertisement Plotz: Hes literally unable to do that. An element of the narcissistic personality is the inability to do that. Whatever preparation Biden did about the substance of the debate was mostly lost because it was all overwhelmed by the chaos and unpleasantness that Trump introduced by refusing to hold a debate. Dickerson: Trump didnt prepare too much even when he was a candidate in 2016.. But in a sense, hes been preparing his whole life for the debate that he carried out last night. That strategy is very consistent with the bullying thats been described repeatedly in his life. His strategy is to throw a grenade in the room, let it explode, and then run in and try to command the chaos. Thats exactly what he was doing last night. To listen to the full bonus episode of the Political Gabfest, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or listen below. Instead of disengagement, the Indian and Chinese armies have deployed an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 soldiers each along the LAC. The PLA has deployed S-400 air defence missiles to neutralise the IAF's advantage in air power. Ajai Shukla reports. Late on September 22 evening, a full day after the conclusion of the sixth round of talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders, the two sides issued a joint statement that agreed to 'earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen communication on the ground, avoid misunderstandings, stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any action that might complicate the situation.' Notably, the statement made no mention of any of India's core concerns: A troop pull-back by China and a reversion to the status quo ante of April. Senior government sources say that, during previous talks, China's People's Liberation Army hardened its stance, conveying to the Indian Army that it must vacate five-six tactically dominating heights it occupied south of the Pangong Tso lake. Only after that would the PLA consider any further withdrawal from areas that the Chinese have occupied. On August 30, after the PLA began expanding its territorial hold south of the Pangong Tso, the Indian Army occupied 'blocking positions' on the Kailash Range on August 30, in its first offensive action since the PLA trespassed across the Line of Actual Control in May. These mountaintops are strung out, north-to-south, on the Kailash Range. They include the tactically vital Point 5167, Bump, Magar Hill, Rezang La, Reching La and Mukhpari. By occupying these features, the Indian Army can observe Chinese activities across Pangong Lake, in the Spanggur Gap and on PLA-held features such as Helmet and Black Top. Indian control of these heights makes it difficult for the PLA to consider any westward advance into the India-held Chushul Bowl. Indian military officers at the September 21 talks, including the outgoing commander of the Leh corps, Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, and his designated successor, Lieutenant General P G K Menon, flatly refused to withdraw from their advantageous positions, pointing out that these heights were all on territory that India had traditionally controlled and patrolled. The Indian delegation, which also included the ministry of external affairs official in charge of the China desk, demanded the PLA withdraw from points of intrusion such as Pangong Tso, Gogra-Hot Springs and the approaches to Chushul. It is unclear whether the Indian side has also demanded a Chinese withdrawal from Depsang, where PLA troops have penetrated about 15 kilometres into India -- the deepest point of intrusion. Given this disagreement, the PLA delegation led by the South Xinjiang Military District chief, Major General Liu Lin, declined to discuss any pull back by Chinese troops. With that, there remains little to show for the apparent consensus between the two foreign ministers -- S Jaishankar and Wang Yi -- who met in Moscow on September 19. In a five-point joint statement they agreed 'the current situation in the border areas is not in the interests of either side' (and) that the 'border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.' Instead of disengagement, the two sides have deployed an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 soldiers each along the LAC. In the north, in the Depsang area, Indian planners say there are about 5,000 soldiers on the Indian side of the LAC, backed by another 5,000 on the Chinese side, equipped with tanks and air defence guns. Over time, the PLA has built roads and tracks to supply the troops that have crossed the LAC. To the south of Depsang, the PLA has pulled out of the Galwan River valley but remains poised on the LAC with an estimated 8,000-9,000 soldiers along India's Patrolling Point (PP) 14, PP 15, PP-17 and PP-17A (Gogra Post). Another 2,000-3,000 Chinese soldiers are deployed across the LAC from PP-18 to PP-23 in the Ane Le area. South of Ane La, on the north bank of Pangong Tso, where the PLA has pushed the LAC westwards by about eight kilometres, Indian officials estimate there are about 2,500 Chinese soldiers on the north bank and another 10,000 on the south bank, facing off against Indian soldiers on the Ladakh Range. Finally, there is a major build-up of about 250 tanks and other armoured vehicles in the Spanggur Lake area. In a worrying development for the Indian Air Force, Indian planners are evaluating the veracity of reports that the PLA has already deployed a regiment of state-of-the-art S-400 air defence missiles opposite the Chumar area; and another regiment is being moved into the Depsang sector. The Russian S-400 missile regiments, which can accurately strike Indian aircraft at ranges up to 400 kilometres, would allow the PLA to substantially neutralise the IAF's advantage in air power. The joint statement left the path for dialogue open, mentioning that the two sides agreed to hold the seventh round of military commander-level meetings as soon as possible. No date has been fixed for the talks. A quarter of the workforce in high-risk industries such as abattoirs and supermarkets will be tested for coronavirus every week as part of the plan for Melbourne to emerge from lockdown. Infectious disease experts also want coronavirus testing expanded to those who have visited exposure sites, regardless of whether they have symptoms, to continue suppressing the disease as restrictions are relaxed. More testing is being planned. Credit:Justin McManus Health officials are also asking rideshare drivers in Melbournes south-east to get tested for COVID-19 even if they don't have symptoms after a cluster emerged in Casey this month. Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed on Wednesday that surveillance testing would be rolled out for asymptomatic workers in high-risk industries. Appeal in Babri demolition case to be taken after studying judgment says CBI counsel Babri demolition verdict: All you need to know about the key figures Historic judgment: M M Joshi after acquittal in Babri demolition case India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Sep 30: Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who was an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, has welcomed a CBI special court's verdict acquitting all the 32 accused in the case. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News "It's a historic decision by the court. This proves that no conspiracy was hatched for December 6 incident in Ayodhya. Our program and rallies were not part of any conspiracy. We are happy, everyone should now be excited about Ram Mandir's construction, said Joshi. All the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case, including BJP veterans L K Advani and MM Joshi, were on Wednesday acquitted by a special CBI court here. The court said there was no conclusive proof against the accused. The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. The 32 accused persons were former deputy prime minister Advani, former Union minister Joshi and Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, during whose tenure the structure was pulled down, besides Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Rithambara. All acquitted in Babri demolition case as court observes incident not pre-planned Champat Rai, the general secretary of the trust in charge of constructing the temple, were also among the accused. The CBI, which went into the case, produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the court. Charges were framed against 48 people, but 16 had died during the course of the trial. Over two dozen of 32 accused were present. Advani (92), Joshi (86), Bharti (61), Singh (88), Nritya Gopal Das and Satish Pradhan were not present in court. The on Wednesday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government stating that the burial of the gang-rape victim in Hathras without her family's consent was a "blatant denial of justice". In a press statement, the Politburo of the PI(M) said the "barbaric caste based rape" is "reflective of the utter lawlessness" in the northern state. The 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she breathed her last on Tuesday. The woman was cremated in Hathras in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. "The strongly condemns the actions of the Adityanath Government on the blatant denial of justice to the Hathras dalit rape victim and her family. Her death is the result of the callous approach of the Government. The victim was grievously injured in the barbaric rape crime committed by four upper caste men on September 14, her tongue was cut out, she was bleeding profusely but the police refused to file an FIR for five days, denied the victim the immediate medical treatment which could have saved her and in the ultimate act of caste cruelty, the police cremated her body, denying the family the right to give their daughter a dignified funeral, the Left said in the statement. "This under the BJP government and the patronage given to casteist and reactionary forces leading to a big increase in crimes against Dalits and women," it said. The party demanded action against the police personnel who reportedly refused to file an FIR in the case and against those responsible for forcible' cremation of the victim. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Islamabad, Sep 30 : Karachi has witnessed another spike in Covid-19 infections, with the National Command and Operations Center reporting that 365 out of 747 new cases recorded were detected in the metropolis. The unusual spike caught the attention of the national decision-making body and a meeting early on Wednesday discussed appropriate measures to contain the spike in cases, geotv reported. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Faisal Sultan reportedly emphasised a smart lockdown, contact tracing and a strict adherence to health protocols. Meanwhile, Secretary Health Sindh apprised the forum that the administration is monitoring the situation and appropriate administrative actions will be taken after taking into account disease prevalence in consultation with all stakeholders. On Tuesday, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab warned people to practice caution as coronavirus numbers are rising. Pakistan has started easing coronavirus curbs after infections in the country began to decline, according to government officials. The country's phase-wise reopening of educational institutions will also conclude on Wednesday. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Actress Neena Gupta recently talked about why she never got lead roles in her youth. She said that her public image differed from how heroines were portrayed back then and hampered her roles. Talking to Times of India, Gupta said, When I say that I had an image of a strong woman, I am referring to the image created by the media. See what I am in my actual personal life, nobody knows. Maybe I am not strong in my personal life. How will anybody know? Now, the heroine in those days was not portrayed as someone strong, more often than not. Generally, she was someone who compromised with the circumstances and sacrificed a lot. So, I think an actor has to be very careful that what image of theirs is created by the media. And the actor is responsible for it." She said that actors had to know where to draw the line as to what they could or could not say in public. She said that a lot of things actors said were misinterpreted and blown out of proportion. She added that if she had some advantages as a celebrity, there were many disadvantages too. The actress was last seen in the show Masaba Masaba on Netflix. The show is loosely inspired by daughter and designer Masaba Guptas life. Neena Gupta played herself and her journey where she was not getting work for a while as a senior artist and eventually landed her breakout role in Badhaai Ho was shown on the show. Masaba Masaba is directed by Sonam Nair and also stars Satyadeep Misra, Neel Bhoopalam, Suchitra Pillai, Rytasha Rathore and Smaran Sahu in pivotal roles. California adopts bills allowing males in female prisons, fund for hormones and trans surgery grants Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two new transgender bills, including one that allows biological males who identify as female to be placed in women's prisons, and another that establishes a fund using state revenue for gender-transition drugs and surgeries. Newsom signed a law Saturday that requires the Golden state to let inmates who identify as transgender, nonbinary, or intersex be housed on the basis of "gender identity" instead of biological sex. The phrase "gender identity" has been used in public policy to describe a transgender-identifying person's internal feelings about their sex but is not informed by chromosomes. The California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation is not prohibited from denying an inmate's request to be placed in an opposite-sex facility solely because of anatomy, sexual orientation or "a factor present" among the other inmates at the facility. Critics say female inmates are an already vulnerable population and the presence of males in their spaces, regardless of how they identify, is a violation of their privacy and safety. "Allowing men to identify into being incarcerated with women, and this is unlikely to be used by women to get into mens prisons, constitutes a depraved indifference to the safety and dignity of women held in custody by the State of California," said Natasha Chart, board chair of the Women's Liberation Front, in an email to The Christian Post Monday. "This would count as a violation of womens rights under the Geneva Conventions for prisoners of war, and is likely being used to divert attention from the states failure to prevent torture and other interpersonal violence in mens prisons." She added: "The state should do better to make mens prisons safe for all men, not pass laws to allow some at-risk men to stay with the women in lower-security facilities. Critically, a man being targeted for violence by other men doesnt make that man safe company for women. Consider that sex offenders are especially despised in mens prisons, and would be highly motivated to take advantage of this law. But theyre the last men who ought to be allowed to do so, and there isnt even a recognition of this context anywhere in the bill." Newsom also signed AB 2218, a measure that was tabled and then revived earlier this year. It establishes a Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund that provides grants to organizations that assist in housing needs and therapeutic programs, as well as facilitate medicalized gender treatments such as hormones and surgeries for both minors and adults. When the bill was first introduced by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles, residents pushed back and urged legislators not to support any bill that would sterilize minors. Santiago dismissed the concerns as "fear-mongering." Later, informed consent documents from the transgender center at LA Children's Hospital that were obtained through FOIA requests showed that the experimental hormone treatments do indeed irreversibly damage the fertility of young people. While Newsom hailed the bills as steps "toward equality," the California Family Council, a group that actively opposed the transgender funding measure, decried the latest move. "By rejecting the concerns of doctors and parents and siding with LGBT activists, Governor Newsom yet again ignoring the heartbreak his policies will unleash, said Jonathan Keller, president of CFC, in a statement emailed to CP Monday. AB 2218 opens the door to drugs and surgeries causing irreversible damage, risking life-long sterility for young people. Sadly, the Governor failed in his God-given responsibility to protect the people he was elected to serve. Mr Samson Asaki Awingobit, a flagbearer aspirant of the People's National Convention (PNC), has said the Party will focus on winning three parliamentary seats in each region in the December General Election if given the nod as the PNC presidential candidate at congress. He said that target was strategic and easier to achieve than aiming at all the seats and winning none, which would result in no representation in Parliament. Mr Awingobit said this at a press briefing to give an update on his campaign ahead of the Partys delegates congress on Friday. He said as part of the winning strategy he had donated 1,000 pieces of posters to some parliamentary aspirants of the Party adding that the Party was ready to make a good showing at the December polls. Mr Awingobit said the 2020 elections would be about credibility, ideas and superior policies and described himself as the best candidate to win the battle for the PNC. He said the PNC was bigger than any individual and urged the delegates to vote for a competent candiadte. Mr Awingobit entreated all national, regional and constituency executives, including the elections committee of the Party, to ensure a free and fair elections. He called on the delegates to vote for fresh ideas, adding; Nobody should feel intimidated or coerced to make any choice..rather, vote for a good candidate for the betterment of the PNC. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Reinsurers and insurers for years have been worried about systemic risks those uninsurable risks with the potential of surpassing the capital of the industry. The COVID-19 crisis has renewed attention on these risks, which could also include a global cyber event and climate change. These risks are so worrying that rating agencies, such as AM Best, are taking note. The question about the insurability of systemic risks is not new, said Torsten Jeworrek, CEO of Munich Res reinsurance business, during a virtual media briefing held in lieu of meetings previously held at the reinsurance Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo. There are a number of risks of a systemic nature, which are not in the scope of our insurance and reinsurance industry, he said, pointing to risks including pandemic, political risk, nuclear and biological terrorism, critical infrastructure (such as energy supply), cyber war and war. (Click on Munich Re chart below to expand it. This chart illustrates insurable versus uninsurable risks). For an industry founded on the principles of diversification, we are now grappling with the implications of the first global systemic insurance loss, said David Priebe, chairman of reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter, during its virtual media briefing. One of the most important insurance concepts is the concept of diversification, agreed Stefan Golling, head of Munich Res corporate underwriting, who explained that a major natural catastrophe such as a big earthquake or a hurricane will not affect all parts of the world at the same time, unlike a pandemic. For a large natural catastrophe, the industry can usually rely on the diversification between various lines of businesses. So we would expect the life business, the health business, the property business, and the liability business to perform rather independently. And of course we can also expect diversification when it comes to various customer groups, Golling explained. Related: Some Question Insurers Estimates of Coronavirus Business Interruption Claims Pandemic risk, on the other hand, falls into the category of uninsurable risk because geographical diversification is impossible and all regions worldwide, most lines of business, most industries and most customer segments are affected by the same crisis at the same time, he continued. And beyond that, the insurance industry doesnt only have to expect a hit on the liability side, but, of course, also on the asset side of our balance sheets, he added. AM Best is examining the impact of such systemic risks as pandemic, stating in a recent report that COVID-19 has highlighted weaknesses in insurers and reinsurers enterprise risk management (ERM). While ERM has evolved rapidly over the past decade, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the unknown unknowns and unexpected accumulations that can affect reinsurers and insurers, said the AM Best report. Reinsurance, and to some extent insurance, has thrived on globalization with limited barriers to entry, said the report titled COVID-19 Highlights Weaknesses in Insurers Enterprise Risk Management. With this has come an increasing interconnectivity of risks between market and participants, and the consequences of a higher risk of contagion between insurance and other sectors, it added. Conventional wisdom had led most observers to expect that the greatest impact of a pandemic would be to the life and health sector, but in reality, it is likely that property and casualty re/insurers will feel the brunt of the impact to this event, said AM Best. Unexpected Accumulations Unconstrained by geography, the COVID-19 pandemic is very different from other large scale losses suffered by the industry, in that it has caused a global economic downturn with huge economic and social impacts, said AM Best. In addition, the crisis has had a profound impact on both the demand for and the supply of insurance products. It is likely that this impact will be felt for a long time, with the insurance industry needing to adapt to these changes and also to the new risks that may emerge, said the report. As a result, the coronavirus pandemic is testing insurers ERM approaches, practices and resilience, the ratings agency continued. Golling also acknowledged there is still huge uncertainty related to the COVID-19 crisis, which could see some secondary effects on areas such as credit business or liability classes like directors and officers. And, of course, we are all aware that we are still in the middle of the crisis, and the second or third wave could lead to an increased amount of losses, Golling cautioned. Fortunately, the insured losses from the life business are so far rather moderate. The active prevention measures by governments regarding social distancing and lockdown decisions, helped to reduce the number of losses on the life side enormously. However, the industry could face, not only a second or third wave of COVID-19, but also, in the future, it could face a newer, different and more deadly virus, in which the losses on the life side could easily surpass the losses on the P/C side, Golling said. Nevertheless, Golling said, the insurance industry has still managed to provide a substantial amount of coverage for pandemic risk. Munich Re estimates the industrys COVID-19-related property/casualty losses will range from US$30 billion to $100 billion, coming from various lines of business, such as the travel business, event cancellation business, credit business and workers compensation. Lloyds has estimated a combined underwriting and investment loss for the industry of up to US$203 billion. With uncertainty over the scale and duration of the pandemic and any lockdown measures, the financial impact would be well in excess of this, said AM Best. Unforeseen Risks AM Best said a key area of interest in the coming months is how organizations use lessons learned from this current crisis to strengthen ERM frameworks against such black swan risks. In line with expectations, higher-rated and more sophisticated insurers and reinsurers responded promptly to the pandemic, demonstrating a superior level of ERM compared with their peers, said AM Best. Generally, these are the companies that perform regular stress testing, including testing for pandemic risk, or the implications of a severe economic downturn, added the ratings agency. However, while the stress testing may have been rigorous and sophisticated, unforeseen risks have emerged as the pandemic has evolved. The contagion effect on the global economy suggests that property and casualty carriers are likely to be more impacted than the life and health sector, and perhaps more than previously thought, the AM Best report continued. AM Best noted that there are also likely to be accumulations of risk that insurers have not before considered. Globalization is considered to be positive for insurers, enabling the interconnectivity of people and risks, AM Best continued. However, when global events like the COVID-19 pandemic occur, this can expose unexpected accumulations of risk, leaving insurers unable to mitigate the effects through geographic diversification. As demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, AM Best said, increased global and economic mobility can help the spread of epidemiological risk, with containment measures generally limited in effectiveness if not coordinated globally. Wake-Up Call for Industry Over recent years, companies have sought to measure exposure to unexpected risk, through investment in natural catastrophe research and modeling capabilities, said the report. However, the same level of investment has not been seen in modeling and assessing pandemic risk. The nature of this risk fundamentally differs from natural perils targeted by traditional catastrophe protection. As such, COVID-19 has been a wake-up call for the insurance industry, highlighting the importance of identification, measurement and mitigation of pandemic risk, it went on to say. Golling acknowledged that the inability to diversify pandemic risk, the fact that the industry already is exposed to life and P/C risks are the reasons why we cannot insure all the losses from business interruption. The pandemic risk in its entirety is too big to be covered by the private insurance sector, he said. He cited a study by the American Property and Casualty Insurance Association, which said the risk capital of U.S. insurance industry would be exhausted in a couple of weeks, if all the business interruption losses would have been insured. And the same, of course, would be true for Europe as well as for Asia. That is why business interruption policies generally always require physical damage and/or include a pandemic exclusion, Golling said. The so-called business closure insurance policies that are available the market always targeted local infectious diseases, because those events are not an issue from an accumulation perspective. Golling noted that almost 100% of the business interruption losses have so far been caused by political decisions by governments to lockdown economies, which is another reason why these risks are not insurable. Who of you or who of us could have forecasted how governments, national governments or federal governments, would have reacted? Who of you or who of us could forecast now how they would react in a couple of weeks if we see the numbers going up again? So how could an underwriter really assess the risk and determine a risk adequate price for that risk? Public-Private Partnership Golling emphasized that the solution for the systemic risk of pandemics can only be a combination of continuing with the private insurance market for covering the currently insured exposures while developing government-backed solutions for the currently uninsured exposures. He cited, in particular, the business interruption exposures from the millions and millions of small and medium sized enterprises. Whilst the financial contribution of the insurance industry will remain limited to back up these government pools, the industry can of course add value, not only by its know-how, but also offering its infrastructure, for example, by collecting premiums and paying claims, added Golling. He suggested the formation of simple national pools, which would focus only on pandemic risk. We cant really immediately also include other systemic risks, such as war or cyber war or terrorism, because it would just increase the complexity too much. We should focus on non-damage business interruption for small and medium enterprises. I think we have to ensure the affordability through government subsidization, Golling continued. This article first was published in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. Topics COVID-19 Reinsurance Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 16:48:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- India successfully test-fired supersonic cruise missile BrahMos with "extended range" variant, local media reports said Wednesday. The missile can hit targets at over 400 km range. "The test was carried out under the PJ-10 project of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under which the missile was launched with an indigenous booster," a local news agency said. "This was the second test-firing of the extended range version of BrahMos supersonic missile. The airframe and booster of the missile are indigenous." BrahMos missile is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines, ships, fighter jets or land. BrahMos is developed as a joint venture between the DRDO and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia. The missile was initially developed with a flight range of up to 290 km, capable of carrying a conventional warhead of 300 kg. Enditem Charles Li, chief executive of the Hong Kong stock exchange, will step down earlier than expected at the end of 2020 after leading the Asian exchange group more than a decade, the bourse said Tuesday in a filing. Li informed the board of Hong Kong and Clearing Ltd. (HKEX) that he wished to retire early from his role as chief executive on Dec. 31, the company said. He will take a role as senior adviser to the board for six months starting Jan. 1 to ensure a smooth transition. Calvin Tai, the chief operating officer and a company veteran, will serve as interim chief executive starting Jan. 1, the HKEX said. The appointment won approval from the citys securities regulator. Li was scheduled to step down in October 2021 when his term ends. He said in May that he wouldnt seek reappointment and was willing to step aside earlier if a suitable successor were found before then. Li is to turn 60 next year. The HKEX said in May that it formed a selection committee led by Chairwoman Laura Cha to find a successor to Li. Considerable progress has been made, and an announcement will be made in due course, the company said Tuesday. Cha lauded Lis contribution to the company. Li played a pivotal role in the growth of Hong Kongs capital markets and has ensured HKEX is very well placed for the opportunities and challenges, Cha said. Li was named HKEX chief executive in January 2010 and has since been reappointed three times, making him the longest-serving head of the company since it went public in 2000. During Lis tenure with the HKEX, the company started stock and bond connect programs that allowed investors in Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland to trade on each others markets. It also implemented a dual-class share IPO system that allows listed companies to have different types of shares that correspond with different voting rights and lured money-losing biotech companies to list. In light of the revamps Li carried out, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which went public in New York in 2014, made a secondary, homecoming listing in Hong Kong last November. A number of companies followed with flotations in Hong Kong, including e-commerce giant JD.com, leading game developer NetEase Inc. and restaurant chain Yum China Holdings Inc. Alibabas fintech arm Ant Group is set to be the next mega listing on the Hong Kong exchange, aiming to raise as much as $30 billion in a concurrent offering with the Shanghai exchange. It is unclear what Lis next chapter will be after his departure from the HKEX. In a May meeting with reporters, Li said he wont start retirement life. Born in Beijing, Li worked as an offshore oil driller in China's northern Bohai Bay in the late 1970s before he became a reporter at state newspaper China Daily. He later studied in the U.S., earning a masters degree in journalism from the University of Alabama and then a Ph.D. in law from Columbia University. After practicing law in New York, Li joined Merrill Lynch as an investment banker and in 1999 became head of the companys China division. He became chairman of J.P. Morgan China in 2003 and led the banks China operations for six years before he joined the HKEX. Being chief executive of HKEX has been the highlight of my career to date, Li said Tuesday in a statement. There is never a perfect time to stand down from a great company such as HKEX, but given the strength of our business as well as our markets, it is now the right time. The HKEX has benefited from a spate of high-profile Chinese stock listings and a pick-up in trading as the pandemic and China-U.S. tensions stoked volatility. First-half net income rose to a record HK$5.23 billion ($674 million) on the back of a 13% gain in core revenue, the bourse reported in Month. The surge of listings by Chinese technology enterprises amid concern over their U.S. listings attracted an influx of investors to the bourse, propelling its share price up by almost 50%. Stock trading jumped 33% in the first half, helped by an increase in inflows from the mainland. Shares of HKEX declined 0.44% Tuesday to close at HK$359 apiece. Timmy Shen contributed to this story. Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com). Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. A councillor for the Village of Big Valley questioned the chief administrative officers (CAO) qualifications and wanted the administrator to take a stress management course. That idea was defeated in a 2 to 1 vote at the Sept. 24 regular meeting of council. Coun. Harry Nibourg asked that several additions be made to that meetings agenda, including the topic of CAO Sandra Schells annual evaluation. The provincial governments Municipal Government Act requires CAOs have an annual performance evaluation. Coun. Nibourg asked when CAO Schells annual job evaluation was coming up, if he could get a copy of Schells qualifications and also suggested all village staff submit confidential evaluations of Schells performance. Nibourg stated in order to get a fair evaluation of Schells performance, confidential appraisals were necessary. Deputy Mayor Clark stated he has seen appraisals like that in the private sector. He said hes not a big fan of anonymous comments but also said hed like to see honest, fair feedback. Nibourg made a motion that CAO Schell take a stress management course because Schell has made rash decisions under pressure and became emotionally distraught under stressful situations. Coun. Art Tizzard stated he didnt understand why Schells qualifications were being discussed and that it seemed Nibourg still had an axe to grind. You guys hired her, said Tizzard. That was the time to do the evaluation. Nibourg stated more transparency is needed because Big Valley has never been transparent enough. At this point Deputy Mayor German stated he felt any more discussion on the CAOs evaluation should be done in closed session. Nibourgs motion to require the CAO to take a stress management course was defeated by a 2 to 1 vote. Inspection defeated Coun. Nibourg made a motion that the village request a provincial government inspection of the village administration. Nibourg referred to a letter he previously received from Municipal Affairs noting the option of requesting an inspection. The inspection must be approved by a resolution of council. Nibourgs motion was defeated 2 to 1. RCMP claim crimes occurred Coun. Nibourg asked his fellow councillors if they were aware of an RCMP investigation into the Village of Big Valley administration regarding allegations of fraud and other issues. German responded by stating all councillors received an email form the CAO noting the RCMP were investigating after some allegations were made. Nibourg responded by saying he spoke with the RCMP and the police told him the investigation confirmed crimes occurred but RCMP were not charging anyone because of the coronavirus pandemic which, police claim, would simply result in the charges being thrown out of court anyway. Nibourg stated the case file was #20201028011. Road banCoun. Tizzard stated hed heard complaints from business owners downtown that the year-round road ban placed on Railway Ave. was hurting business. Tizzard stated hed heard that big trucks stopping in Big Valley used to support the business sector better. Tizzard stated its being felt because business is already down this year. However, Tizzard stated he understood why the ban was being placed in the spring when the roads are soft. Coun. Nibourg stated the road ban helps protect the roads from damage. Animal control clarity CAO Schell reported to council on the villages current Animal Control bylaw, which she stated is mostly concerned with dogs with one part referring to farm animals. Schell stated updating the bylaw would clarify things for staff when complaints come in. Deputy Mayor German stated hes heard complaints in Big Valley that dog owners have rules to follow but cat owners get a free pass. Councillors unanimously agreed to have Schell bring back proposed amendments to the animal control bylaw, possibly including farm animals and cats. Read more about: WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump unleashed a torrent of fabrications and fear-mongering in a belligerent debate with Joe Biden, at one point claiming that the U.S. death toll would have been 10 times higher under the Democrat because he wanted open borders in the pandemic. Biden preached no such thing. Trump barreled into the debate Tuesday night as unconstrained by the facts as at his rallies, but this time having his campaign opponent and frequently the Fox News moderator, Chris Wallace, calling him out in real time, or trying. Biden stumbled on the record at times as the angry words flew from both men on the Cleveland stage. A look at how some of their statements from Cleveland stack up with the facts in the first of three scheduled presidential debates for the Nov. 3 election: VIRUS DEATH TOLL TRUMP, addressing Biden on U.S. deaths from COVID-19: If you were here, it wouldnt be 200,000 people, it would be 2 million people. You didnt want me to ban China, which was heavily infected. If we would have listened to you, the country would have been left wide open. THE FACTS: The audacious claim that Biden as president would have seen 2 million deaths rests on a false accusation. Biden never came out against Trumps decision to restrict travel from China. Biden was slow in staking a position on the matter but when he did, he supported the restrictions. Biden never counseled leaving the country wide open in the face of the pandemic. Trump repeatedly, and falsely, claims to have banned travel from China. He restricted it. The U.S. restrictions that took effect Feb. 2 continued to allow travel to the U.S. from the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macao. The Associated Press reported that more than 8,000 Chinese and foreign nationals based in the two locales entered the U.S. in the first three months after the travel restrictions were imposed. Additionally, more than 27,000 Americans returned from mainland China in the first month after the restrictions took effect. U.S. officials lost track of more than 1,600 of them who were supposed to be monitored for virus exposure. Dozens of countries took similar steps to control travel from hot spots before or around the same time the U.S. did. ___ PROTESTS BIDEN: There was a peaceful protest in front of the White House. What did he do? He came out of his bunker, had the military do tear gas. THE FACTS: It was law enforcement, not the military, that used chemical irritants to forcefully remove peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square outside the White House on June 1. And there is no evidence President Trump was inside a bunker in the White House as that happened. Secret Service agents had rushed Trump to a White House bunker days earlier as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. ___ HEALTH CARE TRUMP: Drug prices will be coming down 80 or 90%. THE FACTS: Thats a promise, not a reality, and its a big stretch. Trump has been unable to get legislation to lower drug prices through Congress. Major regulatory actions from his administration are still in the works, and are likely to be challenged in court. Theres no plan on the horizon that would lower drug prices as dramatically as Trump claims. Prescription drug price inflation has been low and slow during the Trump years, but it hasnt made a U-turn and sped off in the other direction. Prices have seesawed from year to year. Looking back at the totality of Trumps term, from Jan. 2017, when he was inaugurated, to the latest data from Aug. 2020, drug prices went up 3.6%, according to an analysis by economist Paul Hughes-Cromwick of Altarum, a nonprofit research and consulting organization. Hughes-Cromwick looked at figures from the governments Bureau of Labor Statistics, which measures prices for a set of prescription medicines, including generics and branded drugs. When comparing prices in 2019 with a year earlier, there indeed was a decline. Prices dropped by 0.2% in 2019, a turnabout not seen since the 1970s. But thats nowhere near close to 80% or 90%. From August of last year to this August, prices rose by 1.4%. ___ VIRUS RESPONSE TRUMP: Dr. Anthony Fauci said very strongly, masks are not good. Then he changed his mind, he said, masks, good. THE FACTS: He is skirting crucial context. Trump is telling the story in a way that leaves out key lessons learned as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, raising doubts about the credibility of public health advice. Early on in the outbreak, a number of public health officials urged everyday people not to use masks, fearing a run on already short supplies of personal protective equipment needed by doctors and nurses in hospitals. But that changed as the highly contagious nature of the coronavirus became clear, as well as the fact that it can be spread by tiny droplets breathed into the air by people who may not display any symptoms. Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, along with Dr. Robert Redfield of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Steven Hahn of the Food and Drug Administration and Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House coronavirus task force, all agree on the importance of wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Redfield has repeatedly said it could be as effective as a vaccine if people took that advice to heart. ___ TRUMP, on coronavirus and his campaign rallies: So far we have had no problem whatsoever. Its outside, thats a big difference according to the experts. We have tremendous crowds. THE FACTS: Thats not correct. Trump held an indoor rally in Tulsa in late June, drawing both thousands of participants and large protests. The Tulsa City-County Health Department director said the rally likely contributed to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases there. By the first week of July, Tulsa County was confirming more than 200 new daily cases, setting record highs. Thats more than twice the number the week before the rally. ___ TRUMP, addressing Biden: You didnt do very well on the swine flu. H1N1. You were a disaster. THE FACTS: Trump frequently distorts what happened in the pandemic of 2009, which killed far fewer people in the United States than the coronavirus is killing now. For starters, Biden as vice president wasnt running the federal response. And that response was faster out of the gate than when COVID-19 came to the U.S. Then, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions flu surveillance network sounded the alarm after two children in California became the first people diagnosed with the new flu strain in this country. About two weeks later, the Obama administration declared a public health emergency against H1N1, also known as the swine flu, and the CDC began releasing anti-flu drugs from the national stockpile to help hospitals get ready. In contrast, Trump declared a state of emergency in early March, seven weeks after the first U.S. case of COVID-19 was announced, and the countrys health system struggled for months with shortages of critical supplies and testing. More than 200,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. The CDC puts the U.S. death toll from the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic at about 12,500. ___ ECONOMY BIDEN: Trump will be the first (president) in American history to lose jobs during his presidency. THE FACTS: No, if Trump loses re-election, he would not be the first president in U.S. history to have lost jobs. That happened under Herbert Hoover, the president who lost the 1932 election to Franklin Roosevelt as the Great Depression caused massive job losses. Official jobs records only go back to 1939 and, in that period, no president has ended his term with fewer jobs than when he began. Trump appears to be on track to have lost jobs during his first term, which would make him the first to do so since Hoover. ___ VOTING TRUMP, on the prospect of mass fraud in the vote-by-mail process, Its a rigged election. THE FACTS: He is exaggerating threats Thats not the case. Trumps claim is part of a months-long effort to sow doubt about the integrity of the election before its even arrived and to preemptively call into question the results. Experts have repeatedly said there are no signs of widespread fraud in mail balloting, as have the five states that relied exclusively on that system for voting even before the coronavirus pandemic. Trumps own FBI director, Chris Wray, said at a congressional hearing just last week that the bureau has not historically seen any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether its by mail or otherwise. Wray did acknowledge voter fraud at the local level from time to time, but even there, Trump appeared to paint an overly dire portrait of the reality and he misstated the facts of one particular case that received substantial attention last week following an unusual Justice Department announcement. Trump said nine military ballots found discarded in a wastebasket in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, were all marked for him. Though thats consistent with an initial statement the Justice Department made, officials later revised it to say seven of the nine ballots had Trumps name. ___ FOOTBALL TRUMP: Im the one who brought back football. By the way, I brought back Big Ten football. It was me and Im very happy to do it. THE FACTS: Better check the tape. While Trump had called for the Big Ten conference to hold its 2020 football season, he wasnt the only one. Fans, students, athletes and college towns had also urged the conference to resume play. When the Big Ten announced earlier this month that it reversed an earlier decision to cancel the season because of COVID-19, Trump tweeted his thanks: It is my great honor to have helped!!! The conference includes several large universities in states that could prove pivotal in the election, including Pennsylvania, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. ___ SUPREME COURT BIDEN, on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett: She thinks that the Affordable Care Act is not constitutional. THE FACTS: Thats not right. Biden is talking about Trumps pick to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett has been critical of the Obama-era law and the court decisions that have upheld it, but she has never said its not constitutional. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case on Nov. 10, and the Trump administration is asking the high court to rule the law unconstitutional. ___ DELAWARE STATE TRUMP: You said you went to Delaware State, but you forgot the name of your college. You didnt go to Delaware State. Theres nothing smart about you, Joe. THE FACTS: Trump is quoting Biden out of context. The former vice president, a graduate of the University of Delaware, did not say he attended Delaware State University but was making a broader point about his long-standing ties to the Black community. Trump is referring to remarks Biden often says on the campaign, typically when speaking to Black audiences, that he goes way back with HBCUs, or historically Black universities and colleges. Biden has spoken many times over the years at Delaware State, a public HBCU in his home state, and the school says thats where he first announced his bid for the Senate his political start. I got started out of an HBCU, Delaware State now, I dont want to hear anything negative about Delaware State, Biden told a town hall in Florence, South Carolina, in October 2019. Theyre my folks. Biden often touts his deep political ties to the Black community, occasionally saying he grew up politically or got started politically in the Black church. In front of some audiences, hes omitted the word politically, but still with a clear context about his larger point. The statements are all part of standard section of his stump noting that Delaware has the eighth largest Black population by percentage. A spokesman for the Delaware State University, Carlos Holmes, has said it took Bidens comments to refer to his political start, saying that Biden announced his bid for the U.S. Senate on the DSU campus in 1972. Bidens broader point is push back on the idea that hes a Johnny-Come-Lately with the Black community or that his political connections there are owed only to being Barack Obamas vice president. ___ CRIME BIDEN: The fact of the matter is violent crime went down 17%, 15%, in our administration. THE FACTS: Thats overstating it. Overall, the number of violent crimes fell roughly 10% from 2008, the year before Biden took office as vice president, to 2016, his last full year in the office, according to data from the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting program. But the number of violent crimes was spiking again during Obama and Bidens final two years in office, increasing by 8% from 2014 to 2016. More people were slain across the U.S. in 2016, for example, than at any other point under the Obama administration. ___ TRUMP: If you look at whats going on in Chicago, where 53 people were shot and eight died. If you look at New York where its going up like nobodys ever seen anything the numbers are going up 100 150, 200%, crime, its crazy whats going on. THE FACTS: Not quite. The statistics in Chicago are true, but those numbers are only a small snapshot of crime in the city and the United States, and his strategy is highlighting how data can be easily molded to suit the moment. As for New York, Trump may have been talking about shootings. They are up in New York by about 93% so far this year, but overall crime is down about 1.5%. Murders are up 38%, but there were 327 killings compared with 236, still low compared with years past. For example, compared with a decade ago, crime is down 10 percent. An FBI report released Monday for 2019 year of crime data found that violent crime has decreased over the past three years. ___ Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Colleen Long, Ellen Knickmeyer, Mark Sherman, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Bill Barrow, David Klepper, Amanda Seitz, Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker contributed to this report. ___ EDITORS NOTE A look at the veracity of claims by political figures. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor The Congress on Wednesday said the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) courts verdict on the Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to the Supreme Courts November 9 ruling and the Constitutional spirit. It urged the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to file an appeal and follow the letter of the law and the Constitution without any partiality and pre-meditated prejudice. Addressing reporters at the party headquarters in Delhi, Congresss chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala said the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court in its judgement on November 9 last year held that demolition of the Babri Masjid was clear illegality and egregious violation of the rule of law. Also read: Courts verdict proves no conspiracy was hatched in Ayodhya, says BJPs Murli Manohar Joshi But the special court exonerated all the accused. It is clear that the decision of the special court runs counter to the decision of the Supreme Court, he said. Surjewala said the entire nation witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its leaders to destroy the countrys communal amity and brotherhood for usurping power at any cost. The then BJP government of Uttar Pradesh was a co-conspirator in the designed attack on Indias Constitutional ethos. So much so that Supreme Court was misled by filing a wrong affidavit on oath. It is only after detailed examination of all these aspects, facts and evidence that the Supreme Court held the demolition of Masjid to be an egregious violation of the rule of law, he said. The Congress leader said every Indian, who has innate faith in the Constitution as also in the spirit of communal amity and brotherhood, expects and urges the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government to file an appeal against the special courts decision founded in error and follow the letter of the law and the Constitution without any partiality and pre-meditated prejudice. This is the true calling of the rule of law and the Constitution, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Police forces across Ontario engaged in broad, illegal searches of a now-defunct COVID-19 database, two civil rights groups alleged Wednesday, claiming the use of the portal violated individual privacy rights for months. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Constitution Foundation said in separate reports that many services used the database to look at COVID-19 test results for wide geographic areas and sometimes pulled up personal information unrelated to active calls. People werent told that when they went for COVID tests that this information was being shared with police and they certainly werent asked for their consent, said Abby Deshman, the criminal justice program director for the CCLA. That should be a decision every person makes about what they want to do with their own personal medical information. In early April, the Ontario government passed an emergency order that allowed police to obtain the names, addresses and dates of birth of Ontarians who had tested positive for COVID-19. The portal was aimed at helping to protect first responders. Police access to that database ended on Aug. 17, after a legal challenge was filed by a group of human rights organizations. The group, which included the CCLA, argued that allowing police to access personal health records violated individuals constitutional rights to privacy and equality. Data released in the context of the legal action showed that Ontario police services conducted over 95,000 searches of the database while it was active. The CCF filed a freedom of information act request to the province related to police use of the database. On Wednesday, the CCF made public a June memo from the Solicitor Generals office to chiefs of police that warned against using the database beyond the express purpose of the emergency order. The CCF said the memo revealed a shocking misuse of personal health information by police. Police were caught using the COVID-19 database to look up names unrelated to active calls, to do wholesale postal code searches for COVID-19 cases, and to even do broad based searches outside officers own cities, said CCF litigation director, Christine Van Geyn. The CCF said it has filed a complaint with Ontarios privacy commissioner over violations of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, and with the Ontario Independent Police Review Director for officer misconduct. Meanwhile, the CCLA sent letters to 37 police forces, asking them for details of how the database was used and if any information was retained from it. Twenty-three responded and Deshman said she expects more to do so. Many forces found the database difficult to use and resorted to problematic broad searches in an attempt to find workarounds, the CCLA said. The association notes that more than 40 per cent of the 95,000 searches of the database were conducted by either the Thunder Bay police or Durham Region police. Thunder Bay police accessed the personal health information in the database more than 14,800 times a rate of access 10 times higher than the provincial average even though the area reported a total of just 100 COVID-19 cases while the database was active. In Durham Region, police continued to run unauthorized searches even after provincial audits called attention to the inappropriate searches taking place, the CCLA said. The forces access to the portal was cut off by the province as a result, the CCLA said. Durham is a particularly concerning example, said Deshman. In those cases there needs to be disclosure (to citizens whose information was accessed) and accountability by following up with the individuals in the police service that looked up information inappropriately. Holly Walbourne, the legal counsel for Thunder Bay police, said in a letter sent to the groups that filed the legal challenge that the force understood their concerns but that police had lawful authority to use the database to protect first responders. (T)here was a shortage in personal protection equipment (PPE) in the beginning months of the pandemic, reads the letter dated Sept. 24. The COVID portal allowed our officers to ration the use of their PPE by knowing when it was necessary to take all precautions. Durham police Supt. Peter Cousins wrote a report to the forces police services board on the issue on Sept. 1 saying access to the portal and its information was treated seriously and with due care. Toronto police never used the database because of issues with the accuracy and reliability of the information, the CCLA reported. York Region police said they asked the province to revoke access to the database after an internal review found the risks associated with accessing personal health information outweighed any benefits. Deshman said anyone concerned about police access to the provinces COVID-19 database should contact their local police force and the Ontario Privacy Commissioner. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag Amidst Californias wildfire season, we all could use some beauty in our lives. National Geographic Adventure magazine posted a video taken by photographer Greg Harlow in 2017 on its Twitter account last week, showing the first rays of light and the spray from Yosemite Falls coalescing into a radiant rainbow mist. President Donald Trump (right) and former Vice President Joe Biden (left) participate in the first presidential debate with moderator Chris Wallace on Tuesday. Read more WASHINGTON After more than a year of circling each other, Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden met on the debate stage Tuesday night in Ohio. The 74-year-old president and the 77-year-old former vice president are similar in age, and they share a mutual dislike. But they differ starkly in style and substance. All of that was evident from the outset on the Cleveland stage. Here are key takeaways from the first of three scheduled presidential debates before Election Day on Nov. 3. And in this corner Trump is no stranger to going on offense, but his pugilistic approach on stage left his Democratic opponent fighting to complete a sentence. Trailing in public and private polling, Trump advisers have pushed him to reframe the election away from a referendum on his presidency to a choice between him and Biden. Trump, instead, commandeered the debate, trying to trip up Biden by interrupting and insulting him. In the process, Trump made the debate more about himself. Theres nothing smart about you, Trump said of Biden. 47 years youve done nothing. While Trump played into his reputation as a bully, it may have been effective at breaking up the worst of Bidens attacks simply by talking over them. Trump aides believed before the debate that Biden would be unable to withstand the withering offensive in style and substance from Trump, but Biden came with a few retorts of his own, calling Trump a clown and mocking Trumps style by asking, Will you shut up, man? Trumps supporters may have been cheered by his frontal assault. Whether undecided voters, who watched the debate to try to learn about the two candidates, were impressed is another matter. READ MORE: Bad things happen in Philadelphia, Trump says at debate, renewing false claim about poll watchers Moderator Chris Wallace was none too amused, delivering a pointed reproach to Trump for his interruptions. Frankly, youve been doing more interrupting, Wallace said, appealing to Trump to let his opponent speak. Trump is fond of superlatives, but in the case of the debate there is little doubt that it was the most acrimonious since the forums have been televised. Trump cant escape the virus Trump has wanted the election to be about anything but the coronavirus pandemic, but he couldnt outrun reality on the debate stage. It is what it is because you are who you are, Biden told the president, echoing Trump's own words and referring to his months of downplaying COVID-19 while he said privately he understood how deadly it is. But Trump didnt take it quietly. He proceeded to blitz Biden with a mix of self-defense and counteroffensives. The 200,000 dead? Bidens death toll would have been millions, Trump said. A rocky economy? Biden wouldve been worse. Biden wouldnt have manufactured enough masks or ventilators. The kicker: There will be a vaccine very soon. Biden fell back on his bottom line: A lot of people died, and a lot more are going to unless he gets a lot smarter. For voters still undecided about whod better handle the pandemic, the exchange may not have offered anything new. Racial reckoning Trump said Biden was the politician who helped put millions of Black Americans in prison with the 1994 crime law. Biden called Trump the racist in the Oval Office. For a nation confronting a summer of racial unrest and centuries of injustice the debate was the latest cultural flashpoint. READ MORE: Trump refuses to condemn white supremacists, tells group to stand by in debate marked by presidents attacks against Biden Biden was quiet as Trump blitzed him as a tool of the radical left and a weak figure who opposes law and order. He pressed Biden repeatedly to name any police union thats endorsed him. He falsely accused Biden of wanting to defund the police. Biden didnt capitalize when Trump refused to condemn armed militias and insisted, against the guidance of his own FBI director: This is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem. Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, Trump said when prompted on the far-right group. But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left. The former vice president tried to push back, but not until after Trump had made his arguments, including the misrepresentations. Biden regained some footing mocking the presidents warnings about suburbs, saying, He wouldnt know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn. And perhaps revealing the thinking about allowing Trump the rhetorical upper hand, Biden said, All these dog whistles and racism doesnt work anymore. Question about Supreme Court, answer about health care Trump defended his decision to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court just weeks before Election Day, saying elections have consequences. Biden said he was not opposed to the justice, but said the American people have a right to have a say in who the Supreme Court nominee is. But rather than litigate Republicans' 2016 blocking of Merrick Garland to the high court, Biden quickly pivoted to the issues that will potentially come before the court: health care and abortion. Its an effort by the Democrat to refocus the all-but-certain confirmation fight for Trumps third justice to the Supreme Court into an assault on Trump and his record. Biden said Barrett, who would be the sixth justice on the nine-member court to be appointed by a Republican, would endanger the Affordable Care Act and tens of millions of Americans with preexisting conditions, and would imperil legalized abortion. It was a reframing of the political debate to terms far more favorable to the Democrat, and one Trump played into. Trump said of the conservative Barrett, You dont know her view on Roe vs. Wade and he defended his efforts to try to chip away at the popular Obama-era health law. Biden has tried to press Democrats to use the court confirmation fight as a rallying cry against Trump, and the debate discussion largely played out on his turf. Invisible Chris Wallace struggles to contain Trump Debate moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News tried mightily to hold his ground Tuesday after saying beforehand that it was not his job to fact-check the candidates, especially Trump, in real time. But Wallace struggled to stop Trump from interrupting and at times seemed to lose control of the debate. Mr. President, as the moderator, we are going to talk about COVID in the next segment, Wallace said. Soon after: Im the moderator, and Id like you to let me ask my question. Minutes later: I have to give you roughly equal time. Please let the vice president talk. And when Wallace noted that Trump hasnt come up with his health care plan in nearly four years, Trump turned the question back on Wallace. First of all, Im debating you and not him. Thats OK. Im not surprised. Wallace had said he wanted to be invisible. Well, that was impossible. Family business As expected, Trump found a way to bring up Hunter Biden, the former vice presidents son, and recycle allegations about the younger Bidens international business practices. Biden called Trumps litany discredited and fired back, I mean, his family we can talk about all night. But Biden sidestepped any of the specifics of Trumps international business dealings and instead turned straight to the camera. This is not about my family or his family, Biden said as Trump tried to talk over him. This is about your family. In a later exchange, Trump interrupted Biden when he was talking about his late son, Beau Biden, who died of cancer in 2015 after having served in Iraq. I dont know Beau, I know Hunter," Trump said. Normally, students in the hospitality and tourism high skill major program at Greater Fort Erie Secondary School would be spending the morning preparing food to be served up to fellow students in the schools cafeteria. But, thanks to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, these are not normal times. The students, however, are taking things in stride and are adjusting to protocols put in place to keep students safe while they learn. That has meant attending school as part of two separate cohorts, practising physical distancing, wearing face masks and more. Its fine, I really dont mind, said Grade 11 student Reuben Perreault. I like that the class size is smaller. Perreault took part in the program, which focuses on teaching the ins and outs of the culinary industry from the kitchen to the dining room, last year and COVID-19 or not is back for a second go-around. I had a lot of fun, she said. One of the big changes for students is no opportunity to share their work with the public. In addition to preparing food for the school cafeteria, students have also been able to get valuable hands-on experience by operating the schools Pomegranate Restaurant, which served up meals to the public on a weekly basis. Thanks to the pandemic, that, too, has been taken off the menu. We are not able to serve food to the public, chef teacher Afshin Keyvani said. Working the restaurant is something Perreault will miss. I had a lot of fun making everything, she said. While the Pomegranate wont be in operation, Keyvani thinks the effect it will have on the students will be minimal. It really is an extracurricular for the students, Keyvani said, adding not having the restaurant is just one more adjustment that has had to be made in order to help students learn as much as possible. With that, Keyvani is drawing a lot of positives from the situation. Smaller and longer classes, for example, has allowed more time to work with students individually. In four hours, there are so many elements in the teaching, he said. It really reminds me of when I was in college at Niagara College. Were doing things more thoroughly, theres a lot more hands-on work. It is, in one sense, really good that theyve been able to get the attention. And so far, it appears the extra attention students have been getting is paying off. Were at the end of September and they really have begun to get into it, he said. Theyre working really hard in the kitchen. Work for the students continues online when their particular cohort is not physically at school, he added. All the new protocols in place have meant a balancing act for the school, measuring the safety of students with their ability to learn. According to the schools guide, students need to do many things before coming through the doors for the school day, including completing a COVID assessment form, wearing a face mask and entering through pre-designated doors. Once inside, students are required to maintain physical distance, avoid congregation and head straight to class. Parents are asked to drop off students at the main entrance to the school. As for the culinary class, safety protocols mean curbing the amount of food handling students do. Me and my assistants bring ingredients to the students, Keyani said. Chloe Spada, another Grade 11 student, said despite the protocols and changes to the high-skill program, she is simply glad to be back in school. Theres definitely a difference, she said. But I like it. Perreault, meanwhile, is getting her first look at how an industry can be hit hard by a public health event. She has designs on pursuing a career in the field and has already decided to apply for the culinary management program at Algonquin College in Ottawa. In the meantime, she said she is going to enjoy the program at GFESS. Its fun, she said. By Lee Gyu-lee Production of JTBC's new romance series "Run On" has been suspended temporarily after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 Sunday. According to the network Monday, other staff members, including main actors Im Si-wan and Shin Se-kyung, are under self-quarantine after tests. Im and Shin have tested negative for the virus. After receiving the test results for all the others, the team will decide when to return to work. This is the second time the series' production has been put on hold due to the virus. Shooting was suspended last month after a production staff member came in contact with a coronavirus patient. Production was soon put back on track after the staff member tested negative. "Run On," starring Im, Shin, Choi Soo-young and Kang Tae-oh as the leads, follows a national team sprinter who falls in love with a film translator. The series is set to premiere this year. North Korea on Tuesday called on the world's governments to display effective leadership in the fight against COVID-19 and said its own measures against the pandemic which it called preemptive, timely and strong, ensured it had the threat under safe and stable control." Kim Song, the country's U.N. ambassador, said a tightly administered anti-pandemic effort in his nation had been working. North Korea strictly regulates foreign visitors even more so during the pandemic that's killed more than 1 million people worldwide and filters all information through its state propaganda apparatus, with details about its approach to the coronavirus relatively scant. "(The) anti-epidemic situation in our country is now under safe and stable control, the ambassador said in a rare live address at the U.N. General Assembly. A series of state measures are now being taken to block the virus inflow into the country, and all people adhere strictly to anti-epidemic regulations while maintaining the highest alert, he said. Further, Kim said the government will not tolerate even a smallest bit of slackness or concession, but further strengthen the state emergency anti-epidemic measures until the danger of the pandemic inflow is completely eliminated." Until Tuesday, all speeches at the U.N. General Assembly over the past week were virtual, delivered by world leaders in prerecorded videos from their home nations. The meeting concluded with a smattering of speeches by lower-level officials who are based at the United Nations including Kim. He did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump or the United States directly. But Kim spoke of the maneuvers of hostile forces in general a frequent euphemism for the United States and South Korea and condemned the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba as economic genocide. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un the third generation of his family to rule the nation, had not been expected to address the U.N. this year. Kim Song also addressed the General Assembly last year. Trump and Kim Jong Un have met three times since embarking on their high-stakes nuclear diplomacy in 2018. But negotiations have stalled since their second summit in February 2019 in Vietnam, where the Americans rejected North Koreas demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a piecemeal deal toward partially surrendering its nuclear capabilities. The leaders met for a third time that year in June at the border between North and South Korea and agreed to resume negotiations. But a working-level meeting in Sweden broke down months later over what the North Koreans described as the Americans old stance and attitude. The North in recent months has repeatedly stated it would never again gift Trump with high-profile meetings he could boast of as foreign policy achievements unless it gets something substantial in return. Most experts say North Korea is likely to avoid serious negotiations with the Trump administration before the November presidential election because there's a chance U.S. leadership could change. Kim Song also peppered his speech Tuesday with the types of things that North Korea often says about its international relations that, in his words, the nuclear threat on DPRK continues unabated along with all sorts of hostile acts taking place before the very eyes, using the abbreviation for his countrys formal name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. "In the present world, where high-handedness based on strength is rampant, genuine peace can only be safeguarded when one possesses the absolute strength to prevent war itself," the U.N. ambassador said. Kim Jong Un is struggling to keep afloat an economy ravaged by U.S.-led sanctions over his nuclear weapons program, border closures amid the pandemic and devastating summer floods that will likely worsen the countrys food shortages. In a glimpse into some of those struggles against natural calamity, Kim Song said, "Although we suffered considerable losses due to unexpected natural disasters this year, we are vigorously striving to remove the flood and typhoon damages by ourselves and stabilize the peoples life in a short period of time." During a high-level political conference in August, Kim Jong Un showed unusual candor by acknowledging that his plans to improve the economy arent succeeding as the ruling Workers Party scheduled a rare congress in January to set development goals for the next five years. Its possible Kim could use the congress, which would take place after the U.S. election, to announce a new foreign policy approach toward Washington and Seoul, experts say. ___ Kim Tong-hyung covers the Koreas from Seoul for The Associated Press. Ted Anthony was AP's Asia-Pacific news director from 2014 to 2018. "Things are getting back to normal, even though it will never be like it was before," says a relieved Petunia Maseko, relaxing in a bar in South Africa's Soweto township. Africa has weathered the coronavirus pandemic relatively well in terms of infections and deaths, though its economies have been badly ravaged. While many nations ease their Covid-19 measures and citizens dare to breathe a little easier, experts are warning against letting the continent's success lapse into complacency. There was plenty of celebrating at The Black and White Lifestyle Pub in Soweto on Friday as the first weekend of spring coincided with South Africa's transition to its lowest level of lockdown. The continent's hardest-hit nation, South Africa has reeled under one of the world's strictest lockdowns. "It was tough staying in for six months without socialising," said Maseko, a 21-year-old engineering student wearing a brightly coloured Ndebele traditional outfit. But virus measures were followed, with masked revellers getting their temperatures checked at the bar's entrance. Sanitising gel in hand, 26-year-old DJ Tiisetso Tenyane was delighted to finally play in front of a live audience after months of live-streaming shows. "I've been craving to play for the people again," he said. He said that face masks are "the only sign left that there ever was a pandemic". On the rest of the African continent, daily life varies vastly between strict observance of health measures and total relaxation. - 'Back to our habits' - "We don't care about corona," Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara said, oblivious to listening microphones, when he kissed a party official last month in front of thousands of people in clear defiance of virus restrictions. After reeling under one of the world's strictest lockdowns, South Africa has started to relax its measures / AFP/File Although masks are still compulsory, that rule is "not respected anywhere or almost anywhere" in Ivory Coast, a health worker said on condition of anonymity. "The hysteria is gone and the state no longer communicates much about the subject". In DR Congo's capital Kinshasa, taking temperatures and washing hands are still the norm in the residential district of Gombe, which is also the city's diplomatic and economic centre. But in working-class communities, masks are being pushed down to the chin and people are shaking hands again. For many the latest buzz phrase is "corona eza te", which translates to "there is no corona" in the local Lingala. In West African's Burkina Faso, 43-year-old fish seller Ousmane Ouedraogo said he can't wear a mask forever. "We tried to wear it every day but it was the authorities who set the example by acting as if the disease was over. So we're going back to our habits," he said. Nobody uses the hand-washing station at the entrance to Guillaume Traore's restaurant in Burkina's capital Ouagadougou. "When you remind a customer, he tells you that the coronavirus does not exist," he said. In Chad and Gabon, many wear masks low down, covering only the mouth or just the chin, only to hastily lift them up when they come across the police. In churches, mosques and markets, people jostle into each other. In the evening, however, a strict curfew remains in place. - 'Be very careful' - In the megacity Lagos of Africa's most populous country Nigeria, civil servant Isiaka Okesanya said he now regularly forgets to wear his mask. "It's like God has helped us to get rid of the disease. We no longer read about those big figures of deaths," the 41-year-old told AFP. But Emmanuel Akinyemi, director of Lagos-based Estate Clinic, said that "coronavirus is real and is still very much around us". Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said last week that while Nigeria's daily infection figures have been trending downwards, "we unfortunately cannot afford to rejoice or speak of success". Nigeria last month lifted a ban on attending religious gatherings / AFP/File The World Health Organization's Africa regional director Matshidiso Moeti said the continent has been spared "an exponential spread of Covid-19 as many initially feared". However John Nkengasong, director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that "we also have to be very careful that we do not over-project any successes". In West Africa's Senegal, life has almost returned to normal since June. This is in stark contrast to Rwanda, where one of the strictest lockdowns is still in place and police make arrests for "not wearing masks properly". In northern Africa, Morocco remains in lockdown, especially economic capital Casablanca, where large neighbourhoods are tightly sealed off. Eastern Africa's Kenya is meanwhile reopening its bars and allowing restaurants to sell alcohol again as infections drop. "We are the most vulnerable and fragile at the moment where we think we have won," President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Monday. "If we have won one battle against Covid-19, we have not yet won the war." burs-ger/sn/dl/je To prevent crop residue burning during Kharif season especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the district administration has appointed nodal officers for paddy growing villages where stubble was being traditionally put to fire. Seeking support and cooperation from farmers, Ludhiana deputy commissioner (DC) Varinder Kumar Sharma on Wednesday, appealed them to refrain from burning paddy straw especially amid the pandemic, which can further lead to serious implications in aggravating the health issues of those who are already suffering from several diseases. The DC said that the state government has decided that there is a need to pull out all stops and fully involve administrative machinery for on the ground activities at the village-level. Therefore, nodal officers have been appointed for each village where the paddy is grown and its stubble is being burnt. Sharma also mentioned that these nodal officers would perform their duties in the concerned villages to control stubble burning during the harvesting period till November 15. The staff of municipal cooperation, revenue, rural development and panchayats, agriculture, horticulture and soil conservation departments and Punjab Pollution Control Board besides guardians of governance would closely coordinate to further intensify efforts to stamp out the unhealthy practice of stubble burning in the state. Sharma added that these officers have been assigned the task to ensure that harvester combines operate in the villages only with the super SMS system properly installed on them. They will also prepare the list of owners who have given their land on rent and then inform each landowner to ensure that no paddy straw is burnt on their land, otherwise, the red entry shall be made in the land record. These officers will also identify those farmers who are likely to put fire to the paddy residue and to convince them by the way of one to one contact. They would also get to know the farmers who have burnt the residue and ask the revenue patwari of the village to make a relevant entry in revenue records as per separate instructions issued by the department. Apart from these steps, the nodal officers will create awareness in villages by way of holding meetings with farmers, to help arrange CRM machines in the village, to distribute pamphlets/leaflets, etc, to make announcements in gurdwaras or by other modes, to interact with village schools for awareness lectures to students so that these students can further create awareness among their parents. The DC said that various sites have been identified/ earmarked in the district for collection of residues in common lands/cattle ponds and gaushalas, where farmers or any entrepreneur will be able to store paddy straw. This stored basmati residue can be transported to places where they can be used as cattle fodder. Notably, the paddy has been grown in 27 lakh hectares of land in the state which includes cultivation of basmati on seven lakh hectares and paddy residue of 16.50 million tons shall be produced out of paddy crop. Limerick Township will be hosting a Community Art Walk this fall to showcase local artists and their talents and to raise money for youth programs within the township. The event will be held at the Limerick Recreation Centre on Oct. 22 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and has been planned out by the chair of the fundraising arm of the townships recreation committee, Natalie Phillips, and her daughter Brianna. The event will be open to local artists in Limerick and all the surrounding townships, to come together and to display their artistry. While the Limerick Community Centre was closed at the Sept. 21 council meeting due to the provinces new gathering restrictions on private parties and gatherings, after checking with the province and public health, the Community Art Walk was allowed to proceed as planned, to the delight and relief of the organizers. Councillor Ingo Weise is on the recreation committee and says that while Bancroft was designated Ontarios Most Talented Town back in 2004, thats a bit misleading as many of the artists, craftsmen and musicians are from the surrounding areas. [This] is another opportunity for local artists and craftsmen from all over North Hastings to display their talents. It will be the perfect forum for people to come and see what our local artists accomplish and purchase/order original arts and crafts directly from the artists themselves, he says. Phillips joined the recreation committee this year and says its her job to come up with different events to raise money for the programs they want to support. Local artists are invited to purchase a table for $10 to display their work at the event. Payments can be made at the Limerick Township municipal office during business hours. At the present time, youth programs will be the beneficiary of any funds raised from the Community Art Walk. Interest in the Community Art Walk has been good so far. She explains that the event is out there and being publicized but that theres several weeks to go before it happens. Ive gotten a phone call from an artist, Steve Brown, who wasnt 100 per cent committed but was very interested. My aunt, Aline LeBlanc, who is an artist, will be having a table at the event, and another lady, Shirley Polmateer, from the recreation committee will also be there displaying her art, she says. Phillips also mentions that Maple Shack Tacos & More, a food truck in Bancroft, will be sponsoring the event and has bought a table to sell their maple syrup at the event. They will also be making a donation to the silent auction. Sharne van Onselen, the owner of Maple Shack Tacos and More, was thrilled to support and participate in the Community Art Walk event. For the silent auction, we will be donating a gift basket comprised of our 100 per cent pure maple syrup featuring our sugaring scene collection. We produce our maple syrup locally in our family run sugar house in Ormsby, Ontario. Fun fact; our maple syrup is a key ingredient in many of our recipes at Maple Shack Tacos and More chip truck! It is so refreshing to see the community come together to show support, she says. A similar community art event had been planned and advertised back in May, but it was scrapped due to COVID-19. So, this time around, this is what Ive got so far. We dont have a lot yet, but were hoping for some more people to reach out, she says. The event will be held inside the Limerick Recreation Centre, with all safety restrictions in place as dictated by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health. Theyll have limited tables and limit the number of people allowed to come through the building at any given time. I know people were quite happy about it back in May when I was planning it. Now, some of those people can no longer do it. Even when I was speaking with Steve Brown, he was really excited about it. He was going to tell a bunch of people who would be interested. So it seems to have been received pretty well, she says. They will also be having a silent auction to help raise money for the townships youth programs. She says that every participating artist will be donating a piece of their art to be auctioned off. Phillips asks that all interested artists purchase a table and donate a piece of their art for the silent auction by the middle of October. A New Years dance had been planned, according to Phillips, but now its not possible with COVID-19 and its restrictions. This is all relatively new, as its a fairly new committee, so we really want to get everything out there, she says. So, were getting back to the drawing board with all of our events and saying what can we do? Holiday rental company Stayz has lifted restrictions on bookings throughout Victoria, despite Melbourne remaining under strict coronavirus lockdown conditions. Police have been working with short-term rental companies to try and restrict movement and prevent properties being used to host parties and gatherings during the pandemic. Leading holiday rental company Stayz has lifted restrictions on its bookings in Victoria. Credit:Getty Last weekend, police busted at least 10 unlawful gatherings in short-term rental properties across the state, which were described as "totally blatant" breaches of coronavirus restrictions. Stayz corporate affairs director Eacham Curry said they imposed restrictions on bookings from August 20 at the request of Victoria Police, including a four-night minimum stay in an effort to help slow the transmission of the virus. Lonza is confident that US and Swiss plants it is building to help make Modernas Covid-19 vaccine candidate will be ready for commercial production this year, executives at the Swiss company said on Tuesday. New production lines at Lonzas site in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, aim to start making vaccine ingredients in November, while three lines in Visp, deep in a valley in the Swiss Alps - to supply 300 million vaccine doses annually - should begin delivering by December. There is no approved Covid-19 vaccine yet, but several are in advanced trials, including from Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna, whose candidate relies on technology never previously approved that enlists human cells to help trigger an immune response. Torsten Schmidt, who heads Lonzas Visp facility, where Modernas $210 million production lines are about 50% completed, said he has secured the equipment needed to avoid any last-minute setbacks. The delivery of the equipment was critical, Schmidt said in an interview. You typically wait 12 months, youre talking here about 4-5 months. In the end, the CEO has been talking to the CEOs of suppliers, to get the equipment delivered. Lonza, whose shares are up 60% this year, has a 10-year contract to supply ingredients to Moderna, including for up to 1 billion doses annually of Covid-19 vaccine. The ingredients include a synthetic version of messenger RNA (mRNA), genetic material, which is packed inside tiny fat droplets called nanolipids, to instruct human cells to make a non-replicating form of the coronaviruss spike protein and trigger an immune response in the body. They will be frozen at -70 degrees Celsius, then shipped from Visp to Spains Laboratorios Farmaceuticos Rovi SA for fill and finish, the final stage of manufacture. STILL HIRING Lonza is still hiring some of the roughly 200 workers it needs to operate the Moderna production lines in Visp, located where the Alps tip up towards the nearby ski towns of Zermatt, near the famed Matterhorn, and Saas Fe. In all, Lonza expects to have some 4,000 workers in Visp by January, from 3,500 now, following a hiring spree fueled by its manufacture of drugs for other customers, as well as Moderna. They include Roche, Sanofi and Californias Humanigen, with which it has partnered on another Covid-19 project. However ready Lonza is, when precisely Modernas vaccine becomes available depends on its trials and regulators. The U.S. company has said about 20 million doses should be ready by the years end. Already Lonzas drugs unit revenue has seen double-digit percentage gains, prompting the Basel-based company earlier this year to seek to offload its $1.8 billion-per-year speciality chemicals business, after sales of products, such as animal feed supplements and resins have stagnated. Talks with potential buyers are ongoing, Renzo Cicillini, Lonzas Visp site head, said. A LITTLE PROUD In Visp, two hours by train from both Zurich and Milan, Italy, its roughly 8,000 residents are accustomed to Lonzas taking a behind-the-scenes role in making drugs for better-known companies, the towns mayor, Niklaus Furger, said. But the Covid-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 1 million people and wreaked global economic havoc, has left the people of Visp hoping for success that would put it on the map. The idea that a vaccine might just be produced in Visp with which we could fight against the pandemic, that would be excellent, Furger told Reuters at Visp city hall. For certain, the attention of the world would be trained on Visp along with Lonza, something that admittedly would make us all a little proud. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 17:07:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close URUMQI, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region recorded more than 89 billion yuan (about 13 billion U.S. dollars) in foreign trade in the first eight months of this year, up 1.1 percent year on year, local authorities said. Xinjiang's export volume during the period reached 60.45 billion yuan, while imports were 28.64 billion yuan, according to the regional commerce department. Of the total volume, general trade stood at 42.41 billion yuan, up 34.4 percent year on year. Private enterprises still played a leading role in Xinjiang's foreign trade. Exports of mechanical and electrical products, garments and agricultural products continued to grow during the period, while natural gas, metal ore and ore were the main imported commodities, the department added. Since the beginning of this year, the regional government has taken a series of measures to stabilize Xinjiang's foreign trade and support the work resumption of foreign trade enterprises. Enditem Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The 'Global Sulfanilamide (CAS 63-74-1) Market Outlook 2019-2024' offers detailed coverage of sulfanilamide industry and presents main market trends. The market research gives historical and forecast market size, demand, end-use details, price trends, and company shares of the leading sulfanilamide producers to provide exhaustive coverage of the market for sulfanilamide. 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He took to Twitter to announce this decision on Monday, saying,"Happy to convey that exploratory drilling at Betrayaswamy block of Kolar Gold Fields commenced today (Monday)." Bengaluru: The popular Kolar Gold Mines, contributed 900 tons of Gold since 1956, have been reopened for the first time since February 28, 2001. The mines were closed for nearly two decades over environmental concerns and high cost of mining of Gold. He also shared photographs on Twitter of the commencement of the activities. Joshi said the mining would help resolve Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML) issue over exploration in KGF that has been pending for the last 16 years. The exploration started after Joshi's meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa on August 28. Joshi said he had directed MECL to carry out immediate exploration in the mining lease area of BGML after meeting Yediyurappa. In the meeting, Yediyurappa and Joshi had also decided that either the high-value minerals at BGML are explored or handed over to the Industries department for setting up an industrial cluster to start large-scale economic activities there. One of India's first power-generation units in Shivanasamudra, which is 100 km from Bengaluru's Mandya district, was built in 1889 to support mining operations. To its credit the mine complex hosted some particle physics experiments between the 1960s and 1992. The pyroclastic and pillow lava at Kolar Gold Fields have been declared a National Geological Monument by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for their protection, maintenance and encouragement of geo-tourism. Kolar is a popular city across Karnataka, and also the theme of the Kannada blockbuster movie - KGF Chapter 1. The much awaited sequel KGF 2 has also been shot here. Disclaimer: Image used only for representational purposes and is not from the mining venue. Gross domestic product is set to fall by just 2.5% this year and not the 10.5% estimated in April after the economy entered a far shallower recession than most of the euro zone. While its large multinational sector shielded its public finances from the worst of the COVID-19 crisis, the unemployment rate is still set to average almost 16% this year and then drop to 10.7% during 2021, the updated forecasts showed. Modified domestic demand, a measure that strips out some of the ways large multinationals can distort Irish GDP, is forecast to fall by a steeper 6.5% in 2020, though still far better than the 15.1% contraction seen in April. "The dual nature of the economy has become more evident during this pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 in our domestic economy has been really severe," Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe told reporters. Boosted by the country's large number of major technology and pharmaceutical multinationals, GDP fell by 6.1% quarter-on-quarter from April to June, half the record fall across the euro zone. Modified domestic demand collapsed by 16.4%. But the rebound in both measures of economic growth in 2021 will not be as sharp as previously forecast, with GDP set to expand by 1.4% compared to the previous estimate of 6% and modified domestic demand forecast to grow by 3.9%. The 2021 projections are based Britain leaving its Brexit transition period on less favourable World Trade Organization terms on Dec. 31. They also assume a Covid-19 vaccine will not be widely available and the imposition of regional rather than national lockdowns to counter the virus. Donohoe said GDP could grow by around 3 to 4% next year if Britain and the European Union strike a free trade deal before the end of this year. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie H illary Clinton has admitted she would have loved to have told Donald Trump to "shut up" during their presidential debate in 2016. President Trump bulldozed his way through the debate , interrupting the democrat nominee almost every time he spoke. Moderator Chris Wallace was unable to establish control of the debate, with Trump repeatedly ignoring his calls to let Mr Biden speak. The two White House contenders talked over each other and lobbed insults throughout the 90-minute debate. At one point, an exasperated Biden said after Trump's repeated interruptions: "Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential." Jill Filipovic then tweeted that Biden's remark was the line of the night, before adding in a follow up tweet: "I feel so sorry for Hillary right now because Im positive she wanted to say that and couldnt." In response, Ms Clinton commented: You have no idea. Ms Clinton made history by becoming the first woman to lead a major partys ticket / AP As the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, Ms Clinton made history by becoming the first woman to lead a major partys ticket. During her first debate with Mr Trump he interrupted her 51 times. Ms Clintons unexpected defeat at the hands of Mr Trump in 2016 handed the White House back to the Republicans. Although she beat Mr Trump by three million votes in the 2016 popular vote, he won comfortably in the all-important Electoral College by taking several key states, notably in the Rust Belt. Sushant Singh Rajput Death Anniversary: A Timeline of the of events that have transpired so far Sushant's father meets Nitish, thanks him for efforts to ensure justice to deceased actor India pti-Madhuri Adnal Patna, Sep 30: Sushant Singh Rajput's father and sister met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday to thank him for his intervention in ensuring justice to the deceased actor, sources close to the family said. Rajput's 74-year-old father K K Singh told Kumar that had he not intervened, the Maharashtra government would have shut the case. 'No aspect ruled out': CBI on Sushant Singh Rajput case The Patna-born actor was found hanging in his apartment in Mumbai's Bandra on June 14. His father lodged a police complaint in Patna on July 25 levelling various allegations against actress Rhea Chakraborty in connection with his death. The Bihar government recommended a CBI probe into the death case on August 4. Kumar told Singh and his daughter that the state government had thought there was something wrong when Maharashtra police did not cooperate with the Patna police officials who had gone to Mumbai to investigate the case following Singh's complaint. A young IPS officer of Bihar was also forcibly quarantined hours after he landed in Mumbai on August 3. This was the reason when Singh sought a CBI probe into his son's death, he decided to hand over the matter to the premier investigative agency, Kumar said. The CBI started investigating the case on August 21. According to the sources, Singh talked about the "slow progress" in the CBI's inquiry and Kumar said that ultimately the agency has to conduct the probe. The chief minister had recommended the CBI probe after Singh had met the then state police chief Gupteshwar Pandey and made a request in this regard. CBI shifts focus from Sushant Singh Rajput case to Moin Akhtar Quershi case Rajput's family members told Kumar that they could not meet him at that time and hence paid a visit to him at his official residence on Wednesday to thank him. Singh also told Kumar that during the actor's visit to Patna last year, he had expressed desire to meet the chief minister as he wanted to do something for his home state. Cinema halls may reopen from October 15 under Unlock 5 | Oneindia News The CM regretted not meeting the actor and described him as a "young icon". NDA leaders have said that the death of Rajput death was not an issue in the Bihar Assembly elections but, considering the sentiment of state's people, they want that the talented actor gets justice. Kumar's recommendation for a CBI probe was frowned upon by the Shiv Sena-headed coalition government of Maharashtra which dubbed the move as one taken with a "political motive". The Shiv Sena had alleged that Kumar was trying to cash in on the immense sympathy generated for Rajput during the assembly elections, a charge rebutted by the ruling NDA in Bihar. Bihar Assembly polls will be held in three phases - on October 28, November 3 and 7. Chinese Communist Party Is Generational Threat to US, GOP Task Force Warns House Republicans on Sept. 30 released a report described as a comprehensive blueprint to counter a range of threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The China task force, after a months-long probe, made more than 400 recommendations to respond to the regimes malign actions against the United States and the free world, dubbing the Party a generational threat. Among the recommendations are moving critical industries, including medical supply chains, away from China to the United States, modernizing the U.S. military, and imposing new sanctions to punish the regimes human rights abuses and malign influence activities. The report concluded that decades of engagement with the regime in the hopes that it would liberalize were a failure, leading the United States to turn a blind eye to the regimes rights violations, economic and military aggressions, and broken promises. For decades, the United States and its allies have been asleep at the wheel, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the task force, said at a press conference on Sept. 30. The report comes as Congress and the Trump administration are taking an increasingly tougher stance against the regime. Congress passed several human rights measures focused on Hong Kong and Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region with broad bipartisan support over the past year. But Democrats have been reluctant to focus on the CCPs role in the global spread of the CCP virus, and instead concentrated their efforts on criticizing the Trump administrations handling of the pandemic. The severity of the pandemic is the direct result of the CCPs obsession with its control and reputation, the report states, referring to Beijings coverup and suppression of those who sounded the alarm about the outbreak early on. The CCP downplayed the crisis and continues to hide key information from the world. The result was a global disaster. The CCPs communist ideology itself brought the world to a deadly, painful, and costly standstill. McCaul said the regimes response to the outbreak and its subsequent hoarding of medical supplies created an awakening experience for the American people. Sixty percent of the recommendations were bipartisan, according to the task force. The group, composed of 15 Republican House members, was initially meant to be a bipartisan committee although Democrats declined to join. The report also called for a government-wide information campaign to combat the CCPs propaganda and disinformation efforts, heightened scrutiny of Chinese investments in U.S. companies, and negotiating a free trade agreement with Taiwan. Over the course of this year, Beijings actions domestically and abroad have drawn condemnation from the international community, including its crackdown on Hong Kongs freedoms, oppression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, and military aggression in the South China Sea and toward Taiwan. About 200 of the recommendations are directed at Congress, and about one-third of those are measures that have already passed in either the House or the Senate with bipartisan support. Human Rights In response to Beijings widening subversion of Hong Kongs autonomy, the task force recommends that the administration provide safe harbor to Hongkongers fleeing the city. It also urges Congress to require an interagency assessment of the Chinese regimes organ harvesting practices, and if necessary, to identify Chinese officials overseeing the system for sanctions. Beijing forcibly extracts organs from prisoners of conscience, mainly Falun Gong practitioners, to supply its official transplant system, according to the 2019 findings of an independent expert panel. The administration should also consider whether to designate the CCPs oppression of Uyghurs a genocide, the report recommends. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday alleged India, Russia and China might not be reporting correct Covid-19 toll figures as he sought to defend his own handling of the public health crisis at his first debate with Democratic challenger Joe Biden. The president also brought up the three countries in an exchange with Biden over climate change, saying India, Russia and China send up real dirt into the air. Trump has frequently brought up Covid-19 testing in India to claim the United States was doing a far better job of it, and attributing more testing to the higher toll. And he had previously alleged China was concealing the true magnitude of its Covid-19 crisis. But this was probably the first time he had alleged under-reporting by India. You dont know how many died in China. You dont know how many people died in Russia. You dont know how many people died in India, he said, adding, They dont exactly give a straight count, just so you understand. Watch | US Presidential Debate 2020: Trump-Biden faceoff over Covid-19 turns nasty Of the more than 1 million killed worldwide by the pandemic, over 200,000 were in the United States, 97,497 in India, 20,456 in Russia and 4,739 in China, according to the Johns Hopkins Universitys Covid-19 tracker. Questions have been raised before about Chinas figures that seemed to be dramatically low for a country where the epidemic started last December. It has serious credibility issues in this regard also because it did not tell the world early enough that the virus can have human-to-humsn transmission and that it can be transmitted by asymptomatic people. Trump has attacked India and China before in the context of climate change. In fact, he pulled the United States out of the Paris Accord falsely claiming it gave India and China a sweeter deal. He has repeated that claim several times since, always without any proof or truth. China sends up real dirt into the air, Russia does, India does, they all do, Trump said, adding, Were supposed to be good. By Associated Press YEREVAN: Leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia brushed off the suggestion of peace talks Tuesday, accusing each other of obstructing negotiations over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, with dozens killed and injured in three days of heavy fighting. In the latest incident, Armenia said one of its warplanes was shot down by a fighter jet from Azerbaijans ally Turkey, killing the pilot, in what would be a major escalation of the violence. Both Turkey and Azerbaijan denied it. The international community is calling for talks to end the decades-old conflict between the two former Soviet republics in the Caucasus Mountains region following a flareup of violence this week. It centers on Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994 at the end of a separatist war. The U.N. Security Council called on Armenia and Azerbaijan Tuesday evening to immediately halt the fighting and urgently resume talks without preconditions. The U.N.s most powerful body strongly condemned the use of force and backed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier call to stop the fighting, deescalate tensions, and resume talks without delay." Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev told Russian state TV channel Rossia 1 that Baku is committed to negotiating a resolution but that Armenia is obstructing the process. The Armenian prime minister publicly declares that Karabakh is (part of) Armenia, period. In this case, what kind of negotiating process can we talk about? Aliev said. He added that according to principles brokered by the Minsk group, which was set up in 1992 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the conflict, territories around the former Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region should be transferred to Azerbaijan. ALSO READ | Fighting erupts between Armenia, Azerbaijan in disputed area Aliev noted that if Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says that Karabakh is Armenia and that we should negotiate with the so-called puppet regime of Nagorno-Karabakh, (he is) trying to break the format of negotiations that has existed for 20 years. Pashinyan, in turn, told the broadcaster that it is very hard to talk about negotiations ... when specific military operations are underway. He said there is no military solution to the conflict and called for a compromise. But first, Azerbaijan must immediately end (its) aggression towards Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia," Pashinyan said. We all perceive this as an existential threat to our nation, we basically perceive it as a war that was declared to the Armenian people, and our people are now simply forced to use the right for self-defense. Since Sunday, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry reported 84 servicemen were killed. Aliyev said 11 civilians were killed on its side, although he didnt detail the countrys military casualties. VIEW GALLERY: Armenia- Azerbaijan conflict explained: Why the former Soviet Republics are at the brink of war and why is Turkey involved? Both countries accused each other of firing into their territory outside of the Nagorno-Karabakh area on Tuesday. The separatist region of about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles), or about the size of the U.S. state of Delaware, is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region. Armenia also alleged that Turkey, which supports Azerbaijan, was involved. Turkey, according to our information, looks for an excuse for a broader involvement in this conflict, Pashinyan said. The Armenian military said an SU-25 from its air force was shot down in Armenian airspace by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet that took off from Azerbaijan, and the pilot was killed. The allegation of downing the jet was absolutely untrue, said Fahrettin Altun, communications director for Turkey's president. Azerbaijani officials called it another fantasy of the Armenian military propaganda machine. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Armenia to withdraw immediately from the separatist region, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey is by Azerbaijans side on the field and at the (negotiating) table. Armenian officials said that Turkey, a NATO member, is supplying Azerbaijan with fighters from Syria and weapons, including F-16 fighter jets. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey deny it. Earlier in the day, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Armenian forces shelled the Dashkesan region in Azerbaijan. Armenian officials said Azerbaijani forces opened fire on a military unit in the Armenian town of Vardenis, setting a bus on fire and killing one civilian. Armenia's Foreign Ministry denied shelling the region and said the reports were laying the groundwork for Azerbaijan expanding the geography of hostilities, including the aggression against the Republic of Armenia." German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pushed for an immediate cease-fire and a return to the negotiating table" in phone calls with the leaders of both countries, her office said. She told them the OSCE offers an appropriate forum for talks and that the two countries neighbors should contribute to the peaceful solution, said her spokesman, Steffen Seibert. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to Greece that both sides must stop the violence" and work "to return to substantive negotiations as quickly as possible. Russia, which along with France and the United States co-chairs the Minsk group, urged every country to help facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We call on all countries, especially our partners such as Turkey, to do everything to convince the opposing parties to cease fire and return to peacefully resolving the conflict by politico-diplomatic means, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. Putin spoke to Pashinyan on Tuesday for the second time in three days, urging de-escalation and, like the other leaders, an immediate cease-fire. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) The Duterte government has asked for a fresh credit line from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas worth 540 billion to support budget needs as the pandemic drags on. BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday that the national government sought the amount as budget support, hoping to plug the country's ballooning fiscal deficit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loan line must be settled by December 29, 2020 at zero interest. This is the second request made by the state from the BSP, an entity considered as the lender of last resort. In March, the Bureau of the Treasury was given 300 billion in short-term credit, also meant to pad public coffers in responding to the pandemic. The latest request still needs to be approved by the central bank's Monetary Board. The country's debts reached 9.62 trillion in August as the government sought more funds amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Treasury said Wednesday. The national government borrowed an additional 450.9 billion for the month, an increase of nearly 5 percent from July and more than a fifth compared to August 2019. The country has borrowed an additional 1.59 trillion so far this year, or 24.4 percent higher than the end-2019 level of 7.73 trillion. The Treasury attributed the August increase to additional fundraising activities from local investors. The domestic debt stock reached 6.71 trillion in August, growing by 456.53 billion from a month ago as the government issued more debt papers, mainly from Treasury bills, bonds, and retail Treasury bonds issued earlier this year. The Philippines also sourced 2.9 trillion funds from foreign sources, split between foreign currency debt papers issued to global players and foreign loans. This spelled a slight decline from July's tally, benefiting from a stronger peso-dollar rate. Despite accumulating more debt, the government has scaled down guarantees, which dropped by 8.8 percent to 447 billion compared to a year ago. Diokno has assured that the government will not default on its rising payables, adding that the country's abundant gross international reserves provides that cushion. "We have close to $100 billion in gross international reserves so walang threat na hindi tayo makakabayad ng utang [there's no threat that we will not be able to pay our dues]," Diokno said during a Malacanang briefing. The Department of Finance earlier said it will keep government debt at less than half the size of the local economy, as it seeks to boost the state's cash supply to respond and implement COVID-19 measures quickly. Government debt is seen to hit 10.16 trillion by December, data from the Budget Department showed. Brooklyn Beckham has been defended by fans after he was slammed for playfully holding fiancee Nicola Peltz's neck on social media. The founder of KWRO Women's Rights Organisation, Diana Nammi, said it was 'disgusting' to share online and believes it is a mistake to turn such a serious matter into a joke. But others thought this was an overreaction given that Brooklyn deleted the snap as soon as the criticism came to light and his intention, even if misguided, was to be light-hearted. 'Anybody with eyes could see there was nothing untoward': Brooklyn Beckham has been defended by fans after being slammed for holding fiancee Nicola Peltz's throat on Instagram One fan wrote: '@Diana Nammi and her rant against Brooklyn Beckham is why sometimes causes get lost in the sauce. 'Anybody with eyes could see there was nothing untoward about their pic but i guess "the sky is falling" for Diana...focus on actual domestic violence ma'am and not silly pics on IG.' Others took to social media to send their 'love' to Brooklyn after the comments were made. Opposing views: Fans showed their support for Brooklyn as both sides of the debate were discussed However, others defended the newly engaged couple. One commented: 'Love you guys'. A second typed: 'Adorable,' while another wrote 'couple goals.' In the snap, posted earlier this week, David Beckham's eldest son, 21, flashed his tattooed arms as he held the actress, 25, by the neck while drinking wine at dinner KWRO is a charity that campaigns against issues such as domestic violence, honour-based violence and forced marriage. Reacting to the picture of Brooklyn holding Nicola by the throat, which was posted by the Bates Motel star, Ms Nammi said: 'It is disgusting and I think with serious matters no one should allow themselves to make a joke. 'This is very important, an organisation like ours has seen so many women become victims of honour based violence, domestic violence, forced marriage - and they have been strangled by their own family and they have been killed by husbands, partners or boyfriends. Photos: In another image shared on Nicola's Instagram she held Brooklyn around his neck 'So we are talking about real life, even if it's a joke it is disgusting in my opinion. I think it should be banned from Instagram this kind of picture. He is 21 so mature enough to know it is a very serious matter and I think he has to apologise openly and tell people that he made a huge mistake. 'We are talking about living people - it is not a doll to play with, so I think this is sending a very wrong message, a very dangerous message to young people especially. 'This kind of attitude is not acceptable and both men and women, especially women, need to be respected and their life needs to be celebrated. 'It is so dangerous and his position is so important and not only him but his family need to discuss it to say something in the media that they are not that approving of that, because of their position especially. Close: The couple love to share loved-up pictures of themselves on social media 'In his position he should not do it at all and not even be thinking about that and I could not believe this kind of thing has happened. He is mature enough, he is not a baby playing with a doll. 'We are talking about an adult man talking about his girlfriend - and his girlfriend definitely must not accept that. I urge them to put a message of apology on Instagram and Twitter and everywhere on the media for their wrongdoing. 'People like us fighting on a daily basis, talking in schools, trying to educate people about the issues of domestic violence and how to have a healthy relationship. 'On a daily basis we are trying to bring these things to the school curriculum - for example healthy relationships need to be educated to people - but one message from an irresponsible like him gives a very big message to the whole world and this is so dangerous. 'I think he has to really learn how to treat women, he has to go to healthy relationship education courses and learn how to act as a responsible human being.' MailOnline reached out to representatives for Brooklyn and Nicola for comment. The photograph also caught the attention of Brooklyn's fans, some of whom were alarmed by the way he clutched her throat. Some warned it could normalise domestic and sexual violence to their combined Instagram following of more than 14million people. Jaye Taylor said: 'Every girlfriend he has had there are photos of him holding them round the neck. Even when he puts his arm around them it's really tight and looks like a headlock. 'Really odd the way he's never pictured with any male friends just his gfs who he falls in love with in two mins and then holds them by the throats etc.' Jordan Moral asked: 'Why is he choking you though?' Another user echoed Jordan, saying: 'Why is he choking you?' Last week Nicola uploaded a black and white snap of her holding a topless Brooklyn by the throat while his face is covered in shaving cream. She captioned the snap: 'i love you more everyday.' Brooklyn replied: 'I'm the luckiest boy in the world to have you by my side.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 07:04 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c480bcac 1 National food-loss,food-waste,environment,Nutrition,GAIN,Global-Alliance-for-Improved-Nutrition,WRI,World-Resources-Institute,health-ministry,bappenas Free Local and global organizations are urging Indonesia to reduce its food waste and loss to not only ensure the availability of nutritious food but also to prevent environmental degradation and financially benefit individuals and businesses. World Resources Institute (WRI) global director for food, forests and water, Craig Hanson, said companies yielded $14 in return for every $1 invested in reducing food loss and waste, including by measuring waste and changing packaging. To tackle the problem, Hanson cited a coalition of executives called "Champions 12.3" that had called on nations to integrate food loss and waste reduction into climate strategies, pursue the problems as part of COVID-19 responses and follow the Target-Measure-Act approach, as quoted by a recommendation paper published on Sept. 24. Now is the time to really take food loss and waste seriously, Hanson said in a webinar organized by The Jakarta Post and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in conjunction with the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on Sept. 29. Indonesia wastes about 300 kilograms of food per person every year, making it among the largest food wasters in the world, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) data revealed. GAIN executive director Lawrence Haddad said in Tuesday's webinar that food loss was equivalent to nutrition loss and environment loss. Most high nutrients are highly perishable, and the availability of nutritious food is crucial in Indonesia, where high rates of undernutrition and overweight prevail. The 2018 Basic Health Survey showed that one in three toddlers experienced stunting and nearly half of pregnant Indonesian women suffered from anemia due to micronutrient deficiencies during the same year. COVID-19 is exacerbating the stunting problem as it reduces food accessibility and affordability for households, degrading overall nutrient intake, according to Health Ministry findings. GAIN is currently rolling out its I-PLAN program, which focuses on improving fish availability by reducing postharvest food losses. It involves assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), giving cash prizes to innovators that could create innovations to tackle the problem and creating demand by educating fish postharvest loss actors, among other measures. Its a really strong incentive for businesses to not waste so much of the food and the products that they spend so long trying to grow, harvest and capture. So we have to help businesses to do that, Haddad said. Businesses are not alone in reaping benefits. Health Ministry public health nutrition director Dhian Dipo called reducing food waste an investment because reducing household expenditure through food waste reduction frees up resources for other household needs, such as education and health needs. She said the government was addressing nutritional problems through a 2017 presidential decree on food and nutrition strategic policies that highlights nutrition education and community empowerment as among key strategies to tackle the problem. Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) ambassador Felia Salim also quoted various studies showing that Indonesia could reduce up to 1.6 percent of greenhouse gas emissions relative to its emissions in 2013 by reducing 50 percent of rice, palm oil and dairy lost and wasted in the supply chain. She said the greenhouse gas reduction was equal to taking 96 percent of Jakartas 5.3 million cars off the road. But how realistic is that [taking cars off Jakarta's roads]? Its not realistic. The more realistic approach is tackling all these agro-based industries, Felia said in the webinar. Reducing the same amount of dairy waste and loss also allows Indonesia to stop 3 to 11 percent of dairy imports and save US$8 million to $30 million, which is equal to up to 30 times the annual budget of the Jakarta administration, she said. Rice waste and loss reduction also showed similar results. Similarly, National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) head of food, agriculture and livestock, Noor Avianto, said that managing food waste was among the agency's strategies to improve national food systems and governance under the countrys latest five-year plan (RPJMN). Among other measures, the government has relaxed procurement standards for perishable products, incentivized food redistribution through tax reductions and imposed marketing restrictions for portions and packaging to reduce food loss and waste, he said. The important thing about the food waste [problem] is how we can increase the availability, accessibility and quality of food and on another side, [it is about how] we can reduce food waste at the community level, he explained. Globally, one-third of all food is lost or wasted each year, costing the global economy US$940 billion each year, according to data quoted by the WRI. NEW YORK - An heir to the Seagrams liquor fortune was sentenced Wednesday to an 81-month prison term and immediately thrown behind bars for her role as an unwavering benefactor of Keith Raniere, the disgraced self-improvement guru convicted of turning women into sex slaves who were branded with his initials. U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis gave Clare Bronfman the harsh sentence at a hearing lasting more than three hours and featuring emotional statements from several victims gathered in a courtroom under strict coronavirus safety protocols. The judge repeatedly scolded Clare Bronfman for standing by Raniere and his upstate New York organization, even after the evidence made clear she eventually became aware of his sex-trafficking scheme. With that knowledge, she could have distanced herself from him, the judge said, his bench fitted with a sheet of plexiglass. Instead, she chose to double down on her support of Raniere. Before hearing the sentence, the 41 year-old Bronfman had told the judge in a soft voice that she was thankful for the prayers of her supporters. It doesnt mean I havent made mistakes because I have made mistakes, said Bronfman without mentioning Raniere. The sentence far exceeded the three years probation sought by the defence and even the five years the government wanted for Bronfman, who had been under home confinement. She also was fined $500,000. Bronfman, 41, admitted in a guilty plea last year that she harboured someone who was living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid labour and services and that she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere. But her lawyers had argued she deserved leniency because she had no direct involvement in the cases most disturbing allegations against the 60-year-old Raniere. At trial where Rainere was found guilty last year, prosecutors told jurors his organization, NXIVM pronounced NEHK-see-uhm operated like a cult whose members called him Vanguard. To honour him, the group formed a secret sorority comprised of brainwashed female slaves who were branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him, the prosecutors said. Bronfman had long been affiliated with NXIVM, giving away tens of million of dollars to bankroll Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement workshops that prosecutors labeled a pyramid scheme. Ex-followers told the judge on Wednesday that for years, Bronfman has used her wealth to try to silence NXIVM defectors. Barbara Bouchey, a former Raniere girlfriend who worked as a financial planner for Bronfman before quitting the group, described how Bronfman used lawyers to threaten litigation and seek false criminal charges. She claimed the harassment has continued even as the defendant was approaching sentencing. Youve been under house arrest for two years, yet you have never stopped, Bouchey said through tears. Will you never stop? A victim of the forced-labour scheme, an immigrant who didnt give her name, described how Bronfman lured her into the group with the promise of a good job, only to find herself being threatened with visa problems if she didnt do menial chores for little pay and endure Ranieres exploits. At one point, Bronfman addressed the woman directly, saying, I truly hope you can forgive me and live a happy life. The judge berated Bronfman for the remark while imposing the sentence, suggesting it fit an unchecked pattern of manipulation that left him speechless. Along with Bronfman, Ranieres teachings won him the devotion of Hollywood actresses like Allison Mack of TVs Smallville. Mack also has pleaded guilty and, like Rainere, is awaiting sentencing. As part of a plea agreement, Bronfman agreed to forfeit $6 million from a fortune prosecutors have said is worth $200 million. The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday said it would liquidate the liabilities, including interests in the power sector, by raising over Rs 11,000 crore under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. The decision was taken at the meeting of Jammu and Kashmir Power Corporation Ltd's board of directors (JKPCL). An official spokesman said Power Development and Information Departments Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal, who is also the managing director of JKPCL, on Wednesday chaired the 4th board meeting of the Corporation at Civil Secretariat here. The board held a detailed discussion on infusing the liquidity into power distribution companies (discoms) besides other impediments faced by the Corporation for effective service delivery to the public, the spokesman said. He said the board also discussed in detail the plan for utilising the component of funds received under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, besides road map for implementing various features enumerated for the in this self-reliant India campaign. The board decided to raise over Rs 11,000 crore for liquidating the power liabilities accrued till June 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, he said. This measure is going to relieve the department of the liabilities and interest accruing from it and infuse new lease of life into its subsidiary companies constituted after disbundling of the power department, he said. The spokesman said the board also approved for engagement of a company secretary for managing activities and other financial affairs of the Corporation for a period of six months initially for managing the affairs of the Corporation professionally. The board also approved the appointment of new members into the board as directors. In another move, the spokesman said, the department also requested the central government for enhancing the allocation of power supply for winter months, as the region faces a deficit of 1,200-1,400 megawatts (MWs) during that period. The department asked for an additional 1,500 MWs for meeting the demand of extra power supply from thermal and gas power plants, he said. The department has enhanced its handling capacity to a greater extent, as a network of grid stations has been inaugurated during the current year, the spokesman said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The last four years, you have promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, but you have never in these four years come up with a plan, a comprehensive plan Yes, I have. to replace Obamacare. Of course I have. Well, Ill give you We got rid of the individual mandate. Im going to give you an opportunity Excuse me. I got rid of the individual mandate. Im not here to call out his lies everybody knows hes a liar. But you agreed Joe, youre the liar. I want to make sure You graduated last in your class, not first in your class. I [laughs] God. I want to make sure Mr. President, could you let him finish, sir? The question is, the question is A lot of new Supreme Court justices, radical left Will you shut up, man? One of the big debates we had with 23 of my colleagues trying to win the nomination that I won were saying that Biden wanted to allow people to have private insurance still. They can, they do, they will, under my proposal. Thats not what youve said, and its not what your party has said. That is simply a lie. Your party doesnt say it your party wants to go socialist medicine. My party is me. Right now, I am the Democratic Party. And theyre going to dominate you, Joe, you know that. I am the Democratic Party right now. The platform of the Democratic Party Not according to Harris. is what I, in fact, approved of. Is it true that you paid $750 in federal income taxes each of those two years? Ive paid millions of dollars in taxes, millions of dollars of income tax. Let me just say something, that it was the tax laws. I dont want to pay tax. Before I came here, I was a private developer, I was a private business people. Like every other private person, unless theyre stupid, they go through the laws, and thats what it is. Im going to eliminate the Trump tax cuts. Good. And were going to, Im going to eliminate those tax cuts OK. and make sure that we invest in the people who in fact need the help. People out there need help. But why didnt you do it over 20, the last 25 years? Because you werent because you werent president screwing things up. You were a senator Youre the worst president America has ever had. Come on. You have repeatedly criticized the vice president for not specifically calling out antifa and other left-wing Thats right. extremist groups. But are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia groups Sure. and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities, as we saw in Kenosha and as weve seen in Portland. Sure, Im willing to do that, but Then do it. Go ahead, sir. I would say, I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. So what are you, what are you saying Im willing to do anything I want to see peace. Well, then do it, sir. Say it. Do it. Say it. You want to call them what do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name. White supremacists and Go ahead, who would you like me to condemn? Proud Boys. Who? White supremacists and right-wing militia. Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But Ill tell you what, Ill tell you what. Somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing His own F.B.I. director said the threat is Are you questioning No, I think masks are OK. You have to understand, if you look, I mean, I have a mask right here. I put a mask on, you know, when I think I need it. Tonight as an example, everybodys had a test, and youve had social distancing and all of the things that you have to but I wear masks when needed. When needed, I wear masks. OK, let me ask I dont wear masks like him every time you see him, hes got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from he shows up with the biggest mask Ive ever seen. Masks make a big difference. His own head of the C.D.C. said if we just wore masks between now if everybody wore masks in social distance between now and January, wed probably save up to 100,000 lives. It matters. And theyve also said the opposite. Theyve also said No serious person said the opposite. The fact is that there are going to be millions of people because of Covid that are going to be voting by mail-in ballots, like he does by the way. And this is all about trying to dissuade people from voting, because hes trying to scare people into thinking that its not going to be legitimate. As far as the ballots are concerned, its a disaster. A solicited ballot, OK? Solicited is OK. Youre soliciting, youre asking. They send it back. You send it back. I did that. This is going to be a fraud like youve never seen. The other thing: Its nice, on Nov. 3, youre watching and you see who won the election. And I think were going to do well, because people are really happy with the job weve done. But you know what? We wont know, we might not know for months because these ballots are going to be all over. Now that millions of mail-in ballots have gone out, what are you going to do about it? And are you counting on the Supreme Court, including a Justice Barrett, to settle any dispute? Yeah, I think Im counting on them to look at the ballots, definitely. I dont think well I hope we dont need them in terms of the election itself, but for the ballots, I think so. I am urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because thats what has to happen. I am urging them to do it. I am urging my people I hope its going to be a fair election. If its a fair election Youre urging them what? I am 100 percent on board. But if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that. Heres the deal: They count the ballots. As youve pointed out, some of these ballots in some states cant even be opened until Election Day. And if theres thousands of ballots, its going to take time to do it. No one has established at all that there is fraud related to mail-in ballots, that somehow its a fraudulent process. Its already been established. He has no idea what hes talking about. Heres the deal. The fact is, I will accept it, and he will too. You know why? Because once the winner is declared, after all the ballots are counted, all the votes are counted, that will be the end of it. El presidente @MartinVizcarraC, en el marco del #Dia199 del Estado de Emergencia, brinda conferencia para informar sobre las acciones que realiza el Gobierno frente al COVID-19. En vivo: https://t.co/Hg6Pv42nHA https://t.co/ebjhX0Lksw Greg Gianfortes campaign for governor should be flying an ethics caution flag. Ethics issues emerge whenever a public official uses his or her personal wealth in a manner that seeks or appears to seek private gain linked to information or position derived from public office. It is that tension between private interest and public benefit that defines the phrase conflict of interest. And a conflict of interest, if not recognized and dealt with, raises ethics concerns. Gianforte is rich actually, really rich and hes using his personal wealth to purchase public office. At last count in 2020, he had loaned his campaign for governor $3.5 million, more money than most Montanans will see in a lifetime. Clearly, Gianfortes wealth creates the potential for instances of conflict of interest. In April, Tim Fox, running against Gianforte in the 2020 Republican primary, used information in a congressional report to assert that Gianforte was improperly profiting from certain stock transactions. Foxs campaign argued that Gianfortes stock investments were made using insider information gained from his position as Montanas U.S. congressman. According to Foxs campaign, with this information Gianforte was able to identify and make investments in businesses likely to make money by supplying products and services responding to COVID-19. That charge framed the classic ethical breach: a public official using his public position to advance his private interest. In Gianfortes case the suspect investments were substantial, with congressional reports for early 2020 showing Gianforte investments in stock transactions worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in companies with COVID-19 business activity. Gianforte brushed off the critique by Fox. This is not good. Gianfortes blind eye to ethical concerns exasperates other undesirable personal traits. We also know Gianforte is an impulsive and angry man; he assaulted a news reporter who asked inconvenient questions. A governor of Montana will face many decisions that require calm and appropriate deference to public benefit over private gain. Protecting public access to land and water come to mind. In that regard, Gianforte has demonstrated, through personal litigation, a bias against the use of public access to hiking and fishing that so many Montanans cherish. Most of us do not want an impulsive, ethically challenged governor with a bias for private interest over public benefit dealing with public access issues. We should stick with Mike Cooney, an upstanding man and trusted leader in these challenging and polarized times. Jonathan Motl served as Montanas commissioner of political practices from 2013 -2017. Love 9 Funny 13 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 2 Coal / Bitter winter looms for Chinas Northeast as coal industry reforms bite With shrinking domestic coal production capacity following supply-side restructuring, Chinas Northeast is likely to experience the most severe shortfall in coal supply for the winter heating season since 2016. Zhang Feilong, a coal analyst with YiMei Net, told Caixin that the region comprising the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning could face a 30 million ton shortage of the combustible black rock through next years spring. If the estimate is close to reality, it would mean the biggest supply gap since the country kicked off a supply-side overhaul that called for consolidation of outdated coal production capacity in 2016. FINANCE & ECONOMICS The Yantian International Container Terminal in Shenzhen Aug. 22. Economy / Top Chinese leadership to hold key policy meeting Oct. 2629 Chinas top leaders are set to meet Oct. 2629 to draft economic and social policies for the next five years, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Monday. The Politburo, the ruling Communist Partys top decision-making body, Monday set the schedule for the fifth plenary session of the Communist Partys 19th Central Committee, a key meeting to outline the countrys next-step development plans, according to Xinhua. The meeting will map out Chinas development plans for 202125, covering almost every aspect of the countrys economic and social issues. The meeting will also draw up a long-term blueprint running through 2035, Xinhua said. Opinion / Opinion: Fears are misplaced on Chinas dual-circulation plan "Chinas leaders are currently putting the finishing touches on the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan, which will cover the 2021-25 period," writes Andrew Sheng, a distinguished fellow of the Asia Global Institute at the University of Hong Kong, in an article. "But one aspect of the plan the so-called dual-circulation strategy is already attracting the worlds attention. Many fear that China is 'turning inward' just when the global economy is staring down the barrel of a recession. These fears are misplaced." "Chinas dual-circulation strategy is a pragmatic response to the rapidly changing internal and external pressures the country faces," Sheng writes. "Policymakers goal is to boost supply-chain and market resiliency by leveraging Chinas massive population of 1.4 billion including 400 million middle-class consumers." Carbon neutrality / To meet net zero carbon pledge, China should put market front and center, professor says One of Chinas foremost energy experts urged the country to place market forces at the center of its transition to clean power as part of efforts to slash carbon emissions to net zero by 2060. To meet that target, the worlds largest coal consumer must wean its renewables sector off government support over the next five years, said Yuan Jiahai, a professor at North China Power University. Every system and every policy in our power sector must revolve around the bigger picture of marketization, he said Monday at the China Blue Sky Observers Forum, an annual environmental conference. Trump / Average Chinese like Trump a bit more than Beijing elites do, which isnt much, survey shows U.S. President Donald Trumps favorability ratings in China differed between Beijing-based elites and the general public, with only a single-digit share of the elites holding favorable views of the U.S. president compared with nearly one-fifth of the general public, according to a survey released Friday. The survey on the Chinese publics perceptions of the U.S., conducted by the Institute of International and Strategic Studies at Peking University from June to July 2019 and released Friday, found that 5% of expert respondents consisting of Beijing-based experts in Communist Party and governmental agencies, academies and enterprises held a favorable view of Trump. In contrast, 17% of more than 3,000 respondents from 40 cities across China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, approved of the American president. Quick hits / After $1.7 billion fraud, Kangde Xin on cusp of delisting Taiwan bank lending to mainland firms declines amid uncertainty South Africa, China to revamp expiring strategic cooperation plan BUSINESS & TECH In the second quarter this year, the companys online advertising revenue declined 8% to 17.7 billion yuan. Online advertising / Exclusive: Top Baidu sales executive detained in illegal ad probe A veteran executive of Chinas search engine giant Baidu Inc. was detained by police on allegations of illegal online advertising operations, including promotions related to gambling, separate sources told Caixin. The detention of Shi Youcai, head of Baidus Mobile Ecology Group, who oversees the companys sales system, followed investigations of several other Baidu staffers starting weeks ago, including Vice President Li Zhongjun. Baidu insists on zero tolerance against all violations of laws and regulations, the company said in a statement to Caixin. Privatization / Weibo owner Sina agrees to go private in sweetened $2.6 billion deal Sina Corp. agreed to go private after an entity led by its chairman, Charles Chao, boosted its offer for the Chinese social media company to $43.30 a share in cash. The Beijing-based company said the offer implied an equity value for the company of $2.59 billion and represented a 7.7% premium over its closing price Sept. 25. Its also an increase from an original buyout proposal New Wave Holdings Ltd. made in July at $41 a share. Chinese companies that once pursued the recognition and liquidity of listing their shares in the U.S. have shown an increasing inclination to turn instead to their home markets. Qihoo 360 Technology Co. delisted from the New York Stock Exchange in July 2016 and then sold shares in Shanghai in 2018 as 360 Security Technology Inc. Profits of Weibo soar even as revenue falls TikTok / TikTok ban by Trump most likely exceeded authority, judge says A federal judge in Washington said he blocked the Trump administrations proposed ban on the popular Chinese-owned TikTok app Sunday because the U.S. government most likely overstepped its authority. In an opinion unsealed Monday, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols explained his reasoning for temporarily blocking a ban on new TikTok downloads that was set to go into effect Sunday night. TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. would be likely to succeed in proving the Trump administration exceeded its legal authority under the emergency-powers law it invoked in announcing the ban, Nichols said. Traveling / Trip.com jets into online payments Leading online travel agent Trip.com Group Ltd. said Tuesday the central bank approved its application to acquire a Shanghai-based online payments company, making it the latest of Chinas internet majors to seek such a license. In a brief statement on the deal, Trip.com said it hopes its acquisition of the company, which operates the occard.com.cn website, will help to stimulate demand by boosting convenience for consumers during the current dramatic travel slowdown. No terms for the purchase were disclosed. The Shanghai-based license holder, whose Chinese name is Dongfang Huirong (), was founded in 2011 and received its payment license a year later. At the time, Chinas central bank had just begun experimenting with such licenses in a bid to liberalize the countrys financial services system. Quick hits / Biopharma firm Zai Lab raises $825 million in Hong Kong IPO Huawei showcases smart car technologies at Beijing auto show Thanks for reading. If you haven't already, click here to subscribe. NEW DELHI : The Ministry of Civil Aviation has added more destinations, including Bhutan and Kenya, to the list of countries where Indians can fly. Air bubbles between India and Bhutan and India and Kenya have now become operational, with national carriers of all three nations aiming to restore commercial passenger services to pre- pandemic level. India has similar air bubble arrangements in place with the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Kenya, Canada, Iraq, Japan, Maldives, Nigeria, Qatar, and UAE. On Wednesday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted, In order to further boost bilateral international air connectivity Air Bubble arrangements are now in place with Kenya & Bhutan.Indian carriers will be able to operate to these countries. Carriers of these countries will be able to fly to India." All about the air travel arrangement with Bhutan India has created an air travel arrangement with Bhutan. Indian and Bhutanese carriers are now permitted to operate services between India and Bhutan and carry the following categories of persons on such flights: A. From India to Bhutan i. Nationals/residents of Bhutan and foreign nationals holding valid visa from Bhutan, if required ii. Any Indian national. It would be for the airlines concerned to ensure that there is no travel restriction for Indian nationals to enter Bhutan with the particular visa category before issue of ticket/ boarding pass to the Indian passenger B. From Bhutan to India i. Indian nationals ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding passports of Bhutan iii. Bhutanese nationals/residents (including diplomats) and foreigners (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines dated 30.06.2020, as amended from time to time Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. Priti Patel decided not to go ahead with the scheme - GETTY IMAGES Migrants seeking asylum in Britain could be processed offshore under plans being developed by Priti Patel. Officials have ruled out Ascension Island and St Helena as impractical because of their distance from the UK but the Home Secretary is still seeking a third country where asylum seekers could be held while their applications are processed. Sources close to Ms Patel countered criticism of the proposal by citing similar plans by Tony Blair when he faced a surge in illegal migrants crossing the channel by hitching lifts on lorries or trains in 2003. His transit processing centres in protected zones in third countries were designed to deter those who enter the EU illegally and make unfounded asylum applications. A Government source said: We are looking at offshoring but key will be finding an appropriate location. The move would require new legislation and could be included in an overhaul of immigration and asylum laws being planned by Ms Patel in an attempt to combat the surge in illegal migrants crossing the Channel. More than 6,000 have crossed the Channel this year. Migrants being brought ashore in Dover on Tuesday - PA It follows reports on Wednesday that Ms Patel ordered officials to explore plans for building an asylum processing centre on a remote volcanic island in the south Atlantic - more than 4,000 miles from the UK, it has been reported. Home Office officials were instructed to look into the feasibility of transferring asylum seekers arriving in the UK to a centre on Ascension Island, a British overseas territory. Another option said to have been considered was to construct an asylum centre on St Helena, another island in the group where Napoleon was exiled after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. The Foreign Office was consulted on the proposals,and provided an assessment on the practicalities of shipping migrants to such remote locations. However, Ms Patel decided not to go ahead with the scheme because of the distance. Labour condemned the scheme as "inhumane, completely impractical and wildly expensive". Story continues A Home Office official said: "The UK has a long and proud history of offering refuge to those who need protection. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes in the future. "As ministers have said we are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it." Ascension Island, which is used as a staging post to supply and defend the Falkland Islands, has an RAF base and population of fewer than 1,000. Moving asylum seekers there and keeping them supplied was said to represent a considerable logistical challenge. NEW DELHI: BJP veteran LK Advani, who was acquitted by a special CBI court on Wednesday (September 30, 2020) in the Babri Mosque demolition case, welcomed the court verdict by chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', and said that it vindicates his personal and BJP's belief and commitment towards the 'Ram Janmabhoomi Movement'. The judgement vindicates my personal and BJP's belief and commitment toward the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the BJP stalwart said after being acquitted by Special CBI Court, Lucknow. Advani, who was the face of the Ram Janambhoomi Movement in 1992, was acquitted along with all other 31 accused in the case. "It is a very important decision and a matter of happiness for us. When we heard the news of the court's order, we welcomed it by chanting Jai Shri Ram" Advani said in a video message. Later in a statement, he said, "the judgement vindicates my personal and the Bharatiya Janata Party's belief and commitment towards the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement. "I also feel blessed that this judgement has come in the footsteps of another landmark verdict of the Supreme Court given in November 2019, which paved the way for my long-cherished dream of seeing a grand Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the foundation laying ceremony of which was held on 5th August 2020, " the BJP veteran said. After the court verdict, the 92-year-old BJP leader came out and greeted the media, gathered outside his house here, by chanting the slogan of 'Jai Shri Ram'. He was seen watching the news in his residence while sitting with his family members and his daughter Pratibha Advani, who was holding his hands. The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. Meanwhile, his party colleague and former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi said, It's a historic decision by the court. This proves that no conspiracy was hatched for December 6 incident in Ayodhya. Our program and rallies were not part of any conspiracy. We are happy, everyone should now be excited about Ram Mandir's construction. Top BJP leaders including Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, visited party veteran LK Advani shortly after the Special CBI court on Wednesday acquitted him and all other accused in over two-decade-old ' Babri Masjid demolition case. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also welcomed the court's judgment in the 1992 Babri Mosque demolition case and said that justice has won. Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav welcomed the CBI court verdict in the case, saying victory has triumphed. Ram Madhav said the acquittal in the Ramjnmabhumi conspiracy case was long overdue and urged everyone to welcome the courts judgement. Victory triumphs. CBI courts acquittal in RJB conspiracy case was long overdue. A malicious case against some of the most respected leaders of our nation has fallen aside finally after 3 decades. Everyone should welcome d judgement, Ram Madhav tweeted. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut welcomed the verdict on the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case and said the decision was awaited for the last 28 years. ''Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the entire Sena party welcome the judgment as it was on expected lines. We should forget the incident now. If Babri wouldn't have been pulled down, we wouldn't have been able to see the Bhoomi Poojan of Ram Mandir. I congratulate all the leaders who were present there and who were involved in the protest,'' Raut said. The reactions came shortly after the Special CBI court on Wednesday (September 30, 2020) acquitted all 32 accused in the case, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti. The accused were acquitted citing "lack of evidence'' against them for hatching the alleged conspiracy. The court also observed that the 1992 demolition was not "pre-planned." Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti were earlier accused of hatching the conspiracy that led to the demolition of the 15th-century mosque in December 1992. They attended the proceedings via video conferencing. 26 out of 32 accused were present in the court, including Sadhvi Ritambhara, Sakshi Maharaj, Vinay Katiyar and Champat Rai Bansal. In the Babri demolition case, an FIR was registered against a total of 49 people. Of these 17 have died, the remaining 32 are still accused. The seventeen accused in the case include Bal Thackeray, Ashok Singhal, Mahant Avaidyanath, Giriraj Kishore, and Vijayaraje Scindia who passed away during the trial. During the trial, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the CBI court. BETHLEHEM A husband and wife with a history of calls for domestic problems were found dead in their home the result of a murder-suicide, Bethlehem police said Wednesday. Husband Bhupinder S. Saran killed his wife Sarbjit K. Saran at their 56 Chesterwood Drive home in Selkirk, then killed himself, said town police, who were assisted by State Police. Both were 58. Bethlehem Commander Adam Hornick on Wednesday afternoon did not specify the manner of death of either of the spouses, other than to say it did not involve a firearm. The couple have two adult children who live out of state, Hornick said. At about 3:30p.m. Tuesday the Bethlehem police received a call from family members asking them to check on the welfare of the couple. When police arrived, they entered the home and found Bhupinder on the first floor and Sarbjit on the second floor, according to a police statement. Hornick said police visited the home six times between 2016 and 2019 for domestic-related incidents. There was a current "refrain-from order of protection" against Bhupinder issued by Albany County Family Court. This order prevented him from having any illegal contact with his wife, however, it did allow for them to have contact with each other, including living together, Hornick said. No one else was in the house. There had been no calls to their department involving the couple within the last 12 months. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. It is unfortunate we have a victim of domestic violence, Hornick said at the press conference. We remind people of the services out there for incidents like this The support is out there. Acts of domestic violence will not be tolerated. The investigation included developing a timeline of when the victims last had contact with anyone, autopsy results from Wednesday and neighborhood interviews. "Additionally we would like to extend our appreciation to the residents in the neighborhood for their forthcoming information and the assistance they provided during this around-the-clock investigation," police said in a news release. -- Eduardo Medina contributed additional reporting to this story. The Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard police blotter of arrests from police agencies around Central New York has been updated today. Most of the new arrests are from the last couple weeks. Irelands classes are the largest in EU and well above the European average of 20 pupils per class. Our average class size is 25 pupils, but the reality is that one in five children in Ireland is taught in a class of 30 or more. Keeping an adequate distance between children, or even groups of children, in the average Irish classroom, when you have more than 30 children in that room, is a near impossible task. Our supersized classes hindered our ability to reopen schools and may well challenge Micheal Martins great intentions to keep them open. In Longford, 16% of pupils learn in classes of more than 30 children. As we approach this years budget, it seems we may have to live with this pandemic in our communities well into the future. If we want to keep our schools open, we simply have to lower our class sizes and that needs to happen in the budget. The INTO is asking the government to commit to reducing the class sizes by one pupil per class per year over the lifetime of the government, starting in the forthcoming budget. The government must, now more than ever, deliver on its commitment to tackle supersized classes. Great effort has gone into getting our schools opened safely. Lets now ensure that we can keep them open. (CNN) Sienna Miller has revealed that Chadwick Boseman reduced his own salary for "21 Bridges" to get her on board the project and ensure she felt fairly compensated. In a new interview with Empire, Miller said she was sharing the story publicly for the first time because "it's a testament to who he was." Boseman privately fought a battle with colon cancer for four years before his death in August. Boseman, who also produced "21 Bridges," liked Miller's work and wanted her for the role of detective Frankie Burns, she told the publication. "He produced '21 Bridges,' and had been really active in trying to get me to do it," Miller said, adding, "He was a fan of my work, which was thrilling, because it was reciprocated from me to him, tenfold. So he approached me to do it, he offered me this film, and it was at a time when I really didn't want to work anymore. I'd been working non-stop and I was exhausted, but then I wanted to work with him." Boseman fought for Miller. "This was a pretty big budget film, and I know that everybody understands about the pay disparity in Hollywood, but I asked for a number that the studio wouldn't get to. And because I was hesitant to go back to work and my daughter was starting school and it was an inconvenient time, I said, 'I'll do it if I'm compensated in the right way.' And Chadwick ended up donating some of his salary to get me to the number that I had asked for. He said that that was what I deserved to be paid." She called his gesture "astounding." "That kind of thing just doesn't happen. He said, 'You're getting paid what you deserve, and what you're worth.' It's just unfathomable to imagine another man in that town behaving that graciously or respectfully. In the aftermath of this I've told other male actor friends of mine that story and they all go very very quiet and go home and probably have to sit and think about things for a while. But there was no showiness, it was, 'Of course I'll get you to that number, because that's what you should be paid.'" This story was first published on CNN.com 'Chadwick Boseman cut his own salary to increase Sienna Miller's on '21 Bridges' At least three other carriers, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines, which signed letters of intent to accept the loans in July, said they will no longer participate in the loan program. Their decision frees additional money for other carriers. Treasury officials said airlines would be eligible for up to $7.5 billion, or 30 percent of the $25 billion available under the program. Cardinal George Pell has returned to Rome from Australia for the first time since being jailed and then exonerated on child sex abuse charges. Wearing a face mask, the 79-year-old was silent as he climbed into a waiting car at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Wednesday - briefly lifting his hand towards a crowd of waiting media who had gathered for his arrival. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said there is 'currently no meeting planned' between the cardinal and Pope Francis. But experts on the workings of the tiny city state said a reunion between the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the man he once appointed as his trusted anti-corruption tsar was inevitable. Australian Cardinal George Pell waves as he arrives at Rome's international airport in Fiumicino on Wednesday. The Vatican has said there is no meeting arranged between the exonerated cleric and the head of the Roman Catholic Church Pell is returning to Rome for the first time since being acquitted of sexual abuse charges in April Pell wore a face mask but said nothing to the waiting media pack as he landed in Rome on Wednesday 'He will meet Francis. He'll do it as a free man,' Italy's Repubblica newspaper said. 'It will be Pell's chance for a redress, after many in the Vatican rejoiced at his removal.' At their last face-to-face meeting in June 2017, Pope Francis gave Pell an extended period of leave to return to Australia and clear his name, amid false accusations he molested two choirboys in the 1990s. Pell was convicted in December 2018 of sexually abusing the boys when he was the archbishop of Melbourne. He strenuously denied the charges and the High Court in Australia overturned his conviction in April this year after hearing his second appeal. The former Vatican treasurer spent more than a year in prison. Pell arrives at his residence in Rome on Wednesday. He spent more than a year in prison before his convictions were quashed Pell had said shortly after his release from jail he would at some point return to Rome to pack up his apartment - but planned to live in Sydney. A Pell aide told AFP his trip to Rome was a 'private visit'. Under coronavirus travel restrictions, Australians are barred from leaving the country except for official business or compassionate personal reasons. The reason for Pell's exemption to leave Australia remains unclear. Australians must have compassionate personal reasons or be travelling on official business to leave the country Cardinal George Pell (pictured in the terminal lounge wearing a full face protective shield) was whisked through a private entrance at Sydney Airport to avoid the waiting media It was not known on what condition Pell was granted an exemption. Pell boarded a plane bound for Rome on one of the last flights leaving Sydney International Airport on Tuesday night. NSW Police officers are believed to have escorted Pell through the airport terminal via a lower ground entrance different to the one used by the public to avoid the waiting media, Nine News reported. Opinion Article 30 September 2020 Hotels are complicated investments and therefore selecting an appropriate hotel agreement for a property requires exhaustive research and investigation by an investor. The choice of an operator as well as the hotel operating agreement has a significant impact on the cashflow and the potential value of the property. Advertisements Hotels and the hospitality market are constantly evolving as a result of brands consolidating, owner profiles changing, technology disruption, changing traveler behavior as well as hotel investment trends altering. The 2019 HVS Middle East Valuation Index highlighted declining hotel values in the Middle East as a result of several factors but most importantly oversupply and increased competition, declining RevPAR and increasing costs. Consequently, all these shifts in the industry transformed the traditional relationship between owners and operators, which were reflected in the way hotel agreements were negotiated and have resulted in the emergence of alternative agreements. Since 2005, there has been a considerable increase in hotel developments in the Middle East, and global operators have significantly contributed to growing the hospitality offering supported by aggressive tourism initiatives led by the key cities in the region. Some key cities have witnessed double-digit growth in tourist arrivals and the number of branded hotels was circa 700 hotels or approximately 210,000 hotel rooms by the end of 2019 in the region. New supply was estimated to add some 70,000 hotel rooms by 2025, with most hotel supply planned for the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A recent HVS survey of the key global operators in the Middle East region shows that 84% of branded hotels operate under a management agreement, 11% operate under a franchise agreement and 5% are leased properties. New signings show an increase in franchise agreements to approximately 20% and the trend suggests that hotel owners in mature markets will look to convert the current hotel management agreements into franchise agreements at the end of the initial term, and in some instances earlier in the term subject to operator's approval. In comparison, 25% of hotels operate under franchise agreement in Africa, 40% in Europe and close to 70% in the US. Major changes in hotel management agreements were observed in signings post 2010 and we take the view that further changes are anticipated as there is increased pressure on operators to secure development opportunities while owners' expectations have drastically shifted, especially in the last couple of years. This publication summarizes the evolution of a number of key terms in hotel management agreements and our outlook on how these key terms may evolve in the future. Furthermore, it provides an overview of franchise agreements and highlights alternative agreements that are being considered by sophisticated owners in the Middle East region. Figure 1: Type of Agreements Source: HVS Photo: HVS Management AgreementsThe hotel management contract, which is the most common in the Middle East region, is historically perceived as an attractive model for both owner and operator. It allows the operator to expand significantly into different markets without being exposed to ownership and development risks while allowing the owners to enjoy maximized financial returns by outsourcing their property's management rights to an operator in exchange for a fee. In the last 15 years, the GCC region specifically witnessed a tremendous increase in new hotel developments, the majority of which were subject to management agreements with international operators. Some local brands have also grown their regional footprint through hotel management agreements. Historically, most new hotel developments attracted upscale and luxury brands, with a noticeable increase in midscale and economy brands in the last 3 to 5 years. Term & Base Fee Hotel management contracts came a long way to align the risk and reward between owners and operators. As the interest in hotel investment has increased along with the sophistication of hotel owners who tend to hire hotel asset managers and consulting companies to drive operating performance, owners have been able to negotiate terms which allow more flexibility and control. The changes in some of the key terms are highlighted below: The average initial term for contracts signed in the Middle East after 2008 dropped from 21 years to 17 years when compared to a global average of 18.3 years. Luxury and upscale brands usually have a longer term when compared to the midscale brands. The length of the term is typically negotiated and tied to the commercial fees offered, which is typically represented by an inverse relationship. We take the view that the initial term in future contracts will be further shortened as investors are unlikely to commit to a long term without additional control mechanisms and termination rights in case of underperformance. We also expect an increase in "Manchise" agreements, which allow hotel owners to convert the management agreements into a franchise agreements after an initial term of 5 to 7 years. This operating model is discussed in detail later in this publication. The base management and license fees only consider the top line of the profit and loss statement and therefore may not necessarily incentivize the operator to minimize the operating expenses and increase the bottom line. Historically, base fees were a flat fee, ranging from (2% to 4%) over the term of the agreement and are largely a function of the size and positioning of the property. More recently, signed contracts include a base fee ramp up in the initial years of operations until the hotel is stabilized. The scaled up average base fee in the Middle East is 1.7% of Gross Operating Revenue (GOR) which is lower than the global average base fee of 2.6%. As owners expect operators to efficiently manage by increasing top line and maintaining expenses at reasonable levels, the base management fee is being heavily negotiated against a higher incentive fee, which is calculated on the Gross Operating Profit rather than the Gross Operating Revenues. Future negotiations on the base fee will also involve a definition of Gross Revenues as non-rooms revenues in the GCC region typically account for approximately 40%-50% of the Hotel Profit and Loss statement. In large and premium positioned asset, it is common for several F&B outlets to be outsourced and at times the spa and beach club. It is therefore important to establish whether an operator should be compensated for all the hotel revenues or the portion in which the operator is directly responsible for. Figure 2: Term & Base Fee Source: HVS Photo: HVS Incentive Fee While the base management fee motivates the operator to focus on the top line, the incentive fee encourages the operator to manage and control the operating expenses. There are several forms of incentive fee structures, but the most common in recent years is the scaled incentive fee linked to the Gross Operating Profit. encourages the operator to manage and control the operating expenses. There are several forms of incentive fee structures, but the most common in recent years is the scaled incentive fee linked to the Gross Operating Profit. Historically, incentive fees were flat and ranged between 8% and 10% of Gross Operating Profit. Approximately 73% of reviewed contracts, which were signed after 2008, show a noticeable shift to a scaled incentive fee structure, typically starting at 5% and increasing to 9% based on Gross Operating Profit and Adjusted Gross Operating Profit brackets. More recently incentive fees are being tied to the operator achieving a minimum AGOP level of 15% to 20%. Figure 3: Incentive Fee Structure Source: HVS Photo: HVS Definition of Gross Operating Profit and Adjusted Gross Operating Profit have also changed in the last few years. In several contracts, the definition of AGOP includes FF&E deduction and some additional expenses that are agreed with owner. As the hotel market matures and owners become more aware of the mechanisms to guarantee acceptable levels of returns on their investments, owner's priority clause, performance guarantee and maximum fee cap are likely to become the norm. One of the major goals of an owner is to select the right management company to maximize the profitability and consequently increase the value of an asset. Therefore, encouraging and incentivizing the operator to maximize profitability should not be underestimated. Owner's Priority Traditionally, incentive fee linked to available cash flow was less utilized in the Middle East. This fee structure is generally subordinated to thewhich can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the initial capital investment. Thereby, the incentive fee is paid to the operator only when the owner's priority is reached. Hotel operators are more likely to accept the owner's priority clause with the inclusion of an incentive fee revision mechanism wherein the owner's priority hurdles are revised downwards if certain thresholds are not met. Minimum Guarantee Operator's Performance Guarantee (Minimum Guarantee) is a financial guarantee by the operator to pay a specified sum if it fails to reach a certain Gross Operating Profit amount set in the management agreement which is indexed over the term of the contract. In our experience, operators only accept this clause with a claw back provision which entitles them to retrieve any foregone fees once the hotel exceeds the pre-defined minimum thresholds. In addition, operators tend to place a cap on the guaranteed amount within a specified number of years in the agreement. Maximum Fee Cap In recent years, an increasing number of hotel operators accepted capping the sum of the base and incentive fees to acquire the management rights of the strategic assets in the Middle East. The maximum fee cap range varies between 4% and 7% of the Total Revenue based on the project characteristics and the fee generation potential for the operator. Entering into a management agreement with a reputable and efficient operator allows the investor to capitalize the value of the asset and meet its financial obligations. We take the view that operators should be rewarded on managing efficiently by increasing revenues and maintaining reasonable cost levels to ensure that the property EBITDA and cashflows are maximized. Higher incentive fees to compensate operators when achieving healthy AGOP levels will likely become the norm to incentivize the operator to manage more efficiently. It is also likely that hotel owners will also link the incentive fee to owner's priority especially in the current unpredictable changes to the hospitality market and the declining EBITDA levels. Figure 4: Incentive Fees Source: HVS Photo: HVS Group Services Fee By associating with a brand, the owners benefit from the operators' established network and centralized systems for reservation, marketing, loyalty programs and training structures, in exchange of a fee. These fee amounts are usually standardized hence they are usually non-negotiable. Average marketing fee in the Middle East is 1.75% of Gross Operating Revenue. In rare instances, the marketing fee is calculated based on Rooms Revenue which is typically more relevant to midscale and economy brands. It is observed that the more developed the brand service systems are, the higher are the fees. On average, a well-established upscale brand charges a marketing fee ranging between 1.5% - 3% of Gross Operating Revenue whereas brands with relatively less established services could charge as low as 0.75% on Gross Rooms Revenue. whereas brands with relatively less established services could charge as low as Operators also charge a reservation fee as part of the group services fee. Depending on the source of reservation, the fee can be charged in different forms such as percentage of gross room revenue, fixed fee based on available rooms or fixed fee charged per reservation. Average reservation fee in the Middle East as a percentage of the gross rooms' revenue is 1% whereas the average for fixed amount per reservation received is USD 9. While these fees are typically non-negotiable, they are increasingly becoming a serious concern in negotiations as owners question the benefits to their property by contributing such significant amounts to the global systems. Since it remains difficult to track how these expenses are benefitting the property and maximizing its' value, they are considered as a potential hidden and uncontrollable cost. An increasing number of owners in the Middle East are looking for inclusion of the specific clauses in the management agreements which warrant the allocation of a fixed portion of the group services fees to promote their property and the brand within their market. Like the base fee calculation, the marketing fee when tied to Gross Operating Revenues requires definition and agreement on what revenues are included in instances whereby a number of outlets are outsourced or leased out. As operators acknowledge that direct bookings are rather lower than those booked through other established platforms such as Expedia and Booking.com, additional efforts in recent years have been made to boost direct bookings and reduce reliance on third party platforms. Also, in certain markets, the largest share of bookings is driven by the local sales team which also results in a high marketing and sales cost at the property level. Combined with the Group Marketing fee, this could total approximately 8% of total revenues. We take the view that operators will have to reassess those fees in response to the new realities and booking dynamics. A higher fee associated with direct online and offline bookings would incentivize the operator to increase its efforts to channel bookings through its own direct mediums, reduce commission pay outs and drive higher profitability. Figure 5: Group Services Fees Source: HVS Photo: HVS Area of Protection Understandably, an operator's goal is to expand its' footprint, extend its distribution network and benefit from economies of scale though new signings and adding hotels to its management portfolio. However, if the operator develops multiple properties which belong to the same brand within the same market, it creates a threat to the performance of the subject property, may dilute its market share, and ultimately impacts the value of an asset. Hence, for the owner's protection, in the majority of the contracts reviewed a territorial restriction is imposed on the operator, where the operator is unable for a specified number of years or throughout the full initial term, to franchise, lease, operate or affiliate with another property with the same or similar brand as of the subject property. There are two main factors to consider while negotiating the area of protection (AOP). These factors are the duration and the size of the area of protection, which is mostly defined by a radius. As a rule of thumb, the higher the market positioning, the bigger the area of protection. Deciding the radius of a territorial restriction depends on several factors but most importantly the city and future development opportunities. In some markets in the Middle East, operators are willing to sign only a 3 to 5 km radius as opposed to other markets where the area of protection covers the entire city. The positioning of the hotel plays a key role in the negotiations of this term. Typically, midscale and budget brands are more lenient when compared to upscale and luxury brands. However, the management fees that are forecasted to be generated by the subject property are also a key factor in identifying the owner's bargaining power. Consequently, if the forecasted operator fees are higher, then the owner is likely to negotiate a bigger radius of AOP. Recent acquisitions and brand consolidation have worked in operators' favor in growing further even in markets where strict AOP have been negotiated. From an owner's perspective, the consolidation between operating companies which typically results in an increase in number of hotels/brands under the same platform may dilute the property's market share rather than allow the brand to capitalize its market presence. It is also arguable as to whether economies of scale could be achieved, especially when the investors/owners of similar branded properties are different. Performance Tests Performance tests provide the owners the rights to monitor and assess the operators performance and ability to drive higher profitability and cash flow. These tests, if negotiated and agreed in the right manner, grant the owner the right to terminate the contract in case the operator is underperforming within its competitive market or consistently failing to achieve the approved operating budget. As owners have become more sophisticated and hotels' trading performance has been challenged in the last couple of years, performance tests have become more prevalent. Exit strategy and termination rights gained more importance which also resulted in performance test thresholds becoming stricter and more enforceable. Although hotel management contracts in the Middle East, since the 90's, have gained popularity as they allow both parties to maximize returns, rarely has the operator been held accountable for operating shortcomings while owner bears all the financial risk. Since operators are accountable and responsible for the hotel's performance which in turn impacts the owner's income potential, owners now expect to have the right to terminate the contract without paying damages or terminate when the operator underperforms. However, if the performance failure occurs in case of a force majeure event, extraordinary events and/or renovation, the owner's right to terminate cannot be executed. 86% of the Middle East hotel agreements sample set included a performance test in the agreements. The reason why the performance test seems more prevalent in this region is due to the nature of the sample set used for this article. All contracts which did not include a performance test clause from the Middle East reviewed sample were signed before 2007. There are several factors to take into consideration while imposing a performance test. These factors include commencement year, test period, performance thresholds and operator's right to cure. Commencement Year and Test Period: The testing period typically kicks in once the property is stabilized, which is 3 to 4 years from the hotel opening. Most contracts reviewed have a performance test which stipulates two consecutive years of failure. Thresholds are defined in those two most common test metrics: Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) parameter usually expects the operator to achieve a RevPAR level that is equal to or more than the pre-defined threshold, which is usually in the range of 85%-95%, of the weighted average RevPAR of the subject property's mutually agreed competitive set. The main difficulties of RevPAR test are defining the right competitive set along with obtaining reliable data regarding the RevPAR of that competitive set. parameter usually expects the operator to achieve a RevPAR level that is equal to or more than the pre-defined threshold, which is usually in the range of 85%-95%, of the weighted average RevPAR of the subject property's mutually agreed competitive set. The main difficulties of RevPAR test are defining the right competitive set along with obtaining reliable data regarding the RevPAR of that competitive set. Gross Operating Profit (GOP) parameter typically expects the operator to achieve a GOP level that is equal to or more than the pre-defined threshold, which is also in the range of 85%-95%, of the mutually agreed budgeted GOP. parameter typically expects the operator to achieve a GOP level that is equal to or more than the pre-defined threshold, which is also in the range of 85%-95%, of the mutually agreed budgeted GOP. The most agreed performance tests in the reviewed contracts are "dual" and "collective" testing, whereby the operator is considered to have failed when it fails both RevPAR and GOP test for two years consecutively from the commencement date. In rare cases, the agreements included either GOP or RevPAR as single tests. Usually, all contracts which include a performance test also provide an automatic right to cure to the operator in case of a failed performance. Generally, the longer the initial term, the higher are the cure rights. However, based on the Middle East sample set, an average of 2 cure rights are granted during the initial term, with one additional cure right in each renewal term; some of which are subject to owners' approval. The cure amount equals to the difference between the actual performance and the approved budgeted GOP. In some cases, the management company provides the cure amount in cash or alternatively sets off the cure amount from the next management fee due. Although the cure amount is usually the last year of the failed test period, current trends indicate that the higher of the two years can be cured as well. Mostly, the cure amount will be the variation of GOP and budgeted GOP, as curing the RevPAR test would include several hypothetical variables. Once the operator uses its right to cure, the contract remains in effect and the owner's termination notice regarding the failed test period is no longer valid. Only if the operator does not cure its failure or exceeds the maximum number of rights to cure, then the owner can terminate the contract. These parameters can be set in motion independently, separately, or collectively. Although the collective tests are the most common, which makes it more difficult for operators to fail and owners to terminate, owners are pushing for single and separate tests while the operators are resisting the same. In the latter, failing either one of the test parameters would grant the owner's termination notice to hold merit. To date, there have been only few instances in the Middle East region in which the owner was able to enforce the performance test and terminate an operator for failing the tests. The changes in market dynamics also present an opportunity to explore whether the RevPAR remains a good indicator of the operator's ability to manage efficiently and create value. Key Money Contribution With growing competition among the hotel operators in the Middle East, especially for existing projects, there are increasing number of operators offering key money contribution to obtain the rights to manage strategic hotel projects. Key money can be offered in a variety of formats, including; An absolute monetary amount estimated as a percentage of the Net Present Value (NPV) of the operator's fees that it expects to earn over the life of the contract, or not exceeding two to three times the stabilized year's management fees anticipated to be earned by the operator. The amortized key money is often claimed back by the operator if the management contract is terminated prematurely on a pro-rated basis. A waiver of the technical services fee or making it reimbursable after the hotel opens in the form of key money. Foregoing base and / or incentive fees for a specified number of years with or without a claw back provision as a key money incentive. We are of the opinion that the key money contribution will become more prevalent in the region in the upcoming years particularly for the strategic assets that are in AAA locations and the hotel conversion opportunities that provide immediate fee generation prospects for the operators. Figure 6: Evolution of Key Terms Source: HVS Photo: HVS Franchise AgreementsIn recent years, the franchising model has become more attractive with established hotel owners in the Middle East region. Our internal research suggests that franchise agreements will account for 20% of signed agreements by end of 2020 and this could further increase to 25% by the end of 2025. This shift also stems from owners' convictions that they have a stronger ability to manage and reduce the operating costs of running a hotel when compared to the international operators ability to create efficiencies and reduce costs in the local market, especially in emerging and secondary cities. Equally, operators recognize the opportunity to expand the brand footprint in growing economies while mitigating some of the commercial risks and significant capital investment. Major international hotel operators such as Hilton, Marriott, IHG and Accor amongst others are entertaining and accepting this operating model as an option to grow further subject to the owners' ability to maintain brand standards and expect owners to have a management team experienced in hotel operations or hire a qualified third-party manager. Brand attributes play a crucial role in a hotel investor's choice of franchise affiliation. When evaluating a potential hotel franchise, one of the important economic considerations is the structure and amount of the franchise fees. Second only to payroll, franchise fees are among the largest operating expenses for most hotels. Hotel franchise fees are compensation paid by the franchisee to the franchisor for the use of the brand's name, logo, marketing, and referral and reservation systems. Franchise fees normally include an initial fee with the franchise application, plus ongoing fees paid periodically throughout the term of the agreement. The typical term of a franchise agreement ranges from 10 to 15 years and the franchisor would typically have the rights to terminate in case the franchisee fails to meet brand standards service requirements. In certain instances, especially with existing hotels, the Franchisor may also require property investment plan and expenditure to align the hotel quality and offering with the brand image. The Initial Fee Typically consists of a minimum dollar amount based on the hotel's room count. For example, the initial fee may be a minimum of USD 45,000 plus USD 300 per room for each room over 150. Thus, a hotel with 125 rooms would pay USD 360 per room, and a hotel with 200 rooms would pay USD 300 per room. In cases of re-flagging an existing hotel, the initial fee structure is occasionally reduced or waived. Some franchisors will return the initial fee if the franchise is not approved, while others will retain approximately 5% to 20% to cover administrative costs. Ongoing Fees Fees commence when the hotel assumes the franchise affiliation, and fees are usually paid monthly over the term of the agreement. Continuing costs generally include a royalty fee, an advertising or marketing contribution fee, and a reservation fee. In addition, ongoing fees may include loyalty memberships fees and miscellaneous fees. Royalty Fee A royalty fee represents compensation for the use of the brand's trade name, services marks and associated logos, goodwill, and other franchise services. Royalty fees represent the major source of revenue for the franchisor. These fees are characteristically subject to negotiations between both parties, and can vary by brand, but typically range from 3.0% to 5.0% of rooms revenues. In some instances, franchisors require an additional percentage of other revenue streams, most commonly food and beverage revenue. In these cases, the average amount is 1.0% to 2.0% of total food and beverage revenue (or sometimes all non-rooms revenue), and this is payable on top of the room revenue in certain agreements. If included in the contract at all, F&B and non-rooms revenue fees are more often found in upscale and luxury brands rather than midscale and budget brands. Advertising or Marketing Contribution Fee Brand-wide advertising and marketing consists of national or regional advertising in various types of media, including the Internet, the development and distribution of a brand directory, and marketing geared toward specific groups and segments. In many instances, the advertising or marketing contribution fee goes into a fund that is administered by the franchisor on behalf of all members of the brand. Like the Group Services Fee in hotel management agreement, franchisees ideally want their contribution to impact their region, which may not always be the case.These fees normally range from 1.0 to 2.0% of total revenue. These fees typically vary by market and in some instances are paired with the reservation fee. Third Party Operator Fees Figure 7: Franchise Fee Types Source: HVS Photo: HVS Owners equally may be required to hire a third-party operator to manage the day to day operations. Hiring a third-party manager with local market knowledge gives assurance to the franchisor on one hand and allows hotel owners with limited or no hotel experience to manage efficiently. Third party operator fees typically range between 4% and 6% of total revenues and are structured in a similar fashion to the traditional hotel brands (base fee and incentive fee). Additional details on third party managers is included in the section below. Clearly, franchise agreements have become more established in mature markets across the US and Europe and are increasing in popularity and acceptance in the Middle East region. While this operating model is expected to replace some of the old contracts and allow owners more control to optimize the value of the asset through top line enhancements and reduced costs, owners need to evaluate the depth to which a franchise agreement can provide a hotel with recognition, operational support, return on investment, and success. In addition to the franchise model, described above, which at times will require the hotel owner to adhere to a stringent Property Investment Plan "PIP" for certain established brands, the evolution and popularity of independently operated hotels has given way to "soft brands" which are backed by leading hotel chains but have lenient programming and design standards. Soft-branded properties benefit from the reservation and marketing platforms of a large hotel company (often with international recognition), while maintaining nearly total control of business strategy, management, amenity offering, and creative design elements. Soft-branded hotels have different fee structures that are, in most cases, less costly, but the exposure and "brand reach" may be more limited. Independent hotel collections offer the marketing and reservation platform of their parent company, but the development standards and facility programming tend to be more defined and rigorous. The fee structure for these collections appears to be in line with those of similar chain-scale-ranked hotels within the respective parent company. Such hotel companies offer a flexible option for owners who seek to maintain the independent positioning of their property but affiliate with a group boasting national or international recognition and corporate accounts. The properties that comprise these "independent" and "soft brands" portfolios are typically first-class, full-service hotels, often with a smaller guestroom inventory than the norm. One of the largest discrepancies between independent hotels and the traditional franchise model is the application of fees toward revenues. While a typical franchise applies stipulated fees to total rooms revenue, independent hotel companies only apply fees to reservations that stream through their channels. This is typically a reduced portion of total reservations, which can vary greatly per hotel depending on the product or market type (e.g., resort-style hotels, urban markets etc.). However, the overall "franchise" cost to an owner for an independent hotel would consider only those reservations and revenues derived from the independent hotel company. Third Party Management Agreements Third-party or white-label management companies direct the day-to-day operations of hotels on behalf of hotel owners and manage the assets either as independent properties or under a franchise with hotel chains. In turn, they are compensated with management fees (base and incentive fees) and charges for services such as technical fees. The concept of a third-party manager was established decades ago. Its growth has been fuelled by increasing number of hotel owners without the expertise or appetite of running hotels and by major hotel chains focusing on franchising as the choice method of expansion in certain markets. While this business model is very well-established in North America and growing rapidly in Europe, it is still in its early stages in the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa. Third-party management companies are loyal to the owner, where branded operators are loyal first and foremost to the brand. While it is not implied that branded operators ignore the owners' interests entirely, they do have different priorities. Brand managers will aim to present their brands in the best possible light and may omit to achieve the type of bottom-line profitability that third-party operators are more concerned of. Flexibility is another key strength of third-party operators. As hotel chains impose certain restrictions and brand standards that a hotel must conform to such as property size, facilities, location etc., third-party operators offer more flexibility and adapt more easily to the specific needs and requirements of the owner especially when it comes to independent properties. Owners would also have more influence and control on the operation with a third-party than with a branded operator. The terms of a third-party management agreement are also characteristically more competitive and flexible than those of the brands. Typically, management fees, both base and incentive fees, are lower for independent operators. The initial term of the management agreement is much shorter (starting at a minimum lock in of five to ten years) and exit options are more flexible (including termination at will). A third-party management agreement is an obvious choice for unbranded, independent properties, but can also be a valuable inclusion for franchised hotels, as there remains a gap between owners that are unable or unwilling to control the daily operations of the hotel and the hotel chains who are focusing on expanding their presence via the franchise model. Due to the challenge of hotel owners and franchisors to ensure that their mutual interests are in capable hands, the third-party management model has come into prominence. Although implementing a franchise agreement and a third-party management agreement moves hotels into a double fee scenario (owners would have to pay franchise fees to hotel brands on top of management fees paid to third-party operators), owners are willing to accept this business model for the flexibility of the management contract and more control over the operations. The flexibility also adds to the value proposition when it comes to the sale of the property. For owners of multiple hotels under different brands, selecting a single third-party operator allows for homogenous reporting across all properties, increasing the ease of comparing performance across the portfolio. Manchise Agreements Although this type of agreement only represents a few of the signed agreements in the Middle East region, recent trends suggest that this could be a win-win proposal for both parties. On one hand it provides the operators with further growth opportunities in the region while hotel owners acquire the know-how and experience in running hotels for a limited number of years without being tied to continuous costs and limitations of a management contract. Manchising could be considered as a bridge between management and a franchise agreement. It is becoming ever more prevalent in the region as some owners who have built operational know-how over the years intend to develop a portfolio of hotels under different brands with central management teams. While manchising provides the owners more control over their property and potentially lower fees after a certain number of years, the cost of building capable management teams and the potential risks of underperformance under a franchise operating model remain important factors to be considered. From the operators' perspective, manchising minimizes the risk of diluting the brand equity as opposed to franchise agreements since it enables the operator to establish strict operating controls in the initial years. Hence, some luxury, upper-upscale and lifestyle brands which may not be immediately available for franchising due to the operators' concerns on maintaining the brand standards can be acquired through manchising agreements. It should also be noted that some of the Tier 1 operators accept manchising agreement on the condition that the owner accepts to appoint a third-party operator who has extensive experience in managing branded hotel operations. A manchise is a complex agreement where the right to execute to convert into a franchise is typically granted to the owner by the Operator, unless negotiated to be guaranteed after a specified period. Aligning the objectives between the two parties also increase the legal complexity of the agreements. Typically, two sets of agreements are signed between the owner and operator with a typical length of the management agreement being 5 to 7 years. It is also common that the fees payable to the operator are higher during the management term to compensate for the shorter length of the agreement. Despite the complexity of entering into two sets of agreements, this model is considered to be advantageous to owners who require a greater control of the operations of their hotel and may not be ready to enter into a franchise agreement from the early start. As discussed previously, the "Manchise: Management-Franchise" concept is gaining popularity though it is too early to comment on issues arising at the end of the management term and the start of the franchise term. Lease Agreements Lease agreements are arguably the least common contract type between hotel owners and operators in the Middle East. Nonetheless, we have observed an increasing number of owners showing interest to explore this option for their assets in recent years. Under a lease agreement, the owner is the landlord and has no operational responsibilities. The lease agreements provide the most risk-averse operating model for owners with minimum financial risk and a relatively stable income stream. In addition, predictability of the lease income over a certain period provides the owners with the ability to seek financing at more favorable terms. The main disadvantages of the lease agreements for the owners are the opportunity cost of higher potential returns if the hotels perform well and the lack of control over the operation of the asset. On the other hand, the majority of the hotel operators do not have the same appetite for lease agreements due to their asset-light business model. Under a lease agreement, the operator incurs all operating financial risk. Fixed lease expenses for the operators are considered as liabilities in their balance sheet which do not bode well with their risk-averse strategy. Nevertheless, some operators within the economy segment as well as new operators that are yet to establish their brand in the region consider lease agreements as opportunities to expand their footprint in the Middle East. While the model has not been tested by most of the operators in the region, we are of the opinion that the lease agreements provide an appealing alternative model for the operators who are willing to take risks for higher returns and strategic expansion of their brands. The length of the lease agreements are typically shorter as opposed to management and franchise agreements. Under a lease agreement, there are different rent structures depending on both the owner's and the operator's risk appetites. These structures include fixed fee, share of revenue, and share of net operating income. Fixed fee is a fixed rental payment with indexed growth over a certain period. Under the fixed fee structure, the owner bears the minimum risk as the income stream is not contingent upon the performance of the property. is a fixed rental payment with indexed growth over a certain period. Under the fixed fee structure, the owner bears the minimum risk as the income stream is not contingent upon the performance of the property. Share of revenue is a variable lease structure wherein the rent is calculated based on the revenue generated in a year. Both operator and owner share similar level of risk under this structure as the rent is linked to top-line performance of the hotel. is a variable lease structure wherein the rent is calculated based on the revenue generated in a year. Both operator and owner share similar level of risk under this structure as the rent is linked to top-line performance of the hotel. Share of Net Operating Income is another variable lease structure wherein the rent is calculated as a percentage of the net operating income. Under this structure, the risk for the hotel owner is relatively higher since the income stream is not only dependent on the top line but also operator's ability to manage expenses and drive bottom-line performance. Variable leases may include a fixed base rent in addition to the variable component which would reduce the owner's risk in case of a potential underperformance by the operator. We are of the opinion that such a hybrid lease model is the most balanced structure in terms of risk and reward for both the operators and the owners. In conclusion, while the interest in lease agreements have been mainly from the owners with little enthusiasm from the operators, we believe the lease model has the potential to offer significant benefits to both owners and operators in the Middle East. Concluding Thoughts: Hotel management is complex, and the value of the property is highly dependent on the operating performance of the asset and the achievable EBITDA levels. As such, evaluating the most suitable hotel operating model for a hotel investment is crucial to ensure that the owner's return is optimized. There is no one-model that fits all and therefore hotel owners should investigate, evaluate, negotiate, and assess the most suitable operating model and brand that will allow them to successfully operate in the ever-changing hospitality market. Disclaimer: This publication, is not intended to provide any recommendation and should not be relied upon for decision making, as each hotel is unique, and a number of factors need to be considered when making a choice of hotel brand and the most suitable hotel operating agreement. Our team of experts would be pleased to assist and advise you. For more information please contact the authors. UWC Thailand represents Thailand in Top 100 Global School Showcase at World Education Week On Monday, October 5, from 3-4pm GMT (9-10pm Phuket time), a panel from UWC Thailand International School will present the schools expertise on Mindfulness and its Role in Wellbeing in Schools. The presentation is part of World Education Week (WEW), the worlds biggest education conference, enabling schools to share their learning and is expected to reach over 100,000 attendees from October 5-9. Education By Press Release Wednesday 30 September 2020, 11:00AM A panel from UWC Thailand International School will present the schools expertise on Mindfulness and its Role in Wellbeing in Schools as part of World Education Week. Photo: UWC Thailand A panel from UWC Thailand International School will present the schools expertise on Mindfulness and its Role in Wellbeing in Schools as part of World Education Week. Photo: UWC Thailand A panel from UWC Thailand International School will present the schools expertise on Mindfulness and its Role in Wellbeing in Schools as part of World Education Week. Photo: UWC Thailand A panel from UWC Thailand International School will present the schools expertise on Mindfulness and its Role in Wellbeing in Schools as part of World Education Week. Photo: UWC Thailand A panel from UWC Thailand International School will present the schools expertise on Mindfulness and its Role in Wellbeing in Schools as part of World Education Week. Photo: UWC Thailand A panel from UWC Thailand International School will present the schools expertise on Mindfulness and its Role in Wellbeing in Schools as part of World Education Week. Photo: UWC Thailand The 100 schools will join together to drive progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on Quality Education (SDG 4) designed to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all. UWC Thailand is the only school in Thailand to be amongst the Top 100 and has the honour of presenting first. Since UWC Thailands founding in 2008, social-emotional learning and mindfulness has been one of our core pillars. The motto of the school Good Heart, Balanced Mind, Healthy Body is alive and well here, permeating every aspect of our programme, explains Jason McBride, UWC Thailand Head of School. Our goal is to raise great human beings who will use education as a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and sustainability. To create lasting change, children have to first know themselves in order to be able to know others and how to work with them for a better future. Although the need for mindfulness education has come to the fore in many global conversations, UWC Thailands experience embedding mindfulness across a Nursery to Grade 12 curriculum for over a decade is a case study on how to turn conversations into action. In sharing the schools three-part approach of be mindful, teach mindfully, teach mindfulness, WEW conference attendees will learn about staff training, mindfulness and wellness integration into timetables, and building a mindful community of student and parent practitioners. The session will be moderated by McBride and led by Lucy Keller, Head of Mindfulness at UWC Thailand. Student, teacher and staff perspectives will also be shared through conversations with a diverse panel during the session. The key takeaways are: Why mindfulness is integral to UWC Thailand and how it could benefit other schools. How to build a community that pauses, notices, and checks in. How to practice paying attention with kindness and curiosity to the present moment. How teachers can work on getting over the guilt of taking time for their own practice or time off timetable with the students to practice mindfulness. How-to resources for starting your schools mindfulness programme. This ground-breaking event is led by Vikas Pota, a globally-respected leader and driving force in the education, international development, philanthropy and technology sectors. In launching the event, Mr Pota said: I am incredibly inspired by the schools that applied to take part in this years World Education Week. Their commitment to improving the life chances of their learners by nurturing expertise and wanting to share their experience with others, especially in these challenging times, says a lot about the global education community. By sharing the ways in which these schools have developed their expertise, we can encourage others to feel inspired to undertake the same journey to excellence. That is a real and tangible way in which World Education Week can accelerate progress on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The project was also welcomed by Jaime Saavedra, the Global Director for Education at the World Bank. The sheer scale of educators around the globe combining to share expertise, excellence and wisdom in accelerating learning is hugely impressive, Saaverda said. If all educators learn from the best educators of their countries and of the world we would make immense progress in ensuring inclusive, equitable and quality education for all. The event, sponsored by the LEGO Foundation & Jacobs Foundation, will be hosted from the World Education Week website. The event is free to view. Click here to register. Rami Makhlouf has taken to Facebook again to rail against Assads rule and the corruption in the country writes Baladi News. Rami Makhlouf posted, on his personal Facebook page, an update about his relations with the regime, describing those who had seized his companies and money as greedy, treacherous mercenaries, referring to Assads wife, Asma al-Assad, and her entourage. Makhlouf wrote that he had sent a letter to the head of the Supreme Judicial Council of the regimes government, asking him to look into the issue of the humanitarian institutions that were seized, after having sent several letters to the government to which he never got a response. He added that the largest fraud operation in the Middle East, protected by a security cover from the so-called wealthy of the war is taking place in Syria. According to Makhlouf, those people not only impoverished the country, but plundered humanitarian institutions and their development projects by selling their assets, leaving the institutions without projects and the poor without a source of income. The trust that Makhlouf put in the head of the Judicial Council might do him justice, do justice to the poor, and restore their rights, since this is an issue that affected an entire community, which is still reeling from the heinous crimes that befell the poorest segment of Syrian society, as Makhlouf pointed out. He stated that he would publish the contents of the letter, to ensure it ends up in the right hands, for he does not feel that anyone has officially received it. Makhlouf described those who seized the companies as mercenaries and traitors who robbed and spread their greed and control over a large segment of the Syrian society. Makhloufs posting comes after a months absence from social media, which he had utilized as a main platform through which he sent his messages to the Assad regime and its head, Bashar al-Assad. Makhlouf also sent out threatening messages, addressing the Assad regime, promising that the injustice that is happening will not go unnoticed. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Our board of directors, leadership team and staff look forward to welcoming MBFTFCU members and helping them reach their own goals. - Victoria Johnston, President and CEO, Nymeo Nymeo Federal Credit Union announced today that it will merge with MBFT Federal Credit Union (MBFTFCU) of Thurmont, Maryland. The final approval was given March 13, 2020 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and the official merger is set for October 1, 2020. With over $314 million in assets, 22,483 members and 7 branches, Nymeo is a community chartered federal credit union serving all of Frederick and Montgomery County Maryland. MBFTFCU, which has been serving its members for 57-years, has $500K in assets, 131 members, and one branch. By merging with Nymeo, MBFTFCU members will gain immediate access to expanded savings, checking and loan products including mortgages and credit cards as well as insurance, investment and retirement and wills and trust services. Nymeo is confident this merger will be in the best interest of both institutions. For over 80 years, our Credit Union has been helping members achieve their financial goals in life, said Victoria Johnston, Nymeos President and CEO. Our board of directors, leadership team and staff look forward to welcoming MBFTFCU members and helping them reach their own goals. According to MBFTFCU Acting President Virginia Buhrman, Board Treasurer Charlene Parrill and Co-Treasurer Wanda Peomory, the merger with Nymeo will be a positive one for MBFTFCU. Nymeo Federal Credit Union will be a great enhancement for MBFT Federal Credit Union and we look forward to a successful merger and seamless transition, Buhrman said. We share a commitment to the community and to the members, and as such, the combined membership should be confident that this is a step in the right direction. All MBFTFCU branch locations will continue to run normally until September 30, 2020. GODFREY Lewis and Clark Community College invites prospective students of all ages to join one of a series of upcoming virtual recruitment events to learn more about becoming a Trailblazer. Discover Nights will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. every Monday and Thursday throughout October at Zoom, giving participants the opportunity to hear from enrollment and financial aid representatives, enjoy a virtual tour and the chance to win cool LCCC swag just for attending. Minister of State for School Standards Nick Gibb (R) arrives at the Cabinet Office ahead of a government COVID-19 Cobra meeting in London on March 11, 2020. (Luke Dray/Getty Images) UK Government Bans Use of Anti-Capitalist and Other Extreme Resources in Schools Schools in England should not use anti-capitalist and other extreme materials in teaching, the UK government told them on Sept. 24. The advice comes as part of the extensive Department of Education (DfE) guidance announced for schools on setting their relationships, sex, and health curriculum. Schools should not under any circumstances use resources developed by groups that take extreme political stances even if the resources themselves are not explicitly extreme, the government said in a statement. Children walk home from Altrincham C.E. aided primary school in Altrincham, United Kingdom, on March 20, 2020. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Banned materials include those from organizations that want to overthrow democracy, capitalism, or to end free speech and fair elections, it said. Opposing Free Speech Resources from such organizations opposing free speech, and the freedoms of association, assembly, religion, and conscience are out of bounds, it added. The guidelines met with criticism from Labour members of Parliament. On Twitter, Beth Winter called the guidance sinister and alarming in a post agreeing with Shadow Chancellor John McDonell that it was indicative of a growing authoritarianism on the part of Britains Conservative Party. Meanwhile, Amnesty International UK (AIUK) said the government guidance was needed but had overreached when it came to banning anti-capitalist materials. While its clearly necessary to avoid materials with homophobic, racist or similarly extreme content being used as teaching tools in our schools, its a step too far to ban materials which question an economic model such as capitalism, Allan Hogarth, AIUKs head of policy and government affairs, said in an emailed statement. The only extreme view here is the one which suggests that its somehow illegitimate to even consider the validity of socio-economic systems other than the prevailing one, he added. A Variety of Views Minister of State for School Standards Nick Gibb said the curriculum guidelines would help schools provide an environment echoing a variety of views and supporting individual pupils. These materials should give schools the confidence to construct a curriculum that reflects the diversity of views and backgrounds, whilst fostering all pupils respect for others, understanding of healthy relationships, and ability to look after their own wellbeing, he told reporters. The government guidance also tells schools not to use materials produced by organizations that use or support racist, including antisemitic, language or communications. It warns against the use of materials from groups that promote or fail to condemn illegality or violence committed directly in their name or in support of them. Another example of an extreme position was given as promoting divisive or victim narratives that are harmful to British society. Local residents take shelter in a dugout during the fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the city of Terter, Azerbaijan, on Sept. 30, 2020. (Aziz Karimov/Reuters) France and Turkey at Odds as Karabakh Fighting Divides NATO Allies YERVAN/BAKUNATO allies France and Turkey traded angry recriminations on Wednesday as international tensions mounted over the fiercest clashes between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces since the mid-1990s. On the fourth day of fighting, Azerbaijan and the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh accused each other of shelling along the line of contact that divides them. An ethnic Armenian soldier fires an artillery piece during fighting with Azerbaijans forces in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, in this handout picture released Sept. 29, 2020. (Defense Ministry of Armenia/Handout via Reuters) Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded in fighting since Sunday that has spread far beyond the enclaves borders, threatening to spill over into all-out war between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia. The skirmishes have raised concerns about stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets, and raised fears that regional powers Russia and Turkey could be drawn in. Some of Turkeys NATO allies are increasingly alarmed by Ankaras stance on Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region inside Turkeys close ally Azerbaijan that is run by ethnic Armenians but is not recognized by any country as an independent republic. Local residents gather outside a dugout in readiness to take shelter during the fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the city of Terter, Azerbaijan, on Sept. 30, 2020. (Aziz Karimov/Reuters) Echoing remarks by President Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday Turkey would do what is necessary when asked whether Ankara would offer military support if Azerbaijan requested it. Cavusoglu also said French solidarity with Armenia amounted to supporting Armenian occupation in Azerbaijan. French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country is home to many people of Armenian ancestry, hit back during a visit to Latvia. He said France was extremely concerned by warlike messages from Turkey which essentially remove any of Azerbaijans inhibitions in reconquering Nagorno-Karabakh. And that we wont accept, he said. New Reports of Fighting Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave, broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s in a war that killed an estimated 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. In Wednesdays clashes, the latest in decades of conflict, Armenian media said three civilians had been killed and several wounded by shelling in the town of Martakert in Nagorno-Karabakh. A view shows what is said to be the wreckage of a SU-25 warplane of the Armenian air forces shot down during fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, in this handout picture released Sept. 30, 2020. (Armenian unified info center/Handout via Reuters) Azerbaijan said 14 Azeri civilians had been killed since fighting began on Sunday, and released footage showing grey smoke rising from inside Nagorno-Karabakh as it was pounded by Azeri artillery. Photographs taken in the Azeri town of Terter showed people taking cover in dug-outs, and damaged buildings which residents said had been hit by Armenian shells. Azerbaijan said ethnic Armenian forces attempted to recover lost ground by launching counter-attacks in the direction of Madagiz, but Azeri forces repelled the attack. Armenia said the Azeri army had been shelling the whole front line during the night and two Azeri drones were shot down over Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakhs administrative center. It was not possible to independently confirm the report. In the latest telephone diplomacy, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose country shares borders with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Rouhani expressed concern about the rising tensions, the Armenian government said, but gave no further details. Pashinyan said he was not considering asking for Russias help at this point under a post-Soviet security treaty, but did not rule out doing so. He said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had not discussed the possibility of Russian military intervention when they spoke by telephone on Tuesday. The Kremlin said on Wednesday Russias military was closely following developments. Armenias unified information center, an online governmental platform, posted pictures of the wreckage of what it said was a SU-25 warplane shot down by a Turkish fighter jet on Tuesday. Turkey denied downing the plane. A senior Azeri official accused Armenia of lying, and said two Armenian SU-25s had crashed into a mountain. By Nvard Hovhannisyan and Nailia Bagirova The European Union can impose tariffs on about $4 billion of US exports annually in retaliation for government aid to Boeing Co. deemed illegal by the World Trade Organization, according to people familiar with the ruling. The WTO decision, released privately to EU and US officials, is one-third of the EUs request for a $12 billion award and lower than the $7.5 billion retaliation judgment the WTO granted the US last year in a parallel dispute against Boeings European rival, Airbus SE. The trade bodys decision will be published in coming weeks, the people said. The ruling, reported earlier by Reuters, marks a key milestone in the WTOs longest-running dispute that could create momentum for an aircraft settlement accord or boil over in a tit-for-tat transatlantic trade war. By awarding so much less to the EU than the US won, the decision gives Washington some leverage in any negotiations to resolve the case. Airbus shares fell 1.8% to 61.47 euros as of 10:30 a.m. in Paris. The stock is down 53% this year. The main question now is whether the EU will act quickly to impose tariffs -- a move that could mean new or higher import taxes on American exports to Europe ahead of the US presidential election Nov. 3 and in the midst of global economic turmoil tied to the pandemic. Airbus and Boeing declined to comment, saying the WTO report is currently confidential. The US Trade Representative didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The long-running feud between the airplane manufacturing giants is one of several sources of friction in the trade relationship between the EU and the US Testifying to Congress on June 17, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer signaled a renewed willingness to use tariffs on the EU, which had a $179 billion surplus in goods trade with the worlds largest economy last year -- more than double the level a decade ago. He has also called the WTO a mess that operates counter to Americas commercial interests. President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of putting tariffs on European autos to rebalance the transatlantic relationship -- a threat to a key industry already struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic and the risks of recessions stretching from Germany to Mexico. The decision comes as the worlds two biggest planemakers battle with the unprecedented slowdown ushered in by the coronavirus. Both have seen demand for their aircraft plummet and Airbus has cut its monthly output by a third, while Boeing plans to cut more than 10% of its workforce. The pandemic could lead the two to decide the last thing they need is a global trade war and move to resolve the standoff. Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury said in June that he hoped the European sanctions would bring Boeing to the negotiating table, through causing a level of pain for both sides that is similar so no party has an interest to stay in that situation. The WTO arbiter said the EU was permitted to retaliate because the US had provided illegal subsidies to Boeing through a tax cut in Washington state that disadvantaged sales of Airbus commercial aircraft. Washingtons legislature repealed its preferential tax arrangement in March, and Lighthizer has previously said the EU had no valid basis to retaliate because the US has fully implemented the WTOs recommendation, ending this dispute. The WTOs decision is one of the final hurdles before the EU can officially announce which American products it will target with tariffs. The EU is expected to announce retaliatory duties of as much as 100% on a list of American goods that includes airplanes, helicopters, tractors, tobacco, rum, wine, and orange juice. A Houston man who served nearly four decades on death row has been released from prison in a landmark case that changed how Texas evaluates intellectually disabled inmates, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed Tuesday. Bobby James Moore, 60, was released Aug. 6 and has been living with his brother in Houston, said TDCJ spokesman Robert Hurst. He has been assigned to the maximum level of supervision with special release conditions, including attending educational or vocational training and not communicating with the victim or the victims family. He also has been ordered to submit to electronic monitoring and drug tests. Moore, who is intellectually disabled, was convicted in 1980 of capital murder. Attorneys had argued since at least 2014 that his execution would be unconstitutional, because the original test used to evaluate his mental capacity was not accurate. His case twice went before before the U.S. Supreme Court, and both times justices sided with Moore. A years-long legal struggle ended in 2019, when the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals agreed to change his sentence to life in prison. Moore was granted parole in June. His appellate attorneys could not be reached for comment. The original capital murder charge stems from a killing in April 1980, when a 20-year-old Moore was one of three men involved in a botched store robbery near Houstons Memorial Park. He shot and killed elderly clerk James McCarble. By July of that year, he was sentenced to death and booked into prison. Although its not constitutional to execute intellectually disabled prisoners, for years Texas relied on a nonclinical test to evaluate mental capacity, according to earlier reporting in the Houston Chronicle. The test, named after plaintiff Jose Briseno, asked seven questions to determine intellectual disability. It famously used Lennie, a character from John Steinbecks novel Of Mice and Men, as an example of someone most Texans would agree should be exempt from the death penalty. Even under that standard, a Harris County court determined that Moores execution would be unconstitutional. He had failed every grade in school, did not understand the days of the week by age 13, and even as an adult fell below the standard for being able to live independently, according to earlier reports. Following the Supreme Courts first review of his case in 2017, the state Court of Criminal Appeals agreed to come up with new standards to measure intellectual disabilities, paving the way for other prisoners to get off death row over mental capacity concerns. Last week, 50-year-old Gilmar Guevara became the seventh person in Texas to have a death sentence commuted because of intellectual disability since that Supreme Court decision. julian.gill@chron.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 10:23:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ABUJA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government on Tuesday launched the commercial operation of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri railway, a line linking the northern and southern regions of the most populous African country, which was undertaken by a Chinese construction firm as the major contractor. The 326-km single track, constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is the country's first standard gauge railway, connecting the north-central Kogi state and Delta state in the south. It will link people from different cultural backgrounds and expand trade and commerce, "which will lead to better standards of living for our citizens," said Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who attended a commissioning ceremony for the railway in Agbor, a town in Delta state, via live stream. Buhari noted that his administration recognizes rail transport as a vital backbone to support industrialization and economic development, and deems the newly-completed line "as the central rail line" and an important link for the country's economy. In addition to transporting passengers, the line will play a critical role in transporting iron ore from the central Itakpe to Warri port, and promote the development in the agricultural and mining sectors along the route. Buhari said projections indicate that the operation of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri line will generate close to 1 million passenger volume and approximately 3.5 million tons of freight annually. Noting that the project had been abandoned by former governments since it was planned in 1987, Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi said the project has undergone delays and massive vandalization before it was recovered. Now, the completion of the central railway line marks a step further in the general construction of the Nigerian railway networks, with a vision of three vertical and five horizontal lines in plan, promoting industrialization, jobs and economic development. The Nigerian Railway Corporation said the ongoing railway networks across the country will greatly improve the convenience of safe travels for local residents, and will in turn have a positive impact on the economy and society as a whole. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state, said the project will help low-income earners during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project constructed by the CCECC since 2017 includes restoring the tracks, as well as building 10 stations and a railway ancillary facility yard. "It is our hope to continue to partner with the government in the massive work going on in the railway sector," said Jiang Yigao, managing director of the CCECC. "We will continue to offer our best services and cooperate with the government in its efforts to link all parts of the country to the national railway grid," Jiang added. Enditem Julian Assange will be detained at ADX Colorado under the same Special Administrative Measures used against terrorists, a former US prison warden told the closing week of extradition hearings in USA v Julian Assange held at the Old Bailey. Maureen Baird, who worked for the federal Bureau of Prisons for 27 years, detailed the nightmarish conditions Assange will face if he is extradited and convicted under the Espionage Act for journalism that exposed US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Baird spoke from first-hand experience. She was Warden at Danbury Federal Correctional Institution (2009-14), Warden at Metropolitan Correctional Centre New York (2014-16) and Warden at the Communications Management Unit at Marion, Illinois, until retirement. Bairds testimony made clear that Assange is now the victim of the very anti-democratic measures of CIA-backed torture and rendition which he courageously exposed as WikiLeaks founder, publisher, and journalist. US Army Military Police escort a detainee to his cell at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay. (Credit: Shane T. McCoy/US Marshals Service) It was extremely likely Assange would be subject to Special Administrative Measures (SAMs) because of the national security-related charges against him, Baird told Edward Fitzgerald QC for the defence. Moreover, US Assistant Attorney Gordon Kromberg had already stated publicly that SAMs were an option, an unprecedented move which Baird said made SAMs likely. At New Yorks MCC, Baird oversaw SAMs detainees in the 10-South housing unitan area of total isolation. The detainees spent 23-24 hours per day alone in their cells and were not permitted communication with other inmates. Contact with the outside world was severely restricted. They were allowed one half-hour phone call a month to an approved family member, or two 15-minute phone calls per month. These were always monitored by an FBI agent, with calls having to be requested two weeks in advance, to arrange for an agent to be available. She described the sadistic recreation which SAMs detainees were afforded, They had the opportunity to come out of their own cell and go into another indoor cell There was no exercise equipment in that room at all. It was just an empty cell. Rejecting claims by US Assistant Attorney Gordon Kromberg that Assanges First Amendment rights, including access to free-flowing mail, would be protected, Baird said, All mail coming in or going out, to any SAMs-assigned inmates, is screened before it ever gets to the recipient. It sometimes could take a couple of months, maybe longer, to receive a piece of mail either coming out or going in. Baird described the origins of the 10-South unit, It was designed after 9/11 and was originally designed for inmates that were at Guantanamo Bay it evolved into a Special Administrative Measures unit, but also had a lot of alleged terrorists in that unit. Assange would be sent post-trial to ADX Florence in Colorado, Baird testified, agreeing with its former warden Robert Wood that the prison is not built for humanity. The only alternative was imprisonment at a Federal Medical Centre, but you have to be almost dying to be admitted. Assange would be treated exactly the same way as a terrorist, Baird stated, with SAMs inmates facing the same oppressive conditions regardless of whether they were detained at MCC in New York, ADX Colorado, or the Alexandria Detention Centre in Virginia. If somebody is in pre-trial [detention] for terrorism, and somebody is in for a different sort of national-security [offence], they would all be subjected to the same measures. SAMs provisions could not be altered or relaxed in any way, SAMs is non-discretionary. It cant be changed by a warden or anyone in the Bureau of Prisons. SAMs is more of a directive theres no grey area. Baird rejected Krombergs claims that detainees can appeal to prison authorities for SAMs to be lifted, The case manager and unit manager have no authority to make any changes its just way over their pay scale. She agreed with US defence attorney Joel Sicklers testimony that Mr. Assange could potentially spend the remainder of his life in this very restrictive housing unit [H Unit], where he would be deprived of some very basic human needs. This would include no physical contact with family or friends. Inmates experienced depression, anxiety, paranoia, and psychotic episodes and the suicide risk was high. During a one-and-a-half-hour cross examination, lawyer Clair Dobbin for the US government crudely challenged Bairds testimony on SAMs detainees, citing claims by US prosecutors that prisoners can appeal for amendments to their detention orders, including via a four step Administrative Remedy Program. This would supposedly result in prisoners being allowed contact with other inmates and their inclusion in group therapy and other programs. Baird explained that such appeals might exist on paper but were never successful. She told Fitzgerald under re-examination that the decision to impose or remove SAMs rested solely with Attorney General William Barr in consultation with the intelligence agencies, namely the CIA. In the afternoon, defence witness Lindsay Lewis added more evidence to support Bairds points. Lewis was Abu Hamzas attorney in the US and testified to the conditions he faced under SAMs and in the ADX Florence, where he is serving a life sentence for terrorism-related charges. She explained that her client, who has both arms partially amputated, had been extradited by UK and European courts after US prosecutors indicated he would receive a medical evaluation to decide his place of detention, which was assumed to exclude the ADXthey misled the court. Hamza is now largely left on his own, having received daily nursing visits while detained in the UK. In Lewiss view, Assange would almost certainly be placed under SAMs in the ADX on national security grounds. Under these conditions, based on her experience, he can expect solitary confinement, an extreme shortage of medical care and extreme limitations on contact with the outside world. SAMs, she said, destroy relationships between families. To her knowledge, she told the court, there is not a single public study of solitary confinement [in this setting] in which non-voluntary confinement lasting for longer than ten days failed to result in negative psychological effects. In cross-examination, Lewis exposed as a flagrant distortion the prosecutions argument that convicted terrorist Wadih el-Hage was allowed to be placed with another prisoner, supposedly proving SAMs restrictions were modifiable. She explained that El-Hage spent fifteen months in solitary confinement pre-trial, was allowed to bunk with another prisoner for a few months prior to his trial in 2001 and has been held in solitary confinement since his conviction. Lewiss own client, Hamza, had his SAMs reimposed for a year on one occasion because he asked for his love to be passed on to his one-year-old grandson in a letter to an approved contactthe prison said this violated the ban on communicating with unapproved individuals. In a characteristically obscene and cruel comment, Dobbin asked in response if the witness was aware that a number of Mr Hamzas family have been implicated in quite serious criminality. At the close of proceedings, Baraitser accepted a defence application to preserve the anonymity of two of their witnesses. Both witnesses worked for UC Globalthe Spanish surveillance firm which provided security for the Ecuadorian Embassy in London where Assange claimed asylum for seven yearsand will give evidence that the companys owner, David Morales, sent recordings of Assanges private conversations to the American intelligence agencies and considered plans to kidnap or poison him. The witnesses are also testifying anonymously in a related and ongoing Spanish case against UC Global. They have sought anonymity for fear of reprisals by either Moraleswho has army connections and was found to possess a loaded, anonymised firearm at his homeor his American associates. The prosecution indicated that they would accept the UC global testimony being read into evidence without challenge, on the basis that they consider the testimony wholly irrelevant. Lawyer for the US government James Lewis QC claimed, in language which stinks of the CIA, that there was a Chinese wall between the prosecution and any other agencies which may have come into, without confirming or denying whether they have or not, any intelligence or other material. The hearing continues today. The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a Long Island, New York man and his wholly-owned company with defrauding investors by falsely claiming to manage a successful hedge fund. According to the SEC's complaint, since at least 2015, Rand Heckler, a former broker who was barred by FINRA in 2019, solicited over $700,000 in investments from an elderly investor and the investor's son by claiming to manage a successful hedge fund through his company, Rand Heckler, Inc. The complaint alleges that, in reality, Heckler and Rand Heckler, Inc. never managed a hedge fund and never invested the funds he received. Instead, Heckler allegedly misappropriated most of these funds to pay for his personal expenses, including mortgage payments, car payments and a country club membership. Further, Heckler allegedly sought to conceal his scheme by, among other things, sending allegedly phony account statements and trade confirmations to the investor and his son. According to the complaint, when the investor's son sought to redeem part of his father's investments, Heckler solicited a new $100,000 investment from a different investor and persuaded the new investor to transfer the money to a bank account that she believed belonged to an investment firm, but in fact belonged to the first investor. The SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy has a dedicated investor education webpage for seniors on Investor.gov. The webpage includes Investor Alerts and a guide for seniors to protect themselves against investment fraud. In a parallel action, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office announced criminal charges against Heckler. The SEC's complaint, filed in federal district court in Brooklyn, New York, charges Heckler and Rand Heckler, Inc. with violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Sections 206(1), 206(2) and 206(4) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 206(4)-8(a) thereunder. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement, and penalties against Heckler and Rand Heckler, Inc. The SEC's investigation was conducted by John Lehmann, Neil Hendelman and Vanessa De Simone, and the litigation will be led by Alexander M. Vasilescu and Mr. Lehmann. The case is being supervised by Sanjay Wadhwa. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. Welsh Government explain case numbers, incidence rates and test positivity is growing rapidly in Wrexham This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 30th, 2020 UPDATE: The Public Health Wales figures are out. Yesterdays rolling 7 day figs for Wrexham was 33.1 per 100k up to the 26th. On todays figures that has gone up to 43.4 per 100k up to 27th. That data is delayed, and has the now usual note from PHW that there could be lag in data. Day on day figures are +18 as well as that cases per 100k rise, and by comments earlier they are expected to rise further. Positivity rate for Wrexham is 6.8% on the day on day figures. Dr Robin Howe, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: Public Health Wales supports the introduction of new coronavirus restrictions in four local authority areas in North Wales Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy and Wrexham following a rise in cases. The new measures will come into force at 6pm on Thursday 1 October, to protect peoples health and control the spread of the virus in the four areas. These arrangements are necessary in order to bring transmission of the virus under control in these areas. It is very important that we abide by the regulations in the areas in which we live and that we do not travel between local authority areas without a reasonable excuse. We thank the public in advance for sticking to these new restrictions, which are essential in reducing spread of the virus, protecting older and vulnerable people, and keeping Wales safe. Original information below Welsh Government have said measures have been taken for Wrexham as case numbers, incidence and test positivity are rising in Wrexham rapidly. Today we asked Minister Kirsty Williams at the regular Welsh Government lunchtime briefing about the local lockdown measures being introduced for Wrexham from tomorrow evening. Welsh Government have published a Q&A on what the restrictions will mean for the area on their site, Wrexham County Borough lockdown: frequently asked questions. We pointed out that Wrexham had appeared to be doing better than other places, and that many people were expecting action for Flintshire and Denbighshire, but local lockdown measures for Wrexham have come as a surprise. We asked the Minister to give clear detail on what has changed specifically in Wrexham, in terms of figures or any other information, over the last week or even last few days that had made that decision necessary. The Minister replied, Unfortunately case numbers, incidence rates and test positivity is growing rapidly in Wrexham. Thats very unfortunate indeed but it is simply the numbers involved that that led to this decision in conjunction with discussions with the local authority in Wrexham itself. Further details will be made available when the Health Minister gives a briefing to North Wales journalists, which I believe will happen later on today. Last night we asked Welsh Government a question along the same lines, noting that in terms of Wrexham things appeared quite positive locally and the Public Health Wales stats / rate per 100k appeared promising. We related the large amount of local feedback in the hours following the announcement questioning the gap between public figures, and the outcome announced and invited comment, detail and any statistics. A Welsh Government spokesperson said this afternoon: Unfortunately case numbers, incidence and test positivity are rising in Wrexham, as they are in Denbighshire, Flintshire and Conwy. We have taken swift action now in order to curb the spread of the virus and have worked closely with local authorities and the police in North Wales. We all have a part to play in reducing the spread of the virus and its important we all continue to follow the guidelines. At todays briefing we also asked about the travel restrictions pointing out that during the first wave the Technical Advisory Cell said the spread of the virus followed the major routes from England . from Chester and Liverpool. We asked the Minister to explain the science that means people cant travel from Wrexham to Flintshire, and people returning from Slovakia are subject to quarantine rules, yet people coming from covid hotspots in England have no restrictions. As the Welsh Government could legislate to stop that, we asked why that had not been done. The Minister replied, What the government Im a part of has done is to write to the to the Prime Minister to ask the the British, the English government, to put those restrictions in place. Weve been very clear in Wales, as you said, ensuring that people in a public health protection area dont travel to other areas. We think thats an important part of safeguarding and bringing the virus into control. The First Minister has written to the Prime Minister in England asking him to do the same, because we understand that would be a very helpful way of controlling the virus even further. In the first instance, we do believe it is for England to make those provisions on behalf of English at citizens and we are waiting for a response from the Prime Minister. You can view the full briefing from this lunchtime on the below video, which includes the full Q&A session: Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more Oracle continues to be the big software vendor we love to hate. There are any number of reasons for this, starting with the brash prognostications of founding CEO and current CTO Larry Ellison. He once skipped an address at his Oracle OpenWorld conference to attend to his Americas Cup racing team in its penultimate and successful race on San Francisco Bay to defend its holding of the prize. Ellison also denigrated cloud computing in a famous talk at the Churchill Club before finally throwing in his lot and turning Oracle into a cloud software company. It was mostly an act though, because Oracles relational database was already powering most of the cloud companies in the industry. Ellison was also a founding board member of a little cloud company called Salesforce, and the inspiration for another company, NetSuite, which Oracle eventually bought after a very successful run. Its Tough at the Top Other Oracle stories are legendary too, such as the companys sharp elbows and its penchant for lawsuits whenever it feels its patents are being abused. It has sued large companies like Google over patent infringements concerning Java libraries, and much smaller companies trying to make a buck selling cut-rate maintenance services. It was even litigious over the award of the JEDI project in which the Pentagon chose a competitor for a multi-billion-dollar sole source cloud contract. Its batting average in court is pretty good too and for that they enjoy the opprobrium of the public in ways similar to the Yankees and Patriots. This is just scratching the surface, there are many other stories that give people reason to cheer when the mice succeed in putting a bell on the cat. The one thing that cant be said about Oracle with any credibility is that they arent professional. They think through the three-dimensional chess game of the modern software industry as well as anyone, and although they dont get it right every time, theyve done so often enough to be the 800-pound multi-decade-old silverback in the Silicon Valley room. End of Life Plans Last week, another in a long line of incidents cropped up that will likely provide hours of conversations among my fellow analysts at trade conference watering holes, just as soon as such things are again common. The Register, a UK website dedicated to publishing global online enterprise technology news, reviews and opinions, published a story about the end of life of ATG, better known today as Oracle Commerce. It is worth savoring that the publications tag line is Biting the hand that feeds IT. Get it? A D V E R T I S E M E N T Oracle 10 years ago bought e-commerce software supplier ATG and used it to plug a gap in its product line left open at a time when Ellison still believed that cloud computing was just a bunch of hot air. Fast forward and Oracle has developed its own commerce engine, Oracle Commerce Cloud on its platform to eventually supersede the older product. The Register story was about how Oracle was reducing its developer staff of about 400 people for the product. This was supposed to be a) a bad thing generally, and b) something vaguely underhanded brought to you by the company of Larry Ellison lore and legend. Well? Maybe. Oracle has always been up front about its end of life plans for a whole host of products, and the company has over 2,000 SKUs so thats quite a project. But going back to the three-dimensional chess game, and with the help of a little search engine work, you can find all sorts of information about end of life for Oracle products. Some, like Siebel are so important to both Oracle and its customers that the company has already extended its offer of premium support to 2030. Thats a long time for a product first built in the 1990s as an on-premise CRM system. Information about end of life for ATG and other Oracle applications is available in Oracles Lifetime Support Policy. As an analyst, Ive been briefed on numerous occasions about product roadmaps from Oracle and many other cloud companies. Its what they do to avoid negative surprises. The roadmap briefings are always given by a senior executive who can speak for the company and I have never been surprised by a change in plans that might negatively affect even one customer. The Registers story seems light on specifics, only quoting a source about an apparent layoff of developers. But unless youre willfully misunderstanding things, during end of life, you should expect freeze on new product additions which would correspond with workforce reductions. This happens all the time, and while its no fun to lose a job, developers are highly marketable, and theyll find new jobs even in this economy. I expect that no customers will be harmed in all of this. My Two Bits Seems to me Oracle might be missing a move in the 3D chess game. Its important to keep customers apprised of EOL decisions, but putting the information behind a wall yields problems with transparency. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Id make some of the EOL information more easily accessible if I drew a big Oracle paycheck, which I do not. At the same time though, Id also reiterate the companys policy of continuing to offer support (sans upgrades) to customers who, for whatever reason, decline to move to the newer products. This is a time-proven strategy with good names associated with it. For instance, IBM is still developing, making, and selling mainframe computers decades after their heyday because some customers simply still need them, and they are profitable. But whatever Oracles next move might be, it will likely be discrete because their culture also holds a very important tenet close never complain, never explain. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network. TUNIS, Tunisia - U.S. Defence Secretary Mark Esper met with Tunisias president Wednesday, kicking off a North African tour amid growing concern about lawlessness in Libya. Esper is expected to travel to Algeria on Thursday and Morocco on Friday, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Tunis. It is his first trip to Africa as defence secretary. Esper met with Tunisian President Kais Saied and Tunisian Defence Minister Brahim Bartagi. He then visited the American military cemetery in Carthage to pay respects to the more than 6,500 U.S. soldiers killed or missing in action in the region during World War II, according to the American Battle Monuments Commission. Talks focused on defence, security and the fight against terrorism, according to a statement by the Tunisian presidents office. Tunis and Washington maintain close military co-operation, notably in training Tunisian forces and securing Tunisias southern border with Libya. The U.S. and Germany have helped establish an electronic surveillance system to prevent infiltration across the border. The Tunisian president reiterated his countrys willingness to facilitate in any way the search for a political solution for Libya, which, he said, must ultimately be resolved by Libyans. Tunisia is among the countrys hardest hit by the instability in Libya. The busy border was once used by workers and tourists. Tunisia saw two bloody attacks in 2015 that killed dozens of foreign tourists perpetrated by Tunisians who had received weapons training from extremists in Libya. Tunisia is considered an ally in U.S. efforts against terrorism in the region. Esper also held a working meeting with his Tunisian counterpart, Bartagi, and ranking officers in the Tunisian army. That meeting concluded with the signing of a roadmap tracing out bilateral military co-operation in the decade ahead, a statement from Tunisias defence ministry said. The accord focuses on improving operational capacities of the Tunisian army. A religious organization tied to Amy Coney Barrett President Trumps Supreme Court nominee, sought to erase all mentions and photos of her from its website before she meets with lawmakers and faces questions at her Senate confirmation hearings. Barrett, a federal appeals judge has declined to publicly discuss her decades-long affiliation with People of Praise, a charismatic Christian group that opposes abortion and holds that men are divinely ordained as the head of the family and faith. Former members have said the group's leaders teach that wives must submit to the will of their husbands. A spokesman for the organization has declined to say whether the judge and her husband, Jesse M. Barrett, are members. But an analysis by The Associated Press shows that People of Praise erased numerous records from its website during the summer of 2017 that referred to Barrett and included photos of her and her family. At the time, Barrett was on Trumps short list for the high court seat that eventually went to Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Last week, when Barrett again emerged as a front-runner for the court, more articles, blog posts and photos disappeared. After an AP reporter emailed the groups spokesman Wednesday about members of Jesse Barretts family, his mothers name was deleted from the primary contact for the South Bend, Indiana, branch. All issues of the organizations magazine, Vine and Branches, were also removed. Sean Connolly, People of Praises spokesman, confirmed in an email that information was being wiped from the groups website. Recent changes to our website were made in consultation with members and nonmembers from around the country who raised concerns about their and their families privacy due to heightened media attention, Connolly said. The deletions come at a time when Barretts background is under intense scrutiny by senators who will soon vote on whether to approve a lifetime appointment to the nation's highest court, and by womens rights groups, religious organizations and voters who will try to determine how she might rule on crucial issues that are likely to come before the Court. The AP was able to track the deletions and access the missing information through the Internet Archive, a nonprofit group that has saved digital versions of more than 330 billion web pages since 1996. Barrett, 48, did not mention People of Praise in her 2017 or 2020 Senate judicial questionnaires, the most recent of which was released Tuesday. And a request to interview her made through the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, where she currently serves as a judge, was declined. The AP reported earlier this week that People of Praises belief system is rooted in charismatic Catholicism, a movement that grew out of the influence of Pentecostalism, which emphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus and can include baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Founded in 1971, the groups 22 branches organize and meet outside the purview of the Roman Catholic Church and include people from several Christian denominations, though the majority of its roughly 1,800 adult members remain Catholic. Former female members of the group told AP earlier this week that wives were expected to obey their husbands wishes in all matters, including providing sex on demand. One of the women also said she was forbidden from getting birth control because married women were supposed to bear as many babies as God would provide. Current People of Praise members, including Amy Barretts father, told AP that suggesting male members dominate their wives is a misunderstanding of the groups teachings and that women are free to make their own decisions. Our members are always free to follow their consciences, formed by reason and the teachings of their churches, Connolly said Monday. Decision making in the People of Praise is collegial, engaging the entire community in consultation on significant matters that affect us. Additionally, women take on a variety of crucial leadership roles within People of Praise, including serving as heads of several of our schools and directing ministries within our community. Adult members of the group take a covenant that includes a passage where members promise to follow the teachings and instructions of the groups pastors, teachers and evangelists. Its unclear whether Barrett took the covenant. But members of the organization and descriptions of its hierarchy show that members almost invariably join the covenant after three to six years of religious study or they leave, so it would be unusual for Barrett to be involved for so many years without having done so. Among the items that were scrubbed in 2017 were select back issues of Vine & Branches that included birth and adoption announcements for some of the couples seven children. Also deleted was a 2006 issue of the magazine that included a photo of a smiling Amy Barrett attending the groups Leaders Conference for Women. A 2008 feature article described how three of Amy Barretts young daughters in Indiana were using then-newly developed video conferencing technology to keep in touch with their grandparents in Louisiana. Web pages and articles that mentioned Amy Barretts father, Michael Coney Sr., who has served as the principal leader of People of Praises New Orleans branch and was on the groups national board as recently as 2017, also disappeared. And a 2006 magazine story about Barretts parents that referred to Linda Coney as a handmaid, a female leader assigned to help guide other women, was also deleted. The article noted that five of the Coneys seven children were People of Praise members, though it did not say which ones. A 2012 tribute written by Jesse Barrett about his recently deceased grandfather, Eugene Geissler, also disappeared. The story recounted how Jesse Barretts grandparents joined the religious community in 1976 and raised 16 children in the group. At his wake, according to the tribute, a longtime member recounted how the couple was once audited by the Internal Revenue Service because the large number of dependents claimed on their return was considered suspicious. In response, Barrett wrote, his grandfather loaded all his children into a station wagon and drove them to the IRS examiners office. Jesse Barrett, a former federal prosecutor who now works in private practice, did not respond to voicemail or email sent through his South Bend law firm. In her speech accepting Trumps nomination at the White House on Saturday, Amy Barrett put particular emphasis on the partnership of her own marriage, saying she expected from the start the she and her husband would run their household together. As it has turned out, Jesse does far more than his share of the work, she said. To my chagrin, I learned at dinner recently that my children consider him to be the better cook. ___ Associated Press Writer Michelle R. Smith in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP Investigative Reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck. ___ Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org. A tourist was left horrified after discovering half a human foot washed up on a popular Bali beach. The discovery was made at Berawa Beach, in the tourist hotspot of Canggu, on Monday. North Kuta sub-precinct chief Marzel Doni told Coconuts Bali officers were still investigating where the foot had come from. 'Theres a possibility that its old, and its only one part so we cant be certain yet and we will take it to the hospital,' he said. 'Whether or not its actually a human foot. We are going to confirm it first.' Half a human foot blackened by decay (pictured) was found washed up on Berawa Beach in Bali on Monday and police said they had no idea where it could have come from Investigators are yet to link the foot with any missing people. Police have urged anyone with information that could help to come forward. One social media page picked up the image of the rotted foot and started to circulate it online. Some users speculated the limb could be from a shark attack while others guessed it could have been an amputated foot that somehow got into the ocean. The severed body part was still undergoing examination at a Bali hospital as of Wednesday. By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan exported 35 tons of hazelnuts worth $209,100 to Georgia during the period of January-August 2020, local media has reported. Thus, export of hazelnuts from Azerbaijan decreased by 6.7 times compared to the same period of 2019. It should be noted that Azerbaijan exported 237 tons of hazelnuts worth $1.2 million to Georgia during the first eight months of 2019. During the reporting period, 578,100 tons of ferrous metals and their products worth $607.5 million were imported to Azerbaijan. By comparison, 564,200 tons of ferrous metals and their products worth $645.9 million were imported to the country in the same period last year. Likewise, 5,386 cars worth $58.5 million were imported to Azerbaijan in August 2020. Of them, 7 cars are designed for transportation of 10 and more people, 5,027 are mainly passenger cars, 345 are cars for cargo transportation and 7 are cars for special purpose. Earlier it was reported that during the reporting period, production in textile, clothes, leather and footwear industries amounted to AZN 314.6 million($185M). Thus, there was an increased in production of clothing by 32 percent, and in textile industry by 4.7 percent, compared to the same period of 2019. In the meantime, production in leather and footwear industries decreased by 6.3 percent. The volume of Azerbaijans export of non-oil and gas products amounted to $1.03 billion during the period of January-July 2020. The top three importers of non-oil products from Azerbaijan during the reporting period include Italy, which accounts for 32.1 percent from the total import, Turkey with 18.7 percent and Russia with 4.7 percent. Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover amounted to $16.5 billion during the period of January-August 2020. The value of export amounted to $9.8 billion or 59.6 percent of the total turnover, while the value of import amounted to $6.6 billion or 40.4 percent. Thus, foreign trade turnover resulted in surplus of $3.1 billion. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) appealed to international party organizations and political partner parties due to the military provocation of the Armenian armed forces and the struggle of the Azerbaijani army against the Armenian occupiers, Trend reports. The appeal stresses that on September 27 the Armenian armed forces, having committed an attack, fired on the positions of the Azerbaijani army and settlements located in the front-line zone from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery of various calibers. According to the appeal, as a result of the intensive shelling by the Armenian army of a number of villages in Azerbaijans Tartar, Aghdam, Fizuli, and Jabrayil districts, the local civilians were killed and wounded, and civilian infrastructure was seriously damaged. In order to suppress the new provocation of the armed forces of Armenia and ensure the security of the civilian population, the Azerbaijani army launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front. "Despite the ceasefire regime in force since 1994, the occupying country regularly makes provocations on the front line and in the border regions, targeting civilians and settlements of Azerbaijan, the appeal noted. In July this year, Armenia committed a bloody clash along the border with Azerbaijan in the direction of Tovuz district outside of the conflict zone, and in August made an attempt to conduct a reconnaissance-sabotage operation in the direction of Goranboy district. Not limited to all this, grossly violating the norms of international law, the Armenian leadership illegally populates the occupied territories." Portuguese and Japanese foreign ministers met in Lisbon on Wednesday to discuss further partnerships between the two countries, including Portugal supporting the Japanese candidate running for the International Court of Justice. This is the first trip abroad for minister Toshimitsu Motegi since taking office. The last visit of a Japanese foreign affairs minister to the Portuguese capital was 18 years ago, in 2002, according to his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva. On the agenda for the anticipated meeting were bilateral issues, namely the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries as well as strengthening economic and cultural ties. International cooperation and the upcoming EU Presidency that will be hosted by Portugal from January 1st 2021 were also discussed. (Image Credit Pixabay) This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. Senator Koko Pimentel as Chair of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, urged DTI to develop a Filipino-made online shopping platform exclusively for Philippine products Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III urged the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to develop in-house and provide to the Philippines's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) trading in Philippine-made or Philippine-grown products, an online shopping platform. Acknowledging the use of digital technology as the new normal, Senator Pimentel is pushing for a Filipino-made selling platform alternative to Lazada, Shopee and other e-commerce apps to help the MSMEs recover from the economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic. "I challenge the DTI to come up, in house, with an online shopping platform. The idea is that the seller must be an MSME and the product being sold must be made or grown in the Philippines. A transactional shoppjng platform and not a mere 'portal' listing MSMEs and their products," Pimentel said. Pimentel, who chairs the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, also called on the DTI to fully utilize Filipino talent in the programming of the easy-to-use online shopping application designed for MSMEs. "Ilabas ang galing ng Pilipino hindi lang sa negosyo. Ilabas na rin ang galing ng Pilipino sa computer programming. There's no other way but to go digital. We should turn these COVID-19 adversities into opportunities for our fellowmen and small businesses to restart, recover and grow. If we help them now, we are also helping the Philippine economy," Pimentel stressed. On Monday, the proposal to develop an online selling platform exclusively for Philippine products was raised by Pimentel in the DTI's budget hearing after Secretary Ramon Lopez said that some 90,000 MSMEs remain closed after Luzon was placed on lockdown in March. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. According to a new research published by Polaris Market Research, the ultrasound devices market is anticipated to reach over USD 12,556 million by 2026. In terms of revenue, the diagnostic devices segment dominated the global market. Geographically, North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue in 2017. The rapidly increasing geriatric population with several chronic diseases and the lower cost and relative safety of ultrasound devices are together boosting the market growth. Increasing awareness among patients regarding early diagnosis coupled with government initiatives aimed at spreading awareness among the masses regarding breast cancer, regular check-up during pregnancy and other health related issue are boosting the market growth. Get Sample Copy @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/ultrasound-devices-market/request-for-sample Several technological advancements such as enhancing image quality and increasing portability has made ultrasound devices accessible to a larger user base. Also, several private and public institutions are investing in research and development in the field of ultrasound imaging. Improving healthcare facilities and increasing disposable incomes in developing countries is further fuelling the market growth. However, stringent FDA regulations and lack of trained professionals have limited the market penetration of this technology. Furthermore, several developing countries prohibit the use of ultrasound for gender determination which in turn impedes that industry growth. Identification of newer fields of application and untapped markets in developing countries would provide several opportunities for growth in the near future. North America was the highest revenue generating region in 2017 and is expected to head the global market during the analysis period. The large patient pool, favorable reimbursement policies, well-defined government and healthcare policies, widespread adoption of remote patient monitoring and healthcare services drive the market growth in the region. Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit the fastest growth during the forecast period owing to improving medical facilities, increasing disposable income and rapidly increasing patient pool in emerging countries such as China, Japan, and India. Get Special Discount On this Research Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/ultrasound-devices-market/request-for-discount-pricing The types of ultrasound devices include diagnostic and interventional devices. In 2017, the diagnostic devices segment accounted for the highest market share owing to government initiatives to carry out routine check-ups and increasing adoption of fetal health monitoring. The improving medical facilitates and increasing demand due to rising number of patients, especially in developing countries, supports the market growth in this sector. The key players profiled in this report include Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, SonaCare Medical, Analogic Corporation, GE Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Philips Healthcare, Siemens AG, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation Hitachi Medical Corporation, Esaote S.p.A. Samsung Medison, Shimadzu Corporation and Mindray Medical International Limited among others. These companies have adopted new product launches to gain a competitive edge in the market. Buy Now : https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/checkouts/1191 State Forest Rangers, with the help of a State Police helicopter, airlifted a couple of injured hikers out of two different, dicey situations in the Adirondacks recently. Those rescues and other incidents involving Forest Rangers took place between Sept. 21-27. All information below was supplied by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Town of St. Armand, Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 22 at 12:10 p.m., Franklin County 911 transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch reporting an injured 64-year-old hiker from Dyer, Indiana, on Baker Mountain. The hiker went off the trail, fell, and injured his right leg. Two Forest Rangers responded to assist. Once on scene, one Forest Ranger provided first aid for the subjects unstable knee and ankle. Due to the extent of the injury, New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation was requested along with backup rescuers including members of Search and Rescue of the Northern Adirondacks in case of a possible carry-out involving a high-angle rope technique on steep terrain. NYSP Aviation, with one Forest Ranger as hoist operator, completed the hoist rescue off the mountain at 4:18 p.m. The hiker was transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment. Town of Long Lake Hamilton County Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 25 at 6:50 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance from SPOT Locator Services for a 60-year-old Ballston Spa woman with a non-weight bearing knee injury at the Ouluska lean-to on the Northville-Placid Trail. Due to the remoteness of the area, Rangers contacted NYSP Aviation to assist in performing a hoist operation to extract the injured hiker. Forest Rangers and NYSP Aviation extracted the woman and flew her to a local hospital for treatment at 10:35 a.m., while Rangers using UTVs drove to Ward Brook to meet the subjects husband. The man was given a ride out to the gate and a courtesy ride to his vehicle at the trailhead. Town of North Elba Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 23 at 3:15 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a group of hikers reporting that a 60-year-old woman from Bath had dislocated her left shoulder on the trail for Phelps Mountain. The caller reported that they believed the subjects shoulder was back in the socket and that they had tied a belt around the injured womans shoulder to keep it in place. The group continued down to Marcy Dam where they were met by a Forest Ranger. The Ranger provided a sling for the injured shoulder and escorted the hikers to the outpost where they were given a ride back out to their vehicle. The injured hiker advised that she would seek further medical treatment on her own." Town of Wilmington Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 24 at 10:30 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for Forest Ranger assistance regarding a 60-year-old man from Warren, Connecticut, who had a medical issue on the Stag River Trail on Whiteface Mountain. Forest Rangers responded to the hikers location and arrived on scene at 11:08 a.m. Rangers transported the subject to the Whiteface Ski Center where he was evaluated by Whiteface Medical Staff and transferred to Wilmington Rescue for transport to a local hospital for treatment. The incident concluded at 12:15 p.m." Town of Keene Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 25 at 1:05 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch from a pair of hikers on the Blueberry Mountain Trail reporting a 76-year-old hiker from Katonah with a non-weight bearing ankle injury. Two Forest Rangers and an Assistant Forest Ranger responded to assist. Once on scene, Rangers splinted the injured ankle and the hiker attempted to make his way out with crutches, but was unsuccessful. The Keene and Keene Valley Fire Departments Back Country Rescue responded with a litter and backpack carries to assist with the carry-out with two Forest Rangers. The responders carried the hiker to the trailhead and he advised he would seek further medical assistance on his own. Town of Woodhull Steuben County Wildland Fire: On Sept. 25 at 3 p.m., Forest Ranger Carpenter received a call from Steuben County 911 to assist the Woodhull Volunteer Fire Department and other local volunteer fire departments with a fire that originated from a disabled motor vehicle along State Route 417. Due to the steep slope adjacent to the highway, the fire progressed quickly up the slope and spread into a mix of grass pasture and woodland timber litter, burning a total of 7.9 acres. A Forest Ranger patrolled the fire the following two days and extinguished small areas of ground fire in the fire perimeter. Town of Wilmington Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 26 at 3 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance for a 26-year-old hiker from Queensbury with an ankle injury on Whiteface Mountain just below Hoyts High. Three Forest Rangers responded to assist, arriving on scene at 3:34 p.m. The Rangers quickly reached the hiker on the ski trails and began to carry her down the mountain to an ATV. After loading the hiker onto the ATV, the Rangers continued down the mountain to the meet the Wilmington Rescue Squad, waiting to provide additional medical treatment. A 7:15 p.m., all resources were cleared of the scene. Town of Keene Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 26 at 5:15 p.m. DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a group of hikers on Pitchoff Mountain reporting that one of their group had fallen, hit her head, and lacerated her leg. Five Forest Rangers responded to the East Trailhead. Upon arriving on scene, the Rangers determined the subject was unable to walk out on her own. Rangers requested assistance from the Keene Valley Backcountry Rescue for assistance. With the bleeding stopped, rescuers started the rugged carry-out and arrived back at the trailhead at 9:32 p.m. The 51-year-old hiker from Westport was turned over to Keene Ambulance for further medical treatment. Town of Arkwright Chautauqua County Wilderness Search: On Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m., a Forest Ranger received a call for assistance in locating two lost hikers near Arkwright Falls. The Forest Ranger drove to hikers' vehicle on Burnham Road and met up with two New York State Troopers at approximately 7:40 p.m. After receiving coordinates from Chautauqua County Dispatch, the Ranger advised the hikers to stay put while he and a State Trooper hiked to their location. The responders located the 26-year-old hikers from Boston and Lackawanna at approximately 8:30 p.m. with no injuries. The Forest Ranger provided water to the subjects and led them out to a nearby road. The hikers arrived back at their vehicle at 9 p.m. Town of Conesus Livingston County Wildland Fire: On Sept. 21, Livingston County 911 contacted a Forest about a tree on fire in the Hemlock Lake State Forest. Three Forest Rangers, along with a Fire Warden, used a Ranger boat to transport hose, pump, and hand tools to fell and extinguish the tree in a hard-to-access area along Hemlock Lake. While investigating the fire on Sept. 24, one of the Forest Rangers observed another fire 200 feet uphill from the Hemlock Lake fire. The Ranger and two Fire Wardens conducted fire line construction and mop up of the second fire over the following days. Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DECs Hike Smart NY and Adirondack Backcountry Information webpage for more information. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Tuesday rebuilding New Mexicos beleaguered economy will take time and smart policymaking decisions, while also acknowledging at least one business relief program launched this year has largely missed its mark. Speaking virtually to members of an Albuquerque commercial real estate group, Lujan Grisham said the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led to thousands of businesses closing statewide. This has had dire economic consequences, the governor said. Were going to have to rebuild the state back and were going to have to think very carefully about how were doing that. In order to revive the states economy, Lujan Grisham cited a need for increased broadband infrastructure. She also said state officials are looking into the feasibility of contracting with restaurants to provide meals for public schools and senior centers. New Mexico added 15,000 new jobs last year, Lujan Grisham said, but the states economic growth has been abruptly halted by the pandemic. In fact, unemployment levels in New Mexico are among the highest in the nation, with the state reporting an 11.3% jobless rate in August. The first-term Democratic governor cited several initiatives aimed at providing financial relief to hard-hit local governments and businesses, including $150 million in federal CARES Act dollars that was distributed by her administration this month. In addition, Lujan Grisham referenced a bill passed by the Legislature during a June special session that made up to $400 million available from a state permanent fund for small business loans. However, many businesses have had their applications for funding rejected under the program and less than $20 million in loans had been approved as of last week, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. Lujan Grisham acknowledged the issues, and said the program could be retooled during the 60-day legislative session that starts in January. Far too many businesses cant meet the very strict criteria, the governor said during the online webinar hosted by NAIOP. I think theres got to be more that we can do. She also said a state Economic Recovery Council she created in April would be releasing a detailed plan for jump-starting the economy in the coming weeks. Despite the downturn in the states economy, Lujan Grisham said New Mexico is well positioned to recover, saying more businesses are moving into the state than are leaving it and asserting that housing prices statewide have largely held steady or gone up. The governor has faced criticism from Republicans and some business groups for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for imposing business and travel restrictions that, in many cases, are among the nations strictest. But she defended her administrations response on Tuesday, saying, If folks want to know if I err on one side or the other, I err on the side of saving lives. After Tuesday nights widely-panned 90-minute showdown between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates says its shaking things up before two debates next month in the hopes of preventing the primetime American tradition from descending further into chaotic badgering devoid of decorum. While the debate featured talk of COVID-19, racial injustice, election integrity, the economy and climate change, it quickly became clear that Trumps core strategy was to cut off and goad his Democratic challenger interrupting Biden more than 100 times. Pundits, academics and observers on both sides of the aisle roasted the performance, noting it likely gained Trump zero undecided voters; some, though, said the whirlwind of interruptions may have turned them off to such a degree that they simply stay home on Nov. 3, which could hurt Biden. The former longtime Delaware senator frequently turned to the camera to address Americans while painting the president as a clown, while moderator Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, struggled to keep order. Last nights debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues, the commission said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. The CPD will be carefully considering the changes that it will adopt and will announce those measures shortly. Debates are scheduled on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22. The CPD said it was grateful to Wallace for the professionalism and skill he brought to last nights debate. Starting with the very first of six 15-minute segments and straight through to the very last responses, Wallace spent most of the evening trying to corral the president within the format and ground rules to which both campaigns agreed. Wallace had little success. Before an open discussion on each topic, both candidates were supposed to have at least two uninterrupted minutes to respond to Wallaces initial questions on the Supreme Court, the pandemic, the economy, racial justice and other critical issues facing the nation. But Trump barged his way into many of Bidens answers on policy, prompting Wallace to tell the president to stop several times and Biden to respond with laughs, exasperation and aiming his comments directly to American viewers after telling the president to shut up" and shush. Biden told reporters on Wednesday that the way the president conducted himself was a national embarrassment." His campaign depicted Trump as a crybaby in a video ad. Trumps campaign said the president delivered a strong, focused debate performance a stark contrast from Joe Bidens weakness on virtually every issue. The CPD, which noted that it sponsors televised debates for the benefit of the American electorate, pledged its intension to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates. The CPD did not lay out how it would enforce the rules that candidates establish. A message left with CPD on Wednesday morning was not immediately responded to. Related Content: Timothy Ray Brown, the Seattle native who gained world renown in 2010 when he revealed his identity as the first person ever to be cured of HIV/AIDS, died Tuesday in his California home after a recurrence of cancer. He was 54. He was such a symbol of hope for so many people living with HIV and an inspiration for those of us working toward a cure, said Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center virologist Dr. Keith Jerome, who got to know Brown in the course of his ongoing research to replicate that cure for others through genetic engineering of immune cells. Ironically, it was a bid to stop Browns cancer that led to a transplant of blood-forming stem cells in 2007 that also cured him of HIV. He had been living with the virus in Berlin since he was a university student there in 1995. Until he publicly revealed his identity in 2010, Brown was known to the world only as the Berlin Patient. In the two successive transplants needed to halt his acute myeloid leukemia the second of which nearly killed him Brown received stem cells from a donor who carried a mutation known to confer natural resistance to HIV. According to his doctor in Berlin, Brown stopped taking antiretroviral drugs just before his first transplant on Feb. 16, 2007. He was free of the virus for the rest of his life. Brown often referred to the time of his transplant as his new birthdate, and it is has been celebrated in Seattle with cake in early February by members of defeatHIV, the Hutch-based HIV cure research group. Brown's success inspired HIV cure research As co-founder of defeatHIV, Fred Hutch transplant physician Dr. Hans-Peter Kiem, holder of the Stephanus Family Endowed Chair for Cell and Gene Therapy, also got to know and respect Brown. He credits him with spurring research in HIV cure work funded by the National Institutes of Health through its Martin Delaney Collaboratories program. It was because of Timothy that the NIH launched this HIV cure effort 10 years ago. Its incredible how many people he has helped directly or indirectly, Kiem said. In November, Kiem delivered a TEDx talk in Seattle describing how Timothy Ray Brown has inspired his work to find a cure for HIV through the eventual delivery of gene therapy in a syringe. Despite numerous efforts to duplicate Browns cure, for a dozen years he remained the only person on Earth known to have beaten the virus. It was his fervent wish to not be the only one. Then, on March 4, 2019, a London Patient was deemed likely to have been cured through a similar stem cell transplant. He identified himself a year later as Adam Castillejo, a 40-year-old immigrant from Venezuela who worked as a sous chef in London. He had received a single stem cell transplant in 2016. Although Brown had talked to Castillejo by telephone, the two never met in person. A small circle of those cured of HIV Joining Brown in this elite circle of those thought cured of is Loreen Willenberg, a 66-year-old California woman believed to be the first to clear the virus without a transplant or drugs. After testing positive in 1992, she is among a group of 64 so-called elite controllers enrolled in a study who seem to have a genetic ability to sequester or suppress the virus. She uniquely has shown no evidence of HIV using the most powerful of gene probing techniques. Scientists are eager to discovery why. Somehow, my immune system has provided clues to what is possible in the fight against HIV infection, said Willenberg, on learning the news of Browns passing. The discovery that I have sequestered this virus into a type of genetic jail is a testament to the dedication of researchers to unlock the mysteries of spontaneous control. I met Timothy a decade ago in San Francisco, and I was immediately struck by his serene nature and humility, despite obvious frailty resulting from his struggle with the transplants. It was an honor to be in his presence. While antiretroviral drug combinations had kept Browns HIV under control, as they have for nearly 25 million others on the therapy around the world, he had to take the drugs every day or the virus would rebound. It was the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia in 2006 that posed a more immediate threat to his life. His German oncologist, Dr. Gero Hutter, concluded that only a bone marrow transplant could stop his aggressive cancer, but he proposed to Brown a radical option: If he could find matching blood stem cells from a donor who carried a rare mutation that conferred resistance against HIV, he might be cured of HIV as well as of his leukemia. NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Startup eyewear manufacturer Vontelle, LLC is launching a unique brand into the luxury eyewear space, offering awe-striking, ethnic patterns reflecting African, Caribbean, and Latin cultures. Eyewear Culture Starts Here! These beautiful handcrafted designs are as unique as the individual wearing them. Prices vary and begin at $99.00. You also have the option to fill your prescription today! Vontelle is planning to launch October 1st. Co-Founder Nancey Harris says, "Our eyewear is original, authentic, distinctive, and invites a conversation. Vontelle will add a cultural richness to the marketplace." Moreover, she stated that the tightly competitive industry lacks African American ownership and strong presence. Vision care is a multi-billion-dollar market in the United States, of which, African-Americans receive less than $3 million dollars annually. "We are under-represented and under-served in this industry," she says, "Through social media, African-Americans have brokered a seat at the table and are demanding that brands and marketers speak to us in ways that resonate culturally and experientially." The corporate vision is to become the leading African American woman-owned eyewear design company, that breaks away from the ordinary to be the extraordinary chic and luxurious fashion-forward eyewear brand in the market. Another distinguishing factor that sets Vontelle apart is their insurance replacement program. Vontelle offers a one-year/one-time replacement warranty from the purchase date of your eyewear for stolen, lost, damaged, or broken eyeglass frames. Vontelle translated from French means "there she goes," or "you go." These eyewear designs aim to turn heads and command the room. Vontelle's mission is to empower customers to "walk confidently in this world: for every occasion." The company's designs are inspired by highly identifiable African textile designs (including mud cloth and kente cloth), Ankara prints, and newly created trademarked Vontelle textile designs. Tracy Vontelle Green is the Co-founder and CEO leading the overall direction of the company, while Harris serves as COO with a focus on operations and product design. The two offer a highly-effective balance of leadership and executive skills. The concept for Vontelle was born out of a need of both the founders, who each lost their expensive eyewear within the same year and decided to focus their efforts on making their next purchases from a Black-owned brand. "After searching high and low for glasses that were stylish and had an ethnic flair, we realized they simply didn't exist." Harris says, "That's when Tracy suggested we start our own line." Vontelle is committed to celebratory cultural designs that represent global textiles, boldness and beauty. Vontelle is partnering with WIN (Women in Need) in New York, operator of 11 shelters, to provide proceeds and eyewear to women and families in need. This is one initiative illustrating Vontelle's commitment to addressing health disparities in deserving communities of color. Media Contact: Nickie Robinson Company: Vontelle Web Site: www.vontelle.com Email: [email protected] Phone: 212.380.3385 SOURCE Vontelle, LLC Related Links http://www.vontelle.com The offer received bids for 1.07 crore shares as against 51 lakh shares on offer. The initial public offer (IPO) of Likhitha Infrastructure received bids for 1.07 crore shares on Wednesday, 30 September 2020, as against 51 lakh shares on offer, as per the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) website data at 17:00 IST. The issue was subscribed 2.10 times. The issue opened for bidding on Tuesday, 29 September 2020 and it will close on Thursday, 1 October 2020. The price band for the IPO is set at Rs 117-120 per share. The public issue comprises a fresh issue of 51 lakh equity shares, representing 25.86% of post issue paid up equity. The company proposes to utilize the IPO proceeds towards meeting the working capital requirements (Rs 47 crore), general corporate purposes and issue expenses. The company recorded sales of Rs 161.24 crore and profit after tax of Rs 19.88 crore in the year ended on 31 March 2020. Likhitha Infrastructure (LIL) is an oil & gas pipeline infrastructure service provider in India. Its operations include three principal business lines: (i) cross country pipelines and associated facilities; (ii) city gas distribution including CNG stations; and (iii) operation & maintenance of CNG/PNG services. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hailed as a victory of justice and truth the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) courts verdict acquitting all 32 people accused of conspiring to demolish the16th Century Babri Masjid. The opposition Congress claimed the ruling ran counter to the Supreme Courts November 9 judgment, which paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple on the disputed site where the mosque stood, and the Constitutional spirit. The Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also urged the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to file an appeal against the special CBI courts decision to acquit all the accused, including senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, for lack of evidence. WATCH | Babri Demolition Verdict: What next? Yug Mohit Chaudhry | On The Record Addressing reporters at the party headquarters in Delhi, Congresss chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala noted that the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, in its judgement on November 9 last year, which held that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and egregious violation of the rule of law. But the special court exonerated all the accused. It is clear that the decision of the special court runs counter to the decision of the Supreme Court. Surjewala said the entire nation witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by the BJP-Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and its leaders to destroy the countrys communal amity and brotherhood through the December 6, 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid, which Hindu groups believe marks the birthplace of the god Ram and claim that the mosque had been built during Mughal rule on the ruins of a temple. The Congress had hailed the Supreme Court judgement on the construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya and also the foundation stone laying ceremony on August 5 this year, signalling a major shift in its stand on the issue. Wednesdays verdict, which came weeks ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, and by-elections in a clutch of states, including Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, is expected to give the BJP campaign a shot in the arm. Construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya has been a long-standing electoral promise of the BJP. Soon after the verdict was announced, Advani and Joshi welcomed the decision. but chose to be measured in their response. Uma Bharti is in hospital being treated for Covid-19. Advani, who watched news of the verdict on television with his daughter Pratibha and staff, said the judgment vindicated his personal and the BJPs belief and commitment towards the Ram temple movement. I also feel blessed that this judgement has come in the footsteps of another landmark verdict of the Supreme Court given in November 2019, which paved the way for my long-cherished dream of seeing a grand Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. Joshi said the verdict proved that there was no conspiracy to bring down the mosque. The octogenarian leader said the verdict should also put to rest the controversy over the issue and the entire country should be ready for the construction of a grand Ram temple. Calling the judgement obnoxious, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi said, This verdict is a black day in the history of Indian courts...was masjid sacrificed on December 6 (1992) by any magic ?... Were the locks opened when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister by magic? Thats why I say that todays judgement came in contradiction to what the SC said. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, Yet another verdict but not justice. It will blemish the image of India as a secular-democratic country governed by the Constitution. The CBI must immediately appeal against this judgment. RSS affiliate, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which has been on frontline of the Ram temple movement, said the judgment was a vindication of truth and justice. Sadly, it has taken 28 years for the Courts to deliver justice..., said VHPs international president Alok Kumar. (Natural News) Former WWE star and Hollywood actor Dwayne The Rock Johnson has come out to endorse Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the White House, aligning his politics with his religious views. The Black Adam and Jumanji star claims to be a political independent and centrist, though his acting career exposes him as a Satanist who loves to joke about child rape and eating children watch the below video from Brighteon.com to learn more. As you will notice, Johnson appeared on an episode of Saturday Night Live where he joked about creating a robot that molests children. He also admitted during an interview that he eats children, though it remains unclear as to whether or not this was a joke or a serious admission. Getting back to his support for Biden and Harris, Johnson claims that he has voted for both parties in the past, but that in this election it is clear that the Democrats are the right choice for the Oval Office come November. The reason Johnson supports Biden and Harris is that he believes they represent compassion, heart, drive, and soul, unlike President Trump, whom the left is casting as a hateful racist who only knows how to make fun of the sick and elderly while botching a phony plandemic, or something along those lines. Progress takes courage, humanity, empathy, strength, KINDNESS & RESPECT, Johnson tweeted, further telling his followers that We must ALL VOTE for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. For more related news about Hollywood filth like Dwayne The Rock Johnson, be sure to check out Evil.news. The Rock is proud of Kamala Harris track record of incarcerating innocent people for marijuana possession In his praise for the Democratic hopefuls, Johnson added that he is proud of both Biden and Harris, whom he says are both experienced to lead. Joe, youve had such an incredible career, and youve led with such great compassion, heart, drive, and soul, Johnson gushed about the former vice president, who accepted bribes from the Ukraine and Russia while handing his son a cushy board position at a Ukrainian energy company. As for Harris, who lives to incarcerate, Johnson is proud of her legacy, which involved locking people up for the victimless crime of cannabis possession. Kamala you have been a district attorney, a state attorney, a U.S. Senator, Johnson is quoted as saying. You are smart and tough. I have seen you in those hearings. And in my opinion, youre a certified badass. Harris, whose ancestors owned slaves, has taken a very aggressive stance in supporting criminals. Concerning the ongoing Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, Harris pushed her supporters to post bail for a child rapist. She also believes that BLM and Antifa domestic terrorism is a good thing, and that more of it should happen, especially if Trump wins reelection. Johnson, by the way, is also a full-fledged supporter of BLM terrorism, having endorsed the violent group following the reported death of criminal George Floyd. Where is our leader at this time, when our country is down on its knees begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain? the actor stated in an Instagram video he posted several months back. Begging and pleading with its arms out, just wanting to be heard. We must say the words Black Lives Matter. Johnson joins Cher, Rob Reiner, Jon Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tom Hanks, Jay Leno, John Legend, Rita Wilson, and likely hundreds more Hollywood celebrities who have also come out to endorse the Biden/Harris ticket. Im surprised Dwayne isnt voting for himself for both President and VP, joked one Breitbart News commenter. He is so full of himself. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com Brighteon.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Written by ACM *Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Turkey appeared to Partially Suspend its Bullying and Accept a Repeated EU Call for Talks and/or International Law, or, Otherwise, Sanctions and Other Measures, over Ankara's Claims on Energy Resources in South-Eastern Mediterranean, mainly at EU Members Cyprus' and probably also Greece's EEZs, (i.e. Including at Aegean Sea's Greek Islands), which, Currently, are the Only Important EU Energy Potential, After the Decline of Northern Sea's deposits. But, the Turkish Government seems to have Attached, right from the Outset, so Many - and Heavy - Strings Before an Eventual Deal, Including Threats, etc. (See Infra), that this caN't but Barely Look as a Credible Step towards Peaceful Negotiatios according to International Law, appearing, on the Contrary, Rather as a Dilatory Manouver to Avoid imminent EU Sanctions at a ForthComing Special EU Summit in Brussels, while preparing New Blackmails against Strategic EU Interests asap... Recently, EU Members' Greece and Cyprus have progressively Build a Regionl Web of Agreements, Cooperations and Relations on EEZs' Delimitations, Energy Transport Plans, Gas Forum, etc., Spreading from EU Member Italy up to Egypt, israel, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, with a Strong Help also by France, even the USA, etc., GeoPoliticaly and Technicaly Able to Directly Feed the European Union with New Energy Findings (abundant also at Neighbouring Egyptian, Israeli, and other Sea Areas), f.ex., through Bulgaria, Italy, France, or Spain, Croatia, etc., Networked up to Germany's Industrial core, via NLG High-Tech Ships, the "East-Med" Pipeline Project sponsored by the EU, and/or Transforming Gas to Electricity tranferable via Under-Sea Cable, etc), Totalling an overall Potential estimated to be, at least as Big as that of USA's "Gulf of Mexico", (which has a Similar Geology to South-East Med). But, Ankara has Notoriously Send its WarShips to Brutally Chasse Away even Italian "ENI"'s Peacefully Drilling Ships, in Agreement with Cyprus, at the Island's EEZ, (something that it didN't Dare Repeat Against USA's and/or France's Drilling Ships...), Bullied Many Times Both EU Members' Greece and Cyprus' EEZ by "Military Exercices" of Turkish Navy there, Send its Own Turkish "Drilling" Ships (under heavy Escort of WarShips) illegaly inside those EU Member's EEZ, Attempted to Push Many Thousands of Irregular Migrants callin themselves "Asylum Seekers" to TressPass EU's External Borders at Evros River, (as Turkish Smugglers had Already done, Back on 2015/2016, through the Aegean Sea, by Suddenly inundating the EU with a "Tsunami" of More than 1,5 Millions of such Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants, including even ISIS' Deadly Terrorists, f.ex. at Paris "Bataklan" Massacre, at Berlin's "Christmas Maket", etc, Rapists and Killers of Young Girls, as, f.ex., at Nearby Freiburg, etc), Multiplied various verbal Provocations and Insults, even Against French President Macron, etc, added to Aggressive Rhetoric, up to War-Threats. + And Now, Turkish President Erdogan, reportedly Added, inter alia, also the Following concrete Desiderata : -(1)- That a "CONDITION" for "Dialogue" are "Proposals that FIT ... REALITY" (sic !). Translated from Ankara Government's usual Vocabulary, this often Means, Basically, 2 things : a) The First is related with the Fact that, Unfortunately, Because of an Exceptional "Democratic Leaders' Vacuum" in European History, with Mussolini's Fascism's arrival in Italy Back on 1922 ; added to a Cynical "Real-Politic" Move by Trotski, then, to Stop from Falling to Ruins on 1921 a Trouble-Maker like Turkey in order to unleash it against Western Europeans ; where France had Lost the Popular and Strong Alexander Millerand, succeeded by a ...Somnabule, who once Droped Out of a Train from Brussels OverNight, Saved by a Peasant who brought him back (sic !) ; as in the UK the Energetic Young Defense + Foreign Minister Winston Churchill suddenly was Pushed to Quit Politics and even Fell Ill, Hospitalized ; at the Same Time that the USA Lost the Great Woodrow Wilson for "the Worst President in USA's History", accused of Corruption, and whose Name Noone Remembers, (etc), => they Scandalously Abandoned the Already Signed, landmark, International "Treaty of Sevres" (1920, near Paris), which Notoriously had Liberated from the Collapsing Medieval Former Ottoman-Turk Empire, the Historic Nationalities of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Kurds, Caucasians and other Traditional Populations of Anatolia Plateau etc., (in Addition to the Recently Emerging Arab Nations), Leaving to Turks just a little bit more than that Small Part, Near Ankara, that their Ancestors the "Osmanli" had Seized, to routinely Aggress and Robb Innocent Merchants' numerous Convoys between China and Constantinople (then Capital of the OverMillenary Byzantine-Greek Empire; 330 - 1.453), After they came From Mongolia's Outskirts, at the Shoes of Tcheghis Khan's Military Invasion into Europe, Back on 1.200+. In Consequence, from 1.922, i.e. for almost 1 Century now, All the Historic Lands, of all those OverMillenary Nationalities, (Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Kurds, Caucasians, etc) were Abandoned Under the notoriously Brutal Jug of Turkey for Decades... Thus, Turkey is Citting, with its UnStable, Big Fat Back, on so Many Other Historic Nations, (Comp. Supra), that it Can Boast that, precisely, Because it's "so Big", Ankara should, practicaly, have almost what it wants, and Nobody should Dare Contradict it... While, on the Contrary, with the Treaty of Sevres, (whose Centenary is celebrated This Year : 1920 - 2020), All these Nationalities would be Free at Anatolia plateau. Added to a permanent Protection of Also Any Other National Minority's Human Rights, by the European Signatories of that International Treaty, since, in case of Violations by the Turkish Authorities, they Could, at Any Time, entirely Liberate Also the De-Militarized Constantinople/Istanbul Area, according to that landmark text. And it's enough to just have a Look at its MAP on Turkey, in Order to immediately Realize that, With the Treaty of Sevres, Ankara would Not even have Thought to Bully EU Countries on East Mediterranean's Energy Resources ! b) Here is Added, also, the Fact that Turkey's notoriously AntiDemocratic Establishment apparently DidN't give a Dam for the Education, Culture, Civilisation and/or Social Rights of its People, rather Prefering to Waste its Money mainly on Accumulating Military Gadgets, i.e. Weapons to Kill... So that, practicaly Any Opposition, Internal or External, should, Cowardly, just Shut Up its Mouth and Obey ! => F.ex., -"Greece must Shut Up, or it will End like a <> (NDLR : Piece of Meat to Eat) !, reportedly Threatened Recently the Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, precisely about EU Energy in Eastern Mediterranean... (On the Fact that, Recently, and particularly After the 2016 "Coup" Pretext to Oppress even More People, the Turkish Army has apparently Become a Weakened "Paper Tiger", UnReliable for Ankara's Anti-Democratic Regime, See Infra). ---------------------------------- - (2) - Erdogan Also, reportedly, asked that the EU makes "Steps", inter alia, even by providing Turkish Citizens with ..."VISA-FREE Travel" in Europe. This is a "Classic" Desiderata of Ankara, that Turkey had Attempted to Snatch, Back on 2016, when it notoriously Blackmailed Europe by Suddenly Throwing More than 1,5 MIllions of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants to Tresspass EU's External Borders through EU Member Greece, (Including Even Deadly ISIS' Terrorists, as those who f.ex., Killed many People at "Bataklan" Massacre in Paris, on Berlin's "Christmas Market", etc., or Raped and Murdered Young Girls, as f.ex. at Nearby Freiburg, or Raped Young Boys,, also Refugees, as f.ex. a 10 y.o. Boy from Serbia in Wien, or even Smaller Kids, f.ex. at Collective Refugee facilities in Germany, in the Greek Island of Lesbos, etc). That Turkish Blackmail had been made During a Sunday in a semi-Deserted Brussels, under Curfew by still on-going Deadly Islamist Terrorst Attacks, also there... => It Practicaly Means that All 80 Millions of Turks could regularly Enter, Stay and Travel Anywhere inside Europe, During + 6 Months Each Year, whenever they liked and withOut Any Condition, Repeatedly ad infinitum, (i.e. during Half of their whole Life) ! Thanks God, EU Commission Spared Europe from such a Horrible thing, by Observing that Turkey did Not Even fullfill its Standard Conditions, particularly on Human Rights, Including, f.ex., by its Notorious so-called "Anti-Terrorism" Laws, which Still were Crafted and Applied so "Widely" that they were Routinely Abused in order to Prosecute and Jail Even Many Peaceful Political Dissidents... And EU Parliament was Glad to Also Vote relevant Resolutions Excluding such Controversial and UnPopular, Scandalous "Gifts" to a Blackmailing Turkey... So, What, Suddenly made Turkey ..."Forget" all that, and, WithOut having Ameliorated Anything in its Legislation, Neither Practice, Again Insists on such an UnPopular among EU Citizens point, Attempting anew, Now, to Exploit Also anOther Blackmail on 2020, against EU Energy Resources in South-Eastern Mediterranean, by abusing of Turkish WarShips, and Threats, etc., (Comp. Supra) ? At any case, Whoever might, eventually, have Speculated into Facilitating Anything so UnPopular like that, he/she would certainly be Strongly Rejected by the Europan People, (as Various and Many Polls, in several Key EU Countries, Mostly with Opposed Super-Majorities of More than 60% or Even 80%, have Notoriously Found).- ------------------------ -(3)- The Turkish President reportedly Added, to his Above-mentioned List of Desiderata to Get from the EU as, so-called "Positive Steps", (Comp. Supra), Also something about "MIGRATION", withOut Specifying. Apparently, he didN't Mean, at all, that Turkey Might, at last, Stop to Stubornly and illegaly Refuse to Accomplish its Duty and Fulfill its Written Commitment (in Exchange of Abundant EU Money, etc), to Rapatriate those Mass Irregular Migrants, who were Already Checked and Proved Not to be real "Refugees" at all, from EU Territory (where they had illegaly Tresspassed Previously, thanks Mainly to Turkish Smugglers, Arriving via Turkey Massively)... - Did he, then, Mean a Repetition of something like that 2015/2016 Sudden Huge "Tsunami" of More than 1,5 Millions of Mass "Asylum Seekers"/Irregular Migrants, Tresspassing inside Europe through its External Borders at EU Mamber Greece, via Turkey, thanks to Smugglers, mainly Turkish (Comp. Supra) ? Or those Many Tens, often Hundreds of Thousands of Various Desperate, but Often very Aggressive (f.ex. Throwing Stones, Gas Bombs, Attempting to Damage a long Protective Border Fence, Lighting Fires, etc), People that Turkish Public Authorities even Ostensibly Pushed and/or Helped, (Including, Even, by Abusing of Turkish Heavy Military Vehicles, OverNight, as an Explicit Video Revealed), to Attempt to Massively Tresspass Irregularly inside Europe at EU's External Borders throughout EU Member Greece's Long Border-Line vis a vis Turkey at the Evros River on 2019, (a Shameless Scandal that All EU Commission, Council, and Parliament Leaders personaly Saw with their own eyes on the spot, Together with Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, Flying in an Helicopter) ? Most Probably Not... - Or is it, Perhaps, anOther, New Attempt by Turkey, to Exploit Otherwise, Again on 2020, those alleged Millions of Irregular Migrants/Mass Asylum Seekers that Ankara has attracted from its Notorious Pals at ...Pakistan/Afghanistan (and currently more than 60% of those Still Remaining at Lesbos' main "HotSpot" for EU Borders' Tresspassers, according to Greek Authorities), or from Some Ordinary Law Thugs coming from Maghreb's Prisons or Other African Countries, (as USA a.o. Mainstream Newspapers had Reported from Turkey, since the Beginning, Already Back on 2015/2016), Not to Speak about All those Millions of Syrian or Iraqi Mass Asylum Seekers, that Turkey 1st PROVOKED itself, (NB), by Notoriously Supporting Armed Opponents of the Syrian Government, All the Way from the First Violent Clashes of 2011, Until Recently, (Both via Logistics : i.e. Money, Transferts of Jihadists, Circulation of Merchandises, including Smuggling of Stolen Cultural Heritage, Oil/Gas, etc, and, Even, via Deadly Weapons, from Guns and/or Explosives up to Rockets, etc), from the now Dislocated and/or Replaced "FSA", until various Islamist Extremists and/or Deadly Terrorists as those of "Al Queda" and, Mainly, "ISIS" Killers Cowardly Targetting even Innocent Civilian People, etc., Followed, on 2018-2019+, Even by Open Turkish Military Invasions and Occupations of mainly Syrian Territories, together with Proxy Islamist Extremist Armed Gangs Monitored by Ankara, and, 2nd, Afterwards EXPLOITED, Both Economically, On the Spot, by Submitting them to various Dirty, Harsh, But Badly Paid "Jobs", Profiting to Turkish Businessmen, (as, f.ex., Revealed also the Shocking Interviews to the UK Press, by the Father of the Tragically Killed Child "Kurdi", Drown at the Aegean Sea on 9/2015, Together with his Mother and Sister, who didN't Know how to Swim, after a Turkish Smuggler, withOut Warning, Suddenly Opened a Hole in the makeshift Plastic Boat that brought them at the Middle of the Sea, OverNight, before Jumping himself to a Rapid Motor-Boat and Running Away), and Financially, by Notoriously Blackmailing the EU to Start Paying into Turkey 3 Billions in full Grants, Each Year, Already Since 2016 up to 2020+, as well as Politicaly/Ideologically, by Falsely Presenting Ankara, Not as an Unscrupulous Mass Refugee-Maker (Comp. Supra), Neither as Mass Refugee Multi-Exploiter (Ibid), But, rather, as ... a Philanthropic Organisation (sic !), in order to Exert Moral and Political Pressure on Europe and Other Countries accross the World, for Various kinds of More Concessions, by Naive and/or Ignorant, if not Complicit Politicians, Medias, some Shady NGOs, etc, (Including, among others, also of Numerous Self-Imports, inside the EU, even of Fake "Asylum Seakers" or "Non-Accompagnied Children" -often, Notoriously, Disguised Real Adults !- Provoking Problems, Hardships, or even Conflicts amidst Affected European People, Often Poor, Obliged to live Nearby, [Sometimes Even Rapes of Children, as, f.ex. the Big Scandals who have Shaken Many UK Cities, added to more Recent Scandals in Finland, which made a Government Fall as well as a co-Governing Political Party almost "Disappear" at the Latest Elections, etc] and/or UnPrecedented Contradictions, Divisions or Conflicts among EU Countries, etc)... At any case, Given all the above-mentioned Previous and Current Bad Experiences with Turkey's Manifold Exploitations of various Provoked and/or Manipulated Mass Irregular Migrations (Comp. Supra), that New Turkish (still Vague) Demand, doesN't look good... ---------------------------------------------- - (4)- Erdogan's Nowadays Wish-List of Demands to the EU Adds Also to "UPGRADE the EU-Turkey CUSTOMS UNION", ... eventually Ignoring the Fact that about 150 MEPs have, Just, on the Contrary, Voted For (the 3/4) or Abstained (the 1/4) an Amendment to the Latest EU Parliament's Resolution on Turkey, 10 Days Ago in Brussels, Calling to "Freeze" even the Already Existing EU - Turkey Customs Union, During 6 Months, Recontuctible, (See at: ..., etc)... + While, in Addition, Nobody who Knows (or Learns) the History of relevant European Developments, could ever Forget the "Hot" InFight inside EU Parliament, when it UnExpectedly Voted, Back on December 1995 in Strasbourg, for the Controversial and UnPopular instauration of EU - Turkey's Customs Union for the 1st Time, while ECHR was Publishing the First-ever Condemnations of Turkey for Torture and Murder, as well as InHuman/Degrading Treatments, in the Landmark Cases of a Young Kurdish Dissident who had Lost the use of his Right Hand in the Turkish Jails, and Afterwards was Brutally Murdered, with a Shot at his Head, when he Refused to Withdraw his Complaint to Strasbourg's Court, ("Aksoy"), Followed by the Case of a Suddenly ImPoverished Family, after its Home and Livelihood were Destroyed by the Turkish Army, Brutaly Expulsed and Obliged to Walk all the Way until a Remote Poor Suburb of Mega-City Smyrne/Izmir, where All, including its Small Children, were Suddenly Thrown to Extreme Poverty, Praying for the Worst, Most Over-Exploited, Dangerous, Dirty and Precarious "Jobs", including Even Mendicity ("Akdivar"). After the Icy indifference of some MEPs (Mainly, but not only, "Socialist"), who, Despite All that, Nevertheless, Voted for the Beginning of a Controversial and UnPopular EU - Turkey Customs Union, When this Really Entered into Force, Next January 1996, the Event was UnForgetably Marked by the Violent Killing of a Young Dissident Journalist in Turkey, who was Covering for the Press the Tragic massive Hunger Strike of various Political Prisoners in Turkish Jails : His Head was ...Brutally "Crushed" at a Wall by Turkish Policemen, ("Goctepe" Case), and he will Never be Forgotten... ------------------------------------------------- -(5)- But, the Turkish President's nowadays Demands, particularly but not only vis a vis Europe, did Not End there : + Moreover, he reportedly Added, (Both towards the Current EU Leadership, and in his Speech to UNO's General Assembly, remotely), that Ankara Wanted to Impose the Presence, and even Separately, of an ILLEGAL BREAK-AWAY REGIME, with Turkish Cypriots Puppets of Ankara, (Recognized by Nobody, after it was Set up and still Backed by Turkey's 1974 Foreign Military Invasion and Persisting OCCUPATION until 2020, at EU Member Cyprus' Northern Territories, from where almost All Greek Cypriot Inhabitants, Historicaly the Majority, were Obliged to Flee, struggling, Afterwards, to Desperately recuparate at least a part of their Family Homes and Properties, Despite a Crystal-clear ECHR Case-Law in Strasbourg, and UNO's Principles for Restoration of Refugees' belongings, at Nearby Geneva), inside the ...Officially "Inter-Governemental" Brand New "Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum", a Initiated by Greece, Cyprus and Egypt since 2018, But Boosted on 2020 in a Fully Fledged Regional Trans-National Organisation, Just Established by Egypt, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, Together with Italy and soon France, Supported by Both EU, USA and UN, and currently HeadQuartered in Cairo, with the Main Aim to Help Develop South-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Sources, according to International Law, and their Transfert particularly towards mainland Europe, (Comp. Sypra). This Disruptive and Provocative Turkey's Move, Obviously seeks to Divert Attention away from Main, Serious Positive Developments in that Strategic Area of South Eastern Mediterranean Energy Sources, and Hypocriticaly Cover, Under the irrelevant Wording of "Dialogue", in Fact a Brutal and Clumsy Attempt (See Infra) by Ankara to Impose its illegal Puppet, Created, Supported, and Controlled by its Foreign Invasion-Occupation Troops, Recognized by Noone, Except by Itshelf Alone, and Based on Bloody War, Killings, "Missing" People, several Hundreds of Thousands of Refugees/Displaced Persons, illegal Mass Imports of Turkish "Settlers" and Alteration of Occupied Territories' Original Demographic Structure, Usurpation of Refugees' Family Homes and/or Properties, Division and Separatist Attempts, Obviously Aiming to Hamper the Solution of Cyprus' Political Issue, and Cyprus' Peaceful ReUnification. On the Contrary, Cyprus' President Nicos Anastassiades, Recently pointed out, during his Speech at UNO's GA, that, at the Latest Inter-Communal Talks between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, Back on 2018 at Schwitzerland's Crass Montana, they had All Agreed that the Future Joint Federal State of a ReUnified Cyprus would be the Collective Proprietor of All such Natural Resources of the Country, for the Benefit of All its Citizens, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, or Maronites, alike. In the Meanwhle, he Announced that Cyprus will Create a special Bank Account where the proportion of Energy Revenues corresponding to the Turkish Cypriots, will be Deposited, in order to be Distributed whenever the Political Issue of Cyprus will be Solved, Turkey's Foreign Military Invasion and Occupation Troops Withdrawn, and the whole Island Peacefully ReUnified. He Also proposed a Mechanism under which that Money Could, Eventualy, be Distributed to the Turkish Cypriots Even Before the Solution of Cyprus' Issue, IF Ankara Stops its Provocations, illegal "Drillings" inside Cyprus' EEZ, WarShips' Bullying and Threats, etc., Accepting Peaceful Talks and/or, if needed, to refer the issue at the International Court of Hague. -------------------------- -(6)- Meanwhile, in Addition, also Other Official Top Turkish Authorities Announced, in Parallel, Even Ankara's Intention to Raise, during its possible "Exploratory Talks" with Greece on Energy Resources, Moreover, Issues related to so-called "DISARMAMENT" of Greek Islands at the Aegean Sea ! According to some unverified yet Sources, Athens might Not have Refused, in principle, to Deal Even with such an Obviously Deviant and Complicated matter, Eventualy Considering a Withdrawal of Defense Forces from Greek Islands, But on Condition that Ankara would Also proceed to the Dissolution of an Offensive, so-called "Aegean Army", as well as at an Equivalent Withdrawal of Turkish Military Forces Away from Agean SeaCoasts, towards further Inside the Anatolia Plateau. Critics have, However, pointed out a Risk for the Turkish Army to Rapidly Return Back at Aegean SeaCoasts, while, on the Contrary, it would be Naturally much More Cumbersome for the Greek Army to Redeploy Back from the Mainland towards the Islands, as Fast as that... Going Further, Other informed Observers have, at any case, Noted that, After an Initial, Old relevant Reference to some Greek Islands, Afterwards, the Situation would have substantialy Changed, Both by various Bilateral Official Statements, as well as the "Montreux" Treaty, extending to the Straights, But Also the Creation of that Turkish "Aegean Army", added to the Constantinople/Istanbul 1955 "Pogrom", and, particularly, to the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and still Persisting (2020) Occupation of the Northern Part of Cyprus, But Even Recently Multiplied Turkish WarPlanes' porovocative OverFlights around Greek Islands at the Aegean Sea. Despite Various Rumours, the Precise Situation, Currently, on such a Thorny, and quite Different, Issue does Not Yet seem Openly Crystal-clear, Even if the Athens' Government, apparently, Feels the Need to Protect, at least, several Inhabited Islands from Growing Aggressive Turkish WarPlanes' OverFlights and/or Other Recent Provocations... --------------------------------------------- -(7)- Here comes, However, Erdogan's Most Thorny and Obviously Dangerous Remark : - Indeed, the Turkish President would have Bluntly Warned the EU from the outset, that, IF his Above-metioned "Conditions" were Not Met, (Particularly that Wide Thorny Demand for "Proposals that FIT...REALITY" : Comp. Supra), then, "Otherwise, we could not evade any FIGHT" (sic !), as he Threatened, in Conclusion... - It's Not immediately Clear if the Word "Fight" was the Best possible Translation of Erdogan's Observation, at that Thorny Juncture, Or if it Should have, More Accurately, been : - "Clash", "Conflict", or Even "War"... - At any case, all these Possible Various Ways to Translate the Turkish President's above-mentioned Concluding Remark, Obviously Point Towards a Similar Direction : He Threatens that, If the Conditions that he Put (Comp. Supra) are Not Fulfilled, then, it's Gonna be ...Trouble ! >>> But, the Problem is that, as EU Member Greece has Already, Clearly Warned, by its Experienced Minister for European Affairs, former Long-Time Top MP at CoE's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), Recently Elected vice-President of its Biggest Group : that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, Replying as Current PanEuropean CoE's President-in-office, to Questions Raised by Turkish MPs, during the Latest PACE's Standing Committee in Strasbourg, (of Equal Rank as its Plenaries : See http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeheadgreekmfanodialoguewithgunandwarthreats.html) : - Turkey "CanNot come Back to the Table of Discussion by having ...a fully Loaded Gun on the Table, and a Premisse, from the Other Side, that Either You Agree with Me, Or we Go into War !", he Stressed from the outset. - "This is Not the Kind of Dialogue that We Expect. We Expect a Dialogue that comes With a Refrain from using a Beligerant Tone, and, Definitively, From using Military Means, as a way To Push for the Outcome that the Other Partner Wants", Clarified Varvitsiotis. => It, Obviously, does Not Appear at all that Turkey's above-mentioned Behavior might, eventually, Meet this Elementary Requirement, (which seems to Stick at EU's already Announced Basic Standards)... + Even Less when it's Added also to Ankara's Latest Provocative "NAVTEX" for More illegal "Drillings" inside Cyprus' EEZ (Usually Escorted by urkish WarShips), reportedly Published from September 15, for a Period Extending Up to October 12, that EU Parliament immediately "Condemned" avec a Unique quasi-Unanimous Vote, (See at: ..., etc). --------------------------------------------------------- >>> But, at Any Case, is, Really, Turkey's alleged, and Too Often Exagerated, Military Might, so Dreadful, as some Claim, and Ankara itself, Obviously Boasts, to the point that Europeans would have No Other Choice than ...Curb Down to its Often Scandalous Blackmails ? - At least, Various Converging Recent Facts, really seem to Point towards a Crystal-clear "NO !"... - First of all, Even a Simple Addition of some Key Front-Line EU Members, as, f.ex., Greece/Cyprus and France, Recently Twice, from Cyprus' Island up to Creta's surrounding waters, etc, appeared, in priciple, quite Sufficient in order to "Calm" Down some, Otherwise Bullying, Turkish WarShips+ Threats around an Ankara's illegaly Drilling Ship... + Naturally, things would Even be Much Better and UnQuestionable, from a European point of view, If the EU Decided to Really Send a Collective Defense Force, there, to Protect its Currently Unique European Energy Potential at the Eastern Mediterranean Area, (Comp. Supra)... ++ But, probably the Most Interesting relevant Fact, appears to be a Recent, UnPrecedented Trend, which has UnExpectedly Become almost Permanent, at Turkey's Various Military-related Moves Nowadays, almost Everywhere : >>> Indeed, Since that Strange, "6-Hours Long" so-called "Coup Attempt" of 2016, which Notoriously Gave to Erdogan a Pretext to Impose an UnPrecedented "Purge" throughout All the Army, But Also on Judges, Policemen, Education up to Universities, Medias, and Other Wide Sectors of the Country's State and/or Social Organisations, towards Various Political/Ideological Directions, with Too Many People Killed, Wounded, Tortured, Jailed, Condemned, Fired from their Jobs, and/or Obliged to Flee Abroad, Desperately Asking for "Political Asylum", (including, Even to Greece, and/or Other European Countries), etc., => Suddenly, from those UnQuestioably Exceptional Events, Until Now (2017-2020), Ankara's Government, apparently, NEVER Dared Make any FULL USE of the Turkish Army, at Any One among the Many and Important Occasions that it had to do so, (Contrary to what it was Accustomed to do in the Past) ! - Instead, it Either used some Tactical/Technical Subterfuges, in Order to Strikingly Limit or Avoid such Fully Fledged and Massive Army Engagements at the FrontLine, (See Infra), Or, More Often, soon Systematically on 2018, 2019 and 2020, Ankara's Government, Curiously, Prefered, almost Everywhere and Always, to Practicaly ..."Hide" the Bulk of the Turkish Army, Behind a Lot of Various "Proxy" Extremist Islamist Armed Gangs, (Many Times Committing Atrocious Abuses, Grave Human Rights Violations, even Thefts, Rapes, Murders, etc), Nonobstant if they might, Also have, more or less, Delayed some Armed Operations, (f.ex. at least Initialy at Afrin's Invasion/Occupation, etc). => F.ex., inter alia, During the Recent Turkish Military Invasions/Occupations throughut Northern Syria, initialy the Turkish Army was practicaly Hidden inside some Hollow Areas, Before the Borders, Focusing Mainly on Firing Rockets at a Distance, towards Targets located at the Syrian side, (and something Similar appears to have been Used Also in Libya, later-on, at least at the Beginning), Avoiding Massive Direct Physical Engagements with its Adversaries. +=> But, the Most Important Change, Obviously is, Nowadays, the Repeated Use, by Turkey, mainly of Various Foreign Extremist Islamist Armed Gangs, in order to Physicaly Attack and Occupy any Part of AnOther Country's Territories, as Ankara effectively did, f.ex. during its Invasions at Afrin on 2018, and at North-Eastern Syria's Kurdish Region on 2019, as well as at its Military Intervention in Libya's Civil War on 2020, (etc), some even speaking about alleged preparations and/or a progressive start of similar "Proxy" Islamist Mercenaries to eventualy Attack Armenia, already since this Summer 2020, But possibly also Later-on... >>> A Main Reason for such a Big Change, (which Often Delays, Discredits, and/or makes somewhat more Clumsy those Turkey's Military Interventions : Comp. Supra), could Simply be that Ankara's Government, in Fact, has No More Trust into its own Army, as a whole ! - Since 2016, Indeed, Many Top Military Officers have been Notoriously Arrested, Both from the Central Leadership of the Turkish Army, and Key Officers at International Cooperation-driven, Strategic "Incirlic" Air-Base, Even at the Direction of the Turkish Invasion/Occupation Army at the Northern Territories of Cyprus, But Also among Turkish Officers around NATO's Headquarters in Western Europe, (among whom several Reportedly asked Political Asylum), etc. Many Intermediary Army Officers, Suspected by the Government for Eventual Sympathy to the "Putchists", and/or for Any Other Political Affiliation among Various Dissidents, were practicaly Obliged to Seek to Escape from Massive "Purges" f.ex. by Seeking Asylum at Neigbouring Greece, that they Reached by Helicopter, Sea Boats, etc., Often Persecuted by Ankara's Authorities. + In Addition, a very Great Number of Young Conscrits, (most of whom Simply Obeyed to alleged "Putchists"' Orders f.ex. to Guard Istanbul's Bridges OverNight, etc), were, Massively DisArmed and Captured, Often by Shelf-styled Private Gangs, Some Bearig or Seizing Weapons, and Exposed to Public Humiiiations, Brutal and/or Sadic Ill-Treatments, Cowardly Beaten until they had Bloody Wounds, Even Lynched to Death, while Others were Notoriously Closed to Massive makeshift Detention Centers, in Awful Conditions, Worse than for Animals, Systematicaly semi-Naked, where, reportedly, several among them were Even Raped, as a kind of "Punishment"... Afterwards, Instead of, at least, putting some Sanctions for the Worse Abuses, on the Contrary, the current Turkish Political Authorities Massively ..."Praised" and Excluded from Any Sanction, Whatever Abuses they Might have Committed, ...All those who Claimed to have Reacted in order to "Fight the Putschists" and "Save the (current) Government", Inevitably Resulting into a Wide-Spread and Scadalous Impunity for Any Violent Crimes, against those Helpless Traped Young Conscrits, (for whom Even their Families could Not do almost Nothing)... => The Inevitable Result was an unavoidable Huge MisTrust Between the Turkish Government, and Often High-Standing Army Officers, as well as Numerous Simple Conscrits and their Families and Friends, But Also Middle-Rank Staff, (etc), as the overall Image, Reputation, and/or elementary Dignity of the Turkish Army had been Downgraded and Thrown Down to Mud, as Never Before in that Country's Past, (where Even its Historic Leader Attaturk was a Former Army Officer)... >>> In Consequence, this Government canNot Really Trust what still Remains from the Country's Traditional Military Establishment, Not Even its Young Soldiers and their Families... Notoriously Engaged in a Too Large Fight, Both Against Leftists and Rightists, Atheists and Religious "Gulenists", etc. So that, this Turkish Army of Nowadays does Not really seem Able to Eventualy Launch Any "Glorious" Operation, has Probably Lost Various Experienced Top Officers, as well as the Enthousiasm of the Past among its Young Conscripts, etc. A Reciprocal MisTrust has been Installed, (by the anove-mentioned Exceptional Events), Between this Army and its Government. This Government can No More Trust all these Officers and Conscrits to be Really Motivated to do All the Dirty Jobs that it wants, so, it feels Obliged (for the 1st Time in its History) to Pay Foreign Mercenaries... But Mercenaries, Notoriously, will Not Resist to Fight, When things Become too Hard : They will, rather, Run Away... So, Nowadays' Turkey's Army is Not Stronger than in the Past, But much Weaker ! This considerably Weakened Turkish Army (Comp. Supra) Nowadays looks, more and more, like a Toothless, Fake "Paper Tiger", almost Unable of doing anything else than Bullying much Smaller entities, with a Boost from Expensive Gadgets (like Drones, etc), and Costly (But also Brutal against Civilians) Islamist Extremist Mercenaries... So that, a United, Modern and Democratic Europe has absolutely Nothing to Fear at all. Except from one thing : After having Repeatedly Warned Turkey to Behave, EU, naturaly canNot leave Ankara withOut Any Sanction at all, if it insists Not to do so at all or Merely Pretends to, while, in Fact, still Persisting to Pressure Europe and Even Multiply veiled or Open Threats (Comp. Supra)... But, what we all saw Today is a Sudden, UnExpected and quite UnPrecedented Postponement, for almost a Week, of an already "Exceptional" EU Heads of State/Goverment Summit, initialy Supposed to Focus, at last, on Eventual EU "Sanctions" to Turkey, After Many Vain "Warnings" by several Previous EU Summits to Ankara, (during almost 2 Years : 2018-2020). The Pretext Notoriously is an alleged "Security Guard" of EU Council's President Michel, Added also to anOther, similar "Security Guard" of German Foreign Minister Maas, (who is currently part of the Rotating Chairmanship of the EU by the Berlin Government), Both those 2 Security Guards having, reportedly, been Tested "Positive" for Virus' Infections, almost at the Same Time, and, therefore, Obliging Michel and Maas to enter in "Quarantine" for 1 Week, as a matter of Routine, for simple Precaution against the Spread of Virus... But, as Both Michel and Maas, (Together with EU High Representative for External Action Borrell) were, reportedly, Dealing precisely with Efforts to convince Ankara to hold Peaceful Talks with EU Members Greece and Cyprus on the Turkish Demands about South-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Resources, withOut any More Military Bullying and/or Harsh Provocations or Threats from Turkey, (Comp. Supra), several Medias Guessed that, such a "Coincidence", might be, in Fact, Less a Sanitary Issue, and Rather a ...Diplomatic one : - "Turkey Off the Hook, as EU Postpones Sanctions' Decision !", significantly Titles, thus, Today, one of those Critical Medias, "Monitor", Published at Washington D.C., (while, However, speaking Also about a "Coronavirus' Scare")... - Indeed, the EU Parliament had Just Strongly "Condemned" a Recent Turkish "NAFTEX", Dated 15 September, about More illegal "Drillings" inside EU Member Cyprus' EEZ, up to October 12, as Usually due to be Escorted by Ankara's WarShips, in the Only Vote taken quasi-Unanimously by MEPs, at a Resolution on Turkey (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euparliamentonturkishbullyingeuropeanenergy.html, etc). + And Erdogan had just Made to EU Leadership a Series of supplementary Claims, adding also a Threat of Conflict, (Comp. Supra). => As a Consequence, Cyprus' Foreign Minister, Nicos Christodoulides, Yesterday reacted in Brussels by Triggering an UnExpected Postponement of new EU Sanctions on Belarus, as long as Turkey still Escapes from Any Sanction, and he was Supported by Many Other Countries on this Principle, reportedly adopted earlier at a Berlin Meeting, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/greececyprusoneuturkeybelarus.html). >>> Thus, Converging Key Facts clearly indicate that, If the forthcoming Exceptional EU Summit on Turkey had taken place As Scheduled, (i.e. on September 24-25), then, normaly, Ankara would Not have Escaped from Any well-Deserved EU Sanction... - So that, by Suddenly Postponing that Crucial Summit for almost a Week Later, (be it, Perhaps, through a kind of ..."Virus' Diplomacy" : Comp. Supra), the EU Council Obviously Gives to Turkey a Chance to Rectify. - However, at the Same Time, EU inevitably Reaches a Dangerous Area of High Risks : Not that to Eventualy Face Ankara's "Paper Tiger" Weakened Army, Heavily Depending After 2016 on Islamist Extremist Mercenaries, (Comp. Supra). But the Big Risk for the EU is to eventualy Lose its Credibility, If a recalcitrant Turkey Escapes again a just punishment, in Front of the Eyes of All the World, whose Numerous Medias have been closely Following relevant Events... (../..) ("Draft-News") --------------------------------- Later today we'll get more news about the plan to save more lives and cope with rising violence . . . Right now, for our early morning denizens we share this glimpse at Kansas City police action, crime news, mugshots and topics related to this town's ongoing struggle with a metro killing spike during the pandemic. Dont Discount Gunfire 1 person hurt after shooting at Dollar Tree in KCMO One person was seriously hurt in a shooting near a Dollar Tree in Kansas City, Missouri Tuesday night.Police responded to the call in the 1600 block of E. 63rd St. around 7:45 p.m. When officers arrived on the scene, they found one victim with gunshot wounds. KCMO Planning Preview Mayor Lucas gives preview of new comprehensive crime prevention plan for Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's a strategy that's been 12 months in the making. On Wednesday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas will unveil his comprehensive crime prevention plan, meant to curb violent trends in the city. Metro crime totals in 2020 have been near an all-time high. Accountability Vaporware??? KCPD announces they're on pace to have body cameras by December 2020 KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - The Kansas City Police Department announced Monday that body cameras should be delivered in December and worn by all patrol officers by early next year. KCTV5 News followed up with community members who called for the use of body worn cameras during protests earlier this year. Settlement In The Dotte Kansas City settles case, apologizes to ex-employee A former employee of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, has won a $125,000 settlement after her boss was convicted of grabbing her by the shirt and pushing her into a wall. Justice For All Delayed Black Transgender Woman Shot to Death Near Kansas City A 37-year-old Black transgender woman was found shot to death on the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri, on September 19, just months after another Black transgender woman, Nina Pop, was killed in her own apartment on the other side of the state. Aerrion Burnett's body was found shortly before 4 a.m. White Collar Crime Crackdown Panethiere gets 15 months for embezzling from Palmer Electric Co. - Kansas City Business Journal An Olathe man was sentenced in federal court Monday for embezzling more than $280,700 from Palmer Electric Co. In his guilty plea, Michael Panethiere admitted to using his position at the Pleasant Valley electrical contractor to generate and sign company checks that were made payable to himself. Help ID KCMO Dumpers KCMO seeks help to identify repeat dumping suspects KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, Neighborhoods and Housing Services is asking for help to identify suspects who have illegally dumped trash four times at the same location. The two suspects were caught on camera dumping the trash near East 45th Street and Garfield Avenue, which is known to be a popular spot for illegal dumping. Suspected Creeper Allegedly Preyed Up Ladies At Loves Man charged with invasion of privacy, accused of taking videos underneath woman's dress inside Harrisonville business HARRISONVILLE, MO (KCTV) - On Sunday, watchful employees called police to investigate a man who was inside the Love's Travel Stop off Brookhart Drive near I-49 in Harrisonville. Police arrived before the suspect left the store. A steady stream of customers come and go 24 hours a day at Love's in Harrisonville, but on Sunday one customer stood out to employees. Show-Me Another Tragic Deadly Domestic Drama During COVID Holden, Missouri, man charged with murder in wife's death A Holden, Missouri, man has been charged with second-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk, voluntary manslaughter and a range of weapon-related charges.Daniel Page, 30, is charged with shooting his wife, Sabrina Page, in an incident that occurred on Sept. Conviction To Democracy With confusing system, local attorney helping lead ex-cons to the polls KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Confusion over felons' voting rights vary widely by state. A local attorney is making sure people in the metro are prepared ahead of the November General Election. "I think that most people think that once they get a felony, that they can never vote again. Developing . . . Joel Guy Jr, the Louisiana man accused of stabbing and dismembering his parents over the 2016 Thanksgiving weekend in Tennessee, made meticulous notes about how he would slaughter and dispose of his victims before carrying out the plot, a jury heard Tuesday. The 31-year-old appeared in Knoxville court on Tuesday for the second day of testimony in his first-degree murder trial in relation to the November 2016 slayings of his father Joel Michael Guy Sr, 61, and his 55-year-old mother, Lisa Guy. Prosecutors say that Guy Jr first knifed his father to death in the upstairs exercise room of his West Knox County house on November 26, 2016, then ambushed and stabbed his mother to death when she returned home from a shopping trip. The son then allegedly dismembered his parents' bodies and tried to dissolve some of the remains and boiled his mother's head in a pot. But before allegedly carrying out the heinous crime, Guy Jr meticulously plotted his every murderous move in a notebook, detailing at great length how he would kill his mother and father, then how he would dispose of their remains, step-by-step. Douse killing rooms (kitchen?) with bleach, one of the bullet points discovered in the notebook reads. Flush chunks down toilet, not garbage disposal dont have to get rid of body if no forensic evidence. Scroll down for video Joel Guy Jr, 31, is on trial in Tennessee for the savage murders of his parents, who were dismembered inside their home in 2016 Before allegedly carrying out the heinous crime, Guy Jr meticulously plotted his every murderous move in a notebook, first detailing at great length how he would kill his mother and father, then how he would dispose of their remains, step-by-step The purported murder instructions then advise wiping down areas near killing rooms and bathrooms, before turning up the heating to 90 degrees in the home because it speeds up decomposition and melt[s] fingerprints Guy Sr was stabbed 42 times and had his limbs cut off, while his wife suffered 31 knife wounds and had her head severed and boiled in a pot The notebook was reportedly found in a backpack in the guest bedroom where Guy Jr. had been staying for the holiday weekend, Sandlin detailed. The notes contained a plan for the killings and explicitly describe the steps Guy Jr. was allegedly hoping to take to eradicate any evidence of his apparent role in their deaths. Prosecutors say Guy Jr's motive for the murders was financial because his parents had been planning to stop giving him money so they could retire comfortably Aligning with the polices theory that Guy Sr died first, the notes read kill him with the knife clean up mess from him before she get home. The corresponding bullet point reads kill her with a knife, before instructions to place her to which the police interpret to be Lisa Guy in the shower and turn on hot water and point at her to get rid of forensics. The notes then detail how Guy Jr. allegedly sought to place his fathers body in a plastic bin and use it to haul him into the shower alongside his mothers body to wash away evidence. Cut off his arm and plant flesh under her fingernails, the scrawl, written in blue ink, reads on the page. Use sodium hydroxide to destroy his soft tissue and soften bones for transport. Baste once every hour to accelerate. The purported murder instructions then advise wiping down areas near killing rooms and bathrooms, before turning up the heating to 90 degrees in the home because it speeds up decomposition and melt[s] fingerprints. Another page shows details of the assets belonging to Lisa Guy including a $500,000 life insurance policy that lists Guy Jr as a beneficiary 'Get Knives - quite - multiple. Get carving knives to make small pieces. Get sledgehammer - crush bones',' one page of the notes read Two plastic containers are pictured inside the home of Joel Guy Sr and Lisa Guy in Tennessee containing the couple's partially liquifed remains A stockpot containing Lisa Guy's severed head is seen boiling on the stove after her murder The male victim's clothes are pictured resting next to a pair of knives in the room The possibility of setting fire to the Guy family home to vanquish all evidence is explored in the notes, as is flooding the home to cover up forensic evidence. A reminder to send a text from her phone to send to me late Sunday is also specified. The author details that such a ruse would prove that I was in [Baton Rouge] and she was alive. Another page shows details of the assets belonging to Lisa Guy including a $500,000 life insurance policy that lists Guy Jr as a beneficiary. $500,000 would be all mine, the page read. With him missing/dead, I get the whole thing. According to the prosecution, Guy Jr's motive for the savage double homicide was financial because his parents had been planning to stop giving him money. Guy was reportedly studying to be a plastic surgeon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and had been in college for nine years while his parents supported him. The couple, who both worked as engineers, were ready to retire and stop providing him with assistance. One of the knives used in the double homicide is seen in a master bathroom sink in this screenshot from a police walk-through video Guy Sr was stabbed to death inside his exercise room, with his blood staining the wall. Police found his severed hands on the carpet (blurred) Deputies performed a welfare check entered the Guys' home in West Knox County, Tennessee, on November 28, 2016, and discovered body parts strewn throughout Guy Sr and Lisa's torso were found submerged in corrosive chemicals. This screenshot from WVLT shows a body being removed the the crime scene Guy Jr arrived at his parents' home on Wednesday, November 23, spent Thanksgiving with his parents and three sisters, and returned to Baton Rouge on Sunday. When Lisa failed to show up for work on Monday, her supervisor, Jennifer Whitehead, made multiple attempts to reach her by phone, but she did not pick up. Concerned for her safety, Whitehead told jurors she called the authorities and asked them to perform a welfare check, leading to the gruesome discoveries that were described by investigators as 'horrific.' One of the attending officers, KCSO Detective Jeremy McCord took the stand Tuesday and revealed that he had an ominous feeling when he arrived first on-scene at the home. He entered the property through a garage door. As soon as that garage door opened, we immediately felt heat, said McCord. Walking through the downstairs of the house, nothing made sense to me. The detective detailed how groceries had not been put away properly and he spotted two peoples wallets next to one another on the table. McCord said after he saw what he believed to be blood on the wall, he instructed all officers present to put gloves on. You can see straight down the hall and I saw hands... not connected to a body. At that point, the other officers held the hallway and we started doing standard building clearing. I will never get those smells out of my head or my dreams, he said. Jurors saw the aftermath of the grisly crime when Knox County Sheriff's officer Sandy Campbell took the witness stand yesterday and narrated a 30-minute video showing her walking through the crime scene. The graphic video shows blood stains on the carpet throughout the house, piles of bloodied, shredded clothing belonging to the victims, and a severed human hand resting on the floor in the couple's blood-spattered home gym. The recording also shows the kitchen, with a large metal stockpot covered with a lid containing Lisa Guy's head boiling on the stove. Guy Jr was arrested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, just days after the gruesome killings Containers of chemicals are seen sitting in a hallways next to a large bloodstains Family and baby pictures of Joel and Lisa's children are seen adorning a wall inside the family's home Later in the video, Campbell encounters two large blue plastic bins with partially liquified human remains floating inside. That portion of the footage has been blurred due to its graphic nature. Deputies who responded to the home on November 28 to perform a welfare check found remains, including human hands, strewn all throughout the gore-splattered home. The victims' torsos and some of their limbs were placed in 45-gallon plastic containers, doused with a corrosive chemical and left to liquify, in what prosecutors described as a 'diabolical stew of human remains,' reported WVLT. Knox County prosecutor Leslie Nassios on Monday detailed the full roster of the horrific injuries sustained by the victims. Guy Sr was stabbed and slashed 42 times, with some of the blows severing his ribs and puncturing his liver, lungs and kidneys. Autopsy showed that the man's hands were cut off at the wrists, his arms were severed at the shoulder blade, his legs were sawed off at the hip and his right foot was removed at the ankle. Nassios said the evidence indicated the father fought for his life. Lisa was stabbed 31 times and had nine of her ribs severed. Her legs were cut off below the knee and her arms were removed at the shoulder. The Guys had just sold their house and were in the process of moving into another home belonging to Guy Sr's deceased mother, which they had recently purchased, The Advocate reported. Rene Charles, Guy Sr's sister, said her brother and his wife had planned to retire in Surgoinsville, Tennessee, according to the Kingsport Times-News. Guy Jr was apprehended at his Baton Rouge, Louisiana, apartment on November 29, 2016 as he tried to get flee in his 2006 Hyundai Sonata. The murder trial is expected to last a week. The state is not seeking the death penalty against Guy Jr. French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday urged Europe to extricate itself from dependence on American weapons systems while also defending Frances recent diplomacy with Russia. We, some countries more than others, gave up on our strategic independence by depending too much on American weapons systems, Macron said during a debate with students at the University of Vilnius in Lithuania. We cannot accept to live in a bipolar world made up of the U.S. and China, the French president continued. Macron also attempted to reassure the presidents of Lithuania and Latvia during his three-day visit visit to the two countries that Frances recent diplomatic efforts with Russia are aimed to benefit their countries, which remain skeptical of Russian intentions after the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Macron vowed that Russia would face unspecified consequences for Navalnys poisoning and called on Russia to provide an explanation for his death. Stronger European defense systems would support NATO, not replace it, Macron argued. We are conscious of your neighborhood as well as your history and it is in this spirit of mutual understanding and transparency and of protection of your security that we wanted to contribute to relaunching a strategic dialogue with Russia, Macron said at a press conference alongside Latvian President Egils Levits. This dialogue doesnt deny any parts of our European histories, but wants to face our history and our geography, Macron said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius expressed skepticism Monday about French overtures to Russia, saying that while dialogue can be productive, it must bear fruit. We understand the desire to have dialogue because channels are always important in diplomacy, Linkevicius told Politico. Dialogue for the sake of dialogue is not what we want to see, it creates an impression of business as usual. Frances relations with Russia stiffened after Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea, but Macron attempted to reopen diplomatic channels last year. Story continues Macrons remarks echo his previous call in November for Europe to develop independent defense systems to maintain strategic autonomy, when he warned about the brain death of NATO due to the U.S. taking a more distant approach to the alliance. More from National Review The actor was also recently honoured with the SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for his immense work. While social media was flooded with wishes congratulating Sonu on the feat, Priyanka Chopra too expressed how inspired she was by his world. The actress took to Twitter and wrote, Congratulations @SonuSood. So well deserved! You continue to do Gods work and its so inspiring to see. Thank you for all that you do. Congratulations @SonuSood. So well deserved! You continue to do Gods work and its so inspiring to see. Thank you for all that you do. https://t.co/31ArpwRAZb PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) September 30, 2020 We completely agree with Priyanka here. Sonu Sood has been nothing short of a superhero for India during the lockdown. The man has single-handedly been responsible for thousands of Indians reaching their homes at a time when all seemed lost. In Turkestan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin held talks with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and took part in the III Forum of interregional cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Kazpravda.kz reports with reference to the press service of the Prime Minister. During the meeting, topical issues of developing bilateral cooperation in trade and economic, investment, agricultural, transit, transport, water and energy spheres, industrial cooperation, tourism and other sectors were discussed. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan account for about 70% of all regional trade in Central Asia. Bilateral trade in 9 months of 2021 exceeded $ 2.9 billion, which is 28.5% more than in the same period in 2020. Following the results of this year Uzbekistan may become one of the five largest trade partners of Kazakhstan. The task was set to bring the volume of mutual trade to $ 5 billion in 2022 and to $ 10 billion within 5 years. Work is underway to implement a project to create an International Center for Trade and Economic Cooperation "Central Asia" on the border of the two countries. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan noted the high dynamics of Kazakh-Uzbek cooperation in the field of industrial cooperation. The joint venture "Hyundai Auto Asia" is working effectively. The Astana-Motors company is working on the issue of building a plant for the production of Hyundai cars in Jizzakh. In Kostanay, SaryarkaAvtoProm LLP, together with UZAuto Motors JSC, has launched production of Chevrolet cars, with MAN Auto-Uzbekistan JSC - MAN trucks. In November this year a joint venture for the production of agricultural machinery "Nurafshon" was created in the Localization Center of JSC "AgromashHoldingKZ" in Kostanay. Successful examples of cooperation in the light industry are the launch of textile production at the joint venture Alliance and the Turkestan Textile garment factory. There are other potential growth points for new joint projects in the field of mechanical engineering, construction industry and pharmaceutical industry," Askar Mamin said. The Head of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan noted the high level of interaction between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the transit and transport sector - work is underway to implement large joint projects to develop railway infrastructure, modernize road checkpoints; a favorable tariff policy for carriage of goods have been formed. For 10 months of this year, the volume of railway traffic between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Uzbekistan amounted to 20.5 million tons. The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan stressed the importance of cooperation between the two countries in the field of environmental protection, water and forestry. By joint efforts during the growing season, additional water discharge from the Toktogul and Kairakum reservoirs was provided, which met the needs of agricultural producers of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. Joint projects are being implemented to resolve acute environmental problems of the Aral Sea, to support the socio-economic development of the entire Aral Sea area. We propose to unite efforts to plant saxaul plantations on the drained bottom of the Aral Sea," Mamin said. Askar Mamin and Abdulla Aripov held a meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation and took part in the III Forum of Interregional Cooperation of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on the topic "Cross-border cooperation as new growth points", which brought together about 200 people - heads of state bodies, regions, as well as representatives of business groups of the two countries. The reports were made by the Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bakhyt Sultanov, Deputy Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Badriddin Abidov, akims of the Turkestan region Umirzak Shukeyev, the Mangistau region - Nurlan Nogayev, Aktobe region - Ondasyn Urazalin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan Kahraman Sariev, khokims of Jizzakh region Ergash Saliev, Tashkent region - Zoir Mirzaev and others. Within the framework of the Forum, 54 investment and commercial contracts were signed in the fields of mechanical engineering, agro-industrial complex, production of building materials, electrical products, medical products, infrastructure development and other industries for a total of $ 611.3 million. During their visit to Turkestan, the heads of government of the two countries took part in the opening ceremony of the Nazarbayev Intellectual School, visited the mausoleum of Kh.A. Yassaui, the Uly Dala Eli center, the Karavan-Saray tourist complex and other objects. Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it has hired an ex-PSA powertrain expert as it strives to develop next-generation powertrain and electrification technologies. The Korean automotive group appointed Alain Raposo, 57, as executive vice president in charge of its powertrain tech unit under the group's research and development division, the company said in a statement. Raposo will be responsible for engine, transmission and electrification development for Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors starting Monday. He will report to Albert Biermann, president and head of the RD division, it said. "I'll put all my energy and knowledge, together with my Powertrain Tech unit members, to contribute to the success of the Hyundai Motor Group. I am excited to experience the Korean culture and to join Hyundai in its efforts to make a smart digital transformation from the combustion era to fully sustainable mobility," he said in the statement. (Yonhap) LONDON - Julian Assange's conversations in the latter part of his 7-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London were systematically bugged, even in the toilet, a London court heard Wednesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 file photo, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange appears at the window before speaking on the balcony of the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. A London court has heard that Julian Assanges conversations in the latter part of his seven-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London were systematically bugged, even in the toilet. Two anonymous witnesses who worked for a Spanish firm with a security contract at the embassy said the WikiLeaks founder faced an intensifying bugging operation after Donald Trump became U.S. president. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) LONDON - Julian Assange's conversations in the latter part of his 7-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London were systematically bugged, even in the toilet, a London court heard Wednesday. In written statements at Assanges extradition hearing, two anonymous witnesses who worked for a Spanish firm with a security contract at the embassy said the WikiLeaks founder faced an intensifying bugging operation from 2017 onwards after Donald Trump became U.S. president. Judge Vanessa Baraitser on Tuesday granted the two witnesses anonymity amid fears for their safety. Lawyers acting on behalf of the U.S. government did not contest the submission of the anonymous statements but said they were largely irrelevant to the matter under consideration in London's Old Bailey court. The two witnesses alleged that David Morales, the director of Spanish security firm Undercover Global, switched to "the dark side" and had instructed the installation of cameras with sophisticated audio capabilities to secretly record Assange's meetings at the embassy, particularly those with his lawyers. Assange lived in the embassy for seven years from 2012 after seeking refuge there while fearing his potential extradition to the U.S. He was evicted in April 2019 and has been in a London prison since. The anonymous witnesses both claimed that Morales said the surveillance was initiated at the behest of "our American friends" and that he had been handsomely rewarded. One of the witnesses said Morales travelled to Las Vegas around July 2016 to showcase the security firm and subsequently obtained a "flashy contract" with the Las Vegas Sands, which was owned by Sheldon Adelson, a wealthy associate of Trump's. "After returning from one of his trips to the United States, David Morales gathered all the workers in the office in Jerez and told us that We have moved up and from now on we will be playing in the big league," the witness said. The other anonymous witness, who was employed as an IT expert from 2015, alleged that while in Jerez, the city in southern Spain where UC Global's had its headquarters, Morales had said in December 2017 that "the Americans were desperate." The witness said a suggestion was made that "more extreme measures should be employed against the guest to put an end to the situation of Assanges permanence in the embassy." Specifically, the witness said the idea was raised for the door to the embassy being left open, "which would allow the argument that this had been an accidental mistake, which would allow persons to enter from outside the embassy and kidnap the asylee." There was, the witness claimed, even a suggestion that Assange could be poisoned. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "All of these suggestions Morales said were under consideration during his dealing with his contacts in the United States," the witness said. The witness also alleged that Morales had asked him soon after to install a microphone in an extinguisher in an embassy meeting room, as well as in a toilet where Assange had been holding meetings due to concern he was the target of espionage. "I used a nearby socket to conceal a microphone in a cable in the toilet in the back of the embassy," the witness said. "This was never removed, and may still be there." U.S. prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. Assanges defence team says he is entitled to First Amendment protections for the publication of leaked documents that exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have also said he is suffering from wide-ranging mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies, that could be exacerbated if he ends up in inhospitable prison conditions in the U.S. Assanges extradition hearing, which was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, is due to end this week. ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gibbs & Cox will support our partner, Halter Marine, on the recent auxiliary general ocean surveillance ship (T-AGOS(X)) industry study award. With the detail design and construction contract award expected in 2022, we are excited to begin laying the foundation for the anticipated delivery of the first vessel in 2025. The T-AGOS(X) class will replace the existing fleet of four T-AGOS 19 and one T-AGOS 23 small water plane area twin hull (SWATH) ships, which are currently nearing the end of their service life. The new T-AGOS(X) class has options for six additional ships and will be designed with a projected service life of 30 years. As the builder of the T-AGOS 23 class, Halter Marine has extensive experience with the design and construction of this unique hull form. G&C brings our 91 years of engineering and design experience to the team while serving as the design agent. Chris Deegan, G&C Chief Executive and President, noted, "This award represents over a year of pre-award work between G&C and Halter Marine and extends the growing partnership between our organizations." Gibbs & Cox, Inc. is a global leader in maritime engineering and design, with 24 classes of combatants and nearly 7,000 vessels built to our designs since 1929. Gibbs & Cox supports military and commercial clients in the U.S. and internationally with all phases of marine design, construction, and lifecycle management. Independent and privately held, Gibbs & Cox is headquartered in Arlington, VA, with offices in New Orleans, LA; Newport News, VA; New York City, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; Chesapeake, VA and Canberra, ACT, Australia. SOURCE Gibbs & Cox, Inc. Related Links http://www.gibbscox.com George Green, CEO of The Public Theater of San Antonio, has been pursuing a goal since he took the job four years ago: Transforming the community theater formerly known as the San Pedro Playhouse into an Equity house, a professional regional theater aligned with the union for actors and stage managers. It was within reach at the start of this year, when Green said everyone working on the upcoming season at The Public, which had a collective bargaining agreement with the Actors Equity Association, would be paid. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and another goal took precedence: keeping the theaters doors open. Actors Equity has established a set of health and safety protocols for the theater industry, including that the spread of the virus must be under control for productions to be considered safe. Bexar County hasnt yet met that standard, which means sticking with the union might have had dire consequences for the theaters future. So The Public will operate outside the union for the foreseeable future. If we would have stayed under the union without putting a pause on, it would have meant that we werent going to be able to have any shows this season, and Im afraid that wouldnt have boded well for the liquidity of the theater, said Vernon Haney, chairman of the board. We didnt want to shut the doors. It was a tough decision to make. Nobody really wanted to do it, but this was the only avenue we had. It doesnt sever ties irreparably. When things become safe again, well renew that relationship. In response to the pandemic, Green replaced The Publics planned 2020-21 season with a season of one-person shows, which could be livestreamed without an audience if necessary because of public safety requirements. If Actors Equity didnt accept those safety measures, he said at the time, the theater would most likely terminate their collective bargaining agreement for the 2020-21 season. Thats a big deal, he told the Express-News then. But its certainly something that we know we need to do, because if were not programming, and if were not hiring artists for another year, its going to be extremely difficult to bounce back. The theaters first production of the new season was a livestreamed staging of Buyer and Cellar, a solo show in which Rick Sanchez played an actor who takes a very odd job with Barbra Streisand. Shortly before it opened on Sept. 10, the company learned that the union would not sanction that show or any of the seven other solo shows the company announced for the 2020-21 season. The show went on anyway. Earlier this week, Actors Equity placed The Public on a Do Not Work list for disregarding the unions safety principles. It is one of six regional theaters on that particular list, and the only one in Texas. Union members are banned from working with producers or productions on Do Not Work lists. Those who do may face disciplinary measures, including loss of membership. In early September, the union informed The Public that in order for the theater to be cleared to produce work, Bexar County would need to show a sustained drop in new cases for 14 days; have a community rate of less than five cases for every 100,000 residents or about 100 cases for at least one week; and the test rate for would have to be below 5 percent positive for at least one week. Bexar County currently has a rolling, seven-day average of 178 new cases and a weekly positivity rate of 5.9 percent. If not for the local areas lack of consistent COVID-19 trends, this would most likely be a non-issue, Green said in a statement. Shortly after the theater landed on the Do Not Work list, an anonymous person posted a petition to change.org demanding that Green resign or that the board replace him. It has more than 350 signatures. The board has no plans to do that, Haney said: We are all behind George. Asked about the petition, Green said, I am giving the artists and community members space to voice their opinions. Among the people who signed the petition is actor Gaz Garcia, a San Antonio-based member of the union. Garcia has not worked at The Public but has been a patron there and sees its Do Not Work designation as a black eye for the city. People think, as members, we feel like our opportunities have been taken away, when my concern, and from what Ive heard from everyone Ive spoken to, is we dont like the way it was done, Garcia said. Countless Equity theaters across the U.S. have exited the union gracefully and did not make the Do Not Work list. The designation, they added, is a signal to every actor, every artist, to let them know if you regarded this house as a safe union space, it is no longer that. Actor Shane Glenn Vickers, a longstanding union member who relocated to San Antonio with his fiance to make The Public their professional home, said its serious for any theater to end up on a Do Not Work list. Its sad, said Vickers, who last appeared at the theater last summer as Miss Trunchbull in Matilda. It paints a negative light on a place that I personally have loved so much. He is hopeful that the situation can be resolved, noting that the union wants an Equity house in San Antonio. Equity is going to work very hard to make that possible, he said. Brandon Lorenz, Actors Equitys national director of communications and public policy, did not cite COVID-19 concerns in a statement about the situation. Because their recent production was not under an Equity contract, we informed our members and others of that fact through our Do Not Work list, Lorenz said. We are currently in conversations with the theater to resolve this dispute and ensure fair pay and safer theater for artists moving forward. By the time Buyer and Cellar opened, The Public had been dark for six months, and a slate of big-cast musicals for the Russel Hill Rogers stage had been tossed. Buyer and Cellar star Sanchez and director Tim Hedgepeth initially rehearsed over Zoom. When they moved to the theater, they were tested for COVID-19 weekly and underwent temperature checks before they were permitted to come inside, Hedgepeth said. He, the stage manager and the designers wore masks the entire time, and social distancing was strictly enforced. Sanchez said it was odd not getting any sort of audible or visual response from an audience As an actor, youre stripped of your senses, he said but that he felt safe whenever he was in the theater. The actor, who is not a union member, declined to comment on the situation with Actors Equity. Casts have been announced for the other shows slated for the months ahead. Whether those plans will have to change remains to be seen. At this point there is no clear path, Green said via email. We will continue to provide safe work for performers while sharing meaningful art to the community within the allowable legislative constraints in fact, more diligent than them. By Trend In its capacity as co-chair of the Minsk Group, France, with its Russian and US partners is doing everything in its power to restore this dialogue and restart a political process within the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Trend reports citing French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. As President Macron emphasized yesterday during his telephone conversations with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the absolute priority is a halt to hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and the necessary restoration of a process of dialogue, the ministry said in a statement. France reiterates its commitment to reaching a negotiated, lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with due regard for international law, the ministry said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Combining the capabilities of Raptor and CRG allows school officials and first responders to receive quick alerts and increase their situational awareness when reacting to an emergency. Raptor Technologies and Critical Response Group Inc. (CRG) today announce their strategic partnership to advance communications between schools and first responders. The partnership elevates the aligned missions of Raptor and CRG: to protect every child, every school, every day and to enable first responders to make better decisions faster with the ultimate goal of saving lives, respectively. After exhaustive research on our approach to safety enhancements, our district selected Raptor because it offered visitor, emergency, drill, and reunification management within one system, said Toms River Regional Schools Assistant Superintendent James Ricotta, Jr. Since we joined together with CRG and Raptor Technologies, Toms River Schoolsthe sixth largest school district in New Jerseyhas the best and most cost effective security upgrades available, has achieved full compliance for local regulations related to Alyssas Law, and has the peace of mind that were providing our students and staff the highest level of safety and security we can offer. Collaborative Response Graphics (CRGs) are a battle proven planning technique widely used within the U.S. Military Special Operations community. CRGs prepare first responders for more effective command and control when responding to unfamiliar locations. These standardized, site-specific, and geo-rectified common operating pictures combine floor plans, high-resolution imagery, and a gridded overlay together into one map. The combined technology goes well beyond an interactive floorplan by putting the identical mapping solution in standard use by public safety organizations across the country in the hands of first responders and school personnel simultaneously. Finding new or better ways to make schools safer is an ongoing professional endeavor of mine, so leveraging these two proven security solutions to enhance our ability to secure our schools was a no-brainer for me, said Patrick Kissane, Director of School Safety and Security at Edison Township School District and Executive Director of the New Jersey Association of School Resource Officers. Combining the capabilities of Raptor and CRG allows school officials and first responders to receive quick alerts and increase their situational awareness when reacting to an emergency. The seamless integration of CRGs within the Raptor Emergency Management Suite combines proven emergency practices with 21st-century technology to help school districts and law enforcement work together during an emergency. The ability to communicate and collaborate in this manner provides a true common operating picture during an emergency to reduce response time and ultimately save lives. Beyond active incidents, the CRGs can be used during drills, exercises, and reunification events, further enhancing the partnership between schools and local first responder agencies. About Raptor Technologies Raptor Technologies is the nations leading provider of integrated school safety technologies for K-12 schools across the United States. Founded in 2002 with the mission to protect every child, every school, every day, Raptor solutions include Raptor Visitor Management, Raptor Emergency Management, and Raptor Volunteer Management on one integrated platform. Released in 2020, Raptor Alert, a mobile panic button solution and school emergency notification system expedites awareness and response to localized incidents and school- or district-wide emergency situations with the touch of a button. The Raptor system also enables schools to screen students, staff, and visitors with optional custom health-related questions and to run detailed reports to help facilitate contact tracing. Raptor Technologies is a privately held corporation based in Houston, Texas. As of 2020, over 32,000 schools across the nation trust Raptor to help protect their schools. For more information, visit http://www.raptortech.com. About Critical Response Group, Inc. Critical Response Group is a team of dedicated, experienced, and proven professionals from the U.S. Military Special Operations and domestic public safety communities. Members of Critical Response Group have served as Police Chiefs, SWAT team commanders, Fire Chiefs, Emergency Management Coordinators, State Fusion Center Directors, and former members of the U.S. Military Special Operations Command who have served on numerous tours in combat. They have a proven record of success operating in environments ranging from the war on terror overseas to man-made and natural disasters here at home. For more information, visit https://www.crgplans.com. Five activists protesting against the pillage of Africa are standing trial in Paris for seizing a colonial artefact from Frances main indigenous art museum. Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza, a 41-year-old Congolese campaigner, organised the stunt, in which he removed a 19th-century funeral staff from Chad and paraded it conspicuously around the Quai Branly Museum, on the bank of the River Seine. Were taking them home, he shouted in a video posted on social media, as he and four others were arrested at the scene on charges of attempted theft of a registered artwork. Diyabanza and four others face up to 10 years in prison and 150,000 euros (137,000) in fines. In response, Diyabanza sued the French state, accusing it of theft and receiving stolen goods for amassing a huge collection of artworks from the colonial era, much of which was pillaged or stolen. The pan-African activist has since staged similar operations at indigenous art museums in Marseille and the Dutch town of Berg en Dal, earning the tagline of the Robin Hood of colonial heritage. It was important to approach this trial with a combative spirit, even if its risky, Diyabanza told AFP. We had no intention of stealing this work, but we will continue [staging public protests] for as long as the injustice of pillaging Africa has not been corrected. The matter of restitution of artworks to its native owners deserves a serious debate, said Emmanuel Kasarherou, director of the Quai Branly, who became the first indigenous person ever to head a major French national museum. The institution is documenting the origins of its collections and how they were obtained and using this work as a basis for moving forward, Mr Kasarherou, a Kanak from the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, continued. French officials condemned the direct action, which came after President Emmanuel Macron vowed shortly after his election in 2017 to review the status of African art in France. President Macron has come under renewed pressure to confront the countrys past in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. Whilst he has promised to be uncompromising on racism, he has insisted that statues of colonial-era leaders will not be taken down. Anti-racism campaigners in France have called on the constitutionally colour-blind society not to be blind to discrimination and to legalise the collection of statistics on ethnicity. Mumbai: Abhay Deol andBritish-Indian actor Meera Syal have boarded the cast of Disney Channels original movie Spin. The two stars join Avantika Vandanapu, Aryan Simhadri, Michael Bishop, Jahbril Cook, Kerri Medders and Anna Cathcart, Disney Channel said in a statement. Directed byManjari Makijany of Desert Dolphin fame, the film is aboutan Indian American teen who discovers her artistic side through the unique world of DJ culture. Vandanapu will star as Rhea, an Indian American teen who learns she has a passion for creating DJ mixes that blend the textures of her Indian heritage and the world around her. Her life revolves around her eclectic group of friends, Molly, Watson and Ginger, her after-school coding club, her familys Indian restaurant and her tight-knit, multigenerational family, which has only grown closer since her mothers passing. Everything changes when she falls for aspiring DJ Max and a long lost fervour for music is re-ignited. Rhea discovers that she has a natural gift for creating beats and producing music but must find the courage to follow her true inner talent, the official synopsis of the movie read. Deol, who most recently featured in SonyLIV series JL50, will play Rheas father, Arvind. Syal will essay the role of Rheas spirited grandmother, Asha. Simhadri has been cast as Rheas younger brother. The film will start production in October and is scheduled to premier on Disney Channel in 2021. - President Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene during his tour of the region - Regarding the upcoming December polls, Otumfuor Osei Tutu said his good works would speak for him - Ghanaians are excited about the comments the Asante chief - Most people described him as a very wise person Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region in line with the 2020 elections, paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene. During his visit to the Asanteman, the Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu said in the Asanteman will remember his good works come December 7, 2020. All I can offer you is prayers and blessings. We, in Asanteman, remember, we do not forget. Asanteman will, therefore, remember your good works on election day. Your good works in office will speak for you going forward into the election," Otumfuor Osei Tutu II said. In a native post created by YEN.com.gh, Ghanaians have shared their thoughts on the comments of the Asantehene. Azuma believes the king was speaking indirectly. Seidu believes the statement made by the Asantehene is a big one. Anars had quite an interesting opining. Rexford believes if there is the need to change government, it certainly is not former president Mahama. In other news, popular Kumawood actor, Agya Koo, has declared the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and its leader Nana Akufo-Addo, as the only party and leader who can move Ghana forward. He said Akufo-Addo has all that is needed to take Ghana to the promised land. Thus, he urged Ghanaians to vote for the party and ensure that the president retains the power to continue with the good works. Agya Koo was reportedly speaking in an interview with Opemsuo FM, according to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Ghbase.com. According to him, the president has many good plans for the nation and for the people to benefit fully, he must be voted for to remain in power to continue working. Agya Koo said after analysing all that the NPP and the president have promised Ghanaians, he is one hundred percent convinced that being voted for to retain power is the best thing Ghanaians can do. To help in this regard, Agya Koo said he is going to embark on a house-to-house campaign to ensure that the NPP wins the December 2020 elections and retain power. YEN is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via Instagram or on YENs official Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh How Hansons Upcoming (Themed!) Concert Series Is a Full Ecosystem for Fans and Local Business Hanson talks to PEOPLE about finding a new way to connect with fans, as well as looking forward to releasing a new album and hitting the road again in 2021 For Hanson, 2020 was set to be a big year in terms of a world tour and a brand-new album before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe but they've found a unique way to keep their musical ride alive. In an exclusive new chat with PEOPLE ahead of their upcoming livestreamed concert series, Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson open up about how they were inspired not only by their devoted fans to put on a series of (socially distant) back-to-back in-person/virtual hybrid shows with a new theme each month! but by the idea of supporting a beloved music venue in their town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "We started going, 'What way can we start to bring people together start to breathe that positivity into the community and share music in a way to also help local venues?' " says Zac, 34. "You're starting to see that the venues and the places you love to go play are really struggling, maybe even more than some of the artists. And we go, 'How do we connect with that?' " For the brothers, the "perfect" fit was just "up the street from" their 3CG Records office in downtown Tulsa: Cain's Ballroom, which they've played many times in the past and have a deep affection for. "It's about 10 percent of what would normally be in the room, so it's a very small number," Zac explains of the in-person audience capacity. "But it allows us to go, 'We're going to invite hardcore fans, the Hanson.net fan-club members, into the room, and then we're going to broadcast to the world and give people something to look forward to if you're a Hanson fan.' " Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Story continues Rebecca Sarkar From L to R: Zac, Isaac and Taylor Hanson RELATED: Hanson Talk Pushing Their Musical Boundaries with New String Theory Symphonic Album Isaac, 39, explains that Cain's is a "family-run business" that is "trying to keep their heads above water" amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and associated lack of in-person events. "We've had a longstanding friendship with not only just the owners, but also having played there so many times. So it's a full ecosystem kind of situation," he says. Hanson will perform three shows a month from October through January. The first theme honors their album The Best of HANSON, Live and Electric, which they're celebrating the 15th anniversary of this year. The band hit the road in support of the album in 2005 the same year they toured colleges around the country to screen their documentary Strong Enough to Break, about the formation of their independent record label. "We just wanted to pick things each month that had either an inspiration or kind of an ecosystem around that would have things to pull from, like cool covers we haven't played, songs people know," Taylor, 37, tells PEOPLE. "So that's the message of each month ... picking themes that have almost their own sub-context." Zac says that a theme based on their recently released seven-song EP Continental Breakfast in Bed is "definitely something we're thinking about," but the concepts could be based on anything from specific albums to timeframes to projects that have been extra meaningful to them and their fans over the band's 28-year history, presenting a unique challenge: "The secret sauce behind the idea of themes associated with these streaming tours is we do like to push ourselves. I think it makes you a better performer when you're having to be on your A game." We're really excited about November and December, and January is kind of going to be a curve ball," Isaac teases, while Taylor quips, "And there will probably be some sleigh bells in December. I'm just saying." Jonathan Weiner Hanson RELATED VIDEO: Blues Traveler and Hanson Join Forces for an Epic Collaboration Blues Traveler and Hanson Join Forces for an Epic Collaboration "Blow Up the Moon" is in stores now For the lucky fans who snatch up tickets (which immediately sold out for October) to see the shows in person, they will be subject to temperature checks at the door and social-distancing measures like sitting at their own tables that are "far apart" and give "plenty of space to be comfortable" and safe, says Zac. Meanwhile, at home, the brothers and their respective immediate families Zac has four children, Isaac has three and Taylor has six are figuring out the new normal in terms of school for their kids, having grown up being homeschooled themselves. "We took one of our sons out of school last year to homeschool and then we put the other back in, and our daughter's at school. So we've got a combo situation at my house," says Isaac (or "Principal Isaac," as Zac quips). "And I will say that one of the coolest things about 2020 is you have so many available resources." "It has definitely been a year of [personal] testing, as well," Taylor adds. "Hopefully our kids have begun to appreciate the things that we already were taking for granted [and] appreciate them more. Because think about it as if you're 15 you're that much more like, 'Man, I really want to get out. I've got all these things I want to do.' " It has also been a time for Zac to work on an exciting side project of his own. "I have several friends [with whom I've] been talking about starting a band for years. And this made some time to actually do that, and it's been awesome," he shares. "I don't know when or where the music will ever come out, but the joy of realizing that project and laughing together and making music together has been really awesome." Jonathan Weiner From L to R: Zac, Taylor and Isaac Hanson RELATED: Hanson at 25: The Brothers Dish on Greatest Hits Album, Track by Track and Why They'll Always Be Proud of "MMMBop" For now, the guys are looking forward to kicking off the first of four three-concert series next week, before hitting the road for their world tour and releasing their 12th studio album Against the World in 2021 as well as reflecting on their gratitude for having been able to come up with a creative way to "bridge the gap" among themselves and fans during the global health crisis (and support Cain's, to boot). "Of course we have, like most people, gotten a chance to have a little more time with family, which is huge and is the silver lining of this whole year," says Taylor, who's expecting his seventh child with wife Natalie this December. "But it really does point out how grateful we have been for the fans that have been with us." "We were getting excited about sharing different themes [in] different months. And then to combine that with this idea that we really can bring to attention the importance of supporting your local venues and working with a great venue that's doing just enough to create a safe environment for people in person and trying to bridge the gap," he adds. "That just feels like a great match." Tickets for Hanson's October livestream concert series streaming Oct. 9, 10 and 11 are available now on Hanson.net. New themes will be announced for the following month at the end of each series. As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here. Whats new: A court in Papua New Guinea has dismissed the third application by Barrick Niugini Ltd. (BNL), to review the governments previous decision not to extend the lease of the Porgera gold mine to the joint venture between Chinese Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd. and Canadian Barrick Gold Corp., according to a statement issued Wednesday by BNL. Earlier this month, BNL publicly challenged the a rumor that the Porgera mining lease would be given to local state-owned miner Kumul Mineral Holdings Ltd. pointing out that the mine covers certain parts of land that BNL still has a lease for. Whats the context: The Porgera mine, located in the countrys northern highlands, is one of the worlds 10 largest gold mines. In April, the Papua New Guinea government denied an application from BNL to extend its lease of the Porgera gold mine. After a lengthy dispute, a local court ruled on the legality of the governments actions with the consequence of BNLs mining lease ending on Sept. 1. Read more In Depth: How a Chinese Miner Lost the Rights to a Pacific Island Gold Mine The mine has a remaining life of 20 years, with high-grade gold reserves of 11.6 million ounces, according to the government. If the mine produces 500,000 ounces of gold a year at a price of $2,000 per ounce, the annual cash flow will be $1 billion, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape estimated. After taking out operating costs of $360 million, the prime minister projected a net profit of $640 million a year from the mine. Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use.To read the full Caixin article in Chinese, click here. Contact reporter Lu Yutong (yutonglu@caixin.com) and editor Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com) Support quality journalism in China. Subscribe to Caixin Global starting at $0.99. Bhopal: Kanha National Park, known for high density of tigers, spread across Balaghat and Mandla districts of Madhya Pradesh is now virtually under the control of Maoists, according to a police officer who asked not to be named. Kanha is considered one of the finest tiger reserves in the country . It has at least 130 tigers and the highest density of the big cats after Corbett National Park, Kaziranga National Park and Ranthambore tiger reserve. The park was doing well till about two years ago when Maoists facing pressure from security forces in Mahrashtra and Chhattisgarh decided that the dense and difficult terrain of Kanha was a safe haven. Police said that in 2017 the rebels formed a platoon to increase their influence in the region and started inducting locals. Abhishek Tiwari, superintendent of police (SP), Balaghat, said Maoists influence was earlier restricted to just buffer of Kanha tiger reserve, which they used as a route to and from Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Now Maoists of Vistar Dalam (the platoon) have shifted to the core area of the reserve in Mandla and Balaghat districts and are using it as a gateway to enhance their reach to other parts of MP including the Vindhya region, he added. The SP said this was revealed by Maoist leader Badal Singh Markam, who was arrested by Balaghat police after an encounter on September 18. On basis of his interrogation, the police recovered three troves of arms, ammunition and essential items from the core area of Kanha. A tiger reserve is divided into buffer and core zones with the latter being the most carefully protected one on account of being home to the most animals. An officer of Madhya Pradeshs anti-Naxal wing said Maoists presence in core area of the tiger reserve is a new and different type of challenge as movement of people is restricted in the core area, which has poor mobile connectivity. The forest guards can help but they are scared and are providing dry ration to Maoists,this person added, asking not to be named. Balaghat police have issued an advisory to forest officers of Kanha Tiger Reserve asking them to provide them information about the presence of rebels. Forest department officials should cooperate with police as it is their fundamental duty, said inspector general of police, Balaghat, KP Venkateshwar, who has issued the advisory. He added that the police have assured the forest guards of security if they provide information or action would be initiated against them. Kanha forest department officials refused to speak on record on the advisory. A deputy ranger at the reserve, who asked not to be named, said the forest guards have no option. Armed Maoists come to patrolling camp located at every 8-10 sq km of core area and ask for ration from the guard. Our guards are unarmed and they have no option but to give them the ration. They cant put their life at risk by challenging the Maoists. MPs additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), JS Chauhan, said: Earlier, movement of Maoists was in the buffer zone so it was easy for police to take action but now their movement has shifted to dense core zone and it is difficult for forest authorities to locate them. The unarmed guards, who are protecting wildlife in the core area and living in camps cant resist Maoists and take risk of their life by sharing information with police. He, however, added that all possible help was being provided to the police. Police officials said Maoists movement increased in and around Kanha, especially during lockdown, when surveillance in the forest areas was low. The anti-Naxal wing office cited above said a senior Maoist leader, special zone secretary for Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone Deepak Teltumbde alias Jeeva has been spotted in Mandla and Balaghat regions. Maoists allegedly killed a 30-year-old migrant labourer in June this year in Balaghat on the suspicion of being a police informer. As many as 800 personnel of anti-Naxal Force have been deployed in Balaghat division to combat the Maoists, the official added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tony Evans urges Christian voters on life issue: Don't ignore 'abortion' outside the womb Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Over a month ahead of election day, Pastor Tony Evans urged U.S. citizens to consider the value of life both inside and outside the womb before voting, warning that ignoring what God says about human dignity will result in chaos. "When you don't start with the image of God, then you make life what you call it to be, not what God has created it and stamped it to be," Evans, the longtime pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Texas, said on Sunday. "Till we see it through God's eyes, then we will not start in the right place. God views it as a personal insult when life is not given the value He gives ... to it because what you said is what God did is not worth protecting. So any discussion of life has to start there. Any discussion of life has to start with the divine mark. And the job of government, the Bible says, is to protect that life. When God is left out of government, life and its value gets downgraded, reduced, dishonored and attacked, he warned. So when you think about Kingdom voting, you must think about the question of life. Life, Evans explained, includes pre-born life and post-born life; abortion before birth, and abortion after birth. See the problem we get in with voting is that we choose a term insurance policy, not a whole life insurance policy, he said. We choose a pre-born insurance policy, and not a post-born insurance policy because we do not view all of life in terms of the image of God. And as a result, Christians take sides. Unless the sanctity of life at all stages is fully recognized, you will not have a biblical view on the role of government, Evans said. You'll just have a partisan view or a personal view. But you won't be dealing with life as God deals with it. The pastor, who also founded The Urban Alternative, went on to highlight the horrors of abortion, asking: Can you imagine if Mary had the option of abortion and decided to take it? We know that couldn't happen in the providence of God, but [under] some of the laws today, it would be OK to kill the Savior. He cited Galatians 1:15-16, which speaks to the reality of life in the womb, adding: So when the government talks about it, its OK to abort, its saying its OK to attack God. Ignoring what God says about life in the womb will result in chaos, Evans warned. When you attack life in the womb, you have come against Him. He doesn't like it. That's why He said in Genesis 9, You attack my life, I will attack you. You want the government to keep you safe? It better keep you safe by keeping God happy. It keeps you safe by keeping God happy by not ... legalizing death in the womb. In the U.S., 40% of voters see abortion as "very important" to their vote, according to a summer poll from Pew. Additionally, a spring poll from Gallup found that 30% of people who consider themselves "pro-life" say they would only vote for a candidate who shares that view compared to 19% of people who consider themselves "pro-choice." In his sermon Sunday, Evans emphasized that there also must be laws to protect the dignity of life outside the womb. Slavery, Jim Crow laws, racism, police brutality, mistreating the poor and homeless, and red-lining districts are all examples of reducing or removing dignity, he said. "When we allow the poor to have worse education than others because they don't have the same dollar bill, when we don't care about the health, well-being of people who do not have access to adequate healthcare, when we reduce their dignity we have attacked God. And when we reduce it by law or by practice then thats called post-life abortion because you are ... aborting either the length of their existence or the well-being of their existence so it just depends on which abortion you talking about. He contended that when Christians fail to reject and rebel against such policies, then we have become co-conspirators to oppressive regimes. Citing Psalm 89:14, Evans stressed that both "righteousness" and "justice" are the foundation of God's throne and that they can't be separated. "Don't just talk to me about moral laws, talk to me about it but don't put a period there. Talk to me also about the just application of the law without discrimination. Talk to me not only about what you're going to do with the poor but how you're going to handle the rich who are breaking my standard. But because they have money they can bypass it or eat their way out of it," he said. "No, there's two kind of abortions. There's abortion in the womb but there's abortion on your way to the tomb so that people don't get to live out their divinely ordained destiny. Yes, we should protest abortion in the womb. But that same number of people or more are to righteously and peacefully protest abortion outside of the womb. Life starts at conception and ends with death, but between the two should be dignity and protection." Because everyone has the stamp of God on them, they have divine value. It is time for Christians to adopt their whole life agenda and vote for government to protect a whole life agenda, he declared. And if your government party only is going to protect one side of it, then you hold them accountable and responsible to not ignore the other side of it. You do it in a righteous way because if you try to do it in an unrighteous way, God's not going to be with you there either. It is time for Kingdom voters, voters who take their stand as best they can, based on their conscience, to take a stand for life. Evans sermon was part of a series titled Kingdom Voting. Kingdom voting is the opportunity and responsibility of committed Christians to partner with God by expanding His rule in society through civil government, Evans previously explained. Its only to the degree that you include Gods person and Gods policies in society through civil government as He defines it, not as you prefer it that we can begin to see healing in the Church so that it can be modeled in the culture. In recent months, numerous pastors have weighed in on how Christians should operate amid a particularly contentious election season. Scott Sauls, bestselling author and senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, previously told The Christian Post that Christians must become more nuanced in our political engagement, become willing to critique the party that we align with, and also affirm the party that we don't align with. In some respects, we ought to feel politically homeless, he said. And that doesn't mean we all need to become moderates. But we all need to transcend the American political system just as Jesus transcended the political system that He was part of. When we give our whole selves to Jesus, it will become utterly impossible for us to give ourselves wholesale to a political party. Raghava Lawrences Laxmmi Bomb, starring Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani, will release in theatres in select overseas markets - Australia, New Zealand and UAE - on November 9. In India, the film is set for a direct-to-digital release on the same day on Disney+ Hotstar. Theatres across the country remained shuttered due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the US, Canada and UK, Laxmmi Bomb will release on Hotstar. The news was shared on Twitter by Fox Star Hindi, along with a new poster of the film featuring Akshay in his two different avatars - a man in the foreground and a transgender person in the background. This Diwali, Laxmmi Bomb to release day and date on 9th November in Australia, New Zealand and UAE. Directed by Raghava Lawrence, the movie stars Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani in the lead. #YehDiwaliLaxmmiBombWaali #LaxmmiBomb #FoxStarStudios, the tweet read. In a virtual press conference earlier this year, Akshay said that his role in Laxmmi Bomb was his most mentally intense. He was quoted by PTI as saying, In my career of 30 years, this is my most mentally intense role. It has been that tough. Ive never experienced something like this before. The credit goes to my director, Lawrence sir. He introduced me to a version of myself which I didnt know existed. Also read: Ranvir Shorey questions attempts to silence Kangana Ranaut, says she says a lot of sensational things for the effect This is unlike any character Ive ever played. I had to be careful to portray this character with utmost honesty, without offending any community, he added. Laxmmi Bomb is the remake of the Tamil horror comedy, Muni 2: Kanchana, which was also directed by Raghava Lawrence. The film marks Akshays digital debut. Akshay is also awaiting the release of Rohit Shettys cop drama Sooryavanshi, which also stars Katrina Kaif and features Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh in guest appearances. The film was supposed to hit the theatres in March this year but has been stalled due to the pandemic. Rumours suggest that it might also go the OTT route. Follow @htshowbiz for more Chris Wallace's overt defense of Joe Biden throughout the debate on Tuesday night was so obvious, so blatant, he should be proscribed from ever "moderating" a debate again. Wallace's performance was as Biden's protector, his advocate, and that is undeniable. He stepped in at every moment Biden seemed lost: court-packing, lack of support of law enforcement, and Hunter's criminality. The debate was so poorly managed. The questions were designed to aid Biden, to coddle him. No wonder Trump felt duty-bound to interrupt. Trump was debating both Wallace and Biden, and only one of them is sentient. Wallace's intent was clear: sabotage Trump. Wallace succeeded only in looking like the stooge he is. Why a two-minute rule? That hardly gives either man time to rebut what was just said about him. Wallace even brought up the Charlottesville charge but did not admit that it was a manufactured lie without giving Trump the time to deny the lie. Wallace completely ignored and tried to derail Trump's bringing up Hunter Biden's criminal corruption. Why was that not a viable subject for discussion? Biden lied when he said Hunter had been cleared. Not so. Biden has a long history of lying and financial corruption. Should that fact not be up for review for a candidate for president? If Biden were a Republican, you can bet it would. Wallace should be fired for his wholesale lack of objectivity. He's become a cut-rate Dan Rather. Trump made important points, all of which Wallace tried to mitigate: voter fraud is real and is being perpetrated by Democrats throughout the country. Biden tried to insist that the violence being visited upon Democrat-run cities across the nation was by white supremacist groups, a total lie that Wallace let stand. Biden is looking forward to shutting down the economy for COVID and implementing a mask mandate. Biden is not supported by law enforcement anywhere in the country for obvious reasons, and Obamacare was and remains a disaster. Wallace, a member in good standing of the mainstream media, is a handmaiden of the Democrat party in which winning by any means necessary is the rule. Wallace's bias for Biden was appalling. Climate change! Who on Earth at this moment in time thinks this is an important topic for discussion? No one but the moonbat Greta Thunbergs of the climatistas. No one. Biden's Green New Deal would put millions of Americans who work in the fuel industry out of work. The left's embrace of this nonsense has left California with rolling blackouts. Wallace did not question Biden's lack of understanding of the impact his green new deal would have on the economy. Wallace was for Biden, not America. Why no questions on school choice? On the border and illegal immigration, which Biden supports? On the necessity of ending the lockdowns that have caused much more death and destruction than COVID? On Biden saying, "I am the Democratic Party right now"? On his family's mysteriously ill gotten wealth in the multi-millions? Wallace was not going to let any of those issues come to the fore. He is a naked partisan who is invested only in his own illegitimate primacy as a member of the army of the left in good standing; that would be the swamp, the Deep State. Wallace perpetrated the Charlottesville lie, and he knows very well that it is a lie. Trump had to interrupt to get a word in edgewise in his own defense. Again, Wallace was a despicably partisan moderator. He tried to throw the debate to Biden and so made Trump the clear winner. Trump had to fight the only way open to him, by interrupting the two people wrangling to sabotage him. Wallace's transparent protective bias was appalling. All of this makes us wonder: is there a moderator that can legitimately host a debate? Yes. Hugh Hewitt comes to mind. Larry Arnn of Hillsdale, a constitutional scholar, would ask the right questions in a civil manner. There are numerous brilliant people who could and would conduct a legitimate debate, but Chris Wallace proved himself not among them. He has shamed himself and Fox News. His attempt at being a bulwark in Biden's defense was shameless. It was Wallace who made the debate something of a farce; he left Trump no path but to try to refute the lies in his questions and Biden's responses. I am guessing that Chris Wallace is now dead to vast numbers of conservatives who once upon a time respected him. After this debate, they respect him no more. Image credit: Fox News via shareable YouTube screen shot. The Taoiseach says the government is examining restoring full pandemic payments and other subsidies for the arts and hospitality sectors. The sector, which includes musicians, actors, theatre, bar, restaurant and hotel staff, is widely expected to be the last to return to pre-Covid levels of activity. The most recent economic forecast states that Ireland could reach 16% unemployment, worse than in the last financial recession, and young people will be hit hardest. Labour leader Alan Kelly, speaking during leader's questions, predicted the state will see continuous local lockdowns going forward. Dublin and Donegal are currently under localised restrictions and more counties are expected to follow suit. This has thrown hospitality staff back into unemployment, just weeks after some returned to work after several months. The rates of Pandemic Unemployment Payment were cut this month, with many charities warning it could lead to increased poverty. Alan Kelly believes the state will see continuous local lockdowns going forward. "Will you consider the sector for full restoration of the pandemic unemployment payment?," Mr Kelly asked the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin. Read More Ronan Glynn: Localised restrictions may not work in counties like Cork "If you look at food and beverage in level three, we can't serve food outside in November, December, January. "I'm asking for sectoral changes in the budget and to consider what extra can be done in local lockdowns. We have to plan ahead because I don't believe we can get through the winter, we'll lose a whole sector if we don't plan for the next six months in the budget Mr Kelly suggested a social insurance program like Germany's short-term work scheme, where employers reduce their employees working hours instead of laying them off, the government normally provides an income replacement rate of 60%. "You're correct in identifying the hospitality sector being as ones particularly affected by Covid-19," the Taoiseach said. "It is no one's fault. I accept that a variety of supports along with those offered already. We will have to look again at more sector-specific or how we can protect as peoples many businesses in the tourism sector, to be viable and intact, that is a challenge we are working on that "We accept the impact and will have to look at other ways to help the sector and preserve employment because it is the one sector taking the greater hit than others." On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met at the government palace in Baghdad with ambassadors from 25 nations to discuss the security situation in Iraq. Following the meeting which included representatives from a number of Western and Arab states the ambassadors issued a statement condemning the attacks against foreign diplomatic missions and troops and expressed support for the prime minister's actions to address the foreign missions' concerns in the country. Attacks by militias on foreign missions and troops have increased in recent days. Al-Harir military base, a US installation in Iraq's Kurdistan region, was hit by rockets late Sep. 30. Two days earlier, on Sept. 28, a Katyusha rocket hit a civilian home in Radwaniyah district near Baghdads airport, killing five people and wounding others. The rocket was targeting a US base located by the airport but hit the house mistakenly. This comes in conjunction with a series of other attacks, including two others on Sept. 28 on logistics convoys of US troops in southern Iraq. The attacks follow US warnings to Iraqi officials that it would close its embassy in Baghdad and withdraw its entire military and diplomatic staff from southern Iraq to the Kurdistan region. The warning has shaken Iraqi politics and has led to a wide alliance against small groups of militias within the Popular Mobilization Units. But will this alliance succeed in stopping these militias? Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr on Sept. 25 called for the formation of a committee to investigate security breaches against diplomatic missions and official state premises. Prime Minister Kadhimi welcomed this call and asserted that the "coalition of corruption and uncontrolled weapons" has no place in Iraq. Iraqi parliament speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi supported Sadrs initiative on the same day and called for an investigation into the repeated missile attacks on the US Embassy. Sadrs warnings on Sept. 18 of a dark tunnel in Iraq due to the targeting of cultural and diplomatic locations coincided with bombs that targeted the American Institute for English Learning in Najaf on the same day. The escalation seemed systematic, as bombs also targeted convoys transporting equipment for the international coalition in the Salahuddin governorate. A missile fell near the US Victory Base Complex at the Baghdad International Airport Sept. 20, and Katyusha missiles struck near the vicinity of the US Embassy in the Green Zone in the middle of Baghdad on Sept. 19. On Sept. 15, a bomb targeted a convoy of diplomatic vehicles affiliated with the British Embassy in Baghdad. The repeated targeting of the US Embassy prompted US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller on Sept. 17 to remark that targeting the US Embassy and international coalition forces in Iraq" was an "undermining of Iraqi state authority. Analyses indicate that targeting diplomatic missions is a clear escalation of power in the conflict between the government and radical groups and an indirect way to pressure the government, which is trying to fight corruption. Meanwhile, Iraqi Armed Forces spokesperson Yehya Rasoul told Al-Monitor, Attacking any embassy, diplomatic mission or international coalition convoys is illegal. Diplomatic missions and the international coalition are in Iraq according to official agreements and are trying to develop the Iraqi forces in terms of training, armament and equipment. Targeting them harms the Iraqi forces. Badr al-Ziyadi, a member of Sairoon Alliances parliamentary defense and security commission, told Al-Monitor, Targeting missions and vehicles transporting support for the coalition is taking an escalatory turn. If the purpose behind attacking diplomatic missions is to force foreign forces to leave, then political and parliamentary methods must be used rather than throwing Iraq into a state of security chaos. Former member of parliament and current politician Wael Abdul Latif believes attacking missions constitutes an armed breach of the states will, and it has a negative impact on Iraqs international reputation. Meanwhile, political writer and researcher and secretary of the National Media Center Mahmoud al-Hashimi told Al-Monitor, The biggest mistake that successive Iraqi governments and political blocs made was their failure to deter previous attacks on foreign consulates in Iraq, like the Iranian one. They considered these attacks victories, while the government stance was weak, even inexistent, in punishing the culprits. The armed groups justify the attack on the US Embassy, saying it had become a semi-military barrack, and that encroaching on it with soldiers and anti-missile tanks meant that it had turned into a military location, legitimizing an attack on it. Ihsan al-Shammari, director of the Center for Political Thinking, told Al-Monitor that personal political interests hide behind the stances toward the attack on missions. For instance, Sadrs stance is linked to enhancing the image of a Shiite leader who is working in the framework of the state and following its official discourse. Sadr does not want himself and his followers to look as though they are above the state. He also started to believe that the peaceful track will distance Iraq from the repercussions of the dispute between Tehran and Washington, Shammari said. He detected a collective agreement on a truce. Internally, escalating tensions to reach clashes will worsen security chaos. Therefore, calls for the exit of US forces according to legal proceedings is part of the united parliamentary stance in this regard," he added. Sadr might have joined forces with rational Shiite parties that believe the US withdrawal should happen through legal means and bilateral understandings. Shammari added, Shiite targeting of US interests has dwindled because most prefer a political solution and are raising their voice against targeting the US presence. He said there still exists division among Shiites toward Sadrs call. Some factions refuse it and want to continue their attacks. Shammari does not expect an armed confrontation between Shiite parties due to Sadrs calls. Iran has good ties and communication channels with Sadr. Evidently, there is a clear rift between the stances of radical groups that want escalation and do not account for the repercussions and the majority of political Shiite and Kurdish parties that refuse escalation. The latter disapprove of targeting diplomatic missions and international coalition convoys, as such acts harm internal stability and relations with Washington and the world. More than 40 states have absentee ballot applications that are not fully accessible to millions of visually impaired voters and those with other disabilities, according to the results of an audit being released by digital accessibility company Deque Systems on Wednesday. As the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 election collided this year, states rushed to expand their mail-in voting operations to help people cast ballots and avoid exposure to COVID-19. But while Americans are voting by mail in record numbers, that wont help everyone. Absentee or mail-in voting has traditionally involved filling out a paper request and a paper ballotactions that voters who are blind or who have a range of mobility or cognitive disabilities cant do independently. This forces these voters to make a difficult choice, according to Christina Brandt-Young, managing attorney at Disability Rights Advocates. They must either give up their right to an independent and private vote by asking for help filling out their ballot, risk exposure to COVID-19 by voting in person, or not vote at all. Voters without disabilities dont have to do that. And voters with disabilities shouldnt have to, Brandt-Young says. Absentee ballots, along with election websites and absentee ballot applications, all fall under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which says that any program, service or activity of a government has to be accessible to people with disabilities, according to Brandt-Young. Disability rights advocates have filed lawsuits or pushed elections officials to add an accessible absentee ballot option in at least a dozen states this year. Some states, including Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio, had already added accessible absentee systems in previous years. But many states still do not have a fully accessible voting system. These concerns could potentially disenfranchise a huge number of voters. New projections from researchers at Rutgers University show that more than 38 million eligible voters have disabilities, amounting to nearly one sixth of the electorate. That includes an estimated 21.3 million eligible voters with mobility disabilities, 13.1 million with cognitive disabilities, 11.6 million with hearing disabilities and seven million with visual disabilities. (Some voters fall into more than one category.) Story continues Voters with disabilities typically turn out in lower numbers than those without disabilities, but voter turnout among disabled Americans surged in 2018, and advocacy groups have been hoping to repeat that this year. Research from Rutgers also shows that disability turnout is higher in states with all-mail or no-excuse mail ballot systems than in those that require an excuse, suggesting that voting by mail could be positive for turnoutif it is accessible. Even for states that have added accessible electronic absentee voting this year, Deque Systems found that they often still point voters toward inaccessible PDF forms in order to apply to use those systems. The company reviewed the absentee ballot applications available on 43 states websites, and found that every state had at least one critical issue that would make it nearly impossible for someone using assistive technology, such as a screen reader, to complete the application correctly. Overall, states had an average of 10 critical or serious accessibility issues. To evaluate the PDF applications, Deque used its own automated accessibility tools, Adobe Acrobat, and a team of experts that included blind individuals who conducted user assessments with screen-reading software. Deque did not audit California, Colorado, Hawaii, Utah or Washington state, some of the states where all registered voters are automatically receiving a mail-in ballot, or Massachusetts or Michigan, which it found have accessible applications. Some of the issues the team encountered included instructions that couldnt be logically converted into audio messages by screen-reading software, forms that could not be filled out in their correct order using keyboard commands, and images without any descriptive text for the screen reader to interpret. While disability rights lawyers say inaccessible ballot applications would likely violate the ADA, Deque Systems CEO Preety Kumar was not interested in filing a lawsuit. We decided that we would download every single request for a mail-in ballot, see whats wrong, and fix them and make them available to state election officials, Kumar says. The company has made accessible versions of the applications available on its website, and Deque staff has reached out to election officials in all the states it reviewed. Even if these absentee ballot applications are more accessible than the versions currently on states websites, disabled voters and advocates say there is a lot more work to do to ensure they can vote safely this yearand in the future. A report by Miami Lighthouse for the Blind this month found that election websites for 12 battleground states do not meet web accessibility guidelines. And several states are still involved in litigation over various other voting access issues. While the ADA was passed 30 years ago, disability rights attorney Eve Hill notes that part of the problem ensuring the rights it guarantees is there are only two enforcement mechanisms for the law: private people suing and the Justice Department. Since President Donald Trump took office in 2017, the Justice Department has significantly limited its civil rights enforcement. Leaving it up to nonprofits and private companies to remind states to make voting accessible takes longer, costs more money, and leaves people with disabilities voting at the last minute, Hill says. The National Federation of the Blind, which Hill represents, sent letters to states with inaccessible absentee ballot systems last September, and has continued to press the issue. For any state that has ignored this, weve told them its required over and over again, Hill says. They therefore have knowledge of the requirement. And if they ignore it, and people are denied the right to vote absentee privately and independently, they will get sued. And they will have to pay damages to those people. Hill says that people with disabilities have gotten used to navigating a series of obstacles in order to vote, but that has caused problems for years, and COVID-19 has made it more clear than ever the situation needs to change. For 30 years, theyve honestly fought tooth and nail against letting us vote in any way, Hill says. People have been trying to get the job done more than trying to force the state to make it easier. And were tired of that. Public health officials are urging anyone who attended a car rally at an Ontario beach town over the weekend to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Public health officials are urging anyone who attended a car rally at an Ontario beach town over the weekend to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Since it's too early to know if there was any community transmission at the event in Wasaga Beach, the local public health unit said Tuesday that anyone present at the rally should be extra cautious. "If they develop symptoms they should be self-isolating and seek assessment," said Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for Simcoe Muskoka Public Health. Because the event drew car enthusiasts from all over Ontario, Gardner said it would be challenging to do contact tracing if a COVID-19 case is connected to the rally. "The transmission that could occur could potentially be widespread, not geographically localized, so it could affect more than just Simcoe Muskoka," said Gardner. "It could go beyond, depending on where everybody had come from and there could also be local transmission with people coming from areas that are higher risk right now." Police officers had to close the town of Wasaga Beach to non-residents on Saturday after hundreds of car enthusiasts gathered over the weekend. Ontario Provincial Police said they issued 11 tickets in connection with the event for violating the Reopening Ontario Act, a law which, in part, governs the size of social gatherings in the province. The force said it also issued 172 tickets for things like speeding, dangerous driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and careless driving. Police have said the event is believed to be related to a larger car rally in the United States. Due to the pandemic-related border closure, the Canadian group decided to have a meet-up in Wasaga Beach, OPP said. Simcoe Muskoka has reported 44 new COVID-19 cases since last Thursday, bringing the region's total number of cases up to 884. Ontario reported 554 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and four new deaths from the illness. Gardner noted that as the case totals in Simcoe Muskoka rise along with the province's second wave, it is increasingly difficult for the public health unit to keep up with testing, contact tracing, and case management. "It is getting tougher," said Gardner. "These are large numbers of contacts for us to follow up on. We haven't yet in Simcoe Muskoka reached the number of cases we peaked out on in April-May, but it's going up rapidly so we may very well get there." The health unit has used money from the provincial government to hire more public health nurses to assist with schools reopening, including some dedicated to contact tracing and case management, he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 29, 2020. The chief of naval operations is back at the Pentagon after having a medical procedure to treat an existing condition. Adm. Mike Gilday underwent heart surgery soon after falling ill during a run near his home, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Officials have not disclosed the condition that led to the surgery, saying only that he returned to full duty on Monday. "The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, recently underwent a medical procedure for a pre-existing medical issue," Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman in Gilday's office, said. "He is in good condition." Read Next: Sailor Behind Pearl Harbor Shooting Was 'Insider Threat' with Underdiagnosed Mental Issues Christensen didn't respond to questions about when the surgery occurred and what condition led to it. Last week, Gilday and other senior leaders, including Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite and Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger, were scheduled to testify before Congress, but the hearing was postponed without explanation. Gilday, who is 57, was running at Washington Navy Yard where he lives on Aug. 10 when he suddenly became ill, the Journal reported. A Marine, sources told the paper, assisted Gilday before the CNO was taken to see his physician. He underwent heart surgery about two weeks later, unnamed sources told The Wall Street Journal. Navy officials did not previously disclose the incident. Gilday was scheduled to appear at a "State of the Navy" event hosted by the news site Defense One this week. That event has been postponed until next month due, the outlet announced this week, due to a change in Gilday's schedule. The admiral's spokesman told the Journal the change was unrelated to the CNO's health. Gilday, who's a member of the Joint Chiefs, has served as the Navy's top officer since August 2019. He replaced retired Adm. John Richardson after the previous pick for CNO, Adm. Bill Moran, suddenly stepped down over questions about his relationship with a former officer who'd been accused of mistreating women at a holiday party. Earlier this year, Gilday missed a White House meeting with the president, cabinet members and the other Joint Chiefs. The CNO, a defense official said at the time, was in self-quarantine after having contact with a family member who'd tested positive for the illness caused by the coronavirus. Gilday tested negative for the virus, but remained isolated around the May meeting. The CNO is leading the Navy through a host of challenges. Aside from operating during the coronavirus pandemic, the Navy is also working through continued maintenance and readiness problems, and is working to stamp out racism in the ranks. "Each of us should be thinking about how we can contribute in a positive way and what we can do to better our Navy," Gilday said in a June message to the fleet. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Navy's Top Admiral Isolating After COVID-19 Exposure; National Guard Chief Tests Positive Bigg Boss Telugu 4 hosted by Nagarjuna Akkineni is creating a solid buzz amongst the masses. Now, after three weeks of the show's premiere, viewers are getting entertained with interesting tasks and arguments happening in the madhouse. In the latest episode, BB Telugu lovers saw a heated argument between Abijeet and Syed Sohel Ryan. After 'Humans vs Robots' task, Sohel and Abijeet shared their opinion about each other's performance. During an interaction, Abijeet pointed out that Sohel crossed the line while performing the task. After his allegations, Sohel tried to defend himself, which eventually turned into a heated argument. During the argument, Sohel took a dig at Abijeet and called him 'weak'. He asked Bigg Boss not to give Abijeet a physical task. After seeing their argument, Akhil tried to calm Sohel and asked him to control his anger. Not only Sohel, but Mehaboob also targeted Abijeet over his performance in the task. He even revealed the reason behind nominating Abijeet for elimination. For the unversed, Abijeet had earlier fought with Sohel over his intentions behind picking a fight with the housemates. The actor lashed out at him and asked to stop doing it deliberately. Meanwhile, Devi Nagavalli got eliminated last week, which left her fans angry. Devi's fans were also seen requesting makers to bring her back on the show. Also Read : Bigg Boss Telugu 4 Week 4 Nominations: Abhijeet, Sohel And Five Other Contestants On The List! Coming back to Abijeet and Sohel's argument, it will be interesting to see Nagarjuna's reaction over their tussle in the weekend episode. Stay tuned for more updates. Also Read : Bigg Boss Telugu 4: Ex-Contestant Devi Nagavalli To Make A Comeback On The Show On Public Demand? Advertisement Things may have been heated from the off between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden at the first 2020 presidential debate - but that didn't stop several eyes from turning to their incredibly chic wives, who both put on a very stylish display while supporting their spouses at the milestone event. Melania, 50, looked like she was ready to get down to business in a $3,340 figure-flattering pinstripe suit from one of her favorite designers, Dolce & Gabbana. Meanwhile Jill, 69, opted for a more classic look, donning a green silk dress that featured funky fringing detail on the front - a design that she was first snapped in back in October 2017 when she attended a fundraising event with her husband in New York City. Style showdown: While their husbands took to the stage at the first 2020 presidential debate, Melania Trump and Jill Biden went head to head in a battle of fashion, with the two women wearing equally chic, but very different looks for the evening Slick: Melania, 50, opted for a chic $3,340 striped Dolce & Gabbana suit, which she paired with a crisp white button-up shirt Glam: Meanwhile Jill, 69, went for a more classic look, opting for a long-sleeved green silk dress that featured some funky fringe detail on the front of it Safety first! While their styles may have been very different, the two women had one thing in common when it came to their looks - their protective face masks Support system: Before the start of the debate, Melania joined her husband on stage to help conclude the event, holding his hand supportively after his verbal battle with his political rival Hello! Jill also got her turn on stage, standing arm in arm with her husband ahead of the debate, and showing off her dress to full effect, while holding on to a black clutch bag Real heels! Melania finished her look with some $695 Christian Louboutin pumps, while Jill donned $995 black-and-tan Valentino Rockstud slingback heels But while the women may have chosen incredibly different designs for the evening, they had one clear style choice in common: face masks. The First Lady opted for a disposable white face covering to match the white button-up that she wore under her suit, while Jill chose a dark green cloth design from Athleta that was almost exactly the same shade as her fringed frock. However it was there that sartorial similarities ended. Melania, whose fashion choices have been the subject of much interest throughout her husband's time in the White House, appeared as though she had dressed to complement the President's style for this evening - mirroring his signature suit with her own fashion-forward spin on the look. But while President Trump chose a navy design for the evening, Melania chose a black design with white pinstripes and sharp shoulder pads for added oomph, which she paired with a crisp white button-up shirt, and a pair of $695 sky-high Christian Louboutin heels. She kept her accessories for the evening to a minimum, wearing a single ring on her finger, while her long brunette locks were styled in her signature loose waves for the evening. Going all out: Melania had her long brunette hair styled in her signature loose waves, and she also showed off her favorite smokey eye above her face mask Style squad: The First Lady showed off her glamorous 'do from the back as she took her socially-distanced seat alongside her stepdaughter Ivanka Trump Say cheese! The First Lady showed off her ensemble ahead of the live televised debate while posing for a backstage selfie alongside her stepdaughters Ivanka and Tiffany, and her stepson Eric's wife Lara Behind the scenes: Kimberly then joined the Trump women for an elegant Instagram snap that was posted by Lara, with all of the women proudly showing off their outfits ahead of the debate Debut: Jill was not seen in her outfit earlier in the day, when she was busy campaigning for her husband in Cleveland Golden girl: The wife of the former Vice President also went for a loose wavy style for her hair, and she was seen modeling plenty of mascara to highlight her eyes above her mask Hi there! Jill showed off her chunky gold bangle as she turned around to wave to a friend in the audience after taking her seat While she covered half her face with a mask, the First Lady didn't let that stop her from injected some great glamour into her beauty look, showing off her signature smokey eye above the protective covering, which she appears to have removed once she took her socially-distanced seat in the front row at the venue, alongside her stepdaughter Ivanka. Earlier in the evening, Melania had a chance to show off her glam for the evening to better effect when she was pictured boarding Air Force One with her husband as they prepared to fly to Cleveland for the event. She also flaunted her fashion choice in a quick selfie snapped by her stepson Eric's wife Lara that shows the two women posing happily alongside Donald's daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany. Jill on the other hand debuted her look at the debate itself, having spent the day campaigning for her husband in Cleveland, leaving him to travel to the event by himself, while she traveled ahead to try and drum up supporters for Joe. However, longtime Biden supporters and followers will no doubt recognize the ensemble, which Jill has worn on a number of occasions in the past, including during an appearance on MSNBC in February of this year. The design is clearly a favorite for the former Vice President wife, who was also pictured stepping out in the green dress back in October 2017, when she and Joe attended the 5th Annual Save The Children Illumination gala at The Museum of Natural History in New York City, where they rubbed shoulders with actress Jennifer Garner. Civil: The foursome were all pictured on stage together after the heated debate had come to an end, with Jill still wearing her face mask, while Melania had removed hers Thrilled: Melania seemed very happy with her husband's performance in the debate, and was smiling from ear-to-ear as she joined the President on stage Happy as can be: Jill also seemed delighted with the outcome of the heated debate, and happily waved to spectators as she stood alongside her husband Accessories: Earlier in the day, Melania showed off her chic look on the tarmac at Cleveland Hopkins Airport, where she was seen disembarking Air Force One alongside her husband Switching things up: When she arrived in Cleveland, the First Lady was not seen wearing a face mask, however she was modeling an oversized pair of sunglasses Sky-high: The mother-of-one wore a pair of chic $695 Christian Louboutin heels with her suit look Like Melania, Jill chose to pull out all the stops with the glamour, wearing her blonde hair in chic waves, while her eyes were framed with several coats of mascara. Unlike her counterpart, she chose to add several accessories to her look, including a few gold bangles around her wrist, and a simple gold necklace. Jill finished the look off with some statement earrings and a pair of $995 black-and-tan Valentino Rockstud heels. Both women had the chance to show off their ensembles in full at the end of the evening, when they each joined their husbands on-stage to celebrate the end of the first presidential debate of the year - with both Melania and Jill grinning happily, despite the rather heated and tense arguments that took place throughout the event. Melania held her husband's hand in a supportive gesture, while Jill stood arm in arm with Joe, with both pairs offering waves to the spectators. However it was not just Melania and Jill who made a stylish splash at the debate. Joining the First Lady in supporting the President were her stepdaughters Ivanka and Tiffany, who were joined by Eric's wife Lara, and Don Jr's longtime partner Kimberly Guilfoyle, with all four ladies going the extra mile to ensure that they represented the President in fashionable form. The group were pictured together ahead of the start of the debate, waiting in the wings as they prepared to head out into the venue and assume their seats, with Ivanka leading the way as they all entered together. Supporters: As well as Melania, Donald was also joined at the debate by his wider family, including (left to right) his sons Don Jr and Eric, their partners Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lara Trump, and his daughters Tiffany and Ivanka All white on the night! Ivanka, 38, looked every inch the style star in a $3,210 Gabriela Hearst blazer, which was belted at the waist to emphasize her trim figure Sleek: The First Daughter kept her blonde locks styled straight, and she showed off a glamorous makeup look after removing her face mask when she sat down Protection: Ivanka wore a floral blue-and-white face mask when she arrived at the event, however she removed the covering when she took her seat alongside her stepmother Melania Strutting her stuff: The mother-of-three finished off the look with a $4,700 white Chanel handbag, and a pair of strappy heels Proud daughter: After the debate came to an end, Ivanka shared a photo of herself posing with her dad on Air Force One Chic: Ivanka wore a simple white blouse under her suit, and she kept her accessories to a minimum, carrying essentials in her Chanel tote, and adding a pair of dangly pearl earrings Mother-of-three Ivanka, who appears to have attended the debate without her husband, fellow White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, followed in Melania's fashion footsteps by wearing a pantsuit, however unlike her stepmother, she opted for a cream design from Gabriela Hearst. The focus of the look was the $3,210 blazer, which she paired with some matching pants, and a pair of sky-high strappy heels. She was also seen carrying a pricey white $4,700 Chanel handbag to complete her look. Ivanka, who wore her hair in a pin straight style around her shoulders, finished off her ensemble by donning a protective face mask, plumping for a fun floral design that she removed as she took her seat alongside Melania - with relations between the two women seeming cordial, despite recent rumors that they do not get along. Ivanka also had the chance to show off her look of choice earlier in the day when she joined her father and other family members at Andrews Air Base, where she boarded Air Force One to join the President on his journey to Cleveland ahead of the debate. The First Daughter was joined on on-board the presidential aircraft by her brothers, Don Jr and Eric, and their respective partners, as well as her sister Tiffany, with the ladies all happily snapping social media photos ahead of the debate - including the mask-clad selfie with Melania. Mirroring Ivanka's look, Kimberly, 51, wore a white pantsuit for the evening, however she followed Melania's lead when it came to styling her long brunette hair, which she wore in loose waves around her shoulders. When she boarded Air Force One with Don Jr, former TV host had been seen carrying a funky embellished tote that read Rock and Roll in pearls - no doubt a nod to Cleveland's much-loved Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - however when she arrived at the venue, she was no longer carrying it. Matchy matchy: Kimberly, 51, mirrored Ivanka's look in her own white pantsuit, and she even donned a matching blue embellished mask Twins! Ivanka and Kimberly's pantsuits complemented each other perfectly as they made their way into the debate venue Deluxe 'do: Like Melania, Kimberly's dark brunette locks were styled in loose waves that hung around her shoulders, and she also showed off perfectly-manicured pink nails Rock on! By the time she arrived at the debate venue, Kimberly appeared to have abandoned the Rock and Roll tote that she was seen boarding Air Force One with - no doubt in a nod to Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Support squad: Ivanka led the charge as the four women made their way to their seats ahead of the debate Lined up: Tiffany wore her long blonde hair in a straight style like her sister, who was seated beside her in the venue She continued the pearl theme while in attendance at the debate by wearing a blue pearl-embellished Lele Sadoughi face mask that added a fun hint of color to her other-wise all-white look. President Trump's female family members appeared to have coordinated their looks in pairs for the evening; while Ivanka and Kimberly both wore white pantsuits, Tiffany and Lara were both pictured in form-fitting dark dresses at the event. Georgetown Law graduate Tiffany, who has become a much more regular feature at her father's event since she finished her studies, donned a simple frock with a plunging neckline and a flattering peplum-style ruffle at the waist, accessorizing with a number of gold bracelets on her wrist and a gold locket-style necklace. Much like her older sister and her stepmother, Tiffany, 26, amped up the glamour as far as her makeup look was concerned, modeling long, thick eyelashes, smokey shadow, and pretty pink blush that helped to accentuate the big smile on her face as she took her seat alongside Don Jr, Ivanka and Melania. The younger First Daughter appears to have changed her ensemble while on-board Air Force One; she was pictured in a selfie with sister-in-law Lara wearing a bright pink blazer and a black turtleneck, however by the time she arrived at the venue, she had donned her navy debate dress. Just like Ivanka, Tiffany's long blonde locks were styled straight and sleek around her shoulders, and she completed her look for the evening with a navy blue face mask. Mother-of-two Lara meanwhile also kept things simple with her dress choice for the evening, modeling a chic black frock that featured a flattering scoop neckline and short above-the-elbow sleeves that emphasized the runner's toned arms. Smile for the cameras! The Georgetown Law graduate grinned happily as she took her seat at the debate, looking very chic in a form-fitting navy dress Style star: Tiffany amped up the glamour with lengthy eyelashes, dark eyeshadow, and some pink blush Wild side: Eric's wife Lara jazzed up her black ensemble with a leopard-print face mask that almost perfectly matched her blonde locks Wavy lady: Lara's hair was styled in chic waves, while her dress featured a flattering scoop neckline Changing it up? The Georgetown Law graduate appears to have changed her outfit while on Air Force One, having worn a pink blazer and black turtleneck while posing for a selfie with her sister-in-law Lara as they boarded the plane The 37-year-old completed her look with a leopard-print face mask, and she was seen carrying her iPhone in her hand as she entered the venue alongside her husband and his siblings, choosing to go without a purse for the evening. She did however accessorize with several bracelets and an iWatch that was clearly visible on her wrist as she headed to her seat. Lara wore her blonde locks in chic waves for the evening, and - just like her husband's family - she made sure to go all out with the glamour, wearing a nude lipstick, plenty of bronzer, and several coats of mascara. All of Trump's support group had smiles on their faces during and after the debate, despite the ugly brawl that took place between the two political rivals on stage - with Joe telling Donald to 'shut up' early on in the event, before the two men began savaging one another over hot-button topics including healthcare, the Supreme Court, and the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Joe, 77, also called Donald, 74, a clown on numerous occasions during their contentious first presidential debate, slapping him down as the President repeatedly interrupted his answers. The President tried to command the stage from out of the box, interrupting his rival repeatedly to make his point, counter Joe, and push himself into the conversation. It happened so many times that moderate Chris Wallace stepped in, asking the president to let Biden finish his answer and chided, 'I'm the moderator of this debate and I would like you to let me ask my question and then you can answer.' The 90-minute show down between the presidential contenders proved early on that it would a be a knock-out, drag-down match, and their rivalry became increasingly heated throughout the evening as they repeatedly spoke over one another, with Wallace stepping in again and again to urge both men to give the other their turn before voicing their own point. San Antonio psychiatric hospital Laurel Ridge Treatment Centers computer network remained offline Wednesday morning after a weekend cyberattack. Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services Inc., Laurel Ridges parent company, shut down all computer networks across its 400 U.S. facilities in response to a malware attack early Sunday morning. The health care provider, which treats up to 3.5 million patients annually, said it has no indication at this time that any patient or employee data has been accessed, copied or misused. The security issue did not affect Universals hospital operations in Britain. It has disrupted operations at Laurel Ridge, which is a 250-bed facility on an 18-acre campus near Stone Oak. On ExpressNews.com: Cyberattack shuts down computers at San Antonio mental health provider Universal said it is working to restore its information technology infrastructure and business operations as quickly as possible. We are making steady progress with recovery efforts, the company said in a statement. Certain applications have already started coming online again, with others projected to be restored on a rolling basis across the U.S. Patient care continues to be delivered safely and effectively. While the company did not confirmed the malware has locked up digital files or demanded a ransom, these kind of crimes targeting public entities and businesses are becoming increasingly common. Oliver Noble, a data encryption specialist at London-based security company NordLocker, said health care institutions in particular can be a potential gold mine for cybercriminals. Besides intimate medical data nobody wants to have exposed, hackers can get their hands on other private information, such as patients home addresses, Social Security numbers and banking information, he said. If stolen, this data can end up in financial or identity theft scams. On ExpressNews.com: A San Antonio cybersecurity expert, a Red McCombs dealership and a missing gun The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is required by law to report security breaches on its website of protected health information when it affects 500 or more people. According to this federal database, two Houston medical facilities were hit by cyberattacks earlier this month. Officials on Sept. 14 investigated an incident at Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston after a digital attack or IT glitch exposed the personal information of nearly 2,000 people. Baylor College of Medicines network server was compromised on Sept. 9, affecting 4,500 people. Laura Garcia covers the health care industry. To read more from Laura, become a subscriber. laura.garcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @Reporter_Laura On Tuesday, the handover ceremony between General Alain Duschene and General Steve Thull took place at the Military Centre in Diekirch. General Thull has now assumed the functions of Chief of Staff of the Luxembourg Army. His predecessor, General Alain Duschene, retired after 42 years at the Military Centre. General Steve Thull has become the 19th Chief of Staff in the history of the Luxembourg Army, at a time when events such as the coronavirus pandemic, floods or the passage of a tornado have increasingly put the military in the public eye. The main issue of the upcoming years is the modernisation of the Army, particularly in order to meet its international obligations. Military aircraft and drones will play a key role in the future of Luxembourg's military forces. The A400M aircraft is expected to land for the first time at Luxembourg Airport next week. In his speech, General Thull stated that the geopolitical changes the world is currently experiencing, such as digitalisation, demand adequate responses from the Army to allow them to continue to fulfil their wide range of tasks in the future. The precondition for this, Thull continued, is for the Army to prepare itself to actively face these changes and show a willingness to transform itself. The General concluded by stating that this naturally required a lot of energy, and that he was counting on the motivation and commitment of the Army to master this. Thull stressed that he was ready to do his part and was looking forward to organising the future of the Army in the interests of the country. After 42 years of service, three of which at the head of the Luxembourg Army, General Alain Duschene reviewed the troops one last time in the company of his three grandchildren. The now former Chief of Staff in no way regrets his choice to have started his career as a soldier at the Military Centre, even if he has gone through more difficult times, such as the fatal accident at the Army ammunition depot in 2019. Flight Centre will shut a further 90 stores across Australia as the ongoing closure of state and national borders keep holidaymakers grounded and the travel group in hibernation. The ASX-listed travel agent's announcement on Wednesday comes after it already closed about 280 of its 700 local Flight Centre branded stores since the start of the year due to COVID-19. Flight Centre will shut another 90 stores. Credit:Darrian Traynor The group has made about 4000 local staff members redundant this year, leaving it with a local workforce of about 3000, the company said. Flight Centre said the closures were prompted by the ongoing domestic and international border closures, which had "led to billions of dollars in future travel bookings being cancelled". Hannes Hohenwarter and Martin Sieberer climbing Pumprisse in the Wilder Kaiser, first ascended by Helmut Kiene and Reinhard Karl Photo by Martin Sieberer Martin Sieberer and Hannes Hohenwarter climbing Pumprisse in the Wilder Kaiser, first ascended by Helmut Kiene and Reinhard Karl Photo by Stefan Filzmoser Martin Sieberer and Hannes Hohenwarter climbing Locker vom Hocker on Schusselkar, first ascended in 1981 by Wolfgang Gullich and Kurt Albert Photo by Christian Pflanzelt Photography Tyrolean Trad Trilogy completed by Hannes Hohenwarter, Martin Sieberer Martin Sieberer reports about his repeats with Hannes Hohenwarter of Locker vom Hocker on Schusselkar, Tschechenplatte in the Karwendel and Pumprisse in the Wilder Kaiser. Three classic limestone trad climbs in Tyrol, Austria, climbed one day after the next, and reached by train and bike. Pumprisse, Tschechenplatte and Locker vom Hocker. Three limestone trad crack classics located in Tyrol. The routes many climbers dream of. Our goal was to climb all three routes, in three consecutive days, by fair means and onsight. Since the climbs are located in different mountain ranges, we'd use trains and bikes to get around. We are both aspirant mountain guides and passionate climbers. For this project many factors had to be perfect: our mental and physical fitness had to be on point in order to free climb all three routes. And for that, the conditions of the walls had to be just right. In September 2020 we decided the time had come to start our adventure. We began with Locker vom Hocker in the Schusselkar. First ascended in 1981 by Wolfgang Gullich and Kurt Albert, this UIAA VIII graded route is recognised as being a trad masterpiece. After the long approach, the first pitch awaits with a thin crack that is hard to protect. This is followed by a hard slab pitch, after which the difficulties diminish. Both of us managed to climb the route onsight, what an awesome start! After the descent we jumped on our bikes and rode for 30km and about 1000 vertical metres into the Karwendel massif. Our next objective was Tschechenplatte: a natural beauty, put up by J. Novak, P. Krupka and Jan Doubal in 1979 and freed in 1984 by Heinz Zak. Much to our regret the wall was totally damp and the first crack pitch completely wet. After one fall on the first hard pitch wed blown the onsight, so we then focused on redpointing all pitches. We managed to climb all pitches free but felt quite pumped and exhausted at the exit. Time flew by and we were already on to our final destination: the legendary Pumprisse in the Wilder Kaiser, the first grade VII route, established in 1977 by Helmut Kiene and Reinhard Karl and universally recognised as a free climbing testpiece. We reached the Stripsenjochhaus hut after sunset after having travelled by bike, train and on foot. Worn out from the previous climbs, yet we still had to overcome the last hurdle. On the first pitch we both took a huge whipper. Fortunately the #4 Cam is a bomber. We soon managed redpoint this pitch and open the gates towards the tip. We onsighted all other pitches and reached the summit totally wasted but incredibly happy with our achievement. by Martin Sieberer Info: www.lensecapestories.at BJP, Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will fight the Bihar polls together under the leadership of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, said BJP national general secretary in charge of Bihar Bhupender Yadav after a party meeting. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) (JDU) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will fight the Bihar election together under the leadership of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP national general secretary in charge of Bihar Bhupender Yadav said here on Wednesday. The central leadership has appointed representatives to hold talks with allies, Yadav said after a party meeting. This comes amid reports of confusion in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over seat-sharing in the state. Earlier yesterday, LJP national general secretary Shahnawaz Ahmad Kaifi had said the party chief Chirag Paswan should be the chief ministerial candidate in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and the party should fight on 143 seats. Kaifi, however, said he has made Chirag Paswan aware of the demands being raised by the party workers and members. Chirag Paswan is definitely the Chief Minister candidate of our party, there is no doubt about it. The leaders, workers in our party are of the same opinion, Kaifi told ANI. The party members also believe that we should fight on at least 143 seats in the elections. I, too, would urge the party to fight on these many seats, he added. The assembly elections in Bihar will be held on October 28, November 3 and 7 and the counting of votes will take place on November 10. With RLSP and BSP deciding to fight the polls together, a third front appears to be emerging in the state apart from the ruling NDA and the likely alliance of RJD, Congress and Left parties. Also Read: Ahead of assembly polls, Devendra Fadnavis appointed as BJP Bihar in-charge Ahead of Bihar Assembly polls, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis has been appointed as partys Bihar in-charge on Wednesday at a party meeting here. The decision to appoint Fadnavis as partys Bihar in-charge was taken at a meeting held at BJP president JP Naddas residence. Also Read: Hathras horror: Priyanka Gandhi likely to visit victims family A teenager in Ohio asked for forgiveness from the family of a mother-of-four who was killed after he and a friend pushed a 74-pound log off a cliff last year. Photographer Victoria Schafer was crushed to death in Hocking Hills State Park on Labor Day last year. Jaden Churchheus pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter two weeks ago, and on Friday Jordan Buckley, 17, entered the same plea. 'I understand that my actions that day has caused your family's life to change,' the teenager told the woman's loved ones in court. 'I know that no words that I can speak can bring back your beloved wife, daughter and sister. 'My hope, from all of this, is to use this trauma to learn and live the rest of my life in a way that will honor Ms. Schafer's. I would like to use this experience to prevent others from making a similar mistake. 'There will not be a day for the rest of my life that I will not think of this tragedy,' Jordan Buckley said in court as the victim's husband John Fritz Schafer looked on. 'I hope that someday you will find it in your heart to forgive me.' Hae's pictured in November 2019 (right) Victoria Schafers September 2, 2019 death had initially been ruled an accident, but after a preliminary investigation authorities discovered evidence the log had been pushed or thrown off a cliff at Hocking Hills State Park, before fatally striking her This image was taken of Schafer surround by students. moments before she was killed 'There will not be a day for the rest of my life that I will not think of this tragedy,' Buckley added in a video obtained by Inside Edition. 'I hope that someday you will find it in your heart to forgive me.' Schafer, a mother of four children, owned a photography studio and was well known in her local community for her charity work, contributing to various causes over the years. Her husband John Fritz Schafer said at the time she was exercising her passion for photography. The woman's death had initially been ruled an accident, but after a preliminary investigation authorities discovered evidence the log had been pushed or thrown off a cliff before fatally striking the 44-year-old from Chillicothe. She was taking photographs with five of her students near Old Man's Cave, when the log fell around 75 feet off the cliff and landed on top of her where she was sitting on a staircase, killing her instantly. Police received a tip that a 16-year-old boy had texted a classmate telling him he'd done 'something bad at the park' with another juvenile boy, also 16. The victim's husband listens as Buckley speaks in court on Friday asking for forgiveness Jaden Churchheus is the second teenager charged in the case of the photographer's death. They were previously charged with murder and reckless homicide. The judge has recommended 3 to 4-and-a-half years in prison Schafer, 44, a professional photographer from Chillicothe, was taking photographs with five of her students near Old Mans Cave, when the log, weighing 74 pounds, fell some 75 feet off the cliff and landed on top of her where she was sitting on a staircase, killing her instantly Further investigation led to the arrests of the two boys mentioned, both from Logan, who reportedly confessed to police in an interview that they 'were involved in forcing the log over the cliff.' However, at a detention hearing both of the boys denied the offenses, according to the Chillicothe Gazette. Their friend Miranda said she was with them at the time of the incident and testified that they pushed the 6-foot log 'to be funny.' The prosecutors pushed to have them tried as adults because they tried to cover up the crime and didn't come forward until a month after the incident. They also alleged that the boys, then 16, were drunk at the time. The Hocking Juvenile Court classified the two defendants as 'Serious Youth Offenders', which means the offense would have been classified as a violent offense if committed as an adult, and has found them to be dangers to themselves and others. The teens took a plea deal that reduced the charges from murder and reckless homicide and transferred the case back to juvenile court. 'Jordan's response to this tragedy has been as good as it can be,' his attorney said. The attorney said the teen had been in counselling since December 2019. The judge has recommended he spend 3 to 4-and-a-half years in prison. The teenage boys are set to sentenced October 15. Her broken camera, crushed in the incident, is pictured as part of evidence in the case The brutal rape case which recently stemmed from Uttar Pradesh has taken the nation by storm, as people are unable to fathom how even after the Nirbhaya case, there seems to be no change in the system. A 19-year-old Dalit woman succumbed to her injuries at a Delhi hospital on Tuesday morning, days after being brutally raped by four men in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. Reuters She was gang-raped on September 14 following which she was admitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh. Subsequently, she was referred to Delhis Safdarjung hospital on Monday after her condition showed no signs of improvement. Joining the growing chorus for justice, Bollywood celebrities, including Kangana Ranaut, Akshay Kumar, and Farhan Akhtar among others, are demanding justice for the victim. BCCL Branding the barbaric incident as a matter of shame for the country, celebrities are demanding the guilty be punished for their crimes without mercy. Kangana Ranaut, in her post, demanded the rapists be shot dead on the spot just like the rapists of Priyanka Reddy were shot. According to reports, the accused tried to strangulate the woman to death as she resisted their attempt and in the process, she ended up biting her tongue, suffering a severe cut on it. A spokesman of the Aligarh hospital had said that the woman's legs were completely paralysed and arms partially paralysed. Reuters The Queen actor wrote, Shoot these rapists publicly, what is the solution to these gang rapes that are growing in numbers every year? What a sad and shameful day for this country. Shame on us we failed our daughters. I have immense faith in @myogiadityanath ji, just how Priyanka Reddy rapists were shot dead on the very spot they raped and burnt her alive we want the same emotional, instinctive and impulsive justice for #HathrasHorror #HathrasHorrorShocksIndia. Shoot these rapists publicly, what is the solution to these gang rapes that are growing in numbers every year? What a sad and shameful day for this country. Shame on us we failed our daughters #RIPManishaValmiki Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 29, 2020 Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar tweeted, Such brutality in #Hathras gangrape. When will this stop? Our laws and their enforcement must be so strict that the mere thought of punishment makes rapists shudder with fear! Hang the culprits. Raise your voice to safeguard daughters and sisters. Its the least we can do. Angry & Frustrated!Such brutality in #Hathras gangrape.When will this stop?Our laws & their enforcement must be so strict that the mere thought of punishment makes rapists shudder with fear!Hang the culprits.Raise ur voice to safeguard daughters & sisters-its the least we can do Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 29, 2020 Echoing a similar sentiment, Riteish Deshmukh said the culprits of the brutal and horrific crime should be hanged in public. The culprits of this brutality & horrific crime should be hanged in public. #Hathras https://t.co/KHCnLqtGOh Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) September 29, 2020 Justice for Hathras victim. Everyone deserves to live with dignity. Punish the perpetrators, Richa Chadha wrote. #JusticeForHathrasVictim everyone deserves to live with dignity. Punish the perpetrators. TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) September 29, 2020 Farhan Akhtar posted a heartbreak emoji and said it was a sad, sad day. How much longer can this be allowed to go on. Sad sad day. How much longer can this be allowed to go on .. #Hathras Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) September 29, 2020 #Hathras will forever remain a blemish on the fabric of this nation. Shame on all those who shield people who commit such crimes and all those who cover it up. To deny an already broken & grieving family their daughters last rites is barbaric. Humanity is dead. Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) September 30, 2020 Swara Bhasker and Yami Gautam also voiced their opinion on this issue. Swara said the brutal gangrape was a reminder that theres no limit to monstrosity. We have become a sick, inhuman society. Shameful. Saddening, the actor said. Yami Gautam wrote: Tried really hard to gather my thoughts before expressing my sorrow, anger and disgust. Its 2020 and still, so many Nirbhayas have to give their lives. Cant imagine the pain she must have endured and her family. Praying for severe punishment and justice. As per the reports, the four accused have already been arrested by Hathras police and are booked under IPS sections 307 and ST/SC Act, IPC section 376 D (charges for gang-rape) and IPC section 302 (punishment for murder). The officer added that the case will be tried by a fast-track court. When will girls be safe in our country? When will all this end? Its high time we come up with stricter punishments for rape. The Hathras gangrape and murder has shook the collective conscience of the country, yet again. There is outrage, there are protests and public hanging of the culprits is vehemently demanded. While the outcry continues, the Uttar Pradesh police have been accused of sabotaging the case. Allegations have been raised by the family of the victim that police had initially tried to brush aside the case as fake news. The woman, a day after she was assaulted, gave a police statement and initially the case was investigated as an attempt to murder over old enmity. Rape charges added only in FIR on September 22, eight days after crime. Since the #Hathras gang rape, the BJP govt refused to register a case for 8 days, called it fake news, cremated the body in the dead of the night to destroy evidence, while PM Modi refused to speak a single word. India will never forgive the BJP!#HathrasHorrorShocksIndia Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) September 30, 2020 On September 22, after the girl's statement, rape charges were added to the FIR and three more people were booked, while one accused, Sandeep was arrested. The woman told the police in a statement on September 22 that the four men raped her on September 14 when she had gone to collect firewood. Hathras Superintendent of Police Vikrant Vir said on Thursday that after the womans statement, gang rape charges were added to the first information report and three persons were booked. No proof of rape and toungue slashed The Uttar Pradesh Police also denied that the deceased was not a victim of sexual assault. The police, however, claims that the woman was attacked and allegedly strangled by four accused which caused damage to her nervous system and left her paralysed. Speaking to media, Hathras SP Vikrant Vir said that no signs of sexual assault were found on the victim's body by doctors and reports of her tongue being cut were also false. "No signs of sexual assault was confirmed by doctors in either Hathras or Aligarh. The matter will be probed by doctors through forensic help. No signs of abrasion were found on the victim's private parts," the Hathras SP said. Reuters The police have also denied claims that the Hathras gangrape victim's tongue was cut or that her backbone was shattered. However, reports suggest otherwise. The victim had bit her tongue as the accused tried to stangulate her after she was gangraped. As a result, she had allegedly suffered deep cuts on her tongue. Police forcibly cremated the victim in the dead of the night The case took another tragic turn in the wee hours of Wednesday when the victim was cremated by policemen allegedly as her family and relatives were locked up in their homes. A disturbing sequence of events was captured in visuals wherein the victims family was seen arguing with the cops, female relatives throwing themselves on the hood of the ambulance carrying the body and the mother crying her eyes out as she begged to take a last look at her daughter. No, they did it on their own. We're scared. Police forced us to take the body to cremation ground. We'd said we'll do it in morning: Brother of #Hathras gangrape victim when asked if family had given consent for funeral (Disclaimer: Interview time - around 4 am, after funeral) pic.twitter.com/KKbQBwxhV7 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 30, 2020 Brother of Hathras victim said that police forced them to take the body to cremation ground. Family wanted to do cremation in morning but police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. Why? UP police must tell, why body was taken directly to crematorium? Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) September 30, 2020 The woman's family said that they wanted to perform the funeral as per Hindu traditions and despite their protest, the cremation was done by policemen. "We couldn't see our daughter's face for the last time," the family said. The polices hasty and lackadaisical approach in the case is questionable and many have alleged that perhaps there is a larger conspiracy to suppress the case which has outraged the country. North Korea shot a missing South Korean official to death and burned his body earlier this week, the defense ministry confirmed Thursday. The 47-year-old official affiliated with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries disappeared while on duty aboard an inspection boat in waters off the western border island of Yeonpyeong. During the expo, China Medical City released the latest preferential policies for investment promotion, involving a total of 25 preferential policies in 7 major sectors, covering the R&D, production, sales and application of the pharmaceutical health industry. Relying on the advantages of abundant financial support, complete talent support policies, professional full-process services, and complete supporting facilities, China Medical City has built a first-class industrial ecosystem, and initially formed antibodies, vaccines, diagnostic reagents, high-performance medical equipment and a batch of characteristic industrial clusters such as new pharmaceutical preparations and special medical formula foods. More than 1,200 pharmaceutical companies, including 13 world-renowned multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Nestle and AstraZeneca, have taken root for development. The expo attracted 24 major projects from home and abroad to sign and settle down, with a total investment of 19.755 billion yuan, covering many fields such as antibodies, vaccines, and high-end medical devices. The fast-growing Glass Fire, which erupted Sunday near St. Helena, forced the citys only hospital to evacuate more than 50 patients by helicopter and ambulance. It was the second time in five weeks Adventist Health St. Helena had to relocate all patients and staff due to encroaching flames. Just last month, the LNU Lightning Complex fires prompted the hospital to execute a similar evacuation. Both times, patients were safely taken to several other Northern California facilities, including Queen of the Valley in Napa and Adventists sister hospitals in Marysville and Ukiah, said spokeswoman Linda Williams. She said she believes these are the only two times in the history of the hospital, which was built in 1878, that it has had to evacuate. The sad part is, having just gone through this ... we really know what to do, Williams said. The most critically ill patients were taken by helicopter and the rest by ambulances that came from across the Bay Area to help, Williams said. The 55 evacuated patients included 13 mental health patients who were transferred to Adventists mental health facility in Vallejo. The hospital relied on an internal alert system, called MIR3, which sends alerts by phone and email to hospital employees. The Glass Fire is believed to have started around 4 a.m. Sunday. By 7 a.m., the hospitals incident command unit was up and running and by 9 a.m., ambulances from around the region and a medical helicopter began transporting patients. The entire process was completed by noon, Williams said. It was efficient, calm and quick, she said. Now Playing: Wildfires are once again ravaging Northern California's Wine Country. The Glass Fire threatens communities in Sonoma and Napa counties, including Santa Rosa, that suffered destruction from blazes in 2017. Video: San Francisco Chronicle Last month, the LNU fire came within 8 miles, but did not reach hospital property. The 151-bed hospital did not sustain any damage. This time, the Glass Fire did reach the hospital grounds, which includes apartments and condos rented by hospital employees, but did not appear to touch the hospital building, Williams said. There were no reported injuries among patients or staff. By Tuesday afternoon, the Glass Fire had burned through 42,560 acres and was 0% contained. Evacuation orders remained in place, and hospital administrators have not yet been able to return to assess the damage. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California The hospital employs about 1,200 staff. Some may temporarily work out of the facilities that took in the evacuated patients to help care for those patients. Others may be directed to work at Adventist Health clinics in the area. Adventist Health also operates seven clinics in Napa County, including one in St. Helena, and all but one plan to reopen Wednesday. The clinic in Calistoga will remain closed because the city is still under evacuation orders. Like last month, once the Glass Fire is over, hospital officials will hold a hot wash or debriefing to review how protocols could be improved next time, Williams said. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho Berlin, Germany -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- Digital transformation has been the driving force in the demand for professionals with the skills to implement cutting-edge software into businesses across Germany and Europe. This is a vital step for companies to improve their productivity and workflow to ensure they remain in the black and out of the red. The German software market has had a 5.7% growth every year for the past five years providing a total of 19bn according to the European Information Technology Observatory . The future of the tech sector in Germany is waiting to be crafted, the industry needs innovative, bright-minded individuals who can code, design and curate autonomous infrastructure which will push the industry forward. Glocomms' team of dedicated consultants are ready and waiting to provide unrivalled recruitment solutions for the sector. Established in 2013, Glocomms are the leading specialist recruiters for business-critical talent in the tech sector for Germany and Europe. 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Glocomms believes in empowering their candidates and clients through the recruitment process by keeping them up to date on current issues which will shape the future of the markets. With a consistent global service and a belief in recruitment beyond borders, the team of passionate consultants are dedicated to fidning the ideal partnership for client and candidate wherever that may be in the world. The firm has a vast network of industry professionals spanning 60+ countries globally to ensure their exceptional service is backed up by those in the sector. "During uncertain times, Glocomms offers reassurance. Crises come in many different forms financial crashes, oil gluts, and now a global pandemic", commented Luis Rolm, Global Marketing Director at Glocomms. He went on to say, "Yet, whatever the challenge, we remain steadfast in our service. We continue to offer guidance to clients in the IT and technology sectors and help them secure top talent." To find out more information about IT and Technology Jobs Deutschland visit https://www.glocomms.de/. For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital 020 7100 0726. For all other enquiries please contact Glocomms Germany : +49 30 72 62 11 444. - For more information about Glocomms Germany services, please go to https://www.glocomms.de/. - Glocomms Germany supports organisations across Germany looking to secure key talent to help build the workforce of the future. The firm was established in 2013 and has extensive industry and candidate connections and a deep well of expertise in the specialist recruitment market. 283 Shares Share I walked into my exam room to see a patient I first met two decades ago. His medical problems included poorly controlled diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and a substance abuse disorder. Over the years, our health care system has served him well as he has remained free of diabetic complications and now leads a productive life. Watching this transformation has been both professionally rewarding, personally enjoyable, and I look forward to our periodic interactions. At this visit, he was sporting a MAGA hat. I was confused. How can my patient, who has so clearly benefited from Americas health care system, support a politician who has tried to abolish the Affordable Care Act, used the bully pulpit to undermine Americas public health experts, refused to implement health care policies which would mitigate COVID-19s morbidity and mortality, and who minimizes the severity of the coronavirus pandemic every day? Why does he support a politician whose health care policies are an immediate threat to his health and longevity? My brain says, You are the physician this patient trusts to take care of his medical problems. You must teach him that COVID-19 is a serious risk to his health and explain how the presidents public health policies threaten his health. You must engage in a political conversation. It is currently taboo for physicians to discuss politics in the exam room, especially when political opinions are discordant as it risks creating a rift in the patient-physician relationship. Reflexly, I answer myself, Do not engage in a political discussion. You need to deal with his immediate health issues. During the visit, we reviewed his medicines and test results and agreed on a treatment plan. At the end of the visit, I told him that it is in his best health interest to wear a mask, socially distant, wash his hands frequently, and defer visiting his favorite bar and gym. I consciously decided not to address his support for the president. Back in my office, I reviewed the encounter and immediately had misgivings about my decision to avoid discussing the health ramifications of his political proclivities. I knew he was mistakenly informed about the science of COVID-19, as his primary source of information was Fox News and his peers. I was concerned that this misunderstanding led him to support a politician whose public health policies will adversely impact his health. Every day physicians teach their patients the scientific truths they must understand to enable them to make informed health care decisions. Is it not also a physicians responsibility to teach their patients the science underlying relevant public health policy and explain that there is a linear connection between political choices, public health policies, and their health and longevity? Would not a more comprehensive understanding of this relationship enable our patients to make more informed political decisions, including the option to choose political leaders who will implement better health care policies? While politics has become hyperpolarized, most patients still believe their physicians tell the truth about science and medicine; thus, physicians are in a unique position to educate their patients about the ramifications of science. By selecting me as his physician, he was implicitly telling me that he had confidence in my judgment. In return, I should have emphasized that the coronavirus is an immediate risk to his health; I should have explained how COVID-19 spreads and how he can reduce his risk. I probably should have breached the no politics in the exam room taboo and told him that the presidents refusal to implement public health measures recommended by every public health expert has resulted in the needless death of tens of thousands of Americans and is part of the reason that 1,000 Americans die from COVID-19 every day. I should have explicitly connected the dots and stated that the presidents COVID-19 public health policy is an immediate threat to his health. The medical profession now understands that social determinants of health are probably the most important driver of a patients overall health, and these determinants are largely the result of political decisions. Clearly, we have a professional responsibility to teach our patients the science underlying their health issues. Dont we also have a professional obligation to ensure that our patients understand the health ramifications of their political choices? If that is the case, do we not have a professional obligation to initiate a conversation about the political issues which impact our patients health? If we fail to breach the taboo of talking politics in the exam room, are we not shirking our professional responsibilities to our patients and society? Hayward Zwerling is an endocrinologist who blogs at I Have an Idea. Image credit: Shutterstock.com The public has the right to sue the government for actions they may consider inappropriate. That doesnt mean it is always a good idea. The lawsuit brought by four Connecticut mothers against the requirement that children wear masks while in public school pits what they say is a right to an education against general public health. The protection of public health cannot be ignored. The families from Manchester, East Lyme, Marlborough and Farmington with 10 children from ages 5 to 15 say in the suit they oppose the state Department of Education requirement that children wear face coverings, masks, face shields, or any other attire or apparatus on their persons in order to receive their fundamental right to an education. The requirement, following federal health guidelines, is for the safety of teachers, other students, and family members during the coronavirus epidemic. Though cumbersome and perhaps uncomfortable, masks are a prudent way to try to thwart the spread of the contagion. However, the lawsuit filed through the Ridgefield-based CT Freedom Alliance, which petitioned earlier to re-open the region, charges that wearing masks all day is dangerous and damaging to the Childrens health, safety and emotional well-being. This week a Superior Court judge ruled that two doctors who the group wanted to testify about psychological and physical damage to children were unqualified. One of them, a New York psychiatrist, was rejected by the judge as an expert because he believes COVID-19 is a hoax, vaccines are poison and viruses do not exist. The court will not accept as an expert advisor to it on a matter of life and death a man who defies science so firmly established as beyond rational dispute, Judge Thomas Moukawsher said. The other, an ophthalmologist from Oklahoma who markets vitamin sales as an alternative to masks, lacks the appropriate professional background, the judge said. Further, the lawsuit charges that masks do not prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Scientific evidence and federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are to the contrary. Connecticut parents have options. If they dont want their children to wear masks in school, then they can seek individual exemptions in the district or the students can learn remotely from home. But the lawsuit maintains distance learning does not provide children with a constitutionally adequate education. Connecticut has a low positivity rate of coronavirus infection, though it is rising slightly, because most take seriously the need to wear masks, observe social distancing and follow other measures. It makes little sense to expose entire schools and families because a few parents find masks too uncomfortable for their children. On a related note, we find it troubling that one of the lawyers representing the families holds state office. Craig Fishbein is a two-term Republican state representative for the 90th District, which covers part of Wallingford and Cheshire. Though legal, it is questionable for an elected official to be suing the state he helps govern. Haiti - FLASH : 94 Haitian migrants rescued at sea off Colombia On Tuesday, the Colombian navy confirmed that it had rescued 94 Haitian illegal migrants aboard the "Jhosua" a small boat that was adrift off the Caribbean coast of Colombia, following an engine failure. The Haitians, 61 adults and 33 children, were brought back to land safely and handed over to the migration service. According to the Colombian authorities, the Haitians were trying to reach Panama, which serves as a transit for those who want to travel to South America and the United States by land. Recall that Colombia closed its borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic last March, interrupting the journey of nearly 2,000 Haitians who have been stranded for months in camps in the jungle along the country's northern and southern borders. . S/ HaitiLibre By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijans satellite operator Azercosmos is monitoring the countrys entire territory amid the escalation of conflict on the line of contact. The monitoring includes the Vardenis-Aghdere road, which is one of the most important strategic roads and is already under the control of the Azerbaijani army. Established in 2010, Azercosmos OJSC is the first and only satellite operator in the South Caucasus, which provides high-quality satellite services for telecommunications and geographic intelligence. According 2019 results, Azercosmos ranks first among state and non-state exporters in terms of exports in the service sector. The need to monitor the Azerbaijani territory has arisen from Armenia's recent military provocations across the line of contact and on the border. It should be noted that Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. As a result of such aggression, the number of killed and wounded civilians are 9 and 33 respectively. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media The governor and health care leaders will discuss Thursday how the state has progressed during the coronavirus pandemic and the changes the virus has brought. Gov. Ned Lamont, Quinnipiac University President Judy Olian and the CEOs of the four largest health care providers in the state will be on virtual panel at 3 p.m. Thursday. More in What you need to know for Thursday, October 1 (18 of 21) S hocking footage has emerged showing hundreds of Coventry University students flouting social distancing rules at a huge party in halls despite increasing Covid-19 cases. The clip, which has been shared online, shows students packed into a room at the residential halls, Arundel House, near the main campus. Students can be seen ignoring social distancing rules and without face masks as they sing a long to music, dance and a climb on top of what appears to be a ping pong table. The clip shows the crowd breaching the Government's rule of six, which was introduced earlier this month in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus. It comes as around 4,000 students across the UK are now self-isolating after more than 500 cases were confirmed across at least 32 universities. Coventry University said it was aware of the incident, saying that any student found to be in breach of regulations could face disciplinary proceedings. The university has launched an investigation into whether the party was planned and who organised it. Business Secretary Alok Sharma, when asked about a video which apparently shows a group of university students having a party, said the Government was asking students to follow the rules, follow the guidance, and act responsibly. This has been actually a very, very difficult time for young people and actually, they want to get back to some sense of normality, we cant just sort of lock people down forever, he told BBC Breakfast. Coventry students partying in lockdown Universities are open, students have gone back, and of course we ask them, just as we ask the rest of the population, to follow the rules, follow the guidance, and act responsibly, and ultimately this is for their own good, and I hope people will do that. Asked about students going home at Christmas, Mr Sharma said: I know that was a concern and a worry over the last few days, whether parents would miss out on spending time with their children and vice versa, so weve given that commitment. He (Education Secretary Gavin Williamson) is looking to see precisely how we will make this possible. Coventry University students partying in halls But as I said, we want students to have a sense of normality, to be able to enjoy the teaching that they have at universities, and of course ultimately to also keep safe. A spokesperson for Coventry University said: We are aware of an incident in a private accommodation block which was captured in a video that has been shared online. We are deeply concerned by the scenes in the video and strongly condemn the blatant breaches of the rule of six and other guidelines as they risk the health of our students, colleagues and the communities in which we are located. Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images We have introduced a code of conduct for students and shared this widely with them ahead of the weekend. This code of conduct makes it clear that a failure to follow university and Government health, safety and wellbeing requirements will constitute a breach of the universitys disciplinary regulations and may be dealt with as a matter of misconduct. "If any of those involved in the video are found to be students of Coventry University and in breach of the code of conduct, we will take appropriate action. The vast majority of our students are sensible adults and are taking coronavirus very seriously. Many of them are from the communities in which our campuses are based and want to protect themselves, their friends and loved ones. "Hundreds of our students on health courses worked in NHS wards and ambulances during the peak of the pandemic. Across our five campuses, we have put in place safety measures in line with government advice and we are in constant dialogue with local public health officials and other agencies and universities. "We are regularly messaging our colleagues and students to reinforce the importance of following all the rules and laws designed to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and we have student ambassadors in key places on campus to remind those who forget to comply with social distancing or face coverings. "We are also actively encouraging the use of the NHS Covid-19 app to assist our existing track and trace process. Massive outrage is happening across the country over the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman after she was gang-raped and tortured in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras district and later her hush-hush cremation during dark night by state policemen without her familys consent. Protestors are demanding strict action against all four men accused in the case. Meanwhile, on being asked about further course of action against all the arrested accused by BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, party national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Wednesday said vehicles can overturn anytime in Yogi Adityanaths state". The accused have been arrested. The case has been sent to a fast-track court. The accused will be sent to jail Yogi ji jo wahan par CM hain, main jaanta hun ki unke pradesh mein kabhi bhi gaadi palat jaati hai (Yogi ji who is CM there I know him, I know that in his state, a car can overturn anytime)," Vijayvargiya told media. Vijayvargiyas response was also asked by media in Bhopal to comment on alleged callousness of police in the gang-rape incident in Hathras district. We should have patience as the police have arrested the four accused and the case has been sent to a fast track court," he said. This statement by the BJP leader has reminded all about how a notorious gangster Vikas Dubey from Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur was arrested in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain and was shot dead after his arrest by Uttar Pradesh Police when the vehicle carrying him overturned on the outskirts of Kanpur. In a similar incident, a UP-based gangster Firoz Ali was killed in a road accident in Madhya Pradeshs Guna when a team of Uttar Pradesh Police was taking him to Lucknow after arresting him from Mumbai. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has said that the late night cremation of Hathras gang-rape victim with the familys consent is highly shameful". The BJP government denied the victim family the right to perform last rites of the ill-fated girl, UPs public wont forgive Yogi government for this, he said in a tweet. UPDATE: Cleanup operations were scheduled to begin in Jackson County Oct. 19 and in other counties soon after that. Residents were urged to check the states wildfire cleanup website for the latest information and next steps. Residents who suffered property losses in the recent wildfires that swept through Oregon must complete some paperwork before cleanup efforts can begin for hazardous materials on their property, officials said Wednesday. Certified professionals will need to dispose of toxic chemicals and contaminated debris left in areas where fire destroyed homes, cars or other structures, said Marion County Commissioner Kevin Cameron. You cant just take it out and dump it in a hole, Cameron said, noting that the Santiam Canyon, hard hit by the Beachie Creek fire, is a sensitive watershed where chemicals could easily be washed into the water supply. Its dangerous. Cleaning up burned-down homes is a two-step-process, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, one of several agencies collaborating on the effort. First, crews must remove any hazardous materials to minimize exposure to the public. Once thats complete, removal of ash, structures, vehicles and other debris can proceed to clear the way for rebuilding. But for residents to get help with cleanup from federal and state authorities, they have to fill out forms granting cleanup workers right-of-entry to their property. The cleanup is available to homeowners free of charge in eight counties hit by wildfire. The forms are especially important for homeowners who do not have insurance, said Brian Nicholas, director of public works in Marion County. If you are an uninsured property owner, this is your best opportunity to get this taken care of, he said, Hazardous materials can become a financial liability if not properly disposed of, he said. Residents must act quickly, as well, Nicholas said. State officials hope to have crews on the ground by mid-October so property owners should complete the forms and turn them in by Oct. 16. In Marion County, for instance, Nicholas said the county will mail out the forms, which should be forwarded to people who are away from their home addresses, and they also will be available on the county website. Officials also plan to use social media to publicize the push for people to complete the forms, he said. In Clackamas County, residents must fill out a similar form if they are want help with cleanup. A spokeswoman said the form should be ready in the next few days and would be available on the county website or for in-person pickup at the Molalla River School District Community Gymnasium at 412 S. Swiegle Ave., which will be open every day except Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m through Oct. 10. Cleanup assistance will also be available in Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln and Linn counties. Residents should check with their local governments. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of counties for which assistance would be available. -- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale by Mathias Hariyadi The government wants to bring revenue levels back to pre-pandemic levels within two years. GDP is expected to drop by 6 per cent this year. Recovery will focus on human capital through investments in welfare and education. Opinions differ over the revival of East Timors economy. Dili (AsiaNews) Direct support for workers and businesses to bring revenue levels back to pre-pandemic levels within two years is the economic strategy pursued by the government of East Timor (Timor Leste) to overcome the COVID-19 emergency. The coronavirus crisis has accentuated East Timors economic difficulties, already marked by a deep political crisis in the last three years. The health impact of the pandemic has been limited with only 28 reported cases and no deaths, but the Central Bank of Timor-Leste expects a 6% contraction in GDP this year. Although government action in the early stages of the pandemic limited unemployment, the cut in working hours also reduced disposable income for wage workers. Many companies have been forced to close because of the end of public aid and the drop in domestic demand due to the lockdown. Tourism, hotels and restaurants are the most affected sectors. Self-employed workers and businesses that rely on foreign workers, who went home at the outbreak of the crisis, are also in difficulty. After stabilising the labour market, the authorities plan to double public spending over the next five years to solve the country's many structural problems. East Timor is still a subsistence economy, with large pockets of poverty, and is struggling to modernise. The government, which depends on the proceeds from gas and oil sales as well as international aid, has too big a share of the national economy. Inequality in income distribution is another serious issue, and an efficient social welfare has still not been set up. The government wants to create new jobs, consolidate public investments in education, health, and housing, and build a real social safety net. It also plans to transform the economy by promoting human capital. However, forecasts for the East Timorese economy are conflicting. About 38 million more people are expected to live in poverty this year in the Asia-Pacific region, this according to a World Bank report published yesterday. East Timor is included in the study. By contrast, Fitch Ratings Inc., a credit rating agency, expects East Timor to experience a healthy recovery, with economic growth between 5 and 5.5 per cent. 18+ FOR.kg search news service (news aggregator, media aggregator) Read first Agreement on the use of the FOR.kg search site When using materials from the FOR.kg - reference to the source is required For all questions please contact customer support DOVER, Del. - The official committee representing survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy is asking for authorization from the judge to issue subpoenas for information that it claims is being withheld by the organization and its local councils. Attorneys for the tort claimants committee, or TCC, said in a court filing Tuesday that they need to review financial assets, troop and camp rosters, and insurance policies to participate in discussions regarding a possible global resolution of the thousands of sexual abuse claims that drove the Boy Scouts to seek bankruptcy protection. Without the facts in hand, the parties mediation may stall, the court filing states. The committee is seeking discovery from the BSA, members of an ad hoc committee of local councils and 47 specifically named councils, including eight that are members of the ad hoc committee. The examinees have slow-walked information on the local councils restricted assets and stonewalled on the roster requests, and the TCC has no confidence that all of the insurance policies have been produced, attorneys said in the court filing. The BSA said in a prepared statement Wednesday that all 253 local councils have agreed to share information with the tort claimants committee, including past and future transactions involving their assets. This clearly demonstrates that the BSA and the local councils are committed to working through a productive, mediated process that provides equitable compensation for survivors of past abuse in Scouting and ensures that the mission of Scouting can continue for Americas youth, the organization said. The Boy Scouts of America, based in Irving, Texas, sought bankruptcy protection in February in an effort to halt hundreds of individual lawsuits and create a compensation fund for men who were molested as youngsters decades ago by scoutmasters or other leaders. A Delaware bankruptcy judge has set a Nov. 16 deadline for victims of child sex abuse to file claims in the bankruptcy case. That date corresponds with the scheduled expiration of the courts injunction halting child sex abuse lawsuits against the local councils. In return for protection from litigation, local councils were required to provide information to the Boy Scouts about their finances, including real estate holdings, for sharing with creditor committees. The local councils, which run day-to-day operations for local troops, are not listed as debtors in the bankruptcy and are considered by the Boy Scouts to be legally separate entities, even though they are related parties. Attorneys for abuse victims have made clear that they will try to go after properties owned by the local councils to contribute to the fund for victims. Among the information being sought by the tort claimants committee are records of any real or personal property valued at $250,000 or more that the BSA or a local council contends is restricted in its use or purpose and therefore unavailable for distribution to creditors. Financial records of local councils are needed to determine whether they are able to provide substantial contribution to any settlement and, in return, be protected from future lawsuits by claimants, according to the court filing. The committee also wants to see insurance policies under which the BSA has or might have coverage for liability arising from sexual abuse claims, including policies for each year prior to 1963 and those issued by a variety of named companies for specific years ranging from 1975 to 2019. It also wants records of local council policies that might provide coverage for sexual abuse claims independent of coverage under BSA policies. The committee also asserts that rosters of Boy Scout troops and camps are critical in assessing the validity of abuse claims against local councils and determining whether other parties, such as local churches or community organizations sponsoring Boy Scout troops, might also be liable. Attorneys also noted that rosters of local troops could help corroborate certain claims, particularly if a claimant does not remember details such as the number of his Boy Scout troop, the name of its sponsoring organization, the names of adult leaders or the specific year in which he was abused. Since the vast majority of claimants were children and teens when they were abused, it is completely understandable that they would not be able to recall this information some of the claimants were in second or third grade when they were sexually abused, attorneys wrote. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Oct. 14. The Council Bluffs Community School District will allow students to voluntarily return to full-time, in-person school beginning on Oct. 12, the district announced Tuesday. Parents will have the option of sending their children back to school full time or keeping them in the current hybrid mode or Virtual Academy, according to a message Superintendent Vickie Murillo distributed to families Tuesday afternoon. The decision was based partly on responses to a telephone survey of parents conducted last week, Murillo said in the message. Most of our parents who have students in the hybrid schedule were in favor of returning to onsite learning five days per week, she said. We recognize we also have many parents who would feel more comfortable at this time having their children remain in hybrid, attending school two to three days per week. I have heard passionate opinions from parents and staff about options to consider, Murillo continued. After listening and considering many opinions, I have decided that it will be each parents decision whether to keep their children in the hybrid phase or have their children return to onsite learning five days per week, beginning on Oct. 12. Matt Wyant, Pottawattamie County director of planning and development who also heads Pottawattamie County Public Health, said he feels comfortable with having more students in the school buildings. I think, from what weve seen so far in our community and how theyve been able to contain it in the schools, with the precautions they have, it should be safe to bring them all back, he said. The fact that students are wearing masks in school makes it possible for the district to do that, Wyant said, adding that it is consistent with Gov. Kim Reynolds decision to exempt people who have been with someone with COVID-19 from quarantine requirements, if both were wearing masks when they were in close proximity. Face coverings have really proved to be a big part in keeping everybody safe, he said. Wyant said this would be the next step in moving toward having all of the students attend full time again. I think it was really the goal for them to use a phased-in approach to return to full-time attendance, he said. Murillo estimates that classrooms will still only be at 60% to 80% of capacity, leaving some space for social distancing. We will plan to physically distance to the maximum extent possible and will continue to provide cleaning supplies and sanitizer and expect the use of face masks that have proven to be an effective part of our overall mitigation protocols, she said. The number of cases in our school community has remained low, and we will continue to monitor school attendance, school community positivity rates and local positivity data to determine future plans. All parents are asked to complete an enrollment form by Oct. 5 indicating which option they are choosing for their school-age children, even if they will be staying in the hybrid mode. They can get to the enrollment form by clicking on this survey at the bottom of the email message or student enrollment form at the bottom of the news item on the districts website titled Parents Given Option to Choose Hybrid or Onsite Learning. There will be no in-person school on Oct. 5 so teachers and staff can prepare for the transition, Murillo said. Teachers will provide work for students to do at home that day. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Belgium is finally getting a new government on Wednesday, 16 months after the country conducted its parliamentary election. The Belgian king, Leopold Ludwig Maria, is expected to name caretaker finance minister, Alexander De Croo, as the new prime minister. Following weeks of talks, seven parties spanning the French-Dutch language divide have agreed to form a governing coalition to replace the caretaker administration of Sophie Wilmes, who led Belgium through six months of the COVID-19 crisis. Belgium has one of the worlds highest COVID-19 fatalities per capita. The death toll passed 10,000 on Wednesday. Mr De Croo is set to lead the new government, Belgian newspapers including daily Le Soir reported, citing anonymous sources. Paul Magnette, leader of the French-speaking Socialists, said on Twitter that he was heading to the palace to form a government with other parties. Belgium had been under a caretaker administration since the start of the COVID-19 crisis in March and without a fully fledged government since December 2018, when a four-party coalition collapsed. Advertisement Boris Johnson tonight finally bowed to demand to give MPs a vote before any fresh lockdown restrictions - after furious Speaker Lindsay Hoyle blasted him for treating the Commons with 'contempt'. In the face of a huge backbench rebellion over the scope of new laws introduced by ministers without being seen by MPs, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the government would 'consult Parliament' on any England-wide or UK-wide restrictions, and a vote will be held in advance 'wherever possible'. It came ahead of a vote in the Commons on renewing emergency coronavirus powers, with around 100 MPs ready to force changes if the Government failed to give concessions. Mr Hancock said: 'Today I can confirm to the House that for significant national measures, with effect in the whole of England or UK-wide, we will consult Parliament wherever possible we will hold votes before such regulations come into force,' he said. 'But of course responding to the virus means that the Government must act with speed when required and we cannot hold up urgent regulations which are needed to control the virus and save lives.' Sir Graham Brady, who led the Tory revolt, welcomed the climbdown - which followed weeks of rising tensions with the backbenches. The motion was later passed by 330 votes to 24, majority 306. Mr Johnson tonight begged Britons to stick with his coronavirus plan, warning that a 'more costly' second full lockdown will have to be imposed unless the public behaves better. At a No10 press conference with Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance, the PM said it was too early to judge whether the Rule of Six and 10pm pubs curfew introduced over the past fortnight were working. And he said that letting the virus 'take its course' risked overwhelming the NHS and many more deaths. But in a nod to rising anxiety about the consequences of restrictions, Mr Johnson said he intended to update the public more 'regularly' in the coming weeks. In another frantic day in the coronavirus crisis: The UK recorded 7,108 more coronavirus cases and another 71 deaths today including a three-month high of seven in Scotland; Cabinet hawks are sniping at Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance over dire warnings about a second wave as the PM prepares to hold a Downing Street press conference; The Bank of England's chief economist Andy Haldane has called for optimism on the country's prospects, warning that a 'Chicken Licken' attitude could harm the recovery; Business Secretary Alok Sharma faced a backlash after blaming 'gotcha' questions for the PM's muddle over the North East lockdown rules yesterday; Ministers fear that the public is showing increasing signs of 'lockdown fatigue' as the pandemic drags on and the rules become more complicated; There are claims Covid press conferences will now be held weekly again as senior aides believe the PM must be seen to have more of a grip. Reading the riot act to the PM, Sir Lindsay made clear that he is ready to side with dozens of Tory rebels and opposition parties to ensure more scrutiny - warning that the government's must act now to restore 'trust' In the face of a huge backbench rebellion over the scope of new laws introduced by ministers without being seen by MPs, the government said it would 'consult Parliament' on any England-wide or UK-wide restrictions, and a vote will be held in advance 'wherever possible' Mr Johnson tonight begged Britons to stick with his coronavirus plan, warning that a 'more costly' second full lockdown will have to be imposed unless the public behaves better Tory MPs' patience with PM is wearing thin Boris Johnson will find governing the country 'very much more difficult and complicated' if he fails to bring his MPs together and lead them, a senior Tory warned today. Sir Bernard Jenkin, chairman of the Commons Liaison Committee, also said the Prime Minister 'cannot lead his parliamentary party unless he has their consent' as he launched an attack on those advising Mr Johnson. His warning came after the Government calmed Tory backbenchers by promising MPs a vote over major coronavirus laws 'wherever possible'. Speaking during the debate on a motion to renew emergency coronavirus laws, Sir Bernard said: 'The Government has made something of a rod for its own back by heaping a certain amount of derision and contempt on what Parliament is for and what we can do and what we can contribute to this. 'I don't suggest for a moment that's come from (Health Secretary Matt Hancock) or the Prime Minister, but there are some people around the Prime Minister who do not seem to value what Parliament has to offer and indeed what Parliament's function should be.' Sir Bernard said he did not believe Mr Johnson leads a 'Cromwellian government' which wants to abolish Parliament. But he added: 'There should be some lessons learned from this that there is a fundamental principle in our politics - that the Government cannot govern without the consent of the House of Commons. 'I'd go further than that, a slightly more party political point, which is the Prime Minister cannot lead his parliamentary party unless he has their consent and therefore will find the act of governing very much more difficult and complicated if that consent of the party in office - amongst the Members of Parliament - is not gathered together and led.' 'I think the Prime Minister has gone to some lengths to bring back some consultation with the parliamentary party in recent weeks, but let there be some lessons learned from the previous attitude which seemed to be coming from the team around the Prime Minister.' Advertisement The announcement by the Health Secretary came after Sir Lindsay delivered an extraordinary rebuke, complaining that sweeping powers for ministers to deal with the public health crisis were being abused. Reading the riot act to the PM as he sat silently in the chamber, Sir Lindsay made clear that he is ready to side with dozens of Tory rebels and opposition parties to ensure more scrutiny - warning that the government's must act now to restore 'trust'. 'The Government must make greater efforts to prepare measures more quickly, so that this House can debate and decide upon the most significant measures at the earliest possible point,' he said. 'I am now looking to the Government to rebuild the trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt that it has shown.' The Speaker did reject an amendment tabled by Tory rebels to a motion renewing the Coronavirus Act powers, that would have forced votes before new measures are imposed - saying it would breach parliamentary procedure. However, the intervention was enough to trigger an immediate shift from the government. Yet seven Tory MPs rebelled against their party, while 23 abstained, although some were understood to be otherwise engaged. Rebel Peter Bone said he refused to back the PM because he is not convinced any new laws will actually be put before Parliament. Following the vote, the Wellingborough MP told Sky News: 'It's a question of whether you believe the government will suddenly change tack and [then] bring things before Parliament, let it be scrutinised, debated, amended and voted on. 'I didn't hear anything today that persuaded me they would. The fact they only allowed 90 minutes for debate shows where they're coming from. Backbenchers had very little time to debate and most backbenchers weren't allowed to speak at all.' Mr Johnson addressed the nation at a press conference alongside Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance at 5pm. But he is coming under intense pressure drop the scientists from such briefings, with complaints that they are being used as 'propaganda' to back up increasingly draconian restrictions. MailOnline understands Cabinet hawks are increasingly frustrated by the dire warnings from the medical and science chiefs about a second wave. Former Downing Street aides have been calling on the government to take the experts out of the limelight, warning they are not great communicators and it gave the impression decisions were clear cut rather than a matter of judgement for ministers. Senior Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin upped the ante today by swiping that the government is using 'science as propaganda'. In an extraordinary attack in the Commons - which Mr Johnson had to sit and listen to - Sir Lindsay slammed the way the government was railroading through restrictions. 'The way in which the Government has exercised its powers to make secondary legislation during this crisis has been totally unsatisfactory,' he said. 'All too often, important statutory instruments have been published a matter of hours before they come into force, and some explanations why important measures have come into effect before they can be laid before this House have been unconvincing and shows a total disregard for the House. Pictured left to right, Boris Johnson, new Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, Matt Hancock and Michael Gove leaving Downing Street for the Foreign Office today, where Cabinet is held because there is more space for social distancing Chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief science officer Patrick Vallance were in Whitehall today for the Cabinet meeting Alok Sharma faces backlash after blaming 'gotcha' questions for the PM bungling his OWN Covid lockdown rules Boris Johnson's allies were accused of excusing 'incompetence' today after 'gotcha' were blamed for his bungle over coronavirus lockdown policies. The PM faced a welter of ridicule after embarrassingly getting muddled yesterday about the draconian rules imposed on households mixing in the North East. The blunder elicited a rare apology from Mr Johnson, who admitted he had 'misspoken' by suggesting different households could still legally socialise in groups of six indoors. It also fuelled a raging Tory revolt over the government pushing through restrictions on millions of people without parliamentary scrutiny, amid rising concerns about the devastating impact on the economy and jobs. Whips are desperately trying to strike a deal with rebels who have tabled an amendment to a crunch motion tonight renewing the sweeping powers in the Coronavirus Act. Tory MPs insisted if Mr Johnson cannot 'keep up' with the changes being by the government there is no hope for ordinary members of the public. But Business Secretary Alok Sharma swatted away the furore this morning, accusing journalists of turning the situation into a 'quiz show' and saying people should check council websites rather than listening to the PM. 'There is an element of slightly 'gotcha' about this in terms of this line of questioning. You are a flagship programme when it comes to serious news and it is not a quiz show,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Advertisement 'The Government must make greater efforts to prepare measures more quickly, so that this House can debate and decide upon the most significant measures at the earliest possible point.' He added: 'I am now looking to the Government to rebuild the trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt that it has shown.' Sir Graham Brady, the influential 1922 Committee chair who tabled the amendment, said he remained hopeful that the Government will make concessions on coronavirus powers. In a statement, he said: 'The Speaker set out his reasons for not selecting any amendments but he also made it clear that he expects the Government to ensure proper and timely parliamentary scrutiny. 'I am hopeful that the Government will respond appropriately this afternoon.' Downing Street has signalled the Government has struck a compromise with rebels who have been calling for votes on new coronavirus restrictions. A source among the rebels also indicated that Health Secretary Matt Hancock will outline an agreement as he opens the Commons debate. Asked about Sir Lindsay Hoyle's criticism of the Government, a No 10 spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister and the Health Secretary have acknowledged that we're looking at further ways to involve Parliament in the process in advance and we know how important it is for both houses to have to debate and scrutinise all coronavirus regulations. 'At the same time it does remain vital that we can move quickly to stop the virus spreading, as we have done throughout the pandemic and I'm sure you will hear more on this from the Health Secretary this afternoon.' Pressed on whether an agreement had been struck, the spokesman said: 'I can't pre-empt what the Health Secretary is going to say and as you can imagine the appropriate place for any announcement to be made would be in the Commons.' Mr Johnson did not make any reference to the stinging criticism from the Speaker as he took to his feet for PMQs afterwards. Disquiet has been growing among MPs about the influence of Prof Whitty and Sir Patrick over the government's approach. One Cabinet 'hawk' told MailOnline that Mr Johnson had no choice but to act given the dire warnings he was getting. 'You can understand why the PM has to be cautious when he is being told that tens of thousands of people are going to die,' they said. Care homes 'are waiting up to three weeks for Covid results' Care homes are waiting up to three weeks to get their coronavirus test results, it was claimed today as the UK's swabbing fiasco continues. The Government had promised to get carers swabbed every week, and residents every 28 days, so new cases could be detected quickly and isolated. But the 'world-leading' testing system is failing to turn around samples on time as it battles to get through an ever-growing backlog of samples. Care homes leaders have warned the problem is 'getting worse, not better' because 'test results are not coming back quickly enough'. The backlog adds to Britain's ongoing testing crisis which erupted earlier this month after demand massively outstripped capacity. Ministers warned the shortage would last for weeks. Scores of Brits, including nurses and doctors, complained about being unable to get swabbed for the disease despite some drive-in sites standing completely empty. Others were forced to travel hundreds of miles to find out whether or not they were infected. Advertisement The minister added that the government was getting advice more 'widely' from experts now. 'The hawks in the Cabinet are a lot happier with the spread of opinion than they were,' they said. The source pointed out that the was a huge range of opinion among scientists, and ministers had to be confident to take a view. 'Earlier in the crisis we were a lot more in thrall of the scientists. But there is a huge difference between doubling every seven days and every 20 days,' they said. 'We are talking more widely to people with different views. It might be that people like Carl Heneghan have the right assessment. ' 'The modelling is not at all accurate. It just gives you general idea of what might happen.' The PM gathered his Cabinet this morning after embarrassingly getting muddled about the draconian rules imposed on households mixing in the North East. The blunder elicited a rare apology from Mr Johnson, who admitted he had 'misspoken' by suggesting different households could still legally socialise in groups of six indoors. Tory MPs insisted if Mr Johnson cannot 'keep up' with the changes being by the government there is no hope for ordinary members of the public. But Business Secretary Alok Sharma swatted away the criticism this morning, accusing journalists of 'gotcha' questions and turning the situation into a 'quiz show' - saying people should check council websites rather than listening to the PM. 'There is an element of slightly 'gotcha' about this in terms of this line of questioning. You are a flagship programme when it comes to serious news and it is not a quiz show,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Asked whether he thought that calling on ministers to explain what their coronavirus regulations were was as 'trivial as a quiz question', he said: 'No, absolutely not. But what I'm saying to you is that what is important is if people want to understand the precise restrictions that they have in areas which are more restricted, then they should go on to the (local authority) websites.' A dire day for the government kicked off yesterday when skills minister Gillian Keegan suffered a series of car crash interviews Tuesday morning, admitting she was unable to answer key questions over new curbs that came into effect from midnight. Quizzed on the North East lockdown after a speech at Exeter College in Devon later, Mr Johnson said: 'On the rule of six, outside the areas such as the North East where extra measures have been brought in, it is six inside, six outside. 'And in the North East and other areas where extra tight measures have been brought in you should follow the guidance of the local authorities. 'But it's six in a home or six in hospitality, but as I understand it not six outside. That is the situation there.' Whitehall sources claimed No10 had been blindsided by Matt Hancock's decision to press ahead with the new restrictions, which had not been expected until at least the end of this week. But the muddle raised questions about Former minister Steve Baker, one of the rebel ringleaders pushing for parliament to get a bigger role in deciding lockdown, said it demonstrated the confusion that was being caused. UK's economic plunge at the peak of coronavirus lockdown was not quite as bad as thought - but GDP still fell a record 19.8% in second quarter Official figures for the fall in GDP during the three months to June have been revised down from 20.4 per cent to 19.8 per cent. However, the scale of the drop still makes it the biggestin modern history The UK's economic plunge at the peak of coronavirus lockdown was not quite as bad as thought - but still the worst in modern history. Official figures for the fall in GDP during the three months to June have been revised down from 20.4 per cent to 19.8 per cent. However, the scale of the drop still makes it the biggest on record. And the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has also concluded that UK plc performed worse during the first quarter of the year. The economy contracted 2.5 per cent between January and March, compared to previous estimate of 2.2 per cent. Overall GDP is now 21.8 per cent smaller than at the end of 2019 - underlining the threat to millions of jobs as Boris Johnson struggles to balance getting the country back up and running with tackling a rise in cases. There have been some signs of hope, with the Bank of England suggesting the recovery has been better than expected so far. Separate figures published earlier this month showed GDP went up by 6.6 per cent in July. Advertisement He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think it was a vivid illustration of the problems you have when a hundred Acts of Parliament are used to put in place 247, I think it is, pieces of delegated legislation which are subject to repeated amendment and revocation. 'When you get such a large and shifting body of law, you find even ministers and the Prime Minister cannot keep up with it. 'What possible hope can the public have? I had one minister say to me yesterday, with terror in his eyes about the disease, we might have to change the law every 24 hours. 'We can't possibly expect 70 million people to keep up with law that changes every 24 hours this would be chaos and ruin.' Senior Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin also turned up the temperature by accusing ministers of using science for 'propaganda'. 'We saw during the Iraq war, intelligence being used as a propaganda,' he told Times Radio. 'The scientists are not there to explain what the government has judged necessary to do'. Mr Sharma hinted that concessions could be on their way as the Government looks to quell a Commons rebellion over coronavirus laws. Mr Sharma said: 'The reason we are sometimes having to bring these in pretty quickly is to actually keep people safe - and I know all parliamentarians, Steve (Baker) and others totally get that - and the issue is the scrutiny. 'It is the case that when we've introduced restrictions, we have to make sure there is a vote within 28 days or they lapse. 'But what colleagues are asking for is if there is some way, prior to decisions being made, whether they can be involved and I know that is something that we are looking at in Government and we will come forward with some suggestions.' Pressed on whether there were concessions coming, the minister said: 'We are having a look, as I said - I don't want to pre-empt anything that comes out.' The PM's blunder had uncomfortable echoes of the skit by Lucas, which was aired at the start of the Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 last week. It saw the comedian dressed up as Mr Johnson taking a faux press conference in Downing Street. Ridiculing the complicated rules, Lucas urged people to 'bake in a tent' if they must, before adding: 'Don't bake in a tent.' The Government is desperately trying to soothe a mutiny among dozens of MPs who have lined up behind an amendment tabled by backbench chief Sir Graham Brady. It insists that Commons votes should be held before any future curbs are put in place. Mr Johnson begged Tory rebels to 'work together' with him as he tried to avoid a damaging rebellion - even though Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is not expected to call the amendment to a vote this evening. But one Tory MP in the North East told the Telegraph: 'What happened with Boris only strengthened the argument for greater parliamentary scrutiny of new rules. He can't work out what the rules are because there is no logic to them.' Liverpool is 'just days away' from circuit-breaker lockdown Liverpool is said to be just 'days away' from the becoming the first city to have a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown as cases continue to soar. Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said it was 'only a matter of time' before comprehensive lockdown measures are introduced in the north-west city. He has also backed calls for a total alcohol sales ban after 9pm - to stop pub-goers flocking to supermarkets and off-licences after the 10pm pub curfew. Mr Anderson said the short circuit-breaker lockdown, which could include shutting pubs and restaurants for two-weeks, could help restore 'some normality' in the run up to Christmas. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, he said: 'For me, it is only a matter of time because the virus isn't able to be controlled in the city with the restrictions we have now. 'If we can have the severest measures of lockdown now, we may arrest the increase and start to bring it down by the end of October, so that in the lead up to Christmas we can get some normality.' Advertisement Mr Johnson rushed to defuse the row over his muffed explanation of lockdown within hours, issuing a rare apology. 'Apologies, I misspoke today,' he wrote. 'In the North East, new rules mean you cannot meet people from different households in social settings indoors, including in pubs, restaurants and your home. 'You should also avoid socialising with other households outside. 'This is vital to control the spread of coronavirus and keep everyone safe. If you are in a high risk area, please continue to follow the guidelines from local authorities.' Mr Johnson could face another difficult day, as he is due to address the nation at a press conference alongside medical and science chiefs Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance. It could provide a fresh avenue both Mr Johnson's and the scientists' critics amid anger over the direction of the coronavirus pandemic. While the PM has defended their advice and expertise that has led to local lockdowns and early closures of pubs, Tory MPs have vented their ire on the pair in recent days, with calls for them to be sacked. The government's use of the sweeping powers it was granted by Parliament at the start of the coronavirus crisis has been causing increasing discontent among Tories. The Coronavirus Act 2020 - which underpins the lockdown along with the Health Protection Act 1984 - has to be renewed every six months, with a vote due tomorrow. But ministers have been trying to find a settlement with Sir Graham's band of rebels after they threatened to derail the process. The government is now expected to commit to holding votes where practical before any further restrictions are imposed. Cabinet sources told MailOnline that they believe a compromise is close to being struck. Former minister Sir Desmond Swayne warned this morning that some MPs could vote against the renewal of the Coronavirus Act unless there are deep concessions. Accusing ministers of governing by 'fiat', he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'If there isn't a vote on the amendment and there isn't a satisfactory response from the Government to the demands of the amendment, many people will vote against a renewal of an act. 'Well when I say many, there will be a number, but certainly the Government isn't going to be defeated.' Matt Hancock and Michael Gove (pictured left) were at Cabinet today, as was chief whip Mark Spencer (right) who has been trying to broker a deal with Tory rebels Ex-No10 adviser urges PM to ditch scientists Boris Johnson should stop relying on scientists and 'take responsibility' for decisions, a former No10 adviser has said. James Frayne, who conducted focus groups and polling for the Cabinet Office but has now stopped, made the call as he critiqued the government's performance. In an article on ConservativeHome.com, Mr Frayne said that 'PR Advice 101' was to 'wheel out the independent experts that the public trust, and play down the role of politicians'. 'So we've seen nothing but Government scientists for months,' he said. 'There are two problems with this approach. Firstly, it has implied that the scientists are ultimately in control of the situation and that there are simple, empirical decisions which can and must be made. 'This isn't true, and has given the public a false sense of security. 'Secondly, most of the scientists are poor communicators. The media love the idea of the boring, trusted scientist that the public all love. But this isn't reality. 'The scientists aren't professional communicators and putting them in positions of public influence in this way is a mistake.' He went on: 'The Government needs to show some balls and downgrade the scientists' role as communicators, and take responsibility for what are essentially political decisions.' Advertisement Senior Tory Steve Baker has likened some of the Government's coronavirus restrictions to George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, specifically referencing a ban on singing and dancing in bars, cafes and restaurants. The PM is also under mounting pressure from hard-hit hospitality bosses demanding the 10pm curfew be constantly reviewed. More than 100 of the UK's biggest restaurant chains including Wetherspoon and Pizza Hut wrote to Mr Johnson urging a three-week review - and for it to be axed if ineffective at tackling the steep rise in cases. Mr Johnson appealed to MPs to renew the powers in the Coronavirus Act, saying the nation remained in a 'serious situation'. 'Nobody wants to do these kinds of things. Nobody in their right mind wants to stop people singing and dancing in pubs or enjoying themselves in the normal way,' he told the press conference. 'I appreciate the (Orwell) characterisation but if we all work together and get this thing down, get this virus down, then we can keep going with our strategy, keep education open, keep the economy moving and work for the day, as I say, when I believe that those medical scientific improvements will truly deliver the long-term liberation we need. 'And to deliver it we've all basically got to work together and follow the guidance. That's what I respectfully say to my colleagues in Parliament and they will, as I know they all want, have an opportunity to talk about these issues, to debate them properly, and discuss them as parliamentarians should.' He also reiterated his commitment to give more regular debates on coronavirus in the Commons and promised that MPs will be able to question the Government's scientific advisers more regularly. However, after the Prime Minister's plea, further pressure came from the senior group of MPs on the Liaison Committee, which gets to question Mr Johnson in the Commons. Senior Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, writing to Mr Johnson as committee chair, said the 'majority of us' support Parliament having a vote 'before or immediately after' restrictions come into force. 'The idea that such restrictions can be applied without express parliamentary approval, except in dire emergency, is not widely acceptable and indeed may be challenged in law,' Sir Bernard said. Measures have been tightened in Northumberland, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham. Aimed at stopping a resurgence of coronavirus, the Department of Health said laws would ban inter-household mixing indoors, including in pubs and restaurants. But it left questions about whether the measures, to be enforced with fines, would include meeting people from other homes outside in hospitality settings. Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday, Ms Keegan said: 'I'm sorry I can't clarify that. 'I don't know the answer to that question but I'm sure they can find out the answer to that question.' Pressed on how people are meant to keep up to date with the latest restrictions when even ministers cannot, she said: 'I'm sorry I can't answer that question. I'm sure there are many people who could. I don't represent the North East.' Tory disquiet over new rules, regulations and fines also increased after it emerged the authorities will have the power to use 'reasonable force' to make people self-isolate. New laws published by the Government state that 'reasonable force' can be used if someone refuses to comply with an instruction to stay at home after testing positive for coronavirus or if they have been in contact with someone else who has the disease. The power will be available to all 'authorised persons' amid reports that could include so-called 'Covid marshalls' as well as the police and council staff. The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has recorded a significant drop in patients attendance in the first half of the year, due to measures taken to control the spread of COVID-19 at the facility. Dr Oheneba Owusu-Danso, who said this explained that management had to institute deliberate stringent measures to restrict the movement of people and remove the fear among patients that they would be infected with the virus when they visited the Hospital. Speaking at the opening of the mid-year performance review meeting of the Hospital in Kumasi, he said the Hospital recorded a complete downward trend in all clinical activities in all the directorates and units of the facility. This, according to him, resulted in huge revenue losses while expenditures, especially on personal protective equipment increased significantly. In the period under review, Dr Owusu-Danso, said specialist Out- Patient Department (OPD) attendance recorded for 2020 was 90,330 cases as against 136,598 for the same period in 2019, thus, translating into a drop of 34.45 per cent. In-Patients admissions recorded in 2019 were 17,456 and 2020 record was 14,911, while emergency attendance and admissions also decreased by 11 percent. Dr. Owusu-Danso, however, said the hospital continued to make significant strides in equipment retooling and infrastructure upgrading with the support of the Board. Notable among them were Electro Convulsive Therapy machine for the psychiatry unit, opening lamps, Cautery machine tips for the Eye Unit, HB electrophoresis machine for the Hematology Unit among others. The abandoned maternity and childrens block is expected to be completed in 36 months The Chief Executive said the COVID-19 pandemic was still in the country despite the decline in cases, and urged the public not to be complacent but continue to observe the safety protocols outlined by the Ministry of Health. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video There has been a noticeable expansion in the Madagascar vanilla bean owing to rapid urbanization, and low labour cost in agricultural sector. DUBAI, UAE / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Future Market Insights: The vanilla bean market hit a value of US$ 1.1 billion in 2020. Europe and North America contribute for maximum share in the market and opportunities are likely to expand there. Though COVID-19 might have reduced the consumption of vanilla bean as people have shifted towards essential and non-synthetic components yet this market will revive to the normal position soon due to irreplaceability. "Investment is seen largely in organic cultivation, all-natural and gluten free products and also on portable and attractive packaging solutions. Leading players are now collaborating with product manufacturers for a better insight into the scenario and to strengthen their regional market scenario," states the FMI Analyst. Request a report sample to gain comprehensive market insights at https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8558 Vanilla Beans Market - Important Takeaways Europe holds the largest revenue share in vanilla beans market and is going to present lucrative opportunities through the forecast period. Though certified vanilla products are growing at a faster pace yet conventional beans hold almost 94% of the share. Global vanilla beans market registered a value of US$ 1.1 billion in 2020, this value is estimated to rise in the forecast period. Madagascar vanilla beans accounts for 40% of the total market revenue. Vanilla Beans Market - Driving Factors Innumerable use of vanilla beans for cakes, biscuits, cosmetics, functional food, as a flavouring agent or fragrance and high demand for superior quality or western-style food and beverage is driving the market. Visible expanding preference anti-oxidants and anti-microbial products in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals is helping in a steady growth. Increasing demand for frozen desserts and processed food products among the millennial is driving the major part of this market. Owing to rising income, shifting life-style and urbanization we see a growth in demand in developing economies too i.e. India and China. Vanilla Beans Market - Key Restraints Lack of standardization while carrying out organic bean cultivation is causing a major loss. Reduced cosmetic production is acting as key restraint too. For any Queries Linked with the Report, Ask an Analyst@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-8558 Expected Impact on Market by Coronavirus Outbreak Falling in the food and beverage industry, vanilla beans market is likely to face considerable loss because people will shift to better lifestyle and essential ingredients. Synthetic food and use of non-essential ingredients will not be in trend as before. Due to lockdown and social distancing most of food outlets and stores have been shut down which has reduced the demand and production largely. Though food retail and manufacturers will experience major yet bakery and confectionary sectors are on a way to revive soon. Competitive Landscape Major players in the market includes Tharakan and Company, Daintree Vanilla and Spices, Farooqi Vanilla Beans, Venui Vanilla, Varanasi Research Foundation, Vanilla India Producer Company Ltd., Vanam Orchids, Synthite Industries Pvt. Ltd., Heilala Vanilla Ltd., Apex Flavors Inc. All of these leading players work on building collaborations with major manufacturers to magnify their production capacity. Major participants rely on investing into promoting products and unique packaging solutions to expand the market. For an instance, Neilsen Massey Vanillas has introduced allergen-free, non-GMO products with portable and smaller packaging format for better convenience. Buy Now@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/8558 More on the report FMI's analysis presents segmentation on the basis of applications (food, beverage, confectionary, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals etc.), type (Madagascar, Indonesia, and Mexican), form (whole extract, liquid, powder, paste) and region (North America, Europe, South Asia, East Asia) Explore Wide-ranging Coverage of FMI's Food and Beverage Landscape Cocoa Market FMI's analysis gives an insight into key market trends, strategies, regional players and various segments on the basis of form, type, application and region. Bean Ingredients Market Find insights into global market scenario and segmentation on the basis of ingredients, application, source and region. Fava Bean Protein Market FMI's report highlights parent market trends and strategies in the fava bean market with segments and dynamics through the forecast period (2016-2026). About FMI Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. Contact Mr. Abhishek Budholiya Unit No: AU-01-H Gold Tower (AU), Plot No: JLT-PH1-I3A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates MARKET ACCESS DMCC Initiative For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com For Media Enquiries: press@futuremarketinsights.com Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/vanilla-bean-market Press Release Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/press-release/vanilla-bean-marke SOURCE: Future Market Insights View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608454/North-America-to-Witness-Potential-Growth-in-Vanilla-Beans-Market-Upcoming-Years-to-Surpass-US-11-Bn--Future-Market-Insights President Donald Trump said Wednesday he doesn't know who the Proud Boys are but advised them to stand down after the militant group used his debate remarks as a rallying cry. Trump has come under fire from Democratic rival Joe Biden and some members of his own party for failing to condemn white supremacists when given the chance on the debate stage Tuesday night. 'I've always denounced any form of any of that,' the president said Wednesday on the South Lawn of the White House before he left for Minnesota. He also claimed he didn't know who the Proud Boys are even though he called them out by name during the debate. 'I don't know who the Proud Boys are, if you want to give me a definition,' he said. 'I don't know who Proud Boys are, but they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work,' he added. He then pivoted to an attack on Democratic rival Joe Biden and antifa, a left wing political philosophy the president has tried to paint as a hate group. 'Let law enforcement do the work. Now antifa is a real problem, because the problem is on the left. And Biden refuses to talk about it. He refuses to issue the word "Law and order." You saw that last night when he choked up,' Trump said. 'Joe Biden has to say something about antifa. It's not a philosophy,' he noted. 'These are people that hit people over the head.' Antifa is an unorganized group opposed to extreme right-wing political groups like fascists. It's a political idea that many different groups support. And law enforcement has found no evidence these groups were working with the Black Lives Matter protesters in cities across the United States. Meanwhile, Biden warned the Proud Boys to 'cease and desist' after the far right group celebrated the president's remarks online. 'Cease and desist. The American people will decide who the next president of the United States will be, period,' Biden said in Ohio Wednesday in his first remarks after his chaotic debate with the president. 'My message to the Proud Boys and every white supremacy group is cease and desist. This is not who we are as Americans,' he added. In one many stand out moments during the first presidential debate, Trump declined to condemn white supremacists and civilian militias when asked. The president then appeared to issue a call to arms to the Proud Boys, a militant group of mostly white men. 'Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' Trump said when he was challenged to condemn white supremacists during Tuesday's presidential debate. President Donald Trump said he doesn't know who the Proud Boys are but advised them to stand down after the militant group used his debate remarks as a rallying cry Joe Biden warned the far right group Proud Boys to 'cease and desist' after they turned President Donald Trump's remarks about them during the presidential debate into a rallying cry Members of the Proud Boys gather outside a rally where President Trump officially launched his re-election campaign on June 18, 2019 in Orlando Several hundred members of the Proud Boys and other similar groups gathered for a rally at Delta Park in Portland in September Proud Boys is a far-right organization that admits only men as members and promotes and engages in political violence. The group believes white men and western culture are under siege and one of its co-founders recorded a video titled '10 things I hate about the Jews.' Members celebrated Trump's words online, telling the president: 'We're ready.' Their account on the social media app Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir.' The Southern Poverty Law Center, a liberal advocacy organization, has designated the all-male Proud Boys as a hate group. The group is known for its violent clashes at political rallies. Members were spotted at a Trump rally in Colorado in February. Several Republicans have called on the president to clear up his debate remarks on white supremacists. Republican Senator Mitt Romney said 'of course' the president should have condemned white supremacists during the presidential debate Tuesday night. 'Of course, of course,' Romney, who's openly criticized Trump when he disagrees with the president, told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning. 'It was not a Lincoln Douglas debate, that's for sure,' he added. Other Republicans said they would give the president a chance to explain, including Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black GOP senator. 'I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wllace's comment,' Scott said on Capitol Hill Wednesday. 'He was asking Chris what he wanted to say. I think he misspoke. I think he should correct it. If he doesn't correct it I guess he didn't misspeak.' And Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana said the president should have been clear that extremist groups from both the left and right should be condemned. 'He should have been very clear, and he should have made it very clear that there's no room for people on the far left or the far more far right. When it comes to either an antifa or these white supremacist groups should have been very clear,' Young said. The Proud Boys were celebrating online Tuesday night after Donald Trump told them to 'stand back and stand by' during the first presidential debate Following the shout out several members of the group appeared to pledge their allegiance to the president. One social media account connected to the organization even appeared to made 'Stand back. Stand by' part of a new logo Republican Senator Mitt Romney said 'of course' President Donald Trump should have condemned white supremacists during the presidential debate Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said President Trump should clarify his remarks on white supremacists made in the presidential debate READ THE FULL 'PROUD BOYS' EXCHANGE CHRIS WALLACE: You have repeatedly criticized the vice president for not specifically calling out Antifa and other left wing extremist groups. But are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia group and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we've seen in Portland. DONALD TRUMP: Sure, I'm willing to do that. CHRIS WALLACE: Are you prepared specifically to do it. DONALD TRUMP: I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing not from the right wing. CHRIS WALLACE: But what are you saying? DONALD TRUMP: I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace. CHRIS WALLACE: Well, do it, sir. JOE BIDEN: Say it, do it say it. DONALD TRUMP: What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, go ahead who do you want me to condemn. CHRIS WALLACE: White supremacist and white militia. JOE BIDEN: Proud boys. Proud boys. DONALD TRUMP: Okay. Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what somebody's got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem this is a left wing. JOE BIDEN: His own FBI Director said unlike white supremacist, Antifa is an idea not an organization- DONALD TRUMP: Oh you got to be kidding me. JOE BIDEN: not a militia. That's what his FBI Director said. DONALD TRUMP: Well, then you know what, he's wrong. CHRIS WALLACE: We're done, sir. Moving onto the next [crosstalk] Advertisement Following the debate shout out, several members of Proud Boys pledged their allegiance to the president. One social media account connected to the organization even appeared to made 'Stand back. Stand by' part of a new logo. Proud Boys organizer Joe Biggs wrote: 'President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA... well sir! we're ready! 'Trump basically said to go f*** them up! this makes me so happy.' Joe Biden retweeted a post which looked to show a number of their posts in the wake of Trump's comments. He wrote: 'This. This is Donald Trump's America.' Republican Senator Mitt Romney said 'of course' President Donald Trump should have condemned white supremacists during the presidential debate Tuesday night. 'Of course, of course,' Romney, who's openly criticized Trump when he disagrees with the president, told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning. 'It was not a Lincoln Douglas debate, that's for sure,' he added of the clash between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden that pundits dubbed a 's*** show' and 'dumpster fire.' Other Republicans said they would give the president a chance to explain, including Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black GOP senator. 'I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wllace's comment,' Scott said on Capitol Hill Wednesday. 'He was asking Chris what he wanted to say. I think he misspoke. I think he should correct it. If he doesn't correct it I guess he didn't misspeak.' And Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana said the president should have been clear that extremist groups from both the left and right should be condemned. 'He should have been very clear, and he should have made it very clear that there's no room for people on the far left or the far more far right. When it comes to either an antifa or these white supremacist groups should have been very clear,' Young said. And Hogan Gidley, the spokesman for the Trump campaign, said the president condemned them three times during the debate. 'He did call them out. He has condemned them,' Gidley said on CNN. 'He said sure three times.' Some of the president's other supporters also said he missed out on the chance to condemn such hate groups, including Brian Kilmeade, one of the co-hosts of Trump's favorite morning show 'Fox & Friends.' 'Donald Trump ruined the biggest layup in the history of debates by not condemning white supremacists,' Kilmeade said on the cable news morning show Wednesday. 'I don't know if he didn't hear it, but he's gotta clarify that right away,' he added. 'Why the president didn't just knock it out of the park, I'm not sure.' The Proud Boys hold a rally in Portland, Oregon on Saturday. Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency prior to Saturdays rally as fears of political violence between Proud Boys and Black Lives Matter protesters grew. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted: 'It's astonishing that, when asked a simple question, will you condemn white supremacists, @POTUS responded - 'The Proud Boys should stand back and stand by.' 'Trying to determine if this was an answer or an admission. @POTUS owes America an apology or an explanation. Now.' Proud Boys describes itself as a fraternal organization that 'venerates the housewife' and is 'anti-political correctness.' It has been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook. Computer science professor Megan Squire told NBC News: 'To say Proud Boys are energized by this is an understatement. 'They were pro-Trump before this shoutout, and they are absolutely over the moon now. Their fantasy is to fight antifa in his defense, and he apparently just asked them to do just that.' Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the president's campaign, said Trump's call to 'stand by' was 'very clear he wants them to knock it off'. A Proud Boy wearing a Proud Boys yamaka is seen during a Proud Boys Rally at Delta Park Vanport. The Oregon governor declared an emergency in advance of the event hosted by a right-wing group with a history of violence at protests Members of the far-right group posted about the shout out, telling the president: 'We're ready.' Their account on the social media app Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir' The Trump campaign tweeted afterward: 'President Trump has repeatedly condemned white supremacists. What a ridiculous question from Chris Wallace.' Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes started the Proud Boys in 2016. McInnes and the Proud Boys have described the group as a politically incorrect men's club for 'Western chauvinists' and deny affiliations with far-right extremist groups that overtly espouse racist and anti-Semitic views. In February last year, McInnes sued the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling the Proud Boys as a hate group. In response to the lawsuit, the law center said Proud Boys members often spread 'outright bigotry' over the internet and have posted social media pictures of themselves with prominent Holocaust deniers, white nationalists and 'known neo-Nazis.' In New York City in October 2018, police arrested several Proud Boys members who brawled with anti-fascist protesters following a speech by McInnes at a Manhattan Republican club. Proud Boys members also have frequently clashed with counterprotesters at rallies in California and Oregon. About 1,000 people gathered at the Proud Boys rally in Delta Park on Saturday, while a group of 500 left-wing counter-protesters massed at nearby Peninsula Park, leading to fears of clashes. Ahead of the right-wing rally, which organizers said was to support President Donald Trump and 'to end domestic terrorism', Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency and Mayor Ted Wheeler said it poses the 'greatest threat we've faced so far' amid fears of clashes with left-wing protesters. President Donald Trump listens to Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate Tuesday Debate moderator Chris Wallace asked the president if he would condemn white supremacists and militia groups. 'I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing,' Trump said. Wallace asked him to clarify what he meant. 'I'm willing to do anything, I want to see peace,' Trump said. 'Then do it, sir,' Wallace challenged. 'What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name,' Trump said. 'White supremacist and right wing militias,' Wallace said. Instead, Trump turned to attack antifa, an unorganized group opposed to extreme right-wing political groups like fascists. 'Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' he said. But antifa is not an organization - it's a political idea that many different groups support. And law enforcement has found no evidence these groups were working with the Black Lives Matter protesters in cities across the United States. Trump has declined to call out the citizen militias that have sprung up during the protests as he declined to do Tuesday night. 'Antifa is an idea not an organization. His FBI director said,' Biden said. 'Antifa is a dangerous, radical,' Trump started saying as Wallace interrupted him to say they were moving on to another topic. But the president got in one last zinger on antifa: 'They'll overthrow you.' Race relations, like other debate topics, resulted in a furious back-and-forth, shouting over each other conversation between the presidential contenders. At one point in the night, Biden called Trump a 'racist' when the two men debated race relations in the country. Trump was defending his decision to end racial sensitivity training for federal workers when his Democratic rival hit him with the 'racist' label. Getty Images Chemical exfoliation is one of the best things you can do to slough away dead skin and reveal a healthy, youthful glow. Whether its an in-office chemical peel or an at-home serum, skincare acids can help treat many skin concernsbut not all skincare acids are created equal. The amount of various kinds of acids in skincare products is daunting, and its difficult to know which one does what and which acid is ideal for your skin concern. Below, weve consulted with the pros to figure out what each face acid is, what it's used for, which skin concerns it treats, and when you should be cautious with usage. 1. Lactic Acid What is lactic acid? Lactic acid is derived from milk or other alternative vegan sources and is a hydrating, gentle alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). AHAs work by breaking down the 'glue' that holds the dead skin cells together so that it can act as a chemical exfoliant, explains Emmy Graber, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and president of The Dermatology Institute of Boston. hellogiggles Available at Amazon Which skin types should use lactic acid? If you are someone who struggles with aging, dry skin, or uneven skin tone, lactic acid is the AHA for you. Its one of the more gentle AHAs and wont cause much (if any) irritation. Benefits of lactic acid: Lactic acid is most commonly used for treating hyperpigmentation, age spots, fine lines and wrinkles, and an overall dull complexion. Potential side effects of lactic acid: Although it may help with mild acne, Dr. Graber does not recommend using any AHAs if you suffer from eczema. 2. Salicylic Acid What is salicylic acid? Salicylic acid is derived from willow bark and is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA)," says Dr. Graber. "It works similarly to AHAs, but salicylic acid can also penetrate the pilosebaceous unit (aka the pore) and help to exfoliate dead skin cells from deeper within the pore. Because of this, salicylic acid is particularly helpful for acne. Story continues hellogiggles - $40 Available at Sephora Which skin types should use salicylic acid? If youre suffering oily skin or breakouts, salicylic acid is your best bet. Salicylic acid can reach deep into the skin to dissolve skin debris thats clogging pores and causing you to break out. Benefits of salicylic acid: Since salicylic acid gently exfoliates surface-level bacteria and penetrates the pores to clean out bacteria, it's very effective in treating and preventing acne as well as evening out skin texture. Potential side effects of salicylic acid: Salicylic acid is great for busting breakouts, but it can be rough on those with sensitive skin as it can often be drying. If you are someone with sensitive, acne-prone skin, use salicylic acid with caution and always apply moisturizer over the salicylic acid once its dried. 3. Ferulic Acid What is ferulic acid? Ferulic acid is a popular antioxidant, and in skincare formulations it's often found alongside vitamin C in a serum form. hellogiggles - $110 Available at Dermstore Which skin types should use ferulic acid? According to Deanne Robinson, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, all skin types can benefit from ferulic acid's protective qualities against free radical damage. With continued use, ferulic acid can improve signs of premature aging and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, too. Benefits of ferulic acid: Ferulic acid helps to stabilize vitamin C, making it more shelf-stable and protecting its potency, explains Dr. Robinson. Research also shows that, when paired with vitamin C, ferulic acid can boost photoprotection from the sun and blue light. Potential side effects of ferulic acid: Dr. Robinson says to avoid layering ferulic acid with other AHA and BHA exfoliating acids, which can alter the skins pH levels and interfere with the effectiveness of an antioxidant serum. 4. Kojic Acid What is kojic acid? Kojic acid is another AHA that has exfoliating benefits, but its best known for its ability to lighten hyperpigmentation. Kojic acid suppresses tyrosinethe enzyme that helps our bodies to produce melaninand has anti-fungal and antibacterial benefits, explains Dr. Robinson. hellogiggles Available at Amazon Which skin types should use kojic acid? Anyone with visible sun damage (solar lentigines), melasma, and/or hyperpigmented acne scarring can benefit from kojic acid. Plus, if you use [kojic acid] alongside other exfoliating AHAs (like glycolic acid), you will see an incremental benefit, says Dr. Robinson. Benefits of kojic acid: It helps to lighten dark spots, so anyone with uneven skin tones can benefit from using a kojic acid-infused skincare product. Potential side effects of kojic acid: Kojic acid could lead to contact dermatitis for those with super sensitive skin. Otherwise, its pretty safe to use on all skin types. 5. Hyaluronic Acid What is hyaluronic acid? Hyaluronic acid is a hero hydrating ingredient that acts as a humectant moisturizer. It can be found in our skin naturally, and Dr. Graber explains that it helps with moisture retention since it holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. hellogiggles - $19.99 Available at Ulta Which skin types should use hyaluronic acid? Hyaluronic acid is ideal for those with dry, dehydrated skin, but it works nicely on all skin types. Additionally, it's the perfect hydrator for those with oily skin, as it offers a more lightweight texture than other oils or emollients you might find for dry and dehydrated skin. Benefits of hyaluronic acid: Hyaluronic acid-based creams and serums help replenish the skin's moisture levels, making it a great ingredient for combating dryness. Potential side effects of hyaluronic acid: Theres currently debate on whether hyaluronic acid molecules are too big to penetrate the skin. When applied topically, hyaluronic acid can sit on the skin and provide moisturizing properties, but some formulas may not actually penetrate the skin and provide the moisturizing and anti-aging benefits that many skincare brands claim. 6. Citric Acid What is citric acid? Extracted from citrus fruits, citric acid is an AHA that helps to exfoliate the skin and get rid of dead skin cells. hellogiggles - $69 Available at Ulta Which skin types should use citric acid? Those looking to brighten the skin [and] improve discoloration and dullness can benefit, says Marisa Garshick, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Manhattans Medical Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery. Benefits of citric acid: By stimulating new skin cells, it can also help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, explains Dr. Garshick. When used in certain concentrations, citric acid is a great option for those who are looking for the benefits of an exfoliant but are unable to tolerate some of the stronger acids. Potential side effects of citric acid: Along with many exfoliants, those with sensitive skin should use caution when using products containing citric acid. As with other AHAs, you should avoid use at the same time as retinol, as the two together can be irritating, explains Dr. Garshick. That being said, it can complement many other active ingredients in a skincare routine. 7. Ascorbic Acid What is ascorbic acid? According to Dr. Graber, ascorbic acid (also known as L-ascorbic acid) is a form of vitamin C that has been proven to prevent some cellular damage when the skin is in UV light. Ascorbic acid works as a potent antioxidant to help protect the skin and repair sun damage. hellogiggles - $65 Available at Sephora Which skin types should use ascorbic acid? All skin types can use ascorbic acid, but people with uneven skin tones will benefit from it the most. Benefits of ascorbic acid: Because of its high acidity, ascorbic acid triggers the skin to heal itself by accelerating elastin and collagen production, making the skin look firmer. Additionally, this ingredient can inhibit your skins melanin production (an overproduction of melanin can cause dark spots and hyperpigmentation). With continued use, ascorbic acid can prevent hyperpigmentation from occurring, so if youre someone who suffers from uneven skin tone and wants to lighten pre-existing brown spots, definitely give ascorbic acid a try. Potential side effects of ascorbic acid: If you have sensitive skin, you should either avoid ascorbic acid or use it in a lower dosage. Another con of ascorbic acid is that it can oxidize quickly when exposed to light and air, so its important to find a vitamin C product that comes in a dark bottle and to use your ascorbic acid-based product within three months for best results. Additionally, its advised not to use vitamin C with retinol, as vitamin C requires a low pH level for skin absorption, while retinol requires a higher pH level. When you mix the two, it might render each ingredient ineffective. 8. Malic Acid What is malic acid? Malic acid is a mild AHA that's often used in conjunction with other exfoliants to help brighten the skin, improve dark spots, and even out texture. hellogiggles - $88.50 Available at Renee Rouleau Which skin types should use malic acid? It can be used by most skin types, but because its not as strong as some other AHAs (given its larger molecule size and not being able to penetrate as deeply) it is often combined with other [acids] to give the most benefit, explains Dr. Garshick. Benefits of malic acid: Malic acid helps to eliminate dead skin cells, improving the overall appearance of the skin. Additionally, malic acid is also a humectant (like hyaluronic acid), meaning it helps to draw moisture in and helps the skin retain moisture, explains Dr. Garshick. Potential side effects of malic acid: Although it is often tolerated even by those with sensitive skin, given that it is an AHA it can be irritating; those with sensitive skin should still use it with caution. In general, as with all AHAs, it is important to use caution with other harsh active ingredients such as retinol. 9. Azelaic Acid What is azelaic acid? Azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid derived from grains (such as barley and wheat) and acts as both an exfoliant and antioxidant. hellogiggles - $17.99 Available at Dermstore Which skin types should use azelaic acid? People with uneven skin texture, acne, and rosacea can benefit from using skincare products with azelaic acid. Benefits of azelaic acid: Azelaic acid can be used to soothe skin and for improving the bumps of acne or rosacea, and it can also help to improve uneven skin tone, says Dr. Graber. It is available over the counter in strengths 10% and less and as a prescription in strengths 15% and 20%. Potential side effects of azelaic acid: For those with sensitive skin, azelaic acid should be used in lower doses as it can sometimes be irritating. 10. Oleic Acid What is oleic acid? Oleic acid refers to an omega-9 fatty acid found naturally in the skin," explains Dr. Garshick. "It can nourish and hydrate the skin. hellogiggles - $23 Available at Nordstrom Which skin types should use oleic acid? According to Dr. Garshick, dry skin types can benefit from plant oils that are rich in oleic acid. That said, high-concentration oleic acid products can be irritating to the skin, increase inflammation, and worsen flaking, especially in those with eczema, she says. Benefits of oleic acid: Studies show that oleic acid has anti-inflammatory benefits and that it can help repair a damaged skin barrier caused by things like sunburns and over-exfoliation. Potential side effects of oleic acid: In general, oleic acid can be formulated with other ingredients, but because in high concentrations it can disrupt the skin barrier and enhance penetration, it is best to avoid it in combination with other ingredients that can be harsh on the skin, explains Dr. Garshick. If looking for products with oleic acid, it is best to look for products containing certain types of oils that contain a higher percentage of oleic acid, such as sunflower oil, argan oil, marula oil, or olive oil. 11. Glycolic Acid What is glycolic acid? Derived from sugarcane, glycolic acid is another AHA that works by loosening up the glue that holds the dead skin cells together. hellogiggles - $25 Available at Ulta Which skin types should use glycolic acid? Most skin types can benefit from using glycolic acid, but sensitive skin types should ease into it by using it twice a week to prevent further sensitizing the skin. Benefits of glycolic acid: Glycolic acid is a powerhouse AHA that can treat multiple skin concerns, including fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, acne, and uneven skin tone. Plus, it can also help stimulate new skin cell regeneration, resulting in a brighter, more even complexion. Potential side effects of glycolic acid: Dr. Graber doesn't recommend glycolic acid to people with eczema since it can cause a reaction. Those with normal to oily skin shouldnt have an issue with glycolic acid, but if you have sensitive skin, choose a product with a low percentage of glycolic acid. 12. Mandelic Acid What is mandelic acid? Mandelic acid is an exfoliating AHA that helps to increase skin cell turnover. hellogiggles - $6.80 Available at Ulta Which skin types should use mandelic acid? Mandelic acid can be beneficial for anti-aging and acnegenic skin, including papulopustular rosacea, says Dr. Robinson. It is gentler than most other AHAs and well tolerated by sensitive skin types. Dr. Robinson recommends this to her patients in their 20s through 40s who are simultaneously battling hormonal acne and the signs of aging. Benefits of mandelic acid: Since mandelic acid helps increase skin cell turnover, it also helps to boost the skin's natural glow and brightens the face. Plus, it helps to reduce acne and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Potential side effects of mandelic acid: Stay away from this acid if you have a nut allergy, as mandelic acid is derived from mandelic almonds. Otherwise, it is really well tolerated by all skin types. File image Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on September 29, extended his support to farmers agitating against the "draconian" farm laws, saying he will convene a special session of the assembly if there is a need to amend the state laws. Chairing a meeting with the representatives of 31 farmers' unions, he said his government stands behind the farmers in these "dark and difficult times" and he would discuss with his legal team the steps to challenge the farm laws in the Supreme Court. Besides farmer representatives, All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of Punjab Harish Rawat, state ministers, state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and the state's Advocate General Atul Nanda attended the meeting, an official statement said. After the meeting, the CM convened another meeting with top government officials. The statement said he sought suggestions from legal experts on the next course of action to protect the interests of farmers against the Centre's farm laws. He asked Nanda to collate and consider all such suggestions. The suggestions given by leaders of various Kisan Unions were also discussed during the second meeting. "We will take all possible steps to counter the Union government''s assault on the state's federal and constitutional rights and fight for the interests of the farmers," Singh told the farmer representatives. "If legal experts advise amendment to state laws to fight the central laws, a special session of the Assembly will be immediately convened to do so," he added. Dubbing the three pieces of farm legislation "anti-farmers", peasants in Punjab have been protesting against the new laws meant to deregulate the sale of their crops. Their main demands include giving a legal backing to the MSP mechanism. The central government has assured that the MSP regime will continue as before. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) leader BS Rajewal said farmers will intensify their protest from October 1 and extend the ''rail roko'' agitation, which was to end on October 2, indefinitely. Rajewal said farmers will socially boycott political leaders supporting the laws. "We will stage dharnas outside residences of BJP leaders in the state," he said. Jagmohan Singh, the general secretary of BKU (Dakaunda), said resolutions will be passed in village gram panchayats against the farm laws. During the meeting with farmer representatives, the Punjab chief minister claimed that enacting the farm laws amounted to "violation" of the Constitution and an attack on the federal structure. He said his government will do "whatever it takes to scuttle" the Centre's attempt to "ruin the farming community with these draconian" laws. The battle will be fought on all fronts, he said. He reiterated that his government and the Punjab Congress are with farmers. "If the new laws are implemented, it will spell the end of agriculture," he said, warning that the Union government will follow up these laws with "elimination of MSP and FCI, bringing an end to the time-tested farming procurement and marketing system as we know it". Singh said he had written to the prime minister thrice, urging him not to go ahead with the farm bills but he did not get any response. Several farmer leaders have urged Singh to challenge the central laws legally. Jagjit Singh Dallewal of BKU, Sidhupur, urged him to convene a special session of the assembly to pass a law to counter the central legislations. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a meeting with Finland Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde on September 30 to explore opportunities in emerging technologies in clean and efficient energy production. In a series of tweets, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gas said that the duo reviewed the progress of completion of a 2G Ethanol plant in Numaligarh using bamboo as the feedstock. According to the ministry, the 2G Ethonal plant is the first of its kind in the world, built under JV between NRL and Finnish companies Chemopolis and Fortum. Pradhan reportedly highlighted the vast investment opportunities in India's expanding clean energy market and encouraged Finnish companies to invest in the development of clean fuels, including under waste-to-energy model. Pradhan held another meeting with Australian Ambassador to India Barry O'Farrell to discuss several aspects of cooperation in the energy sector. The ministry said that discussed the participation of Australian companies to actively partner and invest in Indias gas infrastructure and in developing the hydrocarbon value chain in India. H.E. OFarrell assured Australia of being a strong partner in this context, and the need for working together to ensure secure and reliable supply chains, and in this context referred to the QUAD meeting at Foreign Ministers level next month in Japan. pic.twitter.com/6nhUbIAriK Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (@PetroleumMin) September 30, 2020 Read: Kiren Rijiju Launches SAI's New Logo; Says "India's Tokyo Preparation On Right Track" Read: Indian Carriers Can Operate In Kenya, Bhutan With Air Bubble Agreement: Hardeep Puri EU-India cooperation The meeting was held days after the European Union and the Indian government stepped up cooperation on research and innovation on green projects under EUs Horizon 2020 programme. The 27-member bloc and Indias Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have identified five areas for collaboration between researchers and innovators of India and Europe. DBT will co-fund projects in several areas including clean, affordable and secure energy; industry for a clean and circular economy; and biodiversity and ecosystem services. The EU delegation stated that the five calls are part of the last and largest call launched by the European Union under its research and innovation programme with a 1 billion budget. These research projects will work towards a green, resilient and sustainable tomorrow. This EU-India collaboration also highlights our strong commitment to support the Paris Agreement as well as the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India, had said in a statement. Read: Finland Imposes Strict Border Restrictions, EU Countries Removed From 'green Travel List' Read: Finland Reverses Policy, Recommends Facemask In Public After Uptick In COVID-19 Cases (Image: Twitter / @PetroleumMin) Islamabad (Pakistan), 30 September 2020 The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office Pakistan, the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the UNODC Container Control Program (CCP), in partnership with national counterparts unveiled a new Air Cargo Control Unit (ACCU) at Islamabad Airport funded with the support of the Governments of Japan and the United States of America. The unit is tasked with the inspection of inbound and outbound air consignments that are suspected to contain illicit substances. Smugglers have long been using legitimate cargo to conceal their illegal shipments. The high volume of global trade and consignment movements makes it challenging for customs and law enforcement officers to spot illicit loads, which are often disguised within what otherwise appear to be legitimate consignments. To address this challenge, UNODC and the World Customs Organization (WCO) developed the Container Control Programme (CCP). The Programme builds capacity in countries seeking to improve risk management by, among other activities, training profiling experts. Its aim is to engage in cross-agency cooperation and develop trainee's abilities in risk analysis, joint profiling, and targeting suspect shipments. The UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme was launched in 2004 and Pakistan was among the first countries to join the initiative with its first unit established at the Karachi seaport. The results delivered by the Karachi Port Control Unit were encouraging, leading Pakistan to offer to host a CCP-trained Air Cargo Control Unit (ACCU) at Karachi International Airport. Funded by generous donations from the Government of Denmark, Karachi ACCU was established in 2016, while Lahore ACCU followed in 2018 with the support of the Governments of Japan and the United States of America. The inauguration of Islamabad ACCU marks the third operational Air Cargo Control Unit in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore marking a successful expansion of the initiative to all three major airports in the country. In 2019, the Pakistan units stopped 40 narcotics trafficking attempts resulting in the seizure of a total of 128 kilograms of heroin, 25 kilograms of cocaine, 303 kilograms of ketamine and 9 kilograms of methamphetamines for that year alone. The most frequent intended destinations for these seized narcotics were the United Kingdom, Canada and Malaysia. The success of the Container Control Programme in Pakistan is a result of the great commitment from national counterparts, said Jeremy Milsom, UNODC Representative for the Country Office in Pakistan during his opening remarks. This is a great example where the joint initiative of UNODC and WCO flourishes through national counterparts reception, collaboration and appreciation, Mr. Milsom added. The event also served to highlight the support of the Governments of Japan and the United States of America the major donors for the recently established Islamabad ACCU. His Excellency, Shindo Yusuke, Charge d Affaires ad interim of Japan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan stated that, strengthening aviation security to prevent trafficking of illegal items is one of the major challenges, not only for Pakistan but other countries as well. Here, I would also like to mention that stability and peace is one of the important pillars of the foreign policy of Japan. The Government of Japan continues to contribute to the stability based on laws and regulations in various countries. Other major donors of the Global Container Control Programme include Australia, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has led to border closures and travel restrictions, they find themselves stuck, not because of quarantine measures, but because of a dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority For the last four months, Ahmed al-Kurdi, his wife and three children have been stranded in Jordan, where they traveled from their home in the Gaza Strip for life-saving medical treatment for his 2-year-old daughter. At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has led to border closures and travel restrictions, they find themselves stuck, not because of quarantine measures, but because of a dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. They need an Israeli permit to return to Gaza through the occupied West Bank and Israel, which would normally be facilitated by the PA's civil affairs division. But the Palestinians officially cut off all ties with Israel in May to protest its plans to annex parts of the West Bank, making it even more complicated to get permission to travel. The Palestinians had hoped to pressure Israel by forcing it to assume more of the burden of its half-century occupation of the territory. Instead, the decision has mainly hurt ordinary Palestinians, underscoring the control Israel exerts over nearly every facet of their lives. Al-Kurd and his wife, who left Gaza with their children last December, have been on unpaid leave, relying on relatives to pay rent and support them in Amman, Jordan's capital, where prices are much higher than in Gaza. They are among dozens of families who left Gaza for health or other reasons and cannot return. They applied for a permit through the Palestinian Embassy in Amman but were told it is no longer in contact with Israel. ``It's very hard, not just for us but for the other Gazans in Jordan who want to go back and can't,`` he said. ``This is a humanitarian situation. The political situation shouldn't enter into it.'' Gaza has been under blockade since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power from Palestinian security forces in 2007. Israel, which considers Hamas a terrorist group, allows Gazans to travel for humanitarian reasons, but requires them to coordinate requests through the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank. Gisha, an Israeli group that advocates for Palestinian freedom of movement, has been able to help some families obtain permits outside the normal channels. But it says Israel is ultimately responsible for allowing Gazans to return home. ``Israel's ongoing control over Gaza comes with legal obligations to uphold the rights of Gaza residents, including to freedom of movement,'' it said in a statement. ``Returning to one's home is a fundamental human right that cannot be withheld using procedural excuses.'' The Israeli military body that oversees Palestinian civilian affairs, known as COGAT, said that under past agreements the PA must submit requests for residents to enter Israel through the established channels. COGAT said it is prepared to process such requests but has not received any from the PA since it cut off contact. COGAT ``is constantly working, together with the appropriate offices - despite the suspension of coordination by the Civil Committee, and despite the outbreak of the coronavirus - to provide the best possible response to the various humanitarian needs of the Gaza Strip residents,'' it said in a statement. In theory, Palestinians have the option of bypassing Israel altogether and entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. But Egypt only opens the crossing sporadically, and getting there requires flying to Cairo and then traveling overland across the northern Sinai Peninsula, where Egyptian troops are battling terrorist groups. The al-Kurdi family departed through Rafah after several delays in getting an exit permit from Israel, which was ultimately granted. But that was late last year, before the pandemic. ``My daughter's condition does not allow us to travel by way of Rafah. You have to take a car from Cairo and it can take 11 hours with all the checkpoints,`` al-Kurdi said. ``My daughter is immunocompromised.'' The decision to cut ties with Israel has affected ordinary Palestinians in other ways. The dispute has halted the transfer of tax and customs duties Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, forcing it to slash the salaries of civil servants. The boycott has also affected the registration of Palestinian births, leaving more than 30,000 babies essentially stateless. Under agreements reached in the 1990s, during the now-moribund peace process, the Palestinian Authority issues birth certificates and passports. But these must be registered with Israel, which controls all access to the West Bank. The unregistered babies are therefore unable to travel. Palestinian Deputy Interior Minister Yousef Harb says more than 33,000 babies have been born in the West Bank since the Palestinians cut ties on May 19, and at least six families have been unable to travel abroad for work because they can't bring their babies with them. ``The entire world recognizes the documents issued by PA, except for Israel,'' he said. Palestinian officials say they have reached out to international organizations to facilitate travel but that Israel insists on direct coordination. ``Why on earth should we give our citizen records to Israel? The entire world recognizes us, why don't they?'' said Ahmad Majdalani, a senior Palestinian official. The Palestinian Authority appears to be in a holding pattern, hoping a new U.S. administration will discard President Donald Trump's Mideast plan, which strongly favors Israel and would allow it to annex up to 30% of the West Bank. In the meantime, Palestinians stranded outside the country are stuck in limbo. Dr. Mohammed Ayesh left Gaza in the summer of 2019 to do a medical specialization in Ukraine. After he completed his course his student visa expired, but he was unable to return via Jordan because he cannot get an Israeli permit. Instead, he flew to Dubai, where he has been stranded for more than two months. He hasn't seen his three children in more than a year. ``Their birthdays are all in the summer, in June, August and September ... I missed them all,`` he said. ``My daughter calls me a liar. She says you promised you would return before I went back to school and you aren't here.'' As a highly trained physician, he could find lucrative work in the United Arab Emirates, far from the crippling conditions of the Gaza blockade. But he's homesick. ``People ask me why I can't return, if it's because of the coronavirus, and I say no, it's because of the Israeli military and the Israeli government,`` he said. ``They won't let me come back.'' *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: Is it possible to avoid the introduction of new tough quarantine measures to tackle the COVID-19 spread, is it possible for Israel with its advanced health care to overcome corona, and are there successful cases of such efforts in Ukraine? An anesthesiologist at one of the Israeli clinics, Boris Brill, sat down with UNIAN to discuss just that. Over the past day, more than 4,000 new corona cases were reported in Ukraine. With each new spike, rumors about the imminent reintroduction of lockdown are intensifying. Against this background, UNIAN talked with Boris Brill, a doctor from Israel, the country where a new, strict quarantine was introduced on September 25. Even successful countries like Israel have not evaded the second wave of coronavirus. Since September 25, the country has tightened restrictions over the COVID-19 pandemic, which is already causing complaints from the population... A new lockdown has been announced in Israel today, and in part such measures help. But in fact, people themselves are to blame for the introduction of new restrictions. Many are irresponsible and ignorant. They just love to talk, instead of reading about the spread of the virus, listening to experts, understanding things... Indeed, in the case of a responsible approach on the part of the population, from a medical point of view, new restrictive measures today make no sense. Why? Because when quarantine was introduced for the first time, it was justified. It was a must, since we knew absolutely nothing about the disease. And we needed time to learn what we were facing, to understand how the virus works, to understand the ways of its transmission, to determine the measures of prevention, and to reduce the incidence. Can we say that strict quarantine is overreaction? Is it really enough just to follow simple rules? Yes, there are simple rules wearing a mask in confined spaces, and maintaining social distancing. And I'm not talking about any special tools. A regular reusable cloth mask is enough! Even if you pull a sock over your head, it will provide protection from infection up to 70%. And then everyone became "professors" explaining to each other that simply wearing a protective mask doesn't work, so why wear it? Most, unfortunately, don't bother to read studies stating that any mask, even reusable sheet masks, can provide protection. After all, we are talking about aerosol transmission. This happens when you exhale, talk, sneeze, or cough. Everything is very simple. Try blowing out a candle with the mask on and without it. Move it one and a half meters away and try. You can do it without a mask. But you can't while the mask is on. Strict quarantine, which was supposed to at least slow down the spread of the virus, was introduced in Ukraine six months ago when the number of those infected daily was in the tens. Now it's thousands of new cases daily. Nevertheless, Ukrainian authorities, for a number of reasons, fear a new lockdown. At the same time, the Israeli government, in a country where the level of healthcare is better and where there's much higher readiness to meet the second wave of the pandemic, is reintroducing strict quarantine... Yes, it's tough for us, too. But the infrastructure of hospitals in Israel is indeed much better than in Ukraine. They are multistorey, even with underground parking lots set up in case of a large influx of patients. At the same time, the government is acting foolishly by introducing severe restrictive measures. The quarantine will cost 50 billion shekels (approximately $15 billion). These funds could be used to put an inspector in every room, to arrest those who failed to observe mask rules. These funds could be used to change ventilation in elevators, where the chance of contracting the virus is higher. These funds could be used to procure respirators and give them to everyone... Also, instead of a lockdown, it would be worthwhile to introduce large fines half a salary or the entire salary for non-observance of mask rules in confined settings. This would deliver a blow at people defying masks. Fines do work on people... Quite often you can hear arguments such as: "If I'm not sick, why should I wear a mask? Let the sick wear them..." I recently had a fight with my friend, the man who once lived in Zhytomyr. I told him: "Why don't you wear a mask indoors?" He says: "First, I did, but it was inconvenient, so I took it off." My arguments are simple: Ok, you will get sick, you're a 'buff jock', you might recover, but you will infect your chronically ill wife, and she may die. How are you going to live with this? And not only my wife, but also other family members." He got offended. But I say this because the situation may be precisely that. What, in your opinion, should be changed in Ukraine in terms of COVID-19 treatment? First, a system must be built. In one of the regions of the post-Soviet space, I helped build it. And there was no collapse there... Cases should be classified as asymptomatic, mild, moderate, and severe. Patients with asymptomatic and mild cases may be quarantined at home. Also, rehab facilities can be used to host them (given the vast infrastructure of the latter in the post-Soviet space), where up to a couple of paramedics would work to measure saturation and temperature. This would save a lot of money. Patients with cases of moderate severity who still don't need special medical support could be placed in separate buildings, where a large number of medical personnel is not needed. And the third category is "heavy" patients who require oxygen support and other therapy. Secondly, it is necessary to relieve the ambulance system. Unfortunately, in Ukraine people are accustomed to calling an ambulance just to measure blood pressure. And then they complain that the ambulance team fails to arrive fast for a heart attack case. Of course they will never make it there on time! An ambulance is not a hospital on wheels. An ambulance will never replace a specialized physician. An ambulance is needed to provide first aid and bring a patient to the intensive care unit alive. Therefore, it may sound harsh, but in order to, say, measure your pressure or check the child's ear infection, instead of calling an ambulance, you need to go to the doctor's. This way, you will save someone's life. By the way, in Israel, you will pay $300 for just calling an ambulance. Are you aware of any successful examples of correct way of setting up COVID-19 treatment in Ukraine? Hospital No 4 in Kyiv [Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No 4]. They managed to build and develop the system in a way that eases the burden on medics. Hospital chief Tetiana Mostepan is someone very forward-looking, modern, and open to new things, to cooperation. Therefore, since March or April, their medical staff have been reaching out to other medical institutions to share their experience. Often, this is not something we see in the countries of the post-Soviet space. Competent, correct organization of work and the right approach to the issue led to remarkable results. In this hospital, not a single medic fell ill. And this hospital has already treated about 4,000 COVID-19 patients! This is the largest number in Ukraine. What advice would you give to the people of Ukraine who, like the people of Israel, really do not want a repeat of the strict quarantine? The main advice is: People, please, be responsible! Stop arguing and discussing topics that you don't understand without reading deep medical scientific research. Stop quoting the manuals of someone non-related to practical healthcare and scientific research. Unfortunately, people are irresponsible. They argue instead of following simple rules. At the same time, a mask does protect you. If everyone wears masks, the situation will be like in Japan. In Japan, a study was conducted showing that even wearing glasses reduces the risk of getting sick. And there is no pandemic nightmare. Even if the virus has entered the body, the course of the disease depends on the amount of the virus absorbed. Therefore, basic protection in the form of a mask and maintaining social distancing are important. Every day, I'm in contact with those who got sick, but I never got sick thanks to protection. The arguments of those who don't want to follow simple rules are that masks with the FFP2-3 protection level or surgical masks can really protect you. But I repeat: read the research, don't argue baselessly! A huge amount of research has been carried out worldwide proving that even a reusable sheet mask reduces the risk of getting sick by up to 70%! And by combining this with social distancing, the mask on you and on your interlocutor, the risk of getting infected will be almost zero! But, I emphasize, this is required indoors, not outside. It's not necessary to wear all that protection while outside. But in confined premises, you need to watch out. Then there will be no such thing as a pandemic. You just need to be responsible. Tetiana Urbanska As COVID-19 case counts continue to rise across Canada, some of the countrys top doctors are urging people to pop their social bubbles in favour of a more cautious approach. While experts in psychology and epidemiology agree getting rid of bubbles is the right move in hot-spot regions, they also worry that introducing new restrictions will take some convincing for those who have been socializing more liberally for the last few months. I think we had a taste of the good life over the summer, said Raywat Deonandan, an epidemiologist at the University of Ottawa. And now theres going to be a lot of resistance, especially because (we were allowed to socialize) and we avoided the apocalypse, for lack of a better term. COVID case counts dwindled nationwide over the the last few months, allowing businesses to reopen and bubbles, usually of about 10 people, to emerge as a safer way to interact with friends and family. Deonandan says increasing case counts will lead to increasing restrictions. And thats starting to happen now as cities and provinces report COVID levels not seen since May and June. Dr. Eileen de Villa, Torontos top public health official, said Monday that social bubbles are no longer viable in Canadas largest city, instead urging people to interact only with those within their households. British Columbias top doctor Bonnie Henry also said Monday that socialization should be limited to peoples households or six-person bubbles, while Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube essentially banned visitors to private homes in parts of the province for the next four weeks. Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr says social bubbles can still work in areas of the country where community spread is low. But theyre no longer effective as harm reduction measures where cases are rising rapidly. Getting people to disband their social bubbles can be tricky though, especially for those who had difficulty with isolation in the early stages of the pandemic. Its almost sort of a reset emotionally and mentally isnt it? You have to go back to that situation, Carr said. Part of the challenge ... is knowing how it felt. It was lonely and anxiety-inducing. But the reality is in some of these cities were seeing pretty quick increases (in case counts). We need to ... bring that back under control, otherwise this exponential spread could increase pretty quickly. Deonandan says some people wont have a problem limiting their social interactions to early-pandemic levels, but others will. He expects those who have developed a perception lag after being able to socialize so freely in the summer to be especially resistant. People think that the threat a) never existed or b) has been averted, and thats not the case. We simply pushed it aside until now, Deonandan said. And as a result of that people are going to be unwilling to accept restrictions to a large extent. Steve Joordens, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto, is also concerned with peoples perception of what tightening restrictions means. He says that while public health officials did warn of the second wave in the months before it happened, the messaging could have been more clear to stress that summer socializing would be temporary. I wish it had been better marketed in a way (that said) in order to take two steps forward, were going to have to take one step back, he said. The worry, Joordens says, is that people will feel their efforts to slow the spread of the virus were done in vain. And if they feel failure, theyre more likely to abandon restrictions altogether the second time around. If it starts to feel like we did all the stuff we were told to do and things got a little better but now its worse ... theres going to be this sense that it didnt work, he said. Were back where we were and theres this helplessness, a disempowerment that can lead to some anxiety and depression, but also probably less of a likelihood that people are going to comply (in the future). Dr. Camille Lemieux, the Chief of Family Medicine at the University Health Network, agrees that misleading rhetoric about social bubbles can cause people to defy those regulations. That doesnt mean they simply dont want to follow the rules though. Theyre probably just confused by them. I dont think theres a population running around out there ... snubbing their noses at everything thats going on, she said. I think people are concerned, but when they dont know what to do and everything changes every second day ... people throw their hands up in the air and say, Well, might as well do nothing because I dont understand what to do anymore. Thats the reason Deonandan says the messaging needs to be firm and structured this time around, rather than the panicked rush to do something we saw in March and April. Now we know what to do, he said. So lets just do it. -- With files from Cassandra Szklarski. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2020. Carrying a fetus that is small for gestational age (SGA) is associated with increased rates of stillbirth and neonatal death as well as metabolic disease in later life. The Pregnancy Health and Beyond Laboratory (PHaB Lab) team at Flinders University: (Back Row, Left to Right) Dr Tanja Jankovic-Karasoulos, Melanie Smith, Dr Anya Arthurs, Dr Qianhui Wan, (Front Row, Left to Right) Dr Shalem Leemaqz, Professor Claire Roberts, Dylan McCullough However, new research from Flinders University placental biologist and pregnancy expert Professor Claire Roberts shows that these SGA babies are also more likely to experience asymmetric growth compared to non-SGA infants. Babies affected by asymmetric growth are more likely to develop chronic adult onset diseases later in life, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Professor Claire Roberts, a Matthew Flinders Fellow, explains that an asymmetric pattern of fetal growth results in babies having a larger head and smaller abdominal circumference than normal. An increase in the relative head size suggests brain sparing which means that the brain and the head continue to grow at the expense of the abdominal organs, which results in a thinner abdomen. Professor Roberts research shows that male SGA babies are more at risk of experiencing in utero growth asymmetry compared to females. Sadly, these male-bearing pregnancies are also at increased risk for early pre-term birth, pre-eclampsia at term and acute fetal distress. By comparison, female infants are more likely to be growth restricted but have fewer complications during and after birth. We also see sex differences in prevalence, pathogenesis and age of onset in chronic diseases. Claire Roberts, Professor, Flinders University The smallest SGA babies were more likely to be asymmetrically grown and it is the very small or growth-restricted SGA babies that are most at risk for stillbirth, neonatal death, developmental disorders and chronic disease. Interestingly, known maternal risk factors for SGA, such as cigarette smoking, were only associated with symmetric SGA babies and not asymmetric SGA babies, suggesting genetic factors may be more at play. The article, Sex- and growth-specific characteristics of small for gestational age infants: a prospective cohort study (2020) by ER van der Vlugt, PE Verburg, SY Leemaqz, LME McCowan, L Poston, LC Kenny, J Myers, JJ Walker, GA Dekker and CT Roberts (on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium) has just been published in Biology of Sex Differences (2020) DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00300-z This work continues Professor Roberts examination of fetal sex differences in the pattern of fetal growth in male versus female (SGA) babies research which also includes an online talk for the recent American Diabetes Association Virtual conference, entitled Fetal Sex Influences Maternal Diabetes Risk and Pregnancy Complications. It represents important new work of Professor Roberts Pregnancy Health and Beyond research team that is now based at Flinders University, examining major pregnancy and infant development complications, including a focus on the fetal sex differences in pregnancy outcomes and in the transcriptome (genome wide gene expression by RNA sequencing) of the placenta. The new publication is part of continuing work on this subject, with Professor Roberts research team preparing to work with North American collaborators on researching Sex differences in early development underlie sex differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder. For this project, the Flinders University researchers will examine sex differences in utero in placenta, in maternal adaptations to pregnancy that occur in response to hormones secreted by the placenta into the mothers bloodstream, and pregnancy complications associated with autism spectrum disorder. Mumbai, Sep 30 : Under fire from all quarters, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday stayed its own controversial order of August 10 implementing the three farm ordinances - now laws - that made it the first state in the country to enforce them, officials said here. These were: The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Assurance and Farm Service Ordinance 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance 2020, of June 5, 2020 - all now laws. As per the August 10 order issued by the Director of Marketing Satish Soni, these ordinances were to be "strictly implemented" - even before the laws on it were passed by Parliament last week, sparking massive protests among peasants all over India. The development comes 48 hours after IANS first highlighted the contentious issue leading to a furore in political circles all over with the shell-shocked ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies left gasping and fuming. The fast paced political circumstances leading to the stay order came after a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLC Shashikant J. Shinde challenged the Directorate of Marketing, Pune's order. Among other things, Shinde contended that the August 10 order was issued without taking any of the stakeholders into confidence, including the APMCs, farmers' bodies, labourers, local officials and others. The matter came up before the Marketing Minister Balasaheb Shamrao Patil who at a hearing this morning, stayed the August 10 notification and posted the matter for further hearing October 27. Welcoming the order, Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavlamban Mission (VNSSM) President Kishore Tiwari termed it "a victory of the poor farmers in Maharashtra" and the MVA allies Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress who are staunchly opposing the new farm laws. "This was done surreptitiously by two bureacrats Anoop Kumar and Satish Soni who deliberately misled the minister. I have demanded Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to sack them both for working against the policies of the state government," Tiwari - who is accorded a Minister of State status - told IANS. Lauding the state for the decision, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) President Dr Ashok Dhawale said that the farm laws are detrimental to the interests of the farmers all over the country. "The AIKS welcomes the Maharashtra government move since the new farm laws are 'pro-corporate', 'anti-farmer' and 'anti-federal principles' which trample on the states' rights since agriculture is a state subject," Dhawale told IANS. After the matter was exposed on September 28, there was hectic politicking in the state among the three ruling allies as all have publicly opposed the new farm laws. Official sources said matters reached a stage where one of the allies reportedly threatened to boycott the CM's cabinet meeting and top leaders of another partner warned of resignations if a decision on the August 10 order was not taken by this evening. Even some leaders of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party hailing from farming backgrounds raised eyebrows at the notification, especially since it had come even before the Centre issued any rules, guidelines or framework on these ordinances and six weeks before the Bills were cleared by Parliament amid a huge ruckus. There was further embarrassment as Sena Agriculture Minister Dadaji D. Bhuse had taken a public stance against the farm Bills, the NCP Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the new laws would not be implemented without the opinion of experts and Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi had asked all Congress-ruled states to work out viable options vis-a-vis the farm laws. In fact, the Congress has announced an all-India agitation against the new farm laws and a majority of the opposition-ruled states are likely to follow suit. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed To get the full scale of the disinformation efforts and the facts behind the claims, read the entire investigation here. It is based on a review of thousands of pages of court records and interviews with more than 100 key players. But for those with limited time, here are the main takeaways. Trump is taking an old strategy to new extremes. Efforts to suppress the vote are nothing new. Politicians in the Reconstruction era tried to deny the vote to newly freed slaves; the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 led to a raft of new efforts to restrict access to the polls; and throwing out ballots on claims of fraud may have delivered President George W. Bush his pivotal, razor-thin victory in Florida in 2000. Whats different now is the extent to which the administration has focused on such claims, and the involvement of various arms of the government. Within weeks of his inauguration, Mr. Trump began setting up a commission to investigate voter fraud that was ultimately disbanded after a flurry of lawsuits. (Its duties were transferred to the Department of Homeland Security.) At least four major agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Postal Service, have been pulled into voter-fraud claims. In one case, the C.D.C. quietly altered its guidance about mail-in voting to make misleading claims about the safety of absentee ballots. Its elections webpage no longer specifically mentioned mail-in voting as a safer alternative to in-person voting. The changes, which have not been previously reported, addressed mail ballots only in a brief section about possible dangers associated with them, suggesting that workers allow mail to sit for a few hours before handling it to further reduce risk and to carefully disinfect all machinery that comes into contact with it. Its final point: Mail-in voting can make it more difficult for voters with disabilities to exercise their right to vote. This was misleading. Mail voting is the primary means of voting for many people with disabilities. Pence played a larger role than was previously known. In 2016, the vice president touted a case that he has portrayed as a major voter-fraud scheme in his home state, Indiana. But the case involved registration applications that had been flagged by the group that submitted them, and most charges were dropped. His office also played a large role in the defunct voter-fraud commission. Mr. Pence assigned two senior aides to the team, including his general counsel at the time, Mark Paoletta. Judge bars school district from deceiving parents about student's gender transition Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A court in Wisconsin has ruled that the Madison Metropolitan School District cannot deceive parents about their child's chosen gender identity at school. Dane County Court Judge Frank Remington issued a temporary injunction on Monday that impacts certain parts of the school districts gender identity guidance on how school officials engage parents about a students gender transition. The order comes after the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), along with the Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit in February on behalf of a group of anonymous parents. The parents challenged the school district guidance adopted in April 2018 that advises employees to assist students in their gender transition at school without notifying their parents. WILL argues that the districts guidance tells employees to deceive parents about the gender identity their son or daughter is identifying as at school and encourages teachers to have students' permission to notify or speak with parents about issues relating to their gender identity. The lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that the Guidance & Policies to Support Transgender, Non-binary & Gender-Expansive Students document violates parental and religious freedom rights enshrined in the state constitution. Remington partially granted the plaintiffs motion for an injunction. The school district is enjoined pending the plaintiffs appeal from enforcing any policy, guideline or practice that allows or requires District staff to conceal information or to answer untruthfully in response to any question that parents ask about their child at school, including information about the name and pronouns being used to address their child at school. This injunction does not create an affirmative obligation to disclose information if that obligation does not already exist at law and shall not require or allow District staff to disclose any information that they are otherwise prohibited from disclosing to parents by any state or federal law or regulation, Remington wrote. WILL Deputy Counsel Luke Berg said in a statement that the order is an important win for parental rights as the court considers this matter. We are pleased Judge Remington issued this injunction that will require honesty when Madison Metropolitan School District staff interact with parents about critical matters impacting their childs health and wellbeing, he said. According to The Wisconsin State Journal, the April 2018 guidance is not formally adopted school board policy but is an administrative guidance. School district spokesperson Tim LeMonds disputed the conservative groups' claim that school officials are instructed to deceive or conceal information from parents. In a statement given to local media outlets, LeMonds said that what is in question with the guidance is not an official policy. MMSD prioritizes working in collaboration with families to support our students and it is always our preferred method of support," LeMonds said. "MMSD will continue to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of every individual student to the best of our ability. Arguments over the motion for temporary injunction were held last week amid the organizations appeal of an earlier denial to a request for the plaintiffs to proceed anonymously in the case. The request for the plaintiffs to proceed anonymously without disclosure to the school districts attorneys was again denied by Remmington, who initially denied the request in May. Furthermore, the inescapable effect of being anonymous, the court additionally finds that the Plaintiffs have not adequately demonstrated irreparable harm to them, the order states. The Plaintiffs demand preliminary relief that would otherwise convert the case to a de facto class action, rather than a plea for relief by particular, albeit anonymous, parents. By not identifying themselves, Plaintiffs have not provided facts sufficient for this court to find irreparable harm or to find that they do not have an adequate remedy as to themselves. WILL also argued in the lawsuit that the school district cant enable a gender identity transition at school without parental notice. However, Remington declined to issue an injunction based on that argument at this stage of the litigation. It also argues that the judges ruling sends a clear warning message to the District that its policy is problematic. WILL initially reached out to the school district with a demand letter sent in December 2019. The group stressed that the guidance essentially allows children of any age to transition to a different gender at school without parental notice or consent. The legal groups contend that employees were also instructed to deceive parents by using the childs legal name and pronouns when talking with parents while using the preferred names and pronouns of the students in the classroom. A long line of cases from both the United States Supreme Court and the Wisconsin Supreme Court establishes that parents have a constitutional right under the due process clauses of the state and federal constitutions to direct the upbringing and education of [their] children, The demand letter written by Burg argues. WILL initially represented 14 parents and the number has since dropped to six. Considering that Remington has denied the plaintiffs' request to proceed anonymously, that request has been appealed to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, an intermediate appellate court. Berg told the State Journal that the parents who have dropped out of the lawsuit have either moved out of the school district or pulled their children from its schools. Im Rebecca Hoverd and I have had the absolute privilege of growing up on Aucklands North Shore for all my 23 years of life. My childhood I grew up as the baby in my family, a little surprise coming several years after my older siblings were born. This has given me a unique experience of life and for many years now Ive been the only one still living at home. Ive been blessed to have lots of adventures and fun with my older siblings. With this family makeup in mind, I am the only Christian in my family. There are a few believers across my extended family, and I was brought up with the knowledge of God and Christian values but actively engaging with faith or attending church was not part of my early life. It brings me joy to think of the small moments where God spoke to me through others in my childhood. For those of you who know the Little Golden books series, if my memory serves me correctly, I was given one called My Little Book About God by an uncle who was a minister. The beautiful illustrations in this book often came to mind in my first years of attending church and the images I had in mind as I thought of God. My teenage years and coming to Christ How does the youngest-by-several-years in a non-Christian family come to Christ you may ask? I have one of my best friends to thank for inviting me to youth events and youth group at Windsor Park Baptist Church. I was 14 when she invited me along and I havent left since. While many people who dont grow up in a Christian household can often have a singular life-changing encounter with Jesus, I think my experience is more one of several smaller moments and choices where I deliberately chose to accept Jesus and to keep moving forwards with him. I was told by a few people how amazing it was that I had become a Christian in a non-Christian family and how my faith truly was my own. Although I can see how that it is great, it certainly not been without its challenges. While I am grateful that my faith has always had to be my own to claim, I remember looking at friends who went to Christian schools and had gone to kids church growing up with a little bit of wishful thinking. Now, I can reflect upon my journey so far with gratitude, especially for the fact that I can really connect with people who also didnt grow up with much connection to the local church. How I became a young writer Growing up I always enjoyed writing; as a way to reflect, express creativity and to record the moments of my life. I love reading too and I notice that the two hobbies tend to go hand and hand. Writing allows me to process my thoughts and after sharing blogs online, my senior pastor Grant Harris (who is a senior writer himself) and fellow young writer, Matthew Thornton, suggested I join the young writers group. Being part of a community of young writers, with the task of writing a monthly column, has been a wonderful opportunity to grow not only as a writer, but also in my faith. Often the material I read or listen to significantly informs what I write about. I also find myself frequently writing articles which I recognise as messages to myself, filled with encouragement and reminders from God. Where I am now Now I find myself really come face-to-face with how much I need to push into Jesus. I am in my penultimate year of my Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Science conjoint. University is a lot of hard work and I find myself unsure as to which path my legal career will take. As I worry about the future, particularly in the midst of these challenging times, I see how much I really need to lean into Jesus. I feel fortunate to have wonderful people, like my boyfriend of nearly three years, Tim, his family and others in my church community, who remind me of how much satisfaction and peace I can find in Jesus when I fully surrender to him fully. Life without Jesus might be stressful, and life with Jesus might be no less demanding, but I can be at peace because of him who is peace. Where to from here As an extrovert I have struggled with the lockdowns and extended periods at home. But it has given me the opportunity to really know Jesus more; to reflect upon how I manage through seasons of stress and what I can improve. I plan to continue to lean into Jesus, to learn more of who he is and to live the full life he said he came to give us (John chapter 10, verse 10). Its an ongoing story. Matt Flinchbaugh is a big Donald Trump supporter. But he didnt have big praise for the presidents performance during his debate against Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Tuesday night. They both acted like three-year-olds, said the Cumberland County businessman and owner of Flinchys and Home Slice restaurants. Asked what Trump had done to help his case in a close election, Flinchbaugh, 42, said absolutely nothing. He added, this is the worst debate I have ever seen in all my life. The mic should have been turned off unless it was their turn. Seth Maurer, a Republican and Cumberland County resident, said the debate produced no winner. Trump interrupted more than he should have and Biden didnt defend himself as much as he needed to defend himself, said Maurer, 34, a small business owner. Joanne Carroll of Lancaster, a Democrat, turned off the 90-minute debate from Cleveland long before the end. She called Trump a bully and rude and said his obvious strategy was to constantly interrupt and try to distract Biden. This isnt a debate he has no respect for anyone, said Carroll, 79, the executive director of Trans Advocacy Pennsylvania, which advocates for transgender people. I only hope that people that are committed to fair play will see [Trump] as nothing but a rude bully. Doug Gibboney of Cumberland County, a Democrat who has worked as a consultant on Republican campaigns, said Tonights performance wont win Trump any support beyond his base Trumps performance was an embarrassment to our country. Biden was slow in getting used to Trumps interruptions, but won the debate, said Gibboney, 67, a public relations consultant. Dan Wyrick, a Cumberland County Republican, said it was really not a good debate. However, Biden proved to be a better debater. But Biden did nothing to undermine Wyricks support for Trump or sway him toward Biden. Im voting with my wallet and my values. Trump wins both of those areas for me. Biden has lots of claims, but Ive heard that talk before, said Wyrick, 61, who works in commercial heating and air conditioning system sales. He said Biden would dramatically increase spending with a promise of improving the economy, but At the end of the day, we cannot spend our way to success. Muhlenberg College political analyst Christopher Borick reacted, that was quite a show. The President sought to drag Biden into a chaotic display that would paint both in negativity. In 2016, Trump was able to make it a coin flip in places like Pennsylvania because Hillary Clintons favorability was as bad as his, Borick said, noting that Trump trails in the polls, similar to 2016. As he trails this fall, I think he wants to follow a similar path forward, and by dragging Biden into chaos he is hoping it may add to his negatives, Borick said. Jo Ellen Litz, a Democratic commissioner in Lebanon County, said this debate certainly wasnt a knockout for either candidate Trump came across as rude. Had he been uninterrupted, Joe most likely would have had a clear win, said Litz, 69. Litz said the obvious solution is for the moderator to control the microphones and cut off a candidate who speaks out of turn. Joseph Robinson, Jr., a Democrat, said the chaos and schoolyard sniping and talking over each other and the moderator was counter productive. However, he found Biden more mature and more presidential. The president was evasive and ill-mannered. He spent more time attacking than hammering home his accomplishments to the American people and providing us his plan for our future, said Robinson, 62, a Dauphin County resident and the president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Development Institute in Harrisburg. Ginny Boynton, a Cumberland County Democrat, said, Sadly this is just affirming how I already feel about Trump. Hes a child who cant stay on topic or wait his turn. During the debate, she said, I feel that Biden is doing well because hes trying to continue to answer questions. He hasnt stumbled in presenting his positions, and he rightfully indicated that Trump has no plans. Boynton, 61, said she especially appreciated Bidens promise to be a president for both Democrats and Republicans. Despite his disgust over the debate, Flinchbaugh, the restaurant owner, said it did nothing to change his support for Trump, and noted he has long considered Trump a horrible politician. I didnt vote for him in 2016 because he was going to be a great politician, Flinchbaugh said. I voted for him to stop our country from being taken advantage of and hes done that. Hes done more for Americans than anyone. Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Doug Gibboney, a registered Democrat, as a moderate Republican. New Delhi: Hours after the Special CBI court verdict acquitting all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid case, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, and Uma Bharti, a civil court in Mathura on Wednesday (September 30) dismissed a civil suit filed to remove the Idgah Mosque alleging it was built over Krishna Janmabhoomi. The order was passed by Assistant District Judge Chhaya Sharma. The court declined to entertain the plea, citing the bar on admitting the case under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The civil suit moved by Hindu deity, Lord Shri Krishna Virajman, had, through next friends, had sought the removal of encroachments and the mosque. Last week, a group of people had moved the Mathura court claiming that the 17th century Shahi Idgah mosque was built at the birthplace of Lord Krishna, within the 13-acre premises of the Katra Keshav Dev temple. The petition was filed in the court of senior Civil Judge Chhaya Sharma, demanding the annulment of a 1968 Mathura court ruling ratifying a land deal reached between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah Management Committee. Live TV With the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute in Ayodhya settled, it is now Mathura`s Krishna Janmabhoomi matter is expected to heat up the political circles. The Akhara Parishad, the largest organization of saints, has voiced its opinion on this issue. Its president Mahant Narendra Giri told IANS that the `Mathura strategy` will be decided in the Akhara Parishad meeting in Vrindavan on October 15 on the issue of Krishna Janmabhoomi. The Akhara Parishad has stated that it will consist of representatives from all the 13 akharas. In this meeting, along with setting the outline of the movement on the issue of Krishna Janmabhoomi, a deliberation would also be held on the issue of standing party to the petition filed in the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi case. The chairman of Shahi Masjid Idgah Committee, Zahir Hasan, told IANS, "No case is needed at the moment. Two Ibadagahs are on the higher side. On one side there are mosques and on the other side there are prayers in both the temples from where the people`s voice reaches God simultaneously. We have no scope for fighting here. The agreement was reached in 1968. Then the land was divided among themselves." "Since then, there are prayers in the temple and five time prayers in the mosque. There is Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb in Mathura. Here `Chunari` of Radhaji is made by Muslim women. It is famous all over the world... we have full faith in the judiciary," he further added. Trumps comments playing down right-wing violence and urging the Proud Boys to stand by followed a long pattern of declining to forcefully criticize extremist views within his base. The president claimed there were very fine people on both sides of a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in 2017 and was hesitant to disavow the endorsement of white supremacist David Duke during the 2016 campaign. More recently, as protests exploded across the nation, he has emphasized, as he did Tuesday, his claims against leftist protesters while refusing to criticize their counterparts on the right. Home Office published an improvement plan in response to an official inquiry Home Secretary Priti Patel said Windrush generation 'waited too long for justice' Department also reiterated its pledge to review the hostile environment policy Home Secretary Priti Patel, pictured on 15 September, vowed to deliver 'justice' for the Windrush generation and their descendants All Home Office staff will be trained on Britain's 'history of migration and race' after the department was slammed in a critical Windrush scandal report. ADVERTISEMENT The move is part of a series of measures set out in an improvement plan which seeks to overhaul the culture of the department so staff are 'focused on people' and not cases. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'I am leading an unprecedented programme of change to build a Home Office fit for the future, that serves every part of the community it serves. 'The Windrush generation have waited too long for justice and my resolve to deliver for them and their descendants is absolute. This is the first part of our plan to deliver meaningful change.' The department reiterated its pledge to review the hostile environment policy, as recommended in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review by Wendy Williams. It also said it will develop training for all staff so they are 'focused on people' and not cases while every member of staff will have to take part in training on the 'history of migration and race in this country'. Click here to resize this module The Home Office worked with leaders of community groups and the Windrush Cross-Government working group to form the response to the 30 recommendations. In response to the publication, Ms Williams, who made a string of recommendations to the Home Office on how to improve, said the department had a 'duty' to those affected by the scandal to deliver on its commitments. She added: 'It must now act swiftly to open itself up to greater external scrutiny and to implement wide-ranging cultural change.' Jamaican immigrants are welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship HMT Empire Windrush landed them at Tilbury in 1948 The Empire Windrush was most famous for trips from the West Indies which brought people to work in the UK in the middle of the 20th century She said the plan set out by the department was 'comprehensive and ambitious in many respects' but warned some plans, like the appointment of a Migrants' Commissioner require 'greater clarity and pace if the department is to be successful in its aim to rebuild public trust'. Measures the Home Office says it will take in response to Windrush Lessons Learned Review The creation of a new Community and Stakeholder engagement hub. A review of how the compliant environment operates. Developing a programme of training for the department and all staff so that they are focused on people, not cases. Every member of staff will undertake training on the history of migration and race in this country. The department also established an Urgent and Exceptional Payments process for those members of the Windrush generation who had an urgent and exceptional need. It set up a Vulnerable Persons Team (VPT) and held over 120 engagement and outreach events and surgeries. Over 13,300 documents have been provided to more than 11,500 individuals confirming their status or British citizenship through the Windrush Taskforce, now known as the Windrush Help Team. Source: Home Office In the 270-page report, titled Windrush Lessons Learned Review, found the scandal was 'foreseeable and avoidable' and victims were let down by 'systemic operational failings' at the Home Office. ADVERTISEMENT The Government department demonstrated 'institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness' towards the issue of race and the history of the Windrush generation, Ms Williams found. A compensation scheme was set up after hundreds of thousands of people from Caribbean countries and their families were wrongly classified as illegal immigrants by the Home Office in 2018, denied legal rights, and threatened with deportation. They had been encouraged to come to Britain to help fill major UK labour shortages after the Second World War between 1948 and 1971. The group was labelled the Windrush Generation after travelling on the ship MV Empire Windrush, which docked in Tilbury, Essex, on June 22, 1948. Permanent Secretary Matthew Rycroft said: 'The Windrush scandal is a spur to action - to make sure that nothing like this can ever happen again in the Home Office. 'We have begun to respond to all the recommendations and will keep going until we have completed the job. 'Our response today sets out how we are shifting the culture to ensure our workforce is focused on people, not cases.' Bishop Derek Webley, co-chair of the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group, added: 'The Windrush Cross-Government Working Group has been working with the Home Office to support its Response to the Lessons Learned Review. 'We are pleased that its publication takes us a step further on the journey to righting the wrongs, and look forward to progressing its implementation over the coming months.' ADVERTISEMENT Ms Williams will review the progress of the department after a year. The Good Fight, a legal drama so mercurial you sometime want to shout objection! as it airs, returned to SBS last week, parachuting the shows protagonist, progressive Chicago lawyer Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), into an alternate reality where the historic burden that had motivated and menaced her was absent: in 2020, Hillary Clinton is President of the United States, not Donald Trump. Yes! the legal eagle shouts in delight, literally popping a champagne bottle. Are you microdosing again? Lockhart's assistant asks, referring to her predilection for psychedelic relief when the idea of Trump having actually won the election is raised; for good measure, Merrick Garland and Elizabeth Warren are on the Supreme Court. Like all good what-if scenarios, the fork-in-the-road moment has some unexpected blowback, with Trumps defeat meaning a different real-life figure had not been exposed as a monstrous criminal. Instead, to her horror, Diane is representing this person. Hillary Clinton in a scene from Nanette Burstein's illuminating documentary Hillary. Credit:Courtesy of SBS As 2020 moves towards the next US presidential election at the beginning of November, images and echoes of Hillary Clinton are all over our television screens. If her loss to Trump in 2016 is a pivotal moment in the 21st century, a before and after schism, then were at the point where the medium sees her as a figure of fascination, and one that is now creatively pliable. Clinton is a documentary subject, a fictional character, a symbolic figure, and a contrary framing device to Trumps presidency. Theres long been a Clinton undercurrent to Hollywoods scripted dramas. The former first ladys time as secretary of state during Barack Obamas administration was obviously the inspiration for Madam Secretary, which Clinton eventually had a cameo on as herself alongside Tea Leonis fictional diplomat Elizabeth McCord. Beyond that, the wild insider plots and personal dynamics of both House of Cards and Scandal wouldnt have been such juicy viewing without Hillary and Bill Clintons marriage, and the headlines that pursued them, as a kind of cultural kindling. Its Whitewater paranoia as plot twists. The KWETB has already implemented many of the recommendations ordered by a report commissioned by the Department of Education and Skills, the Department has confirmed. Academic Dr Richard Thorn was commissioned by the Department of Education and Skills in 2017 to carry out a review after issues were found in the KWETBs 2015 accounts by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) later began an investigation into alleged corrupt practices at the statutory body. All the matters refer to the period before the current chief executive Dr Deirdre Keyes took up her position in May 2018 but the controversy is regularly raised with the management team by board members at monthly board meetings. The Department told the Leader this week that many of the recommendations in Dr Thorn's report are now complete. A Department of Education and Skills spokesperson said: On foot of the Dr Thorn report of July 2018, the then Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton TD issued directions to Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB) under Section 41 of the 2013 ETB Act. These directions related to a number of issues improvements required to support good corporate governance in KWETB. The Board and Executive of KWETB have been engaged since then in the implementation of the directions as part of the KWETB Corporate Governance Programme. The Department undertakes quarterly reviews of the KWETB programme to ensure that it is delivering the enhanced corporate governance measures required. The original KWETB Corporate Governance programme is ongoing for almost two years and many of the recommendations are now complete. At this stage it is considered timely to arrange a review by Dr Thorn to provide an evaluation of its effectiveness to date. The KWETB said earlier this month that it looks forward to Dr Thorn carrying out a review of its new Corporate Governance Programme. Gardai have already made two arrests in relation to alleged corrupt practices at the KWETB. On September 7, gardai arrested a female in her 30s as part of Operation Lakefront. She was released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). On August 6, a man in his 50s was arrested but was later released without charge. A file will be prepared for the DPP on the matter. The face-to-face military talks, which started Monday in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, came amid international pressure on both sides of the war and their foreign backers to avert an escalation The United Nations says talks between Libyan rivals in Egypt have concluded with preliminary agreements to exchange prisoners and open up air and land transit across the country's divided territory. The face-to-face military talks, which started Monday in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, came amid international pressure on both sides of the war and their foreign backers to avert an escalation. The UN support mission in Libya said in a written statement that the two days of talks, conducted in ``a spirit of responsibility, transparency and mutual trust,`` had resulted in progress on several of the lingering issues between the war's two parties. It said that both sides agreed they should take steps to ensure the release of all prisoners taken amid military operations sometime next month. Another point was that both sides would expedite the opening of transit links across their respective territories. The outcomes of the negotiations will be mainstreamed into UN-brokered military talks which should be held in the coming week, the UN mission said. The two sides also agreed that the protection of country's oil and gas facilities, which are largely under the control of forces backing Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar in the country's eastern region, should be a priority in the coming talks, in order for production and export to resume fully. Oil-rich Libya was plunged into chaos when a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country has since split between rival east- and west-based administrations, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Haftar's forces launched an offensive in April 2019 to try and capture Tripoli, the seat of the UN-supported government in the west. But his campaign collapsed in June when the Tripoli-allied militias, with heavy Turkish support, gained the upper hand, driving his forces from the outskirts of the city and other western towns. Haftar is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. Tripoli-allied militias have backing from Turkey, Syrian mercenaries, as well as from the wealthy Gulf state of Qatar. Fighting has died down in recent months, but both sides were preparing for a possible battle over Sirte, the gateway to Libya's major oil fields and export terminals, controlled by Haftar. Egypt-based military and security talks came after both sides, under heavy international pressure, agreed earlier this month on a preliminary deal that aims to guide the country toward elections within 18 months and demilitarize Sirte. *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: - Babu Owino claimed Raila has done much for Kenya out of his personal sacrifice and endurance than DP Ruto - The MP said the ODM leader was arrested and detained for the sake of this county, something that the second in command has never experienced - The legislator added that while Raila was supporting and fighting for multiparty democracy, the DP was supporting Moi who was a dynasty then -The MP added Ruto was a product of a dynasty while Raila fought his way to the top by himself PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has dismissed the Deputy President William Ruto's hustler tag saying the ODM leader Raila Odinga is a more of a hustler than him. The legislator who is also a strong supporter of Raila said the ODM leader has done so much for Kenya out of his personal sacrifice and endurance than DP Ruto. Babu Owino said Baba has done so much for Kenya out of his personal sacrifice and endurance than DP Ruto. Photo: TUKO Source: Original Raila's hustle In an interview shared on his Facebook page on Wednesday, September 30, Babu said Raila has endured more hardships than Ruto. He said the ODM chief was arrested and detained for the sake of this county, something that the second in command has never experienced. Babu said Raila was arrested and detained for the sake of this county, something that the second in command has never experienced. Photo: ODM Source: Facebook "Baba has gone to Kamiti, he was detained in Manyani, Shimo La Tewa Prison, Industrial Area prison, Ruto has never been in prison. Baba went there because of the interest of Kenyans," said Babu. The legislator added that while Raila was supporting and fighting for the multiparty democracy, the DP was supporting Moi who was a dynasty then. He further added that Ruto was a product of a dynasty while Raila fought his way to the top by himself. "Raila has passed through so many challenges and sacrificed for this country than Willam Ruto, he shelved his presidential ambitions and accepted the Prime Minister position in 2007 for the sake of Kenyans. He gave Kenyas the 2010 constitution that they are enjoying now, he brought devolution to this county, now we are having the BBI because of this man Raila. What has he not done for this country? " said Babu. "I can not support Ruto" Babu acknowledged that he was once on bad terms with President Uhuru Kenyatta but due to the handshake, he now supports him unreservedly. However, the legislator vowed to never in his life support Ruto adding the DP was not his master and would never in any way serve him. "I am saying this while pointing in heaven, I will never ever support Ruto, I only have one master and that is Baba, I cannot serve Ruto because he is not my master, I will forever support Baba and I love him so much." he added. Wheelbarrows and handcarts The MP tore into Ruto's ongoing hustler empowerment programs where he has been distributing wheelbarrows, handcarts, car washing machines, water tanks among other products. The MP added that Ruto was a product of a dynasty while Raila fought his way to the top by himself. Photo: William Ruto. Source: Facebook He dismissed his claims that he used to sell chicken saying former President Daniel Moi gifted the DP his first car and a piece of land. He implored the second in command to reciprocate the same to the youths instead of giving them wheelbarrows and handcarts. "You cannot say you sold chicken then at the same time at the age of 20, you were gifted your first car and a piece of land by Moi. Now Ruto wants the youth to first own a wheelbarrow. We cannot get educated basically to come and drive handcarts, you are taking advantage of the suffering youths. You were given your first car, give the youths cars to prove that you are serious," said Babu. In a different story earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli rubbished Ruto's hustler tag claiming hustlers are thieves. Atwoli said the wheelbarrows and other donations that the DP was giving were just "peanuts" of his humongous wealth. Babu acknowledged that he was once in bad terms with President Kenyatta, but due to the handshake, he now supports them unreservedly. Photo: COTU Source: Facebook "You are calling yourself a hustler and yet you are not. Even God cannot allow. Then you go to the church to cheat about being a hustler," he said. The trade unionist is one of the DP's fiercest opposers. Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme I have infected multiple men with HIV, my entire family hates me -Kiki wa Nge'ndo | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke It's synonymous with luxury, glamour and VIP treatment - and now a glimpse of The Savoy is on offer without the grand expense thanks to a new fly-on-the-wall documentary, starting tonight. The four-part ITV production, airing at 9pm, takes viewers behind the scenes of one of London's top hotels - showcasing the high life experienced by guests, with at least two staff members per room attending to most of their desires. With stunning views of the capital, the 131-year-old hotel on the banks of the River Thames has 37 butlered suites starting from 1,500 a night to a staggering 18,000, and despite the cost, many customers return to their 'second home' in tonight's episode. The glamorous premises has 600 staff, 3,000 pieces of laundry a day and a 250,000 annual flower bill - and favoured guests are treated to private cocktail parties in their rooms, bespoke bouquets and even personalised bed linen. Viewers also see Savoy Grill owner Gordon Ramsay serve up a foul-mouthed rant at his maitre d'hotel and declare standards arent good enough after finding a cracked plate, being served duck with a blunt knife and finding little haddock in the 12 fish omelet. Scroll down for video It's synonymous with luxury, glamour and VIP treatment - and now a glimpse of The Savoy (pictured) is on offer without the grand expense thanks to a new fly-on-the-wall documentary, starting tonight The four-part ITV production, airing at 9pm, takes viewers behind the scenes of one of London's top hotels - showcasing the high life experienced by guests, with at least two staff members per room attending to most of their desires. Pictured, The Savoy's butlers With stunning views of the capital, the 131-year-old hotel on the banks of the River Thames has 37 butlered suites (pictured) starting from 1,500 a night to a staggering 18,000 The glamorous premises has 600 staff, 3,000 pieces of laundry a day and a 250,000 annual flower bill (pictured, some of the flowers around the hotel) Keeping the seven-storey hotel running is head butler Sean Davoren, 62, who started at The Savoy in 1978, and strives for 'excellence' each morning. In the TV series, which sees David Hasselhoff and Denise van Outen stay at the hotel, Sean showcases The Royal Suite - which is spread across the entire fifth floor with a view of the London Eye and includes Princess Diana as one of its former guests. The head butler is also seen putting newest butler and former actor Michael Peluso, 37, whose mother was the late Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham, through his paces. 'Im a little bit of a tyrant,' Sean says. 'When I was being trained they would hit you, throw things at you and say, "Youd better do better or you wont be working here." It was a good lesson but wouldnt be appropriate now.' Also featuring in the documentary are motor industry boss Damien Cuming and his wife Jacqueline, from Cambridgeshire, who have been going to The Savoy for 26 years. Keeping the seven-storey hotel running is head butler Sean Davoren (pictured), 62, who started at The Savoy in 1978, and strives for 'excellence' each morning Also featuring in the documentary are motor industry boss Damien Cuming and his wife Jacqueline (pictured), from Cambridgeshire, who have been going to The Savoy for 26 years Likewise, accountancy firm owner Simon De-Lacy Adams (pictured), from East Anglia, has stayed at The Savoy 70 times in the last year and is a well-known face around the hotel and the Savoy Grill The couple spent 20 nights at the hotel last year in a 1,500 room, with Jacqueline admitting: 'We could have bought several houses'. Damien even popped the question to his wife at their 'second home' 18-years ago and their go-to treat there is beluga caviar, which costs an eye-watering 160 for 30g. Likewise, accountancy firm owner Simon De-Lacy Adams, from East Anglia, has stayed at The Savoy 70 times in the last year and is a well-known face around the hotel and the Savoy Grill. He has used the hotel as his London-base for many years and even has his own personalised linen that the staff use for his suites - while the returning guest was also presented with his own monogrammed pillows and bathrobes for Christmas. The head butler is also seen putting newest butler and former actor Michael Peluso (pictured), 37, whose mother was the late Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham, through his paces In the TV series, which sees David Hasselhoff and Denise van Outen stay at the hotel, Sean showcases The Royal Suite (pictured) The Royal Suite (pictured is its bathroom) is spread across the entire fifth floor with a view of the London Eye and which includes Princess Diana as one of its former guests 'My husband is not as good as a butler the bell doesnt work and Im told to naff off if I ask for anything like that,' Simon jokes in the episode. Four restaurants are housed in The Savoy - The Thames Foyer, Simpsons, seafood specialist Kaspars and the Michelin-starred Savoy Grill, which is run by Maitre D Thierry Tomasin. The Frenchman, 51, with 30 years experience in the industry, was handpicked by owner and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay 18 months before the documentary began. Speaking to his staff ahead of service, Thierry says: 'We are not waiters, we are salesmen of pleasure. We do the je-ne-sais-quoi but I want the ooh-la-la.' He adds to the camera: 'Guests pay our wages at the end of the month so we should never ever forget that. This is a show. Instead of going to the theatre you come to Savoy Grill. It's the experience.' Viewers also see Savoy Grill owner Gordon Ramsay (pictured left) serve up a foul-mouthed rant at his maitre d'hotel and declare standards arent good enough after finding a cracked plate and being served duck with a blunt knife The staff were seen preparing for Gordon's arrival during the show, with the chef trying out two new dishes and ensuring his front-of-house was up to scratch. However, Gordon left disappointed after finding a cracked plate, being served duck with a blunt knife and finding little haddock in the 12 fish omelet. Finding the chipped plate, he rants: 'Put it in the f****** bin. Its The Savoy, guys, not the f****** Golden Egg down the Old Kent Road.' Waiters are expected to flambe, carve and fillet dishes in front of diners, but Gordon is less than impressed with Thierry's carving skills. The dining manager explains that his freshly sharpened knife has been switched for a blunt one as he tries to carve the meat, with Gordon saying: 'You've turned a beautiful duck into roadkill.' 'Today wasn't good,' admits Gordon. 'Nowhere near my standards. The Savoy Grill for me is about prestige. My name's on the door so I want it right and today was just not good enough.' The Savoy airs at 9pm on ITV When MaKiya Congious wore her Black Lives Matter mask to work at a Fort Worth Whataburger, she said the covering drew compliments from customers. According to The Washington Posts' Teo Armos, Congious reported to work on August 3 and was confronted by a white customer who took objection to her mask. The customer threatened to call Whataburger's corporate office over the covering, and Congious was told by Whataburger supervisors her mask displayed a political message and could not be worn while working. "It's not a political thing," Congious said. "It's just a statement that says, 'Black Lives Matter,' because we do matter." OUTRAGE OVER BREONNA TAYLOR RULING: Trae Tha Truth, activists speak out after Breonna Taylor ruling Congious claims she was let go from the company and had the police called on her by her while she remained inside the store, according to The Washington Post. "I asked for them to provide me details on why my mask was inappropriate. It's a solid color. It doesn't have any gang-related anything on it," she told KDFW's Lyannane Nguyen. "I asked for them to explain it to me. They couldn't explain it to me." During the dispute with her supervisor, Congious asked how to request her two-week's notice, according to Fort Worth Star Telegram's Brian Lopez. "You want to put your two weeks notice in?" a supervisor said. "We accept it, and you don't have to come back at all." Congious filed discrimination complaint Wednesday to the Texas Workforce Commission Rights Division, alleging she was let go from the company due to her race and message on her mask. In a video obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Congious captured the tense moments between her and her Whataburger managers. "Youre entitled to your personal opinions, thats fine," A supervisor said. "But at Whataburger we dont want to portray them because some people may be offended." According to a statement from Whataburger, Congious "voluntarily resigned due to a disagreement over our company uniform policy." "If we allow a non-Whataburger slogans as part of our uniforms, we have to allow all slogans," Whataburger said in a statement to KDFW on Wednesday. "This could create tension and conflict among our employees and customers. It is our job as a responsible brand to proactively keep our employees and customers safe." 'KIND OF HEARTBREAKING': Texas teacher says she was fired for wearing masks supporting Black Lives Matter In the complaint filed with the State of Texas, Congious asked for five steps of action. According to KDFW, her attorney wants to give Whataburger a chance to make things right before moving forward with a possible lawsuit. The public should boycott Whataburger for 90 days to see what actions the company takes to show that Black Lives Matter. The company should allow Black Lives Matter masks. The CEO should say Black Lives Matter to Whataburger on social media. The company should provide more implicit bias training. The company should celebrate Juneteenth starting next year. "I want other people to realize small things like this, she told KDFW. It matters because its a place, an environment were in. Congious is not the only Texan who has a lost a job over wearing a Black Lives Matter mask. Earlier this week San Antonio teacher Lillian White made news after refusing her superiors' instruction to stop wearing her Black Lives Matter mask in class. "It was stressful because I have financial obligation to help support my family," White told KENS. "It's also kind of heartbreaking that this is the kind of this is the reason I lost my job." If youre seeing a lot of soldiers and Army vehicles, on the streets of Port Arthur, do not be alarmed. About a thousand soldiers of the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) of the U.S. Army, also known as the Armys Navy, are unloading hundreds of vehicles, shipping containers, and helicopters from the USNS Frazier, staging them at the port. The equipment is being transferred from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, to Fort Polk in Louisiana. The 7th Transportation Brigade, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, were called for a readiness exercise on Aug. 12 to test their ability to alert, recall and deploy the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division under emergency conditions. The company expects commercial availability of this new assay at the end of October for countries in Europe BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) has announced its rapid, point-of-care (POC), SARS-CoV-2 antigen test for use on the BD Veritor Plus System has been CE marked to the IVD Directive (98/79/EC). The new test delivers results in 15 minutes on an easy-to-use, portable instrument, which is a critical improvement in turnaround time for COVID-19 diagnostics, because it provides real-time results and enables decision-making while the patient is still onsite. The company expects commercial availability of this new assay at the end of October for countries in Europe that recognize the CE mark. Availability of the SARS-CoV-2 assay on the BD Veritor Plus System in Europe builds on our molecular test on the BD MAX System that has been available since March, said Roland Goette, president of BD EMEA Region. The addition of a truly portable, point-of-care test that can deliver results while the patient waits will be welcomed by health care providers and patients alike to help protect against additional waves of COVID-19. BD is leveraging its global manufacturing network and scale to produce 8 million SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests per month by October and expects to produce 12 million tests per month by March 2021. Detectives are stumped as to what led the mysterious death of a teenager who was found dead with blood on her face in bed in Western Australia. Brooke Tuhakaraina's body was discovered by a friend in the home she shared with workmates in Port Denison, 50km south of Geraldton, at about 7am on Wednesday morning. Homicide detectives and forensics are investigating and awaiting the results of an autopsy. As of early Thursday morning, there was no explanation for the 19-year-old's sudden death. Brooke Tuhakaraina (pictured) was found dead in her share house in Port Denison on WA Devastated Dongra shearing contractor Mike Henderson said the teenager was found by a member of his staff in the home he lets to them. 'She was a wool handler, a nice kid,' he told The West Australian through tears. 'She was only 19 and she worked for me for a couple of months.' Ms Tuhakaraina is originally from New Zealand and had been working in Western Australia for the past year. Her family posted 'we are all devastated at this time,' on Facebook on Wednesday. Police set up a crime scene, with neighbours saying the people who lived in the share house were constantly 'coming and going'. Detectives (pictured at the scene) are investigating the site with forensics to determine Ms Tuhakaraina's cause of death The 19-year-old (pictured) was found by a colleague in her bed with blood on her face The small cray fishing town in WA's mid-west has been rocked by tragedy before. Heather Glendinning murdered her daughters Jane, 12 and Jess, 10, before killing herself in the family home on December 5, 2011. The girls' father repeatedly warned of his ex-wife's deteriorating mental health. 'Their mother was not sane and fit to have custody of them - and no one wanted to hear that until it was too late,' he said in 2019. At an inquest into the deaths in 2016, Coroner Barry King determined the tragedy was potentially avoidable. He said the outcome could have been different if Glendinning's declining mental state had been discussed between the Family Court, mental health authorities and government agencies. Nearly half a century after 13 innocents were slaughtered on the streets of Derry, and only one of those who opened fire, and none of those who gave the orders, has been prosecuted. The Bloody Sunday families don't have much faith in British justice, and who can blame them? Their experience massively contradicts all who claim that there's a witch-hunt against former security forces members involved in legacy cases. It seems that if you were wearing a uniform in the Bogside on January 31, 1972, you could shoot who you liked and get away with it. It doesn't matter that the world was watching that day, and that the state's shocking brutality drew unprecedented international condemnation. It doesn't matter that the fiction presented to the Widgery Tribunal - that some of the dead and injured had been firing weapons or handling bombs - has been exposed. Read More The lies and cover-up went to the top of the military and political establishment. Yet, 48 years later, all we have is a sacrificial lamb in Soldier F before the courts. The families firmly believe that around 10 other soldiers should be facing prosecution for murder and attempted murder. They are to challenge the Public Prosecution Service's decision not to bring more charges. The Bloody Sunday campaigners are by no means unique in Northern Ireland in failing to secure justice. They have never claimed to be. In every town and village, there are husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, children and grandchildren yet to secure even a proper police investigation into what happened to their loved one. The suggestion by some that the Bloody Sunday bereaved have had five-star treatment from the state is nonsensical. It took two years from the publication of the Saville Report for the PSNI to launch a criminal investigation into the 1972 atrocity. It was four years later that the file was passed to the PPS. It took a further two years for the decision on prosecutions to be announced. TUV leader Jim Allister says that this should "be the end of the insatiable demands when it comes to Bloody Sunday". He is calling for a line to be drawn on this aspect of the case. No lines in the sand should be drawn regarding Bloody Sunday, Kingsmill, La Mon or Bloody Friday. If a shred of evidence exists to bring the perpetrators of heinous acts before the courts, let it be pursued. DUP MP Gregory Campbell also challenged the focus on the Bloody Sunday soldiers. He made the often employed argument that 90% of Troubles murders were carried out by paramilitaries and only 10% by the state. Campaigners on the other side of the political divide say those figures change if victims of alleged collusion are included. But even if they aren't, it's hardly a valid reason to downplay Bloody Sunday. Read More We expect paramilitaries to murder and maim, it's what they do. We do not expect the state to kill its own citizens in broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon. The perception that those who served in the security forces have been historically hounded isn't supported by official figures. Thousands of loyalist and republicans were jailed during the Troubles. Only four soldiers have been convicted for killings while on duty. Between them, they served a total of 10 years and they all returned to the Army afterwards. John Kelly, whose 17-year-old brother Mickey was killed on Bloody Sunday, said the families will seek a judicial review of the PPS's decision. "It's been a long road, nearly 50 years, we're all getting old," he said. "A lot of people are dying, but as long as we're able to walk, we'll go after them." Those who truly believe in justice will ensure that such courageous families don't walk alone. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. UPDATE: 2 teens in custody, 1 sought in slaying of high school senior over pot buy in Bethlehem, DA says A 17-year-old boy died Tuesday night after being shot in a Bethlehem park off Route 412, authorities said. Aiden Toussaint, of Whitehall, was pronounced dead at 10:30 p.m. at St. Lukes University Hospital in Fountain Hill, after being shot near Norwood Street and Dearborn Avenue in Saucon Park in the city. Toussaint died from gunshot wounds to the body, the Lehigh County coroners office said, and his death was ruled a homicide. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday. The teens death is being investigated by the Lehigh County coroners office, Bethlehem police and the Northampton County District Attorneys office. The shooting was reported at 9:35 p.m. in the park and, about five minutes later, police were called to a second scene at Route 412 and Lynn Avenue. Police Capt. Ben Hackett said it is an ongoing investigation, but we do not believe there is any danger to the public at large. Toussaint was a senior at Whitehall High School, Superintendent Lorie Hackett said, and he wrestled last year for the Zephyrs. Were all very sad, she said. The district has mobilized its emergency response team to provide counseling for students and staff. The school is on a hybrid schedule, and students were not scheduled to be in the building today. The district created a virtual safe room for those who would like to reach out online, in addition to a safe room at the school for when students return later this week, Hackett said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. It is a marriage across the political divide as a son of a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, is set to wed a daughter of a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu. Aliyu Abubakar Atiku and Fatima Ribadu are billed to tie the knot on Saturday in what family sources described as a low-key event in Abuja. A wedding notification sent out by Mr Ribadu, sighted by PREMIUM TIMES, indicate that the wedding would be attended by a small number of people in line with COVID-19 protocols. The two young lovers found love despite their parents known longstanding personal and political differences. Both Atiku and Mr Ribadu hailed from Adamawa State and served at the same time in the civilian government of Olusegun Obasanjo as vice president and head of the EFCC respectively. While in that government, both men fell out after Mr Ribadu acted on the request by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations to the EFCC to help it investigate the relationship between Atiku and Congressman Thomas Jefferson who was then accused of bribery. Although the then vice president was eventually not indicted by the FBI, the Nigerian end of the investigation soon broadened and he was accused of approving the mismanagement of funds belonging to the Petroleum Trust Fund. He denied any wrongdoing saying the allegations were fabricated due to his political differences with then President Obasanjo who he accused of being desperate to eliminate him from the 2007 presidential contest. Even after leaving government, both men remained implacable foes and remained in opposing camps. Mr Ribadu joined politics in 2010 ahead of the 2011 presidential election in which he ran as the candidate of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Atiku was then in the PDP. In the run up to the 2015 general elections, the ACN teamed up with the then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to form the All Progressives Congress (APC). Shortly before that election, Atiku soon crossed from the PDP to the APC, causing Mr Ribadu, already the leader of the party in Adamawa State, political discomfort. Unable to dwell with Atiku in the same party, Mr Ribadu soon crossed to the PDP on which platform he later ran as governorship candidate for Adamawa State. He lost that election. But soon after the 2015 election, Atiku returned to the PDP, a party then under Mr Ribadus control in Adamawa. Irritated by the development, Mr Ribadu quickly fled and returned to the APC. Today, while Atiku is a heavyweight of the PDP, Mr Ribadu belongs to the ruling APC. BEYOND POLITICS It is unclear how easy it was for the two opposing politicians to consent to the marriage of their kids, thereby becoming in-laws. Mr Ribadu did not answer or return telephone calls made to him Wednesday. But a family member told this newspaper that Mr Ribadu did not attempt to stop the marriage. The girl is very important to him as his only daughter but that notwithstanding he understands that marriage is a personal decision, said the source who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. He (Mr Ribadu) believes that whatever Allah has ordained, no one can stop. He also believes that he must not capitalise on his own circumstances or personal situation to become an obstacle to anyone, not to talk of his own daughter. So he wished them the best and is now learning a new relationship as inlaw to his long-term political enemy. Atiku too could also not be reached Wednesday. His spokesperson, Paul Ibe, however said, Sometimes we fans and supporters assume too much or try to cry more than the bereaved. Atiku Abubakar is in PDP, Nuhu Ribadu is in APC; how does that affect two young people? It is about their lives. People make choices and Atiku brought up his children to be independent minded, to have a mind of their own. They are educated, they are exposed. They share in the values of their father which include respect for people despite their religion, their customs or where they come from. They (the couples) are living the values that their parents have espoused and hold dear. This is what it is. If they met themselves and decided that they are compatible enough to spend the rest of their lives together, how would that bother you and I who have also made our independent choices? It is unclear how the would-be couple met but with roots deeply in the same native Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, and both living in the same city, Abuja, it may not be difficult to connect. Advertisements Like the fathers, the mothers of the couple are also from Adamawa. ALSO READ: Mr Abubakars wife, Rukayya, is a Yola princess whose father was the late Lamido Adamawa, Aliyu Musdapha, after whom the young Aliyu Atiku is named. Mr Ribadus wife, Zahra, is a daughter of Adamawas famed professor and politician, Iya Abubakar. A NEW PHASE PREMIUM TIMES gathered that both families let the young couples decision on life partner be theirs without letting the lives of their parents interfere. The two Adamawa politicians now maintain a refreshingly better relationship despite their political differences, especially after they realised they would soon become in-laws. In January, Atiku was among guests who attended the wedding of Mr Ribadus two sons in Abuja. The former vice president is already in Nigeria from his Dubai base ahead of the wedding. Despite the two families deciding to keep it low, the wedding is expected to draw dignitaries from both sides of the political divide. Quintessentially dependable and hell never fail you is how Bob Reilly sees Dillard, but that description doesnt really get to the heart of who Dillard is. John is just a really nice person, said Reilly, a retired professor in the economics department at Virginia Commonwealth University who also is an avid birder. His introduction to bird-banding came about 25 years ago when Dillard invited him to the bird-banding station he was directing on the Eastern Shore. On those autumn days on the shore as countless birds migrated south, the days at the banding station could get quite busy, Reilly said. Besides the birds coming through, there were also people passing through who were fishing or camping and curious about what was going on, as well as school classes and Scout troops who came to learn about the wildlife. He would just take all the time in the world with the kids to show them the birds up close and answer all of their questions, Reilly said of Dillard. It was the kind of place where a kid who never really had any exposure to the outdoors and the wild could see these little creatures up close. The wonder in their eyes ... its hard to describe. The Delhi Police have heightened the security vigil in the national capital in view of the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case in which the court verdict was announced on Wednesday. A senior police officer who didnt want to be identified said that a special watch is being kept outside the residences of some senior political leaders and police personnel have been deployed at important establishments. Also Read: UP Police put on high alert, told to prevent gatherings We have additional police and paramilitary force at our disposal. We are keeping a watch and will press them into service if we feel any apprehension of law and order situation, said the officer. WATCH| Babri case: Court acquits Advani & 31 others; says demolition not pre-planned As of early Wednesday afternoon, there was no trouble anywhere in Delhi on account of the judgment. A special court on Wednesday acquitted all the 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, 63, is one of the only black farmers in Britain Moved to the UK from Jamaica with his parents and eight siblings in 1961 Told Metro he was always 'looking over his shoulder' growing up in Birmingham Said agriculture and rural spaces need to become more accessible to all One of the UK's only commercial black farmers has revealed he experiences less racism in the countryside than he did growing up in urban areas. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, 63, who received an MBE for services to farming in the Queen's Honours List this year, told the Metro that he wants to see more people of colour in agriculture and rural spaces become more accessible to all. ADVERTISEMENT Wilfred who is a child of the Windrush generation, was aged four when he came to Britain from Jamaica in 1961, and lived with his eight siblings in a terrace house in Small Heath, Birmingham. As a kid, I was always looking over my shoulder,' he said. Its nice that people say good morning, and I absolutely love Morris dancing. Black people are often stereotyped, but why shouldnt I enjoy Morris dancing? When we talk about diversity, it tends to be focused on urban spaces, but what about black people in rural settings?' Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, 63, (pictured) who is one of the UK's only commercial farmers, has blasted companies for not doing more to diversify since the Black Lives Matter movement Wilfred fell in love with farming at the age of 11 after tending to his father's allotment in Birmingham. He made a promise to himself to one day own a farm, having viewed his father's green patch as a place to escape from the cramped house he grew up in. Click here to resize this module Founder of The Black Farmer brand, has worked tirelessly to get supermarkets across the nation to support his latest venture and to amplify black voices within the food industry. He hopes to redefine Black Friday on the 27 November with a campaign to celebrate the 'diversity in business'. Wilfred (pictured) has launched a campaign to redefine Black Friday as an opportunity to celebrate diversity in business Major British supermarkets have already agreed to donate profits, a promotional space and to contribute to a nationwide poster campaign to create awareness. The Black Farmer brand is also set to celebrate the black contribution to British society by launching sausages with a flavour of the Caribbean including jerk pork sausage and jerk chicken. Wilfred revealed that it took him 30 years of hard work with roles in the Army and at the BBC before he was able to move to Devon to become a farmer in 1999. Wilfred (pictured) said more needs to be done to transform the perception of the farming industry to encourage more people of colour to join the community He stood for election as a Conservative MP in Chippenham, Wiltshire, in 2010, but lost, and says he was left with little to show for it other than 150,000 of bills. ADVERTISEMENT In 2015, he revealed he was losing his skin pigmentation due to cancer treatment. He said of his battle with acute myeloid leukaemia: 'I am lucky to be alive. This time last year it was touch and go. My organs started to fail and my chances were slim. Mr Emmanuel-Jones said although he had initially attempted to cover up his skin pigmentation he has grown to accept it. (Newser) California investigators have arrested and charged a man in connection with the shooting of two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies earlier this month as they sat in their squad car, authorities said Wednesday. Attempted murder charges were filed against Deonte Lee Murray, 36, District Attorney Jackie Lacey told reporters. Murray, a resident of the city of Compton, where the shooting happened, was arrested two weeks ago in connection with a separate carjacking and he is expected to be arraigned Wednesday on charges in both cases, the AP reports. Prosecutors planned to request for bail of $6.15 million. Authorities say Murray has a criminal history including convictions for sales and possession of narcotics, firearm possession, receiving stolen property, burglary, and terrorist threats story continues below Sheriff's Homicide Bureau Capt. Kent Wegener, who provided details about the investigation, did not suggest a specific motive for the attack other than the fact that he obviously hates policemen and he wants them dead." The deputies suffered head wounds in the Sept. 12 ambush and have since been released from the hospital and are recovering. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said, however, that they face further reconstructive surgeries and that their recoveries will be a long process. The deputies, a 31-year-old woman and 24-year-old man who have not been identified publicly, graduated together from the sheriffs academy 14 months ago. ("Heart-wrenching" video shows the wounded female deputy helping her partner.) Shafei is an icon in the art world, but long before she dedicated her full time to curating art exhibitions and collections, she worked on introducing art, foreign languages and literacy to the public Sitting by the big window of her art gallery for a better view of the paintings inside, Sherwet Shafei exclaims, "See how beautiful they are," as she shows off the latest collection by young Egyptian women artists. Shafei is an icon in the art world, but long before she dedicated her full time to curating art exhibitions and collections, she worked on introducing art, foreign languages and literacy to the public. Being in charge of radio programs targeting European audiences, she produced radio segments revealing the richness and diversity of Egyptian history. But the real turning point was when she joined television. "My relationship with art started in 1960 when I first switched from broadcast to television. My boss Saad Labib asked me to produce a program on art. I told him 'but I know nothing about art,' so he said, 'I will bring great painter Salah Taher to present your program and teach you all about art'." She then asked Taher about who could be considered the best Egyptian painter at that time, and he answered: Mahmoud Said. So they decided to pay him a visit in Alexandria. "I took a studio van with me because unlike a video camera, we were shooting with 16mm films." She recalled what a great honour it was to spend the whole day with such a great artist. "I found him to be a man who insisted on inviting all of the crew, workers and drivers included, to come and sit for lunch at the same table in his home. This is the most famous painter in the Middle East," she remembers. Although he came from an upper class background, Said was infatuated with the beauty and charm of the women of the working class. Later, one of his friends revealed Said's preparation rituals to Shafei. "Mahmoud Said used to prepare his working class models. He used to put a flower in their hair or let them sit on a couch that matches their shawls. He used to make sure that the lighting was perfect and would close the door and look from the peep hole to see if she looks perfect, and from there he would start drawing," she reveals. In 1975, Shafei became director-general of all cultural programs on Egyptian state television, and in 1980 she became the head of Egypt's Channel 2, which was a great tool that Shafei decided to use in spreading art and education. "I contacted the British and French embassies to provide us with English and French educational programs to be broadcast on national television as second languages for students. I also launched the first television literacy classes for the Arabic language. I was awarded a medal for great achievements by late French president Francouis Metterand." Trying to highlight and raise awareness about the rich and diverse heritage of Egypt, Shafie produced the television documentary Men Safahat Al-Tarikh (Pages from History), which was also a great success. "I used to get Gamal Mokhtar (who is an icon in preserving Egyptian heritage) to take me on a boat that sails up to the boarders of Sudan and would stop by all the little ancient Egyptian temples until we reached Abu Simbel, where we would stop and I would film the old temple," She remember. Unfortunately, all of the programs she filmed on such cultural gems were never converted from 16mm tapes to video, and so were eventually lost. The speeches of former president Gamal Abdel-Nasser and the concerts of Om Kalthoum were the only programs transferred to video at that time. In the late 1980s, Shafei left television and focused on her passion for the arts. Being an art collector and owner of an art gallery, she reflected on her unique journey with art and Egyptian artists. "Mahmoud Said had a great impact on me. I really did not know anything about art back then, but I decided to challenge the artists in reading their own paintings. I would ask Hamed Nada about the significance of the moon in most of his drawings and how he paints deformed yet beautiful women in his paintings." "Abdel-Hadi Al-Gazar has lots of symbolism and all of it has folk symbolism, the crazy green or the wedding of zoliekha," she said, revealing how he would spend days in the heart of the folk areas to be able to understand the symbolism behind folk traditions. As for Effat Nagi, her focus on folk magic gave her work a special touch. "Her artwork is about the doll. I asked her where she got the doll, and she said from a barber in Upper Egypt. The doll had the exact face of a Fayoum portrait, which were among the first examples of Coptic art. She got it and put it on a crown of semi-precious stones and started to add authentic items to create the whole." To Shafei, painter Ragheb Ayad comes second to Mahmoud Said in importance. After studying art abroad, he realised that what really inspires him was the ancient Egyptian drawing techniques. Ayad made a deal in 1922 with his friend Youssef Kamel to work together support each other to go study in Italy. "However, as Ragheb Ayad was returning home by boat, he threw his Italian beret into the sea and said that 'Egypt is pharaonic, I am going to the pharaohs,' and he ran off to Upper Egypt. The influence of ancient Egyptian art on Ayad's work is a defining stroke, the cow, the peasants is drawn with one line," she explained. Ayad was also the first to paint the journey of the holy family in Egypt. Living amid in such a rich artistic realm has never cast doubt on Shafei's belief in the artistic talents of the new generations. "They live in a time of great changes and they take on the big canvas by breaking it down to small patterns, like little summaries," she explained. Search Keywords: Short link: DUBLIN, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Telecom Infrastructure Equipment - Global Market Outlook (2019-2027)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Telecom Infrastructure Equipment market accounted for $383.86 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $768.80 billion by 2027 growing at a CAGR of 9.1% during the forecast period. Rising popularity of IoT devices among the individuals and its requirement in all the industries are the major factors driving market growth. However, a strict government regulation is restraining market growth. The telecom infrastructure equipment consists of sales of these equipment and related services for the purpose of telecommunication all over the globe. This business produce wired telephone and data communications hardware. It also deals with equipment such as central office switching hardware, LAN modems, multi-user modems, and other data communications hardware such as routers, and gateways. Based on product, the switching equipment segment is likely to have a huge demand as they provide switching for a specific area. Once a connection has been made, information can be sent. Telephone switching usually refers to the switching of voice channels. By geography, Asia Pacific is going to have a lucrative growth during the forecast period as it enables them to touch communities and expand communication businesses across the region. Some of the key players profiled in the Telecom Infrastructure Equipment Market include Alcatel-Lucent, Alvarion, Ciena corporation, Cisco Systems, Corning, ECI Telecom, Ericsson, Fujitsu, GTL Infra, HFCL Infotel Ltd, Huawei, Juniper networks, Motorola solutions, Native Networks, NEC corporation, NELCO, Nokia, Nortel, Qualcomm, Tellabs and ZTE. What the report offers: Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments Strategic recommendations for the new entrants Covers Market data for the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024 and 2027 Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations) Strategic analysis: Drivers and Constraints, Product/Technology Analysis, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis, etc. Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends Company Profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Preface 2.1 Abstract 2.2 Stake Holders 2.3 Research Scope 2.4 Research Methodology 2.4.1 Data Mining 2.4.2 Data Analysis 2.4.3 Data Validation 2.4.4 Research Approach 2.5 Research Sources 2.5.1 Primary Research Sources 2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources 2.5.3 Assumptions 3 Market Trend Analysis 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Drivers 3.3 Restraints 3.4 Opportunities 3.5 Threats 3.6 Product Analysis 3.7 Emerging Markets 3.8 Impact of Covid-19 4 Porters Five Force Analysis 4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers 4.3 Threat of substitutes 4.4 Threat of new entrants 4.5 Competitive rivalry 5 Global Telecom Infrastructure Equipment Market, By Infrastructure 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Wired Infrastructure 5.3 Wireless 6 Global Telecom Infrastructure Equipment Market, By Product 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Bridges, Gateways And Routers 6.3 Switching Equipment 7 Global Telecom Infrastructure Equipment Market, By Geography 7.1 Introduction 7.2 North America 7.3 Europe 7.4 Asia Pacific 7.5 South America 7.6 Middle East & Africa 8 Key Developments 8.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures 8.2 Acquisitions & Mergers 8.3 New Product Launch 8.4 Expansions 8.5 Other Key Strategies 9 Company Profiling 9.1 Alcatel-Lucent 9.2 Alvarion 9.3 Ciena corporation 9.4 Cisco Systems 9.5 Corning 9.6 ECI Telecom 9.7 Ericsson 9.8 Fujitsu 9.9 GTL Infra 9.10 HFCL Infotel Ltd 9.11 Huawei 9.12 Juniper networks 9.13 Motorola solutions 9.14 Native Networks 9.15 NEC corporation 9.16 NELCO 9.17 Nokia 9.18 Nortel 9.19 Qualcomm 9.20 Tellabs 9.21 ZTE For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yj6tsm Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com MANZINI - Today marks exactly 52 days without a breakthrough in the case of the missing corpse of Gladness Kimaro Edje. Edje was a businesswoman from Tanzania and she died while being treated for symptoms of COVID-19. Her body was taken to the National TB Hospital at Moneni, where it went missing on August 9, 2020. The corpse of the late businesswoman was allegedly claimed by unknown people at the tuberculosis (TB) hospitals morgue. The unknown people are said to have posed as her family members when claiming her corpse and when the actual relatives arrived, they found that the body had already been claimed. Investigation Police and the Ministry of Health launched a full-scale investigation into the matter, but there has been no breakthrough, despite that the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) put up a reward of E50 000 for information that could lead to the recovery of the missing corpse. The Director of Health Services, Dr Vusi Magagula, said as a ministry, they had done internal investigations and were waiting for a police report. Otherwise, someone has to answer for the incident, the director said. Again, he highlighted that they had also tightened some of the gaps which were there and in other facilities to avoid a similar incident. As a result, he said if a similar incident could take place in the future, their recommendation to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) would be harsh. On the other hand, the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, said the police were still anticipating making a breakthrough in their investigations. She said as an organisation they were pleading with the public to come forth with information and whoever shared information that would lead to the recovery of the corpse would be offered the E50 000 reward. Following the disappearance of the corpse, Edje family had to abandon her funeral at the 11th hour. According to a death notice published leading to the discovery that the body was missing, friends and relatives of the deceased were informed of her passing on and that her memorial service was slated for Friday August 29, 2020 at the Gods Glory Ministry in Mbabane and she was supposed to be laid to rest at Ngwane Park Cemetery, Manzini. A student who missed out on her course of choice after her Leaving Cert results were downgraded said it feels shes in a raffle and waiting to see who won after it emerged there were errors with the controversial calculated grades system. Aimee Craven (18) was marked down in four of her subjects and received 44 points less than her teachers at the Institute of Education awarded. Her first choice was commerce at University College Dublin and she is instead studying economics, politics and law at Dublin City University. Im trying to be hopeful about getting my marks upgraded after hearing the news but Im also not naive enough to believe I will after the year weve had, she told Independent.ie. A lot of people were upset with their grades so its hard to know who was affected by the errors and who wasnt, or who will end up being able to now get into the course they wanted. Read More Education Minister Norma Foley confirmed 6,500 students received a grade lower than they ought to have received. The Institute, one of the largest grind schools in the country, had 800 students doing the Leaving Cert this year. It found that 96pc of students were downgraded by the Department of Education in at least one subject. Ms Craven, from Castleknock, Dublin, said the attitude towards private school students after the results came out was extremely dismissive. Some of our parents have taken out loans and sacrificed a lot for us to go to these schools. I dont come from a privileged background and it wasnt a case of them just throwing money away for me to go there. They sacrificed a lot, she said. The young student appealed her results and is still awaiting a response. All I got back was a confirmation email. What people dont know about the appeals process is we could get further downgraded. The appeals process did not relate to the marks awarded by teachers and only looked at any technical errors which may have arisen in transferring data from schools to the Department of Education. The only other option they were giving us was to resit the exams or go to the High Court. Its frustrating to be made feel like we had something to prove, only for the department to now admit there was a mistake. Calculated grades were supposed to be a solution that stopped all the stress in this rollercoaster of a year and it was probably more stressful than if we had just sat the exams. Tatum Williams (19) is another student who have lodged an appeal with the Department of Education after she was marked down in four of her subjects. She missed out on her first CAO choice by two points after her results were downgraded from 509 to 473. Its really frustrating as most of us have already started college and are in courses that werent our first choice, she said. All four of her H2s were taken down to a H3. Ms Williams was offered a place studying general nursing at University College Cork, but her first choice was the University of Limerick. The government made the big spiel about not doing the same as England and making everything fair, but they ended up doing the exact opposite and making a bigger mess of it. Steve McQueen has revealed he battled 'institutional racism' at school. The filmmaker, 50, told Esquire magazine that he was treated unfairly by teachers and pupils who 'didn't think he was capable,' with the school regularly suspending or downgrading black students. Steve - who won an Oscar in 2014 for 12 Years A Slave - has directed the BBC anthology series Small Axe, which depicts the lives of West Indians in Britain between the 1960s and the 1980s. 'Horrific': Steve McQueen has revealed he battled 'institutional racism' at school, as he graced the cover of Esquire Magazine Steve told the publication that along with the racism that was apparent at school, he also struggled with dyslexia, which went un-diagnosed for many years. He said: '[I remember] sitting at the front of the class with a lazy eye and a patch over it, unable to see the chalk board at all. '[I] walked into racial discrimination. They assumed I wasn't capable academically. When I went back to my old school to hand out awards, the headmaster told me that back when I was there the school was institutionally racist. 'They admitted it, but I didn't need their confirmation. People were excluded, they were ostracised, graded down, not given a chance. Because of who they were. Hard: The filmmaker said that he was treated unfairly by teachers and pupils who 'didn't think he was capable,' with the school regularly suspending or downgrading black students 'That's where it started. It started at school. It was not a happy experience. And, unfortunately, that narrative continues for a lot of black people. It's horrific to be confronted with institutional racism from day one.' Asked whether he feels optimistic that change can happen, he added: 'I feel hope because young people now are willing to speak out. 'And it's been very moving. John Boyega speaking out in Hyde Park. It's very healthy, very cathartic. 'And I'd add to that the #MeToo movement as well. Can this moment be capitalised on? It's an interesting moment, but we'll see what happens.' Serious: Steve has directed the BBC anthology series Small Axe, which depicts the lives of West Indians in Britain between the 1960s and the 1980s Steve has created the five-part miniseries Small Axe, which documents the lives of West Indians during the mid-20th Century, and pinpoints certain historic moments including the 1981 Brixton Uprising. The series features five individual stories about the hardships West Indians faced, and features stars including John Boyega and Letitia Wright. He explained: 'These to me were stories that needed to be told. Stories that shaped the landscape of Britain. That's how big these stories were. 'The fire was in me to tell them, and as a film-maker, as an artist, without that fuel called passion, at least for me, there's no reason to do anything. '[It was] A golden age of resistance. All Saints Road [in Notting Hill] was the frontline. 'When things were being printed in the papers, I remember walking to school with a bit of fear, because everyone, everything around us, was against us, and now, 50 years later, everyone understands [that the march that led to the trial dramatised in Mangrove] was an uprising, and that it wasn't a riot. 'People now understand that we do not have the best police force in the world. It took a while, a number of deaths, sacrifices, people dying, thinking we would never get to this place, but we're here.' Dark: The series features five individual stories about the hardships West Indians faced, and features stars including John Boyega and Letitia Wright Steve also explained why he believes the stories depicted in Small Axe - including the trial on the Mangrove nine in 1970. He said: ''There's a generation, maybe even two generations of actors, directors, producers, executive producers, editors, cinematographers et cetera, that never materialised because of the environment. 'We're talking about two generations of talent that never got an opportunity. The possibility was not there. The landscape was not welcoming or embracing those stories. Didn't want to know. There's a gap in our history, of representation of black people on film. 'Maybe in some ways I suppose I was trying to fix that. To put that narrative down. These stories needed to be told, and I had the agency to tell them. 'There aren't a lot of people like me hanging around making films or doing whatever. I'm the exception, unfortunately.' The Nov/Dec issue of Esquire UK is on sale 1st October He added that the stories featured in the series still resonate today, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurgance of the Black Lives Matter movement. 'These stories are as relevant now as they were then. It's only now that people are waking up to the fact that there's been injustices against black people for decades in this country, and centuries elsewhere. It took a pandemic,' he said. 'It took a brutal killing. It took millions marching. For people to think, ''Possibly I should think in a different way.'' And only possibly, it's not actually done yet. 'Millions of people on the street before change can even be considered, before people can think that even possibly something could be wrong! 'The world is not a healthy place. If you really want change, if you are really serious about it then, hey, it starts from the beginning. Education.' The Nov/Dec issue of Esquire UK is on sale 1st October. UTE, Iowa -- Several flags in support of Donald Trump for president were hung overnight on downtown city poles in Ute, before being taken down Wednesday morning. With the highly competitive presidential race involving Trump and Joe Biden one month from completion, the Iowa State Auditor's Office in a release, sent out shortly after the flags were taken down, reminded Iowans that campaign signs or flags cannot be displayed on public property. The auditor's office release said a city employee used Facebook to post "a photograph of a candidate's flags flying on multiple city properties, along with text that supported the flying of the flags and the candidate." The release praised the city for taking the flags down quickly. A post on the City of Ute Facebook site at about 10 a.m. Wednesday read, "Last night (9/29/20) an incident occurred in the City of Ute where political flags were displayed using the Citys display mounts along our Main Street. This was not sanctioned by the City and the flags have been removed. The City of Ute does not endorse any one candidate for any office and does not display signage for any candidates or parties." Ute, located in Monona County, has a population of 374. The auditor's office release said campaign signs being illegally placed on the public right-of-way land is a problem every year in Iowa. "Every Iowan has a responsibility to know this rule and follow it," the release said. "But, for a public employee whose salary is paid by Iowans of all political persuasions to speak approvingly, whether on social media or elsewhere, of the misuse of public property to promote a candidate is particularly unacceptable. It is a violation of the civic trust all public employees hold, most of them dearly, to serve all Iowans equally." The release said the auditor's office, which is under the direction of Auditor Rob Sand, encourages "the reporting of any suspected misuse by a public employee supporting any political party to our office." Love 1 Funny 4 Wow 4 Sad 3 Angry 3 The first televised debate between President Donald Trump and his Democrat rival, Joe Biden, has shed little new light on the candidates policy platforms or suitability for office but it has raised very serious concerns about what will happen after the election on November 3. Much of the debate covered topics that resonate most strongly inside the Beltway, the Washington-centric bubble of US politics. Mr Trump was asked about the latest revelations that he pays almost no tax and is many millions of dollars in debt. Mr Biden was grilled about his sons foreign business dealings when he was vice-president. In the US, many people will be concerned by Mr Trumps refusal to condemn white supremacism, although he would argue he is more concerned about so-called Antifa protesters on the left. The debate did cover some issues that will have direct consequences for Australia. For example, Mr Biden promised strong action on climate change while Mr Trump refused to accept it is happening. If Mr Biden wins, Australia could come under pressure to follow his lead. Australians who watched the debate would probably have been most struck by its nasty incoherence, even compared with the bruising standards of Australian politics. This was led primarily by Mr Trump. He refused to accept the format for the debate, which was to be a discussion between the two candidates and a moderator. Instead, he heckled and interrupted as soon as his opponent was given time to speak. Frankly, unless this is fixed, there is not much point having any more debates. Is it an 18th century coin? A special-edition Girl Scout cookie? No, its the new design for sewer and drainage covers in Orleans, setting the community apart from others with more generic covers. COURTESY PHOTO ORLEANS Class is not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about sewers. Ed Norton and his undershirt, yes, and perhaps escaped alligators, yet nothing particularly elevating. But DPW Director Tom Daley and the Orleans Improvement Association have put their inspired stamp on the otherwise mundane covers that will conceal access to sewer lines and drainage areas in coming years. At a conference, Daley saw samples of custom covers made for other towns and thought a distinctive marking for Orleans would be fabulous. For years, the town has bought its covers from East Jordan Iron Works, of Michigan, now known as EJ. We buy them anyway, Daley said in an interview. All were doing is putting a custom cast on the cover. You pay East Jordan $5,000 and they will design a custom cover. Thats the only additional one-time charge; the imprinted covers are the same weight and contain the same amount of iron. Daley pitched the idea to town officials and there seemed to be some interest. Then the Orleans Improvement Association stepped up, he said, and they were willing to fund the $5,000 for the design. Nancy Jorgensen and Ronna Kazarian of the OIA joined him for a meeting in town with EJ sales rep Jeremy Cohen. They really wanted to bring forward something that was truly Orleans, Daley said. Since they were working with a round space, Jorgensen said in an interview, the town seal was the perfect place to start and use as a model for what the sewer cover should be. Ronna and I put our heads together and ran some ideas by Tom and Jeremy about what we could and could not do at the foundry. The committee wanted something that really reflected the towns history, said Jorgensen, the (Jonathan Young) windmill, the founding date. We tried to link it to anything nautical. Thats where the rope idea came up. It seems funny, she said, to get excited over sewer covers, but you saw the possibility of the art work and what that foundry was able to do. The foundry (which opened less than a century after Orleans was incorporated) is in the United States, which is wonderful. The OIA has a long history of working with the town and the department of public works on projects, Jorgensen said. Weve been in existence 34 years. A list of projects can be seen at orleansimprovement.org, which is also where people can submit ideas and become members. Were always looking for projects like this, said Jorgensen, who estimates that the group has donated more than $355,000 to the town since 1986. In keeping with pandemic procedures that limit group activity, we cant tell you in advance about OIAs next project, but watch for pictures later this month. And keep an eye out for those new, distinctive covers but dont sweat the alligators. The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations , Ignatius Barfour Awuah says the Akufo-Addo government is putting in place measures that will ensure the employment of the 1.2 million graduates from Senior High Schools and technical and vocational institutions. The Minister said the governments efforts have been intensified following the high patronage of its Free SHS intervention and expected increase in enrolment into TVET institutions following the promise of making it free. The sector minister made this known while delivering the keynote address at the launch of a report by the World Bank on youth unemployment in Ghana. He said unemployment is expected to rise in Ghana in the short to medium term but the government will ensure that the numbers are reduced through the creation of employment opportunities. The issue of unemployment is expected to grow in the short to medium term due to the success of the governments free SHS program and the planned TVET for Senior High Technical Schools. More than 1.2 million young people will be graduating annually from second cycle institutions to enrol in tertiary education or training or move directly into the labour markets. This is an increase from the 800,000 students enrolled in secondary schools in 2016. Efforts must therefore be doubled to ensure that employment opportunities exist for the products of our education and training institutions, the Minister said. He added that, To this end, the government is promoting agribusiness and entrepreneurship to make them attractive to the youth. The cassava enterprise project, national entrepreneurship plan and presidential pitch are key examples of some of the interventions the government is using to provide jobs for young persons. These efforts are in addition to traditional employment opportunities in the formal sectors of the economy. The Minister said the government is looking to maintain strong collaborations with all its partners, local and international to ensure that more jobs are created to employ young people. He noted that the government will not be able to high-handedly employ all the teeming young people and so is working to ensure that the right business atmosphere is created to enable private businesses operate and employ young people. He cited Planting for food and jobs and 1D 1F programmes as key initiatives the government is undertaking to ensure that jobs are created within the private sector. citinewsroom Bridgestone expands subscription offering in the UK with GoCardless LONDON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GoCardless, the leading fintech for recurring payments, today announced that Bridgestone , a leader in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility, will be using GoCardless to power payments for its tyre subscription service MOBOX . MOBOX, which recently launched in the UK, is an all-inclusive monthly subscription service offering new tyres alongside other vehicle-related services, at an affordable price per month. Already available in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, MOBOX now brings convenience and peace of mind to UK drivers. MOBOX customers in the UK can pay via GoCardless to enjoy a frictionless payment experience. And, thanks to the end-to-end integration of the GoCardless API, Bridgestone will have access to real-time information on the status of mandates and payments - in turn, reducing costs and time spent on administration. GoCardless research shows that almost half (48%) of UK consumers say bank debit is their favoured payment method for recurring payments. It's also clear that consumer behaviour is shifting to a subscription-based model. Zuora's 'End of Ownership Report' highlights three quarters (74%) of consumers believe people will subscribe to more services and own fewer physical goods in the future. Another concern for subscription businesses is involuntary churn, typically caused by failed credit and debit card payments. It's estimated that 30% of all churn is involuntary, which is even more reason to choose a payment provider that can help reduce failure rates as low as possible. GoCardless' latest Payment Success Index highlights payments collected on an instalment basis have an average failure rate of 4.9% - compared to invoice payments (3.1%) and subscriptions (2.2%). Any failed transactions on the GoCardless payment gateway will be managed by our payment intelligence tool, Success+ . Andrea Manenti, Vice President, North Region, Bridgestone said: "The growing global popularity for the service economy provides us with a great opportunity to diversify our customer offering and bring added convenience. We want to provide our customers with the best service at every point in their journey with Bridgestone - from premium products and solutions to the way they pay. "With Bridgestone and GoCardless, our customers have full visibility of their payments each month - easy and transparent. Working closely with GoCardless helps us reduce time spent on administration and frees up resources to optimise the customer journey." Stephen Reidy, Vice President & General Manager, UK & Ireland at GoCardless said: "We are delighted to partner with Bridgestone who recognise the importance of offering the right payment options to meet their customer expectations. Choosing the wrong payment method adds unnecessary complexity and cost to your business, choosing the right one helps businesses collect payments with more predictability." About GoCardless GoCardless is a global leader in recurring payments. The GoCardless global payments network and technology platform takes the pain out of getting paid for more than 55,000 businesses worldwide, from multinational corporations to small businesses. Each year GoCardless processes US$15bn of payments across more than 30 countries. GoCardless is headquartered in the UK, with additional offices in Australia, France, Germany and the United States. For more information, please visit www.gocardless.com and follow us on Twitter @GoCardless. 2020 GoCardless Ltd. All Rights Reserved. GoCardless is a registered trademark of GoCardless Ltd in multiple countries. Third party trademarks mentioned above are owned by their respective companies. Unless explicitly identified as such, nothing in this press release should be construed to the contrary, or as an approval, endorsement or sponsorship by any third parties of GoCardless Ltd. or any aspect of this press release. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1284025/Bridgestone_GoCardless.jpg COLUMBUS, Ga., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, and Aflac, a leader in supplemental insurance sales at U.S. worksites, today announced the company's 2020 annual contribution of $1.5 million to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has been earmarked for the hospital's Sickle Cell Disease Program. The Aflac Cancer Center hosts the largest sickle cell program in the United States. To date, Aflac has given more than $6 million to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center's Sickle Cell Disease Program. To help promote the need for greater attention to sickle cell disease, Aflac also produced and published an informative video about the disease on its social media channels as part of the company's overall environmental, social and governance (ESG) program, which can be accessed at ESG.Aflac.com. "The worst thing about sickle cell disease is that it often strikes children, who have to endure tremendous pain and suffering because of it," said Aflac Executive Vice President and General Counsel Audrey Boone Tillman. "To see Aflac's commitment to treating and hopefully someday eradicating this terrible disease that predominantly strikes the African American community is a source of pride for our employees, our independent sales force and all of our stakeholders." Sickle cell disease is an inherited group of red blood cell disorders that causes significant pain and other serious problems such infection, acute chest syndrome and stroke. Treatments include medications, blood transfusions and, at times, a bone marrow transplant. "Currently, there is a cure for sickle cell disease through bone marrow transplantation," said Dr. Beatrice Gee, pediatric hematologist/oncologist at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. "The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center is one of the largest transplant facilities in the nation, having done more than 100 transplants for sickle cell disease. Aflac Incorporated has donated quite a bit to our program." In 2019, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center treated more than 2,050 children with sickle cell disease, including more than 8,700 clinic visits, 3,900 emergency room visits and 2,200 hospitalizations. They also opened a new facility in Aflac's hometown of Columbus, Georgia, making it easier for local families to travel for treatment. "Aflac's decision to use our voice and our resources by earmarking this $1.5 million in funding specifically to sickle cell disease is something I am extremely proud of because these kids are worth it," Tillman said. ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company, helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., where it is a leading supplemental insurer by paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for 20 consecutive years. For 14 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2020, Fortune included Aflac Incorporated on its list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 19th time, and Bloomberg added Aflac Incorporated to its Gender-Equality Index, which tracks the financial performance of public companies committed to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation and transparency. To learn how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com. Aflac | Aflac New York | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999. Media contact: Jon Sullivan, 706.573.7610 or [email protected] Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or [email protected] SOURCE Aflac Related Links http://www.aflac.com Syracuse, N.Y. A new law that guarantees sick leave benefits for most workers in New York state takes effect today. The sick leave law requires all private employers in the state to provide their workers with up to 40 or 56 hours of sick leave annually, depending on the employers size. Who does the law benefit? The law, approved by lawmakers as part of the 2020 budget and signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo April 3, applies to all workers at private employers, including nonprofit organizations. Does the law apply to part-time workers, too? Yes. Part-time or full-time, it doesnt matter. What about government employees? The law does not apply to employees of government agencies. What types of things can the sick leave be used for? The sick leave can be used for any mental or physical illness, injury or health condition of an employee or the employees family members, regardless of whether the condition has been diagnosed or requires medical care at the time the employee requests the leave. How does the law define family members? The law defines family members as an employees child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, sibling, grandchild or grandparent; and the child or parent of an employees spouse or domestic partner. How many hours of sick leave do people get? Is it paid or unpaid? The amount of sick time and whether it is paid or unpaid depend on an employers size and income: Employers with four or fewer employees and a net income of $1 million or less must provide up to 40 hours of unpaid sick time. Employers with four or fewer employees and a net income greater than $1 million must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick time. Employers with five to 99 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick time, regardless of the companys net income. Employers with 100 or more workers must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick time. How does the sick leave accrue? Workers are entitled to accrue the sick time at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked. When does the sick leave begun accruing and when can workers start using it? It begins accruing today (Sept. 30, 2020) and workers can start using it Jan. 1, 2021. Do you start from scratch each year or can you carry over unused sick time? The law requires employers to allow workers to carry over up to 40 or 56 hours of unused sick time to the following year. Do employers have to pay you for unused sick days when you leave the company? No, they dont. Can a worker be fired for using their sick leave benefits? No. The law prohibits employers from firing, threatening, penalizing or in any other manner discriminating against an employee for requesting or using sick leave. When a worker returns from sick leave, they must be restored to the position they held prior to the leave. Can an employer require workers to provide a doctors note? No, employers must allow workers to utilize sick leave upon the employees oral or written request. The law bars employers from requiring a doctors note or the disclosure of confidential information relating to any mental or physical illness, injury or health condition of an employee or the employees family members. Many employers offer paid time off that can be used as either vacation or sick time. Does PTO count toward the laws sick time requirements? Yes, PTO counts as sick time, even if it doubles as vacation time. Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 Vermont senator attacked president over his coronavirus response (ABC) Bernie Sanders on Tuesday night branded Donald Trump the "most dangerous president in history" as he condemned the commander-in-chief over his record in the White House. The Vermont senator, 79, attacked the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, race relations and the decision to press ahead with replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg before November's election. Appearing on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live following the first of three scheduled presidential debates in Ohio, Cleveland, Mr Sanders accused the president, 74, of not following scientific advice during the pandemic and lying to the American people. "I happen to think, and I think people saw this tonight, that in Donald Trump, we have the most dangerous president in the history of this country," said Mr Sanders. "[We have] somebody who not only lies all of the time...but really doesn't believe in science; you saw that tonight. Despite what he said about how wonderful and great the US is doing - in terms of the coronavirus pandemic the truth is we have the highest death rate in terms [deaths] per capita of almost any country on Earth." US coronavirus deaths recently topped 200,000 the highest fatality rate in the world. Throughout the pandemic, Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed that the US has excelled in its handling of the virus. Last month he repeated falsely that the US was doing better than most European countries, many of which saw an uptick in confirmed infections over the summer months. Mr Sanders also labelled the president a "racist" for his failure to distance himself from white supremacists during Tuesday night's debate against Democrat challenger Joe Biden, 77. "It doesn't give me any pleasure to say this," Mr Sanders said. "But you have a president who is in fact a racist. And he has been using race for a very, very long time in trying to divide the American". He added: He is not only a racist, he is a xenophobe, God knows the kind of ugly attacks he has made on the Latino community. He is a religious bigot. And this is who we have as the president of the US right now. Story continues Mr Trump has repeatedly faced accusations of racism throughout his political career, and was recently condemned for suggesting that Minnesoata congresswoman, Illhan Omar, was not a true American citizen because of her Somalian heritage. During the Kimmel interview, Mr Sanders, who lost out in the 2016 and 2020 Democrat party nomination for president to Hilary Clinton and Mr Biden respectively, called out GOP lawmakers planning to confirm RBG's replacement in the Supreme Court. Referring specifically to Lindsey Graham's decision to back the president, after having previously said he would never advocate for a justice being installed during an election year, Sanders said: "The hypocrisy is extraordinary. "And it is so sad because this is why the American people are loosing faith in the political process". Mr Trump on Saturday announced Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative pro-life lawyer, as his pick to replace RBG. Trump and Biden face off in debateGetty Images Tuesday night's debate, moderated by Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, has been described as one of the most chaotic in the US election history, with both candidates shouting over one another. Down in the opinion polls with five weeks to go until the election, Mr Trump Trump sought to use the first presidential debate to bully his way back into the race. He repeatedly interrupted his rival as he tried to knock the Democratic former vice president off his feet and alter the dynamic of a contest he has been losing for months. It was unlikely the president succeeded, largely because of his own combative and chaotic behavior but also because the insult-filled and often fact-free affair may have left the few undecided voters watching at home more dispirited than engaged. Mr Biden at times was able to squeeze in the key themes of his candidacy, that Mr Trump was unfit for a second term over his handling of the pandemic. In a dig the president's flagging support with the critical suburban voting bloc, Mr Biden said: "He wouldn't know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn." But Mr Trump often spoke over his rival and the morderator, making it difficult for them to say much at all. When Mr Biden did get a chance, he made a point of addressing the camera, trying to speak directly to voters, while the president stared at him balefully. Additional reporting by Reuters Read more Presidential debate: Bidens team selling Will you shut up, man t-shirts after retort to Trump Foreign observers note 'chaos,' 'rancor' in US debate Im no Biden fan but even I know he deserves credit for tonights debate ST. JOHNS, N.L. - Despite a grim economic outlook, the budget tabled Wednesday by the Newfoundland and Labrador minority Liberal government is unlikely to trigger an election. The budget forecasts a $1.84-billion deficit and a staggering net debt of $16.4 billion which works out to more than $31,000 per person in the province but both Progressive Conservative Leader Ches Crosbie and NDP Leader Alison Coffin say theyre not planning to vote it down. The population of the province does not want an election. What they want at the moment is they want to be kept safe . . . and they also want economic stability, Crosbie said. Upsetting the budget, causing a general election, would not do that. It would undermine all that. Besides, he said, most of the spending pitched in the budget has already happened. Wednesdays budget arrived in the middle of the fiscal year because of pandemic-related delays. Its the first budget tabled by a newly-arranged government led by surgeon Andrew Furey. Furey has not yet won a seat in the Newfoundland and Labrador legislature, but hes running for a spot in a byelection next week in the Humber-Gros Morne district. A provincial election has to happen some time before August 2021, but its not yet clear when it might occur. Whoever wins will inherit a difficult financial situation. The deficit announced in Wednesdays budget was $309 million smaller than the $2.1-billion deficit forecasted in July, largely due to unexpected pandemic money from the Canadian government and a bump in oil prices. Even so, the budget lists an anticipated $430-million drop in oil revenues from the previous fiscal year. The government forecasts it will borrow $3 billion this fiscal year, up from $1.2 billion last year. Though $3 billion is a huge number, Finance Minister Siobhan Coady said, its less than her department anticipated this summer. From a budgeting perspective, I think this is a very responsible budget, especially in the middle of a pandemic, Coady said. The budget does not factor in the federal governments recent announcement of $320 million to help the provinces struggling offshore oil sector. The industry has been plagued by project delays and suspensions, including the indefinite delay of Equinors Bay du Nord project, slated to be the first deep water project in the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore. Husky Energy also recently announced it was reviewing its plans for the $2.2-billion West White Rose project as well as its operations in the province. Offshore oil royalties account for 7.5 per cent of provincial revenues in the budget, with a forecasted oil price of $39 per barrel. That figure reflects the current volatility in the global oil market, said Natural Resources Minister Andrew Parsons. Thats the situation we find ourselves in. Its one thing when you have government policy that stifles development, but this has nothing to do with government policy, he said. The budget sets aside $3 million to launch a $25-a-day daycare program which Education Minister Tom Osborne said will begin in early 2021, as well as $16.4 million toward the construction of an adult mental health and addictions facility in St. Johns. Coffin said she would have liked to have seen money for better internet services across the province, especially as the budget set aside $20 million for laptop purchases for students. Crosbie said hes particularly concerned about the anticipated drop in the employment rate of nearly six per cent. That translates to about 13,000 lost jobs, he said. The budget covers just six months of expenses and revenues and comes without a forecast for future years. Coady said that without a federal budget, its difficult to make forecasts beyond next spring. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. A territorial magpie left puncture wounds in a four-year-old girl's face during an attack in Western Australia. Evie Markey had blood pouring down her face after being set upon by the aggressive bird on Mandurah's western foreshore, 70km south of Perth. Her mother Chantal Markey was putting her baby into a pram when the bird launched at her terrified daughter. She said she first realised something was wrong when she heard her nine-year-old son Zac screaming out Evie's name. Evie Markey, four, (pictured) had blood pouring down her face after being set on by a magpie in Mandurah's western foreshore, 70 kilometres south of Perth When she turned around the bird was dive bombing the child. Ms Markey said it was fortunate her daughter's injuries were only superficial. 'My first thought was "thank god it didn't get her eyes", because it was so close and she was bleeding a fair bit,' she told the Mandurah Mail. 'I just couldn't believe how aggressive this particular magpie was - it was lashing at her with its claws.' The mother-of-four has warned parents to keep an eye out for aggressive magpies. She witnessed the same bird attack another four people over the course of her time in the park. One of its victims was a toddler. 'You could see the nest hanging over the car park and it was just going backwards and forwards getting people,' she said. The mother-of-four warning parents to be vigilant for aggressive magpies at Mandurah's western foreshore (pictured) after the terrifying incident The mother-of-four wants the Mandurah City Council to install a sign warning locals about the magpie. Magpie swooping season came early this year due to the unseasonably warm weather. At least 280 attacks have been reported across Australia since mid June, according to the Magpie Alert website. One of the more recent incidents involved a young boy who went viral after an aggressive magpie was filmed swooping him on Shellharbour Road in Wollongong. His father Wayne Sherwood filmed the incident and posted it to Instagram with the caption: 'Australia is beautiful but our native birds are killers. They'll eat your kids alive. Beware.' Magpies swoop to protect their territory while chicks are nesting nearby. Oli Benjamin knew from an early age that he had come into the world a little differently to most of his friends. His two mothers conceived him with a sperm donor from California in the late 1990s. They have always been open with him about his beginnings. But the donor wanted to remain anonymous and that was important to them, too. A donor is someone who makes a donation. Its not a role, says Jody, Olis mother. But as Oli grew up and like so many children conceived with donor sperm since the procedure became more widely available in the 1980s he became curious about where he came from. In the UK, fertility treatment is highly regulated. Sperm donation through a fertility clinic is limited to ten families per donor and no money is exchanged beyond expenses. In the U.S., however, the rules are far less strict. A fascinating new BBC documentary delves into Oli Benjamin's search for his sperm donor father. Pictured: Oli and some of his half-brothers and sisters When British donor-conceived children turn 18, they have the right to know the identity of their genetic parents. So after his 18th birthday, by now diagnosed with Aspergers and in search of deep friendships, Oli started his search. He signed up to the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR), a U.S. database that helps donorconceived children find each other and their biological parents. A few months later, he discovered not only that his sperm donor father was called Daley Dunham, but that he had changed his mind about being anonymous. Now, on the eve of a thought-provoking new BBC documentary about Olis search and the extraordinary consequences of Daleys commercial sperm donation, Oli, his mother, donor father and half-siblings tell their very modern stories . . . OLIS STORY Oli Benjamin, 21, from London, works in the events industry. He was diagnosed with Aspergers aged 12. His mother went on to have twins, now aged nine. As a child, I often felt like an outsider or weird or not normal enough. I dont see any need to hug, for example. Before the pandemic, I used to bow slightly or not shake peoples hands. I was already social-distancing. So when I decided to go to America, my mother was anxious, but she was still supportive. I was so excited about meeting the donor, I forgot about the possibility that I might not be the only one. So I was shocked when I found out I had 25 half-siblings. Sperm banks werent so regulated when my mother went through it in 1998. Often the donor wasnt even asked if they had donated previously. The siblings had been having reunions with each other and with our donor for ten years before I appeared, and I did worry about fitting in. Oli who lives in London, said his mother was anxious but supportive when he decided to go to America to search for his sperm donor dad. Pictured: Oli with sperm-donor dad Daley It was scary having so many new people come into my life. Occasionally, when people get to the real me, they like me; but more often than not, I end up being rejected. I was so excited when Sterling [seen in main picture next to Brooklynn], one of my half-siblings, came over to see me in the UK. He positioned himself as the older brother, and I wanted that. I put my trust in him and allowed myself to be emotionally vulnerable, but later we had an argument and it all went wrong. When I went to the sibling reunion, I wanted it to go well so badly. We all look alike. People say: Oh, your [green] eyes are so similar! And Im grateful for my teeth we all have amazing teeth! But I am more interested in a brain connection. Mentally, Im quite different to my siblings. I think thats down to a combination of cultural factors and the way my brain works. Im much more open than most people about my insecurities and strengths, hence why some people think Im arrogant. Oli (pictured) said the trip to America showed him that your family are those who stick by you, who you grow up with, who care about you, as opposed to biological status So I found the group reunion especially difficult. People tend to behave differently in groups. Theres a pecking order and social nuances, and all those things I find not only tough to navigate, but tedious. I never saw Daley as a father figure, always like a cousin or an uncle. We arent anything alike personality-wise. But I did get his good teeth. The trip has shown me that your family are those who stick by you, who you grow up with, who care about you, as opposed to biological status. I have also learned to be more accepting of myself. Its not about getting along with as many people as possible. Its about getting along with the people that are right for you. And I think I have found a few of those [among the siblings], so I am very happy. As far as Im concerned, its a win. MOTHER'S STORY Jody, 46, a director, lives in Oxfordshire with her partner. She has three children, Oli, 21 and twins, aged nine. I was 21 and wanted children desperately. But being gay, you need third-party assistance. I also wanted motherhood to be a shared process, so we agreed my then partner would supply the egg used for IVF which I would incubate. Jody, 46, (pictured) who lives in Oxfordshire, said she and her partner went to America because at the time UK clinics wouldn't help At that time, UK clinics wouldnt do this, so we went to America. Some of the clinics would FedEx photos of donors and answers to questions, such as: What are your favourite shows? A lot of people liked Friends. We wanted someone who was handsome in a cute way, not in a chiselled-jaw way. Daley had brown hair; we didnt think he would be a popular choice. And he wanted to be anonymous, and that was important to us. Like any straight couple, we wanted the luxury of not having a knock on the door years down the line. We were always open with Oli that he was donor-conceived: we were two women, after all. I had a massive file of the journey of his conception, which I gave him when he was 18. Whether its adoption or sperm donation, I feel its a parents responsibility to protect a child until the age of 18. Then its the childs decision whether or not to find their biological parent. Oli got in touch with the sperm bank and discovered Daley had waived his anonymity. Im fine about it now, but at the time I was taken aback. I feel a donation is a donation. If you donate to charity, you dont say in a couple of months: Can I have it back now? I hadnt chosen Daley from a personal perspective. Its not like I met him and said: OK, I want you to be in my sons life. From there, everything snowballed. It went from zero to 100 overnight. It was like, Pow! Initially, I was shocked about the numbers [of siblings] because I thought we were the only ones; you never think someone else will chose the same donor. Jody said she knew Oli (pictured) would find meeting his siblings tough, but part of being a parent is letting go But it was super-exciting for Oli. Here was a group of people who had a commonality. He thought that being related, you wouldnt have to explain yourself, that people would get him. Oli joined a WhatsApp group with most of his family. But the minute I saw the group and how it was female-dominated there are many more sisters than brothers I knew Oli, as an outsider from London, was going to find it quite tough. It was Olis journey, not mine. But I had my heart in my mouth. Flying across the world to meet half-brothers and sisters is daunting. But part of being a parent is letting go. Every mother goes through that, Aspergers or not. It wasnt easy watching the film and seeing someone you love get hurt. Plonking 26 people down together and saying, Get on is unrealistic. Oli had this perception that theyd all sit down and talk deeply, but it wasnt like that. I think it has answered questions that would have plagued him because of his curious nature. Now he can decide whether to have one-on-one relationships or just move on with the knowledge of his backstory. Because thats what it is: a backstory. SPERM-DONOR DAD'S STORY Daley Dunham, 49, works in legislation and finance for the City of San Francisco. He and his wife have three children of their own. I was 20 and studying philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1992, when I became a sperm donor. I donated about twice a week for a couple of months. I was paid a small amount, but the main reason I did it was because it was an altruistic thing to do: a bit like giving blood. I wanted to help LGBT+ families conceive. I initially marked my status as anonymous, but figured I would ultimately change that. When I met my wife years later, I told her there was this thing that might happen ten or so years down the line. She said: If you start getting looked up, well just embrace them as family. Daley Dunham, 49, who works in legislation and finance for the City of San Francisco, explained that he donated sperm twice a week while studying philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1992. Pictured: Oli and some of his half-brothers and sisters In the meantime, we had three children of our own. Still, it took me by surprise when I got a letter in 2012 from the sperm clinic, saying a donor offspring wanted to get in touch. I agreed despite officially being anonymous. After that, I changed my status to identity release. It felt the right thing to do. That letter led 18-year-old McKenzie (pictured far right in the main photo above) and I to one another. She was the first I met. Over the next seven years, I was in contact with 19 more. My first interaction with Oli was in a WhatsApp group chat with a bunch of his siblings in March 2019. We met a few months later in San Francisco and, overall, I felt it went well. He had a great time with my daughter and two sons, aged 13, ten and seven. Im always faced with twin anxieties at that first meeting: are they going to be thinking: This guys not my father, so whys he acting so familiar and friendly? How presumptuous. Or: Why is he so distant, keeping me at arms length am I not important? I try to treat each meeting with the gravity and empathy it deserves. I do think Oli had unrealistic expectations. But, while he may have felt slighted by a lack of instant connection, my experience meeting him was the same as with each of his siblings. Daley revealed he and Oli (pictured) have met in person four times, as he urges other donors to consider making themselves available to their offspring I dont go into these meetings thinking Im entitled to any relationship; I let the other person take the lead. Oli has since said he felt like he couldnt be himself when his siblings met as a group. I empathise with his feelings of isolation. Oli and I have now met in person four times. It is natural for parents to fear that contact with a donor will fray parental bonds, become an intruding influence or otherwise replace them. I can assure you thats just not the reality. To donors considering making themselves available to their offspring, Id say this is important to many of them and you should do it. The reason weve all made the decision to be in the public eye is that normalising these kinds of modern family bonds can hopefully help others in their decision-making. One of the things most frequently said at our early get-togethers was: The strangest thing about all this is that it just does not feel strange . . . at all. OLI'S HALF-SIBLINGS BROOKLYN AND SPENCER Brooklynn and Spencer Rydman, two of Olis half-siblings, did not find out they were conceived with donor sperm donated by Daley until four years ago, when the man they thought was their biological father confessed the secret. Brooklynn (pictured, with her daughter) admits her imagination began to run riot when her father shared having been a sperm donor Our Dad was feeling guilty about keeping it from us, so he told us and our sister Jordan, who is Spencers twin, says 25-year-old Brooklynn, a primary school teacher in Seattle and the mother of a one-year-old daughter. You think about how much of what youve always been told is a lie. But it wasnt easy for my parents. The young mother says her imagination began to run riot, as her sister started the process of making contact with their biological father. I was working in a restaurant and I remember looking at every man close to the right age and wondering if he was the guy, she recalls. Her brother Spencer was equally shocked by the news, but says things suddenly made sense. Both of them get on well with their British half-sibling Oli and keep in touch with him. Oli has always said he wanted a brother, and he calls me Big Brother, and thats OK, says Spencer. I have brotherly feelings toward Oli, like all my half-brothers and sisters. Brooklynn adds: There are plenty of siblings who would like to have a relationship with Oli, but theyre not sure he wants it and dont reach out. 25 Siblings And Me is on Sunday at 9pm, BBC2, and available on BBC Three and iPlayer. Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi was brought to the attention of M15 on at least 18 occasions before the 2017 terror attack, a public inquiry has heard. Security services received their first alert about him in 2010, and he was made a 'subject of interest' in 2014 but the file was dropped four months later. Abedi was also identified associating with six separate MI5 'subjects of interest', visited a terrorist twice in jails and regularly travelled to war-torn Libya, a public inquiry heard. Intelligence on Abedi came in to MI5 for six years and right up to the months before he blew himself up with a homemade bomb packed with shrapnel, murdering 22 bystanders in the foyer of Manchester Arena at the end of an Ariana Grande concert. Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi was brought to the attention of M15 on at least 18 occasions before the 2017 terror attack, a public inquiry has heard Intelligence on Abedi came in to MI5 for six years and right up to the months before he blew himself up with a homemade bomb packed with shrapnel at the end of an Ariana Grande concert On one occasion, Abedi had himself been made a 'subject of interest', but his file was closed five months later in July, 2014. The fullest details yet given about the security services' knowledge of Abedi before he carried out the attack was given by Cathryn McGahey QC, representing the Home Office, at the public inquiry in Manchester. The revelation came as a lawyer representing British Transport Police told the inquiry that the Abedi brothers who carried out the 'did not act alone' and others who knew or suspected the bomb plot are still 'at large'. Patrick Gibbs QC, on behalf of BTP, said it was 'obvious' suicide bomber Salman Abedi and his brother Hashem, from south Manchester, must have had help. Security services received their first alert about him in 2010, and he was made a 'subject of interest' in 2014 but the file was dropped four months later. Pictured: MI5 building in Vauxhall, central London He cited the 'intricate and lengthy and carefully planned preparations' of the brothers, detailed in the inquiry earlier and during the trial of Hashem Abedi. The inquiry, scheduled to last into next spring is looking at events before, during and after the attack - including the radicalisation of Abedi and what the security services knew about him. Ms McGahey said some of the exact detail could not be made public and will be heard only by inquiry chairman, retired High Court judge Sir John Saunders, his legal team and government lawyers during closed hearings of the inquiry. But the QC said: 'There is no question of secrecy being used to conceal failure.' Abedi first came to MI5's attention on December 30, 2010 through his links to an address relevant to a subject of interest (SOI). Three years later, an investigation into an SOI 'A' suspected of involvement in planning to travel to Syria discovered telephone contact with Abedi. In March 2014, Abedi was opened as an SOI but closed that July and investigation into him ended 'based on his lack of engagement with individuals of interest' to MI5. A year later MI5 found Abedi owned a telephone in contact with another SOI 'B' previously linked to al-Qaeda and under investigation for helping others travel to Syria. Police scrambled to Manchester Arena in their droves after the shocking attack three years ago He also met B in person and MI5 assessed Abedi's extremism while likely to have been influenced by the contact, it was 'unlikely' B knew of Abedi's plans. The same year intelligence was received Abedi was in contact with a 'longstanding SOI' C, affiliated with extremists in Libya. Again MI5 assessed C may have had some radicalising influence on Abedi, then aged 18, but no suggestion of involvement or knowledge of the Arena plan. MI5 also had intelligence Abedi regularly travelled to Libya and that from 2015 onwards the service had 'conflicting information' he was espousing pro-Isis views. On three later occasions, Abedi was identified as a 'second level' contact of three other SOIs, in April 2016 and April and January 2017. The SOIs involved were suspected of providing support or recruitment for Isil in Syria or Libya. And in both February 2015 and January 2017, he visited in two separate UK jails, Abdalraouf Abdallah, a convicted terrorist. The 22 victims of the terror attack during the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in May 2017 Twice in the months prior to the attack, intelligence was received by MI5 about Abedi, but was assessed at the time to relate to possibly non-nefarious or non-terrorist criminality. In retrospect, this intelligence was highly relevant to the planned attack, but the significance of it was not fully appreciated at the times, the inquiry heard. Abedi's name also hit a 'priority indicator' during a separate 'data-washing exercise' as falling within a small number of former subjects of interest who merited further consideration. A meeting to consider the results was scheduled for May 31, 2017, nine days after the bombing. But even if MI5 had taken different decisions in the months before the attack it may not have stopped the bombing, Ms McGahey said. It would have taken time to build up intelligence and allocate resources against a large number of other ongoing investigations, she said. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday morning. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Barrett is also scheduled on Tuesday to meet Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham at 5:30 p.m. EDT, as well as other Republican Judiciary Committee members, including Senators Chuck Grassley, Mike Lee and Mike Crapo. If Barrett is confirmed by the Senate, as expected, she would further tilt the court to the right, entrenching a 6-3 conservative majority. Democrats are fiercely opposing Barrett, who would replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a champion of gender equality and other liberal causes. She died on Sept. 18 at age 87. Democrats argue the vacancy should be filled after the next president is chosen on Nov. 3, a view shared by a majority of Americans, according to recent national polls. South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, right, and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab take off their face masks for a photo session during their meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. AP The top diplomats of South Korea and Britain held talks in Seoul on Tuesday about ways to enhance bilateral relations after Britain's withdrawal from the European Union (EU) and the coronavirus pandemic. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her British counterpart, Dominic Raab, held the fifth South Korea-Britain Strategic Dialogue to discuss a broad range of issues, including trade and antivirus cooperation, the foreign ministry said. Raab arrived in Seoul for a single-day trip that included a visit in the morning to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, center, speaks to South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, bottom, during their meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. AP Britain's car industry faces being slapped with huge EU import tariffs even if the UK does a trade deal with Brussels, manufacturers have been warned. Brexit negotiator Lord Frost has warned the industry that a bid to have foreign-made car parts used in vehicles assembled in the UK considered 'British' for duty reasons has been rejected. It means that even if a 'zero tariff' deal is done to exempt cars that roll off UK assembly lines from EU import duties, they will face extra levies if the parts in them were sourced from outside the UK and EU. Manufacturers in Britain currently some use parts made in plants in countries like Japan and Turkey, which are then shipped to the UK for assembly. An anticipated deal is expected to allow any components sourced from EU countries to count as British, an idea known as 'cumulation'. But in a letter to manufacturers, seen by the BBC, Lord Frost said: 'The (European) Commission has made clear that it will not agree third-country cumulation in any circumstances, which we regret, but obviously cannot insist upon. Brexit negotiator Lord Frost has warned the industry that a bid to have foreign-made car parts used in vehicles assembled in the UK considered 'British' for duty reasons has been rejected It means that even if a 'zero tariff' deal is done to exempt cars that roll off UK assembly lines from EU import duties, they will face extra levies if the parts in them were sourced from outside the UK and EU 'I am sorry to say that so far they (EU negotiators) have neither been willing to discuss these nor share any proposed text with us.' The BBC said it has also obtained a separate draft legal text in which the UK requested the manufacturing of goods such as electric cars and batteries to be counted as British, even if the majority of components are imported. Both documents reportedly refer to the need for UK manufacturers, even if a deal is reached, to ensure that goods exported from the UK are British-made and contain a certain amount of British parts, believed to be about half. It came as the Government risked further rows with Brussels after Boris Johnson's controversial Brexit legislation, which allows the Government to break international law, was backed by MPs. The Internal Market Bill last night cleared its final stage in the House of Commons by 340 votes to 256 and now passes to the Lords for further scrutiny. It allows ministers to override parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement brokered with Brussels last year, an act which the Government concedes breaches international law 'in a limited and specific way'. The EU has threatened legal action if it is implemented. Critics, including all five living former prime ministers, also argue this would wreck the UK's reputation as a nation which honours its agreements. But the Government insists it needs the powers to safeguard the integrity of the UK amid fears the EU could block goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister was forced to water down the legislation earlier in the Bill's passage to appease a Tory backbench rebellion - MPs will now be given a vote before ministers are able to wield such powers. No Conservative MP voted against the Government tonight and the Bill sailed through the Commons with an 84-vote majority. Yet a handful of Tories, including former Tory prime minister Theresa May, abstained from voting. However the Bill's smooth passage into law will likely face hurdles in the pro-Remain Lords which has previously thwarted Brexit legislation. The Houston Chronicles Live Updates blog documents the latest events in the coronavirus outbreak in the Houston area, the state of Texas and across the U.S. with a focus on health and economic impacts. The Houston Chronicles ongoing coverage is available to subscribers. Subscribe now for full access and to support our work. Total coronavirus cases: 769,225 cases in Texas, including 15,884 deaths. 197,238 in the Houston region, including 3,440 deaths. More than 7.1 million in the U.S., including 206,005 deaths. Click here to see a U.S. map with state-by-state death tolls and the latest coronavirus case counts. More than 33.6 million in the world, with over 1,008,842 deaths. More than 23.4 million people have recovered. You can view the worldwide totals here. Resources on COVID-19 and Texas' reopening: Use our interactive page to track the spread of cases through Harris County and the rest of Texas. For a detailed look at our state, check out the Chronicle's Texas Coronavirus Map. To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter. Latest updates from today: 7:50 p.m. Texas on Tuesday saw a case increase of 5,252, bringing the statewide total to 774,477. Another 105 newly reported deaths brings the statewide fatality count to 15,989. The new cases were higher than 69 percent of all other days in the pandemic, while new deaths were higher than 72 percent. The state's rolling average for new cases is now at 4,283. The Houston region's case count is 197,850, up 612 from yesterday. Harris County added 366 cases today, and is at 142,681 cases total. There have been 3,456 deaths in the Houston region, up 16 from yesterday. The positive test rate is now at 6.31 percent. The rolling average of viral tests is at 70,926. Statewide, there were 3,344 patients hospitalized for lab-confirmed COVID-19. There are 58,045 total staffed hospital beds, 12,179 beds available and 1,262 ICU beds available. There are 7,579 ventilators available. 3:15 p.m. The Minnesota Vikings all tested negative for COVID-19, according to the NFL. That means the Texans' home game on Sunday can proceed as scheduled. 12:15 p.m. Royal Dutch Shell plans to lay off as many as 9,000 workers since the coronavirus pandemic has continued to depress demand for crude oil. 11:10 a.m.: Crosby High School closed for cleaning after the school reported 10 students have active COVID-19 cases. It is the first campus in Harris County and in the greater Houston area to close due to COVID-19 infections. 11:00 a.m.: The multibillion-dollar bidding war for personal protective equipment, which left medical staff exposed to COVID-19, could have been avoided, a Houston Chronicle investigation shows. Federal and state officials competed against one another for PPE and got price-gouged by vendors in the frenzy. During the past 12 years, the federal government slashed funding for emergency preparedness by more than half. State spending didnt close the gaps. 10:55 a.m. Crosby ISD officials have reported 10 students at Crosby High School have active cases of COVID-19, marking the largest number of active cases reported among the roughly 20 Houston-area school districts that routinely post campus-level infection data. 10:50 a.m. Texas saw an increase of 4,388 COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 769,225, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of state data. Another 100 newly reported deaths brings that total to 15,884 statewide. The number of new cases Tuesday was higher than 63 percent of all other days in the pandemic, while the number of new deaths was higher than 71 percent of all other days, the analysis found. The state's seven-day rolling average for new cases is now at 4,141.3. The Houston region's case count is 197,238, up 872 from yesterday. Harris County added 608 cases today, and is at 142,315 cases total. There have been 3,440 deaths in the Houston region, up 12 from yesterday. The positive test rate is now at 6.09 percent. The rolling average of viral tests is now at 76,156. Statewide, there were 3,251 patients hospitalized for lab-confirmed COVID-19. There are 55,491 total staffed hospital beds, 13,499 beds available and 1,400 ICU beds available. There are 7,684 ventilators available. - Stephanie Lamm A Girl Is a Body of Water By Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi Tin House. 560 pp. $27.95 Reviewed by Bethanne Patrick Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi sets her blazing new novel, A Girl Is a Body of Water, in the conflicted nation of her adolescence: 1970s Uganda, under the brutal rule of dictator Idi Amin. Protagonist and heroine Kirabo is 12, growing up safely and happily in the village of Nattetta, raised by her paternal grandparents. She doesnt know who her mother is, and her father, Tom, flits in and out, busy with his position on the countrys Coffee Marketing Board. We meet Kirabo as she decides she must learn more about her mother. She asks the "village witch," Nsuuta, to help her. As we'll learn, Nsuuta is not only wise, she's also closely tied to Kirabo's family. Their first conversation reveals both Nsuuta's high hopes for her young friend and a running theme in the novel: a woman's hard-won wisdom. Kirabo, spirited and smart, has desires and ambitions that she defines as a second self ready to fly out of her and misbehave; these feelings terrify her. Nsuuta explains that this "flying out" is a special ability, stemming from woman's "original state." Women, Nsuuta says, terrify men, which is why men keep them under such rigid control. In another time, "we were not squeezed inside, we were huge, strong, bold, loud, proud, brave, independent," Nsuuta explains. "But it was too much for the world and they got rid of it. However, occasionally that state is reborn in a girl like you." The author brooks no sentimentality, especially once Kirabo goes to live with her father, his wife, and their children in the city. There, her Aunt Abi instructs her on how to elongate her labia to enhance her sexual experience, but Kirabos first great love, Sio, refers to the practice as genital mutilation. As Kirabo protests that this traditional practice is the opposite of female circumcision On the contrary, we enhance the hypocrisy is evident: Women cannot win, whether the system is set to deprive them of pleasure or to heighten it. In fact, the system seems to be continuously working against the female characters. The older wives Kirabo knows, like Nsuuta and her grandmother Alikisa, are forced into polygamist marriages. Toms wife Nnambi, despite her upscale city privileges, still fears the idea of Kirabos mother, even Kirabo herself. One of the books starkest scenes involves Nnambi telling the 16-year-old Kirabo to go sleep in her fathers bed, saying Kirabo is his real wife. This cruelty, born of envy, is a reminder of the huge rifts that can develop between factions in unjust societies including our own. But sometimes that inequality can also spark bonds. In one affecting scene, Alikisa, who knows Nsuuta has been carrying on with her husband Miiro for decades, visits her old friend in the hospital. Kirabo marvels at this event, believing the two women are mortal enemies. What she won't understand for several years is that the relationships between women can have wide gaps and tight ties at the same time. In Makumbi's glorious telling, their connections are as complex as they are. From the Washington Post. How social security could make life better in SA after COVID-19 Emergency relief measures were operational for six months and are due to end soon. But the impacts of COVID-19 will be felt long after. The national state of disaster declared by the South African government on 15 March 2020 was a direct response to COVID-19. But that response inadvertently intensified three other existing disasters: poverty, unemployment and inequality. More South Africans are poor and unemployed now than before the lockdown was imposed. But some people in government and the private sector are richer than before, thanks to tender corruption and price gouging. Six months later, South Africa is at a low lockdown level. This is the new normal. But the hardship and vulnerabilities that COVID-19 created or exacerbated are not normal, and people still need government support. Its needed on at least three levels: humanitarian response, structural poverty reduction policies and economic recovery stimuli. At a recent webinar hosted by the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, we agreed broadly on four priorities for social security in South Africa, to build back better after COVID-19. 1. Make COVID-19 emergency relief measures permanent Recognising the social and human costs of the pandemic and the lockdown, the government announced interventions to provide protection. These included top-ups to existing social grants (R250 a month), a caregiver grant (R500 a month), a COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant (R350 a month), a Temporary Employee Relief Scheme, and food parcels. These emergency relief measures were operational for six months and are due to end in October 2020, but the impacts of COVID-19 will be felt long after. The lockdown shut down both the supply- and the demand-side of the economy simultaneously. At least three million people lost their jobs or livelihoods in the first month of lockdown, and with the negative economic consequences predicted to last for at least the next three years, that number is more likely to rise than fall. There is no case for withdrawing the special relief programmes at this time. Social grants should continue to be paid at their higher levels, and the caregiver and Social Relief of Distress grants should be made permanent. Working age South Africans also need and have a constitutional right to social assistance. 2. Introduce basic income support COVID-19 exposed a huge gap at the heart of South Africas social security system: the lack of any form of income support for low-income or unemployed people aged 18-59. The lockdown forced economically active adults to sit at home for months. The less fortunate (usually poorer) had no income and, especially in the case of informal workers, no access to unemployment benefits or temporary employee relief. Millions applied for the special Social Relief of Distress grant, but R350 a month is not enough to live on. Unemployment protection needs to expand to cover all workers, regardless of their prior employment status. Income support should also be connected to labour activation strategies. Until this happens, in the absence of social insurance for workers in the informal sector, we support the campaign led by a coalition of civil society organisations for basic income support. This should be paid at the upper-bound poverty line of R1,227 and linked to a system of labour activation. 3. Overhaul the social security system One lesson from the COVID-19 response not only in South Africa is that it is simpler and more efficient to build on existing systems than to set up new programmes in the middle of a crisis. Topping up the social grants was straightforward and worked best of the emergency relief measures. The process of verifying applications for the COVID-19 special grants was slow, error-prone and, according to the Auditor-General, susceptible to the abuse and mismanagement of funds. In September the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme and several senior managers of the Unemployment Insurance Fund were suspended. Many COVID-19 food parcels were also stolen or diverted by local government officials. This has generated another important lesson from COVID-19. All these schemes have been found wanting in terms of their delivery capability. The entire social security system needs to be reviewed: its criteria, online registration, payment methods and monitoring. It needs linked registries of beneficiaries, entitlements and contributions. Officials must be held accountable. All social security agencies must be supervised independently of political office-bearers. 4. Launch a national conversation about social security What social security are poor and vulnerable South Africans entitled to? The constitution provides for access to all to adequate food and water, healthcare, housing and social security. But the right to social security, while referred to in the Bill of Rights, is not formally defined in any law. Conceptual and legal clarity is needed about what is meant by social security in South Africa. It is broader than just the right to grants. South Africa does not have a social security policy or strategy. The White Paper for Social Welfare dates from 1997. The National Development Plan of 2011 notes the gap in protection. Only about 7% of unemployed people are covered by unemployment insurance. The constitutional right to social security or social protection has two components: coverage and adequacy. Coverage must be universal, but the support provided must be enough to ensure that people can survive with dignity. Benefits must relate to the cost of a decent standard of living. There is a deep conservatism among policymakers about giving income to working-age people. But COVID-19 has changed this. Recognising that unemployment in South Africa is structural makes giving income support to the working-age unemployed unavoidable, not only during the COVID-19 lockdown but in the long term. This opportunity to reconfigure the social contract around social security must be embraced. Conclusion The Treasury and the Minister of Finance will complain that extending the emergency relief measures and introducing new grants is unaffordable. South Africa was already facing a fiscal crisis before COVID-19, with low growth, rising government debt and falling tax revenues. Increasing social spending would increase the deficit. On the other hand, there is an economic argument, supported by international evidence, in favour of positive growth effects of social grants. Injecting purchasing power into poor households will stimulate demand and assist economic recovery. Reimagining social security in South Africa is not only a humanitarian imperative and a means of achieving social justice, it makes economic sense. It is something that the country cannot afford not to do. Stephen Devereux, Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex and Alex van den Heever, Chair of Social Security Systems Administration and Management Studies, Adjunct Professor in the School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. CRIME Godfather Christy Kinahan has been charged with passport fraud after a long-running investigation by a Spanish court sparked by dozens of arrests in three countries including Britain and Ireland. The Dapper Don is one of five men now facing charges resulting from Operation Shovel, an unprecedented police offensive against the cartel which led to 31 associates being targeted. While Christy Kinahan (63) is now facing passport fraud charges, he has been told he will not be tried for money laundering offences or membership of an organised crime gang. And Spanish state prosecutors have sensationally dropped their case against a string of other suspects including his two sons Daniel (43) and Christopher Jr (40) after failing to build a watertight case against them. The eldest son Daniel has been named in the High Court as a senior figures in the international drugs and arms smuggling cartel. He was also at the centre of global controversy earlier this year when he was identified as the advisor who masterminded boxer Tyson Furys lucrative two-fight deal with Anthony Joshua. The Kinahan brothers have had the threat of long prison sentences hanging over their heads for more than a decade in Spain after they were arrested by heavily-armed police at their Costa del Sol homes as part of a five-nation operation against organised crime. Alfredo Rubalcaba, Spains Home Secretary when the Kinahans were held in May 2010, linked the alleged gang ringleaders to a string of murders when he congratulated police after the raids. In its early stages the judicial probe focused on allegations of drugs and weapons trafficking. It emerged in 2014 a judge probing Christy and a gang of suspected accomplices including his two sons had decided to drop her behind-closed-doors investigation into those crimes and focus solely on other allegations they were facing including money laundering and membership of a criminal gang. Money laundering Today it was confirmed that the money laundering and criminal association facets of the investigation had been mothballed - and only five of the original 31 detainees now face trial for lesser crimes which in most cases carry short prison sentences. Christy Kihanan and two other men, Robert Edward Phillips and James Gregory Naughton, have been charged with passport fraud. Jasvinder Singh Kamoo, said to have played a key money laundering role by police investigators in a report highlighted by the Spanish press in their initial coverage of the case after the arrests, has been charged with using fake number plates on a Mercedes. A fifth man, convicted armed robber and senior cartel lieutenant Ross Browning (36), has also been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. Christy Kinahan, now also based in Dubai, has been warned he could face a prison sentence of up to three years and a fine if convicted, although the minimum prison sentence under Spanish law is just six months. The time he spent in prison on remand after his Operation Shovel arrest, thought to be around six months, will be taken into account in determining if he will have to return to jail after any conviction. It is not yet clear if his defence lawyers will now seek a plea bargain deal, as state prosecutors have yet to submit the indictment the investigating judge has now asked them to formulate. One well-placed legal source said: Its rare for Spanish courts to hand out jail sentences of more than a year for passport fraud where a plea bargain deal resulting in a fine and possibly a suspended prison sentence for offenders is not reached ahead of trial. The court decision to charge Christy Kinahan was made at the same time his two sons were told the case against them was being dropped and the written ruling with the details has been sent to state prosecutors and the defence lawyers of those under investigation. Alexandra Garcia, a university-educated Spanish national once described as Daniel Kinahans girlfriend who was probed on suspicion of setting up the financial structure which formed part of the Irish familys alleged crime empire, has also been spared trial. The 24 men and women who were being formally investigated are now completely in the clear. This is unless any compelling new evidence enabling them to be charged with criminal wrongdoing comes to light in the future. One of these is John Cunningham, who gained notoriety after masterminding the 1986 kidnapping of Jennifer Guinness. Her husband John was then the millionaire chairman of the Guinness & Mahon Bank in Dublin. Cunningham was later jailed for 17 years and his brother Michael, who died from a heart attack in January 2015, was sentenced to 14 years. Judicial sources today confirmed the current investigating judge behind the dramatic Kinahan ruling, based at Esteponas Court of Investigation Number Three, had acted at the behest of state prosecutors who had requested the provisional archiving of the money laundering and criminal association allegations against the suspects. The long-running judicial probe sparked by the Operation Shovel arrests has been bogged down for years by delays in getting answers to formal requests about the assets attributed to the Kinahan cartel. Authorities in Ireland are known to have been asked for information after the investigating judge sought answers from Brazil, where police said after the May 2010 arrests the cartel owned property owned 500million. Cyprus was also one of the countries where authorities were asked to provide information about the Kinahans set-up. Brazil is said to have taken five years to send its reply and Cyprus sent its answers back but in Greek, sparking a further 18-month delay in getting the replies translated which Spanish press described as unprecedented. The written court ruling makes it abundantly clear there is no watertight case against those probed over money laundering but reasonable grounds to suspect they formed part of a gang specialising in making sure dirty money from drugs and weapons trafficking appeared legitimate. The Kinahan cartel had been involved in a deadly feud with the Hutch gang which has claimed up to 18 lives in Ireland and abroad. In recent years many of the cartels senior figures have fled to Dubai and other parts of the Middle East while many foot-soldiers and so-called on-the-ground managers have been handed down jail terms in relation to organised criminality. By Trend The aggressive policy of the Armenian side against Azerbaijan has already begun in the 20th century. Thousands of people have died as a result of the policy of aggression, and more than 1 million people are still IDP. The Armenian army committed an unprecedented Khojaly genocide, which the whole world still feels yet, Deputy Chairman of the Milli Majlis Adil Aliyev told Trend. The Armenian state has already begun to commit provocations on the borders of our country since July 12. Armenia carried out its provocative activities in the direction of the Tovuz region, during which 12 people, including a 76-year-old civilian, were killed. Azerbaijan called on the whole world to condemn the aggressive policy of Armenia and said that all military operations and provocations are initiated by them. But the Armenian side does not want the conflict to be resolved peacefully, and as a result of its policy, they declared that they want to occupy new territories. Despite the reaction of some international organizations and states, in general, the Armenian government was not prevented from stopping the aggressive war. As a result, the Armenian government began to arm itself in an unprecedented way, as well as forcibly relocated Armenian families from Lebanon to Nagorno-Karabakh and began serious preparations for war. Though in connection with the Armenian attacks on Azerbaijan, the United Nations adopted resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884. These documents directly confirmed the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, the massacres in Azerbaijan, the killing of thousands of people, the capture of more than a million people. September 27, 2020, the Armenian side began to commit provocations in our re-occupied territories and attacked along the entire front line. Unfortunately, the enemy's attacks directly targeted the civilian population. As a result, an artillery shell exploded in the city of Naftalan, killing five civilians living in the house, between the two family members were schoolchildren in the 7th and 9th grades. During the attack on the Tartar region by the Armenian side, they targeted the houses of people with disabilities, which they had previously determined. As a result, two brothers with disabilities living in the same house were killed. Also, against the background of these battles, the Armenian side blew up a bridge used for the movement of people in the Tartar region which allows us to say that the laws of war are ignored and the civilian population is targeted. The Armenian side is still grossly violating the universally accepted principles of international law, the requirements of the Geneva Convention of 1949, which established the rules of war. Thus, due to the heavy artillery and long caliber weapons shelling of the city of Tartar by Armenian military units on 30.09.2020, the administrative buildings of government agencies were destroyed, and as a result, 7 civilians were injured to varying degrees. In addition, a large number of civil infrastructure facilities were damaged. To date, 12 civilians have been killed and 42 injured as a result of Armenian targeting of civilians, as well as 66 houses and 9 civilian facilities have fallen into disrepair. In addition to targeting civilians, the Armenian side is damaging the homes, barns, and other food facilities of families which necessary to survive sheep, cows, and other domestic animals. Thus, the firing on ambulances suggests that the Armenian side is grossly violating all the provisions of the 1949 Geneva Convention and these attempts by the Armenian side are the grossest violation of universally accepted norms of international law. We strongly condemn Armenia's war crimes and demand an end to its attempts to intimidate civilians by deliberately firing on them. At the same time, we call on the international community to strongly condemn this new act of aggression launched by Armenia, the world give a fair assessment to the provocative mission carried out by the Armenian side, as well as the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi reacted to the court acquitting them in the Babri Masjid demolition case. IMAGE: Senior BJP leader LK Advani, one the accused in Babri mosque demolition case, addresses media after the verdict by the special CBI court, outside his residence in New Delhi. All 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case have been acquitted by the court. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani, who was acquitted by a special Central Bureua of Investigation court on Wednesday in the Babri mosque demolition case, welcomed the court verdict by chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', and said it vindicates his personal and BJP's belief and commitment towards the 'Ram Janmabhoomi Movement'. Advani, who was the face of the Ram Janambhoomi Movement in 1992, was acquitted along with all other 31 accused in the case. "It is a very important decision and a matter of happiness for us. When we heard the news of the court's order, we welcomed it by chanting Jai Shri Ram, Advani said in a video message. Later in a statement, he said, "the judgement vindicates my personal and the Bharatiya Janata Party's belief and commitment towards the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. "I also feel blessed that this judgement has come in the footsteps of another landmark verdict of the Supreme Court given in November 2019,which paved the way for my long cherished dream of seeing a grand Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the foundation laying ceremony of which was held on 5th August, 2020." After the court verdict, the 92-year-old BJP leader came out and greeted the media, gathered outside his house in New Delhi, by chanting the slogan of Jai Shri Ram. He was seen watching the news in his residence while sitting with his family members and his daughter Pratibha Advani, who was holding his hands. The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. "I am grateful to my party workers, leaders, saints and all those, who through their selfless involvement and sacrifices gave me strength and support during the Ayodhya Movement," Advani said. It was his 'Rath Yatra' in 1990 in favour of building a temple at the disputed site, where believers hold that Lord Ram was born, that brought the issue to the center stage of national politics and help the BJP emerge as an alternative to the Congress. The BJP veteran said now he along with millions of countrymen look forward to the completion of the beautiful Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. IMAGE: Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi addresses media after the verdict by the special CBI court, in New Delhi. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo Former Union minister and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi termed historic a special CBI court verdict in the Babri masjid demolition case. I will say only one thing 'Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko sanmatti de bhagwan (May Lord, bestow wisdom on all), he said, expressing happiness over the judgment. The court had delivered a historic verdict, Joshi told reporters here in his first reaction to the verdict in the 28-year-old case. He thanked the lawyers who appeared for him in the matter and said they presented all the aspects and facts before the court. "The CBI's arguments could not withstand the ones presented by our lawyers because of their hard work and preparations in this complex case. And the judge has brought out the truth before everybody, he said. Joshi was the BJP president during the period when thousands of karsevaks gathered in Ayodhya as part of the campaign for building a Ram temple, and the mosque was brought down. The verdict has proven that our programmes were not under any conspiracy, the 86-year-old said Wednesday. He said, I feel this controversy should come to end with the verdict. The entire country should be ready for the construction of a grand Ram temple. I will say only one thing Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko sanmatti de bhagwan," he said. A contemporary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, Joshi was one of the key faces of the party in 80s and 90s. He has been a member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh several times and was considered close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Scott Olson/Getty Former Vice President Joe Biden tore into President Donald Trumps handling of the coronavirus pandemic during Tuesday nights debate, ticking off a laundry list of some of Trumps most alarming comments during the public health crisis. This is the same man that told you by Easter this would be gone away, by the warm weather itd be gone, miraculously, like a miracle, Biden said. And by the way, maybe you can inject some bleach in your arm and that would take care of it. The mention of the bleach comment, one of Trumps most problematic moments of the pandemic, made Trump try to cut Biden off and declare, That was said sarcastically. On April 23, Trump jumped on an emerging result from his own Department of Homeland Security and started spitballing dangerous possible virus treatments that frightened health experts, with one such idea in that briefing including disinfectants. And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks [the virus] out [from a surface] in a minute, one minute, and is there a way we can do something like that [by] injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets on the lungs and it does a tremendous number, Trump said during the April 23 briefing. During the coronavirus-focused portion of the debate, Biden consistently slammed Trump for not having a plan as the coronavirus pandemic rages on and the nations death toll climbs past 200,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. Trump also declared he wants to keep the country open as he keeps up a far more optimistic view of the nations fight against the virus. The president was emphatic again about a quick timeline for getting a coronavirus vaccine, saying during the debate youll have the vaccine soon. But earlier this month, when CDC Director Robert Redfield told lawmakers that he thought a vaccine wouldnt be generally available to the American public until late second quarter, third quarter of 2021, Trump lashed out at the leading medical official and said Redfield was confused. Story continues During the debate, Biden followed the presidents vaccine comments with another attack, saying, Do you believe for a moment what hes telling you in light of all the lies hes told you about the whole issue relating to COVID? He still hasn't even acknowledged that he knew this was happening, knew how dangerous it was going to be back in February and he didnt even tell you, hes on record as saying it, he panicked or he just looked at the stock market, one of the two," Biden said. Because guess what, a lot of people died and a lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter a lot quicker. Trump then attacked the former vice president for his choice of using the word smart and attacked Bidens intelligence before championing his own handling of the virus, as the president has done emphatically when he focuses his words on the public health crisis. On the topic of masks, Trump also once again undercut his own administrations messaging on the crucial public health measure. Trump said he wears a mask when he thinks he needs it, and then criticized Biden for wearing the biggest mask Ive ever seen during public appearances. As Biden pointed to Redfield, whom Biden emphasized had said if... everybody wore masks and social distanced between now and January, wed probably save up to 100,000 lives, Trump declared, Theyve also said the opposite. No serious persons said the opposite, Biden responded. And then Trump proceeded to call out Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, whom the president has been more willing to criticize at this stage of the pandemic, despite Fauci being widely seen as one of the more trustworthy public health voices coming from Trumps administration. Dr. Fauci, Dr. Fauci said he said very strongly that masks are not good, Trump said. Then he changed his mind, he said, Masks good. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Need to pay for some groceries? No problem, just wave your palm. That could be the new mode of payment at Amazon Go stores if current trials of its new technology in Seattle, Washington, are successful. The technology, known as Amazon One, is a "free, contactless service that lets you use your palm to pay, enter or identify yourself," according to its website. The product, which is undergoing trials at two Go stores in Seattle, will allow customers to enter their credit card details and cell phone number and scan their palm or palms for distinct details such as "surface area, lines and ridges as well as subcutaneous features such as vein patterns" on a biometric device. The individual palm details are then used to create a customer's unique palm signature, and Amazon is counting on that to protect customer information. Washington Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden paid nearly $288,000 in federal income taxes last year, according to returns he released just hours before his Tuesday night debate with President Donald Trump. The move came following a report from The New York Times that Trump paid just $750 in income taxes in 2016, the year he ran for president, and in 2017, his first year in the White House. Biden and his wife, Jill, along with Bidens running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, released their 2019 federal and state returns as the president contends with the political fallout from a series of Times reports about Trumps long-hidden tax returns. The Times also reported that Trump paid no income tax at all in 10 of the 15 years prior to 2017. The Bidens' payment of $287,693 to the federal government in 2019 showed a substantial drop from the $1.5 million they paid in income taxes in 2018, reflecting a decline in Bidens book revenue, his decision to run for the presidency and his leave of absence from an academic post at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. After paying $91,000 in 2016, Bidens last year as vice president in the Obama administration, the Bidens paid $3.7 million to the government in 2017, largely because of income from book deals. Their latest return shows that the couples adjusted gross earnings of $985,233 came from his vacated Penn position, Jill Bidens community college teaching job and corporate entities that hold their speaking and writing payments. Harris and her husband, attorney Douglas Emhoff, paid $1,185,628 in combined federal and state taxes on earnings of $3,018,127. The Biden campaign has moved aggressively to capitalize on the Times reports about Trumps tiny tax payments. The campaign released a media ad showing that nurses, firefighters and other working-class Americans pay far more in annual federal taxes than the $750 Trump tax payments described by the Times. Trump has denied the Times report, dismissing it as fake news at a press conference, but he has provided no evidence to refute it. With the release of their 2019 returns, the Bidens have now made public 22 year of tax documents, dating back to the late 1990s, when he was a U.S. senator representing Delaware. Harris has released 15 years of tax returns dating to her stint as San Francisco district attorney. Kate Bedingfield, a Biden deputy campaign manager, said the release of the documents shows a historic level of transparency meant to give the American people faith, once again, that their leaders will look out for them and not their own bottom line. It was a not-too-subtle dig at Trumps refusal since his 2016 presidential campaign to make public his personal income taxes. Trump has long insisted that he is unable to provide his tax returns because they are under audit by the Internal Revenue Service, despite no legal conditions preventing him from making them available. The Times reported that Trump has, in fact, been under audit from the IRS for his request for a $72 million refund in 2010 by claiming a questionable $1.4 billion worth of losses in 2008 and 2009. Actor R Madhavan has said that he always had to put up with people who did not believe that he could make it big in the film industry. From transition to Tamil movie from television shows to also appearing in a bunch of beloved Hindi movies, Madhavan has to face doubters every step of the way. Madhavan was seen in TV shows such as Banegi Apni Baat in early 1990s. He was also seen in A Mouthful of Sky, Sea Hawks and more. He later ventured into movies with Alaipayuthey in 2002, for which he won the Filmfare Award for Best Debut Male-South. His first starring role in a Hindi movie came with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein in 2001. Speaking with Pinkvilla, Madhavan said people have tried to put him in a mould that fitted their understanding of the film industry. Strangely, when I was doing TV in Hindi, people told me I am a television actor and I will never do movies as I am already over exposed on Hindi TV so aapko movie nahi milegi (you wont get movies). Then Mani Ratnam cast me in Alaipayuthey and it became a big hit and so I became Tamil actor and then people in Bombay said you know, you are a Tamil actor, thats it. You wont get Hindi films. Then I started getting Hindi films so they said okay, he is a pan Indian actor but you know, you are limited. I feel everybody tries to put you in a mould which perhaps life put them in, they have faced these challenges but everybodys level to understand languages, deal with pressures and most importantly, talent is different, he said. The actor recently celebrated the 19 year anniversary of his film Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein with co-star Dia Mirza. The two had a virtual reunion and talked about their memories of the movie. I know people have been dying to see us on screen. It has been over 19 years and somehow Im still inundated with songs, scenes and dialogues from the film every day on my social media, Madhavan had said and added that he found it overwhelming that the story still connects with audiences so effortlessly. Also read | Shah Rukh Khans daughter Suhana Khan shares hate messages, says she was called kaali chudail: End colourism There have been talks of a sequel or a spin-off to the film. Talking about that, Dia said, We are doing our best to make it happen, but we will only work together when we can give our best. There is something so special about Reena and Maddy and I think there was an innocence and honesty we shared in RHTDM that resonates so deeply with everyone even today. We wouldnt want to dilute that in any way. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Does the ethnicity of Kerry people explain the exceptionally low number of COVID-19 cases in the county? There is a widely held view that COVID-19 never got a hold in Kerry. Despite having the second-highest number of staycations, the current surge in community transmission is not reflected in infection rates. Gov.ie listed 362 cases in the county on September 18, 1.1 per cent of all infections in the state. This put Kerry in 23rd place in terms of cases, even though it is in 10th place by population. This article asks why and looks to early anthropology for answers, especially research that used blood type to analyse racial variation in Irish populations. Tom Barrington reviewed the research in 1976 and concluded that blood type made Kerry people ethnically distinct. This is relevant to COVID-19 because current research shows that blood type influences infection rates and outcomes. This connects with other research into the relationship between ethnicity and COVID-19, and that throws up some uncomfortable facts about the impact of COVID-19 in Ireland. The idea that Kerry people are ethnically distinct may seem absurd, but anthropologists have always treated the modern Irish population as a product of invasion and colonisation. Before DNA, anthropologists had to rely on biological markers like complexion, skull shape, and blood type in their efforts to unravel the racial origins of the Irish, a significant aspect of anthropology between the 1860s and 1950s. In 1957, Wilton Krogman wrote that "The Irish, bless 'em, emerge as one of the best-known (anthropologically speaking) peoples of our time." Tom Barrington summarised this research and published his findings in Discovering Kerry, his 1976 guide to the history, heritage and topography of the county. Barrington focused on skulls and blood type and concluded that the original population was mostly Type O but had an infusion of just over 10 per cent of European Type A genes, "compared with 26 per cent for the 26 counties as whole." He used this to portray the Kerry people as an older and ethnically distinct population. That was an interesting finding in the context of COVID-19 because blood groups have become a hot topic in COVID-19 research, and the question now is whether or not this explains the low rate of infection in Kerry. In July 2020, Kim Schive of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported on possible links between blood type and COVID-19. The first hint came in March, when researchers in China observed that the number of individuals with Type-A blood who became ill and died was higher than the incidence of Type-A in the population. The opposite applied to Type-O. Researchers at Columbia University subsequently observed that individuals with Type A were more likely to test positive for the Coronavirus. The New England Journal of Medicine published a study that analysed genetic data from Spain and Italy and found that a variant in the region of the human genome that determined blood type was associated with a greater risk of severe illness and death. Schive concluded that blood type and COVID-19 are linked and that, in turn, connects the racial origins of Kerry people, the historical dominance of Type O and, possibly, the low number of COVID-19 cases in Kerry. The problem here is that anthropologists had become wary of race as a biological category in the 1890s and began to think of populations in socio-cultural terms, that is ethnicity. The relationship between biology and ethnicity has become a controversial aspect of the pandemic. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in Black, Asian and Middle Eastern (BAME) communities focussed attention on possible links between ethnicity and COVID-19 on the one hand and biology and ethnicity on the other. Zubaida Haque of The Guardian argued that any link is the result of pre-existing socio-economic inequalities and racism rather than biology. The Centre for Disease Control in America warned that the relationship between ethnicity and COVID-19 is uncertain, even if there is a body of evidence that individuals from BAME communities have worse outcomes than white individuals. The Lancet defined ethnicity as a complex mix of genetics, social/cultural identity, and behavioural patterns, and described it as a crude tool for analysing differences amongst populations. Dr Rosita Zakeri of King's College London is sure that there is link, but admits that "the researchers are still scratching their heads as to exactly what might be going on", whether biological factors, interaction between ethnicity and underlying health conditions, or socio-economic factors are driving higher rates of infection in BAME communities. In this context, the predominance of Type O blood in Kerry points to a biological factor, but researchers agree that socio-economic factors cannot be ignored. To conclude, there is something going on in Kerry. Early anthropologists established subtle differences in ethnicity in Irish populations, but experts agree that the link between ethnicity and COVID-19 is not fully understood and is complicated by socio-economic factors. If anyone is in any doubt that this applies in Ireland, take a look at the situation in the meat plants, mushroom farms, and the direct provision centres. This points to a much wider problem, which Dr Maeve O'Sullivan, writing for Brainstorm, identifies as the precarious position of the lowest-paid workers in this country and, as research by credible agencies shows, associated socio-economic drivers of infection. As O'Sullivan points out, "recent OECD data show that the problem of low payis much greater in Ireland than in most EU countries" In this context, linking COVID-19 and ethnicity exposes a bigger problem: the structural inequalities that put people in harm's way. Ballyheigue-based Dr Ciaran Walsh is a freelance curator and visual anthropologist. His work draws on the scientific study of race in an historical context to create a scientifically robust platform to challenge racism in a contemporary context, creating an interface between academic anthropology and civil society activism by employing a range of public-engagement strategies. The article was also published this week on the RTE website. Union Minister on Wednesday said the government's emphasis is on increasing turnover, efficiency and profitability of public sector undertakings (PSUs). Applauding the critical role played by central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) during the ongoing pandemic, the Minister for Heavy industries and Public Enterprises said, " are pride of the nation and Modi government is putting emphasis on increasing efficiency, turnover and profitability of these units." Javadekar was speaking at the launch of a compendium titled 'Building Self-Reliance, Self-Resurgent and Resilient India'. The compendium is about contribution of PSEs during the pandemic. As the country unlocks and marches towards 'AtmaNirbhar Bharat', the role of public sector enterprises gains even more importance, he said. Javadekar expressed happiness that CPSEs have got back to more than 90 per cent production capacity. On the work done by PSEs, Javadekar said electricity supply during COVID-19 pandemic was at 99 per cent, and nearly 24,000 LPG distributors, 71,000 retail outlets, and 6,500 SKO dealers were open round the clock to serve people. The minister also praised the CPSEs for maintaining nearly 100 per cent movement and production of goods. "Around 71 crore LPG cylinders were supplied to the people, oil marketing companies have given 21 crore free refills to consumers for a period of 3 months from April to June with financial assistance of Rs 13,000 crore," he said. Besides, nearly 33 million goods were transported and the CPSEs gave medical assistance by providing nearly 11,000 beds in 201 hospitals spread across major cities and remote locations of the country. Javadekar said there are 249 operating CPSEs with a turnover of over Rs 25 lakh crore and annual net profit of approximately Rs 1.75 lakh crore. The PSEs pay around Rs 3.62 lakh crore in the form of dividend, interest, and taxes. Their corporate social responsibility expenditure is about Rs 3,500 crore annually, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) - The Chinese national who was made chief in Ghana, Sun Qiang, has denounced the title - He was made Nkosuohene (development chief) at Asenyanso in the Eastern Region - He has rejected the title because of being overly criticised by the people - Qiang says he is, however, committed to developing the community Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana Mr. Sun Qiang, the Chinese national who was made the Nkosuohene of Asenyanso Village in the Eastern Region has said he is no longer interested in the position. He has thus denounced the chieftaincy title with the reason that people complained and criticised him too much following his enstoolment. Quiang, who was given the stool name, Barima Kofi Ayeboafo, disclosed this during a press conference addressed by his spokesperson, Baba Issah. The Chinese National Sun Qiang who was made Nkosuohene in Ghana. Photo credit: Face2faceafrica Source: UGC His decision follows the massive protest that his enstoolment sparked in the village located in the Afram Plains. The people were angry and questioned why a foreign national would be given that privilege when indigenes of the land were disregarded. They thus mounted pressure on the traditional authority to reconsider their decision and strip him of that title. However, before the authority could even think of such a thing, Mr. Qiang says he is no longer interested. According to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Classfmonline.com, Baba Issah condemned the negative reactions of the general public towards the enstoolment of Mr Qiang. He added that Qiang came to do business in the village and not to be made a chief, therefore, he disassociates himself from the title. Baba Issah stated, however, that the Chinese man remains committed to helping in developing the community. He expressed thanks to the people for recognising the efforts of Mr. Qiang. He trades in ethanol production in the area and called on interested cassava farmers to cultivate more cassava and supply his factory in order for him to meet the 700 jobs goal he set for the factory. Mr. Qiang made the headlines when photos of him being carried shoulder-high surfaced on the internet. VGMA21 full performances | #Yencomgh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh SPRINGFIELD Illinois hospitality industry said its pleas for Gov. J.B. Pritzkers office to reconsider one of the most restrictive caps on gatherings in the nation have fallen on deaf ears. The American Hotel and Lodging Associations Illinois chapter said the industry will not recover until Gov. J.B. Pritzkers executive order capping gatherings at 50 people is loosened, which would allow for conventions, they call it group travel, to resume in the state. Mainly located in Chicago, Illinois tourism industry accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local tax revenue annually. Michael Jacobson, director of the American Hotel and Lodging Associations Illinois chapter, said Tuesday that hotel occupancy in most other cities has reached about 50% but Chicagos occupancy is less than half of that due to the state and citys restrictions. Until those restrictions get eased, were going to be in a world of pain, he said. The association has reached out to the Illinois Department of Public Health to reconsider the 50-person gathering restriction, but Jacobson said the calls have gone unanswered. It has been frustrating, to say the least, as we see other states and, take politics aside, both Republican and Democratic states have reopened quicker. Pritzkers office did not respond to emails regarding the gathering restrictions. Meanwhile, hotel owners, most commonly local small businesses, are paying property taxes as high as $30,000 a day in Chicago and elsewhere, Jacobson said. Others said theyre going into default at high rates as the summer tourism season slows down. A vaccine in 2021 is going to come far too late for some hotels and restaurants that are now piling up tons of debt and falling further and further behind with their creditors, said Bob Habeeb, CEO of Maverick Hotels and Restaurants in Chicago. The association set up the virtual news conference as a call for another round of federal aid. Youre going to have a lot of unnecessary pain that will result in what could be a six-to-eight month problem and turning it into a three-to-four year problem, said Chip Rodgers, AHLA president. New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday (September 30) spoke to the father of the Hathras gang-rape victim, and assured stringent action against the accused. The victim's father spoke to the Chief Minister and asked for the harshest penalty for the accused. Assuring the victim's father that most stringent action shall be taken against the accused, CM Yogi promised him all possible help to the family of the deceased. According to ACS Home, Uttar Pradesh, "CM Yogi has spoken to the father of the deceased girl of Hathras. Her father spoke to Hon CM and asked for the harshest penalty against the accused. Hon CM assured him that most stringent action shall be taken against the accused and all possible help shall be provided to the family of the deceased." Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister today said that a three-member panel has been set up to investigate the case. He tweeted that the probe panel will submit a report in seven days. Live TV CM Yogi also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him over this horrific incident and has asked him to take strict action against the culprits of this heinous crime. The girl died in Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday after suffering multiple fractures and paralysis. The family of the victim also claimed that the girl's tongue was cut by her rapists. The 19-year-old Dalit woman, who died in a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gang-raped in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, was cremated in the early hours on Wednesday. Her family alleged that the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of night. However, police officers claimed that the cremation was carried out "as per wishes of the family". On September 14, the woman had gone to the fields with her mother and went missing soon after. She was found beaten and tortured. She was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the young woman was first ''raped by some beasts" and then the "entire system". In Mumbai, Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil termed the "behaviour" of the UP Police "inhuman and unfortunate". "Final rites of India's daughter were performed during early hours in the absence of her family members... Daughters are not being respected when they are alive nor while they are dead," he said on Twitter. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government over the cremation of the Hathras rape victim, accusing it of "destroying evidence". Taking to Twitter, the former state chief minister said cremating the rape victim under the administration's "pressure" without the "consent" of her family was against the culture. "This act of destroying evidence is condemnable," he tweeted. The BJP government not only committed a sin by doing so but also committed a crime, Akhilesh said. The National Commission for Women said it will seek an explanation from the UP Police. "In UP Gang-Rape Tragedy, 2.30 am Cremation By Cops, Family was Kept Out. @NCWIndia condemn it strongly. Why the family wasn't allowed in Cremation?? Why at night?@Uppolice @hathraspolice," said NCW chief Rekha Sharma tweeted. As the outrage grew, associates of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and its Delhi unit head Himanshu Balmiki alleged that the two have been missing since 10 pm on Tuesday and had been detained by UP Police while they were on their way to Hathras, accompanying the family. Rating agency ICRA on Wednesday revised down its credit growth outlook for banks to 2-3 per cent for the current fiscal, and said the coronavirus pandemic-driven stress may leave 3.1-3.7 per cent of assets into bad loan list by March. Earlier, it had forecast credit growth for banks at 6-7 per cent. The agency also expects GDP to contract by 11 per cent this fiscal from its earlier forecast of 9.5 per cent, as there is no let-up in the pandemic nor any glimmer on a vaccine to prevent it. These are the mains reason for halving of credit demand to 2-3 per cent from 6-7 per cent earlier, it said in a report. The lower capital allocation to banks is due to the massive revenue decline the government faces due to the lockdowns. The agency expects fresh slippages of 3.1-3.7 per cent for 2020-21, which will largely come from SMA1 and SMA2 accounts identified in March 2020, when it stood at 6 per cent. Fresh slippages for all banks in the first quarter of 2020-21 stood at Rs 23,000 crore, while annualised gross slippage generation rate stood at 1 per cent. At the system level, slippages stood at Rs 3.7 lakh crore in 2019-20 and Rs 3.2 lakh crore in 2018-19. Fresh non-performing asset (NPA) generation in 2019-20 stood at 4.2 per cent, against 4.1 per cent in 2018-19 and 7.3 per cent in 2017-18. GNPAs may rise to 11.1-11.4 per cent for public sector banks in March 2021 as against 10.7 per cent in March 2020, whereas it will stand at 5.7-6.4 per cent for private sector banks, up from 4.2 per cent, the report said. This will rise to 11.9-12 per cent for state-owned banks in 2021-22 and to 7.7-8.6 per cent for private sector lenders. It said net NPAs are likely to rise to 4.2-4.3 per cent for public sector banks by March 2021 from 3.3 per cent in March 2020, and 1.7-1.9 per cent for private sector lenders by March 2021 from 1.2 per cent in March 2020. Net NPAs will rise to 3.5-3.6 per cent for public sector lenders in 2021-22 and will marginally improve to 1.4-1.7 per cent for private sector banks. Expect credit provisions of 2.4-3 per cent of advances this fiscal for all banks. Given the poor credit demand, banks especially the state-owned ones do not need any additional capital from the government, while the private ones are already well-capitalised. Describing the new loan restructuring norms as much stricter and with less loopholes, the agency expects 5-8 per cent of outstanding loans to be restructured. It also expects loan restructuring to be invoked by this December and implemented till June 2021. However, it said the actual gravity of the stress among borrowers will only be visible from the third quarter of 2020-21 results and more pronounced by first and second quarters of 2021-22. On loan moratorium, it expects only 10-15 per cent borrowers to avail of complete moratorium after September, which was earlier more than 35 per cent. On NBFCs and HFCs, collection since April, when it had slipped to a low of 38 per cent for NBFCs and around 55 per cent for HFCs, the same has improved to 70 per cent for the shadow banks and 81 per cent for mortgage players, indicating home loan companies are better at collections. While 27 per cent of NBFC loans are under full moratorium, it is only 17 per cent for HFCs and 16 per cent for microfinance institutions. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. As President Trump and the Senate prepare to quickly fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a conservative judge, Amy Coney Barrett, Democrats are discussing the possibility of "packing" the court , should November's voters give them control over the White House and both houses of Congress.Some critics argue that adding seats to the court, in an effort to diminish or reverse its conservative majority, would mean abandoning a longstanding norm against court packing. In recent years at the state level, however, some Republican politicians have already abandoned such norms.And it's not as if norms around picking federal judges haven't eroded at the federal level. Both Democrats and Republicans eliminated the Senate filibuster for certain judicial appointments, after complaining about obstructionism by senators from the other party. And in 2016 and 2017, the Republican-led Senate left a Supreme Court seat vacant for a year, refusing to hold a vote on President Barack Obama's nominee.But norms have eroded even further at the state level. In Florida Iowa and other states, Republican legislatures have changed the rules for judicial nominating commissions to give governors more control. High-court justices have been threatened with impeachment for issuing rulings that legislatures didn't like.Some Republican legislatures also have added seats to their states' supreme courts to create new conservative majorities that are still in power today. In 2016, for example, Republicans in Georgia added two seats to the state Supreme Court to create a new conservative majority, giving GOP Gov. Nathan Deal two appointments.Republicans in Arizona did the same thing that year, adding two high-court seats to allow GOP Gov. Doug Ducey's appointments to create a new conservative majority. Ducey then manipulated the Arizona Constitution's rules for appointing the state's judicial nominating commission in an effort to push the court further to the right.Around the same time, Republican legislators in North Carolina floated the idea of adding two seats to their state's Supreme Court. The suggestion came during a December 2016 lame-duck session, just weeks after voters had elected a new progressive majority to the high court along with a Democratic governor. This court packing plan led to protests and criticism from across the ideological spectrum, since it would have undone the results of the election. Legislators didn't follow through.In 2018, however, the North Carolina Legislature passed a constitutional amendment that could have opened the door to a different court-packing scheme. The amendment would have given legislators control over choosing judges to fill vacant seats. When a Democratic legislator asked if their goal was to pack the court in the next lame-duck session, Republicans didn't deny it. But voters overwhelmingly rejected the amendment In addition, a few years earlier the Legislature had voted to "unpack" the North Carolina Court of Appeals , eliminating three soon-to-be-vacant seats before the state's Democratic governor could fill them. The court would have been left with an even number of judges. A Republican judge resigned in protest, and the Legislature recently repealed the change.Not every effort to change the judicial system for partisan advantage has originated with Republicans. A bill in the Democrat-controlled Massachusetts Legislature last year would have allowed Democrats to undo high-court appointments by a Republican governor . The bill, which had bipartisan support, would have allowed an elected council with a Democratic majority to decide after seven years whether the Republican governor's appointees would stay in office even if they hadn't reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.The bill didn't make it out of committee, and the state's Supreme Judicial Court remains composed entirely of Republican appointees. Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more Consumer expectations have never been greater within todays digital commerce landscape, as uncertainty drives consumers to demand real-time transparency, accuracy, and seamlessness throughout each stage of the purchase journey. At the time of checkout, simplicity reigns, as frictionless, accurate, and instant calculations bolster consumer trust, and flexible delivery options ensure consumer affinity. As such, customers anticipate diverse payment options, accurate calculations, and security at the time of checkout. Retailers of all sizes must leverage technology to improve the convenience and safety of their checkout process by updating their point-of-sale (POS) systems across all channels, automating tax, and offering alternative payment options. The rise of e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces such as Amazon and Etsy has significantly changed the digital shopping experience and elevated the expectations of consumers, which has created next-generation shopping driven by convenience. As more consumers shop through third-party and resale marketplaces, there is also growing shopper concern around fraud and counterfeit products. Consumers expect their payment information to be automatically provided across all channels, and they trust that their private data is being tokenized or stored on secure systems. Customers are looking for retailers to foster shopping confidence and product trust by creating a simple, secure checkout process across all channels. As consumer expectations across all facets of the checkout experience continue to rise, companies of all sizes are exploring how to improve the convenience and safety of their checkout process. Following are best practices that retailers are using to revamp their checkout experience. Provide Cross-Border Payments E-commerce has created a truly global marketplace that has transformed shopping from a local or even regional activity into a process that happens from any location around the world. Retailers with an international customer base are looking to update their point-of-sale systems to provide a consistent, accurate experience across all sales channels and account for international regulatory adjustments. While global commerce has increased options for consumers, it has also generated new layers of complexity for retailers. Between assigning the correct Harmonized System (HS) code and properly applying the correct taxes, tariffs, and shipping and import fees, transparency at the point of sale can be difficult. To serve an international audience of customers, inspire confidence, and ensure there are no hidden costs as a purchase crosses borders to get to a customers front door, retailers need to have an intelligent suite of transaction solutions in place to enable consistent rates in addition to accuracy, transparency, and security. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Automation solutions may make the most sense for businesses depending on the number of countries they are selling into, breadth of products, and staff available to handle rates and regulations. There are solutions available for item classification, rate calculations, reporting, and returns filing that can integrate with other business systems. These include ERPs, ECMs, online retail platforms, and bookkeeping software to manage every aspect of the cross-border transaction lifecycle. Offer Alternative Payment Plans Most e-commerce providers offer integrations with the most common payment methods, such as Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Apple Pay, because customers expect to have options at checkout, as well as other convenient options, like buying online and pick-up at the store. In todays digital-first landscape, retailers are now exploring alternate payment plans, such as micro-credit and layaway, by partnering with next-generation payment providers to give customers a wider range of options to buy now and pay later. Financial products such as split payments and low- or no-interest financing plans are increasingly available to customers who dont have the desire or ability to pay for their entire purchase right away. Brands are teaming up with financing platforms like Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm to offer shoppers different payment plans to pay for their mobile and electronic purchases. At checkout, customers can choose from a range of alternative payment plans, including buy now, pay in 30 days, buy now, pay in three monthly payments, or spread the cost up to four years. Innovate the POS Another effective way that retailers are streamlining the checkout process is by partnering with traditional and digital payment providers to integrate one-click purchase options into their e-commerce platforms. These solutions help to ensure a consistent, convenient, and secure experience by utilizing a short, optimized checkout form that reduces the time it takes to process a transaction. Various opt-in POS providers securely manage consumer data to power one-click digital checkout after the initial transaction when the customer provides their email, name, phone, address, and credit card number. Once the information is stored their future transactions are fast and seamless, making it easier for them to shop again. Embrace Emerging Technology According to the Ecommerce Trends 2020 survey report, 44 percent of e-commerce companies are looking to implement, change, or improve payment technologies in 2020. From tax calculations to shipping estimates, retailers that leverage automation within the checkout process stand to improve not only their customer relationships at-scale, but also their back-end operations through increased accuracy and productivity. An important process within the end-to-end digital commerce experience is accurately and automatically calculating tax in online carts. This simple step allows retailers to consistently inspire confidence in their customers by providing accurate totals at checkout across all points of sale. A D V E R T I S E M E N T In addition to increasing trust with customers, automating tax compliance also mitigates compliance risk for business and increases the efficiency on the backend. Its important to consider modular solutions that plug into existing transactional architecture to enable greater control and flexibility over the end-to-end customer experience, particularly at the critical stage of checkout and tax calculation. Conclusion To deliver exceptional customer experiences at-scale, retailers need to have their finger on the pulse of changing consumer expectations. Modern consumers expect checkout to be seamless, no matter the digital channel or their geographic location. Investing in software solutions that are easy to plug-in, scale-up, and have global back-end capabilities, including currency conversion and tax compliance, are critical components of maintaining positive customer experience and maintaining security online. RTHK: Xi defends 'UN-centred' system Paris climate accord President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged global cooperation to protect the Earth's biodiversity but stopped short of making a major environmental commitment at a UN summit notable for the absence of his US counterpart, Donald Trump. Some observers believed Xi may surprise world leaders as he did last week when announcing his country would go carbon neutral by 2060. "The loss of biodiversity and the degradation of the ecosystem pose a major risk to human survival and development," Xi told the virtual meeting. "Covid-19 reminds us of the interdependence between man and nature. It falls to all of us to act together and urgently to advance protection and development in parallel," he added. Xi defended the "UN-centred international system" and the Paris climate accord, in what appeared to be a veiled criticism of the US, which is set to leave the landmark agreement. Ahead of the summit, more than 60 heads of state and government promised to slash air pollution, eliminate ocean plastic and transition to more sustainable food systems by 2030. Nations including Germany, France, Britain and Mexico promised to develop an "ambitious" plan ahead of next year's UN COP15 Biodiversity Conference that will be hosted by Xi in Kunming, China. But other major countries including China, Brazil, Australia and Russia have so far not signed on. The UN's periodic review of existing global conservation plans found this month that nations were set to miss all 20 targets they set themselves back in 2010 to halt nature loss. The WWF's biennial Living Planet Index, released separately this month, showed that wild populations of animals, birds, fish and plants had plummeted nearly 70 percent since 1970. As world leaders spoke at the summit, the environmental group Greenpeace held a protest near the UN building featuring melting sculptures of Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The protest was aimed at highlighting the failures of both administrations to address the crises being discussed at the summit, and the fact that no one from the Trump administration was scheduled to address the event. Bolsonaro did address the summit, where he lashed out, as he has done in the past, over international concerns at the rapid deforestation of the Amazon. "I strongly reject international greed towards our coveted Amazon," he said, adding: "We shall defend it against actions and narratives that may prove harmful to our national interests." An EU-Mercosur trade deal remains stalled over French concerns over the Amazon, which Brazil has said is motivated by protectionism. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2020-09-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hi, just accidentially, I spoke to a QR representative in Doha yesterday and she reassured me, that Qatar schedules flights for one (calendar) month in advance. For example by mid to end September for the whole Octboer, so that flights still on schedule will operate almost guaranteed (unless they are really empty). In the current situation and on the short end I would seriously opt for no other airline than QR to reassure I will reach my destination and most probably not get stuck there. All who praise BA, EK etc.. and all the other airlines, just ask passengers who stayed on the Maldives (or wherever) in late March and had to leave within two days, pay a huge supplement for new (or rebooking tickets), because the airlines announced to halt all operations. QR passengers on the other hand could enjoy the rest of their holiday and return home safely. I have no shares in QR or benefit from advertising them, but a realistic evaluation of the situation leaves no other option than recommending to fly with them. The situation can be (hopefully) different in the more distant future. But of course, everybody is free to have his/her opinion and judge upon empirical evidence. Wish you all safe travels and an enjoyable vacation. Edited: 1 year ago His judicial philosophy is mine too, declared Amy Coney Barrett of her beloved mentor Antonin Scalia, at the White House ceremony for her nomination to the Supreme Court. Judge Barrett packed a lot of meaning into those few words. Her record, both as a judge and in her earlier career as a distinguished law professor at Notre Dame, shows both her profound commitment to Justice Scalias principles of textualism and originalism and her stellar ability to implement them. As Barrett has explained, textualism and originalism are essentially two names for the same methodology, one arising in the field of statutory interpretation, the other in constitutional decision-making. The Constitution and statutes are legal texts, and the duty of the judge is to interpret their provisions according to the meaning they bore at the time they were adopted. Rival theories such as purposivism, pragmatism, and living-constitutionalism empower judges to ignore and override legal texts in order to impose their own solutions to the problems of the age. Judges are not policymakers, Barrett explained in her White House remarks, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold. Judges have an obligation not to read their own personal convictions into legal texts, she has consistently emphasized, and that obligation is the same whether those convictions derive from their religious beliefs or from any other source. Textualism and originalism deal with how people actually use language. Barrett has condemned as a canard the widespread view that textualism is literalism. As she notes, Scalia himself, for whom she worked as a Supreme Court law clerk, emphasized that the good textualist is not a literalist. Textualism and originalism do not allow legal texts to be read, as Justice Alito memorably objected in a dissent last spring, as if they were messages picked up by a powerful radio telescope from a distant and unknown civilization. Story continues Barretts textualist criticisms of Chief Justice Roberts mirror Scalias. Before she became a judge, Barrett faulted Roberts for his 2012 ruling upholding Obamacares individual mandate as a tax rather than as a penalty. In so doing, he pushed the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning. Citing several other of his opinions and votes, she objected more broadly that the chief justice has not proven himself to be a textualist. (Her critique has little bearing on the current challenge to the ACA, and, contrary to Democratic rhetoric, there is ample reason to believe that conservative justices will reject that challenge.) Although you wouldnt know it from immediate distortions of her position, Barrett also shares Scalias embrace of the Courts long-standing principle of stare decisisadherence to precedenton constitutional issues. Under that approach, erroneous precedent is not sacrosanct, but neither should it be overturned simply because its wrong. In a lengthy law-review article, Barrett defends the Courts approach on the ground that it promotes doctrinal stability while still accommodating pluralism. As she spells out, a majoritys decision to overrule precedent on a constitutional question requires it to take account of reliance intereststhat is, the extent to which citizens or government actors have made decisions that rely on that precedent and would be costly to alterand to explain why its view is so compelling as to warrant reversal. Among the justices, only Justice Thomas rejects the Courts approach: He would overturn a precedent if its demonstrably erroneous. Barretts clear position in support of conventional stare decisis doctrine somehow hasnt stopped respected journalists from claiming that her position is akin to Justice Thomass and extreme. The obvious reason that Barretts critics are distorting her position on stare decisis is to stoke alarm over the prospect that she will be part of a majority that will overturn Roe v.Wade. I welcome that prospect and the ensuing restoration of policymaking on abortion to the democratic processes in the states, and I take considerable hope on this matter from Barretts embrace of Scalias judicial philosophy. But there is nothing in Barretts record that speaks specifically to her view of Roe, much less to whether it should be overturned. In her three years on the Seventh Circuit, Barrett has taken part in three proceedings involving abortion. In two of the proceedings, she voted unsuccessfully to have the full court review panel rulings that invalidated Indiana laws regulating disposal of fetal remains and requiring parental notification, and the opinion she joined expressed doubts about a panel ruling that invalidated another Indiana law prohibiting abortions motivated solely by the race, sex, or disability of the fetus. (The Supreme Court, by a seven-justice majority, overturned the panel ruling on the fetal-remains issue. It sent the parental-notification question back to the Seventh Circuit for further consideration.) In her one panel ruling, she was part of a unanimous majority that applied Supreme Court precedent to allow Chicago to enforce its bubble zone ordinance against pro-life sidewalk counselors outside abortion clinics. Perhaps Barretts most impressive opinion as an appellate judgeone that demonstrates her masterful application of originalismis her dissent last year on an important Second Amendment question. Rickey I. Kanter pleaded guilty to one count of federal mail fraud for falsely representing that his companys therapeutic shoe inserts were Medicare-approved and for billing Medicare on that basis. As a convicted felon, he was barred by federal law and Wisconsin law from possessing a firearm. When he argued that the Second Amendment did not allow those laws to be applied against him, the panel majority rejected his claim. In her dissent, Barrett marshaled and analyzed extensive historical evidence to conclude that, while the Second Amendment allows legislatures to prohibit dangerous people from possessing guns, felons do not lose their right to possess firearms solely because of their status as felons. Its one thing for the government to conclude categorically that those who have been convicted of violent felonies are dangerous. But its quite another to draw that conclusion regarding nonviolent felons (yes, even makers of therapeutic shoe inserts). Neither the federal government nor Wisconsin had shown support for that conclusion. Nor did they in any other way show that Kanter was likely to be dangerous with firearms. Therefore, the Second Amendment, Barrett concluded, did not allow their laws to be applied against him. The Obama administrations threat to withhold federal funding from colleges if they did not take more severe measures against students accused of sexual misconduct provided the backdrop for a ruling by Barrett that has earned widespread praise and been cited favorably by courts across the country. Her ruling allowed a Purdue University student who had been suspended for sexual violence to pursue his claim that Purdue, in determining his guilt, deprived him of adequate procedural protections and discriminated against him because he is male. At Barretts confirmation hearing for the Seventh Circuit, Senator Dianne Feinstein infamously insinuated that Barretts ardent Catholic faith would prevent her from being an impartial judge: The dogma lives loudly within you. But critics of Barrett cannot point to anything in her record that fairly supports that charge. Her opinions are powerfully reasoned and reflect principles of law, not faith. Strangely enough, those who expressed concerns back in 2017 that Barrett could not separate her faith from her judging relied on an article from her days as a law student in which she (and her co-author, a law professor) argued that trial judges who are faithful to Catholic teaching cant impose the death penalty and should therefore disqualify themselves from sitting on cases in which they might be required to do so. Removing oneself from ruling on a matter would be a curious way to try to make ones religious beliefs triumph. Further, Barretts article opines that appellate judges affirming death sentences arent engaged in what Catholic moral theologians call illicit formal cooperation with evil (and that the inquiry into material cooperation is exceedingly difficult). It turns out that Barrett has sat on two death-penalty cases and ruled in both against blocking the execution, so concerns that she would recuse herself or rule on the basis of Catholic teaching on the death penalty are unwarranted. As providence might have it, President Trump announced his nomination of Barrett to the Supreme Court on the anniversary of Scalias joining the Court in 1986. If all goes smoothly, she will take her own seat on the Court before the end of October. In doing so, Barrett will help extend and entrench Scalias great legacy for decades to come. More from National Review At least three small tremors rattled California on Tuesday for the second time in three days, leaving residents fearful that a much larger earthquake is inevitable. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a 2.7 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 4.5km hit Milpitas around 8.16am Tuesday morning. Ten minutes later, a 2.9 magnitude tremor with a depth of 4km hit the same area. The third quake struck around 9.02am with a magnitude of 3.3 and a depth of 4.3km. Scroll down for video The USGS reported that a 2.7 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 4.5km hit Milpitas around 8.16am Tuesday morning The third quake struck around 9.02am with a magnitude of 3.3 and a depth of 4.3km Experts said the quakes rattled the shoreline of the Calaveras Reservoir (file image) Dozens of people in Fremont, Milpitas and San Jose felt the quakes, which occurred on the Calaveras fault system. Elizabeth Cochran, a seismologist with USGS, explained to CBS that the back-to-back tremors are what experts call an 'earthquake swarm'. 'The Calaveras fault, in particular, has fairly frequent what we call "earthquake swarms." These are sets of events that are relatively low magnitude, where you have lots of events happening over a period of days to weeks.' 'If you have really weak material almost like talcum powder, talc, then you can get the fault moving, creeping along slowly instead of getting stuck and having a larger event,' Cochran added. The back-to-back tremors have left several people wondering if the small quakes are making way for a catastrophic earthquake. 'You can never get enough small ones to replace the big onesince that ratio is constant,' seismologist Dr Lucy Jones told CBS. 'You need a big one to keep the ratio constant, and its the most consistent thing we record about earthquakes all over the world is this ratio of large to small. Places that have small earthquakes have lots of big ones.' She also noted that the series of quakes is normal for Southern California. Shortly after Tuesday's quakes, people took to social media to react to the swarm of tremors. 'For a region still dealing with: --COVID --Fires --Smokey skies for weeks It's no surprise we'd be wary of earthquakes,' one user tweeted. Another wrote: 'Im not one to freak out over small earthquakes, but this is the 3rd or 4th small quake weve had in the South Bay since Sunday and ya girl is low-key scared.' Just days before Tuesday's earthquakes, two small tremors struck Milpitas. According to the USGS, a 3.4-magnitude quake with a depth of 5.3km hit around 3.54pm on Sunday. Hours later at 10.16pm, another 3.4-magnitude quake hit the area. Shortly after Tuesday's quakes, people took to social media to react to the swarm of tremors And on September 19, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck Southern California. The earthquake hit around 11.40pm, about 2 miles outside of South El Monte, near Los Angeles, the agency reported. Preliminary reports indicate it was about 11 miles deep. Not to mention there were about 20 earthquakes reported in August alone. Last month, Google announced that Android phones will be used to sense earthquakes around the world and may one day be able to provide global warnings. Google, which helped develop Android, worked with California and the USGS to build the quake alerts into all phones that run the commonplace mobile operating system. Android users who have enabled location services and are near a quake of magnitude 4.5 or greater will receive a full-screen earthquake warning telling them to drop to the floor and seek cover. The screen also will provide estimates of the quakes magnitude and distance from the user. The alert is based on the projected shaking at a particular location and a certain level of intensity. Depending on their distance from a quake, people could get several seconds or perhaps a minute of warning. The warnings are powered by Californias ShakeAlert system, which uses signals from more than 700 seismometers installed around the state that can sense seismic waves. IPhone users wont receive the alerts through Apples operating system, but they can download the MyShake app. Meanwhile, California is also dealing with wildfires that have devoured parts of the state amid unseasonably hot and dry weather. Meanwhile, California is also dealing with wildfires that have devoured parts of the state amid unseasonably hot and dry weather. An air tanker drops retardant while battling the Glass Fire in St Helena, California, on Sunday Embers fly from a tree as the Glass Fire burns in St Helena, California, on Sunday High winds that spread new fires this week in the Napa and Sonoma wine country and in a far northern area of the state were reduced to breezes, but vegetation remained ripe for burning in high temperatures amid very low humidity. The National Weather Service said the weather conditions would last for several days due to high pressure centered over the state. Heat advisories were in effect or pending along about three-quarters of the California coast and many areas had poor air quality due to smoke. Numerous studies in recent years have linked bigger wildfires in America to global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas, especially because climate change has made California much drier. A drier California means plants are more flammable. About 70,000 people were under evacuation orders in the wine region north of San Francisco where the Glass Fire has incinerated dozens of homes along with winery installations and other buildings. While I work? I think! Here are a few thoughts 1). Navalny Sir Novichok, was and is on probation for multiple illegal activities and could not leave Russia.Russia has Covid-19 closed borders.yet they seemed to be open for him to leave? His last illegal activity saw him lose several million Dollars & his Moscow flat. Dont worry, he has more property than that He up to no good in Tomsk as he was investigating the Tomsk governor. Navalny Sir Novichok whom is a well known swindler himself was looking into the activities & business of one of his peer group. Now that can get you killed anywhere in the world, especially if you are as seedy as Navalny Sir Novichok is It seems that normally anyone investigating the noises upon the jet Navalny Sir Novichok escaped on, would question immediately what happened in that jet toilet, to cause him to squeal like a child.Some bad drugs from Tomsk? If you follow the Russian news/blogs/websites and anyone who knows Navalny, he is definitely into illegal activities for his enjoyment So why was Navalny allowed to cross the border into Germany? When at the time he traveled there, he actually could not. Germany just now removed the restrictions on Covid-19 travel and have just cleansed their Gov websites of all that information. Hmm 2). Belarus; Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia all involved in a circle of games.North Stream 2 (?). (Also) Belarus is a oil transit country and under the gun, while the others (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) yap like good lapdogs.and of course Russia is the actual target 3). The benevolent & sock monkey Empire of the USA/UK still skirts any dealing with Russia in anyway at all. Except constantly throwing insults, bullying, threats, accusations, sanctions, and constant armed force activities near Russias borders 4). Trump.officially declared that the Russians removed by its sneaky abilities the USA hyper-sonic weapons and got them from Obama. This reminds me of how the Brits declared that Russia stole their vaccine and now have no vaccine to combat King Corona! Yet, if the Russians did do these two terrible things of evil. Why have the USA/UK not deployed hyper-sonic weapons also? (Not just Russia!) & Only Russia has two vaccines and 2 actual treatments (and not the UK/USA)? Okay! Them Russians stole all data involved with the hyper-sonic weapons and Covid-19. bad Russia.and well, doesnt anyone have backup of their data? Again the concepts of proof and or evidence have become extinct in the Western Empires media and political world.part of that, empire committing suicide in the latest soap opera 5). What we are seeing is an empire being bled dry and turned into a wasteland of its former self.I guess the Powers to Be are done with the Empire 6). The normality of insanity of the US. Where living in a world where facts or logic have simply become irrelevant, is the new normality of its existence A contributory purpose behind these amazing wonders of logic, is that some people in the remainder of the world & not within The USA, upon where realities and rationale are not insignificant, do have some real specialists in investigation. Thus, the system whom through co-activity have added to the advancement of the complicity of The USA moves in horizontal cycles of their own self-centered and amazing quality of existence, which many in the world considered insane and hazardous to world existence Therefore, to many of us outside of the extremely controlled reactions and actions portended by the USA are neither unexpected yet, very unwelcome 7). I find that it is tidbits like this; It is an insult to the intelligence of anyone paying attention, that it is the official narrative that the president of Venezuela is someone who no one voted for. (Yet) It was an even more predominately accurate than the Belarus election and that is sufficiently accurate. Especially compared to elections flaunted in our face by the USA 8). What does the west stand for in my eyes? (Just a few listed.) a. Late term abortions, murdering babies sucked out of their mothers womb and killed for body parts to be sold for profit (Planned Parenthood). b. Unlimited genders. c. Transsexual assignments. d. Destruction of family. e. Children as sexual objects. f. Derogation of religion. g. Attack on everything male. h. Degradation of traditional education. i. Bastardization of science, with half the science papers published are fraudulent and/or plagiarism. j. Cheapening of meritocracy. k. Devaluation of work. 9). The sad part is a large section of the American people do nor understand the difference between Confirmed Evidence and Highly Likely hearsay 10). People ruling the Western Empire are deeply convinced they are the best in everything. Yet, are now becoming unable to do anything 11). Todays peer groups are about androgynous overweight demi-humans living in their parents homes basement, plugged into social media 24hrs a day and trying to figure out which of their 62+ genders they want to be associated with that day.not all totally accurate, yet to have a huge portion of that populace to be associated with such is enough in itself 12). The world is worse than insanely evil and that is not a new thing, it just has too many new technologies to back up the insanity 13). Ordinary people everywhere are way, way too naive to the evil around us and admittedly simply too ignorant of all around them.Is it because they fear the consequences of not being nice to Evil? Or of becoming a specific target? Are they scared of being Snowdened, Assanged and Manninged? Interesting has gone total psychotic WtR This week, the West Chester Area School District Board voted 6 to 3 in favor of returning to a hybrid model in mid-October for Elementary and early November for Secondary. It was a very long meeting, 3.5 hours and it included comments from Jeanne Casner, the Chester County Health Department Director. Our group is pushing for a return to a full 5 days of instruction for those who want that, not a hybrid model. And what has become increasingly clearer every day is that the reason that Districts did not open at all to start the school year and now are moving to hybrid, not 5 full days is due to Jeanne Casners guidance regarding schools opening. Due to her guidance, schools will never be able to return to a 5 full day model because she is requiring 6 feet of social distancing at all times, in addition to wearing masks at all times. The state department of education guidelines state that 6 feet is required, if feasible. So if a district wanted to utilize 3 feet of distancing, they have the ability to do so per the State; however, schools in Chester and Delaware are being told by the county that they should not do this. And the problem is that no School Board wants to go against the County guidance. Therefore, unless she changes her guidance, we will never return to 5 full days. In addition to the Chester County Health Department guidance differing from the State, it also differs from the surrounding county Health Departments. Her guidance is the most restrictive in the area. Our group put together a chart comparing the surrounding counties Health Departments guidance, and as you will see, Chester County is the most restrictive. This is why schools in Montgomery and Bucks counties have already opened. The West Chester School Board members questioned Casner about her guidance, and her responses were not clear or definitive. Other than blaming college students for an increase in cases, she offered no real clarification. When asked why Chester County guidance is different, she stated that it was not really that different, when in fact, that is not the case. We continue to press the Chester County Commissioners to hold Casner accountable and get her to back off the more restrictive guidance and allow School Boards to make the best decisions for their students. Absent a change in position, we will be in a hybrid model for the rest of the school year and possibly longer. I simply do not understand how one woman can impact the fate of almost 200,000 children and their ability to attend school in person. Beth Ann Rosica West Chester Sen. Kamala Harris faces off with Vice President Mike Pence, a key Trump ally, one week from today. Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris weighed in on the first presidential debate of the 2020 election season, saying that President Donald Trump denigrated the office of the presidency in his performance. I think that the American people deserve to have an ability to compare and contrast the candidates, and I think tonight provided a very clear contrast, Harris said on CBS after the debate. Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris delivers remarks at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. She spoke on the loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the fate of the Affordable Care Act. (Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images) On the one hand, you had Joe Biden, who looked into the camera, who spoke to the American people continuously, who understood who was important on that stage, which is American families, Harris told Norah ODonnell. And then you had Donald Trump, who really I think really denigrated the office of the president of the United States much as he has done over the course of the last four years. While Trump was boisterous, belligerent and often interrupted and talked over both the moderator and his challenger, former Vice President Biden has earned criticism for responding with insults. At one point, Biden pointedly opined that Trump was the worst president that America has ever had. Read More: Trump refuses to condemn white supremacy, tells Proud Boys to stand by Moderator Chris Wallace tried to regain control of the debate time and time again, to no avail. At one point, Trump complained that he was the only one being chastised for talking over questions and talking over Bidens answers. Wallace fired back, Frankly, you have been doing more interrupting. The presidential debate was the first of three scheduled before the election on Nov. 3. The second debate is scheduled for Oct. 15 and a final one on Oct. 22. Harris will have an opportunity to face-off with Vice President Mike Pence next Wednesday, Oct. 7. Read More: Trump turns first debate into utter chaos, repeatedly interrupts Biden Story continues Last nights debate has garnered almost universal condemnation. CNN analyst Dana Bash described the chaotic performance as a sh*tshow. Jake Tapper called it embarrassing. Even Fox News described the event as rough and rowdy. A number of media outlets and personalities are calling for the rest of the presidential debates to be canceled. Read More: Trump says his rallies didnt spread virus, many recall Herman Cains death This is a disgrace, a low point in American debate history. There is no reason, not one, that Joe Biden should participate in another debate, Joe Scarborough contended on Twitter. The Atlantic staff writer David Graham wrote Tuesday brought the first presidential debate of the 2020 election, and if there is any sense left in this nation, it will be the last too. Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now! The post Harris: Trump denigrated presidency during debate appeared first on TheGrio. Home Secretary Priti Patel, pictured on 15 September, vowed to deliver 'justice' for the Windrush generation and their descendants All Home Office staff will be trained on Britain's 'history of migration and race' after the department was slammed in a critical Windrush scandal report. The move is part of a series of measures set out in an improvement plan which seeks to overhaul the culture of the department so staff are 'focused on people' and not cases. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'I am leading an unprecedented programme of change to build a Home Office fit for the future, that serves every part of the community it serves. 'The Windrush generation have waited too long for justice and my resolve to deliver for them and their descendants is absolute. This is the first part of our plan to deliver meaningful change.' The department reiterated its pledge to review the hostile environment policy, as recommended in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review by Wendy Williams. It also said it will develop training for all staff so they are 'focused on people' and not cases while every member of staff will have to take part in training on the 'history of migration and race in this country'. The Home Office worked with leaders of community groups and the Windrush Cross-Government working group to form the response to the 30 recommendations. In response to the publication, Ms Williams, who made a string of recommendations to the Home Office on how to improve, said the department had a 'duty' to those affected by the scandal to deliver on its commitments. She added: 'It must now act swiftly to open itself up to greater external scrutiny and to implement wide-ranging cultural change.' Jamaican immigrants are welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship HMT Empire Windrush landed them at Tilbury in 1948 The Empire Windrush was most famous for trips from the West Indies which brought people to work in the UK in the middle of the 20th century She said the plan set out by the department was 'comprehensive and ambitious in many respects' but warned some plans, like the appointment of a Migrants' Commissioner require 'greater clarity and pace if the department is to be successful in its aim to rebuild public trust'. Measures the Home Office says it will take in response to Windrush Lessons Learned Review The creation of a new Community and Stakeholder engagement hub. A review of how the compliant environment operates. Developing a programme of training for the department and all staff so that they are focused on people, not cases. Every member of staff will undertake training on the history of migration and race in this country. The department also established an Urgent and Exceptional Payments process for those members of the Windrush generation who had an urgent and exceptional need. It set up a Vulnerable Persons Team (VPT) and held over 120 engagement and outreach events and surgeries. Over 13,300 documents have been provided to more than 11,500 individuals confirming their status or British citizenship through the Windrush Taskforce, now known as the Windrush Help Team. Source: Home Office Advertisement In the 270-page report, titled Windrush Lessons Learned Review, found the scandal was 'foreseeable and avoidable' and victims were let down by 'systemic operational failings' at the Home Office. The Government department demonstrated 'institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness' towards the issue of race and the history of the Windrush generation, Ms Williams found. A compensation scheme was set up after hundreds of thousands of people from Caribbean countries and their families were wrongly classified as illegal immigrants by the Home Office in 2018, denied legal rights, and threatened with deportation. They had been encouraged to come to Britain to help fill major UK labour shortages after the Second World War between 1948 and 1971. The group was labelled the Windrush Generation after travelling on the ship MV Empire Windrush, which docked in Tilbury, Essex, on June 22, 1948. Permanent Secretary Matthew Rycroft said: 'The Windrush scandal is a spur to action - to make sure that nothing like this can ever happen again in the Home Office. 'We have begun to respond to all the recommendations and will keep going until we have completed the job. 'Our response today sets out how we are shifting the culture to ensure our workforce is focused on people, not cases.' Bishop Derek Webley, co-chair of the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group, added: 'The Windrush Cross-Government Working Group has been working with the Home Office to support its Response to the Lessons Learned Review. 'We are pleased that its publication takes us a step further on the journey to righting the wrongs, and look forward to progressing its implementation over the coming months.' Ms Williams will review the progress of the department after a year. New Delhi: Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL) on Thursday reported 13.53 per cent dip in its total sales in January at 4,87,088 units. The auto major's total sales stood at 5,63,348 units in the year-ago period, the company said in a BSE filing. "Sales of 4,87,088 units for the month of January 2017, is a substantial improvement from the December 2016 sales," Hero MotoCorp Ltd. It further said: "There is a positive change in the market sentiment, which is reflected in the improved offtake, and the company expects industry sales to gradually return towards normalcy". The company expanded its global footprints with the launch of brand Hero in Argentina. The company now has operations in 35 countries across Asia, Africa, South and Central America. When members of The Woodlands-Conroe branch of the Catholic Chaplains Corps could no longer enter the local hospitals to support patients and staff due to the pandemic, they got to work on other ways they could help. The Catholic Chaplains Corps is a program of the The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Bishop John Markovsky, of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, began the program to support the Texas Medical Center in 1967 to better serve the sacramental and spiritual needs of Catholic patients and families. The TMC was just too large for the priests to make visits to all patients. A The Woodlands-Conroe branch was launched as a pilot program in February 2018 to provide support to those hospitalized in Montgomery County. The program is carried out in partnership with three Montgomery County Catholic churches including Sacred Heart, St. Anthony of Padua and Sts. Simon and Jude. Pre-pandemic, trained volunteers with the Catholic Chaplains Corps were able to visit both Catholic and non-Catholic patients in the hospital, nursing home or in a home-bound situations. But COVID-19 halted the volunteers work inside the hospitals. They are hungry for ministry. They feel a grief because they were very active in these efforts, said Nanette Coons, Lay Chaplain for Region One, Conroe and The Woodlands. They had these intimate encounters with people in their hospitals rooms and nursing homes and now thats gone. Coons said there are 66 trained pastoral visitors in this region who can serve the five Montgomery County hospitals that have approximately 1,600 beds. She said the pastoral visitors wanted to know what they could do to help when they couldnt physically enter the hospitals and nursing homes. Two different ways of assistance emerged. About six weeks to two months into the pandemic, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital reached out to the Catholic Chaplains Corps and asked if they could do telehealth visits with the hospitals patients. Janice Poinsett was a team leader in this region and she worked with a team of five pastoral-trained visitors who could call the patient in their hospital room. They get their assignments from the hospital. We try to make them feel comfortable. I tell them to think of me sitting in your hospital room sitting in a chair and visiting with you, Poinsett said. She said the pastoral visitors call and visit with the patient and pray with them if thats something that comes up in the conversation. She said they listen and offer spiritual support as needed. Over the course of five days Poinsett said the team makes approximately 30 or more calls. They are also able to make a referral to the hospitals spiritual care department if they believe the patient needs more support. Through visiting the patients, the volunteers have also formed relationships with the healthcare workers at the hospitals as well. Theyve kept in touch with them during this difficult time and she said the volunteers can hear what theyre going through. In a program modeled after a group that is supporting nursing homes, Coons is heading up efforts to put together support packages for each of the hospitals in Montgomery County with the exception of Texas Childrens Hospital where they are unable to distribute support bags. Each hospital has had its turn and next week she plans to visit HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe with 300 support bags. The bags have prayer cards, hand-written notes, encouragement for taking a pause for themselves during the work day, pre-packaged snack foods and little treats for the staff. Some volunteers who sew have even created prayer caps to be distributed. Coons welcomes donations to the project and she can be reached at ncoons@archgh.org. Those waiting to volunteer can also contact Coons. shernandez@hcnonline.com A familiar collaboration beer with Pennsylvania roots is arriving at stores this fall. Yuenglings Hersheys Chocolate Porter, released on draft last year, is making its debut as a seasonal release in bottles just in time for the holidays. D.G. Yuengling & Son, the nations largest independent brewing company and Americas oldest brewery, announced beginning this month the beer will be released for the first time in bottles while supplies last. The bottles and draft beer will be sold in 22 states where Yuengling beer is distributed. Last years limited-run release in October - a sort of test run for Yuengling - ended up being wildly successful. It sold out within weeks at most locales and had been expected to be available through Valentines Day. Last year we were overwhelmed by the excitement and passion expressed by our fans for our first-ever collaboration beer, said Jennifer Yuengling, vice president of operations. It took roughly nine months to create, and utilized Hershey cocoa powder and chocolate nibs in the brewing process, she told PennLive last year. The new brew marked the first time Yuengling had experimented with a chocolate flavor in any of its products, which has become a popular variety of beer in recent years. Of course, Yuengling has been teasing the new release on social media. Meanwhile, several beer distributors have already started carrying the beer. Balrampur (UP), Sep 30: Amid the widespread outrage over the alleged gang-rape and murder of a Dalit teen from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, an yet another scheduled caste woman died in Balrampur district of the state while being rushed to a hospital after her rape by two youths. . Balrampur Superintendent of Police Dev Ranjan Verma said the incident happened in the Gaisari area of the district, where a 22-year-old Dalit woman, working in a private firm, failed to return home in time on Tuesday evening, prompting her parents to start looking for her. The womans parents said she did not respond to calls on her mobile phone, triggering panic among family members, the police said. The woman, however, returned home shortly later in an autorickshaw with an intravascular cannula, medically known as Vigo and used for administering injection, glucose or other fluids in the body, inserted in her hand, the police said, quoting her parents. The girl looked dazed and in a serious condition, prompting her parents to rush her to a nearby hospital, but she died on the way, said the SP. When the matter was reported to the police from the hospital, the parents alleged that their daughter was gang-raped, SP Verma said. Acting on the parents complaint, police identified the accused as Shahid and Sahil and arrested them, the SP said. Reacting to the incident, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav said, After Hathras, now a daughter was harassed and gang-raped in Balrampur. The victim died in serious condition. Condolences! The BJP government should commit no laxity in this case as was done in Hathras and arrest the accused immediately, he added with a hashtag#Balrampur #NoMoreBJP on his Tweeter handle. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 17:59:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENTIANE, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Lao Ministry of Health urged authorities and people countrywide to remain vigilant and continue to take precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities and people countrywide must remain vigilant and continue to abide by measures determined by the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. The ministry advised people to adapt to new normal to stop the spread of the virus. The public should avoid leaving home for unnecessary reasons, wear masks when going out or visiting risky places, avoid using public transport, observe frequent hand washing with gels or soaps. Social distancing of one to two meters must be observed, besides avoiding sharing personal belongings with others, and changing clothes once reaching home. On Tuesday, a total of 1,724 people entered Laos through international border checkpoints. The temperature of each person entering Laos was checked and no one showed signs of fever. The National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced that it has been monitoring 4,016 people at 50 accommodation centers across the country. Laos announced its first two COVID-19 confirmed cases on March 24. Enditem EDMONTONAlberta is doing a poor job of anticipating and preparing for disasters despite increasing risks from factors such as climate change, says the provinces auditor general. In a report released Tuesday, Doug Wylie said Alberta doesnt have a plan for evaluating threats it faces from floods and wildfires. Its a foundation of an emergency management system that there be a provincial risk assessment, Wylie said. We have seen an increase in disasters, both in their frequency and severity. Disaster costs have been increasing in the province. Wylies report which was completed before the current COVID-19 pandemic noted that the Alberta Emergency Management Authority began preparing a provincial risk assessment in 2014. But when that agency took its assessment to other ministries, there were questions over who was responsible for what. There were concerns raised by various ministries regarding the role of (the authority) in relation to the ministrys role and in relation to local authorities role, Wylie said. Who has overall responsibility for the emergency management system? I guess that was a big part of the issue. As well, the assessment didnt consider interactions between risks, such as between wildfires and heavy smoke. The issues were never resolved and Wylie said the risk assessment remains in its 2015 draft form. Its recommendations were never implemented. The report also points out that municipalities the level of government that would respond first to a disaster have risk assessments that vary widely in quality. Nearly one-quarter of municipalities dont have one at all. Of those that do, 24 per cent have assessments with most of the essential steps, the report says. Edmonton doesnt have a formal protocol for hazard identification. Calgary does. Alberta has 300 municipalities, said Wylie. I would suggest there would be significant variability between those municipalities as well. Wylies report makes two recommendations: develop a plan to evaluate the threats that Alberta will face in the coming years and decades; and improve reporting recommendations from previous disaster reviews. Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard said improvements to reporting after a disaster are to be implemented in the fall and a new risk assessment is to be available early next year. Because the report was completed before the pandemic, the provinces response to COVID-19 will be evaluated separately, she said. We will be reviewing our response to the COVID-19 pandemic when we are through, and will add the data to provincial preparedness. Disaster costs are growing, says the report. Disasters in Alberta cost governments, insurers and other parties $329 million between 2003 and 2009. Over the following seven years, the cost was $9 billion. Scientists have long pointed out that climate change is increasing the chances of extreme weather and other conditions conducive to wildfires. Alberta is also shouldering a larger portion of the costs as the federal government backs away, the report says. Read more about: It is a reminder that research and marketing professionals from all around the world see value in the intelligent software capabilities that we provide. More innovative AI-powered features to come, YouScan, an AI-powered social media intelligence platform with industry-leading image recognition capabilities, has been chosen as the winner of the 2020 MarTech Breakthrough Awards in the "Best Social Media Monitoring Software" category. This competition is organized by MarTech Breakthrough, a global independent organization that is a part of Tech Breakthrough. It is focused on recognizing the best technologies, products, and services in the field of Marketing, Ad & Sales Technology. "I am proud of our team being recognized by MarTech Breakthrough as the winner in such a competitive category. It is a reminder that research and marketing professionals from all around the world see value in the intelligent software capabilities that we provide. More innovative AI-powered features to come," said Alexey Orap, the founder and CEO of YouScan. YouScan helps businesses discover real-world consumption situations, find actionable insights, measure brand visibility, conduct competitor analysis, and manage brand reputation. YouScan has provided services to the leading international brands such as Nestle, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, L'Oreal, Google, and many others. About YouScan YouScan is an AI-powered social media intelligence platform with industry-leading image recognition capabilities established in 2009. It helps businesses analyze brand visibility, discover actionable insights, and manage brand reputation. YouScan is backed by the prominent Swedish investment funds: Kinnevik AB and Vostok New Ventures. VICTORIA - The B.C. government is extending the province's state of emergency for another two weeks, allowing officials to continue using emergency powers to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates how the provincial election will be held during the COVID-19 pandemic at a news conference at the B.C. legislature in Victoria on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito VICTORIA - The B.C. government is extending the province's state of emergency for another two weeks, allowing officials to continue using emergency powers to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The move comes as B.C. reported 105 new cases of the illness and one new death on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 234. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The number of active cases ticked down to 1,268, including 69 people in hospital, while more than 3,300 people are being monitored after exposure to a known case. There has been one new health-care facility outbreak at Haro Park centre, a long-term care facility in Vancouver. In a joint statement, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and deputy health minister Stephen Brown are encouraging people to plan for small gatherings at Thanksgiving, rather than travelling or hosting a large family dinner. "We have had to change our special celebrations and gatherings to keep the people we care about safe," they said. B.C. has recorded 9,013 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and 7,485 people who tested positive have recovered. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2020. As TAMIU celebrates its 50th anniversary, Laredo Morning Times took a detailed look back at the history of the university. This is Part 2 of 12. Following a trying but successful first decade in its existence, Laredo State University saw a new wave of faculty and endeavors in the 1980s. By 1980, LSU had graduated 1,897 students and offered various bachelors and masters degrees. Ushering in the new decade was the naming of LSU President Billy Cowart as the Laredo Times Man of the Year. Cowart and LSU staff, community members and renowned city leaders helped build up the small center into a credible university. On to excellence The Texas Legislature was meager on funding LSU, so the university took it upon itself to raise the money instead. Whitney Halladay, the University System of South Texas Board Chancellor, helped launch the On to Excellence fundraising campaign with an ambitious $400,000 goal. Cowart, LSU Regent Sue Killam, Norma Benavides and Oscar Carrillo oversaw the campaign which started in 1979. The campaign would fund several projects, such as creating fellowships and scholarships for lower- and middle-income families. It would also expand the Institute for International Trade, assist young faculty members in obtaining doctorate degrees, bolster the LSU library collection and help recruit students outside Laredo to the area. By July 1981, the university received $171,500. With so many students commuting to the university or coming from abroad, the Killam Family in 1982 donated $100,000 for constructing the universitys first dormitory on the Laredo Junior College-LSU campus. Oilman and philanthropist Radcliffe Killam said the dorm would help Laredoans make friends from all over the world. The dorms construction was completed in 1985 with 60 rooms that housed 120 students to the tune of $1,200,000. The Hachar Charitable Trust Fund also donated $50,000 to the reading clinic. Along with his son, C.Y. Benavides Sr. had established a general scholarship fund to help needy students to honor his mother, Anita G. Benavides. She was the descendant of the founder of Laredo, Don Tomas Sanchez. The Benavides family donated more than $50,000 and continues to give back today. The campaign also started a distinguished lecture series, with notable speakers such as the former Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Student Assistance Center opened in September 1981 to help students navigate the universitys many resources. It now offers general information for departments and programs, information on special events on campus, a study room checkout, approvals for bulletin board flyers and a lost and found. Change of leadership On July 11, 1980, Halladay died in his sleep while attending a family reunion. President of Texas A&I, Duane M. Leach, was selected as acting chancellor. In January 1984, LSU President Billy Cowart shocked the university when he announced his resignation effective at the end of August. He told the press he had intended on resigning for over a year. He ended up resigning sooner than expected to become the provost at Western Oregon State College at Monmouth. Dr. Leo Sayavedra, a Valley native and longtime educator, was to be the interim president. Sayavedra taught elementary science and math, and he had consulted many school districts since 1972 on Mexican American history and culture. In 1985, Dr. Manuel Trinidad Pacheco was inaugurated as the universitys second president. Pacheco, who specialized in linguistics and bilingual education, served as Dean under Cowart at LSU from 1972 to 1977. Pacheco was chosen out of 60 applicants. Born in Colorado but raised in a small village in northeastern New Mexico, he was a Fulbright Fellow - a recipient of a prestigious U.S. Cultural Exchange Program grant - with a doctorate in Foreign Language Education from The Ohio State University. He also served as an Education Policy Aide to New Mexico Gov. Tony Anaya. I was very pleased because its not very often that a person gets an opportunity to help really establish a new university, Pacheco said. When I got there, it was far from being established, so being able to come in and establish both the business and functional parts of the institution as well as the academic programs was very exciting. Under Pacheco, history professor Dr. Rex Ball became the vice president for administration. Ball was with the university since it was merely a center in 1970. Joe Garcia became the chief fiscal officer. It was empowering to see so many people dedicated to making sure the school succeeded, Pacheco said. The faculty went above and beyond normal expectations to make sure the school was successful. Among the most notable moments of Pachecos time was his protesting at the Texas Legislature to keep LSU funded. This was in hopes to maintain its status as a university rather than just a center attached to LJC. Yet two years after his appointment, Pacheco announced he accepted a position as president of the University of Houston-Downtown in 1988. After much deliberation, the University System of South Texas Chancellor announced Sayavedra as LSUs third President. Sayavedra did not attend school until he was 12, and he attended a segregated elementary school. Sayavedra hopped from place to place where he was forced along with African American students to stay away from the white students. He sought quality higher education. He hitchhiked to San Antonio College where he found a job at a gas station working 10-hour shifts on top of a full stack of courses. Sayavedra later earned a scholarship to Trinity University where he got his bachelors in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. He then earned a masters in education and mathematics from North Texas State University, and later a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from UT Austin. Sayavedra would go on to drastically transform and embolden the university, including overseeing the merge with the Texas A&M System and expanding various degrees and programs. We had to expand the academic programs, Sayavedra said. We became one of the institutions that would offer a degree in international business. Things developed, one thing to another. Funding highs and lows Once again, the university experienced funding uncertainty as the Texas Legislature and the oil economy were unpredictable and sometimes unforgiving. It was a good year in 1983 for the university. Enrollment had tripled since 1973, and the Texas House approved a $75 million constitutional fund for 17 smaller university and state colleges - including LSU - that were not part of larger systems such as UT and A&M. Yet in 1985, the pesos value was dropping as oil prices were slumping. During this chaotic time, Texas Gov. Mark White recommended a $460 million cut in funding for universities and state colleges. The Texas Legislature Budget Board recommended slashing $560 million, which would reduce the universitys 1986 proposed budget from $4,150,107 nearly in half to $2,551,689. LSU also placed a moratorium on hiring and cut $92,000 from its budget. The Texas House also proposed eliminating the Institute for International Trade, which had drawn in many international students and plenty of attention to LSU. Yet Irma Rangel, a Kingsville native and member of the Subcommittee to the House Appropriations Committee, secured funding for the Institute. In February, Pacheco went to Austin to prevent budget cuts before the House Appropriations Committee. He said many students could not transfer to other higher education institutions. The next month, he returned to Austin, and after much testifying, LSUs budget was cut by only 5.7% rather than 26%. This resulted in $189,000 less than the previous budget for the 1986-87 school year. Yet tuition increased due to the budget cut. Specifically, non-resident students tuition tripled as enrollment plunged. The total of Mexican students attending the university dropped in half. The following year, Texas Gov. Mark White asked universities by executive order in February 1988 to chop down their budgets due to slumping oil prices. His magic number was a 13% decrease by March. With much negotiating and deliberating, Pacheco announced the budget would only be cut by 3% after the past year full of detrimental slashes. After an avoided blow, White appointed 23 people to a Border Economic Development task force which held hearings in Laredo. One of their hearings including members from LSU and the community, including Sayavedra, business professor Donald Barresen and history professor Rex Ball. Sayavedra spoke on appropriations for higher education being severely underfunded and neglected in South Texas compared to Central Texas. There was a number of people from Laredo, and they helped us a whole lot, Sayavedra said. Some were not very happy about what we were doing, but afterwards everybody realized that we were trying to do the right thing, and as a consequence, we changed higher education in South Texas a great deal. We started in Laredo, and we sent more and more kids an opportunity to go there. Although they dodged a funding crisis, LSU faced threats of closure altogether. Word spread that the Governors Select Committee on Higher Education considered closing several universities. The committee, chaired by Larry Temple, discussed reverting LSU back into a branch studies center. In response, Dr. Joaquin Cigarroa and community leaders created a petition that year to defend the university from closing. It gathered 11,000 signatures, including those from banks, churches, shopping centers and other local businesses. The petition also included State Representative-elect Henry Cuellars signature. Cuellar earned his MBA from LSU and is now the U.S Representative for Texass 28th congressional district, which includes Laredo. State Sen. Judith Zaffirini said she always wanted a university in Laredo, especially since she had an exhausting schedule commuting back and forth from Laredo to Austin. She and Cuellar advocated rigorously for the university at the Texas Capitol. I left (Laredo) every Sunday after lunch, Zaffirini said. I would leave my sisters home and drive to Austin. I would drive by myself until 10 p.m., get up on Tuesday and teach at Laredo Junior College, and take all day until like 9:30 at night. Then on Wednesday, she slept and would return on Thursday. And then she would do it all again Sunday. It was such a sacrifice that I did not want Laredoans to sacrifice to get a degree, she said. And there were so many Laredoans who did not even think about getting a degree. People didnt know about university, most striving to get a high school diploma - and at the time it was mostly for men, not women. Pacheco emphasized the fact the border region severely lacked educational opportunities and any sort of upward mobility. There was clearly a need to provide opportunity to young people to get an education, Pacheco said. The ability of students to travel to other places to go to college - it wasnt affordable, so it was very difficult for them to have to go to other places. The Lieutenant Governor was one of the big proponents of providing more institutions and availability in South Texas. Pacheco said he did not believe the Legislature was specifically targeting LSU but had financial concerns to deal with. I think some people believed that there was a bias, Pacheco said. I thought they thought it was appropriate for the existing institution to meet those needs. Political and community leaders pulled out all the stops. U.S. Rep. Abraham Chick Kazen responded to Zaffirinis call for a select committee to testify before Temple in Austin. Kazen and his members took four airplanes provided by local banks to the bustling capital. LULAC leaders and activists testified before the committee, all reiterating the fact Laredo was segregated through poverty and politics. Gov. White, seeking reelection against Bill Clements, rallied behind the cause. (We will) make certain that Laredo State University stays here, and its going to be improved, said White at the time. A step toward independence Political fervor swirled in Laredo and carried over to the Capitol as busloads of advocates defended their beloved university before oil bigwigs and ingrained, old money Texas politicians. In the universitys legislation allowing it to exist, there was language which referred to it as a center which politicians could use to justify reverting it back to. The freshman State Sen. Zaffirini, inaugurated in 1987, created Senate Bill 658 to remove this provision. Being designated as a center meant LSU could be closed by a majority vote of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board with no legislative action, Zaffirini said. Re-designating it as an upper-level educational institution placed it under the authority of the Texas Legislature. That meant its closure would require a bill to be passed and signed by the governor. About 50 Laredoans and others passionate about LSU went to Austin, including Pacheco, to testify before State Sen. Carl Parkers Education Committee. It threatens the existence of Laredo State University and has a negative impact on students, faculty, administration (and) recruitment, and (it) hinders long-range planning efforts, said Pacheco at the time. Zaffirini even had the backing of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, chaired by Larry Temple. He had initially considered reverting LSU back to its old ways, but Temple later penned a letter to Parker stating his board would not oppose her bill. The bill passed the Senate Education Committee 10-0. Cuellar sponsored similar legislation in the House, and advocates returned this time to testify before the Houses Higher Education Committee. His sponsored bill was nearly untouched except for a few small changes, and it sailed through the House in May. The next month, Texas Gov. Bill Clements signed the bill. I vividly remember the legislative effort, supported by strong local support, Zaffirini said. It was a unifying effort. LSU had gained its independence as a stand-alone university, yet talk of merging with LJC was on the horizon. Merger talks At the tail end of the decade, momentous changes shook up the university on how it would operate and be supported. Higher education and community officials floated the idea of LSU merging with Laredo Junior College. In 1985, that idea became a true possibility when Laredo Junior College Dean Jose Roberto Juarez started talking with Sayavedra, who was Dean at the time. They both considered using Lamar University at Orange - now Lamar State College-Orange - as an example of financial savings from mergers, yet the Texas Legislature would not budge. Creating a four-year university would result in reducing nearly half the staff, yet they argued it would expand more degrees in fields such as fine arts, languages, biology and nursing. Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby even drafted proposed legislation where both institutions would answer to only one administrative body. The LJC Board of Trustees said the bill caught them off-guard and gave them little notice of discussion, so they did not take any action on it. Hobby brought everyone together to convince them otherwise, yet LJC opposed the idea and it never came to fruition. In 1988, Texas A&M University System and the University System of South Texas conducted a study which found Texas A&I University, Corpus Christi State University and LSU would all benefit by merging with the A&M System. The study stated there were several advantages to the change, such as joint research and more access to administrative support services. There was even consideration to join the UT System at that time. We had a presentation from A&M because they were thinking about us, and ultimately we felt that A&M was going to be better for us in Laredo, because the University of Texas System wanted to control the entire border from Brownsville to El Paso, Sayavedra said. We were concerned about that because we wanted to control the international trade between Mexico and the U.S. The University System of South Texas Board of Directors just needed the green light to dissolve, granted by President Blas Martinez. The A&M Board voted for it, and the Texas Legislature approved LSU to become part of the A&M System in 1989. Sayavedra talked to the Texas A&M System Board and said they needed land and money to build everything. This is when I talked to Mr. Killam and Mrs. Killam, and I told them what I was trying to do. But ultimately, I finally showed him what I was hoping to do, so they agreed, and we got the land. After that, we got the money to start building Phase 1, Sayavedra said. In 1990, Radcliffe Killam donated 200 acres of land to the university for its own campus where it sits today, in a lush green landscape with frolicking deer. It took a while, but they got it done, Sayavedra said. The United States ordered the freezing of any US assets of the central bank governor, Hazem Karfoul, and the other Syrians, with any financial transactions with them now punishable in the United States The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on Syria's central bank chief and 16 other people or institutions, part of a bid to prevent the war-ravaged country from normalizing under President Bashar al-Assad. The United States ordered the freezing of any US assets of the central bank governor, Hazem Karfoul, and the other Syrians, with any financial transactions with them now punishable in the United States. The US Treasury Department, which is widely targeting anyone affiliated with Assad, did not allege specific crimes by Karfoul but pointed to reports he tried to shake down businesses to contribute to state coffers. "Those who continue to stand with the brutal regime of Bashar al-Assad further enable its corruption and human rights abuses," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that sanctions against Syrian figures "will not cease until the Assad regime and its enablers take irreversible steps to end their campaign of violence against the Syrian people." Among others designated by the Treasury Department are businessman Khodr Taher bin Ali and Husam Muhammad Louka, head of the General Intelligence Directorate, one of the country's spy agencies. Taher was accused of being a key supplier for the army's Fourth Division including through the creation of a private security firm that has become the unit's "informal executive arm." The Treasury Department said Taher also set up a telecommunications provider, Emma Tel LLC, in an apparent bid to counter Rami Makhlouf, a tycoon who has fallen out with his cousin Assad. The State Department separately said it was designating three people or units over deadly air strikes three years ago in the town of Armanaz, in Idlib province near the Turkish border. At least 34 Syrians died in the attack, according to the State Department's toll, as Russia backed Syria in operations against jihadists. Assad has won back most of Syria after a brutal nine-year war that has claimed more than 380,000 lives and displaced millions. Under the Caesar Act, a law that took effect in June, the United States is hoping to prevent any reconstruction effort or normalization of trade without accountability over atrocities under Assad. Search Keywords: Short link: We also want to inspire hope in our community during this time of uncertainty. Spitzer, an automotive dealer family, joined Susan G. Komen Northeast Ohio to donate $32 for every vehicle sold during The Spitzer 32 Reasons Event in October to fund breast cancer research. We love when local businesses find new ways to support the cause, said Leslie Ahern, Development Associate at Komen Northeast Ohio. We are honored to be part of The Spitzer 32 Reasons Event. The Spitzer 32 Reasons Event is a response to the statistic that 32 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every hour. By partnering with the local breast cancer research organization, Spitzer plans to donate over $50,000 throughout October. Our goal isnt just to raise money, said Andrew Spitzer, Chief Operating Officer at Spitzer. We also want to inspire hope in our community during this time of uncertainty. If you are interested in obtaining more information about The Spitzer 32 Reasons Event, please contact us online at Spitzer.com or call your local Spitzer location. ABOUT SPITZER Spitzer is a family-owned automotive organization with locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. Each of their locations offers a wide selection of new and pre-owned vehicles from several different manufacturers. Since 1904, Spitzer has been devoted to pairing drivers with the perfect vehicle. They are also committed to providing excellent customer service, thus the companys slogan, At Spitzer, Our World Revolves Around You. Spitzers main goals are to be professional, transparent and straightforward with all of their guests. ABOUT SUSAN G. KOMEN NORTHEAST OHIO Komen Northeast Ohio is helping fuel research, advocate for patients and support people facing breast cancer locally through a variety of direct patient-centered services and by collaborating with area providers to remove barriers and connect people to needed care across 22 counties For more information, call 216.292.CURE (2873), or visit http://www.Komenneohio.org. Its a sign of the times. As Ontarios COVID-19 infections soar, Premier Doug Ford invited political rivals to huddle in his Queens Park office Wednesday to discuss the pandemic response. We have the best plan in the country and we are ready to respond as the situation on the ground changes, Ford told reporters before the meeting with Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, Green Leader Mike Schreiner, and NDP MPP John Vanthof, standing in for leader Andrea Horwath. We have the best and the brightest minds working together on this. We have an army of front-line heroes helping to deliver this plan. But well need everyone pulling in the same direction, the premier said. After the closed-door 45-minute meeting, Fords office called it a productive discussion that underscored the importance of putting partisanship aside during this extremely difficult and unprecedented situation. As the premier has said before, there is no Team Blue, Orange, Red or Green when it comes to the health and well-being of the people of Ontario. He pressed that a Team Ontario approach is crucial in our fight against the spread of COVID-19. Del Duca said he was encouraged that Ford agreed with his suggestion that these Team Ontario meetings between the opposition leaders, premier and senior cabinet ministers should occur on a regular basis moving forward. Health Minister Christine Elliot, Finance Minister Rod Phillips, and Dr. David Williams, the chief medical officer of health, were also at the meeting. The Liberal leader implored the premier to focus on expanding lab capacity for testing (and) boost pay for front-line workers in our nursing homes. Del Ducas office said he and Ford agreed that the pandemic should be the number one priority of all political parties and that more needs to be done to boost Ontarios economic recovery. Vanthof (Timiskaming-Cochrane) pinch hit for Horwath, who had a long-scheduled medical appointment. I have a lot of respect for the premiers office and for the premier, said the NDPs deputy chief. But he was the one who brought up politics after insisting he doesnt want to be partisan. He said he likes NDP supporters because they vote for him, the MPP said. I didnt mention a political party he did, said Vanthof. On Twitter, Schreiner said he voiced concerns from constituents about the delay in delivering a second wave plan. I urged the premier to meet with the opposition again so we can work through COVID-19 together. Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:41:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Luo Huining addresses a ceremony in celebration of the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) HONG KONG, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Luo Huining on Wednesday urged Hong Kong to more actively integrate into the national development amid external challenges. "In the face of the increasingly severe and complicated international situation, Hong Kong needs the shoulders of its great motherland more than ever," Luo said when addressing a ceremony in celebration of the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. For its long-term prosperity, Hong Kong should make full use of its greatest advantage of "one country, two systems" and seize the opportunities from the reform and opening-up of the mainland, Luo said, citing in particular the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development. By integrating into the national development, Hong Kong can truly address its deep-seated development bottlenecks and guarantee the improvement of people's livelihood, Luo said. As long as it firmly stands with the motherland, Hong Kong can successfully deal with various risks and challenges, break through the whirlpool of "pan-politicization" and "burn with us" violence, and continue to shine as "Pearl of the Orient," Luo said. Enditem The first commercial wind farm in Canada was built on Cowley Ridge back in 1993. Since then, a growing interest in renewable energy has turned southwestern Alberta into a wind energy hot spot. The growing electrical power generated by the numerous wind turbines has created a situation where the current transmission line system is not able to move the electricity onto Albertas grid where it can be used. As a result, the Alberta Energy System Operator has asked transmission company AltaLink to build a new transmission line with a larger voltage capacity. The project, called Chapel Rock to Pincher Creek (CRPR), will see a new Chapel Rock substation built, connected to the Goose Lake substation outside Pincher Creek via a 240-kilovolt transmission line. Transmission lines transport electricity at very high voltages (typically 135 to 240 kV) from where it is generated, such as wind farms, coal plants or hydroelectric dams. The transmission lines carry the electricity from the substation where it was generated to a substation where it will be consumed. Substations have electrical infrastructure that can accept the different voltages from different transmission lines, and through equipment called transformers lower the voltage (usually to 25 kV or lower) so the electricity can then be transported through power lines called distribution lines to residential homes and businesses. Transformers mounted on the ground or the pole itself again lower the electricity to 240 volts so it can be used safely. The Chapel Rock substation will also connect to a transmission line called 1201L that runs out to British Columbia in whats called an intertie, or a line that interconnects two utility systems. In general, this is the project: build a 240-kV line to a Chapel Rock substation that connects to an Alberta-B.C. connection. Where things get a little confusing is AltaLink is planning to submit two proposals to accomplish the task. The first proposal, called South Technical Solution, would see the Goose Lake substation connect to the Chapel Rock substation built north of Bellevue at SW-8-8-3-W5. The new transmission line would run mostly east to west along Highway 507 and then up through Burmis. The new transmission line would use existing rights of way, or the cleared path of land AltaLink owns that allows the line to operate. The major work of the South Technical solution, then, would just be upgrading the current lines to the required 240-kV capacity. The North Technical Solution is the second proposal. The new north transmission line would run west and north, mostly between Highway 22 and the Oldman River. What further complicates visualizing the North proposal is multiple routes are being explored as potential options by AltaLink, including two sites for the Chapel Rock substation: outside the hamlet of Tod Creek at NW-33-9-2-W5, and beside the hamlet of Chapel Rock at NW-31-8-2-W5. Depending on what route is chosen, the North Technical transmission line will connect the Chapel Rock substation with either the Castle Rock Ridge substation or the Goose Lake substation. Both North and South proposals will utilize a mixture of monopole and H-frame transmission line structures. AltaLink is currently preparing its proposals to submit as an application to the Alberta Utilities Commission by the end of the year. Only one route out of those proposed will be selected and built as the project. Determining which route ultimately gets selected, explains Amanda Sadleir, manager of corporate communications at AltaLink, rests on what proposal creates the least amount of impact visually and environmentally. Camouflaging options exist for the poles themselves, depending on the surrounding landscape. Environmental considerations, such as flight patterns of birds and the surrounding vegetation, will also be included in the proposal so as to mitigate natural disturbances during the lines construction and operation. Though admittedly confusing, Ms. Sadleir says the options included in the South and North Technical Solutions proposal give AltaLink needed flexibility. AltaLink is also still determining cost comparisons between the two proposals. Despite having multiple options to ensure the project has the least amount of impact, some residents in the area feel the existing power lines are already one too many. The people in Crowsnest Pass really like their view, says Mayor Blair Painter. When they look outside, they like what they see. They dont want to see changes; they dont like the power line that is existing there right now. He adds that the residents of Bellevue especially oppose AltaLinks proposed South Technical route, citing fears the taller infrastructure will be unsightly and create additional sound annoyance as the wind rushes past. For Vern Harrison, a Bellevue resident for the last 21 years, the irritation goes beyond annoying noise. He points out the South Technical Solution runs along the same route the Castle Rock Ridge to Chapel Rock transmission project proposed in 2014; the project was shelved a year later. In a letter Mr. Harrison provided to the Breeze, AltaLink said the Bellevue route had been dismissed because the terrain, line length and concern over a critical fish habitat made it the most expensive route. Mr. Harrison finds it extremely suspicious that AltaLink hasnt communicated any cost comparisons this time around. Were the ratepayers, he says. Its going to cost us, not AltaLink. Mr. Harrison is also concerned with how transmission lines affect alpine real estate prices. Though AltaLink says agricultural real estate is only temporarily affected, Mr. Harrison says the company has told him that it does not have any such data for alpine properties. The South Technical Solution currently has the line passing along a ridge 200 metres behind Mr. Harrisons house. As a result, he has been heavily invested in AltaLinks engagement with public stakeholders and he encourages others to do the same. We have to speak up because silence is agreeance, he says. Mayor Painter is also a little wary that AltaLinks decision on which route to go with could be motivated by corporate convenience rather than minimizing impact to the area. My big thing is, stick to approved routes, he says. If you look at a map of all the transmission lines in our little corner of the world here, it looks like a spider web because they just pick the easiest route, not considering how this looks on the landscape. Theres no consideration for esthetics. Brian Hammond, reeve of the MD of Pincher Creek, says MD residents may have similar worries. Both the proposed South and North solutions would border or cross private property. From a practical perspective, the reeve says, keeping the lines off private land would be ideal, though the bigger issue is the actual size of the power line structure themselves. The challenge is to figure out how to complement existing infrastructure while enhancing it. Less is probably better theres probably consensus about that. Should the transmission line need to cross someones property, AltaLink does offer compensation through a single right-of-way payment or ongoing annual structure payments for landowners. The right-of-way agreement provides compensation for the interest in the land required to maintain and operate the transmission line, provided at fair market value per acre for the total area used by the crossing. Annual structure payments help cover costs potentially incurred by landowners as a result of having transmission structures on their property, like when use of an area is lost when the structure becomes operational, when structures affect cultivation, or when additional time to safely operate farm equipment around the transmission line is required. ASPs are reviewed every five years to ensure reasonable compensation. Though he believes most landowners likely wont have a problem with power lines near or on their property, the reeve says properly considering concerns is a vital part of the process. Its all part of a puzzle in terms of how we deal with power, and renewables in particular, in our area, he says. Public engagement, Ms. Sadleir insists, is key to AltaLinks process. We know that the people that live and work in the area know the land best, and so we rely on information from them, she says. She encourages any interested landowner or member of the public with questions about the project to reach out directly to AltaLink at 1-877-267-1453 or stakeholderrelations@altalink.ca. An online feedback form is also available at www.altalink.ca/project/project-feedback. Read more about: Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 22:19:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government on Wednesday extended tax breaks for aviation companies and tourism-related businesses for another three months to help offset losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, said its press statement. "Even though people's livelihoods have been stabilized and businesses have been gradually reopened, garment-textile sector, tourism and aviation are still the hardest by the COVID-19," the statement said. It said Cambodian airlines will be granted an extended minimum tax exemption for another three months from October to December, 2020. Also, the government extended another three-month tax holiday from October to December for hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tour companies in capital Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Kep and Kampot provinces, as well as in Bavet and Poipet cities. The statement said unemployed workers in the garment-textile, footwear and travel goods sector will continue to receive 40 U.S. dollars from the government and 30 dollars from the suspended factory per month for another three months, while the jobless in tourism also get 40 dollars a month from the government for the same period. It said the government will continue to provide a cash relief to about 689,973 poor and vulnerable families for another three months until the end of the year. The Southeast Asian nation has so far recorded a total of 277 confirmed COVID-19 cases, a Ministry of Health's statement said on Wednesday, adding that none has died and 275 have recovered. Enditem We are thrilled and honored to have our accomplishments recognized by The Globe and Mail. This achievement goes out to our employees and our customers for their commitment to food safety and consumer protection. Canadas Top Growing Companies ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. Agri-Neo earned its spot with three-year growth of 308%. Agri-Neo is a technology company focused on developing food safety solutions for a wide range foods. Its patented organic pasteurization technology, Neo-Pure, provides a 5-log (99.999%) reduction of harmful pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, while maintaining the raw nutrition and sensory qualities of foods such as nuts, seeds, and grains. Agri-Neo has also recently launched Neo-Temper, an organic food safety solution for flour, to address the growing number of flour recalls in North America. In the future, Agri-Neo plans to develop more food safety solutions for fruits & vegetables, meats, and other food groups with high risk of food safety recalls. We are thrilled and honored to have our accomplishments recognized by The Globe and Mail. This achievement goes out to our employees and our customers for their commitment to food safety and consumer protection, said Nick Dillon, CEO of Agri-Neo. We are proud to provide solutions to food safety problems, and will continue to advance our mission of helping safely feed the world. Every year, over 600 million people around the world fall ill after eating contaminated food and we want to help eliminate this global problem. Launched in 2019, the Canadas Top Growing Companies editorial ranking aims to celebrate entrepreneurial achievement in Canada by identifying and amplifying the success of growth-minded, independent businesses in Canada. It is a voluntary program; companies had to complete an in-depth application process in order to qualify. In total, 400 companies earned a spot on this years ranking. The full list of 2020 winners, and accompanying editorial coverage, is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazineout nowand online at tgam.ca/TopGrowing. The stories of Canadas Top Growing Companies are worth telling at any time, but are especially relevant in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, says James Cowan, Editor of Report on Business magazine. As businesses work to rebuild the economy, their resilience and innovation make for essential reading. Any business leader seeking inspiration should look no further than the 400 businesses on this years Report on Business ranking of Canadas Top Growing Companies, says Phillip Crawley, Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail. Their growth helps to make Canada a better place, and we are proud to bring their stories to our readers. About The Globe and Mail The Globe and Mail is Canadas foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 5.9 million readers every week in print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2.1 million readers in print and digital every issue. The Globe and Mails investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family. About Agri-Neo The Agri-Neo mission is to help safely feed the world by creating technology that sets new food safety standards. Neo-Pure and Neo-Temper developed by Agri-Neo, eliminate harmful pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, while maintaining the nutrition and quality that flourishes naturally in food. Agri-Neo has a dedicated team of food scientists, researchers, and engineers to launch more food safety solutions for many high risk food groups in the future. For more information, visit http://www.agri-neo.com. In 1990, then serving IPS officer Kishore Kunal was overseeing the dialogue between Muslims and Hindus on the Ayodhya land dispute to find an amicable solution. But four days after its last meeting, the Babri Masjid was razed to the ground. As the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of the Ayodhya Cell under three prime ministers VP Singh, Chandra Shekhar and PV Narasimha Rao Kunal compiled several reports about the developments with regards to these talks, which he says were going in the right direction. Kunal, who now is an executive officer in a temple in Ayodhya, wholeheartedly supports the views of the CBI court, which, on Wednesday, acquitted all 32 accused in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case and dismissed the CBIs case of it being a pre-planned conspiracy. We know for a fact that the CBI case was actually fabricated. There was no conspiracy in the Babri Masjid demolition," he told News18.com in an interview. Edited excerpts: What are your views on the verdict? As far as I know, the judge has said that the evidence put forth by the CBI was fabricated. He has observed that there was no conspiracy angle to the demolition of the mosque. I think it is the correct view. As an official who saw the events from up close, I can say with 100% conviction that there was no conspiracy in the razing of the mosque. So how did thousands of armed people from across the country assemble on December 6 and demolish the mosque? There are two aspects to this. First, that Kar Sevaks were fed up of being called to Ayodhya repeatedly. They may have felt that theyre being called repeatedly and nothing happens each time. They had been called four times to do Kar Seva in Ayodhya in 1992. There could have been a feeling, as is the saying in Bihar, na rahega baans, na bajegi bansuri. The second aspect to this, I feel, is that among the Kar Sevaks, there was a small but violent group which was determined in bringing down the mosque. How were the talks progressing? The talks were going on well, although the Muslim side had stopped attending the meetings. But I feel that if the talks had continued, it would have eventually resulted in a peaceful solution that would have been acceptable for both sides. The demolition could have been prevented. Did you at any point during the final months of 1992 feel that the mosque was actually going to be razed to the ground? I dont think anyone felt certain about it. But there were some deeply unsettling events. On November 2 of that year, when so many Kar Sevaks were fired upon and killed, that was a breaking point. When was the last dialogue held and what was discussed in it? The last meeting took place on December 2, 1992. There was a dispute between the Hindu side and the government. The government wanted Hindu leaders to delay the <>em>Kar Seva that they had announced on December 6. But the Hindu leaders were adamant. They said that the call has been given and people have started from across the country so the Kar Seva cannot be delayed. They wanted instead the government to appeal before the court hearing the matter, which had reserved its judgment in the case, to announce its verdict before December 6. The government did not do so. Which is why the Kar Sevaks go on to demolish Babri mosque? There was no sign that the Kar Sevaks would resort to violence. Every Hindu leader from the big BJP leaders to Ramchandra Das Paramhans (who was the head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas before its present chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das) had also said that they will only do a symbolic Kar Seva. The mosque demolition was completely unexpected. Life on Earth is all about strategies for survival, with every organism developing behaviors and bodies that maximize chances of staying alive and reproducing while minimizing the likelihood of being injured or eaten. Fish are one such example. For millions of years, many species have evolved a safety-in-numbers strategy that confuses predators and ensures the survival of the maximum number of individuals as they move about in the ocean. According to scientists at UC Santa Barbara, the Santa Fe Institute and the University of Washington, however, thanks to modern industrial fishing practices and technologies, schooling behavior may become less common. "The findings from our model suggest that industrial fishing can decrease the tendency of fish to form large groups," said UCSB graduate student researcher Ana Sofia Guerra, lead author of a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. This change in behavior has implications for both the fish and their predators, including humans. "People have been studying fisheries science for centuries," added marine ecologist and paper co-author Douglas McCauley, an associate professor of ecology, evolution and marine biology at UC Santa Barbara. "But we've never considered: Could modern fishing technology be killing schooling behavior?" Indeed, the capacity to extract large amounts of fish from the ocean has grown in the past several decades, with ships and fleets able to access and fish from even remote areas of the ocean. Purse-seining and trawling both involve deploying enormous nets that target large groups of fish. Drones and spotter planes increase the efficiency of these mass-capture methods. "One of the reasons schooling behavior exists is to avoid a predator attack, but by developing technology that can capture entire schools, we have turned the tables on that strategy," Guerra said. To better understand this effect, Guerra and McCauley, along with colleagues Albert Kao from the Santa Fe Institute and Andrew M. Berdahl from the University of Washington, constructed an evolutionary fission-fusion model to simulate the behavior of individual schooling fish faced with different levels of predation, both natural and human. The model describes changes in fishes' preference to form large schools while subjected to different levels of human fishing pressure and natural predation. The results show that the larger the prevalence of mass-capture practices relative to natural predation, the more individual fish preferences shift toward smaller group sizes. "Suddenly the sardine in a big school is a lot more vulnerable to a human predator than one that prefers smaller schools or a solitary lifestyle," Guerra said. Collectively, this change in preference will result in smaller groups and more solitary individuals. In fact, this change could have several impacts, according to the researchers. For one thing, natural predators that rely on these fish also have evolved hunting methods based on the fishes' tendencies to travel in large groups. "We are not the only predators who have figured out how to exploit schooling fish," Guerra said. Seabirds and pelagic predators often coordinate their attacks. Humpback whales corral herring using 'bubble nets' before swooping in, although their ability to exploit schools is not as effective or expansive as that of humans. "By altering schooling behavior, we could actually impact marine predators that rely on schooling fish," she said. It's a socioeconomic issue, too. Foragefish, which include anchovies, herring and sardines, are a large segment of the global fishing industry, valued at $16.9 billion. The economy and efficiency of their capture makes them the basis of thousands of livelihoods. Changes in their schooling behavior might require more time, effort and resources to catch them, which puts the fisheries in a vulnerable position. Is it reversible? Yes, but only after a lag that would allow the fish to evolve their preferences similar to those observed in the absence of fishing, according to the paper. "If you wanted to reverse the effects of fishing on a fish population's tendency to school, you would have to reduce fishing to a much lower level than what it took to cause the effect in the first place," Guerra said. Especially worrying is their finding that it is difficult to see these impacts on schooling until it is too late -- data is incomplete at best. For example, data from purse-seining operations will focus on large schools and ignore the smaller schools. "If what happens in these models is actually playing out in the ocean, it means we may keep catching fish schools, thinking everything is fine," McCauley said. "Until we catch the last school. And discover that everything is not fine." This wouldn't be the first time large-scale fishing has introduced evolutionary pressures into fish populations. For instance, the practice of selecting for the largest individuals, has, generation over generation, produced smaller adults in some species. "Because we consistently harvest the largest fish in the population, it has become an advantage for them to be smaller -- they are less of a target and therefore more likely to survive and reproduce," Guerra explained. "With intense fishing pressure, it is also advantageous to reproduce earlier at a smaller size." This phenomenon has already occurred with salmon in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in Europe and North America. This research is an investigation into the area of the behavioral consequences of targeting large schools, a rather underexplored area of fishery science. Most research assumes that fish behaviors do not change. "Fishery science sometimes tends to treat fish as just numbers on an accounting sheet," McCauley said. "Our work reminds us that fish are not just numbers. They are living animals with behavior. "We know from many contexts that hunted animals can shift behavior slowly to evade capture -- this seems to be possible for fish as well," he continued. "Our models suggest fishing could very easily be changing fish behavior in ways that affect both fish and fishers." ### Cruisin for a Cause has had two successful years with hundreds of people coming to Main Street in Downtown Park Hills to enjoy a past tradition of cruising up and down the street while also supporting local senior citizens. This year, event organizers have had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic with social distancing guidelines and other precautions, and decided to have a COVID Cruise with safety in mind. Just like Cruisin for a Cause, the COVID Cruise benefits the Park Hills Senior Centers Meals on Wheels program which provides food for hundreds of senior citizens in the area. Park Hills Senior Center Director Holly Buxton said that this year, the senior center will not be able to hold a lot of their normal fundraising events like Black Friday Bingo. She said the COVID Cruise will be one of the only fundraisers that they can do safely and she hopes people will take advantage of the chance to get out of the house for a fun evening. You know we're hoping that we just have a great turnout, said Buxton. You know, we had to come up with the COVID Cruise because of social distancing and everything; we still need funding to help us out. Actually, we've grown in people over the last couple of months, she said in reference to the number of seniors on the meal routes. So, we're still needing extra funding for the extra meals and, might as well face it right now, fundraising as we know it has drastically changed. Buxton explained that event volunteers will be dressed in orange shirts and some will be collecting donations in buckets at the street corners along the cruise route. She said donations can also be sent to the Park Hills Senior Center located at 224 W. Main St. Cruising will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and continue until 9 p.m. There will be at least nine food trucks serving up different types of festival fare beginning at 4 p.m. The food vendors will be located in the Municipal Parking Lot off Main Street near the cruising route, and carhops will be on-site to take and serve food orders. Event patrons will be able to enjoy a wide range of sweet and salty dishes from food vendors including, The Lunch Lady, Grandmas Sugar Shack, Caseys Cookin', Sugar Chic, Daddy Os Cheesesteaks, Nana & Papas Old Fashioned Kettle Corn, Concessionaire Extraordinaire, Sweet Alamode, and Barn Door Eatery. Buxton highly recommended food items from all the vendors and noted that the senior center would benefit from a portion of the evenings food sales. At the end of the evening, they're going to make us a love donation, said Buxton. And that's why we're really encouraging people to come have your dinner, your snacks [at the cruise]. We want everyone to really visit the food trucks because [the senior center] will be making some kind of money from them, she added. Plus, they have wonderful food. Along with the delicious food and cruising, some contests will also take place Saturday. There will be judging for the Best Dressed Vehicle, with three contest categories: Coolest Vehicle, Best Classic, and Most Elaborate. Trophies will be awarded to the winners of each category. Organizer Samantha Vaughn mentioned that with Central High Schools Homecoming taking place the day before the COVID Cruise, they hope to see many vehicles Saturday still decorated from the homecoming parade. She said she also believed the decoration contest would be a great opportunity for businesses to participate and promote their organizations during the event. The decoration contest is free to enter. Vaughn said they just ask that participants provide a name and contact information so organizers can notify the contest winners. This years cruise will not feature as many contests as last years, but Vaughn was able to organize a Little Miss and Mr. Cruisin contest with at least 10 registered candidates. Voting change-buckets have been placed at businesses around town as well as at Park Hills City Hall and the senior center. The voting will continue until Friday. As the family-oriented fundraiser kicks-off, there will be a treat station set up where the first 50 children visiting will receive treat bags. Event-goers can remember the night by having their picture taken, while in their ride, in front of the COVID Cruise banner free of charge. We'll have a drive-thru photo op, Vaughn explained. We'll have our banner set up where the cars can kind of just pull behind, get a picture snapped, and then pull on through. We'll have a donation bucket there as well, she said. Were going to block off some parking spaces where they can just kind of pull in and then pull back into the cruising. The drive-thru photo area will be located near the contest judges area by the grassy community area next to Hulsey Properties, across from the Municipal Parking Lot. The photos will be taken by Vickie Hurt from Muffin Photography. Hurt will upload the evenings photos to Facebook so cruisers can find and download their photos directly. Vaughn said for those who do not use Facebook, organizers will get the photos to them by other means. Vaughn said Hurt is donating her photography services for free to help support the cause. Cruisers can also remember the night by picking up COVID Cruise T-shirts that will be on sale for $20 each. Event-goers can purchase shirts and other items as they cruise, without having to get out of their vehicles as Buxton explained. Were trying to make this curbside as much as possible, she said. Our T-shirt sales and the popcorn will be down in front of our [senior center] building here, and you know we've got actually an area where they can just pull through and say, I want three T-shirts, and we can run it to their car; They don't even have to get out. So you know we're trying to keep everyone as safe as possible, said Buxton. That's kind of our main goal is to try to get this taken care of as safe as we can. Buxton and Vaughn explained that there will not be a designated section for cruisers to do tire burn-outs like there was at last years event. The organizers said they decided not to have the burn-out section because of the gathering it would cause along the sidewalks, preventing social distancing. Buxton said they plan to bring the burn-out section back when they hold the larger Cruisin for a Cause event next year, possibly as early as springtime. Vaughn said they want people to come and just enjoy the cruising this year. Buxton added that a bright surprise is in the works for when cruising comes to end at 9 p.m. The COVID Cruise is sponsored by Griffin Automotive, Hassell Ivy League Daycare, Harris and Harris Attorneys at Law, and Andys Garage. To register for Saturdays contests, call the Park Hills Senior Center at 573-431-4974, or send a message to the event's Facebook page: Cruisin for a Cause. Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 21:05:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MACAO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The total merchandise export from Macao amounted to 879.00 million patacas (about 110.13 million U.S. dollars), down by 5.3 percent year-on-year, the special administrative region (SAR)'s statistic department said here on Wednesday. The latest report from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the value of domestic exports dropped by 13.9 percent to 113.00 million patacas (about 14.16 million dollars), with that of tobacco falling by 83.2 percent. Meanwhile, the value of re-exports went down by 3.8 percent to 767.00 million patacas (about 96.09 million dollars), with that of beauty, cosmetic and skincare products decreasing by 66.6 percent. From January to August 2020, the total value of merchandise export decreased by 17.2 percent year-on-year to 6.93 billion patacas (about 868.22 million dollars). The value of re-exports dropped by 19.9 percent to 5.96 billion patacas (about 746.70 million dollars), but that of domestic exports grew by 3.9 percent to 965.00 million patacas (about 120.90 million dollars). Analyzed by destination, merchandise export to Hong Kong SAR and the European Union from January to August 2020 declined by 12.9 percent and 9.4 percent respectively year-on-year to 4.74 billion patacas (about 593.85 million dollars) and 121.00 million patacas (about 15.16 million dollars). Exports to the mainland increased by 2.9 percent to 1.09 billion patacas (about 136.56 million dollars). Meanwhile, exports to the U.S. jumped by 141.3 percent year-on-year to 340.00 million patacas (about 42.60 million dollars). Exports of textiles and garments grew by 66.7 percent year-on-year to 1.08 billion patacas (about 135.31 million dollars), while exports of non-textiles went down by 24.3 percent to 5.85 billion patacas (about 732.91 million dollars). Enditem She was seen hitting all the hottest Milan Fashion Week shows. Yet Olivia Palermo had moved on from the fashion capital as she was spotted at a Venice fruit and vegetable market with her husband Johannes Huebl, 42. The eternal fashionista, 34, looked sensational in a white shirt with a statement checked coat over the top as she inspected the local delicacies. Health kick: Olivia Palermo had moved on from the fashion capital as she was spotted at a Venice fruit and vegetable market on Wednesday Olivia seldom puts a fashion foot wrong and on Wednesday she was again perfecting her chic ensemble in the white shirt and black trousers. Know for her classic stylings, the stunner went for muted tones to allow the statement - her green and black coat - take centre stage. She shielded her face with a pair of oversized sunglasses while putting safety first with a facial covering over her mouth and nose. Olivia has also been actively advising her 6.4 million Instagram followers to 'wear a damn mask' or 'scarf, or like me a combination of both!' Heading out: The fashionista was joined by her dapper husband Johannes Huebl, 42 She's got style: Olivia looked sensational in a white shirt with a statement checked coat over the top as she inspected the local delicacies Low-key: The style guru appeared in her element as she inspected the local delicacies Out and about: Olivia seldom puts a fashion foot wrong and on Wednesday she was again perfecting her chic ensemble in the white shirt and black trousers She said on social media in August: 'However you choose to style your mask, wear one that covers your mouth and nose to help protect yourself and others.' Olivia rose to fame starring alongside Whitney Port in The City, a New York-based spin-off of the popular MTV reality program, The Hills. She has been married to German model Johannes since 2014. She has just departed Milan, which is only one of the four fashion capitals that hosted the catwalk showcases with a few adjustments in light of the pandemic. Gorgeous: Know for her classic stylings, the stunner went for muted tones to allow the statement - her green and black coat - take centre stage Getaway: The couple appeared at ease as they strolled through Venice Handsome: Johannesburg looked dapper in a blue denim shirt and black trench coat A vision: Olivia rose to fame starring alongside Whitney Port in The City, a New York-based spin-off of the popular MTV reality program, The Hills The city hosted 23 shows- a move which sets them apart from New York and London, who have both held virtual fashion weeks. Paris has 20 scheduled shows planned this week but coveted guestlists have been reduced dramatically, in keeping with strict socially distancing guidelines. Milan Fashion Week is being held as a breakthrough for Italy, seven months on from when the country dealt with the devastating effects of coronavirus. Back in February, Georgio Armani cancelled his show in Milan as the virus began to sweep through the country. All in the details: Olivia toted a handbag in her arm as she strolled through the city Japan's military budget has been rising steadily for nearly a decade Japan's defence ministry on Wednesday unveiled a record $52-billion budget request in a push to maintain military readiness under pressure from China and North Korea. The military budget has been rising steadily for nearly a decade, with Japan saying it feels threatened by China's vast military resources and territorial disputes, as well as unpredictable North Korea. Pyongyang has repeatedly tested nuclear devices in recent years, and also missiles -- including some flown over Japan. The Ministry of Defence is asking for 5.49 trillion yen ($52 billion) for the fiscal year from April 2021, marking nine straight years of increases and a rise from the 5.3 trillion yen for the ongoing year to March. Among Japan's planned big purchases are two frigates and a submarine, with money also going to the development of a next-generation fighter. The budget does not include a request for an alternative to the US-developed Aegis Ashore missile interception system, which is intended primarily to protect against possible North Korean attacks. The Japanese government has scrapped a controversial plan to build the system in two key locations on the main island of Honshu and is now considering putting the interception system at sea -- either by using ships or mega-floats, or by building structures similar to offshore oil rigs. Japanese defence officials said they cannot attach a price to the system until the government officially decides what to do with it. Under the planned budget, the defence ministry also said it aims to boost the nation's defensive capabilities in space and cybersecurity, although Japan's progress on those fronts has been slower than other top economies. Japan's Self-Defence Force plans to launch a new cyber unit with 540 personnel, while a planned space unit will have 70. It is the first military budget under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who came to power this month by pledging to continue the policies of Shinzo Abe. Story continues Abe steadily sought to expand the role of Japan's military, which is highly circumscribed by the country's pacifist post-war constitution. But the rising defence spending comes with the world's third-largest economy chronically reliant on borrowed money to finance itself, contributing to public debt that stands at twice the size of its economy. The government budget is facing particular pressure this year to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. hih/kaf/fox Jerusalem, Sep 30 : Israel's parliament has handed the government the power to ban mass protests during the country's second nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. Demonstrators will be confined to groups of up to 20 people and must stay within 1 km (0.6 miles) of their homes. The law should have been part of a range of measures passed on Friday. But the government struggled to get the necessary votes after critics accused it of trying to stifle protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, BBC reported. For weeks, thousands of people have gathered outside his official residence in Jerusalem to demand he resign over corruption allegations and his handling of the pandemic. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing. The protests have continued despite a dramatic resurgence of Covid-19. Israel currently has the world's highest infection rate per capita, with the daily number of new cases exceeding 8,000 last week despite the second lockdown. Since the start of the pandemic more than 237,000 cases and 1,528 deaths have been reported in the country, which has a population of nine million. TDT | Manama Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa yesterday highlighted the pre-emptive and precautionary measures taken by the government of Bahrain to mitigate the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The minister was speaking in a virtual high-level meeting entitled Initiative on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond. Leaders of various countries and heads of governments participated in the event, held on the sidelines of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 75). Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa cited the launch of the financial and economic stimulus package consisting of more than 20 initiatives worth more than US$11 billion, or the equivalent of a third of the Kingdoms GDP. These initiatives include the payment of 100% of the salaries of Bahraini employees through the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the suspension of fees on the sectors adversely affected by the pandemic It aims to protect jobs, provide the necessary liquidity for the private sector, and ensure the stability of the labour market and all economic sectors, he said. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa affirmed that Bahrains Economic Vision 2030 had played a major role in diversifying the economy and supporting innovation in a way that achieves growth and prosperity for all citizens. He underlined the importance of taking financial measures that would contribute to mitigating the economic effects of the pandemic through the optimal use of financial resources. The minister noted that Bahrain has adopted the Fiscal Balance Programme for the sake of achieving the balance point by 2022, and is continuing to implement its initiatives in order to reach the desired goal. The Finance Minister noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the importance of the role of technology and digitization in promoting economic sustainability, and made it necessary for everyone to accelerate digital transformation. The Finance Minister also expressed the Kingdoms appreciation of the UN and its initiatives aimed at mitigating the effects of COVID-19. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa pointed out that the pandemic and the economic challenges resulting from it require continued work and joint cooperation among all countries in order to overcome it and achieve global economic recovery. He stressed the importance of continuing such joint co-operation and coordination among all countries. The meeting also discussed the latest financial and economic developments and implications related to the pandemic and its impact on the economic sectors and global economy Samara Heisz/iStockBy MEREDITH DELISO, ABC News (NEW YORK) -- New York City reported its highest daily positivity rate since June on Tuesday, the same day elementary schools started welcoming students back in person and a day before restaurants began indoor dining. The number -- 3.25% -- has been driven by rising cases in nine neighborhoods in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, officials said. As of Tuesday, they accounted for over 25.6% of new cases citywide over the past two weeks despite representing only 7.4% of the citys overall population, according to the city's health department. The 14-day average positivity rate in the nine ZIP codes ranged from 3.31% to 6.92% as of Tuesday. We are deeply concerned about the alarming increase in COVID-19 in the ZIP codes in Brooklyn and Queens," NYC Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi said during a press briefing Tuesday. City officials started ringing alarm bells about the increases last week. On Sept. 19, six neighborhoods accounted for 20% of all COVID-19 cases citywide. The areas in question included neighborhoods with large Orthodox Jewish populations, and officials warned that gatherings during the Jewish high holidays and a general lack of mask compliance could spread the virus. The city has looked to address the increase by making automated calls in both English and Yiddish, driving trucks through the neighborhoods blaring messages, deploying mobile testing units to several of the neighborhoods, and distributing masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to residents. It has handed out masks to 300 different synagogues, Dr. Mitchell Katz, the head of the city's public hospital system, said Tuesday. "Multiple leaders reported that in their synagogues everyone was wearing a mask and that people were keeping their distance. So, I know that work has been happening and has been successful," Katz said Tuesday. But with positivity rates on the rise, the city says it will be bolstering testing. On Wednesday, it plans to increase rapid testing capacity at three city hospital-run testing sites, and add new rapid-testing capacity at community provider offices in Orthodox neighborhoods, Katz said. Mayor Bill de Blasio also announced new enforcement of mask-wearing. Anyone who refuses to wear a face-covering will be told if they dont put one on they will be fined, he said during Tuesday's press briefing. Additionally, any nonpublic school or childcare center that does not follow city health guidelines will also close, he said. More measures, including closing down nonessential businesses and limiting gatherings, could also go into effect depending on the data, the mayor said. "Those are all on the table," de Blasio said. "None we want to do, but all on the table, if we don't see enough progress quickly enough." During the pandemic, New York City was one of the earliest- and hardest-hit cities in the country. But as of Tuesday, the citywide positivity rate for the virus was 1.38% on a seven-day rolling average, as the city continues its phased reopening. For the first time since March, about 300,000 public elementary school students returned to classrooms Tuesday. Middle and high school students report by the end of the week. On Wednesday, the city will also allow indoor dining -- which has been barred since March -- to return at 25% capacity. "We fought so hard as New Yorkers," Katz said. "We can't give up the progress that's allowed us to reopen our city." Beyond New York City, other areas of New York state are also seeing increases in COVID-19 cases. Statewide, there are 20 ZIP codes with an average positive test rate of 5%, which is five times the statewide average, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday. The clusters in Brooklyn, as well as Rockland and Orange counties, show overlap with large Orthodox Jewish communities, he said. That is a fact, so I will be directly meeting with them to talk about it," Cuomo said during his daily coronavirus briefing. "This is a public health concern for their community. Its also a public health concern for surrounding communities. As officials vowed to work with Orthodox Jewish leaders, some have highlighted a "lingering distrust" in the community stemming from how the city treated Hasidic mourners at a Brooklyn funeral in April versus Black Lives Matter protesters a month later. "The Hasidim were singled out for harsh criticism by Mayor de Blasio, who called their attendance 'absolutely unacceptable.' Those protesting racial injustice were accommodated and encouraged," Avi Schick, a former New York State deputy attorney general and the president of the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School, and David Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, wrote in an op-ed published in the New York Daily News on Tuesday. "The point is not to compare the two issues but to highlight why the Hasidic community remains skeptical about whether the city takes their devotion to religious worship, education and ritual as seriously as it takes the priorities of other communities." Their op-ed "clearly & succinctly explains the double standard that Orthodox Jews often feel subjected to in NYC," Brooklyn Councilmember Chaim Deutsch said on social media. "Yes, we can & will do better. Its also important to understand where the distrust comes from." Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has been called out by a banking regulator for aggressively pursuing customers over outstanding debts and issuing wrong collection notices over a four-year period. The Banking Code and Compliance Committee (BCCC) named and shamed the bank for aggressive debt collection practices and insensitivity in dealing with customers in financial distress in its Great Southern Loans subsidiary between 2015 and February 2019. The bank failed to discipline employees who issued incorrect collection notices, did not consider borrowers' financial circumstances and contacted customers repeatedly over outstanding debts, the BCCC said. Bendigo Bank CEO Marnie Baker has apologised to customers for aggressive debt collection tactics. Credit: Wayne Taylor The BCCC's audit found Bendigo Bank had systemically breached code provisions related to debt collection, financial difficulty, training and competency, privacy and confidentiality and complaints handling. Digicel Group vice-chairman Leslie Buckley is to retire from the board on October 1st, but he will remain a senior advisor and president emeritus of the group, the company has announced. Mr Buckley, who will be 76 later this year, has informed the board of his decision and will now focus on his business and family interests in Ireland. Digicel founder and chairman, Denis OBrien, said Mr Buckley had been one of the driving forces behind Digicels success, having been a founding director when the telecoms group launched in 2001. It now operates in more than 30 markets. His enormous breadth of expertise, laser focused attention to detail and deep understanding of the very diverse dynamics across the range of our markets proved invaluable and was pivotal as we expanded our operations across 31 countries in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific. On a personal level, I am so very grateful to Leslie for his huge contribution and I know I speak for the board and the executive when I express my sincere gratitude to him for 19 incredible years of service, Mr OBrien said. Leslie Buckley said: The time is appropriate for me to retire from the board of Digicel and I want to express my sincere thanks to Denis OBrien, the board of the company, the executive and all employees for their incredible work over the years. Mr Buckley is a former chairman of Independent News & Media plc, which publishes the Irish Independent. Two years ago the High Court appointed inspectors to examine the affairs of INM after an alleged 2014 data privacy breach that the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) has alleged was directed by Mr Buckley. Inspectors Sean Gillane and Richard Fleck were appointed by High Court president Mr Justice Peter Kelly in September 2018 and are continuing their probe. Mr Buckley has denied any wrong doing. More than 50 women have alleged sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers stationed in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Ebola crisis. The number and similarity of the accounts suggests a widespread culture of abuse, with men claiming to be from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Unicef and other leading NGOs using the promise of employment to coerce local women into having sex with them. In interviews carried out during a joint investigation by two news agencies lasting nearly a year, 51 women recounted multiple incidents of abuse during the 2018-2020 Ebola crisis, some as recently as March. Their accounts of the abuse - which included allegations of being ambushed in hospitals, locked in rooms with threatening employers, and drugged by would-be counsellors in hotel rooms - were often corroborated by aid agency drivers and local NGO workers. Two women were impregnated, while many told the Thomson Reuters Foundation and The New Humanitarian of the lasting trauma induced by their encounters with the international workers. Many women said they kept silent about the incidents for fear of reprisals or losing their jobs. Most also said they felt ashamed. Why would you even ask if I reported it? investigators were asked by one woman allegedly offered money for sex by two men claiming to work for UN agencies. I was terrified. I felt disgusting. I haven't even told my mother about this. Many women knew the mens names and nationalities, which included Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, France, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast More than 30 of the allegations were made against men claiming to work for the WHO, which deployed some 1,500 staff in the fight against Ebola. Eight women accused men purporting to be from Congos health ministry, while multiple women singled out perpetrators claiming to belong to World Vision and Unicef. Individual allegations were made against men who said they worked with Oxfam, the UN migration agency IOM, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Many women said they were approached outside Beni's main supermarkets, in job recruitment centres or outside hospitals where lists of successful candidates were posted. You'd look to see if your name was on the lists they posted outside, a 32-year-old woman who said she was impregnated by a man identifying himself as a WHO doctor told reporters. And every day we'd be disappointed. There is no work here. One woman said the practice of men demanding sex had become so common, it was viewed as the only way of finding a job in the outbreak response. Another called it a passport to employment. Perpetrators routinely refused to wear condoms, the women alleged - at a time when physical contact was being discouraged to halt the viruss spread. In another instance, a 32-year-old Ebola survivor said she was phoned by a man who invited her to come for a counselling session at a hotel. After accepting a soft drink in the lobby, she woke up hours later in a hotel room naked and alone. She believes she was raped. I lost my husband to Ebola, she told investigators, adding that she did not tell anyone about the incident because she already felt shunned by peers afraid of catching Ebola from her. Instead of help, all I got was more trauma. A handful of aid agency drivers corroborated organisational affiliations of the doctors, health workers and administrators, who appear to have carried out most of the alleged abuse in hotels that doubled as hubs for UN and NGO offices. According to four drivers interviewed, who requested anonymity so as not to jeopardise job opportunities, the men used official drivers to shuttle women to the hotels and to their homes and offices. It was so common, one driver told the news agencies. It wasn't just me; I'd say that the majority of us chauffeurs drove men or their victims to and from hotels for sexual arrangements like this. It was so regular it was like buying food at the supermarket. One woman said the man who abused her drove in a vehicle marked World Health Organisation. The aid agency drivers told reporters that young men were also exploited sexually. And according to a recruiter for an NGO speaking on condition of anonymity, other young men were paid to procure women. The WHO said its director general had ordered a thorough review of the allegations, which would be robustly investigated. Anyone found responsible will face serious consequences, the UN agency said in a statement on Tuesday, adding: The betrayal of people in the communities we serve is reprehensible. We do not tolerate such behaviour in any of our staff, contractors or partners. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The probe has prompted an internal inquiry at World Vision, which said the reports were shocking as all staff were trained on preventing sexual abuse and it was working hard to address entrenched cultural and power inequalities. A Unicef spokesperson said it had received three reports involving two partner organisations responding to Ebola, whom he declined to name, but said the cases appeared to be different from those discovered in the probe. Despite our best efforts, cases of sexual exploitation and abuse in DRC remain grossly under-reported, he said, adding that the agency had introduced 22 ways to file complaints in Congo, including a confidential hotline and complaint boxes. Spokespeople for IOM, MSF, Unicef and Congo's health ministry said in mid-September they had no knowledge of the accusations brought to their attention, and several said they would need more information to take action. The response to the DRCs tenth and deadliest Ebola crisis, which was the second-largest ever seen, involved more than 15,000 people and cost 540m. The UN cautiously declared the outbreak over in June. A programme to protect against sexual abuse was put in place a year after the operation began, the UN's former Ebola response coordinator, David Gressly, told investigators. Most women interviewed were unaware of hotlines and other ways to report abuse. The investigation highlighted the underfunded, poorly considered and male-dominated nature of programmes established to tackle sexual abuse within humanitarian operations, critics said, as experts called on donors to push for reform. Donor governments should take a much stronger stance and must ensure that taxpayer funds are not misused for the purposes of violating the rights of vulnerable aid recipients, Miranda Brown, formerly with the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the news agencies. One 24-year-old interviewee was reported as saying: If they really wanted to help people, they would have done it unconditionally. Instead of helping us, they destroyed our lives. This week, the world passed the grim milestone of one million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic, amid a major global resurgence of the disease. Some 210,000 people are dead in America, 142,161 in Brazil, 96,351 in India, and 76,430 are dead in Mexico. The disease continues to spread throughout the global South, with India reaching a staggering 80,500 new cases yesterday. Europe, an early center of the outbreak, is again at the heart of a major resurgence. There were another 7,143 cases of coronavirus reported in the UK in the last 24 hoursthe biggest rise since the pandemic began. Last week, France reported a new high of 16,096 cases on September 24, more than triple the figure reported at the height of the March outbreak. But with the fall and winter months in America and Europe expected to bring a further resurgence of the disease, governments around the world are abandoning any effort to contain it. I sometimes feel like weve just given up and are going to let the epidemic continue, Carlos Del Rio, a professor of medicine at Emory University, told the Wall Street Journal Tuesday. Del Rios words sum up the attitude that increasingly prevails in presidential mansions and parliament buildings all over the world. French President Emmanuel Macron, presiding over a country with the worst resurgence in Europe, declared last month that the French population had to learn to live with the virus, replacing his rhetoric about a war against the disease. Everything must be done to avoid total lockdown, Macron said. The theory of herd immunity, once only openly advanced by far-right figures like Brazils strongman Jair Bolsonaro, is being openly advocated in the US and Europe, gaining adherents, as the New York Times recently noted, on Wall Street and among business executives. Nothing sums up the abandonment of any pretense of containing the COVID-19 pandemic more than US President Donald Trumps effective sidelining of the countrys leading health experts and their replacement with the far-right quack doctor Scott Atlas, who advocates deliberately infecting the population with COVID-19. Monday marked the second major White House briefing in a row in which the veteran public health experts Anthony Fauci, Deborah Birx, and Robert Redfield were nowhere to be found, and the podium was given over to Atlas. On September 23, in a press conference overshadowed by Trumps statements that he would not leave office peacefully if Biden were elected, Trump turned the entire event over to Atlas, who proceeded to denounce CDC director Robert Redfield for misstating the danger of the pandemic. The effective ouster of the nations leading public health experts has been accepted without a single statement of opposition or protest by any member of the nominal opposition party. It was left to the scientists to try to defend themselves. NBC News reported that it overheard a frantic phone call in which Redfield complained that Atlas is arming Trump with misleading data about a range of issues, including questioning the efficacy of masks, whether young people are susceptible to the virus and the potential benefits of herd immunity. Everything he says is false, NBC reported Redfield saying in desperation. Asked to comment on Redfields statements, Fauci remarked, I think you know who the outlier is, in an attack on the quack doctor. Fauci, Birx and Redfield have argued, at least in public, that the government should seek to contain the pandemic and prevent people from getting sick and urged the public to take measures such as wearing masks. Atlas, by contrast, advocates that no efforts be made to keep the pandemic from spreading among broad sections of the population. As he put it in July, Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem. In fact, its a positive. Given these developments, the total lack of reporting, much less criticism, of the White Houses effective embrace of herd immunity is staggering. In April, when Trump speculated in one of his rambling press conferences that COVID-19 might be treated by injecting disinfectants in the lungs of patients, the press could speak of nothing else for days. However irresponsible Trumps ramblings about quack treatments, they would not have hurt more than the handful of his deluded followers who took his advice. But Atlas is effectively determining policy for a whole country in a direction that will lead to hundreds of thousands of additional deaths, and there is not a peep of protest from within the political establishment There are definite class reasons for this silence. In his latest interview with Laura Ingraham, Atlas had one slogan: Open the schools! But this is exactly what Democratic governors, mayors and state legislatures are doing. New York City, the nations largest school district, with over one million students, resumed classroom learning Tuesday for elementary school children, with higher grades to reopen on Thursday. The effort to reopen schools is being spearheaded by the citys progressive Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio and Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo. The reopening of schools is leading to a major resurgence of the pandemic among school-aged children nationwide, who now make up 10 percent of COVID-19 cases, up from 2 percent in April. The bipartisan character of the campaign to reopen schools and force teachers back on the job is entirely in keeping with the response to the pandemic, which has been solely dictated by the financial interests of the ruling class. Earlier this month, veteran Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward published a recording of Trump saying that he had consciously sought to downplay the threat posed by the pandemic. But further material in his book makes clear that Trump was at the head of a much broader conspiracy to cover up the threat of the pandemic, to which Congress and leading government officials were a party. Woodward notes that on February 9, Fauci and Redfield gave a secret briefing to 25 state governors in which they sought to scare the s**t out of their audience: The coronavirus outbreak is going to get much, much worse before it gets better, Redfield warned. We have not even seen the beginning of the worst, Redfield said, letting his words sink in. There is no reason to believe that whats happening in China is not going to happen here, he said. There were nearly 40,000 cases in China then, with more than 800 deaths, barely five weeks after announcing the first cases. I agree completely, Fauci told the governors. This is very serious business. You need to be prepared for problems in your cities and your states. Fauci could see the alarm on the governors faces. I think we scared the shit out of them, Fauci said after the meeting. But Woodward noted that the official press release painted a completely false picture: The panel reiterated that the risk to the American public remains low at this time. The US media, with its myriad anonymous sources in the state intelligence agencies, failed to report on the briefing, and the New York Times would not publish an editorial on the COVID-19 pandemic for more than two weeks afterward. In fact, there is a grisly continuity between the cover-up in the beginning of the year and the ongoing effort to abandon all efforts to contain the pandemic in the United States and throughout Europe. The sole concern of the worlds ruling classes was to use the pandemic as a pretext to carry out the transfer of trillions of dollars onto corporate balance sheets. Within days of the passage of the CARES act, the watchword, the cure cant be worse than the disease was blazoned from the opinion pages of the New York Times to Trumps Twitter account, as part of a campaign to prematurely lift lockdowns. The all-out effort to get workers back on the job while the pandemic continues to rage has now led to a massive resurgence of the pandemic, and countless deaths. From the standpoint of the ruling class, the pandemic now does more good than harm, killing the elderly and freeing up the money that would be used to care for those who can no longer generate profits. These policies have resulted in more than 200,000 dead in America, and over a million dead throughout the world, and the lives of millions more are threatened. But along with this grim milestone, another social force is coming to the scene. Workers in over a dozen major workplaces throughout the United States and internationally have formed rank-and-file committees, independent of the corrupt trade unions, aiming to resist the efforts of corporations to cover up infections and destroy whatever safety protocols remain in effect. As they seek to combat the criminal policies of their employers, workers are placed in struggle against the entire capitalist social order. They must draw the conclusion that the struggle for the preservation of human life and the struggle against capitalism are one and the same fight. HARTFORD A city man has been sentenced to five years behind bars for distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine, federal prosecutors announced. U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant also sentenced Yasil Lilo Santos, 25, to four years of supervised release after completing his jail term. According to court documents and statements made in court, the case stems from an investigation conducted by the FBIs Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and Hartford Police Departments Vice and Narcotics Division into the trafficking of narcotics and associated violence in Hartfords South End by members and associates of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation. According to a release from U.S. Attorney John Durham, the investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that two members of the Latin Kings operated separate drug trafficking organizations that distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. The organizations used multiple locations to process, package, store and distribute narcotics, and possessed firearms for their drug trafficking activities, Durham said. Nelson Ferry led one of the drug trafficking organizations, Durham said. Ferry, with the assistance of Santos and others, processed and packaged heroin/fentanyl at his East Hartford residence, and he operated a trap house on Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford as a distribution point for drug customers, Durham said. Santos worked with Ferry to distribute heroin/fentanyl and crack cocaine from the Wethersfield Avenue trap house, Durham said. Santos has been detained since his arrest on July 24, 2018. On Sept. 24, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Santos criminal history includes two state convictions for firearm offenses. Ferry pleaded guilty to related charges and was sentenced in February to 87 months in jail. In Cleveland, Ohio, last night, two geriatric white men took to the stage to make a case for their suitability to lead the worlds largest economy. Within the first 20 minutes, however, both candidates, incumbent Republican Donald Trump, 74, and Democratic candidate Joe Biden, 77, were embroiled in a heated exchange with both candidates speaking over each other, even as debate moderator Chris Wallace struggled to gain control of his theatre. Mr Trump, belligerent and disruptive, was quick to get under Mr Bidens skin so much so the usually mild tempered former vice president snapped, will you shut up, man! All expectations of dignity as befitting the hallowed offices of the presidency were thrown out in what can only be described as the messiest presidential debate in recent American history. At the end of the 90-minutes debate, neither candidate was able to truly make a strong case in support of his partys ideals or possibly canvas new converts to boost his candidacy. Coming into the debate, Mr Wallace, a veteran Fox News anchor, set up a six-agenda plan designed to address key issues of concern to Americans in the upcoming Elections. With pressing issues like the COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in the deaths of about 207,000 Americans and the consequential effect on the economy, millions of people tuned in to watch the debates with the expectation that the contenders would show a pathway to Americas recovery. And while the debate moderator tried valiantly to steer both candidates back to his agenda, the exchanges became a little more than the base trading of insults and snide remarks, mostly instigated by President Trump. Much like his style in 2016, both in the Republican Party debates and the main presidential elections debate, Mr Trump defied debate rules, often using crude or abusive language as he ploughed his way through. President Trump of 2020 remained very much true to candidate Trump of 2016, if not worse. The Supreme Court judge nomination and the issues of race protests and violence in U.S. cities brought up some of the most heated exchanges for the night. President Trump made a case for his recent nomination of Amy Barrett to replace the recently deceased Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a process which has seen the Republican-led Senate rushing through a nomination and vetting process before the November 3 elections. I will tell you very simply, we won the elections. Elections have consequences, we have the Senate, we have the White House therefore we have the rights to choose her, the president said. Mr Biden countered, arguing that Ms Barretts nomination would have a significant impact on thorny issues like the Affordable Care Act, an Obama-era healthcare plan which Mr Trump seeks to undo, and Roe vs. Wade, which signifies the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that accorded abortion rights to women. Democrats have argued that rather than let the current administration replace the Supreme Court judge with a conservative candidate, effectively tilting the highest court in favour of Republicans, the American electorate be allowed to decide, through their choice of a president, such weighty policy outcomes. The most contentious issue of the night came as President Trump declined to immediately condemn right-wing extremism and white-supremacist groups. In response to a direct question about race relations in the country and whether he would directly condemn right-wing groups and militia, the president addressed a far-right organisation known to support him: Proud Boys, stand back and stand-by. But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem. The heated segment on race relations covered such issues as the recent White House memo to end racial sensitivity training in government establishments as well as the disproportionate police violence against black people. This is a president that has used everything as a dog whistle. To try to generate racist hatred, racists division he riles things up, he does not want to calm things down. Instead of going in and talking to people he just puts gasoline in the fire, the former vice-president accused. ALSO READ: In response, President Trump accused the Obama administration of causing race tensions in the country and then recounted the number of endorsements hed received from law-enforcement groups across the country. We just got the support of 250,000 military leaders and generals. Law enforcement, almost every law enforcement group in the United States. I have Florida, I have Texas, I have Ohio, Portland I dont think you have any law-enforcement [support] Name one group that supports you. Ultimately, the American electorate may have tuned in to the debates in hopes of tangible, policy-focused exchanges, but the outcome elicited a collective expression of disappointment, as observed across social media platforms. If anything, debate moderator Wallace echoed the thoughts of many viewers, tired of the juvenile exchanges. He admonished both candidates to respect the terms of the debate but specifically addressed the president: Frankly, youve been doing more interrupting. At some point, the unflappable news anchor had had it with the president. Can I be honest, President Trump asked in the middle of another heated exchange, as he tried to continue speaking out of turn. No, an exasperated Mr Wallace responded. PARIS: Frances highest court on Wednesday rejected Rwandan genocide suspect Flicien Kabugas appeal of a decision to extradite him to an international court in The Hague. Kabuga, one of the most-wanted fugitives in Rwandas 1994 genocide, was arrested outside Paris in May after 25 years on the run. He is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity for equipping militias that killed more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus who tried to protect them. A French appeals court in June ordered Kabuga, 87, to be turned over to the U.N.s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. Frances Court of Cassation rejected arguments to keep Kabuga in France, including health concerns due to his age. The court decision was issued in a statement. There was no immediate comment from Kabugas lawyers. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor When recently returned New Zealander Lara Barclay talked to fellow Kiwi expatriates in Australia, it was her countrys success in tackling coronavirus that came up again and again and the crisis role of prime minister Jacinda Ardern. Support from New Zealands million-strong diaspora -- equal to a fifth of the countrys resident population -- could prove a surprise boost for Ardern as the Labour Party leader seeks re-election at an Oct. 17 poll. They thought New Zealands response was fantastic, said Barclay, a victim support worker. Every New Zealander I knew in Australia bar one ... were super impressed by New Zealands response and by Jacinda. Labour is widely expected to retain power next month and hopes to rule without the support of a coalition partner, although the opposition National Party has been clawing back support in recent polls. Overseas polling began on Wednesday, but a big unknown is how many expatriates will actually vote. Just 10% of eligible overseas voters cast their vote in the last election in 2017, but analysts say Arderns global profile from her promotion of issues such as social justice and equality, may draw more support. Arderns got on to the front pages of world media and has been covered in way that no other New Zealand prime minister has been before, said Geoffrey Miller, analyst at the political website Democracy Project. It wouldnt be a surprise if more New Zealanders living overseas decide to vote for Ardern, or may be just decide to vote in general, he said. Tough restrictions to contain coronavirus limited New Zealands total cases to less than 1,500 and just 25 deaths, far fewer than other developed nations, and the virus is largely contained. The quick crisis response follows plaudits for 40-year-old Arderns compassionate and inclusive response to an attack by a white supremacist at two mosques as well as a fatal volcanic eruption. She is even tipped as a front runner to win the Nobel Peace prize, according to a UK betting agency. Domestic difficulties Ardern wont have it all her own way. Analysts say Labour has largely failed on its big ticket policy promises like providing affordable housing, reforming tax and building key infrastructure. She faces National Party leader Judith Collins, known as Crusher Collins for her tough-talking personality, who took over as leader in July. Collins, 61, is a seasoned politician well known to the electorate, who is mostly associated with issues such as law and order, and infrastructure. She has made efforts to connect more strongly with the farming community, but her appeal remains local while Ardern is known for how she portrays New Zealand to the world, said Richard Shaw, of Massey University. Ardern has turned that feeling right up to maximum volume, while Collins does not get any play in that space, Shaw said. About 67,000 New Zealand voters have so far enrolled overseas, election officials said. This compares with about 61,000 who voted in the 2017 election, out of about 2.6 million votes in total. Voters still have until mid-October to register and referendums on legalising cannabis and euthanasia could encourage more to take part. The majority of those enrolled are in Australia, at nearly 60%, followed by the UK at 17% and more than 6% in the United States. With the latest polls showing support for Labour at 47%, Ardern has urged New Zealanders in Australia to vote. Every single vote counts, including those Kiwis in Australia, she told broadcaster Channel Nine. Theyre almost the equivalent to a seat. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Delphine Touitou (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Wed, September 30, 2020 08:57 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c48162b3 2 Business US-Treasury,US-economy,Airlines,aviation,loan-agreement,American-Airlines,United-Airlines Free The United States Treasury on Tuesday announced it had reached a deal with seven major US airlines including American and United to offer them loans in a bid to stave off job cuts amid the coronavirus crisis. But the Treasury statement does not say if these agreements are going to be enough to allow those two airlines to cancel recently announced plans to proceed with job cuts. Since March, airlines have been grounding planes and delaying jet deliveries to try to limit the cash-burn as the worldwide coronavirus pandemic effectively paralyzed travel for months. As the US economy gradually reopens, airlines have struggled to convince wary passengers to return to the skies, and international routes have been drastically reduced because of various travel restrictions in effect. Beyond American and United, the other airlines that signed loan agreements with the administration of President Donald Trump are Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines and SkyWest Airlines. Delta and Southwest were unsurprisingly not part of the agreements, having already said they would not participate. "We are pleased to conclude loans that will support this critical industry while ensuring appropriate taxpayer compensation," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement. Mnuchin called on Congress to extend its aid programs to support jobs across the air travel industry. The US$25 billion in loans have been granted under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act the $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package passed by Congress in March. Airlines had been in talks with the Treasury since July. Certain conditions will apply, such as maintaining a certain number of jobs and salary ceilings. The Treasury said the amount of the initial loans could be increased "as a result of some major airlines determining not to move forward" with the process. "The reallocation of funds will be subject to a loan concentration limit of $7.5 billion per passenger air carrier, or 30 percent of the $25 billion available for passenger air carriers," it said. Airlines have struck agreements with unions to spread out work among employees. Tens of thousands of employees have also accepted unpaid leave or early retirement packages to avert the need for involuntary terminations. Before Tuesday's announcement, American Airlines had said it expected to cut as many as 19,000 jobs. United Airlines on Monday reached an agreement with its pilots union to avert furloughs of 2,850 pilots, but was still on track to furlough as many as 13,000 other workers as soon as October 1, including flight attendants and airport operations staff. US President Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin speak to the media during a joint press conference after their summit on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland. Chris McGrath/Getty Images President Donald Trump's 2018 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki was "soul crushing" for the special counsel Robert Mueller's team, according to a new book by Andrew Weissmann, who worked in Mueller's office. Following their bilateral summit, Trump publicly sided with Putin over the US intelligence community and said he didn't see any reason why Russia would have interfered in the 2016 election. The summit came days after Mueller's office indicted 12 Russian military intelligence officers for orchestrating a "hack-and-dump" operation to meddle in the 2016 race and hurt Hillary Clinton's campaign. Weissmann wrote that after Trump sided with Putin, Mueller voiced his suspicion that if "the president was in the tank with Putin, 'It would be about money.'" Trump walked his comments back amid widespread outrage, but Weissmann wrote that it was clear to him and another prosecutor in Mueller's office that the Russian government "had now gotten what it had worked so hard for: a servile, but popular, American leader." Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Prosecutors and FBI agents working in the special counsel Robert Mueller's office were shell-shocked when they watched President Donald Trump publicly side with Russian President Vladimir Putin following a bilateral summit in Helsinki in 2018, according to a new memoir by the former Mueller prosecutor, Andrew Weissmann. The Trump-Putin press conference came just days after the special counsel's office indicted 12 Russian military intelligence officers on multiple felony charges related to the 2016 "hack-and-dump" operation against the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign. It was the first time Mueller's team directly pointed a finger at the Russian government for meddling in the 2016 election, and it corroborated a 2017 assessment by the US intelligence community that concluded Putin ordered Russia's interference campaign. Story continues But days later, during the Helsinki summit, the American president stood next to the Russian leader and said he trusted Putin over the US intelligence community. Trump said he didn't "see any reason why" Russia would be responsible for the election meddling. "I have President Putin," Trump said. "He just said it's not Russia I will say this: I don't see any reason why it would be." Back in Mueller's office, the comments were "surreal" and "soul crushing," Weissmann wrote in his book, "Where Law Ends: Inside the Mueller Investigation," which hit shelves on Tuesday. "By this time, Trump not only had the conclusions of the original intelligence assessment, but the incontrovertible proof" from Mueller's team "to expand on and corroborate it," he wrote. "Still, Trump said, Putin 'was extremely strong and powerful in his denial,' and that was apparently enough for him." The president's comments were "profoundly alarming" and also sparked "general amazement" for the FBI agents working in Mueller's office, Weissmann said. "It was like they'd built up a mountain of incriminating evidence only to watch the prosecutor suddenly decide to call off the case and go home, just because the defendant said he wasn't guilty," he added. Weissmann continued: "The scene in Helsinki should have been stunning to the average American viewer, but for those within our office who'd poured energy into pinning down these facts, it was profoundly alarming. Here was our own president kowtowing to Putin, denying the election interference he had perpetrated on our nation and siding with a bloody dictator over a bipartisan consensus in the Senate and the nonpartisan conclusions of the IC that Putin had attacked our democracy." The event set off "alarm bells" for Weissmann and another prosecutor in Mueller's office, Jeannie Rhee. Mueller, meanwhile, "looked exasperated" during the team's daily meeting that evening and speculated that Trump had financial reasons for caving to Putin. The special counsel "commented that, if the president was in the tank with Putin, 'It would be about money' that is, that Trump was motivated by money and his fawning behavior toward Putin could be explained by his seeking to make a buck in Russia," Weissmann wrote. Trump eventually walked back his comments following a "bipartisan uproar" back in the US, but Weissmann and Rhee both thought it was clear that the Russian government "had now gotten what it had worked so hard for: a servile, but popular, American leader," he wrote. Read the original article on Business Insider Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waits for Gov. Gen. Julie Payette to deliver the throne speech in the Senate chamber in Ottawa on Sept. 23, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Green Push in Throne Speech Reignites Concerns Over Government-Run Innovation News Analysis OTTAWAOne of the Liberal governments paramount goals is to transition to a low-carbon economy. Its Sept. 23 throne speech said that it needs the energy sectors capabilities and contribution in order to reach that goal. However, some experienced observers say the feds approach to doing so, by directing innovation, is counterproductive. The throne speech said, Canada cannot reach net zero without the know-how of the energy sector, and the innovative ideas of all Canadians. The government will support manufacturing, natural resource, and energy sectors as they work to transform to meet a net zero future, creating good-paying and long-lasting jobs, the speech added. But the governments recent attempts at steering innovation have their critics. To those observers, the throne speech is seen as more of the samepicking winners and subsidizing them to the detriment of the greater good. A good government creates an environment that everyone can riseor fallon their own, Jocelyn Bamford, president and founder of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada, told The Epoch Times. Intellectual property expert and Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) Munk senior fellow Richard Owens says backing certain innovators and not others hurts the overall culture of innovation. Worst still, it risks having taxpayer dollars channelled toward political cronies and opening the door to corruption. Innovation cannot be planned or directed by the government, he said in an MLI op-ed. Instead, Owens backs reducing taxes such as those on capital gains and allowing the rapid depreciation of certain business investments to further lower tax burdens on innovating and potentially cash-strapped companies. Subsidies Costly and Risky for Little Return The feds have their own ideas. They plan to launch a new fund to attract investments in zero-emissions products and will halve the corporate tax rate for these companies in hopes of creating jobs and making Canada a world leader in clean technology. This is in addition to the new $5 billion Clean Power Fund to support the electrification of industries, including the resource and manufacturing sectors, using renewable sources like hydro, wind, and solar. The Montreal Economic Institute criticized giving subsidies to the so-called green technology companies, saying the feds should come to the aid of the private sector without discriminating between different sectors of activity. MEI economist Miguel Ouellette says that subsidies for green technologies raise prices for consumers and generally dont create as many jobs as expected. Ontarios experience under the Kathleen Wynne Liberal government is often cited as an example of how not to handle the green agenda, showing just how costly and risky these investments can be, for little return, Ouellette says. A 2017 MEI study found that subsidies for electric vehiclesone example of a green initiativehad little effect on greenhouse gas emissions and were a lot more costly than other incentive measures to achieve the same result. Instead of ongoing subsidies to prop up the green economy, Bamford suggests tax credits for innovation and, like Owens, allowing rapid depreciation on capital investments. Those are some of the things that could be open to anybody, she said. The oil and gas industrys important role in finding low-carbon solutions is definitely not lost on the federal government. The industry welcomes this and is taking the governments intentions in stride. A strong natural gas and oil industry will be able to continue to invest in research and development of new technologies which can be shared with other industries here in Canada as well as globally, said Tim McMillan, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, in a statement to The Epoch Times. The oil and gas sector is the biggest investor in clean technology and environmental protection, spending about $3.5 billion annually, says McMillan. We also welcome the commitment to action on: harnessing the know-how of Canadas energy and resource sectors to help the country achieve its climate goals, said Business Council of Canada president and CEO Goldy Hyder in a post-throne-speech statement. Offshored Manufacturing Bamford was stunned by the throne speechs complete tone deafness to the fact that manufacturing is being offshored. She says the government appears not to realize the difficulty of repatriating that manufacturing without affordable energy and a competitive business landscape in terms of lower regulatory and tax burdenssuch as the carbon tax. Canadian manufacturing is at a disadvantage compared to cheaper imports when foreign manufacturers dont have to pay a carbon tax and could even be government-subsidized. Ottawa is losing high-paying manufacturing and resource-sector jobs, Bamford says, which leaves a higher proportion of service-sector jobs that are more vulnerable to the pandemic, and puts the economy in a more precarious position. She also noted that the throne speech had no mention of repatriating manufacturing as a way of ensuring greater security for critical products like personal protective equipment or even energy. We really need the government to get serious about manufacturing and start actually looking at that, Bamford said. FAIRFIELD Sacred Heart University said its active caseload of COVID-19 infections has dropped by more than a quarter since Friday, as the university works to ramp up rapid testing. Since that day, the schools number of active cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus has declined from 139 to 102 as of Tuesday evening, according to SHUs data. This is all good news, and we want to thank you all for your efforts to keep yourselves and others safe, university officials said in a message to the community. The drop comes as the school expects to start using a faster saliva test developed by Yale Medical School next week. This week the school expects to test 1,300 students at random as part of its surveillance testing of students who show no symptoms for the disease. Next week, the school expects to test 2,800 with Yales test, university officials said. The school reported one new case an off-campus student since Monday. Over the last seven days, SHU has reported an average of 8.4 new daily cases, a statistic the school started publishing Tuesday. Fairfield University reported 25 new cases between Monday and Thursday. The school updates its COVID-19 dashboard twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. Since Sept. 1, the university has reported 101 cases, all among students, with 52 active cases. The University of Connecticut, meanwhile, reported three new cases among students on and around its campus in Storrs. One of the students who tested positive lives off campus, the other two were residential students, spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said. UConns Storrs campus currently has 45 active cases among students living on campus, and the school is aware of 69 cases off campus since mid-September. No new infections were reported among staff or at UConns four other campuses around the state. Central Connecticut State University in New Britain reported one new case among residential students Monday, the most recent days data available. The school currently has two students in quarantine, and three people at the university tested positive last week, the schools data shows. Connecticut College in New London reported four new cases this week among students up from six last week. Besides the four students, the school also reports one active case among employees. Yale University in New Haven reported two new cases in the last seven days, with no new cases Sunday, the most recent data available. Of the positive tests, one was a grad student, the other an undergraduate student living off campus, according to Yales data. Trinity College in Hartford reported four new cases last week, with six currently active cases all among students. Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven reported four new cases last week. Of those, one was a residential student, three were commuter students, and one was a school employee. Wesleyan University in Middletown reported one new case last week. The school is currently reporting one active case among students and three among its employees. The University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford reported one new case last week. The special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Lucknow on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case due to lack of conclusive proof. The CBI court acquitted all the 32 accused, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti, former union minister Murli Manohar Joshi and ex-Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh, saying the demolition of the mosque was a spontaneous act and not a pre-planned one. Satyamev Jayate, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath said in a statement after the verdict was out. The Defense Minister of India, Rajnath Singh welcomed the courts judgment and said This shows, that though delayed, justice eventually triumphed. Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani, who was one of the accused in the case who were acquitted by the special CBI court, welcomed the verdict. I wholeheartedly welcome the judgement by the special court in Babri Masjid demolition case. The judgement vindicates my personal and BJPs belief and commitment toward the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, Advani said. Heres what all other political leaders have said on the special courts verdict in Babri mosque demolition case: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinay Katiyar, one of the accused who were acquitted said, We welcome the judgement. Its a triumph of the truth. We never had any role in the demolition. We were actually on stage, that was away from the site where the demolition took place. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the head of the Ram Janmbhoomi Tirth Kshetra, one of the accused in the Babri demolition case, welcomed the special CBI courts acquittal and said the dhaancha (structure) fell due to Hindu akrosh (Hindu anger). No Hindu hatches conspiracies. The dhaancha fell due to Hindu akrosh (Hindu anger). Though belated, but at least now, the court decision, provides the stamp of approval on asthaa (belief), said Das. Lord Ram is the ancestor of all and his birthplace has now been freed. December 6, 1992 is part of history. All those who were accused of demolition are devotees who would never engage in an anti-social act. Mental agony was caused to them by making them accused, he added. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, The then Congress government acted with political bias, indulged in vote bank politics, defamed the BJP and VHP leaders, saints and other social organisations by lodging false cases on them. The people involved in the conspiracy should now apologise to the country. Former BJP MP Ram Vilasdas Vedanti, among the accused who were acquitted, said, Its good that justice has been done. The court agreed that we did no wrong. Uttar Pradesh minister Mohsin Raza said: The decision is a welcome one and its a victory of justice. This is Ram Rajya. This is what is called rule of law. Another accused who was acquitted by the special CBI court, Mahant Dharamdas said, What can we say? The demolition was a divine act. There was nothing wrong in it. The judgement is a welcome one. Iqbal Ansari, petitioner in Babri mosque demolition case, welcomed the verdict and said Ayodhya wants to live peacefully. I think now, all this chaos and trouble must end. Ayodhya wants to live peacefully. All should welcome the judgement. We abided by the court judgement in the past and would continue to do so. Let there be no more such issues, he said. VHP leader Sharad Sharma said Todays decision of the CBI court has made peoples faith in democracy and rule of law even stronger. Today, the lords birthplace is free of obstructions and historical mistakes of the past have been set right. Rajnath Singh, defense minister and Lucknow MP said in a tweet, I welcome the acquittal of all the 32 accused in the case. This shows, that though delayed, justice eventually triumphed. Malaysians still have a chance to register for their e-Census 2020 since public members could still pre-register on Wednesday, Sept. 30, to receive their Invitation Code (IC). They have to visit the official website and go for the pre-registration page (ecensusreg.mycensus.gov.my). Also Read: How Has Commercial Real Estate Been Impacted by COVID? If people did not receive any invitations, the Malaysian authorities recommend the public checking their Junk or Spam folder to see if the e-Census email may end up there. Once the people receive the 11-digit IC, representing their household, they could now log in on the e-Census website and answer the questionnaire. The citizens may complete and submit the e-Census until Oct. 6. The Statistics Department encourages people to participate since the online Census 2020 could help maintain physical distancing during the ongoing pandemic. Now, what would happen to those people who were not able to submit the questionnaire? Based on the FAQ statement, a surveyor will visit houses of those who failed to complete the registration to conduct a face-to-face interview using a smartphone, tablet, or questionnaire, from Oct. 7 onwards. Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin, the chief statistician and Census 2020 commissioner, said in a Sept. 27 report that only 1 out of 10 Malaysians completed the e-Census 2020. "The first phase is being implemented through the e-Census, while the second phase, via face-to-face interview, will be from Oct. 7 to 24 where we hope to be able to achieve 100% completion," he added. Why should Malaysians participate in the e-Census 2020? Malaysians should complete the online Census since the Census Act 1960, Section 9(2) requires the residents to answer all the questions in the census form. Meanwhile, Section 17(1) explains that those who will not comply will be fined of no more than RM100 ($24.06) or imprisonment for no more than six months. TAKLIMAT E-CENSUS : BANCI PENDUDUK DAN PERUMAHAN TAHUN 2020 TARIKH: 28 SEPTEMBER 2020 (ISNIN) MASA: 9.00 PAGI 1.00 PETANG TEMPAT: BILIK LATIHAN ARAS 5, KOMPLEKS KDN JALAN TUANKU ABDUL HALIM#imigresen #kitajagakita #malaysiaprihatin pic.twitter.com/rp51b9ku6E INFO PROGRAMTAKLIMAT E-CENSUS : BANCI PENDUDUK DAN PERUMAHAN TAHUN 2020TARIKH: 28 SEPTEMBER 2020 (ISNIN)MASA: 9.00 PAGI 1.00 PETANGTEMPAT: BILIK LATIHAN ARAS 5, KOMPLEKS KDN JALAN TUANKU ABDUL HALIM #jimwpkl JABATAN IMIGRESEN MALAYSIA WP KUALA LUMPUR (@imi_wpkl) September 28, 2020 Malaysians can use their ePenjana credit in their eWallets until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 30 before it expires. The unused balances will be removed from their eWallets. Citizens can still use some of the additional incentives introduced by eWallet providers, even after the Sept. 30 deadline. To do this, they need to reload enough cash into the eWallet and check the app's campaign announcements for more updates. For more world news updates, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Also Read: Singapore's Changi Airport Offers Flight Simulator Rides, Airbus Meals, Other Exciting Activities to Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic This article is owned by TechTimes, Written by: Giuliano de Leon. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 16:23:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A chartered flight carrying 216 foreigners from 15 countries arrived in Mongolia's capital here on Tuesday from South Korea amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday. The passengers included foreign citizens married to Mongolian nationals, their children, staff of international organizations and diplomatic missions operating in Mongolia, their family members, and foreigners with a permanent residence permit in Mongolia, who will be quarantined at designated facilities for 21 days, Lkhanaajav Munkhtushig, director general of the consular department at the ministry, said at a press conference. Mongolia entered its heightened state of readiness against the COVID-19 pandemic on Feb. 12, taking such measures as the suspension of international commercial passenger flights. Since then, the Asian country has evacuated at least its 23,000 nationals from abroad with chartered flights and buses or trains, according to the country's State Emergency Commission. As of Wednesday, Mongolia has reported a total of 313 COVID-19 cases, all imported ones, and has detected no local transmissions or related deaths so far. Enditem Cocoa is in great demand on the world market, but there are many different ways to increase production. A research team from the University of Gottingen has now investigated the relative importance of the use of pesticides, fertilisers and manual pollination in a well replicated field trial in Indonesian agroforestry systems. The result: an increase in both cocoa yield and farming income was achieved - not by agrochemicals, but by manual pollination. The study was published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. Cocoa requires cross-pollination by insects to produce fruit. It is unclear how to encourage natural pollination by tiny midges, flies or wasps: in fact, the true identity of the main pollinators has yet to be discovered. Under natural conditions, more than 90 percent of flowers are not visited by insects and do not develop fruit. These results clearly show that traditional agricultural intensification with agrochemicals is not always the best way forward. Working together with colleagues and students of the Indonesian University of Tadulako of Palu, the scientists found that hand pollination increased the yield of cocoa trees by 161 percent. After deducting the costs of manual pollination, this meant a 69 percent increase in income for small-holder farmers. Using more pesticide and fertiliser did not increase yields. "Our results show how agroecological intensification can be successful by promoting biological processes or using innovative techniques such as manual pollination," explains first author Manuel Toledo-Hernandez, PhD student in the Department of Agroecology at the University of Gottingen. The work was supervised by Professor Teja Tscharntke, Head of Agroecology, and Professor Thomas C. Wanger, now at Westlake University in China. They add: "Lower harvests due to insufficient pollination have a major effect on many crops in the tropics as well as in temperate latitudes. This should be taken into account much more in future efforts to increase production." ### Original Publication: Manuel Toledo-Hernandez et al. Hand pollination, not pesticides or fertilizers, increases cocoa yields and farmer income. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 2020. DoI: 10.1016/j.agee.2020.107160 Full text available here until 5 November 2020: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1blSEcA-IdeTh Contact: Manuel Toledo-Hernandez University of Gottingen Faculty of Agricultural Sciences - Agroecology Group Grisebachstrae 6, 37077 Gottingen, Germany Tel: +49 177 44 72 022 Email: mtoledo@gwdg.de http://www.manueltoledohernandez.weebly.com Professor Teja Tscharntke University of Gottingen Faculty of Agricultural Sciences - Agroecology Group Grisebachstrae 6, 37077 Gottingen, Germany Tel: +49 551 39-9209 Email: ttschar@gwdg.de http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/74726.html Residents of Ho are apprehensive about the arson attack on two-state buses operated by the State Transport Corporation (STC) by unidentified gunmen purported to be members of the Western Togoland Restoration Front on Tuesday. The group last Friday blocked the main entry and exit roads in the southern sector of the region, causing vehicular traffic and frustrating road users and passengers. The majority of the residents, however, disliked the activities of the group and called for ways to end the activities of the group. Residents said the actions of the group were becoming unpredictable and appealed to security agencies, chiefs, and traditional authorities to fight the activities of the group. Twin brothers, Atsu and Etse, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency after the arson attack, said they were unhappy about the activities of the Western Togoland group. They appealed to President Akufo-Addo to handle the issue through dialogue with the leadership of the group. Eben, a resident, urged the government to look into the matter so it did not degenerate into uncontrollable violence. Mr Francis Awitty, a business centre operator, said he only heard about the activities of the group a week ago. Emmanuel Tekper, a student, said the activities of the separatists were scary, adding that the group was bent on causing destruction when everyone wanted development. He urged law enforcement agencies to arrest the culprits. Meanwhile, Mr Prosper Pi-Bansah, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, has called on the residents to remain calm while state security clamps down on the activities of the group. He suggested security agencies-community collaboration in the sharing of information to give a headstart in dealing with the group's destructive agenda and actions. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video - Mfantsipim School has been kicked out of the 2020 National Science and Maths Quiz by Kumasi Academy ( NSMQ 2020) - Aside from the defeat, a photo has popped up showing contestants spelt the name of the school wrongly - The defeat and wrong spelling has led to massive trolling for Mfantsipim School Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana Mfantsipim School, Ghana's first-ever secondary school, has come under massive trolling after being booted out of the ongoing 2020 National Science a Maths Quiz. (NSMQ 2020). Mfantsipim was eliminated from the 1/8 stage of the competition by Kumasi Academy (KUMACA) on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. In a contest which they led from start to finish, KUMACA garnered 53 points against Mfantsipim's 35 and St Mary's SHS' 30 points. Photo source: Twitter/NSMQ Source: Instagram Being two-time winners of the competition in 1999 and 2014, Mfantsipim's elimination and the manner in which came has surprised followers of the competition. As if their defeat was not bad enough, a photo has popped up from their contest and it is even more embarrassing for the contestants and the school. The photo suggests that the contestants wrongly spelt the name of their during the contest. It is a part of the competition for schools to solve a 'problem of the day' in each of the contest they participate in. When Mfantsipim set out to solve theirs in their contest today, the contestants wrote 'MFANSTIPIM' instead of "MFANTSIPIM'. The shocking defeat coupled with the big mistake made by the contestants has led to a massive trolling on social media. In other news, YEN.com.gh has reported that Richard Brown a.k.a. Osebo, Nana Aba Anamoah's baby daddy, has asked for her forgiveness. In a new post, Osebo, who is also known as the Zara Man, pled for forgiveness while sharing a photo of his son, Paa Kow The photo has Paa Kow and his mother at a birthday party. Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page Source: YEN.com.gh After years of stagnation since 2011, now is the time not only to rebuild the Egyptian economy, but also to correct mistakes of the past The Egyptian government has shown the resolve to embark on an ambitious investment and development programme in key growth sectors. This week saw the inauguration of a major project in the petroleum sector that had been on the backburner since 2011. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi opened a hydrocracking complex project in Qalyubiya, to the north of Cairo. The project involves cracking, a chemical process used in oil refineries, low-value Mazut into high-value petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel. The complex, jointly established with the private sector at an investment level of $3.4 billion, is part of the countrys strategy to develop the refining industry and cut fuel imports. Production from the new plant is expected to save some $600 million to $1 billion annually. Work on the project had stopped for years due to the instability that followed the 2011 uprising. On the sidelines of the event, Al-Sisi also inaugurated Al-Tagnid-Shubra Banha axis which links Mostorod district, where the new complex is located, to major roads in the eastern and western parts of the country. The project is part of the countrys plan to upgrade the road network across the country. In East Cairo alone 50 roads covering 200 kilometres have been upgraded and 40 bridges have been built at a total cost of LE22 million. The governments unrelenting construction activity is part of an effort to address infrastructure gaps and improve Egypts ability to attract domestic and international investment. As the president stressed during the abovementioned inauguration, stability and security are essential for attracting investment, whether in Egypt or throughout the world. New construction projects, such as the roads being rolled out, are making their impact on the economy. According to the Oxford Business Group, construction accounted for 5.9 per cent of GDP in 2018, but its full impact extends well beyond its direct contribution to the economy... The recent surge in construction activity is improving transport networks, making energy production and consumption more efficient, and providing the necessary base infrastructure for new urban areas. After years of stagnation since 2011, now is the time not only to rebuild the Egyptian economy, but also to correct mistakes of the past. Cracking down on building violations is just as important as new projects. The country has seen a significant rise in illegal construction since 2011, with many people trespassing on government property, building on fertile agricultural land and constructing illegal multi-storey buildings that often do not meet engineering safety standards. Clusters of unplanned red-brick buildings and informal settlements have sprung up at the edge of cities where streets are so narrow a fire truck would not be able to make it through should there be a need. The governments resolute measures to stop the violations is important for the welfare of everyone. The country lost precious 90,000 feddans (around 400 square kilometres) in the past nine years to building violations and land encroachments. These lands cannot be replaced; reclaiming a single feddan could cost up to LE200,000. Unplanned buildings have come to constitute about 50 per cent of the urban clusters in villages and cities countrywide, the prime minister once said. For the good of future generations, the government cannot turn a blind eye to these encroachments. Violators must pay their dues. On the one hand, the fines collected will be used to upgrade infrastructure to meet the needs of the additional edifices, while on the other it is a warning that violations will no longer be tolerated. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: In this year that is historic and unprecedented, Michael and Kris McBride made some history of their own. Michael, who suffered a stroke in 2014, was in desperate need of a kidney. His wife, Kris, a Conroe-based small business accountant, was a match. But their journey has been filled with obstacles as they faced one setback after another. Michael had already faced a major setback in 2018 when their hopes were dashed because he needed a triple bypass as they approached the surgery date. He recovered and the transplant was on again in June 2019. But a discovery of breast cancer in Kris three weeks out from the transplant surgery nearly made the donation impossible. They were told the C on her chart ended her chances of donating. But she never gave up hope, and even through her own obstacles and recovery, she never gave up championing for Michael. Their transplant doctor never gave up hope either. And on May 29, Michael received his new kidney from Kris after teams of doctors in the Houston Methodist system made an unprecedented decision that she could go forward with the surgery following her breast cancer recovery. Now the couple of 25 years is relishing life as they close a chapter of their life that brought one knock down after another. Start of a journey In 2014, Michael suffered a stroke that damaged his kidneys. By 2018, his kidney function was so low that a transplant was necessary. Kris was a match. But to donate her kidney, Kris first had to get her health in order. First she had to lose weight. She ended up losing 60 pounds through the Weight Management program at Houston Methodist. She also had to have a well-woman exam. Her primary care physician noticed she hadnt had a mammogram in several years. I was one of those women who let it fall to the wayside, she said. So she got a mammogram in May 2018. It was no big deal, it was great, she said. Things were rolling ahead for Michael too. Then in late 2018 as he was preparing for the transplant and checking off the list of things needed before surgery, it was discovered that he needed a triple bypass. Their hopes still werent dashed. He could recover and they could try again. A devastating setback By June 2019, Michael was strong enough to try again for the transplant surgery. Again, Kris was checking off her boxes to prep for the transplant. A follow up mammogram in May 2019 was a part of the prep. At that point they were three weeks out from this second attempt at the transplant. Again she thought ok, no big deal. I never thought a thing of it. I had no history in my family, no symptoms, no tenderness, she said. My brain was completely on Michael and getting this kidney taken care of. Her mammogram took place on May 16, 2019. On May 21, they called her to come back in. She still didnt think anything of it. Then they scheduled a biopsy for May 28. By then I was starting to get a little scared, she said. My gut is saying this is not good. On May 30, she was working with a client in west Houston when she got a call from the Breast Care Center at The Woodlands Houston Methodist hospital. They asked her to come to the breast center for a 2 p.m. appointment. I stood up, said some not nice worlds and I said to my client, I freaking have breast cancer. I knew it., she said. Her heart went into her toes. On her way to the breast center she called her transplant coordinator and since it was so close to the surgery the coordinator already knew. Dr. Magda Ghobashy confirmed she had Stage 1A breast cancer that was HR2 negative. You hear those words and you just keep thinking this has got to be a mistake. No, not me, she said. Life just stops That day, Dr. Ghobashy told her, I know what is going on and I know how close you guys are. Were going to take care of you. Then Dr. Ghobashy walked her to each one of the doctors that she would be working with and they all already knew her and Michaels story before she got there. Fortunately her breast cancer was at a very early stage. They said if you have to have cancer, then this is the one to have, which is a strange thing to say, she said. I knew I was really lucky to catch it early. If it werent for other things going on in my life, I probably wouldnt have gone for a mammogram. But the cancer, even though it was the size of a pea also halted her ability to donate a kidney to Michael. Kris thought she was covered for the transplant. She had a plan and a surgery date. She thought six months of recovery and shed be ready. But it was more complicated. The transplant doctors told her maybe in 10 years. She knew Michael didnt have that much time. Normally, at Methodist, a cancer diagnosis knocks a donor out of the program for 5 to 10 years, depending on the type of cancer and the treatment, she said. They worry about the donor passing the cancer to the recipient, of course, but they are just as worried about the donors health - chemo therapy can be very hard on the kidneys and they fear that if cancer reappears the donor could lose kidney function and need that second kidney. So they normally wait a long time, out of an over abundance of caution. Surgery day Her lumpectomy took place on July 3, 2019 with breast surgeon Dr. Liza Thalheimer. Dr. Steven Gordon performed an oncoplastic reconstruction the same day. He explained the procedure includes moving around tissue to fill in the defect. He also did a symmetry procedure on the opposite breast. Dr. Gordon took special note of her positive attitude. She was always so positive throughout the process, he said. Even when she had adversity in her personal health she was always advocating for her husband and championing for him. She was also a positive force for other breast cancer patients as they faced their journeys as well. She recovered from the surgery for six weeks and then started radiation. Hoping for a miracle Kris continued to stay in touch with Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, chief of kidney diseases at Houston Methodist, with the hope that things would turn around. Were not telling you that this isnt going to happen. Were just telling you that this isnt going to happen now, is what the experts told her. But Dr. Ibrahim never gave up hope. He always believed from the beginning that I could still donate, she said. But they went to work on alternatives and tried to find another match for Michael. Kris also made it her priority to stay as healthy as she could. When she did her six-month follow up in January 2020, Dr. Priya Ramshesh, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Infusion Center Medical Director, told her I dont see any reason why you cant do this. She said it you hadnt gotten in when you did, if you waited, if it were larger or if it had spread, it would have been a different situation, she said. The transplant team met with her breast cancer team and they had the same conclusion as Dr. Ramshesh. They took their recommendations back to the transplant committee. On March 6, with Dr. Ibrahims evidence, the committee gave the transplant a thumbs up. COVID slowdown By March, the COVID-19 pandemic began and the hospital stopped doing transplant operations that involved live donors. Again checking off her to-do list, Kris had to have a COVID-19 test and it came back positive even though she had no symptoms and was not out and about. She quarantined for two weeks and finally on May 29 their transplant surgery took place. Michael had a couple minor setbacks with infections over the summer, but both are happy to have this medical roller coaster behind them. Now Kris is encouraging mammograms and early detection now more than ever as some women may consider delaying their mammogram due to COVID-19. Dr Ibrahims tenacity in advocating for his patient, combined with early detection and the skill of the oncology team - well, that was a great example of what can be accomplished when a medical team works together so beautifully, she said. The Woodlands docs were laser focused on getting me well and whole so that I could donate - they werent ready to accept no for an answer either. shernandez@hcnonline.com The Renault new Arkana / Courtesy of Renault Samsung By Nam Hyun-woo Renault Samsung, the Korean unit of Renault Group, will manufacture the XM3 small SUV for the European market here, a crucial deal for the company's sustainability. In an online event, Renault Group announced Wednesday (KST) that Renault Samsung will export the XM3 to European and other global markets from next year after producing the vehicle at the latter's Busan plant. The XM3 will be named the new Arkana and will be available in hybrid and 1.3-liter turbocharged gasoline models. The company will target France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain and Germany for sales of the new car, and will expand this to Chile, Japan and Australia afterwards. The new Arkana is different from the Arkana, available only in the Russian market, in terms of platform, engine and multimedia systems, Renault Group said. The announcement is important news for Renault Samsung. It was facing serious sustainability questions as its contract to manufacture the Nissan Rogue for export ended in March. The Nissan Rogue accounted for nearly half of the Busan plant's output, and more 100,000 vehicles were exported annually from 2015 to 2018. Renault Samsung sought to fill the production void by winning a manufacturing order for the XM3 for shipment to global markets. Renault Group was expected to decide on the allocation of XM3 production last year, but postponed its decision over concerns to about the Busan plant's plunging productivity amid Renault Samsung's rising labor costs and prolonged strikes over wages. While the headquarters delayed making a decision, Renault Samsung launched the XM3 here in March, and sales hit their stride with 22,252 sold in the first half. Industry officials said COVID-19 also affected the headquarters' decision, as the Korean automobile industry remained relatively intact from the pandemic. Renault Samsung said the decision came after domestic customers highly evaluated the quality of the vehicle, and Renault Group also acknowledged that the company's production capability was also competitive. "The group's decision is the first step toward the XM3 becoming Renault Samsung's main export model," Renault Samsung CEO Dominique Signora said in a statement. "The volume of XM3 exports depends on how we can improve product competitiveness and satisfy global customers." One of Thailand's most high-profile critics said the government was facing a "perfect storm" of protests and economic distress caused by the coronavirus pandemic, predicting it would not last the full term after losing the trust of its people. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the former leader of opposition Future Forward Party, was banned from politics for 10 years after a court ordered the group's dissolution for breaching financing rules in February. He has repeatedly denied the charges. "In time of political, economic and health crises, if you can't command trust of the people, how can you run the country?" Thanathorn said in an interview in the capital, Bangkok, on Monday. "You can't even find a finance minister. It means no one has confidence in you." The previous minister quit due to health reasons on Sept. 2 after less than a month into the job and has yet to be replaced. The break up of Thanathorn's party, which won the third largest share of seats in last year's election, started a wave of anti-government protests that have expanded in recent months, with 50,000 people attending the biggest rally earlier this month. Protesters are demanding changes that include scrapping the military-appointed Senate -- which played a key role in the return of coup leader Prayuth Chan-Ocha as prime minister after the election last year -- and reining in the power of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The administration should not "underestimate the anger of the people," said Thanathorn, who's now running the Progressive Movement, a group of former Future Forward executives supporting candidates running in local elections which are expected to be held in December. "I don't think Prayuth's government will last full term. His government has lost all the trust of the people." Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said under Prayuth's leadership the country's response to the pandemic had earned the praise of the World Health Organization. "The government will roll out various economic measures to restore confidence, and boost investment and consumption," Anucha said. "It's also preparing to allow foreign visitors to travel to Thailand with strict control measures." On Tuesday, the cabinet approved 51 billion baht worth of economic stimulus measures to bolster consumption, which the Finance Ministry said should help minimize the hit to the economy. It also cleared 1.47 trillion baht government borrowing in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 to fund fiscal stimulus and the budget deficit. The escalating protests add to the challenges facing Prayuth's government, which is trying to revive an economy on track for a record contraction this year after the pandemic disrupted international trade and travel, the country's two most important sectors. Prayuth said on Monday he expected to announce the new finance minister next week, noting he needed time to find "the best person" who's ready and whose family is ready. He previously said the resignation of the minister would not derail government policies. Prayuth again appealed to protesters "to reduce pressure" and avoid creating more conflict and division in the country. Demonstrators want the constitution rewritten. It was developed under the leadership of Prayuth's junta and is widely seen as one of the tools that helped his military-backed regime maintain its power in last year's vote. The prime minister has said he is open to making unspecified changes to the constitution, however the parliament last week decided to delay the promised vote on proposals to amend the charter, angering protesters. Protesters have called for more demonstrations and a general strike on Oct. 14. Political analysts expected the movement will continue to grow in the coming months, with more people including opposition parties joining the protests started by students and youths. Thanathorn, who's been at several demonstrations over the past months, said the country was weathering an unprecedented series of challenges. "It's basically a perfect storm." UAE-based AquaChemie DMCC, a leader in the process industry, and Japans Kurita Water Industries, through its subsidiary Kurita Europe GmbH, an international leader in water and process specialty chemicals, have signed a strategic agreement to set up a joint venture (JV) company. The JV, under the name of Kurita AquaChemie, will leverage both companies' complementary strengths for water and process treatment chemicals solutions for the refinery, petrochemicals, fertilizer, power and desalination, paper, and metal industries in the GCC region. Kurita AquaChemie will be the single face for customers in the wider GCC region and is all set to offer solutions to customers, who will now benefit from technologically innovative Japanese programmes fully backed by local production, resources, and prompt customer service. Kurita AquaChemie will operate two new production plants in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and in Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE. These two production sites were commissioned in the first half (H1) of 2020 and are expected to have a production capacity of about 230,000 metric tons per annum in the initial phase. An agreement to officially form the new joint venture was physically signed in Dubai today (September 30) by Lorenzo Carollo, CEO of Kurita Middle East, and Subrato Saha and V Anandkumar, Directors of AquaChemie DMCC, in the presence of top Jafza officials. Michiya Kadota, President of Kurita Group, Shingo Yamaga, Senior General Manager EMEA and Americas Operation of Kurita Group and Jordi Verdes, CEO of Kurita EMEA, other senior members from Kurita and AquaChemie were present virtually. The regional hydrocarbon industry has witnessed steady growth in the past decade, with new industrial process units being added. Water and process treatment specialty chemicals are essential additives for such units. The overall specialty chemicals market in the GCC region is currently pegged at more than $350 million. Water is the key to a sustainable future. But the region is still not comprehensively served in terms of technology and monitoring services. Hence, there is a definite need for a global player like Kurita to address these gaps. Kurita AquaChemie already has a base of over 25 customers in the region. It will continue to invest focus and resources, to be the market leader in specialty chemicals in the next few years. The new entity, with Kurita as the major shareholder, has come at an opportune time when the requirement is high, but options for customers are limited for patented bespoke Japanese technology. Kurita commits around 3% of its over $2 billion turnover on R&D each year, with more than 3,000 patents to leverage. Kurita is the only global chemical company qualified as a member of the NAI (Nature Stock Index), which shows its commitment towards environmental sustainability. All these elements, which focus on optimising water and energy resources, can result in savings of up to 40%. Such solutions will be delivered over the strong foundation created by AquaChemie, through local infrastructure development in GCC countries, working relationships in the regional hydrocarbon industry, and professionals with years of experience in specialty chemicals sales and service. Commenting on the new joint venture agreement, Shingo Yamaga said: To realise our dream of Kurita company philosophy, Study the properties of water, master them, and we will create an environment in which nature and man are in harmony, establishing the business fundamentals in the Middle East countries has been essential and indispensable for us. With this new joint venture company, we are very much excited to make the critical one step toward the dream, which allows us to provide our innovation and technologies directly to our customers in the GCC, where there is a need for such solutions. Lorenzo Carollo added: I believe this operation fits perfectly into Kurita's long-term strategy that in recent years is undergoing impressive acceleration. A strategy we define as glocal - think globally, act locally. With this joint venture, a reality is born that will speedily bring the global innovations that Kurita develops, locally, to the GCC region. Confirming his companys role in the new enterprise, Subrato Saha, Director of AquaChemie DMCC, noted: AquaChemie has always strived to become a formidable player in the specialty chemicals space, with more than 25% year-on-year growth. Thus, when Kurita expressed interest in collaborating, we were immediately drawn by their globally trusted brand status, technology leadership, and deep-rooted pleasant Japanese culture. Jordi Verdes said: Kurita focuses on creating value for the water, paper, and process treatment industry and society by providing technologies that reduce water and energy consumption. To achieve the sustainability targets of our customers, we rely not only on the technology we have but also on the knowledge of local markets specific needs. This is why the new joint venture is a perfect match for us. V Anandkumar, Director of AquaChemie DMCC, said: When two forces combine, their efficiency doubles. With Kuritas technology leadership and AquaChemies customer-centric approach reinforcing the new joint venture, our customers can now reap the benefits of higher efficiency, water, and energy savings, along with equipment/process reliability. We want to continue expanding our innovative solutions, bring benefits to our customers, and focus on sustainable solutions through 2021 and beyond. As most of the new companys chemicals will be manufactured in the GCC region itself, this will inherently reduce input costs and provide better product availability. All these factors will allow customers to obtain better plant efficiency, reliability, and utilisation at competitive pricing. Globally proven technologies, delivered with a deep commitment towards Quality, Health, Safety and Environment, will be a blessing for the region. Both Kurita and AquaChemie felt the need for a joint venture operation over the last two years. However, it took time to understand each other, doing the thorough due diligence of both parties Middle East operations, commercial negotiation, and finalising the joint venture modalities between the two companies, a statement said, noting that the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic also set the merger back by a few months. TradeArabia News Service Joele Frank is handling the Chapter XI filing of Oasis Petroleum as the shale oil company reels from the financial pressures from COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of energy prices. The Houston-based company reported a 49.6 percent crash in first-half revenues to $554.1. Due to a $4.8B impairment charge, Oasis suffered a $4.4B loss. The bankruptcy reorganization will reduce Oasis total debt by $1.8B. "Oasis Petroleum is a great company with high-quality assets and employees and a well-earned reputation for excellence in environmental stewardship, safety and governance, said CEO Tom Nusz in a statement. However, due to historically low global energy demand and commodity prices, we determined that it is best for Oasis Petroleum to take decisive action to strengthen our liquidity and overcome the headwinds now challenging both our company and industry. Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katchers Andrew Siegel and Jed Repko represent Oasis. Not even late Nov. 15, 2017, or early the next morning, when Jennifer Koll and her son, Dayton He, who lived in a separate apartment in the basement, started to notice a strong odor of bleach, so strong it made Jennifer Koll, who is allergic, sick to her stomach. She said that morning, Nov. 16, she had taken her daughter to Lincoln to get her braces taken off and remembers pulling into the garage. "I could smell it immediately," she said. A Clorox odor was consuming the whole upstairs of the house. Jennifer Koll said she had to open up all the windows and doors despite the chilly late-fall weather. And she noticed the farther down the stairs she went, the stronger the smell got. When investigators went there Nov. 18 to do a welfare check looking for Loofe, they still noticed the smell. The missing 24-year-old Lincoln woman's cellphone had pinged at a tower at Wilber on the night of Nov. 15 while on a date with Boswell, and the trail was leading to the house on West Seventh Street. Lincoln Police Detective Matt Franken said the nature of Loofe's disappearance already was concerning. Appeal in Babri demolition case to be taken after studying judgment says CBI counsel Babri demolition verdict: All you need to know about the key figures Muslim bodies to collectively decide on challenging Babri case verdict India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Sep 30: All-India Muslim Personal Law Board senior member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali on Wednesday said organisations representing the community will together decide whether they need to challenge or not the CBI court verdict in the Babri mosque demolition case. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News On Wednesday morning, the special court had acquitted all 32 accused, including former deputy prime minister L K Advani, ex-Union minister M M Joshi, Uma Bharti and former UP chief minister Kalyan Singh. Refusing to comment on their acquittal, Mahali said, "I don''t have anything to say on the verdict. Everybody knows how the Babri mosque was sacrificed on December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya and how all rules were flouted." Appeal in Babri demolition case to be taken after studying judgment says CBI counsel In its verdict on the Ramjanmabhoomi land dispute case on November 9 last year, the Supreme Court had said Muslims were wrongly deprived of their mosque, he said, adding that the demolition of the masjid was an illegal act. "It is for the court to decide if anyone is guilty or not. Now, Muslim organisations will sit together and decide if an appeal is to be made against it; whether there would be any benefit in filing an appeal or not, only time will tell," he said. He said Muslims in the country have always honoured court verdicts and will continue to do so. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 16:21 [IST] IF the growth in the number of coronavirus cases here continues the way it is going, we are heading for a serious national problem. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn issued the warning at this afternoons Covid-19 briefing as 429 new cases of Covid-19 were identified across the country, while there was one more death. The country breakdown showed 189 cases are in Dublin, 60 in Cork, 31 in Donegal, 28 in Galway, 18 in Kildare, 15 in Wicklow, 15 in Clare, 12 in Limerick, nine in Meath, eight in Louth, seven in Cavan, seven in Longford, sixin Laois, five in Offaly, five in Westmeath, with the remaining 14 cases in 8 counties. Its rising everywhere, Dr Glynn said adding it was not simply a problem for counties in Level Three lockdown or those previously identified as a specific concern. The new data released today by the Department of Health showed the total number of cases of the virus in Ireland is now 36,169. There have been 1,804 deaths. And the number of people being hospitalised by the virus has also continued to increase. It now stand at 130, while there are now 20 people in intensive care units, with four in the last 24 hours alone. Professor Philip Nolan said: My sense is that the mix of the changes and restrictions that applied in Dublin seem to have had an effect on the number of cases in Dublin. But at the same time weve seen a very significant growth in the disease right across the country. An exceptionally important message is do not go out if you have symptoms. Dr Glynn also raised concerns about the emergency of a blame culture especially on social media, which he said is harming efforts to fight the virus. Im concerned about the emergence of a blame culture, I think thats harming the response, he said. People are looking at the next thing to blame. Theres only one thing we should blame thats the virus. We need to unite against the virus. Social media is one very skewed pic and its not an accurate representation, he said. Dr Breda Smyth pointed out a number of case studies of outbreaks in the west. In one, 30 cases arose after a couple went away for weekend break. They went to a house party where six out of eight people became infected. The outbreak included an incident where six people sitting at a table in a restaurant adjacent to one of those infected all later tested positive for Covid-19. In another case, there were two student parties on the same night, both mixed, someone was carrying the virus and the outcome was 21 cases. One of those infected then attended a class at university where 15 out of 26 in the class became infected. Dr Glynn said the message was not for young people not to socialise but for them to do so following the health advice. We do want them to socialise. Its not sustainable for young people not to socialise, he said. However he added: This is a message for all age groups. Employers in Dublin should be facilitating employees to work from home unless its absolutely necessary, said Dr Glynn. Of the new cases today 203 were men and 226 are women, while 65pc were under 45 years of age. There were 45pc of the cases confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case. There were 77 identified as community transmission. RTHK: As debate nears, Biden turns up tax heat on Trump Hours before his first debate with US President Donald Trump, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday released his 2019 tax returns and his campaign called on Trump, who has come under fire for not releasing his returns, to do the same. Biden, due to share the stage with Trump on Tuesday evening in Cleveland, took the step two days after the New York Times reported Trump paid just US$750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 and none in 10 of the previous 15 years following years of reporting steep losses from business enterprises. Trump had long sought to keep his personal financial records secret. Biden's taxes showed that he and his wife Jill paid more than US$346,000 in federal taxes and other payments for 2019 on an income of nearly US$985,000 before seeking a refund of nearly US$47,000 they said they had overpaid the government. "This is a historic level of transparency meant to give the American people faith once again that their leaders will look out for them and not their own bottom lines," Biden's deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, said on a call with reporters. "Mr President, release your tax returns or shut up," Bedingfield added. With more than a million Americans already casting early ballots and time running out to change minds or influence the small sliver of undecided voters, the stakes are enormous as the two White House candidates take the stage five weeks before the November 3 election. The 90-minute debate, with a limited and socially distanced in-person audience because of the coronavirus pandemic, will begin at 9am Hong Kong time on Wednesday at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, with Chris Wallace of Fox News serving as the moderator. It is the first of three scheduled debates. Trump arrived in Cleveland aboard Air Force One ahead of the debate. Biden was flying in from Delaware. The Biden tax returns gambit ahead of the debate shows that the former vice president is seeking political advantage on an issue that could resonate with voters a wealthy real estate developer-turned-politician who has, according to the New York Times report, often avoided paying federal income taxes. Democrats have sought to portray Trump as a tax dodger. Trump's persistent refusal to release his taxes has been a departure from standard practice for presidential candidates. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2020-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 19:44:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam addresses an event celebrating the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) HONG KONG, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Wednesday that Hong Kong is closely linked to the motherland, and the prosperity of the country has brought boundless vitality to Hong Kong. The affection for one's family and country is a fine tradition of the Chinese nation, said Lam while addressing an event celebrating the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. She said that everyone should take pride in the country's rapid development and take it as his or her duty to safeguard national security. China has made remarkable achievements in various fields since its founding, not only becoming the second largest economy in the world, but also playing an important role in the world, she said. "Since its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has successfully implemented 'one country, two systems', 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' and a high degree of autonomy. With the support of the country, Hong Kong's economy has continued to expand and people's livelihood has improved. In recent years, the country's Belt and Road Initiative and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have brought tremendous opportunities to Hong Kong." Lam pointed out that last year's social unrest hit Hong Kong's economic and social development to some extent. But thanks to the support and assistance of the central government, Hong Kong is gradually getting back on track. The legislation of the national security law in HKSAR by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in June and its inclusion in Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law have restored social stability in Hong Kong, guaranteed safety of life, fundamental rights and freedoms of the vast majority of law-abiding residents in Hong Kong, ensured the implementation of "one country, two systems" and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, she said. "In the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, the central government provided various assistance, including arranging support teams to assist the HKSAR government to successfully carry out a large-scale universal community testing program this month, and helped Hong Kong successfully contain the third wave of the epidemic. To strengthen Hong Kong's anti-epidemic capability, two other support projects -- a community treatment facility and a temporary hospital -- have been successfully launched. We sincerely thank the central government for its support to Hong Kong." In the coming year, the HKSAR government still have a lot to do both in combating the epidemic and in restoring the economy. But with the strong support of the central government and the concerted efforts of all sectors, Hong Kong will surely meet the challenges, she added. Enditem One male victim was shot in the upper body about 1:15 p.m. near 115th Street and Fairfield Avenue, according to police. The Chicago Fire Department took a 7-year-old child to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park for treatment of wounds from flying glass, a spokesman said. Women's rights activists on Wednesday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for cremating the body the 19-year-old Hathras gang-rape victim in the dead of night allegedly without her family's consent, and said she was robbed of dignity even in death. IMAGE: Activists of All India Democratic Students Organisation hold a demonstration demanding justice for gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in UP's Hathras, in Bhopal. Photograph: PTI Photo The Dalit woman was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras by four men on September 14, and she breathed her last on Tuesday at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital. Her body was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. Local police officers, however, said the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family". Women rights activists called the whole incident appalling and shocking. "This horror gives you the full picture of what this crime is all about," Kavita Krishnan, the secretary of All India Progressive Women's Association, said. "The refusal of the UP government and its machinery to allow a Dalit family the right to grieve their daughter and bid her farewell in keeping with their own emotions and customs reeks of caste supremacy," she said. She said there is a lot of focus on the horrific nature of the injuries that the woman suffered, but insufficient focus on the alleged systemic horror the Uttar Pradesh state 'inflicted' on her and her family. "When the family found her and she was taken to the police station, the police said she is trying to trap people and then she was hospitalised and not kept in the ICU for six days and then on her death the police blamed the victim's family and they are denying this Dalit family and victim dignity even in death and mourning," she said. Yogita Bhayana, who heads the People Against Rape in India, said there is something 'very fishy' about way the last rite happened. "This is very fishy and as it seems like the last nail in the coffin that they were not even allowed to perform the last rites," she said. "In the history of cases that I have dealt with and I have known this has never happened and this makes it murkier and fishier. There is something they are trying to hide and it is so evident. This is something beyond human rights violation," she said. "It is the newest low. Even in the Nirbhaya case, there was nothing like this. In none of the cases this has happened. The family deserves an answer. They (the government) can only do this to a Dalit family, they knew the caste would not retaliate so they did this," she claimed. Women rights activist Shamina Shafiq also mentioned the 2012 gang-rape and murder of Nirbhaya in Delhi. "The government then took it sensitively. She (Nirbhaya) was airlifted to Singapore so that her life could be saved. Then prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi actually went to the airport to receive her body. "Her family was given respect, though law and order failed. Now look at (this case) in comparison. Even Hindu rituals do not allow cremation after the sunset. Why did it happen?" she asked. "When this girl was gang-raped why she was not airlifted to AIIMS. These people do not care about giving respect to women. It is just sloganeering happening. It is happening because she is a Dalit girl. Just because there are no elections in Uttar Pradesh and she was a Dalit girl this happened," she said. Women rights activist Shabnam Hashmi said growing instances of attacks on women are shocking. "From 2014-2018, there have been 1.75 lakh rapes in this country, and the last two year's data is not even added to this statistics. The way attacks on women are increasing is unprecedented and there is a total impunity," she said. "It is absolutely a new low but this is not going to decrease at all," she said, adding laws cannot stop rapes from happening. "If the mindset is being polluted and polluted so much then what can laws do?" The woman's family had left Safdarjung hospital in Delhi on Tuesday night amid a heavy police deployment. Her body was taken by the Uttar Pradesh police, which reached Hathras earlier than the family members, claimed a kin of the victim. "The cremation was performed around 2.30 am - 3 am," her father said. In the moments preceding the cremation, a brother of the woman said: "Police have forcibly taken the body, and my father along with them for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the crematorium) by the police." Another kin said the woman's father was accompanied by 30 to 40 people, mainly relatives and others from their neighbourhood, to the crematorium near Bool Garhi village, under Chandpa police station limits, in the district of western Uttar Pradesh. Head of Russias Federal Chamber of Lawyers backs law obstruction fight bill RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 10:42 30/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 30 (RAPSI) - President of Russias Federal Chamber of Lawyers Yury Pilipenko has welcomed a bill on criminal punishment for obstruction of practice of law, the organizations press service reports. Pilipenko has stated his view on viability of the initiatives support in general drawing attention to the need of adjusting certain position, in particular a standard of essential damage invalidating the value of the provision. In early September, the bill to impose criminal liability for obstructing legal profession was published on the website of draft laws and regulations for public discussion. Amendments are proposed to Russias Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code. According to the initiative, criminal responsibility is fixed for any interference with legal activities of attorneys with an aim to prevent exercise of their professional powers as provided by the Federal law "On Legal Practice and Advocacy in the Russian Federation" if such intervention resulted in serious prejudicing rights and legal interests of citizens, organizations, society or state, according to the Chamber. The draft law in particular envisages punishment of up to community service for a term of up to 1 year. A more serious crime with the use of force may lead to imprisonment for up to 5 years. More coronavirus restrictions could be on the horizon following the latest set of daily figures which Laois features on a day when more than 400 new Covid-19 have emerged in the past 24 hours and another person died while the number of people in hospital with the virus has climbed to 130. In its daily statement, the National Public Health Emergency Team said that the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC) has been informed of 429 new cases. Of these six are in Laois a figure which caused the county to be highlighted in NPHET's daily update. There is now a total of 36,155* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. While there is 'cautious optimism' about Dublin, a NPHET expert 'case numbers are clearly rising across the country'. The HSPC has today, Wednesday, September 30, been informed that 1 person with COVID-19 has died. There has now been a total of 1,804 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland. Of the cases notified today 189 cases are in Dublin, 60 in Cork, 31 in Donegal, 28 in Galway, 18 in Kildare, 15 in Wicklow, 15 in Clare, 12 in Limerick, 9 in Meath, 8 in Louth, 7 in Cavan, 7 in Longford, 6 in Laois, 5 in Offaly, 5 in Westmeath, with the remaining 14 cases in 8 counties. Other findings: 203 are men / 226 are women 65% are under 45 years of age 45% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case 77 cases have been identified as community transmission Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: This evening there are 130 people with COVID-19 in hospital 15 in the last 24 hours. Recently we asked everyone to half their social contacts. Reducing the number of people that we meet - and engaging safely with a small core group - remains the cornerstone of our collective effort to reduce the spread of this virus and its impact on our health and the health of the people that we care about. Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer, HSE, said: Community transmission represents the greatest threat to patients and staff in hospitals and residential care facilities. When you are making plans to meet friends and socialise this week, take a minute to consider our healthcare workers, who have been at the frontline since the beginning of the pandemic, in hospitals, in nursing homes and in our homes, caring for those who are ill and those who are the most vulnerable to this highly infectious virus. "Every time you wear a facemask, wash your hands, cover your coughs and keep your distance, your actions are not only preventing the transmission of the virus, but you are also protecting older and vulnerable people and healthcare workers. Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said: The R number is now between 1.2 and 1.4. While we are cautiously optimistic about Dublin, we have seen relatively high case numbers in the last few days, and it will be a number of days yet before the pattern is clear. Case numbers are clearly rising across the country. We need to remain vigilant, to ensure we do not lose the ground that we have gained across the capital city since we moved to Level 3, and to ensure we do not see further deterioration outside the capital. Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public Health, HSE West said: I am asking people of all ages to play their part to suppress this virus. It is important for everyone to stay connected, but you need to do this in a safe way, at a distance, and virtually as much as you can. If you have symptoms, stay at home, call your doctor to arrange for a test and let the people that you live with know about it as soon as possible. If you find out that you are close contact, please come forward for testing. Remember that COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that can have a devastating impact on your health at any age. The figures for Laois and neighbouring counties for Monday, September 28 showed that new cases were identified. They are as follows: Laois 447 - no change. Offaly 721 - up 4. Kildare 2,567 - up 9. Carlow 285 - up 4. Kilkenny 459 - up 4. Tipperary 786 - up 5. Dublin 16,960 - up 145. The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 21:20:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GABORONE, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Botswana citizens on Wednesday celebrated the country's 54th Independence Day with reconfiguring ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under normal circumstances, the citizens of Botswana will throng stadiums to learn about how the country gained its independence from the British on Sept. 30, 1966 under the leadership of the late Sir Seretse Khama, the father to the country's former president Ian Khama. Previously known as Bechuanaland during the colonial era, Botswana is now named after its dominant ethnic group, Tswana, and since independence it has gained international stature as a peaceful and increasingly prosperous democratic state. Traditionally, this day is characterized by pomp and ceremony. During this time of the year, many citizens of this southern African country visit friends and families to celebrate the country's national day. It is indeed a special day on which many "of our people are filled with joy, pride and sense of patriotism," said President Mokgweetsi Masisi when delivering his message on the occasion of the 54th Independence Day broadcast live on the national television on Wednesday. "However, this year, we are marking our independence day in a more somber mood. We all know that the reason for this state of despondency and disruption is occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic," he said. As of Sept. 30, Botswana had registered 3, 173 confirmed cases and 16 COVID-19 related deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the pandemic globally. "It is indeed sad that the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise rapidly in Botswana," added Masisi. Earlier this week, Botswana parliament approved a six-month extension of the state of emergency as an attempt to curtail the spread of the spread and transmission of the deadly disease. Although stringent, Masisi said the state of emergency extension is a necessary measure being implemented by the government to contain the spread and transmission of COVID-19. "I should be in Maun (a tourist attraction are situated in the northwestern part of the country) enjoying with my friends and relatives. But here I am stuck in Francistown," Shadrack Tshepo, who could not travel due to COVID-19 movement restrictions, told Xinhua. Mothusi Onneile, a resident of Francistown, Botswana's second largest city, told Xinhua that the reconfiguration of the Independence celebrations is necessary since the country is fighting tooth and nail to control the spread of COVID-19 pandemic though a painful experience. Under the state of emergency, restrictions on the movement of people between COVID-19 zones as well as in and out of the southern African country will be maintained since it is the only option to safeguard the lives of the citizens of Botswana. Enditem President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden clashed in Cleveland Tuesday in the first of three scheduled debates. It was a testy affair, with both candidates talking over each other and slamming each other. Trump entered the debate trailing Biden in opinion polls and was looking to the debates as a chance to reverse his fortunes. Who do you think won the debate? Vote in the informal, unscientific poll below. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- From major bus projects, to Staten Island Railway (SIR) station upgrades, to crucial infrastructure improvements on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Staten Islands transportation future could hinge heavily on whether the MTA gets the federal funding it so desperately desires. The MTA, provider of mass transit service and operator of many of the citys key crossings, finds itself in dire financial straits, with revenue losses associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forcing the agency to urgently reconsider its historic $51.5 billion 2020-2024 Capital Plan approved last year. KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of minority-owned businesses in the United States is on the rise. As ethnic minority groups migrate to new destinations, how does an increased minority population impact minority business formation and growth? In a recent study of Latino-owned U.S. businesses, researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Haslam College of Business and College of Law found that a higher Latino population rate encourages Latino business formation but that these businesses are slow to grow. "Latino Business Formation and Growth in New Latino Destinations: A Social Capital Perspective," co-authored by Adrian "Ace" Beorchia, a Ph.D. candidate in strategy, entrepreneurship and organizations; David Gras, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship and Eric Amarante, associate professor of law, was chosen Best Conference Paper Proposal for the 2020 Advancing Management Research in Latin America Specialized Conference. The event was scheduled to be held in Mexico City in April but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using county population and minority business data, the researchers found that although the number of Latino-owned businesses in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1996, Latinos are scaling their businesses more slowly than other ethnic groups, particularly in terms of employment. While Latino-owned enterprises account for 24 percent of new U.S. startups and 13 percent of the nation's businesses overall, they comprise only 6 percent of employer businesses (defined as those having at least one paid employee). A number of factors play a role in the relatively slow growth of Latino-owned firms. For example, the researchers found that although the community solidarity in ethnic enclaves such as Miami's Little Havana can reduce or eliminate some business expenses, this solidarity comes with a downside. "Ethnic enclaves create their own economic ecosystem, which protects its members from outside discrimination," Beorchia said. "However, ethnic minority business owners may also experience lack of access to important resources outside of the ethnic community, such as information, loans, capital, suppliers and customers." Connecting with these resources can be even more challenging for Latinos who migrate to newer ethnic communities. Historically, U.S. Latino populations have been concentrated in established immigrant destinations such as New York, Texas and California. However, better work opportunities, lower cost of living and lower crime rates are increasingly attracting Latinos to places as widespread as Tennessee, Delaware and South Dakota. These newer Latino communities often have little interaction with non-Latino populations. "Latinos endure fear and mistrust in new destinations that lead to increased isolation from mainstream culture," the authors wrote. "They may be perceived simultaneously as not fully American, nor fully from their native country." The researchers' findings suggested that in new destinations, even more than in traditional ones, a larger Latino representation correlates with a higher number of Latino-owned businesses. However, the isolation of these newer Latino communities means their access to crucial social capitalpotential resources available through social networksis limited. "While strong ties like family members or close friends are useful to obtain resources quickly," Beorchia said, "weak ties such as friends of friends are extremely beneficial in providing diverse and important resources unavailable through strong ties." Expanding Latinos' access to social capital creates growth opportunities not only for Latino-owned enterprises, but also for the U.S. economy as a whole. The study showed that if Latino businesses grew at the same rate as non-Latino businesses, they would add 5.3 million jobs to the U.S. labor market. "We believe that as Latino and non-Latino businesses work together, the results will benefit all businesses in a community," Beorchia said. "Latino Business Formation and Growth in New Latino Destinations: A Social Capital Perspective" is available in the Academy of Management Global Proceedings: Mexico, Issue 2020. SOURCE University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Haslam College of Business Related Links https://www.utk.edu China has declared a PLAGUE emergency after a three-year-old boy was struck down by the Black Death. The child, from a remote village in Menghai county, Yunnan, in the south west of the country, was confirmed to be infected by the killer disease yesterday, state media reports. Chinese authorities in the region have started a level IV emergency response to prevent another epidemic following the Covid-19 outbreak, reported Global Times. This follows the discovery of three dead disease-ridden rats in a village in Menghai which sparked a national screening programme. Bubonic plague is a bacterial disease spread by fleas living on wild rodents and can kill an adult in less than 24 hours if not treated in time. Also known as the Black Death, the illness killed up to 200 million people in the 14 century. Authorities said a severe rat infection has broken out in Yunnan earlier this month. This comes after a plague outbreak in neighbouring Mongolia which has seen 22 reported cases six of which have been confirmed. The latest is a 25-year-old woman who has been hospitalised with the disease after eating an infected rodent called a marmot. She is held in isolation in Khovd province along with 19 people she contacted. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates The observatory said that 320 'Syrian mercenaries' backed by Turkey have been sent to the warzone by Turkish security companies A Syrian mercenary affiliated with Turkish-backed militias was shot dead during the ongoing clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced on Wednesday. The observatory said it received information that 320 Syrian mercenaries backed by Turkey have been sent to the warzone by Turkish security companies, even though they had been contracted to protect oilfields. The observatory added that most of the mercenaries are affiliated with the Turkish-backed Sultan Murad division and the Suleyman Shah Brigade. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quick to voice support for Azerbaijan, claiming that Armenia is "the biggest threat to peace in the region." According to Sky News Arabia, Turkish authorities informed the mercenaries that they will be responsible for protecting border sites in return for payment ranging from $1,500 to $2,000. The territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorny Karabakh has been ongoing for decades, with the latest clashes taking place on Sunday. Search Keywords: Short link: The $4 billion food box program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives contracts to distributors suffering from the closure of restaurants and hospitality businesses to purchase fresh food from farmers. The distributors package the food into family-size boxes and distribute them to food pantries and other organizations helping to feed people during the pandemic. Nearly 100 million boxes have been sent since the program launched in May, according to the USDA. Myanmar: Asean needs to act on Mekong River September 30,2020 | Source: Bangkok Post Two events happened last month that went largely unnoticed by most of the mainstream media in Southeast Asia. One was the third Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting between China and the five Mekong members of Asean -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The other was the inaugural Mekong-US Partnership Ministerial Meeting between America and the same Asean countries. At the LMC Leaders' Meeting, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged to share water management data from its portion of the Mekong River -- also known as the Lancang River -- for the whole year with the rest of the Mekong countries. This is a welcome change for the downstream Asean countries, particularly after a historic drought crisis in 2019 where the water levels in the Mekong River fell to their lowest in more than 100 years. While this is partly driven by the impacts of climate change, experts believed that China's 11 hydro dams in the upper stream of the Mekong River had something to do with it and other drought disasters in the last two years. In the past China has only shared its water data during the wet season from June to October. Beijing's shift in its position reflects greater sensitivity to the needs of its Mekong counterparts with Premier Li saying that China will respect the "legitimate rights and interests of Lancang-Mekong countries to rationally develop and utilise water resources". It also follows in the heels of heavy criticisms by US officials and a damning report on China's manipulation of the Mekong River by US-based research company Eyes on Earth. Meanwhile, at the Mekong-US Partnership Ministerial Meeting, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo launched the Mekong-US Partnership and pledged to provide at least US$153 million (about 4.8 billion baht) for joint projects. The partnership expands on cooperation begun in 2009 under the Lower Mekong Initiative which is aimed at strengthening the autonomy, economic independence, and sustainable development of the Mekong partner countries. US renewed commitment and fresh funding to the Mekong subregion has been welcomed by the Asean Mekong countries but whether that translates into viable alternatives for them as they recalibrate their positions vis-a-vis China remains to be seen. The Mekong subregion is quickly turning into a new battleground for US-China rivalry. This year saw a string of barbs exchanged between the US and China. A senior US diplomat, David Stilwell, said in an online webinar that China was "manipulating" the Mekong River "for its own profit [and] at great cost to downstream nations". China has outrightly rejected claims that it is holding back water from the millions of people living downstream who depend on the ebb and flow of the Mekong for their livelihoods. Yet compared to Asean's troubles in the South China Sea, the Mekong issues have not attained a "regional" status that allows for them to be discussed among all Asean member states. As the Asean chair for 2020, Vietnam has tried to put the Mekong issues on the regional agenda but the Covid-19 pandemic crisis has shifted the region's attention to focus on public health and economic recovery, thereby narrowing Vietnam's window of opportunity to do so this year. As Vietnam prepares to hand over the chairmanship to Brunei for 2021, there is a risk that the Mekong issues will continue to remain under the radar of Asean, as they have so far, with potentially disastrous consequences for the region as a whole. The troubles over the Mekong River have been largely viewed through an environmental and socio-economic lens affecting only the mainland countries of Asean. Its linkages with the region's broader security and geopolitical considerations have been given less attention. The Mekong River basin is home to the largest inland fishery in the world and more than 60 million people depend on it for their livelihoods. In the last two decades, there has been a rush of hydro dam construction on the river, with the hope of generating renewable energy for the region. China has built 11 dams on the Lancang River with another 11 mainstream dams in the lower Mekong and 120 dams in the tributaries in the pipeline. The impact on fisheries and rice crops in the downstream countries have been devastating and are well-documented. Following the 2019 drought crisis, experts have also sounded the alarm on the eventual collapse of the ecosystem in the Mekong basin. Sadly, the costs of the damming of the Mekong have been largely borne by the local communities. The loss of livelihoods and increased food insecurity have driven many to migrate as a result. Forced displacement brings with it other human security problems such as human trafficking, drug trafficking and other forms of organised crime, which undermines regional stability and economic development. A recent assessment by the Asean-ISIS Network of think tanks highlights the risk of looming dual crises as the interconnectedness of security threats increases e.g. pandemic-hunger, pandemic-natural disasters, pandemic-humanitarian crises, etc. The current situation in the Mekong basin may well be the background for the unfolding of these crises. There are geopolitical considerations too. A report by Fitch Solutions says that heavy losses in fishing and farming long regarded as primary subsistence for many local communities -- as a result of dam building will force Asean countries to rely on increased food imports from China. At the same time, China's plans to create a water superhighway for commercial cargo through the Mekong "rapids blasting" project has been controversial. While the project has been implemented in stretches of the Mekong in China, Myanmar and along the Lao border, it has met with strong resistance from Thai Mekong communities and environmental groups in the last two decades, culminating in the termination of the project by the Thai cabinet early this year. It remains to be seen how long Thailand can put a pause button on China's long-term plan to deepen the Mekong River for trade. There are significant corporate and geopolitical interests in transforming the Mekong River into an industrial water corridor between China and the Mekong countries of Asean. On top of that, China's massive trade with and investments into the Mekong region and its pledge of US$300 million to the LMC Special Fund makes it hard for Asean countries to turn away from China. The strategic importance of the Mekong River to Southeast Asia calls for an urgent and new approach from Asean. Beyond Vietnam, future chairs of Asean should support the inclusion of the Mekong issues into the grouping's regional agenda. In addition, the idea of reviving the Asean troika mechanism should be considered as way to address pressing issues such as the Mekong issues in a timely and focused manner. The current Asean country coordinator of Asean-China Dialogue Relations, ie the Philippines, should proactively include the Mekong issues into future discussions with China. It is also in the interests of Asean to promote greater coordination and collaboration between the LMC and other intergovernmental mechanisms such the Mekong River Commission. More fundamentally, Asean needs to focus on narrowing the development gaps between the more developed economies of Asean and countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. This is to avoid any country being trapped in Beijing's orbit with repercussions on Asean's ability to act cohesively on key regional issues. In the words of Singapore's Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan, Asean needs to "discard a narrow transactional approach towards Mekong issues and think about Southeast Asia holistically as one strategic theatre". The importance of the Mekong to Southeast Asia demands a timely and decisive response from Asean. In the absence of this, Asean's centrality will be further impaired and the region's stability and growth in the long-term will be challenged. France says it plans to ban the use of wild animals in traveling circuses as part of new rules set to take effect in coming years. The new measures will also ban the keeping of dolphins and killer whales in captivity and make it unlawful for minks to be farmed for fur. Frances Environment Minister, Barbara Pompili, announced the changes earlier this week. She said that bears, tigers, lions, elephants and other wild animals would not be permitted to appear in traveling circuses in future years. Pompili told reporters the measures would affect about 80 circuses that kept around 230 animals. The ban does not cover wild animals in other permanent shows or zoos. Pompili did not set an exact date for the circus ban. But she said the process should start as soon as possible. The bans are expected to take effect gradually over several years. "Putting a date on it does not solve all the problems," she said. Pompili promised that solutions for each animal would be found on a case-by-case basis. She noted the decision was made in an effort to protect animal welfare. It is time to open a new era in our relationship with these animals, she said. Pompili said the measures will also bring an end to mink farming - where animals are raised for their fur - within the next five years. France, which has three public dolphin aquariums, will also not permit any new openings. It will also seek to close existing ones within seven to 10 years. The government will provide financial assistance of $9.4 million to help animal shows create new operating models. About 20 European countries have already banned or limited the presence of wild animals in circuses. In France, many cities already do not permit circuses with wild animal shows. The animal rights group PETA called the decision a historic victory." "Champagne bottles are being uncorked here. Thank you to all those who have helped bring this about," the group said. Animal charity 30 Million Friends also welcomed the ban. It wrote on Twitter that the government had heard "the public's demands for the well-being of wild animals." The group said it wanted the measures to be pushed through as quickly as possible. William Kerwich is head of a group representing animal shows. He told French television that he disagrees with the bans. He said the measures were a knife in the back of an industry already hurting from coronavirus crowd limits. It will put people out of work. And who will take care of the animals, they are born in captivity, they cannot be set free in the wild, he said on BFM television. The animal rights group bearing the name of activist Brigitte Bardot said in a statement it would welcome all circus animals who are currently kept captive and exploited in terrible circumstances. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story circus n. a show involving a group of traveling performers and animals doing tricks for an audience gradually adv. happening slowly over time era n. a period of time during which particular events or progress in development are common aquarium n. a building people can visit to see water animals and plants uncork v. open a bottle by pulling out its cork charity n. organization whose purpose is to give money or food or provide help in other ways exploit v. to use (someone or something) in a way that helps you unfairly circumstance n. a fact or event that makes a situation the way it is Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 23:07:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israel has delivered an Iron Dome air defense system battery to the U.S. army, Israel's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. The battery is the first of two Iron Dome batteries that Israel has agreed to provide the U.S. army, said a statement issued by the ministry. The second battery will be delivered "in the near future within the framework of the agreement," the statement added. In August 2019, the Israeli Defense Ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense signed an agreement for the procurement of two Iron Dome defense system batteries. The Iron Dome system was declared operational in 2011. Israel has used the system to intercept rockets fired toward its territory by militants in the Gaza Strip. Enditem THE deadline for objections to the compulsory acquisition of a house in Tullamore will expire next Wednesday, October 7. On August 24 last Offaly County Council posted a notice on a house in Church Hill indicating its intention to acquire it under the Derelict Sites Act. Any owner, lessee or occupier of the property is entitled to object in writing to the proposed acquisition on or before the deadline date. The house is one of three which are the subject of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) by the council, housing direct Sharon Kennedy told councillors last month. CPO under the Derelict Sites Act is one of a number of steps the council is taking in the battle against anti-social behaviour on its estates. Ms Kennedy said derelict houses can provide a location for all sorts of anti-social behaviour. We've already commenced a CPO process for three houses. We'll see how that process goes, she said. CPO can be quite a difficult process, she added. The intention is that we would acquire these houses and then renovate them and that will cost a significant amount of money and then put them back into proper use. If acquired, they will add to the council's housing portfolio and also reduce the opportunity for people to congregate in areas which result in anti social behaviour. The council director made her remarks when councillors were adopting an updated anti-social behaviour policy. Its adoption was unanimous, proposed by Cllr Danny Owens, the Fianna Fail chair of the strategic policy committee which drew it up, and seconded by Cllr Sean O'Brien, an Independent councillor from Tullamore. Ms Kennedy said the policy's purpose is to prevent and reduce anti-social behaviour in council housing estates and homes owned by the council. It tries to promote the building of sustainable communities, improve estate management, encourage and foster participation and develop a sense of ownership and pride of place. Its objective is to allow people to live without conduct that violates their basic rights. Other measures which the council will use to achieve the aims of the policy are pre tenancy information sessions, estate management initiatives, tenant consultation and inter agency collaboration with the gardai, the HSE and Tusla. Punitive actions include repossession of homes and securing excluding orders against individuals. It's one thing to have a policy, it's another thing to implement it and to implement it well, said Ms Kennedy. She stressed that a very small minority of council tenants were responsible for the issues of concern, a sentiment which was shared by all councillors who welcomed the policy. Cllr Owens said anti-social behaviour had increased during the Covid period. Reacting to the use of compulsory purchase, he stated: It's a long winded process but it does get results and hopefully will get more results in the future. Cllr O'Brien, who sits on a Tullamore Municipal District committee charged with dealing with the issue, said the causes of the behaviour had to be addressed and urged all agencies to work together. The other councillor on that Tullamore committee, Cllr Tony McCormack, Fianna Fail, called for zero tolerance to help the law abiding citizens and said it is important to protect those living in fear who are being intimidated by those going around with their chests out. Cllr Ken Smollen, Irish Democratic Party, welcome the CPO process on properties in Tullamore and also said there will not be a lot of cooperation from tenants who are terrified. I know it's not our role but I think that local councillors on the ground should have some input into the allocation of housing, said Cllr Smollen. He said he knew of one house where the tenants had been evicted up to three times and a neighbour had been forced out and their house was boarded up. Cllr Declan Harvey, Fianna Fail, also welcomed the CPOs and said those responsible for anti-social behaviour will have to see that the council is serious. CPO will help. Cllr John Leahy, Independent, Kilcormac, praised the Tullamore councillors for their work on the Municipal District committee and commended Cllr Smollen for being very brave previously for brining the issue to the fore. Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fail, said some people were reluctant to come forward with written complaints because of huge fear. He urged early intervention if there is an indication of a problem after the allocation of a house. By Tim Cocks and Alexander Winning JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa will not allow tourists from countries with higher coronavirus infection and death rates, including Britain, the United States and France, to enter when its borders open up on Oct. 1, ministers said on Wednesday. But business travellers with scarce and critical skills including diplomats and investors from countries considered "high-risk", which also include the Netherlands, Russia and India, can enter, Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said. "We will review the data every two weeks," Pandor told a news conference, saying the government would be guided by epidemiological data when deciding which countries were deemed high-risk. President Cyril Ramaphosa this month loosened pandemic restrictions in South Africa, which had one of the world's strictest lockdowns at the height of its COVID-19 outbreak. The easing included opening up to air travel, bringing relief to the badly battered tourism industry. "Airlines from high-risk countries are not necessarily banned, but their crew will be required to isolate ... at the cost of their employer," Pandor said. The tourism sector accounts for almost 9% of gross domestic product of Africa's most industrialised country in indirect terms and employs nearly three-quarters of a million people, according to the country's tourism marketing agency and the statistics office. SA Tourism, the marketing agency, has said nearly 440,000 tourism jobs are at risk because of the pandemic. Last year, South Africa welcomed over 10 million foreign visitors. The top 10 origin countries, which accounted for 73% of overseas tourist arrivals, include the United States, United Kingdom, France, India and the Netherlands, all of which are on the "high-risk" list read out by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. Travellers to South Africa still need to show a COVID-19 test result not older than 72 hours and will be screened on arrival. If they show any COVID-19 symptoms they will be expected to take a test and if that comes back positive they will be subjected to mandatory quarantine at their own cost. Story continues No African countries will be subjected to restrictions in the high-risk category. The tourism sector had welcomed a government decision to allow international travel from Oct. 1 but expressed concern that restrictions on key markets could curtail any recovery. From most countries, South Africa is a long-haul destination popular for its beaches, game reserves and tourist sites like Cape Town's Table Mountain and Robben Island, where anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for decades. (Editing by Catherine Evans) Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:31:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANOI, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam reported no new cases of COVID-19 infection on Wednesday, with its total confirmed cases standing at 1,094 with 35 deaths from the disease so far, according to its Ministry of Health. Three patients have been given all-clear, raising the total cured cases in the country to 1,010 as of Wednesday, said the ministry. Meanwhile, nearly 16,000 people are being quarantined and monitored in the country, the ministry said. Vietnam has gone through 28 straight days without any COVID-19 cases in the community, according to the ministry. Enditem Coronavirus Update: According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India's COVID-19 case tally crossed 52-lakh mark with a spike of 80,472 new cases and 1,179 deaths. With a spike of 80,472 new cases and 1,179 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, Indias COVID-19 count reached 62,25,764 on Wednesday, according to the Union Health Ministry. As per the Union Health Ministry, this includes 9,40,441 active cases and 51,87,826 cured and discharged or migrated patients. With 1,179 deaths, the toll due to the disease has reached 97,497 in the country. Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected by the pandemic with 2,60,789 active cases, 10,69,159 cured and discharged cases and 36,181 deaths. Karnataka with 1,07,756 active cases is the next in the list. While 4,76,378 patients have been cured in the State, the disease has claimed 8,777 lives so far. Andhra Pradesh with 59,435 active cases is also severely affected, however, over six lakh patients have been cured in the State, while 5,780 deaths have occurred due to it. Meanwhile, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 7,41,96,729 samples have been tested up to September 29 for COVID-19. Out of these 10,86,688 samples were tested yesterday. Also read: Babri Masjid Demolition Case LIVE Updates: Special court set to pronounce verdict today, LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti to skip court Also read: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu tests positive for coronavirus Tamil Nadu reported 5,546 new COVID-19 cases, 5,501 recoveries and 70 deaths today, taking total positive cases to 5,91,943, including 5,36,209 recoveries, 9,453 deaths and 46,281 active cases, the State Health Department said. A total of 48 deaths and 3,227 fresh positive cases were reported in Delhi on Tuesday. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the national capital now stands at 2,76,325 including 2,43,481 recoveries, 27,524 active cases and 5,320 deaths. Kerala reported 7,354 new COVID-19 cases 3,420 recovered cases and 22 deaths on Tuesday, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 61,791, State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. A total of 2,148 new COVID-19 cases, 1,800 discharged cases and 15 deaths were reported in Rajasthan on Tuesday. The total number of positive cases has risen to 1,33,119 till date, including 20,376 active cases, 1,10,254 discharged cases and 1,471 deaths, the State Health Department, Government of Rajasthan said. Karnataka reported 10,453 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, 6,628 discharges and 136 deaths, taking total cases to 5,92,911 including 4,76,378 discharges and 8,777 deaths. The number of active cases stands at 1,07,737, the State Health Department said. Mizoram reported 89 new recovered COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. The total positive cases rose to 1,958, including 1,548 discharges, 410 active cases and there was no COVID death till date in the state, Department of Information and Public Relations, Mizoram informed. Himachal Pradesh reported 34 new COVID-19 cases and 259 recoveries on Tuesday. The total positive cases in the state stand at 14,491, including 10,866 recoveries,176 deaths and 3,424 active cases till date, the State Health Department, Government of Himachal Pradesh said. Meanwhile, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 7,31,10,041 samples have been tested up to September 28 for COVID-19. Out of these 11,42,811 samples were tested on Monday. Also read: Bihar Assembly elections 2020: BSP, RLSP come together, back Kushwaha for CM post Two lesbians seduced a man and steal his money. The victim was killed and his body was quartered into several pieces. In order to get their hands on his money, they used his dismembered arms to use his dead cold fingers to unlock his account via his mobile phone. The transferred money is worth $77,120 which was purloined by the culprits, reported the Sun. The female pair are identified as security worker Maria Malveiro, 19, with 23-year-old nurse Mariana Fonseca who premeditated the slaying of the victim. They threw the torso of Diogo Goncalves, 21-years old, into the ocean. They kept the man's head as a gruesome trophy of their crime, cited Daily Mail UK. The point of discussion is about the heinous slaying of the victim, and how his separated body part was disposed of by the pair. The Portuguese prosecutor cited this point as the trial to prove the brutal murder of Diogo. Source say that the accused decided to keep his head, forearms, hand, and feet that were quarter and chopped from the victim mafter they threw the torso into the ocean. When an Algarve judge asked Malveiro about their unspeakable murder, she said that the American series Dexter inspired everything they committed, giving it a sense of a copycat murder popularly done by convicted killers in media. Also read: Teen Burglars Torture Old Woman, Feed Her Organs to the Dogs In the American show "Dexter," actor Michael C Hall portrays a forensic technician who is a vigilante serial killer on the program. He usually does and plans the murders on the show, mentioned Unfold Times. Diogo got strangled to death by the woman last March 18, 2020. Malveiro is the suspect who discarded the torso near the sea from the cliffs in the Algarve town of Sagres. Exactly four days after the death of the victim, they chopped off a finger from his right hand. The victim programmed his mobile with his prints intentionally. The accused pair did open his account and effected the transfer. Not to be too suspicious, the body parts left of the dismembered man got thrown like rubbish. Keeping suspicions and making Diogo's co-workers and friends think that something has happened to him, they used his accessed Facebook account to post messages. Most of the plan fell through. The best murders don't go as planned most of the time, noted The Algarve Daily News. The suspects were charged with bloody murder, abuse and desecrating a corpse, computer fraud, and driving the victim's automobile. One paper The Jornal de Noticias said that Malveiro used the victim's attraction to her. She spiked a drink with the sedative Diazepam after he expected a lap dance from her. Instead of heaven, he got strangled and ended up in pieces. He literally fell apart after being chopped up. The lesbians brought his car to the seaside of Cape St Vincent in Sagres. His chopped torso did not hit the water, which led to the theft of his money. Related article: Teen Boy Smashes Sister's Skull With Hammer While Asleep Because of Table @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Frances Choy who is Asian-American - was convicted in 2011 of murdering her parents Jimmy and Anne Choy by burning down their house in April 2003 She went through three trials and at one point her nephew was convicted but later had immunity as he testified against her Prosecutors John Bradley and Karen O'Sullivan 'joked about Asian stereotypes and mocking caricatures of Asians using imperfect English' They made a comparison to a stereotypical character in movie Sixteen Candles A prosecutor said she would be 'wearing a cheongsam and will be the one doing origami in the back of the courtroom' Attorneys fought for five years to get the emails released from the DA's office They were released last year and on Tuesday Judge listed instances of misconduct by investigators and Frances' previous attorneys Her nephew Kenneth Choy had written notes about how to burn down a house, set fires in the home after the murders and wasn't tested for gasoline residue A Massachusetts woman has been exonerated 17 years after she was locked up for the murder of her parents following the discovery of emails that showed prosecutors exchanging 'jokes about Asian stereotypes and mocking caricatures of Asians using imperfect English.' Frances Choy who is Asian-American - was convicted in 2011 of murdering her parents Jimmy and Anne Choy by burning down their house in April 2003, but her 16-year-old nephew later confessed to his involvement. ADVERTISEMENT Frances whose parents were from Hong Kong and Vietnam - was released this year and finally cleared Tuesday with her attorneys believing she's the first woman of color to be exonerated in the state. Plymouth County District Attorney filed a nolle prosequi Tuesday saying that they wouldn't request a fourth trial. Frances Choy (pictured in an undated photo) was convicted in 2011 of murdering her parents Jimmy and Ann Choy by burning down their house in April 2003. She was released this month after 17 years and is now 34 years old Prosecutor John Bradley left the DA's office in 2012 and sued the DA over his termination. The emails he was involved in included comparison to a stereotypical character in the movie Sixteen Candles. He and a colleague mocked caricatures of Asians using imperfect English Frances was 17 when she and Kenneth were rescued by firefighters from the burning home in Brockton and she was arrested on two counts of first-degree murder and arson in 2003. There were two mistrials. Her nephew Kenneth Choy was later convicted after he told a friend he planned to set fire to the home as revenge for Jimmy his grandfather from another relationship beating him when he suspected he was dealing drugs. Frances was granted a mistrial in 2008 however Kenneth was exonerated a month later. He testified under immunity that Frances came up with the scheme and he backed out. In 2009, Kenneth had also set fires at the home after he was released and while Frances was locked up. That prompted a prosecutor to email her colleague, 'I think you should just [drop] Frances's case right now.' Kenneth fled to Hong Kong before the third trial in 2011. Judge Linda Giles who presided over the trial where Frances got two life sentences - wrote in her decision on September 17 about how trial prosecutors exchanged 'numerous images of Asian people, some accompanied by pejorative comments and some unexplained.' The racist comments included comparison to a stereotypical character in the movie Sixteen Candles. ADVERTISEMENT Giles wrote in her decision that in one exchange about a hearing before the state Supreme Judicial Court, a prosecutor told a colleague she would be 'wearing a cheongsam and will be the one doing origami in the back of the courtroom.' Click here to resize this module Frances was 17 when she was wrongly accused. One prosecutor wrote that she would be 'wearing a cheongsam and will be the one doing origami in the back of the courtroom' Police had claimed Frances confessed but they didn't have recording capabilities and only an affidavit. Police said that when they questioned Kenneth about two notes he'd written about how to set the house on fire he claimed Frances told him to do it. However a former detective later claimed it was a lie and they did have the ability to record. She also listed other instances of misconduct including failure to pursue other leads. Kenneth's friend was not interviewed after it emerged he had confessed. Kenneth Choy's friend was not interviewed after it emerged he had confessed to the fire. He also set fire to the home in 2009 after he was released from prison then fled to Hong Kong The judge also noted failure by Choy's attorney to recruit an expert witness chemist which could have cast doubt that there was gasoline residue on her pants. State police chemist John Drugan said there was residue on her sweatpants but Kenneth wasn't tested at all. 'It is evident that from the time that Frances was questioned by the State and Brockton Police as a seventeen year old, and through her third trial where the Commonwealth, at the eleventh hour, substituted a role-play of a transcript for their most important, but least credible witness, Frances was disadvantaged by a range of circumstances, procedures and rulings,' Giles wrote. Karen O'Sullivan now works in the Bristol County District Attorney's Office and John Bradley left the office in 2012 and sued the DA over his termination. ADVERTISEMENT The DA's office had previously called the emails between Karen O'Sullivan and John Bradley 'reprehensible' and 'horrific,' noting that they had tried to give racial bias training. The judge wrote that Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz 'has taken steps to provide training that is intended to increase awareness of conscious and unconscious bias and to ensure that his professional staff adheres to the highest professional and ethical standards.' O'Sullivan now works in the Bristol County District Attorney's Office and Bradley left the office in 2012 and sued the DA over his termination. Judge Linda Giles, who presided over the trial that convicted Frances in 2011, appeared in a virtual hearing on Tuesday and praised the attorneys for 'their diligent efforts over the years in the interest of justice.' The judge added: 'To Frances, Godspeed' Boston College Innocence Program at Boston College Law School represented Frances in the appeal and Boston College Law School professor Sharon Beckman, said the 'wrongful conviction resulted from racism and other official misconduct and systemic failures.' They fought five years to get the emails released and they only came out last year after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered the DA to release them. 'Usually it's hard to prove bias or show a violation of the Constitution based on racism, but what's unusual in this case is that the emails show what the prosecutors were thinking. They wrote their discrimination down.' 'She can never get back the 17 years the criminal legal system took from her, but we are overjoyed at her exoneration and hope her case will inspire meaningful reform,' Beckman said. Beckman said Frances was 'an innocent crime victim who was instead treated like a criminal suspect.' 'Nothing can erase the pain of losing my parents and how they suffered. I miss them every day. Even in prison I tried to live my life in a way that honored them,' Frances said. 'I'm relieved that the truth has been revealed and to have my life back beyond prison walls.' Boston College Innocence Program at Boston College Law School represented Frances in the appeal and Boston College Law School professor Sharon Beckman, said the 'wrongful conviction resulted from racism and other official misconduct and systemic failures' 'Today's outcome was the culmination of hundreds of hours of diligence by prosecutors in my office working cooperatively with appellate counsel to identify a number of significant legal issues that we could not ignore,' Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz said in a statement to WBUR. 'The role of every prosecutor is to ensure that justice is done. Fairness not only dictated our decision today, but is central to every decision we make.' 'This may be the first case in the U.S. where a murder conviction has been thrown out because of racism on the part of prosecutors,' attorney John Barter said. 'It is tragic that Frances lost her parents, and was then charged with their death, pursued through repeated trials, and deprived for years after her conviction of access to evidence that supported her innocence. 'Despite the fact that as a 17-year-old she was sent off to prison and charged with a crime she didn't commit, she's a remarkable person who doesn't seem to have any bitterness toward the world. She's just looking forward to living her life quietly.' The judge appeared in a virtual hearing on Tuesday and praised the attorneys for 'their diligent efforts over the years in the interest of justice.' ADVERTISEMENT The judge added in a video obtained by CBS Boston: 'To Frances, Godspeed.' Former drug addict arrested as Captain America during burglary shares story of faith, healing Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment When David Hobbs looks at pictures from one year ago, he barely recognizes himself. In September 2019, he was arrested in Clarksdale, Mississippi, after breaking into the backyard shed of a former Marine. High on drugs at the time of his arrest, Hobbs was dressed head to toe in a Captain America costume and fairy wings. His mugshot went viral, and Hobbs quickly became the source of mockery for millions of social media spectators. But fast forward one year, and Hobbs is a new man healthy, whole, and on Oct. 23 he will receive a one-year sobriety award during an upcoming pastor's conference from Good Landing Recovery, a holistic faith-based organization in Atlanta, Georgia. "I never thought I would ever get out of addiction, Hobbs told The Christian Post. I thought it was going to be my life. But God has shown me Im not just a society throw away. It's all worth it for all of us to strive to have a better life. If I can do it, anybody can do it. Hobbs' road to health and healing was an unlikely one. A self-described active addict for two decades, he began experimenting with drugs and alcohol as a teen, and after a series of car accidents, became addicted to painkillers. At the time of his September 2019 arrest, Hobbs had already had several run-ins with the law and was on probation for a grand larceny conviction. Charged with burglary and held on a $25,000 bond, he now faced even more jail time. I hit absolute rock bottom, he admitted. I believed I wasnt good enough to get sober. I thought, this is just the hand Ive been dealt. Hobbs' story captured the attention of Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, New York Post and other media, and eventually that of Good Landing founder and CEO Trey Lewis. But unlike the media outlets all of which poked fun at the circumstances of his arrest Lewis saw Hobbs' as a man worthy of receiving compassion, empathy, and freedom from addiction. A friend of mine sent me Davids story, and I recognized him immediately, Lewis told CP. We were from the same small town in Mississippi and used to get high together 20-some years ago. A former methamphetamine addict with four DUIs on his record, Lewis had been to 10 treatment centers before embracing Christianity in 2005. After experiencing freedom from addiction, he decided to open an inpatient residential treatment facility to help others struggling in the same way. So when I came across Davids story, I called his mother immediately and said, We want to help him. If hes interested, theres a place for him in our facility, Lewis recalled. As the entire world is laughing at David, he is in a jail cell and there's a mom that is talking to him every night, that is just horrified, embarrassed, and just can't believe that it's all over social media. Its not funny when its attached to real people. It was heartbreaking. When faced with the opportunity to get help, Hobbs immediately accepted. I said, 'Absolutely. I would love to go,' he said. I didn't know what to expect. I'd never been to rehab before in my life; I'd never been sober in my life. But I wanted to get clean in my addiction, so when Trey reached out to my family and gave me the resources to get clean, I accepted. Thankfully, a judge agreed to allow me to participate in rehab instead of serving jail time." The second Hobbs walked into Good Landing, he demonstrated leadership, purpose, focus, Lewis said, adding: He had all of the ingredients for a remarkable comeback story. At Good Landing, Hobbs told CP he learned how to process emotions and feelings, overcome his battle with addiction and, most importantly, renewed his relationship with God. God's timing is always perfect, he said. I don't think Good Landing is just any rehab; its a rehab where God's at the center of everything they do. That was the thing that really changed it for me. Putting God at the center of my heart and in the center of my life is really what kept me sober. Thirty days of sobriety turned into 60, and then 90, and eventually, 365. Receiving the one-year sobriety award, Hobbs said, was nothing short of remarkable. This award shows me how much Ive grown, he said. Before, anytime something bad would happen or someone would say something negative about me, I always had the mindset that I would prove them right. I just figured, Well, this is who I am. Im an addict. But those are all lies," he added. "That's just what fear tells us. That's what the enemy tells us. But we all deserve a good, sober life and a good relationship with God. These are the things that I've been taught since I've been here at Good Landing. According to Lewis, there are 20 million addicts in the United States older than age 12, and there's typically a 20% success rate and an 80% failure rate. The 80% failure rate is typically attributed to the common denominator of pride, he shared. People know that they that they need help, but they always want to circumvent the process. When Good Landing opened in November 2017, the facility had just one client and two staff members. Today, its the largest PHP IOP program in Atlanta with 90-95 clients and over 40 staff members. Lewis believes Good Landing's commitment to keeping Christ at the center of the ministry is the key to the facility's success. When we decided to start Good Landing, people were telling us we couldnt have a faith-driven Christian program and health care, that people wouldnt respond to it, he said. I remember really wavering on that. But Jesus is at the forefront of everything that we are. I believe God breathed on it and took us to where we are today. Jesus, he stressed, is the only way out of addiction. Hes the only one who can bring freedom in this life and in the life to come. Treating those struggling with addiction with empathy, kindness, and compassion is crucial, Lewis said, stressing that no one answered an altar call and said, 'God, please make me an addict.' I don't think there is just this textbook type approach to every person, but I do think that we all need to have empathy and realize that this person did not ask for disordered brain chemistry, he said. We need to realize that, once they get addicted, they forfeit the ability to be able to choose. That's when we, the people that love them, their support system, have to step in and fight for them and love them when they won't love themselves. Addiction and recovery are not just medical issues; theyre spiritual issues, too, he said. Unfortunately, many churches and church leaders arent aware of the magnitude of the problem or theyre simply ill-equipped to help those struggling. Churches need to be informed and know theyre sending their people to a safe place where Jesus is at the forefront, Lewis emphasized. Today, Hobbs is on staff at Good Landing where he reminds others struggling with addiction that no one is beyond redemption. Hes absolutely killing it here, Lewis said. It doesn't matter how far you have fallen, there's always a path of sobriety and redemption, Hobbs said. You just have to be willing to get clean and have an open heart and mind to the people that are speaking into your life. Getting sober and changing your life is possible. Youre never too far gone. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A study conducted among Americans shows their consumption of alcohol increased considerably during the coronavirus pandemic compared to the corresponding period last year. Heavy drinking could affect their physical and mental health, RAND Corporation sociologist Michael Pollard and colleagues stated Tuesday, based on their research findings. A survey among 1540 adults in the age range of 30-80 years about their drinking habits was conducted between April 29 and June 9 in 2019, and again between May 28 and June 16, 2020. Overall frequency of alcohol consumption increased by about 14 percent from last year, the survey found. The results were published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The highest tendency to drink more was found among people aged from 30 to 59 years, an increase of 19 percent. On average, alcohol was consumed 1 day more per month by 75 percent of adults, compared to their consumption in 2019. In 1 among 5 women who were surveyed, there was a significant increase of 41 percent in heavy drinking from 2019. An increase in the number of alcohol-related problems also was reported over the last 30 days between 2019 and 2020. 'In addition to a range of negative physical health associations, excessive alcohol use may lead to or worsen existing mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, which may themselves be increasing during COVID-19', researchers say. They suggest the need to examine whether increases in alcohol use persist as the pandemic continues and whether psychological and physical well-being are subsequently affected. The World Health Organization warned in April that at times of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol consumption can 'exacerbate health vulnerability, risk-taking behaviors, mental health issues and violence'. Coronavirus infections and deaths due to the disease continue unabated in the United States, the worst-affected country. With the addition of 41,989 coronavirus-related cases in the last 24 hours, total number of infections in the U.S. reached 7191062, according to Johns Hopkins University. 913 deaths in the same period took the total coronavirus death toll in the country to 205998. As cases started rising again in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said people who refuse to wear face masks or coverings in public could face fine of up to $1,000. After a gap of months, COVID test positivity rate is increasing in New York City. The daily rate of positive tests is now 3.25 percent. Schools that reopened in New York City this week may be forced to shut down if the seven-day average of positive test results rises above 3 percent, reports say. House Democrats unveiled an economic relief package bill that includes another round of stimulus checks and more unemployment benefits. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Biological inspiration, schematic view, and practical sample of an optically transparent microwave invisibility cloak. (A) Photo of the hyperiid amphipod crustacean Cystisoma, which lives in a midwater oceanic environment. Photo credit: David Liittschwager, used with permission. (B) Schematic of the optically transparent microwave invisibility cloak. This cloak can conceal objects with preserved phases and microwave amplitudes (green beams with incident angle and reflected angle ). At the same time, the cloak can ensure that internal observers see external aircraft clearly (blue beams) and can decrease the optical scattering (yellow beams). (C) Example of the optically transparent microwave invisibility cloak. The metallic badge with the words Jilin University represents an object concealed inside. The enlarged section presents a schematic view of the metasurfaces composed of nano-Ag/Ni networks. Photo credit: Fu-Yan Dong, Jilin University. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb3755 Invisibility is a superior self-protection strategy of long-standing interest in academia and industry, although the concept is thus far most popularly encountered in science fiction. In a new report on Science Advances, Su Xu and colleagues in engineering, nanotechnology, nanobionics and quantum information in China were inspired by the natural ecological relationship between transparent oceanic animals and their predators that employ a cross-wavelength detection strategy. The scientists proposed a new concept of cross-wavelength invisibility that integrated a variety of invisibility tactics. They presented a Boolean metamaterial design strategy to balance divergent material requirements across cross-scale wavelengths. As proof of concept, they simultaneously demonstrated longwave cloaking and shortwave transparency using a nanoimprinting technique. The work extended stealth techniques from individual strategies of invisibility targeting a single-wavelength spectrum to integrated invisibility targeting cross-wavelength applications. These experiments will pave the way to develop cross-wavelength integrated metadevices. Becoming transparent Allowing the passage of light through the body is a superior self-defense strategy in the ocean for midwater organisms. For example, the amphipod crustacean Cystisoma is mostly transparent aside for some necessary organs including eyes to avoid detection by predators. However, a few predators can still detect and successfully attack transparent prey due to their cross-spectral vision. If prey could conceal themselves completely by balancing the prey-predator interaction to overcome the cross-spectral vision of predators, their survival rates will be much higher. Xu et al. were bioinspired by this ecological relationship when they proposed a concept of cross-wavelength invisibility that simultaneously integrated longwave cloaking and shortwave transparency. The new strategy complements existing mainstream strategies of chameleon-like adaptive camouflage and the wave-bypassing invisibility cloak. In this work, scientists break the existing ecological relationship by attempting to hide the transparent prey from the cross-spectral vision of their predators. As a result, this philosophy of invisibility will be of significance for practical stealth technologies. Boolean metamaterial design procedure for an optically transparent microwave cloak. (A and B) Schematic of the metasurface unit cell for the microwave regime and the phase shifts under different incident angles: (A) for TE-polarized incidence and (B) for TM-polarized incidence. The dotted line indicates the theoretically ideal phase compensation value at =10. (C) Cross-scale dispersion engineering with silver nanostructures. The silver ( p = 1.39 1016 s1 and c = 3.22 1013 s1) structure has a geometry of tm = 8 m and pm = 200 m, and wm/pm varies from 0.001 to 0.2. microw and opt represent the conductivities at 7 GHz and 580 nm, respectively. The underlying substrate is not considered here. (D) Boolean multiplication (denoted by ) performed to merge the structures with single-band engineered dispersion into an integrated metastructure with cross-scale engineered dispersion. M(xm, ym, zm), V(xv, yv, zv), and BM(xbm, ybm, zbm) are the coordinates for the microwave regime, the visible regime, and the final structure, respectively. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb3755 The strategy proposed here aims to realize concepts that have so far remained rooted in science fiction. For instance, Xu et al. envision their invisibility philosophy to contribute to the development of a futuristic, transparent stealth aircraft in the lab, where pilots will be able to freely view their surroundings without detection via the microwave radar system. The team constructed the experimental device using microscopic silver/nickel wires to ensure extremely low optical conductivity with nanoimprinting fabrication. The results demonstrated an optical transparency from 400 nm to 760 nm, and significantly reduced scattering in the microwave regime from 6 to 10 GHz. The team could penetrate the transparent cloak with visible light (blue and yellow rays) with negligible loss, allowing the internal observer to freely view outside. The team engineered the optically transparent microwave invisibility cloak with two metasurfaces imprinted on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films and isolated by a curved PET spacer. The internal layer of the metasurface acted as a perfect elastic conductor (PEC) boundary, while external ring resonators on the metasurface provided proper phase compensation and amplitude preservation effects. Phase and amplitude response of ring resonators after the Boolean procedure. (A) Amplitude attenuation of a reflected wave for various sheet resistances. The amplitude is averaged under TE polarization incidence ( = 20 and 40), and the dotted curves are fits from simulations. The inset shows the average magnitude of ring resonators for the practical structure after the Boolean procedure with = 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 for TE and TM illumination at 7 GHz. (B and C) Phase responses for TE and TM polarization. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb3755 Engineering the electromagnetic response and developing the optically transparent microwave cloak Xu et al. engineered the electromagnetic response for microwave invisibility according to the generalized Snell's law and used eight kinds of ring resonators to build the cloak. Designing unit cells alone for microwave invisibility was insufficient to realize cross-wavelength invisibility. Therefore, the team adopted a Boolean metamaterial design strategy to merge meta-structures to achieve integrated single-band functionality. To accomplish this, they integrated the meta-structures for the microwave regime and visible regime by adopting a Boolean logical multiplication (denoted by or AND) in an integrated circuit. The integrated metastructures were equal to the macroscopic metallic network formed by mapped microscopic metal wires exhibiting an extremely high local electrical conductivity while preserving an extremely low global optical conductivity. The see-through ability of the optically transparent microwave invisibility cloak obtained using a micro wireless surveillance camera. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb3755 To construct the optically transparent microwave cloak, the team chose an advanced nanoimprinting technique that provided a large-area metasurface to conceal macroscopic objects and enable high-precision fabrication of the microscopic metal wires at the microscale. They conducted optical characterization of the outer layer using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The scientists developed the outline of the microscopic ring resonator with metallic circular wires and oriented several shorting wires along the radial direction to connect the circular metal wires. The team conducted a field test to experimentally prove the optical see-through vision of the optically transparent cloak compared to direct observations without the cloak to allow the user to see through the cloak with minimal distortion. Stealth technology The scientists experimentally showed the microwave cloaking performance under transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarized incidence and studied the total scattering reduction of the sample across different frequencies. The phase and amplitude of the wave reflected from the cloak was much like the wave reflected from the ground plane, causing substantial reduction of total scattering. In this way, the cloak decreased the total scattering of the object beyond the frequency range from 6 to 10 GHz. The results showed the achievement of cross-wavelength invisibility with preserved amplitude and undistorted phase at microwave frequencies, alongside omnidirectional transparency across the visible spectrum. Compared to carpet cloaks developed in the past, this work presented an experimental demonstration to achieve invisibility across cross-wavelength regions by combining multiple schemes of invisibility. The stealth technology detailed here will be more accessible with advanced nanofabrication technologies. Optical characterization of the cloak. (A) SEM photo of ring 1 with the smallest radius (0.5 mm); scale bar, 100 m. (B) SEM photo of the quasi-PEC layer; scale bar, 100 m. The insets show a close-up view of the metal wires and their reliable electrical connections; scale bar, 10 m. (C) Optical transparency of the outer-layer metasurface (black solid line), quasi-PEC film (orange dashed-dotted line), and bilayer structure (yellow dashed line). The bilayer transparency equals that of the ring resonators multiplied by that of the quasi-PEC film. (D) Experimental proof of how an internal observer sees through the cloak compared to (E) the case of direct observation without the cloak. Photo credit: Fu-Yan Dong and Dong-Dong Han, Jilin University. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb3755 By combining longwave cloaking and shortwave transparency in this work, Su Xu and colleagues allowed the eyes of a stealth system to clearly observe the external world, while remaining undetected. Compared to existing methods of electromagnetic wave control, the Boolean metamaterial design provided a strategy to combine various invisibility strategies for cross-wavelength invisibility integration. The work includes integrated logic circuits and paves the way to realize multifunctional or multiphysics devices within compact dimensions. Explore further Invisibility cloak hides parts of objects, leaves other parts visible More information: Xu S. et al. Cross-wavelength invisibility integrated with various invisibility tactics, Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.abb3755 Xu S. et al. Cross-wavelength invisibility integrated with various invisibility tactics,, 10.1126/sciadv.abb3755 Ni X. et al. An ultrathin invisibility skin cloak for visible light, Science, 10.1126/science.aac9411 Landy N. et al. A full-parameter unidirectional metamaterial cloak for microwaves. Nature Materials, doi.org/10.1038/nmat3476 Journal information: Science Advances , Science , Nature Materials 2020 Science X Network New York, US (PANA) - The economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are as bad as we feared, the UN Secretary-General said, as he warned that the international community must act now if it is stave off a global recession, which could wipe out decades of development gains The Department of Agriculture, Bord Bia and Teagasc have faced criticism from farmers over preparations for a no-deal Brexit. The potential of a double whammy from Brexit and Covid-19 has left the Irish beef sector facing a very uncertain winter, the Beef Taskforce meeting was told last week. ICSA beef chair Edmund Graham has said that the future for winter finishing is looking very bleak with a no deal Brexit now becoming a serious possibility. Beef finishers are once again being left without any certainty in beef prices or markets. With the potential of 740m tariffs being imposed, beef finishers need the full facts as to how this will affect their business. Yet the meat industry, the Department of Agriculture, Bord Bia and Teagasc have had little to offer in the way of help or advice, he said. Mr Graham said it is now essential that meat factories start making plans for forward contracts with fixed prices. Farmers could end up broke if they tie up substantial levels of capital in feeding cattle at high daily costs over the coming months with no guarantee of a return. He said farmers need clear figures from Teagasc on winter finishing costs based on todays store prices and with a sensitivity analysis to allow for a no-deal Brexit. "Teagasc need to be upfront with winter finishers. Winter finishers need accurate costings which are based on the reality of what mart prices are for stores at the moment. "In short, farmers need to be told what price they need next spring to make a reasonable return on the work and investment involved in feeding cattle for the winter, Graham said. He also called on Bord Bia to explain what are the options for the 260,000 tons of Irish beef exported annually to the UK if the market is not feasible in the event of tariffs being applied. The uncertainty around the outlook has left winter finishers very worried and many are currently telling us that they just wont do it," he said. Demand Falling GDP across Europe and other important export markets such as China will continue to hit demand for Irish beef, Joe Burke of Bord Bia told the meeting. Moreover, he warned that the possibility of a no-deal Brexit could result in 72-74pc tariffs being imposed on Irish beef exports to the UK under WTO rules. This will have major implications for the both the Irish and EU beef sectors, given that Ireland exported almost 270,000 of beef to Britain in 2019, and the trade was valued at 920 million. Mr Burke told the Taskforce meeting that weakening economies across the globe had already impacted Irish beef exports. The total tonnage of beef shipped during the first six months of the year had fallen by around 8pc to 265,000 tonnes as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, he said. While retail sales have improved by between 8pc and 13pc across Europe, Mr Burke pointed out that the volumes sold through the service sector have not fully recovered. Live exports have also been hit. The number of cattle exported on the hoof has fallen by around 30,000 head or 12pc up to the middle of September. While exports to Northern Ireland doubled to over 40,000 head, they were back 40pc and 30pc to Holland and Italy respectively. Meanwhile, Bord Bia has announced a major marketing initiative across Europe to drive sales of Irish beef steak this autumn and winter. The campaign has already been launched in Germany, and will be rolled-out in Italy and Spain over the coming months. Up to 6,000 stores will be involved in the marketing drive across the three countries. The foodservice market accounts for a third of all Irish beef, and half of the steak cuts, exported to continental Europe. Bord Bias European steak campaign aims to drive sales of steak at retail level outside of the traditional summer steak/BBQ season, in order to compensate for the recent decline in food-service steak sales. This is the first phase of the campaign which will continue into Q1 of 2021, with further retailers in other key steak markets expected to come on-stream as Bord Bia continue to strengthen our relationship with European retailers, Ailish Forde of Bord Bia explained. A Tennessee man is accused of killing his parents in an attempt to get all of their money. The suspect is being placed on trial, and police officers said his crime was the most horrific thing they have ever seen. Authorities believe Joel Guy Jr., son of Joel Michael Guy Sr. and Lisa Guy, plotted to kill his parents and conducted the inhumane act on November 26, 2016. Since Guy Jr. wanted his parents finances, he had to kill them to get any of it. Horrific stew of human remains According to Crime Online, the suspect wrote out detailed, handwritten plans on how he was going to stab his parents to death to inherit their money. Prosecutors said that the victims were planning on stopping supporting their son financially and begin saving for their retirement. In his notes, the suspect allegedly wrote that all of $500,000 that his parents had would belong to him after he killed them. On November 28, 2016, detectives arrived at the family's home in Knoxville for a routine welfare check and quickly discovered the gruesome crime scene. They later found the mother's head being boiled inside a pot on the stove, said Officer Sandy Campbell. Officials stated Guy Sr. was the first victim while Lisa was out shopping at a local Walmart near their residence. Guy Jr. attacked his father inside an exercise room in their home. Detectives found the father's head on the floor of the room. They also found two tubs filled with floating body parts in the master bathroom upstairs. When the mother got home, the suspect immediately rushed to attack her before she could let go of her groceries which authorities found by the front door. Investigators discovered the torsos of both victims wrapped in plastic inside the home's bathroom, as reported by Mirror. Also Read: 6-Year-Old Child Found Surrounded by Flies, Trash and Rotting Food in Uninhabitable Home Fear of being alone Prosecutors claim the suspect conducted the gruesome murder the day after the victims decided to stop paying for their son's bills during a Thanksgiving dinner. Authorities believe Guy Jr. used chemicals in an attempt to destroy evidence, namely, his father and mother's remains. Prosecutor Leslie Nassos said that the suspect placed his mother's body parts in one container and his father's in a separate one. He then added Guy Jr. later covered the plastics with a corrosive substance and left them to rot and liquefy in what officials called a "stew of human remains." According to Knox News, Guy Jr. filed a surprising motion on Tuesday asking the court to allow him to serve as his own lawyer during the trials. During a Wednesday hearing, however, the suspect announced he only had one goal; to be executed if he is convicted of his parents' murder. However, Guy Jr.'s defense team refused to file his motion of asking for the death penalty from Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steve Sword. Prosecutors, on the other hand, are not seeking to impose the death penalty on the suspect. During the hearing, Sword asked Guy Jr. if that was what he really wanted, and the suspect simply responded with "absolutely." Related Article: Mother Kills Disabled Daughter While Husband Was Away Fishing @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Swedish publisher leverages the Aria Media and Publishing Suite to centrally manage all digital and print subscribers and grow recurring revenue Aria Systems, the leader in helping enterprises grow subscription and usage-based revenue, today announced that Stampen Media Group, one of Sweden's largest owners of newspapers, has selected Aria's billing and monetization platform and will deploy the Aria Media and Publishing Suite (AMPS) to manage 23 print and digital titles within a single environment. Stampen will utilize Aria's core platform for subscription management, payments and dunning services and AMPS for title and distribution management support. Launched in 2018, AMPS is an extension of Aria's core billing and monetization platform designed specifically to support the digital transformation efforts of media and publishing companies and address their unique subscription and customer management requirements. Stampen is the latest Nordic publisher to select AMPS joining Berlingske Media in Denmark and Polaris Media in Norway. The company expects to complete a successful on-time implementation in January. "As publishers continue to digitize, they require a modern and agile billing platform that can accelerate revenue from newer digital products, spanning all types of devices, while continuing to serve traditional print customers," said Tom Dibble, President and CEO, Aria Systems. "Stampen will have the ability to manage digital and print subscriber accounts seamlessly in a single environment while at the same time driving incremental revenue from the introduction of new digital offerings. We are proud to add another media company to our growing portfolio and welcome Stampen to the Aria family." Stampen is one of the leading publishing companies in Sweden, reaching more than one million subscribers daily through 23 newspaper titles and 35 free local weeklies featuring coverage of local news and events. The largest of its newspapers is Goteborgs-Posten in Gothenburg. "The ability to effectively manage both print and digital media subscribers for pricing and bundles in a unified system was a key driver behind our selection of Aria," said Henrik Elm, Chief Technology Officer, Stampen Media Group. "The implementation of Aria is underway and moving forward. We are looking forward to taking full advantage of AMPS to expand both our digital services offerings and local subscriber base." About Aria Systems: Aria Systems' cloud-agnostic monetization platform is the analysts' choice, top ranked by leading research firms. Innovative enterprises like Adobe, Allstate, Comcast, Subaru and Telstra depend on Aria to accelerate time to market and increase flexibility, enabling them to maximize customer value and grow recurring revenue through subscription and usage-based offerings. For more information, visit www.ariasystems.com. About Stampen Media Group: Stampen Media is one of Sweden's largest media groups. Stampen Media includes a number of media houses with strong positions in news media, digital media, outdoor advertising and distribution. The group includes the six subscribed morning newspapers Goteborgs-Posten, TTELA, Hallands Nyheter, Hallandsposten, Bohuslaningen and Stromstads Tidning. www.stampenmedia.se View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005140/en/ Contacts: Greg Kalish GK Communications for Aria Systems gkalish@ariasystems.com 516-665-3292 The Starfish Pack Program will be breaking with tradition in 2020, distributing food in new reusable bags each week rather than in backpacks It is one of a handful of changes being made to the program due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What is not changing, though, is the programs commitment to helping feed local children who are struggling with food security. You almost cant believe that a child is going home to no food in the cupboard and that really does happen, said Bernadette Siracky, executive director for the Kamloops Food Bank. Backpacks will still be going out to the students covered by the program, but they will be stuffed full of back-to-school supplies and will not be sent back each week. Siracky said this will help reduce the chances of contamination between the food bank, the schools and the homes. Two other major changes happening behind the scenes involve the number of volunteers able to work at packing up the food bags, as well as the process for doing so. Restrictions on the number of people who can safely congregate has meant that instead of the number of volunteers in the food bank warehouse will be limited. A pod-based model has also bee developed for filling the bags, in which each volunteer works in an isolated area, or pod, filling a bag with all of its contents and then signaling for another volunteer to come and deliver the bag to a larger container. This replaces the previous system that functioned more like an assembly line and allowed for more potential contamination. Though the changes have meant that the Kamloops Food Bank cannot support as many volunteers as it has in the past, Siracky said the changes have been necessary to keep the program operating which, she noted, is the most important aspect. Its proven effective here at the food bank, the changes weve made, because weve been able to offer service uninterrupted, she said. And our clients are so grateful. The common comment to me and to our staff is just, Thank you. Thank you for remaining open. Read more about: The first vessel in an Iranian convoy of ships bringing desperately needed fuel arrived in Venezuela, demonstrating both nations determination to undermine U.S. efforts to isolate the governments in Tehran and Caracas. The Iranian tanker Forest entered Venezuelan waters early on Monday, according to tanker-tracker data collected by Bloomberg. Its heading to El Palito refinery port, said union leader Ivan Freites. Its one of three vessels bringing hundreds of thousands of barrels of the fuel. Following years of mismanagement and operational neglect, national oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA is unable to supply the country with gasoline, idling not only millions of cars and buses but also emergency vehicles and trucks delivering food from farms to cities. PIPELINES: Venezuela is tearing apart oil pipelines to sell as scrap metal U.S. sanctions restricting PDVSAs ability to import fuel from international markets have worsened what were once sporadic shortages, touching off days-long queues at filling stations and more frequent unrest. The isolation efforts have also fomented closer strategic ties between Iran and Venezuela as most international oil and shipping companies avoid Venezuela for fear of risking punitive measures by the U.S. On Sunday, General Yahya Rahim-Safavi, a military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Iran had received gold bars from Venezuela by plane as payment for gasoline shipments, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. We gave Venezuela gasoline and received gold bars, and we took the gold to Iran on a plane so that nothing could happen to it along the way, the general said, according to Mehr. FUEL FIX: Our energy news. Your inbox. A perfect combination. Two more tankers, the Fortune and Faxon, are expected to arrive in the coming days. This is the second time Iran has provided gasoline to Venezuela since the end of May, when a flotilla of five vessels discharged nearly 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline and fuel additives, as well as parts for local refineries. Irans foreign ministry has said any attempt by the U.S. to stop them will be met with a swift and decisive response. Irans shipments signal Tehrans commitment to aiding its South American ally despite U.S. efforts to stymie such cooperation. In August, the U.S. seized the cargoes of four vessels carrying 1.1 million barrels of Iranian gasoline ostensibly headed for Venezuela. The move was described as the U.S. governments largest-ever seizure of fuel shipments from Iran by the Department of Justice, which said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, designated a foreign terrorist organization, was behind the shipment. U.S. special envoy to Venezuela and Iran Elliot Abrams said recently U.S. sanctions on Venezuela convinced Russia and China not to sell gasoline to Nicolas Maduros regime and alluded to possible snap back sanctions in the coming days. PDVSA and Venezuelas information ministry declined to comment on the shipments. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Photograph: Henry Chirinos/EPA A wave of demonstrations has erupted across Venezuela as angry citizens flout lockdown restrictions to demand an end to worsening shortages of everything from electricity and water to fuel and household supplies. Since Sunday, more than 100 protests have broken out in at least 17 of the countrys 23 states, sometimes resulting in skirmishes with riot police. Unlike previous waves of demonstrations led by the political opposition and focused on ousting President Nicolas Maduro, the current unrest has largely taken place outside Caracas and protesters have not expressly called for a change of government. Nonetheless, police and urban militias known as colectivos have deployed to crack down on protests and scores of people have been arrested. After more than two weeks without running water at his home in the town of Independencia, Juan Rivas joined a demonstration that was quashed when police fired teargas. They dont want us communicating with the rest of the country we couldnt protest, not just because of the gas but also because they send the colectivos, he said. What we are seeing today is part of a long process of infrastructure collapse that has made peoples lives unbearable, said Dimitris Pantoulas, a political risk consultant specializing in Venezuela. As people outside Caracas see their lives deteriorate while the government doesnt resolve their problems, the protests will get more intense and probably more violent. Although Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves on the planet, collapsing infrastructure has led to a steep drop in production. As a result, the countrys heavy crude remains underground while motorists wait for hours in snaking queues outside petrol stations to fill up. Wilmer Benavides, a cattle farmer who lives near Ciudad Guayana in south-eastern Venezuela, said he had shut down his business as he could no longer transport his goods to the citys markets. On Monday, Benavides waited in line while nearby demonstrators set up roadblocks in protest against the local governors latest fuel rationing measures: a maximum allowance of 10 litres per car and five litres per motorcycle. That wont get me anywhere, he said. Its barely enough to last two days driving around town. Story continues Maduro, the leftwing successor to Hugo Chavez, is resisting a challenge to his legitimacy from Juan Guaido, an opposition leader backed by the US and 50 other countries. The incumbent retains the key support of the military and remains allied with Russia, China and Cuba. Guaido has voiced some support for the protests, but he and other opposition leaders have largely remained silent. Some observers said that such reticence may be ill-advised. Calling people to hit the streets in the midst of a pandemic and humanitarian emergency could seem off, said Maryhen Jimenez, a political scientist specializing in authoritarianism. But there is a growing disconnect between Guaido and the people as he has focused more on international factors than organizing and mobilizing at home. Related: Venezuela: UN accuses Maduro government of crimes against humanity US-led sanctions prohibit most trade with the embattled nation, though the first of three Iranian-flagged tankers entered Venezuelan waters on Monday, transporting some 270,000 barrels of fuel, which may alleviate some shortages. But while Maduro remains in power, a harsh line against dissent is assured. This month, the United Nations accused his government of crimes against humanity in a scathing report that found Maduro and his top ministers to be responsible for extrajudicial killings and the systemic use of torture. The local watchdog Foro Penal reported on Monday that at least 214 people had been detained and four killed while protesting during 2020. Single Cover Lisa Run Away The new music is amazing! Chris Blackwell, Founder of Island Records Critically acclaimed author and songwriter Gregory David Roberts (GDR) releases the second single, Lisa Run Away on October 2, 2020 taken from his debut album Love&Faith. Gregory David Roberts is best known for Shantaram, the best-selling novel, which sold over 6 million copies worldwide and was hailed a masterpiece. The new music is amazing! Chris Blackwell, Founder of Island Records Lisa Run Away, is a melodic chill out track inspired by GDRs favourite DJ Finnebassen. It explores love and our ability to feel vulnerable. Its based on the character Kavita Singh, from Shantaram, who falls in love with Lisa. The music cocoons you in a melodic soundscape, evoking memories of balmy summer evenings. Saine Red Rapleys sticky vocals, make this a catchy chill out tune. Produced by GDR and Dale Dizzle Virgo (Drake/ Florence + The Machine/ Kendrick Lamar/ Rihanna). Music has been an unfailing inspiration for me and these songs all come from the constant experience of my life that with love and faith, anything is possible, said Gregory David Roberts. In Jamaica, at multiple recording sessions (2018-20), GDR found the right mix of energy and talent to bring his musical vision to life. The albums lyrical content is inspired by his six years of spiritual seclusion and is released on December 4, 2020. For further information: contact Jodie Dalmeda email: jodie@jdmediaconsultancy.com Follow GDR at: Instagram - Facebook - Twitter - GDR Website Notes to Editors: Currently, a TV series based on Shantaram and its sequel The Mountain Shadow, is in production by Apple TV +, Paramount TV and Anonymous Content. A new book, The Spiritual Path, based on his experiences of being six years off the grid, fully devoted to a spiritual path, is scheduled to be published in 2021. Albertsons Companies, FishWise, and U.S. based fishers work together to improve seafood traceability and highlight the benefits of domestic seafood during a global pandemic Albertsons Companies Director of Seafood Anthony Snow spent time shrimp fishing with Paul Piazza and Son, Inc., and visited their processing facility as part of the grocer's supplier review process to strengthen traceability of seafood products and decrease environmental impacts of fishing and farming operations. Albertsons Companies Director of Seafood Anthony Snow spent time shrimp fishing with Paul Piazza and Son, Inc., and visited their processing facility as part of the grocer's supplier review process to strengthen traceability of seafood products and decrease environmental impacts of fishing and farming operations. Albertsons Companies' waterfront BISTRO Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp Albertsons Companies' waterfront BISTRO Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp BOISE, Idaho and SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Albertsons Companies and FishWise honor Octobers National Seafood Month by shining a spotlight on a collaborative project focused on improving seafood traceability. Now, more than ever, traceability is key as we strive to adapt and rebuild global seafood supply chains that have been forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasing transparency enables risks to be identified, and helps companies support practices that improve both environmental and social responsibility. Every year, as part of their Responsible Seafood Program, Albertsons Companies works with FishWise to review the best practices of a number of vendor partners to strengthen traceability and decrease environmental impacts. This year, Albertsons Companies focused on a domestic waterfront BISTRO wild-caught shrimp product from Paul Piazza and Son Inc., a family-owned and run business based in Louisiana. The teams conducted a comprehensive review of all available supply chain documentation (digital and otherwise) to fully trace this wild-caught shrimp from the ocean floor to your local Albertsons Companies store. This assessment verifies claims that this product is sourced from a high-performing Fishery Improvement Project, is legally harvested, and undergoes robust traceability and data collection practices. Shrimp has been Americas top consumed seafood for years, but some imported shrimp have raised concerns due to the potential impacts on the environment as well as social welfare. "Seafood products which utilize domestic fisheries, and are processed in the U.S., have a lower risk of being affiliated with labor issues. Said Michelle Beritzhoff-Law, FishWises Project Director. However, reviewing the traceability systems for domestic products, as we did in this project, is still very important. Data collection and verification exercises help validate any social responsibility and environmental claims. We applaud Albertsons Companies for their due diligence and commitment to working with vendors to improve their seafood supply chain, she added. Story continues To better understand their practices, Albertsons Companies Director of Seafood Anthony Snow spent a day shrimp fishing with Paul Piazza and Son, Inc., and visited their processing facility. What makes this shrimp special is that it comes from Gulf of Mexico fisheries that are involved in Fishery Improvement Projects that are actively advancing the sustainability and traceability of shrimp sourced from the Gulf, said Snow. Our customers can feel good about choosing a domestic shrimp that is good for the planet and for local fishers, too. These projects have an Advanced Progress rating and are making improvements on the water with robust fisheries observer coverage and efforts to reduce bycatch the unintended catch of other species, such as sea turtles. President of Paul Piazza and Son Inc. and great-grandson of Paul Piazza, Kristen Baumer said, Engaging in these projects brings additional transparency to our seafood supply chain and helps us to identify where we can continue to make improvements. All of Albertsons Companies waterfront BISTRO and Open Nature seafood meets their Responsible Seafood Policy, and these traceability projects are conducted as part of their rigorous Responsible Seafood Program so that Albertsons Companies can provide tailored recommendations to suppliers. These recommendations outline the strengths and challenges found in suppliers operations and provide actionable steps they can take to help mitigate potential traceability risks. As seafood lovers celebrate National Seafood Month this October and continue to prepare meals at home, Albertsons Companies invites shoppers to include responsibly harvested shrimp in their next dish and use their consumer power to support products that have a positive impact on both ocean ecosystems and fishers lives and livelihoods. Look for Albertsons Companies waterfront BISTRO Wild Gulf Shrimp in the frozen section in three different sizes at your local Albertsons Companies stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, United, ACME Markets, Shaws, Star Market, and others. Customers can look for Albertsons Companies Responsible Choice logo on their waterfront BISTRO and Open Nature seafood products to know that it was caught or farmed in ways that safeguard future supplies and help keep ecosystems thriving. #### About Albertsons Companies Locally great and nationally strong, Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. The company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. The Company is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2019 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company gave $225 million in food and financial support. In 2020, the Company made a $53 million commitment to community hunger relief efforts and a $5 million commitment to organizations supporting social justice. These efforts have helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, social justice, and programs for people with disabilities and veterans' outreach. About FishWise FishWise is a non-profit sustainable seafood consultancy based in Santa Cruz, CA. Uniquely positioned with the seafood industry and marine conservation organizations, FishWise offers a range of services that empower businesses and a diverse community of collaborators to lead the transition to a sustainable seafood industry. For more information, please visit www.FishWise.org, and follow FishWises work on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. About Paul Piazza & Son, Inc. Paul Piazza & Son, Inc. is a fourth-generation Wild American Shrimp sourcing and processing company located in Louisiana and Texas. Responsible for approximately one-third of the U.S. shrimp fishery, Paul Piazza has taken a leadership role in many sustainability initiatives across the Gulf of Mexico. Paul Piazza is proud to partner with Albertsons Companies and FishWise to educate consumers of the benefits of Wild Caught American Shrimp. Attachments CONTACT: Teena Massingill Albertsons Companies 925-738-1387 teena.massingill@albertsons.com Christine Wilcox Albertsons Companies 208-395-4163 christine.wilcox@albertsons.com Lara Kilpatrick FishWise l.kilpatrick@fishwise.org "TRuST" precursor for CVD and ALD processes Comparison of vapor pressure of precursor TOKYO, Sept 30, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka) announced today that TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which operates the TANAKA Precious Metals manufacturing business, has developed a new liquid ruthenium precursor named "TRuST" for CVD[1] and ALD[2] processes. The vapor pressure of "TRuST" is more than 100 times higher as compared to that to previous liquid ruthenium (element symbol Ru) precursors[3], which is currently the world's highest vapor pressure value at room temperature as per TANAKA's internal evaluation.During this precursor development, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo focused on material design and synthesis research, while Professor Soo-Hyun Kim, Ph.D., School of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering at Yeungnam University in South Korea, researched to optimize the film formation characteristics.Technologies developed through this collaboration will help increase performance and reduce energy consumption for the semiconductor devices used in smartphones, computers, and the data centers where demand is to grow well into the future.Precursors are metal-organic compounds used in chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD) and other processes to form thin metal films or metal wiring on substrates. CVD and ALD processes enable the formation of films with superior step coverage on various types of base substrate. These are useful methods for forming films as semiconductors become increasingly miniaturized, with increased structural complexity, and narrower wires with every new generation.TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo has developed a range of precious metal precursors over the years, including ruthenium precursors. This time, computer simulation and other techniques were used to achieve miniaturization and optimization of the molecular structure. This resulted in the successful development of a precious metal compound in a liquid form, with high vapor pressure, and thermal stability suited for film formation, all of which are important characteristics for precursors. As a result, this compound has the world's highest vapor pressure over 100 times higher than that of previous liquid ruthenium precursors. The higher the vapor pressure of precursors and the smaller their molecular structure, the higher the possible concentration of precursor in the film formation chamber, and the greater the adsorption density of precursor molecules on the substrate surface. Compared to previous precursors, this achieves excellent step coverage and improved film formation speed.According to research carried out at Yeungnam University, ALD film formation at approximately 1.7 angstrom (A) per cycle is possible, which is the world's fastest of its type using liquid ruthenium precursor. Also, specific resistivity after film formation is approximately 13 microhm-cm, which is close to the value of bulk ruthenium metal (7.6 microhm-cm).When bulk ruthenium is used for vapor deposition, with a temperature as high as 3000 degrees C. However, if it is converted into an organometallic compound of ruthenium precursor, it can be vaporized at low temperatures (between room temperature to 200 degrees C) under vacuum. As a result, the formation of high-quality ruthenium film with excellent step coverage at high productivity is expected. This has been an issue in the past because it is technically difficult to achieve all these characteristics at the same time. With the development of "TRuST" however, it is now possible.Samples of Shipments of "TRuST" should begin shipping samples are planned to start in October 2020.Background and TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo's development of precursor for CVD/ALD processesIn the past, the most common wiring materials used for semiconductors were copper, tungsten and cobalt. However, as semiconductors have evolved, there are increasing expectations for the precious metal ruthenium to promote further miniaturization of semiconductors because of its lower resistance and higher durability. With its superior characteristics, ruthenium is also being considered for use in transistor gate electrodes and DRAM capacitor electrodes.The progress of technologies such as IoT, AI, and 5G over recent years has led to rapidly increasing volumes of digital data used in clouds, smartphones, and computers. Therefore, the need for even greater miniaturization of semiconductors is increasing to enable the creation of devices with higher performance and lower energy consumption. As a specialized manufacturer of precious metals, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo will continue contributing to this evolution of semiconductors through the development of high-quality semiconductor materials.With the support of Professor Soo-Hyun Kim, from the College of Engineering at Yeungnam University, a researcher from TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo will give a presentation of this technology at the "International Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC) 2020", which will be held online from October 5-8, 2020. The title of the presentation is High-growth-rate atomic layer deposition of high-quality Ru Using a Novel Ru metalorganic precursor.[1] Chemical vapor deposition (CVD): CVD is a chemical film formation method. It is a method of forming thin metal films on the surfaces of base materials or substrates through a chemical reaction induced and accelerated by directing energy, in forms such as heat, plasma and light, at gaseous vapor material fed into a reaction chamber at pressures between atmospheric pressures to medium vacuum pressures (100-10-1 Pa).[2] Atomic layer deposition (ALD): Both CVD and ALD are film formation methods that use chemical reactions inside reaction chambers to deposit material onto substrates through the vapor phase. The main difference between the two methods is that while CVD continually forms atomic and molecular layers, ALD forms the layers intermittently one layer at a time.[3] Precursors: Precursors are compounds used as the raw material for forming thin metal films and metal wiring on substrates.TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Holding company of TANAKA Precious Metals)Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, TokyoRepresentative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEOFounded: 1885Incorporated: 1918*Capital: 500 million yenEmployees in consolidated group: 5,138 (FY2019)Employees: 221 (March 31, 2020)Net sales of consolidated group: JPY 1,149,604 million (FY2019)Main businesses of the group: The holding company at the center of TANAKA Precious Metals responsible for strategic and efficient group management and management guidance to group companies.URL: https://www.tanaka.co.jp/english/* TANAKA Holdings adopted a holding company structure on April 1, 2010.TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, TokyoRepresentative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEOFounded: 1885Incorporated: 1918Capital: 500 million yenEmployees: 2,393 (as of March 31, 2020)Sales: JPY 992,679,879,000 (FY2019)Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products.URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.comAbout TANAKA Precious MetalsSince its foundation in 1885, TANAKA Precious Metals has built a diversified range of business activities focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volumes of precious metals handled. Over the course of many years, TANAKA has not only manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry but also provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and resources. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies within and outside Japan work together with unified cooperation between manufacturing, sales, and technological aspects to offer products and services. Additionally, to make further progress in globalization, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo welcomed Metalor Technologies International SA as a member of the Group in 2016.As precious metal professionals, TANAKA Precious Metals will continue to contribute to the development of an enriching and prosperous society.The five core companies that make up TANAKA Precious Metals are as follows.- TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (pure holding company)- TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.- TANAKA Denshi Kogyo K.K.- Electroplating Engineers Of Japan, Limited- TANAKA Kikinzoku Jewerly K.K.Press release in PDF: http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/20200930.pdfPress InquiriesTANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/Source: Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd.Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1195 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year, and our current goal, burnout prevention. Time: 9:00PM-10:30PM Eastern Time (with no commercial breaks) Place: Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion, part of a joint health campus between Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic Host: Fox Moderator: Chris Wallace, Fox News. Candidate line-up: Donald Trump (President of the United States) Joe Biden (former Vice President of the United States) Topics, fifteen minutes each: The topics for the debate are The Trump and Biden Records, The Supreme Court, Covid-19, The Economy, Race and Violence in our Cities and The Integrity of the Election, according to the Commission on Presidential Debates. How to watch: The debate [will be] aired on all major US networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC. It will be played on CNN and MSNBC, as well as Amazon Fire, Android, Roku, and Apple TV services. The debate will also be streamed on C-SPAN (and a million other places). Drinking Game: Here. * * * Theres a ton of breathless commentary out there, but I think this debate, to an unusual degree, comes down to the two candidates themselves, as people (and not to platforms, policies, records, or even tactics). Will Biden slip a cog? An hour-and-a-half standing will be a long time for him. Biden did well in his one-on-one with Sanders, for sure, but Sanders wasnt trying to land any punches. Trump, in contrast, is a brawler. But did he train hard enough for the match? I would say that if Biden avoids being knocked out, he wins. On the other hand, Trump has form. Over and over again, we have seen him, Houdini-like, escape from impossible situations stronger than before. For me, the most amazing outcome I can imagine would be Trump successfully showing one single sign that hes a vulnerable human. He would turn himself from a heel into a face! That said, Cleveland seems a little sketchy just now, from what I see on the Twitter. The National Guard is out: Barriers up, National Guard arrives at Cleveland Clinic for first presidential debate https://t.co/X89zKTKBsW Cleveland Jewish Life (@CleJewLife) September 29, 2020 Business are being boarded up: Cleveland businesses board up fearing debate night riots https://t.co/BzhLN9Nbhv The Independent (@Independent) September 29, 2020 There are free speech zones, with the following items prohibited: No Antifa or BLM violence will be permitted at President Trump's Cleveland Debate tonight pic.twitter.com/bA4BAvJwLh ElCleveland (@ElCleveland1) September 29, 2020 What, no grappling hooks? On the brighter side, Terminal Tower is lit: Terminal Tower lit up with 'Biden-Harris' projection ahead of presidential debate https://t.co/Q4zsH7pFiI News 5 Cleveland (@WEWS) September 29, 2020 Though Im not sure Terminal means what the Biden campaign thinks it means. * * * As usual, this post does not update; readers may track the debate in real time in comments. Please keep your comments as informative and analytical as possible. Write for the reader who hasnt seen the debate, and comes to this site in lieu of watching it on TV. There are no points at NC for knee-jerk, context-free one-liners (Boo ____! or Yay!) that only those who are also watching can make sense of; thats for Facebook or Reddit. I think it adds more value if you take a moment, use your critical thinking skills, then comment, and readers can discuss what you say. That way, those who cannot watch the debate or cant stand to do so can get a good idea of what really happened by reading what you write after the fact. This is what the NC commentariat is so very good at, after all. Last time, the times before that, and this time. Thank you! President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has advised activists of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to offer the needed support to parliamentary candidates of the Party. He said the Party supporters should accord the candidates the needed moral, spiritual and material support as they contest for the December General Elections. Just as you have reposed your confidence in me, you should do the same to the Partys contesting parliamentary candidates to ensure a resounding victory in the presidential and parliamentary elections, he appealed. President Nana Akufo-Addo gave the advice when he introduced the NPP Ashanti Regional parliamentary candidates to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, during a courtesy call on the king at the Manhyia Palace, Kumasi. The visit formed part of the Presidents three-day working tour of the Region, which is designed for him to inspect ongoing development projects and to solicit votes in the partys traditional stronghold. The NPP secured more than 1.6 million votes in the 2016 presidential race in the Region and is seeking to maximize its votes in the impending December 7 elections. The party hopes to win all 47 constituencies in Ashanti, including the three constituencies of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) - Asawasi, Ejura-Sekyeredumase and Sekyere Afram Plains. It is campaigning in this years elections with the promise to continue with its socio-economic development initiatives for the wellbeing of the citizenry. President Nana Akufo-Addo said more than 1, 200 development projects related to education, health, agriculture, job and poverty alleviation, were executed under his Administration over the last three years. He appealed to the electorate to endorse the NPP for another term to continue with the good work it had started. Otumfuo Osei Tutu advised the President to focus on addressing the needs of Ghanaians. He lauded the President for the pro-poor policies and programmes introduced by the government to promote the welfare of the citizenry. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kobe Bryant's crash site photos prompted California Governor Gavin Newsom to sign into law the Kobe Bryant Act of 2020, a bill that would prohibit first responders from taking photos of dead victims outside of their job duties. The Kobe Bryant Act of 2020 came following reports that deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, who responded to the crash that killed Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others, had taken photos of the crash site in Calabasas and had shared them. The reports also said that the deputies had taken graphic photos of the remains of the Los Angeles Lakers legend, his daughter, and the other victims. The Kobe Bryant Act of 2020 or the AB2655 pushed by Assemblyman Mike Gipson of Carson, was signed by Newsom on Monday. Violation of this new law will result in a misdemeanor. Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, claimed that shortly after the helicopter crash that killed her husband and daughter, she personally spoke to L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, requesting the crash site to be secured for their family's privacy. However, Vanessa learned of the photos being taken and shared when the Los Angeles Times reported about it. Her legal team said that she was devastated. At that time, Villanueva had told reporters that only the country coroner's office and National Transportation Safety Board investigators were allowed to take Bryant's crash site photos. Villanueva had also said then that the department has a policy against the taking and sharing of crime scene photos, but it does not apply to accident scenes. The L.A. County sheriff also pointed out that he had been the one who sponsored the new bill that Newsom had signed into law. He had responded to the signing by posting on his social media account and thanking Newsom for signing the bill. However, last week, Bryant's widow filed a lawsuit against the County Sheriff Department over the unauthorized taking and sharing of Bryant's crash site photos. The lawsuit stated that Villanueva had attempted to cover-up the mishandling of Bryant's crash site photos by going to the substation and telling the deputies that they would not have to face discipline if they delete the images that they had taken. According to Luis Li, the lead attorney on the case, Bryant's widow's lawsuit is about accountability and preventing what the deputies did from doing it to other families in the future. The lawsuit also said that instead of telling the deputies to delete Bryant's crash site's photos, Villanueva should have ordered an investigation on the incident. The absence of a formal investigation had put Bryant's widow in distress, and she is living in fear that she and her daughters will be confronted by Bryant's crash site photos one day. The lawsuit is seeking damages for invasion of her right to privacy, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress due to the mishandling of Bryant's crash site photos. Check these photos: Kobe's Widow Sues LA County Sheriff Department Conor McGregor VS Manny Pacquiao in the Middle East December or January Eastern Conference Champions Miami Heat To Face LA Lakers for NBA Title Daisuke Fukumoto aboard Mighty Heart celebrates their win in the 85th Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Race Track Tuesday, the second jewel in the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, and which took place for the first time in September after it was postponed from its original date in July because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A very limited amount of people were allowed in to view the races, leaving the stands bare and the noise levels to a minimum. Ms Patel abandoned the plan after instructing officials to drill down into logistics St Helena island was also touted as a potential site for the processing facility Labour said last night: 'This ludicrous idea is inhumane, completely impractical' Downing Street today failed to rule out using a remote Scottish island to process asylum seekers trying to enter Britain after it emerged Priti Patel considered using a remote Atlantic outcrop for the job. Under an extraordinary scheme that was later ditched, the Home Office considered using Ascension Island, a British overseas territory surrounded by water for at least 800 miles in all directions. ADVERTISEMENT Ms Patel abandoned the plan after instructing her officials to drill down into the practicalities of such a project, according to the Financial Times. But officials said that she is still keen on 'offshoring' people attempting to reach the UK if a suitable site can be found. Such schemes are used by nations including Australia, which has used offshore processing and detention centres on nearby Islands in the south Pacific for asylum seekers since the 1980s. Ms Patel recently met with former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, known for his tough stance on immigration, who was appointed by Boris Johnson as a trade adviser to the UK. The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said today that ministers were 'looking at what a whole host of other countries do to inform plans for the United Kingdom' and 'that work is ongoing'. When asked whether a remote Scottish island could be used, the spokesman said: There is nothing more that I can add than to say the work is ongoing and when there is more to say on it then we will do so. St Helena, where Napoleon was exiled after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, was also touted as a potential site for a facility, the FT reported. Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: 'This ludicrous idea is inhumane, completely impractical and wildly expensive. So it seems entirely plausible this Tory Government came up with it.' Priti Patel (pictured at the FCO last week) considered building an asylum processing centre on a remote volcanic island in the south Atlantic, it was claimed last night Under an extraordinary scheme, the Home Office would ship asylum seekers 4,000 miles from the UK to Ascension Island (pinpointed), a British overseas protectorate Asylum Island: where could refugees go? Although Ascension and St Helena have been ruled out, Downing Street this afternoon refused to rule out islands closer to the UK being used as migrant processing centres. This would follow a precedent set by Australia, which has a detention centre on Christmas Island, north west of the country close to Indonesia. It is used to house and process refugees from South East Asia. Other sites were run on the islands of Manus and Nauru before they were closed after uproar in Australia over the conditions in which they were held. Britain has many islands around its coast. But locating such a facility on a heavily populated one would be likely to cause uproar locally. The Isle of Man in the Irish Sea was used in the Second World War to hold interred German and Italian nationals. They were not prisoners of war but lived in Britain and seen as a potential security risk. British fascists were also held on the island. Lundy Island off the coast of North Devon is largely uninhabited but it is owned by the National Trust. There are many sparsely populated islands off the west coast of Scotland, but Nicola Sturgeon's SNP government is almost certain to explode with fury is such a location was mooted. Closer to the south east is the Isle of Sheppey off the Kent coast in the Thames Estuary, joined to the mainland by just one road. And his Lib Dem counterpart, Alistair Carmichael, added: 'Priti Patel wanted to store UK asylum seekers on a South Atlantic island. I assume that building a Mars outpost to keep people in was considered slightly excessive? ADVERTISEMENT 'An utterly shameful, dehumanising attitude on show here by one of the most senior members of the government.' A snap poll conducted by YouGov asking voters whether they thought building an asylum processing centre on Ascension Island was a good or bad idea found 40 per cent backed the proposal while 35 per cent did not. The Foreign Office was consulted on the proposals, according to the paper, and provided an assessment on the logistics of shipping migrants to such locations. The Home Office last night did not deny the claims but pointed to Britain's 'proud history of offering refuge to those who need protection'. The PM's spokesman today said: 'We are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it. 'The rise in gang-facilitated channel crossings has put this into very sharp focus.' He added: 'It is hugely important that people are deterred from making what are life-threatening journeys and that they claim asylum in the first safe country which they reach. The Ascension plan was dismissed on Wednesday as an unfeasible, 'logistical nightmare' by a member of the Ascension Island Council, Alan Nicholls. He said he had only found out about the possibility when contacted by journalists and worried that security concerns from the presence of two military bases on the island could make it 'prohibitive'. 'Looking at cost and logistics, we are some 4,000-plus miles away from the UK, I would have thought it would be extremely expensive and a bit of a logistical nightmare to get asylum seekers here to Ascension because of the fact we are very isolated and I don't think the whole thing would be very feasible, to be quite truthful,' Mr Nicholls told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. ADVERTISEMENT He also spoke of concerns among the locals on the island, with a population of less than 1,000, of forcing migrants there during the coronavirus pandemic. Click here to resize this module 'There could be quite an influx of individuals and at this state and time with pandemic lockdowns and everything else, I don't think that anybody would be very receptive to that,' the councillor said. Ascension Island, which is used as a staging post to supply and defend the Falkland Islands, has an RAF base and population of fewer than 1,000. Moving asylum seekers there and keeping them supplied was said to represent a considerable logistical challenge. The proposal appears to further reflect the influence on UK policy-making of Australia, which has used offshore processing and detention centres for asylum seekers since the 1980s. The Government has based its post-Brexit points-based immigration system on that developed in Australia. The Home Secretary is grappling with a surge in migrants crossing the Channel in recent months. Some 90 hotels are being used by the Home Office to house migrants being processed, including four-star accommodation under a 4billion outsourcing contract. There has been a surge in the number of migrants arriving in Britain this year, with media reports suggesting that about 1,500 people travelled across the English Channel in small boats and dinghies in August alone. In total, there were more than 32,000 asylum applications in the United Kingdom in the year ending June 2020. The FT said the idea was evidence of the influence of former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, who was appointed as a UK trade adviser earlier this month. Australia has used offshore detention centres on the Pacific islands of Nauru, and on Manus in Papua New Guinea. Ms Patel recently met with former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, known for his tough stance on immigration, who was appointed by Boris Johnson as a trade adviser to the UK Ascension Island, which is used as a staging post to supply and defend the Falkland Islands, has an RAF base and population of fewer than 1,000 RAF Ascension was used as a staging post for Operation Black Buck, which saw Vulcan bombers (pictured) fly to attack the Argentine-held airport at Stanley in the Falkland Islands in 1982 Australia's policies and management of the detention centres have repeatedly been criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups. Asylum seekers intercepted at sea and sent to the camps can never settle in Australia, even if they are found to be genuine refugees A Home Office official said: 'The UK has a long and proud history of offering refuge to those who need protection. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes in the future. ADVERTISEMENT 'As ministers have said we are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it.' Subscriber content preview Map by Kidder Mathews [enlarge] The Georgetown property is the smaller of two being offered by Kidder Matthews on behalf of the longtime family owner. The over 2-acre Sawdust Supply property at 6314 Seventh Ave. S. in Georgetown has sold for a little over $8.7 million, according to King County records. The buyer was Exchange 6314 7th Ave S LLC, associated with logistics giant Prologis, which continues to amass ever more property in our market. . . . Artists, writers and curators whose work illuminates issues of race, identity and representation comprise the virtual fall season programs from the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis. As the museum building remains closed during fall quarter, the museum is Bringing the Conversation to You through a variety of museum-presented and co-sponsored public programs, including film and theater series. All are free. These include: LaToya Ruby Frazier in Conversation With Sampada Aranke Photographer LaToya Ruby Frazier, whose work features voices and perspectives traditionally erased from the American narrative, will be in conversation with Manetti Shrem Museum scholar-in-residence Sampada Aranke, 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. Conversation and Book Launch for "Young, Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists, The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection of Contemporary Art" This event celebrates the recent publication of this survey of the work of a new generation of Black artists. It accompanies the Young, Gifted and Black exhibition, which will travel to the Manetti Shrem Museum in 2022. Associate Curator Susie Kantor will be in conversation with collector Bernard Lumpkin, writer Antwaun Sargent and curator Matt Wycoff. 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Claudia Rankine Reading and Lecture, Just Us: An American Conversation Writer Claudia Rankines timely new book, "Just Us: An American Conversation" (Graywolf Press, 2020), questions what it means to interrogate white privilege, liberal politics and much more in a genre-defying work that is being hailed as her magnum opus. The program, co-sponsored by 23 other UC Davis departments, centers and offices, is 4-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4. Introducing Wayne Thiebaud Influencer A New Generation Museum founding director Rachel Teagle and associate curator Susie Kantor provide an inside look at this upcoming exhibition featuring works by contemporary artists as well as former students who learned directly from the master teacher. 4:30-6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 19. Catalyst: A Theatre Think Tank After three seasons as the Ground and Field Theatre Festival, this group has reimagined itself as a creative space where theater artists, UC Davis students and audiences meet. Sponsored in part by the UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance. Next reading: This Is How It Happened, 5 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Oct. 15-16. Ariana Reines Reading and Conversation: A Sand Book A reading by the spiritual poet who reckons with profound questions, followed by a conversation with English professor Katie Peterson. Organized by the Department of English and Creative Writing Program. 4:30-5:45 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 13. Njideka Akunyili Crosby This artist whose work negotiates the cultural terrain between her adopted home in America and her native Nigeria in collage and photo transfer-based paintings, will give the seventh Betty Jean and Wayne Thiebaud Endowed Lecture, 4:30-6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12. UC Davis Humanities Institute Human Rights Film Festival Five films that bear witness to local and global human rights issues will be available for viewing, Nov. 12-24. Five question-and-answer sessions, one for each film, will be held over five nights, 5:10-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, Nov. 16-20, featuring filmmakers and scholars. Presented by the UC Davis Humanities Institute. Co-sponsored by UC Davis Human Rights Studies and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival. More information. Art Studio Visiting Artist Lecture Series Kyle Dunn, whose work combines sculptural and painterly traditions, including bas-relief and trompe loeil, to express the masculine emotional landscape. 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3. Rita Gonzalez, head of Contemporary Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, who has curated numerous high-profile exhibitions. 4:30-6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 10. For more information and to download the fall calendar, visit manettishremmuseum.ucdavis.edu Watch now: The Manetti Shrem Museum online CLEVELAND, Ohio - President Donald Trump declared during Tuesdays presidential debate that "We built the greatest economy in history. Democratic challenger Joe Biden, the vice president under Barack Obama, differed, saying we handed him (Trump) a booming economy. He blew it. Heres what the record says on jobs and unemployment rates, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Jobs growth slowed during the first three years under Trump from what had been the case during the final three years of Barack Obama. This is before the coronavirus struck, inflicting damage to the jobs market. During Obamas final three years, from January 2014 through January 2017, the nation added 8,079,000 jobs, an increase of 5.9%. During Trumps first three years, from January 2017 through January 2020, the nation added 6,585,000 jobs, an increase of 4.5%. The difference was more striking for Ohio. The Buckeye State gained 288,000 jobs, or 4.2%, during the final three years of Obama, versus 79,700 jobs, or 1.4%, during the first three years of Trump. As for the unemployment rate, it fell from 6.6% to 4.7% during Obamas final three years, then dropped to 3.6% after three years under Trump, as of January of this year. In Ohio, the unemployment rate fell from 6.6% to 5.2% during Obamas final three years, then to 4.1% by January after the first three years of Trump. Manufacturing Specifically on manufacturing jobs, the picture is a little different. Creation of U.S. manufacturing jobs did speed up during the first three years of Donald Trump (pre-coronavirus) over what had been the case during the final three years under Barack Obama, but that wasnt the case in Ohio. Nationally, the the United States added 288,000 manufacturing jobs, a growth of 2.4%, during Obamas final three years in office from January 2014 through January 2017. Under Trump, in his first three years, 475,000 manufacturing jobs were added, or 3.8%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The story was different in Ohio, however, where manufacturing did better as Obama was closing out his final years in office. Over Obamas last three years, Ohio added 18,700 manufacturing jobs, or 2.8%, in comparison to 11,500 jobs, or 1.7% during the first three years under Trump. TDT | Manama His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has called for a global collective action to bolster the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. HRH Premier stressed the importance of strengthening the foundations of international sustainable co-operation and setting aside differences and building trust. Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani made the statements on behalf of HRH Premier during the opening of the Bahrain Visions Forum: Shared Visions for a Successful Future. In particular, HRH Premier launched an initiative to establish a task force comprising the United Nations Member States supporting efforts of the UN secretary-general and the director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to cushion the impact of the pandemic on the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN group will be named Friends of the UN Secretary-General on improving ways to counter the negative impacts of COVID-19 on Sustainable Development Goals achievement. HRH Premiers initiative was widely welcomed and backed by international organizations and high-profile personalities who took part in the event held under his patronage. Mankinds security and safety can only be achieved with the solidarity and co-operation of all, HRH the Prime Minister stressed. The event coincides with the High-level Meetings of the General Assembly, held on the sidelines of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 75), as well as the celebration of the United Nations General Assemblys 75th anniversary. In his speech, HRH the Prime Minister noted the importance of a unified global strategy to ensure that resources and energies are directed towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. HRH Premier indicated that Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, is keen to provide all support to the citizens and residents to guarantee the safety of society and the health of all. This has been done through the efforts of Team Bahrain, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, and the National Taskforce for Combating Coronavirus. Bahrain has provided all health, social and economic facilities to the Kingdoms citizens and residents. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the Bahraini medical and nursing competencies for their remarkable patriotic role in addressing the pandemic, praising their commendable noble humanitarian efforts that continue to serve the community. After spending nearly two decades working in Houston ISD and four years fighting to get special education services for her third grade daughter, Nicole Tripp predicted state investigators reviewing the districts handling of students with disabilities would find extensive issues. As she expected, the Texas Education Agency released a blistering report late Tuesday that documented numerous violations of special education laws in HISD, findings that mirrored Tripps experience as a parent and former employee. Youre going to have some factors outside of the districts control, but I do think that what I saw in HISD, before leaving, was intentional mismanagement that I dont see in other districts, said Tripp, who worked in HISDs special education department from 2000 to 2018, most recently as an assistive technology specialist leader. The states wide-ranging report on Houston ISDs special education department, the result of an 11-month investigation into Texas largest school district, validated the long-held beliefs of some parents and advocates Wednesday as community members began to digest the conclusions. At the same time, some HISD leaders and observers said the report did little to increase confidence in the TEAs ability to rectify deep-seated problems in the department. While the agencys investigators are recommending the appointment of a conservator to oversee changes in the district, the states recent history of limiting access to special education services left some skeptical about whether such a move would prompt any significant change. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath has not announced whether he will accept his investigators recommendation. The report says that Houston hasnt stepped up and fixed things. OK, true, but TEA has also not stepped up and fixed things, said Sonja Kerr, an Austin-based attorney who represents families in special education disputes across Texas. In their report, the product of a special accreditation investigation launched in October 2019, TEA officials wrote that HISD has not fixed significant, systemic and widespread issues with the delivery of special education services despite numerous warnings. The findings largely echoed reports on HISDs special education practices commissioned by district trustees in 2011 and 2018. READ THE REPORT: See the full state report on HISD special education here In particular, the investigators concluded HISD still fails to identify students with disabilities, does not provide legally entitled services and lacks the structures needed to hold staff members accountable for delivering support. Investigators said they based their conclusions on dozens of staff interviews, an analysis of student records and the paucity of data provided by the district. HISD administrators disagreed with the findings, calling the report factually and legally incorrect. District staff argued that state officials dwelled on years-old data and noted the TEAs role in setting a since-abandoned arbitrary cap aimed at ensuring no more than 8.5 percent of Texas students received special education services. The U.S. Department of Education found the cap violated federal law, resulting in a corrective action plan submitted by the TEA in 2018. Still, some parents and advocates continued this week to describe battles over when to evaluate students for disabilities, squabbles over the implementation of individualized education programs, and encounters with ill-informed or uninterested campus administrators. I realize HISD is a gigantic school district and its hard to get everyone on board, but if you have good leadership at the top, it helps, said Family to Family Network Executive Director Mary Jane Williams, whose Houston-based nonprofit helps families navigate special education in schools. I think sometimes they hire great people, and they get so frustrated with the system being so bad that they leave. HISD Trustee Anne Sung, who chaired a district committee evaluating special education services in 2018, said she still was analyzing the states findings and awaiting a copy of the district administrations full response to the TEA report. Theres a lot that needs to be done across the system to improve special education. Its not a small project, Sung said. I would be shocked if anybody investigated special education in HISD and said there was no problem. HISD administrators created a three-year plan to address reports in 2018 by Sungs committee and the American Institutes of Research, both of which documented numerous areas where special education needed improvement. FROM 2018: An HISD committee deemed the districts state of special education grave Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathans administration reported in June that nearly 50 proposed changes were made or remained on track though state investigators questioned the impact of those moves. If Morath appoints a conservator, the state official would work with Lathans administrative team for now. However, Morath remains in a legal battle with HISD trustees over his effort to replace the districts school board, the result of a separate investigation into trustee misconduct as well as chronically low accountability ratings at Wheatley High School. If Morath succeeds in ousting the board, he also could select a new permanent superintendent to pair with the conservator. The prospect of intensive state involvement in HISD has left many district observers wary. Trustee Elizabeth Santos said she believes state officials historically have underfunded HISD and distracted from important work with unnecessary test-driven mandates. We havent been able to focus on what we need to focus on because we keep being thrown these hoops to jump through, Santos said. TEA should back off and let us do the work. In a statement, TEA officials said the state has increased spending on special education from $3 billion to $4 billion over the past five years, while also raising the percent of students receiving special education services from about 9 percent to nearly 11 percent. The Texas Education Agency recognizes that some stakeholders remain concerned about certain state policies that were in place prior to 2016, the statement read. TEA is committed to improving student support across Texas, and has markedly improved special education for Texas students and families during the past four years. Statewide data clearly demonstrates that improvement. Dustin Rynders, supervising attorney of the Education Team at Disability Rights Texas, said while some of the issues outlined in the report can be found in other districts across the state, HISD stands alone in some instances. The percent of HISD students receiving special education services went virtually unchanged between 2014-15 and 2018-19, the most recent year with available data, while many other districts reported increases. Since the cap was lifted we saw eligibility numbers statewide begin to come up in most districts, but HISD is an outlier, Rynders said. Its rare for a district to go even lower when others are trying to find students they missed during the cap. jacob.carpenter@chron.com shelby.webb@chron.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 21:52:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A series of textbooks for primary and middle school students in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have been published, according to mainland publisher the People's Education Press (PEP). The textbooks, including one on history and another on morality and citizenship, were compiled by the PEP in collaboration with the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR government. Another textbook on Mandarin is currently being compiled. The textbooks were compiled based on the SAR'S academic requirements, social development and real need, said Huang Qiang, head of the PEP, at a seminar held in Beijing on Tuesday. The textbooks aim to help students develop an accurate understanding of country, ethnicity, culture and history while acquiring knowledge, said Huang. Song Lingyun, an official from the Ministry of Education, said the exemplary cooperation between the PEP and the Macao education authority has made an important contribution to textbook development in the SAR. The two sides have begun the work on the English and Portuguese editions of the textbooks, which are expected to be published in 2021. Enditem National Geographic Blood on the Wall, the new film from Restrepo co-director Sebastian Junger, and co-directed by Nick Quested, is Jungers most political yet. The film, out Sept. 30 on National Geographic, follows three groups in 2017 and 2018: a caravan of Central American migrants traveling through Mexico and hoping to make it to the U.S. where they can claim asylum in the wake of extreme violence due to drug trafficking; the drug traffickers themselves, usually Central Americans and Mexicans from poor or working-class families that have been left behind by neoliberal economic policy; and the townspeople and community police units formed to protect them from extortion, sexual abuse, and murder. Rather than embed himself as a fly-on-the-wall apolitical observer, as Junger has previously described his filmmaking style, he and Quested allow their subjects to inform the thrust of the story while using interviews and archives to provide ample sociopolitical context to their conditions. Combining incredible access with a lucid yet standard approach to historicizing a human rights issue thats been cynically politicized by the Trump, Bush, and even Obama administrations, Blood on the Wall is not the most compelling film about Central American immigration youll see, but it is thoughtfully designed to inform American skeptics and equivocators. The U.S. has played a major role in destabilizing the countries from which the majority of immigrants risking their lives to cross the Mexico-U.S. border hail. The CIA funded and the Reagan government openly supported the Contras, a counterrevolutionary group formed to take out the communist Sandinistas in Nicaragua. This anti-communist activity reverberates into present-day Nicaragua, where economic degradation and community destruction has made drug trafficking one of the few realistic paths out of poverty for many while leading to turf wars that result in constant violence for locals. Reagans War on Drugs in the states only exacerbated the issue, since trying to take out drugs at the supply level through an extreme carceral approach rather than addressing the socioeconomic root causes of drug use and trafficking allowed for more competing gangs to form in Mexico, breaking the peace between established drug families. Story continues Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans who travel north to the U.S. are also met by corruption in their interim country where neoliberalism has won the day, and they are especially vulnerable to gang violence (hence the caravantheres increased safety in numbers). Just like the U.S., in Mexico, wealth is concentrated among the ultra-rich and oftentimes, government officials are getting a cut of the looted income. Still, migrants come to the U.S. from Central America, refusing to stop in Mexico, because, as one anonymous drug trafficker pointed out, Americans export violence, while in Mexico, wars come to us. What Drove the Blade Runner Olympian to Kill His Model-Girlfriend? American presidents have been crafty in making sure that the consequences of their political wargames dont disrupt the lives of its citizens; but in order to preserve this illusion, they have made sure to demonize the very peoples lives theyve endangereddetaining asylum-seekers, separating families, and making the path to citizenship long, convoluted, and unlikely. The migrants Quested and Junger spoke to, including the subjects he followed directly, never expressed concern about ICE detention or family separation because, according to the filmmakers, they had not yet understood the degree of the threat; America was still a refuge to them. Blood on the Wall puts intimate human stories to this global nightmare while simultaneously zooming out to explain why people would go to such lengths to leave their homes. The films own ideas about migration are still somewhat tepidits tagline, playing on cliches beloved by cable news pundits and bestselling novelists alike reads, What would you risk for a better life? Yet, by using a large amount of its runtime to provide historical context, Blood on the Wall inadvertently calls to attention those of us who have benefited from the undeniable yet highly contingent advantages of American citizenship or residency by virtue of being born in the right place. Its not a question of privilege, per say, but position. In that way, the film seems to ask, from what vantage point do you see the world? Are you looking up, down, or straight ahead? Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Irish oil and gas explorer Providence Resources says it has enough funding to get it to July next year, as losses at the company increased. Providence, which is focused on its flagship Barryroe prospect off the south coast of Cork, says it expects to complete the Barryroe Farmout within existing resources. In the six months to June 30 the company recorded a loss of 9.2m, up from a loss of 5.5m in the same period last year. The loss included 7.7m in financing expense in relation to fair value movement of warrants issued during the period as part of the equity raise in May, according to interim results from the group. The companys operating loss for the period was 1m, compared to 5.3m in 2019, on the back of cost savings. Providence says its exploration portfolio has been rationalised to establish a clear focus on Barryroe development and adjacent Celtic Sea opportunities. Earlier this year the company granted Norwegian-based SpotOn Energy exclusivity on the site through to October 31 this year. The company said a consortium of global service industry leaders [have been] brought together to deliver the Barryroe project on a shared risk basis as part of proposed farmout. Commenting on the results, Alan Linn who was appointed chief executive of Providence in January said: Barryroe is one of the largest undeveloped offshore oil and gas fields in Europe and is unquestionably the core asset in our portfolio." "Good progress has been made to date, supported by a capital raising of $3.3m, before expenses, which provided working capital in April to fund the Barryroe farmout process and move the project into production through phased economic development. Mr Linn added that farmout discussions are progressing on schedule." The ears of Philadelphians everywhere perked up at the end of the presidential debate Tuesday. Bad things happen in Philadelphia," President Donald Trump said. Bad things. Trump uttered these words during his exchange with former Vice President Joe Biden, specifically when he was making a false claim about polls in Philadelphia. Today there was a big problem, Trump said. In Philadelphia they went in to watch. Theyre called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They werent allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things. "Bad things happen in Philadelphia - Trump KEEP MY CITY OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, YOU DISGUSTING CLOWN#Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/WTHGBF02Zb Lindy Li (@lindyli) September 30, 2020 Its a claim Trump had previously made on Twitter. However, as the Philadelphia Inquirer points out, no polls are open in the city yet people were casting ballots and applying for mail-in ballots Tuesday at satellite election offices and no poll watchers have been certified from the Trump campaign. Poll watchers are also not customarily granted access to watch people fill out ballots at these offices. The Inquirer reports that a woman who claimed to be a poll watcher for the Trump campaign was prevented from entering one of the satellite offices in West Philadelphia where people were obtaining and submitting ballots as part of early voting Tuesday. Regarding @realDonaldTrump's claim that "bad things happen in Philadelphia," discussing poll watchers: poll watchers weren't allowed in Philadelphia today because the satellite voting centers are NOT polling places. It also isn't Election Day. Maura Barrett (@MauraBarrettNBC) September 30, 2020 On Twitter, many seized on one segment of Trumps false claim about poll watchers: Bad things happen in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the birthplace of democracy, tweeted Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta. No wonder this two-bit fake dictator doesnt like us. Bad things happen in Philadelphia like the Constitutional Convention, tweeted writer and comedian Crissle West. KEEP MY CITY OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, YOU DISGUSTING CLOWN, tweeted Lindy Li, a political commentator who was a Biden delegate at the Democratic National Convention. Philadelphia cultural properties, like the TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Gritty, the mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers, figured in social media responses to Trumps statement. He is right, tweeted former Man v Food host Adam Richman. Bad things happen in Philadelphia. A couple of guys, who were up to no good, starting making trouble in my neighborhood." Michael Artress shared a photo of Mac and Charlie, two characters from Its Always Sunny." Poll watchers in Philadelphia, he said. Philadelphia is the birth place of democracy. No wonder this two-bit fake dictator doesnt like us. Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (@malcolmkenyatta) September 30, 2020 He is right. Bad things happen in Philadelphia. A couple of guys, who were up to no good, starting making trouble in my neighborhood. Adam Richman (@AdamRichman) September 30, 2020 Bad things happen in Philadelphia like the constitutional convention. king crissle (@crissles) September 30, 2020 literally my whole TL when trump said bad things happen in philadelphia bad things pic.twitter.com/7UfJzsQT5t gay fieri (@papa_talisa) September 30, 2020 Tag yourself in the debate. Im Bad things happen in Philadelphia. Mykie (@GlamandGore) September 30, 2020 Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Tell us your coronavirus story. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a tip here. (Newser) President Trump drew a blank on the Proud Boys less than 24 hours after appearing to support them on national television, the Hill reports. "I don't know who the Proud Boys are. You'll have to give me a definition because I really don't know who they are," he told reporters Wednesday, per Axios. "I can only say they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work." His remarks came the day after he gave a shoutout to the far-right group during a contentious presidential debate with Joe Biden in Cleveland. "Proud Boysstand back, stand by," he said Tuesday night, sparking celebratory posts on social media by right-wing groups and stern responses from Senate Republicans who urged him to denounce white supremacy. story continues below One social media account linked to the Proud Boys placed "stand back and stand by" on their logo while others peddled $40 hoodies and $30 T-shirts reading "PROUD BOYS STANDING BY," the Washington Post reports. "This makes me so happy," a Proud Boys supporter posted. Meanwhile, Politico reports that Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) called on Trump to rethink his response to the group, saying that "if he doesn't correct itI guess he didn't misspeak." High-profile colleagues like Sens. Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham quickly backed Scott on this one. During his presidency, Trump has both condemned white supremacists and said they were no better or worse than protesters who opposed them. (His most infamous remarks followed clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia.) As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ US President Donald Trump has raised questions over the credibility of Indias Covid-19 tally, claiming that it was among the countries that do not accurately disclose the number of deaths due to the pandemic. The remarks by Trump came during his first presidential debate with Democratic challenger Joe Biden, who attacked the US president over the handling of the coronavirus crisis and said the president lied to Americans on the Covid-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 200,000 people and infected over seven million others in the country. Defending his handling of the crisis, Trump said that millions could have died in America without his actions. When you talk about due the numbers, you dont know how many people died in China. You dont know how many people died in Russia. You dont know how many people died in India. They dont exactly give you a right number. Just so you understand, Trump said. Trump has repeatedly blamed China, where the coronavirus first emerged in December last year and spread around the world, killing over one million and infecting more than 30 million people. Watch| Donald Trump Vs Joe Biden: Full presidential debate | US Election 2020 Attacking Trump over the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Biden said the president has no plan to fight the deadly disease and he lied to Americans. He still hasnt even acknowledged that he knew this was happening, knew how dangerous it was going to be back in February, and he didnt even tell you. He is on record as saying it. He panicked or he just looked at the stock market, one of the two, because guess what, a lot of people die and a lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter, a lot quicker, he said. Trump hit back, saying, dont ever use the word smart with me. During the first of the three presidential debates in Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday night which was marked by angry interruptions and bitter accusations, the two candidates fiercely clashed over a number of issues, including racism, economy and climate. President Donald Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes the year he ran for president and in his first year in the White House, according to a report in The New York Times. In a small informal survey, we asked Hearst Connecticut Group readers for their opinion on this news. Here's a sampling of what people had to say. The headquarters of U.S. Africa Command could move back to the U.S. under the controversial plan to pull nearly 12,000 troops out of Germany, Pentagon officials said Wednesday. AFRICOM headquarters, now based in Stuttgart, will be moving out of Germany "to a different location to be determined" based on the costs involved and the "receptivity" of potential host nations to its presence, according to James Anderson, acting Defense Department policy chief. Read Next: MQ-9 Reaper Flies with Double Hellfire Missiles in New Test DoD is in the process of figuring out what would be involved if the new headquarters were to be in Europe or Africa, "or if it were to move back to the United States, which is yet another possibility," Anderson said at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., questioned whether the decision to move AFRICOM headquarters out of Germany was being made in haste without considering the costs or the impact on the U.S. presence in Africa. "You mentioned specifically maybe moving to the U.S., which sort of doesn't seem like a sensible solution," Houlahan told Anderson. Earlier in the hearing, Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., also questioned why moving AFRICOM headquarters was part of the Pentagon's Germany withdrawal plan. The decision to move AFRICOM headquarters out of Germany without any agreement on where it would be relocated "does not seem to make any sense," Smith said. President Donald Trump initially gave the order in June to withdraw at least 9,500 U.S. troops from Germany. Defense Secretary Mark Esper in July said the number of troops to be withdrawn had increased to at least 11,900. Anderson sought to assure the committee members that "the costs and operational efficiency and host nation permissions will be among the variables" considered by DoD in finding a new location for the headquarters. He added that Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of AFRICOM, was "working with his staff" to develop options on where the headquarters with its current staff of about 1,400 troops and civilians might go. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related: 'They're Delinquent:' Trump Says Germany Will Have to Pay More to Keep US Troops T he shooting of unarmed civilians and journalists by US soldiers during the Iraq war would have remained a secret but for the work of Julian Assange, the Old Bailey heard today. Wikileaks published a classified video in 2010 which showed a US Apache helicopter firing on a group of people in Baghdad, as soldiers could be heard laughing and making derogatory remarks about the victims. Two Reuters journalists were among the dead, and the helicopter also fired on a vehicle which arrived at the scene to try to help the wounded victims. The US government refused to release the video dubbed collateral murder under Freedom of Information laws after its existence became known, and Wikileaks published it in a mass release of leaked cables and military documents relating to the Iraq and Afghan wars in 2010. In a statement to Assanges extradition hearing at the Old Bailey, Patrick Cockburn, the Independents Middle East correspondent and a veteran war reporter, said he had reported on the July 2007 incident but could not confirm that the victims were actually unarmed civilians. Julian Assange attends the hearing in the Old Bailey / PA I published a piece in The Independent about the killing of eleven people by a US helicopter in Baghdad two days earlier. The dead included two Iraqi journalists working for Reuters news agency but the US military claimed that their forces had come under fire, called for air support, and had killed two civilians and nine insurgents. Police at a nearby Iraqi police station contradicted this, saying that the eleven had died during a random American bombardment. A named Iraqi eyewitness confirmed what the police said, and also described how the US helicopter had fired on an Iraqi vehicle that had come to help the wounded. The evidence was compelling, but in the face of official denials of wrongdoing by the US military authorities it was impossible to prove that all those who died were unarmed civilians. It was known that a film of the killing had been taken by the gun camera of the US Apache helicopter, but the Pentagon refused to give this up even under a Freedom of Information Act request. He said the release of the video and other information, passed from US whistleblower Chelsea Manning to Assange and Wikileaks, showed the way the US was conducting its war on terror. But for that, the suspicions of journalists and the local police in Baghdad could never have been established, he said. A supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange protests outside the Old Bailey / REUTERS Mr Cockburn added in his statement: The information that was disclosed by Wikileaks was frequently no secret to Iraqis or Afghans or foreign journalists, who all know very well about who had been killed and by whom. But this could never be confirmed in the face of official US silence or denial. He said he suspects the prosecution of Assange, who is fighting extradition to the US where he faces 18 charges including espionage, is a reaction by the American government to a perceived assault on their monopoly control of sensitive information. Making such information public, as Assange and Wikileaks had done, weaponised freedom of expression, he said. If disclosures of this kind went unpunished and became the norm, it would radically shift the balance of power between government and society and especially the media in favour of the latter. Ian Cobain, a veteran Guardian journalist, also provided a statement saying that journalists rely on leaks and disclosures to confirm stories that governments refuse to engage with. There is always the understanding one that is so clear that it needs not be spoken that anyone who has knowledge of state crimes, and who comes forward to corroborate allegations about those crimes, may face prosecution, he said. Evidence that would support such allegations is extraordinarily difficult to obtain from within governments with disciplined intelligence agencies and civil services, and where the penalties for unauthorised disclosure can include intrusion into family life, prosecution and imprisonment, loss of livelihood and loss of pension rights. A culture of secrecy might be said to exist within some states intelligence agencies and civil services, which results in the disclosure of information from inside government, about even the most serious human rights abuses, being extremely rare. The hearing continues. WASHINGTON - After more than 50 years drawing political cartoons for Black newspapers, Walt Carr self-published a collection of his works titled "Just Us!" in August 2019. But when the coronavirus pandemic struck this year, he had to cut short his promotional tour, call off the book parties and cancel the speaking engagements, The book would have been perfectly timed to provide a unique perspective on racial turmoil in America. Instead, it was being undermined by a most ill-timed virus. I recently spoke with Carr to see how his spirits were holding up and what he planned to do next. Carr appeared to be taking the setback in stride. He was disappointed, to be sure, but he hadn't given up. "I'm not just the author of the book; I'm the publisher and the book agent," he said with a laugh. "I hope to start on my second book soon." The District of Columbia region has had its share of talented Black cartoonists: Brumsic Brandon was born in D.C. and went on to create the syndicated comic strip "Luther," which was published from 1968 to 1986. Aaron McGruder was living in Columbia, Md., when he created "The Boondocks," which was syndicated in national newspapers from 1999 to 2006. And Darrin Bell, the California-based creator of the popular comic strip "Candorville" and syndicated cartoonist won a Pulitzer for his work in The Washington Post in 2019. Carr, a native of Baltimore now living in Columbia, is at age 88 one of the pioneers. Since his graduation with an art degree from what was Morgan State College in 1955, his work has appeared in a variety of Black publications, such as the Baltimore and Washington Afro-American newspapers, Ebony magazine and the now-defunct Negro Digest. He still draws every day. "Drawing is how I process current events, vent, let off steam," he said. Exercising three times a week, dancing and staying in touch with a network of lifelong friends helps keeps his creative juices flowing, he said. His latest drawing reads, "Say her name." The first letters of Breonna Taylor's name are written on the ground along with bullet casings, in memory of the 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot in her apartment by Louisville, Ky., police officers. None of the officers have been charged in her killing. Carr's work appears in six Black-owned newspapers, including the D.C.-based Washington Informer. In 1960, he took a job as an illustrator for the Social Security Administration's Visual Graphics Section. But after work, Carr would turn his attention to editorial cartooning. During the national racial reckoning that followed the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, Carr got his first big break when Playboy magazine published one of his cartoons. He also did drawings for another upstart ribald publication called Players. But Carr's goal was to become a political cartoonist. He retired from the federal government in 1989, as a section chief, and began to live his dream. The book title, "Just Us!," is a play on the word "justice," and contains some of the 1,200 political cartoons that were conceived just for Black news outlets. In the introduction to his book, Carr bemoans the dearth of political cartoons with a "Black spin" in newspapers no geared toward Black readers. Although its true that there are too few Black political cartoonists working in mainstream media, there are some who would surely meet with Carr's approval. Like Bell, who did powerful work about Trayvon Martin and police brutality. And there's Keith Knight, a Black cartoonist from Massachusetts whose comic strip "The Knight Life" deals with issues of race and class. One of Carr's cartoons shows two Black men flanking a robed Ku Klux Klansman in a police lineup. The title asks, "Who's terrorizing our communities?" A Black woman who has been brought in to identify the culprit replies, "Well, it's definitely not the one in the middle." His cartoons poke and provoke. So do the works of Bell, who is 45, and Knight, 54. Another generation picking up the torch. Carr began drawing comic book characters as a boy while growing up in West Baltimore in the 1930s. When his family made a temporary move to Philadelphia, he spent two years enrolled in Saturday art classes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He returned to Baltimore and attended Morgan State, where he majored in art. In those days, he recalled, most media outlets depicted Black people in demeaning, stereotypical ways. Carr learned how to draw Black people with dignity. While learning how to draw, Carr began to discover some of the subject matter that he would have to wrangle with for decades to come. In 1941, his mother and father were arrested and jailed for protesting police brutality in Baltimore. Those kinds of arrests and jailings continue, of course, as does the killing of unarmed Black people by police. Some things, it seems, never change. But Carr says he appreciates that he has lived to see significant changes in how Black people are portrayed - a comic superhero in the Black Panther, a makeover for Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima. He is hoping the pandemic subsides soon so he can get back to work and show his view of Black life. He has a few things to say about this moment of racial reckoning. "A lot of people are waking up to the realities of racism in America in ways that I have never seen before," Carr said. "All I want to do is help them not go back to sleep." By Trend Malaysia supports all efforts aimed at finding a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict based on international law, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia. Malaysia is deeply concerned over the deteriorating security situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan following the renewed intense military clashes that began on 27 September 2020. Malaysia deeply regrets the loss of lives, including civilians, due to these hostilities, the ministrys statement said. The ministry said Malaysia joins the calls by the international community to exercise maximum restraint and take concrete steps to de-escalate the tension between the two immediate neighbors. Malaysia urges the concerned parties to continue giving primacy to resolving the conflict amicably through dialogue and diplomacy. In this context, Malaysia supports all efforts aimed at finding a peaceful settlement of the conflict based on international law, including the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, the ministry said. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz President Akufo-Addo surprised many as he stormed the Royal Park Hotel in Kumasi alone to have dinner on Sunday evening. The first gentleman of the land, who is currently on a three-day tour in the Ashanti Region, unexpectedly entered the restaurant of the popular hotel around 7:50pm. Surprisingly, the usual motorcades that follow the first gentleman of the land whenever he appears in public were missing. His hordes of bodyguards were also missing. Accompanied by just one bodyguard, the President quietly walked and sat in the restaurant as he patiently waited to be served by the hotel personnel. The presence of President Akufo-Addo in the restaurant suddenly changed the atmosphere of the place as other guests present seemingly became curious. Some of the people were seen craning their necks in an attempt to catch a proper glimpse of the President, who from all indications was enjoying his meal. Among those present in the hotel at the time were the Asokwa Constituency New Patriotic Party (NPP) 1st Vice-Chairman, Edmund Kyei, and other party members. Mr. Kyei, who was hosting some NPP members to a dinner after their campaign activities, approached the President after he (Akufo-Addo) had finished having his dinner. President Akufo-Addo had a hearty chat with Mr. Kyei and the other NPP members from Asokwa as he encouraged them to continue to campaign hard for the party. The President was seen responding to cheers from the excited people who were also having their dinner at the place. Before leaving the restaurant, President Akufo-Addo accepted to take pictures with Mr. Kyei and other people present, who clearly could not hide their excitement. The President's tour in the region started on Monday, and it is expected to end on Wednesday. He would use his short stay to inspect and commission some projects. Daily Guide Schneider Electric and Orange announced the first deployment of indoor 5G in the industrial sector in France on experimental frequencies as part of a trial. Operating since March, this first co-innovation project in the Le Vaudreuil factory aims to use 5G in a modern industrial environment to build reliable, scalable and sustainable connectivity solutions for future industrial needs. Thanks to its low latency, very high throughput and over time network slicing, 5G will be a competitive lever for companies, as it will bring noticeable improvement in industrial processes and working methods, especially through mixed reality (augmented and virtual). In the Industrial sector, 5G will help synchronize in real time large amounts of data, which are key to boost performance, facilitate remote working, and ensure optimal production efficiencies. The indoor 5G-enabled trials will support two use cases: augmented reality applied to maintenance technician activities and the implementation of a telepresence robot for remote visits. Nokia radio AirScale and core equipment has been selected and the experimental frequencies have been allocated by the French regulatory authority. Five indoor 5G antennas were installed inside a part of the factory, covering close to 2,000 m2 of production space with download speeds beyond 1 Gbps, on an experimental network architecture allowing local data processing with edge computing technologies. Building on its co-innovation ecosystem, Orange has proposed to use the recently launched Dell technologies 5G-ready Latitude 9510 business PC to deliver these use cases. This allows Schneider Electric to benefit from the laptops embedded computing power, wherever the user is located. Two 5G Use Cases for Industry In the first use case tested, the teams connected tablets to 5G using the Schneider Electric augmented reality application called EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor (AOA). This custom application improves operational efficiency with augmented reality, enabling operators to superimpose real-time data and virtual objects onto a cabinet, machine or entire plant. The objective with 5G is to test future functionality with minimum latency and maximum throughput. Thanks to its scalability, 5G can support growing bandwidth needs and responsiveness. Operators using the AOA application via their 5G-connected tablet film a machine and access information about its status and future maintenance that are hosted in the cloud in real time. This helps reduce machine downtime and streamline maintenance operations, while minimizing human error. For example, temperature data from a coil winding machine can signal when it is overheating, and a part needs to be replaced. Moreover, production data used by AOA are collected and processed in Schneider Electrics micro data center solutions (such as Smart Bunker or Micro Data Center 6U Wall Mount), which locally power, cool and protect IT infrastructure. These all in one envelopes bring together power, cooling, and urbanization of servers in a secure place. They can support the roll-out of 5G on a new site with its new use cases (augmented reality, AI, IoT). The second use case tested by Schneider Electric and Orange concerns driving an AXYN mobile telepresence robot using 5G to eventually arrange remote visits to the Le Vaudreuil site. The performance of 5G makes it possible for very high-quality video to be used with minimal lag time in the virtual interactions between the visitor and the Schneider Electric guide that accompanies the robot throughout the Le Vaudreuil site. A remote visit with high-quality video and audio will help minimize travel time and costs and, most importantly, reduce the carbon footprint while providing the end user with a unique experience. The trial of these first use cases will help capitalize on Oranges and Schneider Electrics ability to jointly build and operate a state-of-the-art indoor 5G network in an industrial setting. More experiments will be developed to test technologies with strong potential, such as artificial intelligence, and thanks to future hardware and software updates to the network equipment. Stephane Richard, Chairman and CEO, Orange, said, 5G is a breakthrough technology for businesses that will bring numerous industrial applications, such as predictive maintenance, real-time video processing, augmented reality and telepresence. These use cases are powerful and competitive levers that will enable the full potential of Industry 4.0. To make the most of this new mobile network, operators, industrial players, public authorities and companies will have to work together. At Orange, we believe in a co-construction approach. Our co-innovation with Schneider Electric for the factory of the future is an example of this: We are poised to support our industrial partners in their digitalization and in the development of solutions that meet their needs. Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman and CEO of Schneider Electric, said, The health, economic and climatic challenges make digitization more important than ever for companies. The pilot conducted with Orange at Le Vaudreuil in a Schneider Electric industrial showcase validates many 5G use cases: augmented reality, remote everywhere, real-time access to data 5Gs reliability, scalability and durability make it a connectivity solution well adapted to industry 4.0, for greater resilience, competitiveness and sustainability. Thanks to this collaboration, Famic Technologies released the Parker Pneumatic Catalogue, the first of the series of Parker Hannifin Catalogues to come. The development of the remaining Catalogues is ongoing, and their release process will start shortly. Automation Studio users designing applications with Parker Pneumatic Catalogue will see their productivity increase significantly. The catalogue offers an extensive set of data attributes for each component. It includes its PDF specification sheet, 2D symbol ISO 1219:2012 compliant, images, technical data, commercial information, 3D representation, simulation model(s), virtual test bench(es) and use cases showing that the component behaves according to the manufacturers specifications. Furthermore, a Product Configurator is also available, allowing the user to build the components part number as per Parker Hannifins ordering code information. Once the configuration process is completed, a valid part number with all of its corresponding product characteristics is generated. Figure 1: Parker Valve in Automation Studio For instance, in the case of the valve products showed in the figures, the options to choose the desired pressure setting, port size, flow characteristics and more, are available. The product information, technical data and symbol get updated according to the selected options. Users may simply drag and drop the desired component from the Catalogue into the Automation Studio Editor to build their circuit. The component simulation models can be directly used for the design of a pneumatic system, real-time simulation or monitoring in Automation Studio and, ultimately, digital twin projects. Figure 2: Pressure regulation test on Parker Valve using Automation Studio Developed and certified in accordance with Famic Technologies Quality System, the Parker Pneumatic Catalogue is now available to the entire Automation Studio users community. To learn more about the content of this pneumatic catalogue, please download the brochure. John Garbarino, Global Pneumatic Marketing Platform Leader, states: Parker Hannifin Pneumatic Division has enjoyed the collaboration with Famic Technologies with the onboarding process of getting Parker pneumatic products catalogue configured in Automation Studio. We are excited with the capabilities that Automation Studio offers, as it allows us to reach the online Stealth Buyer/Specifier because our products are loaded into the software. The collaboration between Famic Technologies and Parker Hannifin started in the mid 1990s. Several important milestones mark this relationship. The release of Parker Hannifin Motion Systems Group Catalogues for Automation Studio marks an important and new milestone. The global user community has been eagerly awaiting these Parker Hannifin Catalogues for Automation Studio and they are indeed very welcome, says Richard Gagne, Quality Manager of Famic Technologies. Video : Parker Pneumatic Catalogue in Automation Studio About: Famic Technologies Based in Montreal, Canada, with branches in Germany and India, Famic Technologies is leading the industry since 1986 by providing world-class trade-oriented software solutions in the fields of fluid power, electrical engineering, industrial automation and custom software development. Namely, Automation Studio, an innovative system design and simulation software used for training, maintenance, validation and troubleshooting of multi-technology circuits, Automation Studio Live Manifold for hydraulic manifold design, quoting and prototyping, and Andon Studio, for process management optimization. With quality and performance driving decisions, Famic Technologies has become internationally recognized and sought out for its expertise, knowledge, innovation and leadership. Automation Studio Automation Studio is a unique software covering all project/machine technologies including hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical and automation. It is used by the different departments throughout an organization for system design, simulation and validation, training, maintenance, troubleshooting, technical publications, project documentation and sales support. Parker Hannifin Parker Hannifin is a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. For more than 100 years the company has engineered the success of its customers in a wide range of diversified industrial and aerospace markets. Parker Hannifins engineering expertise and broad range of core technologies uniquely positions the company to help solve the worlds greatest engineering challenges. As the global leader in motion and control technologies, Parker Hannifin plays a pivotal role in applications that change our world. Parker Hannifins broad and diverse range of hydraulics, pneumatics, electromechanical, filtration, process control, climate control, fluid and gas handling, and engineered materials technologies support advancements in a wide range of aerospace, industrial and mobile equipment applications. Famic Technologies | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube Two additional people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 in Isabella County and one more in Clare, bringing the total number in both counties 23 and 15, respectively. They were half of the six COVID-related hospitalizations reported over the last week in the six counties of the Central Michigan District Health Department. CMDHD announced the new numbers during its weekly Data and Statistics update, which takes place at approximately 3 p.m. Wednesdays. Twenty-three people in Isabella County have been hospitalized due to the disease, and 15 in Clare. Combined, the two account for more than half the 75 hospitalizations in the six CMDHD counties. A hospitalization means that someone spent at least part of the week in the hospital for the disease, not necessarily that they are there currently. The other three hospitalizations were one each in Osceola, Gladwin and Roscommon counties. CMDHDs weekly update doesnt break down each countys hospitalizations by age group, but it does break down hospitalizations by age group across the six counties, the sixth of which is Arenac. Three people spent time in the hospital from the 75+ age group, the highest risk age group; two people in the 50-74 age group spent time in the hospital; and one in the 20-49 age group did so. The two highest age groups also saw their percentage share of cases increase for the first time since mid-August. The number of cases in the 75+ age group increased from 84 to 91, increasing its percentage share of cases from 8.2 percent to 8.5 percent. In the 50-74 age group, cases increased from 215 to 231. The percentage share of cases increased from 21.1 percent to 21.5 percent. The 20-49 age group, which saw its percentage share of cases grow to more than 50 percent during the CMU return-to-school outbreak, had its share decrease from 56.2 percent to 56 percent. Its cases grew by 30, from 573 to 603. Percentage share of cases also declined in the 10-19 age group, from 13.2 percent to 12.9, as cases grew by four from 135 to 139. The largest share of new cases during the so-called youth surge of August and early September was in Isabella County, where confirmed cases increased to 642 on Wednesday. The countys percentage share of cases declined over the week, however, from 60.3 percent to 59.7 percent. Fourteen people have died in Isabella County. Clare also saw its percentage share of cases decline from 10 percent to 9.7 percent, even though its cases stood at 104, unchanged from Tuesday. Four people have died there. One CMDHD county that saw its percentage of cases increase was Gladwin, which added five cases from Tuesday to Wednesday for a cumulative total of 95, with two deaths. Over the last seven days, Gladwins percentage share of cases has increased from 8 percent to 8.8 percent. Roscommon County and Osceola County both saw their share of cases increase. Arenac saw its share of cases decrease. Elsewhere in mid-Michigan, Gratiot County reported another two confirmed cases Wednesday for a cumulative total of 255. Fifteen people have died there. Gratiot Countys cases have increased by 17 over a two-day stretch of time. The cause is not a new outbreak, said Leslie Kinnee, spokeswoman for Mid-Michigan District Health Department. From time-to-time we get numerous positive test results all at once and that is what appears to have happened over the last day or so, she said. The increase is a combination of positives from several sources, but its basically community spread. We want to remind residents that the best defense we have against COVID-19 right now is for everyone to wear a face covering and stay at least six feet away from others when out in public. Montcalm County added an additional three cases, bringing its cumulative total to 316, with six deaths. Mecosta County added an additional eight cases, for a cumulative total of 214, with three deaths. Eight more cases were reported in Midland County, for a cumulative total of 525, with 11 deaths. Statewide, another 1,054 cases were announced for a cumulative total of 124,687; and another 11 deaths for a total of 6,762. The states death rate, more technically known as the case fatality rate, has fallen to 5.4 percent. For much of March, April and May, it was at approximately 10 percent. READ MORE: James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly called Kabila has slammed former Hohoe-South Member of Parliament (MP) Kosi Kedem over his recent statements regarding the Western Togoland brouhaha. Mr. Kosi Kedem, speaking in relation to the attacks by some secessionist group demanding independence from Ghana, says Ghana doesnt legally exist. His comment has been considered as an endorsement of the actions of the group. The Illegality of Ghana The former MP argued, in a publication by myjoyonline, that Ghana has no legal standing due to a UN Resolution 1044 documentation required to ratify the union between the Gold Coast, a British Colony and Togoland, a United Nations Trust Territory. "Theres no union document on the so-called union between Ghana (Gold Coast) and Togoland. Defacto, they are one [unit], but legally, Ghana does not exist," he reportedly said. He explained in order for the union of the Gold Coast and the UN Trust Territory of British Togoland which forms present Ghana to be legally binding, a union document was needed but the document never materialized. Resolution 1044 which recognizes the recommended union, the same UN Resolution 1044 invited the British Government which was the administering authority to take such steps as necessary to bring about the union. So if a Trust Territory, being ruled by the UN and a colony being ruled by Britain are to come into union, what do you do? You have to sit the two of them down for them to determine what type of government they want to have, what will be their responsibilities, obligations and benefit. No such thing was done, he said. Mr Kedem believes that the absence of this union document is the main factor fueling the attacks by the secessionist groups. The Plebiscite A plebiscite was held by the people of the Trans Volta Togoland which saw them integrate with Gold Coast, now Ghana. The plebiscite ended 58 to 42 votes in favour of those who wanted to become united with Ghana. According to Mr. Kedem, the plebiscite was to determine the political fate of both the French and British Togoland but the union offer was rejected. The problem is that there was a plebiscite as a result of the UN Visiting Mission which came to the 2 Togos; French Togo and British Togo in 1955 and they recommended that there should be a plebiscite in British Togoland to determine their political fate. He said majority of Togoland said that they wanted a union with independent Gold Coast but the UN General Assembly rejected the offer of the union and forcibly integrated Togoland with Gold Coast. " . . on the eve of independence around 4th March the British Government with the help of the CPP government just sent troops to Togoland and occupied the place on the pretence that they were quelling a rebellion, he added. However, he believes a dialogue between the secessionists and the Government of Ghana will suffice to resolve the issue. Violence, confrontation, repression they are very powerful, but dialogue negotiation and engagement are far more powerful than violence, because violence does not solve any problem, dialogue does. It gives you a long-lasting solution to the problem. Kabilla Pounces On Kosi Kedem But Kabila is utterly disappointed in Mr. Kosi Kedem for claiming the formation of Ghana is illegal. Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Kabila took the former MP through some schooling, revealing a document exists to the effect that Ghana has a strong legal standing. Kabilla referred to a Ghana Independence Act that was enacted during the transition period from Gold Coast to Ghana and a document signed by the then Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the United Kingdom government stressing ''the territories previously comprised in the Gold Coast became the independent State of Ghana. Under the same Act, the union of the former Trust Territory of Togoland under the British administration with the independent State of Ghana took place with effect from the same time and date''. He castigated Mr. Kedem for pulling the wool over Ghanaians' eyes saying ''the fact that you have not researched or you haven't found data doesn't mean that data doesn't exist. If you don't know, you don't know. It's arrogant to make that statement that Ghana does not legally exist''. ''Was he indeed a Member of Parliament? Did he learn? Did he research anything about the coming into being of this country called Ghana geographically, legally, constitutionally? The system of government we're working with, the unitary State, how we have a unicameral Parliament and not a bicameral Parliament; didn't he learn and did he not ask too?'' Kabilla shockingly questioned. He also educated the separatists on their claims that a document was signed between their forefathers and then administration of Ghana that their union is subject to review after 50 years, hence it is their right to call for independence now that Ghana is 63 years old. Kabilla stated emphatically that there exists no such document. ''This creating our own fiction and conjectures and visiting them on Ghana as if they're facts, we need to deal with them once and for all.'' Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This article is part of the Free Speech Project , a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech. What in the name of Paypal and/or Palantir did you just say about me, you filthy degenerate? Ill have you know Im the Crown Prince of Silicon Valley, and Ive been involved in numerous successful tech startups, and I have over $1B in liquid funds. Ive used that money to promote heterodox positions on human enhancement, control political arenas, and am experimenting with mind uploading. Im also trained in classical philosophy and was recently ranked the most influential libertarian in the world by Google. You are nothing to me but just another alternative future. I will wipe you out with a precision of simulation the likes of which has never been seen before, mark my words. Advertisement Thats not the latest ill-advised Elon Musk tweet, nor is it one of his devoted fans roleplaying on Reddit. And its not quite Navy Seal copypastaan over-the-top, comically written attack paragraph that parodies the voice of a tough guywhich spread, copied-and-pasted (thats the copypasta part) around the internet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, its a parody of Navy Seal copypastanotably, one that was written by a computer. Independent researcher and writer Gwern Branwen fed the language model GPT-3 a few examples of parodies of Navy Seal copypasta (such as minimalistIm navy seal. I have 300 kills. Youre dead, kidor pirateWhat in Davy Jones locker did ye just bark at me, ye scurvy bilgerat ) and then asked it to use those examples to generate new parodies. (Branwens many experiments with GPT-3 can be found here.) For this parody, Branwen prompted GPT-3 with the input Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. Advertisement Advertisement GPT-3 is the work of A.I. lab OpenAI, which describes its mission as discovering and enacting the path to safe artificial general intelligence. OpenAI has been the source of controversy, especially related to its decision to transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit corporation, which was followed by a $1 billion investment by Microsoft. (Microsoft now has the exclusive license to GPT-3.) OpenAI has been accused of fueling the A.I. hype cycle and was criticized for withholding the release of its previous language model, GPT-2, because it feared releasing the model would be too dangerous. Similarly, the recent release of GPT-3 (in a private beta) has sparked a lot of discussion. Some are heralding it as a leap forward in A.I., citing impressive examples of its abilities to generate code, answer medical queries, and solve language and syntax puzzles. Others are more wary, concerned about the potential for misuse or believing the hype is unfounded. Either way, its clear that sophisticated language models are making significant advances in their ability to generate convincing text. And in a world where social media platforms have disrupted the traditional gatekeepers to speech and reach (e.g., newspapers), convincing text-generating A.I. poses challenges to free speech and a free press. Namely, it could enable what sociologist Zeynep Tufekci calls modern censorshipinformation campaigns that harass, confuse, and sow mistrust with the goal of undermining individual agency and political action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Online harassment is used to intimidate and punish peopleoften journalists and activists, disproportionately women and minoritiesfor their speech. Though much of the harassment online is the product of individuals, some is the result of organized campaigns. The Russian government pioneered the organized harassment campaign in the early 2000s, establishing a troll army that targets journalists, activists, and critics who threaten Russian interests. Sophisticated language models could enable more effective automated harassment. For example, a sophisticated language model could target harassment to specific speakers, making it more threatening and convincing. There have already been examples of GPT-3 creating mock obituaries that include accurate references to peoples past employers and current family members, which suggests it could be used to generate harassment thats just as personal. Activists and journalists targeted by harassment often say they can tell the difference between real harassment and bot harassment, citing differentiators such as the frequency of posts and the coherence of the content. Models like GPT-3 could make it more difficult to tell the difference, making automated harassment more believable and thus more chilling. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to targeted harassment, those looking to control public debate use a technique called flooding to drown out speech they object to and distort the information environment. Flooding involves producing a significant amount of content to distract, confuse, and discredit. Take the creation and dissemination of fake news in the United States: People both abroad and at home churn out stories that combine fact and fiction, undermining mainstream news organizations while distracting and confusing the public. By automating much of the writing process, sophisticated language models such as GPT-3 could significantly increase the effectiveness of flooding operations. Advertisement Advertisement OpenAIs paper about GPT-3 (currently a preprint) provides important evidence that supports this. The authors ran an experiment testing whether people could tell the difference between real news articles written by a human and articles written by GPT-3. They found that testers were barely able to distinguish between real and GPT-3-generated articles, averaging an accuracy of 52 percentonly slightly better than flipping a coin. This result has been borne out in the real world as well. It was recently revealed that a GPT-3-generated blog reached the No. 1 spot on the tech-focused news aggregator Hacker News. A student at the University of California, Berkeley set up the blog as an experiment to see whether people could tell that it was written by GPT-3. Tens of thousands of Hacker News readers didnt suspect a thing, and the few who did were downvoted. Advertisement Advertisement With A.I.-generated writing able to fool many readers, disinformation-as-a-service will become possible, eliminating the need for human-staffed troll farms and enabling organizations large and small to shape public debate with the low costs, high efficiency, and scalability of software. This has the potential to make flooding frictionless and pervasive. Some people are skeptical of GPT-3s eventual impact, commenting that it writes like a first-year student. This may be true, but have you read any misinformation? A first-year student could easily produce higher-quality misinformation than the status quo. GPT-3 doesnt need to be writing a weekly column for the Atlantic to be effective. It just has to be able to not raise alarms among readers of less credentialed online content such as tweets, blogs, Facebook posts, and fake news. This type of content is a significant amount of what is created and shared online, and it is clear that it could be automated convincingly by GPT-3 and models like it. Mitigating the harmful effects of sophisticated language models will require addressing information campaigns more generally. This means approaches that span the technical (textfake/bot detection and new social media), social (model release norms and digital literacy), and political (antitrust and regulatory changes). GPT-3 doesnt change the problem; it just further entrenches it. As we have seen, our institutions have largely failed in the face of the challenges posed by the internet. GPT-3 and language models like it will only make safeguarding healthy public discourse online more difficultand more important. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. A missed opportunity, Leigh The interview of Sarah Sanders was arguably a missed opportunity to gain insight into the thinking and beliefs of a former member of Donald Trump's inner circle. This could have been an entertaining and informative interview of this campaign manager, political adviser and former press secretary. Instead it became a failed cross-examination, in which the interviewer repeatedly made assertions that were often insulting or feeding the self-righteous, pro-Trump narrative prosecuted by Ms Sanders. It deprived us of an opportunity to understand how this clearly intelligent and ambitious young woman became so tolerant of Donald Trump and his political and moral modus operandi. Ian Gourlay, East Malvern A natural winner How extraordinary to see the ABCs natural history footage presented in remastered format in Australia Remastered. As you watch, reflect that, at the time of filming, there were no GoPro-style cameras, no drones, no gimbal-stabilised cameras. Given the loss of wildlife over the past 50 years, these films may be the only way our children and grandchildren will ever see many of these remarkable creatures. Thank you, ABC, for funding the Natural History Unit for so many years. Sadly, today we need it more than ever. Dr David Smith, Balwyn North Triumph for the goodies Accident (ABC) was gripping viewing from the first scene to the last. The central theme of divided loyalties was well sustained throughout, and the fallout from the accident, the pain, the tears, and the recriminations were all too credible. Amazingly, and against the odds, the baddies didnt win, and I, for one, was glad. Helen Scheller, Benalla Epic fail for ABC Axing the 7.45 radio news is obviously an attempt to wedge the federal government over budget cuts. A great disservice to taxpayers, yet another blow to democracy and an epic fail for the ABC. Leon Burgher, Stony Creek Waiting for Gobbo, in court Incessant promotion of Rachael Browns Nicola Gobbo podcast on ABC television has become an increasing irritant. If Gobbo has much more to say, let her quickly address it under cross-examination when she hopefully answers in court about informing on her clients to police. Eric Dyrenfurth, Albert Park Thumps up for Preston This week we have Matt Preston hosting the breakfast session and he is very good, with intelligent conversation, so superior to Sammy Jwhose comedy does not stretch to 2.5 hours every weekday. ABC listeners are intelligent people who do not want "pushed comedy". Don Brooke, Langwarrin Best since Red Matt Preston is a delight in the morning breakfast program. His gentle, well-articulated voice makes for a great start to the day. Please consider him as a permanent fixture. The best yet since the departure of Red Symons. Pamela Turner, Prahran Goal for rugby Hurray for NITV and their coverage of Rugby Union on Sundays. It is so entertaining, unlike the Wallabies matches of recent years where the first player to catch the ball would barge into a group of opposition only to be brought down and no territory gained. Here the players pass the ball back and forth like the All Blacks and I have high hopes for these players future careers. And your commentators are tops. Jonne Herbert, Kew East Just switch channel NUI Galway students who breach public health guidelines face expulsion from the university. On Monday night up to 1,000 students in Galway gathered along the Claddagh Basin across from the Spanish Arch to celebrate Freshers Week. Videos of the gathering circulated on social media sparked outrage and condemnation from public representatives in the city. Fianna Fail Senator for Galway West Ollie Crowe asked if the army could step in to help gardai police the city. Speaking to Claire Byrne on RTE, Mr Crowe called on students who attended the gathering in Galway to "quarantine for 10-14 days". "It's Freshers Week here in Galway, the gardai are under enormous pressure. "I think it's appropriate for the Government to examine how we can allocate additional resources to the gardai as an army town." Gardai were also called to more than 10 house parties taking place in student accommodation across the city. Lynn Porter (27), a fourth-year commerce student who was hospitalised with the coronavirus in March, said she was shocked by the scenes. "I felt angry when I saw the pictures. I totally understand people need to socialise and have a life but that was shocking. "I can promise anyone they do not want to get Covid. "It was an absolutely horrible illness and I was one of the lucky ones who recovered within a few weeks. It leaves you feeling terrible. I couldn't get out of bed. My eyes were sore, my neck, my shoulders, it was awful. "My GP thought that I may have had meningitis. "I recovered well but for some other young person it could be a different story. "When you are young you think you are invincible but this is something you have to take seriously." Galway Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton hit out at those involved, saying the "upset and anger" among people in Galway was "palpable". "I could not believe my eyes last night when I saw such a large number of young people socialising with no visible social distancing or mask wearing," she said. "I would have serious concerns as to the cost of [the]congregation for Galway, not only from a health perspective and the potentially deadly impact it may have on the most vulnerable in our society, but also for our local economy with many businesses already grappling to deal with the ever-challenging environment of Covid-19," Ms Naughton added. In a strongly worded statement, NUI Galway labelled the scenes in the city as "deplorable". "NUI Galway has repeatedly appealed to the better judgment of our students and reminded them of their responsibilities under the student code of conduct. "The university has also worked to ensure this year's experience of university life is safe, supportive and enjoyable, despite the limitations that the pandemic places on us. "NUI Galway leadership is this morning meeting with the gardai and Galway City Council about these incidents. "While the vast majority of our students are doing their utmost to stay safe and helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we won't hesitate in dealing with any breaches of public health guidelines in line with our student code of conduct - which has penalties up to and including expulsion," added the statement. The British Army will have a 'more persistent presence' in Asia as the Government seeks to expand its military ties with regional allies in response to rising threats from China, the Chief of the General Staff has said. General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith suggested a greater UK presence in the Indo Pacific region will reverse the process of regional withdrawal seen after 9/11, when Britain's focus shifted to the Middle East. The head of the Army claimed 'there is a market for a more persistent presence from the British Army' in the Far East, adding that that 'now might be the time to redress that imbalance'. Gen Carleton-Smith even hinted that RAF bases and the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers could provide 'lily pads' from which the Army could operate with allies, such as Japan and South Korea. The announcement comes ahead of the Government's integrated review of foreign ,defence and security policy, which is expected to report in November. The former SAS commander was also speaking in advance of a speech today by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter, who are expected to outline how Britain's military forces will operate alongside allies in the future. The head of the Army claimed 'there is a market for a more persistent presence from the British Army' in the Far East, adding that that 'now might be the time to redress that imbalance' General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith suggested a greater UK presence overseas will reverse the process of regional withdrawal seen after 9/11, when Britain's focus shifted to the Middle East Gen Carleton-Smith also said that a priority after the review will be to grow Britain's Special Operations and intelligence forces, adding that Russia should be challenged for operating 'on the seams and blurred boundaries of our security and legal frameworks'. He told The Daily Telegraph: 'We think there is a market for a more persistent presence from the British Army (in Asia). It's an area that saw a much more consistent Army presence in the Eighties, but with 9/11 we naturally receded from it. 'We think now might be the time to redress that imbalance. 'If we are going to see a UK presence in the region from (Royal Navy) Carrier Strike Groups I would like to see some of those naval assets disembarking elements of the British Army for their own training in that part of the world.' British overseas bases are currently concentrated in Cyprus, Brunei, Kenya, the South Atlantic and Germany. The British Army retrenched from the Far East and pivoted to the Middle East after the September 11 attacks. An invasion of Afghanistan was launched in October 2001 during the War on Terror, while Anglo-US forces overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003 on the dubious pretext of removing Iraq's secret stockpile of WMD. Critics now point to Britain's pivot away from Asia as a missed opportunity to contain a 'rising' China accused of intimidation in the South China Sea region. Beijing has been condemned for its alleged island-building, as well as its suppression of democracy in Hong Kong and of its mass internment of Xinjiang's Uighur population - an allegation that China furiously denies. In a thinly-veiled nod to Chinese belligerence in the region, Tom Tugendhat, Tory chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told MailOnline: 'The changing pressures on allies in Asia should change our footprint in the region. 'Japan, Australia and other democratic partners have made it clear that they'd welcome British military cooperation and we should look to support them'. Veerle Nouwens, Research Fellow for RUSI's Indo-Pacific Programme, said:' A greater military engagement in Asia and across the Indo-Pacific with partners and allies in the region helps bolster defence relationships and mitigate regional challenges. 'But it would be a mistake to view this only in relation to concerns over growing Chinese military power. 'It's also about training and capacity building, military exercises to promote interoperability with regional forces, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and helping countries mitigate external and internal security threats.' The British Government has come under huge pressure to 'reset' its relations with China following the coronavirus crisis and Beijing's alleged cover-up of the outbreak. Reports that Covid-19 had been leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, the apparent source of the disease, led to claims that the World Health Organisation had been 'bought' by China through large donations to the UN body. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured leaving Downing Street for the Commons Beijing also came under criticism for its flouting of the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, an international treaty which established a certain degree of autonomy for the territory of Hong Kong as it joined the People's Republic of China. Following major demonstrations in Hong Kong against a controversial extradition treaty which would allow China to prosecute dissidents from the island on the mainland, Beijing imposed security laws which banned demonstrations, secession, treason and collusion with foreign powers. It led to howls of indignation from Government officials such as Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, as well as UK partners in the US, Australia and Canada all part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance founded after World War Two. Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, then came under fierce pressure from Conservative backbenchers to pause plans to green-light China's unofficial involvement in the creation of the UK's 5G network. At the heart of the controversy is Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications giant which is accused of enjoying a special relationship with China's security state. Critics point out that Huawei's founder is Ren Zhengfei, who was a member of the People's Liberation Army and current member of the Chinese Communist Party. After the prospect of a significant Tory revolt to shut down the Prime Minister's initiative to approve Huawei's involvement in the 5G network, Mr Johnson announced a ban on use of the company's network equipment. He also vowed to shrink down its role in the construction of the broadband network by 2023, to cheers from backbenchers including Sir Iain Duncan Smith. Il Kuwait da oggi l'addio all'emiro, lo shaykh Sabah al Sabah, morto ieri all'eta di 91 anni negli Stati Uniti dopo una lunga malattia, e accoglie il nuovo governante del ricco principato del Golfo, l'anziano shaykh Nawaf al Sabah. Quest'ultimo presta oggi giuramento, mentre si attende l'arrivo in patria della salma de defunto emiro, da luglio ricoverato in una clinica del Minnesota. I funerali si svolgeranno in forma privata anche a causa della pandemia di coronavirus. E mentre il paese e da ieri in lutto per i prossimi 40 giorni, gli analisti affermano che l'83enne shaykh Nawaf, nuovo emiro, manterra la stessa politica estera adottata negli ultimi 14 dal suo predecessore e fratellastro. Questa si basa su un'alleanza strategica con gli Stati Uniti e l'Arabia Saudita, mantenendo pero canali negoziali aperti con l'Iran. Riproduzione riservata (Unioneonline/v.l.) (Natural News) Mars may have multiple lakes hidden beneath ice, suggests a recent study published in the journal Nature Astronomy. The discovery comes as a 2018 study previously found evidence of a large saltwater lake beneath the Martian south pole, a finding met with both excitement and skepticism. Since this assertion, an international team of researchers is supporting the existence of this lake, besides potentially identifying three smaller lakes around the same region. We have confirmed the existence of the big body of water independently and we also find the other patches, said co-author Elena Pettinelli, a planetary scientist at the Third University of Rome, so it means that it is not an isolated, casual discovery. It is a system. Lakes beneath Martian south pole The team made their discovery using radar data from the European Space Agency (ESA) s Mars Express spacecraft, which has been orbiting the red planet since 2003. They used a broad dataset consisting of 134 observations taken between 2012 and 2019 up from the mere 29 observations from the 2018 study, which faced a backlash from scientists who deemed that the research lacked sufficient data to support its bold finding. The researchers used a radar instrument on Mars Express to probe the planets southern polar region. It would send out radio waves that bounced off layers of material on the planets surface and subsurface, similar to how scientists detected underground glacial lakes on Earth. The way the signal was reflected would indicate the material thats present at a particular location rock, ice or water, for instance. The researchers detected areas of high reflectivity that suggested the presence of liquid water beneath more or less a mile of Martian ice. The lakes appeared to be spread out at an area of 18.5 million acres, which was roughly one-fifth the size of Germany. The largest lake was around 18.5 miles wide and was surrounded by three smaller lakes that were each a few miles wide. These lakes likely remained liquid due to their high salt content, said the researchers. Can Martian life exist in these lakes? The surface conditions on Mars, such as the low pressure that results from the planets lack of a substantial atmosphere, rendered the existence of liquid water impossible. But some scientists said that there could be water trapped under its surface, a holdover from a hypothetical time when the planet had seas and lakes billions of years ago. We now think [the lake system] has probably survived a very long time, said Pettinelli. We are thinking for millions of years for sure. It probably got progressively covered by ice when the climate changed. If such an underground reservoir existed, it could be a potential habitat for Martian life on Earth, life was able to survive in subglacial lakes in such places as Antarctica. However, there were complications. Scientists said that any underground lakes on Mars should be extremely salty for the water to remain liquid; temperatures around this area were estimated to be around -90 degrees. And though the heat from the interior of Mars could potentially reach higher up to where these lakes were, this alone wouldnt be enough to melt ice into water. From a thermal point of view it has to be salty, said Pettinelli. (Related: If Mars has methane, does it mean theres life on the red planet?.) John Priscu, an environmental scientist at Montana State University, said that while lakes with salt content five times that of seawater could support life, lakes with 20 times that of seawater were virtually inhospitable. Even briny pools in Antarctica couldnt host a robust marine environment, added Priscu, who was not part of the study. Theyre just pickled. And that might be the case [on Mars]. For more studies supporting the presence of Martian lakes, visit Cosmic.news. Sources include: StrangeSounds.org Mars.NASA.gov Nature.com China is preparing to launch an antitrust probe into Alphabet Inc's Google, looking into allegations it has leveraged the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to stifle competition, two people familiar with the matter said. The case was proposed by telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd last year and has been submitted by the country's top market regulator to the State Council's antitrust committee for review, they added. A decision on whether to proceed with a formal investigation may come as soon as October and could be affected by ... The report said the facility management segment will close the year at 90 percent of the January 2020 demand levels, with close to 60,000 openings. A total of 1.4 million jobs for blue-collar workers will be created in 2020, said a report by Betterplace. The report by the blue-collar employee management firm said 80 percent of the overall demand comes from the gig economy. Gigs refer to short-term contractual roles that are linked to customer demand for products at a given period. The Betterplace Job Report 2020 indicated that as the economy is beginning its recovery, sectors like delivery and healthcare will surpass pre-COVID levels and job opportunities will see massive growth in Tier II and III cities. Among the cities, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad will create the most job opportunities. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show The report is based on data of 8 million employees working with more than 1,000 companies. Betterplace said the findings are based on data collected over the first nine months of 2020. When the coronavirus pandemic-led lockdown was announced in March, migrant workers moved back to their home towns. Several million jobs were also lost and pay cuts were implemented across sectors. The report said more than 1 million jobs were lost and the total loss of income is estimated at Rs 2,467 crore per month. Here, the report said 44 percent of the gig jobs have been lost, with a majority of drivers losing their employment. Further, 30 percent of the job losses came from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi alone. The report said the migrant workforce returning to work due to the necessity of sustaining a livelihood expects a healthy, safe and stable work environment. Pravin Agarwala, Co-founder CEO, Betterplace said the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the blue-collar sector more than any other. "With the onset of the festive season across the country, it is heartening to see governments and private sector employers rising to this challenge because they expect the festive season to pave the way for the recovery. Based on our report, we are already seeing green shoots appear in demand generation in cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi," he said. The report said the facility management segment will close the year at 90 percent of the January 2020 demand levels, with close to 60,000 openings. The Election Commission, following a lengthy meeting on Wednesday morning, voted 4-1 to terminate Administrator Kerry Steelman, who has been on leave recently. Jerry Summers was the only no vote, saying Mr. Steelman is innocent until proven guilty. Election Commission Chairman Mike Walden said Mr. Steelman is "a nice guy who made some positive strides for our office over five years. This office is a better place because he was here. It makes me sad at this point, but we have to take this action in order to take care of our greatest asset - our employees." He said morale was suffering under the current situation. Mr. Walden said 10 of 12 employees interviewed by county Human Resources said Mr. Steelman had mistreated them or they had seen someone mistreated. The report recommended his termination. Harry Burnette, attorney for Mr. Steelman, hit the report, saying it was not backed up by any documentation and a number of the allegations "are simply false." He said it is planned to file an Americans Disability Lawsuit in behalf of Mr. Steelman. He said Mr. Steelman was in a very serious auto accident years earlier "and is lucky to be alive." He said the wreck aftermath includes seizures, especially during stressful situations. Attorney Burnett said the report was initiated just after Mr. Steelman "wrote up" several top employees "because of their errors," including the current Acting Administrator Scott Allen. He said they "were very angry about it." Mr. Walden said the uprising by the employees "didn't just happen. They said they had just had enough of it and had decided to tell it." He said, "I wish they had told us earlier. I don't think anyone should suffer in silence." He said employees told of "fits of anger and rage and blackouts" on the part of Mr. Steelman, and Mr. Steelman had denied it. Mr. Walden acknowledged that he ordered one of the writeups after one employee made a ballot mistake that caused Rep. Robin Smith's name not to be on a small number of ballots when it should have been. Attorney Burnette said Mr. Steelman made only four hires during his tenure, including three women - a Latino, a Black and a White. The meeting opened with the commission taking care of some routine business, then adjourning for a private meeting with attorney Justin Furrow. Mr. Summers, who is also a lawyer, declined to go to the session, saying, "This ought to be discussed out in the sunshine, not in a smoke-filled back room." Mr. Summers said, "The main thing is that we maintain the integrity of the electoral process" and not deter anyone from voting due to perceived office turmoil and "be discouraged by a circus." Of Mr. Steelman, he said, "He comes from a fine family and he is entitled to the presumption of innocence. He said Mr. Steelman had not had a chance to rebut the report. Mr. Walden, after getting the county HR report, said he met with Mr. Steelman and had a "town hall" meeting with employees in addition to talking to some individually. He said the report was shared with Mr. Steelman and his attorney and they were given two weeks to respond. Attorney Burnette delivered their rebuttal to the commission on Wednesday and asked the commission not to vote before reading it. Otherwise, he said the treatment of Mr. Steelman was "like the Star Chambers of the 1500s." Mr. Walden said the office remains in good shape and "is a model for other election offices around the state." Attorney Burnette recommended that Mr. Steelman be given three months of severance pay and six months of insurance. Mr. Walden said he had not problem with that proposal, but said the attorneys could work it out. There was also a motion to make Mr. Furrow the permanent attorney for the Election Commission and that was approved. Mr. Summers said Mr. Walden had a possible conflict of interest because the Furrow law firm represents his office. The county attorney had been assigned to represent the commission, but officials said that had not been working out. Mr. Walden said the Election Commission would interview candidates for the post after the first of the year. People are paying tribute to a golden retriever after his owner mourned his passing in an obituary that has since gone viral. Sallie Gregory-Hammett, from Greenville, South Carolina, got Charlie when she was 23, after just moving to a new city. After Charlie died on 13 September from lymphoma "after five months of bravery, Gregory-Hammett decided to honour his memory with an obituary, she told HuffPost. "Ive always loved writing, and when Charlie passed it was just so overwhelming that I needed to do something cathartic," she said, adding that she wanted "something to celebrate and memorialise him, because he was such a huge part of my life." In the obituary, she reflects on Charlies early life and his relatives, before remembering all of his favourite things, such as walking, stick collecting, swimming, smiling and snoozing. If were being honest, Charlie loved everything life had to offer (except stairs. He hated stairs.) Charlie loved the beach, car rides, bananas, and socks, Gregory-Hammett wrote. Charlie always loved going to his Grandma and Grandpa's house, where he could get treats, chase squirrels, and pee everywhere cousin Captain peed. Charlie went tailgating, camping, hiking, and fishing. He lived the very best life. Gregory-Hammett then went on to reflect on the relationship she shared with the dog, writing: "More than anything else, Charlie loved his mom. He was always there to greet her with some kisses and a firm grip on her arm. He was her constant companion." According to the obituary, Charlie spent his last days at his favourite place, the beach, where he relaxed in the Charlie-sized holes he dug himself, and dove straight into the oncoming waves. He will be forever missed and forever remembered, but he left behind his fierce love, which never wavered, the obituary concludes, before adding that in lieu of flowers, the family requests dog-owners give their pups some extra love in honour of Charlie. According to the 30-year-old, she originally wanted to publish the tribute in a local newspaper, but after finding out how much it would cost, decided to simply publish it on Twitter. As of Wednesday, the mock obituary has been liked more than 108,000 times on Twitter, where thousands have also paid tribute to Charlie. Love you, Charlie. Good boy, one person wrote. Another commented: So very sorry for your loss, and thank you for sharing this with us. He sounds like a fine fella, and the photo shows his beautiful nature. This is so beautiful, someone else said. So sorry for your loss, Charlie sounds like he was a wonderful son. The outpouring of support has been so comforting, according to Gregory-Hammett, who told HuffPost: The likes are awesome but the best part has been all of the replies. Reading about everyone elses special doggos, and all the people that say they loved Charlie even though they never met him. Its just been so comforting - it makes me feel less alone and just flooded with love. And Charlie has been so celebrated! He was a special boy and it means the world to me. A Japanese man dubbed the "Twitter killer" for luring his victims on social media admitted in court Wednesday to murdering nine people, local media said. But lawyers for Takahiro Shiraishi, 29, argued the charges should be reduced because the victims -- who had expressed suicidal thoughts -- gave their consent to be killed. Shiraishi, who is also accused of dismembering his victims and storing body parts in coolboxes, did not contest nine counts of murder, saying they "are all correct", public broadcaster NHK reported. He is also facing rape charges, according to media reports. Shiraishi is accused of using Twitter to contact victims aged between 15 and 26 who posted online about taking their own lives, telling them he could help them in their plans -- or even die alongside them. If convicted of murder, Shiraishi faces the death penalty, which is carried out by hanging in Japan. But his lawyers want the charges against him reduced to "murder with consent", which carries a prison sentence of between six months and seven years. In an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun daily, Shiraishi said he disagreed with his lawyers and would tell prosecutors that he had "killed without consent". "There were bruises on the back of the victims' heads. It means there was no consent and I did it so that they wouldn't resist," he said in comments published on Wednesday. Shiraishi was detained three years ago by police investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who had reportedly tweeted about wanting to kill herself. After she went missing, her brother apparently gained access to her Twitter account, and noticed a suspicious handle. Police uncovered a grisly house of horrors behind Shiraishi's front door on the morning of Halloween in 2017. Nine dismembered bodies, with as many as 240 bone parts stashed in coolers and toolboxes, had been sprinkled with cat litter in a bid to hide the evidence. Shiraishi told the Mainichi Shimbun he "didn't plan on getting caught" and boasted of not being identified until his final killing. More than 600 people lined up for 13 public gallery seats to observe Wednesday's first hearing, NHK said. Japan has the highest suicide rate among the Group of Seven industrialised nations, with more than 20,000 people taking their lives annually. The suicide rate has been falling since it peaked in 2003, however. Search Keywords: Short link: "We all remember the sense of wonder and excitement with the anticipation of a field trip, which is what we are hoping to evoke with this fall-timed campaign," said Rob O'Keefe, president and CEO of Monterey County CVB. "Peoples' lives and routines have changed drastically in the past several months, and we want to encourage them to write their own permission slip to get away responsibly. Whether it's for a weekend or an extended stay, travel can be just the therapy we need right now." Leveraging the flexibility of working and schooling remotely, Monterey County CVB has collaborated with its partners to curate options that make quick (or extended) getaways to the area seamless. From hands-on educational activities and virtual experiences to creative packaging, the offerings include a little something for everyone: Permission to Live & Learn Skip the marine biology lesson and view sea life up close with a whale watching tour or by kayaking Monterey Bay alongside its famous sea otters. Bring history to life with a walking tour of the area's iconic downtown. Take gym class to the stunning backdrops of Pinnacles National Park, Ford Ord National Monument or Garland Ranch Regional Park to hike the amazing trails, or bike along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail to get your heartrate pumping. Stay & Play Promotions Many of Monterey County's lodging properties are offering unique experiences to make remote work and school from the destination a no brainer. A few examples: Monterey Plaza Hotel's Plaza Explorers Program offers a discovery kit for each little one at check in, equipped with an educational tide pool bingo card, binoculars and exploration gear. Kids can even earn prizes for completing activities during their stay. Carmel Valley Ranch is offering extended stays at its 500-acre "playground" resort, which also doubles as the coolest classroom ever. Month-long rentals include one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes; weekly two-hour enrichment classes on natural science topics like apiary, botany, geology and astronomy; reserved poolside cabanas throughout the stay, and more. Quail Lodge & Golf Club is giving remote workers an opportunity for a change of scenery this fall, with a package including upgraded Wi-Fi, breakfast and printing credits, in-room work supplies, and more. All guestrooms offer a private patio or balcony. Virtual Learning Tools & Resources For those not able to travel to Monterey County this fall, there are a variety of ways to experience the destination in an educational way from afar: Although the world renown Monterey Bay Aquarium is not yet open to the public, fans can access from home everything from online courses to curriculum and activity ideas for remote schooling to crafts and printables. Bookworms can take a virtual tour of the National Steinbeck Center, or check out the museum's new YouTube channel featuring videos by archivist Lisa Josephs . You can also read "Cannery Row" and its sequel, "Sweet Thursday," both of which are set in Monterey County the place author John Steinbeck called home. . You can also read "Cannery Row" and its sequel, "Sweet Thursday," both of which are set in the place author called home. The Monterey Museum of Art's virtual free family fun days are perfect for budding artists. Next up is a Halloween-themed art day on Saturday, October 24 . Make mosaic monstrosities, salt dough pumpkins and join a live art lesson featuring mixed media haunted houses at 1 p.m. PST . For more information on Monterey County and to find inspiration for a future trip, visit www.SeeMonterey.com. ABOUT MONTEREY COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU The Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau (Monterey County CVB) is a 501c6 non-profit organization that drives tourism for Monterey County. Tourism is the largest industry on the Monterey Peninsula and the second largest in the County. The MCCVB is a partnership of the hospitality community and local governments that aims to drive business growth through compelling marketing and targeted sales initiatives that maximize the benefits of tourism to its guests, members and the community. Travel spending in Monterey County was $3.24 billion in 2019, representing a 3.3 percent increase from 2018. This $3.24 billion in visitor spending supported 27,120 jobs, contributed $296 million in total taxes and generated $153 million local tax dollars that directly benefited the community. For more information, visit www.SeeMonterey.com and follow us on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter . MEDIA CONTACT Rachel Dinbokowitz [email protected] 831-657-6434 SOURCE Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau Related Links https://www.seemonterey.com In the middle of the pandemic, it was revealed in a recent Kaspersky survey that when it comes to online security, Filipinos are now most concerned about their online activities such as dating and meeting people (86%) as well as their financial transactions (85%) and shopping activities (75%). 9 in 10 think that their digital lifestyle is safe for their privacy These online activities are what the respondents said they used to do mostly face-to-face long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country. In the same survey, more than half of those asked think that running trustworthy apps from Google Play and App Store (67%) and antivirus scans (65%) are enough ways to keep themselves feel safe online. About 56% of the respondents shared that they are changing passwords on each of their devices for online safety. One-third of the participants, 42% of whom are parents, admitted to purchasing AV software to protect their home devices. These findings were part of a global survey conducted online by Kaspersky and London-based research agency Sapio Research to find out people perceive our digital comfort zones and how the pandemic has impacted these views. The survey results were gathered in May 2020 from 19 countries including the Philippines, and compiled in a report titled, More Connected Than Ever Before: How We Build Our Digital Comfort Zones. Being among the most active cybercitizens in the world, Filipinos appeared to have logged more time on the internet now as more work and personal activities were forced to shift online. Since lockdown was imposed in key cities in the country, 59% are actively spending an extra two to more than 20 hours online than before the quarantine situation began, according to the survey. Despite having a sharp increase in online activities, 88% of Filipino participants believe that their digital lifestyle is safe for their privacy. And Kaspersky experts find this alarming. Many people think that they are not interesting to a cybercriminal, but we constantly see news about data breaches and widespread phishing campaigns stealing valuable personal data from normal people, said David Jacoby, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky. He cited as an example the usual strategy of cybercriminals, when planning a big attack on a business, of targeting any person in an organization. Cybercriminals use various psychological tricks to make people open phishing emails and click on suspicious links. So its crucial that ordinary people follow cybersecurity rules to help protect your valuable data, said Jacoby. Kaspersky also warns Internet users against not getting enough online protection particularly those who are performing banking and shopping transactions online. Mobility restrictions have pushed Filipinos to do online banking and yes, even retail therapy has surged dramatically during this period. With this scenario that we think is our new normal for the next months or so, we encourage everyone to equip yourselves with even basic cybersecurity knowledge to protect your hard-earned money from cybercriminals. No one is really under the radar, said Mary Grace Sotayco, Territory Manager for the Philippines at Kaspersky. According to Kaspersky, online fraud is an easy type of cybercrime as a criminal doesnt need to be physically fit, be adept with social skills or even programming experience to do it. The cybercriminal only needs to release phishing sites and malware apps to push people to hand their money to them. An example of Internet scamming that is the most popular form of cybercrime in the 21st century is phishing, which only seeks to get an Internet users credentials through deception. Phishing sites are copycats of legitimate and credible organizations. Meanwhile, phishing messages usually take the form of fake notifications from banks, service providers, retail merchants, e-pay systems, and other companies. Such notification tries to encourage the recipients to urgently enter/update their personal data. Other phishing tools are fake social media pages, usually these are accounts of the victims friends that they would normally trust. Kaspersky advises Filipino netizens not to assume that the only thing scammers want are your credit card or financial data. Many phishers would be perfectly happy with getting access to your user credentials in an email service or social network which they can sell in the black market. How to avoid phishing? The cybersecurity company recommends: Use common sense, first and foremost. Stay calm and do not fall victim to provocations. Take a thorough look at links and websites. Input URLs manually instead of simply clicking on a link. When getting suspicious links from a friend or colleague, confirm that it was indeed them who sent the message. Regularly update your antivirus software, especially if it offers anti-phishing capabilities such as the Kaspersky Total Security. Choose an AV product that offers protection for banking and shopping transactions. Kaspersky Total Security, for instance, launches encrypted browsers for these kinds of online activities that require confidential data. Beware of fake communications. Most financial organizations will never send emails asking customers to send personal data via email, visit site for authorization, or enter personal data in pop-up windows. When shopping, instead of using your main credit card or debit card, opt for a special card that you can use only for online purchases and which has a limited credit limit for your protection. Always ensure that the OS and apps on your computer and other devices have the latest updates installed. This will help eliminate the possibility of having your device exploited by malware. *The latest version of Kaspersky Total Security (KTS) for PC and Mac is now available in the Philippines. It retails for Php1,390 in Lazada and leading IT stores nationwide. COLUMBUS, Ohio The state released its latest travel advisory map on Wednesday afternoon, with seven states with high positivity rates on coronavirus tests a possible indicator the virus could be prevalent among the population. Last weeks map had five states. The two new additions are Missouri and Mississippi. The following states have relatively high positivity rates, calculated on a seven-day rolling average: -Idaho: 21.6% -South Dakota: 26% -Iowa: 16.8% -Wisconsin: 20% -Kansas: 16% -Missouri: 15.3% -Mississippi: 15.1% The Ohio Department of Health is recommending against travel to these states. If travel is necessary, the department asks people to self-quarantine for 14 days after leaving the states. The states advisory is for Ohioans and residents of other states entering Ohio. Its for business and leisure travel. Ohios seven-day rolling average for positive tests is 3%. Other coverage: 1,080 new coronavirus cases in Ohio: Wednesday report Ohio Supreme Court unanimously upholds felony murder conviction in death of 5-year-old TaNaejah McCloud Ohio officials detected coronavirus in Akron, Mansfield, Oregon and prison sewage before cases ticked up Local prosecutor quickly shoots down state reps attempt to bring criminal charges against Gov. Mike DeWine for coronavirus orders CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No handshakes. No cheering. COVID-19 tests for all audience members. Welcome to the first presidential debate of 2020, pandemic style. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden did not shake hands at the start of Tuesdays presidential debate. They entered from opposite sides of the stage and stepped to podiums spaced far apart. Neither man wore a mask. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News also did not wear a mask, as prearranged by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. The debate, sponsored by the commission, was held under health and safety protocols formulated by the Cleveland Clinic, which is serving as a health security adviser for all presidential debates. The prearranged plan allowed Trump, Biden and Wallace to speak without masks since the two nominees were standing at a safe distance at their respective podiums, said Peter Eyre, senior advisor for the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, in a statement Tuesday. The commissions health guidelines required masks for media and audience members. First Lady Melania Trump, former Second Lady Jill Biden and other family members of the candidates wore masks as they entered the Health Education Campus on the Cleveland Clinics main campus, a few minutes before the debates 9 p.m. start. The debate was jointly hosted by the Clinic and Case Western Reserve University. However, photographs of the audience showed a few who were not wearing masks at all. At the end of the evening, Melania Trump was not wearing a mask when she joined her husband on stage; Jill Biden was masked when she joined Biden. Fewer than 100 ticketed guests were allowed to attend the debate in person, and all participants and media had to pass a COVID-19 test before entering the event, Eyre said. Media representatives underwent mandatory COVID-19 testing at the Clinic, and only those who tested negative were given a green wristband and granted access to the debate site. Lara Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr., and Tiffany Trump arrive before the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic.AP The commission said it followed all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and that it retained Cleveland Clinic as a health security adviser for the debates. The commission required hand washing, attendees maintaining social distance and sneezing or coughing into tissues during the debate. The University of Maryland has named Prabhudev Konana, Ph.D., dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, effective January 2, 2021. In this role, Konana will lead Smith in its mission to create knowledge, promote an inclusive learning environment that fosters intellectual discovery, and equip current and future leaders to assess complex problems and deliver innovative solutions, according to a university announcement. Prabhudev Konana will take over as dean of the Smith School of Business in January. McCombs photo I am thrilled to accept the role as Dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, said Konana. As business education is rapidly changing in the current social, political, technological, and market trends, I look forward to all that can be accomplished with the students, faculty and staff at the University of Maryland. Konana currently serves as the associate dean of instructional innovation, William H. Seay centennial professor of information management, and distinguished teaching professor at the University of Texas-Austin McCombs School of Business. As associate dean, he helped develop the focus and identity of the McCombs School of Business, emphasizing entrepreneurship and innovation, and successfully led the transition of the entire business school faculty to online synchronous teaching, among other notable accomplishments in teaching and research. Konana will take the reins from Ritu Agarwal, who became interim dean in August 2019 when longtime Dean Alex Triantis moved north to Baltimore to become dean at the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business. Prabhudev Konana is perfectly positioned to assume this role in the highly competitive landscape of business education, University if Maryland Senior Vice President and Provost Mary Ann Rankin said in a news release. I have no doubt that he will swiftly implement big ideas, while strengthening academic connections throughout Smith and across campus. Dr. Konanas contributions will positively impact the Smith Schools fearless and innovative academic reputation. Story continues Prior to his current role, Konana previously served as chair of the Department of Information, Risks, and Operations Management at Texas McCombs. As chair he founded highly ranked MS in Business Analytics in partnership with businesses, revamped advisory council, raised funds from business partners, funded several research workshops and symposia; supported visiting faculty for research collaboration, improved teaching standards in various programs, incentivized faculty to offer specialized electives and focused on recruiting high-energy and passionate staff. Quantic releases free Cultural Intelligence course to public in response to recent events Universities all over the country are trying to figure out a way to keep enrollment and attendance up without threatening the safety of students. While other schools are seeing a decrease in attendance and an increase in deferment, Quantic, which has always been completely remote for over 7 years, is on pace for an 80% YOY increase in applications. Even if youre not in the MBA program, Quantic has a series of courses available completely free to the public, such as Finance, Marketing, Accounting and Microeconomics. Quantics unique learning setting doesnt consist of a video professor droning on for hours on a single topic. Instead, similar to the format of Duolingo, Quantic provides feedback and opportunity for interaction, on average, every eight seconds. Many Quantic students come from top employers, such as Google and Tesla, who choose the program because it is entirely self-paced, making it the perfect program for people with demanding jobs. Quantic is releasing its new Cultural Intelligence course for anyone to take and learn from, in an effort to increase cultural awareness and education in our society. If youre interested in learning more, I encourage you to create your own, free Quantic account by clicking Apply Now on their website. Wells Fargo CEO apologizes for comments about Black finance candidates Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf apologized Wednesday for comments he made suggesting it is difficult to find qualified Black executives in the financial industry. Scharf, a NYU Stern School of Business alumnus, said in a memo to employees there is a very limited pool of Black talent to recruit from in corporate America. The memo was written in June, but became public only this week. The comments and similar statements made in a Zoom meeting, reported by Reuters, led to an intense backlash in Washington and on social media. Loyolas Sellinger School of Business MBA enrollment exceeds projections Loyola University Marylands Sellinger School of Business and Management enrolled 132 graduate students this year, a 12% increase over last year and a 32% increase over initial projections. Sellingers Emerging Leaders MBA program, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, enrolled 36 new students, a 44% increase over last year and the largest class since the program began in 2010. Our graduate enrollment exceeded projections this year despite the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, said Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D., dean of Loyolas Sellinger School. Its a testament to the reputation of Sellingers MBA programs as powerful tools for developing strong, ethical business leaders, who we need as our nation faces unprecedented challenges. Sellingers Professionals MBA program enrolled 73 students for the fall 2020 semester, the largest number since the fall of 2013. The Professionals MBA is a part-time evening program designed for working professionals, while the Emerging Leaders MBA is a full-time, one-year program designed for recent college graduates and early career professionals. The Emerging Leaders MBA program began 10 years ago as the first of its kind in the area with a cohort of 20 students. In the last decade, the program has doubled in size and earned a ranking among MBA Centrals Top 50 Fastest Accelerated MBA Degree Programs. The program emphasizes real-world experiences, including corporate visits, mentoring and internships, as well as domestic and international field study tours exploring emerging markets and new business climates and cultures. DONT MISS NEWS NUGGETS: MBA NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE The post MBA News Nuggets: Maryland Smith Gets A Dean From Texas appeared first on Poets&Quants. On Monday, the New York Times published a featured exposure of Donald Trumps personal and business tax returns over the past twenty years, revealing the American president to be a conman and a swindler who has used every trick in the book to avoid any, even marginal, public impost on his wealth. As yesterdays perspective article on the World Socialist Web Site noted, the expose of Trumps tax evasion, though surprising to no one, paints a portrait of a ruling class totally enmeshed in corruption and criminality. His fortune was the product of a whole period of American capitalism dominated by swindling, speculation and fraud, creating nothing of value besides ever-greater heaps of debt, a social regression spearheaded by Democratic and Republican administrations alike. Nobody outside of Trump, his entourage and hard line supporters have protested the publication. The material is clearly true, newsworthy and in the public interest. It is widely accepted that the American, and indeed the world population, have a right to know of the business dealings and sordid shenanigans of the president and candidate of one of the two official parties in next months US election. These basic principles of press freedom, an informed electorate, and the responsibility of journalists to publish important information, whatever the political fallout, have been lauded in the American media over the past days. All to the good. But one can only wish that the New York Times and other corporate publications upheld these lofty ideals on all occasions, and not only when it is in their interest and the interest of the Democratic Party, with which they are aligned. Indeed, it is likely that the only journalist currently facing US prosecution for his publishing activities may have something to say on the matter, if he were not prevented from doing so by imprisonment in Londons maximum-security Belmarsh Prison, what United Nations officials have deemed to be state-perpetrated psychological torture, and the current ordeal of a British extradition show-trial aimed at dispatching him to his US persecutors. To describe the contrast between the official medias favourable response to the publication of Trumps leaked tax returns, and its venomous attitude to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, as being an exercise in gross hypocrisy would be to understate the case. Assange has been pilloried, slandered and thrown to the wolves by every corporate publication for doing what the Times has now done with Trumps tax returns, only more consistently and without political favour. The double standard is summed up by An Editors Note on the Trump Tax Investigation which accompanied the Times exposure on Monday. In it, executive editor Dean Baquet wrote: We are publishing this report because we believe citizens should understand as much as possible about their leaders and representativestheir priorities, their experiences and also their finances. The importance of this was heightened by the fact that The records show a significant gap between what Mr. Trump has said to the public and what he has disclosed to federal tax authorities over many years. Baquet, having boasted of the Times commitment to source protection, concluded with a stirring paean to the American Constitution, and its press freedom protections: Some will raise questions about publishing the presidents personal tax information. But the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that the First Amendment allows the press to publish newsworthy information that was legally obtained by reporters even when those in power fight to keep it hidden. That powerful principle of the First Amendment applies here. No supporter of a free press will disagree. But they may ask: if these principles apply in 2020, why did they not apply in 2016? In that US election year WikiLeaks published a series of releases, including internal correspondence of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the work emails of John Podesta, the campaign chair of Democratic Party front-runner Hillary Clinton. The DNC emails established, from the horse's mouth, that senior officials within the organisation had sought to undermine the candidacy of Bernie Sanders, in violation of their own rules, to ensure that Clinton was selected as the Democratic Presidential candidate. Assange interviewed by CNN in August, 2016. The network had a strap beneath him reading "Political disruption" throughout most of the interview. (Credit: Screenshot CNN online broadcast) Amid the vast trove of material in the Podesta emails were excerpts of Clintons secret speeches to Wall Street banks. At some of the functions she addressed, for which she was rewarded with hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaker's fees, Clinton told the assembled oligarchs that she had a public and a private position. They need not be concerned by her occasional references to social inequality, because in office, her private position, of doing everything to ensure the wealth of the corporate elite, would prevail. One cannot help but recall Baquets great concern over the discord between Trumps statements to the American public, and the contents of his meagre tax filings. Other documents confirmed earlier revelations that the private Clinton Foundation had functioned as a massive cash-for-access scheme, including when Clinton was secretary of state in the Obama administration. With a striking frequency, businessmen, foreign officials and dignitaries would be granted an audience with the secretary of state, after, or immediately before, making a substantial donation to the Clinton Foundation. Often, they would leave having secured whatever assurances or favours they were seeking. There was never any contention that the WikiLeaks publications were based on false information. Their veracity was demonstrated by the fact that they triggered the resignation of several DNC officials, including its chairwoman Donna Brazile. The response of the US media, including the Times, was immediately one of intense hostility to the WikiLeaks disclosures. Was this not an attempt to influence the outcome of the election? they asked. Wasnt Assange simply motivated by hostility to Clinton, who had reportedly asked a colleague several years earlier, Cant we just drone this guy? Claims that it was illegitimate to publish true information prior to an election, because it may be detrimental to a candidate, were so obviously antithetical to the most basic tenets of democracy that they had little influence outside the circles of the Democratic Party, the Times, and their privileged upper middle-class constituency. Other strategies, including Times columnist Charles Blows memorable assertion that the documents had simply showed the unappetizing process by which the sausage is made, were transparent and pathetic attempts at damage control on behalf of Clinton and the Democrats. The Times and every other corporate publication changed tack, dropping the mask of impartial reporting, and taking on the characteristics of a pack of rabid hyenas. The DNC and Podesta leaks, they declared, were the result of Russian hacking. This was true because Clinton had asserted it, and the intelligence agencies had assessed with a high degree of certainty that it was the case. In this McCarthyite narrative, any questioning of the official story, for instance pointing to the record of the intelligence agencies in telling gross lies, was only more evidence of a Russian conspiracy. The repeated statements of Assange, that Russia was not the source of the material, were derided. Former British ambassador-turned-whistleblower Craig Murray stated that he had personal knowledge of WikiLeaks receipt of the DNC leaks, and that their source was a disgruntled insider. He was ignored. Hillary Clinton, slandering Assange as a tool of Russian intelligence in a 2017 interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (Credit: Screenshot Four Corners) Four years on and the anti-Russian campaign, which aimed to cover-up the exposure of Clinton, divert opposition to Trump into right-wing channels, legitimise censorship and stoke American militarism, lies in tatters. The Justice Departments Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections concluded without finding any evidence of said Russian interference. CrowdStrike, a private company hired by the Democratic Party to examine the DNC computer servers, acknowledged there was no proof that any documents had been exfiltrated from them, i.e., there may not have been any successful hack, Russian or otherwise. And Roger Stone, the Republican operative who supposedly functioned as a middle-man between the Trump camp and WikiLeaks was successfully prosecuted for falsely claiming that he had any connection to Assange and the publishing organisation he heads. The Times however has not rescinded its lies about Assange and Russia. It has doubled down, publishing articles since 2016, suggesting that WikiLeaks may have served as some sort of Russian cut-out or patsy all along. As is always the case, the ultimate source of these slanders are the intelligence agencies that have sought to destroy Assange by every means possible for the past decade. When Assange was arrested by the British police in April, 2019, and charged by the Trump administration with a bogus count of unauthorised intrusion into a US computer system, the Times responded with glee. An opinion piece by Michelle Goldberg, on the very day of the arrest, was sub-headed he deserves his fate. Goldberg repeated all the slanders about Russian intelligence and admitted to a dark satisfaction over Assanges plight. Dark indeed. As an afterthought, Goldberg complained that the indictment could impact on press freedom, by which she meant her activities and those of the Times. So Assange may well deserve to go to prison. Whats troubling, however, is that his indictment treats ordinary news gathering processes as elements of a criminal conspiracy, she wrote. A month later, the Trump administration unveiled 17 additional charges against Assange, over WikiLeaks 2010 and 2011 publications exposing war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, human rights abuses in Guantanamo Bay and global diplomatic conspiracies. This is the first attempt by a US government to prosecute a journalist under the Espionage Act, for publishing the truth. The Times, which was a partner in some of those publications, responded by warning of the danger the prosecution posed to press freedom, undoubtedly with an eye on the fact that they could land in the dock themselves. But it was all couched in terms of Assange being a bad actor, and hardly anything has been said in the pages of the Times since, except more warnings, sourced from the intelligence agencies, that Russia is up to its old tricks, this time in the 2020 election. The Times and the corporate publications now crowing about the exposure of Trump's record as a tax evader, played a central role in creating the conditions for the swindler in the White House to launch a prosecution against a journalist. The claims of these shills for the intelligence agencies and the government that they are intrepid journalists, who report the news without fear or favour, are a sham. A South Korean man shot dead by Northern forces was trying to defect to the Communist dictatorship to escape around 220,000 in gambling debts. Seoul said the 47-year-old civil servant was killed in border waters by the North Korean navy after allegedly refusing to answer questions. However, his brother said he had more likely fallen into the sea from a government inspection ship by accident. A South Korean civil servant died after apparently trying to defect to the North and escape gambling debts. A government ship sails past South Korean Navy's floating base (file photo) The father of two's death last week sparked a diplomatic row. Thousands risk their lives every year fleeing in the opposite direction to the South. South Korea said the man swam against unfavourable currents with the help of a life jacket and a floatation device and conveyed his intention of resettling in North Korea. It's unclear whether the announcement will sooth mounting questions about the man's death. Senior coast guard officer Yoon Seong-hyun said at a televised briefing on Tuesday that there was a 'very low possibility' that the man could have fallen from a ship or tried to kill himself because he was putting on a life jacket when he was found in North Korean waters. Yoon said tidal currents at the time would also make it extremely difficult for him to drift into North Korean waters naturally. The official jumped from a fisheries vessel near Yeonpyeong Island before crossing the maritime border between North and South Korea (pictured in white). He was picked up near Deungsan Cape (left) where he was questioned, then shot and burned, by North Korea He also said the man conveyed his wish to defect before his death. He cited intelligence showing North Korea knew the man's name, age, height and hometown as an evidence of his communication with the North. Yoon didn't elaborate. But some experts said he likely was referring to South Korea's interception of communications among North Korean officials about the man. Coast guard officials have previously said the 47-year-old official was a father of two with some debts. Yoon said the debts totaled about 330 million won ($282,240), 80% of which were from gambling. The official had been aboard a government inspection ship before he disappeared on September 21 and was killed by North Korean troops the following day. The coast guard said its assessment was based on an analysis of tidal currents in the area, a visit to a government boat the official had been aboard before his disappearance, investigation of his financial transactions and a meeting with South Korean Defense Ministry officials. The man's elder brother, Lee Rae-jin, told reporters later Tuesday that his brother was proud of his job as a public servant and never told him about a desire to defect. 'The government is hastily framing my brother with a North Korea defection,' Lee said. He accused the government of losing 'golden time' and making little effort to salvage his brother. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has offered a rare apology over the man's death, but his government hasn't confirmed the man was trying to defect. The man's shooting has triggered a huge political firestorm in South Korea, with conservatives launching fierce political attacks on liberal President Moon Jae-in, who espouses greater ties with the North. New Delhi: Come October 1, and many rules ranging from Income tax, driving license, health insurance to credit card are going to change. These rules are also directly going to impact the lives of common man. Here's looking at 10 rules that are going to change from October 1. Physical proof of driving licence, registration card People would be allowed to carry electronic versions of documents like driving licence, registration, which means there is no need to carry the physical copies of teh same from October 1. They can carry soft copies of these documents in DigiLocker or m-Parivahan mobile application. The e-copies would be valid and no enforcement agency can deny accepting it as proof. Details of driving licences disqualified or revoked by the licensing authority shall be recorded chronologically in the portal and such record shall be reflected on a regular basis on the portal has been provided for, the government said and added, thus the record shall be maintained electronically and further the driver behaviour would be monitored. DigiLocker is a digital storage service operated by the government that enables citizens to store certain official documents on cloud. Live TV Use of handheld communications devices The government on Saturday said maintenance of vehicular documents, including driving licences and e-challans, will be done through an information technology portal from October 1, 2020. It has been provided that the use of handheld communications devices while driving shall solely be used for route navigation in such a manner that it shall not disturb the concentration of the driver while driving. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana The government has allowed poor women beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme time till September30 to avail the unclaimed LPG cylinders out of the quota of three free cooking gas bottles that were given as pandemic relief. The government had in March announced three 14.2-kg LPG cylinders free of cost to about 8 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries from April to June to help them cope with the economic pain of the coronavirus lockdown. Corporate tax The corporate tax cut announced by Union Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman will get implemented from October 1. High security number plate, colour coded fuel plate The Delhi governments transport department has started online registration for the process applying of high-security number plates, making it easier for the residents of Delhi. Now, the car owners can register for number plates by visiting the official website of Delhi's transport ministry and filling in the required credentials from October 1. Health Insurance Beginning October 1, 2020 a lot of changes may kick in the Health insurance zone. The new rules apply to waiting period after getting health insurance, claim rejection by the companies, inclusion of many more illnesses in the health cover. However, the consumer taking the health insurance must also note that the premium paid on health insurance may also go up. New debit card, credit card rules The RBI had directed all banks to not unnecessarily give international facilities to customers' cards, unless the customer himself demands it. As per new guidelines, customers will get the option to register for preferences such as opt-in or opt-out services, spend limits and other services for online transactions, international transactions and contactless transactions.The debit and credit card servies will only be enabled for transactions at ATMs (domestic) and Point of Sale terminals. Both debit and credit holders will now be allowed to set up transaction limit. TCS on remittances TCS on Liberalised remittances scheme will be levied over and above teh remittance amount of Rs 7 lakh by a customer in a financial year and will be effective from October 1. Discounts for credit card users at petrol pumps No discount will be given for credit card payments done to buy fuel at petrol pumps from October 1. The oil companies had introduced these discounts using credit/debit cards and e-wallets to promote digital payments. The good news is that discounts on debit cards and other modes of digital payments will continue for now. Rates for home, car loans The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had made it mandatory for banks to link their retail and MSME loans to external interest rate benchmarks and the launch of this product means that rates for home, car and personal loans will come down. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 22:37:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry reported on Wednesday 4,691 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nationwide infections to 362,981. The ministry reported in a statement 59 new deaths from the infectious disease, taking the death toll to 9,181. Meanwhile, 3,385 more patients recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 292,197. A total of 2,266,355 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February, with 22,274 done on during the day, according to the statement. Meanwhile, Jawad al-Musawi, a member of the Iraqi parliamentary health committee, expected that Iraq will witness a new wave of COVID-19 infections during October and November. Al-Musawi added that the Iraqi authorities might reimpose a full curfew if the number of infections continues to rise to the point the ministry cannot control. Iraq has taken a series of measures to contain the pandemic since February when the first coronavirus case appeared in the country. China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad. Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem The sister of a Phillipsburg teenager killed in a car crash last week has started a GoFundMe to help pay for his funeral services. Timothy Mancini, 18, died of carbon monoxide toxicity after his SUV crashed and caught fire about 4 a.m. Friday on Freemansburg Avenue in Bethlehem Township, authorities said. A memorial has been placed at the site of the crash near Farmersville Road . Elizabeth Mancini set up the gofundme.com effort, referring to the crash victim as her brother. It has a goal of $8,000. As of Tuesday evening, $3,346 had been raised. The link to donate can be found at gofundme.com/f/lay-my-rock-to-rest. Timothy Mancini leaves behind an 8-month-old daughter, his aunt Jennifer Williams told lehighvalleylive.com. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com. Baguio City (CNN Philippines, September 30) Despite the recorded increase of COVID19 cases in the country's summer capital, Baguio City will open to tourists from Region I starting October. On Wednesday, Baguio City Tourism Officer Aloysius Mapalo said they have been ready since Sept. 21 when tourism was slated to gradually reopen in a bid to jumpstart the economy in the area. He added that registration or travel requests began on Sept. 22, and 487 account registration were recorded in a span of a week . Mapalo disclosed that there were 66 travel requests, only 38 of which were from Region 1. Eighteen are from National Capital Region, six from Region 3, two from Region 4 and one from Region 2. "(The) earliest (travel) request is Oct. 2, I think that is almost approved," he said. "Na-upload requirements including the negative results of their COVID-19 tests." He added: "We have put in place the mechanism so that we minimize the exposure not only for tourists but also for local residents. As a matter of fact, iyong tourists natin ang mas bibigyan ng maraming advisory and notice [we will give more advisories and notices for tourists] on where they go around the city, because of our (COVID-19 positive) cases in the city." Mapalo said tourists are not allowed to go to crowded areas such as the Baguio City public market, as well as residential areas except where there are parks. The operators who designed the tour programs have limited the list of places that tourists can visit, including hotels and restaurants accredited by the Department of Tourism. Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the escalation of COVID-19 cases will not derail the scheduled reopening of the city's tourism industry to Region 1. He said the outbreak in three barangays which triggered the spike was not caused by random or unidentified cases but was due to contact tracing activities. Magalong added that almost all of the cases were connected to previous patients, and have been contained or quarantined since the main case was detected. Baguio City Police Office Director PCol Allen Rae Co said they have also come up with a system where tourists would not be able to freely pass through. "Now we will not be able to accompany each and every tourist, so we came up with a system na hindi po sila makakalusot [they cannot easily pass through], from checkpoint scan QR code, and then you will have to pass through the triage," he said The City Government Health Services Office reported 44 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the city on Sept. 27, followed by 68 new cases each on Sept. 28 and 29. On Sept. 21, Magalong and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, along with officials from the Ilocos Region, launched the tourism bubbles in a bid to gradually reopen economies in Baguio, La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. Also launched was the Baguio Visitor Information and Travel Assistance application for incoming visitors who would be availing themselves of tour packages from operators and would be assisted during their scheduled stay. Safety charter: Terry McKevitt, owner of McKevitts in Carlingford, said the refusal to accept the Dublin customers was a protective measure A Co Louth hotel owner who refused diners with an eircode in locked-down Dublin last week says he was taken aback at being slated for trying to adhere to Government regulations against the spread of Covid-19. Terry McKevitt of McKevitts Village Hotel in Carlingford has described a Tripadvisor review - which calls the hotel a "den of ignorance" - as "unfair". The review, which advises customers to "avoid this place", states: "My parents went in here for lunch and a young lady member of staff promptly approached them and demanded their eircode. "As our eircode starts with a D, she promptly interrupted, declaring that they will not be serving anyone from Dublin. "Understandably it was very humiliating for my parents to be denied service in front of all those people. "This den of ignorance should not be frequented by any right-minded individuals. "My parents moved their custom where the staff were polite and happy to receive customers. I'll make certain when the current crisis is over that not a solitary individual known to myself will be darkening the door of this establishment as long as it stands." In a reply, owner Mr McKevitt said: "We accept all feedback whether it be positive or negative. However, we feel like this type of review is very unfair. "Since our reopening on June 29 we have taken every precaution to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. "We have completed all Covid-19 safety charter criteria. As a result we have passed Failte Ireland inspection and are proud to be registered as Covid-19-compliant premises. "Part of these changes has been to abide by all Government guidelines in relation to Covid-19. "We made the decision as a business to not accept guests from any county affected by Government restrictions as a protective measure for all. "We do not apologise for protecting our customers in these trying times and certainly do not apologise for making every attempt to ensure the safety of our hardworking staff. "We encourage all potential customers to listen to Government guidelines and recommendations and we will continue to provide a safe environment for all permitted customers." Downing Street is the driving force behind proposals to hold refugees offshore It has asked officials to consider the option of sending asylum seekers abroad The centres could be built on the Isle of Wight, the Shetlands or the Isle of Man Migrants could also be flown out to Morocco, Moldova or Papua New Guinea Asylum processing centres could be built on the Isle of Wight, the Shetlands or the Isle of Man, it emerged yesterday. The new 'offshoring' proposal which might also see asylum hostels built on other remote Scottish islands is part of Priti Patel's over-arching programme to crackdown on the Channel migrant crisis. ADVERTISEMENT Under a parallel project also being considered by the Government, asylum seekers who arrive in Britain could be flown out to processing centres in Morocco, Moldova or Papua New Guinea. Downing Street is the driving force behind proposals to hold refugees in offshore detention centres and has asked officials to consider the option of sending asylum seekers abroad. Official documents marked 'sensitive' and produced earlier this month, summarise advice from officials at the Foreign Office, which was asked by Downing Street to 'offer advice on possible options for negotiating an offshore asylum processing facility similar to the Australian model in Papua New Guinea and Nauru'. Home Office officials have also been ordered to draw up feasibility studies for the hostel-type centres on islands within the British Isles. It emerged yesterday that officials had previously looked at locating a centre on Ascension Island or St Helena, thousands of miles away in the South Atlantic. However, using such distant British overseas territories was ruled impractical over costs and logistical problems. Now, proposals for asylum centres on islands closer to home will be drawn up. Migrants would be processed on disused ferries moored off the coast under the plans being considered. Another option being considered is buying retired ferries and converting them into asylum-processing centres. Marina with boats on the Solent at East Cowes, Isle of Wight. Migrants who land in Britain could be flown to hostels on the island Migrants are currently being housed in Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, which has been repurposed for them New proposals are part of Priti Patel 's over-arching programme to crackdown on the Channel migrant crisis Boris Johnson is reportedly keen to deter migrants from making dangerous crossings from France with the proposals. Meanwhile, The Times has been told that the Home Office held discussions about moving migrants to decommissioned oil platforms in the North Sea for ADVERTISEMENT Ministers decided that it was a 'no go' but the plan to move migrants to ships is thought more realistic and is being given serious consideration. Miss Patel is understood to believe the processing centres would deter migrants who hope to settle in UK towns and cities. 'Offshoring is still at the scoping stage and policy is yet to be decided,' said a Government source. 'But we are looking at all options to stop the small boats in the Channel, and offshoring is part of that. In terms of locations you could look at the Shetlands, the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Man, and those sorts of areas. 'There are also lots of little islands up by Scotland.' Click here to resize this module The source added: 'This is all fairly down the track and it's not going to be an overnight thing. It will also require changes to legislation. And if we were going to build anything at any of these places we would have to ensure there are appropriate services and provisions for asylum seekers who are sent there.' The source said any accommodation constructed on an island would not take the form of secure detention centres. 'We do not detain asylum seekers, they are free to come and go,' he said. It comes after it was revealed last month that a former Second World War barracks in Folkestone, Kent was now being used by the Government to house up to 400 asylum seekers. Opening the camp was intended to put out a discouraging message to anyone thinking of crossing the Channel illegally. The sparse conditions are very different from the comfortable accommodation complete with a 40 a week spending allowance some migrants have been given on arrival in Britain. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought into Dover, Kent, by Border Force following a small boat incident in the Channel yesterday Under a parallel project also being considered by the Government, asylum seekers who arrive in Britain could be flown out to processing centres in Morocco, Moldova or Papua New Guinea Gibraltar, another British overseas territory, had been ruled out as a location because it is too small, it is understood. ADVERTISEMENT The source added: 'We are looking at what other countries do in terms of offshoring asylum applications and what would be appropriate for us. Government departments including the Foreign Office were asked to look at options. 'Ascension Island was one of the places they came up with. But the Home Secretary does not think that location is feasible. 'Offshoring is something that was previously proposed by Tony Blair's government.' It is unclear how a Home Office asylum facility could be set up on the Isle of Man, which is self-governing. Separately, leaked documents marked 'sensitive' revealed that Downing Street asked the Foreign Office to consider processing centres in Morocco, Moldova and Papua New Guinea at the direct suggestion of the Prime Minister. The three countries were specifically 'floated' by No 10, The Guardian reported. However, the Foreign Office identified a number of diplomatic and practical problems with the plan. Al-Ahram press institution honoured on Wednesday the former editors-of-chief of a number of its publications, including former editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram Hebdo and Ahram Online Fouad Mansour. An AUC graduate, Mansour joined the French-language Al-Ahram Hebdo when it first launched in the 1990s, and served as its editor-in-chief from 2014 till 2020. He also co-founded Ahram Online in 2010 and succeeded the websites founder Hani Shukrallah as editor-in-chief upon his retirement. Search Keywords: Short link: Siren, a San Francisco, CA-based technology company that developed smart textiles with remote patient monitoring (RPM) applications, raised additional $9m in Series B financing. Siren previously raised $11.8m earlier this year, which was led by Anathem Ventures with participation from existing investors DCM, Khosla Ventures, 500 Startups and Founders Fund. This final close puts the total Series B at nearly $21m and included participation by all existing investors as well as new investors, such as Manta Ray, Mighty Capital, Portfolia and David Helgason. Founded in 2015 by Ran Ma, Henk Jan Scholten, and Jie Fu, Siren is a technology company that has developed proprietary technology to embed microsensors into fabric, allowing for the mass production of washable smart textiles. Its products integrate into their users everyday lives while providing real-time biofeedback to patients and their doctors. The companys first commercial product is an FDA-registered temperature monitoring sock for the early detection of inflammation that leads to diabetic foot ulcers, which costs the health system over $43 billion a year and leads to over 100,000 lower limb amputations annually in the United States. To support Sirens accelerated product demand, the company continues to grow its team and is still actively hiring. In the last 12 months, the company has brought on several engineering, sales and executive new hires. FinSMEs 30/09/2020 Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 22:46:14|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- China and India are holding the 19th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a regular press conference when responding to a query about the issue. The meeting is focusing on discussing the implementation of the five-point consensus reached by foreign ministers of the two countries at their meeting in Moscow, studying and solving the remaining issues on the ground, so as to ease tensions in the border areas, said Wang. Enditem Russia and China are waging 'political war' on the West with the express goal of 'breaking our willpower', Britain's highest ranking army officer warned today. Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter said hostile powers 'cannot afford' a militarised conflict and so are turning to cyber attacks and disinformation. He said such actions fall outside the traditional parameters of declaring war but nevertheless aim to sow division and sap 'economic, political and social resilience'. Announcing the greatest shift in the UK's defence strategy 'for a generation', Sir Nick said: 'We must fundamentally change our thinking if we are not to be overwhelmed.' Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter said hostile powers 'cannot afford' a militarised conflict and so are turning to cyber attacks and disinformation He told the Policy Exchange think tank on Wednesday: 'These regimes believe that they are already engaged in an intense form of conflict that is predominantly political rather than kinetic. 'Their strategy of "political warfare" is designed to undermine cohesion, to erode economic, political and social resilience, and to compete for strategic advantage in key regions of the world. 'Their goal is to win without going to war: to achieve their objectives by breaking our willpower, using attacks below the threshold that would prompt a war-fighting response. 'These attacks on our way of life from authoritarian rivals and extremist ideologies are remarkably difficult to defeat without undermining the very freedoms we want to protect. We are exposed through our openness.' His speech, in which he launched the Integrated Operating Concept 2025, name-checked Russia and China as potential threats. In addition to amassing an awesome weapons arsenal which includes state-of-the art ballistic missiles, Sir Nick said China has marshalled technological forms of attack. He said: 'It commands satellite information attack and defence forces, electronic assault forces and Internet assault forces, campaign information operations forces, which include conventional electronic warfare forces, anti-radiation assault forces, and battlefield cyber warfare forces.' He added that Beijing is 'forging a future of mass surveillance... and is rapidly exporting these tools to other parts of the world.' On Russia, Sir Nick pointed to the 'St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency troll farm which engages in sowing division abroad.' And he highlighted evidence of how rogue actors are exploiting the coronavirus pandemic, including 'pro-Russian vaccine politics whose disinformation narratives are designed to permeate anti-vaccination social media groups.' Announcing the greatest shift in the UK's defence strategy 'for a generation', Sir Nick said: 'We must fundamentally change our thinking if we are not to be overwhelmed' Sir Nick also said that rival powers have observed Western military tactics and are adapting their methods to exploit weakness. He said: 'Our adversaries have studied our 'Western way of war', identified our vulnerabilities and modernised their own capabilities to target them. The campaigns of the last 30 years have been played out over global media networks. 'From the first Gulf War in the early 1990s to the air strikes in Bosnia and Kosovo, the response to the terrorist attacks on embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and of course the campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya - all have been watched closely by our rivals.' Sir Nick even said that 'Russia has created battle laboratories from real life events to develop their tactics and battle harden a new generation of soldiers'. To combat such rapidly evolving threats, the Integrated Operating Concept will shore up defences which fall below the 'threshold' of typical warefare. He also stressed the need to cement international alliances, forge better cooperation with the various strands of the armed forces and modernise the British military. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 07:18:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked the international community to push for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. In his address to the General Assembly last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to join the Middle East Quartet and members of the Security Council in convening an international conference early next year to discuss a genuine peace process, noted Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. China believes that this initiative demonstrates Palestine's positive will to participate in the peace dialogue and promote the peace process. All parties should attach importance to it and should consider efforts to create favorable conditions for the political settlement of the Palestinian issue, he told the Security Council. The international community, not least those countries with influence on Palestine and Israel, should uphold an objective and just position, actively promote peace talks and make efforts to advance the Middle East peace process, he said. Abbas also said the Palestinian side is preparing to hold parliamentary and presidential elections involving all political factions. China appreciates this and looks forward to early and positive progress in the intra-Palestinian reconciliation and relevant political processes, he said. Enditem Fire officials are blaming a gas leak for an explosion that destroyed one Dubuque, Iowa home and damaged several others. KCRG reports that Chief Rick Steines with the Dubuque Fire Department said a machine struck a gas main Monday while working in the area. He said firefighters evacuated the closest house while they waited for the gas company to arrive. He said the gas company was in the process of shutting down the gas when it ignited and caused the explosion. One house was destroyed and others had windows blown out. A firefighter also was taken to a hospital for a cut. The City of Dubuque urged owners of rental properties in a Facebook post to check in with tenants in the area. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Homeowners Iowa WATERLOO REGION A Wellesley auction house has implemented new protocols to screen for hate symbols after two Nazi police flags appeared for sale on their website this week. The flags have since been removed from the Jantzi Auctions Ltd. site, and the flags have been destroyed. We sincerely apologize, said owner Gary Jantzi. We want to stand alongside those fighting against hate, and we have implemented protocols to make sure this never happens again. Waterloo resident Suzie Taka was the first to bring the flags to the auctions attention. She was searching for some antique furniture on the auction website on Monday when she stumbled on something she said made her sick to her stomach. Two Nazi police flags, up for auction to the highest bidder. There were already three bids on the Jantzi Auctions site. I couldnt even really process it, she said. It wasnt just seeing it for sale, but also seeing that there were three bids. It just really wasnt sitting right with me. Takas wife is Jewish, and the couple is raising their child in the religion as well. After taking some time to consider her options, Taka decided to call the owners to figure out how the flags made it onto the site. She received a call from the owner within hours and he explained he would be looking into the matter. Jantzi later told the Waterloo Region Record the flags appearing on the website was an honest mistake, with staff trying to quickly process hundreds of different memorabilia and get it into the system. He said they have since had a staff meeting and have created a policy where any submissions that include hate symbols or hate speech will be flagged before going into the system. It will not happen again, he said. The flags have since been deleted from the website, and Jantzi said the flags have been shredded and destroyed. But the problem is far from an isolated incident. Over the course of the last six months, I think a lot of auction houses have been on a steep learning curve, said New Hamburgs Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. owner Ethan Miller. Its forced us to take a closer look at the sorts of items were selling and how they affect people. In the antiques business, Miller said, an items meaning is usually what makes it valuable. Unfortunately, he said, sometimes that meaning can be offensive. There is a place for these items and that could be in a museum but it certainly isnt in our auction house. They recently had to turn down a massive Nazi memorabilia collection since updating their policies. Theyve also turned down Black Americana items memorabilia that relates to African American history. On the international e-commerce website eBay, an offensive materials policy has long banned the sale of listings that promote or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination. That includes Black Americana items that are discriminatory, Nazi propaganda and the Confederate battle flag. Its a policy Miller suggests all auction houses should seriously consider implementing in their own private practices. These unprecedented times in the world have forced a lot of companies to do some soul searching, said Miller. We should not want to be in the business of perpetuating hate. Read more about: SANTA ROSA, Calif. Robert Hayden and his wife, Alla, have lived in the Spring Lake Village retirement community of Santa Rosa for 10 years and love its beautiful grounds almost as much as the plethora of interesting people theyve met there retired doctors, musicians, pilots, writers and executives. On Sunday, the Haydens were among the approximately 450 Village residents forced to leave their homes as the fast-moving Glass Fire approached. It was the second time in recent years theyd gone through that drill, after fleeing the October 2017 wine country fires that killed 22 people and destroyed 5,600 structures. Though Hayden said the residents were better-prepared this time, the evacuation was still stressful. We went outside, the sky was all orange and the air was filled with ash, Hayden said as he sat in his motorized scooter outside the Petaluma Community Center, about 20 miles south of his cottage. It accumulated on my jacket. I think I still have remnants. At 98, the longtime San Francisco Bay Area resident has no plans to relocate, but he senses a growing frustration among fellow members of the community who are fed up with living under the constant threat of wildfires this time of year. Last month, some of the same 70,000 people under evacuation orders Tuesday in Napa and Sonoma counties were displaced by a lightning-sparked blaze that became the fourth-largest fire in state history. 'Like God has no sympathy': Crews struggle with deadly wildfires racing through Northern California, wine country The thought of leaving the picturesque wine country, with its abundant top-notch restaurants and pleasant weather, is not typically tempting for those who can afford to live in the area. But the notion may become inevitable for many if the quick-striking wildfires continue to ignite regularly in a region that has grown increasingly dry with climate change. I see it in Spring Lakers. Theyre beginning to move out, Hayden said. I think theres going to be an increased trend of Northern Californians moving to less fire-prone areas. Story continues Deputy state fire marshal Cliff DuGranrut examines the debris left from the Glass Fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 29, 2020. It would be hard to blame them after watching the region bear the brunt of the more than 8,100 wildfires in the state this year, which have charred a record 3.8 million acres. Two years ago, the Butte County town of Paradise farther northeast was virtually wiped out by the Camp Fire, which killed 85 people. Even infernos with considerably less tragic consequences, like the so-far nonlethal Glass Fire, bring on enormous disruption. Cal Fire said the blaze had destroyed 204 homes and businesses and incinerated 51,266 acres. It was only 2% contained as of Wednesday night. The Glass Fire is one of two blazes racing through California since Sunday. The other, the Zogg Fire, has burned through 55,046 acres near Redding and left four dead. Containment was at 9% on Wednesday night. Worse, fire officials fear the Zogg Fire may merge with the August Complex, already the largest blaze in state history, creating a megafire of more than 1 million acres. The lightning-caused August Complex has blackened 949,672 acres since igniting in mid-August in neighboring Tehama County. "It's something we're looking at, especially with the weather that's coming," Zogg Fire incident commander Sean Kavanaugh said Wednesday. 'Scared to death': Californians share their wildfire evacuation stories Luis Garcia Ochoa and his sister Margarita Garcia live three blocks from each other in Calistoga, a Napa County town that was evacuated Monday night. They received cellphone alerts at 5 a.m. and said this was a closer call than the 2017 fires, which did more damage in Santa Rosa. It was frightening, said Margarita, a winery worker who along with four other family members is sheltering at her daughters one-bedroom apartment. Plus, my mothers 89 and we had to pack up her oxygen and her medications. We couldnt stay any longer because of the smoke and the flames, which were already close. Heartbreaking images: Photos show Glass Fire's devastating impact on Chateau Boswell winery in California's Napa Valley Martha McAllister, also a resident of Spring Lake Village, got an alert late at night Sunday and had just a few minutes to get ready to leave. McAllister, 90, was eventually bused to the shelter in Petaluma. Normally shes the epitome of someone whos put together, and she came out here in her bathrobe covered with ash, said her daughter Stephanie McAllister, who had run out to buy her mother some clothes. Shed been up all night. Like the Haydens, Martha McAllister said she knew of Village residents planning to move away, but she had invested too much money on her entry fee into the community to pull up stakes. Plus, her daughter and granddaughter live nearby. James Weathers, sheltering at the Finley Community Center in Santa Rosa with his wife, Linda, and 3-year-old boxer, Cocoa, said he refuses to believe this is the new normal. As with other locals, this is their second evacuation since 2017, although last time it was only for one day and their house was not damaged. This time they had to rush out more quickly and forgot their computer with family photos, insurance information and financial records. We dont know at this point whether our house is still there. I dont know if we would rebuild here. Probably not, said Weathers, 79, who has managed to keep his sense of humor intact. People, myself included, keep joking: Where are the locusts? Theyre coming. Shortly after checking in with his wife at the well-regarded Finley facility, Luis Villanueva recalled the 2017 fires as a punch in the face to residents who felt relatively safe from the flames. This years blaze has hit closer to home: A friend from work had his house burn down. Fires rage: At least 35 dead as nearly 100 wildfires continue to rage across 12 Western states An electrical engineer by profession, Villanueva takes an analytical approach to the threat of fires, keeping track of them and realizing the encroachment of developments into wildlands is part of the reason they have proliferated in populated areas. But his wife, Ana Maria, who uses a walker, is not thinking in those terms, and he acknowledges shes scared to death after they had to leave their Santa Rosa house of 18 years under evacuation orders. She knows of plenty others who feel the same way. All of my wifes friends are talking about how this is it, theyre going to move out, but most of them dont, Villanueva said. Its human nature. A week after, two weeks after, I think you appreciate life better, and then they forget. Until the next warning. Contributing: Mike Chapman, Redding (Calif.) Record Searchlight; The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California wildfires: Wine country residents weigh moving out The Chinese government plans to reopen talks with 10 Southeast Asian nations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea, political experts say. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in August that talks on the South China Sea should reopen, state-controlled news media in China reported. Wang also said at a meeting in Beijing this month that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should try to finish the code at a faster pace, China Central Television reported on its website. In July, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said that Chinese territorial claims in the sea are illegal. Pompeo also said the United States would help other countries that have disputes with the Chinese government over the sea. The Chinese government claims about 90 percent of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea. However, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also have claims. Code of conduct talks are popular in Southeast Asia. The countries, including China, reached a framework deal in 2002, but talks broke down in 2019. The reason that I think the Chinese first agreed to the code of conduct was to block out the Americans, that the Chinese could saythe South China Sea is peacefulso to the Americans, do not meddle, said Yun Sun. He is the East Asia Program senior associate at the Stimson Center in Washington. China has the worlds third strongest armed forces. It has angered some Southeast Asian countries over the past 10 years by building up some of the seas small islets for military use. Southeast Asian nations value the sea for its fishing and for its underwater energy resources. The United States does not claim the sea, but also does not want China to have too much control over it. Chinese officials worry about what the United States will do next, experts believe. The two powers already have disputes in trade, technology and diplomacy. China now really wants to finalize the code of conduct because the South China Sea right now could reach a boiling point any time now, said Aaron Raben. He is a researcher at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation in Manila. He added that China does not want more problems with the U.S. Southeast Asian countries are listening now to both China and the United States. The Philippines won a ruling in an international arbitration court against China in 2016. Vietnam has considered bringing its own case. Vietnam considers international court case A Southeast Asian country could ask for a ruling in an international court on sovereignty disputes about the sea. China and the Association of Southeast Asian nations agreed in 2017 to restart the talks and, later, to finish them by 2021. A code of behavior would help prevent accidents that capsize fishing boats, and bring an end to dangerous conflicts. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China have not made progress on details in the code, said Huang Kwei-bo. He is vice dean of the international affairs college at National Chengchi University in Taipei. But China believes that just reopening the talks will keep the United States out of the dispute, Huang said. Im Susan Shand. VOAs Ralph Jennings reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story code of conduct n. a set of rule about how to behave pace n. the speed at which something moves framework n. a set of ideas or facts that provide support for something meddle v. to get involved in the activities of others when they do not want your involvement arbitration n. a process of settling disagreement in which the opposing sides present their opinions and ideas to a third person or group for judgment sovereignty adj. a countrys independent authority and the right to govern itself capsize v. to turn over so that the bottom is on top (a boat overturns, for example) Melania and her fellow Trump women did their best to drum up some social media support for the President ahead of the first presidential debate on Tuesday night by coming together to pose for a candid selfie backstage at the event. The First Lady, 50, delighted her supporters by appearing in the candid snap, which shows her leaning in to pose alongside her stepdaughters Ivanka and Tiffany, and Eric Trump's wife Lara, who appears to have taken the image on her phone. But while the image may have seemed casual, it sparked quite the stir on Instagram because it is one of just a handful of occasions when Melania has been seen posing alongside her stepdaughters. Say cheese! Melania Trump delighted her supporters by posing for a rare selfie alongside her stepdaughters, Ivanka and Tiffany, as well as stepson Eric's wife Lara, at the debate on Tuesday Although the image was snapped by Lara, 37, it was Ivanka, 38, who had the honor of posting it on social media - much to the delight of her followers, who were quick to praise all four women in the photo. 'Prettiest first family in our nations history,' one user commented, while another chimed in: 'Lovely and strong women!' 'Such beautiful women!' a third commenter added. The selfie was one of just two photos from the first presidential debate that showed Melania and her stepdaughters posing together; while Ivanka and Tiffany were seen with Lara and Don Jr's partner Kimberly Guilfoyle throughout much of the evening, the First Lady entered the debate venue alone, having spent time with her family backstage ahead of the event. Although the women have attended events together in the past, it is rare that Melania poses for any kind of social media image, instead only appearing in official photographs that are taken by professionals. Georgetown Law graduate Tiffany has also spent much of her father's presidency in college, meaning that she has not been as constant a presence at official events with her sister and stepmother. In the snap, the four women are all seen wearing face masks, with Melania donning a disposable white covering, while Ivanka, Tiffany, and Lara all chose cloth designs. Influencers! The First Lady, 50, also appeared in another social media snap with the three women, as well as Don Jr's longtime partner Kimberly Guilfoyle, as they waited backstage Excitement: The social media snaps delighted Trump supporters, who rushed to praise the 'strong' women Controversial: Some social media users hit out at the women for choosing to wear face masks in the images But while some praised the women for choosing to wear the protective gear - with one person saying they are the 'best looking women mask or no mask' - some anti-masker followers criticized the decision, and urged the Trump ladies to remove them. 'Say No to the mask!' one person commented. 'They are completely pointless! Wed rather see you beautiful smiling faces!' Another then wrote: 'I love you girls! No mask on!!! You go girls!' A third added: 'Please take the masks off!' Another photo posted by Lara shows the foursome posing together once again - although this time they were joined by Kimberly, 51. While the selfie focused on their faces, the second, full-length Instagram snap allowed all of the women to show off their stylish ensembles to full effect. Melania looked like she was ready to get down to business in a $3,340 figure-flattering pinstripe suit from one of her favorite designers, Dolce & Gabbana. The mother-of-one, whose fashion choices have been the subject of much interest throughout her husband's time in the White House, appeared as though she had dressed to complement the President's style for the evening - mirroring his signature suit with her own fashion-forward spin on the look. Supporters: Ivanka, Tiffany, Lara, and Kimberly spent much of the evening together, along with Don Jr and his brother Eric, with the group all entering the venue together Strutting their stuff! Ivanka, 38, led the way as the group entered the debate venue and prepared to take their seats Social media stars: As well as the backstage Instagram snaps, Ivanka also posted a photo with her father on-board Air Force One, while Lara and Tiffany posed for a pre-debate selfie She kept her accessories for the evening to a minimum, wearing a single ring on her finger, while her long brunette locks were styled in her signature loose waves for the evening. While she covered half her face with a mask, the First Lady didn't let that stop her from injected some great glamour into her beauty look, showing off her signature smokey eye above the protective covering, which she appears to have removed once she took her socially-distanced seat in the front row at the venue, alongside Ivanka. Mother-of-three Ivanka, who appears to have attended the debate without her husband, fellow White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, followed in Melania's fashion footsteps by wearing a pantsuit, however unlike her stepmother, she opted for a cream design from Gabriela Hearst. The focus of the look was the $3,210 blazer, which she paired with some matching pants, and a pair of sky-high strappy heels. She was also seen carrying a pricey white $4,700 Chanel handbag to complete her look. Ivanka, who wore her hair in a pin straight style around her shoulders, finished off her ensemble by donning a protective face mask, plumping for a fun floral design that she removed as she took her seat alongside Melania - with relations between the two women seeming cordial, despite recent rumors that they do not get along. Mirroring Ivanka's look, Kimberly, 51, wore a white pantsuit for the evening, however she followed Melania's lead when it came to styling her long brunette hair, which she wore in loose waves around her shoulders. Family: Melania, Ivanka, and Tiffany are only pictured together on rare occasions, like in January 2017 during President Trump's inauguration Smile! They also stood alongside one another on election night in November 2016, when the entire Trump family came together to celebrate the President's victory over Hillary Clinton Support system: Tiffany, pictured with Melania and Ivanka in 2016, has spent much of Trump's presidency in college, and has not been as much of a constant presence at official events When she boarded Air Force One with Don Jr, former TV host had been seen carrying a funky embellished tote that read Rock and Roll in pearls - no doubt a nod to Cleveland's much-loved Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - however when she arrived at the venue, she was no longer carrying it. She continued the pearl theme while in attendance at the debate by wearing a blue pearl-embellished Lele Sadoughi face mask that added a fun hint of color to her other-wise all-white look. President Trump's female family members appeared to have coordinated their looks in pairs for the evening; while Ivanka and Kimberly both wore white pantsuits, Tiffany and Lara were both pictured in form-fitting dark dresses at the event. Georgetown Law graduate Tiffany, who has become a much more regular feature at her father's event since she finished her studies, donned a simple frock with a plunging neckline and a flattering peplum-style ruffle at the waist, accessorizing with a number of gold bracelets on her wrist and a gold locket-style necklace. Much like her older sister and her stepmother, Tiffany, 26, amped up the glamour as far as her makeup look was concerned, modeling long, thick eyelashes, smokey shadow, and pretty pink blush that helped to accentuate the big smile on her face as she took her seat alongside Don Jr, Ivanka and Melania. Together: Ivanka sat down in between her brother Eric and her stepmother Melania, with Lara taking the seat directly behind the First Lady Prime spot: Tiffany also had a spot in the front row, taking the chair in between Melania and her older brother Don Jr The younger First Daughter appears to have changed her ensemble while on-board Air Force One; she was pictured in a selfie with sister-in-law Lara wearing a bright pink blazer and a black turtleneck, however by the time she arrived at the venue, she had donned her navy debate dress. Just like Ivanka, Tiffany's long blonde locks were styled straight and sleek around her shoulders, and she completed her look for the evening with a navy blue face mask. Mother-of-two Lara meanwhile also kept things simple with her dress choice for the evening, modeling a chic black frock that featured a flattering scoop neckline and short above-the-elbow sleeves that emphasized the runner's toned arms. The 37-year-old completed her look with a leopard-print face mask, and she was seen carrying her iPhone in her hand as she entered the venue alongside her husband and his siblings, choosing to go without a purse for the evening. She did however accessorize with several bracelets and an iWatch that was clearly visible on her wrist as she headed to her seat. Lara wore her blonde locks in chic waves for the evening, and - just like her husband's family - she made sure to go all out with the glamour, wearing a nude lipstick, plenty of bronzer, and several coats of mascara. Knowing that Northern California hotels could soon be inundated by evacuees fleeing the fast-moving Glass Fire, Steve Page is doing his best to increase amenities at the 50 Acres Campground by the Sonoma Raceway, near San Pablo Bay in southern Sonoma County. Page, president and general manager of the raceway, announced Monday that the tracks huge campground would open as a refuge to evacuees. He is working to secure National Guard services medical and security help for evacuees and shower trailers that can be difficult to find, especially since hotels in the area are suddenly slammed after being nearly empty for six months. When you consider the combination of looking back to three years ago and the layers of disasters were all currently dealing with, it can leave you a little numb, said Page, who was forced to live in a remote vehicle on the campground for a week during the fires in 2017 all the while worrying about his Sonoma Valley home, which ultimately survived the firestorm. The similarities to three years ago are striking: fires, evacuations and poor air quality. But now theres the coronavirus pandemic, which means that after months of grappling with a shrinking customer base, hotels are seeing swarms of new local reservations in Napa and Sonoma counties. We didnt have such a high occupancy during the pandemic, but today for the first time in months, we have full occupancy, a Napa River Inn employee, who declined to give her name, said by phone. She said every room in the 66-room luxury hotel in downtown Napa was sold out Monday, and customers were checking in nonstop. Napa and Sonoma counties reopened hotels and lodging in mid-June after three months of shelter-in-place closures, with hopes of luring back local tourists. Sonoma is in the purple tier, the states lowest rank in reopening measures. Hotels and lodgings are allowed to operate but on a modified level. Napa is in the red tier, a rank above purple, which allows hotels to be open, along with limited fitness center operations. Tony Abboud said the smoke from the St. Helena area is obvious nearly 40 miles away, where he manages the SureStay Hotel in Fairfield. The ash is everywhere, and we keep cleaning, he said. With electricity, cable and WiFi coming in and out, Abboud said he has tried to access his personal hot spot to help customers use their computers. He is giving discounts and has stopped charging fees for pets for the handful of evacuees who have already checked in to his hotel. You think the fire is out, and then, the winds change, and its going again, Abboud said. Its so sad for all of these people. Now Playing: Patrick Ryan stayed with his home in Santa Rosa while his wife and children evacuated the Shady Fire, which burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate. Video: Matthias Gafni, Erika Carlos Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California The Glass Fire started on Sunday morning and grew to encompass the smaller Shady and Boysen fires overnight. Given the limits on shelter options, Sonoma Raceway opened its campgrounds, which are equipped to handle up to 2,000 during major event weekends. They housed 200 to 300 people who evacuated in 2017. The 2020 version will include mandatory face coverings and social distancing, according to Page. The best case is that we can go home and shut things down, but were ready for whatever the circumstances throw at us, he said. Well all be very happy when 2020 is behind us. 2021 is going to be much better. It will have to be. Shwanika Narayan and Rusty Simmons are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com, rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika, @RustySFChron NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Headstrong Project Inc., a national-facing mental health treatment practice providing veterans with barrier-free mental health care, received a $1 million grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation to expand upon its mental health treatment offerings. Amidst ongoing efforts to increase access to care for the nation's veteran families, the funding will help Headstrong expand its number of clinical providers and increase capacity in new and existing markets. Currently, Headstrong operates in 27 cities across the United States and provides cost-free, bureaucracy-free, stigma-free mental health treatment to post-9/11 veterans and their families. "I know first-hand what it's like to live with PTSD. To veterans who feel isolated and alone in their struggle, my message is simple. You are not alone. There is hope for better days," said Bob Parsons, Marine Corps Vietnam Combat Veteran and Founder & CEO of PXG. "Headstrong is destigmatizing mental health care and providing a new and better avenue for effective, confidential treatment." Working in partnership with Weill Cornell Medical College, one of the nation's leading mental health care centers, Headstrong developed a first of its kind program tailored to each individual's needs. The customized treatments address issues like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), addiction, anxiety and depression, trauma, grief, and anger management. "At Headstrong, we are dedicated to healing the hidden wounds of war by working with skilled practitioners in, or near, the communities where these veterans live; it's about meeting them where they are," said Headstrong Executive Director Colonel (USA, Ret.) Jim McDonough. "Because of the generous support from people like Bob and Renee Parsons, we are more capable than ever of delivering highly individualized, private care to even more veterans when and where they need it most." Headstrong has a particular focus on helping those who are underserved, including veterans whose economic security has been jeopardized due to COVID-19 and who reflect diverse ethnicities and sexual identities, may be justice-involved, and are coping with the consequences of military sexual trauma or housing instability. Unlike the VA, Headstrong serves all post-9/11 veterans, regardless of discharge status or potential substance abuse issues. The nonprofit utilizes partnerships with aligned Veteran Service Organizations to offer care, free of charge. "We are proud to partner with an organization so dedicated to helping veterans and their families get access to mental health treatment," said President & Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. "Whether it be cost, long wait lists, transportation limitations, or the social stigma surrounding mental health care, Headstrong is removing roadblocks that stop veterans from getting the help they deserve." Headstrong has demonstrated success in eliminating, or significantly decreasing, symptoms of mental health challenges and creating positive results such as restoring sleep, improving family communications and reducing substance abuse. Since its inception in 2012, Headstrong has served nearly 1,000 clients every month, through thousands of sessions of clinical care delivered by world-class, trauma-informed therapists and leading to improvements in mental health within the post-9/11 veteran population. Visit getheadstrong.org to learn more. About Headstrong Founded in 2012, Headstrong provides confidential, cost-free and frictionless mental health care treatment for Iraq and Afghanistan military veterans and their families. In partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine, one of the nation's leading mental health care centers, Headstrong developed an effective, individually tailored and comprehensive treatment program for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and related military trauma. In light of the growing crisis resulting from gaps in mental health treatment availability related to COVID-19, Headstrong has recently launched a campaign driven by the core belief that no matter where the battle started, everyone deserves a chance to heal- no one gets left behind. As a testament to its core belief, Headstrong promises to stand shoulder to shoulder with those battling trauma. Follow @getheadstrong on social media or visit getheadstrong.org to learn more about how you can help Headstrong keep that promise. About The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the country's most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundation's giving is driven by the core belief that all people regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit TBRPF.org to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community. SOURCE Headstrong Project Related Links www.getheadstrong.org Wells College was awarded a $935,000 five-year federal grant to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Aurora-based private college was awarded the grant by the U.S. Department of Education through the TRIO Student Support Services program, a news release said. Beginning with the current year, the grant for the first year is $187,025, while the remaining funds will be distributed over the following four years. The support services program is a personal and academic support program meant to boost retention and graduation rates among students from low-income backgrounds or students who are first-generation college students, in addition to people with disabilities. It includes academic and personal support services such as tutoring, academic advising, career counseling, mentorship, financial literacy and post-graduate preparation. Receiving this grant is evidence of Wells commitment to supporting all of our students from admission through graduation, Charles Kenyon, dean of students and principal investigator under the grant, said in the news release. In the fall of 2019, over 57% of our students were eligible for support under the Student Support Services program. This grant will allow us to annually provide 100 eligible students from disadvantaged backgrounds with a continuum of wrap-around support to address academic, personal, financial and social issues that impact their performance. Through the grant, Wells will be able to dedicate extra resources for various student services areas including course advising, financial and economic literacy skills, tutoring and mentoring, course advising, understanding and applying for financial aid and guidance in applying to graduate or professional schools, the college said. By boosting support in these areas, the goal is to remove the academic, social and financial barriers that can negatively affect rates of persistence and graduation for eligible students, compared to their peers. The institution was in competition with more than 1,700 colleges across the country for the grant. It is almost unheard of for a college to be awarded a TRIO grant the first time they apply and this is a tribute to the outstanding team who worked on the grant proposal, Jonathan Gibralter, Wells College president, said in the news release. Last spring, Wells received a New York State Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program grant (CSTEP) and for Wells to receive a federal TRIO grant and a NYS CSTEP grant in the same year is a remarkable achievement. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Following the chaotic first debate between Joe Biden and President Trump, a CNN panel struggled to find the words to describe what theyd just witnessed. Almost from the very beginning, Biden and Trump repeatedly interrupted each other and talked over one another, which caused moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, to step in, which led to three people trying to talk over each other. That was a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck. That was the worst debate I have ever seen, Jake Tapper said. In fact, it wasnt even a debate, it was a disgrace. Tapper later added, The American people lost tonight, because that was horrific. Dana Bash wasnt quite as eloquent as Tapper. You used some high-minded language, Bash said to Tapper. Im just going to say it like it is, that was a sh** show. And, you know, were on cable, we can say that. Apologies for being a little bit crude, but that is really the phrase that Im getting from people on both sides of the aisle on text, and its the only phrase that I can think of to really describe it. One memorable moment from the debate came when Wallace asked Trump if hed be willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, and tell them to stand down and not add to the violence like what happened in Kenosha, Wis., and Portland, Ore. Trump said he was willing, but failed to do so. Im willing to do anything, Trump said. I want to see peace. Then do it, sir, Wallace pushed. Say it, Biden added. You wanna call em what do you want to call em? Give me a name, Trump responded. Wallace told Trump to name white supremacists, while Biden specified the violent right-wing white supremacist group Proud Boys, which Trump did, but he didnt condemn them. Proud Boys, Trump said, stand back and stand by. Proud Boys celebrated the shoutout online, and took it as a rallying cry and a call to arms. This was the only moment that mattered to CNNs Van Jones. The commander in chief refused to condemn white supremacy on the global stage, in front of my children, in front of everybodys families. And he was given the opportunity multiple times to condemn white supremacy, Jones said. And he gave a wink and a nod to a racist, Nazi, murderous organization that is now celebrating online, that is now saying, We have a go-ahead. Look at what the Proud Boys are doing right now online because the president of the United States refused to condemn white supremacy. Thats the only thing that happened tonight. Story continues Former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum saw things differently and claimed Wallace was at fault for asking the question. He was asking the president to do something that he knows the president doesnt like to do. Which is say something bad about people who support him, right? When pressed who it is Trump doesnt want to say anything bad about because they support him, and if it was white supremacists, Santorum conceded, Yeah, the white supremacists. For more on the debate check out Yahoo News. Watch Kamala Harris call Trumps message to a white supremacist group A dog whistle through a bullhorn: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Tens of thousands of airline workers are bracing for a wave of furloughs that could begin as soon as Thursday, when a ban on broad layoffs that was a condition of federal aid comes to an end. The cuts will be painful, but they could have been worse. For months, airlines have asked employees to volunteer for pay cuts, extended leaves, buyouts or early retirement in order to help preserve as many jobs as possible. Tens of thousands signed up. Steven Ray Littles II, a young Delta flight attendant, took a buyout because he didnt want to leave his future to chance. Mike Stoica, a mechanic at American Airlines, decided to do the same to secure health care benefits for his wife. Tina Jackson, a 56-year-old reservations agent at Alaska Airlines, retired early so that she might help save a colleagues job. When something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us, she said. The industry had hoped to avoid, or at least delay, this reckoning and its chances seemed good. Workers in recent weeks had successfully lobbied lawmakers to renew the $25 billion in payroll assistance that they provided passenger airlines under the CARES Act in March, garnering bipartisan support in Congress and the presidents approval. But broader talks stalled. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 23:47:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BANGKOK, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government sponsored Job Expo Thailand 2020, which just ended, had received better than expected feedback from participants, with jobseekers and new graduates now hired or waitlisted for some 100,000 positions, said Thailand's new Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin, on Wednesday. The 3-day job expo welcomed 125,383 participants into the job seeking event in Bangkok, most of the participants were fresh graduates from universities, said the minister. These students have participated in the government's co-payment scheme where the state will pay half of the wages to each student employee, in a bid to ease companies' financial burdens. Out of the 260,000 vacancies, 78,855 positions have been filled while 181,145 positions are still open, said the minister. Most positions offered at the job seeking event were of the manufacturing sector at 200,000 positions, followed by marketing and public relations at 60,000 positions; textiles at 32,000; graphics and design at 32,000 positions; construction work at 30,000 positions, with miscellaneous categories at 34,000 positions. The most sought-after jobs at this event were administration and general management, Suchart said, followed by services, engineering and manufacturing. The minister said that statistics gathered at the Job Expo, indicated that there is still high demand in the manufacturing sector. Most participants, questioned at the event, said the Job Expo makes it convenient to submit their application and get an interview instantly in one place, and asked the government to hold a similar event every year, particularly in September when new graduates start to enter the job market. They have suggested the government extend the event to five days, to allow jobseekers more time to consider and apply for more positions. Enditem By Moira Warburton VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou returned to a Canadian court on Monday to fight extradition to the United States, with her lawyers arguing she only needed to show supporting evidence to add an allegation of U.S. abuse of process to the case. The so-called Vukelich hearings are expected to run to Wednesday and will help the judge decide whether there is an "air of reality," or possibility that Meng's accusations are valid, and allow the defense to argue the additional allegation. Meng, 48, was arrested in December 2018 on a warrant from the United States charging her with bank fraud for misleading HSBC about Huawei's business dealings in Iran and causing the bank to break U.S. sanctions law. The daughter of billionaire Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, Meng has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition from her house arrest in Vancouver. Scott Fenton, a lawyer for Meng, said in court that the hearing was not intended to be a "detailed examination" of the allegation, only whether there was a "realistic possibility" that it could be sustained. Fenton said the "elephant in the room" was that Meng and Huawei had not lied and had instead given HSBC all the information needed to assess the risk, contrary to U.S. allegations. Fenton argued a pattern of misconduct in how the United States represented Huawei's communication to HSBC. Huawei has long described Skycom Tech Co Ltd as a separate local business partner in Iran, but the U.S. indictment alleges Huawei controlled Skycom and used it to violate American sanctions. "There is not a single shred of evidence (in the request for extradition) that Skycom or Huawei were involved in any prohibited activity in terms of the actual commerce in Iran," Fenton said. Prosecutors representing the Canadian government will make their arguments on Tuesday. Story continues 'RECKLESS ERROR' The arrest has strained China's relations with the United States and Canada. Soon after Meng's detention, China arrested Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, charging them with espionage. In previously submitted court documents, Huawei lawyers argued that the U.S. extradition request was flawed because it omitted key evidence showing Meng did not lie to HSBC about Huawei's business in Iran. They used a PowerPoint presentation to show HSBC knew the extent of Huawei's business dealings in Iran, which they say the United States did not accurately portray in its extradition request to Canada. Meng's lawyers argue that the case the United States submitted to Canada is "so replete with intentional and reckless error" that it violates her rights. Ultimately, Fenton said they would ask for a stay of the extradition or an exclusion of evidence they argue is misleading, although he emphasized that would come later should the judge approve their request. Vukelich hearings are rare in extradition cases, said Gary Botting, an extradition lawyer based in Vancouver, although he added it was not surprising given the complexity of Meng's case. The defense's success "depends entirely on the nature of the evidence ... and whether or not there is any substance to their allegations," Botting added. Meng's extradition trial is set to wrap up in April 2021, although if either side appeals the case, it could drag on for years through the Canadian justice system. (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Vancouver; Additional reporting by Tessa Vikander in Vancouver; Editing by Denny Thomas, Richard Chang and Peter Cooney) The Auburn City Council will meet Thursday to discuss the State of Local Emergency still in place that prohibits customers from walking up to bars indoors to order drinks. The council voted 6-3 last month to extend the order through Oct. 7, in anticipation of Gov. Kay Ivey extending the state's Safer at Home restrictions. She did so Wednesday morning. In a related move, the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board also voted this week to end the restriction against bars and restaurants selling alcohol past 11 p.m. Local order The Auburn city order includes police monitoring of social distancing in downtown bars, and prohibits customers from getting their own drinks inside bars. Mayor Ron Anders sought the council's support for the move last month after conferring with Auburn University and East Alabama Medical Center officials. He said the order appeared to be working, as local COVID-19 case numbers had stabilized. Councilman Jay Hovey voted against the extension Sept. 15. Rocks painted with the message every child matters, commemorate Orange Shirt Day, Sept. 30, about creating meaningful discussion about the effects of Residential Schools and their legacy. Credit: Province of British Columbia/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND Regular attendance in schools is a factor that affects positive and healthy childhood development. Students with poor school attendance are at an increased risk for a number of negative outcomes. Students who experience chronic stress, such as socio-economic disadvantage, mental health challenges or cultural marginalization, are at an increased risk for school absenteeism. In Alberta, recent data from Rocky View Schoolsthe province's fifth largest school board serving students west, north and east of Calgarysuggest that of the population of students who identify as Indigenous within the district, 30 percent can be considered chronically absent the 2017-18 school year. Of the population of on-reserve students attending Rocky View Schools, a staggering 80 percent of all on-reserve students were chronically absent. Enrolment of on-reserve students has also decreased significantly in the past five years. These findings prompted Rocky View Schools to undertake further research, funded by Alberta Education, to examine this gap. As a white educator who spent years teaching in kindergarten to Grade 12 schools, predominately in Rocky View Schools, I conducted research with my colleague Mairi McDermott to probe deeper into on-reserve Indigenous students' attendance patterns. We used a mixed methods study that included education staff (teachers, educational assistants, administrators, guidance counselors and central office staff) and families from the Stoney-Nakoda Nations whose children attended Rocky View Schools. Education staff completed an online survey, and families were interviewed in person. We found a form of cross-cultural anxiety was a barrier to attendance. Cross-cultural misunderstandings compounded by educators' unexamined white privilege and racism are barriers to on-reserve Indigenous students' school attendance. What Indigenous parents, teachers said Rocky View Schools serves the Stoney-Nakoda First Nations communities of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Wesley, as well as the Tsuu T'ina Nation. Indigenous parents in the study reported that they chose to send their children to an off-reserve public school for increased access to specialized programs, such as mechanics, and special education support. Video from Stoney Nakoda: Bearspaw Nation Treaty 7 Project. Parents felt that attending off-reserve schools would assist with children's learning to bridge different cultural worldviews and might help them with future employment opportunities. But parents said that sending their children to off-reserve schools also meant their children showed signs that they were experiencing racism. One parent said they anticipated this, and wanted to gradually expose their children to the settler-colonial worldview and to gradually experience racism so it was not such a shock later in life. Another parent struggled to understand their eight-year-old child's request for more sunscreen on a family vacation. The child said they did not want to return to school more brown. Therefore parents say Indigenous or racialized students do not feel safe or a sense of belonging in schools. Education staff who participated in the research overwhelmingly said they felt anxiety and mental health concerns were a key barrier to student attendance. The educators connected this to the legacy of residential schools. One parent in our study said that this assumption by educators was demeaning and served only to delegate the issues of contemporary racism into the background. Despite educators not recognizing this as a barrier, daily experiences of racism and a lack of cultural understandings are contributing to the poor attendance of on-reserve students. Particularly given our findings about students' experiences of racism, an important area for future research could be the attendance pattern of racialized students. Video from Rocky View Schools featuring Grade 4 students in dialogue with Saa'kokoto, Elder and Storyteller Randy Bottle. Current reconciliation education The teaching profession in Alberta is 70 percent white and female. Having an homogeneous teaching population in Alberta classrooms presents a challenge to reconciliation. If educators consistently see their own identities and perspectives reinforced, and are not encouraged to critically examine how white privilege shapes these, it limits educators' capacities for perceiving Indigenous or racialized students' experiences. In Rocky View Schools, educator professional development has focused on Indigenous education through increasing teachers' knowledge about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, residential schools and trauma. Activities have included the blanket exercise and examining teaching approaches. Indigenous scholars have spoken at leadership meetings and Elders have engaged with classrooms. However, there has been little attention paid to how forms of systemic racism and oppression remain ingrained in policy, curriculum and teaching or classroom practices in our current kindergarten to Grade 12 school system. As I have explored in other research, beyond Rocky View Schools' own professional development offerings, trends in teacher professional development are focused on self-reflective practices, which often ignore social structures and systemic forms of racism in schooling. Narrow professional teacher education may in fact contribute to Indigenous student absenteeism. Being accountable Making new and better commitments to how educational systems interact with Aboriginal communities was a key focus of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action. Who is accountable for its call towards truth and reconciliation? While the ministries of education and the the Council of the Ministers of Education Canada, an intergovernmental body that works to support ministers of education, are engaged in work to prioritize Indigenous education, on-reserve families we spoke with are not seeing improvements in their children's educational experiences when attending off-reserve schools. The data from Rocky View Schools indicates that on-reserve students are not feeling safe or included in Alberta's schools. There is clearly more work to be done, and yet there remains a lack of accountability surrounding reconciliation to ensure educators are partners in removing barriers to accessing public educationrather than furthering the opportunity gap. Explore further After coronavirus closures, reopening schools demands collaboration This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Gopinath Rajendran By Express News Service R Madhavan begins the video call by taking off on the title of his film, Silence, thats hitting Amazon Prime Video this Friday. To be silent has become a challenge, he turns philosophical. Left to yourself without your phone or social media, how comfortable can you be with yourself ? How much are you able to stay in touch with your inner self ? The conversation naturally veers to the how of this film. After wrapping up Rocketry, I was waiting for the first edit when producer Kona Venkat approached me with this film. It was initially planned as a silent film and I was intrigued, and the fact that it was going to be shot in the USA made things convenient for me as I was there for my sons swimming training. Excerpts follow: You made your OTT debut with Breathe, and now, you have a feature film getting a digital release. How do you see things having evolved? Silence was shot keeping a theatrical release in mind. The charm theatres have is unique. Breathe though was made for the OTT space, which is a boon, in a sense. Let us remember that every year, we produce around 1,300 films across the country, which means that we should have four new releases every day. But yes, some films are to be enjoyed only in the theatres and in the midst of a community experience. It is a feeling OTT platforms cannot provide. In fact, when I realised Silence was going to get a digital release, I was initially apprehensive. But then, we must remember that a film that gets out on an OTT platform will survive there for years on end and can be viewed multiple times. It tells you that even during the worst times, some good things will happen. You worked with Anushka in her first Tamil film, Rendu. Now, more than a decade later, what is it like to work with her again? I remember her as a beautiful, charming new actor. Fourteen years laters, she is still very much the beautiful, charming person she was, but Im proud of her now to see how passionate she is about cinema and how involved she gets about it. After Baahubali, she has become a huge star but is still humble and lovely to work with. I play an international cello player who gets depressed after his wife cheats on him. Anushka too is an artist in the film, a painter who cannot speak or hear. Just when they are on the cusp of a beautiful relationship, there is a twist, and the story follows. How did your own evolution as an actor benefit your performance in this film? We have barely had any silent films since Kamal Haasan sirs Pushpak. And as I said, I was excited that the film was originally conceived as one. But once we started work on this thriller/whodunnit, the makers decided not to be indulgent and so, dialogues, even if minimal, were added. We were joking about how almost all of them have made it to the trailer (laughs). As an actor, I wanted to learn the cello to get the flair of a renowned artist. But I couldnt learn to play even a tune though I figured out how to act like a musician. When I came to South films, they called me a Hindi actor and when I went to do Hindi films, they branded me a Tamil actor. I always did films by forgetting everything, relying on my life experiences, and keeping the honesty of the character in mind, without worrying about projecting myselfbe it Tanu Weds Manu or Anbe Sivam or Irudhi Suttru. I realised that true heroism comes in showing your actual confidence as an actor. I have learned this from bigger actors like Aamir Khan to let characters do what they are supposed to. Is it a deliberate choice to steer away from roles that once defined you as a chocolate boy? I dont want the younger generation to look at a film and laugh. I try a variety of subjects with their set of risks. Those around me may not be encouraging of such attempts, but the audience has evolved to offer mature comments about such films. Many who have worked with me ask why I havent teamed up with them again, but Im not able to tell them that they havent evolved, and any repeated collaborations would turn out to be a failure. They have asked if I can do action like in a film like Vikram Vedha or a role like in Rocketry, and I have done it due to a certain courage. Im soon going to be 51 and they tell me that if I dyed my hair, I could still pull off younger roles. But I believe we must be ready to let go of the burden of such expectations. Its when you are unable to make that graceful transition from being an Alexander to an Aristotle that all your problems arise right from politics to cinema, full of people unable to take a back seat. How have you envisioned your future as an actor? The younger generation will always come up with newer ideas and I hope I have the wisdom to adapt to it and be relevant like Mr. Amitabh Bachchan is today. If I must do romantic films, they need to be age-appropriate. We have a lot of romance left, even at my age, and it can be a yardstick for the young ones to see what romance they should engage in at a younger age. I dont think I can do something like Alaipayuthey again though. I am seeing many older heroes romancing younger heroines and I feel bad for both of them. I would retire before I feel compelled to do something like that. Market value for actors typically get determined by how well a theatre release does. How does this system work for an OTT release? You dont get the euphoria of a Friday night release, or reports from theatres, and yes, those factors determine your popularity. However, its profitable for a producer to release films on an OTT platform. For example, my film with Kamal Haasan, Anbe Sivam, was declared a flop, and later, became a cult film when nobody could make revenue out of it. Now, the situation is different. If Anbe Sivam had released on OTT platforms, it would have made so much more money. Tanu Weds Manu and 3 Idiots are some of the biggest blockbusters in terms of return on investment in the film industry, but my salary didnt go up. We must be sensible and perceptive to true success. For all of this to happens, analytical data is important, and soon, I believe it will be available. I have a promising lineup of films that gives me the jitters. I am already accused of being a lazy actor and giving films only once every three years. I want to make sure that any of my films that eventually come up dont turn out to be a dud. After Silence, I have Maara that will also be out on Amazon Prime Video. There is also Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, and so, I hope that the complaint about my laziness does not crop up again. As you have in grown in stature as an actor, your participation in other departments of filmmaking seem to have increased too. It is true that I share the benefit of my experience if I think thats the best way for the film to progress. But when you do a film with a filmmaker like a Mani Ratnam or Rajkumar Hirani, I remain content with being an actor. Sometimes, apart from being an actor, I must wear a producers hat when the financial situation of the project goes awry. Sometimes, I wear a directors hat when I think a younger filmmaker needs to understand the nuances of storytelling. Sometimes, I wear a mentors hat when the film has to become a viable project for the producer. I knew that OTT platforms would become a big deal a decade ago. All those people who didnt take my predictions seriously, are now asking how I guessed it. Mani Ratnam sir himself has stepped into the world of OTT platforms now. I am certain that next, there will be a new platform where artists can put out their own content and will be able to monetise it on their own without having to sell it to anyone. Considering you are making your directorial debut with Rocketry, can we expect more from Madhavan, the director? I dont know if I have what it takes to become a director. I had to direct Rocketry due to circumstances. I have taken it in the direction I wanted to, thanks to having the right technical knowledge, although that doesnt necessarily make me a good director. I know people wont forgive me if my experimentation goes wrong, so I try to be careful with the art. I can see though director Madhavan is an actors director. Saban Films has acquired distribution rights to numerous global territories on Wildcat, a thriller starring Black Mirror actor and BAFTA winner Georgina Campbell. The distributor will roll out the film in North America, Variety has learned, as well as the U.K. and Ireland where Saban has recently expanded its presence. Jonathan W. Stokes (El Gringo) wrote and directed the piece about an ambitious reporter (Campbell) stationed in the Middle East who is taken captive after her convoy is ambushed. She is confronted by the trauma of her past and must find a way to bring down the militants who incarcerated her. Campbell won the best actress BAFTA TV award in 2015 for the BBC original Murdered by My Boyfriend. She also broke out in the Black Mirror episode Hang the DJ, about futuristic courtship system, and starred in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Supporting cast includes Luke Benward (Dumplin, Life of the Party), Ibrahim Renno (The Rhythm Section, Sicario: Day of the Soldado), Mido Hamada (American Sniper, Veronica Mars) and Ali Olomi (Rogue Warfare: Death of a Nation). The film was produced by Narineh Hacopian and Soapbox Films Christopher Alender. Im thrilled that Saban Films will be sharing Wildcat with the world. I couldnt be more proud of the actors and filmmakers who teamed to make this movie, and we couldnt be in better, said Stokes. We are delighted to be able to bring this tense thriller to our audiences, especially as we continue to expand internationally, Saban Films president Bill Bromiley commented. Jonathan is such a talented writer and Georgina Campbell has a real breakout performance in this film that will have audiences rooting for her. Bromiley and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal for Saban with Ryan Kampe on behalf of Visit Films and the UTA Independent Film Group. Story continues Saban Films recently announced that it has entered the UK market via a partnership with Altitude Media Group. More from Variety Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A little-known Westfield hack can score shoppers an extra free hour of parking at some of its busiest centres. The shopping-centre giant has released an app, Westfield Plus, which gives members a range of perks - including extended free parking. Selected Westfield centres, including Bondi Junction in Sydney's east, Chermside in Brisbane, Canberra's Woden and Carousel in Perth are all on board. Parking is usually only free for the first two hours and then goes up in $5 increments every half-hour. A little-known Westfield (pictured) hack could save customers money by getting them more hours of free parking at shopping centres This means shoppers would usually pay $15 for just over three hours of parking time at the shopping centre, but can now get it for free. Other centres that offer the extended free parking include Parramatta and Penrith, in Sydney's west, and Chatswood in Sydney's Lower North Shore. 'Get the most out of every visit to Westfield Bondi Junction with our new membership program, Westfield Plus,' the website says. The shopping-centre giant has released a brand new app called Westfield Plus (pictured) where members get perks, saving them $15 on parking at selected centres CENTRES WITH FREE THREE HOUR PARKING: Belconnen, ACT Bondi Junction, Sydney, NSW Chatswood, Sydney, NSW Coomera, Gold Coast, QLD Woden, ACT Carousel, Perth, WA Chermside, Brisbane, QLD Kotara, Newcastle, NSW Parramatta, Sydney, NSW Penrith, Sydney, NSW Advertisement 'Download the free app now to unlock extended free parking and other member benefits from the palm of your hand.' Customers will also get reduced rates if they choose to stay at the shopping centre for longer than three hours, and free parking after 6pm. The app also allows them to check their parking time and set a 30-minute reminder to get back to the car. Promotions, events, offers and news will also be available in the new member program. Uttar Pradesh's home secretary Bhagwan Swarup, will lead the SIT and DIG, Chandraprakash, and commandant PAC Agra, Poonam, will be its members Lucknow: Amid outrage over the Hathras gang-rape case, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and sought strict action against the accused, the Chief Minister's office said. Adityanath on Wednesday constituted a three-member SIT to probe the gang-rape case, a day after the death of the 19-year-old woman in a Delhi hospital and also asked for conducting the trial in a fast track court. In a tweet, the chief minister's office said that the prime minister spoke with Adityanath over the case. Respected Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji has spoken on the Hathras incident and said that strict action should be taken against the culprits, the CMO said. The woman was brutally gang-raped in a village in Hathras district two weeks ago. She died of her grievous injuries at a Delhi''s Safdurjung hospital on Tuesday, prompting outrage, protests and calls for justice. A senior official said a SIT has been constituted to the probe the case. The state's home secretary Bhagwan Swarup, will lead the SIT and DIG, Chandraprakash, and commandant PAC Agra, Poonam, will be its members. The SIT has been asked to submit its report in seven days time, the official said. At the invitation of the President of the Lebanese Higher Council of Customs, Mr. Assaad Tfaily, the WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, visited Beirut, Lebanon on 28 and 29 September 2020 to discuss the way forward for Customs reform. Lebanon is currently facing an economic crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the catastrophic explosion of 4 August 2020 that severely damaged the ports infrastructure, including Customs facilities. Dr. Mikuriya visited the devastated port area and expressed his sympathy and solidarity on behalf of the global Customs community. Lebanese Customs organized two round-table sessions, one with the business community and another one with international organizations. These sessions enabled Secretary General Mikuriya to gain an insight into the needs of the private sector with respect to rebuilding Customs infrastructure. He also learned about the readiness of the United Nations and other international organizations to assist in this process. In addition, Lebanese Customs shared its vision of Customs reform, while Customs key external stakeholders were afforded an opportunity to interact with the WCO. Dr. Mikuriya also attended a separate session with senior Customs staff and a series of meetings with the development community. After his meeting with Customs stakeholders, Secretary General Mikuriya had a series of high-level meetings with political leaders, including the Lebanese Minister of Finance, Dr. Ghazi Wazni, the Prime Minister, Dr. Hassan Diab, and the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon, Mr. Nabih Berri, to explain the importance of Customs and the WCOs willingness to provide continuous support as well as to seek the political backing needed to kick-start the countrys much needed Customs reform. Following these fruitful discussions, all parties expressed their readiness to offer the political support required to modernize Lebanese Customs. Lebanons new Customs Code is aligned with the WCOs Revised Kyoto Convention. The WCO has also been assisting the Lebanese Customs Administration in the development of a Customs Strategic Plan and providing support for the organizational reforms that will enable the Administration to implement the Customs Code and Strategic Plan. Panaji: Congress on Thursday demanded that a police case be registered against the Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for instigating the voters to accept bribe ahead of the February 4 Assembly elections in Goa. If FIR can be registered against (AAP leader) Arvind Kejriwal, then why not against Parrikar? Both have made similar comments and violated the model code of conduct, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said in Panaji. The Election Commission has issued a notice to Parrikar for his remark and asked him to file a reply by tomorrow. There is no problem if somebody roams around after taking Rs 500, but just vote for the lotus (BJPs poll symbol), the EC notice quoted the Defence Minister as having said at Chimbel in the state on January 29. Earlier, the EC had ordered FIR against Kejriwal over similar appeal to the voters. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Watch: Speaker in stinging attack on Boris Johnson over coronavirus response Boris Johnson given extraordinary dressing-down by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle says Johnsons government treating Parliament with contempt Downing Street has been criticised for introducing coronavirus rules without consulting MPs Visit the Yahoo homepage for more stories House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has launched a scathing attack on the government for treating Parliament with contempt. In an extraordinary dressing-down of Boris Johnson before Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, Hoyle criticised the government over its approach to coronavirus legislation. He said: The way in which the government has exercised its powers to make secondary legislation during this crisis has been totally unsatisfactory. Hoyle said that all too often, new rules have been published hours before they come into force, and without having been laid out in the House of Commons. Sir Lindsay Hoyle during his scathing attack on the government on Wednesday. (Parliamentlive.tv) The Speaker said the governments lack of clarity in such important matters risks undermining the rule of law. He added: I am now looking to the government to rebuild the trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt that it has shown. Johnson did not refer to Hoyles three-minute reprimand when he was called to speak for the beginning of PMQs. The rebuke comes as Johnson has also faced growing anger from his own Conservative backbenchers over the governments introduction of new rules without consulting Parliament. One Tory MP accused Downing Street of authoritarianism last week. Tory MPs have also criticised the laws themselves, such as the rule of six, which bans most social gatherings of more than six people and was announced by Johnson at a Downing Street press conference. Leading backbencher Steve Baker described the restrictions as madness at the time. Hoyle, meanwhile, said on Wednesday he would not select any amendments to a motion to renew the COVID-19 regulations, in order to avoid uncertainty and possible legal challenges. Story continues In doing so, the Speaker actually spared Johnson a revolt. The PM had been facing a rebellion from more than 50 Conservative MPs. They were set to back an amendment from Sir Graham Brady, the influential chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, that would have handed Johnson a defeat with opposition support. Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street on Wednesday. (Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images) Brady later said he remained hopeful the government will make concessions on coronavirus powers. In a statement, he said: The Speaker set out his reasons for not selecting any amendments but he also made it clear that he expects the government to ensure proper and timely parliamentary scrutiny. I am hopeful that the government will respond appropriately this afternoon. Watch: People in England face 10,000 fines for not self-isolating Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 15:32:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANAA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Two women were killed on Wednesday morning when artillery shelling hit a residential neighborhood in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, medics told Xinhua. Five others, including a child, were wounded in the shelling on al-Rabasah neighborhood in the southern part of the city, the medics in Althawra hospital said. Hodeidah has seen a shaky cease-fire between the government forces and the Houthi militia since both sides reached a UN-sponsored truce agreement in Stockholm in December 2018. The port city is under the control of the Houthis, while the government forces have advanced to the southern districts. Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 13:51:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Nepal will resume providing tourist visas to foreigners after a gap of nearly seven months as the Nepali government decided to welcome foreign tourists starting from Oct. 17 for mountaineering and trekking purpose, Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said. The Nepali government had suspended issuing tourist visas in early March to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "Now, foreigners willing to come to Nepal for mountaineering and trekking, can get tourist visas from our embassies abroad," Kamal Prasad Bhattarai, spokesperson at the tourism ministry told Xinhua on Tuesday. "Tourists from countries where there is no presence of Nepali diplomatic mission can get an on-arrival visa." "We will coordinate with the tourism ministry and other relevant agencies on providing tourist visas to foreign tourists," Ramesh Kumar KC, director general at the Department of Immigration told Xinhua on Tuesday. "It will be the first time foreigners will get tourist visas regularly after the gap of nearly seven months." The immigration department has been providing tourist visas to limited foreigners on case to case basis as per the recommendation of the concerned Nepali government agencies. As per the standards issued on Tuesday, the foreign tourists need to submit the report of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted within at least 72 hours before arriving in Nepal, confirming that they have not contracted with coronavirus. They should also present the documents confirming that they have booked the hotel in Nepal to stay for seven days in quarantine. On the fifth day of quarantine, the tourists should undergo another test. After they are tested negative for COVID-19 during the quarantine period, they can go for mountaineering or trekking. They will have to follow the health protocols strictly while going for trekking and mountaineering, according to the standards. Bhattarai said that the Nepali government has reopened certain sectors of tourism as the country's tourism sector has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are also discussing to reopen the entire tourism sector by making provision that health protocols are followed strictly," he said. Enditem regulator has barred four individuals in connection with manipulation in the issuance of global depository receipts by Birla Cotsyn (India) Ltd back in 2010. Currently, Birla Cotsyn (India) Ltd (BCIL) is facing liquidation proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. In a 55-page order passed on Tuesday, banned four former individuals -- P V R Murthy, Yashovardhan Birla, Y P Trivedi and Mohandas Adige -- who were associated with the company. While a three-year ban has been imposed on Murthy, Birla will face a ban for two years. Trivedi and Adige have been barred from the securities market for one year each. In September 2019, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) ordered the commencement of liquidation of BCIL under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Against this backdrop, said present the present proceedings initiated against the company stands disposed of. "However, in the event that the order for liquidation passed by the NCLT is reversed in appeal, the noticee No. 1 (BCIL) shall be restrained from accessing the securities market..." for three years from the date of such reversal of liquidation order, the watchdog noted. Sebi had conducted an investigation into the issuance of Global Depository Receipts (GDRs) by various companies, including BCIL. In March 2010, BCIL issued 9.69 million GDRs worth USD 24.99 million. It was found that Vintage was the only entity that subscribed to the GDRs and the subscription amount was paid by obtaining a loan from EURAM (European American Investment Bank), as per the order. BCIL provided security towards the loan obtained by Vintage through a pledge agreement signed between BCIL and EURAM Bank in February 2010. Under the pact, BCIL pledged GDR proceeds against the loan availed by Vintage for subscription of its GDRs, according to Sebi. Further, the regulator said the pledge agreement was signed by Murthy, then a director of BCIL who was authorised by a board resolution in December 2009. The company had also approved opening of a bank account with EURAM Bank for the purpose of receiving the GDR proceeds. Birla, Trivedi and Adige had also attended that board meeting, as per the regulator. The three individuals were also directors during the period when the corporate announcement were made by BCIL, which were false and misleading to the extent that its GDR issue was successfully allotted whereas the same was subscribed by only Vintage, according to Sebi. The regulator noted that the announcement conveys that there was considerable demand for its GDRs in the overseas market and the same were successfully subscribed. Thus, the investors in India were made to believe that BCIL has acquired a good reputation in terms of investment potential and, therefore, foreign investors have successfully subscribed to the GDR issue, it added. The watchdog also said the act of BCIL in making misleading announcements regarding its GDR issue resulted in fraud under the prohibition of fraudulent and unfair trade practices. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "I can't think of someone who worked in the response who didn't have to offer something," she added. Some women were cooks, cleaners and community outreach workers hired on short-term contracts, earning $US50 ($70) to $US100 a month - more than twice the normal wage. One woman was an Ebola survivor seeking psychological help. At least two women said they became pregnant. Accused charities have told The New Humanitarian and the Thomson Reuters Foundation they would investigate the claims. The WHO said it was reviewing a "small number" of sexual abuse or exploitation reports in Congo but declined to say whether they may have taken place during the Ebola outbreak in the east of the country, which ended in June after more than 2200 deaths. A WHO spokeswoman said the allegations stemming from the investigation were under review internally and encouraged the women involved to contact the WHO. Loading Many women said they had never reported the incidents for fear of reprisals or losing their jobs. Most also said they were ashamed. Some women said abuse occurred as recently as March. "We would not tolerate such behaviour by any of our staff, contractors or partners," said WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib, reiterating the agency's "zero tolerance" policy. Despite the policies and pledges by the UN and NGOs to crack down on such abuses, as exposed in Haiti and Central African Republic, reports of such behaviour continue to surface. Most aid agencies and NGOs contacted by The New Humanitarian and the Thomson Reuters Foundation said they had received few or no claims of sexual abuse or exploitation against their workers in Congo. Loading The investigation, conducted over almost a year, found women who described at least 30 instances of exploitation by men who said they were from the WHO, which deployed more than 1500 people to the government-led operation to control the outbreak. The next highest number of claims were against men who said they worked with Congo's Ministry of Health, noted by eight women. Reporters also interviewed five women who said they were exploited by men who said they worked for World Vision, while three women pointed to men who said they were from the UN children's fund UNICEF. Two women accused men who said they were workers with the medical charity ALIMA. Single claims were made against men who said they worked with Oxfam, the UN migration agency IOM, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Loading The investigation has prompted an internal inquiry at World Vision, which said the reports were "shocking" as all staff were trained on preventing sexual abuse and it was working hard to address "entrenched cultural and power inequalities". ALIMA also said it would undertake an inquiry after being contacted with the outcome of the investigation. UNICEF received three reports involving two partner organisations responding to Ebola, said spokesman Jean-Jacques Simon. He declined to name the charities but said the cases appeared to be different from those discovered by reporters. "Despite our best efforts, cases of sexual exploitation and abuse in DRC remain grossly under-reported," said Simon, adding that the agency had introduced 22 ways to file complaints in Congo, including a confidential hotline and complaint boxes. Spokespeople for IOM, MSF, UNICEF and Congo's Health Ministry said in mid-September they had no knowledge of the accusations brought to their attention, and several said they would need more information to take action. Oxfam said it did "everything in our power to prevent misconduct and investigate and act on allegations when they arise including supporting survivors". WHO and most of the aid groups involved in the response said they had policies in place to prevent and report abuse or exploitation, from staff training to reporting hotlines. Although the women did not know all of the men's nationalities, they said some came from Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, France, Guinea and the Ivory Coast. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was questioned by the Policing Authority on Wednesday over the forces handling of large gatherings during Covid-19 (Niall Carson/PA) The Garda Commissioner has defended the forces policing of house parties and social gatherings in the middle of the pandemic. Drew Harris warned against the serious escalation of garda powers when it came to breaking up house parties in private homes. Video footage of large numbers of young people gathering in the streets near Spanish Arch in Galway and at the Oliver Bond complex in Dublin in recent weeks has drawn criticism of the Gardas enforcement of the public health guidelines. The Commissioner was questioned about the matter by the Policing Authority on Wednesday. Mr Harris said it had been difficult and that there was no simple answer to it because people have constitutional rights in terms of the protection of the homeplace. We do our best within the powers available to us to deal with the event..and to bring the party to an end through persuasion. That may not fulfil some of the public concern in respect of that but to start moving further in terms of entering a home to break up a party that is a serious escalation in terms of our enforcement powers. Its a road we should be very careful before we step down on. He said members of the Garda in Galway had attended the scene at Claddagh Basin across the river from the Spanish Arch and were a visible and substantial presence but that they also had to deal with a significant number of house parties in the greater Galway area at the same time. It was irresponsible behaviour by individuals in terms of just what was organised, he said. But these matters are not straightforward in the present health regulations. He said the presence of gardai on the scene had the effect of dampening down the whole ambience of the event and they had encouraged people to return to their residences. We do have a regulatory provision in terms of who might organise such an event, he said. But when you have in effect individuals congregating over social media its very difficult to point the finger at any one individual and say youre the one that organised that. He added that when they could pinpoint a definite event organiser then gardai are in the position to investigate and report that person to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Moling Ryan of the Policing Authority said they had received feedback that when it came to the polices handling of the gathering at the Oliver Bond complex that a period of time had lapsed from when the issue was reported to gardai and when they arrived on scene. Commissioner Harris said the Gardas understanding of the Oliver Bond event was somewhat different to what was reported. Deputy Commissioner John Twomey said: At first the behaviour did not step across that divide in to the breach of the legislation and the breach of law. It was only a subsequent point and time later in the evening when the numbers had grown that some of the behaviour became unacceptable and then we dealt with it. I wouldnt quite agree that it was an inappropriate response, Mr Twomey added. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in September 2020 compares the prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Danish and Swedish healthcare workers, to conclude that social interaction is one of the biggest risk factors for getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2020, non-pharmaceutical interventions have been implemented, especially social distancing, to limit the spread of the virus. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have found it nearly impossible to put this into practice, however. Many earlier studies in Denmark and in Italy have found that this group has a higher seroprevalence compared with the general population, indicating their higher risk of infection. What Determines Risk Level in Different Jobs? The current study focuses on workers employed by a rescue organization called Falck, with over 30,000 HCWs worldwide. Most employees come into contact with customers or patients and are thus in the frontline of the pandemic. The question was, does increased social interaction boost the risk of infection? By order of interaction with potentially infected customers or patients, ambulance staff are at the highest risk. In Denmark, ambulance workers are asked to wear masks in case of a patient suspected to have COVID-19, but in Sweden, they are asked to don masks for all contacts with patients and to use full personal protective equipment (PPE) if COVID-19 is suspected. HCWs at clinics have fewer interactions with new cases every day and might be at a lower risk of infection. The least risk is probably for office workers. Firefighters also have a part-time job with variable functions and, therefore, different levels of exposure. Falck guidelines have varied with government measures in Denmark and Sweden, respectively. For instance, teleconsultations are being encouraged wherever possible, and patients with symptoms that suggest potential COVID-19 are asked to stay away from the clinic. All patients are asked to ensure they do not transmit infection via fomites or personal contact by proper hygiene measures. Disinfection is recommended between patients. More Social Contacts Among Swedish Falck Employees The study tested ~2,000 of the 8,000 Danish employees and ~1,200 of the 2,000 Swedish employees for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in alternate weeks for two months. The aim was to order the risk level for various job functions, and the role played by the number of contacts per day that each employee makes at work. The study also explores differences in seroprevalence mediated by region and national boundaries. Of a total ~3,300 participants, 95% were tested at least twice and 64% all four times. The researchers found more women than men in the Swedish arm but the reverse in Denmark. About half were aged 40-60 years. About 10% of Danish participants said they came into contact with more than 10 people during their workday, vs. ~20% of Swedish workers. Again, only ~6% of Danish Falck employees are HCWs but ~45% of Swedish workers. About 26% vs. 2% work as firefighters in Denmark and Sweden, respectively. Seropositivity Percentage Almost all the tested employees had a valid test result, with the seroprevalence being 3.3% and 4.1% after the first and second rounds of testing. This increased over the next two rounds to 4.9% after the fourth round. By nation, this corresponds to ~3% and ~8% of Danish and Swedish employees. This could be because the two countries dealt with the pandemic differently. As compared to healthy blood donors in Denmark and Sweden, with a seroprevalence of 1.7% and 6.8% respectively, this is higher, but this is partly attributable to the natural increase with time. The lowest seroprevalence was in the group aged 60 and above, perhaps because this group was more aware of their increased risk and therefore took greater precautions. Ambulance workers had the highest seropositivity proportion irrespective of countries, and firefighters had the lowest. The number of contacts in a workday was proportional to the percentage of seropositive results in Sweden but not in Denmark, probably because such a small fraction of the employees in the latter country had over 10 contacts in a single workday, unlike in Sweden. Seropositivity Risk Increases with Number of Contacts Using multiple parameters to adjust the risk, such as age, sex, region, and type of job, the risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is more than doubled in employees who come into contact with 11-20 contacts a day relative to those who have no contact with others. For those with over 20 contacts a day, the risk is nearly tripled. The unadjusted model also showed that the highest risk was for ambulance staff, at over twice that of office staff. HCWs had a 30% higher risk, but firefighters had 60% reduced risk. However, when the differential effects of age, sex, region, and contacts is included, there was no significant difference in risk between the various groups. Rather than risk group based on function, the number of contacts over a workday determines the risk. Ambulance staff are thought to be at especially high risk since they are obliged to accept all patients whether or not the latter displays symptoms of COVID-19. Despite the use of masks by ambulance workers when dealing with suspected COVID-19 or all patients in Denmark and Sweden, respectively, the seroprevalence in the latter was higher, at ~15% vs. ~4%. This may indicate an important truth: the masks worn by the ambulance workers failed to confer protection, and it may be wise to ask patients to wear masks as well. A similar finding emerged from a recent study on HCWs in Denmarks Capital Region, where paramedics had the highest seroprevalence among hospital staff, at almost 5% vs. 4%, respectively. Implications The researchers say, We found that number of customer or patient interactions during a workday was the most prominent predictor for seropositivity. This multi-round multi-region study is a robust indicator of actual seroprevalence in the tested group. By covering groups at differing risk levels, the study contributes to a more accurate representation of seroprevalence and virus spread. This will help to build better public health policies to protect frontline workers with a high degree of social contact, as well as other population groups, against infection. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. JetBlue is suspending flights from Worcester Regional Airport, as well as six other airports in the country, the company said. It is not yet clear when flights will resume. With revenue down and demand for air travel continuing to follow an uncertain timeline for recovery, weve made the decision to adjust our reopening plans for seven airport where operations are currently suspended, JetBlue said in a statement. This move will support cash preservation efforts and better match capacity to demand. In most affected cities, we will continue to serve at least one airport in the same metro area." JetBlue has been flying from Worcester since 2013, offering flights first to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando and then adding New York. Then, American Airlines began offering flights to Philadelphia and Delta started offering trips to Detroit. Before Massport purchased the airport in 2010, it was eyed for closure. This means there will be diminished activity at the airport. Both JetBlue and American Airlines were granted exemptions to suspend flights in June amid the coronavirus pandemic. And earlier this month, Delta Air Lines reported to Massport that it was suspending operations in Worcester in October. Massport directed questions about JetBlue service to the company. JetBlue did not immediately respond to a request for more information. The Worcester Regional Airport website shows no arriving or departing flights within the next 20 hours. Over the summer, the Federal Aviation Administration announced the airport was receiving a $5 million grant to rehabilitate a runway. Related Content: Newark, NJ,, Sept. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by Fior Markets, the global esoteric testing market is expected to grow from USD 22.82 billion in 2019 and to reach USD 56.51 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 12% during the forecast period 2020-2027. The global esoteric testing market is witnessing significant growth from recent years. This growth is attributed to the rising prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases like diabetes, cancer, and various others. Technological advancements such as standardization of advanced instrumentation, antidote automation technology, and analytical systems will propel the market growth. Furthermore, growing awareness regarding early disease diagnosis and its treatment, increasing incidence of complex and unique diseases, and rapidly improving healthcare sector will influence the market growth. An analysis of a unique molecule or substances that are not performed in the routine clinical laboratory is known as esoteric testing. Esoteric testing requires sophisticated materials and instruments and specialized personnel to perform and analyze results. The doctors require esoteric testing for accruing large amounts of data outside routine tests in labs and overall analysis, prediction and monitoring of the healing regimen. These tests are typically related to medical fields like genetics, endocrinology, microbiology, oncology, molecular diagnostics, toxicology, and serology. The global esoteric testing market is expected to witness significant growth, owing to the growing awareness of personalized medicines, rising geriatric population, increasing funding and research grants for the development of innovative esoteric tests, and rising demand for early disease detection using specialized diagnostic tests. Unfavourable reimbursement scenario, lack of sufficient expertise, and an insufficient number of esoteric testing modules will restrain the market growth. An increase in private and public funding to support research activities will provide market growth opportunities. However, changing regulatory framework will challenge the market. DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT AT https://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/418896/request-sample The key players operating in global esoteric testing market are Mayo Medical Laboratories, Laboratory Corporation of America, Fulgent Genetics, Quest Diagnostics, Genomic Health, OPKO Health, Nordic Laboratories, Arup Laboratories, American Esoteric Laboratories (AEL), ACM Global Laboratories, Myriad Genetics, BioMONTR, Invitae, and Miraca Holdings. To gain a significant market share in the global esoteric testing market, the key players are now focusing on adopting strategies such as product innovations, mergers & acquisitions, recent developments, joint venture, collaborations, and partnership. Genomic Health and BioMONTR are some of the leading players in esoteric testing. For instance, in July 2017, the ADAMTS13 test was launched by LabCorp to distinguish diseases characterized by life-threatening, acute thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), including thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP) In May 2017, Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories was acquired by LabCorp. This acquisition helped the LabCorp to provide the outreach testing services and reference laboratory services to the hospital, patients, clinicians, and clients. Infectious disease testing segment dominated the market and held the largest share of 23.67% in the year 2019 On the basis of type, the global esoteric testing market is segmented into endocrinology, infectious disease, immunology, toxicology, neurology, and genetic testing. Infectious disease testing segment dominated the market and held the largest share of 23.67% in the year 2019. This growth is attributed to the high prevalence of infectious diseases and increasing demand for advanced molecular tests, and the availability of immunology laboratory services. CLIA technology segment dominated the market and held the largest market share of 36.9% in the year 2019 On the basis of technology, the global esoteric testing market is segmented into mass spectrometry, ELISA, CLIA, and PCR. CLIA technology segment dominated the market and held the largest market share of 36.9% in the year 2019. This growth is attributed to the advantages of CLIA over other testing methods, low detection limits, superior sensitivity and accuracy delivered, and high adoption of CLIA in esoteric testing. ELISA esoteric technology is anticipated to witness significant growth due to the high throughput screening performed in laboratories, new development in biomarkers, and drug discovery programs. Browse full report with TOC at https://www.fiormarkets.com/report/esoteric-testing-market-by-type-endocrinology-infectious-disease-418896.html Independent lab segment dominated the market and held the largest share of 54.64% in the year 2019 On the basis of lab type, the global esoteric testing market is segmented into hospital laboratories and independent labs. Independent lab segment dominated the market and held the largest share of 54.64% in the year 2019. This growth is attributed to ongoing automation and digitalization of diagnostic laboratories, and significant reimbursement coverage for clinical tests performed at independent laboratories. Regional Segment of Esoteric Testing Market North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC) South America (Brazil and Rest of South America) Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA) On the basis of geography, the global esoteric testing market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. North America held the major share of 29.1% in the year 2019. This growth was attributed to an increasing number of research activities in healthcare, increasing patient population suffering from chronic disease, growing investment in healthcare, and quick adoption of sophisticated instruments. Canada is anticipated to witness significant growth, owing to the increasing demand for cost-effective methods of diagnosis. The South America region market is expected to grow, owing to the increasing demand for treatment options for chronic diseases and technologically advanced devices for diagnosis. The Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow due to an increasing focus on early diagnosis and treatment for rare diseases and the increasing burden of chronic diseases. The Middle East and Africa market is witnessing a steady rise due to an increase in the number of healthcare facilities and awareness about esoteric testing. Request for Customization: https://www.fiormarkets.com/enquiry/request-customization/418896 About the report: The global esoteric testing market is analysed on the basis of value (USD billion). All the segments have been analysed on global, regional and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each segment. The report offers in-depth analysis of driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining the key insights of the market. The study includes porters five forces model, attractiveness analysis, raw material analysis, and competitors position grid analysis. For Instant Purchase: https://www.fiormarkets.com/checkout.html?reportid=418896&type=single Customization of the Report: The report can be customized as per client requirements. For further queries, you can contact us on sales@fiormarkets.com or +1-201-465-4211. Our executives will be pleased to understand your requirements and offer you the best-suited reports. About Fior Markets Fior Markets is a futuristic market intelligence company, helping customers flourish their business strategies and make better decisions using actionable intelligence. With transparent information pool, we meet clients objectives, commitments on high standard and targeting possible prospects for SWOT analysis and market research reports. 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Contact Us Avinash D Head of Business Development Phone: +1-201-465-4211 Email: sales@fiormarkets.com Web: www.fiormarkets.com To Read Top Industries Reports, Visit our Affiliated Website: https://www.marketquest.biz Related Reports Global Pedicle Screw System Market - https://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-pedicle-screw-system-market-by-product-polyaxial-375967.html Global Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market - https://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-pharmaceutical-contract-manufacturing-market-by-product-api-375968.html Global Rapid Microbiology Testing Market - https://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-rapid-microbiology-testing-market-by-product-instruments-375969.html Global Spirometer Market - https://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-spirometer-market-by-product-consumables-accessories-375970.html Bodi-Ome was developed to help consumers harness the power of their own microbiome and provide benefits beyond just gut health with easy-to-navigate supplements. They include: Immun N'me - a probiotic that helps support immune health, as well as digestive health* - a probiotic that helps support immune health, as well as digestive health* I Got Gut a probiotic that helps reduce occasional diarrhea, bloating, and minor abdominal discomfort* a probiotic that helps reduce occasional diarrhea, bloating, and minor abdominal discomfort* Stress Ya Later a probiotic blend that helps moderate everyday stress and support positive mood balance, healthy cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and digestive health* a probiotic blend that helps moderate everyday stress and support positive mood balance, healthy cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and digestive health* Femme Power a probiotic blend that helps support overall vaginal health and the natural balance of vaginal bacteria* a probiotic blend that helps support overall vaginal health and the natural balance of vaginal bacteria* Beating Heart a cardiologist recommended probiotic that helps support healthy cholesterol levels already within the normal range and overall digestive health* "Consumers are more focused than ever on supporting their wellbeing with products that can deliver tailored health benefits, and our new microbiome brand Bodi-Ome does just that," says Gunjan Khetan, Marketing Director for Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS) at RB. "We bring the best of science to consumers with carefully selected probiotic strains, while taking the guess work out of how to choose a supplement that supports more than just the gut." In addition to supporting health benefits beyond the gut, the Bodi-Ome brand has also made a unique commitment to the health of the next generation. Through a partnership with Feeding America, every pack of Bodi-Ome purchased will help provide at least three meals** to children in need. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. **$1 helps to provide at least ten meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks. About Bodi-Ome Bodi-Ome offers a line of probiotic supplements with clinically-proven probiotic strains that contribute to the microbiome and unlock a world of targeted health benefits beyond the gut, including immune health, vaginal health, heart health, and more. About RB RB is driven by its purpose to protect, heal and nurture in a relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We fight to make access to the highest-quality hygiene, wellness and nourishment a right, not a privilege, for everyone. RB is proud to have a stable of trusted household brands found in households in more than 190 countries. These include Enfamil, Nutramigen, Nurofen, Strepsils, Gaviscon, Mucinex, Durex, Scholl, Clearasil, Lysol, Dettol, Veet, Harpic, Cillit Bang, Mortein, Finish, Vanish, Calgon, Woolite, Air Wick and more. 20 million RB products a day are bought by consumers globally. RB's passion to put consumers and people first, to seek out new opportunities, to strive for excellence in all that we do, and to build shared success with all our partners, while doing the right thing, always is what guides the work of our 40,000+ diverse and talented colleagues worldwide. For more information visit www.rb.com/us RB is the trading name of the Reckitt Benckiser group of companies SOURCE RB Some parrots at a zoo had to be separated because they were essentially giving each other the bird too much. Zookeepers at Lincolnshire Wildlife Centre in London say the five parrots were actually encouraging other to swear, according to the Associated Press. The parrots, Billy, Eric, Tyson, Jade and Elsie, are part of the zoos colony of 200 gray parrots. The zookeepers say they do hear the parrots using profane language, but not quite at this level. We are quite used to parrots swearing, but weve never had five at the same time, said the zoos chief executive, Steve Nichols. Most parrots clam up outside, but for some reason these five relish it. Visitors to the zoo dont seem offended. In fact, Nichols says no one has complained. Instead, many people simply think its amusing. When a parrot tells tells you to f--- off, it amuses people very highly, he said Tuesday. Its brought a big smile to a really hard year. Nichols says the parrots were moved so kids dont hear the foul language. They are now at different areas of the park so they dont set each other off." MORE ANIMALS FROM MLIVE: Michigan roadside attraction lets you get within inches of some of the planets wildest animals Michigan has the largest bear ranch in the U.S. where you can pose with rescued bear cubs A peek inside the whimsical Wacky Taxidermy and Miniatures Museum, new to Mackinaw City Within a month, Connecticut residents may be able to access smartphone alerts if they have had possible contact with COVID-19 patients, Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Tuesday, hours before the state reported one of its highest daily increases in recent positive tests. The state Department of Public Health reported an uptick in both the infection rate and hospitalizations. There were 182 new COVID-19 infections reported out of 10,380 tests, for a 1.75-percent positivity rate. Two additional fatalities were reported, bringing the death toll to 4,505. The weekend infection rate was 1.07 percent. The DPH also reported a net increase of 17 hospitalizations on Tuesday, bringing the total to 92. Lamont said that Google and Apple, which will offer the service in cooperation with the state, have promised privacy for users of the app, which Lamont intends to detail further in coming days. It could make contact tracing easier, he said, predicting that the online program, in cooperation with similar efforts in New York and New Jersey, could quickly alert people who might have been infected. This is a pretty big deal, Lamont told reporters during his daily news conference from the Capitol. Well be able to give you a real-time response. Perhaps you wont be able to quarantine if you have the sniffles. Under the current plan, state residents could opt into the online notification alerts through their phones, which would keep track of whom they have been in close contact with over a period of time. If someone tests positive, they would be able to key into their phones, which would notify those who might have been in close contact. People alerted of possible contacts could then get in touch with their doctors, self isolate and take other responses. The technology, however, has creating privacy concerns around the world, and recent polls indicate a general reluctance on the part of phone users. Lamont also told reporters that the state should have the first 69,000 Abbott Labs rapid tests for COVID-19 from the federal government by the end of the week. The first of the projected one million tests supplied from Washington will be used to quickly locate potential instances in schools and other facilities where outbreaks could spread quickly. I think this is really important because it allows you to have a test done locally, on site, at the school, for example, Lamont said. You get an immediate response. Its highly accurate, especially for those in early stages or showing symptoms, at least. He said it will complement the states current testing capability, which varies between 10,000 and 15,000 a day. Josh Geballe, Lamonts chief operating officer, said that in the case of schools, the rapid tests can be quickly deployed and could possibly prevent students from being sent home to quarantine, or even the closure of entire schools. Its an area where we are very hopeful that the new technology will be very beneficial in our schools, potentially daycare centers and other similar facilities, Geballe said. Lamont said the total number of rapid tests purchased by the federal government will be about 150 million, with 50 million to be kept back for emergencies, so the states and territories will divide up 100 million Abbott tests. That would mean we would have a million tests available over the next few months, Lamont said. In addition to schools, child care and vulnerable populations and first responders, Geballe said the quick tests would be available to state Department of Public Health rapid response teams to go into nursing homes, prisons and other locations of potential COVID outbreaks such as cities that experience outbreaks, such as the recent uptick in Danbury. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT A Pakistani man accused of wounding two people with a meat cleaver in front of the former offices of Charlie Hebdo last Friday did not know the satirical magazine had moved and wanted to set its offices on fire, the Paris prosecutor said. Prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard told a news conference that the suspect carried three bottles of white spirit, a flammable paint thinner. He also said the man had operated under a false identity and that a photo of his passport on his phone showed that he was 25 years old, not 18 as he first said. His initial plan was to enter into the office of the magazine, possibly with the help of a hammer, and then to set it on fire with the bottles of white spirit, Ricard said. In 2015, twelve people were killed by gunmen who attacked Charlie Hebdos office in revenge for the publication of cartoons that mocked the Prophet Mohammad. After the attack, the weekly moved its headquarters to an undisclosed location. It republished some of the cartoons this month to mark the beginning of the trial of 14 people with alleged links to the killers. Ricard said that as the suspect arrived in the street where the magazine was previously based, he saw the two victims and attacked them, thinking that they worked for the magazine. Ricard said the man had reconnoitred the area on three separate days shortly before his attack, and had bought the meat cleaver on the day of the attack. In his telephone, we found a three-minute video in Urdu, in which he announces his plan, saying that here in France they make caricatures about our pure and great Prophet Mohammad. TodayI will revolt against this, Ricard said. That release could not be found. The commander of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo confers medal to Ling Lei. Narrated by Ling Lei, captain of the first peacekeeping medical unit of the Chinese PLA I led the first Chinese military peacekeeping medical unit from Shenyang to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to perform the Blue Helmet mission on April 7, 2003. The medical unit is mainly based on the staff of the 202nd hospital under the former Shenyang Military Region, with a total of 43 members. We were deployed in Kindu, an important military area in the eastern part of the DRC. Our main task is to provide medical support for peacekeeping units from South Africa, Uruguay, Sweden and Bangladesh as well as United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) military observers and civilian personnel. At that time, the situation in Kindu was turbulent, and attacks on peacekeepers occurred from time to time. In addition to the frequent armed conflicts, we must also face the threat of harsh natural conditions and severe infectious diseases. Although we had made sufficient preparations before we left for DRC, we still encountered unexpected challenges after arriving in the mission area. When we arrived at the camp prepared by MONUSCO, the construction of the simple barracks had not yet been completed. The yard was overgrown with weeds, and there were garbage, mosquitoes, and rats all around. However, due to the tense situation, MONUSCO requested that the hospital open as soon as possible and informed us that the UN verification team would come to inspect the next day. According to relevant UN regulations, our team originally had seven days to prepare for the inspection. The situation at that time really caught us off guard. After careful labor division, all the team members raced against the clock. They stayed up all night, with all equipment well installed according to the designated locations. The UN verification team arrived as scheduled the next day. UN verification work has always been known for strict standard. A hospital in the DRC peacekeeping mission area even took three months to pass the verification, while it only took one day for us to pass successfully at one time. MONUSCO spoke highly of us. The then UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Affairs made a special trip from Kinshasa, which is 1,200 kilometers away, to attend the opening ceremony of the hospital. The DRC has a high malaria incidence, which is also the main reason for non-combat attrition of peacekeeping forces. We mainly used artemisinin drugs made in China and successfully treated many cases of falciparum malaria without any death. When a South African soldier was sent to our hospital, he was unconscious and convulsed with a high fever. He was diagnosed with cerebral malaria. I immediately organized rescue. While giving auxiliary treatment such as cooling and oxygen inhalation, I used artesunate injection made in China. After several days of careful treatment, the patient finally recovered. When a female Uruguayan soldier suffering from falciparum malaria was cured and discharged from the hospital, she hoped to take the hospital gown she wore as a souvenir. She said it was the Chinese peacekeeping doctors who gave her a second chance in life. In order to save the lives of peacekeepers of various countries and the local people, our unit has successfully performed war injury treatment operations under relatively simple medical conditions. This has caused great repercussions in the entire mission area and has also won the recognition and trust of peacekeepers of various countries and the local people. I often received appointment calls for seeing the doctor from MONUSCO officials in Kinshasa, and some peacekeeping officers and soldiers from other war zones would also travel hundreds of kilometers to visit the Chinese peacekeeping hospital. A Tunisian soldier on duty in Kisangani even wrote on his badge: "If I am injured, please send me to the Chinese peacekeeping hospital in Kindu." China was the only country among the permanent members of the UN Security Council that sent peacekeeping units to Africa in 2003. Our words and deeds are related to the image of the country and the military. In the foreign exchanges, our unit focused on establishing good cooperative relations with MONUSCO and other peacekeeping forces. We have successively received more than 50 groups of UN visiting groups and peacekeepers from various countries. The Special Assistant to the Secretary-General of the UN said during his visit: "Your performance is very outstanding and can be regarded as a model." Most of the team members had detected the malaria parasite in their blood during the peacekeeping mission in Kindu. As a medical staff, everyone is well aware of the consequences of not being able to clear pathogens in the body in time, but they have no regrets. I think it is the excellent comprehensive quality and strong dedication that helped our unit establish the high reputation of Chinese military doctors in DRC. Tyre particles are believed to transfer in large quantities from vehicles into our rivers and oceans. However, their precise fate - and the impact they have - remains something of a mystery. Now a three-year project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council aims to assess this until now hidden form of marine litter, and show the effects it could have on our seas and the species within them. Bringing together the Universities of Plymouth, Exeter and Newcastle, together with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the research will aim to quantify tyre particle concentrations at their points of entry to the marine environment. It will then explore how far they can spread, and any harm they might cause, by measuring concentrations in the sediment, water and biota up to 15km from the shoreline. The project - Lost at Sea: where are all the tyre particles? (TYRE-LOSS) - will build on a major government-funded study published earlier this year, and also led by the University of Plymouth and Newcastle University. It indicated up to 100million m of the UK's river network - and more than 50million m of estuarine and coastal waters - at risk of contamination by tyre particles. The new research will use techniques developed through that project to construct and validate mathematical models describing the dispersal of tyre particles in inshore waters. This information will then be used to establish the potential for any associated risks to marine life at environmentally relevant concentrations. As well as uniting some of the world's leading experts in microplastics, environmental chemistry, coastal dynamics and ecotoxicology, the project is being supported by an advisory group including policy makers, representatives of the tyre, automobile, plastics and water industries, and environmental charities. Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS, Head of the International Marine Litter Research Unit at the University of Plymouth and Principal Investigator on the TYRE-LOSS project, said: "Over many years, we have demonstrated that the sources and impacts of microplastics are incredibly varied and complex. In comparison to other sources, relatively little is still known about the precise quantities of tyre particles in the marine environment and the effects they have once there. This project is important to further our understanding, and brings together partners with whom we have worked previously on ground-breaking research into the causes and effects of marine litter. The advisory group also ensures that our evidence can be used to help guide solutions as it is only by working in tandem with industry and policy makers that we can truly address the global crisis of plastic pollution." Dr Geoff Abbott, Reader in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at Newcastle University, is directing the analytical geochemistry in the TYRE-LOSS project. He said: "Synthetic rubber, a plastic polymer, is a major component of tyres today. A substantial quantity of tyre wear is potentially a major contributor to microplastic pollution in the marine environment. A highly sensitive instrument called a mass spectrometer is being used at Newcastle University which can detect and measure even the smallest amounts of these microplastics in the water, sediment and marine life. The likelihood of any associated risks to marine life can then be established." Professor Tamara Galloway OBE, of the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter, said: "This project will be a fantastic opportunity to take a systematic look at tyre pollution and how it affects the marine environment." Dr Penelope Lindeque, from Plymouth Marine Laboratory, added: "We are delighted to be part of this timely and urgent research, working with colleagues from Plymouth, Newcastle and Exeter Universities. Our role will be to use mathematical models to determine where the tyre particles will disperse and accumulate once they have entered the marine environment. Once we understand where the tyre particles go in the marine environment, we will undertake laboratory-based experiments to determine the impact these particles, and the associated hazardous chemicals they contain, may have on important marine animals." ### Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 18,317 Covid-19 infections, a rise from the numbers of the past few days, as the case count went up to 1,384,446, even as Mumbai recorded it sharpest single-day spike of 2,654 cases, pushing its tally to 205,268. The states toll climbed to 36,662 after 481 casualties were reported on Wednesday, of which, 237 were in the past 48 hours, another 115 deaths were from last week, while the rest 129 deaths were from the period before that, health officials said. Active cases across the state came down to 259,033. Of the citys case tally, active infections were 26,663. Mumbai also recorded 46 deaths on Wednesday. Since the beginning of this month, the city is witnessing a rise in daily Covid-19 cases with record spikes being reported often. The civic body had anticipated a spike in cases post the Ganeshotsav, with daily average post that hovering around the 2,000 mark. As the state has observed a comparative decline in Covid-19 cases in the past few days, casualties are yet to come down. It has reported close to 12,000 casualties alone this month. Till September 30, the total casualties reported has gone up to 11,717, which means on an average, 390 deaths per day this month. If compared with previous months, in August, the state had reported 9,589 deaths, whereas in July, June, May, April and March, the casualties reported were 6,988, 5,638, 2,286, 449 and 10 respectively. On thirteen occasions this month, over 400 deaths were reported. The highest toll in a day, 515, was recorded on September 15, showing that efforts made by state authorities to control number of deaths per day have yet to show results. The state still has the highest death count across the country with Tamil Nadu second at 9,453. Casualties are high, but they are expected to come down soon. The campaign My family My responsibility was launched with the same purpose, said a senior health department. Besides, a total of 21,673 deaths were reported in Mumbai (8,929), Pune (5,813), Thane (4,896) and Nagpur (2,035). It comes to 59.11% of the total casualties reported till date. The case fatality rate (CFR) of the state, however, is reducing gradually. The CFR was recorded at 2.65% on Wednesday, making it at second position after Punjab. The CFR of Punjab was 2.99% (with 3,359 deaths) till Tuesday, according to the information shared by the state medical education department. The state has also recorded close to 600,000 cases this month. The tally stood at 593,192 cases, which is again highest in any of the months since March, when the first case was reported. It is also over 2.21 lakh cases more than what was detected in August 371,238 cases. While in July, June, May, April and March, total cases reported were 247,392; 102,172; 57,157; 10,196 and 302. On Wednesday, the state has conducted 87,181 tests and with 18,317 positive reports, the positivity rate comes to 21.10%. The total number of tests conducted till date are 6,785,205. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Students hold up signs at transgender rights protest in Chicago, 2017 (AFP via Getty Images) Mia Green, a 29 year old who fatally shot in Philadelphia on Monday, is the latest transgender woman killed in what the city calls an epidemic of violence against trans people. NBC reports that during a Monday morning traffic stop, police found Green, who was shot in the neck, in the passenger seat of a car driven by Abdullah lbn El-Amin Jaamia, 28, who was charged with murder on Tuesday. This latest act of violence against a member of our community is a somber reminder of the epidemic of violence against trans individuals, the city said in a statement from its Office of LGBT affairs. The countless painful losses experienced during this year aloneespecially within our transgender communities of color remind us that there is much work to be done in the pursuit of full equality, respect, and justice for us all. The shocking case follows another killing earlier in the year in Philadelphia, when Dominique Remmie Fells, a black trans woman, was found floating dismembered in the Schuylkill River in West Philadelphia in June. Police are searching for a suspect, Akhenaton Jones, 36, in connection with the case. Authorities in Puerto Rico also reported on Wednesday that a trans woman was fatally shot in the islands southwest, the sixth such killing this year, the Associated Press reports. Trans people, particularly people of color, face disproportionate rates of violence across the country. According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 28 trans and gender non-conforming people have been killed in 2020, which it cautions is likely lower than the true count, and a majority of them have been Black and Latinx. In 2019, 25 were killed, and 91 percent were black women, HRC says. Because of interrelated issues like poverty, family rejection, and violence, trans people across America face high rates of mental health challenges and homelessness as well. More than half of trans and nonbinary youth in 2020 seriously considered suicide, according to the Trevor Project, which says it conducted the largest U.S. LGTBQ mental health survey ever. Story continues The Trump administration has pushed to roll back rules that punish homeless shelters which engage in gender or sexual identity discrimination. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, during a 2019 visit to the San Francisco HUD office, used offensive stereotypes to warn about big, hairy men to infiltrate womens homeless shelters. Read more Government drops self-identification plan for trans people JK Rowling trans row: What have Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint said in response? California will house transgender inmates by gender identity At the same time, Lutsenko said he remains in politics. Former Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko has said he is being treated for cancer. "Today [...] the surgical stage of my oncological disease has ended. Thanks to the Ukrainian and German doctors. An eight-hour surgery and the days of pain are behind. Chemotherapy is still ahead," Lutsenko wrote on Facebook. At the same time, Lutsenko said he will remain in politics. "Dear friends, everything will be fine. Because I know how many of you are and how strong we are together. Dear foes, stay alert. I remain in politics and won't retreat from the front line," he said. Yuriy Lutsenko: Background The settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can only take place peacefully on the basis of respect for international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders, according to a Ukrainian diplomat. Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk said this at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on the escalation of the situation along the contact line in the conflict zone in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "Ukraine reiterates its support to a sustainable settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on full respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders," he said. Tsymbaliuk noted that Ukraine deeply regrets that the large-scale military actions along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone have already resulted in numerous casualties, including among civilians, on both sides of the conflict. "We send our sincere condolences to the families of those who perished or were wounded in the battle actions," he said. The diplomat said that Ukraine supports consistent actions by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, aimed at achieving de-escalation of the recent flare-up and stabilization of the situation on the ground. "These are essential preconditions for the continuation of negotiations based on the fundamental principles and norms of the international law thus paving the way to a peaceful resolution of this decades-old conflict," he said. He also said that the current escalation is "just another proof that both the protracted and hot conflicts remain a major factor of instability threatening security in the OSCE area, which may lead at any moment to the resumption of armed hostilities and heavy human losses." Early on September 27, Armenia and Azerbaijan resumed hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, blaming each other for shelling border areas and provoking violence. Both countries declared martial law and mobilization. On September 27, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and called on the parties to make every effort to return to the negotiating table. The UN Security Council called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately cease hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and resume talks without preconditions. op The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed the suit challenging President Muhammadu Buharis appointment of 21 out of the 33 persons penciled down as judges in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Okon Abang, in his judgment, held that the plaintiff lacked locus standi to institute the case in view of the fact that they have not shown any special interest as to confer on them the locus to commence the suit against the respective parties. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the plaintiff, JRP Foundation Ltd/GTE, comprises about 15 Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). While President Buhari is the first defendant in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/602/2020, the NJC, the Judicial Service Committee of the FCT, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and the 21 nominees are the 2nd to 25th defendants respectively. The plaintiff had asked the court to declare that in its exercise of its constitutional duties to recommend suitable persons to the 2nd defendant as judges of High Court of FCT, Abuja, the 3rd defendant must only recommend such persons as have met the criteria and satisfied the conditions set out in the extant Guidelines and Procedural Rules for the appointment of judicial officers in Nigeria made by the 2nd defendant. That in exercising its constitutional duties to recommend to the 1st defendant (The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), from the list submitted by the 3rd defendant, persons to be appointed judges of High Court of FCT, Abuja, the 2nd defendant can only recommend such persons as have met the criteria and satisfied the conditions set out in its extant Guidelines and Procedural Rules for the appointment of judicial officers in Nigeria. That the 5th to 25th defendants, having failed to meet the criteria and satisfied the conditions set out in the extant Guidelines and Procedural Rules for the appointment of judicial officers in Nigeria, are not suitable persons for nomination for appointment as judges of High Court of the FCT, Abuja, within the purview of Paragraph 2(1) of Part III of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. The plaintiff also urged the court to declare that the Judicial Service Committee of the FCT acted improperly, in bad faith and gross abuse of power vested in it when it submitted the nominations of these persons to the NJC for appointment as judges. The applicant asked the court to declare that in view of this, the affected persons cannot be appointed by the 1st defendant as judges. The applicant sought the court order to set aside the recommendation of the nominees by the 2nd defendant to the 1st defendant for appointment. Delivering the judgment, Mr Abang, who noted that the plaintiff was not party to the procedure for the appointment of the judicial officers and that they had not participated in any way, said the applicants interest was vague. He also held that the court has no jurisdiction over the matter as argued by the defendants since the subject matter has to do with employment of the persons recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to be appointed as judges by President Buhari. Mr Abang held that the application by the plaintiff to transfer the matter to National Industrial Court in accordance with Section 22 of the Federal High Court Rule would be baseless since the applicants legal right had to be determined first. The judge, thereafter, dismissed the suit based on the two grounds. Speaking to NAN shortly after the judgment, Counsel to the 1st and 4th defendants (President Buhari and Attorney General of the Federation respectively), Ibrahim Jibril, commended the judge for the judgment. He said the judgment was based on the preliminary objection filed by respective parties in the case. He said the plaintiff had not shown any special interest as to confer on them the locus to commence the suit against the defendants. In view of the fact that the plaintiff has no locus, transferring the matter will be to what issue or on what basis? Jibril asked. The Team Has Taken COVID-19 Tests As Precautionary Measures The Karjat shooting schedule will be wrapped up with minimal crew. A source close to the development told Mumbai Mirror, "The first round of COVID-19 tests has been taken by the entire crew and no one has tested positive. A second test will be taken by those in close proximity on the set, including the actors and the core team. The crew has also been briefed about the protocols to be followed on the set through a special video to avoid last-minute confusion." The source also revealed that a dedicated team of doctors, including a personal team of Salman, will be present to maintain hygiene and discipline on the sets. The Crew Will Be Provided With Proper Accommodation In Karjat The production team has booked a hotel close to ND Studios, where the entire crew working on the film will be accommodated. They won't be allowed to meet any outsiders during the duration of the shoot. A Doctor And An Ambulance Will Be Present On The Sets During The Shooting Schedule Producer Sohail Khan told the leading daily that they are creating an air bubble and all modes of transportation will be sanitized regularly. He was quoted as saying, "A health and safety officer, along with a doctor and ambulance will be stationed on the set. Signage and colour bands for bifurcation of the team will be followed, along with government mandates on insurance. A team of specially trained personnel has been inducted to dispose the PPE kits and masks after use according to the guidelines provided." The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. Singapore -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- Despite the ongoing challenges faced by the financial services sector, Singapore is still a leading force in the corporate landscape of financial security and banking. This has enabled the recruitment of financial services professionals to continually increase during this uncertain time which shows the boost of Singapore's economy. Selby Jennings are the leading recruitment specialist for the finance sector with a global reach and team of expertly trained consultants to shape the search for talent acquisition. The firm has been working since 2004 to provide top of the range recruitment solutions to banking and financial corporations. Selby Jennings allow these companies to have peace of mind when it comes to searching for the brightest financial minds to take on and adapt the roles on offer. This confidence comes from over a decade of networking and professional training to ensure the latest in recruitment technology is used by their team of ambitious consultants. Selby Jennings, established in 2004, have a global reach of over 60 countries and a team of 750+ employees who manage the recruitment of some of the world's leading financial corporations. The firm are continually providing safe measures for onboarding during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure a smooth transition for all new starters. These processes have involved remote interviews and introductory meetings tailored to each candidate's requirements wherever possible. Selby Jennings' hiring targets have been consistently achieved throughout the pandemic, displaying an unparalleled success rate. The firm's consultants are situated in 11+ office locations worldwide and have expert knowledge in their chosen field to aid their talent acquisition. "During uncertain times, Selby Jennings offers reassurance. Crises come in many different forms financial crashes, oil gluts, and now a global pandemic", commented Andrew McNeilis, Managing Director of APAC at Selby Jennings. He went on to say, "Yet, whatever the challenge, we remain steadfast in our service. We continue to offer guidance to clients in the finance sector and help them secure top talent." Roles in the financial services sector in Singapore are varied yet all provide outstanding career growth potential, from market risk director to head of IT support, private equity vice president and credit research analyst. Transformative technologies as well as rapidly growing markets have provided great opportunity yet also pose a risk to the economy in Singapore. World-leading corporations are relying on securing the right individuals to move towards a future economic increase with confidence. Corporations can entrust this confidence in Selby Jennings as they work around the clock to provide permanent, contract and multi-hire recruitment solutions across a plethora of sectors including: private wealth management, corporate & investment banking, risk management, financial technology, quantitative analytics, sales & trading, legal & compliance, insurance & actuarial and commodities. The firm are helping to solve the number one challenge of talent in all of these specialist sectors in Singapore and further. Selby Jennings understand through years of specialising in financial recruitment techniques that building a team of dedicated, ambitious and reliable professionals takes time and expertise. They have mastered the art of talent acquisition to allow companies in the industry to have peace of mind when it comes to solving their recruitment concerns. As part of the Phaidon International group, the firm is the preferred recruitment partner for 71 world leading organisations, proving that they are relied upon by the best in the business and are trusted due to their global perspective on financial services recruitment. To find out more information about financial services recruitment visit https://www.selbyjennings.sg. For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital 020 7100 0726. For all other enquiries please contact Selby Jennings: +49 30 72 62 11 444. - For more information about Selby Jennings services, please go to https://www.selbyjennings.SG. - Selby Jennings knows that building the right team isn't easy. However, with the support of the right hiring partner, access to key networks and contacts, it's possible to reimagine the process of recruitment to make it more positive, satisfying and productive. BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines, warships, fighter jets or from land Balasore: India on Wednesday successfully test-fired BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with several indigenous features from a test range in Odisha, in a major step towards achieving "Atmanirbhar Bharat" pledge, defence sources said. The surface-to-surface cruise missile, featuring indigenous booster and airframe section along with other Made in India sub-systems, blasted off from the launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) near Balasore, a defence statement said. Describing the trial conducted at 10.30 am as "successful", Defence Research and Development (DRDO) officials said, all parameters were met during the flight test of the missile which has a strike range of more than 400 km. The BrahMos Land-Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) was cruising at a top speed of Mach 2.8. The successful trial of the state-of-the-art cruise missile is one more major step in enhancing the indigenous content, the statement said. "Today's successful launch has paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos Weapon System realising Atma Nirbhar Bharat pledge," it said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and DRDO chairman congratulated DRDO personnel, team BrahMos and the industry for the spectacular mission. Congratulations to Team @DRDO_India and @BrahMosMissile for the successful flight testing of #BRAHMOS Supersonic Cruise Missile with Indigenous Booster and Air Frame for designated range. This achievement will give a big boost to Indias #AtmaNirbharBharat Pledge. pic.twitter.com/39YuAcemed Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 30, 2020 The BrahMos missile can be launched from land, sea platforms as well as fighter jets, defence sources said. Jointly developed by the DRDO and NPOM, a leading aerospace enterprise of Russia, the BrahMos missile is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines, warships, fighter jets or land. The first extended version of the missile, which had a strike range of 450 km, was successfully tested on 11 March, 2017. On September 30, 2019 a shorter range land version of BrahMos was successfully test-fired from the Chandipur ITR. The sophisticated missile, already operational with the Army, Navy and Air Force, is regarded as the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world, the sources said. Eighty-one percent. For four years, that number has been at the heart of countless news articles, research papers and online debates, each seeking to untangle why, exactly, eight out of 10 white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump, a thrice-married former Democratic donor who has been accused repeatedly of sexual assault. But even before the 2016 election, a striking change in attitudes about political leaders showed up. While 30 percent of white evangelicals agreed in 2011 that elected officials can behave ethically even if they have committed transgressions in their personal life, one month before the presidential election, 70 percent said the same thing. The voting bloc that represented roughly one-quarter of the 2016 electorate and had for decades branded itself as part of Americas moral majority no longer demanded moral purity in its leaders. No group has shifted their position more dramatically than white evangelical Protestants, researchers with the Public Religion Research Institute, which conducted the surveys, wrote at the time. TRUMP'S APPEAL TRUMP'S APPEAL: President Donald Trump has low approval ratings, but a very devoted group of supporters. This occasional series will explore his appeal in Texas. See More Collapse Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Four years later, the group still strongly backs Trump, and its become clear the president and his supporters have had profound effects on American evangelical Christianity. Angela Blouin says its for the better. She jokes that she grew up in the House of No. She was born in Texas and, when she was 8, her Marine Corps father moved the family to central Ohio to pastor a small Baptist church. Hers was a faithful, middle-class upbringing, and she said she still carries that love for Christ. So when she eventually moved back to Houston years ago, she immediately started looking for a new church home and landed at Lakewood Church, where shes also a choir member. I just really love Jesus! she said. And that doesnt make me perfect. Of course, everybody fails. Im just like everybody else, but I have this crazy faith. Shes all-in on Trump 2020. The 42-year-old lists abortion, religious liberty, jobs and the economy as some of the reasons why. The things that we were so down and desperate about until Trumps election, she said. Trump, she said, makes her feel safer in what she believes to be the End Times an apocalyptic end to the world described in the Book of Revelations. To be honest with you, this day and age is so different. Youre really fighting for souls. In Joe Biden, a moderate Democrat and devout Catholic known to carry a rosary at all times, many white evangelicals see a Trojan horse for the Marxist revolution that preachers and pundits have warned about since Barack Obama was elected, governed for eight years and peacefully transitioned power to a political rival. I believe the storm is coming, Franklin Graham, son of the famed televangelist Billy Graham, said recently. Youre going to see Christians attacked. Youre going to see churches close. Youre going to see a real hatred expressed toward people of faith. Thats coming. Underdog Many Trump supporters believe the stakes are apocalyptically high. As protests over police brutality continue and the Senate prepares to vote on the confirmation of Circuit Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the stakes are likely to get higher. Trump has made good on the campaign promise to appoint conservatives to judicial openings that was key to gaining evangelical support in 2016. And some believe that will be enough to keep Trump in office for another four years. This is why evangelicals and Christians will stick with Donald Trump in this election cycle, said Jessica Colon, a Houston-based Republican consultant and Trump supporter. He has absolutely changed the face of our judicial system for the better for a generation. And that will not be forgotten. Adie Schlenker grew up in a very religious home in Houston and wasnt able to vote in 2016. Today, the 21-year-old is pursuing a degree in government at the University of Texas, with a focus on the relationship between religion and law. Her top issues are consistent with those of most white evangelicals, a voting bloc that, in 2016, listed health care, jobs and national security as their most important concerns. In that survey, abortion long assumed to be a key driver of Christian support for conservative candidates was listed at No. 9. Gay marriage was dead last. But it was Trumps communication style that first gained Schlenkers support. He was the underdog, she said. He was saying things that no one else is saying, and I was like, I agree with that, thats crazy. It was the underdog personality, the Im gonna say what I want, because no one else is saying it stuff. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer And she likes that he makes jokes. When Trump last week, refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power if he loses, Schlenker laughed it off. His insults, daily Twitter rants, his bullying rhetoric are all part of what makes Trump Trump. Its part of his appeal. For him, its appropriate, she said. Kenny Wolfam focuses less on Trumps rhetoric and adultery, and more on what hes done in office. Wolfam voted third party in 2016, and said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was the last politician he was excited to support. The 33-year-old is an ardent Second Amendment supporter. He dislikes big government, which he says infringes on the rights he views as being derived from God first, the U.S. Constitution second. I try and keep his character in mind because, to an extent, thats how you can estimate what a person will do, Wolfam said. But at the end of the day, I care about policies. Messages from GOP, not churches Paul Djupe is a professor of political science at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and has spent years studying Christians and the Republican Party. He has a grim outlook for evangelicalism. Djupe sees the marriage between Trump and white evangelicals as another reflection of the broadening gulfs in American religion, politics and partisanship. That predates Trump, he said, drawing back to decades ago, when whats now known as the Religious Right first began to coalesce in opposition to issues such as abortion, gay rights and, to some degree, racial integration. The movement made household names of the likes of Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell Sr. and others who warned of Americas creeping moral decay, brought on by the loss of the traditional family structure and the sexual deviancy they assured would follow. Others have since borrowed from the playbook, Djupe said, but havent been as influential. That left the evangelical world fragmented at the same time that the internet and talk radio increasingly gave the faithful more options for whom to look to for moral clarity, religious or not. The messaging is not coming from churches, and instead from Republicans and conservative activists, he said. There are a lot of different concerns about being white, about the economy and the opportunities for those with less education. And that makes them really susceptible to Republican arguments about economic and culture threats because theyve conflated those two things. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Meanwhile, the number of nonreligious or religiously unaffiliated Americans continues to tick upward almost each year, with decades of research showing that younger generations continue to flee traditional churches and denominations in part because they see them as politicized. There are fewer potential congregants for whom churches can compete and, thus, increased likelihood that church leaders will try to maintain their flocks by digging in on hot-button political issues or, alternatively, avoiding them altogether, Djupe said. All of it makes this market competition be felt more greatly, Djupe said. Churches really feel like theyre in competition with a wide variety of local churches and they could lose people on a dime. If they try to say anything against Trump at this point, theyre going to drive people out. Those arent your people Thats been particularly clear when it comes to how or if to address racism. Recent polling by the Barna group found that fewer than half of white Christians believed racism is a problem. More than twice as many Black Christians said the same. The differences are sharp enough that earlier this summer, two local pastors, one Black, one white, launched an initiative to prompt conversations about race and prejudice, including a sermon series that addresses the issues from a scriptural viewpoint. Those types of grassroots efforts may help in the long run. But it will take much more to shake the feelings of betrayal that many Black Christians have expressed since 2016, particularly as deaths of unarmed Black people at the hands of police continue to spark protests across the nation. The election itself was the single most harmful event to the whole movement of reconciliation in at least the past 30 years, Michael Emerson, a well-known writer on race and Christianity, said at the time. Its about to completely break apart. Trey Medley grew up in evangelical churches around Houston. Being pro-life was crucial to his faith, he recalled. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer At 23, he left Texas to study at a seminary in Birmingham, Ala. It was there that he first started to wrestle with what it meant to be pro-life. He recalls being told not to live in an apartment because those arent your people, and hearing his fellow white seminarians condemn any white Christian not aligned with the Republican Party, while simultaneously expecting their Black colleagues to be all-in on the Democratic Party simply because of their race. Youd have people who would say things to you that were openly racist, but because we were white it was OK, Medley said. It was shocking and jolting. Racism became a really big issue to me. In 2008, he cast his first ballot for a Democrat Barack Obama and today considers himself a political moderate. He said hes voting for Joe Biden in November, and thinks the Trump presidency has damaged the credibility of white evangelicals and, thus, Christianity as a whole. As an evangelical, I would say he has almost destroyed the Christian witness that evangelicals have, Medley said. Theyve lost sight of what the kingdom is really about by making it about temporary politics. Im not going to say its the death knell for American evangelicalism, but it could be. robert.downen@chron.com New Delhi, Sep 30 : Nepal and China will soon ink a bilateral military exchange mechanism on the lines of the India-Nepal security exchange framework, agencies have warned New Delhi. The decision is to be taken by the Himalayan country when India and China are engaged in a border spat in eastern Ladakh. Indo-Nepal ties have been sliding recently, challenging the traditional relationship between the two countries. An intelligence agency source said that Nepal is planning to set up a mechanism - Nepal-China Bilateral Consultative Group on Security Issues (BCGSI) - for military exchange programme between Nepal Army and People's Liberation Army. "It is similar to Indo-Nepal bilateral consultative group on security issues," said the source. Currently, China is assisting Nepal in military training, equipment and peacekeeping operations. Further, for China's PLA to conduct jungle warfare and high altitude warfare training, Nepal is one of the preferred destinations. Nepal and China's military cooperation started from 1988 and has been ever growing. Further, China has been investing heavily in Nepal in recent years, rapidly increasing infrastructure connectivity with rail and road links. Also, policymakers of Nepal had undergone a 13-day offline and online training programme of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) in Beijing after China "especially invited" them to attend it. China had reserved several seats for policymakers of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project at its Science Academy in Beijing. The programme started on September 4 and ended on September 20. The move of China is seen as to challenge the US-based global positioning system (GPS) hegemony and push for its own developed navigation system first in the region. China uses its homegrown navigation system BeiDou for both military and civil purposes. BDS, stated to be rivalling US' GPS, is the fourth global satellite navigation system in the world. Other systems are Russia's GLONASS and the European Union's Galileo. India too is developing its own navigational system called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NAVIC. Further, Nepal also signed a transit treaty with China to use Chinese ports for its foreign trade in a bid to reduce dependence on Indian ports. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) William Good and his future wife, Pearl, in Italy after World War II. (Good family photo) To the editor: I read the Column One article about Dr. William Good, an immigrant who cheated death multiple times during World War II and was one of a relative handful of Jews in and around Vilna, Poland, to survive. He was described as a heroic, intelligent and gentle man who knows 11 languages and has been married for 67 years to his wife Pearl, a retired chemistry professor and another Holocaust survivor. There are Americans who think that wearing a mask and taking other measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are too burdensome and encroach on their freedoms. Tell me, who better epitomizes our country and deserves to live here? Judy Pang, Palos Verdes Estates .. To the editor: I couldn't help but be struck by the interesting juxtaposition of two stories on the front page of Monday's Los Angeles Times. There was reporter Kevin Baxter's moving piece on the harrowing journey of Holocaust survivor William Good. In another piece, reporter Greg Braxton powerfully recounted the indignities he and his father suffered because of their race. While both articles illustrate all too well the tragic and very personal consequences of hatred and prejudice, what really unites the two stories is their shared themes of resilience, redemption and healing. As the son of Holocaust survivors I know that hatred will always leave its mark, but I also know that people can triumph over the worst of experiences and "find light in the darkness." Stephen Bulka, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Dr. Good's story is moving and perplexing, a feel-good Holocaust survival tale published on Yom Kippur that includes a hero-Nazi and notes, "Not only had [Dr. Good] survived the Holocaust, he actually fought back." "Actually" implies resistance was unusual, but Jews in ghettos resisted and rose up, as did Jews languishing in death, labor and concentration camps. A recent survey found that 63% of Americans under 40 do not know that 6 million Jews perished in the Holocaust; 11% believe that Jews caused the Holocaust, and 3% deny it happened. Story continues Gov. Gavin Newsom will likely soon sign off on an ethnic studies requirement for high school students. The curriculum omits anti-Semitism and erases the diversity and history of California's Jewish community. Thank you for Dr. Good's story. I hope future Holocaust stories will be fleshed out with unambiguous historical background, and your news will include anti-Semitism's expression in the here and now. Jo Perry, Studio City This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Trend Ukraine supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said, Trend reports with reference to the Ukrainian media. War is always trouble and destruction. The current situation shows that frozen conflicts are not frozen at all and can explode at any time, Kuleba noted. The FM said that it is important to support the territorial integrity of the countries. Weve supported and will continue to support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, just like Azerbaijan supported our territorial integrity. Our position remains unchanged, he added. The Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale provocation, subjecting the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibers in the front-line zone on Sept. 27 at 06:00 (GMT+4). The command of the Azerbaijani Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation of Azerbaijani troops along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Ashagi Abdurrahmanli, Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district were liberated. Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A travel agent is seen breaking down in tears as she discusses her fight to save her previously successful 20-year-old business from going under due to the Covid crisis - and reveals how she's applying for jobs to stack shelves in a bid to pay her bills. Kate Harris, who owns award-winning holiday company Inspired Travel and lives in Burbage, Leicestershire, couldn't contain her emotion as she discussed how her business has been put under huge strain, as she slammed the Government's furlough scheme as 'cr**py'. Speaking to Travel Weekly Editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley for a webcast about the way the travel industry has been devastated by the pandemic, the single mother-of-one fought back tears as she revealed how, even with the help of the furlough scheme, she's only taken 120 in the last month, and still has to pay her one employee 500. Scroll down for video Job Support Scheme Webcast: 'It doesn't involve or help us, it writes us off' 'It doesn't involve or help us, it writes us off' Lucy Huxley speaks to Inspired Travel's Kate Harris, The Advantage Travel Partnership's Julia Lo Bue-Said and Cosmos and Avalon Waterways' Giles Hawke about the government's new Job Support Scheme Posted by Travel Weekly UK on Monday, September 28, 2020 Heartbreaking: Travel agent Kate Harris who has run her own award-winning business, Inspired Travel, for 20 years says the Covid crisis has seen her applying for jobs to stack shelves as bookings have dried up Speaking in a webcast with Travel Weekly, she told Editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley, pictured top left, that she doesn't know what she'd do if she lost her shop - and wonders whether all the sacrifices she's made along the way are now worth it Harris told the webcast that she didn't want to be a 'moaner' and was working hard to get a second job to support her business Getting emotional, she told Huxley in the 'heartbreaking' interview that she already owed 10,000 and is behind on the company's corporation tax and VAT bills. She said she'd been left wondering whether all the sacrifices she's made along the way, including years when she says she was a 'drive-by mother', to run her own business have been worth it. The company director struggled not to cry as she revealed recent interviews she's had, saying: 'I did a Zoom interview for a job with two people who are younger than my 27-year-old son. Im answering questions like a manager when Im applying to stack shelves. 'I never wanted to do that [but] this has been my life and I will do whatever it takes to save my business.' She added: 'I think if the choice was between having Covid or a roof over my head Id pick Covid every day because without my job, without this shop to come to I dont know what Id do anymore.' Huxley later tweeted the webcast, saying it was 'utterly heartbreaking'. Editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly, Lucy Huxley, warned there'll be many more agents facing the same trials as Kate (pictured) She wrote: 'If you do one thing today...watch the raw emotion displayed by agent Kate Harris of Inspired Travel on this webcast about the Chancellors Job Support Scheme & more. There will be many more agents just like Kate. #SaveFutureTravel' Another agent painted a similar picture of her own business, @julie_travel wrote: 'This is the reality of what is happening to previously successful travel businesses. I don't have premises but havent earned a penny since March and now looking at a raft of Lapland bookings possibly cancelling. Its heartbreaking.' Harris said she'd hoped in March to back 'up and running' by August but was now hoping for a surge in bookings next spring instead. A murderer has been caught fighting with his victim in CCTV footage just minutes before stabbing him to death. Jordan Brown, 25, of Barry, Wales, was found guilty of murdering Jordan Davies, 23, at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday following a three-week trial. The jury took just over two hours to return a guilty verdict on a single count of murder. Brown was remanded in custody to appear at the same court on Friday for sentencing. During the trial CCTV footage was shown as part of the evidence which caught the moment that Brown stabbed his victim on December 16 last year. The footage shows the initial confrontation between Brown and Mr Davies in Barry while a mutual friend watches on. A murderer has been caught fighting with his victim in CCTV footage just minutes before stabbing him to death Jordan Brown (pictured), 25, of Barry, Wales, was found guilty of murdering Jordan Davies, 23, at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday following a three-week trial Brown is then shown running from the town centre back to his flat in Holton Road to retrieve a flick knife before he is seen walking back to the town centre to go after Mr Davies again. He is then seen throwing what appear to be punches but are in fact stabs in the direction of Mr Davies' body. The final frames show Brown, having changed his clothes, walking from his flat before discarding his clothes in an alleyway off Digby Street. The CCTV footage shows the initial confrontation between Brown and Mr Davies in Barry while a mutual friend watches on Brown is then shown running from the town centre back to his flat in Holton Road to retrieve a flick knife (pictured) before he is seen walking back to the town centre to go after Mr Davies again Following the verdict senior investigating officer detective inspector Matt Powell said: 'Today concludes a South Wales Police major crime investigation into the murder of Jordan Davies which took place in Holton Road, Barry. The final frames show Brown (pictured), having changed his clothes, walking from his flat before discarding his clothes in an alleyway off Digby Street 'Following a confrontation in the street with his then-friend Jordan Brown he was stabbed three times with one fatal wound to his chest. 'Mr Davies collapsed and Brown fled from the scene, discarding his clothes in a nearby lane. 'Despite the best efforts of members of the public and extensive medical treatment by medical professionals who attended the scene Mr Davies sadly did not survive. 'Jordan Davies' family have shown tremendous courage and dignity. They have waited patiently due to delays brought about by the current pandemic to see justice delivered. 'We hope the outcome at Cardiff Crown Court today can go some way in helping them to recover from this tragedy. 'This tragic case yet again highlights the devastating and far-reaching consequences of knife crime. 'I cannot stress enough the importance of loved ones reporting their concerns if they suspect someone they know is carrying a knife or involved in knife crime. 'Speaking out could, quite simply, save a life.' The Armenian foreign ministry is accusing Turkey of shooting down one of its fighter jets. The incident marks a sharp escalation of tensions between the two countries over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh dispute According to BBC, the Armenian official said the Soviet-made SU-25's pilot died after a Turkish F-16 destroyed his aircraft in an engagement within Armenian airspace. However, Turkey, who is giving Azerbaijan its support amid the conflict, has denied the claims. More than 100 people, including civilians, have lost their lives due to the deadly battle for the mountainous region in just three days of conflict. While the enclave is recognized as part of Azerbaijan internationally, it has been run by ethnic Armenians ever since the war between the two former Soviet republics from 1988 to 1994. The Azerbaijan forces repeatedly denied that its air force was in possession of F-16 fighter jets. However, the Turkish air force has the model aircraft. The three-day-long conflict has begun to crawl out of Nagorno-Karabakh, where both Armenia and Azerbaijan are accusing each other of firing directly into one another's territories and are accusing the other side of being responsible for the disputes over the region. The engagements also come after Turkey has openly called for an immediate ceasefire within the area. Shushan Stepanyan, the Armenian Defence Ministry spokeswoman, said that victim SU-25 was shot down during an engagement on Tuesday and that the pilot died heroically. In a post on social media, the spokeswoman wrote that the Turkish F-16 aircraft was allegedly 60km inside Armenian air space. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's aide, Fahrettin Altun, demands that the Armenian military withdraw its troops from territories that are under Turkish rule instead of conducting propaganda schemes, as reported by RNZ. Also Read: Saudi Arabia King Salman Accuses Iran of Non-Peaceful Efforts in UN Assembly Speech Denial of accusations However, Azerbaijani officials claim there was no Armenian plane that was shot down and that it was all a ruse to provoke opposition amid growing tensions in the region. The Armenian government previously stated that the entry of Turkish troops amid the conflicts signal a potential broader response. Officials also said they could look into using the Russian-supplied Iskander-E quasi-ballistic missiles to attack targets in Azerbaijan. Armenian officials have yet to reveal substantial evidence to prove their claims that a Turkish F-16 shot down an Armenian SU-25. While Stepanyan's accusation of the Turkish F-16 was acquired from what she said is the SU-25 flight data recorder, experts wonder how the technology would have been able to discern that information on a foreign aircraft. According to The Drive, the spokeswoman's post on Facebook claimed that the Turkish F-16 was operated from the Ganja International Airport in Azerbaijan. Satellite imaging that has been circulating around social media platforms shows that on September 27, there was no significant fighter jet movement in the vicinity of the airport. The ongoing conflicts have resulted in the Azerbaijan forces utilizing their fleet of drones, including the Turkish-made armed unmanned aircraft Bayrajtar TB2 and several other Israeli-made loitering munitions. Related Article: Russian and Emirati Cargo Planes Supply Destruction Caused by Libyan War @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. PAINESVILLE, Ohio Two people are dead and two others were wounded Tuesday in a shooting, according to police. Gunshots were reported at about 4:35 p.m. in the area of Morse Avenue, police say. Officers discovered three victims on Morse Avenue. Another victim was found dead in a vehicle about one mile away on Owego Street. The three victims on Morse Avenue were taken to TriPoint Medical Center, where one died of his wounds, according to police. No other details were released Tuesday night and police say the investigation is continuing. The identities of the victims are being withheld pending notification of family members. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation also is investigating. Police say anyone with information can contact police at 440-392-5839. More crime-related content on cleveland.com: Two detained by police after walking around barriers as President Trumps motorcade drove to debate in Cleveland, reporter says Medical examiner identifies body of man shot in Clevelands Garden Valley neighborhood 13-year-old boy, 20-year-old man arrested in two Parma armed robberies in one day, police say U.S. marshals capture man wanted in deadly shooting after fender bender in Cleveland U.S. Marshals searching for Euclid man wanted in killing of man in East Cleveland The New York Times said on Wednesday that it had opened a fresh examination into how its popular Caliphate podcast portrayed a Canadian man who has been charged with lying about being an Islamic State executioner. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced on Friday that it had arrested Shehroze Chaudhry, who was featured in Caliphate using the name Abu Huzayfah, under terrorism hoax laws. The authorities accused Mr. Chaudhry of fabricating his involvement in acts of terrorism in Syria with ISIS and of raising public safety concerns amongst Canadians. In several episodes of Caliphate, which was released by The Times in 2018, Mr. Chaudhry described his recruitment by ISIS and the violent executions he said he had taken part in. One episode cast doubt on some of his claims as the reporters uncovered inconsistencies with his passport and travel dates. A Times spokeswoman said in a statement that the newspaper was undertaking a fresh examination of his history and the way we presented him in our series and would make further comment once the review was completed. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Pennsylvanias counties pressed lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf to allow them to process mail-in ballots before Election Day in the battleground state as they consider the prospect of waiting until polls open to dig into what could be 3 million or more envelopes. Meanwhile, Philadelphia on Tuesday opened seven satellite election offices a sort-of one-stop shop for people to register and vote by mail-in ballot as Pennsylvanias most populous counties look for ways to manage the massive mail-in vote. Allowing as many as 21 days to process mail-in ballots before Election Day has been the counties' top election priority for months. But it remained stuck Tuesday in a wider partisan dispute between the Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled Legislature amid a high-stakes presidential election and partisan lawsuits over how mail-in ballots should be collected and counted. The debate is happening amid President Donald Trumps persistent attacks on the legitimacy of mail-in ballots, following his comments Saturday evening in a rally in Pennsylvania that Democrats are going to try to steal the election. Demand is rising for mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus, and could surpass 3 million, or 10 times the amount in 2016s presidential election. Registered Democrats are applying for mail-in ballots at a rate of nearly 3 to 1 over Republicans. County officials say processing mail-in ballots before Election Day will speed up vote counting amid concerns that a presidential election result will hang in limbo for days on a drawn-out vote count in Pennsylvania. In a pointed message on Twitter, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania said we dont want Pennsylvania to become a national news story. Diane Ellis-Marseglia, chair of Bucks Countys commissioners, estimated that processing ballots before Election Day would allow her county to tabulate them all within 12 to 15 hours after polls close. Otherwise, it could take three days with election workers working around the clock, she said. If they would just do that, thats it, thats all we really need, Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, said. In Delaware County, another heavily populated county outside Philadelphia, Councilwoman Christine Reuther said voters in the Democratic-leaning county are increasingly concerned over rhetoric that Trump will have a large election night lead, based on the in-person vote, and then cry foul when the lead shrinks or disappears as mail-in ballots, primarily from Democrats, are counted in the ensuing hours and days. The Legislature could head that off by allowing ballots to be processed before Election Day, she said. That could mean that 75% of mailed-in ballots would be counted by 11 p.m. on election night, she said. It shouldnt be people saying, Well, these results coming in after Election Day shouldnt count because the elections rigged, and thats been the rhetoric and the drumbeat, Reuther said. A spokeswoman for Trumps campaign, Thea McDonald, said that if votes are to be processed before Election Day, it must be a transparent process with a poll watcher in the room to ensure all rules are followed. In Philadelphia, the city on Tuesday opened seven of 17 satellite election offices it plans, where people can register to vote, apply for a mail-in ballot, fill it out and submit it. Pennsylvanias state Supreme Court, in a Sept. 17 decision, deemed such offices to be legal under current law, delivering a loss to Republicans and Trumps campaign, who had opposed them. One of the centers temporarily lost a connection to the states voter database, preventing workers at the center from checking voter registration records and processing mail-in ballot applications, officials said. Trump, meanwhile, retweeted claims on Twitter on Tuesday by his son Eric and a campaign staffer that Trump campaign officials were being blocked or kicked out of newly opened satellite election offices in Philadelphia. Trump lost in the Democratic bastion to Hillary Clinton in 2016 by 67 percentage points, or about 475,000 votes. ___ More from PennLive Pa.'s former Gov. Tom Ridge explains why he is voting for Joe Biden: Hes got more humanity. Here are Trumps, Bidens positions on fracking, police, other issues that could decide Pennsylvania * Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh * China Manufacturing PMI for September 51.5 vs August's 51.0 * Chaotic U.S. presidential debate leaves more questions By Nikhil Nainan Sept 30 (Reuters) - An early boost to Asia's emerging stock markets from Chinese economic data faded on Wednesday as a chaotic first U.S. presidential debate weakened sentiment globally and traders reined in bets ahead of several regional market holidays. The debate saw heated clashes between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden, leaving more doubts about the November election and whether Trump would accept an unfavourable result than clarity of who could come out on top. Chinese stocks had initially led gains after two surveys showed China's factory activity, a bellwether for the region, still firmly in growth territory in September. Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines all held onto gains of around 0.4% as the day wore on, but both Shanghai and Singapore fell back to trade around 0.2% lower. A Trump victory in November would spell more volatility from relations with China and knock-on effects for the rest of Asia, according to some analysts. Goldman Sachs analysts on Tuesday said a victory for Biden and his Democratic Party in House and Senate elections was likely to boost the stock market. "During the Trump presidency outward direct investment to emerging economies has more than halved," said Stuart Ritson, a portfolio manager of emerging market local currency debt at Aviva Investors. "(If Biden wins) We might be able to see direct investment begin to flow again. In that environment, (emerging market currencies) can do a little better," he said. Most stock markets in Asia, in line with global trends, are slated to post declines in September, with China snapping three months of gains and Indonesia five, after fresh jolts to the global economic recovery emerged from Europe and investors re-valued companies seen as winners during the COVID-19 pandemic. China will start a week-long break from Thursday, while holidays in South Korea and Hong Kong for the remainder of the week and India on Friday kept trading subdued. Taiwan, whose tech-focussed economy has made it a robust performer in the coronavirus crisis, stood out again on Wednesday, with its currency rising 0.6%. The U.S. dollar found more support after the debate, prodding most other regional currencies marginally lower. The Philippine peso was marginally lower ahead of a central bank meeting on Thursday, where economists predict no policy changes following a total of 175 basis point cuts this year. HIGHLIGHTS: ** Philippine 10-year benchmark yield unchanged at 3.05% ** Singapore's top gainer was Keppel Corp after it identified assets worth S$17.5 billion to monetise ** Fractious presidential debate unlikely to move needle for Trump Investors react to first Trump-Biden election debate Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0707 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDEX STOCKS STOCKS DAILY % YTD % DAILY % YTD % Japan +0.05 +2.86 -1.50 -1.99 China +0.09 +2.27 -0.19 5.51 India +0.15 -3.20 0.07 -7.71 Indonesia -0.03 -6.53 -0.10 -22.63 Malaysia -0.12 -1.71 0.44 -4.93 Philippines -0.14 +4.58 0.39 -24.96 S.Korea - -1.12 - 5.93 Singapore -0.01 -1.78 -0.19 -23.45 Taiwan +0.66 +3.95 0.38 4.32 Thailand -0.16 -5.56 -0.75 -21.01 (Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has stated that they will continue their agitation for Biafra in spite of the promise of an Igbo presidency in 2023. The proscribed group insists on observing the sit-at-home order by its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on October 1, 2020, adding that Biafra is non-negotiable. IPOB in a statement released by its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, disclosed that the sit-at-home order is a peaceful protest of their discontent with the injustices, misrule, oppression, genocidal killings and other atrocities perpetrated by the government of Nigeria against Biafrans and other indigenous people. The statement read; CLEVELAND, Ohio - Check out the latest coronavirus updates, see grades and reactions to last nights presidential debate and read more stories trending online today. Top Stories 3 winners and 4 losers from the first 2020 presidential debate (Vox) 6 takeaways from the off-the-rails first debate between Biden and Trump (CNN) Top five moments from first debate (Fox News) Fact-checking the first presidential debate (NY Times) From Debate Stage, Trump Declines To Denounce White Supremacy (NPR) Trumps jarring white supremacist moment launches an online furor (Politico) Chaos of 1st presidential debate prompts reactions of dismay, disappointment (ABC) Proud Boys celebrate after Trumps debate callout (NBC News) How the worlds media reacted to last nights debate (BBC) When is the second debate? (Newsweek) Complete local coverage of last nights debate from cleveland.com Coronavirus news NYC to fine those who refuse to wear masks (CBS News) Covid-19 Cases Jump in Canada, Prompting New Restrictions (Wall Street Journal) 15-minute coronavirus test gets the green light in Europe (CNBC) Titans, Vikings close facilities after Tennessee players test positive for the coronavirus (ESPN) How Notre Dame let coronavirus spread like wildfire (NY Post) Disney to lay off 28,000 employees as coronavirus slams its theme park business (CNBC) More than 60 million people in India may have caught Covid-19, survey finds (CNN) Shell plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs as oil demand slumps (ABC) Read complete prior coronavirus coverage. Other trending headlines In rare move, Schumer forces vote to consider health care bill amid Supreme Court tensions (The Hill) Breonna Taylor grand jury records will offer a rare glimpse into a secret, distrusted system (NBC) Small air leak on space station traced to Russian service module (Space) Map: More than two-dozen major wildfires burning in California (NBC Local) Mac Davis, Iconic Artist & Elvis Songwriter, Dies at 78 (Billboard) Meghan Markle loses court decision in privacy battle with British tabloid (CBS) Bad Bunnys new Crocs sold out in minutes and fans were so upset about it (FTW) Serena Williams pulls out of French Open with injury (Yahoo Sports) (Newser) An heiress is heading to prison for her role in an abusive cult that turned women into sex slaves, the New York Daily News reports. A judge sentenced Clare Bronfman, the daughter of late Seagram's billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr., to 81 months in prison and fined her $500,000 on Wednesday. "I have made mistakes, I'm sorry for the time and resources I have taken from the court," she said. Bronfman is accused of illegally bringing young women into the US for the Nxivm cult and using part of her $210 million fortune to silence the group's enemies with legal action. "She used her incredible wealth as a means of intimidation, threat and exacting revenge on individuals who challenged its dogmas," Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis said in sentencing her. story continues below Nine Nxivm victims spoke directly to Bronfmanwho still publicly supports cult leader Keith Raniereduring the emotional hearing, the New York Times reports. "I pray that you will take the claws of Keith Raniere out of you, and you will learn who Clare Bronfman really is," said victim Susan Dones as she wept. "He is killing you." Other ex-members said they undured "scorched-earth litigation" and "hundreds of headline news stories" after leaving the group. Bronfman's sentence was based on her two guilty pleas: racketeering and conspiracy. Raniere, meanwhile, was found guilty last year of charges including sex-trafficking and racketeering. He could get life behind bars when he's sentenced in October. (Women in Nxivm were apparently branded with his initials.) A married mother-of-three was killed when a stray bullet smashed through her apartment window and struck her in the head in New York City last night. Bertha Arriaga, 43, was checking on a noise coming from outside her Queens apartment building when she was hit. The tragic incident comes amid a wave off gun violence that has swept over New York City in recent months. Arriaga was found mortally wounded and bleeding on the floor of her apartment on 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights by her 14-year-old son at around 12.45am. Scroll down for video Bertha Arriaga, a 43-year-old married mom-of-three, was shot and killed when a stray bullet flew through her bedroom window early Wednesday Arriaga went to the window of her apartment in Queens after hearing noises outside when someone fired a shot, striking the woman in the head The NYPD released surveillance video showing two would-be bicycle thieves at the scene of the crime when Arriaga was shot The suspects are seen leaving the scene on 34th Avenue on a motorcycle Arriaga's brother-in-law, Javier Aguilar, said his nephew woke up his father sleeping in another room to tell him about what happened. Jorge Aguilar, Arriaga's husband, attempted to revive his wife by performing CPR on her, but to no avail. Police and paramedics were called to the scene and pronounced Arriaga dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Officials said neighbors had made 911 calls around the same time reporting gunfire outside. Arriaga's 14-year-old son found his mother bleeding from the head on the floor of their apartment on 34th Avenue Jorge Aguilar described his wife, Arriaga, as the best wife and mother to their three sons, ages six, 10 and 14 'She was the best wife of all,' Jorge told PIX11 through tears. 'She cared deeply about the kids.' The couple emigrated from Mexico and settled in Queens 15 years ago to raise a family. Arriaga is survived by her husband and their three sons, ages six, 10 and 14. So far, no arrests have been made in connection to the deadly shooting. On Wednesday morning, the NYPD released surveillance video showing two persons of interest and appealed to the public for help in finding them. The short clip features a pair of men on a motorcycle trying to steal a bicycle chained to a pole. 'There appears to be a theft occurring at the time - an attempted theft of a bicycle that was locked up in front of this location,' Deputy Inspector Julie Morrill told ABC 7 NY. 'The theft that was occurring ended. The bike was not taken by these perps. A shot rang out. At this time it is still under investigation as to who fired that shot.' Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Just hours after Arriaga's death, gunfire erupted outside a car wash in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, killing a 25-year-old man and injuring two others. On Wednesday morning, three people were shot, one of them fatally, outside this car wash in Coney Island, Brooklyn According to recent NYPD crime statistics, New York City has seen the number of shooting incidents and shooting fatalities nearly double so far this year compared to last year. Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday raised concerns about New York City's skyrocketing gun violence rates, saying crime is 'not going to get better on its own' Between January 1 and September 20, a total of 1,123 shootings resulting in 214 fatalities were reported in the Big Apple, compared with 580 shootings and 111 fatalities for the same period in 2019. During a press conference on Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, took a swipe at Mayor Bill de Blasio, citing a host of quality-of-life issues plaguing New York City under his leadership, including rising gun violence rates, rampant homelessness and garbage piling up in the streets. 'We have a problem in New York City when it comes to crime. That is fact,' Cuomo said, as Fox News reported. 'It's not going to get better on its own.' In July and August, shootings were up 177 and 166 per cent, respectively, compared to the same time last year. Other major cities in the US also have seen rising crime rates. According to a study by the Council on Criminal Justice, from May-June 2020, homicides in 20 cities increased by 37 per cent, led by Chicago, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, reported CNN. The EC has reportedly rejected UK requests for vehicles produced in Britain using imported parts to avoid higher export tariffs The European Union has rejected a request from the UK to consider car parts from Japan and Turkey as British when they are used in the production of vehicles in the country, according to reports today. The decision would mean that some car makers in Britain would attract higher tariffs with or without a trade deal. According to a letter to the car industry from Britain's chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost, seen by the BBC, the EC rejected the key request. In a report issued on Wednesday, the BBC said it had also obtained a separate draft legal text in which the UK requested the manufacturing of goods such as electric cars and batteries - as well as electric bicycles - to be counted as British, even if the majority of components are imported. Both documents reportedly refer to the need for UK manufacturers, even if a Brexit deal is reached, to ensure that goods exported from the UK are British-made and contain a certain amount of British parts, believed to be around 55 per cent. An anticipated deal had been expected to allow any components sourced from EU countries to count as British, an idea known as 'cumulation'. However the letter from Lord Frost reportedly states the EU has denied the request to extend cumulation to include other partners of the UK and EU, including Turkey and Japan. This is likely to be a blow to a number of UK car makers, especially Japanese firms with large vehicle plants across the country using parts shipped into the country. That includes Nissan, which has the largest single vehicle production plant in the UK located in Sunderland where the Qashqai, Juke and Leaf are built, as well as Toyota's Burnaston factory producing the Corolla family car and Honda in Swindon - though the latter is due to close in 2021. According to the BBC, the letter said: 'The commission has made clear that it will not agree third-country cumulation in any circumstances, which we regret, but obviously cannot insist upon. 'I am sorry to say that so far they (EU negotiators) have neither been willing to discuss these nor share any proposed text with us.' For cars produced in Britain to avoid higher tariffs, a minimum of 55% of their parts need to be British David Leggett, automotive analyst at GlobalData, said the move would be a 'serious blow for manufacturers in Britain such as Nissan and Toyota who import significant volumes of parts from so-called 'third countries'.' He added: 'Even in the event of a UK-EU free trade deal being struck, the problem lies in the determination of what is or is not eligible for free circulation between the UK and EU, qualifying as British (or local) content. 'Under the usual principles of bilateral free trade deals, mutual recognition and rules of origin mean that cars made in Britain need to meet around 55 per cent 'British' content to count as British and avoid tariffs, but crucially, EU-sourced parts would be included in that 'local content' calculation. 'The shipments to the EU of finished new cars meeting that 55 per cent threshold would therefore not attract tariffs under a free trade agreement (FTA). 'Many cars made in the UK and exported to the EU should be able to meet that threshold - but some may not, because of the application of rules of origin by the EU and this is where Nissan and Toyota could be especially vulnerable.' He explained: 'Nissan could be exposed by the value of imports of parts from Japan for its Sunderland-made electric Leaf and a consequential lower level of local content. 'Similarly, Toyota's UK plant works closely with Turkish suppliers. 'These two manufacturers could find some of their exports fall below the 55 per cent local content threshold and therefore become liable to EU tariffs, even if a UK-EU trade deal is struck. 'Exports to Europe are vital for these two plants and attracting new tariffs of 10 per cent on shipments to the EU would seriously hamper their competitive position.' An anticipated deal had been expected to allow any components sourced from EU countries to count as British, an idea known as 'cumulation' The report comes just a day after the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders launched a new 'Safe Harbour Scheme', designed to help save jobs across the UK automotive industry, including its critical supply chain. The scheme has been created to support companies struggling to ramp up production while battling the effects of the coronavirus crisis and ongoing market uncertainty. Supported by the Automotive Council and government, it is said to provide a mechanism for automotive businesses to engage with their customers, lenders, creditors and other stakeholders to 'find ways to minimise the risk of insolvencies'. The pandemic has so far resulted in at least 9,000 job losses across the sector as a whole, with an additional 5,000 in the UK supply chain, according to the trade body. And it warned that this is 'just the tip of the iceberg' as ongoing restrictions for manufacturing and the threat of further lockdowns remain. Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said on Tuesday: 'With the UK automotive sector badly hit by the coronavirus crisis, thousands of jobs already lost and barely weeks left until a fundamental change of trading conditions with our largest market, the EU, the pressures on automotive businesses are immense. 'Inevitably, these pressures are going to take their toll on businesses, so the Safe Harbour Scheme has been created to help any suppliers in trouble. 'It should provide valuable breathing space as the sector restarts and business and consumer confidence recovers. 'Ultimately, however, the industry must maintain its competitiveness to grow and for that we still look to the Government to deliver an ambitious trade deal with the EU.' Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Expressing her immense faith, in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, actor Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday said she wants that the Hathras rapists to be executed in the same manner, in which the Priyanka Reddys rapists were punished. She took to Twitter to give her opinion on the case and said she wants an emotional, instinctive and impulsive justice, for the Hathras rapists. I have immense faith in @myogiadityanath ji, just how Priyanka Reddy rapists were shot dead on the very spot they raped and burnt her alive we want the same emotional, instinctive and impulsive justice for #HathrasHorror #HathrasHorrorShocksIndia, she tweeted. Priyanka Reddy was a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad who was gang raped and murdered in November 2019. Also read | Hathras gang-rape: PM Modi speaks to UP CM Yogi Adityanath, seeks strict action The 19-year-old Dalit woman, who was gang-raped in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras, died on Tuesday morning, at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. The woman was gang-raped in Hathras on September 14, 2020, and was admitted to Delhis Safdarjung hospital for better healthcare facilities. All the four accused involved on September 14 gang-rape have been arrested. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 00:48:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NICOSIA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean cannot be solved by unilateral action, foreign ministers of Cyprus and Spain said at a joint press conference after talks in Nicosia on Wednesday. Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya, who paid a one-day visit to Cyprus, made it clear that she was referring to tensions with Turkey. "My visit to Cyprus is very clearly meant to send a signal to you ... of solidarity, of support to Cyprus in the face of tensions, Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Tensions with Turkey," she said. "We do not believe that there is a unilateral solution to the problems of the Eastern Mediterranean region. Therefore we reject unilateral moves that are not helping in finding a long-lasting solution," the Spanish official said. "The only avenue for a long-lasting solution is through negotiations, through dialogue, which is what Spain has been advocating between Greece and Turkey and which Spain advocates between Cyprus and Turkey," she added. Concurring with Laya's comments, Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said Cyprus looks to the European Union (EU) and its partners for solidarity in action. "Concretely upholding our common values and interests and implementing our own decisions is of the essence," he said. Christodoulides noted that despite the withdrawal of a Turkish survey ship from an area close to the Greek island of Crete, other surveys and drilling ships continue to be active off Cypriot shores. "Signals of de-escalation have not been extended to Cyprus," he said. The Spanish foreign minister also met with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, just before he flew to Brussels for a special two-day summit focused on the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, EU relations with Turkey and the possibility of tougher sanctions against Ankara. Cyprus has repeatedly proposed talks with Turkey to demarcate their marine borderline. Turkey and two EU members -- Greece and Cyprus -- were engaged in a war of words over oil and gas reserves and maritime rights in the disputed waters, prompting fears that tensions will continue to rise. Turkish Foreign Ministry had said EU countries should abandon a policy of "blindly" taking the side of Greece and Cyprus. Enditem Kyiv law enforcers are establishing the circumstances of injury to the United States Embassy's employee, who, unconscious with a head injury found by passers-by on Tolbukhina Street, the communication department of Kyiv police said. "Today, on September 30, on the 102 special line the metropolitan police received information about finding of a woman with a head injury in a parkland area near the railway tracks on Tolbukhina Street in Shevchenkivsky district of Kyiv," the police said. Thus, the woman in an unconscious state admitted to a hospital, thereafter she died. Law enforcement officers say that during the examination of the victim's belongings, an identity card of an employee of the U.S. Embassy in her name found. "Now in the hospital and at the scene of the incident, investigators and representatives of other specialized services carry out priority investigative actions, establish witnesses and eyewitnesses, as well as the circumstances in which the woman was injured," the police said. As a result of carrying out urgent first-priority investigative actions, law enforcement officers established that a man who looks 30-40 years old, 190-200 cm tall, with dark hair, dressed in black shorts, navy blue sneakers and a T-shirt, could be involved in beating the woman. The search is continuing now. The collected information on this fact was registered in Shevchenkivsky department of Kyiv police. The investigation is being carried out, according to the results of which the relevant legal qualification will be provided for this accident. Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said that those that are accusing the Buhari-led administration of corruption, are petty. While speaking after the second national summit on diminishing corruption and the launch of the national ethics and integrity policy by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Lawan stated that the Buhari-led administration has left no stone un turned in the fight against corruption. The Senate President also recalled how a past administration described corruption as mere stealing. He said; Twenty-nine people accused of financing jihadists in Syria via cryptocurrency were arrested by police, according to a statement put out by the French anti-terrorism prosecutor (PNAT) on Tuesday. This network has been "active since 2019 and is mainly based on purchasing cryptocurrency coupons in France, whose references have been transmitted by secure messaging to jihadists present in Syria, then credited on bitcoin platforms," according to the PNAT statement. The 29, aged 22 to 66, were picked up throughout the country, and bought the coupons to help their relatives over in Syria. They were caught after frequently buying coupons worth 10 to 150 euros each at tobacco shops over the past eight months at several locations in France. Police identified two people as the ringleaders behind the funding: jihadists Mesut S and Walid F, both 25 and living in northeastern Syria and suspected members of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham organisation, an Al-Qaeda affiliate. They were sentenced to 10 years in prison in absentia and have warrants out for their arrest. The prosecutor said that this is not the typical way the jihadists launder money to fund terrorism. "Constant surveillance of these networks prompted terrorist organisations to seek more opacity by using crypto-currencies such as bitcoin," the statement said. A lawyer for a number of the people in custody said that this was the only way they could get food to their children in the camps, as France is not repatriating all children in the camps in Syria at this time. "The judicial authorities know full well that, without this material aid, children are directly exposed to a risk of death," said their lawyer Marie Dose. The influential think-tank that spurred the NSW government's push to relax drinking rules is hosting the Opposition's competing plan for a night-time economy overhaul. The Committee for Sydney, whose calls for smoother outdoor dining and drinking regulations prompted Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello's cry for an al fresco revolution, will join NSW Labor on Thursday as it releases its position paper ahead of a parliamentary debate this month. NSW Labor has released its plan to revive Sydney's night-time economy. Credit:Janie Barrett With a focus on creating jobs for musicians and scrapping crippling restrictions on live music, the Opposition strategy also extends an olive branch to inner city residents by proposing a consolidated agency to deal with noise complaints. Labor is also calling for immediate legislative changes to make it easier for hospitality venues to serve food and alcohol outside, which were flagged by Mr Dominello recently, as well as a stimulus package for the industry and a separate one for musicians. Libyas oil production has more than tripled since the port blockade has been lifted, reaching around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) after the restart of another oilfield in the country, creating a new headache for fellow OPEC members who are trying to rebalance the market while demand is still weak. The 200,000-bpd Sarir oilfield resumed operations on Tuesday, Bloomberg quoted the operator Arabian Gulf Oil Co (Agoco) as saying. The field is currently pumping just 30,000 bpd, but it took Libyas total production to nearly 300,000 bpd, up from less than 100,000 bpd before the blockade was lifted in the middle of September. The head of the Libyan National Army (LNA), General Khalifa Haftar, whose troops, with help from affiliated groups, had blockaded Libyas oil ports in January, announced the end of the blockade on September 18. A week after the blockade was lifted, Libya was producing around 250,000 bpd as of Sunday. As of Wednesday, Libyas oil terminals at Hariga, Brega, and Zueitina continue to be open for business and are welcoming tankers to ship oil, although the biggest port and the terminal typically exporting the oil from the biggest oilfield in the country are still under force majeure. The 300,000-bpd Sharara oilfield, Libyas largest, is still closed, as are the nearby El Feel oilfield with 70,000 bpd capacity and the Zawiya oil terminal typically exporting crude from Sharara. Libyas National Oil Corporation (NOC) has previously said that the oilfields would need repairs and time to resume pumping oil at full capacity. Despite the fact that the return of a full 1 million bpd supply from Libya is not imminent and will likely take months, the African OPEC member exempted from the OPEC+ cuts could be a supply headache for the production group going forward, if the Libyan truce holds. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Courses at Macquarie University will soon have to meet a viability score and efficiency metric to survive, as the university prepares a raft of reforms to make it smaller and more financially sustainable. It could see more than 30 science and engineering courses slashed, including the Bachelor of Advanced Science, Bachelor of Marine Science and Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences, according to a proposed list of courses for 2021. Macquarie University has flagged that courses, specialisations and majors would be culled as it reforms its coursework suite. More than 30 specialisations and majors could be cut alongside them, including statistics, computing, applied mathematics and electronics engineering specialities. Proposed course cuts across other faculties have not yet been revealed. Vice-chancellor Bruce Dowton is expected to provide an update to the university community this week, but staff and students are already protesting against the flagged cuts to a number of degrees and majors next year. Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Tuesday, September 29 said Ghanaians are witnessing better governance and leadership under President Akufo-Addo and, therefore, the need to retain him in power. He cited the restoration of the teacher/nursing trainee allowances, implementation of the Free Senior High School policy of which government is paying GH2.1 billion annually, payment of GH21 billion to 4.6 million depositors whose funds were locked up in the banking sector clean-up, and provision of infrastructures such as roads, libraries, classroom blocks, and health facilities. The government, he said, had recruited 90,000 teachers since assuming office in 2017. Dr Bawumia made these remarks at a durbar of chiefs and people of Amanfrom in the Bortianor/Ngleshie/Amanfrom constituency of the Greater Accra Region to begin his four-day tour of the Region. He inspected the ongoing construction of a 1,000-seater capacity AstroTurf at Tuba and commissioned a multipurpose ICT centre and library at the A.O. Basic School at Abossey Okai in the Ablekuma Central Municipality. The Vice President explained that in view of the fulfilment of about 80 percent of the New Patriotic Party's 2016 electioneering promises with more projects ongoing, Ghanaians could trust the NPP-led Administration with four more years to deliver more developmental projects. He outlined some policies and programmes the Akufo-Addo-led government intended to implement when given the nod in the December 7 elections. These include the National Transport Recapitalisation Scheme, Leasing programme to enable commercial drivers own new vehicles, Tertiary Loan Scheme for university students to receive loans and pay it after completion of school and National Rent Allowance Scheme for workers to rent decent accommodation and later deducted from their salaries. He, therefore, asked the electorate to disregard the juicy promises being made by former President John Dramani Mahama as he lacked the credibility to fulfil them. Vice President Bawumia said the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress had been inconsistent with his promises and could not be trusted with the future development of the nation. He cited the Mahama governments cancellation of the teacher/nursing trainee allowances, failure to pay the arrears of service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme, high youth unemployment rate and poor management of the economy under his watch. Dr Bawumia said the NPP would not fail in fulfilling its promises and assured the chiefs and people of Amanfrom that a new district court and AstroTurf would be built for them. Nii Kwashie Gbolor IV, Chief of Amanfrom, lauded the Akufo-Addo-led Government for staying true to its words to roll-out the Free SHS Policy, which had to lessen the financial burden on most parents and guardians. He said the traditional leaders in the area had released land for the construction of the district court and pledged the cooperation of the chiefs and people towards the implementation of all the projects government had initiated. Some dignitaries in Dr Bawumias team included Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Anthony Abeyifa Karbo, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Saad Habib, Member of Parliament for Bortianor, Ngleshie/Amanfrom, and Mr Sylvester Tetteh, CEO of the National Youth Authority and NPP parliamentary candidate for Bortianor/Ngleshie/Amanfrom. LifeWay Christian Resources has decided not to proceed with a breach of contract lawsuit against the SBC entitys former president Thom Rainer, but will instead seek to resolve the dispute without litigation. Trustee chairman Todd Fannin announced the decision in an email to the board. An emergency meeting of the full board had been scheduled for Wednesday to discuss the lawsuit but was canceled by the executive committee. In lieu of moving forward with litigation, both parties are currently exploring the possibility of an agreed upon resolution of the differences, Fannin wrote. Our continued prayer is that this will be resolved quickly and amicably. Fannin, an Oklahoma businessman, asked all Southern Baptists to join us in a season of prayer and said trustees will receive additional information within a week. He expressed concern over numerous public misstatements and inaccuracies surrounding this matter. LifeWay filed a lawsuit Monday in Williamson County, Tennessee, chancery court, alleging Rainer had violated his transition agreement with LifeWay by publishing with a competitor. The agreement between Rainer and LifeWay upon his 2019 retirement precluded him from having any business association with LifeWay competitors until October 31, 2021. The agreement specifically listed Tyndale House Publishers as a LifeWay competitor. In August 2020, Tyndale announced a multibook publishing partnership with Rainer, which also includes video curriculum. In a statement Tuesday, Rainer said he had received a written and amicable release from publishing with LifeWay, he had discussed the matter with LifeWays attorney and he assumed all was well until receiving notice of the lawsuit. Under his transition agreement, Rainer, 65, was to remain a paid LifeWay employee through October 31, 2020, as chief advisory officer. The end of his employment would then be followed by a 12-month noncompete agreement. However, Rainer told Baptist Press that Ben Mandrell, LifeWays current president, asked him to either stop receiving payments from LifeWay or return them to the SBC entity. He said he has been returning the payments since late spring. The lawsuit apparently raised concern among some trustees. Multiple trustees told Baptist Press they did not learn of the lawsuit until the day after it was filed, and former board chair Jimmy Scroggins wrote an email to Fannin and his fellow board members Tuesday asking that the lawsuit be withdrawn until other options can be more fully explored or until the full board has an opportunity to discuss appropriate next steps for LifeWays relationship with Thom [Rainer]. ---------- Original post (September 30): LifeWay Christian Resources has sued its former president, Thom Rainer, for allegedly breaching his severance agreement by publishing with a competitor. Rainer claims he received a written and amicable release from publishing with the Southern Baptist Convention entity in October 2019, he discussed his publishing activities with LifeWays attorney, and he assumed all was well until receiving notice of the lawsuit Monday. Amid apparent disagreement among LifeWay trustees over the lawsuit, the board has called an emergency meeting Wednesday, Baptist Press has confirmed. In a statement, Todd Fannin, chairman of LifeWays board of trustees, said board officers believe Rainer has violated his Transition Agreement and want him to honor it. But Jimmy Scroggins, the immediate past chairman who still serves on the board, told the board in an email he is formally requesting for Todd [Fannin] to please withdraw our legal action. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Williamson County, Tennessee, chancery court, cites an agreement between Rainer and LifeWay upon his 2019 retirement that precluded him from having any business association with LifeWay competitors until October 31, 2021. The agreement specifically listed Tyndale House Publishers as a LifeWay competitor. In August 2020, Tyndale announced a multibook publishing partnership with Rainer, which also includes video curriculum. At issue is whether the Tyndale partnership violates Rainers noncompete clause. In addition to his transition agreement, Rainer had signed a contract in 2018 with LifeWay to publish a book titled The Church Attendance Manifesto. LifeWay and Rainer agreed several months later to terminate the contract, according to a letter accompanying the lawsuit complaint. In the letter, Devin Maddox, director of LifeWays books ministry area, told Rainer the publisher retains no rights to the work, and you are free to use the manuscript however you wish. The lawsuit claims termination of the Publishing Agreement did not release Rainer from the noncompete section of his transition agreement. Rainers actions will cause LifeWay to suffer immediate and irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law, according to the suit. LifeWay is asking the court to make Rainer sever his relationship with Tyndale and award the SBC entity unspecified damages. Under his transition agreement, Rainer, 65, was to remain a paid LifeWay employee through October 31, 2020, as chief advisory officer. The end of his employment would then be followed by a 12-month noncompete agreement. Rainer said Tuesday in written comments he was saddened by the lawsuit. Before learning of the lawsuit, I heard from a LifeWay representative about this concern only one time on September 8, 2020, Rainer said in the statement. LifeWays counsel sent me an email asking for an explanation of my relationship with another publisher. I gave a quick and substantive response that same day. Even more, I requested to meet with the board officers in my response. I assumed all was well until the lawsuit was filed yesterday. Fannin, an Oklahoma businessman, told Baptist Press in a statement: The LifeWay Board officers believe Dr. Rainer has violated his Transition Agreement, which contains a non-compete clause that restricts him from competing with LifeWay or partnering with a competitor until Oct. 31, 2021. We have requested an explanation from Dr. Rainer in writing on multiple occasions to resolve this issue, but have not received any substantive answer. We simply want Dr. Rainer to honor his side of the Transition Agreement with LifeWay. Multiple trustees told Baptist Press they did not learn of the lawsuit until receiving email notification this morning. According to Religion News Service, Fannin told trustees Board officers have requested an explanation from Dr. Rainer in writing on several occasions to resolve this issue, but have not received any substantive answer. Following the notification from Fannin, Scroggins sent his fellow trustees an email citing three reasons he is very disappointed LifeWay sued Rainer: (1) Lawsuits between believers are public, embarrassing, and damaging to the kingdom. (2) I believe a move this explosive should have been discussed with the full board. (3) I am confident there were, and are, better options for resolving any contractual disputes we have with Dr. Rainer. Scroggins, pastor of Family Church in West Palm Beach, Florida, wrote fellow trustees that Fannin should withdraw the lawsuit until other options can be more fully explored or until the full board has an opportunity to discuss appropriate next steps for LifeWays relationship with Thom [Rainer]. Rainer led LifeWay for 13 years, overseeing, among other projects, the sale of LifeWays former campus and moving LifeWays headquarters to a new location in downtown Nashville. Advertisement Protesters and activists from both sides of the political spectrum have staged demonstrations in Cleveland in the lead up to the first presidential debate. President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden will face off on Tuesday night for the first time this election year at Case Western Reserve University. In the lead up to the highly-anticipated clash, the city of Cleveland has not only been preparing to host the two candidates, but has been bracing for potential unrest and riots outside of the debate venue. City officials set up barriers and called in the National Guard in anticipation of several planned protests. Hours before the event, hundreds of of demonstrators swarmed the area where police officers were on hand in case things got out of line. Scroll down for video Protesters rallied near the debate hall ahead of the presidential debate in Cleveland on Tuesday Black Lives Matter supporters were out in force at Wade Park, near Case Western Reserve University, where Trump and Biden will go head to head Hundreds of of demonstrators swarmed the area where police officers were on hand in case things got out of line The demonstrations drew activists from both sides of the political spectrum. A man holds a 'not my cheeto' sign, in reference to the president, on Tuesday A supporter of President Donald Trump stands outside the private residence where Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden is staying for a short time in Cleveland Police also established a 'Prohibited Item Event Zone' covering an extensive area surrounding the venue, where large backpacks, explosives, firearms, and large metal and lumber materials, among other items deemed 'dangerous' are banned. The signs held by participants were varied: Black Lives Matter, the more than 200,000 deaths from COVID in the United States, and for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In nearby Wade Oval park, protesters were seen holding baby Trump balloons and placards with messages taking aim at the president and his administration. Several protests were planned ahead of the debate, including one in support for 'Black Lives and Climate Justice', according to a Facebook event. Another, hosted by anti-abortion organization 'Created Equal' planned to stage a demonstration outside the university's Health Education Campus. 'This election is pivotal. If abortion advocates take over, America is doomed. A nation who kills its children has no future both figuratively and in real life,' the Facebook event states. A few demonstrators held signs in support of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden City officials set up barriers and called in the National Guard in anticipation of several planned protests A demonstrator wearing a mask of former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sits outside the first presidential debate Police established a 'Prohibited Item Event Zone' covering an extensive area surrounding the venue, where 'dangerous' items are banned On Monday, businesses began taking steps to protect their properties in the event protests and counterprotests spiraled out of control. 'This is some concern based on all of the folks with all of the different ideologies that will be coming to town, and if they will direct that energy toward themselves and / or if they will do toward personal property,' city councilman Blaine Griffin told Fox News. 'We support anybody's right to protest and do what they need to do but we just don't want any harm to personal property,' he added. The protests remained largely peaceful as of 8pm on Tuesday. The 90-minute debate will be divided into six segments, selected by Fox News' Chris Wallace, who is moderating. The Ohio National Guard directs traffic away from the debate hall in Cleveland Police line up in front of the debate hall in Cleveland Protesters rally against President Trump at the debate Protesters hold a 'Make Handmaids Fiction Again' sign, likely in reference to Amy Comey Barrett's Supreme Court nomination, as some critics have compared her views to those held by oppressors in the fictional novel 'The Handmaid's Tale' President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wave before boarding Air Force One to travel to Cleveland. Democratic rival Joe Biden touched down in the city shortly after at 5pm The stage of the first presidential debate is seen at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic on Monday President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden will face off on Tuesday night for the first time this election year at Case Western Reserve University They include: the pandemic, the economy, the Supreme Court, election integrity, the candidates' records, and 'race and violence in our cities.' The candidates will not shake hands when they take the stage at 9 pm ET on Tuesday night because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead they will stand at podiums that are socially distanced from one another while Wallace sits at a desk in front of them. There will be no opening statements and the first question will go to Trump. Earlier on Tuesday, Trump arrived in Cleveland aboard Air Force One and finished a 20-minute preview visit to the debate venue shortly before Biden landed in the city at about 5pm. The former vice president, 77, arrived with some of his top advisers: Jake Sullivan, Ron Klain, Mike Donilon, and sister Valerie Biden Owens. Biden went directly to the debate pavilion for his own walk-through. It has been generations since two candidates asked to lead a nation facing such tumult, with Americans both fearful and impatient about the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 of their fellow citizens and cost millions of jobs. With just 35 days until the election, and early voting already underway in some states, Biden steps onto the stage holding leads in the polls - significant in national surveys, close in some battleground states - and looking to expand his support among suburban voters, women and seniors. Surveys show the president has lost significant ground among those groups since 2016, but Biden faces his own questions encouraged by Trump's withering attacks. PRESS RELEASE: Fraserwerk Rockstock facts : 800mm wide 20mm rise 9 back sweep 6 up sweep 31.8mm clamp diameter 189 grams 199 CHF/EUR/USD Design Layup Development Viscoelastic Damping Enhanced Control Over Your Bike Comfort and Health Testing Availability Faserwerk integrates a viscoelastic damping layer into the Rockstock carbon handlebar that reduces vibrations by a significant amount. The 189g light, 800mm wide handelbar withstands the most stringent testing.Faserwerk is a new component brand of kreuz+quer, the company behind bike brand ARC8 and bicycle.engineering. Thanks to an investment in a manufacturing facility in Taiwan, we are in full control over all aspects of the product, be it design, layup, production process, quality control or testing. The first MTB product to come out of our new facility is the Rockstock handlebar.The Rockstock is not only our first handlebar, but the first carbon handlebar on the market to incorporate a viscoelastic layer, reducing vibrations. But let's look at the Rockstock's numbers first:We think that is not bad at all, before even talking about the damping feature.Before we can get into the fascinating world of layup development and damping, we have to talk about the design. Design of a handlebar seems easy, but it is not. We went for 6 up sweep and 9 back sweep because that feels the most natural with handlebars only getting wider. 800mm seems the reasonable upper limit, but there is enough space for the controls to cut it down do 740 mm.We tested a lot of different designs, and there were two consistent findings in all that testing: Having a smooth transition from the 22.2 mm diameter at the grips to the stem clamping are is key for a light and strong handlebar. And we basically could not find an advantage in using a 35mm clamp. 31.8 mm would end up being lighter and stronger, and we could not find anyone wishing for a stiffer carbon handlebar. So handlebar design may look very simple, but as testing of other designs showed, it is still a key element for a high perfomance product.Layup development started with a simple FEA, done in Femap. Using a constant wall thickness, we can identify stress distribution and major stress directions.Based on this, we can start designing our laminate ply by ply in Laminate Tools.For each ply, we see distortions of the ply we have to expect when wrapping it around the mandrel, resulting fiber directions and warnings if there are areas with too much distortion, which could result in wrinkles or gaps in between fibers. This depends on where you start to apply your ply and in which sequence you wrap it, so we can set that in Laminate Tools. Also, if we force a reinforcement to follow a certain path, Laminate Tools allows us to simulate that, as you can see in th picture below. Such simulations would not be possible in FEA without a draping simulation software like Laminate Tools.After we have built the layup, we can analyze different aspects of it, like total weight, number of plies, thickness distribution or what fiber directions are present at a certain location of the product.This layup can then be directly simulated in FEA, with a lot of tools to look into the results a traditional FEA could not offer. The reserve factor plot quickly shows how far we are from an appropriate strength.Navigating to an element that fails and creating a stress/failure index plot through the laminate there shows us which layers carry load, and which layers fail. That is not necessarily the same, as a layer that does not carry a lot of load can still fail due to an unsuitable fiber direction. It is also more information than we can get from testing on an actual product. So if we have a failure in testing, going back to Laminate Tools helps us to better understand the failure.After identifying the reason for failure, modifying the layup and simulating it is done within minutes, a vast difference compared to the hours of work to create a new real sample. So as impressive as the actual numbers of the Rockstock are, it only took 3 iterations of prototypes to get there.When it comes to carbon bars, there was always one talking point: a lack of comfort. This is why started to look into options to increase damping. We tested various materials and methods. Finally we found one that significantly increases damping without lessening the strength and only adding 5 grams in weight. A viscoelastic layer is embedded in the laminate.How does a viscoelastic layer work?As with all damping, a viscoelastic layer transforms kinetic energy into heat. To go more into detail, when the laminate deforms under load, interlaminar shear deforms the viscoelastic layer. Instead of bouncing back like an undamped spring, internal friction transfoms this work into heat. So we had to identify areas with high interlaminar shear to make best use of the damping material. Thankfully, that was easy since we already had the FEA model where we could identify these areas.So, how does that translate to what the Rockstock makes different than a carbon bar without viscoelastic damping? If you hit something, your handlebar deflects and bounces back. Without damping, it would now keep swinging forever. Luckily, there is natural damping in a carbon handlebar. With the viscoelastic layer, we achieved double that damping. While double may sound like double as good, the actual effect is much bigger. Look at the diagram below which shows the response to an impact. With viscoelasic damping (black curve), the vibrations caused by the impact have basically died off 0.3 seconds after the impact, while the sample purely made by carbon (red curve) is still visibly swinging after one second.Now that we went through the physics of damping, what does that mean for your riding? Imagine you hit something really hard while riding. Your handlebar will deflect significantly, more than 20 mm in our impact testing. Which is good, because a) it smooths out your ride and b) it means your handlebar does not break. But what follows is less ideal: without damping, your handlebar keeps wobbling for some time. A wobbling stick between your hands and your bike is certainly not what you want. So the faster we can stop it from wobbling, the more precise you can handle your bike. Remember the diagram above: With viscoelastic damping, the wobbling basically disappeared within 0.3 seconds. Without it is still wobbling one second after impact. If you are riding at 36 km/h that means you covered 10 m of trail with less than ideal control of your bike.Excessive vibrations can cause discomfort and even injuries, as Lewis Kirkwood greatly explained in this interview . Putting your hand on the handlebar will add damping similarly to what our viscoelastic layer does, but what does that mean? Your body needs to absorb the energy stored in the handlebar. This can lead to effects like arm pump, reduced grip strength, numbness or inflammations. So by adding damping into your handlebar, your riding gets more enjoyable, and you can do that extra run while your friends need to give their arms a rest.ISO does not specify any impact testing for a MTB handlebar, which seems quite irresponsible. There is however a test for BMX, where a weight of 10 kg drops from 500 mm height onto one end of the handlebar. That is quite a stringent test, but with the Rockstock, we passed double that requirement despite the handlebar only weighing 189 grams.The Rockstock is in stock and can be purchased through the ARC8 website or selected dealers. To the Editor: Re Trumps Heckles Send First Debate Into Utter Chaos (front page, Sept. 30): The debate on Tuesday night was an embarrassment for the country and for the office of the president. I never thought the format was any more than a contest of stump speech hits and rehearsed one-liners. President Trumps thuggishness broke an already cracked mold and exposed this for all to see. Joe Biden should refuse to participate in the remaining scheduled debates unless some degree of decorum is returned to the event. For sure there should be a mute button to allow uninterrupted responses. But in the future, real debates should be considered, where one subject is explored and each candidate given ample time, not a two-minute sound bite, to express his views and to respond. This will not be as entertaining as Tuesdays free-for-all, and the ratings will not be as big, but perhaps those who watch will come away with more than unfulfillment and frustration. The potential is for an even a greater understanding of the candidates acumen and of the key issues facing the nation. Do we deserve less? Walter Staab New York To the Editor: Re After That Fiasco, Biden Should Refuse to Debate Trump Again (column, nytimes.com, Sept. 30): Frank Bruni opines that Joe Biden should refuse to participate in further debates after President Trumps obnoxious and schoolyard bully performance in the first debate. That would serve nothing other than giving Mr. Trump and his cronies an opportunity to crow that Mr. Biden is too afraid to debate him. Conservationists are worried about the mass killings of shark in the process of pharmaceutical companies contesting to find a Covid-19 vaccine. Many of these vaccines are made by using Squalene, a natural organic compound sourced from shark liver oil. This compound helps in the development of the vaccines, where it acts as an adjuvant that primarily helps in boosting the immune response of the recipient. It also strengthens the dose of the medicine, reports Vice. As per the date published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS), 17 out of the 176 candidate vaccine undergoing evaluation, have been reported to use these adjuvants. These data are substantiated by the research of a US non-profit organisation Shark Allies, that states at least five of those adjuvants are shark squalene-based. For an instance, one of the adjuvants called MF59, generally contains 9.75 mg of squalene dose. Hence, in a calculation where if every person on Earth receives a single dose of it, an estimated of more than 2 lakh sharks would have to be killed. If the doses are doubled to boost the immunity system, that is likely to lead to the killing of half a million sharks. Scientists have been left worried as the global pandemic is multiplying itself in regards to people getting infected. So reliance on an already depleting species for sourcing a cure for a pandemic is a major threat to the population of the aquatic animal. Sharks are already globally hunted for squalene, which is heavily used in the cosmetic industry. As per the Vice report, a scientist has pointed out that the squalene industry is already taking 2.7 million sharks for cosmetics use and they predict that this number is likely to double and triple by 2024 and 2027. Not to overlook, million of sharks are also hunted for their fin and all of these overfishing are posing a threat to their survival. However, to ensure the absolute preservation of sharks, scientists across various institutions have started turning towards plant-based sourcing of sqaulene including wheat, rice-bran oil etc. Codagenix Inc said Serum Institute of India has started manufacturing the US biotech firms potential COVID-19 vaccine and it expects to begin early-stage human trial of the vaccine by the end of 2020 in the UK. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) Members of the Metro Manila Council are set to discuss the issue of curfews in their next meeting as they see the possible easing into a modified general community quarantine. MMC Chairman and Paranaque City Edwin Olivarez made the revelation during a televised briefing on Wednesday, saying they were meeting on the issue as the country's economy was slowly opening "Ang ginagawa po ng mga mayor natin ngayon, kasi hindi lang po yung health protocol, kailangan buksan na rin yung ating ekonomiya. Dun na rin po papunta yung strategy nung ating mga syudad na pagbubukas ng ating economy without compromising healthcare. Kaya po pinag-uusapan po natin ngayon, pero hindi pa po final, yung tungkol sa curfew," he said. [Translation: What the mayors are doing now, because it's not just about health protocol, we also have to open up the economy. That is where strategy is headed without having to compromise healthcare. So now we are talking about it, but it's not yet final, the issue of the curfew.] Curfews in Metro Manila are unified, beginning at 10 p.m. and ending at 5 in the morning. Olivarez added the opening of 24/7 delivery services in the metro was also a way to help the economy. Olivarez said despite the downtrend in COVID numbers, it was still not possible to fully ease quarantine restrictions for now. However, should the downtrend continue, the see the possible move of the metro into MGCQ. "Kung matutuluy-tuloy po ang ating trend, itong pagbaba ng cases natin... at ipagpapatuloy lang ang padisiplina sa ating constituents, palagay ko po baka itong katapusan ng October...ay matatapos natin ang GCQ at hopefully...itong darating na November, MGCQ na po tayo," the mayor added. [Translation: If the downtrend in cases continue...as well as discipline among constituents, I think by the end of October...GCQ will end as well and hopefully...this November we will be under MGCQ.] On Tuesday, Dr. Butch Ong, a member of the UP OCTA research team, said new cases have steadily gone down since healthcare workers requested for a "time out" in August. He said should they see in October that numbers have gone down even further, then easing quarantine restrictions could be considered. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 29) The government of Singapore has lauded the contributions of overseas Filipino health workers who have played an important part in its response against the COVID-19 pandemic. In an exclusive statement sent to CNN Philippines on Tuesday, Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Ho said that Filipino frontliners have been invaluable in their efforts to control the spread of the virus. The neighboring nation is considered as one of the Asian countries that have been successful in managing the health crisis. Filipino healthcare workers are famed across the world for their expertise and professionalism. Filipino frontliners in the health sector have been invaluable to our efforts to contain the virus, the ambassador said in a statement. Ho added the OFWs in Singapore have also played a crucial role in the countrys bid to gradually restart the economy. Many OFWs are also making important contributions to the safe and sustainable re-opening of Singapores economy, Ho added. They work in diverse sectors, including in education, finance and business. The Singapore Tourism Board recently posted a video conveying our appreciation for OFWs and their contributions to Singapore. Singapores mortality rate remains at a low level of less than 0.1 percent. As of September 28, Singapore has tallied 57,715 cases, including 57,393 recoveries and 27 deaths. No new fatalities were recently reported. Singapore, which has drawn on lessons from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS outbreak in the early 2000s, also cited a pragmatic strategy as well as strong healthcare system as some of the factors in the COVID-19 response. Our COVID-19 strategy is pragmatic, responding to medical findings and international developments, and focused on implementing policies which best allow us to contain the virus within our community We will continue to step up our testing and contact tracing capabilities to support the safe re-opening of our economy and society, Ho noted. For Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph Del Mar Yap, communication and effective information dissemination are key to ensure that Filipino nationals will abide to Singapores anti-coronavirus efforts. Yap added that the Filipino community in Singapore has been responsive and cooperative. We deemed it extremely important to have an effective communication strategy during this pandemic for two reasons. First, we want to ensure that our nationals truly understand and embrace the seriousness of the public health crisis we are all facing. Second, we want them to contribute, individually and collectively, to the success of Singapore in fighting the spread of the virus by following all the required protocols, he explained. Filipino nurses Arlene Aleta and Niel Cahatian, were among the 100 nurses who received the Nurses Merit Award (NMA) last July. The recognition is given to those who have displayed noteworthy and exceptional performance in raising the standards of nursing profession. CNN Philippines Alyssa Rola contributed to this report. The Andong Maskdance Festival is one of the major Chuseok events canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Korea Times file Various folk events and festivals annually hosted by local governments on the eve of Chuseok, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, can hardly be seen this year, as they are now campaigning against small and large gatherings due to fears of coronavirus transmission. Authorities in provincial cities and counties nationwide have been discouraging hometown visits and travel during the extended Chuseok holiday, which runs from Wednesday to Friday. Taking more strident measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many local governments have canceled their perennial Chuseok celebration events and festivals to block gatherings of any size. Yeongju, a North Gyeongsang Province city 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has canceled Chuseok performances, as well as "songpyeon" (traditional rice cake enjoyed during Chuseok) and folk game experience events, all scheduled to take place this week at Seonbi Village, a Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) folk village. OmniType Omixon has created a well thought-out, fast and extremely streamlined process to perform HLA NGS testing. They have a great team that supports every aspect of their product and workflow and seek to make us successful Global molecular diagnostics company, Omixon, headquartered in Budapest with US offices in Cambridge, MA, announce the launch of OmniType, a 11-locus multiplex human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping assay and software product for use on the Illumina sequencing platforms (such as MiSeq, MiniSeq and iSeq). OmniType offers a revolutionary single working-day workflow that allows processing of samples from gDNA to a ready-to-sequence library in about 6 hours and achieving final results that can be reported early the next day. Our goal is to constantly listen not only to our customers needs, but also to the entire HLA community, and to deliver products that fulfill those needs and beyond. I strongly believe that OmniType will prove this commitment said Libor Kolesar, Senior Field Applications Scientist & Assay Product Manager. Omixon successfully completed its Early Access Program (EAP) that gave fifteen (15) HLA laboratories worldwide the opportunity to test OmniType and provide valuable feedback. The initial results confirmed the expected high quality and accuracy of HLA genotypes, while the overall feedback from HLA lab technologists regarding the OmniType protocol was outstanding. Specifically, users enjoyed the protocol simplicity, as well as the streamlined and fast workflow. The OmniType protocol can be performed in about 6 hours (from gDNA normalization to ready-to-sequence library) allowing the users to comfortably fit it in a single work shift. While liquid handling automation becomes optional, both pre- and post-PCR steps in the OmniType protocol can be readily automated. The OmniType product includes the widely used HLA Twin software that uses 2 independent algorithms, including a de novo assembly approach, resulting in fast analysis and a streamlined, user-friendly data review workflow, with minimal hands-on time. OmniType can out-perform the current Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based HLA typing tests on most relevant metrics in clinical labs including turnaround time, simplicity, reliability and accuracy. These metrics have been found to be particularly important for laboratories testing solid organ pre-transplant patients (SOT) where short turnaround time and ease of use are critical for implementation of the NGS technology. NGS is a pivotal technology for SOT patients that allows for novel transplant matching methods such as epitope/eplet-based methods opening up the pool of acceptable organs for transplantation. Recent information shows that a substantial number of SOT labs still do not use NGS due to its long turnaround time and protocol complexity. The simple and fast workflow of OmniType offers these labs the opportunity to successfully adopt NGS, thus providing the possibility for these labs to contribute to better transplantation outcomes. Omixon has created a well thought-out, fast and extremely streamlined process to perform HLA NGS testing. They have a great team that supports every aspect of their product and workflow and seek to make us successful said John May, Chief Medical Technologist, Immuno-Molecular Pathology Lab at University of Kentucky. With over 7 years of experience as a leading provider of NGS-based products for HLA typing, Omixon has developed a wide network of logistics, including 4 warehouses and 3 manufacturing facilities in both Europe and the Americas to better serve all laboratories worldwide and to overcome any potential challenges related to the COVID pandemic and beyond. Additionally, Omixon has been known for the very high standard of customer support via its remote Technical Support team and its highly skilled Field Applications Scientist team. Omixon has an innovative molecular diagnostics pipeline; more announcements are expected to come on new product launches and future EAPs. Contacts at Omixon Attila Berces, PhD Chief Executive Officer attila.berces@omixon.com +36 70 574 8001 Nora Nagy, MBA Head of Market Development and Marketing nora.nagy@omixon.com +36 30 633 3050 About Omixon Omixon is a global molecular diagnostics company, headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, with US offices in Cambridge, MA that commercializes disruptive technologies for clinical and research laboratories. Omixons Holotype HLA is the worlds leading NGS-based HLA genotyping product that delivers the most accurate high-resolution HLA genotyping available, and is used in more than 50 hospitals worldwide. Omixons research software, HLA Explore analyzes data from any sequencing technology and determines HLA genotypes from Whole Exome/Genome Sequencing experiments. Omixon maintains an active grant-funded research program with a product pipeline focused on pre- and post-transplantation, and HLA genotyping applications beyond transplantation. For more information, visit http://www.omixon.com The head of Patrick Terminals has admitted the industrial dispute roiling Australia's ports has not led to any containers of medical supplies being held up en route, despite industry fears, as the stevedoring company and maritime union negotiated all day on Wednesday. The maritime union, which is part of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, is at odds with Patrick over pay and conditions at its four ports after seven months of negotiations, and has hit the company with overtime bans and rolling work stoppages. Almost 40 containers ships have been delayed by the slow downs at Patrick's docks. Credit:Jim Rice After a day of negotiations on Wednesday overseen by the Fair Work Commission, the parties emerged with no agreement but agreed to further talks on Thursday. The negotiations come ahead of a hearing where Patrick will argue the union's campaign is so damaging to the nation the commission should terminate it. Maritime union national secretary Paddy Crumlin attempted to pin the blame for any shipment delays on the company if the talks failed. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / GLOBAL HEMP GROUP INC. ("GHG" or the "Company") (CSE:GHG)(OTC:GBHPF)(FRANKFURT:GHG) is pleased to announce that it has executed an agreement to acquire the remaining 50% interest in the Oregon Hemp Project from its joint venture partner Marijuana Company of America Inc. ("MCOA"). Upon completion of the transaction, the 109 acre Scio, Oregon farm and operating company Covered Bridge Acres Ltd. will become wholly owned by Global Hemp Group and dissolve the existing joint venture. The terms of the agreement: GHG will make a payment of $USD210,000 to MCOA with $USD 135,000 payable no later than September 30, 2020 (funds in hand and transferred today) and the remaining $USD 75,000 payable no later than November 15,2020. GHG will grant to MCOA common stock from its treasury for an amount equal to $185,000 based on the trading price of GHG's stock at the time the settlement agreement is fully executed before September 30, 2020. The parties agree that the settlement results in GHG owning 100% of the existing Joint Venture. Irrespective of the agreement entered into, the parties mutually agree to sign any ancillary documents that could be required from time to time to give full force and effect of said agreement. Resulting financial reporting change - Upon completion of this transaction, Global Hemp will own a 100% economic interest and have control of the Scio Oregon Operation and the 109 acre farm (SCIO), making it a 100% wholly own subsidiary. As such, the assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses will be fully reflected in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Financial Position and Consolidated Statement of Operation. Prior to Global Hemp's acquisition of control of the Scio Oregon hemp farm and operation, the Company records its investment in SCIO in a line item called Investment in Associates on the Statement of Financial Position. In the Statement of Operation, only net profit/loss has been reported in a line item called gain/loss on Investment in Associate. The Company also announces that the Company received short term loans in the amount of C$50,000. These non-interest bearing loans are due and payable on or before November 15, 2020. A bonus of 1,700,000 common shares was paid to the Lenders for this transaction. All securities issued are subject to a four-month plus a day hold period from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globalhempgrp Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hemp_global/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hemp_Global About Global Hemp Group Inc. Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE: GHG / OTC: GBHPF / FRANKFURT: GHG), is focused on a multi-phased strategy to build a strong presence in the industrial hemp industry the United States. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with hemp cultivation operations in the state of Oregon. The first phase of this strategy is to develop hemp cultivation for extraction of cannabinoids and the smokable CBG flower market with the objective of creating a near term revenue stream. The second phase of the strategy focuses on the development of value-added industrial hemp products utilizing the processing of the entirety of the hemp plant, as envisioned in the recently announced Colorado Hemp Agro-Industrial Zone (HAIZ) project. Global Hemp's Research and Development Division headed by Prof. Victor M. Castano, Ph.D. Prof. Castano, a recognized leader in several areas of applied science and technology brings an amazing wealth of knowledge and experience in a number of different disciplines. There are three immediate areas of interest that Prof. Castano and his team will actively be focused on to develop Intellectual Property that can be patented and implemented in the hemp and/or building industry, and in particular at Company's newly announced Colorado Hemp Agro-Industrial Zone. For Further Information Contact Global Hemp Group Tel: 424-354-2998 info@globalhempgroup.com https://globalhempgroup.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Global Hemp Group Inc., including, but not limited to the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, dependence upon regulatory approvals, the availability of future financing and exploration risk, the legality of cannabis and hemp. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Global Hemp Group Inc. disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise. The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Global Hemp Group Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608472/Global-Hemp-Group-Acquires-Remaining-50-Interest-in-its-Scio-Oregon-Hemp-Project - Laycon has been announced as the winner of the BBNaija season 5 - The 26-year-old will be going home with the KSh 24 million grand prize - Dorathy emerged as the first runner up and Nengi was crowned the second runner up - Laycon racked up 60% of the votes giving Dorathy a staggering gap as she got 21.85% PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed Nigerian socialite Laycon has been crowned the winner of BBNaija Lockdown show. The 26-year-old walked away with a grand prize worth KSh 24 million, a two-bedroom apartment and a brand new SUV. READ ALSO: Size 8 discloses she once threw DJ Mo out of their house READ ALSO: Ini Edo denies claims she bleached face, says beauty product ruined her skin The musician won by gaining 60% of the votes. This meant fellow finalists Dorathy and Nengi gathered 21.85% and 15.03% respectively. Before the announcement, he was asked about how he felt about being among the top two finalists. The housemate said he was surprised he made it to the top two. According to the artiste, he just went to the house to promote his album. READ ALSO: Young ambassador Yvonne Khamati displays her luxurious home during family hangout Laycon was shocked when he was crowned as the winner. Photo: itslaycon Source: Instagram READ ALSO: Arkadiusz Milik: Man United enter talks to sign Napoli striker The lockdown edition which began on June 30, 2020, had 20 contestants all thirsting for the grand prize. Determined by votes of viewers, each housemate faced eviction every week till the 70th day, where Laycon was announced the winner. The new millionaire in town beat 19 contestants in the winner-takes-all competition. READ ALSO: SWAHILI Baringo: Baba wa watoto 19 asema wake zake 3 hawafamu chochote kuhusu upangaji uzazi Meanwhile, A 50-year-old gay man has become a father for the third time after welcoming a child with his daughters former lover. Barrie Drewitt-Barlow who was among the first gay men in Britain to be registered as dads announced the birth of his third child through an Instagram post. This was just months after announcing that he and his eldest childs ex-lover, Scott Hutchison, were expecting their first child together. Barrie and his 25-year-old boo were meant to welcome their child in October but the early bird decided to make her debut a month before her due date. PAY ATTENTION: Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme - https://www.patreon.com/tuko My car broke my family - Kenneth Saota | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Making it the third such deal announced in three weeks, Reliance Industries (RIL) on Wednesday said that private equity (PE) firm General Atlantic would invest Rs 3,675 crore into Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd in exchange for a 0.84 per cent stake. Existing investor Silver Lake also announced on the day that it would invest another Rs 1,875 crore in the company. This makes General Atlantic a repeat investor in Ambanis consumer businesses, since it had invested $873 million in Jio Platforms in May for a 1.3 per cent stake. Unlike Jio Platforms, however, a strategic investor is yet to be inducted into the firm and analysts expect RIL will rope in a retail company as a strategic partner. ALSO READ| Mukesh Ambani tops IIFL Hurun Rich List for ninth straight year So far, PE firms Silver Lake, KKR and General Altantic have together put in Rs 18,600 crore into Reliance Retail. The fresh investment values Reliance Retail at a pre-money equity of Rs 4.2 lakh crore. We look forward to leveraging General Atlantics extensive expertise at the intersection of technology and consumer businesses, and two decades of experience investing in India, as we create a disruptive New Commerce platform to redefine retail, said Mukesh Ambani, CMD, RIL. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Retail and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsel. Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP were legal counsel for GA. Indias active Covid-19 cases constituted 15.11% of the total caseload as of Wednesday against 33.32% on August 1, the union health ministry said. Currently, the countrys Covid-19 tally is over 6.2 million, which includes 97,497 deaths. According to data provided the ministrys dashboard as of 8am, there are 9,40,441 active Covid-19 cases so far. From 33.32 per cent on August 1 to 15.11 per cent on September 30, active cases have less than halved in two months, the ministry said, adding that active cases are actively declining as a percentage of the overall tally. Over 76% of the countrys active cases are from 10 states - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Click here for complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic Maharashtra, which is considered to be the worst-hit state from the pandemic, contributes the maximum number of active cases which is over 260,000. Indias recovery rate from Covid-19 has climbed to 83.33% after 86,428 people were recovered/discharged on Wednesday. The total recoveries which are nearing 5.2 million exceed the total number of active cases by 4,247,384. The ministry pointed out speedy recoveries were being registered by states and union territories (UTs) after following the 5T strategy, i.e. test, track, trace, treat, technology strategy. Ten states and UTs contribute 78 per cent of the total recovered cases. Also read| Maximum impact of Covid-19 faced by women, children and adolescents: Harsh Vardhan Maharashtra, apart from having the highest number of active cases, has also the maximum number of recoveries which is over one million, the ministry highlighted adding that Andhra Pradesh was in the second spot with over 600,000 recovered cases. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that over 74 million samples have been tested for Covid-19 so far out of which 1,086,688 samples were tested on Tuesday. (With PTI inputs) NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- Prior to the pandemic, retail sales were already in a severe decline. Now, due to COVID-19, nationally the marketplace is in a state of free fall. Considering that retail is such an important piece of North Olmsteds financial health, earlier this month Economic Development Manager Greg Myers updated City Council on the citys changing retail landscape. I gave a snapshot of the current situation of where things were, and then I talked to them a little bit about what our strategy and vision might be moving forward, Myers said. The retail market is a crystal ball, with anybodys guess of whats going to happen with it, but really what I wanted to reassure them is some of the changes that are happening now were really happening pre-COVID just based on overall changes in the retail marketplace. A lot of these arent catching us by surprise," he said. This includes longtime Great Northern Mall anchor tenants Sears and JCPenney each filing for bankruptcy in the last two years. The former is currently offering shoppers a liquidation sale. Pre-pandemic, North Olmsteds retail marketplace vacancy rate was around 8 percent, which over the last six months has grown to more than 13 percent. The good news Myers touted was that earlier this year, that translated into a strong 92 percent occupancy rate for the city. Granted, weve got some larger spaces that came on the market that start to get people talking and worried, but when you look at it as an overall percentage of our retail, its not huge, Myers said. Certainly, we need to get those spaces filled, but as a percentage of our overall retail, its not a massive amount," he said. Regarding finding new tenants for vacant locations, that falls into what Myers told council was the short-term strategy. Hes currently taking calls from businesses and brokers with clients interested in locating in North Olmsted. What we see post-pandemic is a lot of smaller spaces, Myers said. In terms of our strategy, its going to continue to look at those segments in the market -- nationally, regionally -- that are still growing, occupying space and that we dont have in the community today." He said that includes national chains such as Ross Dress for Less, which recently entered the Northeast Ohio market. The other target for North Olmsted is that some of the larger retail chains have found success opening outlet stores. An adaptive reuse project involving self-storage units and a new restaurant is proposed for the former Toys R Us building located at 27048 Lorain Road in North Olmsted. (John Benson/cleveland.com) Were going to pursue those segments of retail that are still relatively strong and still looking for space, Myers said. "Were also going to look at adaptive reuse opportunities for some of the space we have. Well even talk to developers that might want to come in and do an integrated type of development -- a mixed-use development -- where maybe theyre repurposing some of that retail space for other uses. Something Myers stressed to council was that North Olmsted remains in a strong position within the Northeast Ohio retail market due to its location near Interstate 480 and steady housing market and community employment numbers, as well as the recent addition of flexible zoning codes. All of those things play to our advantage when we look at development and redevelopment strategy, Myers said. Read more news from the Sun Post Herald. The Proud Boys, a self-described western chauvinist group, is seeing a spike in attention after being mentioned during the first 2020 presidential debate and is capitalizing on the moment. During the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, moderator Chris Wallace asked the president if he would denounce white supremacists. Asked by debate moderator Chris Wallace to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, Pres. Trump replies, "Sure, I'm willing to do that." "Then do it, sir," Wallace says. https://t.co/5Bl4Ob3O2t #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/K4nG4VlQxu ABC News (@ABC) September 30, 2020 Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence, Wallace asked of Trump, following violence seen in multiple American cities, including in Kenosha, Wisconsin. First, the president agreed, then faulted violence at recent protests on the left wing. After a second prompting by both Wallace and Biden, the president said, Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. He then added, But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left. Within minutes, leaders of the far-right group expressed excitement both at being mentioned during the debate and the presidents message to their members. President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA ... well sir! Were ready!! one member wrote in a group chat on social media. He followed this message with, Trump basically said to go [expletive] them up! This makes me so happy. The group, whose leaders were suspended from Twitter and Facebook in 2018, communicate with members on other social media platforms. The group, which has openly endorsed violence, have become a visible presence at recent anti-police violence protests. In hours after the debate, the group unveiled a new logo featuring the phrase, Stand Back, Stand By" and began selling a t-shirt which reads, Proud Boys Standing By. The group said in hours after the debate that theyre seeing a jump in new members in the male-only organization. The Proud Boys was founded in the lead up to the 2016 presidential election by VICE Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, who has shared misogynistic and white supremacist messages. Maybe the reason Im sexist is because women are dumb. No, Im just kidding, ladies. But you do tend to not thrive in certain areas like writing," McInnes said on his show in 2017. A year later, McInnes said he was quitting the organization. I am not afraid to speak out about the atrocities that whites and people of European descent face not only here in this country but in Western nations across the world. The war against whites, and Europeans and Western society is very real and its time we all started talking about it and stopped worrying about political correctness and optics," Kyle Chapman, founder of the Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights, a sub-group within the Proud Boys, said in 2017. The Proud Boys have been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. Related Content: By Trend Chairperson of Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova held a phone conversation with her Kazakh counterpart Nurlan Nigmatulin, Trend reports citing the parliament. During the conversation, the sides discussed the latest military provocations committed by Armenia on the front line. Gafarova noted that the shelling of civilians and objects of densely populated front-line territories by the Armenian armed forces is a deliberate provocation. As she reminded, Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned the world community that Armenia is preparing for a new act of aggression and war: Responsibility for the further development of events in connection with the military provocation of Armenia lies with its military-political leadership which has resorted to the new military escapade and provocation during the period when the general debates of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly are being held, amid the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. By these actions, the Armenian leadership once again demonstrates disrespect for international law, the UN Charter, and the international community." The speakers also expressed satisfaction with the general level of strategic partnership relations between the two countries. The Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale provocation, subjecting the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibers in the front-line zone on Sept. 27 at 06:00 (GMT+4). The command of the Azerbaijani Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation of Azerbaijani troops along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Ashagi Abdurrahmanli, Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district were liberated. Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Kyle Rittenhouse, left, with backwards cap, walks along Sheridan Road in Kenosha, Wis., with another armed civilian, on Aug. 25, 2020. (Adam Rogan/The Journal Times via AP) Rittenhouse Lawyers Preparing Defamation Lawsuit Against Biden Campaign Lawyers representing a teenage boy charged with homicide are preparing a defamation lawsuit against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidens campaign. The lawyers say theyll file the suit unless the campaign retracts a statement in which he linked Kyle Rittenhouse to white supremacy and violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Bidens Twitter account shared a video that included a picture of Rittenhouse with a gun in Kenosha and the nominee said President Donald Trump refused to disavow white supremacists during the presidential debate on Sept. 29. The video included a question by moderator Chris Wallace, who said white supremacists and militias have added violence to a number of cities this year. Biden defamed Kyle Rittenhouse by suggesting on this video that he is a White Supremacist. The #Left just will not stop. I am working on the retraction demand now for Mr. Biden and his campaign, attorney Todd McMurtry wrote on social media on Wednesday. After several hours, another lawyer, Lin Wood, said he, McMurtry, and attorney Ron Coleman were pursuing a libel case against Biden and his campaign. Marina Medvin, who is also representing Rittenhouse, said in a statement that there is absolutely no evidence, not even a pinch, of this defamatory accusation that my client Kyle Rittenhouse is a white supremacist.' People claiming so can retract and apologize, or they can deal with Lin Wood in court, she added. Bidens campaign didnt respond to a request for comment. Rittenhouse shot three people in Kenosha on Aug. 25, according to court documents. He was charged with first-degree homicide and other charges last month. His lawyers say he was acting in self-defense. Rittenhouse was arrested in Lake County, Illinois, about 15 miles south of Kenosha. His lawyers are fighting his extradition. (Photo : SpaceX via Getty Images) CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - MAY 30: In this SpaceX handout image, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft launches on the Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard at Launch Complex 39A May 30, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Demo-2 mission is the first launch of a manned SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. It was the first launch of an American crew from U.S. soil since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. (Photo : Saul Martinez/Getty Images) CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - MAY 30: U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledges SpaceX founder Elon Musk (R) after the successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Earlier in the day NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley lifted off on the inaugural flight and will be the first people since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 to be launched into space from the United States. Elon Musk revealed in an interview that SpaceX's reusable Starship will be the key to make his plan to ensure humans can survive for a long time in a Martian city, Mars, a reality. The billionaire told the New York Times' host Kara Swisher when he guested in the podcast Sway that humans could take flights on the rocket in two years. He also revealed details of the Starship rocket that will take people to Mars. The Starship rocket is currently being constructed and undergoing tests at SpaceX's massive facility in Boca Chica, Texas. Musk also revealed that they will launch Starship in around August 2021. "We will run it in automatic mode, without people," said Musk adding that it will be safe for people to go aboard the spacecraft in as early as two years, "but definitely three years." The Tesla and SpaceX CEO also told Swisher that the sun will eventually "expand and engulf Earth," so humans must go to Mars and build an interplanetary civilization. "This is for sure going to happen, but not anytime soon," he added. Well, a scientific study from the University of Warwick supports Musk's prediction, although it will occur in the next six billion years. Meanwhile, when asked if he has plans to go to space aboard the rocket, Musk said he is not ruling out the idea, although he has not thought of it yet. Tech Times previously reported that SpaceX would need to produce 1,000 Starship rockets to sustain a Martian city. To reach a goal of taking a million people to Mars by 2050, SpaceX will launch about three Starship flights per day with 100 humans for each flight. Musk told Swisher that he is positive his firm can make it happen. Musk noted that SpaceX can "lower the cost to space" by using advanced technology and creating reusable rockets. This saves much of taxpayers' money as reusability is highly significant for humans' access to space." "It is really kind of insane to have a rocket be expendable," he said. To be able to build a machine that crashes into the ocean and leaves debris at the seafloor is "crazy." Read also: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Says He and His Family Will Not Get a COVID-19 Vaccine Because He Is Not at Risk SpaceX's journey to space The first SpaceX's Starship prototype was revealed in 2019, and its main goal is to send humans to Mars. However, Musk's initial plan was to have the rocket launched in low orbit in March with humans inside by the end of 2020. However, due to some issues with the Starship program since 2019, there have been adjustments in SpaceX's schedule. While Musk hopes to ensure civilization is "improving over time," he is worried that humans are slowing down progress, "and we are getting old." Despite the bumps and competitions, Musk is not worried about the delays in the company. "Nobody has ever made a fully reusable orbital rocket. So just having that at all is pretty significant," Musk noted. As SpaceX is currently competing with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and other private firms in the space industry, they have different approaches to ensuring humanity's survival in space. "If you have advanced rockets, you can decide whether you want to live on a space station thing or Mars," Musk noted, adding that there is a long way to go. "We can't even get back to the moon," he added. Read also: Elon Musk Would Need 300 'Ready to Die' Persons a Day as Soon as 1,000 Starship Flights are Launched This is owned by Tech Times Written by CJ Robles 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Coya Abu Dhabi, a Peruvian restuarant, has launched a contemporary art exhibition experience, Spirit Animals, alongside leading art gallery N2N. Purveyor of vibrant art, the Peruvian venue is set to host art maestro, Nina Murashkina, and her collection constituting artistic exploration of animals and their role in symbolism. Available to book, guests will be able to discover the artwork closely in a socially distanced manner while enjoying a delectable lunch service at the restaurant. Coya is based at the Four Seasons at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi. Artworks will be exhibited from 17th October and lunch reservations are required for viewing. In her new painting series, the weight of the composition recalls on the animals: their central position in a colourful red or golden background, centres all the attention on their expression, colour, and movement. This imaginative space and forms where the action happens reminds of the Medieval Bestiaries, like the Bestiarie damour. There is a part of the eternal form of the symbol, but also a new, personal vision which brings these artworks to the core of the contemporary art world. For me, it was an unexpected but interesting challenge to create a series of works with fantastic animals, almost without a human figure, says Nina. Each animal has its own mystical and allegorical meaning. A certain secret, a special secret code that can be read by each viewer in his own way. For instance, the Black Cat is for the artist the keeper of the hearth and the home is represented with a funny and wise golden smile. The Red Horse, a horse disguised as a unicorn, is masculine by attitude but feminine in the delicate patterns and expression of the eyes. However, it is the Leopard Cat that deserves to be admired for its intricate details. The Cat is depicted as engrossed, posed with imperturbable calm and unbothered by the lips and strong golden waves of the troubled world in the background. With a look from a deep reality he tells us "don't worry too much, life will go on as always, I have seen it many times an apt message for current times. N2N gallery has demonstrated remarkable exhibitions in the past as well and it gives us immense pleasure to collaborate with a team of similar aspirations says Stefano Pizzini, general manager at Coya Abu Dhabi. We are thrilled to be able to provide our loyal guests with a unique experience in a socially distanced manner. - TradeArabia News Service After the DNA samples of three men killed in Shopian encounter matched with their families, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said that the bodies will soon be exhumed and handed over to their families. The encounter took place on July 18 in Amshipora in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. Inspector-General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said, "Since DNA samples matched with their family, three dead bodies will be exhumed and handed over to families after due process of law." This came after a day before DGP Jammu and Kashmir Dilbag Singh said that the investigation of the case is in its final stage. On September 29, Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested two people in the said case--one from Pulwama and one from Shopian and both were produced in Shopian district court. A police official earlier said, "Two persons arrested in case of Ashmipora Shopian fake encounter case were produced in District Court Shopian by police and has been sent for eight days judicial remand." A few days ago, Kumar had said, "samples are matching of Rajouri families. Army has already initiated action and police are doing investigation and will carry it forward. Soon after the encounter, the pictures of the killed men gone viral on social media. Three families of Rajouri identified them and filed a complaint at Rajouri Police Station saying that three men, working as labourers in an orchard of Shopian area, each from a family were missing since July 17. After that claim, the police and Army started the investigation and police collected six DNA samples from the parents of three killed. A police team was sent to Rajouri to collect the DNA samples. Earlier, the Army had released a statement on September 18 which stated, "The inquiry ordered by the Army authorities into Operation Amshipora has been concluded. The inquiry has brought out certain prima facie evidence indicating that during the operation, powers vested under the AFSPA 1990 were exceeded and the Dos and Donts of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) as approved by the Honble Supreme Court have been contravened. Consequently, the competent disciplinary authority has directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings under the Army Act against those found prima-facie answerable." It further said, "The evidence collected by the inquiry has prima-facie indicated that the three unidentified terrorists killed in Op Amshipora were Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohd Ibrar, who hailed from Rajouri. Their DNA report is awaited. Their involvement with terrorism or related activities is under investigation by the police. "Indian Army is committed to the ethical conduct of operations. Further updates on the case will be given periodically without affecting the due process of the law of the land, the Army statement said. Bubonic Plague Rages in Inner Mongolia, Suspected Case Reported in Yunnan While the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet ceased, the bubonic plague continues to rage in Inner Mongolia. Now a suspected case of bubonic plague has also been reported in Yunnan Province. The local area has activated a level 4 alert for plague prevention, and has conducted massive testing on patients with fever. The Plague Prevention and Control Headquarters of Menghai county, Yunnan Province, issued a notice on Sept. 25, reporting that mice with unknown causes of death were found in Bianyuan village of Xiding township, Menghai county. The mice were tested by the Provincial Endemic Disease Prevention and Control Center and the Prefecture Center for Disease Control on Sept. 21. It was determined that the plague transmitted among mice in Xiding township. On Sept. 25, a 3-year-old child in Yunnan was diagnosed as a suspected case of bubonic plague. According to Yunnan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the local area has activated a level 4the lowest level in a four-level emergency response mechanism, and began a comprehensive investigation of patients with fever and isolation of suspected patients. In August, deaths caused by the plague have been reported one after another in Inner Mongolia. On Aug. 6, a patient in Damao Banner, Baotou city, died of intestinal plague. Baotou officials raised the risk levels of a human plague epidemic spreading in the city. Only two days later, another person died of bubonic plague in Urad Qianqi, Bayannur city, Inner Mongolia. China sealed off villages in Inner Mongolia to curb the spread of the plague. Various sources of information show that since the end of last year, the plague epidemic has continued to break out in some provinces and cities in mainland China. But there are few official notices, and local authorities have downplayed the situation. Therefore, the outside world has questioned whether the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is covering up the plague epidemic. For example, in November 2019, the official notice stated that Beijing and Inner Mongolia had confirmed cases of the plague. However, locals who spoke with The Epoch Times at the time claimed the actual spread of the epidemic went far beyond that. More than 300 villages in northern provinces such as Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Liaoning, and Jilin were completely sealed off to prevent the spread of the plague. Communication in the villages was cut off and armed police were stationed. According to an internal Epidemic Report released on April 13 by the Inner Mongolia Comprehensive Disease Prevention and Control Center, the bubonic plague was detected in 21 locations across four prefecture-level leagues in Inner Mongolia. There are 12 such leagues in the entire region. The bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, caused the most deadly pandemic in history. It has the characteristics of rapid onset, high mortality, and rapid spread. The main symptoms are high fever, chills, swollen and tender lymph glands (called buboes), and severe headaches. In severe cases, blood pressure drops and unconsciousness can occur in the early stages. SARATOGA SPRINGS Fridays Black Lives Matter protest where outdoor diners on Phila Street were harangued while they ate -- has prompted the city to rethink how it will handle future marches. Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton said that the City Council will hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday at City Hall to announce new policies and procedures the Saratoga Springs police will follow to manage protesters they view as disrupting or harassing those moving about in the city. Dalton, who didnt want to specifically comment on what will be announced, said she is responding to angry phone calls from business owners and a video she was given showing protesters who gathered near Maple Avenue and Phila Street. In the video, Jamaica Miles, founder of All of Us who supports Black Lives Matter protests throughout the region, used a bullhorn to challenge diners who lined the narrow street. You all are really (expletive) comfortable out here having dinner, enjoying your lives as if the world is just going on, Miles told them. She then reminded diners of the late Darryl Mount, the 22-year-old biracial man who died in 2014 after being pursued in a foot chase by Saratoga Springs police. At the time of the August 2013 incident, Mount was 21 and, police reported, found in an alley unconscious after falling from a scaffold. The incident never underwent an internal review. Mounts family never believed the police version to be true because, Mounts mother said, the left side of her sons face was crushed. The family attorney also said the injuries to his head looked more consistent with a beating and not a fall. You can have dinner. You can have drinks, Miles yelled at those seated at outdoor tables. Darryl Mount is dead. Saratoga Springs police department killed Darryl Mount seven years ago. Why? Because he is a black man. On Sunday, Saratoga Springs police released a statement about the protest, saying it began at 5:30 p.m. in Congress Park. The marchers then took the streets at around 6:45 p.m. They ended their rally, police said, at 9 p.m. in Congress Park. There were no arrests or known negative interactions between law enforcement and any of the protesters during the event, the statement from police read. In a video she recorded on Monday and posted to the All of Us Facebook page, Miles admitted the protesters were loud. We were yelling, Miles said. I was definitely cussing. However, she said that the protesters want people to understand that the privilege they have to have dinner, to be out with friends, family and loved ones was indeed a privilege. Its one Darryl Mount and his family will never have because of the Saratoga police department. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Protests have become a regular part of the Spa City landscape since the murder of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who was killed when a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. Early on, Police Chief Shane Crooks supported the protesters and took a knee at the first rally in Congress Park. But since then tensions have mounted and came to a head on July 30 after a Back the Blue rally. That night, protesters were dispersed with pepper-spray pellets deployed by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office. More recently, Crooks has consistently said he's concerned that "someone will get hurt." Terry Diggory, a member of the citys Police Reform Task Force, said he was at the Friday rally early on. He called it peaceful and other videos posted on All of Us Facebooks page also showed a quiet gathering. Diggory, who is also co-coordinator of Saratoga Immigration Coalition, said that the protesters that upset business owners demonstrates the city needs to balance everyones rights. The police chief has said in the past, and I think hes quite right, that all members of the community have rights, Diggory said. You have to balance the rights of free expression on the part of protesters against the rights of other members of the community who wish to conduct their business in an open-air restaurant without be harassed. There needs to be an understanding between local officials and those attending a protest about the need to balance everybodys right. Diggory also said that any new regulations put in place need to be very well crafted so they dont in advance interfere with the rights of protesters and should come from the community as a whole. The business owners have stake in what happens downtown, the police have a stake in what happens downtown, the protesters have a stake in what happens downtown, Diggory said. The community process brings all the stakeholders together in a way that would put them in dialogue in a mutually satisfying mode of operating. We have to find a way that doesnt pit the business owners against the protesters or pit the protesters against the business owners. We have to say how together as a community we find solutions that are going to acknowledge that we are all responsible for maintaining the public safety of Saratoga Springs. STAND OFF, AB, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Kainai Forage, LP ("Kainai Forage" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of a long-term construction finance facility with Farm Credit Canada and an operating line of credit with Bank of Montreal. Proceeds from the credit facilities will expand the Company's storage and processing capacity, simultaneously enabling the continued growth of long-term arrangements with Alberta's forage producers and international end-users. The Blood Tribe and Indigena Capital formed Kainai Forage in April 2019 with Indigena Capital making a growth equity investment to accelerate the development of the Blood Tribe's on-Reserve forage processing and export business. Since formation, Kainai Forage has more than doubled its production of export-grade Timothy hay and anticipates production of more than 50,000 tonnes during the 2020 growing season. This rapid growth is actively creating jobs on the Blood Tribe Reserve and throughout Southern Alberta. Chief Roy Fox of the Blood Tribe commented, "The Kainai Blood Tribe have always existed on our lands. We were the first successful agriculturalists when the buffalo left, until the imposition of several barriers. Since the construction of the St. Mary's Dam in the 1950s, and the Blood Tribe Agriculture Project in the 1980s we have been active, working to restore our place in the agricultural value chain. The Blood Tribe has developed an enviable irrigation project with the infrastructure to support 25,000 acres and beyond. Kainai Forage is central to the Blood Tribe's economic strategy for achieving financial sovereignty. We are pleased to be working with Farm Credit Canada and Bank of Montreal on building Kainai Forage into a 100,000 tonne per annum industry leader. For too long, Indigenous Nations have been unable to access debt on market terms for their on-Reserve projects. With this successful financing, Kainai Forage and the Blood Tribe are leading the advancement of Indigenous participation in Canada's agriculture industry." About Kainai Forage, the Blood Tribe, and Indigena Capital Established in 1997 as the Blood Tribe Forage Processing Plant, Kainai Forage grows, processes, and exports premium grade Timothy Hay and other forage products to markets including Japan, Korea, the Middle East, and China. Kainai Forage's dedicated, irrigated lands and attending water rights in Southern Alberta's agricultural hub provide a unique solution to customers' requirements for quality, consistency, and origin certainty. For more information please visit: www.kainaiforage.com. The Blood Tribe / Kainai First Nation is a member of the Blackfoot Confederacy and a Treaty 7 Nation. Located approximately 200 kilometers south of Calgary, Alberta, the Blood Tribe has the largest Reserve in Canada, encompassing nearly 560 square miles, with over 12,000 members. The Blood Tribe's focus on business enterprises is anchored by decades of oil and gas development on their lands and in their operation of the largest irrigation project in Canada. Indigena Capital partners with Indigenous Nations to assess their unique rights and resources, investing early stage capital to assist them in taking an active role in development. Indigena Capital has specialized in partnering exclusively with Tribal Nations in the United States and First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples in Canada for over three decades. Through disciplined capital allocation, the return expectations of investors can be met while creating the foundation for self-sustaining economies for Nations. Kainai Forage is Indigena's first investment through IAC, its agriculture investment platform dedicated to financing and enabling the active participation by Indigenous Nations in their agricultural lands and resources. For more information please visit: www.indigenacapital.com. SOURCE Indigena Capital Related Links https://www.indigenacapital.com/ GW's multidisciplinary team includes public health experts from Milken Institute School of Public Health, as well as pathology, infectious disease, and emergency medicine specialists from GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the GW Medical Faculty Associates. The partnership will also look at ways that Kastle's access control and video management technology solutions can be used to help public health officials as they begin implementing health screenings and contact tracing to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Securing more than 41,000 businesses, 3,600 buildings, and 1.3m cardholders, Kastle is the nation's leading security managed services provider. "We are pleased to partner with GW and two of the leading schools of public health and medicine in the country," said Kastle CEO Haniel Lynn. "We both share a common belief that for America to successfully return to the office, we need to work together in unprecedented ways across all stakeholders in the building, from owners and operators, to tenants, to visitors. We look forward to sharing work from our collaboration in real time to help building owners and tenants." "We are impressed by Kastle's commitment to public health. They have already integrated a lot of public health measures into KastleSafeSpaces," said Gene Migliaccio, DrPH, associate dean for applied public health at Milken Institute School of Public Health at GW. "We look forward to working with Kastle to bring the latest thinking about a safe return to the office to stakeholders all over the country." Public health and medical experts recommend that building owners, managers, and operators as well as employers work to create a healthy workplace environment before resuming normal business operations. "The Covid-19 pandemic necessitates that clinicians, public health specialists, and business leaders innovate and collaborate to find meaningful and actionable solutions to the problems faced by our communities," said Tenagne Haile-Mariam, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "The Kastle-GW collaboration is emblematic of such a collaboration and underscores the commitment of both institutions to craft and implement programs that increase the health and welfare of the communities that they serve. We are honored to be part of such a collaboration." About Kastle Systems Kastle Systems has been leading the security industry since 1972 with advanced managed security solutions and services, protecting commercial real estate, multi-family residential, global enterprises, educational institutions, and critical government facilities. Kastle's state-of-the-art security solutions include access control, video surveillance, visitor management and identity management, as well as a suite of mobile security applications, all integrated on an open, standards-based platform and supported by a team of experts 24x7x365. Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, Kastle is on CIO Review's 2019 List of Top 10 Physical Security Providers. For more information about KastleSafeSpaces or any of the other advanced security innovations from Kastle Systems visit https://www.kastle.com. About Milken Institute School of Public Health at GW Established in July 1997 as the School of Public Health and Health Services, Milken Institute School of Public Health is the only school of public health in the nation's capital. Today, more than 1,700 students from almost every U.S. state and 39 countries pursue undergraduate, graduate and doctoral-level degrees in public health. The school also offers an online Master of Public Health, [email protected], and an online Executive Master of Health Administration, [email protected], which allow students to pursue their degree from anywhere in the world. About the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences Founded in 1824, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) is the 11th oldest medical school in the country and the first in the nation's capital. Since its establishment, the school has been at the forefront of medical education and has grown to include highly-ranked programs in the health and biomedical sciences. With dozens of top-tier residency programs, SMHS is a competitive and esteemed destination for medical school graduates across the country. Today, students and residents are exposed to some of the most innovative educational techniques, taught by world-renowned faculty members, in state-of-the-art facilities. smhs.gwu.edu About the GW Medical Faculty Associates The GW Medical Faculty Associates is one of the largest physician practice groups in the Washington, DC metropolitan region with 750 physicians and 52 specialties in over 30 locations. Its physicians teach at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and serve patients at the GW Hospital and throughout the community. GWDocs.com Media Inquiries Kastle Systems International Jake Heinz 6402 Arlington Boulevard 703-346-2241 Falls Church, VA 22042 [email protected] www.kastle.com SOURCE Kastle Systems Related Links http://www.kastle.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 09:47:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Fayez Serraj, the UN-backed prime minister of Libya, on Tuesday stressed his government's keenness to address the needs of southern Libyan cities. Serraj made the offer during a meeting with officials of the southern city of Ghat, according to a statement issued by the prime minister's information office. "The prime minister confirmed his full support for municipalities to achieve development, pointing to the importance of the role of women and youth in the success of development programs," the statement said. "The prime minister stressed keenness of the government of national accord to meet the needs of Ghat and the cities of southern Libya, and to improve the living conditions of the entire region," it said. The meeting discussed the urgent needs of Ghat, which include infrastructure, healthcare, drinking water, and dams to stop floods. Due to years of armed conflict and chaos, Libyan authorities have been struggling to provide basic services for the people, including providing water supplies, electricity and healthcare. Enditem A child has died in a house fire in Ballymena in the second fatal tragedy to have struck the town in 24 hours. Fire and rescue personnel attended the scene in the Staffa Drive area of Ballykeel on Wednesday evening, but were unable to save the child. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) added that one person was taken to Antrim Area Hospital for treatment following the blaze. The childs death came hours after the suspected murder of a 33-year-old man in the area. Councillor Rodney Quigley told local media "What I have heard is there has been a fatality, and a 12 year old girl has lost her life in a house fire. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty A horrible day for Ballymena and the Ballykeel area as a whole. As if this morning wasnt bad enough with the news that we had, we didnt think wed be standing here with another tragic incidenttheres a real numbness within this community after the death of this young girl tonight. Democratic Unionist Stormont assembly member Mervyn Storey said: "This is indeed a tragedy. "No one can begin to imagine the grief the family is going through and they will need all the support and comfort the local community and further afield can give." Her passing came just hours after police launched a murder enquiry in the area after a 33-year-old man, identified as Donald Fraser Rennie was found dead in a nearby flat on Crebilly Road having been beaten to death. Two men, aged 29 and 33, have since been arrested. The two incidents are not thought to be related. Following the passing of Mr Rennie, Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said his thoughts are with the victim's family and his fiancee at this very sad and difficult time. "At this stage I believe that Donald was the victim of a vicious, sustained and violent beating which resulted in his death. "I am appealing to anyone who has information that could assist with the investigation to contact us." Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:49:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The seven political parties involved in the formation of the new Belgian federal government reached an agreement on Wednesday, ending the long absence of a fully-fledged federal government in Belgium. Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) and Paul Magnette (PS), who were appointed by King Philippe of Belgium last week to set up the federal government, were received by the king at 10:00 a.m. at the Royal Palace of Brussels, where they made their report on the agreement, according to a press release from the Royal Palace. According to the agreement, Alexander De Croo will be the new prime minister. After their meeting with the king, De Croo and Magnette made a statement to the press. De Croo thanked Magnette for his tireless work, saying it was the key to the successful implementation of the agreement. "We are going to need everyone to make our society work again," said De Croo. Magnette expressed his relief after 16 months of crisis, which, according to him, "has damaged the confidence of our citizens in politics." Belgium has not had a fully-fledged government since December 2018, and negotiations to form a new coalition had been at an impasse since the parliamentary elections of May 26, 2019. The swearing-in of the prime minister and the members of the government will take place on Thursday, according to the same press release from the Royal Palace. Belgium is made up of the Flemish Region, Walloon Region, and Brussels-Capital Region. The formation of a federal government is generally a long process of negotiations. From 2010 to 2011, Belgium had set a record of 541 days without a federal government. Enditem Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 30 : Life Mission on Wednesday moved the Kerala High Court to plead for the quashing of an "illegal" FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation into its housing project at Thrissur. The HC will hear the petition on Thursday. The state government had taken advice on the matter from legal brains, who pointed out that the FIR could be quashed as it was illegal and that the government had no role in the matter. The weekly Cabinet meeting earlier in the day discussed the issue and gave its nod to move the court. Life Mission CEO UV Jose, a senior IAS officer, has been summoned to appear before the CBI with all the documents on October 5. The Mission's contention is that the agreement for the construction was inked between UAE-based charity Red Crescent, which is funding the construction at Wadakkancherry in Thrissur district, and Unitech Builders. The state has no role and hence the FIR is illegal and should be quashed, it added. The latest development comes a day after Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala warned of legal and political steps against any move by the Vijayan government to bring an ordinance to keep the CBI out of the probe. Experts, however, had said that there was very little scope for any favourable court order for the state since the CBI could take suo motu notice in the matter related to alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. It did not require the state's concurrence, they added. The Life Mission project, a pet project of Vijayan ever since he assumed the CM's office in 2016, was floated to build houses for the homeless and landless, using funds raised through sponsorships. The state's role was limited to only providing the land. The project, however, ran into trouble when Anil Akkara, a Congress legislator, first raised questions about alleged wrongdoings in a building project in his Wadakkancherry constituency, for which funds came from Red Crescent. Though Vijayan had been maintaining that the state, apart from handing over land, had no role in the project, things began to change after the Kerala gold smuggling case surfaced. The project was routed through the UAE Consulate, where smuggling case main accused Swapna Suresh and PS Sarith earlier worked. It turned murkier when news surfaced that a son of Industries Minister EP Jayarajan was also close to Swapna. Vijayan's media adviser John Brittas had claimed that Rs 4.25 crore in commission was paid in the project, a stand endorsed by two state Ministers also. The CBI has already questioned Santhosh Eapen, whose company was given the contract to build the houses. Vijayan is Life Mission Chairman while his trusted aide and Local Self-Government Minister AC Moideen is the Vice-Chairman. Incidentally, the project MoU was inked in Vijayan's office. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed CITY OF MENDOZA, MENDOZA, Argentina, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Province of Mendoza (the " Province ") announced today the results of its invitation (the " Invitation ") to participate in a liability management transaction relating to its U.S.$590,000,000 8.375% Notes due 2024 (the " Existing Notes "), made on the terms and conditions set forth in its amended and restated invitation memorandum dated July 6, 2020 (as supplemented on September 22, 2020, the " A&R Invitation Memorandum "). The aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes tendered and accepted in the Invitation as of 9:00 a.m. New York Time on September 29, 2020 was U.S.$562,082,000, representing approximately 95.27% aggregate principal amount of the Existing Notes. Consents delivered are sufficient to give effect to the Proposed 75% Modifications (as defined in the A&R Invitation Memorandum) and modify and/or exchange all Existing Notes for new amortizing step-up securities due 2029 (the " New Notes "). The Settlement Date, the Execution Date and the Effective Date, each as defined in the A&R Invitation Memorandum, are expected to occur on October 5, 2020, or as soon as practicable thereafter. On such date, the Province expects to (i) issue New Notes in exchange for Existing Notes accepted in the Invitation; (ii) pay in cash an aggregate amount of Consent Payment of U.S.$23,539,994.16 to holders whose Existing Notes validly tendered prior to the Consent Payment Eligibility Deadline were accepted by the Province; and (iii) together with the Trustee, execute the first supplemental indenture to the Indenture to modify and exchange the Existing Notes that were not tendered in the Exchange Offer (as defined in the A&R Invitation Memorandum) for New Notes, pursuant to the A&R Invitation Memorandum. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and AdCap Securities Ltd. acted as dealer managers for the Invitation. D.F. King acted as information, tabulation and exchange agent. Any questions or requests for information regarding the Invitation or the Exchange Offer may be directed to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Inc. at +1 (212) 538-2147 (Collect) - +1 (800) 820-1653 (Toll-free), AdCap Securities Ltd. at +1 646 280 8732. * * * * * * * * * * Important Notice This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States, and the New Notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " Securities Act ") and they may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This announcement does not constitute an offer of New Notes (as defined in the Amended and Restated Invitation Memorandum) for sale, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, in any state or other jurisdiction in which any offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any person considering making an investment decision relating to any securities must inform itself independently based solely on an offering memorandum to be provided to eligible investors in the future in connection with any such securities before taking any such investment decision. This announcement is directed only to beneficial owners of Existing Notes who are (A) "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " Securities Act ") or (B) (x) outside the United States as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act, (y) if located within a Member State of the European Economic Area (" EEA ") or the United Kingdom (" UK " and together with EEA each, a "Relevant State"), "qualified investors" as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended or superseded, the "Prospectus Regulation") and (z) if outside the EEA or the UK, is eligible to receive this offer under the laws of its jurisdiction (each an " Eligible Holder "). No offer of any kind is being made to any beneficial owner of Existing Notes who does not meet the above criteria or any other beneficial owner located in a jurisdiction where the Invitation is not permitted by law. The distribution of materials relating to the Invitation may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Invitation is void in all jurisdictions where it is prohibited. If materials relating to the Invitation come into your possession, you are required by the Province to inform yourself of and to observe all of these restrictions. The materials relating to the Invitation, including this communication, do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. If a jurisdiction requires that the Invitation be made by a licensed broker or dealer and a dealer manager or any affiliate of a dealer manager is a licensed broker or dealer in that jurisdiction, the Invitation shall be deemed to be made by the dealer manager or such affiliate on behalf of the Province in that jurisdiction. Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on expectations and assumptions on the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, and factors over which the Province has no control. The Province assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, and does not intend to do so, unless otherwise required by law. Notice to Investors in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom The New Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in a Relevant State. For these purposes, a "retail investor" means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, " MiFID II "); (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (as amended), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the " PRIIPs Regulation ") for offering or selling the New Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in a Relevant State has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the New Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in a Relevant State may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. References to Regulations or Directives include, in relation to the UK, those Regulations or Directives as they form part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 or have been implemented in UK domestic law, as appropriate. United Kingdom For the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, to the extent that this announcement constitutes an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity, such communication falls within Article 34 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the " Financial Promotion Order "), being a non-real time communication communicated by and relating only to controlled investments issued, or to be issued, by the Province. Other than with respect to distributions by the Province, this announcement is for distribution only to persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Promotion Order, (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom, or (iv) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement is directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which the announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. SOURCE The Province of Mendoza Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39, 2020 Posted on 30 September 2020 by Doug Bostrom Ghost forests grow in North Carolina as sea level rises Lindsey Smart leads a team of researchers to publish findings on carbon loss from forests dying as sea level rise causes transition to salt marsh. From the abstract: Coastal forests sequester and store more carbon than their terrestrial counterparts but are at greater risk of conversion due to sea level rise. Saltwater intrusion from sea level rise converts freshwater-dependent coastal forests to more salt-tolerant marshes, leaving 'ghost forests' of standing dead trees behind. Although recent research has investigated the drivers and rates of coastal forest decline, the associated changes in carbon storage across large extents have not been quantified. We mapped ghost forest spread across coastal North Carolina, USA, using repeat Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveys, multi-temporal satellite imagery, and field measurements of aboveground biomass to quantify changes in aboveground carbon. Between 2001 and 2014, 15% (167 km2) of unmanaged public land in the region changed from coastal forest to transition-ghost forest characterized by salt-tolerant shrubs and herbaceous plants. Salinity and proximity to the estuarine shoreline were significant drivers of these changes. This conversion resulted in a net aboveground carbon decline of 0.13 0.01 TgC. Aboveground carbon loss associated with the spread of ghost forests as sea levels rise, open access and free to read. "Related research" Skeptical Science reader and commentator RedBaron aka Scott Strough has shepherded a research proposal to the point of launch via the scientific research crowd-funding platform experiment.com. Strough intends to demonstrate and quantify results for a method to reverse soil carbon losses typically associated with agriculture while still producing food from the soil in question. The project joins distinguished company. Even in normal times it's not easy to navigate experiment.com's extensive vetting process, one reason why the organization has propelled some excellent work over the years. Project authors work as hard for this funding as they would on a grant proposal submitted for more traditional funding, and during this year it's been especially difficult. In return the public gets a lot of research bang for not many bucks. If you find Strough's inquiry appealing, consider contributing to his project. The short version of Strough's proposal, as launched: I am introducing a new organic no till methodology with perennial ground cover I have been developing for several years. It should gain significant benefits to soil carbon if it functions in a similar way to the wild ecosystems it was patterned after. This fundraiser will help determine the absolute net rate of carbon sequestration in the soil, which is a key factor in determining if they can also be used as a tool for global warming mitigation, since most modern agriculture degrades Soil Organic Carbon. I will be planting a small 1/2 acre research plot and measuring how much CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and sequestered long term in the soil by my methods, by directly sampling the soil and measuring SOC. That rate can then be used to extrapolate the AGW mitigation potential. There are of course quite a few more details on the experiment page. 115 articles Physical science of global warming & effects Projected Increases in Monthly Midlatitude Summertime Temperature Variance Over Land are Driven by Local Thermodynamics DOI: 10.1029/2020gl090197 Observations of global warming & effects Increasing ocean stratification over the past half-century DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-00918-2 Intensified burn severity in Californias northern coastal mountains by drier climatic condition Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba6af Permafrost thaw couples slopes with downstream systems and effects propagate through Arctic drainage networks Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2020-218 Aboveground carbon loss associated with the spread of ghost forests as sea levels rise Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba136 Reconstructing extreme climatic and geochemical conditions during the largest natural mangrove dieback on record Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-17-4707-2020 Nordic Seas Acidification Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-2020-339 The advective Brewer-Dobson circulation in the ERA5 reanalysis: variability and trends Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/acp-2020-881 Phytoplankton dynamics in a changing Arctic Ocean DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0905-y Multiscale changes in snow over the Tibetan Plateau during 19802018 represented by reanalysis datasets and satellite observations DOI: 10.1029/2019jd031914 Vertical Land Motion from Present?Day Deglaciation in the Wider Arctic Open Access DOI: 10.1029/2020gl088144 Rapid Local Urbanization around Most Meteorological Stations Explains the Observed Daily Asymmetric Warming Rates across China from 1985 to 2017 DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-20-0118.1 Changes of glacier facies on Hornsund glaciers (Svalbard) during the decade 20072017 DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2020.112060 Observed trends in daily temperature extreme indices in Aguascalientes, Mexico DOI: 10.1007/s00704-020-03391-1 Tornadoes in the USA are concentrating on fewer days, but their power dissipation is not DOI: 10.1007/s00704-020-03402-1 Accelerated rate of vegetation green?up related to warming at northern high latitudes DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15322 Analysis of Spatial Changes of Extreme Precipitation and Temperature in Iran over a 50?Year Period DOI: 10.1002/joc.6845 Spatiotemporal Freeze?Thaw Variations over the Qinghai?Tibet Plateau 1981?2017 from Reanalysis DOI: 10.1002/joc.6849 Soil temperature change and its regional differences under different vegetation regions across China DOI: 10.1002/joc.6847 Instrumentation & observational methods of climate & global warming Evaluating stream CO2 outgassing via Drifting and Anchored flux chambers in a controlled flume experiment Airborne mapping of the sub-ice platelet layer under fast ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2020-268 A dedicated flask sampling strategy developed for Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) stations based on CO2 and CO measurements and Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) footprint modelling A Remote Sensing Technique to Upscale Methane Emission Flux in a Subtropical Peatland DOI: 10.1029/2020jg006002 Modeling, simulation & projection of global warming & global warming effects Quantifying the Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Contribution to the Observed Spring Snow-Cover Decline Using the CMIP6 Multimodel Ensemble Increase in ocean acidity variability and extremes under increasing atmospheric CO2 Open Access DOI: 10.5194/bg-2020-22-rc1 Towards understanding the pattern of glacier mass balances in High Mountain Asia using regional climatic modelling Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-14-3215-2020 Comparison of past and future simulations of ENSO in CMIP5/PMIP3 and CMIP6/PMIP4 models Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/cp-16-1777-2020 The Impact of Increasing Stratospheric Radiative Damping on the QBO Period Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/acp-2020-925 Shift towards intense and widespread precipitation events over the United States by mid 21st century Assessing Global and Regional Effects of Reconstructed Land-Use and Land-Cover Change on Climate since 1950 Using a Coupled LandAtmosphereOcean Model How Does the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation Affect the Boreal Winter Tropospheric Circulation in CMIP5/6 Models? U.K. Climate Projections: Summer Daytime and Nighttime Urban Heat Island Changes in Englands Major Cities Ocean Heat Storage in Response to Changing Ocean Circulation Processes DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-19-1016.1 Decadal Variability in the North Pacific and North Atlantic under Global Warming: The Weakening Response and Its Mechanism DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-19-1012.1 Projection of weather potential for winter haze episodes in Beijing by 1.5C and 2.0C global warming Open Access DOI: 10.1016/j.accre.2020.09.002 Evaluation and projection of snowfall changes in High Mountain Asia based on NASAs NEX-GDDP high-resolution daily downscaled dataset Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba926 Advances in climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection Impacts of hydrological model calibration on projected hydrological changes under climate changea multi-model assessment in three large river basins Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s10584-020-02872-6 Wintertime radiative effects of black carbon (BC) over Indo-Gangetic Plain as modelled with new BC emission inventoriesin CHIMERE Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/acp-2020-511 Possible biases in scaling-based estimates of glacier change: a case study in the Himalaya Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-14-3235-2020 Modelled sensitivity Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.jempfin.2013.05.003 Proglacial lakes control glacier geometry and behavior during recession DOI: 10.1029/2020gl088865 Simulating Observations of Southern Ocean Clouds and Implications for Climate Open Access DOI: 10.1002/essoar.10502322.1 Enabling Smart Dynamical Downscaling of Extreme Precipitation Events with Machine Learning Open Access DOI: 10.1002/essoar.10503409.1 A Comparison of Intra-Annual and Long-Term Trend Scaling of Extreme Precipitation with Temperature in a Large-Ensemble Regional Climate Simulation A comparison of CMIP6 and CMIP5 projections for precipitation to observational data: the case of Northeastern Iran DOI: 10.1007/s00704-020-03406-x Regional climate model performance and application of bias corrections in simulating summer monsoon maximum temperature for agro-climatic zones in India DOI: 10.1007/s00704-020-03393-z Convection?permitting modelling improves simulated precipitation over the central and eastern Tibetan Plateau DOI: 10.1002/qj.3921 Resolution matters when modeling climate change in headwaters of the Colorado River Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba77f Cryosphere & climate change Towards understanding the pattern of glacier mass balances in High Mountain Asia using regional climatic modelling Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-14-3215-2020 Airborne mapping of the sub-ice platelet layer under fast ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2020-268 Permafrost thaw couples slopes with downstream systems and effects propagate through Arctic drainage networks Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2020-218 Glacier loss impacts riverine organic carbon transport to the ocean DOI: 10.1029/2020gl089804 Changes of glacier facies on Hornsund glaciers (Svalbard) during the decade 20072017 DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2020.112060 Paleoclimate The enigma of Oligocene climate and global surface temperature evolution Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2003914117 Ancient agriculture and climate change on the north coast of Peru DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017725117 The origin and diversification of pteropods precede past perturbations in the Earths carbon cycle Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920918117 Latitudinal response of storm activity to abrupt climate change during the last 6,500 years DOI: 10.1029/2020gl089859 Biology & global warming Winter in a warming Arctic Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1002/2017gl073395 Key rules of life and the fading cryosphere: impacts in alpine lakes and streams DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15362 A changing Amazon rainforest: Historical trends and future projections under post-Paris climate scenarios DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2020.103328 Climate change disturbs wildlife microbiomes DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-00923-5 Reconstructing extreme climatic and geochemical conditions during the largest natural mangrove dieback on record Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-17-4707-2020 Birds advancing lay dates with warming springs face greater risk of chick mortality DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2009864117 The origin and diversification of pteropods precede past perturbations in the Earths carbon cycle Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920918117 Fast behavioral feedbacks make ecosystems sensitive to pace and not just magnitude of anthropogenic environmental change DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2003301117 Phytoplankton dynamics in a changing Arctic Ocean DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0905-y Warming drives ecological community changes linked to host-associated microbiome dysbiosis DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0899-5 Divergent forest sensitivity to repeated extreme droughts DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-00919-1 Climatic responses of Pinus brutia along the Black Sea coast of Crimea and the Caucasus DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2020.125763 The problem of scale in predicting biological responses to climate Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15358 Current and future impacts of drought and ozone stress on Northern Hemisphere forests Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15339 Transient benefits of climate change for a high?Arctic polar bear (Ursus maritimus) subpopulation DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15286 Accelerated rate of vegetation green?up related to warming at northern high latitudes DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15322 Future winters present a complex energetic landscape of decreased costs and reduced risk for a freeze?tolerant amphibian, the Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15321 Stage?dependent effects of river flow and temperature regimes on the growth dynamics of an apex predator DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15363 An iron cycle cascade governs the response of equatorial Pacific ecosystems to climate change Evolutionary principles and genetic considerations for guiding conservation interventions under climate change DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15359 Foraging deeply: Depth?specific plant nitrogen uptake in response to climate?induced N?release and permafrost thaw in the High Arctic DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15306 Early development and metabolic rate of the sea louse Caligus rogercresseyi under different scenarios of temperature and pCO 2 Turning up the heat: warming influences plankton biomass and spring phenology in subtropical waters characterized by extensive fish omnivory DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04758-x Global analysis of fish growth rates shows weaker responses to temperature than metabolic predictions DOI: 10.1111/geb.13189 GHG sources & sinks, flux Attribution of the accelerating increase in atmospheric methane during 20102018 by inverse analysis of GOSAT observations Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/acp-2020-964 Warming and ocean acidification may decrease estuarine dissolved organic carbon export to the ocean Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-2020-335 Evaluating stream CO2 outgassing via Drifting and Anchored flux chambers in a controlled flume experiment Net carbon ecosystem exchange during 24 years in the Sor Beech Forest relations to phenology and climate Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1080/16000889.2020.1822063 Glacier loss impacts riverine organic carbon transport to the ocean DOI: 10.1029/2020gl089804 A Remote Sensing Technique to Upscale Methane Emission Flux in a Subtropical Peatland DOI: 10.1029/2020jg006002 Reappraisal of the climate impacts of ozone?depleting substances Open Access DOI: 10.1029/2020gl088295 Secondary forests offset less than 10% of deforestation?mediated carbon emissions in the Brazilian Amazon DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15352 A Bornean peat swamp forest is a net source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15332 Warming?induced global soil carbon loss attenuated by downward carbon movement DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15370 Aboveground carbon loss associated with the spread of ghost forests as sea levels rise Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba136 Coralline macroalgae contribution to ecological services of carbon storage in a disturbed seagrass meadow DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105156 The greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and heat emissions of global steam-electric power production: a generating unit level analysis and database Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba6ac Drivers of CO 2 emissions in international aviation: the case of Japan Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab9e9b Climate, snowmelt dynamics and atmospheric deposition interact to control dissolved organic carbon export from a northern forest stream over 26 years Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab9c4e CO 2 emissions from forest degradation in Brazilian Amazon CO2 removal & mitigation science & engineering Electrification of light-duty vehicle fleet alone will not meet mitigation targets DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-00921-7 Black carbon Wintertime radiative effects of black carbon (BC) over Indo-Gangetic Plain as modelled with new BC emission inventoriesin CHIMERE Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/acp-2020-511 Climate change communications & cognition The development of climate security discourse in Japan Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s11625-020-00863-1 Documenting climate change Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-00913-7 Agronomy & climate change Economics & finance of climate change & mitigation A carbon price floor in the reformed EU ETS: Design matters! DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111905 The Nonlinear Impacts of Global Warming on Regional Economic Production: An Empirical Analysis from China DOI: 10.1175/wcas-d-20-0029.1 Global climate damage in 2C and 1.5C scenarios based on BCC_SESM model in IAM framework Open Access DOI: 10.1016/j.accre.2020.09.008 Low-carbon transition in a coal-producing country: A labour market perspective DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111878 CAREC energy corridor: Opportunities, challenges, and IMPACT of regional energy trade integration on carbon emissions and energy access DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111427 Climate change mitigation & adaptation public policy research Evaluating development path changes using a novel climate action assessment framework in three municipalities in British Columbia, Canada DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2020.09.007 Political leadership on climate change: the role of health in Obama-era U.S. climate policies Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba8c3 The development of climate security discourse in Japan Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s11625-020-00863-1 Climate change adaptation Adaptation to the Climate Crisis: Opportunities for Food and Nutrition Security and Health in a Pacific Small Island State DOI: 10.1175/wcas-d-19-0090.1 Increasing natural retention Remedy for current climate change in urban area Open Access DOI: 10.1016/j.uclim.2020.100695 Climate change impacts on human culture Climate has contrasting direct and indirect effects on armed conflicts Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba97d Fossil fuelfired power plant operations under a changing climate [irony alert] Coastal flooding will disproportionately impact people on river deltas Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18531-4 Watershed communities livelihood vulnerability to climate change in the Himalayas DOI: 10.1007/s10584-020-02870-8 Changes of potential catches for North-East Atlantic small pelagic fisheries under climate change scenarios DOI: 10.1007/s10113-020-01698-3 Other The 2020 Siberian Heat Wave DOI: 10.1002/joc.6850 On the linkage between Rossby wave phase speed, atmospheric blocking and Arctic Amplification DOI: 10.1029/2020gl087796 Should Sea-Ice Modeling Tools Designed for Climate Research Be Used for Short-Term Forecasting? Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s40641-020-00162-y The global environmental paw print of pet food DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102153 Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives Designing our sustainable energy future: A shock doctrine for energy DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111914 Will the Paris Agreement protect us from hydro-meteorological extremes? Open Access DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aba869 The Y factor for Climate Change abatement A method to rank options beyond abatement costs Open Access DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111894 Obtaining articles wihout journal subscriptions We know it's frustrating that many articles we cite here are not free to read. One-off paid access fees are generally astronomically priced, suitable for such as "On a Heuristic Point of View Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light" but not as a gamble on unknowns. With a median world income of US$ 9,3733, for most of us US$ 42 is significant money to wager on an article's relevance and importance. Here's an excellent collection of tips and techniques for obtaining articles, legally. Unpaywall offers a browser extension for Chrome that automatically indicates when an article is freely accessible and provides immediate access without further trouble. Unpaywall is also unscammy, works well, is itself offered free to use. The organizers (a legitimate nonprofit) report about a 50% success rate The weekly New Research catch is checked against the Unpaywall database with accessible items being flagged. Especially for just-published articles this mechansim may fail. If you're interested in an article title and it is not listed here as "open access," be sure to check the link anyway. If you're interested in an article and it is not listed here as "open access," be sure to check the link anyway. Due to time constraints open access articles are identified by us via imperfect machine analysis. Compared with Unpaywall statistics we successfully identify roughly 2/3rds of open access articles. There's definitely gold left in the ground. How is New Research assembled? Most articles appearing here are found via RSS feeds from journal publishers, filtered by search terms to produce raw output for assessment of relevance. Relevant articles are then queried against the Unpaywall database, to identify open access articles and expose useful metadata for articles appearing in the database. The objective of New Research isn't to cast a tinge on scientific results, to color readers' impressions. Hence candidate articles are assessed via two metrics only: Was an article deemed of sufficient merit by a team of journal editors and peer reviewers? The fact of journal RSS output assigns a "yes" to this automatically. Is an article relevant to the topic of anthropogenic climate change? Due to filter overlap with other publication topics of inquiry about 1/4 of RSS output makes the cut. Suggestions Please let us know if you're aware of an article you think may be of interest for Skeptical Science research news, or if we've missed something that may be important. Send your input to Skeptical Science via our contact form. Journals covered A list of journals we cover may be found here. We welcome pointers to omissions, new journals etc. Previous edition The previous edition of Skeptical Science New Research may be found here. Huawei has announced full upgrades to its intelligent IP network solutions to create new drivers for industry digital transformation. At Huawei Connect 2020, Huawei held an inspiring summit themed "Accelerating Industry Digital Transformation Through All-Scenario Intelligent Connectivity". Key announcements during this summit are that it has fully upgraded its intelligent IP network solutions, reshaped two platforms (software and hardware), reinvented the three-layer architecture of intelligent IP networks with "super capacity, intelligent experience, and autonomous driving", and further innovated "four-engines". These strategic moves reaffirm Huawei's relentless efforts to develop scenario-tailored solutions with partners and customers, creating new drivers for digitalization across industries. Data communication networks have evolved from IPv4-based networks for man-machine interaction in the IP era, to multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)-based networks for people-people interaction in the all-IP era, and finally to the networks in today's intelligent IP era. In this latest era, IPv6+ technology is leveraged to allow all things to be connected, and differentiated services and deterministic experience assurance are provided. In particular, intelligent IP networks have become the cornerstone of industry digital transformation, and seamless and smooth data flowing unleashes the full potential of data aggregation. In line with its "intelligent IP network" development strategy, Huawei has announced the following strategic moves at the summit: 1. Reshaping two platforms (hardware and software) to get fully prepared for intelligent IP networks Huawei has fully upgraded its hardware platform that stands out with built-in AI acceleration engines to enhance data processing, thereby fully supporting intelligent IP networks. To support massive connectivity of everything, large-capacity modular devices are equipped with 400GE ports capable of addressing digital deluge, while compact fixed-form devices support extensive access from 155 Mbit/s to 400 Gbit/s. Such hardware features pave the way for building an ultra-broadband, intelligent, and green intelligent IP hardware platform for customers. With regards to software platforms, traditional IP device software is closed, clumsy, and unresponsive to services. Huawei reshapes the IP network operating system by using its new software platform YUNSHAN. The platform has an agile, intelligent, and open architecture, and allows for flexible assembly using modular functional components across devices, facilitating quick delivery according to customer requirements. YUNSHAN is endowed with over 20 built-in AI algorithms to support millisecond-level inference, injecting new capabilities into intelligent IP networks. What's more, the platform's more than 400 open application programming interfaces (APIs) easily connect to northbound NMSs, thereby implementing flexible device management and control. 2. Upgrading the three-layer architecture of intelligent IP networks with super capacity, intelligent experience, and autonomous driving Traditional IP networks focus on traffic growth and have to continuously improve network capacity to solve traffic-related problems. In the cloud era, how can IP networks quickly access the cloud? How can cloud-network synergy and convergence be implemented? The answers lie in optimizing the IP network architecture. Huawei introduces AI to redefine the 3-layer intelligent IP network architecture, and upgrades to 400GE ports to support ultra-broadband non-blocking forwarding and network slicing. This results in a super capacity that ensures network bandwidth quality. Huawei also upgrades the Intent Engine by using AI to identify service network intents, adjust network resources in real time, and continuously meet service requirements. This achieves intelligent experience featuring deterministic experience assurance. The Intelligence Engine is upgraded using knowledge graphs to automatically deploy and quickly adjust network-level services while automating network troubleshooting. These autonomous driving capabilities improve O&M efficiency. 3. Further innovating the "four-engine" intelligent IP network products and solutions The newly upgraded Huawei iMaster NCE, the brain of intelligent IP networks, provides northbound agile open containers (AOCs) and intent-driven APIs to facilitate easy customizations. By introducing digital twins to support big data analytics, iMaster NCE implements intent-driven deployment and fault prediction. Southbound APIs provided by iMaster NCE realize multi-vendor compatibility, efficiently orchestrating heterogeneous networks and greatly saving customer investments. In the campus network field, Huawei has upgraded its CloudCampus Solution from 1.0 to 2.0. In future enterprise campuses, more IoT terminals will get connected, traffic will change greatly alongside service migration to clouds, and management will become more complicated with further data aggregation. To address these, Huawei CloudCampus 2.0 provide compelling features such as unified access, one-hop-to-cloud, and unified intelligent management. In this way, campus network operations transform from manual to intelligent, paving the way for building a fully connected, intelligent campus network. In the data centre network field, Huawei's newly upgraded CloudFabric 2.0 Solution further improves network intelligence. By efficiently analysing root causes of faults using knowledge graphs, this solution increases the fault detection rate to as high as 98%. CloudFabric 2.0 builds on an open architecture and can connect upstream to multiple clouds and downstream to devices from multiple vendors, reducing OPEX by 28%. This capability can help the financial services industry to accelerate progress towards Bank 4.0. The high-density 400GE and intelligent &lossless data centre network features zero packet loss and low latency, improving computing power by 27% and data storage IOPS by more than 30%, thereby unleashing the power of efficient computing power and data storage. With all these highlights, Huawei CloudFabric 2.0 injects new momentum into new infrastructure construction. In the WAN field, Huawei's latest CloudWAN 2.0 Solution introduces the next-generation protocol IPv6+ in an end-to-end manner to implement cloud-network interconnection in minutes and realize one-hop-to-cloud for enterprises. Standing out with IPv6+ network slicing capabilities, CloudWAN 2.0 provides 100% bandwidth guarantee for production services while meeting differentiated service requirements. This feature-rich solution also takes the lead in introducing AI technologies, which locates faults in minutes and proactively predicts faults, leading WANs to the all-service intelligence era. In the network security field, Huawei's HiSec 2.0 Solution provides significant upgrades in terms of platform architectures, threat detection and analysis, and security ecosystems. An open platform simplifies solution deployment, and the embedded AI engine (AIE) improves threat detection capabilities, bringing more benefits to partners and ensuring solution reliability. All these highlights make HiSec 2.0 ideal for building a secure space in the digital world. 4. Intelligent IP networks are verified time and again in various industries, creating new value together Intelligent IP is widely applied in industries. Specifically, "Intelligent IP @ Government" enables one-stop government services and all-in-one city management, greatly improving the rate of requests handled online and increasing the efficiency in processing documents. "Intelligent IP @ Finance" drives the finance industry into the Bank 4.0 era by enabling day-level provisioning of cloud-based services and reducing the foreign exchange transaction time by 87%. "Intelligent IP @ Education" accelerates network construction, achieves multi-network convergence, and facilitates intelligent operations, accelerating the construction of a talent-rich nation. "Intelligent IP @ Airport" achieves one ID for travel and one map for operations by detecting threats at an accuracy rate of 96%, handling threats in seconds, and proactively discovering 85% faults. Speakers from Agriculture Bank of China and Southeast University shared their best practices of intelligent IP networks at the event. Ideal for building the cornerstone for connectivity, Huawei's highly competitive intelligent IP network products and solutions have served operators and customers from industries such as finance, government, transportation, energy, and education in more than 150 countries. "Intelligent IP networks better enable data flowing and aggregation, creating new drivers for intelligent connectivity of everything. Huawei will continue to innovate and apply intelligent IP networks to all industries and develop all-scenario solutions to help enterprises of all sizes achieve business success," said Kevin Hu, President of Huaweis Data Communication Product Line. "In the future, Huawei will work with more partners from all industries, such as government, finance, education, healthcare, and transportation, to build a new ecosystem for digital transformation and create new value together." Kevin Hu is the President of Huawei's Data Communication Product Line. Sponsored by Huawei Online petition calls for COVID-19 testing at airport and sea terminal There are calls for COVID-19 testing to be introduced for people arriving on Island via air and sea travel. A petition has been started by resident Annette Baker. The headteacher at Ramsey Grammar School is calling on the Manx Government to invest in testing facilities at the Isle of Man Airport and Sea Terminal. Mrs Baker says it would help prepare for greater numbers coming back to the Island of Man in the future. Currently, only residents with a Manx Entry Permit can return to the Island. Non-residents require an exemption certificate and to follow quarantine rules. A victim of a Tinder creep who trolled eight women after they rejected his sexual advances is now being subjected to horrific abuse from a fake account. Thomas McGuirk, 28, from Bondi, was sacked from his IT job last week after Ebonie Sanderson, 26, posted images of vile abusive messages he sent her on Instagram. Since she came forward, another eight woman from multiple cities have shared their eerily similar experiences of being bombarded with horrific insults after turning the Tech worker down. Despite the public furore, with thousands rallying online to denounce his actions, Sydney brewery manager Erin Hinds, 26, has copped fresh abuse from a fake Instagram account using the same repertoire of derogatory phrases as Tom. Sydney brewery manager Erin Hinds (pictured), 26, has copped fresh abuse from a Instagram user after publicly shaming the IT worker Tech worker Thomas McGuirk, 28, was sacked from his job after sending disgusting abuse to at least seven women he met on Tinder after they refused his advances or couldn't meet up The account @suetrumpbbg on Tuesday called Ms Hinds an 'attention seeker' and claimed her account was all 'lies'. 'Loved how easy you were,' @suetrumpbbg wrote. 'There is nothing wrong with me, I am not the evil attention seeker here and [sic] opens her legs up to get fame.' The user claimed to have evidence of McGuirk and Ms Hinds messages that would validate that there was 'another side to the story', but never produced the 'evidence' despite Ms Hinds and other commenters requests. Early ramblings referred to McGuirk in third person, before the user, who has no posts or followers, insinuated he had met Ms Hinds. When Ms Hinds' followers confronted the user, speculating it was McGuirk, they became targets in the bizarre tirade. Instagram user @suetrumpbbg has been trolling Ms Hinds over the past 24 hours, insulting her after she spoke out against McGuirk The user launched a fresh tirade against Ms Hinds calling her an 'attention seeker' for speaking out about her treatment 'I'm better looking than any guy you could get,' @suetrump replied to one commenter. To another they wrote: 'You are a little girl! Go back to your room little one! Stop trying to act tough! I don't hit women lucky for you! Keep spreading your legs for $8 a month.' The user returned again to troll her on Wednesday morning on another post, writing: 'Can't believe how much you are milking this!!! all for opening your legs lol.' Ms Hinds blocked the account and is going to the police to apply for a restraining order. Ms Hinds was not the user's only fixation- with McGuirk's first known victim, Ms Sanderson, also collecting disparaging remarks from @suetrumpbbg on one of her posts. Ms Hinds (pictured) said McGuirk began sending her abusive messages after she told him she was not interested in meeting up again A message McGuirk sent to Ms Hinds about one of her friends, calling them derogatory names Last week, Ms Sanderson shared voice messages McGuirk had sent her calling her a 'disgusting fat pig' after she declined an offer to go to his house. Her post was shared by feminist icon Clementine Ford and her army of followers who flagged the disgraceful behaviour to his boss at Invenco. CEO Dave Scott fired him immediately upon listening to the tapes and McQuirk promptly shutdown his social media accounts, which have not been active since. On Tuesday night, the Instagram user flocked to Ms Sanderson's page to regurgitate McGuirk's previous insults. 'You shouldn't be calling other people pig, when that's you in the photo,' @suetrump wrote. '1000000 she calling people when she is the real pig [sic].' 'Attention seeker! Trying to get money from making a situation much bigger!' Ms Hinds saga began when she met McGuirk on Tinder last month before the pair spent the night together at his Bondi home. But two days later when she told him she was not interested in taking things further, he bombarded her with horrific derogatory messages. 'I said sorry, I have changed my mind. It was fun but we really don't have chemistry. That is when he flipped the switch,' Ms Hinds previously told Daily Mail Australia. 'He went crazy.' Ebonie Sanderson (pictured), 26, shared abusive messages Tom sent her on Instagram this week, which lead to his termination at work The account also took to Ms Sanderson's page to level abuse (pictured) on Tuesday night 'He started calling me a w***e and a s**t then taking pictures of my friends from social media and sending them to me saying that we are all retards, disgusting w****s with bad dental hygiene, and s***ts only worth one f**k each.' Ms Hinds blocked him, but the abuse kicked off again the next day when she matched with a man called 'Ryan' on Tinder who claimed to be Tom's friend. Ryan called her a s**t and said that he and Tom planned to go to her work, with Ms Hinds warning she would call the police if they did. Ms Hinds said the hate campaign was 'terrifying'. 'It's so overwhelming. It's hard to fathom that this is happening,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday. 'It is getting so out of hand.' Ms Hinds said it is difficult to comprehend the experiences someone may have had which could lead to such behaviour. Beauty vlogger Jess Turunen (pictured) matched with McGuirk in May 2020 on the Gold Coast Melbourne makeup artist Hem Mason, 29, matched with McGuirk on Hinge on May 17 while temporarily based in the Gold Coast after returning from overseas Chantelle Robinson, a 26-year-old from the Gold Coast, matched with McGuirk on Tinder back in early 2019 Despite her harrowing ordeal, Ms Hinds said she has been comforted by the overwhelming support of friends and strangers. 'It's really surreal. I didn't expect there to be so many other women. I've had so many women and men message me to say thank you for speaking up, we are behind you. 'To have all of that support has been really amazing.' On Tuesday, six more women came forward to Daily Mail Australia to share their horror stories with the 28-year-old Bondi 'playboy'. There interactions with McGuirk all took place within the past 18 months in Newcastle to Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sydney. Gold Coast victims include beauty vlogger Jess Turunen, Woolworths manager Chantelle Robinson, 26, and Melbourne makeup artist Hem Mason, 29, who matched with while based in the Queensland city. Jennifer*, a 29-year-old disability worker and business owner from Newcastle, matched with McGuirk on Tinder in July A mining administrator from Newcastle who wished to be identified as Miss Smith (pictured) matched with McGuirk on Tinder on August 3 Mining administrator Miss Smith and disability support worker Jennifer* matched with him in Newcastle, while Sam swiped right in Brisbane. There stories all start out the same, with cheesy-pickup lines rapidly escalating into sexual advances before McGuirk badgers them to meet up. But when his proposal is knocked back, he suddenly snaps. He launches into a sickening attack inundating their inbox with belittling names until they are forced to block him. If they are lucky it ends there. Others are tracked down onto other platforms where the abuse continues. Now, Ms Hinds wonders if it will ever stop. *Name has been changed The Los Angeles Police Department's headquarters. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times ) As Los Angeles continues to struggle with the coronavirus crisis, economic shockwaves and protests, there is another growing problem: Homicides are up nearly 15% over last year. The city is hardly alone as a new national study shows that the number of killings, while still far lower than decades ago, climbed significantly in a summer that saw 20 cities' homicide rates jump 53% compared with the three summer months in 2019. Homicides increased in places such as Atlanta and Chicago during June through August of 2020, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice. Los Angeles, which was one of the cities included in the study, has recorded 226 homicides as of Saturday, compared with 197 at the same point in 2019. Since June, killings are up nearly a fifth compared with the prior year, according to data. If the numbers hold, it would mark the largest homicide increase in years. "We are faring a lot better than other police departments when it comes to homicides," said Los Angeles Police Capt. Paul Vernon, who oversees the Compstat unit that analyzes the city's crime data. "Overall violent crime is down." Homicide detectives across Los Angeles saw a busy start to the year, with the rate of killings up more than a third before the coronavirus lockdown kept many Angelenos off the streets and many locations shuttered. During the height of social isolation as the city tried to stem the spread of the virus, homicides were down double digits compared with 2019. But as the year moved on, homicides began to climb again and surpassed 2019 levels by the summer, a period when historically far more residents are the victims of homicide. According to the new study, the national surge in homicides and shootings occurred across all the cities examined. "The timing is quite compelling," said study author Richard Rosenfeld, a renowned criminologist and Curators Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Story continues But he cautions that the reasons for the increase, beyond the timing of George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis in May and the subsequent protests, aren't clear. Rosenfeld, who authored the study with researcher Ernesto Lopez, said there are two possibilities. One is that the pandemic caused police to alter some practices because of social distancing, making them less able to investigate, make stops or simply talk to people, which also makes it difficult to prevent retaliatory killings or disrupt a cycle of violence, he said. The second possibility is that Floyd's death and the protests hurt the perception and trust of law enforcement, Rosenfeld said. He said high-crime communities are generally the ones with the least trust of the police and most often subject to police violence. "So when social unrest occurs and police distrust rises, people can turn to street justice," he said. Rosenfeld said rising crime followed widespread unrest over police violence, emanating from places such as Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore in 2015 and 2016. Los Angeles, he said, was one of the places where that occurred. In L.A., the areas most affected by the surge in homicides are in the city's core and South L.A., historically the more violent and deadly areas. The Rampart Division, which encompasses MacArthur Park, Westlake and near west of downtown, has seen its homicides increase from eight to 17 compared with last year. The neighboring Olympic Division has seen the largest percentage increase (160%), with 13 killings so far in 2020 compared with five last year. Vernon said the brunt of the homicides is in traditionally high crime divisions, with South L.A.'s 77th Division leading the city with 39 killings, compared with 33 last year. The city's numbers aren't on the scale of the surge in New York City, where homicides are up nearly 40% compared with this time last year. The researchers also found that aggravated assaults jumped by 14% in the cities studied compared with the same period in 2019. By contrast, Los Angeles has seen far less of an increase in aggravated assaults, with just a 2% uptick and a 5% drop in overall violent crime. But Los Angeles has seen the number of shootings, including those in which no one was hit, increase by nearly 14%, and the number of people hit by bullets jump by 10% compared with 2019. The number of shooting victims has long been considered the best indicator of violent crime. The national study, however, found no overall increase in gun crimes. Nationwide, the researchers concluded that the rates of homicide and aggravated assault increased significantly in late May and early June of 2020, with those increases followed by declines in July and August. They say it is too early to tell how long those declines will last. LAPD Chief Michel Moore earlier this month told The Times that the pandemic has helped drive gun violence and increase killings in the city this year, including by spurring economic despair and interpersonal dramas while undercutting efforts to interrupt cycles of retaliation. Moore agreed with the researchers that social distancing had affected efforts to quell violence. He said pandemic-related rules barring visitors from local hospitals have prevented trained violence intervention workers from visiting the bedsides of surviving shooting victims, eliminating the opportunity to provide resources and emotional support, address their anger and help prevent retaliatory violence on the streets. Several killings have unfolded at gatherings at homes because clubs and venues are out of commission under the coronavirus rules, Moore also noted. At least two deadly shootings have occurred at homes rented for parties in the Hollywood Hills. SHANGHAI, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Acorn International, Inc. (NYSE: ATV) ("Acorn" or the "Company"), a leading marketing and branding company in China, today announced its preliminary unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Second Quarter Estimated Results Highlights Net revenues increased 3.6% year-over-year in Q2 2020 to US$8.7 million . . Gross profit decreased 0.8% year-over-year in Q2 2020 to US$6.0 million . . Gross margin was 69.4% in Q2 2020, compared to 72.4% in Q2 2019. Loss from continuing operations was US$0.7 million in Q2 2020, compared to a loss from continuing operations of US$0.4 million in Q2 2019. in Q2 2020, compared to a loss from continuing operations of in Q2 2019. Net income was US$2.0 million in Q2 2020 as compared to net income of US$0.1 million in Q2 2019. In Q2 2020, the Company recorded a $2 .5 million gain from the sale of shares of E-Money Holding Co., Ltd. ("E-Money") (formerly known as Shanghai Yimeng Software Technology Co., Ltd.). Preliminary Financial Results for the Second Quarter of 2020: Total net revenues were US$8.7 million in the second quarter of 2020, up 3.6% from US$8.4 million in the second quarter of 2019, primarily due to the growth in sales of Acorn Fresh products and the inclusion of Acorn Digital Services in revenues (in the year ago period, this business segment was included in other operating income). These increases were partially offset by lower sales of Babaka branded products and lower revenues from oxygen-generating products related primarily to the sale of the Company's subsidiary Zhuhai Acorn Electronic Technology Co., Ltd ("Zhuhai Acorn"). Cost of sales in the second quarter of 2020 was US$2.7 million, up 15% from US$2.3 million in the second quarter of 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to the inclusion of Acorn Digital Services in cost of sales in the second quarter of 2020 (in the year ago period, this business segment was included in other operating income), and a higher proportion of Acorn Fresh products, which have a slightly lower margin than Babaka branded products, in the product mix. Gross profit in the second quarter of 2020 was US$6.0 million, down 0.8% from US$6.1 million in the second quarter of 2019. Gross margin was 69.4% in the second quarter of 2020, compared with 72.4% in the second quarter of 2019. Total operating expenses in the second quarter of 2020 were US$6.8 million, up 5.3% from US$6.4 million in the second quarter of 2019. The increase was primarily due to a slight increase in media spending which was partially offset by lower general and administrative expenses. Loss from continuing operations was US$0.7 million in the second quarter of 2020, as compared to a loss from continuing operations of US$0.4 million in the second quarter of 2019. Other income was US$2.6 million in the second quarter of 2020, primarily due to a US$2.5 million gain from the sale of shares of E-Money. Net income from continuing operations was US$2.0 million in the second quarter of 2020. This compares to net income from continuing operations of US$0.3 million in the second quarter of 2019. Net loss from discontinued operations, which reflects the sale of a majority stake in the Company's HJX electronic learning products business to a third-party investor and operator in 2017 as well as the Company's call center operations which were discontinued in the third quarter of 2019 (refer to "Discontinued Operations" discussion below), was US$26 thousand in the second quarter of 2020, compared to net loss from discontinued operations of US$0.1 million in the second quarter of 2019. Net income attributable to Acorn was US$2.0 million in the second quarter of 2020. This compares to net income attributable to Acorn of US$0.1 million in the second quarter of 2019. Preliminary Financial Results for the First Half of 2020: Total net revenues were US$16.7 million in the first half of 2020, down 1.9% from US$17.0 million in the first half of 2019, primarily due to the impact of COVID-19 as well as lower revenues of oxygen-generating products related primarily to the sale of the Company's Zhuhai Acorn subsidiary. Cost of sales in the first half of 2020 was US$5.2 million, up 10.7% from US$4.7 million in the first half of 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to the inclusion of Acorn Digital Services in cost of sales in the first half of 2020 (in the year ago period, this business segment was included in other operating income), and a higher proportion of Acorn Fresh products, which have a slightly lower margin than Babaka branded products, in the product mix. Gross profit in the first half of 2020 was US$11.5 million, down 6.6% from US$12.4 million in the first half of 2019. Gross margin was 69.1% in the first half of 2020, compared with 74.3% in the first half of 2019. Total operating expenses in the first half of 2020 were US$12.6 million, up 3.2% from US$12.2 million in the first half of 2019. The increase was primarily due to a slight increase in media spending which was partially offset by lower general and administrative expenses. Loss from continuing operations was US$1.0 million in the first half of 2020, as compared to income from continuing operations of US$0.2 million in the first half of 2019. Other income was US$5.7 million in the first half of 2020, primarily due to a US$5.6 million gain from the sale of shares of E-Money. Other income in the first half of 2019 was US$4.9 million, and includes a US$3.8 million gain on the sale of the Company's former principal office in Shanghai to a third party. Net income from continuing operations was US$4.8 million in the first half of 2020. This compares to net income from continuing operations of US$5.2 million in the first half of 2019. Net loss from discontinued operations, which reflects the sale of a majority stake in the Company's HJX electronic learning products business to a third-party investor and operator in 2017 as well as the Company's call center operations which were discontinued in the third quarter of 2019 (refer to "Discontinued Operations" discussion below), was US$54 thousand in the first half of 2020, compared to net loss from discontinued operations of US$0.2 million in the first half of 2019. Net income attributable to Acorn was US$4.7 million in the first half of 2020. This compares to net income attributable to Acorn of US$4.9 million in the first half of 2019. As of June 30, 2020, Acorn's estimated cash and cash equivalents, with restricted cash, totaled US$19.9 million. This compares to cash and equivalents, with restricted cash, of US$13.5 million as of December 31, 2019. Discontinued Operations In 2017, Acorn reached an agreement to sell a majority stake in its HJX electronic learning products business ("HJX Business") to a third-party investor and operator, allowing the Company to focus on its core business. Acorn maintains a 37.5% stake in a joint venture established with this third party. As a result of this transaction, the Company is required by applicable accounting rules to treat the historical operations of the wholly-owned HJX Business as discontinued operations and the minority stake in the HJX Business as equity in losses of affiliates in the consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented, subject to the consolidation of the HJX Business into the joint venture entity. In the third quarter of 2019, the Company completed closing of its call center in Wuxi, China. As a result, the Company is required by applicable accounting rules to treat the historical operations of the call center as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Receipt of Non-binding Proposal to Acquire the Company On August 17, 2020, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board"), received a preliminary non-binding proposal letter, dated August 17, 2020 (the "Proposal"), from Mr. Robert W. Roche, Executive Chairman of the Company, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company not already owned by the Buyer Vehicle (as defined below) at US$15.22 per American Depositary Share (the "ADS," each ADS representing twenty ordinary shares) or US$0.761 per ordinary share in cash, subject to certain conditions (the "Proposed Acquisition"). According to the Proposal, it is anticipated that the Buyer Vehicle or its shareholders will control approximately 75% of the outstanding shares of ordinary shares of the Company. According to the Proposal, Mr. Robert W. Roche will form a transaction vehicle (the "Buyer Vehicle") for the purpose of pursuing the proposed transaction. It is currently expected that substantially all of the capital for the Proposed Acquisition would be borrowed from third parties in the form of debt funding. In that regard, the Buyer Vehicle has entered into an agreement with a third party lender pursuant to which, subject to certain terms and conditions, such lender will provide such proposed funds. The third party lender will require a timely opportunity to conduct customary legal, financial and accounting due diligence, and satisfactory completion of such due diligence is a condition to the lender providing the proposed funds. The Special Committee of the Board has conducted several meetings to consider the Proposal. No decisions have been made with respect to the Company's response to the Proposed Acquisition, and has been engaged in discussions with representatives of the Buyer Vehicle regarding the terms of the Proposed Acquisition. There can be no assurance that any definitive offer will be made, that any agreement with respect thereto will be reached or executed, or that this or any other transaction will be approved or consummated. About Acorn International, Inc. Acorn International is a leading marketing and branding company in China, leveraging a twenty-year direct marketing history to monetize brand IP, content creation and distribution, and product sales, through digital media in China. For more information visit www.acorninternationalgroup.com. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "strives," "expects," "future," "going forward," "intends," "outlook," "plans," "target," "will," and similar statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control, including the extent and duration of the COVID-19 crisis whether any definitive offer will be made with respect to the Proposed Acquisition, whether any agreement with respect thereto will be reached or executed, and whether the Proposed Acquisition or any other transaction will be approved or consummated, which may cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those in these preliminary financial results and the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties, or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Other factors that could cause forward-looking statements to differ materially from actual future events or results include risks and uncertainties related to: the Company's ability to successfully improve or introduce new products and services, including to offset declines in sales of existing products and services; the Company's ability to stay abreast of consumer market trends and maintain the Company's reputation and consumer confidence; the Company's ability to execute and maintain a successful market strategy; potential unauthorized use of the Company's intellectual property; potential disruption of the Company's manufacturing processes; increasing competition in China's consumer market; the Company's U.S. tax status as a passive foreign investment company; and general economic and business conditions in China, as well as potential friction between the U.S. and China associated with their current trade dispute and related factors, which could potentially impact Acorn. The financial information contained in this release should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's 2019 annual report on Form 20-F filed with SEC on June 3, 2020. For a discussion of other important factors that could adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, see "Risk Factors" beginning on page 4 of the Company's 2019 annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on June 3, 2020. The Company's actual results of operations for the second quarter and first half of 2020 are not necessarily indicative of its operating results for any future periods. Any projections in this release are based on limited information currently available to the Company, which is subject to change. Although such projections and the factors influencing them will likely change, the Company will not necessarily update the information. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release. Statement Regarding Unaudited Financial Information The unaudited financial information set forth above is preliminary and subject to potential adjustments. Adjustments to the consolidated financial statements may be identified when audit work has been performed for the Company's year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited condensed financial information. - Financial Tables Follow - ACORN INTERNATIONAL, INC. UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In US dollars) For the three months ended 6/30/2020 For the six months ended 6/30/2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net revenues Direct sales 7,080,222 $ 7,400,631 $ 14,284,404 $ 14,295,213 Distribution sales 1,305,523 1,285,341 2,754,845 2,423,600 Total net revenues 8,385,745 8,685,972 17,039,249 16,718,813 Cost of revenues Direct sales (1,918,287) (2,240,353) (3,754,739) (4,337,784) Distribution sales (396,953) (421,231) (916,850) (832,558) Total cost of revenues (2,315,240) (2,661,584) (4,671,589) (5,170,342) Gross profit Direct sales 5,161,935 5,160,278 10,529,665 9,957,429 Distribution sales 908,570 864,110 1,837,995 1,591,042 Total gross profit 6,070,504 6,024,388 12,367,660 11,548,471 72.4% 69.4% 74.3% 69.1% Operating (expenses) income Other selling and marketing expenses (4,432,673) (4,976,148) (8,300,954) (9,065,483) General and administrative expenses (2,456,675) (2,236,374) (4,917,081) (4,374,492) Other operating income, net 462,205 442,166 1,042,781 876,463 Total operating (expenses) income (6,427,144) (6,770,356) (12,175,254) (12,563,512) Income (loss) from continuing operations (356,639) (745,968) 192,406 (1,015,041) Interest expense - 21,378 - - Interest income 70,864 8,029 153,225 54,046 Other income (expenses), net 288,687 2,618,513 4,862,536 5,666,693 Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in losses of affiliates 2,912 1,901,952 5,208,167 4,705,698 Income tax - current 256,078 188,954 (51,507) 188,954 Income tax - deferred - (67,812) - (104,624) Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in losses of affiliates 258,990 2,023,094 5,156,660 4,790,028 Discontinued operations : Income (loss) from discontinued operations (127,636) (26,383) (230,512) (54,270) Income (loss) from discontinued operations before equity in losses of affiliates (127,636) (26,383) (230,512) (54,270) Equity in losses of affiliates - - - - Net income (loss) 131,354 1,996,711 4,926,148 4,735,758 Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests (1,290) (288) (3,028) (499) Net income (loss) attributable to Acorn International, Inc. $132,644 $1,996,999 $4,929,176 $4,736,257 ACORN INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In US dollars) 2019/12/31 2020/06/30 Cash and cash equivalents $13,461,368 $19,803,702 Restricted cash 75,543 74,977 Accounts receivable, net 3,611,177 3,239,056 Inventory, net 3,042,762 2,274,861 Other prepaid expenses and current assets 7,112,042 6,956,071 Loan receivable 3,754,735 3,822,748 Loan to related party 14,804,052 14,809,594 Held-for-sale assets 468,191 466,520 Assets to be abandoned 116,559 - Current assets 46,446,429 51,447,529 Property and equipment, net 559,964 594,888 Investments in affiliates 91,309 Available-for-sale securities 25,681,848 11,686,899 Right of use assets 1,785,194 1,310,135 Deferred tax assets, net 4,997,111 4,900,471 Other long-term assets 693,518 813,026 Total assets $80,164,064 $70,844,257 Accounts payable 3,172,263 1,848,777 Dividend payable 133,405 131,206 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 6,564,390 6,701,726 Lease Liability 881,349 833,027 Income taxes payable 1,648,520 1,482,499 Deferred revenue 68,798 16,948 Liabilities to be abandoned 222,578 - Current liabilities 12,691,303 11,014,183 Lease Liability 1,032,645 610,926 Deferred tax liability, net Total liabilities 13,723,948 11,625,109 Ordinary shares 918,844 918,844 Additional paid-in capital 117,445,969 117,445,969 Statutory reserve 8,350,141 8,350,141 Retained earnings (77,913,299) (73,177,042) Beginning balance (87,749,530) (77,913,299) Net income (loss) attributable to Acorn 9,836,231 4,736,257 Appropriation of statutory reserve fund Accumulated other comprehensive income 45,635,771 33,769,027 Treasury stock, at cost (28,320,324) (28,405,594) Total Acorn International, Inc. shareholders' equity 66,117,102 58,901,345 Noncontrolling interests 323,014 317,804 Total equity 66,440,116 59,219,149 Total liabilities and equity $80,164,064 $70,844,257 SOURCE Acorn International, Inc. Related Links www.acorninternationalgroup.com Appeal launched over refusal of Penley housing plans after councillors accused of providing misleading information This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 30th, 2020 An appeal has been launched over the refusal of plans to create 15 new homes in a Wrexham village after councillors were accused of providing misleading information. Proposals by Primesave Properties to build on greenfield land to the back of Brookfield Close in Penley were rejected in January. It followed concerns being raised about the level of development in the village near the Shropshire border, where more than 100 houses have been built recently. Residents also expressed their belief that local facilities would not be able to cope. The company has now lodged an appeal after questioning the fairness of the decision by Wrexham Councils planning committee. In a statement outlining the grounds for appeal, consultants from David Parker Planning Associates said: The appellant is very unhappy with the way in which certain comments were made by councillors on the application, and that the proposals therefore did not receive a fair hearing at the meeting. Whilst the appellant understands and respects the councillors rights to comment on the application, it does appear that there were concerted efforts by at least two councillors to unfairly discredit the application. At the beginning of the debate, one councillor refers to the village having only three buses a day, when it has a total of eight. The same councillor lists the services and facilities in the village, but then concludes by saying that the village has no services at all. They also voiced frustration over councillors referring to the availability of alternative brownfield sites in the village, including land surrounding the former Penley Polish Hospital. It follows the company claiming it would take a long time for the area to be developed because of objections from campaigners who are looking to preserve it. They added: It is both surprising and disappointing that the two most vocal councillors (who were from the local wards of Bronington and Overton) appeared completely unaware of the local communitys interest in the southern Polish Hospital site, and unaware that planning permission had been refused on part of the northern site. The appellant is therefore most unsatisfied with the manner in which information was presented to the decision-making committee, and believe that this is sufficient to warrant an application for costs to accompany this appeal. The scheme, which the developers said would cater for people looking to buy their first home, initially received the backing of the councils chief planning officer. However, local councillor John McCusker told Januarys meeting he supported the view that the village had already been extensively developed. He said: Penley has been so over built over the years you would not believe it. I have never seen so many objections from the community council since Ive been on the planning committee. Besides that, theyve had 35 houses passed in the not too distant future and a lot of those havent even had a brick laid yet. If you look at the area here, its outside the permitted boundary. People have got to stop playing on the fact weve got no Local Development Plan. This is green belt land end of. The committee backed a motion to refuse the plans by 14 votes to two because of the site being located outside of the current development boundary for Penley. The appeal will be decided by the Planning Inspectorate at a later date. By Liam Randall BBC Local Democracy Reporter Joe Bidens presidential campaign has announced a record-breaking fundraising haul during the final hour of the debate between the former vice president and Donald Trump on Tuesday night, announcing it raised $3.8 million in just 60 minutes. Kate Bedingfield, Mr Bidens deputy campaign manager, said the former vice president demonstrated the leadership and temperament that Americans around the country are looking for while Mr Trump appeared desperate and weak and angry. Speaking on a press call with reporters following the first debate between the two nominees of the campaign season, Ms Bedingfield added: There was one president on the debate stage tonight and it was not the person who flew in on Air Force One. The former vice presidents campaign sought to highlight what they said were obvious differences between the Democratic nominee and Mr Trump, who they called tired and angry at the debate night in Ohio. Mr Biden, on the other hand, was confidently smiling throughout the event and displayed the characteristics of a commander-in-chief, his campaign argued. There was one leader on stage tonight and one liar, Ms Bedingfield continued. Symone Sanders, senior campaign adviser to Mr Biden, also slammed the presidents performance during the phone call, Fox News reported, saying: Donald Trump tonight was angry, he was weak, he was erratic. It was chaos. She said Mr Biden spoke to the American people at home on several occasions, noting how the former vice president looked directly into the camera while ignoring Mr Trumps frequent interruptions. The Biden campaign said in a statement following the debate that it broke its own one-hour fundraising record, as well as that of the pro-Democratic fundraising site Act Blue. The fundraising organisation confirmed the one-hour haul was the largest of any campaign featured on its site. Tuesday nights debate was undoubtedly one of the most contentious presidential showoffs in US history, with Mr Biden slamming Mr Trump as the worst president America has ever had and Mr Trump refusing at many points to allow the former vice president or even the debate moderator to get a word in edgewise. The former vice president has consistently broken fundraising records since securing the Democratic Partys nomination to face off against Mr Trump in the general election. Last month, the Biden campaign raised roughly $365 million, shattering records following the announcement of California Senator Kamala Harris as Mr Bidens running mate and the weeklong Democratic National Convention. Experts have previously told The Independent the 2020 race was shaping up to be the most expensive in American history, with Center for Responsive Politics executive director Sheila Krumholz saying in an interview earlier this month: This will be an election like no other. We are soon going to be completely enveloped by political advertising online, on our computers, our TVs, even our mailboxes, she said. This is fundraising on steroids. Many vehicles were seriously deformed after a tractor-trailer plowed into a road divider on Bach Dang Street in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday night. No casualties were reported in the crash. The accident occurred at around 11:00 pm near Ba Chieu Market in Binh Thanh District. The truck driver admitted to local police officers that he had just driven out of Cat Lai Port in District 2 ten minutes before the crash happened. At that time, he was driving on Bach Dang Street from the Hang Xanh intersection toward Ba Chieu Market. The vehicle later hit the road divider, got out of control, and collided with a taxicab and a car that were running in the opposite direction. As the accident took place near midnight, no injuries were reported but the three vehicles were seriously damaged. The crash caused severe traffic jams, prompting local police to show up immediately to regulate traffic and investigate the case. Local residents told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the street section is dangerous at night as trucks usually drive fast on it. They drive particularly fast before dawn to avoid a ban on large vehicles traveling on inner city streets. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! In the years that shes been teaching at Spring Hill High School in Chapin, S.C., Sumner Benders theater classes have typically been capped at 25 students. This year, though, she started with an online class of 60. While her district has gone back to school in person, on a hybrid schedule, students also had the option to choose fully remote learning, in a new, districtwide virtual academy. Because theres no full-time online theater teacher in the district, Bender is teaching both the in-person classes and the online one: Thats about 85 kids total across her physical classes, plus 60 online in a live, virtual class that meets at a different time than her in-person class, she said. For the past few weeks, Bender has struggled to teach students who are at different levels and form personal connections with kids. She hasnt figured out a way to reach all 60 high schoolers at once. For me, its not possible, Bender said. This phenomenon isnt unique to Benders district. The Arizona Republic has reported that some elementary school students in the state are in classes of 70. In Providence, R.I., elementary students in the citys virtual academy could have more than 50 students in live online classes, according to local news station WPRI . In some cases, these bigger online classes may be the result of the administration separating in-person and online teaching responsibilities. This is one staffing approach some districts considered as they planned for instruction this year. Say, for example, that in a regular year there are four 3rd grade teachers in one building, who each have 25 students. This year, that school might give one teacher 50 students online, and split the remaining 50 among three teachers in the building. Ideally, this gives all teachers more time to work with students in small groups and provide targeted support, while allowing for social distancing. But Bender said she hasnt been able to support her students the way she wants to. She has one synchronous session with all of the students in her online class, which includes kids at all levels, in honors and on-level courses. In order to give students appropriate work for their level, she has had to split the class into two, telling Theater 1 to log in for the first part, and Theater 2-5 to log in for the second part, meaning both groups get half as much class time with her. With so many students, even small tasks can become complicated. Its very hard to take attendance in a virtual class thats that big, she said. She eventually decided to have every student write their name in the chatthose who did would be counted present. Shes not able to monitor everyones participation at all times. Still, she said, Its not a perfect system in any way. In [in-person] class, you cant just show up and then leave. But you can in a virtual class. Focus on Intentional Design Is it possible for any online class to be successful with 60 students? Its not a format that most K-12 teachers have experience with. But higher education can provide some clues as to what might and might not work. When planning courses for college and university students, a small class is not inherently better than a large one, said Michelle Miller, a professor of psychology at Northern Arizona University, and the author of Minds Online: Teaching Effectively With Technology. It all comes down to intentional design of learning experiences. But a virtual seminar of 12 is going to require a different approach than an online class of hundreds. If instructors want students to be able to interact with each other, theyll have to find waysfor example, breakout roomsto put them in smaller groups that facilitate conversation, Miller said. Tech tools that allow a teacher to get a quick and comprehensive read on student understanding, like polls or quizzes, can support instruction in a bigger group. But trying to monitor a live chat feature in this environment can be unwieldy, Miller added, so teachers may also have to find alternative methods of fielding comments and questions from students. Youre going to have a harder time setting up structures where students are getting faster or real-time feedback, she said. For Bender, the teaching techniques and activities she would usually use in a theater class, which rely on a lot of student-to-student interaction, werent possible in such a big online group. After a few weeks, she asked the virtual academy administration if they could rearrange any of the scheduling. Now, she said, her district is planning to split up the students in her class with another theater teacher in a different school, leaving Bender with about 30 online-only students. Once you have 60, 30 sounds like a miracle, she said. Image: Getty Supporters of President Donald Trump attend a rally outside the "Latinos for Trump Roundtable" event in Doral, Florida, on Sept. 25, 2020. (Marco Bello/AFP via Getty Images) After Fleeing Socialism, Some Immigrants Fear for Americas Future MIAMIA diverse group of supporters gathered outside President Donald Trumps hotel in Doral, Florida, hoping to catch a glimpse of him during a recent Latinos roundtable event. Many were exiles from socialist or communist regimes such as Cuba and Venezuela. This personal backdropmany having fled to Americaand the notion that the Democratic Party has been shifting further left, are key factors behind their support. The administrations repeated sanctions against the regimes of Venezuela and Cuba helped solidify their decisions. Jorde Lewis, a Venezuelan American, said he couldnt comprehend why anyone from his home country would vote for the Democratic Party, since he believes they are offering socialism. A majority of Venezuelans live in poverty and millions have fled the regime. We left socialism to come to a capitalist state, Lewis told The Epoch Times on Sept. 25. I know exactly what its like to live under socialism, not to have food, not to have electricity. Jorde Lewis outside Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, on Sept. 25. (Bowen Xiao/The Epoch Times.) The minimum salary in my country is a joke, he said. Its $5and a bottle of ketchup is $1. In July, presidential candidate Joe Biden said he would be the most progressive president in American history. His agenda has also been described as progressive by left-wing media. Lewis said he fled to America because of the opportunities it presented as a capitalistic society. He doesnt want a big government, he wants a small one, so we can have the freedom to be human beings. This year, Lewis wont be voting by mail: I come from a socialist country and they always cheat in the elections. We dont want this country to become the country that we left behind, he said. We want institutions, we want freedom, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms. Dozens in the crowd that had gathered outside Trumps hotel expressed similar sentiments. Florida, which has 29 electoral votes out of the 270 needed to be elected president, is a key battleground state. Virginia Mancur, a Nicaraguan American, said the support from his community for Trump is stronger than it was in 2016. What do they want, something like Venezuela here? Mancur told The Epoch Times. Most Nicaraguans and Ecuadorians are supporting Trump. Alex Gubanos outside Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, on Sept. 25. (Bowen Xiao/The Epoch Times.) Voting registrations paint a picture as well. According to Sept. 1 voting registration statistics in Miami, 301,317 Hispanics have registered for the Republican Party of Florida, while 273,129 have registered for the Florida Democratic Party. The Trump administration has been courting Latinos and Cuban Americans in Florida through advertisements and other means. Democrats, meanwhile, have expressed concern that Biden is rapidly losing ground among Cubans. Alex Gubanos, a Cuban American, told The Epoch Times hes voting for Trump because the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan he received greatly benefited his business of about 600 employees. Gubanos says he 100 percent supports the sanctions against Cuba by the administration, adding that he has family living there. From what hes seen, he says most Cuban Americans around him are voting for Trump. The top four counties in the United States with the highest concentration of Cubans are all in the state of FloridaMiami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, and Palm Beachaccording to the Migration Policy Institute. Renzo Lopez, who was born in Peru and moved to the United States when he was 8 years old, said he knows what its like living in a Third World country. Renzo Lopez stands outside Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, on Sept. 25. (Bowen Xiao/The Epoch Times.) My parents [worked hard] to come [to] this country to give us a better life, he told The Epoch Times. I dont want this country to turn out the same way my country was. Lopez also said hes seeing more individuals in the Latino community switching from the Democratic Party to Trump this year. A lot of my family members actually switched, he said. I see a lot more support from the Latino community. I would probably say over 50 percent of the community Im in contact with on my Facebook, and in Miami. We are tired of the riots Lopez added. We stand for family values. Im tired of people calling us racists, or sellouts. Leyla Celly told The Epoch Times that shes seeing 90 percent of her fellow Lebanese Americans in Miami voting for Trump. Even American Syrians, they are voting for Trump for sure, Celly said. Minorities need someone who is sincere and supportive. Leyla Celly outside Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, on Sept. 25. (Bowen Xiao/The Epoch Times.) On Sept. 23, Trump added new sanctions against the regime in Havana, including new restrictions on Cuban exports and the barring of Americans from staying at regime-owned properties. He said the sanctions are part of our continuing fight against communist oppression. Trump said the new sanctions will ensure U.S. dollars do not fund the Cuban regime. The president has also repeatedly sanctioned Venezuela. Polls meanwhile have indicated that more Latinos are voting for Trump. One recent NBC News/Marist poll revealed that 50 percent of likely Latino voters of Cuban descent favor Trump, compared to 46 percent for Biden. The UK Government introduced its quarantine measures in June - Kirsty O'Connor/PA Over 650 households quarantined after returning to the UK escaped fines because no one answered the door to police officers or the returning holidaymaker gave a "wrong" address. The 680 households represented nearly one in six 15 per cent of the 4,114 homes checked by police since quarantine was introduced in June, according to figures from the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) on Wednesday. The NPCC said 440 cases had resulted in no answer at all when officers arrived at the address. Under quarantine protocol, they returned for a second time but then took no further enforcement action and passed the information back to public health and border force officials. At a further 240 addresses visited by police, nobody with the name on the contact form that travellers have to fill in on arrival in the UK was living there. This meant no further enforcement action could be taken, the NPCC said. As a result, only 38 fines of 1,000 for breaches of the 14-day quarantine have been issued by 14 forces since June (watch reaction to the addition of Greek islands to the UK's "red list" in the video below). Yvette Cooper, who chairs the home affairs committee, said it showed "huge gaps" in enforcement. "There clearly isn't any robust enforcement system," she said. "That is very bad for public health and also very frustrating for all the people who are doing the right thing and abiding by the quarantine rules." Under the scheme, 1,500 quarantining people should be called each day by Public Health England, with police sent to any judged suspicious. However, Ms Cooper said that even then only 70,000 of the millions of passengers returning had been called, while 80,000 could not be reached by phone. Three-quarters (3,216) of those contacted by police were found to be complying with the regulations, while some 218 were in breach of quarantine but no further action was taken because police "successfully encouraged them to self-isolate", according to the NPCC. Story continues Martin Hewitth, the NPCC chairman, said the system for checking quarantine was "never designed to be 100 per cent" or "foolproof", adding that forces did not have the capacity to engage in hunts for people breaching the regulations, especially with crime having returned to pre-Covid levels. "If you arrive at an address and, after a couple of visits, there is no answer, it might be people are out or that the address given was not right," he said. "Our responsibility is to do that check and deal with that individual. If we are unable to get the answer, we feed that back into the triage centre run by UK border force. That is their responsibility." The NPCC also revealed that only about half of almost 19,000 Covid-19 fixed penalty notices have been paid on time. That means people now face prosecutions, adding to the pressure on courts where the suspension of trials has led to a 500,000 backlog in cases. Only 15 fines were issued by police for breaches of the "rule of six" (see video below) in the first week since its introduction. In the seven days from September 14, four were issued by Greater Manchester Police, seven by Lancashire Police, two by Leicestershire Police and two by West Yorkshire Police. A total of 179 fines have been issued by police forces for all localised restrictions in England since their implementation, up to September 21. Some 128 were issued in Greater Manchester, 26 in Lancashire and 25 in Leicester. Mr Hewitt said he expected the number of fines to rise with the increase in regulations and local lockdowns, adding: "A small minority are not following the rules and are making decisions which put lives at risk they should expect to have enforcement action taken against them." The NPCC said that, after a 28 per cent fall in crime during the national lockdown, it was now just three per cent lower than in August last year, with rises of four per cent in rape and seven per cent in domestic abuse. Should quarantine measures be more strictly enforced? Share your view in the comments section below John Lewiss tenure representing Georgias Fifth Congressional District spanned 33 years. His successor, at the most, can lay claim to the office for 97 days. Still, seven candidates are running in a special election on Tuesday to serve out the remainder of Mr. Lewiss term representing a district that covers parts of Atlanta and spreads into the suburbs. Mr. Lewis, a pioneering figure in the civil rights movement who was regarded by colleagues as the conscience of Congress, died on July 17 of pancreatic cancer after holding his House seat for 17 terms. The contenders in Tuesdays election, with a mixed-party ballot, include five Democrats, one independent and a Libertarian. None of the candidates are on the November ballot that will decide who will be sworn into office in January for a full two-year term. Churches Prepare for 'International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians' NEWS PROVIDED BY Christian Freedom International Sept. 30, 2020 FALLS CHURCH, Va., Sept. 30, 2020 /Standard Newswire/ -- On November 1, churches are invited to join the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. To equip Christians for the annual event, Christian Freedom International designed a free resource kit with resources to engage churches whether meeting in-person or virtually. "We pray year-round for persecuted Christians, but this provides one day for churches to focus their whole service to inviting God's powerful intervention," said Wendy Wright, president of Christian Freedom International. The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church was launched over two decades ago. Today, more people are aware of the unrelenting threat and terrors, including: In China, pastors are jailed, churches destroyed, children banned from churches, and pictures of Jesus in homes and churches are replaced with images of China's rulers. In Hong Kong, Christians face crushing threats from China's oppressive regime. In India, Christians are violently attacked, and charities shut down by Hindu nationalists. In Nigeria, militant Islamists are conducting a "pure genocide" against Christians. In Egypt, Christian young women are abducted by Islamists, forcibly converted and 'married' to Muslims to separate them from their families and faith. In Pakistan, false accusations of "blasphemy" trigger deadly mobs and death sentences against innocent Christians. Christian Freedom International's prayer kit includes: Two Posters Bible Study Church Bulletin insert Bookmark Word search puzzle Children's coloring page Scripture verses and song suggestions Devotionals Notecards to write to persecuted Christians Optional digital version available Christian Freedom International serves persecuted Christians year-round with aid, schools, shelters, and more. Hard copies are available (while supplies last) (link: https://christianfreedom.org/idop2020/ ) SOURCE Christian Freedom International CONTACT: Wendy Wright, 800-323-2273 Regardless US-Israeli plans, the Palestinian question cannot be erased when it concerns the lives and fates of seven million people Till last January, the United Nations and the international community had a roadmap to settle the question of Palestine according to various UN resolutions inspired by and based on Security Council Resolution 242 of 22 November 1967. The Oslo Accords of 13 September 1993 (signed at the White House under the Clinton administration) were reached with this resolution in mind. The two-state solution adopted by the Security Council in 2003 became an objective that commanded international support as well as wide Arab and Palestinian backing. From 2003 onwards, various US administrations under two Democrats and one Republican had lent their backing to this political plan to resolve the Palestinian question. With the present US administration, the international legal framework for the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict faded, at least temporarily, and was replaced by a political blueprint that is based on Israeli long-term expansionism at the expense of occupied West Bank territories, thus scuttling the prospects of implementing the two-state solution. The US administration in the last four years has systematically, and in cahoots with the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, made sure that all final status issues that should be settled in the framework of a final peaceful settlement of the Palestinian question have been dealt with unilaterally by the United States, and in a blatant violation of international law, on the one hand, and in utter disregard for previous official positions adopted and defended by all US administrations since 1967, on the other. On 28 January, the administration of President Donald Trump revealed a peace plan that ignores all Security Council resolutions that have governed American and international efforts to come to grips with the basic issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In essence, these resolutions have meant, if implemented, the final and fair resolution of a conflict that has remained unsolved for more than 70 years. The Trump plan will not put an end to this conflict if not revised to take into account the national aspirations of the Palestinians. The problem with the Trump deal is not only its complete disregard for UN resolutions but it is inspired by the destabilising Israeli formula of peace for peace. In fact, this what happened on Tuesday, 15 September, at the White House, when two Gulf countries the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed normalisation accords with Israel. The signatories spoke of peace between the Arabs and the Jewish State, decoupling this imaginary peace from the question of Palestine, which has been the primary cause of instability between the Arabs and the Israelis since 1948, spurring five wars. According to the Trump administration, more normalisation agreements are on their way between other Arab countries and Israel. The odds are that Sudan and the Sultanate of Oman could be next. The president of the Interim Presidential Council of Sudan flew to the United Arab Emirates 10 days ago to hold talks with American officials on the steps to be taken to sweeten such a decision before Sudanese public opinion. For all practical purposes, the Arab Peace Plan of 2002, which was based on the principle of land for peace, has been shelved, despite the lip service by some Arab states and the Arab League to this plan. Never before in the annals of the Arab-Israeli conflict has the Palestinian question has been challenged so strongly. The Palestinians today are in very delicate situation. Either they go along with the Trump peace plan and their destiny becomes a question mark, or they reject it with all its consequences on the ground, and find themselves without necessary Arab cover and necessary support. Furthermore, the Palestinians, under all circumstances, cannot deal with the latest developments in Arab-Israeli relations if they do not put their own house in order. The regrettable split between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas should come to an end. Moreover, the present political leaders of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas have been in power for more than a decade without holding either presidential or legislative elections. I believe the time has come for paving the way for new younger leaders to take the reins of power in the framework of a united Palestinian political authority and one legitimate government for both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. These steps, with a more flexible approach to the new winds blowing in the Middle East, would consolidate the negotiating position of the Palestinians and give great impetus to international support for the Question of Palestine much-needed to confront present uncertainties, especially if President Trump is re-elected for another four years. This eventuality should be uppermost on the minds of Palestinian leaders and, accordingly, they should be prepared to deal with such an outcome on 3 November. Last week, Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Palestinian Authority, and Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, met at the Palestinian consulate in Istanbul and agreed to hold elections in the Palestinian territories (the West Bank and Gaza) in the next six months as a prelude to ending the split between the two. They even talked about bringing Hamas and the Islamic Jihad under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). In this respect, a joint committee set up by Palestinian factions should finish a report on inter-Palestinian reconciliation and political partnership five weeks from now. The largest Palestinian organisation wants to hold elections as soon as possible, with common understanding with Hamas that whoever carries the elections would govern in both the West Bank and Gaza. The next logical step is for this elected-Palestinian government to announce that it is ready to resume negotiations with Israel on the basis of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (commonly known as the Oslo Accords). As a reminder, these accords stipulate that Palestinian rule was to last for a five-year interim period, effective after the signing of the accords, during which permanent status negotiations would commence no later than May 1996, in order to reach a final settlement between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Both sides missed their rendez-vous with history by 24 years. If this understanding materialises on the ground, I believe the Palestinians would be in a strong position, relatively speaking, to deal with what comes next in the Middle East. And most importantly, to keep the Question of Palestine alive, and relevant to peace and security issues in the Middle East. You cannot ostracise more than seven million Palestinians for good and still speak of peace in the region. It is like squaring the circle. *The writer is former assistant foreign minister. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - U.S. ADP private payrolls data for September is scheduled for release at 8:15 am ET Wednesday. Ahead of the data, the greenback held steady against its major counterparts. The greenback was worth 105.72 against the yen, 0.9233 against the franc, 1.2817 against the pound and 1.1701 against the euro at 8:10 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. G4S has come under fire from a Canadian rival mounting a 3billion hostile takeover bid. In its latest salvo, Garda World described the British security services group as a 'deeply troubled company' which needs fresh management to deal with 'scandals, crises and lawsuits'. The private equity-backed firm stuck with its offer of 190p per share, despite the approach being unanimously rejected by the G4S board just over two weeks ago. Garda World described G4S as a 'deeply troubled company' which needs fresh management to deal with 'scandals, crises and lawsuits' G4S yesterday urged investors to 'take absolutely no action in relation to the unattractive and opportunistic offer' and described its timing during the pandemic as 'highly opportunistic'. But investors piled in, sending shares in the FTSE 250 firm surging above 2 for the first time since February, before the Covid-19 crisis triggered a rout on global stockmarkets. They are now up 37 per cent since news of the 3billion takeover bid emerged just over a fortnight ago. In the coming days Garda World will start contacting G4S shareholders, which include fund manager Schroders and New York investment firm Sachem Head Capital Management. A key part of its pitch will include accusations that G4S bosses have 'destroyed nearly 1billion of shareholder value' over the last seven years, spending hundreds of millions of pounds on restructuring programmes without managing to improve its margins. But it will also warn that G4S 'remains dogged by scandals, crises and lawsuits' which could lead to 'further claims, provisions and contingent liabilities'. And G4S is hampered by a 276million funding shortfall in its pension fund, Garda World said. The firm's boss Stephan Cretier said: 'G4S is a deeply troubled business which needs a committed owner-operator team that understands the sector and has a definitive and comprehensive plan. 'Stakeholders can take no confidence in the promises of a senior management team that has been in place for seven years and has not delivered.' He added that the 'G4S board has behaved in a cavalier way by rejecting our potential offer out of hand'. The 190p a share offer amounts to a 31 per cent premium on the 145p that shares had been trading at just before the offer was initially made last month. David Buik, a veteran city commentator and consultant at Aquis Exchange, said: 'From a management perspective heading all the way back to the London Olympics in 2012, G4S has been a shambles. Garda World are prepared to pay a reasonable premium for it. I'd be very surprised if shareholders don't go for it.' The Montreal-based firm which is 51 per cent backed by London-based private equity giant BC Partners said the deal would be funded with equity from BC Partners and loans from three banks. It has made several attempts to engage with the G4S board over the past three months. The firm also made an approach last year but walked away without making an offer. G4S employs around 533,000 people in more than 80 countries, including 25,000 in the UK. It runs security and cash handling services, while also managing Covid test centres around the UK, and four prisons. But it has been mired in scandal in recent years, such as failing to provide enough staff for the London 2012 Olympics. G4S also landed itself in hot water after it emerged it had been overcharging taxpayers for tagging criminals, some of whom were dead or back in prison. Over the summer it announced plans to cut 1,150 jobs, mainly in its cash handling business amid a move to online banking and digital payments. Garda World employs more than 102,000 globally. It guards British embassies in places such as Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and Somalia. G Ramesh Babu By Express News Service SRIKAKULAM: Help has started pouring in for the priest who lost his leg as he was unable to pay for his gangrene to be treated. Reacting to a report published in these columns titled, Unable to pay for gangrene treatment, priest loses leg, Visakhapatnam-based Gayatri Seva Mitra Brundam handed over Rs 50,000 to the family of the priest Kommajosyula Rama Krishna Sharma. A group of senior citizens, employees of private companies, government officials, businesspeople and NRIs formed the organisation to pool in money and help the needy during the lockdown. We thought of helping the poor and needy as the lockdown brought misery to them in several ways. We started helping based on news reports in national and regional dailies. The group was formed with just two members, and the number increased to 50 within a few days, Achanta Swamy, the coordinator of the group told TNIE. On September 21, TNIE published a report on the sorry state of Rama Krishna Sharma, who lost his leg as he was unable to pay for gangrene treatment, and we immediately decided to chip in and help him, Swamy said. Through TNIE, the Gayatri Seva Mitra Brundam contacted the family of the priest, who was undergoing a surgery at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam. After speaking to them, we decided to pay for the surgery, he said, and added that when the proposal was placed before the group, almost all members stepped forward to contribute. An amount of Rs 50,000 was handed over to the victim at the hospital on Monday evening, he said. She's the busy mother-of-four known for her glamorous lifestyle. And on Wednesday, Rebecca Judd, 36, pulled out all the stops to mark her twin boys Tom and Darcy turning four. The TV presenter celebrated the occasion with two custom-made cakes and shared photos of the elaborate designs to Instagram. Celebration time! Rebecca Judd celebrated her twin boys Tom and Darcy's fourth birthdays with elaborate shark-inspired cakes on Wednesday. All pictured One shark-themed cake had 'Tom' written on the front while the other had 'Darcy' and a shark on the top. The intricately designed pieces were created by Melbourne cake specialists Nikos Cakes. She also shared an adorable photo of Tom and Darcy enjoying a swim in the pool to celebrate their birthday. 'My shark obsessed babies turned 4 yesterday. Can you believe it?' she captioned the post. Designs: One shark-themed cake had 'Tom' written on the front while the other had 'Darcy' and a shark on the top Birthday boys! Rebecca also shared an adorable photo of Tom and Darcy enjoying a swim in the pool to celebrate their birthday The former Nine News weather presenter is currently self-isolating with her husband, Chris, and their four children, Oscar, Billie, Tom and Darcy, in their mansion. On Tuesday, Rebecca revealed the reality of her life during the pandemic by sharing a photo of herself drinking wine while enjoying a DIY pampering session. The 37-year-old footy WAG explained that wearing sheet masks and hanging on the couch was the current 'vibe' of this year. Lockdown life: On Tuesday, Bec Judd revealed the reality of her life during the pandemic by sharing a photo to Instagram of herself drinking wine while enjoying a DIY pampering session '2020 vibes - mask and chill,' she captioned the post. The mother of four was sporting a white bathrobe embossed with her initials as she relaxed on the couch with a glass of rose and a face mask on. The WAG paired the look with a headband and cat-eye sunglasses, and pulled her brunette locks back into a bun. People are hard-wired to assume that long-standing convention will be upheld. They would be well-advised to read Will He Go?: Trump and the looming Election Meltdown in 2020 by Amherst law professor Lawrence Douglas. There are inherent design flaws in the constitutional architecture of the Twelfth Amendment and in the Electoral Count Act of 1887 that are about to collide with the aberrant "psychopathology" of this President. "Our constitution does not secure the peaceful transition of power, but rather presupposes it," he says. The democratic succession depends on a shared code of civic virtue. If Biden's lead tightens to four or five points, the nightmare comes into play. It is hard to see equity markets shrugging off the consequences of that scenario for long. Many readers might be surprised to learn that the states do not have to abide by the outcome of their own popular vote when they cast their ballots in the electoral college for the president. They may constitutionally appoint their electors "in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct". It is therefore crucial who controls the state legislature and state Supreme Court, and how they choose to behave. Will Donald Trump's Election Day Operations (EDO) units succeed in throwing enough doubt on the legitimacy of the ballot to pressure the Republican Party to invoke this disused power in the battleground states of Florida, Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin? The core vulnerability is the "blue shift" syndrome. The pattern of recent elections is that the reds (Republicans) do well in the early count, but then slip as the delayed postal ballots come in for the blues. This has led to the spectacle of apparent Republican leaders on election night later seeing their victory snatched away. The problem will be an order of magnitude greater this year because COVID-19 will cause a huge jump in ballot voting. Trump has pre-emptively sought to discredit voting by ballot as fraudulent, and he has been assisted by Russian cyber-manipulation spreading conspiracy theories on social media. He intends to fight court battles to invalidate any postal vote with the slightest technical irregularity. His core has been urged to vote in person. This has the makings of a volcanic dispute. Markets would be rattled by a drawn-out election result. Credit:AP Barton Gellman's forensic dive in The Atlantic , entitled The Election That Could Break America cites chapter and verse how this campaign is being organised, with interviews and leaked tapes from Trump's state level operations. The details leave no doubt that the Trump campaign a) expects to lose to Joe Biden, and b) intends to portray the result as an enormous fraud committed against the American people, opening the way for a paralysed interregnum in which anything could happen. "There will be a count on election night, that count will shift over time, and the results when the final count is given will be challenged as being inaccurate, fraudulent - pick your word," one Trump strategist told Gellman with ruthless candour. Loading Given that the EDO strategy is to suppress turnout among the Democrat ethnic base with quasi-militia tactics - and stir up street conflict in the process - the conditions are ripe for the sort of havoc that would allow the activation of powers not used since the 1870s. These bare-knuckled methods have become much easier since the end of a long-established consent decree, which used to prevent "ballot security" squads engaging in borderline intimidation. A federal judge allowed it to lapse in 2018. Party ballot militia have been unshackled. I use the term "militia" advisedly because I got to know America's semi-underground movements fairly well in an earlier journalistic incarnation. They have since evolved into an ideological shock force for the Trump machine. They are not yet the Freikorps of early Weimar years, but they could become so in the hands of a true cynic, and if the "cancel culture" fringes of the Democratic Party and hard-Left Antifa squads continue their anarchist rampage. For markets there is a minefield to cross over the 11-week interregnum. The so-called "safe harbour" deadline for the electoral college votes comes on December 8. The new Congress takes its seat on January 3. The combined chambers count the vote on January 6. Each is pregnant with political and financial risk if the result is disputed. Loading There are no precedents for this grim saga, though Herbert Hoover's behaviour in 1932 has some resonance. While he conceded defeat to Roosevelt, he did so with bad grace and engaged in sabotage through the long interregnum (then four months), obstructing at every pass, denouncing the New Deal as a "march on Moscow", and attempting to head off reflation policies by tightening the fetters of the Gold Standard. Eric Rauchway's Winter War describes how dangerous this became. The banking system ceased to operate in large parts of the country. It was the closest America came to social and political disintegration during the Great Depression. It also coincided with Hitler's ascent to power in Germany, and the Japanese invasion of Han China. It is this geopolitical dimension that worries Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. He fears that Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping may take advantage of interregnum chaos to overturn the global chess board. "What we face now is much more serious than Watergate," he says. A partial breakdown of US democracy would be the ultimate propaganda coup for the authoritarian axis. America's soft power would drain away, marking the definitive end to the post-War era we sometimes call the Washington Consensus. Loading If Biden's eight-point lead is sustained, the margin of victory would be too great to subvert, though I suspect that an embittered Trump would nevertheless try to rob his opponent of the consecrating ritual of concession. It is not a big market mover as such. If Biden's lead tightens to four or five points, the nightmare comes into play. It is hard to see equity markets shrugging off the consequences of that scenario for long. It comes down to what conclusion you have drawn about Trump's character and the willingness of the Republican Party to indulge him. Gellman quotes a Trump classic from the 2016 campaign, since repeated in various forms with the trademark Trumpian smile of menace. "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters, and to all the people of the United States, that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election ... If ... I ... win!" A joke, or a threat? Take your pick. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids leaders have banned any future marijuana businesses within 1,000 feet of youth centers. At the Grand Rapids City Commissions Tuesday night, Sept. 29, meeting, commissioners voted 6-to-1 to move on that ban, as well as some additional zoning and procedural changes to marijuana businesses. Commissioner Jon OConnor was the sole no vote. Any marijuana business that already has approved special land use rights or an administrative site plan is not impacted by the new barrier, according to Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. There were 21 medical marijuana provisioning centers that had these rights as of Sept. 17, meaning they are still able to become recreational marijuana dispensaries even if they are within 1,000 feet of a youth center. Of these, 10 have applied so far to sell recreational marijuana. The citys Planning Commission, as well as the director of the Planning Department, have previously expressed concerns that youth centers are not easily defined like other sensitive uses, such as parks, schools, churches, childcare centers and rehabilitation centers that marijuana businesses are not allowed within 1,000 feet of. Related: Debate rages over keeping marijuana businesses away from youth centers in Grand Rapids Both the Planning Commission and Planning Department director are opposed to the addition of youth centers as a sensitive use. Several people called into the Tuesday meeting opposing the move as well. This is frustrating. We have an appointed planning professional who has provided us her recommendation that this is a bad idea, we have an appointed planning commission, who you all decided to appoint, who unanimously said this is a bad idea and we have a legal department who says this is a bad idea," OConnor said. And yet we think, somehow, as non-land use professionals, we think that we should do this and make this amendment because we think its going to have some better outcome for people in Grand Rapids. Its terribly frustrating. Commissioner Joe Jones said he appreciated OConnors concern and that his support wasnt an attempt to demonize the marijuana industry. Rather, he said, his support is to protect youth, who he said were collateral damage adversely impacted by marijuana. Im not in any way demonizing or wanting to put in bad light the owners of these facilities, but I am very cognizant of the fact that young people in particular have significant amounts of peer pressure and temptation, Jones said, and I happen to run an organization that has worked for decades really advocating for the work of smoking cessation, or really trying to prevent young people from engaging in smoking. Proponents of the marijuana industry have previously noted the strict rules and regulations around marijuana sales, specifically that only people 21 and older can enter a provisioning center or dispensary and purchase marijuana. The definition of youth centers approved by the city commission is: A government or nonprofit facility that provides on-site programs and services primarily to persons under the age of 18 and is used for those programs a minimum of three hours a day year-round," according to Bliss. The additional zoning and procedural changes approved 6-1 on Tuesday remove the sensitive use waiver process and allow nine medical marijuana provisioning centers with sensitive use waivers to have a hearing to transfer those waivers to a recreational marijuana dispensary operation, should the owners so choose. Some of these sensitive uses, such as parks and churches, were previously potentially waivable after a public hearing, meaning that a business could appeal the sensitive use and potentially still be located within that 1,000 feet distance. Now, that distance is not waivable for any further marijuana businesses in the city. Read more: Outdoor fires, heaters and tents could mark outdoor winter dining in Grand Rapids Developer proposes 6-story apartment building in downtown Grand Rapids GQT Movies to reopen theaters starting Oct. 9 in Michigan The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and DGP over the gangrape and brutality of a 19-year-old woman in Hathras district of the state. The NHRC took suo motu cognizance of the matter and sought responses from the state authorities within four weeks. In a statement it said the woman, belonging to Scheduled Caste, went missing on September 14 and was found in a badly injured condition on September 22, two weeks after she was gangraped in Hathras district. She was shifted from the Aligarh Muslim Universitys Jawaharal Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital on September 28 when her condition deteriorated and there were no signs of improvement in her health condition. The victim died at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi on September 29. Live TV The commission has directed the state government to provide adequate protection to the family of the deceased keeping in view the gravity of the matter and aspect of the witness protection as there is apparent rift between two communities and there may be danger to the family of the deceased. It asked the UP DGP to look personally into the matter to "ensure a speedy trial so that the culprits could be punished by the competent court without any further delay". "In the current scenario it is necessary that family of the deceased as well as other members of the SC Community residing in the village are provided proper protection by the police. Both the authorities are expected to submit their report, within the stipulated time," it said. The statement added, "The District Magistrate, Hathras, Uttar Pradesh has reportedly stated that the accused have also been booked under the SC/ST(POA) Act and the family of the victim has been given compensation of Rupees Ten Lakhs. He has also mentioned that a Fast Track Court will be set up to hear the case to punish the culprits at the earliest." "The Supdt. of Police, Hathras, U.P. has reportedly stated that the woman had suffered spinal injuries and he has denied the reports that the tongue of the victim was slit. He has also mentioned in his statement the In-charge of the Hathras Kotwali PS has been removed for the alleged inaction in the case and the four accused have been arrested who will be booked for the murder. He has further added that first one Sandeep Singh was arrested the day when the woman was subjected to rape and later three more accused Lovkush Sikarwar, Ramu and Ravi were arrested when the woman named them in their statement before the Magistrate, on 22.09.2020. The perpetrators reportedly tried to strangulate the victim when she tried to resist their attempts to rape her." "...the family of the victim woman has alleged that the body of the deceased was forcibly taken away for cremation by the police personnel. The body of the deceased had reportedly reached her village around mid-night and the cremation was done by 3.00 A.M., on 30.09.2020. It is mentioned in the news report that the villagers wanted to take the body of the woman to her house but the administration pressurized for cremation at the earliest," it added. "The police authorities have however denied the allegation. It is reportedly stated by the SP, Hathras, that the cremation was done as usual, after the body reached Boolgarhi village in Hathras. He has also stated that the situation is calm and heavy police force has been deployed in the village," further read the statement. "The Commission has gone through the contents of the media reports which are very painful. A young woman belonging to SC community has been subjected to sexual harassment and brutality. It is apparent that the police was not able to take timely action to trace and save the victim girl due to which the young woman could not be saved from being subjected to grave cruelty. The way the perpetrators have acted shows that they had no fear of law in their mind. The family has suffered an irrevocable loss. A young and a precious human life has been lost," it stated. "Not only this, there are also allegations made by the family that the police forcibly took away the body of the deceased for cremation have been revealed by the media. The incident has raised many questions about the law and order situation in the State. Many such incidents have occurred in the State of Uttar Pradesh where the members of the Scheduled Community have been subjected to discrimination and harassment by the people belonging to upper caste. There have been number of instances of leveling allegations of inaction against the police authorities and the administration. This is a serious issue of violation of human rights," it said. For the first time in nearly two-and-a-half years, US warplanes conducted an airstrike against Iraqi targets from an aircraft carrier deployed in the Persian Gulf. The US Navys Fifth Fleet reported that the attacks were carried out by two F/A-18F Super Hornets flying off the deck of the USS Nimitz. The Pentagons Central Command reported an airstrike against a supposed hideout of remnants of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) in the area of Kirkuk, Iraq. While it did not attribute the attack to the carrier-based aircraft, it was carried out on the same day that the Navy reported its operation. The USS Nimitz-led carrier strike group passed through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the worlds most strategic chokepoints, and into the Persian Gulf on September 18, substantially escalating the US military presence in the tense region. While ISIS was the ostensible target of the latest airstrike, the military operation constitutes an implicit threat against Iran, the principal target of US militarism in the region. F/A-18F Super Hornets from USS Nimitz. (Credit: US Navy, Twitter) The US military buildup has been accompanied by a threat of US retaliation against Iranian-aligned Shia militias in Iraq, as well as Washingtons ratcheting up of a maximum pressure sanctions regime against Iran that is tantamount to a state of war, serving to drive ever larger segments of the Iranian population into poverty and cripple the countrys response to the COVID-19 pandemic. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened the Iraqi government that Washington will close down its embassy in Baghdad as a prelude to US military attacks aimed at liquidating Shia militia elements charged with responsibility for attacks on US facilities in the country. According to Iraqi Kurdish news agencies, the US ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Tueller, has already fled the embassy, taking refuge in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Preparations are also reportedly underway for evacuating the rest of the embassy staff. These extreme measures are being justified as a response to a series of Katyusha rocket attacks on the Green Zone, the heavily fortified district of Baghdad where the US Embassy as well as other diplomatic and government facilities are located. According to US officials, the Green Zone has been targeted with rockets or mortar fire 19 times in the last month. None of these attacks have claimed any casualties or inflicted any damage on the embassy. Convoys supplying US and allied facilities have also been attacked roughly two dozen times. In a tragic incident on Monday, a Katyusha rocket apparently aimed at US troops deployed at the Baghdad airport fell short of its target, hitting a nearby house and killing three children and two women. The American embassy in Baghdad is the largest and most expensive such US facility in the world, sprawling over 104 square acres, occupying nearly as much space as Vatican City. It opened in 2009, six years after the launching of the US war of aggression that claimed the lives of roughly one million Iraqis and devastated the country. It was built to house an apparatus that would continue the neo-colonial domination of the oil-rich country in the interests of US imperialism. These plans have been thwarted to a large extent by Irans close relations with and influence over Baghdad. Today the embassy is defended by an advanced C-RAM rocket and mortar defense system installed earlier this year. This was combined with the deployment of Patriot missile batteries to protect US military installations, where some 5,000 US troops remain. The Iraqi government had opposed the deployments, fearing the Patriots could be used to facilitate a US war on Iran by forestalling Iranian retaliation. The missile and mortar attacks have unfolded in the wake of the criminal US drone assassination strike at Baghdads international airport in January that claimed the lives of both Qassem Soleimani, one of Irans top government officials, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, one of the senior leaders of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The predominantly Shia militias that comprise the PMF played the predominant role in the ground fighting against ISIS, which overran western Iraq in 2014, routing US-trained security forces. By a vote of the Iraqi parliament, the PMF was incorporated into the countrys armed forces as kind of a national guard. After the January assassination strike, the Iraqi parliament voted for a resolution demanding the withdrawal of all US and other foreign troops from the country. Washington has defied the motion, threatening Iraq with sweeping economic sanctions if it attempts to force out US forces. While Iran as well as the main Shia parties and militia groups have called for a halt to the rocket attacks on the Green Zone, the continuing attacks are believed to be the work of groups seeking revenge for the murder of Soleimani and al-Muhandis. Iran had vowed retaliation but limited its action to one round of missile strikes at US military bases in Iraq that claimed no lives. Iraqi24, a Baghdad news website, reported that US Secretary of State Pompeo had threatened Iraqi President Barham Salih in a telephone conversation that Washingtons closure of its Baghdad embassy would be followed by US military action. The decision to close the embassy in Baghdad is in President Trumps hands and is ready, the site quotes Pompeo as saying. If our forces withdraw and the embassy is closed in this way, we will liquidate all those who have been proven to have been involved in these attacks. Pompeo was said to have specifically named Kata'ib Hezbollah, which al-Muhandis led before his assassination, and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq. Both are among the largest components of the PMF and have been active in fighting ISIS as well as the Al Qaeda-linked forces that were backed by the CIA in its bid to oust the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. According to the Kurdistan 24 website, Pompeo specifically linked his threats of military action in Iraq to Trumps concerns about the US November election. This threat underscores the danger that the Trump administration may be preparing an October surprise in the form of military action aimed at shocking the electorate and potentially creating the conditions for the imposition of the kind of coup detat election and martial law repression that the US president has threatened. Military action against the Iraqi Shia militias has the potential of spiraling rapidly into a region-wide and even global conflict. As it escalates its threats in Iraq, the Trump administration has arrogantly claimed the right to invoke the snapback of sanctions that were suspended under the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and the major powers that Washington itself unilaterally repudiated in 2018. These include a ban on the export of conventional arms to Iran, which is set to expire in mid-October. With both China and Russia having established close ties to Iran and interest in selling the country weapons, Washingtons bid to enforce the expired ban could involve attempts to seize Russian or Chinese vessels on the high seas, raising the threat of a direct conflict between the major nuclear powers. Such a use of military force in pursuit of the global strategic interests of US imperialism, as well as Donald Trumps own political interests, would likely come with not merely the acquiescence, but the outright support of his ostensible Democratic Party opponents, who have repeatedly criticized his administration from the right for being too soft on Russia and China. If you're thinking of changing career or want to learn a new skill that will see your earnings potential soar, then taking a course in Python is a pretty good start. Learning a new computer language will set you apart from hundreds of thousands of others in the job market - and it doesn't have to put a dent in your finances. In fact, you can get started for free. The Python For Everybody Specialization developed by the University of Michigan costs nothing to enroll, can be completed online from the comfort of your home and is designed for people with no prior programming experience. Learning a new computer language will set you apart from hundreds of thousands of others in the job market - and it doesn't have to put a dent in your finances The Python specialization contains four courses and when you've completed them all you get a certificate to put on your resume or show off on your LinkedIn profile. The first course, Programming For Everybody, is designed to teach the language to someone with no prior experience except a very basic level of mathematics. All you need to be able to do is follow instructions as the course takes you through step by step how to construct a program from a sequence of commands in Python. Python is a useful asset in the programming world for two reasons. Not only can it handle a big range of tasks but a very beginner-friendly language. The syntax uses English keywords, which makes it easy to recognize and less scary to get started. Since it's a general-purpose coding language, unlike HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, it can be used for other types of programming and software development besides web development including AI, app development and back end server development. More purposes mean more potential jobs. With today's job market looking increasingly competitive, it could really pay off to invest in a course that will provide you with the skills to stand out and see your potential earnings soar Once you're familiar with the basics, there are courses on how to use Python for data structures, how to use it to access web data and how to create a database to store data. The Python For Everybody Specialization is just one of hundreds of courses offered by Coursera that offers practical skills that are highly valued by employers in today's job market. One of the most popular among learners looking to enhance their skills is the Excel for Business Specialization taught by Macquarie University. Learning how to use the spreadsheet platform better can assist in a range of different careers, helping with budgeting, scheduling resources and tracking inventory, as well as data analysis and trend recognition. With Coursera courses, you could upskill with a IT Support Professional certification or an IT Automation certification, both of which were developed by the experts at Google All specializations on Coursera are free to enroll, and you then can enjoy a seven-day trial before you decide whether you'd like to commit to a monthly subscription. This can be cancelled at any time (or ends when the user finishes the specialization). If you're interested in enhancing a range of skills by taking multiple courses, you can invest in a Coursera Plus subscription, which is an annual fee of 305. For this price you get access to over 3,000 courses, specializations, professional certificates, and guided projects - and there's no limit to how many you can take at once. You could upskill with a IT Support Professional certification or an IT Automation certification, both of which were developed by the experts at Google. Or you could learn about Business Foundations by the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, which is the perfect starting point if you're looking to change careers or further your education. MailOnline may earn commission on sales from the links on this page. Since the governor declared a state of emergency in March, 63 licensed child care businesses in Nebraska have permanently closed and another 224 remain temporarily closed. Mariah Stowe, who opened a child care business in her Lincoln home four years ago, was not one of them, but the pandemic has been the biggest challenge shes faced, she told state legislators during a hearing Tuesday on an interim study to determine the pandemic's economic and fiscal impact on Nebraska's early childhood care system. She had to make many decisions in a short amount of time, she worried about her own familys safety and she wondered how she could possibly maintain social distancing with young children. In the end, she said, she decided to stay open, caring for six children half the number shed had before the pandemic. Three of those parents work in health care, she said. They did not have the option to work from home. If I would have closed, I do not know what those parents would have done, and on such short notice. Parents of the three other children worked from home, but couldnt do so and care for their small children. Child care was and is still needed, whether the families are working in the home or not, she said. Sen. John Stinner of Gering, who introduced the resolution for the study, said he had been part of an effort to begin closing the gap in funding for high-quality child care before the pandemic when 90% of the states counties lacked adequate child care. Then the pandemic hit, and the need to have adequate child care became even more important to help get people back to work, he said. Obviously, weve got a problem, he said. Before the pandemic, an Early Childhood Workforce Commission released a report that concluded Nebraska had a $452 million gap in funding it hoped to close by 2030 with a combination of local, state and federal funding and private funding from families and businesses. The system was and is being subsidized by the low wages of providers and staff, many of whom rely on public assistance to make ends meet, work long hours or additional jobs, said Catherine Huddleston-Casas, associate director of workforce planning and development for the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. I do believe COVID has shown us how much we all rely on early care and education. Just the uproar of we've got to get our kids back to school, she said. Yes, kids need to be in school, but at the end of the day, its a whole lot easier to work when your kids are in school. Elizabeth Everett, deputy director of First Five Nebraska, a public policy organization that promotes quality early childhood care, said a recent study showed the gaps in child care availability before the pandemic cost working parents $489 million and businesses $234 million annually. The pandemic has only made that worse. There is no backup industry to help fill this vacuum, she said. If child care doesnt exist, theres nothing else to replace it. Thats not true for other industries. And the pandemic has put that in more peril: One in four child care providers who responded to surveys by the Buffett Institute said theyd suffered at least a 50% reduction of income, and more than half said without financial assistance, they would probably or definitely close if the pandemic continues, according to Kate Gallagher, the institutes director of research and development. The state has seen a 24% decrease in the number of children being served by child care subsidies from 18,025 last June to 13,688 this June, said Stephanie Beasley, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services director of the division of children and family services. State officials have eased some of the rules related to child care subsidies in an effort to help families and providers, and the federal CARES Act provided $20 million to the state to help providers and families, she said. But the pandemic continues to present challenges, Stowe said, especially as children go back to school in such an uncertain environment. Its difficult to fill those spots when youre considering where will these families go if they have school-age children and school closes because were in the red (on the risk dial)," she said. "Then where will the children go? Top Journal Star photos for September Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist Mining giant BHP has committed close to $800 million into buying more homegrown products and services, and help train up to 3500 new trainees under a five-year program. The package announced on Thursday will see BHP spend up to $450 million on contracts with Australian Mining, Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) companies, work to source more local products and services and invest in technology pilot projects. BHP boss Mike Henry says miners must play a role in the post-COVID recovery. Credit:Eamon Gallagher BHP will also pour $300 million into opening 2500 apprenticeships positions through its FutureFit Academy, and invest a further $30 million in creating 1000 skills development opportunities in regional Australia. The miner will work with the Federal Department of Education Skills and Employment on the regional training program. BHP's FutureFit Academy, established in March this year, offers trade apprenticeship and maintenance traineeships. Training is delivered in conjunction with CQ University and North Metropolitan TAFE (Perth). The program has enrolled more than 450 people since launch. | By Mary Therese Phelan The Joint Steering Council of the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State (MPower), a formal collaboration of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), has awarded funding to five multidisciplinary research teams to respond to the impact of COVID-19 in Maryland and beyond. After a review and ranking of 50 submissions by faculty peer representatives from both UMB and UMCP, the steering council awarded $500,000 in funding to five teams: two to support vaccine development; one to develop a rapid testing method; one to study psychological factors of vaccine acceptance among African Americans; and one to explore the use of an artificial intelligence tool for delivery of child behavioral health services via telemedicine in rural communities. The Joint Steering Council issued the call for proposals to mobilize researchers at both institutions to bring solutions that would offer immediate action to address the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future pandemics. The request for proposals sought timely, impactful projects that would improve the health of Maryland residents by reducing the impact of COVID-19 through scientific, medical, public health, social, behavioral, or policy/legal approaches, or by supporting those most at risk or experiencing the greatest disparities in care. Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, who is UMBs interim provost, executive vice president, and dean of the Graduate School, is a member of the Joint Steering Council. This pandemic is not just a medical crisis, its a complex human crisis, which requires a multidisciplinary response, he said. We knew that tapping the power of the strategic partnership would bring together top thinkers from all of the areas of our expertise in medicine and public health as well as in the social and behavioral sciences, policy, and law. Funding was offered from $25,000 to $100,000 per award, for a duration no longer than 12 months. Through MPower, we can bring together our significant and complementary research strengths to respond to this public health crisis, added UMCP provost and senior vice president Mary Ann Rankin, PhD, who also serves on the Joint Steering Council. Our goal is to harness our collective faculty expertise to accelerate critical research that will reduce the impact of COVID-19. The winning teams capitalize on the research expertise of UMB and UMCP, and they showcase collaboration across multiple colleges and schools. The selected teams consist of faculty from UMCPs College of Arts and Humanities, School of Public Health, and College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, partnering with researchers from UMBs schools of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing. We knew we would get interest when we asked faculty to collaborate and bring multidisciplinary expertise to respond to this urgent health crisis, Ward said. But I was very pleased with the large response and the real potential for impact. Im looking forward to their progress. A look at the winning projects: Predicting and Improving COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among African Americans During the Coronavirus Pandemic Project summary: As the world anxiously awaits a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, there is growing concern about vaccine hesitancy fueled in part by misinformation. The proposed research seeks to understand why African Americans, who suffer disproportionately from the adverse health and economic impact of the pandemic, might accept or reject the anticipated COVID-19 vaccine. The goal of this project is to develop and evaluate communication messages that could be used in a broader health promotion effort to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among African Americans. Findings of this research will help address COVID-19 health disparities and inform pandemic vaccine communication across ethnic/racial groups. Funding: $98,432 Team: Xiaoli Nan, PhD, UMCP, College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU), professor of communication; director, Center for Health and Risk Communication Sandra Quinn, PhD, UMCP, School of Public Health, professor and chair, Department of Family Science, senior associate director, Maryland Center for Health Equity Clement Adebamowo, MD , University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), professor, Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Human Virology; associate director, Population Science Program, Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center , University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), professor, Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Human Virology; associate director, Population Science Program, Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center Shana Ntiri, MD, UMSOM, assistant professor, Family and Community Medicine; medical director, Baltimore City Cancer Program, Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center Development of a COVID-19 Vaccine Based on the Supramolecular Assembly of SARS-CoV-2 Structural Proteins Using a Novel Immunoadjuvant Delivery System Project summary: This project will generate novel vaccine candidates for SARS-CoV-2 that are urgently needed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team will utilize an interdisciplinary approach with advanced computational design tools and high-resolution structural characterization to produce and optimize vaccine candidates based on the spike glycoprotein, which is a critical target of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2. Funding: $100,000 Team: Tom Fuerst, PhD, UMCP, professor, College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics Matthew Frieman, PhD , UMSOM, associate professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology , UMSOM, associate professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology Gilad Ofek, PhD, UMCP, College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, assistant professor, Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, IBBR Brian Pierce, PhD, UMCP, College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, assistant professor, Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, IBBR Alexander Andrianov, PhD, UMCP, research professor, College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, IBBR A Rapid Point-of-Care Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Project summary: This innovative project aims to develop a point-of-care test that can rapidly and effectively detect infections of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. One of the challenges in preventing onward transmission of the virus is the lack of a simple, rapid, and affordable test. Without a rapid test, it is almost impossible to early identify infected cases and isolate them from the community. This study meets this urgent need in this public health crisis. Funding: $100,000 Team: Feng Jiang, MD, PhD , UMSOM, professor, Department of Pathology , UMSOM, professor, Department of Pathology Hongjie Liu, PhD, UMCP, School of Public Health, professor and chair, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sanford Stass, MD , UMSOM, professor and chair, Department of Pathology; co-lead of COVID-19 testing initiative of Maryland , UMSOM, professor and chair, Department of Pathology; co-lead of COVID-19 testing initiative of Maryland Nevins Todd, MD, UMSOM, clinical associate professor, Pulmonary Medicine Molecular Investigations of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Project summary: In infected cells, coronaviruses use host fat molecules to transport spike protein to the correct cellular compartment for progeny assembly. Researchers will use high-resolution imaging to discern atomic-level details of how host fat molecules modify the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for transport. These architectural details will open avenues for computational screening of small molecules for inhibition of spike-fat interactions. This approach offers a potential means of therapeutic intervention in COVID-19 by inhibiting assembly and propagation of SARS-CoV-2 progeny. Funding: $100,000 Team: Syed Saif Hasan, PhD , UMSOM, assistant professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , UMSOM, assistant professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology John Orban, PhD, UMCP, College of Computer, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, NMR Spectroscopy, IBBR Alexander MacKerell, PhD, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP), Grollman-Glick Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences; director, Computer-Aided Drug Design Center Developing an Artificial Intelligence Tool to Improve Caregiver Engagement for Rural Child Behavioral Health Services Project summary: The overall goal of this project is to study artificial intelligence based-technology strategies to help child behavioral health providers improve caregiver engagement in rural Maryland communities. With the recent pandemic, most of these services are provided virtually through videoconferencing platforms. The project will collect and analyze information from videotaped sessions (e.g., speech patterns, facial expressions) and assess the relationship between artificial intelligence-measured engagement with provider and caregiver-reported engagement in care. The project also will investigate the association of social isolation with perceived caregiver engagement. This data could potentially be used to improve provider training and develop a tool that provides real-time feedback to providers on caregiver engagement. Funding: $90,522. Team: A doctor has been blasted by viewers after she burst out laughing while speaking about people dying from coronavirus on This Morning. Dr Nighat Arif, a GP from Buckinghamshire, appeared on the show today to speak to hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield about the importance of having a flu jab during the coronavirus pandemic. However, while explaining that the consequences of contracting both Covid-19 and flue could be 'dire', the GP began giggling, before saying that she thought it was 'really cool' to have her temperature checked before she came into the building. One user called her behaviour 'inappropriate', while a nurse took to Twitter to insist she was 'surprised' a doctor would think that temperature checks are amusing, and that 'it's funny when she talks about dying'. Dr Nighat Arif from, from Buckinghamshire, was blasted by viewers after she burst out laughing while speaking about people dying from coronavirus on This Morning The doctor appeared on the show today to speak to hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield about the importance of having a flu jab during the coronavirus pandemic The doctor was asked by host Holly, 39, whether stocks for the jab were running low, to which she replied: 'So every year we have a huge demand.' 'We have an ageing population, but we are seeing more people want it because people are desperately trying not to get coronavirus. 'If you get coronavirus and flu, the consequences can be dire. Mainly because both of these viruses can affect your lungs. 'You can get bronchitis and pneumonia so anything that comprises your airway, breathing and circulation. One user called her behaviour 'inappropriate', while a nurse took to Twitter to insist she was 'surprised' a doctor would think that temperature checks are amusing, and that 'it's funny when she talks about dying' Laughing halfway through her sentence, the doctor went on: 'Well, that's not good and essentially you can die. We want to make sure we limit those factors as much as possible.' Host Phil maintained a straight face as he probed further: 'I know certainly from our point of view, coming in here in the morning if I get something else and my temperature is up a bit, they won't let me in the building.' Giggling once again, the doctor replied: 'Yeah, I know. I had that temperature check when I came into the building. It was really cool actually.' Viewers were not impressed with the doctor's manner, and quickly took to Twitter to vent their rage. While explaining that the consequences of contracting both Covid-19 and flue could be 'dire', the GP began laughing mid sentence The GP also said that she thought it was 'really cool' to have her temperature checked before she came into the building One said: 'Did that doctor just laugh about having the temperature checked? it means no work, no school, worrying about something more. Is she living in the same country as us? or is she from another planet?' 'This "doctor" thinks that death is funny as f***!', raged another A third wrote: 'As a nurse I'm very surprised that the doctor you have just had on thinks it's funny when she talks about dying and thinks getting her temperature checked is cool. She is not appropriate to be discussing such serious topics.' 'Doctor laughing while speaking about death,' tweeted a fourth. JFD has announced that it has been awarded an extension to its contract for the provision of the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). Image courtesy JFD JFD has a strong legacy as an operator of submarine rescue systems and has been an integral part of the UKs submarine rescue provision since 1983. The company has been at the heart of the NSRS since it came into service in 2008 as both an operator and equipment manufacturer. JFD was then awarded an initial five-year contract by the UK Ministry of Defence for the provision of the NSRS in July 2015. The latest contract extension will continue its In-Service Contract for the NSRS which includes extensive training across all JFD submarine rescue systems worldwide for the UK MoD and the partner nations of France and Norway. The contract continues to include expert engineering and technical support to ensure high-level operation and maintenance of the system to provide 24/7 availability of the service, 365 days a year. The agreement also involves shared training opportunities to ensure suitably qualified and experienced personnel are on hand to perform rescue operations at short notice, to protect the entire global submarine community. Defence Minister, Jeremy Quin, said: The safety of our personnel is of the utmost importance and I am pleased we have extended our submarine rescue capability contract with JFD, which will continue to support jobs in Scotland. This contract extension also represents our dedication to the NATO Submarine Rescue System and underpins our continued commitment to ensuring NATO submarine operations remain as safe as possible. Danny Gray, managing director, JFD, said: We are extremely proud to have secured this contract extension after five years of hard work to build strong relationships with the UK MoD and the participant nations of France and Norway. The extension reflects the MoDs confidence in our ability to keep submariners safe, as well as the diligence with which we delivered the initial agreement. Our heritage is built on world-class safety and we are pleased our team continues to impress with their extensive knowledge, as well as their unwavering commitment to the highest possible standards of equipment maintenance, operational delivery and training. We look forward to continuing our work with the NSRS Authority and ensuring we are constantly upgrading processes, equipment and training to exceed market standards. Richard Devlin, head of defence sales, JFD, said: The decision to extend the contract with JFD is testament to the depth of our expertise, the quality of our training and the support infrastructure we have built, based on our strong foundations in submarine rescue. While establishing ourselves as the MoDs trusted contractor to deliver safe and efficient rescue operations is key, we also continue to work with all partners involved in the NSRS project to provide capability enhancements and manage equipment obsolescence, both of which are vital to ensuring the NSRS service offers the highest safety standards in the world. JFD continues to ensure the highest levels of training and the ability to mobilise in extreme conditions, with commitment to the NATO Submarine Rescue System as well as the recognition of responsibility for assuring the operations team is fully trained in all aspects of a safe rescue. JFD maintains a state of readiness to respond at a moments notice. Disney will lay off 28,000 employees in the United States as the coronavirus pandemic took its toll on its parks and resorts business. The layoffs will affect Disney's Parks, Experiences, and Products unit. According to the company, 67% of the employees laid off will be part-time workers. Disney's parks and resorts division has more than 100,000 US employees. Massive layoffs Disney's theme parks were forced to shut down globally as the coronavirus pandemic hit several countries, this sudden halt to their operations had a huge effect, and the company is now dealing a huge blow to its bottom line. The profit of Disney dropped 91% during the first quarter of 2020, according to The New York Times. Josh D'Amaro, the chairman of Disney Parks, said that the staffing cuts were necessary because of the prolonged impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business. He said that it included limited capacity because of physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic. D'Amaro said in a statement that as difficult as the decision is, they believe that the steps that they are taking will enable them to emerge a more effective and efficient operation when they return to normal. Also Read: China Elevates Territorial Claims, Initiates Militarizing South China Sea D'Amaro added that Disney's employees have always been the key to the company's success, played a valued and important role in delivering a world-class experience. He said that they are looking forward to providing opportunities where the employees can return. The chairman of Disney Parks also placed partial blame on the state of California for its unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen. Disneyland and California Adventure, the company's flagship resorts in California, have been closed since March. Disney's reopening Disney originally planned to reopen the resort located in Anaheim, California on July 17, but that reopening was delayed indefinitely due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the state. Disney World, the company's resort in Florida, closed its doors in March as well, but it began a phased reopening for its parks in July, according to CBS News. The resort reopened with safety protocols and health measures that included reduced capacity at its parks and requiring all employees and guests to wear masks. Disney notified its employees in April that because of coronavirus, it would furlough employees whose "jobs are not necessary at this time" starting on April 19. D'Amaro stated that the decision of the management to go to this length is not easy. They have cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed cast members will still be paying benefits, and modified their operations to run as efficiently as possible, but they can't simply stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity. Disney has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic in a lot of ways, but its theme parks and resort business has arguably taken the biggest hit of all, according to LA Times. Disney's park unit, which brought in more than $26 billion in fiscal 2019, was crushed during the second quarter of 2020. The segment's operating profit fell 58% compared with the previous year, and the company reported to have lost a billion dollars in profit just a few weeks into the pandemic. Related Article: 15-Year-Old Dies From Drug Overdoes After Taking Illegal Drugs @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. They came to the United States fleeing war and persecution in countries like Myanmar, Eritrea and Iraq. They were chosen by the Obama administration to resettle in the U.S. under longstanding humanitarian traditions. Now, tens of thousands of these refugees have become American citizens. They can now vote for the first time in what could be one of the most important presidential elections of their lifetimes. New voters from Arizona to Florida know they will help choose the countrys next leader. That leader will decide the future of the very resettlement program they used to enter the country. President Donald Trump has all but stopped that program and may shut it down starting October 1. Most refugees come to this country escaping political systems where the government is not their friend, said Hans Van de Weerd. He is the vice president of resettlement for the International Rescue Committee. Republican and Democratic administrations have resettled an average of 95,000 refugees each year over the last 40 years. The Trump government, however, dropped the number down to 18,000. Only about 9,000 refugees have come in this year during the coronavirus health crisis. The lower numbers are likely to continue if Trump is reelected. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised to increase the yearly number to 125,000 if he wins the election. There are no voter registration numbers for refugees. But the National Partnership for New Americans predicted that about 860,000 immigrants would gain that right this year by becoming citizens. Through its citizenship classes, the International Rescue Committee has helped around 6,000 refugees and other newcomers become Americans each of the last few years. People seeking U.S. citizenship are facing some new barriers, such as a large increase in the amount the government charges to complete the process. The amount rose from $640 to $1,170. Department of Homeland Security numbers in recent years have shown that refugees and asylum-seekers have a new-citizenship rate of over 70 percent during their first 10 years in the country. Refugees can apply for citizenship after five years as permanent residents. Once they become citizens, they can register and vote. So many want to vote this time, said Basma Alawee, a refugee and an organizer for the Florida Immigrant Coalition. She has been leading online classes to help other refugees prepare for Election Day. Alawee was born in Iraq and is now a U.S. citizen living in Jacksonville, Florida. She said she also plans to vote in her first presidential election on November 3. Another Iraqi, Bilal Alobaidi, recalls elections in Iraq under Saddam Hussein when only the leaders name was on the ballot. The choices were yes or no. And if you said no, something bad could happen to you, said Alobaidi. He arrived in the U.S. in December 2013. Alobaidi was resettled in Phoenix, Arizona and became a citizen last year. He now works for the International Rescue Committee, helping other refugees find housing and other services. Alobaidi is excited about the upcoming election. This is the first time I will practice democracy, he said. Nada al-Rubaye said she never voted in her native Iraq. She fled the country after her son and several other family members were killed in the countrys violence. The Baghdad-born artist and another son spent a few years in Turkey, but in 2013 were settled in Phoenix. She became a U.S. citizen in September 2019. I am so excited! she said about the election. Its so important for a person to feel like they belong to a country, she added. Habtom Gezhey fled Eritrea after being forced to join the military. At first, he lived in a refugee camp in neighboring Ethiopia before being resettled in Florida in 2012. Now a truck driver moving goods across the U.S., Gezhey lives in Jacksonville with his wife, Eyerusalem - whom he met at the camp - and their two young children. Im ready to vote. We had no election in Eritrea, no Constitution. Lian Kual never voted in Myanmar, where elections were criticized as fraudulent during many years of military rule. In 2008, Kual fled his country for Malaysia, and in 2014 was resettled in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kual, who works at Walmart, became a citizen this year. I feel so free to be part of the United States of America, he said. I already registered (to vote)now, Im waiting for my ballot. Its a really big deal. Im Susan Shand. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story persecution n. discriminating against someone resident n. one who lives in a certain place fraudulent adj. false, untrue Hyderabad, Sep 30 : All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday termed the special CBI court's verdict acquitting all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case as a black day in the history of Indian judiciary. Terming the judgment as 'obnoxious', the Hyderabad MP said the verdict satisfied the collective conscience of the Hindutva ideology and its followers. "Where will rule of law go? Today as an Indian Muslim, I feel the same sense of shame, helplessness and humiliation which I felt on December 6, 1992 when the Babri Masjid was demolished," he told reporters. He said that those who created the issue of Ram Mandir, took out Rath Yatra to create havoc around the country and presided over the demolition of Babri Masjid have gone scot free and have been rewarded with this judgment. "As as Indian Muslim, I have not got justice on this issue since 1950," he said. Owaisi also wondered what message the judgment would send. "If you use brute force, if you use violence, you will be rewarded. Law has become a farce now. You can kick the law and you will be rewarded for it," he said. Owaisi strongly disagreed with the court's observation that there was no spontaneity or conspiracy behind the demolition of Babri Masjid. He pointed out that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its chargesheet had mentioned that BJP veteran L.K. Advani and others conspired on December 5 at the house of Vinay Katiyar where Advani told then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh not to resign till the Babri Masjid was demolished. Owaisi also pointed out that the Supreme Court in its judgment on a civil dispute had called the demolition of Babri Masjid a calculated act of destroying a place of worship. Owaisi alleged that Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati became famous and were politically rewarded for demolishing Babri Masjid. "The whole world saw who assembled the people there and at whose instance and in whose presence the mosque was demolished," he said. The Hyderabad MP said the CBI must appeal against this judgment to protect its independence. He also urged the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to go for an appeal. On the statement of the acquitted persons that Kashi and Mathura are next on their agenda, Owaisi said, "Not only Kashi and Mathura, but now dispute will start where mosques are standing for 400 years because these people have been rewarded. Their intentions and beliefs have been strengthened now, and definitely they will go ahead." Owaisi also blamed the Congress for Wednesday's judgment, saying, "Had the Congress removed the idols kept there in 1949, this judgment would not have come. If Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had not opened the locks of Babri Masjid and had the Congress protected the mosque, this judgment would not have come," Owaisi said. The protest against the cremation of a Dalit woman (19), who was gang-raped and murdered allegedly by four upper caste men in Uttar Pradeshs (UP) Hathras district in the dead of night on Wednesday, could spell the return of a Dalit unrest that can have an adverse impact on the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) fortunes in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls. Though UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced the setting up of a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged crime following his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is a public outcry against the coercive action of the UP Police. UP Police performed the last rites of the gang-rape victim at around 2.30 am on Wednesday in the absence of her family members. The incident has given the Opposition the arsenal to attack the BJP and the Yogi-led administration. BSP chief Mayawati tweeted that the last rites, which were conducted by the UP Police, created doubts and resentment about the role of the UP administration. She said it would be better if the Supreme Court (SC) took appropriate action by taking suo motu (on its own motion) cognisance of the case. She blamed the callous attitude of the UP administration and the UP Police and expressed doubts that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would not be punished and the victims family members would be denied of justice. Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress have also attacked the government. Congresss Sushmita Dev said the way the victim was cremated and she was left to languish in a hospital ward for over six days, despite the serious nature of her injuries, was a gross violation of human rights. No first information report (FIR) was filed for eight days. Even after it (FIR) was filed, what sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) did this hopeless and ruthless (UP) government invoke? Dev asked. The ruling BJP has been quick to dub these statements as attempts to create misgivings about the UP government and stoke a raging controversy. However, a few functionaries, who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted that the party could be bracing for the return of a Dalit unrest. If the protests continue, it will have an impact in neighbouring Bihar as well. The UP government is taking action, but the opposition will certainly raise the issue, said a functionary from UP. Bihar has 18% of Dalit population and the sizeable vote bank can sway the states electoral outcome. On Wednesday, protests were also reported from some parts in poll-bound Bihar. This is not the first time that the BJP government has been confronted by caste-based protests. In 2017, ahead of the Gujarat assembly polls, the BJP government was accused of not taking action against Dalit atrocities in Una, where a group of cow vigilantes were accused of flogging Dalit youth in public view. In January 2018, the Bhima-Koregaon clashes had led to violence and casualties during the congregation of Dalits to commemorate the 200th anniversary of an Anglo-Maratha war against the then Peshwa rule. Dalits constitute a little over 16%of the countrys population and the BJP has been assiduously trying to woo the caste groupings. The BJP is making concerted efforts to reach out to the dominant castes, who come under the SC category. In the new national team, which was announced on Saturday, Dalit leaders, who belong to the Jatav caste and are considered to have political clout, such as Dushyant Gautam were given key posts, said a second BJP functionary. However, Lal Singh Arya, who was appointed the SC Morcha chief, said that the BJP has given a platform to representatives from all castes since the partys inception. He said, I was the district general secretary at the age of 26 in 1989. Whether it is appointments within the BJP or for constitutional positions, the party ensures representation for all castes. Arya also dismissed concerns that the Hathras incident would lead to the resurgence of a Dalit unrest. The state (UP) government will take all the necessary steps to ensure severe punishment for the perpetrators of this heinous crime. The protests are being orchestrated by the opposition, he alleged. However, Chandrabhan Prasad, a Dalit author and an ideologue of the community, took potshots at the BJP for being anti-Muslims and Dalits. He blamed the party for polarising the country in a bid to boost its electoral fortunes. He alleged that the Dalit representation in the party was notional because it did not want to empower us. He added, The Dalits are paying a price for the freedom they had enjoyed in the country for the past seven decades. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON (AP) An investigation has been launched into the cause of a mid-air crash between a Marine Corps fighter jet and another plane in a remote part of Southern California earlier this week. According to the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona, the collision occurred on Tuesday afternoon as the F-35B jet swiped a Lockheed Martin KC-130J tanker around 4:00pm. A statement from the station said the jet pilot ejected successfully and is currently being treated and that no other injuries were reported. There were a reported eight crew members on board at the time of the collision, though none were injured. The four-engine turboprop tanker landed in Thermal, a small desert city in Riverside County about 125 miles (200 kilometres) northeast of downtown San Diego, California. #BREAKING A plane made an emergency landing in a farm field in Thermal just East if the airport. Early reports of 8 on board. It reportedly clipped another plane mid-air. We are live in scene wirh the early details. @KESQ pic.twitter.com/b4rDWJgoat Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) September 30, 2020 Photos from the scene posted online by KMIR showed a military plane on its belly in a farm field near Thermal Airport. Story continues It was not immediately clear why the Marine fighter jet was flying in the region, whether it be a routine mission or training exercise. The cause of the crash remained under investigation as of Wednesday. A local CBS affiliate reported from the scene of the crash on Tuesday, showing the KC-130J tanker with missing propellers and leaking fuel. The plane reportedly made the emergency landing in the farm field close to the airport after it clipped the other plane, according to KESQ-TV. Additional reporting by Associated Press The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union (EU), in partnership with the Lagos State government and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has launched an unconditional cash transfer project targeting the poor and vulnerable in Lagos state. The project will cost a total sum of N885.5 million equivalent to $2.3 million. According to a statement released by EU on Wednesday, the project is largely funded by the organization. The project implemented under the Nigeria One UN COVID-19 Response seeks to alleviate the socio-economic impact of the pandemic on the beneficiaries and strengthen resilience of communities in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the state, deeply impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the senior special assistant to the president on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ketil Karlsen and the UNDP Resident Representative, Mohamad Yahya, witnessed the unveiling of the project in Lagos. Lagos State not only has the largest number of recorded cases of COVID-19 in the country, (19,239 as of 28th September 2020), but also has the highest number of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), nationwide at over 3 million micro-enterprises and more than 8,000 SMEs, which have been adversely affected by the pandemic. In key areas such as Victoria Island, Ikorodu, Ifako-Ijaye, Alimosho, Apapa and Lagos Mainland, 22,600 families will benefit from cash transfers, while over 5,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups will receive funding for business continuity or innovative start-ups that will benefit their communities. The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that the pandemic is a learning point for impactful, far-sighted policies and a catalyst for sustainable development. As a responsible and responsive government, we are constantly implementing initiatives that ameliorate the plights of our citizens, businesses and constituencies. Despite budget cuts and resource conservation, we have increased capital expenditure in health, education, and economics sectors. I am excited at the opportunity this partnership presents in impacting the lives of our people. The head of the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, described the COVID-19 pandemic as a health, humanitarian and socio-economic crisis that has continued to have a devastating impact on the most vulnerable and marginaliszed while exacerbating existing inequalities, both within and between countries. Launching of the unconditional cash transfer project Launching of the unconditional cash transfer project We are at the tipping point that requires cohesive, collective and immediate action, including harnessing social safety nets for the most vulnerable people, such as cash transfers and temporary basic income, particularly for women who are falling faster into poverty than men he said. Mohamed Yahya, UNDP Resident Representative for Nigeria said, The pandemic has made our pledge to leave no one behind and to reach those furthest behind first much more difficult to achieve. Together, we nonetheless have a chance to turn one of the greatest reversals of human development in our lifetimes into a historic leap forward to a sustainable, inclusive, peaceful, and resilient future, with the Sustainable Development Goals as our compass. The senior special assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, highlighted the initiatives of the federal government to contain the effects of the pandemic, noting the inadequacies of a unilateral effort. Our social investment programs are not reaching far enough, fast enough or deep enough. This intervention will scale our efforts and significantly eliminate the lasting effects of the pandemic While addressing the socio-economic impact of the virus, UNDP will also draw on its work on human rights, stigma and discrimination, to support governments, civil society, UN entities, and other stakeholders to highlight gaps in laws, policies and practices that hinder a human rights-based COVID-19 response. The UNDP will continue to help and ensure that the responses of countries are not just comprehensive, but equitable and inclusive, so that countries can continue to make progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This one is just for our blog community and offers a word from this town's prolific petitioner regarding a VIRAL TWEET sent by way of a former KCMO mayoral candidate and current nationwide Democratic political activist. Here's the word . . . Chastain challenges Jason Kander's cruel baseless attack on President Trump President Trump has outshined democrats. He has outshined progressives. He has outshined Biden. Jason Kander and his fellow liberals cannot outshine President Donald Trump and his successful policies and accomplishments for America, so they attack other things about him as they try to make the upcoming Presidential election a personality contest. "Now they seek to demonize Trump for not paying more in federal taxes. If Trump's tax attorney did something illegal on his behalf then that would be an issue. If Trump is merely taking advantage of tax law that Joe Biden did not seek to change in 47-years in office, then it's Biden's issue." I have suffered the same fate in Kansas City. City Hall and the Star cannot out shine my ideas and accomplishments (saving Union Station, winning a light rail election, and saving the petition process) so they form a tag team and pronounce... I threatened the mayor, I have mental issues, I don't primarily reside in Kansas City and my ideas are "unworkable". Everyday, whether you like him or not, Trump (and his family) go to work to improve America . . . President Trump is also out shining Jason Pander. ############### Developing . . . Starting Nov. 1, you will no longer need a reservation to enter Yosemite National Park. After nearly five months, the park will end its requirement that visitors reserve day passes in advance, the park announced Tuesday. The reservation system a first for the park was put into place in early June to help thin summer crowds and curb the spread of the coronavirus. Yosemite initially shut down completely on March 20 during the early surge of coronavirus cases in California. When it reopened on June 11, in addition to the day-pass requirement, Yosemite managers capped the number of cars allowed into the park at 1,700 per day about half the number that typically would enter the park on an average summer day. Local health officials and park managers agreed to lift the restrictions as the fall shoulder season approaches and the park draws fewer visitors naturally. No major outbreaks of COVID-19 occurred in the park this summer, though local officials found traces of the virus in samples of feces taken from two wastewater treatment plants serving Yosemite in July. Eric Sergienko, public health officer for Mariposa County, said its virtually impossible to know exactly how many coronavirus transmissions occurred in the park without conducting contact tracing, but that only a handful of positive cases appear to be linked to the park. (Mariposa County, by comparison, has registered 75 cases.) Summer went really well. We have not seen sustained transmission in the park, Sergienko said. Yosemite has seen record visitation in recent years, with a peak of 5 million people in 2016. Many of those visitors flock to Yosemite Valley, home to the parks main attractions. Crowding on trails and at vista points and parking lots there have become commonplace. With this summers restrictions, the park has been operating on a smaller staff, with reduced hours and new rules at dining areas, visitor centers and lodging facilities. Looking back at the past three and a half months, park spokesman Scott Gediman calls the parks efforts a success. We were able not only to open the park but keep the park open, Gediman said. The park did close for a period earlier this month, however, due to hazardous levels of wildfire smoke. Whether park managers will incorporate any lessons from this summer into park operations going forward remains to be seen. Well look at all the information weve gathered for what worked and what didnt work, Gediman said. Then well look ahead to say, what can we take and apply to the future? Gregory Thomas is The San Francisco Chronicle's editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @GregRThomas More heat than light was generated as President Donald Trump and his Democratic Party challenger Joe Biden clashed in a chaotic presidential debate focused on domestic issues that overwhelmed the moderator and descended into invectives. In the first debate on Tuesday night, Trump played up his pre-Covid-19 economic record and the threat to law and order from the radical left, who he said were the force behind Biden. Biden hammered on the Covid-19 pandemic that has taken more than 200,000 lives in the US, which he said was the result of Trump's mismanagement and the racial divisions that, according to him, have gotten worse under the president. Trump went into the debate held 35 days before this election 6.1 per cent behind in the aggregation of polls by RealClearPolitics with the hopes of drawing fence-sitting voters, while for Biden it was to retain and build his lead. The debate started without the traditional handshake - although it was only because of the Covid-19 pandemic nevertheless appeared to presage the all out bout. Trump with his usual bluster threw off the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, talking over him and loudly interrupting Biden, taunting him on his 47-year political career and telling him at one point, "Don't ever use the word smart with me, Joe." Biden paid him back for his aggression calling him Russian President "Putin's puppy", a "liar" a "clown" and a "racist" and telling him, "Will you shut up man?" A harried Wallace tried - sometimes vainly - to keep order, giving the impression of a weak teacher in an unruly classroom, at one point almost pleading with an obstreperous Trump, "If I may ask my question, sir..." The result of the election with a large number of postal ballots this time is likely to be delayed because of the time it will take to sort and count them, unlike in recent elections which were run with machines. Biden agreed with the moderator that he would tell his followers to stay calm and would accept the result when it is announced. But Trump would not give a categorical assurance. "I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that's what has to happen" because "they will cheat," he said, avoiding direct response. He also said, "If I see tens of thousands of ballot being manipulated, I'm not going to accept it.a The president warned of election fraud citing the military ballots marked for him that were found in trash in Pennsylvania, the thousands of postal ballots issued in duplicate or sent to wrong addresses. Biden denied that there was a problem with the postal ballots, expected to increase in huge numbers because some states were issuing them to all voters. Trump repeatedly tried to paint Biden in the bright red colours of "the radical left" wing of the party. "They're going to dominate you, Joe, you know that," Trump said. At least twice, Trump made Biden disown the left. Pressed on a joint platform he had made with Senator Bernie Sanders, the leftist who had challenged him, Biden said "My party is me. I am the Democratic Party right now. The platform of the Democratic Party is what I approved of." At another point, he disowned the "New Green Deal" drafted by the party's left that calls for 100 per cent zero carbon emission and a host of other demands like government dole to people who just do not want to work. When Wallace pressed him on it, he repeated, "No, I don't support the Green New Deal." Trump taunted him, "That means you just lost the radical left. It's gone." While some Republicans have said they would vote for Biden, Trump's base is mostly intact, while Biden has to hold on to the ideologically disparate Democratic Party and also appeal to the uncommitted. Biden did not outrightly condemn the violence from the protests against police encounter killings of African Americans and racism, only saying that violence should be prosecuted and asserting that the long-running riotous situation in Oregon state that Trump often spoke of can be taken care of if Trump "just stays out of the way". Trump hit at a Democratic Party weak point - law and order that has deteriorated seriously because of the protests and the party holding the areas where the situation is the worst with rising crime rates. Biden turned around said that it was taking place under Trump's watch. Trump said that not one organisation of law enforcement personnel has endorsed Biden. (In the US, unions of government employees are permitted to support candidates in elections.) When the New York Times report of Trump paying only $750 in income tax in 2017 came up, he said that he had paid tens of millions in taxes and the amounts were dictated by the tax laws Biden had played a role in enacting. On race, an issue roiling the country, Trump was low key deflecting the questions to the role of the left. Asked by Wallace to condemn White supremacists, Trump said, "Sure, I'm willing to do that, but I would say almost everything I see is from the left-wing, not from the right." "Who would you like me to condemn? Who? Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," he said referring to a violent White Group. But he added, "Somebody has got to do something about ANTIFA" which is a leftist anarchist group. Biden also criticised Trump for ending a controversial training programme run mostly by outside contractors on sensitising White people to racism by drawing attention to their privilege and called him a racist. Biden mostly stuck to his script, while Trump was more freewheeling, bringing up Biden's son Hunter's foreign business deals - to which Biden repeatedly said they were not true, without launching a counterattack on Trump's family. Biden stood by his son admitting that he had had a drug problem -- like in many families -- but had recovered. Trump said that Hunter Biden had received billions from China to invest and $3.5 million from the wife of Moscow's mayor. He said that under Biden jobs had been flowing out to China, which on trade "China ate your lunch, Joe." Foreign affairs came up only in the passing when Trump said that India -- like China and Russia -- does not give a "straight count" of the number of people killed by Covid-19 when Biden hit him on the high US toll. Trump also crticised India and China as being environmental polluters, justifying pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. Biden made a threat to countries that will not follow his environmental agenda warning Brazil "you're gonna have significant economic consequences" if it continues tearing down forests. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. There was a time when much of the world watched President Donald Trump's conduct with a mix of worry and amusement, concerned about U.S. policy but content to watch the spectacle. That time has passed. The global reaction to Tuesday's presidential debate was somber and disquieted, as countries considered anew the increasingly real possibility that the U.S. president could challenge the results of November's election, rattling the foundations of democracy and roiling the global economy. Though Trump's presidency has been defined by moments of disruption and surprise, what unfolded Tuesday night still seemed like a turning point, as a world beset by the novel coronavirus pandemic and the political turmoil it has wrought saw a superpower's election run through with chaos and dysfunction. In a scene that foreign observers likened to a "cage fight," Trump cast doubt on the U.S. electoral system and told a far-right group that has endorsed violence, and that rights organizations have condemned for white supremacy, to stand by. His opponent, Democratic nominee Joe Biden, and the moderator, Christopher Wallace, struggled to push back. To many watching from afar, it seemed like a warning: There are new rules now. For traditional U.S. allies, the debate was another sign that something is deeply wrong with a country and system that, while flawed, has served as a beacon for others. "The U.S. has always been a democratic role model," especially for Germany, but "our motherland of democracy has gone down a dangerous path," Stephan Bierling, an international politics professor at the University of Regensburg in Germany, who recently published a book on Trump. "A second Trump term would severely damage its democratic norms." The English language edition of China's Global Times, a Communist Party-controlled newspaper, offered a similar assessment, saying the debate "showed the world a divided and chaotic U.S." The debate initially sent markets stumbling Wednesday, renewing fear that what happens in November could push the global economy into a spiral. In a note to investors, UBS Global Wealth Management chief economist Paul Donovan, said that the key debate takeaway was "increased expectations for a contested election result." For outsiders, U.S. presidential politics has long had an air of reality television - never more than under President Trump. But many people saw what played out Tuesday night as something more alarming. "That was gross," read the headline of an opinion piece in Canada's Globe and Mail. "The tawdry details of the first U.S. presidential debate of 2020 will be unpacked and analyzed for weeks," wrote critic John Doyle. "Insults, interruptions, noise," Nick Robinson, a BBC journalist who moderated last year's debate between opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, wrote on Twitter. Robinson compared the U.S. debate to a "street fight" - as did several others. "The first debate between would-be leaders of the free world was better suited to the Colosseum of ancient Rome or a cage fight in Las Vegas," according to the Australian. Foreign observers saw the tone not as not just populist showboating, but as evidence of a country come undone. "Whoever is looking for an explanation for the shape the United States is currently in will find it in those 90 minutes, that should have been a political debate," Switzerland's right-leaning, German-language Neue Zurcher Zeitung newspaper Wednesday morning. "Instead, the tradition has degenerated into cheap reality TV. What flickered across TV screens was the image of a country in chaos." "The spiteful debate mirrors a country that is no longer even capable of having a dignified discussion," the editorial continued. This sentiment is not new. In recent years, Pew Research Center polls have captured growing global disillusionment with the United States under President Trump. Views of the United States among some of its closest peers have slid to the lowest level in two decades, amid clashes with foreign partners and over the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. But even among U.S. critics there was a widespread assumption that U.S. institutions would prevail. That confidence gave other countries the ability to watch the United States with a bit of a wink, treating the Trump administration as a circus that would pack up and leave town one day. As the election nears, observers in foreign capitols are less inclined to laugh. Trump's actions have raised "the question of the effectiveness of checks and balances, Congress and courts in particular, that are supposed to prevent abuse of power by the president," Switzerland's Le Temps wrote this month, citing numerous examples of Trump breaking Democratic norms. The spectacle of the debate seemed to unite observers with divergent ideological allegiances. The chaos at the top of US politics "reflects division, anxiety of U.S. society and the accelerating loss of advantages of the US political system," Hu Xijin, editor of the state-run Global Times, wrote on Twitter. The debate "was truly terrible," Anna Soubry, a former British lawmaker, wrote on Twitter. "Whatever our views let's agree and promise we will never allow British politics to plummet to such a level." "At the end of watching the debate in the U.S., I really appreciated the political culture in Europe and its modesty," Markus Kaim, Senior Fellow at German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said in a seminar on Wednesday. Others saw the debate as a warning - and not just to Washington. "Four years of Trumpism have largely contributed to weakening one of the greatest democracies in the world," warned an editorial in Le Monde, a French newspaper. "It's a lesson for everyone else." Trump even managed to sow discontent in at least one of the few countries where his popularity has been on the rise since he assumed office. Shekhar Gupta, founder of popular Indian news site ThePrint, tweeted, "Trump is holding up the mirror for legions of his fans in India," after the president raised doubts over whether India and other countries were reporting accurate coronavirus mortality figures. "You can see that he has zero respect for India, forget any affection," Gupta wrote. - - - The Washington Post's Ishaan Tharoor contributed reporting. Personal-finance company Credit Karma said on Tuesday it would launch a checking account to U.S. members this year, making it the latest fintech to join the crowded digital banking market. Credit Karma Money Checking will initially be available only to those members who hold a savings account with Credit Karma, the San Francisco-based company said. Opening a checking account will require no minimum balance or deposit requirements, it added. The service will be available more widely in early 2021 with offerings being added throughout the year. Karma, Intuit and Insurance In February, Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, QuickBooks and Mint, agreed to acquire Credit Karma for approximately $7.1 billion in cash and stock. The combination would bring together two technology leaders focused on personal and small business owner financial challenges that include paying taxes, managing debt, maximizing savings, business accounting, accessing better credit cards and loans and even recommending car and home insurance, a market Credit Karma entered in 2018. That $7.1 billion deal is currently under review by the Department of Justice, according to a report by ProPublica. The review is looking at Credit Karmas free tax prep offering that competes with Intuits popular TurboTax product. ProPublica first reported in February that antitrust experts viewed the deal as concerning because it could allow a dominant firm to eliminate a competitor with an innovative business model. Intuit already dominates online tax preparation, with a 67% market share last year, according to ProPublica. Credit Karma, which has 100 million members in the United States, Canada and the UK, is best known for letting customers access their credit scores and some other personal finance tools for free. It also offers third-party credit cards and loans to customers, tailored to their credit history. Several fintechs have been expanding the types of financial services they offer and moving beyond their initial area of focus. Many are now seeking to attract deposits, often through enticing rates or low fees. (In 2018, Credit Karma entered the insurance business.) Credit Karma hopes its product will stand out among competitors because of how it connects to the companys other offerings, Kenneth Lin, Credit Karma chief executive officer and founder, said in an interview. The differentiation is going to be the connection to the credit and a holistic view of your financial life, Lin said. It helps consumers build credit and pay off the debt and save for their future. Credit Karma will be offering its checking account through MVB Bank Inc., a member of Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., a U.S. bank regulator. Lin said the company does not have plans to apply for a banking charter. We are not looking to be a bank, Lin said. (Reporting by Anna Irrera in London and C Nivedita in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) Topics USA The search for an effective COVID-19 treatment showed signs of promise, with two major pharmaceutical companies this week announcing positive results for experimental drugs that converged with the rapid push toward a potential vaccine. Regeneron (REGN) on Wednesday showed that its antibody cocktail therapy reduced the viral load in patients. The company reiterated the treatment has additional potential as a pseudo-vaccine that can be taken as protective treatment rather than just after an infection, and expects to publish the complete data in a medical journal in the near-term. Regenerons data follows positive news from Eli Lilly (LLY) on an antibody treatment that reduced recovery time in hospitalized covid patients, and builds on existing efforts to try and mitigate the coronavirus spread. This week, global deaths surged over 1 million, with Europe and the U.S. battling against a dreaded second wave of infections. In a research note, SVB Leerink said there is still more information needed, but it appeared likely both Regeneron and Eli Lilly would receive approval this year, as hopes build that governments can stem the tide of new diagnoses by years end via a vaccine. Both Regeneron and Lillys treatments increased the rate of clearance of the virus, and shortened the duration of disease, although given the study sizes they did not show an absolute mortality benefit, the firm wrote. Both studies suggest that these antibodies will confer significant treatment benefit for symptomatic, and possible moderate COVID patients, the note said. There are over 7 million cases in the U.S. (Graphic: David Foster/Yahoo Finance) The countdown to a vaccine approval is nearing its end with October just a day away. New information about leading candidates, as well as promising treatment options, continue to pour in. In the latest publication in a medical journal, Moderna (MRNA), one of two leading mRNA U.S.-based vaccine candidates, revealed results of an extended Phase 1 study in older Americans. As previously noted by the company, the results showed the two-shot vaccine, in a higher dose, was equally effective on older adults as it was on younger groups. While there were two severe adverse events reported, which included high fever and fatigue, experts note those side effects are about the same as seen in older adults who receive high-dose flu shots annually. Story continues Moderna expects to have results of its late-stage vaccine trial by November. Pfizer (PFE) and BioNTech (BNTX) anticipate the first read-outs of their vaccine by the end of October even as health experts have called for a month delay for greater observation time of trial participants. If Pfizer agrees, it would mean any news of a vaccine by Election Day would be erased. Minorities bear brunt of virus Amid a widespread debate about how to manage the mounting economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis, researchers are just beginning to comprehend the depths of the outbreaks disproportionate impact on minorities. A new poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that among the more than 3,400 Americans surveyed in July, more than 60% of those living with children are reporting serious financial problems. Of those, 86% of Latino households and 66% of Black households reported hardships, compared to about 50% of white household reported negative impacts. The new study highlighted a trend that began in March when the virus began swamping the worlds largest economy, triggering widespread lockdowns on public life. The findings complemented an earlier study from the Urban Institute showing that Latinos and African-Americans were largely reliant on jobs outside the home. Only 35% of Black adults and 25% of Latinos reporting they could work, at least partly, from home. Moreover, the Urban Institute data found that after a month of the pandemic, more than 45% of Black and Latino adults had experienced hardships stemming from financial setbacks including food insecurity and inability to pay mortgage, rent or utilities. At the time, that was double the response from white families. More from Anjalee: Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 30, 2020) -Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. (TSXV: GNG) (OTC Pink: GGTHF) (FSE: GGZ) ("Golden Goliath" or the "Company") is happy to report that the first objective has been reached on the Kwai property. This objective was to identify shear zones within a basaltic unit along the north contact of the Pakwash Fault. Mineralized shears were intersected by holes K20-04 and 05 respectively on lines 600E and 400E on the east side of the West Grid, and up ice from the till samples that yielded pristine gold grains (Figure 2). The shears were mineralized with fine grained pyrite and a parallel shear was injected with quartz to create a laminated appearance. The basalt marker host can be traced around a large granitic to granodioritic batholith to the Dixie GBR property where the Hinge Zone has been located. Holes 04 and 05 were drilled to the south and as the holes deepened the alteration with sericite mica increased to a point where the rocks became sericite schists, and the basalts and a mafic quartz eye porphyry graded to felsic volcanics both rhyolitic massive horizons and possible tuffs. Two cherty horizons were also intersected, one with 20% pyrite and the other being a banded exhalite horizon. Drilling of the next most important objective is now underway with hole K20-06. This hole, currently in progress, is also in the northeast part of the West Grid (Figure 2) and will test two strong IP anomalies related to the Pakwash Fault. To accomplish this, the hole is being drilled southward on line 200E through the basalt horizon tested by hole K20-04 and 05 and is designed to test three potential targets. This 400m hole will give a completed section of the structures and test possible sources for the pristine gold grains found in the overburden. It is expected that the cherty pyritic shears seen in hole 03 on 600W may appear here in this section. At the time of this news release, hole K20-06 was crossing the basalt horizon where numerous quartz veins, shears, and disseminated sulphide zones are being encountered, as well as a new type of siliceous grey porphyry cutting the older mafic porphyry. The geological environment now appears to contain a multiphase intrusion of porphyries which is a good target for gold mineralization. Sample splits have been sent for 4 holes as of Friday 25th and a fifth shipment was made Monday the 28th. Logging and splitting is continuing on hole K20-06. CEO Paul Sorbara comments: "I just returned from the project and I am pleased with the geology and mineralization I have seen in the drilling. I am also happy with the progress of the drill program and the achievement of several objectives set out before the drill program was started. We could not have dreamed of a better geological scenario for explaining the numerous Induced Polarization anomalies detected by the recent surveys done here." Figure 1: Red Lake District Properties including the Kwai and SLF properties of Golden Goliath To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4761/64913_41b9e5f144a8abd8_002full.jpg Figure 2: KWAI Property update on current drill targets K20-01 to K20-06 West Grid To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4761/64913_41b9e5f144a8abd8_003full.jpg This news release has been reviewed by Robert S. Middleton P.Eng who is acting as QP for this phase of the exploration under the NI43-101 requirements. On behalf of the Board of Directors Paul Sorbara, MSc, PGeo CEO, Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information Certain statements included herein may constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements included in this press release that address future events, conditions or results, including in connection with exploration activity, future acquisitions and any financing, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "must", "plan", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "think", "continue", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "anticipate" or "future" or the negative forms thereof or similar variations. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experiences and their perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those mentioned in the Company's continuous disclosure documents, which can be found under its profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Many of such risks and uncertainties are outside the control of the Company and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In making such forward-looking statements, management has relied upon a number of material factors and assumptions, on the basis of currently available information, for which there is no insurance that such information will prove accurate. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. J. Paul Sorbara, M.Sc., P.Geo President & CEO Phone: +1(604) 682-2950 Email: jps@goldengoliath.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy. About Golden Goliath Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. is a junior exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (symbol GNG). The Company is focused on exploring and developing the gold and silver potential of properties in the Red Lake District of Ontario. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the San Timoteo property, located in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of northwestern Mexico, as well as NSR royalties on several other nearby properties. To find out more about Golden Goliath visit our website at www.goldengoliath.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/64913 Figure One Falcon 7 Zone Longitudinal Section Falcon 7 Zone Longitudinal Section TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: WDO) (Wesdome or the Company) today announces results from the ongoing underground exploration drilling program at the Companys wholly-owned Eagle River Mine in Wawa, Ontario. Although exploration drilling is currently operating at a reduced capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions, three underground drills and one surface drill are in operation. One drill continues to better define and extend the down plunge extension of the Falcon 7 Zone. The Falcon 7 Zone was originally discovered from surface drilling located in volcanic rocks approximately 200 metres (m) west of the mine diorite (see press release dated June 6, 2019). It is interpreted that the Falcon 7 Zone now extends from surface down a steep easterly plunge approximately 1,000 m and is part of the up plunge extension of the 7 Zone currently being mined near the 1,000 m elevation. The current drilling is focused near a previous hole that returned 314 g/t Au over 6.0 m (see press release dated July 8, 2019). This drilling was completed from the 772 m elevation that was established to test the down plunge extension of the Falcon Zone. Since that time, additional mine development has been completed on 622 m elevation to allow for drilling, and is now within 50 m in the footwall of the Falcon 7 Zone. Highlights of the recent drilling are listed below and summarized in Table 1. Hole 622-E-02: 51.3 g/t Au over 1.8 m core length (38.2 g/t Au cut, 1.5 m true width) Hole 622-E-11: 18.6 g/t Au over 12.5 m core length (18.4 g/t Au cut, 8.0 m true width) Hole 622-E-12: 56.8 g/t Au over 1.8 m core length (42.9 g/t Au cut, 1.5 m true width) Assays capped at 125 g/t Au. True widths are estimated. Mr. Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO commented, "We continue to be pleased with our ongoing exploration drilling of the Falcon 7 Zone that continues to return high grades. With nearby development already established on the 772 and 622 m elevations, it is becoming more apparent that these zones will have the potential to be included in future mine production and ultimately augmenting production rates in the medium term. We expect to define mineral resources and reserves from the Falcon 7 Zone that will be released as part of our end of year resource and reserve statement. Additional drilling in this area continues to be a priority for the remainder of 2020. Story continues We have also commenced our surface fly drilling program with one drill in operation to test regional exploration targets. TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE For underground drilling, the sampling of, and assay data from, underground drill core is monitored through the implementation of a quality assurance - quality control (QA-QC) program designed to follow industry best practice. Samples are transported in sealed bags to Eagle River Mine assay office in Wawa, Ontario. Samples are analyzed for gold using standard fire assay technique with gravimetric finish. Wesdome mine inserts blanks in the sample sequence and certified reference standards are inserted by the laboratory for quality control. The technical content of this release has been compiled, reviewed and approved by Michael Michaud, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of the Company and a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 -Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. ABOUT WESDOME Wesdome Gold Mines is in its 30th year of continuous gold mining operations in Canada. The Company is 100% Canadian focused with a pipeline of projects in various stages of development. The Eagle River Complex in Wawa, Ontario is currently producing gold from two mines, the Eagle River Underground Mine and the Mishi Open pit, from a central mill. Wesdome is actively exploring its brownfields asset, the Kiena Complex in Val dOr, Quebec. The Kiena Complex is a fully permitted former mine with a 930 metre shaft and 2,000 tonne per day mill. The Company has further upside at its Moss Lake gold deposit, located 100 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is being explored and evaluated to be developed in the appropriate gold price environment. The Company has approximately 138.0 million shares issued and outstanding and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WDO. For further information, please contact: Duncan Middlemiss or Lindsay Carpenter Dunlop President and CEO VP Investor Relations 416-360-3743 ext. 2029 416-360-3743 ext. 2025 duncan.middlemiss@wesdome.com lindsay.dunlop@wesdome.com 220 Bay Street, Suite 1200 Toronto, ON, M5J 2W4 Toll Free: 1-866-4-WDO-TSX Phone: 416-360-3743, Fax: 416-360-7620 Website: www.wesdome.com This news release contains forward-looking information which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the Company and its projects. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, or believes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances, managements estimates or opinions should change, except as required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company has included in this news release certain non-IFRS performance measures, including, but not limited to, mine operating profit, mining and processing costs and cash costs. Cash costs per ounce reflect actual mine operating costs incurred during the fiscal period divided by the number of ounces produced. These measures are not defined under IFRS and therefore should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to or more meaningful than, net income (loss) or cash flow from operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of our financial performance or liquidity. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate cash flow Table 1: Drilling Composites Falcon/7 Zone Hole No. From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) True Width (m) Grade (g/t Au) Cut Grade (125 g/t Au) 622-E-01 38.05 39.85 1.80 1.69 15.77 15.77 622-E-02 42.40 44.15 1.75 1.52 51.33 38.15 622-E-03 32.70 34.60 1.90 1.84 29.82 27.64 622-E-04 37.40 39.90 2.50 2.35 35.35 34.21 622-E-05 36.00 37.80 1.80 1.69 8.51 8.51 622-E-11 45.70 58.20 12.50 8.03 18.55 18.38 622-E-12 39.55 41.30 1.75 1.52 56.84 42.89 772-E-90 85.70 87.45 1.75 1.52 9.97 9.97 772-E-91 137.00 138.85 1.85 1.52 0.51 0.51 772-E-92 136.20 140.70 4.50 3.45 10.47 10.47 772-E-93 94.60 96.20 1.60 1.50 11.47 11.47 772-E-97 120.20 122.05 1.85 1.52 0.26 0.26 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4ed988c8-8b4f-41db-912d-255eedad9ab4 PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/0a6fd432-e7cc-464f-b0c6-2b5aeb4749fa We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Skin-whitening, child marriage, a curtailed education: Vietnamese model and literacy campaigner H'Hen Nie has defied traditional expectations laid on her -- and is now determined to show the next generation a different way. The 2017 Miss Universe Vietnam winner, who hails from the Ede ethnic minority group in the Central Highlands, was 14 years old when her farmer mother suggested she find a husband. "I was really scared of getting married. At that time I liked to swim, slide down slopes and play in the forest," the 28-year-old tells AFP. She was being led down the path of many poor, marginalised ethnic minority children in Vietnam -- marrying young, dropping out of school, and having a slimmer shot of making it to positions of power. But H'Hen had other plans, explaining: "I was competitive and I loved to study. And I had lots of dreams." Today, as the first ethnic minority woman to win Vietnam's crown, H'Hen is widely regarded as a trailblazer, going on to represent the country on Miss Universe's world stage and finishing in the Top 5. H'Hen Nie has becomes the first ethnic minority woman to win the Miss Universe Vietnam title after she won the contest in 2017. Photo: AFP She is now an ambassador for global non-profit Room to Read, which focuses on girls' education in the developing world -- an issue pulled into sharper focus as the coronavirus exposes inequalities globally. A recent Malala Fund report found that 20 million more secondary school-aged girls are at risk of permanently dropping out of school compared to boys by the time the crisis has passed. Charities are also warning that years of progress tackling child marriage is being undone as desperate families, plunged into poverty because of the pandemic, marry young daughters off -- meaning they are less likely to complete their education. Refusing to conform In Vietnam, the legal age to wed is 18, but UNICEF says one in ten girls are married before. Amongst ethnic groups the figure is almost double that. Growing up with six siblings in a traditional stilt house, H'Hen knew from a young age what was expected of her due to her gender and ethnicity -- but she defiantly rejected the pressures to conform. Even beauty became a battleground. Colourism -- prejudice against darker skin tones -- is pervasive across Asia. Today, in the aftermath of the global Black Lives Matter protests, a backlash has begun against archaic beliefs that fair complexions are more desirable. But even as a young girl, H'Hen was ahead of the times. Her mother tried to convince her to use skin whitening products. "I refused to take it and would run away to play," H'Hen remembered. "Teenagers often bought cream that made their faces extremely white... but I didn't want to be like them." And while never outright rejecting her mother's suggestions of marriage, she instead turned to her books and taught herself Vietnamese -- her passport out of the rural village where only a local dialect was spoken. A decade later, sitting in a golden, chandeliered convention centre in Ho Chi Minh City, H'Hen is helping choose a local designer to dress her Miss Universe Vietnam successor. Her early days in the bustling city were less glamorous. She worked as a maid to fund her degree in corporate finance, and family too came round to her ambitions. She says: "My mother started to save money for my studies. It was a huge sacrifice. I think my siblings were perhaps not given that much food -- certainly no treats." Empowering girls, changing lives After a couple of years in the country's commercial hub, she got her break as a model, and was soon thrust into the spotlight as the first ethnic minority woman to win the Miss Universe Vietnam title. But her win brought out racists -- who claimed her skin was too dark for her to be beautiful. "I got made fun of so much that it became normal," H'Hen says. The taunts only increased her determination to instill confidence and a love of learning in girls from disadvantaged families. "The thing that I couldn't stand was their comments about my people. I didn't want others in my community to be criticised because of their skin... so I would speak out." 2017 Miss Universe Vietnam winner H'Hen Nie. Photo: AFP On the advice of her mother -- now her biggest champion -- H'Hen poured all of her Miss Universe prize money into scholarship programmes for schoolchildren. Since her win, she has raised tens of thousands of dollars to build libraries in Vietnam's rural central provinces and supported girls across Asia and Africa to complete secondary school. H'Hen also mentors older girls who want to go onto further studies. "I guess I'm a little biased when I meet girls from my community in Ho Chi Minh City," she laughhs. "If she's a student, I encourage her to study more. If she's struggling, I'll offer to share her tuition fees." If they are given the tools to succeed, she says, nothing can hold them back. H'Hen insistis: "I want to share this message and change some lives." A right-wing activist who fired paintballs toward a crowd of opposing demonstrators last month in downtown Portland has been arrested, records show. Alan Swinney, a 50-year-old supporter of President Donald Trump, is being held in the Multnomah County Detention Center on suspicion of a dozen criminal counts, including accusations of felony assault and unlawful use of a weapon. He was booked into jail Wednesday morning and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday, according to records. Details of Swinneys arrest werent immediately clear. A secret indictment was filed in the case Sept. 11, but became public after his arrest. The indictment alleges Swinney used a paintball gun and mace or a similar substance during downtown Portland demonstrations on Aug. 15 and Aug. 22. It also alleges he pointed a revolver at someone during the Aug. 22 demonstration. The Oregonian/OregonLive photographed Swinney pointing a paintball gun toward a crowd of antifascist or Black Lives Matter protesters on Aug. 22. Swinney was then seen and captured on video shooting the paintball gun. He also was seen pointing what appeared to be a firearm at the crowd, but he did not shoot. Alan swinney shoots paintballs in the crowd. One paint ball hit this reporter, I point to press pass, swinney continues anyway pic.twitter.com/Hro9pPp6Rr Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 23, 2020 Swinney faces three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of second-degree unlawful use of mace and one count each of fourth-degree assault, attempted fourth-degree assault, second-degree attempted assault, menacing and pointing a firearm at another person. Swinney is already facing a pair of lawsuits stemming from the August incidents. A woman who says she was hurt by a paintball he fired has filed a $250,000 lawsuit against him, and hes named in a second, $1.25 million lawsuit alongside two other men. Swinney has described himself on social media as a conservative and a Trump supporter. He lives in Texas, according to records and his Twitter profile. KATU (2) first reported Swinney had been booked into jail. -- Jim Ryan jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 This has happened before, this will happen again." The brutal gangrape and death of a 20-year-old Dalit girl in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, has left the country shocked. The woman was gang-raped two weeks ago, following which she was admitted to the AMUs Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital. She passed away on Tuesday. However, in a shocking turn of events which has led to a nationwide outrage, the victims body was forcefully cremated by the police and district administration of Hathras around 3am on Wednesday, allegedly against the wishes of the family. The Hathras rape is not just an instance of gender-based violence - it is also a case of caste-based gender violence inflicted by the upper castes against women. That is why anti-caste and Dalit activists have been urging people to use the victims name while protesting, in order to highlight her caste activity. Amid the thousands of posts of outrage, of despair and condolences and cries for justice, one voice stands out - that of poet Meena Kandasamys. For the unaware, Kandasamy is an Indian poet, activist and fiction writer; she has also always been vocal about Dalit issues and the fight against caste. In a poem titled, Rape Nation, Kandasamy narrates the gruesome details of the Hathras rape and talks about how this is not the first time such an incident has happened, and it wont be the last. She writes, In Hathras, cops barricade a raped womans home, hijack her corpse, set it afire on a murderous night, deaf to her mothers howling pain. In a land where Dalits cannot rule, they cannot rage, or even mourn. This has happened before, this will happen again." The poem goes on, Sanatana, the only law of the land thats in force, Sanatana, where nothing, nothing ever will change. Always, always a victim-blaming slut-template, a rapist-shielding police-state, a caste-denying fourth estate." You can read her full poem here: With almost 1,000 retweets, the poem has gone viral on social media. Saw this on Maroonadis (Prof. Maroona Murmu) Facebook wall. Rape Nation by Meena Kandasamy: pic.twitter.com/uVujN5G4ue Adhiraaj Ray (@adhiraajray) September 30, 2020 Rape Nation.This has happened before. This will happen again" https://t.co/fBebvuA3ZG Manasa R (@imbindassM) September 30, 2020 This is my nation today - Cant even cry anymore https://t.co/p0g61QdzRM krish (@vkmagus) September 30, 2020 This has happened before, this will happen again. Thank you @meenakandasamy for this powerful lament n protest. https://t.co/Hg53nSk7JR raj bharath patta (@rajpatta) September 30, 2020 If you want to make change" on social media, change the narrative. Amplify Dalit voices and their rightful fury and sadness, not graphic violence. Pierce the filter bubble for their sake; these platforms are weaponised against marginalised voices, let them be heard. https://t.co/1hJEAU4ruv PRM, PhD (@praymurray) September 30, 2020 This will happen again" - its scary. Im tired of plain hashtags - I bet you a huge percentage of those participate in these trending" activities dont really care. We want justice. https://t.co/SLW5FQT7n0 Lucky (@Lucky_entp) September 30, 2020 India is one of the only countries in the world with such high rates of caste-based violence. As per data, over four Dalit women are raped every day in India. Violence against Dalits and other scheduled caste women is part of a pattern of caste-based discrimination and oppression that is prevalent in large parts of India. Meet Lamb Chop! This Puppy Mill Survivor Is the Winner of the Worlds Cutest Rescue Dog Contest Lamb Chop and her owner work with Bailing Out Benji in an effort to shut down puppy mills and encourage pet adoption Christin Schubert will never forget the first time she laid eyes on Lamb Chop, the shy little 12-pound Maltese she adopted in December 2014. After the death of her beloved rescue cat Seven, Schubert had gone to the Washington County Humane Society in Slinger, Wisconsin, in hopes of making another special connection with a pet in need of a home. I hadnt planned on getting a dog, admits the 41-year-old, who works in IT for Harley Davidson, but she was so small. She struck my heart." Lamb Chop has also stolen the hearts of voters in PEOPLE's third annual Worlds Cutest Rescue Dog Contest Presented by the PEDIGREE Brand. After almost two weeks of voting, she triumphed over more than 10,000 other adorable dogs to take first place in the annual contest. Her prizes include a years supply of dog food from the PEDIGREE Brand, $1,000 to donate to the animal rescue of her choice, and an appearance on Good Morning America as well as the chance to share her very moving story in the hope of helping other animals. Like an estimated 2.4 million dogs sold in America each year, according to the Humane Society of the United States, Lamb Chops life tragically began in a puppy mill, where she spent more than six years, likely giving birth to multiple litters. When she was rescued, local vets had to remove all of her teeth because they were rotten, Schubert, who lives in Milwaukee, tells PEOPLE. The tiny pup was also treated for cauliflower ear and had to have several tumors removed as a result of medical neglect. All of these later medical expenses were covered by the Washington County Humane Society before Lamb Chop went to her forever home. I couldn't bring her home right away, because she had to have all of those surgeries, and Washington County used a significant portion of their medical fund to take care of her, Schubert says. I am really thankful for that. They are a small, little shelter that I think does really great work with animals." Story continues Sharon Vanorny After leaving the puppy mill, there were emotional scars as well: Lamb Chop was scared of people and unsure how to interact with other dogs. These days Lamb Chop is a different dog from the frightened pup Schubert first brought home. I can go grocery shopping and come home, and shes just sitting there happy and waiting, unlike when I first would leave her, says Schubert, who enrolled Lamb Chop in shy dog classes and worked with a trainer to help her develop trust in humans again. Today they work with a nonprofit called Bailing Out Benji, which is dedicated to exposing the connections between pet stores and puppy mills and educating people on the importance of adopting pets. We always say that in order for puppy mills to close, the public needs to stop funding them through their purchases, says Schubert. As part of their work, Schubert and Lamb Chop go to pet expos to talk about how puppy mills dogs are often sold at pet stores where employees lie about where the dogs came from and work with local councilmembers and the state and federal lawmakers to try to implement humane ordinances, which stops the sale of puppy mills puppies in pet stores. Lamb Chop is a supercute face to an ugly industry, her proud owner adds. Sharon Vanorny The only outward sign that remains of Lamb Chops traumatic start is the way her tongue hangs out of her mouth particularly when shes tired because of losing all her teeth. Schubert says this feature is often a draw to pet expo visitors, who approach the Bailing Out Benji table to meet the dog and end up learning about puppy mills. The coronavirus pandemic has put a pause on Bailing Out Benji's events, but animal lovers can still learn more about their work on the nonprofit's website. I did start an Instagram page for her, so we can use that platform to educate virtually, Schubert adds. Lamb Chop, who was named for ventriloquist Shari Lewiss famous puppet (who was also toothless), has become a happy, well-adjusted pup. Shes obsessed with her owner, her stuffed-animal collection, and cheese like a true Wisconsinite, says Schubert. She is still shy, but were working on that, and I think with treats and peoples patience, she will be anybodys best friend. Schubert hopes this win for Lamb Chop will also be another step toward a better life for all puppy mill dogs. I always tell people that I think she is super brave and resilient, given what she has gone through, she says. She has an amazing joy for life." While Lamb Chop took the top prize, she was joined in the top 3 by two other amazing rescues. Jane Jones Lunas is a former stray that has owner Jane Jones over the moon. She says he has been her joy ever since she adopted the dog in 2014. The 6-year-old pooch, originally found as a flea covered stray in Jackson, Mississippi, loves to play ball despite missing part of his lower jaw due to a pre-adoption injury which also causes his tongue to hang out from the side of his mouth. Nina Aguero Rios Once abandoned with a broken back in Oklahoma, Dianas dark days are behind her. The 3-year-old dog now lives in New York City, where she easily navigates the city streets thanks to her custom wheelchair. She teaches me every day that happiness and love are precious," says owner Nina Aguero Rios. To learn more about Lamb Chop and the runners-up, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday. A pregnant woman and her boyfriend have been arrested and hit with serious charges after police allegedly uncovered a meth lab inside their Sydney home. Jung Im Lee, 37, and Mario Carnese, 47, had their apartment in the western suburb of Rhodes raided by police on Friday, September 25. A large clandestine laboratory was allegedly found in the unit block's garage and a second smaller operation was allegedly found on the balcony, off the couple's bedroom. Jung Im Lee, 37, and Mario Carnese, 47, (both pictured) had their Rhodes apartment raided by police on Friday, September 25 A large clandestine laboratory was allegedly found in the unit block's garage and a second smaller operation was allegedly found on the balcony, off the couple's bedroom During the raid, police allegedly found $750,000 cash, 23 boxes of firearm ammunition, 65kg of silver bullion and 900g of gold bullion A vault was also uncovered on Castlereagh St in the CBD, which allegedly contained a drug set-up. There was allegedly about 40kg of meth and 400g of MDMA, with a combined street value of $5.62million, at the sites. During the raid, police allegedly found $750,000 cash, 23 boxes of firearm ammunition, 65kg of silver bullion and 900g of gold bullion. Carnese has been accused of running the operation. Mario Carnese, 47, has been accused of running a multimillion-dollar meth ring from Sydney Earlier this year, detectives from the State Crime Command's Criminal Groups Squad established Strike Force Smede to investigate the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs across Sydney He was charged with large commercial drug manufacture, supply, conducting a drug premises and dealing with the proceeds of crime. He appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday but did not apply for bail, as his case was adjourned until November 23, the Daily Telegraph reported. Lee has been accused of knowing about the operation. She was charged with four offences including owner/occupier knowingly allowing use as drug premises and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime. She was granted conditional bail in court and will appear in court next month. He was charged with large commercial drug manufacture, supply, conducting a drug premises and dealing with the proceeds of crime Lee has been accused of knowing about the operation. She was charged with four offences including owner/occupier knowingly allow use as drug premises and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) President Rodrigo Dutertes move to raise the Philippines South China Sea arbitral win during the United Nations General Assembly will pave the way for wider engagement and constructive talks with all stakeholders in the maritime dispute, an official said Wednesday. He (the President) is already signaling the opening of the doors for wider and more constructive engagement with all the stakeholders involved in the situation in the South China Sea, Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje, told CNN Philippines' The Source. In his debut at the global bodys 75th general debate last week, Duterte asserted the countrys 2016 arbitral victory in the South China Sea case, one that recognized the Philippines' sovereign rights in areas within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Duterte said the Philippines rejects any attempt to undermine the said award a pronouncement welcomed by lawmakers and experts who have long sought for his strong stance on the matter. RELATED: Duterte lauded for sea row stance, urged to turn PH arbitral victory into reality Malacanang, however, has refused to call Dutertes statement as strong, saying the latter only reiterated existing government policies. China continues to object to the landmark ruling, which it labeled as illegal and invalid. The East Asian giant is also hoping that the Philippine government will stick to the consensus to set aside differences, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said in a statement. Meanwhile, Borje, who is also the chief of presidential protocol, believes the Presidents UN address also showed that the Philippines can have its own principled position on various international issues. It opened discussions on multilateral diplomacy, and the role of the Philippines and that the Philippines is not just in the sidelines, the official added It doesnt simply have to always agree with the general sentiments It can actually have principled positions, it can have fiscalizing roles on the issues of, for example, the South China Sea, situation of migrant workers, the issue on climate change, Borje said. Aside from the maritime dispute, Duterte's UN address, also touched on other topics including the much-criticized human rights situation in the country as well as the plight of overseas Filipino workers. The public will have another chance to comment on proposed zoning changes that would allow a 300-unit apartment building to be constructed at the Connecticut Post Mall. The Milford Planning and Zoning Board voted at its Sept. 15 meeting to continue the hearing to Oct. 6. The proposal drew mixed reviews from business leaders, city officials, and residents. The first speaker during the public hearing was Gary Johnson of Terrace Road, who said he supported the proposal as a necessary thing so that the mall could sustain and grow. Johnson thanked the mall operators for their generosity over the years. He commented that in 1990 during a celebration for the expansion that brought Filenes and JC Penney to the mall, then owner Westfield donated $50,000 to Milford Hospital for some much-needed hospital equipment. While he did not identify himself as serving in that role, Johnson is president and chief executive officer of United Way of Milford. That generosity from Westfield, now to Centennial, has continued in the fact that the mall is very generous in giving to non-profits in this community. United Way is certainly one of the beneficiaries, said Johnson. I think this is necessary thing to happen to ensure the mall stays sustainable and grows in the future. Dominic Cotton of Corona Drive said he sees this as a positive thing a walkable community close to the highway. Cotton said the project should include 30 units of affordable housing. Alderman Frank Smith of Second Avenue (D-3), who is running for state representative in the 118th district, said he understands the trends and difficulties facing the mall, but said the board should explore other options before going to residential. Smith said this change could open up the floodgates for other residential projects on the Post Road that would transform the traditional commercial district. Kathleen Paulson of Park Avenue said she agreed that the mall needs to change, but said Milford has added a lot of housing recently, which may lead to crowding of schools. I dont think we need any more housing, said Paulson. Pamela Staneski of Point Lookout, who is the executive director of the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, spoke in that role in support of the project, saying that the mall has helped Milford businesses over the years and has sponsored scholarships for graduating high school seniors. Staneski said now the city needs to help the mall. She said the project would provide jobs, and commented that the school system has the capacity to add more students, having dropped from 7,700 to 5,500 students in recent years. We should applaud Centennial and the Connecticut Post Mall leadership for thinking outside the box, looking at the future and addressing the challenges that other malls have ignored, said Staneski. Julie Nash, director of economic and community development for the city, spoke in opposition to the project. Nash said that while she would normally applaud a mixed-use development, she said this project is not one that lends itself to the long-term health and well-being of Milford and its economy. She said the residential must blend together with the commercial to work together as one ecosystem and this is not demonstrated in this project. The proposal is not comprehensive enough to justify the proposed changes, said Nash. The proposal lacks a long-term cohesive plan that encompasses multi-family residential development along with complementary, innovative and vibrant uses that will enhance the viability of the mall. Nash said the project should encompass other uses, such as university extensions, workforce development, corporate headquarters, and co-working spaces, as is being done at other malls across the country. She also expressed the concern about the effect his project would have on surrounding properties. As two of the four examples cited by Nash, she said Google leased the entire Westside Pavilion, a former enclosed shopping mall in Los Angeles, and is using it as a creative office campus. Westfield is repurposing more than 34,000 sq. ft. of its Westfield San Francisco Centre as a co-working space, technology demonstration and event space called Bespoke. In response, Steven Levin, founder and chief executive officer of Centennial, said he is familiar with the Los Angeles project. Levin said he loves co-working and it would be great to work with Google, but said the Los Angeles and San Francisco projects cannot be compared to the mall in Milford. We have to deal with the reality of where we are and what our project is, said Levin, saying the company lost 30 percent of its income in one year. We are asking for your support to help this mall survive. The prevalence of Sars-Cov-2 virus antibodies in Delhi dropped by over four percentage points in a month, officials told the Delhi high court citing the recent serological survey, throwing up an epidemiological finding that now distorts estimates of how many people may have been exposed to Covid-19 in the national capital. The presence of antibodies, which develop after a person has had an infection, is only expected to grow within a population with an outbreak. WATCH | Covid update: Mumbai orders 72,000 injections; new Unlock 5 rules; UK spike But it was 29.1% among the 15,000 people sampled in August, dropping to 24.8% among the 17,197 people sampled in September, according to the Delhi governments submissions. The decrease may be due to a change in sampling method to represent of socio-economic conditions of the people, the researchers who designed the survey said. The sampling method that we have used this time is more representative; samples were collected based on where people lived -- planned colonies, unauthorised colonies etc, said Pragya Sharma, professor of community medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), who was part of the team that designed the survey, led by MAMC dean Nandini Sharma. Also Read: Plea wants end to pasting posters outside homes of Covid-19 patients, HC seeks Delhi govt reply If this is the right hypothesis, it means that the exposure level is one and four individuals, and the 29.1% projected in the previous survey was incorrect due to lopsided sampling. Experts said the change in sampling criteria meant comparing the last two surveys was similar to comparing apples and oranges. Ideally, seroprevalence should not go down, especially when lockdown is happening and more and more cases are being reported. The pattern will become clear after a couple of more rounds of sero survey, said Dr Amit Singh, associate professor, centre for infectious diseases at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. The latest survey sampled people based on whether they lived in five accommodation types planned colonies, resettlement colonies, urban slums and JJ colonies, urban and rural villages, and unauthorised colonies. It found prevalence of antibodies was lower among those in planned colonies 22.9% as compared to 25.9% in other areas. This could be because it may be easier for people living in planned colonies to maintain social distance and hygiene, the survey states. Some researchers added that the other reason for the dip could be a drop in antibodies among people who may have been infected a longer time ago. The August seroprevalence was based on the infections that had happened a month ago; Delhi had seen a surge in cases in June end and July. This could be the reason for high antibody prevalence in August and then dissipating antibodies resulted in lower prevalence in September, said Dr Sharma. Also Read: Delhi reports 3,390 fresh Covid-19 cases, 41 related deaths However, studies on immune responses, have not borne out this trend conclusively over the period of time the three sero surveys were carried out in. There are some data not very robust that shows the antibodies go down after three or four months, but it wouldnt explain a 4% dip, Singh said. Dr Shobha Broor, former head of the department of microbiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), too said there should not be a dip in the seroprevalence. We need to look at the minutae of how the samples were collected and how the data was analysed, she added. A Delhi government spokesperson said the second survey sampling was done at the district level while for the third samples were selected from 280 divisions - 272 MCD wards and four divisions each of NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board. Hence, the third sero survey was much more representative of the antibodies prevalence at population level, he said. Officials in Delhis health departments earlier said, while asking not to be named, that the September sampling showed that the prevalence of antibodies have increased to close to 33%. The Delhi high court pulled up the government for disclosing these findings. Why is the Delhi government so eager to give the survey report to the media and not to the court? Dont show the press as unreliable. Dont play games with the court like thisHave you issued a clarification, a bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad said. The Delhi surveys have consistently shown that more women than men have had exposure to Covid-19, which is opposite of what the national-level survey has found. In the current round of surveys, 30.4% of the women participants had antibodies as compared to 27.3% men. The highest seroprevalence was among women from Northwest Delhi at 33.1%. The study authors recommended that the rounds of sero surveillance needs to be held at longer intervals currently it is conducted during the first week of each month as per resource constraints. Any future rounds of the sero survey should have an enhanced focus on ensuring representativeness of the sample in terms of settlement type and socioeconomic status, the study said. The courts admonition came while hearing a plea filed by advocate Rakesh Malhotra who had sought ramping up of tests in the city. On the last date, the court had asked the Delhi government to submit the results of the 3rd sero survey in the court and not give it out to the media. During the hearing, the Delhi government also submitted a status report stating that the Geospatial Delhi Limited (GSDL) was requested to map out fixed testing sites to ensure easy access to the residents of Delhi. The government told the court that the final map has been shared with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) with request to put it on display at prominent locations/sites at major metro stations (at entry/exit points and others as found appropriate) for the information of general public. On the issue of providing testing access through Mohalla Clinics and Community centres, the government told the court that the need for more testing sites is a constituent of the overall testing paradigm under consideration of the Expert Committee and a decision shall be taken in accordance with what the panel decides. WOOD RIVER Since 1982 librarians around the country have encouraged people to read and talk about the bad books. This week is no exception, as Banned Book Week runs through Oct. 3. Sometimes profane, or sexual, or contrary to accepted ideas, banned and challenged books range from what are now considered literary masterpieces to childrens books. Like many libraries, the Wood River Library has a display honoring those books. Actually, two displays one in the adult section and another in the childrens section. Its important because we here at Wood River Library, and really libraries everywhere, believe it should be your choice what to read, said Wood River Library Circulation Clerk Amy Gibbons. We do not censor; we do not pull books that have been banned or challenged or anything like that. We like to keep all of them in the collection. The adult display included Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the Harry Potter series books, and George Orwells Animal Farm. More Information Top 10 banned and challenged books of 2019 1. George by Alex Gino Reasons: challenged, banned, restricted, and hidden to avoid controversy; for LGBTQIA+ content and a transgender character; because schools and libraries should not "put books in a child's hand that require discussion"; for sexual references; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint and "traditional family structure" 2. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin Reasons: challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, for "its effect on any young people who would read it," and for concerns that it was sexually explicit and biased 3. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller Reasons: Challenged and vandalized for LGBTQIA+ content and political viewpoints, for concerns that it is "designed to pollute the morals of its readers," and for not including a content warning 4. Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg, illustrated by Fiona Smyth Reasons: Challenged, banned, and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content; for discussing gender identity and sex education; and for concerns that the title and illustrations were "inappropriate" 5. Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack, illustrated by Stevie Lewis Reasons: Challenged and restricted for featuring a gay marriage and LGBTQIA+ content; for being "a deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children" with the potential to cause confusion, curiosity, and gender dysphoria; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint 6. I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas Reasons: Challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content, for a transgender character, and for confronting a topic that is "sensitive, controversial, and politically charged" 7. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity and for "vulgarity and sexual overtones" 8. Drama written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier Reasons: Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and for concerns that it goes against "family values/morals" 9. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling Reasons: Banned and forbidden from discussion for referring to magic and witchcraft, for containing actual curses and spells, and for characters that use "nefarious means" to attain goals 10. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson illustrated by Henry Cole Reason: Challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content Source: American Library Association See More Collapse She said they have occasionally received a complaint about a book, but she couldnt recall anyone trying to get one banned. Most of the complaints come from parents of younger children, according to Gibbons. Maybe their kid has brought something home from school or they read something they didnt agree with. We always say Its not our job to decide what your child reads, she added. If you dont want your child to read this, that is your prerogative, but we will always provide whatever books we have here. Gibbons said a more appropriate question would be whether a book is age appropriate. While that can include content, it is also about the difficulty in comprehension. In our childrens section, all of our books are marked with an accelerated reading level, she said. We encourage children to read within their age limit. Not for content necessarily, but it can get very frustrating if they are picking out eighth grade books in the first grade. That doesnt mean content cant be an issue. We have adult cards and juvenile cards, she said. If a child comes in with a juvenile card and is obviously very young and comes up with The Exorcist, Im probably going to say Does mom know youre reading this, maybe we should call and check this out. As part of the week, the American Library Associations Office of Intellectual Freedom announced the Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books for the past decade. Titles on the list range from a superhero in his underpants to a number of what are today considered classic pieces of literature. According to the American Library Association, the list includes books challenged for a variety of reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, sexual references, religious viewpoints, content that addresses racism and police brutality, and profanity. Although the reasons differ, the censorship of literature in libraries share a common result: the violation of our First Amendment rights, according to the groups website. The top five were The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey; Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher; Looking for Alaska by John Green; and George by Alex Gino. The entire list can been viewed at http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/decade2019, or visit https://bannedbooksweek.org/. Commentary UN Rapporteur: Finding the Truth or Furthering False Narratives in Myanmar? Ethnic Rakhine people stage a protest against the UN and INGOs in relation to the Rakhine issue in Yangon in 2012. / The Irrawaddy Myanmar has a new UN special rapporteur on human rights: Thomas Andrews, a former member of the US House of Representatives from the first Congressional District of Maine. He succeeds Yanghee Lee of South Korea, who, after initially being given access to Myanmar, was informed by the government in 2017 that she had been barred from returning to the country, as she had failed to demonstrate impartiality or objectivity in carrying out her work. Andrews brief bio mentions that he is a senior adviser to the US-based human rights group Fortify Rights. Recently, Andrews said his primary constituents are those whose human rights are under threat or under siege. He also pledged to engage with and listen to the government of Myanmar on issues of human rights. Now that he is UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, his past and present affiliation with Fortify Rights will surely raise concerns. It remains unclear whether he will be issued a visa to enter the country, but in any case, critics say Andrews will need to distance himself from Fortify Rights if he wishes to establish credibility as an impartial witness to events in Myanmar. Why? Last week, an article published in Asia Times rightly pointed out blunders in reporting by US media stalwart The New York Times and Fortify Rights, who published alleged testimony by two Myanmar soldiers who claimed to have committed murder and other atrocities against Rohingya people in Rakhine State in 2017, on their bosses orders. Critics not only questioned the credibility of the Fortify reports, but also pointed out that the publicity potentially endangers the safety of the two soldiers, their family members and close friends and associates still in Myanmar, as they could be subject to reprisals, which would deter other potential witnesses to atrocities from coming forward. According to the reports, the two soldiers are believed to be in The Haguethe location of the International Criminal Court. But the soldiers are not, as the reports claim, deserters; rather, they are prisoners of war. In northern Rakhine, the Myanmar army engages in daily clashes with the Arakan Army (AA). The two soldiers mentioned in the reports are among many serving officers and troops who have been captured during the conflict. They did not desert their units. Furthermore, there is a glaring omission in the story: How did the two captured soldiers get to The Hague? Were Bangladesh officials involved? Unconfirmed reports from Bangladesh suggest they were given Bangladeshi passports to facilitate travel to the Netherlands. If so, who stamped the Schengen visa in their passports? Who was involved in the operation? Did Fortify Rights play a role? Foreigners who have been working on Myanmar issues for decades and independent critics say this is not the first time Fortify Rights has misconstrued the plight of refugees and victims. No wonder it has earned itself the moniker Falsify Rights. In 2017, mobile phone footage of Myanmar soldiers beating men wearing civilian clothes in Shan State shocked social media followers. Fortify Rights claimed the footage had been taken in recent days or weeks, a claim repeated by The New York Times. However, it turned out the video was two years old. The New York Times is not alone in falling prey to such groups falsehoods. And it would be unfair to single out Fortify Rights, as there are other birds of its feather. The Arakan Project comes to mind. When the Thailand-based human rights group reported a massacre in Du Chee Yar Tan in northern Rakhine State in 2014, the Associated Press immediately bought into the claim. This publication followed suit. Not to be left behind, Fortify Rights days later jumped on the issue and used it as an opportunity to criticize the government. The Myanmar government and Presidents Office denied there was any evidence of a massacre. The UN then demanded that Myanmar authorities investigate credible information about a reported massacre of more than 40 Rohingya Muslims in northern Rakhine State. So far, no one has bothered to investigate the real story of what happened at Du Chee Yar Tan village. Several independent sources including local human rights workers and independent researchers now say the Arakan Project, Fortify Rights and the UN made a huge mistake by repeating lies told to them by Muslim villagers. There were clashes between police officers and local villagers, but no massacre took place. A conflict erupted between local residents and security forces following the disappearance of a police sergeant, who is presumed to be dead. But then Muslim villagers spread false information among the media and rights groups. There are many stories of similar episodes occurring elsewhereeach time, media and rights groups have failed to verify the accounts they are being told. Working on the issue of the Rohingya is a worthy cause, but critics say their record of consistently playing fast and loose with the facts means rights groups like Fortify deserve closer scrutiny. Many go further, saying the group is willfully misconstruing reality in Myanmar in order to expand its funding base. In Myanmar, we have grown used to a revolving door of UN envoysof varying degrees of fitnessalong with an unappetizing assortment of peace industrialists, carpetbaggers and gold diggers who arrive looking to exploit Myanmars plight in order to extend their CVs, before moving on to greener pastures. Their reputations are deservedly rotten, but they continue to unfairly tarnish Myanmars image. If a poor image is the destiny of the country, so be it. But leave Myanmar alone to it. Lastly, it cannot be ignored that the issue of funding is vital for a number of these organizations and individuals. In their world, greed and social media vanity trump the truthand the Rohingya issue is a cash cow. But honestly, and sadly, some longtime observers now say that many rights groups preach accountability while giving themselves license to exaggerate, distort and repurpose reality to fit their Orientalist narratives. In recent decades, countless stories have emerged of the militarys human rights violations against civilians, activists and political prisoners in Myanmar. The role of local and international media and human rights organizations is imperative in exposing and seeking accountability for these atrocities, and in deterring further abuses. However, their reporting should be guided by the truth and abstain from exaggeration. Once again, truth is the first casualtyand the perpetrators are still at large. You may also like these stories: UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar Urges China, Russia to Join Calls for Accountability on Rohingya Political Correctness and the Genocide Case Against Myanmar Myanmars UN Ambassador Rejects Damning Rohingya Rights Report The Queen has expressed her sadness following the death of the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, saying she deeply valued his friendship towards the UK. In a message to his successor Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who has been sworn in as the ruler of the tiny oil-rich country, the monarch praised the late emirs humanitarian work. The Queen wrote in the condolences, which were also shared on the royal familys official Twitter account: I was saddened to hear of the death of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah. The Queens message of condolence to The Amir of Kuwait, following the death of The Amir. pic.twitter.com/uSn38zjvHA The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 30, 2020 Your distinguished brother devoted his life to the service of the State of Kuwait and especially its relationship with its allies and friends. He will be long remembered by all who work for regional stability, understanding between nations and between faiths, and for the humanitarian cause. I have deeply valued his friendship towards the United Kingdom, and his memorable State Visit in November 2012. I offer Your Highness my sincere condolences. I offer also my sympathy to the people of Kuwait. May the long history of close companionship between our two families continue. The message was signed Elizabeth R, and accompanied on social media with a photograph of the Queen alongside Sheikh Sabah at Windsor Castle during his 2012 state visit. The 91-year-old ruler, who has been hailed as a great humanitarian leader, died in hospital in the United States on Tuesday. His coffin will be flown back to Kuwait from Rochester, Minnesota, home of the Mayo Clinic where he had been receiving medical treatment after falling ill in July. Story continues Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh ahead of a state banquet at Windsor Castle (Oli Scarff/PA) His funeral would typically draw tens of thousands of mourning Kuwaitis and scores of foreign leaders and dignitaries but, because of the coronavirus pandemic, his burial will be a private family service instead. As ruling emir, he faced falling oil prices, internal political disputes and the fallout from the 2011 Arab Spring, but he will be known for resolving regional disputes including the ongoing deadlock between Qatar and other Arab nations. At 83, Sheikh Nawaf is not expected to deviate from the diplomatic path charted by his half-brother, but his accession has sparked speculation about who will become the next crown prince in Kuwait, which is known for its lively elected parliament and relative independence in a region of Gulf Arab monarchies. New Fritz-kola bottle design from Ardagh Group German drinks brand Fritz-kola has given packaging designers Ardagh Group the stamp of approval following a bottle redesign. Founded by two friends in Hamburg in 2003, Fritz-kola aims to deliver high-quality drinks in a sustainable way. With this in mind the company set its sights on creating 100 per cent recycable and reusable glass packaging. The brand tasked glass and metal packaging manufacturer Ardagh Group, based in Luxembourg, with creating the long-necked 200ml flint bottles. The bottles are designed to be returned and refilled up to 20 times before being recycled, and have a positive message of change embossed on the bottom: "Den wachen gehort die welt", or "The world belongs to the awake". It is embossed in reverse, so the drinker can read the message once they have finished the drink. Mirco Wolf Wiegert, co-founder and CEO of Fritz-kola, said: "In times of climate and resource protection, reusable glass is a priority for the people behind Fritz-kola. Our new bottle will be more beautiful with every use in the next few years. Friction rings and scratches will tell the stories of every bottle that avoids disposal by being reused." 30 September 2020 - Bethany Whymark The doctor leading Ireland's fight against the coronavirus pandemic has urged people to make choice which are difficult to contain the spread of the disease this winter. In a statement on Tuesday after it was revealed that 363 more cases were confirmed, Ireland's Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, Dr Glynn called on : Public buy-in and willingness to adhere to public health guidance remains the frontline of our defence against the spread of COVID-19. The vast majority of people continue to take the necessary steps in their everyday activities to protect themselves and others. If you start to experience symptoms, stay at home and contact your GP to assess your need for a COVID-19 test as soon as possible. If you have been informed that you are a close contact of someone who has the illness, please dont meet up with other people, including your family or friends, dont go to work or college, dont play sport, and avail of a test when it is offered. "I know that these are difficult choices for people to make, but each individual effort will make a significant impact on the spread of this disease and, ultimately, on the numbers of deaths that we can prevent this winter, he said. Dr Glynn issued the appeal after the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC) confirmed on Tuesday, September 30 that one person with COVID-19 has died. There has now been a total of 1,803 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight Monday, 28 September, the HPSC has been notified of 363 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 35,740 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. Of the cases notified Tuesday 154 cases are in Dublin, 40 in Cork, 23 in Donegal, 16 in Wexford, 15 in Roscommon, 14 in Galway, 14 in Monaghan, 11 in Kildare, 11 in Meath, 11 in Wicklow, 9 in Limerick, 6 in Clare, 5 in Mayo, 5 in Tipperary with the remaining 29 cases in 9 counties. 172 are men /191 are women 64% are under 45 years of age 47% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case 58 cases have been identified as community transmission The full county by county breakdown is revealed two days after the daily figures are published. The figures for Laois and neighbouring counties for Sunday, September 27 showed that 35 new cases were identified. They are as follows: Laois 447 - up 5. Offaly 717 - up 5. Kildare 2,558 - up 17. Carlow 281 - no change. Kilkenny 455 - up 1. Tipperary 781 - up 7. Dublin 16,815 - up 207. The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community. (Left to right) Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) member David Campbell, East Belfast community worker and former loyalist prisoner Jim Wilson; and UDA leader Jackie McDonald, at the Farset Centre in Belfast, as the LCC has issued a new protocol on flags and bonfires with the stated intent of reducing tensions and ensuring respect around the often contentious issues. Loyalist leaders have called for support from the UK and Irish administrations for Northern Ireland to transition beyond paramilitarism. Jim Wilson, Jackie McDonald, Robert Williamson and Winston Irvine of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) made the call after meeting with the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) in Belfast on Wednesday. The commission was one of the measures set out in the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement to bring an end to paramilitary activity in the region. Expand Close John McBurney, Monica McWilliams, Tim OConnor and Mitchell Reiss, at the launch of the Independent Reporting Commission in Belfast (PressEye/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John McBurney, Monica McWilliams, Tim OConnor and Mitchell Reiss, at the launch of the Independent Reporting Commission in Belfast (PressEye/PA) The LCC, which represents loyalists groups including the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commando, took exception to the IRCs last report which did not mention the Provisional IRA. Its next report is expected to be published in November. Following a two-hour meeting, Mr Irvine said they told the IRC that they needed to learn the lessons in terms of their failure to acknowledge the presence and the role of the Provisional IRA. There seems to be a narrative that the loyalist groupings are to be categorised as criminals and ignored while the Provisional IRA is to be sanitised, he said. The point was made about the strain and pressure under which that is placing those at a senior level in Loyalist groupings in terms of continuing to try and urge their memberships to continue down the road of transformation. Mr Irvine raised the funeral of senior republican Bobby Storey at which ex-prisoners lined the streets. The Sinn Fein line is that the IRA doesn't exist, well, who was at Bobby Storey's funeral. This is the pretence which has to stop Winston Irvine The IRC was told in very stark terms today that the pretence around the IRA having gone away and turned into some kind of butterfly that flew out of the window, is exactly that, an absolute pretence, he said. The Sinn Fein line is that the IRA doesnt exist, well, who was at Bobby Storeys funeral? This is the pretence which has to stop. The UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando announced ceasefires in 1994 in a statement which included an apology. They later took part in decommissioning of weapons. Loyalist activity such as the murder of Ian Ogle in east Belfast in January 2019 was put to the delegation. Mr Irvine responded saying the challenges and problems that loyalists face are no different to the challenges and problems which the Provisional IRA leadership faces, in relation to people who have broken off from their movement and joined dissidents. Expand Close Ian Ogles coffin is carried past a sign close to the scene of his murder at Cluan Place in East Belfast ahead of his funeral (Niall Carson/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ian Ogles coffin is carried past a sign close to the scene of his murder at Cluan Place in East Belfast ahead of his funeral (Niall Carson/PA) But the LCC has assessed that loyalists do have the ability to take the critical mass forward, but warned that there are barriers, including uncertainty around Brexit and dealing with the legacy of the past. There needs to be a political solution and a policy solution that provides the mechanism for that transformation process to begin in earnest, to date that has been missing, he said. Mr Irvine said issues such as social and economic factors including high levels of suicide, educational underachievement, low employment and poor mental health must be tackled as things that help fuel activity around paramilitarism. Mr Wilson said the Red Hand Commando attempted to lead the way by applying to be removed from the Governments list of proscribed organisations. We were trying to lead the way so that other groups to follow, a way for all of us to get out of the quagmire that were in, and the door was completely shut in our faces, he said. He called for the UK and Irish administrations to step in to support Northern Ireland moving away from paramilitarism. Some childcare providers such as nurseries are not receiving the recommended funding via local councils according to the Early Years Alliance. Credit: Getty. At least 20 local authorities in England are not funding childcare providers in line with government coronavirus guidance, according to an investigation by the Early Years Alliance. The Department for Education (DfE) is providing early years funding to all councils in England based on the number of children who were attending childcare settings last year. This is to protect nurseries who were forced to close during lockdown or have lost significant numbers due to more parents working from home. The government has pledged to block-buy these childcare places until the end of 2020 regardless of how many children are attending childcare. Under current DfE guidance, councils are expected to take the same approach and fund nurseries, preschools and childminders to broadly the levels they would have expected to see in the 2020 autumn term had there been no coronavirus outbreak. But in recent weeks, the Alliance has received a number of reports from childcare providers complaining that councils are not adhering to this guidance. READ MORE: Almost half of UK workers relying on loans, credit cards or overdrafts since COVID-19 In response, the Alliance filed a Freedom of Information request to every local authority in England, asking if they were basing the funding being given to early years providers this term on child attendance numbers from last year, as stated in the DfE guidance. Of the 120 councils who responded, 17% stated they were not following this guidance. A further 6% said they were only following the guidance in some circumstances, such as funding nurseries and pre-schools based on last years childcare attendance numbers, but not childminders. And 3% were still yet to decide. Neil Leitch, chief executive of Early Years Alliance, said: It is simply unacceptable that so many local authorities have disregarded the DfE guidance on early years funding during this critical time and more importantly, that they have been allowed to do so. Story continues He added: We have been contacted by many providers who had budgeted and planned on the basis of the governments reassurances that their funding for the autumn term wouldnt be affected by the pandemic, only to find out at the last minute that this isnt the case. For many, this could be the difference between surviving the next few months, and being forced to close their doors. READ MORE: England to enforce plastic straw ban A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said some councils may decide to distribute funds differently by supporting those who are struggling the most following the lockdown, or providing additional support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. But they admitted funding rates for early entitlements were insufficient and left many providers in a precarious financial position even before the pandemic. We are calling on the government to use the forthcoming spending review to fully fund the early entitlements, and to provide an urgent injection of funding to support those providers most at risk of failure due to the pandemic, the spokesperson added. A Department for Education spokesperson said local authorities had a legal duty to ensure a sufficient number of childcare places in their area and their guidance made clear how local authorities should fund early years entitlement places during the COVID-19 outbreak. Local authorities should only take a different approach from that set out in guidance if they have good reasons for doing so and communicate this clearly to their providers. We are in regular contact with authorities to remind them of this and query any funding approaches where there is a concern. The Army Reserve has identified Sgt. 1st Class Mike Markins, 48, as the most recent U.S. service member to die from complications of COVID-19. Markins is the 5th Army Reserve soldier and 8th service member to die as a result of the pandemic. He served for 27 years, including 7 years on active duty in the Air Force. At the time of his death, he worked as a mechanical maintenance technician with the 100th Training Division at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Read Next: Marine Corps F-35, C-130 Tanker Collide During Fueling Exercise, All Personnel Found Safe As a civilian, Markins worked as a heavy mobile equipment repairer for the 81st Readiness Divisions Equipment Concentration Site 63, also at Fort Knox. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, according to an Army Reserve release. The first cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. military community were detected during the last week of February in South Korea. Since then, the Department of Defense has logged 66,375 cases, including 45,759 military personnel, 6,092 dependents, 10,210 civilians and 4,314 contractors. The first death of a U.S. service member was recorded on March 28, when Army National Guard Capt. Douglas Hickok, a physician assistant, passed away as his unit prepared for pandemic response. Since then, a Navy sailor, a member of the California Army National Guard and four other Army Reserve members have died, as well as seven dependents, 59 civilian employees and 22 contractors. Military personnel who have tested positive include 17,032 Army soldiers, 5,742 Marines, 10,260 Navy sailors and 7,136 Air Force airmen. More than 5,240 National Guard members and 347 personnel assigned to DoD agencies also have been diagnosed since the start of the outbreak. The Coast Guard, which is not a part of the Department of Defense and does not regularly release its case count, had 626 cases as of Sept. 4 and no coronavirus-related deaths, according to Lt. Cmdr. Brittany Panetta. More than 7.1 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, including more than 1 million since the beginning of September. More than 205,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Worldwide, nearly 34 million people have tested positive and 1 million have died. Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Military Not Selected Among First Groups to Get COVID-19 Vaccine GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Hundreds of electrically powered scooters will soon flood downtown Grand Rapids, with some already being deployed Wednesday. Grand Rapids, in partnership with Ford Motor Company-owned Spin, is bringing 300 scooters to a 12-square-mile area of downtown and nearby neighborhoods and business districts. Spin can deploy up to 1,500 scooters, if demand is there. Rides cost $1 to unlock the scooter and an additional 15 cents per minute. Low-income residents can get a discount rate if they show proof of income level or government assistance. Purchases are made through the Spin app, which can be used to find the nearest scooters. Non-smart phone purchase options can be found here. City staff are working to create dozens of marked parking zones where the scooters are required to be parked between trips. As a solo open-air form of transportation, scooters can offer residents a lower-risk mobility option for short distance travel, Justin Kimura, assistant director of Mobile GR, said in a statement. We are proud to partner with Spin on this new and eco-friendly transportation option for our residents, commuters and visitors. The electric scooter pilot is part of a larger $400,000 project by the city to offer, altogether, an estimated 400 to 500 scooters, 200 bikes and 100 sit-down scooters -- all electrically-powered. The pilot will last one year. Related: Hundreds of rentable electric scooters, bikes coming to Grand Rapids City officials say the bikes and sit-down scooters are through a partnership with another company and that the ride options will be available in the coming weeks. The project is meant to evaluate how these ride options, dubbed micromobility services, can contribute to the Grand Rapids transportation system. This includes how they can help underserved neighborhoods. The scooters can hit a maximum of 10 mph and are geofenced by GPS to slow or turn off when they cross into certain areas, such as pedestrian-only zones like Calder Plaza or places outside of the service area. People are encouraged to wear helmets and learn traffic safety rules, such as indicating turns and riding on the right side of the road. Riders are also encouraged to wear masks and sanitize the handlebars before using the scooter to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are thrilled to work with the City to bring this new form of mobility to Grand Rapids residents, Frank Speek, Spins director of government partnerships, said in a statement. Grand Rapids is taking the lead in creating a program that will meet our goals as a business and the transportation needs of the city. This partnership model will certainly become a blueprint for cities across the country. Read more: State police offer property checks for Northern Michigan homeowners heading south Kalamazoo commissioners briefed on hands-off police approach before violent event 1,000 acres of corn in Bay County sabotaged to kill cows, police say Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 21:29:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COPENHAGEN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's demand for organic products is also on a rise and Danish food producers have a high-level trust in doing business with Chinese counterparts, a Danish food business leader said here in a recent interview with Xinhua. "We are seeing a growing concern among families, middle-class families demanding safe products, healthy products, and products which have an environmentally friendly production method," said Lise Walbom, CEO of Food Nation, the official Danish consortium for promoting products, solutions and competences from the Danish food cluster. "This is why we can also see that the demand for Danish organic produce is also on a rise in China," Walbom told Xinhua. International decision-makers attach great importance to the country of origin, Walbom said. Food Nation recently conducted a survey via Danish pollsters over 1,229 international decision-makers in six of Denmark's most important export markets about their views on Danish food products and solutions, including China, finding that most Chinese decision-makers pay close attention to the country of origin of products. "We can see that 80 percent of the Chinese decision-makers saw it as a very, very important factor that they know where products and solutions come from," said Walbom. "This, therefore, makes it really important to us to know that we have such a high level of trust in doing business with our Chinese counterparts," she said. A further finding in the survey report was a growing tendency across all markets towards a stronger focus on sustainability that was anticipated to become an even more important business driver in the future. "Sustainability is becoming increasingly crucial for professional buyers around the world as there is a need to produce more with less, while focusing on the environment, nature, and climate," said Walbom. "So we have to create a better future, a more sustainable future, and agriculture and food production play a really important role in taking the next steps and reaching that," she said. Denmark led the world in implementing national legislation on organic food production in 1987. The state-controlled "ecology-label" confirms that the whole food chain from farmer to consumer complies with organic regulations. From January to July, the largest growth in Danish exports to China was in pork and pharmaceutical products which amounted to 3.47 billion U.S. dollars with a year-on-year growth of 24.8 percent, according to the data released by Statistics Denmark on Sept. 8. Enditem By Express News Service CHENNAI: In a move aimed at benefitting 37 lakh people living across seven zones in Chennai city, Spanish firm Urbaser Sumeet is all set to take over solid waste management on an eight-year contract, from October 1. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Wednesday flagged off a fleet of waste management equipment, including 125 compactors, 38 mechanical sweepers, 3,000 e-rickshaws for waste collection and 11,000 compactor dustbins with 10,844 staff. The project will cover Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Adyar, Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones. According to an official statement, 100% source segregation is expected to be achieved in all these zones in a year. We will start work in zone 13 (Adyar) from Thursday and the rest of the zones will be covered before December. It is a phased initiation, Mahmood Sait, CEO of Urbaser-Sumeet, told Express. The firm, which was issued work orders by the Corporation in December last year, has handled conservancy operations in Spain, France, Italy, England, Oman, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru, apart from Delhi. In the backdrop of corruption charges levelled against Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited which was earlier handling solid waste management in Adyar, Kodambakkam and Teynampet, it has been decided to pay Urbaser Sumeet based on performance under 34 indicators, Corporation officials said. According to Sait, the firm, as a service provider, will be looking at creating awareness of segregating waste among the public. Penalty is likely to be levied on those who fail to segregate waste. Our battery-operated-vehicles (for collection of waste) come with six bins built for wet, dry and domestic hazardous waste. The drivers will tell residents how they need to segregate the waste. A 24x7 call centre will also be set up at Alandur, where school students will be encouraged to observe how waste is handled and monitored, Sait said. Express had earlier reported that the key performance indicators framed by the Corporation include primary collection, street sweeping and collection, secondary collection and transportation and complaint redressal within six hours (except redressal of complaints for replacement or retrofitting of assets which may be done within 24 hours). A third party consultant will monitor their performance, covering 92 wards and 16,621 streets under the seven zones. The Corporation collects an average of 5,000 tonnes of waste every day. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Updated COVID-19 case projections and county-level testing positivity rates released today by PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) show transmission risk has rapidly increased across much of the northern U.S., including the Pacific Northwest and Midwest, with increasing risk now moving into New York and other parts of the Northeast. The swift escalation of testing positivity rates in these regions suggests the negative consequences of cooler temperatures are taking hold sooner than the researchers anticipated, likely accelerated by community fatigue with mitigation strategies such as masking and distancing. The resurgence risk that the researchers' identified in the last two weeks in the Upper Midwest and Mountain States has now spread to much of the remaining northern states. In the Pacific Northwest, forecasts have significantly worsened for Seattle, counties in eastern Washington and Bend, Ore. Testing positivity rates are rising again throughout Michigan (except Detroit) and Indiana, heightening transmission risk across the entire Midwest. Several concerning outbreaks on the east coastincluding in central Pennsylvania, Ocean City, NJ, and Rockland County and Brooklyn, NYare projected to result in widespread community transmission. While forecasts for New England remain overall stable this week, the researchers observed modest increases in risk across communities in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire that will warrant close monitoring. Most worrisome, however, are rising hospitalization rates in the Upper Midwest and Mountain States that have followed in the weeks since PolicyLab researchers first observed increasing resurgence risk in these regions. This signals that the newly identified areas of concern, highlighted by the modeling data this week, could experience a similar trend in the near future. This trajectory, plus the stabilization in case counts and testing positivity rates in more temperate states, such as Florida and Alabama, is additional evidence that colder weather may facilitate more efficient transmission of COVID-19. "The simultaneous convergence of rising testing positivity rates, hospitalizations, and case counts across much of the northern U.S., makes this week's forecasts among the most concerning that we have reported since Memorial Day," said David Rubin, MD, MSCE, director of PolicyLab at CHOP and a professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. "However, our projections are just thatprojectionsand we should not accept them as fate. There is still time for communities experiencing heightened transmission risk to turn their trajectories around with strong mitigation policies, and for those areas not yet seeing resurgence, to commit to proven prevention practices, such as masking and distancing." For additional comments from COVID-Lab's lead investigators and collaborators on their updated forecasts and findings, read this blog post: https://policylab.chop.edu/blog/covid-19-outlook-time-preserve-our-school-reopenings-new-wave-moves Background Researchers at PolicyLab at CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania developed the model, known as COVID-Lab: Mapping COVID-19 in Your Community, which tracks COVID-19 transmission and test positivity rates across all U.S. counties, and projects case counts for 817 counties with active outbreaks, representing 82% of the U.S. population and 87% of all identified coronavirus cases. The researchers built their model to observe how social distancing, population density, daily temperatures, and humidity affect the number and spread of COVID-19 infections over time across a county, accounting for test positivity rates and population characteristics such as age, insurance status, crowding within homes and diabetes prevalence. COVID-Lab's projections forecast the number of coronavirus cases communities could experience over the next four weeks based on a three-day average of their current social distancing practices, defined by the change in travel to non-essential businesses as compared to pre-epidemic. This is just one tool in a toolbox of resources policymakers and decision-makers can use as they manage their COVID-19 response efforts. The application of this model, which focuses on time-varying transmission rates during the early months of the pandemic in the U.S., was released on July 23, following peer review, in JAMA Network Open. You can read more about how the team validates their models for accuracy in this blog post. The data are publicly available in the form of interactive maps and graphs. About PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is dedicated to achieving optimal child health and well-being by informing program and policy changes through interdisciplinary research. Founded in 2008, PolicyLab is a Center of Emphasis within the CHOP Research Institute, one of the largest pediatric research institutes in the country. With more than 30 highly regarded faculty and 60 passionate staff who bring expertise from myriad of fields covering health, research and health policy, our work focuses on improving public systems, improving health care delivery and improving child health outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.policylab.chop.edu . MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Walens, Strategic Ops & Comms Director PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia [email protected] or (734) 904-2181 SOURCE PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Related Links http://www.policylab.chop.edu MANILA, PHILIPPINESPresident Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines is one of a number of populists around the world who rose to power in part by harnessing Facebook to get his unfiltered messages to millions. During Dutertes 2016 campaign, his allies flooded the social media platform with misinformation about his opponents and laudatory stories about him. Four years later, after allegations that Facebook aided disruptive misinformation campaigns in many countries, the Silicon Valley giant has put up increasing checks on what politicians and their allies can say online. And Duterte is not pleased. In his weekly public address Monday, Duterte lashed out at Facebook for taking down fake accounts that supported his policies, making vague threats to shut the platform down in the Philippines. I allow you to operate here, Duterte said. You cannot bar or prevent me from espousing the objectives of government. Is there life after Facebook? I dont know. But we need to talk. It was the latest reminder that the populists Facebook has empowered can turn quickly on the platform. The American social network has come under increasing pressure to grapple with the influence it gives to sowers of disinformation, be they Russian agents seeking to influence U.S. elections or military forces stirring ethnic hatred. Yet even as it seeks to police those in power, better relations with leaders like Duterte are in the short run, at least better for Facebooks bottom line. The company said last week that it had taken down two networks, one based in China and one in the Philippines, that used fake accounts to post information about a variety of subjects, including Philippine politics. It said both networks had misled users about their identities. The Philippine network had ties to the military and the police, the company said. It showed examples of memes the network had posted that criticized communist insurgents in the Philippines, as well as progressive activist groups. This is not the social networks first tangle with a strongman. In recent years, Facebook has found itself in a series of standoffs with populist and authoritarian leaders. The quarrels have centred around questions that now bedevil the company before the November presidential election in the United States: Who should decide what counts as misinformation, and when should it be taken down? It is a thorny issue that the company has been hesitant to address head-on. Although it is assembling a board to oversee content moderation, Facebook has outsourced much of the day-to-day oversight. In Southeast Asia, harsh political realities have pushed its limits and occasionally forced its hand. In Thailand in 2017, it faced the threat of a ban over content that the government said violated lese-majeste laws. In Myanmar, where posts helped to encourage ethnic violence, Facebook blocked the countrys most powerful military official. Dutertes complaints are akin to ones made in recent years by President Donald Trump, who has accused social media platforms of anti-conservative bias and whose agencies are now pursuing an antitrust case against Facebook. Despite Trumps claims, data tools regularly show that the most-read political content on Facebook in the United States comes from right-wing voices. While many of the tough-talking Dutertes threats come to nothing, Trump may have provided him with a precedent of sorts for dealing with Facebook. Trumps push to ban Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat from the United States could embolden other leaders to craft internet blocks of their own, when it is politically expedient to do so. As it plays a major role in the polarized politics of countries around the world, Facebook may well see more threats like Dutertes. In his address Monday, Duterte accused Facebook of opposing his policies and supporting the Philippine left. He said the company had opened a Pandoras box and that his government might respond with tougher regulations. We allow you to operate here hoping that you could help us also, he said. Now, if the government cannot espouse or advocate something which is for the good of the people, then what is your purpose here in my country? Facebook executives in the Philippines declined to comment. In its statement last week, the company said it had shut down the networks because of their co-ordinated inauthentic behaviour, not the content of the posts. Dutertes threats against Facebook were a striking turnaround for a president who has reaped considerable benefit from the platform. Before he won the 2016 election, running as a belligerent populist, fake accounts on Facebook spread positive stories about him and inflammatory attacks on his opponents, many of them untrue. Since he took office, misinformation on Facebook some of it shared openly by his aides has been used to slander his critics and promote Dutertes policies, including his bloody war on drugs. In March of last year, Facebook suspended 200 accounts linked to Nic Gabunada, social media manager of Dutertes 2016 campaign, also for co-ordinated inauthentic activity. In its statement last week, Facebook said the Philippine network appeared to have escalated its activity in 2019 and 2020. It posted in Filipino and English about Philippine news, including domestic politics, anti-terrorism legislation and the militarys activities against terrorism, the company said. The China-based network posted in Chinese, Filipino and English, focusing most of its activity in Southeast Asia, the company said. It posted about Philippine politics, including material supportive of Duterte and his daughter, who is said to be weighing a presidential run in 2022. But it also posted on global topics, including Chinas activity in the South China Sea, where it has territorial disputes with the Philippines. The Chinese network also posted content aimed at influencing the U.S. presidential election, though Facebook said the network devoted little focus to that effort and had gained almost no following in the United States. Duterte and his officials did not appear to dispute that the military was involved in the Philippine-based network. He denounced Facebook for taking down the posts backing the militarys campaign against the countrys long-running communist insurgency. You know, Facebook, insurgency is about overturning the government, Duterte said. What would be the point of allowing you to continue if you cannot help us? We are not advocating mass destruction; we are not advocating mass massacre. Its a fight of ideas. On Tuesday, the military issued a statement saying that Facebook could be the medium that will help consolidate peoples support to their armed forces as their true protectors and defenders of the state against its enemies. A spokesman for Duterte, Harry Roque, said the government considered Facebooks move a form of censorship, adding, We are not conceding these are fake accounts. Facebook said the Philippine network was brought to its attention by civil society groups and by Rappler, an independent news site that has helped Facebook identify misinformation. Duterte has issued threats against executives at Rappler and at broadcast network ABS-CBN, both of which have been at the forefront of reporting about his drug war. Rapplers co-founder Maria Ressa was convicted in June of libeling a businessman by alleging that he had ties to the drug underworld, and she still faces several other charges, including tax evasion. Ressa, who is free on bail, has denied all of the charges, calling them attempts by the government to silence her. ABS-CBN has been effectively shut down, with the House of Representatives, dominated by allies of Duterte, having refused to renew its broadcast license. Its beleaguered chairman stepped down last week. Danilo Arao, an associate professor of journalism at the state-run University of the Philippines, said the presidents comments Monday had made it clear that social media companies now risked official retaliation along with government critics. With Duterte, anything is possible, so there is a need to be vigilant, Arao said. He said the presidents tirade against Facebook was ironic, given its role in his rise to power. Read more about: US Official: 2020 Census to End Oct. 5 Despite Court Order ORLANDO, Fla.U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross says the 2020 census will end Oct. 5, despite a federal judges ruling last week that the headcount of every U.S. resident should continue through the end of October, according to a tweet posted on the Census Bureaus website Sept. 28. The tweet said the ability for people to self-respond to the census questionnaire and the door-knocking phase when census takers go to homes that havent yet responded is ending Oct. 5. The announcement came as a virtual hearing was being held in San Jose, California, as a follow-up to U.S. District Judge Lucy Kohs preliminary injunction. The injunction ordered last week suspended the Census Bureaus deadline for ending the headcount on Sept. 30, which automatically reverted the deadline back to an older Census Bureau plan in which the deadline for ending field operations was Oct. 31. The new Oct. 5 deadline doesnt necessarily violate the judges order because the injunction just suspended the Sept. 30 deadline for field operations and a Dec. 31 deadline the Census Bureau has for turning in figures used for determining how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment. Koh asked federal government attorneys during Mondays hearing to provide documents on how the new decision to end the headcount on Oct. 5 was made. When a federal government lawyer suggested that the decision making was a moving target without any records, the judge asked, A one-sentence tweet? Are you saying that is enough reason to establish decision-making? A one-sentence tweet? Koh said in her ruling last Thursday that the shortened schedule likely would produce inaccurate results that would last a decade. She sided with civil rights groups and local governments that had sued the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees the statistical agency, arguing that minorities and others in hard-to-count communities would be missed if the counting ends this month. Attorneys for the federal government said they were appealing the decision. During hearings, federal government attorneys argued that the headcount needed to end Sept. 30 in order to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for handing in figures used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment. Science's pursuits of unraveling how human cells fight viral infections kicked into high gear in 2020 with the devastating emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. A study published recently in eLife by University of California San Diego scientists describes fresh details about the mechanisms involved when individual human cells are attacked by viruses, with possible implications for COVID-19 clinical treatment. The research helps advance science's understanding of interferons, a key group of immune response proteins released naturally by human cells when a virus is detected. In response to a viral infection, human cells synthesize and secrete interferon-alpha, a chemical that triggers a series of biochemical reactions in cells, leading to the production of gene products that work to kill viruses or limit their spread. Interferon-alpha has been used clinically for more than 50 years in the treatments of diseases such as hepatitis B and C and HIV. However such efforts have been limited because interferon-alpha, in addition to inducing antiviral effects, also triggers cell refractoriness--or insensitivity--to further treatments. This stalled effectiveness takes hold within hours after drug administration and lasts for several days, resulting in a low therapeutic response rate. Looking into the details of these processes, Biological Sciences PhD student Anusorn Mudla, Associate Professor Nan Hao and their colleagues used a combination of experimental analyses and mathematical modeling to describe the intricate time-dependent regulatory mechanisms that human cells use to control the duration and strength of antiviral responses triggered by interferon. Their efforts resulted in the identification of a time delay in the production of USP18, an inhibitory factor that triggers cell refractoriness to prolonged interferon treatments. Based on these findings, repetitive administrations of interferon to cells, with the duration shorter than the delay time, are less able to induce this inhibitory factor. This could potentially suggest strategies leading to a higher therapeutic response rate than the routine chronic treatment of the drug." Hao, Researcher and Study Senior Author, Section of Molecular Biology, The findings are especially relevant given the urgent need for new defense tactics against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the global COVID-19 pandemic. The new findings shed light on possible ways to enhance the effectiveness of interferon for future clinical use. "Recent studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 is especially sensitive to interferon-alpha, compared to other coronaviruses, making interferon treatment a potential strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection," said Hao. Based on this finding, researchers could now design time-dependent administrations of interferon in an effort to minimize the production of this inhibitory factor and boost therapeutic responses. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation signed on September 25 a special investment contract (SPIC) with Haval Russia Automotive Manufacturing Co., Ltd.a subsidiary of the Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor (GWM), which produces Haval-branded SUVs at a car plant in Tula, Russia. (Great Wall Motor's Tula plant; photo source: Great Wall Motor) The signing of the SPIC means that GWM will be allowed to operate businesses in Russia using the same preferential policies as that of the other foreign invested enterprises in this country in a more open and fairer market environment. Signed between investors and the Russian Government, the SPIC is an agreement through which the state government can provide investors with tax and non-tax incentives as well as facilitated access to governmental procurement projects. Under the SPIC agreement, GWM is expected to invest 42.4 billion rubles (3.7 billion yuan) in the construction of a vehicle manufacturing plant with powerful capability of localizing core auto parts, including engines, transmissions, electronic control modules and vehicle control system. The high level of localization increases the competitiveness of the Chinese manufacturer in the Russian market. The implementation of the SPIC guarantees the long-term development of the company in Russia in the field of localization of key components, assemblies and systems, the press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade quotes the head of the department Denis Manturov. (Great Wall Motor's Tula plant starting production; photo source: Great Wall Motor) Located at the Uzlovaya industrial park in the Tula region, GWM's Tula plant is the first full-cycle complete vehicle manufacturing factory built by a Chinese car maker. The planned production capacity of the plant is 150,000 units per year, 80,000 units of which are set for the first phase. Since the plant starting production in June 2019, there have been such models as the Haval F7, the Haval F7x and the Haval H9 coming off the assembly line there. According to GWM, the Jan.-Aug. sales of Haval-branded vehicles surged 75% year on year in Russia. Osumanu Abubakar 30.09.2020 LISTEN I feel melancholic to hear some misguided Muslims and Zongolese intentionally spin the NDC's manifesto promise that seeks to liaise with our hospitals in order to put in place a facility (morgues) to handle the mortal remains of Muslims in accordance with Islamic customs and practices. Is it in the estimation of these misguided Muslims that, they are not aware of the frustration that Muslims go through in order to retrieve the mortal remains of their relatives in our hospitals? Is it in the interest of these misguided Muslims to continue to witness these frustrations among fellow Muslims? You see, these misguided Muslims are advancing this unpopular course not as a result of their misunderstanding of the provision of the NDC's manifesto, but as a result of their selfish and narrow political interest. For their parochial interest, policies of Islamic interest must not see the light of day. Unfortunately such people call themselves Muslims. However, for the benefit of doubt, I will expound. The NDC has promised to "...facilitate the establishment of mortuaries in accordance with Islamic custom and practices and collaborate with the Ministry of Health to set up focal teams responsible for procedures that are compliant with Islamic custom and practice at all public mortuaries. This is simple, unless for all intents and purposes, you want to spin the issues. As Muslims as we are, we have one way or another witnessed situations where Muslims have to go through stress and frustration in our various hospitals in order to retrieve the mortal remains of their relatives for interment. No Muslim can deny this fact. The practice now is that, when a Muslim passes on in our various hospitals, the dead body is sent to the mortuary where the treatment is not in line with Islamic customs and practices. The provision of the NDC's manifesto simply means that, the next NDC government is coming to set up focal teams to manage Muslim dead bodies in separate facilities in accordance with, as it were, Islamic customs and practices. So that for instance, if a Muslim man passes on in a hospital, a 'mortuary man' would manage and send the body to that particular separate facility, and if it is a dead Muslim woman, then a woman who has been tasked for that assignment would manage and send the body. It is therefore, the figment of imagination of some misguided Muslims and shameless political actors to liedly aver that the NDC has promised to put up mortuaries in Zongo communities. This is not only a shocking lie, but it also beats common sense and logic. I have said it locus classicus without an exiguous of equivocation that the Muslims/ Northerners in NPP are the worst enemies of Muslims/ Northerners in this country. We had Muslims/ Northerners in the NPP who supported the denationalisation of their fellow Muslims/ Northerners who are in the NDC. Dr Mamudu Bawumia's wife is a Fulani. Because of her association with the NPP, she registered for the Ghana Card and voter ID card without let or hindrance. When her fellow Fulani people were prevented from registering, she kept quiet and looked on while they got disenfranchised. Today, the NDC is promising a policy of unparalleled Islamic importance. Instead of all Muslims (irrespective of our political inclinations) embracing it with bliss, some misguided Muslims are aiding the course of bastardizing it. In all of these, Dr Mamudu Bawumia, who holds his office directly as a result of what he professes to be, is silent while spin doctors bastardize this important Islamic policy. Were we not in this country when Dr Bawumia said it was good the NPP chose him because he was and is still a Muslim? And that he was coming to champion the course of Muslims? What happened? I leave this question to your conjecture. May Allah forgive all those who are engaged in this charade. Thank you. Osumanu Abubakar Zongo Caucus Coordinator Fanteakwa North Constituency How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous! Dear How to Do It, How intense are mens orgasms? My husband just told me that hes only seen stars, so to speak, a few times in his life. Most of the time, yeah, it feels nice in the genitals, but isnt earth-shaking, whole-body tremors. We have a good sex life, and hes vocal about his enjoyment (or stops making comments, which tells me what Im doing really feels good to him). Is this nice-but-not-over-the-moon orgasm a normal reaction from a certain segment of men? Advertisement Fireworks Dear Fireworks, This question is about as difficult to answer as How delicious is pizza? Responses can vary from not at all to best thing Ive ever experienced, depending on the maker and taster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the relative ease that most men can achieve orgasm, nice is a perfectly sufficient standard in an active sex lifeenough nice experiences can, in fact, put someone cumulatively over the moon. That said, intensity of male orgasm can be affected by several factors. Because release is associated with pleasure here, edgingor taking a long time to build up to orgasm by being brought close repeatedly before it happenscan help up the whole-body tremors when orgasm finally does take place. (Short fast buildup of sexual stimulation toward orgasm is associated with less intense orgasms than slow buildup, write the authors of a 2015 paper in the Fertility and Sterility journal). Someone who is kinky may come harder during sex in which that kink is engaged versus a vanilla session. Some men report earth-shaking responses to prostate orgasms (and indeed, examples of them are readily streamable online). The physiological reason for such a marked difference in quality is, as the aforementioned paper reports, that prostatic massage orgasms are associated with 12 pelvic muscle contractions, versus penile orgasms four to eight. (So-called P-spot orgasms are generally achieved via specialized toys, and even then, theres a learning curve and required patience that make them difficult for many men to execute.) Theres also some evidence that Kegels or pelvic floor exercises can help strengthen mens orgasms, much as they can womens. For optimal functioning, I think everyone for whom it is not unhealthy should be doing (but not overdoing) Kegels. Advertisement Advertisement From my male point of view, it does seem like very orgasmic women tend to feel the wave harder, but there are plenty of guys who do see stars from something as common as a blow job. And just like there are women who never orgasm, so there are men who dont, or whose orgasms are way less intense than theyd like. Theres a huge range, which makes answering this question particularly difficult. If your husband isnt complaining about his orgasmsand many men arenttheres probably no issue. Advertisement Advertisement Get the How to Do It Newsletter Sex advice from Rich and Stoya, plus follow-ups, delivered weekly. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Dear How to Do It, Last week, my closest friend died. About a year ago, she and I decided to try to do the FWB thing, and it was really great. We grew even closer as friends, had great adventurous sex all the time, and our daily text communications became peppered with sexting and horny image-sharing. This continued until she got sick a month or two ago and wasnt healthy enough for sex. We consensually saved some of the nudes wed send each other and would sometimes send them back to each other when we were feeling flirty (i.e., Look how hot you are here. I want to be seeing you in person like this right now, etc.). In the past, every time Ive broken off a relationship with someone who sent nudes, Ive always chosen to delete their images because I personally dont believe its ethical to hoard nudes. But I dont know if I can, or should, bring myself to delete these ones. Theyve become more than just snapshots of a former tryst; they are memories of my best friend, keepsakes of a time during which this was my dearest person. Im deep in grief, processing the loss and trying to figure out what my future without this beloved person looks like. Im not sure if its right or ethical for me to save these photos. But deleting them feels like erasing part of the beautiful person who means more to me than anyone else. What should I do? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Archive Dear Archive, Im so sorry that you lost your best friend. You ask whats right or ethical. I think your conscience has a parachute because your friend consented to you saving her images. Unless she expressly asked you to delete them after the fact, she died assuming that you hadnt. Your conflict results from within: Though you are not explicitly obligated to do so, you have taken it upon yourself to delete the images of past lovers once your time together has ended. Given the extraordinary circumstances, including the untimely death of your friend, an extraordinary response is understandable. I think it is OK to hold onto these tangible memories to help you grieve and honor someone who meant a lot to you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only practical reason I see not to hold onto the pictures is the possibility of a security breach in the event of theft or some compromise of your cloud; to protect against this, save them on a protected hard drive that you arent backing up virtually. Dear How to Do It, I recently had someone over for some fun times (I know, I know, but my area has handled COVID pretty well, hookups dont happen often, and we had a safety discussion beforehand). In the middle of it, he asked if he could film. I asked who it was for, and he said just him and his partner, and I agreed under those conditions and as long as my face wasnt showing. Welp, two weeks later, I run through my Snapchat stories and recognize the upholstery in one of his uploads. I then discovered he also uploaded it to Pornhub. My face isnt showing, but it was definitely my lower body. Advertisement Advertisement Im furious and really kind of freaked out. I reported the Snap and the upload, and cussed him out over it. The problem is, hes gaslighting me, saying that I had given permission as long as my face wasnt showing, whats the harm, etc. He clearly doesnt feel like hes done anything wrong, and Im wondering if theres any other recourse available for me. Is there anything else I should be watching out for? Exposed Dear Exposed, This is an incredibly shitty thing to have to go through, and I feel for you. Fortunately, recourse is potentially available, though it will depend where you are. U.S. revenge porn laws vary by state, said Norma Buster, the client relations manager at C.A. Goldberg, a New York law firm whose namesake attorney, Carrie Goldberg, is among the best known revenge-porn lawyers in the country. Buster is not a lawyer herself, but she meets with potential clients and has spoken with what she says are hundreds of people who have reported being victims of these types of crimes. She came into this line of work as a result of an ex posting nude content of her on Pornhub. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buster first wanted to address the gaslighting: Its not your fault, she told me by phone. Consenting to taking a video does not mean that you consented for it to be up on the internet. I know what you consented to and what you didnt. People often try to shame others. Ive had people say to me, Oh, Im sure you learned not to send photos after that. Thats not the point. Buster said that if youre going to pursue a lawsuit, its important for you to screenshot everything: messages to and from this guy, the video (record it if you can), the URLeverything involved. The C.A. Goldberg site offers resources on revenge porn laws by state, as well as how to report offending videos to the platforms that host them. Im not sure if you succeeded in getting the video removed from PornhubBuster said that her content was removed in 27 minutes when she reported it, and this was five years ago. But she has heard stories where the removal didnt go nearly as smoothly. Advertisement Even if the stuff is already taken down, you may be able to file a lawsuit against this person for violating the law. In her case, Buster said she literally had to print out the law when she went to the precinct because the police had no idea how to respond to such an offense. It will probably be useful to know your exact rights. Depending on your state, you could also pursue a civil suit, but keep in mind that may cost you more than it yields, as its outcome will be contingent on the financial situation of the defendant (and, of course, the ability to secure a verdict in your favor). You should keep in mind that pursuing legal action can be draining not just financially but emotionally, and if you want to avoid the legal system all together, you could look into a restorative justice process. Good luck. Advertisement Advertisement Dear How to Do It, Im a heterosexual man in my 30s and Ive been into curvy, chubby, and full-bodied girls my entire life. Im currently in a long-term seven-year relationship with a lovely, brilliant, wonderful, and caring woman whos a few years older than I am. I feel our emotional connection is really deep and our bond is quite strong. There is, however, something missing in our sex life. We normally have sex one to two times a week and it is OK, but I feel like I really want way more than that, probably four to five times a week. Moreover, Im into dirty talkreally, really descriptive dirty talkand a bit of aggressiveness, spanking, hair-pulling, etc., but shes not into that (at least not nearly as much as I am). Weve spoken about these two aspects in the past, and while she did start being a bit more vocal, I feel like shes forcing herself to do it just because she knows I like it, and that ends up being a major turn-off for me. Plus, right after the two times weve spoken about it, she started trying to increase the frequency, but I found it quite awkward: We would go to bed and scroll on Instagram for half an hour, and only once I put it down and kiss her good night, then she dropped her phone and started rushing into touching and kissing me. It felt so much like an afterthought, like she was only trying not to forget something I wanted to dorather than doing it because she felt like she wanted tothat I just told her a few times that it felt too forced and that I didnt want to (not because I was mad, but because that itself was a HUGE turn-off for me as well). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have cheated on her about four to five times with two different women, and I do not feel good at all after doing it. I have thought a lot about an open relationship (which Im not entirely happy with), but after being with her for seven years, Im almost certain she will not accept that as an option. I almost feel like my two only options are ending a loving, meaningful, and quite honestly beautiful relationship or enduring sexual dissatisfaction for the rest of my life. One option makes me feel like a superficial piece of shit for dropping a really positive relationship of seven years and a person I genuinely love, and the other one makes me feel bad with myself for knowingly remaining in a relationship that doesnt fulfill my sex life or forcing her to be accommodating to my desires even when she doesnt enjoy it. Internally, I feel like theres no good choice (we spoke twice and nothing has fundamentally changed) and that every choice I can make is wrong. And I really, really do not feel it is OK to cheat on her and do not consider it a long-term option. What do I do? Advertisement Advertisement Just Not That Into It Dear JNTII, If you are, in fact, incompatible, then you have indeed outlined your options. What Im left wondering, though, is what your partner is into. Do you know? Have you inquired? I know that you may have, and that the answer might not be much, but Id give her the opportunityone youve already takento state what kind of sex would be satisfying for her, and to name whatever interests of hers that you just arent exploring. When many people write in, they naturally center themselves, but in some instances I wonder if this has more to do with their general approach to life and relationships than just advice-column conciseness. This is one of those instances. Advertisement Advertisement I know exactly what you mean about wanting a partner to want the sex that they have with you, and how that can accelerate your libidos already spinning wheels. But surely, your partner deserves an A for effort here, after agreeing to partake in behavior for your sake that you know she wouldnt be inclined to do on her own. She seems like a generous, loving partner who cares about your satisfaction and well-being. Can you say youve been the same to her? The evidence providedincluding cheating behind her back her repeatedlysuggests you cannot. (Im also not sure why you mention that youve been into curvy, chubby, and full-bodied girls your whole lifedo you think theyre lucky to have you?) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its wonderful when the sexual connection comes just as easily as an emotional one, but its rare that a long-term relationship sustains effortlessly. It doesnt typically just work out by itself; it requires the participants work. Figure out how much youre putting in, what you can improve, and whether youre willing to do so. You might still find that youre sexually incompatible, that youre left with exactly the same hard options, but it would be a real shame to one day look back on ending a relationship with someone you genuinely love, knowing that you could have done more but didnt. Rich More How to Do It I have been married for 15 months, but I have known my husband for almost 20 years. Last January, something just wasnt right. I am a nurse and just happened to work a rare night shift. I looked at the GPS app around 5 a.m. to see if my husband was at the casino; he had been spending lots of time there. To my shock, I saw him driving very slowly in a sketchy part of town. This went on for hours. When I got home at 8 a.m., he acted as if he had never been anywhere. He then took a long nap, and I was able to get into his iPad and iPhone. What I found was very disturbing. FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America has appointed Kate Fabian as the director of Marketing Communications. In this position, Fabian is responsible for brand and multicultural marketing, media strategy, national and regional dealer advertising, and experiential marketing. Fabian starts in her new role on Oct. 5 and reports to Hyundai Motor America chief marketing officer, Angela Zepeda. "Kate is an expert at brand building and is the perfect choice to help us elevate Hyundai in the minds of consumers," said Zepeda. "Her experience with Hyundai around the world will broaden our perspective and bring new creative thinking to the team. I'm looking forward to working with her to improve our brand metrics and deliver on our business targets." Fabian has more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning and the creative execution of brand, product and retail communications for blue chip clients and international sporting federations, including Subaru, Tourism Australia, KFC, Coca Cola, Sydney Olympics, Manchester Commonwealth Games and the Pan American Games. Fabian was most recently the senior group manager of Marketing at Genesis Motor America. She was an integral part of the luxury brand's launch and led the overall marketing and advertising strategy, including Genesis' first Super Bowl ad earlier this year and the Genesis Invitational PGA TOUR event. Prior to Genesis, she was the brand communications manager for Hyundai Motor Company Australia. In addition, Fabian was the group business director at INNOCEAN Worldwide, Hyundai's marketing agency, in Australia. Before her work at Hyundai, she was the business director at Leo Burnett Sydney, leading the Subaru business, and also held positions at advertising firms Ogilvy and Mather, and George Patterson Y&R. Fabian received her Bachelor of Commerce in marketing and management from the University of Wollongong, Australia. Hyundai Motor America At Hyundai Motor America, we believe everyone deserves better. From the way we design and build our cars to the way we treat the people who drive them, making things better is at the heart of everything we do. Hyundai's technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assuranceour promise to create a better experience for customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide and nearly half of those sold in the U.S. are built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Please visit our media website at www.HyundaiNews.com Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram SOURCE Hyundai Motor America Related Links www.hyundainews.com U S President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden attacked and interrupted each other during the first 2020 presidential debate as they discussed the coronavirus pandemic, job losses and the Supreme Court. The two politicians faced off in Cleveland, Ohio, for the highly anticipated first televised debate just over a month before the election. During an acrimonious and chaotic showdown, Mr Trump and Mr Biden exchanged verbal blows while the moderator, Chris Wallace, struggled to take control. Trump bulldozed his way through the 90-minute debate , trying to goad Mr Biden nearly every time he spoke, claiming that Democrats were trying to steal the November presidential election with mail-in ballots and declining to condemn white supremacist groups when asked to do so. At one point, an exasperated Mr Biden said after the president's repeated interruptions: "Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential." While public response to the debate was largely negative, Twitter has lit up with responses and reactions - bringing some humour to the proceedings. Here are some of the best ones doing the rounds... Did Biden just say 'inshallah'? Look who's talking Praying for 2024 A long time ago... No, you shut up! Older, but none the wiser Seriously though, wear a mask The 2020 US Presidential Election will be held on November 3, with the new president's inauguration taking place on January 20 next year. In the meantime, no matter what the next two debates bring, at least we know the memes will be good. A woman who cleans a local government building in rural Russia has been voted into office after she only stood to get her boss re-elected. Marina Udgodskaya won after taking 62 per cent of the vote, easily beating Nikolai Loktev, an ally and supporter of the pro-Kremlin United Russia Party. She only stood for election because no one in the village of Povalikhino, Kostroma - some 525 kilometres east of Moscow - had challenged the former policeman. Mr Loktev reportedly persuaded Ms Udgodskaya to register as a rival to give the impression of a real contest. However, his plan backfired when the cleaner easily beat him as he claimed just 34 per cent of the vote. Speaking to the BBC, a member of the local electoral commission in Povalikhino said: Nikolai Loktev thought no one would vote for her and he would stay in the job. But the people had had enough and they came out and chose Marina Udgodskaya. She added: He was amazed and she was flabbergasted! Ms Udgodskaya is intending to keep a low profile before her inauguration later this week after the victory made national headlines. In an interview with the news channel Podyom after the election, she said: I didn't think that they would vote for me I didn't do anything at all! She confessed: I didnt nominate myself. Nikolai Loktev asked me. There was simply no other person and I was a bogus candidate. She explained: I wanted to help him. The tactic of technical or stooge candidates is not uncommon in Russia. Ms Udgodskayas village is the largest of 30 that will now fall under her jurisdiction. In an interview with the BBC, Mr Loktev said: Ive done everything necessary in the job; there are no problems in the village. He added: Clearly the people wanted change. Some suggest her victory was a result of anti-Kremlin sentiment and protest against the United Russia Party who are currently not performing well in polls. The party won just 32 per cent of the vote for the regional parliament in Kostroma. Ms Udgodskayas win may be evidence of the smart voting strategy that was being pushed by opposition leader Alexei Navalny who encouraged the backing of candidates most likely to defeat United Russia. She has since become an unexpected hero for anti-Putin politicians in Russia. Opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov posted on Facebook that voters are now willing to back anyone except candidates obedient to the Kremlin. He said: People are ready to vote for anything else. It doesnt matter who you are by profession, or what experience you have. Gudkov told Ms Udgodskaya: I suppose if you tried the presidential elections, you would win there too. Because 20 years of dictatorship brought one common wish for change. He concluded: And you, Marina, would not use Novichok, for sure. And this is the great advantage. The newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported that Ms Udgodskaya is unable to refuse the mandate, as herself and the Pensioners Party who backed her would have to pay for an entire election to be re-run. Meanwhile, until she begins her new role, Ms Udgodskaya continues to clean the administration building that she will soon run while the man she beat packs up his belongings. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) ceases operations of its representative offices in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. According to the data in the information disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission, the reason for the adoption of such a decision by the company's supervisory board was the reduction in the airline's staff, the cost saving for representative offices. The airline said in the statement that these representative offices are located at the following addresses: Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, 73a Turkmenbashy Avenue; Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 34 Taras Shevchenko Street; Belarus, Minsk, 2/5 Zybitskaya Street. By Dane Rhys and Timothy Gardner HEGINS, Pa (Reuters) - Rick Bender, who owns a coal processing plant in Hegins, Pennsylvania, voted for Republican Donald Trump in 2016, in part because of his promise to revive the industry from a decade-long decline. The revival never came. Bender says he is struggling to keep workers employed at the plant in eastern Pennsylvania because coal prices are so low. Still, he plans to vote for Trump again come November. He says the president's Democratic challenger Joe Biden is too focused on fighting climate change. "We feel if Trump doesn't get elected, the coal business is done," said Bender, 61. Bender represents a dynamic that could complicate Democratic efforts to win back battleground states like Pennsylvania in the 2020 fight for the White House. Instead of punishing Trump for failing to deliver the coal renaissance he promised, many voters with ties to blue-collar industries continue to support him. Reuters interviewed 26 coal workers across Pennsylvania and found that all but one plans to back Trump on Nov. 3. While many cited faults with the president, whose incendiary style turns some off, they fear Bidens clean-energy plan would hasten coal's decline, and that the new green jobs wouldn't come quickly enough to keep their families financially secure. An experienced miner can expect to earn as much as $100,000 annually including overtime, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There really is a very big human cost of just turning the light switch off," on coal, said Jarrod Gieniec, 40, a miner at Silver Creek in eastern Pennsylvania's Schuylkill County. Recent polls show Biden ahead in Pennsylvania, helped by his strength in Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs. A Reuters/Ipsos poll from last week showed the former vice president with a narrow 3 percentage-point lead in the state, while a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sept. 29 shows Biden with a 9 percentage-point advantage there among likely voters. Story continues But many rural and blue-collar areas remain devoted to Trump. In Schuylkill County, for example, Republican voter registrations have surged on his watch. Republicans there held a slim 5,600-voter advantage over registered Democrats in 2016, an edge that now exceeds 17,000 voters, according to Pennsylvania voter data. The fortunes of the coal industry have not fared as well. U.S. production peaked in 2008 at 1.2 billion tons, and it has mostly fallen since as U.S. utilities have embraced cheaper - and cleaner - natural gas. Since 2010, 252 U.S. coal-fired power plants have shut, 66 since Trump's inauguration, according to the Sierra Club environmental group. U.S. coal production last year sank to 706 million tons, the lowest level since 1978, when a strike crippled output. Industry employment has plummeted more than 40% since 2008 to around 46,500 workers currently. Still, miners say Trump has earned their loyalty. The president put a former coal lobbyist, Andrew Wheeler, at the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Trump rolled back Obama-era rules to limit power-plant emissions and to protect streams from coal waste, signing a measure on the latter while surrounded by helmeted miners in the White House. And he pulled the United States out of the Paris agreement on climate, in part because he said it hurt U.S. coal jobs. Pennsylvania, with 20 Electoral College votes, is a critical battleground state that could determine whether Trump wins a second term. He carried the state by less than a percentage point in 2016 and has almost no path to victory if he doesn't prevail there again this year. Pennsylvania's 5,000 coal miners remain an influential voting bloc. Their political networks are wide, and their views are similar to those of other blue-collar voters, once a stronghold of the Democratic Party, who have pivoted to Trump, said Kristyn Karl, a political scientist at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. She pointed to 2016 polls that predicted - incorrectly - that Democrat Hillary Clinton would prevail in Pennsylvania. "If nothing else, 2016 made a lot of political scientists and pollsters much more wary of relying so tightly on polls, and aware that small groups can have a big impact, Karl said. NO IMMEDIATE ELIMINATION OF COAL Biden, a Pennsylvania native, is walking a tightrope between the old fossil-fuel interests that support blue-collar jobs and his vision for a $2-trillion transition to clean energy supported by many young voters. At a campaign event in Pittsburgh last month, he said he would not ban fracking on private lands, a method of oil and gas drilling that has boomed in Pennsylvania. "I am not banning fracking, no matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me," Biden said. His climate proposal calls for supporting coal communities to mitigate job losses. It envisions developing technology to capture emissions from coal-fired plants to keep those facilities operating. "There's nothing in ... the climate plan that would immediately eliminate coal from our power sector," a Biden campaign official told Reuters. Many fossil-fuel workers remain skeptical. The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), which had a long history of supporting Democrats, hasn't backed any presidential candidate since it endorsed Barack Obama's first run in 2008. There has been no industry revival under Trump despite White House slogans such as "Trump Digs Coal," said UMWA spokesman Phil Smith. "Coal is not back, especially in places like Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio," Smith said. Still, he said many rank-and-file members fear that Biden's climate plan "is slated to put them out of work." 'CAN'T STAND' TRUMP, VOTING FOR HIM ANYWAY Trump visited Pennsylvania five times in September, the most visits of any state. His campaign has focused on increasing his margins from 2016 in rural counties like Schuylkill and improving his results in urban areas and the suburbs. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in Pennsylvania by more than 724,000 voters, according to state election statistics as of September 28. Still, Republicans have picked up nearly 300,400 new net registered voters there since 2016, compared with a gain of nearly 88,500 for Democrats - a boost Republicans attribute to Trump. "That's a tangible difference in its direction towards the president," a Trump campaign official said about registrations. The Biden campaign discounted those Republican gains, saying it expects strong support from newly registered independent voters in Pennsylvania, whose numbers have increased by 130,000 since 2016, according to the state data. Pennsylvania laborers such as Chip Eichenberg believe Trump's tax cuts and easing of regulations can boost the coal and steel industries again. Eichenberg, 72, who operates a massive machine to excavate anthracite coal from a strip mine in St. Clair, said he did not vote for Trump in 2016 but plans to this time around. "I didn't think he had enough experience," Eichenberg said. "But that proved to be wrong. He got the economy going." Miners who spoke to Reuters said they were taken aback when Biden suggested late last year that coal workers could easily transition to computer coding. "First of all, they're going to be miserable; second of all, they're not going to be able to do it," said Gieniec, the Silver Creek miner. A registered Democrat who voted for Clinton in 2016, he said he'll vote for Trump in November even though he "can't stand him." "I don't like the way (Trump) treats other people," Gieniec said. "But if Biden wins it would end a way of life." (Reporting by Dane Rhys and Timothy Gardner; additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; writing by Timothy Gardner, editing by Richard Valdmanis and Marla Dickerson) The stalemate over paddy procurement continued for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, prompting farmers to stage protests and block roads in Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Yamunanagar districts. Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27, procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the farmers to suffer as many had already turned up at the mandis with their produce. Waiting in vain with their unsold crop, hundreds of angry farmers, protesting under the banner of BKU (Charuni), blocked the roads by parking their tractor-trailers. Traffic on national highway 44 in Karnal and Karnal-Yamunanagar state highway remained affected for several hours on Wednesday. Dharnas were also staged outside the market committee offices of Assandh, Taraori and Nilokheri grain market, where the governments effigy was burnt. In Ambala, protesting farmers blocked the Ambala-Hisar Highway while in Yamunanagar, protests were held outside various mandis in Chhachhrauli, Jagadhari, Radaur etc. Jagdeep Singh, a farmer, said he had come to the grain market five days ago, but his crop had not been procured so far. Charuni gives ultimatum Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said they have given 24 hours ultimatum to the government and that they will block all the roads if their produce is not procured by 1pm on Thursday. Officials of the market committees, meanwhile, claimed that they had started the procurement process. Karnal market committee secretary Sunder Kamboj claimed that 225 quintals of paddy was procured at Karnal grain market by the Hafed on Wednesday. Even in Kurukshetra, deputy commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Barar claimed that 10,190 MT paddy was procured by government agencies, of which 316 MT had already been lifted. In some grain markets, farmers accused the government agencies of not procuring their produce despite the moisture content being below 16%. Yamunanagar deputy commissioner Mukul Kumar in a statement said that Haryana CM Manohar Lal has increased the purchase limit of paddy from 25 quintals to 30 quintals and if a farmer brings 10% extra grain. that will be purchased too. (with inputs from Bhavey Nagpal in Ambala) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu address the media during a joint news conference after a meeting in Berlin By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Michele Kambas ANKARA/NICOSIA (Reuters) - Turkey and Cyprus, sharply at odds over rights in the Mediterranean, made competing claims on Wednesday for support from the European Union ahead of a leaders' summit at which the divided bloc will discuss possible sanctions on Ankara. Turkey said it expects the EU to take concrete steps at its Oct. 1-2 meeting to update a 2016 migrant deal and a customs union, while Cyprus - a bloc member - called for solidarity and action against Ankara. Cyprus is withholding its consent to EU sanctions on Belarus because it wants tougher measures from the bloc on Turkey, which it says is violating its maritime territory in a search for hydrocarbons. Greece, also an EU member, supports Cyprus's position, even while Athens agreed to resume talks with Ankara to address the row that escalated in recent months. Turkey dismisses the criticism and says it is protecting its legal offshore jurisdiction. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking on state-run Anadolu news agency TV, said Turkey expected the EU to continue the positive momentum gained from diplomatic efforts to establish dialogue with Greece. He urged an update to the 2016 deal under which Ankara curbed migrant entries into Europe in exchange for financial help and visa-free travel in the Schengen region. "These things can't be one-sided and that is our expectation," he said. EU leaders will address the eastern Mediterranean tensions on Thursday. Talk of sanctions on Turkey have faded since Athens and Ankara moved toward dialogue, though the risk has weighed on Turkey's lira which has hit record lows this month. Cyprus has repeatedly called for sanctions. After a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya, Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said: "Cyprus looks to the EU and its partners for solidarity in action." "Concretely upholding our common values and interests, and implementing our own decisions is of the essence," he added. Story continues Also ahead of the summit, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to EU leaders - excluding Greece and Cyprus - saying Greece and Greek Cypriots caused the regional tension, adding he hopes they will show an unbiased approach on Thursday. "Our expectation from the EU is to remain objective, treat everyone equally and back dialogue and cooperation," Erdogan said in the letter sent on Wednesday. (Writing by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Daren Butler, William Maclean) Popular Nigerian Artiste, David Adeleke popularly known as Davido has confirmed that he will be in Ghana on Saturday, 3rd November 2020. Davido disclosed this on his Instagram live after revealing that he missed Ghana. Recall that Davido was in Sao Tome in 2018 for his concert and he was received by the Prime minister of the country. The prime minister welcomed the music star and his entourage to his country just before his shutdown concert. Similarly, on December 31, 2019, Davido posted a video of himself, hanging out with the President of Ghana; Nana Akufo-Addo and his wife; Rebecca Akufo-Addo. READ ALSO: Davido Happily Played Drums During Praise And Worship Session In Asaba So, Davido is a friend to many leaders of the country and he has confirmed that he will be in Ghana again and he has often found favor in the sight of his teeming Ghanian fans.. Davido made a post on his InstaStory to confirm his plans to visit Ghana on Saturday. See the post below: READ ALSO: Nollywood Actor, Mr Ibu Visits Davido At His Mansion In Lagos President Trump ignored every pressing topic Monday as he welcomed one of his favorite things to the White House. The New York Times dropped a bombshell report Sunday evening revealing Trump leveraged business losses to avoid paying taxes for years, as well as using other dubious financial strategies to lower his tax bills. Trump denied the report in a Sunday press conference, and on Monday, avoided questions about his tax returns altogether as he praised an electric pick-up truck. The White House unexpectedly called reporters to the South Lawn on Monday, where they found Trump inspecting a Lordstown Motors 2021 electric pick-up truck. "We've all done a good job," Trump said after praising the truck's manufacturers, and then, out of nowhere, said "it's hotter now than it was before, and that's something really different." But before he could get too close to acknowledging fossil fuels' role in warming the Earth, he pivoted to call the truck "an incredible piece of science" and implied electrification is sure to "happen with more and more trucks and cars." He then walked away to reporters shouting "can you say anything about the tax returns?" and "when are you going to release them?" MOMENTS AGO: President Trump leaves truck event, not answering as reporter yells: "Can you say anything about the TAX RETURNS, Mr. President? When are you going to RELEASE THEM?" pic.twitter.com/b1ZNJ5rLRa The Hill (@thehill) September 28, 2020 It's far from the first time Trump has brought trucks to the White House, though they're usually a bit bigger than this one. And as The Washington Post has reported, it's something his advisers will do to cheer the president up when he's "inconsolable." More stories from theweek.com 'Sully' Sullenberger savages Trump's 'lethal lies and incompetence' in new Lincoln Project ad Joe Biden releases 2019 tax returns in 'pre-debate move' amid Trump revelations Trump literally can't afford to lose the election Alexandra Cane has admitted she sometimes feels 'deflated' if she doesn't complete her workout or if it wasn't as 'strong' as usual. The fitness fanatic, 29, revealed that she was battling with the idea of going to the gym in the morning of evening, but eventually decided to get it out of the way. However after attempting an early morning gym session, Alexandra said she was 'tired and struggling' so was only able to do what she could. Staying strong: Alexandra Cane has admitted she sometimes feels 'deflated' if she doesn't complete her workout or if it wasn't as 'strong' as usual Alexandra encouraged her followers that 'something is better than nothing', however she confessed that a lacklustre workout can make her feel flat. Explaining her reasoning for feeling unenergised, she said: 'Sleep is so important for your body to be able to perform at maximum potential. As is rest/recovery. She also added that skipping breakfast won't have helped, and said: 'I also didn't eat breakfast so that might have contributed to performance levels too. 'So I'm gonna go make breakfast now.' Honest: However after attempting an early morning gym session, Alexandra said she was 'tired and struggling' so was only able to do what she could Struggling: The fitness fanatic, 29, revealed that she was battling with the idea of going to the gym in the morning of evening, but eventually decided to get it out of the way Before heading to the gym, Alexandra revealed her reasoning for hauling herself to the gym despite not really feeling up to it. She said: 'If I don't workout & leave it til later, so many things could happen during the day which drain me/leave me less motivated to go tonight. 'I need to get it done for my own mental strength and wellbeing. I wanna be able to relax this evening.' Positive: Alexandra encouraged her followers that 'something is better than nothing', however she confessed that a lacklustre workout can make her feel flat Explaining her reasoning for feeling unenergised, she said: 'Sleep is so important for your body to be able to perform at maximum potential. As is rest/recovery' Earlier this month, Alexandra revealed she previously battled suicidal thoughts and ended up in hospital due to her anxiety. She shared a bikini snap on Instagram alongside a throwback image of herself with a fuller figure and told her fans: 'This exact date last year I was seriously low'. In a lengthy, candid post, she discussed her one-year journey in which she has overhauled her lifestyle and addressed her unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Journey: Alexandra took to Instagram this month to share before and after snaps as she reflected on her mental and physical journey over the past 12 months The beauty also told how the past year has been 'confusing' and 'testing' for her, while also revealing that maintaining her healthy lifestyle had been the 'hardest part' of her process. She penned: 'WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES. This year has honestly been one of the most confusing, testing years of my life (and I think for a lot of others too) but my word has it taught me so many lessons that I will never EVER forget. 'This exact date last year I was seriously low and clasping at straws to find ways to get myself feeling better. Difference: In a lengthy, candid post, she discussed her one-year journey in which she has overhauled her lifestyle and addressed her unhealthy relationship with alcohol Her story: In an open and honest Instagram post, the Love Island star recalled the changes she's made in her life both physically and mentally and how it's helped her for the better 'To look back at where I was then and where I am now, its almost like Im looking at two different people. Not even just physically, but mentally I know how far I've come. 'I had the worst anxiety, falling asleep thinking about death every night, zero purpose, zero motivation, in denial about my relationship with alcohol, food & most importantly, myself. 'My life has been turned absolutely upside down - and for the better.' For confidential support or advice call the Samaritans on 116 123 for free or visit www.samaritans.org Juliette Binoche looked the epitome of glamour as she attended the La Bonne Epouse premiere at the 16th Zurich Film Festival on Wednesday. The actress, 56, put on a daring display as she opted to go braless in a silk sapphire suit which hugged her age-defying physique. Juliette complemented her show-stopping look with dazzling diamond drop earrings and heels. Wow factor: Juliette Binoche looked the epitome of glamour as she attended the La Bonne Epouse premiere at the 16th Zurich Film Festival on Wednesday The plunging blazer showed off Juliette's ample cleavage and cinched her in at the waist with a wrap over design. The flared trousers, meanwhile, sheathed over her leggy frame. The Hollywood icon slicked her hair back into a low bun so as to let her outfit do all the talking. Busty: The actress, 56, put on a daring display as she opted to go braless in a silk sapphire suit which hugged her age-defying physique Stunning: Juliette complemented her show-stopping look with dazzling diamond drop earrings and heels All eyes on her: The plunging blazer showed off Juliette's ample cleavage and cinched her in at the waist with a wrap over design Juliette stars in the film La Bonne Epouse (How To Be A Good Wife) which follows a woman who starts to question the suppressed status of females while running a housekeeping school for teenage girls in 1968 France. The actress plays the main character Paulette. The plot follows Paulette and her husband, who run a housekeeping school. After the sudden death of her husband, Paulette discovers the school is on the verge of bankruptcy and has to take up the responsibilities. Style inspiration: The flared trousers meanwhile sheathed over her leggy frame Glamorous: The Hollywood icon slicked her hair back into a low bun so as to let her outfit do all the talking The actress has had a busy few weeks after walked the red carpet for her new film The Truth at the Venice Film Festival. In the film - which also stars Catherine Deneuve, 75 - tells the story of French film star Fabienne, and the problematic relationship she has with her daughter Lumir. The Truth is also the first of Hirokazu Kore-eda's films to be directed outside of his native Japan. Main role: Juliette stars in the film La Bonne Epouse which follows a woman who starts to question the suppressed status of females while running a housekeeping school Juliette was thrust into the international limelight in 1996 when she starred in Anthony Minghella's The English Patient. She was awarded an Academy Awards and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Hana. Four years later, she cemented her status as an A-list movie star when she received a nomination for her performance in romantic comedy Chocolat, alongside Johnny Depp. Juliette has two children: a son Raphael, 25, whose father is professional suba diver Andre Halle, and a daughter Hana, 19, whose father is actor Benoit Magimel, 45. Emergency services at the scene of a fire in the Staffa Drive area of Ballymena on September 30th 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A Ballymena community has been left in shock following a house fire that has claimed the life of a 12-year-old child. The blaze in Staffa Drive in the Ballykeel area of the town was reported just before 6pm on Wednesday evening. DUP Alderman Audrey Wales said she was stunned to learn that a child had died, but said details were still emerging. The tragedy comes as police have just launched a murder investigation in the area as 33-year-old Donald Fraser-Rennie was found dead in a flat in the nearby Crebilly Road. Ms Wales told the Belfast Telegraph: This community really must be in such shock, this is two disastrous pieces of news within 24 hours. My heart, sympathies and prayers go out to the child involved and I hope that the community can be assured that they will get all the help that they need from the local council. Group Commander Declan Rogers from the Northern Ireland Fire Service, said the alarm over the house fire was raised with three fire appliances attending. John McPoland from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service added that two emergency crews and an ambulance officer attended, with one person taken to Antrim Area Hospital. The GWS announced that Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work and renowned workplace culture expert, will keynote at its conference November 811, 2020, at The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida. The pandemic has created a major shift in work cultureforcing many businesses to become more flexible when it comes to remote workers, for example. At the same time, theres been an acceptance of the fact that racial inequality permeates every aspect of our lives. The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multi-trillion-dollar global wellness economy, today announced that Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work and renowned workplace culture expert, will keynote at its conference November 811, 2020, at The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida. The theme of the 2020 GWS is Resetting the World with Wellness, and Bush will be one of the experts exploring how innovative and more democratic wellness concepts could transform human life post-COVID-19. Bushs presentation, which will include new research conducted during the pandemic with hundreds of the worlds leading CEOs, is entitled, A Great Place to Work For All, and is based on his organizations inclusive leadership model and book by the same name. Bush will outline the importance of wellness and inclusivity in creating positive workplaces and quantify the ROI that these businesses achieve, such as typically outperforming peers in the stock market. The pandemic has created a major shift in work cultureforcing many businesses to become more flexible when it comes to remote workers, for example. At the same time, theres been an acceptance of the fact that racial inequality permeates every aspect of our lives. These two monumental moments have created new challenges and opportunities for business leaders across the globe, said Susie Ellis, GWS chair and CEO. Great Place to Work is a global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures, operating in over 60 countries, providing the benchmarks, framework and expertise needed to create, sustain and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. The company is responsible for popular workplace lists, including Best Workplaces for Women, Best Workplaces for Millennials, and Best Companies to Work For. Bushs popular workplace culture book "A Great Place to Work For All" has garnered kudos and recommendations from CEOs of some of the worlds leading companies, including Intuit, Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente, PwC and Marriott International. Said Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff: The most successful companies have a higher purpose and are built on a foundation of trust, growth, innovation, equality, and making the world a better place for all. "A Great Place to Work For All" shares the essential values that every organization should follow to thrive in the future. More about Bush: Michael C. Bush is a global chief executive with over 25 years of experience leading small and mid-sized organizations through transformational growth. Driven by a love of business and an unwavering commitment to fair and equitable treatment, in 2015, Michael acquired ownership and currently serves as the global CEO of Great Place to Work. Bush set a new mission for the company: to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place to Work For All by the year 2030. Bush is also a sought-after speaker and regular contributor to Fortune and has been featured in numerous publications, including Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., ThriveGlobal, Huffington Post, CNBC and TED. Capacity at the 2020 Summit is limited; delegates are urged to register ASAP. To learn more about the Summit or to register, click here. About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit is an invitation-only international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy. Held in a different location each year, Summits have taken place in the US, Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Singapore. The 14th annual Summit will take place at The Breakers Palm Beach, FL, from November 811, 2020. The 2021 GWS will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 1518. New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal on Wednesday (September 30, 2020) wrote to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Judges of the Apex Court and requested for a High Court-monitored investigation in the Hathras gangrape case. Maliwal also demanded the immediate suspension and punitive action against all the erring police and administrative officials including the senior-most officials who tried to cover-up the incident that reportedly took place on September 14 in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. "The brutal gang-rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl by four men in Hathras has again shaken our already shaken core. Millions of young & innocent girls have sacrificed their lives and dignity in our country and yet except momentary outrage, our country fails to act," said Maliwal in her letter. , pic.twitter.com/kTB6w5KI94 Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) September 30, 2020 She said that the Hathras gang-rape and murder has once again exposed the complete apathy and disregard our system shows towards its daughters and mothers. "The victim was gang-raped on September 14 and left to die in the fields with grievous injuries. Despite repeated pleas of the family, the local police failed to register a case of gang-rape or even rape and for 5 days the accused persons roamed around scot-free. It was only on 22nd September that the victim's statement was recorded and the relevant sections of gang-rape were added in the case and the other accused persons were identified," stated the DCW chairperson. Also read | Hathras gang-rape case: PM Narendra Modi speaks to UP CM Yogi Adityanath, calls for strict action against culprits "Had immediate action be taken on the pleas of the family and had the victim been shifted to Delhi earlier, we may not have lost another daughter." Instead of providing "Y security" to one actress, "why no security" for the common women in this country ? Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) September 30, 2020 "Despite her serious condition from day one, the Government of Uttar Pradesh shifted the victim to Delhi only on 28 September where she succumbed to her injuries the next day. Even in death, the UP Government was not moved by the pleas and tears of the victim and gravest of grave violation of the human rights of the victim, her family was locked up in their home and the her body was forcibly taken to the fields at 2 A.M. in the morning and cremated by the police officials. No family member was allowed to cremate the body and in death, the family could not be with their daughter," wrote Maliwal. Also read | Hathras gang-rape: Protesters block roads and market, victim cremated by police She said that every possible fundamental and human right of the victim was violated by the UP Government and its police, in life and in death. Maliwal also requested CJI Bobde to set in place definite mechanisms to ensure that no other daughter has to suffer the same fate. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has constituted a three-member SIT to probe the incident and a senior government official said the Chief Minister has also asked for conducting the trial of the case in a fast track court. The official said Secretary Home, Bhagwan Swarup, will lead the SIT and DIG, Chandraprakash, and Commandant PAC Agra, Poonam, will be its members. The SIT has been asked to submit its report in seven days Also read | Hang the culprits: Akshay Kumar, Farhan Akhtar and other Bollywood stars demand justice for Hathras gangrape victim Right now 24-year-old hottie and celeb spawn Ireland inspires this peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines as we bounce back into the news day. Kansas City Jobs Coming Soon FedEx Ground will hire 300 for in Kansas City's Northland Park by: FOX 4 Newsroom Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - FedEx Ground will begin operations next month out of a new 548,500-square-foot large package distribution center within Kansas City's Northland Park. The new distribution center at 4029 N. Pleasant Ave. Head Check In The Dotte KCK Public Schools provides teachers with mental health support KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools officials instituted a 24-hour care line to offer mental health support to students and staff. The care line is one of several efforts under way to help employees throughout the coronavirus pandemic. KCKPS Director of Student Services Lisa M. Kansas City Voter Win Today Hundreds line up for Chiefs voter registration and food giveaway at Truman Sports Complex KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Thousands of people are getting free food and registering to vote at a special event organized by the Kansas City Chiefs and several community groups. The Chiefs have placed a priority on voter registration efforts. The team wants to make sure as many people as possible exercise their right to vote. Hottie Hygiene Promo Debuts Ireland Baldwin Hikes Up Dress By Highway For Tampon Reveal It's worth remembering that comments on Ireland's Instagram can very much go either way. The model, this summer slammed for her green tea-reccing "period bloat" rant, was, however, supported by her followers here. A fan calling the post "awesome" said that "these kind of ads make me actually want to but the products." Yet Another Debate Preview Biden and Trump prepare for a debate that could turn personal Inside the map room of the White House, a small group of advisers sat around a table and peppered the President with accusations and criticisms about everything from lying to incompetence. The team, led by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, was getting Donald Trump prepared for the onslaught they expect from Joe Biden on the debate stage Tuesday night. Democratic Party Plays Hide & Seek With Newsies Kamala Harris doesn't take questions after speech ripping Trump's Supreme Court push Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris faced renewed scrutiny for her lack of press availability on Monday after she abruptly exited the stage after a speech in North Carolina in which she criticized President Trump's bid to fill a Supreme Court seat before the election. More Cash Coming Soon?!?! Democrats' revised stimulus bill pushes for $600 in extra weekly unemployment through January Democrats are continuing their push to restore $600 a week in enhanced unemployment benefits, under a revised legislative proposal intended to juice the pandemic-challenged economy. The modified $2.2 trillion HEROES Act - a $3 trillion version cleared the Democrat-controlled House in May - was unveiled Monday. OLD SCHOOL RULES!!! Trump, Biden Are Potential 'Super Agers' Whose Age Is 'Not Relevant' To Election, Study Finds Donald Trump and Joe Biden are likely to stay in good health for the duration of the next presidential term and may be "super agers" who will significantly outlive other men their age, a new study projects, undercutting criticisms about the septuagenarians' age and mental fitness that have plagued both candidates on the campaign trail. Tech Car Commercial Imagines Mars Survival Mission Elon Musk says humans need to move to Mars as Sun will one day engulf Earth ELON Musk has reiterated his call for humanity to become an "interplanetary species" in order to save itself from extinction. The billionaire, who founded US rocket firm SpaceX, was a guest on the podcast " Sway" on Monday, where he warned that mankind must populate Mars to avoid the destruction of Earth as it is engulfed by the Sun. Po-Po Fights Rising Beat Downs Amid Coronavirus Rose Brooks, KCPD and court system teaming up to assist victims of domestic violence KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Rose Brooks is teaming up with law enforcement and the court system to create change, the new plan to help domestic violence victims was launched on Monday. The plan was developed over the past three years thanks to a grant from the city. Midday Sweet Review Celeste Gant dishes on her life and upcoming cupcake flavors at KC Cupcake Co. in KCK Celeste Gant at KC Cupcake Co. // Photo courtesy of Celeste. The owner and founder of Kansas City Cupcake Co. Cafe in downtown Kansas City Kansas, Celeste Gant knows a thing or two about sweet treats. Celeste tells about her experience owning a small business and when she learned to start baking. Kansas City Pumpkin Spice Weather Forecast Redux Your Storm Track 5 Daily Forecast Calmer and cooler weather for your Chiefs Monday. High temperatures today will stay in the middle 60s with a 20% chance for an isolated, light shower this evening. And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now . . . WASHINGTON President Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail Wednesday with a rally in Minnesota, seeking to reframe the debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden that was beset by frequent interruptions and personal attacks as a "win." "All of us won big last night," Trump told supporters at the Duluth International Airport. "Liberal media is upset that I took the fight to Biden." Both sides claimed victory in the 90-minute debate, even as independent analysts said the bitter exchanges left little room for a serious policy discussion and probably did little to convince persuadable voters on way or the other. Trump recounted what he viewed as the highlights of the debate: Including his focus on law and order. "I held Joe Biden accountable," Trump asserted. Biden, who campaigned in Ohio and Pennsylvania on Thursday, said the debate illustrated that Trump cares more about Park Avenue than the former vice presidents birthplace of Scranton, Pennsylvania, or working-class cities in Ohio. During a rally in the Keystone State on Wednesday, Biden noted Trump declined to directly condemn white supremacy when pressed on the point by moderator Chris Wallace. "We can't afford to go on being divided," Biden said. "We can't go on having a leader that does nothing but throw gasoline on the hatred in this country." Minnesota: Why Biden, Trump are headed to Minnesota to battle for the middle class More: Trump says he doesn't know Proud Boys, but "they need to stand down" Trump and his campaign see Minnesota as a special project, their best chance to flip a state Hillary Clinton narrowly won in 2016. Trump came within 1.5 percentage points of claiming Minnesota four years ago, a state that no Republican presidential candidate has won since Richard Nixon in 1972. Trump has campaigned in the state twice before this year, including a rally in Bemidji this month. Story continues Trump believes that violent demonstrations against police brutality in Minneapolis will bolster his "law and order" campaign theme, though there is no public polling evidence that shows that approach is working. In fact, the RealClearPolitics average of recent state polls gives Biden a 9.4 point lead in the state. A server wears a face shield and face-covering as people sit to watch a broadcast of the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. During previous visits to Minnesota, Trump promoted his tariffs on Chinese steel to bolster local mining, his renegotiation of the trade deal with Canada for dairy farmers and funding for the Soo Locks shipping channel that is critical to trade on the Great Lakes. Biden has focused on his support among steelworkers and other unions, with a proposal to spur domestic manufacturing through federal spending. Trump faced questions during the debate Tuesday for continuing to hold campaign rallies during the coronavirus pandemic, though he noted that most but not all of those events have been held outdoors and so far have not led to outbreaks. "People want to hear what I have to say," Trump said. Contributing: Bart Jansen This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump returns to Minnesota, where he trails, for post-debate rally Terrestrial Energy and L3Harris Technologies to Develop IMSR Generation IV Nuclear Power Plant Simulator Terrestrial Energy's IMSR plant to be simulated with L3Harris' Orchid simulation environment. Terrestrial Energy's IMSR plant to be simulated with L3Harris' Orchid simulation environment. OAKVILLE, Ontario and MONTREAL, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terrestrial Energy has awarded L3Harris Technologies a contract to develop an engineering and operator training simulator for the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR), a Generation IV nuclear power plant. The IMSR power plant simulator is being built at L3Harris operation in Montreal, Quebec and will be delivered to Terrestrial Energys Oakville, Ontario facility in 2021. It will provide Terrestrial Energy with a high-fidelity platform to simulate and visualize all major IMSR reactor and power plant functions. The simulator will support Terrestrial Energys engineering activities and, subsequently, operator training as development moves to licensing and construction prior to plant commissioning. We are applying our high-performance computing and reactor simulation capabilities to IMSR power plant development, said Rangesh Kasturi, President, Maritime International, L3Harris. This effort will result in Terrestrial Energy obtaining its first simulator for the IMSR power plant equipping its engineers with a dynamic, integrated and real-world tool to support IMSR deployment. L3Harris simulator provides an extraordinary real-world experience of the IMSR power plant operation and performance. It supports our engineering activities, operator training programs and future IMSR deployments, said Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy. This digital technology illustrates how high-performance computing enables Generation IV innovation capable of providing cost-competitive, reliable, resilient and clean electric power and industrial heat. In addition to modeling and testing the integrated engineering simulator, L3Harris will provide its state-of-the-art Orchid simulation environment and training to Terrestrial Energy for further simulator development. This aspect of the contract is a result of L3Harris Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) commitments to Canada through its participation in the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) on the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships program with Irving Shipbuilding. Story continues This investment in Terrestrial Energy is another example of the National Shipbuilding Strategy at work creating investment in people and businesses across the country to ensure Canadians are benefitting from coast to coast to coast, said Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding. Through the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship construction program and the Canadian Surface Combatant program, spending commitments to date have generated positive economic impacts for hundreds of businesses and organizations that are creating world-class innovation and research across the country. The ITB commitment requires identifying new opportunities that benefit Canadian industry when any work is performed outside of Canada on the NSS. The ITB program ensures that 100 percent of the value of a significant defence contract is spent in Canada, and this creates a strong link between our naval programs and the creation of innovation in our energy sector. About Terrestrial Energy Terrestrial Energy is a developer of Generation IV advanced nuclear power plants that use its proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) technology. IMSR technology represents true innovation in cost reduction, versatility, and functionality of nuclear power plants. IMSR power plants will provide zero-carbon, reliable, dispatchable, cost-competitive electric power and high-grade industrial heat for use in many industrial applications, such as chemical synthesis and desalination, and in so doing extend the application of nuclear energy far beyond electric power markets. They have the potential to make important contributions to industrial competitiveness, energy security, and economic growth. Their deployment will support rapid global decarbonization of the primary energy system by displacing fossil fuel combustion across a broad spectrum. Using an innovative design, and proven and demonstrated molten salt reactor technology, Terrestrial Energy is engaged with regulators and industrial partners to complete IMSR engineering and to commission first IMSR power plants in the late 2020s. terrestrialenergy.com About L3Harris Technologies L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 48,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. L3Harris.com. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d186ab6-5e18-4744-be75-33a7f557979d CONTACT: Contact: Jarret Adams Terrestrial Energy Phone: +1 (202) 815-9234 Email: jadams@fulloncom.com Contact: Brian Smith Terrestrial Energy Phone: +1 (416) 822-3130 Email: bsmith@the-lanes.ca Website: www.terrestrialenergy.com E-mail: info@terrestrialenergy.com Contact: Deanna Burke L3Harris Technologies Phone: + (856) 338- 3437 Email: Deanna.Burke@L3Harris.com Website: www.L3Harris.com/MAPPS The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution ... The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The bill was sponsored by the Speaker of the house, Hon. Femi Gbajabimila and the Chairman, Rules and Business, Rep. Abubakar Fulata at the plenary on today Fulata, while presenting the bill noted that Section 89 states that anybody who is summoned by the parliament and refuses to appear would be issued a warrant of arrest and be compelled to appear. Adding that the bill seeks to alter the provision which states that anyone who refuses or ignores the summon of parliament shall be upon conviction guilty of contempt and shall be liable to a fine of N500,000 or two years imprisonment or both. The speaker in his ruling has referred the bill to the Special House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative actions. Related Armenia and Azerbaijan vow to keep fighting as deaths mount Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday called for a de-escalation in fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed Karabakh region and offered to host negotiations in Moscow. In separate telephone conversations with his counterparts from Azerbaijan and Armenia, Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's "readiness" to organise necessary contacts, including holding the next meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, according to a ministry statement. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, Sep 30 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a PIL that sought action against social media giant Twitter on the charge of involvement in a conspiracy to promote the Khalistan movement of radical Sikhs. A Division Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad declined the petition on the ground that petitioner Sangeeta Gupta had not made a representation to the central government and instead directly approached the court. "Merely because you say something is in public interest doesn't mean you don't approach the government first," the court said. When the petitioner's counsel said that a member of Parliament had raised the issue, the court questioned: "Are you the gentleman's lawyer? We don't propose to entertain this petition without you making a representation first to the authority concerned." The plea contended that some "promoted handles" on Twitter were used for promoting the agenda for a separate Khalistan. "... Respondent No 5 (Twitter India) deliberately and knowingly in order to create rift in society deliberately promoted the prohibited content of the Sikhs For Justice." "... in the absence of any law to deal with offensive and hate messages, platforms like Twitter are knowingly promoting messages that are against the law of the land and, therefore, the Respondent needs to explain circulation and promotion of prohibited content...," the plea added. The plea had sought court directions to the Ministry of Law and Justice, Information Technology Ministry and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to formulate a mechanism to check the content and advertisements promoting anti-national agenda and hatred among communities. "The brazen attack on the sovereignty and integrity of India on Twitter is to the detriment of citizens as a whole. Hence the present PIL," the plea said. The petitioner also sought an NIA inquiry as many users promoting the cause of Khalistan were stationed outside India. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The 16th China International Cartoon & Animation Festival kicks off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on Sept 29. [For China Daily] As the country's largest such event to gather animation fans, the 16th China International Cartoon & Animation Festival kicked off in Hangzhou, the capital city of East China's Zhejiang Province, on Tuesday. Previously, the festival usually started during the May Day holiday, but the event this year was postponed to October's National Day holiday due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Taking place in 12 venues and online, the six-day festival will hold more than 40 activities, and end on Oct 4. Niu Jun, secretary-general of the festival's executive committee, said this year's festival will fully use the city's experience in containing the epidemic's spread by digital and high-tech means to ensure safety. For instance, all participants and visitors should use their ID cards to apply for tickets, with all their information uploaded to the city's health code system. Performers at the festival [For China Daily] Also, each of its 12 venues is taking strict anti-epidemic measures, such as requiring visitors to wear masks, to ensure health safety. Niu also revealed that nearly 1,000 original animated works from 19 countries and regions have applied to contend for the Golden Monkey Awards, the festival's top honor. The most highlighted candidates include Ne Zha, China's highest-grossing animated film of all time, and the Sino-US coproduction Abominable. For the first time in 16 years, the awards will set a marketing sector, inviting investing and production companies, including China Animation Comic and Game Group, to create more business opportunities for the winners. In spite of the COVID-19 blow, the festival sees the major potential of the Chinese animation and cartoon market, exemplified by drawing more than 200 enterprises from home and abroad. Cartoon works exhibited and sold during the festival [For China Daily] More than 800 franchises from various producers and over 100 companies will gather for the festival's most highlighted business sector, the International Animation & Game Business Conference, with contract negotiations estimated to reach about 1,500 rounds. Meanwhile, more than 670 business meetings will take place online, drawing participants from 42 countries and regions. A highlight of the festival, its master class, has set an all-women program and includes invitations to three influential women's animation insiders to share their views about the industry. A performer during the opening press event of the 16th China International Animation & Cartoon Festival in Hangzhou [For China Daily] She Yuanyuan, director of Tencent Video Animation Center, is one of the three women presenters. A veteran in the cartoon and animation industry, she said Tencent Video, the streaming arm of the internet giant Tencent, has seen a promising rise of domestic animation fans, with 75 percent of active users on the Tencent Videos just watching Chinese works. Perhaps the most appealing festival sector for animated fans, the China Cosplay Super Pageant has set five awards for individual winners, the first of its kind, to support participants who want to develop their interest into careers. A performer in ancient Chinese outfits during the festival [For China Daily] (Source: chinadaily.com.cn) Focusing on the potential impact of the global pandemic early on starting last quarter of 2019 helped Vision Fund Investment companies be better prepared, said Kirthiga Reddy, Partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers. In a exclusive interaction with BusinessToday.In, she said the fund had recently analysed its investments across sectors, to see which of them had a COVID-19 tailwind effect (for instance, like e-commerce and edtech that are witnessing huge growth because of COVID-19) and those that had neutral or a negative impact. "We found that most of our investments are in positive league or neutral impacted categories" said Reddy. Elaborating on the support that stakeholders of the fund extended to its investee companies, she said that the first thing to do was to help companies understand the impact of COVID on their own business strategy and the people side of things. "We spent a lot of time streamlining operations and lining up for greater and better unit economics and profitability. The good thing is we actually started that focus way back in the last quarter of 2019," she added. ALSO READ: Bengaluru-based venture capital firm launches startups funding programme With companies being better prepared to respond to the changes, Kirthiga says that most of their companies have more than 18-24 months of cash runway. As a positive outcome of the pandemic, many companies are also looking to capitalise on opportunities created by COVID-19. One of the two examples of such portfolio companies is Collective Health, which helps the self insured employer benefit scheme in the US, created a product within weeks to help employees return back safely to work. The other being WeWork which is also witnessing new demand from enterprises who are demanding space for their employees to go to work to closer to where they live. Kirthiga being the first female partner at the $100 billion dollar SoftBank Vision Fund says her firm is hungry for diverse perspective. "While I might be the first, but certainly not the last. We have other incredible women partners like Lydia Jett and we have very strong leadership across all levels," said Reddy. ALSO READ: Paytm, OYO, BYJU's most valued Indian unicorns, check out others in top 10 The firm's focus on diversity which started a couple of years ago, saw the creation of a diversity council with the CEO of Vision Fund, Rajeev Misra and Catherine Lenson, CHRO, leading the way in setting the diversity goals. "We have also invested deeply in supporting our employee affinity groups whether it is gender based,under-represented minorities LGBTQ, giving them voice, giving them executive sponsorship and many programs that touch our external ecosystem," added Reddy. With her work and focus on frontier tech, enterprise tech and health tech investments, Kirthiga says bold founders with clear vision, deep understanding of markets and addressable market size for the solution are at the core of choosing a company to fund by SoftBank. "I am a tech investor and it's about the use of next generation technology, AI, data and innovative differentiated business models to solve the needs and create a differentiated market," she further said. Kirthiga is also the recipient of Business Today's Most Powerful Women Award 2020. ALSO READ: BigBasket in talks with new investors for $400 million as Alibaba looks to trim stake A plantation drive was held in the Mullanpur forest area on Wednesday to mark the 71st state-level Van Mahotsav. Forest and wildlife preservation minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot presided over the event and inaugurated the development work of a Nagar Van in the forest area. He said that the Nagar Van will be established over 37 acres of land. The GMADA had given the designated land to the forest department in lieu of the land given by the department for the construction of Mullanpur-Siswan road. The entire stretch was barren hence, the forest department tried and tested various types of plantation there and is now finally establishing the Nagar Van, he said. The area will be fenced with chains and paths to walk through it will be constructed so that people can visit and enjoy the beauty of the forest, he added. A sandalwood cluster has also been established over 2.5 acres of land in the forest, informed the minister, adding that the experiment had been successful with a satisfactory rate of growth of trees. This new cluster is evoking nation-wide interest and, botanists from the Wood Institute, Bengaluru even visited the site recently, he added. STATE-WIDE PLANTATION CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED A campaign, to plant 400 saplings per village to mark the 400th Prakash Utsav of Guru Teg Bahadur, was also launched on occasion. The forest minister informed that as per the directions of the chief minister, 400 saplings would be planted in every village to mark the Prakash Utsav. The campaign is being implemented under the Greening Punjab Mission and around 52 lakh saplings will be planted in 12,986 villages of the state under the initiative. The minister also revealed that as per a satellite assessment done by the forest survey of India, the green cover in Punjab had increased from 900 square kilometers to 1,800 square kilometers in the past two years. He further informed that the forest department had proposed to carry out plantation works on an area of about 5,237 hectares during the year 2020-21 through various schemes. The department is also facilitating plantation of 24 lakh saplings by farmers on their respective land, under the agroforestry scheme. Photo credit: Alex Grace From Cosmopolitan It wasnt supposed to be like this. It was all supposed to happen back in April, planned at a time when none of us thought twice about popping to the shops without a mask or eating indoors at our favourite pizza place. Like all of you, we had plans. Cosmopolitan had wanted to bring back our Home Made campaign, in association with NatWest, giving a new group of women the chance to live for reduced rent (or, in this case, almost no rent) in order to help them improve their financial stability and further their careers. We put the advert out. You responded. We interviewed a shortlist and found the Home Made class of 2020. Then, the world pressed pause. But when government restrictions were eased slightly back in early summer, we could, like the rest of the UK, start to action some of those best-laid plans. Of course, things had to be different. Each of our five housemates had to quarantine for two weeks before moving in. We made sure each was tested for COVID-19, and government guidelines were followed every step of the way. Thankfully, five women who had previously been struggling with financial uncertainty while trying to climb their individual career ladders now had a safe (and stylish) apartment in one of Manchesters most sought-after locations all for just 1 a month in rent. Over the next year, youll hear a lot more from these women as they make their way in the new world that were all trying to navigate. Who are they? Lets find out Moyinoluwa S: 25, filmmaker and artist "Im from Stockport originally, but moved to London for university and then stayed for work. I had sometimes considered returning to Manchester, but with my career in London, I didnt feel like I could afford to come back and rent and although I love my family, I crave the independence living apart gives me. My parents are both Nigerian, but my siblings and I were born here. My mums a nurse and my dad worked as an engineering lecturer. There were six of us living in the house in Stockport where I grew up, so it was very busy and I had to share a room with my older sister. We had two single beds and 5cm of space next to us. It was definitely cosy! Story continues Photo credit: Alex Grace The thing I remember most about my upbringing is the cultural contrast of my first-generation Nigerian parents with their second-generation kids. We were born in Britain, but there was this backdrop of Nigerian-ness that our parents wanted us to adhere to. It was chaotic and beautiful at the same time, but there was friction between those two things. For as long as I can remember, Ive been fascinated by photography. In year nine, I used to sell Chewits to save money for my first DSLR camera. Id buy a multipack of seven for 1, then sell each pack for 40p. I became the unofficial photographer of my friends and family. I loved documenting our lives. In my final year of university, I took on internships, and eventually won one of 10 places on a leading documentary film programme, which helped me to develop my skills and form a network of like-minded people. I was able to work on numerous freelance, arts and film projects, and as a result, learned about issues of access, and how difficult it is for marginalised communities to get into these industries. Lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic has been so bad for freelancers. You dont have a safety net or furlough. My money just disappeared overnight. It did mean, however, that during all the BLM protests, I had time to coordinate some resource sharing. I was very aware that there were people in a similar position to me who didnt know where to find funding or therapy it was such an intense moment and people kept ignoring the mental toll it took. Coming back to Manchester is a massive break for me. Renting in London is so expensive! The last few months have taught me that its crucial to try and build a financial safety net. Career-wise, it will also allow me to work on projects that Ive not been able to give time to, get a studio space, see what initiatives and collectives there are for Black creatives and get involved in the art scene here. Having the space to invest in my own mental and physical health, for the first time really, is crucial." Grace Taylor-White: 21, student midwife "I have been fascinated by birth for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Sheffield, on the edge of the Peak District, and my dad would take us to the local farms to watch the lambs being born. I even got to help the farmers deliver them! When I was in sixth-form college, an advert popped up on my computer screen offering experience with Gap Medics in maternity wards in Thailand. You go to a country and shadow a nurse or midwife over there, so I told my mum and she booked it for me that night. On my 18th birthday, I flew out to Thailand for the most eye-opening experience of my life. Two days in and Id already witnessed my first birth. I knew then it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Photo credit: Alex Grace You cant be afraid of hard work as a student midwife. The hours are long, there are nightshifts and studying, and I worked part-time as a waitress to support myself through university, too. My parents taught me and my sister to be fearless theyd work all the hours they could so we could take family holidays backpacking around Australia or driving a campervan around Europe. I have that same spirit. When the rest of the UK went into lockdown as part of COVID-19, I started working full-time in the NHS. It was the first time Id been paid for the hours I did, and I loved working on the maternity wards and supporting my colleagues. Ive delivered 10 babies so far since March! Living in the Home Made house has already changed my life in so many ways. I can now afford to have a car, meaning no 40-minute bus rides home at the end of a night shift. Our new flat is so central I can even cycle to work! Most importantly, it means I can save to go to Uganda next summer and work for a month in a maternity hospital there. Its arranged through my university, but on this trip, Ill be nearly qualified and be able to bring supplies out from the UK to those who need them most." Maria Labrosse: 26, English teacher and aspiring journalist "This year was supposed to be the year that I got into journalism properly. I studied it at university, but then, after a few months working in a department store in Manchester, I took a job teaching English in Barcelona with my (now ex) boyfriend and our best friends. Id had a difficult time at uni. I suffered with anxiety throughout my A-Levels and then it got really bad in my first year, developing into depression as time went on. I didnt have the money to pay for counselling privately, and I didnt want to take medication. Going abroad helped, first to Barcelona and then to Vietnam. But when my boyfriend and I broke up, I knew I needed to come back and start working on my career. Photo credit: Alex Grace I flew home at Christmas and was applying for jobs and internships when COVID-19 happened. Being from a lower socio-economic background, its incredibly difficult to find opportunities and gain experience in journalism. They tend to be in London Im from Blackpool, and have never had the money to move south. My dad is Black and grew up in Kenya, moving here when he was 15 years old. I was one of only a few people from a BAME background in my year, and to this day, its something I struggle with. Its a struggle with identifying myself, or other people struggling to identify me and where Im from. I feel it has held me back. One thing I lack is a portfolio. When I was depressed and anxious at university, working in retail and hating it, I couldnt put myself out there when I needed to. But moving into this flat will allow me to do internships and take opportunities without the burden of rent hanging over my head. I know how lucky I am to have a home to come back to, but after years of being abroad, my independence is important to me. The year may have started badly, but things are looking up now." Bethany Cookson: 26, stylist and art director "I was living at home with my mum and dad, sleeping in the room I grew up in and scrapping for space in the kitchen, when I saw the Cosmopolitan Home Made scheme pop up on my Facebook page. 'Imagine if I won that,' I thought. Imagine. Id moved back home to Manchester following a few years living in London after university. I was having a great time. Id set up a club night DJ-ing rockabilly music, which I love. Both my parents are really into vintage, so I grew up with it, and have always dressed in vintage clothes and styled my hair differently. Visual and arty stuff has always come very easily to me, but I really struggled at school growing up. My teachers told me I was lazy, but it wasnt until one of my dance teachers suggested I get tested for dyslexia that anyone realised why I found classes so difficult. Since then, Ive sort of taught myself how to do things in a way I can understand. In London, I had a boyfriend and loads of mates, but I was skint. I came back home and started working as a stylist and social media manager for Lindy Bop, a clothes label. I also started building up my freelance portfolio, doing more and more shoots outside of my job. Then the pandemic put Lindy Bop into administration and, at the same time, I lost all my freelance work. Photo credit: Alex Grace I believe that everything happens for a reason. I was supposed to lose my job in order to push and hustle to make my freelance career take off. I dont want to blow loads of money on rent instead, I want to save for a house deposit. Lockdown changed everything for me. Before that, I didnt have an afternoon free for about six months. Having nothing to do was the hardest thing, but things are starting to pick up again, and I cant wait for the year to come." Cheri Colverson: 29, secondary school teacher "Growing up, my parents definitely shielded me and my sister from knowing how little money we had. They always made sure we didnt go without, and my mum would save up for school trips. The first holiday we had abroad was in Spain. I was 11 years old, and I realised two things on that trip: what it felt like to tan (which I loved) and how amazing it was if you could speak another language. Now I teach French and Spanish in a secondary school. I grew up in a small town in East Yorkshire, but quite a few people in my family are good at languages and I got to live in France as part of my university degree. I moved back there after my PGCE and worked two jobs to pay my (extortionate) Parisian rent. I taught English to French children, and also worked for a company that delivered English lessons in cool businesses across the city. I got to work at Paris Fashion Week for a designer, in an animation studio and in a fancy cosmetics company. I loved it. Photo credit: Alex Grace But a year into my time in Paris, my mum fell ill and my sister had just had her first daughter. I wanted to come back to the UK and be closer to family, so I took a job teaching at a school in London. After a couple of years, the cost of living got the better of me, and I had built up a load of credit card debt that I just wasnt able to clear. I got offered a job back in Manchester and found a place to live by myself. All my mates are married and have houses and kids. I am totally fine with the fact that thats not my lifestyle right now, but I do want to be in the position where if I did want to buy a house or put a deposit down, I could. Having been a teacher for six years, credit cards have been the only way Ive been able to afford my lifestyle. But the debt creeps up on you. Living as part of this scheme for a couple of months, Ive already managed to pay off 1,000, which feels amazing!" Book a free Financial Health Check with Natwest on video or over the phone. You Might Also Like A naturalized U.S. citizen from Nigeria has been sentenced to 3 years in federal prison on a fraud and money laundering convictions and was ordered to repay nearly $436,000 to 194 people he helped to scam. U.S. Middle District Judge Christopher C. Conner hit Cyprian Ngbadi, 63, of New York City, less than two years after Ngbadi returned to the U.S. from his homeland. U.S. Attorney David Freed said Ngbadi committed his crimes between 2007 and 2009 while running MoneyGram and Western Union outlets in Queens. He would launder money orders fraudsters secured from victims of bogus sweepstakes, prize, employment and other scams and take percent as payment, Freed said. He said the victims of the scams included senior citizens from central Pennsylvania. Relatives of the 12 detainees gather outside Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong, to petition for their return Chinese authorities formally approved on Wednesday the arrests of 12 Hong Kong activists caught last month while allegedly trying to flee the city for Taiwan. The group was snared some 70 kilometres (43 miles) southeast of the city on August 23 while trying to escape by boat, authorities said at the time, adding that they were handed to police in Shenzhen, the mainland metropolis bordering Hong Kong. They had since disappeared into China's opaque judicial system, with lawyers struggling to access them and family members expressing fear over their fate. On Wednesday the People's Procuratorate of Yantian District in Shenzhen said it had approved the arrests. Two of the detainees, referred to as Deng and Qiao respectively, were arrested on suspicion of helping the others escape Hong Kong. These names were likely to refer to the Chinese surnames of detainees Tang Kai-yin and Quinn Moon. The other 10 -- including suspects surnamed Li and Huang -- were arrested for making illegal border crossings. The case remained under investigation, the statement said. Families of the 12 said in a statement they were "shocked and concerned" by the approval. Hong Kong's Security Bureau confirmed that mainland authorities informed local police of Wednesday's approval, but declined to comment on families' complaints of lawyers being barred from visiting the detainees. Some of those aboard the boat were facing prosecution in Hong Kong for activities linked to last year's huge and often violent pro-democracy protests. Lu Siwei, one of the mainland lawyers working on the case, told AFP the period of detention for investigation could last up to seven months. "Review of (the) detention's legality can be applied for any time," Lu added, but said that "for now it remains most important to seek a meeting with the 12 in custody". At least 14 mainland lawyers hired by the detainees' families have been pressured by authorities to drop their clients, according to activists. Story continues None of the lawyers have managed to see their clients in custody, while senior officials in Hong Kong said the 12 were assigned lawyers by mainland Chinese authorities. Hong Kong has its own internationally respected common law legal system where detainees are promptly produced after their arrest and tried in open court, but the judicial system on the mainland is notoriously opaque and controlled by the Communist Party, such that conviction is all but guaranteed. In June, Beijing imposed a new security law on Hong Kong, announcing it would have jurisdiction for some crimes and that mainland security agents could openly operate in the city. The prospect of Hong Kongers getting entangled in China's judicial system was the spark that lit seven months of protests last year. The movement began in response to a plan to allow extraditions to the mainland, and soon morphed into wider calls for democracy and greater police accountability. As Beijing has cracked down on Hong Kong's democracy movement, democratic Taiwan has emerged as a sanctuary, quietly turning a blind eye to residents turning up without proper visas or paperwork. bys-su/leg Some of Europe's biggest car giants including BMW and Jaguar Land Rover use leather linked to deforestation in South America, threatening the most vulnerable tribes, environmental campaigners Earthsight claimed on Wednesday. The non-profit organisation said the automakers buy leather for vehicle interiors initially sourced from cattle ranching on illegally razed land in a part of Paraguay that is home to one of the world's last tribes with no contact with outsiders. The London-based group said the leather from the Paraguayan Gran Chaco, a region rich in biodiversity that is home to jaguars and giant anteaters, enters the auto industry supply chains via Italian tanneries. "Our investigation highlights the urgent need for EU and UK legislation mandating car companies and other industries to conduct proper due diligence," Earthsight said in a lengthy report titled "Grand Theft Chaco". However, it alleged that trade groups linked to the automotive industry have lobbied the European Union and German governments to water down or scrap proposed new laws to require companies to clean up their supply chains. "If they are to avoid being branded hypocrites, the car giants must now come out in public support of meaningful regulations," Earthsight added. "If they don't, it is essential European lawmakers stand firm against lobbying to the contrary." Earthsight's investigation identified cattle ranches that have illegally cleared forest inhabited by the Ayoreo Totobiegosode, said to be the only indigenous people living in voluntary isolation in the Americas outside the Amazon rainforest. - Undercover visits - During undercover visits, it found Paraguayan tanneries which supply Italian counterparts bragging that they provide leather for a number of famous cars, including BMW models and the Range Rover Evoque. BMW told the NGO it had "no information" that its Latin American leather supply chains were "affected by the problems presented" but that it was "exploring options for extending traceability systems further". Story continues It added in a statement that it had investigated the possible violations and been assured all company standards had been met, but was seeking further detailed information from Earthsight. The firm, which owns the Mini and Rolls Royce brands, added that its "medium-term strategy" is to phase out leather from the region altogether. Jaguar Land Rover, which noted that its leather suppliers are based in mainland Europe and Scotland but sources hide from all over the world, said it took immediate action to investigate. "We tracked the supply chain that Earthsight references and we have not as yet found evidence to verify that we have been supplied with hide from an illegally cleared area," it added. "We continue our drive for further transparency." Earthsight said it was easiest to trace the leather being used by BMW because the German automaker had shown "more concern over the source of their leather than most of their competitors". But the NGO found no car firm was able to trace all of its leather back to ranches, which it said was essential if links to human rights and environmental abuses are to be avoided. jj/phz/gd Houston ISD has failed to fix significant, systemic and widespread issues in its delivery of special education services despite multiple warnings, warranting the appointment of a state conservator with the power to oversee and direct changes in the district, Texas Education Agency officials concluded Tuesday following an 11-month investigation. In a much-anticipated 44-page report, TEA investigators said the states largest school district continues to violate state and federal laws designed to ensure students with disabilities receive needed supports. The investigators recommended Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath appoint a conservator to ensure necessary changes are made, but Morath has not yet announced what actions he will take. State officials concluded HISD failed to identify all students entitled to special education services, provide legally entitled supports or hold staff members accountable for their performance. The errors came even after reports commissioned by the district in 2011 and 2018 detailed major gaps in HISDs special education practices, state investigators said. While there is no one sole person, program, or provider that malignantly influenced the special education program in the district, it is apparent that HISD, in its current state, is unable, and perhaps unwilling, to conform to its obligations related to its students with disabilities, state investigators wrote. Commissioning studies is not enough. Action must be taken as a result. In a statement Tuesday evening, HISDs administration said it is disappointed with the outcome of the investigation and believe it is factually and legally incorrect. Much of the report is devoted to years-old information from old reports and does not address more current information provided in the districts response, HISD officials said. The statement noted that district leaders still are analyzing the report and will provide a more detailed response in the future. READ THE REPORT: See the full state report on Houston ISDs special education practices The states inquiry, known as a special accreditation investigation, originally stemmed from a complaint lodged by an unnamed person and a referral forwarded by the U.S. Department of Education. While state officials routinely handle individual complaints related to special education, a special accreditation investigation can be launched to review potential violations of law that could warrant sanctions against districts. TEA officials said they spent several days interviewing HISD staff members, reviewed dozens of students records and analyzed thousands of pages of documents. Investigators said they routinely encountered employees who complained about systemic issues in the district and staffers who did not know the districts special education protocols and improper practices documented in student files. They also argued HISD lacks accountability and administrative protocols needed to ensure missteps do not occur, particularly given the districts staff turnover levels. Perhaps more troubling than these historical findings concerns the districts lack of serious initiative, rather yet success, in attempting to take corrective action to reform its systems, state investigators wrote. The agencys report does not name employees who made damning allegations against the district and often does not provide extensive supporting evidence for specific cases of misconduct, sometimes due to student privacy laws. Both HISD and the TEA have faced intense scrutiny in recent years for their special education practices. HISDs delivery of special education most recently came under fire in early 2018, when the American Institutes of Research issued a 133-page report outlining numerous structural and operational issues that left children without needed services. The institute investigated HISDs special education department at the request of district school board members. A report issued six months later by a committee of HISD trustees, employees and community members echoed many of the AIR findings, ultimately describing the state of special education in the district as grave. TEA investigators said they concluded the same in their report Tuesday. HISD administrators crafted a three-year strategic plan in response to the 2018 findings, reporting in June that nearly 50 changes were made or on track for completion. For TEA, its challenges with special education date back more than a decade, stemming from the agencys since-abandoned arbitrary cap on the percentage of children who could receive services. The limit led to the denial of support to tens of thousands of students with disabilities across Texas, the Houston Chronicle found in 2016 and the U.S. Department of Education confirmed in 2017. In its statement Tuesday, HISDs administration noted the states role in capping special education services, arguing that several of the years in question were years in which TEA itself illegally imposed the limit. TEA officials since have agreed to a corrective action plan with federal officials, though some advocates argue the state has not done enough to remedy years of neglect. A follow-up Houston Chronicle investigation found several key parts of the TEAs corrective action plan remain unfulfilled, and that the state had failed to ensure students who previously were denied special education services in the past were given federally required help to make up for that lost time. The U.S. Department of Education has not yet released a report evaluating the results of Texas corrective action plan, though the agencys Office of Special Education Programs is expected to issue an update this fall. jacob.carpenter@chron.com The storied but tarnished heart transplant program at Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center is again receiving Medicare funding, roughly two years after the federal agency cut it off following an unusually high rate of patient deaths. In a letter made public Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services informed St. Lukes leadership that the program has been approved for participation effective Aug. 25. That is the date CMS surveyors concluded an inspection of the program that found no deficiencies. We are excited to be recognized as fully accredited again, said Doug Lawson, CEO of St. Lukes Health. This is the result of hours of hard work by a team of exceptional professionals and sets the stage for Baylor St. Lukes to serve the community for the years to come. CMS stopped reimbursing St. Lukes for heart transplants in August 2018, just weeks after an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and ProPublica found the program performed an outsized number of transplants resulting in death and lost several top doctors, who left after raising concerns about surgical complications and errors occurring during operations. Dr. Paul Klotman, president of Baylor College of Medicine, said that in retrospect the entire process was the best thing that could have happened to us, that it fostered progress we wouldnt have made without it. Lawson added that theres never been a safer time to be at Baylor St. Lukes than right now, given the amount of oversight and review thats gone on inside the organization. The program is reporting a 98 percent survival rate for heart transplants since October 2018. Lawson estimated that St. Lukes lost between $5 million and $10 million as a result of CMS decision to not reimburse St. Lukes heart transplant program for its care, losses that he said the hospital took on the chin. He said the amount wasnt more because the bulk of the transplants performed during the period were paid for by commercial insurance. On HoustonChronicle.com: A Houston Chronicle/Propublica investigation Heart Failure Although Lawson said a significant number of heart transplant patients on St. Lukes waiting list didnt transfer to another hospital because of the issues, program volume definitely declined after the CMS action. St. Lukes doctors have performed between 40 and 50 heart transplants since October 2018, about the same amount they previously did in a year. Lawson said the most fundamental changes made to fix the problems that led to the CMS review include the hospitals new executive leadership team in 2019, a new leadership team for the heart transplant program, and a new quality improvement staff for the program. He said he didnt want to get into the specifics of who did what, when and where, but that the changes have brought a culture change that ensure that the right communication is occurring and that systems are in place to measure the effectiveness of new protocols put in place. The program also became more selective, not pushing the envelope about the procedures it would attempt, accepting patients much more in line with national guidelines. They did an excellent job rebuilding the program from the ground up, reformatting policies, procedures, quality assurance programs and everything in between, said Alexander Aussi, a transplant consultant based in San Antonio. Thats evidenced by the number of transplants theyve done with excellent outcomes. Aussi had been critical of the St. Lukes decision to suspend the program for only two weeks in June 2018 before starting it up again, but he said Tuesday that he was happy to see theyre back on track because theyre such a landmark for cardiac care and cardiac surgery, not just in Houston, but nationally. On HoustonChronicle.com: Regulators find serious care deficiencies at Baylor St. Lukes in Houston The legacy dates to the 1960s when Dr. Denton Cooley founded the Texas Heart Institute, St. Lukes research arm, and began performing some of the worlds first heart transplants, both natural and artificial. The achievements made St. Lukes one of the worlds most renowned heart hospitals. But in early 2018, CMS wrote the hospital twice about poor outcomes in publicly reported data. About the same time, the Chronicle and ProPublica began running a series of stories detailing the depths of the problems and the families anguish over the deaths. In June 2018, St. Lukes suspended the program, acknowledging it needed to determine what went wrong and determine the path forward. Just two weeks later, it started back up again, reporting that the review did not identify systemic issues. It nevertheless reorganized its transplant surgery team and refined the criteria for patient selection. The changes didnt satisfy CMS. Two months later, the agency informed the program that it could no longer bill CMS for heart transplant procedures. The rare but not unprecedented action was a serious blow to St. Lukes, which continued its efforts to fix the program. We could no longer cloak ourselves in the hospitals history, said Lawson. Instead, we acknowledged that were on a journey to excellence, which means working to get better every day. The St. Lukes program notified CMS in early 2019 that it had completed the 10 successful heart transplants necessary for a survey that would determine if it had come into compliance, but it took until August 2020 for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to conduct the survey on behalf of the federal agency. The process was partly delayed by an internal CMS debate over who should conduct it, then by the pandemic. Lawson said hospital leaders were disappointed with the length of time it took to get to the survey. They are asking the start date be backdated to the spring. CMS officials did not respond to a Chronicle inquiry. CMS reinstatement of the heart programs funding comes a little more than a year after the agency relinquished the greater oversight it assumed over the entire hospital following a patient death. CMS had assumed such oversight in 2018, known as removing a hospitals deemed status, after an investigation into a patient death involving a blood transfusion error in the emergency department. The investigation found numerous safety and patient-care deficiencies throughout the hospital. Klotman acknowledged the program suffered a huge hit in the community as a result of the problems, but said it has begun turning the perception around. Were now in the recovery mode, which is done by recruiting excellent doctors and having excellent outcomes, said Klotman. We havent been tooting our horn - we wanted to make sure we got through the CMS issues - but the transplant program is now fantastic. todd.ackerman@chron.com 45th Session of the Human Rights Council Agenda Item 2: General Debate 15 September 2020 Statement by Sri Lanka Madam President, Sri Lanka wishes to respond to the references made by the High Commissioner for Human Rights to Sri Lanka in the Global Human Rights Update on 14 September 2020. As this Council is aware, since February/March this year, the entire world was challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, a health crisis of a global scale, which had impacted many aspects of governance in many countries, and Sri Lanka was no exception. We hope that this Council would appreciate that Sri Lanka while successfully containing the spread of COVID-19 through a balanced, multi-sectoral approach, and despite this challenge, held its commitment to the democratic processes, and conducted Parliamentary elections successfully and peacefully, last month, which the EU has acknowledged. Madam President, Sri Lanka made it clear even as it withdrew from the co-sponsorship of Resolution 30/1, that it will remain committed to achieve reconciliation, accountability and human rights within the framework of the Sri Lankan Constitution, through a domestically designed and executed process in line with the Governments policy framework. Sri Lanka would like to state further that the new Government which assumed office with the election of the new Parliament on 5 August remains committed to the assurances given before this Council in February this year. The draft 20th Amendment to the Constitution submitted through the Parliament will be discussed, debated, following a complete democratic process, where all stakeholders will have the opportunity to present their views. Therefore, the GoSL is of the view that High Commissioners comments on the proposed 20th Amendment are unwarranted and pre-judgmental, based on presumption. The GoSL wishes to state that the pardon to the former Army sergeant was granted in terms of the powers and provisions of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Madam President, The Government rejects the references made to false and unsubstantiated allegations leveled against senior military officials being appointed to key positions of institutions. Sri Lanka has consistently refuted the credibility of these allegations and wishes to highlight that the domestic processes such as the LLRC and Paranagama Commissions that examined these allegations particularly with regard to the last stages of the conflict, have not found substantive evidence against any of the senior military officials referred to in this regard. In the absence of any substantive proof, Sri Lanka considers that the continued arbitrary accusations on crimes or crimes against humanity made against these senior military officials are unacceptable and a violation of the principles of natural justice. In conclusion, with regard to allegations of surveillance and intimidation, the Government has already publicly refuted these allegations, and is committed to protecting and promoting freedom of expression and civil society space, and ensure that complaints received on alleged attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and civil society are investigated and prosecuted. The prime focus of this Government is to ensure national security, and to uphold the rule of law and order in the country for all its citizens, with the aim of creating an environment where any citizen can live freely without any fear for the safety of themselves and their families. In line with the above policy framework, the Government is committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, with a determination to uplift the lives of all its citizens and ensure that there is no threat to peace, reconciliation or development in Sri Lanka. Thank you. View PDF Queensland has opened to about 150,000 more New South Wales residents after the Sunshine State's border bubble shifted 100km further south. From Thursday, residents in the Byron Shire, Ballina, the city of Lismore, Richmond Valley including Casino and Evans Head, Glen Innes and 41 other NSW postcodes will be added to the Queensland-NSW border bubble. Queensland residents are also now able to visit far northern NSW without quarantining for 14 days. Queensland has opened to about 150,000 more NSW residents after the Sunshine State's border bubble shifted 100km further south Early on Thursday morning, photos showed huge queues already forming at the border as residents scrambled to get across for the first time since early August People from NSW coming to Queensland from outside the old border bubble had been required to quarantine at their own expense after the border was shut again on August 8. There had been 15 changes to the state's border regulations since the onset of lockdowns. Early on Thursday morning, photos showed huge queues already forming at the border as residents were eager to get across for the first time since early August. Queensland Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said drivers should expect delays. 'We will see some line-ups that will extend probably hundreds of metres down the road,' Superintendent Wheeler told the Today show. 'At the moment we are seeing delays up to about 30 minutes and that is understandable. 'This is our 15th iteration of border restriction changes, so the public are used to it.' 'We have certainly gotten used to dealing with the changes and I just ask for people to be patient and plant their journey accordingly.' Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan asked families to be patient while going through police checks. Queensland Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said drivers should expect delays crossing over the border Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan asked families to be patient while going through police checks Local Government Areas in bubble Byron Shire Ballina City of Lismore Richmond Valley Casino Evans Head Glen Innes Advertisement 'You can have a hundred police on the border and it won't necessarily speed things up,' he said. 'Because what we do is get the traffic flow down to one lane. So there is a certain capacity of cars you can process at any one time.' NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is adamant that all border restrictions should be removed but Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says that won't happen until NSW has 28 days without a case of locally acquired COVID-19. Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young says the southern state could still achieve that by the end of next month, when Queenslanders go to the polls on October 31. 'We would hope that within 28 days of NSW not having any of those unlinked community cases we should be able to open up,' she said. 'The soonest that would be is towards the end of October.' Queensland authorities have also relaxed social-distancing restrictions on outdoor venues across the state with the number of active COVID-19 cases at just five. By Trend The military-political leadership of the aggressor Armenia continues to commit acts of terrorism against the civilian population, grossly violating the norms and principles of international law, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office. Some 46 civilians have been hospitalized with various injuries, and 14 have been killed so far as a consequence of heavy artillery shelling of Azerbaijani densely populated areas. Moreover, Armenian military units continue to subject densely populated areas - regional and rural centers, civil infrastructure objects - hospitals, medical centers, school buildings, kindergartens, administrative buildings of public agencies, and household premises to intensive artillery bombardment. As a result of the shelling of civil infrastructure facilities by the Armenian armed forces, 116 houses, as well as 26 civil facilities, including a carpet weaving factory in Tartar city, a modular school building in Tazakand village, Aghdam district, the building of secondary school No.1 in Shikharkh settlement, Tartar district, the building of school-lyceum No.2 in Tartar city, the cotton plant of MKT Istehsal Kommersiya LLC located in Azad Garagoyunlu village of Tartar district, the medical center in Gapanli village, Tartar district have fallen in disrepair. Vehicles belonging to civilians were severely damaged, and numerous small and large horned animals and haystacks were destroyed. At present, all possible investigative measures are being carried out by the prosecution bodies. The Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office is taking the necessary measures to bring to account the Armenian servicemen within the international law who have committed various crimes against the Azerbaijani army and civilians. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The death case of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput, who hailed from Bihar, has snowballed into a major poll issue ahead of the Bihar elections, and Fadnavis has been championing the cause of the late actor, questioning the Mumbai Police's handling of the matter. New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday formally appointed former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as its election 'prabhari' (in-charge) for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The appointment, which comes into play with immediate effect, has been okayed by BJP's national President J.P. Nadda, informed BJP leader Arun Singh. Fadnavis has been participating in all the virtual meetings on Bihar polls from the very beginning, and also went to the state recently. His appointment assumes significance given that fact that a driving narrative in this year's Bihar polls has been about the 'son of the soil' allegedly being 'wronged' by the system in Maharashtra. Fadnavis, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister, recently called Sushant Singh Rajput the son of Bihar and said that the people of India want justice for the late actor and the BJP would ensure that it is delivered. The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to the polls in three phases -- on October 28, November 3 and 7 -- and the results will be announced on November 10. --IANS abn/arm Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Lucila Sigal (Reuters) Buenos Aires, Argentina Wed, September 30, 2020 21:02 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c484793c 2 Entertainment horse,horse-meat,5-Corazones,documentary,Argentina,Martin-Parlato Free Argentina is famed for its horses, whether excelling in polo matches or carrying gauchos through the Pampas farm lands. What's less well known is what lies ahead for many horses after their best days are behind them: slaughter and sale as meat to gourmet buyers in Europe. In the investigative documentary 5 Corazones, director Martin Parlato says a lucrative business covers up mistreatment and fraud in the industry. Argentina does not allow horses to be consumed domestically, but is the largest global exporter of horse meat, the country's trade data show. "The harshness of the images shows that things happen that European consumers would not love to see," Parlato told Reuters in an interview by Zoom. Last year some 105,000 horses were slaughtered in Argentina, representing about 24,000 tons of meat destined mainly for France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Holland, Russia and Japan, government data show. The documentary shows horses destined for the slaughterhouse living in poor conditions, eating next to a mountain of dead animals and drinking water that Parlato describes as "rotten." Read also: Documentary You and I wins Asian Perspective Award at DMZ Film Festival Although the horses are meant to be kept for six months after 'retiring' to get potential drugs or chemicals out of their system before they are slaughtered, that doesn't always happen, the documentary alleges. The slaughtered animals are then sent to meat plants that hide the true conditions from European Union regulators after being tipped off by officials, the documentary says, citing a lawyer and animal rights groups. Asked about the documentary, an official at Argentina's national food safety and quality body Senasa told Reuters that the agency is committed to animal welfare, and that it is aware of certain irregularities by producers and has initiated criminal cases. "The main problems are the mistreatment of horses and the lack of traceability," Sabrina Gurtner, project manager at the Animal Welfare Foundation in Germany, says in the film. "And another big problem in Argentina is corruption." Parlato said that he was working with EU lawmakers on actions to curb the import of equine meat. "What we want as a final aim is the prohibition of the importation of (horse) meat by Europe," he said. "Hopefully equine slaughter and this mistreatment of horses that is evidenced in so many visible and concrete ways can be banned." European officials fear the coronavirus pandemic will spark eventually another massive migration wave from Africa and the Middle East. "The social and economic consequences of COVID are going to get worse and that will mean more people deciding to search for a better life," Malta's foreign minister warned last week. Evarist Bartolo is urging European countries to invest more in African countries to help boost their economies to generate wealth and jobs so people are less likely to migrate. He points out that about two-thirds of asylum-seekers are economic migrants, not war refugees. Pandemic-shattered economies in sub-Sahara Africa will fuel migration in the future, he fears. The coronavirus pandemic is acting currently as a dampener on migration, analysts say. The UN's International Organization for Migration, IOM, reports approximately 50,000 migrants have arrived this year so far to Europe, largely by sea -- considerably fewer than in previous years. The IOM reported that 110,669 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2019. At the height of the migration crisis more than a million migrants entered the EU, according to the United Nations. Even before the pandemic unfolded, numbers of migrants and refugees were decreasing dramatically, first falling off in 2016 after the European Union clinched a deal with Turkey to disrupt migrant routes into Europe via Turkey and subsequently also because of increased interceptions at sea and deals with the Libyan coast guards to keep migrants from making it to Europe. The pandemic is making movement even harder, say analysts. But once the pandemic has been curbed, the economic reckoning of the coronavirus is likely to boost migration. Evarist Bartolo told a British broadcaster last week that Europe has to do much more to persuade people to stay in their own countries. "We need a new relationship with African countries so we can help to create wealth where they are, they do not risk their lives trying to get to Europe," he said. Former Boston City Council President Michelle Wu speaks with the media after announcing that she is running for Mayor of Boston in Roslindale, MA on Sept. 15, 2020. Boston city councilwoman Michelle Wu is no stranger to breaking glass ceilings. In 2013, when Wu was first elected to her position, she was the first Asian-American woman to serve on the council, and from 2016 to January 2018 she served as the council's first woman of color president. Now Wu, 35, is running for mayor of the city. If she wins in 2021, she will be the first woman and person of color to lead Boston, as the city has never had a mayor who is not a White male. Boston's current mayor, Martin Walsh, has yet to announce if he will seek a third term. But Wu's colleague, city councilwoman Andrea Campbell, has recently announced her run for mayor as well, making her the first Black woman and now second woman of color to eye the city's leadership position next year. Wu, a Chicago native who was born to immigrant parents from Taiwan, said she never thought she would have a career in politics growing up. "I'm the daughter of immigrants and my parents came to this country with nothing in their pockets and not speaking English and all of us kids were supposed to grow up and just get a stable job that kept us out of trouble," she tells CNBC Make It. "So, that was what I was always aiming for." BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 5: Incumbent Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu greets voters outside of St. George Orthodox Church of Boston in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston on Nov. 5, 2019. Boston Globe | Boston Globe | Getty Images But, Wu says all of that changed when she was working her first job out of college as a consultant in Boston. "I had just graduated [college] and I was working in downtown in Boston and I got a call from my sister one day that said I had to go home right then and there and that something was very wrong and they needed help at home," says Wu, who studied economics in undergrad at Harvard. She explains that it was during that time that her mother started struggling with a very serious mental illness. "In the depths of her mental health crisis, I was 22 or 23 years old and had to start raising my sisters and become the caregiver for my mom as well," says Wu, while adding that her two sisters are six and 12 years younger than her. "So, in that moment, I went from being someone who had been actively pushed away from ever thinking about politics and government to then having to deal with the structures and systems of the government over and over again in our daily lives and in our struggles against it whether it was trying to care for my sisters and get them into the right school placements or get my mom health care for her situation." Wu, who eventually moved her mom and sisters with her to Boston, attended Harvard Law School. It was there where she got her first taste of working in politics when Elizabeth Warren, her law school professor, ran for senator for the first time in 2012. "By my third year of law school, [Warren] was running for the United States Senate," says Wu. "And, I just showed up to office hours and asked how I could help. I was put to work knocking on doors and making phone calls and organizing in Boston." Wu's experience on Warren's campaign, as well as her experience as a young caregiver trying to make ends meet, led her to run for Boston city council in 2013. "When I ran for city council the first time, a lot of very wise Boston political folks told me not to bother because it wouldn't be possible to win as someone who was relatively young, a woman and Asian American," says Wu. "And, at that time it made sense why they would say that." Boston City Councilor At-Large Michelle Wu canvasses on the MBTA Red Line in Boston to rally against fare hikes that go into place on Monday on June 30, 2019. Councilor Wu joined other politicians and volunteers to bring awareness to the increase in rail fare. Erin Clark for The Boston Globe via Getty Images With some schools going back through virtual learning, while others start completely in person, and some going back in between with hybrid learning, this semester had been difficult for many across Massachusetts. We want to make sure we answer your questions during this difficult time. MassLive education reporter Melissa Hanson and managing producer Michelle Williams will be answering your questions live on Friday. Comment on our Facebook posts between now and 11 a.m. Friday with your questions regarding education in Massachusetts. Then check back in Friday afternoon to see your questions answered. You can also submit questions by emailing reporter Heather Morrison at hmorrison@masslive.com. Comment below with your questions. MassLive education reporter Melissa Hanson and managing producer Michelle Williams - Reporter will be answering them all on Friday. Posted by MassLive on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 Be sure to check out all our education coverage from this year. Last week, we spoke with College Nannies, Sitters and Tutors in Boston on Facebook Live to talk about tips and tricks for remote learning. Reporter Jackson Cote spoke with the superintendent of TECCA, largest virtual public school in Massachusetts, on Facebook Live to talk about operating amid the pandemic. And we have written stories regarding Gov. Charlie Bakers push to get some students back in classrooms, the uptick of parents enrolling their children in private schools and the continued changes from administration regards schools. Related Content: Mail-in primary election ballots are processed at the Chester County Voter Services office in West Chester, Pa., on May 28, 2020. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo) Pennsylvania Election Chief Says Discarded Ballots Werent a Case of Intentional Fraud The official overseeing elections in the state of Pennsylvania claimed Wednesday that the nine military mail-in ballots discarded before being found outside a dumpster werent a case of intentional fraud. From the initial reports weve been given, this was a bad error, Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat, said during an online news conference. This was not intentional fraud. So training, training, training. Luzerne County officials said last week that the person who discarded the ballots appears to be a temporary contractor who was subsequently removed from service and told not to return. FBI agents found the nine ballots after launching an investigation based on a tip from county officials. Seven of the nine were cast for Republican President Donald Trump. Four apparently official, bar-coded, absentee ballot envelopes that were empty were also discovered, David Freed, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, wrote in a letter to the county Bureau of Elections. Freed directed the county to change its practices after the issues were unearthed, calling what happened troubling. Our interviews further revealed that this issue was a problem in the primary electiontherefore a known issueand that the problem has not been corrected, he said. Jonathan Marks, the Pennsylvania deputy secretary for elections, joined Boockvar in downplaying the situation, telling the briefing Wednesday that in some cases, military and overseas ballots arrived in Luzerne County inside envelopes that do not clearly mark them as ballots. The usual process when those types of ballots arrive is to immediately reseal them and store them securely with other mail-in and absentee ballots to await canvassing, he said. So it sounds like it was confusion, Marks said. A man casts his ballot in the primary election in Philadelphia, Penn., June 2, 2020. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) The Department of State is working on training for Luzerne County elections workers on what to do when they find balloting material inside an unmarked envelope. Thats what needs to be tightened up, Marks said. The unidentified worker, who officials have said was fired as a result, did not consult with others in the elections office, Marks said. The Pennsylvania Department of State said in a statement earlier Wednesday that mail-in ballots are secure and many PA voters have used the mail to vote by absentee ballot. Trump drew attention to the discarded ballots twice during this weeks presidential debate as he highlighted how he sees the unprecedented volume of mail-in ballots being sent out as a disaster. Theyre sending millions of ballots all over the country. Theres fraud. They found them in creeks. They found some, just happened to have the name Trump just the other day in a wastepaper basket, he said. Some Trump critics called the Department of Justice press release announcing the existence of the discarded ballots unusual. This is an ongoing investigation where there is no public interest reason to override the usual policy of not commentingand especially not to say for whom the ballots were cast. An unprecedented in kind contribution to the presidents campaign, Matthew Miller, a former spokesman for the Department of Justice under President Barack Obama, said in a statement. Dawn Clark, a spokesman for Freeds office, told The Epoch Times via email, We have no further comment. Our statement and letter contain facts and speak for themselves. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Marvin Gayes Whats Going On, just named the greatest album of all time by a Rolling Stone magazine poll, has lost its original cultural meaning which parallels the fate of Americas once-sacred black civil-rights movement. In 1971, following the emotional devastation of Sixties riots and antiVietnam War demonstrations, Gaye recorded the album to bring social consciousness to his popular R & B Love Man act. Now, many decades and social reforms later, Whats Going On is taken up by the liberal media as a wake-up call and positioned as a decoy to distract from their insidious political partisanship. A song nobody cares about, such as John Legends Oscar-winning Glory from the movie Selma, is race bait, but Gayes title track Whats Going On is a decoy for the radical intentions of disaffected whites like the Antifa anarchists hiding their sedition and disaffection behind the ruse of Black Lives Matter. The song is no longer the black cri de coeur it used to be, but balm for hypocrites, especially the limousine liberals of leisure media like Rolling Stone. Liberals secularize Gayes intent. His lyric We have to find a way to bring some loving here today anticipates what liberals say while ostracizing conservatives. They celebrate Gayes album for its social consciousness yet ignore its spiritual consciousness, just as spirituality is extracted from their politics. Gayes black Christian embrace of all peoples is not appreciated by the albums current fans; theyre insensitive to the soulful musings on track two Whats Happening, Brother? which is not Cornel Wests unctuous use of brother for everyone from Bill Clinton to Tucker Carlson, but genuine, R & B fraternalism. When will people start getting together again? Gaye asks. From the albums opening party vibe, Gaye offers a masterful blend of harmoniousness, the thing that the angry Left forbids. The albums lack of harshness, its soft rhetoric and tenderly voiced petitions, do not match todays tantrums they contradict the violence and stubborn unwillingness to compromise or express empathy and compassion. Whats Going On is non-militant whereas the Black Lives Antifa movement has proven destructive. It is necessary to call out this BLA alliance in order to clarify the usurpation of black American social and spiritual aspiration by the plainly political, even satanic aims of social domination. This is key to understanding how Gayes entreaty opposes todays inflammatory, anarchic rhetoric. Story continues The albums title bears no question mark even though liberal fans infer it. They overlook the lyric Only love can conquer hate to perpetuate the single-minded partisanship of that disingenuous anti-Trump slogan Love Wins. Similarly, track four, God Is Love/Mercy, Mercy Me, subtitled The Ecology, is taken to be about climate change an outrageous misreading of Gayes ideational groove thats all about maintaining spiritual balance, the songs prayerful brotherhood and conviviality. If youve seen a politician attempt to dance to win over votes, its always an embarrassing display of awkwardness and disconnection from common experience. You know that doofus trait if youve ever witnessed the privileged white kids on bikes chanting Black Lives Mat-urrr! Theres no way Rolling Stone pollsters who revere Nirvanas Nevermind really appreciate the pure, smooth gestalt of track three, Flyin High in the Friendly Sky, which segues into Save the Children. The love-and-peace sentiments that Gaye distills to posterity (Live life for the children) are too optimistic for power-grabbers. When Gaye advises Save our world that is destined to die, he may sound like he just read that Seventies bestseller The Whole Earth Catalog, but he doesnt sound like AOC. In God Is Love/Mercy Mercy Me, Gayes plea Go and talk about my Father, expresses the Christianity that progressives have rejected. Yes, radio DJs often skipped the tracks first two minutes of groovy gospel, but ignoring it 50 years later is unacceptable. When Gaye sings Things aint what they used to be, he could be speaking directly to race hustlers Ava DuVernay and Ta-Nehisi Coates, who continue to want black people to think that current conditions are the same as they were in the Sixties and Seventies. To hear only progressivism in Whats Going On, Mercy Mercy Me, and Inner City Blues diminishes Gaye and underestimates his intelligence and sensitivity (like those who believe that the meretricious John Legend, real name John Stephens, is Gayes Millennial equal). Gayes art his definitive Sinatra vibe is heard on the jazzy, groove-oriented, seven-minutes-plus Right On (same title as the Last Poets proto-rap movie). Its followed by Wholly Holy, where Gaye sings about salvation: Jesus left us a book to believe in / Weve got a lot to learn. Neither Antifa nor Black Lives Matter would sign on to that. The closing track, Inner City Blues, belongs to an already established genre of socially relevant black pop that Gaye would further personalize for his 1972 movie soundtrack Trouble Man (magisterially revived by Joni Mitchell), which corresponded with Curtis Mayfields Superfly anti-soundtrack (where the always conscious Mayfield challenged the 70s drug epidemic, a problem the media ignore while excusing the junkies who predominate in Antifa). Inner City Blues surely influenced Stevie Wonders 1973 Innervisions and its neorealist track Living for the City, which can be heard as an extrapolation of Gayes lyric about trigger-happy policing. Note: It emphatically does not apply to the current anti-police rhetoric; Black Lives Antifa has disgraced the black communal history behind Gayes alarm. *** As a Motown artist (Motown billed itself The Sound of Young America), Gaye was shrewd enough to lyricize the paranoia and self-righteousness of white dissidents, including it within black unease. His line Who are they to judge us / Simply because we wear our hair long? is smart pop, but not prescient. Neither is Panic is spreading / God knows where / Were heading, which challenges an era that disavows a higher authority for the authority of its own Gnostic ruthlessness. Whats Going On was of its time just as certainly as Gayes term panic does not describe our COVID situation, in which were ruled by tyrannical politicians and their colluding media. Only Morrissey has dared to record a song addressing citizens who take to fearful compliance. When Rolling Stone magazine exploits Whats Going On as a timely distress signal, the no-longer-hip publication becomes the journalistic equivalent of Joe Bidens disingenuous Come on, man! At the albums mellifluous best, Gaye moves between observation and inquiry but never protest. His emotional amplitude evokes a different sensibility and moral awareness than the generation raised on petulance knows. His consciousness was closer to Martin Luther King than Malcolm X; thats why this album mentions God more than Al Sharpton ever does. Subject to secular medias impact, even fans of black pop are distanced from appreciating the cultural processes of faith, love, and perseverance that Gaye recorded. When an old VH1 talk show asked music industry pros about their favorite pop albums, Whats Going On was routinely cited as Gayes best. But panelist Mary Wilson, founder of Motowns The Supremes, disagreed: No, baby, its Lets Get It On, she insisted. And she didnt mean start the revolution. Wilson knew what Gaye, her Motown peer, understood about life. Gayes conflicted eroticism his personal secular-religious battle definitively expressed in 1982s Sexual Healing derived from the importance he placed on personal exchange and responsibility (not what leftist organizers misconstrue as community). Gaye espoused a loving philosophy that has not been taught to those who believe dissent means that only they are right. The establishment media that heralds Whats Going On for its political purposes cheapen black American sense and sensuality. Its part of an ongoing program that re-enslaves black life and art, reducing it to political utility. This is not rethinking the canon as Rolling Stone arrogantly states; its fickle self-congratulation which turns Gayes observations pietistic. A greatest album poll by the activist magazine The Atlantic would no doubt exploit Marvin Gaye and produce the same specious result: Black pop as a decoy for elitist power. More from National Review Shen Yueyue (2nd, L), Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, makes an inspection tour in South China's Guangdong Province, on September 22-24. [For Women of China] Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), made an inspection tour on family education legislation in South China's Guangdong Province on September 22-24. Stressing the need to fully understand the importance and necessity of family education legislation, Shen called for more efforts in top-level design and soliciting public opinion, integrating the families' expectations, people's needs, experts' suggestions and primary-level experience into the family education legislation, in a bid to formulate a high-quality family education law in accordance with the law in a scientific and democratic way. Shen Yueyue (C, front), Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, talks with a mother in a community's parent school in Guangzhou, capital city of South China's Guangdong Province. [For Women of China] Shen inspected a community's parent school in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong Province, to communicate with local parents and social workers about educating children. Shen visited several local primary and middle schools, and communicated with teachers about the focus of family education and positive interactions among parents, schools and society. During her inspection tour to the first family education guidance service center in Zhongshan City, Shen urged the center to benefit more parents and children. She also visited the city's Huayuan Community, a national family education demonstration community. Noting that family work should be included in the primary-level social governance, Shen urged more efforts to promote the roles of family building, family education and traditions in self-governance, rule of law and rule of virtue at the primary level. Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, attends a meeting on the work of family education during her inspection tour in South China's Guangdong Province. [For Women of China] During her inspection tour, Shen attended the meetings on family education work of Guangdong Province and Zhongshan City. Shen also attended a symposium with representatives of deputies to the National People's Congress and local people's congress, parents, teachers, students, community workers and heads of family education institutions, to learn about their suggestions on family education. Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, speaks at a meeting on family education during her inspection tour in South China's Guangdong Province. [For Women of China] Shen Yueyue (C, Front), Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, makes an inspection tour in South China's Guangdong Province, on September 22-24. [For Women of China] (Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China) In the most chaotic presidential debate in recent memory, Trump refused to condemn white supremacists who have supported him, telling one such group known as Proud Boys to stand back, stand by. There were also heated clashes over the presidents handling of the pandemic, the integrity of the election results, deeply personal attacks about Bidens family and how the Supreme Court will shape the future of the nations health care. Mike Pence describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order" - a moral framework which has dictated every aspect of his life, including his relationships with women. The 61-year-old vice president has been married to Karen for 34 years - the pair met while she was playing guitar at Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Indianapolis, a Catholic church they both attended. Both later became evangelicals. In 2002 he told The Hill that he never dines alone with a woman who is not his wife, and, unless his wife is present, will not attend a function where alcohol is being served. "If there's alcohol being served and people are being loose, I want to have the best-looking brunette in the room standing next to me," he said. "It's about building a zone around your marriage." Kamala Harris, who will on October 7 debate Mr Pence, has already described his rule as "ridiculous". I disagree with him when he suggests its not possible to have meetings with women alone by himself," she said in March 2019. "I think thats ridiculous the idea that you would deny a professional woman the opportunity to have a meeting with the vice president of the United States is outrageous." Working Families Mr Pence has a long history of making eyebrow-raising comments about women. In 1997, while working as a conservative radio show host, he wrote a letter to The Indianapolis Star claiming that "day-care kids get the short end of the emotional stick" and that households with two working parents lead to "stunted emotional growth." He condemned what he called "the big lie that 'Mom doesn't matter'". "For years, we have gotten the message from the mouthpieces of the popular culture that you can have it all, career, kids and a two-car garage," he wrote. "Sure, you can have it all, but your day-care kids get the short end of the emotional stick." Two years later, he claimed that the Disney film Mulan was an attempt by some "mischievous liberal" to influence the debate over women in the military. Mulan Outrage The 1999 op-ed ran on a website for Mr Pence's radio program, which was uncovered by BuzzFeed News. "Despite her delicate features and voice, Disney expects us to believe that Mulan's ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohorts," wrote Mr Pence. He says the moral of Mulan is that men and women will be invariably attracted to each other, making the idea of women in the military impossible. "Put them together, in close quarters, for long periods of time, and things will get interesting," he wrote. "Just like they eventually did for young Mulan. Moral of story: women in military, bad idea." Family Values Elected to Congress in 2000, Mr Pence maintained his traditional views about a woman's place. In 2006, as head of the Republican Study Committee, a group of the 100 most-conservative House members, Mr Pence rose in support of a constitutional amendment that would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman. In his speech, Mr Pence quoted a Harvard researcher and said: societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family. Pence also called being gay a choice, and said keeping gays from marrying was not discrimination, but an enforcement of Gods idea. While he was governor of Indiana, in March 2013, Democratic politicians from the Indiana Legislature were invited to dinner at the governor's mansion, and noticed how he repeatedly referred to his wife as "Mother". Mr Pence's actions towards women, as well as his words, are also notable. Abortion Laws In Congress, Mr Pence co-sponsored a 2011 bill that would have redefined rape and limited federal funding for abortion to women who suffered forcible rape. While governor of Indiana, he signed eight anti-abortion bills into law in his less than four years. And also while governor, he signed a "religious freedom" law which trans and lesbian women said was a direct attack on them, allowing any individual or corporation to cite religious beliefs as a defense when sued by a private party. So many businesses and LGBT advocates said they worried it would open the door to widespread discrimination that a week later Mr Pence was forced to reissue the bill, explicitly barring a business from denying services to someone on the basis of categories that include sexual orientation and gender identity. Mr Pence seems unconcerned by the criticism of his views, however, and is proud of his policies. International Womens Day On March 2018 he tweeted: "Today, on #InternationalWomensDay - and ALL days - we recognize the countless contributions women have made to our economy, our communities, & our Nation. "The Trump Admin will continue to strive to empower women across America to keep making a profound impact." He was mocked mercilessly on social media. One man replied: "Unless it has anything to do with their reproductive rights of course. You certainly wouldn't want to empower them to have any control over their own bodies, you tool." Another woman simply said: "Is this supposed to be funny?" Kerala: Two leaders killed in last 10 hours in Alappuzha; Section 144 imposed Hindu and Hindutva are not different things: Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi Kerala cop under scanner for sharing info of RSS, BJP workers with right wing Muslim groups RSS calls for harmony while welcoming Babri verdict India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Nagpur, Sep 30: The RSS on Wednesday welcomed the special CBI court's verdict acquitting all accused in the Babri masjid demolition case and called for harmony in society to face challenges before the country. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News "Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh welcomes the special CBI court's decision to acquit all the accused in the demolition of the controversial structure. All acquitted in Babri demolition case as court observes incident not pre-planned "After this decision, all sections of the society should come together in unity and harmony and work successfully to face the challenges before the country, and work towards the progress of this country," RSS general secretary Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi tweeted. The special CBI court in Lucknow has acquitted all the 32 accused in the case, including BJP veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, saying there was no conclusive proof against them. The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. On April 12, 2020, Easter Sunday, the most revered day in the Christian faith, Pastor Kevin Wilson of Lighthouse Fellowship Church in Chincoteague, Virginia was forced to suspend services for his parishioners.[1] Pastor Wilson was left with no choice, after having been criminally sanctioned by Chincoteague police on April 5, 2020 for violating Governor Northam's executive order that prohibited gatherings of more than ten people during the coronavirus pandemic.[2] Similarly, on the opposite coast, Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley was prohibited from hosting worship services for more than 90 congregants, approximately 50% of its fire code capacity, while secular gatherings were allowed at up to 50% of their operating capacity, which in some cases exceeded the 50-person limit imposed on houses of worship.[3] These churches are just two examples of hundreds of houses of worship that have been deemed "non-essential" and forced to shutter to congregants. Churches across the nation have been hamstrung by governmental executive orders forbidding indoor worship services and, in some cases, outdoor worship services.[4] COVID-19 restrictions have placed a substantial burden on churches across the nation, whose congregants have been unable to gather together and worship. Although the government initially could be argued to have had a compelling interest to stanch the spread of the highly infectious COVID-19 virus, in recent months, government officials have increasingly been endorsing exceptions for secular "essential" businesses, while still failing to extend the relaxation of restrictions to churches.[5] Churches should be among these "essential" businesses for three reasons: 1) churches are constitutionally protected under the First Amendment, 2) churches provide essential services for congregants, and 3) churches have been substantially burdened by these discriminatory governmental orders. Constitutional Protection under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment The Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, by providing that "Congress shall make no law ... prohibiting the free exercise [of religion]," serves a fundamental role in restraining the government from infringing on individuals' right to practice religion.[6] Under the guiding framework of Employment Division v. Smith, any law or regulation that burdens religious practice must withstand "strict scrutiny" unless it is both neutral and generally applicable.[7] The COVID-19 restrictions, as recently applied, are neither neutral nor generally applicable. Factors that support the proposition that a law is not neutral or generally applicable include whether the law specifically targets religion or religious practice, whether there are any "individualized exceptions" not equitably applied, and whether the government is openly hostile to religious organizations.[8] Many of the executive orders exempt secular businesses such as liquor stores, restaurants, and retail establishments from the ban on indoor gatherings.[9] There is no evidence that the risk of infection is amplified in a religious setting any more than a secular one. If individuals are allowed to socially distance in order to frequent Walmart, then they should be allowed to attend in-person religious services, which, unlike Walmart, benefit from constitutional protection. When casinos are allowed to operate at a higher capacity than churches, there is a serious infringement of religious liberty.[10] As Justice Alito eloquently stated in his dissent for the recent Calvary Chapel case, "[t]he Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. It says nothing about the freedom to play craps or blackjack, to feed tokens into a slot machine, or to engage in any other game of chance."[11] Essential Services for Congregants Churches are not merely empty structures that hold religious services. They are a thriving community of congregants who, through fellowship, build strong faith foundations through connecting and growing spiritually with each other. The importance of fellowship, and praying together, cannot be overemphasized. Indeed, God promised that "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am with them."[12] The Greek word for church, "ekklesia," means "assembly."[13] Isolating congregants, effectively prohibiting them from being able to fellowship together, leads to depression; anxiety; and impaired physical, mental, and cognitive health.[14] A 2019 study, conducted by the American Cancer Society, discovered that social isolation creates risk of premature death, similar to the detrimental effects of obesity, smoking, and lack of physical exercise.[15] As the presiding judge noted in On Fire Christian Center v. Fischer, "if beer is essential, so is Easter."[16] If quenching alcoholic "thirst" is deemed essential by government officials, so too must quenching spiritual thirst. Addiction is a disease that thrives on isolation.[17] Instead of treating the symptoms by granting liquor stores the status of "essential business," the issue should be dealt with at its source. Churches are far more "essential" than the government admits. Substantial Burden Finally, government restrictions on gatherings have substantially burdened churches from practicing their religion. Although states argue that "online" services can satisfy the need for communal celebration of Mass, online services are not an adequate replacement. Not all individuals have access to the technology required to join services online. Holy Communion, the very essence of a Christian Mass, cannot be received online. Further, even for individuals who can access church online, the Constitution protects the right to worship as a person chooses. Forcing churches to shutter their doors makes it difficult for them to fellowship and worship as they choose. Thus, it can be concluded that the constitution, and justice, demand that churches receive the status of "essential businesses." Ecobank and iPay Solutions Ltd with support from the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) have launched a new digital solution for small businesses called Digistore. The partnership is aimed at empowering Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana to maximize sales by marketing and selling their products in a digital and cashless manner. The service will provide an enhancement to the banks Digi Banking Pack for MSMEs. Ecobank as part of efforts to support and provide convenient banking solutions to MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic period is leveraging strategic partnerships and its digital offerings to ensure MSMEs remain operational and are sustained. The bank and iPay Solutions Ltd unveiled the new solution during a digital event on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. Digistore enables businesses to: Create their own online store to sell their products, integrate their social media channels, and sell offline on mobile via a unique USSD shop or business code. Receive contactless payments from any bank account, bank card, and all mobile money wallets with EcobankPay GhQR. Effectively manage their products, stock levels, and inventory across their online shop, social media channels, and in their shop. Access a pick and delivery service to deliver their product to their customers doorstep Welcoming guests to the launch, Mr. Daniel Sackey, the Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana and Regional Executive for Anglophone West Africa said, For us at Ecobank, we do recognize the need for MSMEs to have a financial partner who understands their current challenges and are committed to delivering the best quality solutions to clients. This underpins our collaboration with iPay Solutions Limited. This new Digistore initiative is, consequently, part of our continuous commitment to the growth of our clients businesses and to build stronger relationships across the MSME business segment. Mrs. Josephine Anan-Ankomah, the Group Executive, Commercial Banking said, As a Pan-African bank, we believe it is our responsibility to help MSMEs sustain and grow their businesses further, towards contributing to the economic and social development of our economies. It is in this spirit that Ecobank Ghana Limited is introducing the Digistore to help MSMEs become resilient and prepared to take advantage of new market opportunities in these difficult times. Speaking at the launch Mr. Kwadwo Lartey, Commercial Manager of iPay Solutions Ltd said; iPay is dedicated to providing relevant solutions to all types of businesses and in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become critical to find not only convenient, but safer ways for businesses to operate and succeed. In partnership with Ecobank, we are committed to the recovery and growth of MSMEs with the Digistore solution. On her part, the Regional Digital Hub Manager at UNCDF, Sabine Mensah said; Digistore is one of the seven solutions selected in a process UNCDF launched last April to identify and support digital solutions for the resilience of MSMEs in Benin, Ghana, Senegal, and Togo. Digistore brings a tangible response to the challenges MSMEs face today. Banks and Fintechs have a critical role to play here and we are looking forward to seeing this solution at work for MSMEs in Ghana Mrs. Kosi Yankey - Ayeh, the Executive Director of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the Governments call to digitize the economy which has been championed by the vice president of the republic. She said, In a post COVID society, MSMEs now should understand that some consumers both local and international will find it more convenient to shop from their own homes because it offers the flexibility for both businesses and consumers. The Digistore we are unveiling today will leverage on NBSSIs Access to Market component being implemented under all its programs that are building around digitized tools to support MSMEs, to facilitate their access to local and regional markets, and to support their participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area. We will work together with all the partners involved to ensure the success of this platform. To subscribe to the Digistore service, businesses can contact Ecobank toll-free on 3225 or 0302 213 999 or visit www.digistoreafrica.com Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has said that former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, must be sent to political retirement if the party must make progress in Lagos State. Lere Olayinka, Mr Fayoses media aide, said in a statement on Wednesday, that the former governor, spoke during the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Committee for the Lagos East senatorial bye-election on Tuesday. According to the statement, Mr Fayose emphasized that Mr George should rather support the younger ones in the party instead of dragging positions with them. While urging support for the PDP candidate in the senatorial bye-election, Babatunde Gbadamosi, Mr Fayose said; Lagos is ripe for PDP to take and we will take the State if will work hard and put our house in order. This senate election is for PDP to take if we are ready to take it.You have done it before by producing House of Reps members and you can do it again by producing a senator. He, however, said that before PDP can win any election in this Lagos, the party must first separate wheat from chaffs. The former governor, who urged leaders of the party in Lagos State to desist from exposing rancour among the party members, laid emphasis on giving the younger ones in the party opportunity to grow and allow them to be in key positions in the party. Mr George was not immediately available to respond to Mr Fayoses statement. According to Mr Fayose, it is high time to tell Bode George to go and retire. Let him be a support stand for the younger ones in the party. As I am here, I am about 60 years of age, I have grown above fighting for minister that it will get to a point and someone will say he is sacking me. I will never be such minister not to talk of contesting any post with younger ones in the party. It is time for young people in the party to tell elderly ones to take the back seat. Im not against the elders, but I want them to know when to take the back seat. If they dont, the young ones will force them. All those stories of we formed this party in 1998, eight of us sat in my sitting room to form the party is no longer important because the young too must be allowed to grow. At this level, if you see any elder contesting chairman with the younger ones, you must know that such fellow needs to be retired. I am Ayodele Fayose, you can quote me anywhere. I said, you must retire Bode George if you want progress in the PDP in Lagos. You must stand firm and fight for your right. As an elder, he is supposed to stay at home and be giving blessing to his children aspiring to grow not to be contending positions with them, Mr Fayose said. By Akbar Mammadov President Ilham Aliyev has said that Armenian troops must vacate Azerbaijans occupied lands and that restoring its territorial integrity is Azerbaijans right. President Ilham Aliyev made the remark while meeting with the servicemen wounded during the ongoing clashes along the line of contact that started with Armenias attack on September 27. The servicemen are undergoing treatment at the Central Military Clinical Hospital of the Defense Ministry in Baku. Armenian attacks near occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region in the past days have killed dozens of Azerbaijani civilians and injured many others. Commenting on the military operations on the line of contact, Aliyev said that the Azerbaijani Army successfully conducted an operation and liberated strategic heights and several settlements. We are returning to these lands after a long break. We have hoisted our flag on these lands and no-one can take us out of these lands. We must restore our territorial integrity, the president stressed. Armenian people must understand that it is a crime to occupy the land of another state for 30 years, destroy all buildings and historical sites, expel more than 1 million people from their homeland and commit genocide against the Azerbaijani people. The president said that Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijans native, ancient and historical land. We are restoring historical justice, historical justice! Karabakh is our native, ancient and historical land. Suffice it to look at the history of the Karabakh khanate to see that the people of Azerbaijan have lived, built and created on these lands for centuries. Our sacred city of Shusha was built by the Azerbaijanis. The lands under occupation today are our historical lands. Our cause is the cause of justice. We want to restore our territorial integrity, we have the right to do so, we are doing it and we will do it. The president stressed that there is high morale in the army and the society, adding that he has been receiving many letters every day for the last three to four days, both from citizens of the country and from other countries. According to the information provided to me, all our wounded soldiers and officers live with the desire to recover soon and go back to the zone of military action, to continue the just war for the Motherland. Ours is the cause of justice, we are fighting on our own lands, we are fighting for the Motherland. We are fighting for a fair cause, and I am sure that in this conflict we will achieve what we want. Justice will be done and Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. Our compatriots who have been living as IDPs for many years will also return to their native lands, the president said. Furthermore, the president said that special attention is being paid to the families of martyrs in the country, and all necessary work is being done by the state and that Azerbaijan can be considered an exemplary country in the world for the attention being paid to the families of martyrs. Upon my instructions, all the families of martyrs are provided with apartments and houses by the state. This year alone, 1,500 families of martyrs will be provided with housing by the state. In the next two to three years, the families of our heroic sons who died in the first Karabakh war will be fully provided with houses and apartments. We still have martyrs today. We have had martyrs in the battles for the Motherland. May Allah rest their souls in peace, may Allah give patience to their families and relatives. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Dhanlaxmi Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Sunil Gurbaxani, who was voted out by shareholders of the Thrissur-based bank at Wednesdays annual general meeting (AGM), said he would wait for the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) decision before submitting his resignation. I have not resigned. I will wait for RBIs direction on the matter, said Gurbaxani in an exclusive chat with Moneycontrol. Asked what the rules say in such a situation, Gurbaxani said that the Banking Regulation Act could supersede company law and the regulator can make a decision. Looking at the matter or the governance issues that is impacting the bank for years together, the regulator may take a decision which it feels appropriate, Gurbaxani said. He said the RBI had not communicated anything to him on the matter till now. Over 90 percent of the shareholders voted against Gurbaxanis appointment while a tad above 9 percent voted in favour. Gurbaxani said the decision of the shareholders voting against him surprised him the most, adding that while he respects that decision, he would ultimately be driven by RBI's decision. There are reasons that I would not disclose at this point of time. At times you do pay the price for being absolutely honest, candid and not allowing any sign of misgovernance, Gurbaxani said. On Tuesday, Moneycontrol first reported that a section of shareholders could vote against the CEO. According to persons familiar with the development, major shareholders of the bank were unhappy with Gurbaxanis favourable approach to investors from the north Indian lobby. These shareholders, hence, wanted to oust Gurbaxani from the bank and bring in a more "fit and proper" candidate. Gurbaxani assumed office as CEO in February 2020. The veteran banker has 35 years of experience with the State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur (now State Bank of India) and Axis Bank. The shareholders' move is significant since the removal of an RBI-appointed CEO is rare and could lead to a management crisis. Recently, the All India Bank Employees' Union had written to the RBI seeking the regulators intervention in the bank. We have already written to RBI. The RBI should remove the CEO in the backdrop of voting results and appoint and more fit and proper person, said C H Venkatachalam, general secretary of AIBEA. RBI stance On Tuesday, the RBI appointed one of its officers on the Board of Dhanlaxmi Bank for a period of two years from September 28. The RBI has appointed D K Kashyap, general manager, Reserve Bank of India, Bengaluru Regional Office as an additional director on the bank's board, the lender said As of March 2020, prominent investors in the bank include B Ravindra Pillai (10 percent), Gopinathan C K (7.5 percent) and Kapilkumar Wadhawan (5 per cent). Foreign portfolio investors hold 11.4 percent. Last week, the RBI had written to the banks Board seeking termination of a key executiveone chief general manager, P Manikandan. It was an unprecedented move for the banking regulator to intervene in the matter of a CGM-level officer. But the regulator was upset about the non-adherence to the highest standards of corporate governance and Manikandans alleged involvement in board matters, according to persons familiar with the development. The RBI had received complaints against this officer, they said. The RBI was alerted by a series of exits from Dhanlaxmis Board since June. The first one was on June 29 when Sajeev Krishnan, part-time chairman and independent director, quit. Krishnan had joined the Kerala-headquartered bank in February 2018 for a three-year spell. He had around eight months left in his term. The other two were KN Murali, independent director, and G Venkatanarayanan, an additional director. Both resigned with effect from June 29, 2020, before their terms came to an end. Murali joined the bank nearly a year and a half ago while Venkatanarayanan joined only a few months ago. The covid19 economic recession is now estimated to result in a seven percent decline in the GDP for 2020. This compares after an average 6.6 percent annual GDP growth from 2015 to 2019. GDP growth is expected to resume in 2021 and 2022 with both years having 5-6 percent growth. The difficulty in dealing with the post-covid19 economic recovery is that it is being exploited by China, who offers large investments in return for less official criticism about Chinese asserting their ownership of the South China Sea. The covid19 panic continues to keep the NPA communist rebels quiet. The smaller Islamic terror groups have also been idle most of the year. The war on drugs continues as do efforts to reduce corruption. Both these projects have made progress but there is still much to be done. Filipinos are more concerned with the economy than with Islamic terrorist or communist violence. Politicians are acting accordingly. September 29, 2020: In the south (Sulu province) soldiers searching for Abu Sayyaf found 30 of the Islamic terrorists and after a 30-minute gun battle one soldier and two Islamic terrorists were dead. Seven soldiers and an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf men were wounded. The surviving Islamic terrorists got away, taking their wounded with them. In the capital the Minister for foreign affairs met with the Chinese ambassador to discuss strategic cooperation between the two nations. The ambassador later explained that this meant China would continue its substantial investments in the Philippines while the Filipino government would put aside their opposition to Chinese activities in the South China Sea. September 28, 2020: In the south (Sulu province) soldiers, acting on a tip from local civilians, found and attacked an Abu Sayyaf camp. While the Abu Sayyaf men present fled, troops killed a known Abu Sayyaf bomb builder. The dead man is also a cousin of the Abu Sayyaf leader that organized the August 24 twin-bombings in Jolo province. Elsewhere in Sulu province another group of soldiers, searching for five Indonesian fishermen kidnapped from their boat in January by Abu Sayyaf found the hideout where the five hostages were being held. The troops attacked in an effort to free the captives. Abu Sayyaf got away with their captives although the next day one of the captives was found dead. He was apparently shot while trying to escape. September 27, 2020: In the south (Zamboanga City) police arrested the deputy of local ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) leader Mundi Sawadjaan. ISIL was responsible for the August 24 dual bombing in the far south Jolo province September 25, 2020: In the south (Sulu province) two Abu Sayyaf members surrendered to the police. The two were convinced to surrender after they had been convinced to do so by an associate who had surrendered earlier in the month. The security forces have an amnesty program that applies to most Abu Sayyaf members and offers a safe way out of the Islamic terrorist organization that does not usually tolerate such departures. September 23, 2020: President Duterte gave a speech for the UN general assembly in which he asked for the UN to back him up in pressuring China to abide by a 2016 international court ruling that China was illegally trying to take control of the South China Sea. Days later Duterte said he had discussed the matter with the Chinese leader and both agreed to put the court ruling aside for the moment while China would continue being a major investor in the Filipino economy. September 16, 2020: In the south (Zamboanga Sibugay province) soldiers killed six Abu Sayyaf Islamic terrorists in two related clashes. Four soldiers and three civilians were wounded. The initial clash in one village, with at least ten Abu Sayyaf gunmen, led to a brief pursuit to another village where some of the Abu Sayyaf men were cornered and killed. The pursuit continued after the second clash but the remaining Abu Sayyaf men got away, taking some wounded with them. The army believed this group of Abu Sayyaf were on their way to carry out a kidnapping when the soldiers intercepted them. August 24, 2020: In the south (Jolo province) Abu Sayyaf carried out twin bombings in Jolo, the provincial capital. One bomb, hidden in a motorcycle parked near a group of soldiers went off, killing 12 people (five soldiers, a policeman and five civilians). The second attack used a female suicide bomber who attempted to get near the site of the first bombing. A soldier stopped the suicide bomber who then detonated her explosives killing herself and the soldier. These two attacks also left 75 people wounded. Abu Sayyaf, which now considers itself the local branch of ISIL, took credit for the attack. Rwandans in France have welcomed a ruling by the country's top appeals court to extradite the alleged financier of the Rwandan genocide, Felicien Kabuga, to Tanzania to stand trial. Kabuga, who was arrested in May after 25 years on the run, had asked to face justice in Paris. "After all the dramatic twists, this is incredibly good news," Richard Gisagara, a lawyer in Paris and a member of the French Rwandan Community association (CRF) told RFI by phone on Wednesday. Gisagara was reacting to news by France's top appeals court to transfer the man who allegedly bankrolled the Rwandan genocide to a UN court in Tanzania. Felicien Kabuga is to be tried on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity for allegedly funnelling money to militia groups as chairman of the national defence fund. He is also accused of setting up the Interahamwe militia that carried out massacres as well as the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines whose broadcasts incited people to murder. He denies all the charges. End of impunity "This decision marks the beginning of the end for impunity," Gisagara continues, deploring the fact that it has taken more than 25 years to bring Kabuga to justice. The suspect, once one of Rwanda's richest men, was arrested near Paris in May after evading the law for over two decades. During a court appearance in May, he described the accusations against him as "lies". His lawyers argued that the suspect in his late 80s was too frail to be sent to face trial at a UN tribunal in the Tanzanian city of Arusha. But the judges disagreed. France now has one month to hand Kabuga over to the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), which took over from the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) when it closed in 2015. Limits of international justice However, Gisagara is wary about the outcome. "The international justice system has two imperfections: first, victims are not treated as civil parties but are only called in as witnesses, if they're called in at all," he says. Some 800,000 people were killed in the 1994 genocide by Hutu extremists and survivors are still struggling to rebuild. "The longer justice takes to be served, the more difficult this process becomes," explains the lawyer. "It took the ICTR a ridiculous amount of time, we hope the MCIT will be quicker," he comments referring to Kabuga's advanced age. "It would be a shame for him to leave this world without being judged by humanity." A Wisconsin mother accused of neglecting her five-year-old special-needs son, causing his death and hiding his body in the trunk of her car for months has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges. Sagal Hussein, 26, faces nine charges in Brown County, including chronic neglect of a child resulting in death. A criminal complaint says Hussein's son Josias Marquez was likely dead for months before his body was found in March. Sagal Hussein, 26, (left) has pleaded not guilty to chronic neglect of a child resulting in death and eight other counts. The body of her son Josias Marquez (pictured right) was found in her car trunk in late March, months after his death Court documents say the boy had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, but he was not getting proper medical treatment and Hussein was not giving him his seizure medication. She claimed that the medications were not working and had side effects. Hussein stated she had been using CBD oil instead of medication to help Josias with the seizures. According to a criminal complaint cited by Fox 11, the investigation into the child's whereabouts began on January 26. A neighbor had reported seeing Hussein's other two children outside, unsupervised. Authorities had tried to get Hussein to tell them where her third child was. She said the boy was with his father out of state, but police were unable to confirm that. The boy had not been seen by anyone but Hussein since November 25, officials said. Hussein was arrested on March 30, and a search warrant was issued for her home and car. The next day, investigators found the decomposed body in a duffel bag in the trunk of her vehicle. Two weeks later, an autopsy confirmed that the body was that of Hussein's missing son. Josias was born with a host of medical conditions and had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy Hussein was allegedly not giving her five-year-old son his seizure medication, instead opting to treat him with CBD oil. No one had seen the child since late November 2019 A medical examiner found that the boy's body mummified and severely undernourished. The criminal complaint stated that Josias weighed 20lbs when his remains were recovered, but the boy had previously weighed more than 30lbs. Hussein's mother, Amal Ismal, said at the time she was shocked. Ismal said Josias was born with medical conditions, and was blind and suffered severe seizures. 'What I know is my daughter, Sagal, is that she was a loving mother and she didn't kill her own son and what I believe is it was not her intention to hurt or kill her own child,' Ismal said. James Marquez, the biological father of Hussein's children, told investigators the mother never liked caring for her severely disabled son. Josias' biological father claimed that Hussein never liked caring for her disabled son Marquez said he had been the children's primary caretaker until he became 'fed up' with Hussein and moved to California. According to the complaint, investigators reviewed a phone call between Hussein and Marquez in which the mother said she 'f***ed up' and was in 'a hell of trouble.' Hussein is due back in court for a status conference on December 7. A Swiss middle school has sparked fury for shaming girls who wear 'indecent' clothes, forcing some to wear a 'T-shirt of shame'. On Wednesday, several hundred demonstrators called on Swiss middle schools to stop shaming girls who violate dress codes banning 'indecent' clothes in a protest outside of Pinchat middle school. Crowds of mostly women and girls, some wearing shorts, miniskirts and crop-tops, gathered in front of the school on the outskirts of Geneva demanding an end to the 'sexism' of its dress code. 'Humiliation is not a form of education', one placard read, pictures in local media showed. Another demanded that school officials 'fix your sexism before you fix my outfit'. Pictured: The 'T-shirt of shame' that Pinchat middle school in Geneva made pupils wear if they were deemed to be wearing clothing that was not appropriate. Translated, the T-shirt says: 'Pinchat college - I'm wearing an appropriate outfit!' with a thumbs-up symbol styled in the Facebook 'like' button The demonstration came in response to revelations last week that the school on the first day after the summer holidays had forced a number of students to put on an oversized t-shirt over clothing that was deemed inappropriate. The so-called 'T-shirt of Shame', which was imposed on two boys and 10 girls at the school, carries the name of the school and the words: 'I'm wearing an appropriate outfit' under a drawing of a thumbs-up in the style of a Facebook 'like' button. Speaking to Radio Television Suisse (RTS), 15-year-old Elodie spoke of her experience at a Geneva school when she was 11. 'I was 11 years old, I was in music class when the teacher looked at me and told me that my outfit was not appropriate for the class and that it could attract the eyes of the boys,' she recalled. 'I was wearing a bib jumper with jeans pants. You could only see my shoulders. He told me to put on my gown, explaining that if I came back dressed like that, he either fired me or he made me wear the shame t-shirt.' The story came to light after the mother of one of the girls complained to school authorities in Geneva canton, charging that the school administration had 'abused its power ... to humiliate, denigrate and stigmatise young girls', Swiss media reported. Pictured: Pinchat middle school on the outskirts of Geneva. The school forced a number of students to put on an oversized t-shirt over clothing that was deemed inappropriate The school had responded by insisting that the rules requiring students to wear 'correct and appropriate' attire were applied 'independent of sex'. Critics however charge that such rules, which exist at most middle schools, rely on subjective assessments of what should be considered appropriate. Marjorie de Chastonay, a Geneva parliamentarian with the Greens, compared the use of the T-shirt to a 'public lynching aimed at stigmatising girls'. Pupils at a school on the outskirts of Geneva (pictured, stock image) have protested outside their school after some were forced to wear a 'T-shirt of shame' after coming to school wearing clothing deemed 'indecent' Speaking to public broadcaster RTS last week, she slammed the decision to rely on 'an inadequate law that promotes structural sexism instead of on paedagogy that raises awareness among boys of the issue. Wednesday's protest demanded that Geneva school authorities force middle schools to halt stigmatising dress code enforcement. One sign at the protest asked: 'When will there be a T-shirt of shame for teachers who sexualise their students?' The Swiss protest came after girls across neighbouring France earlier this month staged protests by dressing 'provocatively' to denounce the 'sexism' of similar rules there. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 22:30:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Britain on Wednesday vowed close cooperation in the fight against COVID-19, said a Cambodian foreign ministry's statement. The statement was released after a virtual meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, on COVID-19 Response. "The meeting shared concern regarding the continued spread of the COVID-19 and its severe adverse impacts on people livelihoods and socio-economic development around the world," the statement said. "In this regard, the meeting committed to strengthening close cooperation between ASEAN Member States and the UK in the research, development, manufacture and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, adhering to the objectives of efficiency, safety, equal accessibility and affordability," it added. The meeting welcomed the Britain's announcement to contribute 1 million pounds (1.28 million U.S. dollars) to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund as well as its contribution of 0.5 million pounds (0.64 million dollars) of strategic support to the ASEAN Secretariat to develop and deliver effective policies to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19, the statement said. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Enditem TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / When tax season rolls in, business owners often have their heads scratching as they deal with the headache that is bookkeeping, tax planning, tax preparation, managing payroll, preparing financial statements, and many more. However, for 15-year accountant Peter Lemmond, these things are just a walk in the park, because he knows exactly what to do to achieve excellence and proficiency in all things bookkeeping and accounting. When asked what sparked his passion to be an account he says, "I've always enjoyed giving a helping hand to people who sought help for their finances. I don't think there was a time when I didn't like solving problems and saving people money." You wouldn't believe it but Peter is quite the musician himself. He says: "I started out my working career as a musician. Playing the piano and pipe organ in concerts and leading worship at church. I have this stellar ability to lead people in worshipping God through music." It's these ethical values as a worshipper that he translates into his services as an accountant. Peter says, "When I manage clients I always offer ethical services in presenting their financial data. Transparency and trust are our core values and we apply it every time we think of our clients' best interest." His solid background in the accounting field started when he was working for the Canadian Revenue Agency. It was his time auditing for corporations and smaller businesses that he discovered something great. He discovered "legal loopholes" to pay less tax. "While most other competitors have not had the privilege of gaining experience through auditing at CRA, I found many ways to get tax advantages in which I could help the normal business to take control of their finances and use these "insider" loopholes (legally) to pay less tax for my clients," he stated. Story continues After getting significant insight into the workings of corporations and businesses and overseeing all financial matters for a large CFO corporation, he decided to launch his own company in his free time and the weekends. He dedicated hours on end to develop a system that could help any business become 100% Audit Proof. When he finally perfected the system, he immediately wanted to share it to help normal businesses take control of their finances and save clients as much money as possible. And the amazing thing about his system is that he uses 'expenses' to save your business money. Now that's some outside the box thinking. Peter shared, "Through working as an auditor at the Canadian Revenue Agency(CRA), I found unique ways to save money that people don't even use. One of them was expenses. It's possible to use expenses to save your business money. It's the things you haven't thought about that make this system work. Many things that will never raise a red flag to the CRA." Today he enjoys his life serving clients at Peter Lemmonds Bookkeeping & Accounting Services. He remains fiercely ambitious for the company as he looks to take on small business and corporate giants to achieve his goal of running a clean shop that provides proficiency in accounting & bookkeeping. He says: "We always ensure our clients that hiring us is not a business expense but a business investment. We as a company want to save them as much money as possible through proper bookkeeping, accounting and tax preparation all while paying income tax. With my CRA expertise, we want to maximize your company's assets and reduce tax burdens." If you want to get every possible penny of your money back from the government in completely legal ways.... without tax fraud, please don't hesitate to reach out For more information, please call +19055727675 or visit https://www.petersaccounting.ca SOURCE: Peter Lemmond View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/608580/This-15-Year-Accountant-Wants-to-Share-His-Secret-To-Making-Any-Business-100-Audit-Proof StackCommerce Most people that come to your website got there by searching something on Google. This is called organic search traffic, and it's responsible for over half of all traffic on the world wide web. That means, if you're trying to grow your business or brand, you need to ensure Google is on your side. That's where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. If you're interested in learning about SEO whether to grow your own business or help others grow theirs the Ultimate Google Ads and SEO Certification Bundle is a solid place to start. It includes nine courses and 29 hours of content that'll show you how to get Google to notice you. Chris Carlson Remember in 2016 when President Donald Trump said he could solve all our problems by himself? His lack of accomplishments over the last 3 years has brought America to its knees. Much has been written about his inadequacies. In her book about her uncle, Mary Trump notes the president doesn't care about Americans, he only cares about himself. His sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, said it clearly: Donald is out for Donald, period. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 09:41:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian government reported Tuesday 32,058 new cases and 863 more deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, more than double the cases registered on Monday. According to the Ministry of Health, 4,777,522 cases have so far been reported nationwide with the death toll standing at 142,921. The state of Sao Paulo, the most populated in the country, has been the most affected by the disease, with 979,519 cases and 35,391 deaths, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with 263,699 cases and 18,388 deaths. Authorities have expressed concern over the state of Rio de Janeiro in particular, as it has seen a steady increase in both cases and deaths. In Rio de Janeiro on Monday, the occupancy of beds in intensive care units in the city's hospitals was reported to be close to 80 percent, a figure that is considered critical. In addition to Rio de Janeiro, the other two states with a critical level of hospital-bed occupancy are Amazonas and Rio Grande do Norte, according to the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Enditem Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are also under immense pressure to digitalise to keep up with the pace of change and become resilient against the effects of the current and future pandemics, according to experts convened at the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit #GMIS2020 Digital Series. Experts from government and international development organisations, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the Union of Arab Chambers and the Confederation of Indian Industry convened at the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit #GMIS2020 Digital Series to discuss how innovation is being nurtured in their countries and within their organisations, and to share best practices in supporting and encouraging the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to join the technological revolution against the backdrop of the global pandemic. Playing a critical role in the global economy, SMEs are also under immense pressure to digitalise to keep up with the pace of change and become resilient against the effects of the current and future pandemics, according to experts from global development organisations. Government support alone is not enough to facilitate this change; instead, entire ecosystems that include the public sector, private financial institutions, universities and small and micro firms must be developed in order to facilitate digital transformation and create sustainable resilience and development, they said. The experts agreed that multi-stakeholder partnerships were central to facilitating innovation and creating resilience in SMEs. They also emphasised the need to channel investment into the SME sector globally, in order to help them develop world-changing innovations and digitise their processes and services in order to be ready to participate in the economy of tomorrow. Dr. Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento, Managing Director, Directorate of Digitalization, Technology and Agribusiness, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said that investment in bolstering the digital capability of SMEs was crucial to local, regional and global economic recovery. Covid-19 has put a lot of strain on our society and the economies around the globe. To help SME businesses continue to recover from the pandemic, they need proper access to finance and investment to help them foster digital capabilities. We need to ensure that SMEs are part of the digital transformation if we want to build a sustainable future - allowing progress that enhances the opportunities for all. Dr. Hashim S. Hussein, Head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Investment and Technology Promotion Office in the Kingdom of Bahrain (ITPO Bahrain) shared best practice from the last 20 years in supporting ecosystems that encourage both the domestic investment and mobilise foreign direct investment that can facilitate technological progress in 52 Countries around the world. We must support SMEs around the world to become more engaged with technology and ensure entrepreneurial resilience. In Bahrain, we have long-running programs that support start-ups, micro, small and medium businesses through the creation of ecosystems that encourage investment and outside of the country, we are focused on supporting the industrialisation process of developing countries by helping to attract investment into SME programs that embrace technological change. Veronika Peshkova, UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador, agreed that helping SMEs develop digital capability is central to creating a sustainable future. The world is becoming more and more automated with digital industry already representing 30% of the world's GDP whilst productivity annual growth rate is four times that of so-called physical industries. 70% of all investment is attracted to ICT, and yet Covid-19 is likely to drive this rapid growth even faster, transforming all industries. However, the speed of this change brings the risk of widening and increasing inequality between those who have the skills to adapt to the digital revolution, and those who don't. She outlined the issue of gender balance in economic development, and how the digital revolution may exacerbate the problem. Peshkova said: Many of the roles that could be automated by digital technology are currently occupied by women. Therefore, we need to work to empower women to upskill and progress into managerial roles that require human thinking. To do this, it is essential to ensure women's voices are heard, and their role in decision making and leadership are increased. We not only need to remove barriers that prevent the development of technical knowledge, but we must also work to engage men in the discussion and challenge societal norms that are currently holding women back. This is not really an issue of human rights, it is an issue of economic growth and welfare. Dr. Khaled Hanafy, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers agreed that partnership was vital to nurturing SMEs and facilitating digital transformation, said: You need to have a system that works on every level of the economy to support entrepreneurialism. For example, not only do you need public-private partnership, but you also need to create partnerships with universities as this is often where the ideas originate. We are currently developing an innovation program that will be run across the Arab world creating training sites and mentor opportunities that will allow R&D to thrive. Safia Boly, Former Minister for the promotion of private investment, small and medium enterprises and national entrepreneurship, Government of Mali said partnerships that facilitate economic resilience all levels are vital for building economic resilience, particular when discussing SMEs. One of the key ingredients for building resilience and sustainability in Mali, is to ensure access to finance for small and medium enterprises. Have difficulty meeting the requirement of conventional financing with commercial banks means entrepreneurs often resort to institutions of microfinance. Therefore, our effort to foster entrepreneurship leadership relies on our programs that promote domestic investment and leverage and obtain foreign direct investment. However, foreign investors need very strong layers of domestic investment to give them assurance Therefore, by building resilient, small and medium enterprises we facilitate confidence in their investment. The panel, entitled Impact Investment through the Enterprise Development & Investment Promotion Programme was moderated by Nejib Friji, MENA Director of the International Peace Institute, and brought together leading experts from around the world to discuss ways in which investment can best be channelled to drive international development and drive prosperity. The panel discussed the type of support needed to sustain start-ups and the growth of SMEs and how entrepreneurs can embrace technological opportunities and be at the forefront of digitalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. They also discussed the requirements needed to achieve Sustainable Impact Investment - all against the backdrop of the current global pandemic. The panel offered views and approaches from around the world, highlighting regional differences and highlighting opportunities for collaboration. Friji, was joined by Dr. Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento, Managing Directorate of Digitalization, Technology and Agribusiness, UNIDO; H.E. Veronika Peshkova, UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador; Dr. Hashim S. Hussein, Head of the UNIDOs Investment and Technology Promotion Office in the Kingdom of Bahrain (ITPO Bahrain); H.E. Safia Boly, Former Minister for the promotion of private investment, small and medium enterprises and national entrepreneurship, Government of Mali; Dr. Khaled Hanafy, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers; Anjan Das, Executive Director, Confederation of Indian Industry and Director of Technology and Innovation; and Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, Director-General, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). The virtual panel discussion was the latest in a new sequence of weekly sessions held by the #GMIS2020 Digital Series, following the Virtual Summit that was held on September 4-5, 2020. TradeArabia News Service Webinar There are a number of types of platforms that can aid hotels attempting to thrive in the current climate and recovery phase. But it's essential that hotels find the right technologies to integrate every guest touchpoint. What's more? Leveraging technologies that keep your guests safe, support a lean staff, and meet the new demands of travelers. Join us for a webinar discussion led by experts from StayNTouch, Cendyn, and GuestRevu, and learn: How to be more engaging at every guest touchpoint in a contactless environment How to connect your technologies and action guest data for a more personalized experience How to leverage automation to support a lean staff and ensure operational continuity How to manage guest feedback to protect your brand's reputation in a hyper-conscious climate Webinar: Touchless Touchpoints: Integrating the Right Technologies for a Better Guest Experience is organized by Mathura, Sep 30 : Close on the heels of the Ayodhya verdict early Wednesday, all eyes were fixed on the likely outcome of the case filed in a Mathura civil court to settle a dispute between the local Shahi Masjid Idgah management and Sri Krishna Virajman, represented by Ranjna Agnihotri and eight others who had filed a fresh 57 page petition on September 25. Civil judge senior division Chaya Sharma heard the arguments by the petitioners for more than an hour. Later in the evening, the court dismissed the case, there being no adequate reasons or justifications to consider the case afresh. Karunesh Kumar Shukla, one of the signatories to the plaint, said the court had dismissed the case for insufficient ground. Counsel for the petitioners Hari Shankar Jain said they would now move the Allahabad High Court. Jain said they had all the relevant supporting documents and their case was strong. The petitioners wanted the October 12, 1968 agreement cancelled and the decree of July 20, 1973 also cancelled. They said the agreement was wrong. The Sri Krishna Janam Bhoomi complex stands on 13.37 acres of land which was purchased in auction in 1815 by Raja Patni Mal of Banaras. Later a Sri Krishna Janam Bhoomi Trust was established on October 12, 1968. A large crowd had collected at the Mathura district and civil court premises. Security was tightened at the Idgah Mosque and the Sri Krishna Janam Bhoomi complex. Inspector General Satish Ganesh alongwith senior police and administrative officials, including Mathura SSP Dr Gaurav Grover and SP Rohit Mishra reached Mathura to oversee the security arrangements. Police pickets were deployed at all entry points to Mathura. Meanwhile, saffron activists rejoiced and distributed sweets as both Sadhvi Rithambhara and Vijay Bahadur Singh of Mathura were acquitted in the Babri Masjid case on Wednesday. Singh said it was the victory of truth. OPECs third-largest oil producer, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is shooting for the moonquite literallyas part of its space strategy to diversify its oil-dependent economy. The UAE will launch by 2024 the first-ever mission of an Arab country to the Moon, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, said on Tuesday. We are launching the first-ever Arab mission to the moon by 2024. The lunar rover will send back images & data from new sites of the moon that havent been explored by previous lunar missions. The gathered data will be shared with global research centers & institutions, Sheikh Al Maktoum said. The rover will be 100% manufactured and developed in the UAE by Emirati Engineers. The UAE will be the fourth country in the world to send a mission to explore the moon. We will continue our contribution to the global pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of humanity, he added. The UAE, one of OPECs key producers and most influential members, has a National Space Policy aiming to support and protect its national interests and vital industries, and contribute to the diversification and growth of the economy. Related: Oil Bulls Return As OPEC+ Reassures Markets In July this year, the UAE sent a historic first mission to Mars, sending the probe Hope, which is expected to arrive on Mars in February next year. Despite the fact that the UAE economy is relatively diversified when compared to other Gulf oil producers, it, too, suffered a hard blow from the latest oil price crash and needed to replenish its reserves urgently. In August, the UAE also became the nation hosting the Arab Worlds first nuclear power plant, which is already operational and connected to the grid. With the start-up of Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Abu Dhabi, the UAE became the first country in the Arab world, and the 33rd nation globally, to develop a nuclear energy plant to generate electricity, helping the oil-rich emirates to move towards electrification of its energy sector and decarbonization of its electricity production, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) said in August. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern would declare a climate change emergency if re-elected on October 17, while opposition leader Judith Collins has promised tax cuts and faster economic growth during a fast-paced and fiery second election debate. Labour's Ardern, who enjoys a strong lead in the polls ahead of the vote, admitted for the first time that she had smoked cannabis "a long time ago" - but still refused to say which way she would vote in the concurrent referendum on legalising recreational use. Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins clashed, and agreed, on much during a spirited New Zealand election debate. Credit:Getty Images Collins, who opposes legalisation of recreational use (but supports medicinal cannabis) attacked Ardern's equivocation and pointed out the New Zealand PM had made it clear that she would vote yes in the second referendum, which would legalise End of Life legislation. In a moment of levity, Collins joked that she would be happy to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine, as Ardern once did, and added that any politician who suggested otherwise was a liar. San Francisco: The US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday has charged the Bohras, husband-wife duo of Viky and Laksha Bohra, former employees of Amazon, for exchanging crucial stock-related information. The committee observed that the Bohra couple along with Gotham Bohra (father of Viky) wrongfully gained $1.4 million by crucial corporate information. "We allege that the Bohras repeatedly and systematically used Amazon's confidential information for their own gain," Erin Schneider, Director of the SEC's San Francisco Regional Office, said in a statement. The SEC in its report explained that Laksha Bohra, who worked as a senior manager at Amazon's tax department would pass information to her husband (Viky Bohra). Viky and Gotham traded Amazon stocks via 11 seperate accounts opened in the names of other family members. The SEC marks its observation for Jan'2016 - Jul' 18, when Laksha prepared and reviewed several calculations of Amazon's quarterly and annual earnings which had to be filed with the SEC. The complaint further alleges that Laksha disregarded reminders prohibiting her from passing material non-public information or recommending the purchase or sale of Amazon securities. The SEC noted, "Employees with access to confidential, potentially market-moving corporate information may not use that information to enrich themselves, their friends, or their families." The SEC's complaint, filed in the federal court in Seattle, charges all three Bohras with violating anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. In a parallel action, the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington on Monday filed criminal charges against Viky Bohra. Dublin, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Coronavirus Diagnostics Market by Type of Test (Molecular v/s Serology), by User (Single v/s Multiple), by Full Test Time (Less Than 60 Minutes, 1 Hour - 12 Hours, 13 Hours - 24 Hours, More Than 1 Day), by End User, by Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Coronavirus Diagnostics Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 12% during 2015-2025 The Global Coronavirus Diagnostics Market is driven by surging incidences of this disease across different parts of the globe. The market is segmented based on type of test, user, full test time, end-user, company and region. Based on type of test, the market can be bifurcated into molecular and serological tests. The molecular type of test segment is expected to dominate the market during forecast period. In this testing procedure, a sample from the back of the throat is taken and sent for testing. The sample undergoes a PCR test to find out the presence of virus genetic material. The PCR confirms the diagnosis of COVID-19 if it finds two genes of SARS-COV-2 virus. Europe and North America are expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period owing to the presence of many research laboratories and pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies across the regions. Major players operating in the coronavirus diagnostics market include F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Abbott Laboratories Danaher Corporation Siemens AG Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Mylab Discovery Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. BioMerieux SA GSK Biologicals SA Altona Diagnostics GmbH Seegene Inc. Years considered for this report: Historical Year: 2015-2018 Base Year: 2019 Estimated Year: 2020E Forecast Period: 2021-2025 Key Topics Covered: 1. Product Overview 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Voice of Customer 4.1. Brand Awareness (Aided/Unaided) 4.2. Product Awareness 4.3. Customer Satisfaction Analysis 4.4. Pricing Analysis 4.5. Unmet Needs/Challenges 5. Global Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 5.1. Market Size & Forecast 5.1.1. By Value 5.2. Market Share & Forecast 5.2.1. By Type of Test (Molecular v/s Serology) 5.2.2. By User (Single v/s Multiple) 5.2.3. By Full Test Time (Less Than 60 Minutes, 1 Hours to 12 Hours, 13 Hours-24 Hours, More Than 1 Days) 5.2.4. By End User (Hospitals, Public Health Labs, Private or Commercial Labs, Physician Labs, Others) 5.2.5. By Company (2020) 5.2.6. By Region 5.3. Product Market Map 6. Europe Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 6.1. Market Size & Forecast 6.1.1. By Value 6.2. Market Share & Forecast 6.2.1. By Type of Test 6.2.2. By User 6.2.3. By End User 6.2.4. By Country 6.3. Europe: Country Analysis 6.3.1. Russia Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 6.3.2. Italy Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 6.3.3. Spain Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 6.3.4. Germany Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 6.3.5. France Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 6.3.6. United Kingdom Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 7. North America Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 7.1. Market Size & Forecast 7.1.1. By Value 7.2. Market Share & Forecast 7.2.1. By Type of Test 7.2.2. By User 7.2.3. By End User 7.2.4. By Country 7.3. North America: Country Analysis 7.3.1. United States Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 7.3.2. Canada Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 7.3.3. Mexico Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8. Asia-Pacific Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8.1. Market Size & Forecast 8.1.1. By Value 8.2. Market Share & Forecast 8.2.1. By Type of Test 8.2.2. By User 8.2.3. By End User 8.2.4. By Country 8.3. Asia-Pacific: Country Analysis 8.3.1. China Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8.3.2. South Korea Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8.3.3. Australia Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8.3.4. India Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8.3.5. Japan Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8.3.6. Thailand Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 8.3.7. Singapore Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 9. Middle East and Africa Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 9.1. Market Size & Forecast 9.1.1. By Value 9.2. Market Share & Forecast 9.2.1. By Type of Test 9.2.2. By User 9.2.3. By End User 9.2.4. By Country 9.3. MEA: Country Analysis 9.3.1. Iran Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 9.3.2. UAE Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 9.3.3. Saudi Arabia Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 9.3.4. South Africa Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 10. South America Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 10.1. Market Size & Forecast 10.1.1. By Value 10.2. Market Share & Forecast 10.2.1. By Type of Test 10.2.2. By User 10.2.3. By End User 10.2.4. By Country 10.3. South America: Country Analysis 10.3.1. Brazil Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 10.3.2. Argentina Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 10.3.3. Colombia Coronavirus Diagnostics Market Outlook 11. Market Dynamics 11.1. Drivers 11.2. Challenges 12. Market Trends & Developments 13. Competitive Landscape 14. Strategic Recommendations For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/200axp Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Sir John Scarlett (pictured) said there would be a 'degree of capability loss' when the Brexit transition period ends Britain will have to cope with reduced intelligence on Islamic terror suspects following our exit from the EU, the former head of MI6 warned yesterday. Sir John Scarlett said there would be a 'degree of capability loss' when the Brexit transition period ends because the UK will no longer have access to European databases. He added: 'It's almost impossible to avoid it. I'm not in a position to quantify that exactly and it's important not to exaggerate it. It's just a fact.' And Sir John explained that limited data sharing will 'potentially weaken our ability to respond to the Islamic jihadi threat'. Britain can access information on Islamic threats through EU-wide databases. However, continued access to these sources has not yet been agreed as part of the Government's transition negotiations with Brussels. Sir John, who was boss of the Secret Intelligence Service from 2004 to 2009, added: 'In terms of our overall security environment, the jihadi extremist threat is definitely still there. 'Last year in the EU I think there were 21 terrorist-related attacks. That of course includes the famous one on London Bridge. 'Now that threat has absolutely not gone away.' Sir John said: 'Last year in the EU I think there were 21 terrorist-related attacks. That of course includes the famous one on London Bridge' (pictured, tributes to the victims) Speaking at an online event organised by the think tank Royal United Services Institute, Sir John warned: 'You've only got to look at the situation in Iraq and Syria, for example, and also the spreading of capability into the Sahel and Central Africa.' And Sir John and Sir Julian King, a former British EU commissioner, told the Times: 'We need to find the most effective ways to work together with our partners, allies and neighbours to counter shared threats and to protect our future.' Joanne Coskey, a Ridley School District kitchen staffer and bus aide, rides a district bus that delivers breakfast and lunch to the homes of students and families in need five days a week. Read more Yellow as a No. 2 pencil, a school bus rolls up and down Eddystones working-class streets one gray morning. Its an odd sight in the time of COVID-19. Many of the kids in the Ridley School District, which includes about 10 communities, including Eddystone, are learning remotely these days. So whos on the bus? Turns out, driver Donna Sullivan has but one passenger: Joanne Coskey, a 53-year-old district kitchen worker and bus aide whom everyone calls the Energizer Bunny, briskly delivering breakfasts and lunches to students' homes with unflagging vigor five days a week. Thank you, parents and children yell from porches and windows, but the kinetic Coskeys already gone, bopping onto School Bus No. 39 and readying a food bundle for the next in a total of 84 stops. The bus is one of 10 delivering to 675 kids that same day. Marrying the commitment to feed students with the desire to put pandemic-sidelined school bus drivers and aides back to work, the Ridley School District hit on a plan that helps all of them at once. The meals it dispatches run the gamut of free, reduced-price, and full-pay. This solves some problems, said Mimi Barrios, district supervisor of food services. We just wanted to assist the community. Its not clear how many other school districts are currently putting their bus personnel to work delivering food, said George Matysik, executive director of Share Food Program, which distributes food from the federal school lunch and breakfast program to Ridley, Philadelphia, and 68 other regional districts. A spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Education said officials dont know whether other districts are utilizing drivers this way. READ MORE: Hunger expected to explode here, throughout America, because of COVID-19 Whats certain is that the need for school meals as well as food supplies for families and individuals throughout the area has been exploding since the coronavirus hit and so many people have lost their jobs, Matysik said. Share has gone from sending out 500,000 pounds of food per week regionally before the pandemic to 1.5 million pounds since, Matysik said. Were distributing three times the total amount of food. Augmenting the school meals, Matysiks team makes available additional 35-pound boxes of food for families in need to around 30 school districts three times a week, including Ridley. Many places such as Eddystone and other Delaware County communities havent had a strong need for charitable food before, Matysik said, and as a result, historically, there havent been many food pantries for towns in the Ridley School District. But conditions have been deteriorating lately. Even before COVID-19, Delaware Countys poverty rate rose from 8.6% in 2018 to 9.9% in 2019, according to newly released U.S. Census Bureau figures. That represents the largest poverty increase among the suburban counties. Local experts have been unable to explain why. READ MORE: Incomes were up and poverty was down across America in 2019 and then COVID-19 hit With the pandemics onslaught, the entire Philadelphia region can expect worsening circumstances. The national food charity Feeding America has predicted that because of the pandemics effect here, the rate of food insecurity not having access to enough food for a healthy life will have risen from 16.3% in 2018 to 21.2% by the time 2020 ends. A lot of people struggle Coskey, a widow who lives in Tinicum, is not only a school district kitchen worker and a bus aide, but times being what they are, she also works for her sisters cleaning company and sorts packages for UPS. She has five children and nine grandchildren. Delivering this food is important to me, said Coskey. Its a pleasure to have them appreciating you by saying thank you. I know a lot of people struggle here." Linda Molette-Jones is one such person. Divorced and 63, the former convenience-store manager endured four strokes and suffers from multiple sclerosis. She lives on Social Security disability income in a house with two 6-year-old granddaughters in elementary school and a third girl, a toddler. Molette-Jones son and his wife also live in the home. Molette-Jones is in charge of making sure the young students are online and learning. The school meals that Coskey brings are vital. Oh, my God, the food helps a lot, she said. "My son moves pianos, my daughter-in-law works in a courthouse. Their salaries are not the highest. They need help in order to get anywhere. Family is a key thing. I need to keep my sanity, and if I didnt have the kids, Id be depressed and never move around. Phenomenal school district Marie Albrand also looks forward to Coskeys quick-hit visits. Phenomenal school district, guys! she yells to Coskey and Sullivan. Albrand, a 59-year-old nurse, is divorced and raising her three grandsons, ages 8, 9, and 14, on her own. To make sure the boys arent distracted, she tapes a note to her front door that reads, School is in session 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Filled with praise for those who help, Albrand singled out Coskey and Sullivan: Those ladies hustle door to door to make sure kids have what they need. Their bringing meals takes the pressure off us. "This district goes above and beyond. Thats how Timothy Richards, a 45-year-old delivery driver and father of a sixth grader, sees it. They come every day, he said, shaking his head in admiration. And my son is one of those guys who eats everything, so its always great. The food bundle, which changes, included a whole-grain cinnamon bun with 1% milk for breakfast, along with a lunch of chicken nuggets, a whole-grain pretzel stick, french fries, a fruit cup, and 1% chocolate milk. By Oct. 13, the Ridley districts 5,600 students are scheduled to return to their nine schools at least part of the time, Barrios said. She added that the bus food-delivery model may well continue in some form. As long as theres COVID-19, she said, well make sure to have some delivery component. That sounds fine to Coskey: This pandemic is hard on everyone. I hope we can keep helping. Brussels, Sep 30 : After a wait of 493 days since the last federal election, Belgium got its new Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Wednesday. De Croo is set to lead the country's 7-party Vivaldi coalition of Flemish and Francophone socialists, liberals and greens. De Croo will spearhead the Vivaldi coalition in steering the country through the aftershocks of the pandemic, and is set to face fierce pushback from the Flemish opposition parties, sidelined from the incoming administration despite making big gains in the election, reported Brussels Times. The choice of De Croo follows calls for the country's new Prime Minister to be a Dutch-speaker, since the last PM to lead a full-fledged government, Charles Michel, was Francophone. As De Croo's fellow government formator, the Francophone socialist Paul Magnette, who leads the largest party within the Vivaldi coalition, was also tipped for premiership. Talks are ongoing among parties on the makeup of the federal cabinet, which, according to Le Soir, will comprise seven Dutch-speaking ministers and seven Francophone ministers. De Croo was elected President of the Flemish liberal party at 34, a position which he filled for three years before stepping down. De Croo has been a Federal Minister since 2012 in the governments of Elio di Rupo (PS) and Charles Michel (MR), twice clinching a vice premiership position. He is the son of Herman De Croo, a former Federal Minister, Deputy and current President of the House of Representatives and the longest-serving MP. President Moon Jae-in expressed his condolences Monday and offered a public apology over the death of a South Korean civil servant in a shooting by North Korean troops, calling it a "regrettable and unfortunate" incident. "Regardless of how the victim went to the North Korean waters, I offer words of deep condolences and consolation to the bereaved family members over their grief," he said. The tragedy should have not occurred despite the peninsula being divided, he added. Moon was speaking in front of pool reporters and cameras during a weekly meeting with his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. The remarks represented Moon's first public statement he made in person in connection with the case that happened just north of the western sea border, known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), last week. The 47-year-old fisheries official was killed by the North's troops after crossing the border on a floating object. Moon also apologized to the South Korean people over their "shock and fury," noting that the government should protect the safety and security of the people under all circumstances. The main opposition People Power Party and other critics have accused the South's military of having been "incompetent" and the left-leaning Moon administration of only "begging" for talks with the North despite the killing of the official. Moon attached a "special" meaning to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's own apology over the case. "It's unprecedented and very unusual to have apologized immediately and directly as the supreme leader of North Korea," he said. The North admitted that its border guards fired more than 10 gunshots against what it described as an "intruder" but denied the South's announcement that they had burned his body. In Pyongyang's formal notice sent to Seoul, Kim was quoted as saying that he's "very sorry" for the "unintended, unsavory" incident. It shows that Kim is taking the case seriously and also represents a confirmation of his desire that inter-Korean relations won't head toward a breakdown, according to Moon. He stressed the need to find the truth behind the incident and explore "substantive" ways to prevent the recurrence of such a case. To that end, the two Koreas should restore dialogue and cooperate with each other, he emphasized, pointing out that their military communication line remains severed. He voiced hope that the incident will eventually turn into an opportunity for Seoul and Pyongyang to resume dialogue and cooperation and improve their ties. "I hope that we will be able to revive the embers of dialogue and open the waterway for cooperation starting with resolving this case (together)," Moon said. (Yonhap) Canadian coming-of-age drama Trickster will premiere on National Indigenous Television in late October. Based on the best-selling novel Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson, newcomer Joel Oulette plays Jared an Indigenous teen struggling to keep his dysfunctional family above water. Jared juggles high school, his job at the local drive-thru and his side hustle selling ecstasy, all while supporting his Mum, Maggie (Crystle Lightning), who self-medicates an undiagnosed mental illness and his unemployable Dad, Phil (Craig Lauzon) while also trying to attract the interest of intriguing new neighbour Sarah (Anna Lambe). But when Jared starts seeing strange things talking ravens, doppelgangers and skin monsters his already chaotic life is turned upside down. The CBC original series is produced by Streel Films and Sienna Films and directed by Michelle Latimer (RISE, Nuuca). Latimer also took on the role of Executive Producer, alongside Tony Elliott (Orphan Black), Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny. Tanya Denning-Orman, Director of Indigenous Content at SBS, said: NITV are thrilled to bring Trickster to Australian screens co-creators Michelle Latimer and Tony Elliot bring to life Indigenous Canadian author Eden Robinsons book Son of Trickster. The incredible Latimer is reclaiming the narratives around First Nations people as creator and director of all six episodes and bringing talented Indigenous people into as many roles as possible in-front and behind the camera. We know this unique coming of age story will strike a chord with our viewers, and we cant wait to share it, and this history making moment with our audiences. Michelle Latimer, Creator and Director, said: We are thrilled that NITV and SBS On Demand will bring Trickster to Australia. We know that Edens amazing story and the stellar work of our cast will resonate for audiences there as they do here. Tuesday October 27 at 8:30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand. Former FBI Director James Comey testified via videoconference before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. (Getty Images) Youd think more than three years removed from his departure from the FBI that James Comey would be yesterdays news. But in GOP circles, the former FBI directors name is still a source of outrage as Senate Republicans drag their probe into investigators actions during the 2016 Trump-Russia investigation and its spinoff inquiry led by former special counsel Robert Mueller to the Election Day finish line. Mr Comey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for the first time since 2017, the year Donald Trump fired him for refusing to shut down the FBIs criminal investigation into ex-Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. Appearing before the Senate panel via videoconference, Mr Comey largely defended his bureaus conduct of the 2016 Trump-Russia probe, saying it was done largely by the book even if there were a few instances of problematic behaviour by some agents. "I would say, in the main, it was done by the book. It was appropriate, and it was essential that it be done," Mr Comey said. There are parts of it that are concerning ... but overall I'm proud of the work, he said, acknowledging that some investigators filed partially errant surveillance warrant applications and that one even doctored an email that played an essential role in securing those warrants. 1. Its personal between Comey and Barr Attorney General William Barr has spent a large measure of his tenure at the DOJ under Donald Trump denigrating the origins of the FBIs 2016 counterintelligence probe into Russias attempts to influence the Trump campaign and swing the election to Mr Trump. He has called the probe "abhorrent" and appointed a special investigator, US attorney John Durham, to search for potential criminal misconduct by FBI agents. "I have no idea what on Earth he is talking about," Mr Comey said when asked about Mr Barr's comments. Mr Comey fiercely defended both his bureau's actions and the results of the probe he led, saying the proof of the investigation's legitimacy was in the list of indictments, plea agreements, and guilty verdicts federal prosecutors have secured over the last four years. Story continues "It was, in the main, conducted in the right way, picked up by the special counsel, led to the indictment of dozens of people, and a finding by your colleagues in the Senate that the head of Trump's campaign was a grave counterintelligence threat to the United States of America because he was funneling in information to a known Russian intelligence officer," Mr Comey said, referring to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is in the middle of a seven-year prison sentence after being found guilty of cheating the US tax system out of millions of dollars and conspiring to commit bank fraud. "The notion that the attorney general believes that was an illegitimate endeavour to investigate that mystifies me," Mr Comey said. While the Justice Department convicted more than a half dozen close Trump associates on a range of crimes including top 2016 campaign aides Mr Manafort, informal adviser Roger Stone, and ex-deputy campaign manager Rick Gates as a result of Mr Comey and Mr Mueller's investigations, Mr Durham's inquiry has produced just one indictment and guilty plea. Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty in August to falsely editing an email about former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, and then using that email as a partial basis to obtain a surveillance warrant against Mr Page. 2. Comey concedes FBI wasnt perfect Mr Comey conceded on Wednesday that his agents operation was not without error, acknowledging Mr Clinesmiths crime and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz reports about widespread issues with agents applications for warrants through Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts. The former FBI chief has admitted those shortcomings several times before, saying last year there was real sloppiness in some aspects of the 2016 Trump-Russia probe. On Wednesday, he agreed with Chairman Lindsey Graham that there were parts of it that are concerning. 3. Trumps debt to unknown creditor a serious concern Mr Comey agreed with Democrats on the panel that intelligence officials ought to be concerned whenever someone with or seeking a security clearance is in dire financial straits, as Mr Trump appears to be based on recent tax returns. The New York Times reported that Mr Trump only paid $750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and 2017 after reporting millions of dollars in losses and that hes on the hook for $400m to pay back to various unknown creditors within the next four years. "As a general matter, are there serious risks when someone with hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, personal debt, has access, as the president does, to all of the countrys classified and sensitive information?" Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois asked Mr Comey. It's a serious concern when anyone seeking or with a clearance has that kind of financial vulnerability, Mr Comey said. I don't know the circumstances, particulars of the president's case. But in general, yes, he said. 4. Who are these hearings for? Mr Comey was the third witness to appear before the Senate Judiciary panel as part of Mr Grahams probe into the conduct of top DOJ and FBI officials in 2016. Like the hearings earlier this year with former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (who appointed Mr Mueller) and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates , Mr Comeys evidence produced almost no new information about the events of 2016 and 2017. It figures to be more of the same when the panel grills former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe next Tuesday. Which all begs the question: who are these hearings even for? The Mueller report and the investigations that preceded it are so far removed from most Americans political consciousness, at this point, that no national polling outfit has bothered to solicit public opinion about them in over a year. The hearings still have some bearing on the ongoing criminal case against Mr Flynn, with Mr Barrs Justice Department siding with the defendant that his alleged crime lying about his communications with then-Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak was immaterial to the overall Trump-Russia investigation. The DOJs abrupt decision in May to back Mr Flynns motion to dismiss the case was deeply concerning, Mr Comey said on Wednesday. Its deeply concerning because this guy is getting treated in a way that nobodys been treated before, Mr Comey said of Mr Flynn, whose lawyer admitted in court earlier this week that she had updated Mr Trump, who ultimately commands the Justice Department, about the case. Read more Trump rows back and says he 'doesn't know who the Proud Boys are' after debate outrage Trump ignores most polls and insists he 'won' debate over 'weak' Biden 'Shes beautiful': Trump wanted Ivanka as his running mate in 2016, book claims The Proud Boys heard Trump last night. Their reaction tells you everything you need to know The Biden-Trump debate wont have changed voters minds America is as divided as ever Niagara Colleges Teaching Brewery has done it again. The Teaching Brewerys Beer 101 series won silver at the 18th annual Canadian Brewing Awards in the Bock Traditional German Style category. The Beer 101 Bock was brewed by students at the colleges teaching brewery, and was designed by College Brewmaster Jon Downing. This is the first time one of the Brewerys bocks has won at the Brewing Award, considered to be one of the most brewing competitions in the country. Downing describes the bock beer itself as a lager brewed in the traditional German style with a Canadian twist. Our version is based on a traditional Bavarian Bock style, its actually a dark Bock. We do use German hoops in it and Bavarian malts, and Canadian malts. Ours has the toasted malty rich flavour from the German malts used in it. It has fairly good body because it is stronger, but it has a light crispness that a lager would have as well. The beer itself was actually brewed last year before the pandemic hit, and the college was forced to close for the semester. Downing said the timing of the bock being brewed might have contributed to its success. It was actually brewed right at the start of March, so literally the week before everything shut down. So we basically left it in the fermenter and bock beers normally would actually be brewed and aged for stored for several months, so because of COVID we actually got to do that. Normally, we would do around 8 weeks, but we actually did about 12 or 14 weeks of aging on this beer which obviously helped because it allowed it to win. This isnt the first time Niagara Colleges Brewery program has seen success at the Canadian Brewing Awards. In 2019, the colleges, Beer 101 Bitter and Beer 101 Strong both won bronze in their respect categories, while in 2018 Beer 101 Strong won silver. Outside of its Beer 101 series, in 2013, the colleges Butlers Bitter took home the gold. All the beers in the brewerys Beer 101 series are brewed by students in the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program at the Niagara College Teaching Brewery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Downing said students in the program have been back in the brewery this fall developing new flavours that he hopes will be on the shelves in the coming months. Obviously we had a little bit of a break there, but right now they are back at it, and coming up in a month or two we will have dozens more varieties of beer available for sale that the students have actually designed and made. The Beer 101 Bock, along with other blends in the Beer 101 series, can be purchased online at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre website through the colleges Niagara-on-the-Lake campus. Frances top appeals court ruled Wednesday that alleged Rwandan genocide financier Felicien Kabuga be transferred to a UN tribunal in Tanzania to stand trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Kabuga, arrested near Paris in May after 25 years on the run, had asked to be tried in France, not Arusha. But judges at the Court of Cassation ruled there was no legal or medical obstacle to executing an international warrant for Kabugas transfer to UN custody. The octogenarian will be put on trial over his alleged role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide by Hutu extremists of some 800,000 minority Tutsis as well as moderate Hutus. Once one of Rwandas richest men, Kabuga is accused of having helped create the Interahamwe Hutu militia group and the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines, whose broadcasts incited people to murder, and of helping to buy machetes in 1993 that were distributed to genocidal groups. In June, a French court ruled Kabuga should stand trial at the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) in Tanzania, which took over the duties of the UNs International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) when it formally closed in 2015. Kabugas lawyers appealed that decision, citing what they said was his frail health and fears the UN tribunal would be biased. But the Cour de Cassation, Frances highest appeals court for criminal cases, disagreed Wednesday, meaning France will have a month to hand Kabuga, who says he is 87, over to the MICT. France has already extradited other Rwanda genocide suspects to the Tanzania tribunal in recent years. Seven counts Kabugas lawyer Emmanuel Altit told AFP after Wednesdays ruling that the defence team would ask the MICT that Kabuga to be transferred to The Hague rather than Arusha, because in The Hague his rights will be better protected. During the hearing before the Cour de Cassation, another Kabuga lawyer, Louis Bore, claimed his client would not receive proper medical treatment in Tanzania for conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure and leukoaraiosis an incurable illness that erodes physical and cognitive abilities. Kabuga was indicted by the ICTR in 1997 on seven counts, all of which he denies. Rwanda has said it wants to see Kabuga tried by its own courts. However, transferring jurisdiction from the MICT would require a decision from the UN Security Council, according to MICT prosecutor Serge Brammertz. Rwanda itself carried out 22 executions of people convicted for their role in the conflict before abolishing the death penalty in 2007, a move that facilitated the extradition of suspects from other countries to its jurisdiction. Between 2005 and 2012, some 12,000 popular tribunals know as gacaca tried close to two million people, convicting two-thirds of them. European courts, notably in Belgium and France, have also tried and sentenced Rwandan genocide suspects. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang 30.09.2020 LISTEN The Paramount Queenmother of Anomabo Tradional Area in the Central Region has urged all women across the country to assist in ensuring that Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Running Mate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), becomes the next Vice President of Ghana. Nana Mbroba Dabo I, reminded the female fraternity that having their representative at the highest level of decision making would ensure effective protection and development of their welfare. "It is said that women are their own enemies, but let us prove that perception wrong," she said. The Queenmother made the call when Prof Opoku-Agyemang paid a courtesy visit on the Anomabo Traditional Council today as part of her campaign tour of the region. According to Nana Dabo, Prof Opoku-Agyemang is not just a woman but a highly qualified and distinguished personality whose position as Vice President would be an immense honour to the female fratenity in Ghana and beyond. "We need to support our own to the top," she said, and encouraged all queenmothers to support the call for action. We have to put our political affiliations aside and do what is right," she added. She prayed for God's blessings for her victory, and expressed confidence in her ability to promote the interests of women when she becomes Vice President. Nana Owiansah V, Guantuahene of Anomabo who spoke on behalf of the Paramount Chief of the Area, also declared the Council's support of the NDC, describing the the NDC's performance record in their area as impressive. He cited a number of projects such as the Fisheries College, police station and hospital that were started by the previous NDC administration, but were abandoned by the present government, as some of the indicators they would use to assist the party to return to power. "We shall surely remember President Mahama and the NDC on December 7 for their good work. We shall also be in the Flagstaff House next year by this time to thank him for all the support advanced to our Council and the people of Anomabo," he said. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, for her part, expressed appreciation to the Council for the support, and called for more wise counsel from the chiefs. She assured the Council of the NDC's commitment to complete all projects it started in the area, and do more for the benefit of the people, indicating that the NDC does not engage in marginalization in the distribution of national resources. After the meeting with the Council, the Running Mate interacted with the fishermen and fishmongers at the Anomabo landing site where she assured them of better incentives for their fishing business when the NDC returns to power. SPRINGFIELD A commitment to protecting the states monarch butterflies and other pollinators became official with multiple agencies hatching a plan. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) recently signed the Illinois Monarch Action Plan at Conservation World on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Though small, pollinators play an extremely important role in our survival here in Illinois and the world, said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan. This signing not only moves us as a state from plan to action, but also reaffirms our commitment as public servants to doing our part in ensuring pollinators survival. Tasked with bolstering the population of monarchs and other pollinators by protecting habitat and adding food sources, the project brings together public agencies, private organizations and residents of the state in a collaborative and coordinated effort to ensure the survival and successful migration of monarchs. Monarch butterflies capture the hearts of people across Illinois, from school children to mayors, in cities and across rural areas, said Iris Caldwell, University of Illinois Chicago and state coordinator for Illinois Monarch Project. The Illinois Monarch Project and this action plan harness this enthusiasm to empower others to take steps to help monarchs and other pollinators. Were excited to launch the implementation of the action plan through a series of virtual events beginning in October. As part of a regional effort to add 1.3 billion stems of new milkweed to the central U.S. to support migrating monarchs, Illinois is tasked with adding 150 million stems of new milkweed embedded in diverse nectar sources by 2038. As one of the largest landowners in the state, IDOT is in a unique position to contribute resources to this goal. We hold a special commitment at IDOT for the environment and the role pollinators play in the Illinois ecosystem and economy, said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. From mowing schedules and restricting the use of pesticides to planting only certain species along our roadsides, IDOT has embraced many changes in policies and practices over the years to protect pollinators. This plan only serves to strengthen those efforts going forward. Prior to the projects that began in October 2016, efforts to protect pollinators already were in place at state agencies and organizations. Those plans, as well as new initiatives, have been included in the states action plan to maximize efforts. The Illinois EPA works to provide a healthy environment and reduce threats to essential components of the ecosystem like the monarch butterfly and other pollinators, said Illinois EPA Director John Kim. We applaud the efforts of the agencies and organizations involved with the development of the Illinois Monarch Project Action Plan. Illinois leads the nation in soybean production and is number two in corn, so our states farmers are well aware of the importance of pollinators, said IDOA Acting Director Jerry Costello II. Understanding their importance to all Illinois crops, IDOA has executed a multi-year pollinator habitat establishment at our fairgrounds in Springfield and DuQuoin. This multi-year plan, which is in its second year, will convert approximately 25-30 acres of land when fully completed. Additional information about the Illinois Monarch Project and a full text of the plan, can be found at www.illinoismonarchproject.org. Hundreds of commuters were on Wednesday stranded on the ever-busy Okpella-Okene-Abuja highway as hundreds of residents, mostly youth, of Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State blocked the highway while protesting an event in Lagos. The protest was against an alleged shutting down of Gulf Treasures Limited petrol depot in Lagos owned by an indigene of the town by the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD). The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, described as unlawful the closure of the companys bulk petroleum product storage depot in Lagos owned by Sunday Dekeri, whom they described as an illustrious son of Okpella community.. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the companys bulk petroleum storage depot located in Apapa had been shut down since September 24, following a disagreement over union matters. The protesters blocked the highway, thereby disrupting vehicular movement on the busy highway which left hundreds of motorists stranded. Kadiri Eshiomomoh, the spokesperson for the protesting residents, said the shutdown of the company amounted to injustice. He added that the shutdown had led to the cutting off of supply to the companys filling stations across the country. Mr Eshiomomoh said, This protest is in solidarity with our illustrious son, Sunday Dekeri, whose company in Lagos was shut down by the Petroleum Tankers Drivers. The protest is to fight against injustice on our son who is from this community. All we are saying is that the PTD should re-open the company so that Gulf Treasures Limited can continue their petrol business. He also called on the federal government and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers ( NUPENG) to intervene on the matter, without delay so that the company could resume its operation. We are calling on the federal government and NUPENG to intervene on the injustice been melted on our illustrious son who has created job opportunities for over 1000 people in the community. We will not accept it and we will resist it, he said. WASHINGTON - Former FBI director James Comey on Wednesday defended the bureau's 2016 investigation into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, pushing back on Senate Republicans' skeptical questions about the probe and taking particular aim at Attorney General William Barr's assertion that it was unfounded. Testifying before the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee as part of that panel's latest review of the Russia probe, Comey repeatedly told GOP lawmakers he disagreed with the "preamble" to their questions and expressed unfamiliarity with recently released information that they claim discredits the investigation. He grew particularly exasperated when asked about Barr's criticism that the FBI's decision to open the investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign was based on insufficient evidence, saying he had "no idea what on earth" the attorney general was talking about. "This was an investigation that was appropriately predicated and that had to be opened, and it was in the main, conducted in the right way," he said, noting the investigation had produced charges against dozens of people. "The notion that the attorney general believes that was an illegitimate endeavor to investigate mystifies me." Later in the hearing, Comey suggested Barr was acting as if he were Donald Trump's "personal lawyer," adding, "It ought to be a concern for all of us, because we need that institution, and we need that institution to be seen as separate from our tribal warfare." Comey, a frequent target of attacks by Trump, is the third high-level official who supervised the Russia investigation to testify before the committee in recent months. Last month, the committee heard testimony from former deputy attorney general Sally Yates, and in June, it summoned former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who succeeded Yates in the Justice Department's No. 2 position. The inquiry is being driven by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a staunch Trump ally who has set out to uncover what he sees as impropriety in the investigation that would ultimately be taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller. Democrats have criticized the effort as a politically motivated attempt to undermine a probe that has dogged Trump's presidency. In addition to Senate Republicans' work, U.S. Attorney John Durham in Connecticut is exploring the origins of the FBI's Russia probe as part of a special assignment from Barr. Comey appeared via video, wearing a patterned blazer and a collared shirt, no tie. While he conceded the bureau made some missteps in the case, he said, "Overall, I'm proud of the work." Democrats expressed alarm that the panel was focused on settling the scores of the last presidential election less than five weeks before the next one. "We're going back on a trip down memory lane to four years ago, to decide whether certain documents were handled properly and I will concede the fact that some were not," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said. "Let's be honest: If we were doing our job, we would be talking about the 2020 election." Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., asked Comey to address Trump's refusal at Tuesday night's presidential debate to condemn white supremacism, and his telling the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by." Comey said America has long been plagued by a racist "radioactive stew" that it has controlled for decades with law and culture. "When the president of the United States starts talking in that way, about that kind of group, he's pulling out of that radioactive stew the control rods that we've used for 50 years to suppress racist violence," Comey said. "It is a deeply disturbing development." Similarly, Democrats sought to have Comey highlight Trump's unusual posture toward Russia and its leader, and what they see as evidence that nation could have financial leverage over the president. While Comey said he could not say whether Trump had been compromised, he noted, "It's difficult to explain his conduct, his statements, in any other way, especially his refusal to criticize Vladimir Putin, even in public." Comey led the FBI when it first launched the investigation into Trump's campaign in 2016, and his firing by Trump in 2017 escalated its stakes significantly. After Comey was forced out, then-acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, who had been Comey's deputy, authorized agents to begin exploring Trump personally as a potential counterintelligence threat who had attempted to obstruct justice. Trump has said he was thinking of the Russia case when he removed Comey from his position. Comey's actions already have faced significant scrutiny, including from the Justice Department inspector general, who in late 2019 issued a report concluding the bureau had an "authorized purpose" to launch an investigation into Trump but blasting officials for other failures along the way. Inspector General Michael Horowitz took aim in particular at the FBI's controversial surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, accusing officials of filing error-laden applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to continue the monitoring after it likely should have stopped. The inspector general found that Comey certified the bureau's first three applications to surveil Page. While he found "no evidence" Comey was made aware of some of the problems, Horowitz said that was in part because "limited recollections and the absence of detailed documentation of meetings" made it difficult to determine what top FBI leaders were told by subordinates. Comey conceded Wednesday that, if he knew then what he knows now, he would not have certified the applications without more discussion. He repeatedly professed ignorance about some of the information underlying the applications, though said that as the FBI leader, errors were "my responsibility." "I'm not looking to shirk responsibility," he said. "The director is responsible." In his opening statement, Graham said the missteps with Page had put in jeopardy renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which gives the FBI power to secretly apply to a court to monitor suspected national security threats. "This is not just an abuse of power against Mr. Page and the Trump campaign," Graham said. "This is a system failure, and you could be next." Graham sought to hammer Comey on why exculpatory information about Page was not included in court applications, or relayed to Comey. "How could all that happen and not get up to you, the director of the FBI, of one of the most important investigations in the history of the FBI?" Graham asked. "I can only speculate, because it didn't," replied Comey, who repeatedly pushed back on Graham's characterizations of the bureau's missteps in the Page case. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., ripped Graham for what he said was politically motivated misuse of the committee's time. "I think it's offensive to all Americans who pay taxes," he said, adding, "I realize the president does not." Graham pressed Comey on information recently released by the Justice Department showing that a key source of allegations against the president had been previously investigated as a possible Russian asset. Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer who was hired by an opposition research firm working for the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign to investigate Trump, relied on that source as he assembled a dossier of allegations against the Trump campaign, and the bureau would ultimately rely on Steele's information in applying to surveil Page. The inspector general, though, found inconsistencies between what Steele claimed the source had told him and what the source told the FBI. It was not clear what Comey knew of that. According to the inspector general, while Comey was aware the FBI had interviewed the source, he was not given an intelligence memo detailing the discrepancies between his and Steele's accounts. Comey told Graham, "I don't remember anything about interviews of the subsource." On Tuesday, Graham shared newly declassified information showing that U.S. intelligence agencies learned in late July 2016 that a Russian intelligence analysis claimed Clinton had approved a campaign plan to "stir up" a scandal against Trump by tying him to Putin and the hacking of the Democratic National Committee. It's unclear if the assertion by Russian intelligence is accurate, but by that point senior Clinton campaign officials had already publicly contended Trump was pushing pro-Russian policies and that Russia was behind the leaking of Democrats' hacked emails. Comey said Wednesday he had "trouble understanding" the information, which was described in a letter from Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, that was released. "I really don't know what he's doing," Comey said of Ratcliffe. A spokesman for Feinstein said that Democratic staff for the Judiciary Commitee was blocked from attending a classified meeting with Ratcliffe on Tuesday, where he briefed Graham's staff on the substance of the Russian analysis. Graham has said he expects McCabe to testify before the committee Oct. 6, though McCabe's lawyer alleged in a letter to the inspector general that the FBI was refusing to give him access to personal notes and calendars from his time in the bureau that might help him refresh his recollection of events. The lawyer, Michael R. Bromwich, said McCabe had agreed to testify only if the committee would facilitate him accessing the materials and asked the Justice Department inspector general to investigate. A spokesman for McCabe declined to say if he would testify Oct. 6. - - - The Washington Post's Ellen Nakashima contributed to this report. Housing Secretary Ben Carson testifies before the Senate in Washington on June 9, 2020. (Win McNamee/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Inspector General Clears Ben Carson of Allegations He Used His Position to Benefit His Son An inspector general investigation didnt establish that Housing Secretary Ben Carson used his government position for the personal benefit of his son. The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) opened the probe in February 2018 after media reporting raised questions about whether Carson misused his position by letting his son, Ben Carson Jr., invite certain companies or people to take part in a listening tour in Baltimore, Maryland. The investigation was expanded in March 2019 after American Oversight, a watchdog group, said it obtained records that showed Carson Jr. was deeply involved in orchestrating the tour and that a subsequent HUD grant may have been influenced by Carson Jr.s business interests. But the inspector generals office stated in a 25-page report released this week that the evidence it gathered does not establish that Secretary Carson used his government position for the personal benefit of his son, Carson Jr. The evidence shows Carson Jr. did recommend or make contact with at least nine people or groups that HUD officials ultimately invited to attend at least one part of the two-day tour, which took place in 2017. It showed Carson Jr. became involved after Carson suggested to subordinates that they should seek his advice regarding potential invitees. Carson told the inspector generals office that he made the suggestion because a subordinate expressed concerns about delays she was encountering in identifying and selecting tour participants and because he thought his sons connections in the Baltimore business community could be helpful to officials planning the tour. Carson said he made it clear to his son that he shouldnt attempt to use his fathers position for his own personal gain. Carson Jr. declined to be interviewed by the inspector generals office, but emails and business records and information obtained from his lawyer did not indicate that Carson Jr. secured a direct financial benefit through his involvement with the tour, the inspector generals office said, adding that the investigation also found that Carson Jr.s business interests didnt affect HUD decision-making related to Baltimores Poppleton neighborhood. Still, the office said Carson could have handled the situation better. Despite the lack of evidence to substantiate allegations that Secretary Carson used his government position to financially benefit Carson Jr., the evidence does suggest that Secretary Carson could have done more to avoid the appearance that he was not complying with federal ethics regulations, the report stated. Career HUD ethics officials told Carson that allowing his son to remain involved with the tour could be perceived as a conflict of interest, but the secretary chose to allow his son to make the decision on whether to stay involved, and his son ended up appearing at events on both days of the tour. A request for comment sent to a HUD spokesperson wasnt immediately returned. The inspector generals office stated before launching the probe that Carsons office requested that it review what happened. In a statement around that time, Carson said his goal on the tour was to listen and help the people of Baltimore have access to safe affordable housing. In my role as HUD Secretary, I try to be as inclusive as possible and talk with a wide variety of people because when it comes to increasing access to affordable housing, no rock should remain unturned, he said. From my very first day at HUD I have insisted that HUD operate in an open and ethical manner, in every way. To clear up any suspicion I am calling for the HUD Inspector General to review this matter. Carson was cleared in 2019 of any misconduct in the ordering of office furniture. The brutal gangrape and death of a 19-year-old Dalit girl in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, has left the country shocked. The woman was gang-raped a fortnight ago, following which she was admitted to the AMUs Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital. The accused had also tried to strangulate her to death as she resisted their attempt. Even as violent and gory details of the rape and murder went viral, the death has brought back memories of the brutal gangrape from 2012 in New Delhi. This particular case of violence, however, does not reflect just gender violence but caste-based gender violence perpetrated by the upper caste against women but violence against women from scheduled castes. While many raised their voice against the selective outrage against the Hathras rape victim, anti-caste and Dalit gender activists have raised their voice against the attempt to pass it off as just another matter of gender violence. Even as critics attacked news channels for revealing the caste identity of the victim and the four accused upper-caste men, many have taken to social media to trend the victims name to highlight her caste identity. While some called out the selective outrage, others took to the microblogging site to collectively tweet Say Her Name" followed by the victims name. It may be noted that revealing the name of a rape or sexual assault survivor or victim is name is illegal under the Indian Penal Code. This is done to protect the identity of the survivors/victim and their families. When will savarna influencers like you recognise your upper caste-class privilege and use your platform to educate your fellow upper caste audience ?? #Hathras Vinay Gohil (@VinayGohil4) September 29, 2020 What happened to encounter justice"? Hang the rapists?!Oh no, that justice is only available to Savarna women, for the rest of them, we will burn their bodies, destroy the very evidence of casteist brutality of our society. And gaslight the family!https://t.co/EfnbSdt42l Rachna Ramesh Kumar (@afterglow2310) September 30, 2020 A country where women & girls are repeatedly raped & killed & there is NO punishment is no country for women. Think of the different kinds of masculine entitlement and how & where these are produced?#Hathras case exemplifies brahminical patriarchy & Savarna rape.Nothing else. https://t.co/4ob9RJfV9a g.arunima (@anuarunima1) September 30, 2020 The Hathras rape & murder is a caste-based crime.The hot takes from savarna journalists & the lack of media outrage is mainly because the victim is Dalit. These apologists enable fascism. Change will happen only when the stranglehold of upper castes on institutions is curbed. Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) September 29, 2020 India is one of the only countries in the world with such high rates of caste-based violence. As per data, over four Dalit women are raped every day in India. Violence against Dalits and other scheduled caste women is part of a pattern of caste-based discrimination and oppression that is prevalent in large parts of India. Caste-based gender violence is also used to make political points such as in 1997 when members of Ranvir Sena, an upper-caste fringe group in Bihar, raped and mutilated Dalit women before massacring them in Laxmanpur-Bathe, Bihar. In 2016 alone, 2541 Dalit women were reportedly raped and further 3,172 cases of assault were registered against SC women. And 973 cases of rape were reported in 2016 against ST women. According to the National Crime Records Bureaus (NCRB) 2016 data, the largest chunk of atrocities against SC/STs (13.9 percent for SC and 14.8 percent for ST) constitute sexual crimes against the women of both communities. And these are only the reported cases. According to activists, a majority of them go unreported. Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt Five point consensus reached being discussed at India-China WMCC meet India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 30: India and China are currently discussing on how to implement the five-point consensus reached earlier this month by the foreign ministers of both countries to resolve border tensions. The statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry comes as the meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) is underway. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said currently, China and India are holding the 19th meeting of the WMCC on border affairs. The main topics (being) discussed are how to implement the five-point consensus reached in Moscow (on September 10) by the two foreign ministers to resolve outstanding issues on the ground and to ease the situation along the border. Amidst tensions with China, India set to get MQ-9B Sky Guardian drone Officials of both sides were in touch with each other to get this meeting underway. This is the 19th meeting the WMCC. The Indian delegation is led by Naveen Srivastava, who heads the East Asia division at the Ministry of External Affairs. The Chinese is be led by Hong Liang, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Oceanic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. India on Tuesday rejected China's position that it abides by its 1959 stand on the perception of the Line of Actual Control(LAC), and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from advancing an "untenable unilateral" interpretation of the de-facto border. The stand by China spelt out by its foreign ministry insisting that it takes the 1959 line on perception of the LAC amid a nearly five-month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh triggered a strong reaction from India. "India has never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Control (LAC). This position has been consistent and well known, including to the Chinese side," MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to a question by the media on the issue. The spokesperson's comments came after a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Hindustan Times that China abides by the LAC as proposed by then-Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter dated November 7, 1959. Srivastava referred to various bilateral agreements including the 1993 agreement on maintenance of peace and tranquility along the LAC, 1996 pact on confidence-building measures (CBMs) and the 2005 agreement on political parameters and guiding principles for settlement of the boundary issue, to emphasise that both sides showed commitment to reach a common understanding of the alignment of the LAC. "Therefore, the insistence now of the Chinese side that there is only one LAC is contrary to the solemn commitments made by China in these agreements," he said, adding the Indian side has always respected and abided by the LAC. Never accepted unilaterally defined 1959 LAC, Chinas insistence 'contrary to commitments: India Referring to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's recent address to Parliament, Srivastava said it is the Chinese side which by its attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts of the Western Sector has tried to unilaterally alter the status quo. The MEA spokesperson also talked about repeated affirmation of the Chinese side in the last few months that the current situation in the border areas should be resolved in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries. "In the agreement reached between External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart on 10th September also, the Chinese side has reiterated its commitment to abide by all the existing agreements," Srivastava said. Babri Demolition Case:Court acquits all 32, says 'leaders tried to prevent demolition'|Oneindia News "We therefore expect that the Chinese side will sincerely and faithfully abide by all agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC," he added. NASA's Crew-1 crew members in SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft (left to right): NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Mike Hopkins, as well as JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi. SpaceX via NASA SpaceX's next astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi have named their new spaceship "Resilience." The astronauts are set to launch aboard the capsule, a Crew Dragon spacecraft funded by NASA and designed by SpaceX, on October 31. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. SpaceX and NASA are moving forward with their partnership, gearing up to regularly ferry astronauts to and from orbit in a new era of commercial human spaceflight. Four astronauts NASA's Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi are set to climb aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule on October 31, roar into space aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, then spend a six months aboard the International Space Station. Their mission, called Crew-1, will be the first of six round-trip flights that NASA has contracted from SpaceX. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule "Endeavour" with a Falcon 9 rocket in a hangar at Kennedy Space Center, May 20, 2020. SpaceX via Twitter The company tested its human spaceflight capabilities this summer, when it launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on a test flight called Demo-2. That marked the first time humans had flown aboard a commercial spacecraft, and the first time the US had launched its own astronauts since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011. Behnken and Hurley named that capsule "Endeavour" after they launched. Now, following that longstanding tradition of naming spacecraft, the astronauts on the upcoming mission gave their new spaceship the name "Resilience" on Tuesday. "I think all of us can agree that 2020 has certainly been a challenging year: a global pandemic, economic hardships, civil unrest, isolation," Mike Hopkins, who is commander for that mission, called Crew-1 mission, told reporters in a briefing. "Despite all of that, SpaceX, NASA has kept the production line open and finished this amazing vehicle that's getting ready to go on its maiden flight to the International Space Station." Story continues The Crew-1 astronauts participate in an equipment interface test at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, on September 24, 2020. SpaceX "So the name Resilience is really in honor of the SpaceX and the NASA teams," Hopkins continued. "And quite frankly, it's in honor of our families, of our colleagues, of our fellow citizens, of our international partners and our leaders that have all shown that same quality, the same characteristics through these difficult times." NASA has funded development and testing of the Crew Dragon through its Commercial Crew Program, a competition that asked private companies to build new astronaut-ready spacecraft. Once the program is complete, the agency will have doled out more than $8 billion in awards and contracts over about a decade. That expense earned NASA back its human spaceflight capability. Working with commercial partners, according to the agency, will allow the agency to ferry astronauts to and from the space station more frequently, giving it better access to the in-orbit scientific experiments and technology tests it will need to conduct in order to expand to the moon and Mars. Human-rated commercial spacecraft from SpaceX and Boeing, the other winner of NASA's competition, will also provide a competitive alternative to the increasingly expensive (and occasionally unreliable) Russian Soyuz rockets that the world's space agencies have relied on for nearly a decade. Astronauts Soichi Noguchi (left) and Victor Glover flex the patches for their respective countries Japan and the US in their SpaceX spacesuits, September 24, 2020. SpaceX Hopkins said the crew members hope that the name Resilience "provides something positive in your lives." "And quite frankly," he added, "we hope that it's an inspiration that that it shows when you work together, there is no limit to what you can achieve." Read the original article on Business Insider MIAMI, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With recent events and a mission to create change and opportunity for people of color, in June 2020, Donae Burston, Founder & CEO of La Fete du Rose, pledged that the company would donate $2 of every bottle sold via LaFeteRose.com through August 2020 to organizations that fight every day for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color in the wine & spirits industry. The foundations that the company will be donating to are: Color Of Change and The Roots Fund . "The overwhelming support over the last few months has been nothing short of incredible," said Donae Burston. "It's with an extraordinary amount of pride to announce that we will be donating $25,000 (from sales) between Color of Change and The Roots." Additionally, Miami-based philanthropist Wayne Boich has agreed to generously match La Fete's donation of $2 per bottle sold. This donation brings the total to $50,000 for the two charities. "Having the ability to partner with a philanthropist who understands the company's mission in effecting change for people of color is significant and allows us to double the impact made through this donation and bring the total monetary donation to $50,000," said Burston. "We would like to thank Mr. Boich for his support." After 15 years in the Wine & Spirits industry (LVMH brands, Armand de Brignac), Donae decided to create La Fete du Rose because there "wasn't a rose brand that spoke to "US." When you thought about rose, you didn't think of brown or black people drinking it, or, at the time, see brands promoting people of color or men drinking their wine, despite the immense spending power we bring to the market." Finding that most rose brands on the market only catered to a very specific general market consumer, Donae recognized the gaping void in the wine industry. In 2019, he took a leap of faith and debuted La Fete du Rose, the first entirely black-owned rose out of St. Tropez, France, and a rose wine brand that would speak to both minorities and people from all walks of life. The name translates to "The Rose Party," regardless of culture or background, EVERYONE is invited. Color Of Change is a non-profit that advocates and designs campaigns to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back and champion solutions that move all forward. Founded by Tahiirah Habibi, Carlton McCoy Jr., and Ikimi Dubose, The Roots Fund is a non-profit focused on securing the pathway for the Black & Indigenous community in wine. For more information, visit LaFeteRose.com and follow on Instagram @LaFeteRose. *Represents the total amount being donated. The allocation between the beneficiaries remains private. Press Contact: Julie Fogel, [email protected] SOURCE La Fete du Rose Related Links http://lafeterose.com Gary Neville has taken a swipe at former club Manchester United and described their inability to make signings this summer as 'appalling' in comparison to their top-six rivals. United have made one acquisition since the end of the extended 2019-20 season with Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek joining from Ajax. But Neville, who played for United between 1992 and 2011, insists this is the 'easiest' transfer market in Premier League history to get deals done and yet United are still being caught cold. Gary Neville (left) has taken aim at former club Manchester United over 'appalling' transfer business with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (right) welcoming just one new player this summer United vice-chairman Ed Woodward has six days left to add to the side before window closes Thee 45-year-old wrote on Twitter: 'It's appalling that in this market which is probably the easiest in PL history to get transfers done that United haven't done more yet! 'They must get Ole a CB , LB and Forward pre deadline! The others are managing to get things over the line why not United!' When quizzed by United fans if such a limited time frame will now only lead to panic buys that are not sound investments, Neville rubbished those suggestions, insisting the club have had a year to formalise a transfer plan. He wrote: 'Panic Buy! Theyve needed these positions filling for 12 months , had a national lockdown to regroup and re-set and ample time to manoeuvre deals to a conclusion.' Neville took to Twitter to vent his frustrations where he said rivals are doing better than United Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho has been United's top target but no deal is agreed BIG SIX SUMMER SIGNINGS ARSENAL Gabriel Magalhaes (Lille, 27m) Alex Runarsson (Dijon 1.6m) Pablo Mari (Flamengo, undisclosed) Willian (Chelsea, free) Cedric Soares (Southampton, free) Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid, loan) CHELSEA Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen, 89m) Timo Werner (RB Leipzig, 53m) Ben Chilwell (Leicester City, 50m) Hakim Ziyech (Ajax, 37m) Edouard Mendy (Rennes, 22m) Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain, free) Malang Sarr (Nice, free) LIVERPOOL Diogo Jota (Wolves, 41m) Thiago (Bayern Munich, 25m) Kostas Tsimikas (Olympiacos, 11.8m) MANCHESTER CITY Ruben Dias (Benfica, 64m) Nathan Ake (Bournemouth, 40m) Ferran Torres (Valencia, 37m) Pablo Moreno (Juventus, 9m) Yan Couto (Coritiba, 5.5m) Issa Kabore (KV Mechelen, 4m) MANCHESTER UNITED Donny van de Beek (Ajax, 40m) TOTTENHAM Sergio Reguilon (Real Madrid, 30m) Pierre-Emile Hjojberg (Southampton,20m) Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers, 15m) Joe Hart (Burnley, free) Gareth Bale (Real Madrid, loan) Advertisement The transfer window for Premier League sides opened on July 27 and given it closes at 11pm on October 5, time is fast running out for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to bolster his squad. United made Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho their No 1 target this summer but have so far been thwarted in their pursuit of the 108m England international. The club denied reports on Tuesday night that they had made a 91.2m offer for Sancho 73m plus 18.2m in add-ons which had been rejected by Dortmund after it appeared they had made a late push to get their first-choice deal done. Sportsmail understands United have been worried about losing face and the backlash from fans if a formal bid is turned down for Sancho. Having missed out on Gareth Bale to Tottenham and no agreement in place for Sancho the club could pursue a late loan deal for Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele to add to their attacking options. Another bone of contention for Neville was at full-back, specifically at left back, where Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams remain the only options for Solskjaer. United could move for Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele if they abandon attempts for Sancho FC Porto left back Alex Telles is a target but United are yet to reach an agreement for him A move for a new left-back saw Sergio Reguilon, who joined Tottenham, overlooked and a deal for Porto's Alex Telles has reportedly stalled over the valuation. In Neville's opinion United need a new centre-back and a striker, as well as a left-back, but chief executive Ed Woodward has left himself with little time to get deals done before the deadline shuts for the summer. Centre-back in particular has become a key area of contention for supporters with doubts over the long-term viability of Victor Lindelof alongside Harry Maguire. Speaking in commentary of United's opening 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace, Neville said that a lack of pace between them is going to hurt United's chances of success. 'Over the years, the best Man United centre back partnerships have always had that really quick one - whether it be Jaap Stam or Rio Ferdinand or Gary Pallister - who has lightning pace to get across and snuff out the danger,' he said. 'Lindelof and Maguire just don't have that.' United have had a below-par start to the new season which has led to louder calls for movement in the transfer market. Rivals have spent big to improve with Chelsea adding RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner (left) to their attack while centre back Ruben Dias (right) became Man City's club-record signing While Manchester City have spent more than 100m on two new centre-backs in Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake, it remains a problem area for United. Elsewhere, Liverpool brought in Champions League winner Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich to bolster their midfield, Arsenal edged out competition to get Gabriel from Lille and Chelsea splashed the cash for Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell as Frank Lampard wasted no time in adding to his side. Defeat by Crystal Palace on the opening day was followed up by a major let-off away to Brighton where a 100th-minute penalty by Bruno Fernandes bailed United out in a bizarre 3-2 win at the AMEX Stadium. United were outplayed for much of the contest and Van de Beek, the only arrival this summer, was not brought on until the 90th minute. The 40m midfielder's agent Sjaak Swart has been left unimpressed that the only summer signing has been given a bit-part role by Solskjaer so far. Speaking to VoetbalPrimeur, Swart said: 'A substitute, I don't like it at all. I couldn't do it myself, standing in with four minutes to play.' The father of murdered toddler James Bulger urged authorities to tell him if his killer Jon Venables has had plastic surgery on the taxpayer to change his appearance. Ralph Burger wrote to the probation and parole services before a hearing and demanded to be told about any plastic surgery the 38-year-old had received. Venables and Robert Thompson were aged ten when they murdered the two-year-old boy after snatching him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1993. And Mr Bulger, 54, told the Daily Mirror: 'Taxpayers' money should not be spent giving a monster protection with a new face.' He also revealed he had been told Venables had expected to be freed in time for Christmas, adding: 'My child never saw a Christmas beyond his second birthday and I hope Venables rots in his cell for the rest of his days.' Jon Venables (left) and fellow killer Robert Thompson (right) were given new identities following the murder, which are strictly protected under the terms of a lifelong injunction Venables and Thompson served eight years in youth detention before being freed on licence with new identities. But over the past decade Venables has been in and out of prison for possession of pornographic images of children. James Bulger was murdered in 1993 aged two He is currently serving a 40-month sentence, handed to him in 2018, after being caught with category A child abuse images the most serious type. He also admitted he had a 'paedophile manual'. Yesterday, Venables was refused parole and will remain behind bars for at least two more years. He cannot apply for parole again until 2022. Prisoners are normally freed mid-way through their jail term but because Venables is on life licence, he can only be released if the Parole Board agrees. Speaking yesterday, Mr Bulger said he would 'rest easy' knowing Venables was staying behind bars. Mr Bulger said: 'This is the first time that the right decision has been made regarding my son's killers. 'By refusing parole, they (the Parole Board) are admitting he is not safe to be released. James's father Ralph Burger (pictured on ITV's Good Morning Britain in February 2018) wrote to the probation and parole services before a hearing 'I have always said that Venables is a dangerous predatory paedophile and should never be freed from prison, but no one has listened until now. 'They let him out twice before and he has always re-offended. Now the parole officers have seen the light and agreed that he is not safe to be released. 'I can't express how much of a relief that is - I've spent the last few months dreading the phone call to say he was back on the streets. 'Now I can at least rest easy knowing he is banged up for another two years at least.' Venables was first recalled to prison in 2010 for making and distributing child porn before being released in 2013 under a second new identity. He was then recalled yet again for breaching the terms of his life licence following his arrest in November 2017, before being sentenced for the most recent child porn offences in February 2018. He had downloaded more than 1,000 child porn images, including of male toddlers being abused. A surveillance camera shows the abduction of two-year-old James from the Bootle Strand shopping centre in Merseyside on February 12, 1993 Also in his possession was a 'paedophile manual' detailing how to attack children. Sentencing Venables at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Edis said Venables's interest in the paedophile manual suggested he was 'at least contemplating the possibility of moving on to actual sexual crime against children'. Venables passed the half-way point of his sentence in October, but consideration of his parole application was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. A spokesman for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board did not direct the release of Mr Venables following an assessment of his case. 'Under current legislation Mr Venables will be eligible for a further review within two years. The date of the next review will be set by the Ministry of Justice.' The decision was made on paper without a hearing, meaning Venables has 28 days to request one in person, although it will not necessarily be granted. Because of this, details of how the decision was reached will not be published for a month, the Board said. Coutelas and his female friend, Tok Chany, 35, were detained for questioning Police allegedly seized four packages of white crystalline powder and cannabis Specialised forces raided Coutelas' home in Cambodia at 4.30am last Friday Mark Robert Coutelas featured in a TV ad series for Schweppes Solo in the 1980s A former Australian actor who appeared in the iconic 'Solo Man' Schweppes ad from the 1980s has been arrested in Cambodia after allegedly being found with drugs. Mark Robert Coutelas, 60, featured in a popular TV commercial series for Solo, The Thirst Crusher, in the mid-1980s. Specialised forces raided Coutelas' home at Kampong Bay South Village, Kampot City in southwestern Cambodia at 4.30am on Friday September 25. Police allegedly seized four packages of white crystalline powder and a package of cannabis. Specialised forces raided Mark Robert Coutelas' home at Kampong Bay South Village, Kampot City in southwestern Cambodia at 4.30am on Friday September 25. Police allegedly seized four packages of white crystalline powder and a package of cannabis Coutelas featured in a popular TV commercial series for Solo, The Thirst Crusher, in the mid-1980s Coutelas and his female friend, Tok Chany, 35, were detained for questioning, but it's not known if they have been charged. Deputy Chief of the Phnom Penh Municipal Anti-Drug Department Lieutenant Colonel Keo Sothearith said the packages weighed a total of 20kg. 'According to the police investigation, the drugs are suspected to have been brought across the Cambodian-Laos border to the capital,' Lt Col Sothearith, told Khmer Times. 'After transportation, someone attempted to conceal the drugs, hiding them in a garbage pile where they were unlikely to be found.' The former actor has a history of arrests for drug use across South East Asia. Coutelas was arrested in 2017 in the Cambodian resort of Sihanoukville for using and selling ice. He served time behind bars for unlawful transporting or trafficking of narcotics. In Phuket, Thailand in 2014, Coutelas was sentenced to two years behind bars for possession of crystal methamphetamine, possession of an illegal hand gun and ammunition. In 2015, he was released early on parole, then deported. Coutelas' fall from grace comes after a successful career in osteopathy in Australia. He moved to Cambodia in 2016 and set up a practice called Back Pain Solutions in Sihanoukville. In Phuket, Thailand in 2014, Coutelas was sentenced to two years behind bars for possession of crystal methamphetamine, possession of an illegal hand gun and ammunition Erik Lamela left fans scratching their heads as he took to the pitch in two different boots against Chelsea on Tuesday - only to reveal it is because adidas' specially-made boot is yet to arrive. The Argentine produced a major contribution in the Carabao Cup win with the equalising goal to force a penalty shootout, which Tottenham won. But it was his fashion choices that caused a stir online and Lamela had to put the record straight after the win as to why he was showing off an eight-year old boot on his right foot. Erik Lamela caused a stir by wearing two completely different boots against Chelsea On his right foot he wore the 2012 Adizero f50 and on his left he wore the 2019 Copa 19.1 'No, it is not superstition,' he told Sky Sports. 'I have a problem in my right foot and they are making a new boot. 'Adidas are making a new boot and it should arrive tomorrow.' The Tottenham winger sported the 2012 Adizero f50 boot on his right foot while opting for the 2019 adidas Copa 19.1 in blue on his left. The 2012 pair is difficult to get hold of but owners have sold them for a price in the region of 150. The 2019 adidas Copa 19.1 come in somewhere around 100. He later explained that a 'problem' with his right foot saw him have to improvise with his boots Boots are often a statement by players with so many unique designs and combination of colours. But rarely do players take to the pitch in completely different shoes on each foot and eyes will be fixed to what Lamela has on his feet should he take to the field on Thursday for Tottenham's Europa League qualifier against Maccabi Haifa. In the end the old boots did no harm to Lamela's prospects in the third round tie as he slotted home with seven minutes remaining to stun Chelsea. Jose Mourinho's side went on to win 5-4 in the penalty shootout after Mason Mount missed the decisive kick. Lamela was Tottenham's second penalty taker and scored into the bottom corner. The draw for the quarter-finals in the Carabao Cup is made on Thursday. The latest attempt to defuse the more than five-month-long India-China border dispute and avert a catastrophic military clash between the rival nuclear-armed powers appears to be floundering. Since their foreign ministers met Sept. 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting, Indian and Chinese officials have held just one substantive meeting to discuss pulling back the tens of thousands of troops, tanks, and fighter jets each has forward deployed at or near their disputed, 3,470 kilometer-long Himalayan border. Held on Sept. 21, that meeting ended after more than 10 hours of talks, with only an agreement the two sides would meet again at an undetermined future date. Each side is adamant that the onus is on the other to initiate de-escalation by withdrawing troops they claim have crossed over onto their side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the countries de facto border. Encouraged by Washington, India has taken an increasingly belligerent and provocative stance. Publicly, India continues to depict its troops seizure in late August of a series of strategic heights near Pangong Lake, which traverses the junction between Chinese-held Aksai Chin and Indian-held Ladakh, as a defensive action taken to preempt imminent Chinese aggression. However, Indias far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and military have let it be known, through planted media leaks, that the seizure of a half-dozen tactically vital Kailash Range mountain-tops was, in fact, planned weeks in advance, and involved several thousand troops. The top brass and field officers sat with the drawing board, a source in the security establishment told the Indian Express. Each and every move, to the last detail, was mapped. And just before the operations, reconnaissance was carried out. It took close to a month to do all this, in complete secrecy. With some luck on our side, it was achieved without too much fuss. An Indian intelligence officer elaborated: There were three forces at our disposalthe Special Frontier Force (SFF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and, of course, the Indian Army. Units were specifically picked to take over particular heights with SFF commandos leading at many places. The Chinese continue to dominate Black Top and Helmet Top, but we have surrounded them on heights around it. The BJP governments ordering of this reckless action, which has been all but universally celebrated by the Indian media and political establishment, attests to its readiness to risk triggering a large-scale armed clash with the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Such a clash, given the fraught character of Sino-Indian relations and the surge in world geopolitical tensionsabove all, Washingtons all-sided diplomatic, economic, and military-strategic offensive against Beijingcould easily cascade into all-out war, invariably drawing in other major powers. With Beijing insisting that India must withdraw from the positions it took on Aug. 29-30 before it will pull back any of its own troops, and New Delhi adamant that it will not relinquish its tactical advantage until China has stood down at multiple border hot-spots, both sides are apparently digging in for a long, tense standoff. According to Indian news reports, the Indian military is rapidly erecting shelters and other infrastructure that will allow it to sustain its deployments in the coming winter months in what is inhospitable mountainous terrain. These include positions nearly 15,000 feet (4,570 metres) above sea-level. With the governments assent, the Indian military has also effectively repudiated a 1996 Sino-Indian agreement barring their troops from resorting to live-fire encounters along the LAC. Indian Army personnel are under orders, reported the Economic Times last week, to shoot Chinese troops if they attempt to dislodge them using improvised weapons. Indian army officers wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus walk past the funeral pyre of their colleague Colonel B. Santosh Babu, at Suryapet, about 140 kilometers (87.5 miles) from Hyderabad, India, Thursday, June 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) On the night of June 15, 20 Indian soldiers, including a colonel and an unknown number of PLA troops were killed in a savage clash fought with knives and clubs on a ridge in the Galwan Valley. But neither side violated the agreement not to resort to live-fire. India also used the official induction on Sept. 10 of the first five of the 36 fifth-generation Rafale fighter jets it has purchased from France to send a message to Beijing. The induction of Rafale, tweeted Defence Minster Rajnath Singh, is a very important step in light of the security conditions that prevail, or I would say, that have been created along Indias borders. Speaking to the press yesterday, the head of Indias air force, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria boasted about the role the Rafale fighter jets and recently purchased US-made Apache and Chinook helicopters and Globemaster transport planes are playing in the border conflict. Emphasizing that the Indian military is in a heightened state of war readiness, the air marshal declared, The present security scenario along our northern frontiers is at an uneasy no war no peace status. Our defence forces are prepared for any eventuality. Like India, Beijing has deployed some 50,000 troops and advanced weaponry along the LAC, and has issued, particularly through the state-owned Global Times, its own provocative threats of military action against India. But there is a striking dichotomy between the importance the India-China border dispute is being accorded by their countries respective media outlets, and in the role it is playing in their internal politics. While Beijing portrays the border dispute as a secondary issue and publicly contends that the differences between India and China over the LAC should not be allowed to define their bilateral relationship, the Indian ruling elite claims Chinese aggression constitutes an existential threat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP government are using the border crisis to divert attention from the health and socioeconomic catastrophe triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its ill-prepared lockdown, and even more ruinous reopening have resulted in a pandemic that is raging across the country, and in mass deprivation. As of yesterday, India had more than 6 million COVID-19 cases and 96,318 deaths, respectively the worlds second and third highest tallies. While there has been a slight rebound from the 23.9 percent GDP contraction India suffered between April and June, tens of millions have lost their livelihood and hundreds of millions have seen their meagre incomes shrink. By whipping up bellicose nationalism, the far-right BJP government seeks to paint opposition, above all from the working class, as anti-national, if not outright seditious, and thereby legitimize its suppression. With strong support from the dominant sections of Indias ruling elite, the BJP government is also using the border crisis to integrate India still more completely into the US strategic offensive against Beijing. Recent weeks have seen a flurry of new initiatives to strengthen strategic ties with Washington and its most important Asia-Pacific allies, Japan and Australia. This includes steps to jointly counter Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, and to prod US and Japan-based companies to transfer production from China to India, and make India an alternate manufacturing production chain hub. Yesterday, India announced that the US-led Quada strategic dialogue between the US, Japan, Australia, and Indiawill take place when its foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, visits Tokyo next week. The Oct. 6 meeting is expected to announce enhanced intelligence sharing among the four, and explore the possibility of joint military exercises. Recently, Indias Chief of Defence Staff, Bipin Rawat, said the Quad could become the means of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean, a statement widely interpreted as an Indian offer to mount joint naval patrols with the US and its closest allies. During his visit to Japan, Jaishankar will also hold bilateral talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and his Japanese and Australian counterparts, respectively Motegi Toshimitsu and Marise Payne. Washington demonstratively intruded into the current Indo-Chinese border dispute within days of its eruption last May. In marked contrast from its public professions of neutrality during the 10-week standoff between Indian and Chinese troops on the Doklam Plateau in 2017, Washington labelled China the aggressor. In the ensuing five months, both the Trump administration and its Democratic opponents have repeatedly drawn parallels between the tensions along India and Chinas Himalayan border, and the US-fomented South China dispute. Desperate to thwart Chinas rise, Washington is recklessly inciting India, both to increase pressure on Beijing and so as to harness the Indian bourgeoisie still more tightly to its reckless and incendiary drive for world hegemony, with potentially incalculable consequences for the people of the region and the world. US National Security Council Director for South and Central Asia, Lisa Curtis, told a Sept. 17 webinar, titled India in the Indo-Pacific: New Delhis Theater of Opportunity, the India-China border dispute has further reinforced the importance of the US-India strategic partnership and it has strengthened the US resolve to work towards building that relationship as a bulwark against Chinese aggression. Speaking at the same webinar and in the same vein, Shivshankar Menon, Indias National Security Adviser under the previous Congress Party-led government, said that while formally India is not a treaty ally of the US, it is increasingly ready to act in concert with Washington and do things for US imperialism in the manner of a treaty ally. Said Menon, Many more people would accept that idea that we would start doing things with the US, for the US, that actually US allies would dowithout an alliance." I think, he continued, the actual practice of interoperability, of taking on particular roles and of fitting into a larger common strategyI dont see that being problematic today. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) The House of Representatives rejected the resignation of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano in a plenary session today. Among the members of the chamber, 184 voted in the affirmative, one voted negative, and nine abstained from voting. Cayetano offered to step down in a speech before fellow lawmakers on Wednesday amid the heated leadership row in the chamber. Im offering my resignation, here and now, to you my dear colleagues, he said. My fate and the fate of the 2021 budget, and the fate of the leadership of the House is in your hands." The move comes a day after President Rodrigo Duterte met with Cayetano and his opponent for the coveted post of Speaker, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, to try to end the leadership squabble stemming from a term-sharing agreement the two lawmakers signed. Under the deal, brokered by Duterte at the start of the 18th Congress, Cayetano was supposed to serve as Speaker for the first 15 months or until October this year. Velasco would then take over the post for the succeeding 21 months. The Taguig-Pateros lawmaker maintained that he had always respected the agreement. Cayetano noted that he offered Velasco the position of senior deputy speaker for better transition in the leadership. But since we never experienced term-sharing in advance and since it will be very awkward for me as a speaker and it will be awkward for him to be the next, mag-joint forces na tayo (let us join our forces), he said. He added that Duterte asked Velasco to delay the leadership change to December as the Congress is aiming for the swift passage of the 2021 national budget. Velasco, however, stood his ground. More than three or four times pinakiusapan ni Pangulo si Cong. Velasco na sa December na ang palitan alang-alang sa bansa, sa budget," Cayetano revealed. "I saw the pain in the Presidents heart. I saw the burden. [Translation: The President asked Cong. Velasco for more than three or four times to move the leadership change to December, for the sake of the country, the budget.] I tried to give Cong. Velasco, isang ruta papunta ng speakership na makakagaan," Cayetano also said. "Pero ang sagot niya lagi ay sinisaraan lang siya. Basically, he cannot work with us. [Translation: I tried to give Cong. Velasco an easy route. But he always responded that he was just being mocked. Basically, he cannot work with us.] Cayetano also confirmed that he agreed to resign on Oct. 14 to give way to Velasco. But he predicted that Velasco would not get enough votes from the majority. Mr. President, I will resign on October 14. Let me clarify, Mr. President, he (Velasco) needs to get the votes, said Cayetano as he recalled the meeting on Tuesday. I can step aside, but I cannot guarantee he (Velasco) will be elected," he added. "In fact, I will make a fearless forecast, hindi siya mananalo (he will not win). A lawmaker present at the meeting in Malacanang said it was agreed Velasco would assume the post on October 14. Cayetano said he was supposed to be the one to announce the leadership change. But Velascos camp immediately leaked the information to media. The President clearly instructed I and Cong. Velasco, and to quote, 'Alan, ikaw na bahala sa office mo na mag-make ng announcement.' Pero as usual, hindi marunong tumupad sa usapan si Congressman Velasco, he disclosed. [Translation: Alan, its up to your office to make the announcement. But as usual, Velasco did not know how to keep his word.] On the other hand, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told the state-run network PTV he got a call from Duterte following the decision of the House to reject Cayetanos resignation. "Nakamonitor kami," said Roque. "Katatawag lang po sa akin ng Presidente at ang sabi po niya, stay out tayo diyan, no comment tayo diyan. That's a purely internal affair of the House of Representatives. [Translation: We were monitoring. The President just called me and he told me that we need to stay out of it and leave no comment.] "Ginagalang ni Presidente ang naging botohan, added Roque. Nauna na po niyang sinabi sa Davao na bagamat gusto niyang matupad ang kasunduan ng dalawa... wala siyang magagawa kung walang numero si Congressman Lord Allan Velasco. [Translation: The President respects the voting. He already said in Davao that although he wanted the agreement to be honored.... he cannot do anything if Congressman Lord Allan Velasco does not have the numbers.]Further political maneuverings and theatrics Further political maneuverings and theatrics Meanwhile, Velasco lashed out at Cayetanos speech earlier. He described it as further political maneuverings and theatrics, as the budget deliberations were put on hold. Instead of focusing on the work at hand, further political maneuverings and theatrics took the budget deliberations hostage, said Velasco in a Facebook post. We lost an entire day, and even tomorrow where you have declared that no session will be conducted, which are crucial in meeting our timeline. The chamber decided to suspend the budget deliberations until Friday morning. Velasco called on his fellow lawmakers to keep working on the swift passage of the national budget for next year before Oct. 14. I call on my colleagues to continue our work and pass the budget on or before October 14," he said. "This is the commitment weve made before the President, and this is our responsibility to our constituents, to deliver to them a fair and equitable budget. Velascos chances at the House As this developed, political analyst Dindo Manhit said that if ever no turnover in speakership will happen in mid-October, it would be a chance for Velasco to prove that he has the support of the majority. If there will be no change of leadership, it will force Cong. Lord Allan maybe to prove that he has majority of support and that means getting Congress or members of the House to go to vote for him, and talk to different blocs inside the House, Manhit told CNN Philippines. He added, So we are not at that stage yet, maybe because its still September 30. And there will be a time that they might need really to reckon who has the majority of the support. Manhit, who is president of Stratbase ADR Institute, said that the speakership row will only be settled by whoever gets the numbers. At the end of the day, this is a body that is truly independent," he said. "We have to look at it, what is the basis of leadership? It's majority support of the members. There is no fairness here, whoever gets the majority, in this case, it's a majority that supports the President," Manhit added. "So both will prove in their arguments they can support the agenda of the President, especially the budget." CNN Philippines' Digital Producer Alyssa Rola and Multi-Platform News Writer Vince Ferreras contributed to this report Alice Marie Johnson, once imprisoned in Alabama before her sentence was commuted by President Trump, is with the presidents family at tonights debate. Alice Johnson is attending the debate, sitting next to the Trump family pic.twitter.com/lAARu71zO6 (@JMKTVShow) September 30, 2020 Johnson was seated with Trumps family for the first debate between the president and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Johnsons life sentence was commuted in 2018, in part due to work on her behalf by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West. Johnson was convicted in 1996 on eight criminal counts related to a Memphis-based cocaine trafficking operation involving more than a dozen people. Johnson maintained she was only a go-between for those selling the drugs and never made any deals or sold narcotics. It was Johnsons first convicted. She served a portion of her time at Alabamas Aliceville Federal Correctional Institutional. Tony Mokbel is set to launch a bid for freedom after serving just 13 years of his 30-year sentence for drug trafficking, a court has heard. The Melbourne gangland kingpin, who was depicted on the television series Underbelly, is appealing his conviction over the Lawyer X scandal which recently rocked the Victorian legal system. The 55-year-old, who narrowly survived a prison stabbing last year, is one of several convicted gangsters looking to get their sentences overturned after is was revealed police used criminal defence barrister Nicola Gobbo as an informant. Mokbel (pictured, right) is one of several convicted gangsters looking to get their sentences overturned after is was revealed police used criminal defence barrister Nicola Gobbo (left) as an informant Mokbel and his new legal council fronted the Court of Appeal on Wednesday hoping to get the process started. Ms Gobbo had represented Mokbel on three major criminal trials while acting as a confidential police informant. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews called a Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants in 2018, with the complete findings to be handed down in November this year. The inquiry have already stated that Ms Gobbo's conduct may constitute a breach of her duty to the administration of justice, the court and her client. 'We have been seeking disclosure for many years and we have finally got to a point where we believe we have enough to proceed to an appeal,' barrister Richard Maidment QC told the directions hearing, the Herald Sun reported. 'Through the lense of Mr Mokbel, he has been seeking disclosure for a very long time. 'He is very anxious now to proceed as quickly as possible to a hearing.' Tony Mokbel (pictured left) and criminal defence barrister Nicola Gobbo (right) are pictured together leaving trial But Registrar Ian Irving ruled in favour of a request by state and federal prosecutors asking for more time to dissect the 14,000 pages of material involved in the case. Pictured: Mokbel after he was arrested in Greece A two-month extension was granted and proceedings will get underway on November 25. The bid for freedom comes after Mokbel almost died after a jail yard stabbing at Victoria's Barwon Prison in February 2019. Mokbel was stabbed seven times by two men with cutlery and sharpened wires who kicked him in the head, knocking out his teeth. As the assault attracted attention from other inmates and prison guards, the men could be heard screaming: 'You're not an enforcer, this is what you get for talking to the screws you f**king dog.' So violent was the attack, a court refused to release footage of it to the media. Teira Bennett and Eldea Teuira were sentenced to seven years each for the heinous attack. Eldea Teuira and Teira Bennett (pictured) are depicted in a courtroom sketch during their trial Tony Mokbel is treated by paramedics after being attacked in jail in what has been described as a 'snuff movie' NEW DELHI - The gang rape and death of a woman from the lowest rung of Indias caste system sparked outrage across the country on Wednesday, with several politicians and activists demanding justice and protesters rallying in the streets. The attack of the 19-year-old is the latest gruesome case of sexual violence against women to rile India, where reports of rape are hauntingly familiar. The victim, who belonged to the Dalit community, was raped by four men on Sept. 14 in the heartland state of Uttar Pradeshs Hathras district. The womans family told local media that they found her naked, bleeding and paralyzed with a split tongue and a broken spine in a field outside their home. She died two weeks later, on Tuesday, after battling serious injuries in a hospital in New Delhi. Police said the four men, all from an upper caste, have been arrested. Uttar Pradeshs chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, on Wednesday ordered a special investigation team to handle the case and said it will be tried in a fast-track court. In New Delhi, police detained several female activists after they tried to march in the street shouting slogans against Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The demonstrators carried placards that read, Stop rape culture. Maimoona Mullah of the All India Democratic Womens Association said Uttar Pradesh, which is ruled by Modis Bharatiya Janata Party and ranks as the most unsafe state for women in the country, had become the rape state of India. We do not accept rape culture in the name of new India, Mullah said. Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of protesters from the Bhim Army, a party championing the rights of Dalits, thronged the hospital premises in New Delhi and jostled with police. Party leader Chandra Shekhar Aazad urged Dalits across the country to flood the streets to demand that the perpetrators be hanged. Dalits formerly known as untouchables and at the bottom of Indias unforgiving Hindu caste hierarchy are victims of thousands of attacks each year. According to human rights organizations, Dalit women are particularly vulnerable to caste-based discrimination and sexual violence. Last month, a 13-year-old Dalit girl was raped and killed in Uttar Pradesh. In December last year, a 23-year-old Dalit woman in the same state died after being set ablaze by a gang of men as she made her way to court to press rape charges. Both cases are pending in court. In the latest case, questions were raised over a hasty cremation, with several politicians calling it an abuse of human rights. The woman was cremated early Wednesday, with the family alleging that police did not allow them to perform her final rites. Videos on social media show the family weeping as police insisted on cremating the body without allowing them to take it home. Senior Police Officer Vikrant Veer denied the allegations, while the leader of the opposition Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, described the cremation incident as abusive and unjust. In India, rape and sexual violence have been under the spotlight since the 2012 gang rape and killing of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus. The attack galvanized massive protests and inspired lawmakers to order the creation of fast-track courts dedicated to rape cases and stiffen penalties for those convicted of the crime. In March, four men sentenced to death for the 2012 attack were hanged. Indians often rally for swift justice in a country where a woman is raped every 15 minutes, according to government data, and sentencing is notoriously delayed by backlogged courts. According to the government, police registered 33,658 cases of rape in 2017 an average of 92 per day and a 35% jump from 2012. About 10,000 of the reported victims were children. The real figure is believed to be far higher due to the stigma of sexual violence. ___ Associated Press videojournalist Shonal Ganguly contributed to this report. Read more about: A recent Government of Canada announcement (Government of Canada signs new agreements to secure additional vaccine candidate and treatment for COVID-19) and media interview of Anita Anand, Canadas Minister of Public Services and Procurement with the New York Times (The Vaccine Challenge: Not Putting All Our Eggs in One Basket) both focus on the challenge of securing COVID vaccines for Canada, underlining that, because no one can know which may prove successful, Canada has to bet on several. Anand and her colleagues are right to be concerned about putting all of Canadas eggs in one basket. In fact, medical history teaches us that we should be further hedging our bets. Nearly four decades after the discovery of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), the search for an HIV vaccine continues. The epidemic grew rapidly and took millions of lives, and it was only with the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy, in the mid-1990s, that the number of deaths declined dramatically. Even once COVID-19 vaccines are developed, vaccination will not be a silver bullet. We know that in a good year, when the flu vaccine is a good match for the circulating strains of virus, effectiveness is only 40 to 60 per cent for those who bother to get the vaccine. None of this is to say we should not be pursuing vaccines. On the contrary! Some of the research that is underway is very exciting (and will have applications for other diseases as well, including HIV/AIDS). But this avenue takes time. Meanwhile, the global population is at risk, and the only immediate solution available to protect lives is isolation or quarantine at the expense of peoples livelihoods and mental health, to say nothing of the global economy. But Canada definitely should not be betting on any one vaccine, or on vaccines alone. Combating this virus requires an array of good treatments, based on good science (randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials), must be brought to bear: antivirals, plasma trials, corticosteroids, repurposing of old drugs to address the virus, and yes, vaccines. So far, however, vaccines are attracting the lions share of public attention and, importantly, of public investment. And while governments pour money toward pharma companies to develop them, other solutions are being neglected. My own research team is struggling to attract the funding we need to proceed with a Phase III clinical trial of a repurposed generic drug developed by Pulmonem, a Canadian biotech start-up, which could provide a quick, safe and cost-effective treatment for COVID-19. In the 38 years since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, 33 million lives have been lost. In less than a year, the death toll of COVID-19 is already over a million. Lets not lose decades and lives by putting all our eggs into the vaccine basket. Chromcast with Google TV is the successor to Googles current-gen Chromecast and comes with a newly designed remote. Google kicked off its September 30 by introducing Google TV service that can be called as the successor to the current-gen Android TV. It recommends all the users favourite shows at one place by extracting it from different subscription services. The firm says that the service also has a fully integrated YouTube TV service, which means you can play music on it as well. Whats more is that the service supports Ambient mode as well that makes your TV a large digital photo frame that plays in background when not active. The new Google TV service is debuting in all new Chromecast. The product is the successor to Googles current-gen Chromecast and comes with a newly designed remote. The remote now has a dedicated button for activating Google Assistant. You can press it and give voice command to play a show throughout different apps. In addition, it comes in three colours - Snow, Sky, Sunrise. Besides a Google Assistant button, the new remote also has dedicated buttons for Netflix and YouTube service. Available $49.99, Chromecast with Google TV will be coming to more countries by end of this year. Nest Audio (Google) Nest Audio In addition to Chromecast, Google also introduced Nest Audio, a successor to Google Home smart speaker. It comes in five colours including Sage, Sand, Chalk, Charcoal and Sky. Priced at $99, the Assistant-powered speaker will be available in the US starting October 5. As per the firm, this product comes with 50% more Bass, 75% more value and natural sound as compared to its predecessor. In addition, you get high frequency coverage and clear vocals in this one. You can either control the speaker using your voice or the touch sensitive controls on the top. It has a 75mm woofer and a 19mm tweeter along with three far-field microphones and 2-stage mice mute switch. The speaker is also powered by a quad-core A53 SoC and High-performance ML hardware engine. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce parted ways Tuesday with its longtime political strategist, as the organization, once a Republican stalwart, has demonstrated a more bipartisan spending streak in the Donald Trump era. Scott Reed said he left after constant disagreements about the business lobbying organizations commitment to helping Republicans maintain control of the Senate with money being spent in a silly manner. He added that senior executives spent way too much time bashing Trump and the (White House) all summer long. A Chamber spokesperson disputed Reed's account, saying that he was terminated and that an internal review showed he repeatedly breached confidentiality, distorted facts for his own benefit, withheld information from Chamber leadership and leaked internal information to the press." The Chamber denied that political differences were at the heart of the split, saying it was not based on a disagreement over political strategy but rather it is the result of Reeds actions. Although its endorsements skew decidedly toward the GOP, the Chamber has still come under fire from Republicans after deciding to endorse 30 Democrats for reelection this cycle. The Chamber has had an uneasy relationship with Trump, supporting policies like his 2017 tax reform package but breaking with him publicly on immigration and trade policies. In a statement, the spokesperson said, We now return to the important work of ensuring that the Senate continues to advance pro-business priorities, supporting the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and helping the nations economy recovery. It added that the organization will announce a new wave of political spending Wednesday. Chair of Vietnam International Fashion Week Le Quynh Trang Congratulations on becoming chairperson of the CAFD. Can you talk more about the CAFD and the development of the fashion industry within ASEAN? CAFD is a non-profit organisation with a mission to foster cooperation in the fashion field within ASEAN countries and promote the fashion industry to a higher level of success. This is the first fashion council to be established by the ASEAN Secretariat with an aim to assist designers in brand development and business implementation. The fashion industry within ASEAN is expected to see significant growth in times to come. ASEAN is a potential fashion market with many creative designers. It is positive that CAFD can take ASEAN fashion to a whole new level like other developed fashion regions. What activities have you planned for the CAFD? The first thing that I will do when officially becoming a chairman is to focus on researching and selecting key personnel in each Southeast Asian country. The bridge that they create is beneficial for determining outstanding local designers for the council. Participating fashion designers will have the opportunity to launch their mini-collections, and CAFD will join hands to promote them via photos and videos. The new mobile application called AFAB (Asean Fabulous) will be introduced as well. This application helps showcase talented designers and further spreads information about their collections within the region and even globally. Designers are not required to pay a fee to become a member of CAFD; and Vietnam will be the first country to have collections launched on AFAB app. I believe that the products of Vietnamese designers will be embraced by international friends. Where is Vietnam on the regional and global fashion map? Prior to VIFW held in 2014, Vietnamese fashion was almost invisible to the world. I am glad that this has changed after 10 seasons of VIFW. Vietnam has gradually made a statement on the regional and global fashion map. We have many advantages compared to other countries. We are a market with a substantial population. This is a competitive advantage of Vietnam, not only for the fashion industry but for other economic sectors. Besides, many manufacturing factories with quality infrastructure can be found in the country. In fact, Vietnam is one of the largest producers of garment products for many well-known fashion brands in the world. Our workforce is young, and local tastes have gradually adapted to new elements of global fashion. Vietnamese fashion definitely holds an important position within the region and in the world. What are the advantages and challenges that Vietnamese fashion designers encounter when working in an international environment? Vietnamese designers have benefited from the advantages of our fashion industry. They are very creative, especially designers Nguyen Cong Tri and Phuong My, who were highly praised after their collections were launched at many international fashion weeks. That being said, poor language skill is one of the major disadvantages that Vietnamese designers have encountered when entering the international fashion market. Lack of hustle and professional experiences are other barriers. Therefore, it is important for organisations such as CAFD to create more chances for local designers to learn the very best of world fashion. Can you share some highlights as well as the limitations of the local fashion industry? VIFW has positively changed peoples perception of the local fashion industry in recent years. Many Vietnamese designers, such as Nguyen Cong Tri, Phuong My and Thuy Nguyen, have made a good impression on international customers. This local industry has gradually been shaped and is on the rise. I am also glad that local fashion consumers have formed a habit of embracing Vietnamese products, Vietnamese people use Vietnamese goods, instead of purchasing fashion pieces from China, as they used to do. An open and dynamic economy is another important factor that boosts the growth of Vietnams fashion market. Various made-in-Vietnam brands have recently been introduced and are well-loved by the public. However, the biggest limitation that the local fashion market has faced, in my humble experience, is the lack of proper investment in fashion- and design-related activities from the Government. We have invested in the development of manufacturing factories for overseas companies but have not focused on the local market. Many hundreds-year-old craft and silk villages that offer support for raw materials have not been taken care of, while passionate and young designers have not been given quality training that would help them catch up with the world. We have yet to create a link between key fashion 'knots', from raw materials, factories, processing and design to communication and brand promotion. With that said, it will take some time to solve these problems and introduce more Vietnamese fashion brands to the world. At the moment, we have scheduled meetings with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to promote the establishment of the Vietnam Fashion Association as an organisation that represents all units operating in the fashion field in Vietnam. In the time to come, I hope the Government will invest and pay more attention to the fashion industry to help secure our place on the regional and global fashion map. The ministry of home affairs has announced a detailed guideline for Unlock 5, or for reopening to be effective from October 1, shortly. Despite a steep rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country, the home ministry has made it clear that there would be more relaxations and fewer restrictions, though local administrations in some states are heavily relying on voluntary curfew, local lockdowns etc. Also Read: Movie theatres, swimming pools: Whats new in Centres guidelines for re-opening Here are the guidelines: * Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with upto 50% of their seating capacity, for which, SOP will be issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. * Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions will be permitted to open, for which, SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce. * Swimming pools being used for training of sportspersons will be permitted to open, for which the standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYA&S). * Entertainment parks and similar places will be permitted to open, for which the SOP will be issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW). Also Read: Unlock 5 guidelines likely today: All you need to know about Delhis plan so far Opening of Schools, colleges, education institutions and coaching institutions * For re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to take a decision after October 15, 2020, in a graded manner. The decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/ institution management, based on their assessment of the situation, and subject to the following conditions: * Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged. * Where schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to do so. * Students may attend schools/ institutions only with the written consent of parents. * Attendance must not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent. * States /UTs will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of India, keeping local requirements in view. * Schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued by Education Departments of States/ UTs. * Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Education may take a decision on the timing of the opening of Colleges/ Higher Education Institutions, in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), based on the assessment of the situation. Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged. Unlock 5.0 is likely to become the most crucial as a number of religious festivals are scheduled in October, including Durga Puja. The first phase of Bihar Assembly Election 2020 is scheduled on October 28. The Centre is likely to revise its order pertaining to the maximum number of people who can gather at a place. The phase-wise unlocking began in June with only a few essential activities beginning outside the containment zones. Over the last four months, offices, public transport including metro, domestic flights, religious places, restaurants, hotels, gyms, schools and colleges have been allowed to resume activities, though the state governments concerned are the final authorities. Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have extended lockdown till October 31. NEW YORK A federal judge in Brooklyn sentenced Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman to six years and nine months in prison Wednesday for crimes related to her role in NXIVM, saying she used her wealth as a sword to inspire fear and silence within Keith Ranieres cult-like organization. Senior U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis gave Bronfman 21 more months in prison than prosecutors requested, and asked U.S. marshals to take the defendant into custody to begin her sentence. The sentencing lasted nearly five hours in a cavernous second-floor courtroom in Brooklyns federal courthouse. If Bronfman was surprised by the sentence, she wasn't alone. When I heard him say 81 months, I was speechless, former NXIVM member Barbara Bouchey said outside the courthouse. Listen to the latest episode of NXIVM on Trial The 41-year-old Bronfman, daughter of late Seagram's tycoon Edgar Bronfman, sat between her attorneys, Ronald S. Sullivan Jr. and Duncan Levin, as 10 women, including Bouchey, laid bare the pain they said they experienced at the hands of Bronfman and Raniere, known in NXIVM as Vanguard. He faces life in prison at his sentencing on Oct. 27. The speakers included former friends and co-workers and ex-members of Ranieres master/slave group, Dominus Obsequious Sororium or DOS, in which some women were physically branded with his initials. Bronfman pretended to be my friend for a long time when I was just being manipulated to be groomed for Keith, said one former DOS slave who described NXIVM as a bogus and criminal organization. Bronfmans lawyers have said she had no knowledge of DOS until it was exposed in late 2017. Sullivan told the judge his client has always been in the service of humanity, adding, When Clare sees someone someone suffering, she steps in. Earlier: Feds want Clare Bronfman to serve five years in prison Lawyers for NXIVM's Clare Bronfman say she's being unfairly treated due to wealth Raniere lawyers say NXIVM leader prevented crime, brought peace to Mexico Judge rejects NXIVM leader Keith Raniere's bid for new trial Podcast: NXIVM's Keith Raniere calls for 'scrutiny' on judge Members of the all-female group agreed to lifetime vows of obedience and supply "collateral" in the form of naked photos or embarrassing information that could be used against them if they ever turned on DOS. But the judge made it clear that while Bronfman was not in DOS, she received letters from its members who wanted their collateral back, refused to comply and worked with Raniere to try to threaten them into silence. Bronfman has yet to disavow Raniere or NXIVM. Sarah Edmondson, a former NXIVM leader in Vancouver who became a whistleblower after being recruited into DOS, said via video that Bronfman tried to have her arrested on trumped-up charges after Edmondson went public with her story to the New York Times. Another former high-ranking NXIVM member, Ivy Nevares, took time during her statement to speak directly to Bronfman. Nevares, who was in NXIVM for nearly two decades and worked for Bronfman, said the NXIVM leader lowered her pay and raised her rent for a supposed ethical breach against Raniere. Despite working 20-hour days at times, Nevares said, Bronfman afforded her no benefits or health insurance. Clare, after all the evidence, after countless victims whom you considered among friends, how can you remain loyal to your Vanguard? Nevares asked Bronfman via video. No matter how hard you try, you cannot be principled if the person you follow is a sociopath and a convicted criminal. Kristin Keeffe, another former high-ranking member of NXIVM, tearfully explained Bronfmans bankrolling of the company, which Keeffe left in 2014. She said Raniere, supported by Bronfman, told her to claim that their child, a son who is 13 now, was adopted and that Raniere was not the father. Keeffe said Bronfman demoted her and lowered her salary to $13,000 a year after she spoke on behalf of Bouchey after she broke from the group. (Bronfman) was trying to psychologically break me and she almost did, Keeffe told the judge. Susan Dones, a former high-ranking NXIVM member, asked Bronfman: Did you ever consider that they just wanted your money? Dones implored Bronfman to end her loyalty to Raniere, adding, If you stay with him, you will end up committing more crimes. Also delivering victim impact statements was Toni Natalie, who was never a member of NXIVM but had earlier been Ranieres girlfriend and, later, deemed a suppressive in the group. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Natalie said she had never before met Bronfman, but that she had become someone Bronfman sought to destroy and worked to push criminal computer trespassing charges against her in Albany, which were dismissed. Citing NXIVMs scorched-earth policy, Natalie added: I wasnt just scorched. I was incinerated. A group of NXIVM loyalists, including members of DOS, were in the courthouse after the sentencing. They declined comment. Bronfman, who has homes in Clifton Park and Manhattan, faced 21 to 27 months in prison under sentencing guidelines for her guilty plea to conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification. The latter charge was for paying $135,000 in bills using the credit card of former high-ranking NXIVM member Pamela Cafritz, a close friend of Bronfman, after she died in 2016 of cancer. The judge said Bronfman gave $100 million to Raniere and NXIVM over the years. He said she used her influence to try to convince her fathers lawyer to convince attorneys general in New York and New Jersey to bring criminal charges against Rick Ross, a cult expert who sat high on NXIVMs list of perceived enemies. Her effort was unsuccessful. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy, of course, the judge said in a lengthy address before imposing sentence. But I am troubled by evidence suggesting that Ms. Bronfman repeatedly and consistently leveraged her wealth and social status as a means of intimidating controlling, and punishing individuals whom Raniere perceived as his adversaries, particularly NXIVMs detractors and critics. ... Even if Ms. Bronfman did not knowingly facilitate Ranieres worst crimes, as a general matter she was his accomplice in the effort to intimidate and silence detractors, using her wealth and privilege as a sword on Raniere and NXIVMs behalf, Garaufis said. When Bronfman was afforded a chance to speak, the rail-thin heiress said, All over the world, people are praying for me, and that she was truly sorry for her crimes. When she attempted to apologize to a former DOS member from Mexico who was exploited for her labor, it infuriated the judge, who seemed to perceive it as Bronfman repeating the same disingenuousness he saw in her crimes. This judge is not blind, Garaufis said in a sharp tone to Bronfman. Ms. Bronfman, I saw what you did and Im speechless. A long silence followed as the judge, clearly irked, waited for her to continue. Garaufis imposed a $500,000 fine on Bronfman, ordered she forfeit $6 million and directed her to pay more than $96,000 to the woman to whom she had apologized. Bronfman, NXIVMs longtime operations director, was charged in July 2018 in a superseding indictment that also named Raniere; actress Allison Mack, a high-ranking NXIVM member who was on the television show Smallville; NXIVM president Nancy Salzman; Salzmans daughter and high-ranking NXIVM member Lauren Salzman; and NXIVM bookkeeper Kathy Russell. All of the women were, at one point, sexually involved with Raniere. The elder Salzman, known in NXIVM as Prefect, pleaded guilty in 2019 to racketeering conspiracy. Her daughter pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy and became a star witness for prosecutors at Raniere's trial. Mack also pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy. Russell pleaded guilty to visa fraud. All are yet to be sentenced. A 29-year-old woman in China has suffered paralysis in the left side of her face after having wrinkle fillers injected at a cosmetic clinic. Doctors fear that the symptoms may be permanent. On September 12, Ms. Zhao, from Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. went to the local cosmetic hospital for a procedure she had undergone several times in the past filler injections to remove some visible wrinkles on her face. Only this time things didnt go as smoothly as usual. On September 19, a week after getting the filler injections, the 29-year-old woman woke up with half-face paralysis. Her mouth was crooked, she had a permanent frown in her left brow, and she couldnt completely close her mouth and her left eye. She is still unable to chew food correctly or drink liquids, and has to use a straw. Photo: GMW.cn Every day I see myself in the mirror with an expressionless face and I just want to die, a desperate Ms. Zhao told Chinese website GMW.cn. Upon visiting a specialist hospital for examination, Zhao was diagnosed with facial nerve paralysis, commonly known as facial paralysis. Unfortunately, doctors couldnt tell the woman how long it would take for her face to return to normal, or if it ever will. The recovery process can take months, even years, and there is also the possibility that the womans face will never recover. Ms. Zhao told Chinese journalists that she was a regular at the cosmetic hospital, and that she had had filler injections several times. This time, however, the procedures were done by two doctors, one who she had worked with before, and another who she had never seen before. She is convinced that the latter is responsible for her half-face paralysis. Photo: Sam Moqadam/Unsplash The young woman filed a complaint against the cosmetic hospital, after the two parties failed to reach a compensation agreement. A spokesperson for the hospital said that Mz Zhaos medical diagnosis did not mention cosmetic fillers as the cause of her facial paralysis, so her company cannot agree to compensate the woman, because they dont have a reason to do so. The woman has filed a lawsuit against the hospital and the matter will be decided in court. Some 37.7 percent of respondents said their choice of Chuseok presents changed this year, with 59.5 percent saying they will give cash to their parents. Some 14 percent said that they will give them more cash than last year. Asked why, they explained that their parents wanted it, or it is convenient, or they feel sorry for not visiting them. Pollster Tillion Pro surveyed 3,041 people in their 30s to 50s to take a closer look at this trend. Many Koreans have been told by their elderly parents and relatives not to visit their ancestral hometowns over Chuseok but are trying to make up for their absence with expensive presents or cash. The relationship used to be the other way round. Chun Jin-gi, a former head of the National Folk Museum of Korea, said, "Traditionally, parents gave money to their children. But the tradition of children bringing gifts to their parents has been around for a long time." They were typically seasonal produce since Chuseok celebrates the harvest moon, though this has come to include processed products like sugar, liquor and ham as the country became more industrialized. More recently that has changed to gift coupons or money so the elders could buy what they like. "It might seem a bit rude to give money to one's parents, but in fact it reflects a consideration of the needs of parents and should not be considered a breach of tradition," Chun said. Then how much money is appropriate? Amounts of course vary according to how wealthy a family is, but the average appears to be W200,000 (US$1=W1,173). That was the amount favored by 33 percent of respondents, followed by W300,000 (24.9 percent), W100,000 (21.9 percent) and W500,000 (10.2 percent). Most respondents agreed that cash is the most practical option. But do parents agree? Of respondents in their 60s, 62.6 percent said they are thankful since the money reflects the gratitude of their children. But 17.4 percent said they feel bad and plan to give the money back as presents to their grandchildren, and 10.3 percent said they feel simply uncomfortable taking money from their kids. Kochi, Sep 30 : The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday agreed to make Sandip Nair, one of the prime accused in the gold smuggling case, turn approver. Nair made the plea in a Special NIA court at the end of his judicial custody, following which the court asked the NIA probe team to see that his statement was recorded under the relevant law. Nair and another prime accused Swapna Suresh were on the run after the Customs arrested PS Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here, on July 5 when he was allegedly facilitating the smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram. Swapna and Sarith worked at the UAE Consulate but left their jobs. They however continued to maintain close links with the Consulate affairs. After the names of Swapna and Nair cropped up in the gold smuggling case soon after Sarith's arrest, they fled from Kerala. After the NIA took over the case, the two were arrested on July 11 from Bengaluru. The latest development could lead to some anxious moments for Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of CPI-M Kerala Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, and Cabinet Minister EP Jayarajan's son who was reported to be close to Swapna. Bineesh has been questioned for 11 hours by the Enforcement Directorate in the past and was expected to be called again for further quizzing. Contributed Photo / Norwalk Police Department NORWALK A Bridgeport man was charged in connection with a recent armed robbery in Flax Hill Park where a victim was hit in the head with a gun, police said Wednesday. Police responded to Flax Hill Park on Sept. 1 for a reported armed robbery, according to Lt. Jared Zwickler. He said officers learned the victim and a friend were in the park when four people walked up to them and robbed them at gunpoint. Veteran actor Dilip Kumar has expressed his happiness over Pakistan government's decision to preserve his ancestral home in Peshawar. After threats of demolition to his and late Raj Kapoor's ancestral homes, the provincial government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa stood up for the buildings of historical significance. In 2011 the actor had taken to his blog to write about fond memories of his house. He had shared that it reminded him of the happy days he spent during his childhood, with his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. He remembered the spacious kitchen where his mother, whom he describes as frail and delicate, spent a lot of time, and also talked about the sitting room, prayer room and terrace. A tweet on his official Twitter handle shared a link to the blog and read, "Dilip Saab's sentiments when he first learnt abt the announcement to protect his ancestral home in #Peshawar." Dilip Saabs sentiments when he first learnt abt the announcement to protect his ancestral home in #Peshawar. https://t.co/dhlxLGgVEv Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) September 29, 2020 "I have lovely memories of Qissa Khwani Bazaar, where I received my first lessons in storytelling, which later provided the impetus to choose meaty stories and scripts for my work. Every day as the trading closed in the market of Qissa Khwani Bazaar, a story teller would sit in the centre of the square narrating stories of valour and victory, deceit and retribution which I would listen to with wide-eyed attention, seated next to my father and uncles," wrote the yesteryear actor, on his blog. The Department of Archaeology in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan will reportedly purchase the properties, both of which are located at the Qissa Khwani Bazar in Peshawar. Dilip's 100-year-old house is in a dilapidated condition. Many celebrities praised this move of the Pakistan government, including Dilip's wife Saira Banu. Saira was quoted as saying, "I wish the provincial government success in its efforts and sincerely hope that this time the dream comes true. Mashallah." ALSO READ: Saira Banu Reacts To Dilip Kumar's Ancestral Home Being Purchased By Pakistan Government Harris Teeter announced today the launch of its United Way and Salvation Army Round Up Campaign. Now through Nov. 17, Harris Teeter shoppers are invited to round up their transaction to the nearest whole dollar at checkout; 100 percent of funds raised will be distributed evenly among local United Way chapters and Salvation Army commands throughout Harris Teeters marketing areas. Harris Teeter hosts its United Way Round Up campaign annually, and this year, we are proud to provide shoppers the opportunity to also support The Salvation Army, said Danna Robinson, communication manager for Harris Teeter. Due COVID-19, many programs which fund critical programs for nonprofits like Salvation Armys Red Kettle program have been impacted resulting in a significant decrease in funds. With the generous donations from our valued associates and loyal shoppers, we can ensure these organizations are able to continue providing essential resources and programs to our communities in need. Focusing on education, health, financial stability and basic needs, United Way works to create an environment of opportunity where thousands of families in our communities can have a chance for a better life. We are very thankful for the support that United Way receives from Harris Teeter. With every dollar raised, they are engaging employees and customers in our important work to make sure the people who need help the most receive it during this unprecedented time, said Clint Hill, chief development officer for United Way of Central Carolinas. The Salvation Army assists individuals and families-in-need by providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation services and clothing and shelter for those facing homelessness. Harris Teeter has been a tremendous corporate partner and friend of The Salvation Army for decades, giving back to support those in need in our community, said Lt. Colonel Jim Arrowood, divisional commander for The Salvation Army of North and South Carolina. We know that this year there will be many challenges due to COVID-19, not the least of which being the expected increase well see in requests for help. Harris Teeters Round Up campaign will truly help us rescue Christmas for thousands of families who are facing unfathomable hardships. All funds collected through this campaign will remain local, benefitting the United Way chapter and The Salvation Army command in the community nearest to the Harris Teeter at which the money was donated. About United Way United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. Supported by 2.9 million volunteers, 9 million donors worldwide and $4.7 billion raised every year, United Way is the worlds largest privately-funded nonprofit. Were engaged in 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our communities. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, government, civic and faith-based organizations, along with educators, labor leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more. About The Salvation Army The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of Americas Favorite Charities by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the countrys largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood. About Harris Teeter Harris Teeter, with headquarters in Matthews, N.C., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). The regional grocery chain employs approximately 30,000 associates and operates stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia. Britains Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, on September 29, said that her public remarks were often misinterpreted and were not controversial. While speaking at Fortune Magazines Most Powerful Women Summit, Meghan said that she has always tried to authentic in public comments, however, her remarks often were misconstructed by critics. While the Duchess of Sussex has repeatedly urged people to promote positivity, her husband, Prince Harry, on the other hand, has encouraged Americans to vote in the upcoming election. As the British royal family do not traditionally venture into politics, the couples recent remark prompted a backlash in some quarters. Meghan and Prince Harry have also faced harsh criticism, particularly from the British tabloid press, for her words and actions. READ: Judge Says New Royal Book Can Be Used In Meghan Privacy Case In response, the Duchess of Sussex said that if one looks back at anything she has said, what ends up being inflammatory is peoples interception of it. She added that, however, if one just listens to what she actually says, its not controversial. Meghan went on to say that there will always be naysayers, but if one focuses on themselves, their value and their moral compass, then its easy to live with truth and authenticity. And thats how I choose to move through the world, she added. Meghan Markle against misinformation Moreover, Meghan encouraged people to avoid clicking on misinformation online and to report comments that are untrue. With US presidential election just around the corner, the Duchess said that people need to have reliable media news sources that are telling the truth. She added, without that, I dont know where it leaves us. She said that there needs to be a reckoning in how digital communities are built and run and how people contribute to them when hate speech and disinformation can be spread so quickly. READ: Meghan, Harry Fulfilled 'debt Obligations' For UK's Frogmore Cottage: Report In recent months, Meghan and Prince Harry joined the Stop Hate for Profit Campaign, which encourages operations to withhold advertising money from platforms, particularly social media platform Facebook, for their failure to appropriately respond to online hate speech. The campaign was also stoked by the ongoing Black Lives matter demonstrations following the death of African-American George Floyd in May. She said that her overall goal is calling for change and if the changes are being made, its for the food of everyone, Facebook included. (Image: MeghanMarkle/Instagram) READ: Meghan Markle's Heartfelt Message For 'AGT' Finalist Archie Williams Leaves Him Teary-eyed READ: Trump Says He's 'not A Fan' Of Meghan Markle, Wishes Prince Harry 'lot Of Luck' TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Tornado Spectral Systems Inc., a leading manufacturer of Raman analyzers for process monitoring, is proud to announce that it has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification. Acquiring ISO 9001:2015 reinforces Tornado's commitment to exceeding quality expectations and requirements of its customers. ISO 9001 is the internationally recognized standard for a quality management system (QMS) and enables companies to operate proactively on several management principles, including the focus on customer requirements, efficient communication, and continuous improvement. Scott Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Tornado states, "From the company's inception, we built a culture committed to a high-quality operating standard. The smooth transition to ISO certification demonstrated our employees' readiness to achieve excellence." By meeting the criteria set out by the ISO 9001:2015 certification, Tornado is well positioned for accelerated growth. About Tornado Spectral Systems: Founded in 2013, Tornado Spectral Systems designs, manufactures, and sells chemical analysis systems based on Raman spectroscopy. Bolstered by its patented High Throughput Virtual Slit (HTVS) technology, Tornado's HyperFlux spectrometers deliver significantly enhanced photon collection power. HTVS eliminates the physical slit of a conventional spectrometer and avoids signal losses while maintaining high spectral resolution, allowing for faster measurements and lower detection limits. To learn more about Tornado Spectral Systems, please visit our website: tornado-spectral.com SOURCE Tornado Spectral Systems Related Links https://tornado-spectral.com/ Collaborating with Geneva and USU is an important milestone as we have filed patent applications to extend the capabilities of our RTP technology globally, said Margot Connor, CEO of RoosterBio RoosterBio, a leading supplier of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (hMSC) working cell banks and hMSC bioprocess systems, today announces that it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with The Geneva Foundation (Geneva), a non-profit dedicated to advancing military medicine, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), an institution of higher learning within the United States Department of Defense (DoD) on behalf of USUs 4 Defense Biotechnology, Biomanufacturing, and Bioprinting Center (4D Bio3). Under the terms of the CRADA, RoosterBio will support biofabrication in austere environments and provide subject matter expertise in Ready to Print (RTP) technologies. Collaborating with Geneva and USU is an important milestone as we have filed patent applications to extend the capabilities of our RTP technology globally, said Margot Connor, CEO of RoosterBio. With this partnership, we aim to show that our cells can support biofabrication in any environment. Our vision is a world where safe and effective regenerative medicines are rapidly developed and are widely available on a global scale, to benefit the lives of patients in need. Extensive peer-reviewed medical literature has validated RoosterBios novel technology platform for accelerating regenerative medicine. Most relevant to military medicine is RoosterRTP human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) a first-of-its-kind product designed to radically simplify and standardize the most complex and labor-intensive aspects of bioprinting. RTP allows product developers to thaw and use large quantities of hMSCs, avoiding time-, labor-, and cost intensive cell expansion processes allowing for same day bioprinting capabilities, a critical requirement in forward locations that lack resources typically required for cell culture. Geneva has an agreement with USU to support the development and commercialization of scientific and medical technologies and USU seeks to transfer to technology. The collaboration with RoosterBio will encompass multiple projects with the ultimate objectives of saving the lives of deployed service members and translating the results to civilian care. Advances in 3D printing and biofabrication have the potential to provide unprecedented benefits for the warfighter, including perhaps the direct repair or replacement of damaged tissues said Elise Huszar, President and CEO of The Geneva Foundation. Resulting military benefits include the potential to drastically reduce traditional supply chain and logistical challenges and costs of transporting medical supplies and related items providing both time and cost savings to the U.S. military in resource-limited settings. Geneva and USU successfully completed a pilot project involving the biofabrication of medical products and bioprinted tissues in a desert military environment in October 2019 under the federally-funded 4D Bio3 Fabrication in Austere Environments (Fab AE) program. The project supported proof-of-concept demonstrating the feasibility of 3D printing a wide range of personalized health care products in remote geographic locations, notably the 3D print of a meniscus using RoosterBio RTP hMSCs. It was the first demonstration of cyber manufacturing being used whereby complex designs were transmitted to a remote austere location for production. This successful pilot project represented a multi-disciplinary collaboration which included nScrypt and RoosterBio, Inc. nScrypts bioprinter, called the Austere BioAssembly Tool (ABAT), is a lightweight and ruggedized bioprinter that was custom designed by nScrypt based on their 3D printer experiences with the BioFabrication Facility (BFF) on the International Space Station (ISS). RoosterBio will provide guidance and expertise of future RTP technologies, including an upcoming ISS mission under the 4D Bio3 program. RoosterBio will also provide subject matter expertise to expand 4D Bio3 RTP education and training initiatives for graduate students at USU and cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in advanced technology areas such as RTP Biofabrication and Tissue Engineering in support of the DoD and 4D Bio3 research mission. About The Geneva Foundation The Geneva Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that advances military medicine through innovative scientific research, exceptional program management, and a dedication to U.S. service members and veterans, their families, and the global community. Geneva is proud to have over 25 years of experience in delivering full spectrum scientific, technical, and program management expertise in the areas of federal grants, federal contracts, industry sponsored clinical trials, and educational services. http://www.genevaUSA.org About RoosterBio, Inc RoosterBio, Inc. is a privately held cell manufacturing platform technology company focused on accelerating the development of a sustainable regenerative medicine industry, one customer at a time. RoosterBio's products are high-volume, affordable, and well-characterized adult human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) paired with highly engineered media systems. RoosterBio has simplified and standardized how stem cells are purchased, expanded, and used in development, leading to marked time and costs savings for customers. RoosterBio's innovative products are ushering in a new era of productivity and standardization into the field, accelerating the road to discovery in Regenerative Medicine. http://www.roosterbio.com Pipeline 30 September 2020 Delta Hotels by Marriott announced today that the official grand opening of the Delta Hotels by Marriott Dallas Southlake is scheduled for mid-November 2020 - just in time to celebrate holiday festivities. The eagerly anticipated hotel, owned by RREAF Holdings affiliate and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, is conveniently located at the intersections of State Highway 114 and White Chapel Boulevard in Southlake, Texas. The hotel's promise of purposeful service includes 240 beautifully designed guestrooms with premium bedding and towels, large workspaces and free bottled water, plus access to the hotel's complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, hydration stations on each floor, chef-inspired grab-and-go food market, a 24-hour elite pantry, a premium full-service fitness center, a luxurious outdoor pool and lounge area, and a much-talked-about heightened culinary experience. Celebrity chef and iconic restaurateur Dean Fearing has consulted on plans for the hotel's Sky Creek Kitchen and Bar featuring an elevated Southwestern cuisine and exceptional craft beverages. In addition to Emmett, the hotel's leadership team includes the following hospitality industry veterans: Opening Manager John Yeung, Director of Group Sales John Crosier, Director of Food & Beverage and Executive Chef Enam Chowdhury, Chef de Cuisine Jose Soto and Catering Manager Gino Del Valle. The six-story hotel includes 10,000 feet of technologically advanced meeting and conference facilities consisting of eight meeting rooms, including the Chisholm Trail Ballroom. The hotel will soon be accepting reservations for guest room stays, dining reservations, corporate meetings, catered events, weddings, bar mitzvahs and batmitzvahs. The Delta Hotels by Marriott Dallas Southlake anchors a 16-acre mixed-use development that also features office and retail space to serve the booming area. The hotel is perfectly situated for convenience to DFW International Airport, only 10 minutes away, and the dynamic business hubs of Northeast Tarrant County, including major corporate facilities at Solana and AllianceTexas. The hotel offers immediate proximity to Methodist Southlake Hospital, plus various medical offices and related medical facilities. Hotel guests can easily access the cosmopolitan centers of Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as the shopping and dining experiences offered by Southlake Town Square, historic downtown Grapevine and the charming town of Roanoke, the "unique dining capital of Texas." Outdoor recreational offerings can be found close by at Lake Grapevine, the Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve, and numerous other community parks and trails, and area attractions for visitors include Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life Grapevine Aquarium. The Delta Hotels by Marriott Dallas Southlake is only the second Delta Hotel in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. - Kumawood actor Agya Koo has said the NPP is the only political party that can transform Ghana for the better - He said the party leader Akufo-Addo is the only one who can take Ghana to its destiny - Agya Koo had earlier expressed disappointment in the NPP government when he cried of neglect Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana Popular Kumawood actor, Agya Koo, has declared the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and its leader Nana Akufo-Addo, as the only party and leader who can move Ghana forward. He said Akufo-Addo has all that is needed to take Ghana to the promised land. Thus, he urged Ghanaians to vote for the party and ensure that the president retains the power to continue with the good works. Agya Koo was reportedly speaking in an interview with Opemsuo FM, according to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Ghbase.com. Agya Koo and Akufo-Addo. Photo credit @star news ghana @nakufoddo. Source: UGC According to him, the president has many good plans for the nation and for the people to benefit fully, he must be voted for to remain in power to continue working. Agya Koo said after analysing all that the NPP and the president have promised Ghanaians, he is one hundred percent convinced that being voted for to retain power is the best thing Ghanaians can do. To help in this regard, Agya Koo said he is going to embark on a house-to-house campaign to ensure that the NPP wins the December 2020 elections and retain power. Meanwhile, Agya Koo had earlier expressed her disappointment in the NPP accusing the party of neglect. In an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, he said after risking his life to campaign for the party, he has been completed neglected after the party came into power. He decried the situation saying that he never got anything at all contrary to what some people are saying. The actor was also in the news recently when he was allegedly named together with Shatta Wale as ambassadors for EXIM Bank. Perhaps, this new role is what has motivated Agya Koo to reactivate his love for the NPP with the promise to campaign for the party. VGMA21 full performances | #Yencomgh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Lucknow, Sep 30 : Amid an uproar over the cremation of the body of a Dalit gang-rape victim early on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke to the 19-year-old woman's father in Hathras district and offered his condolences. He also announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the bereaved family, apart from a job to one of its members. The family would also be given a house. The victim's father sought the harshest punishment for the four accused arrested for the crime reported on September 14. The young woman had died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday and her body was allegedly cremated forcibly by Hathras police on the night of September 29-30. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi said that the Chief Minister assured the woman's father of the most stringent action against the culprits and all possible help to the family. Earlier in the day, the CM set up a Special Investigation Team led by Home Secretary Bhagwan Swaroop to probe and submit a report on the crime in seven days. We also witnessed Facebook merging Instagram and Messenger even more by giving cross texting facility, Huami launching a new retro style smartwatch, Sonos suing Google for patent infringement and lot more. From Google Pixel launches to apps like Zomato and Swiggy getting notice for Play Store violations, this edition of tech wrap has news coming from all tech segments. We also witnessed Facebook merging Instagram and Messenger even more by giving cross texting facility, Huami launching a new retro style smartwatch, Sonos suing Google for patent infringement and lot more. Chromecast with Google TV, Nest Audio speaker launched: Price, specs and more Google kicked off its September 30 by introducing Google TV service that can be called as the successor to the current-gen Android TV. It recommends all the users favourite shows at one place by extracting it from different subscription services. This has debuted with Chromecast with Google TV device. Here are the details. Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4A 5G smartphones with Android 11 launched The flagship Pixel 5 will be coming to the US at $699 price tag while the less powerful Pixel 4A 5G version will cost $499. Both of them wont be coming to India as confirmed by Google already. Check out the specs and features. Zomato, Swiggy get notice from Google for violating Play Store guidelines The apps have been reportedly given a noticed by the search giant for violating the Play Store guidelines. This is regarding the gamification techniques that are used by both platforms. It has been mentioned that while Zomato has confirmed this and says that the notice is unfair, Swiggy has not yet issued any comment on this. However, the latter seems to have paused its gamification product inside the app. Facebook takes a big step in merging Messenger with Instagram, lets users text each other from a single app The firm has decided to let you send a text on Messenger from your Instagram DM, without a need to download the app. Also mentioned is that in future, one will be able to seamlessly connect with friends and family across Instagram and Messenger by using either app to send messages and join video calls. India is searching for budget phones, especially with bigger battery: Flipkart report The biggest share of demand for these affordable smartphones has come from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar and West Bengal. Over 70% of total demand is from tier 2+ regions and beyond. Cities such as Gorakhpur, Raipur, Siwan, Deoria, Hisar, Medinipur and Azamgarh feature on this list. Huami launches Amazfit Neo with retro look at 2,499 Huami has just launched its new smartwatch with a pinch of a retro style look called Amazfit Neo. Priced at 2,499 in India, this watch is touted for its light weight build, massive battery life and some other features like Always-On display, 5 ATM water-resistant design and some features like sleep quality monitoring and health assessment system. International Podcast Day: India embraces the evolution of audio streaming space On International Podcast Day, we take a look at this booming audio space in India, and the journey of Spotify and Anchor. Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular as you can see many influencers, media houses, and creators embracing the genre. Sonos sues Google for infringing 5 more wireless audio patents across Nest, Chromecast products Sonos had first filed a patent lawsuit against Google in January this year in a California federal court and with the International Trade Commission (ITC). The federal case was put on hold while the ITC was to decide on whether to block the Google products allegedly infringing on Sonos patents from the market. iOS 14.2 beta 2 brings new emojis, and some minor changes Apple has rolled out the second beta of iOS 14.2 that comes with the new library of emoji announced recently. iPhone users will soon get 58 new emoji with the iOS 14.2 update. The new beta version also comes with some minor changes as well. Reliance Retail arm receives 3,675 crore from General Atlantic for 0.84% stake sale The investment values Reliance Retail at a pre-value equity value of 4.285 lakh crore. General Atlantic will acquire 0.84% equity stake in RRVL on a fully diluted basis. Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Retail and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsels. Google Meet users can host calls longer than 60 minutes for free until March 2021 Google in April this year had made Google Meet free for everyone. The company also made calls unlimited through September 30 (now extended). The unlimited calls are capped to 24 hours, though. Google had earlier hinted at doing away with the free calls. Technavio has been monitoring the polymer based solubility enhancement excipients market for OSDF and it is poised to grow by USD 1.83 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 15% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005421/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. Technavio's in-depth research has all your needs covered as our research reports include all foreseeable market scenarios, including pre- post-COVID-19 analysis. Download a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts Frequently Asked Questions: What are the major trends in the market? Rising demand for natural polymers as pharmaceutical excipients is a major trend driving the growth of the market Rising demand for natural polymers as pharmaceutical excipients is a major trend driving the growth of the market At what rate is the market projected to grow? The year-over-year growth for 2020 is estimated at 15.09% and the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be 1.83 bn. The year-over-year growth for 2020 is estimated at 15.09% and the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be 1.83 bn. Who are the top players in the market? Ashland Global Holdings Inc., BASF SE, Clariant International Ltd., DuPont de Nemours Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Freund Corp., Merck KGaA, Nippon Soda Co. Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., and The Lubrizol Corp., are some of the major market participants. Ashland Global Holdings Inc., BASF SE, Clariant International Ltd., DuPont de Nemours Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Freund Corp., Merck KGaA, Nippon Soda Co. Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., and The Lubrizol Corp., are some of the major market participants. What is the key market driver? The increasing global geriatric population is one of the major factors driving the market. The increasing global geriatric population is one of the major factors driving the market. How big is the North America market? The North America region will contribute 30% of the market share. The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Ashland Global Holdings Inc., BASF SE, Clariant International Ltd., DuPont de Nemours Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Freund Corp., Merck KGaA, Nippon Soda Co. Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., and The Lubrizol Corp. are some of the major market participants. The increasing global geriatric population will offer immense growth opportunities. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free. View market snapshot before purchasing Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations. Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF 2020-2024: Segmentation Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF is segmented as below: Technology Solid Dispersion Technology Particle Size Reduction Technology Type HPMC Polymethacrylates HPMCAS PVP Polyvinyl Caprolactam-polyvinyl Acetate-polyethylene Glycol Copolymer HPC Other Types Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40166 Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The polymer based solubility enhancement excipients market for osdf report covers the following areas: Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF Size Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF Trends Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF Industry Analysis This study identifies the rising demand for natural polymers as pharmaceutical excipients as one of the prime reasons driving the growth of polymer based solubility enhancement excipients market for OSDF during the next few years. Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Polymer Based Solubility Enhancement Excipients Market for OSDF 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist the growth of polymer based solubility enhancement excipients market for OSDF during the next five years Estimation of the size of polymer based solubility enhancement excipients market for OSDF and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the polymer based solubility enhancement excipients market for OSDF Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of the vendors in polymer based solubility enhancement excipients market for OSDF Table of Contents: PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT 2.1 Preface 2.2 Preface 2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Value chain analysis Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing 2019 Market Outlook Market size and forecast 2019-2024 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TECHNOLOGY Market segmentation by technology Comparison by technology Solid dispersion technology Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Particle size reduction technology Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by technology PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TYPE Market segmentation by type Comparison by type Copovidone Market size and forecast 2019-2024 HPMC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Polymethacrylates Market size and forecast 2019-2024 HPMCAS Market size and forecast 2019-2024 PVP Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Polyvinyl caprolactam-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol copolymer Market size and forecast 2019-2024 HPC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Other types Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by type PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 12: MARKET TRENDS Vendors shifting their focus to APAC Rising demand for natural polymers as pharmaceutical excipients Growing demand for nanotechnology in medical industry PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Ashland Global Holdings, Inc. BASF SE Clariant International Ltd. DuPont de Nemours Inc. Evonik Industries AG Freund Corp. Merck KGaA Nippon Soda Co. Ltd. Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. The Lubrizol Corp. PART 15: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors PART 16: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005421/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Attempts to radicalise tribal youths in south Rajasthan started two years ago and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) leaders have added fuel to the attempts, said a Rajasthan Police intelligence report seen by HT. The report prepared after violence in Dungarpur and Udaipur districts said people from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are part of the campaign. The intelligence report named several people, including BTP MLAs - all of whom denied the charges. Hundreds of tribal youths resorted to violence last week, blocking Udaipur-Ahmedabad national highway, pelting police with stones, damaging property and torching vehicles with the demand for recruitment to vacant posts of teachers in the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) area. The intel report pegged the loss at Rs 110 crore. Name of Tarachand Bhagora, former Congress MP from Dungarpur-Banswara , BTP MLAs Ramprasad Dindor and Rajkumar Roat, and other groups associated with the demands of creating a separate state for the tribals has surfaced in the violence. It has been found that it was a pre-planned activity in which youngsters from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh also participated. They could be identified from their language, the report said. The report sent to chief minister Ashok Gehlot recommended criminal cases against all these people, and said the licence of Vangad Mazdoor Kisan Sangathan, a non-profit, should be cancelled. The two-page report underlined the people in the Udaipur division - comprising Udaipur, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh and Chittorgarh districts - have been demanding a separate Bhil Pradesh for many years. They want Mangarh Dham as its capital. Just like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, some groups are giving rise to extremism and their aim is to create a Bhil Autonomous Council in every village. Radicals of Jharkhand organised an event in Ranchi on September 19 last year in which BTP MLA Dindor was the chief guest. Tribal people from south Rajasthan also went to Jharkhand during the Assembly election, the intelligence report said. The tribal groups want Bhil Pradesh to be carved out from tribal-dominated areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The report also mentioned incidents of desecration in the area in 2018. On August 27, 2018, in Sajjangarh police station area of Banswara one idol of Ganesh was damaged and an idol of Hanuman was stolen. On August 30, 2018, at least 30 to 40 people forcefully removed the flag from the Sonar Mata temple in Salumbar region. In this way, an attempt has been made to create enmity between tribal and non-tribal people, the report said. BTP MLA Ramprasad Dindor said he has never been to Jharkhand all his life. We have evidence to prove that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are behind last weeks violence, he said. Why dont these political parties understand that our region has a different culture, different dialect, etc? Why is the government imposing civil laws while there are different provisions for tribal people? Dindor asked. Refuting allegations against himself, former Congress MP Bhagora said, The BTP has made some message groups through which they can call mob of youngsters in short time. He agreed that people from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh participated in the violence. BTP MLA Rajkumar Roat said that the party was a soft target because its stature was growing in the area. Stone pelting, communal incidents happen in other parts of state too but why are they not called Naxals or radicals there? Where was the government for the last 18 days when the candidates were protesting silently? Neither we provoked the youngsters and nor do we support violence but the demands of candidates were unheard, said Roat. Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Raghuvir Singh Meena said that the state government had created a committee in the past to look after the recruitment issues. However, we had to take a step back due to Covid-19. The Congress party is very serious about the issues of the tribals, he added. Meena said the role of BTP in this violence is under scanner. Nobody can deny that unwanted people from Chhattisgarh joined them. BTP presents unrealistic dreams in front of youngsters and try to brainwash their minds in the name of their rights, he alleged. Former home minister and leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said that when he was home minister, there were many meetings called by the BTP in the Kherwara and Rishabhdeo blocks in which people from Jharkhand were present. Their activities are suspicious and I have written to the chief minister about it a few days back, he said. MOSCOW, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia's sovereign wealth fund, and Pharco, one of the leading pharmaceutical groups in Egypt (acting through its key operational subsidiary Biogeneric Pharma) have agreed to secure the supply of 25 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to Egypt. The vaccine, which is based on a well-studied human adenoviral vectors platform with proven safety and efficacy, will support the efforts of the Ministry of Health of Egypt to secure a vaccine against COVID-19. The agreement will enable 25% of Egypt's population to have access to the Sputnik V vaccine. In the future, it is planned to distribute it to neighboring countries. Egypt will secure a diversified vaccine portfolio which includes a vaccine based on the human adenoviral vectors platform. This platform has proven safe over decades including through 75 international scientific publications and in more than 250 clinical trials. Clinical trials of the Russian vaccine have shown no serious adverse events, with Sputnik V generating a stable humoral and cellular immune response in 100% of participants. In contrast, vaccines based on novel platforms have yet to prove their safety and currently have no data on carcinogenicity or effects on fertility. On August 11, the Sputnik V vaccine developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the world's first registered vaccine against COVID-19 based on the human adenoviral vectors platform. Detailed information on the Sputnik V vaccine, the technological platform of human adenoviral vectors, and other details are available at sputnikvaccine.com On September 4, a research paper on the results of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine was published in The Lancet, one of the leading international medical journals. Post-registration clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine involving 40,000 volunteers are currently ongoing. More than 60,000 volunteers have applied to take part in post-registration trials. The first results of these trials are expected to be published in October-November 2020. More than 50 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Europe and CIS have applied for Sputnik V. RDIF has already announced supply agreements with Mexico for 32 million doses, with Brazil for up to 50 million doses, India 100 million doses, Uzbekistan for up to 35 million doses and Nepal for 25 million doses. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: "The agreement between RDIF and Pharco will help Egypt obtain an efficient and safe vaccine, Sputnik V, for almost 25% of its population. The adenoviral vectors platform has a longer safety track record compared to novel technologies such as monkey adenoviral vectors or mRNA used by other vaccine manufacturers. So the people of Egypt will get a proven vaccine created on a platform with no negative long-term effects, including carcinogenicity or risks for fertility in the future. We expect more countries to include Sputnik V in their vaccine portfolios in the coming weeks." Dr. Sherine Abbas Helmy, Founder and President of Pharco, said: "We greatly appreciate this agreement to secure supplies of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine with proven safety to Egypt. Besides vaccine supply, we are considering numerous further cooperation opportunities jointly with RDIF, including the localization of production in Egypt at the facilities of Biogeneric Pharma within the next few months for the benefit of both countries." Feliks Ershov, virologist, and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted: "This pandemic will not be completely eradicated without a vaccine. The vaccine created by the Gamaleya Center is not one-piece, like the vaccines of the past, (containing a live or killed virus). It is made using modern biotechnology and a proven platform, in contrast to products by a number of companies based on mRNA or the monkey adenovirus, which have not been tested before. The safety of the Sputnik V vaccine is ensured by using a simple flu virus that is harmless to humans and does not contain the coronavirus itself - only a part of its genetic code, which excludes the possibility of infection. But the antibodies response necessary to protect the body is ensured, which was confirmed by the results of trials. The use of two consecutive shots with different mechanisms of delivery of the virus code into the body guarantees immunization and represents a unique advantage of the Russian vaccine." Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF's management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB1.9 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia's GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 18 countries that total more than $40 bn. Further information can be found at rdif.ru PHARCO Corporation (PHARCO) was founded by Dr. Hassan Abbas Helmy and started operation in 1987. PHARCO is a top dominant player in the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt, the Middle East & Africa offering an unparalleled range of pharmaceutical generics & branded generics alongside other nutritional & vitamin products for treatment & prevention of diseases to improve every patient's quality of life. PHARCO Corporation is currently a group of nine healthcare companies operating in the pharmaceutical field for development, manufacturing, marketing, distributing and exporting of a comprehensive array of branded and generic drugs, together with a rising number of licensed pharmaceutical products and vaccines. Further information can be found at pharco.org Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140939/Russian_Direct_Investment_Fund_Logo.jpg SOURCE Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Judge Amy Coney Barrett speaks at the White House on Sept. 26 after President Trump announced her as his nominee to the Supreme Court. (Associated Press) To the editor: As an 86-year-old practicing Catholic, I am dismayed to see that yet another Catholic, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, will likely be on the United States Supreme Court. Obviously, with six of nine justices being Catholic, the court will not reflect the make-up of America. We are all "cafeteria" Catholics, but what we put on our tray varies widely. Some obsess about abortion and see it as the only issue. Others, upon reading the Gospels, understand how Jesus cared for the poor and the outcasts. Life encompass not only the fetus, but all humans. We have to think about how to care for everyone how to provide healthcare, how to provide fair elections for all people, and how we care for this beautiful planet that the Lord created for us. Unfortunately, I do not have high hopes for the decisions that will come from Barrett. Her membership in the religious group People of Praise is certainly not mainstream Catholicism, and her previous decisions do not provide much comfort. Patricia L. Moore, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Just for argument's sake, substitute "Rep. Ilhan Omar" for "Judge Amy Coney Barrett," and "Muslim" for "Catholic" in every attack on President Trump's Supreme Court nominee and her faith. Liberals would scream in outrage over the attacks on the Minnesota Democrat's faith, but Christians are fair game to them. They criticize Catholics, assuming that Barrett will not be able to put her faith aside while deliberating her decisions, yet they are lining up to vote for Joe Biden, also a Catholic. This hypocrisy is embarrassing. Thank God for Trump and his broad shoulders. As his campaign says, with him it's promises made, promises kept. Catherine Wirtz, Thousand Oaks .. To the editor: Of course there is a religious litmus test for nomination to the courts. Republican nominees must hold the religious belief not a secular point of view or a legal position that human life begins at the moment of conception and that the fetus deserves the constitutional protections guaranteed to the rest of us. Story continues This belief is reliably held by conservative Catholics, and it is why six of the nine justices may impose it on the rest of us. Susan Cornner, Porter Ranch .. To the editor: In an ideal United States of America, we would not even know, much less discuss, the religion or lack thereof of any of our public officials. Lynn Eames, Los Angeles This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. September 30, 2020 / 06:17 PM IST Babri Masjid Verdict LIVE Updates | TMC comes out with a guarded response Trinamool Congress on September 30 was guarded in its response on the acquittal of all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case by a special CBI court in Lucknow and said that "those who are not happy with the judgement will get relief in higher courts". While TMC refused to give any reaction to the verdict by either supporting it or opposing it, major parties of the state - the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress criticised it for its stand. "It is a court judgement, so we cannot just say we oppose or support it. The verdict has come after 28 years, few people are unhappy with it. We have come to know from the media that some outfits have expressed their displeasure," senior TMC leader and party spokesman Sougata Roy said. "We hope that those who are not happy with the judgement will get relief in higher courts," he said. (PTI) A Florida man was videoed on his own dashcam as he fired a shotgun through his the windshield of his car at a fellow driver. The man behind the wheel, Marco Mazzetta, posted the video to YouTube claiming he was trying to defend himself after he believing he was in danger of being shot himself. Mazzetta, who was driving along a highway in Orange County near Orlando said he only pulled his gun out after another driver, who was also caught on camera, began shooting at him first. A man was caught on camera shooting through his own windshield at another driver on a busy highway near Orlando, Florida Driver, Marco Mazzetta, posted the video on YouTube claiming he was simply trying to defend himself Footage shows another driver coming up close behind Mazzetta's truck Dashcam video shows the other driver's car driving aggressively and at one point passing extremely close to Mazzetta's truck. Mazzetta then tapped his breaks causing the other car to bump into him from behind before speeding around him. Shortly afterwards, the second car can be seen to slow down before the driver pulled a gun out and pointed it at him through the window. It prompted Mazzetta to take his own gun out and fired through his own front window, fearing he might be shot. The man said he opened fire because the other driver flashed a gun at him first, circled The other driver appeared to be driving recklessly around Mazzetta's car Dashcam footage clearly captures the incident from both back and front of the car The other driver who held a shotgun out of the window ended up speeding away. Mazzetta later reported the incident to the police Mazzetta told WESH 2, 'I'm not a fan of guns; I'm a fan of not getting shot. I know this video doesn't capture my smartest moments but I hope any idiot criminal with a gun watching thinks twice before loading, brandishing & aiming their firearm at someone over a traffic infraction.' Florida Highway Patrol has said that it shows how dangerous it is to argue with other drivers on the highway. 'You don't know the mindset of the other driver that you might get involved in some kind of situation. A lot of people carry weapons in their cars. This could have really escalated to somebody getting shot, somebody getting killed,' Florida Highway Patrol's Kim Montes said. This story was published in partnership with The 19th, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a historic trailblazer, marked history one more time: On Friday, the late Supreme Court justice became the first woman and Jewish person to lie in state in the United States Capitol, an honor reserved for members of Congress, U.S. presidents or leaders of the military. She is only the second justice to be honored in this way; the other was William Taft, who was chief justice as well as president. Fact check: It's true, Ginsburg and Scalia were close friends despite ideological differences Ginsburgs legacy of inspiring generations of women many represented among the mourners who stood before her flag-draped casket was on full display in the Capitols Statuary Hall, where centuries of the patriarchy of American politics, in the forms of marble figures of men, looked on during her memorial. During the ceremony, the women of the 116th Congress were the first allowed to pay their respects to Ginsburg. They also lined the steps of the Capitol to honor her as her casket passed by. There was Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking female elected official in U.S. history and the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. The California Democrat called the moment a high honor, and said in a statement: Justice Ginsburgs tireless advocacy in the fight for gender equality leaves a historic and enduring legacy of progress for women, for families and for our entire country. Her life and leadership cemented the truth that all men and women are created equal. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and Rep. Barbara Lee of California both bowed at the foot of Ginsburgs casket. Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio raised her fist as she passed by. The three Black women are part of the most diverse Congress in history, and members of the largest Congressional Black Caucus since the organizations founding in 1971. Story continues Also among the grieving: the trailblazing women and sitting U.S. senators who, together with Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Marianne Williamson, set a record for women candidates running for president in a single election cycle. Honoring Ginsburg on Friday were Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Kamala Harris of California currently the highest-ranking Black female elected official in American politics, whose latest barrier breaking moment in politics came last month when she was named the first Black woman to join a major party presidential ticket. Alongside these gains in political gains for women is another reality: Women still make up only 23.7 percent of lawmakers in Congress, despite being the majority of the U.S. population and electorate. In a nod to Ginsburgs strength, her trainer, Army veteran Bryant Johnson dropped before her casket and did a trio of push-ups in her honor. Ginsburgs fitness routine as an octogenarian became legend in a recent documentary about her life. Ginsburgs lifelong love of opera the diminutive justice lamented that she wished shed had the talent to be an opera singer was also reflected in the ceremony, as soprano Denyce Graves performed in tribute. Over more than half a century, it was that strength that helped bring about much of the change both incremental and seismic to make America more fair and free for all of its citizens. Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt spoke to how Ginsburg spent a lifetime chipping away at inequality, a leader to the end. All the days of her life, she pursued justice Pursuing justice took resilience, persistence, a commitment to never stop, Holtzblatt told the audience. As a lawyer, she won equality for women and men, not in one swift victory, but brick by brick, case by case, through meticulous, careful lawyering, she changed the course of American law. She was our prophet, our north star, our strength for so very long Now she must be permitted to rest after toiling so long for every single one of us. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the first Jewish woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court, talks with filmmaker David Grubin in Washington about his PBS series "The Jewish Americans" in 2008. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ruth Bader Ginsburgs memorial marks a historic moment for women President Donald Trump speaks during the first presidential debate, at the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Trump Campaign Officials: President Condemned White Supremacists During Debate President Donald Trump condemned white supremacists during the Sept. 29 debate, two campaign officials said Sept. 30. The president in the clip you just played, when asked if he would condemn these groups, he said sure. He said it many times, Hogan Gidley, the campaigns spokesman, said during an appearance on CNNs New Day. Just not last night, in the past as well. Hes condemned white supremacy by name on multiple occasions. Trump told moderator Chris Wallace three times he was willing to condemn white supremacists. Sure, Im willing to do that, he said. When Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden mentioned the Proud Boys, a right-wing group, Trump said, The Proud Boys: stand back and stand by. Asked what Trump meant, Gidley said the president wants them to get out of the way. He wants them to not do the things they say they want to do. This is a reprehensible group, Gidley said. In this still image from video, a group of Proud Boys pose for pictures at a memorial for Aaron Danielson in Vancouver, Wash., Sept. 5, 2020. (The Epoch Times) Footage showed a brawl between Antifa and the Proud Boys in New York City on Oct. 12, 2018. (NYPD News) He said sure three times, Jason Miller, another campaign official, said during an appearance on NBC later in the day. According to the Proud Boys website, the groups core values include supporting free speech and gun rights, being against the war on drugs and racism, supporting minimal government and strong borders. A CNN anchor mentioned the Southern Poverty Law Centers classification of the Proud Boys as a so-called hate group, as well as criticism of the group by the Anti-Defamation League. The Southern Poverty Law Center has been accused of being a far-left organization with an obvious bias. Trump has also spoken out against white supremacists in the past and directed militia groups not to confront demonstrators, Gidley noted. He also recently unveiled a plan that included a proposal to designate Antifa and the Ku Klux Klan as terrorist groups. Gidley then noted that Biden spoke at a funeral for a one-time leader in the Klan, late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.). Andrew Bates, a spokesman for Bidens campaign, said Sept. 30 that Trump told a violent white supremacist group to stand by,' accusing him of looking unhinged to voters. The Proud Boys leader, Enrique Tarrio, said late Sept. 29 in response to Trumps remarks that the group was standing back and standing by. He did an excellent job and was asked a VERY pointed question. The question was in reference to WHITE SUPREMACY which we are not, Tarrio wrote on the social media website Parler. Him telling the ProudBoys to stand back and standby is what we have ALWAYS done. Im am extremely PROUD of my Presidents performance tonight. A consumer alert to North Dakotans is going out soon, said Grossman, who called the scam particularly dangerous since some consumers gave up what he called unique and important identifiers. He urged scam victims to file complaints. We've heard every variation, every angle, every pitch and more often than not, we immediately know that there's something suspicious, and that it is likely a scam." Criminals rarely target a single state, so it's important to be aware of this crime no matter where you live. A couple of Tennessee residents have reported similar scam calls, said Samantha Fisher, spokeswoman for the state attorney general. At the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a spokesperson said Wednesday that the agency is aware of the scam. Once a beneficiary divulges his or her Medicare number, it is used to bill fraudulent claims, he said. Medicare will never call beneficiaries to ask for or check their Medicare number, he added. Criminals follow the news Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and people with disabilities, has been a target of criminals since it started in July 1965. With more than 62 million current Medicare recipients, it's a target-rich environment for liars, cheats and thieves. Medicare cards were changed beginning in 2018, when an 11-digit alphanumeric account numbers called Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs), replaced the 9-digit Social Security numbers that had identified enrollees. Scammers are on the move, developing ways to take advantage of any confusion that may be related to the transition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warned as the new cards were being rolled out. Some scammers asked beneficiaries to pay for a new card; others threatened to cancel people's health coverage if they didn't share their new number. The FCC said then that stolen data could be used to file fake claims or fill prescriptions or be sold on the dark web, where crooks buy and sell things. Grossman, the assistant attorney general, urges consumers to be skeptical about unsolicited contacts. Never believe it when someone reaches out and says they're with the Social Security Administration or Medicare, because it is likely not true, he said. They wouldn't call you out of the blue. Instead call a real phone number for Medicare, either its regional or national headquarters in Washington, he advised. Just. Hang. Up. Wolff, whose sister was victimized, echoes the advice of law enforcement experts on what to do when a stranger calls and asks for personal information: Hang up. Be suspicious of those phone calls that come unsolicited. Have a high index of suspicion, she said. Don't try to be nice or polite or whatever. Just hang up the phone. Scam callers are not being polite to you, so you don't want to be polite to them." Hathras horror: Bollywood stars condemned the Hathras rape incident and death of the 19-year-old Dalit victim on social media. Demanding justice for the Hathras rape victim, actor Preity Zinta on Wednesday said that she wants the perpetrators to be treated in the same way in which they treated the victim. The Veer Zaara actor reacted to the brutal incident with a series of tweets and further said that the demons who committed the crime cannot be treated like humans. Similarly, actors Akshay Kumar and Dia Mirza on Tuesday took to their social media handles as they reacted strongly on the death of 19-year-old Dalit woman, who was gang-raped in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras. Angry & Frustrated!#Hathras gangrape. When will this stop?, tweeted Akshay. He added, Our laws & their enforcement must be so strict that the mere thought of punishment makes rapists shudder with fear! Hang the culprits. We forgot the Hathras victim. We failed her at every level. This is on our collective conscience, wrote Dia Mirza on Twitter. While actor Kangana Ranaut expressing her immense faith, in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Wednesday said she wants that the Hathras rapists to be executed in the same manner, in which the Priyanka Reddys rapists were punished. She took to Twitter to give her opinion on the case and said she wants an emotional, instinctive and impulsive justice, for the Hathras rapists. Priyanka Reddy was a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad who was gang-raped and murdered in November 2019. It sounds extreme but In such cases the families of the perpetrators should also be held accountable & shamed. Only then will families teach their sons to respect women.Right now the shame & the pain is only for the victim & her family.Cases go on forever & no one cares #Hathras Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) September 30, 2020 Also Read: Hathras horror: Outrage over victims midnight cremation, PM dials Yogi Adityanath; SIT to submit report in 7 days Also Read: Hathras gangrape survivor dies at Delhis Safdarjung hospital We forgot the Hathras victim. We failed her at every level. This is on our collective conscience. Dia Mirza (@deespeak) September 29, 2020 The 19-year-old Dalit woman, who was gang-raped in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras, died on Tuesday morning, at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi. The woman was gang-raped in Hathras on September 14, 2020, and was admitted to Delhis Safdarjung Hospital. All the four accused involved on September 14 gang-rape have been arrested. Thousands of good dogs are getting extra love these days to honor a golden retriever named Charlie. After losing Charlie to lymphoma earlier this month, Sallie Gregory Hammett cried for about four days straight. Then she decided to do something different with her grief: write his obituary. I wanted to get down all of this quirks, she told TODAY. Not that I think Ill ever forget them, but I wanted to immortalize them and write down every little thing, like him hating stairs and loving peanut butter and all that stuff. I wanted him to be recognized for how important he was to me. I wrote my dog an obituary because of course I did. He was the best boy. pic.twitter.com/FKmqeivtq9 Sallie Hammett (@SallieGHammett) September 22, 2020 Despite her loss, Hammett managed to capture canine whimsy If were being honest, Charlie loved everything life had to offer (except stairs. He hated stairs) as well as the deep love they shared. She concluded the obituary with a poignant request to readers: He will be forever missed and forever remembered, but he left behind his fierce love, which never wavered. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you give all your pups some extra love in honor of Charlie. A golden retriever named Charlie holds a carnation in his mouth. (Courtesy of Sallie Gregory Hammett) The message resonated. Soon after posting Charlies obituary on Twitter on Sept. 22, it went viral. Its been liked over 108,000 times, and more than 3,000 people have commented, sharing condolences and photos of pets getting extra love or deceased dogs who will be greeting Charlie on the other side. The response has been a great comfort for Hammett. Its been a distraction because I have a new dog picture to look at every two minutes, which was an unrealized dream of mine, she said. Its been so overwhelming but heartwarming, too. Overwhelming in a great way, because its made me feel like my grief is shared, and its just so cool that so many people are getting to know Charlie. Story continues Charlie's obituary shares whimsical details about his life, such as, Hammett, 30, named Charlie after the character Charlie Conway from the film The Mighty Ducks her favorite movie franchise growing up when he was just 8 weeks old. Throughout his life, he lived up to his namesakes heart, soul and leadership qualities. Charlie as a puppy (Courtesy of Sallie Gregory Hammett) He was just the best dog right from the get-go, and I knew that he was meant to be my buddy, she said. Charlie was Hammetts constant companion. She was 23 years old, single and starting a new job in a new city: Greenville, South Carolina. The advertising agency where she worked was pet-friendly, so Charlie came with her to the office. In their downtime, they traveled, hiked in the mountains, played on the beach and tailgated at her alma mater, Clemson University. Charlie takes a walk with a giant stick in his mouth. (Courtesy of Sallie Gregory Hammett) He was an adventurous dog, and he was happy anywhere we would go and see people. You should have seen him tailgating in Clemson he thought all 40,000 of those people were there to see him, she said. He loved people and loved adventure. When Hammett married her husband, David, this past May, Charlie sat in the front row. The 7-year-old dog had been diagnosed with lymphoma the previous month, and his life expectancy was just a month or two, so she was grateful that he made it to the special day. David and Sallie Gregory Hammett pose with Charlie on their wedding day. (Red Apple Tree Photography) Hammett appreciated every extra moment with Charlie, which is why she suggested dog lovers honor his death by giving extra love to their pets. Related: If you haven't read John Pointer's essay about his late dog, Benny ... get the tissues ready. Ultimately, she hopes his life helps inspires people to live more like Charlie. As she wrote in his obituary, He was good at a lot of things, but he was best at unconditional love. I would love for his legacy to be inspiring people to reach for that unconditional love, she said. I hope people could learn to love each other and be kinder to each other like a dog would. A federal appeals refused Wednesday to allow the Trump administration to shut down the 2020 census a month ahead of schedule, saying the speedup would reduce public confidence in an accurate population count that is crucial to congressional representation and federal funding. Over the dissent of a judge appointed by President Trump, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco voted 2-1 to leave intact last weeks order by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh of San Jose requiring the census count to continue. The once-per-decade census determines each states number of seats in the House of Representatives and is used by federal officials to apportion $1.5 trillion in funds per year. In response to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Census Bureau said in April that census-taking would continue until Oct. 31 to make sure all residents were contacted and counted. But on Aug. 3, the Commerce Department, which oversees the bureau, announced that the counting would end a month earlier so that the results could be delivered to Trump by Dec. 31, a deadline set by law. Although the department declared that the earlier shutdown would not affect census accuracy, Koh said Census Bureau officials had acknowledged in written memos that the speedup would make the count less accurate and still would not produce results that could be forwarded to the president by Dec. 31. Legislation to extend that deadline has passed the House and is pending in the Senate. After Koh issued an injunction Thursday night against the planned shutdown, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced Monday that the census count would end Oct. 5. Koh, according to published reports, said Tuesday that Ross decision appears to violate her injunction. She has scheduled a hearing Friday on whether to hold the government in contempt of court. The administration immediately asked the appeals court for a stay that would allow Ross to carry out his plan. But the court majority said Wednesday the administration had not justified a quick shutdown. Despite evidence that the count was far from complete, in early September the bureau had already begun winding down its field operations and terminating census field workers, Judges Johnnie Rawlinson and Morgan Christen wrote. If Kohs order is suspended, they said, thousands of census workers currently performing field work will be terminated, and restarting these field operations and data collection efforts, which took years of planning and hiring efforts to put in place, would be difficult if not impossible. The Commerce Departments hasty and unexplained changes in schedule risk undermining the bureaus mission to produce a census in which the public can have confidence, the judges said. Rawlinson was appointed by President Bill Clinton, and Christen by President Barack Obama. In dissent, Judge Patrick Bumatay, a Trump appointee, said Ross decision should not be subject to judicial second-guessing. It is for the secretary, under the authority Congress delegated to him, to balance the need for accuracy against the statutes hard deadline to deliver census results by Dec. 31, Bumatay said. There is no basis for the judiciary to inject itself into this sensitive political controversy. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko With a large community of motorcycle riders in the Dallas and Lubbock areas, Twisted Cycles makes a point to connect its community beyond buying and selling pre-owned vehicles. To help connect those in the area, the dealership is hosting its first-ever Ladies Bike Night on Tuesday, October 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. To participate in Ladies Bike Night, those interested can meet at Twisted Cycles North Dallas location at 6 p.m. It can be found at 7700 S Interstate 35 E in Corinth, TX. The dealership is hosting an evening that will include a ride in the Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding area. The opportunity will be a way for women motorcycle riders to meet, share or plan rides, discuss motorcycles and celebrate women ridership in the area. All are welcome to attend the event regardless of motorcycle experience or ownership. Food, beverage and music will also be provided by Twisted Cycles. For the event, Twisted Cycles has partnered with both The Litas Dallas and The Litas Denton. Both partners are community groups of women from the Denton and Dallas areas who share a love for motorcycles. Originally established in 2015, the groups inspire, empower and support women through their shared hobbies. Open to members, the groups plan riding events and meet and greets in their respective communities. Those interested in the first-ever Ladies Bike Night by Twisted Cycles, The Litas Dallas and The Litas Denton are welcomed to visit and respond on the Facebook events page. The dealership is also open to any questions or concerns about the event. An associate can be available by phone at 806-687-7300 or online at https://www.twisted-cycles.com/. Clashes have erupted in Suweida between rival groups, leaving a number of people injured and at least one person dead reports North Press. Armed gunmen affiliated with the Fifth Corps attacked the town of Qurayya in the northern countryside of Suweida on Tuesday, resulting in one death and about six injuries. Clashes took place between residents from the town in addition to the National Defense Forces (a pro-government militia) and the armed Eighth Brigade headed by Ahmad Awda, which is affiliated with the Fifth Corps, local sources told North Press. The clashes took place due to consecutive attacks by members of the Eighth Brigade against civilians from the town, according to local residents. Clashes escalated after Ahmad Awdas gunmen advanced from the west and fired mortar shells at the center of the town, amid reinforcements arriving to the towns outskirts. Meanwhile, Fahed (Puma) forces which are affiliated with the Men of Dignity Brigade (a group from the Druze community) sent reinforcements to the town. Suweida has been witnessing security chaos as a result of different armed groups aiming to head towards southern Suweida. Attacks against farmers have repeated in the western part of the town, according to Methqal Sheqair, a resident from the town who participated the clashes. Members of the Fifth Corps fired on the farmers from behind berms, according to locals. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Jimmy Carter has led a remarkable life, so remarkable that what would be the highlight for anyone else may be the lowlight for him. Elected to the presidency in 1976, he proved to be a clumsy, even inept politician, challenged by crises he could rarely transcend. He was the first president to be elected after Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace, but the euphoria he rode into the White House seemed to evaporate almost immediately. Enormous problems surfaced during his administration, including the Iranian hostage crisis a calamity he seemed to mishandle from the start, including a botched attempt to rescue the 52 hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. By the time he debated Ronald Reagan, his Republican opponent, during the 1980 presidential campaign, it seemed all over, particularly when his rival uttered four stinging words: There you go again. Already towering above Carter physically, Reagan seemed to grow emotionally and politically as well, making the president seem meek and powerless by comparison. Unchained from the constraints of politics after his landslide loss in the election, Carter would never seem meek and powerless again, going on to live an exemplary life that led to the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Celebrating his 96th birthday, Carter stands as a living symbol of how we should comport ourselves kind, understanding and free of bitterness. In 1984, three years after leaving office, Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, volunteered to build homes for Habitat for Humanity; 4,000 houses later, he has allowed nothing to slow him down, including the skin cancer doctors diagnosed in 2015 and that spread to his liver and brain. Carter, his cancer in remission, was wielding hammers and power drills as recently as last year. In building houses and much more he has built a legacy. Other former presidents have gone on to superb second acts. Few, if any, have dedicated themselves to others so selflessly. As a man who continues to represent his country, Carter ennobles us all, his commitment a shining example for every American. We need his role modeling more than ever. The country is gripped with what seems to be an unprecedented level of self-absorption and self-interest that starts in Washington, D.C. In his new biography of the ex-president, Jonathan Alter explores the deep roots of this compassion. It started early, and it started dramatically, Alter says. When he was old and allowed himself a reverie, he remembered the soil and the way it felt as it caressed his bare feet, Alter writes in his new biography, His Very Best Jimmy Carter, a Life. Alter continues: From early March until late October, he almost never wore shoes, even to school. The loam of southwest Georgia was made of dark sand and red clay that spread over his face and his clothes and his house one day as powder, the next, he said, as pellets the size of grits. That simple passage reflects the amazing character of the man the virtue and humility. But dig a little deeper, and we see something else. We see, through his delight in simplicity, his empathy for the common man. It may also be instructive to note how unkind history has been to this great man. Yes, his presidency was disappointing, but it was hardly a failure. Carter was a visionary, engineering a historic accord between Israel and Egypt in 1978. He also promoted global human rights, led global health efforts and addressed climate change before it was known as climate change. I think people are looking at his presidency through the prism of his ex-presidency, and they thereby have a much more complete and nuanced view, Les Francis, a deputy chief of staff during the Carter administration, told Politico last year. Ninety-six years. A long, full life worth celebrating. His service to others didnt end with the presidency. Nav Canada has yet to make any cuts in personnel working in Brandon, a representative for the non-profit told the Sun via email on Tuesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Nav Canada has yet to make any cuts in personnel working in Brandon, a representative for the non-profit told the Sun via email on Tuesday. The organization, which owns and operates Canadas civil air navigation system, is facing cuts because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Winnipeg Free Press article published on Sept. 24. That article said that the organization has already laid off 720 personnel and closed two of its flight information centres in Winnipeg and Halifax. That article also said that the organization was considering further cuts in four Manitoba communities: Brandon, The Pas, Churchill and Flin Flon. Since that article was published, no further decisions have been made about cuts in Brandon and no cuts have been made in Brandon at all, according to an email from Nav Canada senior manager of public affairs Rebecca Hickey. "Shortly, NAV CANADA will launch a level of service review for a number of aerodromes, including Brandon," Hickey wrote. "It is a rigorous, regulated and systematic approach to safety that includes robust stakeholder consultation and concurrence by Transport Canada prior to any changes being implemented. It would be premature to speculate on the outcomes of this study." The Brandon Sun Police have summoned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap on Thursday to record his statement in connection with the alleged sexual assault case filed by an actor (30) at Versova police station in Mumbai. A Mumbai Police official said Kashyap has been summoned to join the probe. Earlier on September 22, Mumbai Police had filed a first information report (FIR) against Kashyap after the complainant had accused him of sexual misconduct in 2013. Kashyap had dismissed the baseless allegations. I have complete faith in the police that they will intensify their investigation. If they wont arrest him (Kashyap) soon, then I will sit in protest, the complainant had told HT. On Sunday, she had visited Versova police station with her advocate Nitin Satpute to get an update regarding the probe. The complainant stated in her FIR that Kashyap had called her to his flat located at Yari road in Andheri (West) in August 2013 to have a discussion about casting her in one of his upcoming films. Kashyap had allegedly sexually assaulted her in his flat on the pretext of casting her in one of his films. She has filed a case against Kashyap under sections 376 (I) (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with an intent to outrage her modesty,), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Versova police station on September 22. Of the more than 10,000 dogs whose owners entered them into People magazine's World's Cutest Rescue Dog contest, little Lamb Chop came out on top. After nearly two weeks of voting, the 12-pound Maltese, adopted by Christin Schubert of Milwaukee in December 2014, was declared the winner of the annual competition, in partnership with Pedigree Petfoods, according to People. Lamb Chop was born in a puppy mill, along with an estimated 2.4 million other dogs in the U.S., where she lived for six years and probably gave birth to multiple litters, the outlet reported. Lamb Chop (People) When she was rescued, local vets had to remove all of her teeth because they were rotten, Schubert told People. She was also treated for cauliflower ear and had several tumors removed. "I couldn't bring her home right away, because she had to have all of those surgeries, and Washington County (Humane Society) used a significant portion of their medical fund to take care of her," Schubert continued. "I am really thankful for that. They are a small, little shelter that I think does really great work with animals." Like many rescue dogs, Lamb Chop had socialization challenges after being adopted. She was scared of people and did not know how to play with other dogs, according to the magazine. But she's since adjusted, thanks to classes for shy dogs and a trainer who helped her learn to trust humans again. I can go grocery shopping and come home, and shes just sitting there happy and waiting, unlike when I first would leave her, Schubert said. Schubert has since become an advocate for pet adoption. Related: Animal shelters are harnessing technology in fun, creative ways during the coronavirus pandemic. We always say that in order for puppy mills to close, the public needs to stop funding them through their purchases, she explained to People. "Lamb Chop is a super-cute face to an ugly industry." These days, Lamb Chop carries only a few signs of the neglect and abuse she's faced. Her tongue hangs out, especially when she's tired, because she has no teeth, and she's "still shy," Schubert explained. "Were working on that, and I think with treats and peoples patience, she will be anybodys best friend." "I always tell people that I think she is super brave and resilient, given what she has gone through, she added. "She has an amazing joy for life." The second and third place winners of this year's contest were 6-year-old Lunas, found covered in fleas in Jackson, Mississippi, and Diana, 3, who had previously been abandoned with a broken back in Oklahoma. I would probably lean toward Biden now, but I wouldnt be happy about it, she said Wednesday morning as she prepared to teach her class via Zoom. The vitriol from President Trump was unacceptable, so disrespectful. Apparently we dont have candidates who can be grown-ups. My young son couldnt watch past the first 10 minutes. I wish we could have the debate we need. Im not less inclined to vote, just less excited about the choice we have to make. Jill Biden kept her mask on even when she went to kiss her husband after the presidential debate last night - while Melania Trump was bare-faced for her end-of-the-night appearance. The Democratic nominee's wife wore her dark green face covering when she took the stage at the end of the evening, complying with the coronavirus rules for the few dozen audience members allowed to attend in person. First lady Melania Trump and the president's children Eric, Donald Jr, Tiffany and Ivanka were wearing masks when they arrived at the Cleveland debate venue, but were later pictured watching the contest with their faces bare. Melania kept her mask off at the end despite being a more consistent advocate of mask-wearing than the president - who last night mocked Joe Biden for wearing 'the biggest mask I've ever seen'. Mask and no mask: Jill Biden kept her face covering on when she embraced her husband - while Melania was bare-faced when she took the stage Jill Biden kept her mask on when she took the stage to kiss her husband Joe at the end of the presidential debate in Cleveland last night Melania Trump had discarded her mask by the time she joined her husband Donald on stage following a rancorous first debate of the 2020 campaign Members of the Trump family including (from left) Eric, Ivanka, Tiffany and Donald Jr took their masks off during the debate in Cleveland on Tuesday night The Trump family had posed in their masks when they arrived for the debate, but several of them were bare-faced before the contest began. At one stage, Melania still had her mask on while Eric, Ivanka, Tiffany and Donald Jr had taken theirs off, but the first lady subsequently took hers off too. According to NBC News, a Cleveland Clinic doctor in a white lab coat approached guests of the Trump family to ask them to put on masks. But the effort apparently did not succeed, and the doctor did not approach the president's family themselves. One debate hall staffer told the doctor 'that's all you can do' as the medic walked away. Most in the crowd did abide by the social distancing and mask-wearing rules, with at least one audience member even wearing a bright red 'MAGA' face mask. Some in Trumps section tried to greet the first lady with a standing ovation as she walked in, but with the sparse crowd it did not come together. Donald Trump pulled a mask out of his suit pocket during the debate with Biden, saying that 'I put a mask on when I think I need it'. However, he took a swipe at Biden for wearing 'the biggest mask I've ever seen' even if his audience was '200 feet away'. Trump previously mocked Biden after the former vice president wore a mask at a Memorial Day event in May. The president retweeted a post by Fox News analyst Brit Hume which made fun of how Biden looked and said 'this might help explain why Trump doesn't like to wear a mask in public'. Asked about the tweet, Trump said it was 'very unusual' to wear a mask outside and accused a reporter of trying to be 'politically correct' by wearing one himself. Biden called Trump a 'fool' in response, saying in an interview that 'this macho stuff' was costing lives. The Trump party - from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump and Ivanka Trump - were wearing masks when they arrived at the debate ...but Eric Trump (left) and Ivanka Trump (right) had taken their masks off before Donald Trump and Joe Biden began sparring At one stage, Melania still had her mask on while Eric, Ivanka, Tiffany and Donald Jr had taken theirs off But Melania took her mask off and did not put it back on when she went on stage later in the evening Donald Trump pulled a mask out of his suit pocket, saying he wears one when needed - but mocked Joe Biden for wearing 'the biggest mask I've ever seen Trump previously said he 'did not want to give the press the pleasure' of seeing him with a mask, while saying he had worn one away from the cameras. The president finally changed his tone in July, saying it was 'patriotic' to wear a mask. Melania Trump, by contrast, had let Americans see her in a face mask as long ago as April while urging people to take the health regulations 'seriously'. 'As the CDC studies the spread of Covid-19, they recommend people wear cloth face coverings in public settings when social distancing can be hard to do,' Melania said on April 9. A nearly identical message from Melania was shared on the official White House YouTube channel the same day. Only days earlier, Donald Trump had said he could not see himself greeting 'presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens' while wearing a mask. The president's daughter Ivanka Trump also urged people to follow CDC guidance on April 13, sharing a photo of herself and her daughter Arabella wearing home-made face coverings. Ivanka was seen wearing a mask in public as long ago as May, and her use of face coverings has exposed her to criticism from Trump supporters. Joe Biden has made numerous appeals for Americans to wear a mask during the pandemic, sharing footage of himself putting on a face covering. Joe and Jill Biden wave to the audience after the first debate, which was described as a 'hot mess' with moderator Chris Wallace struggling to maintain order Melania Trump took her socially-distanced seat alongside her stepdaughter Ivanka Trump, who had taken her mask off Melania wore a $3,340 figure-flattering pinstripe suit from one of her favorite designers, Dolce & Gabbana, while Jill wore a green silk dress with fringing detail on the front Jill, 69, wore a mask with dark green cloth design from Athleta last night, almost exactly the same shade as her fringed frock. The former second lady wore a green silk dress with fringing detail on the front, a design she was previously seen wearing at a fundraising event in 2017. Meanwhile Melania, 50, wore a $3,340 figure-flattering pinstripe suit from one of her favorite designers, Dolce & Gabbana. The first lady opted for a disposable white face covering to match the white button-up that she wore under her suit. Ivanka wore a mask with a floral design but took it off as she took her seat next to Melania, while there was no sign of the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The president's family boarded Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland as they headed to Ohio for the debate. Trump's sons Eric Jr and Donald, their respective partners, and the president's son Tiffany were also in the traveling party. The Trump party also included White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and supportive congressman Jim Jordan. Organizers said there were about 80 people in the audience, including campaign staff, hosts, health and security officials and journalists. All the guests were tested for coronavirus before the debate, and seats were set with programs and antibacterial wipes. MIDDLETOWN Nearly four weeks into the start of school, operating under a hybrid plan amid the coronavirus pandemic, district administrators are looking to the future to determine what a return to all in-person classes could look like. The district began distance learning March 13, after the state closed all educational facilities, and continued through the end of the academic year. The prospect of moving away from the current hybrid model a mix of classroom and online learning, which began Sept. 3 will be discussed in depth at a number of upcoming Board of Education meetings, beginning Oct. 13. It will depend on many factors, including the number of coronavirus cases in Connecticut at the time, Superintendent of Schools Michael Conner said. I know the majority of parents are hopeful about the children returning to school soon safely, said board Chairwoman Deborah Cain. Only time will tell COVID is very unpredictable, said Cain, who is also eager to see what effect the flu season will have on local education. Just before this academic year began, a few members of the school community contracted COVID-19, but none had contact with students or staff, and the 14-day quarantine period for those individuals is over, Conner said. The reentry plan, Getting Back To Innovation and Equity 2020-2021, which took months to develop over the summer, with input from the governors schools reentry task force and state Department of Education, was a successful one, he said. We have really articulated and implemented physical distancing guidelines, desk shields, temperature scans before people enter the building, and mask requirements. Because everyone is focused on high-level fidelity with the implementation, it curtailed a lot of cases, Conner said. Early on, many parents, educators and community stakeholders were anxious about how face masks would work at the schools especially in the lower grades, Cain said. Once children were in school and able to function well within safety guidelines, that view changed. There were a few difficulties related to online learning, such as links not working and parents not being able to sign on to various platforms, she said. But those kinks are being worked out swiftly, Cain said. Anytime you roll out something new, sometimes those incidents happen. The only thing you can do is have a contingency plan to ensure you resolve them as soon as possible, she said. I knew it would not be perfect. The best thing we can do is take those incidents, and turn them around to make sure theyre working great for everyone, she said. School administrators and BOE members are relying heavily on the local and state departments of health for guidance, Cain said. Theres no blue book for this, theres no instructional manual. Well use them as a guideline for proceeding for the rest of the school year. Hopefully, COVID-19 is good to Middletown. Overall, the city has done very well in keeping the numbers low and the school continues to aid to make sure that happens, Cain said. The three-year district plan, Middletown 2021: Keys to Innovation & Equity, concludes in June. Middletown 2024: Elevating Innovation, Creativity, and Equity Strategic Operating Plan will take effect in June 2021. Soon, administrators will be launching a crowd-sourcing campaign that will ask questions of the community. Answers will be compiled in a report expected to highlight key strategies to improve the public schools, which, Conner said, will be worked into the new working operating plan. The superintendent based some of his operating plan on a report by McKinsey & Co., which focused on life-ready learning for students after graduation, prepared to enter the workforce to compete in an ever-changing 21st-century society, Conner said. Among the districts goals are fostering more vivid engagement in closing the achievement gap, improving leadership capacity, and partnering with members of the business and municipal offices to consider many ideas, the superintendent said. Conner presented his professional goals and objectives Sept. 23 to education board members, as well as those for the school system he oversees. Those will be reevaluated by the BOE in June, Cain said. Some parents with students in the middle schools have been discussing the phasing-out of French classes at the intermediary level; however, language choice at the high school includes French, Italian and Spanish. Over the past few years, Conner has seen a significant decrease of students enrolling in French, and an uptick in those wanting to learn Spanish. Demand for American Sign Language as an elective also is increasing across the nation, Conner said, as well as Mandarin. Its not the traditional standardization of world languages were used to being the primary options students want to have, Conner said. Instead of generating supply programs, were looking at what the demand is and what our constituents want. One new program underway at the high school is centered on aerospace and manufacturing, among the many fields for which employee demand is high, Conner said. Many of todays workers are 55 and up, and are nearing retirement age. The industry is going to be booming. There will be an immense number of jobs and opportunities for students. Were also encouraging women to the field, and looking at diversifying the workforce, Conner said. The initiative is a collaboration between related industries, as well as Middlesex and Asnuntuck community colleges. Presently, 130 students are enrolled, Conner said. These are lucrative careers for young people some entry-level jobs for high school grads pay as high as $90,000, the superintendent said. One thing about Dr. Conner is, he continues to work on the present, but he also focuses on the future. Hes always looking for a plan for the betterment of the district, Cain said. Its not one individual or entity that will improve the lives of kids. It takes a collective ecosystem to ensure were providing the necessary support, and specialized resources families are going to need to be successful, Conner said. To view a summary of Middletown 2024, see https://bit.ly/3cFIXy6. The Czech and Slovak governments on Wednesday declared a state of emergency to combat the coronavirus with infections growing in both countries Prague, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2020 ) :The Czech and Slovak governments on Wednesday declared a state of emergency to combat the coronavirus with infections growing in both countries. Prague declared a state of emergency as of October 5 and said it would ban fans from stadiums and slap strict attendance limits on indoor and outdoor events for two weeks. Bratislava declared a state of emergency as of Thursday when the duty to wear face masks outside unless a safe distance can be observed will be imposed. "The Czech Republic ranks among countries with one of the sharpest increases (in infections)," Health Minister Roman Prymula told reporters in Prague. "We have to introduce measures that will curb the growth," added the epidemiologist, who took over the ministry earlier this month. Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic said restrictions would be in place until November and "then we will decide whether to continue or get back to normal". The Czech government will allow a maximum of 10 people at indoor events and 20 people outdoors, with the exception of family events, workplaces, cinemas and theatres, for two weeks starting October 5. Prymula said however that operas and musicals would be banned for those two weeks as "singing is one of the riskiest activities". Matovic in turn announced a 50-person limit on mass events. The Czech government will also close secondary schools and switch to distance learning in regions with a rapid growth in infections. "The measures dominantly concern leisure-time activities and do not interfere with the economy," Prymula said. After fending off much of the pandemic earlier in the year with timely steps including mandatory facemasks outdoors, the Czech and Slovak governments lifted most measures before the summer holidays. But the number of infections and the death toll started to rise in both EU member countries, forcing the authorities to act. Over 10,500 persons are requesting the general prosecutor, Gabriela Scutea, dispose the starting of an investigation in regards to possible electoral fraud in the local elections in Bucharest. "The signatories of the petition believe that without the involvement of the General Prosecutor's office we won't know if the mayors or local councilors are those we elected or are uncaught thieves. And, especially, we will not find out if it's a few isolated cases or a generalized crime system that falsifies the result of elections in the entire country," according to a release of the Declic community, sent, on Wednesday, to AGERPRES.The Declic petition was launched following suspicions appearing in the public space regarding the fraud of the electoral process in Bucharest, where the leaders of the political formations had a competition of accusations regarding stolen votes or votes moved from one candidate to another, faked closing reports or other chicanes, Declic mentions."At the level of local prosecutor's offices there were criminal complaints recorded, but the Declic community is requesting a unitary investigation to shed light once and for all regarding the fairness of the elections. Treated individually, without the information being correlated from one local prosecutors' office to another, there is the risk for the investigations to lose sight of the bigger picture or be unable to gather enough evidence," Declic mentions.Antoniu Bumb, Declic campaigner, stated that "the trust of citizens in the electoral process is at a low.""For us, as voters, it's incredible what is happening. Practically all parties are calling out 'THIEF!'. They agree that the elections were stolen! In such a situation everyone loses, because the trust of citizens in the electoral process is at a low. Romania cannot afford this before the parliamentary elections. We must find out if the votes were stolen or not and that will happen only through an ample and impartial investigation of the General Prosecutor's office. Only thus can the fair people of this country can go vote again, convinced that their votes actually matter," said Antoniu Bumb. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 17:58:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed lower Wednesday after Wall Street's drop overnight, with a feisty and at times chaotic clash between President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden in the first presidential debate sparking concerns over the future course of U.S. policy as well as uncertainty about a possible delay in the election outcome. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 353.98 points, or 1.50 percent, from Tuesday to close the day at 23,185.12. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 32.61 points, or 1.97 percent, to finish at 1,625.49. Trading got off to a nervous start, local brokers said, after Wall Street's negative overnight lead, with investors hitting the sidelines for the first of three presidential debates between Trump and Biden. In the fiery and at times unruly debate, brokers here said that while Trump's performance was "as expected," Biden came across as the calmer of the two in the clash, making his policy points and criticisms of Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic as well as prolonged issues of civil unrest while appealing directly to voters. "That wasn't actually a debate. But Biden at least seemed to be calmer than Trump," Kazuo Kamitani, senior associate at the investment research and investor services department of Nomura Securities Co., was quoted as saying. The pair also clashed over the economy and tax issues, Trump's personal tax issues, as well over the voting system of the upcoming Nov. 3 election, with Trump reiterating concerns over the possibility of fraud as record numbers of voters are expected to vote by post due to fears of the coronavirus pandemic. "Uncertainty about the U.S. election has actually increased," Daiju Aoki, regional chief investment officer for Japan at UBS Securities, noted while Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities Co. said that there could be turbulence ahead as, "What markets dislike the most is having an indecisive election result." Shares extended losses in the afternoon, local brokers said, with declining oil prices also dampening sentiment and hurting energy-oriented and exporter issues. By the close of play, bank, securities house and air transportation-linked issues comprised those that declined the most. Among energy issues retreating, Japan Petroleum Exploration dropped 3.0 percent, while exploration giant Inpex sank 2.7 percent. ENEOS Holdings, meanwhile, ended the day 2.5 percent lower. NTT Docomo Inc. was a notable winner again, surging 20.9 percent, while SoftBank Group Corp. added 0.5 percent. NTT Corp. the previous day announced its decision to acquire 100 percent ownership of its mobile carrier business NTT Docomo Inc. through a 4.25 trillion yen (40.21 billion U.S. dollars) tender offer. Through the tender offer -- the largest-ever takeover bid in Japan -- NTT, which holds a 66.21 percent stake in NTT Docomo Inc., said it will acquire the remaining stocks from individual holders, financial institutions and other shareholders. On completion of the tender offer, NTT Docomo will be delisted from the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The move will allow NTT Corp. to net 100 percent of Docomo's profits, the largest mobile carrier in Japan which boasts around 80 million subscribers. NTT said the move is aimed at enhancing its competitiveness in 5G and other next-generation communications networks, with the acquisition coming as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is pushing for lower smartphone service fees amid broader private and public sector digitalization initiatives. Issues that fell outpaced those that rose by 1,892 to 253 on the First Section, while 31 ended the day unchanged. On the main section on Wednesday, 1.442 billion shares changed hands, rising from Tuesday's volume of 1.140 billion shares. The turnover on the third trading day of the week came to 2.909 trillion yen (27.531 billion U.S. dollars). Enditem The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners voted to make their meetings fully-online during their Wednesday morning meeting, which was the first held partially in-person since March. The resolution read as follows: A resolution establishing all forthcoming meetings at the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners held during the outbreak and spread of the pandemic of coronavirus COVID-19 shall continue to be held virtually until the governor of the state of Tennessee completely unconditionally lifts his executive order allowing virtual meetings by local legislative bodies. Commissioner Greg Martin asked County Attorney Rheubin Taylor if the resolution also precluded commissioners from meeting in-person, as they were that morning. The attorney said hybrid meetings would no longer happen if the resolution passed. This motion calls for exclusively video and not hybrid, the attorney said. You would only be meeting by virtual. So if we passed this resolution, it would be inappropriate for anyone to meet in these chambers and meet face to face with anyone who would desire to do that, Commissioner Martin asked, saying the resolution went beyond what the governor laid out in his order. The governor has not forced us to meet virtually, hes allowed us to, Commissioner Martin said. But if we pass this resolution, then the County Commission cannot meet in the chambers. No hybrid. The attorney said Commissioner Martin was correct. He also said any other meeting, such as finance or zoning, should also be held virtually as well. Commissioner Warren Mackey said he was in favor of the resolution, citing the continued prevalence of the virus. Its dangerous out here, and Im struggling to understand the logic of wanting to run out into that building to be exposed (to the virus) when we dont have to, Commissioner Mackey said. Commissioners Katherlyn Geter, Martin, David Sharpe, and Chairman Chip Baker all voted in opposition of the resolution. Attorney Taylor said the rest of the days meeting should still be held in person. That concluded the recessed meeting. Toward the end of the regular meeting, County Mayor Jim Coppinger addressed the Commission about COVID-19. He said numbers are trending in the right direction, but asked his constituents to remain cautious when out and about. We do have a press conference scheduled for next Tuesday at noon at the Health Department, and I ask for all of you to join, mayor Coppinger said. Well be discussing a number of things, and well have some special guests to lay some of the reasoning out. Im really proud of the people in the community with different advisory boards and task forces, and the governors task force for giving us a lot of input and to be able to hear a lot of different points of view to make a decision. But I dont want anybody in our community to let their guard down. Sometimes these issues get politicized, and thats not helping the 95 fatalities weve had and over 8,000 who have tested positive. And we dont know the long-term effects. I wish people were privy to sit in the meetings I have with physicians from different areas, and the one thing we dont know is once you have the virus and it goes away, what are the lasting effects? The mayor said a vaccine will help a lot, but he said such a vaccine will not be available for several months. There will be a time when were not wearing masks and when things are back to normal. But in the meantime, please respect the virus. He said the county is starting to see what he called a lack of cooperation in regard to people who have had the virus and refuse to go along with contact tracing. The County Commission also heard about a resolution to amend the general fund expenditures budget for the EMS department by $721,000 from previously unbudgeted funds, in order to allow EMS to facilitate a change in workforce schedule. We had anticipated waiting till January to bring this resolution up, but there have been changes to the workplace, Lee Norris said. We just had a county in Georgia elect to have Memorial provide their ambulance service, and Memorial can pay more than we can. Were trying to get a leg up on the competition before they come in and hire our best people away from us. He said EMS is already down six people since August, and he said that with this budget amendment, he believes we stand a good chance of keeping our good employees and hiring even more. The 2021 Hyundai Tucson is a compact crossover that's now available at Cocoa Hyundai, located in Cocoa, Florida! Car buyers in the Cocoa, Florida, area have a comprehensive resource they can turn to when its time to shop for a new vehicle. The Cocoa Hyundai website is filled with informative model research pages, competitive comparisons and other helpful information designed to simplify the shopping process and aid them in decision making. These pages detail the different Hyundai vehicles available at the dealership, such as the new 2021 Hyundai Tucson which is now available in the dealerships showroom. The Hyundai Tucson was first introduced for the 2005 model year and is now nearing the end of its third generation. The newest version of the compact crossover has arrived at the local dealership and is available to customers interested in a stylish and spacious ride. Its informative model research page highlights things like a few of its exterior color options and its versatility. The page even highlights a few of its most exciting features, such as the Hyundai SmartSense suite of advanced driver-assistive safety technologies, which includes things like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and Lane Keeping Assist. Residents of the area that might be interested in such a vehicle can find all of this information and more on the dealerships website, http://www.cocoahyundai.com/. Specific questions about the 2021 Hyundai Tucson or any other vehicle on the lineup can be directed to the sales team at 321-631-2444. The Cocoa Hyundai dealership is located at 1825 West King St. in Cocoa. FLASHR Weve seen first-hand how worried stakeholders are about whales selling or the project foundation moving their assets. Using Flashr, investors can now make smarter decisions regarding their token investments by receiving real-time data about on-chain movements. Blockchain monitoring and automation platform PARSIQ recently announced the release of its newest sub-product Flashr. Flashr is a public and free-to-use monitoring system that allows users to be notified of any token movements that they are interested in or invested in. It is one of the first platforms to provide real-time alerts to users about a particular token or project. The best part? Everyone can use the platform; whether youre just a spectator or an investor, you can enjoy the benefits of this newest monitoring system from PARSIQ. Currently FLASHR keeps track of 13 projects: Aave, Serum, FTX, Huobi, PARSIQ, Band Protocol, Compound, Reserve Rights, DFI.Money, Chainlink, CoinMetro, Yearn.finance, Uniswap. The team will be updating Flashr continuously, not only by adding new tokens, but new features to give everyone a wealth of trading data to match on-chain alerts. "Weve seen first-hand how worried stakeholders are about whales selling or the project foundation moving their assets. Using Flashr, investors can now make smarter decisions regarding their token investments by receiving real-time data about on-chain movements. Flashr will allow anyone to track a token projects status." says Tom Tirman, Co-Founder of PARSIQ. Flashr is a new approach to the market where users can get notified real-time for either whale transfers or teams moving their tokens that will be sent straight to the subscribers telegram account. No need to dig through Etherscan or do any other blockchain explorer. Subscribers can now sit and relax because all the information they need will be sent to them through this new innovative technology. PARSIQ, known as a platform that can track on-chain activities and connect to off-chain apps such as getting a notification when theres a change in balance in the users wallet, will help investors and stakeholders keep an eye on any token investments and potentially front-run any selloffs. Everyone can try PARSIQs sub-product Flashr for better decision-making: https://flashr.parsiq.net/ About PARSIQ PARSIQ is a blockchain monitoring and workflow automation platform that serves as a multi-level bridge between blockchains and off-chain applications. PARSIQ's features automate the blockchain analytics and monitoring process, providing customizable workflows with real-time intelligence. JERSEYVILLE A Saint Charles, Missouri man faces two counts of aggravated battery after an incident in which a police officer and another person were pushed into the water in Jersey County. Brent M. Weseman, 32, was charged Sept. 14 with two counts of aggravated battery, Class 2 and Class 3 felonies, and battery, a Class A misdemeanor. According to court documents, on Sept. 12 Weseman pushed a police officer into a river, pushed another man into a river and held his head under water, and threw a third man to the ground. Bail was set at $10,000. Other felony charges recently filed by the Jersey County States Attorneys Office include: Cassandra N. Presley (AKA Cassandra N. Howard) was charged Sept. 25 with burglary without causing damage, and theft, both Class 3 felonies, and criminal trespass to real property, a Class A misdemeanor. According to court documents, on Sept. 24 Presley entered a vehicle at the Super 8 Hotel in Jerseyville to commit a theft, taking approximately $700 cash and other items. She also allegedly entered Walmart property after being forbidden from coming there. Bail was set at $25,000. Steadman DT Robinson, 27, of Granite City, was charged Sept. 22 with possession of stolen firearm, a Class 2 felony; and unlawful possession of weapons by felon, a Super Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 22 Robinson was found to be in possession of a stolen Taurus G2 9mm handgun, and had a previous felony conviction, making him ineligible to possess a firearm. Bail was set at $25,000. Rebecca L. Westfall, 40, of Kane, was charged Sept. 21 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 19 she was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $5,000. Logan Scott Vaillancourt, 25, of Dow, was charged Sept. 21 with failure to report change of employment within 3 days, a Class 3 felony. No bail was noted. Roger E. Pace Jr., 34, of Grafton, was charged Sept. 17 with two counts of aggravated arson, both Class X felonies. According to court documents on Sept. 12 he attempted to burn down two residences in the 100 block of E. Main Street, Otterville, knowing there were people inside. Bail was set at $500,000. Thomas P. Beck, 35, of Highland, was charged Sept. 17 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony; and possession of a firearm without requisite firearm owners identification, unlawful use of weapons, and unlawful possession of firearm ammunition without required firearm owners identification card, all Class A misdemeanors. According to court documents, on Sept. 15 Beck was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. He also had a 9mm Taurus Model PT 11 handgun in his vehicle along with ammunition. Bail was set at $15,000. Drew J. Fredrick, 21, of Brighton, was charged Sept. 15 with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 14 he allegedly intentionally strangled a family member, causing great bodily harm. Bail was set at $10,000. Matthew A. Maronie, 36, of Jerseyville, was charged Sept. 14 with theft, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 11 Maronie took fishing equipment with a value in excess of $500 from another person. Bail was set at $5,000. Jeremy A. Vail, 27, of Cottage Hills, was charged Sept. 14 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony; and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor. According to court documents, on Sept. 12 Vail was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine and a glass pipe. Bail was set at $5,000. Fawn M. Kitsmiller, 35, of Illinois 16, Jerseyville, was charged Sept. 14 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 6 she was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $5,000. Not every member of Congress will pick up the phone in his or her district office before 9 a.m. on a random Wednesday, but Democratic Rep. Danny Davis stays tightly connected to Chicago and puts a premium on constituent services. So no surprise he was there awaiting a (negative) COVID-19 test result when we called. Davis says his office sees more than 100 people a week looking for a job, dealing with Social Security problems or requesting assistance an alderman or state lawmaker might otherwise address. But they go see Davis. We try to help in any way we can, he says. The 7th District includes the citys West Side, and Davis, seeking his 13th term, says Chicagos summer of gang-related shootings reasserts the need for aggressive anti-violence programs. We have to be constantly involved in street-level grassroots activity helping to change the mind set of individuals who have already gotten started, he says. Also running: Republican Craig Cameron of Chicago, who says not enough has been done to combat crime in the district and Independent candidate Tracy Jennings of Westchester, a military veteran. Davis is endorsed. Approximately 6,300 students will have at least one grade upgraded in the Leaving Cert 2020 results. It is understood an error has affected 10% of results and relates to one line of code. Education Minister Norma Foley is understood to have been advised of the errors last Wednesday. Ms Foley is due to make a statement on the matter this afternoon. Taoiseach Micheal Martin earlier confirmed that two errors had been discovered in the calculated grades system. Mr Martin told the Dail that the minister will make a "comprehensive" statement on the matter, covering what occurred and the measures taken to rectify the issues. "Above all, to ensure that we can ease as much anxiety as we can in relation to this, students themselves," Mr Martin added. "Our objective has to be the students and how they receive this information." In what potentially could be a bombshell for thousands of students, it is essential there is accountability with the process. Thats according to Aodhan O Riordain, Labours education spokesman, who said what has now emerged will cause huge concern for students. I appreciate students have to be informed, but we also need political transparency and a full explanation. The confirmation by the Taoiseach that two errors have been found in the calculated grades process is a bombshell for thousands of students. It appears this will result in the upgrading of students. The errors could have a profound impact on the points awarded to students and their qualification for college places, he added. We need clarity from the Minister on how this will be handled. Mr Martin told the Dail that the minister will make a "comprehensive" statement on the matter, covering what occurred and the measures taken to rectify the issues. "Above all, to ensure that we can ease as much anxiety as we can in relation to these students themselves," Mr Martin added. "Our objective has to be the students and how they receive this information." The 2,300-page verdict by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court, which acquitted all 32 persons accused of conspiring to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992, largely focused on the lack of credible evidence provided by the probe agency. Judge Surendra Kumar Yadav determined that in the absence of this, it could not be proved that there was prior conspiracy to raze the disputed structure. Interestingly, the report of the 1992 Liberhan Commission set up to look into the demolition concluded that there was one. WATCH | Babri Demolition Verdict: What next? Yug Mohit Chaudhry | On The Record In court, CBI argued that the provocative speeches given by senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad provoked kar sevaks (Hindu religious volunteers) who gathered in Ayodhya for several days before December 6, 1992. Also Read: Babri demolition verdict an inspiration for temple in Mathura: Karnataka minister To bolster its claim, it presented newspaper reports, photographs, video recordings of the demolition, 351 witnesses and the police complaints that were lodged hours after the mosque was razed. But it ran into problems from the start. During the trial, BJP veteran LK Advani and MM Joshis lawyer MP Ahluwalia pointed out that in two FIRs filed on December 6, 1992, the time of the demolition was recorded differently, and raised questions about the veracity of the proof. The first FIR (197/92) lodged by station house officer Priyamwadnath Shukla at Ram Janmabhoomi police station mentioned the time of the demolition as 12pm. This FIR blamed unnamed kar sevaks. The second FIR (198/92), also filed at Ram Janmabhoomi police station, by sub-inspector Ganga Prasad Tewari recorded the time of the demolition as 10am. This FIR blamed Advani, Joshi and other leaders. Ahluwalia argued that the two FIRs, filed in the same police station, were incongruent because the second FIR naming the politicians -- was an afterthought filed to falsely frame persons. During trial of the case, Priyamwadnath Shukla (then SHO) failed to justify why this was done, said the judgment. Also Read: Muslim, Left leaders decry verdict on Babri Masjid demolition The second problem turned out to be voice samples. During the trial, the prosecution alleged that Advani and Joshi, along with others, were present on a stage and raising slogans that ultimately provoked the mob into demolishing the disputed structure. But the prosecution failed to submit recordings in court of any slogan raised by them or their voice samples and the defence lawyers were able to argue that the recordings were muffled and it was not proven that the speeches were indeed delivered by the accused. The court observed that this could have been a valuable proof. The third problem for the prosecution was the evidence presented in the form of newspaper articles, videos and photographs. Yadav said in the judgment that newspaper articles were not submitted in their original form, videos were not certified from a forensic lab, and photographs were given without negatives. What also went against the prosecution was that none of the local residents of Ayodhya testified against any of the accused to prove that they incited the mob. During investigation, no person came and testified that he was involved in the demolition of the disputed structure and this is also correct to state that nobody said during the probe that he got excited from the speeches of leaders and took part in the demolition, the verdict noted. The court also observed there were intelligence reports at the time indicating some anti-social elements might indulge in some unwarranted act. The court said that witness Anju Gupta had given a statement in court that some dacoits and criminals were part of the crowd. Gupta was additional superintendent of police, posted in Ayodhya during the demolition. She testified in court. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Police said they were responding to reports of looting at the mall when they came across a car containing Mia Wright and others. Officers said they suspected the people in the car were assembled for the purpose of using force or violence to disturb the peace. A containers area is seen in the port of Palermo By Giuseppe Fonte and Gavin Jones ROME (Reuters) - Italy forecasts that its economy will contract by 9.0% this year, the Treasury said on Tuesday, while the budget deficit will come in at 10.8% of gross domestic product. The 9% GDP contraction is a downward revision from a target of -8% set in April, while the 10.8% deficit now expected is a reduction from a goal of 11.9% set just last month. The new targets were agreed at a meeting of the ruling parties on Tuesday, the Treasury said in a statement, and will be formalised in the government's Economic and Financial Document (DEF) to be approved by the cabinet this week. The DEF will be sent to the European Commission for approval and form the framework for Rome's 2021 budget to be presented next month. The coalition, led by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), has been adjusting its economic and public finance targets since Italy was struck hard by the coronavirus pandemic in late February. The DEF will target growth to rebound to a positive 6.0% next year, when the budget deficit will decline to 7.0% of GDP, the Treasury said. The 7% deficit next year is a hike compared with a 5.7% target set in April, reflecting extra spending pencilled in by the government to help shake off its steepest recession since World War Two. Expansionary measures in 2021, financed by extra borrowing and money from the EU's Recovery Fund to help countries hardest-hit by COVID-19, will total some 40 billion euros ($47 billion), Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri said in a televised interview on Tuesday. Italy's public debt, proportionally the highest in the euro zone after Greece's, will be targeted at 158.0% of GDP this year, up marginally from 157.6% forecast in August and the highest ratio in the country's post-war history. The debt-to-GDP ratio will decline in 2021 and subsequent years, the Treasury said, without providing numbers. The budget deficit is targeted to decline to 4.7% of GDP in 2022 and fall to 3% in 2023 - the ceiling set by the EU's Stability Pact, which has been temporarily suspended to allow countries to hike spending to deal with the coronavirus crisis. (Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte and Gavin Jones, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) The new tranche of assays includes Drill Hole ELR20-008 which intersected 25.0m of 1.58g/t Platinum, 1.97g/t Palladium, 0.64% Copper and 0.28% Nickel from 389.7m-414.7m downhole, including 5.0m of 2.36g/t Platinum, 2.87g/t Palladium, 0.91% Copper and 0.27% Nickel from 403.7m-410.0m downhole. Abraham Drost, CEO of Clean Air Metals stated that "the assay results from Hole ELR20-011, 012, 13A, 15, 17 and 18 broaden the Escape Lake deposit laterally into a larger lens of mineralization that appears to be "ponded up" against the Escape Lake Fault to the south. While it is early days and there is work to be done to prepare the Escape Lake deposit for inclusion in the Nordmin Engineering resource validation exercise, it is encouraging that drill targeting based on previous drill results and recent geophysics, has allowed the Company to accurately identify a high-grade core and thicker east side "sail" to the Escape Lake deposit. Average dimensions are now interpreted at approximately 200m long by 175m wide by an average thickness of 30m, with an average specific gravity of 3.1 tonnes per cubic metre. The Company is well funded with over C$12 million in the treasury. Drilling will ultimately extend 650m uptrend to the northwest on 50m sections towards a previously drilled 2010 intersection in Rio Hole 10CL0003 which returned an assay interval of 27.3m of 1.15ppm (g/t) Platinum, 1.3 g/t Palladium, 0.43% Copper and 0.22% Nickel." Table 1 Assay Results Update Escape Lake Zone, Thunder Bay North Hole ID Company From, m To, m Length, m Pt+Pd (ppm) Cu+Ni (%) Pt (ppm) Pd (ppm) Cu (%) Ni (%) 11CL0005 RT 387.0 415.0 28.0 5.63 1.52 2.44 3.18 1.11 0.41 11CL0007 RT 392.6 417.7 25.1 6.28 1.87 2.73 3.55 1.24 0.63 11CL0008 RT 387.9 416.0 28.1 7.26 1.83 3.22 4.04 1.36 0.46 12CL0009 RT 391.0 424.4 33.4 7.09 2.26 3.01 4.08 1.49 0.77 12CL0011 RT 378.0 408.0 30.0 3.39 0.86 1.56 1.84 0.63 0.23 12CL0012 RT 387.4 417.0 29.6 4.00 1.32 1.74 2.26 0.81 0.51 ELR20-002 AIR 386.2 416.2 30.0 4.76 1.45 2.07 2.69 0.96 0.49 ELR20-003 AIR 359.5 438.4 78.9 3.84 1.20 1.66 2.17 0.80 0.41 ELR20-004 AIR 391.6 424.5 32.9 7.49 2.36 3.16 4.33 1.55 0.81 ELR20-005 AIR 386.7 424.7 38.0 4.28 1.55 1.82 2.46 0.92 0.63 ELR20-006 AIR 372.1 388.1 16.0 2.96 0.75 1.37 1.59 0.55 0.20 ELR20-007 AIR 388.5 421.0 32.5 3.85 1.10 1.69 2.16 0.75 0.35 ELR20-008 AIR 326.8 423.0 96.0 2.85 0.95 1.22 1.63 0.61 0.34 ELR20-009 AIR 368.6 373.0 4.0 3.04 1.12 1.23 1.81 0.67 0.44 ELR20-010 AIR 377.3 391.0 14.0 2.73 0.71 1.27 1.46 0.52 0.19 ELR20-014 AIR 377.0 379.0 2.0 1.28 0.37 0.22 0.16 0.60 0.69 ELR20-011 AIR 389.7 414.7 25.0 3.54 0.93 1.58 1.97 0.64 0.28 incl. 403.7 408.7 5.0 5.23 1.18 2.36 2.87 0.91 0.27 ELR20-012 AIR 385.7 399.7 14.0 3.85 1.10 1.72 2.13 0.75 0.35 ELR20-012 AIR 493.0 495.0 2.0 1.10 0.59 0.53 0.57 0.30 0.29 ELR20-013A AIR 375.8 378.8 3.0 1.45 0.52 0.63 0.83 0.33 0.19 ELR20-015 AIR 393.0 403.0 10.0 4.29 1.02 1.97 2.33 0.79 0.23 incl. 397.0 401.0 4.0 5.59 1.29 2.55 3.03 1.01 0.27 ELR20-017 AIR 386.9 395.9 9.0 1.93 0.59 0.88 1.05 0.37 0.22 ELR20-018 AIR 388.7 405.0 15.8 3.77 0.93 1.72 2.06 0.70 0.23 incl. 399.7 404.0 3.8 5.42 1.19 2.46 2.96 0.98 0.21 All intercepts are estimated to be > 95% of true width based on drill hole inclination 95% of true width based on drill hole inclination Mineralized intervals calculated at 1 ppm Pt+Pd cutoff The Escape Lake Zone mineralization identified thus far is located at a depth of approximately 325m-425m vertical depth within the Escape Lake Intrusion. The objective of the ongoing program is to define the magnitude of the Escape Lake Mineralized Zone to support the calculation of a mineral resource estimate and mine plan by Nordmin Engineering Ltd., (announced August 11, 2020) for the Escape Lake horizon in addition to the Current Lake deposit, the subject of an Historic Estimate referenced below. Historic Estimate Current Lake deposit The Escape Lake Intrusion and magma conduit which is the Company's present focus in Phase 1 drilling (Table 1), appears to be a standalone, separate twin structure to the Current Lake Intrusion ("Current Lake") and magma conduit on the Thunder Bay North Project on which there exists a historic estimate of 9.8 million tonnes (Indicated). The Historic Estimate is from pit constrained and underground sources (Table 2). The estimate of the Current Lake Deposit at the Thunder Bay North Project is considered by Clean Air Metals to be historic in nature. No Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 has completed sufficient work for the Company to classify the historic estimate of the Current Lake Deposit as current and the Company is not treating the historic estimate as current. The Company's QP has verified the data but no resampling of core or any other tests on the analytical procedures has been performed by the Company to-date. Confirming the historic estimate at Current Lake and tradeoff studies on possible underground mining methods will be a concurrent priority for Clean Air Metals. Thunder Bay North Pit-Constrained Historic Estimate The pit-constrained Historic Estimate is reported at a cut-off grade of 0.59 g/t Pt-Eq within a Lerchs-Grossman pit shell optimized on Pt-Eq. The strip ratio (waste: ore) of this pit is 9.5:1. The platinum-equivalency formula is based on assumed metal prices and overall recoveries. The Pt-Eq formula is: Pt-Eq g/t = Pt g/t + Pd g/t x 0.3204 + Au g/t x 0.6379 + Ag g/t x 0.0062 + Cu g/t x 0.00011 + Total Ni g/t x 0.000195 + Total Co g/t x 0.000124 + Rh g/t x 2.1816. The conversion factor shown in the formula for each metal represents the conversion from each metal to platinum on a recovered value basis. The assumed metal prices used in the Pt-Eq formula are: Pt US$1,595/oz, Pd US$512/oz, Au US$1,015/oz, Ag US$15.74/oz, Cu US$2.20/lb, Ni US$7.71/lb, Co US$7.71/lb and Rh US$3,479/oz. The assumed combined flotation and PlatsolTM process recoveries used in the Pt-Eq formula are: Pt 76%, Pd 75%, Au 76%, Ag 55%, Cu 86%, Ni 44%, Co 28% and Rh 76%. The assumed refinery payables are: Pt 98%, Pd 98%, Au 97%, Ag 85%, Cu 100%, Ni 100%, Co 100% and Rh 98%. Thunder Bay North Underground Historic Estimate The underground Historic Estimate is reported at a cut-off grade of 1.94g/t Pt-Eq. The Pt-Eq formula is: Pt-Eq g/t = Pt g/t + Pd g/t x 0.2721 + Au g/t x 0.3968 + Ag g/t x 0.0084 + Cu g/t x 0.000118 + Sulphide Ni g/t x 0.000433 + Sulphide Co g/t x 0.000428 + Rh g/t x 2.7211. The assumed metal prices used in the Pt-Eq formula are: Pt US$1,470/oz, Pd US$400/oz, Rh US$4,000/oz, Au US$875/oz, Ag US$14.30/oz, Cu US$2.10/lb, Ni US$7.30/lb and Co US$13.00/lb. The assumed process recoveries used in the Pt-Eq formula are: Pt 75%, Pd 75%, Rh 75%, Au 50%, Ag 50%, Cu 90%, and Ni and Co in sulphide 90%. The assumed smelter recoveries used in the Pt-Eq formula are Pt 85%, Pd 85%, Rh 85%, Au 85%, Ag 85%, Cu 85%, Ni 90% and Co 50%. Ni and Co in sulphide were estimated by linear regression of MgO to total Ni and total Co respectively. The regression formula for Nickel in sulphide (NiSx) is: NiSx = Ni - (MgO% x 60.35 - 551.43). The regression formula for Cobalt in sulphide (CoSx) is: CoSx = Co - (MgO% x 4.45 - 9.25). Nordmin Engineering Ltd. Work Program Nordmin Engineering will provide the following items within its scope of work: Work package 1 (WP1) resource validation: Validate and approve the existing geological model and historic estimate on the Current Lake deposit; Supervise and approve the development of a preliminary geological model of the Escape Lake project in co-operation with the database geologist and Vice-President, Project Manager; Supervise and approve the development of the drilling database and preliminary resource model for the Escape Lake project in co-operation with Clean Air Metals' database geologist; and Develop a global resource estimate for the Thunder Bay North project. Work package 2 (WP2) early tradeoff studies: The WP2 early tradeoff studies for the Current Lake deposit will be conceptual in nature, at an order of magnitude that is comparable with a scoping/preliminary economic assessment level of study. The principal parameters for a conceptual study are mostly assumed and/or factored. Accordingly, the level of accuracy is plus or minus 35 per cent. Nordmin will incorporate risk, peer and environmental reviews, following the ESG principles, into each of the following mining trade-off studies: Underground (UG) ramp access; UG mining method; UG geotechnical review; Metallurgical/preliminary flowsheet design; Tailings management option analysis and initial design; Electric vehicle study; Surface works and infrastructure study; and Simplified, pretax cash flow analysis to be included in applicable trade-off studies. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Clean Air Metals uses ALS Global ("ALS"), a well-established and recognized mineral assay and geochemical analytical services company. The Thunder Bay laboratory holds ISO-9000 accreditation; the Vancouver facility holds ISO-17025 registration. Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) statistical checks were performed on original, ALS-certified analytical data for all 8 holes in Table 1. Selected core intercepts from historic (RT) holes in Table 1 were relogged and resampled and compared with historic data. Mr. Andrey Zagoskin, P.Geo., Ontario, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and employee of the Company, led the validation exercise and has approved Table 1 assay results. All NQ-sized drill core is cut with a diamond-tipped saw blade with half of the core submitted to ALS for sample preparation and analysis. Core samples from selected intervals are individually bagged and tagged, gathered up in larger sealed poly bags and shipped to the sample prep facility in Thunder Bay, ON under custody of Clean Air Metals' personnel at all times. Sample preparation is completed at the ALS sample preparation facility located in Thunder Bay, ON and analysis is completed at the primary ALS assay laboratory located in Vancouver, B.C. Clean Air Metals follows a documented quality control procedure for its core assay sampling program consisting of the insertion of blind blanks, duplicates, and certified Palladium-Platinum and Copper-Nickel standards into the sample stream. The insertion procedure results in a minimum of 11% to 12% control sample frequency depending on the length of the sampled interval. Gold, platinum, and palladium are analysed using fire assay (FA) with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) finish. Samples with grades above the optimal ICP-MS detection limits are analysed using an optical emission spectroscopy method (ICP-OES). Also, thirty-three (33) elements of each sample, including copper, nickel, silver, chromium, cobalt, and sulphur, are analyzed by a multi-element analytical method using the atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) technique following four-acid digestion of the sample. When samples have grades above the optimal detection limits for this analytical method, they are re-analysed using a high-grade method consisting of either ICP-AES or atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) techniques. COVID Policy Clean Air Metals has adopted COVID-19 avoidance and personal protection measures for its geological staff, drilling contractor and service suppliers. Personnel are required to maintain physical distance, use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), self-monitor and self-isolate or elect to work from home. Management had previously eliminated plans for a camp setup to service a planned diamond drill campaign on the Escape Lake Project. The Company is aware of Thunder Bay Health Unit guidelines that provide for "mandatory" self-isolation for returning overseas travel. The guidelines also "strongly recommend" self-monitoring and self-isolation as needed after travel into the Northwest region from other areas of the Province and interprovincially. Mineral Exploration and Development has been deemed an essential service in the Province of Ontario (http://www.netnewsledger.com/2020/03/23/ontario-covid-19-business-allowed-to-remain-open-list-march-23-2020/). The Company has procured the services of a locally staffed and serviced diamond drilling contractor to complete the diamond drilling program. Mr. Allan MacTavish, P.Geo. a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and VP, Project Manager of the Company, has reviewed and approved all technical information in this press release. Clean Air Metals and its wholly-owned subsidiary Panoramic PGMs (Canada) Ltd. acknowledge that the Escape Lake and Thunder Bay North Properties are on the traditional territories of the Fort William First Nation, Red Rock First Nation and Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishnabek, signatories to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850. The parties have entered into a Communication Protocol and are committed to ongoing updates and dialogue around the Thunder Bay North Project. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Abraham Drost" Abraham Drost, Chief Executive Officer of Clean Air Metals Inc. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. SOURCE Clean Air Metals Inc. The Verkhovna Rada adopted Resolution No. 4109 "On the statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on non-recognition of the legitimacy of the so-called local elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine - in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol". As the correspondent of Interfax-Ukraine reports, 276 MPs voted for the document at the meeting on Wednesday. "The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declares a protest in connection with another illegal holding on September 13, 2020 by the Russian occupation administration of the so-called local elections in the temporarily occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, in particular the "elections of the governor of Sevastopol" and "by-elections of deputies" of the so-called "State Council of the Republic of Crimea" and "Simferopol Local Council," the statement said. The Ukrainian parliament appealed to members of the legislative bodies of foreign states and international parliamentary organizations with an appeal to give a principled assessment of the illegal actions of the Russian Federation to organize and conduct the so-called local elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in Crimea, as well as refrain from any contacts with illegal bodies of the Russian occupation administration and its representatives. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Three construction workers were given a first hand glimpse of Sydney's new Crown Casino on Tuesday - but not by choice. Footage uploaded to Reddit showed a trio of workers in a cage suspended by a massive crane bump into James Packer's soon to be completed gambling venue with some degree of force. Eventually the men made their way down to safety in what looked to be a terrifying experience. The workers stuck in a cage suspended by a crane (pictured) seconds before crashing into the Crown Casino Sydney The construction workers (pictured) after crashing into the Sydney Crown Casino on Tuesday A Reddit user (pictured above) said the experience would have evoked a 'big nope from me' while another said it was an example of 'appalling health and safety' One Reddit user sympathised with the workers, stating 'that would be a big nope from me' while another pointed to 'appalling health and safety measures.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Crown Casino Sydney and construction company Lendlease for comment. It isn't the first incident of its kind at the soon to be second casino in the harbour city. In January this year, an unattended crane repeatedly smashed into the $2.4billion casino in Barangaroo as intense winds smashed the city. The crane repeatedly collided with a single window pane in the high rise building, which will become a casino and luxury apartment block upon completion in December. A spokeswoman for Crown Resorts confirmed one of the window panes was shattered in the incident. 'The site was closed at the time, and nobody was injured,' she said at the time. 'A full safety review of the crane equipment is being conducted. Crown is committed to the safety of its employees, contractors and visitors.' Me Wuk Tribes Of Tuolumne County building at Mother Lode Fairgrounds View Photo Sonora, CA The Tuolumne County Public Health Department confirms that the regional free coronavirus testing site is anticipated to move during the first week of November. Currently, it is operating at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds, but officials have been looking for a new location. We reported earlier that a building on North Washington Street was being considered for the site, but the plan was scrapped. The public health department now reports, The state testing site which we share with Calaveras County will be moving to the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora beginning in November. We anticipate the move will happen November 1-2 with a start date for appointments and testing on November 3rd. The hours of operation will remain the same, Tuesday through Saturday, from 7am-7pm. U.S. President Donald Trump was challenged on reports that he paid hardly any federal taxes in 2016 and 2017 during his first debate with Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday night. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) defended himself when questioned about a news report on the minimal amount of income tax paid by him, saying I dont want to pay tax.During the first presidential debate, moderator Chris Wallace asked the US President about The New York Times report which revealed that Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 and also he had paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years starting in 2000. Trump, who disputes the report, was pressed to say how much he paid in taxes but declined. I paid millions of dollars in taxes. Millions of dollars in income tax, he said.Then he said that he attempted to avoid taxes as much as possible, referencing tax breaks that he and others try to claim.I dont want to pay tax, he said. He added that private investors like himself, unless theyre stupid, they go through the laws and thats what it is. Meanwhile, Biden talked about his plans to repeal some of the tax cuts passed under Trump and impose taxes on companies that pay little to the U.S. now, the President said that Biden had served for many years and didnt take action.Biden went right back at him, pointing out that hes actually proposing to raise taxes cut by Republicans. You in fact passed that, Biden said. That was your tax proposal. ALSO READ: Nobody can dare to touch Army generals in Pakistan says Gilgit-Baltistan leader ALSO READ: US Presidential Debate 2020: Trump goes after Bidens son for work in Ukraine NEW YORK (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday accused Lebanon's Hezbollah of storing weapons near a gas company in a residential Beirut neighborhood, but the Iran-backed movement denied it. Speaking in a video to the United Nations General Assembly, pre-recorded due to the coronavirus pandemic, Netanyahu warned the depot in the Jnah neighbourhood was "where the next explosion could take place". Lebanon has been pushed to breaking point by a financial meltdown and a massive August blast at Beirut port that killed nearly 200 people. Authorities have said highly explosive ammonium nitrate detonated after being kept in poor storage for years. Hezbollah has denied any involvement. "I say to the people of Jnah ... You've got to protest this. Because if this thing explodes, it's another tragedy," Netanyahu said. "Iran and Hezbollah have deliberately put you and your families in grave danger... You should tell them, tear these depots down." A photo displayed by Netanyahu during his speech, purporting to show the entrance to a missile factory, was taken on the ground in Beirut, suggesting an Israeli intelligence asset provided it. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah denied the existence of missile sites on Tuesday, accusing Netanyahu of trying to provoke Lebanese against the Shi'ite movement. Shortly after Netanyahu's speech, Hezbollah's media centre took a large group of journalists on a tour of what it said was the site, on a crowded residential street in Jnah. In the building, described by Hezbollah as a factory, there were machines used to cut metal and some gas cylinders. "There's not a speck of what Netanyahu said in this factory. This is a private factory that makes metal pieces, with laser cutting machines and such, that's all," said Mohammad Rammal, who said he runs the factory. "These are lies, what more can I say?" Story continues Heavily armed Hezbollah and Israel last fought a month-long war in 2006. Speaking later on Tuesday to the General Assembly, Iranian diplomat Mohammad Reza Sahraei denied what he called Netanyahu's "baseless and unfounded allegations." The Israeli military said in a statement it had reported the site, and others "numerous times, both to the U.N. and additional diplomatic networks, as well as via various media channels." It urged the Lebanese government to intervene. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Jeffrey Heller; Additional reporting by Alaa Kanaan, Raya Jalabi and Ellen Francis in Beirut; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Howard Goller) The decision of a Lucknow special court to acquit all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition conspiracy case comes as a big setback for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which, for 28 years, has maintained that there was a conspiracy to demolish the structure. People who have been following CBIs investigation through the years say it will be interesting to see whether the agency, which has spent considerable time. money, and energy investigating the case, challenges the decision in a higher court . For now, CBI has chosen to be tightlipped. The agency spokesperson didnt respond to the judgement or remarks it contained on agencys investigation skills. CBIs choice is made difficult by the fact that the current political dispensation is unlikely to be in favour of an appeal. The people, who asked not to be named, but who ar familiar with different stages of investigation in the case said that it was a thorough investigation. The agencys case was that there was a conspiracy to destroy the disputed structure so that Ram Temple could be built at the disputed site When CBI took over a total of 49 cases the main case naming lakhs of unknown karsevaks in December 1992; 47 related to attacks on mediapersons; and another case against 8 BJP leaders for giving provocative speeches it was a challenging task as hundreds of kar sevaks who were present in Ayodhya and Faizabad didnt want to talk to the agency officials, one of these people added. WATCH| Welcomed Babri verdict with Jai Shri Ram chant: LK Advani on acquittal CBI managed to locate some independent witnesses and then there were statements from mediapersons as well as several Muslim residents from the area, this person said. The agency filed a chargesheet against 48 persons and charges were framed against all of them including senior BJP leader L K Advani, but in 2001, a Special Court dropped the charges against Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti. Also Read: Muslims will challenge Babri order: Jilani CBI challenged the decision in the Allahabad high court, which gave a decision after nine years, in 2010. The Supreme Court, in 2017, asked a Lucknow court to frame conspiracy charges against BJP leaders, and thats when a fasttrack trial started. The agency produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the court. Also Read: LK Advani, acquitted in Babri case, says ruling vindicates my and BJPs belief in Ram Janmabhoomi movement Over a period of time, several witnesses or accused had died. The CBI teams handling the case also kept changing and its main investigating officer, M Narayanan, who filed a chargesheet saying there was a conspiracy, retired in 2009 as joint director. HT tried to contact him on Wednesday but he didnt respond to calls and emails. The agency has seen a long list of acquittals in high profile cases now including the 2G scam, the Aarushi-Hemraj murders , despite having a dedicated prosecution wing. Problem is not with investigations. The matters keep on lingering in courts for years, said a second officer. Babri Masjid case has been pending in courts since 1993. There has to be a limit to the time courts take. SEARCH A minimum of 3 characters are required to be typed in the search bar in order to perform a search. TDT | Manama Start-ups in Bahrain, many of which are run by women, have raised more than $63 million in funding from 2016 to 2019, Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) Start-Ups head Pakiza Abdulrahman said. She was speaking during an online international forum entitled The role of women and civil society during the COVID-19 pandemic...future achievements and opportunities, organized by the Bahraini Businesswomens Society and held in collaboration with international and local partners from over 20 countries. The region has also seen a surge in investments in recent years, and those achievements were represented in the completion of 564 deals and investments in 2019, totaling some $643 million, up from 294 deals in 2015, and 242 tech investors in 2018, up from 65 in 2012, with a compound annual growth rate of 25 percent. Pakiza confirmed that startup funding is available in Bahrain at every stage, including government funding and grants, such as affordable financing and subsidiaries from the Tamkeen labor fund and from angel investments. The opportunities Bahrain offers to women entrepreneurs and small companies before and during the pandemic are aplenty, she noted. The Kingdom is one of the easiest places in the world to set up a company, she said. It provides opportunities that make it a smooth and easy experience thanks to a supportive government. In addition, all necessary processes and services from commercial registration to public and private notaries are available online. She added that supporting start-ups and scale-ups is an integral part of the national economic vision of Bahrain, as the public and private sectors unite in their vision towards empowering start-ups and creating a supportive environment that is keen on and deploying emerging technologies. Womens roles during pandemic Shura Council member and society member Dr. Ibtisam Al Dalal confirmed that Bahrain has succeeded in developing and implementing an integrated strategy to fight the coronavirus. In line with the direction of Supreme Council for Women (SCW) president Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the SCW has directed all its attention and expertise to support the work being done by Team Bahrain in service of Bahraini women and their families, to ensure the highest levels of personal and professional stability. Two key SCW initiatives have so far served over 6,000 women-supported families in less than 50 days, Dr. Al Dalal said. For her part, society member Dr. Hanan Madan commented: Women in Bahrain are playing a prominent role in breaking the chain of the spread of coronavirus. Women are very prominent in the healthcare sector in Bahrain; 65 percent of the total doctors in Bahrain are women, and as for nurses, those heroes constitute a massive 90 percent of our caregivers. The forum was attended by SCW representatives, heads of societies and organizations, and representatives of a number of international organizations with whom the society signed memoranda of understanding from India, Russia, China, Egypt, and Jordan. YouTube star Olivia Jade Giannulli's musician boyfriend Jackson Guthy was booked into jail for DUI just two days before her shamed Fuller House star mother requested to serve her college cheating scandal sentence at a medium-security prison. Olivia Jade has tried to lead a quieter life in the two years since her parents were busted in the bribery scam to get their children into USC but she recently put on a loved up display outside a popular LA restaurant. Guthy, 24, was booked for misdemeanor driving under the influence after he was pulled over in California on September 7, Us Weekly reported Tuesday. Guthy was busted behind the wheel in Santa Monica around 3.13pm and was released from custody at 7.28pm, booking records show. Olivia Jade Giannulli's musician boyfriend Jackson Guthy was booked into jail for DUI on September 7 Olivia Jade, who turned 21 on Monday, was spotted at dinner with Guthy on September 23 Olivia's mother Lori Loughlin requested to serve her two month sentence for the college admissions scandal at a medium security prison. Mossimo Giannulli was sentenced to five months. They are supposed to report to prison on November 19 It's unknown what may have impaired his driving that afternoon. DailyMail.com has reached out to a representative for Guthy. Earlier this year the city of Santa Monica cracked down on DUIs by setting up checkpoints and conducting stops after California saw 'a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes'. The Office of Traffic Safety has campaigned that 'DUI Doesn't Just Mean Booze,' and warns that 'if you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI.' 'Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI,' they added. Marijuana is available to those with a prescription in California. While the musician and Olivia Jade have been on-and-off breaking up in May 2019 around the time of her parents' scandal and reuniting last August they couple has been seen out together as recently as last Wednesday. Guthy was pulled over in Santa Monica, California at 3.13pm and released from custody 7.28pm It's unknown whether the YouTuber was with Guthy at the time of the incident. 'Olivia really loves him,' a source previously told Us. 'He's so chill and laid-back that she can't help but be comfortable around him' Olivia Jade restricted her social circle in the wake of Operation Varsity Blues as she lost business deals when it emerged her parents paid to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as crew recruits even though neither girl was a rower The pair were spotted holding hands at Delilah restaurant in LA. It's unknown whether Olivia Jade, who turned 21 on Monday, was with Guthy when he was pulled over this month. However after shying away from the spotlight so not to further damage her influencer brand in the wake of Operation Varsity Blues, Guthy is one of the few people the vlogger will see these days, according to reports. 'Olivia really loves him,' a source previously told Us. 'He's so chill and laid-back that she can't help but be comfortable around him.' She lost big-money deals with lifestyle brands after her parents were busted. 'Throughout this ordeal, Olivia was distant from her former sorority sisters and certain people she was close to before the news broke,' another insider told Us Weekly in May. 'Her former friends were not sure if it was based on legal advice or the fact that she felt too embarrassed to face the situation to old friends. Now, Olivia has been more open to communicating with them and rekindling those friendships.' Lori Laughlin was sentenced in August to two months in prison and issued $150,000 in fines for her participation in the scheme by helping her two daughters fake qualifications to get into the University of Southern California. She and her fashion designer husband paid to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as crew recruits even though neither girl was a rower. Mossimo Giannulli was sentenced to five months. They are supposed to report to prison on November 19. On Sept. 9, a judge signed off on the actress' request to serve her sentence at the Victorville prison, which is the federal correctional facility closest to her Los Angeles home. By Charlotte Greenfield and Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Afghanistan's top peace official, Abdullah Abdullah, said on Wednesday he did not expect the result of the upcoming U.S. presidential election to dramatically change the Afghan peace process or troop withdrawal plans. President Donald Trump's administration this year brokered peace talks between the Afghan government and the insurgent Taliban to end 19 years of war, and the United States is pulling out its troops under a deal with the militant group signed in February. The withdrawal is expected to be complete in May, subject to certain security guarantees. Trump is currently lagging behind Democrat challenger Joe Biden in polls ahead of the Nov. 3 election. "Nobody can say with certainty what would be the impact of the outcome of the elections in the United States but based on my experiences and interactions, the policy will not change that much," said Abdullah, who is the senior official overseeing peace talks by the Afghan negotiating team in Doha. "Neither Democrats nor Republicans would want to see all the gains or all the sacrifices they have made in Afghanistan in vain(or) be hurt once again from Afghanistan or because of Afghanistan," he told Reuters in an interview at the end of a three-day visit to Pakistan. Abdullah also said that an upcoming conference in Geneva in November, at which governments will pledge financial support to bolster the peace process, would also be "one of the things in our mind" as they try to build momentum at the negotiating table. United States special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Tuesday flew to Doha to meet negotiators, who two diplomatic sources said have been deadlocked over setting a process for negotiations in part due to the Taliban insistence that the U.S.-Taliban agreement be used as a basis. During his visit to Islamabad, Abdullah had met with Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as the president and foreign minister. Story continues Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have long been rocky. Afghanistan officials including Abdullah - and its international allies have for years accused Pakistan of backing the Taliban insurgents as a way to limit the influence of old rival India in Afghanistan. But Abdullah said that he believed there had a been a change in recent years in Pakistan's approach, adding that they still had influence over the Taliban leadership, though the degree was at times exaggerated. "It was communicated to the Taliban that it was important for them, it's important to their relations with Pakistan that they sit around the negotiating table," he said, saying that had helped to break decades of the Taliban refusing to sit down for talks. "Today that has changed," he said. "I do consider this as an important development." (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Gibran Peshimam; Edting by Angus MacSwan) President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that a postponement of the parliamentary elections is not appropriate, arguing that the law by which Parliament sets the date of the general elections is some politicians' "pathetic attempt" to get the daily allowance for a few more months. "That's all it comes down to, in my opinion, because the last reasonable deadline, from the point of view of the mandate, is December 6, and I really hope that the procedures that are still in progress will lead to the validation of this date. I am almost convinced that this will be the case. No serious politician, no serious parliamentarian imagines that he can stay till the cows come home, just like that! The mandate ends. We risk entering an inadmissible period and I will tell you why. The parliamentarians' mandate ends on December 20. Parliament does not dissolve ex officio. It stays. They take their daily allowance, they make up commissions, committees ... They can no longer decide on organic laws, they can only discuss simple laws and you realize what a catastrophe would be for Romania that, in the middle of winter, in the middle of the pandemic, Parliament is full of people who cannot decide on anything anymore. It will take laws, it will take action to control the phenomena that are possible. I hope that will not be the case," Iohannis told a press conference at the Cotroceni presidential Palace. "In order to be able to act, not only for the Justice laws, to stop the pandemic, to come up with good laws that clarify concrete situations, we need a Parliament with full powers, a 100% functional Parliament; not a Parliament as it is now, with a toxic majority and with parliamentarians who can't wait to get the daily allowance for another three months beyond their term," said Iohannis. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-29 22:48:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A nurse is seen at an ICU ward of the First Hospital of Wuhan City in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Tuesday honored 800 female role models and 200 groups for their contributions in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Shen Yueyue, vice chairperson of the National People's Congress Standing Committee and president of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), presented awards to the honorees at an award ceremony in Beijing. During the event, the ACWF, the National Health Commission, and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission jointly presented citations to 500 individuals and 100 groups, including the function department of the designated coronavirus-treating Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. The ACWF honored 300 individuals and 100 groups, including the committee of a residential community in Beijing. Representatives of the awardees expressed their determination to remain true to their original aspirations and live up to the expectations of the country and the people. Two connectivity deals have been announced in Oman in the past few days, both relating to the extension of communications services to remote parts of the country. Omani group Space Communication Technologies Company (SCT) has signed a multi-year contract with Oman Broadband to provide communications and internet services to approximately 598 remote villages and residential areas in Oman. This contract is part of the countrys Universal Service Obligation project, which is in turn part of a national initiative by Omans Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). SCT will be providing and running the full satellite communication infrastructure, covering the whole of Oman. This will include multiple government institutions, with more than 100 schools and health centres. Oman Broadband will coordinate with the local fixed line internet service providers in Oman to accommodate users needs. The satellite communications infrastructure includes high throughput satellites (HTS) using Ka-band. But thats not the only news of significance to Omans more remote areas. A little earlier this week Ooredoo and Oman Broadband (OBB) announced an agreement to connect remote regions with high-speed fixed broadband internet in Oman, again as part of an initiative by TRA. Under the agreement, the parties will provide quality satellite bitstream to previously underserved areas in a number of governates across the sultanate. The project is part of Omans Vision 2040, which aims to build a knowledge-based economy and society. Well, we are now at least a month into the 2020-2021 school year, depending on when your district started. We have generated some important data that will help us make more decisions on the rest of the school year. School leaders are continuing to gather and study that data to ensure the safety of our students while providing the best learning opportunities possible during this virus situation. So far, school districts have been operating under various plans that were put in place by their local school boards and administrations. This local control has allowed for parental input, teacher discussions, and information sharing. Comparisons between districts throughout Madison County have been inevitable and helpful. As the districts who went back to school in person and hybrid have shown, safety measures can be put into place to keep kids safe. In the districts that chose to go remote to start the school year, they have been monitoring the status of in-person learning with the goal of safely returning to in-person classes. I would like to take a moment here to compliment the students in Madison County schools and across the state who have taken the safety protocols seriously and are playing a large role in the success of returning to school in person. I have been in several schools and have seen students wearing their masks without complaint, using hand sanitizer, and maintaining their social distance. The students are happy to be back in school and are following instructions very well. The district school superintendents, the Regional Office of Education, and the Madison County Health Department continue to meet weekly to discuss the operations of the county school districts. Updates are given and questions are asked. One area of concern is the continued high numbers of individuals testing positive in Madison County and COVID Region 4. Our COVID region continues to operate under restrictions placed upon it by the state health department. It is true that we currently have a positivity rate percentage that is above the 8% threshold that the state deems as a safe goal, but we are trending in a downward trajectory and should be under that goal soon. I encourage everyone to visit the Madison County website and click on the health department link to find out where the testing centers are located each week. I hope that folks will continue to get tested and do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The more we all work together, the quicker we can get back to normal. Getting back to normal will be good for both our schools and our local economy. So far, I feel that our school districts are doing a commendable job getting the school year started. When one looks back to the summer and all of the fear and uncertainty that our educational leaders had to deal with, one can see that their plans have mostly worked out in a positive manner. There have been changes to these plans, but that too, is a compliment to the school boards and administrators. They have had to be flexible in dealing with such a fluid situation. They have listened to parents, teachers, doctors, and public health officials and they have made tough decisions based on this input. Teachers, parents, and students have done their parts in taking precautions seriously. Teachers are monitoring their own health as well as students health at school. Parents are checking for symptoms before they send their students to school. Students are being kept home when they are symptomatic. Students are wearing masks and are keeping a safe distance from one another. I do not want to fail to mention all of the curricular challenges that each of these folks have had to manage on top of the aforementioned tasks. At times, it has been a struggle learning new technologies and formats. It has been quite a different start to the school year this fall. There are still many challenges ahead as we continue in the school year. But, I feel that our education community has done a great job, so far, and will not only meet those challenges but overcome them the same way they have done up to this point. Robert W. Werden is the Madison County Regional Superintendent of Schools. He is in his 26th year as an educator. He is a former Director of the Madison County Career and Technical Education System. He can be reached at www.roe41.org An unarmed Black man died in the custody of law enforcement officers during an arrest. Although the official report initially said that he suffered medical distress unrelated to the officers conduct, eyewitnesses saw an officer apply his full bodyweight by placing his boot into the mans head and neck, forcing him into the ground for several minutes until he stopped breathing. This story likely sounds familiar to any American after the events of this year but this isnt the death of George Floyd, and this didnt happen in Minnesota. The man who was killed was named Jamail Amron, and he was killed while in the custody of Harris County constables on Sept. 30, 2010 10 years ago. The similarities between the two cases, despite the decade between them, speak to the fact that the dual crises of police brutality against Black and brown people and the lack of accountability have been going on for years. But just as Floyds death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers triggered waves of outrage and calls for reform across the country, the specifics of Amrons case touches on issues we must resolve in Texas as well. Amron had called 911 for medical assistance, and when Harris County constables arrived, they needlessly escalated the situation, culminating in one officer pressing his boot over Amrons nose and mouth, blocking his airways until he could no longer breathe. In 2012, Amrons family brought a lawsuit over his death, and in 2017, a jury finding that the responding constables actions had been the cause of Amrons death awarded them $11 million dollars. However, earlier this year, an appeals court overturned that decision, stating that because the constables do not set county policy, the county was not liable for Amrons death. And just this month, the appeals court refused to rehear the case. The familys $11 million award was reduced to a $1 million that may never get paid. The appeals courts decision is just another example of the ways in which, under our current laws, it can be incredibly difficult to hold law enforcement officers accountable when they violate peoples rights, or injure or kill the people they are charged with protecting. Amrons family has now embarked on a decade-long fight for accountability and is still seeking to challenge the appeals court ruling that overturned the jurys verdict. But his family shouldnt have to fight for years to get a glimmer of justice. As with Breonna Taylor, Nicolas Chavez and so many others, Amrons death should have never happened in the first place. Last month, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus announced that it will file a bill in the upcoming legislative session to help provide much-needed clarity and accountability in cases of police violence. The goal of this legislation, named after Houstons own George Floyd, is not just to provide justice and accountability when tragic killings like those of Floyd and Amron happen it is also to prevent them from happening altogether. The George Floyd Act will limit the use of arrests for very minor offenses, require officers to de-escalate situations, provide statewide standards for use of force, and ban chokeholds and other techniques that block individuals airways during arrest. The bill will also address qualified immunity and the current tangle of legal loopholes that make it so hard for people like Amrons family to get accountability in our courts, even when their rights are egregiously violated by law enforcement officers. While we anticipate there may be some resistance to passing these critical reforms, we also know that justice cant wait. At this moment, when there is a global spotlight on the problems with policing as it currently exists, and when our communities are crying out for accountability, trust and safety, my colleagues in the legislature have an opportunity to give them hope. While it is too late to prevent the deaths of Floyd, Amron and the countless others who have wrongfully lost their lives in police custody, it is not too late to give their families some closure by holding officers accountable to the communities they serve and reimagining the function of policing. Thompson is the representative for State District 141. The body of the 20-year-old Dalit woman, who died at a Delhi hospital on Tuesday after she was gang-raped allegedly by four upper caste men, was cremated by the police and district administration of Hathras around 3am on Wednesday against the wishes of the family. The womans family members said the police forcibly performed the last rites last night even though they wanted to bring her body home one last time and cremate her in the morning as per customs. The woman had died at Delhis Safdarjung hospital on Tuesday, two weeks after she was attacked brutally while helping her mother in the fields. She had suffered multiple fractures, paralysis and a gash in her tongue in the horrific assault. But the familys horror did not end there, as a high-handed police force whisked away her body from the hospital around midnight without informing the family. The parents and the brothers of the victim were in Delhi when the UP police brought her for cremation to Hathras, 200 km away from the national capital. Bhuri Singh, the uncle of the deceased, told News18 that police pressured relatives to perform the last rites in the middle of the night. The parents and brothers of the victim were not present on the spot, they were in Delhi and did not even arrive by the time the body reached the village. When we asked not to perform the last rites at night and wait for the family, the police said that if you do not do it, we will do it ourselves, he said. The police did not hand over the body to the family despite them asking to see her face for the last time. Videos showed the victims family pleading with police officials to let the body be brought home one last time, and the cremation be done in the morning. Relatives tried to block the ambulance from carrying the body to the cremation ground. At the village, there was also a clash between the police and angry villagers, and some relatives also tried to block the ambulance from going towards the cremation ground by throwing themselves in front of it. But the police pushed the protesters away and cremated the victim around 3am in the absence of family members and without any customs. Videos and photos from the village showed a lone pyre, and no family members near it. Only cops were present, and they also kept media away. The relatives also pleaded with the sub-divisional magistrate to not complete the last rites in a rush, and accused him of misbehavour. The police has claimed that the cremation of the woman was carried out by the family members. Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikrant Veer denied any urgency by police in cremation despite the fact that cremation usually do not take place in night. Prem Prakash Meena, the Joint Magistrate of Hathras, told news agency ANI, The last rites of the victim have been performed. Police and administration will ensure that the perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice. All four attackers, upper caste men from the womans village, are in jail. They will now also be charged with murder. The UP police is under scrutiny over alleged lapses throughout the case, and the inexplicable rush in cremation has further added to anger and confusion in the village. After the death of the victim, all the political parties fiercely targeted the government. The Bhim Army reached Safdarjung Hospital and started a sit-in demonstration. In many districts of the state, people took out a candle march in support of the victim and pleaded for justice. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning tweeted, A daughter of India is raped, facts are suppressed, and in the end the right to funeral is also taken away from her family. It is abusive and unjust. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed the cremation by police and district administration against the wishes of the family as inhuman. The government did not protect her while she was alive. The government did not provide timely treatment when she was attacked. After the death of the victim, the government took the last rites of the daughter from the family. Gross inhumanity, she said. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gestures while speaking during the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2020. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo) Biden Falsely Says He Didnt Call Troops Stupid [Expletives] Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wrongly said during Tuesday nights debate that he didnt call members of the military stupid [expletives]. He made a statement about the military. He said I said something about the military. He and his friends made it up, and then they went with it. I never said it, President Donald Trump said. He called the military stupid [expletives],' Trump added. I did not say that, Biden responded. Bidens own campaign confirmed last week that the nominee made the remarks while visiting troops in the United Arab Emirates in 2016. Biden at the time was vice president. The video showed Biden saying: I have incredibly good judgment. One, I married Jill, and two, I appointed Johnson to the academy. And I just want you to know that. Clap for that, you stupid [expletives]. President Donald Trump supporters watch the presidential debate in Old Forge, Penn., on Sept. 29, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) People present were clapping when Biden made the off-color remark. Come on, man. Man, you are a dull bunch. Must be slow here, man. I dont know, Biden added. Biden earlier in the debate criticized Trump for his alleged remarks about troops, saying: The way you talk about the military, the way you talk about them being losers and being and just being suckers. My son was in Iraq. He spent a year there. He got the Brown Star. He got the Conspicuous Service Medal. He was not a loser. He was a patriot and the people left behind there were heroes. The Atlantic magazine claimed in early September, citing anonymous sources, that Trump made derogatory remarks in private about troops. Four on-the-record sources quickly challenged the report, and dozens of others came forward later to rebut it. The Atlantic report was also riddled with factual errors. An honest vote count is no longer possible ballots massively infected, Mr. Trump falsely asserted on Twitter on Nov. 12, 2018, adding that ballots had showed up out of nowhere, and many ballots are missing or forged. Dont worry, Florida I am sending much better lawyers to expose the FRAUD! he wrote on Nov. 8. That same day, Gov. Rick Scott, the Republican nominee for Senate who was awaiting a recount in his race, had accused two of the states largest counties, Broward and Palm Beach, of rampant fraud and asked officials in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate. Investigate they did. And earlier this year, at the end of their nearly 18-month inquiry, the investigators found no evidence of widespread fraud. No, there was nothing sinister about vote totals being updated slowly overnight. No, Republicans were not illegally barred from observing the recount. No, Democrats did not act unlawfully when they tried to help voters fix problems on their mailed-in ballots. The only evidence of wrongdoing that investigators pointed to was that an elections supervisor in Bay County, in a heavily Republican part of the Florida Panhandle that had been ravaged by Hurricane Michael, counted 12 votes sent in via email, a possible violation of state law. Prosecutors determined there was not enough evidence to bring a case. H igh in Sir Graham Bradys office, a poster in War Office typeface cries out: Freedom is in peril. Defend it with all your might. Its been there years but it seems singularly appropriate for todays parliamentary battle royal over the Brady Amendment, a landmark bid by MPs to stop Boris Johnson imposing emergency coronavirus measures by decree. Its very easy for government to get into bad habits, said Brady, when asked how he felt about the latest tranche of new Covid offences backed by eye-watering fines, which came into force on Monday without a single minute of debate in the Palace of Westminster. It doesnt surprise me that government, having had the luxury for six months of doing things without proper parliamentary scrutiny, has got into the habit of it. It just underlines the importance of breaking that habit and finding a new modus operandi. Sir Graham, 53, speaks quietly and carefully, as befits the chairman of the 1922 Committee, one of the most powerful behind-the-scenes figures in SW1A. The shop steward of Conservative backbenchers, he usually operates out of public view. Today, however, Brady has come out of the shadows to lead an extraordinary challenge to the Prime Minister. Backed by at least 55 Conservative rebels and senior Labour MPs like John Cryer, his opposite number, Harriet Harman and John Spellar, he is pushing an amendment that would require such measures to be debated and voted on in future. All governments find parliamentary scrutiny inconvenient, explained Brady. Of course they do its meant to be inconvenient! Its there to pose difficult questions and to make sure things have been thought through before they come into force. That makes the life of ministers more difficult. They have to be better briefed, they have to have better answers. Thats what Parliament is for. He is confident the Government will back down to the Brady Bunch, whether or not Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle allows a vote on the amendment. He said ministers who believe the amendment cannot be allowed for procedural reasons are wrong. I took advice from a very senior clerk who drafted the amendment with me, he revealed. The clerks advice is that the amendment is selectable. Brady believes the scale of the Tory rebellion more than enough to demolish Johnsons 80-seat majority will persuade the PM to make a concession and give Parliament some of its confidence back. However he is dismayed that just 90 minutes of debate has been set aside to approve the extension of emergency powers for six more months, which he calls wrong. He says that former Supreme Court judge Baroness Hale made an important comment it struck home when she said Parliament had surrendered its role by enacting such sweeping powers. He is critical of some of the pandemic measures, which he says have lacked consistency and are confusing. On the 10pm curfew for restaurants and pubs, he says the damage to businesses and pictures of people packing streets at the new closing time inevitably raises the question of whether it might do more harm than good. He worries that the 1,000 (rising to 10,000) fines for people who break self-isolation risk injustice. There must be a concern that a significant part of the population would be unable to pay a fine of 10,000 or 4,000. A lot of people are on reduced earnings, a lot of businesses are just scraping by. I think it is certainly worth thinking through the potential consequences. Was Johnson in danger of becoming one of the control freaks that he once attacked? Brady laughed, but his answer suggested concern. All those things about being too controlling, the tendency towards the nanny state, all things that we instinctively oppose, I think we need to look very carefully at how we approach the current crisis. Sir Graham does not resemble a rebel. His smile is never far away. Hes just always cheerful, whispered Victoria, his wife of 28 years, a former TV journalist who works as his senior assistant. They met at Durham University, where both chaired the student Conservative association. Brady has a long track record of taking on authority. In 2010 he resigned as shadow minister for Europe in protest at David Camerons opposition to grammar schools. He never regretted coming off the greasy pole. Theres no point in being in Parliament if you dont stand for something, he pointed out. The reaction from constituents in Altrincham & Sale West was an eye-opener. People would cross the road to shake my hand, he says. What really took me aback was that about 20 per cent of those who pumped my hand and slapped me on the back said, I completely disagree with you about grammar schools but thank God one of you believes in something. Brady speaking to the media / Reuters As the 22 chairman, he had the unpleasant task of telling Theresa May her party wanted her to stand down last year. For months he was custodian of private no-confidence letters from up to 48 MPs needed to trigger her ousting. What had he done with those letters? I think in due course I probably need to get around to shredding them, he teased. Astonishingly, the letters are still in his office safe. Brady said he would never reveal them or their authors who probably include Johnson and his circle but added: I do think that one day when I get around to writing my memoirs they might be helpful as a little memory jogger of exactly what happened. The memoirs could be juicy. All governments find parliamentary scrutiny inconvenient. Of course they do its meant to be Had he received any letters since the general election expressing no confidence in the current PM? A sphinx-like smile: I never comment on whether I have received letters or not. How did he respond to Rishi Sunaks statement last week that the country must learn to live without fear? Brady enthused: I think it is very important. A very large number of people were actually frightened by the [lockdown] message. I think were still seeing quite large numbers of people living their lives constrained, not just by government rules, but by that fear that was engendered. Does he see Sunak as a future Tory leader? I think hes been very impressive. Brady cautioned against tax hikes in Sunaks postponed Budget. If taxation were to push more businesses into administration, or make it impossible for families to afford to pay their mortgages, that would be a very undesirable outcome. Did he agree with Sir Desmond Swayne who claimed the PM had been reprogrammed by Sage and was dominated by scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance? Brady laughed, but stressed the need for new laws to be viewed in a balanced way. Chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady declares the result of the confidence vote / PA Young people were fit and healthy yet were being held under virtual house arrest at university. They should be allowed to get on with their lives. I think it would be sensible to shift more towards an approach that prioritises protecting the most vulnerable people, he said. Should Whitty and Vallance have held the No 10 press conference where they brandished projections of 50,000 cases a day? Brady felt specialist health and science correspondents should have been allowed to ask questions. Were the two scientists getting too powerful? We need checks and balances, and we need good process that ensures that people dont overstep the mark, that they dont make decisions based only on one set of metrics, he said. Im sure that Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty think they are doing the very best that they can, but we should make sure that people who are making those projections are questioned, and we should make sure that Government ministers making decisions on those projections are subject to proper scrutiny in Parliament." Large numbers are living their lives constrained, not just by government rules, but the fear that was engendered Had he downloaded the NHS App. I havent yet. I might wait until the bugs have been ironed out, he grinned. A few hours later he texted to say he had downloaded it. He dismissed the fuss over the day the Prime Minister met 50 MPs at the weekly 22 in a room labelled with a maximum socially distanced capacity of 29. Committee Room 14 is like a cathedral, he said. What concerns me is that Parliament is still working on the same two-metre rule that we asked the rest of the country to move away from some time ago. Did Brady think Johnson would still be Prime Minister at the next election. Yes, he replied instantly and firmly. I just hope the next election is in three and a half years time. First, however, the PM should stop trying to rule by decree. For me, the important thing is to recognise that sometimes unwelcome and extraordinary measures may have to be taken, said Brady. But government should always approach them by saying, what is the maximum amount of freedom that people can retain and the minimum level of interference from the state?. If things come through that filter, then were going to be in a better place as a country. Prominent Muslim and Left leaders from south India on Wednesday came down heavily on the verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case and asked the Muslim Personal Law Board and the CBI to appeal against the judgment that exonerated all the accused. Describing it as a black day in the Indian judiciary, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and MP from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi said this judgment was given only to satisfy Hindutva ideology. Muslims of India have not got justice. I request the Personal Law Board to go in for an appeal against the judgment immediately, he said. The AIMIM chief asked the court to make it clear who had demolished Babri Masjid when everybody was innocent in the incident. Wherever L K Advanis Rath Yatra was taken out, there was violence and killing of innocents, he pointed out. He wondered how the CBI court could say the demolition was not pre-planned. How much preparation must have gone into the demolition of the mosque? Is it not true that BJP leader Uma Bharati had made provocative slogans asking the activists to demolish the mosque? Is it not true that Advani had distributed sweets after the demolition? he asked. In Kerala the Muslim League, all ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front, was more guarded in their criticism and exhorted believers to maintain peace and amity. The verdict is a big letdown. It is unfortunate even after 28 years justice eludes the community. Some of the observations are really intriguing. It even says leaders tried to prevent the demolition. It gives an impression that a mosque never existed at the disputed site. We hope the probe agency will file an appeal against the verdict, said Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty. Party supremo Panakkad Hyderli Thangal has asked believers to maintain peace and amity. But Popular Front of India (PFI), a fundamentalist outfit, chairman O M A Salam has termed the verdict a shameful act. It is another black day in the history of India. It seems a political verdict which is not based on facts and evidence, he said. Congress and Left leaders also criticised the judgment. The whole world saw the destruction of the structure. How can you say there are no evidence? asked former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and PCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran also slammed the verdict. The verdict is really shocking. After the destruction of the masjid, it is yet another attack on democracy. All democratic and secular forces will have to raise their voice against the decision that literally gives a clean chit to the accused, said Democratic Youth Federation of India, CPI (M) youth wing president, Mohammad Riyaz. Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet Will take decision on reopening schools after mid-Nov: Mamata Banerjee India pti-Madhuri Adnal Kolkata, Sep 30: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of reopening schools anytime soon, saying her government will take a call on the issue only after mid-November. In an administrative review meeting in North Bengal, Banerjee said a decision in this regard will be taken after Kali puja on November 14. All schools have been shut in Bengal since March 16, following the outbreak of COVID-19. Unlock 5.0 guidelines out: What is allowed and what is not "Any decision on reopening of schools will be taken after Kali puja," the CM said. Earlier, state education minister Partha Chatterjee had said that Bengal would wait for the pandemic to slow down as it was not in favour of "exposing its students to health risks" by resuming classes in schools. Cinema halls may reopen from October 15 under Unlock 5 | Oneindia News At the meeting, Banerjee also announced that 50 acres in north Bengal has been allotted to Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University for its second campus. "Work for the second campus will start soon," she said. Yosemite Entrance Gate - Be Ready To Show ID View Photo Yosemite, CA Yosemite National Park will be modifying some of its COVID-19 related operations in a little over a month. The National Park Service has stated that it is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis. Today, citing the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state public health authorities, Yosemite park officials relay they will continue to increase public access and services by ending the day-use reservation system that has been in place since the park reopened in June. As of November 1st, day-use passes will no longer be required for entrance through the parks gates. We would like to extend our gratitude to all park visitors and our local communities for their support of our modified operations this summer, stated Acting Superintendent Cicely Muldoon. With the health and safety of park visitors and employees guiding our decisions, we were thrilled to welcome thousands of visitors to Yosemite this summer. In the meantime, however, day-use reservations will be needed throughout the month of October, click here for details. Park officials continue to urge visitors to do their part when visiting and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by following coronavirus protocols including six feet of social distancing and wearing a mask. and China on Wednesday "positively" evaluated the decisions taken at the last round of military talks to defuse the nearly five-month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh and pushed for their implementation to avoid misunderstandings and maintain stability on the ground. Diplomats of the two countries held another round of virtual talks under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs, but it is learnt no concrete outcome emerged from the negotiations to expedite an end to the tense standoff and that both sides vowed to continue the dialogue process. The (MEA) said it was agreed that the next round of the meeting of senior army commanders should be held at an early date so that both sides can work towards an early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in accordance with the existing bilateral agreement and protocols, and fully restore peace and tranquillity. The MEA also said the two sides noted that the agreement reached between foreign ministers of the two countries should be "sincerely implemented" to ensure disengagement at all the friction points along the LAC. "In this regard, the two sides positively evaluated the outcome of the sixth senior commanders' meeting on September 21. They emphasized the need to implement the steps outlined in the joint press release issued after the last meeting of the senior commanders so as to avoid misunderstandings and to maintain stability on the ground," the MEA said in a statement. "In this context, the need to strengthen communication, especially between the ground commanders, was emphasised by both sides," it said. The MEA said the two sides reviewed the current situation along the LAC and had "frank and detailed" discussions on the developments since the last meeting of the WMCC on August 20. The sixth round of Corps commander-level talks was held on September 21 following which they announced a slew of decisions including not to send more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters. The military talks were held with a specific agenda of drawing a roadmap to implement the five-point agreement reached between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at a meeting in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) meet. The agreement included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC. "The two sides attached importance to the meetings between the two defence ministers and the two foreign ministers held earlier this month. They also noted that the agreement between the two Foreign Ministers should be sincerely implemented to ensure disengagement at all the friction points along the LAC," the MEA said. The defence ministers of the two countries too met on the sidelines of another SCO event in Moscow on September 4. In its statement, the MEA also said that both sides agreed to continue to maintain close consultations at the diplomatic and military level. The Indian delegation at the WMCC talks was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the MEA Naveen Srivastava while the Chinese side was headed by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs department of China's foreign ministry. In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry said the two officials agreed to earnestly implement the five-point consensus reached between the two foreign ministers. The ministry said the two sides also agreed to strictly comply with the agreements and protocols on border affairs, take practical measures to further ease and cool down the border situation and avoid taking any action that may complicate matters. Meanwhile, speaking at an event, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said his country believes that China- ties go far beyond the bilateral scope and have great regional and global significance, adding that a sound relationship between the two countries is an important and positive factor in maintaining world stability. "China and are neighbours that cannot be moved away. That is why living in harmony is the only correct choice. We look forward to working with the Indian side to ensure the stability of the overall relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective," he said. "As long as the two sides adhere to this common goal and move in the right direction, China-India relations will eventually disperse the clouds and get back on the right track," he added. The envoy also made a mention of the chapter on India-China relations in the newly released book The India Way" authored by Minister Jaishankar. "The two sides should firmly grasp the general direction of the relationship, regard each other as positive factors in the changing balance of power in the world, and manage differences in a more mature manner," Sun said. The Wednesday talks took place amid a war of words between the two sides on perception of the LAC, the de-facto Sino-India border spanning a length of nearly 3,500 km. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson recently insisted that China abides by the LAC as proposed by then Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter dated November 7, 1959. In a sharp reaction, India on Tuesday categorically rejected China's "so-called unilaterally defined" LAC of 1959, and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from advancing an "untenable" interpretation of the de-facto border. The Indian government also reminded China that its insistence there is only "one LAC" is contrary to the solemn commitments made by Beijing in previous bilateral agreements, and expected it will "sincerely" abide by them in their entirety. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Trend Azerbaijan has the right to self-defense, said the countrys Ambassador to Bulgarian Nargiz Gurbanova, as she was talking about the recent escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Trend reports with reference to Bulgarian media. She pointed out that Azerbaijan repeatedly warned the international community that Armenia is preparing for a new war, but unfortunately, no measures were taken to stop Armenia. Gurbanova recalled that on September 27, the Armenian armed forces began firing on the Azerbaijani positions. They targeted not only the army positions, but also civilians, added the envoy. The ambassador said Azerbaijan expects the UN Security Council to ensure the implementation its own resolutions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions demanding complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijans occupied territories. The fulfillment of these resolutions must be supported by all member states, added Gurbanova. She pointed out that Azerbaijan has the greatest interest in solving this problem, because it is about Azerbaijans territory, which has been occupied and many people had to left their homes. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the frontline, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of the retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A woman who was wrongly deported from the UK and is now back in the country after successfully challenging the Home Office has called for other asylum seekers who were removed under the same unlawful policy to come forward. On Monday, the courts rejected an attempt by the Home Office to overturn a High Court decision to bring the Ugandan national, 27, back to the UK last year. Lawyers and campaigners described the ruling as a nail in the coffin for the policy, known as detained fast-track, under which she and thousands of others were deported before it was ruled to be unlawful in 2015. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons and is referred to by the courts only as PN, told The Independent she was so happy that justice has been done, and urged other people living in hiding in their home countries following removal to challenge the Home Office. On returning to Uganda in 2013, PN spent years in hiding, during which she was gang-raped. She said she felt unable to report the incident to the police out of fear that they would discover her identity, as she has previously been persecuted against due to her sexuality. As a result of the sexual assault, the young woman became pregnant and gave birth to a child, who is now 18 months old. Speaking to The Independent following Mondays ruling, PN said she hoped her case would pave the way for other people who were detained and removed from the UK under the fast-track policy to come forward and challenge the decision. I am so glad I got justice after everything Ive been through with the Home Office. Today to get a win is amazing to me. Im so happy that the justice is still there, that justice can still be done against the Home Office and the way they treat us, she said. Its also about the other people. The system needs to be corrected so it treats people properly. We are human. There are many other people in the same situation as me. They are there in hiding. They dont know what to do. They think they cant be helped. I want to encourage them to come out." The detained fast-track system was introduced by the Home Office in 2005 and came to an end in 2015 after the High Court ruled that it was structurally unfair. It sped up asylum decision-making and appeals by imposing a strict timetable, giving asylum seekers and their lawyers very short periods of time in which to prepare their cases. PNs case was the first successful appeal allowing a claimant to return to the UK. In the Court of Appeal ruling on Monday, Lord Justice Dingemans found that she had been unfairly disadvantaged by the fast-track rules as she was prevented from obtaining critical evidence relating to her sexuality claim from Uganda within the time frames. Recommended Gay woman who was attacked after being unlawfully deported to Uganda wins court case against Home Office The Ugandan mother added added: Those six years after they sent me back What I went through still tortures me. And I know others are out there in the same position, hiding themselves. They just throw you out there. You are in danger. But they can come out now and they can challenge. They will get justice. This is just the start. Karen Doyle, national organiser of campaign group Movement for Justice, which supported PN in challenging her case from Uganda, described the ruling as a beacon of hope to all those who were removed under the unjust and unlawful fast-track system. She said one individual had already contacted the group to say they too were deported under the unlawful policy, and that following PNs case they wished to pursue a challenge against the Home Office. Ms Doyle encouraged others to come forward, adding: They should have been heard, offered sanctuary, instead they faced a new kind of persecution and abuse in detention here in the UK. What happened under the detained fast-track system is a stain on the UKs stated commitment to human rights, a stain that cannot fully be removed until all those unjustly removed are brought back. The Director of Health Promotion Division at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Aboagye Da Costa has cautioned Ghanaians about the existence of the new coronavirus in the country as many have lost their guards since the infection rate reduced. He attributed the reduction in the COVID-19 infection rate in the country to the decisions and the interventions of H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as health officials, the media, NGOs, CSOs that are still playing their parts to help gain zero infection in the country. As we are thanking God for the low infectious rate of the COVID-19 in the country, we have to understand that if you look at the management of the COVID-19 in the whole world, I have been attending international meetings via zoom and you can really note that our President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the decisions and interventions that he has walked the country through has helped in the low infection rate in the country, he acknowledged. In spite of the success in the fight against the new coronavirus, the Leader of Risk Communication for COVID-19 National Response Taskforce on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show reminded Ghanaians that the virus is not yet gone as there can be a second wave as it has happened in other countries if they play the safety protocols to the gallery. Let me say that the virus is not gone yet and there were countries that did not have any record of COVID-19 case but there have been second waves of the virus in those countries. So, in Ghana, our strategy is that even though the infection rate is going down, we have not relaxed on the adherent to the safety protocols, he indicated. He, however, disclosed that management of the COVID-19 team in partnership with the Ministry of Information is engaging all the 16-regional House of Chiefs to sensitize and educate them through workshops on how their subjects will continually adhere to the safety protocols in case there is a second wave. He thus assured that the management of the COVID-19 team is prepared for anything that might happen but then entreated Ghanaians to know that the adherence to the safety protocols is very important and only out to eradicate the virus. I keep on telling people to wear their masks, observe social distancing, regular washing of hands under running water and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and eating well to boost the immune system and I want people to know that we are not saying this for fun. If it is not working, we would not have enrolled these measures out for Ghanaians and so I will plead with Ghanaians to wear their face masks even if the social distancing is difficult to comply with. Lets wear the face masks and make sure that we are all helping the government to attain zero active cases of COVID-19 infection; this is our focus right now, he stated. Dr. Aboagye Da Costa further assured that the team will continue to empower the communities as they want the communities to own the safety protocols in terms of wearing the face masks; thus, they are embarking on a program call the Community Ownership. Watch video below Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The next six months could witness one of the biggest consolidations of corporate power in the United States in almost a century, yet a variety of legal and economic factors may leave the federal government unable to stop it. The essence of the problem is that during the extended economic crisis created by the coronavirus pandemic, many large companies and especially their stock market values have been growing rapidly while their small business competitors have faced something of an apocalypse. More than 400,000 small businesses have already closed and millions more are at risk. Indeed, the death of these competitors may be part of why the stock market is up so much from its low point in March. Whether the sector is technology, home building, pharmaceuticals or telecommunications, investors seem thrilled with the prospect that big companies will eventually see an expansion of demand but not face as much competition. The stock markets growth has been disproportionately concentrated among the biggest publicly traded firms. Concentration of power in a small number of big companies is not, itself, new. Corporate concentration has grown significantly in recent years, bringing with it increased corporate profits and a falling share of income going to workers, researchers have shown. In addition, corporate capital investment has slowed and so has the rate of new business formation. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, theatres have been closed for a long time. Hence, many films have been released on various OTT platforms. But, now the moviegoers are eagerly waiting for theatres to be open soon. However, there is no official information on the opening of cinemas in India yet, but theatres have started opening abroad. And the remarkable thing about this is that many Bollywood films are going to be released in theatres abroad. ALSO READ: Sushant Singh Rajput's 'Dil Bechara' Competes With 'Tenet' In New Zealand And Fiji Recently, trade analyst Taran Adarsh posted a tweet which shows that Bollywood films which are going to be released in October in Australia, includes Sushant Singh Rajput and Sanjana Sanghi starrer Dil Bechara, Kunal Kemmus latest venture Lootcase and Alia Bhatt-Aditya Roy Kapoor starrer Sadak 2. At the same time, the release dates of all three films have also been revealed, and as per the tweet, these films will be released across Australia except Victoria. Take a look at the tweet below: Taran Adarsh's tweet about Dil Bechara and other films releasing in theatres in Australia in October All these three films recently got a digital release owing to COVID-19 pandemic and are currently streaming on Disney+Hotstar. Kunal Kemmu starrer Lootcase will be the first one to hit the theatres on October 8, 2020. Post this, Sushant Singh Rajput starrer Dil Bechara will be releasing on October 15, 2020. Besides this, Sadak 2 will release on October 22, 2020. ALSO READ: 'Dil Bechara' Actor Swastika Mukherjee Tries To Make Puppy Face Taught By Her Daughter All you need to know about these films Dil Bechara Dil Bechara marks the final film of the late Sushant Singh Rajput. The movie also marks Mukesh Chhabras debut as a director and Sanjana Sanghis debut in a leading role. The film was the official Hindi remake of John Greens book, The Fault In Our Stars. The movie was previously adapted into a Hollywood film starring Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley. The plot of the film revolved around the life of two cancer patients falling in love with each other. It also shows how, because of their disability, they manage to work their way through life. Sadak 2 Sadak 2 marks the directorial return of Mahesh Bhatt after a gap of more than two decades. The film is also his first collaboration with daughter Alia Bhatt. The film takes forward the storyline from the 1991-released film Sadak, of Sanjay Dutts character Ravi, who is seen addressing Pooja, before taking Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapurs characters on a journey filled with revenge, religion, and twists. The movie also features Jisshu Sengupta, Makarand Deshpande, Priyanka Bose, Akshay Anand, among others, in pivotal roles. Lootcase Lootcase cast includes Kunal Kemmu, Rasika Dugal, Ranvir Shorey, Vijay Raaz, Gajraj Rao, Aryan Prajapati, Shashi Ranjan, Sumit Nijhawan, and others. The movie is helmed by Rajesh Krishnan and written by Rajesh with Kapil Sawant. The plot of the film explores the story of a man who finds a bag filled with money without knowing who it belongs to and gets involved in the rivalry between several influential people. ALSO READ: AR Rahman Releases 'unfinished' Song From 'Dil Bechara' Titled 'Never Say Goodbye' ALSO READ: Trade Analyst Talks About Why Alia Bhatt's 'Sadak 2' Was Received Poorly By The Audience Jill Duggar one of 19 children born to parents who have said they left family planning up to God has confirmed that she and her husband, Derick Dillard, use birth control. The 29-year-old revealed in a new Q&A video on YouTube today that she and Derick, 31, use non-hormonal birth control methods to prevent pregnancy, but they do intend to eventually have more siblings for their sons Israel, five, and Samuel, three. The couple who have discussed alcohol, tattoos, and Jill's family in past video Q&As also shared their feelings on the LGBTQ+ community, insisting that they have LGBTQ+ friends even though they believe homosexuality is 'sinful.' Surprise! Jill Duggar one of 19 children born to parents who have said they left family planning up to God has confirmed that she and her husband, Derick Dillard, use birth control No glove, no love! The 29-year-old revealed in a new Q&A video on YouTube today that she and Derick, 31, use non-hormonal birth control methods to prevent pregnancy Derick has commented on social media in the past that he is not against birth control, admitting that his own parents used it but this is the first time that he and Jill have confirmed outright that they use it, too. 'Yes, we use birth control,' Jill said, 'but we prefer to use non-hormonal birth control methods, just because we don't want to use anything that could potentially cause an abortion.' It is a myth that the Pill can cause abortion, since it works to prevent an egg from being fertilized in the first place. In cases where women do become unintentionally pregnant while on the Pill, the fetus can be exposed to high levels of progestin and/or estrogen, but neither causes abortion and research indicates that it won't negatively impact the fetus, either. However, this myth is one that has been promoted by members of Jill's family, including her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle. The couple initially used hormonal birth control after welcoming their first child, Josh, and Michelle miscarried while taking it. They saw the miscarriage as a sign from God and gave up birth control thereafter. Though Jill hasn't adopted their anti-birth-control stance, she does seem to have taken on their scientifically-unsound belief that the Pill can cause abortion. Unprotected: Her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, used hormonal birth control early on, but Michelle miscarried while taking it. They saw the miscarriage as a sign from God Nonstop: They have since been outspoken against birth control, welcoming 19 kids in all 'There are probably uses for hormonal methods of birth control for, like, regulating things, and stuff like that. But for us, we just want to be careful about that, and we're just, like, more natural-minded,' she said. 'I know that sometimes there can be more longer-lasting effects from hormonal birth controls and stuff like that. So we just steer clear of those... Eventually, we want to have more kids and stuff. We're willing. So we don't want to mess too much with all that,' she said. Derick added that they also want to be able to easily stop birth control whenever they want to get pregnant. The couple also answered a viewer question about whether they have non-Christian friends and are 'accepting' of the LGBTQ+ community. 'Yes, we have lots of non-Christian friends,' Derick said. 'We have friends that are part of the LGBTQ+ community. 'I think it's a misconception that just because you disagree with someone that you can't be friends. And in light of the recent passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I think Justice Scalia and Justice Ginsburg's relationship in the legal profession was a good example of that. From what I hear, they had a great relationship despite having sharp disagreements at times.' 'Yes, we have lots of non-Christian friends,' Derick said. 'We have friends that are part of the LGBTQ+ community' Flashback: Derick came under fire in 2017 for calling being transgender a 'myth' and saying he 'pitied' fellow TLC star Jazz Jennings (pictured) Jill chimed in: 'You can disagree with someone and still be respectful, and still be friends. 'As Christians, we believe that there are certain things that are sinful, like adultery so, cheating on your spouse or something or sex before marriage, [or] homosexuality. Those are things that we believe are sinful. 'But there's a lot of things [that are sinful], too, so it doesn't mean that we might not be friends with people, because ultimately, we're all sinners. 'If I'm around somebody, they might know what I believe, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna just rub it in their face all the time either. So, I have friends who I hand out with, and we do not agree on everything.' Derick also noted that, hypothetically, if a transgender friend invited them over, he would respect that friend's chose pronouns. 'I'm gonna use whatever pronoun they want me to,' he said. However, he added, their faith is 'very important' to them, and 'generally people talk about what's important to them' so being friends with a gay person or trans person isn't going to stop them from talking about their beliefs. But they do recognize that there is a time and a place for every discussion. Respect: Derick insisted that, hypothetically, if a trans friend invited him over, he'd use the friend's chosen pronouns Belief system: Yet Jill and Derick both still said they believed homosexuality is a sin Changing his tune? Previously, he had used male pronouns for Jazz, who prefers she/her 'I think it's healthy to have discussions and even debates, for those of you who like to debate, in the right space,' Jill said. 'But you want to be respectful, self-controlled. Oftentimes, I see people who are not and that's disheartening.' Derick added that the mark of a good friendship is when you can discuss a hotly debated topic and then 'go have a beer afterwards.' His remarks about using a trans person's preferred pronouns may be a shock to Duggar followers given Derick's past comments about trans TLC star Jazz Jennings. In 2017, Derick went on a Twitter rant against Jazz when her show was promoted by the network, writing: 'What an oxymoron... a "reality" show which follows a non-reality. "Transgender" is a myth. Gender is not fluid; it's ordained by God.' 'I pity Jazz, 4 those who take advantage of him in order 2 promote their agenda, including the parents who allow these kinds of decisions 2 be made by a child. It's sad that ppl would use a juvenile this way. Again, nothing against him, unfortunate what's on TV these days.' At the time, Derick did not use Jazzs preferred pronouns she/her though his opinion and behavior may have evolved in the past three years. Finally, the couple opened up about finances, reiterating the claim that they were not paid by TLC for appearing on Counting On. Grownup: Jill has been setting her own path with Derick, separate from her family and that involves wearing pants, piercing her nose, and cutting her hair 'Up until the time we left the show, we hadn't been paid for anything,' Jill said. 'Of course, there were perks that came along with filming, you know, if we were traveling or whatever they might have covered those expenses. And we were grateful for those. 'But we hadn't been paid until we were really pressing about it and ended up getting an attorney involved and stuff,' she said. 'Basically, once we got an attorney involved, we were able to recover a portion at least of what Jill should have been paid,' Derick added, but said that it only amounted to a bit more than minimum wage. Derick has slammed TLC and Jill's father Jim Bob in the past with similar accusations, insisting on more than one occasion that Jim Bob controlled the contracts and the purse strings when it came to the show. These days, the couple said they are living debt-free, with Derick paying for law school with work and schoalrships. They also make money through blogging, social media partnerships, and a monetized YouTube channel. Plus, they said, they make a point to have clear, open discussions about money with monthly budget meetings, wherein they set spending budgets for the month and agree upon any larger purchase. Real talk: In a previous Q&A, Jill admitted that her family is 'not always' supportive of her decisions Rule makers: Jill's parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, are incredibly strict In the couple's last Q&A video, Jill admitted that her family is 'not always' supportive of what she does, but while she wants to have 'deference' toward them, she refuses to be 'led by fear'' and 'controlled by what somebody else is gonna think.' Her super-strict Christian upbringing involved a lot of rules especially for the girls. The Duggars' modest dressing ideals mean long skirts and dresses, covered-up shoulders and decolletage, and long, curly hair for females in the family. The kids were all homeschooled, alcohol was off-limits, and the girls generally weren't encouraged to set career or education goals, which might conflict with being a wife and mother. But Jill, more than any of her siblings, has been setting her own path with Derick, separate from her family. 'Are they supportive? Not always,' she admitted. 'Everyone's gonna have their opinion about different things. Some of my siblings are probably more likely to have something to say about it than others. Some are more like, "Hey, I'm happy for whatever y'all are deciding." 'Not all of them are cool with it but some of them are more cool with it than others,' she added. Though she said it's still important to listen to the advice of people close to you, she also insisted that 'you don't want to be overly fearful and be led by fear.' Healthy attitude: Though she said it's still important to listen to the advice of people close to you, she also insisted that 'you don't want to be overly fearful and be led by fear' Guess which ones are the most judgmental! She said 'not all of' her siblings 'are cool with' her choices, 'but some of them are more cool with it than others' 'You want to have deference but you also don't want to be controlled by what somebody else is gonna think,' Jill explained. For the mother of two, seeking out professional help has made a difference. 'Therapy's been really helpful,' she said. Though they 'haven't changed who we are as people,' Jill admitted that some of her views, which are still guided by her faith, have changed a little bit now that she has been able to do more research. Several of the changes she's made have been to her appearance. She and her sisters were all raised with very long, curly hair, but recently Jill chopped off quite a few inches. 'My hair was so heavy and it was giving me headaches,' she said. Because it was a 'decent amount,' she was also able to donate it. She also got her nose pierced a few years ago after discussing it with Derick. 'I liked it, we talked about it. I kind of always thought they were cute, nose piercings. But ... even if I liked something before, I wouldn't have done it because of maybe some of the backlash that I would get from people close to me, or something. I just hate confrontation so I would have avoided it,' she said. He approves: Jill said she always thought nose piercings were 'cute,' and when Derick said he was OK with it, she got one for herself Modesty: She also started wearing pants and shorts after growing up in only skirts and dresses Makeover time: Derick added that 'not being closely associated with the show anymore has allowed that decision to happen more organically' (the Duggars pictured in 2002) 'I think growing as a person, growing closer together as a couple is helpful. So when Derick told me he was cool with me getting my nose pierced... we decided that it was cool. 'Because of the journey that we've made as a couple, I was more comfortable with decisions that we make as a family. Like basically having healthy boundaries and everything, and being OK sometimes with other people not being OK is a hard thing but as long as we knew that the decisions were not wrong, they were just ones that other people might not make for themselves, then that's, like, good for us,' she said. Derick added that 'not being closely associated with the show anymore has allowed that decision to happen more organically.' As for wearing pants, Jill said it wasn't 'a reactionary thing,' but she did follow the bible's words to 'leave and cleave' and that led her to 'reevaluate things.' 'I felt like I could be modest and wear pants,' she said. She and Derick aren't even anti-tattoo, though neither has one just yet. 'We're not against tattoos,' said Jill. 'I'm a very sentimental person, so I could see myself getting a tattoo... except for that I hate needles' Jill and Derick have two kids, Israel and Samuel, and said they would like more: 'I don't know that we have a number. Probably not 20 kids, but again, we're not gonna rule anything out' 'We're not against tattoos,' said Jill. 'Biblically, I don't think there's something wrong with it. 'I'm a very sentimental person, so I could see myself getting a tattoo... except for that I hate needles,' she added. Finally, the couple talked about the possibility of growing their family, revealing that they would like more kids but don't know how many. 'Yes, we would love more kids if God chooses to give us more,' said Jill. 'How many? I don't know that we have a number. Probably not 20 kids, but again, we're not gonna rule anything out. If God wants us to run an orphanage or something...' she went on. 'Derick's mom was adopted, so adoption has always had a special place in our heart.' In their first candid Q&A video, Jill and Derick addressed a recent Instagram photo that showed her drinking an alcoholic pina colada. Transparency: The couple has been candid in three Q&A videos on YouTube this month 'Growing up, the whole idea of drinking was not encouraged,' Jill said. Even though she drinks now, she never gets drunk 'We try and practice what the bible says about anything, and as far as alcohol, the scripture is pretty clear that drunkenness is absolutely sinful,' Derick said. 'Neither one of us has ever drank to drunkenness and don't ever plan to. But that doesn't mean that Jill wouldn't have a pina colada at dinner or something.' 'We also just want to be careful and sensitive to other people, too. You just have to know yourself and your boundaries,' added Jill. 'Even with our kids and stuff, eventually obviously, they're really young right now but eventually, I think it's good... for them to see, like, a healthy balance in our lives,' she went on. She also admitted to People that her attitudes are a departure from how she was raised. 'Growing up, the whole idea of drinking was not encouraged,' she said. 'I know my parents would not be happy with it, and I know that my siblings, some more than others, would probably have an issue with it. Other ones would probably be like, "Whatever's good for yall, that's fine. Live your life." 'So far nobody's said anything to us about it,' she added. Freedom! Jill was pictured enjoying a pina colada while out for a date night with her husband Derick Dillard earlier this month Good for her! She confirmed that it was a 'regular' alcoholic version of the drink in the comments 'We have boundaries,' she went on. 'In our faith, we believe like we're not supposed to get drunk. 'So, with drinking, it's not like we're just like going crazy. Its more socially here and there, or at home, for a date or something. Our kids are pretty young right now, but I think it's good for them to see a healthy balance.' Branching out: This summer, she shared a sponsored Instagram post for a modest swimwear company, modeling several of their outfits Jill's healthy attitude about alcohol in moderation has been a surprise to fans, who expected her to abstain completely like the rest of her family. For some very religious Christians Duggars included even wine is off-limits, and they believe that references to wine in the Bible actually mean grape juice. In early September, she shocked social media followers when she and Derick enjoyed dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Arkansas and shared a picture showing a tasty-looking frozen drink in front of her. When commenters asked what she was sipping, she told them it was a pina colada and further confirmed that it was a 'regular' one, not a virgin one made without alcohol. 'Date night with my favorite person @derickdillard,' Jill wrote, captioning a photo of herself and Derick sitting side-by-side. 'Weve missed our regular date night outings during covid and have had lots of in home dates, but we were able to swap childcare with friends last night for a date!' In the comments section, she responded to inquisitive fans asking about her drink choice, confirming that she was, in fact, having an alcoholic beverage. This summer, Jill also shared a sponsored Instagram post for a modest swimwear company, modeling several of their outfits. Big boy time: Jill's oldest son Israel started kindergarten in late August. Jill was homeschooled Off they go! The whole family went with Israel to drop him off at the school, and all four of them donned face masks per the school's new regulations And on August 24, she dropped her oldest son, Israel, off at his first day of kindergarten in public school after she and her siblings had all been homeschooled. The proud mom seemed thrilled to be sending her five-year-old off on an adventure she herself never got to have. 'It's working out pretty good. [Israel] is getting used to it,' she said in the first video Q&A session. On the decision to send her children to school when she herself was homeschooled, Jill said: 'Even though I grew up homeschooled ... we just talked about it, prayed about it, we felt lie this is the right timing for us. We moved right next to a really good school and in a good community, so I think it just made sense for us. 'It was definitely both of us making that decision,' she added, noting that they gave careful consideration to the choice and didn't make decisions out of fear. Unfortunately, some of this and the couple's refusal to film for the family's TLC reality show anymore has led to strained relationships with Jill's parents. Derick has claimed on numerous occasions that Jill's father, Jim Bob, restricts her visits to their home and that Jill has to ask permission to come over, especially if Jim Bob isn't there. Down with the tyrant! Meanwhile, Derick has been calling out Jill's dad Jim Bob for restricting their access to the rest of the family Enabler: Jim Bob reportedly restricts Jill's access to the family home, and she is unwelcome at some family gatherings but Jill's abuser, sex pest Josh, is inexplicably welcome Jill even reportedly had to get permission from Jim Bob to go do her sister Jessa's house when she gave birth to daughter Ivy last year. Derick has had some truly scathing words for his father-in-law, who doesn't seem to place similar restrictions on older son Josh, who admitted molesting four of his younger sisters, including Jill, as well as a fourth child when he was a teenager. In July, he even went so far as to compare Jim Bob, 55, to Jeffrey Epstein, accusing him of placing a higher importance on money than following Jesus. '[Counting On is] is still under his control. And he will attack the victims if they threaten his show. 'We were humiliated and threatened when we first tried to not film,' he added. 'We have to break this culture, that cares more about money and ratings than protecting the most vulnerable. 'Jeff Epstein already showed us that if you have enough money, power, and influence, you can get away with anything. Sadly, it doesnt stop with him. There are many more stories in this world that are not too different, existing in a culture where it can still thrive.' A father and son in QAnon shirts listen before President Donald J. Trump arrives to speak at a "Keep America Great Rally" at U.S. Bank Arena on Thursday, Aug 01, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images According to believers of the QAnon conspiracy theory, President Donald Trump is the country's savior from liberal elites who are kidnapping children and running a secret child sex trafficking ring. But data shows that federal sex trafficking prosecutions have actually decreased since Trump took office. According to the Human Trafficking Institute's 2019 federal report which was released in May 2020, 73 new federal criminal cases involving the sex trafficking of children only were prosecuted last year, compared to compared to 87 in 2018, and 124 in 2017, Trump's first year in office. Experts say QAnon believers are latching on to misinformation to boost their cause but ignore evidence-based solutions to the issue. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. QAnon followers have long praised President Donald Trump as a champion for sexually trafficked children. But data shows that Justice Department prosecutions of such crimes have decreased during his administration. According to a 2019 report from the Human Trafficking Institute released in May of this year, the cases have fallen by a third since their height in 2017. There were 73 new federal criminal cases involving child-only sex trafficking launched last year, compared to 87 in 2018, 124 in 2017, and 115 in 2016. The perception of Trump as tough on child-sex crimes originated from the far-right conspiracy movement QAnon. QAnon originated on the internet message board 4chan and has been labeled a potential domestic terror threat by the FBI. It promotes a series of conspiracies around the idea that Democrats are secretly working to take down Trump and other conservatives Many believers claim that Trump is the country's savior from the unfounded conspiracy that liberal elites are kidnapping children and running a secret child sex trafficking ring. The conspiracy is untrue on a surface level, and the Human Trafficking Institute's analysis of the data shows there have actually been fewer child sex-trafficking prosecutions from the federal government since Trump took office. Story continues According to Jamie Gates, a professor at Point Loma Nazarene University who researches sex trafficking, the scale of child sex-trafficking cases is larger than most people think, but is "being exaggerated by QAnon conspiracy theories." "I'm really concerned with the exaggerated data that I see. I see [false stories about] tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of kids being kidnapped and taken to Mexico or taken to another country," Gates told Insider. "I don't think groups like QAnon are interested in actual data. They're interested in the rhetorical use of data." The lower case count doesn't necessarily mean child sex trafficking is happening any less Erin Albright, a law enforcement consultant who works with human trafficking task forces, told Insider it's unlikely that the rate of sex trafficking has actually changed, even though the number of federal prosecutions has decreased. She said more cases could be prosecuted at the state level, current cases could be more complex and require more time, and that US attorneys' offices may be prioritizing other types of cases. Albright added that the federal government dialing back on protections for vulnerable populations including undocumented immigrants and the LGBTQ community could mean that support for trafficking survivors is harder to come by, and fewer victims are coming forward. Demonstrators in Keene, New Hampshire, gather at a "Save the Children Rally." Anti-pedophilia protests are flaring in the US where the QAnon movement started. JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images Ultimately, data on sex trafficking is hard to establish, since every organization tracks the issue differently. Child sex trafficking organizations often recirculate out of date statistics to declare the problem is large and growing, according to HuffPost reporter Michael Hobbes, who wrote in an article detailing the difficulty in finding hard numbers on the issue. "Even as anti-trafficking groups have collected hundreds of millions of dollars in donations and carried out near-constant awareness campaigns, they still have not produced any credible research on the scale or nature of the problem they're focused on addressing," Hobbes argued. According to Gates, the misinformation about trafficking being peddled by conspiracy theorists exaggerates the scale of the issue, obscuring the realities behind it. "Sex trafficking is real, it's hidden, and it's at a larger scale than what most people tend to think about," Gates told Insider. "But it's not at the scale that's being exaggerated by the QAnon conspiracies." QAnon uses misinformation to its advantage According to Gates, many QAnon followers share incorrect statistics to garner concern from passionate people, so they can spread the theory wider. "The worst part to me is the blurring of the lines between truth and fiction, truth and some other nefarious agenda," he told Insider. In addition to the baseless claim that Satan-worshipping liberal elites kidnap children and run a pedophile ring, the QAnon movement is also associated with absurd claims that vaccines are used to control people, that Kim Jung-un is a puppet controlled by the CIA, and that John F. Kennedy Jr. is secretly still alive and will emerge from hiding to become Trump's running mate. A Donald Trump supporter holding a QAnon flag visits Mount Rushmore National Monument on July 01, 2020 in Keystone, South Dakota. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images Trump has praised QAnon during press briefings and retweeted posts from the group's followers on Twitter. In one briefing in August, he told a reporter that he knew very little about QAnon, but was grateful for support from its members. The reporter told Trump that QAnon followers have a "belief that you are secretly saving the world from this Satanic cult of pedophiles and cannibals." "Well, I haven't heard of that," Trump said. "But is that supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing? If I can help save the world from problems, I'm willing to do it. I'm willing to put myself out there." A person wears a t-shirt with the abbreviation of QAnon's slogan, "where we go one, we go all, while participating in a "save the children" march and rally in New York City on August 12, 2020. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith Gates told Insider that QAnon's move to the mainstream is dangerous. He pointed to its support of "Save the Children" marches, which he said have helped further spread misinformation by attaching it to an already-established organization that works to help trafficked kids Albright said that people who are interested in helping prevent sex trafficking should look to assist vulnerable communities like runaways and homeless youth in their area. She said people should be lobbying for better support that could improve the child welfare system and fund low-barrier, gender-affirming housing. "By and large, even when you identify people [who are at risk of being trafficked], they still need tremendous support where there's not a lot of resources, and those systemic factors that enabled it to happen in the first place haven't really been resolved," she said. Read the original article on Insider BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany declared regions in 11 European countries to be areas where there was an elevated risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus, while existing warnings about parts of Belgium were extended to cover the entire country. In its list published late on Wednesday, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases also declared the whole of France with the exception of the Grand Est region to be risk zones, the whole of Iceland, as well as Wales and Northern Ireland to be risk zones. Risk zones were also declared in Estonia, Ireland, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia. Such declarations, which result when the prevalence of coronavirus infections exceeds 50 per 100,000 population over a week, are typically followed by the Foreign Ministry issuing a travel warning. The latest warnings, a blow to hopes that a swift revival of tourism could give the continent's pandemic-struck economies a boost, came as officials across Europe warned that a second wave of the virus was imminent. Germany, traditionally Europe's largest source of tourists, has warned against travel to the rest of the world since March, when the pandemic first struck Europe in earnest, but the warnings were lifted for the European Union and countries with close ties to it in June. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; editing by Grant McCool) Following the resumption of hostilities, Kuleba instructed the embassies of Ukraine in Azerbaijan and Armenia to provide maximum assistance to Ukrainian citizens in those countries. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says Ukraine consistently supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. "One of the cornerstones of Ukrainian foreign policy is support for the territorial integrity of states. We have consistently supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, just as Azerbaijan supported our territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. And this principle remains absolutely unchanged for us," Kuleba said at an online briefing, an UNIAN correspondent reports. Read alsoUN Security Council calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to stop fightingAccording to Kuleba, the main thing in the Caucasus now is not to stir up the already very high emotions. "It is necessary now to work to reduce the degree of emotions and stop the bloodshed," he added. According to the foreign minister, in connection with the resumption of hostilities, he has instructed the embassies of Ukraine in Azerbaijan and Armenia to provide maximum assistance to Ukrainian citizens in those countries: to ensure the round-the-clock operation of hotlines, the embassies must establish contact with citizens in areas located in proximity to the zone of hostilities and promptly respond to any issue or emergency situations that compatriots may find themselves in. Escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh: Recent developments On the morning of Sunday, September 27, Armenia and Azerbaijan resumed fighting in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Both countries blamed each other for shelling as a result of which they suffered casualties. Armenia and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic declared martial law and general mobilization. Azerbaijan, in turn, introduced martial law on September 28. Partial mobilization was announced in that country. Azerbaijan said that during a successful offensive they gained control of several villages of Nagorno-Karabakh, but Armenia denies the information. Both sides claim that they inflicted huge losses on the enemy, numbering hundreds of killed soldiers and dozens of destroyed units of military equipment. The UN Security Council has called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately stop fighting. Nagorno-Karabakh war: History WASHINGTON - The presidential battleground has shifted on the margins five weeks before Election Day, with President Donald Trump still on defense as the contest with Democratic nominee Joe Biden is fought almost entirely in places that Trump won in 2016. Of the 13 states where Biden spent money on television last week, according to Biden's head of paid media Patrick Bonsignore, three - Minnesota, Nevada and New Hampshire - were won by Hillary Clinton four years ago. Of the 12 states where Trump is spending, all but Minnesota and Nevada are places that he won in 2016. Biden has committed millions to advertising in Georgia and Iowa, where Trump won in 2016, while Trump's campaign continues to decrease his investment in other states, including New Hampshire and Michigan, as the candidates prepare for the first presidential debate. The decision to add funds reflects both the Democratic cash advantage and the Biden campaign's increasing optimism as polls show Trump struggling to make up ground in a contest that has been remarkably stable from the start, despite waves of social unrest, pandemic disease, economic dislocation and the beginning of a nasty partisan battle over the future of the Supreme Court. The Biden campaign has recently launched distinct paid media programs for veterans, rural voters and Black voters, catching up with Trump who debuted similar programs months ago. Biden has also been buying billboards, in concert with the Democratic National Committee, to encourage early voting in key states. This week, another Biden program targeting voters of faith is slated to launch, with advertising on gospel radio, during televised Sunday services, and on Spanish language stations. The program could help defend Biden against Republican claims that Democratic opposition to Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, reflects an anti-Catholic bias. "We think there is a real opportunity there, not only because it is something that is so authentic to who Joe Biden is, his abiding Catholic faith, but in the places that get us to 270 there are significant pockets of voters we want to have that conversation with," Bonsignore said. The symbolic and strategic core of the race remains in the northern states of Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, a traditionally Democratic region where Clinton underperformed, giving Trump the presidency. But so far this year, Biden has maintained an apparent connection to White voters in these states and elsewhere that Clinton saw slip away as she lost all but Minnesota. That connection also has boosted Biden's chances in states such as Ohio and Iowa, which were long considered to be in Trump's corner because he won them so convincingly in 2016. Trump held two rallies in Ohio last week and will return there for the presidential debate with Biden on Tuesday night. Biden is scheduled to campaign in Ohio and Pennsylvania the next day. Biden's appeal has blunted Trump's efforts to flip Minnesota, which the president has long sought to move into his camp, at the same time that the president battles political fallout from rapidly diversifying states such as Georgia and Arizona. Trump has continued to hold his own in Florida and North Carolina, where the races are a dead heat. "The tipping point states that people thought would be tipping point states in the spring are likely to be tipping point states now," said Michael Halle, a Democratic strategist who worked for former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg this cycle. "What has changed is the significant money advantage that Biden has." While Trump has continued to poll better than his 2016 election result among Black, Hispanic and other minority voters, by about 10 points, he has lost considerable ground among other segments of the population, including a 14-point shift to Biden of voters over the age of 65 and a 12-point shift among White voters, according to a Washington Post average of public national polls. The same polling shows that Trump has been able to recover from a dip in June and July, when the protests against police brutality dominated headlines and coronavirus cases began spiking. The Biden campaign now registers the same advantages it believed it had during the Democratic primary, raising its confidence that voter opinions will stay static through the coming Supreme Court nomination fight, the three presidential debates and any other surprises. Trump is counting on the debates and the nomination hearings to boost his standing. "This race has been stable for 18 months," said one Biden campaign adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the race more frankly. "We are not even talking about eight months. Since the midterms this race has been stable." That projection was underscored Sunday when a new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that Biden had a 53% to 43% lead over Trump among registered voters, statistically unchanged from an August poll that found a 12-point spread. The September Biden lead, driven by high female support for Biden, was six points among likely voters. Biden now polls seven points ahead in Wisconsin, down from nine points in June and July, seven points ahead in Michigan and seven points ahead in Pennsylvania, down from 11 points in June and July, according to a Washington Post average of polls. In Minnesota, the president trails by 10 points. The Trump campaign has argued that the campaign's significantly larger surrogate and field operations will provide a further boost by November and make up for ad deficits. It also notes Trump's more aggressive travel schedule, which has regularly drawn thousands of people to indoor and outdoor settings, which the campaign argues is a sign of high voter enthusiasm. But behind the scenes, Trump advisers have grown frustrated that it has been difficult to land attacks on Biden - who is largely staying off the radar - and that the race has hardly budged, with Trump behind, according to four officials. They feel more comfortable in Florida and North Carolina than other states but acknowledge that they are playing defense in places such as Georgia. "It has tightened. The president is trailing, but not by an insurmountable margin," said one Republican strategist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private data. "The president's campaign can only do what it can do. They only have so many resources and they can only spend in so many states." The president has joked to advisers that they are putting too many events on his schedule, three aides said, but the goal is to draw a sharp contrast with Biden, hoping voters will reward him for showing more effort in a pandemic. They are also leaning heavily on an extensive surrogate program that sends Trump boosters throughout the country, for instance trying to impress suburban women by sending presidential adviser and daughter Ivanka Trump into districts. Trump campaign officials once bragged about fighting in 17 battleground states - but they concede now that hopes of expanding the map in their direction has largely faded. "It's really about seven or eight states at this point," said a senior campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private information. A Trump campaign cash crunch that started in late summer has also forced the campaign to regularly pull or reduce television reservations this month, ceding to Biden's already substantial on-air dominance. Over the week that began Tuesday, Trump pulled $2.1 million in television reservations from the four core northern states, or about 30% of his scheduled buy there, according to Advertising Analytics. Some of those funds were shifted to Florida, where Trump is preparing for an avalanche of pro-Biden outside spending funded by billionaire Mike Bloomberg. Biden's campaign advisers also say that even though Trump is outspending them on Google and Facebook, the former vice president is spending more where it counts, on Facebook and YouTube ads in the targeted swing states. Trump, by contrast, is spending more on digital fundraising efforts in states that are not up for grabs. The weekly Trump television cutbacks have been particularly stark in Michigan, a state that Trump won by less than a quarter of 1% in 2016. The Biden campaign's ad buyers estimate that Trump has been halving his investment in the state, despite a competitive Senate race. Since late March, the Trump campaign and outside allies have spent about $9.5 million on television in the state, compared with about $37 million in the Democratic side, according to Democratic tracking of the television spending. But there are few signs that Trump will formally withdraw from the state, as surrogates have continued to travel there and Trump visited as recently as Sept. 10. In the meantime, Trump television advertising in New Hampshire, another state Clinton narrowly won in 2016, has effectively stopped for weeks, as several Republican strategists say the state could be slipping away. Although a plurality of New Hampshire voters are unaffiliated, the share registered as Democrats has been growing, in February eclipsing the number of Republican voters for the first time in 10 years. Trump campaign officials deny that the television spending shifts predict a loss, pointing to recent office openings, frequent surrogate visits and a large paid staff presence on the ground. "Donald Trump is going to win New Hampshire," said Corey Lewandowski, a campaign manager for Trump in 2016 who now works as a senior adviser to the reelection effort. "The enthusiasm is intense." While Trump has been cutting back, the Biden campaign has faced the opposite problem as fundraising has exploded in recent months: where to spend all its money. Besides the new targeted media programs, the money has paid for ads in two typically red states where Trump has been led to hold ground once thought safe. One Biden campaign aide said the former vice president planned to spend more than $10 million on television in Georgia and millions more in Iowa, two states where Democrats also are hoping to pick up as many as three Republican Senate seats this year. To date, Trump and his allies have been advertising unopposed in Georgia and they had been outspending Democrats in Iowa on the airwaves. Republicans have reacted with alarm about Georgia, where two U.S. senate seats are on the ballot, though they hope the coming Supreme Court fight will minimize the risk of crossover voting for Biden and other Democrats. "Broadly there has been a lot of concern about Georgia for the entirety of the cycle," said one Republican strategist who has focused on the state but was not authorized to speak publicly. "The Atlanta suburbs are exploding and they are registering a lot of new voters and that needs to be addressed." Democrats are hopeful that the Biden investment will have significant benefits down the ballot, both for Senate races and for state legislative and congressional contests. "The thing about the Biden campaign that goes unappreciated is the way they have been communicating is down the middle of the road, on jobs, health care and covid," said J.B. Poersch, the president of the Senate Majority PAC, an independent effort to elect Democratic senators. "It's been a very good workmanlike approach compared to the very frenetic approach coming out of Trump." Even in Ohio, a state filled with White voters without college degrees who delivered Trump an 8-point victory in 2016, the race is effectively tied in public polls, forcing Trump to sink precious resources into the Columbus and Cincinnati television markets, where Biden has yet to spend. "It's tied but there is a lot more room for Biden to grow," Democratic Party of Ohio Chair David Pepper said Thursday. "Trump knows he has to work to win Ohio. I don't think he visited here earlier this week just for the fun of it." For Democratic strategists allocating money to the presidential race, the fact that Trump and his outside groups are focused so much on states that he just needs to hold on to is among the best news of the last month. The Democratic group Priorities USA, which invests heavily in battleground polling, predicts that Pennsylvania will deliver the 270th electoral vote to Biden. Its data shows that 54% of the Republican spending is now on states more likely to be won by Trump than Pennsylvania, compared with 25% on states less likely to be won. By comparison, the Democratic side is playing offense, with half its money going to states where Trump is polling stronger than Pennsylvania, compared with 25% where he is weaker. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday dubbed the forcible cremation" of the Hathras gang-rape victim by police as a shameful" move of the Uttar Pradesh government. It is a shameful move of the state government to oppress the Dalits and show them their place in society," he tweeted in Hindi, tagging a news report on the cremation of the 19-year-old woman. Our fight is against this despicable thinking," the Congress leader added. Earlier, the party had demanded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths resignation for not acting in time". The 19-year-old Dalit woman from Hathras was cremated early Wednesday in her native village amid tight security. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 20:14 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c484649d 1 National #COVID19,COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-test,#rapid-tests,rapid-testing,PCR-test Free Amid persistent COVID-19 testing constraints, the government appears to be looking into using rapid antigen tests, which are cheaper and faster although less accurate than the gold-standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Experts are on board but urge caution. National COVID-19 task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito said the government was searching for better and more accurate alternatives to its current screening method of rapid antibody tests, whose inaccuracy experts have highlighted, and that it was considering antigen tests. Wiku said on Tuesday that the government was aware of the World Health Organization's recommended list of rapid antigen test kits, which could provide results in less than 30 minutes. PCR tests can take hours or even days to process in labs as testing backlogs remain common in the country. "Certainly, antigen tests can be used in Indonesia as recommended by the WHO in order to replace rapid antibody tests, and screening with [antigen] tests can be more effective and won't be a burden on PCR tests as the gold standard in diagnostic tests," he said. Antigen tests use nasal or throat swab samples to detect certain proteins on the surface of the coronavirus. These tests do not require advanced lab equipment and come in the form of paper strips resembling home pregnancy tests. Antibody tests detect antibodies in blood samples which may only develop weeks after infection and can form differently in people with certain conditions. PCR tests detect the virus' RNA, making them more accurate than the other two tests, but they require specific laboratory safety measures, skilled workers and specific machines. An insufficient number and uneven distribution of facilities that meet these requirements have been cited as reasons behind Indonesia's low testing rates compared to other countries. Long testing turnaround remains a problem, affecting containment efforts that require people to be tested, traced and isolated quickly. Read also: COVID-19 leaves lab workers grappling with unprecedented testing scale PCR tests that are not subsidized by the government can cost more than Rp 2.5 million (US$168) prohibitively expensive for many Indonesians. Some 120 million antigen tests costing $5 each will be made available to poorer nations, the WHO announced on Monday. The WHO said earlier that the use of rapid antigen tests could be considered in areas experiencing widespread community transmission, where it might not be possible to administer PCR tests or where test results faced long delays. But experts have said that further confirmation by PCR tests is necessary, especially if someone tests negative but shows symptoms indicative of COVID-19. Studies of antigen test kits of various brands cited by the WHO have shown that their sensitivity ranges between 0 and 94 percent, meaning the chance of false negatives could be high. But their specificity is consistently above 97 percent, meaning the chance of false positives is low. I agree [about the use of antigen tests] for early phases, during which the viral load is believed to be at the highest level, said Aryati, a professor of clinical pathology at Airlangga University who also chairs Indonesia's Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Specialists (PDS PatKLIn) association. It can be performed both on people with symptoms or without. Unlike PCR tests, which can detect even fragments of the virus, causing some people to test positive for months after symptoms disappear, antigen tests are believed to best detect the virus in patients with high viral loads. This means up to three days before symptom onset and within the first five to seven days of illness, according to existing, though limited, studies cited by the WHO. Read also: Carry out proper mass testing with PCR, experts say But since studies of the virus infectiousness over time are limited and require a more sophisticated viral culture, rather than simply relying on predicted viral loads, University of Indonesia microbiologist Anis Karuniawati said it was important to cautiously determine which populations were suitable for antigen tests. She said health authorities should consider what steps would be taken after results came back. "Whether we want it or not, we need a method that allows us to detect [possible cases] even more widely," Anis said. She said these tests could be used not only where testing was scarce but where quick results were necessary, such as for triage purposes at hospitals. These tests could be performed outside labs, although the transmission risk during the processing of the tests had to be studied first, she said, adding that tests should be performed and interpreted by experts. The PDS PatKLIn has suggested that trained workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) perform the tests and that the samples only be processed at labs with level 2 biological safety cabinets and sufficient cold chain and infectious waste bins. It was important to purchase the tests advised by the WHO, experts said, and those that were not on the list should be validated by Health Ministry labs or other labs planning to use them to ensure their quality unlike what occurred with the existing and widespread rapid antibody test kits. The WHO has recommended a minimum threshold of 80 percent sensitivity and 97 percent specificity for antigen test kits. "Don't use just any [brand of test]. Use what's recommended by the WHO [...] There must be quality control and assurance. Don't jump into using them without the knowledge of clinical pathologists," said Herawati Supolo Sudoyo from the Eijkman Institute of Molecular Biology. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) share price gained over 1% in early trade today amid news that US private equity firm General Atlantic would invest Rs 3,675 crore in Reliance Retail. RIL share rose 1.02% to Rs 2267 intra day against previous close of Rs 2244. The large cap stock has gained 3.49% in last four days. Reliance Industries stock is trading higher than 5 day, 20 day, 50 day, 100 day and 200 day moving averages. Market cap of the firm rose to Rs 15.28 lakh crore. The large cap stock hit a fresh 52-week low of Rs 867 on March 23, 2020. Since then, the stock has gained 173.12% on BSE. Total 14.03 lakh shares changed hands on BSE amounting to turnover of Rs 314.85 crore. RIL stock price has gained 1.37% in one week and 6.83% in one month. The stock has gained 49.26% since the beginning of this year and risen 69.59% during last one year. RIL stock trades higher than its 5 day, 20 day, 50 day, 100 day and 200 day moving averages. General Atlantic to invest Rs 3,675 crore in Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail General Atlantic will buy 0.84 per cent stake in Reliance Retail. This is the third investment for Reliance Retail following KKR's investment of $754 million and Silver Lake Partners' $1 billion. The investment values Reliance Retail at a pre-money equity value of Rs 4.28 lakh crore, the company stated. In May 2020, General Atlantic invested Rs 6,598.38 crore for 1.34 per cent stake in Mukesh Ambani's Jio Platforms. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and MD of Reliance Industries said that he was pleased to extend his RIL's relationship with General Atlantic. "Like Reliance Retail, General Atlantic believes in the fundamental ability of digital enablement to drive progress, growth, and inclusion across India and the world. We look forward to leveraging General Atlantic's extensive expertise at the intersection of technology and consumer businesses, and two decades of experience investing in India, as we create a disruptive New Commerce platform to redefine retail in the country," he said. Share Market News Live: Sensex rises 150 points, Nifty at 11,250; Cipla, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy top gainers A retired Navy petty officer who was indicted in connection with the death of a 19-year-old Virginia college student has been found incompetent to stand trial. U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Jackson for the Eastern District of Virginia decided Tuesday that Eric Brown was not competent to stand trial in the kidnapping and slaying of Ashanti Billie due to mental illness. The case dates to 2017 when Billie, who was a 19-year-old Virginia Beach college student, was reported missing after she was on her way to work at a sandwich shop at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Norfolk. She was later found dead. Brown was charged in connection with her abduction in November 2017. In December 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Brown on charges including kidnapping resulting in death, sexual abuse and stalking. According to court documents filed by his lawyers, Brown has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Mental health officials determined that even a "multi-drug regimen is not likely to restore Mr. Brown, and that in - in fact - nothing is," the documents state. The papers go on to say that Brown "cannot be restored to competency." Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Brown will be treated at a government facility. "If he becomes competent in the future, we intend to proceed with his prosecution," Stueve said. Officials said the indictment of Brown remains in effect. Andrew Grindrod, a public defender for Brown, said Wednesday that he had no comment on the judge's latest decision. Brown had spent 21 years in the Navy and had most recently worked as a day laborer. He was working a construction job at the sub shop where Billie worked and often went inside. On Sept. 18, 2017, Billie did not show up for work at the Blimpie sub shop on the naval base even though surveillance cameras showed her car on the base and she did not go to her college classes. Investigators later found her cellphone in a dumpster and her car in Norfolk before finding her body in a wooded area behind a church in Charlotte, N.C. She was missing teeth, and her body was found on a plastic tarp. Investigators matched DNA that was taken from a sweatshirt and shirt on Billie to that of Brown, according to charging documents. In an interview with FBI agents, Brown had said he was on the naval base on the evening before Billie was reported missing, according to court documents. He said he had blacked out at some point and could not remember what he did for several days after that. - - - The Washington Post's Magda Jean-Louis and Peter Hermann contributed to this report. Photo: (Photo : YouTube/abc6 Philadelphia) A Pennsylvania boy saves his mom's life, thanks to Amazon's Alexa. The five-year-old boy used the smart device to call for help because his mother suffered an epileptic seizure. The grandmother installed the app one week before the incident ABC affiliate WPVI reported that the heroic boy's grandmother, Natalie Neal, received a call from Spann to tell her of the medical emergency. The outlet said that the grandma decided to program Alexa one week before the incident so that her grandson could call whenever he wanted. Neal explained to the outlet that she wanted to hear that Spann would tell her how much he loves her. However, in the end, she realized that it was the best decision she has ever made. She said that a week and a half after she installed the app, she received a call from Spann. See also: Heroic Bronx Dad Shields 3 Kids from Shooting, Ends up Unable to Walk and Jobless The little boy called because he could not wake his mom up, so Neal found out that it was a smart thing to do without knowing that she was smart enough. The mom suffered one of the worst seizures On September 20, Spann was with his mom, Jasmine, alone at home, said Neal. The mom suffered one of the worst seizures she has ever had. Spann jumped into action right away to call Neal when he found out his mom was unconscious. Neal recalled the phone call with her grandson, as she reported to WPVI. She thought that Spann was laughing or joking, but it turned out that the little boy was crying. She told her grandson to calm down and, that was when she learned that he could not wake his mom up. The grandma kind of fell to the ground upon hearing the bad news. See also: Texas Couple Bravely Weathers Through Many Storms, Including COVID, in Nearly 50 Years of Marriage Neal explained that those were the types of calls that she has always dreaded to receive. It is because she knew that her daughter has epilepsy all her life. She told the outlet that she knew it could mean anything, especially, because her daughter lives on her own. She knew she had to remain calm to get help for her daughter, although she was worried. Neal said that she knew her daughter's life was in the hands of her grandson, so she told him what to do. She said that she would call 911 to get help. Spann managed to stay calm and opened the doors to let the first responders in when they arrived. He admitted to the outlet that he was scared upon witnessing the life-and-death incident. See also: Heroic Nanny Shielded Two Children from Hit-and-Run Crash Make use of the technology Almost ten days after the emergency, Neal told the outlet that Jasmine is doing well. She commended Spann for saving his mom's life. The incident became an inspiration for the little boy to become a firefighter or a police officer when he grows up. Neal explained to WPVI, reminding the younger generations about how to make use of the technology. She said she was trained to call 911 because she is an "old school." She believes that children should take advantage of the "power of technology" in current times. We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here A variety of nanoparticles are designed for targeted drug delivery, but unfortunately only a very small proportion of the injected nanoparticles reach the target site such as solid tumours. The reason behind the low targeting efficiency is often considered a "black box" and had thus been little explored for many years. Recently, an international research team led by Yuya Hayashi from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG), Aarhus University, demonstrated the beauty of zebrafish embryos in nano-bioimaging that can visualise dynamic interactions between nanoparticles and cells of interest in a living organism (see another article "Zebrafish let you see the biological fate of nanoparticles in vivo"). Now, teaming up with researchers from Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Yuya seeks to answer unsolved mysteries in bionanoscience - the first in line is the biological identity concept, which explains how cells recognise nanoparticles through a "corona" of proteins that surround each particle. This concept has now been proved for the first time in a living organism by the use of zebrafish embryos uncovering what happens to nanoparticles injected into the blood. Friend or foe? How biological systems recognise nanoparticles "What the Cell Sees in Bionanoscience" is one of the early publications that have defined how a corona of proteins forms around a nanoparticle and how such a protein corona implies the need for rethinking the way we look at nanoparticles within a biological milieu. From extensive research in the past decade, we now understand that two opposing effects mainly contribute to nanoparticle uptake by cells. In general, the protein corona prevents the nanoparticle surface from direct physical interactions with the cell membrane. However, what if the protein corona presents a signal that triggers a specific biological interaction with receptors deployed on the cell membrane? That is something the cell sees and thus confers a biological identity to the nanoparticle. Now the researchers from Aarhus University have thus provided the first "visual" evidence for the striking contribution of the protein corona to nanoparticle clearance from the blood that entailed adverse outcomes in the zebrafish embryo model. The research team used a species-mismatched source of proteins for the corona formation to create a "non-self" biological identity and traced the journey of nanoparticles travelling through the blood and to their final destination - endolysosomes in the cell. This revealed surprisingly rapid uptake and acidification of the nanoparticles by scavenger endothelial cells (functional equivalent to the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in mammals) followed by pro-inflammatory activation of macrophages (see the movie featured in Yuya's group webpage). "It sounds like a crazy idea to inject nanoparticles with proteins from another animal," says Yuya, "but for example, biomolecule-inspired nanomedicines are tested in a mouse model without particular concerns for the species-mismatched combination. Or else some clever folks humanise the mouse to take care of the species compatibility problem. In fact, even at the cell culture level nanoparticles are still routinely tested following the tradition to use serum supplement derived from cows while knowing that nanoparticle-protein interactions are a key driver of cellular uptake." "What makes this kind of experiments rather challenging is," adds first-author Hossein Mohammad-Beigi, "to maximally retain the original protein corona in a living organism. If the pre-formed corona gets quickly exchanged by endogenous blood proteins, the hypothesis tested becomes invalid. We have made quite some efforts to characterise the protein corona to ensure the nanoparticles preserve the non-self biological identity." Seeing is believing - the zebrafish model can offer what rodent models cannot The greatest advantage of the zebrafish model is its power in multicolour real-time imaging, whereby multiple combinations of fluorescence tracers and reporter proteins can be imaged in a simple setup at high spatio-temporal resolution. This provides a new opportunity that lies between less realistic cell culture systems and more challenging rodent experiments such as intravital microscopy. "Using cell cultures, we have learnt quite a lot about how cells recognise nanoparticles rather as dynamic aggregates of proteins but it was never tested in a more realistic situation," Yuya explains. "With establishment of the zebrafish model, we have finally acquired a means to further explore this question in a living organism. It was a simple approach with an extreme scenario tested in a very complex system, but I believe we are now one step closer to understanding what the protein corona can really mean to nanoparticles. In an environment rich in proteins, nanoparticles can wear a mask that gives them a biological identity, and its non-selfness can make them a foe. What defines the degree of the non-selfness? Well, it's the next big question we have to address." ### The research is carried out with the assistance of the zebrafish facility, headed by Dr. Kasper Kjr-Srensen and Prof. Claus Oxvig at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University. The project is funded by the Lundbeck Foundation and Independent Research Fund Denmark | the Research Council for Technology and Production Sciences (IRFD | FTP). Two articles were recently published in ACS Nano, a highly renowned journal in Nanoscience: "Tracing the In Vivo Fate of Nanoparticles with a Non-Self Biological Identity" by Hossein Mohammad-Beigi, Carsten Scavenius, Pia Bomholt Jensen, Kasper Kjr-Srensen, Claus Oxvig, Thomas Boesen, Jan J. Enghild, Duncan S. Sutherland, and Yuya Hayashi*. ACS Nano 14 (2020) pp. 10666-10679. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c05178 Differential Nanoparticle Sequestration by Macrophages and Scavenger Endothelial Cells Visualized in Vivo in Real-Time and at Ultrastructural Resolution by Yuya Hayashi*, Masanari Takamiya, Pia Bomholt Jensen, Isaac Ojea-Jimenez, Helicia Claude, Claude Antony, Kasper Kjr-Srensen, Clemens Grabher, Thomas Boesen, Douglas Gilliland, Claus Oxvig, Uwe Strahle, and Carsten Weiss. ACS Nano 14 (2020) pp. 1665-1681. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.9b07233. For further information, please contact Assistant Professor Yuya Hayashi Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Aarhus University, Denmark yuya.hayashi@mbg.au.dk Group webpage: https://mbg.au.dk/yuya-hayashi/ Vivo X50e 5G With Snapdragon 765G Goes Official: What Are The Highlight Features? News oi-Sandeep Sarkar Vivo has launched a new X series smartphone in the international market. The Chinese brand has launched the X50e 5G smartphone. The Vivo X50 series already has a bunch of other smartphones and the latest model comes as the sixth variant in this series in Taiwan. The Vivo X50e 5G has a 48MP quad-camera module, a mid-range Snapdragon processor, and a Super AMOLED display. Let's have a look at its complete features. Vivo X50e 5G Features And Specifications The Vivo X50e has been launched with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor. The device will come with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage space. It will have a hybrid slim slot for storage expansion. The smartphone is announced with Android 10 OS and has FunTouch OS 10 user interface. The smartphone is equipped with a 6.44-inch Super AMOLED display. It comes with a waterdrop style notch and has an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and 20:9 aspect ratio. Also, the display incorporates a fingerprint scanner which is used for security. In the camera department, the device features a diamond-shaped quad-camera setup which has a 48MP primary sensor. The camera setup also has a 13MP telephoto sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with 120-degree FoV, and a 2MP sensor for macro shots. The waterdrop notch is equipped with a 32MP selfie camera that has an f/2.2 aperture. The Vivo X50e 5G comes with USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, NFC, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. The smartphone uses a 4,350 mAh battery for backup and comes with 33W fast charging support. Vivo X50e 5G Price The Vivo X503 5G is priced at NT$ 13,990 which is somewhere around Rs. 35,597 in India. The device is launched in Night and Water Mirror color options in Taiwan. It can't be said if the device will make an entry in India anytime soon, but we will keep you updated on the same. via Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications A 72-year-old woman who lost a finger while trying to save her dog as it was attacked by an off-leash pit bull has opened up about the worst 30 seconds of her life. Lynn Hills had left an alterations store and was walking through Cronulla Mall, in Sydney's south, on Friday morning with her small Maltese terrier named Ollie. As they walked away from the shopping centre the pit bull stormed over and attacked the terrified pooch. Lynn Hills had left an alterations store and was walking through Cronulla Mall, in Sydney's south, on Friday morning with her small maltese terrier named Ollie Meanwhile, Ollie (pictured) has been treated for puncture wounds and a crushed leg 'I just remember screaming at the top of my voice, just terrible screaming,' the 72-year-old told Nine News. CCTV footage shows Ms Hills trying to free Ollie as her wrist got caught in the dog's mouth. The pit bull's owner ran over and to stop the attack, but a third dog briefly joined fight before it was broken up. Ms Hills was treated for at the scene for serious injuries to her hands before she was rushed to Sydney Hand Hospital. 'I thought I was going to lose my whole wrist, I didn't think I was going to get it out of his mouth no matter how much they punched him or kicked him and threw water on him - he never flinched,' Ms Hills said. Ms Hills has lost part of one finger while metal splints are holding the others together, and she faces months of rehabilitation to gain back the use of her hand. Ms Hills has lost part of one finger while metal splints are holding the others together, and she faces months of rehabilitation to gain back the use of her hand Meanwhile, Ollie has been treated for puncture wounds and a crushed leg. Both the pit bull and the owners other dog, a cane corso, are in custody of the Sutherland Shire Council, who are still deciding what to do. Sutherland Shire Council requires dog owners to keep their pets on a leash at all times when in public areas. 'This dog will now be declared as a Restricted Dangerous Dog by Sutherland Shire Council and will not be released until Georges River Council confirm that strict control measures will be met in accordance with the prescribed enclosure requirements. 'Councils Public Safety Unit is continuing its investigation into this incident.' All individuals and organizations - public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - may submit any number of nominations to any number of the categories. The Middle East Stevie & North Africa Awards are the regions only awards to recognize innovation in all its forms through the workplace. The awards are open to all organizations in 17 nations in the MENA region. The Stevie Awards, organizer of the worlds premier business awards programs, has issued a call for entries for the 2021 (second annual) Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, sponsored by RAK Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Entry kits and complete details on the competition are available at http://MENA.StevieAwards.com. The Middle East Stevie & North Africa Awards are the regions only awards to recognize innovation in all its forms through the workplace. The awards are open to all organizations in 17 nations in the MENA region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. All individuals and organizations - public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - may submit any number of nominations to any number of the categories. There are no entry fees in this awards program. Organizations may submit as many nominations as theyd like, without cost. Instead, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will pay a winners fee for each successful nomination. Nominations may be submitted online through two entry deadlines: November 4, 2020 and January 20, 2021. Winners fees are lower for nominations submitted through the first deadline. Winners of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards in the competition will be announced on February 18, 2021 and celebrated during a gala event in Ras Al Khaimah at the Waldorf Astoria on March 27. There are two new category groups for 2021. The COVID-19 Response categories will recognize the contributions of individuals, groups, and organizations that have worked valiantly over the past months to keep us safe, healthy, employed, and informed. The Achievement categories will recognize singular innovative achievements in areas such as customer satisfaction, growth, international expansion, and more. Nominations citing innovative achievements will be accepted and judged in both Arabic and English, in more than 100 categories across the following category groups: Apps & Websites Achievements Annual Reports & Other Publications Company/Organization Corporate Communications & Public Relations COVID-19 Response Customer Service Human Resources Live Events Management Marketing New Products & Services Technology Winners of the 2020 edition of the awards included Al Dhafra Region Municipality, BEKO, Birevim, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celebi Aviation Holding, Cisco Systems, Coca-Cola Icecek, DHL Express, Dubai Health Authority, Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC, RAK Transport Authority, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone and many more. The 2021 competition will be judged by more than 150 professionals around the world. __ About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. A paralarva of the Humboldt squid. These cephalopods emerge from their eggs as one-millimeter paralarvae but grow to over 1.2 meters when they reach maturity. To sustain their growth within their one-year lifespan, these pack hunters go on a feeding frenzy, sometimes eating each other. Credit: Dr. Mitsuo Sakai A group of marine biologists is pushing for more international collaboration to manage the Humboldt squid population after their study to identify its genetic stocks revealed its vulnerability to overfishing by fleets trying to feed the world's hunger for squids. Hiroshima University marine biologist Gustavo Sanchez led a team of researchers to find out the genetic structure of the Humboldt squid population in the Eastern Pacific Ocean using two types of DNA markersthe mitochondrial ND2 gene and nuclear microsatellite loci. The team found that Humboldt squids could trace back their population to three historical matrilineage that spread out during the late Pleistocene and that the species has at least two contemporary genetic stocks homogeneously co-distributed in the northern and southern hemispheres. Different genetic stocks within a species are usually defined by where they feed and breed. But in Humboldt squids, DNA markers showed no north-south divide. The equator doesn't serve as a natural barrier to separate the different genetic stocks of these fast swimmers risking capture by different fishery fleets along their migration route. "In our study, we identify at least two genetic stocks co-distributed in the north and southern hemisphere of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Our results suggest that rather than independent marine policies from each country, the sustainability of this squid requires an international marine policy," Sanchez said. To ensure sustainable fishing, countries in South America where the squid is traditionally found have established yearly catch quotas. But the study found this approach to be ineffective, especially as catch restrictions are absent in international waters on the squid's migration path. "Countries fishing this squid have established catch quotas with no consideration that the total amount varies from year to year, and that the amount of squid caught influences the number of squids next year. By doing so, the genetic contribution of the offspring every year will also clearly fluctuate. In such a situation, there is a risk of having a genetic erosion with a smaller number of squids which are also less likely to adapt rapidly to the changing environment," he remarked. "From our study, it is also clear that the squids caught by different countries also belong at least two different populations, with likely different genetic contribution for the next generation. Catching these squids without knowing that their genetic contribution is different, is also very risky." A grim warning Both warm tropical waters and the cooler Humboldt current, which runs from Tierra del Fuego at the southernmost tip of the South American mainland upwards to the northern coast of Peru, play a role in the Humboldt squid's life cycle. The squid seeks warm waters near the equator to spawn its clusters of neutrally buoyant eggs. But it needs nutrient-rich cool waters where they go on a feeding frenzy to grow from one-millimeter paralarvae specks to enormous predators of over 1.2 meters long. These squids typically spawn only once during their one-year lifespan then die, making their future volatile if fishing goes unchecked. And such fears are not farfetched. It's eastern relatives, the Japanese flying squid, has suffered the same fate. Years of overfishing, poor regulatory oversight, and the changing climate have depleted their population at an alarming rate that yearly catch of Japanese fishermen dropped over 70% from more than 200,000 tons in 2011 to 53,000 tons in 2017. The shortage worries the fishing town of Hakodate whose identity and economy are intertwined with the squid. "The population of the Japanese flying squids has decreased, and this is because along the distribution of this squid you have a lot of fleets from Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan, some with high capacity for catching this squid. Countries like China with massive distant-water fishing fleets can move anywhere outside their national jurisdiction to catch this squid. If you have the technology you can go to international waters and catch anything," Sanchez said. He said Hakodate's experience could be a grim warning of things to come for his country Peru. "The Humboldt squid is the second most important economical species in Peru. That means that when we have less squid, that will affect also the economy of the country, particularly the economy of the fisherman that depends on this squid," he said. Historical clues Over 90 percent of warming on Earth in the past 50 years has happened in the ocean and the speed it is heating up is accelerating. Warming oceans due to climate change have driven sea creatures toward the poles. The Humboldt squid population itself has expanded its migratory path. It recently stretched its route farther north to Alaska and south to the tip of Chile which exposes these cephalopods that hunt in packs of up to 1,200 to fishing boats in each territory on its path as well as technologically advanced vessels waiting in international waters. Sanchez's team found a similar pattern of historical population expansion under extreme climate conditions when they looked at the mitochondrial DNA of the squid. They found that warming global temperatures 30,000 years ago which thawed Ice Age glaciers contributed to a sea-level rise favorable for the Humboldt squid population to spread out. The event which coincided with the decrease in the population of sperm whales, their natural predators, led to a population expansion for the squids. Although quick to adapt, warmer temperatures mean less food, smaller maturity size, and fewer eggs to replenish its population. Securing Humboldt squids' future Much, including its conservation status, is still unknown of this large squid species. But with its economic significance to fishing communities and its important role in the marine ecosystem as food for diverse species, the new knowledge of its genetic stock can help inform future marine policies to manage its population. "The Humboldt squid is the largest squid fishery in the world and is heavily caught in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by several countries, including countries from Asia like Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. This squid is one of the most commercial squids in the world, and it sustains the economy of many countries." "Identifying genetic stocks, also known as genetically different groups, throughout population genetics is very important for implementing marine policies that control the total catch of this squid. The high migratory capacity of this squid is the main challenge to identify the exact number of genetic stocks, and more genetic resources and sampling are required to clearly reveal this number." Explore further A transparent squid with glowing internal organs recorded by deep-sea explorers More information: Gustavo Sanchez et al, Patterns of mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers describe historical and contemporary dynamics of the Humboldt squid Dosidicus gigas in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries (2020). Gustavo Sanchez et al, Patterns of mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers describe historical and contemporary dynamics of the Humboldt squid Dosidicus gigas in the Eastern Pacific Ocean,(2020). DOI: 10.1007/s11160-020-09609-9 Raging Northern California wildfires claimed another life, with a body discovered amid the ashes in Shasta County even as officials warned Wednesday that wind and dry conditions would likely fuel the Zogg and Glass fires, putting more lives and homes at risk in the coming days. The Zogg Fire, near Redding, burned 55,046 acres and was 9% contained by Wednesday night, with four deaths now linked to the blaze and 147 structures lost. More than 1,500 homes and other buildings remained threatened. Farther south, extremely low humidity and stronger winds threatened to push the Glass Fire beyond its few containment lines in Sonoma and Napa counties after a relative lull Wednesday restricted the growth to less than 2,000 acres overnight. Residents were advised to be on high alert in the coming days as a red flag warning was issued for Thursday afternoon through Friday evening, officials said. Since Sunday, entire Wine Country communities have been forced to evacuate. On Wednesday, most of St. Helena was under an evacuation warning, while those in hillside neighborhoods were ordered to leave. Officials ordered new evacuations northwest of already emptied-out Calistoga on Wednesday morning. Where the fire made its main push into east Santa Rosa, nothing had burned in 80 years, creating tinderbox-like conditions after a dry winter. It isnt taking much for fires to establish there, said Cal Fire Chief Mark Brunton. Even without the wind, its still a huge challenge. The dry conditions confronted more than 2,000 crew members on the lines of the Glass Fire. Two firefighters were forced to take cover in their emergency shelters late Sunday night, officials disclosed Wednesday. The two were working an active portion of the blaze when gusty winds created intense fire conditions, forcing them to take refuge, Cal Fire officials said. They were uninjured, though several support vehicles were damaged in the incident. The Glass Fire burned 51,266 acres as of Wednesday evening, with containment at just 2%. To date, more than 80,000 people have been displaced from Sonoma and Napa counties alone, many of them still waiting to find out whether their homes were spared. More than 200 structures have been destroyed, including 143 homes. Standing outside the Santa Rosa neighborhood of Skyhawk on Wednesday morning, Renee Pierce already knew the fate of her home: a smoldering pile of rubble. But police still blocked her and neighbors from going in to see it, as crews put out hot spots and cleared downed power lines. This is the third maybe fourth time that Pierce has evacuated her home of 16 years, as flames bore down on the neighborhood. Its just stuff, said Pierce, whose son was able to get into the community Tuesday and send her a picture of her burned-down home. Its not like a lost person. The cause of the Glass Fire is still under investigation, and determining what sparked it could take up to a year. But Cal Fire officials said they have pinpointed an area where the blaze might have begun: the 200 block of North Fork Crystal Springs Road, a road off Silverado Trail, east of Larkmead. Within that site were a blackened hillside with scorched oak trees and a destroyed small garage or mechanics shed. Nearby were several downed power poles, and PG&E personnel were there Wednesday afternoon documenting the damage. Caution tape hung off a tree near 280 North Folk Rd. But it was unclear exactly where the fire was touched off or how. Pam McGivern said she believes she was one of the first people to see what would become the Glass Fire as it erupted around 4 a.m. Sunday. A neighbor called to wake her up, and told her to look outside her window toward Bell Canyon. I jumped out of bed, flung the door open, and was like Holy s! she recalled. From her home on Crystal Springs Road, McGivern, 64, said she could feel the heat and see the towering flames racing toward her from near a water treatment plant in Bell Canyon. She called neighbors and then 911. There was no warning. When I saw those bright, bright orange flames coming down the canyon, it was horrifying, she said. I just knew it was bad. McGiverns home was spared, but she lost her high-end Cabernet grapes that were ready to harvest for her Seiler Family Vineyard. The grapes are ruined, and she said, she faces a $150,000 loss. The ongoing blazes as well as any new spot fires in the coming days and weeks could grow exponentially worse as powerful seasonal gusts known as Diablo winds kick up in October. The 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County and the Wine Country fires in 2017 and 2018 started as small spot fires, but winds of up to 70 mph propelled them into destructive firestorms. So far, more than 8,100 wildfires have ripped across well over 3.9 million California acres this fire season, according to Cal Fire. Thats twice the 2018 record of 1.98 million acres burned. With the blazes have come 30 deaths, and destruction of more than 7,200 structures as of Wednesday The National Weather Service said a red flag warning would take effect at 1 p.m. Thursday for the North Bay mountains and the region around the Glass Fire in anticipation of gusting winds and low humidity that could fan the flames. The warning is to last through at least 6 p.m. Friday. Smoke from the Glass Fire and other fires in Northern and Central California is likely to drift into the Bay Area through at least Friday. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air alert through Friday, but officials warn that shifting winds and burning fires mean the region may have to deal with smoke for days to come. Despite the dire weather forecast and the fact that the Glass Fire was still largely uncontrolled, some evacuees from east Santa Rosa neighborhoods untouched by the destruction were allowed to return home Tuesday night, and some evacuation orders were reduced to warnings The fire has been devastating to the regions wine industry, damaging or destroying buildings, interfering with the harvest and possibly damaging grapes. Industry experts say the damage inflicted by just four days of the Glass Fire exceeds the losses caused by the 2017 Wine Country fires. Law enforcement officials continued to patrol evacuated areas and there had been no reports of looting, Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said. Five people were arrested, however, for being inside Glass Fire evacuation zones without approval. We suspect they were looking for crimes of opportunity, Essick said. Wildfires continued to spread elsewhere in Northern and Central California despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters, including crews from the National Guard, other states and Mexico. Californias largest-ever wildfire, the August Complex, had torn through 949,672 acres in Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, Tehama, Lake, Colusa and Glenn counties as of Wednesday evening and was 47% contained. Crews were hampered by extremely dry vegetation, falling trees, downed power lines and exploding fuel tanks. More than 1,600 firefighters were battling the blaze. In Santa Rosa, with her home in ruins, Pierce said she would probably try to rebuild despite the fact that climate change will likely only bring new fires. Where else do you go? she said. What place doesnt have earthquakes or fire, or something? Where do you go? Staff writers J.D. Morris and Aidin Vaziri contributed to this story. Jill Tucker, Trisha Thadani and Michael Cabanatuan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com, tthadani@sfchronicle.com, mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker, @trishathadani, @ctuan After watching the first presidential debate Tuesday night, undecided voters from battleground states across the country still had plenty they wanted to know about coronavirus, racial injustice and what each candidate would do to unite the country. Out of 15 undecided voters in a virtual focus group conducted by veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz, four said they were supporting Democratic nominee Joe Biden after watching the debate and two backed President Donald Trump. The rest remained on the fence. There were nine men and six women and they hailed from Arizona, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Nevada. You just saw 90 minutes. How can you still be undecided? an incredulous Luntz asked. Please explain that to me? Moderator Frank Luntz speaks at the Milken Institute Global Conference Monday, April 30, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Despite their indecisiveness, most described Trump in a negative light, including one of the participants who was leaning toward voting for the president. The voters characterized Trump as unhinged, arrogant, forceful," a bully, chaotic and un-American. When asked to describe Biden they offered: better than expected, politician, compassion, coherent, and a nice guy lacking vision. Across a one-hour session in which Luntz brought in a handful of reporters from national news outlets, including POLITICO, to pose questions to the group, the following is what stood out. What pushed some over the edge The roughly four voters who ended the night in Bidens corner were stunned by Trumps performance. Ruthie, a voter from Pennsylvania, described it as trying to win an argument with a crackhead. Joe from Arizona said he entered the night leaning Biden and after the debate decided to vote for the former vice president. Trump didnt defend his record on the unrest in American cities and protests, he said. He inflames a lot of anger in this country, said Joe. And on the pandemic, he said, Trump couldnt defend his record on slow-walking the governments response. Story continues Luke from Wisconsin was one of the two participants to say hes now voting for Trump. Trump is annoying, hes unpresidential, Luke said, but on the economy and law and order he trusts Trump. Luke said he doesnt want to be afraid for his community, pointing to riots in Kenosha, Wis., after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, which left Blake paralyzed. Why some remained undecided The majority of the focus group remained undecided after the lengthy, chaotic debate. Many put a greater onus on Biden to deliver strong answers than Trump excusing the presidents behavior as typical or just Trump being Trump. Travis of Arizona said the few times Biden tried to land a jab on Trump he whiffed. Joe in North Carolina appeared to be leaning toward Biden after the debate but still wasnt sure Trump and Republicans constant attacks on the Democratic nominee as senile or sleepy had gotten to him. Biden won the debate, Joe said, because there was no significant gaffe. I was surprised that he did as well as he did, he continued. Some part of the narrative that Trump has spun so far that Biden may not be up to this task, it certainly did plant a seed of doubt in my mind. Still, he said, while Biden's performance was strong, it wasn't strong enough to sway him to make a decision. Kimberly from Ohio, the only Black person in the focus group, wanted to hear more about race relations and expressed frustration that little was said about Congress and the Trump administration's inability to reach a deal on stimulus relief. You still have millions of Americans out there who can't even feed their families, she said. Biden and the left A noticeable number of the undecideds were struck by Bidens defiance when pressed by Trump about the progressive, left flank of the Democratic Party. And many said they wanted to hear more about efforts to unify the country from both candidates a handful ended the evening thinking Biden would fashion a more diverse, bipartisan administration. My biggest concern about Biden going in and just throughout the whole primary was the radical left, so to speak, taking over the party, said Joe of Arizona. But Bidens answer convinced him otherwise. Now, he said, he planned to vote for the Democrat. Bidens declaration that he is the Democratic Party and the one who is deciding the platform, stood out to Jeremy from Arizona. That negated Trumps attack that the Democrat would be a tool of progressive lawmakers like liberal star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Even so, Jeremy said he remained undecided. I do not want another AOC, but I also don't want someone all the way to the right either, said Jeremy. What I want to see in the next two debates is why should Joe be elected? Not why I shouldn't vote for Trump. Trump's not presidential we've gotten that. Similarly, Mike from Iowa said Bidens best answer of the night came when he talked about unity. Mike wanted more information about who Biden would select for his Cabinet and if it would be bipartisan rather than dominated by progressive picks. Just tell us whose it's going to be. That would help, that would go a long way, he said. White supremacy When asked by POLITICO about Trumps refusal to condemn white supremacists, roughly five of the 15 said it was a moment that stood out to them across an otherwise hard-to-follow debate. That was definitely his worst moment, said Travis of Arizona, who remained undecided after the debate. That's like the easiest thing that he could do. Nick of Arizona, also picked it as the worst moment of the night for Trump. I dont really think hes some big racist, but I guess I dont really know, he said. Earlier in the focus group, Nick had mentioned Trumps refusal to condemn white supremacists as an example of Trumps behavior that makes it so hard for you to able to tell anyone that youre voting for him. Kimberly from Ohio also raised her hand when asked whether that part of the night stood out. At separate points throughout the discussion, she described Biden as someone who was more approachable and with an open ear to talk about race relations without becoming offensive. But ultimately, she remained undecided. Being a Black woman, they did not say how they were going to improve race relations with Black people, she said. I'm undecided. And from my community, it's a lot of us who are undecided because it's darned if we do and darned if we don't, what do we get? We don't get anything from this system. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Audio 'super production' of Bible uses 100s of voice actors to bring Scriptures alive Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Polish actor and director is working on an audio super-production of the Bible, using professional actors, music, and background sounds to allow listeners to fully immerse themselves in the Scriptures. Krzysztof Czeczot, one of Polands best-known actors, is employing hundreds of voice actors from A-listers to ordinary people to help bring the Bible to life, along with original symphonic music and background sounds recorded in Israel, Aleteia reports. While previous Bible-based audio dramas use stereo sound, The Audio Bible instead uses binaural recording, a spectacular 3D sound space that you can capture with an ordinary set of headphones, notes the product website. "It is not only an audio play its an epic experience for your soul a journey that everyone should take," it says. Czeczot, who has won awards for his radio work, told Aleteia he wants the Audio Bible to feel like a cinematic audio experience. He described the project as a beautiful tool for everyday reflection and practice for millions of Americans and English-speaking users around the world. When you close your eyes, you should be in the middle of the story, because the word has power, but also, the word has a space, he said, adding that his team recorded in Israel to capture the sounds of the spirit of the place. We were in Jerusalem, we were in the desert, we were on the Dead Sea, we were in Jericho, he said, recording sounds of crowds, people in the market, animals, etc. The project will cost an estimated $1.5 million, and is halfway through in terms of fundraising, said co-producer Marek Zmyslowski. He told Aleteia that creators are pretty confident about starting to record next year. In his home country, Czeczots Polish Audio Bible, which took three years to complete, has sold 145,000 copies, while its YouTube channel has had 5.4 million views. Now, hes hoping to reach millions more with the English edition. For the English edition, women will do half of the New Testament readings, and the creators will employ readers from each of the 50 states to ensure listeners hear voices from every region. The Holy Book belongs to everyone, notes the project website. Thus, The Audio Bible was created for all and by many: the Archbishop and the Chief Rabbi, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, agnostics, people of countless professions and social groups, old and young, men and women they all took part in the recordings, hand in hand. Czeczot explained that the Audio Bible isnt just for the faithful, but for those who are closer and further from the Church, believers and non-believers, people of other cultures and religions, with different world views, a cultural and social project. He stressed that he doesnt view The Audio Bible as a godly project. This is a radio play, powerful, with a huge cast, he said. This is too multifaceted a project to reduce it to religious values alone, although they are obviously important. Over the last few years, modern technology has allowed the Scriptures to reach millions in new and innovative ways. In September, the completeBible became available in American Sign Language for the first time ever. Now, the entire Bible is available to the worlds 70 million people who are deaf for free online, through social media, and on a smartphone app. The translation was led by people who themselves are deaf and trained in the biblical languages. Also this year, the first-ever multiseason show about Jesus, "The Chosen, premiered. At the top of 2019, The Chosen became the No. 1 crowdfunded media project in history. Additionally, Deaf Missions and the Jesus Film Project are seeking to raise millions to create a motion picture about the life of Jesus Christ featuring actors signing in ASL. The Ghana Non Communicable Disease (NCD) Alliance (GhNCDA) has called on political parties to prioritize the prevention and treatment of NCD and address the burden associated with it when voted into power. It said political parties must note that protecting the poor, vulnerable and the marginalized from the financial consequences of NCD would help protect the future of their children for better development. Mr Labram Musah, National Coordinator, GhNCDA, who was speaking at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, said the high cost involved in the treatment of NCDs had caused the loss business and sources of livelihood. He asked political parties to design and implement Universal Health Coverage (UHC) policies that addressed the growing burden on multi morbidities and consider the needs of persons living with chronic conditions. They must ensure the availability of a comprehensive service that mandates everyone to know their health status to ensure the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of NCDs, he said. He said although Ghana had made some progress in strengthening policy response to NCDs, there was an urgent need for a stronger national health system that focused on integrated and preventive care at the primary healthcare level. The elected government has the responsibility to expend the National Health Insurance Scheme to cover NCD treatment at all levels including the Community Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds, he added. Globally, it is estimated that 41 million people die from NCDs every year with more than 85 per cent being premature and occurring in low and middle income countries. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that over 94,400 Ghanaian died from NCDs. Mr Musah said an estimated 22,000 lives in Ghana can be saved if the next government increased taxes on unhealthy commodities such as tobacco, alcohol, sugar-sweetened beverages as well as implement policies that gave priority to exercise and reduce trans-fat and salt intake among the public. Nii Ankonu AnnorbahSarpei, Director of Programmes, and Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), bemoaned the low awareness and knowledge about the prevention of NCD and the lack of clear policies to enforce healthy living among the public. While it is known that hypertension, stroke and diabetes affect both the young and old, we are of the view that successive governments have not shown political commitments to control the impacts of NCDs on the health system, he said. He called for the development of an alternative funding mechanism for preventive healthcare promotion to be managed by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The combination of cynical disregard for the truth, fear of change, and emotions trumping reason, can crimp policy reform. That is happening today, with some in the Opposition preying on farmers insecurities and feverishly trying to incite panic among them, in total disregard of the facts and even of their earlier, committed positions. By no stretch of the imagination can it be argued that introducing new options for beleaguered farmers to sell their produce, while also retaining the old system, is somehow against their interest. Yet, that is the perception that Congress and some others are trying to create, to instigate farmers to agitate, and to browbeat other parties. This deeply cynical tactic is a repeat of what the Congress has been doing for six years, blindly opposing everything the Modi government does. It is based partly on sheer cussedness, that is, its leaderships personal antipathy towards Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, no matter how much it harms the nation. When they repeatedly parrot the stands taken by Pakistan and China against Indias military response to cross-border terrorism and hostile troop movements, this attempt to foment trouble in the heartland should only have been expected. The reality is clear to any thinking person who has engaged with this topic earlier, or at least taken the trouble to read about it now. Until the current reforms, Indias farm policies dated from more than half-a-century ago, when we faced immense shortages and depended on ship-to-mouth foreign aid. Those policies restrained farmers to where and to whom they could sell produce, thus making it a buyers market. That system of monopoly buyers skewed the power balance in favour of middlemen, hurting farmers. Thus, farmers incomes did not rise commensurately with economic growth, unlike in many sectors. Such restrictions were lifted long ago on most other sectors and it is unconscionable to continue restraining farmers. This is particularly so because, in recent decades, India has become surplus in foodgrains, and, in fact, has a storage problem. For long, most stakeholders, in fact, everyone other than far Left ideologues, have been clamouring for these changes. And it is part of the Congress election manifesto, too. As noted agri-economist Ashok Gulati has written, the recent trio of legislation breaks the monopolistic powers of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) (in order) to provide greater choice and freedom to farmers to sell their produce. Equally importantly, the safety net of government procurement through the minimum support price (MSP) will also continue, thus leaving the old mechanism in place for those who want to continue with the tried and tested. All these together shift the balance in favour of the sellers, that is the farmers. Now the Congress is trying to justify its hypocrisy with shameless dissimulation. Its claim that these reforms somehow run counter to what it had committed to is a bald-faced lie. Since that has become obvious, at least to those willing to engage in the debate with reason rather than emotion, the formerly grand old party is now desperately trying to shift the goalposts. Its choice of tactic for that is to demand that the MSP mechanism be a part of legislation rather than the administrative orders it has always been, and to insist that all new buyers pay for produce at the MSP level or higher. This is calculated as an emotive appeal, but does not withstand rational scrutiny. For the party that has governed the Republic for the vast majority of its existence, and sustained the MSP regime as an administrative framework, to now suddenly demand its legislation, takes the cake for brazenness. MSP always was, and continues to be, a safety net, a fallback option for farmers. It was never intended, nor is it wise, to legislate it as the desirable, default option. That would permanently cap the upside for farmers. The opponents related second demand to make MSP compulsory for even private buyers would have a similarly disastrous effect. It would ensure that no new private buyers would enter the fray. In other words, it would help the current, politically-connected middlemen to stay empowered as the monopolistic buyers. As Gulati puts it, governmental procurement via MSP covers only 6% of farmers, and there isnt the wherewithal for covering the entire spectrum. Without these long-pending reforms, 94% of farmers would continue to be at the mercy of imperfect markets. Apart from visceral antipathy to the PM, the Congress leaderships opposition banks on two flawed strategies. Both are based on classical propaganda principles, which, however, are out of sync with realities today. The first is to brand him a non-reformer, who talks but does not deliver. Of course, a quick look at the track record of the past six years unravels that allegation. And as former deputy chairman of Niti Aayog, Arvind Panagariya, has tweeted, Those who thought the PM is not a reformist must be stunned by the last two weeks, with changes that were due for more than two decades in medical education, agriculture and labour laws. And the final Congress hope, of denting the PMs popularity by repeating a lie often, does not work. In this era of information ubiquity, a lie cannot sustain when the reality is unambiguous, like the Centres early announcement of the MSP hike last week. Baijayant Jay Panda is vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and a former Member of Parliament The views expressed are personal Kuwait's emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, died on Tuesday at the age of 91, according to the state TV Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait who drew on his decades as the oil-rich nation's top diplomat to push for closer ties to Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War and solutions to other regional crises, died Tuesday. He was 91. In a Middle East replete with elderly rulers, Sheikh Sabah stood out for his efforts at pushing for diplomacy to resolve a bitter dispute between Qatar and other Arab nations that continues to this day. His 2006 ascension in Kuwait, a staunch U.S. ally since the American-led war that expelled occupying Iraqi troops, came after parliament voted unanimously to oust his predecessor, the ailing Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Sabah, just nine days into his rule. Yet as Kuwait's ruling emir, he struggled with internal political disputes, the fallout of the 2011 Arab Spring protests and seesawing crude oil prices that chewed into a national budget providing cradle-to-grave subsidies. ``He represents the older generation of Gulf leaders who valued discretion and moderation and the importance of personal ties amongst fellow monarchs,'' said Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington who studies Kuwait. State television announced his death after playing Quranic prayers. ``With great sadness and sorrow, the Kuwaiti people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and the friendly peoples of the world mourn the death of the late His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, emir of the state of Kuwait who moved to the realm of the Lord,'' an Emiri official said, without offering a cause of death. Sheikh Sabah is expected to be succeeded by his half-brother, the crown prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah. The high regard for Sheikh Sabah could be seen in the outpouring of support for him across the Mideast as he suddenly fell ill in July 2020, leading to a quick hospitalization and surgery in Kuwait City amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Authorities did not say what ailed him. A U.S. Air Force C-17 flying hospital then transported Sheikh Sabah from Kuwait to Rochester, Minnesota, home of the flagship campus of the Mayo Clinic _ an extraordinary gesture by the American government for a foreign head of state. Sheikh Sabah's life spanned two very different Kuwaits. He was born June 16, 1929, just as the country's pearl-diving industry would collapse. Within the decade, Kuwait would strike oil. Engineers would eventually confirm that the tiny country, slightly smaller than the U.S. state of New Jersey, had the world's sixth-largest known oil reserves. Sheikh Sabah became Kuwait's foreign minister in 1963 after holding a number of other governmental posts. He would remain in that position for four decades, making him one of the world's longest-serving foreign ministers. His country's greatest crisis came in 1990, when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and occupied the nation for seven months. On Feb. 24, 1991, U.S. troops and their allies stormed into Kuwait. It ended 100 hours later. America suffered only 148 combat deaths during the whole campaign, while over 20,000 Iraqi soldiers were killed. Even before the U.S. entered Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah and others began suggesting a permanent American presence in the region might provide them protection from Iraq and others. ``One learns from the past and learns about it for the future,'' Sheikh Sabah reportedly said. ``One has to consider arrangements that would make not only my country stable but make the whole area stable.'' Today, Kuwait hosts some 13,500 American troops, many at Camp Arifjan south of Kuwait City, which is also home to the forward command of U.S. Army Central. In 2003, his half brother and Kuwait's then-emir, Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, named Sheikh Sabah as the country's prime minister. Although the move kept members of the Al Sabah family firmly in control of Kuwait, it was seen as a modest step toward reform as it marked the first time that the roles of prime minister and crown prince _ the next in line to the throne _ were split. It also formalized Sheikh Sabah's role in running the daily affairs of the country _ a responsibility he had increasingly assumed while the former prime minister, Sheikh Saad, struggled with health problems. Despite those health problems, Sheikh Saad took power in 2006 after the death of Sheikh Jaber. Concerns mounted during his brief reign as he was seen in public only in a wheelchair and did not speak. Parliament ended up voting 64-0 to have Sheikh Sabah become emir, following a similar Cabinet decision. Sheikh Saad then submitted a letter of resignation. The vote, while largely symbolic, marked a small victory for democracy among the autocratic Gulf Arab states. It was the first time in Kuwait's history that the legislature had a role in choosing the emir. ``Sheikh Sabah proved a savvy player of the internal politics of the ruling family,'' Diwan said. Domestically, Sheikh Sabah faced the challenge of falling oil prices in recent years. He dissolved parliament several times as lawmakers kept questioning appointed government ministers, some of them members of his extended family. As the 2011 Arab Spring swept the region, Sheikh Sabah ordered 1,000 dinar ($3,559) grants and free food coupons for every Kuwaiti. But allegations swirled at the time that some lawmakers had been bribed $350 million by the government to sway their votes, along with rumors that they were involved in embezzling state funds. Amid strikes and confrontations with police, protesters briefly entered parliament, waving flags and singing the country's national anthem. Sheikh Sabah nevertheless maintained power while still allowing protests, a rarity among Gulf leaders. Internationally, Sheikh Sabah embraced Iraq after the U.S.-led 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam. He twice visited the country and helped Iraq and Kuwait reach a $500 million deal in 2012 to settle a long-running legal dispute between their state airlines over allegations of large-scale theft by Saddam. The emir also hosted a summit in 2018 that saw $30 billion pledged to help rebuild Iraq after the war against the Islamic State group. That's even as Iraq still owes Kuwait reparations from Saddam's 1990 invasion. Sheikh Sabah also played a role in raising aid funds for Syrians suffering as a result of that country's civil war, hosting international donor conferences in 2013 and 2014, and pledging hundreds of millions of dollars of Kuwaiti wealth. One of his greatest challenges as a diplomat, however, came with the boycott of Qatar by four Arab nations that began in 2017. Sheikh Sabah positioned himself as a mediator for the political dispute, which he warned in a White House appearance in 2017 could have led to an armed conflict. ``Thank God, now, what is important is that we have stopped any military action,'' Sheikh Sabah said. Those mediation efforts have yet to resolve the crisis, but he did manage to get Qatar's prime minister to shake hands on live television with Saudi King Salman at a 2019 meeting in Mecca. ``We believe that wisdom will prevail,'' Sheikh Sabah once said. A longtime widower, Sheikh Sabah lived for years in a palace known as Dar Salwa, which was named after his daughter Salwa, who died of cancer in 2002. He is survived by two sons. Search Keywords: Short link: In the past, you might have seen Velazquez in a corner of the West Gallery, the Goyas in the East Gallery, and St. Jerome over the fireplace in the central Living Hall. But in the Breuer building on Madison Avenue, all of the Frick Collections Spanish holdings will hang together. This is one of the new ways to be announced Wednesday in which the Fricks collection of paintings, sculptures, works on paper and decorative arts will be presented when the museum moves into its temporary digs in the Breuer, which it is calling Frick Madison, sometime early next year. The Fricks two-year tenure in the Breuer the 1966 Brutalist building owned by the Whitney Museum of American Art and recently occupied by the Metropolitan Museum of Art will allow the Frick to continue exhibitions while its 1914 Gilded Age mansion on Fifth Avenue undergoes renovation. EV PHEV As is customary in our times, the European arrival of the Lynk & Co brand and the reveal of its first EU model were purely virtual. The company not only revealed the 01 crossover, but also a shared mobility offer that includes a subscription-like month-to-month membership price.The registration is easily done online, though the brand also says it has some club locations as well and the monthly subscription for the car will be priced at up to 500 ($586 at current exchange rates). That is the top pricing, because club members can lower their costs by sharing the cars and all costs (insurance, maintenance, car sharing platform access) are still included.Alternatively, one can join the club for free (without a car) and only pay whenever you borrow someone elses Lynk & Co 01. Those still going for the traditional ownership model will be able to outright purchase the car online and offline from the brands clubs.As far as the European 01 is concerned, a crossover that shares many technical traits with the Volvo XC40 (both are based on the CMA platform), Lynk & Co promises to only bring electrified powertrains into the region, with available hybrid and plug-in versions (up to 70 km / 43 miles inmode).Trims and options packs are outdated, says the brand, so there are just four choices for the customers: two colors (black or blue, nothing else!) and two powertrains (HEV or). Instead, the ownership experience will be firmly rooted in todays digital age, with many on-board connectivity features that include benefits such as a social media camera, easy sharing of the cars digital key , and more. Actress Jessica Williams has declared her support for President Nana Akufo-Addo to win the 2020 presidential elections on December 7. According to the 'Fix Us' actress, the President deserves one more term to do more for the country. She made this known on Monday in a social media post, in which she praised the government for its 'Year of Roads' initiative. Indeed, this is a year of roads , she said on Instagram while she shared a photo of herself clung to motor grader and added, 4M4N2DM #YearOfRoads. She has joined the list of Ghanaian celebrities who have openly endorsed President Akufo-Addo for the presidency. The rest include Shatta Wale, Afia Schwarzenegger, Agya Koo, Matilda Asare, Socrates Safo, Nicholas Omane Acheampong, Bibi Bright, Diana Asamoah, among others. By Francis Addo Moodys Analytics has won in the 2020 International Business Awards, earning a Bronze Stevie Award for Most Valuable Technical Innovation (one of several COVID-19 Response categories). Winners in this category were recognized for technical innovations (non-medical) developed since the beginning of 2020 to ameliorate the impact of the COVID-19 virus. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005251/en/ Beginning in April we launched a host of solutions aimed at helping business leaders and market participants address challenges presented by the pandemic. Several of these new offerings contributed to our winning this award: Know Your Supplier Portal: Used by healthcare providers to identify and screen suppliers of medical equipment and PPE. The portal lets users search a global database of risk-relevant entities to determine whether potential vendors have a history of fraud or other illicit activity. Free Online Portal for PPP Loans: Helping banks streamline loan origination and forgiveness processes. Institutions using the portal can digitally gather the required documents and information, track the status of borrowers and their documents in real time, and receive alerts on each submission. COVID-19 CRE Impact Dashboard: Informing commercial real estate market participants. This visual mapping tool provides access to economic, property and construction data as well as analytics and insights for each of the different CRE property types. Coronavirus Pulse: Enabling COVID-19 news sentiment analysis. Coronavirus Pulse uses machine learning and natural language processing to find news articles related to COVID-19; identify companies, sector-specific themes, and events that are mentioned; and assign adverse, neutral, or positive article and credit sentiment to each story. The unprecedented implications of the pandemic have made identifying risk even more criticaland more challenging. Were proud to supply decision-makers across industries with the timely and relevant information they need right now, said Keith Berry, Executive Director at Moodys Analytics. Winning a Stevie award for Most Valuable Technical Innovation is great recognition of all of the innovative work our teams do to combine advanced data, analytics, and technologies into easy-to-use solutions. Learn more about the 2020 International Business Awards. Moodys Analytics, Moodys, and all other names, logos, and icons identifying Moodys Analytics and/or its products and services are trademarks of Moodys Analytics, Inc. or its affiliates. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. About Moodys Analytics Moodys Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moodys Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn. Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moodys Corporation reported revenue of $4.8 billion in 2019, employs approximately 11,200 people worldwide and maintains a presence in 40 countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005251/en/ Any statements about any military support or military activity definitely add fuel to the fire, Peskov told reporters in Moscow. We are categorically against that. We are calling on all countries, especially our partners such as Turkey, to do everything to convince the conflicting parties to stop hostilities and revert to a peaceful resolution of this protracted conflict by political-diplomatic means, he said, according to the TASS news agency. Turkey blames Armenia for the large-scale hostilities that erupted around Karabakh on Sunday and makes no secret of its military assistance to Azerbaijan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Baku must take matters into its own hands and end Armenian occupation of Karabakh. We stand by Azerbaijan on the field and at the [negotiating] table, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was reported to say on Tuesday. Now we want to solve this problem completely. Armenia has decried the Turkish support for Azerbaijan. It has accused Ankara of being directly involved in the worst flare-up of violence in the Karabakh conflict in years and possibly decades. Peskov said that Moscow is now in constant contact with Yerevan, Baku and Ankara at various levels regarding the fighting. He said it is also collecting information and analyzing the situation on the ground. Russian President Vladimir Putins press secretary would not be drawn on possible Russian actions in the region. Russia has about 5,000 troops stationed in Armenia. Russian-Armenian treaties commit it to protecting the South Caucasus countrys internationally recognized borders with Azerbaijan, Turkey and other neighbors. Despite these close ties Moscow has not openly sided with Yerevan in the Karabakh conflict. Peskov stressed that his country maintains a balanced position in order to be able to effectively offer its mediating role in the settlement of this conflict. BEVERLY, Mass., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Altova (http://www.altova.com) announced the release of Altova ContractManager, a highly customizable, cloud-based contract management app. Whether your firm manages tens, hundreds, or thousands of contracts, Altova ContractManager makes it easy and secure to store, manage, and search for your contracts with ease. Altova ContractManager Choosing a centralized contract repository that all stake holders can access securely in the cloud has numerous benefits, from time savings to more efficient management of related contracts and important dates. This new solution provides complete contract lifecycle management with templates for documenting contract details, built in reminders, audit log and change tracking, and much more. This turn-key solution provides: Centralized contract management Secure file storage for all your contracts Granular role and group-based permissions to control access to confidential information Automatic reminders for important review dates and deadlines Search tools to find contract documents and details instantly Full audit log and change tracking Options to customize the app as little or as much as required: Change the hierarchy of containers in the database Add, change, or delete any fields, forms, and database structure even if records already exist in the database Select from different themes to configure your display colors and font size Affordable monthly or annual pricing options And more Both robust and highly customizable, Altova ContractManager provides tools to document contract details, store contract files, and keep track of important deadlines all while being affordable for firms of all types and sizes. This solution is priced hundreds less than competing apps, with pricing starting at $299 per user per year, or just under $25 per month when paid annually. Monthly subscriptions will also be available at $29 per month. Users can start the purchasing process by clicking Manage Subscription in the Altova Cloud. A free 30-day evaluation subscription for Altova ContractManager is easy to request in seconds by visiting https://altova.cloud and creating an account. No credit card is needed, and users can get started with ContractManager right away without needing to download software or enter a license. About Altova Altova is a software company specializing in tools that assist developers with data management, software and application development, mobile development, and data integration. The creator of XMLSpy and other award-winning products, Altova is a key player in the software tools industry and the leader in XML solution development tools. The company offers a complete line of desktop developer software for XML, SQL, and UML; high-performance workflow automation server products; and a cross-platform mobile development platform. Altova focuses on its customers' needs by offering a product line that fulfills a broad spectrum of requirements for software development teams. With over 5.4 million users worldwide, including 91% of Fortune 500 organizations, Altova is honored to serve clients from one-person shops to the world's largest organizations. Altova is committed to delivering standards-based, platform-independent solutions that are powerful, affordable and easy-to-use. Founded in 1992, Altova is headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts and Vienna, Austria. Altova, MobileTogether, MissionKit, XMLSpy, MapForce, FlowForce, RaptorXML, StyleVision, UModel, DatabaseSpy, DiffDog, SchemaAgent, and Authentic are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Altova GmbH in the United States and other countries. The names of and references to other companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Sales Information: [email protected] USA: 978-816-1600 EU: +43 (1) 545 5155 -0 Media relations contact: Cynthia L Neely PR & Marketing Communications Manager [email protected] 978-816-1567 SOURCE Altova Actress Jacqueline Jossa in Belfast City Centre with BPerfect's Brendan McDowell launching her new range on September 30th 2020 Former Eastenders star and I'm a Celebrity winner Jacqueline Jossa has flown into Belfast for the launch of a new range of products for the Northern Ireland cosmetics firm BPerfect. The 2019 queen of the jungle has her own product range with the company. She took to Instagram about Wednesday's launch. "[It] is going to be epic," she posted. The actress has said she was "over the moon" to be working with BPerfect and launching her own range which has been in the works for the past 12 months. She paid tribute to the "vision" of chief executive Brendan McDowell and his team for their support in bringing about the new range of products. Read More BPerfect owner Mr McDowell has also worked relentlessly to grow his business through the lockdown restrictions. Around 2,000 shops worldwide stock his BPerfect cosmetics and he employs 40 staff. "As we entered lockdown, we had literally just moved the week before to new premises in Lisburn to accommodate our growth - they are four times the size of our previous space and include three warehouses and a huge office," he told the Belfast Telegraph in June. "Lockdown was announced and the team and I went into shock, but after a few hours of listening and monitoring the changing news, we decided to get our heads down and get a plan in place, to not only survive, but to thrive. "And I am over the moon that we have done just that. We have emerged stronger as a team than we went into it. Brendan, who lives in Belfast with his partner Tony Benson (33), a researcher at Queen's University, is originally from Annalong. After failing his GCSEs, he studied for an NVQ in construction and then went on to university, which he very quickly decided wasn't for him. At the age of 20, he began a decade-long career as a salesman rising to the top in a number of companies he worked for. But, on turning 30, he decided he wanted to run his own business and with just 500 he flew to a trade show in London and bought a range of "gadgets" which he brought home and tested on friends. "Out of all the gadgets and crazy things I picked up, my friends really liked an eyebrow kit and so I decided to go with that. "I bought 50 of them and went to the Kennedy Centre in Belfast and set up a stall and they sold out in the first day. Expand Close In his warehouse / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp In his warehouse "A week later, I bought 100 and went to the Abbey Centre for a week and sold them. I then thought there was no point selling someone else's brand, so I did some research on manufacturing. "I ordered some samples which, went back and forward from different factories, and finally developed my own eye-brow kit which we added oil to in order to make it waterproof." His now famous BPerfect LMD Master Palette was the first to be mentioned by a blogger and, as a result, he couldn't make enough of them to meet demand. UK make-up artist Stacey Murray, who has a huge international following on social media and is regarded as a real trendsetter within the industry, was the next to promote the products. Then top US blogger MMMMitchell picked them up and raved about them. Sales continued to soar globally and the brand is now so sought after that the launch of a new product last year saw international bloggers and influencers fly into Belfast for a chance to be the first to try it. In a new update to dress and appearance standards, the U.S. Air Force is allowing its airmen to grow their hair out a little longer. Male airmen can now wear their hair up to two inches from their scalp, an extension from the previous mandate of 1 1/4 inches, according to a service release published Wednesday. The female hair bulk standard also increased, from 3 1/2 inches to 4 inches, the release said. Read Next: This Navy Destroyer Just Set an All-Time Record at Sea "Following the Department of the Air Force's initial review, a diverse panel of Total Force Airmen completed a second review of Air Force grooming and appearance guidance in order to enhance inclusiveness while maintaining Department of the Air Force professional standards," the release said. The review is part of an long-term effort to "improve dress and appearance policies," where applicable, Capt. Leah Brading, a service spokeswoman, told Military.com last month. The changes are part of a series of updates to the service's dress and appearance policy aimed at "creating a more inclusive culture," officials have said. The Air Force in July approved nametape wear for airmen whose names contain accent marks or hyphens -- a small step in the larger effort to remove unfair barriers for Air and Space Force uniformed members. A month earlier, the Air Force's surgeon general approved a five-year waiver allowing male airmen with a chronic inflammatory skin condition to keep their beards. The condition, known as Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, or PFB, causes razor bumps and painful ingrown beard hair; it commonly affects Black men. The change means that airmen no longer need to request an exemption on an annual basis and "allows them to more readily present a neat, clean, and professional image," the service said at the time. As part of the latest update announced Wednesday, men can cut, clip or shave a straight-line part from front to back -- not slanted or curved -- on either side of their head and above the temple. The part can not "exceed 4 inches length or 1/4 inch width," it said. The Air Force also noted that airmen can dye their hair another color as long as it is a natural hair color. Natural colors are brown, blonde, brunette, natural red, black or grey, the release said. Earlier this month, the service asked airmen to submit their ideas for improved policies pertaining to dress and appearance. Airmen and civilians are encouraged to submit recommendations through the Air Force's website "Airman Powered by Innovation" via a Common Access Card, officials said Sept. 3. "If we want an environment in which Airmen feel valued, we need to create transformative opportunities to foster a culture of innovation and then listen to their ideas," Lisa Truesdale, Air Force military force policy deputy director, said in a separate release. "Additionally, wearing the uniform and having pride in your personal appearance enhances esprit de corps." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: Air Force Considers Allowing Ponytails, Other Hairstyles for Women The Rev. Al Sharpton and Ben Crump, an attorney for other victims of police violence including George Floyd's family, led mourners in chants of "Justice for Valentina!" and "Valentina was innocent!" Probe: The victims body is removed from a flat on Crebilly Road A man murdered in Co Antrim has been named by police as Donald Fraser-Rennie. The 33-year-old was found dead in a flat in the Crebilly Road area of Ballymena after what police described as a vicious, sustained and violent beating. Police remained at the scene of the murder today, with specialist officers carrying out an examination of a first-floor flat on the Ballykeel estate, where the victim is believed to have lived. An evidence marker was placed on the balcony of the flat and a scenes of crime officer was seen examining the window frames of the property. A large area around the block of apartments, located opposite a Tesco supermarket, was cordoned off throughout the day as detectives searched for clues. Grassland on the other side of the busy dual carriageway adjacent to the flat, as well as the subway underneath the road, was cordoned off as detectives carried out house-to-house interviews. The murder has left the local community reeling. A dog walker told this newspaper: Its a terrible thing to waken up to. Another resident said: I didnt know the man. I think he hasnt lived here very long and theres talk he wasnt from Ballymena, but it (the murder) is wild. Officers investigating the incident have arrested two men, aged 29 and 33, on suspicion of murder. They are both in police custody tonight. Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, from the PSNIs major investigation team, said: My thoughts are with Donalds family and his fiancee at this very sad and difficult time. At this stage, I believe that Donald was the victim of a vicious, sustained and violent beating which resulted in his death. I am appealing to anyone who has information that could assist with the investigation to contact us. The Detective Chief inspector said he was keen to speak to anyone who had been in contact with Mr Fraser-Rennie at any time between Tuesday and 1am today. He would also like to hear from anyone who was in the Crebilly Road area between midday on Tuesday and 1am today. Councillor Rodney Quigley said there was a lot of concern and shock in the community. The last thing they want is another murder. Lets not forget there is a family out somewhere grieving over the loss of a loved one. I would send them my sympathies, he added. Anyone with information is urged to contact detectives on the non-emergency 101 number, quoting reference 52 30/09/20. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111. The Ballykeel estate was hit by a separate violent death less than three months ago when father-of-two Jason Lee Martin (31) was stabbed to death. HOLYOKE The chairman of the Holyoke Soldiers Home Board of Trustees said recent criminal indictments of top staff in connection with the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the facility will not change the complexion of an upcoming special meeting of the trustees. The meeting is scheduled for Sept. 30. Board of Trustees Chairman Kevin Jourdain said previously a discussion of the employment status of suspended Superintendent Bennett Walsh will take place in executive session, away from public eyes and ears. On Tuesday Jourdain said the criminal indictments leveled against Walsh and former Soldiers' Home Medical Director Dr. David Clinton will not change the substance of that discussion. Im aware of the issue. Were reviewing the law. But it wont change the complexion of the meeting, said Jourdain, a former Holyoke City Council president appointed chairman of the board in November. The public agenda for the meeting also shows trustee Cesar Lopez recently resigned from the board the second trustee to resign in three months. Board member Richard Girard, director of Veterans Services for the Town of Agawam, resigned in July. Lopez did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday afternoon. During a brief phone conversation Tuesday, Girard said, Id rather not talk about that. Ive had a hard time dealing with this; its been very trying for me." Walsh and Clinton were indicted on 10 criminal charges each by a statewide grand jury on Sept. 24. State Attorney General Maura Healey announced the charges the following morning. The men are accused of multiple counts of being caretakers who wantonly or recklessly commit or permit bodily injury to an elder or disabled person, and a similarly worded charge pertaining to the alleged abuse, neglect or mistreatment of an elderly or disabled person. Both are felony charges that carry hefty state prison time which could amount to decades behind bars if either man is convicted, Healey said. An attorney for Walsh has said her client is being scapegoated by Healeys office. A lawyer for Clinton did not respond to requests for comment. Walsh was initially suspended on March 30 as the coronavirus death toll at the long-term care facility for veterans began to climb. At least 76 veterans succumbed to the disease. Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders fired Walsh on June 24 with Gov. Charlie Bakers blessing. Walsh successfully challenged his firing in court and was placed back on suspended status. Clinton resigned on June 24, the same day a stinging report was released by an independent investigator assigning blame to Walsh and his top staff for allegedly worsening the spread of the virus. On Wednesdays meeting public meeting agenda are proposed votes on appointing new Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Higgins, new medical staff and reappointing a podiatrist, plus the item scheduled for executive session on the litigation between the board and Walsh. To discuss strategy with respect to litigation because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the Board, the notation on the agenda reads. After he was suspended, Walsh sued the board to delay a discussion of his employment status until after the report by Boston attorney Mark Pearlstein was released. Walsh then sued the Sudders and Baker, arguing they lacked the authority to fire him and only the trustees had that power. A Hampden Superior Court judge sided with Walsh, handing his professional fate back to the trustees. Jourdain has declined to forecast the decision by the board. Along with Jourdain, current trustees include newest member Brig. Gen. Sean T. Collins, of Southwick, a clinical nurse specialist, small business owner and former commander of the 104th Fighter Wing Medical Group in Westfield. Collins was once appointed to serve at the Pentagon in a defense and health capacity. Other trustees are Cindy Lacoste, a retired U.S. Naval officer of Westfield; Isaac Mass, a Greenfield attorney and member of the Army National Guard; Carmen M. Ostrander, a veteran from Pittsfield; and Chris Dupont, of Belchertown, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and serves as a civilian civil engineering job with the Air Force Reserves 439th Airlift Wing in Chicopee. Jourdain said although Duponts term expired, he is on overstay, until Baker chooses to reappoint or replace him. All the trustees are Baker appointees and are drawn from the states four western counties with more than half hailing from Hampden County. Baker was asked about the indictments at a press conference Tuesday on the states coronavirus outbreak and response. The Pearlstein report raised, time and time again, errors and mistakes that had huge consequences for the people horrible, huge consequences for the people who live there," the governor said. "And you spend enough time talking to a lot of the families who were involved in that, and it becomes clear just how huge and horrible those consequences really were. Related Content: State judicial officials hoped this week would mark the start of hybrid jury trials albeit on a small scale since the coronavirus pandemic abruptly halted them in March. But they had a split victory Wednesday when, the same day that the first trial began in Atlantic County, a second trial in Bergen County was stayed by an appellate court over the defenses objections about jury selection, which was partially virtual. The judiciary unveiled a plan in July they say will allow for safe trials while maintaining the integrity of the system and defendants' rights. The plan called for piloting the system with two relatively standard criminal cases, in Atlantic and Bergen counties. What they came up with was on display this week in Atlantic County. Fourteen jurors selected after one round of juror questions via Zoom and a second questioning in person in the courthouse heard opening arguments in a forged check case. When the trial started, the masked jurors were spread out in the gallery instead of the jury box, and the courtroom was outfitted with plastic barriers. You and I are really guinea pigs as this is the first trial to occur here since March, Assistant Prosecutor Rick McKelvey told jurors Wednesday morning in the Atlantic County Criminal Courthouse. But in Bergen County, the second pilot trial will not begin Thursday as planned. The Appellate Division granted a stay in the trial Wednesday until further notice, allowing time for the parties to argue whether the hybrid jury selection process produced a jury pool that represented a cross-section of the community. Attorneys for Wildermar Dangcil, who is accused of trying to light his estranged wifes house on fire in 2019, had asked Superior Court Judge Robert M. Vinci to stay the trial so they could hold a hearing about how the jury pool was selected. They appealed to the Appellate Division when he refused. In court filings, co-counsel James R. Lisa argued that the pool of potential jurors in the case consisted predominantly of persons under fifty years of age, and people of color were conspicuously few in number-especially compared to the Countys pre COVID-19 jury pools. His co-counsel, Peter A. Michael, estimated it was 65% white and also majority female. The judiciary has said it will ensure those without computers or internet access will not be excluded from jury pools by making technology available to them. But Lisa said there is evidence that technology, as well as the juror exclusion process, disproportionately excluded certain demographics. For instance, jury management staff excluded approximately 90 potential jurors based on work, child care and statutory conflicts the jurors listed in their questionnaires, Lisa said. Bergen Countys methodology is also non-random due to an oversampling of economically-privileged, youthful jurors who do not have child-care or work conflicts, are technologically fluent, and constitute an inordinate subset of the potential juror pool, he wrote. When Vinci denied the defense attorneys' motion Monday, setting the stage for their appeal, he said that according to sworn statements by jury personnel, the attorneys were dead wrong about some of their arguments. Those include their statements that technology limited the jury pool and that it was unusual for jury management, instead of a judge, to exclude a juror for work or child care reasons. None of the arguments is supported by any evidence. Instead, the arguments are based on nothing more than conjecture and innuendo spun from inaccurate information and rumors conveyed to the defense counsel by others, Vinci said, according to a recording of the hearing. He said that virtual jury selection went smoothly, with only two potential jurors relaying that they did not have the required technology. Of those, one was provided the technology and the other refused it and was rescheduled for jury service at a later date, Vinci said. The jurors we interviewed most certainly represented a cross-section of the community, and based on our experience in this case so far, the hybrid jury selection process implemented by the Supreme Court will be a success, Vinci said. In his court filings, Lisa also noted that the case is unprecedented in another way: The defenses opponent is now not just the prosecution, but the judiciary itself. The state Attorney Generals Office has and will continue to argue, on behalf of the Administrative Office of the Courts, that the jury selection process was fair, he said. A spokeswoman for the judiciary declined to comment for this story. The courts plan for hybrid jury trials, like its piloting of virtual grand jury proceedings, has come under fire from legal groups in the state, including the states Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The Appellate Division invited both the ACDL-NJ and the Office of the Public Defender to weigh in on the appeal. Matthew Adams, chair of ACDL-NJs pandemic task force, said the courts hybrid jury selection model placed expediency over constitutional rights. There is simply no excuse to relax the constitutional protections that ensure the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial before a jury of ones peers, even a once in a lifetime public health crisis, Adams said. Superior Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury, pictured here in a 2016 file photo, presided over the start of the state's first criminal trial in six months at the Atlantic County Criminal Courthouse in Mays Landing on Sept. 30, 2020.Lori M. Nichols | For NJ.com While things stalled in Bergen County, the first criminal trial in six months went on as planned in Atlantic County Wednesday. Two days earlier, Judge Bernard E. DeLury questioned potential jurors, a process called voir dire, via Zoom. Of those, 44 potential jurors were brought to the courthouse in Mays Landing Tuesday and 14 jurors were empaneled after more, in-person questioning, according to the judiciary. On Wednesday, jurors wore clear plastic masks provided by the court and sat apart in the gallery where families and spectators usually sit. Anyone wishing to observe the trial had to watch via a video feed online or in a viewing room at the courthouse, according to a court spokeswoman. In court, everyone remained masked for the most part, except for DeLury, the attorneys while they gave their opening statements on the other side of the barriers from the jurors, and the witness when he or she was seated on the stand. The case unfolded normally after the jurors were sworn in from the gallery, with McKelvey and defense attorney Stephen Funk giving opening statements regarding whether a Pleasantville woman forged or knowingly cashed a fraudulent check for more than $5,000 in Atlantic City on Feb. 15, 2019. Witnesses were reminded to speak up because the jurors were farther away than usual, and the stand was wiped down between testimony. Despite concerns that social distancing would complicate communication between defendants and their attorneys, on Wednesday the pair sat side-by-side with masks and spoke to one another as usual. This story was updated Oct. 1 to include information from Judge Vincis decision against Dangcils attorneys Monday. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged that humans bear some blame for climate change, but scientists say the president still isnt dealing with the reality of our primary role. Pressed repeatedly in Tuesday nights debate, Trump gave one of his fullest accountings yet of what scientists say is an escalating climate crisis threatening every aspect of life. Pushed by moderator Chris Wallace, and at one point by rival Joe Biden, Trump also pushed back on scientific findings that his environmental rollbacks would increase climate-damaging pollution. The climate change exchange represented a rare microburst of policy discussion from Trump in a loud, nerve-abrading debate. And it ever so lightly nailed down the position of the Republican president on climate change. It is a sad statement about the Presidents history on climate change, but it is a major development to see him clearly acknowledge a role of greenhouse gases from human emissions, said Chris Field, director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. Its still outright denial of the science, in addition to denial of the devastating impacts, such as the record wildfires once again forcing evacuations in the Western U.S, said Michael Mann, a Pennsylvania State University climate researcher and a veteran in scientists battle to make ordinary people and leaders face facts on global warming. Trump said Tuesday that humans their tailpipe exhaust, oil and gas production, and smokestack fumes are just one of many culprits for the weather-disrupting deterioration of Earths atmosphere. You believe that human pollution, gas, greenhouse gas emissions contributes to the global warming of this planet? Wallace asked. I think a lot of things do, but I think to an extent, yes, Trump finally responded after Wallaces third question pressing on the point. Trump had evaded a direct answer to Wallaces previous two questions, instead responding with his administrations standard lines: It wants clean water and clean air, it supports planting trees and it blames worsening wildfires on Western states failure to rake dead leaves, branches and trees on forest floors. Trumps eventual answer still dodged the key point, which is that burning oil, gas and coal is damaging the climate. Humans more than account for all of the climate change over the last 50 years (when the vast amount of the changes have occurred), Donald J. Wuebbles, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois, said in an email. Wuebbles, a lead author in the congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment in 2017-18, said because of a change in energy from the sun, Earth had been on a slight cooling trend before human-made heat-trapping gases kicked in. Trumps attacks on climate scientists and repeated attempts to undo rules and laws reining in fossil-fuel emissions speak louder than any reluctant admissions about our changing climate, said Kim Cobb, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The position Trump took Tuesday is more conservative than that of many lawmakers in his party. Some Republican members of Congress became more outspoken on human-made climate change after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats demanding aggressive action on global warming triumphed in 2018 midterms. Trumps response Tuesday came under pressure, but he did take a position and acknowledge a human role. That compares to past statements from 2012 on in which Trump dismissed the science behind global warming as a concept invented by China to hurt the United States, a hoax and a money-making industry. As recently as mid-September, he told California leaders struggling with the worsening wildfires associated with global warming that the climate would start getting cooler again. You just watch, he added. On Tuesday, after Trump nodded at a human role in climate change, Wallace asked him why he then had undone the Clean Power Plan. That was a legacy Obama administration climate change effort intended to move U.S. utilities away from the dirtiest fossil-fuel plants. Because it was driving energy prices through the sky, Trump responded. Thats an exaggeration. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects electricity prices would have averaged 2% higher through 2030 with Obamas emissions-cutting power plan, mainly from the initial costs of adding more solar, wind and natural gas production to the electricity mix. Biden jumped in with his own question, asking Trump why he was axing President Barack Obamas other major climate effort much tougher mileage standards that would have boosted electric cars. The Obama administration said its move would have cut 6 billion metric tons in greenhouse gases. Trumps answers didnt address the climate damage, and he claimed to have given big incentives for electric cars. In fact, Trump had vowed to eliminate some tax credits boosting electric vehicles, and the White House has said it wants to do away with all incentives supporting renewables as well. Wallace pressed Biden on his $2 trillion proposal to wean the United States off fossil fuels, citing Trumps claims that the plan would tank the economy and cost jobs. Biden responded by describing massive investments in more efficient buildings, transportation and power plants that he said would produce millions of jobs. Biden appeared to stumble at one point as he spoke of his plan, and Wallace and Trump pressed him on the lefts more ambitious Green New Deal, with Biden saying the Green New Deal rather than his plan would pay for itself. Biden specified a couple seconds later, No, I dont support the Green New Deal. MOSCOW -- As heavy fighting broke out this week between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, reigniting a bitter conflict that has simmered since a war in the early 1990s, Moscow reiterated a long-standing commitment to its traditional role as mediator. "Russia has always maintained a balanced position," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on September 28, the day after Azerbaijan launched an offensive targeting the mountainous region that has been under de facto Armenian control since a Russian-brokered cease-fire in 1994. Moscow will use its "cordial relations with both sides -- with Azerbaijan and Armenia -- to seek to resolve this conflict," Peskov added. He was hinting at a long history, including decades of 20th-century domination over the bitter rivals in the South Caucasus, that has left Moscow with substantial influence in both countries long after the Soviet breakup of 1991. But a major new development could upend Moscow's calculations: the involvement of Turkey, a regional power that has long voiced support for its ally Azerbaijan but never taken direct part in the fighting. Now, Ankara's promises of military support in the latest flare-up, analysts say, may spur Moscow to rethink a policy of playing both sides that has served it for decades. "For 30 years, Russia was convinced it was the main player in the South Caucasus," said Aleksandr Golts, an independent Russian military analyst. "It armed both sides in the conflict, justifying that by saying that it's upholding a balance of power. And by doing so it sought to increase its influence over both countries." Moscow has sold weapons to Azerbaijan at market prices, reaping the profit, and to Armenia at subsidized, so-called "internal" rates. It has close ties to the ruling elite in Baku, with President Vladimir Putin enjoying a rapport with his authoritarian counterpart in Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. But Russia has stronger relations with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base and is part of two Moscow-led blocs that help the Kremlin maintain its influence in the region: the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union. It is a risky policy, Golts said, since Russia's role in militarizing a region with deep-seated recriminations has helped fuel an arms race. But Russia has also played a major role diplomatically. Alongside the United States and France, it is a member of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has been seeking unsuccessfully to coax the sides into ending the conflict since the 1990s. In 2009, the trio issued a blueprint for eventual peace in Nagorno-Karabakh known as the Basic Principles -- a framework that has neither been implemented nor fully rejected by either side. Now, however, the combustible set of grievances that continues to spark repeated fighting in the enclave is being fanned by the involvement of Turkey, whose September 29 pledge to offer direct military support to Azerbaijan prompted the Kremlin to accuse it of "pouring oil on the fire" and did little to calm tensions in a region where Moscow and Ankara are vying for increased influence. "There's a coming clash between Russia and Turkey playing out in the South Caucasus as it has in Syria and Libya," said Richard Giragosian, director of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center. "It's a return to a historic rivalry, and with the eruption of the fighting now it actually elevates the South Caucasus as more of a priority for Turkey." As fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh entered its fourth day on September 30, Turkey's potential military involvement could change realities on the ground for a conflict that is now in its 32nd year. While Armenians prevailed in the war that killed some 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands before the 1994 truce, the result resolved little. Sporadic clashes in the years since have turned into a war of attrition, and a days-long flare-up in July killed at least 17 people, including at least one civilian. The two sides blamed each other for the escalation in July, provoking a spike in bellicose rhetoric in both countries. Negotiations between the two governments essentially stopped. Then came Turkey's involvement, which may have emboldened Baku into taking a tougher stance in talks with Moscow. It publicized disputed reports about a large Russian weapons shipment to Armenia in the aftermath of the July clashes, and Aliyev expressed concern in an August 13 phone call with Putin. Wary Of Russia Now, with the United States distracted by its upcoming presidential election and Europe grappling with a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, analysts say there is a lack of global leadership as the conflict reignites. The latest standoff can be seen as "a symptom of a world in which the U.S. is no longer acting to defuse regional conflicts," Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Europe think tank and expert on the Caucasus, wrote in Politico. In Syria, Russia has given President Bashar al-Assad's government crucial backing and seized on the U.S. military withdrawal to fill the void it left behind, cleaving out a zone of influence in the Middle East even as Turkey seeks to do the same. But in Nagorno-Karabakh, a military intervention by Moscow would dramatically raise the stakes in a long-standing and intractable conflict that analysts say Russia would prefer to either resolve, winning credit as a peacemaker, or let simmer without major escalations, allowing the Kremlin to maintain a regional status quo that gives it outsize influence. In addition, it would pose not only serious logistical challenges in a mountainous and largely inaccessible region, but also the unpalatable prospect of winning over a local population primed by history to view warily any Russian military presence. "There's only one point of agreement between Baku, Yerevan, and Karabakh. They're all opposed to Russian peacekeepers," Giragosian said. "Which is prudent, because there's no such thing as Russian peacekeepers: Once deployed, they never go home." by Nirmala Carvalho The 19-year-old girl was cremated overnight; relatives were not allowed to take the body home. The perpetrators are allegedly four high caste men who also strangled her. A long list of violence against Dalit women and girls. Bishop Mathias: "The caste system is so deeply rooted in society that too many crimes committed against Dalit women and girls are passed over in silence". Mumbai (AsiaNews) - A 19-year-old Dalit girl died yesterday in a Delhi hospital after 15 days of agony from being raped and tortured by a group of high caste men in Hatras (Uttar Pradesh). The girl's body was cremated at 3 am, without allowing the girl's family to take her body to their home to perform funeral rites. The bishop of Lucknow, Msgr. Gerald Mathias, bitterly comments: Unfortunately, this barbaric act is only the tip of the iceberg. There is so much violence against women that is not brought to light: because there are no reports, or because their report is not accepted [by the police]. We must protect these daughters of India, create a safe environment for them ". The girl was attacked on 14 September in Hatras, 200 km from Delhi. She was mowing grass, helping her mother, when she was attacked by a group who raped her in turn. According to police reconstructions, they also tried to strangle her with her scarf (dupatta) and tortured her. The body had multiple fractures. Four men, all of high caste, were arrested and charged with rape and murder. The girl was hospitalized for two weeks in intensive care. She was transported to Delhi yesterday but died soon after the move. The caste system - explains Msgr. Mathias - is so ingrained in society that too many crimes committed against Dalit women and girls are passed over in silence. This poor teenager was ripped from life after being raped and brutalized by these powerful high caste men. This is the worst human behaviour. The list of violence against women in Uttar Pradesh is long. At the beginning of September, a group of young people raped and killed a three-year-old girl, leaving her in a sugar cane field in Lakhimpur Kheri. On August 28, a man raped and killed a 12-year-old girl in Maharajganj, leaving her body in the forest. On 24 August, the body of a 17-year-old woman was found near her home in the same district of Maharajganj. The police determined that the girl had been raped and killed with a very sharp knife. Ten days earlier, still in the same district, a 13-year-old Dalit girl was raped and then killed. The girl had been strangled and her tongue cut off. Her body was found in a sugar cane field owned by one of the accused. Police arrested four suspects. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 16:57:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States on Sept. 29, 2020 shows C-SPAN 2 live stream of U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden (R) attending their first debate in the 2020 presidential race. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The first 2020 U.S. presidential debate descended into chaos on Tuesday night as President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, clashed fiercely. In Cleveland, Ohio, the candidates shared their views on a series of issues, including Supreme Court, health care, COVID-19, economy, climate change, protests and violence in U.S. cities, integrity of the election, and their records. However, heated exchanges and personal attacks bulldozed the 90-minute-plus debate, as Trump appeared intended to interrupt Biden on nearly every topic, while the former U.S. vice president called his opponent a "liar" and a "clown" and told him to "shut up." "Gentlemen! I hate to raise my voice," moderator and Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, who had to frequently intervene, said at one time. "I think that the country would be better served if we allowed both people to speak with fewer interruptions." The veteran journalist opened the debate by asking Trump to explain his nomination of conservative federal appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court only weeks before the November election despite strong pushback from Democrats. "I will tell you very simply, we won the election. Elections have consequences," Trump said. "We have the Senate, we have the White House and we have a phenomenal nominee respected by all top top academic good in every way, good in every way." Biden, for his part, said that he believes Barrett "seems like a very fine person" but argued that "the election has already started," referring to early voting, either in-person or by mail, in some states, and that whoever wins it should pick the replacement for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal icon. "Tens of thousands of people have already voted. The thing that should happen is, we should wait," the former U.S. vice president said. "We should wait and see what the outcome of this election is." He sought to tie the nomination to Trump's years-long efforts to repeal Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act, a comprehensive health care reform law enacted by then-President Barack Obama in 2010. "The president has made it clear he wants to get rid of the Affordable Care Act ... which will strip 20 million people from having insurance," Biden said. "He's been running on that, he ran on that, and he's been governing on that." Trump has long criticized costs and coverage under Obamacare and has vowed to repeal and replace it since his 2016 campaign. Supporters of Obamacare have noted Barrett's past criticism of Supreme Court ruling in 2012 upholding the law and argued that her presence at the high court, where conservatives are poised to have a bigger majority, could put it at risk. "It's a disaster. It's too expensive. Premiums are too high. That it doesn't work. We do want to get rid of it," Trump said on Tuesday night, while touting his own health care proposals, which Biden called "wishful thinking." Wallace also asked Trump to respond to a recent New York Times investigation which alleged that he paid just 750 dollars in federal income tax in both 2016 and 2017 and paid no taxes in 10 of the previous 15 years. "I paid millions of dollars in taxes, millions of dollars of income tax," Trump said. As the Republican continued to speak, Biden interrupted, saying "show us your tax returns." "Chris, let me tell you something, I don't want to pay tax," Trump continued. "Like every other private business person, unless they're stupid, they go through the laws." Hours earlier, Biden released his tax returns from 2016 to 2019, to seize upon the Times investigation. Over the past several months, he has emphasized the "Scranton vs. Park Avenue" message to appeal to working-class voters, which points to his Pennsylvania boyhood home and Trump's adult life in Manhattan, New York City. A former business mogul, Trump has refused to release his tax returns, which are being sought by Democrats and state investigators, during his presidency, breaking a decades-old tradition maintained by his predecessors. A CBS News instant poll on Tuesday night showed 48 percent of viewers thought Biden won the presidential debate, and 41 percent favored Trump. Another 10 percent said they believed it was a tie. "It was a contentious debate with lots of interruptions and personal attacks by each candidate. Yet there also was considerable discussion of the issues," Darrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies at Washington, D.C.-based think tank Brookings Institution, told Xinhua. "On the whole, Biden had clear and in-depth answers that should reassure voters he is up to the job of being president," West said. "Trump created a caricature of an incompetent Biden but the former vice president was on top of the issues and pointed out his substantive differences with his opponent." Earlier CBS News polling showed that the vast majority of likely voters planning to watch the debate had already decided on their candidate. Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, said that he doubts the debate "will have much impact" and that "generally speaking debate audiences tune in to see how their candidate does, rather than to make up their minds." Trump and Biden will have two more debates in October leading up to Election Day. The Biden campaign said the Democrat will attend the events despite the chaos of the first face-off. "Joe Biden's gonna show up," Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager and communications director, said in a post-debate press call. "The next debate is a town hall format where real voters are going to have the chance to engage the candidate. Biden obviously relishes any opportunity to talk directly to real voters, that's something that he prioritizes doing on the campaign trail." Trump will hit the campaign trail on Wednesday by visiting Minnesota, a state he hopes to flip. Election Day falls on Nov. 3 this year. According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Biden leads Trump by 6.1 percentage points nationally and 3.5 points in top battleground states, as of Tuesday. In a latest twist in the Bollywood drugs probe, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has reportedly 'almost' given a clean chit to actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Deepika Padukone's manager Karishma Prakash. During their interrogation with the NCB officials, the actresses denied substance abuse and had reportedly said "they don't even smoke cigarettes". These actresses also denied having any information on Sushant Singh Rajput's drug habits. Karishma Prakash and Deepika Padukone had allegedly told the drug watchdog that in the 2017 WhatsApp chats, both the women used terms like maal, weed, hash and doob as code words to talk about various kinds of cigarettes "for fun," according to a Times of India report. They added that they referred to low quality cigarettes as maal, slim while the better quality ones were called hash and weed and the thick ones as doob. NCB officials asked the similar set of questions to Prakash and Padukone in separate rooms. "We were satisfied as both corroborated the codes," an official said. Meanwhile, actor Sara Ali Khan also told officials about her short relationship with Sushant Singh and added he was not faithful to her in their brief relationship and broke off in 2019. Sara was summoned by the central agency on the basis of actor Rhea Chakraborty's statement that she consumed drugs. The NCB has already incarcerated late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty for alleged procurement and usage of drugs. MS Dhoni: The Untold Story actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra residence on June 14. (END) RMCH/VVS/MVB Today marks a year since the constitutional dissolution of Congress and the call for legislative elections , a measure adopted by President Martin Vizcarra after Parliament refused a confidence vote for the second time to a Council of Ministers.Published: 9/30/2020 Zebra finch family with three fledglings. Credit: Yifan Pei In birds and other species alike, pairs can face considerable difficulties with reproduction. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen have now shown in an extensive analysis of 23,000 zebra finch eggs that infertility is mainly due to males, while high embryo mortality is more a problem of the females. Inbreeding, age of the parents and conditions experienced when growing up had surprisingly little influence on reproductive failures. Zebra finches are small songbirds that originate from Australia. As colony-living granivores, they are easy to keep in aviaries, and they reproduce all year round under favorable conditions. However, reproduction is remarkably unsuccessful: a quarter of the eggs remain unfertilised, and in another quarter of the eggs the embryo dies early during development. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen have therefore carried out a study to investigate the potential causes of unsuccessful reproduction. The scientists tracked the fate of more than 23,000 eggs. They measured longevity, productivity, infertility, offspring mortality and other fitness-related traits that covered most phases of reproduction for both sexes. Factors that were expected to influence reproductive failure, such as inbreeding, age of the parents and growing up under unfavorable conditions had negligible effects on the reproductive performance of the zebra finches. This suggests that individuals are remarkably robust to bad conditions and that the causes must lie elsewhere. When partners are swapped to form new pairs, it becomes clear that problems with fertility typically remain with the male, while problems with embryo mortality typically remain with the female. "Of course, for both problems the pair combination also plays a role," says Yifan Pei, a doctoral student at Seewiesen, "because the formation of a viable embryo requires genes from both the mother and the father." Genetic basis Although the specific causes of infertility and embryo mortality could not be identified, the researchers showed that reproductive failure has a measurable genetic basis. These results are somewhat surprising, because natural selection should favor genetic variants that optimize reproduction. However, some gene variants that are advantageous for one sex may be disadvantageous for the other. Indeed, the results also indicate that gene variants that reduce male fertility tend to have positive effects on female reproductive outputand vice versa. This effect is known by the technical term "sexually antagonistic pleiotropy" and might explain why such genetic variants can persist in the population. Many genes influence the reproductive success of zebra finches. Despite the development of sophisticated genomic techniques, it remains difficult to identify and study all genetic componentsnot to mention the interaction between those genes and the interaction between the genes and the environment in which they are expressed. "If nothing else, the results of the study have shown us where it is not worth looking," says Bart Kempenaers, director of the Department. "Seemingly obvious genetic causes for unsuccessful reproduction, such as inbreeding, contribute far less than we initially thought." Wolfgang Forstmeier, who supervised the study, adds: "Now we are concentrating our work on a somewhat mysterious chromosome that only exists in the germline (cells that form the egg and the sperm), but not in the body cells of birds. Because it is difficult to take samples from the reproductive organs of living animals, the investigation of the causes is complicated. But the chromosome is a hot candidate for the origin of the problems." Explore further Mutation speeds up sperm of zebra finches More information: Yifan Pei () et al. Proximate Causes of Infertility and Embryo Mortality in Captive Zebra Finches, The American Naturalist (2020). Journal information: American Naturalist Yifan Pei () et al. Proximate Causes of Infertility and Embryo Mortality in Captive Zebra Finches,(2020). DOI: 10.1086/710956 (CNN) The global Covid-19 death toll has crossed one million and the United States accounts for more than 20%. It took less than eight months to go from the first reported coronavirus-related death in Wuhan, China, on January 9 to a global death toll of 1,001,800 on early Tuesday morning, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The US has been hit hard by the virus, with more than 7.1 million reported infections and 205,085 deaths. And with recent spikes in cases, health experts warn things could soon get worse in the US. Only 20 states are holding steady when it comes to the average of daily new cases compared to last week, while 23 are reporting more: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Seven states show downward trends in new cases -- Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia. Track cases in your state With fall and winter soon driving people indoors and bringing flu season with it, experts say Americans will need to be consistent with following recommended guidelines. Mask wearing, social distancing and avoiding large crowds will be key, experts say, along with authorities increasing testing as infections surge again. The US currently ranks highest on the total number of reported coronavirus deaths worldwide and sixth per 100,000 people. Johns Hopkins' tally shows the US, Brazil, India and Mexico account for more than 50% of the deaths worldwide. Some states fight spikes while others ease restrictions As trends vary across the US, some local leaders are stepping back toward normal while others are clamping down on efforts to combat the virus' spread. Chicago bars, restaurants, gyms and personal services will be allowed to expand service on October 1, due to "sufficient progress in the fight against Covid-19," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday. "Over the past six months, we have asked so much of our business community. But each time, our businesses have stepped up to the plate," Lightfoot said in a press release Monday. "This next step in our reopening is good news for business owners as well as the communities they serve and the thousands of residents that work for them." And California, a state hit hard by the pandemic, is seeing coronavirus positivity rate, hospitalizations and new cases trending downward, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday -- but he cautioned that numbers could pick back up if residents don't remain vigilant. Meanwhile, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state would be releasing guidance early this week to reopen "covid safe" homeless shelters, noting a rise in cases among homeless encampments. Cases are also rising at an "alarming" rate in parts of Brooklyn and Queens, the New York City Department of Health said. Nearby, New Jersey is set to receive 2.6 million rapid coronavirus tests from the federal government to help fight spikes in cases. Coronavirus and children Children account for about 10% of coronavirus cases, but people should still pay attention to virus spread in that age group, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday. "Children do get infected. And we'd better be careful about just dismissing infection in children," Fauci told CNN's Brian Stelter, adding, "It is unclear the degree to which they transmit" the virus. Some studies suggest they don't do it as "efficiently" as adults, said Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. "But it's an evolving situation," and "you have got to keep an open mind when it comes to an issue like what the role of children is in transmission." The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report Monday that said Covid-19 among adolescents ages 12 to 17 was almost double the cases in children ages 5 to 11. The report included data on 277,285 laboratory-confirmed cases among school-age children in the US from March 1 to September 19. Among those cases, 37% were in children ages 5 to 11 and 63% were in adolescents. The data might underestimate the true incidence of disease among school-age children, as testing was often prioritized for people with symptoms, and those without may not have been tested, the researchers noted. This story was first published on CNN.com, "The US ranks at the top of the world's coronavirus death toll of more than 1 million" Evangelicals seem ready to cast their ballots in the 2020 election. Nine in 10 evangelicals by belief are registered to vote, and few are undecided about their presidential choice. A new survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research conducted September 923 finds President Donald Trump with a sizable lead over Democratic nominee Joe Biden among likely voters with evangelical beliefs. Deep divides, however, persist among evangelicals across ethnic lines. Overall, 61 percent of evangelicals by belief plan to vote for Trump and 29 percent for Biden. Other candidates garner around 2 percent combined. Fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) are undecided. Evangelicals by belief are also twice as likely to identify as a Republican (51%) than a Democrat (23%). One in five (20%) say they are independent. Voting for or against an incumbent president is a more certain situation for voters, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. Fewer Americans, including those with evangelical beliefs, are on the fence than at this same point in 2016. Presidential preferences Voting plans for Americans without evangelical beliefs are almost the mirror opposite of their evangelical counterparts, with Biden holding a commanding 56 percent to 33 percent lead over Trump. President Trumps advantage among evangelicals, however, comes primarily from white evangelicals, among whom he leads Biden 73 percent to 18 percent. African Americans with evangelical beliefs overwhelmingly plan to vote for Biden (69% to 19%). Among American evangelicals of other ethnicities, however, Trump has a 58 percent to 32 percent lead. Compared to a previous LifeWay Research survey conducted in the months leading up to the 2016 election, more white evangelicals say they plan to vote for Trump this time (73% to 65%). However, more also say they plan to vote for Biden than said they planned to vote for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee four years ago, (18% to 10%). While almost a quarter of white evangelicals were undecided or supporters of a third party in 2016, few say the same in 2020. Only 2 percent back a third-party candidate this year, compared to 8 percent four years ago. And while 16 percent were undecided in 2016, that number fell to 7 percent this year. Individuals with evangelical beliefs who identify with the two largest political parties plan to be loyal to their partys candidate. Among Republicans with evangelical beliefs, 91 percent say they are voting for Trump. Eight in ten Democrats with evangelical beliefs (81%) support Biden. Different ethnic groups are more attuned to specific failures of our country and of specific candidates, said McConnell. Ones ethnicity and political party are more powerful in predicting the vote of someone with evangelical beliefs than their shared religious convictions alone. Among likely voters who identify as Christian and attend church at least once a month, support for Trump and Biden is evenly split (46% to 45%). As with evangelicals, ethnic divides are also present among churchgoers. White churchgoers back Trump 59 percent to 30 percent, while African American churchgoers are solidly behind Biden (86% to 9%). The former vice president also has a sizeablethough smallerlead among Hispanic churchgoers (58% to 36%) and churchgoers of other ethnicities (49% to 36%). Economy and COVID-19 outrank abortion Improving the economy and fighting the pandemic are the top characteristics registered voters say they are looking for in a presidential candidate. Evangelicals agree but are much more likely to also point to abortion and religious liberty as factors. A majority of registered voters say an ability to improve the economy (72%), slowing the spread of COVID-19 (58%) and maintaining national security (55%) are important factors in deciding their vote. Close to half say the same about addressing racial injustice, personal character, and the candidates position on immigration. In the survey, which began prior to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs death, a third (33%) say likely Supreme Court nominees are an important factor. Similar numbers point to the candidates ability to protect religious freedom, their position on abortion, and their position on the size and role of government. Trump voters are more likely than Biden voters to say the economy, national security, immigration, religious freedom, abortion, Supreme Court nominees, and the size and role of government are important issues in determining their vote. Biden voters are more likely than Trump voters to point to COVID-19, racial injustice, and personal character. When asked the single most important issue in determining their vote, 26 percent of registered voters point to the economy, 22 percent say slowing the spread of COVID-19 and 15 percent say personal character. No other issue garners more than 8 percent. Among evangelicals by belief registered to vote, improving the economy and slowing COVID-19 remain the top issues, but the candidates position on abortion, and ability to protect religious freedom are more likely to be the top priority compared to those without evangelical beliefs. Fewer evangelicals (8%) than other Americans (16%) say the personal character of the presidential candidate is the most important issue in deciding their vote. Most evangelicals are not single-issue voters, said McConnell. Eighty-nine percent of those with evangelical beliefs selected more than one important issue that is influencing their vote. Like other Americans, their top concerns reflect the current recession and pandemic, but more than 1 in 10 with evangelical beliefs will vote for the candidate they think will protect religious freedom. A Good Samaritan vote? LifeWay Research also asked registered voters, Who do you hope your presidential vote benefits the most? More than a third (35%) say people nationwide who are like them, and 22 percent say people whom our country has failed. Fewer say they hope the ones who benefit the most from their vote are themselves and their family (17%), people nationwide who are different from them (10%) or people in their community or region (7%). Evangelical voters are more likely than other registered voters to say they hope their vote most benefits people nationwide who are like them (41% to 34%). Registered voters with evangelical beliefs are also less likely to say they hope their vote most benefits people our country has failed (15% to 24%). Few Americans with evangelical beliefs will be casting a Good Samaritan vote on election day, said McConnell. Instead, most will vote to benefit those like them or their own family. Those voting for Trump are more likely to say they hope their vote most benefits themselves and their family (21% to 14% of Biden voters) and people nationwide who are like them (43% to 31%). Biden voters are more likely to say they are casting their vote in hopes that it most benefits people who our country has failed (32% to 10% of Trump voters). Methodology Based on an online survey of 1,200 Americans was conducted Sept. 9-23, 2020, using a national pre-recruited panel. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 3.2 percent. This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting. The IPC has decided that Narrabri could potentially improve the security of gas supply and provide economic benefits that offset its environmental detriments. Some gas users, the Australian government and trade unions have declared their satisfaction with the decision. Independent energy experts, Indigenous representatives, environmentalists and landowners have taken the opposite view. So far the Narrabri project has been a disastrous investment for Santos. In 2011 it paid a hefty premium above the market price to obtain control of Eastern Star Gas and its main asset. And since then it has spent further substantial sums. In total Santos claim to have spent $1.5bn on Narrabri, all of which it has written off. The NSW Independent Planning Commission has provided conditional approval for the Narrabri coal seam gas project. This gas field, across nearly 1000 square kilometres of the Pilliga State Forest and adjoining land, entails digging 850 wells, some to a depth of 1200 metres, with connecting pipelines and criss-crossing roads. Santos claims it will produce 70 petajoules a year for about 20 years, equivalent to about half the NSW annual gas demand. But is this decision actually likely to mean the development of Narrabri gas? It is not surprising that Santos has written off its enormous investment in Narrabri so far. Its estimate of production costs has reduced from earlier claims of $8.70/gigajoule to $6.40/GJ but this gas still needs to get to market. Gas can be bought in short-term markets for about half the likely delivered price of Narrabri gas, if indeed Santos Narrabri production cost claims are to be believed. Santos shareholders seem quite unconvinced: the share price declined after the IPCs decision was announced on Wednesday. Loading Over the time that Santos has controlled Narrabri, the market for gas has changed beyond recognition. A huge and unprofitable gas export industry has been developed, linking Australias gas markets to those in Asia. Santos involvement in this industry has been disastrous for its investors having written off $8bn so far as far cheaper shale-gas in the United States has disrupted international gas markets. Furthermore, technology development in renewable electricity production means that gas now has no prospect of large volumes of electricity production in Australia. Even its role as a transition fuel to produce electricity when cheaper renewables are not available is increasingly doubtful as batteries are taking over the low volume but high value part of the electricity market where gas currently plays a role. For commercial and residential consumers, electrical technology development heat pumps have rendered gas uncompetitive. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will see electrification of many areas where gas currently finds a market. It is surely likely that electricity and gas markets will change even more over the next 10 years as they have over the past 10. The NSW Energy and Environment Minister, Matt Kean, was quite right to predict this week that gas has no future in the state. By Akbar Mammadov Seven more Azerbaijani civilians were injured as Armenia fired heavy artillery on Azerbaijans densely populated villages on the line of contact on September 30. At about 08:00 as a result of heavy artillery shelling of Terter city by Armenian military units, sevan civilians were hospitalized with various injuries, and extensive damage was inflicted to civilian infrastructure, the Prosecutors General Office has reported. The Prosecutor Generals Office emphasized that Armenian forces have chosen densely populated areas - regional and rural centres, civil infrastructure objects - hospitals, medical centres, school buildings, kindergartens as targets. Overall, 33 civilians have been hospitalized with various injuries as a result of Armenian attacks, the Prosecutor General's Office said. Some 65 houses, five civilian facilities have been destroyed and many cattle and livestock have perished in Armenian artillery attacks. It should be noted that on September 27, five members of one family in the Azerbaijani village of Gashalti, Naftalan region were killed a result of Armenian shelling. Two of the killed family members are schoolchildren aged 14 and 13. Moreover, on September 28, 14-year-old Haziyev Hilal was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds in his head in Cabrayil Districts Cocug Marjanli village as a result of fire opened by Armenian armed forces. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Patna Sep 30 : In a bid to work out a seat sharing formula in the Grand Alliance, two members including Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha, have reached Delhi to discuss and finalise the arrangement with the top leadership of the party. "The top leadership has called us with details of the seats where the Congress party has a good chance. The standing committee will scrutinise them today and we will inform our alliance partner RJD either on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning," Jha said. The Congress party swung into action following the pressure applied by the RJD to finalise the seats by Wednesday evening. The Congress had won 27 seats in the 2015 Assembly elections while the RJD had emerged as the single largest party with 80 seats. According to a RJD insider, a party team may go to Delhi to meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi before the seat sharing formula is announced. It is expected on Friday morning. The insider said that the RJD leadership wants to allocate about 55 to 58 seats to the Congress. After the RLSP and HAM quit the Grand Alliance, only the RJD and the Congress are left in it to challenge the NDA. "Our top leadership has suggested to the Congress party to claim only those seats where they have a good chance of winning," the RJD official said. "The RJD is very confident this time about defeating the NDA because of the anti-incumbency factor after 15 years. The tall claims of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar fall flat on the ground. The candidates of the RJD have the potential to win every seat in the state," he said. The RJD claims that the 2020 election will be a cakewalk for it. The party is expecting a three- fourth majority in the Bihar Assembly having 243 seats, say sources. STRATFORD The towns superintendent of schools will be stepping down when her contract expires in spring. Janet Robinson, who has led the school district since 2013, made the announcement during Tuesdays monthly Board of Education meeting. This is my eighth year here and Im announcing tonight that it is my final year, Robinson told the school board. I will be retiring in June. I finally came to the conclusion that the work is never finished, and if I was looking for it to be done, I would never leave, the superintendent said. In her remarks to the school board, Robinson recalled the day in December 2012 when three Stratford school board members visited her in Newtown, where she was superintendent at the time, to offer her the job. The offer came a day before the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which vaulted her to nationwide notoriety. Overwhelmed by dealing with the aftermath of the shooting, Robinson said she thought shed have to renege on the offer from Stratford but a recruiter said the school board would wait for her to take the job. I was impressed by what a class act Stratford was, Robinson said. Soon after she was hired in 2012, Robinson said, she tried to address curriculum development and technology, where she said the school district had excelled in the past but had struggled recently. So many areas I knew were strengths of the Stratford school system had disappeared, she said. Im proud of the work we have engaged in, and it is ongoing, Robinson said, noting many administrators and schools have received awards during her tenure. Prior to COVID, every one of our schools had overcome a significant achievement gap, and Wooster Middle School was named Connecticut Middle School of the Year, she said. I thank all the wonderful dedicated people who have supported me, Robinson said. Robinson was given a two-year contract extension last June, but a further extension looked unlikely after the 4-3 vote. The superintendents retirement announcement comes months after the school board voted in May to reprimand Robinson for what it called poor communication and the giving of misinformation to board members. The boards vote to reprimand Robinson came without any public discussion. The one-page letter sent to Robinson contains six bullet points as evidence without further elaboration. The only school board member to weigh in after Robinsons announcement Tuesday was Allison DelBene, the chair, who did not allude to the prior clashes with the superintendent. Thank you Dr. Robinson, DelBene said. Your guidance and leadership have helped so many in our district, and we thank you. We also appreciate the announcement and the opportunity for our board to have the greatest amount of time to search for our new superintendent, so we do appreciate that. WASHINGTON (AP) -The Commission on Presidential Debates says its adding new tools to maintain order to the upcoming debates after a chaotic first debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Trumps frequent interruptions of the Democratic presidential nominee defined Tuesday nights debate, with Biden frequently unable to complete a sentence. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News pleaded with Trump several times to allow Biden to speak uninterrupted, to no avail. The nonpartisan commission has organized every general election presidential debate since 1988. In a statement, the commission said the first debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues. The commission says it intends to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates. And the commission says its carefully considering the changes that it will adopt and will announce those measures shortly. ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: 1 p.m. Democrat Joe Biden is talking to voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania as he takes a train tour of those states a day after his debate clash with President Donald Trump. At a stop in Alliance, Ohio, Biden pledged that if he wins the Nov. 3 election, Im not going to be the Democrat president. Im going to be the American president. Biden said the debate and the election itself are about the American people. And hes posing this question: Does your president have any idea, understand what youre going through and if he does, does he care about it? Biden says his train tour will take him to places that are hurting. ___ 12:45 p.m. After their first debate-stage clash, President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are pressing their contrasting messages in the Midwest as millions of voters cast early ballots. Biden is heading into his most aggressive day on the campaign trail all year, with eight stops planned for a train tour that began midmorning in Cleveland and is scheduled to end Wednesday night in western Pennsylvania. Trump plans to address voters and donors in Minnesota later in the day. Both men candidates have been active on social media early, seizing on the turbulent debate to try to score political points. Fact check: False claims flood Trump-Biden debate Debate takeaways: An acrid tone from the opening minute Trump to far-right extremists: Stand back and stand by Chaotic first debate: Taunts overpower Trump, Biden visions WASHINGTONThe fact is, everything hes saying so far is a lie. Im not here to call out his lies, you know hes a liar, Joe Biden said. U.S. President Donald Trump, who had been repeatedly interrupting him to accuse him of having a socialist health care plan, started attacking again, You graduated last in your class ... Let him finish, moderator Chris Wallace said to the president. Let him finish. He doesnt know how, Biden said. Youd be surprised, Trump said. Canadians tuning into the U.S. presidential debate fearful of chaos spilling over the border, aware that Canadas economy may hinge on the result, and whose environmental future is tied directly to their neighbours saw something that often looked like chaos. The early exchange above set the tone in Tuesday nights debate in Cleveland, Ohio. Shortly afterwards, Biden snapped at Trump, will you shut up, man? It was the first time viewers across the U.S. and around the world got to see Trump and Democratic challenger Biden face off in person, on the same stage. They began, because of COVID-19, without shaking hands. But the absence of courtesy continued into their exchanges. Trumps campaign, persistently trailing in the polls and possibly in danger of seeing firmly Republican states such as Georgia flip, needed some ballast. Biden, the former vice-president who has run a relatively low-key front-runner campaign so far, had his highest-profile opportunity to appear sharp and in command, to solidify the confidence of voters leaning toward him. Hostility characterized the 90-minute event before an audience of 80 at Case Western Reserve University. Often exasperated moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News led the two candidates through six segments touching on the largest issues in the country this year including the pandemic and the civil unrest over race issues and the loudest issues of the moment, such as the battle over Trumps rush to install Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court before the election and the integrity of the election itself. Conspicuous by its absence among the list of topics was climate change especially so as climate-linked forest fires have devastated the west coast of the U.S. this month. But towards the end of the night, Wallace did ask about it with Trump saying he does believe in human-caused climate change to an extent and Biden promising his climate plan would create thousands of new jobs. The story dominating headlines this week, Trumps tax returns, was also not on the list of topics, but again Wallace asked about it, with Trump insisting he paid millions in taxes. Early in the night, Trump said the Supreme Court issue was simply a matter of we won the election, and elections have consequences. He invoked the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on politicians being elected to govern for their entire terms. I wasnt elected for three years, Im elected for four years. Biden, by contrast, painted it as a ploy, in part, to cancel peoples health-care coverage, as a case Trump has supported that could overturn the Affordable Care Act Obamacare will come before the court in the weeks after the election: We should wait and see what the outcome of the election is. When pressed by the moderator about his failure to put forward an alternative to Obamacare, Trump tried repeatedly to interrupt the question and then said to Wallace, I guess Im debating you, not him. Later in the night, in the segment on the integrity of the election, Trump suggested hed be counting on Barrett and the court to settle the issue of ballots he insisted will be fraudulent. Biden said the election would end peacefully, If I win, that will be accepted, if I lose, that will be accepted. Trump had a different prediction. This is not going to end well, he said. Asked about the COVID-19 crisis, which has killed more than 200,000 Americans so far amid some fears of a winter resurgence in the U.S., Biden accused Trump of panicking and failing to prevent the spread in the country. Trump, as he has done consistently, insisted he had done a phenomenal job and saved hundreds of thousands of lives by restricting travel from China. He said the bad reputation hes gained on the issue was fake news. They give you good press, they give me bad press. Thats the way it goes, Trump said. Questioned about the difference between his own estimates of a quick vaccine this year and the opinions of his experts at the CDC and on the Warp Speed task force who say it wouldnt be widely available until the middle or end of next year, Trump said he disagreed. This is the same man who said the virus would be gone by Easter, Biden responded. He knew how dangerous this was going to be back in February, and he didnt tell you. Shortly afterwards, Trump mocked Biden for the frequency with which he wears COVID masks. Biden called Trumps mass rallies in this environment irresponsible. Trump responded, If you could get the crowds, youd do the same thing. In a segment on racial protests, Biden spent his time speaking directly to Black voters, and pleading for empathy and accountability. Trump attacked Biden for a super-predator crime bill hed introduced as a senator, and raged on about law and order. Asked directly to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, Trump told the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by, before saying the problem of violence was a left-wing problem. Trump, as he has throughout his campaign, delivered an aggressive performance that seemed designed to cater to his fiercest supporters the kind of boastful, accusatory, fear-mongering and conspiracy-alleging free association that the MAGA crowd at his rallies revels in. But if the polls this year are anywhere near accurate, he needs to attract new voters in order to win, and its hard to see him making much headway on that front. What is peaceful protest? he asked at one point. When you burn buildings down and kill people all over the place? Biden, who came into the debate with a lead, would have wanted to instill confidence among his potential voters that he can be a mature, steadying presence, and that at age 77, he remains up the job. He often appeared to be losing his temper with the president youre the worst president weve ever had, he said at one point and was often most effective when he delivered lines directly to the camera. At one point when Trump made a familiar accusation that Biden would destroy the suburbs, Biden replied, He wouldnt know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn. Whats really a threat to the suburbs is his failure to deal with COVID, his failure to deal with climate change. Two more presidential debates are scheduled next month on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22, and one vice-presidential debate is to take place Oct. 7. However, its unclear how much impact they will have in a year when impeachment, a pandemic and civil disorder have not moved polls, and when pollsters say as few as three per cent of voters remain undecided. An unprecedented 1.3 million people had already voted in early voting by Tuesday. (On Sunday, when turnout reached a million, a University of Florida analyst noted fewer than 10,000 had voted at a similar point in the 2016 schedule.) But whatever the odds theyll make an impact, the candidates were fighting it out. A lot more people are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter very fast, Biden said. Did you say smart? Trump asked. Theres nothing smart about you. Read more about: Supermarket giant Asda is now using "safety marshals" at its Northern Ireland stores to ensure that all customers are wearing facecoverings as they enter the store - sparking union fears over staff safety. A stricter enforcement policy means that anyone who is spotted without a face mask will be offered a pack of disposable ones, which the customer must then buy at the end of their shop. The marshals - essentially store employees who have been given additional responsibilities and no extra pay - started this week in all 16 local Asdas, with one or two based in each store, depending on size. Read More Retail trade union Usdaw has, however, voiced concern about the extra pressure being thrust upon shop floor workers, saying: "It may be another flashpoint for abuse of staff, which has doubled during the pandemic". Face coverings must be worn by customers in shops, supermarkets and shopping centres across the UK. Those who fail to do so can be fined by the police - up to 100 in England (soon to rise to 200), or 60 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Although the wearing of face masks has been compulsory in Northern Ireland shops since August 10, the PSNI told the Belfast Telegraph that "no fines have been issued in respect of face coverings in shops". This newspaper understands that Asda customers will be advised by marshals to cover up rather than being forced to do so. "Customers who do not have a covering when they enter the store will be offered a pack of disposable masks that they can pay for as they complete their shopping," a spokeswoman for the supermarket confirmed. Read More Marshals, who'll be wearing high visibility vests, will be mainly based at the front of the store, although some may be manning the aisles in larger outlets. Their remit will include ensuring that social distancing is maintained and providing shoppers with sanitised baskets and trolleys as they enter the store. Kieran Smyth, Usdaw area organiser, called on customers "to support shop workers by remembering to wear a face covering, unless they are covered by an exemption". "We also expect employers to remind customers about the rules," Mr Smyth said. "We are clear that shop workers are not responsible for enforcement. Staff at the front of the store are there to remind customers of the necessary Covid-19 safety measures in place and provide a face covering for those who don't have one. "We are concerned that it may be another flashpoint for abuse of staff, which has doubled during the pandemic, so we expect employers to support staff in making sure that customers follow the rules." He added: "Any Usdaw member who has concerns about doing the meeting and greeting role should contact their representative for advice." An Asda spokeswoman said safety marshals have been "in place in all stores" as of Monday this week. Expand Close A woman wearing a mask in a supermarket / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A woman wearing a mask in a supermarket When asked by this newspaper if staff had voluntarily signed up for the role or whether it had been assigned as part of their existing job, she said "it has been done on a store by store basis". The Asda spokeswoman added: "Existing colleagues are acting as safety marshals as part of their general duties and they've been given a specific brief for the role." She also confirmed that there was no extra pay for staff acting as safety marshals. When questioned specifically about the role, she replied: "To be on hand to help customers with safety queries and reiterate Government guidelines to wear a face covering and maintain social distancing while they shop." Meanwhile, when contacted by the Belfast Telegraph, Tesco confirmed that it is doing something similar with "greeters" in its Northern Ireland stores. A Tesco spokeswoman added: "To help our customers shop safely, we have colleagues at the entrances of our larger stores to remind customers about the safety measures we have in place, including the legal requirement to wear a face covering." We understand that Tesco "greeters" are also existing employees of the grocer - not new recruits. The supermarket giant introduced these new roles at the end of last week to its larger stores, including all Superstores, all Extra stores and some Metro stores. In response to the Belfast Telegraph, a PSNI spokesman said: "No fines have been issued in respect of face coverings in shops or on public transport". "We will continue to support compliance with the government regulations by engaging, explaining and encouraging people to make the right choices," he said. "We will only enforce where necessary." 30 September 2020 Powerhouse Energy Group plc ("Powerhouse" or the "Company") AGM statement Powerhouse Energy Group plc (AIM: PHE), the UK technology company pioneering hydrogen production from waste plastic, will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 11.30am today. At the meeting, Tim Yeo, Chairman, will make the following statement: "In the past year Powerhouse has been transformed. The recent successful fundraise has given us a strong financial base for building our first commercial scale plant at Protos under the wing of our UK development partner Peel. Once construction at Protos begins we will intensify our engagement with international partners to help us deliver DMG technology in overseas markets. Many countries face an urgent and growing problem of plastic waste. Demand for distributed sources of hydrogen and electricity is increasing. Powerhouse has the answer to all these needs. Today we are delighted to welcome our new director, Kirsty Gogan. Kirsty is managing partner of LucidCatalyst and was Co-founder of Energy for Humanity, organisations which are both focused on decarbonisation of the energy industry. Her experience, skills and reputation will greatly strengthen our communications with governments, regulators and consumers both in the UK and abroad. I am also pleased to report that Peel is expected to soon announce the next two sites for which planning applications will be submitted for the construction of the second and third DMG plants in the UK. Coupled with Peel's 1 million investment in Powerhouse, this is a clear sign of confidence in our future. I have campaigned for greater protection of the environment on land and sea and for a faster switch to a low carbon economy ever since I served three decades ago as an environment minister. I am therefore excited and extremely enthusiastic about my new role as your Chairman. I am confident that Powerhouse's prospects have never been better. With the help of our executive team under David Ryan and our strengthened board of directors I will do all I can to ensure that, while placing sustainability at the heart of everything we do, we deliver a highly profitable business for the benefit of all shareholders." A strategic and operational update presentation and a shareholder questions and answers session will be available to view on the Company's website at www.powerhouseenergy.net after the AGM. For more information, contact: Powerhouse Energy Group plc Tel: +44 (0) 203 368 6399 David Ryan, Chief Executive Officer WH Ireland Limited (Nominated Adviser) Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666 James Joyce/Lydia Zychowska Turner Pope Investments Ltd (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 203 657 0050 Andrew Thacker/Zoe Alexander Ikon Associates (Media enquiries) Tel: +44 (0) 1483 271291 Adrian Shaw Mob: +44 (0) 7979 900733 Notes for editors: About Powerhouse Energy Group plc Powerhouse has developed a proprietary process technology - DMG - which can utilise waste plastic, end-of-life-tyres, and other waste streams to efficiently and economically convert them into syngas from which valuable products such as chemical precursors, hydrogen, electricity and other industrial products may be derived. Powerhouse's technology is one of the world's first proven, distributed, modular, hydrogen from waste (HfW) process. The Powerhouse DMG process can generate up to 2 tonnes of road-fuel quality hydrogen and more than 58MWh of exportable electricity per day. Powerhouse's process produces low levels of safe residues and requires a small operating footprint, making it suitable for deployment at enterprise and community level. As announced on 11th February 2020 under its Supplemental Agreement with Peel Environmental, Powerhouse will receive an annual license fee of 500,000 in respect of each project which is commissioned. Powerhouse is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM Market under the ticker: PHE and is incorporated in the United Kingdom. For more information see www.powerhouseenergy.net About the Protos project The first application of the Powerhouse DMG technology is to be built at the Protos Site, a Peel L&P energy park development on a 54-hectare site known as 'Protos' near Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. The site is the first development by Peel L&P under the Collaboration Agreement. The planning permission for the application was submitted in September 2019 and, on 3 March 2020, the Cheshire West and Chester planning committee approved the planning application for the DMG Technology to be utilised on the Protos Site. A man uses his mobile phone next to an electric bicycle in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea in a file photo. North Korea has arrested 20 phone brokers who arrange calls and money transfers from outside the country in a nationwide crackdown on illegal mobile phone users, sources familiar with the cases told RFA. The accused -- some of whom were moonlighting security officials -- were arrested in the Ryangang provincial capital Hyesan, a northern city on the Chinese border, after they were caught arranging phone calls and remittances between North Koreans and their relatives in China and South Korea. They were arrested on charges of contacting the outside world and using Chinese mobile phones, which are prohibited, a law enforcement official from Ryanggang province, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFAs Korean Service Tuesday. Phone brokers in parts of North Korea close enough to the border to access Chinese mobile networks earn money charging high fees to help North Koreans living abroad send remittances to their family members through China. I checked the list of people caught using Chinese mobile phones this month, as well as written documents on how they were arrested, the official said, adding that that they were all caught while trying to contact North Korean exiles in China and South Korea. The source said that after the arrests, escapees in South Korea and China probably wont find it as easy to contact their families or other residents in Hyesan. The arrests are part of a larger crackdown that began last month, following deployments of special forces to the border regions near China to stop travel in the name of coronavirus prevention and to crack down on smuggling. The provincial security agency launched an operation to find and exterminate all those who bring in outside information and leak internal information in the North Korea-China border area by the end of the year, in accordance with the Highest Dignitys orders, the source said, using an honorific term to refer to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Corrupt watchmen The source said that some of the arrested phone brokers are city or provincial secret intelligence agents, who were supposed to have been the eyes and ears of the state, but acted as phone brokers themselves for years. They made money by selling internal information to South Korea or by working as remittance brokers while on duty as secret intelligence agents, the source said. Controlling and punishing users of Chinese cell phones in the border area has been a constant, but this is the first time theyve arrested secret agents who help the security department. As the Highest Dignity has ordered [the crackdown], it will be difficult for those arrested to avoid strict punishment, the source said. Another source, a resident of Hyesan who requested anonymity for security reasons, told RFA that many of the arrests happened in public view in many different parts of the city. On the 8th, I saw a hand-cuffed resident being carried away in a car by provincial security agents in Yonpung-dong, the second source said. On the 11th and 14th local residents witnessed the arrest of one resident in Hyegang-dong and another in Hyesin-dong. The provincial security department is conducting an intensive crackdown on people using Chinese cell phones, said the second source. According to the second source, authorities in Ryanggang have pulled out all the stops to try to catch illegal phone users over the past year, employing barbed wire fences, searchlights, and high-tech detection equipment. Since April, they even started giving the latest mobile signal detectors to all security agents in the border area, said the second source. In the past they used to just scare illegal cell phone owners during questioning, and then have them spend some time in detention facilities or let them get away with just attending education classes, but this time it is unlikely to end like thatthe arrested residents are probably going to be sent to a prison or disciplinary labor camp, the second source said. But the second source said the crackdown will add to the hardships of the many people in the province who rely on remittances for survival, especially since North Korea and China closed their 1,420-km (880-mile) border in January and suspended all trade in response to the coronavirus. Coupled with UN sanctions aimed at halting resources and cash that could be channeled into Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs, the border closures all but killed local commerce. Remittances remained the only source of income, keeping the whole local economy afloat. The border has been sealed, but the market kept circulating only thanks to the people who bring in illegal remittances from China. Now that they are arrested, we may just have to sit around and wait to die, the second source said. Family ties Refugees who have escaped the country told RFA they have felt the effects of the crackdown. I usually make phone calls with my family in North Korea every week, but this month I have not been able to call my family in Hyesan for the past 15 days, a North Korean refugee who settled in South Korea in 2018 told RFA Tuesday. In North Korea, whatever you do, everything is controlled by the authorities Im worried that I havent been able to contact my family in my hometown lately, so Im worried about their safety, said the refugee, who declined to be named. The refugee said the crackdown was especially worrisome because those found using Chinese cell phones could be harshly punished if authorities decided to arbitrarily accuse them of espionage. RFA reported earlier this month on one such case, when a phone broker from North Hamgyong province in the countrys northeast was accused of espionage. Sources said they expected he would be shot by firing squad. While the exact number of illegal phone users in North Korea is unknown, the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, which interviewed 414 North Koreans in the South, reported that 47 percent of them were in constant contact with their families in the North in 2018. Of those, about 93 percent said they called their families on the phone. In the same survey, 62 percent said they had sent money to North Korea. Based on their answers, the center estimated that refugees in the South who send money to North Korea do it about twice per year, sending around 2.7 million South Korean won (U.S. $2,260) each time. Each time they had to pay an average broker fee of almost 30 percent. According to South Koreas Ministry of Unification, 32,000 North Koreans have settled in South Korea since 1998, including 1,047 last year. Reported by Sewon Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Nebraska holds three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Eastern Nebraska's 1st District includes Lincoln; the 2nd District includes Omaha; and the 3rd District encompasses western and central Nebraska, along with the northeastern and southeastern corners of the state. The three incumbents, all of whom are Republicans, are seeking reelection. Members of Congress receive $174,000 annually. In the 1st District, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Lincoln is opposed by Kate Bolz of Lincoln, a state senator who won the Democratic nomination. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Papillion is opposed by Democratic nominee Kara Eastman of Omaha in a rematch of their 2018 contest. In the 3rd District, Republican Rep. Adrian Smith of Gering faces Mark Elworth Jr. of Omaha, the Democratic nominee. Libertarian nominees are on the ballot in all three races: Dennis Grace of Fremont, 1st District; Tyler Schaeffer of Omaha, 2nd District; and Dustin Hobbs of Grand Island, 3rd District. U.S. House 1st District candidates: Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 "We are excited to continue working with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and local organizations this fall," said Steven B. Tanger, CEO of Tanger Outlets. "We are committed to supporting the research that will hopefully lead to a cure for a disease that has impacted so many families. Having faced many challenges this year due to COVID-19, we are even more committed to coming together as a strong and united force to continue to fight for a cure." Launching tomorrow, October 1, through October 31, the campaign is offering unlimited use digital Pink Savings cards to Tanger shoppers to make their experience as contactless and touchless as possible. The savings cards give recipients 25% off and can be used all month long at any and all participating stores. Tanger will also offer three ways to shop during Pink, including in-person shopping, curbside pick-up and the virtual shopper program. Shoppers can save big on the best brand names and designer fashions including Banana Republic, Crocs, J. Crew, Kate Spade, Pandora, Polo Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and many more. "During this year's Pink campaign, we wanted to give shoppers the safest, most enjoyable experience at our centers," said Stephen Yalof, President and COO of Tanger Outlets. "For the entire month of October, we're offering special savings for our shoppers through the digital Pink Savings card. Proper health and safety protocols will be in place to keep our shoppers safe while making a big impact on the fight against breast cancer." In addition to Tanger's special savings, each of the U.S. centers will host a virtual 5K, perfect for family fun. The decision to make the race virtual is in response to the pandemic and the need to keep shoppers safe. From anywhere at any time during the week of October 11th, shoppers can engage with the Tanger community virtually, while raising money for local organizations that are dedicated to supporting breast cancer research and survivors. To register and learn more about this year's virtual 5K, please visit http://www.tangeroutlet.com/race. In 2019, Tanger Outlets raised $935,000 for breast cancer research. Since 1994, Tanger Outlets has been proudly involved in the fight against breast cancer, spending the last 27 years partnering locally and nationally to make a difference in the lives of those affected by this disease. About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), is a publicly-traded REIT headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina that presently operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, a portfolio of 38 upscale outlet shopping centers. Tanger's operating properties are located in 20 states and in Canada, totaling approximately 14.1 million square feet, leased to over 2,700 stores which are operated by more than 500 different brand name companies. The Company has more than 39 years of experience in the outlet industry. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the Company's website at www.tangeroutlets.com. Media Contact Information Quentin Pell VP, Corporate Communications and Enterprise Risk Management 336-834-6827 [email protected] SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. Related Links www.tangeroutlet.com New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern has finally revealed the two steps that need to be taken before a trans-Tasman travel bubble can go ahead. Leaders in both Australia and New Zealand have been working hard to carve out a plan to allow residents to travel between both nations without having to quarantine. The aim is to have the bubble up and running by early next year. But Ms Ardern says her government needs assurance there will be minimal risk of the virus being brought into New Zealand from Australia. Leaders in both Australia and New Zealand have been working hard to carve out a plan to allow residents to travel between both nations without having to quarantine (Pictured: Passengers at Sydney International Airport arriving after flying in from Auckland, New Zealand) Speaking to the Today show on Wednesday, she said Australia needs to define what it means by a 'coronavirus hotspot'. TWO THINGS NEEDED FOR TRAVEL BUBBLE: Jacinda Ardern needs Australia to define what a 'coronavirus hotspot' is. She also needs Australia to establish plans of containment should another outbreak occur across states. Advertisement The nation would also need to establish plans of containment should another outbreak occur across states, she said. 'What you can see is that we do want to make it work, we want it to be safe, we want everyone to be comfortable with it and know that we are safeguarding our own strategies as we do it,' she said. 'What we will need to work through is what the definition of a hot spot really means? At what point will Australia say, ''That's an area we will put up a bit of a border around and won't have travel to''. 'That will determine whether or not in our minds that will be sufficient just to keep everybody safe.' She said the government is open to making separate agreements with states with low or no cases to help boost the tourism industry. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would be happy to be the first state to welcome Kiwis back. She said she felt comfortable to be looking at these opportunities as it would be a boost to the hospitality and tourism industries. New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern has finally revealed the two steps that need to be taken before a tran-Tasman travel bubble can go ahead Overseas travel has been banned since March and it remains unclear when it will resume but Mr Morrison said the first step will be to open to 'safe locations' WHAT IS THE TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE Australia and New Zealand have discussed the possibility of a 'trans-Tasman bubble'. The bubble would allow residents from both countries to travel across the ditch without having to endure a mandatory 14-day isolation period. The idea has been raised as both countries have been successful in controlling the outbreak of the coronavirus. Advertisement 'New Zealand has very low cases, I don't mean it in a disrespectful way, but they're like another state of Australia when you look at the number of cases,' she said. Karl Stefanovic then jumped in suggesting Ms Berejiklian should be the premier of New Zealand as well. 'There are so many Kiwis living in NSW, in Bondi in particular I almost feel like you are the premier of New Zealand.' On Tuesday, Mr Morrison said people flying into Australia from overseas could soon be allowed to quarantine at home, asking officials to look into the proposal. Ms Ardern said New Zealand was unlikely to follow suit, saying 'quarantine-free travel is our version of that'. 'I do think there's something to be said at looking at the other end, thinking about whether or not for high-risk countries we need to have, an additional element of extra self-isolation,' she said. Ms Ardern said opening up to Pacific nations - beginning with the Cook Islands - was 'absolutely' still part of New Zealand's re-engagement with the world. 'The threshold that we'll set will meet the Cooks' expectations,' she said. The cases registered against green activists who protested felling of trees in Mumbais Aarey Colony will be withdrawn, state cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray said on Wednesday. Several cases were registered after clashes broke out between the police and the activists who opposed the hacking of trees by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRC) in Aarey Colony in October last year for the construction of a car shed for Metro-3. The decision to withdraw the cases was taken in a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. I raised the issue of cases on those who protested against the tree hacking in Aarey last year, in cabinet meeting today. I was backed by Ministers Jitendra Awhad and Aslam Shaikh. The cabinet has decided to withdraw these cases. These were citizens/ protestors standing for the future of our planet. To hold them from stopping desired work was one thing but to press police charges was another. We cant have cases against those who stand up for environment and forests, Aaditya Thackeray wrote in a series of tweets on Wednesday. On October 4 last year, several hundred trees were being felled by MMRC as part of Metro project. A group of students and activists had gathered at the site to oppose the tree felling, which led to a clash. The police then booked 38 people and charged 29 of them. The activists were arrested for obstructing public servants from discharging duty and for unlawful assembly. Following the arrests, the protesters have faced several issues such as finding a job, continuing their home rental agreements or applying for a passport. Rohit Joshi, a part of Aarey Conservation Group (ACG), said, Around 10 days ago, a delegation of ACG, including me, along with the protesters who were charged met state cabinet minister Jitendra Awhad to propose the withdrawal of cases. We discussed how they were facing issues in their everyday life. We thank the state and especially Awhad ji for todays decision by the cabinet. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had assured the protestors in December last year that the cases would be withdrawn. However, the process had not started until now. Officials from the state government have now said that the process of the withdrawal of cases will be expedited. Sitaram Kunte, additional chief secretary, home, said, The process of the withdrawal of the cases against the protesters will be expedited. We are gathering the information about the cases registered against the protesters last year. The legal process will be followed before the withdrawal of the cases. A judge has granted Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron more time to release grand jury recordings about the March raid in which Breonna Taylor was shot dead by police in her Louisville home. The grand jury indicted one of the involved officers last week for firing blindly outside the 26-year-old Black woman's home and endangering her neighbors, but no one was charged in Taylor's death. Jefferson Circuit Court judge Ann Bailey Smith on Wednesday granted Cameron two additional days to produce the audio recordings of the grand jury proceedings. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron / Credit: Jon Cherry / Getty Images Cameron has acknowledged he did not recommend murder charges to the grand jury after coming under intense public scrutiny over the the panel's ruling, which drew outrage and renewed protests over police brutality and racial injustice. Taylor's family, along with lawyers and activists, have demanded that Cameron release the proceedings in the interests of transparency as key questions linger over what evidence he presented. Also calling for the public release of the information is an anonymous member of the grand jury who accused Cameron in a legal filing of "using the grand jurors as a shield to deflect accountability and responsibility for these decisions." Cameron initially refused to release the information, citing the secrecy of grand jury proceedings. But he said this week he would comply with a judge's order to file recordings of the proceedings in the public court by noon on Wednesday in the criminal case against former officer Brett Hankison, who is charged with three counts of wanton endangerment. On Wednesday, however, Cameron filed a motion with the court seeking more time to redact information in the audio file. "The Grand Jury audio recording is more than 20 hours long, and our office filed a motion to request additional time, if the court permits it, to redact personally identifiable information of witnesses, including addresses and phone numbers," Cameron's spokeswoman Elizabeth Kuhn said in a statement obtained by CBS News. Story continues In a separate motion, 13 anonymous witnesses also requested that personal information be redacted from anything filed in the public record, citing fear of reprisal in the case that's generated nationwide controversy. Breonna Taylor Cameron had requested an additional week, but in a ruling on Wednesday, Bailey Smith allowed his office until noon on Friday to produce the redacted recordings. In an interview with television station WDRB on Tuesday, Cameron said he did not recommend murder charges against Sergeant Jon Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, whose gunfire he said was justified because they were returning a shot fired by Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker. Walker has said police didn't identify themselves before battering down the door during the early morning raid linked to a drug investigation, and Walker opened fire fearing someone was trying to break in. According to Cameron, the shot Walker fired hit Mattingly in the leg, and Mattingly and Cosgrove returned fire, killing Taylor. No drugs were found in the home. The raid was linked to a drug investigation into Taylor's ex-boyfriend, who did not live there. Cameron has said the officers both knocked and announced themselves before the raid, but questions remain over what evidence and witnesses the grand jury heard. Cameron has said he is confident in the case his office presented. Sofia Grimsgard and Costanza Maio contributed reporting. New details emerge from another New York Times report on Trump's taxes California wildfires kill 3 people, force thousands to evacuate Biden and Trump teams prepare for personal attacks in first presidential debate Parents and family members who have formed collectives throughout Mexico help each other search for the remains of their missing children. Volunteers take turns digging through the debris under the foundation of the stash house at Colonia Campos. (Alejandro Tamayo / San Diego Union-Tribune) A smell of death draped the unfinished two-story house on Calle Loma Alta on Tijuanas eastern side. Neighbors report sometimes hearing screams coming from the abandoned property. Inside, the floor was littered with empty Coca-Cola bottles and dozens of childrens toys and grade school notebooks. Clothes were piled everywhere, and partially burnt mattresses were propped against the door frames, acting as makeshift, sound-absorbing doors closing off several rooms. In one, heavy chains sat atop wooden planks nailed to the floor. Rocks with more chains attached were piled nearby. Spray-painted in red in a corner: the words Te Amo." I love you. Parents believe their children once were chained to the floor here. In the last 11 months, the remains of four teenage boys have been discovered on this property. But not by police. The bodies were unearthed by parents who, led there by a tipster, have been searching for the remains of their children. The house in the Colonia Campos neighborhood, they said, belongs to a former Tijuana police officer who they suspect is in league with drug cartels. On a warm September Saturday morning, before the parents took turns drilling into the concrete foundation, one of the mothers got an anonymous call from an Ensenada phone number instructing her where to dig: about a yard and a half under the foundation, on the right side of the bathroom, under a tarp and piles of trash. There, the caller told Barbara Martinez, she would find her son Cesar. She put the man on the speaker, so the other parents could hear. Along with Cesar, he added, are other corpses. Barbara Martinez takes turns digging for bodies at a property in Colonia Campos. (Alejandro Tamayo / San Diego Union-Tribune) Martinez spoke with him politely, pushing aside her fear and anger for the sake of her son, and for the parents of others who have gone missing. After hanging up, she said, Its my son. And even if they threaten me or do something to me, I dont care because that man is an animal for leaving my son buried here." Outside, Baja California police officers stood at the property line, threatening to arrest the parents who had stacked tires and spare boards to block off the driveway entrance to the property. The police officials have told parents that their presence constitutes trespassing and that they could face arrest and even jail time took pictures of each person, including a dozen reporters, and noted all the license plate numbers of the vehicles parked outside. Story continues Even though bodies have been found on the site, parents say the police are not investigating. Baja California Gov. Jaime Bonilla said he could not comment because "there's an investigation in place," but the location was never sealed off with crime scene tape during the last 11 months and state police officials said they never entered to collect fingerprints and other potential evidence at the house. Shortly before noon, a few officers came onto the property, climbing a ladder they had placed against a retaining wall. There was yelling from both sides, and some parents formed a line, refusing to let the police advance. Other parents continued digging. A few officers breached a barricade and partially made their way onto the property to take cellphone photos. (Alejandro Tamayo / San Diego Union-Tribune) Jesus Varajas Chairezat, an American whose brother went missing from the border city of Tecate in 2019, put out both hands, blocking the authorities with his body and yelling until they retreated. This particular group, Colectivo de Madres en Busqueda de sus Tesoros Perdidos, or Collective of Mothers Searching for Their Lost Treasures, is among hundreds formed by parents throughout Mexico to help one another look for the remains of their missing children. They find safety in numbers and comfort one another during and after the searches. Its a response to what they describe as failure by the government to investigate the swelling numbers of desaparecidos the disappeared. Across Mexico, more than 61,000 citizens have vanished from 2006 to 2019, federal figures show. The vast majority are men in their early 20s. Some had links to crime, but some disappear for no clear reason, perhaps unintended casualties of the countrys soaring cartel-fueled violence. The Mexican government is not capable of protecting its citizens, said Varajas, 63, a Riverside resident. Martinez's son disappeared from Tijuanas Urbi Villa Prado II neighborhood in October 2018. Cesar was 17. Barbara Martinez becomes emotional as the body of her son has not appeared at Colonia Campos. (Alejandro Tamayo / San Diego Union-Tribune) The remains of his best friend and two acquaintances are among the four bodies that have been found during previous parent-led searches of the Calle Loma Alta property. Martinez does not know the name of the man who called during the dig. She said she knows only that he is a powerful person in Ensenada and not the owner of the property. His motivation for the tips is unclear. Though hes directed parents to their loved ones, hes also threatened them. One time he told me: You know what, lady? Go ahead and take your son out of that house and enjoy burying him because after that, Im coming for you. Im going to kill you because you have discovered my graveyard, Martinez said. She shrugged off the threat, saying she told him: Look at me, Im already dead inside. You killed my son. What else can you do to me? A different tipster originally directed Martinez to the home nearly a year ago, and that led to the discovery of the four bodies; he had seen her posts on Facebook, on which she had described the painful search for her son. That man was fatally shot days after passing on the tip, she said. She asked that his name not be used, for fear of endangering his family. Typically, parents search the rugged and remote hillsides outside Tijuana for mass graves, known as fosas clandestinas. Since June, the parent collectives have discovered more than two dozen bodies. But the mission this Saturday was unusual because it took place inside a home, where parents typically don't dare to search because such properties often are in gang-controlled neighborhoods. There are so many houses just like this one all throughout Tijuana where hundreds of people are buried. There are so many mothers who have no idea what happened to their children, said Varajas, who used power tools and a shovel to dig for hours before lying down on the ground, exhausted. After he woke up from a nap, he resumed digging. Why do I do it? These people are victims just like I am a victim, and everyone has turned their back on them, including the United States, he said. These cartels tell these kids they have to sell drugs or theyll be killed. When they refuse, they kill them. Its that simple. Theyre either turned into criminals or corpses. Nearby, Emma Medrano of San Diego quietly watched Varajas dig several feet into the earth under the house's foundation. Her 18-year-old son, Miguel Rendon, went missing on May 29 from a motel on Boulevard Cuauhtemoc in Tijuana. Every time I see they have found bodies, I think it could be my son. I dont want to believe he is dead, but its already been more than three months," Medrano said. Parents and family members of missing children pray before they head out to the abandoned house. (Alejandro Tamayo / San Diego Union-Tribune) Volunteers have placed banners outside the property line of the abandon house. (Alejandro Tamayo / San Diego Union-Tribune) Varajas continued to dig. He found nothing. One young man taking part in the search dug more than a foot into the ground and stopped. He took a long metal construction rod with a handle and drove it into the earth before pulling it out and smelling the tip. It's something he and his companions have done hundreds of times. They say the tip will carry the odor of a decomposing body and let the group know they've found something. This time, the smell was inconclusive. Disappointed, the young man tossed the rod aside and continued shoveling, tossing the dirt onto a growing pile. As afternoon turned to evening, Martinez grew more and more distraught, sometimes crying as she worked. After hours of digging, she became overheated and unable to catch her breath in a hole now deeper than her own height. She sat down and drank from a bottle of water. Martinez said she needs to have her son's remains somewhere she can peacefully visit regularly. So I can sit there calmly and tell him: Look, I dont know how I possibly failed you in life so that you ended up down there and me still here, but I wont ever leave you, she said. She continued to search until the late afternoon. I cant wait until I never have to come back to this hellhole again, she said. But Ill be here until I find him. No new bodies were discovered that day. Varajas worked until midnight, until his hands bled. Jesus Varajas Chairez, in green, pours water as a volunteer cuts through the property's concrete floor. (Alejandro Tamayo / San Diego Union-Tribune) Fry writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. DOHC When it comes to producing state-of-the-art aftermarket components or crafting ravishing custom two-wheelers, Japanese manufacturers are the real MVPs, and no wonder. I mean, it only makes sense that a healthy deal of ambitious workshops will be established in a country that hosts the likes of Kawasaki Honda and the revered Yamaha , right?One such enterprise goes by the name of An-Bu Custom Motors, a reputed moto surgeon crew that goes about its daily business in the stunning city of Nagoya, Japan. Besides creating some seriously rad one-off rides, these specialists pride themselves with an extensive inventory of custom goodness thatll have your bike perform like an absolute showstopper.As to An-Bu's gorgeous works of two-wheeled art, they include a glorious Harley Davidson XL1200S Sportster, a funky Ducati 750SS and one splendid XS650 from Yamahas lineup, to name a few. Quite frankly, it goes without saying that each and every single one of these fascinating superstars does a wonderful job at dropping jaws and raising pulses.If this stirs your curiosity, then you may want to consider paying these folks a visit on their social media profiles, where youll discover some truly drool-worthy feats after we take a minute to examine their remarkable accomplishments on BMW Motorrads feral K100RS, that is.Lets set things straight, the Bavarian tourer is one hell of a donor to work with. It is brought to life by a wicked four-strokeinline-four powerplant that exhales through a stainless-steel four-into-one exhaust. This malevolent liquid-cooled entity houses a total of eight valves and a solid compression ratio of 10.2:1. Additionally, it packs an astronomical displacement of no less than 987cc.At 8,000 rpm, K100RS vicious mill is capable of producing up to 90 hp, accompanied by 63 pound-feet (86 Nm) of malicious twisting force at around 6,000 rpm. A five-speed gearbox enables the engines monstrous power to reach the rear wheel via a shaft final drive. Ultimately, this state of affairs leads to a 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) acceleration time of just 4.3 seconds, while top speed is rated at 136 mph (220 kph).Up front, suspension duties are handled by a set of telescopic forks, coupled with a Paralever unit on the opposite end. Stopping power is provided by dual 285 mm (11.22 inches) discs and twin-piston calipers at the front, joined by a single brake rotor and a one-piston caliper at the rear.Now, when this bad boy landed on An-Bu's doorstep, things kicked off with the removal of its factory bodywork items, except for the aluminum fuel tank. In their stead, the team installed several modules that were fabricated in-house, such as a slim tail section with an incorporated LED lighting package, as well as a fiber-reinforced polymer front fairing that hugs an eccentric headlight.Furthermore, the Japanese gurus selected a pair of clip-on handlebars from their very own range and equipped them with Rizoma Spy-R bar-end mirrors and Aries grips. You will also notice rear-mounted foot pegs, top-grade Avon Spirit ST tires and a Chronoclassic gauge from Motogadgets catalogue.In terms of performance upgrades, K100RS front suspension received a comprehensive makeover, while its rear counterpart was blessed with a juicy YSS monoshock. Last but not least, the inline-four colossus breathes a little more freely, thanks to an ominous exhaust and a carbon fiber muffler.Right, since weve wrapped this up, the next places you ought to be heading are An-Bu's Instagram and Facebook profiles. Trust me; their portfolio guarantees to soothe your soul! LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. Hospital officials and Arizonas schools chief on Wednesday urged local governments not to lift their mask mandates, warning that moving too quickly could reverse the states progress in tamping down COVID-19. Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said schools play a critical role for children and families, and the state cant ease up on efforts to control the coronavirus outbreak. Our school communities are depending on continued steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our state, Hoffman, a Democrat, said in a statement. The Health System Alliance of Arizona, which represents most of the states big hospital chains, also warned in a statement Wednesday that eliminating mask mandates risks burdening the health care system. Scottsdales mayor lifted a mask mandate last week, though the city is still subject to a mask requirement imposed by Maricopa County. The board of supervisors, the countys elected governing body, has privately discussed lifting the mandate and could take action at a meeting in October. The mayor of a western Arizona tourist destination this week lifted a citywide mask mandate originally ordered in July that required facial coverings indoors when social distancing was not possible. Lake Havasu City Mayor Cal Sheehy suspended the mandate on Monday after it was extended twice, most recent on Aug. 28, Todays News-Herald reported. In Lake Havasu City, the mayors order for had been set to expire Oct. 15. The city along the shore of the Colorado River attracts recreational boaters, off-road vehicle enthusiasts, hikers and anglers The order listed multiple exceptions, including children under 6 years old and in places where it was not practicable or feasible to wear face masks. Despite the announcement, all bars, restaurants, fitness centers, movie theaters and water parks are required to adhere to guidelines from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Those guidelines dictate the use of masks for customers and employees, even if there is no local mask requirement. Some businesses such as Walmart and Safeway have their own face-covering requirements. I would just ask all of our citizens to comply with those businesses request, Sheehy said. Many businesses are requiring it as a mitigation strategy, and I still strongly urge all of our citizens and visitors to wear a face covering or a mask when they are not able to physically distance. Sheehy three weeks ago said he would use data to determine when to lift the mask mandate. Mohave County, which includes Lake Havasu City, met the threshold to allow businesses to reopen on Sept. 3, and the county met the state benchmarks for partial in-person education on Thursday. Mohave Countys number of cases per 100,000 population has dropped from 367 in the second week of July to 44 during the first week of September, health officials said. The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests also dropped, declining from 18.9% to 4.2%. Statewide, the Arizona Department of Health Services on Wednesday reported 323 additional COVID-19 cases with 18 additional deaths, increasing the states totals to 218,507 cases and 5,650 deaths. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some especially older adults and people with existing health problems it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. Public health professionals believe that the best strategy is to wear a face covering or a mask and I still encourage that, Sheehy said. But it is just asking our citizens to take personal responsibility and to do what is best for themselves and their family. Two Pearl River area men suspected in a rash of catalytic converter thefts from vehicles across St. Tammany Parish were arrested recently after an investigation by detectives with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Property Crimes Division. Garic Aleman, 50, and Averice Craddock, 41, allegedly stole the converters and sold more than 325 of them to scrapyard in Gulfport, Mississippi. The Sheriff's Office was investigating thefts of the devices from vehicles in a parish parking lot in Pearl River, a Slidell retirement home, a Covington car dealership, storage facilities in Pearl River and Mandeville and from state-owned equipment parked at a Covington construction site, according to a news release. The Sheriff's Office has seen an increase in catalytic converter thefts throughout the parish in the last year, with victims reporting that they've found bolts, metal shavings and other debris under their vehicles resulting from the converters being cut off. Thieves often target full-size pickup trucks, RVs, vans and heavy equipment. Catalytic converters are emission control devices that reduce pollutants in a vehicle's exhaust. Catalytic converters are expensive to replace, the Sheriff's Office said, but the scrap value of the stolen items was just under $49,000. Detectives said that their street value is much higher. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The pair sold the items under a family members business name, using forged documents to circumvent required reporting practices, the news release said. Aleman was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail on Monday on one felony count of theft between $1,000 and $5,000. Craddock was booked into the jail on Sept. 23 on three felony counts of theft between $1,000 and $5,000 and a misdemeanor count of theft less than $1,000. The Sheriff's Office is working with surrounding law enforcement agencies because many of the thefts happened in the parish's municipalities. Police departments in the municipalities also have open cases or charges pending against Aleman and Craddock, the Sheriff's Office said. The investigation is ongoing, and the Sheriff's Office expects additional charges and arrests, the news release said. Anyone with information is asked to contact the St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office at (985) 898-2338. Former WWE wrestler and actor John Cena is a proud BTS army member as he himself has confessed on multiple occasions. BTS army has also accepted him as one of their own and a recent twitter thread proves that. A twitter thread by one of BTS army members has taken Cenas love for BTS to the next level by comparing him to their albums. In a series of seventeen tweets, John Cenas outfits have been shown next to BTS albums, and a few members, displaying the colour coordination and hence the deep connection the two share. Tweeted by @its_JHoseok, the thread is a work of serious dedication and research. The first thread shows Cena in a pink t-shirt which goes perfectly well with BTS Map of The Soul: Persona album cover which is also in pink. The following tweets show BTS album covers of Love Yourself: Answer, Love Yourself: Tear, Love Yourself: Her respectively and matching these covers, Cena is seen wearing a lavender shirt, a black suit, and a white t-shirt with a unicorn on it. The tweet thread has received over 10.5k likes and has come after John Cena appeared on Jimmy Fallons show and showered his favourite artists with admiration and respect. As BTS continues to perform at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon this week, in its latest episode John Cena talked about the South Korean band. Cena said he got interested in BTS, because they are this massively popular thing they have been so globally popular for so long and I was like I should probably know about this. He said how he was drawn when he started listening to BTS because there are rappers (Suga, RM, J-Hope) in the group who use sick beats in their songs, he then got interested in what their music stood for. Cena said they advocate self-love, they advocate not to be afraid of failure and shatter all the stereotypical difficulties and they are catering it to an audience that is going through that, young people, and that is why they are so popular in the world. Cena said, They are great performers and the message they send resonates with the people. He also praised the global BTS army which has donated to philanthropic causes like the Black Lives Matter movement. He expressed his respect to the K-pop band for changing the world through their music and their fans. John Cena will next be seen in the Fast and Furious 9 where he will be playing Vin Diesels brother Jakob Toretto. Pittsylvania County surpassed 1,000 cases of COVID-19 on Monday morning, the same day the state recorded its lowest single-day caseload since July. The number of new cases is slowing somewhat in the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District compared to a surge in July and August. As of Monday morning, there were 1,002 cases of the illness caused by the coronavirus in Pittsylvania County. Danvilles count was at 880. Of the total 1,882 COVID-19 cases in the health district, 36 were classified as probable, meaning someone is showing the signs of the illness and had close contact with someone else who tested positive, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The majority of those infections came in July and August, when about 30 new cases were added daily. Now, the district sees about 13 new cases a day. Contrary to overall state demographics that show most infections appear in the 20-29 age group, the district has an age range of 50-59 with the highest number of cases, at 338. Also, although only 140 residents 80 and older contracted the virus, that age group accounts for 19 of the 36 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County. The most recent report from the University of Virginias COVID-19 Model placed the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District in a declining case category, the lowest level used to determine the trajectory of the pandemic in a community. The districts percent positivity rate has plummeted in recent days to 4.3%, the lowest since a dip in May. This rate often used as a key measure to understand if the virus is under control in a community is a formula that calculates the number of positive results against the total amount of tests administered as an averaged of the last seven days. The states rate was 4.7% based on Monday mornings report. In an effort to expand community testing, the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District will offer free COVID-19 testing Friday at the Danville Health Department. This drive-thru event will operate from from 9 a.m. to noon, or until supplies of the 300 tests run out. Test results from this community-wide testing event will give us a good indicator of the prevalence of the disease in our community, Dr. Scott Spillmann, director of the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, stated n a news release. Spillmann also noted testing is only part of the picture. A negative test today does not protect residents from possible exposure tomorrow, he said. We know community transmission of COVID-19 has been widespread since late March, and we know the best protection for each of us comes from personal precautions, including wearing face coverings, practicing good hygiene and social distancing, Spillman said. The health district hosted a similar event in Chatham on Sept. 18, also with 300 tests available. However, only 101 tests were processed. Anyone wanting a test should sit near a window of the vehicle, and the drive-thru will serve on a first-come basis. However, walk-ups also will be accepted. Testing is available to those 10 and older. Across the state on Monday, there were 146,593 cases of COVID-19, an increase of 449 since Sunday. That marks the lowest single-day increase since 354 cases were record on July 6. There have been 3,172 COVID-19 deaths in the state. Number 10 today said it was 'closely monitoring' Liverpool's rising infection rate after its mayor said the city was just 'days away' from having to introduce a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown. Boris Johnson's official spokesman said officials are 'constantly reviewing' the area's coronavirus restrictions - after Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson called for a full lockdown to restrict the virus from spreading. The weekly infection rate in Liverpool now stands at 258.4 per 100,000 people. It would be the first city to have a two-week lockdown, which could also include parts of the wider region. However, at a conference of local leaders this afternoon, Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham distanced himself from Mr Anderson's call for a two-week lockdown and said he had never discussed this idea with the Government in Westminster. Mr Rotherham said he is meeting with all the region's leaders meeting after the press conference. The North East was made subject to new restrictions this morning, with people banned from meeting anyone inside unless they are part of their Covid bubble. However this stopped short of a full lockdown that would shut pubs and restaurants. The weekly infection rate in Liverpool now stands at 258.4 per 100,000 people. Liverpool would be the first city to have a two-week lockdown Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Gateshead, Northumberland and North and South Tyneside will all have to face the new rule outlawing socialising indoors from midnight tonight Revellers in Liverpool make their way home earlier this week after partying until the 10pm curfew At this afternoon's press conference, leaders in Merseyside welcomed the possibility of stricter coronavirus restrictions but warned that Government funding is needed to avoid a 'hammer blow' to the economy. The region is braced for the introduction of stricter measures as coronavirus cases continue to rise, with a Government decision expected later today. Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has called for a 'circuit breaker' or stricter lockdown to stop the spread of the virus. He told The Daily Telegraph last night: 'For me, it is only a matter of time because the virus isn't able to be controlled in the city with the restrictions we have now. Mr Anderson (pictured) said it was 'only a matter of time' before comprehensive lockdown measures were introduced in the north-west city 'We need a circuit breaker or stricter lockdown to try to stop the virus spreading. 'If we can have the severest measures of lockdown now, we may arrest the increase and start to bring it down by the end of October, so that in the lead up to Christmas we can get some normality.' But Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham, when he was asked about this proposal, said that it was not one of the options presented to him in his meeting with Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty on Monday. Mr Anderson told Sky News earlier today: 'We expect some announcements to be made today on whether there are tougher restrictions going to be put in place here in Liverpool, which personally I welcome and think we need, because we have got to try and arrest and restrict this virus from spreading. 'Our plea though is to make sure that in this local lockdown scenario that Government is introducing that they also make sure there is a sort of local furlough that matches that.' Bars and restaurants could be forced to shut in Liverpool (pictured: People in the city enjoy a drink outside yesterday) as part of a circuit-breaker lockdown Official data for Liverpool, with Covid cases from September 21 to 27 broken down by age and sex Liverpool City Region metro mayor Steve Rotheram and leaders of Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, St Helens, Halton and Knowsley called for the Government to work with them, provide financial support and increase testing capacity. Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara tests positive for coronavirus and is isolating after missing 3-1 Arsenal win Liverpool have confirmed that Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for coronavirus and is isolating. The 29-year-old was absent for Liverpool's 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Monday night and Jurgen Klopp was coy over the problem that kept him out, only saying that he'll be back after the international break. Liverpool have confirmed that Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for Covid-19 The club have now announced that he has Covid-19 and has been displaying minor symptoms. Liverpool first-team doctor, Dr Jim Moxon, said: 'It is the choice of each individual whether they reveal publicly the outcome of a Covid-19 test. 'We have followed all the protocols to the letter and Thiago is OK. He will be self-isolating now as per the guidelines and hopefully he'll be back with us soon.' Thiago took to Twitter to say 'time to heal' while former club Bayern Munich wished him a speedy recovery. Thiago will miss Liverpool's match against Aston Villa on Sunday and an international break follows. He should be free to return for Liverpool in their following Premier League match, against Merseyside rivals Everton on October 17. The north-west of England, particularly the city of Liverpool, has seen numbers of Covid-19 cases rapidly rising in recent weeks. According to Liverpool City Council, there are currently 1323 cases-per-week diagnosed in the city, compared to 94-per-week on September 1. Advertisement A joint statement said: 'As leaders of the Liverpool City Region, we all understand why further restrictions may be needed to halt the spread of Covid-19 in the communities we represent. 'Cases are now averaging well over 200 per 100,000 people across our region - in some boroughs, much higher. 'Throughout the pandemic, we have always put the health of our residents first and we will continue to do everything we can to stop the spread of coronavirus and keep as many people as possible safe. 'However, at the same time, we must be clear that any further restrictions will deal a hammer blow to our economy.' The statement said that in the last six months the local authorities and combined authority had incurred losses of 350 million in costs and lost income. It said: 'We are already at breaking point. With new restrictions - and who knows for how long they might be needed - our economy and public services may collapse.' It came as students at Liverpool John Moores University's campus were filmed taking part in a huge booze-fuelled rave in an accommodation hall. A group of students - some standing on furniture - were seen crowding together inside the university's Cambridge Court halls as they danced and sang along to Dizzee Rascal song Bonkers. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said today: 'Public Health England, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and NHS Test and Trace are constantly monitoring the levels of infections and other data on the prevalence of the virus across the country. 'They have been closely monitoring the prevalence of the virus in Liverpool and Merseyside. 'The measures that we have in place are kept under constant review and if changes are required to protect local people and protect the NHS these will be set out by the Department of Health and Social Care.' A further 52 coronavirus deaths were announced in the UK's early count this afternoon, with 43 in England, seven in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. The numbers add to evidence that the death count is continuing to grow as cases surge, but the daily average remains 95 per cent lower than it was at the peak. In a separate intervention today, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham urged the Government to let Bolton's pubs and restaurants reopen, pointing to other areas that have higher infection rates but no restrictions on hospitality. He tweeted: 'This is the problem with local restrictions. Once they're in, they tend to stay in. And the longer they're in, the more the anomalies/injustices grow. 'Either Ministers close hospitality in places with high cases with compensation. Or let Bolton's open today. It's that simple.' Liverpool John Moores University's campus has remained quarantine-free, despite footage of a huge booze-fuelled rave in an accommodation hall surfacing today Revealed: All the areas of England, Scotland and Wales that have been hit by tougher local restrictions because of a spike in Covid-19 cases Bosnia and Herzegovina respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with which it has extremely good friendly relations, Zlatko Lagumdzija, former Prime Minister of Bosnia & Herzegovina, told Trend. I would like to express my strong condemnation of the Armenian artillery attacks that led to the escalation of the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. I hope that the armed conflicts, which pose a threat to peace throughout the region, will be stopped as soon as possible, and that a peaceful solution will be reached through negotiations in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, he said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the frontline, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of the retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Continuing its efforts to advance peace in Libya, Egypt hosted talks in the framework of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission on Monday in the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada. The meeting is a crucial step in the preparatory talks for the comprehensive Libyan National Dialogue that will be held in Geneva in October. The 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which brings together five military officials from the eastern and western camps in the Libyan conflict, is one of the three tracks of the settlement process that emerged during the Berlin Conference on Libya in mid-January. It was subsequently adopted by the UN Security Council. Holding the meeting has been a goal since Aguila Saleh, speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives (HoR), and Fayez Al-Sarraj, head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), agreed to a ceasefire two months ago. Among the issues the 5+5 Joint Military Commission is tasked with are the reunification of the Libyan army, how to transfer foreign mercenaries out of Libya, and how to guarantee the security of Sirte so it can serve as an interim capital. The military talks in Hurghada follow on the heels of another important meeting hosted by Cairo between Saleh and Commander General of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The two also met with President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and senior Egyptian officials. President Al-Sisi lauded Salehs efforts to promote the political process and reunify Libyas executive and legislative institutions, and expressed appreciation for Haftars efforts in the war against terrorism and his commitment to the ceasefire. The president appealed to all Libyan stakeholders to engage constructively in the three tracks emanating from the Berlin Conference, adopted by the UN and enshrined in the Cairo Declaration. Cairo secured a breakthrough by bringing Haftar and Saleh together. Although both from the western camp the differences between them have grown acute in recent months and Cairo was keen to contain any tensions that could jeopardise the diplomatic processes. According to sources close to Saleh, the differences centre on the interim phase in which Saleh is likely to play a key role. It appears that the HoR and GNA have reached an informal agreement that Saleh should succeed Al-Sarraj as the head of a newly reconstituted Presidential Council. Al-Sarraj announced in late September that he would step down at the end of October. Saleh replacing Al-Sarraj also appears to have some international backing judging by the EUs decision to lift the sanctions they imposed on him in 2016. Haftar, on the other hand, seems to have been sidelined. He has not, however, abandoned his ambitions for power, an informed source told Al-Ahram Weekly. Even though he lost the battle for Tripoli Haftar still believes that he holds some trump cards. He commands a military force that controls large parts of the country and still controls the petroleum crescent and oil terminals in the Gulf of Sirte. The source believes that Haftar is using his remaining advantages to pursue a path parallel to the UN process, towards which end he has established a line of communication to discuss the resumption of oil production and exports, possibly under Russian auspices, with Ahmed Maiteeq, vice chairman of the Presidential Council. Ahmed Al-Mismari, spokesman for the LNA General Command, has made it clear that Haftar opposes both the Berlin process and the outputs of the Montreux talks of 7-9 September. Al-Mismari said the LNA was not obliged to commit to these outputs since it was not a party to the talks. Although a quota of seats has reportedly been reserved for Haftar in the forthcoming National Dialogue observers believe his disapproval extends to encompass the dialogue as well. In remarks to the press after meeting with Haftar in Cairo Saleh avoided any suggestion of acrimony. He said that the parliament (HoR) and the army (LNA) were on the same track with respect to a solution to the Libyan crisis. A source close to Saleh explained that the parliamentary leader was keen to forestall or contain tensions with any Libyan stakeholder since he would soon become the chairman of a Presidential Council for all Libyans. Official sources in Cairo have not disclosed the substance of their talks with Haftar. Nevertheless, observers interpret the fact the 5+5 meeting in Hurghada went ahead as a sign that Haftar is now responding more positively to recent developments. Quite how compliant he will be though is unclear. One of the outputs of the Montreux consultative meeting that will be put to the participants in the National Dialogue is the proposal that the Presidential Council should serve as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Under this formula the three members of the new Presidential Council (the president and two vice presidents, each representing one of Libyas three main regions) will share the authorities of the post, thereby ensuring no faction monopolises decision-making. Sources doubt this formula will appease Haftar, even if he is appointed defence minister in the interim government. The international community nonetheless sounded an upbeat note on the results of this weeks meeting in Hurghada. The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) released a statement extending its deep gratitude to the Egyptian government for making these important talks possible and for its generous hosting of the delegations. We also extend our thanks to the two delegations who have demonstrated a positive and proactive attitude aimed at de-escalation of the situation in central Libya. Although a closing statement had not yet emerged from Hurghada by the time this article was submitted, sources contacted by the Weekly were optimistic, especially when it comes to the ceasefire and the security arrangements needed to move the capital to Sirte. On the sidelines of the Montreux consultations participants discussed a proposal calling for the creation of a 5,000 member national police force, half of which would be subordinate to an eastern-based interior minister, half to a western-based one. This proposal appears to have expanded in Hurghada to include members of the Armed Forces as well. Although the LNA General Command would be unlikely to cede the areas it controls under the terms of a political agreement to which it is not a party it is believed Haftar might welcome an arrangement of this sort in which he retains a role as commander of his forces. It has also been suggested that these forces would be redeployed in the vicinity of petroleum facilities in Sirte while the newly-formed police force would protect government institutions. On the other hand, some question the feasibility of the proposed police force, noting that its members would retain their partisan affiliations. Given that the point of moving the capital temporarily is to free it from the grip of the consortium of militias in Tripoli and, simultaneously, to buffer it from the east-west polarisation, this would be a far from ideal situation. There are indications that the Hurghada talks also discussed moves towards the reunification of Libyas Armed Forces. Although Cairos mediation made considerable progress on this issue in 2016 and 2017 the Tripoli campaign launched by the LNA on 4 April 2019 threw a spanner into the works, deepening the institutional bifurcation in Libya. Recent military-related developments in western Libya further call into question the possibility of reunifying the armed forces at this stage. In addition to the appointments of Salah Al-Manqoush and Mohamed Al-Haddad as GNA defence minister and chief of staff, respectively, military contractual arrangements between the GNA and Turkey and Qatar, and Turkish control over the Watiya, Matiga and Misrata military bases, present formidable obstacles in the way of reunification. There are additional inhibiting factors, most notably the current balance of power in favour of the western forces, and recognition and support for these forces by the US and some European powers determined to curtail Russias influence in Libya. Moscow is one of Haftars main backers. Just this week it confirmed it would repair and maintain the MiG 23s in the LNA arsenal. Given the difficulties in bridging the gap between the two sides the question of reunifying the army may well be deferred until a comprehensive political agreement has been reached. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Since the beginning of this year, the police at the border inspection station at Shuikouguan, in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have always kept in mind their duties and missions, observing the defense line in the prevention and control of the epidemic along the border. On Sept. 28, the station invited the families of the police officers, so they could be reunited in the border areas to celebrate the National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival together. The families of the police could feel the working environment of the officers. "It was not until I came here that I knew it was not easy for him, and I am proud of my husband," said Wei Mingli, the wife of a police officer at the station. President Trump (left) and former Vice President Joe Biden squared off in the first 2020 presidential debate Tuesday night at the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic campus in Cleveland. (AFP via Getty Images) Anyone who watched Donald Trumps debates with Hillary Clinton in 2016 was on notice that he would likely be aggressive and obnoxious in his first debate with Joe Biden. But Trumps bullying performance in Cleveland on Tuesday evening which overwhelmed moderator Chris Wallace was an insult to the American people. We can argue about which candidate won the debate, such as it was. Our view is that the former vice president, while put on the defensive by Trumps insult-comic shtick, managed to focus effectively on facts about Trumps atrocious administration that matter: his epic mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic, his failure to produce a health insurance plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, his stoking of racial divisions. But we worry that these and other points were lost in the chaotic back-and-forth of the exchange. Americans could be excused for turning off the television in disgust, not only at Trump but at the failure of the Commission on Presidential Debates to prevent the president from hijacking the forum. The commission has given Biden ample reason to refuse to participate in anymore such encounters, though his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, suggested afterward that he would not decline. It was inevitable that Trump would play dirty, deflect questions about his mishandling of the pandemic, and try to drag in the alleged misdeeds of Hunter Biden and crooked Hillary. Biden and Wallace no doubt expected that. But, as if sensing that he will lose this election, the president chose not to debate but to heckle. It was a disgusting and demeaning performance that robbed the viewers and the voters of what should have been an exchange of facts and positions on a nation that faces challenges like none since the Depression and World War II. Amid the incessant interruptions, Biden established himself as a voice of reason and compassion, striking a contrast to Trumps unhinged rantings. Even when he was less than surefooted in answering Wallaces questions for example about whether he would support expanding the size of the Supreme Court Biden projected seriousness, civility and competence. But at times, Biden also engaged in name-calling, describing Trump as a fool and a "clown," and even telling him to shut up. We understand his exasperation, but do not approve of such language in a debate. Story continues Trump, meanwhile, was an exaggerated version of himself: crude, slanderous and demagogic. He ranted about familiar obsessions: law and order, the "fake media" and the biggest and most dangerous lie of the night his claim that mail-in balloting is associated with rampant fraud. Asked by Wallace whether he would denounce white supremacists and groups to say they need to stand down and not add to the violence, Trump essentially shrugged and said, "Sure, Im willing to do that, immediately adding, Almost everything I see is from the left wing. Not from the right wing. He urged the Proud Boys, a violent group of xenophobes, to stand back and stand by. As if that casual flirtation with violence utterly antithetical to the norms of our constitutional democracy, the world's oldest weren't enough, Trump also suggested that his followers monitor polling places to prevent fraud. (Independent experts have repeatedly found that any such fraud is minimal at best.) In doing so, Trump raised the specter of efforts to intimidate or harass voters seeking to exercise their constitutional rights, an echo of the ugly voter suppression that has historically disenfranchised Black Americans. No doubt Trumps performance thrilled members of his base. But, given that he is trailing in polls and is losing mightily among female voters, he will need more than the support of Make America great again die-hards to win reelection. Voters who are not part of that cult could only have been disgusted by the presidents performance. When this editorial page endorsed Biden earlier this month, we observed that it was inconceivable that anything that would be said on the debate stage could close the cavernous fitness gap between the two candidates. That remains true, and any voter who watched Tuesday's sad excuse for a debate could have come away with only one conclusion: Donald Trump has been a disaster as president, and Joe Biden is the steady and sober leader we need to undo the damage Trump has inflicted on our economy, our society and our democracy. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. FREEHOLD, NJ, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE: UMH) today announced that it has promoted Nelli Madden from Director of Investor Relations to Vice President of Investor Relations, effective October 1, 2020. Samuel A. Landy, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, Nelli has been with UMH for over eight years and in her current role of Director of Investor Relations for five years. She has excelled in her current role and we are confident that she will continue to help further the companys long-term goals in her new position. She has done an exceptional job maintaining and establishing relationships with shareholders, research analysts and investment bankers. UMH is proud to promote Nelli to Vice President of Investor Relations in recognition of her great dedication to UMH and our investors. UMH Properties, Inc., which was organized in 1968, is a public equity REIT that owns and operates 124 manufactured home communities with approximately 23,400 developed homesites. These communities are located in New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Maryland and Michigan. In addition, the Company owns a portfolio of REIT securities. # # # # Contact: Nelli Madden 732-577-9997 UMH PROPERTIES, INC. Juniper Business Plaza 3499 Route 9 North, Suite 3-C Freehold, NJ 07728 (732) 577-9997 Fax: (732) 577-9980 Kimberley Street, widely considered Hong Kong's "Little Korea" / Courtesy of Jericho Li By Jericho Li It is no secret that many Hongkongers are obsessed with K-pop stars and Korean TV dramas. I was told that four out of 10 them admit that they devote a considerable amount of time on planning trips, and South Korea is the second-most-popular travel destination. The gloomy outlook of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic has apparently killed the travel bug in many locals, and their feelings definitely resonate with me. With little chance of flying out to revisit Seoul this year, I decided to spend a day tucking into Korean food at Kimberley Street in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui area. Tsim Sha Tsui is not only famous for its prestigious shopping and cultural attractions, but also well-known to many for Kimberley Street which is affectionately dubbed "Little Korea" by Hongkongers. Apart from restaurants and cafes, one can also find Korean grocery stores and grab Korean snacks such as kimbap and kimchi. Inside Namdaemoon One, a Korean restaurant in Hong Kong's Kimberley Street / Courtesy of Jericho Li It was the first weekend following the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's announcement that it would gradually relax the toughest social distancing measures imposed since mid-July when the city was hit harshly by a third wave of coronavirus infections. Dine-in services are now allowed until 9 p.m. daily, albeit no more than two people can be seated together at a table. I arrived around 1 p.m. ready to indulge myself with Korean food. The great thing about Little Korea is that most of the eateries here are quite affordable so you don't have to worry about blowing your budget. At a glance, Kimberley Street may seem a bit quiet on a Sunday afternoon but in fact, most of the restaurants opened were already filled with diners. Korean storefronts on Hong Kong's Kimberley Street / Courtesy of Jericho Li The waitress at the entrance of Namdaemoon One Korean restaurant guided me to a table in the corner. To my surprise, she didn't check my body temperature before letting me in. Their lunch menu has a wide selection of options including fried kimchi pancake, seafood stew, beef bone stew and different kinds of rice and noodle dishes. Everything is between 55 and 70 Hong Kong dollars ($7.10 to $9 U.S.). Without further ado, I ordered ojingeo bokkeum, spicy stir-fried squid and vegetables paired with rice topped with an over-easy egg. Koreans love squid, and so do I. This dish is lightly sweet, spicy and flavorful, and the gochujang-based sauce used to stir-fry the squid is perfect to eat with white rice. Stir-fried cuttlefish and vegetables with rice and an over-easy egg at Namdaemoon One in Hong Kong's Kimberley Street / Courtesy of Jericho Li Craving satisfied. I left Namdaemoon One with a full belly and a happy heart. Kimberley Street was slightly busier than earlier as more people were arriving for late lunch. Some even began to line up outside the restaurants to be served, and others were waiting for take-out. Next to Namdaemoon One is a small grocery store filled with specialty Korean ingredients and other authentic Korean goods. My eyes glittered when I saw large bags of dalgona coffee which my friends and I enjoyed when we were drinking at Korean bars in Seoul. Packed with shoppers, it was impossible to follow the social distancing guidelines and keep at least a meter from others. The aisles between the shelves were quite narrow and I had to squeeze past other shoppers. Everyone was lost in the moment treasure hunting the Korean goodies they were ready to bring home. Another popular spot at Kimberley Street is Cheonggyecheon, a "Home Made Premium Banchan Cafe" as the sign says. It is actually a store that offers an amazing array of Korean side dishes like kimchi, pickled vegetables, salted seafood and other quick bites. It is also a great place to familiarize oneself with all the varieties of small side dishes, the perfect complements of Korean cuisine. Little Korea in Hong Kong may be a small street that is roughly 500 meters long, but to many Korea aficionados, Kimberley Street is where locals come to fulfill their hallyu desires and perhaps reminisce about the good old days when everyone could travel to South Korea freely. Besides Kimberley Street, Little Korea also stretches to the nearby Kimberley Road which could be confusing for newcomers. Bibimbap and spicy seafood tofu stew at Dalin Pocha on Hong Kong's Kimberley Street / Courtesy of Jericho Li No Time To Die star Lea Seydoux has described her character's relationship with James Bond as 'a modern love story'. The actress, 35, explained that fans will see a completely new side to the agent in the long-awaited 25th film in the series, as Bond settles down with Dr. Madeleine Swann after retiring from active service. No Time To Die has been much anticipated by fans after it was delayed by seven months by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is set to be Daniel Craig's final appearance as the agent. Love is in the air! No Time To Die star Lea Seydoux has described her character's relationship with James Bond as 'a modern love story' (pictured in 2015's Spectre) Speaking on the Official James Bond Podcast, Lea explained why it was so important to see Bond fall in love again after having his heart broken by Vespa (played by Eva Green) in 2005's Casino Royale. She said: 'I think that it's also because of Bond and we needed Madeline to tell Bond's story I mean it was important to see Bond in love again because he had this relationship with Vespa but she betrayed him. 'But this time I think she's the real love in a way, I think it's really the film is a love story it's a story between the two of them so it's very unusual for a Bond film to see James Bond in love right? And I think it's quite modern in a way. 'In this film it's even more psychological and more emotional and I think that it's something that Daniel as James Bond created with this character. Romance: The actress explained that fans will see a completely new side to the agent in the long-awaited 25th film in the series, as Bond settles down with Dr. Madeleine Swann 'He created a character that is more vulnerable and who has flaws and I think that's what we like as an audience and it's true that James Bond is like a... it's not a real world right? But what we like is that in this world we can relate to the characters.' The 25th film in the franchise finds Bond after he has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica when his old friend Felix Leiter, played by Jeffrey Wright, from the CIA turns up asking for help. Leaving his seemingly happy live with Madeleine, Bond returns to the field to face Safin who is armed with a new dangerous technology that could impact the world. Surprise! It's been heavily reported that No Time To Die will Bond become a father for the first time, after having daughter Mathilde with Madeleine In June it was confirmed that the release date for the anticipated film had been moved forward by two weeks and will open in the UK on November 12 and the US on November 20, after originally being pushed back from its planned release in April. It's been heavily reported that No Time To Die will Bond become a father for the first time, after having daughter Mathilde with Madeleine, who he met in the last Bond film Spectre. In June, The Mail on Sunday confirmed rumours that the notorious womaniser spy is father to a five-year-old daughter. The rumours emerged when call sheets the daily schedules that tell actors where they are needed for filming for the 150 million film, went up for sale on online auction site eBay. The schedule describes a scene shot in southern Italy last September, which featured Dr Swann alongside Lashana Lynch's Nomi who this newspaper previously revealed will be the first black female 00 agent and a child called Mathilde, played by five-year-old Lisa-Dorah Sonne. Ally? The podcast also saw star Lashanna Lynch discuss her character's debut in the series, as a new 00 agent Nomi The podcast also saw star Lashanna Lynch discuss her character's debut in the series, as a new 00 agent Nomi. She said: 'It turns into a mutual respect from each other because they come from the same programme, but she's definitely technologically more advanced. 'She's like she's had a James Bond file at home she's studying for two years and now she's had that opportunity to sit down with him and tell him exactly what she thinks... 'It's a really powerful moment because he's stopped in his tracks by a woman who does the same thing as him and we've never seen that before.' No Time To Die will open in the UK on November 12 and the US on November 20. The bodies of the three youngsters killed in the Amshipora encounter in Shopian district on July 18 will be exhumed and handed over to their families in Rajouri. Since their DNA samples have matched with the family, the bodies of the youngsters will be exhumed and handed over after due process of law, inspector general of police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said on Wednesday. While the army initially said the three were terrorists, it later admitted that its men exceeded the powers vested under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa) and contravened the dos and donts of the chief of army staff (COAS) as approved by the Supreme Court. The three Rajouri families identified the youngsters from their pictures on social media and alleged the army had killed them in a fake encounter in Shopian where they had gone to work as labourers. Director general of police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said on Tuesday that two civilians have been arrested in connection with the killings. The two are residents of south Kashmir and have been remanded in custody for eight days. Police sources said they are believed to be informers of security forces. The DNA samples of Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohd Ibrar, who were gunned down on July 18 in Shopian, matched with their family members in Rajouri on September 25, the police said. Model Rachael Finch just celebrated her daughter Violet's seventh birthday. And the 32-year-old wellness guru decided to treat the youngster to a bit of time away in the wild on Wednesday. Rachael and Violet enjoyed the benefits of a secluded tiny house in the coastal town of Kiama, just two hours away from Sydney. Into the wild! On Tuesday, model Rachael Finch headed off the grid to spend quality time with her daughter Violet, seven, in a tiny holiday house. Both pictured The home offers sweeping views of the countryside, with it perched in lush greenery. The cladded cottage also features over-sized windows, along with a large fold out bed, and has a number of household amenities. Rachael was clearly impressed with her find. 'Checked-in! Our home for the next few days,' she wrote alongside the image on Instagram. 'My kind of getaway! Quality time: The cladded cottage featured over-sized windows along with a large fold out bed Over on her stories, Rachael showed herself and Violet entering the house, which features a small galley style kitchen and small bathroom. It comes after Rachael celebrated the youngster's birthday, with her getting a ladybird birthday cake, based off the children's cartoon Miraculous Ladybug. She posted a family photo of herself with her husband Michael, their three-year-old son Dominic, and the birthday girl. Rachael was clearly impressed: 'Checked-in! Our home for the next few days,' she wrote of her In2TheWild cottage Violet's celebration also included a children's entertainer dressed as the character Ladybug, from the children's series, in a red and black polka dot outfit and a blue wig. Her special day also included a ladybird birthday cake that appeared to have black and red marzipan icing. It was decorated with a ribbon and topped with a mask. Rachael wrote in the caption: 'A birth-day always turns into a birth-week.' Chies Freedom Wings is my way of capturing womens fight against cancer and support the cause. We are committed to giving back to numerous causes that feel especially close to our hearts. Oliver Gal, a contemporary art gallery with affordable art print collections, announced that they will be donating 10% of the proceeds from their Pink Collection to Bright Pink during the month of October for Breast Cancer Awareness. Oliver Gal is the leading wall decor manufacturer spearheaded by sisters and artists Lola Sanchez & Ana Gal. Their partnership with Bright Pink will aid in the companys efforts to empower women to know their risk and manage their health proactively. As part of their pink collection, Oliver Gal created a limited-edition Pink Luxury Traveler custom pet portrait. The Oliver Gal Artist Co. is a big proponent of customizable and handmade works of art, so giving customers the ability to spotlight their furry friends as part of their Pink Collection only made sense. One of Oliver Gals most notable pink collection compositions, Chies Freedom Wings, is inspired by the captivating story of the founder's Ana & Lola's cousin Chie, who was diagnosed with BRCA I. This genetic mutation increases the chances of developing Breast Cancer by up to 80%. Chie had to bravely undergo a double mastectomy with reconstruction to prevent Breast Cancer at the young age of 24. Chies Freedom Wings is my way of capturing womens fight against cancer and support the cause, said Sanchez. We are committed to giving back to numerous causes that feel especially close to our hearts. As female business owners, Ana and Lola understand all too closely how devastating a Breast Cancer diagnosis can be. That is why Oliver Gals partnership with Bright Pink along with Lolas special piece to honor her cousins journey means so much to the duo. About Oliver Gal The Oliver Gal Artist Co. is a growing art and lifestyle brand in South Florida, created to capture lifes most haute moments, avantgarde objects and splendid lifestyles in art and other products. Originated by sisters and artists Lola Sanchez and Ana Gal, the duo was inspired by the Miami art scene and photography from their travels abroad. Their work exudes humble elegance, transforming blank walls into grand-scale, high-style canvasses. Learn more at https://www.olivergal.com and follow for more information on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. About Bright Pink Bright Pink helps to save lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering women to know their risk and manage their health proactively. They focus on health, not cancer, to inspire women to practice breast and ovarian cancer prevention. Their innovative programs, strategic initiatives and powerful partnerships directly reach women in their daily lives and healthcare providers in their daily practice. Learn more at BrightPink.org. Syracuse, N.Y. President Trump said during Tuesdays debate that he is urging supporters to go into the polls "and watch very carefully'' to ensure a fair election, citing an action in Philadelphia as an example. What Trump failed to mention is that there are rules for how to become a poll watcher, and his supporters in Philadelphia did not follow them, according to local news reports. Trump drew attention to the Philadelphia incident in tweets Tuesday and again during his debate with Democrat Joe Biden. Anyone wishing to be a poll watcher in New York state must get a form signed by either a candidate who is on the ballot or a political party chairperson, said Dustin Czarny, Onondaga Countys Democratic elections commissioner. In Trumps case, that would mean a signature from the president himself or from the chair of the county Republican committee, Czarny said. Tom Dadey, the current GOP chairman, could not immediately be reached for comment. But Benedicte Doran, who is expected to succeed Dadey when the Republican committee elects a new chair Monday, said the party has no plans to beef up the ranks of poll watchers this year. "Nobody is doing anything different than what we always do,'' Doran said. "Were very comfortable with our elections commissioners doing a fair job in Onondaga County.'' Political parties typically send out a couple dozen poll watchers during a general election, but the practice has waned in recent years, Czarny said. Party officials now get electronic reports on Election Day showing who has voted, which are updated three times beginning at 10 a.m., diminishing the value of having watchers on site to aid last-minute efforts to get out the vote. Trump complained during the debate about an incident in Philadelphia in which would-be poll watchers were barred from satellite elections offices. "Today there was a big problem in Philadelphia,'' Trump said. They went in to watch, theyre called poll watchers, a very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out, they werent allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things. But the incident Trump cited did not involve an official polling place, according to a statement from an elections official in Philadelphia. Instead, at least one Trump supporter was removed from a satellite elections office where voters could pick up and drop off early ballots, a location that is not open to poll watchers, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The Trump campaign has no poll watchers approved to work in Philadelphia, according to the newspaper. To be a poll watcher in Onondaga County, a person must present an official form signed by a candidate or a political party chair to the inspector at the polling place where they wish to observe, Czarny said. The form is available on the county Board of Elections website. Poll watchers are allowed to watch voters sign in, letting the watchers know who has voted, but they are not allowed to interact with voters, Czarny said. Any observer who is not a certified poll watcher must remain at least 100 feet away from the poll entrance. News tips? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023 Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 23:52:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MAPUTO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi announced Wednesday that the government will "tighten inspection and accountability" of the coronavirus prevention measures, to make sure those measures are properly observed and prevent the collapse of the national health system. The president made the statement during the launch of a renewable energy initiative in Maputo, where he admitted that the hospitals' capacity in the city is under great pressure due to the surging infections. "The bed occupancy rate in hospitals in the city of Maputo has tripled in the last three weeks, with all intensive care beds being occupied," he said. The president said the preventive measures against COVID-19 that were introduced since March have not been properly followed, and the country cannot have 300 people infected per day as it may not have the capacity to treat them. "The worsening of the situation may cause the national health system to collapse. We are doing everything so that it does not happen," he said. The Minister of the Interior will communicate which specific tightening measures will be taken, "above all in the inspection aspect," said Nyusi. As of Tuesday, Mozambique has reported 8,556 COVID-19 cases, including 5,205 recoveries and 59 deaths. Enditem China on Wednesday announced that manufacturing activity expanded in the month of September as the world's second largest economy continued to show signs of recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The official manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) for the month of September came in at 51.5 as compared to 51.0 in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected the official manufacturing PMI to come in at 51.2 in September. PMI readings above 50 indicate expansion, while those below that signal contraction. PMI readings are sequential and indicate on-month expansion or contraction. Official services PMI came in at 55.9 for the month of September as compared to 55.2 for August. China's manufacturing sector was hit earlier this year as factories shut due to large-scale lockdowns to contain the coronavirus pandemic. But economic data out of China point to resilient exports and stimulus-led infrastructure expansion. President Moon Jae-in assured the South Korean people Wednesday that his government will succeed in the fight against COVID-19 and safeguard the economy from the fallout of the pandemic. Yonhap President Moon Jae-in assured the South Korean people Wednesday that his government will succeed in the fight against COVID-19 and safeguard the economy from the fallout of the pandemic. He was delivering a video message to the public on the occasion of Chuseok, the Korean autumn harvest celebration. "(We) are observing Chuseok at a difficult time," Moon said on the first day of the holiday period. This year's Chuseok falls on Thursday. South Koreans are greeting one of the biggest annual celebrations in the midst of a national campaign to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The government has requested that people refrain from visiting families or traveling during the holiday season. Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook also plan to stay at the official residence in the presidential compound, Cheong Wa Dae. "The government will surely repay the people who have endured the difficulties by succeeding in controlling the virus and protecting the economy," Moon stressed. It will also further strengthen the social security net and go toward co-prosperity, he added. While many people have put off meetings with families, relatives and others during Chuseok, "normal and precious days will certainly return to our side," he added. The president expressed his appreciation for medical workers, police and firefighters for their dedicated services. (Yonhap) At launch, the catalogue will consist of drama, mystery and comedy series led by British drama Doc Martin; Irish legal drama Striking Out; detective drama Jack Taylor, starring Iain Glen and based on Ken Bruens best-sellers; Agatha Christies Partners in Crime, a charming adaptation of Agatha Christie; The Level, which has a high-end cast of characters with names like Robert James-Collier from Downton Abbey, and Collision, with Douglas Henshall from Shetland as the leading actor.For fans of British comedy, highlights include Detectorists, a BAFTA-winning series written and directed by leading actor Mackenzie Crook, alongside the likes of Toby Jones, Rachael Stirling and Diana Rigg. Finding Joy, starring the Irish comedian Amy Huberman and co-starring acclaimed comedian Aisling Bea, is yet another series included in the catalogue. Coming in November is Kingdom, starring Stephen Fry.In the mystery segment, subscribers will be able to watch BBC police drama George Gently, featuring award-winning actor Martin Shaw; Foyles War, an renowned British series taking place during World War II; and Indian Summers (pictured), a saga starring Julie Walters."Acorn TV has been remarkably successful and were very excited about bringing some of the most iconic and critically acclaimed television shows to Portugal, remarked Acorn TV general manager Matthew Graham. Acorn TV has become a household name in the US thanks to the excellence of its programming content, including award-winning series from major networks, such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4, ABC Australia and RTE as well as series Acorn TV commissions and co-produces. AMC Networks International Southern Europe (AMCNISE ) will support Acorn TV in Portugal, providing affiliate sales, marketing, PR and versioning services. On Sunday, 39 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Wyoming Department of Healths daily update. The department lowered the states count of probable cases by 13. Twenty-two new confirmed recoveries were announced. The state lowered the number of probable recoveries by 10. There are now 3,425 confirmed cases, 607 probable cases, 2,918 confirmed recoveries and 498 probable recoveries in Wyoming. Forty-two Wyomingites have died after contracting COVID-19. In Natrona County, 259 confirmed cases and 53 probable cases have been recorded. Probable cases are defined by officials as close contacts of lab-confirmed cases with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. A patient is considered fully recovered when there is resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and there is improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath) for 72 hours AND at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. Cases plateaued in Wyoming in late spring before beginning a spike in mid-June. That surge brought about an increase in the rate of reported coronavirus patients not yet seen here since the pandemic began. As a result, state health officials decided against their plans to eliminate almost all coronavirus restrictions. State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist has extended the current restrictions through the end of the month. Cases tapered off somewhat in early August, rose again for much of the month and have begun to drop again. While Gov. Mark Gordon has said he is not considering a statewide face mask requirement, he has urged the states residents to wear them. The symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever and shortness of breath. Symptoms appear within two weeks. Health officials recommend self-isolating for two weeks if you have contact with a person who has the illness. Proud Boys have responded after Donald Trump name-checked the far right group during Tuesday night's presidential debate. "Standing by sir," one key Proud Boys organiser wrote on the "free speech" social network, Parler, following the president's comments. During Tuesday night's debate, Mr Trump appeared to refuse to distance himself from the Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has classified as a hate group. "Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem," he said when asked by moderator Chris Wallace to condemn the group. Founded in New York in 2016, Proud Boys is a white nationalist group that has been accused of inciting violence across the US amid a wave of Black Lives Matter protests. A central figure in the Proud Boys history is Gavin McInnes, one of the co-founders of VICE magazine. Having left VICE in 2008, he has for years expounded extreme views on whiteness, masculinity and political culture in general in particular that political correctness is crushing American masculinity, and that the West and Western men in particular are manifestly superior beings. McInnes has since distanced himself from Proud Boys, according to reports. The group held a rally in Portland, Oregon over the weekend. Thousands of Proud Boys - some of them armed - descended on the city for "free speech" event, which concluded relatively peacefully. Proud Boys members were present during a Unite the Right rally in Charlotteville, Virginia, in 2018 which left counter-protester Heather Heyer dead and multiple others injured. Just hours after Tueday's debate, the group created a new logo and plastered it on merchandise, with the slogan: "Stand Back Stand By". Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said the call to "stand by" was "very clear he wants them to knock it off." The Trump campaign later tweeted: "President Trump has repeatedly condemned white supremacists. What a ridiculous question from Chris Wallace.!" "This. This is Donald Trump's America," Democrat challenger Joe Biden tweeted, after Proud Boys celebrated the president's mention. New Delhi, Sep 30 : Over 54 per cent of the total budget for the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA), a short-time employment programme initiated for migrant labourers, has been spent and nearly 30 crore man-days' employment has been created so far, the Union Ministry of Rural Development said on Wednesday. As per the ministry, about 30 crore mandays' employment has been provided and Rs 27,003 crore has been spent so far in the pursuit of the objectives of the Abhiyaan. The GKRA for 125 days was launched in June with an objective to provide employment to the migrant labourres in a mission mode in 116 districts, each with a large concentration of migrant returnees, in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha, with a budget of Rs 50,000 crore of which over 54 per cent has been spent so far. As per the ministry statement, a large number of structures have been created, including 1,14,344 water conservation structures, 3,65,075 rural houses, 27,446 cattle sheds, 19,527 farm ponds, and 10,446 community sanitary complexes. As many as 6,727 works have been taken up through the District Mineral Funds, 1,662 gram panchayats have been provided internet connectivity, a total of 17,508 works related to solid and liquid waste management have been undertaken, and 54,455 candidates have been provided skill training through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) during the Abhiyaan. The Abhiyaan's success so far can be seen as the convergent efforts of 12 ministries/departments and state governments, which are giving higher quantum of benefits to the migrant workers and rural communities, said the ministry statement. GKRA was launched to boost employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning to villages and similarly affected citizens in rural areas in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. On Sept. 15, an investigator spotted the suspect driving another vehicle and tried to stop him. The suspect threw a gun out of the car during a pursuit before abandoning the vehicle in the city of Lynwood. The suspect ran off and was ultimately captured after a nearly nine-hour standoff with police. The black Mercedes was found nearby. His older sister Khloe Kardashian recently used her social media presence to raise awareness about the ongoing military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And Rob Kardashian decided to lend his voice to the cause on Tuesday evening by sharing the truth of the matter with his 1.9million Instagram followers. 'In the fog of the pandemic & global crises, #Armenians in #Artsakh have been the victims of unprovoked attacks by #Azerbaijan,' began the 33-year-old KUWTK star. Lending his voice: Rob Kardashian used his social media presence to raise awareness about the ongoing military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, is a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Although it is recognized as part of Azerbaijan by the international community, it's ruled by an independent government and is primarily comprised of ethnic Armenians. Dozens of Azerbaijani and Armenian service members have been killed in recent days as the two sides have begun fighting. Rob continued in his caption: 'We appeal to the international community to continue to condemn these attacks. From the highest levels of leadership, we know Armenia & Artsakh want peace.' Educating: 'In the fog of the pandemic & global crises, #Armenians in #Artsakh have been the victims of unprovoked attacks by #Azerbaijan,' began the 33-year-old KUWTK star; Rob pictured in August Kardashian told to his 1.9million followers that 'anything else [they] read is disingenuous & false,' before urging them to 'call [their] representatives' by visiting the webiste anca.org/call. Just like Khloe's original post, Rob encouraged his followers to follow his friend Eric Esrailian, a gastroenterologist who teaches at UCLA and a film producer, for updates on the conflict, which she described as 'unprovoked attacks by Azerbaijan against civilian #Armenians in #Artsakh.' 'You can also provide support for the We Are Our Borders/All For Artsakh #ArstakhStrong campaign to provide charitable support via: armeniafund.org/donate #Wearestillhere,' he concluded. Along with his powerful words, Rob included a cinematic photo of the Flag of Artsakh blowing in the wind. Encouraging: Just like Khloe's original post, Rob encouraged his followers to follow his friend Eric Esrailian, a gastroenterologist who teaches at UCLA and a film producer, for updates on the conflict, which she described as 'unprovoked attacks by Azerbaijan against civilian #Armenians in #Artsakh'; posted by Khloe on September 28 Close to their heart: Rob and Khloe, as well as sisters Kim and Kourtney, hold Armenia so close to their hearts because they are of Armenian descent through their late father, Robert Kardashian; Khloe pictured on September 24 Rob and Khloe, as well as sisters Kim and Kourtney, hold Armenia so close to their hearts because they are of Armenian descent through their late father, Robert Kardashian. Robert Kardashian, who is known for being part of O.J. Simpson's 'Dream Team,' passed away in September of 2003 after enduring a short, but strenuous battle with esophageal cancer. Though he does not use social media as much as his sisters, Rob recently honored his only child, daughter Dream, three, on Nation Daughter's Day. 'Happy National Daughter Day @dream,' captioned Kardashian as he shared a throwback snapshot of his baby girl resting in his arms. Daddy's girl: Though he does not use social media as much as his sisters, Rob recently honored his only child, daughter Dream, three, on Nation Daughter's Day; throwback photo of Rob and Dream posted on September 25 Co-parenting: He shares three-year-old Dream with model ex Blac Chyna, 32, whom he split from in late 2016. The pair share 50/50 joint custody of Dream; Rob and Chyna pictured in 2016 He shares three-year-old Dream with model ex Blac Chyna, 32, whom he split from in late 2016. The pair share 50/50 joint custody of Dream. It was announced earlier this month that his family's long running reality series Keeping Up With The Kardashians would be coming to an end after 20 seasons on the E! network. With Rob not having been on the show in more recent seasons, series regulars Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, and Kris all released statement regarding the show's closure. Bye: It was announced earlier this month that his family's long running reality series Keeping Up With The Kardashians would be coming to an end after 20 seasons on the E! network 'It is with heavy hearts that weve made the difficult decision as a family to say goodbye to Keeping Up with the Kardashians,' began Kim on Instagram, who shared an image of the series' first ever promo poster. 'After what will be 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of episodes and numerous spin-off shows, we are beyond grateful to all of you whove watched us for all of these years through the good times, the bad times, the happiness, the tears, and the many relationships and children. Well forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people weve met along the way.' Filming is already underway for the final season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, where Rob is expected to make a highly anticipated return. We know that the Dems are laser-focused on destroying the legal rock-star Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic whom Trump nominated for the RBG Supreme Court vacancy. The Dems seem terrified by Amy's genuine Catholicism. Meanwhile, Franklin Graham was able to organize a massive prayer march on Saturday, 26 September in Washington, D.C., drawing tens of thousands of participants. (Some estimates say it exceeded 50,000.) It began at the Lincoln Memorial and ended outside the U.S. Capitol Building. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife made a surprise appearance. Despite the size and scope of this event, the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper, with offices slightly over 100 miles south of D.C., failed to mention it. It was similarly missed by the local Richmond TV news. For those depending solely on information from the local media, this major event never happened. I first learned of it from an Army chaplain friend stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C. He stayed at my home Friday night before driving to D.C. the next morning to participate. After the march was over, he confirmed that the crowd was massive and added that everyone remained orderly and peaceful. There were no bricks or Molotov cocktails thrown, no profanity-laced graffiti or any sign of violence. In addition, the crowd left behind no piles of trash for others to clean up unlike marches sponsored by the left. A detailed report with several photos and videos of this otherwise invisible event was found at Heavy.com. According to the Religion News Service (RNS), Franklin Graham described the purpose of the prayer march this way: It's important that men and women of God come to Washington, and let's call on his name and ask for his help[.] ... We are so divided, politically, morally, spiritually. We're just divided. We pray that God can help unite this nation to be truly the United States of America. The RNS also reported political overtones despite Graham's insistence that the march is not an effort to encourage voting or to rally evangelicals to the polls. His stated agenda was to get people to repent and pray. However, the RNS reported that Graham echoed several GOP talking points. But then again, the election this November 3 could determine whether the left's war on our religious freedom will succeed or fail, so injecting some partisan politics makes sense. Nearly a century ago, Antonio Gramsci, the father of cultural Marxism, proposed a long-term goal that explains the purpose of the left's current war on Christianity. He said, "Socialism is precisely the religion that must overwhelm Christianity. Socialism will triumph by first capturing the culture via infiltration of schools, universities, churches and the media by transforming the consciousness of society." Gramsci's plan has achieved remarkable success this century, making this election a potential game-changer. Trump and now Amy Coney Barrett are in the way. Choose your candidates wisely. SPRINGFIELD Police arrested a 37-year-old woman on charges that she hit a man in the head with a liquor bottle and then set his car on fire, officials said. Lashawanda Naylor of East Bay Terrace is charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and burning a motor vehicle. The charges are in connection with an Aug. 20 car fire at Wellington Street and Wilbraham Road. The fire was determined to be arson and the city Arson and Bomb Squad and police detectives started an investigation, according to Capt. Drew Piemonte, Fire Department spokesman. The driver of the car had been hit in the head by a woman, who then poured oil inside the car and tossed fireworks into the back seat before leaving. The fireworks apparently ignited a fire that consumed the vehicle, he said. The investigators identified Naylor as the assailant and obtained an arrest warrant for her. The relationship between Naylor and the victim was not disclosed beyond their knowing each other. Naylor was taken into custody Wednesday morning when police responded to a report of illegal dumping on Tilton Street, according to police spokesman Ryan Walsh. Officers found her with a man who was removing trash from her car. She was taken into custody, and the unnamed man was ordered to remove the trash. Naylor is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges in Springfield District Court. Related Content: Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger announced Wednesday that all businesses throughout Hamilton County can expand their operations as of today with the expectation that Hamilton County Businesses will continue to comply with the Tennessee Pledge for operating safely. His office said, "While restrictions have been lifted, we still require businesses (which includes restaurants and bars) to comply with social distancing standards as defined in the Tennessee pledge which you can find here. https://www.tn.gov/governor/ covid-19/economic-recovery. html "The mask mandate remains in place and we expect all business to comply with the mask mandate." The Hamilton County Health Department is ordering the removal of restrictions based on the authority delegated by Governor Bill Lee through Executive Order 63. The Hamilton County Mask Mandate remains in place until Oct. 8. County Mayor Jim Coppinger said he will conduct a press conference on Oct. 6 to discuss the mask mandate. Guidelines for Executive Order 63 can be found later today on Hamilton County's website at www.HamiltonTN.gov or on the state of Tennessee's website at www.TN.gov. Pierce Brosnan is treating his wife on her birthday. The actor posted a celebratory selfie of him and wife Keely Shaye Smith in front of some of his paintings to celebrate her 57th birthday on Tuesday. The shot features Shaye Smith holding up a cocktail as the James Bond star smiles wide. Happy birthday Keely my darling, thank God for you angel heart. A few paintings on this day, with ever my love. 'Spring' still in the works! ... 'My Old Chair'," Brosnan wrote next to the post, which also featured pictures of the two abstract and colorful paintings he mentioned. Related video: Pierce Brosnan celebrates 25 years with wife Keely The post comes a month after the actor celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary with a sweet throwback shot of the big day alongside a loving message. Happy anniversary my love Keely...my brown eyed girl, should I fall behind wait for me...as ever, my love, he wrote. RELATED: Pierce Brosnan Celebrates 25 Years with Wife Keely: 'Thank You for the Love My Love' Shaye Smith also showered her husband with love on his own birthday back in May. Happy Happy Birthday to my tender hearted renaissance man @piercebrosnanofficial , she wrote on Instagram. Wishing you love, joy, and many many more trips around the sun." Brosnan, 67, and Shaye Smith tied the knot in Ireland in August 2001. They share two sons together: Dylan, 23, and Paris, 19. He shared with PEOPLE in 2017 that spending quality time together is a key ingredient of their happy marriage. My wife and I took a short road trip up to Santa Barbara we were going for a romantic weekend and to look at houses and drink great wine, Brosnan said at the time. We didnt listen to any music, but we just listened to the sounds of each others voices and sorted out the world. 30 September 2020 Western Selection P.L.C. (the "Company") Annual Report and Accounts and Annual General Meeting The Company's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2020 ('2020 Annual Report'), including the Notice of the Annual General Meeting to be held at 11.00 am on 25 November 2020 at 1 Ely Place, London EC1N 6RY, will be posted to shareholders today. The Financial Statements contained in the 2020 Annual Report contain no changes to the Company's Unaudited Preliminary Results which were announced on 18 September 2020. The 2020 Annual Report and Notice of Annual General Meeting will also be made available on the Company's website at http://www.westernselection.co.uk/ The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. For further information, please contact: Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says the Akufo-Addo government is run by the most competent people. He said this in response to critics who have tagged the Akufo-Addo administration as a family and friends government. I think that if you look at what we are doing, I wouldnt honestly classify it as a family and friends government. We are delivering for the people of Ghana and using the most competent individuals we can find to deliver for the people. So I think that the ultimate issue that we are going to look at is what we have been able to do with the people that have. We have a very large diversity and I am very confident and comfortable with our team but everyone can have their own views about what family and friends are but we are just dealing with competent people, Dr. Bawumia said in an interview on Accra-based Asempa FM. Dr. Bawumia added that what matters to the government is the judgment of Ghanaians and not that of critics. I think that everybody will have their own view of family and friends but we are just working with people who are delivering. That is left with the judgement of the people. What matters is the judgment of the Ghanaian people that if you think that we said this and we are doing this but what matters to Ghanaians is whether we are delivering and inclusive government, he added. The Vice President also used the opportunity to highlight some of the achievements of the governing New Patriotic Party within the last three and a half years. He also took on former President John Dramani Mahama accusing him of mismanaging the economy hence lacks the integrity to return to power. Dr. Bawumia urged Ghanaians to renew the mandate of the Akufo-Addo government so they continue with the good work they have started in Ghana. citinewsroom (Natural News) Shawn Marshall Myers, a 42-year-old Maryland man, has been sentenced to one year in prison after being convicted on two counts of failure to comply with an emergency order related to the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) lockdown in his state. Myers reportedly hosted two parties at his home during Republican Gov. Larry Hogans statewide lockdown order, which prohibited all gatherings except for those deemed protests of more than 10 people. District Court Judge W. Louis Hennessy presided over the trial, determining that Myers is, in fact, guilty of having had too many people at his house at one time. One of the parties supposedly had more than 50 guests present. Had Myers gathered with these 50 people to protest the death of Breonna Taylor, or whichever black persons name was making the media rounds at that time, by burning down local businesses and torching peoples cars, he would have gotten off scot-free. But because he had people over to his house during the lockdown, Myers will now have to go to prison where, ironically, he could end up catching the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19). Reports indicate that police were called to Myers home during the first party, which he held on March 22. Myers is said to have become argumentative with officers before ultimately agreeing to end the party at their demand. Myers hosted a second party on March 27, during which police were called again for the same violation. Officers insist that Myers was argumentative, claiming he and his guests had the right to congregate, prompting them to arrest him for not complying with their orders. Myers sentencing comes as the Maryland Department of Health is reporting some 123,000 confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) throughout the state. There have supposedly been 3,780 deaths in Maryland associated with the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19). More related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) is available at Pandemic.news. Breonna Taylor protesters vandalize Baltimore courthouse, nothing happens Meanwhile, an angry mob of protesters stormed through Baltimore the other day to show solidary with Breonna Taylor, and in the process, spray-painted a federal courthouse in support of Black Lives Matter. Local news outlets are reporting that the mob gathered in Pearlstone Park, near the Maryland Institute College of Art, before marching through the city to destroy property in defense of black lives. They said we should protest peacefully, and weve got something to say to that, threatened one man through a bullhorn, after which he screamed, No justice, no peace! None of these protesters were arrested by police either for their vandalism or for gathering in a group of more than 10 people, it turns out. In fact, they were praised by The Baltimore Sun for their show of solidarity in defense of black people. The Baltimore Action Legal Team also showed solidarity by providing its phone number to the protesters in case they did have any run-ins with law enforcement. During their protest, these protesters reportedly ripped down an American flag from a pole and sprayed graffiti onto buildings declaring, Hogan is crook, BLM, and F*** Trump DHS. These are the types of gatherings that are both allowed an encouraged in the Disunited States, while otherwise innocent people who simply want to have friends and family members over for dinner are arrested and thrown in prison for committing fake crimes in violation of unconstitutional emergency orders that are not law. So they let real criminals out of prison because of covid, and then jail honest citizens for not doing what [politicians] wanted, wrote one commenter at The Hill about the hypocrisy at play in this case. Sources for this article include: TheHill.com NaturalNews.com BaltimoreSun.com Herbert Tabor, a leading scientific investigator at the National Institutes of Health whose 77 years of service made him the longest-serving employee at the medical research center and among the longest-serving in the federal workforce, died Aug. 20 at his home on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Md. He was 101. The cause was respiratory failure, said a son, Edward Tabor, who added that his father - employed at NIH since 1943 - never spoke of retiring. He was "the world's foremost authority on the enzymatic pathways of polyamines," said Michael Gottesman, an NIH deputy director, in announcing Tabor's death. Polyamines are "molecules essential to the cellular growth and rigor of most life on earth," a NIH spokesman said. Tabor studied "how the body makes polyamines and how they affect protein production, energy production and human reproduction." The NIH death announcement described him as the "last living voice" of the formative years of the National Institutes of Health. Since 1949 he had lived in a three-bedroom, brick duplex on the grounds, where his four children grew up. Bethesda was a small town in those years. Abutting the home was a wooded area where children played and sometimes found Indian arrowheads. It was a 10-minute walk to his laboratory and, often after dinner, Tabor returned to his lab for a few more hours of work. He had few, if any, hobbies other than science. Herbert Tabor was born in New York City on Nov. 28, 1918. His father was a businessman, his mother a homemaker. He graduated from Harvard University in 1937 and from Harvard Medical School in 1941. His graduate-school professors urged him to forgo a career in clinical practice and instead do research in biochemistry. As an intern at Yale New Haven Hospital in 1942, he participated in the first major clinical trial for penicillin, NIH said. "I performed the actual injection," he told the Annual Review of Biochemistry in 1999. "The patient had severe streptococcal septicemia with a persistently elevated temperature. Even though the dose of penicillin use was minimal by current standards, the therapeutic effect was dramatic, resulting in a rapid and permanent fall in temperature to normal." The drug would become crucial in the medical treatment of military personnel during World War II. Early in 1943 Tabor joined the U.S. Public Health Service and was assigned as medical officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Duane, which was escorting North Atlantic ship convoys. In a battle with a German submarine, the Duane rescued American and enemy casualties and Tabor helped provide the medical care. In 1946, he married Celia White, who became a biochemical researcher at NIH. She retired in 2005 and died in 2012. Survivors include four children, Edward Tabor of Bethesda, Stanley Tabor of Brookline, Mass., twins Marilyn Tabor of Cambridge, Mass., and Richard Tabor of Moss Beach, Calif.; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The Tabors received awards from the Chemical Society of Washington and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. For 40 years, Tabor was the editor in chief of the Journal of Biological Chemistry and guided its transition to online publication. Tabor gradually began to tire after age 100 and pulled back from daily work in his laboratory. But, according to his son Edward, he had so much leave accumulated he remained on the NIH staff until his death. BELLEVILLE A passion for teaching, expertise in their subject matter and drive to help their students succeed are what made Chantay White-Williams and Belle Hamm the obvious choices for the Southwestern Illinois College full- and part-time Faculty Members of the Year Awards, respectively. White-Williams is a full-time SWIC Associate Professor of English whose academic career has spanned more than 16 years. She embraces the culture of all students and uses creative and diverse material when teaching English and literature courses. White-Williams is a champion for underrepresented students. She developed and launched a course on African-American literature, has advocated to offer minority students more student-centered programming and also rallied to acquire special seating and software updates in computer classrooms for students needing accommodations. She was the English and Film Department Chair from 2012-2016; served as the Two-Year College English Association 2016 Midwest Conference chairperson; helped establish the Committee on Race and Ethnicity; hosted and assisted in the planning of the English Departments conference on their Accelerated Learning Program; previously worked as the Computer-Assisted Instruction Coordinator in charge of the computer labs in the Liberal Arts Building; and received the English and Film Department Wonder Women Award while serving as the department chair. SWIC has a great many faculty who serve our students and our larger community in an exemplary fashion; however, White-Williams does it in a way that is consistent, year after year, with a thoughtful approach, said SWIC English and Film Department Chair Steve Moiles. The college is fortunate to have her in our ranks. When she isnt teaching, White-Williams enjoys reading, volunteering with the Madison County Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and spending time with her family. She also loves all things Star Trek. She earned her Bachelor and Master of Arts from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is a member of the National Association of Developmental Education, National Council of Teachers of English and International Literacy Association and the Alpha Kappa Sorority-Upsilon Phi Omega chapter. White-Williams currently lives in St. Louis City and has three sons, Marquis, Jonathan, and Jalyn; and two grandchildren, Jonathan, Jr. and Brooklynn. Hamm is a part-time Adult Education Instructor who has been with SWIC since 2014. She is always eager to help students realize their potential. Hamm makes it a priority to establish a safe, non-judgmental environment within the classroom which helps nurture learning and self-esteem. She also takes into consideration the mental health and special needs of her students. Hamm goes above and beyond to help her students succeed. Her extra measures include: individualized instruction, special testing accommodations, finding third-party financial resources, scheduling advocates to assist students in their daily living and medical needs, plus being available outside of classroom hours to meet with learners. Hamm has served as a High School Equivalency instructor at the SWIC Red Bud Campus, has become a certified Standard Proficient instructor by the Illinois Community College Board, trained new instructional personnel, established quality services within the Randolph County area and has become well-known as a community leader and resource for her students and community. It is Hamms personal mission to serve others and has proven she truly is making a difference in her students lives. My teaching philosophy is to show students the potential I see in them, even if they dont see it in themselves and to give them a reason to be proud of themselves, said Hamm. I always strive to look for a reason to tell a student I am proud of them because many of our students have never had someone to express pride in them. As a result, I have been able to establish a safe classroom environment and a good rapport with students because they know I truly care about what happens to them in and out of the classroom. In her free time, Hamm enjoys volunteering at nursing homes, crafting, crocheting and spending time with her two Yorkies, Ollie and Sophie. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is Middle School Certified in Language Arts K-9 and Mathematics K-9 and has her Standard Proficient Math Certification. Hamm and her husband, Kelly, live in Sparta. They have two children, Grace and Luke. White-Williams and Hamm were also nominated by the college for the Illinois Community College Trustee Associations Outstanding Full-time and Part-time Faculty Member of the Year honors. GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Born 12 weeks too early with a 50/50 chance at survival, Sabina Checketts has grown up to become a neonatal doctor herself, using new therapies and sophisticated technology to improve outcomes for premature babies. One such technique called NAVA, invented by Getinge, utilizes sensors to help babies on ventilators breathe more easily and naturally-and it's increasingly being used on adults. And a new randomized study shows that NAVA can significantly shorten the time on the ventilator. Thirty-three years after her early birth, Checketts now works as a neonatal doctor in London. The ventilator that helped Checketts survive was a far cry from what she sees today when she treats premature babies. "We've gone from a mode of ventilation where you were breathing for the baby to one now where we can breathe with the baby as well," she says. Watch the mini-documentary about the NAVA technology, also featuring Sabina Checketts. As vulnerable premature babies fight to stay alive one of the most critical issues is something most people never think twice about - breathing. A pivotal advance in neonatal medicine - and one that has a major impact in adult critical care - has been the development of better ventilators. One ventilation technique that breathes with the patient is called Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist, or NAVA, developed by Getinge, a global leader in intensive care technology for both infants and adults. In most intensive care units 20% of patients consume 80% of ventilation resources, which may lead to increased complications and unwanted outcomes.1 NAVA, is also approved for adults, and the features that make the technique successful for neonates, translates well to adult patients. "NAVA is a way to do a little better job," says Sherry Courtney, a director of clinical research in neonatology, who has worked with premature babies since the 1980's. "The diaphragm is a muscle. When it contracts, we're going to breathe. When it relaxes, we're going to exhale. So, NAVA senses the breathing using a catheter that goes down into the stomach and rests close to the diaphragm." Electrodes on the catheter sense contractions in the diaphragm, resulting in an almost instantaneous signal that the patient wants to breathe. Synchronously, the ventilator supplies air. And when the electrodes sense the end of diaphragmatic contractions, the ventilator allows exhalation. "NAVA just provides a little support, depending on the breath. The patient can be breathing as the patient wishes," says Courtney. Adults on ventilators generally start with a functioning diaphragm, but it will quickly become weaker if a machine breathes for them for too long. Getinge Medical Director Miray Karnekull says that advanced ventilator technologies like NAVA are used regularly in adult patients in Europe to keep patients' diaphragm muscles active. And in a very recent multicenter randomized controlled trial, results showed that patients with acute respiratory failure on NAVA spent significantly less time on the ventilator and experienced less extubation failure compared to conventional lung-protective mechanical ventilation. Read more about the new independent study on the effects of NAVA. "In addition to helping maintain the diaphragm's tone, the synchrony of a NAVA ventilator means patients don't fight against the ventilator," Miray Karnekull continues. "To prevent that, adults usually need to be sedated. With NAVA, doctors can reduce sedatives, allowing for earlier weaning with fewer complications." "It's really a groundbreaking technology", says Karnekull. "NAVA gives the clinician a way to personalize not only the ventilation, but also the weaning process for adult patients. " These exciting advances have allowed physicians like Checketts to celebrate even more success stories. Checketts decided to become a doctor at early age, when her mother routinely pointed out a man walking down the street on his way to the hospital and said, "That's the doctor who saved your life". That experience motivates her to be a positive force in the families of the babies she treats. "When I talk to parents about the fact that I was premature, there's always a sense of surprise, I think a little bit even shock, you know. Oh, oh, and you're a doctor," Checketts says. "I think it's a nice way to say to them that prematurity shouldn't be a limit on what a child can do." "I mean, the advances we've made in even just the last 10, 15, 20 years mean the outcomes are much better than they used to be. And seeing me, who developed before that, as a newborn doctor, I give them a sense of hope and possibility, I think." Read more about the NAVA technology . Icuregswe.org. (2016). Start - SIR-Svenska Intensivvardsregistret. Available at: http://www.icuregswe.org/en/ [Accessed Dec 2 . 2015]. Media contact: Anna Appelqvist Vice President Corporate Communications Phone: +46-(0)10-335-5906 E-mail: [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/getinge/r/the-ventilation-technology-from-getinge-that-is-groundbreaking-both-for-premature-babies-and-adults,c3204981 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/942/3204981/1312817.pdf The ventilation technology from Getinge that is groundbreaking both for premature babies and adults https://news.cision.com/getinge/i/sherry-courtney,c2832415 Sherry Courtney https://news.cision.com/getinge/i/sabina-checketts,c2832416 Sabina Checketts https://news.cision.com/getinge/i/getinge---miray-karnekull,c2832417 Getinge - Miray Karnekull SOURCE Getinge Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated scientists and engineers for the successful test launch of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos with an indigenous booster from a test facility off the Odisha coast. "Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile has achieved yet another milestone with successful test launch showcasing enhanced operational capabilities and additional indigenous technologies. Congratulations to all the scientists and engineers," the Prime Minister tweeted. Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile has achieved yet another milestone with successful test launch showcasing enhanced operational capabilities and additional indigenous technologies. Congratulations to all the scientists and engineers. @DRDO_India @BrahMosMissile Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 30, 2020 The BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile featuring indigenous booster and airframe section along with many other 'Made in India' sub-systems was successfully flight tested for designated range from the ITR in Balasore, marking one more major step in enhancing indigenous content. The launch has paved the way for serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos Weapon System. President Jair Bolsonaro hit back against U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden's suggestion that Brazil could suffer economic consequences if it does not stop Amazon deforestation, calling it a "shame" and "a sign of contempt." Biden said in Tuesday's debate that, if elected president, his administration would rejoin the Paris Agreement and rally wealthy nations to protect Brazil's rainforest as part of a greater effort to combat climate change. "What some have not yet understood is that Brazil has changed," Bolsonaro, a close ally of President Donald Trump, wrote Wednesday on social media. "Its President, unlike the left-wing presidents of the past, does not accept bribes, criminal land demarcations or coward threats towards our territorial and economic integrity." He added that Brazil's "sovereignty is non-negotiable" and that the "greed of some countries towards the Amazon is a well-known fact." The Biden campaign didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Since taking office in 2019, Bolsonaro has clashed with the international community over his controversial environmental policies, which included defunding enforcement agencies, firing chief scientists and questioning the government's own deforestation data. As pressure from foreign investors and governments mounted on his administration, he switched strategies and has started calling on the private sector to help protect the Amazon. Bolsonaro wrote that his government was putting forth "unprecedented" measures to safeguard the Amazon and the environment, including through negotiations with Trump. Yet the South American nation is recording accelerating deforestation in parts of the country this year, with the Pantanal -- a vast wetland known as a cradle for endangered species in western Brazil -- burning at a record pace. In just the first two weeks of September, over 5,000 heat points were reported in the Pantanal biome, the most for that period since 2007. So far this year, the number of fires there is 208% higher than in 2019, according to Brazil's Spatial Research Institute. During Tuesday's presidential debate, Biden said he would join forces with other countries to tell Brazil: "Here's $20 billion, stop -- stop tearing down the forest. And if you don't, then you're going to have significant economic consequences." Environmental Minister Ricardo Salles said in a text message Wednesday that $20 billion only covers part of the $100 billion committed by developed countries in measures to combat climate change in developing nations as part of the Paris Agreement. Supporting fellow South Florida entrepreneurs through these strategic partnerships will encourage our mutual growth goals. Wizard Digital will also be using both platforms to enhance our own business. In their continued efforts to support small and mid-sized businesses, Wizard Digital Marketing is partnering with two South Florida based technology companies in order to provide their clients ADA compliance for websites and online review generation for Google, Yelp and Facebook. Seth Rand, Co-Founder and CEO of Wizard Digital Marketing, has a passion for not only helping entrepreneurs and businesses accomplish their growth goals and increase their profits, but he also has a passion for his community. Supporting fellow South Florida entrepreneurs through these strategic partnerships will encourage our mutual growth goals, said Seth Rand. Wizard Digital will also be using both platforms to enhance our own business. Online reputation management is when you actively monitor mentions of your brand on websites and social media. Since 90% of consumers read online reviews before deciding whether to visit a business, it is so important that a company has positive reviews online. Wizards new partnership uses Smart Review Technology to prevent bad reviews from leaking onto the internet and hurting your online reputation for good. Online reviews are also believed to have a significant affect on SEO rankings including Local SEO efforts. According to Moz, online reviews are estimated to account for approximately 10% of the criteria used to determine Google search results. The leadership at Wizard Digital believes in being proactive and that includes generating additional positive online reviews to benefit your conversion rate and SEO rankings. Wizard Digital has actively created websites for many of their clients that are built to be responsive for mobile and optimized for conversion rate and search engine rankings. Now, with this new strategic partnership, Wizard can build websites through Wordpress, Shopify, Magento and other leading CMS and e-commerce platforms that are ADA compliant, as well as audit and remediate existing websites on those platforms. Accessibility and compliance are not only lawful, but the right thing to do. This strategic partnership allows Wizard Digital to ensure any websites, PDFs, and videos for their valued clients should comply within the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508, Title II and Title III regulations with the WCAG guidelines. Wizard Digital Marketing strives to boost brand experience with an accessible interface. About Wizard Digital Marketing: Wizard Digital Marketing, a full-services digital marketing agency based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is Data Driven and Results Focused. Wizard specialized in responsive web design & development for Wordpress, WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, and other leading CMS and e-commerce platforms, as well as digital advertising through Search, Social, Display, Video, Email, Shopping and other online marketing channels including Google, Facebook, and Instagram. We strive to propel your brands voice across digital channels to achieve maximum results that align with your business goals and ultimately grow your profits. We ensure that you stay relevant in the face of disruption by employing innovative strategies. After weeks of uproar from local residents, plans to change the development on Mitchell Island have been temporarily put on hold by the Howard Hughes Corp. A request from the Howard Hughes Corp. to replat the 16-acre island that was scheduled to be discussed Thursday by the Houston Planning Commission has now been pulled back, one company official said and will not be discussed on Thursday. Because The Woodlands is not an incorporated city, changes to plat plans are first heard by the Houston Planning Commission due to the extra-territorial jurisdiction the city has that includes The Woodlands. Related: Proposed development changes on Mitchell Island irks Woodlands residents Instead of proceeding with the replat request process, Howard Hughes officials will gather more community feedback in coming weeks before continuing the process, said Heath Melton, executive vice president of residential master planned communities in Houston for the Howard Hughes Corp. Now, the company will schedule meetings with residents and others concerned about the islands future as well as the habitat of a local family of American Bald Eagles. Some of those residents have already formed an informal group Citizens for Eagle Island in the past week as a way to raise awareness of the bald eagles. We have of our own accord pulled the replat (request) from (Thursdays) agenda. The way it works is this, when we as an applicant, if we decided to pull the replat (request), the city will recognize that, Melton said. It will show up on the agenda but not be discussed. We did that in order to have time to meet with these residents and provide them with all the information and facts that they have asked for. Melton said officials from Howard Hughes are very interested in listening to residents concerns about the proposal which would change the ILUD initial land use designation from 19 large homes to a combination of 58 new home designs with three different lot sizes and more dense housing than originally planned. Some of the concerns residents have raised include the additional homes, clear cutting of trees, more traffic in the East Shore area and also protecting the habitat of the bald eagles that use the island for hunting and relaxation. Eagles presence dates to 1999 The presence of eagles in the area dates to 1999, Melton explained, when the first evidence of an American Bald Eagle nest was discovered by company officials and residents. Lake Woodlands is a man-made lake, completed in 1986, and the body of water slowly evolved into a prime habitat for eagles. Since 1999, Melton said company officials have engaged in ethical, appropriate management of the area that has allowed the original eagle family to spawn more than 45 additional eagles that have now spread to other areas of the township such as around Bear Branch Park. We have a big focus on the environment. As we developed (The Woodlands), we have set aside roughly 30 percent of our 28,000 acres to designated open spaces. The Lake Woodlands is a man-made lake and so part of that construction created the environment and habitat for all of nature to thrive, including eagles. This includes forest buffers and parks which allows eagles to create nests, to hunt and thrive, Melton said. The eagle activity in the Lake Woodlands area has been part of everything that has been done by the (Woodlands) development company. The first sighting of the eagles dates to 1999 and weve had an on-staff environmental consultant that has tracked them since 1999. Most people do not know, maybe they do, but within The Woodlands, we have successfully helped foster the fledgling of 48 eagles. Of those 48, an estimated 31 of those have come from the Lake Woodlands area. Melton said many residents, especially those newer to the community, dont know the full history of the eagles and the commitment to their protection by Howard Hughes officials. When people dont know that (history), it is good to remind people that everything weve done has been to foster the growth of the eagles. Everything we have done as a company has helped foster the eagles here in the Montgomery County area, he added. Melton said every eagle family and nest in the community is monitored by the designated company official, tracked and an annual report is made that is submitted to state and federal wildlife officials. (That is) To make sure we are not invasive with any of the eagles nests in regard to our developments, he added. Locals form eagle preservation group The decision to not move forward with the process comes after weeks of outcry over new development plans for Mitchell Island that would change current plans for 19 homes to a new format that would see 58 homes built on the only island in the township. And, on Monday, a group of local residents unveiled another approach to combat plans for the only island: forming a committee to protect the island for use by a nearby family of American Bald Eagles. Related: Development plans for Mitchell Island in The Woodlands roil residents East Shore resident Tami Houston said she and about 10 to 12 people have created the new group Citizens for Eagle Island, a reference to the use of four American Bald Eagles that regularly visit the island she said. The new group recently visited the island and after several hours, spotted members of the eagle family in one of the trees on the island. We are forming a group called Citizens for Eagle Island. The eagles are really important within the whole Grogans Mill (area). Weve had three clear-cuts (of trees) recently, and the biggest thing (for us) is (Mitchell) island was supposed to be the least-dense area in East Shore, Houston explained. To change it to 58 homes, it takes away natural areas for wildlife, it takes away from the eagles habitat. It is the only island in any lake in The Woodlands. It would be sad if it was gone and became buildings instead of trees on the island. The formation of the group was news to officials from the Howard Hughes Corp., which owns the island and has plans for possible development of the 16-acre abode to add more homes than were originally planned. Melton said while some residents had raised questions about the eagles, he did not know of the formation of the new group. Next steps Now, said Melton, the plans are in limbo because the company has rescinded their replat request for the time being. We are 100 percent committed to listening to the residents and working with them on any of their concerns. We are not in a hurry to (do this), we are willing to listen to residents concerns, Melton added. We have no intent on saying were going to resubmit the (replat request) on a certain date until we have an opportunity to meet with residents. Houston said the newly formed group of locals dedicated to saving the island habitat for the eagles is an off-shoot of a larger, 800 to 1,000-strong assemblage of area residents who object to the plans to change the layout of the island currently set at 19 large mansions to 58 closely-spaced homes. While the eagles are an important aspect of objections, she said that many issues have been raised with the development plants by Howard Hughes, from traffic congestion, noise, possibly 18 months of intensitve contruction and taking down of more trees in the area. Although the group is not officially affiliated with the East Shore Homeowners Association, Houston said she and hundreds of others who signed onto a statement objecting to the new plans reside in the affected areas of East Shore and are already coping with two other new developments Howard Hughes has embarked on in the neighborhood directly north of The Woodlands Parkway and west of Grogans Mill Road adjacent to Lake Woodlands. Related: Howard Hughes Eastshore opens model homes The replat (documents) left off so many details (of plans). As more people signed it, more issues came up. We are trying to do what is right for everyone, us, the development company (Howard Hughes), for nature, Houston added. It is called The Woodlands because there is woods. I think when you see the (continuing) development (and removal of trees), you just say, wow. We are concerned about the natural environment. Melton said Howard Hughes representatives will be working with various community groups to schedule meetings and forums to listen to resident concerns and develop an appropriate response. Those sessions have yet to be scheduled, but he stressed the company will engage residents and listen to them as plans for the island continue to evolve and move forward. Members of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors have been concerned about the plans and are tentatively scheduled to discuss the issue in some manner at their Oct. 22 meeting. jeff.forward@chron.com Home Just In Listing Tilaurakot, palace of Buddhas father in Nepal, as World Heritage site: Here is evidence found so far In 1996, the government of Nepal selected seven additional places from the country that could be UNESCO World Heritage sites. Since then, no work has been done to implement the proposal. Lately, the government of Nepal has started preparations to list one place, Tilaurakot, out of those seven places as a World Heritage site. The government allocated some budget for excavation this fiscal year because the government requires to submit evidence for the inclusion as the World Heritage site and a management proposal also to UNESCO after the nomination. Lumbini was put on the World Heritage Site List within one year of the nomination by the government of Nepal. At that time as well, the government had listed Tilaurakot as a tentative World Heritage site. Now, the government has again started the nomination process by collecting enough pieces of evidence, in addition to those collected in the 1990s. UNESCO lists any place as a World Heritage site if it meets any one of the six criteria. According to the operational guideline, the property should be a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilisation which is living or which has disappeared. Likewise, human-made heritage sites in a certain period of time or such places in interaction with nature or environment could also be listed. Or, such heritage site should be directly linked to humans. Although there is a lot of evidence that proves that Tilaurakot had an ancient palace of Suddhodhan, the father of Lord Gautam Buddha, the process of putting the site on the UNESCO World Heritage Site List takes a long time, informs officials of the Department of Archaeology. Ram Bahadur Kunwar, the departments spokesperson, assumes that it will take a minimum of four years to list Tilaurakot as a World Heritage site if the formal procedure begins now. As per Kunwar, UNESCO accepts the nominations only after completing all the procedures including interaction with locals and the consent of the local governments. Evidence obtained during excavation Although it has not made officially public, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kapilvastu ruled by King Suddhodhan is todays Tilaurakot is almost proven by a decade of excavation in that area. Kunwar says the government will submit the nomination by meeting one of six criteria set by UNESCO in accordance with the collected pieces of evidence. Till date, 14 layers of human settlement have been found there. Also, pieces of evidence from 700 years before Budha have been found. The oldest pieces of evidence collected from the excavation in Tilaurakot are brown and red earthenware dating from the 11th century BC to the 8th century BC. PC Mukherjee scientifically excavated this site for the first time on February 3, 1899, and proved this site as the capital of the Shakya Kingdom. He also found out exact measurements of the palace. It has been found that a deep pit was there on each side of the place for defence purpose besides the walls, signalling a robust security system. Also, bridges were built so that people could cross those canals. Along with strong walls on each side, there were four gates, among which archaeologists have researched only two gates to date. It has been found that the western gate was made up of bricks, wood, and iron. Archaeologist TN Mishra has described three stages of gateway construction. He believes the first and second layers of the gateway were built around the 1st and 2nd centuries BC. Likewise, Mukherjee had discovered the eastern gate in 1899. He has also mentioned about a huge square building, unroofed, near the gate. The centre of that eastern forts wall that is recognised as Mahaviniskramdwar or Mangal Dwar, is the gate from where Prince Siddhartha left the palace for the journey of enlightenment to become the Lord Buddha. Kanthak Stupa There lies a stupa, 100 metres away from the main gate in the east. Archaeological excavations have also revealed the historicity of this stupa. It is believed that this stupa is made by placing the cremains of Kanthak, a favourite horse of Prince Siddharth, at the very place where it died. The historical story behind this stupa is that when Sidhartha crossed the Yenoma river and officially began his spiritual journey by shaving his hair, he sent back his Kanthak horse and charioteer Chhandak from there. The horse had accomplished its purpose; that is why it is believed to have sacrificed his life before entering the entrance of the palace. Northeast pond There lies a huge artificial pond in the northeast corner of the palace. The old pond is believed to have been built for the recreation of the Shakya family. It is also hypothesised that there is another pond to the south of the palace. Mukherjee has mentioned many ponds during the excavation of Tilaurakot. Likewise, Lalit Vistara also mentions that there are many ponds in the palace of Shuddhodhan. However, archaeological excavations have not found many ponds. Samai Mai Temple Samai Mai tree temple is the place of the forest goddess. A complementary part of this temple has been found in the northwestern part of the fort. As mentioned in Buddhist literature, the temple is home to ancient artefacts that appear to have been worshipped by members of the Shakya dynasty. Lalit Vistara explains in detail about the temples of the Shakya Durbar; some travelogues of early Chinese pilgrims also have some records. Durbar Square Japanese archaeologists led by Nakamura unearthed the ruin of a palace-like structure in the northwestern part of the fort, which they speculated to be the northern part of the old Shakya palace. It was also revealed that although it was small, it was probably a part of the main building of the palace. Metal Workshop TN Mishra also found remains of a metal workshop near the southern defence wall. According to him, the workshop was used to make weapons, agricultural tools, and household utensils. Metal objects have been found near the workshop. They also contained two large water collection sites, pieces of copper vessels, early copper coins, and two iron tools. The discovery of the workshop and coins, arms plants, etc. in this area has strengthened the notion that it was the capital city of the Shakyas. Ancient roads Mishra has uncovered ancient roads supposed to be built between the seventh century BC and the second century AD. Some roads had stone edges on both sides. Eight-inch soled iron slags have also been found on some roads. Even the improved roads around the place add to the notion that this place was the capital of a very powerful state. Earthenware Different types of pottery and earthenware have been found in Tilaurakot. Painted grey ware, northern black polished ware (NBP ware), black and red pottery dating from the sixth century BC to the eighth century AD have been found. Terracotta statues Human statues, animal statues, toy carts, and toy materials were recovered by Devla Mitra from Tilaurakot. These idols belonged to the Maurya, Shung, and Kushan periods. Coins Mishra collected silver and copper coins and early wooden coins from Tilaurakot. During the excavations, coins of different sizes from different periods were found. The coins contained mainly copper items. These coins prove that the Shakya kingdom had organised trade and prosperity. Further need of archaeological study Photo Courtesy: Lumbini Development Trust When a stone inscription with a text that says Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha was found, the search for his palace also began. For that, it was easy to get the help of literary sources first. The Buddhist scripture Digha Nikaya mentions that Kapilvastu was situated on the bank of the Bhagirathi river in the lap of the Himalayas. Similarly, the Jataka Katha mention that Kapilvastu is surrounded by seven walls and those walls are up to 18-foot high. Literary sources also say that Kapilvastu has Kushinagar in the south, the Rapti river in the west, and the Rohini river in the east. Likewise, Chinese pilgrim Phaiyan who came to Kapilvastu in 403 has mentioned the desolate Kapilvastu town was about 70 miles away from Lumbini. Similarly, after about 200 years, in 636, geographer Hriwensang, who came to Kapilvastu, said Kapilvastu was 30 miles from Lumbini. He is the one who mentioned the defence walls of Kapilvastu spread in the area of 2.5 miles. In the lack of scientific pieces of evidence, all these written pieces of evidence have not been sufficient to locate the exact location of the then Sudhodhan Palace. Therefore, scientific excavations were carried out. Ryerson University held a virtual celebration to mark the opening of its brand new, hands-on, innovative law school. Of course, when plans for the new school were in the works, there was no pandemic. In the time since, all the discussions and hiring went virtual Dean Donna Young has yet to meet most faculty and staff in person and the ribbon-cutting and grand opening held Wednesday had to be moved online. I think I can safely say that we are the only law school in North America that is opening during a pandemic, but thats historic, Young said with a laugh. Right now, just two classes are being offered in person albeit with small numbers of students showing up, about 10 to 20 with most courses offered online. Knowing most of the learning would be virtual, the law school began offering orientation sessions for students in July, hosting panel discussions, guest speakers and meetings with faculty to start building a sense of community. Some professors are even recording podcasts to help curb students screen time. Ryerson first pitched the law school program in 2016, but the provincial government of the day initially said it would not provide financial support. However, last August, the province approved the juris doctor program and then Ryerson received word that the Ontario government would allow the students who attend its law school to access student aid, but no additional operating funds. The university has said it will accept 150 students each year, with tuition of $21,100, which is more than $10,000 less than the University of Toronto and slightly lower than York Universitys fees. Ryersons law school focuses on hands-on learning, financial literacy, equity, access to justice which includes working at community legal clinics and providing students with mentoring. Typically law students take three years of schooling and complete a year of articling. At Ryerson, students will earn their degree in three years, which includes a semester-long work placement. Young said that the first-year curriculum includes co-teachers lawyers currently practising in the field who work alongside faculty members. Building the school from scratch, especially during a pandemic, means there were no impromptu discussions, no impromptu brainstorming sessions, no talking in the hallway everything had to be scheduled. Everything was video-chat or telephone, she said. But connections are happening. One student, Ridhey Gill, started a blog and has been interviewing the first class of law students so they can get to know each other, and for the outside world to see who they all are. Being a member of the first law class at Ryerson is such an incredible opportunity, she said. I figured people want to know whats happening; I wanted to do something different ... and showcase the excellence that could be expected to come out of Ryerson law. As well, its a great way for me to meet Ryerson students and put faces to the names of students going to this brand new school. Gill completed an undergraduate degree at Ryerson and used to joke that I would only go to law school if Ryerson had one. Then she learned one was on the way. The practicality of the program was a huge selling point for me, she said. Im someone who learns by doing. Theory in itself is not enough to prepare people. Read more about: RoRo carrier rescues fishermen in Strait of Malacca September 30,2020 | Source: MarineLink An Indonesia-flagged car carrier operated by the NYK Group company PT. NYK-SPIL INDORORO, rescued eight fishermen in distress at the Strait of Malacca last week. The 100-meter roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) ship Kalimantan Leader was sailing from Belawan, Indonesia, to Jakarta, on September 23 when its crew spotted eight fishermen in the water after their vessel sank. The merchant vessel rescued the distressed fishermen immediately, and the eight men were transferred in to an Indonesian Coast Guard vessel on September 24 off Batam Island, Indonesia. All are said to be in good health. 996-2020 Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. She's a Hollywood star and a mom of three. And Jennifer Garner is also committed to good causes. On Tuesday, the actress, 48, posted photos and video to her Instagram from a trip she took to an area of Northern California recently ravaged by wildfire on behalf of Save The Children. Heartbreaking: Jennifer Garner took a trip to see first-hand the destruction caused by recent wildfires on Mono Indians tribal land in Northern California and shared images on Instagram In the snaps, Garner is seen surveying the burned areas of the The Big Sandy Rancheria of Mono Indians of California in Fresno County. She was dressed down for the visit in a white t-shirt with a Save The Children logo in red and blue jeans with sneakers. She was there to see on the ground how the nonprofit's educational support and disaster relief efforts are helping those in need. A video clip shows her meeting with Big Sandy Rancherias Tribal Chairperson Liz Kipp and Darlene Franco, Director of Native Wellness for Fresno American Indian Health Project. The three take part in a prayer ceremony calling for Creator 'to watch over us and to guide us... and help us to help the land heal in a good way.' Heard their stories: Garner, 48, who made the trip as an ambassador for Save The Children, took part in a tribal prayer calling on Creator to guide and protect the people and heal the land Local leaders: She met with Big Sandy Rancherias Tribal Chairperson Liz Kipp and Darlene Franco, Director of Native Wellness for Fresno American Indian Health Project In a lengthy Instagram post, the star of Alias and Miracles From Heaven described meeting with Native American families last week who have been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic by destructive wildfires '[I] met families whose homeschool plan (because, pandemic) turned, in a moments time, to homeschooling three kids in different grades in a tiny hotel room (because, fire/evacuation),' she wrote. 'The strength and resilience of families up against it always leaves me inspired; I am grateful to be trusted with so many stories' Garner continued: 'On this trip I saw capable and loving leadership from Big Sandy Rancherias Tribal Chairperson Liz Kipp, I helped deliver a celebrated truckload of necessities from friend of Save the Children @baby2baby, and I participated in a prayer and offering to the burned tribal land, led by Darlene Franco.' She concluded: 'All of this sent me home feeling extra grateful and certain of the good in our beautiful country.' Generous: The actress and mom of three also brought along a consignment of 'necessities' donated to local families by the LA-based charity Baby2Baby Physicists at Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have developed a new detector for measuring energy quanta at unprecedented resolution. This discovery could help bring quantum computing out of the laboratory and into real-world applications. The results have been published today in Nature. The type of detector the team works on is called a bolometer, which measures the energy of incoming radiation by measuring how much it heats up the detector. Professor Mikko Mottonen's Quantum Computing and Devices group at Aalto has been developing their expertise in bolometers for quantum computing over the past decade, and have now developed a device that can match current state-of-the-art detectors used in quantum computers. 'It is amazing how we have been able to improve the specs of our bolometer year after year, and now we embark on an exciting journey into the world of quantum devices,' says Mottonen. Measuring the energy of qubits is at the heart of how quantum computers operate. Most quantum computers currently measure a qubit's energy state by measuring the voltage induced by the qubit. However, there are three problems with voltage measurements: firstly, measuring the voltage requires extensive amplification circuitry, which may limit the scalability of the quantum computer; secondly, this circuitry consumes a lot of power; and thirdly, the voltage measurements carry quantum noise which introduces errors in the qubit readout. Quantum computer researchers hope that by using bolometers to measure qubit energy, they can overcome all of these complications, and now Professor Mottonen's team have developed one that is fast enough and sensitive enough for the job. 'Bolometers are now entering the field of quantum technology and perhaps their first application could be in reading out the quantum information from qubits. The bolometer speed and accuracy seems now right for it,' says Professor Mottonen. The team had previously produced a bolometer made of a gold-palladium alloy with unparalleled low noise levels in its measurements, but it was still too slow to measure qubits in quantum computers. The breakthrough in this new work was achieved by swapping from making the bolometer out of gold-palladium alloys to making them out of graphene. To do this, they collaborated with Professor Pertti Hakonen's NANO group - also at Aalto University - who have expertise in fabricating graphene-based devices. Graphene has a very low heat capacity, which means that it is possible to detect very small changes in its energy quickly. It is this speed in detecting the energy differences that makes it perfect for a bolometer with applications in measuring qubits and other experimental quantum systems. By swapping to graphene, the researchers have produced a bolometer that can make measurements in well below a microsecond, as fast as the technology currently used to measure qubits. 'Changing to graphene increased the detector speed by 100 times, while the noise level remained the same. After these initial results, there is still a lot of optimisation we can do to make the device even better,' says Professor Hakonen. Now that the new bolometers can compete when it comes to speed, the hope is to utilise the other advantages bolometers have in quantum technology. While the bolometers reported in the current work performs on par with the current state-of-the-art voltage measurements, future bolometers have the potential to outperform them. Current technology is limited by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle: voltage measurements will always have quantum noise, but bolometers do not. This higher theoretical accuracy, combined with the lower energy demands and smaller size - the graphene flake could fit comfortably inside a single bacterium - means that bolometers are an exciting new device concept for quantum computing. The next steps for their research is to resolve the smallest energy packets ever observed using bolometers in real-time and to use the bolometer to measure the quantum properties of microwave photons, which not only have exciting applications in quantum technologies such as computing and communications, but also in fundamental understanding of quantum physics. Many of the scientists involved in the researchers also work at IQM, a spin-out of Aalto University developing technology for quantum computers. IQM is constantly looking for new ways to enhance its quantum-computer technology and this new bolometer certainly fits the bill, explains Dr Kuan Yen Tan, Co-Founder of IQM who was also involved in the research. ### The research collaboration is part of the Center of Excellence in Quantum Technology (QTF) and the BOLOSE sensor development project (RADDESS program, 2018-2021) funded by the Academy of Finland. Journal article: R. Kokkoniemi, J.-P. Girard, D. Hazra, A. Laitinen, J. Govenius, R. E. Lake, I. Sallinen, V. Vesterinen, P. Hakonen, and M. Mottonen, Bolometer operating at the threshold for circuit quantum electrodynamics, Nature, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2753-3 (2020). The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service. Follow this story and more by signing up for national breaking news email alerts. There will be no handshake, but venom to spare when President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden meet in Cleveland on Tuesday for the first of three televised debates that could shake up an already volatile race for the White House. Covid-19 restrictions will give the debate moderated by Fox News star Chris Wallace a streamlined look with a smaller audience. Naturally, there won't be the once standard -- even if occasionally forced -- show of goodwill in shaking hands as the rivals go on stage. What the 90-minute clash will have is a chance for Americans finally to see Trump, 74, and Biden, 77, go head to head. With Trump claiming Biden is virtually brain dead -- "Biden doesn't know he's alive" -- and Biden branding the president "a toxic presence," it won't be for the faint hearted. Significantly behind in the polls, Trump is in fighting mode, embarking on an endurance-testing schedule of rallies in key battlegrounds several times a week. Biden, though, comes hoping to press his advantage. And he arrives aided by The New York Times' publication of a report purporting to reveal the contents of Trump's deeply secret tax returns -- finding that the self-proclaimed billionaire and champion of the working class avoids paying almost all federal income taxes. - Hard and low - Trump, who fancies his skills as a verbal pugilist, is expected to hit hard and low. For months he has painted Biden as senile. As the debate approached he increasingly focused on his claim that Biden takes performance enhancing drugs. Biden has laughed off the suggestion but Trump, a past master at getting slurs to stick to his opponents, is doubling down. "Joe Biden just announced that he will not agree to a Drug Test. Gee, I wonder why?" Trump tweeted Monday. Biden's deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield responded in kind, saying that if Trump wants the debate to be conducted through "urine" samples, "he can." Trump, arguably, has little to lose. His hardcore support is already baked in and Americans are by now almost incapable of feeling shocked by his convention-wrecking style. He also goes to Cleveland with what he hopes will be his own silver bullet -- the nomination of conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court. If Barrett is quickly confirmed, as the Republican-led Senate expects, Trump will have managed to tilt the highest court firmly to the right for years to come. Democrats are crying foul over the rushed timing on the eve of an election, but Trump expects the power play to energize many conservatives. - Blue collar boast - The president is sure to go heavy on previous claims that Biden's son was involved in corruption in Ukraine. Last year Trump was impeached for using the power of his office to try to pressure the Ukrainian government into publicly backing that theory. Biden, as frontrunner, wants to stay steady, but he has a reputation for losing his cool when challenged in public. "I hope I don't get baited into a brawl with this guy, because that's the only place he's comfortable," he said. Biden will instead aim to keep his sights trained on the coronavirus pandemic, which polls show about two thirds of Americans say Trump handled badly. He will also shoot back at the filling of the Supreme Court seat, saying that Trump's plan is for the court to restrict abortion and reverse the Obamacare health program -- two areas that could worry swing voters. But the most fiery moments may come when Biden himself gets personal, painting Trump as a spoiled playboy who only poses as a friend of the white working class that helped him get elected in 2016. Biden, who spent his early childhood in the rough-edged town of Scranton, Pennsylvania, is increasingly mocking Trump's glitzy New York roots, calling it a "Scranton vs Park Avenue" election. The strategy does appear to have some traction in Pennsylvania at least: on Tuesday a new Washington Post-ABC News poll showed the former vice president pulling ahead in the battleground state, which Trump won in 2016. Trump points out that Biden only lived in Scranton as a young boy and spent most of his life in Congress. But the Times report on the president's ability to avoid almost all federal income taxes will give Biden a trove of new ammunition. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics "The big problem is that hospitalizations today are reflective of infections that happened in the prior 2-4 weeks," Rauner said. "To avoid exceeding our hospital capacity, we have to intervene one month in advance. "Someone at the state better be looking very closely at the demographics of this weeks positives, or we could be in a lot of trouble one month from now," he said. Hospital capacity has not been an issue, at least not statewide. As of Tuesday, 34% of ICU beds and 79% of ventilators were available. Ravenscroft said Bryan has 89 ICU beds and a number of other beds that can be converted if necessary, so it is not in danger of being overtaxed. He compared the current situation with COVID-19 patients to what the hospital experiences during the height of flu season. However, Ravenscroft said, "the monkey wrench that COVID throws into this is the length of stay." Those patients tend to have longer stays in the hospital whether or not they wind up in the ICU, he said. Park Eun-tae, center, as Lola in the musical "Kinky Boots" / Courtesy of CJ ENM By Kwon Mee-yoo The musical "Kinky Boots" has returned to Korea, this time with a new Lola in Park Eun-tae, who breathes new life into the show which conveys the message of "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." The musical tells the story of an unexpected friendship between Charlie, the inheritor of a four generation shoe manufacturing family business, and Lola, a drag queen whose father was a boxer who disowned him for cross dressing. CJ ENM took part in the production of Kinky Boots on Broadway and subsequently earned the rights to stage the show in Asia. It premiered in Korea in 2014, soon after its Broadway debut in 2013, and was staged again in 2016 and 2018. This year, three actors play the role of the flamboyant yet serious drag queen, Lola Choi Jae-rim and Kang Hong-seok returned to reprise their previous roles, while Park takes his first step into the transvestite role. Park was an unlikely choice to play Lola when the cast was announced. A business major from Hanyang University, Park has slowly yet earnestly built his career in musical theater since 2006. He has a wide range of characters under his belt, from Jesus in "Jesus Christ Superstar" to the split personalities of Jekyll and Hyde in "Jekyll and Hyde," the anarchist and assassin Lucheni in "Elisabeth," and romantic photographer Robert in "The Bridges of Madison County." Before wearing Lola's high heels, Park was brandishing his murderous blade as the lead in the Stephen Sondheim musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" earlier this year. Park Eun-tae as Lola in the musical "Kinky Boots" / Courtesy of CJ ENM Analysis | 12 January 2022 | News Why or why not: The dilemma for startup investors There have been tremors within the startup community worldwide with the latest Theranos scandal. Though startu...Read more DENVER, CO Denver's Pepsi Center testing site closed Wednesday and will be replaced with a series of community testing sites, public health officials said. The Pepsi Center was established as a temporary testing solution while officials were setting up other sites, the city said. The new sites will offer free, "low-barrier testing to historically underserved communities," public health officials said. Flyers were distributed throughout the communities Wednesday. List of new testing sites: The list will continue to be updated, officials said. The latest site list can be found here. Don't miss the latest news updates in Denver: Free Denver Patch Newsletters and Email Alerts | Facebook | Twitter Depending on each sites logistics, people will be able to drive up and/or walk up for testing, health officials said. Mobile testing available for those who are homebound appointments can be made by calling 311. Denver issued a public health order Thursday that aims to stop the spread of the coronavirus in colleges and universities. The city has seen a surge in cases, which has been linked to student gatherings, officials said. This article originally appeared on the Denver Patch CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple Inc. awarded Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook a new stock grant, his first since taking charge in 2011, that will vest over time. Based on Apple's positive share development, the restricted units of Apple stock as well as performance-based grants could take his total to more than 1 million shares by 2025. The shares are worth $114 million based on Tuesday's closing price of $114.09. Apple's board said in a statement, 'Tim has brought unparalleled innovation and focus to his role as CEO and demonstrated what it means to lead with values and integrity. For the first time in nearly a decade, we are awarding Tim a new stock grant that will vest over time in recognition of his outstanding leadership and with great optimism for Apple's future as he carries these efforts forward.' As per a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the equity comes in two packages. The first comprises 333,987 restricted stock units that vest in thirds on an annual basis starting in 2023 till 2025. The other has 333,987 units that will vest in 2023. Along with this primary compensation, Cook also receives a salary and an annual bonus. In 2019, his salary was $3 million and bonus was $7.67 million. His total compensation, including stock, was over $125 million. The awarded stocks could double if Cook meets targets related to Apple's performance on the stock market, but can also lose all if Apple underperforms. In August, Apple had touched a $2-trillion market value, becoming the first U.S. company to reach the milestone. Apple stock had more than doubled over the past five months, since March, when its market cap was $1 trillion, being benefited by the pandemic as the majority of employees are forced to opt work from home, and schools worldwide are closed forcing students to continue their studies online. The tech giant is currently the most valuable company in the entire world even as the majority of the world is grappling with coronavirus - induced financial crisis. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de There is a new emerging trend in renewable energy with a rather idyllic sounding name: energy communities. These communities are designed as a model for the brave new world of producer-consumers--individuals that not only take energy from the grid, but feed back into it via their personal energy production devices, most commonly solar panels. These prosumers are transforming the way that utilities function within and interact with communities, and have raised questions about how to move forward in a rapidly changing energy landscape. There are several approaches to this energy evolution. One, which Oilprice reported on way back in January of 2018, is the use of blockchain technology to manage prosumers interaction with the local energy grid in an efficient and transparent manner. Blockchain has lent itself well to the rapid growth of Distributed Energy Grids (DERs) and prosumers that are producing more energy than they can consume, and are therefore selling it back to the grid. In this case, blockchain has a particularly novel and democratizing effect. As it stands now, most prosumers are operating under the control of local utilities. While these producer-consumers are revolutionizing the way that the energy market works on a small scale, they remain a microcosm of the age-old market model, as their buying and selling remains under the control of the utilities. However, with the introduction of the blockchain decentralized network, producers and consumers would finally be able to buck this system and trade energy directly within a designated area, Oilprice reported. Another distinct approach to the prosumer element of evolving energy markets is the idea of energy communities, which have emerged as a particularly popular idea quite recently. Earlier this year, the European Commission released a 60-page report on an emerging trend in renewable energy known as energy communities. The report divides these energy communities into two different categories: renewable energy communities and citizen energy communities. Overall, the report states, energy communities can be understood as a way to organise collective energy actions around open, democratic participation and governance and the provision of benefits for the members or the local community. The European Union seems to see energy communities as an inevitable, and indeed, essential part of the future of the European energy landscape, as the 60-page document that seeks to establish policy that fosters supportive energy policy frameworks and empowers customers and boosts social innovation. Related: The Debt Crisis Is Mounting For Oil Economies Current conventional energy systems stand to benefit in a number of ways through the implementation of energy communities. These communities can bring flexibility to local service networks and alleviate the need for traditional network upgrades. The heterogeneity of energy community systems makes them difficult to standardize, but also offers more resilient and tailored models that are designed to best fit the communities they serve. Customers may also benefit from lower energy prices and access to private capital from renewables investments through citizen participation, the European Commission report states. Its easy to see why the EU is eager to integrate energy community models into their plans--in just 30 years, it is projected that nearly half of all households in the European Union will be producing renewable energy. Energy communities will largely remain connected to the energy system, even though stand-alone systems may apply for example on islands or in remote areas. Their integration into the energy system must be done in a cost-efficient way, accounting for real savings in the energy system as a whole and delivering value to all customers, the European Commission report goes on to say. Related: This Small Nation Is Building The Worlds Next Major Energy Hub While Europe is planning to make plans for the integration of energy communities into future EU governance, however, Chile has beaten them to the punch. The Chilean government has just unveiled a new plan for distributed energy generation which will be set in motion by November 6. According to reporting by PV Tech, these new rules will introduce the possibility of systems with a generation capacity no larger than 300 kW to supply power for multiple consumers. Such energy communities will enable users to coordinate a shared PV array with a single grid connection to inject surplus power back into the electricity network. This plan is part of the countrys green stimulus plan, which aims to recover the national economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic through the means of an efficient, sustainable energy sector. Chilean minister for energy Juan Carlos Jobet was quoted by PV Tech as saying: In this sense, this regulation which was set up through a participatory process allows us to continue promoting Chiles great potential in the field of renewable energy through robust regulations that allow the development of projects. Chiles decision is in line with a worldwide trend toward economic recovery plans based on clean energy and green stimulus measures. A separate report from PV Tech earlier this summer synthesized the findings of a raft of new studies which have come to underscore the business case of pushing renewables to the heart of the COVID-19 recovery, amid claims green energy plays offer a low-cost, high-return opportunity for investors. In laymans terms: green energy creates jobs. The World Economic Forum has also highlighted the post-COVID economic recovery era as an opportunity for a new energy order and a great reset. As Chile takes the plunge into the energy communities model, the rest of the world will most certainly be watching to see if the plan can deliver on its promises. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Trump Administrations Justice Department will award over $100 million to combat human trafficking through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), announced Attorney General Bill Bar last week. The scourge of human trafficking is the modern-day equivalent of slavery, brutally depriving victims of basic human rights and essential physical needs as it erodes their sense of dignity and self-worth, said Barr. The Department of Justice is relentless in its fight against the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Working with state and local law enforcement and community victim service providers, we will continue to bring these criminals to justice and deliver critical aid to survivors. U.S. Attorney General William Barr delivers remarks at the Robert F. Kennedy Main Justice Building May 9, 2019, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The OJP allotted $97.4 million of the funds to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions, service providers, and task forces across the country, while the remaining $3.5 million will support research into human trafficking, a Justice Department press release stated. Programs to receive awards in 2020 include the following: $17.7 million toward 27 collaborative, multidisciplinary task forces to fight human trafficking, involving enhancing the capabilities of law enforcement. $5 million in grants to three organizations to provide training and technical support. $35.1 million toward 73 organizations to provide 6 to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for the victims of human trafficking. This will also go toward helping victims locate permanent housing. And $4.3 million will go toward helping at-risk children and youth who are victims of human trafficking. Other grants will be awarded to services to help minor victims of sex, labor, and human trafficking; specialized training to assist housing; promoting employment opportunities; and researching human trafficking in the United States and law enforcement responses to the trafficking of minors. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine Sullivan stated during the announcement: Human trafficking is a massive global enterprise with roots in cities and communities here in America and across the world. Adds Sullivan: The Office of Justice Programs is using all the resources at its disposal to help our state, local and tribal partners uncover and eradicate trafficking operations and help victims open the door to a new life. For the complete list of individual grant programs, visit OJPs fact sheet here. We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc The presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden kicked off their first presidential debate sparring over Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination and ObamaCare as insults fly. The two sparred over everything from the Supreme Court nomination, health care, COVID-19, and Biden's son and then devolved into insults with Biden calling the president a "clown" and a "liar." Trump came out swinging, but Biden held his own and didn't fall into previous debate pitfalls. At times, the presidential candidates often talked over each other in a brawl that got unwieldy. According to Fox News, Cleveland's debate kicked off with Trump standing by Barrett and his push to get her confirmed by the Senate before the election. Justifying why he appointed a nominee in an election year, Trump said: "We won the election. Elections have consequences." On the other hand, Biden declined to say whether he supports packing the court or ending the Senate filibuster but noted that the American people should decide who fills the vacant seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "We should wait and see what the outcome of this election is because that's the only way the American people get to express their view," he said. Trump accused Biden of getting rid of private health insurance, but Biden retorted, "not true." Biden also hit back at Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and for wanting to repeal ObamaCare's protections for preexisting conditions. Millions of both parties' supporters witnessed the first presidential debate of the unprecedented election cycle that was marred by the COVID-19 pandemic and expanded the mail-in voting opportunities to prevent the spread of deadly coronavirus. In many states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota, voting is already underway. Nearly 1.3 million people have already cast their ballots either by mail or through in-person voting, as per the U.S. Elections Project. The Trump campaign has tried to keep an intense travel schedule despite the pandemic. But their campaign pushed unsuccessfully for a much earlier fourth debate for the new voting schedules. With his allies, Trump has, for months, depicted Biden as hiding from the media in his basement and has relished in an opportunity to face off with Biden, who would be unaided by a teleprompter, the Fox News reported. The Biden campaign had benefited from a record-shattering $364.5 million fundraising last month. He consistently led in the public polls nationwide as well as in many swing states. Biden has constantly focused on how Trump handles the pandemic that has cost more than 200,000 lives in the U.S. The next Biden-Trump debate is slated on Oct. 15, with the final debate set on Oct. 22. The next vice-presidential debate, on the other hand, will be on Oct. 7, with Vice President Mike Pence facing Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris. Check these out: Amy Coney Barrett Starts Visits with Senators; Democrats Refuse to Meet Her Trump Signs 'Born Alive' Executive Order to Protect Infants That Survived Abortion Kamala Harris Misleads People with COVID-19 Business Loans The Office of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is unpleasantly surprised by the personal assessments and comments in parliament of the first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group Vitold Fokin, the presidential press service reported. "Everyone who represents the state should always remember that the official should not be confused with the personal. If there are differences in positions, and your own vision, whatever it may be, differs from the state, you need to choose the state as long as you represent the state. Not personal, namely the state vision," the message says. The President's Office stressed that the official position of Ukraine fully coincides with the objective reality and political truth. In particular, it was with the Russian invasion that the temporary occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol and certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine began. It is Russia that fully controls the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and has a decisive influence on everything that happens there. It is noted that the work of the Ukrainian delegation in the TCG has always been based on the full sense of the national interests of Ukraine and the absolute truth about the war and who is who in it. "The personal opinion of each of the representatives of Ukraine not only never interfered with the negotiations, but also did not contradict the official position of the state, our fundamental imperatives and the tasks that President Zelensky set for the delegation," the press service emphasized. "Undoubtedly, Vitold Fokin's statements, which are categorically at odds with the official positions of the state, have already been properly assessed. First of all, by society, which paid a great price for its ideals. This cannot be misunderstood," the President's Office added. At the same time, the Office recalled that the goal of the state and its representatives is to achieve sustainable peace only on Ukrainian terms. Namely, an absolute and long-term ceasefire in Donbas, the release of all detainees, the withdrawal of all illegal armed formations and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine, the complete de-occupation and return of Ukraine's control over the border with Russia. "Our delegation is working in the Trilateral Contact Group for this," the President's Office said. The September 30 Pixel 5 events livestream will begin at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT. In India, it will start from 11.30PM IST. Google is all set to unveil its Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G smartphones at the upcoming virtual event that is about to kick off in less than 12 hours. The search giant has already confirmed the names of the two devices and have shown their side profiles in the teaser as well during the launch of Pixel 4A. Unfortunately, the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G wont be coming to India. The country is only supposed to get the Pixel 4A for now. However, these might not be the only two phones getting launched at this event. The firm might have move products under wraps. So, in case you are interested, you can watch the Google Pixel launch live stream to stay updated. Also read: Sonos sues Google for infringing 5 more wireless audio patents across Nest, Chromecast products The September 30 Pixel 5 events livestream will begin at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT. In India, it will start from 11.30PM IST. You can watch the live stream on Googles own YouTube platform. Heres the video below. What is expected Like we mentioned above, Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G will definitely be there at the event. However, besides these you may also get to see new Chromecast with Android TV built-in along with a Google Home successor called Nest Audio. The Google Assistant-based speaker has been confirmed by Google already. However, the specifications, features and price details are still a mystery. Some rumours about the Nest Thermostat has also been floating on the web but it is not for sure if the product will actually see the light of the day or not. A COMPANY registered in Mauritius operating in Zimbabwe, Blossom View Holdings, is suing a local airliner, Nu Aero trading as Fly Africa Zimbabwe, and its director Hopalong Cassidy Chitariso Mugwagwa, for failing to settle a US$4 million loan extended to them last year. Blossom View Holdings, through its lawyers Masiya-Sheshe and Associates, issued summons against Fly Africa Zimbabwe and Mugwagwa, seeking confirmation of cancellation of the loan facility and settling of the debt. Fly Africa was cited as the first defendant while Mugwagwa is the second defendant. On or about the 8th of November 2019 the plaintiff and 1st defendant entered into an agreement in terms of which plaintiff extended a loan facility to 1st defendant in the sum of US$4 million. In terms of the term sheet, 1st defendant was to make drawdowns from the US$4 million upon a written request to the complainant. It was a material term of the agreement that all disbursements under the said term sheet were at the sole and absolute discretion of the plaintiff (Blossom View Holdings). In terms of the signed term sheet for the loan facility, the first defendant (Nu Aero) undertook to repay the amount drawn down quarterly after the grace period of 60 days. The first defendant also agreed and signed that any interest on the loan advanced would be at 10 percent per month, said the Mauritius registered firm. Summons show that the first drawdown request was made on November 10 last year and further requests of drawdowns were made, resulting in the defendants drawing down US$1 710 622 by July 3 this year, and accumulating an interest of US$1 204 355 bringing the total inclusive of loan and interest to US$2 914 978. Blossom View said Nu Aero only paid R1 906 000, which was equivalent to US$42 265 on January 10 this year. The money was channelled towards reduction of interests on the loan facility. In its court papers, the firm claimed that Nu Aero and Mugwagwa failed to repay the interest on a quarterly basis as they had initially agreed. It said both Mugwagwa and his airline owe them US$2 914 978 being capital and interest on money drawn down by Nu Aero from the loan facility as at August 31 this year. The first and second defendants (Nu Aero and Mugwagwa) have not made any further payments towards liquidating the debt prompting the plaintiff to cancel the loan facility extended to the defendants. Despite demand, the defendants have failed, refused or neglected to pay the whole amount owing and they remain in mora. Wherefore plaintiff claims an order confirming cancellation of the loan facility agreement between the parties against the first and second defendants jointly and severally with one paying the other to be absolved. That is, payment of US$1 710 622 being the capital debt payment of US$1 204 355 being interest on money drawn down by the defendant from the loan facility as at August 31, 2020, and payment of interest on the total sum owing at the prescribed rate calculated from date of claim to date of full and final payment plus costs on an attorney and client scale, it said. Herald Non-Congress opposition parties and Muslim leaders on Wednesday questioned the verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case that said that there was no conspiracy in the 6 December, 1992 incident and demanded that judgement acquitting leaders like L K Advani should be appealed in higher courts. They found fault with the CBI investigation allowing the BJP-RSS leaders to go scot-free while describing the verdict as a "travesty of justice" that "blemishes" the image of India as a secular country. They also cited the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya title suit in which the demolition was described as violation of law and said this verdict goes against it. Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) convener Zafaryab Jilani said they would challenge it in the High Court and accused the CBI of failing to put up a strong case despite having evidence. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) president Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said justice has not been delivered even after 28 years. "How the court arrived at the conclusion that there was no conspiracy to demolish the Masjid and that the act was spontaneous and not pre-planned is difficult to understand...History will not judge our nation kindly over the Babri Masjid demolition case, where justice was delayed, denied and the accused culprits were rewarded and set scot-free," he said adding that JIH does not approve of violence to achieve ones political agenda or parochial targets. DMK chief M K Stalin said the CBI failed to act fairly to prove the conspiracy, as it has become a "caged parrot" of the BJP-led Centre. He accused the CBI of "irresponsible and negligent attitude", claiming it relinquished its duty under the Criminal Procedure Code which would have long term consequences and was a cause of concern. The NCP said it expected this verdict and was not surprised. Maharashtra minister and NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik said, "Rath Yatra was taken out before December 6 (1992). The media of the country was present at the (mosque) site and documented the events. There were photos taken and videos captured. There are contents available on YouTube. But the court has given its verdict and we respect it," Malik said. Demanding that the CBI should immediately appeal against the verdict, the CPI(M) said it took 28 long years for this verdict but not justice to be delivered. "All the top leaders of the BJP-VHP-RSS who were present at the scene guiding the criminal act have been found to be innocent of the charge of conspiracy to demolish the mosque. The Supreme Court in its Ayodhya judgment on November 8, last year had called the demolition an egregious violation of the law. Now, the Lucknow court has found the main perpetrators of this crime not guilty," it said. "A complete travesty of Justice. All charged with criminal conspiracy to demolish Babri Masjid acquitted. It self imploded? The Constitution Bench headed by then Chief Justice of India had said that demolition was an egregious violation of law. Now this verdict! Shame," CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted. Expressing "shock and dismay" over the verdict, the CPI said it was a "well-known fact that an intense campaign" along with Rath Yathra was carried out by RSS-BJP leaders for mobilising people against the Babri Masjid which finally resulted in its demolition. Referring to the verdict that said anti-social elements pulled down the mosque, CPI General Secretary D Raja asked, "the karsevaks who took part in the demolition, we are given to understand, are anti-social elements. But who are they?" AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaissi said it was a "black day" for the judiciary. "Now, the court says there was no conspiracy. Please enlighten me, how many days of months of preparations are required to disqualify an action from being spontaneous?" he said. The Muslim League described it as "unfortunate" and demanded that an appeal should be filed against the verdict. Senior Muslim League MP PK Kunhalikutty said the whole world has seen that no one tried to prevent the demolition of the mosque. CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said this was the "final nail" in the coffin of justice for victims of hate crimes in India. "These verdicts are an incentive for perpetrators of hate crimes, assuring them that they can enjoy the political and material fruits of such crimes with total impunity," he said. Senior RSP MP NK Premachandran said the verdict is a slap on the face of secular democratic India and it will lead to people losing faith in the judiciary. DanHenson1/iStockBy PATRICK REEVELL, ABC News (MOSCOW) -- A Russian court has sentenced a historian who helped uncover Stalin-era mass graves to 13 years in prison, abruptly increasing his sentence by 10 years, in a highly unusual step that rights groups said was revenge for his work and part of a broader campaign to whitewash the dark chapters of Russias Soviet history. The case of Yury Dmitriyev attracted international criticism when he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison earlier this year on charges condemned by human rights organizations as fabricated. He had, however, been due to be released within weeks because of time-served in pre-trial detention. But on Tuesday, a higher court in the northern city of Petrozavodsk abruptly overturned the original ruling and sentenced Dmitriyev to 13 years in a prison colony. Dmitriyev, 64, is a member of Memorial, a group that commemorates the victims of Soviet repression. He has faced criminal prosecution since 2016 based on shifting charges based around allegations he had taken pornographic photos of his young adopted daughter and abused her. His supporters though say his imprisonment, in reality, is linked to his role in uncovering mass graves tied to the Soviet gulag prison system and say the charges are an attempt to smear a figure who has played a leading role in commemorating the mass murder conducted under Joseph Stalin. Memorial on Tuesday condemned the ruling saying it was clearly politically motivated. Todays sentence is the revenge of the system which is heir to the Soviet system and would like to consign to oblivion the names that Yury Dmitry has returned, having besmirched him himself, his work and his life, it said in a statement. Human Rights Watch has previously called the charges against Dmitriyev bogus. The United States embassy in Moscow condemned the new sentence as outrageous. The embassys spokeswoman Rebecca Ross wrote on Twitter it is another step backwards for #humanrights and historical truths in #Russia. In the 1990s, Dmitriyev and others found a grave in his home region of Karelia in northern Russia in a place known as Sandarmokh close to the border with Finland. The site is believed to hold the bodies of at least 6,000 prisoners executed by Soviet secret police during whats known as Stalins Great Terror between 1937 and 1938. But in recent years though, a state-backed nationalist conservative group has sought to alter the narrative around the grave. The Military-Historical Society, whose membership includes many senior Russian government officials, has promoted a theory that the grave also holds Soviet soldiers killed by Finnish troops during World War II. The group has conducted digging at the grave and, in 2018, it exhumed 16 corpses that it said were Red Army soldiers in order to support the theory that not only the Soviets were killed at the site. Critics have said it is part of a broader effort to downplay Soviet crimes under President Vladimir Putin. Putin does not deny the mass repression under Stalin, but has sought to shift the emphasis onto the dictators role in modernizing Russia and defeating Nazi Germany. The case against Dmitriyev has shown repeated problems. He was acquitted on the charges of taking pornographic photos by a court in April 2018, but a higher court overturned the ruling and ordered further investigation. Police then brought the case once again and added a new charge alleging that Dmitriyev had violently sexually abused his daughter. In July this year, a court convicted Dmitriyev of that charge and gave him the three and a half year sentence. Rights groups a condemned that as a travesty of justice but also celebrated it as a victory because the shorter sentence meant that because of his lengthy time spent in pre-trial detention Dmitriyev would be freed in November. The court also acquitted him of the original pornography charge. His supporters at the time said the verdict essentially amounted to an acquittal and his lawyers appealed to have the guilty verdict fully overturned. Prosecutors, however, appealed the decision and the court on Tuesday satisfied their request to jail Dmitriyev for 13 years. It also overturned his acquittal on the pornography charge and sent it back for investigation. Dmitriyevs trial was held entirely behind closed doors and, at the hearing on Tuesday, his lawyer was not present because he was quarantining due to a suspected coronavirus infection. The court rejected a request to delay until his lawyer could attend and overruled his objection to be represented by a court appointed lawyer. Memorial has faced frequent harassment in recent years, including a series of dubious criminal cases. The organization also campaigns against present day abuses and its offices have been raided and its members sometimes physically attacked. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Former FBI director James Comey testified in a Senate hearing on Wednesday that if the source for the Steele dossier was a Russian agent, that could make the source either more or less credible in his dealings with the bureau. Last week, Senate Judiciary Committee head Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) publicized an FBI summary indicating that the Steele dossier source, Igor Danchenko, was investigated by the FBI between 2009-2011 as a possible Russian spy. Danchenko, who was trained as a lawyer in Russia and worked for the Brookings Institution in Washington from 2005-2010, had connections to Russian intelligence and tried to recruit two people connected to an influential foreign policy advisor in the Obama administration, telling the pair that if they did get a job in the government and had access to classified information, he had a way for them to make a little extra money. Danchenko also had contact with two other individuals who were the subjects of FBI counterintelligence subjects and had contact with the Russian Embassy and known Russian intelligence officers. The revelations have led Republicans to question whether the dossier, which was used as evidence during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation against the 2016 Trump-campaign, was based on Russian disinformation. However, Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 until he was fired by President Trump in 2017, maintained that even if Danchenko was a Russian spy, that would not necessarily impinge on his credibility. Director Comey, according to [former FBI agent] Peter Strzok, you were briefed on [former British agent Christopher] Steeles reporting and okayed the Crossfire Hurricane teams approach to use Steele in the investigation, Senator Joni Ernst (R., Ind.) said at the Wednesday Judiciary Committee hearing . Do you recall being told about the counterintelligence investigation against [Danchenko]? I do not, Comey said. Do you believe that this information would have been relevant information for the director of the FBI to have received? Ernst continued? Story continues I dont know the answer to that, Comey replied. Maybe, at some point, it would definitely be important for the team to consider whether it made [Danchenko] less credible or more credible. I could see it cutting both ways. The Wednesday hearing was held as part of Senator Grahams ongoing investigation into the Crossfire Hurricane probe against the 2016 Trump-campaign. During the hearing, Comey repeatedly claimed that he learned much of the details of FISA abuse by FBI agents during that probe from the Justice Department Inspector General report released in December 2019. I learned a lot about the Steele material and the sub-source interviews from the Horowitz report that I didnt know before then, Comey said in response to a question from Senator John Cornyn (R., Texas). More from National Review Mumbai, Sep 30 : As a token of gratitude, IDFC First Bank MD and CEO V Vaidyanathan has transferred one lakh equity shares worth around Rs 30 lakh to to his former schoolteacher Gurdial Saroop Saini. The transfer of shares was done without any consideration in appreciation of Saini's help to Vaidyanathan during the early stage of the latter's life, the bank said. In a regulatory filing, the bank said that the CEO had clarified that Saini was not a related party under the Companies Act, and he would pay taxes as per the applicable law. "We wish to inform you that Vaidyanathan has transferred 1,00,000 fully paid-up equity shares of IDFC FIRST Bank Limited, held by him in his personal capacity, to his former schoolteacher, Gurdial Saroop Saini, as a gift...," the bank said in the filing. It has been known that his Maths teacher Saini had lent him Rs 500 to take a train for admission to the Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, as he did not have the money to buy train tickets and could not get in touch with his family either. So grateful was Vaidyanathan for the timely and much-needed support from his teacher that he searched for him for about 30 years. Later he traced Saini in Agra a few years ago and called to thank him for his support. Vaidyanathan was born in Chennai and studied in Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country. Saini was his teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pathankot. Shares of IDFC First Bank on Wednesday closed at Rs 29.95 on the BSE, lower by 0.33 per cent from the previous close. Vaidyanathan was the founder of Capital First, an NBFC, which merged with IDFC Bank in December 2018, creating IDFC First Bank. It is not the first time that Vaidyanathan has shown such generosity. In 2018, as the Chairman of Capital First, he gifted 4,30,000 shares worth over Rs 20 crore to two of his drivers, three maids, some colleagues, and family members. Police in Vietnam arrested a Ho Chi Minh City university professor on Wednesday on charges of slandering a local Communist Party official by accusing him of plagiarizing the thesis he wrote for his doctoral degree, according to state media reports. Pham Dinh Quy, a lecturer at Ton Duc Thang University, was taken into custody on Sept. 23, but was formally arrested on Sept. 30 under Article 156 of Vietnams Penal Code after publishing articles online and in print criticizing Dak Lak province party chief Bui Van Cuong. Pham was seized by police while dining with his wife in Ho Chi Minh Citys Binh Thanh district, and his posted articles were taken down, with one online magazine fined VND 50 million (U.S. $2,000) and its print version suspended for two months. Following Phams arrest, family members petitioned authorities in Vietnams central government and in the central highlands province of Dak Lak for permission to visit Pham in custody, saying they had been denied access during his earlier week-long period of detention. Vietnamese police routinely investigate postings on Facebook and other online media that authorities claim slander or offend the prestige of Vietnamese government leaders, including Communist Party members and provincial officials. On Sept. 18, authorities in the countrys south central coastal province of Binh Dinh arrested Le Van Hai, a Facebook user, for sharing his grievances online about how local government authorities had handled a dispute over his familys land, charging him with abusing freedom and democratic rights to infringe upon the interests of the state under Article 33 of Vietnams 2015 Penal Code. Vietnams already low tolerance of dissent has deteriorated sharply this year with a spate of arrests of independent journalists and publishers, as well as Facebook personalities. And activists say things are likely to get worse as authorities stifle critics in the run-up to the ruling Communist Party congress in January. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Richard Finney. (CNN) "Avatar 2" is finished filming and "Avatar 3" is nearly done, director James Cameron has revealed. In a video chat with former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for the 2020 Austrian World Summit, Cameron said that he getting ready for the new release dates for the next installments of the franchise. "Covid hit us like it hit everybody," the director said. "We lost about four and a half months of production. As a result of that, we've rolled around one more full year for a release in December of 2022. That's been announced already." He continued: "Now that doesn't mean I have an extra year to finish the film because the day we deliver 'Avatar 2,' we'll just start working on finishing 'Avatar 3.' So where we are right now, I'm down in New Zealand shooting, we're shooting the remainder of the live-action. We've got about 10 percent left to go. We're 100 percent complete on 'Avatar 2' and we're sort of 95 percent complete with 'Avatar 3.'" Cameron, who directed Schwarzenegger in "The Terminator," said he got lucky with choosing to film in New Zealand, since the Covid-19 response has been effective. "We're very lucky in that we chose this as our production site years ago," he told Schwarzenegger. "We made the first film here in New Zealand and it turns out to be ranking first or second-best country in the world for its Covid response." Despite the latest details, Cameron wouldn't reveal the plot for the sequels. "I can't tell you anything about the story. I believe in the mystery and the great reveal," he said. An "Avatar 4" and "Avatar 5" are also being planned. This story was first published on CNN.com, "'Avatar 3' is almost done filming." Donald Trump President Donald Trump greets supporters following a Fox News Town Hall event with moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum on March 05, 2020 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Among other topics, President Trump discussed his administration's response to the Coronavirus and the economy. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images "Unhinged," "thuggish," "racist," "undisciplined" and "appalling" are among the many derogatory adjectives that have been used to describe President Donald Trump's performance during his debate with former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday, September 29. But such adjectives were being used to describe Trump long before the debate, and one author who has not been shy about stressing that he considers Trump to be the most dangerous president of his lifetime is Noam Chomsky who, in an interview with Smashing Interviews Magazine published this week, laid out a variety of reasons why he is so troubled by Trump's presidency. The fact that Chomsky considers Trump's presidency the absolute worst he has ever lived through is saying a lot considering his age. The left-wing author, now 91, was born in Philadelphia on December 7, 1928, when Republican Calvin Coolidge was still president and Herbert Hoover was four months away from being sworn into office. Chomsky is old enough to remember everything from the Great Depression and World War II to Watergate to 9/11 and now, he is living through the worst health crisis since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918/1919. Trump's COVID-19 response, Chomsky stressed during the interview, has been disastrous. Chomsky told Smashing Interviews, "In Trump's first days in office back in January 2017, some of his first acts were to dismantle the pandemic response program that had been executed under (President Barack) Obama. He immediately started efforts to defund the Center for Disease Control and all other health-related aspects of the government. That went on for years and went on as late as this past February. While the pandemic was raging, he was denying and other countries were reacting. Trump presented his budget proposal for 2021 defunding the Center for Disease Control even further." Story continues But COVID-19 is only one of the reasons why Chomsky is so troubled by Trump's presidency. Chomsky, during the interview, also lambasted Trump for everything from his terrible environmental record and failing to take climate change seriously to showing a total contempt for liberal democracy. "On the climate issue," Chomsky warned, "Trump continues to make it much more dangerous. Deterioration of democracy has reached a truly incredible point. Trump's already cleansed the executive branch of any independent voice. The inspectors general who are supposed to supervise executive departments started looking into the swamp of corruption Trump has created; so, he fired them." Chomsky continued, "The latest move was to publicly state that if he doesn't like the outcome of the election, he may refuse to accept it. That's never happened in the history of parliamentary democracies. And now, people in high places are taking him seriously. There's a high level independent commission of leading figures in the Republican and Democratic parties and other independent analysts that's been running 'war games,' asking what's likely to happen in the coming election if Trump refuses to leave office." The 91-year-old author even went so far as to say that he believes Trump is unhinged enough to encourage a civil war in the United States. Chomsky told Smashing Interviews, "Unless Trump wins the Electoral College, every scenario they run leads to civil war if Trump and the Republicans just refuse to accept it. There are a lot of options they could pursue to try and undermine it. It's like the actions of a dictator in a neo-colony somewhere a small country that has a military coup every couple of years. There is no historical precedent for this in a functioning democratic society. That's deterioration of democracy at a level we've never seen before and being taken very seriously in the most respectable places . . . We have a sociopathic maniac in the White House." Related Articles Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) The soldier who fired indiscriminately inside the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) on Tuesday, killing a colleague and injuring another, has died after also shooting himself, said PMA spokesperson Major Cherryl Tindog. He passed away on Wednesday afternoon after being brought to the hospital following the incident, Tindog said. According to the PMA, the soldier, an Air Force Airman Second Class, went "amuck and shot dead Air Force Staff Sgt. Joefry Torqueza inside the PMA's grounds at Fort Gregorio del Pilar, Baguio City. Another soldier tried to stop the shooter, resulting in injuries for both of them. The third soldier is still being treated at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, the PMA said without disclosing his identity. Initial investigation showed that the suspect was suffering from a "mental health problem," the academy said. Our soldiers, like any other person, may have been silently struggling with such ordeal," Tindog said in a statement. "Hence, the academy is now more than ever, committed to attend to the mental health not only of our cadets, but more so of every military personnel. She added that the PMA will continue to provide psychosocial interventions for its enlisted personnel and cadets in order for them to remain psychologically fit for any mission given them. The academy assured that the incident is an isolated case and committed to cooperate with the police investigation. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 17:46:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- International film production activities injected an estimated 138.5 million Fijian dollars (about 64.9 million U.S. dollars) into Fiji's economy in 2019 while creating over 2,700 jobs, said Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Faiyaz Koya, here on Wednesday. Koya said that despite the challenging time the world is going through, international filmmakers should still have an avenue to do their work. He stressed the importance of providing a platform for them, adding this will also help Fiji's domestic film industry to grow. Data showed that in 2018, about 56 foreign films with an estimated total spending of 85.4 million Fijian dollars (about 40 million U.S. dollars) had been shot in Fiji. In 2017, the 74 foreign films shot in Fiji generated economic activities worth 361 million Fijian dollars (about 169 million U.S. dollars). Enditem Hyundai Engineering & Construction has currently begun presales of apartments to be built in its Hillstate Godeok Sky City complex in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province Three landmark 49-story buildings will offer 665 apartments once built, and will be the tallest structures in Pyeongtaek's Godeok International New Town. Hillstate Godeok Sky City is located in a user-friendly area it is surrounded by diverse convenient infrastructure including commercial facilities and a neighborhood park. The second phase of the Godeok International New Town development is set to start in 2021, and expected to attract medical, business and sales facilities. A bus rapid transit (BRT) system is on the premises to provide swift and easy transport to key areas including Seojeong-ri Station on Seoul Metro Line 1 and the Super Rapid Train (SRT) that will make transport to Seoul and the rest of the capital region easier. There is also a highway that connects to the Seohaean Expressway. Samsung Electronics' semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek will also be nearby. The first phase of the plant is being constructed, while three others are planned to build the world's largest semiconductor factory. In June, Samsung Electronics announced it would invest 8 trillion won to construct a foundry line and NAND flash line, which is expected to increase housing demand in the area. Nearby there is also a neighborhood park with an art center, museum and library scheduled to be built for locals to enjoy diverse cultural activities. The Hillstate complex is neighbored by low-rise buildings, enabling a commanding view of the surroundings. Elementary, middle and high schools are scheduled to be constructed as well as an international school. This is the first Hillstate brand apartment complex to be built in Godeok and each apartment will include a dressing room, pantry (optional) and customized room (optional) depending on the client's taste. On the third floor there is a fitness center, driving range, library, children's playground and childcare center. "There are key convenient facilities including a business zone and a neighborhood park, and expectancy is high in the Godeok region for the apartment complex," a Hillstate official said. "We will work so that the Hillstate's superior product and exquisite design will become a landmark in the area." (Advertorial) Desert Financial continues to invest in digital solutions and is the first in Arizona to offer voice banking via Alexa and recently, Google Assistant. Contactless solutions also count more now as the pandemic drives new practices around precautions. Desert Financial, the state's largest credit union, is home to its subsidiary SwitchThink Solutions, a technology consulting company that serves credit unions across the nation. With a robust in-house partner, Desert Financial has the talent and resources to innovate with speed and agility that surpasses most financial institutions. "The vast majority of new accounts opened online at Desert Financial take place via smartphones," said Wayne Oleksak, VP of Experience & Innovation at SwitchThink. "So it was important to create a mobile-first solution." Oleksak says some financial organizations use third parties for online account opening. But they often deliver a disjointed experience lacking a personized flow or quick access to support should things go wrong. He hired a team to design a more robust, customized solution for Desert Financial allowing the opening of accounts anywhere, anytime. "Before we laid down a line of new code, we hired a user experience expert, then followed up with thorough member testing before launching," he said. Michael Anderson, Senior Digital Product Manager at SwitchThink, led the team that developed the secure, clean interface inspired by the desert and designed for easy navigation. "It was important to create a friendly and even playful experience that matches our voice as an organization," said Anderson. "The system responds with the applicant's first name, for example, throughout the online application process. It's intuitive and easy to navigate on a phone and features a prominent phone number to call for help. It's mobile-friendly like you'd expect and finishes by inviting the user to download the Desert Financial banking app for immediate access to funds," he said. While finances have clearly moved online like so much of modern living, Oleksak affirms personalized service and relationships continue to attract members to Desert Financial. "Once an account is opened, new members receive a call two days later, then at two weeks, followed by another two months later," he says. With Desert Financial's new statewide charter, virtually anyone in Arizona can open a new account or apply for a loan at their convenience. "While a huge percentage of millennials use mobile banking, we designed this for everyone." Anderson says one new member, in their late 70s, reported a feeling of accomplishment in getting an account opened online. "We knew it would resonate with a tech-savvy demographic, but this member's experience really cemented the success." About Desert Financial Credit Union Celebrating 81 years in Arizona, Desert Financial is the state's largest local credit union with $6 billion in assets, more than 340,000 members and 47 physical locations across the Valley, plus our fully online eBranch serving all of Arizona. As a not-for-profit cooperative, Desert Financial takes pride in sharing success. In 2019, Desert Financial gave nearly $11 million to Valley nonprofits, the community and members. Learn more at Desert Financial Credit Union. MEDIA CONTACT Diane Meehl | 480-651-4654 [email protected] SOURCE Desert Financial Credit Union Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT A late-night stabbing in the Park City on Tuesday left the victim with apparent critical injuries, officials said Wednesday. Police officers responded to Bunnell Street and Stratford Avenue around 10 p.m. for a reported stabbing. COLUMBUS, OhioAttorney General Dave Yost is urging state lawmakers to have Energy Harbor and FirstEnergy Corp. representatives testify before legislative committees and disclose whether two nuclear power plants set to receive a $1.3 billion ratepayer bailout actually need the money. In a letter to state lawmakers serving on Ohio House and Senate committees studying what, if anything, to do about the scandal-ridden bailout law, House Bill 6, Yost stated the corporations owe it to the legislature and the public to appear before the committees and provide a detailed financial accounting of their operations. Knowing what we know now, these corporations have lost any benefit of the doubt, Yost wrote in the letter, sent last Friday. Yosts letter comes as Energy Harbor is again refusing to publicly disclose financial data showing whether its Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear plants along Lake Erie are profitable or not. In addition, state Rep. Jim Hoops, who chairs a special House committee examining whether to repeal or alter HB6, told Gongwer News Service last week hes not sure whether the companies can testify, given lawsuits filed by Yost and others. Yost, a Columbus Republican, wrote in his letter that there is nothing in his lawsuit preventing or even hindering company representatives from appearing in public before your committees to answer questions particularly questions about whether they are, in fact, profitable. Yost added that Ohioans would welcome company officials answering questions in a public session in the light of day and well into the night. It would, without question, aid in producing a fair, well-informed energy bill from your committees, the AG stated in the letter, dated last Friday. State lawmakers are now considering whether to repeal or revise HB6 since ex-Speaker Larry Householder and four allies were indicted in July on charges that they secured the passage of the law through a bribery scheme fueled by $60 million in FirstEnergy money. Yost stated in the letter that no Fifth Amendment issues are implicated by either FirstEnergy or Energy Harbor providing testimony to your committees, as his lawsuit is a civil action, not a criminal suit. Of course, he added, company officers may invoke the protections of the Fifth Amendment if they fear their answers may incriminate them. FirstEnergy Corp. spokeswoman Jennifer Young, in an email, stated that While FirstEnergy will continue to follow and engage in legislation that is of interest to its customers and shareholders, we have no current plans to testify. An Energy Harbor spokesman didnt immediately reply to a request for comment on Yosts letter and whether company officials plan to testify before state lawmakers. Hoops told reporters Wednesday that asking FirstEnergy and Energy Harbor officials to testify is something well discuss." Lawmakers, he said, will just see whether or not (company officials) even show up" and whether they decline to answer questions. Hoops suggested that lawmakers could require Energy Harbor to undergo an audit to see how much bailout money they need. While HB6 requires Energy Harbor to annually submit financial information to state regulators after the bailout takes effect, Hoops said lawmakers could require an audit before Ohioans start paying the bailout surcharge in January. If needed, Hoops said, legislators could delay the date the surcharge starts being collected. If I had my druthers, Id rather have the audit first to see if they really need (the money) before moving ahead, said Hoops, a Napoleon Republican. Everything is still kind of on the table as far as what we want to do. During last years debate over whether to pass the bailout, Energy Harbor then a FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary called FirstEnergy Solutions but now a separate company asserted it needed public subsidies or it would close the plants. But the company wouldnt open its books to lawmakers or the public to prove that it actually needed the money, leading legislators to rely on estimates, industry averages and company officials' word. At the time, FirstEnergy Solutions told cleveland.com the reason it couldnt open its books was because it was involved in bankruptcy proceedings. Those proceedings have been over for months. Heres the letter from Yost to state lawmakers: Read more Ohio politics and government stories: Joe Biden says Donald Trump looks down on working class voters in post-debate Cleveland campaign stop Ohio Supreme Court unanimously upholds felony murder conviction in death of 5-year-old TaNaejah McCloud Green Party presidential nominee Howie Hawkins calls Cleveland debate a fraud, opposes abolishing the police Constant interruptions, insults, obscure substantive discussion at first presidential debate in Cleveland Protesters march in Cleveland ahead of first presidential debate NIGERIA: A former staff of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Oreoluwa Adesakin, has been sentenced to 98 years in prison by Justice Muniru Olagunju of Oyo High Court for fraud. A statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, said Adesakin was found to have committed financial fraud against her employers to the tune of N49,320,652.32 and an additional $368,203.00 belonging to the bank, which she converted to personal use. She was prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 14-count charges bordering on stealing, forgery, and fraudulent accounting. One of the charges read That you Oreoluwa Adesakin sometime between the months of May 2013 and November 2013, at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of First Bank PLC stole the sum of N25,974,116.13 from First Bank PLC MoneyGram Payment Naira Account, the property of First bank PLC. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which necessitated her trial. EFCC counsel, Usman Murtala, presented every vital document and witnesses which nailed the convict. The judge noted the EFCC amassed a pool of incontrovertible evidence against the convict and did a diligent investigation and prosecution. He pronounced Adesakin guilty of all the charges, sentencing her to seven years in prison without an option of fine on each of the 14 counts, which will run concurrently. Apart from the jail term, the convict is also to restitute the First Bank, through the EFCC, all the money she stole. According to EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, Adesakin was arraigned April 4, 2014, by the EFCC following a conclusion of investigations against her which arose from a petition from her former employer, dated December 18, 2013. The bank alleged in the petition that Adesakin, as its Money Transfer Operator, who was saddled with the responsibility of effecting payments through Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram platforms, fraudulently manipulated accounting and withdrew N49,320,652.32 and another $368,203.00 for herself, which the bank only uncovered while reviewing its internal account. The EFCC was also able to establish that Adesakin used part of the proceeds of her crime to acquire landed properties in different parts of Oyo State. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video OVER 1,000 extra college and university places may be needed following errors with the Leaving Cert calculated grades system, the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting has been told. Tanaiste Leo Varadkar told party colleagues the Government will move mountains to ensure students get the course they should have got following revelations about errors with the grading system. He said no student would be downgraded as a result of the errors that were disclosed by the Education Minister Norma Foley earlier. Some 6,500 will have their marks upgraded as a result of the issue that first emerged in the Department of Education last Wednesday. Junior education minister Josepha Madigan told the party meeting that she only heard about it on the news at 1pm and was not contacted by Ms Foley until 3pm today. A source said Ms Madigan was not over the moon about being informed so late on. Read More Senior Fine Gael sources have said Mr Varadkars office and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris were aware of the issue late last week. Mr Harris was told on Friday that hundreds of extra college places may be required, but the extent of the issue was not known at that point. The three coalition party leaders discussed the issue on Monday, but other coalition Ministers were not informed at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Mr Varadkar and Mr Harris briefed Fine Gael colleagues on the issue this evening and said that the final number of places needed would not be known until a full review is complete later this week. The 3,000 successful appeals by last years Leaving Cert students resulted in 600 places being needed so if it was 6,000 this year then somewhere in the region of 1,000 extra places will be needed, the meeting heard. Mr Harris said the CAO has confirmed any student impacted will be treated as a successful appeal and the agency will check if there are places currently available on courses with higher points. He told colleagues that if no places are available he put in place all necessary resources to ensure there are additional places available. Mr Harris said he hoped that by next week the CAO will have updated data and will be able to make new offers to affected students. The meeting heard concerns from several members about the future of the Leaving Certificate exam in the wake of the debacle. Junior minister Patrick ODonovan questioned where this could be the end of a big bang exam at the end of school. Fine Gael vice-chair Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Senator Mary Seery Kearney expressed concerns that the issue of 2,000 students from high achieving schools been downgraded unfairly had not been addressed. Elsewhere, the party unanimously passed a motion proposed by backbencher Colm Burke calling on the coalition to honour commitments made by Fine Gael in last years Budget to reduce prescription charges and increase the eligibility limit for medical cards. The two measures were due to be introduced in July but have both been delayed. On Tuesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin told the Fianna Fail parliamentary party that both measures "will proceed and are proceeding". Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar told the meeting the Taoiseach and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan have agreed that the Seanad seat vacated by Michael DArcy is Fine Gaels to fill. A by-election of TDs and Senators will take place after Mr DArcy resigned to take up a role as chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Managers (IAIM). His new role has generated controversy after it emerged the former minister did not seek clearance from the lobbying regulator before taking up the role. He was a Minister of State with responsibility for financial services up until the end of June this year. Mr Varadkar told the meeting he had never heard of the company Mr D'Arcy has gone to work. He said he was disappointed that Mr DArcy had been given an inside nomination from Fine Gael for the Seanad as so many others had wanted one. To do this, Admiral Seguros is using an AI solution, developed by the technology company Tractable, which accurately evaluates vehicle damage with photos sent through a web application. The app, via the AI, completes the complex manual tasks that an advisor would normally perform and produces a damage assessment in seconds, often without the need for further review. Upon receiving the assessment, Admiral Seguros will use it to make immediate payment offers to policyholders when appropriate, allowing them to resolve claims in minutes, even on the first call. Jose Maria Perez de Vargas, Head of Customer Management at Admiral Seguros, said: "Admiral Seguros continues to advance in digitalisation as a means to provide a better service to our policyholders, providing them with an easy, secure and transparent means of evaluating damages without the need for travel, achieving compensation in a few hours. It's a simple, innovative and efficient claims management process that our clients will surely appreciate." Adrien Cohen, co-founder and president of Tractable, said: "By using our AI to offer immediate payments, Admiral Seguros will resolve many claims almost instantly, to the delight of its customers. This is central to our mission of using Artificial Intelligence to accelerate recovery, converting the process from weeks to minutes." Tractable's AI uses deep learning for computer vision, in addition to machine learning techniques. The AI is trained with many millions of photographs of vehicle damage, and the algorithms learn from experience by analyzing a wide variety of different examples. Tractable's technology can be applied globally to any vehicle. The AI enables insurers to assess car damage, shares recommended repair operations, and guides the claims management process to ensure these are processed and settled as quickly as possible. According to Admiral Seguros, the application of this technology in the insurance sector will be a great step in digitization and will offer a great improvement in the customer experience of Admiral's insurance brands in Spain, Qualitas Auto and Balumba. About Tractable: Tractable develops artificial intelligence for accident and disaster recovery. Its AI solutions have been deployed by leading insurers across Europe, North America and Asia to accelerate accident recovery for hundreds of thousands of households. Tractable is backed by $55m in venture capital and has offices in London, New York City and Tokyo. About Admiral Seguros In Spain, Admiral Group plc has been based in Seville since 2006 thanks to the creation of Admiral Seguros. More than 700 people work from there and for the entire national territory, cementing and marketing their two commercial brands: Qualitas Auto, and Balumba. Recognized as the third best company to work for in Spain, the sixth in Europe and the eighteenth in the world by the consultancy Great Place to Work, Admiral Seguros is committed to a corporate culture focused on people. SOURCE Tractable Related Links https://tractable.ai A Christian street preacher, once awarded 2,500 for 'wrongful arrest' and the confiscation of his Bible, has lost his appeal against conviction for ranting: 'All Muslims are going to hell.' Oluwole Ilesanmi, 65, was given the Met Police handout in July last year after officers handcuffed him over accusations of Islamophobia while he 'preached' near Southgate Tube station in north London. In a video which has been viewed over three million times, the pastor told police not to 'take my Bible away' after describing Islam as an 'aberration' in February 2019. But the devout Christian was arrested again after heading to Bishopsgate, central London and repeatedly shouting: 'All Muslims will go to hell' last 7 September. Ilesanmi then pointed at a shop worker, referred to only as Mr Mohammod, and launched a vile tirade of abuse as he 'invaded his space.' The former dentist told the victim: 'You will go to hell' before raising his voice and repeating the statement when Mr Mohammod asked him to stop. Oluwole Ilesanmi, 64, has welcomed the payout by the Metropolitan Police as a victory for freedom of speech after he had been wrongly accused of Islamophobia The pastor was convicted of religiously aggravated assault at Hendon Magistrates' Court earlier this year and fined 500 but launched an appeal against his conviction and sentence at the Old Bailey. He was not present for the two-day hearing but was represented by barrister Michael Phillips. Mr Phillips told the court that he had been exercising his right to free speech and that those who had taken offence could 'walk on by.' The lawyer said: 'There's an element of, if someone's on the street you can walk past. 'You don't have to listen to the preacher, you can walk on by. 'Here we have two people who were offended. Hundreds of people went past. That is a factor to be considered.' But prosecutor John Crawford argued that the line between 'legitimate freedom of expression' and a 'threat to public order' had been crossed. Judge Anthony Leonard QC, magistrates Alexia Fetherstonhaugh and Andrew Hammond, dismissed Ilesanmi's appeal. Ilesanmi admits to having described Islam as an aberration but insists he was simply expressing his point of view as a Christian rather than denigrating Muslims. He is pictured with a police officer at the time of the incident He was sentenced to a two-year conditional discharge with a requirement to pay 300 in compensation and 620 in costs. The judge said: 'When he turned from preaching his views to anyone who happened to pass and directed his comments to Mr Mohammod in particular and said in an increasingly angry tone "All Muslims are going to hell" and having pointed at Mr Mohammod went on saying "you are going to hell" before repeating it in front of a police officer, his behaviour lost the protection to freedom of speech under Articles 9 and 10. 'We judge that he went beyond what he was entitled to express directly to Mr Mohammod. The former dentist was preaching outside Southgate Tube station (pictured above in a stock photo) in North London in February when he was approached by two officers. A passer-by had earlier called police and accused Mr Ilesanmi of hate speech 'The appellant must have realised he was speaking directly to someone of the Muslim faith and who had already said to the appellant he cannot say that.. 'It follows that the use of words which we judge clearly demonstrated hostility towards Mr Mohammod based on his membership to that religion. 'It was only the appellant's good fortune that Mr Mohammod managed to control the anger and upset that he felt at the remarks and turned to the police for support.' Ilesanmi, of Speyside, Southgate, denied but was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment. He was sentenced to a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay 300 in compensation and 620 in costs. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images A top Vatican official has accused Donald Trumps administration of exploiting Pope Francis in the final stages of the US presidential election campaign. The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, spoke at a conference on religious freedom on Wednesday organised by the US embassy to the Holy See during his visit to Italy. When the Italian news agency Ansa asked Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vaticans secretary for relations with states, if the US unilaterally organising the event amounted to exploitation of the pope in the run-up to the elections, he replied: Yes, that is precisely why the pope will not meet American secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Pope Francis reportedly declined to meet Pompeo during his visit this week, citing the closeness of the US election. But the move was also likely to be linked to Pompeos recent attacks on the Vaticans perceived soft-pedalling on Chinas human rights record as the two sides prepare to extend a historic agreement signed two years ago. Related: Mike Pompeo to criticise Vatican's renewal of China deal during visit The details of the deal have never been made public, but it gave the Vatican a say in the appointment of Catholic bishops in China. Pope Francis also recognised eight bishops that had been appointed by Beijing without his approval. China was also a theme during Pompeos meeting with the Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, in Rome on Wednesday. Pompeo said he asked Conte to consider network security carefully. During a press conference with Italys foreign minister, Luigi Di Maio, Pompeo said he was concerned about Chinas plans to extend its influence on Italys economy. The foreign minister and I had a long conversation about the United States concerns at the Chinese Communist party trying to leverage its economic presence in Italy to serve its own strategic purposes, Pompeo said, adding that the Chinese are not here for sincere partnerships with reciprocal benefits. Story continues He also urged the Italian government to consider the risks to the privacy of its citizens presented by technology companies with links to the Chinese Communist party. In March 2019, Italy became the first G7 country to endorse a contentious plan by China to build a Silk Road-style global trade network, irking its EU and US allies. The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, was given a state visit, during which the two countries signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) that could lead to Italys participation in Chinas Belt and Road initiative (BRI), an ambitious project that envisages Chinese investment in a network of infrastructure projects connecting Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. A host of other commercial deals in a variety of areas, including tourism, food and football, were also signed. Boeing Co. is plotting a low-key comeback for the 737 Max, the grounded jetliner that has spent almost two years engulfed in controversy and tragedy after two fatal crashes, said people familiar with the matter. There wont be an advertising blitz touting the much-anticipated return of Boeings best-selling jet from a global flying ban, said the people, who asked not to be named because the deliberations are private. The company has also dropped plans to fly a rented Max festooned with its corporate logo around the globe to woo customers and journalists. Boeing opted for a more muted approach after a public scolding by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and private criticism from airlines over its handling of the Max crisis, the people said. With its reputation in tatters, Boeing is leaning on the FAA, pilots and airlines to assure travelers that the revamped Max is safe to fly. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, a licensed 737 pilot, plans to underscore that message Wednesday by flying a Max himself. They need to put their heads down, be disciplined and start racking up safe flight hours, Jeff Eller, who heads a crisis-response firm in Austin, Texas, said of Boeing. They dug a hole, they have to fill the hole and then they have to rise above the hole. Brand Damage Eller pointed to parallels to the less-is-more strategy that helped Firestone emerge from scandal and tragedy in the early 2000s. He advised the company as it responded to accidents involving Ford Motor Co.s Explorer that killed 271 people and sparked the largest tire recall in U.S. history. Boeing said its following the lead of global regulators on the rigorous process they have laid out for certifying the 737 Max to return it safely to commercial service. We also are working to provide all necessary support to our customers around the world as they plan a safe and smooth return to service. Many travelers cant tell a Boeing aircraft from an Airbus SE plane, said aviation consultant Robert Mann. But when a jets brand has been as badly damaged as the Maxs, airlines have to walk a fine line between being upfront and alarming travelers. Over the years, carriers have found that consumers are willing to move on if the aircraft is able to restore its image as safe and reliable, he said. If you have to answer peoples questions, answer them, Mann said. He worked at American when the company and McDonnell Douglas Corp. reintroduced the DC-10 jetliner with little fuss following a 1979 grounding, after authorities linked a crash that killed 273 people to improper maintenance. Max Flaws The Max debacle, by contrast, involved flawed engineering assumptions in the design of the plane. The grounding of Boeings workhorse single-aisle jetliner sparked worldwide fury at a pillar of U.S. industry. British tabloids dubbed it the death jet. Boeing was slow to apologize and acknowledge mistakes with software linked to the two crashes, which killed 346 people, and the companys self-inflicted damage worsened as crucial information trickled out over months. Victims family members a group that includes consumer advocate Ralph Nader vowed to block the Maxs return. A year ago, Boeing had small armies of consultants providing sometimes conflicting advice on crisis management and branding, said the people familiar with the matter. The company plotted a sweeping marketing campaign that even scripted talking points and videos that airlines could use with their pilots, front-line employees and passengers. But as the public clamor deepened, the U.S. Max operators pushed back, concerned the messaging was tone-deaf. Boeing eventually scrapped the effort. Now, airlines dont want to reignite the Max controversy at a time when, according to Google Trends, consumers are less focused on the plane. The coronavirus pandemic and U.S. presidential election are dominating public attention, and giving Boeing a chance to reset expectations for its jet. The campaign starts with the FAAs Dickson, who is also working to undo some of the damage to his agencys standing after it signed off on the Maxs initial design. Shortly after taking over at the FAA last year, he vowed to fly the jet himself before its approved for the public. Hes set to fulfill that promise Wednesday with a Boeing test pilot at his side after taking the training course that is expected to be approved for pilots returning to the plane. U.S. airlines are still fine-tuning their plans to reintroduce the Max to their own staff and the flying public. Since the grounding is expected to be lifted first in the U.S., their efforts to win over fliers will be closely watched. Southwest Airlines Co., the models largest operator, said it intends to educate stakeholders once theres a firm date for the aircraft to resume flying. The carrier plans town halls and road shows, incorporating virtual elements because of the pandemic. It will be at least a couple of months from the date the Max is ungrounded by the FAA to when it makes revenue flights at Southwest, Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven has said. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association plans its own passenger confidence campaign, sidestepping a joint promotional push with the carrier, said Jon Weaks, the labor unions president. Pilots want travelers to know were not doing this for Southwest, were not doing it for Boeing or for the FAA, he said. Were doing it for you. You have our word and we have your back. United Airlines Holdings Inc. is planning to notify customers when theyll be flying on a Max through its website and mobile app. The airline is also mulling whether to make gate announcements to alert customers that theyre boarding a Max. If another aircraft has a mechanical problem, United has said it wont use a Max to replace it, at least for several months. It hasnt decided how long that policy will last. American Airlines Group Inc. said its plans for restoring customer confidence with the Max are in the works. The company declined further comment. The Allied Pilots Association, representing aviators at American, is taking a independent stance from the carrier on plans to restore passenger confidence. When the Max is fixed, fully vetted by all stakeholders, and we are robustly trained, we will be at the flight deck welcoming passengers, said Dennis Tajer, a union spokesman. Were not brand ambassadors, we are the last line of defense for passenger safety and thats not a marketing campaign. With assistance from Justin Bachman. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Retail Abu Dhabis Unbox Amazing shopping promotion, which ran throughout July and August across the emirate, achieved record-breaking sales of more than AED2 billion in3,500 participating stores, according to new data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). Equating to weekly spend of AED250 million on eligible Visa cards alone, Retail Abu Dhabis most successful summer promotion to date has negated the impact of Covid-19 to achieve incredible year-on-year increases of31% in total spend and 23% in total transactions. The highly successful collaboration, which included 21 malls and more than 3,500 retailers, was driven by DCT Abu Dhabi, bringing together the Departments dedicated retail platform with the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi (DED); Visa, the worlds digital payments leader; four participating banks including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Al Hilal Bank and First Abu Dhabi Bank; and Etihad Airways. Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: The retail sector has demonstrated its immense diversity and resilience, and Abu Dhabi has achieved a reputational boost in terms of its promotional capabilities as a leading regional shopping destination. Strategic alliances have helped deliver an economically impactful summer retail experience for retailers and consumers, with supporting culinary promotions serving to increase domestic tourism appeal and residual spend. Retail Abu Dhabis Unbox Amazing featured exclusive offers from more than 40 brands during the regions first online-offline shopping experience, an innovative event which was hosted by Arabian fashion icon Raya Abirached. The three-hour virtual programme also featured a virtual cover interview with Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima. Shoppers also enjoyed access to exclusive-to-Abu Dhabi products from brands including Saint Laurent, Hermes, Burberry, Prada, Miu Miu, Fendi, Bulgari, Piaget, Cartier, Jimmy Choo, Van Cleef & Arpels and many more. Running alongside Retail Abu Dhabis Unbox Amazing in participating malls and hotels, the emirates residents and visitors also had the chance to enjoy another DCT Abu Dhabi initiative, a dedicated summer culinary campaign called Travel Through Food, which enhanced the already popular Abu Dhabi Culinary Season. The initiative gave residents and visitors access to an extensive showcase of Abu Dhabis culinary offerings through unmissable food deals from more than 400 venues, Chefs Table specials at fine dining outlets including Coya, Punjab Grill and Fouquet amongst others, and tailored dine and stay packages. With Retail Abu Dhabi, Visa and partner banks encouraging contactless payment throughout the campaign, eligible Visa cardholders that spent AED200 or more in participating outlets were automatically entered into Shop & Win draws to win AED3.5million in prizes ranging from Mercedes Benz cars from Emirates Motor Company, to the latest tech products from Sharaf DG, school fees, staycations, homeware bundles and more. We are thrilled to see the great results of the Retail Abu Dhabi Unbox Amazing campaign and are proud of Visas partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi, and thankful to our partner banks that helped make this happen, said Shahebaz Khan, Visas General Manager for the UAE. The results show just how important offering rewarding, convenient and secure payment experiences are to rebuilding consumer confidence in retail in this new environment and moving forward. We continue to be optimistic about the resilience of Abu Dhabis retail sector and remain committed to supporting local businesses navigate the COVID-19 environment to accelerate the UAEs retail sector recovery. A Retail Abu Dhabi partnership with Etihad, which complemented the massive Shop & Win promotion, also saw one million Etihad Guest miles split into prizes of 250,000 miles for four winners from the four participating banks. Winners can now use the miles towards their next holiday or select products of their choice at the Etihad Guest Reward Shop. Yasser Al Yousuf, Vice President Commercial Partnerships, Etihad Aviation Group, said: The Etihad Guest proposition has expanded far beyond flying, and we are proud of the success achieved through the Unbox Amazing campaign where we partnered with DCT Abu Dhabi, Visa and our bank partners to drive value and support Abu Dhabi retailers and Etihad Guest Visa payment cardholders at a time when they are spending more locally. Consumer confidence was also boosted by Unbox Amazing retailers aligning with DCT Abu Dhabis Go Safe Certification, which enforces exacting safety and hygiene standards across the emirates hotels, attractions, malls, restaurants, theme parks and public venues. Safety measures included weekly testing of all retail and restaurant staff at malls, thermal scanning at mall entry points for shoppers, who are also asked to wear protective masks, the implementation of social distance shopping throughout malls, stores, cafes and restaurants, and regular cleaning and disinfection of all participating outlets. TradeArabia News Service Australia's former top climate diplomat has warned China's net-zero emissions target will leave Australia behind, threatening future trade deals and its influence in the Pacific as the Morrison government becomes wedged between the US and China on climate action. Howard Bamsey, who was Australia's special envoy on climate change during the Rudd government, said the announcement from President Xi Jinping last week had turned the politics of emissions reduction into a sharp economic and diplomatic issue. Chengde Iron and Steel Co, 200 kilometres north-east of Beijing, in September. Credit:Sanghee Liu Professor Bamsey, who was also Australia's ambassador for the environment under the Howard government, said the new policy "pulls the rug out from under the argument" that Australia's domestic climate goals do not need to accelerate because China was yet to increase its ambitions. "It's clear now China is accepting a leadership role," he said. "Xi made the announcement. That carries all the weight of the state and party." Protesters from the Black Flags movement surrounded the homes of Blue and White party ministers on the evening of Sept. 28, as soon as the Yom Kippur fast ended. They came to pressure these Cabinet members to prevent restrictions on future protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The demonstrators claim that Netanyahu is dismantling democracy and taking steps to install a dictatorship in Israel in order to avoid standing trial. They also believe that the Blue and White ministers are little more than pawns in his hands. The Black Flags movement began their protest right after the last election, on March 2, just as the coronavirus began spreading across the country. They are now one of the leading groups dedicated to bringing down Netanyahus government. They and other likeminded groups are behind the demonstrations that have been taking place for weeks outside the prime ministers official residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem. What distinguished Monday nights protests were its targets: senior members of the Blue and White party. The government had decided last week to reinforce a nationwide lockdown in order to curb the rising coronavirus infection rate. The demonstration took place the day before the Knesset convened to authorize more restrictions on the demonstrations in the framework of the nationwide lockdown. The protesters demanded that the Blue and White party ministers halt the Knesset move against demonstrations. Thus, Blue and White was left in a problematic position. As part of the emergency government created to deal with the coronavirus crisis, they understood the need for drastic measures like quarantines to block the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. On the other hand, they were under enormous pressure from protest movements identified with the left an electorate that they claim to represent. The partys standing in the polls is bad enough as it is. At the same time, it considers protecting the right of citizens to demonstrate to be a bulwark of democracy and a means of preventing it from coming crashing down. The thing is that these two goals seem to clash. This has led in the past weeks and months to embarrassing disagreements and squabbles within the Cabinet and coalition, making it impossible to reach an agreement over the parameters of a quarantine. Meanwhile, the virus continues to ravage the country, claiming numerous lives. Because of the governments current inability to function, thousands of people took to the streets on the eve of Yom Kippur, after the quarantine officially went into effect and despite of it. It was only at 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, and after five squandered undecisive days, that the government made its decision on curtailing demonstrations. The hourslong debate through the night was accompanied by shouting and even more heated arguments, demonstrating the misfunctioning coalition and signaling that it may not last much longer. Some Blue and White Knesset members disobeyed coalition discipline and voted against the government. Blue and White member Miki Haimovich said from the Knesset plenum that she felt the nationwide closure could have been avoided had the prime minister taken concrete decisions, untainted by personal, political or electoral interests. The final version that was brought to the Knesset vote gives the government the power to ban traveling over 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from home to attend a protest, and limits outdoor rallies to a maximum of 20 people. Apparently, Netanyahu wished to ban demonstrations altogether, by means of emergency regulations, but Blue and White blocked the proposal. The first person to attempt to derive political benefits from the melee was Blue and White partys Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn. He tweeted, Dangerous efforts by the Likud to impose a ban on the right to demonstrate throughout the entire crisis have failed. Restrictions on movement during demonstrations will only be imposed during total quarantine. As soon as economic restrictions are relaxed, restrictions on movement during demonstrations and prayers will be lifted immediately. Knesset member Osnat Mark (Likud), a member of the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, responded to Nissenkorn by saying, This is a pathetic tweet by the justice minister who wrote that he was able to protect the right to demonstrate, just to win another half a seat [in the Knesset]. Mark was referring to the demonstrations outside the prime ministers residence. Thousands of people attend those demonstrations regularly in order to demand Netanyahus immediate removal from office because of his upcoming trial for bribery, as well as his handling of the COVID-19 crisis. For the past few weeks, Netanyahu and other senior Likud officials have been accusing the demonstrators of spreading the coronavirus in Israel, claiming that the demonstrations have become coronavirus hotspots. They also claim that the sight of thousands of people gathering together without proper social distancing has also trickled down to the rest of the population and had a resounding impact among certain sectors. Ultra-Orthodox communities have started to violate instructions about limited prayer services and large weddings take place within the Arab communities. Both have inevitably led to a steep rise in the number of infections. Despite these claims, the demonstrations continue and have succeeded in creating a certain media buzz. Demonstrations that end in clashes with the police only intensifies the interest in them. Even while the Knessets Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee was meeting yesterday, a convoy of demonstrators arrived at the Knesset and clashed with the police. Netanyahu has reacted derisively to the protesters and their claims. On Sept. 24, he stated, People say that I want this quarantine in order to prevent demonstrations. Thats ridiculous. The quarantine is necessary to save lives and straighten the curve. I would say the opposite. From a political perspective, not only do these delusional and anarchistic demonstrations fail to hurt me, they actually help me. The people are fed up with this, and I dont just mean supporters of my camp either. If that is really the case, however, then why is Netanyahu trying to stop the demonstrations? The reason is that even if the core group of the demonstrators numbers just a few thousand people, they have succeeded in challenging government decisions by influencing the Blue and White party. More so, they have managed to send shockwaves through the broader public. This impacts Netanyahus ability to adopt a centralized approach to managing the coronavirus outbreak, as he did during the first wave in March, when the government succeeded in stopping the virus in its tracks. On the other hand, Netanyahu is right, as the demonstrations are of no electoral benefit to the left-wing opposition. He is even right that they benefit him politically, too. The right-wing ultra-Orthodox bloc is skyrocketing in the polls. If elections were held today, Netanyahu would almost certainly continue to serve as prime minister, mostly likely in a rotation agreement with Yemina party chairman Naftali Bennett. That is the big paradox of the demonstrations against Netanyahu. They may be able to set an agenda, but they fail to create political energy. On the contrary, the center-left camp is actually dwindling. The bottom line is that a government incapable of taking such urgent and significant decisions in times of national emergency is bound to lose its public legitimacy and might reach its end. Propel Marketing & Design, Inc., a South Florida based Marketing Agency, announces their expanding line of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) programs and trainings, including their new Local SEO Guide. Local SEO is intended to help local users find relevant, local businesses, and when companies dont optimize their website to meet these local demands, theyre missing out on leads, sales, traffic (both online and at their brick and mortar), and brand awareness. Propels Local SEO Guide details how companies can gain local traction and Google ranking through easy-to-follow tips and tried and true techniques. Because Google is constantly updating their search algorithm to make online searches easier and better for the user, its imperative that local businesses know how to tell their audience what they do and where their service areas are located, stated Propels President Darcy Sullivan. The Local SEO Guide includes information on: How to use GMB (Google My Business) properly How to ensure map results are correct How to best optimize webpages for local SEO How to get (good) reviews from the locals How to get and manage quality links What companies can do locally to improve their brand awareness And more Local SEO can be a real game-changer for a business if they understand how to optimize for their location and target demographic. Propel Marketing & Design, Inc. has designed this guide to be understood by those who arent technical professionals, This guide is made for anyone running a business and wants a boost in their local search results, no matter their level of website and technical know-how, explained Sullivan. The Local SEO Guide can be found at https://propelyourcompany.com/local-seo-for-2020/. About Propel Marketing & Design, Inc. Propel Marketing & Design, Inc. is a full-service internet marketing agency, located in Boynton Beach, Florida, that specializes in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), social media, website design, email campaigns, search engine marketing, public relations, graphic design, and marketing workshops. Propel works with clients to create effective and unique marketing strategies to help raise their online profile and support their business objectives. For more information please visit http://www.propelyourcompany.com. Contact: Propel Marketing & Design, Inc. (800)943-2346 533 E. Ocean Ave. Suite #1 Boynton Beach, Florida 33435 North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un apologized on Friday for the shooting of a South Korean fisheries officer that occurred near the two nations' disputed maritime border. Correspondence from the United Front Department of the Workers' Party of North Korea stated that Jong Un feels "deeply sorry" for the "unintended, unfortunate incident" and also included the results of the North Korean investigation of the events. Seoul's National Defense Ministry alleged based on "diverse intelligence" last Thursday that the suspected defector was apprehended in North Korean waters and was shot to death, doused in oil, then set on fire, all on orders from a superior. The 47-year-old South Korean citizen, who was recently divorced and struggling with debt, went missing Monday while onboard a patrol boat near the island of Yeonpyeong, about 10 kilometers south of the de-facto maritime border. North Korea's statement instead claims that their officers fired warning shots at the South Korean official, then found a raft with only blood and burned the raft according to protocol. The statement also does not include any mention of South Korean officials' assertion that the man had been trying to defect to North Korea. The statement reads: "At the boat captain's decision, soldiers shot about a dozen rounds at the intruder... Our soldiers concluded that the intruder had been killed, and burned the buoy he was on in the sea, in compliance with the national emergency quarantine protocols." Kim Jong Un's rare apology came after many were concerned that the incident could send inter-Korean relations tumbling. After Kim ramped up tensions with Seoul earlier this year, North Korea since June has been focused on more pressing domestic issues, such as the coronavirus pandemic and devastating floods. The killing threatened to increase pressure on both sides after a year already full of missile tests and harsh rhetoric from Pyongyang. Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said that Kim's apology reduced the risk of escalation, "The shooting incident was also turning South Korean public opinion against offering peace and humanitarian assistance to Pyongyang. Kim's diplomatic move avoids a potential fight in the short-term and preserves the option of reaping longer-term benefits from Seoul." The incident also followed other news of defectors from the South. In July, a 24-year-old refugee from North Korea swam back into the country after being accused of rape in South Korea. The incident caused North Korea to lock down a border area, apparently due to concerns over the coronavirus. North Korea has since issued "shoot-to-kill" orders to prevent the coronavirus from entering the country from China earlier this month, according to General Robert Abrams, the top U.S. commander in South Korea. "North Korea is locked down almost as in a wartime situation to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks," added Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. Tuba City hospital and Elizabeth Sweeney. Photos submitted by Sweeney. Though Sweeney, a sociology major, ended up immersed in a full-fledged public health undertaking in a community hard-hit by the coronavirus, her original intention was quite different. Initially, she had planned on interning for Amanda Burrage 04, a pediatrician at Tuba City Regional Health Care in Arizona, assisting her with a breastfeeding initiative in the hospital's prenatal unit. "And then COVID hit," Sweeney said, "and I had the feeling, 'No way can I go out to Arizona during a pandemic.'" With her internship in doubt, she waited to hear from Burrage. Burrage's world, meanwhile, had been turned upside down last winter when the threat of the virus became clearer. She had stepped away from pediatric care to lead the hospital's COVID-19 response. Because she previously worked for the Center for Disease Control's Epidemic Intelligence Service, she had experience responding to disease outbreaks. Burrage assumed tasks like implementing safety protocols, developing employee sick policies, setting up a contact tracing team, and running hospital data analyses. Southfield, Michigan, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE:SUI) (the Company), a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and operates or has an interest in manufactured housing and recreational vehicle communities, today announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of 5,600,000 shares of its common stock in connection with the forward sale agreement described below. The Company expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 840,000 shares of its common stock. The Company expects to enter into a forward sale agreement with Citibank, N.A. (the Forward Purchaser) with respect to 5,600,000 shares of its common stock (or an aggregate of 6,440,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). In connection with the forward sale agreement, the Forward Purchaser or its affiliates are expected to borrow and sell to the underwriters an aggregate of 5,600,000 shares of the common stock that will be delivered in this offering (or an aggregate of 6,440,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Subject to the Companys right to elect cash or net share settlement, which right is subject to certain conditions, the Company intends to deliver, upon physical settlement of such forward sale agreement on one or more dates specified by the Company occurring no later than October 5, 2021, an aggregate of 5,600,000 shares of its common stock (or an aggregate of 6,440,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) to the Forward Purchaser in exchange for cash proceeds per share equal to the applicable forward sale price, which will be the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, and will be subject to certain adjustments as provided in the forward sale agreement. The Company will not initially receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of its common stock by the Forward Purchaser or its affiliates in the offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds, if any, received upon the future settlement of the forward sale agreement to fund a portion of the cash component of the consideration for its previously announced acquisition of Safe Harbor Marinas, LLC (Safe Harbor). The consummation of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. If for any reason the acquisition is not consummated, the Company intends to use the net proceeds, if any, received upon the future settlement of the forward sale agreement to repay borrowings outstanding under the revolving loan under its senior credit facility, to fund possible future acquisitions of properties and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Story continues Citigroup, BofA Securities, BMO Capital Markets, J.P. Morgan and RBC Capital Markets are acting as book-running managers for the offering. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Citigroup, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 (Tel: 800-831-9146 or email to: Prospectus@citi.com ); by contacting BofA Securities, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department or by email at dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com ; by contacting BMO Capital Markets, 3 Times Square, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10036, Attention: Syndicate Department, Telephone: (800) 414-3627, or by email at bmoprospectus@bmo.com ; by contacting J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, by telephone at (866) 803-9204 or by email at prospectus-eq_fin@jpmchase.com ; or by contacting RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10281-8098; Attention: Equity Syndicate; Phone: 877-822-4089; Email: equityprospectus@rbccm.com . This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted. Sun Communities, Inc. is a REIT that, as of June 30, 2020, owned, operated, or had an interest in a portfolio of 426 communities comprising an aggregate of 142,832 developed sites in 33 states and Ontario, Canada. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains various forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Company intends that such forward-looking statements will be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as will, may, could, expect, anticipate, believes, intends, should, plans, estimates, approximate, guidance, and similar expressions in this press release that predict or indicate future events and trends and that do not report historical matters. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors may cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related stay-at-home orders, quarantine policies and restrictions on travel, trade and business operations; national, regional and local economic climates; difficulties in the Company's ability to evaluate, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions (including the proposed acquisition of Safe Harbor described above), developments and expansions successfully; the ability to maintain rental rates and occupancy levels; competitive market forces; the performance of recent acquisitions; changes in market rates of interest; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; the ability of purchasers of manufactured homes and boats to obtain financing; and the level of repossessions by manufactured home lenders. Further details of potential risks that may affect the Company are described in the Companys periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the Risk Factors sections of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to provide public updates, revisions or amendments to any forward-looking statements made herein to reflect changes in the Company's assumptions, expectations of future events, or trends. For Further Information at the Company: Karen J. Dearing Chief Financial Officer (248) 208-2500 At least 13 member states if the United Nations still criminalise trans people, while others weaponise morality laws to persecute the community, a report published Wednesday (30 September) found. Nigeria, Oman and Lebanon were ranked by LGBT+ rights group ILGA World as holding among the worlds most brutal transphobic legislation. It is a difficult time for trans communities globally, said ILGA World Trans Steering Committee chair Jabu Pereira in the Trans Legal Mapping Report, which assessed gender law across the 143 UN member states and 19 other jurisdictions. The report warned: In every region of the world where we have been documenting legal gender recognition, regressions have occurred. As many member states of the United Nations make leaps in trans rights, others continue to criminalise. The reports authors reflected on the patchwork of progress the world has seen when it comes to trans rights. As much as Britain and Hungary, among many more, have seen trans rights stalled or whittled away, others, such as Belgium and France, have seen leaps made. Particular leaps in non-binary rights were also recorded in the last two years. While the following member states of the United Nations, they found, continue to criminalise trans people: Brunei, the Gambia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, South Sudan, Tonga and the United Arab Emirates. Viktor Orban in Brussels in February. His move to strip trans people of their human rights has been condemned by more than 60 MEPs. (Riccardo Pareggiani/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Moreover, researchers said that the criminalisation of trans people can happen through seemingly innocuous laws, such as those related to public spaces. From laws over loitering to public nuisances, these policies police trans people and constrict how they can live their lives just as damaging, the researchers said. Some of the more shining nations when it comes to legal gender recognition are based in the global south, such as Argentina, Pereira said, referring to how the country introduced self-identification for trans people changing the gender markers on official documents in 2012. Story continues Uncertainty, backlash and attacks: The last two years of trans rights have been some of the hardest. Self-ID, researchers observed, has become a pinched battleground in many countries, acting as a bitter proxy for a debate on trans peoples very existence. Since 2018, they stressed, trans rights have been marked by uncertainty, backlash and attacks. Gender ideology, in the form of conservative positioning around the fixity of biological sex, the emergence [of] trans exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs) and right-wing politicians positing LGBT rights against national identities, have all had detrimental effects on our communities. A great toll on trans rights indeed. Researchers contrasted trans rights organisations, many running on threadbare budgets, to well-funded and well-resourced anti-trans groups. And the level of anti-trans vitriol in Britain, the researchers said, has even been exhorted to many of the other Commonwealth countries. Transgender people and their supporters gather in Parliament Square to protest against potential changes to the Gender Recognition Act on 04 July, 2020 in London, England. (WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Across three years, Britain has seen proposed reforms to Gender Recognition Act the bedrock of gender recognition law dogged by transphobic media coverage and powerful lobbying groups. As much as countless polls have shown such views do not represent Britons as a whole, the transphobic playbook of inflamed, freewheeling misinformation worked. The reforms were scrapped by ministers this month. Through Britains trans rights remained stymied, the researchers shone a light on the array of countries and states which have, since 2017, moved to a de-medicalised self-ID model. Australia (more states), Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, France, Greece, Luxembourg, and Portugal, they said. All of which, surprise surprise, are fairing far better for doing so. Washington (AP) President Donald Trumps nominee for the US Supreme Court has close ties to a charismatic Christian religious group that holds men are divinely ordained as the head of the family and faith. Former members of the group, called People of Praise, say it teaches that wives must submit to the will of their husbands. Federal appeals judge Amy Coney Barrett has not commented publicly about her own or her familys involvement, and a People of Praise spokesman declined to say whether she and her husband are current members. But Barrett, 48, grew up in New Orleans in a family deeply connected to the organisation and as recently as 2017 she served as a trustee at the People of Praise-affiliated Trinity Schools Inc., according to the nonprofit organisations tax records and other documents reviewed by The Associated Press. Only members of the group serve on the schools board, according to the systems president. The AP also reviewed 15 years of back issues of the organisations internal magazine, Vine and Branches, which has published birth announcements, photos and other mentions of Barrett and her husband, Jesse, whose family has been active in the group for four decades. On Friday, all editions of the magazine were removed from the groups website. People of Praise is a religious community based in charismatic Catholicism, a movement that grew out of the influence of Pentecostalism, which emphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus and can include baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. The group organizes and meets outside the purview of a church and includes people from several Christian denominations, but its members are mostly Roman Catholic. Barretts affiliation with a conservative religious group that elevates the role of men has drawn particular scrutiny given that she would be filling the high court seat held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a feminist icon who spent her legal career fighting for women to have full equality. Barrett, by contrast, is being hailed by religious conservatives as an ideological heir to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a staunch abortion-rights opponent for whom she clerked as a young lawyer. In accepting Trumps nomination Saturday, the Catholic mother of seven said she shares Scalias judicial philosophy. A judge must apply the law as written, Barrett said. Judges are not policy makers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold. Barretts advocates are trying to frame questions about her involvement in People of Praise as anti-Catholic bigotry ahead of her upcoming Senate nomination hearings. Asked about People of Praise in a televised interview last week, Vice President Mike Pence responded, The intolerance expressed during her last confirmation about her Catholic faith I really think was a disservice to the process and a disappointment to millions of Americans. But some people familiar with the group and charismatic religious groups like it say Barretts involvement should be examined before she receives a lifelong appointment to the highest court in the nation. Its not about the faith, said Massimo Faggioli, a theology professor at Villanova University, who has studied similar groups. He says a typical feature of charismatic groups is the dynamic of a strong hierarchical leadership, and a strict view of the relationship between women and men. Several people familiar with People of Praise, including some current members, told the AP that the group has been misunderstood. They call it a Christian fellowship, focused on building community. One member described it as a family of families, who commit themselves to each other in mutual support to live together through thick and thin. But the group has also been portrayed by some former members, and in books, blogs and news reports, as hierarchical, authoritarian and controlling, where men dominate their wives, leaders dictate members life choices and those who leave are shunned. The AP interviewed seven current and former members of People of Praise, and reviewed its tax records, websites, missionary blogs and back issues of its magazine to try to paint a fuller picture of an organization that Barrett has been deeply involved in since childhood. (AP) . Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor This one wont collect dust, were told. The report released Wednesday is a living document, were told, that will lead to fundamental change in policing that has been more than a century in coming for Houston and even longer for America. It must be true this time. Because the 153-page report of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turners Task Force on Police Reform is not just infused with the concerns of the living but the painful memories of the dead. The names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Nicolas Chavez are only briefly mentioned, yet the tragic details of their deaths at the hands of police loom over each of the documents 104 recommendations. The image of Floyd struggling for his last breaths as a police officer gouged a knee into his neck haunts the reports sections on community policing, use of force, accountability and training, even while noting that the former Minneapolis officer charged with killing Floyd was himself a field trainer. The injustice of Taylors fatal shooting during a flawed police raid in Louisville, Ky., shapes a bold, wise and welcome recommendation for an outright ban on no-knock warrants in investigations of all non-violent criminal cases, eliminating drug raids where they are most often used. The change resonates even more locally where a botched and bogus raid at 7815 Harding St. in southeast Houston killed Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle in a hail of bullets from police. The video footage of Chavez being shot 21 times by Houston police even as he was on his knees and surrounded by officers provides the somber backdrop for proposals to improve crisis intervention, release police bodycam footage to the public in a consistent and expedient way and overhaul a civilian Independent Police Oversight Board that has too often become a rubber stamp for HPD decisions. The need for massive changes in the way policing is done in America, including in its fourth-largest city, is obvious. The task force report is not the solution, but it lays out an ambitious blueprint that must be taken seriously as a starting point to address some of the issues that have roiled the nation in recent months. Everybody has said something has to be done, task force chairman Laurence Larry Payne told the editorial board this week. We cannot be having this conversation going forward for years to come. There has to be some significant change now. The report, compiled by a 45-member task force over 90 days and delivered to Turner on Wednesday, offers a broad range of recommendations that will eventually require buy-in from the mayor, city council, the police union, civic leaders, lawmakers and residents. More Information Where to find the report: The full report is available on the city's website, at www.houstontx.gov/boards/policing-reform-report.pdf. See More Collapse No one is pretending that will be easy. The editorial board supports the panels recommendations for strengthening the oversight board with professional staff and investigators, a process for releasing police camera footage to the public in a timely fashion and for improved training, more community input, and expansion of services to deal with the mentally ill and domestic crises. More details are still needed to evaluate other recommendations. In accepting the report, Turner was receptive to the proposals but cautioned that it will take broad public support to get anything done. This isnt just about police, he said.This is about all of us. Some of these proposals will cost more money even millions of dollars and will necessarily open the contentious debate over police funding that has become a wedge issue on the state and national levels. The Houston Police Officers Union, in the middle of negotiations over a new contract, will no doubt be wary of what changes will mean for salaries, benefits, promotions and protections of officers rights. The union rarely gives in on such important issues without getting something in return. But whats equally clear is how much the public debate over policing has shifted, and how overdue major reform is. This time, the suggested changes involve more than policy. They target culture, in ways that some officers may find uncomfortable but in some ways they may embrace, such as incentives for involvement and residence in the city they serve. But Payne and others on the task force rightly warn against using selected issues to reject the whole. To sit back and pick apart one or two is to miss the point, the task force says in its report. As many leaders have already noted, it is far too easy for people from both sides the community and the police to hide behind cynical soundbites, incendiary social media posts, or provocative headlines. Rising above these all-too-easy, idle responses will take hard work. But it is necessary work. Payne said he and other members of his group are committed to seeing the process through to avoid the fate of other task force reports gathering dust in City Hall storage rooms. Were not going anywhere, he said. Were not handing it off to the mayor and then everybody sings Kumbaya and it goes and sits on a shelf somewhere. We applaud the task force for months of thoughtful study and problem-solving aimed at changing the culture of policing in Houston. They have given Houston a road map for dealing with a critical, urgent problem that is truly a matter of life and death. This may be our best chance for getting something done, saving lives and making our city safer at the same time. Ignoring it is not an option. Not this time, and after this deadly season of tragedy, protest and awakening, not ever again. CEIBS Shanghai campus will have about a quarter fewer MBA students to start the new term, thanks to strict national regulations enacted in response to the coronavirus pandemic. File photo Much has been written and will continue to be written about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on business schools in the United States. But nearly a year after the first cases were reported in China and seven months after the pandemic closed B-school campuses worldwide, the effects of Covid-19 are still being felt globally, too. China Europe International Business School, whose main campus is in Shanghai, has anticipated the educational repercussions of Covid-19 for some time, according to information first obtained by Poets&Quants. Because the Chinese border has been closed to foreigners (with very few exceptions) since the start of the outbreak last year, CEIBS has had ample time to prepare for this falls start to a new MBA cohort; consequently, for the first time in its 26-year history, CEIBS plans to host those still outside the country at its much smaller campus in Zurich, Switzerland when classes begin October 12, a decision affecting about a quarter of the schools new MBA students. CEIBS Vice President and Dean Yuan Ding says that the schools twin city model will see around 41 of the MBA Class of 2022 undertake classes on the shores of Lake Zurich in mountainous central Europe, with the remainder undertaking their course in cosmopolitan Shanghai. We firmly believe that in-person classroom discussions with diverse peers and world-class faculty represent one of the true cornerstones of a leading MBA experience, Ding says. It is our students enthusiasm for this that has inspired us to develop the twin city model. CEIBS HAS RISEN TO NO. 5 IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES LAST TWO RANKINGS Yuan Ding, dean of CEIBS CEIBS has not officially released profile data for its Class of 2022, but P&Q has learned that the incoming cohort will be 158 strong, hailing from 25 countries, of whom 117 will start the year in Shanghai. One-third are international, and 40.9% are women. The schools Class of 2021 contained 172 students, nearly two-thirds (62.6%) of whom hail from mainland China and another 4.1% from Hong Kong and Taiwan. More than 19% of CEIBS MBA students in that class come from elsewhere in Asia or Oceania; combined, around 12% are natives of North America and Europe. Story continues In the last two Financial Times rankings of global MBA programs, CEIBS 18-month program was ranked fifth, behind only Harvard Business School, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and INSEAD of France and ahead of legendary incumbents like Chicago Booth, MIT Sloan, and London Business School. CEIBS primary strength? Pay increases. CEIBS MBAs enjoy an 187% jump in compensation over their pre-MBA compensation sixth-best in the world (with Chinese schools holding six of the eight biggest increases in the 2020 FT ranking). In addition, CEIBS grads snapped up weighted pay of $185,103 starting out 10th-best in the world. To put it another way, CEIBS grads earn more than grads from storied American programs like NYU Stern, Yale SOM, Dartmouth Tuck, and Michigan Ross. Their checks also outpace international juggernauts like INSEAD, London Business School, and HEC Paris. In fact, there is only one non-American MBA program Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad whose graduates make more than CEIBS alum starting out, according to the FT. Besides Shanghai and Zurich, CEIBS has campuses in Beijing and Shenzen, China, as well as Accra, Ghana. How much has CEIBS central European campus meant to its growth in prestige in recent years? Not a great deal. Opened in 2015, the Zurich campus is normally used for short-term programs, acting as a bridge between Europe and China by hosting visiting participants from the MBA, EMBA, Global EMBA, and Hospitality EMBA programs, as well as those from Executive Education. AN INNOVATIVE MODEL FOR A VUCA WORLD That changes this fall. Zurich will now host term one of the full-time MBA program as students kick off their journey with core modules in Financial Accounting, Data Analytics, Organizational Behavior, Microeconomics, Marketing Management, Business Ethics, Case Method Introduction, and Effective Business Communication, as well as the Leadership Journey and Career Development Program, according to a school statement. Under the twin city format, both Shanghai and Zurich sections of the new MBA intake will kick off their studies simultaneously, says MBA Administration Director Michelle Zhu. Students with Chinese nationality and those internationals already based in China will begin term one at our Shanghai campus, Zhu says. Those temporarily unable to enter the country, due to the travel ban, will join our Zurich campus to begin term one. It is our hope that both sections will be reunited in term two back in Shanghai with the continued easing of travel restrictions. Robert Straw, CEO of CEIBS Zurich campus, says despite the VUCA world we live in a world filled with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity he and his colleagues are eager to welcome students and start the term. The VUCA world that we are so clearly in calls for modern professionals to be flexible and adaptive to global developments, Straw says. I am proud of our faculty, staff, and incoming students for demonstrating the right attitude to embrace this shift in direction as we look forward to taking our legacy of China Depth, Global Breadth to a new level. Adds Dean Ding: With many peer schools pushing back start dates or moving programs online in the face of Covid-19, we are proud to take the innovative path. DONT MISS THE BIG PICTURE: CHINA, SHANGHAI & CEIBS and CEIBS OFFERS MBA BOOTCAMPERS ENTRY INTO VAST CHINA BIZ LANDSCAPE The post Coronavirus Tangles Plans At Chinas Premier B-School appeared first on Poets&Quants. The wounds of sexual violence are experienced by survivors long after an assault takes place. When taught with care and awareness, trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness can be valuable tools for healing from the physiological and psychological impacts of sexual trauma. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, ongoing sexual justice activism, and growing empirical evidence supporting the benefits of yoga and mindfulness practices in managing the many impacts of trauma and stress, Yoga and Resilience addresses sexual trauma and yoga in an integrated and practical way. Calling on a diverse array of more than 25 leading experts in the fields of trauma and yoga, the book distills best practices to inform the fields of mental health, trauma-informed yoga, yoga service, and yoga more generally. The wounds of sexual violence are experienced by survivors long after an assault takes place. When taught with care and awareness, trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness can be valuable tools for healing from the physiological and psychological impacts of sexual trauma, said Carla Goldstein, president of Omega and cofounder of the Omega Womens Leadership Center. We are proud to support this important body of work. Yoga and Resilience: Empowering Practices for Survivors of Sexual Trauma is the fourth in a series of Yoga Service Best Practices Guide Books, and the first to be published by Handspring Publishing. The series launched in 2015 with the publication of Best Practices for Yoga in Schools, and was followed by Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans in 2016, and Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System in 2017. This work is a model for what collective inquiry and co-creation can successfully be. The depth of empirical and experiential knowledge that is embedded in this book is only possible because of the diverse expertise of all contributors. I know that the wisdom these experts have bestowed will profoundly impact the fields of both trauma-response, and yoga service, said editor Danielle Rousseau, who is also an author of Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System. The partnership of the Yoga Service Council and Omega Institute began in 2009, when Omega offered space for a group of yoga teachers to come together and talk about ways to support those who worked with vulnerable and underserved populations. The council emerged from this initial gathering and offered the first annual Yoga Service Conference at Omega in 2012. As a result of the shared commitment to yoga and service, the Yoga Service Council and Omega decided to formally partner in 2014 to bring yoga and mindfulness practices into the lives of more individuals and communities who have limited access to these vital teachings. About the Editor Danielle Rousseau is an assistant professor at Boston University. Her professional focus has been in trauma services and gender advocacy. She is a social justice researcher and practitioner. Dr. Rousseau has worked in the field of forensic mental health as a therapist in correctional facilities, winning multiple awards for her service. She has also served communities doing crisis response and victim advocacy. Her research, teaching, and practice focus on justice, trauma, gender, mental health, mindfulness, and resilience. She is an advocate of integrative, holistic approaches that support embodied self-care. She is a licensed therapist and certified yoga teacher. Dr. Rousseau is an author on the Yoga Service Councils Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System and the editor for Yoga and Resilience: Empowering Practices for Survivors of Sexual Trauma. About Handspring Publishing Since 2012 we have been publishing evidence-based, fully referenced professional books for bodywork and movement teachers and therapists. Based in Scotland, UK, our authors and editors are internationally recognized as leading teachers and practitioners in their area of expertise. Our books are produced to a high quality often with supporting video and other materials. We aim to publish books that provide an unrivalled source of continuing professional development and learning for their readers. Handspringpublishing.com Handspring Publishing contact: Hilary Brown, Hilary@handspringpublishing.com About Yoga Service Council The Yoga Service Council is a collaborative community that welcomes yoga and mindfulness teachers, therapists, social service providers, educators, health professionals, researchers, and all others who share our mission and vision. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to maximizing the effectiveness, sustainability, and impact of individuals and organizations working to make yoga and mindfulness practices equally accessible to all. YogaServiceCouncil.org Yoga Service Council contact: Rajni Tripathi, Director@YogaServiceCouncil.org About Omega Institute for Holistic Studies Founded in 1977, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is the nations most trusted source for wellness and personal growth. As a nonprofit organization, Omega offers diverse and innovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. Located on 250 acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega welcomes more than 23,000 people to its workshops, conferences, and retreats in Rhinebeck, New York, and at exceptional locations around the world. eOmega.org Omega contact: Chrissa Santoro, ChrissaS@eOmega.org # # # The Indian Embassy in Madagascar is set to become solar-powered on the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi on Friday, October 2. It is set to become the first Indian Embassy to switch to solar energy after the installation of 8 KW of the solar power plant on its rooftop. Indian Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar tweeted about the transition on Wednesday. Read: Indian Embassy In Madagascar Celebrates Mahatma Gandhi's 150th Birth Anniversary 'Clean and Green' Indian Embassy According to the official statement, the solar-powered 'clean and green' Indian Embassy will be inaugurated on October 2 by Raharinirina Baomiavotse Vahinala, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar, and Ambassador Kumar. The inauguration will also be attended by Marie Dimond, Resident Representative of UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), Volatiana Rakotondrazafy, UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) Country Representative, and Nanie Ratsifandrihamanana, Country Director of WWF (World Wide Fund). India and Madagascar are members of the International Solar Alliance and both countries strive to use solar energy to fight climate change and environmental pollution. Read: Madagascar FM Unveils Ambassadors' Portrait Gallery At Indian Embassy In Antananarivo Gandhi Katha The Indian Embassy in Madagascar's Antananarivo also put together a Gandhi Katha on the theme 'The Oceanic Gandhi' to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It was organised by eminent Gandhian Scholar Professor Makarand Paranjape who is also the Director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. The live event which was held on September 26 was telecasted on the Indian Embassy's official Facebook page. The event was also attended by several people from Madagascar and Comoros during which Professor Makarand spoke about the importance and the influence of oceans in Mahatma Gandhi's life. (With ANI inputs, Image: ANI) Read: Madagascar's Native Lemurs Are Facing The Threat Of Extinction: Report Read: Trump Blasts George Floyd Protesters For Vandalising Mahatma Gandhi's Statue RENO, Nev.: Environmentalists are suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to try to force the emergency listing of a rare wildflower as an endangered species after much of its population was destroyed at the site of a proposed lithium mine in Nevada. The federal lawsuit the Center for Biological Diversity filed Tuesday also demands the Bureau of Land Management take immediate action to protect Tiehms buckwheat. It says the species is on the brink of extinction at the only place its known to exist on earth about 200 miles (322 kilometers) southeast of Reno. Government scientists are continuing to investigate the mysterious, unprecedented loss of thousands of the plants discovered earlier this month at the site Ioneer Ltd. says sits above some of the largest untapped lithium deposits in the world. They have indicated so far they agree with the Australian mining companys contention that rodents or other small mammals ate them. The conservation group says somebody dug up the flowers as many as 17,000, or 40% of the remaining population. But it said in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas that what, or who, is to blame is irrelevant. Regardless of the cause, all parties agree that the impact on the plants is `alarming, the lawsuit said. Emergency action is essential to address the dire situation of the plant and the on-going risk of further harm. Ioneer declined to comment on the lawsuit. The two federal agencies didnt immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The Center for Biological Diversity and others petitioned on Oct. 8, 2019, for a listing of the buckwheat under the Endangered Species Act. The species is found on just 10 acres (4 hectares) of land spread across 2 square miles (5 square kilometers) in the remote Silver Peak Range of Esmerelda County. The Fish and Wildlife Service concluded in July there was enough evidence of potential threats to the plant to warrant a full 12-month review of its status. It didnt respond at that time to the centers request that the species be listed as threatened or endangered on an emergency basis. The center had filed a lawsuit late last year against the Bureau of Land Management in an effort to halt the mining project. But it withdrew that lawsuit after Ioneer indicated it had completed exploration at the site and the agency officials assured the group it would enforce all federal laws in the permitting process. The new lawsuit cites the extraordinary circumstances at hand in which the fate of a highly imperiled plant on BLM lands hangs in the balance and emergency action is clearly called for. Patrick Donnelly, the centers Nevada state director, said Tuesday both federal agencies have failed to protect this vulnerable little wildflower. Now its on the brink of extinction, he said. This new destruction underscores the urgent need to save Tiehms buckwheat before its too late. Construction of the mine is scheduled to begin next year. The lawsuit said that Tiehms buckwheat was estimated to have a global population of 43,921 individuals before the recent destruction of the plants sometime between July 5 and Sept. 11. The loss of 40% of the population would leave about 26,400 individual surviving plants, the lawsuit said. It said loss of the plants remains a clear and, until stopped, ongoing threat to the species very survival." The lawsuit referenced a half-dozen scientists who wrote letters to the Fish and Wildlife Service last week to express their opinion that humans, not animals, caused the damage. Botanists specializing in buckwheat and desert plants, along with mammologists, have stated that the damage appears unprecedented in severity and inconsistent with previously reported rodent depredations," the lawsuit said. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Despite the South Korean government's repeated messages urging citizens not to travel to their hometowns to celebrate Korean Thanksgiving holiday, or Chuseok, on Oct. 1 to minimize the danger of further clusters of COVID-19 infections, some people chose to take the risk and headed to meet their loved ones outside the city. At Seoul Station on Tuesday, travelers hurried not to miss their trains while station officers spared no time in monitoring consistently changing crowds over concerns of coronavirus inside the station. This year's Chuseok has been highlighted as a highly volatile threshold that can lead to another spike in virus cases that have been kept under 100 daily in the past few days. Whether the fears will be realized remains to be seen after this week when many of the 51 million population mix across the country which will make tracing patients' movement routes virtually impossible. Korea Times photos by Choi Won-suk Petoskey High School band directors, assistant principal remain on administrative leave Superintendent Chris Parker addressed the situation regarding three band instructors and an assistant principal who are all currently on paid leave during Thursday's board of education meeting. The Centre on Wednesday said it has procured about 44,809 tonnes of paddy worth Rs 84.60 crore in the past three days, at the minimum support price (MSP) from Punjab and Haryana. The procurement data, which is released on a daily basis, sends a message to farmers who are protesting against new farm laws that the government was continuing with the MSP procurement process. Farmers of Punjab and Haryana and several other states are protesting against the new farm laws, which they feel will lead to procurement in the hands of corporates and the end of MSP. In a statement, the Union agriculture ministry said the arrival of kharif crops has just begun and the MSP operation is in full swing. About 41,303 tonnes and 3,506 tonnes of paddy from Punjab and Haryana, respectively, have been procured at the MSP rate of Rs 1,888 per quintal in the past three days till September 29, it said. Total 44,809 tonnes at Rs 84.60 crore under MSP has been procured from 2,950 farmers of Haryana and Punjab during the period, it added. Paddy procurement commenced from September 26 in Punjab and Haryana, while in the remaining states on September 28. For the current year, the government has fixed the MSP of paddy (common grade) at Rs 1,868 per quintal, while that of A-grade variety at Rs 1,888 per quintal. That apart, under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), the government through its nodal agencies has procured 46.35 tonnes of moong at Rs 33 lakh MSP value so far, benefitting 48 farmers in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, 5,089 tonnes of copra (the perennial crop) having an MSP value of Rs 52.40 crore has been procured, benefitting 3,961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the past three days. The ministry said it has given nod for procurement of 14.09 lakh tonnes of kharif pulses and oilseeds from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Haryana. For other states and UTs, approval will be accorded on receipt of proposal. Cotton procurement for the 2020-21 season will commence from October 1. Wrexham lockdown measures taken as sparks seen so acting before those sparks became a forest fire This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 30th, 2020 When you start seeing sparks, theres an opportunity to act before those sparks became a forest fire that requires much more significant action. That is the message from Wales Health Minister Vaughan Gething about the decision to introduce local lockdown measures in Wrexham, Flintshire, Conwy and Denbighshire from 6pm Thursday (1 October). Welsh Government have published a Q&A on what the restrictions will mean for the area on their site, Wrexham County Borough lockdown: frequently asked questions. Today we had the opportunity to ask questions to three Welsh Government ministers, with Education Minister Kirsty Williams taking questions at lunchtime prior to the latest figures being made public. This afternoon and this evening we spoke with both the health minister and Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales Ken Skates. Yesterdays announcement about tighter restrictions in Wrexham came as a surprise to many with the county borough not featuring on any previous Welsh Government watch lists. On Monday Wrexham.com reported Mr Skates had highlighted how Wrexham managed to drive down the infection rate during a spike in cases over the summer. Following an outbreak connected to the Rowan Foods factory on the Wrexham Industrial Estate and at the hospital, mobile testing units were introduced in Caia Park and Hightown to find out if coronavirus was widespread within the community. However after several days and over 1,400 tests, transmission was found to be significantly lower than had been initially feared. Just over 24 hours later it was announced that Wrexham, along with Flintshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Conwy, would be entering a period of tighter restrictions from 6pm on Thursday. Today we asked Mr Skates why the decision to put Wrexham into local lockdown was made after last nights announcement caught people off guard. He explained that cases locally had been rising sharply and that the the longer you leave action, the longer you are going to be within containment measures. Mr Skates said: Weve been reviewing the rolling number of cases over a seven day period and unfortunately, across north east Wales cases have been rising in each of the local authorities, but the rise in the Wrexham County Borough area has been particularly sharp. The decision was reached in conjunction with local authority leaders, including the leader of Wrexham Council, also health professionals, university vice chancellors and the police. This is not an easy decision to make. All of us believed that acting swiftly would enable us to ensure that Wrexham and the other three council areas in areas of north east Wales will be able to come out of restrictions quicker. The longer that you wait before bringing in local restrictions, the longer an area is likely to then be contained within those restrictions. So in the interest of making sure that we can get businesses through this as swiftly as possible and get citizens through this as soon as possible, the decision was taken to act now. By taking action now will enable us to bring Wrexham out of containment much sooner than if we waited several more days and waited for that infection rate to rise even further. Today further information around the reasons for lockdown measures has emerged, with an increase in cases per 100k figures, as well as positive proportion of tests. We asked Mr Gething to run through the decision making process, what changed and when, and how Wrexhams position as a positive one, evaporated to a lockdown situation. He said: We had information from Public Health Wales on the figures, as they were, and also the local intelligence about the spread of Coronavirus. We had information ahead of the publication of the figures today. That information was largely about the fact that weve seen coronavirus seeded in a range of different areas and the intelligence about how well people adhere to self isolation, how many clusters that are explained, how many clusters are linked. That is a key part of the intelligence, and also it building on learning from the last six months but from the last six weeks since we started from a very low base in the middle of August in terms of Coronavirus, effectively suppressed very low rates of hospital care, hardly anybody in intensive care. But within the next four weeks, we saw the need to take action starting an Caerphilly and then RCT. So we have seen a very rapid growth in authorities in south Wales and were starting to see that rapid growth in north Wales. Actually learning from south Wales has been applied to taking action in the north. The 50 per 100,000 data point on new cases isnt a hard and fast dont take action until it gets to 50 or you must take action when its past 50. Again you will recall in Wrexham when we had the the Rowan Foods incident, Wrexham was well above 50 per 100,000 in terms of the rates, but it was effectively contained around one site. Community testing around that time demonstrated there wasnt a community outbreaks, and we didnt need to take wider community measures. Actually, what we see now is theres a much wider spread within the community and we dont have that same level of confidence to not take action. Theres an analogy that has been used in in Cardiff and Vale that I think applies to the rest of the country. When you start seeing sparks, theres an opportunity with the information youre getting in the hard data, but also with the softer intelligence of whats actually happening, to act before those sparks became a forest fire that requires much more significant action. We also asked the Minister what review periods are in place, and what figures Wrexham and other areas will be looking to return to before lockdowns are eased. Mr Gething said: It is 14 days for the initial review, and then we are going to review the restrictions on a regular basis, at least every seven days. So, were looking at every point on a Thursday to have a regular review of the action that were taking. So after the 14 days, we need to consider do we need to consider continuing with the action. That will again be a combination of data and indeed the softer intelligence of community conduct adherence to Track Trace Protect and whether were seeing uncontrolled outbreaks taking place as well, or clusters that arent linked to each other. We are looking to see a sustained fall below the 50 rate. But actually, I think wed want to go below 50 as well, because its still fairly high if youre into the 40s. Equally, if people are in the 30s per hundred thousand, then thats still on our watch list for concerns. So it depends about the amount of confidence we have about the sustained level of the reduction and well run through that first, probably in Caerphilly and Newport, because theyre hovering around 50, and then Caerphilly it was much, much higher. That means that if we get below 50, and see it stay below 50, we will then consider the reliability of the evidence of the sustained nature that fall. So I cant give an exact data point, but it is more than just the data that we need to rely on when making these choices, both to have local restrictions and to ease out of them. But, the fact that Caerphilly has seen a significant fall in cases I think, should provide people with some hope, both that local restrictions can and do work, and that were having a different sort of conversation about when you might be able to do something different with your family in the lifting some of those restrictions. It certainly isnt a one way escalator to further and further measures. Cheshire West and Chester has 61 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, we pointed out to the minister that if that was in Wales it would be in a lockdown, and if it was in Slovakia, there would be the quarantine rules. We asked the Minister if this is something he could legislate on, and take action as has been done elsewhere, and enquired why is England not on existing lists, or specific English counties. Mr Gething replied: There are two things I think its worth pointing out. The first is that the test of our legal powers for movement within the UK, within the common travel area, Im not sure how we carve that out, we could probably find an inventive way to do it. But, I think trying to create internal borders between other countries is not preferable. It is preferable that the UK Government act in terms of the restrictions they are providing in England. To make sure those local restrictions really are local and that that population with heightened challenges in virus uptake, and dont move around and potentially spread and continue the spread of the virus with all the harm it causes. You are right to point out if those counties were a different country, then there would be quarantine arrangements for people who have traveled from that country into any part of the UK. The second point Id make is that we have not just had a constructive and mature conversation with local authorities across North Wales, weve also made sure that weve had some engagement with those authorities in the northwest of England. So Ken Skates as Minister for North Wales has spoke with the leader of some of those border authorities on the English side to explain what were doing and why. My understanding is that they themselves are concerned and would rather take action sooner rather than later as well. I m not in a position to undertake public health action for England, my responsibilities are for Wales, but we would welcome measures being taken to protect people in England and recognising the very clear social and economic links that are part of day to day normal life in northeast Wales, with Northwest England. Welsh Government have published a Q&A on what the restrictions will mean for the area on their site, Wrexham County Borough lockdown: frequently asked questions. Attorneys for Kenosha gunman Kyle Rittenhouse have announced they plan to sue Joe Biden and his campaign for libel after the presidential candidate tweeted a video suggesting the teenager is a white supremacist. Lin Wood, who is representing the 17-year-old shooter, on Wednesday said he is taking steps to demand a formal 'public retraction' from the Biden/Harris campaign shortly after the former VP shared the clip. The 50-second video showed a mashup of scenes from white supremacist rallies and far-right groups across the country as debate moderator Chris Wallace is heard asking Trump if he is willing to condemn the racist organizations. Scroll down for video Attorneys for Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse (left) have accused Joe Biden of defaming the teenager after he was portrayed as a white supremacist in a video shared by the presidential nominee The Democratic candidate on Tuesday shared a video clip denouncing white supremacists that including a photo of Rittenhouse wielding a gun The clip also includes a shot of Rittenhouse holding a rifle during the Kenosha protests, where he is accused of fatally shooting two demonstrators. 'There's no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night,' Biden said. The tweet received over 273,000 likes and more than 67,000 retweets. '[A] formal demand for public retraction is being prepared for Biden/Harris Campaign on behalf of Kyle Rittenhouse. I also hereby demand that [Joe Biden] immediately retract his false accusation that Kyle is a white supremacist & militia member responsible for violence in Kenosha,' Wood tweeted in response. 'On behalf of Kyle Rittenhouse, I shall sue Joe Biden & Biden/Harris Campaign for libel. 'I am partisan in 20/20 supporting [Donald Trump.] I am non-partisan trial lawyer who aggressively pursues truth to achieve justice. Put in your hearing aid, Joe. You will hear footsteps,' he added in a follow-up tweet. Attorney Lin Wood said he is working on demanding a formal public retraction from the Biden/Harris campaign Lawyer Todd McCurty announced he has also joined the legal battle against Biden, accusing him of defaming the teenager He later announced attorney Todd McCurty would be joining Rittenhouse's legal team in pursuing the libel case. 'Presidential candidate [Joe Biden] had defamed Kyle Rittenhouse by suggesting on this video that he is a White Supremacist. The#Left just will not stop. I am working on the retraction demand now for Mr. Biden and his campaign,' McCurty tweeted. Neither Biden nor Harris responded to the tweet. Rittenhouse, who is from Illinois, is currently fighting extradition to the Wisconsin where he is charged with shooting dead two protesters. Rittenhouse participated in a hearing last Friday at the Lake County Circuit Court in Illinois via video link from the detention facility where he is being held Rittenhouse is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of two protesters: Joseph Rosenbaum (left) and Anthony Huber (right) He is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection to the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, during a night of unrest in Kenosha on August 25. He is also charged with wounding a third demonstrator, Gaige Grosskreutz. His attorneys have said Rittenhouse acted in self-defense and have portrayed him as a courageous patriot who was exercising his right to bear arms during a night of protests over the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake. Rittenhouse, who was arrested in his hometown of Antioch, participated in a virtual hearing last Friday at the Lake County Circuit Court in Illinois from the detention facility where he is being held. Lawyer John Pierce told the judge he planned to fight the request by Kenosha prosecutors that Rittenhouse be transferred to Wisconsin to face charges. The judge, Paul Novak, gave 14 days for the defense to review papers and file pleadings ahead of an October 9 hearing. Pierce asked for a month to prepare arguments challenging extradition that he said involve 'issues of some complexity, frankly that have not arisen in the country for some time'. MOORESTOWN, NJ The coronavirus has changed the way children are educated in 2020, and parents may be having a hard time adapting. A program that will take place at the Moorestown Library next week is designed to help. The library will host a program on Homeschool Help via Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 1. Home educator and library staff member Damaris Katt will provide expert tips during the presentation. Katt has 20 years of experience as a home educator to eight children. She has graduated five children from high school and is currently teaching three children at home, according to the library. She is qualified to help parents trying to navigate their way through an unfamiliar learning environment. After schools abruptly shut down in March, districts were thrust into a remote learning environment and had to navigate their way through the last few months of the 2019-20 school year. New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters. Heading into the 2020-21 school year, districts were more prepared and parents knew ahead of time what learning environment their children would be entering. The Moorestown Public School District offered a 100 percent remote option and a hybrid model that combined in-person and remote learning. However, students learning in person are only in school for half a day, twice a week. Read more here: Moorestown Schools Reopening Plan Altered By NJ Gathering Limit Students are also home-schooling as part of pandemic pods, which take various forms. Read more here: South Jersey Families Organize Pandemic Pods Ahead Of School Year Katt said she enjoys sharing how homeschooling can be a positive experience for children and parents, and she has found the library to be an invaluable resource in home education. In addition to Katts tips, parents will also learn about the library's online educational resources, and there will be a Q&A session. Registration is required. To register online click here, or call the Children's Department at 856-234-0333, ext. 5. This article originally appeared on the Moorestown Patch In communities across Texas that are increasingly competitive between the two major parties, down-ballot Republican candidates face an unusual challenge this year. Winning and losing presidential candidates such as George W. Bush, Mitt Romney and John McCain have long helped, or at least had a negligible impact on, other Republican candidates, such as those running for the state Legislature. Legislative candidates win or lose on their own, but its always a plus to have a candidate atop the ticket with strong appeal to Republicans and persuadable independents. Thats not the case this year. Republican legislative candidates are facing headwinds instead of riding coattails. In the most reliably Republican communities, especially in rural parts of the state, Republicans are likely to keep winning up and down the ballot. But in Texas and across the country, suburban and urban areas have moved away from the Republican Party over the last four years and these are the types of communities where Republican dominance in Texas was built. Down-ballot candidates cannot control what happens in a national campaign but in priorities and temperament, they can distinguish themselves. Republicans can maintain an advantage in Texas by demonstrating a focus on local concerns and a commitment to solving the issues that keep their neighbors up at night. Those issues begin with COVID-19, and they are plentiful: How will schools help students make up for months spent out of the classroom, and how can legislators continue to make the meaningful investments in public education included in 2019s House Bill 3 school finance legislation? How do we address the challenges to our mental health system that the pandemic and economic recession have made more acute? How can small businesses get back on their feet? And how can the Legislature, without making the states looming budget shortfall even worse, help approximately 659,000 Texans who, between February and May, were added to the ranks of Texans without health insurance? 2020 Voter Guide: A roadmap of the races, candidates and issues on the ballot Republican candidates for the Legislature need to proactively address each of these worries. It would also be advisable to separate themselves from the tone and tenor of the national campaign. Republican candidates can advocate free-market, pro-business principles with more credibility and optimism than Washington offers. After all, many voters in Republican areas have moved away from the party because of doubts about this president more than doubts about the core tenets the party was built upon. A Republican Texas congressman recently told a Politico correspondent: Its no secret that in the suburbs, and especially among women, theyre turned off by Donald Trump. Does this mean theyre turned off by Republicans? Does it mean theyre not center-right voters anymore? No, not necessarily. Not at all, actually. Given the crises we are facing this year, voters should be looking for thoughtful, solutions-oriented candidates who are willing to build consensus and cross aisles when necessary, and govern responsibly for Texas. Its worth remembering that as of Mondays court ruling, this is the first year that Texans cannot just punch one ticket and automatically vote for every candidate in a party up and down the ballot. Voters will need to evaluate each race separately, all the way down a lengthy ballot. Its never easy for a candidate to separate from the top of the ticket. But it can be done, and Republicans have to do it to save the partys majority in the Texas House. Down-ballot Republicans should embrace that opportunity, zero in on local concerns, and distinguish themselves from the national campaign. Republican Joe Straus of San Antonio served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019. He is chairman of Texas Forever Forward. GLEN CARBON One of the larger plots of buildable commercial land within the village is on track for development as Orchard Town Center. The village building and development committee approved a plan Monday by Thouvenot, Wade and Moerchen (TWM) to convert the old, 54-acre Foucek property between Troy Road and Plum Street to commercial use. From the air, the site resembles the state of Nevada minus Las Vegas. A reporter talked to Village Administrator Jamie Bowden about the plan Tuesday, which is only in its earliest stage. He said Tim Lowe, TWMs vice president of leasing and development, did not bring any cost figures or prospective tenant names to the meeting. Its a central piece to the market, Bowden said. He said three or four years ago, another company came through with a plan for the property but in the end, they couldnt make the numbers work to everyones satisfaction and the project fell through. While additional sales tax revenue for the village is the ultimate reward from Orchard Town Center, Bowden said the committee, and ultimately, the board, will have questions about whether this will make for a quality development and its level of walkability. He said the committee questioned Lowe about his companys previous projects in Missouri and nationwide. He also said village officials will want to know what TWM will bring to the table. The preliminary plan calls for a 209,000-square-foot anchor store plus an almost 49,000-square-foot warehouse close to the MCT Goshen Trail that divides the land from the AMC Theatre on the Edwardsville side of the border. The anchor store and warehouse comprise 18.6 acres on the site and have been widely rumored to be a Menards location. The entire site calls for 725 parking slots. Ringing the land from the southeast corner of Governors Parkway and Plum Street, over to Troy Road and south almost to Center Grove Road will be 12 outlots, each one between 1.09 acres and 1.77 acres. Next, will be four junior anchors south of the anchor store three in a row sized at 15,500-square-feet, 10,000-square-feet, 7,900-square-feet; and the final one on its own spot with 14,400-square-feet. There are multiple entrances and exits planned one at Center Grove Road, between the Goshen Trail and the AT&T Store at the extreme northwest corner of Troy and Center Grove. Two more ingress/egress points will connect to Troy Road, across from current entrances to existing commercial areas. Another one will be on Governors Parkway across from Edwardsville Crossing and finally, there will be an in-and-out from Plum Street, near the Ironworks development. Bowden said traffic and environmental studies remain to be done and the results of those could change the location and number of entrances and exits, reminding a reporter this is all preliminary, not final. Stormwater runoff will be handled by at least five separate basins, two along the Goshen Trail and three between Troy Road and the outlots. The Foucek family, who owned Sunnyside Nurseries in Troy, had its main location in unincorporated Madison County. Joseph Foucek began farming the land in what is now Glen Carbon in 1942. The village has owned the property since 1988. The northern end extends across Governors Parkway and covers 18 acres of the Edwardsville Crossing Shopping Center Ross Dress for Less, Carters, Mens Wearhouse, Texas Roadhouse, Happy Up, Big Frog Custom T-shirts, 54th Street Grill, PNC Bank and Best Buy are all in Glen Carbon. The Starbucks coffeehouse rides the line. The next step is to get this project to the planning and zoning (P&Z) commission on Oct. 6 for a preliminary site plan review and approval. From P&Z, the next stop would be to the full board of trustees later this year. Bowden also pointed out that the developer may request financial assistance for this project, which would then have to go through the villages finance committee while the site plan goes through P&Z. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 09:33:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked the international community to push for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. In his address to the General Assembly last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to join the Middle East Quartet and members of the Security Council in convening an international conference early next year to discuss a genuine peace process, noted Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. China believes that this initiative demonstrates Palestine's positive will to participate in the peace dialogue and promote the peace process. All parties should attach importance to it and should consider efforts to create favorable conditions for the political settlement of the Palestinian issue, he told the Security Council. The international community, not least those countries with influence on Palestine and Israel, should uphold an objective and just position, actively promote peace talks and make efforts to advance the Middle East peace process, he said. Abbas also said the Palestinian side is preparing to hold parliamentary and presidential elections involving all political factions. China appreciates this and looks forward to early and positive progress in the intra-Palestinian reconciliation and relevant political processes, he said. Relevant UN resolutions, the land-for-peace principle, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the two-state solution are important consensus that must be upheld in order to achieve peace in the Middle East, said Geng. The plans to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, if implemented, will seriously violate international law and UN resolutions and undermine the two-state solution. China is seriously concerned, he said. China noted that the plans have been suspended. It hopes that the party concerned will respond to the secretary-general's appeal by abandoning the annexation plans and returning to the track of dialogue and negotiations, he said. In addition, the situation in Gaza has recently been persistently tense. It is hoped that all parties will respond to the secretary-general's global cease-fire appeal by earnestly observing the cease-fire agreement reached at the end of August and desist from taking actions to aggravate the situation, he said. According to the United Nations, the number of Palestinian homes demolished between March and August 2020 hit a four-year high, with hundreds of people displaced, said Geng. "We urge the party in question to earnestly implement Security Council Resolution 2234, stop all settlement activities in the occupied territory, stop the demolition of Palestinian homes and destruction of Palestinian property, and refrain from acts of violence against civilians. At the same time, the relevant party should fulfill its obligations under international law, and ensure the coverage of basic services and humanitarian assistance to all the people in need in the occupied territories, and fully lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip," the envoy said. Noting the severe impact brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to the economic and social development of Palestine, Geng said that Israel and Palestine should shelve their differences, strengthen cooperation, and spare no effort to fight the pandemic and safe lives, calling on the international community to ratchet up support to help Palestine meet its economic and humanitarian challenges. China, he said, firmly supports Palestinians' legitimate demands and all efforts conducive to the settlement of the Palestinian issue, and supports the Palestinian people in establishing an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty on the basis of 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. According to the envoy, China has lately handed over the fourth batch of epidemic prevention materials to Palestine and signed a donation agreement with UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees. Besides, new progress has also been made in the Ramallah school project assisted by China. Enditem Astrophysicist probes cosmic "dark matter detector" A University of Colorado Boulder astrophysicist is searching the light coming from a distant, and extremely powerful celestial object, for what may be the most elusive substance in the universe: dark matter. In two recent studies, Jeremy Darling, a professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, has taken a deep look at PSR J1745-2900. This body is a magnetar, or a type of collapsed star that generates an incredibly strong magnetic field. "It's the best natural dark matter detector we know about," said Darling, also of the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy (CASA) at CU Boulder. He explained that dark matter is a sort of cosmic glue--an as-of-yet unidentified particle that makes up roughly 27% of the mass of the universe and helps to bind together galaxies like our own Milky Way. To date, scientists have mostly led the hunt for this invisible matter using laboratory equipment. Darling has taken a different approach in his latest research: Drawing on telescope data, he's peering at PSR J1745-2900 to see if he can detect the faint signals of one candidate for dark matter--a particle called the axion--transforming into light. So far, the scientist's search has come up empty. But his results could help physicists working in labs around the world to narrow down their own hunts for the axion. The new studies are also a reminder that researchers can still look to the skies to solve some of the toughest questions in science, Darling said. He published his first round of results this month in the Astrophysical Journal Letters and Physical Review Letters. "In astrophysics, we find all of these interesting problems like dark matter and dark energy, then we step back and let physicists solve them," he said. "It's a shame." Natural experiment Darling wants to change that--in this case, with a little help from PSR J1745-2900. This magnetar orbits the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy from a distance of less than a light-year away. And it's a force of nature: PSR J1745-2900 generates a magnetic field that is roughly a billion times more powerful than the most powerful magnet on Earth. "Magnetars have all of the magnetic field that a star has, but it's been crunched down into an area about 20 kilometers across," Darling said. And it's where Darling has gone fishing for dark matter. He explained that scientists have yet to locate a single axion, a theoretical particle first proposed in the 1970s. Physicists, however, predict that these ephemeral bits of matter may have been created in monumental numbers during the early life of the universe--and in large enough quantities to explain the cosmos' extra mass from dark matter. According to theory, axions are billions or even trillions of times lighter than electrons and would interact only rarely with their surroundings. That makes them almost impossible to observe, with one big exception: If an axion passes through a strong magnetic field, it can transform into light that researchers could, theoretically, detect. Scientists, including a team at JILA on the CU Boulder campus, have used lab-generated magnetic fields to try to capture that transition in action. Darling and other scientists had a different idea: Why not try the same search but on a much bigger scale? "Magnetars are the most magnetic objects we know of in the universe," he said. "There's no way we could get close to that strength in the lab." Narrowing in To make use of that natural magnetic field, Darling drew on observations of PSR J1745-2900 taken by the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, an observatory in New Mexico. If the magnetar was, indeed, transforming axions into light, that metamorphosis might show up in the radiation emerging from the collapsed star. The effort is a bit like looking for a single needle in a really, really big haystack. Darling said that while theorists have put limits on how heavy axions might be, these particles could still have a wide range of possible masses. Each of those masses, in turn, would produce light with a specific wavelength, almost like a fingerprint left behind by dark matter. Darling hasn't yet spotted any of those distinct wavelengths in the light coming from the magnetar. But he has been able to use the observations to probe the possible existence of axions across the widest range of masses yet--not bad for his first attempt. He added that such surveys can complement the work happening in Earth-based experiments. Konrad Lehnert agreed. He's part of an experiment led by Yale University--called, not surprisingly, HAYSTAC--that is seeking out axions using magnetic fields created in labs across the country. Lehnert explained that astrophysical studies like Darling's could act as a sort of scout in the hunt for axions--identifying interesting signals in the light of magnetars, which laboratory researchers could then dig into with much greater precision. "These well-controlled experiments would be able to sort out which of the astrophysical signals might have a dark matter origin," said Lehnert, a fellow at JILA, a joint research institute between CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Darling plans to continue his own search, which means looking even closer at the magnetar at the center of our galaxy: "We need to fill in those gaps and go even deeper." ### This story has been published on: 2020-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Grocery shopping online is convenient. A convenience farmers fear could put them out of business. A handful of grocery chains supply Canadians with food and, with online sales predicted to surge beyond the pandemic, theyre racing to adapt. That means a suite of expenses warehouses, robotics, software development, delivery trucks that farmers and processors say are being passed down to them. This is coming from the imbalance of (market) power, said Michael Graydon, CEO of Food, Health, and Consumer Products of Canada, an association representing Canadas food, beverage, and consumer products industries. When youve got over 80 per cent of grocery retail consolidated into five individual retailers, it gives them (significant market power). Thats the root cause of the issue. Together, Loblaws, Sobeys/Safeway, and Metro make up 63 per cent of all grocery stores in the country. That leaves farmers and food processors few options to get their products to market, and minimal negotiating power to set prices that reflect their costs of production. Its a situation farmers say has contributed to skyrocketing farm debt in Canada and could have cascading impacts on Canadas food supply chain. That makes farmers less resilient, less able to adapt to climate change, less able to have the reserves they need to protect themselves from unexpected events like pandemics, said Darrin Qualman, director of climate policy and action for the National Farmers Union. Canadian farmers have been increasingly pinched between rising costs for growing food and lower prices for years. Theyre the only part of Canadas food supply chain that is distributed across several thousand small businesses a sharp contrast to heavy consolidation among both grocery chains and seed and fertilizer companies. Theyre also competing against producers in Mexico, the United States, and other countries where the cost of growing and processing food is cheaper, Graydon said. Eventually, farmers and processors cant cut their costs any further. Unless they can convince domestic retailers that their food is worth a higher price tag, theyre forced out of business and that increases Canadians dependence on food grown across international borders or thousands of kilometres away. Taken together, these forces have put farmers and processors in a difficult position, Graydon and Qualman agreed. A position thats set to get worse as grocery chains race for online dominance, a competition best exemplified by a $3.5-billion e-commerce expansion project announced by Walmart Canada in July. The companys plans include renovating a third of its Canadian stores, building two new distribution centres to serve online customers, and incorporating robots and machine learning into its operations. This investment ensures were developing a supply chain that is the envy of the world. The better the supply chain, the quicker our customers can get the products they want, said John Bayliss, senior vice-president of logistics and supply chains for Walmart Canada in a written statement in July. Canadas National Observer made multiple requests to Walmart for comment that were not answered by publication time. The problem, Graydon said, is that the company has been clear the $3.5 billion wont come from its coffers. Instead, it will be transferred down the supply chain as an infrastructure fee applied to the price received by the food processors and farmers supplying the U.S.-based company. Theres been this tradition to improve profitability while (keeping prices low for consumers) by putting all the risk and responsibility (of expansion) back onto the suppliers, Graydon said. Thats common among grocery chains across the country, he explained. Whats different with Walmarts recent announcement is that the company told its suppliers directly it would be cutting into the prices suppliers received to fund the expansion project. And presented with few other places to sell their goods, producers dont have much choice besides accepting the price cut and hoping they stay afloat. (Walmart) has just reported some of the best financial results in the history of their organization and is now putting what is traditionally the purview of the company themselves capital investment in growth onto its (suppliers), Graydon said. Walmart saw its sales jump 10 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, a direct result of pandemic panic purchases, and the fastest pace of growth in almost 20 years. Nor is it alone. The bulk of this growth went to the countrys three major grocery chains Loblaws, Sobeys/Safeway, and Metro companies that are also surging into online shopping, Graydon said. Theyre just less transparent about how theyre funding these expansion plans. Even the federal government is concerned. It is unfortunate to see grocers impose these costly (expansion) fees during this pandemic, which fall on the thousands of Canadian food producers who are working hard to feed Canadians and support their communities amid many challenges, said Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau in an emailed statement. However, she noted that terms of sale are generally the exclusive domain between suppliers and buyers, and these areas fall under provincial jurisdiction ... Given that unfair business practices, including as they relate to terms of sale, are addressed at the provincial level, we encourage our provincial and territorial counterparts to examine this matter. The minister did not specify whether the federal Competition Act, which aims to maintain and encourage competition in Canada ... to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises have an equitable opportunity to participate in the Canadian economy, could be applied in this context. That doesnt surprise Graydon. The problem is the way the Competition Act is established today, he said. The Competition Bureau, which administers the act, only looks at the consumer impacts of mergers and consolidation within an industry. (The Competition Bureau) doesnt look at the impact (of consolidation) on the supply chain supporting these retailers. Impacts that the pandemic laid bare. Two huge federally inspected meat-packing plants process about 80 per cent of all beef eaten in Canada. Theyre preferred suppliers for Canadian grocery chains because only federally inspected meat can cross provincial borders, while consolidated processing capacity leads to economies of scale and cheaper meat. Both were hit hard by the pandemic, with one forced to close for two weeks to control a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility. That led to tumbling cattle prices, steers piled up in feedlots and farms across the country, and concerns of countrywide meat shortages, explained Qualman from the National Farmers Union. That should be a wake-up call, Graydon said. Its unfortunate that the competition laws in this country havent adjusted to the consolidation to protect the wider supply chain. Thank You Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also manage your communication preferences by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 06:20:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Cuba aims high in its environmental protection and will achieve a number of goals by 2030 despite the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States, Cuban Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Elba Rosa Perez told the UN Biodiversity Summit on Wednesday. "In light of 2030, in the National Plan of Economic and Social Development we set other goals such as increasing forest areas by up to 33 percent, water reuse by 15 percent, gradual reduction of single-use plastic and other sources of land pollution; renewable energy production up to 24 percent, as well as the implementation of financial solutions that contribute to the fulfillment of national biodiversity goals," she said. "Our will to make progress in this field will be maintained despite the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States, which has been tightened by the current administration," she said. "Without the blockade, Cuba would have, for these purposes, more access to financial resources, supplies and technologies, and fewer limitations for the development of its international cooperation, especially South-South cooperation," said the minister. The UN Biodiversity Summit was convened by the president of the General Assembly on Wednesday, at the level of heads of state and government under the theme of "Urgent action on biodiversity for sustainable development." Enditem Mrs Jemima Oware, the Registrar-General has cautioned prospective clients of the Registrar Generals Department to be wary of the activities of middlemen and to avoid their services. She said the Department had put in place measures to control activities of the middlemen, who allegedly collected monies from prospective applicants in the pretext of helping them to register their companies. However, it was up to clients to stay watchful and avoid their services, saying prospective clients who transacted businesses with middlemen did so at their own risk. Prospective clients should be watchful and avoid services of middlemen in their interest, Mrs Oware told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani after the inauguration of the Bono Regional Office of the Registrar-Generals Department on Monday. The office would undertake registration of companies, industrial properties and marriages. Mrs Oware stressed the departments determination to decentralise its operations to make services accessible to clients saying decentralised offices would be opened in all the 16 regions in the country soon. Currently, there are four regional offices in Kumasi, Takoradi, Sunyani and Accra. Mrs Oware said the department had given a grace period for companies to file their annual returns by December this year because of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) and warned penalties would be imposed on those who failed to do so. Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, said that decentralizing the departments operations at the regional level was laudable, and expressed the hope that the activities of middlemen would be brought under control. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kentuckys attorney general is seeking to delay the release of secret grand jury proceedings in the Breonna Taylor case just as audio recordings were set to be released to the public. Attorney general Daniel Camerons office filed a motion on Wednesday morning asking for a weeks delay to enable the redaction of names and personal information. A court in Louisville had been expected to release the audio recordings on Wednesday. The filing said the delay is necessary in the interest of protection of witnesses, and in particular private citizens named in the recordings. Expand Close Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron (AP/Timothy D. Easley) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron (AP/Timothy D. Easley) Mr Cameron acknowledged this week that his recommendation to the grand jury was that only one of the officers be indicted, and only for the wanton endangerment of Ms Taylors neighbours. Mr Cameron, a Republican protege of Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and the states first African American attorney general, has been criticized since announcing the grand jurys indictment for not seeking charges against the officers for killing Ms Taylor. Mr Cameron said the other two officers who fired their guns were justified because Ms Taylors boyfriend had fired at them first. Protesters took to the streets in Louisville and around the country to demand more accountability in the case, as frustrations spilled over after months of waiting for Mr Camerons announcement. Activists and Ms Taylors family called for the grand jury file to be released. Expand Close A protest in honour of Breonna Taylor in Georgia (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A protest in honour of Breonna Taylor in Georgia (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP) Mr Cameron said the record will show that his team presented a thorough and complete case to the grand jury. Ms Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical worker, was shot five times in her Louisville home on March 13 by officers carrying a narcotics warrant. Ms Taylor and her boyfriend were watching a movie in her bedroom when police came to her door and eventually knocked it down. The warrant was related to an investigation of a drug suspect who did not live with her, and police found no drugs at her home. Former officer Brett Hankison, who was fired from the force for his actions during the raid, pleaded not guilty to three counts of wanton endangerment on Monday. Officers Jonathan Mattingly, who was shot in the leg by Ms Taylors boyfriend, and Myles Cosgrove, who Mr Cameron said appeared to have fired the fatal shot at Ms Taylor, according to ballistics tests, remain on the force. When a couple of doctors in Ontario are billing for a particular procedure more often than all the doctors in British Columbia combined, it would seem that something is wrong. A Toronto Star investigation published this week found that any two of Ontarios three top-billing pain doctors Dr. Stefan Konasiewicz, Dr. Hany Demian and Dr. Nadir Al-Jazrawi completely dwarf B.C. when it comes to performing nerve blocks. Those are targeted injections of local anesthetic to treat chronic pain. In a single fiscal year, 2017-18, Konasiewicz billed Ontarios public health care plan for nearly 40,000 of these procedures with a total cost of more than $2.2 million. At a minimum, the billable fees for this service need to be adjusted. Whether administering repeated nerve blocks is cutting-edge pain treatment (as some claim) or highly questionable (which seems to be the greater medical consensus) doctors shouldnt be profiteering from it. When the Star exposed how Ontarios top-billing pain doctors are capitalizing on the governments lax rules, Health Minister Christine Elliotts immediate response was I know and that is something we are absolutely going to follow up on. Premier Doug Ford called the story shocking. But this has been going on for years. Ontarios tax-funded public health care plan (OHIP) has paid out more than $420 million for nerve blocks since 2011. Health care dollars are finite, so its even more shocking if this money wasnt even spent on good medical care for those suffering from debilitating chronic pain. Now that this has all been publicly exposed by the Star, the government suddenly seems keener to actually address the problem. This underscores the value of public transparency around physician billings. Seven years of data for the provinces 100 top-billing doctors is what spawned this story data that the Ontario Medical Association fought the Star for years to try and keep hidden. There will always be a few individuals who seek out financial advantage in any system and the medical profession is no different. Ontario must take a close look at the high-billing pain doctors that stand out so far from their peers and make sure their patients, and not the clinics pocketbook, are being put first. But thats not all thats needed. Ontario must address the over-arching problem of a fee-for-service system that creates an incentive to rack up billable procedures and leads to troubling pay gaps between medical specialists and primary care doctors. It makes little sense when doctors many of whom trained as family physicians working in pain clinics can bill OHIP millions annually for nerve blocks when the average family doctor bills something closer to $300,000. No wonder theres such unbounded growth in this lucrative speciality, with 384 doctors, up from just 62 five years ago, eligible to practice in Ontarios pain clinics. Other fee-for-service proceduralists, such as ophthalmologists and radiologists, have also benefited from advances that allow them to work faster and bill OHIP more. The more cognitive specialities such as pediatrics, geriatrics and psychiatry have not had similar benefits and are among the lowest paid. Bringing this back to a better balance wont be easy but the province cant keep putting it off. Chronic pain is a terrible condition to live with and patients are desperate for relief. Ontario needs to make sure theyre getting the best possible treatment by increasing research into pain management, developing guidelines and best practices for when and how often nerve blocks can be administered, and reducing the lengthy wait-lists for other more holistic pain treatment options. Nerve block injections dont treat pain, they just mask it and, in some cases, not for long. Surely our health care system should strive to offer people a better solution than that. BEIJING, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited ("Concord Medical" or the "Company") (NYSE: CCM), a healthcare provider specializing in cancer care, research and prevention by operating a network of medically advanced comprehensive cancer hospitals and standalone radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in China, today announced that the hoisting ceremony for the proton therapy system of Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center (the "Center") was held at the construction site on September 30, 2020. Proton therapy technology is able to be used to treat certain types of cancers, such as cancers near optical nerves, the spinal cord or central nervous system and in the head and neck area, as well as prostate cancer and cancer in pediatric cases, and limit the damage to surrounding tissues to an acceptable level, as compared to the conventional radiotherapy. Proton therapy technology has been substantially examined and applied in the United States. Meizhong Jiahe Hospital Management Group Co., Ltd, the Company's subsidiary, is endeavored to focus on the R&D of proton therapy technology and to contribute to the international development of proton therapy, especially for the treatment of those more commonly diagnosed cancers in Chinese patients, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lung cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer and pediatric tumors. The Company will form an advanced cancer treatment technologies R&D and application center with characteristics of proton therapy technologies covering China and even Southeast Asia. Dr. Jianyu Yang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Concord Medical, commented, "I am pleased to see that, after years of efforts, the Center has started the installation of proton therapy system (the "System"). The hoisting of the System of the Center is an important milestone in the overall strategic development of Concord Medical. We will make every effort to ensure that the project is completed on time, with emphasis on quality and safety. I believe that the completion of the System at the Center will not only promote the development of cancer radiotherapy in China, but will also help Chinese cancer patients in their recovery too." "We are very excited to have achieved this important milestone by overcoming uncertainties in the COVID-19 pandemic," said Dr. Xiao Zhang, Senior Vice President and President of Varian Greater China Region, "Concord Medical is dedicated to providing quality cancer care services to Chinese patients. Once completed, it will be one of the leading cancer centers equipped with proton therapy in Southern China. We are very committed to the partnership with Concord Medical to provide the advanced cancer care for the benefit of patients in the greater region." The Center is a comprehensive cancer hospital established by the Company in cooperation with the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and is the first batch of high-tech projects launched by Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City (the "SSGKC Project"). The SSGKC Project is located in the center of the golden triangle in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It covers the major cities of the Pearl River Delta, Hong Kong and Macao by car in two hours. The Center has goals to establish a "five in one" international cancer center with clinical diagnosis and treatment, cancer prevention, medical research, specialist training and remote consultation in Guangzhou. The Center covers a gross floor area of 40,000 square meters, and has 400 patient beds. The Center equips with Varian's ProBeam proton therapy system to provide high quality and humanized cancer treatment services for patients in China or abroad. About Concord Medical Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited is a healthcare provider specializing in cancer care, research and prevention. The Company operates a network of medically advanced comprehensive cancer hospitals and standalone radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centres in China. The Company focuses on providing multidisciplinary cancer care approach in all areas of oncology services in its cancer hospitals. The Company also equips its hospitals with technologically advanced equipment such as the state-of-the-art proton therapy system in its Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou cancer hospitals. As of June 30, 2020, the Company operated a network of 27 centers based in 20 hospitals, spanning over 20 cities across 13 provinces and administrative regions in China. To ensure the commitment to the highest level of clinical care for patients, the Company offers ongoing education and training for doctors and other medical professionals in its network hospitals and centres in both local and overseas medical institutions. For more information, please see http://ir.ccm.cn. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies beyond the Company's control and based upon premises with respect to future business decisions, which are subject to change. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. SOURCE Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited Related Links www.concordmedical.com/cn Judge Amy Coney Barrett began meeting Tuesday privately with top Republican senators as Republicans embark on an extraordinarily swift process to try to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the Nov. 3 election. Three days after President Trump announced Judge Barrett as his choice to sit on the nations highest court, she arrived on Capitol Hill with Vice President Mike Pence to begin privately meeting with Republican senators ahead of public hearings next month. The White House then formally nominated her to fill the vacancy left by Justice Ginsburg. Judge Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor and an appeals court judge in Chicago, is expected to remain in the stately Mansfield room for most of Tuesday as senators, including Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shuffle in to quiz her privately. We truly do believe that Judge Barrett represents the best of America personally, in terms of her great intellect, her great background, and we have every confidence that as the American people learn more about Judge Amy Coney Barrett, they will be as inspired as President Trump was when he made her nomination, Mr. Pence said, ahead of a meeting with Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader and a champion of Judge Barrett. Pune, Sept. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global wind turbine foundation market will derive growth from recent product advancements. According to a report by Fortune Business Insights, titled Wind Turbine Foundation Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Monopile, Jacket Pile, Gravity, Suction, Tripod, Raft, Others), By Application (Onshore, Offshore) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026, the market will benefit from the increasing awareness regarding global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. The increasing demand for electrical energy has created a subsequent need for sustainable alternative sources. The demand for clean energy and the concerns surrounding greenhouse emissions will have a direct impact on the growth of the market in the coming years. The need for naturally derived sources of electrical energy will create a subsequent demand for wind turbine foundations across the world. Accounting to the growing emphasis on the research and development of renewable sources, several companies are looking to invest more in newer products. The advancements in manufacturing parts of wind turbine foundations will contribute to an increase in the adoption for the product across the world. Moreover, the focus on maximizing the total output of these systems will yield innovative concepts at a rapid pace. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/wind-turbine-foundation-market-101385 The report provides an in-depth analysis of the global wind turbine foundation market. It highlights the latest product launches and recent innovations in the market and states their impact on the growth of the market. Forecast values have been provided for the market for the period of 2019-2026. The factual figures have been obtained through trusted sources. Moreover, these predictions are made on the basis of extensive research analysis methods, coupled with the opinions of experienced market research professionals. The competitive landscape has been discussed in detail and predictions are made with respect to leading companies and products in the coming years. Increasing Efforts Taken to Maximize Renewable Energy Will Aid Market Growth The report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the market in recent years. Accounting to the adverse effects of global warming and greenhouse emissions on the environment, several public as well as private organizations are putting in more efforts towards promoting the use of natural sources for deriving energy. Due to the efficiency of wind turbines, several companies are investing more towards setting up newer wind farms and turbines across the world. In August 2019, Enel Green Power initiated the construction of 34.6 MW wind farm in Malaga. The company has reportedly invested an estimated USD 35 million towards this project. This project is set to have a huge impact on the growth of the overall market in the coming years. Request a Sample Copy for more detailed Wind Turbine Foundation Market Overview - https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/wind-turbine-foundation-market-101385 Asia Pacific to Emerge Dominant; Chinas Large Scale Energy Production to Aid Growth The report analyzes the ongoing cinnamon market trends across five major regions; North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these regions, the market in Asia Pacific is projected to emerge dominant in the coming years. The massive energy generation through wind turbines in emerging countries such as India, Japan, and China will aid the growth of the market in this region. Besides Asia Pacific, the market in North America will exhibit considerable CAGR in the coming years, driven by the amount of energy generated in offshore projects in several countries across this region. Some of the leading companies that are operating in the global wind turbine foundation market are: Peikko Group Corporation ACCIONA RUTE Foundation Systems, Inc Aurecon MS Enertech TWI Ramboll OWEC Tower Offshore Wind Power Systems of Texas LLC Blue H Engineering BV Inocean Principle Power Equinor Industry Developments: June 2019: Prince Charles inaugurated Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, Scotlands biggest offshore farm. Pre Book Wind Turbine Foundation Market Report @ https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/101385 Have a Look at Related Research Insights: Power Rental Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis By Rating (Below 75 KVA, 75 375 KVA, 375 750 KVA, Above 750 KVA), By Fuel Type (Diesel, Natural Gas and LPG, Others), By Application (Continuous, Stand By, Peak Load), By End-Use (Mining, Construction, Utility, Events, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Others) and Geography Forecast, 2019 2026 Offshore Wind Power Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis By Installation (Fixed Structure, Floating Structure), By Water Depth (Up to 30m, Above 30m), By Capacity (Up to 3MW, 3MW to 5MW, Above 5MW) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 High Voltage Cables Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Installation (Overhead, Underground, Submarine), By Voltage (100 kV 250 kV, 251 kV 400 kV, Above 400 kV), By End-User (Industrial, Utility) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Zero Liquid Discharge Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis, By Technology (Thermal Based, Membrane Based), By Application (Energy & Power, Food & Beverages, Chemical & Petrochemical, Textiles, Pharmaceutical, Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019 to 2026 About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Our reports contain a unique mix of tangible insights and qualitative analysis to help companies achieve sustainable growth. Our team of experienced analysts and consultants use industry-leading research tools and techniques to compile comprehensive market studies, interspersed with relevant data. At Fortune Business Insights, we aim at highlighting the most lucrative growth opportunities for our clients. We therefore offer recommendations, making it easier for them to navigate through technological and market-related changes. Our consulting services are designed to help organizations identify hidden opportunities and understand prevailing competitive challenges. ORANGE COUNTY, CA Inviting members of the public to observe the election process is nothing new, says Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley. Every election, observers can apply to watch Vote Center operations, including opening and closing procedures, and activities at the central counting site. Still, there are rules to follow. According to the office, rights and responsibilities of observers are expected to be followed upon penalty of prosecution. Visitors may observe, take notes, watch, ask questions about the procedures in place, talk to supervisors, view ballot processing, and view the canvass of vote activities after the election. Observers Are NOT Allowed To: Interfere in any way with the election process Assist in Vote Center operations Touch election-related material, equipment, or election staff Sit at or stand behind the check-in tables Communicate with Vote Center personnel who are presently engaged in a process Converse with or solicit voters (within 100 feet of the Vote Center entrance) regarding the casting of a vote or their qualifications to vote Talk in a loud voice, cause confusion, or congregate inside a Vote Center Display any election material or wear campaign badges, buttons, or apparel Wear the uniform of a peace officer, private guard, or security personnel Take pictures, video footage, or use phones/cameras in the Vote Centers Amid coronavirus, there are steps for safety when it comes to watching the democratic process in action. To do so, you must check in, wear an ID badge, follow the rules, and ensure they do not interfere with the elections process, the Registrar of Voters says. Applications to observe remotely will be available as early as Thursday. Those interested must apply online at www.ocvote.com/observe and agree to the following guidelines: Election observers may not record or transmit voter data or ballot information. The use of force, violence, tactic of coercion or intimidation to compel a person to vote or refrain from voting at any election is a felony punishable by imprisonment in state prison for up to three years. (EC 18540) Interference with the election and canvass, or with a voter casting a ballot, is punishable by imprisonment in state prison for up to three years. (EC 18502) Story continues Once approved, individuals will be able to select what processes to view; however, certain processes will only be available for viewing at specific times when it is active. Those approved can observe either online starting October 7, via livestream of the central site, or in person, providing the guidelines set forth by the Registrar of Voters Office are followed, according to Kelley. "My team and I are committed to ensuring that voting and elections are conducted in an open and transparent manner with integrity that increases the public's trust and confidence in elections in Orange County, even under COVID-19" Kelley says, "These materials and trainings are offered to the public in advance so they are aware of what is permitted by law and how they can prepare ahead of time if they plan to observe election and voting procedures." Would you want to apply to observe the election process? Let us know in comments, or by emailing your Patch editor. This article originally appeared on the Lake Forest Patch Julian Assanges conversations in the latter part of his 7-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London were systematically bugged, even in the toilet, a London court heard Wednesday. In written statements at Assanges extradition hearing, two anonymous witnesses who worked for a Spanish firm with a security contract at the embassy said the WikiLeaks founder faced an intensifying bugging operation from 2017 onwards after Donald Trump became US president. Judge Vanessa Baraitser on Tuesday granted the two witnesses anonymity amid fears for their safety. Lawyers acting on behalf of the US government did not contest the submission of the anonymous statements but said they were largely irrelevant to the matter under consideration in Londons Old Bailey court. The two witnesses alleged that David Morales, the director of Spanish security firm Undercover Global, switched to the dark side and had instructed the installation of cameras with sophisticated audio capabilities to secretly record Assanges meetings at the embassy, particularly those with his lawyers. Assange lived in the embassy for seven years from 2012 after seeking refuge there while fearing his potential extradition to the US He was evicted in April 2019 and has been in a London prison since. The anonymous witnesses both claimed that Morales said the surveillance was initiated at the behest of our American friends and that he had been handsomely rewarded. One of the witnesses said Morales traveled to Las Vegas around July 2016 to showcase the security firm and subsequently obtained a flashy contract with the Las Vegas Sands, which was owned by Sheldon Adelson, a wealthy associate of Trumps. After returning from one of his trips to the United States, David Morales gathered all the workers in the office in Jerez and told us that We have moved up and from now on we will be playing in the big league, the witness said. The other anonymous witness, who was employed as an IT expert from 2015, alleged that while in Jerez, the city in southern Spain where UC Globals had its headquarters, Morales had said in December 2017 that the Americans were desperate. The witness said a suggestion was made that more extreme measures should be employed against the guest to put an end to the situation of Assanges permanence in the embassy. Specifically, the witness said the idea was raised for the door to the embassy being left open, which would allow the argument that this had been an accidental mistake, which would allow persons to enter from outside the embassy and kidnap the asylee. There was, the witness claimed, even a suggestion that Assange could be poisoned. All of these suggestions Morales said were under consideration during his dealing with his contacts in the United States, the witness said. The witness also alleged that Morales had asked him soon after to install a microphone in an extinguisher in an embassy meeting room, as well as in a toilet where Assange had been holding meetings due to concern he was the target of espionage. I used a nearby socket to conceal a microphone in a cable in the toilet in the back of the embassy, the witness said. This was never removed, and may still be there. US prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. Assanges defense team says he is entitled to First Amendment protections for the publication of leaked documents that exposed US military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have also said he is suffering from wide-ranging mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies, that could be exacerbated if he ends up in inhospitable prison conditions in the US Assanges extradition hearing, which was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, is due to end this week. Yang Jingzhong, former head of Sydney's Xinhua News Agency bureau, was among a group of people targeted in a joint operation by the Federal Police and ASIO on the morning of June 26 A Chinese state media journalist who was raided by ASIO has recounted what happened on the day spooks busted through his door in front of his child. Yang Jingzhong and three others were targeted as part of an investigation probing an alleged Chinese influence campaign centred around NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane. It is the first time the former head of Sydney's Xinhua News Agency bureau, has commented on the incident since Daily Mail Australia first broke the story on September 17. 'At about 6:30 in the morning on June 26, I was still asleep, and suddenly there was a heavy knock on the door,' Mr Yang wrote in an article for China's Communist Party mouthpiece, Xinhua. Officers from ASIO produced a foreign interference search warrant, 'took' his mobile phone and immediately demanded he 'should not touch any electronic equipment'. 'I sat on the sofa in the living room with my daughter who was also awakened from sleep and watched them rumbling around. To go to the bathroom, some people followed outside the bathroom door,' he said. 'My daughter had never experienced such a scene and was very frightened.' On the same day, Australian Federal Police and intelligence agencies also raided the homes of Mr Moselmane and three other Chinese journalists working in Australia. The Lebanese-born backbencher, known for singing the praises of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party, told the ABC's 7.30 he was part of a 'friendly' WeChat group that included a number of 'foreign journalists' and his staffer John Zhang, who was also caught up in the probe. Mr Moselmane has denied all wrongdoing. The Sydney home of NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane (pictured) was raided by federal police as part of an investigation into allegations of foreign interference on June 26 Federal agents are seen leaving the home of NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane in Rockdale, Sydney 'They searched my apartment thoroughly from early morning to more than one in the afternoon, for seven hours, and did not miss any corner,' Mr Yang said. 'They took away my computers, mobile phones, iPads and other electronic devices, as well as printed documents and other materials. 'I asked them to leave a search warrant, but the other party refused. Before they left the apartment, they left a list of the stolen items.' Although it's understood Mr Yang was part of the WeChat group, the Xinhua editor claims he 'did not violate any laws'. In the aftermath of the raid, he fled to Beijing and Xinhua journalists at the Sydney bureau were ordered to stop work for about two weeks and cut all communications with Mr Yang. He claimed the Australian government 'seriously interfered' with day-to-day reporting of Chinese media journalists, saying it 'grossly infringed' on his 'legitimate rights'. Mr Yang also says the intelligence operation caused serious damage to the physical and mental health of journalists and their families, and fully exposed the 'hypocrisy' of Australia's 'so called' press freedoms. Despite this, he says the prospect for friendly cooperation between the two countries remains bright. The other Chinese reporters targeted by ASIO were the Australian bureau chief of China News Service Tao Shelan; China Radio International's Sydney bureau chief Li Dayong; prominent Chinese scholar and media commentator Professor Chen Hong, the ABC reported. Tensions flared in the Prime Minister's Courtyard when Bai Xu (pictured), the chief of Xinhua's Canberra bureau, became angry that a SBS cameraman was filming her That same afternoon Xinhua's Canberra bureau chief Bai Xu sparked a heated row in the Prime Minster's Courtyard during a media conference. Ms Bai became angry that a SBS cameraman was filming her. The Australian cameraman had turned his lens on Ms Bai after witnesses claimed a photographer she was with was taking photos of other journalists. The news of the raid on Chinese reporters comes just days after two Australian journalists fled China at the direction of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. ABC's Bill Birtles and AFR's Michael Smith were told they were not free to leave China as they were part of an investigation into Cheng Lei - an Australian citizen working for China's CGTN English business news. The pair retreated to the Australian embassy where a tense diplomatic stand off unfolded over several days before they were eventually allowed to leave. On Tuesday, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters Australian TV anchor Cheng Lei (pictured) is suspected of 'endangering China's national interests' Ms Lei was snatched by the totalitarian regime about a month ago and has not had any contact with her husband and two children since. Under China's draconian laws a suspect can be kept for up to six months with no access to legal council or the outside world. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian, said the Australian TV anchor is suspected of 'endangering China's national interests' but no further information about the case was offered. Relations between Beijing and Canberra have been spiralling to new lows as China becomes increasingly belligerence on the world stage. The two nations have been at loggerheads over China's human rights abuses in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, continued trade sanctions on Australian wine, beef and barely, as well as the Chinese Communist Party's refusal to allow an independent inquiry in the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beijing are also believed to have carried a major cyber attack on Australian institutions after Canberra banned Huawei from participating in the construction of Australia's 5G network in August 2018, on the grounds of national security concerns. Do you know more? Contact Levi.Parsons@mailonline.com He wants to show failures on the part of Democratic local leaders, to throw red meat to his base, Lightfoot said at the time. His goal is to polarize, to destabilize local government and inflame racist urges. We can absolutely not let him prevail. And I will code what I really want to say to Donald Trump. Its two words. It begins with F and it ends with U. Kuleba said he advocates that, even in a pandemic, the opportunity for travel remains so that foreigners may enter Ukraine in compliance with certain basic rules. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says the government does not yet plan to introduce another restriction on the entry of foreigners into Ukraine. "As of now, the government does not intend to introduce another restriction on the entry of foreigners into Ukraine," Kuleba said at an online briefing on Wednesday, an UNIAN correspondent reports. "I am glad that the introduction of restrictions on the entry of foreigners didn't become a tradition. It was a force majeure decision that we were forced to make to protect citizens' health and contain the spread of the pandemic," the minister said. Kuleba said he advocates for the opportunity for travel to remain, even amid the pandemic, so that foreigners could come to Ukraine in compliance with certain basic rules, and this is the policy the government is implementing today. Read also Read also Ukraine changes entry rules for foreigners Temporary entry ban for foreigners: Background On August 26, 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers extended the adaptive quarantine across Ukraine until November 1. Then the government imposed a temporary entry ban for foreigners from August 29 until September 28, with a number of exceptions for certain categories of foreign nationals. One of such exceptions was reportedly made for Belarusian citizens fleeing amid unrest in their country. Late on Thursday, August 27, the Cabinet declared that the borders would be shut a day earlier, from midnight on August 28. It was reported on September 25 that Ukraine's government does not plan to extend an entry ban for foreign nationals. An entry ban for foreign nationals was lifted on September 28. Best in Biz Awards 2020 International winners announced Best in Biz Awards, the only independent global business awards program judged each year by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications from around the world, today announced the winners in its 8th annual International competition. Winners in Best in Biz Awards 2020 International include: 2checkout, Alibaba (China), Applause, Applied Systems, Balbix, Beijing Puppy Robotics (China), Brown Advisory, CareerArc, DHL Express (Vietnam), EPAM Systems, Frank Recruitment Group, IBM, IFS North America, Interactions, Lumeon (United Kingdom), Mastercard, Mercku (Canada), MindTickle, MONAT Global, OJO Labs, One Park Financial, Panda Security (Spain), Pushpay (New Zealand), Qentelli, Shufti Pro (United Kingdom), Squaremouth, TELUS (Canada), Untangle, USANA and Wolters Kluwer. For the full list of gold, silver and bronze award winners, visit: http://intl.bestinbizawards.com/intl-2020-winners. The global COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted all businesses, particularly so during its height, which coincided with this years February-May submission period. With companies pioneering work-from-home arrangements and employees worried about their own health and safety, as well as fewer achievements to focus on as the world was consumed by uncertainty and bankruptcy filings surged to 40 percent in some areas, Best in Biz Awards International understandably received fewer entries this year than normally, stated Best in Biz Awards staff. Nonetheless, this year, as every year, the program upholds the same high standards of judging to achieve the same exceptional quality of winning entries. As a result, fewer winners were selected across all categories, making this years winners achievements amidst this difficult economic climate all the more notable. Winners in the 8th annual program were determined based on scoring from an independent panel of judges hailing from a wide spectrum of top-tier publications and media outlets from 10 countries. Each year, only editors, writers and contributors to business, consumer, financial, trade and technology publications, as well as broadcast outlets and analyst firms, serve as judges in Best in Biz Awards. The programs uniqueness stems, in part, from this distinct composition of its judging panels, enabling it to best leverage the judges unparalleled expertise, experience and objectivity to determine award winners. This years judging panel included writers and contributors to such publications as Bloomberg News, Data Breach Today, HTMAG (Israel), Huffington Post, NDR (Germany), Panorama Magazine (United Arab Emirates), Small Business IT (Canada), TechRadar (UK), as well as other outlets from Brazil, Canada, India, United Kingdom and more. Best in Biz Awards is still accepting entries in its 10th annual North American program, open to any company from any industry based in or operating in North America, in more than 80 company, department or team, executive, product, and CSR, media, PR and other categories. Due to the continuing global ramifications of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the final entry deadline has been extended to October 23, 2020. About Best in Biz Awards Since 2011, Best in Biz Awards, Inc. has made its mark as the only independent business awards program judged each year by a whos who of prominent reporters and editors from top-tier publications. From Aflac to YMCA, past winners in Best in Biz Awards span the spectrum, from blue-chip companies that form the bedrock of the world economy to Shark Tank participants, mom-and-pop shops, and some of the most innovative start-ups. Best in Biz Awards honors are conferred in two separate programs: North America and International, and in 80 categories, including company, team, executive, product, and CSR, media, PR and other categories. Entries in the 10th annual North American Best in Biz Awards are now being accepted until the final deadline on October 23, 2020 at: http://www.bestinbizawards.com. For more information about the International program, visit: http://intl.bestinbizawards.com Terrorist attack as cause of An-26 crash in Kharkiv region can be excluded after explosion technology expertise SBI The investigation does not discard all possible versions of the plane crash in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region, the version of a terrorist attack can be ruled out after conducting an explosive examination, said Maksym Borchakovsky, the head of the Main Investigation Department of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI). "All the versions that are now being heard in the media are not discarded .... Now the issue of the explosive expertise is being resolved. ... It will be carried out unambiguously. In addition to the explosive expertise, a technical investigation is underway," he told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday. Answering the clarifying question of the Interfax-Ukraine agency "whether this means that it will be possible to exclude the version of the terrorist act only based on the results of the explosive technical expertise, Borchakovsky said: "Yes, it will." As reported, at about 20:50 on September 25, on the Kyiv-Kharkiv-Dovzhansky highway, a plane crash occurred. During planned training flights, an AN-26 military aircraft fell and caught fire, which was landing at the airfield of a military unit in the town of Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region. There were 27 people (20 cadets and seven officers of the Kharkiv University of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine named after Kozhedub) on board. Twenty-five people died on the spot, two cadets were hospitalized. On the morning of September 26, one of the hospitalized died in the hospital, while another cadet survived. According to the State Bureau of Investigations, the investigation is verifying four versions: a catastrophe due to a technical malfunction of the aircraft; catastrophe due to improper performance of their duties by the crew; improper performance of official duties by persons who were responsible for flight control; inadequate maintenance of the aircraft and its preparation for flight. On the fact of the plane crash, criminal proceedings were started under Article 416 (violation of the rules of flights and preparation for them, resulting in a catastrophe and serious consequences) of the Ukraine's Criminal Code. Anand's exit comes two days after RLSP's state president Bhudev Chaudhary, one of the party's founding members, joined the RJD Patna: The RLSP of former union minister Upendra Kushwaha, which has formed a three-party front ahead of Bihar polls after being spurned by the NDA and disowned by the RJD-helmed Grand Alliance, on Wednesday received another jolt when its key leader Madhaw Anand resigned over the "disastrous" tie-up with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. Anand, the party's principal national general secretary and chief spokesperson resigned from the posts as well as the primary membership stating that the party ran the risk of being "finished" on account of the "inconsequential" move. "I am leaving not because of any personal bitterness. I joined the party in 2017 and have tried to nurture it since then. But, unfortunately the course chosen by the RLSP will only cause it to perish. And my aim, to make a difference in the politics of Bihar, cannot be achieved in such circumstances", Anand told PTI. The 38-year-old media savvy politician, who has been one of the most visible faces of the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party which was formed in 2013, was incidentally seated by the side of Kushwaha, glum faced, while the alliance with BSP and a non-descript Janatantrik Party (Socialist) was being announced. Later in the day, BSP supremo Mayawati had announced in Lucknow that her party would be supporting Kushwaha as the "chief ministerial" candidate, an averment which is being scoffed at by the ruling NDA in Bihar as well as the Grand Alliance comprising RJD, Congress and others. The RLSP had performed dismally in the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls when it won only two seats. It later succeeded in getting one of its members elected to the legislative council. However, all the three legislators revolted against Kushwaha's decision to walk out of the NDA in December 2018. After the party drew a blank in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, they merged with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U). Anand's exit from the RLSP came barely two days after it received a rude shock with its state president Bhudev Chaudhary, one of the party's founding members, joining the RJD. The proverbial straw in the wind had become visible hours later when Anand drove to the residence of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav late last night. He, however, chose to keep his cards close to the chest. Asked about the meeting with Yadav,Anand replied "I have personal relations with Lalu ji and his family and I met Tejashwi for a courtesy call. My future political move will be announced soon". Anand insisted that his decision to quit the RLSP was "not guided by any resentments stemming from past injustices, since I remained loyal to Kushwaha through thick and thin". Desertions of senior RLSP leaders leave Kushwaha in the lurch. But Kushwaha says he is not worried. "Its good that people are getting down from the ship before it sails deep in the sea," Kushwaha told PTI. "When ministers and senior legislators are changing political sides during the election what's so big if some of my party colleagues are doing so. This is routine during poll times and we are not bothered," Kushwaha, who served as minister of state for HRD in Narendra Modi's first cabinet, said. Kushwaha had left Mahagathbandhan in the hope of a "decent" return to the ruling NDA coalition. Earlier, this week he had gone to Delhi to meet top BJP leaders, but it seems things did not work for him. Kushwaha himself had told media persons on Tuesday that he met BJP General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav and had also talked on seat-sharing and the RLSP's expectations. Media reports suggested Kushwaha is interested in contesting Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha bypolls scehduled on 7 November. The by-election on the Valmiki Nagar seat has been necessitated due to untimely death of sitting JD(U) MP Baidyanath Mahto. Asked about speculations in the media about RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's estranged brother-in-law Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav joining them, Kushwaha said "you will hear a lot of rumours during election time." By Trend Information that the Su-25 aircraft of the Armenian Armed Forces was shot down by F-16 fighter in the skies over Nagorno-Karabakh region is another fantasy of the Armenian military propaganda campaign, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, Colonel Vagif Dargahli said, Trend reports on Sept. 29. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz It changes, to be honest. I have a complicated relationship with America. I was obsessed with America from a very young age, but its fair to say that the America I know now is not the America I knew when I watched The Greatest American Hero in the mid-80s. I think its fair to say that I love America, but at the same time sometimes you get very angry with the people and countries that you love. I actually see America, in a way, as a great intellectual challenge. Everything is so extreme, the good guys are so good and the bad guys are so bad and the dumb guys are so dumb and the smart guys are so smart. But at the same time, its a tunnel you can fall down that doesnt seem to have a bottom: you just keep falling deeper. I feel like Im never going to quite master it. There are things that are unique to Trump, there is no doubt about that. I dont think any of us saw four years ago someone tweeting out that their political opponent was a paedophile; I dont think any of us saw that coming. That is definitely unique to Trump. But having said that, I do think that a number of the foibles of this era have been coming for some time, and I feel like its not specific to America, either. I feel America is just a few steps down the road from the rest of us; theyre kind of like a warning. Which is another interesting thing about America. It often tells you where youre going thats at times not a very comforting bit of knowledge! Do you think its a warning that anyone here is heeding? I think that often people take the wrong lessons from America. You often on Twitter see people taking the lessons from America that Americans feel you should take, and I think youve got to get some context and perspective to really fully understand whats going on. Peoples first reactions, I dont think, are necessarily accurate. Id say we are heeding warnings, but Im not sure were heeding the right warnings. On your show, you do a very good job explaining things. Is the job of providing facts a lonely place to be in 2020? It is a very lonely place to be. The issue is not so much providing facts. There are plenty of outlets that provide facts; they just tend to provide the facts on their terms, and the facts they want you to know about, and they dont want to tell you about the facts they dont want you to know about. Thats the problem. What I feel is a lonely place to be is a place where you give everyone the benefit of the doubt. That is a lonely place to be. We try to for a number of reasons: number one, thats just my personality, Ive always through The Chaser, the Checkout, everything Ive always been in the business of trying to give people the benefit of the doubt before you condemn them. But then when you condemn them, you condemn them hard . The vast majority of criticisms we receive are from people on all sides of politics who feel annoyed by our attempts to give the benefit of the doubt to people who they believe do not deserve the benefit of the doubt. That is a lonely place. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The 'Global Colonoscope Market Outlook 2019-2024' offers detailed coverage of colonoscope industry and presents main market trends. The market research gives historical and forecast market size, demand, end-use details, price trends, and company shares of the leading colonoscope producers to provide exhaustive coverage of the market for colonoscope. The report segments the market and forecasts its size, by volume and value, on the basis of application, by products, and by geography. The report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from key industry participants. 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More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/3796 Pressure has continued to build on universities to give refunds for the 'sub-standard' student experience caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It came as the under-fire Education Secretary Gavin Williamson effectively confirmed the problem would last for months, revealing they would have to quarantine for a fortnight in their halls if they want to go home for Christmas. Currently up to 4,000 students across Britain are now self-isolating for a fortnight after more than 500 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed across at least 32 campuses. In a fiery question in the Commons yesterday DUP MP Sammy Wilson told Mr Williamson: The climate of fear deliberately created by ministers and their advisers has done untold damage to individuals and the economy as a whole and has now hit students and universities with lock-up of students, students being denied face-to-face education and unable to engage with the activities normally associated with student life. Yet they are expected to pay the full price for this sub-standard opportunity in higher education The Education Secretary said students in 'specific circumstances' would have to quarantine Both DUP MP Sammy Wilson and Tory MP Laura Trott grilled Gavin Williamson over fees In Portsmouth university students hit the town last night amid fears over the new term Nottingham Trent University freshers wore masks as they went out on the town last night Does the education minister think it is fair that universities still hold onto the money paid by students when they are not offering the student experience that they promised? Maybe you should clarify was the direction that students can go home at Christmas the result of government guidance or a decision by the universities themselves? Mr Williamson insisted it had been government guidance as one of his party's own MP's appeared to question policies. Helen Trott said: Students will be facing full fees on what are now be online courses. Financial burden must be shared with universities Hundreds of Portsmouth University students and freshers enjoyed a Tuesday night on the town Queues of students were seen outside Nottingham's Rock City venue, some not distancing Some Coventry revellers could be heard screaming in the new party video from halls University challenge: There are 45 so far with coronavirus outbreaks in the UK Can the secretary of state ask the office for students to confirm and strongly advise that university bonuses will not be paid out unless fees are lowered? Mr Williamson responded: We have had an issue of excessive vice-chancellor pay and bonuses for some time. I will ask the office for students to look at this and give and give very strong steers on this matter to make sure bonuses arent going out as a result of this crisis. Hundreds of undergraduates for Coventry University went wild on Tuesday night climbing on top of ping pong tables and raving at one of the accommodation blocks. University students (pictured left and right: University students who are self-isolating in Manchester) face two weeks in isolation at the end of term so they can return home for Christmas Education watchdog backs tuition fee refunds for students in lockdown if the quality of their course drops Students at universities hit by coronavirus should seek tuition fee refunds if the quality of their course slips, the higher education watchdog said last night. At least 40 universities have recorded virus cases around one in four leaving thousands of students locked down in halls. They have complained of 'disgusting' conditions as they are essentially sealed off from the outside world. The situation has caused growing anger over the prospect of no face-to-face learning despite fees of up to 9,250 per year. The Office for Students (OfS) regulator has now urged students who feel the quality of their education has been affected to complain, warning universities not to take a 'blanket policy' against refunds. Chief executive Nicola Dandridge said: 'Students have a right to good quality higher education whether that is taught online, in-person or a mixture of the two. 'Where they feel this is not happening they can raise concerns with their university, escalating complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator where a resolution cannot be found. 'They can also inform the OfS, and we can and will investigate if we believe that universities have not taken all reasonable steps to protect standards or where quality is slipping for groups of students.' She added: 'In considering whether to make partial tuition fee refunds, we would expect a university to consider the circumstances for each student rather than to adopt a blanket policy that refunds are not available.' Advertisement At least 200 crammed into a common room at Arundel House, close to Coventry University's main campus, ignoring social distancing guidelines and the rule of six. Some revellers could be heard screaming, while a group of male students clambered on top of a ping pong table as they sang along to the thumping music. The accommodation block is just a two minute walk from campus and is also close to the town centre. The University of Exeter became the latest to institute a 'soft lockdown' on its students yesterday afternoon, asking them not to socialise in other people's residences and only to mix with people within their household. It is believed that more than half of the cases confirmed in Exeter over the last week can be traced back to the university. Elsewhere, 1,700 students are under lockdown at the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) campuses of Birley and Cambridge Halls. All lectures, seminars and classes for first-year students at the university will now be online for the next 14 days. The government has been under-fire for its handling of the pandemic as it spread to college campuses, with freshers across the country locked down inside their halls and told to isolate with just those they are living with. Photos of students putting up signs on the windows of their accommodation blocks have been shared widely on social media, while others have begged for help with food and supplies. The number of students trying to get a shopping delivery means some are starting to run out of food, with parents turning up to halls with bags of shopping. Furious parents have demanded help, with calls from across the political spectrum for reimbursement of tuition fees. Despite the ongoing row, students at Tuesday's nights illegal rave showed no fear of catching the killer virus. An investigation is underway to find the organisers of the party, with police shutting down communal areas in the accommodation blocks and beefing up security in light of last night's gathering. Mr Williamson's disappearance during the crisis so far is likely to raise further questions over his future, after he faces the wrath of parents, teachers and MPs over the return of pupils to schools and the A-Level and GCSE results fiasco last month. First Three Holes Drilled High-Grade Silver and Gold at Past-Producing Belmont Mine VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Summa Silver Corp. ("Summa" or the "Company") (CSE: SSVR) (OTCQB: SSVRF) (Frankfurt:48X) is pleased to announce a high-grade silver discovery from the initial results from its ongoing 7,500 m drill program at the Hughes Property in Tonopah, NV. Each of the three holes reported in this news release encountered high-grade silver and gold within vein zones over a broad area around the Belmont Mine (see attached figures). Extensions to the drilled high-grade zones remain open in multiple directions in all areas drilled. Key Highlights: Rescue Veins 3,760 g/t silver equivalent (1,762 g/t Ag and 19.99 g/t Au) over 2.5 m from 347.1 m within 596 g/t silver equivalent (286 g/t Ag and 3.10 g/t Au) over 18.5 m from 347.1 m in SUM20-06 725 Veins 2,423 g/t silver equivalent (1,870 g/t Ag and 5.53 g/t Au) over 0.8 m from 215.8 m within 1,182 g/t silver equivalent (805 g/t Ag and 3.77 g/t Au) over 2.3 m from 215.8 m in SUM20-01 I.O.U. Veins 4,630 g/t silver equivalent (2,370 g/t Ag and 22.6 g/t Au) over 0.2 m from 340.4 m and 1,329 g/t silver equivalent (625 g/t Ag and 7.04 g/t Au) over 0.2 m from 369.1 m in SUM20-07 (2,370 g/t Ag and 22.6 g/t Au) over from and (625 g/t Ag and 7.04 g/t Au) over from in Assays Pending and Drilling Continues: Results are pending for ten additional holes. Two core rigs are fully operational on the property with follow up holes planned. Note: AgEq based on 100 (Ag):1 (Au), True widths are estimated to be 70-80% of downhole lengths Galen McNamara, CEO, stated: "Summa Silver's first drill results represent an important moment for the Company and our shareholders. We have intersected grades exceeding 2,000 g/t silver equivalent in unmined extensions of veins in the first three areas drilled. With multiple holes pending and drilling ongoing at both the Murray and Belmont targets, the entire team is looking forward to aggressively exploring the Hughes property to unlock its full potential for shareholders." Table 1: Hughes Property Assay Results, Belmont Mine Area Drill Hole Vein From (m) To (m) Length (m) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) AgEq* (g/t) SUM20-01 725 215.8 218.1 2.3 805 3.77 1,182 including 215.8 216.6 0.8 1,870 5.53 2,423 SUM20-01 Western 447.4 447.8 0.4 111 1.97 308 SUM20-06 Un-named Vein 337.0 337.5 0.4 101 1.09 210 SUM20-06 Composited 347.1 365.6 18.5 286 3.10 596 including Rescue #2 347.1 349.6 2.5 1,762 19.99 3,760 including Un-named Vein 365.2 365.6 0.4 1,250 13.60 2,610 SUM20-06 Un-named Vein 374.4 374.8 0.3 354 5.33 887 SUM20-06 Rescue #3 389.8 390.7 0.8 184 9.78 1,162 SUM20-07 Un-named Vein 340.4 340.6 0.2 2,370 22.60 4,630 SUM20-07 I.O.U. 369.1 369.3 0.2 625 7.04 1,329 SUM20-07 I.O.U. 372.5 372.7 0.2 136 1.31 267 SUM20-07 I.O.U. 378.6 378.7 0.2 106 1.11 217 SUM20-07 913 469.3 469.6 0.3 115 3.31 446 SUM20-07 913 477.3 477.9 0.5 186 1.40 326 -AgEq based on 100 (Ag):1 (Au), True widths are estimated to be 70-80% of drilled lengths, based on a 200 g/t AgEq cut-off grade with no minimum width, except for SUM20-06 between 347.1 and 365.6m which is based on a cut-off grade of 20 g/t AgEq and may include 3.5m of internal dilution. Table 2: Drillhole Information Target Drill Hole Easting Northing Azimuth Dip Pre-Collar Depth (RC) Final Depth (Core) Belmont SUM20-01 480850 4213875 157 -69 152m 543m SUM20-06 481201 4213534 203 -68 186m 552m SUM20-07 481159 4213627 330 -69 226m 524m -Coordinates in NAD27, Zone 11N Belmont Mine Area Rescue Veins Hole SUM20-06 was drilled in the footwall of the Belmont Vein to test for new zones of dilation down-dip from mapped underground workings and modeled veins. Silver and gold mineralization was intersected in unmined extensions of the Rescue #2, Rescue #3 and un-named veins. 725 Veins Hole SUM20-01 was drilled to test both strike and dip extensions of mapped veins in the northern portion of the Belmont Mine. Silver and gold mineralization was intersected in unmined extensions of the 725 and Western veins. I.O.U. Veins Hole SUM20-07 was drilled to test down-dip extensions of the I.O.U. and related veins at the far northeastern end of the Belmont Mine. Two high-grade, albeit narrow zones of silver and gold mineralization were intersected in the hole, along with several zones of lower grade mineralization. Geology Completed drill holes intersected a mix of porphyritic andesite, rhyolite, rhyolite fragmental, and a series of interbedded ash-flow tuffs, volcanic breccias, and tuffaceous sedimentary rocks. Fault zones, quartz veining, hydrothermal breccias, and signs of strong to intense hydrothermal alteration were intersected intermittently throughout each hole. Silver and gold mineralization on the property is often found in zones of sulfide-bearing quartz veins, breccias, and stockworks with thicknesses varying from centimeters to greater than 10 m. Mineralized zones are typically closely associated with faults, as well as silicification and potassic alteration (adularia-sericite). Alteration zonation is present with silica/potassic alteration typically giving way to argillic alteration (white clay) and then propylitic alteration (chlorite-epidote+-pyrite) with increasing distance from the mineralized zones. Where strongest all three styles of alteration have been observed completely replacing the original host lithologies. Drilling Methods Drilling is being carried out by National Drilling EWP of Elko, Nevada. Holes were drilled with a combination of reverse circulation ("RC") and coring methods. Holes SUM20-01, -06 and -07 where pre-collared to depths between 152 m and 226 m via RC drilling and then completed to their final depths via coring. RC drilling recovers gravel sized chips of overburden and bedrock over 10-foot intervals. Core drilling recovers drill core samples of bedrock and allows for precise sampling of veins, structures, and other geological areas of interest. In general, target zones were drilled via coring and areas thought to be barren are drilled via RC. Downhole deviation surveys were completed on each hole after the completion of drilling. Note on Hole Sequencing In general, holes were not completed in the same sequence as they were pre-collared. Therefore, holes with higher identification numbers were completed before holes with lower identification numbers (e.g. SUM20-06 was completed before SUM20-05). Hence in many cases, holes with higher identification numbers were analyzed first and assays from holes with lower identification numbers remain pending and will be reported as results are received and compiled. Analytical and QA/QC Procedures All samples were sent to ALS Global Ltd. ("ALS") in Reno, NV for preparation and analysis. ALS meets all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015 for analytical procedures. Samples were analyzed for gold via fire assay with an AA finish ("AU-AA23"), and 48 other elements, including silver, via a combination of atomic emission spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy after four-acid digestion ("ME-MS61"). Samples that assayed over 10 ppm Au via AU-AA23 were re-run via fire assay for Au with a gravimetric finish ("AU-GRA21"). Samples that assayed over 100ppm Ag via ME-MS61 were re-run via fire assay for Ag with a gravimetric finish ("AG-GRA21"). In addition to ALS quality assurance / quality control ("QA/QC") protocols, Summa Silver implements an internal QA/QC program that includes the insertion of sample blanks, duplicates and certified reference materials at systematic and random points in the sample stream. Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Galen McNamara, P. Geo., the CEO of the Company and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Summa Silver Corp Summa Silver Corp is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company. The Company has options to earn 100% interests in the Hughes property located in central Nevada and the Mogollon property located in southwestern New Mexico. The Hughes property is host to the high-grade past-producing Belmont Mine, one of the most prolific silver producers in the United States between 1903 and 1929. The mine has remained inactive since commercial production ceased in 1929 due to heavily depressed metal prices and little to no modern exploration work has ever been completed. Follow Summa Silver on Twitter: @summasilver LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/summa-silver-corp/ ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Galen McNamara" Galen McNamara, Chief Executive Officer [email protected] www.summasilver.com Investor Relations Contact: Kin Communications Arlen Hansen 604-684-6730 [email protected] The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things: the exploration and development of the Company's mineral exploration projects. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, statements in respect of the Offering including the proposed use of proceeds and receipt of regulatory and stock exchange approvals. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the requirement for regulatory approvals; enhanced uncertainty in global financial markets as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic; unquantifiable risks related to government actions and interventions; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; and other related risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. SOURCE Summa Silver Corp. A man drove in such a dangerous fashion that he could have killed people on four occasions, Portlaoise District Court heard. The court heard that the driver nearly struck a pedestrian at one stage, drove on the wrong side of the road and forced oncoming traffic to swerve to avoid him before a stinger device was deployed to eventually stop the car. Arising from the incident, Kevin Dillon (26), Rockview House, Aughamaddock, Co Laois was charged with seven counts of dangerous driving at various locations in Stradbally on September 15 last. He was also charged with possession of cannabis and with having no driving licence and no insurance. Garda Roy Cooper gave evidence of initially observing the car driven by the defendant go through a roundabout at speed and then through the forecourt of a garage before re-emerging onto the road. The car then failed to stop at a junction, causing an oncoming van to take evasive action. The car then overtook other cars at a continuous white line, causing on-coming cars to swerve into the hard shoulder on the opposite side of the road. The car continued to be driven at excessive speed, at one point narrowly avoiding a tractor and then swerving back onto the right side of the road. Garda Cooper had radioed for help and a stinger device was deployed by a garda colleague, puncturing the front passenger tyre. The car continued to be driven at speed, and at one point narrowly avoided a female pedestrian who had to jump out of the way. When the car eventually stopped, the driver - Kevin Dillon - was fully compliant with gardai and admitted that he had no driving licence. He was found to be in possession of an amount of cannabis, valued at 20. The defendant had a number of previous convictions, including under the Road Traffic Act, but had not committed any offences since 2013, garda Cooper said. I thought he had emigrated because I hadnt seen him in a long time, garda Cooper said. Defence solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick accepted that her client had put the whole of Stradbally in jeopardy adding but thankfully garda Cooper brought the matter to an end. There were a number of references before the court outlining the hard working nature of the defendant. He was co-operative when apprehended, Ms Fitzpatrick said. At least he didnt try to make good his escape, she said. This was an appalling episode of dangerous driving, Judge Catherine Staines said. There were at least four incidents where someone could have been killed. He drove on the wrong side of the road and a female pedestrian had to jump out of the way, she said. The defendant was eventually stopped, thanks to the excellent work of garda Cooper who followed at a safe distance. Even when the stinger device was activated, the defendant continued to drive on the rim of a wheel, Judge Staines said. A sentence of six months inprison was imposed on the defendant along with a driving disqualification of four years. Judge Staines said she could not consider Ms Fitzpatricks request to suspend the prison sentence. He had an opportunity to stop, but he continued to put peoples lives at risk, Judge Staines said of the defendant. Economic researchers project marijuana sales, if legalization proposals are approved by voters in November, could reach a quarter-billion dollars four years after the market opens, with a windfall of roughly $52 million in state tax revenue. The Bureau of Business and Economic Research, an economics research center at the University of Montana, released a study Tuesday on the market and tax revenue potential of recreational cannabis in Montana if voters were to pass Initiative-190 and Constitutional Initiative-118, companion proposals on the ballot Nov. 3. The first initiative would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana sales and set the age of buying it at age 21. The separate constitutional initiative must be passed by voters to legalize the age for buying pot within the state constitution. The study was commissioned by New Approach Montana, the campaign to pass the initiatives. The Bureau of Business and Economic Research did not endorse or oppose the passage of legal weed, but wrote in conclusion that evidence from other states shows Montana has potential to generate "significant tax revenues" from the new industry. New Approach has long trumpeted legalized and taxed marijuana as a new stream of revenue to embrace while coal taxes are down and COVID-19 has cratered the state economy. Dave Lewis, former budget director for three Montana governors and senior adviser for the New Approach campaign, said in a release on Tuesday the anticipated tax revenue could also hush any talk about a state sales tax. "Montana has taken a serious hit from the pandemic," Lewis said. "These initiatives could not be coming at a better time." Patrick Barkey, director of the BBER, said the campaign's claims of a helpful new stream of revenue are "in the right direction," but added it's no silver bullet. "The spirit of what is being said is absolutely correct, and I think the numbers speak for themselves as to what kind of revenue estimates are logical," Barkey said Tuesday. "Fifty million (dollars) could be a life saver, but it's not going to dig Montana out of the largest recession we've ever had, and I don't think there's a proposal out there that would. Neither would doubling the cigarette tax or anything like that." The largest driver of growth in sales and tax revenue would be visitors to the state, according to the bureau's report. If the initiatives pass, recreational marijuana would go on sale in 2022. Sales to state residents were projected to actually slip from $187.5 million in 2022 to $176 million in 2026, due to an expected price drop in marijuana prices over time while the number of marijuana consumers is expected to stay level. Sales to "nonresident leisure visitors," however, are projected to climb from $5.9 million to $16.8 million in the market's first four years. That boost comes from survey evidence from other states, Barkey said, that an increasing fraction of tourists will visit cannabis dispensaries. The result drives up projected sales from both residents and visitors from $217.2 million in 2022 to $259.8 million in 2026, producing a tax revenue hike from $43.4 million to $52 million in four years. The analysis draws on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health to show the number of people and fraction of the Montana adult population who say they have used marijuana in the last month have grown over the last decade, from roughly 50,000 to about 110,000. Additionally, the survey reported 14.3% of adults in Montana said they had used marijuana in the last 30 days, compared to the national average of 9.3%. While New Approach has made its pitch to those eyeing the state budget's needs, the effort to legalize includes a moratorium on new recreational marijuana business licenses until 2023, a year after retail would begin. That means anyone with a medical marijuana license gets a year to stake out the new market before "Big Weed" gets a chance. Bobby Long, CEO of Flower, a medical shop with dispensaries in Missoula and Kalispell, said he feels that assurance isn't quite air-tight. There's still plenty of time for out-of-state businesses to come in, get a medical license and stake their own claim before the moratorium. Big business could also just buy out any in-state business, before or after the moratorium, he said. The medical industry has survived 16 years on a hostile path to this point, from running wild with minimal regulation, to suffering a ham-fisted backlash by the Republican-led Legislature and later the Montana Supreme Court. The industry kick-started the market open again in 2016, and in 2017 the state Legislature passed the regulatory system that exists today, and even that required tweaks in the 2019 session. The skepticism Long speaks with about the recreational prospects comes from that experience. "The positive economic impact it does have is undeniable. With COVID, maybe it is in the cards, now is the time," he said. "If my patients or customers can continue to get medicine at a good price, and they're not overpriced, then great, but I'm a little wary of this initiative." No changes to Montana's existing medical marijuana system were a part of the analysis from the Bureau of Business and Economic Research. So far seven states prohibit marijuana for any use, while 11 have legalized recreational. Montana and the remaining states permit marijuana consumption for medical purposes. The report does note that the growing acceptance of marijuana legalization by states in recent years "makes further loosening of legal restrictions in Montana a real possibility." "The experience of other states has shown that legalized cannabis does have potential to generate significant tax revenues from its activities," the report said in its conclusion. "This report offers support for the truth of this in Montana as well." The study is available online at bber.umt.edu. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Plastic straws will no longer be available in eateries in England. Credit: Getty. The supply of plastic straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers will be banned in England from Thursday 1 October. The ban applies to all businesses supplying the products, including manufacturers and retailers. It will also affect pubs, restaurants and cafes who will have to provide customers with sustainable alternatives. The ban, originally planned for April this year, was delayed until 1 October due to the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses can be fined by their local authority if they do not stop selling or supplying these plastic items. READ MORE: UK launches first zero-waste online grocery shopping service However a grace period has been built into the legislation with leftover supplies bought before tomorrow, being allowed until 1 April 2021. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has also confirmed after 3 July 2021, businesses must not supply drinks products with single-use plastic straws attached to the packaging. A Defra spokesperson said: "We remain absolutely committed to turning the tide on the widespread use of single-use plastics and the threat they pose to our natural environment. This ban is yet another measure to clamp down on unnecessary plastic so we can better protect our precious wildlife and leave our environment in a better state for future generations. The Welsh government is currently considering a similar ban, whilst plastic cotton buds have been outlawed in Scotland since October 2019. READ MORE: Coronavirus: 10 million hand sanitiser bottles heading to landfill In August, the UK government intensified its war on plastic after announcing it will extend the hugely successful charge on single-use carrier bags to all retailers from April 2021. The levy, which currently stands at 5p ($0.07) and applies to any retailer that employs 250 or more people, will be raised to 10p to encourage people to purchase greener bags. Additionally, the government will also introduce a new tax on plastic packaging, which does not meet the current threshold of at least 30% recycled content from April 2022 to encourage greater use of recycled plastic and help tackle waste. In the interval, Gianfortes position on these issues has grown muddled by green-washing, a dishonest process by which politicians with a long history of opposition to public access and similar issues suddenly become their champions. This tactic is especially likely in states like ours, where hunters and anglers form such a large voting bloc. Gianforte now touts his vote in favor of full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Act once it was clear that this bill was going to pass and after he voted against it once and refused to co-sponsor it at the request of his constituents. Coupled with his support for virulent public land opponent William Pendley (recently removed from office after becoming a political liability) as Bureau of Land Management head and his statements supporting privatization of Montana public land, its not hard to tell where his heart really lies. The interest in escaping America is now soaring in the wake of what's been dubbed a "trainwreck" and "sh...tshow" of a contentious presidential debate. Last night, it was never more apparent than on Google Trends. According to the New Zealand Herald, 20 minutes into the debate Americans searching "how to move to New Zealand" became one of Google's top trending queries. Google Trends gauges interest and popularity in searches, ranking them between 0 and 100, with 0 indicating not enough data and 100 showing peak popularity. Only an hour into the debate, the search "how to move to New Zealand" was sitting at 75 out of 100, according to New Zealand Herald. The searches mainly came from the U.S. west coast. The scene at Norrsken House Stockholm, a coworking space, oozed with radical normalcy: Young, turtleneck-wearing hipsters schmoozed in the coffee corner. Others chatted freely, at times quite near one another, in cozy conference rooms. Face masks were nowhere to be seen. It seemed like January, before the spread of the coronavirus in Europe, but it was actually last week, as many European nations were tightening restrictions amid a surge of new cases. In Sweden, new infections, if tipping upward slightly, still remained surprisingly low. I have potentially hundreds of tiny interactions when working here, said Thom Feeney, a Briton who manages the coworking space. Our work lives should not be reduced to just the screen in front of us. Ultimately, we are social animals. Normalcy has never been more contentious than now in Sweden. Almost alone in the Western world, the Swedes refused to impose a coronavirus lockdown in the spring, as the countrys leading health officials argued that limited restrictions were sufficient and would better protect against economic collapse. It was an approach that transformed Sweden into an unlikely ideological lightning rod. Many scientists blamed it for a spike in deaths, even as many libertarians critical of lockdowns portrayed Sweden as a model. During a recent Senate hearing in Washington, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading U.S. infectious disease specialist, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., angrily clashed over Sweden. For their part, the Swedes admit to making some mistakes, particularly in nursing homes, where the death toll was staggering. Indeed, comparative analyses show that Swedens death rate at the height of the pandemic in the spring far surpassed the rates in neighboring countries and was more protracted. (Others point out that Swedens overall death rate is comparable to that of the United States.) Now, though, the question is whether the countrys current low caseload, compared with sharp increases elsewhere, shows that it has found a sustainable balance, something that all Western countries are seeking eight months into the pandemic or whether the recent numbers are just a temporary aberration. It looks positive, said Anders Tegnell, Swedens state epidemiologist, who gained global fame and notoriety for having kept Sweden out of lockdown in March. With a population of 10.1 million, Sweden averaged a little more than 200 new cases a day for several weeks, although in recent days that number has jumped to about 380. The per capita rate is far lower than nearby Denmark or the Netherlands (if higher than the negligible rates in Norway and Finland). Sweden is also doing far better, for the moment, than Spain, with 10,000 cases a day, and France, with 12,000. Critics say Sweden does not test for the virus as thoroughly as many other nations with 142,000 tests for the week ending Sept. 13. Britain, with about six times the population, tested only 587,000 people in the most recent week, far fewer per capita than Sweden. And Britain conducted far more tests than France, Germany or Spain in that period. In early September, 1.2% of tests in Sweden were positive, compared with about 7% currently in Northwest England, Britains hardest-hit area. In response to the recent outbreaks, many European countries are imposing new restrictions. But political leaders, anxious to avoid unpopular and economically disastrous lockdowns, are relying mostly on social-distancing measures, while trying to preserve a degree of normalcy, with schools, shops, restaurants and even bars open. In essence, some experts say, they are quietly adopting the Swedish approach. Today, all of the European countries are more or less following the Swedish model, combined with the testing, tracing and quarantine procedures the Germans have introduced, but none will admit it, said Antoine Flahault, director of the Institute of Global Health, in Geneva. Instead, they made a caricature out of the Swedish strategy. Almost everyone has called it inhumane and a failure. Back in the spring, when other nations were clamping down, Sweden was often vilified for having gone its own way. Its borders stayed open, as did bars, restaurants and schools. Hairdressers, yoga studios, gyms and even some cinemas remained open, as did public transportation and parks. Gatherings of more than 50 people were banned, museums closed and sporting events canceled. But that was the extent of the measures, with officials saying they would trust in the good sense of Swedes to keep their distance and wash their hands. Flahault lauded Swedens government for that part of its approach. The Swedes went into self-lockdown, he said. They trusted in their people to self-apply social distancing measures without punishing them. But Flahault also warned about what he called a major flaw in the Swedish approach. They continue not to wear masks, he said. That can be a big drawback in the Swedish strategy if masks prove effective and key in fighting the pandemic. Sweden might also just be enjoying a lull between peaks of infection. The public face of the countrys coronavirus policies, Tegnell, agrees, saying the numbers can always go up, as they just have. That said, however, Sweden has gone from being one of the countries in Europe with the most spread to one that has some of the fewest cases in Europe, he said in a recent interview. Some experts believe that Sweden is now almost fully in control of the virus. There are indications that the Swedes have gained an element of immunity to the disease, which, together with everything else they are doing to prevent the infection from spreading, is enough to keep the disease down, Kim Sneppen, professor of biocomplexity at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, said in an interview. He stressed that the country could have avoided the high death toll in the beginning but said that Sweden had regained control from mid-April, when deaths declined steadily. While the Swedes are far from having achieved herd immunity, he said, we can conclude that their social distancing rules have proven essential. Palantir went public via a direct listing Wednesday. Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters Palantir insiders were temporarily unable to sell shares Wednesday due to an issue with Morgan Stanley's trading software, Shareworks, CNBC first reported and Shareworks confirmed to Business Insider. The data-mining company went public Wednesday morning via a direct listing at $10 per share, but took a page from the traditional IPO process by having a "lock-up" period for existing investors. Palantir still allowed those investors to sell up to 20% of their shares during the lock-up, but according to CNBC, some initially couldn't take advantage of it because of a software glitch. A spokesperson for Shareworks by Morgan Stanley told Business Insider the company "experienced slowness that may have resulted in delayed logins into our system" but that its call centers were able to execute trades "at all times." Palantir's stock jumped as much as 14% per share in early hours, but dropped again later in the day. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Palantir went public on Wednesday, giving existing investors a chance to offload some of their shares. But some were temporarily unable to do via Morgan Stanley's trading platform, Shareworks, because of a software glitch, CNBC first reported and Shareworks by Morgan Stanley confirmed to Business Insider. While Palantir used a direct listing process (DLP) instead of a traditional initial public offering (IPO), it took a page from the IPO process by setting a "lock-up" period for existing investors such as employees, founders, and venture capitalists to limit some volatility. Still, it allowed those insiders to sell up to 20% of their shares immediately upon the stock's debut Wednesday morning. But according to CNBC, some current and former employees couldn't get in on the initial action because Morgan Stanley's Shareworks trading platform, through which they were supposed to be able to sell shares, wasn't functioning properly. Story continues "We experienced slowness that may have resulted in delayed logins into our system. At all times our call centers were available to execute trades. We will work through any issue that is brought to our attention and ensure that no employee will be disadvantaged," a spokesperson for Shareworks by Morgan Stanley told Business Insider. The employees told CNBC the software eventually started to function just a few hours before the market closed. Palantir's stock opened on the New York Stock Exchange at $10 per share roughly 38% above the $7.25 reference price set by the exchange on Tuesday and jumped as much as 14% before closing at $9.50, down 9.5%. The historically secretive data-mining company has received scrutiny over its direct listing from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who wrote a letter to the US Securities and Exchange Commission in mid-September asking the agency to investigate Palantir over its failure to fully disclose information regarding its business practices, omissions that could lead to material risks for future investors and national security issues as it begins trading. Read the original article on Business Insider Striking school bus drivers have opened the door to early binding arbitration, but the Winnipeg School Division doesn't appear to want to get on the bus. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Striking school bus drivers have opened the door to early binding arbitration, but the Winnipeg School Division doesn't appear to want to get on the bus. The drivers, who have been on strike since the school year started on Sept. 8, have asked the division to agree to binding arbitration now instead of waiting 60 days from the start of the strike. Bea Bruske, secretary-treasurer of UFCW Local 832, said on Wednesday the union sent letters on Tuesday to WSD board chairwoman Betty Edel, trustee Chris Broughton, and the human resources director. Bruske said if the school division agreed to the request, it would mean binding arbitration could begin now instead of being requested in early November, while back-to-work agreements could be set up. About 2,000 students could start taking the bus to school sooner. Bruske said they've received an unofficial response. "We've been told they're not interested in binding arbitration," she said. "We anticipate they will say no. "We know this strike will end up with binding arbitration one way or the other. It makes no sense for this to be dragged out any further when we can both agree to it now." Under binding arbitration, each side presents its final offer and an arbitrator either chooses the fairest offer or imposes a solution. The decision is binding on both sides. Bruske said the faster the two sides agree to binding arbitration, the faster a back-to-work agreement can be forged, COVID-19 safety training can begin, and drivers can get behind the wheel. "The sooner we get started, the better," she said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Radean Carter, the division's senior information officer, said the "WSD believes bargaining is best done at the bargaining table and thats the process the school division is continuing to follow. "We have nothing further to add." More than 90 drivers have not had a contract since June 30, 2019. In the last agreement, the starting wage of a bus driver is $24.59 an hour. It rises to $25.66 after three years. The drivers work nine months of the year in split shifts in the morning and afternoon. The division has offered the drivers a contract that mirrors the provincial government's Public Services Sustainability Act, which limits public-sector employers to wage freezes for two years; a 0.75 per cent increase in the third year; and one per cent in the fourth year. While the bill was passed, it was never proclaimed and in June, the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench struck it down, ruling it violated the constitutional rights of unionized public-sector workers by taking away their right to collective bargaining. The province is appealing the ruling. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca PIL Was Filed By Advocate Sangeeta Gupta A bench comprising of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Siddhartha Verma heard the PIL and asked the petitioner to put forth her complaint within four weeks, then the concerned authorities should take up the matter and consider it as per rule. On Release a BJP MLA Had Also Filed A Complaint Against The Show According to reports, back in May, a BJP MLA from UP had also filed a complaint against Anushka Sharma for using his photo without his permission in one of the scenes. His picture was seen alongside various other BJP leaders, including UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In the complaint he also accused the makers causing communal stir, portraying different Hindu agencies in a negative light, and claimed it is anti-national'. Paatal Lok Is Currently Streaming On Amazon Prime Video Paatal Lok follows a washed out cop, who is assigned the best case of his life, when four criminals are nabbed in the assassination attempt of a prime time journalist. The story takes a turn, when he finds out that the truth is twisted and hidden, unlike the open and shut case he was given earlier. Directed by Avinash Arun & Prosit Roy, it stars Neeraj Kabi, Gul Panag, Jaideep Ahlawat, Abhishek Banerjee and Swastika Mukherjee in lead roles. The Amazon original show was highly appreciated by critics and audiences alike on the launch, earlier this year. Exotec, a Lille, France-based robotics solution for logistics and creator of the Skypod 3D warehouse robots, raised $90m in financing. The round was led by 83North with participation from Dell Technologies Capital and supported by historical investors, Iris Capital and Breega. This funding round will allow the company to further expand and deliver their fully adjustable robotics solution to a wider range of clients in the U.S., Europe and Asia, across numerous B2B and B2C retail sectors such as fashion, grocery, pharmaceutical, hardware, and manufacturing. Founded in 2015 by Romain Moulin and Renaud Heitz, Exotec provides robots that allow retailers and e-merchants to augment their warehouse productivity and increase up to five times their storage capacity. Their autonomous robots can move in a unique three-dimensional pattern at a speed of 13 feet per second, creating an efficient picking and preparation process. Exotec revenue doubled in 2020 as several new international clients, including Carrefour and Fast Retailing (Uniqlo group), adopted their technology in key warehouses. In North America, the company is expanding its footprint to meet the increasing demand for automated logistics. The company signed partnerships with highly experienced American integrators such as AHS, S&H Systems and Conveyco to accelerate market penetration. Exotec is also currently hiring in North America to support its operations and its growth. FinSMEs 30/09/2020 Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development announced on September 22nd that the Government of Alberta will receive $72 million of the $625 million in federal support for Canadas child care sector to help ensure that safe and sufficient child care is available to support parents gradual return to work. This funding is in addition to the $45 million Alberta is receiving through the 2020-21 Canada-Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Bilateral Agreement to support child care programs and services for Alberta families. The availability of affordable, high-quality and flexible child care will be key to ensuring Canadian parents can return to work and our economy can recover from this crisis, said Minister Hussen. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the child care sector to ensure all Canadian families will have access to the quality child care they need. Along with the agreements under the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework, the Safe Restart funding means the Government of Canada will invest nearly $1.2 billion to support child care in 2020-2021, the largest federal child care investment in history. This investment through the Safe Restart Agreement will help address the key priorities agreed upon by Canadas First Ministers for the safe restart of Canadas economy over the next six to eight months. We are pleased to see Albertans contributions coming back to our province through this agreement with the federal government. This funding will ensure safe, reliable child care continues to be available as it is a crucial part of Albertas economic recovery, said Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Childrens Services of Alberta. We are providing child care and early learning programs this support throughout the fall so they can keep their centres safe for kids in their care. Read more about: Two Wyoming hunters were attacked by grizzly bears recently and both animals were killed, according to a news release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. On the evening of Sept. 24, a man who was hunting elk in the Thorofare was attacked and injured by a grizzly bear. He was airlifted to a local hospital where he received treatment. The bear was killed in the incident. In a second incident on Sept. 26, a grizzly bear charged an archery hunter on Rattlesnake Mountain west of Cody. The hunter was not injured; the bear was killed in the incident. Because grizzly bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, Game and Fish coordinates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on grizzly bear conflict investigations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is leading both of the ongoing inquiries. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 0 A minority of Cork residents have been accused of partying their city into Ireland's third major localised Covid-19 lockdown. Councillor Des Cahill pleaded for common sense as he expressed alarm at scenes on some city centre streets over recent days. Large groups of revellers were gathered outside some city venues - with social-distancing and mask-wearing largely being ignored. Some revellers were hugging and gathered in groups of a dozen or more. "I saw people of all ages involved here and I would just urge people to please have some common sense. We need to stop the spread of this virus," Mr Cahill warned. Read More Fears have mounted in Cork that lessons from Dublin and Donegal were being ignored - with Cork on course, with three other counties, to face Level 3 restrictions potentially from tomorrow. His comments came as Cork GP John Sheehan revealed concerns over the city's Covid-19 rate started to mount over a month ago. "Everybody expected the numbers to go up when the schools started getting classes back. But it started before then so it can't really be explained by that," he said. "The danger when you do well is complacency and, above all, these numbers just show that we cannot be complacent. There is no doubt it is going to be a long winter ahead." Both the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and the acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn expressed grave concern over the surge in new virus detections. Mr Martin said that, if imposed, Level 3 restrictions on Cork could be limited to the city and virus-hit urban areas rather than rural parts of the county. House parties and large social gatherings have been blamed for the surge in cases. Cork's threatened lockdown has already prompted a war of words between some residents' associations and the University College Cork Students' Union. The union hit out at the Magazine Road and Surrounding Area Residents' Association for their depiction of the 'virtual' Freshers Week. Union official Jamie Fraser accused residents of "a flagrant misrepresentation of the truth". "Nowhere does the statement mention that all Freshers Week events are being held online and are fully compliant with public health measures," he said. However, the residents' association said there was nothing "virtual" about the house parties being staged in their community. Resident Aidan Cahill warned: "It might be 'virtual' at the presentation end but it is not 'virtual' at the receiving end. "Walk the roads here yesterday and you will see house parties, guys walking at 10.40am with slabs of beer." Regional publisher Australian Community Media is launching a new company with digital property business Real Estate View, as it looks at ways to provide more value to its advertisers. ACM, which is led by former Domain boss Antony Catalano and backed by billionaire Alex Waislitz, will invest $60 million worth of editorial, sales and marketing into the joint venture and will take a controlling interest in the new business. Real Estate View will invest $40 million in the joint entity. ACM boss Antony Catalano said the deal would give clients a total sales solution. Credit:Jesse Marlow ACM's move into real estate follows the closure of a number of its print centres across the country. Mr Catalano acquired the centres in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia in a $115 million in cash and $10 million advertising deal with Nine last July. Some of the money saved from the closures are being channelled into the new venture. "Getting out of manufacturing was a key priority for the business. That was stage one of turning ACM into a publishing business," Mr Catalano said. "It's an opportunity to give regional real estate clients a total sales solution which would be an in-paper print advertisement, an online ad on one of those mastheads and a digital real estate portal solution." (Natural News) Big Tech has repeatedly abused Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, an organized loophole that permitted companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google to manipulate swaths of people through censorship and election meddling. Now the Department of Justice (DOJ) is cracking down on Big Techs legal immunity and forcing these companies to answer for politically-motivated censorship and other unlawful conduct on their platforms. The proposal is being sent to Congress. The new rules would make Big Tech companies liable if they fail to clarify their content moderation practices and refuse to enforce them consistently. The new DOJ proposal goes a step further and strips the companies of legal immunity if they allow terrorism, cyber-stalking, sexual abuse or child exploitation. Big Tech must lose their carte blanche censorship powers Facebook, Twitter and the other Big Tech platforms are being represented by The Internet Association (IA), The IA opposes the DOJs new rules and said the threat of litigation would threaten the current community guidelines put forth by the technology companies. Of course, it would. Every voice that has been censored from the public conversation deserves a right to be heard and deserves to legal representation and compensation for having their livelihood suppressed. Big tech has repeatedly aligned with foreign governing bodies, multinational corporations and left-leaning organizations to hold conservatives, libertarians and independents down. The DOJs new proposal holds these companies accountable for their discriminatory practices. White House spokesman Judd Deere said that this issue goes much deeper than online censorship and free speech. Deere says consumers should be protected from censorship and discrimination and be informed that they have rights and resources to fight back under the law. Attorney generals from every state are on the front line of this issue and the President is listening to all perspectives regarding the matter at hand. The censorship is out of control. Right now, Facebook and Twitter are censoring front line doctors who are having treatment successes for covid-19. Facebook is censoring information related to criminal activity and arson attacks in the West. Google is suppressing conservative news sites, pushing them further down search results. Big Tech is censoring whistle blowers who have evidence that covid-19 was created in a lab in China. This is just the beginning. Objectionable content to be defined by new Section 230 reforms Social media companies have repeatedly removed content, pages and profiles that they object to using biased employee teams and politically-motivated algorithms. The companies hide behind a clause in Section 230 that allows them to censor at will as long the content is otherwise objectionable. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn introduced the Online Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity Act to remove the otherwise objectionable clause from Section 230. Senator Blackburn is one of the high-profile people who has been repeatedly censored by Big Tech and hopes to restore the right of free speech to her fellow Americans. The Section 230 reform will allow diverse viewpoints on big tech platforms to restore American democracy, while holding companies like Facebook accountable when they try to shut down diverse viewpoints and dissent. The reform of Section 230 provides concrete examples of objectionable content, which includes anything that promotes unlawful activity, terrorism or self harm. The framework is in place, the procedure for updating it already learned by rote, Blackburn wrote in the Washington Examiner: If Congress refuses to update these standards in a way that proves we understand the internet we have, and the potential of whats to come, we do so at the peril of free thought. For more on the fight against censorship, visit BigTech.news. Sources include: Breitbart.com Censorship.News 1 Censorship.New s 2 Censorship.News 3 Censorship.New s 3 She debuted her relationship with her new boyfriend Matt Poole earlier this month. And on Wednesday, Tammy Hembrow cosied up to her beau as the couple enjoyed a night out with her family in Queensland. The 26-year-old shared a video to Instagram, while enjoying a meal with Matt, 32, and her sisters at a restaurant. It's getting serious! Tammy Hembrow cosied up to her new boyfriend Matt Poole as the couple enjoyed a night out with her family on Wednesday In the footage, Matt gave Tammy a kiss on the cheek while his new girlfriend held the camera. She showed off her incredible figure in a printed crop top and matching skirt for the outing. The Instagram model styled her blonde hair straight and wore a full face of makeup including dewy foundation and faux lashes. Stylish: She showed off her incredible figure in a printed crop top and matching skirt for the outing Last week, Tammy and her hunky new man appeared to be making things official as they shared their first selfie together on Instagram. In the picture, Matt was seen planting a kiss on Tammy's cheek while they enjoyed a boat cruise. 'Hey lover,' Tammy quickly commented underneath the post. It's on! Tammy Hembrow recently made her relationship with her new boyfriend Matt Poole Instagram official Tammy and Matt also recently enjoyed a romantic trip to the Whitsundays, and they were spotted packing on the PDA at Brisbane Airport. Tammy's ex-fiance Reece Hawkins recently announced he's expecting a child with American model London Goheen. Matt was previously in a relationship with Maddy King, who is the ex of Myer model, Kris Smith. A Victorian driver has been cruelly fined $1,677 for eating a McDonald's takeaway meal in his own car by a river after a long day at work. Tom Tran bought the meal at McDonald's in Shepparton, 200km north east of Melbourne, before stopping on Tom Collins Drive to eat by the Goulburn River. 'I got fined for eating my McDonald's by the river a few weeks ago. Apparently that's illegal,' Mr Tran wrote on Facebook on Saturday. 'Daniel Andrews should be the one to pay my $1,652 fine.' Greater Shepparton has had zero active cases of COVID-19 since September 17. Tom Tran (pictured) bought the meal at McDonald's in Shepparton, three hours north east of Melbourne, before stopping on Tom Collins Drive to eat by the Goulburn River Mr Tran said he was fined for eating McDonald's in his car by Goulburn River. He later posted about it on Facebook, saying 'Daniel Andrews should be the one to pay my $1,652 fine' Mr Tran was fined before regional Victoria moved to its third step of easing restrictions on September 16. He shared a picture of his infringement notice to Facebook, which said he has to pay a total of $1,677.80 by October 9 - which is mysteriously $25.80 more than the $1,652 fine. 'Refuse or fail to comply with a direction, or a requirement made of, a person in the exercise of a power under an authorisation given under section 199 (individual),' the notice read, referencing the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. But Mr Tran argued that he was perfectly justified in leaving the house. 'I had a legitimate reason. I was going out to get food,' he wrote on Facebook. Mr Tran shared a picture of his infringement notice to Facebook, which said he has to pay a total of $1,677.80 by October 9 - which is $25.80 more than the $1,652 fine The Shepparton man, who is originally from Darwin, later posted in the 'Darwin - Have A Whinge' Facebook group. 'My whinge: I am stuck here in Victoria and I f***ing miss Darwin. Thank f**k I don't live in Melbourne, but I miss barramundi,' he wrote. Regional Victoria, including Shepparton, has no restrictions on the reasons to leave home as of September 16. Meanwhile, Melburnians are only allowed to leave the home for shopping, socialising or exercise, permitted work or education and caregiving or medical treatment. Victoria recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths on Wednesday, bringing down the 14-day average to 16.4 in Melbourne and 0.3 in regional Victoria. Financial firms and governments overwhelmingly see cryptocurrencies as risky, a major survey found on Tuesday, with the potential for bitcoin and other digital tokens for use in money laundering and sanctions busting among the chief worries. Around 60% of respondents from financial firms, government and the private sector alike to the survey by the Royal United Services Institute think-tank and the Association of Anti-Money Laundering Specialists said cryptocurrencies were a risk rather than an opportunity. Illicit usage was the major concern. Related: Where DeFi Crypto Users See Sure Bets During COVID, Critics See Unregulated Risks The findings, one of the most detailed efforts yet to map out mainstream global views towards cryptocurrencies, lay bare the depth of skepticism towards the emerging tech. They suggest an uphill struggle for the crypto industry to achieve wider acceptance, even as countries across the world grapple with how to regulate cryptocurrencies. The European Union will introduce new rules for some cryptocurrencies by 2024, documents showed last week. The perception of criminal use of cryptocurrencies is deep-rooted, the survey found. Nearly 90% of respondents from financial firms said they were worried about crypto being used to launder money. Over 80% were worried about sanctioned actors using digital coins to circumvent the formal financial system. All respondents accept that cryptocurrencies are vulnerable to criminals, the surveys authors said. The extent to which crypto is used for crime is unclear, with past research by major blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis this year putting the rate as low as 1% of all transactions. Still, digital currencies are popular with cyber-criminals, as the July hack of major Twitter users to reap bitcoin shows. Cryptocurrencies have also been used for the funding of militant groups. The U.S. Justice Department said last month it had targeted efforts by the military wing of Hamas, al Qaeda and Islamic State to raise funds via cryptocurrencies. Only a fifth of respondents from financial and other private firms said they viewed digital coins as an opportunity, the research found. Among the potential benefits cited was the possibility crypto could extend access to financial services. The survey was based on over 550 responses from financial institutions, law enforcement and financial watchdogs, and legal and insurance firms. It also tapped the cryptocurrency industry. (Reporting by Tom Wilson; editing by David Evans) Topics Trends Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 07:12:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANTIAGO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chile's daily COVID-19 testing positivity rate reached 5.61 percent in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday. A total of 461,300 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Chile, including 13,781 people who are still in the active stage of the disease and 434,794 who have recovered. In the past 24 hours, tests detected 1,622 new cases of infection and 27 more patients died from the disease, bringing the death toll 12,725. Chile is still under a state of catastrophe with a nightly curfew, though lockdowns have been lifted in most parts of the capital Santiago and the metropolitan area. Southern Chile is facing a second wave of infections, leading to renewed lockdowns in cities with large outbreaks. Enditem 2020-09-24() By Kim Hyun-bin U.S. tech giants Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) received the green light from the U.S. government to supply Huawei with certain products, raising hopes for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to be given the same opportunity. Huawei was placed on the Entity List, which is a trade blacklist including 275 firms, in May 2019, banning U.S. companies from selling their technologies and products to the world's largest telecom equipment maker without prior approval. Last week, the U.S. government announced new restrictions on U.S. firms supplying or servicing Huawei, meaning the Chinese tech company will be unable to buy any chips made with U.S. technology, which nearly all products contain. The Trump administration argues that Huawei poses a national security threat and could turn over U.S. citizens' data to the Chinese government, although Huawei denies the accusations and claims its company has been targeted for geopolitical reasons. According to the industry, AMD has received approval to sell its notebook. Meanwhile, an Intel spokesman said Tuesday that the chip manufacturer has received licenses from the U.S. government to supply Huawei with certain products. It did not specify which products. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have submitted their requests and are waiting for the U.S. government's approval. Although Intel and AMD are able to export their products to Huawei, the same opportunity might not be granted for the two Korean tech companies. "The story for Samsung and SK could be different from Intel and AMD as they are U.S. companies and develop processors and CPUs for PCs, which are seen as less of a security risk," an industry official familiar with the matter said. "However, Samsung and SK supply Huawei with mobile components, a sector which the U.S. sees as a major security risk from the Chinese firm." If the U.S. government rejects their requests, it will lead to severe losses for the two Korean tech giants. According to the industry, the U.S. ban on Huawei will result in annual sales losses of around 10 trillion won. Huawei accounts for 3.2 percent or 7.3 trillion won of sales in Samsung Electronics' semiconductor business unit, while SK hynix depends on 11.4 percent or 3 trillion won in sales from the Chinese company annually, according to each company. Data provided by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed China accounted for around 41 percent of Korea's chip exports in the first seven months of this year. The value of the country's chip exports stood at $54.74 billion in the seven-month period, of which $22.49 billion came from China. On the other side of the spectrum, some experts say the approval of Intel and AMD itself is meaningful as it could expand to the other product lines. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix say they are "closely monitoring the situation," as the approval was not in the memory semiconductor business. "This is not a matter to be hastily decided, as there is the U.S. election as a variable and the outcome could change the current U.S.-China relations. All Korean companies could do is keep a close eye on the matter and swiftly counter any issues that come their way," an industry official said. There have been reports that SK hynix has been denied approval from the U.S. government, but the company claimed the reports were false and it is still awaiting confirmation. The Chinese government says it plans to retaliate by creating their own blacklist of U.S. firms which is expected to include Apple, Qualcomm, Boeing and Tesla, which once released could further escalate tensions between the U.S. and China. According to reports, China's Ministry of Commerce has included Cisco on the blacklist. Cisco is a U.S. telecommunications equipment maker and a major competitor of Huawei. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Wednesday that President Donald Trump performed as expected during their raucous debate the night before by illustrating his unwillingness to confront the challenges facing America. He did what I expected him to do last night, said Biden, a former vice president, at the second stop in Alliance, Ohio, of his six-city whistle-stop tour of Ohio and Pennsylvania. I think the phrase was: Now he can become really vicious that was his phrase. Biden accused Trump of showing disregard for more than 200,000 people who have died from COVID-19. At one point in the debate, Trump was asked to disavow white supremacist groups such as the Proud Boys, and he replied: Proud Boys stand back and stand by, which the group adopted as a rallying cry. Biden, who called Trump racist during the debate, said his message to the group is: Cease and desist. My message for the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is: Cease and desist, Biden said. Thats not who we are. This is not who we are as Americans. Biden said no one should be concerned about a violent transfer of power if he wins the Nov. 3 election because Trump would leave office. I promise you if in fact we win this election, this president will step down, Biden said. A lot of bravado. He has no alternative. The American people would not stand for it. No agency would stand for that happening. Trump has said Biden would be controlled by the liberal wing of his party. But Biden said he developed his own platform with an expansion of the Affordable Care Act and a goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions from the power industry by 2035, rather than supporting Medicare for All or the more progressive Green New Deal. Hes trying to run against somebody other than me, said Biden, who called the Democratic Party a big tent. Im not worried about losing the left, right or the center of the party. This is a big party. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden kicks off a campaign tour by train Wednesday at the Amtrak station in Cleveland. A whistle-stop tour traditionally allowed presidential candidates of both parties to visit a variety of small towns efficiently, including former President Harry Truman in 1948. Story continues This year, the tour offered an option for Biden to campaign in key battleground states despite restrictions for social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. Bidens affinity for Amtrak is well-known because of his daily commute in 36 years as a senator from Delaware between Wilmington and Washington, D.C. The railroad estimated he had traveled 2.1 million miles on its rails. "I spent the bulk of my adult life driving to an Amtrak station," Biden said as a helicopter hovered overhead. Its not as fast as a helicopter, but I made a lot of family friends on Amtrak." Other stops on the tour include Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Latrobe and Johnstown in Pennsylvania. Trump won both states in 2016. But Biden and Trump are neck-and-neck in Ohio, according to an average of polls by tracking site FiveThirtyEight.com. Biden leads Trump by an average of 5 percentage points in Pennsylvania, which is considered one of the more crucial of the battleground states, according to the site. Tiffany Davis, a fifth-grade teacher at Lordstown Elementary School, who introduced Biden, described why her union family supported the former vice president for his support for manufacturing jobs and his plans for economic recovery. "In the valley, we're tough, we're resilient, we keep building, but President Trump's failure to protect American manufacturing jobs in Lordstown has torn us apart," Davis said. Her husband, Tom, had worked at the General Motors plant in Lordstown for 17 years before it closed in March 2019. Tom Davis took another job in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to keep his medical benefits and pension, his wife said. But he commutes eight hours back on weekends to visit their children, Brian, 12, and Aubrey, 7, she said. They miss their dad and I miss my husband, and it didnt have to be this way, Davis said. Our community was left behind by Donald Trump and his broken promises. Trump has campaigned as the better supporter of business, despite the manufacturing losses during his administration. Trump held an event Monday at the White House with GM officials touting the Endurance electric pickup built in Lordstown. GM announced this week that it would invest $71 million at Ohio plants in Toledo and Defiance. "Well, the area was devastated when General Motors moved out, and then we worked together, and we made the deal on the plant," Trump said Monday. "Its incredible whats happened to the area." Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gives a thumbs up after speaking to supporters before boarding his train with his wife Jill Biden, right, at Amtrak's Cleveland Lakefront train station on Sept. 30, 2020. Biden said the debate illustrated how Trump cares more about Park Avenue than the former vice presidents birthplace of Scranton, Pennsylvania, or working-class cities in Ohio. I think hes more than ignoring us, Biden said. I think he basically looks down on us. He judges us. Biden accused Trump repeatedly of lying, about calling military veterans suckers and losers, about assuring workers that no plants would close in Ohio while he was president, and about the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. What he does: He lies to you, Biden said. He lies about exactly whats happening. Biden opened the tour with a speech in Cleveland reiterating his plans for spurring manufacturing jobs and battling the virus. He said the debate demonstrated that he cares more about working-class voters than Trump does. "Does your president understand at all what youre going through?" Biden asked. Hes too weak to beat the pandemic." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden reacts to debate during 6-city train tour of Ohio, Penn. WATERLOO The city hopes six new murals installed along uptown Waterloos parking garage will inspire community healing. Each artist was given a blank canvas and asked to interpret what community healing means to them for this new City of Waterloo temporary public art project. Sometimes we just dont share the story of the artists enough, said Sonya Poweska, culture program specialist with the city. For Stephanie Boutari, the simple pleasure of enjoying nature was the inspiration for her mural which features a plant growing from the centre in concentric layers. During the pandemic just seeing trees outside my window, going for a walk and admiring flowers gave me a sense of peace and calm. It made me feel connected to where I am and I think we all need that, the Wellesley-based artist said. The uptown Waterloo parking garage is located directly across of Waterloo Public Square at the corner of King Street and Willis Way, and the murals are along the Willis Way side of the parking garage. This bit of uptown Waterloo is often flush with pedestrians and cyclists, making it an ideal space for public art. Poweska said this mural project was meant to be a part of the citys annual Open Streets festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the pandemic. The city decided to move ahead with murals anyway, she said. Toronto-based artist Monica Pramanicks mural is an illustration of women with flowers and fruit swirling around them. It is her interpretation of imagining a different, more just world. This pandemic and issues of racism and injustice makes community healing especially relevant, Pramanick said. I wanted to explore the role that dreaming and radical, collective imagination plays in transformative justice. Pramanick is inspired by women in her community, the environment and what it means to dream of a different type of world. For me that is a world where there is justice in so many different ways. This is the second year the city has installed murals on the parking garage along the busy Willis Way corridor. Another collection of public art can be found just down Hughes Lane, a tiny back alley that runs perpendicular to Willis Way. Explore all of these murals through the Uptown Waterloo Mural Walk, a self-guided tour of public art scattered throughout Uptown Waterloo. How does a bakery located in what many would consider a small town sell upward of 3,000 doughnuts on a busy day? If you are Huron Mountain Bakery in Marquette, you make 42 different flavors for people to choose from. Marquette has about 23,000 residents, which makes it the largest town in the Upper Peninsula, and yet it still is considered a small town. Locally-owned Huron Mountain Bakery has baked their way to being one of the top bakeries in the country by sheer volume alone. The shop makes everything from bread to pie, cookies to pastries, and wedding cakes to doughnuts. We stopped by to try their doughnuts during our search for Michigans Best Doughnut, and were amazed when we were told that they make so many different kinds, every single day. And while they make a pretty incredible variety of flavors, they keep all of them pretty traditional. You wont find any bacon on top of your long john here, or matcha tea in your icing. Joe Heck, head cake baker and decorator, explained that We stay with the good classics. If it aint broke, dont fry it. Huron Mountain offers all kinds of doughnuts, including raspberry jelly filled. While we didnt try all 40 varieties during our stay, we did try quite a few. Classic sour cream cake is Hecks favorite, and it didnt disappoint. Simple, yes, but fried perfectly to create a lovely crispy edge, while maintaining a tender interior. Heck explained that the moisture in the sour cream causes the doughnut to split a bit when fried, creating even more crispy edges. It doesnt have any bells and whistles, he said. And that is perfectly just fine with us. Huron Mountain typically offers several flavors of the cake-style doughnuts, from traditional vanilla and chocolate, to seasonal offerings like pumpkin, which will be starting soon. Raised doughnuts here have a lightness and depth of flavor that you just dont normally find. Thats because these get time to rest according to Heck, a rest that is much longer than most bakeries allow. These were like lovely clouds, from the jammy raspberry filled one to the signature angel doughnuts, that come filled with a light angel cream" which is kind of like a whipped buttercream, and comes in both vanilla and chocolate. The apple fritter comes out extra caramelized from the fryer, with loads of crunch chunks, offset by the sweet apple filling. Cooking this one just a bit longer than most, its the right call to really develop that flavor. Our list of doughnut varieties could go on and on. Just trust us, there really is a flavor for everyone at Huron Mountain Bakery. Huron Mountain Bakery employees Drake Scheidt and head cake creator Joe Heck, show how to make apple fritters at the busy bakery's location in Marquette. Owner John Scheidt is a true entrepreneur, who just fell in love with baking when he was in college and worked at a local supermarket baking bread. When he and his wife, Darcy, decided that it was time to open his own place, they came up to Marquette for the weekend and promptly fell in love with the town. Since he opened Huron Mountain in 1996, hes added another location in nearby Ishpeming, and also took over long-time Marquette bakery BabyCakes, where you can enjoy beautiful, French-inspired desserts. Scheidt also partnered with long time local baker Heck in 2016, and now Joes Cakes are sold at Huron Mountain. You can see Heck above, as he showed us the doughnut-making process at Huron Mountain. Next to him rolling out apple fritters is Scheidts son, Drake, who now works at the bakery full time. We named Huron Mountain Bakery one of our top spots during our search for Michigans Best Bakery. A chocolate covered Long John from Huron Mountain Bakery in Marquette. Heck shared his personal "Doughnut Buyers Guide with us. He uses this system to predict what doughnuts a patron will order when they come in. The most obvious observation is that anyone middle school and younger will inevitably order the doughnut with sprinkles, the more the better, and with no care to the actual flavor of the doughnut under its sugar crown. If you are older than 70, youll most likely indulge in a maple iced, coconut, or lemon filled. Huron Mountain opens early every morning at 5 a.m., so its not unheard to have someone coming in who may be a bit hungover, or still enjoying the rhythm of the night. Hecks theory on these guests is to get them any doughnut, as quick as possible, and then get them out. Huron Mountain is a busy spot every day, but on doughnut holidays things almost come off the rails. On National Doughnut Day (first Friday in June) and National Donut Day (November 5), the bakery will do triple the regular number of doughnuts that they typically do. On Paczki Day, the bakery is filled with a forest of racks, filled with those famous Polish fat balls. Theyll fry upward of 16,000 paczki that day. Its out of control. Its the busiest day of the year by far, Schiedt said. No matter what day of the year you stop by Huron Mountain, you are assured a high-quality and delicious doughnut. You are also assured an incredible variety of flavor choices, what might just be the most in the entire U.P. A jelly filled doughnut from Huron Mountain in Marquette. Huron Mountain Bakery 1301 S. Front St. Marquette, MI 49855 906-225-1301 Facebook US 41 West Ishpeming, MI 49849 906-485-6848 Facebook A classic sour cream cake doughnut at Huron Mountain Bakery in Marquette. More Michigans Best Doughnut coverage: See our first 11 finalists in the search for Michigans Best Doughnut We tried doughnuts at three popular chains, see who came out on top You can check out all of our nominees here. And read some of the most passionate pleas from our readers here. Special thanks to Michigans Best Doughnut search sponsor, the Michigan Sugar Company, makers of Pioneer Sugar. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will provide $150 million to Gavi, which will be directed to the Serum Institute of India (SII) to fund the additional 10 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses for low and middle-income countries. The fund transfer will be conducted through the Foundations Strategic Investment Fund and will take the total funding provided by this collaboration to $300 million. At this stage, it is important for governments, global health and financial institutions in the public and private sector to come together in ensuring that no one is left behind in the road to recovery. This association is in line with our efforts to see that the future vaccines reach the remotest part of the world providing full immunisation coverage in a bid to contain the spread of the pandemic," Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India said. Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here SII will utilise the fund to manufacture potential vaccine candidates, and for future procurement of vaccines for India and other low and middle-income countries. It will also help accelerate SIIs licensed manufacture of candidate COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca and Novavax. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Both AstraZeneca and Novavaxs candidates would be available for procurement once WHO prequalification and full license if received. SII on September 29 said it aims to make an additional 10 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine for low and middle-income countries, as part of its tie-up with the Gates Foundation and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance. With this, the collaboration of the three organisations will now produce a total of 20 crore vaccine doses for poorer nations. SII had set a ceiling price of $3 (approximately Rs 225) per dose. This alliance would provide upfront capital to SII to help increase manufacturing capacity so that once a vaccine or vaccines, gains necessary regulatory approvals, doses can be distributed at scale to low and middle-income countries as part of the Gavi COVAX AMC mechanism. So far 73 higher-income economies have formally committed to joining the Facility, in addition to the 92 low- and middle-income economies that are eligible for support from the Gavi COVAX AMC. Follow our full COVID-19 coverage here (With inputs from PTI) Does anyone know what caused the bang was earlier in Coedpoeth it shook the house and others on the street @wrexham ? The operator of a South Dublin hotel has brought a high court action over its insurer's refusal to pay out on a claim for business losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The action has been brought by Premier Dale Limited, trading as The Devlin Hotel in Ranelagh, Dublin 6 against insurance broker Arachas Corporate Brokers Ltd and insurer RSA Insurance Ireland DAC. The operator claims the refusal to pay out on the business interruption claim has resulted in the hotel business sustaining "massive and mounting losses" without it being able to access funds from its insurer. The claim, which arises from the hotel having to close its doors last March due to the health emergency caused by pandemic, was admitted to the fast track Commercial Court list this week. The operator is part of the Press Up group which is one of Ireland largest hospitality operators, and employs hundreds of people. The operator, represented by Paul McGarry SC, with Jack Tchrakian Bl, says that it entered into a contract of insurance with RSA in October 2019. It claims that under that policy it is entitled to be indemnified in respect of financial losses expected to exceed 1million arising from interruptions of business at the hotel. Following the hotel's temporary closure last March, the operator sought to be indemnified in respect of its losses. Last April RSA informed the operator that it was refusing to pay out. The refusal by RSA to pay out, the operator claims, amounts to a breach of of the insurer's obligations under the 2019 contract. The operator claims that Arachas provided it with advice and other services regarding insurance requirements. The operator says it relied on statements, representations and advices given to it by the broker in relation to the insurance contract it entered into with RSA. In its action the hotel operator seeks damages for breach of contract, negligence, and negligent misrepresentation. The hotel operator also seeks a declaration from the court that it is entitled under the terms of the 2019 insurance contract to be indemnified in respect of the financial losses from the interruptions of business since March 15th 2020. It further seeks an order restraining RSA from refusing to indemnify the hotel operator and keep it indemnifying the hotel and keep it indemnified in respect of insurable losses. The case was admitted to the commercial court list by Mr Justice David Barniville following an application by the operator. The defendants consented to the application. The Judge adjourned the matter to a date in November. A server wears a face shield and face-covering as people sit to watch a broadcast of the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Viewers used many words to describe Tuesday night's debate, but one stands out: "traumatizing." On social media, survivors of domestic violence, racial violence and emotional abuse called the bullying, the anger, the condescension on display Tuesday "triggering" and "painful." "It was pretty universally experienced as traumatizing," said Sherry Hamby, a University of the South psychology professor and founding editor of the American Psychological Association journal Psychology of Violence. "I know several people who couldn't even get through the whole thing." I don't think a nation's response to watching a presidential debate is supposed to be collective trauma, but here we are. Jodi (@Hirshleft) September 30, 2020 The debate was chaotic, contemptuous and broke conventions of civility. During Tuesday's encounter, the two men questioned one another's intelligence, Trump interrupted Biden 71 times, according to an analysis from the Washington Post, and Biden frequently derided the president's comments and called him a "clown." At one point Biden asked Trump, "Will you shut up, man?" Moderator Christopher Wallace often tried to intervene, but was rarely effective and kept raising his voice. Trump also refused to condemn white supremacy and militia groups. This debate was neither entertaining nor enraging. I was wrong. It was painful. And triggering. #Debates2020 Ibram X. Kendi (@DrIbram) September 30, 2020 Viewers and mental health experts likened the spectacle to a dysfunctional family or an abusive relationship. Emotional abuse is a way to control another person, often by criticizing or shaming them. It can also include name-calling or acting superior. Story continues Embarrassment is also a tactic. Trump attempted to embarrass Biden by bringing up his son Hunter's history of substance abuse. Biden responded by saying he was proud of my son for confronting addiction. Some disability advocates on Twitter also wondered if Trump's repeated interruptions were intended to make Biden stutter. Couldnt sleep. As a disability advocate on behalf of my son, the outright abuse we all witnessed on that debate stage was triggering. Trump repeatedly interrupted, spoke over & yelled at a man with a known speech impediment. And #ChrisWallace did nothing.#JoeWon#Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/eAFJKeWtLk Oh For Crissakes... (@lisareynaloe) September 30, 2020 Preparing for the next debate On Wednesday, the organization that oversees the presidential debates says it will be adding "additional tools" to prevent a repeat of Tuesday's confrontation. Hamby says that with Trump especially, it's clear that containment is the only option. She said for the safety of viewers, it would be helpful to institute physical or technological parameters. If each candidate is going to have two minutes uninterrupted to respond to a question, don't rely on the candidates to abide by that rule, cut the mic to ensure they can't break it. For those who were emotionally triggered during the first debate, Hamby said it may be helpful to avoid watching the debate in real-time. Instead, people can watch clips or read analysis the next day. "That would be a classic psychological approach to try to create some kind of space or distance between you and the dysfunctional behavior that you're trying to deal with," she said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why therapists, Ibram X. Kendi, others called debate 'triggering' We are pleased to recognize Dr. Shahram Gholami as a UroLift Center of Excellence for his commitment to providing consistent care to BPH patients using the UroLift System treatment, said Dave Amerson NeoTract, a wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE:TFX) focused on addressing unmet needs in the field of urology, today announced that Shahram Gholami, M.D., Urological Surgeons of Northern California in San Jose, CA, has been designated as a UroLift Center of Excellence. The designation recognizes that Dr. Gholami has achieved a high level of training and experience with the UroLift System and demonstrated a commitment to exemplary care for men suffering from symptoms associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate. Recommended for the treatment of BPH in both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines, the FDA-cleared Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure using the UroLift System is a proven, minimally invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH. The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during a transurethral outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction and open the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue. The UroLift Center of Excellence program is designed to highlight urologists who are committed to educating their patients on BPH and the UroLift System as a treatment option and consistently seek to deliver excellent patient outcomes and experiences. We are pleased to recognize Dr. Shahram Gholami as a UroLift Center of Excellence for his commitment to providing consistent care to BPH patients using the UroLift System treatment, said Dave Amerson, president of the Teleflex Interventional Urology business unit. This achievement has helped many patients experience durable, long- term relief from the burdensome symptoms of BPH while preserving sexual function*1,2. Over 40 million men in the United States are affected by BPH, a condition that occurs when the prostate gland that surrounds the male urethra becomes enlarged with advancing age and begins to obstruct the urinary system. Symptoms of BPH often include interrupted sleep and urinary problems and can cause loss of productivity, depression and decreased quality of life. Medication is often the first-line therapy for enlarged prostate, but relief can be inadequate and temporary. Side effects of medication treatment can include sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches, prompting many patients to quit using the drugs. For these patients, the classic alternative is surgery that cuts, heats or removes prostate tissue to open the blocked urethra. While current surgical options can be very effective in relieving symptoms, they can also leave patients with permanent side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and retrograde ejaculation. About the UroLift System The FDA-cleared UroLift System is a proven, minimally invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during a minimally invasive transurethral outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction and open the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue. Clinical data from a pivotal 206-patient randomized controlled study showed that patients with enlarged prostate receiving UroLift implants reported rapid and durable symptomatic and urinary flow rate improvement without compromising sexual function*1,2. Patients also experienced a significant improvement in quality of life. Over 100,000 men have been treated with the UroLift System in the U.S. Most common adverse events reported include hematuria, dysuria, micturition urgency, pelvic pain, and urge incontinence. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure. The Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure using the UroLift System is recommended for the treatment of BPH in both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines. The UroLift System is available in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. Learn more at http://www.UroLift.com. About NeoTract | Teleflex Interventional Urology A wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated, the Interventional Urology Business Unit is dedicated to developing innovative, minimally invasive and clinically effective devices that address unmet needs in the field of urology. Our initial focus is on improving the standard of care for patients with BPH using the UroLift System, a minimally invasive permanent implant system that treats symptoms while preserving normal sexual function*1,2. Learn more at http://www.NeoTract.com. About Teleflex Incorporated Teleflex is a global provider of medical technologies designed to improve the health and quality of peoples lives. We apply purpose driven innovation a relentless pursuit of identifying unmet clinical needs to benefit patients and healthcare providers. Our portfolio is diverse, with solutions in the fields of vascular and interventional access, surgical, anesthesia, cardiac care, urology, emergency medicine and respiratory care. Teleflex employees worldwide are united in the understanding that what we do every day makes a difference. For more information, please visit http://www.teleflex.com. Teleflex is the home of Arrow, Deknatel, Hudson RCI, LMA, Pilling, Rusch, UroLift and Weck trusted brands united by a common sense of purpose # # # For Teleflex Incorporated: Jake Elguicze, 610.948.2836 Treasurer and Vice President, Investor Relations Media: Nicole Osmer, 650.454.0504 nicole@healthandcommerce.com *No instances of new, sustained erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction 1. Roehrborn, J Urology 2013 LIFT Study 2. McVary, J Sex Med 2016 MAC00968-01 Rev A The Rs 2,160-crore initial public offering of UTI Asset Management Company was subscribed 78.5 per cent on the second day of bidding on Wednesday. The issue closes October 1. UTI AMC IPO received bids for 2.15 crore equity shares against an offer size of 2.73 crore equity shares, according to the exchange data. The company has received Rs 645 crore from anchor investors. The portion reserved for non institutional investors was subscribed 34.7 per cent and for retail individual investors (RIIs) 1.15 times. The quota for employees was subscribed by 66.5 per cent and that of qualified institutional buyers 47.82 percent. State Bank of India (SBI), Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), and Bank of Baroda are offering to sell 1,04,59,949 shares each, while Punjab National Bank (PNB) and T Rowe Price International are going to offload 38,03,617 shares each. Price range for the offer has been fixed at Rs 552-554 per share. At the upper end of the price band, the IPO would fetch Rs 2,160 crore. This will be the third AMC to get listed on the stock exchanges after Nippon Life India Asset Management and HDFC AMC. "At the higher end of the price band, UTI AMC's IPO is priced at a PE ratio of 25.41, based on FY20 earnings. This is at a significant discount to listed peers HDFC AMC (trading at PE of 36) and Nippon Life (PE of 37). Given its relatively weaker profitability and growth ratios, this seems to be justified. UTI AMC operates at higher operating costs versus peers, which has taken a toll on its profitability. We believe that one can subscribe to this IPO purely from the chances of achieving listing gains," INDmoney said. Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Axis Capital, Citigroup Global Markets India, DSP Merrill Lynch, ICICI Securities, JM Financial, and SBI Capital Markets are the managers to the offer. Shares of the company are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE. Also read: Why Mazagon Dock's IPO has an edge over UTI AMC Jett Kenny has returned to work as a model, two weeks after the tragic death of his older sister, Jaimi. In a post on Instagram on Wednesday, the 26-year-old shared a series of behind the scenes photos of himself looker dapper in a suit on a Sunshine Coast racecourse. 'Something about suiting up,' he captioned the photos. Model: Jett Kenny, 26, (pictured) returned to work as a model on Wednesday, two weeks after the tragic death of his older sister, Jaimi The runway star wore his trademark blonde hair up. He paired the blue-grey suit with a crisp white shirt and brown boots. It's not the first time the blond Adonis has visited a race track this week. On Sunday, Jett posted a number of photos of him at the races in Toowoomba, alongside a number of friends. Earlier this month, Jett shared a stunning tribute to his beloved sister Jaimi. Formal: The runway star wore his trademark blonde hair up. He paired the blue-grey suit with a crisp white shirt and brown boots 'You were there whenever I needed you, you taught me how to cook gourmet food like roast potatoes, chicken and salad, and tacos - the essentials in our household,' he wrote. 'You gave me a slight insight into fashion by dressing me in up in dresses and putting makeup on me when I was young. You'd sit behind me while I ate dinner and would pick at anything pimple looking on my back - even if it was just a mole,' he added. 'You were my second mother, you were my biggest sister, you were my friend, and you were a fighter until the very end,' he continued. 'I will love you forever': Jett Kenny shared a heartbreaking tribute to his sister Jaimi Kenny - six days after her tragic death at aged 33 Jett went on to say: 'Jaimi, I will love you forever and you will always have a place in my heart. I will miss you dearly, but cherish the moments we had together greatly. I love you so much, and I will see you again at some point.' He also thanked 'everyone for their overwhelming love and support'. The Kenny-Curry family confirmed Jaimi's death on September 14 in a statement. Sensitive: Jett wrote: 'You were my second mother, you were my biggest sister, you were my friend, and you were a fighter until the very end' 'It is with a very heavy heart that Lisa and I confirm our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital this morning in the company of loving family,' read the statement by Jaimi's father, Grant. 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself,' it continued. 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is immense but we must move forward cherishing every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured first child. Family: Jaimi (left), the eldest daughter of Aussie sporting power couple Grant Kenny (centre) and Lisa Curry (right), died at the age of 33 on Monday after battling an eating disorder. Pictured on the Sunshine Coast on April 3, 2008 'We thank the incredible team at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for their tireless commitment to making her better and giving us the extra time we were able to spend with her. 'It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for family and friends and we trust we will all be allowed to grieve in privacy.' While the family's statement did not specify the exact nature of Jaimi's illness, it's understood she had long battled an eating disorder. Jaimi is survived her her sister Morgan, brother Jett, mother Lisa, father Grant and half-sister Trixie. For free and confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Butterfly Foundation for eating disorder concerns on 1800 ED HOPE Press Release Nokia selected as nationwide supplier of 5G RAN by Elisa Finland Nokia continues long-standing partnership with Elisa as strategic supply partner of 5G RAN nationwide 30 September 2020 Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced that it has been selected by leading Finnish mobile operator Elisa as the nationwide supplier of 5G RAN. Nokia, which will provide its AirScale 5G RAN portfolio, will deliver enhanced ultra-fast, low-latency mobile broadband services to both consumer and enterprise customers. The deal continues Nokia's long-standing partnership with Elisa into the 5G era and will focus on Elisa's efforts to digitize Finland and make it a leading global 5G market. Deployment is expected to begin immediately. To support digitalization in Finland, Nokia will supply its flexible AirScale 5G Radio Access portfolio for enhanced mobile connectivity, as well as additional use cases such as Massive IoT and Ultra-Reliable Low Latency services (URLLC). This strengthens the partnership Nokia and Elisa have in other areas such as Core and IP Networks, as well as in Telco Cloud and IT domain. The project will also focus on mobile network technology migration so that new radios will serve both 5G and 4G subscribers across the country. Elisa plans to decommission its 3G network by 2023 to support its move to 5G services. The deal demonstrates Nokia and Elisa's commitment to sustainability, with Elisa being the first operator to have installed a commercial liquid cooling 5G base station. The solution reduces the potential energy expense of the base station by 30 percent and CO2 emissions by approximately 80 percent. Nokia has delivered zero-emission products to over 150 customers worldwide and is committed to decreasing emissions from its operations by 41 percent by 2030. Veli-Matti Mattila, CEO at Elisa, said: "We continue facilitating the benefits of 5G to our customers in Finland, one of the world's leading mobile service markets and are delighted to work with Nokia to enhance our capabilities. Nokia has been an important strategic partner for us for a long time and its technology has helped us to deliver state-of-the-art 5G based enhanced mobile broadband experiences to our customers. I believe we will have exciting years ahead creating new solutions to meet our customers' needs, also in the field of private networks, ultra-low latency services, and massive IoT. I look forward to continuing to develop this relationship into the 5G era and beyond." Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO at Nokia, said: "Nokia has a long-standing partnership with Elisa, which we are excited to extend into the 5G era as their strategic supply partner. Together we have delivered many technology 'firsts', including installing the first-ever commercial liquid cooling 5G base station, which highlights our shared commitment to decreasing emissions while providing world-class connectivity. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Elisa on its ambition to digitize Finnish society." Nokia is a global leader in 5G with the industry's only end-to-end portfolio that is available globally. With more than 150 commercial engagements underway, its 5G solutions, software and services allow Nokia customers to take advantage of the promise of this next generation of network technology. Learn more about Nokia 5G . Resources: Webpage: Nokia AirScale Webpage: Nokia 5G RAN About Nokia We create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks. Our communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia. New Delhi, Sep 30 : Microsoft India said on Wednesday that it has added Assamese as the latest Indian language in Microsoft Translator, increasing the number of Indian languages it supports to 12. The Azure-based service will now provide real-time translation and transliteration support for the language. Powered by Azure Cognitive Service Speech, users will also be able to translate speech into Assamese text or to translate Assamese text into another language with speech output. Assamese -- besides being the official language of the state of Assam -- is spoken by more than 14 million people across India's northeastern states. "Microsoft has a responsible approach to Artificial Intelligence, a key principle of which is inclusiveness. Breaking language barriers is a key step in enabling inclusion of more people and organizations to utilize technology to achieve more," Sundar Srinivasan - General Manager - AI & Search - Microsoft India, said in a statement. "As part of our mission to remove language barriers, particularly in India, we are happy to announce the release of translation for Assamese to add to the set of 11 Indian languages already supported". The other Indian languages that are already supported are -- Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. With the addition of Assamese, Microsoft Translator will now allow over 90 per cent of Indians to access information and work in their native/preferred languages, making computing language-agnostic and more inclusive in the country. It can help general users interpret real-time conversations, menus and street signs, websites, and documents. Companies can leverage it to globalise their business and strengthen customer outreach. Microsoft Translator can be availed across Windows, iOS, Android, and the web. The service is available on Microsoft Translator app, add-ins, Office 365, Bing Translator, and through the Azure Cognitive Services Translator API for businesses and developers. Sushant death | Poison test to lapses, AIIMS forensic findings: Reports From not finding any traces of organic poison in Sushant Singh Rajput's body, to the discovery of lapses in the autopsy conducted by Mumbai's Cooper Hospital - news reports have shed light on what the forensic analysis by All India Institute of Medical Science, Delhi may contain. AIIMS was approached by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to vet the findings of the first report which suggested that the probable cause of the actor's death was asphyxia due to hanging. Recently, the lawyer of Sushant's father tweeted that an AIIMS doctor had told him that the actor was strangled to death as per photographic evidence. In response, the counsel for Sushant's girlfriend and main suspect in the case, Rhea Chakraborty, said that a new medical board must be formed to prevent partiality in the probe. A day earlier, Maharashtra's Home minister had taken a jibe at the CBI for not presenting its conclusions in the case despite probing it for around a month and a half. Watch the full video for more. ...read more A Chinese man has nearly died from a severe heart attack after he got extremely upset while helping his son with homework. The 45-year-old father, known by his surname Liu, sought medical attention after he began suffering sharp chest pain and suddenly passed out while explaining a maths question to his Year 3 son. Upon arriving at the hospital, he fainted again and was saved by the medics who gave him CPR. Doctors said the patients condition was triggered by the intense stress and anger Mr Liu felt while he was helping with his childs schoolwork. The 45-year-old father, known by his surname Liu, sought medical attention after he began suffering chest pain and suddenly passed out while explaining a maths question to his Year 3 son. The file photo shows students working in a classroom at Huaiyang Middle School Mr Liu had been helping his son with homework since the new semester started this month, according to a report by the hospital in southern Chinese city Shenzhen. For the past two weeks, the Chinese father would feel minor pain in his chest when he got extremely frustrated while supervising his sons work. On Sunday, the parent became upset again after repeatedly explaining the same math question to the Year 3 student, who was struggling to get the answer. Mr Liu then started suffering sharp chest pain and shortness of breath before suddenly passing out. He woke up later and sought medical attention at the Shenzhen Third Peoples Hospital the next day. Soon after he arrived at the hospital, the Chinese father fainted again and started twitching and frothing at the mouth. He was stabilised minutes later after medics immediately gave him a resuscitation. A Chinese man has nearly died from severe heart attacks after he got extremely upset while helping his son with homework. In this file photo, pupils sit at a class at a primary school on the first day of a new semester on September 1, 2020 in Kunming, Yunnan province While examining the patient, doctors found that a part of Mr Lius main coronary artery was clogged, blocking the supply of blood to the heart. Dr Gao Hong from the hospital said that Mr Lius recent heart attack had been triggered by intense emotions, such as stress and anger, while helping his sons homework. Being a smoker for years also contributed to his condition, according to the medic. Mr Liu's situation would've been 'unimaginable' if he did not come to the hospital on time, Dr Gao added. After undergoing an emergency operation, Mr Liu is now in stable condition while slowly recovering at the hospital. Although Mr Lius heart attacks involved dramatic chest pain and fainting, many others can be overlooked with vague symptoms dismissed as a virus or fatigue. Dr Gao Hong from the hospital said that Mr Lius recent heart attacks had been triggered by intense emotions, such as stress and anger, while helping his sons homework Occasionally, there are no symptoms at all when someone experiences a heart attack. Silent myocardial infarction (SMI) as it is medically known accounts for up to 50 per cent of the 100,000 heart attack hospital admissions each year. Theyre silent since they lack the intensity of classic heart attacks, such as chest pain, stabbing pain in the arm, or sweating and shortness of breath. Yet internally theyre identical to a normal heart attack the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked by a build-up of fat and other substances in the arteries that feed it causing damage to the tissue. The damage can be cumulative, leading to potentially fatal blockages. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-29 23:00:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Aug. 2, 2019 shows an aerial view of Varkiza, one of the largest and most popular beaches of Attica, in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis /Xinhua) "Even the pandemic cannot stop the exchanges between our two sides. We think that cooperation and good relations between provinces and cities are a very important part of our bilateral relationship," said Chinese Ambassador to Greece Zhang Qiyue. ATHENS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Sichuan Province and Greece's Attica Region signed a twinning agreement on Tuesday aimed to broaden and deepen cooperation in many fields on the regional level and help bring closer Greek and Chinese people. "Today we signed a very important cooperation agreement between Attica region and Sichuan, one of China's largest provinces, aimed to collaborate on one hand to tackle in the best possible ways the pandemic which unfortunately is here, and in parallel to build the future through tourism, trade, development and progress," Giorgos Patoulis, governor of Attica Region, told Xinhua after the video signing ceremony hosted in Athens at the Chinese embassy. Enhanced cooperation between Greece's largest region and a "cradle of Chinese culture and major trade hub and industrial center of China" will build more bridges of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, Patoulis said, addressing the event. The Greek official expressed once again gratitude for the precious aid China provided to Attica and Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first large load of medical supplies to reach Athens airport in March was donated by the Chinese government and businesses. During her address, Chinese Ambassador to Greece Zhang Qiyue hailed the Sino-Greek cooperation in the face of the new challenge as an exemplary case of cooperation between the two countries. "Even the pandemic cannot stop the exchanges between our two sides. We think that cooperation and good relations between provinces and cities are a very important part of our bilateral relationship," Zhang told Xinhua. Aerial photo shows a view of Lake Wuhuahai in the Jiuzhaigou National Park in southwest China's Sichuan Province, June 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Xue Yubin) She also voiced her confidence in the sister province relationship between Attica and Sichuan. "We are very optimistic that with the signing of the MoU there will be cooperation in every aspect in the coming months and years," she said. The ambassador noted that the next year is especially important because there will be a lot of activities in the framework of 2021 Greece and China Year of Culture and Tourism which coincides with the 200th anniversary of Greece's Independence Revolution. She also warmly welcomed the Attica region's interest in promoting Chinese language teaching. The Chinese side will facilitate the initiative, as the people to people relationship is very significant, she told Xinhua. Addressing Tuesday's ceremony, Sichuan Province's Governor Yin Li and Greek ambassador to China Georgios Iliopoulos also welcomed the plan to open a Greek consulate in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province, soon, as well as a plan to launch a direct flight from Athens to Chengdu once the pandemic is over. As you may know Google takes 30% from in-app purchases on most apps in the Play Store and the company has now declared that it plans on enforcing it more strictly starting September 30, 2021. Google said that about 97% of the apps in Play Store already use the store's system for in-app purchases and are compliant with the policies. Still major apps like Spotify and Netflix, for example, ask for your credit/debit card directly, circumventing the Google system and the commission that comes with it. Recently, Epic Games found itself in hot water with both Google and Apple after refusing to pay the 30% cut. Of course, Android allows third-party stores - such as Samsung's Galaxy Store and Huawei's AppGallery. It's also much easier to side-load apps from sites such as APKPure or APKMirror or the developers' own websites. Better yet, starting with Android 12, Google will be making efforts to make the use of third-party app stores easier, so it may be easier to enforce the usage of its payment system without scrutiny from authorities. We will see how this plays out and whether more developers will look for pastures greener as a result of the new Google policy. Source GREENWICH A group of students who had been in quarantine from the International School at Dundee have been cleared to return to the classroom, according to the schools principal. Principal Teresa Ricci sent a message to families Friday, days after notifying them that a group of students in the second, third, fourth and fifth grade needed to be quarantined after attending a party with a parent who had tested positive for COVID-19. There were no positive cases with ISD students. Contact tracing was conducted with those families who had some exposure last weekend to a parent who tested positive, Ricci wrote to parents Sept. 25. The initial email warning of the possible exposure to the coronavirus had gone out on Sept. 22. The children, who did not have direct exposure to this person, have now been cleared to return to school after being quarantined out of an abundance of caution, Ricci continued. Since the start of school Sept. 9, Greenwich Public Schools has posted weekly updates on positive cases on its website. As of Sept. 25, according to the tracker, there had been only one confirmed case in the district, at Greenwich High School. There has been, however, potential exposures to students and staff who have been forced to quarantine as a result. In response to the case of COVID at Greenwich High, a minimal number of students and staff were forced to quarantine, according to the districts Director of Communications Sasha Houlihan. Before the start of the school year, three teachers tested positive for COVID and a fourth was forced to quarantine, the district said. None had entered a school building at that point, according to the district. Greenwich Catholic middle school students, who had been quarantined for two weeks after a seventh-grader tested positive, are scheduled to return to class Sept. 28. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 Bitpanda, a Vienna, Austria-based crypto exchange company, closed a $52m Series A funding round. The round was led by Valar Ventures with participation from Speedinvest and others. In conjunction with the funding, Andrew McCormack and James Fitzgerald from Valar Ventures, joined BitPandas board. The company will use the funds to grow its team, build out a pan-European offering (with the expansion already started in France, Spain and Turkey) and become a stock trading platform. Founded in 2014 by Eric Demuth, Paul Klanschek and Christian Trummer, BitPanda is a retail broker for buying and selling Bitcoin, Ethereum, gold and over 30 other digital assets. It has 1.2 million users and more than 190 team members. The company, which has a PSD2 payment service provider licence, plans to launch new products, including a completely new and innovative way of stock trading early next year, and become an investment platform for asset classes for everyone. FinSMEs 30/09/2020 A Microsoft logo is seen next to a cloud in Los Angeles (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp has resolved a major outage to its Microsoft 365 services that impacted users of business products including Outlook and Teams, the company said on Tuesday. The company said it has rolled back an update to its services, which had likely caused the disruption. Microsoft did not disclose details on how many users were impacted, but outage tracking website Downdetector.com showed that at its peak nearly 8,000 individuals reported issues with Teams and Outlook on late Monday. The issue, which persisted for several hours Monday night, had caused an uproar on Twitter, with several users complaining that the outage meant they could miss their job interviews and deadline for college assignments. (Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam and Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Arun Koyyur) By Trend President of France Emmanuel Macron plans to hold phone talks with his Russian and US counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, to discuss ways to resolve the situation in Nagorno Karabakh. He made the statement on September 30 at a press conference during his visit to Latvia, Trend reports referring to TASS. This topic is being dealt with by an international competent group of mediators, the Minsk Group, which includes France, Russia, and the US, the president said. We are in contact with our partners from the first hours [of the aggravation of the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh] at the level of foreign ministers and at my level. Tonight I plan to contact President Putin and, I think, tomorrow with President Trump on this topic in order to exchange views and propose a solution to the situation. The Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale provocation, subjecting the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibers in the front-line zone on Sept. 27 at 06:00 (GMT+4). The command of the Azerbaijani Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation of Azerbaijani troops along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov said Sept. 27, 2020, that Ashaghi Abdulrahmanli, Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district were liberated. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Amnesty International has expressed alarm that the right to protest in France is being increasingly hampered by the application of "draconian" laws. In a new report, the rights group says thousands of people were unfairly targeted at anti-government demonstrations in 2018 and 2019 and that the situation had worsened under Covid-19 restrictions. "Thousands of peaceful protesters have been swept up in France's draconian crackdown on demonstrations," Amnesty International said in a report released on Tuesday. It documents "how a blanket ban on protests following the Covid-19 lockdown, was disproportionate and resulted in hundreds of unjustified fines." "It also finds that long before the pandemic, first aiders, journalists and human rights observers were among those targeted under vague laws during nationwide protest movements that began in late 2018." Legislative 'arsenal' More than 40,000 people were convicted in France in 2018 and 2019 "on the basis of overly broad" laws including "contempt of public officials," "participation in a group with a view to committing violent acts" and "organising a protest without complying with notification requirements." "A legislative arsenal has been deployed to arrest and prosecute protesters arbitrarily and to unduly restrict their right to freedom of peaceful assembly," the report said. Since November 2018, France has seen near-weekly anti-government demonstrations by so-called "Yellow Vest" protesters angry about perceived social inequality and a loss of spending power. Some 11,200 Yellow Vest protesters were placed in pre-charge detention between November 2018 and July 2019. France also saw regular demonstrations in late 2019 and early 2020 during the country's longest consecutive public transport strike over proposed pension reforms, and this year saw additional protests against alleged police racism and brutality. "Violence during demonstrations is a legitimate concern, but there is a political desire to make examples of people and deter others from taking to the streets," Marco Perolini, a French researcher at Amnesty International, told AFP. While it did not defend the actions of protesters who commit violence or arson, the rights group said many who were peaceful have been fined, arrested and prosecuted -- some for merely bringing protective goggles or masks to a protest. Disproportionate restrictions The Amnesty report said French authorities had "weaponised criminal law," for example with "disproportionate restrictions on public assemblies" in the context of social distancing measures to curb the coronavirus epidemic. It cited three cases in which 85 people were fined for participating in small protests in May and June this year, despite wearing face masks and/or maintaining a safe physical distance from others. In April 2019, a blanket ban on face coverings at protests was introduced, punishable with fines of up to 15,000 euros and a prison sentence of up to one year. Between April and October 2019, 210 people were detained in pre-charge detention under this ban. In 2019, 41 protesters were convicted for this offence. "It is ironic that a country with such a long and proud tradition of collective action for social change is criminalizing protest in this way," concludes Marco Perolini. "Three years after Emmanuel Macron made an election pledge to protect the right to peaceful assembly, peaceful protest faces an unprecedented attack." Amnesty's recommendations: The ban on face coverings at protests to be "urgently reviewed" in the context of masks' role in combating the spread of coronavirus cases. That parliament revise all laws which penalise the right to gather peacefully. Police should stop abusive use of the identity check law (article 78-3) which prevents the free movement of protesters. Allow media organisations, journalists and human rights watchers unimpeded access to cover protests For parliament to create an independent body in charge of investigating complaints against police officers. The justice ministry told AFP it would comment only after reading the full 63-page report. Authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwestern China are barring recipients of state welfare payments from performing the daily prayers required of devout Muslims, adding to restrictions already in place allowing only those 65 years or older from praying, sources say. The move further tightens controls on Islamic practice that have already seen restrictions placed on the annual Ramadan fast, religious practice by government workers, and the banning of religious instruction for Uyghur children under 18, who are also barred from entering mosques. Enacted in 2017, the ban on the daily prayer called namaz already targets younger Uyghur residents of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), but now extends to families and individuals receiving state benefits, sources in the region say. We dont even think about doing namaz now, a longtime Communist Party member and welfare recipient in the town of Doletbagh in southeastern Kashgar (in Chinese, Kashi) prefecture told RFAs Uyghur Service in a recent interview. And its the same for non-Party members. Its just not possible, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Anyone who receives a salary from the government is simply not allowed to practice religion, he said. Welfare recipients cannot do namaz, a village police officer in Xinjiangs Atush city said. Taken to the camps She said that those found praying in violation of the rules face penalties including possible incarceration in Xinjiangs vast network of political re-education camps, where as many as 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups accused of religious extremism have been held since 2017. We tell them that well punish them, report them to the village brigade, she said, referring to local groups of enforcers assigned to monitor other residents religious and political views and compliance with Chinese law. In meetings, we remind all welfare recipients to safeguard social stability and to get along well [with Han Chinese], she said. The officer said she doesnt know how many residents of her village receive government welfare or subsidy payments, but was quickly able to recall the names of ten villagersall marriedwho have been taken to the detention camps for praying while receiving government assistance. One, a 68-year-old villager named Memetnuri Metsidiq, has already been held for around a year and half, she said, adding that around 90 percent of Uyghur villagers have now abandoned their required daily prayers out of fear of police surveillance and the loss of government funds. Beginning in October 2018, China acknowledged the existence of the camps, but described them as voluntary vocational centers set up to combat radical Islamic terrorism. Reporting by RFA has found that detainees are mostly held against their will and forced to endure inhumane treatment and political indoctrination. With international criticism mounting over the XUAR internment camps, President Xi Jinping gave a hard-line speech to the Xinjiang Central Work Forum that ended on Sept. 26 that China's strategy was totally correct and must carry on for a long time, according reports issued by state media. "The whole party must treat the implementation of the Xinjiang strategy as a political task, and work hard to implement it completely and accurately to ensure that the Xinjiang work always maintains in the correct political direction," Xi said. 'Deliberate, systematic, ruthless' Nury Turkel, a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said the remarks sounded tone deaf outside China but showed that Chinas genocidal policies have been deliberate, systematic, and ruthless with the ultimate goal to stamp out the Uyghur culture and identity. The USCIRF, an independent U.S. federal government body, has urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to formally designate Chinas atrocities in the XUAR as genocide. The scale and scope of the oppression on the worlds watch cry out for global condemnation and governmental actions, said Turkel. On Wednesday Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said she would raise "poor and cruel treatment" of minorities in any future dialogue with Beijing. The EU, has been less vocal in its criticism of the three-year-old Uyghur camp system than the United States, which is locked in a broad political and economic confrontation with China and has imposed sanctions on top XUAR officials deemed responsible for rights abuses. Early this month, however, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed that France will remain fully mobilized on the situation of the Uyghurs, after receiving a letter expressing concerns over abuses in Xinjiang from a group of around 30 French MPs, according to a French media. All these practices are unacceptable because they run counter to the universal principles enshrined in international human rights conventions, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms, Macron said. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by the Uyghur Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. The Shiv Sena on Wednesday questioned the "silence" of dalit leaders and social media 'activists' on the gang-rape and brutal murder of a woman in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. IMAGE: Activists of All India Democratic Students Organisation hold a demonstration demanding justice for gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in UP's Hathras. Photograph: PTI Photo Speaking to reporters, Sena MP Sanjay Raut questioned the "hue and cry" generated by certain sections over the demolition of a "house roof" of an actress, an apparent reference to Kangana Ranaut. "Is it that justice is sought only for acelebrity or an actress? Where is the media now which was screaming for justice for an actress whose house roof was demolished?" he said while terming the Hathras incident "shocking and unfortunate". Raut said he hadn't seen a social media campaign demanding justice for the victim. The 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped in a village in Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she breathed her last on Tuesday. The Sena chief spokesperson said it was "unfortunate" that once aggressive dalit movement has lost its lustre. "(Union minister and RPI (A) chief) Ramdas Athawale sought justice for an actress, but not for the poor girl from Hathras whose family was denied the right even to cremate her mortal remains," he said. "Where are those who were demanding President's rule in Maharashtra for justice to an actress?" he asked. Raut clarified the Sena was not demanding resignation of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over the incident. Raut and Ranaut have been at loggerheads since the actress compared Mumbai to "Pakistan occupied Kashmir", following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June this year. Raut has also been made a party in the case filed in the high court by Ranaut against partial demolition of her bungalow by the Mumbai civic body. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 15:15:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close FIROZ KOAH, Afghanistan, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A woman and her husband were killed as a roadside bomb struck their motorbike in Dawlat Yar district of Afghan western Ghor province Wednesday, district governor Mohammad Musa Kalim said. "A mine planted by militants on a road in Dawlat Yar district struck a motorbike, killing wife and husband aboard," Kalim told Xinhua. The couple was going to attend a funeral when the blast happened, the official said, adding that the enemies of peace, a reference to the Taliban militants were behind the deadly bombing. A similar roadside bombing claimed the life of another man in the same area on Tuesday evening, the official further said. The Taliban outfit, which is active in parts of Ghor province with Firoz Koah as its capital 360 km west of Kabul has yet to claim responsibility. Enditem Rep. John Ratcliffe Yuri Gripas/Reuters Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe declassified a dubious claim from Russian intelligence sources alleging that former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton "approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal" against then-Republican candidate Donald Trump and his ties to Russia. Ratcliffe said in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham that the US intelligence community "does not know the accuracy" of the allegation "or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication." The DNI's move raised questions about why the nation's spy chief declassified information that had not been corroborated and which he himself admitted may be false or exaggerated. Ratcliffe's decision to release disparaging information about Clinton also mirrors Moscow's ongoing disinformation campaign against the former secretary of state. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, declassified dubious information from a "Russian intelligence analysis" in 2016 alleging that then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton "approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal" against then-Republican candidate Donald Trump "by tying him to Putin and the Russians' hacking of the Democratic National Committee." Ratcliffe divulged the information in a letter to Sen. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and one of Trump's staunchest congressional allies. However, the letter said the US intelligence community "does not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication." Story continues Ratcliffe's move raised immediate questions about why the country's top intelligence official declassified information that the US could not corroborate, and which Ratcliffe himself acknowledged could be false or exaggerated. Moreover, as several observers pointed out, Ratcliffe's decision to release disparaging information about Clinton from Russian intelligence sources appears to mirror Moscow's ongoing disinformation campaign against the former secretary of state. The president and his allies have also amplified the claim over the last several years, alleging without evidence that the Clinton campaign colluded with the Ukrainian government to cook up a Trump-Russia conspiracy and sabotage his campaign. US intelligence officials have seen no evidence supporting the claim, and a bipartisan report by the Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee concluded the same. The intelligence community also determined in early 2017 that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his government and intelligence agencies to wage an elaborate and extensive campaign to interfere in the 2016 general election. Putin's main goal was to damage Clinton and propel Trump to the Oval Office, according to the US's assessment. Nick Merrill, a spokesperson for Clinton, described the allegations Ratcliffe's letter laid out as "baseless bullshit" in a text message to Politico. Frank Montoya, a recently retired FBI special agent, told Business Insider in a text message that the allegation Ratcliffe publicized "sounds like more Russian disinformation" meant to protect the "Russian intel effort to undermine our sovereignty. This is how Russia (like the Soviet Union before it) does disinformation ops." "What's more, this is old news, meaning the IC has had years to corroborate it and hasn't been able to do that," he added. Montoya said the DNI's decision was particularly striking given that when he served in Congress, he and other Republicans railed against the release of uncorroborated information connected to the so-called Steele dossier, an unverified collection of memos by a former British intelligence officer alleging collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. "Ratcliffe is serving up political chum to the President's allies on-demand, seeming to disregard whether it's A) accurate or B) in service of a foreign disinformation campaign," Ned Price, the former senior director of the National Security Council under President Barack Obama, wrote on Twitter. "This is Russian disinformation," Rachel Cohen, spokesperson for Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, tweeted. "Laundered by the Director Of National Intelligence and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is extraordinary." Ratcliffe's letter also said that John Brennan, the CIA director at the time of the July 2016 "Russian intelligence analysis," briefed Obama and other senior officials on the information. In September 2016, the letter said, US intelligence officials "forwarded an investigative referral" to then-FBI Director James Comey and then-Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok. The referral was about Clinton's "approval of a plan concerning" Trump "and Russian hackers hampering US elections as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server." Ratcliffe's letter said that Attorney General William Barr, who Trump tapped to run the Justice Department last year, "has advised that the disclosure of this information will not interfere with ongoing Department of Justice investigations." Trump fired Comey in May 2017 after he confirmed the existence of the FBI's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election. And the bureau fired Strzok after it surfaced that he exchanged anti-Trump text messages with Lisa Page, who was an FBI lawyer at the time. Comey is set to testify before Graham's committee on Wednesday. Ratcliffe was confirmed as DNI earlier this year after Trump ousted Joseph Maguire, the former acting DNI after he authorized an official to brief Congress on Russia's ongoing interference in the 2020 election. Ratcliffe was previously a congressman from Texas and one of Trump's biggest attack dogs on Capitol Hill. He made headlines last year when he berated the former special counsel Robert Mueller during the latter's testimony to the House Judiciary Committee about the Russia probe. Trump initially nominated Ratcliffe as DNI shortly after that hearing in July 2019, but Ratcliffe withdrew from consideration after it surfaced that he inflated his resume and misled the public about his role in overseeing anti-terrorism efforts at the US attorney's office for the Eastern District of Texas. Trump nominated him a second time earlier this year, and he was confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate in May. Read the original article on Business Insider Indian carriers will now be able to operate in Kenya and Bhutan as bilateral air bubble arrangements are now in place, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri informed on Wednesday. India already has such agreements with 13 other countries including Japan, the United States, Britain, Germany, and Canada. In Africa thus far, an air bubble deal was operating only with Nigeria. Reaching out to stranded Indians. In order to further boost bilateral international air connectivity Air Bubble arrangements are now in place with Kenya & Bhutan.Indian carriers will be able to operate to these countries. Carriers of these countries will be able to fly to India. Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) September 30, 2020 This comes a day after German carrier Lufthansa cancelled all its planned India flights between September 30 and October 20 amid ongoing disagreements over which flights will be operated as part of the air-bubble arrangement signed between India and Germany. The German airline in a statement said the cancellations were due to unexpected rejection of its planned flight schedule by India authorities. It further added that the Indian government has so far not accepted the invitation by the German government to discuss details of the temporary travel agreement between the two nations. Indias Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in a statement said an air bubble agreement was formalised with Germany in July. However, there are restrictions in place for Indians desiring to travel to Germany which was putting Indian carriers at a disadvantage resulting in an inequitable distribution of traffic in favour of Lufthansa, it added. "Bilateral air bubbles are the way forward to establish international flight connectivity. These will be present until international aviation becomes normal. Many countries still have travel restrictions. We will operate in air bubbles," Hardeep Puri had earlier said. READ | MHA Issues SOP For International Passengers Under Vande Bharat, Air Bubble Scheme READ | Hardeep Puri Cites Potential Hit On Airlines' Finances If Vande Bharat Flights Were Free What is a bilateral air bubble? A bilateral air bubble is when specific countries mutually decide to open the travel corridor between them, based on understanding and partnership. Given the current Coronavius situation in the country, a bilateral air bubble is signed between two nations who agree to allow inbound and outbound flights between their countries. This sort of agreement helps a host country acknowledge that they are well aware of the pandemic situation of the other country, and would still want to go forward and allow their passengers to travel to their nation. This mutual understanding is important to ease air travel restrictions for incoming passengers, who have to follow a select protocol keeping in mind the pandemic situation of the host country. Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, special international passenger flights have been operating in the country under Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July. (PTI Photo) READ | 1.08 Lakh Domestic Passenger Flights Operated Since Their Resumption On May 25: Puri READ | Hardeep Puri Talks About Bilateral Air Bubble, Says 'negotiations With 13 Nations Ongoing' By Emily Stewart When you think about whats going on in the economy, youve also got to think about who. And right now, things are not going evenly for everyone. During Tuesdays first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, moderator Chris Wallace posed a question to the two candidates about the economy: Is the US in a V-shaped recovery or a K-shaped recovery? For those who arent familiar with the alphabet soup of economic terms, it seems confusing. But its not as complicated as it seems. Essentially, those who say America is undergoing a V-shaped recovery mean, well, what it looks like the economy is going to bounce right back to where it was pre-pandemic, like the letter V. But others say what the United States needs to watch out for is a K-shaped recovery: one where the rich recover much faster than everyone else. It looks like the letter K two lines starting together and then diverging as they branch out. Trump and the Republicans are V-shaped believers, focusing on measures like the stock market to argue that the economy is bouncing back. Biden and the Democrats argue that whats happening is a K-shaped recovery: Maybe the market is doing well and rich people have recovered, but for others, its going to be a long slog. The contrast is about more than what letter the economy looks like; its also about the policies Trump has in place and the policies a Biden administration would seek out. The president has taken a free market approach, cutting taxes and deregulating businesses in an attempt to generate growth at the top (which is not always successful) that, he argues, will eventually help everyone else. Bidens platform would attempt to create a recovery for more people, more quickly: Instead of a rising-tide-lifts-all-boats approach, he wants everyone to row in the same direction. The basic idea of the K-shaped recovery, briefly explained The general concept behind the K-shaped recovery is that if you were to draw a graph of how the economy is doing, the line representing high-income people would go up and the line representing low-income people would go down. Voxs Matt Yglesias recently outlined the idea. Basically, wealthier people and those with white-collar jobs are doing fairly well during this their jobs are sticking around, theyre cutting some spending, and life is generally fine. Stockholders wealth is even going up. But for less well-off Americans and people who have lost their jobs, its different. The stock market isnt helping them, and for those who are unemployed, expanded unemployment benefits dried up at the end of July. With Congress not in a particular hurry to provide fiscal support, that means a drag on the economy. The divide isnt just rich versus poor its also white versus Black and people of color. For example, the overall unemployment rate is 8.4 percent. But when you break it down along racial lines, the story on whats happening is quite different: White unemployment is 7.3 percent, and Black unemployment is 13 percent. White workers are the only ones with an unemployment rate below 10 percent. Voxs Aaron Ross Coleman recently outlined the distinction and its impact: But now, as the top-line unemployment numbers have come down, Congress has failed to come to any consensus on aid for its most vulnerable citizens, particularly minorities. And this failure has left these Americans with no aid at all, abandoning them to suffer the effects of high unemployment in this unprecedented recession. And despite past warnings about the difficulty people of color have in recovering from recessions, lawmakers are repeating the mistakes. Donald Trump wants to talk the stock market. Joe Biden would rather talk the broader economy. When the coronavirus pandemic took hold in March, the government shut down the economy to try to get the virus under control. Businesses shuttered, millions of people lost their jobs, and activity ground to a halt. Activity is starting to recover, but the economy looks different depending on the measure youre considering if you look at the stock market (which is in large part being driven by the Federal Reserve), it looks pretty good. If you look at small businesses that are permanently closing their doors or millions of people still on unemployment, not so much. To talk about the contrast between Trump and Biden on the economy is to talk about the type of recovery the US wants to have. Whoever is president come January 2021 is going to have a lot of work to do to rebuild what has been lost during the pandemic. And reopening can only do so much like it or not, plenty of people just are not falling over themselves to get on an airplane or go to a restaurant when a deadly virus is still spreading. The longer the government waits to act, the worse the economy gets, and the harder recovery becomes. Trump signed a $1.5 trillion tax cut that disproportionately benefited corporations and the wealthy the year he took office, and while hes promised more tax cuts, its not clear what theyll be. The president has talked about middle-class tax cuts around elections in the past, only for them to dissipate once votes are cast. Biden is running on a build back better economic agenda aimed not at recreating the economy the US had back in February just as it was one that was unequal in myriad ways but at creating a new one that is fairer and better. It entails putting money and efforts into clean energy, caregiving, reshoring business, and addressing the racial wealth gap. While there is often thought to be a tension between equality and growth, Bidens plan seeks to thread the needle. By some estimates, it could do so successfully Moodys Analytics recently projected Bidens plan would create 7 million more jobs than a Trump second term. If you look at it closely, the economic recovery, even through the rosiest of glasses, is looking more like a check mark than a V. But regardless of the shape, its important to keep in mind when talking about whats happening in the economy who it is and isnt happening for. : vox.com Coming soon, the Broadway corridor will be home to a new, modern creamery, where chunks of desserts like pies, cookies and cobler are mixed into the ice cream. Enticed yet? To make things sweeter, Mary and Frank Collazo, the chocolatier couple behind the popular Chocollazo, are rolling out the new concept named Black + White Modern Creamery. RELATED: You can get these 'gourmet' pumpkin conchas with pie, empanada fillings in San Antonio Frank Collazo said the new spot, which will have a sleek, New York-style vibe, will open shop at 4011 Broadway, next to Chocollazo. He says Black + White should be open in less than three weeks. The owner said his wife is the "backbone" of Chocollazo and all the recipes used there are hers. Frank Collazo said Black + White is his chance to introduce a new indulgence to his fellow sweet-toothed San Antonians and to be creative with his favorite dessert. Black + White will have a rotating monthly menu of about 12 to 14 flavors all made with premium and organic ingredients in small batches. Like Chocollazo's chocolates, all of the ice cream will be made in-house. Half of the menu will be decadent options that the owner describes as being "double desserts" because treats like pies, Oreo cookies and cobbler will be mixed into the ice cream. The other half will feature vegan and non-dairy ice creams that are made with almond, coconut and oak milk. "We're not going to make vanilla and chocolate normal here," he said. Frank Collazo hinted that there will also be some "puro San Antonio" flavors and a black ice cream served in a black cone. The Instagram-worthy treat uses activated charcoal to get its dark color, Frank Collazo says. Speaking of cones, those will also be made at the shop. Traditional cones will be offered as well as tac0-shaped ones. The menu options will start around $2 for kid sizes and go up to about $10 for a pint of ice cream. Frank Collazo says collaborations are also in the works with The Hayden, a new Jewish deli opening next door. The confectionery couple signed the lease on the space at the corner of Hildebrand and Broadway a week before the coronavirus pandemic began. "We were very excited, we were off to our best year ever during the first two months of 2020," Frank Collazo said. "It just stinks that (the pandemic) happened when it did." Frank Collazo said the recent local COVID-19 numbers give him some hope that businesses will bounce back. "It's very scary, I'll be 100 percent honest, but we're just trying to move forward with what our goals were before the shutdown," he said. Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye ALBANY State Attorney General Letitia James detailed her offices efforts on Tuesday to protect consumers from phantom debt collectors and abusive and threatening debt-collection practices. James office is part of a nationwide crackdown, led by the Federal Trade Commission, that has brought more than 50 enforcement actions in 16 states. The FTC outlined Operation Corrupt Collector in a conference call with James with reporters. In New York, James office has recently been involved in five cases against debt collection companies. James said the cases are focused on protecting seniors and societys most vulnerable. Every debt collection scam unearthed, she said, prevents a "number of victims of harassment and intimidation. Two of the cases are ongoing, including a scheme in Buffalo allegedly led by a man named Kenneth Thomas and others, which used extremely deceptive and abusive tactics to collect debts." For instance, using a call spoofing service, the Thomas company allegedly disguised their phone numbers with contact information associated with the consumers local county courthouse or sheriffs office. While impersonating government officials, the debt collectors allegedly threatened consumers with pick-up orders, bench warrants, license suspensions and other bogus threats. The company, which has used the name Midway Resolution Services and others, also allegedly made threats to consumers friends, family members and employers. In mid-September, a temporary restraining order was granted by state Supreme Court Justice Catherine Panepinto in Erie County enjoining the company from engaging in debt collection and freezing corporate bank accounts. Another recent case from James office targeted a company that was trying to collect fake debts from consumers, which resulted in a permanent industry ban for company leadership. Another, targeting a company that charged consumers more than they owed and posed as law enforcement personnel, resulted in a $1.7 million suspended judgement, James said. The broader federal crackdown announced Tuesday included two new FTC cases alleging that companies were trying to collect debts they cannot legally collect or that a consumer does not owe, a practice known as phantom debt collection. States reporting actions as part of the operation include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, South Carolina and Washington. WASHINGTON, Wash. - Hot mess, dumpster fire, train wreck: the reviews of the presidential debate are in, and they're not good. And those are just the family-friendly ones. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former vice-president Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Olivier Douliery/Pool vi AP WASHINGTON, Wash. - Hot mess, dumpster fire, train wreck: the reviews of the presidential debate are in, and they're not good. And those are just the family-friendly ones. So universally condemned was Tuesday's televised clash between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, some political observers are urging the U.S. Commission on Presidential Debates to call a halt to the remaining two. President Donald Trump spent most of the night needling, badgering and talking over both Democratic challenger Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace, fuelling a cacophony of interruptions and insults that offered little help to American voters. "Just Cancel the Last Two Debates," an online Time magazine headline blared Wednesday. "America has Suffered Enough." "The modern presidential debate was invented in 1960," James Fallows wrote in the Atlantic in the hours that followed. "We may have seen the end of its useful life this evening." The commission acknowledged the controversy in a statement Wednesday as it promised "additional structure" for the next debates "to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues." "The CPD will be carefully considering the changes that it will adopt and will announce those measures shortly." Americans and Canadians alike are no strangers to the political din. The first meeting of the 2019 Democratic primaries featured no fewer than 20 candidates, debating 10 at a time over two nights. And in Canada, federal leaders' debates now routinely feature four or five candidates and no shortage of crosstalk. But Tuesday's debacle has breathed new life into the debate about debates. "It's not an inconsequential assertion," Biden said Wednesday when asked whether he believed it would be worth letting the debates continue. The next one, scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami, is slated to be a town hall-style event with a moderator helping the candidates navigate questions posed by members of the audience. "I'm looking forward to it. And I hope we're able to get a chance to actually answer the questions that are asked by the persons in the room," Biden said. "But God only knows what (Trump) will do." Political experts on both sides of the Canada-U. S. border stopped short of calling for a halt to the 60-year-old tradition. But they agreed that more needs to be done to ensure that the value debates can bring isn't lost in the clamour. "The format allowed for the bad behaviour from the bad participants," said Tammy Vigil, a communication studies professor at Boston University. "The fact that they don't seem to have any control over the microphones that seems like something that you would think they could easily do, anticipating a problem like this." Even in Wednesday's case, there was something to be gleaned from seeing Trump and Biden interacting for the first time, she added. "The comparisons of the behaviour, the content, the effort, does tell you something that contrasts those candidates in a way that other events can't really do," she said. "We just haven't figured out how to make it as effective as it should be." The problem with televised leaders' debates isn't the debates themselves, or even the leaders, but the '"televised" part, said Will Stewart, a senior vice-president with Hill+Knowlton Strategies in Toronto. "I think we need to keep debates, but I'm not sure we need to keep televised debates," said Stewart. The two-podium, two-camera format hasn't changed since 1960 even as political communication has evolved dramatically, he noted. "We keep doing a televised debate because we've always done a televised debate, and perhaps what happened last night will have ramifications for future debates." Stewart, who learned about debate prep working with former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak, said it's a tried-and-true tactic to shout down one's opponent to sabotage their messaging and spoil the clip for commercials and media coverage. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Biden, he said, shouldn't have been surprised by any of Trump's efforts to bait him into a confrontation, and yet failed time and again to resist the temptation. "I don't care if it was the hardest thing he had to do in his life, he had to do it," Stewart said. "But he didn't." Political leaders on the campaign trail always claim they won the debate, no matter how things went the night before. On Wednesday, Trump took that tactic to new heights. "By every measure, we won the debate last night we won the debate by almost every poll that I saw," he said outside the White House en route to campaign events in Minnesota. "I looked at about six of 'em, we won every one of them. I don't mind debating him, but I hear he wants to get out the debates. So it's up to him." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. The first debate between President Trump and Joseph R. Biden Jr. will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday and run for 90 minutes without commercial interruptions. The Times will livestream the event, accompanied by analysis and fact-checking from our reporters. The debate will also be carried on channels including ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, MSNBC and NBC. Chris Wallace, the anchor of Fox News Sunday, will moderate the debate. He played that role in one of the 2016 debates between Mr. Trump and Hillary Clinton. The moderator chooses the debate topics. For Tuesday night, Mr. Wallace chose Mr. Trumps and Mr. Bidens records, the Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, race and violence in cities and the integrity of the election. There will be 15 minutes to discuss each topic. For Trump and Biden, the debate comes with different incentives. Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden will walk onto the first presidential debate stage of the 2020 general election with a very different set of political incentives. For Mr. Trump, it is a much-welcomed chance to shake up a race in which he is currently behind. For Mr. Biden, the debate is a risky but necessary step, a close encounter with an unorthodox rival who can and will say almost anything. After complaining for months about Mr. Bidens basement strategy, the debate is Mr. Trumps biggest opportunity to reframe the election as a choice between two competing visions. The Biden campaign continues to cast the race chiefly as a referendum on Mr. Trumps failures in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Two things can be true at once about the stakes of the debate. First, the presidential race so far has been an extremely stable affair, with little disrupting Mr. Bidens consistent polling lead not a pandemic, not record joblessness, not mass protests over policing and racism, and not an unexpected Supreme Court vacancy. A 90-minute debate will be hard-pressed to move the needle more than those factors. Union Minister on Wednesday said various measuresare being looked atto address the logistics challenges and reduce the turnaround time for seamless movement of between India and Irani said leveraging the inland waterway route will also be looked at for seamless movement of between the two neighbours. "We are actively looking at addressing logistics challenges which emanate at our borders to facilitate quicker turnaround time for both the industries in Indiaand Bangladesh," said the minister ata CII webinar. The issues being faced in the movement of through Petrapole and Benapole ports are also being investigated, she said. Irani said imposition of zero duty on exports of ethnic apparel from India to would help increase trade. "The Indian industry can rejoice if allows retail of ethnic apparel from India at zero duties," the minister said. Irani stressed that India should focus on increasing yarn and fabric exports to Bangladesh. "Both sides are aware that when we compare our share of imports in Bangladesh with China, while China stands at 54 per cent, we stand at only 17 per cent given the high tariff on Indian textiles and apparel export products," the textiles minister said. The minister said she was hopeful that the dialogue to be undertaken for coming to a resolution on the proposed MoU by both countries can reflect on these challenges. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) which at present is holding surplus stocks of cotton, is working out the modalities for exporting to Bangladesh, which will help serve the requirements of its spinning industry. "I am sure the needs of the spinning industry of Bangladesh can be met by the Cotton Corporation of India," Irani said. The minister observed that India can also learn from the Bangladesh's experience with diversified jute products and partner with the country to capture a share in global value chain of silk as well. Textiles Secretary Ravi Capoor stressed on the need for developing regional value chains, with India supplying raw materials and Bangladesh exporting value added goods like fabric and apparel clothing to the world. There was, however, a need for removing the irritants to trade from both sides before this could fructify. "We would request the Bangladesh side to consider removing the duties on our raw materials," Capoor said. Highlighting the opportunity for India and Bangladesh as immediate neighbours to create a huge supply chain for the entire globe in the apparel and textiles sector, Capoor said both countries together "can aspire to replace China as 35 per cent of the global market supplier". "Together our vision should be to capture 35 per cent of the global market in the next five years," he added. Golam Dastagir Gazi, Minister of Textiles and Jute, Bangladesh, emphasised that there is a huge potential for further collaboration between Bangladesh and India in the textile and apparel industry, with opportunities for both countries. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Matthew Brown, an unarmed ice-cream man, was shot to death by another customer inside a Westchester Walmart on Saturday morning. But three days later, his family says it has no idea what sparked their apparent argument and why Brown wound up with a bullet in his chest. Although Matt struggled with some psychiatric problems, he was never violent, said his uncle, David Brown. Its difficult to understand why someone with a gun felt a need to shoot and kill him. Investigators dont have a clear picture either literally. So far, there are no witnesses who saw the encounter and the shooting took place in a spot uncovered by the stores security cameras. The 56-year-old shooter immediately surrendered to police and handed over his Ruger 9mm pistol but also invoked his right to remain silent. For now at least, there is not enough evidence to charge the man with murder, multiple law-enforcement sources told the Herald. As detectives await a forensic analysis of the evidence, and a report from the medical examiners office, its emerging as yet another case complicated by Floridas Stand Your Ground self-defense law. Three years ago, the already controversial law was changed, forcing prosecutors to shoulder the legal burden to prove someone did not act in self-defense. Medical examiners from the Miami-Dade Police Department remove the body of a man who was shot inside a Walmart Supercenter store at 8400 Coral Way, in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, September 26, 2020. The Herald is not identifying the shooter, as he has not been charged with a crime. He could not be reached for comment, and it was unclear if he had a defense lawyer. The man who does not have a criminal history in Florida moved out of his listed address after the shooting, his landlord told the Miami Herald. Ultimately, the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office will have to decide whether there is enough evidence to prosecute the shooter. After evaluating all of the available evidence, for example witness testimony, security camera and cellphone video, social media information and cellphone data, prosecutors will look at the law and the evidence and come to a decision, said Ed Griffith, a State Attorneys Office spokesman. Story continues Browns family wants answers. His brother, Michael Brown, said his brother wasnt confrontational and was also on probation. I dont think he would jeopardize his probation by starting an altercation with someone for no reason, Michael Brown said. He wasnt a violent person. Matthew Brown grew up in Hollywood. He had a troubled life, his family said, punctuated by his parents divorce and his fathers suicide when Brown was a teenager. Brown was an introverted and gifted graffiti artist who, in his early 20s, did a large mural in Miami, his brother said. He moved to Miami about a decade ago and operated an ice-cream truck with plans of expanding to a whole fleet. But in 2015, Brown was charged with human trafficking after Miami-Dade police said he used Craigslist to get a 16-year-old girl to work as a prostitute. He wound up pleading guilty and serving 33 months in state prison, getting out in January 2018. Hed been on probation ever since. He was a quiet mild-mannered person, recalled his defense attorney, Scott Saul. He was very pleasant to deal with. Brown had been quietly rebuilding his life, his brother said. He said he tried selling ice cream from a bicycle cart in his Little Havana neighborhood, and also volunteered at the homeless shelter where hes lived briefly after getting out of prison, family said. Matthew Brown Hed also taken to regularly attending a Christian church. He was legitimately on the straight and narrow, Michael Brown said. What could have sparked the argument baffles the Browns. A local TV news report published speculation that the argument might have been related to COVID-19 social distancing a source of friction in businesses around the country. Michael Brown doesnt buy that. I highly doubt that was the case, Michael Brown said. Ive talked to him about the whole COVID thing. He wore his mask because he had to, but he could care less one way or the other. Walmart on Monday declined to answer questions about the incident, including why the aisle in question was not covered by video surveillance. The incident from this weekend is still being actively investigated by the MDPD, a spokesman said in an emailed statement. Walmart, since last year, began prohibiting customers from openly carrying guns in states where it is permissible. The chain, however, did not move to ban lawful carrying of concealed weapons. In Florida, a private business can prohibit a customer from carrying a concealed weapon, but that doesnt mean that person is breaking the law. A customer who refuses to leave can be charged for trespassing. The recent Presidential debate between U.S. President Donald Trump and candidate Joe Biden has resulted in a spike of curious Americans thinking about moving to Canada. During the debate, there was a tremendous increase of searches in keywords such as "how to move to Canada" or "how to apply for Canadian citizenship." Americans now want to move countries after watching the Presidential debate On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the whole America watched the much-awaited Presidential debate between two candidates: currently-in-position Republican Donald Trump versus ex-vice president and now his contender Democrat Joe Biden. Their fight against each other is trending up until now. However, surprisingly, a different keyword also went trending during and after the debate. These were: "how to move to Canada," or "how to apply for Canadian citizenship." It turned out, upon watching the debate, most Americans went to Google and search for these keywords. As we checked on Google Trends, we've seen a tremendous spike on these keyword searches during the period of the debate. At 9:36 A.M., the trend of "how to move to Canada" reached its breakout point with a perfect score of 100. Meanwhile, the keywords "how to apply for Canadian citizenship" reached breakout at 4:36 P.M. Interestingly, these searches were popular in states like Massachusetts, Washington, Michigan, Wyoming, Oregon, and Vermont. How netizens react to 'Canada fiasco' Up until now, the Biden versus Trump debate is still the most-talked-about topic in America. After all, this is the first Presidential debate between the two parties. As expected, a lot of things happened on the debate with more air-time of interruptions, yelling, and blaming each other. What's your reaction to the recent Presidential debate? ALSO READ: Real Housewives or Presidential Debate? Check out #Debates2020 Funniest Memes as narrated by Twitter Users! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Jamie Pancho 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Four times yesterday we were told that Covid numbers are going in the wrong direction. Cases are up, hospital admissions are up and deaths are up, the grim press conference informed the nation. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Governments chief scientific adviser, warned: This is headed in the wrong direction. Theres no cause for complacency here at all. Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, agreed. This is definitely heading the wrong way. Some 71 Covid deaths were yesterday recorded across the UK. A little over six months ago, on March 21 two days before the nation was plunged into lockdown exactly the same number of deaths were reported. The Government is desperate to avoid the virus suddenly running out of control. If cases spike, it could overwhelm the NHS. But all the signs suggest this is not on the cards. Yes, cases are worryingly high. Yes, hospital admissions have doubled in a week. And yes, 71 deaths are a tragedy The symmetry is chilling and the message from Boris Johnson and his advisers was clear: Follow the rules, toe the line, or we will have no choice but to lock the country down once again. Warning that the nation is at a critical moment, the PM said: We will not hesitate to take further measures that would, Im afraid, be more costly than the ones we have put into effect now. But although cases and deaths are, indeed, heading up, Britain is in a much better position than it was in the spring. On March 21, when 71 people died of Covid, we were at the start of a rising curve that was about to soar. A few days later the daily death toll had hit 1,000. Cases were doubling every three to four days, Professor Whitty reminded us yesterday. The last time he and Sir Patrick appeared together at Downing Street, some ten days ago, they said that cases were doubling every seven days. Even that now seems like a pessimistic forecast. In reality, the data suggests cases are rising far more slowly, perhaps doubling as slowly as every 21 days. This may seem like nitpicking, after all, if cases are rising, then so will hospital admissions and deaths will inevitably follow. Sir Patrick and Professor Whitty often look to France and Spain, which are said to be two to three weeks ahead of the UK in their trajectories. Although both countries have far higher cases than Britain, they have not seen anything like the spike seen in the spring But the speed of the rise, the gradient of the graph, is crucial when the cost of action to flatten the curve would be so high. The Government is desperate to avoid the virus suddenly running out of control. If cases spike, it could overwhelm the NHS. But all the signs suggest this is not on the cards. Yes, cases are worryingly high. Yes, hospital admissions have doubled in a week. And yes, 71 deaths are a tragedy. But all these figures have been increasing very gradually for a number of weeks. And a major study by Imperial College London, based on tens of thousands of tests, last night suggested that the rate of growth may even be slowing. It estimated the crucial R rate has dropped to 1.1 from a peak of roughly 1.5 the week before suggesting that recent restrictions are working. Exponential growth does not seem imminent. Sir Patrick and Professor Whitty often look to France and Spain, which are said to be two to three weeks ahead of the UK in their trajectories. Although both countries have far higher cases than Britain, they have not seen anything like the spike seen in the spring. Daily cases in both countries stand at about 12,000, if the seven-day rolling average is looked at, which flattens out the peaks and troughs of day-to-day reporting. This figure has stayed roughly level in France over the past week, and in Spain it has actually dropped slightly. Deaths in both countries are also high France has about twice Britains daily deaths and Spain about triple. But, again, both have stayed fairly stable in the past fortnight. Neither country has seen the virus run out of control, as it did in the spring. Much has been made of the 7,000 new coronavirus cases reported in Britain yesterday and the day before.Although these are the highest figures on record, last spring the country was doing only a fraction of the testing, so only a tiny proportion of cases were detected. If we had been carrying out the same number of tests then, as we are now, we are likely to have seen between 80,000 and 100,000 infections per day. By that measure what we are currently experiencing is more a ripple than a second wave. The PM is acutely aware of the costs of more restrictions. After a series of bruising headlines about missed cancer screenings during the last shutdown, he was quick to stress last night that the NHS remains open for business. His officials predict that 74,000 people will die as an indirect result of the spring lockdown many because they stayed away from hospitals. Mr Johnson must be sure, before ordering a repeat, that the cure is not worse than the disease. Trump fired back, telling Biden, "There's nothing smart about you, Joe. Forty-seven years, you've done nothing." New York : Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Wednesday termed United States President Donald Trump a "liar" and a "clown" as the pair clashed in a fiery start to their first presidential debate. During the first of the three presidential debates in Cleveland, Ohio, Trump and Biden clashed over each other's personality, past record, family and their visions. "The fact is that everything he's (Trump) saying so far is simply a lie. I'm not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows he's a liar," Biden said. Responding to the jibe, Trump said Biden is a liar and graduated last in his class. Attacking Trump over the handling of the coronavirus, Biden said the US president has lied to Americans on the COVID-19 issue. "He still hasn't even acknowledged that he knew this was happening, knew how dangerous it was going to be back in February, and he didn't even tell you. He is on record as saying it. He panicked or he just looked at the stock market, one of the two, because guess what, a lot of people die and lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter, a lot quicker," he said. Trump hit back, saying, "Did you use the word 'smart'? So you said you went to Delaware State but you forgot the name of your college. You didn't go to Delaware State, you graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class, don't ever use the word smart with me." Biden replied, "Give me a break", to which Trump said, "There's nothing smart about you, Joe. Forty-seven years you have done nothing." Biden alleged that Trump has "no plan" to fight the coronavirus pandemic. "The president has no plan. He hasn't laid out anything. He knew all of the way back in February how serious this crisis was. He knew it was a deadly disease. What did he do? He is on tape as acknowledging he knew it. He said he didn't tell us or give people warning because he didn't want to panic the American people," he said. "You don't panic, he panicked. In addition to that what did he do? He went in and he -- we were insisting that the Chinese -- the -- the people we had on the ground in China should be able to go to Wuhan and determine for themselves how dangerous this was. He did not even ask Xi (Jinping) to do that," Biden said. As the two rivals clashed on medicate, the president said the Democrats were planning socialising of medicine. In his reply, Biden said, "What this clown is doing?" Trump also rued that Biden was getting better press than him. "We've done a great job. The only thing I haven't done a good job -- and that's because of the fake news. No matter what you say to them they give you bad press on -- it's just fake news," he said. "They give you good press. They give me bad press because that's the way it is, unfortunate -- but let me just tell you something. I don't care. I've gotten used to it. But I'll tell you, Joe, you could never have done the job that we did. You don't have it in your blood. You could have never done that job," Trump added. The US president asserted that he knows how to get a job done. Biden also branded Trump "a fool", when the president was talking about the large crowd that he has been drawing in the election campaign. "He's been totally irresponsible the way in which he has handled the social distancing, the people wearing masks, basically encouraged them not to...And he's a fool on this," the former US vice president said. Hitting back, Trump said nobody shows up to Biden's rallies. "If you could get the crowds, you would have done the same thing. But you can't. Nobody cares, Joe," he said. President Donald Trump did for the Tuesday debate what he has done for the political life of the country in his four years: supply as much rampaging volume, custom-busting obtrusion and outright inaccuracy as necessary to impose his will on the proceedings. He declined to condemn white supremacy and let fly dark conspiracies about the voting process. He mocked Joe Bidens mask-wearing and intellectual firepower and seemed more interested in running against the caricature of his opponent than the man himself, once insisting that Biden supports defunding the police moments after the Democratic nominee made clear he did not. And with inveterate interruption and well-practiced grievance, the president complained incessantly about the unfairness of it all, ensuring that the conversation even on a subject as universally experienced as the coronavirus pandemic turned back to his personal feelings and treatment at nearly every opportunity. Many of your Democrat governors said President Trump did a phenomenal job, Trump offered in one exchange, sprinkling his typical first-person praise with a bit of third-person. President Trump did a phenomenal job, he repeated. We did. He ticked through promises and boasts that strained credulity: about the velocity of vaccine availability, the lives he purportedly saved, the safety of his rallies, flashing more passion on the subject of Bidens academic record than a virus that has killed more than 200,000 Americans on his watch. Biden steered through an uneven rebuttal, recalling the presidents sunny projections of a largely virus-free Easter before settling on his thesis for the night. If you believe for a moment what hes telling you in light of all the lies hes told you about the whole issue relating to COVID, Biden said, he still hasnt even acknowledged that he knew this was happening. On some level, this has long been the basic tension at the core of Trumps quest to keep his job: Which undecided Americans to the extent that there are very many can be swayed by a president whose personal behaviour and threadbare credibility have already disappointed wide swaths of voters he needs? Re-elections often reduce to this premise. The incumbent is dependable, or he isnt. He has earned the deference to keep at it for four more years, or he hasnt. But for Trump, with approval ratings that hover in the low 40s and polls showing a solid lead for Biden in battleground states, the task is especially pronounced. After a first term spent confidently telling untruths and trafficking in conspiracy theory including persistently playing down the dangers of the pandemic, in public and in private he has reverted to a familiar pitch. Believe me. Ive got this. And would you get a load of the other side? An insatiable self-evangelist and denier of realities that displease him, Trump invited viewers Tuesday to embrace his preferred version of Trump-era events a kind of executive happy place for the converted, where his reign has been spotless, the winning is bountiful and the virus has effectively been defeated. The goal before Trump, though, was not merely to delight his base though there was plenty of that but to persuade the unpersuaded and to bludgeon his opponent, at minimum disillusioning some who might be inclined to see Biden as the lesser evil. The president certainly tried. He moved to bind Biden to socialist forces on the left. He said China ate your lunch, Joe. And he took furious aim at Bidens own honesty, an issue on which the former vice president significantly outperforms Trump in voter surveys. Joe, he said, youre the liar. For four years, Trump has rarely strayed from the warm confines of his own informational bubble. Any exposure to the outside world a White House news conference, a friendly media interview, a rally with adoring supporters has generally gone forward on his terms. But often enough Tuesday, this was a picture of a presidency stripped to its studs: an unpopular incumbent unfurling an often dubious defence. Occasionally, the very sight of a presidential debate the precooked zingers, the waving arms, the feigned incredulousness could feel divorced from the gravity of the era and the policy contrasts that will colour the course of American life for the next four years: sharp disagreements on health care access, environmental regulation, the future of the Supreme Court. That was a productive segment, wasnt it? Biden asked sarcastically at one point. This was already an election of known quantities: two men in their 70s, bullheaded and proud, who have each managed public profiles for most of the past half-century and generally betrayed little interest in adapting their bearings much since. The spectacle Tuesday played to form. Trump was as he is: relentless, immodest, never bashful about cutting in. And Biden the son of Scranton (and man of Washington) whom even supporters admire more for his intentions than his eloquence was the candidate Democrats have come to know, for better or worse, across three presidential campaigns and a what-did-he-say-now vice presidency. His anecdotes drifted. His specifics were sometimes non-specific. He could seem less stirring than performatively exasperated, as if debuting an off-off-Broadway show titled, Come On, Man! Will you shut up, man? Biden said at one fit of crosstalk. Keep yapping, man, Biden faux-urged later. In a campaign already so far removed from the bounds of the regular a pandemic, a generational protest movement, a sitting president accusing his opponent of mainlining performance-enhancing drugs the mere sight of an engagement scheduled in the before-times was in some ways most disorienting of all. Much of what Trump said in the first 45 minutes of the debate was something of a word cloud of Fox News opinion show segments. Why dont you say the words law enforcement?! Trump demanded at one point. Prodded at one point to disavow white supremacists and militia groups, Trump said he was willing to before immediately pivoting to an attack on antifa, a recurring feature of his favoured right-wing programming. Proud Boys, stand back and standby, Trump said of a far-right group notorious for engaging in violent clashes. But Ill tell you what, he added. Somebody has to do something about antifa and the left. Because this is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem. The president came armed with a list of nearly 20 things that Biden had said that were not true, like a statement about Delaware State University. But while Trump was prepared by his advisers to go on offence against Biden to goad a collapse, the president was unable to modulate and simply tried to bulldoze. Some flourishes seemed to evoke Trumps calamitous coronavirus briefings with reporters in the spring, when Trump alarmed his own supporters by screaming at routine questions about the pandemic. This was the matchup that Democrats envisioned when they elevated Biden above some two-dozen primary competitors: the amiable sidekick to the nations first Black president, a capital veteran who has transcended personal hardships, facing down an opponent rarely cited for feats of empathy and often openly hostile to the nations institutions. The latter portion of that contrast is a discussion Trump has often welcomed. Presenting Biden as a political lifer with little to show for his efforts, the president set out Tuesday to continue the difficult work of running as the races true outsider while simultaneously controlling the levers of government. Forty-seven years, youve done nothing, Trump said of his rival, nodding at his long tenure as a senator. For months, Trump has prepared his supporters for nothing short of outright humiliation for Biden on the debate stage, all but declaring (baselessly) that his opponent is beset by dementia and plying his followers with taunts of Sleepy Joe and often misleadingly edited social media clips of Bidens verbal stumbles. Of course, such overreach does not negate the trope that Biden is indeed an inconsistent debater at times. As he tends to a national polling lead generally in the mid to high single digits five weeks before Election Day, Democrats had suggested publicly that Biden merely needed to avoid catastrophe to consider Tuesday evening a success. Surveys do indicate that most voters are already firm in their electoral intentions, leading strategists in both parties to question whether a single debate would make much difference. Still, for liberals seeking a cathartic confrontation from their nominee after four years of Trump and, more significantly, for the subset of voters disenchanted with this White House but hardly enthused about its alternative Biden did enter the debate hoping to close the sale. So unpresidential, he said of Trumps conduct. But often, Biden struggled to negotiate the hail of interjections and self-inflicted asides of his own that broke up any narrative momentum. Before the debate, Trump made clear to advisers that he would like to speak often about Bidens younger son, Hunter, despite being warned that would give the former vice president an opening to discuss the presidents daughter and son-in-law working in the White House and declining to divest themselves of holdings. In the end, Trump took the risk, ridiculing Hunter Bidens business dealings and history with drug addiction. (An investigation into the Bidens released last week by Senate Republicans found no evidence of wrongdoing or improper influence by the Democratic nominee, though it accused the younger Biden of having cashed in on his fathers name in overseas business ventures.) The biggest problem, some aides to Trump acknowledged privately, was that his faring well depended in part on his ability to make Biden lose his temper. On the broader question that has dominated the election this year Trumps and his administrations failed pandemic response there is no particularly good answer that the president can offer, some Republicans concede. So he has generally chosen not to answer it and change the subject, as he did when he could Tuesday. This has always been a rhetorical strength. Four years ago, Trump was not a polished debater but to the extent he succeeded, it was because he proved willing to go where no other modern presidential candidate would. Near the conclusion Tuesday, he shared with voters the kind of ominous and meritless forecast that tends to overshadow any fleeting snapshots of discipline. Pointing to the Democratic-leaning city of Philadelphia as the kind of hellscape he thinks could cost him the election, Trump refused to promise to wait until all ballots are counted before declaring victory. Bad things happen in Philadelphia, Trump said. I hope its going to be a fair election. Read more about: Hyundai Motors' hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and buses are loaded onto a ship for export to Saudi Arabia at the company's port in Ulsan, Sunday. / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Baek Byung-yeul Hyundai Motor is expanding its hydrogen business into the Middle East by exporting its Nexo fuel cell electric vehicles and Elec City fuel cell electric buses to Saudi Arabia, the automaker said Monday. The company said it shipped two Nexo vehicles and two Elec City buses to Saudi Aramco from its port in Ulsan, Sunday. The Saudi oil giant will use the four vehicles in a local pilot project on using hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the automaker added. Hyundai said the exports came after the two companies agreed to cooperate on expanding the number of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in Saudi Arabia in 2019. It added that this was the first time to export the hydrogen fuel cell electric buses. "In June 2019, Hyundai Motor signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Aramco to cooperate on expanding its supply of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The four vehicles will be used in a pilot project toward that goal," Hyundai said. For Hyundai, which is taking the lead in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, exporting the four comes as a milestone as they will be used in a Middle Eastern country where oil production makes up a large proportion of the state's economy. There have been concerns raised on the validity of the hydrogen fuel cell business since the U.S. hydrogen electric truck company Nikola became embroiled in fraud allegations and a potential investigation by the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission after a short seller released a report alleging the company had misrepresented its technology. However, industry analysts said those concerns doesn't apply to Hyundai Motor as the company has produced visible results showing its hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have competence in future car developments. Since its release in 2018, the company has sold 10,698 Nexos 8,908 on the domestic market and 1,790 overseas as of August this year. "Regarding the clean mobility sector, Hyundai Motor is expected to have a higher capability in the field starting 2021 when the company will introduce a new automobile platform dedicated to electric vehicles," Cho Soo-hong, an analyst at NH Investment and Securities, said. "In the fuel cell electric vehicle sector, the company is expanding its business area from hydrogen powered passenger cars to trucks, which makes investors think the company will be successful in the mid to long term." Maanayata Dutt recently shared a photo on Instagram with some words of motivation, and credited husband Sanjay Dutt for the click. The actor, who is in Dubai with his Maanayata and their twins Iqra and Shahraan, turned photographer to click a photo of her in a beautiful blue coloured halter neck maxi dress. Sharing the photo, Maanayata wrote, The longest journey of your life, is the one that takes you deep within yourself. The journey to truly find yourself #happysoul #peaceofmind #love #grace #positivity #dutts #beautifullife #thankyougod @duttsanjay." Sanjay is said to have been battling lung cancer and had begun his treatment at a hospital in Mumbai. While fans are praying for his speedy recovery, the actor left for Dubai recently, reuniting with his kids after several months of lockdown. Maanayata often shares pictures with Sanjay and their children on her social media handle. A few days back, she shared a perfect family picture and in the caption, she wrote, TodayI want to thank God for the gift of family. No complaintsNo requests just to be together, forever. Amen #blessedbeyondmeasure #love #grace #positivity #dutts #beautifullife #thankyougod." Sanjay reportedly will return to Mumbai for the third round of chemotherapy scheduled to start on September 30. On the work front, the 61-year-old actor will resume shooting for Prithviraj, also starring Akshay Kumar and former Miss World Manushi Chillar, after Diwali. The actor will be also seen in a film titled Shamshera along with Ranbir Kapoor and Vaani Kapoor. Apart from these two films, he also has Torbaaz in the pipeline. The Kenya Sex Workers Alliance (KESWA) has distanced itself from a photo that has been doing rounds on social media platforms purporting to support Deputy President William Ruto. The poorly photoshopped image shows sex workers holding a banner thanking the DP for supporting their work and offering him their services for free. It reads: Asante Ruto for supporting our hustle. Wewe tutakupea free! However, the original image was taken in December 2015 during demonstrations in Kisumu where the banner read, Stop killing sex workers, they are human. The Kenya Sex Workers Alliance (KESWA) confirmed the same in a statement saying it does not associate itself with politics. KESWA wishes to clarify that the pics are fake and did not originate from us or any of our member organisations. The photos were from previous marches and demos to call to attention the plight and killings of sex workers in various parts of the country, KESWA National Coordinator Phelister Abdalla stated. Phelister added: We want to reiterate our position as a national movement that we do not engage neither endorse any political party, candidate or person. We wish to call on the relevant authorities to investigate the source of these images which have been used to malign certain individuals. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom Wed, September 30, 2020 14:00 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4830048 2 World UK,Prime-Minister,Boris-Johnson,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,COVID-19,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free With different measures in each UK nation, localized lockdowns and a rapidly changing national picture, many Britons are confused about coronavirus restrictions -- including, it emerged Tuesday, the prime minister. Boris Johnson apologized on Twitter for having "misspoken" when asked about regional restrictions on socializing that are set to be imposed in northeast England from midnight. He sought to clarify that the "rule of six" limit on social gatherings in England does apply outdoors, after earlier telling reporters that it did not. The rule was introduced earlier this month to replace what he himself said were "confusing" regulations. The opposition Labor party seized on the gaffe, with deputy leader Angela Rayner saying: "For the prime minister to not understand his own rules is grossly incompetent." With 42,000 people confirmed to have died from COVID-19 in the UK, the highest toll in Europe, ministers are desperate to stop the virus spreading as it did in the spring. But the new rules have left many people angry, or at least puzzled. Rules vary for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with early pub closings in some places but not in others, mixing with other families allowed here but not there, and many highly localized restrictions. In England, groups are restricted to six -- except for grouse-shooting parties. Johnson's own Conservative MPs are also indignant about the lack of parliamentary scrutiny of regulations that restrict personal freedom and can trigger large fines. More than 40 have signed an amendment making ministerial powers to tackle COVID-19 dependent on a vote by MPs -- a check on what the rebels have said is rule "by decree". For procedural reasons, the amendment is not expected to be put to a vote when it is debated in the House of Commons on Wednesday, but it highlights the scale of the unease. One Tory MP, Steve Baker, was pictured on Monday wearing a T-shirt saying "2020 is the new 1984", in reference to George Orwell's dystopian novel. Johnson will hold a press conference with his top health advisers on Wednesday to try to explain what the government is doing and explain the latest virus data, his spokesman said. The premier has been widely criticized for his government's response to the first outbreak in the spring, while problems persist with testing and contact tracing programs. Carrier aggregation using 5G-frequency bands on multi-vendor RAN TOKYO, Sept 30, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - NTT DOCOMO, INC., Fujitsu Limited and NEC Corporation announced today that they have achieved what they believe to be the world's first carrier aggregation using 5G frequency bands in a multi-vendor radio access network (RAN). Interoperability with different vendors' 5G base station equipment was achieved in compliance with specifications established by the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) Alliance, an international group working to create more open and intelligent next-generation radio access networks.Carrier aggregation was achieved using the 3.7GHz and 4.5GHz bands designated for 5G networks. In addition to this dual connectivity achieved by bundling LTE bands, downlink speeds of 4.2 Gbps will be achievable, enabling ultra-fast data transmission.DOCOMO already provides commercial 5G services in Japan through a multi-vendor RAN that connects baseband units and remote radio units manufactured by Fujitsu and NEC based on O-RAN's open fronthaul specifications. The same system configuration was used to achieve this 5G carrier aggregation.Naoki Tani, Senior Vice President at DOCOMO, said: "The deployment of O-RAN-compliant products will enable DOCOMO to flexibly build networks and provide 5G services that meet customer needs. Carrier aggregation furthering 5G high-speed data communication in a multi-vendor RAN developed jointly with Fujitsu and NEC is an important achievement. DOCOMO will continue to work with industry partners to promote open RAN and 5G services."Shingo Mizuno, EVP and Vice Head of System Platform Business at Fujitsu, commented: "We are delighted to have succeeded in achieving carrier aggregation for 5G high-speed data communication in an environment featuring interconnection of multi-vendor equipment compliant with O-RAN specifications. This key milestone in the evolution of O-RAN will contribute greatly to the delivery of convenient 5G services and RAN openness, which Fujitsu is actively supporting with the aim of enhancing 5G services."Atsuo Kawamura, Executive Vice President at NEC and President of the company's Network Services Business Unit, said: "The success of carrier aggregation in the 5G bands is a critical step in the ongoing enhancement of 5G network performance. I am very pleased that in collaboration with DOCOMO and Fujitsu we have now achieved high-performance O-RAN multi-vendor connectivity. This will lay the foundation for more open 5G services and business."The results of the interoperability verification were presented between September 25 and 30, during the O-RAN Plugfest web conferences organized by the O-RAN Alliance. Plugfest was held concurrently in Japan, China, India, Europe, and North America, facilitating proofs of concept and interoperability tests of O-RAN products and solutions.Going forward, DOCOMO, Fujitsu, and NEC will continue working toward the early introduction of commercial 5G carrier aggregation services.About NTT DOCOMONTT DOCOMO, Japan's leading mobile operator with over 79 million subscriptions, is one of the world's foremost contributors to 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network technologies. Beyond core communications services, DOCOMO is challenging new frontiers in collaboration with a growing number of entities ("+d" partners), creating exciting and convenient value-added services that change the way people live and work. Under a medium-term plan toward 2020 and beyond, DOCOMO is pioneering a leading-edge 5G network to facilitate innovative services that will amaze and inspire customers beyond their expectations. DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (9437). www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 130,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.9 trillion yen (US$35 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.Source: NEC CorporationCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Good morning. This is a look at our daily Express Briefing newsletter. Sign up for Express Briefing here. Subscribers get access to the full version of our Express Briefing newsletter, which includes exclusive insight and links to more of our best stories. To become a subscriber, take advantage of this special offer today. TOP STORIES: Olivier Douliery, POOL / Associated Press With crosstalk and mockery, Trump tramples decorum in debate with Biden Garcia: The bully in chief runs amok on debate stage President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden faced off in their first debate of the 2020 campaign last night. The pair exchanged barbs for the full 90 minutes. Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News The Justice Department has struck a settlement deal with the former owners of two San Antonio apartment complexes after they were accused of hitting 41 servicemembers with unlawful lease termination charges. They charged fees for breaking leases and refused to allow some servicemembers to terminate their leases early, according to a department news release A proposed consent order, if approved by a judge, will require them to pay more than $71,000 in compensation and a $64,715 civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury. Sig Christenson has the full story. Photo courtesy Schertz Fire Department Teams of firefighters are shuttling between their fire stations in Schertz and firefighting duty in California, where wildfires continue to burn out of control. Schertz Fire Chief Cade Long returned Sept. 18 from a week at the Creek Fire scene outside of Fresno, Calif., where several other Schertz firefighters either are stationed or have served and already returned. They are helping to tackle some of the worst blazes in California. Billy Calzada, Staff / Billy Calzada The Alamo Citizen Advisory Committee will hear its first update on the Alamo plan since it hit a roadblock with the Texas Historical Commission voting to deny a permit for relocation of the Cenotaph. Although parts of the planned Alamo project are in question, the city, Texas General Land Office and Alamo Trust have said they will keep it moving forward. The 30-member committee, which created the projects vision and guiding principles, will get a briefing on the Alamo plan at a videoconference meeting Wednesday. NEED TO KNOW: Dreamstime /TNS Keeping in line with the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, the city of San Antonio is committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But a new report suggests achieving that could be nearly impossible. Hours before President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden met for their first debate, Beto ORourke was ready to declare a winner of Texas 38 electoral votes in November. Activity in Texas service industry accelerated in September and retail sales climbed, a monthly survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas shows. From the Editorial Board: If Republicans had moved forward with a hearing for Garland in 2016, this difficult moment would be less challenging, thanks to the precedent. In the Kawhi Leonard saga, Doc Rivers and the Spurs are proving each other right, writes Mike Finger. Podcast: Were going to encounter turbulence during the election, one cybersecurity expert is warning. THE FUN STUFF: Ronald Cortes /Contributor Even before all 14 of the installations inside were completed, it looked like Hopscotch was well on its way to living up to that promise. Take a peek inside. Mask Up: Actor Mark Wahlberg's brand recently donated 100,000 face masks to San Antonio ISD. Taco Time: Taco Cabana is celebrating National Taco Day with $1 tacos. Guests can enjoy the choice of the classic bean and cheese, shredded chicken or ground beef tacos CHECK OUT OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS SA Inc.: Get local business news updates from behind the scenes, delivered twice a week. Texas Take: The latest in state, local and national politics, delivered every weekday morning. Real Estate: Get a sneak peek of luxe San Antonio properties, local market trends and homebuying/selling tips. The first 10 minutes of the Tuesday night presidential debate were, frankly, some of the worst stuff anyone has ever seen. Donald Trump kept interrupting Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace. Biden looked stunned and was mostly unable to finish a sentence. The silence of the small, COVID-era audience made everything weird. Trump just kept interruptingtaunting, reallyand it was horrible! After that, well, it didnt get that much better. It wasnt a civil, detailed exchange about plans and values. CNNs Dana Bash, in her post-debate summing-up, called the whole thing a shitshow. But there were at moments when Biden got to speak for more than a minute without being jabbered over and through, and moments when Wallace got Trump to answer a direct question. Here, based on these intelligible sections of the broadcast, is one unfailingly accurate pundits assessment of which candidates helped reach the voters they needed to reach and which did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Candidates who, at the very least, tried to reach undecided and otherwise wavering voters: Joe Biden. Biden, as he did during the primary debates, occasionally fumbled over his answers and tossed in half-phrased allusions that probably didnt land with people who didnt already know what, for example, methane regulations are all about. As mentioned, he initially looked taken aback and unable to concentrate because of the frequency with which Trump was interrupting him. But Biden had one trick up his sleeve, and it was a good one: turning to face the stage-right camera (rather than looking toward Wallace or at Trump) and making a show of ignoring whatever Trump was saying in order to give an assessment, straight onto Americas TV screens, of the big-picture condition of the country, often one that incorporated second-person your family or people at home language. It was the classic posture of a politician addressing a message to the entire publicsupporters, undecided voters, and even the opposing side, if they care to listen. Advertisement Advertisement Biden repeatedly, for example, turned to the viewers at home as he steered the discussion back to Trumps culpability for the COVID-19 pandemic, which polls consistently say is the No. 1 issue in the election. How many of you got up this morning and had an empty chair at the kitchen table because someone died of COVID? he asked. How many were in a situation where you lost your mom or dad or couldnt even speak to them and had a nurse holding the phone so you could, in fact, say goodbye? He tied the pandemic to the economyobvious, but fairand observed that millionaires and billionaires like Trump are still doing fine while you folks at home living in Scranton and all these small and working-class towns are generally not. Later, he conveyed the scope of the crisis in stark terms, noting that Trump will be the first president of the United States to leave office having fewer jobs in his administration than when he became president. He talked about the paradox of reopening the economy before COVID is contained: The idea that he is insisting that we go forward and open when you have almost half the states in America with a significant increase in COVID deaths and cases, in the United States of America, and he wants to open it more? Again: obvious stuff. But reflective of the views of the majority of people who are going to vote in the election! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the subject turned to race relations and civil rights, Biden had a more strategically narrow line to walk: A significant chunk of the people in his party, particularly younger ones, believe that radical change is necessary to address racial oppression. But a perhaps equally significant chunk of older, white Democrats and independents say they place a greater value on concepts like stability. Biden had to talk to both groups. He did so by emphasizing that he recognizes that the current situation is not tenablebut doing it in terms of values rather than specifics. A majority of potential voters may not agree on whether the police should be abolished, but they agree that Joe Bidens beliefs about racial progress are more in line with theirs than Donald Trumps are. Said Biden about the summers protests and Trumps response to them: Its about equity and equality. Its about decency. Its about the Constitution. And we have never walked away from trying to acquire equity for everyone, equality for the whole of America. Butweve never accomplished it, but weve never walked away from it like he has done. He defended the racial sensitivity office trainings that Trump has forbidden the federal government from conducting: The fact is that there is racial insensitivity, and people have to be made aware of what other people feel like, and what insults them and what is demeaning to them. It is important that people know. At one point, he mocked Trump for living in 1950 and not realizing that Black and Hispanic people have moved to the suburbs too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden concluded, in discussing Wallaces loaded closing topic of election integrity, with a reassuring note about the stable transition of the presidency. If we get the votes, it is all over. He will go. He cannot stay in power. It wont happen. It wont happen. Vote. Make sure you understand you have in your control for the country will look like the next four years. Will it be a change, or four more years of these lies? Advertisement Biden was exasperated and exhausted, and that came through. But he was also compassionate and level-headed. On the other hand: Candidates who seemingly had no strategy except ignoring the debate format to make constant condescending, belittling remarks about Biden that were essentially incomprehensible to anyone who is not already heavily invested in the sealed-off semantics and mythology of Fox News prime-time shows and MAGA Facebook memes: Donald Trump. Advertisement You can read here about the moment that Trump told a white nationalist street gang, the Proud Boys, to stand by. But there was so much more! Picture yourself as a suburban Arizona voter concerned about the countrys future, listening to the president of the U.S. make the following choices about what subjects to bring up to a bipartisan national TV audience with an election a month away: Advertisement You said you went to Delaware State, but you forgot the name of your college. This is a reference to a debunked claim that has bounced around right-wing sites such as the Murdoch-owned New York Post and the Washington Times about Biden not knowing where he went to school. Advertisement About Biden and masks: Every time you see him, he is wearing one. He could be speaking 200 feet away and he shows up with the biggest mask Ive ever seen. Most of the public favors mask-wearing; the idea that someone would be wearing a mask too much is alien outside the section of the Venn diagram where anti-vaccine conspiracists meet the presidents most fervent loyalists. The mayor of Moscows wife gave your son $3.5 million. What did he do to deserve that? Trumps ultimate source here appears to be a confidential document cited in a Republican Senate report, also recently written up in the New York Post, that is said to show a payment to a company Bidens son Hunter co-founded. Trump brought up the $3.5 million twice more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its all on tape, by the wayyou gave the idea for the Logan Act against Gen. Flynn. This is a Deep State conspiracy theory outlined on the notoriously unreliable website of the Hill. You can read about in the Washington Post here; its based on some ambiguously worded notes involving the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who admitted to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russias ambassador to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement You saw what happened today with Hillary Clinton where it was a whole big con job. A reference to Tuesdays decision by John Ratcliffe, Trumps director of national intelligence, to release an anti-Clinton Russian intelligence assessment that was widely understood to be bogus and created as disinformation. Advertisement They are sending millions of ballots all over the country. They have found them in creeks. The Washington Post notes tastefully that it is unclear what the creek reference alluded to. Then there was this interjection, when Wallace wasnt even talking to Trump at all: Wallace: Vice President Biden, you are holding much smaller events Trump: Nobody will show up. Nobody shows up to his rallies. Great; thanks for adding that, president of the United States! When Biden was talking about his son Beau, who is dead, having served in Iraq, Trump interrupted to note that Hunter Biden was thrown out [of the military] because of cocaine use. In contrast to Biden, Trump concluded his thoughts about election integrity by declaring that the United States is not capable of counting ballots and holding an election. You know that it cannot be done, the president said to Chris Wallace, about the orderly transition of democratic power. Our government is a disaster is a tricky message for an incumbent president to try to win with. And having just seen Trump blast his way through the floorboards and sub-basement of the debate expectations game, ending up gurgling and hollering in the sewers, it was not very reassuring to hear him predict that the election itself will go even worse. Like the rest of the nation, the Kansas City Fire Department confronts changing times, shifting attitudes and problematic social media communication. To wit . . . AMID 2020 POLITICAL TURMOIL, KCFD WORKERS SUFFER REBUKE FOR POSTING RACIST CONTENT TO SOCIAL MEDIA!!! We've seen a lot of the stuff first hand and it's not just political fodder but really nasty message board garbage memes that get many users banned. At best the content doesn't look very professional, at worst the continued racist postings have sparked fear of "systemic racism" within the department given that workers would so brazenly post ALLEGED hate speech whilst identifying themselves as first responders. Accordingly, KCFD has released a memo in order to address the crisis in the making. At the very least, this documentation will provide a starting point for Council Lady Melissa Robinson's "implicit bias training" classes. As always, TKC TIPSTERS get first word. Here's the story . . . "KCFD sent this out recently BUT still is not disciplining anyone for continually posting offensive and racist materials while representing KCFD online." Here' the money line from the internal document: "Every day we see KCFD employees providing excellent service to all citizens, regardless of gender, race, religious background, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Despite these virtues, the ways that we treat each other internally, specifically in social media, have become divisive. "KCFD stands committed to providing a safe, inclusive workplace where ALL employees are treated fairly, consistently, and are free to work without discrimination or discord. It has been repeatedly brought to our attention of late that some individuals, identified readily on social media as KCFD employees, repeatedly defy this commitment by posting inappropriate, offensive, insensitive, discriminatory, and overtly negative statements regarding current social justice movements, religious, sex, color, political views, and/or race. This type of action is not only contrary to what the Labor Management Partnership promotes, it discredits our department and foments distrust within our ranks." Check the memo FIRST on TKC . . . You decide . . . Minister for Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, says the COVID-19 pandemic delayed efforts to have a second feasibility study for the sky train project in Ghana. The government in 2019, signed an agreement with a South African group, Africa Investment (Ai) SkyTrain Consortium, for the construction of the Accra Sky Train project. This was to solve the ever-increasing road traffic congestion in Accra, with its detrimental effects on economic activity, pollution, and the quality of life. Speaking on Citi TV's Face to Face, the Minister stated that the company was supposed to be in Ghana for the final feasibility studies but they are yet to achieve such target. He added that despite the COVID-19 situation, the company still expressed an interest in finishing the project. They were going to come this year when the whole COVID-19 pandemic came in. The South African company has not come in yet. I wrote to them in June to ask if they were still interested and they said they were. Mr. Ghartey said, In 2017 we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a group who said they want to build a sky train. In 2018, we went to South Africa and we signed a consensual agreement and we signed it with conditions presented. The Minister said African Investment wanted the contract for 30 years but said he needed to be given the final sum because at the time it was only the provisional estimates he had. He added that they signed a consensual agreement based on the condition that, officials of the consortium will be in Ghana for the final feasibility study. 'Don't be cynical, we are daring to be different' Joe Ghartey Mr. Joe Ghartey had earlier reiterated government's resolve to see to the completion of the sky train project only if government becomes satisfied with the terms and conditions available by the company in charge of the project. According to him, the government was not paying for the feasibility of the project, but only liaising with other government agencies to grant the company behind the project access to complete its feasibility studies. Mr. Joe Ghartey explained that the cynicism the project has been met with , won't deter his ministry's resolve to ensure the skyline project is realized in the best interest of Ghanaians. citinewsroom WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Design Lab , a national nonprofit that designs, implements, and scales new learning models for higher education and the future of work, today announced the selection of six colleges and systems selected as the inaugural cohort of its Community College Growth Engine Fund . More than 29 million Americans are now collecting some type of unemployment benefit, while less than half of the 22 million jobs lost since March have been replaced. With support from funders including Walmart, DeLaski Family Foundation, Charles Koch Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation, the fund will invest 3 million to help U.S. community colleges collaborate with local employers to meet growing demand for short-term credentials and 21st century skills such as resilience, collaboration and problem-solving. "With nearly one in five New Yorkers currently unemployed due to the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, CUNY continues to expand on its historic mission as an engine of social mobility, equipping students with the market-ready skills that allow them to fill in-demand jobs," said CUNY chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez. "Thanks to this grant from Education Design Lab, our community colleges will continue to create and implement educational credentials that will lead to the family-sustaining wages and employment opportunities that working New Yorkers deserve." Each system or college will receive an implementation grant of $100,000 along with extensive hands-on support from Education Design Lab to launch their micro-pathways that will prepare over 4,000 learners for stable employment in growing fields. Teams at each college or system will engage with employers and regional stakeholders, including K-12 school districts, to help low-wage and entry-level workers advance into roles that pay at least median wage. "The pandemic has brought a heightened sense of urgency to our historic mission of supporting social and economic mobility for the diverse students and working adults that community colleges serve," said Lee D. Lambert, chancellor of Pima Community College. "Addressing this crisis requires us to develop new and more flexible credentials that are more responsive to the rapidly-changing needs of the labor market." Selected institutions will engage with a team of national experts assembled by the Lab and led by Chike Aguh , head of economic mobility pathways at Education Design Lab and project lead for the Fund. The cohort will draw on labor market research from the Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland to identify the most in-demand careers in their regions and design stackable credentials that lead to earnings at or above the median wage. The League for Innovation in the Community College will help convene and lead a community of practice of participating college presidents and employer partners. "Like the students they serve, community colleges are reinventing themselves in response to the triple crisis of a global pandemic, massive unemployment, and a national reckoning on race," Aguh said. "This work is about community colleges supercharging local workforce development and our national economy. We will equip colleges and their regional partners with new tools, networks and capital to help workers up- and re-skill for jobs that the market needs and future demands." Additional partners and collaborators providing advice and expertise to the Lab's multi-sector effort include: nonprofits Workcred and [email protected]; industry workforce entities like the Manufacturing Institute; and the SkillUp Coalition. About Education Design Lab: Education Design Lab is a national nonprofit that designs, tests, and implements unique higher education models and credentials that address the rapidly changing economy and emerging technology opportunities. The Lab demonstrates where technology, rigor and design can improve opportunity for historically underserved learners to maximize their potential in the higher education system. Education Design Lab works across disciplines and alongside schools, employers, entrepreneurs, government, foundations, nonprofits and innovators. The organization has significant experience managing national and local learning cohorts, working with organizations such as Lumina Foundation, The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, Walmart, American Council on Education and the ECMC Foundation. Learn more: www.eddesignlab.org . SOURCE Education Design Lab Related Links http://eddesignlab.org They began dating just a few months ago. And Machine Gun Kelly looked enamored with girlfriend Megan Fox as they dined under the stars in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The 30-year-old musician sported a massive grin as he wrapped his arm around his leading lady after dining al fresco in Hollywood. Just the two of us: Machine Gun Kelly sported a massive grin as he wrapped his arm around Megan Fox after dining al fresco in Hollywood Kelly who's real name is Richard Colson Baker sported a grey T-shirt with floral print pants and white Converse trainers. He carried his-and-hers pink and black badanas in his hand and swept back his signature platinum blonde hair. Megan went for an equally casual look with a pair of distressed black jeans, a denim jacket and white-and-black Vans sneakers. Date night: The 30-year-old looked enamored with girlfriend as they dined under the stars in Los Angeles on Tuesday Lucky in love: In his latest Drunk Face music video which was filmed last week, Megan travels around with Kelly on the day his album Tickets To My Downfall was released The Transformers star wrapped a Stella McCartney purse across her shoulder and walked away from the restaurant with a bountiful floral arrangement. In his latest Drunk Face music video which was filmed last week, Megan travels around with Kelly on the day his album Tickets To My Downfall was released. The couple share a kiss while riding on a tour bus after being whisked around on a private jet where Megan paints her man's nails. Loved up: The couple share a kiss while riding on a tour bus Dolled up: Kelly was the lucky recipient of a manicure in the video which was directed by Bella Thorne's ex, Mod Sun Megan and Kelly went public with their new relationship in May after meeting on the set of the movie Midnight In The Switchgrass. Shortly before their romance began, Megan split from her husband of 10-years, Brian Austin Green, 47. Randall Emmett's directorial debut was being filmed in Puerto Rico before production shut down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crime thriller also stars Bruce Willis, Emile Hirsch, Lukas Haas, Sistine Stallone and Michael Beach. Guwahati, Sep 30 : The main opposition party in Assam, the Congress, on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal after alleging that his office was involved in the police recruitment question paper leak scam. Assam's Pradesh Congress President Ripun Bora and opposition leader Debabrata Saikia claimed that the police were taking action against "only the small players and trying to cover the major culprits involved the scam". Bora told the media: "Influential leaders of the ruling BJP are associated with the scam. The CM's office is directly involved in this recruitment scam. A woman stenographer of an OSD in the CM's secretariat is suspected to be involved in the scam. But no action has been taken against her yet." Saikia said that Sonowal had promised the people to provide good and transparent governance and a clean administration, and execute the Assam Accord in letter and spirit, but not a single assurance has been fulfilled even as governance has been spoiled by corruption and irregularities. The Congress leaders announced that the party would hold protests in front of the office of the Superintendent of Police in all the 33 districts across the state on October 5. The Chairman of Assam State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB), Pradeep Kumar, quit the post earlier this week citing moral responsibility for the recruitment test paper leak that resulted in the cancellation of the written exam on September 20. A probe into the sub-inspector recruitment scam is underway. Following the direction of the Chief Minister, the CID and the Crime Branch of Assam Police are probing the exam paper leak issue. The investigating team has raided various locations, including that of former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Prasanta Kumar Dutta, who is now on the run. According to the police, so far 20 people, including a woman employee of the state irrigation department and one from the Special Task Force of Assam Police, have been arrested in connection with the scam. The investigation is being personally supervised by Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta. On September 20, the SLPRB had cancelled the written test a few minutes after it had started after the question paper was leaked on social media. Over 66,000 candidates had appeared in 154 centres in all the 33 districts of the state for the written test for 597 posts of sub-inspectors in Assam Police. There are reports that ex-DIG Dutta and a few political leaders have fled to to Nepal as the former police officer's daughter lived there. Assam Police have already contacted the External Affairs Ministry to take appropriate action against the absconders. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed concerns over the silence of President Akufo-Addo on recent attacks by members of the secessionist group, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSFG). It would be recalled that on Friday, September 25, 2020 members of the group allegedly blocked roads linking the Volta Region to the Eastern and Greater Accra regions. One of the members of the group was reportedly killed and three others injured during the Friday's roadblocks and violence. Early on Monday morning, September 28, members of the group allegedly attacked a bus station in Ho, the capital of the Volta Region and burned buses belonging to the State Transport Corporation. In a statement dated September 29, 2020, and signed by its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, NDC expressed alarm by the significant deterioration of the national security situation despite earlier threats and clear warning signals. According to the statement, while property has been destroyed and lives lost, the people of Ghana are yet to hear a comment by the President condemning these acts of treason and lawlessness, let alone consoling the victims and taking urgent action as appropriate to restore law and order. Below is the statement Daily Guide Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment We recently had the chance to speak with Jim Caviezel, a director and an award-winning actor who portrayed Jesus in Mel Gibsons groundbreaking film The Passion of the Christ (2004). We talked about his new movie Infidel (2020), Christian persecution in the Middle East and counting the cost of following Jesus. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Tell us a little bit about Infidel, your role and what the films message is. You have an Evangelical theologian [my character] at a university, married to a secular woman who loves him regardless of his beliefs. He felt called to be with her. He goes to Saudi Arabia to speak on theology, on Christianity. In the conversation, going back and forth and this is all on Islamic TV the man interviewing my character pivots and says, Yes, we see Jesus like you. Hes a prophet. And thats where my character, Doug, has to make a decision, and its one that has huge effects. He needs to deny his faith or die. I wont tell you what ends up happening, but its quite an interesting story. He is persecuted heavily and tortured heavily by Hezbollah and has this long conversation back and forth with his persecutor. Can he lay his life down for Jesus? Many Christians today, especially in [America], have a lot of creature comforts so we dont ever think that that could take place. Cyrus Nowrasteh, who directed and wrote [Infidel], is from Iran, and he understands the persecutions like no other, and his parents do. His family is Muslim, but hes a convert. And he converted because his wife had this extraordinary level of magnetism from heaven. He couldnt continue to go in that direction any longer. I think the Islamic regime is afraid of that truth. What is happening in the Middle East right now with believers? Do we really understand what the cost of following Jesus is? When we came into our hotel just to paint a picture they have a place where a wall comes up. A steel wall, so you cant drive a truck up and blow it up and kill people inside. Now, why would they have that? Because there were over 60 people killed in the lobby when a guy walked up and got himself an ice cream cone, sat down and detonated a bomb on his chest. So this is what were looking at. But this film is not an anti-Muslim film. There are heroes in this film that are Muslims that actually stand up for Christians. I was looking at some of my notes when Cyrus said, I don't want you to be concerned with offending Muslims. I was laughing, because here is a former Muslim, and his family is Muslim. It was very callous, the way he said it. He said, While the rest of the world panders to extremist Muslims, the real victims are Muslims. The ones who arent extreme. The ones who want peace. They are the people group most oppressed by Islamic regimes, such as Iran. Youre not harming Muslims by taking a stand against radicals. Youre helping them. Christians have to start waking up and getting to that level. We talk about Christian persecution, but we forget that there is a massive Christian underground in the Middle East, particularly in Iran where Christianity is growing. Did you discover that as you were filming Infidel? Even more profound were the amount of guys that I worked with, because I played Jesus. They saw [The Passion of the Christ]. And it unearthed them. Think about it. Youre absolutely pulled out of your roots that theres someone far greater than Muhammad: Jesus. We have Jesus, who we say is God Almighty, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. We are in awe of who He is. And I explained that to them, and they had the utmost respect for The Passion because what we claimed in front of the world is that [Jesus] isnt just some do-gooder guy. His flesh undertook the tortures of Satan, the Luciferians, everything they could throw at Him and He took it because love was so much more powerful. And that is what they are drawn to. It's been 16 years since The Passion of the Christ came out. What are you seeing as that role still carries such weight? I did a film a few years before The Passion called Frequency (2000), and the man who played my father was Dennis Quaid. He said, Okay, I'm going to give you my advice: never play Superman. Well, what was extraordinary is I went and made the movie. The Passion came out, and it was one of the wonderful experiences Ive ever gone through and definitely one of the worst experiences Ive ever been through. And so, I was at the Cannes Film Festival, and it was very unpleasant. That would be the secular capital of the industry during the summer months. I ran into Dennis Quaid. And he says, Jim, Ive gotta tell you. I saw the film. If you never do another thing in this industry, thats it. You did something. I went to the Academy Awards during that time. I wasn't invited or anything like that, but [The Passion of the Christ was] the biggest film at the time and that year, and one of the biggest in world history and it was just an independent film. I was watching the people surrounding me, watching the people who won the Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress and Best Director. As I looked in the crowd, I could see last years winners sitting on the sidelines. How quick glory vanishes. Its really not worth what we have waiting for us in heaven. Don't make this your heaven. You have to hold on to your convictions regardless of what and how much they offer. All money isnt good. Some fame is infamous. We need to know the Word of God because thats how we need to live. Scripture is what this character in Infidel understands. He was so turned on by the Word of God, turned on in a way where something touched him so deeply that he wanted to witness the truth to people and to his students. But then, God asks him something deeper, Go to them, go to Saudi Arabia. Now, his wife would probably say to him, because shes protecting him, Thats nuts in this cancel culture. You will die because you will not have help here in the United States. This is not like the 70s, when we had hostages in Iran. Many of them were Christians, and our media did a good thing: they kept them out there every day in the papers and put a lot of pressure on our politicians. That was a different time back then. Now, he would go and he would probably die. And yet, his heart was on fire for our Lord. I think that was why I wanted to do this film. Because I saw a man, like me, standing up for his faith, and maybe no one else will. But the fact is, I know our Lord deserves to be loved and and come hell or high water I'm going to do it. My brothers and sisters, set yourselves apart from this corrupt generation. Be saints. You were not made to fit in. You were born to stand out. And in the words of Ronald Reagan, Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid. Watch the full interview with Jim Caviezel on My Faith Votes Youtube channel. Infidel is in theaters now. Click here to find a showing near you. Some of Australia's top manufacturers say the approval of Santos's contentious $3.6 billion Narrabri gas field is a key step in the push to avoid a supply crunch and start easing stubbornly high prices in the nation's south-east. The New South Wales planning umpire on Wednesday gave "phased approval" of the coal-seam gas development at Narrabri. The verdict clears the last major hurdle for Santos to proceed after facing years of delays and thousands of objections surrounding feared impacts to groundwater, damage to the Pilliga state forest and contribution to global warming. ASX-listed manufacturers hope the approval of Santos's Narrabri coal-seam gas project will ease a supply crunch. Credit:James Davies Large gas users such as manufacturers, which have been struggling under the pressure of tripling gas contract prices in recent years, said increasing supply close to the country's demand centres in Victoria and NSW was urgently needed. "This is great news for every manufacturer in NSW," said Lindsay Partridge, chief executive of ASX-listed brick maker Brickworks, which has signed up to buy gas from Narrabri. London: Britain and Canada have imposed sanctions on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his son and other senior government officials following the disputed presidential election and a crackdown on protesters in Belarus. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the sanctions were introduced as part of a coordinated approach with Canada in a bid to uphold democratic values and put pressure on those responsible for repression. A woman reacts in front of police line during a rally in Minsk, Belarus, last week. Credit:AP The British measures include a travel ban and asset freeze on eight individuals from the Belarusian government, including Lukashenko, son Victor Lukashenko and Igor Sergeenko, the head of the presidential administration. Similar sanctions were imposed by Canada. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said the two countries acted in concert to ensure the sanctions have a greater impact and to demonstrate unity in our condemnation of the situation". Voters in Michigans 10th Congressional district will be picking a new person to represent them in Congress this fall, choosing between Republican businesswoman Lisa McClain and second-time Democratic candidate Kimberly Bizon. McClain, the senior vice president of the Michigan-based financial services company Hantz Group, came out the victor in a competitive three-way primary with state Rep. Shane Hernandez and retired brigadier general Doug Slocum. She said she initially thought about running when former U.S. Rep. Candice Miller left office, but ultimately put it on the back burner because her youngest child was still in middle school at the time. This year, she said, her family was discussing politics at dinner one night when her daughter suggested she try running for office. She looked across the table at me and said, 'Mom, if you dont like the situation, why dont you change it? McClain said. And that really started me thinking again...I think with my leadership ability, my experience, my logicalness in my ability to bring people together, I think the timing is perfect. Bizon, an environmental activist and the web and interactive director at Sussman Agency, defeated Kelly Noland, a U.S. Army veteran and longtime nurse. In 2018, she ran an unsuccessful challenge against current U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell, and said she decided to run again because I still wasnt pleased with the representation that we were getting in Congress, and also, you dont quit on things that matter. The 10th is traditionally considered a safely Republican seat Republican candidates have won the district since 2003, and President Donald Trump carried the region by 32 points in 2016. The open seat is being vacated by Mitchell, who was first elected in 2016 after Miller left office. Mitchell won re-election in 2018 with a 25 point margin. He opted not to seek re-election for a third term, citing frustration with political battles in Washington overshadowing policy discussions. McClain said she believes her background in business and economics is especially critical now as the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Shes advocating for loosening regulations so businesses can get back on their feet, and said she respects the need for caution about the coronavirus, but I dont live in fear of the coronavirus. I think we have to take a look at letting government get out of the way and helping people get back to work, she said. The government needs to trust the people, that the people will do the right thing. And then the people need to be able to trust their government. Climate change is one of Bizons main concerns, and she said she believes the 10th Congressional District needs a candidate who can help address shoreline erosion and other environmental issues currently facing the Great Lakes region. If elected, she also hopes to work on lowering the cost of health care and prescription drugs. I strongly believe that when you focus on issues, when you focus on people in communities, that identity politics go by the wayside, Bizon said. We have a crisis, and we have to solve it together, regardless of party. To see where McClain and Bizon stand on a variety of issues, check out their answers to questionnaires compiled via a partnership between MLive and the League of Women Voters below. Access the full guide and search for candidates in your area at vote411.org. All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for a necessary cut if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. HEALTH CARE: What do you see as the federal governments role in health care? Given the Covid19 pandemic, what are your concerns and plans regarding U.S. health coverage, policies and programs, including Medicare and Medicaid? Lisa McClain: I support less government involvement in healthcare and ending the ACA. I would support sending Medicaid to the state level, allowing them to administer and oversee it as fits with their citizens. I think we should focus on inefficiencies with Medicare to make the process more efficient resulting in cost savings, and we need to take a good hard look at Medicare fraud. Regarding Covid19 I would favor patients who have contracted the disease being held harmless with regard to non covered insurance costs, and the same for hospitals and medical organizations. Kimberly Bizon: I believe everyone has the right to affordable healthcare. I will fight any attempts that are made to take away health care from the over 40,000 people in the 10th District who gained coverage under the Affordable Care Act. I will also fight any attempt to bring back exclusions and higher premiums for pre-existing conditions or cuts to Medicare or Medicaid coverage. . Congress should come together to improve the ACA by covering more people and lowering costs including the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. I am open to any proposals that expand coverage, lower costs including Universal Health Care options. ECONOMY: What federal policies do you support for a healthy economy and to help the broader American public improve their economic positions? Lisa McClain: I would support deregulation wherever possible so the government gets out of the way of people in the workforce, and that the government should not pick winners and losers but instead create an environment where hard work and innovation can easily occur and be rewarded. Kimberly Bizon: We need to tax the rich the same percentage that the average American pays. This last tax breaks was not for the everyday people and was beneficial to the rich and large corporations only. This has to be reversed. I will fight for a living wage of $15/hour. I have committed to improving student loans by supporting a low or even 0% interest. We need to invest in our young people and our future. I support investing in new green infrastructure this can produce many good paying jobs. I support our small businesses. Our rural towns have too many empty buildings we need to stimulate new small business opportunities. ELECTIONS: What federal policies do you advocate regarding elections, campaign funding and voting rights? Do you support mailing ballots to all eligible voters? Lisa McClain: We should have nationwide Voter ID administered by each state so that we are sure of who is casting each ballot and that they are qualified to do so. I do not support mailing ballots to all eligible voters - eligible voters should have to proactively contact their local clerk or appropriate municipal authority and request an application which if properly filled out and returned should then result in them getting a ballot. Kimberly Bizon: I do support mail in ballots. I believe this is a good solution especially in lieu of the COVID-19 and social distancing. I support reform solutions: HR1 Democracy Reform which would expand voting rights, overhaul our campaign finance system, end extreme gerrymandering, and do much more to transform our democracy to make it fairer, stronger, and more inclusive. I support automatic voting registration. I also support campaign funding reform that makes it a more equal playing field for the candidates. We need to eliminate Citizens United. Too many politicians only represent special interest groups and not the people. SOCIAL INJUSTICE: Do you believe there is systemic racism, economic disparity, and other social injustices which should be addressed by Congress? If so, what policies do you support? Lisa McClain: With regard to economic disparity, I believe the ideas outlined above under the Economy section will help to level out everyones economic opportunity. With regard to systemic racism and other social injustices, the Civil Rights Act and other current protections in place must be enforced by the Judicial branch of the government - we must adhere to our current standards in situations where those standards are not upheld before we consider additional Federal requirements. As a Member of Congress I will speak out against any injustice that violates the Rule of Law. Kimberly Bizon: People of color deserve the same justice and safety as everyone else in this country. Police Officers need to serve and protect all people regardless of the color of their skin. I support expanding the PEACE Act other meaningful police reforms like ending chokeholds, more transparency of complaints against officers, and more involvement from the Attorney General, A persons right to survive an interaction with law enforcement should not be dependent on where they live or the color of their skin. I believe in human rights and equality and will always fight for the rights of all people. ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY: What policies do you support to meet U.S. energy needs while protecting our water, air and land for current and future generations? Lisa McClain: The US Government has many current energy policies which are designed to protect our water, air, and land. We must be aware of these policies and see that they are enforced in a uniform manner. I also believe that it must also be a high priority for the United States to become more energy self sufficient. Kimberly Bizon: I have already pledged to support the Green New Deal. I believe in the science and data when it comes to the seriousness of climate change. I pledge and am committed to combating climate change. I believe it is a human right to have access to clean water and clean air and a clean environment I will make polluters pay for the damage that they cause to our environment. I will promote clean infrastructure and new technology that can create 1000s of good paying jobs. I strongly disagree with selling off our public land and parks or renting them out for oil and gas profits. These lands belong to the American people. IMMIGRATION: What policies do you support relative to immigration into the U.S.? Lisa McClain: We should support the current laws that are in effect and ensure that people wanting to immigrate to the United States use the processes that have been long established. Our LEGAL immigration system is very reasonable and allows us to continue the tradition that founded our country. Kimberly Bizon: I believe in finding a compassionate pathway to citizenship. DACA recipients need to be granted their American citizenship. Families need to stay together as they seek U.S. asylum. I do not support inhumane and militarized ICE techniques. Congress needs to address this and move forward to fix our broken immigration process. The same inhumanity we are seeing in local police actions against people of color is similar to what we are seeing in immigration practices and lockups. I do not believe in the Wall and will support more funds allocated to our immigration court systems and processing administration. Related coverage: Lisa McClain wins Michigans 10th Congressional Republican primary Congressman Paul Mitchell wont run for re-election in Trump stronghold district See more Michigan primary election results Three Republicans, two Democrats vying for open Congressional seat in Trump stronghold district Who is running for Congress in 2020? Michigans top races to watch MLive partners with League of Women Voters for 2020 voter guide Kate Middleton donned a pair of 44 delicate gold earrings gifted to her by a female designer as she visited a London Scouts Group yesterday. The Duchess of Cambridge, 38, dressed down in jeans, a favourite gilet and added a touch of glamour with the gold hoops from All The Falling Stars to meet Cub and Beaver Scouts in Northolt, west London. The 44 earrings were crafted by Irish designer Aisling O'Brien and gifted to the Duchess during her visit to Ireland at the start of the year. Online, the brand is described as 'including pieces that are modern and simple, designed to let the wearers natural beauty shine.' Kate Middleton donned a pair of 44 delicate gold earrings gifted to her by an independent female designer as she visited a London Scouts Group yesterday The 44 earrings were crafted by Irish designer Aisling O'Brien and gifted to the Duchess during her visit to Ireland at the start of the year The mother-of-three kept her make up natural for the occasion and wore her hair in a bouncy blow dry, occasionally tucking her hair behind her ear to reveal the stunning set. The Duchess is known for her love of affordable jewellery, and often selects earrings by high street brands including Accessorize. But it's not the first time she has worn the affordable independent Irish jewellery brand. Last week she stepped out in a personalised gold necklace from the brand engraved with the letters 'G, L, C' in honour of her children, Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, for an outing in Battersea Park. The Duchess added a touch of glamour to her casual outfit with the gold hoops from All The Falling Stars to meet Cub and Beaver Scouts in Northolt, west London yesterday The pieces were commissioned in March, with the Duchess going on to write a note of thanks to Aisling expressing her gratitude and love for the pieces. The brand is described as specialising in 'delicate and minimalist' jewellery, with collections featuring modern and simple pieces which 'let the wearers natural beauty shine'. Yesterday, the Duchess paired the stunning earrings with herSpells of Love Double Strand Beaded Satellite Chain Necklace, which costs 85. The brand is described online as crafting pieces with a mix of 'bohemian feminine influence' and 'trend-led modern aesthetic', with a focus on 'ethical production'. It's not the first time the Duchess has worn the brand, after she stepped out in a personalised necklace by the company while meeting fellow parents in a London park last week It was launched in August 2019, and has since become a favourite for British reality stars and models including Emma Louise Connelly, MIC's Sophie Habbo and TOWIE's Chloe Lewis. The pieces are described as being 'designed with love and intention' and 'mix bohemian feminine influence with trend led and modern aesthetic'. The Duchess, who previously volunteered with the Scouts and was a Brownie growing up, joined the children in toasting marshmallows and writing letters to send to care home residents during the outdoor engagement yesterday in London. The Duchess of Cambridge opted for the gold necklace engraved with the letters 'G, L, C' in honour of her children, Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two for the outing in Battersea Park last week The visit coincided with Kate being named joint president of the Scouts. Kate is sharing the position - her first presidency of an organisation - with the Queen's cousin, the Duke of Kent, who has been president of the youth movement since 1975. The Duchess was presented with the Silver Wolf Award, the highest award made by The Scout Association which the Duke of Kent also holds. Louisville (AP) The workings of a Kentucky grand jury that brought no charges against police in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor are set to be opened, upending a long tradition of keeping those proceedings secret. A court in Louisville is expected to release a record of last weeks grand jury proceedings on Wednesday. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron acknowledged this week that his recommendation to the grand jury was that only one of the officers be indicted, and only for the wanton endangerment of Taylors neighbours. Cameron, a Republican protege of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the states first African American attorney general, has been criticized since announcing the grand jurys indictment for not seeking charges against the officers for killing Taylor. Cameron said the other two officers who fired their guns were justified because Taylors boyfriend had fired at them first. Protesters took to the streets in Louisville and around the country to demand more accountability in the case, as frustrations spilled over after months of waiting for Camerons announcement. Activists and Taylors family called for the grand jury file to be released. Cameron said the record will show that his team presented a thorough and complete case to the grand jury. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical worker, was shot five times in her Louisville apartment on March 13 by officers carrying a narcotics warrant. Taylor and her boyfriend were watching a movie in her bedroom when police came to her door and eventually knocked it down. The warrant was related to an investigation of a drug suspect who didnt live with her, and police found no drugs at her apartment. Former officer Brett Hankison, who was fired from the force for his actions during the raid, pleaded not guilty to three counts of wanton endangerment on Monday. (AP) . Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Callsign's Intelligence-driven Authentication platform is recognized for pushing the boundaries of digital identity and behavioral analytics LONDON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent market-wide analysis of the global advanced identity authentication market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Callsign, Inc. with the 2020 Global Technology Innovation Leadership Award for its Intelligence Driven Authentication platform. Callsign focuses on identity fraud prevention and data authentication, combined with its innovative approach to delivering a frictionless user experience through behavioral analytics. This integration makes Callsign ideally positioned to capitalize on the accelerated digital transformation taking place today. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1281922/Callsign_Award_Logo.jpg Powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, Callsign's platform is an authentication gamechanger, solving three key problems often associated with existing solutions: poor user experience, cost, and security. Callsign not only sets a new benchmark in usabilitymaking digital transacting as seamless as possiblebut it is advancing identification to an easy, highly personalized user journey while reducing the risk of fraud. By combining multi-factor authentication and fraud analytics powered by deep learning technology, Callsign's flagship platform can collect thousands of data points, including behavioral, device, and location; correlating identity traits and threat analysis information (e.g., malware). Data analysis occurs in real time using advanced machine learning and intelligence models to deliver a confidence score that verifies that the user is who they say they are when making a transaction. Key detection elements include: Device detection to leverage device fingerprinting for cross-browser tracking and device identification. Location detection to deliver geolocation services and location clustering for virtual private networks, proxies, and anonymity networks. Behavioral detection to recognize the user's current behavior against past activities, including key behavioral capabilities (e.g., keystrokes, mobile swipe, mouse, and touch dynamics and credential input analysis). Callsign's Authentication platform works from the first interaction, gaining more intelligence with every subsequent interaction to build a unique identity profile for every user. "Not only does Callsign's platform give the end user more authority during the authentication process. It offers additional security through data from its mobile operator partners, to counter complex fraud such as SIM swap, call divert, and social engineering attacks," said Aravind Srimoolanthan, Senior Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "With Callsign, authentication steps decrease by 90%, minimizing financial costs by 70% due to fewer end-user drops offs. Overall, Callsign helps enterprises reduce fraud by up to 83% and can amend policies based on compliance, fraud risk, or user experience in real-time, without the need for specialist coding expertise." While capable of addressing the needs of several diverse organizations such as governments, consultancy firms, telecommunications and retail, Callsign has experienced hyper growth and considerable traction in the banking sector, where it now facilitates and manages the majority of authentication traffic cross the United Kingdom. Callsign works with some of the region's largest banks to help improve fraud prevention and digital authentication practices and meet key compliance in an increasingly stringent regulatory landscape. "Callsign is also ISO 27001 compliant, which underscores its superior security standards and commitment to providing customers the highest level of information security management to ensure data is secure," added Srimoolanthan. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that develops a product with innovative features and functionality that is gaining rapid acceptance in the market. The award recognizes the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Harley Gadomski P: 12104778469 E: [email protected] About Callsign, Inc. London-based Callsign is pioneering the global network for identification. We solve challenges that organizations face in getting their users on to and interacting with their digital platforms easily and securely. We provide solutions to some of the world's largest banks and offer "bank-grade" identification to public and private sector clients of all sizes. Callsign's Intelligence Driven Authentication recognizes users by combining deep learning insights with personalized and contextual customer journeys. As a result, users can get on with their digital lives whilst businesses improve customer engagement, increase productivity, and reducing the risk of fraud. Related Links www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan The family members of the 19-year-old victim of gangrape in Hathras on Wednesday demanded that the state government should investigate the matter and hang the culprits. IMAGE: Security heightened outside Safdarjung Hospital where the Hathras gang-rape victim passed away in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo The brother of the victim said, "We demand the state government to investigate the matter and the culprits should be hanged." He also sought for better security for the family. "Administration is putting us under a lot of pressure. We do not trust the local police, there should be a judicial investigation in the case." Asked about the family's consent for the funeral of the victim, the brother said, "No, they did it on their own. We are scared. Police forced us to take the body to the cremation ground." "We had said that we will do it (last rites) in the morning as we wanted to perform all the rituals before the last rites," he added. The body of the victim was creamted at the wee hours of Wednesday. On Wednesday morning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team to conduct a probe in the Hathras gangrape incident. The SIT is asked to present a report in seven days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also directed that strictest action should be taken against the culprits involved in Hathras gang-rape incident, Adityanath had said. The 19-year-old died in Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday, after she was gang-raped in Hathras a fortnight ago. The victim was brought to Safdarjung Hospital on Monday from Aligarh Muslim University Medical College. India on Wednesday successfully test-fired a new version of the surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos having a range of around 400 km from an integrated test range at Balasore in Odisha. The missile, featuring a number of indigenously developed sub-systems, was flight tested from a land-based mobile launcher for a designated range at 10:30 am from the integrated test range in Balasore. The range of the new land-attack version of the missile has been extended to 400 km from the original 290 km and its speed has been maintained at Mach 2.8 which is nearly three times that of sound. India has already deployed a sizeable number of the original BrahMos missiles and other key assets in several strategic locations along the de-facto border with China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. The test-firing of the missile comes at a time India and China are locked in a bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh. "BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile featuring indigenous booster and airframe section along with many other 'Made in India' sub-systems was successfully flight tested for designated range at 1030 hours today," the defence ministry said. Live TV In a statement, it also said the successful launch has paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos weapons system. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated scientists and engineers after India successfully test-fired a new version of the surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos having a range of around 400 km. "Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile has achieved yet another milestone with successful test launch showcasing enhanced operational capabilities and additional indigenous technologies. Congratulations to all the scientists and engineers. DRDO, BrahMosMissile," he tweeted. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated all the team members of the Defence Research and Development Organisation and BrahMos for the mission. "Congratulations to Team DRDO and Brahmos for the successful flight testing of BRAHMOS Supersonic Cruise Missile with Indigenous Booster and Air Frame for designated range. This achievement will give a big boost to India's Atmanirbhar Bharat Pledge," he tweeted. Union Home Minister Amit Shah complimented DRDO for the successful test-firing of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and said the state-of-the-art weapon is a testimony of India's defence potential. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with several indigenous features was successfully test-fired from a test range in Odisha and it has been termed as a major step towards achieving 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' pledge. "India is extremely proud of DRDO for successfully testing the indigenously developed extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. This state-of-the-art weapon is a testimony of India's defence potential and PM Narendra Modi ji's resolve towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat," Shah tweeted. BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms. In May 2019, the Indian Air successfully test-fired the aerial version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. The BrahMos missile provides the IAF a much-desired capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target at sea or on land with pinpoint accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions. The IAF is also integrating the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile on over 40 Sukhoi fighter jets which is aimed at bolstering overall combat capability of the force. A former employee of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, has won a $125,000 settlement after her boss was convicted of grabbing her by the shirt and pushing her into a wall. The Kansas City Star reports that the Unified Government also apologized to Madeline Waldeck for the hostile work environment she faced while working for Dennis Tib Laughlin, the former director of general services. Her lawsuit says she called police in May 2018 after Laughlin shoved her, leading to a misdemeanor battery conviction and Laughlins resignation. The suit said said she had complained previously about Laughlins conduct but that no action was taken. I hope that by me sharing my story things will change for the good and that I can help others, Waldeck told The Star on Monday. A message seeking comment from Laughlin, was not returned. The Unified Government did not respond to a message seeking comment, either. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Kansas Opposition Congress and BJP on Wednesday slammed the Naveen Patnaik government over its alleged poor management of Covid-19 in the state, accusing it of dressing up figures even as the government claimed that the World Health Organisation has praised Odishas effective governance and community-based strategies to fight the pandemic. Participating in an adjournment motion brought by BJP and Congress members on governments alleged failures in Covid management, Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said all that the government has managed to do is fool a lot of people through fake statistics and statements. In my home district of Bolangir, 29 ventilators in Covid hospitals are not working due to lack of necessary infrastructure. Covid-19 test results are taking a long time to come resulting in deaths. Even the kind of conditions that the Covid patients have to endure in hospitals is sickening. People are dying after they are being forcibly discharged from Covid hospitals. In Sonepur district headquarter hospital, patients could not defecate as there was no water supply for two days. Covid tests are coming down over days as doctors are being told to bring down the numbers. What certificate is the government talking about, said Mishra. Similarly, Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati too alleged that all the claims of the government of being a model state in Covid management did not reflect on ground. Though the government claims that ventilators and ICU beds are available in the state, there have been several instances in Bhubaneswar when people have died while trying to arrange beds for their near and dear. The tests are going down to make the Covid statistics look good. Even Lord Jagannath would not pardon the lies that the government is peddling in the name of Covid management. The chief minister should see the reality on ground, said Bahinipati. BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra also criticised the government, saying deaths numbers were being fudged to show that things are in control. Everyday 10-15 deaths are being shown while the reality is something different. People are not getting beds, he alleged. Early in the day, chief minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted an article from WHO website which praised Odisha for early lockdown, setting up the countrys first dedicated Covid-19 hospital, temporary medical camps to manage the huge influx of migrants, multisectoral collaboration, community-based disaster management, community engagement and mentoring support programs. Health minister Naba Kishore Das also said that Odisha has been doing a lot better in terms of Covid management than other states of India. While the national mortality rate in the viral disease is at 1.6%, Odishas rate is as low as 0.38%. Odisha now has active cases just over 36,000. Out of this 29,000 positive patients are currently in home quarantine, while just 7348 patients are being treated in Covid hospitals, he said. If the government has failed in Covid management, then how these patients are recovering from the serious disease that has claimed more than 800 lives and infected over 2 lakh people in the state, he asked. However, Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja said 10,000 people are getting infected daily but the government is only providing data of 3000-4000 people. The opposition also hit out at the government in getting the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2020 passed, saying it was meant to target opposition. As per the Bill, anybody who dares to question the government would be dragged to court. If this bill is allowed to become a law, time will come when the government will not hesitate to pull the Opposition parties to the court too for raking up issues concerning the common man, Mishra alleged. Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik said the penalty provision of Rs 1 lakh and jail provision was actually meant to silence opposition. Using this provision, the government can get opposition leaders arrested, he alleged. The Bill has a provision of a jail term of up to two years and a fine amounting up to Rs 1 Lakh for anybody violating the act. Meanwhile, the state government today said all its offices in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack would function with 50% strength of employees (all staff including Group-A Officers) during the month of October. All state government offices throughout the State will remain closed on Saturdays. NetApp in partnership with Zinnov released the findings of a study titled Leveraging Start-Ups to Unlock Digital Opportunities in Large Enterprises. In the report, NetApp has drawn on its cloud expertise to contribute data-led insights into the role of business-to-business (B2B) tech startups in speeding up digital transformation. The advent of cloud technologies has entrepreneurs from India building products for the world. The report highlights a thriving technology ecosystem of over 4,200 B2B tech startups from India, with 63% of them working on enterprise technology in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), healthcare, retail, and automotive verticals. Speaking of the coaxial path of startups and data-driven enterprises, Ravi Chhabria, VP and managing director, NetApp India, said, Big data, analytics, AI, and ML are advanced technologies in focus for B2B startups. Enterprises in every industry want to gain the first-mover advantage using the power of these technologies. Much before this need became apparent, NetApp has been reinventing customer experiences through the Active IQ platform, using AI for optimal data management as AIOps. Todays infrastructure investments mark a clear preference for technology providing business-relevant solutions that can be adopted across the value chain. The report further states that: 44% of all startups are now in the B2B tech bracket. 43% of all Indian unicorn businesses now are B2B tech startups. Over 415 B2B tech startups received a cumulative equity funding of $3.0 billion with a twofold growth in average funding. A key driver of this growth is an increase in cloud-born startups that are using advanced technology to solve new use cases across industries. Pari Natarajan, CEO, Zinnov, said, The global digital engineering spend, which is expected to reach $750 billion by 2023, underscores the trend of accelerating enterprise digital transformation and creates a massive opportunity to be capitalized on. As companies rethink resilience, forge newer partnerships, and leverage the external ecosystem, new-age infrastructure becomes critical. B2B startups have truly come into their own by using advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to create and offer enterprise-grade solutions. However, even mature startups often require assistance with go-to-market opportunities. That is where experienced technology companies such as NetApp fit in. According to the study, there are over 60 active open innovation programs run by corporations in India. NetApp Excellerator is one such program that has engaged with more than 1,600 startups, seen 3 successful exits, and worked on 9 proofs of concept (POCs). Over 70% of startups received follow-on funding after graduating from the program. Madhurima Agarwal, director and leader, NetApp Excellerator, said, Organizations are democratizing innovation through these converging disruptive technologies, and B2B tech startups play an integral role in enabling this across all industry verticals. As weve seen with the NetApp Excellerator, a structured collaboration program results in multiple outcomes for the startups such as joint go-to-market opportunities, equity investments, or acquisitions. Key growth verticals and their areas of technology spending in 2019 Sixty-six Oregon inmates were approved for early release this week, Gov. Kate Browns office said Tuesday. They include 10 who are medically vulnerable to COVID-19 and 56 who are within two months of their release date. In an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Liz Merah, Browns press secretary, said the inmates can start the commutation process as soon as they test negative for COVID-19. They also must have housing and health care plans before release, Merah said. This is the second round of inmates Brown has granted early release because of the pandemic, previously commuting 57 sentences. In late August, she said she would consider the release of 350 to 400 more inmates who were either medically vulnerable or within two months of their release date. In mid-September, a group of families, attorneys and activists for Oregon inmates called for the Department of Corrections to release at least half of the states prison population, after prisoners reported a host of unlivable conditions due to both the pandemic and wildfire evacuations. A letter sent to Brown from Department of Corrections Director Colette Peters on Sept. 21 states that the department identified 74 inmates who met criteria in one of two groups medically vulnerable or with a projected release date within two months. Peters said five of those inmates declined to be considered for release, so the final list she sent to the governor had 69 names. Public defender Tara Herivel leads a team of attorneys bringing more than 200 cases against the Oregon Department of Corrections for failure to protect inmates from COVID-19. On Tuesday, Herivel said she and her colleagues, as well as inmates and their families, were extremely disappointed by the governors decision. Herivel said two of her clients had their sentences commuted. But many other clients were denied. On Sept. 17 we submitted 40 to 50 commutation requests for clients who fit the governors criteria for this round of consideration and received a form email rejecting them and redirecting us to a lengthy clemency process," she said. Herivel said the states release of 123 inmates since the pandemic began is in stark contrast to its West Coast neighbors. California has released over 8,000 after 1,000 prisoners at San Quentin tested positive, Herivel said. Washington released over 1,000 after riots. She said the virus will continue to spread exponentially among Oregon inmates if more are not released to ease crowded conditions. It seems it will take a body count to activate political will enough to take real action, she said. Browns office did not immediately respond to requests for clarification on how many inmates were released from specific facilities. They also did not immediately say whether Brown plans to review more inmates' cases. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. McCabe is scheduled to testify before the committee Oct. 6, though McCabes lawyer alleged in a letter to the inspector general that the FBI was refusing to give him access to personal notes and calendars from his time in the bureau that might help him refresh his recollection of events. The lawyer, Michael R. Bromwich, said McCabe had agreed to testify only if the committee would facilitate him accessing the materials and asked the Justice Department inspector general to investigate. With deaths of 20 Covid-19 patients on Wednesday, Uttarakhand reported it highest single-day casualties in the pandemic since the state reported its first case on March 15. The death toll of Covid-19 positive reached 611 Wednesday. Out of the 611 deaths, 196 cases were of deaths due to coronavirus, while the others died due to comorbidities. The state reported 1,005 fresh cases, taking the tally to 49,000. On Wednesday, the state reported 976 recoveries with maximum 424 from Dehradun, taking the total number of recoveries to 39,035. With this, the recovery rate now stands at 79.66% and the rate of doubling of cases stands at 42.23 days. According to the health bulletin released by the state health department on Wednesday evening, a maximum 336 fresh cases were reported from Dehradun district followed by Haridwar (133), Nainital (112), Pauri (65), Chamoli (61), Tehri (59), US Nagar (58), Champawat (54), Uttarkashi (41), Bageshwar (26), Pithoragarh (24), Almora (20) and Rudraprayag (16). Dehradun district has reported the maximum 13,203 Covid-19 positive cases so far followed by Haridwar (9361), US Nagar (8435) and Nainital (5908). The state has so far tested over 7.12 lakh samples of which results of over 12,000 are awaited. The positivity rate stands at 7.14% in the state at present. Uttarakhand currently has 458 containment zones in nine districts including maximum 291 in Haridwar district. The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday also fixed the price of antigen tests in NABH and NABL accredited private labs across the state at 719. An order issued by state health secretary Amit Singh Negi mentions that after all tests, private labs are required to upload the test results on the website of Indian Council of Medical Research. Along with this, they also have to send a copy of the reports to the district chief medical officers and state surveillance officer. If the private labs are found to be violating the norms, then action can be taken against them under relevant sections of Epidemic Diseases Act. Meanwhile, chief minister Rawat on Wednesday sanctioned a sum of 3 crores for prevention of Covid-19 in the state. The amount has been sanctioned from State Disaster Response Force fund to Doon Hospital affiliated to Doon Medical College for effective prevention of spread of Covid-19 in the state. Rawat also issued instructions to end the service of long-absent doctors in the state. He approved the proposal for termination of service of 81 medical officers who have remained absent from the State Medical and Health Services cadre. Some workers have relied on credit cards to pay for essentials during the pandemic, according to a new Hastee report. Photo: Getty. More than 40% of workers are now relying on at least one new loan, credit card or overdraft in order to make ends meet, according to new research. Over a third of those surveyed said they were being even more cautious with their cash every month, while 27% needed to sacrifice essential purchases due to a lack of available cash. Hastee's Workplace Wellbeing Study, which surveyed 2,000 people, also found that a third of respondents now have trouble sleeping due to money worries and two thirds have changed their spending habits due to the coronavirus pandemic. These changes include shopping fewer times a month (35%) and spending less on luxuries (39%). Meanwhile some 40% are regularly applying for high-cost credit options that they are struggling to pay back, and another 27% of workers, aged 18 to 24, never clear their personal debts every month. Watch: Why have job losses risen despite the economy reopening? READ MORE: UK job vacancies nearing pre-pandemic levels A fifth of young people have relied on loans from friends and family between pay days. In some cases, this age group is regularly going without basic food or meals (16%) and heating (8%) to make ends meet. Our research has demonstrated the scale of the financial burdens being faced by British workers in 2020, which have only been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic in recent months, said Hastee CEO James Herbert. Freezes on credit and overdraft payments are due to come to an end on 31 October but the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is proposing new guidance to ensure firms provide tailored support to people still facing financial hardship due to the coronavirus crisis after October. This would cover credit cards, store cards, catalogue credit, personal loans, overdrafts, motor finance, buy-now-pay-later, rent-to-own, pawnbroking and high-cost short-term credit products, regardless of whether the individual had already received support or not. Watch: What is the new job support scheme? Mr Prosper Pi-Bansah, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, says the security services have the city under control after an attack on the State Transport Corporation yard by unidentified gunmen. He said the security services were monitoring the situation and urged residents to go about their daily activities without fear. Mr Pi-Bansah gave the assurance in an interaction with the media after a visit to the attack scene. He said security patrols would be intensified in the Municipality and asked for public cooperation to help end the crisis. Gunmen suspected to be members of the Western Togoland Secessionist group, in the early hours of Monday, stormed the STC yard assaulted drivers and a security officer, and set some buses ablaze. One bus was destroyed in the attack, and another partially burnt. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Crete Island What to Do and See (TRAVPR.COM) GREECE - September 30th, 2020 - If you are planning a vacation to Greece, chances are Crete island is on your travel itinerary. Surrounded by thousands of miles of coastline, Crete island is Greeces has stunning mountains and large stretches of beaches. There are tons of places to rent a car and go visits and activities to explore. rounded up some of the best things you can do in Crete island to save you some time looking into it yourself. Lucky for us, Greece has handled the coronavirus well, and it consider to be a green state. Here is Crete island what to do and see. What to Do in Create Island The main attractions in Crete island include beaches, stunning water bodies, architectural sites and even sky-high mountains. Here are 17 of the best things to do once you are here. Palace on Knossos The Palace of Knossos is a must-visit on the island. The most important architectural site in all of Crete, it is located near Heraklion. It is a large and small stunning display of architecture that is simply breathtaking. Architectures are still not sure to this day why this historic place was abandoned. But experts say, it could have been earthquakes and deadly volcanos that caused the inhabitants to abandon the place in 1450 BC. There are no such dangers now though. You can visit and take in all its glory without worrying about natural disasters. Spinalonga Island If you have some extra time, you can hop on a boat and visit the beautiful Spinalonga island located on the north-east side of Crete. The island has quite a difficult past, having faced many invasions and raids from the Venetians and Arabs. Today, the island stands as a testament to how beautiful nature can be. It is peaceful and serene and an absolute must-visit. Try Traditional Greek Dishes Have you really traveled if you have not tried the local cuisine? Greece and Crete island has some extraordinary meals to offer for tourists. If you find yourself in Crete, make sure to try the mouth-watering foods. For cheese lovers, there are dishes such as Kalitsouna and an assortment of Creten cheeses to try. Then you have Dakos. A dish with chopped tomatoes, herbs and cheese. If you are more of the adventurous type with your palette, you can try fried snails. An extremely popular food, these are prepared by frying snails (of course) with flour and olive oil and later doused in white wine to bring it all together. Visit the Beaches of Crete As we a rule of thumb, when we travel to a destination that has beaches and more importantly is known for their beautiful beaches, it is a priority to visit. Visiting Cretes stunning stretches of beach is a must-do if youre in the island. Honestly, they are so stunning our Crete island what to do and see guide would be incomplete without them. There are a couple of beaches on Crete island, not all pack the same punch though. Elafonissi is hands down Cretes most famous beach. The beach is very close to Chania and is known for its unique white and pink sand. If you head towards the north coast from there, you can find a small and cozy town called Matala. This town also a very beautiful beach and lined with caves on one end. The Cut Off Village of Loutro Get on a boat and visit the village of Loutro. The place is stunning and holds on to a lot of history of old Greece. The place even looks like how Greece looked way back. Visit the Mirabello Bay You can even visit Mirabello Bay. It is one of the largest bays in Europe. If you want you can even take a dip in the waters or go to the nearby town Agios Nikolas to grab something to eat along the way. The way to go to Mirambellow Bay is by road. You can take a drive around the whole region actually. So, if you want to stick around and see the place in a vehicle, you most definitely can. The Fortress of Koules This stunning piece of architecture was built in the 16th century but is closed for entry. That should not discourage you from stopping by. You can see it if you find yourself in Heraklion. If you visited the Palace of Knossos, the Fortress of Koules should be on the list as well. Heraklion Heraklion is the capital and is a great experience by itself. From here you can make your way to visit the Palace of Knossos and also the aforementioned Fortress of Koules. The streets are filled with places to eat and cool shops. All in all, when in Crete island, visiting Heraklion is an absolute must. That will not be too hard to do either. Heraklion has an international airport, and most probably you will be starting your trip from here, to begin with. Archaeological Museum in Heraklion Heraklion does not seem to disappoint. It has a stunning archeology museum that has 27 different halls filled with Cretan history and around 550 years of historical artifacts. For history lovers, this is a great way to appreciate what the place once was. Even if you are not into history much, the sheer beauty of the artifacts and the museum itself is stunning. Sacred Monastery of Arkadi You will find the sacred Monastery of Arkadi within the countryside of Crete island. You must see the Corinthian columns and take in all the glory. It is located just about 20 km from Rethymnon. Conclusion Crete island is filled with beauty. Both things to visit, do and also delicious cruising you can taste. A trip to the Crete islands is sure to be a trip to remember for a long time to come. When asking Crete island what to do, you cannot go wrong with what we mentioned above. References ### Around 69 per cent deaths due to COVID-19 in India has been among men and it may be linked to SARS-Cov-2 reducing testosterone (primary sex hormone among men) level in males, a new study has revealed. This study, published by Selahittin Cayan, Mustafa Ugaz, Baris Saylan, Erdem Akbay of University of Mersin School of Medicine, Turkey, earlier this month, concluded that low testosterone level has a significantly increased risk for the ICU and mortality in patients with COVID-19. The study included 221 male patients of over 18 years of age, with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 and those who had been hospitalised due to COVID-19. The patients were divided into 3 groups: asymptomatic patients (46), symptomatic patients who were hospitalised in the internal medicine unit (IMU) (129), and patients who were hospitalised in the intensive care unit (ICU) (46). The result showed that as total testosterone level at baseline decreases, the probability to be in ICU and mortality increases significantly. "Testosterone is associated with the immune system of respiratory organs, and low levels of testosterone might increase the risk of respiratory infections," lead author Selahittin Cayan, professor of urology, stated in the study. Also read: 'They don't give real numbers': Donald Trump questions India, China's COVID-19 data He said the problem of low testosterone among male patients might also occur due to "infection-related hospitalisations". Prof Cayan said treating testosterone levels might improve deaths due to COVID-19. According to the findings of the study: "The mean total testosterone decreased, and mean gonadotropins (FSH and LH) increased, as the severity of the COVID-19 increased. The mean total testosterone level was significantly lower in the ICU group than in the asymptomatic group. Besides, the mean total testosterone level was significantly lower in the ICU group than in the IMU group. The mean FSH level was significantly higher in the ICU group than in the asymptomatic group." Meanwhile, as the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, there is tremendous pressure on pharma companies to develop a vaccine. Around 40 different coronavirus vaccines are in clinical trials currently. Active cases in India stand at 9,40,441, and deaths at 97,474. Also read: How soon can we expect coronavirus vaccine? Crucial data expected by October-end Consumers are being warned of price hikes for fresh food if farmers cannot secure more workers to pick their fruit and vegetables, as the Morrison government promises action within days to fix the problem. The nation's peak farm group issued the warning after the government aired its plans to offer foreign backpackers and young Australians new incentives to fill the farm labour shortage. The government aims to encourage young Australians to do some of the farm work, but is yet to outline a new incentive. Credit:Louie Douvis Agriculture Minister David Littleproud promised the new measures in the budget but came under attack from the Australian Workers' Union, which said the measures could force people into "slavery" on low wages. National Farmers' Federation chief executive Tony Mahar said he was "encouraged" by the latest statements but he emphasised the "enormity" of the challenge facing farmers. EAST LANSING, MI -- Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler visited Michigan on Wednesday, announcing and highlighting grants and loans designed to improve water, drinking water and community health. In East Lansing, he announced another $95 million investment into a state revolving loan fund that allows Michigan communities to borrow money for water infrastructure improvements. This is another $95 million, and it goes into the revolving loan fund for the states to then go loan out to the local water systems across the state to improve water infrastructure, Wheeler said. The revolving loan funds, which the federal government is constantly increasing, will help Michigan communities plan, design and build wastewater treatment plants, he said. The city of East Lansing has tapped into the loan fund for water infrastructure projects, and Mayor Aaron Stephens said theyre an important resource. When folks tend to talk about infrastructure they tend to think roads, they tend to think streets. But in reality that means your sewer system, that means your water system, that means everything that makes your community function, he said. It was part of a spate of EPA actions Wheeler highlighted in Michigan on Tuesday: - In a visit to Traverse City, Wheeler announced $5 million in Trash Free Water grants under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Projects can use methods like vessels, mechanical devices and other technology to protect Great Lakes shorelines from trash. - The agency is also granting $681,000 to the Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy for voluntary lead testing of drinking water in child care programs, Wheeler said. We all know what happened in Flint, Michigan a few years ago concerning the unsafe levels of lead in drinking water, he said, and the agency needs to learn from the mistakes of its past. - On a conference call Wednesday EPA officials announced a grant of $200,000 to Michigans Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) as part of the EPAs environmental justice collaborative. The money will be used to promote community health initiatives in southwest Detroit, that also helped address challenges with COVID-19, Wheeler said. He said the project will, address challenges such as air pollution linked to respiratory disease, access to healthy food, limited healthcare resources and high unemployment. The money will also be used for training and informing the community to be more engaged in environmental justice related efforts, said EPA Region 5 administrator Kurt Thiede. Mayawati on Tuesday said that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest the Bihar Assembly elections 2020 in an alliance. She said that they will back Upendra Kushwaha for the CM post. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday said that her party will fight the upcoming Bihar polls in alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha will be the chief ministerial candidate. Mayawati said at a press conference that they had decided to fight elections in Bihar in alliance with Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samta Party and other parties, Upendra Kushwaha would be the CM if that alliance gets the blessing of people of Bihar in the polls. The BSP chief said the alliance will work for benefit of oppressed classes and poor in the state if voted to power. She said that their alliance had been formed keeping the interests of Dalits, tribals, OBC, minorities and upper-caste poor in mind. She added that Bihar needed a change based on the philosophy of Sarvajan Hitaay, Sarvajan Sukhaay. She said the alliance will work to solve the recurrent problems of the state including floods. Also read: Hathras gangrape survivor dies at Delhis Safdarjung hospital Also read: Farm bills row: Sitharaman attacks Sonia over advice to Cong-ruled states Mayawati said that she will not be able to go to Bihar for the election campaign due to the situation created by coronavirus. She said that she would not be able to go to the election campaign because of coronavirus situation. She said she appeals to people to give them an opportunity to serve them. The BSP chief said her party will contest by-elections in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh without any alliance. The by-polls to 56 assembly seats were announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday. The assembly elections in Bihar will be held on October 28, November 3 and 7 and the counting of votes will take place on November 10. With RLSP and BSP deciding to fight the polls together, a third front appears to be emerging in the state apart from the ruling NDA and the likely alliance of RJD, Congress and Left parties. Also read: Nayi soch, naya approach: PM inaugurates projects worth Rs 521 cr under Namami Gange Mission President Akufo-Addo says he expects a landslide victory in the 2020 general elections following his impressive first-term performance. The President believes he has kept faith with the people of Ghana who gave him their mandate to lead the country and is hopeful of massive endorsement that would surpass the one he had in the 2016 polls. After four years in office, I am confident that I have delivered to the expectations of the majority of Ghanaians and I am certain of a landslide victory in December, he stated. He was speaking at a durbar held in his honour at Juaso in the Asante-Akim South Municipality as part of his three-day working visit to the Ashanti Region ahead of the 2020 general elections. He was accompanied by some Ministers of State in including Mr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, Minister of Education, Mr. Alan Kyerematen, Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, and Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister. President Akufo-Addo said he won the 2016 election on the back of the good policies he promised Ghanaians and the poor governance of the then Mahama administration. He said his government had managed every sector of the economy better than the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and called on Ghanaians to renew his mandate to consolidate the gains over the last four years. President Akufo-Addo appealed to the people of the three Asante-Akim areas to maintain their Members of Parliament (MPs) to support his next administration to implement pragmatic policies to improve the lives of the people. The President urged the people not to deliver anything less than 95 percent of votes in the Municipality to ensure massive victory for the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta, the Roads, and Highways Minister said 12 out of 16 roads were currently under construction in the Municipality with the remaining four going through procurement processes. He assured the people of speedy completion of the Juaso and Obogu Town Roads Projects after the chiefs complained of the slow progress of work. President Akufo-Addo used his visit to commission a 12-unit classroom block at Juaso Senior High School and two factories at Asankare under the One District One Factory Programme. Files from GNA were used for this piece MANZINI Five teachers from Mhlatane High School have reported a senior officer in the Ministry of Education and Training to his principals and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The teachers are said to have reported the senior officer following claims that at the height of an investigation within the school, elements of professional misconduct and corruption were exhibited by the civil servant. The senior officer is purported to have demanded money ranging between E15 000 and E20 000 from the teachers apiece. The money was to be allegedly given to senior personnel in the ministry, who would in turn make the teachers cases evaporate while ensuring that they (teachers) retained their employment with the Teaching Service Commission (TSC). Appointments The TSC is responsible for making appointments (including promotions and transfers) and selection of candidates for appointment, confirmation of appointments, termination of appointments, disciplinary control and removal from office of teachers, among many functions. The senior officer is known to this publication but will not be named as no charges have been preferred against him at the moment. The investigations were conducted by the Ministry of Education and Training in February 2019. According to impeccable sources, the senior officer is allegedly to have offered the said teachers a way out of their troubles at the height of investigations at the school. This was when the teachers were suspended following the investigation, which was said to have involved several teachers, both male and female. They were accused of engaging in relationships with pupils and were suspended pending investigations into the allegations. Suspension While serving their suspension, it is alleged that the senior officer demanded the money from the teachers and some of them paid it. It was gathered that two of the teachers accompanied each other when meeting the senior officers for the alleged payments. Impeccable sources relayed that due to the distance between Mbabane and Piggs Peak, they used mobile phones to communicate at most instances, leading to the alleged payments. While engaging the officer, it was alleged that they recorded conversations with him and they have since shared these with the ministry and the ACC. It is alleged that when they paid the money, the teachers took turns so that they could take pictures of the event. This publication contacted two teachers from the school and one of the educators, *Joko, has since come forward demanding to be reimbursed his money. I want my money back, he said. This teacher, in particular, claimed that he paid the official a sum of E15 000 which was to guarantee that he kept his job. Joko claimed that he was suspended after a pupil accused him of looking at her with sexy eyes. He has since reported the matter to the Ministry of Education and Training and even alleged that he had paid the official so that he could be reinstated. Money It is alleged that the Ministry of Education official approached Joko and told him that if he wanted to return to work, he should pay up. The official is alleged to have demanded E20 000, but Joko allegedly said he did not have that amount. Joko alleged that because he did not have the money, he was forced to seek assistance from money lenders. He alleged that he borrowed the money to pay the official and be reinstated. However, Joko alleged that he noticed that some of the other teachers had been reinstated yet he and another were still at home. He alleged that when he enquired why he had not been reinstated since he had already paid the E15 000, the official failed to give him an explanation. Joko alleged that he was then forced to reveal to some of his relatives that he had paid the official E15 000 to be reinstated. He alleged that he even went to the Piggs Peak Police Station, but detectives there advised him that they could not follow up on the matter because it had already been reported to the TSC. He alleged that after this, he reported the matter to the Hhohhho regional education officer (REO). According to some of the text messages which had been leaked between Joko and the education officer, the former insisted that he wanted his money. Dont act smart, bring back my money, he allegedly stated in the messages. The official then responded, Who am I chatting to? In the messages, the official then asked Joko, whom he was referred to as Nceku, if he was aware that bribery was a crime. Do you want to have a criminal record? the official allegedly asked. Another teacher, who is alleged to have offered E10 000 declined to comment on the matter. The Head teacher of Mhlatane High School, Dr Mandla Dlamini, also declined to comment. Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, was also reached for comment since Joko claimed that the matter was reported at the Piggs Peak Police Station. However, Vilakati said there was no record of this matter. *Not real name to conceal teachers identity Ray McGuire, vice chairman of Citigroup Inc., speaks during a Bloomberg Television interview at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, April 29, 2019. Citigroup executive Ray McGuire is turning to one of his closest associates in the business community to guide him on what appears to be a likely run for mayor of New York. McGuire, according to people familiar with the matter, has turned to Charles Phillips, former CEO of software company Infor, as an advisor while he seriously considers running for the city's highest office. Phillips, these people added, has been in on meetings with potential supporters, including those with ties to Wall Street, and others guiding McGuire on his potential run. One of the people noted that Phillips is in line to be McGuire's campaign manager if he officially announces his run. Another acknowledged that Phillips will at least be "very involved" with the Citi vice chairman's campaign if he were to get into the race. These people declined to be named as Phillips' role had yet to be made public. McGuire, who is also chairman of Citi's banking, capital markets and advisory business, has not publicly confirmed whether he is planning to get into the race. Mayor Bill de Blasio is wrapping up his final term. A Citi spokeswoman, McGuire and Phillips did not return requests for comment. Phillips, who also had leadership stints at Morgan Stanley and Oracle, has been close to McGuire for years. McGuire and Phillips serve on the board of trustees of the New York City Police Foundation, according to the group's 2019 report. The New York Times previously reported that McGuire and Phillips have met with officials at the New York Police Department to discuss how to improve relations with the Black community. In 2019, they were two of 27 Black leaders that condemned the dousing of water on New York police officers. Phillips also has extensive experience in politics, making him an ideal choice to possibly have a senior role on what seems to be a likely mayoral campaign. He served on President Barack Obama's Economic Recovery Board. He helped organize what is now known as the Black Economic Alliance, which has a political action committee that backs candidates with priorities of working on the economic interests of the Black community. They have endorsed the Democratic presidential ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Phillips currently serves on the board of directors of the Black Economic Alliance. McGuire, a moderate Democrat, has been vocal on key issues when it comes to policing and the Black community. After the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, McGuire told CNBC that the killing was "cold-blooded murder" and called on corporate leaders to take the necessary steps to combat racism. He recently authored a preface to a Citi report titled "Closing the Racial Inequality Gaps." In the introduction, the banking executive reflects on how he's seen as a Black man. "Yet even today, with all those credentials and as one of the leading executives on Wall Street, I am still seen first as a six-foot-four, two-hundred-pound Black man wherever I go even in my own neighborhood. I could have been George Floyd," he writes. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here The big picture: Google has already received multi-billion dollar antitrust fines in Europe, and the US Department of Justice is preparing to drag it into yet another fight. It looks like the search giant will have a lot on its plate in the coming years as China is also looking to launch an antitrust investigation of its own, after Huawei and other Chinese firms decried Google's anticompetitive behavior when it comes to Android. Google has fought a fair share of antitrust battles in Europe, first for promoting its own shopping services in search results, then for requiring Android device manufacturers to integrate Google apps as a mandatory condition for getting access to the Play Store, and recently for abusing its dominant position in the advertising market when brokering search ad placements. The fines it's received amount to around $9.4 billion, and Google is facing a barrage of investigations from the US Department of Justice and 50 state attorneys general on issues that range from acquisitions like DoubleClick, Android, AdMob, and YouTube, to how its search algorithm treats rival apps and services. According to a Reuters report, China is the latest country that will start an antitrust investigation into Google, specifically around the way it leverages its dominance in the mobile space to stifle competition. This is said to have been proposed last year by Huawei through a complaint at the State Council's antitrust committee that was reviewed by the State Administration for Market Regulation. The Trump administration has taken a series of measures against Chinese companies like Huawei, who are now barred from using hardware and software made by American companies or companies that are supplied with American manufacturing equipment and intellectual property. This means that Huawei can no longer order any chips from TSMC or install the latest version of Android on its devices, among other things. China's antitrust probe into Google could start as early as next month and would follow the example set by the European Union in addressing the top concerns. The decision will ultimately hinge on the US-China trade relationship, which is currently at an all-time low after the Trump administration decided to force a sale of ByteDance's global operations to American entities and impose sanctions on SMIC, China's largest chipmaker. In the meantime, Google has a smaller but not insignificant antitrust battle to fight in India, after the local antitrust body decided to look into whether the company abused its dominant position in search and mobile to promote its mobile payments solution. Overall, it looks like Google has a lot of explaining to do if it wants to avoid more fines. That's it for today's blog - thanks so much for joining us. All eyes now turn to the second US presidential debate, which will take place on October 15, followed by a third and final expected showdown between Trump and Biden on October 22. The next debate will take place in Miami, in the battleground state of Florida where Trump now lives, but will be a"town hall" type of event. This could make it harder for the president to go on the attack as he did today, and Democrats hope that the format will also play well for Biden, who is comfortable talking to voters in an open forum. Also keep your eye out for the vice presidential debate on October 7 between Trumps vice president Mike Pence and Bidens running mate, Californian Senator Kamala Harris. Expect fireworks, fireworks, and even more fireworks. Until then, take care everyone. Rapid Diagnostic Testing, Repurposing Drug Therapies and Vaccines Targeting Innate Immunity, Are Integral Factors in Mitigating COVID-19 BALTIMORE, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Virus Network (GVN), a coalition of the world's leading medical and basic virology research centers working to prevent illness and death from viral disease, convened a press conference with attendees from across the globe to discuss key takeaways from the GVN virtual 2020 Special Annual Meeting held September 23-24, 2020. A video of the full press conference, can be found here. "We do not know what the future holds for COVID-19 there may be seasonal variations or chronic infections or maybe a slowdown," said Dr. Christian Brechot, GVN President. "However, we know that we have to prepare and that this for now and not after the end of this pandemics; in the spirit of preparation, it is very timely that we used the Special Annual Meeting to band together international experts to identify and analyze what went wrong, what has been properly handled and what recommendations we can confidently make." Key findings during the meeting regarding SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 research include: "Super-spreaders" and "super-spreading" events are major drivers of the pandemic, indicating that only a handful of those infected seem be exponentially contagious. Further, short-range aerosol-driven transmission contributes to the dissemination of the virus, particularly in the context of the super spreading events. Key pandemic response strategies the need to take better advantage of the major technology progress in diagnostics, a key driver for the control of infectious diseases; salivary sampling will very much increase our testing capacity, including in school settings; novel rapid and cheap molecular rapid diagnostic tests combined with digital-based transmission of the results, tracing and isolation should be widely emphasized, an understanding of communicability and transmission and, most importantly, the creation of a unified and multidisciplinary response with mechanisms for information sharing among international virologists and independent authorities. An evaluation of vaccine development timing, an analysis of the candidates, side-effects and managing the world's expectation for a satisfactory and timely vaccine. Until a classical, effective vaccine is available, vaccines that stimulate the body's innate immune system, such as the oral polio vaccine and BCG, are integral in protecting against infection. A very strong statement against SARS-CoV-2 being the result of human manipulation. An update on the available and future therapies, emphasizing the need to combine novel antiviral and immunomodulatory molecules as well as the need to contemplate in the future antivirals with broad spectrum against several viruses. Dr. Brechot, who also is a professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa, continued, "This is not just a crisis it is a new era. We have major challenges ahead, we need a new organization and we need it now. Global collaborations will build a strong foundation. This is where the GVN is very important, and complementary to national and international agencies. The GVN is well positioned to establish with all partners a Viral Pandemic Readiness Alliance to facilitate collaborations with universities, industry, governments and communities to merge efforts and find solutions together." "Simple, safe, oral, inexpensive, live vaccines such as the oral polio vaccine (OPV) will have a broad benefit against COVID-19. This can also likely be used in future pandemics, particularly of respiratory viruses, by inducing innate immunity, which is immediate and not as limiting as a specific vaccine," said Dr. Robert Gallo, co-founder of GVN; The Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine, co-founder and director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Gallo, who is most renowned for discovering human retroviruses, co-discovering HIV as the cause of AIDS and developing the HIV blood test continued, "Nothing is needed more than a rapid diagnostic test. Molecular tests that can be done cheaply and at home, within two hours or less time nothing could be more valuable "We need to be able to trace; we need to be able to follow people; we need to be able to educate. This is absolutely basic, and without it we can do nothing. There is singularly nothing else more important in my mind than having rapid and reliable diagnostics." Dr. Brechot was joined at the press event by presenters from the annual meeting including: Dr. Linfa Wang , Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore , Duke-NUS Medical School, Dr. Konstantin Chumakov , FDA Office of Vaccines Research and Review, USA , FDA Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Dr. Ab Osterhaus , TiHo Hannover, Germany , TiHo Dr. Johan Neyts , Rega Institute, Belgium , Rega Institute, Dr. Raymond Schinazi , Emory University , USA Next, David Scheer, an advisor and entrepreneur in life sciences with a lifelong career in global public health non-profits, moderated a discussion titled, "From HIV to SARS-CoV-2 and Beyond." Panelists were Dr. Gallo, Dr. Brechot and Dr. Eric Rubin, New England Journal of Medicine Editor. The frank COVID-19 discussion included historical perspectives, the emergence of variant strains of SARS-CoV-2, vaccine development and innate immunity, the use of existing and new drug therapies, pandemic preparedness as it relates to industry, government and academia, and that SARS-CoV-2 is naturally occurring and not manmade. The meeting program can be found here. About the Global Virus Network (GVN) The Global Virus Network (GVN) is essential and critical in the preparedness, defense and first research response to emerging, exiting and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and present threat to public health, working in close coordination with established national and international institutions. It is a coalition comprised of eminent human and animal virologists from 57 Centers of Excellence and 10 Affiliates in 33 countries worldwide, working collaboratively to train the next generation, advance knowledge about how to identify and diagnose pandemic viruses, mitigate and control how such viruses spread and make us sick, as well as develop drugs, vaccines and treatments to combat them. No single institution in the world has expertise in all viral areas other than the GVN, which brings together the finest medical virologists to leverage their individual expertise and coalesce global teams of specialists on the scientific challenges, issues and problems posed by pandemic viruses. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit www.gvn.org. Follow us on Twitter @GlobalVirusNews. SOURCE Global Virus Network Related Links gvn.org Fianna Fail Senator Eugene Murphy has urged people to wear the Rossie jersey and to double down on efforts to tackle the rising number of Covid cases in the county. It is particularly alarming to see that Roscommons 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 continues to climb, the latest report from the Health Protection and Surveillance Centre shows. Nationally Roscommon has the fourth highest rate after Donegal, Dublin and Monaghan. According to the latest report, between September 15th and last Monday, September 28th, there have been 64 confirmed cases in the county, giving an incidence rate of 99.2 per 100,000 population. This is well above the national rate of 88.47 and so I am appealing to the people of Roscommon to wear the Rossie jersey- this is in our hands - we can turn this around other counties have managed to do so. We need to take urgent action- we are playing with peoples lives! We CAN bring down the numbers if we all work together, reduce our contacts, wear our face masks, wash hands and continue to social distance, said Senator Murphy. The Fianna Fail Senator made a special appeal to teenagers and young people to avoid house parties or large gatherings. I know a lot of young people are adhering to the rules but for those that are not please avoid house parties or large gatherings if not for yourselves do it for your grandparents or elderly neighbours..small changes CAN make a big difference, said Senator Murphy. Yesterday evening saw the largest daily increase of new cases of Covid-19 in Roscommon since May, with fifteen cases. The total number of cases in the county now stands at 445. NEW YORK - In the neighborhood of East New York, Principal Janet Huger-Johnson, who grew up there, aims to make her school a sanctuary, a place where kids might be able to forget for a moment that they are living through a pandemic. So on Tuesday, the day tens of thousands elementary school students were to be welcomed back across New York City, she donned a pair of colorful sneakers and a polo shirt with East New York Elementary School of Excellence emblazoned on it. It was also personalized with her own slogan: "It's Huger Time." Huger-Johnson tried to broadcast warmth through two masks and watched as lines of students, spaced out along yellow circles that had been spray painted on the sidewalk, took their first steps into the building since mid-March. The hallways were mostly empty, and the freshly polished linoleum glistened. The school was somehow both frozen in time and hurtling toward an uncertain future. Bulletin boards in the hallways were wrapped in cellophane, displaying winter-themed art projects and presentations from Black History Month, which was in February. "I didn't want the children to feel all of this," Huger-Johnson said. "In the middle of that, you're hopeful that kids are not impacted by just the struggles as we as adults were going through." A zealous planner, Huger-Johnson has been working nearly nonstop since schools closed in March to build an online curriculum essentially from scratch, researching best practices and software, and pumping up an exhausted teaching corps that has suffered illness and loss. But no amount of planning and orchestration would make this year normal. It could not make up for the fact that 100 families - nearly a quarter of the school's enrollment - were still awaiting tablet computers from the city's education department or that two-thirds of her teachers were working remotely because of medical conditions, leaving her building shorthanded. The city lost at least 75 school employees to covid-19 - including a cafeteria worker at East New York Elementary. And there was nothing she could do about the fact that the city's infection rate was creeping upward, with outbreaks in Zip codes not far from East New York, inching toward the threshold that would force the city to shut down all schools. For the first time in weeks, the city's positivity rate had exceeded 3%. Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he will shut down schools if the seven-day rolling average exceeds 3%. Speaking from city hall not long after schools opened their doors on Tuesday, de Blasio called it "cause for real concern." This year, Huger-Johnson and school leaders across the country are being asked to do more: keep children safe from school shooters and bullies and the novel coronavirus; tutor those who are below grade level and catch up the legions of students who fell behind in the spring; address continuing trauma wrought by the pandemic and the kids' existing mental health problems. At East New York Elementary, this has meant more check-ins on the emotional well-being of students, but also limiting student-to-student contact. The playground is wrapped in yellow caution tape, off-limits to students. A classroom has been set aside as the isolation room - a place where students who develop symptoms at school will be quarantined. Plush toys have been removed from all classrooms because they cannot be easily disinfected. Last week, the stuffed animals were corralled in a classroom and sat forlornly in a line, as if yearning for playmates. One of the most taxing mandates in many places is that schools provide virtual learning in addition to traditional, in-person classes. And, as economic calamity wreaks havoc on school budgets, many of them are taking on these responsibilities with fewer teachers and fewer resources - all in the midst of a pandemic whose impact on children is poorly understood. The virus has created a cascade of logistical challenges for schools, immensely complex organizations even in non-pandemic times. New York City's is by far the nation's largest district, but the challenges it faces are common to school districts large and small, urban and rural. "Frankly, I don't know of another institution, public or private, that has so many moving parts with so much public pressure on it from so many angles on it as much as public schools have," said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, a coalition of large, urban districts. "I have never seen a situation like this in the 43-plus years I've been doing this work, where public school leaders have devoted so much time, effort, creativity and just sheer endurance in trying to solve a set of problems where there's just no obvious good resolution." Few districts are more complex than in New York City, home to children from some of the nation's wealthiest and poorest Zip codes and one of the most linguistically diverse communities on the planet. It is also massive, with 1,700 public schools that educate more than 1 million students - roughly the population of Vermont. And its school system is under the control of de Blasio, who is frequently sparring with the powerful teachers union. In an attempt to accommodate all families, de Blasio in July offered them the option of keeping their students home full-time for remote learning or a "blended" option, in which students would return to classrooms part-time and take virtual classes the rest of the time. Teachers, too, would be able to apply for medical accommodations to allow them to work from home if they had an underlying condition that would make them more vulnerable to covid-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. At the last minute, the city also allowed staff members who live with medically vulnerable people to apply for medical accommodation. The plan created immense staffing needs. At East New York Elementary School of Excellence, Huger-Johnson said, about two-thirds of her teachers qualified to work from home, meaning she had more than enough to teach virtual classes. But she still needs two additional teachers for in-person instruction. Until she can hire them, students who arrive at school are taking virtual classes from their classrooms under the supervision of a substitute teacher. It's the same way many high schools are dealing with staffing shortages - middle and high schools are set to reopen for students Thursday - but it is an arrangement that mars the benefits of in-person instruction. The union that represents the city's principals said the system needs at least 1,200 more elementary school teachers. Despite Huger-Johnson's efforts, there were some parents who arrived at school frustrated Tuesday morning. Because the school wants to cut down on the number of students wandering hallways, no child is allowed in the building early. One woman fidgeted anxiously and huffed that she needed to be at work. Another showed up with her two sons, only to be turned away because the school said she had signed up for remote learning. And yet another was still considering whether to send her asthmatic son, who is struggling with reading, back to school. But there were moments of normal first-day jitters. Eva Gray's 5-year-old daughter, Grace, clung to her mother's legs. She had picked out her favorite mask - a blue one with white polka dots - and a pair of mary jane shoes with cats on them for her first day. "She said she's happy," Gray said. "She wants to come and see kids." Washington: Disney announced Tuesday that it would lay off 28,000 people across its theme-park division in the United States, demonstrating the devastating toll COVID-19 has taken on its core business. About two-thirds of those losing their jobs are part-time employees, the company said. Guests wear masks as required at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida. Credit:AP "As heartbreaking as it is to take this action, this is the only feasible option we have in light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic," Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney's theme park unit, said in a letter to employees. The company did not reveal what percentage of its workforce that entailed, but it's believed the US theme parks employ about 200,000 people, which would make the layoffs a workforce reduction of 14 per cent. Representative image Vaccine makers, which have jumped into COVID-19 vaccine development and manufacture at their own risk, are now seeking advance buying commitment from government and international agencies as their potential vaccines enter Phase III clinical trials. Among Indian vaccine makers, Serum Institute of India has managed to a get funding of around $300 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to manufacture 200 million doses of AstraZenecas and Novavaxs potential COVID-19 vaccines for low- and middle-income countries. Three COVID-19 vaccine candidates from India -- Covishield of Serum Institute of India with license from AstraZeneca, Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, and ZyCov-D of Zydus Cadila -- have progressed into the human trials phase. While Covishield has begun phase II/III testing, Covaxin and ZyCov-D are in Phase-II trials and are expected to start Phase-III trials in October. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show BE may secure funds from Gates Foundation Though not officially confirmed, there are reports about Biological E (BE) close to securing funding from the Gates Foundation. You wouldnt make a 100 million doses of something and wait for licensure, thats the huge risk that manufacturers are taking on, said Mahima Datla, Managing Director & CEO, Vaccines & Branded Formulations, BE, at a recent event. BE has signed a licensing agreement with Baylor College of Medicine in the US to develop a recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine. BE also signed a contract manufacturing deal with Johnson & Johnson to produce the latters COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Follow our COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker here. For a large part, we are trying to do this pretty much with our internal resources, said Sai Prasad, President, Quality Operations, Bharat Biotech. Prasad said building a new facility is going to take at least 2-3 years. Many of us have existing facilities. We are able to divert some of these capacities, and thats how we are able to do what we are able to do, Prasad said. Govt plan on vaccine procurement An executive of another company, which is also developing a COVID-19 vaccine, said that the government would be having a plan on how to procure and distribute vaccines. They may possibly wait for some more time to get clarity on which vaccines are safe and effective. The executive didnt want to be named. Vaccine manufacturers say any advance buying commitment from government or international agencies would help them to plan better to create capacities. How much does it cost? At the completion of Phase I/II trials, companies will get a clarity on the kind of investments they need to make on manufacturing capacities, the executive said. He expects at least Rs 100 crore, if not more, to create a dedicated manufacturing facility, and about Rs 50 crore for clinical trials in India. The cost of manufacturing vary on the technology adopted and capacity, he added. Except for the initial grants they have received to fund early research from BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, Department of Biotechnology, under Ministry of Science and Technology, there was no other funding from the government. The government is yet to announce any plan for buying vaccines from companies that are manufacturing them. This is in contrast to leading US vaccine makers which received billions of dollars in the form of push funding or upfront reimbursement for research, development and production expenditures, or pull funding, which constitutes payment for successful products. The US government has allotted almost $10 billion flexible funding to back promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates that have advanced in clinical trials. The financial resources in India are very limited, and we are going through an economic slowdown. Why will a government risk on committing to buying something thats not yet proved to be safe and effective? said the executive. He says that companies have taken calculated risks, and, if they succeed, they will make big money. Vaccines at the pre-clinical trial stage have roughly a 7 percent chance of succeeding, while the ones that make it to clinical trials have about a 20 percent chance. The baby box provides a safe and anonymous means for a person to surrender a newborn 30 days or younger without fear of criminal charges. Within seconds of being placed in the climate-controlled box, an alarm sounds and a trained person will arrive to remove the baby and get the infant the care he or she needs. In a Washington Post piece titled "Arab-Israeli progress seemed impossible. That's because of old assumptions," published on Sept. 23, Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, former Department of State analyst, negotiator, and adviser in Democratic and Republican administrations, admits: "maybe we were wrong" to describe past approaches to peace in the Middle East region." How refreshing! For decades, many so-called "experts" in the State Department have pontificated on how to solve the problems of the Middle East. They assured us that pressuring Israel to appease the Palestinians was essential to achieving peace in the region. The know-it-alls included Aaron David Miller, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Martin Indyk, Madeleine Albright, John Kerry, and Hilary Clinton. Now we know they were wrong. The real solution came from a political novice: President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Earlier this month, Kushner demonstrated that the more effective strategy for Middle East peace is to persuade the Arab regimes to accept Israel. The first two Arab states to sign normalization pacts with Israel were the UAE and Bahrain. Soon, according to news reports, other Arab states will follow suit. Miller admits that "these developments confounded the predictions of many peace process veterans including me." Miller even gives credit to the president: "Clearly, Trump and his advisers leveraged relationships with autocratic Arab leaders, and it paid off." Miller also concedes that "long-held assumptions that have guided U.S. policy haven't borne out, and in the process have upended American thinking about the centrality of the Israel-Palestinian dispute long considered to be the core of the broader Arab-Israeli conflict." The historic error in U.S. policy, according to Miller, "was especially prevalent" under the previous administration, which believed "the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a veritable powder keg that could blow at any time, creating war and instability in the Arab world." John Kerry and Hillary Clinton repeatedly claimed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was "unsustainable." According to Miller, "despite the long history of confrontation between Israel and various Palestinian factions, the supposedly unsustainable status quo has proved remarkably sustainable." Next, Miller admits that "regional priorities are changing" as Arab nations see the benefit of normalizing relations with Israel while distancing themselves from the Palestinians. Miller concludes: "But analysts and diplomats should exercise care, and humility, in assessing the prospects for peace going forward." How ironic that after explaining how experts like himself have been wrong for decades regarding the Middle East affairs way wrong he has the temerity to keep speculating on the subject! Image credit: VOA / public domain, processed with FotoSketcher. Thomas Zmich Speaks at Rally to Terminate the Chinese Communist Party Held in Flushing, NY on 27 September 2020 "The race is too close to call and could flip control over to the Republican Party," said Thomas Zmich. On September 27, 2020 in Flushing, NY, the Christians from Church of Rock, NY, Global Alliance for Hong Kong, NY Branch, and NY Chinese Democracy Force held a rally to Terminate the Chinese Communist Party and to elect the Republicans around the county featuring as guest speaker Congressional Candidate Thomas Zmich (NY 6TH CD), NY State Congress candidate Elisa Nahoum (NYS 11th) and famous anti-CCP Hong Konger Gongyi Yuan. Thomas Zmich is the Republican and Conservative, Libertarian candidate running against Grace Meng, the Democratic incumbent in the NY 6th congressional district. Elisa Nahoum is running against Democrat John Liu. Featured guest speakers were Congressional Candidate Thomas Zmich (NY 6TH CD), NY State Congress candidate Elisa Nahoum (NYS 11th) and famous anti-CCP Hong Konger Gongyi Yuan. Over 200 people participated in the rally and marched in the parade. According to the Christians from Church of the Rock, NY, Global Alliance for Hong Kong NY Branch, and NY Chinese Democracy Force, the China Communist Party is the largest terrorist group in the world. Its regime is illegal, not selected by the Chinese people. It has caused the death of about 80 million innocent Chinese during its 70 years of ruling through class struggle and man-made famine. It is alleged that they spread the Coronavirus to the world causing incalculable damage to most of the countries. On the heels of the arrest of the Hong Kong CCP spy, Officer Baimadajie Angwang, 33, a community affairs cop with the 111th Precinct in Queens, NY, and the closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston, the Chinese with conscience in the US strongly request to eliminate all the CCP spies and their harbors. The Association wants America to return to God. Thomas Zmich is running on a budget and is gathering the support of diverse voters in the district. ABOUT THOMAS ZMICH Thomas is a proud American who served in the U.S. Army Reserve and wants to continue his service in Washington and will unite our diverse neighborhoods in Queens. Thomas' family has a strong history of serving our Country. His grandfather served in the U.S. Army in WWI, his father served in the U.S. NAVY in WWII, his brother served in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, and Thomas is a Veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve where he served during the first Gulf War (1991). Thomas is also a 35 year member of BAC Local 1 NY. He has the first-hand knowledge and experience to stand up and continue to fight for our freedom. Zmich for Congress P.O. Box 45 Shirley, NY 11967 917-937-6738 zmich2020@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/Zmich2020/ Shortly after President Trump and Joe Biden exited the stage, our Opinion writers began dissecting the first presidential debate, highlighting the evenings most pivotal moments and noting who they thought stood to gain the most. We asked readers to do the same. In just a few hours we were reading thousands of responses from all over the country. It was more a brawl than a debate, wrote Rebecca Jessup in Maine. Trump threw monkey wrenches whenever he could. According to Jeff Neuman in Santa Rosa, Calif., Neither displayed confidence or leadership. Biden let himself be goaded into a tit-for-tat game. Others, like Hannah Callas in Chicago, homed in on specifics amid the hyperbole: It was a Fox News moderator who asked the first climate change question in 12 years of presidential debates, she wrote. By Express News Service KOCHI: Two days after the CBI, which is probing the alleged scam in the LIFE Mission project, issued a notice to the CEO to produce all original documents, the state government on Wednesday filed a petition before the Kerala High Court challenging the investigation. The crux of the complaint filed by MLA Anil Akkara is that Unitac and Sane Ventures, two companies that have been undertaking the construction of the housing project at Wadakkancherry, had directly accepted a foreign contribution from the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent Authority. But it did not make out any offence under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, the Kerala government stated in the petition. Opposing the CBI probe, the state argued that the FIR has been maliciously instituted with ulterior motives and is liable to be quashed. "CBI is guided by political and extraneous considerations, which is glaringly revealed from the FIR itself. Hence, the FIR is liable to be interfered with on grounds of malafides," stated the government. The CEO of the Livelihood, Inclusion and Financial Empowerment (LIFE) Mission filed the petition through senior government pleader P Narayanan. It was filed following the decision of the state cabinet based on legal advice that the government can challenge the CBI investigation as it was a unilateral decision by the central agency to investigate the case without the recommendation of the state government or high court. The CBI registered the FIR for the offences under section 35 read with section 3 of the FCR Act and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC. The state government argued that the state of Kerala or the LIFE Mission has not accepted any contribution, much less any foreign contribution. The agreement for the construction of building for 140 apartments was executed between the Consulate General of UAE and the Unitac. It was Red Crescent which selected Unitac and Sane Ventures. Neither the state of Kerala nor LIFE Mission had any role in the selection. Further, the government and mission have not entrusted any construction activities with the two companies. The petition stated that the construction companies undertaking the work under the agreement with Consulate Generals do not come under any of the categories of persons prohibited from receiving any foreign contribution under section 3 of the Act. Even if the allegations in the complaint and FIR were taken at their face value and accepted in entirety, they do not prima facie constitute any offence or make out a case against any officials of the Kerala government or the LIFE Mission. The CBI has no reason to proceed with any investigation on the basis of a complaint, which does not even create any suspicion of commission of any offence of the Act. It was settled law that no investigation can be conducted as a roving inquiry to find out whether the accused has committed any offence. The manner of registering the FIR by the CBI reveals that a roving inquiry was proposed to be conducted against officials for the Kerala government to fish out whether they have committed any offence. The CBI has initiated an investigation on the basis of the notification issued on October 27, 2011, by the Ministry of Home Affairs under section 43 of the Act. But it only enables the Centre to also specify an agency to investigate any of the offences under the Act. The section does not authorize any specified agency to the exclusion of the state machinery. The complaint stated that various middlemen including state representatives and government officials received Rs 4.5 crores as commission. It was also alleged that the construction agency siphoned off an amount of Rs 1.5 crores through illegal alterations in work and Rs 3.5 crores by evading GST, thus causing loss to the central excise. The petition stated that the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegation regarding irregularities in the housing scheme and the complaints filed by MLA Anil Akkara. Portland's sheriff last night vowed he was not supporting Donald Trump after the president falsely claimed to have his backing during the first televised debate. Boasting of his support among law enforcement, Trump asserted that in 'Portland, the sheriff just came out today and he said, I support President Trump'. But Mike Reese, the sheriff of Multnomah County which includes Portland, quickly retorted that 'I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him'. Portland has been the scene of months of angry protests which the president has seized on to promote his 'law and order' agenda, but the sheriff said Trump had 'made my job a hell of a lot harder since he started talking about Portland'. Mike Reese (pictured left), the sheriff of Multnomah County which includes Portland, rejected a claim by Donald Trump (right) that he was supporting the president's re-election campaign The Oregon sheriff said Donald Trump had 'made my job a hell of a lot harder since he started talking about Portland' in the wake of months-long race protests Portland has been one of the longest-running flashpoints in the racial injustice protests which erupted after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Cops have repeatedly clashed with demonstrators outside the federal courthouse and police buildings, with 27 riots declared in four months. Some protesters have thrown bricks, rocks and other projectiles at officers, with police responding by firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. Nearly 900 demonstrators have been arrested, and Trump sparked anger by dispatching federal agents to the city in a bid to quell the violence. The federal troops were withdrawn in late July but Trump has warned since then that 'we will go in and do it for them' if city authorities do not subdue the protests. Last week protesters hurled firebombs at officers amid nationwide protests after no cops were charged with killing Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. Trump has not claimed the sheriff's support before, but has lambasted the city's Democratic mayor Ted Wheeler as a 'joke' and a 'fool'. During his debate with Joe Biden he boasted that law enforcement groups in Florida, Texas and Ohio were supporting his re-election campaign. 'Excuse me, Portland - the sheriff just came out today and he said, I support President Trump,' he incorrectly claimed. He continued: 'If they called us in Portland, we would put out that fire in half an hour, but they won't do it because they're run by radical left Democrats. 'We believe in law and order but you don't,' he said, claiming that the 'radical left' had Biden 'wrapped around their finger'. Oregon police officers wearing anti-riot gear march towards protesters through tear gas smoke during protests in Portland earlier this month Trump made the inaccurate claim during his debate with Joe Biden (pictured) who said he opposed calls to 'defund the police' Biden did not respond directly, but said that 'the vast majority of police officers are good, decent, honorable men and women.' He added: 'But there are some bad apples. And when they occur, when they find them, they have to be sorted out, they have to be held accountable. 'What I'm going to do as president of the United States is call together an entire group of people at the White House, everything from civil rights groups to the police officers to the police chiefs, and we're going to work this out'. A poll published earlier this month showed 45 per cent of Americans believing Biden would handle race protests better than Trump, with 28 per cent saying he would handle them worse and 23 per cent saying there would be no change. The Monmouth poll also showed that 61 per cent thought Trump had made the situation worse, compared to only 24 per cent who said better. A bare majority, 52 per cent, said they were confident that Biden could 'maintain law and order' if he wins the November 3 election. Trump was narrowly behind on that measure, with 48 per cent saying the president would maintain law and order if re-elected. Biden has rejected calls to 'defund the police', saying he wants to invest in social programs to take the burden away from law enforcement. 'Im totally opposed to defunding the police office,' Biden asserted during the presidential debate. The bad-tempered debate in Cleveland, Ohio left many viewers exasperated after moderator Chris Wallace struggled to maintain order. Trump attacked Biden's son and said the former vice president was not 'smart', while the Democratic nominee called the president a 'liar' and told him to 'shut up, man'. Trump has more debates with Biden scheduled for October, while Vice President Mike Pence and Biden's vice presidential running mate, Kamala Harris, have a debate next week. Last week, three US senators introduced a bill called the Future of Local News Commission Act. Brian Schatz (a Democrat from Hawaii), Michael Bennet (a Democrat from Colorado), and Amy Klobuchar (a Democrat from Minnesota) proposed the establishment of a formal commission to examine the accelerating decline of local journalism. In response, news advocacy groups have buzzed with praise and support. The world of local journalism, after all, is looking grim. Making their case, the bills authors cite a slew of troubling statistics, many of which Ive already reported here: findings from the Pew Center that US newspaper staffs have declined by half since 2008; reports that FOIA requests dropped 50 percent between 2005 and 2010; findings from American Indian Media Today reporting the loss of five hundred indigenous American media sources over the course of twenty years; findings from Penny Abernathy and her team that the US lost more than 2,100 local print outlets between 2004 and 2019leaving a thousand more almost unrecognizably gutted; reports that, in 2018, twenty-five companies owned two-thirds of all local newspapers in the country. Its an alarming picture. Though the bill does ring the alarm, it neglects to note that all of these reports pre-date the pandemic, which has led to more closures, more gutted newsroom budgets, more layoffs, more ownership consolidationsfewer officials being held accountable and fewer communities being represented. Since the release of the bleak figures cited in this piece of legislation, the crisis has gotten much worse. Still, its the third bill this year alluding to the crisis in local newsan encouraging trend in a troubling time. This most recent bill proposes the establishment of a thirteen-person commission, which would examine the current crisis and make recommendations for federal government intervention. It also offers a few possible suggestions of its own. The commission might recommend creating a national endowment for local news or reforming and expanding the purview of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the bills authors suggest. Assess the problem; propose solutions; report backthats the vision. The commission would submit a report with their findings, which would be made publicly available and presented to Congress. The bill offers its recommended task force a collection of worthwhile mandates: take stock of the current obstacles facing local newsroomsincluding the impact of the pandemicinterrogate the effectiveness of antitrust laws, consider models for public funding and how they might be safeguarded to protect editorial independence. Though it implies the possibility of future action, it doesnt require it, and thats the next indispensable step toward providing communities with the information they need. Theres a steep road ahead for measures such as this, and though there are signals of short-term bipartisan support, success (or failure) could be dependent upon which party has control of Congress after Novembers election. In April, nearly three-quarters of US Senators signed a public letter urging the Trump administration to offer financial support for local newsrooms in the wake of the pandemic: the list of names included forty Democrats and thirty-four Republicans. A similar letter from the House of Representatives was signed by 240 lawmakers, including members of both parties. Concern about their local papers has galvanized many Republicans to support immediate COVID-19 assistance for local outlets, but they may be less willing to support many broader longer-term measures because of opposition from their base, Dana Miller Ervin wrote in a summer report on the state of local news. When the CARES Act included support for public broadcasting, for example, Republican Representative Jim Jordan called the measure a liberal pet project, and Miller notes that many conservatives joined in the criticism on social media. Sign up for CJR 's daily email This bill is asking the federal government to acknowledge and consider the crisis. If a post-election Congress agreeswhich, November pending, could be a long shotthats a vital first step, but it would only be the first of many urgent strides to come. The Journalism Crisis Project aims to train our focus on the present crisis, tallying lost jobs and outlets and fostering a conversation about what comes next. We hope youll join us (click to subscribe). EXPLORE THE TOW CENTERS COVID-19 CUTBACK TRACKER: Over the past six months, researchers at the Tow Center have collected reports of a wide range of cutbacks amid the pandemic. Now theres an interactive map and searchable database. You can find it here. CONTRIBUTE TO OUR DATABASE: If youre aware of a newsroom experiencing layoffs, cutbacks, furloughs, print reductions, or any fundamental change as a result of covid-19, let us know by submitting information here. (Personal information will be kept secure by the Tow Center and will not be shared.) Below, more on recent changes in newsrooms across the world: JOURNALISM JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES: MediaGazer has been maintaining a list of media companies that are currently hiring. You can find it here. The Deez Links newsletter, in partnership with Study Hall, offers media classifieds for both job seekers (at no cost) and job providers. The Ida B. Wells Society announced that its micro-loan program for journalists would no longer require recipients to repay their loansyou can apply here and donate here. The Successful Pitches database offers resources for freelancers. The International Journalists Network lists international job opportunities alongside opportunities for funding and further education. And The Lenfest Institute has begun the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network, which offers training and support for news publishers of many sizes and business models. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Lauren Harris is a freelance journalist. She writes CJR's weekly newsletter for the Journalism Crisis Project. Follow her on Twitter @LHarrisWrites. Using nerve blocks to treat chronic pain has grown from a fringe, experimental treatment into big business in Ontario. At the centre of the business model are high-billing doctors. Of Ontarios 100 top-billing doctors in the 2017-18 fiscal year, 17 have a pain practice. Nearly 60 per cent of their total billings that year came from nerve block injections. The vast majority of nerve blocks in Ontario are performed in 99 private pain clinics, an industry dominated by several big chains, including the Centres for Pain Management (CPM), InMedic Pain Management Centres, Pain Care Clinics (PCC) and Toronto Poly Clinics (TPC). Collectively, doctors at these private clinics bill for millions of dollars in publicly funded nerve blocks each year. Its a cosy industry with links between all four chains via shared current or former staff, common ownership or joint clinics. Their doctors have some of the highest billing totals, while some of the clinics themselves have low overhead. Clinics say 30 to 40 per cent of their doctors billings go to overhead. However, the clinics have several additional sources of revenue beyond billing the publicly funded health plan, including payouts from private insurance. For InMedic and CPM, as little as 19 per cent of their total revenue goes toward overhead. Deep-pocketed investors have taken interest in the pain chains, trumpeting a profitable future in treating chronic pain patients, both with nerve block injections and, more recently, medical cannabis. Both PCC and InMedic were founded by former doctors or staff at CPM. Until this month, TPC shared a clinic with PCC in Vaughan. CPM, which opened its doors in 2005, has seen two defections over the years. Dr. Ganesh Ram and his brother Grishanth, who previously worked for CPMs parent company, opened InMedic in 2011. In 2014, Dr. Hany Demian and Dr. Nadir Al-Jazrawi left CPM and started PCC. While Rams departure was amicable enough that CPM and InMedic merged in 2018 under a common owner, Neupath Health, the PCC split led to a $15-million lawsuit. Several months after Demian and Al-Jazrawi resigned, CPM sued them for allegedly breaking their contracts, claiming they had taken confidential business secrets with them when they left, then recruited CPM staff and convinced 2,151 CPM patients to move to PCC clinics. CPM has developed and perfected a unique approach to Interventional Pain Management that generates high patient satisfaction and optimizes medical outcomes and clinic profitability, the statement of claim, filed in 2015, reads. In their statement of defence, Demian and Al-Jazrawi said they never took any confidential information or induced staff and patients to follow them to their new clinics. The doctors allege they left CPM because it was poorly managed and they had concerns about the quality of healthcare being provided. Their defence also underscored the cost-efficiency of their business model, saying PCC has no payroll of any kind. The staff providing services at its pain clinics are all employees of the pharmacies to which the pain clinics are adjacent and from which the pain clinics lease their space. Demian and Al-Jazrawi didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. CPMs parent company said it has no knowledge of the lawsuit because it was launched under previous ownership and by a different management team. The current management and owners operate to very high standards, the company said. A Star investigation published Monday found top-billing pain doctors capitalize on Ontarios lax limits on nerve blocks, giving patients weekly injections despite medical guidelines saying the procedure should be done no more than once every three months. The Star also spoke to more than a dozen chronic pain patients who say nerve blocks have allowed them to live a semblance of a normal life and are even more important as opioid prescriptions are cut back. The skyrocketing use of nerve blocks has swollen the publics tab for chronic pain management despite a paucity of evidence to show regular, repeat injections are an effective way to treat chronic pain. Premier Doug Ford said the findings shocked him and Health Minister Christine Elliott said the government will tackle the excessive use of nerve blocks billed to the provincial health system. According to OHIP billing data for 2017-18, the 106 doctors who reported to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario that they worked for the four chains billed for more than $75.8 million. Thats an average of around $715,000 per doctor. To put that number in perspective, if pain doctors working for the big four chains were a specialty, it would be the second-highest billing specialization among Ontario physicians, second only to ophthalmology. These doctors receive an average of $724,183 from OHIP annually. Ontario family doctors bill an average of $309,000. Of the 384 doctors eligible to work in Ontarios pain clinics, nearly half of them are family physicians, many of whom qualified to practise pain medicine after completing 900 hours of supervised training (this route is no longer available for doctors looking to move into the field). Under a new Royal College of Physicians pain specialist program, doctors must now undergo seven years of post-MD training. There are only 24 pain medicine specialists across the province. Under Canadas specialist training system, a doctor must first specialize in one of eight fields including anesthesiology, neurosurgery or internal medicine, then complete a two-year residency in pain medicine. None of them works for the big four chains of pain clinics. These chains employ 10 of the 194 top-billing doctors in the province. In addition to public OHIP payments, Neupath (which is a part-owner of InMedic and CPM) says it also receives income from private insurance payouts, supplying physicians to correctional facilities and research for pharmaceutical companies. The firms public filings show that of the $11.4 million in medical services revenue the company made in the first three months of this year, 19 per cent, or $2.3 million, went to overhead. The pain clinic chains are diversifying into other kinds of treatments that promise to be more lucrative. TPC, under the guidance of medical director Dr. Kevin Rod, is leading the charge on clinic research into medical cannabis. In a 2018 deal worth $20 million in stock, TPC was acquired by Tree of Knowledge, a publicly traded company that sells medical cannabis products in the U.S. When the deal was announced, Tree of Knowledge CEO Jean-Paul Gaillard didnt mention nerve blocks. Instead, he touted the profit potential of medical cannabis. We are bullish on our ability to differentiate ourselves as a(n) innovator in medical cannabis, he said in a release that noted TPC has become a healthcare leader in the ethical and controlled use of medical cannabis. Former Ontario premier Ernie Eves, who serves as the chairman of TPCs parent company, Asterion, praised the takeover, saying at the time: We will be positioned to leverage our cannabinoid and chronic pain research initiatives. Meanwhile, CPM has gone public for a second time. A decade ago, CPM traded publicly via its parent company AIM Health Group. It was taken private in 2011. In June 2020, via a complex corporate transaction called a reverse takeover, CPM and InMedic went public via Neupath Health. Neupath is 41 per cent owned by an investment banking firm, Bloom Burton & Co., which has the slogan accelerating returns in healthcare. In response to questions, Neupath CEO Grant Connelly said while the clinics are cash-flow positive, they are not a high-margin business. Ultimately, we are helping provide a public service, and maximizing profits to the detriment of patient outcomes is neither appropriate nor acceptable to management or our stakeholders, he said. Citing research into the cost of patient wait times, a Neupath spokesperson said we can demonstrate that every $1 invested in the services of a pain practitioner results in $1.57 of public spending savings (provincially insured health services and lost tax revenue) and $6.13 in private spending (out-of-pocket costs, services covered by third party insurance, and lost wages). Late last year, PCC announced it was opening a new clinic in Vaughan. What the announcement didnt say is that the clinic would be shared with TPC and housed in a Jack Nathan Health Medical Centre in Walmart. The joint clinic was one-of-a-kind, but the deal with Walmart was not. TPC had a contract with the Jack Nathan clinic chain to partner in 72 Walmart locations in six provinces. It was a growth opportunity touted by Tree of Knowledge when it took over TPC. The companies will have an opportunity to implement specialty pain clinics with potential access to 1.5 million patient visits per year in Canada, stated a December 2018 press release. TPC told the Star Tuesday that it closed its Walmart clinic this month due to high costs and COVID-19. A receptionist at the clinic had said last Friday that the clinic was open, operating as both TPC and PCC and offering nerve blocks. Jack Nathan confirmed Tuesday, however, that the deal putting TPC nerve block services in Walmarts was terminated this month. Meanwhile, PCC was due to expand to the Cayman Islands this year, though its website no longer mentions the upcoming opening. Data Analysis by Andrew Bailey Read more about: Kelly Osbourne showed off her taut midriff in a PornHub crop hoodie when she was glimpsed out in Los Angeles this week. The 35-year-old former Fashion Police hostess could be spotted enjoying a stroll with her pal Daniel Nguyen who was in a Hawaiian shirt. Kelly made sure to take the precaution of wearing a mask as she emerged from lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. Out and about: Kelly Osbourne showed off her taut midriff in a PornHub crop hoodie when she was glimpsed out in Los Angeles this week She complemented the dark hoodie with a pair of high-waisted black trousers and black shoes, popping on a pair of specs. The style commentator wore her hair in pale purple and blue shades and slicked it tightly back into a bun for her latest outing. Kelly, who was born in London, added a touch of dazzle to her California casual ensemble by putting on a pair of gleaming hoop earrings. The showbiz legacy recently revealed that she secretly had a gastric sleeve inserted a year ago and has since managed to drop 85lbs. Friends: The 35-year-old former Fashion Police hostess could be spotted enjoying a stroll with her pal Daniel Nguyen who was in a Hawaiian shirt Careful: Kelly made sure to take the precaution of wearing a mask as she emerged from lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic Looking fab: She complemented the dark hoodie with a pair of high-waisted black trousers and black shoes, popping on a pair of specs Kelly made the revelation on this week's episode of the podcast Hollywood Raw With Dax Holt And Adam Glyn, sharing: 'I had surgery.' With her trademark defiance she dished: 'I don't give a f**** what anyone has to say. I did it, I'm proud of it, they can suck s****. I did the gastric sleeve.' She explained: 'All it does is change the shape of your stomach. I got that almost 2 years ago. I will never ever ever lie about it ever. It is the best thing I have ever done.' Kelly has also suffered temporomandibular joint dysfunction, known as TMJ, and has had facial injections to achieve a 'skinnier'-looking jaw. Mover and shaker: The style commentator wore her hair in pale purple and blue shades and slicked it tightly back into a bun for her latest outing Hoofing it: Kelly, who was born in London, added a touch of dazzle to her California casual ensemble by putting on a pair of gleaming hoop earrings Her latest outing comes roughly a month after her father Ozzy Osbourne was spotted out in public for the first time in months amid his Parkinson's battle. Ozzy was glimpsed in the car with his wife of nearly four decades Sharon with whom he shares his three children including Kelly. Although Ozzy had not been seen out in public in months he did appear with his family on Celebrity Watch Party with a finale that aired July 23. Work done: The showbiz legacy recently revealed that she secretly had a gastric sleeve inserted a year ago and has since managed to drop 85lbs The Black Sabbath frontman went public with his Parkinson's diagnosis this January after being diagnosed in February 2019. However despite his recent health crises and reduced mobility he has repeatedly declared that he will never abandon show business. 'You know the time when I will retire? When I can hear them nail a lid on my box. And then Ill f***ing do an encore. Im the Prince of Darkness,' he told the Daily Mirror. Experts are calling on the government to act now to protect access to cash. Photo: Getty High street banks will disappear from the UK by April 2032 if the current rate of closures continue, according to new analysis of bank branch data by financial analysis firm AskTraders. Just 7,655 banks remain on British high streets, with an average of 55 banks closing every month for the past five years, the research found. Wentworth and Dearne in South Yorkshire is the first constituency in the country to lose all its bank branches, leaving locals with no access to a bank at all. Bradford South has the second worst access to banks with one branch serving just under 106,000 people. Derby North comes in third with one bank for 102,509 people, followed by Chatham and Aylesford, with a single branch for 102,240 constituents. READ MORE: Borrowing and lending between friends and family plummets Residents in Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland, have the best access to banks with 108 branches serving a population of 26,830 248 people per bank. Those living in Ross, Skye and Lochaber and Argyll and Bute also have banks in plentiful supply with 219 and 119 branches respectively. In England, Cities of London and Westminster is the constituency with the best access to bank branches in relation to its population. Just under 130,000 people are served by 112 banks 1,160 people per bank. In terms of cities, London has the best access to banks with 2,257 people per branch followed by Southampton, Belfast, and Edinburgh. With 13,243 people per branch, Nottingham is the city with the worst bank access, followed by Bristol (13,240), Liverpool (12,601), Glasgow (12,552), and Leicester (12,249). UK constituencies most affected by the bank closures. Graphic: AskTraders Despite 86%of Brits using online banking this year, 19% of people still visit a bank once a week or more, according to AskTraders. Over a third (39%) also said they visited the bank as regularly as they did five years ago. Paying-in cheques was the most common reason for people visiting a bank followed by withdrawing cash and seeking financial advice, the research found. Story continues While Post Offices are often highlighted as an alternative to bank branches, just 23% of people use them for banking services with over 14% saying they were unaware they could even use the Post Office for banking. READ MORE: UK cash usage declining fastest in Europe Nigel Frith, senior financial analyst at AskTraders, is calling on the government to act now to protect access to cash. He said: With 50 million people in the UK still reliant on using cash, the need for security around high street banks is clear to see. While high streets and banking groups must continue to evolve, millions of people still rely on the services physical bank branches provide. Online banking should certainly be embraced but not at the expense of branches on the high street which meet the nuanced needs of individuals. Its really important the government delivers on its promise to protect access to cash. GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The clinical effectiveness of Getinge's patented Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA), which uses the patient's own respiratory drive to control ventilator assistance, is supported in the NAVIATOR trial. According to the NAVIATOR trial, NAVA significantly increased the number of ventilator-free days and shortened the time of mechanical ventilation (MV) for adult patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF)1. "This large multi-center independent trial supports that NAVA has significant positive clinical effects for adult patients in intensive care units (ICU). The study showed that through the use of NAVA, the days on mechanical ventilation could be reduced from 12 to 8 days, a four-day reduction or close to 35% which is quite a remarkable improvement with many positive consequences. Fewer days in the ICU also translates to a significantly improved health economy, enabling hospitals to free up precious ICU beds and resources" says Jens Viebke, President Acute Care Therapies at Getinge. The NAVIATOR randomized, controlled trial (RCT), which was conducted in 14 centers located in Spain and one in China, included 306 patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) from several etiologies, such as pneumonia, sepsis, COPD and post-surgical patients. Earlier this year, an increase in ventilator free-days was also reported in two single center randomized, controlled trials completed in China and UK. One of the principal investigators Dr. Jesus Villar, at the Research Unit, Hospital Universitario Dr. Negrin, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, concludes: "This is the first RCT that on a multicenter scale examined the effectiveness of NAVA in reducing the dependency on mechanical ventilation of patients with ARF with an expected duration of mechanical ventilation more than 72 hours. The results confirmed that NAVA is a ventilation mode for routine used in a heterogeneous population of patients with ARF, and can make the transition to spontaneous breathing in conjunction with gradual removal of sedative agents much quicker and easier." Getinge is highlighting the groundbreaking technology of NAVA in a new video, which showcases Sabina Checketts, who was born 12 weeks too early with 50/50 chance at survival. Checketts is now a neonatal doctor, using new therapies and sophisticated technology to improve outcomes for premature babies. Watch the mini-documentary about the NAVA technology, featuring Sabina Checketts. This is NAVA The NAVA and NIV NAVA ventilation modes are available i Getinge's Servo-u, Servo-n and Servo-i ventilator systems, and were designed to provide optimal patient-ventilator interaction for adult, pediatric and neonatal patients, invasively or non-invasively ventilated. NAVA has been commercialized exclusively by Getinge since it was invented by Dr. Christer Sinderby in the mid-1990s and commercially released in 2007. Since then the technology has been further developed by Getinge, for example in terms of usability, performance and automation. "This is one of the reasons why we have been outgrowing the market in this space for a while now. But we believe it has only started. We are far from fully penetrated when it comes to the potential end-users, so we will do all we can to ensure that NAVA is available to even more patients in the future", says Jens Viebke. The ventilation mode is based on monitoring of the neural output generated by the respiratory centers in the brain. By using the same electrical signal that activates the human diaphragm, the ventila t or is continuously fully synchronized and proportional with the patient's own respiratory efforts... "NAVA is designed to deliver what the patient wants," Jens Viebke explains. "Since it is the patient's own physiological respiratory drive that controls the tidal volume and respiratory pattern, it promotes both lung- and diaphragm spontaneous breathing and improves the patient's overall ICU experience" Read the research article "Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist in acute respiratory failure: a randomized controlled trial" here. Read more about the NAVA technology on: www.getinge.com/int/product-catalog/nava/ and www.getinge.com/int/life-defining-moments/ 1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7474954/pdf/134_2020_Article_6181.pdf Media contact: Anna Appelqvist Vice President Corporate Communications Phone: +46 (0)10 335 5906 E-mail: [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/getinge/r/independent-multi-center-trial-shows-that-getinge-s-nava-ventilation-mode-shortens-time-of-mechanica,c3205602 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/942/3205602/1312867.pdf Independent multi-center trial shows that Getingeas NAVA ventilation mode shortens time of mechanical ventilation https://news.cision.com/getinge/i/getinge---jens-viebke,c2832452 Getinge - Jens Viebke https://news.cision.com/getinge/i/sabina-checketts,c2832453 Sabina Checketts SOURCE Getinge US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attacked Chinas record on religious freedom on Wednesday, during a visit to Rome that has been overshadowed by his criticism of the Vatican for pursuing closer ties with Beijing. Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than in China, Pompeo told a symposium hosted by the US Embassy to the Holy See, saying the Chinese Communist Party was looking to to snuff out the lamp of freedom ... on a horrifying scale. Pompeo, an evangelical Christian who has portrayed himself as a champion of religious rights, denounced Beijings treatment of its Uighur Muslim minority, and said all religious groups faced repression. The Chinese Communist Party has battered every religious community in China, Protestant house churches, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong devotees and more. Nor of course have Catholics been spared this wave of repression, he said. China has consistently defended its human rights record and has denied any mistreatment of Uighurs. Vatican officials expressed surprise last week when, ahead of his planned visit to Rome, Pompeo published an essay in a conservative Catholic magazine that sharply criticised the Holy See for plans to renew a two-year-old agreement with Beijing. Pompeo said the deal, which gives the pope some say over the appointment of Chinese bishops, endangers the Vaticans moral authority. Vatican officials say that while the arrangement is not perfect, it is an improvement after decades during which Chinese Catholics who recognise the pope were forced underground. The administration of President Donald Trump has made its hard line on China a central issue in the campaign for the Nov. 3 presidential election. Trump is also strongly aligned with conservative Protestant and Catholic movements, including some that are openly critical of Pope Francis. Pompeo is due to hold talks on Thursday with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans top diplomat. Pope Francis saw Pompeo when he came to Italy last year but no such meeting is scheduled this time around. Libraries Open All locations of the Burke County Public Library are now open to the public on a limited, appointment only basis. Libraries have returned to their regular operating schedules. Based on the governors most recent order masks will be requested to be worn while at the library. The number of people allowed into the libraries will be limited and social distancing will be required. You may call the library at 828-764-9261 (Morganton), 828-874-2421 (Valdese), or 828-764-9283 (C.B. Hildebrand) to schedule an appointment. Appointments may be made to use computers (non-recreational use), browse the stacks for books, read the newspaper or a magazine in the reading areas, use a study room, or to research in the North Carolina room. Appointments are time limited so more people can have access to the libraries. If you have materials to return, the book boxes are open at each library location. Materials should not be returned inside. All returned materials are quarantined for 72 hours before going back on the shelves. Until further notice, the library will not be accepting donations of materials except for items for the Most Wanted List. For those wanting books but not wanting to come inside, the Books2Go curbside service is available. The monsoon withdrew from on Wednesday while the flood situation in Assam marginally deteriorated with over 2.83 lakh people affected across eight districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the country received above normal monsoon during the four-month rainfall season, recording the second highest precipitation in the last 30 years. It said the capital recorded 467.7 mm rainfall against the normal of 585.8 mm between June 1 and September 30. The IMD said conditions are becoming favourable for further withdrawal of southwest-monsoon from some more parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and some parts of northwest Madhya Pradesh during the next 2-3 days. Parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Kerala Sikkim, Karnataka, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Manipur received rainfall along with thundershowers. In Delhi, the wind system had reached the city on June 25, two days earlier than normal, and stayed five days longer than usual. Normally, it withdraws from the city by September 25, Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting centre of the IMD, said. "Change in the low-level wind pattern to north-westerlies, reduction in moisture content and cessation of rainfall indicates that the southwest monsoon has further withdrawn from some more parts of Rajasthan, remaining parts of Punjab, entire western Himalayan region, Haryana, Chandigarh, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh," the IMD said. According to Met department data, the city recorded 20 per cent less rainfall this monsoon season. For smaller areas like Delhi, 19 per cent more or less than long-period average rainfall (50 years) is considered "normal". Between minus 20 per cent and minus 59 per cent is "deficient", and anything less than that is "scanty". The country received 109 per cent rainfall of the Long Period Average (LPA) with three of four months -- June (107 per cent), August (127 per cent) and September (105 per cent) -- witnessing above normal rainfall, while July recorded (90 per cent) below deficient rainfall. In Assam, over 2.83 lakh people are hit due to floods in Biswanath, Goalpara, Morigaon, Hojai, Nagaon, Golaghat, Dibrugarh and West Karbi Anglong districts, according to daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). At present, 432 villages are under water and 26,652 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across Assam, ASDMA said. Nagaon is the worst hit with 2.08 lakh people suffering, followed by Morigaon with more than 40,600 persons and Goalpara with over 11,400 people, the report said. The toll in the three waves of floods in the state stands at 120. Roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructure have been damaged by floodwaters in Morigaon, Nagaon and Kokrajhar districts, ASDMA said. The Brahmaputra river is flowing above its danger marks at Dhubri town, Nimatighat in Jorhat and Tezpur in Sonitpur district, while its tributaries Jia Bharali is doing so at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Kopili river at Dharamtul and Kampur in Nagaon are flowing above their respective danger marks. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Odisha and heavy rainfall at isolated places for Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. It has also forecast thunderstorm with lightning at isolated places very likely over Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, Madhya Maharashtra, Telangana. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (END) RMCH/VVS/MVB Loading... Today marks a year since the constitutional dissolution of Congress and the call for legislative elections , a measure adopted by President Martin Vizcarra after Parliament refused a confidence vote for the second time to a Council of Ministers.Publicado: 30/9/2020 Following the appointment of Bill Bayliss as CEO in January, leading international communications and security specialist, Optilan, has used the last six months to proactively commence the re-shaping of the company with additions to the senior leadership team. Optilan has sold its Russian businesses as part of the reshaping, recently won projects in South America and the Middle East as part of rapid international expansion and opened a brand-new office in India to support engineering. Bayliss says: Optilan has used the down period over the last six months to markedly improve the company under the guidance of a new strategic plan. This has resulted in restructuring activities that we believe puts us in a stronger position than ever before and will continue for the remaining months of the year. Optilan, the leading communications and security services provider to the telecoms, energy, and infrastructure industries, has strengthened the business despite the market challenges caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Optilan, backed by leading private equity firm Blue Water Energy, has used the last six months, which has included the Coronavirus pandemic and the decline in commodity prices, to proactively commence re-shaping and re-organising the company. Bayliss has led the review and has implemented a series of changes to Optilan that solidify the companys financial position and operations under a new Strategic Plan. As part of the re-organisation of the company, Optilan has restructured its Leadership Team which is now centralised in the UK. The company has made several additions to its senior teams, including the appointment of a new Commercial Director, Jason Keith, and Project Delivery Director Kate Davies. A re-capitalisation of the company has also been completed successfully in recent months underlying the alignment of support for the new management team and their growth initiatives from shareholders and the banks. Optilan has also sold its Russia-based arm to the companys local Management Team, based in Moscow. This strategic decision has been made to allow Optilan Russia to continue its growth through directly participating in Government tenders and by accessing finance from local banks. In a further drive to convert international opportunities into revenue across all service lines, Optilan has successfully secured several contracts in various sectors, including a nuclear power plant in Brazil and an Oil & Gas project based in Iraq. As well as these exciting new international projects, Optilan is delighted to announce the opening of its new office in Mumbai, India. Following significant international growth in recent years and as part of the reshaping of the company, Optilan has invested in premises in the country to complement its considerable experience in the region, having worked on major projects such as the Cairn Energy Rajasthan Development. The new office adds to Optilans existing office branches in the UK, Dubai, Houston, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Bayliss says: The pandemic has, and will continue to bring, challenges to every industry worldwide. I am confident that we will turn these challenges into opportunities, and ensure we continue our commitment to deliver high-quality services to our clients. We have refinanced and rationalised, and have refreshed our senior leadership team which is now perfectly positioned to capitalise on a strong backlog and sales pipeline. We would like to wish Optilan Russia all the best for the future. We will be keeping a close eye and a keen interest in its future prosperity and growth, and it will remain our primary partner should we be undertaking future business in Russia. Optilan is primed to explore further international growth targets, including expanding from being a UK-focused company into one that reaches worldwide. Our projects in South America and the Middle East - not to mention our new office in India - are just the start and speak to our growing international ambition. Were now looking at doing even more work in North America, Africa and Australia. Diversifying in this way, as well as across sectors including energy, power and renewables, telecoms, defence, rail and transport, and other critical national infrastructure, will help us build resilience to downturns in specific markets. NEW IDENTITY As part of Optilans ongoing evolution, the company is delighted to unveil its new brand identity, logo, and website after a thorough rebranding initiative. The logo has been redesigned to offer a cleaner, simpler, and more contemporary tone. The inside of the logo represents the O of Optilan, while the angular design on the outside of the logo reflects the companys robust, straightforward approach. The brand update coincides with Optilans new website, which improves the interactive user experience and explains the company - and how it can provide solutions to clients - in a much clearer fashion. It allows colleagues, partners, clients both present and prospective, to easily find the information they are looking for. Visitors can browse the website based on their own interests, meet our team, learn more about our services and explore our project portfolio. Bayliss continues: Our new brand embodies Optilans strong and future-focused identity. Its important for a business to keep its brand up-to-date, to stay modern and ensure its identity and imagery complements its corporate purpose and values. By formulating new content, the brand is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Ultimately our new brand reflects the direction and image of our business as we look to the future. We hope to continue to grow and build on our reputation as a trusted business communication solutions provider, offering nothing but the highest standards of service to our customers, both existing and new. The new brand is a statement of who we are now and where we want to be. -- Tradearabia News Service PHILADELPHIA At a university sports arena in the heart of North Philadelphia, 67-year-old Sheila McCoy voted 34 days prior to Election Day. And she didnt vote for President Donald Trump. This board of elections satellite office at the Temple Universitys Liacouras Center is now the stuff of national intrigue. At Tuesdays debate, Trump said the city had denied access to the facility for his poll watchers. A day later, Trump's campaign threatened a lawsuit if it wasn't granted access to the locations. "The entire debacle that played out in Philadelphia should concern everyone who promotes election integrity," campaign attorney Linda Kern wrote in a letter to Philadelphia commissioners. "Philadelphians deserve better." In the space of two hours Wednesday, about four people entered the satellite election office to apply for mail-in ballots. No signs are posted outside the building to indicate that it is a satellite election office, and most who approached the Liacouras Center were unsure how to gain access to the building. (Many of the doors were locked.) For those who panned the labyrinth, a dozen poll workers sat idle at folding tables behind Plexiglass with election materials in hand. Everything was aboveboard, said McCoy. No one told me who to vote for. No signs indicate that the Liacouras Center at Temple University is a satellite elections office for the city of Philadelphia. In fact, McCoy said she was unaware of Trumps comment that bad things happen in Philadelphia. McCoy said she fell asleep about 30 minutes into the debate. In the final moments of Tuesday's debate with former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump claimed that poll watchers were "thrown out" of the seven satellite offices in the city. Trump is making "completely inaccurate" statements about these satellite election offices, said Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar. More: 'Bad things happen in Philadelphia': How Pa. landed in the presidential debate 6 times More: Anti-Defamation League alarmed by increase in 'extremist activity' around election Story continues On Twitter, the president's son also claimed that poll watchers were "blocked and kicked out" of polling locations. Does it shock anyone that poll watchers are being blocked and kicked out of voting locations in Philly? We are in court right now! This corruption must end! https://t.co/94d90P7KTW Eric Trump (@EricTrump) September 29, 2020 Boockvar noted several inaccuracies in those statements. Among them, poll watchers have not yet been approved by Philadelphia or any county board of elections in Pennsylvania to watch the polls on Election Day. "There are no poll watchers yet," said Boockvar. "They literally do not exist right now." Appointed poll watchers are assigned to watch the polling stations not county election offices, Boockvar said. At Philadelphia satellite election centers, citizens can to register to vote, if needed, request a mail-in ballot in-person, receive it, vote, and return it, all at the same location, officials said. Voters can also take their completed mail-in ballots to the satellite offices, and any voter can utilize any of the satellite offices throughout the city. But Boockvar's reassurances did little to slow down the Trump campaign, which threatened a lawsuit could be filed as early as Wednesday afternoon if it does not gain access soon. "No one questions that Philadelphians are voting at these locations," Kerns wrote. "Accordingly, the denial to the campaign of watchers lacks any rational basis and deprives the campaign of its right to monitor the process." At the Liacouras Center Wednesday, voter Beverly Quintancy said she didnt know about Trump's remarks and didnt care. I dont listen to that man, Quintancy said. She applied for a mail-in ballot that will be sent to her home, she said. The process took about five minutes, she added. Asked about Trump's remarks, McCoy said the president was only interested in power. Even if he gets reelected, I think hell try to find a way to get elected again in four years, said McCoy. All he cares about is power. Ten more satellite elections locations are planned in Philadelphia before the Nov. 3 election. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Officials defend election security amid Trump 'bad things' comment Highlights Sonos has filed a patent lawsuit against Google for alleged infringement of five wireless audio patents. The new patent lawsuit relate to more modern wireless speaker system features and a more aggressive approach from Sonos. Earlier, Sonos filed a patent lawsuit against Google in January after which Google countersued Sonos. Sonos has filed yet another patent lawsuit against Google for the alleged infringement of five wireless audio patents across the entire line of Nest and Chromecast products. The move came right ahead of Google's hardware event on September 30 where it is likely to announce new Chromecast and Nest speakers along with Pixel phones. The new patent lawsuits relate to more modern wireless speaker system features like controlling streaming music from a secondary device like a phone. This lawsuit refers to a more aggressive approach from Sonos, The Verge noted. This is not the first time that Sonos has filed a patent lawsuit against Google. Earlier this year in January, the wireless speaker giant sued Google for the alleged infringement of five patents covering the setup, control, and synchronisation of multi-room network speaker systems. The case was filed in a California federal court and with the International Trade Commission (ITC). The federal case has been put on hold until the ITC comes at a discussion. Google in turn countersued Sonos alleging that Sonos is infringing five Google patents covering mesh networking, echo cancellation, DRM, content notifications, and personalised search. The new case has been filed in the federal court for the Western District of Texas for a quicker resolution, according to Eddie Lazarus, Sonos' chief legal officer. Lazarus said that it is important for Sonos to show the depth and breadth of Google's copying. "We showed them claim charts on 100 patents that we claimed they were infringing, all to no avail," he told The Verge. As per the report, Google is ready to fight back and has denied Sonos' claims vigorously. Lazarus noted that Sonos has presented Amazon with similar patent claims. "We believe that most people involved in wireless home audio today infringe on our patents in one way or the other. We were ahead of our time. These technologies weren't commonplace when Sonos designed them," Lazarus said. New Delhi, Sep 30 : India and China on Wednesday agreed to hold a meeting soon between the senior commanders of their armies for an early disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where the two countries are locked in a face-off since June this year. New Delhi and Beijing held their 19th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs on Wednesday. Both sides agreed that the next, i.e., the seventh round of meeting of senior commanders should be held at an "early date so that both sides can work towards early and complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols, and fully restore peace and tranquility". The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) of the Ministry of External Affairs. The Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation. An official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said that the two sides reviewed the current situation along the LAC and had "frank and detailed discussions on the developments since the last meeting of the WMCC on August 20". Both India and China attached importance to the meetings between the two Defence Ministers and the two Foreign Ministers held earlier this month. They also noted that the agreement between the two Foreign Ministers should be "sincerely implemented to ensure disengagement at all the friction points along the LAC". The two sides positively evaluated the outcome of the sixth senior commanders' meeting held on September 21. They emphasised the need to implement the steps outlined in the joint press release issued after the last meeting of the senior commanders so as to avoid misunderstandings and to maintain stability on the ground, the statement said. The representatives of both the sides said that there was a need to strengthen communication, especially between the ground commanders. Both sides agreed to continue to maintain close consultations at the diplomatic and military levels. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 01:48:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close United Nations Undersecretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare (R) and the head of EU Delegation to the United Nations Olof Skoog present the Framework Agreement Between the United Nations and the European Union for the Provision of Mutual Support in the context of their respective missions and operations in the field at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 29, 2020. The United Nations and the European Union on Tuesday signed an agreement on the sidelines of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly to enhance cooperation and strengthen collective response in peace operations and crisis management. (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations and the European Union on Tuesday signed an agreement on the sidelines of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly to enhance cooperation and strengthen collective response in peace operations and crisis management. The Framework Agreement Between the United Nations and the European Union for the Provision of Mutual Support in the context of their respective missions and operations in the field was signed by the UN Undersecretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare and the head of EU Delegation to the United Nations Olof Skoog. "Building on the success of our joint achievements, this agreement reaffirms that partnerships are essential to address the growing scale and complexity of challenges to international peace and security," according to a press release obtained by Xinhua. "The agreement will facilitate operational alignment and enhance complementarity between EU and UN field missions in the areas of logistics, medical, and security support. In particular, this agreement will enable the UN and EU to expand co-operation in operational support services by building mutual understanding of our respective procedures and structures for the planning and execution of logistics support in missions and operations in the field," it said. Initiated in the Western Balkans in 2003, the bilateral cooperation has since expanded to include a number of theaters in Africa and the Middle East. "Today, we closely coordinate our activities, i.e. in Somalia, Central African Republic, Libya and Kosovo, and work side-by-side in support of the G5 Sahel Joint Force," the press release added. Enditem London : The UK government on Thursday unveiled a policy document on its negotiating plans for quitting the 28-nation European Union under a mutually beneficial deal which cites India as among the key countries on its target list for stronger trade ties post-Brexit. We approach the negotiation to come in a spirit of good will and working to an outcome in our mutual benefit, David Davis, minister for exiting the European Union (EU), told the House of Commons, adding that Britains best days are yet to come. I will not be throwing people out of Britain, he added, in reference to a question about the rights of EU citizens based in the UK following Brexit. Also read: UK parliament votes in favour of starting Brexit process; to be published today Davis said the government will publish another White Paper?before the Great Repeal Bill, which will formally mark Britains intention to break from the laws governing the EU after the June 2016 referendum in favour of Brexit. We have started discussions on future trade ties with countries like Australia, New Zealand and India, the UK government wrote?in its White Paper. This department will lead the UKs ambitions for deepening trade and investment relations with the wider world. Many countries including China, Brazil, and the Gulf States have already expressed their interest in enhancing their trading relationships with us, it said. Around 3 million EU citizens are waiting to find out if they can remain in the UK, along with up to two?million British citizens in other EU member states, following last Junes EU referendum. The White Paper effectively spells out in detail British Prime Minister Theresa Mays 12 principles including migration control and taking control of our own laws unveiled in a major speech last month. It confirms that the final Brexit deal will be presented before Parliament for ratification and that the UK would pursue a fresh tariff-free trade agreement with the EU after an exit from the common single market. After we have left the EU, we want to ensure that we can take advantage of the opportunity to negotiate our own preferential trade agreements around the world, the document said. Mays foreword to the White Paper is made up of extracts from her Lancaster House speech on January 17, in which she said that forging a new partnership with Europe and a stronger, fairer, more global Britain would be the legacy of our time, the prize towards which we work, the destination at which we arrive once the negotiation is done. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Namaste Technologies Inc. ("Namaste" or the "Company") (TSXV: N) (FRANKFURT: M5BQ) (OTCMKTS: NXTTF) announces the results of its 2020 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ("AGM") held on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 in a virtual format via live webcast. Shareholders approved the election of the five nominated directors, the appointment of Baker Tilly WM LLP as the Company's auditors, the ratification of the Company's amended and restated stock option plan as well as the ratification of the newly established Deferred Share Unit Plan and Restricted Share Unit Award Plan. Directors elected by shareholders include: Director Outcome of Vote Percentage of Votes For Percentage of Votes Withheld/Against Baran Dilaver Approved 86.4% 13.6% Laurens Feenstra Approved 87.1% 12.9% Meni Morim Approved 89.5% 10.5% Branden Spikes Approved 88.7% 11.3% Andrew Wilczynski Approved 87.2% 12.8% The matters passed on at the Meeting are fully described in the Management Information Circular related to the Meeting, which can be found in the annual general meeting of shareholders section of the Company's website: https://www.namastetechnologies.com/shareholder-voting/ . About Namaste Technologies Inc. Headquartered in Toronto, ON, Namaste Technologies is a leading online platform for cannabis products, accessories, and responsible education. The Company's 'everything cannabis store', CannMart.com, provides medical customers with a diverse selection of hand-picked products from a multitude of federally-licensed cultivators, all on one convenient site. The Company also distributes licensed and in-house branded cannabis and cannabis derived products to recreational consumers in Canada through a number of provincial government control boards and retailing bodies and online in Saskatchewan. Namaste's global technology and continuous innovation address local needs in a burgeoning cannabis industry requiring smart solutions. Information on the Company and its many products can be accessed through the links below: NamasteTechnologies.com NamasteMD.com Cannmart.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release or has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. SOURCE Namaste Technologies Inc. Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. Maharashtra extends Covid-19 lockdown till October 31, Mumbai local to allow dabbawalas The Maharashtra government on Wednesday said that the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) disease has been extended till October 31. However, hotels, food courts, restaurants and bars will be allowed to operate from October 5 with 50% capacity, the state government added. Read more Congress seeks Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowals resignation over police recruitment scam Pointing fingers at the ruling BJP, the opposition Congress in Assam have demanded chief minister Sarbananda Sonowals resignation over the job recruitment scam in the states police department. The Assam unit of the Congress staged a protest rally in Guwahati on Wednesday seeking the resignation of Sonowal over the police recruitment scam. Read more Plea in SC seeks CBI probe into Hathras gang rape case A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a special investigation team (SIT) into the Hathras gang rape case alleging failure by the Uttar Pradesh authorities in dealing with the matter. Read more Black History Month: UK postboxes change colour to honour Black Britons Four of Britains distinctive red postboxes have been painted black and gold and adorned with images by or of illustrious Black Britons, in a novel way of celebrating Black History Month. One of Britains most recognisable symbols, red pillar boxes appear on countless postcards and souvenir items, while tourists can often be seen posing for photographs next to the postboxes. Read more IPL 2020: Theyll always be there - Shane Warne names four teams who will finish on top and make the play-offs in Indian Premier League Former Australia leg-spinner and current Rajasthan Royals mentor Shane Warne named the four sides who he thinks will make it to the play-offs of IPL 2020. Its still early days in the tournament but the four sides - Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab - who generally languish at the bottom half of the points table in the IPL are hogging the top four spots currently. Read more The Crown: First pics from season 4 show Emma Connor as Princess Diana, Olivia Colman returns as the Queen The first pictures of much-awaited Netflix series The Crown are out and they give us a glimpse at young Princess Diana ( Emma Corrin) as well as Queen Elizabeth II (Olivia Colman) who wishes to secures the appropriate wife for Prince Charles (Josh OConnor) in the upcoming season. Read more Travel blogger recreates vacation photos with household items, results are hilarious The cool ocean breeze, the crisp mountain air or the beauty of untravelled locations - these are some of the things that people who love to travel have been missing over the past few months. However, some creative people have come up with their own ways to relive the experience of travelling to different destinations. Read more Double Take: From Priyanka Chopra to Madhubala, the resemblance of these doppelgangers to their celebrity counterparts is uncanny It is the easiest way to unlock your phone, it sits pretty within your wallet on your driving license, if youre lucky it may have gotten you out of more than a few sticky situations and although coronavirus times have forced half of it into hiding, your face will always be the easiest way to identify you. Read more Watch| Babri Demolition Verdict: What next? Yug Mohit Chaudhry | On The Record But the Trump campaign is gearing up to amplify any Biden gaffes. He has made a few during the election cycle, like when Mr. Biden said that any Black voter having hard time deciding between him and Mr. Trump aint Black. That got a lot of attention in the mainstream media, too. But on Fox News and other conservative outlets, what would otherwise be fleeting moments like Mr. Biden not delivering the Pledge of Allegiance in full have been promoted as signs of cognitive decline. On Tuesday, Mr. Trumps personal lawyer, the former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, accused Mr. Biden of having dementia on Fox News, even as he himself mangled what he was accusing Mr. Biden of misspeaking about: He cant do the prologue to the, to the, to, ya, to the Constitution of the United States, or the Declaration of Independence. Any of them. Multiple conspiracy theories have been promoted ahead of the debate to offset a potentially strong showing by Mr. Biden. Mr. Trump has demanded that Mr. Biden undergo testing for performance-enhancing drugs, and Fox News anchors on Tuesday floated, without evidence, the notion of hidden listening devices for Mr. Biden. Were going to have to follow that through the day, Foxs Bret Baier said. Chris Wallace of Fox News is serving as the debate moderator. It is true that Mr. Biden misspeaks and meanders, perhaps never as memorably as he did when a question about the legacy of slavery during a Democratic debate last year wound back around to record players. SULAIMANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary groups launched a rocket attack targeting U.S. troops in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region's capital Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan's counter terrorism service said on Wednesday. 'Six rockets were launched from the borders of the Sheikh Amir village in Nineveh province by the Popular Mobilisation Forces who were targeting (U.S.-led) coalition forces in Erbil International Airport,' the service said in a statement. SULAIMANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary groups launched a rocket attack targeting U.S. troops in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region's capital Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan's counter terrorism service said on Wednesday. "Six rockets were launched from the borders of the Sheikh Amir village in Nineveh province by the Popular Mobilisation Forces who were targeting (U.S.-led) coalition forces in Erbil International Airport," the service said in a statement. Four rockets landed at the edge of the airport compound and two did not explode, it added. (Reporting by Ali Sultan) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Thane: A major fire broke out at the office of a private company in Maharashtra's Thane West on Wednesday. The incident took place at the office of Raymond company in Thane West. Fire tenders along with two fire engines, two rescue vehicles and one water tanker are currently at the spot. Live TV Firefighting operation is underway. There is no report of any loss of life so far. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Israel's parliament moved to squelch the mass demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reasoning that such an emergency measure was necessary to limit coronavirus infections. The protests have drawn thousands of people weekly since late June, and critics of the premier have alleged that a law passed Wednesday empowering the government to sharply restrict demonstrations is intended to muzzle dissent. Netanyahu's allies say the protests help him by shoring up his base, and the legislation is necessary to contain infections and justify limitations on prayer gatherings during a virus lockdown. Previously the demonstrations had been shielded from lockdown limits under free-speech provisions. The amended law curbs participation in demonstrations to within a kilometer (0.6 mile) of a person's home, and allows the government to restrict the number of participants. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel has petitioned the Supreme Court to exempt demonstrations from the new law, which also applies to communal worship and religious ceremonies. In the meantime it has requested a temporary injunction against the legislation. The law gives the government the right to extend the emergency footing to 21 days, subject to parliamentary review, and then again by two week increments as long as the lockdown is maintained. Israel entered a second lockdown on Sept. 18 and on Wednesday, Netanyahu said it could last "much longer" than a month. The economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak triggered the protests, which have since focused on calls for Netanyahu to resign over multiple corruption indictments. His trial is due to resume in January. While the prime minister and his allies pushed vigorously to gut the demonstrations on health grounds, it remains to be seen whether he will use the new law to break up communal worship and study that have contributed to a massive outbreak in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. One third of all cases in Israel come from the community, Health Ministry Director-General Hezi Levi said Wednesday, the Ynet news website reported. But the government, which depends on ultra-Orthodox legislators for a parliamentary majority, may be reluctant to crack down on the community's health infractions. Cookie Preferences Cookie List Cookie List A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website when visited by a user asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes: Strictly Necessary Cookies We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a sale of your data under the CCPA. 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You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website. Social Media Cookies We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website. Targeting Cookies We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website. Gov. Phil Murphy repealed a nearly 30-year-old law Tuesday that has prevented thousands of families on welfare from receiving a larger stipend if the mother gives birth while receiving cash assistance. New Jersey pioneered the family cap law so named because the sponsors intended to discourage women on public assistance from having additional children. President Bill Clinton included the concept in the landmark welfare reform legislation he enacted in 1996, which allowed other states to adopt a similar law. But as studies have shown the law had little impact on pregnancy and abortion rates, states have gradually repealed the law, seeing it as a punishment against children by depriving them money for basic essentials. Massachusetts repealed the law last year. It is still in effect in 13 other states, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. Family advocates in New Jersey say 20,000 children have been born to families on welfare since the law was enacted in 1992, denying the family on welfare an additional $64 a month per child. The purpose of Work First NJ is to help lift people out of poverty and become self-sufficient; the family cap policy works against this mission, according to a statement from the legislations sponsors, Assemblywomen Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Bergen, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, D-Mercer and Mila Jasey, D-Essex. Repealing this rule will help growing families meet their growing needs as they work to build a brighter future. Both houses of the Legislature approved the bill (A-3292) on Thursday. The law would cost the state at least $1.1 million, according to the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services. That figure may grow if the pandemic causes more people to seek help from Work First New Jersey, the states public assistance program. In July, 10,100 households were enrolled, up 14% from the previous July, according to Department of Human Services data. People who receive assistance from the state must work, go to school or be in a job training program. They are limited to 60 months of assistance over the course of their lifetime. Cash grants are based on family size; a family of three receives $466 a month on debit card. The Democratic-controlled Legislature twice passed a repeal of the law during Gov. Chris Christies tenure but the Republican governor vetoed it. Even with Democrat Murphy taking office in 2018, the bill repealing the law never gained traction in the Assembly during 2018-19 legislative session. Proponents tried a different approach by including language in the FY19 and FY20 budgets that eliminated the family cap for those fiscal years. But the law itself remained intact, until Tuesday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo has criticised Googles pay-to-play auction which saw it beaten as an option for Android users in Europe by Microsofts Bing. Google had been forced by the European Commission to offer alternative options for the default search engine on Android because it was deemed anticompetitive. The commission said that Google had obstructed the development of competing mobile operating systems which could have provided a platform for rival search engines to gain traffic. Google then offered an auction to other companies, allowing them to pay for inclusion on Android. The choice screen will always show a maximum of 4 providers, including Google. The auction winners, and Google, will be ordered randomly in the choice screen on a per device basis, Google said. In the event of a tie, Google will allocate the slots randomly among the tied bidders on a per device basis. The options change based on each EU country. In the United Kingdom, the options are between Bing, info.com, and PrivacyWall. In Slovenia, by contrast, the options are either Ecosia, GMX, or info.com. Across all European countries, PrivacyWall is offered 22 times, GMX is offered 16 times, Bing is offered 13 times, Yandex is offered eight times, as is DuckDuckGo. Info.com, by contrast, is offered in all 31 countries. DuckDuckGo claims that the result of this auction means that only the highest bidders are on the menu, incentivising profit over privacy so they can afford to place higher bids. The company also claims that DuckDuckGo was the second most-selected search engine, after Google, but was priced out of contention. Despite DuckDuckGo being robustly profitable since 2014, we have been priced out of this auction because we choose to not maximize our profits by exploiting our users, the company said. In practical terms, this means our commitment to privacy and a cleaner search experience translates into less money per search. This means we must bid less relative to other, profit-maximizing companies. The company says that as a result of Googles auction, search engines are incentivised to be worse on privacy, to increase ads, and to not donate to good causes, because, if they do those things, then they could afford to bid higher. Instead, DuckDuckGo proposes that the European Commission take action to remove the auction and allow alternative search engines with the most market share to be shown on the setup screen in a random order, with the remaining search engines available by scrolling. The Independent has reached out to Google and the European Commission for comment. Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) President Upendra Kushwaha (C) with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Bihar in-charge Ramji Singh Gautama (L) and Janwadi party leader Sanjay Singh Chauhan (R) during a joint press conference, ahead of Bihar Assembly elections, in Patna, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. (PTI Photo) Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has said her party will form an alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Samaj Party (RLSP) whose president Upendra Kushwaha will be its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The objective of this alliance will be to provide equal rights to Dalits, adivasis, minorities, upper casts and the marginalised sections of society in politics, government and daily life, she said. "Our party has decided to ally with RSLP in Bihar and its chief Upendra Kushwaha will be the Chief Minister of Bihar, if voted to power," Mayawati said. She said while a number of governments with alliances were formed in Bihar, none of them worked for the welfare of the poor and Dalits. "As election approached, Centre and Bihar government which were sleeping for past five years have showered announcements but people understand everything. This time they (people) will not come under the influence of anyone," she said. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said Bihar needs a government that follows the principle of "Sarvjan Hitay, Sarvjan Sukhay" (government for everyone's interest and welfare). The three-phase Bihar Assembly polls are scheduled to be held on October 28, November 3 and November 8 while the results will be announced on November 10. Premier Scott Moe visited Moosomin to highlight the funiding the town of Moosomin will receive through the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP) funding. As part of the MEEP program, the Town of Moosomin received $394,247 that will be going towards infrastructure and paving. In May, the Government of Saskatchewan announced funding to all communities within the province under MEEP. MEEP is providing $150 million to local municipalities ($143 per capita) to support investments in infrastructure to help stimulate economic recovery and create jobs. MEEP is a key component of the Government of Saskatchewans $7.5 billion, two-year capital plan, that was announced on May 6, to build a strong Saskatchewan and stimulate Saskatchewans economic recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding must be used by March 31, 2022. On Ellice Street in Moosomin, Moe was joined by Moosomin MLA Steven Bonk, Moosomin Mayor Larry Tomlinson, and Moosomin councillors Chris Davidson, Ron Fisk, Murray Gray, and Greg Nosterud. One of the things you have the opportunity to do when you make an infrastructure investment, such as this government has and then bolstered that, is the opportunity to travel across the province, said Moe. Ive been doing that for just over a week now and well be out through southern Saskatchewan the rest of this week. Thank you very much Mayor Tomlinson and council for coming here today and thank you for your leadership the past six months and through your term, but most certainly during the last six months as we have faced this global pandemic in our nation and our province. Its been six months since we had our first case in Saskatchewan and I assure you that better days are ahead for our province if we do the right things. If we continue to make the right decisions we can ensure that our province and our communities continue to grow and continue to advance and continue to offer hope and opportunity for that next generation, for our children, and for generations to come. Moe made it a point in his MEEP announcement to focus on Moosomins growth as a community and the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic by the people of Saskatchewan. Its great to be back in Moosomin with Steve (Bonk), your MLA and our caucus member that helps guide us through some of these decisions with the infrastructure decision notable among them and also the MEEP, Moe said. Its good to be here. People are so friendly throughout the province and most certainly in rural Saskatchewan. It seems to me that Moosomin embodies that friendliness, that Saskatchewan hospitality. We talk a lot at times about what Saskatchewan has and what we can offer the world in the way of our products, our food, fuel, and fertilizer. We have energy, we have agriculture, we have mining, and Moosomin is an area where youre leaders in all three of those products. Many communities across Saskatchewan possess one, possibly two, but Moosomin is one of the few areas that possesses all three of Saskatchewans flagship products. We found out at last years pipeline rally here in town that you support these industries and you support them unequivocally and without hesitation and weve got to be grateful for that in this province. Weve got to be grateful for the leadership provided by this community, I know Im personally grateful and for that I thank you Steven, I thank you Mayor Tomlinson, I thank you council, and I thank all the residents throughout the Moosomin region, said Moe. Weve gone through an unprecedented time the last six months as we have faced this Covid-19 pandemic and in this generation we havent faced this sort of challenge. Together we are meeting this challenge, in Moosomin we are meeting this challenge, across Saskatchewan we are meeting this challenge, and we are meeting it across the nation. Weve seen the number of active cases drop significantly across Saskatchewan in the last few weeks and we are in a really good place in this province because each of us is taking our personal responsibility very seriously. I want to thank all the Moosomin residents for doing your part. Were going to get through this pandemic and we are going to come out stronger on the other side. The key component of MEEP is to help with the economic recovery from the impact Covid-19 has had and Moe believes major infrastructure investments are a big step in the right direction for continuing Saskatchewans momentum towards coming back stronger from the pandemic. The recovery is already under way in Saskatchewan, said Moe. Were leading the nation (with unemployment numbers), we had 4,700 more jobs in August and our unemployment rate has dropped to 7.9 per centthe lowest unemployment rate in Canada. As a government we want to do everything we can to help speed up the economic recovery and that includes investing in infrastructure initiatives, like the one were announcing here todaythe Municipal Economic Enhancement Program. MEEP is a $150 million program that distributes grants to municipalities on a per capita basis. We came forward with this program because we did not want municipalities to back off with their infrastructure plans for two reasons. One, they need the infrastructure and two, we need the economic activity in our communities across Saskatchewan. This is a way for us to augment the $7.5 billion, two-year capital plan that the provincial government has put in place to build infrastructure in community after community, but also to stimulate the economy as we come out of this global pandemic. The idea is to give a booster shot to shovel ready projects that municipalities have planned, to improve our services, and create jobs. We left it up to the municipalities to decide how they were going to allocate their MEEP funding. Moosomin has decided to invest nearly $400,000 to upgrade sewer and water linesmuch needed infrastructure in many communities, not just in Moosominand also to do some paving and complete some of the work on curbs and gutters throughout the community. It makes a lot of sense to me and I know it does to the people who live here. Well continue to invest in our basic infrastructure, at the macro level and at the community level whenever we are able to, said Moe. The province has also provided more than $600,000 in revenue sharing to Moosomin this fiscal year and we provided that up front at the beginning of the year to all of our communities across Saskatchewan so they had a certainty in a very uncertain time. Thats an 169 per cent increase over 2007, we are trying to keep up with our funding to municipalities with the exponential growth we have seen over the last decade in our communities. Revenue sharing this year province wide was again a record amount at $278 million. Bonk says MEEP an important program Bonk praised the work the Government of Saskatchewan has done in helping with the economic recovery, specifically with the MEEP and the willingness to help communities continue forward with infrastructure projects that may have been put on hold due to Covid-19. Today is a wonderful day to be here in Saskatchewan, said Bonk. Weve faced both adversity and uncertainty over the last six months, but weve pulled together as a province and we stand stronger and more united because of it. I want to thank Mayor Tomlinson and Premier Moe for their strong steadfast leadership around Covid-19. Our Saskatchewan government implemented a strong plan to re-open the province, today we have the lowest unemployment rate in Canada. We are continuing to invest in infrastructure to get more people back to work and that brings me to why were gathered here today, to make an exciting announcement that will continue to build a stronger Saskatchewan. I know first hand how MEEP funding is investing in important infrastructure for the people of Moosomin while creating jobs. Tomlinson appreciates MEEP support With plans to run again for mayor this fall to continue improving infrastructure in Moosomin, Tomlinson was appreciative the town received MEEP funding to put towards some of councils major projects. This is a wonderful event were having in our community with our Premier Scott Moe, said Tomlinson. The Covid-19 pandemic that hit the world this spring was a financial hit to everyone including the government and the town. To receive this funding to assist the town in providing infrastructure to our residents and taxpayers that they need in their everyday life for this community to survive and grow is greatly appreciated by everyone in this municipality. On behalf of council and myself personally, I want to thank the premier and all the members of the provincial government for recognizing that our communities needed this assistance and promptly providing the funding. Were all in this together and its good to know the government is available for support when we need it. Ellice Street has been a top priority for Tomlinson and it became a point of focus for him with the MEEP funding. We were very pleased to get it (MEEP funding), said Tomlinson. Its helping us finish up some projects that we needed to get done. Were having a lot of trouble with the old infrastructure of the town and that helped us finish up projects that we needed to do. Also, its helping us with a lot of paving that needed to be done and thats where the money is going to go. The paving will mainly be on Ellice Street right from Park Avenue all the way to Windover Avenue. The MEEP funding will finish it up all the way to Windover and its really good to get that done that far. It was a nice experience for Premier Moe to come here, Tomlinson said. It was nice of him to think of Moosomin as a major spot in the province and to come here. " " Russian communist revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin is giving a speech to Vsevobuch servicemen on the first anniversary of the foundation of the Soviet armed forces in Moscow's Red Square in May 1919. Keystone/Getty Images The dark and tangled legacy of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, even now, almost 100 years after his death, is still almost impossible to unravel. He is considered by many as one of the 20th century's most influential minds and boldest leaders. He's also considered one of its most dastardly villains. The two views of the man he is, of course, better known as Vladimir Lenin, the Russian revolutionary and communist strongman aren't necessarily divergent. Visionary. Political firebrand. Ruthless authoritarian. Deep thinker. Champion of the worker. Redeemer. Killer. They're all Lenin. History is still trying to understand the good and the bad. "Can we recall, do we have the ability to really feel, in our own skin, what it was to go through the Russian Civil War, and the famine and the misery, and the thousands of deaths and terror on both sides?" says noted historian and professor emeritus at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Peter Kenez. He's author of "A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End," a comprehensive treatise that covers both revolution and dissolution. "[Thomas] Jefferson lived in a different age, and he had slaves. Should we judge him? All right, if you want to. But it does not help us understand who that person really was. "In different ages, our task not only as historians but as human beings is not to be anachronistic." " " Vladimir Lenin (center) is seen here with Russian revolutionaries Joseph Stalin (left) and Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin at the Congress of the Russian Communist Party. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Advertisement Who Was Vladimir Lenin? Historians often point to a particular moment that spurred Lenin (1870-1924) to become a revolutionary: his brother's execution, when Lenin was just 17, at the hands of the Russian government under Czar Alexander III. But his rise to a true revolutionary grew with time. He associated with radicals while attending university, embracing the works of Karl Marx. He continued to push for the overthrow of the government, which eventually got him exiled to Siberia. He pushed and pushed and pushed for rebellion, through a failed revolution in 1905 and, years later, during Russia's bloody involvement in World War I. Through his writings and in talks throughout Europe, he implored his supporters Bolsheviks to ignite a continentwide conflict that would pit the working class (the proletariat) against the aristocracy and bourgeoisie, resulting in a socialist Russia. Everything came to a head with the Russian Revolution in 1917, when iron-fisted Czar Nicholas II finally abdicated and left opposing factions to duel for control of the country. Lenin returned from one of many exiles and edged out the ruling party, and the Bolsheviks grabbed power. They soon ended Russia's involvement in World War I. The Czar and his entire family were executed, possibly under direct order from Lenin. " " A group of starving children, most of them barefoot, were deserted by their parents in the Volga district, the center of Russia's 1920s famine. Library of Congress In his quest to build a socialist country that would, in turn, morph into a communist society, Lenin was hardly in the clear. A bloody civil war between the Bolsheviks (the Red Army) and other internal factions cost millions of lives over the next several years. The Red Army was particularly brutal in its fight. Three examples of their atrocities: Red Terror : Thousands the number is not clear, but it could be hundreds of thousands of Bolshevik opponents were executed without trial as Lenin consolidated power. Many thousands also were imprisoned. Tambov Rebellion : When peasants rebelled against the forced confiscation of grain, the Red Army responded by shooting thousands, imprisoning thousands more and, at one point, using poison gas on the civilians. Famine: At least 5 million Russians died in the great famine of the early 1920s, brought on by drought, grain confiscation, poor transportation methods of shipping grain and general civil unrest. Many blame Lenin's strict policies and his general callousness toward the well-being of the poor for the millions of dead. "Lenin never concealed his belief that the new world could only be built with the aid of physical violence," wrote Soviet military historian Dmitri Volkogonov in "Lenin," a 1994 biography. "I do not doubt that Lenin wanted earthly happiness for the people, at least for those he called 'the proletariat.' But he regarded it as normal to build this 'happiness' on blood, coercion and the denial of freedom." " " A man holds a portrait of Vladimir Lenin as he takes part in a flower laying ceremony at Lenin's Mausoleum in Red Square on the 96th anniversary of the Russian revolutionary's death. Sergei Savostyanov/TASS via Getty Images Advertisement Lenin in Today's Russia Lenin and his Bolsheviks (later to be named the Communist Party) prevailed in the civil war and, in late 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR or Soviet Union) officially was formed, with Lenin and his party at the center. Lenin died just two years later in 1924 at age 53, and was succeeded in power by an even more ruthless dictator, Joseph Stalin. The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Today, thousands of Lenin statues are found throughout Russia. Even more telling, Lenin's embalmed body remains a tourist attraction of sorts, painstakingly preserved at a mausoleum in Moscow's Red Square. "We have an interesting experiment going on now, with the issue of the Lenin mausoleum in the middle of Red Square, that is, in many ways, quite revealing," Kenez says. "There has been talk about how he should not have been put in the mausoleum, that he should have been buried this goes back to 1924 and, even now there are some voices saying that he should be buried next to his mother or something like that. But this is not going to happen. There is no majority of support for this position." Instead, Lenin's body, along with the ideals of his still held by many, sits in waiting. It is history suspended, a verdict still to be rendered. "Any changes in the mausoleum are bitterly opposed by the still-existent Communist Party," Kenez says. "That shows, at a minimum, that there is no large-scale repudiation of what Lenin stood for, and the person of Lenin, and what he had accomplished. I think that's the bottom line." How can anyone still contend that the ruthless, uncompromising, murderous Lenin who many blame for the millions killed by Stalin, too is to be revered or worthy of remembrance in any positive way? The answer may be that for all his crimes, Lenin took an agricultural-based country ruled by a monarchy and forged it into a supposedly workers-based union that became one of the world's superpowers. For the people of Russia today, that may be enough to merit a place in Red Square. "Now, when they look back, in 2020, what they remember was the Soviet Union was a powerful entity, and now Russia is second-rate," Kenez says. "Should people think this way? Is this the way I think about it? No. However, Americans talk about American exceptionalism, and the American Century, and America is different ... there is, I suppose, a Russian equivalent. 'We were powerful, and I recall this fondly.' I'm not justifying it. I'm trying to look into people's souls, which is always a difficult task." " " Vladimir Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow's Red Square DEA/W. BUSS/De Agostini via Getty Images HowStuffWorks may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. NOW THAT'S Crazy Lenin's body lies under a glass sarcophagus at his mausoleum, where it is cared for by a team of Russian scientists who inject the remains with embalming agents, as needed. The body which consists only of skin, bones and some muscle tissue (his interior organs were removed in his 1924 autopsy) also is covered with a rubber suit that circulates a fluid that helps preserve the skin. The rubber contraption is concealed by Lenin's dark blue woolen business suit. Downing Street today failed to rule out using a remote Scottish island to process asylum seekers trying to enter Britain after it emerged Priti Patel considered using a remote Atlantic outcrop for the job. Under an extraordinary scheme that was later ditched, the Home Office considered using Ascension Island, a British overseas territory surrounded by water for at least 800 miles in all directions. Ms Patel abandoned the plan after instructing her officials to drill down into the practicalities of such a project, according to the Financial Times. But officials said that she is still keen on 'offshoring' people attempting to reach the UK if a suitable site can be found. Such schemes are used by nations including Australia, which has used offshore processing and detention centres on nearby Islands in the south Pacific for asylum seekers since the 1980s. Ms Patel recently met with former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, known for his tough stance on immigration, who was appointed by Boris Johnson as a trade adviser to the UK. The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said today that ministers were 'looking at what a whole host of other countries do to inform plans for the United Kingdom' and 'that work is ongoing'. When asked whether a remote Scottish island could be used, the spokesman said: There is nothing more that I can add than to say the work is ongoing and when there is more to say on it then we will do so. St Helena, where Napoleon was exiled after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, was also touted as a potential site for a facility, the FT reported. Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: 'This ludicrous idea is inhumane, completely impractical and wildly expensive. So it seems entirely plausible this Tory Government came up with it.' Priti Patel (pictured at the FCO last week) considered building an asylum processing centre on a remote volcanic island in the south Atlantic, it was claimed last night Under an extraordinary scheme, the Home Office would ship asylum seekers 4,000 miles from the UK to Ascension Island (pinpointed), a British overseas protectorate Asylum Island: where could refugees go? Although Ascension and St Helena have been ruled out, Downing Street this afternoon refused to rule out islands closer to the UK being used as migrant processing centres. This would follow a precedent set by Australia, which has a detention centre on Christmas Island, north west of the country close to Indonesia. It is used to house and process refugees from South East Asia. Other sites were run on the islands of Manus and Nauru before they were closed after uproar in Australia over the conditions in which they were held. Britain has many islands around its coast. But locating such a facility on a heavily populated one would be likely to cause uproar locally. The Isle of Man in the Irish Sea was used in the Second World War to hold interred German and Italian nationals. They were not prisoners of war but lived in Britain and seen as a potential security risk. British fascists were also held on the island. Lundy Island off the coast of North Devon is largely uninhabited but it is owned by the National Trust. There are many sparsely populated islands off the west coast of Scotland, but Nicola Sturgeon's SNP government is almost certain to explode with fury is such a location was mooted. Closer to the south east is the Isle of Sheppey off the Kent coast in the Thames Estuary, joined to the mainland by just one road. Advertisement And his Lib Dem counterpart, Alistair Carmichael, added: 'Priti Patel wanted to store UK asylum seekers on a South Atlantic island. I assume that building a Mars outpost to keep people in was considered slightly excessive? 'An utterly shameful, dehumanising attitude on show here by one of the most senior members of the government.' A snap poll conducted by YouGov asking voters whether they thought building an asylum processing centre on Ascension Island was a good or bad idea found 40 per cent backed the proposal while 35 per cent did not. The Foreign Office was consulted on the proposals, according to the paper, and provided an assessment on the logistics of shipping migrants to such locations. The Home Office last night did not deny the claims but pointed to Britain's 'proud history of offering refuge to those who need protection'. The PM's spokesman today said: 'We are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it. 'The rise in gang-facilitated channel crossings has put this into very sharp focus.' He added: 'It is hugely important that people are deterred from making what are life-threatening journeys and that they claim asylum in the first safe country which they reach. The Ascension plan was dismissed on Wednesday as an unfeasible, 'logistical nightmare' by a member of the Ascension Island Council, Alan Nicholls. He said he had only found out about the possibility when contacted by journalists and worried that security concerns from the presence of two military bases on the island could make it 'prohibitive'. 'Looking at cost and logistics, we are some 4,000-plus miles away from the UK, I would have thought it would be extremely expensive and a bit of a logistical nightmare to get asylum seekers here to Ascension because of the fact we are very isolated and I don't think the whole thing would be very feasible, to be quite truthful,' Mr Nicholls told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He also spoke of concerns among the locals on the island, with a population of less than 1,000, of forcing migrants there during the coronavirus pandemic. 'There could be quite an influx of individuals and at this state and time with pandemic lockdowns and everything else, I don't think that anybody would be very receptive to that,' the councillor said. Ascension Island, which is used as a staging post to supply and defend the Falkland Islands, has an RAF base and population of fewer than 1,000. Moving asylum seekers there and keeping them supplied was said to represent a considerable logistical challenge. The proposal appears to further reflect the influence on UK policy-making of Australia, which has used offshore processing and detention centres for asylum seekers since the 1980s. The Government has based its post-Brexit points-based immigration system on that developed in Australia. The Home Secretary is grappling with a surge in migrants crossing the Channel in recent months. Some 90 hotels are being used by the Home Office to house migrants being processed, including four-star accommodation under a 4billion outsourcing contract. There has been a surge in the number of migrants arriving in Britain this year, with media reports suggesting that about 1,500 people travelled across the English Channel in small boats and dinghies in August alone. In total, there were more than 32,000 asylum applications in the United Kingdom in the year ending June 2020. The FT said the idea was evidence of the influence of former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, who was appointed as a UK trade adviser earlier this month. Australia has used offshore detention centres on the Pacific islands of Nauru, and on Manus in Papua New Guinea. Ms Patel recently met with former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, known for his tough stance on immigration, who was appointed by Boris Johnson as a trade adviser to the UK Ascension Island, which is used as a staging post to supply and defend the Falkland Islands, has an RAF base and population of fewer than 1,000 RAF Ascension was used as a staging post for Operation Black Buck, which saw Vulcan bombers (pictured) fly to attack the Argentine-held airport at Stanley in the Falkland Islands in 1982 Australia's policies and management of the detention centres have repeatedly been criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups. Asylum seekers intercepted at sea and sent to the camps can never settle in Australia, even if they are found to be genuine refugees A Home Office official said: 'The UK has a long and proud history of offering refuge to those who need protection. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes in the future. 'As ministers have said we are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it.' Netflix is looking for extras for an upcoming film it is shooting in Massachusetts. Casting director Judith Bouley, known for casting Master and Commander, Road to Perdition and Cast Away, has posted on her website asking for background actors in Boston. She also recently casted actors for Hubie Halloween, a movie with Adam Sandler thats set in Salem. Its set to be released Oct. 7. We need people of all ages, sizes, and ethnicities to potentially work as paid background actors, the website states. Judith Bouley, CSA and her team are returning to Boston to cast background actors for an upcoming Netflix film! Fill out a virtual application at https://t.co/Iog2syLEK7 #backgroundactor #boston #massachusetts #castingcall pic.twitter.com/uw3sUQJQoK Judith Bouley Casting (@JBouleyCasting) September 23, 2020 The website says filming is scheduled to begin in mid-November. But didnt specify what the film was about. Unlike movies in the past, the coronavirus pandemic has impacted parts of this movie. Instead of having an open casting call, like we did last summer at Marblehead High School, this time Im going to interview by Zoom, Bouley told CBS Boston. Families, couples or home units can apply together. On those applications, it just asks for a group photograph on each application in addition to your individual photographs. Related Content: Alabama Power has safely and responsibly adjusted operations at business offices and Appliance Centers throughout the state to provide walk-in service options for customers. Safety best practices guide the companys lobby reopening strategy. These plans are part of the return to standard business operations for customers that started earlier this week. Customers who visit their local business office will see new safety updates and precautions installed to protect the well-being of them and our employees, said Jonathan Porter, Alabama Powers senior vice president of Customer Operations. We have been thoughtful and detailed in our plans to provide the safest and best experience for our customers. Alabama Power has included signs and safety measures to ensure CDC guidelines are followed, such as: Placing directional and informational signs to encourage social distancing and safe habits. Aggressively sanitizing service desks with increased cleaning of offices and high-contact areas. Jingdezhen, a city in the Southeast China's Jiangxi Province, is known as the Porcelain Capital of the World. For centuries, the city was considered as one of the most important centers for porcelain production. Jingdezhen porcelain is widely known for being "as white as jade, as thin as paper, as bright as a mirror, and as sweet-sounding as a chime stone." Blue and white porcelain, linglong porcelain, famille rose porcelain and color-glazed porcelain are seen as four famous types of porcelain in Jingdezhen. Blue and white porcelain is a kind of underglaze colored porcelain, which is regarded as the most representative of the four famous porcelains. Blue and white porcelain products look brilliant and clear, its blue coloring on a white base gives the designed patterns an elegant and magnificent appearance. In Chinese families, blue and white wares are common in daily life in forms ranging from dinner sets to vases. Feng Xia, an inheritor of blue and white porcelain, told Peoples Daily Online that the raw material of blue and white porcelain is mainly cobalt oxide, and the cobalt oxide turns a blue color in high temperatures. A good piece of blue and white porcelain must be proficient in controlling temperature changes and content composition. Linglong porcelain is well known as a "porcelain inlaid with glass", and is world famous for its exquisite carving patterns and glittering, translucent appeal. To make linglong porcelain, grain-sized holes are hollowed out in the thin roughcast and the glaze is applied several times to cover them. This requires exquisite craftsmanship, which is why linglong porcelain is rare. Famille rose porcelain first appeared in the Qing Dynasty, and is an over-glazed product. The color of famille rose porcelain is soft and gorgeous but not garish. Chen Xiaojun is an inheritor of famille rose porcelain, she points out that the raw materials of famille rose porcelain contain metal oxides, and after going through the reduction reaction at a medium temperature, different colors will appear, such as yellow and green. After firing, we can see the texture of glass. High-temperature colored glazes are also called "artificial gems. These have the longest history and the lowest output of the four traditional famous porcelains in Jingdezhen. In our decades of work, we have never been able to make a flambe porcelain product that is identical to another... Deng Xiping is now 78 years old, the unique charm of the colored glazes made Deng devote 50 years of her life to it. She is known as the "queen" of colored glaze, and is the only national representative inheritor of Jingdezhen high-temperature colored glaze. Deng restored many lost techniques, and has created more than 40 new types of colored glazes, many of which have won the National Prize for Progress in Science and Technology, and even won the gold award at the World Fair for Invention. The creation of a colored glaze porcelain product needs to go through three important steps. The first step is the formulation because it uses more than ten kinds of natural ore, its composition is extremely complicated. The second step is glazing, that is, the color glaze is applied on the ceramic bodies. The last step is firing, because porcelain products have to go from colorless to colorable. Finally, it becomes a gem structure. When all these three steps of the work are done, the colored glaze porcelain products can be completed, said Deng. Jingdezhen traditional high-temperature colored glazes are fired at over 1,370 degrees Celsius. The colored glaze changes into gorgeous colors after flambe. Deng said, The change is wonderful, every high-temperature colored glaze product is colorless when it is placed into the kiln. When it comes out of the kiln, many colors and patterns will appear. Deng has students from all over the world, and she considers it her mission to promote colored glazes, she said, Color is universal, there is no barrier between cultural communications. With modern science and technology leading to the improvement of the craft along with the explorations of artists, contemporary high-temperature colored glaze porcelain painting has emerged as a new force. Now, Jingdezhen is home to many artists who have received good art education and devoted themselves to this field. Artist Zhao Yongli, said Porcelain painting is created by painting with ceramic materials, and it presents the beauty of ceramic materials and artistic works through firing. High-temperature colored glaze porcelain painting places high demands on the artistic quality of its creators. After studying oil painting in Ukraine, Li Dehui came to Jingdezhen to create porcelain paintings. Applying his understanding of oil painting to the creation of porcelain paintings, he believes that art is interlinked. High-temperature flambe is highly unpredictable. Every time the ceramic products come out of the kiln, there will be both surprise and regret. Therefore, it requires artists to learn about ceramic materials and kiln fire for a long time. Without believing in the work we do, it would be hard to persist, said Li. From building strategic seaports in Pakistan to connecting railways across Central Asia, perhaps no foreign-policy topic has received more attention in recent years than China's global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But for all the bold headlines and focus from policymakers around the world, the BRI's internal machinery and how its many infrastructure deals, pipelines, railways, and roads stretching across Eurasia and Africa actually work remains poorly understood. Pulling back the curtain on the opaque levers of China's premier foreign-policy initiative is the focus of the book The Emperors New Road: China And The Project Of The Century released on September 29 by Jonathan Hillman, an American analyst who serves as the director of the Reconnecting Asia Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a D.C.-based think tank. In doing so, Hillman provides a fresh and nuanced perspective on Chinese power as it really is and presents a detailed look at the BRI that doesn't fit neatly into any of the project's prepackaged narratives, whether it be the official version of "win-win" engagement promoted by Beijing or the idea pushed by China's critics that the BRI is a political backdoor aimed at controlling developing countries. "Some of China's activities are alarming and a cause for concern, but I don't think that's the same thing as BRI being this perfectly coordinated, uber-centralized thing," Hillman told RFE/RL in an interview. "China doesn't have the management structure in place to properly coordinate this expansive project." Hillman paints a complicated picture that is not flattering to Chinese foreign-policy makers, revealing the estimated $1 trillion project to be more of a loose collection of poorly coordinated initiatives than an actual grand strategy. While the BRI is a mix of development, trade, and geopolitics that is central to Beijing's rise as a global power, Hillman's portrait focuses on the mismanaged borders that hold up trade, the poorer countries desperate to accept any kind of investment, and the local governments that are harnessing Chinese mega-projects for their own political and financial ends. The Emperor's New Road is a story of whether the BRI is actually advancing China's global ambitions, told through interviews with Chinese officials, detailed analysis and research, and on-the-ground reporting in Central Asia, Russia, and elsewhere. In the process, it is not only China using the BRI to influence and gain benefit from its neighbors, but also its neighbors using the BRI for influence with and benefit from China. "China faces a different world today compared to what past imperial powers faced. Beijing is kind of a vampire at the door, it needs to be welcomed in," Hillman said. "This allows participating countries to decide which projects to accept and they go into them with very varying levels of experience and capacity, which leads to all kinds of different results." Growing Pains Central to Hillman's work is telling the story of China's rise as a great power on the world stage and the growing pains that Beijing has faced since it launched the early component of the BRI. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping chose the Kazakh capital, Astana (since renamed Nur-Sultan), to unveil the Silk Road Economic Belt, the overland component of what would later coalesce into the BRI. Since then, the Chinese project has become the cornerstone of Xi Jinping's foreign policy, with Beijing labeling it "the project of the century." In the process, China has sunk hundreds of billions of dollars into ports, railways, and energy projects across Asia, Africa, and Europe to become Central Asia's top investor and the African continent's premier economic force. The goal has been not only to expand infrastructure, but also to win over local governments by funneling investment, jobs, and economic growth in their direction. But the BRI has also been undercut in recent years with questions regarding the commercial value of many of its projects and concerns over the initiative being a vehicle for Chinese control. Hillman puts China alongside imperial powers that sought to use trade to further their own geopolitical ambitions, especially drawing parallels with the British Empire, whose own rise was linked to building and controlling shipping and rail links. But Hillman is quick to note in his analysis that Beijing has often been its own worst enemy when it comes to trying to expand its influence through BRI by engaging in obtuse agreements with governments that have sparked domestic backlash, offering no official description for what qualifies as a BRI project, and relying on hard-to-complete infrastructure deals. "Despite these imperial echoes, this is not a story about China's domination but its education as a rising power," Hillman writes in his book. "China's tool of choice, infrastructure, is appealing to developing countries but incredibly difficult to deliver." No End In Sight Part of this education has been coming to terms with Beijing's inexperience as a global power and how the BRI has become "a middleman's dream," with large-scale infrastructure projects -- often carried out with little transparency and accountability -- offering a wide array of opportunities for corruption. "Infrastructure is not exactly the most effective tool to build influence," Hillman told RFE/RL. "Building big projects that are more expensive than planned and take longer than expected is not how you gain credibility." Despite these shortcomings, the BRI and China's path forward have managed to progress. Hillman partially attributes this to the ambiguity of the BRI, which has allowed local governments and leaders to make it suit their own interests. For former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, Hillman said embracing the BRI and the Khorgos "dry port" was "poor economics but savvy politics," allowing the Kazakh leader to develop deeper ties with Beijing and gain greater leverage in balancing its relationship with Moscow. Likewise, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an estimated $62 billion bundle of projects that forms Beijing's BRI presence in the country, has become a favorite of the Pakistani military, allowing it to increase its already formidable sway and use China's expanded economic footprint as a signal of support against India, a chief rival. But even as China is adapting to how the BRI has mutated over the years, its core problems remain. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the economic problems facing many projects, with a June survey by the Chinese Foreign Ministry finding that 20 percent of BRI projects had been "seriously affected" by the pandemic, with a further 30 to 40 percent "somewhat affected." Similarly, China's mass internment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang Province has strained relations with the West and hurt its credibility among populations in the Muslim world, especially across Central Asia. Despite the BRI's many failings, the initiative still remains an attractive vision for much of the developing world and its attachment to Xi means that it will continue to be at the forefront of Chinese foreign policy. "The need for infrastructure remains so great," Hillman said. "Countries are still eager to see what they can get out of this." WASHINGTON Hours before President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden meet for their first debate, Beto ORourke was ready to declare a winner of Texas 38 electoral votes in November. Texas, ORourke said, is Joe Bidens to lose. This is a state that perhaps better than any other understands the costs and consequences of Donald Trump, ORourke said during a pre-debate press call hosted by the Texas Democratic Party. And its a state by the way not unrelated to that that is Joe Bidens to lose. LEADING WITH LATINOS: Joe Biden has 66% of Texas Latino vote, new poll shows No Democrat has won a presidential race in Texas since Jimmy Carter in 1976 and polls show Trump has a lead of at least a few percentage points. But O'Rourke argued that public polling tends to underestimate Democratic performance in Texas. The former Texas congressman and a one-time presidential rival of Bidens pointed to his own race against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, which ORourke lost by 2.5 percentage points after polling showed him trailing by as many as 8 percentage points in the weeks before the election, as well as the 2016 presidential race, when Clinton similarly outperformed polling in Texas. Pollsters have a very hard time locating, tracking and counting the votes of likely Democratic voters, ORourke said. Even with the polling this tight, I think actually the advantage is to Biden. Trump has been clear hes not worried about losing Texas. Earlier this year he derided phony polls showing a tight race in the state. Beto, Biden, and Texas Democrats are delusional to think they have a shot at winning the Lone Star State, said Samantha Cotten, a Trump campaign spokeswoman. Running on raising taxes, destroying the energy industry, and stripping Second Amendment rights wont win over voters in Texas. On November 3, Texans will overwhelmingly re-elect President Donald Trump. THIS IS A REAL RACE: Ted Cruz has been sounding the alarm to Texas Republicans in 2020 Also on Tuesday, Julian Castro, the former San Antonio mayor and U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary, said Biden can at least win Tuesdays debate if he keeps the focus on the American people and doesnt get distracted by what will surely be a lot of personal insults by Donald Trump. Beto and I both saw Joe Biden is able to connect with the American people in these debates, Castro said. They believe in his character. They believe hes always thinking about them and his family. So a win would also be showing that tonight. ben.wermund@chron.com FORMER mayor of Limerick Stephen Keary has made moves to try and increase the frequency of council meetings to once a month. Limerick City and County Council is one of the few local authorities across Ireland to only meet as a full group every other month, but meetings of the metropolitan district, and the three rural municipal areas are held every 30 days. Fine Gael councillor Keary made a bid at this months full council meeting to change the standing orders effectively, the councils rule book to have six more full meetings a year. The motion was referred to the protocol committee, with Fianna Fail indicating they will not support it. Cllr Keary said: Its very difficult to get business transacted in a bi-monthly fashion. We are in a constantly evolving climate. We need to move with he times and if something is current and needs to be addressed you have a better opportunity when you get a monthly meeting. Things can get lost and watered down. At present, Limerick councillors are holding their bi-monthly meetings at the Limerick Racecourse due to the need to implement social distancing. As a result of this, there is also a time limitation of two hours. He pointed out that in effect, it means that councillors are giving just 15 minutes a week. If people dont have the time to attend on a monthly basis, I dont think they are worthy of a council seat, the Croagh member said. He said he is disappointed with Fianna Fail for not supporting the concept of monthly meetings, and indicated he might look outside the grand coalition for backing. Fianna Fails metropolitan district leader Kieran OHanlon said the consensus in his group is there are enough meetings to attend. We have full council, we have metropolitan meetings, area meetings, strategic policy committee meetings, then some councillors are on outside bodies. Thats on top of attending to matters for your constituents. A councillors job is supposed to be part-time. I find myself busy all the time, particularly now with Covid-19, he said. The northside councillor pointed out there is a lot of work done by council officials in preparing the meetings, not to mention the cost of their currently being held at Patrickswell. Why should we be taking up their time, he asked, If some people had theri way, theyd be sitting in meetings every day. This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1294 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year, and our current goal, expanding our reach. Yves here. While much of the material in this article is familiar to Naked Capitalism readers, its useful to have it all in one piece, as well as having updates on some topics, such as the high death cost of Swedens low-intervention Covid-19 policy. Its also suitable for sending to friends and family members who may be behind the curve on the herd immunity topic. One issue the article finesses badly, however, is the percentage of people who have to have been infected or successfully vaccinated for Covid-19 infections to slow to a halt. The highest level they suggest is 70%. However, one solid study found that the uncontrolled R0 for Covid 19 is over 5, which means the level of the population that would need to be vaccinated or previously infected would be 85%. Another issue the article breezes past is how long those whove been vaccinated or infected are immune. Recall that coronavirus antibodies dont appear to confer long-lasting immunity. For the common cold, its only six month, and for the longest-lived, MERS, its 34 months. By Aneri Pattani, a Correspondent at Kaiser Health News, who previous reported for Spotlight PA, The Philadelphia Inquirer, WNYC (New York Citys NPR station) and The New York Times. She was a 2019 recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Originally published at Kaiser Health News (KHN illustration; NIAID) For a term thats at least 100 years old, herd immunity has gained new life in 2020. It starred in many headlines last month, when reports surfaced that a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and adviser to the president, Dr. Scott Atlas, recommended it as a strategy to combat COVID-19. The Washington Post reported that Atlas, a health care policy expert from the Hoover Institution of Stanford University, suggested the virus should be allowed to spread through the population so people build up immunity, rather than trying to contain it through shutdown measures. At a town hall event a few weeks later, President Donald Trump raised the idea himself, saying the coronavirus would simply go away, as people developed herd mentality a slip-up that nonetheless was understood to reference the same concept. And as recently as last week, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) sparked a heated debate at a committee hearing when he suggested that the decline in COVID cases in New York City was due to herd or community immunity in the population rather than public health measures, such as wearing masks and social distancing. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease official, rebuked Paul, pointing out that only 22% of the citys residents have COVID antibodies. If you believe 22% is herd immunity, I believe youre alone in that, Fauci told the senator. All this talk got us thinking: People seem pretty confused about herd immunity. What exactly does it mean and can it be used to combat COVID-19? An Uncertain Strategy With Great Cost Herd immunity, also called community or population immunity, refers to the point at which enough people are sufficiently resistant to a disease that an infectious agent is unlikely to spread from person to person. As a result, the whole community including those who dont have immunity becomes protected. People generally gain immunity in one of two ways: vaccination or infection. For most diseases in recent history from smallpox and polio to diphtheria and rubella vaccines have been the route to herd immunity. For the most highly contagious diseases, like measles, about 94% of the population needs to be immunized to achieve that level of protection. For COVID-19, scientists estimate the percentage falls between 50% to 70%. Before the COVID pandemic, experts cant recall examples in which governments intentionally turned to natural infection to achieve herd immunity. Generally, such a strategy could lead to widespread illness and death, said Dr. Carlos del Rio, an expert in infectious disease and vaccines at the Emory University School of Medicine. Its a terrible idea, del Rio said. Its basically giving up on public health. A new, large study found fewer than 1 in 10 Americans have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Even in the hardest-hit areas, like New York City, estimates of immunity among residents are about 25%. To reach 50% to 70% immunity would mean about four times as many people getting infected and an incredible number of deaths, said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy at KFF. Even those who survive could suffer severe consequences to their heart, brain and other organs, potentially leaving them with lifelong disabilities. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.) Its not a strategy to pursue unless your goal is to pursue suffering and death, Michaud said. Whats more, some scientists say natural immunity may not even be feasible for COVID-19. While most people presumably achieve some degree of protection after being infected once, cases of people who recovered from the disease and were reinfected have raised questions about how long natural immunity lasts and whether someone with immunity could still spread the virus. Even the method scientists are using to measure immunity blood tests that detect antibodies to the coronavirus may not be an accurate indicator of who is protected against COVID-19, said Dr. Stuart Ray, an infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. With so many unanswered questions, he concluded: We cant count on natural herd immunity as a way to control this epidemic. Vaccines, on the other hand, can be made to trigger stronger immunity than natural infection, Ray said. Thats why people who acquire a natural tetanus infection, for example, are still advised to get the tetanus vaccine. The hope is that vaccines being developed for COVID-19 will provide the same higher level of immunity. But What About Sweden? In the political debate around COVID-19, proponents of a natural herd immunity strategy often point to Sweden as a model. Although the Scandinavian country imposed fewer economic shutdown measures, its death rate is less than that in the U.S., Paul said at Wednesdays Senate hearing. But health experts including Fauci during the same hearing argue thats a flawed comparison. The U.S. has a much more diverse population, with vulnerable groups like Black and Hispanic Americans being disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, said Dr. Jon Andrus, an epidemiology expert at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. The U.S. also has greater population density, especially on the coasts, he said. When compared with other Scandinavian countries, Swedens death toll is much higher. It has had 5,880 deaths linked to COVID-19 so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Thats nearly 58 deaths per 100,000 residents several times higher than the death rates of 5 or 6 per 100,000 in Norway and Finland. In fact, as a result of COVID-19, Sweden has recorded its highest death toll since a famine swept the country 150 years ago. And cases are on the rise. Despite that level of loss, its still unclear if Sweden has reached the threshold for herd immunity. A study by the countrys public health agency found that by late April only 7% of residents in Stockholm had antibodies for COVID-19. In other Swedish cities, the percentage was even lower. Those findings mirror other studies around the globe. Researchers reported that in several cities across Spain, Switzerland and the U.S. with the exception of New York City less than 10% of the population had COVID-19 antibodies by June, despite months of exposure and high infection rates. The results led commentators in the medical research journal The Lancet to write, In light of these findings, any proposed approach to achieve herd immunity through natural infection is not only highly unethical, but also unachievable. Herd Immunity Is Still Far Off The bottom line, medical experts say, is that natural herd immunity is an uncertain strategy, and attempts to pursue it could result in a slew of unnecessary deaths. A vaccine, whenever one becomes available, would offer a safer route to community-wide protection. Until then, they emphasize there is still plenty to do to counter the pandemic. Wearing masks, practicing social distancing, hand-washing and ramping up testing and contact tracing have all proven to help curb the viruss spread. As we wait for new tools to be added to the toolbox, Andrus said, we have to keep reminding ourselves that there are measures in this very moment that we could be using to save lives. KHN reporter Victoria Knight contributed to this article. The Swedru District Court has dismissed the plot by the National Democratic Congress to cause automatic disqualification of the NPP Member of Parliament for Agona West, in the Central region in the December polls. The NDC had prayed the court to instruct the Electoral Commission to delete the name of Mrs. Cynthia Mamle Morrison from the voters register. But the court was convinced that the claims presented by the NDC branch chairman at Wawaase Eric Yankey that Mrs. Morrison does not reside in the constituency were trumped up. Hon. Cynthia Morrison who is also the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection registered at Ntiamoah Hotel Polling Station in Wawase Electoral Area. After she was issued with a valid voter ID card and left the registration centre, the NDC agent raised a challenge in her absence. The NDC was late in challenging because the minister outwitted them as they had gathered at Ankyease registration centre where the minister vote as they planned to execute the challenge agenda there. Having failed in that attempt, Eric Yankey was therefore made to file a suit against the MP when the NDC realized during the exhibition exercise that the EC has included Mrs. Morrisons name in the register. His main case was that the house number the MP used as proof of being a resident does not belong to her. The Minister was therefore summoned to appear before the Agona Swedru District Court on Monday, which she honoured. The case was adjourned to the following day. But her legal team including the MP for Gomoa West Alex Abban and Joseph Takye proved to the court that Mrs. Morrison is a resident of Agona West with supporting documents indicating that the said house is hers. Having listened to both parties, the court ruled in favor of Cynthia Morrison on Tuesday. Interestingly, some jubilant NPP supporters who were in court suspected that the court case was influenced by some elements within the NPP working against the re-election bid of the MP. I hope our MCE, Justina Marigold Assan and the suspended constituency chairman, Kojo Addo are not behind or the key players of this event, a member of the NPP who gave his name as Ishmael Yawson told the media. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The intersection of 4500 block of N. 19th and Wingohocking Streets in Philadelphia near the scene of a shooting late Tuesday in which police said five people were struck. Read more Five men were shot late Tuesday in the citys Logan section, according to police, continuing a months-long surge of gun violence in Philadelphia. Police said the incident occurred around 11:40 p.m. on the 4500 block of North 19th Street, when a man wearing a red jacket began firing at people gathered outside. A police source said the victims had been playing a dice game on a front porch when the shooter started spraying bullets at them. Authorities did not identify the suspect and said he had not been arrested. They also did not disclose a motive, saying only that the investigation was ongoing. Deputy Police Commissioner Ben Naish said that the area had experienced some recent shootings, and police statistics show that two men were shot in separate incidents in August within a block of Tuesdays location. Without saying whether any of the cases were connected, Naish called the gunfire on 19th another sad indication of whats going on. The victims were between the ages of 31 and 53, said police, who did not identify any of the men. One victim, 34, was taken to Temple University Hospital in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the stomach. The others were hospitalized at either Temple or Einstein Medical Center in stable condition. Police said a 53-year-old man was shot in the face, a 31-year-old man was shot in the left hand, a 45-year-old man was shot in the left forearm and left foot, and a 34-year-old man was shot in the left shoulder and right finger. It was one of three shooting incidents overnight. Police said a 34-year-old man was shot in the buttocks in North Philadelphia around 9:50 p.m., and a 23-year-old man was shot in a leg in Kensington at 11:42 p.m. Both were hospitalized in stable condition, police said. No one was arrested in either case. The gunfire in Logan was the latest multi-victim incident in the past several days. Over the weekend, police reported two quadruple shootings. Through Monday, police statistics say, 216 people had been shot in the city in September, the fourth consecutive month in which Philadelphia has recorded at least 200 shooting victims. Before July, the city had not seen a month with 200 shooting victims in at least 13 years. There have been six days in September in which at least 10 people were shot, according to police statistics, including Friday, when 15 people were shot. In all, 1,569 people have been shot in the city this year, more than the annual total for any year since 2007, when the city recorded 1,597 victims. Staff writer Mike Newall contributed to this article. Kuwait's late ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, an acclaimed diplomat and mediator, was laid to rest on Wednesday, shortly after his half-brother was sworn in as the new emir. Sheikh Sabah, who ruled the oil-rich nation for 14 years, died on Tuesday after undergoing treatment in hospital in Minnesota from July. A Kuwaiti government Airbus A340 carrying his remains from the United States landed in the capital, where roads were cleared to allow passage of a convoy to the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque for funeral prayers. The new emir, 83-year-old Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah -- who was sworn in at the National Assembly earlier Wednesday -- was at the airport to receive the body along with other Kuwaiti officials, all wearing masks in line with anti-coronavirus measures. The late emir's remains were then buried at the Sulaibikhat Cemetery, in a simple ceremony at the public facility, in keeping with tradition. The royal court said the funeral was largely restricted to the emir's relatives -- a move likely designed to avoid large crowds due to the global health crisis. Qatar's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani -- embroiled in a Gulf diplomatic dispute in which Kuwait has mediated -- took part in the funeral prayers, according to official Qatari media. Sheikh Sabah earned a reputation as a shrewd, unshakeable leader who helped steer his country through the 1990 Iraqi invasion, crashes in global oil markets and upheavals in parliament and on the streets. World leaders and Kuwaitis alike have hailed the legacy of the late emir, architect of the nation's modern foreign policy and mediator in some of the worst crises to grip the Gulf. "This man was the safety valve of the Arab world, not just for Kuwait," Bandar al-Dahani, a Kuwaiti citizen, told AFP. "God willing, that goodness will be in Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf and he will follow the emir's path." - Generational transition looms - Story continues Sheikh Nawaf, who has held high office for decades but earned a reputation for modesty, was visibly emotional as he addressed the National Assembly. "I promise you that I will do my best and everything in my power to preserve Kuwait, its security and stability, and to ensure the dignity and well-being of the people," he said after taking the oath of office. He called for unity in facing the region's challenges and committed himself to Kuwait's "democratic approach" in the address before lawmakers, who wore masks and were spaced in line with social distancing. Kuwait, unlike other Gulf states, has a lively political arena with a fully elected parliament that enjoys wide legislative powers and can vote ministers out of office. Sheikh Nawaf, who was named heir apparent in 2006, takes over as Kuwait faces the repercussions of the coronavirus crisis, which triggered a sharp decline in oil prices and severe economic consequences for Gulf states. He served as defence minister when Iraqi troops rolled into the oil-rich emirate in 1990, and also as interior minister in the face of challenges from Islamist militants. Analysts do not expect him to usher in major policy changes, despite historic decisions by Kuwait's neighbours, the UAE and Bahrain, to establish relations with Israel in recent weeks. Despite expectations of a smooth succession, there could be more spirited debate over who the new crown prince should be. Kuwait's constitution stipulates that the ruler should be a descendant of the nation's founder, Mubarak al-Sabah. By tradition, the throne has for the past four decades alternated between two branches of the family -- the descendants of his sons, Salem and Jaber. However, when Sheikh Sabah, who is from the Jaber branch, ascended to the throne in 2006, he named his half-brother as his heir, sidelining the Salem branch. Contestants for the newly vacated role of crown prince include Sheikh Sabah's son and former deputy prime minister Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, a Kuwaiti political heavyweight. "Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed should be viewed more as a caretaker than as a watershed new leader," said Cinzia Bianco, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Behind the scenes, however, younger princes would likely continue to compete to succeed him." sl-dm/sls/dwo Edwin Bearss, a former chief historian of the National Park Service and an authority on the Civil War who was instrumental in preserving battlefields and artifacts and developed a loyal following for his tours and dramatic recitations at Civil War sites, died Sept. 15 at an assisted-living facility in Richland, Miss. He was 97. He had a heart attack recently, said his daughter, Jenny Bearss. Bearss (rhymes with "farce") developed a fascination with military history while growing up on a Montana ranch a few miles from the Little Bighorn Battlefield, where Lakota and Cheyenne warriors killed Gen. George Armstrong Custer and his soldiers in 1876. He had a master's degree in history, wrote dozens of books and pamphlets during his 40 years with the Park Service and was a memorable on-screen commentator in Ken Burns's 1990 documentary series on the Civil War. That year, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James McPherson described Bearss as "a national historic treasure who probably knows more about the Civil War than any man alive." For Bearss, the life of an academic historian held little appeal. A week after joining the Park Service in 1955, in Vicksburg, Miss., he began to lead tours - and kept leading them, in one form or another, for the next 64 years. "My classroom is thousands of acres," he told The Washington Times 1992. "I have thousands of students of all ages and expertise. I can't see being confined to a single room." He preferred to stride a battlefield on foot, observing the slope of hills, the presence of trees, buildings, rivers and rocks. He visited the scene of every major battle of the Civil War and those of other wars, from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 to conflicts in the West between American Indians and White soldiers and settlers. "The terrain," Bearss told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 2010, "pretty well dictates who's going to win and who's going to lose, who's going to die and who's going to live." On his tours, he walked quickly, carrying a military swagger stick in his hand. He spoke without notes, sometimes for hours on end, with the booming voice and dramatic flair of an actor. He often closed his eyes while talking, as if to peer more deeply into the past. During Bearss's frequent visits to the battlefield in Gettysburg, Pa., it was not unusual for casual tourists to become enthralled until he was surrounded by a crowd of 500 or more. The flavor of his narrative style was captured by the Times-Dispatch in 2010, when Bearss was visiting Virginia's Spotsylvania County and describing the scene after the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864: "So, as darkness closes in on the evening of the 7th down at the intersection of the Brock and Plank roads, where the ground fires are still burning from the previous day and you have the blackened corpses of soldiers . . . and the Union army comes to the crossroads and the men who have heretofore done the dying and the suffering know they are not turning back. They are going on. The Confederates will be correspondingly discouraged." In the 1950s and 1960s, he led efforts to raise the Union gunboat USS Cairo from Mississippi's Yazoo River, where it sank in 1862. He was an early advocate for preserving historic battlefields and buildings in danger of destruction and redevelopment, and was a member of the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission. Bearss was transferred to Washington with the Park Service in 1966 and was its chief historian from 1981 to 1994. In addition to his Civil War tours and books - his three-volume study of the Vicksburg Campaign is scheduled to be republished soon - he helped establish presidential libraries and historic sites. He spoke to members of Congress about the importance of historic preservation. Over the years, Bearss became something of a cult figure among professional and amateur historians of the Civil War. Many people, dubbed the "Bearss Brigade," attended dozens of his tours, some of which lasted a week or longer. Long after he retired from the Park Service in 1995, he continued to lead commercial tours for the Smithsonian Associates and other organizations and to speak at Civil War Round Tables, a nationwide network of meetings for people interested in the war's history. "You've got to be interesting," Bearss told The Washington Times. "If you're boring, they won't get out. You have to make them want to hear what you've got to say. . . . You have to make them live it." Edwin Cole Bearss was born June 26, 1923, in Billings, Mont., and grew up on a ranch near Hardin, Mont. He rode a horse to school. "I got interested in the Civil War in the seventh grade," Bearss told Smithsonian magazine in 1995. "My father was a Marine in World War I. He liked to read aloud, war books. Then I got a biography of [Confederate Gen.] Jeb Stuart and that was it." He gave cattle on the ranch names derived from Civil War generals and battles. After high school, Bearss toured battlefields before enlisting the Marine Corps in 1942. He fought in the battle of Guadalcanal in the Pacific, and then, on Jan. 2, 1944, was wounded by machine-gun fire during a battle at Cape Gloucester on the Pacific island of New Britain. He was struck the left arm, right shoulder, buttocks and left heel, spent more than two years in treatment at military hospitals, and never regained the full use of his left hand. "We romanticize war when we're not actually fighting one," he told The Washington Post in 1988. During his convalescence, Bearss read deeply about the Civil War, and then used the G.I. Bill to study at Georgetown University, graduating in 1949 from its foreign service program. He spent three years as a civilian employee of the Navy. While touring a historic site in Tennessee, Bearss was so impressed by his National Park Service guide that he asked how he could apply for a job. He received a master's degree in history from Indiana University in 1955, and then joined the Park Service as a historian. He lived in Arlington, Va., for many years before moving to Mississippi shortly before his death. His wife of 48 years, the former Margie Riddle, also a Civil War historian and preservationist, died in 2006. A daughter, Sara Beth Bearss, died in 2012. Survivors include two children, Edwin C. Bearss Jr. of Ellerslie, Ga., and Jenny Bearss of Brandon, Miss.; a brother; three grandsons; and four great-grandsons. In later years, Bearss expanded his historic portfolio to Europe, leading groups on tours of battlefields from World War I and World War II, speaking with the same erudition and fire that he brought to his talks about the Civil War. He led his final tour, of historic sites near Richmond, in November 2019. "I think," he told The Associated Press in 2003, "people want to walk on the ground that has been consecrated in blood." Former President Jerry John Rawlings, the Agbotui and allied families have been receiving visitors and messages of commiseration following the demise last Thursday of Madam Victoria Agbotui, mother of His Excellency. On Wednesday, a large government delegation led by Vice President Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, called on the bereaved family to commiserate with them over the loss. Vice-President Bawumia in sympathizing with the former President, noted that though he knew him as a tough man, the loss of a mother was a difficult situation for every offspring. The Vice-President who represented the President, was accompanied by the Chief of Staff, Madam Frema Osei Opare, Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, Energy Minister, John Peter Amewu, Deputy Minister for Information, Pius Hadzide, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Perry Okudjeto, Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Elizabeth Sackey, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Anthony Karbo, NPP National Organiser, Sammy Awuku, Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon and a host of other senior officials. National Democratic Congress Earlier on Friday September 25, a high-powered delegation from the National Democratic Congress led by the partys flagbearer, former President John Dramani Mahama, called on the former President and his family to commiserate with them over the loss of Madam Agbotui. Former President Mahama in paying tribute to Madam Agbotui said, Mama was always available to give wise counsel whenever the opportunity availed itself. He said though Mama was a centenarian, she was the kind of person one would assume would live forever. Members of the delegation included Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Vice Chairman of the NDC Council of Elders, National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Executives and leading members of the party. National Chief Imam National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu accompanied by a delegation of Muslim Chiefs also called on the former President on Tuesday. Sheikh Sharabatu in mourning the loss of Madam Agbotui, said the loss reminded him of the significant contributions his son, former President Rawlings had made to the development and unity not only of the Muslim community but the country at large. The Chief Imam in consoling the bereaved said Madam Agbotui was in a good place and urged the family to remain strong. On Monday, a delegation from the NDC parliamentary caucus led by Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu and Second Deputy Speaker Alban Bagbin, also called on the former President and his family to express their condolences. The Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Imane Quaadil also called on the former President and his family on Wednesday to express the condolences of the Kingdom of Morocco to the bereaved family. Ambassador Daniel Abodakpi, Stoolfather of Anlo State, expressed the gratitude of the former President and his family for the show of solidarity from the Kingdom of Morocco and gave the ambassador details of the funeral. The Agbotui and allied families have meanwhile confirmed Saturday October 24 as the date of the funeral. There will be a burial service at the Forecourt of the State House after which the body will be conveyed to Dzelukope for interment. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Property owners in East Baton Rouge Parish will get a tax break this year after the parish school system inadvertently waited too long to decide whether to keep the rates where they were. That means school property tax millages in the parish will shrink from 43.45 to 41.25 mills when tax bills are sent out later this year. Thats a $15 break for a home assessed at $150,000 and a $35 break for a home assessed at $250,000. The property tax is subject to Louisianas homestead exemption, so the first $75,000 in value on the home is not taxed. The lowered tax rate means the school system is forgoing an estimated $9.2 million in additional property tax revenue this year. Thats money some school officials were banking on to offset an expected 8% decline in sales tax revenue thanks to the coronavirus outbreak, as well as shrinking state funding due to lower enrollment. The property tax reduction could lead to cutbacks in educational services for public schoolchildren in the parish. The tax break, however, will also ease the tax burden of property owners in the parish, many of whom are also struggling economically thanks to the pandemic. Every four years in Louisiana, including this year, local assessors reassess the value of property in their parishes. Once that reassessment is finished, local governments decide whether to lower the property tax rates (roll back) or keep the rates at their current levels (roll forward) and reap the benefits of higher property values. East Baton Rouge School Board votes to 'roll forward' property tax millages, reaping additional $5 million The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday agreed to maintain property tax rates at current levels, resulting in an estimated $5 mil In 2016, the last reassessment year, the School Board voted to roll forward millages and was expected to do so again this year. But when the item came up at the Sept. 17 board meeting, the board got stuck on dueling interpretations of state law: If the board lowered those rates now, would it be able to roll them forward a year from now, or would it have to wait four years to do so? The board opted to delay a vote, with the idea the legal issue could be clarified in the meantime. It turned out to be a fateful decision. Votes on rolling forward millages require 30 days of advance public notice in the form of paying for an advertisement in the local journal, in this case The Advocate. A delay meant the board couldnt consider the issue again until late October at earliest. Kelly Lopez, the chief financial adviser for the school system, was clearly unhappy with the delay and worried about the tight timetable. The reassessment process was not finished until early August, longer than it has in years past, leaving less time to set millage rates. But when questioned on Sept. 17, Lopez suggested the board had until the end of October to have a final vote. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Why East Baton Rouge property owners will get a little tax help, thanks to BREC Property owners in East Baton Rouge Parish will receive some relief on their tax bills after the city-parish's parks and recreation system opt So were clear that we do have time if we defer it? asked board member Mark Bellue before the vote to delay a month. Were going to try. Im going to call the Legislative Auditor tomorrow, Lopez responded. Millage is tricky. There are a lot of rules, she added. The next morning, Sept. 18, Lopez called both the parish Assessors office and the Legislative Auditors office and got some bad news: She shared that news later that morning in an email to School Board members. We will be unable to have another vote due to the timing issue, Lopez wrote. It turns out, the board had far less time than Lopez indicated the night before. The Assessors office must have all information, approved by the Legislative Auditors office, by the second week in October, she wrote. Because of their timeline, we would not have 30 days to complete the entire process. She said the loss in additional property tax revenue will affect both the current 2020-21 fiscal year, as well as the 2021-22 fiscal year, which starts July 1. Here's why East Baton Rouge Parish is delaying the school tax vote for another month The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board will wait a month before setting property tax rates for this year while it clarifies whether lowering Lopez, however, was able to get an answer to the legal dispute that tripped up the board the night before. Per the Legislative Auditor, we can roll forward the millages for the 2022 calendar year, Lopez said. That means the board can restore millage rates to 43.45 mills a year from now and wont have to wait until 2024, as school system attorneys had suggested. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during the first presidential debate Tuesday in Cleveland. Read more Bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things. So said President Donald Trump near the end of an ugly presidential debate Tuesday night. Trump also referenced the Proud Boys, a far-right group with a visible presence in Philadelphia, as he again refused to clearly condemn white supremacists. The comment about bad things (coming soon to a Philly T-shirt near you) came as Trump sought to sow doubt about the integrity of Novembers election, baselessly claiming there is a threat of widespread fraud while citing two examples from Pennsylvania as evidence. In both cases, he misled viewers or exaggerated his claims. Philly came first. I am urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully, because thats what has to happen. I am urging them to do it, Trump said late in the first debate between he and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Today there was a big problem in Philadelphia. They went in to watch, theyre theyre called poll watchers, a very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out, they werent allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things. In fact, the Trump campaign has no certified poll watchers yet in Philadelphia. And people were turned away not from traditional polling places where poll watchers are able to monitor proceedings as voters cast ballots on Election Day, but from newly opened satellite elections offices. Voters can use the satellite offices to request and return mail ballots, as they would at their regular county election offices. Heres what The Inquirer reported hours before the debate: There were several reasons none is corruption why elections staff did not allow members of the public to arbitrarily enter their offices. The Trump campaign has no poll watchers approved to work in Philadelphia at the moment. There are no actual polling places open in the city right now. And elections officials are following coronavirus safety regulations, such as those limiting the number of people indoors. ... Poll watchers dont have the same rights at such locations as they do at traditional polling places on Election Day, officials said. We dont give someone a poll watcher certificate to watch somebody fill out their ballot at their kitchen table, said Al Schmidt, a Republican and one of the city commissioners, who run elections. - The Philadelphia Inquirer The criticism of Philadelphia was part of an extended attack on mail voting, an attack almost entirely consisting of lies, distortions and exaggerations. Election fraud of all kinds, including through mail voting, is exceedingly rare far below even 1% of votes cast in states that already vote almost entirely by mail, according to multiple studies. As part of the same critique of mail voting, Trump also pointed to an issue the Justice Department emphasized in highly unusual fashion last week in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where officials found nine military mail-in ballots in the trash in Luzerne County. Seven were cast for Trump, while the other two were resealed in envelopes and investigators dont know their votes. They found ballots in a wastepaper basket three days ago they all had the name Trump on them," the president said Tuesday night. "You think thats good? Left unmentioned was that Luzerne County is a Republican-controlled county. Election officials in Luzerne have said the ballots were incorrectly discarded by a temporary contractor just days into the job, and that no one knew who the votes were for until the DOJ revealed that. The contractor was dismissed, workers searched through three days of trash to find the ballots, and county officials reported the incident to law enforcement. More than 6 million votes were cast in Pennsylvania in the last presidential election, and experts expect even higher turnout this time. Nevertheless, The White House and Trumps Justice Department have tried pushed the incident to the forefront, with federal officials taking the highly unusual step of announcing their investigation before they reach conclusions. Its also unusual, legal experts have said, to announce who the votes were for. As the Associated Press reported: It was Trump, after being briefed on the case by Attorney General William Barr, who first revealed publicly that the discarded ballots had been cast for him. He did so in an interview earlier Thursday with Fox News Radio in which he used the investigation to further sow doubt about mail-in voting. The radio interview was hours before the U.S. attorneys office in Pennsylvania issued its news release about the probe to reporters. - The Associated Press On the issue of white supremacists, when moderator Chris Wallace pressed Trump to speak out against far-right extremists. Are you willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand to down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities? Wallace asked. Sure, Im willing to do that, Trump said, quickly adding, I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. I want to see peace. Pushed by Wallace to be more specific, Trump asked for the name of a group. Biden named the Proud Boys. The Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, Trump said before immediately pivoting again. Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left wing problem. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified to Congress this month that white supremacist groups account for the majority of domestic terror threats. Wray also said Antifa, a loose far left movement, is an ideology more than a formal organization. Proud Boys immediately rejoiced on the social media app Telegram. The group cropped the phrase Stand Back, Stand By onto their logo and the Philadelphia chapter shared an edited photo of Trump wearing a Proud Boys polo shirt, captioned with, Stand by boys... Staff writers Jonathan Lai and Ellie Rushing contributed to this article. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The expenses incurred by Vodafone Idea on brand change and marketing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket tournament at a time when the telecom firm is incurring losses came up for scrutiny at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 30. Earlier this month, Vodafone Idea rebranded itself as Vi and since then the new logo and the new campaign has been all over television. In fact, Vodafone Idea had announced that from September 7 onwards, Vi ads will be on TV and digital platforms, followed by a high-decibel intensive multi-media campaign. And it's no secret that advertising on TV doesn't come cheap. Ads on popular channels, especially from the Hindi GEC category, can cost an advertiser anywhere around Rs 3.5 lakh and more for a 10-second slot depending on the popularity of the show. Along with marketing cost, there is significant cost involved in rebranding. Experts say that rebranding is an expensive affair. A look at some examples will tell us why rebranding comes at a high cost. When Snapdeal in 2016 had revealed its new brand identity, the company had spent Rs 200 crore for rebranding. Airtel in 2010 had spent around Rs 340 crore for a new corporate identity - a new logo. When Hero parted ways with Honda, it spent around Rs 175 crore in May 2011 for a new brand identity - Hero MotoCorp. Experts say the cost is high for rebranding because companies have to pay for everything. This includes cost of consultants and market researchers, who test whether the rebranding move is a good idea. Then comes the actual implementation, which includes signage on buildings, change of company letterheads, websites and name tags. But Vodafone Idea is not just spending on rebranding and to market the new brand on TV, it is also spending on IPL 2020. As a merged entity and with a new brand identity, Vodafone Idea as Vi is the co-presenting sponsor of IPL 2020. A co-presenting sponsorship deal doesn't come at a low cost. In fact, for such a deal, media experts say, the rate quoted is around Rs 2 crore per game during the IPL. For this year with 56 matches, the overall co-presenting sponsorship deal is likely to be around Rs 112 crore. Also, a co-presenting sponsor gets ad slot of around 180 seconds per game. While Vodafone was lying low in the last two years during the IPL in terms of ad spends, the telecom company is known to spend around 20-30 percent of its annual marketing budget on the IPL. In fact, a Pitch Madison Report 2018 estimates Vodafones ad spend during the IPL at around Rs 200-300 crore. Industry insiders estimate that Vodafone Idea is likely to spend around Rs 800 crore in ad spends in FY21. Out of the Rs 800 crore, the company is estimated to spend Rs 130 crore during the IPL and the rest Rs 670 crore on branding, promotions, and campaigns. During the AGM, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, which owns Vodafone Idea with Vodafone Plc, said "with the new brand we are geared to capture customer mindspace". Even experts pointed out that Vodafone Idea's focus this financial year is to first control the fall in subscriber base and then through marketing attract new customers to the new brand. MIAMI, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LatinFinance has revealed the winners of its 2020 Project & Infrastructure Finance Awards. The Project & Infrastructure Finance Awards recognize the most impressive transactions and institutions in an area that is crucial to the economic progress of Latin America and the Caribbean. The winners are determined by LatinFinance's editorial staff based on an exhaustive selection process. The announcement of this year's winners followed LatinFinance's 5th Project & Infrastructure Finance Summit. Leading project sponsors, infrastructure investors, financiers and regulators in Latin American and the Caribbean convened for a series of virtual discussions on the big themes impacting the region's project and infrastructure finance marketplace. The full list of winners can be found in the Q3.2020 edition of LatinFinance magazine. For more information about the selection process and the winning deals and institutions, visit www.latinfinance.com/pifawards. Winning transactions and institutions Click a winning transaction or institution to read more about it. Loan of the Year and Infrastructure Financing of the Year-Brazil LD Celulose Bond of the Year MV24 Capital B.V. FPSO project bond Infrastructure Financing of the Year-Andes Ergon Peru Infrastructure Financing of the Year-Caribbean Trans-Jamaican Highway Infrastructure Financing of the Year-Central America Energia del Pacifico Infrastructure Financing of the Year-Mexico Ca-Ku-A1 Gas Compression Project Infrastructure Financing of the Year-Southern Cone Rutas 2 & 7 Government of Paraguay Project Sponsor of the Year China Harbour Engineering Company led consortium Infrastructure Bank of the Year-Brazil Banco Santander Infrastructure Bank of the Year-Mexico MUFG Infrastructure Bank of the Year-Latin America SMBC Infrastructure Law Firm-Brazil Stocche Forbes Advogados Infrastructure Law Firm of the Year-Mexico Ritch Mueller Infrastructure Law Firm of the Year-Latin America White & Case Upcoming award nominations Submit nominations for the 2020 Deals of the Year Awards from October 5 to October 18, 2020. Learn more at www.latinfinance.com/dealsoftheyear. Sign up to be notified when nominations for the 2021 Project & Infrastructure Finance Awards, Banks of the Year Awards and Deals of the Year Awards open at www.latinfinance.com/awardalerts. About LatinFinance LatinFinance is the leading global platform providing intelligence on the financial markets and economies of Latin America and the Caribbean. Drawing on 30 years of editorial excellence, its English-language publications deliver high-value information to an international readership of companies, governments, financiers and investors, while its events convene those communities for high-level networking forums focused on the dynamics of those markets, by geography and sector. Media contact: Richard Iurilli, [email protected] SOURCE LatinFinance Related Links https://www.latinfinance.com US Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to issue her thoughts on Donald Trump following Tuesday night's debate, and she did not tip-toe around her criticism. "Donald Trump is a white supremacist," she wrote. Ms Ocasio-Cortez said that though the signs were always there, those who accused him of white supremacist sympathies in the past were ostracised. People have been warning about this for a long time. They were ridiculed, called hyperbolic & radical - not bc they were wrong, but bc others couldnt accept that our country elected a supremacist as President," she wrote. "This is fascism at our door. She wrote her comment on a retweet of a video clip from the debate in which Mr Trump is asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he will condemn white supremacists and militia groups. In the clip, Mr Trump answers by trying to pin violent escalation on left-wing activists, like Black Lives Matter and anti-fascists. He also tells the Proud Boys, an SPLC-designated hate group that incites violence at left-wing rallies, to "stand back and stand by." Tuesday night was not the first time Ms Ocasio-Cortez suggested the president held fundamentally racist beliefs. During a 60 Minutes interview with Ms Ocasio-Cortez in 2019, she was asked "do you believe President Trump is a racist?" She answered, without hesitation. "Yeah. Yeah. No question," she said. Mr Trump has failed to distance himself from white supremacist ideology during his time in office. While he recently signed an executive order naming the Ku Klux Klan a terror organisation, he only did so while also naming antifa a terror organisation. During the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally during which white conservatives marched with torches and chanted "Jews will not replace us" - a rally that resulted in the death of left-wing activist Heather Heyer at the hands of a right-wing protester - Mr Trump assured the public that there were "good people" on "both sides." Since his statements during the debate, some Proud Boys have made a meme out of Mr Trump's words, and appear to view his answer as an endorsement of their activity. MBABANE The teacher who demanded his lobola cattle back after he discovered that the woman he had married lied that she was a virgin, has won the case. Judge Mumcy Dlamini ordered Ruth Thembisile Sibiya and her mother Elizabeth Ntombizodwa Sibiya nee Mahlalela to return a herd of nine cattle to Swartz Manyeva Dlamini. The court said two of the cattle were as progeny. Swartz wanted the court to direct Ruth and her mother to bring back 24 cattle being the progeny from May 1998 to the date of the issuing of the summons against them. He alternatively wanted the court to direct the duo to pay him a sum of E22 500 in lieu of the cows, or E60 000 in lieu of the 24 cattle being the progeny of the nine cows. Evidence Judge Dlamini said there was disparity between the number of cattle delivered as bride price (lobola). The court said it found on the plaintiffs (Swartz) witness evidence that only a herd of seven cattle were delivered and not nine The court said the question for determination was whether the plaintiff (Swartz) was entitled in law to have the lobola returned. Judge Dlamini highlighted that she was greatly assisted by the assessors to arrive at the decision in this matter. She said the defendants (Ruth and her mother) conceded that they were not entitled to the lobola. The court said they had no right to lay a claim to it. Now the question is, why did the defendants accept dowry in the face of their position as inferred from their cross examination, that the plaintiff ought to have not paid dowry for a maiden such as the second defendant (Ruth)? asked Judge Dlamini. The court said the answer was only privy to them. Judge Dlamini stated that in the eyes of the law, the defendants were not entitled to receive lobola as Ruth remained not married to Swartz in terms of Swazi Law and Custom. The court ruled that the defendants, should return the cattle to Swartz. In his application, Swartz submitted that Ruth lied that her gaining weight was due to excitement about the marriage. He informed the court that she did this with the full knowledge that she was impregnated by another man. According to the plaintiff, since the date of their marriage Ruth claimed that she was a virgin while she knew that she was being economical with the truth. He mentioned that during their wedding day, after the service and refreshments, they went to take photos as it was always done. Swartz highlighted that during the process, he picked her up to pose for the photo-shoot but felt she was very heavy for her structure and size. He said he was forced to put her down. After taking photos that same day, we got ready for a trip to Cape Town for our honeymoon. We booked in a hotel; where my excitement turned out to be a misery. As my wife was taking off her clothes, I noticed something and asked her what was wrong with her stomach, as it seemed big, submitted the plaintiff. Student Meanwhile in her papers, Ruth narrated that, when the relationship between her and Swartz started, she was young and was his (Swartz) student at Ndzingeni High School. She told the court that although she later changed schools, Swartz persistently asked her to marry him to an extent that he involved her father. After I completed school in 1995, Swartz, who was far older than me, insisted that we get married, but I refused to marry him since I wanted to pursue my studies, submitted the defendant (Ruth). She continued to mention that at the beginning of 1998, she fell in love with one of his peers, Themba Thwala, and since she was at the university, it was difficult for her parents to know about this. Ruth alleged that it was difficult to tell Swartz that she had a change of heart about him. The defendant also pointed out that when Swartz and his family brought the lobola in September 1998, her mother did not know that she was pregnant with Thwalas child. Ruths mother was cited as the second defendant in the matter as she was reported to have vouched for her that she was a virgin. The defendant further claimed that, Swartz agreed that they should not have sex until after their marriage. I averred that the plaintiff was eager to marry me such that he suggested that he should pay dowry to my family to enable them to cater for the wedding using the proceeds, submitted Ruth. She averred that as a result, on or during September 1998, at his own volition, Swartz gave her family a herd of seven cattle as lobola. According to Ruth, the seven cattle were slaughtered by consent and the meat was enjoyed by the guests who had attended. The guests, were as per Swazi law and custom, accompanied by Swartz. She allegedly also told him (Swartz) that the reason was that she had long wanted to get married and that she could not believe that it was really happening. Swartz was represented by Nozwakazi Gwiji of NE Gwiji Attorneys while appearing for the defendants was Nonto Sukati of Sukati-Msibi Attorneys. Alarming audio from a stricken air tanker which collided with a military fighter jet in California reveals how the crew reported having 'two engines out... we're leaking fuel, and likely on fire.' The crew of the KC-130J tanker declared a mid-air emergency to LA flight controllers who asked them to confirm that they were 'going down now' after a refueling operation went wrong. The tanker was forced into an emergency landing after hitting an F-3B military fighter jet, which crashed near the Salton Sea on Tuesday afternoon after the fighter pilot had parachuted to safety. The tanker came down in a field but the eight crew members all escaped unhurt, while the F-35B pilot is being treated for injuries after ejecting from his plane. A F-35B fighter jet (circled in stock image) crashed near the Salton Sea in southern California on Tuesday afternoon after colliding with a KC-130J tanker during a refueling (pictured) operation The audio recording posted on LiveATC reveals how the tanker, flying with the callsign RAIDER 50, raised the alarm with the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center in Palmdale, California. 'LA Center, LA Center, RAIDER 50 declaring an emergency, midair collision with VOLT 93,' the transmission said. 'We have two engines out, we're leaking fuel, and likely on fire, and in emergency descent at this time. RAIDER 50.' Responding to the emergency, a controller asked the crew to confirm their military operations area, adding: 'You said you were going down now?'. The RAIDER crew replied: 'We declare an emergency. We still have partial control of the aircraft. Two engines out. We are aiming towards, uh' - before the transmission from the the tanker cuts out. The LA controllers then try to make contact again, while another voice reports a 'plume of black smoke' from the time that the emergency was reported. Another person says that the impact was 'prior to his last transmission', suggesting the smoke was not from the moment the tanker hit a field. LA Center then appears to re-establish contact with the RAIDER before the tanker comes to ground, although its crew could not be heard before the recording cut out. The tanker (pictured on Tuesday) was forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Thermal, California, just east of the airport. All eight crew members on board were unharmed #BREAKING A plane made an emergency landing in a farm field in Thermal just East if the airport. Early reports of 8 on board. It reportedly clipped another plane mid-air. We are live in scene wirh the early details. @KESQ pic.twitter.com/b4rDWJgoat Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) September 30, 2020 The F-35B combat jet (stock image) was reported to have 'disintegrated' after crashing into the ground The US Marine Corps confirmed the collision occurred during a refueling operation, during which a tanker transfers fuel to a receiver mid air, allowing it to remain airborne for a longer period of time. At around 4pm local time, 'an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the F-35B. The pilot of the F-35B ejected successfully and is currently being treated,' The USMC said in a statement. 'The KC-130J is on deck in the vicinity of Thermal Airport. All crew members of the KC-130J have been reported safe. The official cause of the crash is currently under investigation.' Details on the pilot's condition and the extent of his injuries were not immediately released. Eye witnesses took to Twitter to report seeing the pilot parachuting out of the fighter jet before hitting the ground. Footage shared on social media showed the jet bursting into flames upon impact The KC-130J was able to make an emergency landing in a field near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal, California One user described the F-35 fighter aircraft as being 'fully engulfed' in flames by the time it impacted the ground. First responders on the ground also reported that the jet 'disintegrated' after bursting into flames. A Blackhawk helicopter was deployed to the scene in search of survivors, according to reports. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II The family of American-made stealth fighter jets has three different variants within the US military. F-35A (US AIR FORCE) The F-35A was officially introduced into the US Air Force in 2016. It is the smallest of the three types and uses conventional takeoff and landing methods. F-35B (US MARINE CORPS) The F-35B was brought into service by the USMC in July 2015. It uses short take-off and vertical landing and does not have a landing hook. F-35C (US NAVY) The F-35C entered service with US Navy in 2019. Its wings are larger than that of the F-35A and it is designed for catalpult-assisted takeoff. Advertisement Meanwhile, the KC-130, used to transport military equipment including helicopters, landed safely in a field near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal, California. Both aircraft were stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, an official said. Imperial County is located about two hours drive east of San Diego. The family of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth multirole combat jets, one oft the most expensive in the world, have been plagued with issues and have suffered multiple crashes over the years. Most recently in May, an Air Force F-35A belonging to the 58th Fighter Squadron crashed while landing at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The pilot survived after ejecting safely. Almost exactly two years ago on September 28, 2018, an F-35B crashed outside the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. The pilot, again, managed to eject safely. The cause of the accident was determined to be from a faulty fuel tube, prompting officials to ground all F-35s to inspect the fleet on October 11. They were returned to flight status the following day. In April 2019, a Japanese F-35A from the Misawa air base crashed off the coast of Japan during a training operation. The pilot, Major Akinori Hosomi, had disappeared during the mission and was later found to had crashed in the Pacific Ocean. The F-35s were first introduced to the US Military in 2015, with the first F-35B entering the US Marine Corp in July that year. The aircraft has three different variants, including the F-35A, used by the US Air Force, that uses conventional takeoff and landing, the F-35B, which has a short take-off and vertical landing, and the F-35C, used by the US Navy, that is designed for catalpult-assisted takeoff. The former fashion model, 50, recalled Donald Trumps announcement in 1999 on the Larry King Live show that he was considering running for office. Speaking to Tatler, Mrs Trump said they had known then that the time was not right. She told the publication: We knew it wasnt the time. But I did know that if and when he ran, he would win. Mrs Trump also highlighted measures against addiction as the achievement of her husbands presidency she was most proud of. She said: We have to take away the stigma and shame that comes with addiction and treat it as an illness. Im proud of the strides and results this administration has made, resulting in saved lives. Mrs Trump, who was born Melanija Knavs in 1970 in the Slovenian industrial town of Sevnica, said her childhood and subsequent years living across Europe had led to the position of US first lady. Advertisement She said: Growing up in Slovenia, living in both Milan and Paris at a young age, then moving to the United States and living in New York City in my 20s all of that has led to my serving our great nation as first lady. I grew up with a beautiful family and had a wonderful childhood. My mother and father taught us the importance of education, hard work and family. Speaking about where her life experiences had left her, she said: I can tell you that I believe in free market capitalism. The former model met Mr Trump in 1998 and they married 2005. They have a 14-year-old son named Barron. See the full feature in the November issue of Tatler available now. In the last five months, about 100 Chadian soldiers and innocent people have been killed in deadly attacks by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad region. Niger: On Sunday August 9,2020, the Islamic States province in the Sahel, known as Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS), was suspected of killing six French NGO workers, their Nigerien guide, and one other Nigerien citizen. The victims were on safari near Niamey, Niger in a village where many experts take day trips to see the Sahels only remaining wild giraffes. The workers were captured and later summarily executed by gunshot, while one woman was found with her throat slit. Not only did these victims lose their lives, but any hopes for Nigers tourism industry to revive after COVID-19 were also dashed. Mozambique; Since, October 2017, 7OO civilian have been killed in attacks at times claimed by the Islamic State armed group or other militants who have joined a homegrown group called either Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama or Ansar al-Sunna (meaning supporters of tradition). On Tuesday March 24, 2020, A terrorist organization in Mozambique, allegedly allied to ISIS, ransacked the strategic port city of Mocimboa da Praia, killed and injured dozens of soldiers and police officers. The group is often called locally Al-Shabaab, but it has no practical connection to the Somali rebel organization. the ISIS-affiliated extremist group Ansar al-Sunna has spearheaded an insurgency in Mozambiques northern province of Cabo Delgado. The group now launches more than 20 attacks every month in an insurgency that covers nine major towns and districts along the Cabo Delgado coast. A terrorist attack on one country is an attack on humanity as a whole. All nations of the world must work together to Identify the perpetrators and bring them to Justice. . Attacks can occur anywhere in the world, usually with little or no warning. There are fears of more attacks? The Boko Haram, or Islamic states; (IS), terrorists of any kind should never be allowed to rest. Fatefully, as we are learning with COVID-19, containment alone is not a winning strategy against terrorists like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and its affiliates. We the Muslims against terror wish to notify the Nigerian president Muhammad Buhari that; Terrorism has become a global burden, theres no miracle drug for stopping terrorism, terrorism is like a serious disease, controllable but not curable The Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari should continue to pursue terrorists and fight terrorism like we are now fighting the coronavirus: relentlessly, creatively, and coherently. We thank the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari for joining forces with African leaders in tackling the challenges the region faces in the war against insecurity and terror in the region. We Muslims against terror wish to notify the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerian citizens that the Islamic Boko Haram who has been fighting to create an Islamic caliphate based in Nigeria since it began its insurgency a decade ago has been defeated by President Muhammadu Buhari but he is now fighting a Political Boko Haram in Nigeria. The activities of these Political Boko Haram have ranked Nigeria the third terrorism most impacted country in the world by the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) in 2020. Our advice to Nigeria nation is: The Nigeria nation should please know that; these Political Boko Haramare not fighting because of any religion. They just wage war against Nigeria, Christians, Muslims, Judaism and its democracy and that is why we urge people of the area to remain law abiding and support security agencies with useful information to help in restoring peace and stability in the area and come together to assist the security agencies; Army, DSS, Police, JTF to fight and end the Insurgents in Nigeria. We all have to be together in this fight, as the promotion of international peace and security is our common responsibility. The freedoms have to be defended everywhere. For better or worse, the world has become a global village. What happens in one country reverberates all over. Let us join hands to make the world a better place for our children. We the Muslims against terror are committed to helping the Nigerian government at all levels to bring peace in Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world. Whatever we can do, as long as it is not against Islam. We condemn and oppose all aggression on human life, freedom, and dignity anywhere in the world. As Muslims, we condemn terrorism and all its forms and manifestations. We the Muslims against terror, intelligence security reported show that the North-West is bedevilled with resurgence of armed banditry, cattle rustling & kidnappings. North-East has since become Boko Haram/ISWAP enclave, while the North-Central is the breeding ground of conflict between farmers/herders, ethic militias and rampaging Fulani gun men. Other regions across the country has its own share of insecurity, though on a different scale and proportion. The movement of herdsmen and subsequent clashes with farmers and host communities in recent times has heightened insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the North Central region and by extension in other parts of the country. The mass killings of innocent people and destruction of properties by armed bandits, Gunmen, armedHeadsman, should not be allowed to inflict such pain and then have their actions be allowed to divide their victims along religious and ethnic lines. Furthermore, it is alleged that some of the Fulani militiamen migrated from other countries in west Africa to carry out the attack in Nigeria, due to a shared ethnicity that is present in several other countries across the sub-region. The attacks carried out by armed bandits, Gunmen, armed Headsman, on some communities in the North and South have been another major insecurity challenge facing the country, these clashes are becoming as potentially dangerous as the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east Nigeria. The Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari should tackle the activities of armed Bandits, Gunmen, armedHeadsman, which had led to loss of lives and properties in the country especially in the Northern part of Nigeria. In the preceding weeks and months, we had witnessed horrific spate of violence perpetrated by Armed bandits, Gunmen, Armed Headsman, In terms of perpetrators of the violence, our report states that about 1,068 persons were killed by suspected armed bandits, 73 by armed herdsmen between January and August this year (2020), in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto states, etc. and Nigeria Mourn. The recent attack of armed bandit was on Saturday 12 September, 2020 when gunmen suspected to be armed bandits have killed a 33-year-old operative of the Department of State Services, Sadiq Abdullahi, who worked with the intelligence department of the service in Abuja, was kidnapped alongside his four-year-old son at his residence behind Federal Secretariat in Katsina metropolis. He has been buried according to Islamic rights. On Thursday 17 September 2020, two police officers were killed when some 100 gunmen attacked and overran a police base in Nigeria's north-western Sokoto state. The gunmen, disguised in military uniforms, struck a police base in the Tangaza local government area around 1 a.m. local time. A divisional police officer and an inspector there were overpowered and killed, and their firearms confiscated. The suspects also abducted two women believed to be wives of prominent businessmen in the area. Also, two officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were Monday 14 September, 2020, confirmed dead and 10 others missing after gunmen attacked two buses conveying 26 officials in Nasarawa State. Terrifying attacks on rural communities in the north of Nigeria have been going on for years, the killings, during attacks by armed bandits or armed Headsman, and in clashes between herders and farming communities for access to land, have been recurrent for several years. President Muhammadu Buhari government needed to do more to resolve and restore peace across the region. The ongoing failure of security forces to take sufficient steps to protect villagers from these predictable attacks is utterly shameful,. The President Muhammadu Buhari government and the security agencies has failed under the reign of Armed bandits, Gunmen, and Armed Headsman this alone had shown government's failure to protect lives and properties as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria. We urge the Nigerian citizens to be at alert and security conscious of your environment at all times. We the Muslims against terror hope to get rid of Armed bandits, Gunmen, Armed Headsman, and other criminal elements of, Boko Haram or Islamic states in Nigeria, but there are a lot of sabotage in the fight against insecurity which has contributed to the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari government to defeat it. It is necessary for the President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies to apprehend the true perpetrators of these crimes;( armed bandits, Gunmen, and armed Headsman), as well as those who aid and abet them through incitement, financing, or other support of Boko Haram or Islamic State for West AfricaProvince (ISWAP) or Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and affiliates to al-Qaeda terrorist organization in North-Eastern Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, etc. and the rest of the world. We the Muslims against terror wish to advise those Nigerians, particularly some Northern politicians who are sponsoring these criminal activities even the armed bandits, Gunmen, armed headsmen and Boko Haram or ISIS in Northern part of Nigeria. We described as the enemies of Nigeria and of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make the ruling party look incompetent in order to take over in the next general election. We the Muslims against terror, therefore recommended that the President Muhammadu Buharigovernment should declare war on armed bandits, Gunmen, armed Headsmen, and seek useful information from community leaders, state governors could support the fight against insecurity in the north and other parts. The crimes, killing, dispossession carried out by the terrorists Boko Haram or Islamic State for West Africa Province, armed bandits, Gunmen, armed Headsman,against civilians in Katsina, Borno, Plateau, Benue, Kaduna state, etc. in Nigeria, that have affected Christians, Muslims, in southern Kaduna, Borno, Katsina, and all other faiths and peoples in the northern Cameroon, Chad, Niger, north east Nigeria etc. and West Africa, violate the Quranic Teaching; that Anyone who kills a human being it shall be as though he has killed all of mankind, If any one saves a life, it shall be as though he has saved the lives of all mankind. These provide proof that Islam forbids killing of the innocent people (Holy Quran 5:32). Islam is the religion of Peace, love and total submission to the will of Almighty Allah (God). The Holy Quran tells Muslims to stand firmly for justice and against injustice. There actions Boko Haram or Islamic, armed bandits, Gunmen, armed Headsman, are to be denounced and are in no way representative of what Islam actually teaches! Also, the Quran states clearly, and remember we took your covenant (to this effect); Shed no blood amongst you nor turn out your own people from your homes; and this ye solemnly ratified, and to this ye can bear witness. After this it is ye, the same people, who slay among yourselves, and banish a party of you from their homes. Quran, 3:6415 Quran, 29:4616 Quran, 5:8217 Quran, 6:108. Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (PBUH). The Quran also states: say, We believe in God and the revelation given to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendent and that given to Moses, and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and it is to Him that we surrender ourselves (The Holy Quran 2:136). Islam does not encourage nor preach violence, killing; Islam encourages peace and peaceful co-existence with other religions for as long as those religions wish Islam same; Islam also encourages kindness and justice to every body irrespective of their religion. The failure or religious leaders to provide good examples as preached by their religion also has a serious and negative impact on inter-religion relation in Nigeria. When the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was in Makkah he was nicknamed Al-Amin (the trustworthy), by both Muslims and non-Muslims, because he was able to preach his religion more by his character than his words and this helped him secured more converts than through using force. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every faith has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty." The Prophet also said: "Modesty does not come into anything without adorning it." Quran (2:208): O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace [Islam]. Quran (6:108) And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge... The beloved Prophet (SAW) said You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love each other... spread the peace among each other" Jami at-Tirmidhi 1854: "O Mankind, spread peace and feed people..." The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is oppressed." The people asked, "It is right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet replied: "By preventing him from oppressing others." Sahih Al-Bukhari If our religious leaders (Muslims, Christians, Judaism etc.) in Nigeria and intellectuals could demonstrate the beauty of their religion to everybody within and outside their fold, it will go a long way to resolving this hostility. In response to the interview message released by a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, on Tuesday Aug 11, 2020, that the insurgents Boko Haram were in the Southern part of the country and were plotting to start a civil war in Nigeria by 2022. We Muslims against terror wish to advise Nigerian citizens that, the Boko Haram or Islamic State statement is a political propaganda boost. This was done because the Nigeria insurgency Boko Haram or Islamic State needed a boost, at a time when they are facing a coalition of African States, multinational joint task force attacking and killing them in operation total wipe-out of the insurgents Boko Haram or Islamic State in North-Eastern Nigeria. We the Muslims against terror are working very hard to ensure the security situation in every part of Nigeria improves very soon. As part of our efforts, we will soon declare operation scorpion 2 in South-south/East to assist Nigeria securities, (Army, DSS, Police etc.) to checkmate the movement of people and identify group members of Boko Haram or Islamic State in the region. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic period of heightened alert, it is vital to remain vigilant, we Muslims against terror will remain grateful to you for your prayers and support during this difficult time and honor the trust that you have placed in us to safeguard your information on security, and report possible terrorist activity of Boko Haram, or Islamic states; (IS), armed bandits, Gunmen, and armed Headsman to the Nigeria securities: police, Army, state security service (SSS), If you have any other questions about this, please dont hesitate to reach out to us directly via (SMS), email; options [email protected], [email protected], +234-8182712175 RECOMMENDATIONS. LAGOS, Nigeria, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The KC N901 Smart Helmet, developed by leading technology and innovation company KC Wearable, has been deployed at Africa's largest instant noodle manufacturing plant, as food manufacturing groups look to protect their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. KC Wearable has announced a partnership with Dufil Group, who are responsible for the production of Indomie, one of the world's most popular Mi Goreng instant noodle brands, as well as oil and pasta brands Power and MiniMie, to name a few. The KC N901 Smart Helmet will be used as a COVID-19 symptom detector, helping Dufil Group to protect staff at the factory. Nigeria has seen almost 57,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far. As new cases continue to emerge, interest the wearable thermal detection device has grown. The KC Smart Helmet allows users to screen multiple individuals for a key symptom of COVID-19 at once, helping to stop the spread of the virus. The helmet can detect fevers, the most prevalent symptom of the virus, with 96% accuracy. Unlike traditional static thermal cameras, the wearable headset improves the efficiency and flexibility of COVID-19 screening, enabling the user to freely move around an area. The helmet can scan up to 200 people a minute, making it well suited to public settings like transport hubs, hospitals or parks. The KC N901 Smart Helmet has been deployed at Dufil Group's food manufacturing plant in Nigeria, allowing the company to screen employees for high fevers upon entry. Working in collaboration with KC Wearable, Dufil Group have tailored the smart helmet to fit the requirements of a factory setting. This includes personalised detection, enabling security staff to isolate outbreaks. Powered by sophisticated augmented reality technology, the helmet visor's thermo-scan sensors show the temperature of people in real time. The helmet is effective within a five-metre radius, enabling the wearer to maintain social distancing at all time, and has the potential to link up to other data on COVID-19 tracking apps. The device stores all data itself with a 64GB internal memory. Beyond Nigeria, the helmet is also in use in more than 35 countries, including Indonesia, the UAE, Italy, Netherlands, Kuwait, Chile, Turkey and multiple African countries. KC Wearable has partnered with national authorities and major transport hubs such as airports, as well as schools and hospitals, to detect COVID-19 symptoms in a range of settings. Dr Jie Guo, Global Head of KC Wearable, said: "We are very pleased to be working with Dufil Group. The KC N901 Smart Helmet is helping to keep workers safe whilst enabling the factory to run as smoothly as possible during the pandemic. KC Wearable's mission from the outset has been to allow normal life to resume. Whilst we are still a long way off normality, empowering factories and businesses to continue to function during the pandemic is a very important step in the right direction. We hope to continue to support businesses throughout the pandemic." Changdev Markad, Technical Manager at Dufil Group, said: "We ensure that all workers are screened at the start of their shifts, allowing us to identify high temperatures a key symptom of COVID-19 and limit the spread of the virus. "We have worked closely with KC Wearable to tailor the helmet to our specific requirements, allowing us to personalise screening to individual employees so that we can easily identify potential threats, whilst simultaneously protecting the rest of the workforce by isolating outbreaks. The KC Helmet is a fantastic asset and a natural choice for our business, allowing us to continue to function during the pandemic." To find out more about the KC N901 Smart Helmet, please visit the following website: https://www.kcwearable.com/enpc/index.html. About KC Wearable KC Wearable, is a company with a passion to innovate. Founded by five colleagues with postgraduate degrees from top universities, KC Wearable has operations in many different high-technology industries including aerospace, communications, artificial intelligence and more. Over the course of several years, they have built a global community of innovation that has one clear purpose: making the world better for all people. They have brought together companies and technologies across the globe from many different industries who share ideas, technology and vision to achieve this and through our co-operation, they have been able to achieve extraordinary goals ranging from providing connectivity to millions in Southeast Asia to directly saving lives in China. For more information, please visit https://kcwearable.com/ SOURCE KC Wearable 'Miracle on the Hudson' pilot, Captain Chesley Burnett 'Sully' Sullenberger III, revealed on Tuesday that he will only fly with airlines who keep their middle seat vacant amid the pandemic. Sullenberger, who rose to fame for the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, on the Hudson River, spoke about his preference during an interview with Eric Schmidt, Google's former CEO, on Reimagine with Eric Schmidt. While speaking with Schmidt, Sullenberger cited a study from MIT that found that filling the middle seats on airplanes doubles the risk of catching COVID-19. 'And I'll tell you, I'm going to fly on an airplane where the middle seats are kept empty, knowing that my chances of catching COVID are half that if the middle seat were filled,' Sullenberger said. The former Air Force pilot and captain, who retired as a commercial pilot in 2010, then slammed the federal government for failing the transportation industry. 'Miracle on the Hudson' pilot, Captain Chesley Burnett 'Sully' Sullenberger III (pictured), revealed on Tuesday that he will only fly with airlines who keep their middle seat vacant amid the pandemic Sullenberger cited a study from MIT that found that filling the middle seats on airplanes doubles the risk of catching COVID-19 'One of the biggest failure so far in terms of our air transportation system is that in this country we have never had a federal face covering mandate in spite of the fact that many have been calling for that,' Sullenberger said on the podcast. 'And that would have been one of the most effective things that we could do. Instead, individual airlines are having to come up with their own policies and procedures,' he said. 'And to try to encourage the flight attendants to be the cop on the beat and to enforce these requirements that are really very basic.' He then criticized the politicization of COVID-19, saying: 'It really disturbs me greatly the extent to which for this whole episode, unlike any other crisis we've had in our nation's history, these basic safety requirements have become so extremely politicized and an extension of an ongoing cultural war. 'And that has done and continues to do great harm. We have acquired the data to know what works and what doesn't, where the relative risks are and began to take effective steps to mitigate each part of the process,' he added. 'You see, there's not one silver bullet that will solve the whole problem. Instead, we must rely upon a whole panoply of individual actions that, in aggregate, can make us all safer.' Sullenberger's preference to fly with airlines who leave the middle seat vacant doesn't give him a lot of options in the coming months. Delta Air Lines has said the company will be blocking middle seats until January 6. Southwest Airlines has taken similar steps to allow social distancing and will keep their middle seats empty until November 30. 'And I'll tell you, I'm going to fly on an airplane where the middle seats are kept empty, knowing that my chances of catching COVID are half that if the middle seat were filled,' Sullenberger said Delta Air Lines has said the company will be blocking middle seats until January 6 JetBlue is blocking all middle seats through October 15 on its Airbus A320 planes. Beginning October 16 and through at least December 1, JetBlue will be capping its jets at less than 70 per cent of capacity. American Airlines and United Airlines are not blocking seats or capping bookings. On Tuesday, the US Treasury announced that it had reached a deal with seven major US airlines including American and United to offer them loans in a bid to stave off job cuts amid the pandemic. But the Treasury statement does not say if these agreements are going to be enough to allow those two airlines to cancel recently announced plans to proceed with job cuts. Since March, airlines have been grounding planes and delaying jet deliveries to try to limit the cash-burn as the worldwide coronavirus pandemic effectively paralyzed travel for months. As the US economy gradually reopens, airlines have struggled to convince wary passengers to return to the skies, and international routes have been drastically reduced because of various travel restrictions in effect. Beyond American and United, the other airlines that signed loan agreements with the administration of President Donald Trump are Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines and SkyWest Airlines. Delta and Southwest were - unsurprisingly - not part of the agreements, having already said they would not participate. 'We are pleased to conclude loans that will support this critical industry while ensuring appropriate taxpayer compensation,' Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement. Mnuchin called on Congress to extend its aid programs to support jobs across the air travel industry. The $25billion in loans have been granted under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act -- the $2.2trillion coronavirus stimulus package passed by Congress in March. Airlines had been in talks with the Treasury since July. Certain conditions will apply, such as maintaining a certain number of jobs and salary ceilings. The Treasury said the amount of the initial loans could be increased 'as a result of some major airlines determining not to move forward' with the process. 'The reallocation of funds will be subject to a loan concentration limit of $7.5billion per passenger air carrier, or 30 per cent of the $25billion available for passenger air carriers,' it said. Airlines have struck agreements with unions to spread out work among employees. Tens of thousands of employees have also accepted unpaid leave or early retirement packages to avert the need for involuntary terminations. Before Tuesday's announcement, American Airlines had said it expected to cut as many as 19,000 jobs. United Airlines on Monday reached an agreement with its pilots union to avert furloughs of 2,850 pilots, but was still on track to furlough as many as 13,000 other workers as soon as October 1, including flight attendants and airport operations staff. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 05:26:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The least developed countries (LDCs) on Wednesday asked for the doubling of international biodiversity public funding to them by 2030. "It is our proposal that international biodiversity public funding to LDCs should be doubled by 2030. We further call for support in capacity-building and technology transfer to LDCs for sustainable biodiversity conservation and restoration," said Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, who spoke on behalf of the LDCs at the UN Biodiversity Summit. "As LDCs, we look forward to working with you all to address and resolve these discrepancies between our talk and our walk," he said in a pre-recorded statement. The LDCs are profoundly dissatisfied that none of the 20 biodiversity targets set in 2010 were achieved in full, and only six were partially achieved, he said. More than 60 percent of the world's coral reefs are under threat. Land degradation has reduced productivity in 23 percent of the global terrestrial area. One million species of animals and plants are at risk of extinction, many within decades, which is unprecedented in human history, he noted. "If this trend continues, we face a future where between 30 to 50 percent of all species may be lost this century." This loss is not restricted to plants and animals. It also entails enormous risks to human prosperity and well-being, he said. "We must take collective measures to stop the ongoing devastation of biodiversity. We should build a global sustainable economy. This implies incorporating the reduction of inequalities into development models, enhancing access and benefit-sharing mechanisms, reducing unsustainable production and consumption, avoiding rampant wastage, and addressing environmental degradation," said Chakwera. Enditem MONTVILLE State Police have arrested a Norwich man in connection with the armed robbery of a Chinese restaurant last year, after they linked his DNA to a blood stain found near the crime scene. But in an interview with detectives who came to take a DNA sample under a search warrant, 38-year-old Gregory Blue first said police planted the evidence before claiming a phlebotomist dropped his DNA on the scene with an airplane. State police charged Blue on Friday with first-degree robbery with a dangerous instrument, second-degree assault resulting in serious physical injury and second-degree larceny stemming from the Dec. 16 incident. Police were dispatched to Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant on Norwich New London Turnpike a little after 10 p.m. that night. There, the unidentified victim, a 45-year-old man, told police he had been approached in the parking lot by another man who asked him for a light, according to a redacted copy of Blues arrest warrant. The victim told police the man, who police said was Blue, pulled a gun on him and demanded his money, phone and keys. When the assailant briefly pointed the gun away from the victim, the man went for the gun and tussled with Blue. During the fight, the victim was struck in the head with the gun, but it did not discharge, the man told police. Both fell to the ground, and Blue stabbed the victim in the side with a knife, according to the warrant. The victim told police he was able to get the gun away from his assailant. When the gun didnt work, the warrant said, the victim once again overpowered the other man, who fled on foot up the Route 2A on ramp across the street. The gun, recovered two weeks later, turned out to be an Airsoft gun, according to the warrant. Investigators found a large blood smear on a metal guard rail on the on ramp. DNA was recovered from the blood, and from two hats the victim told police were knocked off his assailants head during the fight. Detectives interviewed Blue in June when they came to take a swab sample of his DNA while he was incarcerated at Corrigan Correctional Center in Montville. Blue claimed one of the detectives interviewing him planted his DNA at the scene, before he continued to allege that a phlebotomist who took his blood years ago dropped his DNA at the scene via airplane, according to the warrant. The state forensic lab later confirmed the DNA recovered from the scene was consistent with Blues, the warrant said. Blue has been convicted of several felonies in Connecticut, including second-degree robbery, first degree escape and first degree harassment, according to the warrant. He was held in lieu of $250,000 bond and appeared in court Friday for his arraignment. He is due back in New London court Oct. 30 and is also facing robbery and assault charges stemming from an arrest in Norwich in April this year. Two of Australia's largest liquor retailers have launched a massive recruitment drive as they advertise 1,600 new jobs in a bid to keep up with summer demand. With a record 1.45million Australians on JobSeeker during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan Murphy's alone is looking to hire more than 1,000 casual team members starting as soon as possible. The chain said the impact of COVID-19 on shopping habits means they need more staff to man their direct-to-boot pick up and contactless delivery services. BWS is meanwhile advertising for more than 600 staff to work in its stores across metro and regional Australia. Dan Murphy's team members pose in mask at one of the retail chain's stores. The company is looking to hire more than 1,000 casual team members starting as soon as possible Staff at Dan Murphy's at a store in French's Forest on Sydney's northern beaches. The company need more staff to man their direct-to-boot pick up and contactless delivery services To apply for a Dan Murphys job, prospective applicants can enter the stores within commuting distance of their availability at My Career Dan Murphys. Dan Murphys Head of Culture & People Siobhan Pelc said the roles on offer would be ideal for university students on a summer break or those who have a background in hospitality. 'If there is a Dan Murphys near you, then that store is looking for Customer Assistants who can start as soon as possible or in the coming weeks and months,' Ms Pelc said. Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age and have a valid RSA to apply. Both BWS and Dan Murphy's have brought in new measures since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to minimise contact in their stores. Dan Murphy's has introduced plexiglass screens at checkouts, signage to aid social distancing and strict limits on the number of customers allowed inside at once. Earlier this month, the chain unveiled its first-ever high-tech drive-thru bottle shop - promising a speedy service for customers who want to skip the queue. Fellow liquor chain BWS is advertising for more than 600 staff to work in its stores across Australia Liquor chain Dan Murphy's earlier this month unveiled its first-ever high-tech 'drive-thru' promising a speedy service for customers who want to skip the queue The booze retailer's first drive-thru opened at Manly Vale on Sydney's northern beaches, with the service expected to roll out to more outlets across Australia in the next 12 months. Australians can expect to be served in record time with the direct-to-boot service allowing drivers to be in and out in less than three minutes with their orders. The process is very simple - customers place their order online, then enter their registration number at point of order, and when they arrive at the drive-thru, digital cameras alert the team members, who then place the order in their car boot. To apply for a BWS job, applicants can either register in the store or online through Wow Careers and search for BWS. For those thinking the turn of the calendar to Oct. 1 means the end of hurricane threats for south Louisiana, it's time to reconsider, if history is any guide. Louisiana's first recorded brush with tropical weather occurred in October. The year: 1527. So did some of its most deadly hurricanes, including Hurricane Hilda, which killed 39 people in 1964, and the historic Cheniere Caminada hurricane of 1893, which killed at least 2,000 people and permanently wiped several Louisiana towns off the map. There remains a chance that this October also will see at least some tropical activity in the Gulf of Mexico, though it's too soon to say whether there will be any threats to the state's coastal communities. The National Hurricane Center says there is a 60% chance a low pressure area will form across the northern Caribbean Sea over the next five days, but does not yet indicate that any storm that forms will even enter the Gulf. "Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for some development thereafter, and a tropical depression could form late this week or this weekend while the system moves slowly west-northwestward over the northwestern Caribbean Sea," said Senior Hurricane Specialist Richard Pasch in a Monday afternoon tropical weather outlook message. Tropical weather risk for the next week The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center says there's a moderate chance of a tropical depression or stronger storm forming in The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center cited that forecast in its Monday tropical hazards update. The center also pointed out that several models used by forecasters predict a tropical cyclone will form in the northwest Caribbean later this week, leading the center to declare a moderate risk of a storm forming in that area. "We have also posted a high risk of above-median precipitation that overlaps with this potential (tropical cyclone) area and also includes southern Mexico and northern Guatemala, where northwesterly low-level winds are likely to result in significant rainfall through at least Thursday of this week," the message said. Members of the climate center's seasonal outlook team also point to other general conditions that they believe define tropical storm risk in October. "Based on a 30-year climatology (1981-2010), two named storms typically form in the basin in October, with one of them becoming a hurricane. A major hurricane forms in the basin in October about every third year," said Matt Rosencrans, head of forecast operations at the climate center. Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The most important conditions are the beginning of La Nina conditions in the eastern Pacific Ocean, cooler-than-normal water temperatures that result in less active wind shear conditions in parts of the Atlantic Ocean where tropical storms form. The lack of winds allow thunderstorms to form without interruption. La Nina is expected to continue, which sets the stage for slightly above normal activity, he said, though the first two weeks of the month look relatively quiet due to other conditions, he said. Rosencrans said precipitation across Africa also remains at above normal levels, which is usually a good sign that stronger easterly waves of low pressure will be moving off its coast into the Atlantic Ocean. Still, the atmosphere is not as supportive of development in the far Atlantic as it was in September, he said. "Additionally, as we move into October, we see more storms form in the Caribbean and western Atlantic, very often along the tail ends of old cold fronts," he said. And then there's some changes in what have been greater than average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic region during this hurricane season. During the last four weeks, sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic have warmed in the Caribbean, cooled slightly in the central tropical Atlantic, and cooled a good amount -- 1 to 2 degrees Celsius -- along the mid-Atlantic coast, he said. "There is still warmer than average water below, so heat content is near to above normal off the mid-Atlantic and near-normal in the tropical Atlantic," he said. The 1527 storm was recorded on Oct. 23 by sailors accompanying Spanish explorer Panfilo de Narvaez on an ill-fated voyage to colonize Florida. Narvaez and his 250 men were chased out of Florida by American Indians, and were making their way west along the coast in five barges when hit by a hurricane as they were passing the mouth of the Mississippi River. Here's a historical list of October tropical weather based on a history of Louisiana tropical storms written by David Roth, now a forecaster with the National Weather Services Weather Prediction Center. Earlier, Roth was a long-time forecaster in the services Lake Charles office. Information for storms after 2010 comes from other sources. The Shiv Sena on Wednesday questioned the "silence" of dalit leaders and social media'activists' on the gang-rape and brutal murder of a woman inUttar Pradesh's Hathras. Speaking to reporters, Sena MP Sanjay Raut questioned the "hue and cry" generated by certain sections over the demolition of a "house roof" of an actress, an apparent reference to Kangana Ranaut. "Is it that justice is sought only for a celebrity oran actress? Where is the media now which was screaming for justice for an actress whose house roof was demolished?" hesaid while terming the Hathras incident "shocking and unfortunate". Raut said he hadn't seen a social media campaign demanding justice for the victim. The 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped in a village in Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she breathed her last on Tuesday. The Sena chief spokesperson said it was "unfortunate"that once aggressive dalit movement has lost its lustre. "(Union minister and RPI (A) chief) Ramdas Athawale sought justice for an actress, but not for the poor girl from Hathras whose family was denied the right even to cremate her mortal remains," he said. "Where are those who were demanding President's rule in Maharashtra for justice to an actress?" he asked. Raut clarified the Sena was not demanding resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the incident. Raut and Ranaut have been at loggerheads since the actress compared Mumbai to "Pakistan occupied Kashmir" (PoK),following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June this year. Raut has also been made a party in the case filed in the high court by Ranaut against partial demolition of her bungalow by the Mumbai civic body. What Tony Quirk thought was just some due diligence has, at least for the time being, ended up costing the 62 Phantom Squadron Air Cadets $10,000 in taxes. Quirk, a former regional councillor and now treasurer for the Grimsby corps, was making sure all ducks were in line as ownership of the former church on Mountain Road was transferred from the Ukrainian Diocese to the squadron. However, his due diligence has resulted in the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. reclassifying the property and leaving the registered charity with a $10,000 tax bill. It was a bitter pill to swallow, Quirk said. It comes at the same time the cadets, like most non-profits in this COVID-19 age, struggle with fundraising. The Department of National Defence has told all cadet corps to halt on any in-person fundraising. Were behind the 8-ball, $50,000, Quirk said, referring to the missed fundraising opportunities from the spring that are likely to continue even next spring. In an email, property assessment corporation spokesperson Paula Chung said MPAC recently updated the tax liability for the property and because it was no longer being used as a place of worship it no longer qualifies for exemption under section 3(1)3.i of the Assessment Act. In order to waive those property fees, the cadets must get a private members bill passed in the Ontario legislature. In order to get the bill passed, Quirk will be coming to Grimsby town council on Oct. 5 to ask for the municipalitys support. If support is given, Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff will take the bill to Queens Park, Quirk said. The cadets are modelling their bill after something similar passed to exempt the Boys and Girls Club from paying taxes on a property in Niagara Falls. I dont think were out of line, said Quirk. It was revenue they (the town) were forgoing anyway. Officials with the Ontario Ministry of Finance are reviewing the proposed bill, Quirk said. The cadets entered into a purchase agreement with the diocese in 2012, assuming all payments on the land until this year, when the title to the land was to be transferred. Quirk said the cadets paid taxes on a small parcel of the land, but had been exempt from taxes on the church and community hall properties. Of the $10,000 theyve been told they owe, one-quarter of it would go into the town coffers. Ward 4 Coun. David Sharpe said hed support the cadets request and would be happy to bring the motion forward. If the province would allow it, Im OK with it. Sharpe was a cadet when he was younger and said he had to travel to Stoney Creek to participate. I support the cadets in general with what they do for the community. Grimsby treasurer Steven Gruninger said the town wont take a position one way or the other and will wait to see what the ruling is. We tax if theres an assessment, he said. Its not really up to us to decide. Late payment penalties are likely to accrue on the taxes owing, however, Quirk said the draft private members bill is written in a way to excuse those penalties as well. If the squadron doesnt get an exempt status, not only will it have to pay the current taxes, but it will have to be paid every year, something Quirk doesnt think the cadets can manage without impacting the kids. Quirk admitted it was a fairly unique circumstance, as most cadet corps dont own property. Many practise out of public facilities. However, he said the property on Mountain Road is ideal for the squadron, giving members a large indoor space to run all the regular training and events they do for the roughly 95 cadets. They also make the space available to other charities to host fundraisers, like McNally House and Big Brothers Big Sisters. The squadron recently reached an agreement with the 1626 Army Cadets, who will also be running meetings and training out of the building. Owning the property also opens up some funding mechanisms for the cadets, Quirk said. Despite the uncertain tax situation the cadets find themselves in, the 62 Phantom Squadron is still planning to resume activities following the COVID-19 lockdown. Quirk encourages young people in Grimsby to consider joining the corps. It focuses on citizenship, leadership and physical fitness, and air cadets can take part in various aviation training programs. The Phantom squadron is planning to restart this week, organizing meetings and training to following DND and public health guidelines. Anyone interested in joining can visit 62phantomaircadets.ca. A coalition of local officials, advocates and lawmakers unveiled legislation Wednesday that aims to accelerate improvements to the states decentralized public health system, which has faced increasing strain during the coronavirus pandemic. The proposal, which has not yet been filed, would again direct the state Department of Public Health to set minimum public health standards across the 351 municipal health agencies in Massachusetts. The bill would set a timeline for communities to reach those standards. The standards would aim to standardize the responsibilities for and expectations of health agents that are tasked with inspecting restaurants, enforcing tobacco regulations, tracking EEE infections and, most recently, a growing list of testing and enforcement measures in response to COVID-19, according to coalition members. The bill would also offer incentives to municipalities to share services, require a dedicated stream of revenue for public health departments and direct DPH to create a uniform data collecting and reporting system for health officials across the commonwealth. Our state has a local public health system that is based in hundreds of different municipalities, with no source of state funding and no minimum standards for staffing, Kristina Kimani, assistant policy director at the Massachusetts Public Health Association, told MassLive. As a result, there are many communities both large and small who have inadequate staffing. And there are dozens of small communities with no public health staff at all. Given what we have experienced during this pandemic, we have a moral obligation to our residents to take meaningful action now, she added. Every Massachusetts resident deserves adequate local public health protections regardless of their ZIP Code. The MPHA is part of the coalition to push for the bill unveiled Wednesday. Rep. Hannah Kane, a Shrewsbury Republican, and Rep. Denise Garlick, a Needham Democrat, are the lead sponsors in the House. Sen. Jo Comerford, a Northampton Democrat, is the sponsor in the Senate. Sen. Jo Comerford, a North Hampton Democrat and a member of the Joint Committee on Public Health, hears testimony in 2019. Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a proposal in April to boost public health standards into law in April; the bill was proposed in 2019, well before the pandemic. The State Action for Public Health Excellence law requires DPH to create minimum standards for public health services for the commonwealth, including workforce standards. The SAPHE law also required DPH to provide public health training to local officials at least four times a year and created a grant program to help boards of health improve their services. After the law took effect, the Baker administration announced health officials in 79 cities and towns will receive grant funding over the next two years to improve data sharing and work on air quality, online inspection scheduling, nursing services and other projects. Yet the public health system remains fractured and increasingly burdened as local health officials scramble to respond to COVID-19 and the states ever-changing guidelines. Health officials have juggled their usual responsibilities with COVID-19 testing and isolation measures, responses to complaints against businesses during the non-essential business closures and the phased reopening and answering flurries of questions from business leaders, local officials and residents about the states COVID-19 guidelines. The latest bill, called the Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community Act," has been dubbed SAPHE 2.0. It aims aims to accelerate the overhaul of the states fractured public health system, coalition members say. The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on our local public health system," Kimani said. We saw the incredible hard work and dedication of our local public health workers, and we also saw the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the structure they work in. The proposal would establish uniform standards across local boards of health across the commonwealth, including credentialing standards for health officials and training. This aims to accelerate the provision in the original SAPHE law that calls on DPH to develop minimum standards for public health services in consultation with local and regional officials. The bill also requires that boards of health increase their capacity to meet the standards, including through service sharing agreements or regional health departments. Worcesters Division of Public Health, for example, serves as the lead agency of the Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance that represents Grafton, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Shrewsbury and West Boylston, in addition to Worcester Worcester. The alliance works together on community health campaigns, environmental health, emergency preparedness, nursing and epidemiology. The alliance has also coordinated on sorting through complaints about COVID-19 compliance and enforcing Bakers executive orders. The provision directing DPH to create a uniform data collection and reporting system calls upon the state agency to implement a way to collect data on a broad set of issues that boards of health address. Health officials do submit COVID-19 data through MAVEN, the Massachusetts Virtual Epidemiologic Network, but local health officials do not have a uniform way to collect, track and share data on other work theyre doing. The bill also contains a provision to create a dedicated funding source for boards of health, like public schools and libraries do. The provision comes as the state is looking for new revenue for fear of a major spending gap, but coalition members say having a dedicated funding source could have helped the state save money in its response to the coronavirus pandemic. One example local health officials and Comerford noted was the Contact Tracing Collaborative with Partners in Health, which still required help from local public health officials. We had no ability to do anything but that was because we didnt have a public health infrastructure that could take it, said Comerford, adding COVID-19 contact tracing efforts werent fast or efficient enough. Had we had a structure we could invest in, we could have bolstered that structure, strengthened it, turned that money toward our local boards of health. The bill drew input from local health officials from across the state, from Phoebe Walker, director of Community Services for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, to Damon Chaplin, director of the New Bedford Health Department. Chaplin raised concerns in July that the southeastern Massachusetts city was seeing an undercount of coronavirus cases, particularly among Latino and Black residents who worry about surprise bills in the mail even though COVID-19 tests are supposed to be covered by insurance. Its come to life because of the lived experience and expertise of local and regional public health officials, said Comerford, who is also chair of the Senates COVID-19 working group. Thats not always how this works. Related Content: An image grab taken from a video made available on the official web site of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry on September 28, 2020, allegedly shows Azeri artillery strike towards the positions of Armenian separatists in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. AFP-Yonhap Armenian and Azerbaijani forces fought over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh for a second day Monday, with both sides blaming each other for resuming the attacks that reportedly killed and wounded dozens as the decades-old conflict has reignited. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed Armenian forces shelled the town of Tartar, while Armenian officials said the fighting continued overnight and Baku resumed ''offensive operations'' in the morning. Azerbaijani military officials told the Interfax news agency that over 550 Armenian troops have been ''destroyed (including those wounded)'' in a claim that Armenia denied. According to officials in the predominantly Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, 58 servicemen on their side have been killed so far. The territory's Defense on Sunday also reported two civilian deaths a woman and her grandchild. About 200 troops have been wounded, but many were only slightly hurt and have returned to action, the Armenian Defense Ministry said. Azerbaijani authorities said nine civilians were killed and 32 wounded on their side. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday there were losses among Baku's forces, too, but he didn't elaborate. In this image taken from footage released by Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, Azerbaijan's soldiers fire from a mortar at the contact line of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan. AP-Yonhap The heavy fighting broke out Sunday in the region that lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Yerevan government since 1994 at the end of a separatist war. Azerbaijan said it destroyed two Armenian tanks, and Nagorno-Karabakh's Defense Ministry reported that Baku ''lost 10 armored vehicles in a tank battle.'' The Armenian Defense Ministry said that, while the fighting continued, ''all offensives of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were successfully suppressed, the enemy was thrown back'' and suffered losses. Nagorno-Karabakh a region in the Caucasus Mountains about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles) or about the size of the U.S. state of Delaware is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region. The European Union urged both sides to stop fighting and return to the negotiating table, following similar calls by Iran, Russia, France and the United States. ''We hope and we urge everyone to everything they can in order to prevent an all-out war from breaking out, because this is the last thing the region needs,'' European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said in Brussels. ''There is no military solution to this conflict.'' An Armenian man inside his house in the city of Martuni in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, 28 September 2020, after a recent shelling by the Azerbaijan's forces. EPA-Yonhap U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to both Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and called for ''an immediate stop to the fighting, a de-escalation of tensions and a return to meaningful negotiations without preconditions or delay,'' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation ''is a cause for concern for Moscow and other countries.'' ''We believe that the hostilities should be immediately ended,'' Peskov said, adding that the process of resolving the conflict should shift into ''a politico-diplomatic'' dimension. Armenia's Foreign Ministry accused Turkey, which sides with Azerbaijan in the conflict, of supporting ''this aggression.'' ''Turkish military experts are fighting side by side with Azerbaijan, who are using Turkish weapons, including UAVs and warplanes,'' the ministry said. The situation ''clearly indicates'' that people in Nagorno-Karabakh are fighting against ''a Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance,'' the statement said. Both Armenia and Turkey accused each other of recruiting foreign mercenaries. Omer Celik, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party, denied reports that Turkey had sent arms or foreign fighters to Azerbaijan. A man holds an ammunition fragment following what is said was Azeri attack during clashes between Armenian separatists and Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorny Karabakh region, in Nagorno-Karabakh's city of Martuni on September 28, 2020. AFP-Yonhap The final planning nod for the $3.6 billion Santos Narrabri gasfield has drawn praise from federal and state politicians and industry but new approval conditions may challenge the project's viability and encourage opponents to fight on. The NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) on Wednesday gave qualified approval for the project's 850 coal seam gas wells near Narrabri in the state's north. Of 134 conditions, the toughest involve water and waste. Santos says the Narrabri field can supply as much as half of NSW's gas needs. Credit:Brendan Esposito Santos chief executive Kevin Gallagher said the company accepted the conditions and welcomed the verdict as a "green light... turbo-charging regional development and delivering more competitive energy prices". Investors seemed less impressed, sending Santos shares almost 4 per cent lower, or about twice the overall market's drop. The IPC's conditions apply for each of four phases covering appraisal, construction, production and finally rehabilitation of the site. Much of the 95,000-hectare gasfield lies within the Pilliga State Forest. NEW DELHI: Top BJP leaders including Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, visited party veteran LK Advani shortly after the Special CBI court on Wednesday acquitted him and all other accused in more than two-decade-old ' Babri Masjid demolition case. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also welcomed the court's judgment in the 1992 Babri Mosque demolition case and said that justice has won. Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav welcomed the CBI court verdict in the case, saying victory has triumphed. Ram Madhav said the acquittal in RJB conspiracy case was long overdue and urged everyone to welcome the courts judgement. Victory triumphs. CBI courts acquittal in RJB conspiracy case was long overdue. A malicious case against some of the most respected leaders of our nation has fallen aside finally after 3 decades. Everyone should welcome d judgement, Ram Madhav tweeted. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut welcomed the verdict on the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case and said the decision was awaited for the last 28 years. ''Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the entire Sena party welcome the judgment as it was on expected lines. We should forget the incident now. If Babri wouldn't have been pulled down, we wouldn't have been able to see the Bhoomi Poojan of Ram Mandir. I congratulate all the leaders who were present there and who were involved in the protest,'' Raut said. The reactions came shortly after the Special CBI court on Wednesday (September 30, 2020) acquitted all 32 accused in the case, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti. The accused were acquitted citing "lack of evidence'' against them for hatching the alleged conspiracy. The court also observed that the 1992 demolition was not "pre-planned." Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti were earlier accused of hatching the conspiracy that led to the demolition of the 15th-century mosque in December 1992. They attended the proceedings via video conferencing. 26 out of 32 accused were present in the court, including Sadhvi Ritambhara, Sakshi Maharaj, Vinay Katiyar and Champat Rai Bansal. In the Babri demolition case, an FIR was registered against a total of 49 people. Of these 17 have died, the remaining 32 are still accused. The seventeen accused in the case include Bal Thackeray, Ashok Singhal, Mahant Avaidyanath, Giriraj Kishore, and Vijayaraje Scindia who passed away during the trial. During the trial, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the CBI court. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 21:10:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese high court on Wednesday upheld the ruling of a lower court and ordered the government and the operator of the disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant to pay 1 billion yen (9.5 million U.S. dollars) in damages to residents affected by the 2011 tsunami-triggered nuclear disaster. The ruling by the Sendai High Court marked the first time a high court has recognized the government's responsibility for the nuclear disaster in around 30 similar lawsuits that have been filed across Japan since the crisis. The Sendai High Court handed down the ruling holding the state and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO) liable and ordered compensation to be paid to 3,550 plaintiffs. According to local media, Sendai High Court Presiding Judge Satoshi Ueda said it was a violation of the law for the state not to take regulatory and other necessary measures when the risk of a massive tsunami could be predicted before the accident. The ruling was in line with that initially made by the Fukushima District Court in 2017, which included the conclusion that a massive tsunami hitting the plant was foreseeable. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2013. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press briefing on the matter that the government will decide how to respond to the ruling after it has reviewed it. Enditem The Mumbai Police has summoned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap in connection with the allegations levelled by actress Payal Ghosh. The actor-director has been called by the cops for questioning at Versova Police Station at 11 am on October 1, 2020. For the unversed, Payal had filed a rape case against Kashyap last week. She had accused him of sexual misconduct and making her feel 'uncomfortable'. The FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 376 (I) (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement). The summon was issued to Anurag after Payal met Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari along with Rajya Sabha MP and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, who has backed her demand for the filmmaker's arrest and sought Y-plus security for her, on Tuesday. Earlier, while addressing the media with Athawale on Monday (September 28), Payal had said that she is facing a threat to her life and demanded Y-plus security, which was recently extended to Kangana Ranaut after she got into a spat with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut over her comment, in which she compared Mumbai to PoK. Payal said that she felt threatened by Anurag Kashyap and his lobby. The actress told India Today, "People have told me to be very careful as there could be an attack on me." She also questioned the delay in arresting Kashyap and said she would resort to a hunger strike if no action is taken against the filmmaker. On the other hand, Anurag Kashyap denied all the allegations levelled against him by Payal Ghosh. His lawyer released a statement that read, "My client, Anurag Kashyap, has been deeply pained by the false allegations, these are completely false, malicious and dishonest." Many of Anurag Kashyap's industry colleagues and his ex-wives Aarti Bajaj and Kalki Koechlin came out in support of him. ALSO READ: Irrfan Khan's Son Backs Anurag Kashyap In #MeToo Row; 'I Will Take Responsibility For My Words' ALSO READ: Anurag Kashyap's Ex-Wife Kalki Koechlin Defends Him On #MeToo; 'You Supported Me When I Felt Unsafe' This years UN General Assembly meeting began with calls for multilateralism and cooperation a declaration that the urgency for countries to unite has rarely been greater. It concluded with a parade of divisive grievances that echoed when the final gavel fell. Leader after leader in days of speeches delivered virtually stressed the importance of working together to navigate the coronavirus outbreak and the challenges that lie beyond it. As Germanys foreign minister put it, Covid-19 shows that international cooperation is neither an ideology nor an end in itself. On the contrary, it delivers results, far beyond the actual pandemic. Words, though, are not results. Though the UN and most of its member states largely envision a multilateral world, the underlying issues and challenges that divide nations sat squarely in the spotlight, as the right of reply at the end of the closing session demonstrated vividly. One by one they came forward lower-level diplomats tasked with replying to leaders speeches with intense responses. On the hot-button conflict of the moment, between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the separatist enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, diplomats from the two countries went after each other over responsibility for the latest fighting. Bangladesh went after Myanmar over the more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled a crackdown by Myanmars military in 2017 and are living in camps in Bangladesh, still fearful of returning home -- and Myanmar responded. Iran went after Israel over the speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed that the Islamic Republic would have enough enriched uranium in a few months for two nuclear bombs after it recently began exceeding limits set by the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. An Iranian diplomat accused Israel of disregarding UN resolutions on negotiating a two-state solution with the Palestinians, and countered that Israel poses the most serious threats to the security of the states in the Middle East because of its widely reported nuclear program, which Israel has never acknowledged. The United Arab Emirates took the floor over a dispute with Iran over three Iranian-occupied islands the UAE claims and Tehrans destabilizing conduct in the region, including supporting Houthi Shiite rebels in Yemen. The UAE, in turn, vehemently dismissed Irans allegation that the UAE was destabilizing Mideast security. Iran, again asked to reply, insisting on its claim to the islands and accusing the UAE of using starvation as a war tactic in Yemen. The UAE intervened for a second time, insisted the islands are occupied. A Yemeni diplomat then responded to the Iranian, saying: How does he dare speak about the situation in Yemen while he is responsible for the situation? The Yemeni accused Iran of continuing their intervention to destabilize my country by providing money, weapons, training and equipment to establish their expansionist plan across the region. While all the leaders delivered prerecorded speeches, the diplomats late Tuesday spoke in person, seated behind their countrys nameplate in the vast General Assembly Hall where virus restrictions meant only one representative of each of the 193 UN member nations was allowed. The main in-person event was a virtual UN Security Council meeting that sparked one of the few real-time exchanges and centered the escalating US confrontation with China. The clash at the meeting was over responsibility for the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw Russia back Beijing. But the US-China confrontation extends to trade issues, claims in the South China Sea and Taiwan. Chinas UN Mission issued a statement just before midnight Tuesday night protesting US Ambassador Kelly Crafts participation in an online event hosted by Taiwan on Monday. It said her remarks undermined Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory, the mission said. In his remarks opening the global gathering, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had painted a grim picture of the state of the world: an epochal health crisis, economic calamity, threats to human rights and worries of a new Cold War between the US and China. Guterres called for global unity, foremost to fight the pandemic, and sharply criticized populism and nationalism as failed answers that often worsened the situation. General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir ended the six-day meeting Tuesday night on an upbeat note, returning to the need for multilateralism and unity. The challenges facing us are enormous, but so are the possibilities of solutions, he said. By working together, we can overcome them. US presidential candidate Joe Biden today called on Turkey to stay out of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict. Biden said in a tweet today that the Trump administration should seek to de-escalate the renewed fighting in the Caucasus. With casualties rapidly mounting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, the Trump Administration needs to call the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan immediately to de-escalate the situation, Biden said. Policy involving Turkey constitutes a difference between the Democratic Party nominee and US President Donald Trump as they head into their first debate tonight. Biden also said that the Trump administration should work to keep Turkey from involving itself in the war. Turkey supports Azerbaijan militarily and politically. The Trump administration must also demand others like Turkey stay out of this conflict, Biden said. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been at odds over the Nagorno-Karabakh region since the final years of the Soviet Union. The area is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan, but Armenian-backed forces have been in control there since 1994. Both sides have attacked the other numerous times since the late 1980s. Turkey has historic ties to Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani is a Turkic language. The current round of fighting broke out Sunday. Azerbaijan and Armenia both rejected peace talks today, despite urging from the United States and Russia. Dozens have been killed so far, according to Reuters. Trump and Biden differ somewhat on US policy toward Turkey and the subject is an election issue. Last year, Trump announced the repositioning of US troops in northeast Syria to pave the way for Turkeys incursion against Kurdish-led forces there. Biden criticized the move on the campaign trail. Biden also called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an autocrat in 2019. Trump, on the other hand, has often been seen to have a relatively good relationship with the Turkish leader. Trump also has business connections to Turkey via the Trump Towers in Istanbul. Some of Bidens fellow Democrats have criticized Trumps connections with Erdogan during the 2020 election. Last week, Trump was asked by reporters about the transition of power if he were to lose in November. Trump responded by criticizing mail voting. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi knocked Trump for seemingly saying he would refuse to concede the race. She then compared Trumps governance to Erdogans in Turkey. He admires Erdogan, Pelosi said Thursday. He admires people who are perpetuating their role in government. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Pelosi of blatant ignorance in response Friday, saying her position as speaker is truly worrisome for American democracy. You will learn to respect the Turkish peoples will, tweeted Cavusoglu at Pelosi. The top diplomat also mentioned Trump in the tweet. Turkey has sought to involve itself in the US presidential election before. In June, Erdogan told Trump that the left-wing antifa movement in the United Staes works with the US-backed Peoples Protection Units (YPG) in Syria. The United States supports the YPG in its fight against the Islamic State and Turkey attacked the YPG last year following the US troop repositioning. Trump is critical of antifa due to the loosely affiliated anti-fascism movements involvement in violence and riots at US anti-police protests. Former foreign fighters in the YPG told Al-Monitor at the time that there were antifa supporters in the YPG, but that most foreign volunteers did not hold such views. Trump and Biden square off for their first presidential debate tonight. Host Chris Wallace of Fox News did not put foreign policy on his list of debate topics, though Trump has been bringing up some Middle East issues in his reelection bid as of late. An American working at the US embassy in Ukraine was killed while jogging in Kiev in what the country is investigating as an "intentional murder". The woman, believed to be the wife of a US foreign service officer, died in hospital after being found unconscious from a head injury by railway tracks near the city's Nyvky Park, according to Kiev Police. The US Embassy in Kiev confirmed the death in an online statement, saying they were heartbroken to report the death of a member of the embassy community. "Officials from US Embassy Kyiv are currently working with authorities to determine the circumstances of the death," the statement said. Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs' spokesman Artem Shevchenko said in a statement that the death is being investigated as premeditated murder. But he added that an accident had not been ruled out, as deaths of pedestrians as a result of being hit by trains were not uncommon near the city's railways. Ukraine police spokeswoman Anna Zubereva said they were searching for a male suspect aged in his 30s or 40s, between 6' 2" and 6' 5" tall, dressed in black shorts, dark blue sneakers and a T-shirt with dark hair trimmed short on the sides. Ms Zubereva said the victim, in running gear with headphones, was found with identity documents of a co-worker at the US Embassy sharing the same name. Quoting a US source, the woman was said to be the wife of an American foreign service officer and had a non-diplomatic job in the embassy, according to The Guardian. Her body has been sent to a forensic examiner to determine the cause of death, while police were interviewing witnesses who found her unconscious in the wooded area of the 102 special train line. The National Cyber Security Incident Response Center (CERT-RO) participated, on Tuesday, in the second edition of Blue OLEx 2020, a table-top exercise dedicated to cyber security crises at European level, which will be organized next year by Romania, according to a press release of the institution, sent to AGERPRES. Blue OLEx is a high-level event, organized every year by one of the member states.The first edition of the exercise was organized by France, while this year's edition was hosted by the Netherlands."This year's edition took place online and aimed to strengthen the relationship within the cyber security community at executive level, as well as to raise awareness of the situation and the exchange of good practices. The event ended with a discussion at the level of the heads of security authorities in the EU member states, which addressed a set of initiatives in the field of crisis management at European level," the CERT-RO release reads.According to the quoted source, on the occasion of the event in the Netherlands, the new cooperation network Cyber Crises Liaison Organization Network (CyCLONe) was launched, which is the result of the efforts of the NIS Cooperation Group, where Romania had an important contribution.The purpose of CyCLONe is to implement the European Commission's Emergency Response Plan in the event of a large-scale cross-border incident or cyber crisis (Blueprint). The novelty of CyCLONe is that it generates the premises for achieving synergies between the technical, operational and political levels in crisis situations.At this year's event, the general director of CERT-RO, Dan Cimpean, participated as moderator of one of the five working groups, and at the end of the event he presented some ideas regarding next year's edition of the exercise and the meeting of the heads cyber security authorities, which will be hosted by Romania. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 07:08:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The General Debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 75) on Tuesday lowered its curtain at the UN headquarters in New York on a positive note with the vast majority of world leaders and national representatives voicing strong support for multilateralism and the United Nations. "Through their virtual presence, our political leaders have demonstrated their commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations. The vast majority confirmed this commitment in their speeches," Volkan Bozkir, president of the UNGA 75, told the closing ceremony of the virtual summit. "Many recognized that multilateralism presents the most effective system to address global challenges, such as the (COVID-19) pandemic and climate change," said the UNGA president. Noting that the meeting "has been substantive and exceptional" and for the first time in the history of the United Nations, global leaders were not able to be here in person, Bozkir stressed that "this did not prevent multilateralism from operating at the highest levels." "Heads of States, Heads of Governments and Ministers laid down a complete agenda, which not only supports the priorities I laid down, but also provided enhanced guidance, on steps needed to overcome the challenges we face," he said. "The added feature of introductory remarks by Permanent Representatives was pioneering and maintained the spirit of the occasion." "While sovereign countries can undertake actions as they deemed fit, leaders were clear that solutions, in an interdependent and interconnected world, can only come from multilateral actions, with UN at its center," he said. The UNGA president expressed the hope that in the coming year and months ahead, he will "strongly rely on" the member states and their leaders to support him in this regard. "I urge you to stay positive and look at the bigger picture," said Bozkir. "One thing is clear: 'We are stronger together.'" "Our global consultation around UN75 revealed that this is precisely what people around the world want," he said. "Greater solidarity," the UNGA president stressed. "Stronger international cooperation and coordination. Ever more United Nations." Speaking about COVID-19, Bozkir said that "the call for solidarity is impossible to ignore in the context of the current pandemic." "Every member state referred to the catastrophic consequences of this disease in their remarks. There was clear recognition that a disease that ignores global borders requires a solution that delivers for us all. And that we all experienced challenges arising from the pandemic," said the UNGA president. "Unilateral actions have failed to halt its spread," he noted. "Significant efforts are needed to combat the current pandemic and prepare for future health shocks," added Bozkir. Talking about the "three issues" which he will address through his presidency, Bozkir listed them in order: "Firstly, early warning system: creating conditions to prevent emergence of another disease; Secondly, inclusivity in approaches to dealing with the crisis; And thirdly, equity in access to future vaccines." "At the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the pandemic later this year, I encourage you to present policy solutions on these three issues, to strengthen cooperation and put the world back on track towards achieving the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)," the UNGA president said. "I wholeheartedly endorse the call for vaccines to be distributed equitably, not just from a practical perspective, but also from a moral standpoint." Enditem Donald Trump attacked Hunter Biden's business dealings and alleged he had earned billions from work related to China and Ukraine during the US Presidential Debate 2020. US President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden had a square off today (local time). US President Donald Trump went after former Vice President Joe Biden over his son Hunters business dealings and alleged he had earned billions from work related to China and Ukraine. During the presidential debate, Trump said: China ate your lunch, Joe. And no wonder: your son goes in and takes out billions of dollars, and he makes millions of dollars. Biden defended his son and said Trumps attacks had been totally, thoroughly discredited. He also took a jab at the Trump family: We dont want to talk about family ethics, we could talk about his family all night. Claims about Biden Hunter earning billions from a Chinese government-owned state bank have previously been discredited by independent fact-checkers, and Hunter Bidens attorney said in 2017 he took an equity stake worth $420,000, The Wall Street Journal. Few minutes down the debate, Trump again tried to bring the debate back to Hunter Biden. As Trump launched into an attack on Hunter Biden, including raising his past issues with drug addiction, Biden again turned to the camera and addressed the issue, even as Trump was seeking to interrupt. My son had a drug problem, but hes overcome it and Im proud of him, Biden said. Also read: Amid face-off with China, MEA rejects claims of LAC demarcation in 1959 Also read: No war, no peace status along LAC: IAF chief on India China standoff US President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden had a square off today in Cleveland for their first of three debates a socially distanced affair in which the candidates wont shake hands. Both the candidates debated over several topics such as the Supreme Court, coronavirus, economy, race and violence, records of Trump and Biden, and the elections integrity. Also read: S Jaishankar to visit Tokyo on October 6-7 for quad FMs meet Tens of thousands of Texas voters in one of the regions hardest-hit by COVID-19 will safely be able to cast ballots, thanks to an unlikely source: The Terminator. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and last Republican governor of California, is sending $250,000 through a foundation he runs to Cameron County on the Texas border to help that area open up supercenter polling sites that will assure people have enough social distancing to safely vote in the fall elections. We all have to do as much as we can so people can vote, Schwarzenegger said after dialing into the Cameron County Commissioners Court meeting on Tuesday via ZOOM. We have to give the people the opportunity to do that. The money is a huge boost for the county, said Remi Garza, the Cameron County elections administrator. The grant from the University of Southern Californias Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy is expected to fund two super voting centers that could handle up to 25,000 voters. Garza said those supercenters will take pressure off of other voting sites and also have enough space to handle curbside voting for people who need extra assistance to vote. Without these funds those supercenters wouldnt be possible, Garza said. USC and Schwarzenegger started the institute in 2012, the year after his term as governor of California ended. The 73-year-old Schwarzenegger has billed it as a commitment to advancing post-partisanship. The fact that the former Republican governor is helping people vote in one of Texass bluest counties was not lost on Cameron County officials such as County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., who praised Schwarzenegger for his history of working with people no matter their political party over the years. Were going to make sure this grant is fully utilized, Trevino told the actor who played the title character in The Terminator movie franchise that spanned from 1984 to 2019. Schwarzenegger explained to the commissioners' court that he is a fanatic about voting. He said as a native Austrian who immigrated to this country, hes always seen voting as one of the most important things Americans can do. Its the greatest investment you can make, to open up polling stations to let everyone participate in our democracy and vote, Schwarzenegger said. No matter what your beliefs are politically, I think you have to participate. Because its not going to help to sit in front of the television and to argue and scream ... You have to go out and vote. KNOW THE CANDIDATES: 2020 Houston Chronicle Voter Guide 2020 San Antonio Express-News Voter Guide Schwarzenegger is helping one of the regions with the lowest voter turnout rates in the state. In 2018, 53 percent of registered Texas voters cast ballots statewide. But in Cameron County just 38 percent of voters showed up the worst rate in the state for any county with at least 40,000 registered voters. Cameron County won the grant largely because they were so aggressive in applying for it, Schwarzenegger said. You guys responded the quickest, he said. While Trevino acknowledged it might be hard for Schwarzenegger to visit the area due to all the COVID-19 travel restrictions, he offered the actor a standing invitation. Schwarzeneggers reply: Ill be back. malavm wrote: Nationality: Indian Sex: Male Age: 30 Languages: Hindi (Native), English (Fluent) Education: Bachelors of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) from a Top 10 School of India GPA: 4.0/4.0 I majored in Mechanical Engineering and got well placed in a fortune 500 Company. GMAT : 710 Working experience: 5.5 Year Exp in Manufacturing/Operations from a Top MNC (Fortune 500 Member). Started with Infra Expansion Projects moved on to Supply Chain team for a year and then direct handling of Operations for 1.5 year before getting promoted to being a manager for the entire product manufacturing responsible from Assembly to Shipment. To move into High Velocity Start-Up Environment, switched to Amazon and gained 3.5 Years Experience in terms of Handling Ground Operations for the largest Sortation Center and then moving on to Handle Fulfilment Center after 2 years. International exposure: Not Much. Was responsible and accountable for handling few international suppliers. Extra- Curricular & Volunteering: Chess, Work on CSR Activities, Event Management Achievements: Six Sigma Certification and SME Functional Role in Work Environment Post-MBA goals: Work in the United States/Europe I would like to leverage my current Ops Experience with Business Acumen and would work in Business Consulting or Upper Management roles to work with different Companies and cultures Schools that I'm applying for: 1 Year Programs - MIT, Oxford, LBS, Booth, Stern and Ross. Open to Other Schools too Questions: What are the Chances get into top B Schools with Scholarship How can I improve the odds. Nisha Trivedi mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant 35 positive reviews on GMATClub, 2020 Top 20 of admissions consultants across the industry per P&Q: https://poetsandquants.com/2020/08/26/best-mba-admission-consultants-of-2020/ Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/ Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Signature Read More Hi, and thanks for writing! Your GPA is fantastic, and it looks like you've had great career progression. I think to maximize your chances at your target schools, you should clarify your goals and ensure that you communicate them in a compelling way in your applications. Do you want to do consulting or general management (for the application, choose one path) and what drives you towards this path?Admissions is very competitive for Indian applicants (especially those with limited international exposure), so I do recommend taking the GMAT again to see if you can get a 730+. Scholarships at these programs are challenging to secure, so if funding is a key decision factor of yours, then I would look at MBA programs beyond the US Top 20 and the Internationa Top 5-10.I hope that helps - best of luck!_________________ President Donald Trump speaks during the first presidential debate against the Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday in Cleveland. Read more Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Wednesday that the city is preparing for the possibility that supporters of President Donald Trump will try to intimidate voters on Election Day, after Trump falsely singled out in Tuesday nights debate it as rife with voter fraud, and reiterated a call to supporters to monitor polling places in the overwhelmingly Democratic city. Based on his comments, were going to be making an inter-agency plan for that day, Kenney told The Inquirer on Wednesday. Kenney said the city welcomes official poll watchers, who must be certified by the state and sponsored by a campaign or political party. But he added that if Trumps comments lead to uncertified monitors intervening at polling places, police may need to stop them. People are simply not allowed to stand around there and intimidate people, Kenney said. While the city needs to plan for the worst case, Kenney said, he doesnt expect there to be significant disruption. I dont want to make too much of a big deal out of this, because a lot of these things never pan out, Kenney said. Trump closed out his first presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday night by repeating on national television his false claim that poll watchers had been blocked from observing the first day of in-person early voting in Philadelphia. Today there was a big problem, Trump said. In Philadelphia they went in to watch. Theyre called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They werent allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things. Im urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully, because thats what has to happen, Trump also said. But the Trump campaign has no poll watchers approved to work in Philadelphia at the moment. And there are no polling places open in the city now, just satellite elections offices for requesting and submitting mail ballots. Poll watchers dont have the same rights at such locations as they do at traditional polling places on Election Day. READ MORE: Bad things happen in Philadelphia, Trump says at debate, renewing false claim about poll watchers Trumps focus on Philadelphia is part of an effort by the president to sow doubt about the legitimacy of the election and specifically, mail ballots, which Trump has falsely attacked as susceptible to widespread fraud. His relentless campaign against mail voting has discouraged Republican voters from using the method, and both polling and data on mail ballot requests suggest Biden supporters will be voting by mail in far greater numbers. Voting rights advocates fear the president will seek to disqualify or slow down the counting of mail ballots in swing states like Pennsylvania that could decide the election. Trump stoked those fears Tuesday by again refusing to commit to accepting the election results. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that, he said. Philadelphia officials on Wednesday echoed their remarks from 2016, when Trump also baselessly claimed voter fraud in Philadelphia could steal the election. Both Democratic and Republican officials scrambled to defend the integrity of the election that year, and there were no reports of significant fraud. He said the same things in 2016, we had a fair election then, and we will have a fair election now, said Lisa Deeley, a Democrat who chairs the city commissioners, who run elections. Republican City Commissioner Al Schmidt responded Tuesday night by tweeting a photo of the U.S. Constitution. Good things happen in Philadelphia, Schmidt wrote. At least one woman claiming to be a Trump campaign poll watcher was barred from entering one of the satellite offices Tuesday in the Overbrook section of West Philadelphia. The Trump campaign didnt respond to questions Wednesday, but forwarded a copy of a letter it sent to the city commissioners on Tuesday that threatened legal action if the commissioners did not allow the campaigns unofficial poll watchers in the satellite offices. No one questions that Philadelphians are voting at these locations, Trump campaign lawyer Linda A. Kerns wrote. The entire debacle that played out in Philadelphia today should concern everyone who promotes election integrity. State Rep. Martina White (R., Phila.) said its appropriate to ask questions about who is working at the satellite offices, and to question why observers are not permitted. People deserve to know whats going on at these sites and that they have the right to question their government, she said. Both parties should want to be able to observe what goes on at these satellite locations. Its not a political issue. It really is an election integrity issue. But Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar, the states top elections official, said Trumps characterization of what happened Tuesday in Philadelphia was completely inaccurate. First of all, there are no poll watchers yet," she said. Those are officially appointed a few days before the election and they literally dont exist right now. READ MORE: A brief history of bad things that actually did and didnt happen in Philadelphia elections U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) did not directly address Trumps claims or his call for supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully. Instead, he criticized a September ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court allowing mail ballots to be counted if they arrive by the Friday after Election Day even if their postmarks are missing or illegible. That ruling could heighten instances of voter fraud, Toomey said. Moreover, its possible that this decision will lead to a lengthy, disputed, and controversial outcome in what is expected to be an extremely close presidential race." U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D., Phila.) said he was concerned even before Tuesdays debate that Trump would make Philadelphia the poster boy for his unfounded claims of widespread fraud. We have a dangerous person sitting in the Oval Office, he said. I never imagined I would have this conversation about an election in the United States of America. Both Toomey and Boyle called for lawmakers in Harrisburg to prevent delayed and disputed election results by allowing mail ballots to be counted before Nov. 3 but Toomey added a caveat that only ballots received by Election Day should be counted. Legislative negotiations appeared stalled after the Supreme Court ruling. Bob Brady, chair of the Democratic City Committee, said Trump is attacking Philadelphia because he knows he cant win over the citys voters. The reason why they complain so much is because they cant beat us. But we dont cheat, Brady said. Weve been threatened before with intimidation. All that does is make us madder; all that does is get us more energized. So I thank him for last night, and also the fact that he mentioned Philadelphia. That was nice of him. Republican City Councilmember David Oh said Philadelphia shouldnt be a focus for concerns about voter fraud. Im not aware of any wholesale voter fraud, he said. That doesnt mean you shouldnt be concerned and prepared, but I havent seen things that would evidence a need to be concerned about Philadelphia more than any other place in the country. U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.) said Philadelphians would not stand for Trumps gangster-style intimidation. He can say all that he wants, but that would not be accepted in the neighborhoods Im from, he said. -Staff writer Chris Brennan contributed to this article. H elping Londons homeless is more important than ever this winter, the director of StreetSmart said today. Launching its annual fundraising drive, the homelessness charity called on restaurants to sign up to the scheme which has raised more than 10 million in the past 22 years. The initiative, supported by the Evening Standards Homeless Fund, sees restaurants up and down the country add a voluntary 1-per-table donation to every customer bill during November and December. Glenn Pougnet, StreetSmarts director, said: "The Evening Standard has a history of raising awareness of homelessness as well as supporting charities through their Homeless Fund. It's crucial we work with them now to launch this years initiative and raise as much as we possibly can to help those struggling to feed and house themselves in the aftermath of Covid-19" The coronavirus pandemic is already impacting on homeless figures. CHAIN, a multi-agency database recording information about people sleeping rough and the wider street population in London, found between April and June that nearly two thirds of the 4,227 noted as sleeping rough in the capital were doing so for the first time. This was a 77 per cent rise over the amount of people introduced to the streets in the same period last year. The Evening Standard Homeless Fund was established to help tackle homelessness in the capital. It works with the London Homeless Collective, a collation of homelessness charities, many of which will be the recipient of the Streetsmart fundraising initative. One of those charities is Glass Door, which is the largest provider of open-access winter shelters and homeless support services in the country. This means anyone in need can find shelter and advice, but their services are usually oversubscribed, with people sometimes have to wait weeks before space in a shelter opens up. Its CEO Lucy Abraham said she hoped restaurants would back the initiative again this year despite the challenges the hospitality sector is facing as a result of the pandemic. Last winter, the scheme helped ensure more people found the food and shelter they needed at Glass Door, she said. Demand for our services was the highest it's ever been, and StreetSmart helped the charity rise to the challenge. Lucy adds: "Diners supporting the StreetSmart scheme make a world of difference for people who find themselves at an absolute crisis point with nowhere else to go. We use the funds to provide the hospitality, nutritious food and warm welcome that diners themselves find when they eat out and donate to the scheme. So we think the scheme is a really meaningful way to pay it forward." All funds raised go to help those in need after LandAid, the property industry charity, agreed to cover all StreetSmart's costs for the annual campaign. Paul Morrish, Chief Executive of LandAid, said: "We are proud to partner with StreetSmart for the next three years, ensuring that every penny of money raised by diners goes towards projects helping homeless people. Through the LandAid COVID-19 Emergency Fund, LandAid and Streetsmart have helped young people across the country through the pandemic, giving them the funds and support they needed to weather this storm." Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae attends a cabinet meeting held at the Seoul Government Complex, Tuesday. Yonhap By Lee Hyo-jin Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae is facing continued controversy over her son's military service even after the prosecution cleared her of allegations that she had used her influence as a powerful politician to gain special favors for her son in 2017 while he was serving as a Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) soldier. After a months-long investigation, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office announced Monday that it found no grounds to indict Choo, her 27-year-old son surnamed Seo, and her former aide surnamed Choi regarding Seo's military service as a KATUSA with the 2nd Infantry Division of the Eighth U.S. Army. Choo has been under fire over allegations that she used her influence as the then chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea to seek special favors in extending her son's medical leave after he underwent knee surgery in June 2017. Although the prosecution dropped the investigation into her for putting external pressure on officials to request leave, several text messages between Choo and her former aide, revealed through digital forensic investigation, are sparking fresh controversy, as the messages showed that the two had discussed extending Seo's medical leave, contradicting Choo's repeated denial of such an incident during a National Assembly interpellation session. The messages sent by the former aide June 14 read, "We have already dealt with your son's case," and "The doctor's prescription will be submitted as soon as we receive it." Choo had asked the aide to get in touch with her son in a message sent June 21, which also included contact information of a military officer. The aide replied, "We have asked to extend (Seo's) vacation. They will let us know after reviewing it as this is an exceptional case." According to records from the Ministry of National Defense, Seo went on sick leave from June 5 to 14 and again on 15 to 24, after which he took four more days of personal leave. The prosecution investigation began after whistleblowers alleged that Seo did not return to his unit at the end of his second medical leave, even though his personal leave had yet to be approved. They claimed it was literally desertion. The messages imply that Choo was at least aware of the fact the Seo's leave was being taken care of by her aide, and possibly had ordered the requested extension. This was in contrast to what she told the National Assembly as she kept insisting, "Neither I nor my husband have ever made any orders to a secretary to make phone calls (regarding my son's leave)." The prosecutors' office concluded that the text messages cannot be seen as clear evidence that Choo had directly intervened in the matter using her influence. The main opposition People's Power Party (PPP) called the prosecution decision a "conspiracy" and "concealment," saying it will push for a special prosecutor to unearth the truth behind the incident. "The prosecution has covered up Choo's allegations instead of revealing detailed information on how she obtained the military officer's phone number and why she had passed it on to her ex-aide," said Rep. Cho Soo-jin from the PPP. They are also demanding Choo to be held accountable for giving false testimony at the National Assembly. Meanwhile, Choo made a public apology through the ministry's spokesman Monday after the investigation was dropped, calling the suspicions "a groundless political attack". "I'd like to offer my apology for the trouble caused from groundless and reckless political attacks. I will now concentrate on completing the prosecution reforms through redistributing power and launching an independent investigative body targeting corruption by high-ranking officials," she said. CNN Philippines (Tacloban City, September 30) A 27-year-old man has found his way home to Eastern Samar after a month of traveling from Manila mostly on foot. Roel Navidad was forced to make the bold move to be with his family in these difficult times. Hungry and worn out, Navidad arrived at the border checkpoint of the Municipality of Taft on Tuesday noon after leaving Manila on the last week of August, according to Vince Yadao of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Eastern Samar District Engineering Office. Yadao, who was assigned at the Taft checkpoint, recounted the homecoming story of Navidad based on their conversation. Navidad used to work as a construction worker in Manila before deciding to go back to his hometown. He hails from the coastal municipality of General McArthur, which is in the southern part of Eastern Samar. He walked from Manila to Sorsogon, where he was quarantined for 14 days. After completing his mandatory quarantine on Sept.16, he continued traveling on foot to the town of Matnog to take a ferry heading to Eastern Visayas. From Allen town in Northern Samar, Navidad hitchhiked to Jiabong town in Samar province. From there, he walked again until he reached the border checkpoint in Taft. It was Yadao who informed the local government unit (LGU) of General MacArthur that a resident at the border checkpoint needed assistance. At past 9 p.m. on Tuesday, the LGU sent a rescue vehicle to fetch Navidad. Navidad is the second resident of Eastern Samar province who took a risky way of going home. Last week, Peter Roncales from Oras town went viral on social media after traveling to Eastern Samar by bike from Paranaque City. It took Roncales 10 days to reach Tafts border checkpoint. Roncales decided to return home after he lost his job as a result of quarantine restrictions. He is now staying in the municipal quarantine facility. The local government has also promised to give him a contractual job once he completes his quarantine. Niamey, Niger (PANA) - Three Nigerien civil society activists who have been in detention for the past six months have been released by the Nigerien justice system, a judicial source said Wednesday Anastasia Gentles, MD, (left) and Zawadi Bryant, (right) founders of NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care We are very grateful to be recognized by these prestigious organizations. Winning these awards gives us the confidence to know we are headed in the right direction." Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced that founders of NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care were named Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020 Gulf Coast Area Award finalists. Now in its 34th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program honors entrepreneurial business leaders whose ambitions deliver innovation, growth, and prosperity as they build and sustain successful businesses that transform our world. Award winners will be announced through a special virtual event on October 6, 2020 and will join a lifelong community of esteemed Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. This year, unstoppable entrepreneurs who have provided extraordinary support for their communities, employees, and others during the COVID-19 crisis will also be recognized for their courage, resilience, and ingenuity. Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive award programs for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The nominees are evaluated based on six criteria, including overcoming adversity; financial performance; societal impact and commitment to building a values-based company; innovation; and talent management. Inc. Magazine ranked NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care No. 4696 with an impressive growth rate of 64.35% on its 39th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This is Nightlights seventh consecutive year on the Inc. 5000 list. The Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small and mid-sized businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 23 to 27, 2020. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation. In recognizing small businesses for their achievements, NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care was also recognized virtually at the annual U.S. Small Business Administration Small Business Awards on September 8, 2020 as Minority Small Business of the Year. We are very grateful to be recognized by these prestigious organizations. Winning these awards gives us the confidence to know we are headed in the right direction. We would like to thank our amazing team for doing the work that makes this company standout, says Zawadi Bryant, CEO and Co-Founder of Nightlight Pediatric Urgent Care. To join NightLights fun and rewarding work environment, check out career opportunities at https://nightlightpediatricjobs.com. More than a dozen crew members on a Navy ship operating in the Pacific were injured last week when a fire broke out on their vessel. The guided-missile cruiser Antietam suffered a small fire in an engineering space on Sept. 24, Cmdr. Reann Mommsen, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Seventh Fleet, said. The ship was in the Philippine Sea at the time, she said. "During the response, 13 crew members experienced minor injuries, were treated by the ship's medical team, and returned to duty," Mommsen added. "An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway." Read Next: Sailor Behind Pearl Harbor Shooting Was 'Insider Threat' with Underdiagnosed Mental Issues The Antietam's crew members quickly extinguished the fire, which was first reported by Stars and Stripes. There was no damage to engineering equipment, and the cruiser remains "fully operational," Mommsen said. The fire is the fourth to break out on a Navy ship in recent months. The biggest blaze occurred aboard the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard on July 12. The ship was undergoing maintenance in San Diego at the time, and defense officials said last month that arson is now suspected. The amphib suffered serious damage to most of the ship's decks. Navy officials are still assessing whether it is worth the cost to make repairs. Less than a week after the Bonhomme Richard started, another blaze on the amphibious assault ship Kearsarge prompted the Navy to issue a "stop work order" to a Virginia shipyard, Defense News reported. That fire started from a spark during welding on July 17 and was quickly extinguished, according to the outlet. On July 20, there was another fire on the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, in a Newport News, Virginia, shipyard. No one was injured in that fire, which Jennifer Boykin, Newport News Shipbuilding's president, said in a Facebook post was put out quickly. "Although the fire was put out quickly, we did experience heavy smoke and immediately evacuated the entire ship," Boykin added. "The damage was contained to the compartment where the fire occurred, and we are investigating the cause." -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Arson Suspected as Cause of USS Bonhomme Richard Fire, Defense Official Says NEW DELHI: Balaxi Ventures, a Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm, plans to enter the central American markets of El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras by setting up wholly-owned distribution units, eyeing these smaller but high-margin pharmaceutical markets. Margins are pretty high for our company in these markets as we are the producers and exporters to these countries and are also the importers and distributers in these countries. We encompass the entire value chain. So our margins are quite high," managing director Ashish Maheshwari told Mint. Unlike larger, more developed markets which have an established distribution chain to which pharmaceutical companies outsource the job to, drugmakers have to set up the entire logistics chain in smaller markets. So while volume and revenues are lower in these markets, their own distribution chain helps Balaxi eke out higher margin in these countries. Maheshwari said that expects the company, which will soon change its name to Balaxi Pharmaceuticals Ltd, to garner 30% margin on products sold in the three countries, around twice or even thrice the margins in smaller markets. In Dominican Republic and Guatemala, the company generates $5 million-$7 million each in sales annually. The drugmaker is also present in Angola. The expansion in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras follows the company's foray into landlocked Central African Republic last year. The pharmaceutical firm plans to start operations in all the three markets by the first quarter of next year. In 2019-20, the company had garnered revenue of 45.6 crore, an over four-fold growth year-on-year, while profit surged 212% to 6.1 crore. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Medical Doctor Prescribes a Future in Medicine The future IS exciting! "Martin Stone is a classical triple-threat medical academic: accomplished in biomedical research, expert in his clinical field, and revered teacher. He has written a book of immense value." --Jeremiah A. Barondess, MD, William T. Foley Distinguished Professor in Clinical Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medical College "No other profession is like medicine. The future of medicine is exciting," says Marvin J. Stone, MD, MACP, FRCP of Dallas, Texas, chief emeritus, hematology and oncology at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, a professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M College of Medicine and clinical professor of humanities at the University of Texas at Dallas. Advances in medical science are developing in dizzying speed. Despite the myriad challenges facing students and new doctors, it is reassuring to note that the number of applicants for medical schools in the United States remains high. With the release of his book "When to Act and When to Refrain: A Lifetime of Learning the Science and Art of Medicine" (Revised and Updated, 2020). Dr. Stone draws from a lifetime of practicing medicine with a passion to inspire and convey to anyone interested in a medical career the excitement and fascination intrinsic to becoming and serving as a physician. He invites students, young doctors, experienced physicians, and lay persons with interest in medical science and health care to an eye-opening look inside his journey through the last half-century in medicine: becoming a physician, acquiring intense training in patient care and research, and teaching at all levels. A warm and engaging autobiography, Stone says, "Looking back over my career, I've had the wonderful opportunity to teach, do research, and care for patients while continuing to learn the science and art of medicine. To see your students excel, to perform an experiment that yields new scientific knowledge, and especially to help some seriously ill patients recover so they can see their children and grandchildren grow upwhat more could one ask?" As we turn towards the future and our goals for 2050, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining core values. He says, "We must always bear in mind the three pillars of medicine: Competence, Caring, and Compassion. Further adding, "These core values in medicine and science are crucial to fulfilling our goals: to cure sometimes, to relieve often, and to comfort always." The late Jimmie Holland, Founding Chief of Psychiatry, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was right when she said "that the doctor-patient relationship will continue, although perhaps in an altered fashion." What will not be altered is the need for physicians to relieve suffering and embrace healing, competence, empathy, and compassion. Dr. Stone concludes by appealing to time-honored ideas and principle and says, "Focusing on these pillars of our profession will help us decide 'when to act and when to refrain'." To learn more visit, marvinjstonemd.com Books are available through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marvin J. Stone received his MD with Honors from the University of Chicago in 1963. After postgraduate training at Barnes Hospital, the National Institutes of Health, and Parkland Memorial Hospital, he joined the faculty of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in hematology-oncology. In 1976, he became the first chief of oncology and director of the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, positions he held for 32 years. He taught medical students, residents, and fellows for over 40 years and received teaching awards from each. Dr. Stone is the author of over 250 published articles and book chapters dealing with hematology-oncology and medical history. He is a Master of American College of Physicians and past president of the American Osler Society. Dr. Stone is currently chief emeritus of hematology and oncology at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, a professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M College of Medicine, and clinical professor of humanities at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is a fellow of the Royal College of physicians (London) and a member of the board of trustees of Southwestern Medical Foundation. # # # Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:15:06|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Russia's anti-terrorist operations in Syria have demonstrated the country's high military capability, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in an article published Wednesday. "The Syrian operations showed that the capability of the Russian armed forces has been fundamentally improved," Shoigu said in the article published in the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, and dedicated to the fifth anniversary of Russia's anti-terror operations in Syria. "The operations also showed that the Russian military can successfully safeguard the country's national interests anywhere in the world and is ready to provide assistance to its allies and partners," he said. For the first time in the modern history of Russia, its troops were deployed on such a remote battlefield, he noted. Russian soldiers have killed 865 gang leaders and more than 133,000 militants in Syria, the defense chief said. "The task set by Russian President Vladimir Putin five years ago has been completed. The Islamic State international terrorist organization no longer exists in Syria, and no terrorists entered Russia," Shoigu said. The operations have strengthened Russia's authority and international influence, and counteracted the attempts of geopolitical competitors to isolate Russia politically and diplomatically, he added. The establishment of the permanent Hmeymim and Tartus military bases in Syria is Russia's main achievement and advantage in the fight against terrorism in the Middle East, Shoigu said in the article. Enditem Washington, DC--With 35 days until Election Day, Emerge, the premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, is focused on electing hundreds of alums that are on the ballot for local, state, and federal office. The women Emerge recruits and trains are leading in their communities and represent the future of the Democratic Party. Over the past six months, weve seen a tragic failure in leadership from the White House and as a result, gridlock in Congress. But across the country, Democratic women have stepped up to fill the void and lead through the twin crises of COVID-19 and epidemic of racial injustice, said Ashanti F. Gholar, President of Emerge. Now more than ever, weve seen that our leaders matter. Women leaders stand up, they fight, and they will not wait their turn or be ignored. They are our future, and it is time to elect them at every level of the ballot. These candidates--Black, Indigenous, Latina, LGBTQ+, mothers, veterans, women with disabilities--are challenging the notion of electability and running for offices that may have never been held by a woman or woman of color. Women, like Dora Drake and Alexsis Rodgers, represent the candidates that Emerge aims to recruit and train for political office. They are both first-time candidates that have a record of community engagement and a vision of improving the lives of their constituents through substantial policy change. Drake, who is running for the Wisconsin State Assembly to represent part of Milwaukee, will bring her experience in the criminal justice reform movement to the statehouse. Rodgers will be the first woman and LGBTQ+ mayor of Richmond, Virginia. Every Wednesday, Emerge features a candidate on the ballot for a live interview at 12:30 p.m. ET on YouTube. This week, Linda Serrato, candidate for the New Mexico State House District 45, will discuss her vision for New Mexico, and how her background as a first-generation college graduate and community organizer informs her vision for families. For more information about Emerge women on the ballot, visit www.emergeamerica.org. Babri Masjid Lucknow: All the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case, including BJP veterans L K Advani and MM Joshi, were on Wednesday acquitted by a special CBI court here. The court said there was no conclusive proof against the accused. Advertisement Babri Masjid The 32 accused persons include former deputy prime minister Advani, former Union minister Joshi and Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, during whose tenure the structure was pulled down, besides Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Rithambara. The CBI, which went into the case, produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the court. Charges were framed against 48 people, but 16 had died during the course of the trial. Advertisement Supreme CourtOver two dozen of 32 accused were present. On Tuesday, the IRS released a ZIP code breakdown of the 8,863,344 people receiving the mailing this month. The Nebraska ZIP code with the most letters is 68111, with 1,335 people receiving letters. The Omaha ZIP code encompasses the area north of Hamilton Street and south of Redick Avenue, east of 45th Street and west of 24th Street in North Omaha. The Omaha ZIP code of 68107 has the second most, with 1,054. That area is south of Interstate 80 and north of Harrison Street, east of Hitchcock Park and west of the Missouri River. Individuals can receive up to $1,200, and married couples can receive up to $2,400. People with qualifying children under age 17 at the end of 2019 can get up to an additional $500 for each qualifying child. IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a press release that time is running out to claim a payment before the deadline. We are releasing this state-by-state information so that state and local leaders and organizations can better understand the size of this population in their communities and assist them in claiming these important payments, Rettig said. Neale Hill, managing director of Ford Motor Company South Africa (FMCSA), reflects on the car manufacturer's proud heritage in South Africa. Neale Hill, managing director of Ford Motor Company South Africa (FMCSA) Ford has created quite a stir with its latest advertising campaign. Can you tell us more a bit about it? For anyone who hasnt seen the campaign yet, give us a quick description? What do you hope the campaign will achieve? Ford is for many things: creating jobs, boosting the economy, supporting worthy causes, investing in the youth, protecting our countrys wildlife, and the list goes on. Sharing these stories in a more deliberate way has the power to build a positive brand affinity and reputation, and defined our approach to this new campaign. A devils advocate might argue that the campaign says what any brand wants to say, that its responsible, cares about people and the environment, and so on Could you elaborate more? In South Africa, we often think of ourselves as a small economic player, and obviously Covid-19 has taken a massive toll. How does Ford in SA compare to its international peers? Ford Motor Company South Africa (FMCSA) has revealed its exceptional legacy and its determination to create a brighter future for the country. Ford has played an instrumental role in the South African automotive sector for over 96 years, and remains one of the countrys largest vehicle manufacturers.According to Neale Hill, managing director of Ford Motor Company South Africa (FMCSA), the manufacturer is dedicated to creating empowerment, community upliftment, economic growth, sustainability and producing world-class products for South Africa and around the globe. That proud heritage spans more than 96 years.Ford has launched an inspiring and emotive brand campaign, dubbed Ford For South Africa, that tells the unique story of the companys esteemed history and its unwavering commitment to the country.We find out more from Hill...Yes, of course. Ford For South Africa is an inspiring and emotive brand campaign that tells the unique story of the companys esteemed history and its unwavering commitment to the country. To us, it really resonates with Heritage Month, and with the need for optimism and a new sense of purpose as the nation emerges from lockdown and as we begin an economic recovery.Its really a series quick cameos of Fords heritage and commitment, but its compelling and emotional, and its been really well-received.The campaign is unique opportunity to showcase how Ford is for so many things in South Africa, and has become an integral part of our everyday lives and lifestyles.We wanted to celebrate the positive commitment Ford has made to the community and culture of our country by showing the brands empathy and goodwill in a way that feels genuine, iconic and, most importantly, unmistakably Ford. This shows that Ford is, and always has been, FOR South Africa.Its not easy condensing a remarkable 96-year history and everything that Ford does into 30 seconds, while touching on all the key pillars: a remarkable history, a long line of iconic products, continued investment in manufacturing, as well as empowering people and communities, and protecting the environment. But it works.Thats true enough, but its also true that Ford has shown real commitment to this country. Our local production started nearly a century ago, in a converted sheep shed in Port Elizabeth, assembling Model-T Fords. It was the first Ford assembly operation outside North America. Since then, weve continued to invest and expand, and our business and the country has benefited.FMCSA is committed to the upliftment and development of its workforce. The company also has a strong history of giving back to the community and continues this tradition with various outreach initiatives supporting corporate citizenship, volunteering and local sustainability.FMCSA directly employs approximately 4,300 people in South Africa, and indirectly about 52,000 jobs are created within the value chain. Fords cumulative investment in its South African operations between 2008 and 2018 was over R11billion.Our export operations contribute to 1% of GDP. Ford is one of the countrys top vehicle exporters and the leader in the pick-up segment, with the locally assembled Ranger exported to more than 100 global markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Ford SA is also a significant supplier of other components to Ford manufacturing plants internationally. This includes a contract to supply more than 1.8 million catalytic converters annually for 25 international Ford customer plants, as well as after market and local customers. In the last 25 years Ford SA has produced nearly 37 million catalytic converters.Were very proud of how we compare. Within Ford, we compete with other plants for manufacturing business. South Africa competed with Thailand and South America to manufacture vehicles for the Mexican market. Only if our cost per unit is better will we get that piece of business, and weve certainly been able to compete with our peers.And thats why the Ford For SA campaign is important and timely. Its crucial for us to not only show what Ford does locally, but also why the company does it. This is particularly pertinent at a time when everybody is worried and uncertain about the future. We hope to reassure people that one of the countrys oldest and leading manufacturers is here to stay, is investing in the future, has dedicated itself to help the country grow economically, and is determined to alleviate some of the social challenges that we face.Listen to the full interview below. This weeks Buzz Kids offers a variety of opportunities for study and play. Fall is a busy time for students, and its important to plan some seasonal down time, too. Virginia History Day prep Students will be selecting their topics for Virginia History Day projects this fall, and the contests will take place virtually in the spring of 2021. This time, the theme is Communication in History: The Key to Understanding. Virginia History Day is a statewide competition for students in grades four through 12. Its coordinated by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in conjunction with the National History Day Contest. To help students research their topics during the pandemic, free webinars on virtual research techniques will be offered to teachers and parents, thanks to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Echoes & Reflections and the Library of Virginia. Get all the details at VirginiaHistory.org. Apple Harvest Days The Apple Harvest Festival will look different at Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges this year, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its scheduled for Saturday and Sunday and again on Oct. 10 and 11 and Oct. 17 and 18. Ticket purchases will be required in advance online at gravesmountain.com/tickets or by phone at (540) 923-4231. Youll reserve a morning session from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or an afternoon visit from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Attendance for each session at the Madison County attraction will be limited to 1,000; as each group of visitors leaves, there may be tickets available at the gates. Be sure to wear a mask and stay 6 feet apart from other visitors. Kevin Scott, the new head chef, will be serving smoked barbecue each festival weekend in the lodges family-style Southern farm restaurant. The festival also will offer plenty of apple butter, applesauce, freshly squeezed cider and Graves Mountain Squeeze hard cider. Tickets are $10; theyre $5 for ages 4 to 12 and free for ages 3 and younger. Its a rain-or-shine event, and there will not be refunds. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Jacinda Ardern has admitted previously smoking cannabis in a fiery leaders debate with Judith Collins, her rival for the New Zealand prime ministership. In the second of four national debates leading to the October 17 vote, Ms Collins again brought a combative approach that seemed to unsettle Ms Ardern. Despite the hostile atmosphere, the pair reached an unlikely on-stage agreement on extending parliamentary terms from three years to four, which could become law after the election. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted to smoking cannabis during the debate on Wednesday National Party Judith Collins is seen during the Newshub Leaders' against Labour Party Jacinda Ardern Along with their next parliamentarians, Kiwis will also be voting on cannabis and euthanasia legalisation models when they go to the polls. While both leaders have committed to voting for the end-of-life proposal, they hold differing views on cannabis. Ms Collins - and her entire caucus - have committed to voting against the 'reeferendum'. Ms Ardern, on the other hand, has refused to announce how she is voting, saying she wants the vote to be free of politics, but did reveal for the first time that she has tried the drug. 'Yes I did. A long time ago,' she told debate moderator Paddy Gower. The Labour leader has previously deferred on the topic, saying 'I was once a Mormon and then I wasn't, that's how I'll put that'. The Newshub Leaders' featuring Labour Party Jacinda Ardern (left) and Leader of the National Party Judith Collins in Auckland, Wednesday, September 30 In contrast to last week's head-to-head hosted by state broadcaster TVNZ, the Newshub-hosted debate took place at a rapid-fire pace, covering a myriad of topics ranging from vegetarianism to the leaders' favourite native trees. Ms Ardern, 40, said it had 'a bit of a pub quiz feel' and she would prefer more time to give considered answers. But Ms Collins, 61, who is behind in the polls and needs to make inroads if she has any chance of becoming prime minister, revelled in the mayhem. 'I thought it was a great debate, I thought there was loads of energy and I hope people are watching,' she said. On substantive issues, Ms Ardern was at her most confident in defending her record on COVID-19. 'COVID is much trickier than the leader of the opposition is giving any credit to, or credit to New Zealand and this entire team,' she said. Ms Collins enjoyed a strong line on tax and debt, saying Ms Ardern's government had botched wage subsidies to business by fast-tracking payments. However, it remains to be seen how voters will take to her constant interruptions, which escalated to screaming at different points over the 90-minute battle. The 2018 suicide of a Greenall School student impacted by bullying and racism has prompted a White City town councillor to ask provincial election candidates directly what they would do to combat discrimination. With everything going on right now with regards to racism, which is a word that becomes contentious, what are you going to do to help us address this in schools? Coun. Rebecca Otitoju asked Regina-Wascana Plains MLA Christine Tell during White Citys Sept. 21 council meeting. For me, when people started talking about Black lives, to me every life matters. Whatever that life is, it matters. What will the Sask. Party do, because the election is coming soon? What plans do we have to talk about this in schools? Otitoju said while it may be natural to talk about racism in society in larger centres, it exists in smaller communities such as White City as well. Tell said conversations have taken place about provincial curriculum, but those had not yet advanced very far. We collaborate with the (Saskatchewan Teachers Federation), the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, the Ministry of Education, and so those discussions need to take place in collaboration with those groups too, Tell said. So those discussions will be starting. Tell added the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed some of those discussions back but the discussions have started. Im not saying they arent important because they are, Tell said. They have to start somewhere before any action is taken. There are people way smarter than me or individually in your government that would have an understanding on how this needs to be addressed and in the right way. We cant do things so that people are fearful, because those conversations are very difficult to have if people are operating under fear. Reached after the meeting, Otitoju agreed with Tell any progress was better than none. The reason to bring this topic up now was to make sure the issue is raised when (Tell and other politicians) are out there talking with parents, Otitoju said. When you look at the events going on (in the United States), parents are aware and they know it can happen in schools too. These stories with racism and bullying are so important to share in schools. A child committed suicide because of racism. That shouldnt happen here. A long-time resident of White City, Otitoju came to Canada from Nigeria, and has experienced racism herself. I shouldnt be telling people Im a human being before they believe it, Otitoju said. We should value everyone. Thats why I wanted to bring it to (Tells) attention. In all communities, there is racism because its a human problem. Any human can be racist. We need to get to a place where we can discuss it because when we dont, thats when it festers. Thats where we are now. The Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday reported 220 new coronavirus cases and four more deaths, capping a month that saw a resurgence in cases but a decline in overall fatalities. The state reported nearly 6,800 confirmed or suspected infections during September, down from July and August but higher than in previous months. Septembers full death tally wont become clear for at least a few more days. But at least 79 Oregonians have died this month, according to the newsrooms database of state-reported COVID-19 deaths, well below the 120-plus fatalities in each of July and August. Meanwhile, the Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday disclosed for the first time a list of six schools with in-person learning that had recorded at least one coronavirus case involving a student, staff member of volunteer. Heres the full list, with cases reported through Sunday: St. Marys Academy in The Dalles (one student; three staff/volunteers); Irrigon Junior Senior High School in Irrigon (two staff/volunteers); Ferndale Elementary School in Milton-Freewater (one staff/volunteer); Kalmiopsis Elementary School in Brookings (one student); Kingsview Christian School in North Bend (two students); and Sutherlin East Elementary School in Sutherlin (one student). Where the new cases are by county: Baker (3), Benton (4), Clackamas (17), Clatsop (3), Columbia (2), Coos (2), Deschutes (14), Douglas (4), Jackson (19), Josephine (1), Lake (1), Lane (29), Linn (7), Malheur (8), Marion (35), Morrow (4), Multnomah (20), Umatilla (6), Wallowa (1), Washington (35) and Yamhill (5). New fatalities: Oregons 556th death linked to coronavirus is a 69-year-old Clackamas County man with underlying health conditions. He tested positive Sept. 15 and died Sept. 24 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. The 557th fatality is an 85-year-old Wasco County woman who tested positive Sept. 18 and died Sept. 27 in her residence. State officials are confirming if she had underlying medical conditions. Oregons 558th death is an 86-year-old Marion County woman who died Aug. 25 in her residence. State officials said her death certificate listed COVID-19 as a cause or significant condition contributing to her death. The 559th fatality is a 61-year-old Jackson County man with underlying medical conditions. He tested positive Sept. 21 and died Sept. 28 as Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. The prevalence of infections: State officials reported 193 new confirmed infections out of 6,465 people tested, equaling a 3% positivity rate. Who got infected: New confirmed or presumed infections grew among the following age groups: 0-9 (7); 10-19 (32); 20-29 (44); 30-39 (38); 40-49 (27); 50-59 (32); 60-69 (16); 70-79 (13); 80 and older (9). Whos in the hospital: The state Wednesday reported 127 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections are currently in the hospital, up five from Tuesday. Oregon remains well below its capacity, with hundreds of hospital beds and ventilators available. Since it began: Oregon has reported 33,509 confirmed or presumed infections and 559 deaths, among the lowest totals in the nation. To date, 684,235 Oregonians have been tested. -- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt "With one in four kids at risk of facing hunger this year due to COVID-19, our mission to help No Kid Hungry provide up to one million meals is more important now than ever," said Mark Mears, Chief Marketing Officer for Saladworks. "It's been exciting and rewarding to see our franchise owners, team members and guests rally around this amazing cause feeling good about raising money to feed the hungry children of our communities. We can't think of a better way to celebrate Saladworks' birthday than by announcing the extension of our Million Meals Challenge through October 30th, as every additional person that 'joins our team' can make an enormous impact." There are four ways guests can team up with Saladworks to support No Kid Hungry: Making a donation of $1 or $5 to No Kid Hungry after purchasing their meal, either in person at a Saladworks restaurant or via online ordering. $1 donors receive an "I Joined the Team" sticker and an opportunity to sign a "carrot" image symbolizing their personal commitment to the cause. Each individually signed guest "carrot" will be posted on a wall next to the restaurant's "carrot tracker" signifying the progress made each week of the Million Meals Challenge . To sweeten the deal, every guest who donates $5 receives the above, plus a bounce back coupon for a free entree with purchase of any beverage on a future order through October 31 . or to No Kid Hungry after purchasing their meal, either in person at a Saladworks restaurant or via online ordering. donors receive an "I Joined the Team" sticker and an opportunity to sign a "carrot" image symbolizing their personal commitment to the cause. Each individually signed guest "carrot" will be posted on a wall next to the restaurant's "carrot tracker" signifying the progress made each week of the . To sweeten the deal, every guest who donates receives the above, plus a bounce back coupon for a free entree with purchase of any beverage on a future order through . Purchasing a menu item from Saladworks new Kids Works menu, which features an array of fresh, nutritious and flavorful items kids love. For every Kids Works menu item sold now through August 31, 2021 , Saladworks will support the concept of "Kids Fueling Kids" by donating $.10 to No Kid Hungry. Additionally, every Tuesday night throughout the promotion, Saladworks is allowing kids to eat free with the purchase of an adult entree. , Saladworks will support the concept of "Kids Fueling Kids" by donating to No Kid Hungry. Additionally, every Tuesday night throughout the promotion, Saladworks is allowing kids to eat free with the purchase of an adult entree. For every catering order places via Saladworks.com, guests will have the option to donate $5 , $10 or $25 to No Kid Hungry. , or to No Kid Hungry. Making a donation via a special Saladworks link to the No Kid Hungry fundraising section of its website at: Saladworks.com/NoKidHungryDonate. All of Saladworks' locations are participating in the Million Meals Challenge, with several far exceeding their fundraising goals. Since the launch of the partnership, its Cedar Crest location in Allentown, PA has already more than doubled its original goal at 222.7%. And its Greenbrier location in Chesapeake, VA is right behind at 220.5%. According to John Reddecliff, the franchise owner of three Saladworks restaurants in Virginia said, "While Saladworks has always had a heart for helping others in our community, the No Kid Hungry Million Meals Challenge has really provided a positive impact on our guests and team members. In addition to competing with each other to raise the most donations possible, in one of our restaurants, the team members agreed to contribute their weekly tips to the cause. This demonstrates a tremendous level of engagement and commitment to achieve our goal in helping to eliminate childhood hunger in America." For more information on Saladworks and its partnership with No Kid Hungry, visit https://www.nokidhungry.org/partners/homepage-partner/saladworks. *Saladworks' goal is to raise $100,000 for No Kid Hungry, with a guaranteed a minimum donation of $25,000 **$1 can provide up to 10 meals. Meal equivalency varies during COVID-19 relief. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org/OneDollar ABOUT SALADWORKS: Founded in 1986, Saladworks is the nation's leading fast-casual create-your-own salad destination, with over 100 locations across 18 states and two countries. Saladworks encourages guests to be original, giving them the option to choose from bowls or wraps with greens, grains or both, along with an array of fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins and delicious dressings. Ranked #22 on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers in 2020, Saladworks has been delivering the most original and incredible salad experience to guests for more than 30 years. For more information, visit www.saladworks.com. About No Kid Hungry: No child should go hungry in America. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 1 in 4 kids could face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. SOURCE Saladworks Related Links https://saladworks.com (Newser) The trial of five alleged 9/11 plotters is unlikely to begin anytime before the 20th anniversary of the terrorist atrocity. Col. Stephen Keane, the judge who began overseeing the case against the five men earlier this month, has canceled all hearings for the rest of the year, citing pandemic travel restrictions and his need to get up to speed on the case. The new timetable delays the start of the trial until August 2021 at the earliest, but most people involved with the case say even that timeline is unrealistic, NPR reports. "There's just too much ground to cover between now and then," says James Connell, attorney for Ammar al-Baluchi, a Pakistani citizen accused of funding the hijackers. story continues below Keane, the fourth judge to take charge of the case, took over after the retirement of Col. Shane Cohen, who set a January 2021 jury selection date. No hearings in the case have taken place since February, largely due to a two-week quarantine requirement at the Guantanamo Bay base, reports the New York Times. The five suspects, including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are among 40 prisoners still detained at Guantanamo. The oldest prisoner is now 73 and the youngest is in his mid-30s, Fox reports. The last known arrival was in 2008, despite President Trump's 2016 promise to send more "bad dudes" to the facility. Only one detainee has been released under Trump's administration. (Read more 9/11 attacks stories.) Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- A new business intelligence report released by HTF MI with title "Global Travel and Tourism Market Research Report 2020" is designed covering micro level of analysis by manufacturers and key business segments. The Global Travel and Tourism Market survey analysis offers energetic visions to conclude and study market size, market hopes, and competitive surroundings. The research is derived through primary and secondary statistics sources and it comprises both qualitative and quantitative detailing. Some of the key players profiled in the study are TAM SA, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA, Localiza Rent A Car SA, MSC Cruises, Hotelaria Accor Brasil SA, Blue Tree Hotels and Resorts, Carlson Wagonlit Travel Brazil, Jet Stream Turismo Ltda & CVC Brasil Operadora e Agencia de Viagens SA. What's keeping TAM SA, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA, Localiza Rent A Car SA, MSC Cruises, Hotelaria Accor Brasil SA, Blue Tree Hotels and Resorts, Carlson Wagonlit Travel Brazil, Jet Stream Turismo Ltda & CVC Brasil Operadora e Agencia de Viagens SA Ahead in the Market? Benchmark yourself with the strategic moves and findings recently released by HTF MI Get Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1491258-global-travel-and-tourism-market-1 Market Overview of Global Travel and Tourism If you are involved in the Global Travel and Tourism industry or aim to be, then this study will provide you inclusive point of view. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Applications [Application 1, Application 2 & Application 3], Product Types [, Type I, Type II & Type III] and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement. This study mainly helps understand which market segments or Region or Country they should focus in coming years to channelize their efforts and investments to maximize growth and profitability. The report presents the market competitive landscape and a consistent in depth analysis of the major vendor/key players in the market along with impact of economic slowdown due to COVID. Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows: Historical year 2014-2019 Base year 2019 Forecast period** 2020 to 2026 [** unless otherwise stated] **Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players. Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1491258-global-travel-and-tourism-market-1 The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: The Study Explore the Product Types of Travel and Tourism Market: , Type I, Type II & Type III Key Applications/end-users of Global Travel and TourismMarket: Application 1, Application 2 & Application 3 Top Players in the Market are: TAM SA, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA, Localiza Rent A Car SA, MSC Cruises, Hotelaria Accor Brasil SA, Blue Tree Hotels and Resorts, Carlson Wagonlit Travel Brazil, Jet Stream Turismo Ltda & CVC Brasil Operadora e Agencia de Viagens SA Region Included are: North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report: Detailed overview of Travel and Tourism market Changing market dynamics of the industry In-depth market segmentation by Type, Application etc Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape of Travel and Tourism market Strategies of key players and product offerings Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective towards Travel and Tourism market performance Market players information to sustain and enhance their footprint Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1491258-global-travel-and-tourism-market-1 Major Highlights of TOC: Chapter One: Global Travel and Tourism Market Industry Overview 1.1 Travel and Tourism Industry 1.1.1 Overview 1.1.2 Products of Major Companies 1.2 Travel and Tourism Market Segment 1.2.1 Industry Chain 1.2.2 Consumer Distribution 1.3 Price & Cost Overview Chapter Two: Global Travel and Tourism Market Demand 2.1 Segment Overview 2.1.1 APPLICATION 1 2.1.2 APPLICATION 2 2.1.3 Other 2.2 Global Travel and Tourism Market Size by Demand 2.3 Global Travel and Tourism Market Forecast by Demand Chapter Three: Global Travel and Tourism Market by Type 3.1 By Type 3.1.1 TYPE 1 3.1.2 TYPE 2 3.2 Travel and Tourism Market Size by Type 3.3 Travel and Tourism Market Forecast by Type Chapter Four: Major Region of Travel and Tourism Market 4.1 Global Travel and Tourism Sales 4.2 Global Travel and Tourism Revenue & market share Chapter Five: Major Companies List Chapter Six: Conclusion Complete Purchase of Latest Version Global Travel and Tourism Market Study with COVID-19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1491258 Key questions answered - What impact does COVID-19 have made on Global Travel and Tourism Market Growth & Sizing? - Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the Global Travel and Tourism market? - What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the Global Travel and Tourism market? - What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Travel and Tourism market? - What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. About HTF Market Report HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the "Accurate Forecast" in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their "Goals & Objectives". Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- The rivalry between ThyssenKrupp AG, TENOVA S.p.A, and Metso Corp. defines the global bulk material handling products and technologies market, states a report by Transparency market Research (TMR). The degree of competition in high within this market as these companies aggressively involve into mergers, acquisitions, and business alliances to strengthen their visibility. Over the coming years, players are likely to focus more on product innovation, development, and implementation of advanced technologies, which is likely to intensify the competition between them. As per the estimations of TMR, the global market for bulk material handling products and technologies, which offered an opportunity in US$58.86 bn in 2015, is likely to increase at a CAGR of 1.30% during the period from 2016 and 2024 and touch US$65.74 bn by the end of the forecast period. The demand for bulk material handling products and technologies has been greater from the mining industry when compared to other end users and the scenario is likely to remain same over the years to come. For Right Perspective & Competitive Insights, Request a Sample @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3816 Europe to Witness Continued Rise in its Bulk Material Handling Products and Technologies Market According to the research report, North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World that includes the Middle East, Africa, and South America are the main geographical segments of the worldwide bulk material handling products and technologies market. Europe, which has been leading this market for quite some time, is expected to remain seated in this position over the period of forecast. It acquired a share of nearly 35% in the overall market in 2015. Germany has taken the lead among all the European markets for bulk material handling products and technologies and is expected to maintain its dominance in the near future on account of the extensive utilization of bulk material handling equipment, propelled by the rising demand for industrial automation, the increase in mass production methods, such as assembly line production, and the augmenting requirement for bulk equipment in the construction industry. Asia Pacific, among others, is also exhibiting considerable scope for the future growth of the market for bulk material handling products and technologies, thanks to the rise in infrastructural advancements, boosted by the rise in urbanization in emerging Asian economies, such as India, China, and Japan. The Asia pacific bulk material handling products and technologies market is heavily driven by China, which is also one of the most prominent domestic markets across the world. The ongoing expansion in the China market points towards a thriving future for the overall market in Asia Pacific. North America, on the other hand, is likely to witness a sluggish progress in its market for bulk material handling products and technologies over the forecast period, states the report. Request the coronavirus impact analysis @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=3816 Continual Infrastructural Developments and Construction Activities to Boost Market's Progress "The rising urbanization has the most prominent impact on the market for bulk material handling products and technologies across the world," says the author of this report. With continued infrastructural developments and construction activities, especially in emerging countries, such as China and India, the demand for these products and technologies has been increasing substantially. The growing need for automation in the manufacturing industry is also reflecting positively on their sales, creating growth opportunities for this market during the forecast period. However, the need for high initial investments and the presence of several budgetary constraints may limit the market's growth to some extent over the next few years, notes the study. The study presented here is based on a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled "Bulk Material Handling Products and Technologies Market - Global Industry Analysis Size Share Growth Trends and Forecast, 2016 - 2024." The global bulk material handling product and technologies market has been segmented as follows: By Types Powder Materials Material Feeding Systems Weighing Systems Conveying Systems Screening Systems Others (including iron ores, wood chips and coal, etc.) By End Users Chemical Construction Energy Food & Beverages Mining Metals Oil and Gas Pharmaceuticals Plastics Others By Region North America The U.S. Canada Mexico Europe The U.K. Germany Italy France Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan Taiwan South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the World (RoW) South America Middle East Africa Read Our Trending Press Release Below: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/need-for-expediting-commercial-and-industrial-development-projects-to-drive-demand-within-3d-printing-in-construction-market--transparency-market-research-301076653.html About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. KNOX COUNTY, Ill. A Muscatine man was one of two people arrested Tuesday in Knox County for unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, according to a press release from the Knox County Sheriffs Office. According to the release, Peter Martinez Jr., 18, of Muscatine, was arrested at the intersection of Oak Grove Lane and U.S. Highway 150N, north of Galesburg. Martinez was found to be in possession of 70 bags of cannabis gummies (2,820 grams), 20 containers of cannabis (933 grams) and a jar of cannabis wax (308 grams). He has been charged with possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, 2,000-5,000 grams; and possession of cannabis, 2,000-5,000 grams. According to Illinois law, possession of over 30 grams of cannabis is a crime. Possession of 2,000-5,000 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver is punishable by 4 to 15 years in prison and up to a $150,000 fine. Possession of 2,000-5,000 grams of cannabis is punishable by 3 to 7 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Bengaluru, Sep 30 : Rebutting Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah's charges, Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K. Sudhakar on Wednesday asserted that the state government had not fudged any data with regards to Covid-19 deaths in the state. Responding to Siddaramaiah's charges through Twitter, the minister added that the state government collects Covid data from all hospitals at a particular time. "Jalappa Hospital in Kolar had not furnished it on the same day and in stipulated forms, as a result those deaths did not reflect in our data on the said dates. But those deaths were included on subsequent dates," he tweeted, releasing a bulletin of subsequent dates. Sudhakar said that the state government was acting responsibly and honestly sharing Covid data in the most transparent manner. "Why will we hide anything like death, which cannot be hidden in any manner," he asked. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Alya Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 17:37 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4841832 1 National West-Java,Bodebek,satellite-city,PSBB,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free The West Java administration has extended large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in Bogor, Depok and Bekasi (Bodebek) until Oct. 27. West Java COVID-19 task force secretary Daud Achmad said that according to the governors decree on the PSBB extension, the regional head of the Bodebek region could implement the PSBB proportionally depending on the risk status of each region. "The PSBB can be proportionally adjusted to regional vigilance at the district, subdistrict and village levels in the form of micro-scale social restrictions (PSBM)," said Daud in a written statement on Wednesday. Read also: Jakarta extends PSBB for two more weeks to 'break the chain' of virus spread Daud went on to say that the PSBB extension in Jakartas satellite cities was aligned with Jakartas decision to extend its PSBB to Oct. 11. Besides, he said, an extended PSBB was needed as Bodebek had contributed significantly to West Java's daily spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases. According to West Java COVID-19 Coordination and Information Center data on Tuesday, the Bodebek region has seen 3,212 more confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past seven days. West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has also issued another governors decree to extend the implementation of the Adaptation of New Habits (AKB) in the province, except for the Bodebek region, until Oct. 24. During the AKB, people in the 22 cities and regencies in West Java must adhere to the health protocols to curb the transmission of the coronavirus. More than half of nation-state cyber attacks in the last year have originated from Russia, Microsoft has revealed in a new report. According to the firm's annual Digital Defense Report, 52 per cent of state-sponsored hacking attempts from July 2019 and June 2020 were Russian in origin. Exactly a quarter during this time period came from Iran, 12 per cent from China and the remaining 11 per cent from North Korea and other countries. Cyber operations have targeted global events, including elections and individuals tied to political campaigns, as well as the Olympic Games and the current pandemic. Every country in the world has seen at least one Covid-19-themed attack since the pandemic began, Microsoft claims. The number of successful attacks has increased along with Covid-19 outbreaks as 'fear and the desire for information' has grown. The themes of dodgy links and scamming attempts are a reflection of 'the contemporary issues of the day' Microsoft said. 52 per cent of nation-state cyber warfare hack attempts from July 2019 and June 2020 were from Russia, Microsoft said. Pictured: Stock image of a hacker WHAT ARE NATION STATE CYBER ATTACKS? Nation state cyber attacks are assaults launched by cybercriminals who have the backing of their nation state. Nation state attackers work for a government to compromise target governments in another country or organisations. British defence and security company BAE Systems describes them as agents with a licence to hack. They can work without fear of legal retribution they will be highly unlikely to be arrested in their home country for what theyre doing, the company says. Nation state actors are well-funded, well-trained, and watch their targets and change techniques to increase their effectiveness, Microsoft said. Advertisement For example, clicking a link to a purported Covid-19 cure can result in a computer becoming infected with viruses. Microsoft's annual report analyses trillions of threat signals from PCs, 'smart home' devices, and emails to estimate total cyber security over the course of a year. 'Cybercriminals are opportunistic and have capitalised on interest and fear related to the Covid-19 pandemic and other disruptive events,' said Mary Jo Schrade at Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit Asia. 'They have expanded the way they leverage computers that are infected with malware, adding modules or changing the nature of the attacks for which they leverage them. 'They have also focused on targeting their ransomware activities toward entities that cannot afford to be offline or without access to records during critical periods of the pandemic, like hospitals and medical research institutions. 'Concerted efforts from organisations, governments and businesses are key to addressing these wide-ranging online threats.' When a Microsoft customer either a single person or organisation is targeted or compromised by nation state activities that the firm tracks, Microsoft delivers something called a nation state notification (NSN) to the customer. Microsoft said it has issued 13,000 alerts about nation-state hacking attempts to its customers in the last two years. As the world prepared for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in 2020, at least 16 national and international sporting and anti-doping organisations across three continents were targeted Russia, the worst offender for such attempts observed by Microsoft, has a history of launching disruptive and potentially destructive attacks 'in response to perceived anti-Russian actions in international sport'. Before the Olympic Games in 2016 and 2018, suspected Russia-based threat actors stole and leaked athletes sensitive medical data and rendered inoperable the servers comprising the IT backbone of the Olympic Games. And as the world prepared for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games this year which has been postponed because of Covid-19 at least 16 national and international sporting and anti-doping organisations across three continents were targeted. The US took the brunt of the nation state cyber attacks in the past year, followed by the UK, Microsoft intelligence revealed. Origin of nation state cyber attacks (top) and their targeted nation (bottom). The UK was the second most targeted nation More than two thirds 69 per cent of the NSNs sent by Microsoft from July 2019 to June 2020 were to customers in the US. 19 per cent were sent to UK customers, followed by 5 per cent in Canada, 4 per cent in South Korea and 3 per cent in Saudi Arabia. Iran, which accounted for the second-largest amount of hack attempts behind Russia, was the source of increasing state-backed cyber activity. In a 30-day period between August and September 2019, Microsoft observed Iran-based hackers attacking 241 accounts of Microsoft customers. The targeted accounts were associated with a US presidential campaign, current and former US government officials, journalists covering global politics and prominent Iranians living outside Iran. As the US general election gets closer, Microsoft is 'likely to see activity increase after this report was written' in the demand for information. President Donald Trump (left) and Democratic candidate Joe Biden seen here in Cleveland, Ohio on September 29 As the November 2020 US Presidential election gets closer, Microsoft said it's likely to see this nefarious activity increase. As for China, a suspected nation state group operating there compromised accounts at a US university involved in Covid-19 vaccine research in March. And nation state actors from both North Korea and Iran targeted global university experts that influence international policy on topics like international security, nuclear weapons and human rights. Microsoft said non-governmental organisations are the most heavily targeted, including non-profits, think tanks, advocacy groups and human rights organisations. The top six targeted industry sectors between July 2019June 2020, determined by nation state notification (NSNs) delivered to Microsoft customers 32 per cent of nation state attacks between July 2019 and June 2020 targeted non-governmental organisations. This was followed by professional services (31 per cent), government organisations (13 per cent), international organisations (10 per cent), IT firms (7 per cent) and higher education (7 per cent). In terms of 'Covid-themed malware encounters', China, the US and Russia were hit the worst, showing that some of the worst offenders are in the same nation as some of their victims. In the US, Covid-themed malware encounters peaked in March, just as American awareness of the coronavirus was starting to spread, and again in June. While in the UK, they started to climb dramatically in February and peaked at more than 70,000 on March 14 just over a week before the full lockdown came into effect. This Covid-themed data reflects total encounters and is not meant to imply nation-state activity, Microsoft said. Instances of unique and total Covid-themed malware encounters in relation to local news events of the day, as seen in the UK Attackers are using the global pandemic to broadly target consumers who want information, as well as to specifically target hospitals and healthcare providers 'As the virus spread globally, cybercriminals pivoted their lures to imitate trusted sources like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other national health organisations, in an effort to get users to click on malicious links and attachment,' the report says. 'Adversaries used the Covid-19 theme to socially engineer lures around the anxiety and the flood of information associated with the pandemic. '[Cybercriminals] seek to blend their well-established tactics and malware with human curiosity and our need for information... it's a common understanding to never waste a crisis.' Elsewhere in the 88-page report, Microsoft revealed it blocked more than 13 billion malicious and suspicious mails in 2019. Out of this total, more than 1 billion were URL-based phishing threats URLs set up for the explicit purpose of launching a phishing credential attack. Microsoft is urging organisations to give staff employee phishing training. Phishing is where targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message to steal personal information Microsoft is urging organisations to tell their staff to 'say something if they see something' like a dodgy phishing email. 'Determining what areas of behaviour are driven by a lack of knowledge will best be addressed with a training first approach,' the report says. 'Areas where employees have the knowledge but are still not displaying desired security behaviours should be addressed through other efforts, like targeted campaigns, leadership messaging, outreach events, and a closer look at process and procedures.' Threat actors are showing an increasing focus on Internet of Things (IoT) devices home-based objects like fridges, speakers and surveillance cameras that exchange data over the internet. The new analysis is based on data from more than 1.2 billion PCs, servers and IoT devices that accessed Microsoft services, as well as data from 630 billion authentication events, 470 billion emails and more than 18 million URLs. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump attacked former vice president Joe Biden's plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change as likely to wreck the U.S. economy during a presidential debate Tuesday night. "We're talking about the Green New Deal," Trump said, referring to the plan put forward by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. "They want to rip down buildings and rebuild the buildings. It's the dumbest thing, where airplanes are out, the two-car system is out and they want to take out the cows too." Biden is proposing to spend $2 trillion over the next four years, to modernize the U.S. economy towards bringing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. But he has distanced himself from the Green New Deal, saying Tuesday night he did not support the plan, and argued his climate plan would create jobs. "It's going to create millions of good paying jobs," Biden said. "We spend billions of dollars on floods and hurricanes." The Democratic nominee also said it was essential the United States rejoin the Paris climate accord, which Trump announced he was pulling out of not long after taking office. "Without us in it, look what's happening, it's all falling apart," Biden said. Trump, for his part, offered a more moderate take on climate change than he is the past. Under questioning by moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, the president said greenhouse gas emissions played "some role" in climate change and even said he liked electric cars. And he defended his decision to roll back vehicle emissions standards, saying those put in place by former president Barack Obama and Biden would have driven up car prices for minimal climate gain. "The cars has gotten so expensive because they have computers all over the place for a little bit of gasoline (savings)," he said. "What they've done in California is crazy." Hodge invited him to be in Stolen Crowns, and I was all for it, he said. I like the diversity of the characters he has played, and acting is something I can see myself pursuing. Although his character, James Dalton, portrays characteristics that Benton himself rejects, the people that know me know who I am as a person. Hodge said of James Dalton, This is so very different that the character Benton portrayed in Sell, but he was so good there was no way for him to not be in the role. When Brienna Hairston, who portrays James wife, Kelly Dalton, saw the casting call for Stolen Crowns, she said she sent a message to Benton asking if being part of a film was worth it, and he responded with a resounding yes. As she learned about her character, I said, Wow. This is me, Hairston said. The theme was very personal to me. That just got me a little more excited to participate. French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a news conference on the political situation in Lebanon following Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Moustapha Adib's resignation, in Paris, France Sept. 27, 2020. (Lewis Joly/Pool via Reuters/File Photo) Ashamed: Lebanese Despair at Leaders After Macrons Rebuke BEIRUTLebanese are in despair at their sectarian leaders who have left the nation without a government during the worst crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war that has already driven many into poverty. Emmanuel Macron, president of Lebanons former colonial power France who has led international efforts to offer support, also rebuked politicians after his initiative faltered when the prime minister-designate quit amid bickering for ministerial posts. With politics deadlocked and the economy crushed by debt, Lebanons pound took a further dive, adding to the pain of citizens, many of whom have struggled to make ends meet since the economic crisis erupted in 2019. The first thing we need is a government, said Taleb Tamer, a 31-year-old baker in Beirut, which was hammered by a devastating port blast in August that killed almost 200 people. I have rent, household expenses, and the pound is finished. God willing, they will form a government to fix the situation. But it needs time, he said. The ruling elite has yet to signal how they will solve the crisis in a nation where politics relies on power-sharing between Christian and Muslim sects. The challenge of finding an exit deepened on Sept. 26 when Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib, a Sunni Muslim named on Aug. 31, stood down. His efforts to form a cabinet of nonpartisan ministers ran into the sand after Lebanons two main Shiite groups, the Amal Movement and the heavily armed, Iran-backed Hezbollah, demanded that they name several ministers, including the finance post. Scolding Politicians Lebanon, dubbed the Switzerland of the Middle East before its civil war, has been trying to rebuild since the conflict. But its plans stumbled as debts mounted amid fractious, sectarian politics that have provided fertile ground for regional rivalries to play out between Sunni Muslim Gulf Arabs, Shiite Iran, and others. I am ashamed of Lebanons political leaders, Macron said in Paris on Sept. 27, after politicians reneged on their promise to him on Sept. 1 to swiftly form a government that could start reforms and triggers vital foreign aid. He criticized Hezbollah and a leading Sunni politician, former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, for their roles in the deadlock. Macron told politicians this month they could face sanctions if corruption stood in the way of reforms. On Sept. 27, he said he would give them up to six weeks more to form a cabinet, saying he would only consider sanctions at a later stage. A source from the Shiite political bloc said such words wouldnt push politicians to give ground: Does Macron think that by scolding the main political forces, which have weighty parliamentary blocs, he can change their positions by force? Macrons new deadline falls after a U.S. election on Nov. 3, when the future of Washingtons policy may become clearer. President Donald Trump, seeking re-election, has taken a hard line with new or tougher sanctions on Hezbollah, its backer Iran, and some Lebanese allies of the group. It has left many Lebanese feeling their fate would be decided by international politics. Iran, Saudi Arabia, France, America, if they agree on a solution between them, then we will have a solution, said Ahmed Nassereddin, 40, who was forced to close his shops selling imported clothing brands due to the crisis. By Edmund Blair & Laila Bassam Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak has said that Vitold Fokin, the first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, should leave the Trilateral Contact Group. "Yes, we have a war ongoing in which Russia is a party to the conflict, not an observer. And that is precisely why, and also because of the annexation of Crimea, the West applied sanctions against Russia. My personal position is that Mr. Fokin must leave the TCG," Yermak wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday night. He noted that Ukraine insists on the complete de-occupation and return of all territories, which may mean the restoration of true peace. "Russia must leave our land, taking everything that is of its own - the army, armed formations, military equipment, occupation structures. And it would also be nice if Russia also takes away its diplomatic traps, which the representatives of Ukraine fell into in previous years, and which we are forced to deal with today," the head of the President's Office said. He added that the Trilateral Contact Group does not make any decisions, but is a "logistics platform" for agreeing on details and agreements that are being reached by the leaders of the Normandy format. "All fundamental decisions are made only by the president and parliament and government," Yermak summed up. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 30, 2020) - Golden Independence Mining Corp. (CSE: IGLD) (FSE: 6NN) (the "Company") announces it completed the previously-announced non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $4,000,000 (the "Private Placement"). The financing resulted in the issuance of 14,285,714 units (each a "Unit") at $0.28 per unit. Each Unit is comprised of one common share and one-half of one transferrable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.42 per share for a period of one year from the date of issuance. The Warrants contain an acceleration provision which will provide that, should the Company's common shares trade at or above $0.65 for a period of ten or more consecutive trading days (the "Acceleration Condition"), the expiry date of the Warrants will be accelerated to 30 days from the date that the Company provides notice (whether by written notice to the holder or the issuance of a press release) that the Acceleration Condition has been satisfied. In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid an aggregate of $132,925 in cash finders' fees plus issued a total of 462,731 share purchase warrants (the "Finders' Warrants"). The Finders' Warrants will have the same terms as the Warrants forming part of the units. All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance. As previously announced, the Company has entered into an option agreement (the "Option Agreement") with America's Gold Exploration Inc. ("AGEI") to acquire up to a 75% interest in the advanced-stage Independence Gold Property located in the Battle Mountain-Cortez Trend, Nevada (the "Independence Property"). The Option Agreement was subject to receipt by the Company, within three weeks of execution of the Option Agreement, of a title opinion on the Independence Property acceptable to the Company, acting reasonably. The Company is pleased to confirm that it has received the title opinion and has advanced US$50,000 to AGEI and issued AGEI 500,000 common shares in accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement. Tim Henneberry, CEO & Director, stated "The overwhelming response leading to an upsized and oversubscribed Private Placement, provides a significant vote of confidence in our projects from our shareholders. The capital raised will allow us to rapidly advance our near-term exploration plans, commencing early October. Our focus remains on de-risking the Independence Project through a confirmatory and expansionary fully permitted drill program of up to 180 holes, leading to an updated resource estimate in conjunction with contemporaneous advancements on permitting and development." About Golden Independence Mining Corp. Golden Independence Mining Corp. is an exploration company currently focused on exploring the advanced-stage Independence Gold Property located in the Battle Mountain-Cortez Trend, Nevada and the Champ precious metal property near Castlegar, British Columbia. The Independence Gold Property benefits from over US$25 million in past exploration, including over 200 holes drilled, and is located adjacent to Nevada Gold Mines' Phoenix-Fortitude mining operations in the Battle Mountain-Cortez trend of Nevada. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: R. Tim Henneberry, Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 1.250.715.5329 Email: t.henneberry@goldenindependence.co Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation) that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information includes statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance of the Company, and include, without limitation, statements relating to plans and results of exploration and the magnitude and quality of the Independence Property, the Company's near term exploration plans and the preparation of an updated mineral resource statement for the Independence Property. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information in this news release, including without limitation, the following risks and uncertainties; (i) risks inherent in the mining industry; (ii) regulatory and environmental risks; (iii) results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties and the risk that such results cause 66 Resources to elect to terminate the Option Agreement; (iv) risks relating to the estimation of mineral resources; (v) stock market volatility and capital market fluctuations; and (vi) general market and industry conditions. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. This forward-looking information is based on estimates and opinions of management on the date hereof and is expressly qualified by this notice. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such information unless required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/64897 Norway and Britain Reach Historic Fisheries Agreement Ahead of Brexit Norway and Britain reached a bilateral fisheries agreement on Wednesday, ahead of Britains exit from the European Unions single market at the end of the year. In a statement confirming that the historic agreement had been signed by both countries, the UK government said the deal was a significant step forward in the run-up to the UK leaving the EUs Common Fisheries Policy at the end of 2020. A fishing boat leaves the harbor of Henningsvaer, in northern Norway, Lofoten islands, on March 7, 2018. (Olivier Morin/AFP via Getty Images) While Norway is not a member of the EU, it is integrated into the blocs common market and must negotiate separate post-Brexit trade relations with Britain. The fisheries treaty with Norway, the first for the UK as an independent coastal state for 40 years, requires annual negotiations between the two countries on quotas and access to waters, the UK government said. Important Milestone The UKs National Federation of Fishermens Organisation (NFFO) welcomed the treaty saying in a statement that the development is another important milestone towards the UKs future as an independent coastal state. NFFO News The National Federation of Fishermens Organisation has welcomed the signature of a fisheries framework agreement between UK and Norway. https://t.co/MeNl5Rq4ED NFFO (@NFFO_UK) September 30, 2020 Though the deal provides a general framework, much of the detail of how the two countries will work together will be decided in annual fisheries agreements, NFFO said. This is the established pattern of how coastal states with shared stocks work with each other to ensure that fish stocks are harvested responsibly and sustainably, NFFO Chief Executive Barrie Deas said. Annual agreements provide the necessary flexibility to address changes in the stocks and the science, whilst the framework agreement ensures continuity and a framework of cooperation, he added. Constructive Approach Negotiations between Britain and the EU have stumbled over fisheries, fair competition, and how to settle disputes. However, Environment Secretary George Eustice, who signed the agreement for the UK, praised Norway for its constructive approach to negotiations leading up to the deal. Meanwhile, Norwegian Fisheries and Seafood Minister Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, who signed the agreement for Norway, said via the UK governments statement that from next year the UK would be an important coastal state and partner. This is a great day, he said. The management of shared fish stocks is at its best when the coastal states agree on how this should happen. Britain formally left the EU in January this year, but London and Brussels are seeking a new trade deal before a status-quo transition arrangement ends in December. Reuters contributed to this report NEW YORK (AP) The presidential debate commission says it will soon adopt changes to its format to avoid a repeat of the disjointed first meeting between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. The commission said Wednesday the debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues. One possibility being discussed is to give the moderator the ability to cut off the microphone of one of the debate participants while his opponent is talking, according to a person familiar with the deliberations who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The next presidential debate is a town hall format scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami. Moderator Chris Wallace struggled to gain control of Tuesday's debate in Cleveland because of frequent interruptions, primarily by Trump. The candidates interrupted Wallace or their opponent 90 times in the 90-minute debate, 71 of them by Trump, according to an analysis by The Washington Post. Wallace, of Fox News, pleaded for a more orderly debate, at one point looking at Trump and saying, the country would be better served if we allowed both people to speak with fewer interruptions. I'm appealing to you, sir, to do that. Ask him, too, Trump said. Well, frankly, you've been doing more interrupting than he has, Wallace said. Biden on Wednesday called the debate a national embarrassment. But despite some suggestions that the final two presidential encounters be canceled, both campaigns said they expected their candidate to attend. Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said the commission was only doing this because their guy got pummeled last night. President Trump was the dominant force and now Joe Biden is trying to work the refs. ABC News' Martha Raddatz, who moderated one of the three debates between Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, said Wallace was put in nearly an impossible situation. Faced with the same behavior, she said she might have called a full stop to the debate for a moment to recalibrate. She never had the option, technically, to cut off the microphone of a candidate four years ago, she said. It also wasn't in the rules that were agreed to in advance by the candidates and commission. To say, Hes not going to follow the rules so we aren't, either,' It's an unprecedented situation, Raddatz said. That was so out of control. Twitter was ablaze with criticism for Wallace early in the debate for losing control of the proceedings. That was illustrated by MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, who tweeted What is Chris Wallace doing? He has no control over the debate. He asks a question and let's Trump continue yelling. This is a disgrace. By the time he was on "Morning Joe'' the next morning, Scarborough had cooled off. He called on the debate commission to act. While it was extraordinarily frustrating, I think all of us need to walk a mile in his shoes before saying the morning after, He could have done this, he could have done that, Scarborough said. Some of the president's supporters felt that Wallace was too hard on their candidate. Trump himself suggested he was also debating Wallace, but that's no surprise. Wallace even got some criticism from opinion personalities on his own network. Trump is debating the moderator and Biden, prime-time host Laura Ingraham tweeted during the debate. Another Fox colleague, Geraldo Rivera, expressed more sympathy. The guy signed up to moderate a debate and he ended up trying to referee a knife fight, he said. Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, was not immediately made available for comment by Fox. There is some skepticism about what the commission can do that is really meaningful. Im not sure that theres a format change that can solve that problem, said Sen. Pat Toomey, Republican, of battleground state Pennsylvania. Wallace is the only presidential debate moderator this cycle with prior experience, after receiving praise for handling the final Clinton-Trump debate in 2016. The other two moderators are Steve Scully of C-SPAN and Kristen Welker of NBC News. Scully moderates the Miami debate, a town hall format where citizens get to ask questions, which may make interruptions more difficult. Having prepared for these, the town hall is a completely different event in the debate Olympics, tweeted David Plouffe, an adviser to former President Barack Obama. If Trump brings the same nastiness to Florida, it will be doubly painful to watch but it will be doubly painful for him politically. The Nielsen company's estimate on how many people watched Tuesday's debate was expected later Wednesday. ___ Associated Press writers Bill Barrow, Laurie Kellman and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report. Fact-checking claims from Trump and Biden's first debate Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The 2021 GMC Yukon AT4 will soon be available at Carl Black Buick GMC of Roswell, but until then shoppers can learn all about the off-road SUV on the dealership's website! Residents of the Roswell, Georgia, area that have been waiting patiently for the release of the all-new, next-generation GMC Yukon family will be thrilled to hear that the full-size SUV has arrived at Carl Black Buick GMC of Roswell. The new 2021 GMC Yukon is available now at the dealership, in person or online, with three members of the family already being released. The Yukon SLT, AT4 and Denali trim levels are already available, with more soon to follow such as the Yukon XL and Yukon XL Denali. Shoppers in the area that arent sure which version of the Yukon SUV will fit their needs, or shoppers who are interested in learning more about the GMC Yukon family in general, can find informative model research pages on the dealerships website. These pages focus on the different models that are available, highlighting some of the details that make them such great options in the full-size sport utility vehicle segment. One page highlights the standard GMC Yukon, while another focuses on the off-road Yukon AT4 and a third shines the spotlight on the top-of-the-line, luxury Yukon Denali. Further pages focus on the Yukon XL and other, non-Yukon models available at the Buick and GMC dealership. Potential car buyers near Roswell that might be interested in learning more about the Yukon family are encouraged to browse the dealerships website at http://www.CarlBlackRoswell.com. Specific questions can be directed to the sales team at 888-491-7859. Carl Black Buick GMC of Roswell is located at 11225 Alpharetta Hwy. in Roswell. WASHINGTON The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday night more resembled a bar fight than a contest for the nations highest office. It looked more like the mid 1800s when there were brawls in Congress, than any recent debates even 2016, said Christopher Mann, assistant professor of political science at Skidmore College. Amid the vitriolic shouting and endless interruptions, a perceptive viewer could glean some policy and personality differences between the two, but it was tough to make sense of much of what was yelled over the course of the hour and a half. This highly publicized debate is the most uncivil and disrespectful presidential debate that I have ever observed, political science Professor Gary Rose of Sacred Heart University said. Neither President Trump or former Vice President Biden conducted themselves in a presidential manner. In my view, this debate diminished the stature of the American presidency. Here are the seven things you should know: Moderator Chris Wallace could not control the interruptions. From the top, Trump came in hot with interruptions, attacking Biden on his health care plan, while Biden interrupted right back to try to correct what he said wereTrumps mischaracterizations of his positions. Within minutes both had called each a liar. Its hard to get any word in with this clown, this person, Biden said at one point. Wallace, a veteran journalist and anchor of Fox News Sunday, tried and mostly failed to stop the verbal barrage. I hate to raise my voice but why shouldnt I be different from the two of you? Wallace asked the candidates at one point, imploring them to cut it out. Late in the debate, Wallace reminded Trump that his campaign agreed to the rules of the debate and by interrupting he was breaking them. The moderator was terrible, said Paul Herrnson, political science professor at the University of Connecticut and fellow at the Center for Responsive Politics. He let Trump talk all over himself and over Biden. Mann defended Wallace for asking good questions and trying to enforce the rules. Political science research shows that people are turned off by incivility in politics, Mann said. In particular, the cross talk with Chris Wallace - a well known and well-liked Fox News anchor - was not a good look for Trump. With Biden, this cross talk might look like a political argument. The cross talk with Chris Wallace looked like he was bullying and disrespectful. Biden, Trump explained how they will handle delayed and disputed election results. At the close of the debate, Wallace asked both candidates if they will urge voters to stay calm during a possible extended period after the election when the results could be unknown as the ballots are counted. He asked if they would pledge not to declare victory until the election results are independently certified. Trump, who responded first, said he urged his supporters to go to the polls and act as poll watchers as ballots are being counted to watch very carefully and look for misconduct. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that, Trump said, again raising the prospect that he may not commit to a peaceful transition of power, if he loses the election. Biden said he would not declare victory until the results have been independently certified. He defended the use of vote-by-mail as standard practice by the military and in five states Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Utah where almost all ballots are cast by mail every election. Biden promised that if he is not the victor of the election, that he will support the winner. Given the variety of election laws among the states, each state has a different deadline for counting absentee ballots, said Gayle Alberda, assistant professor of political science at Fairfield University. For Americans, we might not know who wins on Election Day. Leaving that as the last issue for the debate was beneficial in helping voters set expectations for obtaining election results. Trump would not explicitly disavow white supremacy during debate over race, violence. In a key exchange during a discussion on race and protests, Wallace the moderator asked Trump if he would explicitly condemn white supremacy. Trump said: Sure, I would be willing to do it. But when pressed by Wallace he never followed through with his condemnation and instead said the people agitating peaceful protests are a left wing problem. Trump's unwillingness to condemn white supremacists when directly asked about to do so by Chris Wallace is likely to be the moment most likely to end up in TV ads, Mann said. Wallace also pressed Biden on why he would not call the mayors of Portland, Ore., or other cities experiencing lengthy periods of civil unrest over racial justice issues and demand they stop looting and rioting in their cities. Biden responded, I dont hold public office now. I am a former vice president. He added: Violence is never appropriate. Biden slammed Trump for his response to the death of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Trump attacked Biden for his work on the 1994 crime bill. Positioning himself as the law and order candidate,Trump pressed Biden to name one law enforcement group that had endorsed Bidens campaign, but Biden stared blankly and could not respond with one. He said he wanted to reform policing by rooting out bad apples and encouraging discussion between community members and the police. Trump said he ended racial sensitivity training at federal agencies because it was teaching people to hate our country and rife with sick ideas. I ended it because its racist, Trump said. I ended (it) because a lot of people were complaining they were asked to do something that was absolutely insane. Biden declared Trump a racist, saying: People have to be made aware of what other people feel like. This is the man who told you to inject bleach. Speaking to the camera, Biden asked the American public how many people had an empty chair at their kitchen table because someone died from coronavirus. Biden blamed Trump for the deaths, claiming he never had a plan to fight the virus and had minimized the pandemics seriousness and refused to offer the country the support it needed to stop the virus outbreak and heal the economy. In a memorable line, Herrnson said, Biden quoted Trump who said, it is what is about the virus, and then retorted it is because of what you are. He mocked Trump, saying this is the man who told you to inject bleach. Trump said the remark was sarcastic. The president highlighted his work putting in placing an early travel ban on China that Biden and other Democrats criticized as unnecessary and xenophobic, and said he made the right decision to shut down the greatest economy in history due to the China plague. Now he supports reopening. Trump repeatedly stated that Democratic governors were keeping their states shut down until after the November election for political reasons because, they think theyre hurting us by keeping it closed. Its so sad whats happening in New York," Trump said. "Its almost like a ghost town. Trump divided Biden from progressives on the environment. Throughout the debate, Trump sought to portray Biden as a radical socialist who was puppeteered by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Then, when Biden refused to support some ideas backed by progressives, Trump jeered that Biden was now losing those voters. Trump claimed that Biden supported the Green New Deal, a progressive policy proposal to fight climate change. Trump said it would put airplines out of businesses, take peoples cars away and even take the cows out. After stumbling once over his words, Biden said, I dont support the Green New Deal ... I support the Biden plan that I put forward, describing how he believes investments in renewable energy, weatherizing homes and buildings and other changes can create new, good-paying jobs. I am not sure that Biden said anything that ends up in TV ads, except perhaps his misspeaking about the Green New Deal, Mann said. Biden will take some heat from the left wing of his party for moving to the center, but the left wing is already far more motivated to vote against Trump than for Biden so this won't cost any votes. On his own views on climate change, Trump said he believed a lot of things contribute to global warming. We have to do everything we can to have immaculate air, immaculate water, he said. He brought up the recent wildfires burning in the western states and blamed them on poor forest management. A similar dynamic unfolded when Trump claimed Biden wanted to take away peoples private health insurance. Biden countered that he did not he wanted to expand Medicaid so more people would have access to a public option, he said. Your party wants to go to socialist medicine, Trump said. I am the Democratic party right now, Biden said. The platform of the Democratic party is what I approved of. Trump said he paid millions in federal taxes. After a New York Times investigation that revealed details of Trumps personal and business tax practices, Trump claimed he paid millions in federal taxes in 2016 and 2017. The New York Times investigation revealed Trump paid $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and no income taxes in 11 of the 18 years that the Times reviewed, thanks to huge businesses losses he carried, among many other findings. Trump has broken with tradition by refusing to release his tax returns contending it is because he is being audited by the Internal Revenue Service and waging a legal battle to keep them hidden. Hours before the debate, Biden released his 2019 tax return showing he and his wife paid nearly $300,000 in federal taxes, a little less than a third of his adjusted gross income of $985,000. Biden urged Trump to show us your tax returns. Trump said: Youll see it as soon as its finished. Biden repeatedly linked Trump to millionaires and billionaires making profits off the pandemic, while talking up his Scranton, Pa., roots. Bidens working class background and public service career came across. He sought to connect with everyday people, focus on policy, and address the performance of government, Herrnson said. Trumps background also came across. He was born into wealth, went into business and reality TV, and developed a public persona as a bully. His interruptions and personal attacks were consistent with his background. The animosity could not have been more clear. Trump and Biden did not hide their disdain for one another, although to win in November, each must win a portion of moderate voters, some of whom backed Trump in 2016 and some of whom supported Democrat and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Youre the worst president America has ever had, come on, Biden to Trump during a segment on taxes. He called Trump a clown more than once. Trump suggested that Biden graduated last in his college class and attacked his intellect. He repeatedly called Biden a socialist. He lambasted Bidens son, Hunter Biden, for his work for a Ukrainian energy firm and getting kicked out of the military, among other allegations. A shook-up Biden said his son Hunter struggled from a drug problem, like many people, but has recovered and that Trumps other allegations were false. One of the big take-aways was the lack of real policy debate, Alberda said. Too often they focused on zingers or interrupting each other and not on sharing with voters where they stand on the issues. Both the candidates dodged questions, which is expected, but the extent to which they did often can leave many voters in the dark. SPRINGFIELD Last year Madison County recorded 434 collisions with deer, the second highest in the state behind Cook County with 472. The Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are reminding residents to watch out for deer. With autumn comes the deer mating season, a time of increased activity at dawn and dusk from October through December. One person died and 23 were hurt in Madison County deer collisions last year. Macoupin County had 260 collisions, with 12 people hurt. Jersey County jhad 122 collisions and seven people hurt. Calhoun County had 96 collisions and one person hurt. And Greene County had 47 collisions and five people hurt. For a county-by-county report on 2019 deer collisions, visit https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/my1fD/1/. We are starting to begin our peak season for deer-vehicle crashes, said acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. We ask all drivers to keep a watchful eye and remember the cardinal rule: dont veer for deer. While the urge to swerve is instinctual, it could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or drive into oncoming traffic, increasing the severity of a crash. State officials suggest drivers be aware of their surroundings, especially in areas with deer crossing signs, and scan the sides of the road for eye shine the reflection of headlights in their eyes. Drivers should slow down if they see a deer; they usually travel in groups and may stop in the middle of a road or double back while halfway across. If a collision is inevitable, drivers should try to glance their vehicle off the deer and avoid swerving into opposite lanes of traffic. Last year Illinois recorded a total of 16,213 crashes 604 causing personal injuries and four causing deaths. More than 40% of crashes involving deer in Illinois occurred in October, November and December last year. Rural environments were the site of more than 90% of all motor vehicle crashes involving deer, with more than 70% occurring at twilight or nighttime. Deer populations are common in both rural and urban areas, which means deer-vehicle collisions can happen anywhere, said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan. And remember, if you do hit a deer, report the accident to local law enforcement or Conservation Police Officer. They can help control traffic, clear the roadway or in the event the animal must be euthanized. For information on how to claim a deer involved in a crash, visit www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer/Pages/Claim-a-Road-Kill.aspx. To report possession of a deer killed in a deer-vehicle crash, fill out the form at http://dnr.illinois.gov/SalvageDeer/(S(2g2y5tunjelyrx45y2dzqd55))/SalvageInfo.aspx. WASHINGTON The United States could fall behind in its global competition with China without additional resources to develop better intelligence on the Chinese government, and spy agencies must focus more on the challenge of pandemics and trade, according to a report by the Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee released Wednesday. The warnings in the report, the result of a classified two-year study of American intelligence agencies work, were similar to the conclusions of a Republican study on China also released Wednesday. While that report, by a task force of House Republican lawmakers, has a wider focus, it too called for a more aggressive stance toward China and better defenses against Chinese theft of intellectual property and efforts to influence American politics. While there is a bipartisan consensus on China, the failure of Democrats and Republicans in the House to work together on the issue was another sign of the partisan dysfunction that has gripped Washington and that could be a hurdle to revising American policy on China despite the agreement. The House Intelligence Committee report, primarily the work of the panels Democratic majority, calls for a significant realignment of resources to help the United States compete with China. The report calls for a broader look at national security threats, including climate change and pandemics, while trying to collect intelligence on China. Rizek, one of the fastest growing Abu Dhabi-based start-ups, which is the first super app for on-demand home services in the country, has become the first company in the Middle East to add at-home PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test services to its offerings. This first-of-its-kind service which is accessible for people in the UAE is convenient and alleviates the need for customers to visit hospitals or clinics or to stand in queues. For this service, Rizek has partnered with top tier hospitals certified by Dubai Health Authority and Abu Dhabis Department of Health and providing Covid- 19 PCR tests. Abdallah Abu Sheikh, the founder and chief operating officer of Rizek, said: Rizek has been consistently pioneering solutions to help fight the pandemic and was the first platform to launch on-demand sanitisation services. We also offered free disinfection services for labour camps and have now added at-home PCR to the list of healthcare and well-being services being already provided. We look forward to continuously serving the UAE community in line with the vision of the UAEs exemplary leadership, with a hope for a healthier and stronger society. The PCR test results offered through Rizek partners are certified and approved for travel purposes, both internationally and regionally. The service is part of Rizeks commitment to align with and facilitate the UAE governments plan to widen the coronavirus testing and make it available to all citizens and residents across the country. The tests are conducted with a fast turnaround time of 24 hours, which is Seha-compliant. Customers can also opt for an express service that delivers results in just eight hours. -- Tradearabia News Service A vengeful mother who told police her brother-in-law was a terrorist and friend of London Bridge attacker Usman Khan has been jailed for over two years. Bushra Ali, 39, wrote hoax letters to authorities including the Home Office accusing him of plotting to kill dozens of people in Reading at Christmas. The malicious slurs against her brother-in-law came amid a bitter family feud following a bruising divorce which divided relatives. Her allegations led to a 'traumatic' police raid and arrests at the address Ali had given to authorities - before officers realised the claims were false and arrested her, sparking her immediate confession. Sentencing at Reading Crown Court, the judge scolded Ali, from the Berkshire town, for wasting 250 hours of police time and handed her a 30-month prison sentence for one count of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice. Bushra Ali, 39, (left) wrote hoax letters to authorities including the Home Office accusing him of plotting to kill dozens of people in Reading at Christmas and being friends with London Bridge terrorist Usman Khan (right) The contents of three letters by Ali sent over the course of 10 days to authorities in December 2019 were read in court today. They alleged her brother-in-law, who cannot be named, was a friend of Usman Khan, who notoriously killed two people on London Bridge in November 2019. Ali also claimed he was part of a gang of terrorists who were 'going to do a very big attack in Reading during Christmas 2019.' Prosecutor Christopher Hewertson told Judge Angela Morris: 'This case relates to the sending of three handwritten letters, including images, to the Thames Valley Police, the Home Office and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames and Chiltern, in December last year, alleging that family members of the defendant were planning a terrorist attack around Christmas. 'This was originally treated as plausible by the police and took up hundreds of hours of specialist police work but was subsequently found to be false. 'The occupants of the address named in Reading were the defendant's sister and her husband, who was the particular target of these assertions, saying he was a central terrorist connected to Khan of the London Westminster attacks in November of that year.' Sentencing at Reading Crown Court (file photo), the judge scolded Ali, from the Berkshire town, for wasting 250 hours of police time and handed her a 30-month prison sentence for one count of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice The first letter, scrawled note on the back of one of the photos sent on December 9 2019, read: 'This man and his friend are terrorists. They are friends of Usman Khan who did the attack on London Bridge. 'These people are planning to do a big attack in Reading. He lives at (subs note: an address in Reading). He has loads of unlicensed guns. They will be doing a very big attack in Reading during Christmas. Please save all of us poor peoples.' The prosecutor said the enclosed photos were from a family wedding in Pakistan where it was customary to fire guns into the air in celebration of the union. Mr Hewertson said: 'The defendant, Ali, knew it had nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism.' The second letter alleged: 'This man is a terrorist. He is going to do a attack in Reading on Christmas. He lives at (an address in Reading) He has a big gang, please help us from this evil.' The third letter read out by the prosecutor said, 'Please help Thames Valley Police, this man's name is (subs note: name given to court). 'He is a terrorist and he is very, very dangerous. He and his mother do money laundering. They are planning to do attacks in different places. Please put them behind the bars before it's too late.' The court heard that Ali was attempting to exact revenge on her brother-in-law for siding against her in a family divorce row with Ali's brother. When Ali's sister-in-law separated from her brother, she was given custody of their children and 70 per cent of the value of the matrimonial home. The row split the Pakistani family and Ali was angry with her brother-in-law for giving refuge to her brother's ex-wife. Mr Hewertson told the court: 'During the acrimonious separation between the defendant's brother and his ex-wife, the defendant clearly sided with her brother and against her sister and her husband, because they had provided accommodation at their home for the ex-wife and the children of the relationship. 'The battle lines started to be drawn, in effect creating two feuding wings of this family unit.' After sending the malicious letters, Ali messaged her brother seemingly explaining what she had done: 'I wrote a letter to the Queen and the police head office about 'the big b****'. 'I have faith in Allah he will do us justice. Don't do what you said you'd do. They're s*** people. Leave it to Allah.' Defence counsel Michael Phillips explained to Judge Morris the complex feud between the seven siblings and their spouses and the role Ali had had to play in it. He said: 'As the youngest daughter, pressure was being put on her to see if she could affect some sort of reconciliation. 'Her reaction was entirely inappropriate and she says as much. It was completely stupid, to use her own words. The impact of an immediate custodial sentence on her children would be catastrophic. 'This was not the most sophisticated offence of this nature. She used an envelope from Tesco - where she worked - and used her own handwriting..' Sentencing Ali to 30 months, Judge Morris said sternly: 'You knew that the address to which you directed the authorities in those letters housed not only adults but children as well. 'It follows, therefore, that you did what you did without any care or thought for the traumatic consequences which might follow for the children being caught up in an early morning raid by police officers. 'The specific reference to Usman Khan was the sort of thing which would have excited the police to establish an investigation immediately because of the coincidence in time between the first letter and the attack on Fishmonger's Hall in London which left five innocent people dead. 'In this case well over 250 hours of police investigative work had to be undertaken at a time when the country had recently suffered yet another terrorist attack. 'You were arrested on December 24 at your home address. You confessed your involvement in these matters immediately but that was against an exercise in blaming your sister and brother-in-law as bad people. I do not accept that there is anything in these papers to justify that slur. 'You were brought up in Pakistan and your early life was not a happy one. You moved to the UK in June 2009. 'You have endured the deaths of two babies in quick succession. I accept all of that, but it does not excuse your conduct in respect of this offence. 'It is only through the calm, thorough and responsible actions of the police investigating this matter that those who were the target of your unconscionable vendetta were not arrested against the full glare of publicity and the inevitable fear and trauma such an arrest would have caused.' Ali, who had pleaded guilty, was also ordered to pay 181 in court costs. Joe Biden was in some kind of foul, putrid mode at the debate last night. Many people have cited memorable lines from the contentious political slugfest, but the lines that stand out are the grotesquely disrespectful ad hominem insults Biden directed at the president of the United States. The Rev.com transcript shows tons of them: "He's a fool on this." "Everybody knows he's a liar." "Will you shut up, man?" "Keep yapping, man." "He's the racist." "He's Putin's puppy." "He never keeps his word." "Well, it's hard to get any word in with this clown." "You're the worst president America has ever had." What kind of argument for 'civility' and 'decency' and 'dignity,' -- all words Biden uses ad nauseam, is that? Some kind of bottom has dropped out. Some of these insults were so disgusting they actually made viewers feel sorry for President Trump, which is frankly a feat. Trump can give as good as he gets, but he made no such ad hominems comparable to those. There was one part of the debate where he called Biden 'not smart,' but at least he had some academic records to back it up with. In fact, in all of his oppositional statements to Biden, he had some kind of fact, he wasn't just pulling disembodied insults out as Biden did. Biden had no such backing for his insults, some of the most disgusting words hurled at a president of the United States to his face ever heard. Our worst enemies talk like that - think Nicolas Maduro, Iran's mullahs, or Kim Jong Un, pre-peace talks. Which ultimately amounts to insults to the voters. Trump represents us and most of us (I'm not talking about California's illegals who created the popular vote majority) voted for him, so to hear those insults amounts to insults directed at us, too. Normal candidates sell themselves to voters as something better than their opponent, trying to persuade us, but Biden wasn't interested in persuading. Far from being Mr. Decency, Biden sounded like the collective demon voice of the deep state, screaming its obscenities at exorcist Trump and the voters who brought him in. Which is about par, because Biden insulted a lot of little guys out on the campaign trail, calling them names like 'damned liar,' 'hey, fat,' and 'you're full of sh**.' And of course, years back, he was the author of the kinds of uncivil hearings now taking place over the Supreme Court, introducing the U.S, to the 'Borking' of candidates. That's led him to where he is now, flinging his disgusting insults straight to President Trump. Whatever that makes Biden, what's gone now is the notion that he's a decent guy, a civil guy, a dignity-bringer, which is what his campaign has promoted him as. Many voters, as Thomas Lifson observed to me this morning, dislike Trump because they consider him crude and uncouth. Biden played Mr. Decency to that. But now that act is over. He's shown himself to be even more uncouth than President Trump -- a nasty, insulting, little-guy-hating, dignity-of-office-disrespecting screamer, who can't even back his insults up with facts. He loses the 'dignity-decency-civility' advantage with some voters right there. Those voters can now decide if they want a crude guy with a good governing record, or a crude guy without a good governing record, who spews insults at both them and the office, just because. Image credit: Screen shot from a camera aimed at a television set, filtered through Adobe CameraRaw. A pre-election report by Yiaga Africa reveals heightened levels of political intrigues, counter strategies and violence ahead of the Ondo governorship election. The report also shows that while the electoral umpire, INEC, has shown commitment and readiness for the election, key contenders and political actors have advanced narratives that forewarn of breakdown of law and order, including alleged threats to deploy state and non-state instruments of force and armed violence. From its findings sent to PREMIUM TIMES, Yiaga Africa observed incidents of violent verbal and physical attacks, vandalism and destruction of properties, and attacks and intimidation of political opponents from different local government areas (LGAs). It also lists some LGAs with a high incidence and indicators of violence. They are Akure South, Akoko South-East, Idanre, Owo and Akoko South West. Although political activities such as campaigns and rallies have dominated the political space, they, however have been plagued with acts of violence. Specific cases of voter inducement were reported in Akoko South West, Akure South, Akoko South-East, Akoko North West, Ifedore and Odigbo LGAs, part of the report read. More fears Given the background of pre-election violence and gangster politics, the group said the state may witness a further decline in voter turnout during election. This, it said, is exacerbated by the failure of security agencies to curb lawlessness and impunity by armed political thugs and political actors. Low voter turnout may further enhance chances for electoral manipulation in the strongholds of the major political parties particularly in the rural areas where election rigging usually takes place. Yiaga Africa is concerned that the election may become a replay of undesirable events, given the attitude of some political gladiators in the state. The group further said candidates and supporters of the All Progressive Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and Zenith Labour Party are primarily victims and perpetrators of these acts of vandalism or destruction of properties. Akoko South-West, Akure South, Idanre, Owo, Akoko South-East and Ese-Odo are considered hotspots and flashpoints of violence due to the prevalence of pre-election violence, it said. There have also been reported cases of political thugs brandishing arms and weapons during political campaigns without restraint from security agencies. Based on Yiaga Africa findings, Akoko South West LGA has a high case of arms buildup. In addition, armed political thugs were reported to be terrorising communities in Ilaje and Ile Oluji/Okeigbo LGAs. These unrestrained acts of lawlessness and impunity creates apprehension which could lead to low turnout of voters during the election. The group also laments the marginalisation of women, youth and people living with disabilities which it said, has widened the political inequality gap in the state. Recommendations The federal and state government have been urged to desist from partisan use of the police and security forces to manipulate the electoral process. INEC, on the other hand, has been urged to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to de-escalate the rising political tension and violence by signing peace accord or pact between the candidates in the election. It was also advised to sustain the use of the election results viewing portal and ensure timely post of the Form EC 8 A at the polling units. INEC has also been admonished to collaborate with the Presidential Task Force and State Task Force to ensure strict compliance with COVID-19 guidance enunciated in INEC policy on voting amidst COVID-19 and other health safety protocols. Curtailment of proliferation and use of firearms and other weapons and ensure appropriate sanctions for those implicated in thuggery and violence. Employ preventive measures to neutralise existing security threats in Ondo State to enable the voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote in a peaceful and secure environment. And political parties and candidates should conduct issue-based campaigns rather than engage in voter inducement and recruitment of thugs and cultists for violence. Citizens should work with security agencies by reporting incidents or threats of violence, or perpetrators of violence and refrain from perpetrating violence, refrain from hate speech, and not accept gift items in exchange for their votes. Advertisements The poll is scheduled for October 10 and like the just concluded Edo election, it appears to be a race between the APC and PDP candidates while the ZLP may also pose a strong challenge. NORTH WILDWOOD A Pennsylvania mother drowned Tuesday afternoon after saving her three children who were struggling in the ocean. At 2:56 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting that four swimmers were in distress off 18th Avenue, according to a news release from police Capt. John Stevenson. City firefighters, along with firefighters from Wildwood, responded for a water rescue. The dispatcher updated first responders while en route to the scene that two of the swimmers had exited the water, Stevenson said. Police said the four swimmers included two boys, ages 8 and 10, and a 19-year-old woman, as well as their mother, 49. Officials did not release their names. 2:11 +8 North Wildwood looks to feds to save sand-starved beaches NORTH WILDWOOD Mention the Wildwoods to many throughout New Jersey, and they are likely to The family was on vacation from Wernersville in Berks County, officials said. When they arrived, responders found the mother face down about 150 yards offshore, Stevenson said. They started live-saving measures as the woman was taken to Cape Regional Medical Center, but she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The incident remains under investigation. Staff Writer Molly Bilinski contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Ahmad Austin Staff Writer Follow Ahmad Austin Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Xi Jinping straightens the red ribbons on flower baskets during a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. Xi and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan joined representatives from various walks of life in the ceremony to mark Martyrs' Day on Wednesday morning. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state joined representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square on Wednesday morning. The event, which took place a day ahead of the National Day, was held to mark Martyrs' Day. The other leaders included Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. A military band played trumpets to commemorate the martyrs. At 10 a.m., all participants sang the national anthem, and then paid a silent tribute to those who devoted their lives to the liberation of the Chinese people and the construction of the People's Republic of China, which was founded in 1949. After students sang the chorus of the song of Chinese Young Pioneers, 18 honor guards laid nine flower baskets in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes. The baskets were presented in the names of the CPC Central Committee; the National People's Congress Standing Committee; the State Council; the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; the Central Military Commission; non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and patriotic persons without party affiliations; people's organizations and people from all walks of life; veterans, retired senior cadres and the relatives of martyrs; as well as Chinese Young Pioneers. Xi straightened the red ribbons on the baskets and led a group of senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay tribute. Since the COVID-19 outbreak this year, China has waged an all-out "people's war" against the virus. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, the country has achieved major strategic achievements in the fight against the epidemic and secured remarkable progress in advancing epidemic prevention and control as well as economic and social development. With the goals of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as well as winning the fight against poverty soon to be realized, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups will continue their journey to fully build a modern socialist China under the leadership of the CPC. The ceremony was presided over by Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee. A woman has been ordered to pay $54,000 in damages after posting nude photos of her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend on Facebook and calling her a 'fat wh**e'. Canberra woman Jay Gill went on an online and real-life rampage of harassment against with her partner's ex, sharing pictures of her online before chasing her around a supermarket. Gill distributed 'revenge porn' pictures of the woman, who cannot be named, through Facebook Messenger to at least 80 people in November 2017. Canberra woman Jay Gill went on a rampage with her partner's ex-girlfriend, sharing nude pictures of her online before chasing her around a supermarket The woman had sent the 'tit pic' to her former partner while they were together thinking no one else would see it, Canberra Star reports. When Gill sent the photo to other people she also sent a message saying the woman was a 'fat wh**e with her ugly nipple hanging out'. Friends who saw the photo contacted the victim, including her butcher who asked if the woman knew there was a 'nude pic of you doing the rounds'. The victim told a hearing earlier this month that she was so horrified her butcher had seen the photos that she has not returned to his business since. A stranger also messaged the woman saying: 'Hey I dont even know you, but thought you might like to know Jay Kingsley is sending nude pictures of your tits to me! No idea why!' Chief Magistrate Lorainne Walker said Gill then continued to post a 'running commentary of irrational vitriol' about the woman that turned into a 'public scandal'. The woman sued for defamation and argued both the image and messages had damaged her reputation as it portrayed her as a 'wh**e and sl*t'. Gill distributed nude 'revenge porn' pictures of the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, through Facebook Messenger to at least 80 people in November 2017 Ms Walker agreed that the online posts had portrayed the victim as 'a fat whore, a slut, neglectful of her children, an unfit mother and a person who bore children by different men in order to exploit the welfare system'. Gill attempted to fight the defamation and argued sharing the image was 'trivial' and was unlikely to cause the woman harm as her comments were 'honest opinion'. She was briefly jailed in 2019 for threatening to kill the woman after continuously threatening her in public. In one instance, Gill chased the woman and one of her four children around a supermarket yelling: 'fat wh**e, I'm gonna kill you'. The woman said the treatment by Gill and the photo being made public had made her anxious, withdrawn and paranoid. She had trouble sleeping and had also been prescribed medication for her anxiety. Magistrate Walker said Gill's harassment was 'inherently quite vile' and awarded the victim $54,000 for defamation that Gill will have to payout. After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) reached an agreement with churches affiliated with the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CPCA) based upon certain provisions to allow Catholics to peacefully maintain their worship and religious activities, Chinese government officials have continued to target and punish Catholic churches. In China, where a large network of underground Christian churches exists, churches registered with the CPCA have been prone to targeted harassment from CCP officials. As one church deacon in Hubei Province explained, "registered churches are sometimes harassed more than the unregistered ones. They also have their crosses removed." According to reports from Bitter Winter and previous reports on ChristianityDaily, officials have been removing and destroying symbolic figures and structures of Catholic churches across China. Five months ago, officials removed the Virgin Mary and cross from atop a Catholic church because the cross was "taller than the village committee building." On June 2, authorities destroyed pillars and religious symbols such as the cross. Less than a week later, another CPCA church in the rural Shandong Province experienced the same destruction. Its cross and religious symbols were removed. In addition, the entrance with the church's name was found covered up. On November 10 of last year, the Tancheng county government demanded that a CPCA registered church remove its bell tower and statue of Jesus declaring that such religious structures were not allowed. Church officials were forced to watch the CCP officials demolish their religious symbols, leaving the church bare of any holy imagery or uniqueness. In one Catholic church in Ji'an, a prefecture-level city in Jiangxi, a portrait of president Xi Jinping, surrounded by propaganda slogans, replaced a painting of the Virgin Mary. The United Front Work Department (UFWD) comprises nine bureaus, including the Ethnic and Religious Work Bureau. The UFWD has participated in the removal of crosses and Catholic symbols from churches such as one that has been state-approved for 83 years. This trend of cross removals and government mandated destruction of religious symbolism is clearly at odds with previous agreements between the CCP and Catholic church. The Hebei deacon said, "The government is even more confident in controlling registered churches. Had we known this beforehand, we would not have joined the CPCA. ROSEVILLE, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, announced today the launch of its third territory in the state of Illinois with the opening of its newest location in Naperville. Located at 3060 Ogden Ave., Suite 102, Always Best Care of Naperville is owned and operated by new franchisee Raghu Sarup, and will provide award-winning senior care services to Naperville and the surrounding areas of Aurora, Warrenville and Lisle. "Raghu exudes the passion, hard work and dedication that we look for in all of our franchisees," said Jake Brown, President & CEO of Always Best Care. "He's enjoyed a thriving, longstanding career in information technology and is now in the position to own an Always Best Care franchise business. We're thrilled to be part of Raghu's transition into the senior care sector and know his past community involvement will serve as an asset as he launches the newest Always Best Care territory in Naperville." Originally from India, Sarup has been a resident of Naperville Township, Illinois for more than two decades. The entrepreneur brings 25 years of experience in the IT consulting industry where he spearheaded business development and management in his previous roles. Throughout his career prior to joining Always Best Care, Sarup was responsible for a regional department where he developed and oversaw various aspects of the business, including employee recruitment and management, sales operations and overall profitability operations. He earned his bachelor's in engineering and an MBA from leading Indian universities. "I was looking to invest in a business that could help me transition from the corporate world, and after some research I quickly realized that buying a franchise was the best route for me. After learning about Always Best Care's mission to help improve the lives of seniors, as well as its proven business model and unparalleled franchisee support, I knew it was the perfect fit for me," said Raghu Sarup. "I've built my life in this area over the past 20 years and I am always looking for ways to give back. Through my new endeavor with Always Best Care, I'm proud to bring outstanding care to seniors and their loved ones in my community and the greater Naperville area." Always Best Care is one of the nation's leading providers of non-medical in-home care and assisted living referral services. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada. By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client's particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of Always Best Care include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care in some limited markets. For additional information on services available through Always Best Care of Naperville, or for a free evaluation, please call 630-425-4001, email [email protected] and visit https://www.alwaysbestcare.com/il/naperville/. About Always Best Care Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care assists seniors with a wide range of conditions and personal needs, and currently provides millions of hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the company's clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas. Always Best Care also offers an exclusive program called Always in Touch, a telephone reassurance program that provides a daily phone call to seniors and disabled adults who are living alone and have limited contact with the outside world. Always in Touch is a national telephone reassurance program offered in the USA and Canada. For more information on Always in Touch, or to request an application, visit www.Always-In-Touch.com. CONTACT: Chelsea Bear Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Always Best Care Related Links http://www.alwaysbestcare.com MedLite ID is designed to reduce the risk of life-threatening errors for critically ill patients receiving multiple IV infusions ST. GEORGE, UT / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / MedLite ID, offering an innovative patient safety solution, today announced it had signed an exclusive distribution agreement for U.S. government healthcare facilities with Veterans Healthcare Supply Solutions (VHSS). VHSS is a verified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned small business representing many of the healthcare industry's leading manufacturers- making them the ideal partner to introduce the MedLite ID to VA and military healthcare facilities. MedLite ID CEO Rodney Schutt stated, "MedLite ID solves a decades old problem of identifying and tracing the primary/emergency medication line by lighting the line and making it easier, more efficient and less stressful for clinicians providing complex medical care." In addition, said Schutt, "We feel MedLite ID will be unbelievably valuable in protecting caregivers against COVID-19 exposure. A study at Dixie State University School of Nursing found that MedLite ID reduced the time it took to trace the primary / emergency medication line (sometimes called the safe push line) by one-minute per task. That means that a 16-bed ICU could reduce exposure to COVID-19 by as much as two-hours during a single 12-hour shift." "Our partnership with Veterans Healthcare Supply Solutions is a major accomplishment for us and we are looking forward to growing both our businesses, while improving patient care. VHSS is a market leader and provides an efficient procurement platform for today's federal government buying agencies. With a workforce of veterans, VHSS has the perfect business model to help provide our innovative technology to military patients and veterans." concluded Schutt. Gary Skura, CEO of VHSS added, "MedLite ID is a great addition to the VHSS portfolio. We have been providing IV infusion equipment to our government partners for over 10 years. MedLite ID will allow us to help our customers improve infusion safety and protect our veterans. We are happy that MedLite ID recognized our dedication, and passion for providing innovative products to our veterans." MedPro Healthcare Sales Solutions - an industry-leading contracted medical sales organization serving the government market - will serve as MedLite ID's national sales team. "We view MedLite ID as a truly innovative product that will soon replace today's typical devices used in all kinds of medical procedures and settings," said MedPro CEO Bill Sparks. "We couldn't be more excited to have our organization provide coast to coast sales on behalf of MedLite ID and in conjunction with VHSS." Under the terms of the agreement, VHSS will employ its deep experience in the government healthcare market to distribute MedLite ID's innovative patient safety devices. The distribution agreement gives VHSS exclusive rights to distribute MedLite ID to VA and DoD government healthcare facilities. Financial details were not disclosed. Early adoption of the MedLite ID has included intensive care units, pediatric intensive care units, oncology, and operating rooms. Additional applications will include cardiac care units, emergency departments and during transport of critically ill patients. About MedLite ID MedLite ID is a medical device manufacturer partnered with Notre Dame and Dixie State Universities to develop a unique solution designed to light the primary medication infusion line (sometimes referred to as the safe push line) in a visually distinct and easily identifiable way to help prevent "infusion confusion", reduce the risk of medical errors and to improve patient safety. For more information on MedLite ID, please visit www.medliteid.com About Veterans Healthcare Supply Solutions Veterans Healthcare Supply Solutions, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business providing distribution of healthcare related supplies and equipment to the Federal Government. Headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, VHSS is a diversified healthcare supply distributor with a state-of-the-art warehouse, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Warehouse Management (WMS) system. With over 30 years of healthcare distribution management experience, VHSS provides & represents leading manufacturers to Federal Government agencies. Media Contact: Terri Greulich terri.greulich@medliteid.com 833.288.5489 SOURCE: MedLite ID, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/595649/MedLite-ID-and-Veterans-Healthcare-Supply-Solutions-Partner-to-Provide-Innovative-Patient-Safety-Solution-to-VA-and-DoD-Healthcare-Facilities YANGON, Myanmar - The leader of a party fielding the second highest number of candidates for Myanmars November elections has been arrested after local media reported allegations of a shady past, including a prison escape and financial finagling. Despite the arrest of Kyaw Myint, another executive of his United Democratic Party said it will continue campaigning. Despite fielding 1,131 candidates for the Nov. 8 polls second only to the ruling National League for Democracy party of Aung San Suu Kyi the party has not won a single seat in the last two elections. Kyaw Myint was arrested at his home Tuesday night, government spokesman Zaw Htay said Wednesday. He said Kyaw Myint was charged under Section 224 of the Penal Code, which covers escapes from custody, an offence punishable by extending the prison term by two years. Zaw Htay said the charge was related to Kyaw Myints escape in the late 1990s from prison, where he was serving a 10-year sentence for a business law offence. Myanmar at the time was under military rule. Khin Zaw Win, Yangon Region chairman for the United Democratic Party, said its offices are not shutting down despite the arrest. It doesnt matter; we will keep running in the elections, he told The Associated Press. The arrest came shortly after stories were published on at least two independent online Myanmar news sites, Myanmar Now and The Irrawaddy, alleging a gamut of questionable activities by Kyaw Myint beginning more than two decades ago. While Tuesdays arrest served as confirmation of their reports that Kyaw Myint had escaped from prison in 1999, other allegations could not be immediately confirmed, in part because he has been known by several different names, including Michael Kyaw Myint, Michael Hua Hu and Zakhung Zung Sau. Although he has a reputation as a rich businessman, he is not well known among the public at large. A recent report by The Irrawaddy said Kyaw Myint was linked to alleged money laundering and was a senior member of an ethnic rebel group involved in the drug trade more than 20 years ago; had given information about the drug trade to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; was granted political asylum by the United States and took up residence there and in Canada; and was fined and disciplined in Canada for an alleged violation of securities law. According to The Irrawaddy, which said in 2009 that he threatened to sue it for citing reports linking him to illegal activities, Kyaw Myint has strongly denied allegations of money laundering or involvement in the illegal drug trade, and insisted his various businesses in Asia and North America are legal. President Trump's advisor, Brad Parscale, was arrested by police after a 911 call from his wife claiming he was suicidal. But there are sections of the police reports and media coverage that reveal an unmistakable bias. Therefore, it is advisable to be a little skeptical about what is being reported. The CNN reports begins with Jim Acosta describing the video of the arrest as a "disturbing video." One news source that calls itself "The Independent" has a headline: "Former Trump campaign staffer Brad Parscale wrestled to ground by police after armed standoff." NBC News reported, "police yelled 'get on the ground' five times, and he didn't comply." CNBC reported, "Authorities took a suicidal Parscale to a hospital for evaluation." They quote a police report stating Parscale "was very agitated with the situation and I could smell a strong odor from his breathe [sic] and body that I recognized to possibly be from alcoholic beverages. Bradley's speech was slurred as though he was under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and he seemed to be crying." Quoting the police report, CNBC reported that Parscale "appeared aggressive as he consistantly [sic] spoke in a yelling and highly agitated tone and would not meet with officers away from his residence." According to the media, Parscale was disturbed, suicidal, very agitated, and aggressive. His speech was slurred; he was yelling and may have been crying. It was an armed standoff where he was told to get down five times before he was subdued. The problem with the media coverage is that none of it can be proven with the exception of the fact that he was drinking alcohol. Parscale may have been suicidal, in which case he missed a perfect opportunity by not coming out of his house armed. It is unlikely that Jim Acosta would be disturbed by the video or anything else that might discredit the Trump administration. Parscale owned weapons but the only suggestion that he handled them was his wife's accusation. In any case, he exited his house in a pair of shorts without a shirt and nowhere to conceal a weapon. NBC reports that "as he walked out, police yelled 'get on the ground' five times, and he didn't comply." The video reveals that as he was explaining his side of the story to an officer when an officer to his right yelled "get on the ground" four times in rapid succession. Before he could respond, he was tackled and handcuffed. He was in fact told five times to "get on the ground"; however, the fifth time the command was issued, he was already on the ground. At this point he did appear agitated. Parscale was understandably reluctant to leave his house, which was surrounded by a SWAT team. Situations like this often do not end well. Sgt. Matthew Moceri reveals why some people have a low opinion of police officers. Moceri's report reads, "I initiated a double leg takedown. I lowered my level and wrapped both arms around the subject's lower body while applying forward pressure to his mid section with my forehead." This stature-challenged officer is proud of the fact that he tackled the 6-foot-6 Parscale. He has no business being a LEO. Parscale should have told the police that he would be happy to come out after he spoke with his attorney. If his attorney advised him to exit, he would be happy to do so. NBC reported, "The wife of President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Brad Parscale feared he was suicidal." She was so concerned that she called a SWAT team to help him rather than a social worker. Parscale may have been suicidal. He may have beaten his wife. He may have intended to visit a mall and commit mass murder. And then there is another possibility. Comedian Chris Rock warns in his video, "How not to get your ass kicked by the police!" that "a mad woman will say anything. If your woman is mad at you, there's nothing she'd like to see more than you getting your ass kicked." John Dietrich is a freelance writer and the author of The Morgenthau Plan: Soviet Influence on American Postwar Policy (Algora Publishing). He has a Master of Arts degree in international relations from St. Mary's University. He is retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. He is featured on the BBC's program "Things We Forgot to Remember": Morgenthau Plan and Post-War Germany. Image credit: CNN via shareable YouTube, screen shot. A local town security forces member inspects a damaged room in an apartment house in the southern Philippine city of Marawi believed to have been rented by pro-Islamic State militants Omarkhayam Maute and Isnilon Hapilon before the siege of the city began, Oct. 27, 2017. An Indonesian woman whose husband was a leader of Islamic States 2017 takeover of Marawi city in the southern Philippines was deported to Indonesia about two weeks ago and is undergoing deradicalization, security and counterterrorism sources told BenarNews. Minhati Madrais, 39, is the widow of Omarkhayam Maute of the pro-IS Maute Group. He was killed during the five-month battle to recapture the city. Indonesian authorities said they were investigating what role she played in the network, even as a terrorism financing expert in the Philippines described her as the funder of the Marawi siege. Minhati is currently undergoing a deradicalization program, a senior Indonesian security official told BenarNews, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the public. Minhati has been very cooperative thus far, appears to be normal and tends to look innocent, the source said, adding that there was no specific timeframe for completion of the program. It depends on her progress. Authorities are in the early stages of investigating whether Minhati was a key person who controlled the assets and huge sums of money for the Maute Group, the source said. Minhatis relationship with the Maute Group is also being investigated, the source added. An Indonesian counter-terrorism source, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity for the same reason, described Minhati as not radical. Those assessments contrast sharply with that of Mimi Fabe, a professor of financial terrorism and transnational organized crime at the National Police College in the Philippines. Minhati is believed to have been a key money person for the Maute Group, controlling around 100 million to 400 million pesos (U.S. $2 million to $8.2 million) in cash and cryptocurrencies, according to Fabe. She retains that role following her deportation, although the money is now less, Fabe said. She must have identified a Filipino conduit for terrorism financing. She may [now] use the popular way of sending money via remittances. In Indonesia, she could continue her role as a key player in terrorism financing, Fabe said. If the rehabilitation program is successful, then there will be one person less in terrorism financing, said Fabe, adding that Indonesia has an excellent program in rehabilitation. A new partner? Minhati met and married Omar Maute when both were students in Cairo. They have six children. Her Indonesian father is a prominent cleric who runs a religious boarding school in Bekasi, West Java, in Indonesia. Fabe described Minhati as an educated woman who was radicalized before she moved to the Philippines. Being a well-educated woman, she is knowledgeable in handling money matters. During her exposure to IS foreign-trained fighters in Mindanao, she may have learned more ways to channel money, Fabe added. The Maute Group and the pro-IS faction of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) took over Marawi city in May 2017 and held parts of it for five months before the Philippine military regained control. The siege of Marawi marked the most serious bid by IS to gain a foothold in Southeast Asia. Governments across the region were unnerved by the groups ferocity, methodical attacks and abundant logistics during the takeover. The battle of Marawi killed more than 1,100 civilians, militants and security forces. The fighting drew foreign jihadist fighters from Indonesia and Malaysia as well as from India, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Chechnya. Minhati was arrested in November 2017 in Iligan city in the southern Philippines and charged with the illegal possession of explosives. During the raid on her home, police said they recovered four blasting caps, two detonating cords, and a time fuse. Minhati denied ownership of the explosive components. In late June, a court in Iligan City dismissed charges against her of possessing explosive materials, said Joedha Nugraha, director of Protection of Citizens and Legal Entities Overseas at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Indonesian counter-terrorism source said that Minhatis recent return to Indonesia had yet to have an impact on militant groups in the country. Fabe warned that all Indonesian pro-IS groups such as Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) and Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) would want to partner with Minhati. Her successful role as the funder of the Marawi siege gives her sufficient credibility, said Fabe. JAD is the foremost pro-IS group in Indonesia which has been behind all the major terror attacks in Indonesia since 2016, including suicide attacks on churches and police stations in Surabaya in May 2018 carried out by families. According to the senior Indonesian security source, no one from the countrys militant groups had tried to contact her. So far, no one [has] contacted her except for her family, said the security source. Since 9/11, the Feds have been hard at work trying to create a national surveillance network 'for our safety.' And with Wi-Fiber Technology they might have finally succeeded. A new study by Safety.com revealed that CCTV cameras record every American at least 238 times a week, or more than 12,000 times every year! Approximately 6 years ago the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) created a national license plate reader program which was allegedly cancelled after public outcry. "Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of a plan by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to develop a national license-plate tracking system after privacy advocates raised concern about the initiative." An important tidbit, that has been mostly ignored by the mass media, is law enforcement's involvement in helping create the DEA's national license plate reader program. In 2015 I wrote an article exposing law enforcement's role in funneling license plate to the Feds. "The DEA has gathered as many as 343 million records in the National License Plate Recognition program, which connects DEA license plate readers with those of other law enforcement agencies around the country." From repo companies to license plate reader companies like Rekor Systems, Vigilant Solutions and Flock Safety a vast database of more than 14 billion license plates have been recorded. Even Homeland Security's, Customs and Border Protection are recording American's license plates. At the same time, police departments have been expanding their cam-share programs throughout the country. Police cam-share programs give law enforcement unfettered access to public and private CCTV cameras. Our cities have become world leaders in public surveillance as a result of the many surveillance cameras in America. Readers should note that since the pandemic, Americans have seen a proliferation of facial recognition/thermal imaging cameras spreading across the country. While all of this has been going on, the Feds have been hard at work turning our cities into mini-CIA smart cities. In 2017, the CIA's "Signature School", the University of New Mexico, has been helping turn our cities into smart cities. Not to be outdone, the U.S. Marine Corps also has their dirty hands in smart cities. Last year, the U.S. Marine Corps signed a memorandum of understanding to work with the city of San Diego in turning street lights and the IoT into smart city surveillance devices. I have written extensively about how cities like San Diego and Detroit have become mirror images of Chinese-Style surveillance networks. Both San Diego and Detroit use smart street lights equipped with an array of sensors that record pedestrians, vehicles and in some cases are equipped with microphones. In San Diego's case, smart streetlight's are being used to create a public watchlisting network, which brings us to Wi-Fiber. With Wi-Fiber, Big Brother now has the necessary tool to connect a hodgepodge of separate police surveillance networks into one cohesive public surveillance network. In part 1, I mentioned how Wi-Fiber allows police to secretly monitor protesters "at a distance for a less visible police presence," and it allows law enforcement to secretly follow vehicles as they travel throughout the city of Canton, Ohio. Part 1 also revealed how law enforcement can use Wi-Fiber to identify and track pedestrians and any items or clothing they may be carrying or wearing, which really only touches the surface of just how invasive police surveillance has become. Wi-Fiber gives law enforcement access to public and private CCTV cameras, cam-share cameras, public transit cameras, red-light cameras, traffic intersection cameras, highway surveillance cameras, E-ZPass cameras, ShotSpotter cameras (with microphones), smart street lights and license plate readers to track Americans without a warrant. To see how police turned the "Electronic Monitoring Indigency Fund" into a highway surveillance program, click here.) Wi-Fiber will allow police and Fusion Centers to tie all of these surveillance devices into one network, giving them the ability to secretly track Americans and vehicles without a warrant. It allows police to create secret red-flag or zone detection zones that record and monitor people, objects or vehicles entering or exiting a zone in real-time. Wi-Fiber also allows law enforcement to look at historical records and track a person[s] or vehicle[s] whereabouts thus making Wi-Fiber a hugely intrusive tool used to monitor anyone, for any reason. Thanks to products like Wi-Fiber, Americans can see how these so-called public safety devices are all designed with one commonality: to create a national public surveillance network. What does the future hold for Wi-Fiber and freedom in America? Last month, newspapers from across the country posted BlueLeak information that revealed a secret national citizen spying program, using TLO's to report people to Fusion Centers for doing innocent things like, taking photos of a theatre or refusing to identify themselves. DHS's "If You See Something Say Something" program has morphed into a vast network of 500 police snitching apps and social media platforms like "Nextdoor" that turn neighbors into government snitches. For those skeptics out there, I say, all the warning signs have been there. Time and again privacy advocates like myself have warned the public about Big Brother's desire to record and track everyone. It was only a matter of time before a company like Wi-Fiber came along and gave law enforcement the ability to tie all these networks into one national public surveillance network. A North Philadelphia man argued with a transgender woman before he fatally shot her Monday in his Jeep Wrangler, police said Wednesday. Homicide Capt. Jason Smith, however, declined to describe the argument between Abdullah Ibn El-Amin Jaamia and Mia Green. He also would not elaborate on their relationship. But Smith said that after El-Amin Jaamia drove the victim to the hospital Monday under police escort, he was taken to headquarters for questioning and was charged the next day with murder and related offenses. His initial story made absolutely no sense to us, which raised our suspicions, Smith said. He would not provide details of El-Amin Jaamias account, but said the man later confessed to shooting Green. El-Amin Jaamia, 38, of the 2400 block of Seybert Street, remains in custody following his arraignment early Wednesday on charges of murder, possession of an instrument of crime, obstructing justice, and tampering with evidence. He was denied bail. No attorney was listed for him on his court docket. Patrol officers had stopped El-Amin Jaamias vehicle about 8:10 a.m. Monday after he drove through a stop sign on 41st Street near Westminster Avenue. He got out of the Jeep and told the officers his passenger had been shot, police have said. Police saw Green, 29, of Philadelphia, in the front passenger seat, suffering from a gunshot wound to her neck. Officers allowed El-Amin Jaamia to drive her to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead within a half-hour. Smith said that the shooting occurred shortly before the traffic stop, but that he did not know the precise location. The two fought, and El-Amin Jaamia grabbed a gun lodged between the drivers seat and center console, and fired three times, Smith said. Besides being shot in the back of her neck, Green also had a gunshot wound in her left arm and was grazed on her left side, Smith said. Police are searching for the .22-caliber revolver used in the shooting. It was not recovered from the Jeep or El-Amin Jaamia, Smith said. Deja Lynn Alvarez, an advocate in the transgender community, posted on her Facebook page Tuesday: For all of the folks that see this I want to make sure that it is very clear this young lady was not murdered by someone who did not know her or by someone who did not know that she was transgender. She was murdered by someone that she had a long intimate relationship with which is more often than not the case! STOP BLAMING TRANS PEOPLE FOR THEIR OWN MURDERS! Alvarez said Wednesday she learned about the relationship from people in the citys LGBT community who knew Green. Too often, we see a mix of toxic masculinity, misogyny, racism and transphobia play a strong factor in the deaths of Black trans women like Mia," said Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative of the Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights group. El-Amin Jaamia, who also has an address on South Harwood Avenue in Upper Darby, has a permit to carry a gun from Delaware County, Smith said. TANZANIA, Tanzania - This year's U.N. General Assembly meeting began with calls for multilateralism and co-operation a declaration that the urgency for countries to unite has rarely been greater. It concluded with a parade of divisive grievances that echoed when the final gavel fell. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In this UN Photo, Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, is shown on video monitors as he makes closing remarks, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at U.N. headquarters. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo via AP) TANZANIA, Tanzania - This year's U.N. General Assembly meeting began with calls for multilateralism and co-operation a declaration that the urgency for countries to unite "has rarely been greater." It concluded with a parade of divisive grievances that echoed when the final gavel fell. Leader after leader in days of speeches delivered virtually stressed the importance of working together to navigate the coronavirus outbreak and the challenges that lie beyond it. As Germanys foreign minister put it, COVID-19 "shows that international co-operation is neither an ideology nor an end in itself. On the contrary, it delivers results, far beyond the actual pandemic." Words, though, are not results. Though the U.N. and most of its member states largely envision a multilateral world, the underlying issues and challenges that divide nations sat squarely in the spotlight, as the "right of reply" at the end of the closing session demonstrated vividly. One by one they came forward lower-level diplomats tasked with replying to leaders speeches with intense responses. On the hot-button conflict of the moment, between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the separatist enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, diplomats from the two countries went after each other over responsibility for the latest fighting. Bangladesh went after Myanmar over the more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled a crackdown by Myanmars military in 2017 and are living in camps in Bangladesh, still fearful of returning home -- and Myanmar responded. Iran went after Israel over the speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed that the Islamic Republic would have "enough enriched uranium in a few months for two nuclear bombs" after it recently began exceeding limits set by the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. An Iranian diplomat accused Israel of disregarding U.N. resolutions on negotiating a two-state solution with the Palestinians, and countered that Israel "poses the most serious threats to the security of the states in the Middle East" because of its widely reported nuclear program, which Israel has never acknowledged. The United Arab Emirates took the floor over a dispute with Iran over three Iranian-occupied islands the UAE claims and Tehrans "destabilizing conduct" in the region, including supporting Houthi Shiite rebels in Yemen. The UAE, in turn, vehemently dismissed Irans allegation that the UAE was destabilizing Mideast security. Iran, again asked to reply, insisting on its claim to the islands and accusing the UAE of using starvation "as a war tactic in Yemen." The UAE intervened for a second time, insisted the islands are occupied. A Yemeni diplomat then responded to the Iranian, saying: "How does he dare speak about the situation in Yemen while he is responsible for the situation?" The Yemeni accused Iran of "continuing their intervention to destabilize my country by providing money, weapons, training and equipment to establish their expansionist plan across the region." While all the leaders delivered prerecorded speeches, the diplomats late Tuesday spoke in person, seated behind their countrys nameplate in the vast General Assembly Hall where virus restrictions meant only one representative of each of the 193 U.N. member nations was allowed. The main in-person event was a virtual U.N. Security Council meeting that sparked one of the few real-time exchanges and centred the escalating U.S. confrontation with China. The clash at the meeting was over responsibility for the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw Russia back Beijing. But the U.S.-China confrontation extends to trade issues, claims in the South China Sea and Taiwan. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Chinas U.N. Mission issued a statement just before midnight Tuesday night protesting U.S. Ambassador Kelly Crafts participation in an online event hosted by Taiwan on Monday. It said her remarks undermined Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity. "There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory," the mission said. In his remarks opening the global gathering, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had painted a grim picture of the state of the world: an "epochal" health crisis, economic calamity, threats to human rights and worries of a new Cold War between the U.S. and China. Guterres called for global unity, foremost to fight the pandemic, and sharply criticized populism and nationalism as failed answers that often worsened the situation. General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir ended the six-day meeting Tuesday night on an upbeat note, returning to the need for multilateralism and unity. "The challenges facing us are enormous, but so are the possibilities of solutions," he said. "By working together, we can overcome them." Assange "truly represents the very core value of why we are fighting, the freedom of the press," Ai said Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei held a silent protest on Monday outside a London court to demand the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who faces extradition to the United States. Exiled Ai, who left China for Germany in 2015 after becoming a target of Beijing's wrath, said Assange's possible prosecution in the US was "unbelievable". "Let him to be a free man," Ai said outside the Old Bailey court in the British capital, wearing a pink T-shirt featuring him next to Assange, both holding up a middle finger. "He truly represents the very core value of why we are fighting, the freedom of the press." Assange faces 18 charges in the US relating to the 2010 release by WikiLeaks of 500,000 secret files detailing aspects of military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. Evidence in the trial stage of his long-running battle against extradition entered its fourth week Monday and is due to end within days. But the judge hearing the case has said it will be at least six weeks before she delivers a verdict -- meaning it will come after the US presidential election on November 3. It is the latest in a series of legal battles faced by Assange since the leaks a decade ago. In 2010, he faced allegations of sexual assault and rape in Sweden, which he denied. He was in Britain at the time but dodged an attempt to extradite him to Sweden by claiming political asylum in Ecuador's embassy in London. In November 2019, Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation over the rape allegation, after failing for years to interrogate Assange in person while he was holed up in the embassy. Assange lived in a small apartment there for seven years, but was turned over to British police in April 2019 after a change of government in Quito. Ai, 62, said he had met Assange several times during this period and, although he did not know him well, felt he was being unfairly targeted. "Each step is more and more difficult for him. It's unbelievable. He is prepared to fight but alas it's not fair conditions, this is not fair to him. Story continues "They tried to smash him and his name," he added. Ai said he chose to stage a silent protest because "all the words we want to say are already there". "As an artist, if I cannot use my art -- which is very limited -- then I rather just be silent." Ai, a long-time critic of the government in Beijing, is China's best known modern artist. He helped design the Bird's Nest Olympic stadium, but was detained for 81 days in 2011 as part of a crackdown on dissent. His passport was confiscated and only returned to him in 2015, after which he moved to Berlin. cdu-jj/jit/gd Getty A Massachusetts woman has been released from prison after 17 years of being wrongfully incarcerated for murdering her parents. In May 2011, after being tried two times before -- in trials that led to hung juries -- Frances Choy was convicted of murdering her parents, Anne Trinh-Choy, 53, and Ching Jimmy Choy, 64. The couple died in a fire at the family's Brockton home in April 2003. Choy was 17 years old at the time of their deaths. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole. But Choy is now free, 17 years after her parents' deaths, thanks to newly discovered evidence of racial bias established that justice may not have been done, according to Plymouth Superior Court Judge Linda Giles' motion, which was obtained by PEOPLE. Choy was released to home confinement in April after Giles stayed her sentence before ultimately vacating her conviction on September 17. In her decision, Giles writes that the discovery of new scientific evidence -- as well as racist emails sent between prosecutors, which allegedly proved they were were biased against Asians"-- determined that Choy's convictions should be vacated. "The trial prosecutors exchanged numerous images of Asian people, some accompanied by pejorative comments and some unexplained," Giles writes. "They exchanged jokes about Asian stereotypes and mocking caricatures of Asians using imperfect English." Choy was tried three times for her parents' death. The first two trials ending with hung juries. Prosecutors claimed the then-17-year-old was motivated by her parents' life insurance and wanting to be with her boyfriend. In her decision, Giles questioned the role of Choy's then 16-year-old nephew, Kenneth Choy, who was also in the home at the time of the fire, as the prosecutor's key witness. Kenneth Choy was acquitted of murder charges in 2008, testified under immunity in Choy's second trial and fled to Hong Kong before her third trial. Story continues Frances was an innocent crime victim who was instead treated like a criminal suspect, attorney Sharon Beckman, director of the Boston College Innocence Program, said, the Enterprise News reports. Her wrongful conviction resulted from racism and other official misconduct and systemic failures. Frances can never get back the 17 years the criminal legal system took from her, but we are overjoyed at her exoneration and hope her case will inspire meaningful reform. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. On Tuesday, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz filed a nolle prosequi, meaning he will not seek another trial. In a statement to WBUR, Cruz said, Todays outcome was the culmination of hundreds of hours of diligence by prosecutors in my office working cooperatively with appellate counsel to identify a number of significant legal issues that we could not ignore. The role of every prosecutor is to ensure that justice is done. Fairness not only dictated our decision today, but is central to every decision we make. Following the news, Choy released a statement thanking those who believed in her innocence all along. It has been a tough and long journey, but their support helped me stay strong and never give up hope, Choy said, the News reports. Nothing can erase the pain of losing my parents and how they suffered. I miss them every day. Even in prison I tried to live my life in a way that honored them. Im relieved that the truth has been revealed and to have my life back beyond prison walls. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was on Wednesday appointed the partys Bihar in-charge ahead of the state Legislative Assembly elections next month. The formal announcement came a day after Fadnavis asserted that the BJP alliance was far ahead of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar and will win the assembly election with a thumping majority. The senior Maharashtra BJP leader is his partys poll in-charge in Bihar where elections will be held in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7. The Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) is an ally of the BJP in that state. The announcement came on a day party president JP Nadda is holding talks with state BJP leaders in New Delhi to discuss the three-phase polls to the 243-member state assembly, including seat-sharing arrangements with allies like the JD(U) and the LJP. The LJP has been blowing hot and cold over the issue as it is said to be unhappy over the offer being made to it by the BJP. The meeting was attended by Fadnavis, Home Minister Amit Shah and Bhupendra Yadav. For the last few weeks, Fadnavis has been participating in the partys internal meetings over the Bihar polls and has even visited the state a few times. The BJP has the practice of appointing senior leaders as in-charge for state elections. Conservative Clergy of Color slams Kamala Harris for praising brilliance of Black Lives Matter founders Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Conservative Clergy of Color, a coalition of African-American pastors who say they were called to bring a new perspective to the nations conversation on race, slammed Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris on Friday for praising the brilliance of the founders of Black Lives Matter. Speaking during an interview held as part of the NAACPs national convention, which was held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic, Harris praised Black Lives Matter co-founders founders Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi for their brilliance in conceiving it. History is going to show it was an inflection point in the ongoing fight for justice and to reform the criminal justice system, the California senator told CNN commentator Angela Rye. I actually believe as a former prosecutor that Black Lives Matter has been the most significant agent for change within the criminal justice system because it has been a counterforce to the force within the system that is so grounded in status quo, in its own traditions, many of which have been harmful and have been discriminatory in the way that they have been enforced." Bishop Aubrey Shines, co-founder of Conservative Clergy of Color argued that Black Lives Matter is not a group that Harris should be praising. Its extremely disheartening to see a U.S. Senator and a candidate for vice president give such high praise to a group that is trying to destroy our country," Shines said in a statement to The Christian Post. "Does Sen. Harris not watch the news? Has she not seen the businesses burning, the livelihoods that have been wrecked by this organization? People are terrified, but we have to praise the organizers because its the cool thing to do. Until recently these people made no secret about their agenda. They were loud and proud about their anti-American goals until the violence theyve instigated started affecting their favorability. The only brilliant thing I can see is how quickly BLMs website operators scrubbed their agenda to be more appealing. This is not a group that needs to be praised. More Americans are beginning to see that, and I hope Sen. Harris will too. In her comments on Friday, Harris explained that the Black Lives Matter protests should be seen as an essential component of evolution in our country. Nothing that we have achieved that has been about progress, in particular around civil rights, has come without a fight, and so I always am going to interpret these protests as an essential component of evolution in our country as an essential component or mark of a real democracy, she said. The peoples voices must be heard. Bishop Shines, Rev. M.J. Reid, Pastor Francisco Vega, and Rev. Derek McCoy came together earlier this year to form Conservative Clergy of Color because they decided that America needs to be reminded of the Providence that made it great, that Americans need to know that Judeo-Christian values and biblical truths form the foundation of our country. An Army Reserve soldier has become the eighth U.S. service member to die from COVID-19, according to information released by the Pentagon Monday. Few details were provided on the death, which was included among data released Monday by the Defense Department. A request for more information from Military.com was forwarded to the Army Reserve public affairs office, which did not immediately respond. Read Next: Army Announces Fall Deployments to Afghanistan and Korea The soldier is the fifth Army Reserve member to die from COVID-19. As of Monday, 96 DoD-affiliated persons had died from the coronavirus: In addition to the eight service members, seven dependents, 59 civilian employees and 22 contractors had died. The U.S. military's first COVID-19 death was recorded on March 28, when Army National Guard Capt. Douglas Hickok, a physician assistant, passed away as his unit prepared for pandemic response. Other service members who have died include: Navy Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Charles Thacker, 41, who died April 13; Army Reserve Sgt. Simon Zamudio, 34, who died May 22; Army Reserve Spc. Curtis Lamar Fort, 61, who died July 30; an unidentified member of the California National Guard, who passed away Aug. 20; Army Reserve Master Sgt. Brian Tolliver, 46, who died Aug. 17; and Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Clifford Gooding, 58, who died Aug. 28. As of Monday, 45,246 military personnel had tested positive for the disease, including 16,742 Army soldiers, 5,675 Marines, 10,174 Navy sailors and 7,066 Air Force airmen. More than 5,240 National Guard members and 347 personnel assigned to DoD agencies also have been diagnosed since the start of the outbreak. As of Sept. 4, 626 Coast Guardsmen had tested positive for COVID-19. The service has not had any coronavirus-related deaths, according to Lt. Cmdr. Brittany Panetta. The Coast Guard does not regularly release its coronavirus cases. More than 7.1 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, including more than 1 million since the beginning of September. Nearly 205,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, 33 million people have tested positive and nearly 1 million have died. DoD has tallied 65,657 cases among its personnel and dependents. In addition to the military cases, 6,034 dependents, 10,109 civilian employees and 4,268 defense contractors have tested positive for COVID-19. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. This story will be updated. Related: How the Military is Supporting the Historic Race for a COVID Vaccine An illustration of a mural project on the Housing Authority's Ashland Park Apartments that will part of the Ashland Street Initiative. Mural Planned for Ashland Street Apartments in North Adams NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The Housing Authority approved a mural project that will transform one end the Ashland Park apartments, more commonly known as the high-rise. Housing Authority Executive Director Jennifer Hohn said the authority voted Monday to allow the painting of a mural on the north side of the eight-story building. "I am extremely excited for this extraordinary opportunity for the North Adams Housing Authority to be part of this piece," Hohn said. "This will add even more intriguing art opportunities for tourists coming to Mass MoCA or other local museums." The mural is part of the Ashland Street Initiative, a project to enhance and beautify the area between downtown North Adams and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Inspired by the Eagle Street Initiative, the citizens' group behind that project, NAMAzing, teamed with Common Folk Artist Collective, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, and the city to bring some of the same placemaking and artistic touches to the Ashland corridor. Hohn said the discussion with the initiative began some months ago, and the approval is contingent upon a legal review of the contract. Muralist Gaia produces large-scale murals all over the world, and his proposed Ashland Street mural has been influenced by the input of more than 200 survey responses by the building's and community residents, said the city's Director of Community Events Suzy Helme. NAMAzing project coordinator Benjamin Lamb said the mural is inspired by the future generations of North Adams, and the the women and children who helped build the community and local industries over time. He said the mural is also inspired by horticulturalist Lue Gim Gong, a Chinese immigrant who after moving to Florida from North Adams developed the Valencia orange in 1911. "It celebrates our well known industrial past, our less well-known but inspiring historical figures, and the hopes, dreams and aspirations we have for our children and future," Lamb said. "Plus, it is gorgeous." In announcing the choice of Gaia in June, Lamb said he was "incredibly excited" that Gaia agreed to create the mural. "His O+ work in Kingston, N.Y., is some of the most inspiring, bold, and eye opening public artwork I have ever encountered," he said at the time. "His work is of a caliber and quality, with incredibly deep intention, that will help inject new vibrancy and beauty on Ashland Street while celebrating our community's present and past." Hohn said she is happy NAHA has been included in this effort. "In addition, it hopes to help beautify the Ashland corridor which has been an ongoing effort to date," she said. Lamb said the project's timeline will be guided by the "New England weather systems." The effort has been upset somewhat by the novel coronavirus but trees were planted last year and the distinctive "NAMA" bicycle racks have been recently installed along with benches sporting the city's new logo. There are also plans for crosswalk flag stations to increase pedestrian safety, and a number of creative installations and green space improvements. The mural is considered the cornerstone of the project. The initiative began in spring 2019 and is funded through community crowd-funding and a $12,500 MassDevelopment matching grant. In other business Monday, the Housing Authority discussed a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with the city that started back in 2009. "NAHA started paying a PILOT to the City of North Adams in 2009 when I took over as executive director, based on a formula agreed upon between NAHA and the city of North Adams," she said. "To date, nobody can locate any agreement prior." Per a communication from NAHA's attorney Steve Narey, the mayor has indicated that he has no qualms with the PILOT agreement and is waiting to hear whether it will require City Council approval. The Housing Authority needs this agreement in writing as part of the Rental Assistance Demonstration closing process. The RAD allows U.S. Housing and Urban Development housing authorities to move their units to the Section 8 platform and to leverage debt and equity for re-investment without affecting tenant rights and rents, or housing authority control. In a communication to the NAHA, some additional requirements for the conversion include the submission of construction estimates for major projects, a financing plan, and some third-party reports. NAMA's annual five-year plan has already been submitted to HUD and it is estimated NAMA could close on the conversion in six to nine months. The board also discussed the fiscal 2021 operating budget that Hohn said is up around $20,000. She said this increase is essentially driven by legal costs associated with the RAD conversion and anticipated attorney-assisted evictions once the state's eviction moratorium expires. "NAHA has experienced a national trend of residents whose income has not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, whom have opted not to pay their rent because they are safe from eviction," Hohn said. "This only adds to higher balances and the limited affordability to pay the past due balance." Michael McConnell, the distinguished conservative Stanford law professor and former judge, urges folks to calm down about Amy Coney Barrett. His column appears in the Washington Post, and thus, I assume, the folks he mainly wants to reassure are D.C. area liberals. I dont know whether McConnell will succeed in calming liberals down, but for some conservatives his column will feel like a cold shower. McConnell focuses on a Justice Barretts likely impact in two high profile areas of the law Obamacare and abortion. These were the two areas that Joe Biden focused on, in that order, during the portion of last nights debate that dealt with Barrett and the Supreme Court. McConnell finds far-fetched the notion that Barretts appointment would mean the invalidation of Obamacare. Its true that the Supreme Court will soon hear a case challenging the Acts constitutionality. But McConnell says theres little chance of that challenge gaining anywhere close to five Supreme Court votes. I think hes right. On abortion, McConnell argues that Roe v. Wade is sufficiently resilient to survive even with Barrett on the Court: In confirmation battles going back to the 1980s, abortion rights advocates have predicted that every nominee by a Republican president, if confirmed, would mean the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Yet it has never happened. Republican presidents have filled nine seats since Ronald Reagan was elected president; nine times the nation was warned that Roe was on the chopping block. Somehow, the blade never falls. Roe was reaffirmed this summer, in effect, by June Medical, with a majority opinion written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., an appointee of President George W. Bush. Roe is the Road Runner of all precedents. Wile E. Coyote just never catches up. There are reasons Roe is so resilient and one of them is not the legal persuasiveness of the opinion, which is nil. But the ruling is nearly a half-century old and has been reaffirmed multiple times by justices of both parties. Such a decision will not be lightly overruled. And whatever one may think of abortion, the practice is so widespread and ingrained, and the right to it so intensely defended by a significant minority of Americans, that trying to use the force of the state to end it would wrench the nation apart while almost surely failing. Again, I think McConnell is probably right. The political fallout of overturning Roe v. Wade will likely dissuade at least two conservative Justices from joining their more conservative colleagues in taking that big step. However, that outcome is hardly certain. The good news for conservatives is that the Supreme Court will decide a great many consequential cases in which Obamacare is not the issue and Roe v. Wade isnt being attacked. The addition of Barrett would likely make the difference in a fair number of those cases. Thus, as McConnell acknowledges in his final paragraph, her nomination matters. In fact, it matters a great deal assuming the Democrats dont negate her appointment and that of other recent additions by packing the Supreme Court, if they are in a position to do so. I suspect that McConnells column is, in part, an attempt to persuade congressional Democrats not to pack the Court. He assures Democrats that, if they win the upcoming election, they will have a good shot at changing the Courts direction without packing it. He notes that Justices Thomas and Alito are in their 70s (fortunately, 70 is the new 60 for many Americans) and that if Justice Breyer, who is 82, retires, the Dems could replace him with a jurist to his left. I doubt that many Dems will take comfort from this line of argument. However, if just a small number of Senate Democrats from non-blue states are influenced by it, maybe Court packing will be a non-starter even if the Democrats win the presidency and control of the Senate. Alan Koll said when Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell showed up to look at the basement apartment of his Wilber home on West Seventh Street on a summer day in 2017, Trail did most of the talking. He described Boswell, the one on trial now for Sydney Loofe's murder whom he identified for the jury as the lady at the end of the table, as "shy, I guess." Koll just remembered her saying few words that day. Koll testified Tuesday at Boswell's trial in Lexington. Trail was more talkative, for sure, he said. But Koll said he wouldn't say Trail seemed "more controlling" that June day they answered the ad about the rental. He remembered Trail asking Boswell if they should rent the place. Koll said Trail told him they were antiques dealers moving their business from Falls City to Lincoln. For the next 5 1/2 months, Koll and his wife, Jennifer, lived upstairs, and Trail and Boswell in the apartment downstairs. Koll said there were times he could hear Trail's voice in the basement from upstairs. He was a loud talker. "I can't say that I ever heard yelling or screaming," he said. Not even late Nov. 15, 2017, or early the next morning, when Jennifer Koll and her son, Dayton He, who lived in a separate apartment in the basement, started to notice a strong odor of bleach, so strong it made Jennifer Koll, who is allergic, sick to her stomach. She said that morning, Nov. 16, she had taken her daughter to Lincoln to get her braces taken off and remembers pulling into the garage. "I could smell it immediately," she said. A Clorox odor was consuming the whole upstairs of the house. Jennifer Koll said she had to open up all the windows and doors despite the chilly late-fall weather. And she noticed the farther down the stairs she went, the stronger the smell got. When investigators went there Nov. 18 to do a welfare check looking for Loofe, they still noticed the smell. The missing 24-year-old Lincoln woman's cellphone had pinged at a tower at Wilber on the night of Nov. 15 while on a date with Boswell, and the trail was leading to the house on West Seventh Street. Lincoln Police Detective Matt Franken said the nature of Loofe's disappearance already was concerning. "That, coupled with the strong smell of bleach in the house, was very suspicious to us," he told the jury. After police came, the Kolls said they never saw Trail or Boswell at the apartment again. Investigators ultimately tracked them down at a hotel near Branson, Missouri, and would find Loofe's remains Dec. 4, cut up and left in garbage bags in ditches along rural Nebraska roads. Prosecutors later charged Boswell with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful disposal of human remains. Trail, who was convicted at trial last year, is awaiting a sentencing hearing, where the state is seeking the death penalty. Photos from Aubrey Trail's trial Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Overview of the Solar Orbiter magnetic field data released today. Here, the amplitude of the magnetic field is shown, along with the distance of the spacecraft from the sun in Astronomical Units (the Earth is 1 AU from the sun). The magnetic field is larger closer to the sun, but the magnetic fields measured in space by MAG are still less than a thousandth of the Earths magnetic field. Credit: Imperial College London Three of the Solar Orbiter spacecraft's instruments, including Imperial's magnetometer, have released their first data. The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter spacecraft launched in February 2020 on its mission to study to sun and it began collecting science data in June. Now, three of its ten instruments have released their first tranche of data, revealing the state of the sun in a 'quiet' phase. The sun is known to follow an 11-year cycle of sunspot activity and is currently almost completely free of sunspots. This is expected to change over the coming years as sunspot activity ramps up, causing the sun to become more active and raising the chances of adverse 'space weather' events, where the sun releases huge amounts of material and energy in solar flares and coronal mass ejections. The sun's activity is closely linked to the state of its magnetic field, and this is measured by Imperial's instrument aboard Solar Orbiter, the magnetometer (MAG). Since June, MAG has recorded hundreds of millions of 'vectors' measurements of the direction and strength of the sun's magnetic field. Solar Orbiter has already flown inside the orbit of Venus, collecting some of the closest data to the sun so far, and will get progressively closer in the coming years. It is currently orbiting close to the equator of the sun, which in times of high activity would show a very warped magnetic field. Currently, however, the sun's magnetic 'equator' is lying very flat to the true equator, allowing the spacecraft to observe fields from the Northern magnetic hemisphere for weeks on end, when just a few degrees north of the equator. Near times of high solar activity, when the sun's magnetic equator is more warped, it is not possible to see a single polarity of magnetic field for so long. Solar wind structure The MAG has also observed waves caused by protons and electrons streaming from the sun. Further out, near the Earth, these particles are distributed more evenly in the bulk solar wind of charged particles streaming from the sun, but at Solar Orbiter there are also 'beams' protons and electrons coming from the sun. There appears to much more structure in the solar wind closer to the sun, and this is further shown by MAG confirming the presence of 'switchbacks' dramatic folds in the solar wind first recorded by the Parker Solar Probe, a NASA mission launched in 2018. Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe will work together over the coming years to compare data on the same phenomena at different distances and orbits around the sun as it wakes up and enters the next phase of its sunspot cycle. A testament to hard work The data released today are part of Solar Orbiter's commitment to releasing data within three months of it arriving on the grounda tight schedule for any space mission, but particularly challenging during a pandemic. Professor Tim Horbury, the Principal Investigator of MAG from the Department of Physics at Imperial, says that the fact the data is ready on time is testament to the hard work of the engineering team at Imperial. "They have worked incredibly hard over the last few months. It's been an immense amount of work," he said. But it's paid off. "There's a lot of it that we're releasing that nobody's really looked at in great detail yet. So I am sure there will also be a whole extra set of wonderswe just don't know what they are yet. There's an enormous amount for people to do, and I really hope that people will dive in." One of the first challenges from the team was to eliminate the tiny magnetic field signatures from the spacecraft itself. Almost everything that runs on electrical power on the spacecraft creates a varying magnetic field that must be removed from the data in order to get the true signal from the sun. This includes the solar panels, the thrusters, the other science instruments and over 50 separate heaters. While different parts of the spacecraft turned on, the team had to take data from all of them in order to eliminate their signal. But Professor Horbury says it was all worth it: "This is just the beginning, but the data is already enormously exciting and very rich. "Solar Orbiter is living up to its promise. We always knew it was going to be a fantastic mission and the early measurements are showing just how much potential there is for unprecedented insights into the sun," he said. MAG Instrument Manager Helen O'Brien said: "MAG has been performing brilliantly for seven months now. We tested it here on Earth before launch, but we cannot perfectly recreate the harsh space environment, and certainly not for the prolonged periods MAG is now experiencing. "So to see the first data go public is wonderful, and this is just the beginning. In December, the spacecraft does a flyby of Venus, and then we are back in to half the sun-Earth distance in February next year. We are so proud!" Explore further Video: Solar Orbiter first images revealed Dr. Jorge Ramallo has been treating his patients during this pandemic through a combination of virtual and in-person visits at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center in Milwaukee, Wis. The patients that I see are over 90 percent Latinx, he tells Yahoo Life. Being able to talk to them in a language they understand, but also being able to relate to their culture is one of the most rewarding things of my job. Ramallo, who is an internist and pediatrician, is doing his part to break the language barrier and build confianza (trust) by speaking to his patients in a language they feel the most comfortable: Spanish. Dr. Jorge Ramallo treats his patient at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center in Milwaukee. (Photo: Sixteenth Street Community Health Center) The Latinx community has been greatly impacted by COVID-19. Latinx-owned businesses have suffered major economic setbacks, immigrant communities are not getting the testing and treatment they need and essential workers are among the most vulnerable. People who identify as Latinx are more than four times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 compared to white people, according to the CDC. In Wisconsin, there have been 19,939 positive COVID-19 cases among people who identify as Latino, according to Tuesday data from the states Department of Health Services, making up 16.6 percent of cases in the state. A lot of our patients work essential jobs ...Theyre working in construction, theyre working in the food industry, theyre working in restaurants, Dr. Ramallo explains. For them, doing teleworking is not an option. Unfortunately, the financial security of their families is of the utmost importance for them. Witnessing the death toll from the pandemic has been devastating for him and his team at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center. They realized quickly there wasnt enough information on COVID-19 in Spanish and took action. Dr. Ramallo hosts a Spanish Facebook Live Series called Pregunte al doctor (Ask the doctor). He hopes to dispel online misconceptions about bogus remedies and theories and create a safe space for patients to ask questions. Story continues Dr. Ramallo hosts a Facebook live series in Spanish to inform the Latinx community about COVID-19. (Photo: Sixteenth Street Community Health Center) Having that extra source of information from a physician that they know, that is part of their community, that speaks their language, I think has made a big difference, he explains. Ramallo knows all too well what some of his non-English speaking patients are going through. He was born in Bolivia and moved to Virginia with his family when he was a teenager. I found myself starting high school ... not speaking any English and like many of my patients that I see here in the clinic, I was [thrust] into English as a second language classes and just expected to catch up at some point, he says. A passion for science and medicine led him to the Yale School of Medicine, which he graduated in 2009 and began his journey as a doctor. He encourages the community to push fear aside and take the first step toward a healthy future. You have to make health a priority for you now, he explains. You cant wait until later. For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDCs and WHOs resource guides. Read more from Yahoo Life Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. The last time Blandi Rodas walked out the door of her mobile home in Talent, Ore., school was the primary thought on her mind. All summer her 7-year old daughter, Kailyn, had talked of nothing else. She couldnt wait to see her friends even if it was just through a screen. After months of anticipation, online-only classes were to commence the next day. She was so excited to go back to school, said Rodas, 36. She always looked at the calendar, saying, Mommy, when were gonna go back to school? On the morning of Sept. 8, Kailyn stayed at home while her mother and 11-year-old sister, Evelyn, went to Talent Middle School to pick up a Chromebook lent to her by the school district to assist with distance learning. Then Rodas took off for her job at a local retirement community, leaving the two girls at home with their grandmother and 3-year-old brother, Liam. Just hours later, she received a text message from Evelyn: Their trailer park was enveloped with thick, black smoke. According to the fleeing neighbors, the 1,000-acre Almeda fire was blowing straight in their direction. As Rodas raced toward her family, encountering roadblocks at every intersection, Evelyn called 911. FRESH from his stay in Dalkey, Co Dublin during lockdown, actor Matt Damon has been spotted filming in another Irish location. Damon was joined by Adam Driver of Star Wars fame and Killing Eve star Jodie Comer in Co Tipperary yesterday, where they were filming for The Last Duel. Fans gathered at a distance to see the actors throughout the day and Damon and Comer were seen waving and smiling at onlookers as they left the set. Member of the public watch cast members at Cahir Castle in Co Tipperary "Fair play to the cast and crew of Ridley Scott's The Last Duel which is filming at Cahir Castle in Co Tipperary," photographer Niall Carson said. "Matt Damon and Jodie Comer couldn't have been nicer to the throngs of public and media who camped outside the set all day." Based on the book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager, the film centres on a woman who claims she's been raped by her husband's best friend. But when no one believes her accusation, her husband challenges his friend to a duel, the last legally sanctioned duel in the country's history. Jodie Comer leaves the set of the Last Duel at Cahir Castle. The screenplay was written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Nicole Holofcener. Affleck and Damon won an Academy award in 1998 for their screenplay Good Will Hunting. Affleck stars in a supporting role as King Charles VI while Damon plays Jean de Carrouges alongside Driver and Comer, who play Jacques Le Gris and Marguerite de Carrouges. Actor Adam Driver at Cahir Castle. The trio was spotted yesterday in Cahir Castle, a set for the Ridley Scott historical film. In February, hundreds of people queued in Dublin at an open casting call for the opportunity to become an extra on the film's set. Hundreds of people queued in Dublin at an open casting event for extras in February. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos Earlier this year, Damon stayed in Dalkey with his family for three months at the start of the pandemic after filming he was doing in Dublin stopped due to the lockdown. He was spotted carrying a Supervalu shopping bag and had posed for pictures with residents prior to the introduction of the Covid-19 restrictions. Jodie Comer on the set of the Last Duel The New York Times tried to track him down but local residents wouldn't engage with their reporters. In an interview with Dublin Radio Station Spin 1038, Damon said he "laughed so hard" when he heard of the attempts by area residents to nip the press queries in a local Facebook group about him in the bud. Film extras bailing out a boat on the set. "That is when I realised how great this place was and how protective everyone here is. I had no idea all this was happening behind the scenes and that you [a reporter] joined the [Facebook] group for one day before they found you out and booted you which is just great." The Last Duel is expected to be released in Ireland on October 15, 2021. BOSTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC and subadvised by both Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, and Wells Capital Management Incorporated, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.1380 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of September 11, 2020, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Notification of Sources of Distribution This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) with important information concerning the distribution declared on September 1, 2020, and payable on September 30, 2020. No action is required on your part. Distribution Period: September 2020 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.1380 The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable September 30, 2020, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount. For the period 9/1/2020-9/30/2020 For the fiscal year-to-date period 11/1/2019-9/30/2020 1 Source Current Distribution ($) % Breakdown of the Current Distribution Total Cumulative Distributions ($) % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions Net Investment Income 0.1240 90% 1.3250 87% Net Realized Short- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.0000 0% Net Realized Long- Term Capital Gains 0.0090 6% 0.0000 0% Return of Capital or Other Capital Source 0.0050 4% 0.1930 13% Total per common share 0.1380 100% 1.5180 100% Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on August 31, 2020 7.20% Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of August 31, 2020 7.73% Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through August 31, 2020 -14.82% Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of August 31, 2020 7.08% _______________________ 1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on November 1, 2019, and will end on October 31, 2020. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has declared the September 2020 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed monthly distributions in the amount of $0.1380 per share, which will continue to be paid monthly until further notice. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investment Management Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and as Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1.2 trillion (US$900 billion) as of June 30, 2020. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com. One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com. SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Matthew Green (Reuters) London Wed, September 30, 2020 13:33 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c482e5ff 2 Environment David-Attenborough Free British broadcaster David Attenborough led a call from conservation groups on Wednesday for the world to invest $500 billion a year to halt the destruction of nature, warning that the future of the planet was in "grave jeopardy." Attenborough, whose new film "A Life on Our Planet" documents the dangers posed by climate change and the extinction of species, issued the call hours ahead of a UN summit aimed at galvanizing action to protect wildlife. "Our natural world is under greater pressure now than at any time in human history, and the future of the entire planet on which every single one of us depends is in grave jeopardy," Attenborough, 94, said in a statement. "We still have an opportunity to reverse catastrophic biodiversity loss, but time is running out." The call to redirect financing away from fossil fuels and other polluting industries and into locally-led conservation was launched by environmental group Flora & Fauna International and backed by more than 130 organizations. The world spends an estimated $80-90 billion on conservation each year, but studies show that hundreds of billions of dollars may be needed to save ecosystems from collapse. In a pre-recorded message to the one-day UN summit on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that there was growing evidence of a desire to avert "looming disaster." "Let this be the day that action begins. And let us leave the next generation a world every bit as diverse and wondrous as the one we inherited," Johnson said. Britain, Canada and others joined the European Union on Monday in pledging to protect 30 percent of their land and seas by 2030. UN officials hope to secure a global agreement on that target at a major round of negotiations on biodiversity due to take place in China in 2021. New York: NXIVM sex cult funder Clare Bronfman was sentenced to more than six years in prison on Wednesday for her role in the upstate cult. The Seagram's heiress, wearing a pink sweater, betrayed no emotion as Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis handed down the 81-month sentence. But she did share a few words of regret before being taken into custody by US marshals. Clare Bronfman arrives at federal court in Brooklyn, New York. Credit:AP "I have made mistakes, I'm sorry for the time and resources I have taken from the court," Bronfman. Bronfman will also be required to pay a $US500,000 ($698,000) fine. She pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to conceal and hide undocumented immigrants for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification during her time with the cult. She continued to support cult leader Keith Raniere as her sentence loomed. A senior Tamil Nadu minister on Wednesday openly rooted for chief minister K Palaniswami to be projected as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's face for the 2021 assembly election while his Cabinet colleagues sought to downplay differences in the party over the leadership issue. IMAGE: Supporters wear maks of AIADMK coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam outside party office during executive committee meeting at party office in Chennai. Photograph: ANI Photo AIADMK coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, who has also staked his claim for being the chief ministerial candidate of the party in the polls next year, for the second consecutive day held discussions with party leaders at his residence in Chennai. Forest Minister 'Dindigul' C Sreenivasan said that there is "no contest or race" in the party on who should be the chief ministerial candidate for the election. "The next government will also be that of the AIADMK and chief minister will be Palaniswami," Sreenivasan , a party veteran, told reporters at Dindigul. The senior minister, batting for Palaniswami assumes significance, since the party had said it would announce the chief ministerial candidate on October 7 after the incumbent and Panneerselvam crossed swords over the issue at the party's executive committee meeting on Monday. Sreenivasn, however, added a formal declaration shall be made on October 7 as announced earlier. Adding to speculations of intensifying quarrel, the deputy chief minister's name did not appear in a government invitation for a project launch in Chennai by Palaniswami, who is the joint co-ordinator of the party. Senior AIADMK leader and fisheries minister D Jayakumar said "no motives should be attributed just because the deputy chief minister's name did not appear in the invitation," and ruled out differences saying there is "no problem." After the deliberations at his residence, Panneerselvam, also chairman of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, presided over a meeting of the body. Former minister Natham R Viswanathan, party deputy coordinator K P Munusamy and former MP P H Manoj Pandian were among those who held parleys with Panneerselvam on Wednesday. Notably, in the solid waste management project launch, a voice over, announcing the arrival of Palaniswami, showered encomiums and hailed the Chief Minister as the "light of the AIADMK." Revenue minister R B Udhayakumar, law minister C Ve Shanmugam, and handlooms and textiles minister O S Manian sought to downplay differences over the leadership issue. Udhayakumar said both Panneerselvam and Palaniswami had a very good understanding and were working like brothers. Exchange of views was a healthy aspect and it was only aimed at the party's growth, he said answering a question on claims and counter claims at the September 28 Executive Committee meeting of the party over the issue of Chief Ministerial candidate for the assembly elections. At Villupuram, law minister C Ve Shanmugam said Palaniswami and Panneerselvam would continue to stand together and the party shall go on the path of unity and retain power. Manian too said there was absolutely no rift in the party over the leadership issue. After the stormy executive committee meeting, where the issue of leadership for the polls wasdiscussed, Munsamy had announced that Panneerselvam and Palaniswami would announce on October 7 the chief ministerial candidate. The meeting saw heated exchanges between Panneerselvam and Palaniswami with both reportedly making competing claims -- backed by past events in the party -- to stake claim for being the AIADMK's chief ministerial nominee next year. The country also recorded a decline of 0.7 per cent in cases of kidnapping and abduction in 2019. New Delhi: India recorded an average of 79 murder cases daily in 2019, according to a latest government data. A total of 28,918 cases of murder were registered in 2019, showing a marginal decline of 0.3 per cent over 2018 (29,017 cases), the data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showed. 'Dispute' (9,516 cases) was the motive in highest number of murder cases followed by 'personal vendetta or enmity' (3,833 cases) and 'gain (2,573 cases), it showed. The country also recorded a decline of 0.7 per cent in cases of kidnapping and abduction in 2019. A total of 1,05,037 such cases with 1,08,025 victims were registered in 2019, down from 1,05,734 cases in 2018, the data showed. Of the total kidnapping and abduction victims, 23,104 were male and 84,921 female in 2019. Out of the total, 71,264 (15,894 male and 55,370 female) victims were children and 36,761 (7,210 male and 29,551 female) were adult, according to the data. During 2019, a total of 96,295 kidnapped or abducted persons (22,794 male and 73,501 female) were found, out of which 95,551 were rescued alive, it stated. In 2019, 2,260 cases of human trafficking were also registered as compared to 2,278 cases in 2018, showing a decrease of 0.8 per cent. A total of 6,616 victims were reported to be trafficked including 2,914 children and 3,702 adults, the data showed. Apart from this, 6,571 victims were rescued from clutches of traffickers. A total of 5,128 persons were arrested in 2,260 cases of trafficking, the NCRB said. The NCRB, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, is tasked with collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and special and local laws in the country. By PTI WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden clashed over the issue of race in America in the first presidential debate wherein the Republican leader hesitated to condemn white supremacists. During the debate in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump, "Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down?" "I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not the right wing," Trump replied. "I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace." When pressed further, he said, "Give me a name", to which Biden chimed in, "Proud Boys", referring to a far-right outfit that has been designated as a hate group by the nonprofit legal advocacy organisation, Southern Poverty Law Centre. "Proud Boys -- Stand back, stand by," Trump responded and then moved attention to the left-wing anti-fascist movement known as Antifa. ALSO READ | US elections 2020: Trump and Biden engage in heated war of words in first presidential debate "Somebody has got to do something about Antifa and the left because this isn't a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem," he said. Biden alleged that Trump has used everything as a "dog whistle" to try to generate racist hatred and division. "This is a president who has used everything as a dog whistle to try to generate racist hatred, racist division. "This is a man who in fact--you talk about helping African Americans, one in one thousand African Americans has been killed because of the coronavirus. And if he doesn't do something quickly, by the end of the year one in 500 will have been killed, one in 500 African Americans," he said. "This man is the saviour of African Americans? This man care at all? This man's done virtually nothing. You have to look at what he did. And what he did has been disastrous for the African-American community," Biden charged. Defending his record as president, Trump attacked Biden for his role in crafting the 1994 crime bill. "I'm letting people out of jail now," Trump said to Biden. "You've treated the black community as bad as anyone in the country. You called them superpredators and you've called them worse than that." "I never said that," Biden responded. Biden and Trump were responding to questions on why voters should trust them rather than their opponents to deal with the race issues facing the US. "It's about equity and equality. It's about decency. It's about the Constitution. "And we have never walked away from trying to require equity for everyone, equality for the whole of America, but we've never accomplished it. But we've never walked away from it like he has done," Biden said. "A young woman got killed. And they asked the president what he thought. He said there were very fine people on both sides. No president's ever said anything," he said. Biden was referring to Trump's remark that there were good people "on both sides" after a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, led to the death of a counter-protester. The former vice president was also critical of Trump's handling of the events after the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. "When Mr Floyd was killed, there was a peaceful protest in front of the White House. What did he do? He came out of his bunker, had the military do -- use teargas on them so he could walk across to a church and hold the Bible. And then what happened after that? The bishop of that very church said it was a disgrace. "The general who was with him said all he ever wants to do is divide people, not unite people at all," Biden alleged. Hitting back, Trump said, "If you look at the polls, I'm doing better than any Republican has done in a long time, because they saw what you did. You called them super predators and you've called them worse than that, because you look back at your testimony over the years. You called them a lot worse than that." "As far as the church is concerned and as far as the generals are concerned, we just got the support of 200-250 military leaders and generals, total support. Law enforcement, almost every law enforcement group in the US; I have Florida, I have Texas, I have Ohio, I have every--excuse me, Portland, the sheriff just came out today and he said I support President Trump," he asserted. Trump also accused Biden of abandoning the nation's law enforcement. "You can't even say the word 'law enforcement' because if you say those words you're going to lose all of your radical-left supporters. And why aren't you saying those words, Joe? Because you know what, if they call us in Portland, we would put out the fire and a half an hour. "But they won't do it because they're run by radical-left Democrats," he said. The US police departments have faced intense scrutiny following the shooting of several Black Americans at the hands of white police officers, sparking a movement to "defund the police" supported by many prominent Democratic lawmakers. After inviting Nigerian artiste, Burna Boy to join the #RevolutionNow protest on October 1st, Nigerians have called out on Omoyele Sowore to invite Falz who is the son of his lawyer, Femi Falana instead of Burna Boy. Sowore had on Tuesday in a Tweet said Burna Boy is usually compared to legendary musician and revolutionary, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. According to Sowore, even the foreign media celebrate and compare Burna to Fela, but he is yet to lead any protest. He wrote Hello @burnaboy, everywhere I turn people describe you as a revolutionary musician, the foreign media even celebrate you compare you to Fela Kuti, but I am yet to see you lead anyone to a police station carrying a coffin for head of state! Join #Oct1stProtest #RevolutionNow Burna Boy who rejected the invitation said that Everybody is a Fela fan and supporter now that he is dead. Humans are so Funny, You politicians are ALL the same (especially in Nigeria) and Frankly, I dont trust any of you. In further response, the former presidential candidate Sowore said: I am not just one of the persons who you could describe as Felas fan after he died, I am a member of Felas household, ask @RealSeunKuti , as a students leader in the 90s I met and hung out with Abami Eda at home and the African shrine! If you want to be Fela be Fela. Hello @burnaboy, everywhere I turn people describe you as a revolutionary musician, the foreign media even celebrate you compare you to Fela Kuti, but I am yet to see you lead anyone to a police station carrying a coffin for head of state! Join #Oct1stProtest #RevolutionNow pic.twitter.com/LOYfQfRCyc Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) September 29, 2020 Reacting to the comments by both figures, some Nigerians urged Sowore to invite Falz who is a more Fela-figure than Burna Boy to protest with him. @tony_divine81 wrote on Twitter Femi Falana is your lawyer and he has a son that calls himself Falz, who is also a musician as Burna. Why are you not calling him out to join you in your national charade? Besides, why are you begging people to join you if you are on the right course @Amuaee Youre not fighting for Sowore, d guy is bloody comfortable. You should fight for d millions of Nigerians who enjoyed ur music, yet have no access to basic of life. Also coming out openly to discard ds protest is giving d govt upper hand @mr_sobowale Tuface later led the #votenotfight campaign. Falz created a platform where he exposed aspiring presidential aspirants for the stock they were made of and raised awareness on the need to vote right. You think filling Felas shoes is about smoking weed alone? @YorubaBoy_ Falz is more of a Fela than Burn boy. you cant even argue that! @Nsukka_okpa If na by music Dem dey take carry person join protest, go carry Falz. Na him sing one full album untop injustice. @steveabbey_ For me, Burna Boy is doing enough with his music. Falz is another musician who is also speaking up. Sowore is coming for the wrong people. Target those who arent doing a thing. @ButtyGhetto While yall are dragging Burna to a protest, lets not forget Falz is also a music activist and we havent seen him in a physical protest for once. Abi i lie ? Man shrugging @OgbeniDipo Sowore is right though. If you want to be associated with Fela you should have the liver to lead the people and demand better from the government. @blaqbouiy Falz released moral instruction close to election period to warn us though Nigerians were deaf to his message, where was Burna boy then, buh now he is coming out to say yenyenyen after claiming fela Face with tears of joy baba we dey enjoy your music for music sake nothing more or less. @Cap_Leviiii When it comes to activism through music, Ill pick Falz over Burna any day. The only person that actually addresses the salient issues undiluted and not the one that puts the youths down to feel good about himself. Come and put your words into action werey dey disguise. Tch @iSlimfit People might say Sowore is trying to make Burna Boy an instrument to actualize his agenda, but the point for me is that if you can talk the talk, you should be able to walk the talk. No be by calling people cowards in your song. Im sure Fela wont be proud right now. @ill_nojie Burna boy claims fella blood flows in his veins but Yet he hates politicians. I see that hes only carrying fela for business gains. Fela was a politician too like Sowore and even contested for president. @Letter_to_Jack Burna Boy: Nigerian youths are cowards, scared to fight etc. (from his album) Yele Sowore: Burna Boy, join us in a protest against the government. Burna Boy: I dont trust Nigerian politicians, they are all the same. So you didnt know this when you were calling us names? @therealdaddymo1 Burna Boy alluded to Nigerians being cowards in a song when it comes to standing up for themselves & I guess his refusal to take a stand when called out by Sowore hit a nerve. He claims to walk in the footsteps of Fela but its only in songs we hear this. @Letter_to_Jack The point of Sowore and Burna boys exchange is: African Giant who is so quick to call the youths many names is running away from a protest invitation, deflecting and shaming the person asking him to join them. You knew this yet you called the youths names?? @_TheThirdEstate I see a lot of people saying trash about burner because he refused to lead a protest..people that cant tell their bosses to give them a day off. Any bloodshed during the protest is just gonna be a waste for this country whether Sowore or Burna leads it @MrLekanAdigun Sowore, as far as Im concerned, is just campaigning for 2023. He cant become Nigerias president even in his marijuana-induced hallucinations. If he campaigns from now till 2031, hell remain just the nuisance he is. Even drug addicts know that Colorado isnt for small boys! Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Pioneering in the application of new techniques in medical examination and treatment, along with the great care of physicians, Hue Central Hospital helps patients not only overcome illnesses, but also feel more optimistic and cherish their lives. Surgical team for patient T. Letter of immense gratitude From the beginning of 2020 up till now, there have been more than 25 emotional handwritten letters from patients or their relatives expressing their gratitude towards the leaders, medical staff of Hue Central Hospital for their special medical care. The latest letter was dated August 19, 2020, from patient T. T. M (Da Nang) - one of the COVID-19 patients with severe underlying disease, who had just been saved by the Hue Central Hospital from COVID-19. M. is a beautiful girl. Others would easily recognize it thanks to the big bright eyes and wide forehead on her face that was half covered by facial mask. She recovered from COVID-19, but M. continued her fight with kidney disease at another hospital in her hometown. Before leaving the Isolation Center - Hue Central Hospital base 2, M. was moved: I don't know what to say and I cant believe that Im still here to say thank you to you all ... ". M. said, I was very disappointed and confused when I found out that I had COVID-19. When I was picked up by the car to Hue for treatment, I could not stand upright, feeling desperate. But then, just 15 minutes after arriving at Hue Central Hospital base 2, the doctors and nurses here took care of me enthusiastically and attentively. Since then, M. was very contented and felt "like a baby being comforted by her mother". Leaving Hue 20 days after being treated for COVID-19, M. sent back her letter written in haste with warm-hearted words: I am really touched, moved to tears as all I can do is saying thank you to all the doctors who dedicated to treating and taking care of me. I will be forever grateful. Supporting COVID-19 patients to exercise. The Hybrid landmark For many years, the hospital has been one of the leading units in the country for the number of new techniques applied in all specialties. At the same time, there have been many breakthroughs in the fields of high-tech and specialized care such as organ transplantation, laparoscopic surgery, cancer treatment, cardiology, reproductive associates... Successful treatment of difficult cases has set a high rate in the country. Since the end of July 2020, in parallel with the focus on prevention of COVID-19 epidemic, Hue Central Hospital still maintained the quality of medical examination and treatment. Especially the deployment of new and high-tech techniques to promptly cure patients. The first case of successful application of Hybrid surgery to treat a complicated congenital heart disease for pediatric patient Le K. T in the middle of August was a typical example. Pediatric patient Le K. T. (8 months old, weighing 4.5 kg) was diagnosed with very large ventricular septal defect, pulmonary artery pressure was nearly equal to systemic pressure and pulmonary hypertension in addition to malnutrition and pulmonary infections. Despite being treated for underlying diseases and improving physical condition, the excessive blood flow through the ventricular septum makes the childs heart failure worse, at the risk of irreversible lung damage to leading to Eisenmenger syndrome. The results of ultrasound and cardiac catheterization also showed the very special and complicated position of congenital heart defects, and the very large opening, making the implementation of amplatzer septal occluder through blood vessels of the leg not feasible. In addition, the ventricular opening was very close to the apex of the heart, so it would be difficult for the cardiothoracic surgeon to close the ventricular opening. Taking care of patients having COVID-19 With the co-chair of Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Lan Hieu - Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Hue Central Hospital applied the Hybrid approach to perform complicated congenital heart surgery to save the childs life. The value of this method, as said by Dr. Ho Anh Binh, Head of Cardiovascular Emergency - Intervention Department (Cardiovascular Center, Hue Central Hospital) was If this method cannot be applied, there will be no chance to manage her heart failure. Hybrid is a new term developed in recent years, used to refer to cases that combine surgical and interventional procedure at the same time to treat a patient. Hybrid increasingly plays an important role in the treatment of complex cardiovascular diseases such as: complicated congenital heart disease, stent graft placement in severe aortic disease, trans-catheter aortic valve replacement, coronary artery disease with more branches ... Hybrid method used for pediatric patient T is the first time in Vietnam, because it was done by intravenous route; while, at other places, they usually performed this through arteries. The technique of intravenous administration is also considered rare worldwide due to its complexity, , Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Lan Hieu explained. After the successful surgery, Le K. T. continued to be cared for and treated under stable hemodynamic condition. The success of this surgery will be an important first step at Hue Central Hospital, as well as an opportunity for similar cases in the Central Central Highlands region to continue their lives. Dr. Ho Anh Binh shared: We understand clearly the duties of doctors. If we cannot help patients, then we should do no harm to them, especially with new techniques. However, we would not be too cautious to miss out on the patient's chances of improving their conditions. Fortunately, the department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Hue Central Hospital is very strong and professional, always facilitating the development of high-tech procedure. We are willing to approach new medical technologies, hoping to improve the patient's life as much as possible. Story: Dong Van Photos: Provided by the hospital Families who enrolled their children in the TDSBs virtual French immersion stream have been told their kids may not be able to remain and might not get back into the face-to-face program at their homeschool if its full. On Tuesday, the Toronto District School Board sent a letter to families saying approximately 80 French teachers are still required, and that it was looking for options for the thousands of families that have yet to be assigned a teacher. We continue to explore options to meet the need for FI/EF (extended French) classrooms. However, as has been noted in prior updates, there is an ongoing shortage of French teachers across Ontario, said the release. This is a concerning situation for all and we acknowledge that some students have yet to be assigned a teacher. We are looking at options and will continue to keep families updated. For those students applying to switch from Virtual School to In-School Learning, the ability to accommodate this request will depend on the availability of French teachers in the students FI/EF school. The same letter told parents that Wednesday was the first deadline for parent to switch from online to virtual school or vice versa, even though thousands of children have yet to be connected with a teacher. On Tuesday, the ministry issued a statement saying it was taking action to recruit and retain more French teachers. Lisa Curran-Lehman, a mother of three, says she is furious at the way the board informed parents about the problems with French immersion. When we signed up for virtual, we were told our kids could stay in French immersion, and they could switch back in at certain dates, she said. And instead its October tomorrow, and my kids dont have teachers because they are short 80 French immersion teachers for the foreseeable future and there is no end in sight. It has a lot of us concerned about will our kids be able to stay in the program, because you cant leave French immersion and then come back, she said. But we arent voluntarily leaving, so there is a lot of concern about what will this mean for our kids who have invested years into this program. Curran-Lehman said she opted to switch her kids from virtual school to in-person before Wednesdays 4 p.m. deadline out of fear of them losing their spot in FI. She said she filed a complaint against the TDSB with the provincial ombudsman Wednesday over its handling of the program. Im really frustrated with the TDSB for offering us choices, and then changing the rules as they go. Melissa Fuhr said her daughter in SK hasnt been attached to a teacher yet, and she doesnt know if she will get one. If she isnt placed with an immersion teacher virtually this year, there is a danger that she wont be accepted into the French immersion program whenever school resumes, she said. I feel strongly about keeping them home, even if I have to sacrifice a year, but my main problem is not knowing potentially if she will get back into in-person immersion when that time comes, she said. That would be unacceptable to me. The TDSB didnt respond to questions about the long-term implications of not getting connected to a French immersion class this year. But on her Facebook page, Ward 14 Trustee Trixie May Doyle tried to reassure parents. After Covid, not knowing how long that will be, we will need to assess and review French enrolments, program placements, French staffing, and ministry requirements for each French program, she said. In consultation with the Ministry, we will endeavour to honour all current TDSB programs. This does not apply to students who leave the system or those who choose to switch to the English program. In a Facebook posted Tuesday, Doyle also elaborated on the shortage: Most of the French vacancies are in SK and grades 4-8; most of the primary are filled, she said. We are considering creative solutions for FI/EF to meet needs. For example, increase class sizes in primary (however that could be disruptive to families, as most classes are filled there). Karen Brackley said she is still waiting for her Grade 5 son to be connected to a French immersion teachers, and has been struggling to help her son with independent work he has been assigned that is all in French. A lot of parents are being forced to make a decision between whats healthy for our children, or do we stay with French, she said. The TDSB has really put us in a bad position. The province says it has provided boards with COVID-19 funding to hire teachers needed to help create smaller classes or to cover the demand for virtual classes, though boards have warned that during the pandemic they might not be able to offer all optional programs. A spokesperson for Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the province has spent $36 million to support Zoom-style synchronous learning (that will) deliver a better educational experience for students. Caitlin Clark said individual boards have developed plans that best suit their local needs. We encourage and support French-language education and will continue delivering historic investments for the benefit and safety of all students. A memo from the ministry to the Ontario Teachers Federation, obtained by the Star, said school boards will be experiencing increased absenteeism by teachers and administrative staff. Hence, the demand for supply teachers and principals is expected to be higher this year, against a backdrop of smaller occasional teacher pools. The province is asking the federation to support a temporary suspension of the 50-working-day maximum for retired teachers and administrators to help boost staffing levels. We also understand that the (Ontario Teachers Pension Plan) has received inquiries from pensioners asking about whether the 50-day re-employment limit will be reconsidered for the 2020-21 school year. This is indicative of the interest from pensioners to have the flexibility to work a longer duration without having their pensions impacted, says the memo from deputy education minister Nancy Naylor. We believe suspending the limit would work to incentivize recently retired teachers and principals to return on an occasional basis to assist schools with staffing shortages. Noor Javed is a Toronto-based reporter covering current affairs in the York region for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @njaved I wrote here about the fact that, in the wake of Project Veritass revelations, Minnesotas dominant newspaper, the Star Tribune, is running interference for Ilhan Omar and for Democratic Party officials who have enabled voter fraud. After the first Veritas video appeared, the Strib reporters noted: Republicans say that could be evidence of a cash-for-ballot scheme, though theres no direct evidence in the videos of money being exchanged for ballots. Actually, the second video does contain direct evidence of money being exchanged for ballots, but dont look for the Strib to correct its coverage any time soon. Beyond misrepresenting the videos, the Star Tribunes reporters regurgitated anti-Project Veritas smears that likely were fed to them by the Democratic Party. This morning I sent the two Strib reporters who wrote the papers story on the Veritas videos the following email: To: [email protected], [email protected] Re: Trump seizes on conservative groups claim of fraud in Minneapolis election Ms. Bierschbach and Mr. Otarola, in your Star Tribune story this morning you state, as a fact, that Project Veritas has tried to plant fake stories with news organizations in the past. I doubt whether this statement is true. What instances of Project Veritas trying to plant fake stories with news organizations are you referring to? What is your basis for thinking that those stories were fake? You also say that Project Veritas is a group with a controversial history of using undercover tactics and selectively edited video. Of course, pretty much all video that one sees is edited, and editing is by definition selective. (In fact, Project Veritas is known for posting the full, original source videos from which its edited videos are taken.) By referring to selectively edited video, did you mean to suggest that Project Veritass videos are edited in a manner that is misleading? If so, please identify what videos you have in mind, and explain what your basis is for implying that they are misleading. I look forward to your response. Thank you! John Hinderaker So far I have heard nothing from Ms. Bierschbach or Mr. Otarola. I will post any response they make. UPDATE: Growing a little impatient, I sent this email to Ms. Bierschbach and Mr. Otarola a few minutes ago: Ms. Bierschbach and Mr. Otarola, I am disappointed not to have gotten any response to my email of earlier today. A little while ago, I wrote this: Local Press Runs Interference on Voter Fraud (cont.) [Updated] When you respond to my questions, I will post your answers publicly and open the matter up for public debate. Go ahead and check with your Democratic Party sources, I will reach out to Project Veritas for responses to any claims they may make. Lets have a vigorous and open debate on voter fraud. John Hinderaker I look forward to promoting an honest debate on voter fraud in Minnesota and, perhaps, nationwide. The long-term outlook for Mena based investors looks surprisingly positive due to digital acceleration and other signals of growth in non-oil sectors due to the global pandemic, according to Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI). The long-term outlook for Mena based investors looks surprisingly positive due to digital acceleration and other signals of growth in non-oil sectors due to the global pandemic, according to Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI), a global asset manager. The most recent forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts a very gloomy end to 2020 for the GCC with GDP expected to shrink by 7.6% for the year, notably worse than the 2.7% contraction predicted in April. However, ASI believes the strength and wealth of governments in the region, plus the push to expedite diversity across economies, point towards a far healthier long-term outlook, with some early signs starting to appear. Edris Alrafi, Head of Middle East & Africa for Aberdeen Standard investments (ASI, said: 2020 will be remembered by most as the worst year in recent history for many reasons and the economic devastation should not be downplayed with the remainder of the year expected to be extremely difficult. However, for investors it is important to look further ahead, which is where we will see the positive effects of more digitally enhanced and diversified economies coming into play. This is certainly the case in the GCC where there are signs the pandemic has accelerated the economic diversity from oil to non-oil sectors. This is a very positive signal for investors as they look to focus on longer term growth opportunities, rather than be stifled by immediate challenges such as austerity measures via the swift and substantial government spending cuts. The IMF shares some of this optimism, projecting growth of 2.5% in 2021, spurred to some extent by the fact that most equity markets in the GCC have rebounded amid easing lockdown restrictions and rising oil prices. An election-free agenda coupled with relatively low levels of government indebtedness 39% in Kuwait, 15% in Saudi Arabia and 13% in Abu Dhabi are further advantages for the GCC as a region in looking to leverage new opportunities. A report from global research giant Frost & Sullivan5 highlights megatrends that are expected to shape a more diversified GCC economic future. It claims the internet is expected to account for 5% of GDP by 2030, up from 4.1% in 2018, with all six states expected to launch 5G mobile services by the end of 2020. Other notable insights from the report include: 250 fintech start-ups are operating across the GCC, with regional activities projected to expand by 50% over the next five years; and the cumulative installed generation capacity for renewable energy across the GCC is expected to reach 72,300 MW by 2030. Advances in technology across 5G networks and artificial intelligence, among others, are also expected to help drive digital transformation across all sectors. A recent global study by Mastercard6 shows a surge in online payments in line with the rush to e-commerce, with 54%of respondents in the UAE saying they believe the preference of e-commerce over in-store shopping is a trend that is here to stay. Edris continued: The dial has been cranked up on digitisation across all sectors and we are already seeing new consumer behaviours fuelled by the pandemic. Regional governments embracing new business models and committing to fostering private enterprise in sectors slated for growth will help accelerate this further as will the continued investment in higher-quality infrastructure, renewable energy and digital systems. This should result in strong performances in future-focused sectors such as technology, telecoms and healthcare. With several trends breeding diversity in the economic make-up and mind-set within the GCC, there is increasing scope for the right conditions to future-proof growth in the next five to ten years. This could provide us with strong long-term markets helping us to recover from the devastation of 2020. TradeArabia News Service According to the royal court, the funeral for Sheikh Sabah will be 'restricted to the late emir's relatives' -- a move likely designed to avoid large crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic Kuwait's parliament swore in on Wednesday the country's new emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and prepared to receive the body of his half-brother, the late ruler Sheikh Sabah who died in the US at the age of 91. The body of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, an acclaimed diplomat and mediator who ruled for 14 years, is expected to arrive in Kuwait City later on Wednesday. He died the day before in Minnesota where he had been undergoing treatment in hospital since July. According to the royal court, the funeral will be "restricted to the emir's relatives" -- a move likely designed to avoid large crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic. Kuwait's new leader, 83-year-old Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf, was sworn in at an 0700 GMT session of the National Assembly. The country has already begun a 40-day period of national mourning. Sheikh Sabah earned a reputation as a shrewd, unshakeable leader who helped steer his country through the 1990 Iraqi invasion, crashes in global oil markets and upheavals in parliament and on the streets. World leaders and Kuwaitis alike have hailed the legacy of the late emir, architect of the nation's modern foreign policy and mediator in some of the worst crises to grip the Gulf. "This man was the safety valve of the Arab world, not just for Kuwait," Bandar al-Dahani, a Kuwaiti citizen, told AFP. "God willing, that goodness will be in Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf and he will follow the emir's path." Generational transition looms Sheikh Nawaf, who has held high office for decades, takes over with Kuwait facing the repercussions of the coronavirus crisis, which triggered a sharp decline in oil prices and severe economic consequences for Gulf states. The elder statesman, who was named heir apparent in 2006, served as defence minister when Iraqi troops rolled into the oil-rich emirate in 1990, and also as interior minister in the face of challenges from Islamist militants. The new leader is popular within the ruling Al-Sabah family and is reported to have been a consensus choice for ruler. He also enjoys a reputation for modesty and has largely maintained a low profile. Major policy changes are not expected during his reign, even after the Gulf underwent a seismic shift with Kuwait's neighbours, the UAE and Bahrain, opting to establish relations with Israel. Normalisation with Israel is highly unpopular among the Kuwaiti public, which largely supports the Arab world's historic position of demanding a resolution of the Palestinian cause before giving diplomatic concessions to Israel. Despite expectations for a smooth succession, there could be more spirited debate over who the new crown prince should be. Kuwait's constitution stipulates that the ruler should be a descendant of the nation's founder, Mubarak al-Sabah, but the throne has alternated between the descendants of his sons, Salem and Jaber, for four decades. Contestants for the newly vacated role of crown prince include Sheikh Sabah's son and former deputy prime minister Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, a Kuwaiti political heavyweight. "Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed should be viewed more as a caretaker than as a watershed new leader," said Cinzia Bianco, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Search Keywords: Short link: A Russian court has sentenced a historian who helped uncover Stalin-era mass graves to 13 years in prison, abruptly increasing his sentence by 10 years, in a highly unusual step that rights groups said was revenge for his work and part of a broader campaign to whitewash the dark chapters of Russias Soviet history. The case of Yury Dmitriyev attracted international criticism when he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison earlier this year on charges condemned by human rights organizations as fabricated. He had, however, been due to be released within weeks because of time-served in pre-trial detention. But on Tuesday, a higher court in the northern city of Petrozavodsk abruptly overturned the original ruling and sentenced Dmitriyev to 13 years in a prison colony. Dmitriyev, 64, is a member of Memorial, a group that commemorates the victims of Soviet repression. He has faced criminal prosecution since 2016 based on shifting charges based around allegations he had taken pornographic photos of his young adopted daughter and abused her. His supporters though say his imprisonment, in reality, is linked to his role in uncovering mass graves tied to the Soviet gulag prison system and say the charges are an attempt to smear a figure who has played a leading role in commemorating the mass murder conducted under Joseph Stalin. Memorial on Tuesday condemned the ruling saying it was clearly politically motivated. Todays sentence is the revenge of the system which is heir to the Soviet system and would like to consign to oblivion the names that Yury Dmitry has returned, having besmirched him himself, his work and his life, it said in a statement. Russia convicts historian Yuri Dmitriyev who uncovered Stalin's mass graves Human Rights Watch has previously called the charges against Dmitriyev bogus. The United States embassy in Moscow condemned the new sentence as outrageous. The embassys spokeswoman Rebecca Ross wrote on Twitter it is another step backwards for #humanrights and historical truths in #Russia. Story continues In the 1990s, Dmitriyev and others found a grave in his home region of Karelia in northern Russia in a place known as Sandarmokh close to the border with Finland. The site is believed to hold the bodies of at least 6,000 prisoners executed by Soviet secret police during whats known as Stalins Great Terror between 1937 and 1938. But in recent years though, a state-backed nationalist conservative group has sought to alter the narrative around the grave. PHOTO: In this file photo taken on April 05, 2018 Russian historian Yury Dmitriyev, who heads rights group Memorial's branch in Karelia, arrives for the verdict in his child pornography trial at a court in the city of Petrozavodsk in northwestern Russia. (Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images) The Military-Historical Society, whose membership includes many senior Russian government officials, has promoted a theory that the grave also holds Soviet soldiers killed by Finnish troops during World War II. The group has conducted digging at the grave and, in 2018, it exhumed 16 corpses that it said were Red Army soldiers in order to support the theory that not only the Soviets were killed at the site . Critics have said it is part of a broader effort to downplay Soviet crimes under president Vladimir Putin. Putin does not deny the mass repression under Stalin, but has sought to shift the emphasis onto the dictators role in modernizing Russia and defeating Nazi Germany. The case against Dmitriyev has shown repeated problems. He was acquitted on the charges of taking pornographic photos by a court in April 2018, but a higher court overturned the ruling and ordered further investigation. Police then brought the case once again and added a new charge alleging that Dmitriyev had violently sexually abused his daughter. In July this year, a court convicted Dmitriyev of that charge and gave him the three and a half year sentence. Rights groups a condemned that as a travesty of justice but also celebrated it as a victory because the shorter sentence meant that because of his lengthy time spent in pre-trial detention Dmitriyev would be freed in November. The court also acquitted him of the original pornography charge. Russia jails 2nd ex-Marine Trevor Reed for 9 years in trial condemned by the U.S. His supporters at the time said the verdict essentially amounted to an acquittal and his lawyers appealed to have the guilty verdict fully overturned. Prosecutors, however, appealed the decision and the court on Tuesday satisfied their request to jail Dmitriyev for 13 years. It also overturned his acquittal on the pornography charge and sent it back for investigation. Dmitriyevs trial was held entirely behind closed doors and, at the hearing on Tuesday, his lawyer was not present because he was quarantining due to a suspected coronavirus infection. The court rejected a request to delay until his lawyer could attend and overruled his objection to be represented by a court appointed lawyer. Memorial has faced frequent harassment in recent years, including a series of dubious criminal cases. The organization also campaigns against present day abuses and its offices have been raided and its members sometimes physically attacked. Russia jails historian who uncovered Stalin mass graves for 13 years originally appeared on abcnews.go.com HAGERSVILLE, Ontario (September 30, 2020) Running inside the top-10 throughout the event, A.J. Emms scored a top-10 finish on Saturday at Jukasa Motor Speedway. Overall, it was very similar to our first race here, Emms said. We had hoped to sort out some of our issues with this race track, but unfortunately, we just didnt have the speed in the racecar that we wanted. We were able to drive up closer to the front of the field tonight, and we showed a lot of speed. The driver made some errors out there on the race track, which caused us to fall back. But overall I feel as though we learned something and as we move forward to next season, I feel were more prepared and hopefully well learn from our mistakes and be better next year. With a lap of 19.605 seconds, Emms would qualify ninth for the 40-lap feature. He would move up to eighth in the early stages, remaining there till the events first caution at Lap 16. Restarting on the fourth row, hed make his way forward, battling for fourth when thered be contact up ahead between the leaders, with Emms managing to escape without any contact. Restarting on the second row, hes dropped back to fourth, though remaining in touch with the leaders. Hed look to make a move on third, when hed get into turn three a little too hard, sliding up the track, brushing the outside wall, but able to get it straightened back out and keep going. The contact, though, saw him lose some ground in falling back to sixth. In speaking about the close calls after the event, Emms credits getting through both moments to instincts. Im fortunate to have raced in a lot of races, and Im also very fortunate to have watched a lot of races, he commented. Pretty much at that moment, youre just really what youre doing what you can to pull it all together and I feel that experience aids me in making the right decisions. Again, I dont always make the right decisions, but I was fortunate tonight the car is in one piece and I made some great calls. From there, he was unable to close back down on the top-five before the checkered flag waved, crossing the finish line in sixth. In total, Emms has scored two podiums and four top-10s in four trips to Canadas Crown Jewel. I think we just need to go over all the little details on the racecar because thats what I feel gets racecars to move better little details, he commented. Were going to go over everything and try to learn from our mistakes and I believe well be better in the years to come. With the shortened schedule due to COVID-19, this will mark the last event of 2020 for the No. 14 Modified. Its been a successful year, with a win, two podiums and three top-10 finishes across four races. Emms Racing is proud to receive sponsorship support from BAE Environmental, TL Tire, Speedy Glass Orillia, Peter Built Racecars, Westwoods Speed Shop, FMR Scrap Buyers, and AM Marketing. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to the Emms Racing website at http://www.ajemms.com, as well as the teams facebook page via https://www.facebook.com/ajemmsracing/. By: Ashley McCubbin A new wave of optimism is splashing onto the Street. Investment firm Goldman Sachs just gave its three-month stock forecast a boost, lifting it from Neutral to Overweight, with it also projecting high single-digital returns for global stocks over the next year. Whats behind this updated approach? Goldman Sachs strategist Christian Mueller-Glissmann cites the impressive rebound in global earnings growth and reduced equity costs as the drivers of the estimate revision. On top of this, a broader procyclical shift in stocks and other assets could take place during the remainder of this year. We have shifted more cyclical on sectors and themes tactically but still prefer growth vs. value on a strategic horizon... In the near-term, elevated uncertainty on U.S. elections and a better global growth outlook might benefit non-U.S. equities more, but in the medium term a large weight in structural growth stocks is likely to support the S&P 500, Mueller-Glissmann noted. As for the most important catalyst that could spur growth optimism in the next year, the strategist points to additional clarity on when and how a COVID-19 vaccine will be available. Turning Mueller-Glissmann's outlook into concrete recommendations, Goldman Sachs analysts are pounding the table on three stocks that look especially compelling. According to these analysts, each name is poised to surge in the 12 months ahead. Raytheon Technologies (RTX) First up we have Raytheon Technologies, which is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers. While shares have stumbled in 2020, Goldman Sachs thinks the weakness presents a buying opportunity. Representing the firm, analyst Noah Poponak points out that RTX is too high quality and well positioned of a company to trade at an 11% free cash flow yield on the fully aerospace-recovered and fully synergized 2023E free cash. The analysts bullish outlook is largely driven by the companys aerospace aftermarket (the secondary market that deals with the installation of equipment, spare parts, accessories and components after the sale of the aircraft by the original equipment manufacturer) business, which Poponak argues is the best sub-market within Aerospace over the long-term. This segment makes up roughly 45% of RTXs aerospace revenue. Story continues Even though COVID-19 flight disruptions have weighed on this part of the business, Poponak points out total aircraft in service is down only 25% year-over-year, and flights have dipped less than 50%. He added, China domestic traffic is now up year on year, and while international remains depressed, we believe the recovery in global air travel could be quicker from here than broad expectations for a recovery by 2023-2024. Poponak highlights that in previous downturns, the aftermarket had to confront headwinds that arose from the increased use of parting out, inventory pooling and delayed aftermarket spending. Even then, aftermarket grew at or faster than ASMs, and we believe there was pent-up demand heading into this downturn that support aftermarket tracking the recovery in global air travel. Long-term, we expect air traffic to grow 2X global GDP, as it has historically, the analyst commented. Adding to the good news, the Geared Turbo Fan, which is a type of turbofan aircraft engine, product cycle could generate substantial revenue and EBIT growth at Pratt & Whitney, in Poponaks opinion. Given the high OE exposure to the A320neo, which has the strongest backlog of any aircraft in the market, we see Pratt OE revenue holding up better and recovering faster than peers. New GTF deliveries will drive expansion in the installed base for Pratt, which was declining for most of the 2000s. Despite the end of V2500 OE deliveries, that program is just moving into the sweet-spot for shop visits on the aftermarket side, Poponak opined. Whats more, Poponak sees merger synergies as capable of fueling margin expansion and cash generation, with the historical synergy capture in the space implying that upside to guidance isnt out of the question. In line with his optimistic approach, Poponak stays with the bulls. To this end, he keeps a Buy rating and $86 price target on the stock. Investors could be pocketing a gain of 49%, should this target be met in the twelve months ahead. (To watch Poponaks track record, click here) In general, other analysts echo Poponaks sentiment. 7 Buys and 2 Holds add up to a Strong Buy consensus rating. With an average price target of $78.63, the upside potential comes in at 36.5%. (See RTX stock analysis on TipRanks) Boeing (BA) Moving on to another player in the aerospace space, Boeing has also struggled on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, with it failing to match the pace of the broader market. That being said, Goldman Sachs has high hopes for this name going forward. Firm analyst Noah Poponak, who also covers RTX, points out that BA has already trimmed production rate plans by half, compared to the peak plan from before the COVID crisis and MAX grounding. A slower-than-anticipated air travel rebound could result in more reductions, but the analyst argues these would be much smaller than the reductions that have already been witnessed. He added, Historically, the best buying opportunities in BA shares are right after it has capitulated to production rate cuts. According to Poponak, compared to previous economic declines, the peak to trough in the current downturn is larger and faster, although this is partly related to the grounding of the 737 MAX in 2019. We believe this will result in a less severe dislocation of supply and demand balance, and see deliveries recovering to 2018 levels by 2024 as global air travel recovers and airlines replace accelerated retirements, he explained. As for how the company can fulfill its new production rate plan given the mix of its backlog is so much more weighted to growth than replacement, Poponak believes the answer is that airlines during this downturn are revising that mix. Since the pandemics onset, airlines have revealed higher aircraft retirement plans, and braced for less growth. That means for a given revision in an airlines order book, there is also a substantial mix shift toward replacement from growth within the new delivery numbers. Therefore, the backlog will not necessarily lose all of its growth orders, the analyst stated. Additionally, following an uptick in aircraft order cancellations in March and April, the pace has slowed. Even assuming another 200-plus unit cancellations this year, we estimate the 737 MAX would have nearly 6X years of production by the middle of the decade at our revised production rate estimates, Poponak mentioned. When it comes to free cash flow, the analyst is also optimistic, with Poponak forecasting that BA will see positive free cash flow in 2021. We think the market is underestimating the mid-cycle achievable aircraft unit cash margins across the major programs, extrapolating temporarily negative items into the future, and underestimating the degree of inventory unwind likely to occur in 2021, he said. If that wasnt enough, the MAX recertification could be a major possible catalyst. The company is working towards recertification and return to service, with Poponak expecting both to come before year-end. Taking all of the above into consideration, Poponak maintains a Buy rating and $225 price target. This target conveys his confidence in BAs ability to climb 35% higher in the next year. Turning to the rest of the analyst community, opinions are mixed. With 8 Buys, 8 Holds and 1 Sell assigned in the last three months, the word on the Street is that BA is a Moderate Buy. At $192.40, the average price target implies 16% upside potential. (See Boeing stock analysis on TipRanks) Immatics (IMTX) Combining the discovery of true targets for cancer immunotherapies (therapies that utilize the power of the immune system) with the development of the right T cell receptors, Immatics hopes to ultimately enable a robust and specific T cell response against these targets. Based on its cutting-edge approach, Goldman Sachs counts itself as a fan. Writing for the firm, analyst Graig Suvannavejh notes that unlike CAR-T approaches, a T cell receptor (TCR)-based approach can go after targets inside the cell, and fight the 90% of cancers which are solid tumor in nature. The company is advancing two technologies: ACTengine, designed for personalized TCR-based cell therapies, and TCER, which targets TCR-based bispecific antibodies. ACTengine is the more advanced technology, with its four assets IMA201, a genetically engineered T cell product candidate that targets melanoma-associated antigen 4 or 8, IMA202, which targets melanoma-associated antigen 1, IMA203, which targets preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) and IMA204 that targets COL6A3 (found in a tumors stroma and is highly prevalent in the tumor microenvironment/TME in a broad range of cancers) expected to enter the clinic soon. Using the TCER platform, IMTX is developing IMA401 and IMA402, or off-the-shelf biologics consisting of a portion of the TCR which directly recognizes cancer cells and a T cell recruiter domain which recruits and activates the patients T cells. Speaking to the market opportunity, Suvannavejh mentioned, Cancer immunotherapies have made great strides over the past decade, and in particular, advances seen with CAR-T have paved the way for cell therapy-based approaches... CAR-T, however, has to date only shown limited effect in treating cancers that are solid tumor in nature. With more than 90% of all cancers being solid tumors with lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers accounting for c.60% of the total this is the opportunity for IMTX. To this end, he believes cumulative 2035 sales could land at $15.5 billion for the ACTengine-based assets. Reflecting another positive, since 2017, IMTX has inked at least one significant partnership per year with top global biopharma companies. According to Suvannavejh, each provided non-dilutive funding opportunities. The analyst added, ...the ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), merger that enabled IMTX to become a publicly traded entity brought in a deep roster of well-known, experienced healthcare-dedicated institutional investors. Taken together, we find these to be validating of IMTXs longer-term prospects. Looking ahead, the initial clinical data readouts for IMA201, IMA202 and IMA203, which are slated for Q1 2021, and investigational new drug (IND) application submissions for IMA204 and IMA401 in 2021 and YE2021, respectively, reflect key potential catalysts, in Suvannavejhs opinion. Everything that IMTX has going for it convinced Suvannavejh to reiterate his Buy rating. Along with the call, he attached a $17 price target, suggesting 73% upside potential. (To watch Suvannavejhs track record, click here) Are other analysts in agreement? They are. Only Buy ratings, 4, in fact, have been issued in the last three months. Therefore, the message is clear: IMTX is a Strong Buy. Given the $19 average price target, shares could soar 93% in the next year. (See Immatics stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 18:02:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The Chinese Embassy in Lebanon offered on Tuesday 3,600 boxes of food donations which will be distributed by the Lebanese army among some 15,000 people impacted by Beirut port's explosions. The ambassador said that China has offered financial support after the explosions rocked Beirut on Aug. 4 and is planning to offer more support in the future. Advertisement Britain today recorded 7,108 more coronavirus cases and another 71 deaths including a three-month high of seven in Scotland. Daily infections are up 15 per cent on last Wednesday's 6,178 and almost 80 per cent higher than on Wednesday two weeks ago. But Britain's infections are a far-cry from what they were during the darkest days of the crisis in March and April, when at least 100,000 people were getting struck down every day. The Department of Health data also adds to evidence that the death count is now slowly starting to climb after weeks of surging infections. For comparison, the number of victims announced today is almost double that of last Wednesday (37) and more than triple the figure a fortnight ago (20). But the average number of victims each day (40) is still massively lower than the daily death tolls seen during the peak of the first wave, when more than 1,000 Britons were succumbing to the life-threatening infection every day. At a Downing Street Covid-19 conference tonight addressing the spiralling outbreak, Boris Johnson described the resurgence of Covid-19 as 'a more localised phenomenon this time'. His top medical advisers Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance said Mr Johnson's theory was 'possible' but cautioned that it was 'far too early to say that' we are following localised outbreaks seen in Italy and Spain. It comes as Mr Johnson tonight finally bowed to demand to give MPs a vote before any fresh restrictions. Mr Johnson is facing backlash against the use of his chief scientists, with complaints that they are being used as 'propaganda' to back up increasingly draconian restrictions. In other coronavirus news today: Boris Johnson and the Government were slammed by the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, for forcing through local lockdown rules without a debate or vote beforehand; A 'super-spreader' has been blamed for triggering an outbreak at Swansea University after infecting 32 people at a house party; The chief executive of the Bank of England said people were fretting too much about Covid-19's impact on the economy and predicted it would grow 20 per cent in the next quarter; Liverpool is said to be days away from a local lockdown as cases there continue to surge and the mayor has backed calls to ban alcohol after 9pm; People in Britain got drunk more often than usual during lockdown 'to cope with the stress' - but they smoked less, according to a study; Europe's 'second wave' of Covid-19 is still only a tenth of the size of the devastating outbreak that battered the continent in the spring. FEWER THAN 2% OF NHS BEDS ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY COVID-19 PATIENTS, DATA SHOWS Even at the peak of the crisis in Britain, only a quarter of all beds were occupied by virus patients. On April 7, 26.5 per cent of the 67,206 people in England's hospitals were being treated for coronavirus the highest proportion on record Covid-19 patients are currently occupying fewer than 2 per cent of all hospital beds in England, official data suggests. The most NHS recent snapshot released three weeks ago shows just 478 out of 110,000 beds in use were by Covid-19 patients on September 3. This has since risen to 1,883, according to Department of Health data. Health chiefs have yet to update the total beds occupied figure since but it barely changed over the summer. Even at the peak of the crisis in Britain, only a quarter of all beds were occupied by virus patients. On April 7, 26.5 per cent of the 67,206 people in England's hospitals were being treated for coronavirus the highest proportion on record. NHS England officials have not publicly revealed how many beds they have in total but it's thought to be around the 110,000-mark. Capacity was bolstered by standby beds commandeered through a deal with private facilities, plus extra space at seven Nightingale hospitals purposely built to stop the NHS from being overwhelmed. Advertisement The seven fatalities in Scotland today are its highest one-day increase in more than three months, since there were nine announced on June 17. Sixty-two deaths were recorded in England, as well as one apiece in Wales and Northern Ireland. Department of Health data shows how the total number of coronavirus victims in the UK currently stands at 42,143. This only takes into account patients who died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19. Only the US, Brazil, India and Mexico, all countries with substantially larger populations, have suffered more fatalities. Britain has also had 453,264 confirmed cases of coronavirus since recording its first two at the end of January. But the true toll is likely to be at least 6million because hundreds of thousands of infected patients were never tested during the peak of the first wave. Government data shows 6,220 Britons are now testing positive for the virus every day, on average, up from 4,501 last Tuesday. This had dropped to around 500 at the start of July, when the economy was finally reopened after four months in shutdown. The figures come as tensions are running high in Westminster as the numbers of coronavirus cases continue to grow but ministers are divided over what to do. The PM has been urged to drop scientists Sir Patrick and Professor Whitty from TV briefings, with complaints that they are being used as 'propaganda' to back up increasingly draconian restrictions. MailOnline understands some Cabinet ministers are increasingly frustrated by the dire warnings from the medical and science chiefs about a second wave. Former Downing Street aides have been calling on the government to take the experts out of the limelight, warning they are not great communicators and it gave the impression decisions were clear cut rather than a matter of judgement for ministers. Senior Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin upped the ante today by saying that the Government is using 'science as propaganda'. 'We saw during the Iraq war, intelligence being used as a propaganda,' he told Times Radio. 'The scientists are not there to explain what the government has judged necessary to do'. But as there are rising concerns about cases, hospitalisations and deaths all rising from the near-zero levels they hit over the summer, data shows Britain's outbreak is nowhere near as bad as it was during the spring. Covid-19 patients are currently occupying fewer than two per cent of all hospital beds in England. The most NHS recent snapshot released three weeks ago showed just 478 out of 110,000 beds in use were by Covid-19 patients on September 3. This has since risen to 1,883, according to Department of Health data. Health chiefs have yet to update the total beds occupied figure since but it barely changed over the summer. Data shows there have been 491 Covid-19 hospital admissions in the North East in the past month, compared to 361 in the Midlands, 264 in London, 109 in the South East, 72 in the East and 52 in South West. Only the North West of England, with 552 admissions, has had more than the NE during that time. Graphs show how the number of hospital patients with Covid-19 in each different region of England has changed since the pandemic began EUROPE'S COVID-19 2ND WAVE 'IS STILL ONLY A TENTH OF THE SIZE OF THE CRISIS IN SPRING' Some 300,000 people are being diagnosed with the disease on the continent every week, but scientists estimate that figure was at least 3million back in April. Only 200,000 positive tests were being recorded weekly in spring because of a lack of testing, meaning millions of actual cases went missing The second wave of coronavirus rolling across Europe is still only a tenth of the size of the first, data suggests. Some 300,000 people are being diagnosed with the disease on the continent every week, but scientists estimate that figure was at least 3million back in April. Only 200,000 positive tests were being recorded weekly in spring because of a lack of testing, meaning millions of actual cases went missing. But countries ramped up their swabbing capacity throughout the summer in case of a second wave, in order to get a better grip on the disease. The number of deaths from Covid-19 across Europe remains relatively low compared with the peak in spring, despite cases spiking again. Survival rates for hospitalised patients have increased from 66 per cent in March to 84 per cent in August, studies suggest. Britain yesterday recorded 7,143 cases of Covid-19, which is technically the most on record. But the lack of testing earlier in the year means it is impossible to accurately compare the figures. For instance, fewer than 20,000 of the sickest patients were being tested each day at the first peak, whereas this has now been ramped up to 200,000 swabs a day and includes people with minor or no symptoms at all. And top experts insist Britain itself was actually recording at least 100,000 cases a day during March and April. And yesterday saw 71 new lab-confirmed deaths recorded, in the deadliest day since the start of July. The rolling seven-day average of daily fatalities has risen to 35, 52 per cent up on last week. But they are still a far-cry from levels in the spring. For comparison, when there were about 5,000 cases a day in Britain back in April, more than 900 people were dying to the disease every 24 hours. A similar story is playing out in France and Spain, which have been recording up to 15,000 new infections a day but fewer than 300 deaths compared to 900 during the first peak. Advertisement Even at the peak of the crisis in Britain, only a quarter of all beds were occupied by virus patients. On April 7, 26.5 per cent of the 67,206 people in England's hospitals were being treated for coronavirus the highest proportion on record. NHS England officials have not publicly revealed how many beds they have available in total but it's thought to be around the 110,000-mark. Capacity was bolstered by standby beds commandeered through a deal with private facilities, plus extra space at seven Nightingale hospitals purposely built to stop the NHS from being overwhelmed. Separate data also shows NHS hospitals across England and Wales are still recording hundreds of fewer deaths than expected every week since the outbreak began to tail off in May. But the number of patients dying from the coronavirus did rise slightly in the week ending September 20, in line with a national spike in cases, from 64 to 98. Deaths of people in their own homes from causes other than the virus continued to run at far above average rates. There were 2,962 such fatalities during the week, 711 more than the average for the time of year, and doctors noted Covid-19 symptoms in only eight of their cases. NHS England today said the service was still encouraging people to visit hospital for all medical needs if and when they need to, amid fears Britons are still too scared to visit in case they catch the virus. Boris Johnson this summer had to urge the public to seek treatment if they need it, insisting the service was safe from Covid-19. It comes as separate data today suggested the second wave of coronavirus rolling across Europe is still only a tenth of the size of the first. Some 300,000 people are being diagnosed with the disease on the continent every week, but scientists estimate that figure was at least 3million back in April. Only 200,000 positive tests were being recorded weekly in spring because of a lack of testing, meaning millions of actual cases went missing. But countries ramped up their swabbing capacity throughout the summer in case of a second wave, in order to get a better grip on the disease. The number of deaths from Covid-19 across Europe remains relatively low compared with the peak in spring, despite cases spiking again. Survival rates for hospitalised patients have increased from 66 per cent in March to 84 per cent in August, studies suggest. Britain yesterday recorded 7,143 cases of Covid-19, which is technically the most on record. But the lack of testing earlier in the year means it is impossible to accurately compare the figures. For instance, fewer than 20,000 of the sickest patients were being tested each day at the first peak, whereas this has now been ramped up to 200,000 swabs a day and includes people with minor or no symptoms at all. And top experts insist Britain itself was actually recording at least 100,000 cases a day during March and April. And yesterday saw 71 new lab-confirmed deaths recorded, in the deadliest day since the start of July. The rolling seven-day average of daily fatalities has risen to 35, 52 per cent up on last week. But they are still a far-cry from levels in the spring. For comparison, when there were about 5,000 cases a day in Britain back in April, more than 900 people were dying to the disease every 24 hours. A similar story is playing out in France and Spain, which have been recording up to 15,000 new infections a day but fewer than 300 deaths compared to 900 during the first peak. Professor Gloom defends THAT terrifying chart that warned Britain could face 50,000 cases a day by mid-October The Government's chief scientific adviser has defended recent comments warning that the UK could see 50,000 coronavirus cases a day by mid-October. Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty published the stark projection at a press conference last week, adding that it could lead to 200-plus daily deaths. However, the latest figures suggest that new Covid-19 infections in the UK were not increasing fast enough to match the Government's worst-case scenario. At a coronavirus press conference on Wednesday, BBC reporter Laura Kuenssberg asked the two experts about their previous projection following the new data. In response, Sir Patrick said: 'There were three messages really that we were trying to get across in terms of the data. Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty published the stark projection at a press conference last week, adding that it could lead to 200-plus daily deaths 'The first was, if you look at other countries. You see that cases go up, followed by spread to older people, followed by hospitalisations and unfortunately leading to ICU (intensive care unit) and to deaths. 'That looks like what is happening here. 'The second message was that cases were already increasing at the time that we gave that presentation, and you could already begin to see increases in hospitalisations, which as Chris has shown, have increased further since.' He said the projection was to 'point out' that epidemics either 'double or half', adding that when they double 'things go very big, quite quickly'. Sir Patrick said: 'So things move quickly, and when things double you see that exponential growth, which means you end up with very high numbers and it means you have to act quickly in order to deal with that.' He said there was 'clearly' fast growth in Covid-19 cases in some areas of the country, and that 'things were definitely heading in the wrong direction'. In order to match the Government's worst case-scenario around new infections, the UK would now be seeing about 12,000 new cases reported each day. Encountering a certain segment of our societys acceptance of burning, looting, and execution of the police, not to mention the outrage prevalent when criminals or simple bad actors get their just desserts when police exercise their duty, I have been challenged to find any rhyme or reason to excuse such actions, not only in the permissiveness our leaders attach to such activity, but the actual encouragement they offer. Indeed, you can find many who are so completely invested in this mindset to the point they cannot cope emotionally with any pushback or appeal to traditional law, justice, or morality. Simply put, the traditional moral parameters of good behavior no longer apply. Whats up with that? The answer may lie in a consideration of the contemporary trends in intellectual thought. Starting sometime in the 1960s, a concept known as situational ethics sought to detach propriety from our traditional Christian mores. For example, when a man, severely abused as a child, finds himself abusing others in later life; how can we judge him by the same values as those righteously raised? Indeed, he labors under a burden, not of his own making, that clouds the difference between right and wrong, that renders him handicapped in ways parallel to those with physical deformities. There is an intellectual price to be paid for such seeming compassion. We have lost what anchors propriety in discarding responsibility. Upon the intellectual propensities of moral relativism were built an intellectual relativism that could not but embrace what has become known as postmodern thinking, which cast aspersions on the very concept of truth. The idea of Truth, with a capital T, was discarded wholesale along with God and Law. The trend of this form of analysis neatly adopted the tools of Hegels dialectic, with a healthy dose of Marxist materialistic leanings, to engender this movements current incarnation as critical justice theory or critical race theory, where a single concept dominated the thesis of the day, to the exclusion of any mitigating thought or evidence. To this school of thought, in its hubris, debate became an anachronism, shunned at all cost. And those with the temerity to seek honest consideration of competing ideas were rudely cast aside if not eliminated entirely. So goes the narrative: If there is no truth apart from whatever you may be feeling at the moment; there is no moral, legal, nor ethical underpinning to behavior. Your feelings trump propriety. Thus, should you be down and out, for whatever reason, it makes perfect sense that you are being oppressed. If you lack a good work ethic and cannot hold down a job, obviously the very idea of the worth of such a work ethic is an imposition, a shackle laid upon you. Now you are a victim, reduced to this sorry state by a faceless oppressor. Such concepts are nothing but a form of imperialism, laid upon the weak and vulnerable, simply to enslave them. All fault lies with the oppressor, with those of wealth and privilege, those who control the ways and means, those who seek to dominate the oppressed. No longer does any responsibility fall upon the individual but accrues solely to the oppressor who victimizes all in his patriarchal path. And indeed, he does have a face: a face in a blue uniform. Hence, the uniform -- and the human underneath -- becomes a ready and convenient target. A corollary to this way of thinking is the equivalence of all cultures. If truth, the previous foundation of ethical behavior, is merely a construct to control a segment of the population; it follows that there are no superior mores underlying any particular culture, religion or tradition. Empirical evidence belying this theory, relying on the fact that certain cultures are more open, successful, or humane, is discarded as being, again, based upon a so called truth which is merely an illegitimate tool of the oppressor to cloud clear thinking. Thus, the concept that the drug culture, the ghetto culture, the gangsta culture, and the worst elements of the rap culture are in any way inferior to or must answer to society at large is without basis, is worthy of ridicule, must be obliterated. Such are the ideas floated by the woke. It follows that our laws and the police who enforce them are illegitimate. Hence, the drive to defund, disperse, and destroy law enforcement. They have no moral superiority to, no ethical prevalence over, no right at all to condemn any competing cultural phenomenon. If one chooses to be a drug dealer within his culture, it is his right to do so and to live by the customs and mores of that culture. The victims of this turn of affairs are no longer the providence of society at large but belong to their own, capable of being judged solely by their own. However, this is a descent into tribalism at best, nihilism at worst. Local power is absolute power. Exercised locally it is anarchy. We can understand this as entropy, and all nature trends this way. But once upon a time, it was societys leaders duty to stem such chaos. Apparently, it is no longer. The contemporary shootings and deaths in cities like Chicago and New York are merely collateral damage endured and condoned for the higher good of combating this perceived oppression. This is simply the cost of doing business in a woke society. Inevitably the chaos will submit to someones organization, for good or ill. Possibly, it will lead to even greater oppression and tyranny from a more pervasive, more powerful entity. And where power alone regulates activity, perdition is the inevitable outcome. This is the fate of a society that embraces such thinking in the first place. Yet a light may yet penetrate the darkness enveloping our hopes, our neighbors, our religions, and our institutions; a light powered by a purer thought that holds life as sacred, as worthy, and that echoes a shared truth able to unite us to counter the forces that would tear us asunder. May we pray it overcomes the current vector pointing to a dystopian denouement. Ziggy Bellino is the nom de guerre of a writer living off the east coast who dares not allow his mostly woke neighbors to know too much of his opinions. Image: Wellcome Images SPRINGFIELD A Michigan man who worked at Dark Horse Gunsmithing in South Hadley pleaded guilty to federal charges that he possessed several unregistered firearms, including an illegal machine gun, and that he failed to keep mandatory records on the sale and acquisition of firearms, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. William Scott, 31, admitted to several charges Tuesday in U.S. District Court, including possession of unregistered firearms, making false statements, and making false entries and failing to maintain records as required by law. One of the owners of Dark Horse Gunsmithing, Max T. Gaj, on Friday pleaded guilty to similar charges related to improper records on gun sales, and that he illegally obtained two machine guns and illegally manufactured a third. Judge Mark Mastroianni scheduled a sentencing hearing for Scott on Feb. 1. He could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Scott began working at Dark Horse in 2013. According to documents filed in U.S. District Court, in 2015 he built a semi-automatic rifle and sold it to a customer without filling out the required paperwork on the sale or conducting a background check on the buyer. In 2016, he built an AR-15 rifle and sold it to one customer, while aware that the actual buyer was another person who had not yet received his Massachusetts license to carry. An inspection in 2018 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found that the shop failed to record or properly record the acquisition or production of 151 firearms, and that 21 were sold without any record, making them potential untraceable. There were also 98 firearms in the shop that had no record of being acquired. The nights are getting cooler and there have already been some frost warnings. Its getting to be one of my favorite times of the year to read when I sit in my comfortable leather chair by an open fire with a warm drink and crack open that exciting book. Below are some suggestions of books by a few of our local authors, and many of the books can be found in our area bookstores. The Settlement by Ken Bessette (Black Opal Books) Its always a great deal of fun to see a corrupt politician get whats coming to them. Former area high school English teacher Ken Bessette, who currently lives in Florida, has written a fast-moving novel set in Troy about a group of women who live together in a stately house named The Settlement. Their mission is to uncover the cause of the mysterious death of Phillip DeMatteo, who had recently unseated the corrupt Mayor Michael Crotty. Bessette has done an excellent job writing dialogue that keeps the story moving at lightning speed, and he has created characters that you will care about. I also enjoyed much of the humor in this mystery. The Psychology of the Bible: Explaining Divine Voices and Visions by Brian J. McVeigh (Imprint Academic) Licensed mental health counselor Brian J. McVeigh has written a scholarly book examining the Old Testaments writings by looking at the historical background of when they were written. He utilizes linguistic analysis and interprets the biblical passages through a new lens. McVeigh uses his educational background--he received his PhD in anthropology from Princeton University--to study what the time and the people were like when the Bible was written. His hope is that with this book readers will approach the Bible with a new and informative perspective. Alex and David by Andrew Coffey (Kindle) Its rare to find a sensitive, well-written book about male friendship. The author, who grew up in Troy and currently teaches English as a new language to students in Schenectady, has created two very likable characters: Alex, an expatriate who has returned to New York City to live out his last days, and David, an architect who has recently been rejected by his girlfriend and who soon realizes he has very few true friends. Coffey has created two believable characters and set them in New York City of the 1980s. This touching book will stay with you long after you finish it. Stamping Out This Monster by Mario V. Farina (Amazon Books) Its obvious as I read this collection of Facebook postings about the pandemic and assorted other happenings in our country beginning March 7 and concluding on July 7 that 96-year-old Mario Farina is a wise man. He has worked for General Electric and has taught computer technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute along with writing over 20 books. In this well-written collection he was advocating in early March for the entire country to hunker down and isolate no activity for two or three weeks. This book includes his opinions on Gov. Andrew Cuomo, President Donald Trump and the tragedy of George Floyd. It is a valuable journal entry about this historic time. The Original Jeeps by Paul Bruno (MFM Publishers) Albany native Paul Bruno has written a beautifully illustrated and informative history of the building of the Jeep. The story begins in 1940 when the Army compiled a list of requirements for a revolutionary new truck to replace the mule as their primary method to move troops and small payloads. There were three companies in competition with each other to meet the challenge. This is an exciting read describing the challenges faced by these innovative companies to create what has become the most popular vehicle in the world. Song, Struggle, and Solidarity: The New York City Labor Chorus in Its Twenty-Fifth Year by Mark Abendroth (Rowman and Littlefield Press) The author is a New York City native and currently an associate professor of education at SUNY Empire State College, but for six years he was a member of the New York City Labor Chorus, composed of more than 75 members representing 20 labor unions. It was founded in 1991 for the purpose of bringing the message of the struggles of workers for social and economic justice through song. This book gives a detailed history of the organization and is filled with interviews of many of the members and it also gives a history of song in the labor movement. Stone Motel: Memoirs of a Cajun Boy by Morris Ardoin (University Press of Mississippi) The author, who currently lives in Cornwallville in Greene County, has written a beautiful memoir about the summers he spent with his siblings helping to run their familys roadside motel in the hot and buggy bayou town of Cajun, Louisiana. I loved the warmth and good humor of his grandmother who was such an important influence on everyone in the family. The Returns by James Edgar (Independent Publishing) Niskayuna author James Edgar has completed the third book of his Minersville Vampire trilogy. Just as he did in his first book Cypria and his second The Fall, this third book is filled with more vampire romance and suspense. Its an exciting read for fans of Twilight and appropriate for readers in grades 6 and up. Jack Rightmyer, an adjunct English professor at Siena College, is a regular contributor to the Times Union. In a first of its kind exercise, the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh has announced formation of 56 welfare corporations for as many castes falling under Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The names of chairpersons and directors for each corporation were supposed to be announced on Wednesday, but the announcement was deferred due to some last-minute changes. It will be done on October 8 and the new corporations would come into force with immediate effect, an official spokesman in the chief ministers office said. Hitherto, there was only one welfare corporation for the all the OBC communities in the state. However, in its election manifesto, the YSRC had promised to constitute separate corporations for each OBC community. There will be a separate corporation for each OBC community having a population of at least 30,000. Separate funds will be allocated to each corporation for the welfare of the community, the CMO spokesman said. He said hitherto neglected OBC communities like Vannikula Kshatriya, Agnikula Kshatriya, Besta, Ediga, Nagavamshiyulu and Pulanati Velama would also have separate corporations. The CMO spokesman said women would get more than 50 per cent representation in the nomination of chairpersons for these OBC corporations. Out of 56 corporations, 29 corporations would be reserved for women representatives. Equal representation will be given to all the districts in nominating chairpersons as well as directors of the corporation, he said. Out of the total number of posts, Anantapur district will get 4 posts, Chittoor 4, East Godavari 4, Guntur 4, Kadapa 4, Krishna 5, Kurnool 4, Nellore 4, Prakasam 4, Srikakulam 6, Visakhapatnam 5, Vijayanagaram 4, West Godavari district 4 posts. According to a YSR Congress party functionary familiar with the development, the nominated posts in these corporations would be given to those who had been loyal to the party right from the beginning. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON KALAR, Iraqi Kurdistan Better collaboration between the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has improved security in some areas disputed by the two sides in recent months, but much remains to be done. Pointing at locations on a map on his phone, a security official who cannot be named as he was unauthorized to speak to the media told Al-Monitor Sept. 16, There are the locations of the PUK [peshmerga]. [Then a bit farther away] here are suspected IS locations and here two Kurdish men were kidnapped by the Islamic State [IS]. Here they set them free after their families paid a ransom of about $40,000. The security official, who works in areas disputed by the central government in Baghdad and the KRG, said that kidnappings, especially in these areas, remain a major source of funding for terrorist groups in Iraq. If they are not Asayish, or peshmerga or the Iraqi army, then they will demand a ransom. If they are part of the security forces then they kill them, he said. He added, When the peshmerga left Kirkuk, IS took over [many areas]. But since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi was sworn in as prime minister May 7, the Iraqi army has step by step retaken much of that territory. The Iraqi army forced KRG forces to leave oil-rich Kirkuk after an October 2017 referendum was held on independence of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq from the rest of Iraq a move strongly opposed by the central government. The official noted that one problem aggravating the issue of a gap in security between forces had long been the Iran-linked Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), especially in the area south of the Garmiyan administration in the southeastern corner of the Kurdistan Region along the Iranian border. They were receiving orders from Iran. Now the focus is on the Iraqi army once more, he said in reference to the PMU. Our daily communications now are with the Iraqi army instead of the PMU. And even at the checkpoints they no longer have control. The keys have been handed over to the regular forces the police, federal police and the army in most areas. We did not have formal contacts, only personal ones" with the PMU operating in the same area, he added, noting that Iran-linked groups had taken over almost every checkpoint in the [disputed] area [he was working in]. Thus we had no way to communicate unless we did it with the PMU. The army and the police were at the checkpoints at those times, but the ones supervising them those with the authority were the PMU. He noted, No vehicles, no one, would pass without permission from them. The source added, But since Kadhimi came to power, everything has changed. Now the intelligence [services] are working, the police are working and the army is working. Now we have almost 'formal meetings with the Iraqi army and they welcome these meetings. Before they didnt, because the PMU were never listening to the Iraqi government. They were doing whatever benefitted the Iranian government. As to how the international coalition is helping to improve coordination between Baghdad and Erbil, international anti-IS coalition spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto told Al-Monitor that high-level meetings have taken place. He said, The [Iraqi] Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs are in the process of establishing Joint Coordination Centers in Diyala, Kirkuk and Ninevah provinces. These coordination centers will improve the coordination and cooperation between the KSF [Kurdistan Special Forces] and the ISF [Iraqi Special Forces]. [The coalition assists and advises] both the ISF and KSF and act as an observer in these meetings. The coalition also continues to conduct airstrikes at the request of the Iraqi government. Marotto said, "[A coalition] airstrike on Sept. 23 on [IS] hideouts in Wadi al-Shai destroyed one cave, three shelters and four caches. No [IS] fighters were confirmed killed in the strike. He noted that the coalition had conducted a total of five airstrikes on Iraqi territory in September. Wadi al-Shai is located in the southern part of Kirkuk province and is part of the Hamrin mountain ridge that divides Kirkuk and Salahuddin provinces in the west and stretches to the Iranian border in Diyala province in the east. It is the dividing line for what many Kurds would want as a border for a much-coveted Kurdish state. The Hamrin Mountains have been used as a hideout for various insurgent and terrorist groups for decades due to its rough terrain and numerous caves. Support from the local population remains key to security. Garmiyan Asayish chief Nawshirwan Ahmed told Al-Monitor, If we do not serve the interests of the people [in the areas under KRG control], the people will not cooperate with the Asayish and then we will not be able to do our job properly. On the issue of whether some tribes were collaborating with IS, he said, The Asayish do not differentiate between any tribes. We consider anyone living within the borders of our territory the same. We have the responsibility to protect them and to treat them with dignity. However, he noted, "In regard to the Karwi tribe they do not originate from this area, near Jalawla. They were brought during the Arabization process. We feel that most of the members of the tribe are pro-IS and the majority of them are against the Kurds and the peshmerga. They try to push the Kurds away. (The Karwi tribe has often been singled out for their alleged support for IS.) Ahmed added, They are the main obstacle to the peshmergas return to Jalawla. But we are not saying that all the members of the tribe are bad people. This is not true. We must differentiate between good and bad people, and there are both in the tribe. He noted that there are also Kurdish members of IS, but said there are very, very few of them compared with Sunni Arabs. He said that most of the Kurds were former members of Ansar al-Islam, a Kurdish terrorist group from the past. But IS did bring Kurdish members from outside Garmiyan here as part of their activities, since they could understand the language and could act as guides for them here, he added. In regard to his time fighting IS on the front lines in Jalawla in 2014, he said, "The sacrifice we made, we made it for our people. And so of course it is a terrible feeling when you see now that what you did was for nothing. The forces now in Jalawla are oppressing our people there, he said, referring to central government forces that have been in control of the area since 2017. The security official added, however, But we should realize that sometimes the political situation changes and we need to accept that Jalawla is now under the control of other forces. DUBLIN, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Low & Medium Voltage Cable Manufacturers (Global) - Industry Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Low & Medium Voltage Cable Manufacturers Analysis provides a detailed overview of the Low & Medium Voltage Cable Manufacturers market and delivers a comprehensive individual analysis on the top 110 companies. This report includes a wealth of information on the financial trends over the past four years. The Global Low & Medium Voltage Cable Manufacturers analysis is ideal for anyone wanting to: See the market leaders Identify companies heading for failure Seek out the most attractive acquisition Analyse industry trends Benchmark their own financial performance Using an exclusive methodology, a quick glance of this Low & Medium Voltage Cable Manufacturers report will tell you that 12 companies have a declining financial rating, while 8 have shown good sales growth. Each of the largest 110 companies is meticulously scrutinised in an individual assessment and analysed using the most up-to-date and current financial data. Every business is examined on the following features: A graphical assessment of a company's financial performance Four year assessment of the profit/loss and balance sheet A written summary highlighting key performance issues Subsequently, you will receive a thorough 100-page market analysis highlighting the latest changes in the Low & Medium Voltage Cable Manufacturers (Global) market. This section includes: Best Trading Partners Sales Growth Analysis Profit Analysis Market Size Rankings For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wo9ryr About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com The new, blazing-fast, one touch specular microscopy exam with Konan Medical's CellChek 20 Konan's CellChek 20 sets a new bar for image quality and size, precision cellular analytics, and one-touch convenience. Konan Medical (Japan) and Konan Medical USA, Inc., global leaders in innovative diagnostic devices for the ophthalmic industry today announced the launch of the newest endothelial imaging system: CellChek 20. Specular microscopy from Konan Medical is widely regarded as the Gold Standard for cellular imaging and analytic assessment of the corneal endothelium. CellChek 20 adds a single-button press exam that acquires images of both eyes and the automated analysis with the new, fully-automated Center Method. CellChek 20 also features larger imaged area, superior image clarity as well as guttata recognition and redaction from cellular calculations. CellChek 20 offers a new level of convenience for our customers, said Konan (Japan) CEO Tetsuji Ikegami. Even during COVID, the interest has been particularly strong for high-tech, low-touch clinical specular microscopy found in CellChek 20. Konan Medical USA CEO Charles Stewart added, CellChek 20 has immediately generated a rebound in sales from customers and distributors. New analytic tools, compact package, and blazing fast, one-button for positioning, alignment, capture and analysis, for both eyes. The best specular product Konan has ever produced. A demonstration video of CellChek 20 can be seen at https://vimeo.com/461578916 . Specular microscopy is a diagnostic device for ophthalmology, optometry, and eye banking that assesses the density and morphology of the corneas inner-most layer, the endothelium. Considered the canary in the coal mine, specular microscopy provides important insight into the health of the cornea, that can be commonly missed with standard examination techniques and is widely used prior to many eye surgeries, FDA clinical trials, routine eye exams and contact lens exams. Konan Medical is a pioneer in specular microscopy devices since 1979 and is mentioned in FDA panel minutes as being the gold standard. CellChek 20 is FDA 510(k) cleared and CE marked. Originally planned to be introduced at the worlds largest Ophthalmology meeting, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Konan has made CellChek 20 available in Japan, Europe, North America and other regions through direct sales and distribution channels. About Konan Medical, Inc. (Japan). Headquartered in Hyogo, Japan, Konan started its business in 1947 and has served precision optics, industrial and ophthalmic markets including development of the worlds first disposable camera, with over 1,600 issued patents. Konan has dominated the specular microscopy business segment for over 40 years. Visit Konan at: https://konan.com/en/w/. About Konan Medical USA, Inc. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Konan Medical USA Inc. develops specialized diagnostic products for eye care clinicians and eye banks. The company also provides diagnostic equipment and support services to many of the leading ophthalmic manufactures in support of sponsored FDA clinical trials research in the United States and Internationally. A new web presence can be seen at: http://www.KonanMedical.com. What and where is Nagorno-Karabakh? Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed, Armenian-controlled breakaway region inside internationally recognised Azerbaijan. The two former Soviet states have been locked in conflict over the territory for the last four decades. A bloody war in the early 1990s saw an estimated 20,000 people killed, and a million displaced. It was ended by an uneasy ceasefire in 1994, which was never followed by a truce. What are the origins of the conflict? The modern conflict dates back to Armenian nationalist movements in the Soviet Union during the early 1980s. However, the key date is February 1988, when the ethnic Armenian majority in Nagorno-Karabakh requested that the territory be transferred from Soviet Azerbaijan to Soviet Armenia. With the USSR crumbling around him, Mikhail Gorbachev was unable to stop a process that eventually led to a disputed independence referendum, territorial claims, and full-scale war. Who backs whom? The separatist Nagorno-Karabakh government is backed by Armenia. As a member of Moscows Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), Armenia enjoys the formal military backing of Russia, but that does not extend to the disputed territories. Russia, meanwhile, has shown no desire to choose a side and has even supplied arms to both. In terms of the other neighbouring regional powers, Iran is officially neutral, but Turkey is providing weapons and, reportedly, mercenary soldiers to its ally Azerbaijan. Why are things worse this time? The fighting, which started on Sunday morning, is the most serious since the ceasefire agreement was signed in 1994. Both sides have employed heavy weapons systems and aviation in and around civilian populations. The death toll is almost certainly higher than the 200 that was recorded during the last major flare-up in 2016. But the biggest new worry is the immediate international context. The United States, preoccupied by November's presidential elections, is conspicuous by its absence. Russia has shown little desire to intervene on behalf of either side. Only Turkey is playing an active role and in a belligerent capacity. What could happen? There are several possible outcomes, but none includes an immediate ceasefire or peace agreement. It is hard to see how either side would renounce their claims to territory in Nagorno-Karabakh. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan see the region as theirs a source of historical identity and security and the memories of war atrocities run deep. Yet there is no obvious prospect of military victory for either side. The richer Azerbaijan has a better-equipped army, supplemented with new drone hardware from Israel and Turkey. Armenian forces are considered to be better organised, however, with the advantage of defensive positions. A good prognosis would see battles focused on small pockets of land and ended within a week; a bad prognosis would suggest a return to protracted, all-out war. A woman cries at the coffin of an Azeri serviceman who was said to have been killed in fighting with Armenian separatists (AFP via Getty Images) Why does it matter? The primary focus of the conflict is local. Hundreds of thousands of civilians live in Nagorno-Karabakh and the territories alongside it. The prospect of continued fighting will directly threaten their lives and livelihoods. But the dispute has a broader strategic significance too. Major oil and gas pipelines run just north of the conflict zone, and these play a large role in calculations of European energy security. The fighting also brings up the prospect of a confrontation between regional powers further down the line. Russia is notably unhappy about Turkeys attempts to muscle in on what it sees as its territory, and has accused Ankara of adding fuel to the fire. We dont yet know where Moscow will eventually draw their red lines. HARTFORD Lawyers challenging a mask requirement for Connecticut students will not be permitted to bring in testimony from two out-of-state doctors after a Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday they were unqualified to serve as expert witnesses. The plaintiffs are trying to get an emergency injunction that would put the states mask mandate for school children to slow the spread of the coronavirus on hold. On Monday, the plaintiffs witnesses provided testimony before Judge Thomas G. Moukawsher so he could determine whether they would be allowed to testify in the hearing for their injunction. The families, who are from Manchester, Wallingford, Niantic, Marlborough and Farmington, had hoped to admit testimony from two doctors prepared to say masks were damaging to children both psychologically and physically. A lawyer for the state objected to both doctors, highlighting past statements from the two men to argue that they were both ideologically too radical to serve as expert witnesses. In his Tuesday ruling, Moukawsher sided with the state and deemed both doctors unqualified, though not for the same reasons. The judge wrote that he had an easy time disqualifying Dr. Andrew Kaufman, a New York psychiatrist the plaintiffs tapped to speak to the psychological impact of masks. On cross- examination Monday, Kaufman said he believed that COVID-19 was a hoax to control the population; vaccines were poison; and suggested that viruses do not exist. The court will not accept as an expert advisor to it on a matter of life and death a man who defies science so firmly established as to be beyond rational dispute, Moukawsher wrote. The court cannot believe that his irrationality in one area will not overwhelm his reason in another. Moukawsher also refused to accept as an expert Dr. James Meehan Jr., an ophthalmologist from Oklahoma. The state had sought to disqualify Meehan in part based on his past statements that mask mandates were about symbolism, fear, and psychological operations to control the population. The state also objected to his marketing and profit from vitamin sales as an alternative to face masks. Moukawsher said it was not Meehans beliefs that disqualified him, it was his professional background. The judge said the group could have sought the testimony of any of the 12,000 members of the Infectious Diseases Society of America but instead chose a doctor whose specialty was in eye diseases and vision problems. The illusion that most expert testimony comes from dispassionate sages faded from the courthouse a long time ago. The trouble here is not Dr. Meehans passion. It is his qualifications, the judge wrote. Moukawshers ruling also served to narrow the scope of the lawsuit somewhat. The plaintiffs have sought to call individual parents to speak to difficulties their children have had with masks. The judge ruled that the state guidance already provides for individual exemptions and said that problems qualifying for them should be challenged at the local level. All this means that the individual parents and children involved in this lawsuit have rights they may enforce. Enforcing them though is not a matter of challenging the Department of Education guidance as a whole. For the families it is a matter of challenging the relevant schools acting under it, he wrote. The case is scheduled to continue Monday. In the meantime, lawyers for the plaintiffs said they would likely work to identify more potential expert witnesses. Representative image Government received no bids for 15 of the 38 mines to be auctioned as a part of its plan to open up coal mining to private companies, reflecting little investor appetite for the sector clouded by environmental concerns and low margins. "A total number of 82 bids from 46 companies have been received off-line/physically in the office of the nominated authority for 23 coal mines/blocks," the coal ministry said in a statement late on Monday. Coal production in India has largely been restricted to state-run Coal India Ltd and another smaller government-controlled company. Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened up coal mining to the private sector this year. In a statement released after the deadline for the submission of the technical bids passed, the coal ministry said only 23 of the 38 mines received bids, with only 20 of them getting more than one bid. The world's second largest consumer, importer and producer of the fuel offered a range of financial incentives in a bid to attract investment and reduce imports. India's largest coal trader, Adani Enterprises Ltd, and Jindal Steel and Power Ltd were among the companies that submitted bids, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Adani's interest marks a change in strategy from last month, when the group's chief financial officer said the conglomerate was not interested in participating in India's coal mine auctions. The Adani Group and Jindal Steel and Power did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Adani had said last month it could re-evaluate participation if it saw demand for the fuel picking up. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is demanding the urgent restoration of normalcy following the recent attacks by the secessionist group, Homeland Study Group Foundation which is demanding Volta Region to be declared to them as an independent state called Western Togoland. The NDC says the sequence of events cumulatively constitutes a threat to national peace, unity, territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ghana. In a press statement signed by the partys National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the NDC indicated that it is alarmed by the significant deterioration of the national security situation despite earlier threats. There is already sufficient apprehension caused by these events that suggest complicity of officialdom to cause fear and human insecurity in that part of the country as a justification for an intimidating security presence the type of which was witnessed during the voter registration exercise only a few months ago. The NDC also questioning the silence of the President on the matter. While the property has been destroyed and lives lost, the people of Ghana are yet to hear a comment by the President condemning these acts of treason and lawlessness, let alone consoling the victims and taking urgent action as appropriate to restore law and order. This is what Ghanaians expect from their President who incidentally is the chairman of ECOWAS. The reported attacks on the sovereignty of Ghana as occurred on the 25th and 29th of September 2020 are a clear indication of the failure of the Government under President Nana Akufo-Addo and the National Security Council which he Chairs. Meanwhile, the NDC is closely monitoring the security situation along the Eastern corridor and the country as a whole. It called on Ghanaians to rally together to preserve national unity, peace and stability particularly at this time of the final preparations towards the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. citinewsroom Warren was vilified on the right as long as he was on the bench. But where would we be without the Warren Court? Before it acted, as University of Chicago law professors Geoffrey Stone and David Strauss wrote in their book Democracy and Equality, states were free to ban interracial marriage, impose poll taxes that disenfranchised African Americans, forbid the sale of contraceptives and violate the principle of one person, one vote. Police didnt have to inform suspects of their rights, and evidence seized in illegal searches could be used in court. Biden Says Trump Has 'Been a Fool' on Masks as President Mocks Him for Wearing 'Biggest Mask I've Ever Seen' Donald Trump and Joe Biden Go Head-to-Head in First Presidential Debate Tuesday night's debate was the first of three scheduled between Biden and Trump The issue of wearing masks briefly took center stage during the first presidential debate Tuesday night between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Hes been totally irresponsible the way hes handled social distancing and discouraging people to wear masks," Biden, 77, said about Trump, 74, because the latter has been hosting in-person campaign rallies most of them outdoors and giving contradictory guidance about the importance of wearing masks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. "Hes been a fool," the Democratic presidential candidate added, in a remark characteristic of the night's argumentative energy, which saw Trump often taking the lead in talking over the moderator, Chris Wallace, and Biden. The president derided Biden's intelligence and his Democratic colleagues and regularly interjected during Bidens answers, trying to challenge his positions; while the former vice president responded with dismissal or sarcasm. Biden laughed off Trump's response when the president told Wallace that he believes "masks are okay" a reversal from some of Trump's previous comments and said he'd wear one when needed. JIM WATSON/Getty Images Former Vice President Joe Biden at Tuesday night's debate with President Donald Trump Just like your rallies ...," Biden quipped, referencing the president's campaign events, including an in-person gathering in June in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said afterward that the rally was a "likely source" for a novel coronavirus outbreak in the city in the weeks after the rally, according to the Associated Press. Republican Herman Cain, photographed without a mask at Trumps Tulsa rally, died of COVID-19 some five weeks later. Story continues RELATED: The First Presidential Debate Is Live: The Highlights (So Far) as Biden and Trump Go Head-to-Head Joe Biden: "Masks make a big difference. His own head of the CDC said if we just wore masks...we'd probably save up to 100,000 lives. It matters." President Trump: "And they also said the opposite." Biden: "No serious person said the opposite."#Debates2020 #debates pic.twitter.com/cHIZrA0wRF CSPAN (@cspan) September 30, 2020 The fact that we are debating masks in a presidential debate is really everything you need to know about the sate of the nation," tweeted longtime CBS News anchor Dan Rather, as the two candidates differed over the appropriateness of wearing masks, which have become increasingly politicized. Health officials recommend people should wear masks to help limit the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed at least 205,812 people in the U.S., according to a New York Times tracker. At least 7.2 million people in the country have been infected by the virus, while more than 1 million people have died worldwide. Trump told Wallace on Tuesday night that he approves of wearing masks, while he simultaneously made fun of Biden for wearing one throughout the pandemic. I dont wear masks like him, Trump said. Every time you see him, hes got a mask," the president added. "He could be speaking 200 feet away from it, he shows up with the biggest mask Ive ever seen. Morry Gash/Getty Images OLIVIER DOULIERY/Getty Images Former Vice President Joe Biden (left) and President Donald Trump at Tuesday night's debate Masks make a big difference, Biden shot back, pointing out that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield has said that masks are effective and if people wear them in public it could limit the spread of the virus. It matters, Biden said, before Trump interrupted him. Theyve also said the opposite, the president claimed, referencing health officials updated directions about COVID-19 health precautions but misguidedly framing why they changed those recommendations. (Health officials have updated their coronavirus guidance as they learn more information about the novel virus.) Biden responded: No serious person said the opposite. As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here. Major cities across the United States are seeing a 'dramatic and widespread spikes in homicides' after police funding cuts, according to one expert. Paul Cassell, a professor at S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah has dubbed the rise in crime the 'Minneapolis effect'. The city council in Minneapolis voted to dismantle the police and slash its budget after the May 25 death of black man George Floyd while in custody. Cassell estimates that 'as a result of de-policing during June and July 2020, approximately 710 additional victims were murdered and more than 2,800 victims were shot'. In research published this month Cassell wrote: 'Recently, major cities across the country have suffered dramatic spikes in homicides. These spikes are remarkably large, suddenly appearing and widespread. 'At this rate, 2020 will easily be the deadliest year in America for gun-related homicides since at least 1999, while most other major crime categories are trending stable or slightly downward.' He added: 'Reduced proactive policing (sometimes referred to in the academic literature 'de-policing') is the most logical explanation for the recent homicide spikes.' Major cities across the United States are seeing a 'dramatic and widespread spike in homicides' after police funding cuts, according to one expert The city council in Minneapolis voted to dismantle the police and slash its budget after the May 25 death of black man George Floyd while in custody. Protesters in NYC earlier this month A July study by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice found Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Detroit have all seen a rise in homicides, aggravated assault and gun assaults in 2020. The study found that 'rates of homicide, aggravated assault, and gun assault began to increase significantly in late May'. Minneapolis has has more than 400 shooting victims and 59 homicides so far in 2020. Crime data from the Minneapolis Police Department shows homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, auto theft, theft from motor vehicles and arson were all up in the city so far in 2020, when compared with 2019 up until September 15. Violent crime, including domestic aggravated assault, was up almost 15 per cent in the first nine months of the year, while property crime was up almost eight per cent in the same time period. Of all the crimes that have increased, homicide saw the largest spike of 87 per cent, rising from 30 in 2019 to 56 in 2020, while incidents of arson have increased by 82 per cent over the total at this point in 2019. Robbery rose from 931 to 1,275 (37 percent) while incidents of aggravated assault increased from 1,750 in 2019 to 2,100 this year (20 percent). Meanwhile, rape fell by 22 percent, and domestic aggravated assault fell by 8.4 percent. In terms of property crimes, burglary rose from 2,223 to 2,785 (25 percent), thefts from motor vehicles rose from 3,127 to 3,937 (26 percent), and auto theft rose from 1,982 to 2,766 (40 percent), while larceny fell by almost 10 percent. Chicago police investigate the scene where three people were shot, one of them fatally, in the Gold Coast neighborhood of the Chicago, Tuesday, August 4 Shootings in New York City were up 166 percent last month compared to August 2019, according to police crime statistics released Wednesday. The Big Apple has seen a troubling spike in crime and violence this year, and new data shows there were 242 shootings recorded last month. In August 2019 there were just 91 shootings recorded. The number of shootings rose in all boroughs except Staten Island. The number of murders is also up citywide, increasing from 36 in August 2019 to 53 last month, marking a 47 percent rise. Overall, crime for August 2020 increased from 9,033 reported last year to 9,093 a .7 percent increase. Cassell told Fox 9: 'I think what Minneapolis is seeing is the same thing were seeing all over the country. Were seeing a reduction in proactive policing, and as a result of that homicide and shootings are skyrocketing all over the country.' He added: 'We are seeing a stop in proactive police - stop and frisk, and vehicle stops, and things police officers have to initiate.' In his study he wrote: 'A close analysis of the emerging crime patterns suggests that American cities may be witnessing significant declines in some forms of policing, which in turn is producing the homicide spikes. 'Crime rates are increasing only for a few specific categoriesnamely homicides and shootings. These crime categories are particularly responsive to reductions in proactive policing. Paul Cassell, a professor at S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah has dubbed the rise in crime the 'Minneapolis effect' 'The data also pinpoint the timing of the spikes to late May 2020, which corresponds with the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis and subsequent anti-police protestsprotests that likely led to declines in law enforcement. 'If this thesis is correct, it is reasonable to estimate that, as a result of de-policing during June and July 2020, approximately 710 additional victims were murdered and more than 2,800 victims were shot. 'If this articles thesis about a Minneapolis Effect is correct, an important implication is that policymakers in major cities should proceed cautiously before taking step to defund the police in ways that might reduce proactive policing that is important in preventing gun violence.' Officials in New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Portland has all approved police funding cuts. Just two months after voting to dismantle the police and slashing its budget, Minneapolis City Council members pressed the department's chief over a surge in crime, prompting a GOP candidate to slam the lawmakers as hypocrites. 'Residents are asking, "Where are the police?"' Council Member Jamal Osman said on Tuesday, adding that calls to the Minneapolis Police Department from constituents have gone unanswered. 'That is the only public safety option they have at the moment. MPD. They rely on MPD. And they are saying they are nowhere to be seen.' Protestors demonstrate outside of a burning fast food restaurant, Friday, May 29, 2020, in Minneapolis, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody Chicago police investigate the scene where three people were shot, one of them fatally, in the Gold Coast neighborhood of the Chicago, Tuesday, August 4 Osman and other council members questioned police Chief Medaria Arradondo on Tuesday about the increase in crime, including daylight car jackings, robberies, assaults, shootings and street racing. But others noted that the council just recently slashed the police budget by $1.1million and also voted to amend the city charter that would allow for the dismantling of the entire police department. The hypocrisy and failure that were seeing from this City Council is astounding and deeply troubling,' Lacy Johnson, a GOP candidate who is running against Democratic incumbent House Rep. Ilhan Omar, told Fox News. A long-"frozen" conflict flared back to life this week. Dozens have been reportedly killed amid ongoing clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave of ethnic Armenians encircled by Azerbaijani territory. The new round of fighting that began over the weekend marks the bloodiest moment since the 1990s, when the two fledgling former Soviet states warred over disputed regions until a Russian-brokered cease-fire in 1994. Both countries have mobilized their armed forces and blame the other for provoking the violence and killing civilians. The situation has been made more complex by the intervention of Turkey, which, unlike previous flare-ups when it urged a cessation of hostilities, has staunchly backed Azerbaijan and is allegedly even engaging in the clashes. Armenian officials said a Turkish F-16 shot down an Armenian fighter jet, a charge Azerbaijani and Turkish officials rejected. More curiously, both Turkey and Armenia allege that the other side is importing mercenaries to the front lines. The Guardian reported that a group of Syrian fighters from Idlib province, the lone rebel-held bastion where Turkey holds considerable sway, were recruited in recent weeks to work for a private Turkish security company operating in Azerbaijan. According to the outlet's sources, as many as 20 such fighters may have been killed in fighting this week in the Caucasus. Ankara denies these claims and has wheeled around on Armenia, accusing the government in Yerevan of busing in Kurdish militiamen from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, to help train Armenian fighters in Nagorno-Karabakh. Whatever the veracity of these charges - and there are reasons to doubt them - they speak of a region riven with ethnic grievances and deep-seated political enmities. They also point to a broader emerging phenomenon of mercenary outfits on the front lines of the 21st century's wars. Turkey, after all, established a template for enlisting Syrian fighters for its proxy wars when it transported hundreds to Libya to aid the government in Tripoli. Its apparent involvement in Azerbaijan adds to the conspicuous set of geopolitical confrontations initiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, including entering the Libyan civil war; enabling the rebels' last stand in northwestern Syria; engaging in a tense maritime dispute in the eastern Mediterranean that's pulled in France and other European governments; and waging its long-running battles with Kurdish separatists operating along the borders of Syria and Iraq. "Most of the Syrian fighters in Libya have been hired by Turkey, which sponsors militias inside Syria opposed to the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad," my colleagues Washington Post Kareem Fahim and Zakaria Zakaria reported earlier this year. "Turkey also is the main military supporter of Libya's U.N.-recognized government, known as the Government of National Accord, or GNA." But Ankara is hardly alone on this front. The Wagner Group, a Kremlin-linked Russian private security company, has deployed mercenaries over a wide spectrum of the world's battlefields, from eastern Ukraine to Syria and Libya. And, often with the financial support of the United Arab Emirates, Sudanese fighters have served as ground troops in civil wars in Yemen and Libya. My colleagues reported that hundreds of Syrians aligned with the Assad regime and its Russian backers were also hired to support the rogue Libyan commander Khalifa Hifter, whose offensive against the GNA was successfully repelled with Turkish aid earlier this summer. A U.N. report this month tracked some 338 Russian military cargo flights from Syria to Libya in support of Wagner, operating on Hifter's behalf. The report said Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey and Jordan were all violating a U.N. arms embargo on Libya by ferrying military equipment and supplies to the dueling sides in the conflict. Ordinary Syrians have become pawns in this regional conflagration. "At a time when the Syrian economy and currency are collapsing, it is difficult for prospective fighters to pass up the generous financial packages offered for heading to Libya, offers that include salaries of $2,000 a month, a $500 advance for families left behind in Syria, and the promise of several thousand dollars in death benefits," my colleagues reported. Half a decade ago, state collapse and economic hardship were seen as drivers for Islamist militants flocking to the chaos of the Syrian war. Now, some of these combatants are being funneled into new conflicts stirred by rival nation-states. The prevalence of Syrian fighters in places like Libya, argued Frederic Wehrey, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, reflects "a global trend toward the outsourcing of extraterritorial military force driven partly by the availability of itinerant, pay-for-hire fighters from failed revolutions and civil wars in Africa and the Middle East and the growth of private military companies." These outfits may see this week's battles over Nagorno-Karabakh as a new opportunity. Russian officials have urged a cease-fire and cooling of tensions, but experts fear things could escalate as Turkey upsets a delicate balance of power. Ankara and Moscow could find themselves confronting each other in a third proxy conflict if Azerbaijani-Armenian clashes stray beyond Nagorno-Karabakh. "If we see this conflict spill over into other parts of the geography . . . that will trigger a much more difficult episode between Turkey and Russia which will come on top of the existing theatres of conflict in Syria and Libya," Turkish analyst Sinan Ulgen told the Financial Times. Its embarrassing. Its sloppy. Ive run out of words, Mr. Comey said. But he insisted that the wiretap of Mr. Page, a relatively junior aide who had left the campaign before the F.B.I. secured a court order to wiretap him based on suspicions about his ties to Russia, was a slice of the larger effort to determine whether Mr. Trump and his team were conspiring with Russias election interference operations. And he angered Republicans by repeatedly saying he could not remember details of the case. With all due respect, Mr. Comey, you dont seem to know anything about an investigation that you ran, said an irate Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah. The hearing was the committees third in recent months to scrutinize the investigation, and Mr. Graham intends to call Mr. Comeys former deputy, Andrew G. McCabe, to testify next week. Mr. Graham, who is locked in his own unexpectedly tight re-election fight, insisted that he would keep going until one of the most corrupt investigations in modern history was exposed and officials involved were either fired or go to jail. A former F.B.I. lawyer has pleaded guilty to falsifying a document used in preparations for the warrant application. He was prosecuted as part of another ongoing review of the investigation, led by John H. Durham, a federal prosecutor Mr. Barr appointed. During the hearing, Mr. Graham released a letter from the Justice Department, stating that an unnamed low-level department lawyer who had signed the warrant application also now regretted it and claimed the F.B.I. had withheld key facts. Republicans were most animated by the F.B.I.s use in the warrant applications of a dossier of unverified information compiled by a British former spy, Christopher Steele. Mr. Steeles work was funded, in part, by Democrats, and it drew from information provided by a Russian source who Republicans said could have been spreading misinformation. Agents relied on the dossier in part to secure court permission for the Page wiretaps, while sharing few details with the court about its provenance. But if Republicans had hoped to use Mr. Comey to score political points, Democrats sought his help backing up their criticisms of Mr. Trump and Mr. Barr. Nigerias ministry of interior, Wednesday, welcomed a new permanent secretary, Shuaib Belgore. He took over from Georgina Ehuriah-Arisa who retired after 36 years of service. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the ministrys spokesperson Mohamed Manga. Mr Belgore was among the 12 permanent secretaries appointed in July 2020. Promises Mr Belgore was quoted as saying he would set up a fitness regime through the promotion of extra-curricular activities to enhance staff performance in the discharge of their duties, in line with the Ministrys mandate. He also said he will bring out the sportsman in staffs as he plans to set up a fitness regime through the promotion of extra-curricular activities. I intend to ensure a monthly walking-jogging exercise in the Ministry for everyone so as to keep staff fit to enable them deliver on our mandate which is ensuring internal security and citizenship integrity. Mr Belgore applauded the exploits being achieved in ICT through the provision of additional gadgets and working tools for enhanced work performance. He said he would further improve staff competence in information technology. Earlier, Mrs Ehuriah-Arisa encouraged the staff to support her successor by putting in their best. She implored them not to compromise or derail the system and to support their principals. In 2016, I unpacked my luggage at a newly constructed New York hotel only to realize that I had forgotten my toothpaste. I called room service, and a chipper voice responded, Someone will bring it right up. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion In 2016, I unpacked my luggage at a newly constructed New York hotel only to realize that I had forgotten my toothpaste. I called room service, and a chipper voice responded, "Someone will bring it right up." Two minutes later, I opened my door to discover an object resembling a trash can on wheels, equipped with a lid, a large button and a small digital screen. I gingerly pushed the button and the lid opened, revealing a toothpaste tube. The digital display flashed "Thank you." The robotic visitor then turned around and rolled away. Before it disappeared, I snapped a photo, sending it to a friend. He responded, "Nice gimmick." Four-and-a-half years later, when my family checked into a Laguna Beach hotel, COVID-19 safety protocols meant the human room service attendants couldnt enter when we were inside. Under these circumstances, a robotic service provider would hardly be a gimmick. Unfortunately, the robots are nowhere to be found. But market-ready robotic technologies exist, and they have the potential to mitigate the damage of the pandemic. Why dont we finally welcome the long-promised robotic takeover? Despite massive progress in artificial intelligence technology and increased adoption of industrial robots, consumer-facing robotic products are not nearly as ubiquitous as popular culture predicted decades ago. The self-lacing sneakers from Back to the Future are not yet commonplace enough to save my daughter from tying her own shoes. The flying cars from Blade Runner still arent clogging Los Angeles skies. The only Robocop in Detroit is an unfinished bronze statue. The reasons behind this are objective: robotics innovation is technically challenging, the capital costs of starting a robotics company are high, customization is complex, deployment is costly and safety regulation is onerous. Visceral aversion also plays a role in the slow adoption of consumer-facing robots. In contrast to AI software running silently in the background, a robot is a physical object invading your personal comfort zone and raising primal alarm bells. This sentiment is echoed by the viral response to the Boston Dynamics product demos of eerily dog-like robots, which were received online as harbingers of the looming robot apocalypse. While we feel comfortable handing over our most private data to AI engines on a near-constant basis, the most sophisticated robot most people will welcome into their homes is a Roomba. Finally, consumer-facing robots threaten to replace manual and service jobs, raising fears of mass unemployment. This concern an understandable one, considering the current 10.2 per cent U.S. unemployment rate could make regulation stricter and suppress investment appetite. But the unemployment argument against robotics is Luddite in nature history teaches us that it rarely wins. From the original Luddite movement in 19th-century England, when workers rallied against textile machinery, to the Soviet Unions early denouncement of genetics and cybernetics, we see that efficient technology usually ends up being implemented. Labour markets adapt in response. In the long term, automation creates new employment opportunities by reducing product prices and creating new industries. When human contact is risky, the argument for public-facing robots is straightforward. An autonomous, self-disinfecting vehicle can transport front-line workers when mass transit is unsafe. Home base units with robotic capabilities can expand the functionality of telemedicine, transforming it from a glorified Zoom chat to a platform for remote delivery of therapeutics or diagnostics. Robotic assistants at hospitals and nursing homes can reduce the risk of exposure in environments that have seen more than 40 per cent of all COVID-19 fatalities. Companies such as Waymo and UVD are already exploring some of these ideas. Many can be readily implemented using existing technology. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. And its not too late for robots to make an impact. Early forecasts predicted that the virus would disappear within a few months. Multiple experts today predict we will have to coexist with the coronavirus for years to come. Besides, antibiotic-resistant bacterial outbreaks, environmental disasters and new pandemics are likely to emerge in the future. At a time where most of the tools to fight the outbreak are decidedly low-tech, robotic solutions to address future disruptions deserve a second look. The same robotic tools would bring further benefits to the post-pandemic economy, improving public safety in a variety of sectors and generating a boost in productivity. What can be done to hasten the consumer-facing robotic revolution? Targeted federal funding with a focus on civilian applications is a good start. While the department of defences investment in AI technologies amounts to US$2 billion, the non-military U.S. National Robotics Initiative budget is a comparatively minuscule US$50 million. Streamlined regulation is another key to this process, addressing public concerns about robotic safety and broader impact on the job market without hampering innovation. Finally, workforce retraining is key. If we focus on workforce development and prioritize applications that offer broad societal benefits, our robotic overlords may end up being benevolent after all. Michael Shpigelmacher is a robotics and artificial intelligence expert and the chief executive of Bionaut Labs. Los Angeles Times Amid the standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India and China on Wednesday held talks to ease the current border tension. The Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) talks between India and China took place virtually. While this is the 19th WMCC meet since the mechanism came up in 2012, it is the fifth such meet amid the ongoing tension. At WMCC meets, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in Ministry of External Affairs Naveen Srivastava represents India. China is represented by Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Live TV This is the first WMCC meet since the foreign ministers of two countries met in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) earlier in September in which both sides agreed for disengagement to ease the tension. During the talks the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the situation and agreed to earnestly implement the five-point consensus reached at the Moscow meeting in Russia between the two foreign ministers. Both the nations decided to strictly abide by the border affairs agreement and agreement signed by the two countries, and take practical measures to promote the border situation. It was also agreed to further ease the cooling down and avoid any actions that may complicate the situation. The two sides positively evaluated the results of the sixth round of commander-level talks and agreed to continue to maintain dialogue and consultations through diplomatic and military channels. They also agreed to hold the seventh round of commander-level talks as soon as possible. It was decided to step up and properly handle remaining issues on the ground, and jointly maintain peace in the border areas. After the Foreign Ministers meet, 6th corps commander level talks happened at the Line of Actual Control, and while disengagement by China is yet to happen, both sides agreed to "stop sending more troops to the frontline." WMCC is an institutional mechanism for consultation and coordination for the management of India - China border areas. During this meet, both sides exchange views on strengthening communication including on areas such as border security personnel of the two sides. On September 29, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) asserted that India never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Contro (LAC), adding that the position has been consistent and well known including to the Chinese. The MEA said India urged China to "sincerely and faithfully" abide by all "agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC". India and Chinese have been involved in commander talks ever since the Galwan Valley clash in June. On August 29-30, the Indian and Chinese troops were involved in another skirmish as the Indian side sought to push back the Chinese incursion amid the standoff at the border. "As we have previously made clear, the Indian side has always respected and abided by the LAC. As Defence Minister stated in the Parliament recently, it is the Chinese side which by its attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts of the Western Sector, has tried to unilaterally alter the status quo," it had said. In the last few months, the Chinese side has repeatedly affirmed that the current situation in the border areas should be resolved in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries. In the agreement reached between External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart on September 10 also, the Chinese side has reiterated its commitment to abide by all the existing agreements, the MEA had added. The MEA had added, "We therefore expect that the Chinese side will sincerely and faithfully abide by all agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC." "Under their various bilateral agreements including the 1993 Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in the military field, 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for settlement of the India-China boundary question, both India and China have committed to clarification and confirmation of the LAC to reach a common understanding of the alignment of the LAC," the MEA had said. The MEA had further stated that the "two sides had engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC up to 2003 but this process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it". "Therefore the insistence now on of the Chinese side that they is only one LAC is contrary to the solemn commitments made by China in these agreements," the MEA had asserted. A popular Italian restaurant, a major Pennsylvania chain and a mobile telecommunication company are the latest to shut their doors at the Airport Road Shopping Center. The strip mall in the 1800 block of Airport Road bordering Hanover Township, Lehigh County, and Allentown already was facing two empty storefronts when Firehouse Subs closed in February 2019 due to a personal decision by the franchisee. Its neighboring tenant, Zoup!, closed that September 2019. Russia has completed clinical trials of a second potential vaccine against Covid-19, developed by Siberia's Vector Institute, the RIA news agency cited Russian consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor as saying on Wednesday. The institute completed early-stage human trials, known as Phase II, earlier this month. Earlier this month, this second Covid-19 vaccine, which has been named EpiVacCorona,' has completed early-stage human trials few weeks back, according to reports. "14 persons were vaccinated during the first phase, and 43 more during the second phase. Forty-three more volunteers from the placebo control group received a placebo", Rospotrebnadzor Russia's consumer rights protection and human well-being watchdog had earlier said, according to Sputnik News. The watchdog added that all the volunteers taking part in the clinical trials of the Covid-19 vaccine are feeling fine. He also said the volunteers only experienced sensitivity at the injection site, but other than that did not have any side effects. Meanwhile, Russia also expects to register a second vaccine by 15 October, a news agency cited Russian consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor as saying. Apart from that, on August 11, Russia registered the worlds first vaccine against the novel coronavirus, even before final trials. The vaccine, dubbed Sputnik V, was developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute. The vaccine, called Sputnik V" in homage to the worlds first satellite launched by the Soviet Union, has been hailed as safe and effective by Russian authorities and scientists. Russia has registered 8,481 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative case total to 1,176,286, the coronavirus response centre said on Wednesday. The largest increase was identified in Moscow, where 2,308 new positive tests were registered. A total of 276 new cases were recorded in St. Petersburg and 222 cases were confirmed in the Moscow region. No new cases were recorded in the Chukotka Autonomous Region. With inputs from agencies Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE: EHC) today announced it has commenced a public offering of $400 million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes maturing in 2031. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with $300 million of cash on hand, to fully redeem its 5.75% Senior Notes due 2024 at par. Truist Securities; Barclays; BofA Securities; Citigroup; Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC; J.P. Morgan; Morgan Stanley; RBC Capital Markets; Regions Securities LLC; and Wells Fargo Securities will act as joint book-running managers of the offering. This debt offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-248942) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This offering is being made solely by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus which has been filed with the SEC. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, as well as other documents the Company has filed or will file with the SEC, for more complete information about the Company and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Company, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send the prospectus supplement relating to the offering to you if you request it by contacting Truist Securities, 3333 Peachtree Road, 10th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30326, by telephone at (800) 685-4786 or by email at [email protected]; Barclays, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (888) 603-5847 or by email at [email protected]; BofA Securities, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, by telephone at (800) 294-1322 or by email at [email protected]; Citigroup, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (800) 831-9146 or by email at [email protected]; Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, by telephone at 1-866-471-2526, by facsimile at (212) 902-9316 or by email at [email protected]; J.P. Morgan, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 or by telephone at (866) 803-9204; Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, at 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, Attention: Prospectus Department, by telephone at (866) 718-1649 or by email at [email protected]; RBC Capital Markets, Brookfield Place, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, New York 10281, Attention: Leveraged Capital Markets, or by telephone at 1-877-280-1299; Regions Securities LLC, 615 S. College Street 6th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202, or by telephone at 704-940-5066; or Wells Fargo Securities LLC, Attn: WFS Customer Service, 608 2nd Ave S, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55402, by telephone at (800) 645-9751 Opt 5 or by email at [email protected]. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This press release shall not constitute a notice of redemption with respect to the notes to be redeemed. About Encompass Health As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility-based and home-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 136 hospitals, 245 home health locations, and 83 hospice locations in 39 states and Puerto Rico, the Company is committed to delivering high-quality, cost-effective, integrated care across the healthcare continuum. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts, such as the completion of this offering and the use of proceeds, are forward-looking statements. In addition, Encompass Health, through its senior management, may from time to time make forward-looking public statements concerning the matters described herein. All such estimates, projections, and forward-looking information speak only as of the date hereof, and Encompass Health undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those estimated by Encompass Health include, but are not limited to, Encompass Health's ability to complete the offering of notes on the terms described or at all; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Encompass Health's operations, business, and financial condition, as well as its potential negative impact on Encompass Health's liquidity, particularly if the operations of acute-care hospitals and physician practices remain disrupted for a significant amount of time; Encompass Health's ability to comply with extensive, complex, and ever-changing regulations in the healthcare industry; any adverse outcome of various lawsuits, claims, and legal or regulatory proceedings involving Encompass Health, including any matters related to yet undiscovered issues, if any, at acquired companies; potential disruptions, breaches, or other incidents affecting the proper operation, availability, or security of Encompass Health's or a vendor's or partner's information systems, including unauthorized access to or theft of patient, business associate, or other sensitive information; changes, delays in (including in connection with resolution of Medicare payment reviews or appeals), or suspension of reimbursement for Encompass Health's services by governmental or private payors; general conditions in the economy and capital markets, including any disruption, instability or uncertainty related to armed conflict or an act of terrorism, governmental impasse over approval of the United States federal budget, an increase to the debt ceiling, an international trade war or sovereign debt crisis, or a widespread outbreak of a contagious disease; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in Encompass Health's SEC filings and other public announcements, including Encompass Health's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019 and Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Media Contact: Hillary Carnel | 205 970-5912 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: Crissy Carlisle | 205 970-5860 [email protected] SOURCE Encompass Health Corp. Related Links http://www.encompasshealth.com There is growing pressure on the Government and NPHET not to lock down County Kildare again based on a major spike in Covid-19 cases in the Celbridge area. The 14-day incidence rate for Celbridge is now the second highest (after east Donegal) at over 300 cases per 100,000 of population. Independent TD and medic Dr Cathal Berry cautioned against full lockdown-style restrictions being imposed on Co Kildare, as they were during August. Dr Berry said one option for NPHET is to extend the Level 3 restrictions from Dublin into Celbridge rather than introduce sweeping measures for the entire county of Kildare. Government TD James Lawless also insisted that localised options should be fully explored before any county-wide curbs are taken given the serious effect on the population and the economy. According to HSE data, there is a major divergence in the incidence rate per 100,000 population in the Celbridge Local Electoral Area (LEA) in compared to the rest of County Kildare in the two week period up to September 21. The Celbridge LEA is by far the highest with 300.6 cases per 100,000. The Leixlip LEA had a rate of 107.2 per 100,000 but areas in the rest of the county have rates below 45. Dr Berry said: Its a very different pattern of Covid-19 infection were seeing in Celbridge compared to what caused the lockdowns across Kildare in August. Last month we had a wider geographical spread of infections caused by clusters in meat plants and direct provision centres. What is happening in Celbridge appears to be caused by its proximity to Dublin and is very localised in an individual part of the county. He added: I think it is worth exploring if localised restrictions can be placed in the Celbridge area, rather than applying them to the entire county. Perhaps NPHET may look at extending the Level 3 restrictions from Dublin across the border into the Celbridge Local Electoral Area. Meanwhile Fianna Fail TD James Lawless says he favours local lockdowns within the county, rather than allowing a countywide quarantine to be sanctioned. He said: Im worried we will be locked down again because of local figures and people in these areas and elsewhere need to observe the advice like social distancing, wearing masks and hand washing, Mr. Lawless said. Only for the fact that the overall figure for County Kildare - five new cases on Sunday - is quite low he believes the county would have been shut down already. He also questioned the decision to close the county because of localised outbreaks within meat processing plants in Naas and Kildare town but added that NPHETs reasoning was the people employed there came from all over the county and not just those two towns. He said it is not easy to understand why Celbridge has been badly hit. Areas like Celbridge and Leixlip are close to Dublin suburbs like Tallaght, Castleknock and Clondalkin which have concerning numbers. Also people from these towns are more likely to shop in Liffey Valley or Blanchardstown shopping centre. He added: Or there could have been a local event; we just dont know. Nevertheless he believes local areas where infection spikes occur within the county would be effectively quarantined because it makes no sense to penalise areas like Newbridge, Athy, West Kildare and Nurney when figures there give little cause for concern. Deputy. Lawless also said he has made a presentation to the Fianna Fail party making the case for smaller lockdowns within counties. Its unfair to drag down areas which are actually doing alright in terms of infection rates. Although Maynooth is neighbouring the two high incidence areas of Celbridge and Leixlip, it only registered an rate of 37 per 100,000. Naas had a 41 per 100,000 incident rate during the same period while Athy was 30 and Kildare was 27.2. The Clane area reported five cases or 17.6 per 100,000. One of the best performing areas is Newbridge which has a population of 35,482, and had less than five cases in the two weeks up to September 21. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Benny Mawel (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura Thu, October 1 2020 A joint Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police team dispersed a group of Papuan students protesting the governments plan to extend Papuas special autonomy status on Monday. The protesters, who were students of Cenderawasih University, were demonstrating at the main gate of their campus in Abepura district, Jayapura, Papua. The joint force reportedly seized the demonstrators banners and fired tear gas and warning shots into the air. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. (Newser) New York City is tightening some restrictions amid a rise in coronavirus casesbut it is also proceeding with reopening plans. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that the city's coronavirus test positivity rate had risen to 3.25%, lower than in many parts of the US but the highest rate in the city since June, Axios reports. The rate Monday was 1.93%. "That is cause for real concern," the mayor said. Health officials say the rise in cases has mainly occurred in nine zip codes in Brooklyn and Queens, some of which include large Orthodox Jewish communities, reports the New York Times. story continues below Dr. Dave Chokshi, New York City's health commissioner, said the nine zip codes are home to 7% of the city's population but accounted for 25% of the city's positive tests in the last two weeks, the AP reports. De Blasio said the city will be stepping up enforcement measures and fines will be issued to people who refuse to wear masks when they are in a place where they could be within 6 feet of others. "That will be starting on a large scale today," the mayor said. The spike in cases comes as children return to elementary school classrooms and restaurants prepare for the return of indoor dining Wednesday. The mayor said those plans will not be affected, but restrictions on gatherings could be reintroduced if the situation fails to improve. (Read more coronavirus stories.) Flash Israeli parliament passed a law on Wednesday that enables the government to limit public protest during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. The law was approved in a 46-38 vote in an overnight session. The controversial law allows the government to announce a state of emergency for a week, during which it would be able to limit participation in demonstrations to one kilometer from the participants' homes. The new legislation was widely seen in Israel as a measure to halt the weekly rallies outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem. Thousands of Israelis have been rallying in major crossroads across the country and outside the official prime minister's residence every Saturday. They call Netanyahu to resign over corruption charges against him and his handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the economic crisis. Netanyahu is facing a criminal trial over three charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. These days, foreign journalists are facing unprecedented challenges in China. A March report from the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) finds that in 2019, 82% of [foreign] reporters [in China] experienced interference or harassment or violence while reporting. . . . 43% said digital/physical surveillance affected reporting. And 70% reported interviews cancelled due to actions taken by Chinese authorities. The FCCC also finds that Chinese authorities continue to restrict foreign journalists access to certain parts of China, including Xinjiang, where millions of Uighur Muslims languish in internment camps. The most striking finding of the report, however, is that not even a single foreign journalist said working conditions in China had improved from 2018 to 2019. It seems that this state of affairs has only gotten worse in 2020. Just this week, the Washington Posts Anna Fifield published a story about the difficulties shed faced as a foreign reporter in China. Reporting in China increasingly feels like reporting in North Korea, she tweeted. Beijing has expelled around 17 foreign journalists this year, including 15 Americans, and is threatening to expel more. Chinese authorities also continue to punish some foreign journalists by refusing to renew their visas. In August, Cheng Lei, an Australian citizen of Chinese descent who worked for the state-owned China Global Television Network (CGTN), was detained by Chinese authorities. No charges were filed, and Cheng simply disappeared. Chinas foreign ministry waited until early September to announce that she was suspected of criminal activity endangering Chinas national security. Her family and friends still do not know her whereabouts, and it is unclear if she has any legal representation. The Chinese Foreign Ministrys announcement of Chengs detention came after the Australian government was forced to mount a frantic mission to extricate the Australian Broadcasting Corporations (ABC) Bill Birtles and the Australian Financial Reviews (AFR) Mike Smith from the country. Both had been questioned by Chinese authorities regarding their dealings with Cheng, and both sought help from the Australian consulate. They were allowed to leave China only after a five-day diplomatic standoff. Birtless former boss, the ex-ABC China bureau chief Matthew Carney, recently disclosed the threats and interrogations that he and his family, including his 14-year-old daughter, had to endure from Chinese authorities back in 2018, which eventually led them to leave the country, too. Story continues Early this month, a Los Angeles Times reporter was detained by Chinese police in Inner Mongolia while investigating the central governments push to teach Mongolian children key curriculums in Mandarin rather than Mongolian. Many parents and students have been protesting that effort, which they view as Beijings latest attempt to erase their cultural identity. The Times reporter said plainclothes men took her to a police station, where she was interrogated and separated from her belongings, despite identifying herself as an accredited journalist. She was not allowed to call the U.S. Embassy; one officer grabbed her throat with both hands and pushed her into a cell. Beijings treatment of foreign journalists is appalling. But surprisingly, this wasnt always the case. In fact, for decades, the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) welcomed foreign journalists when it found them to be of use in helping achieve its strategic policy goals. The most famous example of this phenomenon was American journalist Edgar Snow. In the 1930s, Snow visited the CCPs stronghold in the Chinese countryside and interviewed its leaders, including Mao Zedong. Back then, the Peoples Liberation Army was no more than a ragtag bunch of poorly fed, ill-equipped guerrilla fighters. Mao was dismissed by the ruling Nationalist Party as a bandit, and he was virtually unknown to the West. Mao recognized the help that Snow could provide in solving that problem. He granted Snow access that was unavailable to any Chinese journalist and charmed the American. Snow, who was somewhat naive and ideologically left-leaning, fell for Maos charisma. Mao asked that the texts of Snows interviews be translated from English back to Chinese so he could correct any inaccuracies prior to the publication, and Snow granted him his wish. The final output was Snows 1937 book, Red Star Over China, which presented Mao as a great leader who was candid, thoughtful, and funny. It described the goal of the Communist revolution as the creation of a new China that would be egalitarian and democratic. Nowhere did it mention Maos brutal purge of a rival faction within the Communist Party, which ended with the arrest of over 100 party members and the execution of more than a dozen. The purge was an early indication of Maos ruthlessness in quashing dissent, and there would be many more like it to come. Unfortunately, the inaccurate portrait painted by Snows book cast Mao and the Communists in such a positive light that it won them many domestic and international supporters. This, in turn, set a precedent. Recognizing the propaganda value that Snow had provided, Mao invited him back to China several more times over the next three-plus decades. Each time, he manipulated Snow into serving as his mouthpiece for domestic and international audiences. After Maos death, a succession of Chinese Communist Party leaders followed the same template, welcoming foreign journalists to China as the regime launched its campaign of economic reform and opened up to the rest of the world. These leaders recognized that they needed the foreign press to tell stories about China, and sure enough, the resulting stories helped attract badly needed foreign investment and tourism to boost the countrys economy. In a country where corruption is rampant and justice is whatever local authorities say it is, many Chinese people have come to believe that the fastest way to get their grievances heard and resolved is through reporting by journalists, especially foreign journalists. As Yuan Yang, the Financial Timess deputy Beijing bureau chief, has noted, Sometimes it is not the coverage itself, but the mere appearance of a foreign journalist on the scene, that gets officials to start listening intently to their problems. Sadly, even that means of getting authorities attention is increasingly being closed off by Chinas current leader, Xi Jinping, who demands absolute loyalty from all corners of China including the media. Unlike his predecessors, Xi doesnt see foreign media as a friend or a useful tool, but rather as a threat to the narratives advanced by his propaganda and an obstacle to his goal of building a new, China-centric world order. Especially after the coronavirus outbreak, Xi has needed an obedient media to tell a story of Chinese success under his leadership, which has only increased his incentive to keep a tight leash on critical reporting. Xi seems to believe that China is now wealthy, powerful, and resourceful enough that it no longer needs the prestige that foreign media outlets once lent it; state media can tell the stories he wants told both at home and abroad. Since Xi doesnt see foreign journalists as useful to his own strategic objectives, Chinese authorities have intensified their attacks on foreign journalists. If any informed observer had any remaining doubts about the true nature of the Chinese regime, this crackdown should have dispelled them. More from National Review With Vamp Continuous Optimizer, DevOps teams will automatically receive recommendations to right-size resources in real-time helping them to cut resource costs by 40%. Were welcoming the addition of Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer to help our customers cut their resource costs by 30-40%. Vamp, the worlds first AIOps platform for Continuous Release Orchestration, today announced the launch of Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer, a new machine learning optimization solution that pinpoints the perfect balance between performance and cost for Kubernetes-running apps. Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer automatically right-sizes the amount of resources needed to run applications in a Kubernetes environment as a separate product as well as an add-on to its autonomous release technology, which makes it unique in the industry. Complexity for Operators, Increased Cloud Costs for Business Many enterprises today are adopting Kubernetes, the container orchestration system, because of the promise the system brings of increased operational agility. Kubernetes has the power to make applications flexible and scalable, as well as cheaper to deploy. However, this promise is offset by its complexity it offers operators endless options for tuning application performance in production. That makes it impossible for any human to reliably deploy applications and achieve consistently high performance manually. As a result, operators default to over-provisioning to ensure they get the performance they need. This means that with operational agility comes increased operational costs. CFOs are feeling more like Cloud Funding Officers, paying unclear and fluctuating cloud bills. Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer: automatic right-sizing of performance and cost Compared to Kubernetess built-in autoscaling capabilities and standard cloud autoscaling solutions, Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer uses patented machine learning optimization algorithms, to accurately pinpoint the precise operational capacity needed to run an individual service, while safeguarding application performance. It automatically tunes a wide range of relevant parameters (which can be both resource or application specific) against relevant performance SLA goals (such as throughput and uptime) based on real-time metrics and KPI calculations delivered by Vamps release orchestration platform. As with most of Vamps innovative software, the idea for Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer came from its global customers and partners such as Mimecast, WeGroup and Merapar Technologies. Harry Koiter, at Merapar Technologies said, As more businesses are adopting Kubernetes as part of the move to containers and cloud, theyre coming up against the difficulty of balancing performance and resource usage in the system. As a result, companies are always over-provisioned. Were welcoming the addition of Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer to help our customers cut their resource costs by 30-40%. Engineers will automatically receive the feedback they need to right-size resource in real-time. That comes on top of the already powerful autonomous release technology that is the Vamp software. Helping Enterprises Fast-track Their Kubernetes Success As an autonomous cloud-native release orchestration solution, Vamp already uses intelligent automation to help IT teams release software faster with 100% reliability. The addition of Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer fits with Vamps mission of advancing cloud-native software innovation, something that the Netherlands Enterprise Agency was keen to support, says Vamp CEO Nico Vierhout: With Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer, we wanted to apply innovative technology to solve an issue new in the containerization space, where Kubernetes challenges are impeding enterprise transformation journeys. That message resonated well with our customers and got confirmed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, and were grateful they believed in our vision and provides us with an innovation grant. The addition of Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer is the next step in helping us fulfil our mission of making software innovation an autonomous process that moves business forward without the need for human intervention. A select number of innovative companies are currently using Vamp Continuous Cloud Optimizer as an early adopter and Vamp is excited to expand the program to additional early adopters. Were looking forward to working collaboratively with these companies to test and iterate on new features and improvements. US President Donald Trump has defended his response to the coronavirus pandemic, calling it Chinas fault adding that he had received praise from governors for doing a phenomenal job.During the first presidential debate, Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden has criticized Trumps response for the coronavirus pandemic, saying the President has no plan and he played down the crisis. When asked why hes continuing to hold rallies during the pandemic, Trump said: People want to hear what I have to say. We have tremendous crowds. So far, he said, weve had no negative effect, he added Biden said the President had been totally irresponsible in his handling of social distancing and other methods to stop the virus from spreading and criticized him over his decision to hold rallies during the pandemic. Biden turned directly to the camera and asked the American people whether they trust President Trump about coronavirus, noting that the President told journalist Bob Woodward in February that he downplayed the virus. When moderator Chris Wallace asked Biden on Trumps handling of coronavirus, Biden said, President has no plan, he still hasnt even acknowledged that he knew this was happening, He knew all the way back in February how serious this crisis was. He was referring to when Trump told journalist Bob Woodward in February that the virus was deadly stuff while downplaying the risks in public.Meanwhile, Trump touted his decision to restrict travel from China at the end of January, claiming that it saved millions of lives.Its Chinas fault, it should have never happened, Trump said, adding that he had received praise from governors for doing a phenomenal job.Many of your Democrat governors said President Trump did a phenomenal job, Trump claimed. He also claimed that were weeks away from a vaccine, and said that far fewer people are dying. ALSO READ: I dont want to pay taxes, Trump says while disputing NYT report in debate with Biden The debate devolved into chaos in the first 20 minutes, as President Trump repeatedly talked over Biden and moderator Wallace.Trump persistently interrupted nearly every Biden answer on the Supreme Court and the candidates health care plans, as well as Bidens rebuttals to Trump.Exasperated, about 18 minutes in, Biden turned to Trump and said, Will you shut up, man? Trump ignored Biden and continued talking over Wallace. Keep yapping, man, Biden said.The people understand, Joe. For 47 years, youve done nothing, Trump shot back. ALSO READ: US Presidential Debate 2020: Trump goes after Bidens son for work in Ukraine Toronto Police say a shooting took place at the intersection of Midland Avenue and Ellesmere Road in Scarborough at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and that tow trucks were seen fleeing the incident. Several witnesses in the area reported multiple gunshots coming from tow trucks that later fled the scene, police say. Toronto police said earlier this year that they have a very active investigation into corruption in the tow truck industry; in May, 20 people were arrested and one charged with first-degree murder in a project targeting organized crime violence in the GTA tow-truck industry. Media relations officer Alex Li told the Star that one male victim was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Officers are investigating and have located multiple crime scenes, Li said. Akrit Michael is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Reach him via email: amichael@thestar.ca LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The red flag fire warnings have sparked fierce fires in Northern California, forcing local authorities to issue mandatory evacuation orders for residents. Mercury Insurance is ready to assist homeowners and renters insurance policyholders who have had to leave their homes in response to the Glass Fire, another mandatory fire-related evacuation order, or whose property has suffered fire damage. Mercury representatives are available to help address covered claims while following social distancing procedures. Representatives are also available to arrange temporary housing and provide assistance with living expenses if policyholders are forced to leave their homes in response to mandatory evacuation orders. Residents evacuating their homes should make sure they have the necessary supplies to keep themselves and their family safe during the evacuation. "Follow mandatory evacuation orders to get yourself and family to safety, immediately," said Christopher O'Rourke, Mercury's vice president of property claims. "It's important to follow these orders and you can trust that Mercury has you covered. Policyholders who were forced to leave their homes due to mandatory evacuation orders should contact their agents or call the Mercury Claims Hotline at (800) 503-3724 for help. They should keep their receipts for any additional living expenses as a Mercury homeowners or renters insurance policy can help them recoup this money. "Mercury also recommends that policyholders report losses as soon as possible, so we can begin to assist with the rebuilding process." Wildfire home hardening, firescaping and preparedness tips on how to mitigate damage, as well as frequently asked questions are readily available in Mercury's Resource Center. If a claim needs to be filed, O'Rourke advises policyholders follow a few simple procedures to help speed up the process. When filing a claim Contact Mercury immediately to report your loss. Be prepared to provide your policy number. Do not remove debris or damaged property that may be related to your claim. Steps after filing a claim Prepare a detailed inventory of destroyed or damaged property. Offer photos or video tapes of your home and possessions to your adjuster, if these are available. Keep records and receipts for additional living expenses that were incurred if you were forced to leave your home and provide copies to your adjuster. Policyholders can also download Mercury's Claims Recovery Guide for additional information on the claims process. Follow Mercury Insurance on social media for updates and the company's response to California wildfires. ABOUT MERCURY INSURANCE Mercury Insurance (MCY) is a multiple-line insurance organization predominantly offering personal automobile, homeowners and commercial insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia. Since 1962, Mercury has specialized in offering quality insurance at affordable prices. For more information visit www.mercuryinsurance.com or Facebook and follow the company on Twitter. SOURCE Mercury Insurance Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who was accompanying the family of the 19-year-old Dalit woman who died after being gang raped from Delhi to Hathras, said Wednesday that he was detained by Uttar Pradesh police midway and has now been put under house arrest in Saharanpur. "The whole world saw how our sister was cremated at night in the absence of the family and without their consent, in connivance of the government and the police. The morality of these people is dead. I was detained by their police the night before and now I have been put under house arrest in Saharanpur. But we will fight," Azad tweeted in Hindi. He also shared a picture of the notice issued to him by the Saharanpur police, which stated: You are being informed that CrPC section 144 is imposed in the district. There are credible inputs that your tours and acts are gathering crowds, which may lead to law and order situation. Any untoward incident may happen. Hence, you are being informed that you will stay in your house only. The order, issued by the local Fatehpur police station in-charge Manoj Chaudhary, also warned Azad of legal action for violating the instruction. When contacted, Chaudhary told PTI that it was not a house arrest but Azad has been asked to remain at his home in view of the law and order situation. There is no time limit on the order as such, he added. According to functionaries of the Azad Samaj Party, which was launched by the Bhim Army chief in March, Azad and Delhi unit head Himanshu Balmiki had gone missing after 10 pm on Tuesday while they were on their way to Hathras, accompanying the family of the gangrape victim, who died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday. The Azad Samaj Party and affiliates of the pro-Dalit Bhim Army, among others, had joined the protests outside Safdarjung hospital in the national capital on Tuesday to demand justice for the gangrape victim and her family. "There is no clue about the location of Azad and Balmiki after they reached the Jewar toll plaza to get on the lane to Tappal, Aligarh," Azad Samaj Party's core committee member Ravindra Bhati said earlier on Wednesday. He alleged that Azad and Balmiki were detained during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, but the police were not making it public. The body of the gangrape victim was cremated in Hathras in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family members alleging that the local police forced them to perform the last rites in the dead of the night. Local police officers, however, told PTI that the victim was cremated "according to the wishes of the family". Around 12.30 pm on Wednesday, dozens of Azad Samaj Party and Bhim Army activists reached the Tappal police station in Aligarh and staged a demonstration. "A delegation of our representatives will be meeting senior police and administration officials to inquire about Azad and Balmiki," Bhati told the protesters inside the Tappal police station compound. When contacted, a senior Aligarh police official said, "I have no idea about this (detention) claim." The district police chief and some other senior officers could not be contacted as according to another police official, they have been infected with the coronavirus and are under medication for the last three-four days. (TNS) Dickinson College will host a panel of experts to discuss environmental racism and justice in Pennsylvania.The virtual discussion, The State of Environmental Justice in Pennsylvania, will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 14, in a public YouTube livestream. The link is available at the Clarke Forum website , according to a news release.Pennsylvania has been deeply impacted by fracking, coal mining and other producers of greenhouse gasses, the release said. These pollutants affect all Pennsylvanians but disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). The panel will discuss the counterforces and environmental activism that is helping to combat environmental degradation, according to the release.The panelists include:Saleem Chapman is the deputy director of the Philadelphia Office of Sustainability and is responsible for the implementation of and reporting on Greenworks: A Vision for a Sustainable Philadelphia. Chapman also has experience in environmental policy analysis and sustainable economic development.Veronica Coptis is the executive director of the Center for Coalfield Justice (CCJ). Before joining the CCJ staff, Coptis served on the board of directors for CCJ and organized with Mountain Watershed Association.Adam Cutler is an attorney helping businesses, municipalities and individuals resolve complex environmental issues under state and federal law. Cutler is a member of the Environmental Practice Group at Fox Rothschild LLP. He has served in the public interest sector, working on environmental justice issues for communities in southeast Pennsylvania and serving as interim executive director of the Chester Environmental Partnership. Cutler was appointed in 2011 to serve on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protections Environmental Justice Advisory Board, and since 2018 has served as its chair.Horace Strand serves as the executive manager of the Storm Water Authority of the City of Chester. He also currently serves as chairman of the Chester Environmental Partnership; a member of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Justice Advisory Board; and is an appointee to the EPA National Environmental Justice Advisory Board.Heather Bedi is an assistant professor of environmental studies at Dickinson College. Bedis research examines how civil society and socio-environmental movements experience and adapt to natural resource and landscape modifications related to energy processes, climate change, industrialization and agricultural transitions. Bedi also examines energy injustice through the lens of shale gas extraction (fracking) in the United States. She serves on the Pennsylvania Department for Environmental Protections Environmental Justice Advisory Board and the Cumberland County Food System Alliance leadership team.The event is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the Department of Environmental Studies. For more information, visit clarkeforum.org or email clarkeforum@dickinson.edu WASHINGTON, DC The past several months have kindled new interest in baking as Americans spend more time hunkering down at home to avoid the coronavirus. Buying a pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern is one reason to visit pumpkin patches in the D.C. area, but 2020 could also be the year to make pumpkin pies from scratch. Sure, canned pumpkin will do the trick. Its healthy and packed with nutrients, and some of the top cooking websites say it stacks up well against the homemade pumpkin puree and saves busy cooks a ton of time. But theres something soothing, meditative and cathartic about digging into the pumpkin with your hands and scooping out the stringy innards and seeds. The coronavirus culinary revolution reflects our collective hunger to take control of at least one thing in our upended lives. #StressBaking isnt just a social media hashtag. Just dress for the occasion, and wear gloves if the sliminess is too much for you. The first thing you need to do is head to one of the pumpkin patches around Washington, D.C. Here are some of them: Southern Living says small, round sugar pumpkins, sometimes called pie or sweet pumpkins, are the best pumpkins for baking. The stem should be brown, but still firmly attached, and check for blemishes and bruising. And dont get hung up on the color. As a pumpkin matures, its flesh dulls. JoyFoodSunshine was our first stop on the spin around the internet in search of classic homemade pumpkin pie recipes. It requires an investment in time a little over two hours but blogger Laura says on her website the 10-ingredient recipe is the only pumpkin pie recipe youll ever need and that literally everyone who tries it falls in love with it. Story continues Its a beautiful blend of creamy, spicy sweet flavors that encompass all that is wonderful about fall, Laura says. Everything about this pie is made from scratch, from the crust to the dollop of homemade whipped cream added after its been plated. Laura tells you everything you need to know, from the tools youll need to how to know when the pie is done. Sheri B., whose from-scratch pumpkin pie recipe is featured on Food.com, says the roasted pumpkin can be pureed using a sieve, food mill, blender or food processor, but she likes to create the filling with a hand potato masher. For some cooks, secret pumpkin pie ingredients make for an unforgettable dessert. New York City-based food and wine writer Mandy Naglichs recipe on Taste Of Home calls for cracked black pepper. The best way to preserve the spiciness of pumpkin spice is with freshly cracked black pepper, Naglich writes. It adds a robust bite to the traditional spice mix, which comes across subtly in each mouthful of pumpkin pie. The pepper wont make the pie spicy, but guests may ask where you got the super-fresh spices, she says. Food Hussy Heather Johnson touts the secret ingredient in her moms pumpkin pie recipe. For years, Johnsons mother refused to share the recipe, but eventually gave it up to her blogger daughter: Its Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry, a dessert wine. After youve gone to all the trouble of baking from-scratch pumpkin pies, you may decide using a can of pumpkin pie filling is easier. But its a coronavirus quarantine memory, and hopefully a pleasant one, that youll always have. This article originally appeared on the Washington DC Patch This time around broken promises about police staffing levels can be blamed on the pandemic. Never mind that KCMO has FAILED to live up to a 1968 pledge to increase staffing levels for law enforcement. Now that the budget is busted, cuts threaten police just like every other city hall department. Read more: Atheist group files brief supporting Christian student's right to evangelize on campus Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An atheist group has filed a brief in support of a lawsuit against a Georgia college that punished a Christian student for preaching outside of a limited free speech zone on campus. The American Humanist Association filed an amicus brief on Tuesday in the case of Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, which will be argued before the United States Supreme Court. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm, filed suit against George Gwinnett College for its treatment of Christian student Chike Uzuegbunam. Although the school has changed their policy on free speech and expression since stopping Uzuegbunam from preaching, they have refused to accept any penalty for their past actions. In their amicus brief, the AHA noted that while they and the ADF fall on opposite sides of the political spectrum, they believe that Gwinnett owes damages for their past policy. On the chopping block is a time-honored remedy essential to vindicating the most important rights in our country. Religious freedomthe cornerstone of our democracycould become an empty promise without nominal damages, read the summary of the AHA brief. Religion Clause violations rarely produce actual damages and often stem from easily-mootable laws. Taking away from citizens the only remedy available in many such cases jeopardizes the rule of law itself. AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt said in a statement released Tuesday that he believes people must be given every chance to preserve their First Amendment rights. While the AHA and ADF may approach the Constitution from different angles, at the very least we agree that First Amendment litigation and the associated rights are essential to our democracy, he stated. In July 2016, while a student at Gwinnett, school officials stopped Uzuegbunam on multiple occasions from distributing Christian literature at an outdoor plaza space on campus. According to official school policy at the time, Uzuegbunam could only distribute literature or speak about his beliefs at two predetermined free speech zones on campus. In response, ADF filed a legal action on behalf of Uzuegbunam and another student named Joseph Bradford against the college, accusing them of violating their rights. In 2017, Gwinnett amended their policies regarding speech and expression, arguing that the complaint against them by Uzuegbunam and Bradford had become moot. A district court ruled in favor of Gwinnett on the claim that the complaint was moot and a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld its ruling last year. In a Per Curiam decision released in July of last year, the panel concluded that the students complaint did not include a well-pled request for compensatory damages, in part because it failed to allege any concrete injuries arising from the allegedly unconstitutional conduct of the GGC officials. ADF opted to appeal the panel decision and in July, the Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments in the case. While Chinas oppressive measures against Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region has garnered international attention, Beijing has begun expanding its surveillance of another Muslim minority: the Utsuls of Hainan Island. But efforts to crack down on the peaceful religious minority could backfire and push it to radicalisation, experts warn. Uighurs are no longer the only Muslim minority falling under Beijings watchful eye. Even as the international community continues to condemn human rights violations in the western region of Xinjiang province, Chinese authorities are now launching a similar crackdown on another Muslim community, according to a report in the Hong Kong-based daily South China Morning Post (SCMP). Expanded surveillance, bans on Arabic scripts and limits on the size of mosques are now being applied also to a little-known minority of around 10,000 Utsuls living on the southernmost island of Hainan. The United Nations has said it has credible information indicating that a million ethnic Uighurs are being held in China, a policy on Muslim groups in Xinjiang the Chinese government has justified by citing terrorist attacks. Earlier this month a ban was announced on the Islamic veil, or hijab, in schools and government offices, sparking fierce protests from pupils and their families at schools and in Utsul neighbourhoods, a community worker told the SCMP. In addition to the hijab ban, mosques must now have a member of the Chinese Communist Party sitting on their management committees. Any use of Arabic words, such as Halal signs at food stalls, are also banned. Expanded surveillance for social order According to official documents obtained by the SCMP, Beijing has deemed the surveillance of Utsul residents a key priority, in the interests of maintaining social order. Even local members of the Communist Party will now be subject to investigations to ensure they are not practicing Muslims, and could face punishment in case of religious observance. Story continues But the restrictive measures affect the Utsul community specifically, sparing other Muslim minorities living on Hainan Island such as the Hui, Chinas most populous Muslim ethnic minority. According to the four-page report obtained by the SCMP, the measures target two specific neighbourhoods in Sanya, Hainans regional capital, where most residents are Utsuls. Beijings decision to target the Utsuls in Sanya is an astonishing one, experts say. The community never made any claims of independence and never presented any security threat, and their religious practices are similar to those of the Hui: primarily peaceful. Dru Gladney, an anthropologist who has studied the Utsuls and is president of the Pacific Basin Institute for research in California, told FRANCE 24 that the Sunni Muslim Utsuls have never exhibited any signs of having been influenced by stricter branches of Islam such as Salafism. According to Gladney, the Utsuls main difference from the Hui community is their language, Tsat, which is close to Malay and is not spoken anywhere else in China. They are also the oldest active Muslim community in the country. Utsul cemeteries are probably the most ancient Muslim burial sites in China and date back to the 12th century, Gladney noted. General suspicion of religion The authorities did not cite security reasons for this crackdown, as they had for the Uighurs, who were behind sporadic attacks over the years. No reason was offered for the latest ban on traditional dress for Sanyas Utsuls. Gladney noted that the veil was not really a religious symbol for the community members as much as a cultural one. For some, Beijings adopted stance on the Utsul community is part of a larger pattern. This is a textbook case of the evolution of the Chinese Communist Party's policies towards minorities under Xi Jinping," Katja Drinhausen, an expert on governance issues at the Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Studies, told FRANCE 24. According to Drinhausen, President Xi Jinping has cultivated a climate of general suspicion regarding religious beliefs even when it comes to peaceful, tiny and centuries-old communities such as the Utsuls. Other minorities, which were relatively safe from the Communist Partys scrutiny until now, are also being targeted by this mistrust, including Catholics. The situation in Hainan proves how mentalities have changed, Drinhausen said. These measures are actually similar to other ones imposed at a national level for every religious minority, like in Inner Mongolia or in Gansu province or in Tibet, where many Muslims live, she added. Under Xis leadership, Beijing wants to bring every religious belief into the partys control and achieve a unified national identity which he feels is the basis for social stability, Drinhausen said. Backfiring into unrest and diplomatic incidents But Beijings efforts to curb religious and ethnic differences for the sake of national unity is not without its own risks. Introducing re-education camps and extreme surveillance, and outlawing cultural heritage could backfire, pushing communities to radicalisation since they would feel they do not belong in Chinese society any longer, Drinhausen said, adding that this could lead to rising social strife in the long term. Beijings moves could also create diplomatic tensions with Southeast Asian countries that have been building closer ties with the Utsul minority in recent years. Malaysias former prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had an Utsul grandmother and visited Hainan Island many times, Gladney noted. Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim country, has also built close relationships throughout the region. And in its attempt to place a 10,000-strong Muslim minority more firmly under Beijings control, China could end up alienating its neighbours and undermining its own objectives of regional hegemony, Gladney warned. China has been trying for several years to increase its influence in Southeast Asia, but the pursuit of discriminatory policies could prompt a rise in anti-Chinese sentiment, he said. This story was translated by Henrique Valadares from the original in French. Appointment 30 September 2020 Capella Hotel Group has appointed Cristiano Rinaldi as Chief Operating Officer. Armed with an impressive resume incorporating some of the world's most sought-after luxury hospitality brands, Cristiano joins the group at an exciting time as Capella pursues international expansion plans. Prior to joining Capella Hotel Group, Cristiano was based in Tokyo. He spent the last four years as General Manager leading the pre-opening activities for The Bangkok EDITION as well as The Tokyo EDITION Ginza and Toranomon. He has also held the position of Vice President, Operations for One & Only Resorts in Dubai, where he oversaw the performance of the nine resorts within the group's portfolio, as well as leading plans for future expansion. Cristiano began his career with Hilton and was employed in several Food and Beverage management roles across London and Dubai. In 2001, Cristiano joined the Ritz-Carlton Doha as part of the pre-opening team. Following this, he had the opportunity to join Bulgari Hotels & Resorts in various senior leadership assignments across Milan and Tokyo, including supporting the opening of the Bulgari Hotel in Bali. He then went on to successfully open The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong as Hotel Manager. In 2012, Cristiano was recognised for his valuable contributions with a promotion to Area Director of Operations for Ritz-Carlton, Bulgari and EDITION hotels. Throughout his career, Cristiano has opened more than 35 luxury hotels across the globe. Former FBI Director James Comey appears via video remote at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Sept. 30, 2020. (Ken Cedeno-Pool/Getty Images) Comey Claims Ignorance 20 Times When Questioned About Trump Investigation Problems Former FBI Director James Comey testified to Congress that he didnt know or didnt remember when asked numerous questions about issues with the investigation on alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Comey presided over the probe in 2016 and 2017. The Russia probe was heavily criticized by the Justice Departments inspector general (IG), in major part for using unsubstantiated and contradicted information from the infamous Steele dossier to get a spying warrant on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. The dossier was funded by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the campaign of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Information that has cast yet more negative light on the probe has been released over the past months by Trumps intelligence chiefs. In the latest revelations, the supposed main source for the dossier was investigated by the FBI from 2009 to 2011 for being a national security threat because of his contact with a Russian intelligence operative and other issues. Also, the intelligence community told Comey in September 2016 about an intercepted Russian intelligence analysis that said Clinton was trying to tie Trump to Russian interference with the election. Comey pleaded ignorance on all these issues, saying more than 20 times during his testimony that he didnt know or didnt remember the answers to questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee. What astounds me the most is that the director of the FBI in charge of this investigation and involving a sitting president is completely clueless about any of the information obtained by his agency, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who presided over the Sept. 30 hearing as the chair of the Judiciary Committee. The Trump probe was officially opened on July 31, 2016, on a single suggestion that Russia offered help to the Trump campaign in the form of releasing before the election information damaging to Clinton. Around the same time, at least one FBI executive assistant director was briefed on the allegations contained in the dossier, according to information provided by then-assistant special agent in charge of public corruption at the New York Field Office to Michael Gaeta, the FBI handler of the dossiers author, former British agent Christopher Steele. But Comey said he only learned of the dossier in late September 2016 and that he didnt know about any specifics on what was done to verify the dossier. He also denied knowing that Clinton and the DNC funded the dossier, only that it was political opposition research-funded. In August 2016, the CIA informed the FBI that Page was its cooperating contact. Page, who for some time worked in Russia, was passing to the U.S. government information that eventually helped bust a Russian spy ring. But the FBI still used his contacts with Russian operatives as evidence against him in the spying warrant, never disclosing to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) court, which approved the warrant, Pages cooperation with the CIA. Comey said he didnt know about Pages relationship with the CIA. In December 2016, the CIA, FBI, and National Security Agency (NSA) worked on a report that assessedmeaning estimatedthat Russia was meddling with the election. The report also estimated that Russia was trying to help Trump, though the NSA dissented on that point. According to the IG, Comey pushed for including the dossier into the report, but the CIA opposed the idea as it considered the dossier internet rumor. Comey said he didnt remember that. In the end, a summary of the dossier was attached to the report. On Jan. 12, 2017, the FBI received a report saying one of the most explosive claims in the dossier was false and possibly part of a Russian disinformation campaign. Comey said he didnt know about that. Also in January 2017, the FBI interviewed Steeles supposed main source, Washington-based business analyst Igor Danchenko, whom Graham called Igor, the Russian spy. Danchenko walked back much of what was claimed in the dossier. He made it clear to Steele that he/she had no proof to support the statements from his/her sub-sources and that it was just talk, the IG learned from the FBI agent who interviewed Danchenko. The information was word of mouth and hearsay, conversation that [he/she] had with friends over beers, and some was made in jest, Danchenko said, according to the agent. Some of the information in the dossier Danchenko couldnt recognize at all. At one point, Comey said that there was no, to my knowledge, surveillance of the Trump campaign. In fact, the campaigns communications were swept in an extensive surveillance operation that included national security letters, FISA applications, searches of the NSA database, sending informants to collect information from campaign associates, and even using a counterintelligence briefing with Trump himself to collect information on him. Comeys answer turns on the technicality that the campaign was never officially mentioned as the target, but instead people associated with the campaign were targeted using separate justifications. The overall investigation was opened to target the campaign explicitly. Comey said that if he knew what he knows now, he wouldnt have signed the warrant applications, but he maintained that the overall probe was conducted in an honest, competent, independent way. Comey repeatedly said he shared the senators concerns about problems in the FISA process, but said the IG found problems with other applications, too. Its true that the IG found hundreds of errors in a sample of 29 other warrant applications it picked for review. Nearly all of those, however, were paperwork issues, such as typos and misstatements, and none of the errors rose to the point of invalidating the application, the FBI said in its response. By contrast, the FBI acknowledged that at least the last two renewals of the Page warrant were flawed to the point of being invalid and thus resulting in illegal surveillance. Because FISA warrants can be used to spy on Americans even in situations where the government couldnt get a standard criminal warrant, the several layers of oversight have been imposed, such as the need for senior FBI and DOJ officials to approve them. But that was actually a bad thing, Comey said, because it made him rely too much on others in the process to ensure the warrant applications were done properly. Responsibility was diffused, instead of concentrated in individual human beings, he said. He called for pushing the responsibility down to the case agents and line FBI lawyers. Kanha National Park, also known for high density of tigers, spread across Balaghat and Mandla districts of Madhya Pradesh is now virtually under strong Maoists influence with the forest department officials having to provide rebels grains, groceries and other essentials, according to a police officer. Kanha is considered one of the finest tiger reserves in the country having over 130 tigers, as per 2018 tiger estimate. The tiger density is most after Corbett National Park, Kaziranga National Park and Ranthambore tiger reserve. The park has been doing well till about two years ago when the Maoists facing pressure from security forces in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh decided to shift to the dense and difficult terrain of Kanha for a safe haven. Police said that in 2017 the rebels formed a platoon to increase its influence in the region and started recruiting locals. Abhishek Tiwari, superintendent of police (SP), Balaghat, said Maoists influence was earlier restricted to just the buffer zone of Kanha tiger reserve, which they used as a route to and from Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Now Maoists of Vistar Dalam (the platoon) have shifted to the core area of the reserve in Mandla and Balaghat districts and are using it as a gateway to enhance their reach to other parts of MP including Vindhya region, he said. The SP said this was revealed by Maoist leader Badal Singh Markam, who was arrested by Balaghat police after an encounter on September 18. On basis of his interrogation, the police found three dumps of arms, ammunition and essential items from the core area of Kanha. A tiger reserve is divided into buffer and core zones with the latter being most guarded for animals. An officer of Madhya Pradeshs anti-Naxal wing said Maoists presence in the core area of the tiger reserve was a new and different type of challenge as movement of people is restricted in the core area, which has poor mobile connectivity. The forest guards can help but they are scared and are providing dry ration to Maoists, he said. Balaghat police have issued an advisory to forest officers of Kanha Tiger Reserve asking them to provide them information about the presence of rebels. Forest department officials should cooperate with police as it is their fundamental duty, inspector general of police, Balaghat, KP Venkateshwar, who issued the advisory. He said that the police have assured the forest guards of security if they provide information or action would be initiated against them. The Kanha forest department officials refused to speak on record on the advisory and Maoists now having virtual control of the park. A deputy ranger at the reserve, not willing to be named, said the forest guards have no option. Armed Maoists come to patrolling camps located at every 8-10 sq km of core area and ask for ration from the guard. Our guards are unarmed and they have no option but to give them the ration. They cant put their life at risk by challenging them, he said. MPs additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), JS Chauhan, said: Earlier, the movement of Maoists was in a buffer zone so it was easy for police to take action but now their movement has shifted to a dense core zone and it is difficult for forest authorities to locate them. The unarmed guards, who are protecting wildlife in the core area and living in camps cant resist Maoists and risk their lives by sharing information with police. He, however, said that all possible help was being provided to the police. The police officials said Maoists movement has increased in and around Kanha, especially during lockdown, when surveillance in the forest areas was low. The anti-Naxal wing officer, quoted above, said special zone secretary for Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone Deepak Teltumbde alias Jeeva has been spotted in Mandla and Balaghat region for recruiting the locals. Maoists had also allegedly killed a 30-year-old migrant labourer in June this year in Balaghat on the suspicion of being a police informer. As many as 800 personnel of the anti-Naxal Force have been deployed in Balaghat division to combat Maoists, the official said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON It is as clear as daylight that President Mahama will win the 2020 December Polls with a landslide majority but if care is not taken the NPP/EC's elaborate rigging machinery that has been set in motion could subvert the will of the people! Nobody should allow himself to be misled or deluded into thinking that the NPP genuinely won the 2016 elections - in fact, evidence abounds in the aftermath of the 2016 polls, that points to the employment and of course deployment of dubious machinations by the NPP which eventually conspired to elect the little dictator presently occupying the highest office of the land! Dishonourable Kennedy Adjepong, who has taken a cue from "Angel" Obinim by feigning sickness in order to avoid prosecution and who is known for speaking off the cuff, divulged in a fit of fury against his own Party that the NPP won the 2016 elections through the backdoor! And we all know the power and influence this outlaw wields in the NPP! Worryingly, information filtering in indicates that Nana Addo's NPP has smuggled in Israeli IT specialists to tamper once again with the integrity of the Polls. We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that during the computation of the 2016 elections results the Electoral Comission declaimed that its system had been hacked - this to me accounted for the victory of the curmudgeon. I maintained at the time and still insist today that President Mahama shouldn't have conceded defeat in the 2016 polls given the fact that the results had been compromised by hacking ! In fact, Mahama should have called for a nationwide recount of the results of the 2016 elections! To all intents and purposes, the present electoral commissioner has demonstrated, ab initio, that she is not a neutral arbiter and therefore cannot be trusted to oversee free and fair elections. She has consistently pandered to the whims and caprices of the NPP regarding every decision the EC has taken even in the face of superior pieces of advice from the NDC and Civil Society Organizations. A cursory survey of her utterances prior to the compilation of the present new but defective and bogus voters register corroborates my argument. Everyone in Ghana, including all the major Civil Society Organizations foresaw that compiling a new voters register was not going to augur well for the integrity of the Polls apart from saddling the nation with a needless financial burden but the EC and its bedfellow the NPP obstinately insisted otherwise. Soon after the completion of the new voter's registration exercise, it emerged that figures from the NPP strongholds were artificially inflated by several hundreds of thousands to create space for rigged votes on December 7. Anybody who thinks this was a genuine error must be a 21 Century Lancelot Gobbo! Then came the exhibition of the new voter's register and Jesus wept! Thousands of names from the NDC strongholds were either missing from the new register or assigned different genders and many more distortions! Just take a moment to think about this: during the registration, the number of registrants from NPP strongholds was inflated and during the exhibition registrants in the NDC, strongholds were depleted! This is never a coincidence but a grand orchestration by the EC and NPP to rig the elections by any means! But I am encouraged by the comforting words of president Mahama that he won't accept the outcome of a flawed election! Anuga Fortunate (The Ghetto Man) A SpaceX Falcon 9, with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken in the Crew Dragon capsule, lifts off from Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 30, 2020. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo) Trillion-Dollar Push Needed to Avoid Space Pearl Harbor: Expert The United States needs to invest a trillion dollars in space technology over the next decade, according to one analyst, to avoid a space Pearl Harbor at the hands of Russia or China. China also is working toward space mining for the rare earth metals that are vital to the tech race with the United States, according to Brandon Weichert, author of the recently published book, Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower. In an interview for The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program, Weichert warned that China views space as it views the South China Sea. The push for territory in the South China Sea and construction of militarized islands is a prologue to Beijings space ambitions, said Weichert. Theyre sort of showing us what theyre going to do in space. Unlike the limited impact of the South China Sea, however, space affects everyone everywhere, he said. As the history of warfare has proven, if you control the high ground, you control the whole dynamic on the lower planes of battle. Pentagon officials over the past few years or so have increasingly highlighted Russia and Chinas weaponization of space. The final Delta II GPS rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base and launch site SLC-17A in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 17, 2009. (Matt Stroshane/Getty Images) According to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), China is second only to the United States in the number of operational satellites it has, with more than 120 devoted to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. PLA (Chinese military) analysis of U.S. and allied military operations states that destroying or capturing satellites and other sensors would make it difficult to use precision-guided weapons, the latest DIA report on space notes (pdf). Moreover, PLA writings suggest that reconnaissance, communications, navigation, and early warning satellites could be among the targets of attacks designed to blind and deafen the enemy. Weichert doesnt think the tech industry in the United States, left to its own devices, will push forward technology developments fast enough to match the civilmilitary fusion driving Chinas space program. He believes that to avoid China or Russia seizing what is sometimes known as the ultimate high ground of space, the United States needs more federal funding. A Long March 3B rocket carrying the Beidou-3GEO3 satellite lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang in Chinas Sichuan Province on June 23, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Americans had better start playing catch up, otherwise, we will face a space Pearl Harbor, he said. Youre seeing the end, basically, of American power projection. Outlining the threats the United States already faces in space, Weichert gave the example of Chinese building laser capabilities. Usually, these are fired up from the ground in China, and can temporarily blind the optical gear on sensitive satellites passing overhead, he said. That might temporarily knock locally stationed U.S. forces out of a fight in the Indo-Pacific region. Satellites are a vital part of modern U.S. infrastructure and its military. The GPS signal alone is needed to keep oil pumping through pipelines, cash flowing at ATMs, and to keep automated trading tickingnot to mention keeping missiles on target. Adding to the strategic problem is the fact that U.S. infrastructure is currently far more reliant on satellites than its rivals. Sanctuary: A Dangerous Notion Weichert says the utopian view of space as a safe haven doesnt match reality, and is held only in Western academic circles. The idea that space is a sanctuary like Antarctica is insane and dangerous, and will lead to an attack on us in space from either China or Russia. Weichert said space exploration has, in fact, been mixed with military endeavor from the beginning, noting that the Sputnik satellite was a military satellite. Everything since then has been in terms of the space development from both ourselves and other countries has always been under the imprimatur of a military operation. Even friendly countries like Israel or India have used space, their space programs as a military aspect, as well as an ability to project power or an ability to allow for their military forces to have greater surveillance and communications capabilities. Facing a new space race, the United States cant rely on private industry as the main thruster for the technology, Weichert said. The overall high tech research and development sector, federal R&D budget has just collapsed since the 90s, he said. While private-sector R&D is great for coming up with the new sort of button for your iPhone, its not so good for building the next great space launch system or not so great for building a quantum computing revolution. In China, they just throw tax dollars at any industry, whether it works or not. Weichert gave the example of a new alloy created by Google in 2016. Its lighter than plastic, tougher than titanium. The problem is it needs $200 million for it to be built out and scaled up. Google will not invest that kind of money. The solution, he said, is for a congressional push. We need really a trillion dollars or more, over a decade invested in the space industry, in the space program, military, and civilian alike. In the meantime, the United States needs bodyguard satellites, he said. One of the current threats is stalker satellites that can knock rival satellites out of orbit. Weichert said the United States should create its own stalker satellites to form clusters of what he calls bodyguard satellites around Americas vulnerable satellites. Space Mining Weichert also noted that China is trying to be the first to Mars. He said this isnt just about gaining a propaganda victory, but also about being able to draw the technical talent and investment away from the United States. They certainly want to beat us to get to the first people on Mars to sort of paint Mars red with Chinas Communist Party flag. And they have worked assiduously to leapfrog the Americans. Then there are the minerals. China plans to have a lunar outpost by 2024. By 2028, Beijing intends to put astronauts on the lunar surface with intention of mining the rare earth minerals which are in abundance on the lunar surface, Weichert said. This picture released on Jan. 11, 2019, by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) via CNS shows the Yutu-2 moon rover, taken by the Change-4 lunar probe on the far side of the moon. (China National Space Administration (CNSA) via CNS / AFP) That will allow them to not only gain prestige, and to dominate the most valuable real estate on the moon, but it will also allow them to get a first-mover advantage in what many assume to be a multitrillion, if not a quadrillion-dollar economy in space mining. In the future, Mars could act as a kind of hub for mining the asteroid belt, he said. In November, China will run tests on a small mining satellite in orbit. Next year, it will launch its version of the Hubble One telescope. But it wont be pointed at distant galaxies. Thats going to be a small surveillance satellite directed at the asteroid belt around Earths orbit that can specifically pinpoint resource-rich asteroids, Weichert said. And then theyre going to deploy future versions of these mining satellites to the asteroid belt to harvest those minerals before the Americans can. If they get a hub at Mars, theyve just created the supply chain in space. Weichert praised the Trump administration for the creation of the Space Force and its actions to tackle the space threat, which he said has been known to the Pentagon since at least 2013. Jan Jekielek Senior Editor Follow Jan Jekielek is a senior editor with The Epoch Times and host of the show, "American Thought Leaders." Jans career has spanned academia, media, and international human rights work. In 2009 he joined The Epoch Times full time and has served in a variety of roles, including as website chief editor. He is the producer of the award-winning Holocaust documentary film "Finding Manny." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 13:53 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c482fc3d 1 Business Jokowi,toll-road,North-Sulawesi,manado,Bitung,infrastructure-development Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Tuesday inaugurated the Manado-Danowudu section of the Manado-Bitung toll road, the first highway in North Sulawesi. The new toll road section connecting the provincial capital and Danowudu in Ranowulu district spans 26 kilometers, 65 percent of the 40-kilometer Manado-Bitung toll road. Once the Manado-Bitung toll road is complete, it will cut travel time between the two [end] points from 1.5 hours to just half an hour, Jokowi said during the inauguration ceremony on Sept. 29, which he attended by videoconference from Bogor Palace in West Java. The [Manado] tollgate is also situated just 12 minutes from Sam Ratulangi International Airport, he added. PT Jasamarga Manado Bitung (JMB), a subsidiary of state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga, broke ground on the toll road in 2017. The project is a public-private partnership with the Public Works and Housing Ministry. According to a statement from Jasa Marga, the Manado-Bitung toll road is a Rp 4.95 trillion (US$332.5 million) investment with a 40-year concession period. The President expressed hope that the new toll road would cut logistics and distribution costs from the port of Manado to the Bitung Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as well as improve the regions competitiveness to attract more investments. The governors task after the [toll roads] inauguration is to attract as many investors as possible to invest in the Bitung SEZ. As the economic zone is now connected [to Manado], we hope investments will come, businesses will grow and the peoples income will increase, said Jokowi. According to its website, the 534-hectare Bitung SEZ plans to attract Rp 32.8 trillion in investments to boost competitiveness of the local fisheries and agriculture sectors. The Bitung SEZ also expects to absorb more than 34,700 workers by 2025. Jokowi also said he expected the new toll road to increase tourist arrivals to regional destinations including Likupang, one of the governments five super priority tourist destinations. Public Works Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said during the ceremony that the government was developing supporting infrastructure in addition to the Manado-Likupang toll road to boost local tourism. The supporting projects include the Malalayang beach beautification project in Manado, the development of 463 homestays at selected tourist destinations and an expansion project for a drinking water treatment plant. We are currently building a variety of infrastructure because Manado and Likupang are among the national strategic tourist destinations, said Basuki. Over the last two months, the President has inaugurated two sections of the trans-Sumatra toll road: the Pekanbaru-Dumai section in Riau on Sept. 22 and the Indrapuri-Blang Bintang section in Aceh on Aug. 25. Jokowi has said he is aiming for a 2024 completion date for the trans-Sumatra toll road, which is expected to create 296,000 jobs. Jokowi said that the megaproject, which includes the 61-km toll road section connecting Medan, Kualanamu and Tebing Tinggi that opened last year, had employed 24,700 workers as of Tuesday. When four college-aged friends were horrifically shot execution-style in Newarks infamous Mount Vernon schoolyard shootings 13 years ago, Darnell Henry responded to the scene. He was a supervisor in the Newark Police Departments homicide unit then. He would go on to become the chief of the department nine years later. Now nearing his retirement after 26 years on the force, that case and those victims still stand out to him. Three of the four young adult victims were killed and all six involved in the brutal attack would go on to be convicted. With my own eyes, I saw how they was murdered, Henry said. And that stuck with me. Henry, 51, is set to retire on Wednesday. He was born and raised in Newarks Central Ward and policing in his own backyard is what made him a pro, said Romesh Sukhdeo, who tried the schoolyard case and is now the acting first assistant prosecutor in Essex County. A lot of cops - police officers - can be a little gruff," said Sukhdeo. But he was a community guy. He had a very good way on the street talking to witnesses and just dealing with the families. Henry investigated some of the most high-profile homicides in Newark. He was chosen to supervise the countys cold case unit after the schoolyard slayings. There, he worked another infamous case: the 1978 disappearance of the Clinton Avenue Five, which resulted in a murder conviction and an acquittal. Jack Eustey retired Newark police, Joseph Hadley, Jr. Newark homicide detective cold case squad, William Tietjen, New Jersey State Police, Lt. Louis Carrega, Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Murad Muhammad, homicide detective cold case squad, Detective Sergeant Darnell Henry, Newark homicide cold case squad, at the Camden Street location of the fire in Newark with police who worked on the case on Tuesday, March 23. Ed Murray/The Star-LedgerAristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media He later took the helm of the police departments day-to-day operations at a pivotal time in the agencys history. Mayor Ras Baraka appointed Henry to chief in 2016, the same year the city entered into a consent decree after the U.S. Department of Justice found a pattern of unconstitutional practices among the citys cops. The police department has undergone major reforms as part of the consent decree during Henrys tenure. The biggest, Henry said, were de-escalation training and equipping 1,123 body-worn cameras on officers. The mending of trust between police and residents was probably best seen in late May during a George Floyd march, when a tense standoff between protesters and police at the citys 1st Precinct ended peacefully. It was a far cry from what happened 53 years ago at the same location, which sparked five days of unrest and rioting that locals have come to call the Newark Rebellion. It just put a stamp on what were doing with the community building, with the police, Henry said of the protest four months ago. It paid off. The community joined us and they definitely helped calm the situation for us. Its just a testament on what were doing and how were moving forward with the Newark Police Department. Newark in 2018 touted the lowest amount of crime victims in 50 years under Henrys leadership, too. He became chief a year after the city consolidated its fire, police and emergency management departments. Anthony Ambrose was chosen by Baraka to head the newly created public safety department and he will also serve as chief until Henrys replacement is found. We can say today that five years ago, hes leaving with a way safer city than he found, Ambrose said. Darnell has great work ethic. He has worked his 26 years with integrity, calmness. He embodies hard work and he has optimism." Henry sat in the front row of attendees last year when Baraka announced a win at the appellate court for a long-awaited civilian complaint review board, a police oversight committee that would investigate alleged police misconduct outside of internal affairs. When asked about it during an interview with NJ Advance Media, Henry said he supported the oversight board. That hasnt been the case for others within the department. The police patrolmans union challenged the boards investigative power to the state Supreme Court. This summer, the justices limited the boards powers and ruled in favor of the police union. Policy aside, the police union president, James Stewart, told NJ Advance Media hes sorry to see Henry leave. Stewart said he wouldnt be shocked to see Henry in another law enforcement role in the future, considering his experience. Ive spent my entire career working with him or under him and hes been nothing but a great asset in every place that he has worked for the Newark police department," Stewart said. Henry said hes retiring to spend time with his family. The events hes experienced working as a cop made him want to enjoy his family while hes still fairly young, he said. Henry began his career patrolling the North Ward in 1994. In 2014, Henry took a step back from responding to crime scenes and led the mayors security detail. In 2016, when I appointed Darnell Henry as Chief of Police, I was confident I had hired a man of great integrity and a man who understood and loved the City of Newark, to help lead us through the most transformative years that this Police Division would ever undergo, Baraka said. Henry says he became a police officer because he wanted to make a difference in the community he grew up in. His parting advice to police was to remember the oath they took when they were sworn into the job: protect and serve, be respectful and a professional at all times. Police, we are the community and the community are the police," Henry said. "Knowing that, and not taking peoples dignity from them is paramount. 34 Newark Police Chief Darnell Henry retires Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Advertisement A coronavirus-infected superspreader who attended a house party has been blamed for all 32 Covid-19 cases at Swansea University as infections sweep 47 campuses nation-wide. The Welsh university said the person 'came from outside the area' and attended a 'particular party' sparking the outbreak. Six people have so far been handed warnings for breaching the country-wide rules - which include a six-person limit on gatherings - at Swansea as rave-deprived students were warned they could be kicked off their courses if caught. Even so, no formal quarantine measures in student halls - such as those seen in Manchester and Glasgow - have been introduced as the cases have been linked to private accommodation blocks and not the university's campus. Liverpool John Moores University's campus has also remained quarantine-free, despite footage of a huge booze-fuelled rave in an accommodation hall surfacing today. A group of students - some standing on furniture - were seen crowding together inside an accommodation block as they danced and sang along to Dizzee Rascal song Bonkers. The footage emerged despite coronavirus causing havoc at universities across the country. Up to 4,000 students across Britain are now self-isolating for a fortnight after more than 500 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed across at least 47 universities. In other coronavirus news: A further 52 coronavirus deaths have been announced in the UK's early count this afternoon; 43 new deaths were reported in England, seven in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland; Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane says people need to stop catastrophizing Covid-19; Official data found Covid-19 patients are currently occupying fewer than 2 per cent of all hospital beds in England; 300,000 people are being diagnosed with the disease in Europe every week, but scientists estimate that figure was at least 3million back in April; Boris Johnson has been warned he must still strike a deal with Tory MPs on holding votes before new coronavirus lockdown restrictions are imposed; Cabinet hawks are sniping at Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance over dire warnings about a second wave as the PM prepares to hold a Downing Street press conference. Liverpool John Moores University's campus has remained quarantine-free, despite footage of a huge booze-fuelled rave in an accommodation hall surfacing today A group of students - some standing on furniture - were seen crowding together inside an accommodation block as they danced and sang along to Dizzee Rascal song Bonkers A coronavirus-infected superspreader who attended a house party has been blamed for all 32 Covid-19 cases at Swansea University (file image pictured) as students across the country continue to breach social distancing rules by holding massive raves Universities forcing their students into lockdown include: Glasgow, Manchester Metropolitan, Leeds, Exeter, Aberdeen, St Andrews, Abertay University and Queen's University Belfast. Last week, the Liverpool University reported 80 coronavirus cases among students and seven among staff. And last night, concerns were raised that Liverpool could be just 'days away' from the becoming the first city to have a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown as cases continue to soar. Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said it was 'only a matter of time' before comprehensive lockdown measures are introduced in the north-west city. He has also backed calls for a total alcohol sales ban after 9pm - to stop pub-goers flocking to supermarkets and off-licences after the 10pm pub curfew. It is not the first time footage of lockdown-defying student parties has emerged. Hundreds of students were seen climbing on top of ping pong tables and raving at a Coventry University accommodation block on Tuesday night. At least 200 students are thought to have crammed into a common room at Arundel House, close to Coventry University's main campus, ignoring social distancing guidelines and the rule of six. Some revellers could be heard screaming, while a group of male students clambered on top of a ping pong table as they sang along to the thumping music. The accommodation block is just a two minute walk from campus and is also close to the town centre. Some revellers could be heard screaming, while a group of male students clambered on top of a ping pong table as they sang along to the thumping music PARTY ON CAMPUS: WHERE STUDENTS HAVE HELD COVID-FLOUTING BASHES Where have booze-fuelled students held coronavirus-flouting raves so far? Liverpool John Moores University Students took part in a huge booze-fuelled rave in an accommodation hall. A group of students - some standing on furniture - were seen crowding together inside an accommodation block as they danced and sang along to Dizzee Rascal song Bonkers. Coventry University Hundreds of students were seen climbing on top of ping pong tables and raving at a Coventry University accommodation block on Tuesday night. At least 200 students are thought to have crammed into a common room at Arundel House, close to Coventry University's main campus, ignoring social distancing guidelines and the rule of six. Some revellers could be heard screaming, while a group of male students clambered on top of a ping pong table as they sang along to the thumping music. The accommodation block is just a two minute walk from campus and is also close to the town centre. University of Manchester Despite warnings, a group of students at the University of Manchester held an illegal party outside of their student accommodation during the early hours of the morning last week. Video footage showed a crowd of students dancing to music, with one clip captioned: 'Covid wah?'. Manchester Metropolitan University Residents of Birley Halls - accommodation for Manchester Metropolitan University - students claim around 100 people were partying till the early hours of the morning earlier this month. A GMP sergeant tweeted that they were: 'Shocked at the arrogance, ignorance & selfishness of some of the freshers in Manchester. 'When you're asked to follow the Covid rules, do as you're told. If you refuse, resulting in being told to leave, don't kick off! Your actions are risking bars / pubs being closed!'. Advertisement A spokesman said Coventry University, where there have been 5 confirmed cases of coronavirus, was aware of the incident and said any students found to be in breach of the university's code of conduct could face disciplinary proceedings. Addressing Swansea University's superspreader, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer Andrew Rhodes said: 'What we have seen on coronavirus is that almost all of the cases stem from before the main arrival of the students. 'Cases are stemming from the same party. One infected person who came from outside the area caused the transmission of the virus. 'In terms of all those who had positive test results, there were 32 - all of those students were from a particular party.' He added: 'We have seen a reasonable amount of cases but we have had no cases within hall of residents or on the campus. 'We've had no cases on the campus at all, it's all been in private accommodation. 'The vast majority are connected to the same event on September 12 when there was a cluster of parties. 'In line with Covid restrictions we cannot be having gatherings or parties you can only be with those in your house or flat bubbles. 'There are some students who have enjoyed themselves more than they should have done but the vast majority have been brilliant.' He added: 'We would look at suspension after they have been warned, we are hoping it does not come to that - we have to try to come to a sensible balance. 'We have issued six warnings but we have not need to issue any others. We have not needed to take any disciplinary action. 'We were seeing a lot of these issues when they first arrived as they have been cooped up for six months.' Swansea University has a 23,000 strong student population, which encompasses both the Swansea Bay and the Singleton campus, of which 15,000 students are in private accommodation. So far, 700,000 has been invested into ensuring that the university campuses are safe for students but it is expected the figure will spiral up to 1 million. Mr Rhodes said the university teamed up with the Student Union in order to offer a covered outdoor space in which students could socialise during the current pandemic. He said: 'When you think of Manchester Met and Glasgow that's not our current experience at all. 'Our students are not locked in their rooms they are free to move around. The health board feel that we are taking all the right steps that we can. 'We spent 250,000 on an outdoor facility so the students can socialise in a distanced way. There were 2,049 patients being treated for the disease on Sunday, rising from 764 a fortnight ago and 1,319 last week. This figure had been falling for four months straight after peaking at 20,000 in mid-April How the number of new coronavirus cases announced each day has changed since the first wave of the pandemic, when barely any patients were getting tested for the disease. Top experts believe more than 100,000 cases were actually occurring every day in the spring Office for National Statistics figures show hundreds fewer people are dying from all causes in hospitals 'A lot of universities haven't made provisions for students to have a social space - we built two large outdoor areas so students can have social space. 'All our facilities are still open, our libraries are open, people are in halls and are free to move around the campus. 'They can move between the two campuses for education but not for sport.' Mr Rhodes also pledged to allow face-to-face teaching. The University of Exeter became the latest to institute a 'soft lockdown' on its students yesterday afternoon, asking them not to socialise in other people's residences and only to mix with people within their household. It is believed that more than half of the cases confirmed in Exeter over the last week can be traced back to the university. Elsewhere, 1,700 students are under lockdown at the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) campuses of Birley and Cambridge Halls. All lectures, seminars and classes for first-year students at the university will now be online for the next 14 days. Meanwhile, Gavin Williamson confirmed some university students will have to cut short their term and self-isolate for a fortnight in order to be allowed home for Christmas. The government has been under-fire for its handling of the pandemic as it spread to college campuses, with freshers across the country locked down inside their halls and told to isolate with just those they are living with. Photos of students putting up signs on the windows of their accommodation blocks have been shared widely on social media, while others have begged for help with food and supplies. The number of students trying to get a shopping delivery means some are starting to run out of food, with parents turning up to halls with bags of shopping. Furious parents have demanded help, with calls from across the political spectrum for reimbursement of tuition fees. The footage emerged despite coronavirus causing havoc at universities across the country, with thousands of students under lockdown The accommodation block is just a two minute walk from campus and is also close to the town centre Pressure is mounting on universities to refund tuition fees as thousands of students face lockdowns, online-only courses and the prospect of Christmas confined to their halls. Tory MPs said it was 'madness' that the country's universities were charging the same fees for 'second-rate' learning. Despite the ongoing row, students at Tuesday's nights illegal rave showed no fear of catching the killer virus. An investigation is underway to find the organisers of the party, with police shutting down communal areas in the accommodation blocks and beefing up security in light of last night's gathering. Government should introduce 'Nightingale classes' say teachers Union chiefs have called on the government to create 'Nightingale classes' amid a drop in the number of schools able to fully open due to Covid-19. The latest government figures revealed one in six state secondary schools could not fully open last week - with most unable to do so because of coronavirus. Schools are considered to be not fully open if they are unable to provide face-to-face teaching for all pupils for the whole school day and have asked a group of students to self-isolate. Latest school attendance statistics reveal approximately 84 per cent of state-funded secondary schools were fully open on September 24 - down eight per cent from a week earlier. Now bosses from the National Education Union (NEU), the largest education union in the UK, have renewed calls on the government to create 'Nightingale classes' in a bid to get all of the country's students back into lessons. They say the Nightingale class would be similar to the government's Nightingale hospital system - where pop-up hospitals were set up in conference centres at the start of the pandemic to deal with an anticipated surge in hospital admissions. Joint general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said: 'With such a rapid drop in the number of fully open secondary schools in the space of just two weeks, it is clear the Government's grip on the situation is now in question. 'It is doubtful the urgency of the situation has yet dawned on either (Prime Minister) Boris Johnson or (Education Secretary) Gavin Williamson, who must now ensure that schools and colleges are equipped to deal swiftly and effectively with any outbreaks that occur on their premises. 'This does not just begin and end with testing, although that situation is parlous enough. 'We need to see the drafting in of retired, supply and newly qualified teachers to get class sizes down. 'Nightingale classes will be necessary to expand school space - we have been calling for that since June.' Advertisement A statement issued from Coventry University this afternoon said: 'We are aware of an incident in a private accommodation block which was captured in a video that has been shared online. 'We are deeply concerned by the scenes in the video and strongly condemn the blatant breaches of the rule of six and other guidelines as they risk the health of our students, colleagues and the communities in which we are located. 'We have introduced a code of conduct for students and shared this widely with them ahead of the weekend. 'This code of conduct makes it clear that a failure to follow university and Government health, safety and wellbeing requirements will constitute a breach of the university's disciplinary regulations and may be dealt with as a matter of misconduct. 'If any of those involved in the video are found to be students of Coventry University and in breach of the code of conduct, we will take appropriate action. A spokesman for Coventry Police said: 'We attended Arundel House today (September 29) following reports of a large gathering of students in the early hours of this morning. It's believed around 200 people may have been present in a common room. 'We will be examining CCTV and will take action if evidence comes to light that this was a planned party. 'We have liaised with management at the student accommodation block and they have agreed to close some communal areas and to increase security. 'We have also arranged a Safer Students stall in Arundel House tomorrow to reiterate CoVID-19 regulations and the consequences should those regulations be flouted.' A spokesman for NIDO, which runs Arundel House, said: 'We were made aware of a large social gathering in our residence in Coventry last night. 'Steps were immediately taken to deal with the gathering, including calling the police for assistance. The police were unfortunately unable to attend at the time. We understand that they are under a lot of strain due to the number of similar incidents, both in Coventry and nationally. 'We are in close contact with FutureLets at Coventry University and are assisting the local authorities with their investigation. 'In line with government advice, we are reinforcing our zero tolerance policy to different households mixing and have put in place stringent Covid-19 related measures, including the installation of Perspex screens at reception and hand sanitiser stations throughout the building, the posting of social distancing guidance and measures, ensuring PPE is worn by all staff outside of the office and providing residents with regular updates on the latest government guidance. 'We have also now restricted all visitors to the building, closed communal areas, and have stepped up security across our residences to oversee these policies. We do not want the actions of a few to affect the experience of many.' The Education Secretary told MPs that students in 'specific circumstances' would have to quarantine before Christmas amid growing anger at the handling of campus lockdowns. Thousands of students across Britain are now self-isolating for a fortnight after more than 500 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed across at least 32 universities. Mr Williamson said it was 'essential' that measures were put in place to ensure that students can return home for Christmas 'while minimising the risk of transmission'. 'Where there are specific circumstances that warrant it, there may be a requirement for some students to self-isolate at the end of term and we will be working with the sector to ensure this will be possible, including ending in-person learning if that is deemed to be necessary,' he said. 'My department will publish this guidance shortly so that every student will be able to spend Christmas with their family.' Mr Williamson's disappearance during the crisis so far is likely to raise further questions over his future, after he faces the wrath of parents, teachers and MPs over the return of pupils to schools and the A-Level and GCSE results fiasco last month. 'Invisible Man' Gavin Williamson breaks cover to confirm that some students WILL have to self-isolate for two weeks at the end of term before they are allowed to go home for Christmas Beleaguered Gavin Williamson broke cover today to confirm that some university students will have to cut short their term and self-isolate for a fortnight in order to be allowed home for Christmas. The Education Secretary said students in 'specific circumstances' would have to quarantine before the festive period amid growing anger at the handling of campus lockdowns. He addressed the Commons after being dubbed the 'Invisible Man' by Labour after being notable by his absence as students were locked into halls of residence. Thousands of students across Britain are now self-isolating for a fortnight after more than 500 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed across at least 32 universities. Mr Williamson told MPs today was is 'essential' that measures were put in place to ensure that students can return home for Christmas 'while minimising the risk of transmission'. 'Where there are specific circumstances that warrant it, there may be a requirement for some students to self-isolate at the end of term and we will be working with the sector to ensure this will be possible, including ending in-person learning if that is deemed to be necessary,' he said. 'My department will publish this guidance shortly so that every student will be able to spend Christmas with their family.' Mr Williamson's disappearance during the crisis so far is likely to raise further questions over his future, after he faces the wrath of parents, teachers and MPs over the return of pupils to schools and the A-Level and GCSE results fiasco last month. The Education Secretary said students in 'specific circumstances' would have to quarantine before the festive period amid growing anger at the handling of campus lockdowns University students (pictured left and right: University students who are self-isolating in Manchester) face two weeks in isolation at the end of term so they can return home for Christmas Thousands of students across Britain are now self-isolating for a fortnight after more than 500 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed across at least 32 universities. Pictured: A sign made from sticky notes says 'Help Us' at a halls of residence in Manchester Self-isolating students given free booze as three more universities impose Covid curbs Self-isolating students were treated to 1,000 free beers in Manchester as three more universities impose coronavirus curbs. Some students at the accommodation at Manchester Metropolitan University have been forced into isolation and are only able to receive food and drink through delivery services. Other grocery deliveries were allowed into the Needham Court halls of residence alongside free beer from Magic Rock Brewing. It comes as three other universities in the UK have imposed curbs on freedoms and thousands of students across the country remain in self-isolation after spikes in Covid-19 cases were reported. The University of Exeter yesterday ordered students to stay indoors and only mix with people within their household following reports that more than half of the cases confirmed in Exeter over the last week can be traced back to the university. The University of Aberystwyth put a stop to all in-person teaching after multiple students tested positive amid 'uncertainty' about how far the recent spike has spread. A 'small number' of positive tests were reported in Queen's University Belfast, forcing all students living in university accommodation into self isolation. Some 40 students and staff at the University of Sunderland have tested positive for coronavirus. It comes after Newcastle University and Northumbria University confirmed 62 students had tested positive on September 25, with all students self-isolating. Advertisement He said he does not believe students should face stricter measures than others in society. He told the Commons: 'Students as well as the wider community accept when we are living in a global pandemic we have to operate in a society with restrictions. 'But I do not believe that we should look to inflict stricter measures on students or expect higher standards of behaviour from them than we would from any other sector of society - there must be a parity.' And he added: 'We will never be in a position where we can eliminate all risk. 'But we will not condemn a generation of young people by asking them to put their lives on hold for months or years ahead. 'We believe that universities are very well prepared to handle any outbreaks as they arise.' It comes as more universities in the UK imposed curbs on freedoms. The University of Exeter yesterday ordered students to stay indoors and only mix with people within their household following reports that more than half of the cases confirmed in Exeter over the last week can be traced back to the university. The University of Aberystwyth put a stop to all in-person teaching after multiple students tested positive amid 'uncertainty' about how far the recent spike has spread. A 'small number' of positive tests were reported in Queen's University Belfast, forcing all students living in university accommodation into self isolation. Some 40 students and staff at the University of Sunderland have tested positive for coronavirus. It comes after Newcastle University and Northumbria University confirmed 62 students had tested positive on September 25, with all students self-isolating. Labour said its research showed Mr Williamson has not made any public appearances in recent days and nor has he tweeted since September 10 - more than two weeks ago. On Monday, the South Staffordshire MP took to Instagram to post about a litter pick in his constituency that he had taken part in, rather than the situation at the UK's universities. Responding in the Commons, shadow education secretary Kate Green said the situation as students return to university was 'desperately worrying'. Ms Green told MPs: 'Across the country, many find themselves isolated in cramped accommodation, parents worried about their well-being and safety, and university staff who have worked so hard over the summer to prepare are anxious and angry that the Government didn't keep its part of the bargain. 'They've all been let down by the Government just as it let down many of these same students with its handling of exam results last month. 'What students, staff and their families need now is reassurance.' Education watchdog backs tuition fee refunds for students in lockdown if the quality of their course drops Students at universities hit by coronavirus should seek tuition fee refunds if the quality of their course slips, the higher education watchdog said last night. At least 40 universities have recorded virus cases around one in four leaving thousands of students locked down in halls. They have complained of 'disgusting' conditions as they are essentially sealed off from the outside world. The situation has caused growing anger over the prospect of no face-to-face learning despite fees of up to 9,250 per year. The Office for Students (OfS) regulator has now urged students who feel the quality of their education has been affected to complain, warning universities not to take a 'blanket policy' against refunds. Chief executive Nicola Dandridge said: 'Students have a right to good quality higher education whether that is taught online, in-person or a mixture of the two. 'Where they feel this is not happening they can raise concerns with their university, escalating complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator where a resolution cannot be found. 'They can also inform the OfS, and we can and will investigate if we believe that universities have not taken all reasonable steps to protect standards or where quality is slipping for groups of students.' She added: 'In considering whether to make partial tuition fee refunds, we would expect a university to consider the circumstances for each student rather than to adopt a blanket policy that refunds are not available.' Advertisement Education chiefs are considering asking students in high infection areas to isolate for two weeks at the end of this term, even if they are not showing Covid-19 symptoms, according to the Times. Ministers hope this will help prevent the spread of the virus from university areas, some of which are currently under lockdown, to other parts of the country. Junior skills minister Gillian Keegan said today she 'expects' that students will be able to return home for Christmas, adding: 'Of course that is something that absolutely we'll be working towards.' Mrs Williamson is expected to the MPs today that students should not face further restrictions. He is also expected to reveal plans to reduce the risk of transmission when the current term ends in December - one of which is the rumoured two-week self isolation proposal. Up to 4,000 students are currently self-isolating for two weeks following outbreaks at universities across the country. University of Exeter students living in the city have been told to self-isolate for the next two weeks - as the government insisted locked down freshers would be able to visit their families over Christmas. The Government yesterday said all students in isolation at university should be allowed home for the festive period amid a growing row over coronavirus lockdowns on campuses. The University of Exeter became the latest to lockdown its students yesterday, ordering them to stay indoors and only mix with people within their household. It is believed that more than half of the cases confirmed in Exeter over the last week can be traced back to the university. Elsewhere, 1,700 students are under lockdown at the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) campuses of Birley and Cambridge Halls. All lectures, seminars and classes for first-year students at the university will now be online for the next 14 days. Yesterday, MMU's vice-chancellor said its isolating students will be given financial compensation of more than a week's rent and a care package including 'basic food'. The National Union of Students has received reports of security guards outside blocks, universities telling students they will deliver food and then it not arriving and others left 'wondering where the next roll of toilet roll is coming from'. And lawyers have encouraged students in isolation to seek their help for free, with Levins Solicitors of Liverpool tweeting: 'To the MMU students at Birley campus and Cambridge halls: get in touch and we will do our best to help, pro bono.' But amid fears over what will happen by December, a Downing Street spokesman said today: 'We would expect all students to be able to go home at Christmas.' Meanwhile the University of Aberdeen has asked private landlords to report students caught breaching coronavirus restrictions and warned students caught breaking the rules would face 'robust' disciplinary action. (Left to right) Mia Winrow, 19, Natasha Kutscheruk, 18 and Niamh Morrow, 19, of Manchester Metropolitan's Birtley Hall, pictured today. The students have been locked down since Friday Five of the 1,700 students under lockdown at the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) campuses of Birley and Cambridge Halls speak to Sky News yesterday following the outbreak First-year students pose from behind fencing at a campus of MMU on Saturday evening Lawyers offer free help to freshers fighting campus lockdowns One legal firm has encouraged students in isolation to seek their help for free amid concerns over those stuck at two Manchester Metropolitan University campuses. Levins Solicitors of Liverpool tweeted: 'To the MMU students at Birley campus and Cambridge halls: get in touch and we will do our best to help, pro bono.' Lectures and classes for first-years at MMU will all be given online for the next 14 days, with the situation to be reviewed at regular intervals. Supt Chris Hill, of Greater Manchester Police, said that 'to our knowledge' officers had not been deployed to enforce the rules on students. He said the campus self-isolation was 'not a policing issue'. Manchester's Director of Public Health David Regan also confirmed that the lockdown was currently optional. Advertisement NUS president Larissa Kennedy told ITV's Good Morning Britain today: 'I'm hearing from some students across the country where there are security guards outside of these blocks where students are being kept, stopping people from leaving, coming and going, where students are being discouraged from getting deliveries and told by the university that they'll deliver food and that delivery has not arrived and so they've gone for the day without food. 'I've heard from other students who, they've turned up with an amount of toilet roll, told with no notice that they're going to be locked down and wondering where the next roll of toilet roll is coming from. 'It just feels like these are disgusting conditions for students to have been trapped in.' The number of students trying to get a shopping delivery means some say they are starting to run out of food, with parents turning up to halls with bags of shopping. Recruitment worker Tina McKenzie, whose daughter is currently isolating in Edinburgh tweeted: 'My daughter is in quarantine in her halls in Edinburgh. 'They said they would deliver food - she advised she is vegan. The University of Edinburgh sent a Mars bar and croissant.' MMU student Phoebe told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I've had a test back and I'm actually positive, which is quite scary. I wouldn't be surprised if I've got corona from this place. Before the isolation would be the period when I would have got it. 'There's just been non-stop parties, no social distancing, no wearing masks in the corridors, which would all contribute to the spread.' Another MMU student, Tasiana, 18, told the New Statesman: 'No one was in the flat when I arrived. I know a girl that lives in another block that didn't meet her flatmates for days after moving in. 'The majority of everyone's time is spent in their rooms, attending online seminars. It's hard to speak to my flatmates because a lot of them have eight-hour days of classes on Zoom, so people hardly leave their rooms. One of my flatmates still hasn't come out of her room yet. We aren't sure if maybe she is a bit nervous about social distancing.' As thousands prepared to start the new term, at the University of Aberdeen, sanctions for those breaking the rules include a fine of up to 250 as well as possible suspension or expulsion, with private landlords urged to report 'any incidents of a breach' to the university. Lawyers have encouraged students in isolation at university to seek their help pro-bono A student gives a thumbs up at the window of a flat at Birley student halls in Manchester today Compensation plans for Manchester Metropolitan students who are self-isolating Students stuck in self-isolation at Manchester Metropolitan University will be given financial compensation of more than a week's rent, its vice-chancellor has said. Professor Malcolm Press said 'a significant amount of money' would be given, on top of a care package that includes 'basic food', to ensure students felt 'protected and cared for'. Speaking to Sky News he said: 'It will be a package that I think students will appreciate, that allows them to rest assured, while they're in this situation, they don't have any particular financial worries as a consequence.' Prof Press said details were being discussed with students, but added that 'a financial package means hard cash', with it representing 'more than an actual week's rent'. 'Students will be receiving financial compensation to ensure that they feel protected and cared for during this period of self isolation,' he said. His comments came after Glasgow University said it will refund all students in halls of residence one month's rent, along with a 50 payment for food, amid an outbreak of coronavirus cases there. Over the weekend fears were raised among a number of students at Manchester Metropolitan University that they were being falsely imprisoned in their accommodation, with human rights lawyers questioning the legality of security staff enforcing a 14-day isolation period. Students described being scared and confused as their accommodation was locked down on Friday, after 127 people tested positive for coronavirus. They were later told the decision, made in conjunction with Public Health England and Manchester City Council, was 'deemed necessary' to prevent the spread of the virus to other students, staff or the community. But Prof Press told Sky News today: 'We were asked to ensure (students) would self-isolate because there had been an outbreak of Covid into halls of residence. 'We're advising students on the rules, what they should do, we're supporting them, but the idea that they're not able to leave is just not true I'm afraid. 'Students are free to go should they wish to and a small number of students have gone home in a Covid-secure way.' Prof Press also said there had been some 'miscommunication' within the university over students being asked to remove posters. 'We've retracted that information, students are very free to put posters up and we obviously value freedom of speech, and it's just regretful that there was a message sent out in error,' he said. Advertisement But third-year student Jack Boag, 20, said students have been 'sold a lie' and 'treated like the problem' - despite being encouraged to come back to university. Mr Boag said: 'In terms of the lockdown, I live in a private flat quite far away from the Covid hotspots, so it comes across as closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted. 'We were told it would be a blended learning experience, and obviously that hasn't happened. Coming up to Aberdeen from my home in Fife has been completely pointless. 'We've been consistently told to come back to campus, we've been consistently told that it would be a blended learning experience, and now that we're here it feels as if we've been sold a lie and treated as if we are the problem. 'For first years who have just moved into halls with people that they've never met, that's hard. My main concern is that landlords could quite easily take advantage of this. 'The landlord/tenant dynamic is not an equal one, so it could become a tool for blackmail, essentially. I'm a private renter so they've been talking to my landlord, and while I can understand the university isn't taking any chances, it's worrying. 'It seems when other universities are easing back, Aberdeen is doubling down and emphasising the punishments and what will happen if you breach regulations.' Mr Boag, from Fife, said while he doesn't have plans to move back home, he understands why many other students might feel differently. He said: 'I would have to go back to my grandparents who are vulnerable or my dad who is a key worker, so for me it's not really an option, although I can see why it would be attractive for others.' Ms McKenzie said she 'followed up multiple times and sent a few dead salads', adding: 'I've sent her parcels and she has ordered takeaway. Lucky she has the money unlike less fortunate others.' Labour even called for a delay to the start of the English term until the chaotic testing system can meet soaring demand. Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for education, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I'm extremely worried about these young people. 'Some of them will be vulnerable to mental ill health, and for some of them it's the very first time away from home. 'So I think that the very first thing that needs to happen is that universities need to be given the support to identify which students may be particularly vulnerable. 'The second thing is there needs to be an assessment of which young people want to stay at university and which ones may not want to stay there.' She added: 'If young people want to be returning at some point between now and Christmas, there needs to be a plan that the Government works up with universities so that we have a managed Covid-secure return of those young people to home. 'Because what we can't have is for those young people to be moving in the same numbers at the same time that they were at the start of term, but doing that at Christmas time.' Health minister Helen Whately told Radio 4 that the Government could not rule out the prospect that university students may be unable to return home at Christmas. She said: 'We want them to be home for Christmas. Everybody wants to come home and spend Christmas with family. We want that very much to be the case. A note left in the window of a flat at Birley student halls of residence in Manchester today Pressure mounts for universities to refund tuition fees Pressure is mounting on universities to refund tuition fees as thousands of students face lockdowns, online-only courses and the prospect of Christmas confined to their halls. Tory MPs said it was 'madness' that the country's universities were charging the same fees for 'second-rate' learning. As students face the prospect of being confined to their halls of residence over Christmas because of Covid-19 outbreaks on campuses, 3,000 students have already been locked down in their rooms after cases at 36 universities, including Glasgow, Manchester Metropolitan and Edinburgh Napier. Last night Robert Halfon, the Conservative chairman of the education select committee, said students must be compensated for the lack of face-to-face learning. The Department for Education said students who wanted refunds should appeal to their universities. Mr Halfon told the Daily Mail: 'If we have 3,000 students in lockdown now, it could be 6,000 next week, so ministers need to come up with a plan on testing and tracing. And we need to ensure students are back by Christmas, because a lockdown over Christmas would cause anguish for them and their families. 'The Government needs to seriously consider a discount, because when you pay for a product you should expect to get that product, and if not, you should get some money returned.' Tory MP George Freeman said yesterday it was 'madness' that students were locked in halls of residences by universities 'still happily taking their money'. He said on Twitter: 'How do I think universities make up the losses from offering student discounts? Well, not from fleecing students! Maybe from vice-chancellors' 300,000 salaries?' Advertisement 'Christmas is some time off yet and it is down to all of us to get this under control so we can spend Christmas with our families.' In Manchester, the 1,700 students have been told they cannot leave the campus to visit the local testing centre, leading to fears the outbreak will spread. Labour education spokesman Kate Green said today that the Government should 'step up' testing capacity to help ensure university students can return home for Christmas, She told Sky News: 'Students will desperately want to be able to go home to be with friends and family at Christmas. And, of course, it's right that we all have a part to play in keeping distance and keeping safe. 'But the real key to this is getting the mass testing rolled out so that students can be tested, we can know if somebody is testing positive and make sure that they are isolated and don't travel. 'But it would mean the other students would be able to get back home for Christmas and that's why the Government needs to step up too and make sure that that testing capacity is available.' She also said the Government should support universities' efforts to test for coronavirus, adding: 'One thing that I think particularly in relation to students: much more effort could be made to support those universities that are already developing their own testing capacity, like Leicester, for example, or Cambridge. 'And the Government could be really working much more closely alongside them to get that additional capacity that would relieve pressure elsewhere in the NHS and other pillars of testing. 'And it would mean that students could be tested on campus, so could university staff.' Ms Green argued this would help make universities 'much safer places'. Last night Ms Green called on ministers to stop students from returning to university for the start of the academic year affecting 2.3 million in the UK. She said they should either delay the start of term or 'pause' the return of students to university campuses where courses had not started. Backing Miss Green, NUS president Larissa Kennedy told The Guardian the union was demanding 'a functional test-and-trace system in place on campuses and adequate funding to tackle the student mental health crisis'. She added in a tweet: 'Government and universities are gambling with students' lives.' Ms Kennedy added on Good Morning Britain today: 'First and foremost, we are of course encouraging people to do the right thing for public health and to follow that guidance. Students post a message in their window at MMU yesterday complaining about the situation A sign on a closed gate at the Birley student halls of residence in Manchester this morning Bottles of alcohol lined up in a window of the Birley student halls in Manchester this morning Morrisons cashes in on students trapped in campus lockdowns Morrisons has today revealed an SOS 'Serve our Students' food delivery service aimed at those in lockdown on campuses. The supermarket said students will be able to choose from the food boxes of 35 meat essentials; 35 vegetarian essentials; 30 easy meals for the week; and 25 big night in. An example of the food packs Morrisons will be delivering to isolating students Its delivery service will launch at the lockdown-hit Birley and Cambridge Halls at Manchester Metropolitan and will then expand to other universities. Students can email students-ug@morrisonsplc.co.uk to place their order today and it will be delivered to them tomorrow between 5pm and 7pm. Morrisons chief executive David Potts said: 'Students have asked for our help and that's why we are making sure they can safely access affordable food at this very difficult time. We're playing our full part in feeding the nation so that no one is left behind.' The company hopes students will soon be able to place their order by 2pm for delivery that evening. If successful, the service will be rolled out to other universities across the country. Advertisement 'But we are questioning whether this is legal, in terms of making sure that students get that access to the basic amenities that they need - to food, to toiletries and to all the things they need just to survive lockdown - and in cases where that hasn't been the case, whether it has been legal to keep them cooped up in that way without that access to the things that they need.' But outgoing University of Buckingham vice-chancellor Sir Anthony Seldon said: 'We must have a sense of perspective. Universities have gone to huge lengths to plan for this and many are coping.' And the Department for Education rejected Labour's call, insisting it was 'working closely with universities to support them to keep staff and students as safe as possible'. Niamh Thripleton, a new zoology student at Reading, told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'We're obviously not allowed to go out. Freshers is all online. 'We're, we think, only meant to socialise with our flat, but they haven't really been enforced or been made clear. 'It's just been a lot quieter, it's been harder making friends. Turning up and realising everything is going to be online is a bit of an anti-climax. 'You'd think it (a zoology degree) would be quite a lot of lab work, and it's quite worrying how I'm going to do that online. 'I just think the way Manchester Met and other places have been locked down, being on your room on your own for two weeks with now freedom there, I don't I'd be able to cope with that, so it's kind of worrying.' Her stepfather Chris Taplin told the programme: 'I do feel she's certainly been robbed of the experienced I had at university. 'It is also really scary when you read things about the Christmas threat, not coming home, when it is the first time they've moved out and we basically feel we'd be some kind of law breaker if we went there and busted her out. But it's been the first thing for a sort of mental trauma, really. 'Certainly my wife has been saying, 'don't worry we'll get you out' (if she's locked down in halls at Christmas), but I think that's obviously not a very sensible position to go and do that. 'But I think we're both making sure we get food to her and keep talking to her as much as possible.' Meanwhile the Prime Minister has been urged to ensure online tuition at universities 'becomes the norm', amid concern over the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on students. In a letter to Boris Johnson, the University and College Union (UCU), accused some institutions of adopting a 'stubborn position' over requiring in-person teaching because they depended on rent from student accommodation. An 'HMP' sign has been put up in one of the windows of the Birley student halls this morning A sign reading 'help' is left in a window of one of the flats in Manchester this morning Signs in windows of the Birley student halls of residence in Manchester this morning University asks private landlords to report any students caught breaching Covid rules A top university has asked private landlords to report students caught breaching coronavirus restrictions. The University of Aberdeen has warned students of the consequences facing them if they breach national Covid-19 related guidance. In a statement emailed last night, university bosses said students caught breaking the rules would face 'robust' disciplinary action. Sanctions include a fine of up to 250 as well as possible suspension or expulsion. And private landlords around the city have been asked to report 'any incidents of a breach' to the university. The statement read: 'Given the events of the last few days I want to emphasise that any breaches will not be tolerated, and those found to be breaking the rules will face robust action. 'Sanctions include a fine of up to 250 as well as the potential for further action - including suspension and/or expulsion - under our Code of Conduct on Student Discipline (non academic). 'Regardless of whether you live in University provided accommodation, a private flat or in student accommodation from a private provider, we will still look to take the same appropriate disciplinary measures against any student that fails to follow the requirements that are currently in place to protect everyone in Scotland. 'We are in contact with landlords and have asked that any incidents of a breach of our Covid Campus Pledge and Guidelines and the national guidelines are reported to the University, to enable the matter to be investigated in the usual way.' Advertisement In her letter to Mr Johnson, Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said the union which represents academics and university staff was 'not prepared to take chances with the health of students, our members and the communities they serve'. 'It is clear that remote learning should be the default for campus life while we are in this precarious position with the virus,' she said. 'However, what we are seeing on the ground is university employers hiding behind the Government's current sectoral guidance, with all the ambiguities associated with the term 'blended learning'. She added: 'Whilst other sectors are being encouraged by the Government to work from home to help control the spread of the virus, universities are requiring staff to travel across their local regions to work on-site and in-person with any number of students. 'Considering the known risks associated with in-person teaching and students living in close quarters, why did the Government not insist on minimising in-person teaching and students travelling to universities? 'We have concerns that universities are taking this stubborn position because they depend on rents from student accommodation - and because your own Government refuses to step in and underwrite universities' lost income for the duration of the pandemic to ensure they are not negatively impacted and jobs are not lost.' The Government is under pressure to guarantee young people are not confined to their halls of residence over the Christmas period because of Covid-19 outbreaks on campuses. Ms Grady said students should be allowed to leave their accommodation and return home 'without fear of financial penalty'. 'We cannot have students forced to quarantine in halls of residence with no familiar support network, or staff forced to carry out work on site that could be conducted more safely from home,' she said. Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students (OfS), the higher education regulator in England, said it would be 'looking very closely' at the quality of education being provided by institutions. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she said institutions must be clear with students on what teaching conditions they can expect and if this changed. 'What we can't have is a situation where students don't know what's going on, that they're locked in their halls of accommodation, and can't get hold of food,' she said. She said students had 'legal rights as consumers' and could raise complaints with their university and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. Students at Manchester Metropolitan have been left unimpressed by the cost of studies Students look down from outside their window at MMU while in lockdown yesterday Asked if students should receive a refund of tuition fees she said it was 'a question for government'. The 1,700 MMU students in lockdown yesterday complained of feeling abandoned with some already plotting their escape. After 127 positive tests for Covid-19 on Friday, the shocked students many of them freshers living away from home for the first time were ordered to self-isolate in their halls of residence for a fortnight. Desperate undergraduates said supplies of food and toiletries were low and complained of students holding all-night parties likened to 'prison riots'. A student waves through the window of accommodation at MMU behind a sign yesterday 'Don't fine students for partying refund their fees': Oxford professor urges UK to follow Sweden and PAY infected freshers to trace their contacts A Oxford professor has urged universities in the UK to follow Sweden and pay infected freshers to trace their contacts as at least 32 report Covid cases. Carl Heneghan, professor of evidence-based medicine at Oxford University told the Times newspaper the Government had helped every sector but had 'clamped down' on students. The professor said that the UK should pay students to trace their contacts if they become infected and said students should be trusted to behave like responsible adults instead of being locked on campus over Christmas. He added: 'We should waive student fees. We have asked people to go back to university and at the first sign cases are going up, we are clamping down on people.' Advertisement Some tried to ease the boredom by putting up signs in their windows with slogans including 'send drink' and 'f*** Boris'. As some students in lockdown likened the university to a prison by labelling it 'HMP MMU', with security guards blocking them from leaving, legal experts claimed their incarceration could amount to false imprisonment. Adam Wagner, a human rights barrister at Doughty Street chambers in London, wrote on Twitter: 'False imprisonment is detention without lawful authority.' Hours later, university vice-chancellor Professor Malcolm Press conceded it could only 'expect' students to follow the self-isolation rules designed to avoid spreading the infection to their home towns. While many students pledged to stick it out, others were preparing to flee the city. Tilly Thompson, 19, said she felt like a 'caged animal' and was waiting for her mother to take her home to Wolverhampton. Students claimed some of those under restrictions had been ignoring the rules and throwing parties. One boasted the quarantine would be 'a two-week p***-up', saying he had '200 cans of lager' and 'it's going to get messy'. A student called Tom told BBC Radio 5 Live that people had been running past their flats shouting: 'Open your doors, we've got coronavirus, we want to give it to you.' He added: 'It was insane... parties going on everywhere, loud music... It was like a prison riot.' Martyn Moss, of the University and College Union, said he had warned MMU chiefs that their plans for the 'mass return of students would inevitably see institutions become Covid incubators'. He added: 'Universities should have spent the summer following the science and preparing properly for this inevitable crisis.' * Are you a student in lockdown? Send your photos to: pictures@mailonline.co.uk * Gavin Williamson's words plop out of his mouth like coins from a one-armed bandit: HENRY DEEDES watches the Education Secretary's statement on the fiasco in our universities When the BBC commissioned its delightfully dire 'sun, sex and sangria' sitcom Eldorado, some bright spark at Broadcasting House had the whizzo idea of hiring some Spanish actors. You can just imagine how the conversation at that executive lunch went. 'Yup, trust me, Tristram, this will save us a bunch. Plus, it will make the whole thing a bit more authentic. Now, do try the rabbit polenta here, it's dreamy.' Of course, as soon as cameras started rolling, it transpired that none of these artsy hombres understood a word of what he was saying. The whole production was a Costa del Disaster. Hysterical viewing, mind you. Zero understanding: Gavin Williamson This little snippet of early 90s nostalgia came to mind yesterday, when Gavin Williamson came to the House to issue a statement on the fiasco taking place in our universities, where local restrictions have left many students cooped up on campus like battery chooks. This must be Mr Williamson's fourth or fifth appearance at the despatch box in recent weeks, and having sat through each one, I have come to suspect that he has absolutely zero understanding of the words written in front of him. He might as well be reading Swahili. Words do not so much come from his mouth as plop out at random, like coins from a one-armed bandit. Everything is just one long monotonous drawl. Stress, emotion, urgency such oratorical tools are completely absent from the Williamson kitbag. Even his universities minister Michelle Donelan, perched cross-legged to his left, spent most of his speech staring into the distance, her eyes basted with a dewy glaze. From what I was able to discern, contrary to recent fears, students will be able to return home this Christmas, though some might have to cut short their term and self-isolate for two weeks first. Panicking mothers, you can all breathe easy. It is fortunate for Gav that his opposite number Kate Green was off her oats. She was rather subdued. Possibly still licking her wounds after Piers Morgan gave her a going-over on Monday over her recent comment: 'Don't let a good crisis go to waste.' Other Labour MPs were far more vocal. 'Shambolic!' they cried. 'Chaotic!' Even bubbly Lucy Powell (Lab, Manchester Central) had gone grey with rage. Williamson, she said, had 'lost control'. There was much venting about student fees. The DUP's Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) was furious. Usually is. He asked why universities were able to charge the same money while clearly 'not offering the student experience that they promised'. Bambos Charalambous (Lab, Enfield & Southgate) called it 'grossly unjust and unfair'. This must be Mr Williamson's fourth or fifth appearance at the despatch box in recent weeks, and having sat through each one, I have come to suspect that he has absolutely zero understanding of the words written in front of him The SNP's education spokesman Carol Monaghan suggested England take a leaf out of Scotland's book and make tuition fees free. Cheeky. Scottish universities, of course, benefit from cash which whistles its way up from Westminster. Gav thanked Monaghan 'for suggestions for future Conservative Party manifestos'. There were a few 'hear, hears' from backbenchers at that remark, which might have encouraged Williamson. He delivered a decent put-down to Corbynite clod Richard Burgon (Lab, Leeds East), who accused the Government of rushing students back to dodge demands for rent reimbursements. Droned Gav: 'I'm always grateful to get direct questions from the UCU...' Laura Trott (Con, Sevenoaks), so lustrously maned she may possibly have just waltzed in from the set of a shampoo advert, raised the issue of university bosses' pay. Some vice-chancellors, as we know, are paid better than Goldman Sachs bankers. Trott wanted assurances that staff would not be allowed to claim bonuses this year, unless fees were lowered. Williamson said he would give regulators a 'strong steer' on the matter. If you could. Twice Williamson was asked whether students were allowed under the current rules to go home to self-isolate. Twice he promised his department would publish 'guidance' shortly. He hangs to that word like a toddler to a blankie. He used it 14 times yesterday, by my count. Anyway, Gav shows no sign of going anywhere, so stand by for more of this nonsense. STORRS The University of Connecticut has lifted the quarantine of a residence hall on campus after the number of COVID-19 cases there improved. The quarantine was lifted Wednesday morning at Eddy Hall, where there has not been any new cases in the past week, UConn officials said. The residence hall previously had 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among students living there, a positivity rate of 6.3 percent, according to the university. The bump in cases led the school to place the dorm under medical quarantine beginning Sept. 19. However, you continued to be tested and observe the precautions of the quarantine and it worked, Dr. Ellyssa Eror, the schools medical director, said in a letter to Eddy Hall residents. As of Wednesday, only one dorm, Belden Hall, on the UConn Storrs campus remains under quarantine, university officials said. University officials placed that dorm under quarantine at the end of last week, and said students there will receive increased testing until there is a drop in new cases. On Wednesday, the school reported 10 new cases eight living on campus and two off-campus students. Of the campus residents, six of the new cases are in Belden Hall. That marks a flip in a trend UConn and other universities have seen. Most of the new cases were previously showing up among students living off-campus, while new cases among campus residents remained low. Its come as weve tested students in quarantine, notably at Belden, who had potential contact with a positive person; or as an asymptomatic student is determined to be positive after being called in for random testing under our surveillance program, UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said. No new cases were reported among staff or at UConns four other campuses. Central Connecticut State University in New Britain reported two new cases Tuesday, both among commuter students. One of the students who tested positive attends the New Britain campus, according to the schools data. Yale University reported one new case among its graduate students Monday, the most recent data available. Trinity College in Hartford reported four new cases last week. The school reported six active cases, all among students, as of Monday. Introduction The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been a focal issue for understanding the foreign policy of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). Some observers view the BRI as representing a new phase of economic globalization and regional economic integration. Others argue that the BRIs primary motivating factors are domestic and that the massive program is chiefly aimed at creating new markets, maintaining economic stability, resolving regional development imbalances, and transferring industrial overcapacity. Both views have their valid points, but overlook the BRIs key role in supporting Chinas domestic economic reforms. This article argues that the BRI should be understood as a major component of Chinas program of supply-side structural reform (????????, gongjice jiegouxing gaige). The Authoritative Person and Supply-Side Structural Reform The BRI was first announced in 2013 and officially incorporated into the PRC constitution in 2017 (Xinhua, October 24, 2017). The concept of supply-side structural reform (SSSR) was reportedly introduced by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping in late 2015 and developed into a significant component of Beijings economic policy framework (Xinhua, April 3, 2018). In a speech to the 19th Party Congress, Xi stated that We should pursue supply-side structural reform as our main task, and work hard for better quality, higher efficiency, and more robust drivers of economic growth through reform (China Daily, December 18, 2019). Throughout 2015 and 2016, the Peoples Daily, the CCPs most authoritative newspaper, published a series of interviews with an anonymous authoritative person (????, quanwei renshi) that discussed the concept of SSSR (Peoples Daily, May 25, 2015; January 4, 2016; May 9, 2016). It has been widely understood that the information presented in this series of interviews came either from the offices of Liu He (??), director of the General Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission (??????????, Zhongyang Caijing Weiyuanhui Bangongshi), or else from Liu himself. Liu is one of the PRCs chief economic architects and has been described by party media as one of the masterminds behind Chinas supply-side structural reforms (Peoples Daily, March 20, 2018). In the interviews, the authoritative person concluded that a return to Chinas former debt-stimulated growth rate of ten-plus percent a year would be impossible, and instead stressed the sustainable and qualitative development of the Chinese economy. To this end, the main tasks of the SSSR are to improve the quality and efficiency of supply; promote structural adjustments; correct the allocation distortion of factors of production; enhance the adaptability and flexibility of the supply structure to changes in demand; and advance total factor productivity (Peoples Daily, January 4, 2016). More concretely, SSSR encompasses five core policy objectives: 1) cutting excess industrial capacity; 2) reducing leverage in the corporate sector; 3) reducing property inventories; 4) lowering costs for businesses, and 5) addressing weak links in the economy (a euphemism for poverty reduction). Chinas BRI is well-positioned to address the first and fourth goals of SSSR. Hu Huaibang (???), former Chairman of the China Development Bank, has argued that the BRI can offset the problem of increasing labor costs through the structural transformation of Chinas economy (Peoples Daily, July 16, 2018). In this way, the BRI alleviates industrial overcapacity by transferring low-end manufacturing industries to less developed countries with lower labor costs. SSSR and Chinas Persistent Problem of Corporate Debt The most crucial objective of SSSR is reducing leverage in the corporate sector. At the 2017 National Financial Work Conference, Xi stated that financial stability is the basis of national stability, and deleveraging state-owned enterprises is the top of the top priorities. Xi called on local officials to control debt and maintain social security, while declaring local government debt to be one of the greatest threats to Chinas financial security (Xinhua, July 15, 2017). At the end of 2019, the global financial rating companies Moodys Analytics and Fitch Ratings, Inc. both raised warnings about rising defaults in Chinese debt. Moodys chief economist warned that Chinese corporate debt represented the biggest threat to the global economy (Business Times (China), December 18, 2019). Presciently, the authoritative person had warned two years earlier that the leverage issue, rather than unemployment, could cause disasters for China: The total labor force in China is decreasing year by yearEven if the economy is experiencing a significant downturn, social employment can remain generally stable However, the issue of leverage is different High leverage will inevitably bring high risks. Poor control over leverage will lead to a systemic financial crisis [and] negative economic growth, even causing ordinary people to lose their savings. This will be disastrous. (Peoples Daily, May 9, 2016). Related: The Hydrogen Boom Is On Track To Hit $11 Trillion Ma Guonan, a fellow at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, has found that China has had the fastest-growing ratio of corporate debt to GDP of any country in the world, rising by 65 percent following the 2008 global financial crisis. Mas calculations found that Chinas total corporate, government, and household debt had doubled in ten years to a high of roughly 242 percent of total GDP, making China the most indebted emerging economy (MERICS, August 22, 2019). A 2019 OECD working paper found that Chinas corporate debt was concerningly high, with state-owned enterprises (SOEs) accounting for over three-quarters of that debt in 2017 (OECD, February 7, 2019). A 2016 article in Peoples Daily by Liu Yuanchun (???), Vice President of Renmin University, argued that SSSR should center on SOE reforms. Lius article was designated essential reading (????, renmin yaolun), again hinting at strong official support for controlling the risk of overleveraged SOEs (Peoples Daily, February 25, 2016). The Belt and Road Initiatives Role in Supply-Side Structural Reform Because of the BRIs close association with the Chinese government, the program has mostly benefited SOEs, which have both the funding and connections to successfully lobby for contracts (Daily Economic News (China), September 20, 2018). In 2018, Peoples Daily reported that central government-run SOEs had undertaken 3,116 BRI projects, with data from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (??????????????, Guowuyuan Guoyou Zichan Jiandu Guanli Weiyuanhui) (SASAC) showing that central SOEs were contracted on half of all current and planned future infrastructure projects related to the BRI (China Daily, November 12, 2018). PRC officials are looking to the BRI to help SOEs address the overcapacity problem, open up external markets, and offset rising domestic labor costs. BRI participation can also help SOEs carry out the SSSR-mandated goal of controlling corporate debt. As stated by Hong Shen of Carnegie Mellon University, Many BRI projects are directly funded by Beijing-backed financial institutions that often explicitly or implicitly require receiving countries to outsource projects to Chinese companies. [1] Such project demands create a captive market for SOEs, providing an opportunity to pay down their over-leveraged debt. Despite its benefits, the external risks associated with the BRI may still be too much to bear for Chinese SOEs. In the last year, Beijing has invested less in the BRI, and the dream of creating a win-win network of enhanced economic interconnectivity has had limited effect in mitigating economic crises such as the U.S.-China trade war or the global pandemic (China Brief, September 26, 2019; November 1, 2019; March 16). In the wake of new foreign hostilities, and a slowing global economy exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the CCP leadership has ramped up efforts to reduce Chinas reliance on overseas markets and technology to drive economic growth. This drive has culminated in Xi Jinpings recent push for a new dual circulation (???, shuangxunhuan) economic model (China Brief, August 14, 2020; Asia Times, August 24; Xinhua, September 2). Image: Front page of the May 9, 2016 issue of Peoples Daily, featuring an article by an unnamed authoritative person on Chinas economic reforms. (Image source: Sina.com) In giving Chinese SOEs unprecedented access to overseas contracts, the BRI seemed well-positioned to aid debt reduction and job creation, two key issues for ensuring Chinas economic survivability. But the BRI may have also revealed a grim truth: that Chinas SOEs have difficulty competing in both domestic and overseas markets, even with the assistance of the Chinese government and the BRI. Chinas SOEs are popularly called zombie enterprises because they rely on government subsidies or bank loans to stay alive (China Brief, March 16), a fact noted by the authoritative person. As a result, one of the most urgent tasks of the Chinese government is to deal with these zombies in order to reduce excessive production capacity, and free up valuable physical resources, credit resources, and market space (Peoples Daily, January 4, 2016). Related: Nigerian Government: Oil Could Become Worthless From 2016 to 2019, the state-owned steel giants Dongbei Special Steel, Chongqing Iron & Steel, Henan Commerce & Trade, and Bohai Steel were either liquidated or went bankrupt. [3] In 2019, Beijing issued a reform plan to speed up the improvement of the SOE exit system, promoting the bankruptcy and restructuring of state-owned zombies (Guancha, July 16, 2019). These concrete measures have had tangible results: SOE debt growth has declined since 2017 (OECD, February 7, 2019). A recent article by Guo Shuqing (???), Secretary of the Party Committee of the Peoples Bank of China and Chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, also confirmed that the corporate sectors leverage ratio has stabilized and declined (Qiushi, August 16). Conclusion: SSSR and the BRI after COVID-19 The Rhodium Group has projected that Beijing can retain the high gear lending of the BRI because policy banks are able to maintain the loan pace of 2015-2019 (Rhodium Group, April 15). BRI loans form a minor part of the Chinese overall lending portfolio, and China Development Bank and China Export-Import Bank have ample political support to cover the cost. But Beijing is unlikely to enlarge its loans to BRI-participating countries in the short term. Due to the pandemic, some states may not be able to make their repayments on time, and the BRI may face financial losses. A June report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that COVID-19 had seriously affected nearly a fifth of projects along the BRI (SCMP, June 28). Beijing may either opt to reduce debt obligations or seek to postpone payments and extend terms, as sovereign lenders often do in response to a financial crisis. Renegotiating the terms of BRI-related debt will bring its own political and economic risks, and could raise the specter of debt-trap diplomacy, hurting Chinas international prestige. Postponing payments would also increase the financial sectors total debt, undermining the principles of SSSR. Fortunately, after several years of implementation, the ambiguously defined and constantly evolving BRI has shown its versatility and adaptability. In the aftermath of COVID-19, the PRC has promoted once-overlooked concepts such as the Digital Silk Road and the Health Silk Road to spur global economic recovery, as well as emphasizing green aspects of the BRI that parallel Chinas leading role in international climate change dialogues (IIGF (Beijing), May 30).[3] Chinas leadership is also reframing the BRI to align with high-level policies to deleverage and carry out SSSR. In a speech at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2019, President Xi Jinping said we welcome the participation of multilateral and national financial institutions in BRI investment and financing and encourage third-market cooperation (PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, April 26, 2019). Recent testimony to the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) has also underscored Xis claim that future funding for the BRI will no longer prioritize SOEs, instead opening up the playing field to private actors and foreign companies. (China-U.S. Focus, July 30). State media organs and leading economists have effectively disavowed Chinas bloated zombie SOEs, leaving room for developments towards a multi-tiered, market-oriented financing system that will better support Chinas domestic prioritization of SSSR. By: Jon (Yuan) Jiang via Jamestown More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: MOSCOW The officials from a secretive Russian security force seemed to know exactly what they wanted when they reached out to Olga Izranovas company last spring. They wanted movable tunnels that douse people in clouds of disinfectant. They said it had to be done very fast, Ms. Izranova recalls. She admits the tunnels are of limited efficacy in the coronavirus pandemic, but for her most important customer, every bit counts. The Federal Protective Service, Russias answer to the Secret Service, has helped build a virus-free bubble around President Vladimir V. Putin that far outstrips the protective measures taken by many of his foreign counterparts. Russian journalists who cover Mr. Putin have not seen him up close since March. The few people who meet him face-to-face generally spend as much as two weeks in quarantine first. The president still conducts his meetings with senior officials including with his cabinet and his Security Council by video link from a spartan room in his residence outside Moscow, which has been outfitted with Ms. Izranovas disinfectant tunnel. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Wednesday the resumption on Oct. 2 of limited in-person visits to nursing homes more than six months after they locked down in response to coronavirus. Each nursing home resident will be allowed one caregiver or visitor at a time. Nursing homes can only permit indoor visits if they have not had a positive coronavirus case in two weeks, according to the Alabama Nursing Home Association. Facilities can limit the total number of visitors at one time and masks and social distancing will be required. The Alabama Nursing Home Association provided the following guidance to family members: Do schedule an appointment to visit with your loved one Do use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before, during and after your visit Do wear a mask covering your mouth and nose during your entire visit in the facility Do maintain social distance of at least six feet from staff and residents Do keep out of areas that are not designated for visitation Dont remove your mask while in the facility Dont leave the designated visitation area Dont come to the facility without an appointment Dont come to the facility if you have any symptoms coughing, sore throat, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell even if you attribute these symptoms to some other cause (allergies or cold). More than 6,000 nursing home residents and 3,000 staff members in Alabama have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since March. The facilities often house sick and elderly people at high risk of complications and death from the virus. But families have become increasingly concerned that policies designed to protect vulnerable residents have caused cognitive and physical decline as they struggle with isolation and loneliness. Its important for nursing home residents and their family members to be able to visit in person and this is another step toward returning life to normal in nursing homes, said Brandon Farmer, President & CEO of the Alabama Nursing Home Association. We are pleased [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] is moving in this direction and thankful Governor Kay Ivey and Dr. Scott Harris amended the state health order to accommodate this change. Today, were announcing changes to allow loved ones to be reunited safely with those in long-term living facilities across AL. Each patient & each resident is allowed one caregiver or visitor with them at a time unless there are compelling reasons to limit access. #alpolitics 7/7 pic.twitter.com/6nw4OpEh5V Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) September 30, 2020 Some Alabama nursing homes have scheduled outdoor visits with family members. However, state regulators did not require outdoor visits or video calls with loved ones. The new guidelines require facilities to accommodate visits unless there are reasonable safety concerns.The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said outdoor visits are preferable to indoor ones and should be encouraged whenever conditions allow. Anna Braden of Huntsville joined the Alabama group Caregivers for Compromise to advocate for visits with nursing home residents, including her father, who lives in Madison. She said the announcement is a step in the right direction. This is the first time that Governor Ivey has ever said anything about the residents on lockdown in any of her press conferences, Braden said. I was excited about that. Now the next step is working with each facility and I hope they arent too stringent. Braden still has a lot of questions about what visits will look like during the pandemic. Its unclear whether visitors will be able to go into residents' rooms or how long visits will last. Prior to the lockdown, Braden said she could come and go freely at her fathers nursing home to help him with showering and other tasks. Also, under the new guidelines, nursing homes are encouraged to test visitors for coronavirus, or to have them tested elsewhere two to three days before visits, according to a press release from the Alabama Nursing Home Association. They will also have to pass a health screening prior to entry. According to CMS, nursing homes in counties with positivity rates higher than 10 percent will not be permitted to hold indoor visits. As soon as conditions allow, facilities will be required to resume visits. I totally understand that they cant just open it up like that, Braden said. I dont want COVID to get into my dads facility either. But a lot of us just want to be able to put our hands on our loved ones and see them in person. Braden and Farmer said nursing homes will have to balance visitation with the need to protect residents from the virus. Resident safety is our top priority as we expand visitation and the CMS guidelines will be closely followed," Farmer said. The public must continue to do its part to lower the spread of COVID-19. Decreasing community spread and consistent testing are key to our ability to offer indoor visits. A representative of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry denied the couples involvement in any sort of Netflix reality show. The couple recently signed a multiyear deal with the streaming platform at an undisclosed price. British tabloid The Sun published a piece stating the couple agreed to a fly-on-the-wall series that allows audiences to get an intimate look into their lives. According to The Sun, an unnamed source claims the series will be tasteful, and is an attempt by Markle to allow the public to see the real her. However, these claims are a direct contradiction to the couples expressed desire for privacy. A representative of the couple quickly squashed any rumors concerning a possible Netflix show. The work Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be completing for Netflix does indeed include scripted series, docuseries, and documentaries, but there is no confirmed content that directly features the two of them. Other shows produced by the couple include longer features and childrens programming, including an animated show honoring admirable women. The Sussexes have signed a deal with Netflix. https://t.co/qVT5AyWUAL HELLO! (@hellomag) September 28, 2020 The Netflix deal is one of the ways in which the couple has sought financial independence from the British royal family. They kept the deal a secret from the Queen in order to avoid any sort of conflict; in fact, Queen Elizabeth II only found out about the Netflix deal only when it was publicly announced. The couples break in their silence on the matter aligns with the current media policy dictated by their official website. One item of the statement reads as follows: The Duke and Duchess believe in a free, strong and open media industry, which upholds accuracy and fosters inclusivity, diversity and toleranceEqually, like every member of society, they also value privacy as individuals and as a family. Exact details of the couples upcoming work on Netflix have yet to be released. The Roundabout Drivers Hate The one at State and Ellsworth reduced traffic backups--but also caused more accidents. by James Leonard From the September, 2020 issue "I never once imagined in my wildest imagination when we built it that we were going to have the number of fender bender noninjury crashes increase," says Washtenaw County Road Commission engineer Mark McCulloch about the two-lane roundabout at State and Ellsworth. Before, it could take twenty minutes to get through the intersection at rush hour. After the roundabout opened in 2013, the time dropped to about five minutes. McCulloch notes that means "the amount of the idling emissions went way down." But with a quarter of the old through time and the accompanying reduction in pollution the reconfiguration brought more than four times as many collisions. The intersection had 149 crashes in the five years before the roundabout went in--and 650 in the five years after. While aggravating and expensive, the accidents were relatively harmless: they resulted in only four minor injuries and no serious injuries or deaths. That's because roundabouts have no right angles. "When you have a high-speed intersection where there's a traffic light, someone's in a hurry and they blow through it at fifty-five, sixty miles an hour and they T-bone [another car] we're talking body bags," says McCulloch. "State and Ellsworth, even with all its faults with the fender bender, noninjury crashes that we have, is still a safe intersection and it is handling traffic very well." But seven years on, he admits that they didn't really understand what they were getting into. No one did. "We as engineers thought we are getting such great results with single lane roundabouts when it came to crash statistics and capacity analysis that we just thought automatically it was going to translate over into the multilane roundabouts," McCulloch says. But at State and Ellsworth they found out that "that's just not the case. "None of us, me included or the design engineers, had any idea [that] people were going to have complications with it," McCulloch says. Yet in a 2016 survey of 4,300 local motorists, "over and over ...continued below... The double lane roundabouts can be confusing, but the crashes would drop to virtually zero if everybody followed these two simple rules: 1) ALWAYS yield to your left (a vehicle already in the roundabout) and 2) NEVER make a left turn from the outside lane, you either turn right or go straight through from the outside lane, never left. I use this roundabout often and the one thing I see is that almost no one uses their turn signals . To me it is still necessary to know where the drivers in front and beside me are going. People .. please use your signals. look up Mlive article from 2016 Crossing road near Ann Arbor Social Security office risky for bus riders Posted Dec 12, 2016 Four years later that roundabout is still a hazard for bus riders coming into the Social Security office !! The constant flow of traffic, never creates a break in traffic, vs when there was a stop light, so there is never a safe time to cross the street, nor is there a crosswalk ?? Local government promised to create a proper bus stop with a crosswalk !! The article states (in the third paragraph from the end): "While drivers can enter the roundabout in two lanes, they can safely exit only from the outer one. If drivers can't get over in time, they sometimes try to exit from the inside lane--and sideswipe cars that aren't." I don't think that is true at the State/Ellsworth roundabout. I think that you *can* exit from the inside lane as well as the outside lane, and you are *not* supposed to change lanes within the roundabout. This particular roundabout may be unusual in this respect, and I have noticed that drivers entering the roundabout sometimes don't expect people to be exiting from the inside lane, although it is allowed. Mr. Leonard, can you double check this and see which way it is? I used to drive this route several times a week, but sadly, I haven't been there since March. Thanks for the article! I just read James Leonard's article on this infamous roundabout. I worked for years at a business near the Ann Arbor Airport, and I live near Hewitt and Ellsworth in Ypsilanti, so I drove through the Ellsworth/State intersection at rush hour often. I've also seen some comments in Facebook groups about it, and the combination leads me to believe there are several factors causing the problem. One, more than one person posting in the Facebook group firmly believed that there was only one legal way to exit a roundabout, including this one: the outer lane. The original signage was clear if you looked carefully, but not if you were assuming it worked like other roundabouts you were familiar with. The larger signage to yield to all lanes has helped - but ONLY if people read and mentally process it before entering the roundabout-which perhaps some people are too occupied in intently watching for the traffic to clear to manage. It's a lot of visual input, much of it in motion. Habit also is not your friend here - how often have we driven up to an intersection without actually bothering to read the signs because we assume we know what they are going to say? The corollary is that people who regularly use the roundabout may become complacent about the fact that the signage says both lanes can exit on eastbound Ellsworth, and let their guard down because they know they have the right of way. But as my father used to say about issues of right of way, urging us to drive defensively, "You can be be absolutely right, and dead wrong." Two, that roundabout has a relatively small diameter; at peak periods, there may be almost no space between the cars in either lane, which makes changing lanes an unappealing prospect. I've seen some roundabouts with more lanes, but they seemed to me also to have more space between the entrances. Third, if you are going east, yes, there are two lanes, and the signage indicates the inner roundabout lane may exit onto the eastbound left lane on Ellsworth, and the outer lane onto the right lane. But that stubby right lane ends before the filling-station driveway, and at peak periods I felt I risked being rear-ended if I couldn't change to the left lane quickly enough to continue in the remaining single-lane incarnation of Ellsworth. As far as possible, I use the center lane of the roundabout and keep a VERY close eye on the intentions of the northbound drivers. and over again people said it's not the single-lanes, it's the State and Ellsworth they hate."---When a roundabout opens, crash numbers usually drop. "A modern roundabout provides a 39 percent reduction in total crashes and a 90 percent reduction in serious injury and fatality crashes," according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. And a Michigan Department of Transportation study affirms that's true for all intersections. "Before-and-after studies identified reductions in injury crashes for all classes of roundabout conversions."Local single-lane roundabouts, like the one at Nixon and Huron Parkway, have single-digit annual crash numbers, no injuries or deaths, and greater efficiency. But local two-lane roundabouts are different. Take the pair on Maple north and south of M-14, built in 2007. North of the highway, crashes fell about a third, from thirty in the three years starting in 2004 (the earliest year for which the road commission has data) to twenty in the following three. There was just one minor injury before, and none after.South of M-14, however, crashes more than doubled in the same periods, from eleven to twenty-six. In recent years, there's also been one minor and one serious injury.There were no serious injuries at State and Ellsworth either before or after the change. However, crash reports show all four minor injuries since 2013 had everything to do with the roundabout.McCulloch says the turbulence caused by the two powerful crossing streams of State and Ellsworth is a contributing factor, but total volume is crucial. With about 66,000 vehicles daily, the roundabout has more than six times the traffic of Maple and M-14's 10,500--and ten times the number of crashes as the south roundabout there.That huge volume of traffic is the reason State and Ellsworth has two lanes. "A single lane would not accommodate the traffic to the point of providing efficiency," McCulloch explains. "It wouldn't have been worth our time to spend tax dollars to improve the intersection."Though they didn't expect it, McCulloch says "what we're just finding out is [that] when you add that second lane in there, it makes it not just literally [more] difficult but potentially exponentially more difficult for some drivers."---There are ways to mitigate the problem, writes Pittsfield Township police chief Matt Harshberger. "The 173 crashes in 2014 really caused us to work with the county road commission to improve driver awareness and education. [We put in] some high-visibility signage changes at the intersection to help instruct motorists [in] the proper methods of entering the roundabout."The work paid off in that crashes were reduced," the chief says. "The most important factor continues to be that serious injury and fatal crashes in this roundabout, as well as roundabouts in general, are pretty much eliminated."Beyond two lanes, McCulloch says other design features contribute to the number of crashes: "the size of the center island, the location of the center island, and the entry deflection angle of the car entering the roundabout in relation to the circulating traffic. One degree in deflection can make significant differences in outcomes when it comes to capacity or traffic incidents happening out there. If we were to change the entry deflection by a couple degrees would those crashes go down? You don't know."And you don't get to find out. "That's an experiment with a big price tag," McCulloch says, "and because people aren't getting hurt [or] dying, it's hard to justify making that type of an experiment when there's so many other needs on our roadways."I'm optimistic in time with education and people becoming more familiar with roundabouts as more and more get built that that number can decrease. But [will it ever] get to fifty? I doubt it."---It's a national and not just a state or local problem. In fact, the infamous intersection has launched a federal case."We are doing a pooled fund study that involves 6 states and one city to study the traffic crash problems at 2 x 2 (multi-lane) roundabouts," emails Wei Zhang of the Federal Highway Administration. It was "initiated after Mark McCulloch mentioned the 2-lane roundabout at the intersection of State-Ellsworth."This is the first time the agency has studied the factors contributing to multilane roundabout crashes. Zhang points out that "over 3,300 modern roundabouts have been constructed in the U.S. since the 1990s, and most of them have exhibited good to excellent operational and safety performances. However, an issue is slowly but steadily emerging with some multi-lane roundabouts that are experiencing much higher than expected crash rates." The feds consider any two-lane roundabout with over fifty crashes annually as high--and State and Ellsworth has 130.The study will investigate crashes "associated with drivers failing to yield properly at exit--vehicles entering the roundabout from the outside lane collide with vehicles exiting the roundabout from the inside lane." While drivers can enter the roundabout in two lanes, they can safely exit only from the outer one. If drivers can't get over in time, they sometimes try to exit from the inside lane--and sideswipe cars that aren't.In Zhang's view, "Urgent action is needed to determine the root cause of such crashes so that proper solutions can be developed to mitigate the problem before it becomes a widespread issue that may jeopardize the implementation of roundabouts around the country." Possible remedies include changes in signing, striping, and geometric layout.The federal study will take three to five years, with the results shared with traffic and safety engineers throughout the country. Then, if there is funding for it, a second project could start implementing proposed countermeasures at select multilane roundabout locations. It won't include State and Ellsworth, but it's some consolation to know that our pain could be the country's gain. [Originally published in September, 2020.]On August 30, 2020, Sebastian Gaeta wrote:On August 30, 2020, Dolly Field wrote:On August 31, 2020, A Eaton wrote:On September 1, 2020, Laura Houk wrote:On September 1, 2020, Martha Krieg wrote: Gold And Silver Follow Up & Future Predictions For 2020 & 2021 Part II This second part of our research post on super-cycles and precious metals will present our expectations going forward for 6 to 24+ months. In Part I of this research post, I linked a number of our previous research articles we recommended to readers to review for context and continuity. If you have not read Part I of this research article, please take a minute to review that first segment before you continue reading this second segment of our research. TECHNICAL CYCLES & MORE There is a technical cycle that is taking place as stocks and Gold appreciate. In the first phase, there is a basing process in both the stock market and Gold (sometimes not happening at the same time). From this basing level, the stock market begins to rally and Gold begins to appreciate as well. In the second phase, the stock market rallies to a peak which prompts some degree of selling. This selling spills over into Gold and Silver; panic selling usually spills over to Gold and Silver immediately, putting price pressure on these precious metals. In other words, when broad market selling takes place, Gold and Silver are not immune from this panic type of downside price event and suffer accordingly. However, they react differently weeks and months after this type of price correction. In the final phase, which usually takes place after a deep correction in the US stock market and after some new low price base has set up, the real appreciation for precious metals typically happens in a parabolic price trend. This is when risks are still perceived to be moderately high throughout the globe, yet the stock market continues to attempt to base/drive higher while Gold and Silver begin a real sharp upside price trend. Pay attention to how the BASE LEVELS on the following Smart Cash Index to Gold Monthly chart are followed by periods of price appreciation in both the stock market and Gold. Notice how Gold has rallied in nearly equal (100% Measured Moves) since 2002 first rallying nearly $750 (2008), then rallying nearly $950 (2011), and recently rallying nearly $950 (2020). This suggests any continuation of the 100% Measured Move structure would place a new target for Gold near $2,900~3,000. We believe a new parabolic price trend is setting up after the deep double-bottom BASE LEVEL between 2016~2020. If our research is correct, the Super-Cycles and the deep rotation BASE LEVELS will likely set up a new base level near $1,800 to $1,950 in Gold and near $145 to $175 on our Smart Cash Index chart (see the chart further below). We believe this new base level will act as a launchpad for the new parabolic price trend in Gold and Silver throughout 2022~2023 possibly longer. Before you continue, be sure to opt-in to our free-market trend signalsnow so you dont miss our next special report! Looking deeper, if you take a technical glance at the Custom Smart Cash Index chart below and consider how gold has advanced over the past 20 years, youll see the nearly 100% Measured Moves taking place (which have resulted in a 300%, 200%, 100% series of advances). Yet, what you have also seen is a moderate market peak in 2000 followed by an extensive upside price rally peaking in 2007. From that peak in 2007, we see a deep price decline and a series of sideways price trends leading up to the 2015~2016 US Presidential Election event. After that, we see a strong upside price rally that peaked in early 2018 (which we are calling the Ultimate Top in the US stock market). This setup has a very telling pattern in price not quite a Double-Top but rather a failed Scouting Party pattern where price attempted to rally above the previous 2007 peak and failed. Currently, we believe the FUTURE BASE will set up near the current Head-and-Shoulders pattern on the Smart Cash Index or just above the previous BASE LEVEL. There is a risk of a deeper downside price move in the Smart Cash Index which may set up a deeper price base, but we have no indication at this time that any immediate, deeper downside price move is about to unload on the global markets. We believe the next 4+ years will be very similar to the 2009~2011 setup where the US stock market attempt so establish moderate sideways/upside price base and where Gold settles above $1,800 and starts another measure move or transitions into a parabolic upside move higher. The question our researchers continue to ask is will the FUTURE BASE confirm and will Gold stay above $1800 to setup the new launch pad for the parabolic upside price trend?. Weve clearly entered a different phase of the market likely nearing the end of the Excess Phase. Obviously, a deep downside price move in the US stock market is not something we want to see happen because it could create far more critical events in the future. Yet, we believe the current BASE LEVEL and the FUTURE BASE level are ideal support zones for the US stock market and the new launch pad for precious metals. If our research is correct, by November, December or January, we should clearly know where the new BASE LEVEL has formed and if any deeper downside risks present any greater concerns. The longer-term, our Super Cycles analysis suggests we are in for a wild ride you certainly dont want to miss this big move in metals. This market, the future setups described above, and the profits lying therein are fantastic opportunities for skilled technical traders to capitalize on. Isnt it time you learned how I can help you find and execute better trades? My incredible technical analysis team and our proprietary tools have just shown you what to expect 6+ months into the future. Do you want to learn how to profit from these huge moves? Sign up for my Active ETF Swing Trade Signals today! If you have a buy-and-hold account and are looking for long-term technical signals for when to buy and sell equities, bonds, or cash, be sure to subscribe to my Passive Long-Term ETF Investing Signals. Stay healthy and rest easy at night by staying informed of market trends with The Technical Traders! Chris Vermeulen www.TheTechnicalTraders.com Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better. His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility. He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Sphinx Resources Ltd. ("Sphinx" or the "Corporation") (TSXV:SFX) announces that at its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") held on September 29, 2020 in a virtual format, all the items were approved as follows: Election of Lawrence Cannon, Michel Lemieux, Jeremie Ryan et Pierre-Andre Viens as directors; and Re-appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors. At a Board of directors meeting following the AGM, Lawrence Cannon, Jeremie Ryan, Pierre-Andre Viens and Michel Lemieux were confirmed in their functions as Chairman of the Board, President & Chief Executive Officer, Interim Chief Financial Officer and Interim Corporate Secretary, respectively. Jeremie Ryan stated "We thank Ingrid Martin for all her contributions over the years and wish her the best". About Quebec and Sphinx Sphinx is a mineral exploration company that focuses its activities in southwestern Quebec in search of deposits of precious metals (palladium, platinum, gold and silver) and base metals (zinc, copper, lead). Sphinx is particularly active in the MRC Pontiac where its President and Chief Executive Officer resides. It has a strong local shareholding that contributes towards social acceptability. For further information, please consult Sphinx's website or contact Jeremie Ryan President and Chief Executive Officer 819-664-2632 info@sphinxresources.ca www.sphinxresources.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and activities to vary materially from targeted results and planning. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Sphinx's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Sphinx from time to time with securities regulatory authorities. SOURCE: Sphinx Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608630/Sphinx-Announces-Results-of-Its-Annual-General-Meeting Lindsay Street and Houston Street's traffic lanes which are to change direction will be closed starting today. Houston Street will open to two-way traffic between McCallie Avenue and E. 4th Street on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Lindsay Street will open to two-way traffic between McCallie Avenue and E. 4th Street on Wednesday, Oct. 21. For more information on the Downtown two-way conversion project, visit cha.city/2way. The facts about the Miraa crisis in Meru county are glaringly obvious for any political leader in Kenya to feign ignorance. William Ruto is using politicians to blame Uhuru for the Miraa crisis in Kenya. Photo: William Samoei Ruto. Source: Facebook Somalia, Kenyas main market for miraa, banned the importation of the commodity into the country in March 2020 as part of her COVID-19 restrictions, describing khat as a potential vector for the novel coronavirus. Later in August, Somalia gave five tough conditions for the ban on miraa trade to be lifted. The conditions dictated that Kenya must treat Somalia as an equal, desist from interfering with Somalias internal affairs, apologise for violating Somalia airspace, allow in goods such as milk from Somalia and stop forcing flights from Somalia to make a detour to Wajir for inspection. To keen observers, there is no doubt that Somalia is using the miraa ban as a bargaining chip in the ongoing maritime border dispute with Kenya. The dispute over a 100,000 square kilometres section of sea territory has been pending at the International Court of Justice in The Hague since 2014. Given these facts, it is shameful and unacceptable that any Kenyan leader worth his salt would want to ride on a crisis that has left thousands of farmers greatly suffering to boost their 2022 chances. But that is exactly what Deputy President William Ruto is doing; he has been using some Meru politicians to move around blaming President Uhuru Kenyatta for the unprecedented miraa crisis. Peter Munya said MPs were organizing demonstrations over the miraa crisis. Photo: Peter Munya. Source: Facebook Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya recently laid bare the underhand dealings, detailing how some MPs were organizing demonstrations and using local radio and television stations to stoke public anger against the President. Among perpetrators in the scheme is Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, who told a meeting at a local school that the Government was responsible for the closure of the lucrative miraa market and gave an ultimatum that the issue is resolved in a fortnight, lest he mobilises demonstrations across the county. During a recent interview with Weru TV, Ruto himself painted a grim future for miraa, Merus leading cash crop, advising farmers to diversify to other crops like avocado and hinting that the dispute might take long to resolve. This is a clear bid to discredit and undermine President Kenyatta, and it is not the first time this is happening. Last year, Ruto used Tanga Tanga politicians, among them no less that then Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri, to blame the head of state for the woes facing coffee, tea, and other farmers in Central Kenya. The DP wanted the same individuals Kenyatta had entrusted with improving the various agricultural sectors to sleep on the job and blame their appointing authority for their failure; all in the name of 2022 politics. But they were left shell-shocked when Kenyatta saw through their scheme and fired Kiunjuri - replacing him with Munya - and going ahead to personally introduce historic reforms that have greatly benefited farmers. Like their counterparts across Mount Kenya, miraa farmers should beware of the politics at play and avoid being blinded to obvious facts. A miraa farm. The president has personally championed efforts to revive miraa trade. Photo: UGC. Source: UGC Fortunately for the President, his standing as a miraa champion is well entrenched that no amount of propaganda will convince most of the farmers otherwise. It is Kenyatta who in 2016 signed into law amendments to the Crops Act to recognize miraa as a cash crop, giving the crop legal backing in Kenya and giving it a basis for recognition in formal government structures. Ironically, Ruto and the Meru political leadership were present during the signing at State House, Nairobi. It is Kenyatta who, in 2016, made a budgetary allocation of Sh1 billion to cushion miraa growers against the aftershocks of the ban of the commodity in the UK and Netherlands. Munya this week issued Sh122 million to farmers across Meru. The head of state has also personally championed efforts to revive miraa trade and is addressing the current impasse through diplomatic channels. Kenyas maritime dispute with Somalia is extremely delicate and requires high-level diplomacy; all President Kenyatta needs is patience. Politicizing the matter is a needless distraction that will only serve to dampen spirits, inevitably delaying the realization of a solution. The people of Meru must thus stand up and openly tell DP Ruto to keep Tanga Tanga politicks away from miraa trade. They must jealously, and fiercely, guard their source of livelihood against those who dont have their best interest at heart. The writer is Milan Kiplagat, a regular commentator on social, economic and political affairs. The views expressed here are his and do not represent the position of TUKO.co.ke in any way. Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.ke's Patreon programme Source: TUKO.co.ke The Quai Branly museum in Paris houses priceless African artefacts that critics say should be returned to their homelands. Five activists went on trial in Paris on Wednesday for trying to seize an African funeral staff from France's pre-eminent indigenous art museum as part of a campaign to pressure the government into restituting items they claim were stolen. Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza, a 41-year-old Congolese, led the operation at the Quai Branly museum last June, condemning "the pillage of Africa". "We're taking it home," he said in a video posted on social media after removing the 19th-century funeral staff from Chad and parading it around the building. Since then Diyabanza has staged similar operations at indigenous art museums in the southern French city of Marseille and in Berg en Dal in the Netherlands. "We had no intention of stealing this work, but we will continue as long as the injustice of pillaging Africa has not been remedied," Diyabanza told AFP ahead of the trial. He and four others are charged with attempted theft of a registered artwork, and risked up to 10 years in prison and 150,000 euros ($176,000) in fines. But prosecutors on Wednesday asked for fines of 1,000 euros ($1,200) against Diyabanza and 500 euros against his accomplices. Diyabanza himself sued the French state after his arrest in June, accusing it of "theft and receiving stolen goods" in amassing a huge collection of native artworks beginning in the colonial era. However the presiding judge told the court, "We are here to judge an infringement, not to judge history." A verdict is expected on October 14. - 'An insult' - French officials condemned the stunt, which followed President Emmanuel Macron pledge, shortly after his election in May 2017, to look at the restitution of African cultural treasures. France has since returned a ceremonial sword to Senegal and promised to return 26 dozen works to Benin, including a royal throne, that were seized by French troops in the late 19th century. During a visit to Benin in December 2019, the then-culture minister, Franck Riester, said the artworks would be returned "in the course of 2020, perhaps at the beginning of 2021." Story continues "The issue of restitution... deserves a serious debate," said Emmanuel Kasarherou, director of the Quai Branly, which is a civil party in the trial against Diyabanza. Kasarherou, a Kanak from the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, this year became the first indigenous person ever to head a major French national museum. His museum "is documenting the origins of its collections and how they were obtained, and using this work as a basis, we can move forward," he told AFP. Critics accuse the French state of not doing enough, citing the auction of sacred statues in Paris despite requests by Nigeria to halt the sale. An expert report commissioned by Macron in 2018 counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, but suggested a "circulation" of some works between museums rather than an outright return, saying not all were pillaged or stolen. "Macron has acknowledged the pillaging, but he's the one who decides how many works are returned, and whether or not there should be a property transfer -- it's an insult for us," Diyabanza said. cl/js/jh/mlr/ri A Maine pastor who presided over a wedding-turned-superspreader event that has been linked to at least eight Covid-19 deaths and over a hundred more infections will be taking part in another wedding next month his sons. The Rev. Todd Bells son is tying the knot on Oct. 17 across the state line at the South Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the church confirmed. And if Bell refuses to wear a mask at this ceremony, he could get the boot. I hope Pastor Bell will wear a mask, church official Jennifer Leyden told The Maine Monitor. To ask another person of faith to leave is an incredibly hard thing. But unfortunately, I have to be a hard-ass. If youre not wearing a mask, youre not coming in. Pastor Todd Bell, of the Calvary Baptist Church in Sanford, Maine, is shown in Alfred, Maine on Jan. 19, 2017. (Tammy Wells / Portland Press Herald via AP file) The South Church is taking the kind of Covid-19 safety precautions that Bell has railed against repeatedly in sermons hes delivered at his evangelical church, the Calvary Baptist Church in Sanford, Maine. A family minister who Leyden did not identify will perform the ceremony and just 50 people are expected to attend the 20-minute wedding in a historic sanctuary designed to hold 525 people. It will be an in-and-out service without a choir, Leyden added. In other Covid-19 developments: The NFL has postponed Sundays contest between the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers after several Titans players tested positive for the coronavirus. The Titans players tested positive just two days after the team defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh said indoor performance venues that were supposed to start reopening next week will remain closed and all outdoor venues will have to continue operating at 25 percent capacity after the city's seven-day average positivity rate has spiked. An apparently healthy 19-year-old college student at Appalachian State University in North Carolina died on Monday night from Covid-19 complications, school officials said Tuesday. Chad Dorrill was living off campus and taking all of his classes online when he developed flu-like symptoms earlier this month, university officials said in a statement. There was grief in the Magic Kingdom as the Walt Disney Company announced it was laying off 28,000 workers. More and more people were going hungry in Puerto Rico as a result of the pandemic. And the $900 million that Congress approved this year to fund a food stamp program that benefits nearly half of the islands population has been spent. Texas has now passed California as one of the states with the most Covid-19 deaths with 15,988 and was nearing New Jersey, which has 16,117, NBC News figures show. New York still has the most with 33,990. Texas experienced an explosion of new cases and deaths in the spring when it reopened at the urging of President Donald Trump just as Covid-19 was hitting the South and Sun Belt. Story continues The Bell reception is later that day at The Hall at Great Falls in the nearby town of Somersworth, New Hampshire. I would be more worried about the reception than I would sitting in a church with a mask on for 15, 20 minutes, Leyden said. After an inquiry from NBC News, the church released a further statement Wednesday stating that the church is taking extra-precautions for the Bell wedding and that the families are cooperating. The rental party is receptive and cooperative about the Churchs efforts to safeguard the safety and well-being of their wedding party and guests on this very special day in their lives, it said. Bell, who could not be reached for comment, began taking flack after he officiated a wedding on Aug. 7 at the Big Moose Inn in Millinocket, Maine, after which, 10 of his congregants, including his father, tested positive for Covid-19. It quickly spread throughout the state, with 180 more people getting infected including several inmates at the York County Jail. Most of the eight who died were elderly residents at a retirement and rehabilitation center in Madison, Maine. Vilified online and on social media, Todd claimed he and his family were getting death threats. But even as the Maine office of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked the Covid-19 cases to the wedding, a defiant Bell continued to hold services where there appeared to be little or no social distancing and urge his flock to trust God over the government. And although hes not a doctor, Bell said in a sermon that wearing a mask to stop the spread of Covid-19 is kind of like trying to keep a mosquito out of chain-link fence. Bell has also continued to defy Maines virus regulations even though he is based in York County, which is a coronavirus hot spot with 44 percent of the states new cases. Since the start of the pandemic, Maine has reported 141 deaths and 5,337 infections, according to the latest NBC News figures. While the Sanford City Council has voted to fine residents $100 for not wearing masks, Bell has refused to enforce the rules and theres nothing the city can do because he operates a church and a private school, the Sanford Christian Academy. Theres really no good conversation with him right now, Sanford City Councilor Maura Herlihy said of Bell in an interview with local media. He wants to do what he wants on his pulpit, and hes chosen his line in the sand. Bell is not the only religious leader locked in a church-versus-state conflict over how to respond to the coronavirus crisis. Several churches in other states have filed lawsuits claiming that government-imposed restrictions aimed at preventing people from getting sick were violations of religious liberty. Among the best known examples are the Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, which has been holding services for weeks in defiance of state and local limits on indoor gatherings. And there is The River at Tampa Bay Church in Florida, whose minister was arrested in March for defying Hillsborough Countys ban on mass gatherings during a pandemic. With the presidential election a little over a month away, President Donald Trump is still struggling to stop the spread of a virus that, as of Wednesday morning, had claimed 207,265 lives in the U.S. and infected more than 7.2 million people, the NBC News figures showed. While Trump continues to claim success in battling the pandemic, the U.S. now accounts for over a fifth of the worlds more than one million Covid-19 deaths and over a fifth of the worlds 33.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University Covid-19 dashboard. See also: Cleveland Brawl: First Presidential Debate Was a Cage Fight; Two crucial things that emerged from the first presidential debate Tuesday's debate for the 2020 presidential election between President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden was moderated by establishment Chris Wallace. Biden and Trump more or less ran over Wallace for 90 minutes. Biden appeared to be in his right mind, alert, and healthy but, as usual, lost in the world of left-wing talking points. When Christine O'Donnell ran against Joe Biden for U.S. Senate in 2008, she often vividly explained that people were wearing bell-bottom jeans and dancing the hustle way back when Joe Biden was last in the private sector and was first elected to the U.S. Senate. The lowdown on Joe (having helped with Christine's 2008 campaign in Delaware) is that Biden has spent 47 years soaking in a left-wing marinade. Biden is baffled that the rest of the country doesn't applaud the ideas of his left-wing friends. Biden does not "get" people who aren't liberal. Biden made the expected charge from Bob Woodward's book that President Donald Trump knew in late February that COVID-19 was already a serious threat. Trump did not warn the American people that COVID-19 presented a threat. Trump knew. Trump lied to the country. People died. In left-wing logic, QED. Trump said on tape with Bob Woodward then that he wanted to downplay the virus so people would not panic. Biden joined the finger-pointing to the effect that Trump intentionally misled the American people by not letting them know. But Biden fails the first fact-check: on January 31, 2020, Donald Trump declared a national public health emergency. January 31, 2020. Long before late February, Trump had already trumpeted to the entire nation and to the entire world that this was an emergency. In a tweet on January 27, 2020, to his 81 million readers (including journalists and public officials around the world), President Donald Trump clearly raised a warning about COVID-19. Trump warned (correctly at that time) "Very few cases reported in USA, but strongly on watch." On February 4, 2020, Trump warned the nation about COVID-19 in his State of the Union address before both houses of Congress assembled and to the entire nation and the world. Trump explained: "My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat." So apparently, Trump's hidden knowledge that the pandemic stirring in China could present a danger was one of the worst kept secrets in Washington, D.C. After clearly sounding the alarm, Trump then tried to temper the panic with reassuring words, saying, in effect, "We will get through this." Like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, he wanted to convey that "we have nothing to fear but fear itself." True, Trump lacks the poetry of an FDR or Churchill. On January 31, 2020, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency through the secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar. "We are committed to protecting the health and safety of all Americans, and this public health emergency declaration is the latest in the series of steps the Trump Administration has taken to protect our country," Secretary Azar said. The emergency declaration gave authority to assign government and public health personnel anywhere in the country to respond to the threat. Trump activated the complete public health and health care powers and systems of the U.S. government and the medical systems of the United States. Your author normally embeds supporting citations as hyperlinks, but this gigantic oversight of an important event is so serious that I believe the citations should be powerfully and clearly highlighted: See: David Jackson, "Trump administration declares coronavirus emergency, orders first quarantine in 50 years," USA Today, January 31, 2020, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/31/coronavirus-donald-trump-declares-public-health-emergency/4625299002/ See: "Secretary Azar Declares Public Health Emergency for United States for 2019 Novel Coronavirus," Press Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, January 31, 2020, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/01/31/secretary-azar-declares-public-health-emergency-us-2019-novel-coronavirus.html See: "US government declares the novel coronavirus a public health emergency and suspends entry for foreign nationals who visited China," CNN, January 31, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html See: Eli Stokols, Hugo Martin, Colleen Shalby, "Trump administration declares health emergency over coronavirus; airlines cut service to China," Los Angeles Times, January 31, 2020, https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-01-31/-health-emergency-over-coronavirus See: Allison Aubrey, "Trump Declares Coronavirus A Public Health Emergency And Restricts Travel From China," National Public Radio, January 31, 2020, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/01/31/801686524/trump-declares-coronavirus-a-public-health-emergency-and-restricts-travel-from-c See: Jessie Hellmann, "US declares public health emergency over coronavirus," The Hill, January 31, 2020, https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/480938-us-declares-public-health-emergency-over-coronavirus It was not until February 15, 2020, that the very first person died in Europe (France) who contracted the disease inside Europe rather than being infected in China and then travelling to Europe. It was not until February 26, 2020, that the first case and second case reported of a person who was infected inside the country rather than returning home after being infected abroad. It was not until February 28, 2020, that the first person died in the U.S.A. (identified and reported on February 29). The third and fourth cases of people infected inside the country were not known until February 29, 2020. Later, on March 13, 2020, Trump also declared a more standard national (disaster) emergency, such as for tornadoes, forest fires, hurricanes, etc. But the January 31 national public health emergency is the one that matters. That focused on activating the nation's public health and medical capabilities. This controversy is why I wrote and published a book to set the record straight, COVID: Hindsight Is 2020 at www.TrumpCovidBook.com. The tornado of falsehoods about the coronavirus threat is especially severe. We must set the record straight and stop the distortion of the first draft of history. My growing work book of citations to shoot down the hordes of falsehoods ballooned over the summer into 228 pages with 222 footnotes to hard sources no one can argue with. Image: Fox News via YouTube. The case centers on one of the convictions stemming from the investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russias 2016 election interference. Mr. Flynn was one of the Trump campaign officials that the F.B.I. focused on as a possible conduit. After it became clear that Mr. Flynn was lying to his colleagues, including Vice President-elect Mike Pence, about his conversations with the Russian ambassador in December 2016, the F.B.I. questioned him about the calls in January 2017. F.B.I. investigators concluded that Mr. Flynn lied to them too, and he was charged with making a false statement by the office of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, after he took over the investigation. Mr. Flynn pleaded guilty. Mr. Trump initially distanced himself from Mr. Flynn, whom he had fired, but eventually began to use his case to attack the Russia investigation. After Mr. Flynn became a cause for Mr. Trumps supporters, he changed defense lawyers and sought to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming that he did not lie after all. Mr. Barr then sought to withdraw the prosecution, but rather than immediately granting the request, Judge Sullivan has begun a review of whether it was legally justified. Much of what was discussed in the lengthy hearing has already been debated extensively in previous court filings and before the appeals court. The Justice Department sought to make a separation-of-powers argument. Hashim M. Mooppan, a political appointee from the Office of the Solicitor General, argued that as a matter of law, Judge Sullivan had no choice but to grant the dismissal. Mr. Mooppan argued that it was up to the executive branch to decide whether to bring or drop charges against someone. The judges role, he said, was limited to making sure an individual prosecutor had not gone rogue. Royal Dutch Shell today announced plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs or more than 10 per cent of its workforce around the world. The oil and gas giant, which has about 83,000 global employees, said that the reorganisation will lead to annual savings of up to 2billion by 2022. It said the job cuts are part of a major cost-cutting programme after the business was hit by the slump in demand for oil and a subsequent dive in prices. Shell last month launched a review of its business aimed at deeply cutting costs (file picture) Shell boss Ben van Beurden (file picture) wants to save 3.1billion by the end of next March Shell last month launched a review of its business aimed at deeply cutting costs as it prepares to restructure its operations as part of a shift to low-carbon energy. The Anglo-Dutch company said it expected to cut 7,000 to 9,000 jobs by the end of 2022, including 1,500 staff who have agreed to take voluntary redundancy this year. In an operations update, Shell also said its oil and gas production was set to drop sharply in the third quarter to around 3,050 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The company said this was due to lower output as a result of the Covid-19 crisis and hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico that forced offshore platforms to shut down. Shell is said to be considering focusing on trimming costs at its 45,000-strong network of petrol stations In 2019 the total cost of operations throughout the company was about 30billion, and boss Ben van Beurden wants to save 3.1billion by the end of next March. Morrisons creates 1,000 jobs to expand Amazon Prime service Morrisons is creating more than 1,000 permanent jobs to fulfil orders for its services on Amazon. The supermarket said it is hiring the extra staff to pick and pack customer orders from more than 50 stores, covering most major UK cities and many towns. Grocers have been launching new ways to win customers during the Covid-19 pandemic, benefitting from lockdown and the slump in the restaurant and pub trade. The move follows similar job creation plans by other supermarkets including Aldi, Tesco and Iceland, although it does little to offset the 125,000 jobs lost in the sector so far this year. Morrisons does not have the same footprint as its larger rivals and does not have a convenience store portfolio, so bosses have been forced to find other ways to win new business. The supermarket launched a deal with Amazon for delivery of store cupboard products, in addition to offering its own online service following a deal with Ocado. During the pandemic - along with rivals - it launched services with Deliveroo and increased its work with the online food platform's shareholder Amazon. Through Amazon, Morrisons launched a Prime delivery service where shoppers can place orders to be picked and delivered in around 30 minutes. The new jobs will fill positions to allow more orders to be placed. On Monday the supermarket also revealed it had launched a new service to offer food boxes to students forced to self-isolate at university. Earlier this year Morrisons revealed it had taken on 45,000 extra staff when coronavirus hit the UK, with 25,000 still in post. Around 6,000 had already been given permanent contracts. Tesco has announced 16,000 permanent extra positions, Amazon 7,000 roles and delivery firms DPD and Hermes have also hired new recruits. Advertisement Today, he said: 'We have had to act quickly and decisively and make some very tough financial decisions to ensure we remained resilient, including cutting the dividend. 'But as hard as they were, they were entirely the appropriate choices to make. And Covid-19 has hit us in another way. We have, very sadly, lost six employees and six contractor colleagues to the virus.' He added: 'We have to be a simpler, more streamlined, more competitive organisation that is more nimble and able to respond to customers. 'To be more nimble, we have to remove a certain amount of organisational complexity.' Mr van Beurden said the company is looking at a raft of other areas where it can cut costs, such as travel, its use of contractors and virtual working. He said the pandemic has shown the company it can adapt to working in new ways but stressed that 'a large part of the cost saving for Shell will come from having fewer people'. Shell is said to be considering focusing its oil and gas production on a few key hubs, such as Nigeria, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, and trimming costs at its 45,000-strong network of petrol stations. In a statement, Shell said: 'Reduced organisational complexity, along with other measures, are expected to deliver sustainable annual cost savings of between $2billion (1.6billion) to $2.5billion (2billion) by 2022. 'This will partially contribute to the announced underlying operating cost reduction of three billion dollars to four billion dollars by the first quarter 2021.' Energy companies have come under increasing pressure from investors and governments to help the world move away from fossil fuels. Rival BP has laid out extensive plans to invest in renewable technology and reach the key 'net zero' carbon emissions target by 2050 under new boss Bernard Looney. In June, BP said it was cutting around 10,000 jobs from its workforce to cope with the impact of the virus. Some analysts believe demand for fuel will never recover back to 2019 levels after plummeting during the pandemic - which grounded planes, took cars off the road and disrupted industry. Oil prices plunged from around $66 at the start of the year to as low as $19 - and are still only back at around $39 now. The Delhi high court has directed the Delhi Police commissioner to take action against his officers for their failure to investigate the case of a minor girl going missing in July. She was rescued from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, only after her mother moved a habeas corpus petition before the court on September 21 seeking to know the whereabouts of the girl and a direction to the police to produce her. Police submitted before the court that the girl was living in Hathras with a man who married her in February, but since she was only 16 years of age, that marriage was not valid and his action amounted to criminality. He was hence arrested and sent to judicial custody. The girl is now three months pregnant, the court was told. Hathras cops cremate rape victim by stealth A bench of justice Vipin Sanghi and justice Rajnish Bhatnagar said it was not only anguished, but also disgusted at the manner in which the police conduct investigations in such cases, particularly when it involves the poor of society.While noting that the mother was a house help, the court said it was because of her profession that her complaint/FIR was neglected and not acted upon with the urgency that it deserved. More outrage, protests after Hathras victims cremation We direct the commissioner of police to take serious and effective action against the police personnel concerned, who were recalcitrant and failed to perform their duties in the case. The action taken against those found guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty should be such that it sends a message to the entire police force. Let the copy of this order be placed before the commissioner of police, Delhi, for his knowledge and compliance, the court said in its order dated September 29, while also seeking a status report from the police. Plea in SC seeks CBI probe into Hathras gang rape case The court was hearing a habeas corpus plea filed on September 21 by the mother of the girl who went missing on July 27. In her plea, the mother contended that despite her registering an FIR on July 28 at the Trilokpuri police station, her daughter was not found or rescued. In a status report, the police had told the court on September 23 that a man had claimed that he got married to the girl in February in Ghaziabad. Resolve the Hathras rape case swiftly Appearing for the Delhi Police, standing counsel of the Delhi government (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain submitted that the date of birth of the girl has been verified from school records which shows that she is only 16 years of age (as on Wednesday); and that she gotten married to the man on the basis of the date of birth given in the Aadhaar card which is not correct. On September 29, the police filed a status report that the girl was rescued from Hathras and that she is three months pregnant. The police said she was housed at a Nari Niketan (womens shelter home) and the husband was sent to judicial custody. The girl told the judges on September 29 that she did not want to go with her mother and would rather stay at the Nari Niketan even though her mother insisted to take her daughter along. Following this, the court said she should continue to be housed at the Nari Niketan and that she should be provided counselling, considering the fact that she is pregnant so that she is able to take responsible decisions with regard to her pregnancy. The court, while passing the order, said it was only when this petition was preferred and it directed transfer of the investigation to Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) (Crime), that the girl was rescued and the man apprehended from Hathras. This delay on the part of the police in carrying out effective investigation has ruined not only the life of the girl but also the man and put in dark the future of the child that the girl is carrying, the court said while ordering an inquiry in into the alleged police inaction. The call came during a virtual conference organised by the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) in collaboration with UNESCO, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and media organisations across the continent on Monday, 28 September, to mark International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI). The virtual conference, Right to information in times of crisis: Saving Lives, Building Trust and Bringing Hope brought together more than one hundred participants from throughout Africa to highlight how constitutional or legal guarantees for public access to information can save lives, build trust and help shape sustainable policies. In delivering the opening remarks at the conference, the Director and Country Representative, UNESCO Addis/Liaison Office to AU/UNECA, Ana Elisa Santana Afonso, said she hoped the commemoration of IDUAI will encourage more countries to adopt access to information legislation and to develop policies for multilingualism and cultural diversity in cyberspace to ensure no one is left behind. She noted that even though in Africa there is a Model Law on Access to Information, which was adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Right (ACHPR) in 2013, so far only 25 countries in Africa have put in place national laws on access to information. This means we have an obligation as media partners in Africa to work and support AU member states to put in place this legal framework that would ensure all citizens in Africa will have access to information. Taking up the theme, the Head of African Governance Architecture (AGA) at the Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC), Ambassador Salah Saddig Hammad, said that access to information as part of the general framework of freedom of expression is a cornerstone of human rights. Ambassador Salah said that freedom of expression and, in particular, access to information are essential in enabling participatory democracy. Citizens cannot exercise their rights to vote effectively or take part in public decision -making if they do not have free access to information or ideas and are not able to express their views freely. Access to information is thus not only important for individual dignity, but also for participation, accountability and democracy. He added that violations of freedom of expression often go hand in hand with other violations, notably the right to freedom of association and assembly. The President of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Younes Mjahed, said that access to information is crucial to the work of journalists, especially those working on investigative stories. He urged more countries to adopt access to information legislation, noting that in Africa, almost 50% of countries are yet to do so. He called on FAJ and IFJ-affiliated unions and associations across the continent to work with civil society organisations in their respective countries in engaging their governments to promote access to information legislation as soon as possible where it does not yet exist. The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression and Access to Information of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), Jamesina Essie King, who delivered the Key Note Address, said that the right to access to information has never been so important. She criticised the failure to make timely, updated information available and reports of restrictions on accessing the internet, blocked social media platforms and other communication services. These actions or lack thereof can have the deleterious effect of curtailing public access to crucial health information which may be needed not only to protect one from contracting the virus, but also from containing its spread. The Special Rapporteur noted with concern that we cannot ignore the fact that at least 30 State Parties to the African Charter are yet to enact national level protection of the right to access to information. She emphasised that there is need for African countries to take greater strides towards guaranteeing the right to access to information both in law and in practice. The conference sessions discussed three major issues - access to information and the COVID 19 crisis in Africa; the gender dimension of access to information in Africa and the inequality gaps; and challenges in covering COVID 19 and policy guarantees for access to information implementation in time of crisis. These topics were tackled by a wide range of panellists from various media organisations in the continent including, Article 19, Access Now, African Women in the Media (AWIM), the Ethiopian Media Council, The African Editors Forum (TAEF), IFJ, FAJ and UNESCO. Panellist and participants emphasised that African governments must go beyond simply putting in place access to information laws but also ensure its effective implementation based on the principles of transparency, accountability and participation. With just a little more than a month until the general election, Cerro Gordo County officials have increased their measures to make sure that holding the civic process during a pandemic goes off as smoothly as possible. Last week, that meant announcing plans to begin testing the actual election system on Oct. 7. Tuesday morning, the work was all about grants. At its 10 a.m. weekly meeting, the Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Auditor Adam Wedmore to sign a grant agreement that would give county election officials $20,325 to use for election expenses. The money comes through the Center for Tech and Civic Life organization on a recommendation from Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate's office. According to Wedmore, it's to be used "specifically for the general election for costs incurred throughout the several months preceding the election and several months after the election." County chair Tim Latham then asked Wedmore if the money could be used for reimbursements for wages which the county auditor said is possible. "We will be utilizing this primarily for offsetting the precinct election official wages for the day, including additional staff we will need specifically for COVID." The election grant wasn't the only long-term planning the county board members approved on Tuesday. They also signed off on work that Mason City officials have been advancing for much of the past year. Mason City officials are working to improve three specific dam "heads" in the portion of the Winnebago River that runs through the city and county. One of those improvements, which are intended to make the stretch of water more navigable for kayakers and aquatic life, has already been fully completed while the other two remain outstanding. But it isn't a cheap a project by any means. In June, the Mason City Council unanimously approved a $336,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) just for "Winnebago River Low Head Dam No. 2." As another way to offset, the city is applying for a DNR "Water Trails" designation. "This is something the city has requested we sign to go along with their grant efforts," Latham said before the board unanimously approved the measure. As of now, Mason City officials have said the plan is to have the entirety of the dam work done by 2022. Jared McNett covers local government for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at Jared.McNett@globegazette.com or by phone at 641-421-0527. Follow Jared on Twitter at @TwoHeadedBoy98. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NORTH WILKESBORO (dpa-AFX) - Lowe's Canada, affiliated to home improvement retailer Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW), announced Wednesday that it is currently recruiting for positions in its RONA and Reno-Depot corporate stores in Quebec. The company plans to fill more than 625 full-time and part-time regular positions in these stores. Further, about 30 positions are available at the Boucherville distribution centre. Lowe's Canada said it offers associates several benefits, including a student incentive program providing a minimum of $200 to eligible associates in position for least three months, an award program, a flexible schedule, and exclusive discounts. Marc Macdonald, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources at Lowe's Canada, said, 'We are looking for dynamic, customer-oriented individuals from all backgrounds, with or without experience, to immediately join our teams across the province, particularly in the Montreal Metropolitan Community, Gatineau, and Quebec City. As we navigate through uncertain times, we offer multiple career opportunities, stable and rewarding jobs, as well as a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.' Lowe's Canada operates or services over 470 corporate and affiliated stores under different banners. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. A 2017 headline from e-Estonia, reads, Online voting has become a norm in Estoniaand it is now more secure than ever. Wired magazine called Estonia, the Baltic nation of about 1.4 million people, the worlds most advanced digital society. Today, 99% of state services are online and 46.7% of voters vote via the internet. Its an increasingly popular option. Meanwhile, in the United States, in the midst of what is arguably the most important U.S. election in modern history, our discussion about voting technology is from the buggy-whip era. Were focused on how to assure that the U.S. Postal Service can safely and securely deliver ballots in a timely way. In the 21st century, voting by snail mail is so old fashioned we might as well be talking about how to buy more horses for the Pony Express. How is it possible we are not e-voting when so much of what we do is already online? We freely give shopping sites our credit card information to make purchases online. We keep our medical records online. We file our tax returns online. We trust our precious money to be handled online including banking and equity trades. Why dont we vote online? Voting is a fundamental process in a democracy and the right to vote one of our most important individual freedoms. Yet, a persistent issue in the United States for decades has been low voter turnout. According to the Pew Research, just 56% of eligible U.S. voters cast ballots in the 2016 presidential election. The U.S. trails most developed countries in voter turnout by a lot. Yet e-voting is proven to increase voter turnout. Clearly, e-voting is not possible for the 2020 election. But it can happen by 2024. The technologies and safeguards that can solve most of the biggest concerns about online voting are available today. They just havent been applied to online voting. Take the concern of voter fraud. We have technology for iris scanning, fingerprint detection, facial recognition, and other identity verification techniques that are used routinely in billions of transactions each day. We do not think twice about answering simple security questions or responding to visual quizzes to prove that we are who we say we are and not robots. Then there is the need for privacy. Voter anonymity must be protected. If someone were to register to vote electronically, it is possible to, and the local election authority could be required to, create individual encrypted, personal identifying information for that election alone. The information could be disposed of after the election. Estonia figured this out years ago. Time magazine reported that in its 2015 election, 176,491 citizens cast their votes online. A centralized digital identity system with citizen ID numbers prevented fraud and IDs and identifying factors were removed as votes were logged to ensure anonymity. In addition, voters were able to change their minds as many times as they liked before polls closed. Only their last decision was counted. Of course, its imperative that a U.S. online voting system could not be hacked by Russia, China, Iran or any other predator, foreign or domestic. The security required for e-voting is a serious concern and it must be addressed. Here, too, awareness of possible threats is increasing daily and counter-measures being deployed in e-enabled systems such as the IRS e-filing system. The IRS system uses encryption technology to protect tax returns and continually works to increase protections. Importantly, Americans do not worry about transferring income information via e-filing. As of December 2019, the IRS had received 158.8 million returns for the 2018 tax year and of those, 138.2 million were filed electronically. The IRS deals with problems as they arise, as were hacks of the IRS by China and Russia in 2015 and 2016. An argument against e-voting can be made that in the United States, we have digital haves and have nots and the have nots would not be able to vote online. This is undeniable. But, according to Pew Research, 9 out of 10 Americans use the internet, including more than 97% of those between the ages of 18 and 49. Even Americans who dont have a computer are online: 81% have a smartphone, including 71% of Americans who make less than $30,000 per year. Further, adding e-voting as an option doesnt mean we eliminate the options of voting in person or by mail. Even if voters were to take Donald Trumps suggestion and try to illegally vote more than once, the technology exists to cross-reference in-person ballots, mail ballots, and online votes to prevent duplication. Beyond the worlds beta-test case of Estonia, in the United States right now, e-voting has begun. Residents with disabilities could vote online in Delawares primaries and New Jerseys nonpartisan municipal elections in 2020. West Virginia offered internet voting for this years primaries for overseas residents, military service members, and voters with disabilities. Separately, alumni associations, trustee ballots, and public companies routinely hold shareholder votes electronically. Of course, there is the question of scale. Estonia is a tiny nation and the U.S. cases cited here involve relatively small numbers of people. Further complicating matters in the United States, we have 50 states, and the District of Columbia and five territories with partial voting rights, each with their own election rules. So, a remaining question is: Can e-voting be implemented for elections at state and local levels and scaled up for national elections? The answer is yes. As previously noted, we are already able to scale up technology nationwide to transfer highly sensitive, private information with IRS tax filings every year. Scaling e-voting is not dissimilar in that elections are run locally even when we are voting for statewide and national offices. So, e-voting systems would need to work flawlessly at local levels and seamlessly integrate to reconcile data and report results at state and national levels. The most effective way to meet these requirements is with cloud computing, which is both elastic and infinitely scalable. Plus, cloud providers must meeting SOC 2, the most stringent standard for storing data. Given that the federal government and most states have already adopted the cloud as part of their IT infrastructures, and have existing relationships with cloud vendors, creating an integrated e-voting system should be possible Bottom line, with technology that can scale up and secure the tax U.S. system, and additional efforts at the federal and state levels to deploy in the cloud, we should be able to implement e-voting. We should start now to apply existing technologies to elections and continue to pursue new ones so Americans have more choices for voting in 2024 and more Americans can vote. About the authors: Nicholas Allard is former President and Dean of Brooklyn Law School. He is also senior counsel with Dentons. He is a leading educator and lawyer with national and international prominence in higher education, public policy, government relations, technology and innovation. John Gentry is Chief Technical Officer of Virtana, the leading hybrid cloud optimization platform for digital transformation. He is the only CTO of a tech company who majored in economics and sociology. He has dedicated his professional life leveraging technology to deliver economic value while making peoples lives better. Edited by Erik Linask STAMFORD Every Thursday, Stamford Public School will publish the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the district, as well as how many schools are impacted and how many people are in quarantine. The onlne dashboard was implemented in an effort to provide more transparency, said schools spokesperson Sharon Beadle, and to give residents a snapshot of the current situation. Beadle said the district decided to publish the dashboard after seeing districts across the country doing something similar. The dashboard will be updated every Thursday, she said, and will have current and well as cumulative numbers. Its to be transparent so that people know exactly where we are, she said. The most recent information provided by the dashboard shows 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the school district, as well as 58 people in quarantine. Beadle also pointed out that the dashboard provides percentages of how many people have tested positive out of the entire school community. The percentages can offer the school community peace of mind, she said, as the dashboard provides perspective on positive cases. There are roughly 19,000 students and staff members combined in Stamford, so the current 10 cases represent .05 percent. The percentage of positive cases is quite small, she said. The schools that have reported positive cases of the virus are Stamford High School, Westhill High School, Rogers International School, Rippowam Middle School, Toquam Magnet Elementary School, Westover Magnet Elementary School and Stillmeadow Elementary School. Last week, half of the second-grade students at Toquam Magnet Elementary School scheduled to attend classes in-person were directed to quarantine for two weeks due to a positive case of COVID-19 found among the cohort. Students on a school bus who came in contact with the person who tested positive and all second-grade teachers were also told to quarantine after the discovery of the positive case. Stillmeadow Elementary School was the first school to experience a positive case, and the building was closed for one day during the first week of school. None of the other cases have resulted in a school building closing. Both Stamford High School and Rippowam Middle School have had two positive cases, while Westhill High School has had one. A protocol has been in place since the start of the year to handle cases when they arise. If a student tests positive for COVID, his or her family is told to contact the school. Then the city Health Department conducts a risk assessment and contact tracing to determine who, if anyone, has had close contact with the infected person. That means looking at the persons schedule to see who they shared a room with, and also interviewing the person to ask who they were in contact with. The school district uses guidelines set by the Connecticut Department of Public Health that defines a close contact as spending at least 15 minutes within one day within six feet of a person with a confirmed diagnosis of the virus, or having direct contact with an infected persons droplets from a cough or sneeze. ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com Paris: The European Space Agency on Wednesday (September 30, 2020) released its first Solar Orbiter data to the scientific community and the wider public. The instruments contributing data to the release were the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD), the Radio and Plasma Waves (RPW) instrument, and the Magnetometer (MAG). Generally, the first data release comes after six months or a year, but long before Solar Orbiter's launch, it was reportedly said that it would be different. Based on the successful approach taken by previous solar physics missions, it was decided that the time between the data being received on Earth and being released to the world would be at most 90 days. This science from the inner solar system is so new, it may contain insights no one has noticed yet! Before launch, @ESA/@NASA #SolarOrbiter team decided to pursue one of the quickest open data policies by sharing it with the public no more than 90 days after collection. Exciting! https://t.co/tZdCXHydX7 Thomas Zurbuchen (@Dr_ThomasZ) September 30, 2020 "We want Solar Orbiter to be one of the most open space missions. This means open to the whole world, not only to the teams who have built the instruments," said Yannis Zouganelis, Solar Orbiter Deputy Project Scientist for ESA. "To do this in COVID-19 times was very challenging," said Yannis adding, But we are ready to deliver the data to the scientific community according to the plan, so that they can do science with it." "Now any scientist from any country can get the data and do science with it. In fact, there are already hundreds of scientists working together to make sense out of this unique data," said Yannis. #SolarOrbiter has released its first trove of data on conditions in the inner solar system. The measurements come from the missions in-situ instruments, which sample the environment around the spacecraft itself. More from @ESA: https://t.co/RZmS75aVfZ pic.twitter.com/UzK1bp9V1b NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) September 30, 2020 Solar Orbiter was launched on February 10, 2020, and carries six remote-sensing instruments, or telescopes, that image the Sun and its surroundings, and four in situ instruments that monitor the environment around the spacecraft. By comparing the data from both sets of instruments, scientists get insights into the generation of the solar wind, the stream of charged particles from the Sun that influences the entire Solar System. Earlier on July 16, 2020, the first images from Solar Orbiter had revealed omnipresent miniature solar flares, dubbed campfires, near the surface of the Sun. "These are only the first images and we can already see interesting new phenomena," said Daniel Muller, ESAs Solar Orbiter Project Scientist. He added, "We didnt really expect such great results right from the start. We can also see how our ten scientific instruments complement each other, providing a holistic picture of the Sun and the surrounding environment." As per reports, the unique aspect of the Solar Orbiter mission is that no other spacecraft has been able to take images of the Suns surface from a closer distance. Meanwhile, the ESA said that the Solar Orbiters remote-sensing instruments will only start their nominal operations in November 2021. They are continuing to perform tests and calibrations during short intervals until then. Notably, the data from the fourth in-situ instrument, the Solar Wind Plasma Analyser (SWA) will be released later this year and is still working on its data processing and calibration. "We have had a number of teething challenges operating safely with the high-voltages that are an integral part of all three of our sensors," said Christopher Owen, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, and SWAs principal investigator. "As a consequence, we have not been able to take as much data, or to spend as much time on understanding performance as we would have liked," he added. "The sensors themselves are fundamentally healthy, and we can see from the data we do have that they are capable of delivering great science and fulfilling the important roles they have in delivering the unique mission science goals," he said. The ESA stated that there is more than enough data from the other instruments for the scientific community to begin work with. They said that in tandem with the data release, a special issue of the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics is being published that contains mission and instrument descriptions. The ESA was established in 1975 and works with 22 Member States to push the frontiers of science and technology, and promote economic growth in Europe. The 22 Member States include Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovenia is an Associate Member. British beef will soon be served up in American homes, after a 24-year ban. Photo: Getty The first shipments of UK beef will be exported to the USA on Wednesday after 24 years. The longstanding ban on EU beef by the states introduced in the wake of the BSE outbreak, also known as mad cow disease, in 1996 was lifted for the UK in March 2020 following a three-week inspection during summer 2019. UK beef producers now have access to the US market for the first time in more than two decades. The industry is estimated to be worth 66m ($85bn) over the next five years. The first shipment of beef originating from Foyle Food Group, Foyle Campsie in Northern Ireland is to be dispatched to America, with further shipments from across the UK expected in the coming weeks. Environment secretary George Eustice said: "Our beef is renowned as some of the best in the world for its high quality, food safety and welfare standards, and this landmark milestone means more people around the globe can enjoy our produce." READ MORE: UK economic slump during lockdown not as bad as first feared International trade secretary Liz Truss said today marked a "historic moment" for British farming which could be just the "tip of the iceberg." The government hopes the free trade deal currently under negotiation with the US will create a host of export opportunities for British agriculture. AHDB international market development director Phil Hadley said: "The US represents an important potential market for our red meat exports and todays first shipment is the result of the hard work and persistence of industry and government to bring about this crucial next step. "This important milestone will bring a fantastic boost to the sector and we look forward to seeing more of our red meat served up on dinner tables across the US in the months and years to come." Watch: What are negative interest rates? CannapharmaRx also Acquires Shares of Company CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / CannapharmaRx, Inc. (OTC PINK:CPMD) a future leader in ultramodern, highly efficient cannabis production facilities in Canada announced today that it has entered into a partnership agreement with Klonetics Plant Science, Inc. Klonetics Plant Science, Inc. provides genetic acquisition, research and development, tissue culture propagation and ready to flower production within the cannabis industry. CannapharmaRx will provide Klonetics with the necessary business proficiency to execute on a number projects within the Klonetics pipeline. Furthermore, CannapharmaRx has agreed to acquire a minority stake in Klonetics. "We are pleased to be partnering with Klonetics on this venture," said Nick Colvin, CEO of CannapharmaRx. "With our strong capability to oversee business development, coupled with the ability of Klonetics to provide its customers with an integrated genetics business model, we feel the relationship is very synergistic. Additionally, by ensuring Klonetics successfully reaches its goals, we are offered a level of exclusivity to their intellectual property that should provide us with a competitive advantage ranging from pricing to delivery," added Colvin. "Klonetics is very excited to be forming this strategic partnership with CannapharmaRX which we feel brings both companies limitless potential for growth in the Canadian and international markets," says David Brough CEO of Klonetics Plant Science Inc. "Klonetics currently hosts one of the rarest breeder backed genetics books in the world, which when combined with our published world class science team, will enable CannapharmaRX to flourish and create substantial market pull. CannapharmaRX and its executive team have proven that they can execute at the highest level. We completely believe in their vision and business model," added Brough. About CannaPharmaRx, Inc. CannaPharmaRx is focused on the acquisition and development of state-of-the-art cannabis grow facilities located in Canada. CPMD owns a 48,500 square foot cannabis grow facility presently under development and is currently in discussion with other companies regarding potential acquisitions. CannaPharmaRx's business strategy is to become a leader in high quality and low-cost production of cannabis through the development, acquisition and enhancement of existing facilities. CannaPharmaRx is committed to operating high-quality facilities utilizing the latest technology in combined heat and power generation to ensure being a low-cost producer of cannabis. CannaPharmaRx is in the process of completing an application to list its common stock on the Canadian Stock Exchange with initial trading anticipated to being during the third quarter of 2020. About Klonetics Plant Science, Inc. Klonetics, a Canadian corporation with international presence, is a leader in the industrial scale tissue culture production of cannabis clones and Ready to Flower plants. Using proprietary screening techniques and industry-leading tissue culture cloning, Klonetics provides growers with genetically superior clones that have consistent growth characteristics and phenotypes. Klonetics has exclusive breeder and cultivar agreements with some of the best breeders/Influencers in the world, who created the original archetypes used currently throughout the entire industry. In addition, Klonetics has assembled a world-class science team with plant-based genetics and cannabis experience. Klonetics believes that its rare cultivar portfolio, world-class science team, experienced breeder/ influencers, coupled with advanced technological tissue culture plant production will bring superior products and increased profits to the cannabis industry. To this end, Klonetics is committed to working with licensed producers in providing superior clones at an industrial scale through a service-based business model. To learn more about our operations visit: www.klonetics.com, Instagram: @kloneticsinc, Twitter: klonetics, LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/company/klonetics, Facebook: @klonetics, Safe Harbor Statement Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information or Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or statements. All statements that are or information which is not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking information or statements". Forward-looking information or statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking information and statements contained herein, Management of CannapharmaRx has made numerous assumptions including, among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information or statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking information or statements. CannapharmaRx assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law. Contact Information for CannapharmaRx: CannaPharmaRx Contact: Brokers and Analysts: Chesapeake Group (410) 825-3930 info@chesapeakegp.com Press Contact for Klonetics: David Brough CEO Klonetics Plant Science Inc. info@klonetics.com SOURCE: CannapharmaRx View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608392/CannapharmaRx-Inc-Announces-Partnership-with-Klonetics-Plant-Science-Inc In southern Bexar County, an array of solar panels spans nearly a mile, nestled amid green pastures and South Texas homesteads. The solar farm holds tens of thousands of solar panels that feed into CPS Energys power system, providing nearly 40 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to 9,100 homes in San Antonio. Eight years ago, when the city-owned utility worked out a deal with a solar firm to build seven solar farms, there were few seas of electric black panels in the Texas countryside. Now, they dot the states rural landscape, proliferating almost as quickly as wind turbines have over the past two decades. Government subsidies and major advancements in solar panel technology this decade have propelled the industry. Solar power production has increased exponentially as utilities such as CPS Energy look to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels for power generation. Through August, power producers in Texas have generated more than 5,900 gigawatt hours of energy from solar arrays this year. By comparison, solar panels produced just 420 gigawatt hours of power in 2015, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which operates the Texas power grid. Fossil fuels are still the primary fuel used in electricity generation in Texas. Last year, 67 percent of electricity generated in the state came from natural gas and coal. Wind made up 20 percent, while just 2 percent of electricity statewide was generated from solar. Even so, the transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewables is just beginning. On ExpressNews.com: Hydrogen energy may be on the cusp. And Texas has potential to lead ERCOT expects solar capacity in Texas to to nearly triple by the end of 2020, compared with last year. Figures from the organization show the state is expected to reach 6,035 megawatts of solar capacity, up from 2,281 megawatts in 2019. A decade ago, solar energy producers could generate no more than 15 megawatts of power. CPS has been steadily incorporating solar power into its energy generation mix, which also includes wind, nuclear, coal and natural gas. The original Alamo 1 farm in South Bexar County was completed in 2013 after the utility signed a power purchase agreement with OCI Solar Power, a subsidiary company of a Korean energy conglomerate. OCI agreed to produce and sell 400 megawatts of solar power to CPS. We were one of the first in solar in a big, big way in Texas. Our 400 megawatt (request for proposals) around 2012 was really a landmark at the time, said Cris Eugster, chief operating officer at CPS Energy. Solar is a great resource here in Texas. It produces power during those July and August afternoons when our customers need it and when our load is at its highest. Solar is very well-aligned and correlated to our load. CPS is looking to build on its initial effort to increase its use of solar power. To gradually replace energy generated by CPS coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, the utility has developed its FlexPower Bundle strategy over the last year. As part of the plan, CPS has gathered proposals to incorporate more renewable energy without causing ratepayers bills to spike. The utility announced it was looking for ways to add another 900 megawatts of solar power, 50 megawatts of battery storage capacity and 500 megawatts of power from other sources. Were doing a different approach than traditional resource planning, Eugster said. Ten years ago, it was all about putting that next big power plant in place when load grows into that. Weve taken a different approach. We want it to be renewable, and we want solar to be the centerpiece. The magnitude and size and scope of this this is not just another 50 megawatt or 100 megawatt solar project that were going to do out there for a showcase or a press release. Were really trying to come up with a generation package that will replace the power plant. On ExpressNews.com: CPS Energy moves forward with sweeping clean energy plan Federal and state subsidies helped the fledgling solar industry get on its feet. The federal Solar Investment Tax Credit originally gave solar developers a 30 percent credit toward their investment in the project. That credit dropped to 26 percent in 2020 and is scheduled to fall to 22 percent next year before decreasing to 10 percent in 2022 and beyond. CPS is planning to issue its official request for proposals for the FlexPower Bundle energy projects later this year. San Antonio environmental activists have criticized CPS for continuing to operate its dual-unit Spruce coal-fired power plant. One organizer questioned why the utility hadnt sought proposals for the FlexPower Bundle project sooner, before the solar tax credit declines again next year. They couldve taken advantage of that if they had issued that (request) earlier in the year, said DeeDee Belmares, a climate justice organizer at the advocacy group Public Citizen. Were in a climate crisis, and were seeing the effects of the climate crisis with hurricanes, with fires. So, while they feel theyre moving along, its not fast enough. The scientific community is telling us we have to act rapidly if were going to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Solar firms value the investment tax credit. When CPS announced it was formulating its FlexPower Bundle strategy, officials at OCI Solar Power bought solar power equipment to ensure they got the 30 percent tax credit with no guarantee theyll win the bid. This procurement that theyre doing, up to 900 megawatts of new solar capacity and up to 50 megawatts of battery, is huge. Its huge, said Timothy Heinle, vice president of business development with OCI Solar Power. We went ahead and pre-purchased and took delivery at-risk of a fair amount of equipment. Thats all sitting in a warehouse in Houston so we could qualify for the 30 percent investment tax credit so that we could give CPS a lower price because we knew it was going to be a competitive procurement. Heinle said utilities may have to pay more for solar energy as the tax credit is decreased. The capital costs have come down, and as the tax credit steps down, we believe that the wholesale customers like CPS will adjust their price point, Heinle said. The price is very low right now. Without the (tax credit), that might have to go up a little bit, but we will try everything else first. For landowners, I think what youll see to get to that price point is bigger projects. Our standard project now that were pursuing is about four times the size of this, he said, referring to OCIs 160,000-panel Alamo 1 farm. Thats how you get the price point that the CPSs, the Austin Energies, the Amazons want big, big projects. The reduction in the tax credit may cause a slight short-term slump in new solar projects. But industry experts said the cost of solar technology has fallen so much that the tax subsidy is no longer necessary to make solar power competitive with fossil fuels. The average cost to install solar technology in the U.S. has dropped by roughly 70 percent since 2010. And the cost of the average residential solar power system has fallen from $40,000 a decade ago to about $20,000 today, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. At the utility scale, solar power currently can be cost-competitive with natural gas, which is the primary fuel most utilities in Texas use to generate electricity, according to Joshua Rhodes, a research fellow at the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. If you look at the trajectory of the decline in cost and our getting better at building things, I dont see (the tax credits expiration) as being a nail in the coffin, Rhodes said. Both (wind and solar technology) are to the point where theyre going to continue to grow regardless of what subsidies look like. Would they grow faster if subsidies existed? Probably. But the subsidies did their job and got deployed on a wide-enough scale where solar is competitive in the market. Now that costs have come down, utilities and solar developers face another problem: Residents still need electricity when the sun isnt shining. For now, CPS officials say they need to continue burning coal and natural gas to provide firming capacity, which is a supply of energy available whenever theres demand. Industry experts agree batteries are likely to offer a solution, eventually allowing utilities to store excess wind and solar energy to use when electricity demand is high. Think of CPS operators charging massive batteries with energy at noon, when the sun is brightest but fewer people are home, and then storing the energy and discharging it later in the evening when San Antonians get home, crank up the AC and turn on the TV. For now, however, battery technology is prohibitively expensive and typically can only store power for about four hours. I think battery storage really is a piece of the puzzle here in terms of a renewable approach to supplying energy, Eugster said. (Batteries) address intermittency within a short duration. If youve got cloud cover that comes over a solar farm, you can buffer that with a battery. Batteries do an excellent job to increase that profile of that solar production until you get to 8, 9 oclock at night, he said. But we need more than four hours of (storage), and that is still an unknown of whats going to fill that gap. It may be difficult for utilities today to provide 100 percent of their energy from renewable power. With current technology, grid studies have shown utilities can reliably provide 60 to 80 percent of their electricity from renewables, Rhodes said. I think theres definitely a world in the medium term where renewables supplant the vast majority of fossil fuels, Rhodes said. But pushing to the last 20 to 30 percent becomes a lot more expensive. Heinle said the COVID-19 pandemic has crimped residential and smaller-scale solar project business. But large, utility-scale projects are booming a good sign for the industry as the economy begins to recover, he said. In the long run, solar makes a lot of economic sense, Heinle said. Everybody knows Texas as an oil and gas state, but, holy cow, is it a leader in wind, and now its going to be a leader in solar. diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net A runner has been fined 120 by a 'Covid Officer' for sweating during his jog. Mark Meghezzi, 30, said he had been targeted by one of the London Borough of Hounslow workers on Tuesday. The university management graduate, originally from Aberdeen, said he had been resting in Chiswick after a vigorous dash when he was spotted. Mr Meghezzi had been sweating heavily and blew from his mouth to get the perspiration off his face. But he said an officer said he thought he had been spitting and issued him with a fine. Council leaders said the person who fined him had been an Enforcement Officer who had acted under anti-littering regulations. The alleged wrongdoing - which is denied by Mr Meghezzi - falls under Environmental Protection Act regulations, something now considered more important during Coronavirus times. Mr Meghezzi wrote online: 'Is this really what it has come to? 'Sadiq Khan I can't imagine this is how you intended these resources to be deployed. Runner Mark Meghezzi was still sweating when he posted the picture of the fine online 'I received a fine from Sadiq Khan's London Borough of Hounslow for doing nothing more than going for a run down Chiswick High Road. 'I paused at Turnham Green Terrace and went down on my haunches (it was a tough one) and waited for the traffic lights to turn green. 'As I did so, naturally the sweat poured off me and I blew some away from my lip, towards the road. This is natural and unavoidable when running. 'I was then accosted by a very excited young 'Covid Officer' who advised me that I had been 'observed spitting' and who then very eagerly issued me with the 120 FPN in the picture. 'I stood back (mostly in shock) after receiving the FPN from this 'officer'. 'I observed him repeat his truck twice more with passing joggers and cyclists, stopped at the lights. 'Needless to say this FPN will not be being paid and a complaint has been raised against the individual for their conduct in issuing it.' Inspectors have been looking for coronavirus rules breaches. Pictured: Stock image of officials in Hounslow Marshal law: What powers do Covid officers have? Covid marshals were announced by Boris Johnson for towns and city centres in England. They are either volunteers or existing members of council staff. Leeds and Cornwall are known to have them too and they offer advice about the rules and how to obey them. In London environment and enforcement officers as well as city inspectors sometimes carry out similar roles. They have powers to issue on the spot fines and penalty notices to alleged rulebreakers. Volunteer Covid marshals do not have the same powers Advertisement Cllr Steve Curran, Leader of Hounslow Council, told MailOnline the person issuing the fine was an Enforcement Officer. 'The Fixed Penalty Notice was not given for any Covid offence or sweating, and nor was it issued by a Covid marshal. The notice was issued by an Enforcement Officer for spitting, which is a littering offence. 'Officers tackle a wide range of offences to tackle environmental and anti-social behaviour to support the local community. All of our officers are provided with body-worn cameras that capture interactions between staff and members of the public. Details of why a Fixed Penalty Notice was issued is provided on the notice along with details of a representative process that allows for notices to be reviewed.' Spreading coronavirus via spit is thought to be possible because it could contain matter from the nose or lungs. Running websites advise joggers try to be careful not to do it when they are out exercising. But sweat is safe, as consultant virologist Chris Smith told LBC in March. He said: 'The site in which the virus grows is the respiratory tract so that means the nose and throat to a lower extent and the lungs to a greater extent. That's why coughs and sneezes in this context spreads diseases. 'As sweat is made in sweat glands and sweat glands make the sweat by filtering the liquid bit, the watery bit, away from blood, they're not in direct contact with the source of the virus - because this virus does not to an appreciable level go round in the blood stream.' 'Therefore there should be only limited amounts of the virus in sweat for that is not a means of transmission.' Thousands of Britons are being fined for breaking 'unclear and ambiguous' Covid lockdown rules, MPs warn Thousands of Britons are being fined for breaking 'unclear and ambiguous,' Covid-19 lockdown rules, a committee of MPs has warned. The Joint Committee on Human Rights said it was 'unacceptable' that 'many thousands' were receiving fixed penalty notices (FPNs) despite evidence the police did not fully understand their powers and with no means of redress. It said the way the regulations were being enforced by the police was having a 'disproportionate impact' on young men from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. Police are able to issue fines to anyone flouting social distancing rules. Officers are patrolling busy spots like Richmond Park to ensure people adhere to the restrictions Although FPNs could result in fines in excess of 10,000 there is currently no realistic way for people to challenge the 'This will invariably lead to injustice as members of the public who have been unfairly targeted with an FPN have no means of redress and police will know that their actions are unlikely to be scrutinised,' the committee said. It warned many of the regulations were 'confusingly named' making it difficult for people to establish what they were and were not entitled to do. MPs have heard new fines are 'unclear,' and may unfairly target people, particularly young men, from BAME backgrounds With the regulations changing on average once a week, it called for greater clarity from the Government as to what was prohibited by the criminal law. 'More care must be taken by the Government to distinguish between advice, guidance and the law, in media announcements as well as in official online sources,' the committee said. Lockdown fines across Britain The highest fine for flouting social distancing rules is 10,000, which can be issued to any organiser of an illegal gathering. Fixed penalty notices vary in cost across Britain, the Met Police sets them out as follows: England (over 18s): 100 for the first offence, lowered to 50 if paid within 14 days. 200 for the second offence, then doubling for each further offence up to a maximum of 3,200. Wales (over 18s): 60 for the first offence, which may be lowered to 30 if paid within 14 days. 120 for the second offence and for each further offence. Scotland (over 16s): 60 for the first offence, lowered to 30 if paid within 28 days. 120 for the second offence, then doubling for each further offence up to a maximum of 960. Northern Ireland (over 18s): 60 for the first offence, lowered to 30 if paid within 14 days. 120 for the second offence, then doubling for each further offence up to a maximum of 960. Advertisement 'In particular, more must be done to make the up to date regulations themselves (not only guidance) clearly accessible online, particularly as the law has changed, on average, once a week. 'It ought to be straightforward for a member of the public to find out what the current criminal law is, nationally and in their local area, without having to trawl through multiple sets of confusingly named regulations.' Committee chairwoman Harriet Harman said: 'Confusion over what is law and what is merely guidance has left citizens open to disproportionate and unequal levels of punishment for breaking the rules, and unfortunately, it seems that once again, this is overtly affecting BAME individuals. 'The Government must learn from these mistakes to ensure that any additional lockdowns do not unfairly impact specific groups.' The committee also expressed concern about the extent of the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) notices in care homes during the pandemic, warning that their blanket use would be unlawful. It urged the Department of Health to take a 'more proportionate approach' when it came to issuing guidance on visiting care homes, and called on ministers to ensure homes were not imposing blanket bans on visitors. 'Restrictions on visiting rights must only be implemented on the basis of an individualised risk assessment and such risk assessment must take into account the risks to the person's emotional wellbeing and mental health of not having visits,' it said. The committee said ministers should organise 'a quick, interim review' into deaths from coronavirus to ensure key lessons were learned in advance of any second peak in the autumn and winter. A Government spokesperson said they had worked closely with the police throughout the pandemic, and officers had enforced regulations only as a last resort. They added: 'Both Houses (of Parliament) have opportunities to scrutinise and debate all regulations, which must be approved by both Houses within 28 days to remain in force. This is the same way all lockdown regulations have been made and none have been voted down.' Since implementing ART, the solution has led to smarter ways of working, improved moral and happier team members Nancy Wu, Head of Sales and Support for SkyStem LLC, a leading provider of automated month-end close and account reconciliation software, along with the 121 Financial Credit Union CFO sat down with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), a national trade association for both state- and federally chartered credit unions located in the United States, as they dive into the benefits of month-end close automation. The podcast pinpoints various ways to identifying an automation solution that fits their credit unions needs, getting employees adopted with new tools and processes, and working through potential challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Since implementing ART, the solution has led to smarter ways of working, improved moral and happier team members, said Benjamin Munday, CFO of 121 Financial Credit Union. We value support very highly and SkyStem assured us they would be there for us. They have kept their promise and have really gone above and beyond in customer service. At the end of every month or quarter, the credit union accounting team tackles the close process and the preparation of the credit unions financial statements for publication. It requires extensive research and reconciliation on the part of the team and completing these tasks manually can be challenging. Many credit unions experience pain points in their process which is where automation tools can help streamline the close process, remove inefficiencies and allow teams to work more effectively together. To listen to the complete podcast recording and for more information about SkyStem, please click here. About 121 Financial Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, 121 Financial Credit Union (121 FCU) opened shortly after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Credit Union Act into law, making them one of the first credit unions in the United States. 121 FCU invests 100% of their capital back into the local community. The credit union is well known for working with various local small businesses helping them access Paycheck Protection Program funding during troubled times, resulting in thousands of local jobs being preserved. About SkyStem LLC Headquartered in the heart of New York City, SkyStem delivers a powerful month-end close solution for organizations seeking to streamline their financial processes. The companys flagship solution, ART, is an enterprise technology that helps CFOs and Controllers shorten the month-end close and the time to issue financials by automating balance sheet reconciliations, managing month-end tasks, performing flux analysis and providing insightful reporting. The web-based solution streamlines and eliminates up to 90% of manual activities while strengthening internal controls and corporate governance. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Tuesday regarding Romania's Constitutional Court decision that established that Parliament decides the date of the parliamentary elections that he finds it "very strange" and added that if the Legislature does not want to set the respective date "you can do nothing to parliamentarians." Asked if it has ever happened in the last 30 years for Parliament to decide the date of the general elections, the prime minister said: "I don't remember."Asked if the Executive could in any way strengthen December 6 as the date of the parliamentary elections, the Prime Minister said: "The Court's decision rejected the complaint regarding the unconstitutionality of the law by which Parliament granted itself the right to set the date of elections."The Prime Minister added that he is curious about what will happen on this topic, reaffirming that Parliament has already set the date of the elections for December 6.Romania's Constitutional Court on Tuesday rejected the notification of President Klaus Iohannis and the Government on the Law on some measures for organizing elections for the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, following the termination of the mandate of the elected Parliament in 2016. Appendix A Map of Peak Gold project Map of Peak Gold project Project to leverage the Companys Fort Knox mill and expected to add to production and cash flow profile in top-tier jurisdiction (This news release contains forward-looking information about expected future events and performance of the Company. We refer to the risks and assumptions set out in our Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information located at the end of this release. All dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX:K; NYSE: KGC) (Kinross or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreements to acquire a 70% interest in the high-quality Peak Gold project in Alaska from Royal Gold, Inc. (Royal Gold) and Contango ORE, Inc. (OTCQB: CTGO) (Contango) for total cash consideration of $93.7 million. Kinross will have broad authority to construct and operate the Peak Gold project, with Contango retaining a 30% non-operating minority interest. The Peak Gold project is a relatively high-grade deposit with a large estimated resource base that is expected to commence production in 2024 as a low-cost, open-pit mine. The project, which is located approximately 400 kilometres (250 miles) southeast of the Companys Fort Knox mine, is a low-risk tuck-in to supplement Kinross existing Alaska operation. Kinross plans to process Peak Gold ore at Fort Knox and utilize the existing mill and infrastructure to benefit both the project and the mine. Highlights of the acquisition: Adds another high-grade, low-cost development project to Kinross portfolio1 Expect to commence production at the open pit project in 2024, with total production of approximately 1 million Au eq. oz. over 4.5 years at average mining grades of approximately 6 g/t. Preliminary all-in sustaining costs 2 estimated to be in the range of $750 per Au eq. oz. and initial project capital expenditures in the range of $110 million. Expect to strengthen Kinross medium-term production and cash flow profile. Numerous exploration targets within Peak Golds 675,000-acre (2,732 km2) land package to potentially increase mine life. Story continues Low-risk project leverages Fort Knox mill, infrastructure and successful operating experience in Alaska Processing ore at Fort Knox avoids mill construction and is expected to decrease execution risk, lower capital expenditures, drive attractive returns, and reduce the projects environmental footprint and permitting requirements. Blending higher grade ore from the Peak Gold project with Fort Knox ore is expected to extend mill operation at Fort Knox, reduce overall costs and increase cash flow. Leverages Fort Knoxs successful 27-year history in Alaska, one of the worlds top mining jurisdictions. Project to benefit local communities, in particular the Upper Tanana Athabascan Village of Tetlin (Village of Tetlin) Project expected to contribute to the state economy and provide additional employment opportunities and benefits. The relatively high-grade, low-cost Peak Gold project is an excellent addition to our portfolio, as it allows us to leverage our existing mill and infrastructure at Fort Knox and strengthens our medium-term production and cash flow profile. In todays gold price environment, Peak Gold is an attractive, high-margin project that is expected to generate robust returns, said J. Paul Rollinson, Kinross Gold President and CEO. The project is also expected to add to our strong record of socio-economic contributions to our host communities in Alaska, one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world. Summary of the transactions Kinross has entered into agreements to acquire 70% of the Peak Gold project, which is 40% owned by Royal Alaska, LLC (Royal Alaska), a subsidiary of Royal Gold, and 60% owned by CORE Alaska, LLC (CORE Alaska), a subsidiary of Contango, for total cash consideration of $93.7 million. Kinross has agreed to purchase 40% of Peak Gold by acquiring Royal Alaska from Royal Gold for total cash consideration of $49.2 million. The Company has also agreed to purchase 30% of Peak Gold from CORE Alaska for total consideration of $44.5 million, which includes $32.4 million in cash and shares of Contango purchased from Royal Gold. The cash received by Contango includes a $1.2 million prepayment reimbursement for a new royalty on Peak Gold silver revenues. All conditions precedent to closing have been satisfied and the transactions are expected to close on or before October 1, 2020. Peak Gold project overview Located near Tok, Alaska, the Peak Gold project is accessible by road and is near the Alaska Highway (see Appendix A for map). The project is situated within the 675,000-acre (2,732 km2) mineral lease with the Village of Tetlin and is a high-grade skarn deposit that extends to surface. Based on Peak Golds 2018 preliminary economic assessment, the project has estimated measured and indicated mineral resources of approximately 1.2 million Au oz. with a grade of 4.1 g/t, and an estimated inferred resource of 116,000 Au oz. with a grade of 2.7 g/t (see Appendix B). The Company has completed an internal analysis of the project, including building a preliminary block model and mine plan. Kinross preliminary mine plan includes crushing ore at the open pit project and trucking the material to Fort Knoxs mill for processing. By utilizing Fort Knoxs existing infrastructure, the mine plan does not require the construction of a mill or tailings facilities at the project site. Kinross expects to receive a management fee and toll mill Contangos 30% of ore mined3. The Company expects to blend the projects higher grade ore with Fort Knoxs lower grade ore to reduce Fort Knoxs average life of mine all-in sustaining costs2 by approximately $70 per Au eq. oz. and extend the mills operating life. Extending mill operation is expected to increase recoveries at Fort Knox, as displaced ore that was projected to be placed on the heap leach pads will instead be processed at the mill. Kinross preliminary estimates1 for the Peak Gold project (on a 100% basis), using a $1,200 ounce gold price, include: A mine life of 4.5 years, commencing in 2024; Total life of mine production of 1 million recovered Au eq. oz. at average mining grades of approximately 6 g/t; All-in sustaining costs 2 in the range of $750 per Au eq. oz., and; Initial project capital expenditures of $110 million. The Company plans to commence an infill, geotechnical and metallurgical drilling program to further develop the existing resource base. Kinross is also planning to focus on targets across the larger land package identified by previous sampling, mapping and geophysics. Initial permitting activities are expected to commence in parallel with the drilling program. Kinross expects to complete permitting and a feasibility study by the end of 2022. Project construction is expected to take approximately one year, with production planned to commence in 2024. Kinross has completed substantial due diligence at the project, conducting site visits in 2019. The Company has also held productive meetings with leaders of the Village of Tetlin, who have indicated their support for the project development plan. Kinross also plans to rename the project in consultation with the Village of Tetlin and looks forward to a productive and mutually beneficial partnership with the community. We look forward to the safe and responsible development of the project and the positive benefits it is expected to generate for our community, said Village of Tetlin Chief Michael Sam. We also look forward to further building a relationship with Kinross, a company with a strong track record in Alaska, and are pleased to see further investment plans for the project. Strong record of responsible mining and value generation in Alaska Kinross Fort Knox mine, located near Fairbanks, Alaska, has an excellent health and safety record and a long, successful history of responsible mining and environmental stewardship. In 2019, the National Mining Association recognized Fort Knoxs safety performance with the Sentinels of Safety Award, the most prestigious safety award in the United States. Fort Knox has strong relationships with local government and host communities and generates significant value for the state economy. The mine contributed approximately $300 million to Alaskas economy in 2019 through procurement, taxes, wages, community programs and donations, providing meaningful livelihoods for employees, opportunities for local suppliers, and support to approximately 90 Alaska non-profits. Fort Knox operations supported 1,150 jobs in the Fairbanks North Star Borough in 2019, including 650 direct jobs with the mine, and conducted business with 350 Alaskan vendors. Fort Knoxs commitment to environmental stewardship is exemplified by its 27-year partnership with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in managing a major environment restoration project in the Fish Creek valley. The project successfully restored 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) of the creek and neighbouring wetlands, safeguarding a 175-acre (71-hectare) freshwater reservoir that enhanced the fish habitat. Fort Knox also completed reclamation of its nearby True North deposit in 2015 and recently returned the land back to Alaska for future public use. Advisors Paradigm Capital is acting as financial advisor to Kinross, with Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP acting as legal advisors on the transaction. About Kinross Gold Corporation Kinross is a Canadian-based senior gold mining company with mines and projects in the United States, Brazil, Russia, Mauritania, Chile and Ghana. Kinross focus is on delivering value based on the core principles of operational excellence, balance sheet strength, disciplined growth and responsible mining. Kinross maintains listings on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol:K) and the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:KGC). Media Contact Louie Diaz Senior Director, Corporate Communications phone: 416-369-6469 louie.diaz@kinross.com Investor Relations Contact Tom Elliott Senior Vice-President, Investor Relations phone: 416-365-3390 tom.elliott@kinross.com Appendix A: Map of Peak Gold project https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/38b5c2fc-8181-4730-93d1-2b8b3eeda2ab Appendix B: Peak Gold Mineral Resource Estimates* Tonnes (000) Au Grade (g/t) Au Contained (koz) Ag Grade (g/t) Ag Contained (koz) Measured 473 6.4 97 17 254 Indicated 8,728 4.0 1,111 14 3,945 Measured + Indicated 9,201 4.1 1,208 14 4,199 Inferred 1,344 2.7 116 16 694 *Estimates are on a 100% basis and based on Peak Golds 2018 preliminary economic assessment (PEA). Peak Golds mineral resource estimates assumed a $1,400 per ounce gold price and $20.00 per ounce silver price. The PEA is preliminary in nature, and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Cautionary statement on forward-looking information All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this news release, including any information as to the future financial or operating performance of Kinross, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including the provisions of the Securities Act (Ontario) and the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on the expectations, estimates and projections of management as of the date of this news release, unless otherwise stated. The words estimate, expects, forward, plan, potential, opportunity, upside or variations of or similar such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should or will be achieved, received or taken, or will occur or result and similar such expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, those under the heading "Strategic rationale for acquisition" and Peak Gold project overview. Forward-looking statements are, necessarily, based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Kinross as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates and assumptions of Kinross contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to: (i) that the parties will complete the acquisition in accordance with, and on the timeline contemplated by, the terms and conditions of the relevant agreements, on a basis consistent with our expectations; (ii) the accuracy and reliability of the pre-acquisition mineral resource estimates of the project and Kinross analysis thereof being consistent with expectations (including but not limited to tonnage and grade estimates) and the potential benefits to Kinross from the project and any upside from the project; (iii) the completion, timing and results, of the planned exploration program and corresponding feasibility studies being consistent with expectations; (iv) production and the results of future operations being consistent with Kinross economic model, preliminary project estimates, execution risk analysis, and preliminary mine plan; (v) projected production, anticipated mine life, all-in sustaining costs and capital expenditure estimates for the project; (vi) the successful development of the Peak Gold project on the timelines anticipated, or at all; (vii), share price volatility; and (viii) fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, silver, or certain other commodities (such as, diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity). In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, Kinross' actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Kinross, including but not limited to resulting in an impairment charge on goodwill and/or assets. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators of Canada and the United States including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the Risk Analysis section of our MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2020. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Kinross. Kinross disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. Source: Kinross Gold Corporation _________________ 1 Kinross preliminary estimates for production, grade, all-in sustaining costs and capital expenditures are calculated on a 100% basis and assumes a $1,200/oz. gold price. The estimates and scope of the project may change following the feasibility study. 2 Preliminary all-in sustaining cost estimates exclude corporate overhead costs. The metric is a non-GAAP measure and is not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards. Refer to the Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures section in the Companys Q2 2020 MD&A. 3 Toll milling to cover fixed and variable costs plus a profit markup. Dow Inc. on Wednesday outlined the series of actions it will take to achieve previously announced structural cost improvement targets and further enhance its long-term competitiveness as the global economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. As announced during the companys second quarter earnings on July 23, Dow is implementing a restructuring program to reduce its global workforce costs by approximately 6% and to rationalize certain manufacturing assets. These actions are expected to result in total annualized EBITDA savings of more than $300 million by the end of 2021. Manufacturing asset impacts include: Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure will rationalize its asset footprint by shutting down certain amines and solvents facilities in the United States and Europe as well as select small-scale downstream polyurethanes manufacturing facilities. Performance Materials & Coatings will shut down manufacturing assets, primarily small-scale coatings reactors, and will also rationalize its upstream asset footprint in Europe and in the United States and Canada by adjusting the supply of siloxane and silicon metal to balance to regional needs. Given the expected gradual and uneven global economic recovery from COVID-19, we announced in July that we are taking necessary actions to continue to optimize our asset footprint, reduce structural costs and enhance the competitiveness of our business over the long-term, stated Jim Fitterling, Dow chairman and CEO, in a news release. We continue to stay focused on delivering strong cashflow, strengthening our financial profile and maximizing our operational advantages, and we remain well positioned to capture significant growth as market conditions improve. Dow will record a charge in the third quarter of 2020 for costs associated with the restructuring program activities. In total, these costs are expected to be in the range of $500 million to $600 million, and will consist of severance and related benefit costs; costs associated with exit and disposal activities; and asset write-downs and write-offs. The restructuring program is in addition to the $500 million of operating expense savings Dow will achieve by the end of 2020. The company also remains on target to achieve its reduced target of $1.25 billion for capital expenditures in 2020, down from $2 billion in 2019. Dow will involve local stakeholders as defined in each country and in compliance with relevant information and consultation processes. Dow also confirmed that today it will close the sale of its rail infrastructure assets at six North American sites to Watco, three months ahead of its initial planned closing, for cash proceeds in excess of $310 million. Earlier this month, Dow announced plans to divest certain marine and terminal operations and assets to Vopak Industrial Infrastructure Americas for cash proceeds of $620 million, which is expected to close by year-end. Processed by Ashley Schafer, Ashley.Schafer@hearstnp.com Hours before President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden took the stage in the first of three presidential debates before Election Day, the campaigns for both men accused each other of lying. The Trump team amplified a conspiracy theory, one thats been blasted over social media in recent days and made headlines in previous presidential contests, suggesting that the Democratic nominee might wear an earpiece to assist him in the live debate. One of the presidents core re-election strategies is to cast Biden, the former longtime Delaware senator, as currently unfit for the Oval Office, where he served alongside President Barack Obama for eight years. There is no evidence suggesting either candidate will wear an earpiece; under debate rules set by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, neither will wear such a device. The Biden earpiece conspiracy theory (which originated in a tweet from a single anonymous source to a NYPost reporter, and was instantly denied by the campaign) is everywhere on Facebook. Absolutely everywhere. pic.twitter.com/AIdXoy4ZIi Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) September 29, 2020 Joe Bidens handlers several days ago agreed to a pre-debate inspection for electronic earpieces but today abruptly reversed themselves & declined, Tim Murtaugh, the Trump re-election campaign director of communications, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. Biden asked for multiple breaks during the debate, which President Trump doesnt need, so we have rejected that request. According to Biden aides, the Trump campaigns pre-debate fireworks displayed clear evidence of the Republican incumbents penchant for distraction. Tuesdays 9 p.m. showdown, in Cleveland, Ohio, comes two days after The New York Times' stinging report with hard data, based on two decades of Trumps long-sought tax returns, which paints the president as a master not of business, but of schemes to dodge paying taxes. On Sunday, after multiple nationwide and battleground state polls showed Biden with healthy leads, Trump critiqued Bidens previous debate performances and suggested the pair should submit to a drug test before or after Tuesdays event. Kate Bedingfield, Bidens deputy campaign manager and communications director, said Tuesday that the Trump teams comments were completely absurd, pathetic and weak. Once again the Trump campaign is lying, she said. Of course (Bidens) not wearing an earpiece and we never asked for breaks," Bedingfield added during a pre-debate call with reporters, according to The Washington Post. If were playing that game, then you know, the Trump team asked (moderator) Chris Wallace not to mention the number of deaths from COVID-19 once during the debate. You can consider that confirmed from the Biden campaign. See how easy that was to try to throw up a distraction? Biden campaignss @kbeds, responding to Trump claims that Biden wont agree to an ear inspection and wants breaks ever 30 minutes: Of course hes not wearing an earpiece and we never asked for breaks." Matt Viser (@mviser) September 29, 2020 Murtaugh accused Bedingfield of lying. This is the height of playing politics with a public health crisis, he argued on Twitter. This is a lie and it never happened. This is the height of playing politics with a public health crisis. Biden is trying to distract from the facts that he wont submit to an inspection for earpieces, wont take a drug test, and needs multiple breaks during the 90-minute debate. https://t.co/94MvUnJAtP Tim Murtaugh - Download the Trump 2020 app today! (@TimMurtaugh) September 29, 2020 According to Johns Hopkins University, at least 205,000 Americans have died with illness linked to COVID-19. Nearly 7.2 million Americans have been infected. The pandemic, and the Trump administrations response to it, is on Tuesday nights agenda, set by Wallace, the host of Fox News Sunday. Racial injustice, the Supreme Court to which Trump on Saturday nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg the economy, election integrity and the candidates' track records are also up for discussion. Both campaigns and the Democratic and Republican parties have been flooding their email lists' inboxes with debate-related content to spark fundraising. Trumps campaign appeared to send one message a bit early, with Bloomberg News reporting that an email sent hours before the debate talked about the contest as if it was over with. I just finished debating Joe Biden, the email, a statement from Trump, begins. This debate will go down in HISTORY. I showed the American people that I will ALWAYS fight to put America first no matter what. The email added that the president was disappointed to see that recipients chose not to step up to make Tuesday a record fundraising day. Hours before the debate, a Trump camp email goes out: "I just finished debating Joe Biden." pic.twitter.com/4OHQLmLDv9 Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 29, 2020 For more on the debate and how to tune in on TV, streaming services or radio, read here. Related Content: By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women Chief Swati Maliwal wrote on Wednesday to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and other senior judges of Supreme Court demanding strict action against the Uttar Pradesh government, officials and police for their alleged role in covering up the Hathras gangrape and murder. Maliwal also demanded a high court-monitored investigation and trial to ensure the strictest and swiftest possible punishment to the culprits. Maliwal, in her letter, demanded immediate suspension and punitive action against all erring police and administrative officials. The incident has again exposed the complete apathy and disregard our system shows towards its daughters and mothers. The victim was gang-raped on September 14 and left to die in the fields with grievous injuries, she said. Despite repeated pleas from the family, the local police failed to register and for five days the accused persons roamed around scot-free. Despite her serious condition from day one, the Government of Uttar Pradesh shifted the victim to Delhi only on September 28 where she succumbed to her injuries the next day. The role of the police and the entire UP government is a matter of grave concern as for days the administration tried to pass of the matter as a dispute between villages and tried to cover-up the incident, alleged Maliwal. WATCH | Hathras gang-rape victim cremated in dead of night; kin allege police did it forcibly Had immediate action be taken on the pleas of the family and had the victim been shifted to Delhi earlier, we may not have lost another daughter, she said. Even in death, the UP government was not moved by the pleas and tears of the victim and gravest of grave violation of the human rights of the victim, her family was locked up in their home and the her body was forcibly taken to the fields at 2 am in the morning and cremated by the police officials, she said. No family member was allowed to cremate the body and even in death, the family could not be with their daughter, Maliwal wrote. Google has decided to stop trying so hard with its latest smartphones. The company's newest Pixel phones are adding next-generation 5G connectivity and, in an unusual move, downgrading some flashier features on all models. This year's phones include a slower processor and do away with the ability to unlock by scanning users' faces. The good news: Google also dropped its prices. While last year's Pixel 4 started at $800, this year's Pixel 5 starts at $700, and new budget model called the Pixel 4a 5G ranges from $500 to $600 depending on how much 5G speed you want. Google unveiled the phones Wednesday in a live-streamed video with big working-from-home vibes. The Washington Post did not have the opportunity to get hands on the new gear at the online-only event. But The Post came away from the announcement and conversations with Google executives with a slightly clearer view on what Google's hardware stands for: the middle market. Google competes with companies such as Samsung, maker of the $700 and up 5G Galaxy S20, that also sell phones running Google's Android operating system. Without much success, previous Pixel phones have tried on different personalities: An iPhone-killer that shows Android at its best. A photographer's dream phone. The experimental future of artificial intelligence. A cheap Android phone with superclean software. Everything about Wednesday's announcement was about finding a comfortable middle. There were lots of sofas and loungewear, unobjectionable celebrity cameos, and pastel colored products designed to "live naturally in their surroundings," in Google's words. It felt like a high-end infomercial and smartly coasted over nitty-gritty details about the products, such as how there are different types of 5G, which would have upset the reassuring feel of the event. The takeaway was that these are products for this pandemic moment, when we spend much of our time watching TV or listening to music at home and might not feel the need for an expensive new phone. "The world doesn't need another $1,000 phone right now," Rick Osterloh, Google's hardware head, told reporters. Along with the phones, there was a new rounded-rectangular (do you call that roundtangular?) smart speaker called the Nest Audio and an updated Chromecast streaming dongle that runs Google TV, the company's latest software for watching movies and shows on existing televisions or computers. Of course, Google probably did not know there was a pandemic coming when it started planning this lineup. But with this update, Google is making a refreshing admission: Smartphones have gotten mostly as good as they need to be. Instead of trying to make one that bends or hype up questionable new capabilities, Google is just saying, Here's what we think you might actually need. Compared with last year's Pixel 4, the Pixel 5 is two steps forward - and two steps back. Let's start with what you lose on this year's model: - There's no more facial recognition to unlock the phone. Instead, you unlock with an old-fashioned fingerprint reader on the back of the phone, which is actually just fine for our pandemic masked existence. - There's no XL model, just one with a six-inch screen. - The phone's main brain is a downgrade to a slower Qualcomm processor, and there's also no longer a dedicated chip for the camera. - Also gone is the radar technology, dubbed Solis, that was a star addition to the Pixel 4 and let the phone detect whether you were waving your hand over it or reaching to pick it up. - There's no more telephoto, or zoom, lens. It's been replaced with an ultrawide lens, like on Apple's iPhone 11. Google is mostly right: Those aren't things most people need. But it is risking alienating the photography buffs who were among the first to champion Google's smartphone. Samsung and other phone makers have pushed into new camera sensors that power ultrahigh resolution photos and crazy 100x zooming. And industry watchers expect Apple to add a new depth sensor to its next top iPhone, which could power new augmented reality and photo capabilities. But the Pixel 5 adds a few things that most people might find more valuable and are standout features in phones from archrival Samsung. At the top of the list is a physically larger battery and a new ultralow-power mode that lets the phone run for up to 48 hours on a single charge. The screen now goes closer to the edges and lets you wirelessly charge other devices such as headphones just by laying them on the back of the phone. The biggest Pixel addition is compatibility with 5G cellular networks. But it's also likely to be confusing for shoppers who have new decisions to make - and might rightly be wondering: What good is 5G anyway? Google executives tried to set low expectations, highlighting just a few nonessential apps and services that might benefit from next-generation networks. One is the ability to do high-definition video chats and screen sharing using Google's Duo video chat software. Another is the ability to stream games on Google's Stadia service with low latency, or delay. A test we conducted in September using 5G phones from Samsung found that the "nationwide" 5G networks offered by AT&T and T-Mobile hardly felt like a speed boost. In some important places, like home and along the California highway, we got download speeds that were actually slower than on 4G phones. Verizon's 5G network is faster, but so far available in less than 1% of America. To make matters more complicated, not all of Google's new phones work on all of the networks. The Pixel 4a 5G, which ships on Nov. 19, comes in two versions: A $500 model that supports a slower version of 5G known as "sub-6" or low and medium band. The $600 model also supports the faster networks known as "millimeter wave" or ultra-wideband that Verizon has most built out in the United States. Anyone who wants their next phone to be future-proof should opt for the more expensive version. The $700 Pixel 5, which arrives Oct. 29, supports both kinds of networks and adds waterproofing and wireless charging capabilities not available in the 4a 5G. Wednesday's event was not all about the Pixel. Google announced a few other upgraded homebody gadgets that kept it simple. The $100 Nest Audio is the latest Google smart speaker that the company claims has better audio quality than previous iterations. Chromecast, the company's $50 small device that plugs into existing TVs, will now come with a remote control, just like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. It's also the debut of Google TV, which takes the existing Android TV operating system and reorganizes it so you see shows and movies based on categories instead of siloed in their various streaming apps. Panaji, Sep 30 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi to discuss several issues, including resumption of iron ore mining that awaits a decision by the Supreme Court. Sawant, who is in Delhi on a two-day visit, also met Union Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi. "Called on the Prime Minister in New Delhi today. Had fruitful discussion on various matters, including mining," Sawant tweeted. "Later, met Union Minister of Mines to discuss the mining matter at length. We are hopeful of a positive outcome in the coming days," the Chief Minister tweeted. Two mining-related petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court. One is a Special Leave Petition filed by a mining company to seek extension of the mining lease period, thereby doing away with the need for renewal of the lease. Another plea by the state urged the apex court to reassess its 2018 order, which had put the brakes on the Goa mining industry. The Supreme Court order in 2018 had scrapped 88 operational mining leases, citing irregularities in the renewal processes. When the mining industry was at its peak, mining extraction, trade and export accounted for 30 per cent of the state's Gross Domestic Product. The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against two stock promoters, Joel Stohlman and Ricardo Richardson, along with an attorney, Gary Wolff, and an accountant, Edward Heil, for their roles in a scheme designed to manipulate the volume and price of microcap stocks and illegally generate stock sales. According to the SEC's complaint, from at least November 2014 through February 2016, the defendants sought to manipulate the volume and price of the common stock of three microcap issuers, AI Document Services, Inc. (AIDC), Creative Edge Nutrition, Inc. (FITX), and Interactive Health Network (IGRW). The complaint alleges that the defendants entered into an agreement to pay kickbacks to a stock promoter who they believed was aligned with a network of corrupt registered representatives willing to purchase large volumes of the companies' stock through pre-arranged matched orders in order to create an illusion of genuine investor demand. According to the complaint, the stock promoter was actually an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The complaint further alleges the defendants shared nonpublic corporate press releases with the undercover FBI agent to coordinate the release of news with the illegal matched orders. The SEC previously suspended trading in the securities of the three companies. The complaint alleges that the defendants violated the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder and the market manipulation provision of Section 9(a)(1) of the Exchange Act. The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief, civil monetary penalties, and penny stock bars against each defendant. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Burk Burnett and Scott A. Thompson and supervised by Kelly L. Gibson of the Philadelphia Regional Office. The litigation will be led by Christopher R. Kelly and supervised by Jennifer Chun Barry. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the FBI. When city of Portland officials agreed last week to allow police officers to be deputized as federal marshals for the weekend, they didnt realize that they were approving the designation to last for at least the rest of the year, according to the city attorney. Now the city is asking the U.S. Attorneys Office to remove the status from more than 50 officers who are part of a unit that typically responds to nightly protests. In a letter Tuesday to Suzanne Hayden, counsel to the U.S. Attorney, Portland City Attorney Tracy Reeve said the city was under the impression the status allowing officers to make arrests that could lead to federal charges ended this weekend after the combined response of city, county and state law enforcement to a Proud Boys rally and counter-demonstration. The City of Portland does not consent to the continuing federal deputization of (Portland Police Bureau) officers and hereby formally withdraws its consent to this deputization effective immediately, Reeve wrote. Please confirm at your earliest convenience that the deputization of all (Portland) officers has been terminated. The U.S. Attorneys Office did not respond to the city as of Tuesday evening, according to a spokesperson for Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. The agency also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Oregonian/OregonLive. The mayors office spokesperson said its unclear why the city wasnt aware of the actual date when the deputization by the U.S. Marshals' Service ended. The city is under the impression the designation will end Dec. 31. A U.S. Marshals' deputation lasts 12 months, according to the Justice Department manual. State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton didnt specify a particular time frame in his request for Portland officers and Multnomah County deputies to be federally deputized, Capt. Tim Fox, a state police spokesperson, told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Tuesday. Wheeler in a statement said he has also personally asked the U.S. Attorneys Office in Oregon to remove the federal designation from city officers. A key feature of the designation is that anyone who assaults a federally deputized official could be subject to federal charges, Wheeler said. Fortunately, I am confident the Multnomah County District Attorney will continue to prosecute anyone who assaults or otherwise harms police officers or others. The officers were sworn in Saturday morning, prior to a Proud Boys rally in Delta Park, and a counter-demonstration in Peninsula Park. Gov. Kate Brown issued an emergency executive order putting them temporarily under the command of Hampton and Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese. The order was supposed to end after midnight Monday, but Brown announced she had ended the order early Sunday. The federal status applied to 56 officers, sergeants and lieutenants from the bureaus rapid response team. Reeve, in her email, said Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell sent a letter to the U.S. Marshals' Service on Friday approving of Hamptons request to deputize Portland officers. She said it was sometime after that the city discovered the deputization and the governors executive order werent planned to end at the same time. The federal designation was apparently a response to Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidts announcement in August that his office wont prosecute cases involving protesters arrested on suspicion of violating only city ordinances or without evidence of intentional violence, threat of violence, theft or deliberate property damage. The U.S. Attorneys Office and state police have been among several law enforcement agencies that have asserted there should be more penalties for people who are arrested on suspicion of committing violence during protests. Whether Portland officers are deputized or not, they are still subject to the current city complaint and discipline process as well as Wheelers Sept. 10 order to not use CS gas, the mayors office said. He announced the order after three months of demands and lawsuits from the public that the city do so. Maxine Bernstein of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. New Delhi: Expressing its displeasure over the special CBI courts verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case, the Congress party on Wednesday said that the ruling runs counter to the Supreme Courts previous judgement. The main opposition party also demanded that the government file appeal against the acquittal of all 32 accused in the case. In an official statement, the party said that the decision of the court runs counter to the decision of the Supreme Court of India as the BJP-RSS were part of the conspiracy to demolish the mosque. Addressing the media, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "The decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to the Supreme Court judgement as also the Constitutional spirit." The decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in #BabriMasjidDemolitionCase runs counter to Supreme Court Judgement as also the Constitutional spirit. Our statement -: pic.twitter.com/C6S6fpMUq7 Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) September 30, 2020 "Every Indian, who has innate faith in the Constitution as also in the spirit of communal amity and brotherhood, expects and urges the Central and the state governments to file an `appeal,` against the decision of the Special Court founded in error and follow the letter of the law and the Constitution, without any partiality and pre-meditated prejudice. "This is the true calling of rule of law and our Constitution," said Surjewala. He said, "The Supreme Court in its judgement dated November 9, 2019 pronounced by five judges clearly held that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and `egregious violation of the rule of law`. Live TV Surjewala cited the SC judgment in para 788 XVII x, which said: "On 6 December 1992, the structure of the mosque was brought down and the mosque was destroyed. The destruction of the mosque took place in breach of the order of status quo and an assurance given to this Court. The destruction of the mosque and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the rule of law. "Para 800 said, "The Constitution postulates the equality of all faiths. Tolerance and mutual co-existence nourish the secular commitment of our nation and its people." He said, "The entire country witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by the BJP-RSS and its leaders to destroy the country`s communal amity and brotherhood for usurping power at any cost. "The then BJP government of Uttar Pradesh was a co-conspirator in the designed attack on India`s Constitutional ethos. So much so that the Supreme Court was misled by filing a wrong affidavit on oath. It is only after a detailed examination of all these aspects, facts and evidence that the Supreme Court held the demolition of the Masjid to be `an egregious violation of the rule of law." "But still the Special Court found no one guilty," Surjewala said. The Special CBI court on Wednesday (September 30, 2020) acquitted all 32 accused in the case, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti. The accused were acquitted citing "lack of evidence'' against them for hatching the alleged conspiracy. The court also observed that the 1992 demolition was not "pre-planned." President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with his senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. Yonhap By Do Je-hae The opposition bloc and the public are becoming increasingly frustrated by President Moon Jae-in's subdued message toward Pyongyang following the suspected killing of a South Korean national by North Korean troops in the North's territorial waters. Critics say Moon, as head of state and therefore the person responsible for citizens' lives and security, should take a stronger stance toward the North instead of trying to play down the issue for fear of harming inter-Korean relations. The South Korean leader reiterated his desire to work with the North on a thorough investigation into the case during a weekly meeting with his senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, six days after the incident. In particular, he underlined his appreciation for the apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un contained in a notice issued Sept. 25 by Pyongyang's United Front Department, which deals with inter-Korean relations. The notice arrived at Cheong Wa Dae just one day after President Moon, according to a statement from his office, urged the North Korean authorities to take responsibility for the killing of the South Korean maritime official who is believed to have been shot dead after crossing the maritime border between the two Koreas on Sept. 22. "The North Korean authorities quickly apologized and promised to prevent a recurrence a day after our government demanded they take responsibility. We deem it to be a clear indication of North Korea's willingness to avoid aggravating the situation and to prevent inter-Korean relations from ending up in an irreparable state," Moon said. "There is special meaning in Chairman Kim Jong-un's message to our people in which said he was very sorry. It is the first time in North Korea's history that a direct, immediate apology has been made by the country's leader. This shows that Kim recognizes the gravity of the incident and reaffirms his hope that inter-Korean relations will not fall apart." This was the first time for President Moon to publicly mention the incident. He presided over a meeting with officials in charge of national security, Sunday, after which the presidential office announced that Seoul would officially request a joint investigation with the North, saying that it "positively assessed the swift apology." But President Moon's eagerness to embrace Kim's apology is being met with criticism from the opposition and the people who see the apology as a mere tactic to avoid condemnation from the international community rather than a sincere apology for the atrocity that it committed against a South Korean national. Kim Chong-in, interim leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), criticized the Moon administration's response. "It is hard to understand why the government is taking such a lenient stance on the North Korean issue," he said during a party meeting, Monday. "The government's attitude was very ambiguous when the North destroyed the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong. In this case, the government is showing the same kind of behavior." In the meantime, Unification Minister Lee In-young said he regards the notice sent by North Korea's United Front Department as an official stance from its leader Kim. When an opposition lawmaker said in a National Assembly session, Monday, that the notice only stated Kim's stance indirectly, the minister said, "I regard it as official because (the department) sent it to us after writing down what Kim said." He also said the North's apology was unusual and swift, but he did not believe this was enough to make South Koreans safe, claiming there needs to be more done to resolve the issue in consideration of the victim's family. Twitter today suspended the Hungarian government's Twitter account without warning prompting Viktor Orban's spokesman to ridicule the 'beautiful new world of tech giants silencing opinions.' The account @AboutHungary, which tweets on behalf of the nationalist prime minister's cabinet office, was inaccessible earlier but has since been restored. It comes after Twitter waded into political rows in the United States earlier this year by flagging President Donald Trump's tweets for 'misinformation'. Orban's spokesman Zoltan Kovacs used his own personal Twitter account to attack the Silicon Valley company, writing: 'The beautiful new world has finally arrived, in which tech giants are silencing those who hold different opinions.' Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds a news conference in Budapest earlier this year The government account tweeted shortly before noon on Wednesday: 'This account was indeed suspended without warning or explanation. It has apparently now been restored - also without explanation' The government account tweeted shortly before noon on Wednesday: 'This account was indeed suspended without warning or explanation. It has apparently now been restored - also without explanation.' Twitter later claimed the account was 'suspended in error'. Orban has been lauded for the 'tremendous job' he's done by Trump and has been referred to as a 'dictator' by the EU's Jean Claude Juncker. It is not clear what may have prompted the action by Twitter. The Hungarian government's recent tweets have included two which quote Orban, one which says, 'Hungary had successfully defeated the epidemic once and would do so again'; and another, 'Budapest will not agree to anything that could lead to Hungary being under obligation to take in people coming from the Middle East or Africa.' Twitter has previously flagged tweets by Orban's ally Trump for 'abusive language', 'inciting violence' and redirected his followers to World Health Organisation guidance on coronavirus. Trump has long-threatened to go to war with Silicon Valley over claims that it is biased against conservatives and right-wingers. Twitter has also been accused of hypocrisy by allowing extremist bigots, such as Iran's Ayatollah, to spout blatant propaganda with impunity. Twitter flagged yet another Donald Trump tweet in June, claiming it breached it's rules on 'abusive behaviour' and warning users before they view the text of the post The President had been voicing his condemnation for the Black Lives Matter riots in Washington DC After two of his tweets were red-flagged in May, Trump tweeted: 'Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen. 'We saw what they attempted to do, and failed, in 2016. We can't let a more sophisticated version of that happen again.' Twitter's algorithms decide the order in which users see new posts, and can be used to make particular content more or less visible. That has led critics to say that it behaves as a publisher - deciding what people read or see - and not simply as an open forum. All the while, the California-based company earns billions in advertising revenue. Conservatives - and many others outside mainstream thought on matters like history, climate change and even the coronavirus - claim that big tech, including Twitter, is waging a campaign against them. UPDATE; Manhunt ends; man in custody. UPDATE: Police have identified the the man they are looking for and released his photo. Original story Manlius, N.Y. Police are searching for a wanted man who was only wearing boxers when he escaped from parole officers today in the village of Manlius. There was a heavy police presence in the area of Route 92 and Route 257 as officers from four different agencies searched for the parolee. The man has a violent criminal history, the Manlius Police Department said, but is wanted for a non-violent crime. The parolees name has not been released. Police did not say what he is wanted for. The man escaped from state parole officers at his East Gate apartment on Route 257/Fayetteville Street, police said. He was only wearing boxer shorts when he fled, police said. Manlius police along with the New York State Police, the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office and state parole officers are searching for the man. Police said the wanted parolee is a 28-year-old Black man. Hes about 5 feet 6 inches tall, police said, and weighs about 120 pounds. He has black hair with short braids that are blond and light brown, police said. He was last seen on Fayetteville-Manlius Road/Route 257 near Berkshire Parkway, police said. Police asked anyone who sees the man to call 911. Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach her at shouse@syracuse.com. Joe Holleman Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Joe Holleman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today For almost 30 years, Noahs Ark restaurant in St. Charles was the place to go especially if you wanted a damn fine bowl of clam chowder in the company of stuffed safari animals. That restaurant and a neighboring motel closed in the mid-1990s and the building came down in 2007. And now the man who dreamed up the unique landmark has passed on as well. David B. Flavan II of St. Charles died Sept. 23 at DePaul Health Center because of complications from a fall, relatives said. He was 90. But if a life spent as a commercial airline pilot, riverboat captain and inventor, along with being a restaurant owner and motel manager, qualifies a person as a character ... Then I guess he was what youd call quite a character, said his daughter, Peggy Flavan-Brown. Mr. Flavan was born Jan. 28, 1930, and lived in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood of St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University High School and went on to earn a bachelors degree in electrical engineering from Washington University. Even then, Mr. Flavan liked his adventures in motion. While many former Washington U. students over the years have boasted about driving a car down the steps in front of Brookings Hall, Flavan-Brown said, Dad said he was the first to ever drive one up the steps. Mr. Flavans need to navigate led him to becoming a pilot for TWA and Eastern Airlines, which he did for close to 40 years. While co-piloting in the mid-1960s, Mr. Flavan and his brother, John Flavan, began building the ark-shaped restaurant on South Fifth Street at Interstate 70. The construction was noticeable from flights in and out of Lambert Field. A flight attendant who didnt know of her co-pilots involvement once noted that some crazy person was building a big boat on a hill, Flavan-Brown said. Then she wondered how they planned to get it into the river once it was done. And my Dad told her, Oh, theyll probably use rollers, just like they did in ancient Egypt. Flavan eventually did end up on the river, in 1986, when he spent about $1 million to build and serve as one of the captains of the Spirit of St. Charles riverboat. That endeavor ended in 1990 when during high waters on the Missouri River, the boat struck a bridge and injured 22 people. In what passed as spare time, Mr. Flavan was a tinkerer and Flavan-Brown said he held several patents one for a steak-cooking machine and another for an automatic phone dialer. And through all these adventures, Mr. Flavan moved fast, especially in a car. Everyone said Dad drove his airplane and his car at the same speed, Flavan-Brown said. But he always managed to talk his way out of a ticket. Some long-overdue traffic justice seemed to be coming Mr. Flavans way when he was pulled over outside of Hannibal by a state trooper as the family was returning to St. Louis from a trip. The guy looked serious and we thought, finally, hes going to get a ticket, Flavan-Brown said. But the guy sat in his car for a long time. And when he finally came to our car, Dad asked if there was a problem. The guy said his radio wasnt working and Dad said, Mind if I look at it? So he ended up fixing the guys radio right there, she said. And of course he didnt get a ticket. Along with his more gregarious pursuits, Mr. Flavan also embraced a sense of service. For years, he piloted flights for Doctors Without Borders and Wings of Hope, philanthropic groups that take medical help and supplies to remote regions. He also served on the boards of the DePaul Health Center and St. Louis University, and on the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Commission. Flavan-Brown also said that with no fanfare or publicity, her father often let struggling families stay at the motel and helped several employees with college tuition. Among Mr. Flavans survivors are another daughter, Mary Clare LaBarge; a son, David B. Flavan III; one sister; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday at Baue Funeral Home, 620 Jefferson Street in St. Charles. (Attendees must wear masks and observe social-distancing rules.) A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter Catholic Church in St. Charles. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. {&rule} Looking back at 36 St. Louis restaurants from days gone by Joe Holleman 314-340-8254 @stlsherpa on Twitter jholleman@post-dispatch.com Your weekly capsule of local news, life advice, trivia and humor from Post-Dispatch columnist Joe Holleman. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha (center front) stands next to a model of a high-speed rail line during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bangkok-Nong Khai high speed rail project, in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, Dec. 21, 2017. Thailands cabinet on Tuesday authorized a 12 billion baht-budget increase (nearly U.S. $400 million) for a high-speed railway being built by Chinese state firms between northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province and the capital Bangkok, a government spokeswoman said. The additional money was needed for technical changes to accommodate a faster model of train on the 253 km- (157.2 mile-) long line, she said. The $5.8 billion project, originally slated for completion in 2023, is now expected to be ready in a little more than five years, she added. The cabinet agreed to adjust up the funds and change the contract to construct tracks, electrical and mechanical systems, acquire electric trains, and train personnel, under Contract 2.3 of the cooperation project of the governments of Thailand and China, in the amount of 12,075 million baht, spokeswoman Trisulee Traisoranakul told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Thailand has agreed to purchase a more advanced Fuxing Hao series bullet train instead of the Hexie Hao series model it originally planned to buy, and this would require different track specifications, she said. Last week, Thai highway department chief Apirat Chaiwongnoi announced that earth work and a rail base for the first 3.5-kilometer (2.2-mile) segment of the railroad had been completed. This section will now be handed over to the State Railway of Thailand, which will work with Chinese partners to begin laying railway track, Apirat said. On Aug. 29, 2017, the Thai government signed an agreement with Chinas National Development and Reform Commission to build the 253 km-long railroad. According to the agreement, China Railway International Co. Ltd. and China Railway Design Corporation will design and construct the track and electrical and mechanical systems, and undertake to train Thai workers on the project. Thailands highway department and other local companies have been involved in civil engineering work on the project. In 2017, then-Transportation Minister Akom Tempitayapaisit said his ministry expected to run six trains and transport 5,300 commuters a day upon completion of the high-speed line. Polling local residents Meanwhile, Thai officials are currently conducting an opinion poll of residents in an around the northeastern provinces of Khon Kaen and Nong Khai to gauge their views on a high-speed rail line extending beyond Nakhon Ratchasima, to Nong Khai on the Thai-Laos border. Beijing wants to connect what would be a 356 kilometer- (221.2 mile-) long Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai rail line to its One Belt One Road rail project in Laos, which would then connect to Kunming in southwest China. OBOR is Beijings ambitious program to build a global network of ports, highways, railways, bridges and power plants to connect China to markets abroad and countries that can supply the worlds most populous nation with resources. If built, this line would be part of Chinas planned 3,000-km (1,864-mile) pan-Asian railway network, in which Chinese rail lines would extend all the way to the tip of the Malay Peninsula, linking Beijing to Singapore. In April 2019, Thailand signed a memorandum of cooperation with Laos and China on a new bridge for a railway across the Mekong River, prompting speculation that this proposed high-speed rail line linking the three countries might come to fruition. In April last year, Reuters news agency reported that Thailands government said it was making progress on this much-delayed high-speed Thai-Chinese rail line, for which talks began as early as in 2014. The State Railway of Thailand said it expected to complete the opinion poll of residents in and around Khon Kaen and Nong Khai by November. However, a decision has yet to be made on extending the Bangkok- Nakhon Ratchasima line to Nong Khai. BenarNews contacted officials at the State Railway of Thailand for details but they didn't immediately return phone calls. Separately, the State Railway of Thailand last October signed an agreement with a consortium that includes a Chinese state-owned company to build a $7.4 billion high-speed rail line that would connect three airports and the Eastern Economic Corridor to the east of Bangkok. This 220-km line would link Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang international airports to U-Tapao airport in Pattaya, a town on the eastern seaboard that is popular with tourists. Last month, the State Railway of Thailand said that this $7.4 billion rail project would be delayed due to budgetary issues, according to a report by RailwayTechnology, a news site on technology in the global railway industry. When and if the rail line is built, it would intersect with the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima line. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. The Biden campaign said it would test everyone who rides on the train for the coronavirus. The campaigns policy has been to strictly adhere to all guidelines in states Biden visits, and to avoid gathering crowds of non-invited voters. The candidates events are not advertised on his campaign website or Facebook page, as Trumps are, although Biden gathered mask-wearing crowds of several hundred outdoors at stops in Greensburg and Alliance on Wednesday. How many more people have to die? That was the question Judge Harvey Brownstone asked after a Niagara Falls man, convicted in 2014 of crashing a car into a tree which claimed the life of a 21-year-old woman, was convicted of several driving-relating offences including two impaired driving charges and leading police on a high-speed chase twice in less than a week. I wonder how many more people Mr. Keeping intends to kill by this behaviour? the judge asked after Michael Keeping pleaded to six charges in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines. Brownstone said the defendant is a tremendous menace to the public. Im very worried someone is going to lose their life due to your drug problem and your poor judgment, he told the 28-year-old man before imposing a 12-month jail term followed by a five-year driving ban. I dont think in 25 years on the bench Ive ever had someone convicted of dangerous driving causing death and then coming back six years later with two impaired, and also flight from police charges, Brownstone said. On July 28, court heard, police initiated a pursuit after a vehicle failed to stop for police on Lundys Lane in Niagara Falls. The chase was subsequently discontinued due to public safety concerns. About a week later, police spotted the vehicle on Montrose Road and attempted to pull it over a second time. What followed was a second chase during which Keeping led police through Niagara Falls. Court heard the defendant weaved in and out of traffic and drove at speeds of 150 km/h in a 50-km/h zone. Again, police abandoned the pursuit in the interest of public safety. The car was later found in field and Keeping was arrested behind the wheel. A quantity of crystal methamphetamine was found inside the vehicle. He was previously convicted of dangerous driving causing death stemming from a 2013 crash in Thorold that claimed the life of a 21-year-old Niagara Falls woman. Two other passengers, a 19-year-old man from Niagara Falls and a 21-year-old woman from Fort Erie, were also injured when Keeping crashed into a tree on Holland Road. Police confirmed speed was a factor in the crash. Priyanka Gandhi, Congress party in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, is likely to meet the family members of the Hathras Dalit girl who succumbed to at a hospital in New Delhi on Tuesday. The victim was allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men on September 14. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is the party in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, is likely to meet the family members of the Hathras Dalit woman who succumbed to assault injuries at a hospital in New Delhi on Tuesday. According to sources, Vadra spoke to the family members of the victim, who was allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men at Hathras on September 14, and assured them that she would visit their house. Planning is being done, she can go anytime, a source said. In a series of tweets, Vadra has hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh over the Hathras incident. I want to ask some questions to the chief minister of UP Who ordered to cremate the body of the victim, forcefully denying the family its right to do so? What kind of chief minister are you, she tweeted in Hindi on Wednesday. I was on the phone with the Hathras victims father. I heard him cry out in despair. He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night he was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites, Gandhi said in her first two tweets on the issue on Wednesday. The Hathras victims body reached from Delhis Safdarjung Hospital after midnight. The 19-year-old died in Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday, after she was gang-raped in Hathras a fortnight ago. The victim was brought to Safdarjung Hospital on Monday from Aligarh Muslim University Medical College. I was on the phone with the Hathras victims father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair. 1/3 Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020 Also Read: Bihar elections 2020: JP Nadda meets top leaders over election strategy, seat sharing Earlier Priyanka slammed the Chief Minister after the last rites of the Hathras gang-rape victim was performed at her native place in the absence of her family members, in the wee hours of Wednesday. Priyanka, in a tweet, said, Yogi Adityanath RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister, Gandhi added. Also Read: Hathras horror: Outrage over victims midnight cremation, PM dials Yogi Adityanath; SIT to submit report in 7 days Intense rainfall and heavy winds started sweeping through the state Tuesday evening, flooding sections of the eastern coast of Massachusetts and knocking down trees as well as power lines with powerful gusts. The storm has proven particularly harmful in southeastern Massachusetts, where strong winds have left a path of widespread damages and led to high numbers of power outages in Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties. In Hanover, emergency crews responded Wednesday morning to multiple reports of downed power lines, outages and an appliance fire. The towns fire department tweeted a photograph of a large tree that was completely uprooted in the wake of the storm. Around 7 a.m., the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center in Milton, located just south of Boston in Norfolk County, recorded a maximum wind gust of around 70 mph, the National Weather Service noted. By the height of the storm Wednesday morning, more than 70,000 homes and businesses across Massachusetts were without electricity. That number has since fallen to 56,473 as of around 10:30 a.m., according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agencys (MEMA) outage map. Electrical crews from the states two biggest service providers, Eversource and National Grid, are still working to restore power to thousands of households, and first responders in communities throughout the state are responding to numerous calls from residents about storm-related damages. However, repairs may be delayed due to a combination of the strong winds and safety protocols issued due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hazardous gusts should taper off by noontime, forecasters said, but restoring many residents electricity could take hours after the winds die down. Our full complement of resources will work throughout the day today to safely restore those customers impacted, an Eversource spokesperson said in a statement. In the meantime, we want to remind customers to never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. Brutal winds and heavy rainfall swept through Massachusetts on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, knocking down power lines and trees. Here is coastal flooding from the storm west of Sconticut Neck in Fairhaven. (Courtesy Chris Tripp) MEMA on Wednesday reported as many as 19,623 outages in Norfolk County, 10,024 in Bristol, 8,421 in Essex and 8,204 in Plymouth. Easton was reporting the third highest number of outages out of all the communities in the state. Roughly 53% of the town, 5,371 households, were without electricity. According to Easton Fire Chief Kevin Partridge, firefighters in the town have responded to around two dozen storm-related calls Wednesday morning about downed power lines and trees. The crews have been out there since about 7 a.m. Nothing serious. Just large limbs fallen on houses. We have about four or five streets blocked," Partridge told MassLive. Its affected the entire region. Two crews from the Easton Fire Department were sent to a home that used a generator after losing power. However, the device was too close to the house, and the machines exhaust was feeding back into the home, causing the carbon monoxide levels to rise, Partridge noted. It became an issue," the fire chief said. "Nobodys sick or anything, but it was up there, 80 parts per million. When it reaches 30, thats an issue. Normally its zero. If people use a generator, they need to make sure its ventilated properly, he added. Brutal winds and heavy rainfall swept through Massachusetts on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, knocking down power lines and trees. Here are damages from the storm in Hingham. (Courtesy Mike Antoine) Quincy similarly saw extensive damages from the storm, and as of around 10:30 a.m., it was reporting nearly 6,700 outages. First responders in the city were called to numerous sites of storm-related damage Wednesday. The Quincy Fire Department fielded 40-plus calls since 7:30 a.m. about downed power lines, knocked over trees and electrical failures, officials said. Forty Quincy firefighters were actively pursuing emergencies at the height of the storm, according to authorities. The Houghs Neck and West Quincy neighborhoods were hit the hardest, Deputy Fire Chief Paul Griffith noted. The rain has subsided, but the winds are around 25 miles per hour still, Griffith said around 10 a.m. In Boston, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway in West Roxbury was temporarily shut down due to a large tree that fell down and made the outbound roadway impassible, Massachusetts State Police tweeted. The tree has since been removed and the lanes reopened. Elsewhere in the city, the ramp in the eastbound lanes of Storrow Drive toward Charles Circle near Massachusetts General Hospital is expected to be closed for an extended period of time" due to another large tree that was knocked over, according to Massachusetts State Police. Authorities are contracting a tree removal company to remove the tree, and troopers are making sure an alternative route is available to the hospital, state police said. Traffic is being diverted, state police tweeted. Numerous trees are down throughout Greater Boston; many are not impacting traffic. Central and Western Massachusetts were also hit with damages from the harsh winds. As of around 10:30 a.m., more than 2,000 household were without electricity in each area. Related Content: More than 60,000 Massachusetts households without power as damaging wind, heavy rain sweeps across region The Sri Lanka government announced on September 30 that the Cabinet cleared Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksas proposal to ban cattle slaughter in the country on September 29. The Sri Lankan government is, however, looking at ways to start importing beef for those who consume the meat and also planning to provide it at a concessional rate. Approving the proposal, the Cabinet said: As a country with an economy based on agriculture, the contribution of the cattle resource to develop the livelihood of the rural people of Sri Lanka is immense. It added: Various parties have pointed out that the livestock resource that is required for traditional farming purposes is insufficient due to the rise of cattle slaughter and the insufficient livestock resource is an obstacle to uplift the local dairy industry, which enables the development of the livelihood of the rural people while reducing the substantial amount of foreign exchange attracted towards foreign countries on imported milk powder. The Sri Lankan Cabinet has said it will take immediate steps to amend the Animal Act, the Cattle Slaughter Ordinance, and other such laws that regulate cattle slaughter in the country. Earlier this month, on September 8, Prime Minister Rajapaksa had made the proposal to ban cattle slaughter to the parliamentary group of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). One must note here that the members of the hardliner Sinhala-Buddhist groups, many of whom back Rajapaksas government, have been clamouring for a ban on cow slaughter for long. Sri Lanka is a Buddhist majority country, and most Buddhists do not consume beef as they consider cows to be sacred. However, Muslims, Christians, and some Hindus do consume beef in Sri Lanka, for whom arrangements are being made to import the meat. (With PTI inputs) Kangana now targets Mahatma Gandhi, says 'offering another cheek' gets 'bheek' not freedom We want Mahatma Gandhi's India, people of Kashmir cannot live with Godse's India: Mehbooba Mufti Quit India Movement: Who gave the slogan 'Do or Die' India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Sep 30: Going back to the Indian history, Quit India Movement or Bharat Chodo Andolan was a turning point in India's freedom struggle. Under Mahatma Gandhi's leadership, people across India came together to uproot British imperialism. In 1942, in a fiery speech in Mumbai, Mahatma Gandhi gave a 'do or die' call to the people of India in a final push to make the British quit. Following the start of "Quit India Movement", several Congress leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Abul Kalam Azad and others along with Mahatma Gandhi were jailed for sedition. Priyanka Gandhi slams CM Yogi Adityanath on death of Hathras gang-rape victim Also known as August Kranti Movement, it was launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee. A resolution was also passed for civil disobedience if the British did not to agree to the demands for complete transfer of governance. "Here is a mantra, a short one that I give you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The mantra is: 'do or die'. We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery," Mahatma Gandhi had said. Farm Bills: These laws have to be opposed for country's future, says Rahul Gandhi Quit India Movement: Know about India's freedom movement a. In 1939, the British Governor-General of India, Lord Linlithgow, involved India into World War II, the British wanted to send Indian soldiers to fight for them. b. In order to get cooperation from Indian national leaders, the British government sent a mission called the Cripps mission. c. Talks between Cripps and Indian national leaders failed. The Congress rejected Cripps' plan as it did not give immediate total self rule. d. Mahatma Gandhi called for Quit India Movement after the failure of Cripps mission. Maldives thanks India for supporting with 0 million amid coronavirus pandemic e. The movement began from Mumbai's Gawalia Tank Maidan also called the August Kranti Maidan on August 8, 1942. f. At August Kranti Maidan, Mahatma Gandhi delivered his famous "do or die" speech, which marked the beginning of Quit India Movement. g. Within hours of Mahatma Gandhi's call for "do or die" the top Indian National Congress leadership was arrested. h. The Indian National Congress was declared unlawful and its leaders were jailed without trial. i. The protest was initially peaceful but later on homes of freedom fighters and Congress offices were raided, and many were jailed. j. When all the leading freedom fighters were in jail, Aruna Asaf Ali presided over the Congress session despite warnings from the British government. k. The British had refused to grant India total independence but later they agreed to give independence after the World War II ended. l. The World War II ended in 1945 and India gained independence in 1947. House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) departs the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol after the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump concluded in Washington on Feb. 5, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Schiff Subpoenas DHS for Testimony, Records Over Whistleblower Complaint Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, on Tuesday issued two subpoenas in a bid to compel testimony from a senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official related to a whistleblower complaint. The pair of subpoenas (pdf) allege DHS officials are unlawfully obstructing his panels probe linked to the complaint, made by former Homeland Security Department intelligence chief Brian Murphy. It seeks a public testimony from acting DHS intelligence chief Joseph Maher on Oct. 2 about accusations that the agency had meddled in intelligence reports for political purposes. Schiff said he also had issued a subpoena to force the DHS to turn over documents, communications, and other records related to the committees probe of Murphys allegations. The Committee has an obligation to independently investigate and substantiate serious allegations against senior Department of Homeland Security and White House officials, Schiff said Tuesday. Last week, he had alleged that the department has been preventing Murphy accessing classified information ahead Fridays testimony by stonewalling authorization of security clearances. Related Coverage Schiff Alleges DHS Is Stonewalling Whistleblower From Accessing Records Ahead of Deposition After weeks, and in some cases months, of attempted accommodation with the Department, we were left with no choice but to issue two subpoenas today, Schiff said in a statement Tuesday. Simply put, the Committee will no longer tolerate the obstruction and attempts to run out the clock by the Department. A department spokesman said in a statement to The Epoch Times that Schiffs claims about the agency stonewalling his committee or obstructing the clearance process are completely false. DHS is doing no such thing and Chairman Schiff, despite the obvious political theater of this subpoena, knows this, the spokesman said. In fact, the department has produced nearly 3,000 pages of documents and has provided two briefings and three transcribed interviews to date. The statement continues, With last weeks bombshell reports reminding the nation that Chairman Schiff peddled the baseless Russia hoax for years, it should come as no surprise that he is willing to jeopardize and politicize national security to attack this Administration and this President for partisan gain. As Mr. Schiff has now admitted, he is arbitrarily seeking to rush his investigation to affect the election, apparently willing to risk national security to do so. But Chairman Schiff must be held to his own standard. He must not be allowed to sacrifice the countrys national security in favor of his own personal or political interests. Related Coverage Schiff: New Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Suppression of Russian Election Interference Reports Murphy, who formerly served as the acting under secretary of the I&A, has alleged suppression of intelligence reports on Russian election interference, and has also claimed he was pressured by more senior officials to play down white supremacist activity. Schiff announced on Sept. 9 that a whistleblower had filed a complaint. Murphy has also said acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told him in May to instead report on political interference threats posed by China and Iran and highlight the involvement of left-wing groups in domestic disorder. He said he turned down several orders to either modify to alter intelligence products to back the administrations agenda, and claims he was demoted in retaliation. The DHS has denied Murphys allegations. Reuters contributed to this report. New Delhi, Sep 30 : With Covid-19 set to enter its ninth month in India after the country reported its first confirmed case in Kerala on January 30, there is a likelihood of increased transmission of the novel coronavirus virus during the winter months, health experts warned on Wednesday. The novel coronavirus that has traversed winter, spring, summer, monsoon and now creating havoc in autumn has proven to be an all-season virus which is currently spreading rapidly in India. With a spike of 80,472 coronavirus cases and 1,179 deaths in 24 hours, India's tally on Wednesday surpassed the grim 62 lakh mark with a total of 62,25,763 cases. "Based on our knowledge of other respiratory viruses, it may be possible that the coronavirus infections might rise in the coming winter months," Dr Richa Sareen, Consultant, Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, told IANS. "Most respiratory illnesses like SARS, influenza, etc show a seasonal variation, with cases spiking in winter months. Viruses tend to survive longer in a cold and dry climate," she explained. Furthermore, low humidity promotes evaporation of viral particles and aerosol formations, which can increase the airborne spread of disease. According to Sareen, lack of sunshine in winters also depletes Vitamin D levels, thereby decreasing immunity, making us more susceptible to infections, including Covid-19. "The effect of winters on Covid surge is yet to be seen, however wearing a proper mask, following hand hygiene and social distancing are the mainstay to prevent Covid-19 infection till the vaccine arrives," she stressed. On Tuesday, the key findings of the second round of sero-survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) suggested that India had 87 million Covid-19 patients by the end of August. ICMR Director-General Balram Bhargava had said that one in 15 individuals was exposed to Covid-19 by August. Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi told IANS: "Generally, flu-like diseases spread more during winters. Cold weather and humidity are favourable for the spread of the disease." However, the rise in the cases will be accelerated mainly because people are becoming less vigilant, mask use is down and mobility is up. "Ramping up the testing for coronavirus, following social distancing rules strictly, and practicing respiratory and hand hygiene measures without any lackadaisical approach will be crucial during the winter months," Chatterjee told IANS. According to Praveen Gupta, Director and Head, Neurology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, respiratory symptoms, which are one of the main symptoms of Covid-19, are known to worsen in winter. "There are chances of a spike in cases again if we do not take the necessary precautions," Gupta noted. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who has been accused by a female actor of rape, has been summoned to appear at the Versova police station on Thursday. Mumbai Police summons film director Anurag Kashyap (in file photo) asking him to appear at Versova Police station tomorrow at 11 am, in connection with the alleged sexual assault against actor, ANI has reported. Mumbai Police summons film director Anurag Kashyap (in file photo) asking him to appear at Versova Police station tomorrow at 11 am, in connection with the alleged sexual assault against actor Payal Ghosh. pic.twitter.com/JLnlgO6Pzb ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2020 Kashyap, in a statement by his lawyer, has called the allegations baseless. My client, Anurag Kashyap, has been deeply pained by the false allegations of sexual misconduct that have recently surfaced against him. These allegations are completely false, malicious and dishonest, his lawyer Priyanka Khimani had said in a statement. The actor, who had filed a rape case against Kashyap last week, on Tuesday met Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari, demanding action against the filmmaker. She was accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athawale. The two had also met Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Vishwas Nangare Patil earlier in the week, seeking security for the actor. The actor had earlier questioned the delay in arresting Kashyap, warning that she will go on a hunger strike if no action is taken. Mumbai Police had registered an FIR against Anurag after the actor accused him of sexual misconduct in 2013, an official said. The First Information Report (FIR) was registered at Versova police station on September 22 after the actor, along with her lawyer Nitin Satpute, approached the police, the official said. Also read: Actor demands Anurag Kashyaps arrest as she meets Maharashtra governor, thanks Kangana Ranaut for being her rock The FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 376 (I) (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement), the official said, adding that further investigation is underway. In her police complaint, the actor alleged that Kashyap raped her at a place on Yari Road in Versova in 2013. (With PTI inputs) Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The massive gathering of students in Galway city earlier this week has been described as a "massive slap in the face" by student representatives, who say students have also been abandoned by the Government. The students union at NUI Galway was responding to the large gatherings of students at the Spanish Arch, Shop Street, and Wood Quay in the city, which prompted concern about the lack of social distancing. NUIG Student Welfare Officer, Roisin Nic Lochlainn, said, although she condemns the behaviour of the students, the Government had six months to come up with a plan to stop the inevitable". It was really disheartening, and a slap in the face, to see everyone there congregating and everyone without masks or distancing. But at the same time, it's no surprise that this has happened," she said, claiming the Government has "absolutely abandoned" students. Images circulating on social media of crowds of young people gathering and drinking at various locations in Galway. Students were dragged back to the city with no clarity. They were told to pay accommodation, they got here and everything is online. There is no social spaces, no nightclubs. They have had six months to plan for this, so why only now are meetings happening? In response to the incident, the chief executive of Galway City Council convened an emergency virtual meeting with representatives from the council, the HSE, the university, and student bodies. Afterwards, a spokesperson said: The upset, anger, and concern of people across the city at the events that unfolded was shared and acknowledged by all. In a separate statement, NUIG said the incident was deplorable. A spokesperson for the university said it has "repeatedly appealed to the better judgment of our students and reminded them of their responsibilities under the student code of conduct". "While the vast majority of our students are doing their utmost to stay safe and helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we wont hesitate in dealing with any breaches of public health guidelines in line with our Student Code of Conduct [which has penalties up to and including expulsion]," they said. Images circulating on social media of crowds of young people gathering and drinking at various locations in Galway. Local independent TD Catherine Connolly said that there had been "a lack of clarity" on messaging about whether students needed to be in the city for courses and said that she wanted the city to "rise to the challenges" posed by Covid-19 in the area. Some 14 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Galway on Tuesday, out of 363 nationwide. In Cork, gardai said they are not investigating any suspected breaches of the public health regulations after they responded to reports of crowds queuing outside bars on Oliver Plunkett St on Monday night. It is understood that gardai also dealt with complaints about three house parties, including one property on St Finbarrs Rd, where about 30 young people were cleared from the building at around 3pm on Monday. However, UCCs Students Union said no gathering reviewed by campus watch was associated with a virtual event staged as part of their digital freshers week. The union also said there were significantly fewer disciplinary cases presented at the campus watch committee on Tuesday than the day before, which it said proves that online events do not in-fact encourage antisocial behaviour. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-28 10:08:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on Sept. 8, 2020 shows Cauchari Solar Park in the town of Cauchari in the northwestern province of Jujuy, Argentina. Argentina's Chinese-built and financed Cauchari Solar Park, the largest of its kind in Latin America, officially launched commercial operations over the weekend, injecting power into the national power grid. (PowerChina Argentina/Handout via Xinhua) BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's Chinese-built and financed Cauchari Solar Park, the largest of its kind in Latin America, officially launched commercial operations over the weekend, injecting power into the national power grid. Built by China Power Construction and the Shanghai Electric Power Construction Company, the solar park is located in the town of Cauchari in the northwestern province of Jujuy, at an altitude of about 4,200 meters above sea level. The project, authorized by Argentina's Wholesale Electric Market Management Company, supplies the grid with a total of 300 megawatts of electricity and has useful life of approximately 20 years. The park is divided into three areas -- Cauchari I, II and III, each generating 100 megawatts of power -- and covers approximately 600 hectares installed with 1.2 million photovoltaic panels, in addition to a 345-kilovolt booster station. According to Tu Shuiping, general manager of PowerChina Argentina, about 1,500 jobs have been created during the construction of the park, which, once completed, will continue to provide employment opportunities in operation and maintenance, as well as to spur the development of the mining and smelting industries. The park's launch is expected to generate about 50 million U.S. dollars in revenue for the province of Jujuy, help promote local economic development, raise standards of living in an area with limited access to energy, and contribute to the development of clean energy sources in Argentina. Construction of the plant began in April 2018, after China and Argentina signed a cooperation agreement within the framework of the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Enditem Early in the formation of Jupiter as a planet, it moved closer to and then away from the Sun due to interactions with the planetary disk of the young Solar System, and this movement likely triggered Venus onto a path toward its current, inhospitable state, according to a new paper published in the Planetary Science Journal. Scientists consider planets lacking liquid water to be incapable of hosting life as we know it, said Dr. Stephen Kane, an astrobiologist in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Riverside. Though Venus may have lost some water early on for other reasons, and may have continued to do so anyway. One of the interesting things about the Venus of today is that its orbit is almost perfectly circular, he added. With this project, I wanted to explore whether the orbit has always been circular and if not, what are the implications of that? To answer these questions, Dr. Kane and colleagues created a model that simulated the Solar System, calculating the location of all the planets at any one time and how they pull one another in different directions. They measured how non-circular a planets orbit is between 0, which is completely circular, and 1, which is not circular at all. The number between 0 and 1 is called the eccentricity of the orbit. An orbit with an eccentricity of 1 would not even complete an orbit around a star; it would simply launch into space, Dr. Kane said. Currently, the orbit of Venus is measured at 0.006, which is the most circular of any planet in our Solar System. However, the teams model shows that when Jupiter was likely closer to the Sun about a billion years ago, Venus likely had an eccentricity of 0.3, and there is a much higher probability that it was habitable then. As Jupiter migrated, Venus would have gone through dramatic changes in climate, heating up then cooling off and increasingly losing its water into the atmosphere, Dr. Kane said. Earlier this year, astronomers detected phosphine gas in the cloud decks of Venus. In Earths atmosphere, phosphine is uniquely associated with anthropogenic activity or microbial presence. Phosphine is typically produced by microbes. It is possible that it represents the last surviving species on a planet that went through a dramatic change in its environment, Dr. Kane said. For that to be the case, however, the microbes would have had to sustain their presence in the sulfuric acid clouds above Venus for roughly a billion years since the planet last had surface liquid water a difficult to imagine though not impossible scenario. There are probably a lot of other processes that could produce the gas that havent yet been explored, he said. Ultimately, it is important to understand what happened to Venus, a planet that was once likely habitable and now has surface temperatures of up to 462 degrees Celsius (864 degrees Fahrenheit). I focus on the differences between Venus and Earth, and what went wrong for Venus, so we can gain insight into how the Earth is habitable, and what we can do to shepherd this planet as best we can. _____ Stephen R. Kane et al. 2020. Could the Migration of Jupiter Have Accelerated the Atmospheric Evolution of Venus? Planet. Sci. J 1, 42; doi: 10.3847/PSJ/abae63 This article is based on a press-release provided by the University of California, Riverside. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rises during a sitting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the House of Commons in Ottawa on July 22, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Liberals Survive First Confidence Vote as COVID-19 Benefit Bill Gets Unanimous Support OTTAWAThe House of Commons has unanimously passed legislation authorizing new benefits for workers left jobless or underemployed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the process, the minority Liberal government has survived its first pandemic-era confidence test, assuring at least for now that there will be no election as COVID-19 cases spike across the country. Bill C-4 passed in the House of Commons in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday, after a day of political manoeuvering and just four-and-a-half hours of debate on the actual contents of the legislation. In the end, Conservative MPs, who had protested loudly against fast-tracking of the bill and used procedural tactics to hold it up, voted for it. So did Bloc Quebecois MPs, who had also opposed fast-tracking. It must still be passed by the Senate, which is scheduled to gather Wednesday to deal equally quickly with the bill. Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez had announced earlier Tuesday that the House of Commons vote would be a confidence measure, meaning the minority Liberal government would have fallen if the bill had been defeated. There was never much chance of that, however, since the NDP had promised to support the bill, having won two key changes to it. The bill replaces the now-defunct $500-per-week Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which came to an end last weekend after helping almost nine million Canadians weather the impact of the pandemic. In its place, workers impacted by the pandemic will have access to a more flexible and generous employment insurance regime and, for those who still dont qualify for EI, a new Canada recovery benefit. The bill also creates a new sick leave benefit and another new caregiver benefit for those forced to take time off work to care for a dependent due to the pandemic. At the behest of the NDP, the government has increased the proposed new benefits to $500 per week from the originally proposed $400, ensuring no one receives less than they were getting under the CERB. It has also expanded the eligibility criteria for the sick leave benefit so that it applies not just to individuals who contract COVID-19 but also to those with underlying health conditions or other illnesses, including the flu or the common cold, that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19. Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough estimated the new measures will cost $34 billion. The bill also included some $17 billion in other COVID-19-related spending. The NDP grudgingly agreed to support fast-tracking of the bill in order to provide assurance to CERB recipients that they wont be cut adrift now that the CERB has been wound down. But all opposition parties blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for necessitating the speedy approval, without allowing for adequate parliamentary scrutiny. They pointed to Trudeaus decision last month to prorogue Parliament, which prevented it from dealing with any legislation until Parliament resumed last week. And they accused him of using prorogation to put a stop to studies by Commons committees into the WE Charity affair, which has triggered investigations into possible conflict of interest by Trudeau and former finance minister Bill Morneau. To draw attention to other Liberal ethical lapses, Conservative MP Michael Barrett forced debate and a vote on a motion calling on former Liberal MP Joe Peschisolido to apologize to the House of Commons for breaching conflict of interest rules when he was still an MP. Ethics commissioner Mario Dion issued a report eight months ago saying Peschisolido repeatedly failed to disclose his private interests, including assets, loans, his marriage and the fact his B.C. law firm was taken over by the Law Society of British Columbia. Barrett said it was just another example of Liberals ignoring the rules. Liberals accused the opposition of putting political games ahead of the needs of people, thousands of whom were e anxiously waiting to see if the new benefits would be approved. Barrett shot back that if the Liberals wanted the bill dealt with quickly they should not have slammed the door on Parliament by proroguing in August. Debate on Barretts motion lasted more than two hours. In the end, his motion passed easily with all opposition parties supporting it. On Tuesday, Conservatives also proposed an amendment to a government motion to fast-track Bill C-4. The amendment, which would have allowed for several more days of debate, was defeated by the Liberals, with support from the NDP. However, Sen. Scott Tannas, leader of the Canadian Senate Group, served notice Tuesday that he will introduce a motion requiring a minimum of one week of debate on all future government legislation proposed during the pandemic. In the case of a genuine emergency, his motion would require the government to make the case in the Senate as to why a bill should be passed more quickly. Rodriguez indicated that another emergency billto extend rent relief for businessescould in fact be coming soon. Following an evening cabinet meeting Tuesday, he told reporters that the government is well aware that businesses are facing rent payments on Thursday and I can tell you, were not going to let them down. Unlike the House of Commons, which resumed all its normal functions last Thursday using a hybrid formatwith only a few dozen MPs actually in the chamber and the rest participating virtually, including video conference votingthe Senate has not yet resumed regular sittings. Since mid-March, the Senate has sat only periodically for a few hours to swiftly debate and pass emergency aid legislation. In a statement, Tannas said members of his caucus want the Senate to adopt a similar format to that now being used in the Commons. And he said they are frustrated by the continuing pressure from the government on the Senate to simply rubberstamp significant, complex and wide-ranging pandemic-related legislation, spending billions of dollars without proper scrutiny and with little or no debate during one-day sittings. Sen. Marc Gold, the governments representative in the Senate, said collegial discussions on the Senates operational continuity during the pandemic are underway. He refused further comment. By Joan Bryden and Mia Rabson TROY, Mich., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Bianchi, longtime automotive media relations veteran and president of automotive PR firm Bianchi Public Relations, Inc., will discuss the results of two media surveys and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected media relations for automotive and mobility suppliers during the October 7 virtual meeting of the Automotive Public Relations Council (APRC) of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association. Titled "How Auto Supplier Media Relations Has Changed Amidst COVID," Bianchi's presentation will cover six takeaways from a recent global journalist survey conducted by Cision, a PR software and service provider, and six tips for PR professionals gathered recently from Detroit-based automotive journalists. The APRC session's agenda and registration information are available at: https://www.oesa.org/events/automotive-public-relations-council-meeting-3. With more than 35 years of experience on both the corporate and agency sides, Bianchi is an accredited, hands-on PR professional directing the Detroit area firm that bears his surname. Recognized nationally for its expertise in working with automotive and technology suppliers over the past 28 years, Bianchi and his team of senior PR professionals have worked with a wide range of clients, from start-ups to global corporations including some of the world's largest auto suppliers. Bianchi PR has been named among the "Best of Michigan Business" and one of "101 Best & Brightest Companies" in Metro Detroit and has been perennially ranked by PR industry journals PRWeek and O'Dwyer's as the largest independent PR agency based in Detroit and one of the top technology PR firms in the U.S. About Bianchi PR With special expertise in business-to-business PR and social media for automotive and mobility technology suppliers and the business-to-business (B2B) companies that serve them Bianchi PR was founded in 1992. Among Bianchi PR's ongoing business-to-business PR clients are 1stMILE LLC, Adient, BASF Automotive Refinish, Cooper Standard, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, KIRCO, Munro & Associates, Rolls-Royce Power Systems/MTU brand, SAE International, Schaeffler Group and Yanfeng Automotive Interiors. The firm's experience also includes work with technology companies, consulting firms and industry trade organizations, such as the Automotive Industry Action Group, the Center for Automotive Research and the Steel Market Development Institute. For more information, visit www.bianchipr.com or call 248-269-1122. To serve it clients on a worldwide basis, Bianchi PR is an active member in the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), one of the world's largest international PR networks. Clients across six continents depend on the combined resources of PRGN to deliver targeted public relations campaigns in markets around the world. PRGN harnesses the resources of 51 independent public relations firms in 53 locations and more than 1,000 communications professionals to connect international companies and organizations with individual and culturally diverse markets globally. Visit PRGN online at www.prgn.com or on Twitter at @PRGN. SOURCE Bianchi Public Relations, Inc. Related Links http://www.bianchipr.com Last week, many parents of middle schoolers in Oregons largest district were befuddled by or angry about a schedule that offered their children only 4 1/2 hours of synchronous teaching, all on Mondays and Tuesdays. Now, the chief architect of Portland Public Schools' digital schedules says he issued unclear instructions at the outset of the year. Harris County residents now are able to track the status of their mail ballots through a new system launched by County Clerk Christopher Hollins Wednesday. For the first time, a voter can see when their ballot is mailed to them and when it is processed by the clerks office after being returned. Providing voters with more information gives voters peace of mind about the mail voting process, Hollins said in a statement. I encourage Harris County voters who have applied to vote by mail to track their ballots using our website. To do so, residents must visit www.harrisvotes.com/tracking and enter their name, birth date and last four digits of their Social Security or Texas ID number. The Secretary of States Office said several counties, including Bexar and Williamson, also offer online tracking of mail ballots. At least 40 states do, as well. Harris County is expecting a record number of mail ballots this year. To date, the office has received 208,000 vote-by-mail applications, up from 111,000 in 2018 and 115,000 in 2016. The county began sending ballots to voters last week; to date, 172 have been returned. The deadline to request a ballot to vote by mail is Oct. 23. To be eligible, residents must be 65 or older, disabled, out of the county or incarcerated during the voting period. The Texas Supreme Court in May ruled that fear of contracting COVID-19 alone does not constitute a disability, however it can be combined with other health factors to qualify a voter for a mail ballot. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht said that leaves voters to decide for themselves whether they are eligible to vote by mail. zach.despart@chron.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel has praised women protesters in Belarus for staging peaceful demonstrations amid ongoing social unrest in the nation. Merkel also said that she had plans to meet Belaruss main opposition candidate. While addressing German lawmakers on Wednesday, September 30, Merkel said that Germany does not recognise the recent Belarusian presidential election and therefore cannot accept Lukashenko as the nation's president. She also called the women protesting on the streets of Belarus "extremely brave", adding that said she admired their resolve and found it really impressive. Read: Belarusian Opposition Leader To Address French Parliament Amid Unrest Germany follows France's line The German government is yet to reveal the details of Merkel's upcoming meeting with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who fled Belarus for Lithuania shortly after the results of the elections were declared that hailed Lukashenko's victory with supposed 80% votes. Merkels announcement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron met with Tsikhanouskaya in Lithuania. According to reports, after meeting the Belarus opposition leader Macron said, We had a very good discussion. Now we need to be pragmatic and to support Belarus people and we will do all that. Read: Belarus: Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich Leaves For Germany Amid Protests Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and Canada have imposed sanctions on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. In addition, they have also placed sanctions on Lukashenkos son and other senior government officials. The UK has also refused to accept the results of the August 9 election as legitimate and does not consider Lukashenko to be the legitimate leader of Belarus. As per reports, the UK has imposed a travel ban as well as frozen the assets of eight officials from the Belarusian government, including Lukashenko's son Viktor Aleksandrovich Lukashenko and Igor Sergeenko, the head of the presidential administration. Canada has also applied similar sanctions. Merkels spokesman, Steffen Seibert, when asked about possible sanctions against Belarus stated that Germany was firmly resolved to impose sanctions against Belarus and regrets that the European Union has been unable to reach an agreement. (With AP inputs) Read: Emmanuel Macron Meets Belarusian Opposition Leader, Offers To Mediate Crisis Read: UK And Canada Announce Sanctions On Belarus Leader Over 'rigged' Election JP Nadda meets with top party leaders from Bihar today over the strategy for the upcoming assembly elections and to discuss seat-sharing.The meeting is being held at the party's office in New Delhi. BJP national president JP Nadda will meet with top party leaders from Bihar today over the strategy for the upcoming assembly elections and to discuss seat-sharing.The meeting between Nadda and other leaders from Bihar will be held at the partys office in New Delhi. Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister, and BJP leader, Sushil Kumar Modi left Patna for Delhi.State Health Minister, Mangal Pandey, was also seen at the Patna airport earlier this morning where he had arrived to catch a flight to the national capital. The meeting has been called as confusion exists in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over seat-sharing. While the BJP had earlier said that it will fight the elections under the leadership of Janata Dal (United) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), another NDA ally, has been demanding a larger number of seats.Further, in a fresh development in the poll-bound state, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) national general secretary Anand Madhav resigned from the party today. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had earlier yesterday met Madhav late night. The RLSP leaders resignation followed this meeting. Meanwhile, the Congress had also called its Bihar unit chief Madan Mohan Jha and CLP leader Sadanand Singh to Delhi on Wednesday, amid seat-sharing discussions with the RJD and other allies. The RJD-Congress-Left alliance is holding final rounds of seat-sharing talks for the Bihar assembly elections and an announcement is likely to be made later this week.Bihar assembly elections will be held in three phases October 28, November 3, and 7 and the counting of votes will take place on November 10. ALSO READ: Opposition parties trying to protect middlemen, not farmers: says Telangana BJP In the 2015 assembly polls, JD-U, RJD, and Congress had fought the elections together under the Mahagathbandhan banner. On the other hand, the BJP-led NDA had fought the elections with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and other allies.RJD with 80 seats had emerged as the single largest party in the elections, followed by JD-U (71), and BJP (53). However, BJP got the largest vote share (24.42 percent), followed by RJD with 18.35 percent and JD-U (16.83 percent).Differences later emerged between the RJD and JD-U, resulting in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returning to the NDA. ALSO READ: With spike of over 80,000 cases, Indias Covid-19 tally crosses 62L mark GUANGZHOU, China Alibaba's cloud computing business is expected to become profitable in this current fiscal year, for the first time, finance chief Maggie Wu said on Wednesday. The Chinese e-commerce giant's current fiscal year began in April and ends on March 31, 2021. That will be a welcome announcement for investors who have seen cloud computing as a very critical component for the company's future growth. Current chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang told CNBC in a 2018 interview that cloud computing would be Alibaba's "main business" in the future. In a speech on Wednesday, Zhang called the technology a "growth engine" but said the world is in a "nascent stage of the global cloud era." The Alibaba CEO said cloud computing is "the kind of opportunity that comes only once in a generation." Alibaba's CFO Wu also said its Cainiao logistics arm is expected to turn operating cash flow positive in the current fiscal year. Theres a crisis of men in the church. Youve undoubtedly heard this said in various iterations at various times. Mark Driscoll, former pastor of the now-disbanded male-dominated Mars Hill Church in Seattle, often made claims like, The problem with the church today its just a bunch of nice, soft, tender, chick-ified church boys, or sixty percent of Christians are chicks and the forty percent that are dudes are still chicks. The Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson has also touched this nerve among Christian men. Most recently, Owen Strachan, director of the Center for Public Theology, kicked up this perennial conversation with a podcast and related tweet on the nature of manhood. As the argument goes, Where men go, churches grow, or, alternatively, Where men lead, women follow, both implying that having a large number of women is bad for church growth. Scores of articles and books on the demise of Christian masculinity have cropped up, from David Murrows Why Men Hate Going to Church to Leon Podles The Church Impotent, creating a veritable industry advancing the idea that Christian manhood is under threat. The book sales have been impressive, so the ideas must be sound, right? Wrong. It turns out that Christianity is no more feminized today than it was 50 years ago, 100 years ago, 300 years ago, a thousand years ago, or even in the first century of the church. Those who argue that church growth depends on special, male-focused activitiesor especially masculine programmingmistake the historic record of the church and also imperil the churchs historic teachings on sex. Ancient sources are unequivocal: From the start, Christianity was overwhelmingly a female religion. The fourth-century church father Cyril of Jerusalem opens his famous Catechetical Lectures by addressing the men in the congregation. He says: Possibly too you have come on another pretext. It is possible that a man is wishing to pay court to a woman, and came hither on that account. I accept this bait for the hook, and welcome you, though you came with an evil purpose, yet as one to be saved by a good hope. Here, in one of the most famous early Christian texts about how to teach the faith, the pastor opens up by saying essentially, Look, I know you dudes are only here because your fiancees are forcing you to be here. The conversion of women to Christianity was so prominent that in A.D. 370, the Emperor Valentinian had to order the pope to cut it out and stop sending missionaries to knock on the doors of pagan women. Historians are in virtually uniform agreement that converts to early Christianity were disproportionately upper-class women (and, separately, slaves and ethnic minorities). There were many reasons for this, but the religious historian Rodney Stark has compiled an impressively large collection of historic data showing that one major reason may have simply been that Christianity treated women better, not least because Christians placed less pressure on women to speedily remarry if their husbands died. They also placed less pressure on young girls to marry. In making his case, Stark reports an interesting anecdote from A.D. 303 during a wave of persecution. Officials busted up a house church and seized the goods the Christians had gathered to distribute to the needy: 16 mens tunics and 82 womens tunics. Since time immemorial, church ladies have been absolutely wiping the floor with the men when it comes to pledge drives. From catechetical manuals to church aid efforts to the primary-source accounts of ancient people, the picture is pretty clear: Christianity was disproportionately female. Dating Evangelism or Marriage Evangelism? Stark also points out that, because the Roman world abandoned or killed many female babies, it had very imbalanced sex ratios: about 130 men for every 100 women, worse than China today. As a result, there were a lot of Roman dudes who had a hard time finding a wife. Since Christianity was majority female, a lot of Christian women had a hard time finding a husband. (If this scenario sounds familiar, theres a reason: Its very similar to the situation faced by Christian women today.) As a result of this imbalance in ancient times, Christian women often married pagan men. The New Testament, especially Pauls letters, repeatedly addresses religiously divided households. (See 1 Corinthians 7:1216 and other passages.) In the contest between a pagan husband and a Christian wife, Christianity usually won. Thats the big difference between ancient and modern churches on this issue. Ancient Christians were never shy about attributing faith to Christian motherhood: Timothys faith is credited to his mother and grandmother. St. Augustine credited his faith to his mother. And I already mentioned Cyrils lectures, which provide implicit proof that a lot of pagan men took crash courses in Christianity in order to marry Christian women. There are also many prominent cases of Christian wives changing history. The mistress of the emperor Commodus, Marcia, interceded to save the life of a future pope. Clotilde, the wife of the barbarian king of the Franks, Clovis, was instrumental in his conversion and thus to the evangelization of France. Indeed, a considerable share of the yeomans work to expand Christianity was probably done by Christian women in mixed marriages. Evidently, the early Christian community was characterized by lots of Christian women marrying non-Christian men and then, with steely eyed determination, dragging their husbands and kids to church until they finally surrendered themselves to the mercy of Christ. The early practice of infant baptism probably helped this process along, as Christian wives could use the ritual to stake a claim to the faith of their children, leaving their pagan husbands playing catch-up. That American Protestants often dont baptize babies (and have fewer babies than in the past) might explain why marriage isnt as effective an evangelization route as in the past. On that latter point, for virtually all of Christian history, a large share of growth in the church has come from fertility. A church with a lot of men and few women is a church that is one generational step away from extinction. The opposite, then, also holds true: Churches with women are churches with babies and thus with future growth. Women were numerous in early Christianity, so their fertility propelled the strong, natural growth of the Christian population, in contrast to the stagnant pagan population. American Christianity Has Always Been Female Dominated The long history of female majorities at church is conceded even by many of those who advance the crisis of manhood narrative. For example, a long article on the Art of Manliness website details how the early American church was massively female dominated. The article provides quotes from various religious historians, eyewitness accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries, and data taken directly from church records, all showing that Christian churches in America were probably about 60 to 80 percent female at least until the mid-19th century. By the 20th century, we had reliable data sources. From 1850 to 1936, the U.S. Census Bureau conducted a Census of Religious Bodies, asking every church and denomination in America to report various key statistics about itself. Beginning in 1906, those statistics included reporting on the gender of members. Additionally, since 1972, the General Social Survey (GSS) has collected sufficient data to estimate the female share of church attendees. And in a few waves, the GSS also asked respondents about the childhood attendance patterns of their parents, making it possible to estimate at least the share of mothers who attended church all the way back to the early 20th century. Image: Created by Mallory Rentsch, Data Compiled by Lyman Stone The data in this graph is quite dull, but it drives home the point: Theres been no notable change in the gender composition of Christianity in recent years. The entire story about the decline of Christian men is fake news. Were showing up, or not, just as we always have. As has been the case from the Virgin Mary until now, Christian women are simply far more prominent in the day-to-day life of the church than Christian men. In other words, the unfortunate reality of male religious complacency is not new, and its also not an existential threat to the church. This trend isnt strictly American either. Recent international surveys show that Christianity has a female bias in virtually every country. In both Christian and many Muslim countries, women pray more often than men. The evangelistic, conservative, fast-growing churches of Africa are majority female, just like the declining, cloistered, progressive, and state-sponsored churches of Europe. More Men Doesnt Mean More Growth The controversial implication of the crisis of men narrative is that supposedly, when there arent enough men in the pews, the church will eventually shrink. Insufficiently masculine churches are presumed to invite their own demise. This claim is testable, and it happens to be completely false. The graph below plots the female share of church attendance across each Christian denomination in Pews 2007 Religious Landscape Survey against each groups growth or decline as a percentage of U.S. population between Pews 2007 and 2014 surveys. Image: Created by Mallory Rentsch, Data Compiled by Lyman Stone As evidenced by the graph, theres no meaningful correlation between the gender balance of church attendance and church growth. Making your church manlier wont make it bigger. Some denominations may object to my method since Im using survey data and not denominationally reported membership. However, I tested the relationship using denominational membership in a sample of 35 large denominations, using Pews gender balance data and denominationally reported church growth between 2007 and the present. Once again, no relationship exists. The gender balance of a religious community has very little connection to church growth. Its true today, and it was true a century ago. The graph below charts denominational growth for 31 denominations between 1906 and 1936 and compares it to their gender ratio in 1906. Image: Created by Mallory Rentsch, Data Compiled by Lyman Stone Again, theres no relationship. Denominational growth simply has nothing to do with sex ratios at church. The Real Problem Goes Beyond Gender Heres the bottom line, then: All the complaining about the end of men at church is overwrought and unjustified. Since its earliest years and in every period since, Christianity has been a majority-female religion. That isnt going to change anytime soon. With this information in mind, Pauls injunctions about men and women (in 1 Timothy 24 and elsewhere) suddenly sound a bit different. Paul gives detailed instructions for how women should behave, perhaps because the churches he was preaching to were overwhelmingly composed of women who were married to non-Christian men and wondering in very practical terms how to set examples for their families. Meanwhile, when Paul speaks to men, he often talks about leadership roles, perhaps because a large share of Christian men were in such roles. If the early church really was 70 percent women, if average church sizes were small due to a lack of designated spaces, and given the high rates of monasticism in Christianity from the second century onward, its likely that the majority of regularly church-attending men in the early church were congregational leaders, church workers, or celibate. None of this changes any doctrines that churches teach. Readers looking for support for the ordination of women may perhaps be happy to hear that women were a huge part of the early church and that making church manlier wont drive growth. But readers looking for support for the traditional restriction on female ordination will also be reaffirmed. Even though Paul was writing to churches with gender balances as or more lopsided than todays, he insisted on a male pastorate and leadership. My aim here is not to challenge either of these readings. Its simply to challenge the view that the reason Christianity is declining in America is that it has become too feminized. This view is wrong: American Christianity today has almost precisely the same gender balance as every other Christian society. So can (or should) anything be done about the gender imbalance? The international surveys shown above did suggest a reason for womens greater religiosity. Women who had employment outside the home (and especially women who worked full-time and had no children) had about the same religiosity as men (and in most countries, 85% or more of working-age men work full-time). Women with working lives like mens tend to be about as irreligious as men. In other words, the major problem facing churches today is probably not that they have an insufficient number of men but that they made too many compromises with the avaricious, work-and-career-focused consumer culture of the modern Western world. Faith is always homemade, and work outside the home is secularizing for men and women. The church chose to worship Mammon, and the worship of God has naturally suffered. By tacitly accepting the view that paid work (and the schooling that prepares a person for paid work) should be the central part of a persons life, the dominant element of a persons schedule, and the primary component of a persons social identity, churches have surrendered vital ground. In order to grow, churches would be better off making fewer compromises with worldly success, encouraging vows of poverty, and renewing ascetic disciplines. Rather than getting more bearded pastors, we should exhort the wealthy in our churches to give 20, 30, 70, or 90 percent of their incomes. Pastoral counseling should encourage parishioners to consider whether they really need to work as much as they do, whether they could not perhaps live on less. When our sons and daughters consider college, we should urge them to consider the perils of student loansnot that they will take on too much debt but that they will have to devote too much of their lives to paid work and not enough to their churches and their families to pay off those loans. A revival in the church will not be sparked by manliness, but it may be sparked by taking up our cross daily and denying the world. Lyman Stone is an adjunct fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a research fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, and the chief intelligence officer of the consulting company Demographic Intelligence. [ This article is also available in Francais, , and . ] A Texas man who served nearly 40 years on death row has been released from jail after the US Supreme Court ruled it would be unconstitutional to execute him because he is intellectually disabled. Bobby James Moore, 60, was freed from prison on August 6th, and now lives with his brother, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Moore was just 20 years old when he was convicted of capital murder in 1980. In April of that year, he fatally shot 72-year-old grocery store clerk James McCarble during a botched robbery in Houston. According to a 2019 article in Chron, Moore was a carpenter who 'failed every grade in school, did not understand the days of the week by age 13, and ate from neighbors' garbage cans.' Bobby James Moore, 60, has been released from prison after spending 40 years on death row. Last year, the US Supreme Court ruled that he cannot be executed because he is intellectually disabled. He is pictured in a 1980 mug shot Moore's attorney's took his case all the way to the US Supreme Court in 2017, where the Justices sided with him 5-3. Their decision prompted Texas to come up with new standards to measure intellectual disabilities. However, the case returned to the Texas Court of Appeals, where a judge ruled that Moore did not meet those new standards. Moore, pictured in an undated photograph, has spent two thirds of his life in prison. He was released last month and is now living with his brother Moore's lawyers went back to the Supreme Court. Last year, in a 6-3 decision, the Court again ruled that it was unconstitutional to execute Moore due to his mental abilities. Conservative Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh sided with the majority. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals subsequently agreed to uphold the higher court's decision in 2019 and changed Moore's sentence to life in prison. He was granted parole in June. News of Moore's release comes the same month that Texas' highest court commuted the death sentences of two other inmates due to their intellectual disabilities. On September 23, the Court of Criminal Appeals changed the sentence of Gilmar Guevara, 50, to life in prison. Guevera, of El Salvador, was convicted and sentenced to death for the June 2000 fatal shootings of 48-year-old Tae Youk, of South Korea, and 21-year-old Gerardo Yaxon, of Guatemala, during the attempted robbery of a Houston convenience store. Meanwhile, on September 16, the Court also commuted the death sentence of cop killer Juan Lizcano. Lizcano, now 43, was convicted of capital murder in the November 2005 shooting death of 28-year-old Dallas Police Officer Brian Jackson. Jackson had been responding to a domestic disturbance call at the home of Lizcano's former girlfriend when he was shot. He had been on the Dallas police force for nearly five years. Testimony at his trial showed that Lizcano had the communication skills of a 8- to 10-year-old and was about 16 when he left school still unable to read. Lizcano will now spend the rest of his life in prison without the chance of parole. Shares in the data-mining firm Palantir Technologies surged 38 percent after making its debut on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, valuing the company at nearly $22 billion. The company's shares traded at $10 apiece, compared with a reference price of $7.25 per share set by the NYSE ahead of its public market debut. The listing is a landmark moment for Palantir and puts an end to years of speculation about when the company, co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel in 2003 with the help of CIA seed money, would ultimately go public and how much would it actually be worth. Palantir shares are trading under the symbol PLTR. The company is going public at a time of strong investor demand for new stocks, particularly of technology companies that promise rapid growth. Data-mining firm Palantir Technologies is making its debut on the New York Stock Exchange (above) on Wednesday in the biggest Wall Street tech offering since Slack and Uber last year The company's shares traded at $10 apiece, compared with a reference price of $7.25 per share set by the NYSE ahead of its public market debut The company, led by CEO Alex Karp, has seen strong demand for its services, with revenue rising almost 50 percent to $481.2 million in the first six months of 2020 from the comparable period a year earlier. However, it has yet to turn a profit in its 17 years of existence, posting a net loss of $164.7 million in the same period, down from a loss of $280.5 million a year earlier. It was valued at $20 billion in a private fundraising round in 2015. Palantir opted to go public through a direct listing rather than a traditional initial public offering, which means the company did not raise any money but current investors are able to sell more shares. Two previous high-profile direct listings - Spotify Technology SA in 2018 and Slack Technologies Inc in 2019 - had started trading significantly above their reference prices. The company is a hybrid provider of software and consulting services that often embeds its own engineers with clients. Analysts say its future depends on selling multinationals on its tools for gathering disparate data from an ever-expanding data universe and using artificial-intelligence technology to find previously undetectable patterns. Those can theoretically guide strategic decisions and identify new markets much as they have aided in tracking terrorists and sorting military intelligence. The company sets itself apart from most US technology providers and just moved its headquarters to Denver from Silicon Valley. Palantir colors itself patriotic and belittles other tech firms that won't unquestionably support US dominance in war-fighting and intelligence. 'Our software is used to target terrorists and to keep soldiers safe,' CEO Alex Karp wrote in a letter accompanying Palantir's offering prospectus. While Karp acknowledged the ethical challenge of building software that 'enables more effective surveillance by the state,' Palantir's prospectus touts its work helping US soldiers counter roadside bombings and fight the Islamic State group. But investors also have to reckon with the Peter Thiel factor. Palantir, which was co-founded by PayPal's Peter Thiel (above), shares will start trading under the symbol PLTR after making its debut on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday The iconoclastic entrepreneur and PayPal co-founder endorsed President Donald Trump in 2016, worked on his transition team and holds the largest chunk of Palantir stock. Thiel already exerts tremendous power from the board of Facebook, which dominates global media and seeks to create a digital currency. In its IPO prospectus, Palantir paints a dark picture of faltering government agencies and institutions in danger of collapse and ripe for rescue by a 'central operating system' forged under Thiel's auspices. As the offering is structured, Thiel will be the dominant voice among the Palantir co-founders who will retain voting control. 'Is that someone who you want deciding how a component of the (national) security apparatus is designed?' asked New York University business professor Scott Galloway. 'If you believe that power corrupts and checks and balances are a good idea, this is just from the get-go a really bad idea.' CEO Alex Karp wrote in a letter accompanying Palantir's offering prospectus that 'our software is used to target terrorists and to keep soldiers safe' Earlier in September, BuzzFeed reported that Thiel hosted a known white nationalist, Kevin DeAnna, at a 2016 dinner party, citing emails it obtained and published whose authors refused to talk to the online news outlet. Critics say he shares the blame for Facebook's incomplete removal of toxic disinformation disseminated by the pro-Trump far-right fringe. Then there are Palantir's fundamentals, which Galloway considers lousy. The company has just 125 customers in 150 countries, including Airbus, Merck, Credit Suisse and the Danish National Police. Slightly less than half its 2019 revenues were from government agencies, and three clients - which Palantir did not name - accounted for almost a third of revenues. 'They're massively unprofitable and they've never been able to figure it out,' Galloway said, noting that it took Google three years to earn a profit, and Amazon seven. Over a much longer span, Palantir has accumulated $3.8 billion in losses, raised about $3 billion and listed $200 million in outstanding debt as of July 31. Palantir, named for the mystical all-seeing stones from Tolkien's Lord of The Rings, has recently been deepening its relationship with Uncle Sam, including winning a modest contract early in the COVID-19 pandemic for helping the White House gather data on the virus' impact. Senior emerging technology analyst Brendan Burke of Pitchbook is bullish, saying he isn't worried that Thiel's association with Trump will hurt the company if Trump loses the election. 'The political connections dont appear to be the main driver of their recent substantial contract wins,' he said, although he noted that government contracts can be more volatile than corporate ones, where Palantir's foothold is less firm. Palantir offers two software platforms. Foundry is designed to link disparate and largely incompatible data sources into a central operating system. It's the company's primary hope for broadening its business. An earlier product, Gotham, has been used by defense and intelligence analysts and police departments to identify patterns deep within datasets. But the value of 'predictive policing' tools developed with the platform have been questioned for their potential to unfairly target people of color. The New Orleans and New York City police departments, once customers, no longer use it. A 2017 research paper by University of Texas sociologist Sarah Brayne found the software could lead to a proliferation of unregulated personal data collected by police from commercial and law enforcement databases. On Monday, Amnesty International issued a briefing that says Palantir is failing to conduct human rights due diligence around its contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling it 'deeply ironic' that the company crows about its determination not to work with regimes like China that abuse human rights. Palantirs ICE contracts involve the maintenance and improvement of two products used in deportation raid. One of them, its web-based Falcon tool, has enhanced data accessible to investigators 'involving the illegal movement of people into, within, and out of the United States,' according to documents obtained by The Associated Press, including court records, and by the nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center in a freedom-of-information request. Palantir has acknowledged in its SEC filing that 'unfavorable coverage in the media' and from social activists could hurt its business. It also says its contractual obligations might prevent it from being able to defend its actions publicly, although it recently named a former Wall Street Journal reporter to its board. Negative publicity over ICE contracts may also have hurt company recruitment on college campuses. Peter Row of Bundaberg, a city just over 200 miles north of Brisbane that had the most rooftop solar installations last year in Australia, bought a typical 6.57-kilowatt system for his home after he grew tired of his rising electricity bill. Before he installed the $3,000 system, Rows monthly bill usually came to about $190. Since then, the electric company has been crediting him an average of about $30 a month because he is generating more electricity than he is using. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rollo Ross (Reuters) Los Angeles, United States Wed, September 30, 2020 14:07 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4830891 2 Entertainment The-Trial-of-The-Chicago-7,Movie Free It may be set in the late 1960s but "The Trial of the Chicago 7," with its themes of protest, civil rights and police brutality, has much to say about America today. Already creating Oscar buzz, the movie lands in a nation polarized by the upcoming November elections and riven by months of street protests over systemic racism. "The Trial of the Chicago 7," written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, dramatizes Vietnam War protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago that led to violent clashes with police, and the subsequent trial of the protest leaders. The movie has always been about today even though its set in 1968, 1969," said Jeremy Strong, one of a cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella and Mark Rylance. "I think the movie is a celebration of protest. I think its an exhortation to go out into the streets and to fight for the values that we need to fight for that are endangered," added Strong, who plays protest leader Jerry Rubin. The organizers of the protest were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and their raucous trial began in 1969. Their convictions were reversed on appeal. The movie melds the drama of the trial, behind the scenes politics, and ideological debates among the protagonists. Sorkin, known for White House TV series "The West Wing," first started writing the screenplay in 2007, but filming did not begin until late 2019. Rylance suggested the timing was uncanny, finally coming to fruition at the height of Black Lives Matter protests. "I imagine their hands were shaking when they were editing it," he said. The movie, out now in limited movie theaters and on Netflix on Oct. 16, has won warm reviews. The Hollywood Reporter said it has "major Oscar awards potential," while Variety called it a "knockout." The New York Times was less effusive, but said its timeliness made it "not a movie that can be easily shaken off." By Trend Many Azerbaijanis living in Russia have appealed to the embassy of Azerbaijan in the recent days, Ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu said in an interview to Russia's Komsomolskaya Pravda radio station, Trend reports on Sept.29 referring to Interfax.ru news portal. The embassy has a lot of appeals from Azerbaijanis who ask to be sent to the front. They are patriotically people who want to go to war," Bulbuloglu noted. "We greatly thank them, expressing our respect to their feelings, but we say that today our army doesnt need this because its fully equipped and provided with the most modern weapons," he added. The Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale provocation, subjecting the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibers in the front-line zone on Sept. 27 at 06:00 (GMT+4). The command of the Azerbaijani Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation of Azerbaijani troops along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov said Sept. 27, 2020, that Ashaghi Abdulrahmanli, Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district were liberated. Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Approximately 2,800 Airbnb listings in Ontario continued to operate despite the provinces short-term rental ban between April and June, according to tenant advocacy group Fairbnb. Many of these rental operators engaged in high-risk activity by hosting a large number of guests during the ban. Provincial authorities have condemned the blatant disregard of public health protocols. Airbnb users that are continuing to host parties in defiance of the provincial emergency orders and in defiance of the city bylaws are putting the health and safety of our neighbourhoods and our communities at risk. This is wrong, and it must stop, said Chris Glover, MPP for Spadina-Fort York. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A Los Angeles man who was a former employee of a Novato-based real estate investment company was charged with running a $350 million Ponzi scheme, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. Lewis Wallach, once CEO of Professional Financial Investors, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Wallach also allegedly embezzled more than $26 million from the company. A criminal information was filed Tuesday in federal court following an investigation by the FBI. A separate investigation was conducted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "We allege that PFI became a classic Ponzi scheme," U.S. Attorney David Anderson said in a statement. "Money taken from new investors was allegedly used to pay existing investors while losses mounted behind the scenes." Prosecutors said the scheme came to an end four months ago following the death in May of the company's founder, who allegedly conspired with Wallach for years to defraud investors. PFI owned about 70 properties in Marin and Sonoma counties, according to the information, and Wallach allegedly helped to manage the firm, raising more than $350 million since 2015. That money was also allegedly raised by Wallach and PFI's founder through Professional Investors Security Fund, according to a complaint filed Tuesday by the SEC. But from at least 2015, Wallach and PFI's founder knew that the revenue they were generating from the properties was insufficient to pay investors and hid that knowledge, the information alleges. They allegedly even falsely assured investors during the last few months that the company would survive. Wallach used the funds he embezzled between 2015 and May 2020 to pay personal credit cards, as well as to invest in a Texas land development project, a California office development project and oil and gas search and development projects, the information alleges. Wallach is represented by attorneys Ed Swanson and Mary McNamara of Swanson & McNamara LLP. "For the past few months, Mr. Wallach has fully cooperated with the government in its investigation and has voluntarily turned over property and money to PFI and PISF," Swanson said. "He will continue to work with government to remedy the harm he has caused investors." If Wallach is found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath Lucknow: Amid outrage over the Hathras gang-rape case, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and sought strict action against the accused, the Chief Minister's office said. Adityanath on Wednesday constituted a three-member SIT to probe the gang-rape case, a day after the death of the 19-year-old woman in a Delhi hospital and also asked for conducting the trial in a fast track court. Advertisement Yogi Adityanath In a tweet, the chief minister's office said that the prime minister spoke with Adityanath over the case. Respected Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji has spoken on the Hathras incident and said that strict action should be taken against the culprits, the CMO said. Hathras gang-rape Advertisement The woman was brutally gang-raped in a village in Hathras district two weeks ago. She died of her grievous injuries at Delhi's Safdurjung hospital on Tuesday, prompting outrage, protests and calls for justice. A senior official said a SIT has been constituted to probe the case. The SIT has been asked to submit its report in seven days time, the official said. In one of the most high profile incidents since the start of the protests earlier this year, Richmond police fired tear gas into a crowd of protesters gathered at the Robert E. Lee monument without warning before a mandatory curfew. The incident prompted a class-action lawsuit. Smith said during Tuesdays meeting that under a draft policy, police would give multiple warnings before using nonlethal weapons. The chemical agents that will be used will only be dispersed on crowds that show aggression, he said. These kind of agents will not be used on nonaggressive and nonviolent crowds at all. Matthew Schefft, a pediatrician and member of the RVA Health Alliance for Social Justice & Equity, a group of doctors and medical professionals that formed this summer in the wake of the protests, said he is still concerned. I have walked through an area, just a block from VCU Health, on my way to work in which chemical irritants had been deployed hours earlier and my lungs burned, he said. The impact of deploying these weapons is lasting. I am also concerned that these guidelines do not cover flash bangs or rubber bullets, both of which can cause permanent harm and death. In an interview after Tuesdays meeting, Lynch said she wants the city to explore other options and strategies for crowd control. She also said she hopes people will encourage the rest of the council to consider rejecting the subcommittees recommendation to vote against the resolution. The measure failed on a 2-1 vote. Harley-Davidson s exit from India has shone the light on global motorcycle makers sputtering in the country amid steep prices, high taxes and the lack of suitable models, forcing them to bow out or tie-up with local manufacturers. Ending 11 years of operations in the country, Harley Davidson India on 25 September shuttered its Haryana plant and shrank its sales operations. The American company may continue to import and sell in India through a distributor. This is similar to the big bike distribution and sales strategy followed by Ducati, Triumph Motorcycles and BMW Motorrad, who do so through their local units. According to an executive at a parts supplier for Harley India, global motorcycle makers that have entered India with much fanfare have found the going tough. Limited volumes also constrained their ability to negotiate with suppliers. Also, in India, most of the affluent population go for cheaper brands in the 350-cc range. Hence, none of these brands has major plans for India with their existing portfolio," this person said on condition of anonymity. Harley has been importing kits and assembling some of its models in Indiawhich entails high import duties and taxesexcept the Street 750 model which was fully made in India. Import duties on semi-knocked down (SKD) or completely built units (CBU) raise the final cost of the product, discouraging many buyers, given the weak purchasing power in India. Poor sales also crimp manufacturers ability to improve local manufacturing and bring down prices. According to Siam data, Harley-Davidson, Triumph Motorcycles and India Kawasaki Motors saw a combined sales decline by 21.7% to just 5,689 units in FY20 from highest 7,266 units reported in FY16. Sales of motorcycles with 800cc and bigger engines peaked at 3,525 units in FY16. Domestic volumes in this category fell to 2,605 units in FY20. Harley-Davidson has previously blamed Indias steep import duties, sometimes as high as 100%, for its poor show. The matter also attracted the attention of US President Donald Trump, who has demanded import duty concessions from India. Last year, the government slashed import duties on imported motorcycles by 50%. Britains Triumph Motorcycles and Germanys BMW have collaborated with local manufacturers like Bajaj Auto Ltd and TVS Motor Co. Ltd for making lighter bikes to gain some foothold in India, industry watchers said. While big motorcycle makers have been under severe pressure amid mounting losses and declining sales, companies like US-based Indian Motorcycles and Ducati have been downsizing operations. Meanwhile, more established two-wheeler firms that also have product offerings in the superbike category such as Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki have been slow in launching premium bikes over the past few years. The thought process is to control costs and continue with a lean structure in India," said Bipul Chandra, managing director, Ducati India Pvt. Ltd. Chandra of Ducati India, however, denied that the Italian brand is downsizing operations in India. As part of the collaboration, Triumphs distribution network and staff costs, will be taken over by Bajaj Auto under an arrangement similar with the ones with the manufacturers of KTM and Husqvarna brands of motorcycles in India. Earlier in January, the two companies signed a non-equity joint venture agreement to make mid-capacity motorcycles (250cc-750cc) for India and global markets. Under the agreement, Triumph will leverage Bajaj Autos supply chain ecosystem and large-scale manufacturing of small bikes, bringing down its own cost of operations. Indicating a tough ride for such vehicles in India, Royal Enfield, the largest manufacturer of middleweight motorcycles in India, reported an 18.4% decline in sales in FY20 as slower economic growth hit sales across the country. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics For more than 80 years, the name of the first woman ever to vote in an American election was misspelled on her tombstone at Arlington National Cemetery, where Seraph Young Ford was buried alongside her Union soldier husband. At her graveside Tuesday, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien and others gathered to honor a forgotten pioneer in the women's suffrage movement, whose first name was mistakenly spelled "Serath" when she died in 1938. Read Next: DOJ Is Cracking Down on Towing Companies That Seize Troops' Cars "Now Seraph's story can be told" for her contributions to women's rights, said Utah State Sen. Deidre Henderson, who attended the ceremony at the now corrected tombstone. "This was an opportunity to correct the name and acknowledge her important place in history," said Mandee Grant, co-founder of the Better Days 2020 nonprofit in Utah, which did the research and petitioned the White House to have the name corrected. "Her story is widely unknown, even among Utahns," Grant said. Grant and Henderson said Seraph Young was a 23-year-old schoolteacher who was on her way to work in Salt Lake City on Feb. 14, 1870, when she made what would become a historic turn into the Council Hall and cast a vote in a municipal election. About 25 other women are believed to have voted that day, but Seraph was the first, according to newspaper accounts at the time, Grant said. Utah was still a territory; only two days before, it had passed a law giving women the right to vote. But it would be another 50 years before the 19th Amendment passed, giving women the right to vote throughout the United States. "Her historic vote represented a crucial turning point for suffrage equality," Herbert said on Twitter following the ceremony. In a statement, O'Brien said Seraph Young Ford was "the first woman to cast a ballot in an American election. We all admire the courage of this great American." She was the oldest of nine children and a grandniece of Brigham Young, the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Seraph would marry Seth Ford, a Union Army veteran, in 1872. They moved East, settling in Baltimore. Seth Ford died in 1910 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Seraph died in 1938 and was buried alongside him in Section 13, Grave 89-A. Following the graveside ceremony, Seraph Young Ford's name was added to Arlington's list of prominent women buried at the cemetery, including Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis; Lt. Ollie Bennett, the first female medical officer commissioned in the U.S. Army during World War I; and Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm, the first woman to serve at two-star rank in the U.S. military. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related: The Community with the Most US Veterans Per Capita Is Finally Getting Its Own Memorial The public inquiry into the Post Office IT scandal was plunged into chaos yesterday as postmasters refused to cooperate. Up to 2,500 former Post Office staff were wrongly sacked, forced to repay cash or wrongfully convicted and some even jailed after bosses pursued them for money 'missing' from branch accounts. It later emerged that the shortfalls were likely to be the result of flaws in the Horizon computer system. The public inquiry into the Post Office IT scandal was plunged into chaos yesterday. (Stock image) Yesterday ministers launched a 'review', led by former High Court judge Sir Wyn Williams, to find out what happened. But MPs and campaigners labelled it a 'whitewash' and a 'betrayal', and called for a full inquiry. Alan Bates, founder of the Justice For Sub-Postmasters Alliance, said: 'This is a pointless exercise, it's utterly futile, another whitewash. We certainly will not engage in this inquiry. 'It's just an internal review, it's got nothing to do with redressing what they've done in the past.' A cross-party group of more than 50 MPs has called for a full inquiry into the 'biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history'. They said Sir Wyn will not be able to compel witnesses to attend or be cross-examined. He will also not investigate what the role of the Government, which owns the Post Office, was in the scandal. Yesterday Labour MP Karl Turner, a barrister and former shadow attorney general, said: 'Ministers have yet again utterly betrayed postmasters who have already suffered so much.' Up to 2,500 former Post Office staff were wrongly sacked, forced to repay cash or wrongfully convicted after bosses pursued them for money 'missing'. (Stock image) The Post Office paid a 58million settlement to postmasters last year after a High Court battle. The Court of Appeal is preparing to overturn 47 convictions for theft, false accounting and fraud, while the Post Office has instructed lawyers to examine a further 900 convictions. Yesterday Tory peer Lord Arbuthnot, a long-time campaigner for postmasters, said: 'This 'review' will not get to the bottom of the scandal as the Prime Minister said he wanted to do. It is a total failure to address the key issues about the terms of reference. 'The Post Office is Government owned, directed and funded - and still the terms of reference pretend the Post Office has got nothing to do with the Government. 'Ministers simply must face up to their own and the Government's responsibility for giving those postmasters who have suffered so dreadfully the compensation they deserve and to get to the bottom of what happened.' They said Sir Wyn, who was appointed to the High Court in 2007, will not be able to compel witnesses to attend or be cross-examined. He will also not investigate what the role of the Government, which owns the Post Office, was in the scandal and postmasters. The scandal is being investigated by the MPs' Business Committee, which took evidence from embattled former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells in June. Immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has advised the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State to send the former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, on political retirement. This, Fayose said, would help the party to make progress and win elections in Lagos State. This is contained in a statement on Wednesday by Fayoses media aide, Lere Olayinka, titled Lagos PDP must retire Bode George to make progress, urges support for BOG to win senatorial bye-election Fayose. The statement quoted Fayose as speaking during the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Committee for the Lagos-East senatorial by-election on Tuesday. Fayose emphasised that Bode George should be a support stand for the younger ones in the party instead of dragging positions with them. While urging support for the PDP candidate in the senatorial by-election, Babatunde Gbadamosi, Fayose said, Lagos is ripe for PDP to take and we will take the state if will work hard and put our house in order. This senate election is for PDP to take if we are ready to take it. You have done it before by producing House of Reps members and you can do it again by producing a senator. He noted that before PDP can win any election in this Lagos, the party must first separate the wheat from chaffs. The former governor said, It is high time to tell Bode George to go and retire. Let him be a support stand for the younger ones in the party. As I am here, I am about 60 years of age, I have grown above fighting for minister that it will get to a point and someone will say he is sacking me. I will never be such minister not to talk of contesting any post with younger ones in the party. It is time for young people in the party to tell elderly ones to take the back seat. Im not against the elders, but I want them to know when to take the back seat. If they dont, the young ones will force them. All those stories of we formed this party in 1998, eight of us sat in my sitting room to form the party, is no longer important because the younger ones too must be allowed to grow. At this level, if you see any elder contesting chairman with the younger ones, you must know that such fellow needs to be retired. I am Ayodele Fayose, you can quote me anywhere. I said you must retire Bode George if you want progress in the PDP in Lagos. You must stand firm and fight for your right. As an elder, he is supposed to stay at home and be giving blessing to his children aspiring to grow not to be contending positions with them. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates The in will go solar on October 2, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, becoming the first Indian mission globally to become clean and green with this installation. The in Antananarivo will have an installation of 8 KW of plant on its rooftop, the mission said in a statement. in Antananarivo is going to be the first embassy in to go solar on October 2, 2020, on the occasion of the grand finale of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the statement said. Both India and are members of the International Solar Alliance which aims to promote solar energy to fight climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, it said. In pursuit of a "clean and green Embassy", it undertook the project to install solar panels on its roof top to switch to solar energy. The Indian embassy in Madagascar has become the first Indian mission globally to become a clean and green embassy with this installation, it said. The "clean and green" Indian Embassy will be jointly inaugurated on October 2 by Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar Raharinirina Baomiavotse Vahinala and Indian Ambassador Abhay Kumar. The event, which will be streamed on social media platforms, will also be attended by Resident Representative of UN Development Programme (UNDP) Marie Dimond, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Country Representative Volatiana Rakotondrazafy, Country Director of World Wide Fund (WWF) Nanie Ratsifandrihamanana and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Madagascar Moumini Oudraogo. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coronavirus cases are not spiralling out of control in schools, Professor Chris Whitty insisted tonight. England's Chief Medical Officer said rates are not going up for school-age children under the age of 16. And in tonight's Number 10 press conference, he claimed the trend was true 'across the country'. But he warned this wasn't the case for 17 to 21 year olds, where outbreaks are getting bigger 'quite rapidly'. The figures come after unions and scientists warned that the return of schools would cause an explosion in cases which, although children do not seem to get ill with Covid-19, could have put the health of staff and parents at risk. England's Chief Medical Officer said rates are not going up for school-age children under the age of 16. And in tonight's Number 10 press conference, he claimed the trend was true 'across the country' Justifying his claims about schools in a clear graph, Professor Whitty presented official data on test positivity rates for five different age groups. Test positivity reveals how many people who think they have Covid-19 actually do and is a measure that can be used to track infections without the influence of the total numbers of cases, which can fluctuate unreliably as more or fewer tests are carried out. Professor Whitty's data that he pointed to showed test positivity rates have soared to around 12.9 per cent among 19 to 21 year olds, doubling from 6 per cent at the start of the month. But he failed to offer any explanation as to why. Thousands of students flocked back to campus earlier this month, with a handful of universities, including Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester Metropolitan, forcing their students into lockdown because of outbreaks. Professor Whitty's data that he pointed to showed test positivity rates have soared to around 12.9 per cent among 19 to 21 year olds, doubling from 6 per cent at the start of the month. But he failed to offer any explanation as to why CASES ARE RISING QUICKER IN SCOTLAND THAN IN ENGLAND, DATA SHOWS Official testing data shows that the number of cases is rising significantly faster in Scotland than it is in England. Although there are fewer infections north of the border, the daily average number of cases is now almost 14 times higher than it was at the beginning of August, whereas England's has increased five-fold in comparison. The figures suggested Scotland outbreak is accelerating at a rate three times higher than England's. In the first week of August there were an average 38 cases per day diagnosed in Scotland. This rolling average has since surged 1,252 per cent to 514 yesterday. In England, meanwhile, the average of 807 cases per day recorded in the first week of August has risen by a comparatively smaller 445 per cent up to September 28. Today's and yesterday's data cannot be used for the comparison because the numbers are low as the positive tests are not all recorded on the day. And Scotland's cases surged to an all-time high of 806 on September 29 up from a low of just two positive cases on July 7. Meanwhile England's hit a ceiling of 7,143 yesterday, September 29, up from a low point of 398 on July 14. England's increase has been of around 1,700 per cent - some 17 times higher - while Scotland's has boomed more than 400 times over. The increase will be particularly worrying and disappointing for the nation, which came closer than any other part of the UK to wiping out the disease, with a month-long spell without a single death between July 17 and July 18. Advertisement Footage has emerged in recent days of booze-fuelled raves across the country in student accommodation, with revellers ignoring social distancing guidelines and the rule of six. The data presented at tonight's press conference which saw Boris Johnson warn of a second lockdown unless the outbreak tails off also showed the test positivity rate has jumped to around 9.6 per cent in 17 and 18 year olds. For comparison, it had stayed fairly stable at below 7.5 per cent in the first two weeks of September. But rates have barely changed among five to 10 year olds (1.5 per cent), 11 to 14 year olds (2.2 per cent) and 15 and 16 year olds (3.8 per cent). Professor Whitty said: 'It's important to differentiate between different age bands between younger people, children and young adults 'In these groups [ages 5-10, 11-14 and 15-16] the rates are actually, currently, really not changing very much. These are school-age children, in the main. 'Whereas in older children and young adults in those 17 up to 21 and the same is true for other young adults, the rates are going quite rapidly up 'This is important to remember when people worry about schooling school-age children are one of the areas where the rates are not going up and this is true across the country.' Separate Public Health England data based on slightly older numbers showed the percentage of young children returning a positive test result has actually fallen slightly since four weeks ago. While the positivity rate for children has remained stable it has surged in some other groups and is now higher than 15 per cent for men between the ages of 50 and 79 and over 13 per cent of women in their 60s. This shows that many more older people who are thought to have coronavirus actually do, while only around one in 50 children who get tested because they have symptoms really have the illness. But data from Public Health England clearly shows schools are to blame for a spike in coronavirus outbreaks since the start of September. And data shows 41.7 per cent of all recorded Covid-19 outbreaks in England during the week ending September 20 222 out of a total of 532 were in 'educational settings'. Its proportion doubled in a week, after just 21.6 per cent of all recorded coronavirus clusters were down to schools and universities (110 out of 510). For comparison, educational settings which were shut over the summer were responsible for only 0.6 per cent of the 157 outbreaks in the first week of August. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 17:44:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The Capitol and a stop sign are seen in Washington D.C., the United States, on Feb. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) The U.S. should stop scapegoating China for its own failures and strive for the healthy development of China-U.S. relations. BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Hyping the "China threat" is almost a fixed "plot" in U.S. general elections. But the truth is that China presents no threat to the United States. As Uncle Sam is facing challenges posed by the global epidemic and the shrinking world economy, coupled with domestic issues such as racial discrimination, social injustice and a health care crisis, some U.S. politicians have neglected the fact that the problems in the United States are generally of its own making and cannot be resolved by shifting blame to China. Their campaign-driven rhetoric has escalated recently, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his like even trumpeting a so-called "global coalition" against China. Their wild desire to create conflict, rather than national interest-based policy, diverts the public gaze and externalizes contradictions, which are not only fundamentally ineffective in solving the growing, serious and systemic issues in American society, but also spill over, damaging international relations. It must be emphasized that the U.S. general elections are an internal affair of the United States, and China has never had any interest in intervening. As an independent country, China has the right to safeguard its own sovereignty, security and development interests, and will not sacrifice its own principles to wade into the U.S. election game. A woman waits to vote during the in-person early voting for U.S. president in Alexandria, Virginia, the United States, on Sept. 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) China does not pose an existential threat to Americans, nor their way of life. For large countries like China and the United States, no external force can cause them to collapse. What can really lead to a collapse is an internal crisis. The logic of history cannot be changed by abusing the "China issue" in the U.S. election campaign. Short-sighted political calculations will never result in long-term gains. The healthy development of China-U.S. relations is the common aspiration of the two peoples. Although there have been ups and downs in the history of their relations, the record has shown that China-U.S. joint efforts lead to considerable gains. "Decoupling" and even conflict between the two sides are against the interests of the two countries and people around the world. China and the United States should pursue coexistence and common development rather than confrontation. Politicians in the United States should stop creating external rivals at the expense of their people's interests. UN members and NGOs called on Laos this week to resolve the forced disappearance case of a prominent rural development expert and stop censoring and jailing peaceful critics, as the Southeast Asian nation faced a review of its rights record in Geneva. In a hearing Monday at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Laos was questioned over the 2012 disappearance of Sombath Somphone, its highly restrictive media environment, and freedom of religion with one NGO crediting Vientiane for some improvements in treating religious minorities. Singapores representative used the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Laos rights record to highlight the case Sombath Somphone, whose wife is Singaporean. We note from the addendum to the UPR report that it is the duty of the Lao government to search for missing Lao citizens including Mr. Sombath Somphone, the Laotian spouse of a Singapore citizen. We hope that Laotian authorities will resolve the case expeditiously and bring about the much-needed relief to his family, said En Yu Keefe Chin. On December 15, 2012, police stopped Sombath Somphone in his vehicle at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the capital Vientiane. He was then transferred to another vehicle, according to a police surveillance video, and has not been heard from since and the government has not offered information. Before his abduction, Sombath had challenged massive land deals negotiated by the government that had left thousands of rural Lao villagers homeless with little paid in compensation. The deals sparked rare popular protests in Laos, where political assembly and speech are tightly controlled. Cecilia Andersson of Britain also raised Sombath Somphone, saying We regret that Lao PDR did not support the U.K.s recommendation to undertake impartial and thorough and transparent investigations into all enforced disappearances. Freedom of expression and religion The U.K. however was most critical about Laos record on freedom of expression. In an annual survey of press freedom released in April, Laos was ranked 172 out of 180 countries by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which said the ruling Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party exercises total control over the media. Laos also routinely detains and punishes dissenters who air their grievances on social media platforms like Facebook. The U.K. notes the Lao PDR statement that the constitution and related laws guarantee freedom of expression, however we remain concerned about restrictions on foreign news agencies and the use of intimidation against critics of the state. We ask the government to promote and protect the right of freedom of expression for all, said Andersson on Monday. Meanwhile, London-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) acknowledged that although the country has improved its protection of religious rights, weak rule of law and ambiguous rules and obstacles undermined freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for religious communities in Laos. Christians make up about 1.5 percent of Laos predominantly Buddhist population of nearly 7 million in three main churches the Lao Evangelical Church, Seventh-day Adventist Church and Roman Catholic Church. RFA reported this month that Members of Lao Christian communities were working with central government officials to inform rural authorities of a law protecting the evangelical church in areas where harassment of Christians continues. Over the past decade there has been a reduction in the number of long-term Christian prisoners of conscience, however, improvements to FoRB are restricted to urban areas, said CSWs United Nations Officer Claire Denman at the council meeting Monday. Christians in rural areas have reported incidences of arbitrary detention, forced eviction, confiscation of land and livestock, destruction of property, harassment and discrimination, she added. Rejected recommendations Of the 226 recommendations made by the international community during the UPR process, Laos rejected 66, citing various reasons including that some of the recommendations were made with a faulty understanding of the situation on the ground and that others went against Vientianes national cultural values and morals. Laos representative to the UN office in Geneva Kham-Inh Khitchadeth said to the council Monday that Laos could not support recommendations pertaining to forced disappearances because they were not based on fact and evidence. He also explained Laos rejection of recommendations on freedom of speech, expression and information, saying those rights should be exercised with a heightened sense of ethics and morality. The Lao representative additionally dismissed concerns brought up during the meeting by UN member nations and NGOs, without specifying which he was referring to. Despite the overwhelming positive feedback, we also observe that some comments were found to be based on incorrect information and omit understanding of the real situation in the Lao PDR. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Monday criticized Laos rejection of the 66 recommendations saying Vientianes response was a step in the wrong direction. The Lao governments non-committal response to international concern over key human rights issues signals that right abuses and repression of civil society may continue with total impunity for years to come, said FIDH Secretary-General Adilur Rahman Khan in a press release issued jointly with the federations member organization for Laos, the Lao Movement for Human Rights (LMHR). The international community must step up its pressure on the Lao government and puts human rights front and center of its relations with Vientiane, he said. LMHR President Vanida Thephsouvanh accused the Lao government of sweeping its human rights problems under the rug, pretending no one will notice. The international community should not fall for Vientianes tricks and, instead, establish clear benchmarks against which human rights progress, or lack thereof, can be measured, she said. Aurangabad: Twenty-seven years after an earthquake claimed several lives at Kaldev Nimbala in Maharashtras Osmanabad district, a memorial, built by local residents themselves, was unveiled on Wednesday. An earthquake of magnitude 6.4 hit the Latur-Osmanabad region on September 30, 1993, killing nearly 10,000 people and injuring thousands of others. Around 52 villages were devastated. We thought there should be a memorial for those who lost their lives in the earthquake. But it was not possible with government funds," said Devidas Pavshere, a local resident. So villagers decided to build it themselves and the work began four years ago. It had to be halted when funds ran out, but new contributions were raised and the memorial was completed," he said. Sarpanch Sunita Pavshere said, Those who got employment due to their status as earthquake-affected contributed in a big way to raise this memorial. Twenty-seven people from the village from a two- year-old child to a 70-year-old person died in the earthquake. We have carved their names on the memorial," she said. The memorial, which cost Rs 1.25 lakh, will be maintained by the gram panchayat, she added. Sushila Birajdar from the village lost five members of the family, including her husband who was a teacher, in the quake. The memorial will help us keep their memories alive," she said. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan and Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 1 2020 State-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) I has seen an increase in ship calls at its Kuala Tanjung seaport in Batubara regency, North Sumatra, despite the COVID-19 pandemics impact on global trade. The companys president director Dani Rusli Utama said on Sept. 24 that the Kuala Tanjung Multipurpose Terminal (KTMT) had recorded 169 ship calls as of August, an increase of 30 percent year-to-date (ytd) from 130 calls booked throughout 2019. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login GM Achary and VNPF Board Chairman Letlet receiving the certificate of the shares from NBV Board Chairman Barrett, witnessed by both NBV and VNPF board members. Photo: Kizzy Kalsakau A surge of schoolchildren needing COVID-19 testing is keeping Hamiltons assessment centres stretched to the limit despite recent changes to who can get swabbed. There has not been pressure taken off our centres, said medical lead Dr. Tammy Packer. Were seeing lots and lots of kids and that has been the big change in the month of September. At the same time, Hamiltons regional hospital lab has gone from turning out test results in under 24 hours to up to three or four days. Were at a crunch as we were back in April and May, said interim director Dr. Marek Smieja. Until about a week ago we were doing an excellent job of keeping up. Unfortunately, just like virtually every lab in Ontario, we have developed a backlog. Relief doesnt appear to be coming any time soon as the province hasnt given Hamilton the go-ahead to open more assessment centres. At the moment we have several potential options that we are looking at but we are beholden to the Ministry (of Health) who tells us when it is or isnt opportune to move ahead, said Packer, who is also the co-chair of a citywide assessment and testing centre subgroup. The Ministry of Health referred questions about expanding Hamiltons testing capacity to Ontario Health West, which did not respond by deadline. Facing impossible-to-meet demand and overwhelmed labs, the province put an end on Sept 24 to its months-long campaign to test anyone who asked. But tightening the criteria isnt expected to take the load off Hamiltons four assessment centres. They will be replaced by the kids, said Packer. These testing inclusion criteria changed coincidental with week two in Hamilton of return to school. You would expect a certain number of kids to present with viral symptoms. Its any runny nose, any cough, any pink eye. That will be markedly increased, regardless of COVID, at this time of year and we knew we were heading into that. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people a day are still booking appointments at the assessment centres located at the West End Clinic urgent care centre, the King and West 5th campuses of St. Josephs Healthcare, and the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena. Packer says the centres cant keep up the pace of providing up to 1,100 tests daily. Many of the staff have been doing their regular jobs as well as testing since March, so burnout is an increasing worry. If the inclusion criteria are going to remain as is, we would need far more person-power at all levels, said Packer. Most people are working overtime to do this work. The lab also needs to ramp up to meet the increased demand, but thats a tall order. Equipment is back-ordered, said Smieja. I think all labs are trying to hire more staff and then we need to train the staff. The provinces flip-flop on testing happened literally overnight, with the premier urging anyone to get tested on Sept. 23 only to announce restrictions the next day. The new rules came six hours after Hamilton launched an online booking system for tests, which had to be immediately overhauled. The aim of the new rules was to weed out the worried well who had no symptoms or contact with a confirmed case. In addition, some were misusing the assessment centres by going for a test after every visit to a bar or before a weekend away with friends. What we saw over the last few months is that, that testing was really low value, said Dr. Mustafa Hirji, acting medical officer of health for Niagara Region. It almost never found acute cases of infections that would be spreading to other people. It was really a distraction. Hirji wants to see further restrictions such as doing away with routine testing every two weeks of certain professions. That is testing, yet again, that is not useful, said Hirji. Weve actually had situations where outbreaks have begun in between those two rounds of testing. Its clearly too wide a gap that you are not going to catch cases within that period. He also sees no point in requiring visitors to long-term care to get tested considering the result is a snapshot in time, so it doesnt guarantee the person is COVID-free. You get tested, you get your results two or three days later and then you go visit three or four days after that. The test means nothing at that point, said Hirji. What is less clear is whether Ontario schoolchildren with symptoms of the common cold should have to get a test. That concerns me that were thinking about backing off those symptoms, said Hirji. There is a risk we could miss some infections. He points out that in Ottawa, 17 per cent of children who tested positive for COVID had only a runny nose and a further 13 per cent just had a sore throat. Its a balancing act, said Smieja. I think as long as we can, we would like to be able to test children who are symptomatic. But we certainly are experiencing tremendous volumes that are beyond what the labs can do at this point. COLLEGE PARK, Md., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The Center for Health Information and Decision Systems (CHIDS) at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business will host the Conference of Health IT and Analytics, online, from noon to 3 p.m. each day, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 8-10, 2020. In its 11th year, the event aims to deepen the understanding of strategy, innovations, and processes fostering health technology and analytics value, and to stimulate new ideas with both policy and business implications. Researchers, clinical executives and policymakers will share and discuss the latest findings and practices connected to the design, implementation and use of information technology and artificial intelligence in healthcare during this event. The conference each year attracts over 120 participants and features presenters from more than three dozen institutions. The forum facilitates collaboration among academia, government, and industry. This year's keynote speakers are Keith Dunleavy, MD, CEO and chairman of the board of Inovalon; Daniel Durand, MD, chief innovation officer of LifeBridge Health; Joshua Gans, PhD, professor of strategic management and holder of the Jeffrey S. Skoll Chair of Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management; and Kartik Hosanagar, PhD, John C. Hower Professor of Technology and Digital Business and professor of marketing at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. "Unprecedented opportunities to improve health outcomes and control costs are being created through combining large amounts of digitized medical data with state-of-the-art machine intelligence methods," says CHITA Chair Ritu Agarwal, founding director of CHIDS, Robert H. Smith Dean's Chair of Information Systems and interim dean at the Maryland Smith. "CHIDS is pioneering work at the intersection of AI, digital applications and healthcare, and is proud to convene CHITA, where experts will debate the landscape and impact of current uses and potential future breakthroughs such as deep learning." As in previous years, an invitation-only doctoral consortium will take place ahead of the conference 9 a.m.-noon Wednesday, Oct. 7. And, Saturday will include awards presentations for best paper, best student-authored paper, and best junior researcher-authored paper. CHITA is produced in partnership with the University of Michigan School of Public Health and is supported in part by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Review the full program and Register in advance at CHITA 2020. CHITA attendees also are eligible for a discount to the Maryland Smith's new AI Leadership for Healthcare executive education program. The first 100 registrants receive a complimentary e-book authored by keynote speaker Kartik Hosanagar: "A Human's Guide to Machine Intelligence: How Algorithms Are Shaping Our Lives and How We Can Stay in Control." About CHIDS The Center for Health Information and Decision Systems (CHIDS) is a research center of excellence based in the Department of Decision, Operations & Information Technology (DO&IT) at the Robert H. Smith School of Business that collaborates closely with industry, government and other key health system stakeholders. CHIDS' research seeks to understand how digital technologies and data analytics can be more effectively deployed to address outcomes such as patient safety, healthcare quality, efficiency in healthcare delivery and a reduction in health disparities. CHIDS offers the benefit of renowned scholars in health data science and artificial intelligence, technology innovation, implementation and design. The pool of talent, knowledge and expertise in DO&IT is acknowledged by several publications as a top-five performer in research production worldwide; the Information Systems group is ranked in the top 10 worldwide by BusinessWeek and U.S. News and World Report. CHIDS pioneers in the study of digitally enabled health system transformation and is widely known for its thought leadership and research collaborations. About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full- and part-time MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, specialty masters, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia. Contact: Greg Muraski at [email protected]. SOURCE University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business Related Links https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu By Gabriella Borter and Lisa Shumaker NEW YORK (Reuters) - The percentage of COVID-19 tests taken in New York state that have come back positive has inched up to 1.5%, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday, a worrisome trend for the former epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic. New York's positivity rate had hovered around 1% for weeks, a hard-won metric after the state tallied thousands of cases per day during the peak of its outbreak in the spring. The rate's uptick now comes as 27 other states recorded increases in the number of cases for two straight weeks. "It's basically Brooklyn, Orange and Rockland that are increasing this number," Cuomo told reporters on Monday, adding that state health officials were looking into COVID-19 clusters in these locations. He said health officials were still trying to find a reason for the rise in those areas, all of them in the southern part of the state. In some Brooklyn neighborhoods, the positivity rate is as high as 5-7%, the city health department said on Monday. Cases in New York state have risen 4.4% so far in September, one of the smallest increases among U.S. states, according to a Reuters tally. The state's positive test rate remains much lower than that of some Midwestern states, where 15% of tests have been coming back positive. Cuomo urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant in mask-wearing and warned of consequences if they do not. "It's not time to get tired because the virus isn't tired," he said. NEW RECORDS The number of new cases has risen for two weeks in a row in 27 out of 50 U.S. states, with North Carolina and New Mexico both reporting increases above 50% last week, according to a Reuters analysis. The Midwest has emerged as the country's new hotspot, with hospitalizations surging in some states. Wisconsin set records for new cases twice last week and is now reporting more new infections each day than Florida. South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming have all set records for new daily cases three times this month. Story continues The positivity rate has risen to 26% in South Dakota, up from 17% last week, according to an analysis using testing data from The COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer-run effort to track the outbreak. According to the analysis, on Monday, Wisconsin's rate was 19%, Iowa's was 16%, Missouri's was 16%, Kansas' was 15% and Nebraska's 14%. The World Health Organization considers rates above 5% concerning because it suggests there are more cases in the community that have not yet been uncovered. U.S. top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday that he was concerned about the trend as the weather gets colder and people spend more time indoors, increasing the likelihood of spread. "We're not in a good place ... because as we get into the fall and the winter you really want the level of community spread to be as low as you can possibly get it," Fauci said. The United States is reporting 45,000 new infections on average each day, compared with 40,000 a week ago and 35,000 two weeks ago. Cities and states have continued reopening at varying speeds. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday said she would loosen capacity restrictions related to COVID-19 for bars, restaurants and health clubs later this week. "This next step in our reopening is good news for business owners as well as the communities they serve and the thousands of residents that work for them," Lightfoot said in a statement. On Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis lifted all capacity restrictions on bars and restaurants. Video footage posted to social media over the weekend showed mask-less Floridians drinking and dancing in crowded bars. The state had recorded over 690,000 cases of the virus as of Monday, according to its health department website. (Reporting by Gabriella Borter, Lisa Shumaker, Brendan O'Brien and Susan Heavey; Editing by Aurora Ellis, Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin) KYODO NEWS - Sep 30, 2020 - 18:46 | All, Japan The Sendai High Court on Wednesday ordered the state and the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to pay 1 billion yen ($9.5 million) in damages to residents over the 2011 tsunami-triggered disaster. It was the first time for a high court to acknowledge the state's responsibility for the incident in about 30 similar lawsuits filed across Japan. The amount the Sendai court told the government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. to pay to 3,550 plaintiffs was up from the sum of 500 million yen that a lower court ordered them to pay to some 2,900 plaintiffs in an October 2017 ruling. The government will review the ruling before deciding how to respond to it, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference. In line with the 2017 ruling by the Fukushima District Court, the high court made its decision based on three points in dispute, including whether a major tsunami could have been foreseen. Related coverage: Museum memorializing Fukushima nuclear disaster opens in Futaba Troubled nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Japan clears safety screening TEPCO finds no obstacles to removing fuel rods from Fukushima reactor The two other points were whether countermeasures could have been implemented to prevent a disaster, and whether the compensation levels outlined by the government were sufficient. The plaintiffs had sought monthly compensation payments of around 50,000 yen per person until radiation at their residences returns to the pre-crisis level, bringing their total final demand to approximately 28 billion yen. The state, meanwhile, argued it was impossible to predict the tsunami and prevent the subsequent disaster. Tepco claimed it had already paid compensation in accordance with government guidelines. In the district court ruling, the government and Tepco were both blamed for failing to take steps to counter the huge tsunami caused by an earthquake. It ruled that the two should have been able to foresee the risks of a maximum 15.7-meter-high wave, based on a quake assessment issued in 2002, and that the disaster could have been prevented if the state had instructed the operator to implement measures that year. The magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, causing multiple meltdowns and hydrogen blasts at the nuclear power plant. Around 55,000 people remained evacuated both within and outside Fukushima Prefecture as of the end of August. BEDFORD, NS / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Silver Spruce Resources, Inc. (TSXV:SSE)(Frankfort:S6Q1) ("Silver Spruce" or the "Company") is providing the following update on the Pino de Plata project. Silver Spruce has retained Mexico-based legal counsel to lead the discussions with representatives of the surface landowners of Pino de Plata in order to re-negotiate access rights to their ranch that covers the Pino de Plata project area. The surface landowners had granted access rights to their cattle ranch that covers the project area since July 2015, they signed the Informe Preventivo (drill permit application) in July 2018, and they granted access during the field programs conducted by the Company in March through May 2019. Immediately following the Company's announcement on May 15, 2019, to commence Phase 1 drilling at Pino de Plata, the landholders requested an opportunity for project participation and investment as part of the land access rights agreement. The Company has directed attention to addressing these requests while awaiting the registration of the concession agreement inherent in the terms under consideration. "We have elevated our engagement in ongoing productive discussions for the past several months with respect to the proposed terms of agreement, and participated in our first face to face meetings in Hermosillo with representatives of the surface landowners and our Mexican legal counsel. Negotiations are underway and offers being evaluated which address the mutual benefit of all parties involved and remain confident that a timely resolution will be completed," said Greg Davison, P.Geo., Director and Project Liaison with our teams in Hermosillo and Chihuahua, Mexico. "We are maintaining communication with drilling and geological teams in Mexico to exercise contract offers on a timely basis and we look forward with great anticipation to initiation of our fully funded Phase 1 drilling program on the Pino de Plata silver project." As announced on July 15, 2019, the Company has executed a legally binding agreement with the mining concessions title owner in front of a Mexican Notary on July 11, 2019. It is a legally binding contract under Mexican law, and which reaffirms the Company's purchase rights for 100% interest in the concessions, which is now subject to force majeure until access rights are granted for continuation of the Pino de Plata property exploration, including diamond core drilling, is granted by the surface land owners. The agreement with the concession holder currently is being processed by the Registro Publico de Mineria (Public Mining Registry). The registration is usually routine, and takes between six and twelve months, however due to the lengthy COVID constraints in Mexico on safe operating status for the available personnel, the Pino de Plata agreement registration remains pending. The Company is current on payment of its property taxes on Pino de Plata and is confident in its legal rights to advance the project. Further updates will be provided to shareholders in due course. About Silver Spruce Resources Inc. Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is a Canadian junior exploration company which has signed Agreements to acquire 100% of the Melchett Lake Zn-Au-Ag project in northern Ontario and with Colibri Resource Corp. to acquire 50% interest in Yaque Minerales S.A de C.V. holding the El Mezquite Gold project, a drill-ready precious metal project in Sonora, Mexico. The Company also is pursuing exploration of the drill-ready and permitted Pino De Plata Ag project in western Chihuahua, Mexico. Silver Spruce Resources Inc. continues to investigate opportunities that Management has identified or that have been presented to the Company for consideration. Contact: Silver Spruce Resources Inc. Brian Penney, Chairman and CEO 902-430-8270 info@silverspruceresources.com www.silverspruceresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements," Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, including but not limited to, statements regarding the private placement. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of metals prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. SOURCE: Silver Spruce Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608449/Silver-Spruce-Provides-Update-on-Pino-de-Plata Paul Clark delivered nightly news about the deadly Covid-19 pandemic while masking the heartache that his father was about to become one of its first Northern Ireland victims. The veteran UTV anchorman spent weeks shuffling between the television studio and the hospice, where his cancer-stricken dads life was ebbing away. And with 92-year-old Thompson Clark also contracting coronavirus in the final throes of his illness, that made him officially the 11th local casualty of the virus. His immune system was really shot, and there was no way he could resist anything, said the popular television presenter. He had been in the hospice for five weeks and we were not expecting him to come home. We knew his last journey out of there would be in a coffin and so it turned out. Read More At the time Paul, along with the rest of society, was attempting to get to grips with the effects of an incurable respiratory disease virtually no one had heard of at the start of the year, but has now claimed over a million lives worldwide, 579 of them here. As a journalist, its very important to put out as much information as you can, but at the same time my father was dying, he said. Not everybody who got Covid-19 died, but there were many who did and we were privileged to tell their stories. I hope that in some way it helped me to empathise with them, that I wasnt entirely untouched either. Thompson, a father-of-four who had been fighting both leukaemia and skin cancer before contracting the coronavirus in his latter days, passed away on March 25. The nurses in his room were able to hold a phone up to him, and the last thing I remember him doing was blowing a kiss to myself and my mum Due to strict quarantine rules he was unable to have his wife Ida (89) and children Paul (66) Susan (64), Maureen (63) and Philip (54) at his Northern Ireland Hospice bedside. Expand Close Missed: Paul Clarks father Thompson Clark / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Missed: Paul Clarks father Thompson Clark The doctors had advised us that the end was coming, and on the last day when we went up to say goodbye to dad we physically could not get into his room because everything had locked down, recalled Paul. We had to say goodbye to him from outside the window looking in. He was conscious. The nurses in his room were able to hold a phone up to him, and the last thing I remember him doing was blowing a kiss to myself and my mum. Paul, Maureen and brother-in-law Wesley accompanied his mother to the hospice in Belfast that day. Philip was locked down in disease-ridden Italy, while it was a similar story with Susan, who works in England. Philip put on a suit and watched the funeral from his apartment in Bassano Del Grappa in Veneto, revealed the presenter. He put on his suit for the occasion. The undertakers fed the ceremony directly onto his iPad. Read More As a devout Catholic, Pauls father, who would have been 93 last Saturday, did not fear dying. But because of lockdown restrictions the family was unable to observe the traditions of the religion he held so dear. Rather than being in a chapel overnight, his body had to repose in a funeral parlour in Dunmurry, where Paul grew up. It was taken from the undertakers to the church where we had a committal no full Mass and then we went to Roselawn, he said. They werent allowing people into the chapel but we were able to drive up to the door, where the priest did a final committal. The coffin was then put onto something akin to a low loader; the men were so apologetic because they realised that families couldnt say a proper farewell. It wasnt ideal, but the staff at Roselawn handled it very sensitively, as did everyone at the hospice. As president and patron of the Northern Ireland Hospice, Paul, who was awarded an MBE for voluntary service to the community in 2013, is no stranger to the place. But he admitted it was really strange visiting not as the patron, but actually as a member of the family, as a son whose father was passing on. Im 66 now. All of my life he had been a constant, somebody to whom I could go and seek advice, lean on, and ask for help I saw it then, at a very personal level, the difference the hospice does make, he said, taking a moment to reflect on the magnitude of his loss. The longer you have your father, or mother, or both, the harder it is to let go, he said. Im 66 now. All of my life he had been a constant, somebody to whom I could go and seek advice, lean on, and ask for help. A few days after the funeral the father-of-two, who lives in Belfast, returned to the studio at City Quays where he faced the combination of dealing with that, dealing with my job and dealing with the story that was opening up in front of us. As a professional you have to get on with the job and its only some time later that things settle in, he added. My dad was a man of very deep faith; he was well prepared for death and he made it easy for us. And I thank him for that. But thats really the first time I saw death writ large, and the first time Ive ever lost somebody so close. Paul said he found that the business he has been in for the past 46 years proved to be a small distraction from his grief. I think at that stage I was numb, genuinely, he said. I had been working about a day-and-a-half before dad died. The last thing I remember was interviewing Michelle ONeill and Arlene Foster in the studio for View From Stormont, and it was a united front. They mustve known what was coming down the tracks. It was the last time for a long time we managed to get people into the studio. He added: In terms of dealing with dads death, the person I felt most sorry for was my dear mother, who will be 90 in January. But shes still a fiercely independent lady. She still drives and she has all her faculties, physically and mentally. The effects of Covid-19 on his life did not end with his fathers funeral. The devoted family man had to endure a temporary separation from his retired bio-chemist wife of 35 years. Carol is having to shield medically; she has a very rare lung condition and is on oxygen 24/7, he explained. Shortly before dad died, I had to move out of the family home and live with my mum in Lisburn because of the risk of infection. Carol felt so vulnerable, and because she was in the at-risk category she felt that since I was still working that it would be prudent for me not to be in the house. I think it was good comfort for mum at the time, but because she was also perceived as being in the at-risk category we had to keep our distance from each other. Thats a hard thing to do when its your mum... my abiding memory of that time is mum calling me by my dads name and then apologising. But I told her that I regarded that as a great compliment! My fathers Christian name is also my middle name. Paul added: Because I was physically outside the house I could do all the shopping. Indeed, I think my most important job during the early stages of the pandemic was making sure that there was bread on the table. He revealed that he also honed a new skill. I became a personal shopper in a way Id never imagined, he explained. Shopping and me havent always mixed but Im getting used to it at this late stage of my life. He also revealed the effects the Covid restrictions have had on the couples youngest son David (29), who has Downs and who had been working with the Belfast Trust and the Orchardville Society, which provides sheltered employment for people with a learning disability. David is a creature of habit and couldnt manage to reason why he couldnt go to work, but I was able to explain to him, he said. He keeps hoping that Robin Swann is going to say that the crisis is over. Thats his world view. He hangs on every word the Health Minister says. And he keeps asking me to tell Robin to hurry up! Paul said their older son Peter (31) was a real rock; he assumed the role of daddy during those early difficult days. And although Carol (69) is doing well healthwise, the Clark family know they have to remain ultra careful. Im downstairs with the boys and shes upstairs, so we have to keep some distance for Carols own safety, he explained. Were all having to behave as if our lives depend on it. And, guess what? They do And until we have a vaccine, or until we move to safer times, thats the way its going to be. I dont have an issue with that because Im not the only one. There are many others in a worse situation than me. Were all having to behave as if our lives depend on it. And, guess what? They do. Paul, along with several national and regional ITV colleagues, has now put his thoughts on paper for a new book, Reporting Coronavirus. It is clear that he now believes Covid will be the defining element of his decades-long journalistic career. Perhaps, I suggest, because he was reporting it and living it at the same time. I suspect there must be great truth in that because we dont always remain detached from the stories we cover, he replied. Were all human, all part of the same community. I felt last year that Brexit would be the defining story of my career. I remember thinking at the time: How do you top that? And then suddenly this happens. Reporting Coronavirus, published by ITV Ventures, is out now Bangladesh officials on Wednesday accused a Myanmar government minister of conducting a disinformation campaign to hamper Rohingya repatriation when he told the United Nations that militant groups including ARSA and the Arakan Army had found sanctuary in neighboring Bangladesh. Speaking to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, Myanmar Minister of the State Counselors Office Kyaw Tint Swe also said that Bangladesh should do more to stop the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) from interfering with the bilateral repatriation process. Both the terrorist group ARSA and the terrorist insurgent group AA have used Bangladeshi territory as a sanctuary, Kyaw Tint Swe said, according to the speech text. Efforts to prevent ARSA and its supporters in the camps of Coxs Bazar from hampering the bilateral repatriation process, through threats, violence or other illegal conduct, also need to be strengthened as such activities pose a risk to both Bangladesh and Myanmar. A day later, Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen and Faruk Khan, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs, rebuked Kyaw Tint Swes statement. The Myanmar allegation that ARSA and Arakan Army have used Bangladesh territory as a sanctuary is a disinformation campaign to hamper the process of repatriation of the Rohingya living in Bangladesh. We vehemently reject this allegation, Momen told BenarNews. He went on to say that Myanmar officials have balked at efforts to repatriate the Rohingya from camps in and around Coxs Bazar back to Myanmars Rakhine state. About 740,000 of the minority Muslims fled to Bangladesh during a brutal military crackdown launched in August 2017 in response to ARSA attacks on Myanmar police and army posts that killed nine. We are ready to send the Rohingya back to their place of origin, Rakhine state, but Myanmar is not taking them back. Myanmar must improve the conditions in Rakhine so that the Rohingya feel secure to return to their homeland, Momen said. Khan echoed Momens statement that Myanmar is trying to stall the repatriation efforts. While Bangladesh and Myanmar officials signed an agreement in November 2017 to begin the process of returning the Rohingya in early 2018, there had been no movement since. From the very beginning, Myanmar has been trying to portray the whole Rohingya community as terrorists. They have been continuing such campaigns at the bilateral level and multilateral forums, Khan told BenarNews. We strongly condemn such an unfounded negative campaign. Kyaw Tint Swe said Myanmar remained committed to having the Rohingya return. Bilateral cooperation is the only way that can effectively resolve the repatriation issue between Myanmar and Bangladesh. May I say this should Bangladesh commit itself to the bilateral process it will find Myanmar a willing partner, he said in his U.N. speech. Ragtag Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal praised his countrys border guard force for maintaining security, and said the country had a zero tolerance policy for all forms of terrorism. We categorically assert that the terrorist groups such as ARSA and Arakan Army do not get any indulgence from Bangladesh. There is no presence of ARSA and Arakan Army in Bangladesh, he told BenarNews. Despite the home ministers statement, government and police sources in February privately acknowledged that they had arrested several of the insurgents in the previous months. BenarNews interviewed a self-proclaimed ARSA member in Kutupalong refugee camp in November 2017, who said that at least 150 insurgents were living in the camps at the time. Southeast Asia security analyst Zachary Abuza, meanwhile, called the Myanmar allegations preposterously overblown. Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington, is also a columnist for BenarNews. ARSA was never much beyond a small, ragtag, poorly armed militant group with a twitter account. There is no evidence that Bangladeshi forces or nationals are actively arming or training them, he told BenarNews. He drew a contrast between ARSA and the Arakan Army. The Arakanese are recognized citizens, in the ways that the Rohingya are not, he said. That will always open up avenues for a negotiated settlement, though the governments track record in implementing peace accords with ethnic rebel groups is terrible. Abuza noted that Arakan Army members, who are found north of the former Rohingya stronghold in Rakhine state, are well armed and militarily competent. Meanwhile, there is no evidence that Bangladesh forces or nationals are training or arming ARSA members. To me, the Myanmar governments statement is just another justification to not take back any refugees, he said. Imran Vittachi in Washington contributed to this report. A growing number of employers are providing time off for employees to vote. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR professional society. The questions are submitted by readers, and Taylor's answers below have been edited for length and clarity. Have a question? Do you have an HR or work-related question youd like me to answer? Submit it here. Question: Voting matters to me but, between my job and my kids attending school virtually, Im worried I wont arrive before polls close. Must I use personal paid time off or lose hours if I want to vote? Anonymous Johnny C. Taylor Jr.: Its hard to believe, but Election Day is right around the corner. Now, whether can take time away from work be it paid or unpaid to cast your vote on Nov. 3 will depend on where you work. There are no federal laws guaranteeing employees can take time off to go vote. However, many states have laws requiring employers to allow employees to take time (unpaid) to vote; there are also some states, albeit a smaller number, where employers are required to provide paid time off. Taking leave to vote will often depend on whether youre a salaried or hourly employee. If salaried, you are required to be paid for a full day without having your pay docked, however, your employer may still require you to use your paid time off (PTO) for any time away from work. Hourly employees, under federal law, are not required to be paid for hours that they do not work. They might have to go unpaid or take paid leave. That said, a growing number of employers are providing time off to vote, even if they are not mandated by state or federal law to do so. Your organization could very well be among these organizations supporting employee participation in the political process. If you arent sure, simply reach out to HR to find out. Ill also add this: The COVID-19 pandemic may change the way many Americans participate in this years elections. Whether it is voting by mail or voting in person, I encourage you to read the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest guidance on how to be safe at the polls or how to find safe alternatives if you are unable to travel to polling locations. Story continues Hopefully, youll be able to take a break to do your civic duty. But, even if you cant do so in person, you do have options in the forms of an absentee ballot or voting early in-person. After a layoff: Can I get my job back? Ask HR Job search: Are resumes and cover letters obsolete? Ask HR Q: What can I do if my employer is faking COVID-19 compliance? To look good, my company posted signage showcasing we were complying with CDC guidelines for incoming visitors. As soon as visitors left, masks came off and no further enforcement occurred. Anonymous Taylor: Thanks for this question. I am sorry to hear you feel your employer isnt adhering to the guidelines issued by the CDC. Its critical for organizations that are back in the office to maintain a reasonably safe workplace for employees and visitors. In certain cases, its even required by law. For example, there are many different state and local ordinances that may apply to your workplace, such as requiring regular cleaning and mask-wearing. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends employers encourage workers to wear face coverings at work, but that employers can decide not to, "based on the specific circumstances present at the worksite." You dont mention where you work. But, if its a public-facing setting where you work closely with others (health care, education, etc.) youre likely required to follow the guidance of public health officials guidance. That said, if you feel unsafe at work, you could and probably should share your concern with HR. If you do this, dont be afraid. After all, employees have protections from retaliation for addressing safety concerns with their employer. Should your organization ignore or dismiss your concern, however, then that would be another question (i.e. filing a complaint with OSHA) which, Im afraid, I dont have adequate column space to properly answer right now. Thank you again for writing with such a great question. Be well! This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do employees need to use paid time off in order to vote? Ask HR This year, families are sending little ones to class in an atmosphere of anxiety and fear. Some are choosing to keep their children at home rather than expose them to the real and serious risks from COVID-19. These feelings in this pandemic present a rare opportunity to deeply reflect on the experience of Indigenous people, on Orange Shirt day, who were forced, year after year, generation after generation, to surrender their children to the Indian Residential School System; a system in which death rates for Indigenous children were 24 to 69 per cent and school graveyards were as common as school playgrounds. The IRSS was a system of mass race-based child apprehension, in which Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families with the express goal of assimilation. They were stripped of culture and identity and given a curriculum based in farming and domestic service. Very early on, it became abundantly clear that Indigenous children faced devastating rates of illness, disease, and preventable death in these schools. In 2015, through the courage and strength of survivors, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada heard testimonies about the horrific abuse Indigenous peoples endured at these schools. The TRC concluded that this was a system of cultural genocide. Our Canadian healthcare system, often revered for its universality and accessibility, played a sinister and prominent role in this genocide. In fact, we better understand today that the historical relationship between Canadian healthcare systems and Indigenous peoples has been one of colonial violence, otherwise known as medical colonialism. Abysmal healthcare plagued the school system. Negligent public health policies led to deadly tuberculosis epidemics in many schools for decade. Medical researchers conducted horrific nutrition experiments, in which Indigenous children were given less than half of the daily required nutrition requirements and vital nutrients and dental care were withheld in order to study the effect of malnutrition on development and health. Similar nutritional experiments, led by famed Hospital for Sick Children pediatrician, Frederick Tisdall, were conducted on entire communities, including children, in reserves in northern Ontario. We may never know how many thousands of Indigenous children died in these schools as a result of the horrific conditions imposed upon them. What we do know is that our healthcare system has catastrophically failed Indigenous people since its inception. Like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to which humans have no natural protection, the arrival of Europeans brought many illnesses that were novel to the Americas. These infections, such as smallpox and tuberculosis, spread rapidly with high rates of severe illness and death among Indigenous people who had no prior immunity. Early in Canadian history, physicians played a role in intentionally spreading disease epidemics in Indigenous communities. As infection rates in Indigenous populations increased, the public health threat to settler Canadians became intolerable, and thus Indian Hospitals were put in place not necessarily to heal Indigenous people, but to confine illness to protect the majority population (for example, the settlers.) In this manner, physicians were also involved in the expropriation of Indigenous land and resources, using the Indian Act to apprehend Indigenous peoples deemed a danger to public health for forced quarantine or incarceration. Indian Hospitals were rife with medical abuse, including surgical experimentation and forced sterilization - children were not spared. A long history of dehumanizing and devaluing Indigenous peoples has significantly contributed to how Canadians have accepted the treatment of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people to this day. The last Residential School closed in 1996, but there are more Indigenous children who have been removed from their families today than there were at the height of the IRSS. As a result of anti-Indigenous systemic racism, including implicit bias, Indigenous people continue to face discrimination in healthcare, employment, child protection services, education, housing, and more. The COVID-19 pandemic has only magnified this reality on multiple levels. This September, as we work for the safe return of our children to school, let us make an additional effort to commemorate Orange Shirt Day. Celebrated every September 30th, this is a national day to honour the resilience, strength, dignity, and perseverance of Indigenous Peoples in Canada despite the genocide of the IRSS. On this day, as medical practitioners, we are not only reflecting on this critical example of medical colonialism, but are striving to begin healing those wounds by committing to building a relationship of understanding, trust and respect between our healthcare systems and Indigenous peoples. If we are ever to see any true, lasting solution to ending health inequities faced by Indigenous peoples in this country, including those exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a necessary first step. Dr Samir Shaheen-Hussain is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University and works as a pediatric emergency physician in Tiotia:ke (Montreal). All royalties from his recently published book, Fighting for A Hand to Hold: Confronting Medical Colonialism against Indigenous Children in Canada , will be redirected to groups and initiatives concerned with the health and wellness of Indigenous children and youth. Follow him at @SamirS_H Dr Suzanne Shoush is a Black and Indigenous mother and physician, and the Indigneous Health Faculty Lead for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. Semir Bulle is the outgoing co-president of the Black Medical Students Association at the University of Toronto and co-founder of Doctors for Defunding Police. Follow him at @SemirBulle Karanvir Bohras wife Teejay Sidhu, who is expecting her third child, has said she has often being questioned about her skinny body but cannot help herself in this regard. Teejay penned a note about why she continues to be skinny even while being pregnant and shared a picture of her 5-month baby bump. She wrote, People tell me Im too skinny, that I should be heavier, especially since Im expecting. (This is my 5 months pregnancy pic.) But for me, putting on has never been easy. And in the first trimester, I had terrible nausea, couldnt eat anything! (There was no pregnancy glow!) Now I eat properly, Ive put on weight, but still, it only shows on my tummy. Id tell any expecting Mom, whether youre the thin/heavy, embrace your maternity body. Dont overthink what you should look like. As long as you are healthy, there is no ideal weight. Every pregnancy body is different - love yours, just as it is. Several of her followers came in her support and praised her look. Her husband Karanvir Bohra commented, You are beautiful, just the way you are! Shweta Tiwari reacted, Ye dekho..! 9th grade ki student kahan se aayi bhaii! Gauahar Khan also wrote, Ure perfect. Juhi Babbar Sonii assured her in the comments section, U r looking lovely with that lil baby bump..and u r glowing with happiness my dear. Also read: Priyanka Chopra congratulates Sonu Sood after UNDP confers him with Special Humanitarian Award: Continue to do Gods work A follower however, raised concern about her visible nerves. She wrote, Ur nerves are too visible consult a doc. eat healthy food take care of urself love to Bella and Vienna. Teejay replied to her, I did speak to my doc...Nerves/blood flow get affected, especially as you progress in pregnancy. Looks weird, but its normal. A follower also asked her not to bother explaining herself to others, to which Teejay replied, It wasnt to explain to others because of myself personally... I just felt there were others like me who needed to hear than being thin in pregnancy is okay. Follow @htshowbiz for more 30 September 2020 Tower Resources plc Board Changes Tower Resources plc (the "Company" or "Tower" (TRP.L, TRP LN)), the AIM listed oil and gas company with its focus on Africa, announces the following board changes with immediate effect. The Company is pleased to announce that Paula Brancato has agreed to join the board as an independent Non-Executive Director. Paula is an investment advisor with Barnum Financial Group in New York, where she works with clients and also in new venture and market development. Paula holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and FINRA qualifications in the US as both a broker and investment advisor, as well as being a member of the CFA Society New York. Paula will also serve as Chair of the Audit Committee. The Company also announces that David M Thomas, Non-Executive Director, has decided to step down from the board to pursue his other business interests, notably his interest in Orion Energy plc. The board would like to thank David for his contribution to Tower since joining in 2017, during which time Tower completed its G&G work on the Njonji structure, planned and designed the NJOM-3 well, and prepared the drilling site for the well itself, in addition to obtaining the PEL-96 license in Namibia. The board wishes him the very best in his future endeavours. Jeremy Asher, Chairman and CEO, commented: "We are delighted to welcome Paula to the board, even as we are sorry to say goodbye to David. Paula will fill a gap left by Graeme Thomson last year, for a well qualified financial professional to oversee our audit committee, and she will also bring a fresh set of eyes to all of our commercial and risk management. We anticipate further additions to the board as we ramp up operations again after the pandemic, which we hope will be soon." Paula Concetta Brancato, also known as Paula Concetta Fritsch, (age 63), currently has no other Directorships and has held none during the past five years. There are no further disclosures required under Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement. Contacts President Donald Trump and Joe Biden clashed over health care and abortion rights in the opening minutes of their first debate Tuesday night, with Trump shrugging off the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be overturned and struggling to defend his health care record against determined criticism from Biden. Trump resorted quickly to interrupting and taunting Biden, complaining about moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News and effectively threatening to turn the debate into a fog of bluster and cross talk rather than a clear exchange of views. Biden attempted to talk past the presidents heckling, but seemed before long to decide that Trumps insistent distractions were an unavoidable obstacle. Will you shut up, man? he asked Trump in obvious exasperation. This is so unpresidential. The debate, at Case Western Reserve Universitty in Cleveland, quickly descended into name-calling and hectoring in the first 15 minutes, derisive attacks that were extraordinary even by the standards of Trumps presidency. Trump, trailing in the polls and urgently hoping to revive his campaign, was plainly attempting to be the aggressor. But he interrupted so insistently that Biden could scarcely answer the questions posed to him, forcing the moderator, Wallace, to repeatedly urge the president to let his opponent speak. When Biden attempted to discuss voters who had lost loved ones to the coronavirus Trump interjected. You wouldve lost far more people, he declared. The former vice president veered between smiling and shaking his head in bemusement and firing off attacks of his own as Trump kept interrupting. Youre the worst president America has ever had, Biden said. In 47 months Ive done more than you have in 47 years, Trump shot back, referring to his rivals lengthy Washington tenure. Trumps volcanic performance appeared to be the gambit of a president seeking to tarnish his opponent by any means available, unbounded by norms of accuracy and decorum and unguided by a calculated sense of how to sway the electorate or assuage voters reservations about his leadership. In an election characterized by sharply defined and stubbornly stable opinions about both candidates, the presidents conduct was the equivalent of pulling the pin on a hand grenade and hoping that the ensuing explosion would harm the other candidate more. But Trump made no effort to address his most obvious political vulnerabilities, from his mismanagement of the pandemic to his refusal to condemn right-wing extremism, and it was not clear that he did anything over the course of the evening to appeal to voters who have deeply disliked him for years including some who voted for him in 2016 in spite of that. Even as he went on the offensive against Biden on matters of law and order, Trump declined when prompted by Wallace and Biden to specifically condemn acts of violence by white supremacists and right-wing extremist groups. When Wallace asked him whether he would be willing to do so, Trump replied, Sure, and asked the two men to name a group they would like him to denounce. But when Biden named the Proud Boys, a far-right group, Trump did not do so. Proud Boys? Stand back and stand by, the president said briefly, before pivoting to say, Somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left. Biden at times sought to ignore Trump by looking into the camera and speaking directly to the voters. He did so when the president brought up the overseas work of Hunter Biden, Bidens younger son. And he did it again when he highlighted The New York Times revelations about how little Trump has paid in taxes. This guy paid a total of $750, Biden said. Pressed about how much he did pay in 2016 and 2017, the president claimed he paid millions of dollars but offered no evidence and declined to say he would release his tax returns. But the president did not take aim only at Biden; he also undercut his own advisers. After Biden criticized him for his handling of the coronavirus hes a fool on this, the former vice president said Trump mocked his opponent for wearing the biggest mask Ive ever seen and then belittled Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert. He said very strongly masks are not good, then he said he changed his mind, Trump said of Fauci. The only phase of the debate that might have been taken by an open-minded viewer as an extended and articulate exchange of views came on the subject of the coronavirus pandemic, as Trump voiced impatience with a range of public-health restrictions and Biden criticized the president for being dismissive of measures like mask wearing and social distancing. If we just wore masks between now and social distanced between now and January, we would probably save up to 100,000 lives, said Biden, who also alluded to the disclosure in journalist Bob Woodwards recent book that the president had misled the American people about the severity of the disease last winter. Trump, reiterating his demands that the country return quickly to normal, called on Democratic governors to open these states up quickly, and said without evidence, They think theyre hurting us by keeping them closed. But even on a matter as grave as the pandemic, Trump indulged freely in personal mockery. When Biden called him totally irresponsible for holding mass rallies without health protections in place, Trump responded by mocking Bidens more constrained events, suggesting the former vice president would hold large events, too, if you could get the crowds. The presidents bulldozer-style tactics represented a risk for an incumbent whos lagging in the polls because voters, including some who supported him in 2016, are so fatigued by his near-daily attacks and outbursts. For all his evident frustration with Trump for not abiding by the rules, Wallace made no attempt to correct the president as he unspooled a series of falsehoods. Trump, for example, insisted that Biden had once called criminals superpredators. But it was Hillary Clinton who said that in 1996. Trump denied that one of his advisers, Kellyanne Conway, had described riots as helpful to him politically. But Conway did say that, on Wallaces own network. In addition to lobbing false allegations, Trump also was unable, or unwilling, to discuss policy issues in a detailed manner. Pressed on whether he believed in climate change, the president said, I think to an extent yes, before quickly adding: Were planting a billion trees. Overshadowed though it might have been, the policy content of the debates opening phase mirrored the stark contrasts already on display in the race. On the Supreme Court, the two men split over whether it was appropriate for Trump to name a new justice to the court in the final months of his term, with the president offering a defiant rationale for doing so: We won the election, he said, and we have the right to do it. Perhaps more surprisingly, Trump dismissed Bidens warning that Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision guaranteeing womens right to abortion access, was on the ballot. The president projected disbelief, though the decision would plainly be vulnerable to being overturned by a conservative court. Theres nothing happening there, Trump insisted. Trump had no defense for Bidens warning that if the Supreme Court struck down the Affordable Care Act it could imperil women and people with preexisting conditions, nor did he offer a substantive response to Wallaces question prompting him to articulate a specific vision for health care policy. Trump argued that he had already done so, though he has not, and said that his success repealing the Obama-era laws individual mandate was a big thing on its own. Instead of finally filling in the blanks of his health care agenda, Trump sought to go on the attack against Biden, tying him to the socialist aspirations of the left wing of the Democratic Party. Biden, who campaigned against socialized medicine in the Democratic primary, deflected the attack I am the Democratic Party right now, he said and sought to keep the focus on Trumps lack of health care policies besides gutting the ACA. He doesnt have a plan, Biden said. The fact is, this man doesnt know what hes talking about. For Trump, the first debate appeared to be his best chance to change the trajectory of a presidential race that has so far resisted all manner of Trumpian efforts to shake it up. The president has cycled through an array of attacks against his Democratic challenger in recent months, criticizing or outright smearing Bidens governing record, personal ethics, economic policies, family finances, and mental and physical health often relying on misinformation and falsehoods. Over the past month, Republicans have made an especially concerted push to brand Biden as overly sympathetic to racial-justice protests that have turned unruly and insufficiently committed to maintaining public order. Yet that argument has not budged the race an inch in Trumps direction, or changed the minds of a majority of voters who take a negative view of his personal character and his leadership during the pandemic. From the outset of the race, Trump has prioritized his largely rural and conservative base ahead of all other constituencies, and he has done little to reach out to Americans who do not already support him. Rather, in a year of tumult, there has been one constant: Biden has enjoyed a steady lead in the polls since he effectively claimed the nomination in April. Propelled by women, voters of color and whites with college degrees, and faring better with Republican-leaning constituencies than Hillary Clinton did in 2016, the former vice president is better positioned going into the final month of the election than any challenger since 1992. Biden has established an advantage in the three Great Lakes states that swung the election to Trump: Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. And he is leading the president or deadlocked with him across much of the Sun Belt, including in Georgia and Arizona, states that no Democrat has carried this century. Two new surveys this week one from The New York Times and Siena College, the other from The Washington Post and ABC News both indicated that Biden enjoys a 9-point advantage in Pennsylvania, an ominous sign for the Trump campaign, which viewed that state as easier to hold than Michigan or Wisconsin. Just as revealing as it relates to Tuesdays debate, there are few undecided voters left in America. So its questionable whether this or either of the following two debates can drastically shift the election. Yet even with time working against him, Trump has spent most of the past month on defense. He has litigated a series of unhelpful revelations, including his acknowledgment to journalist Bob Woodward that he misled the public about the coronavirus and the disclosure this week in The New York Times that Trump for many years paid minimal or no federal income taxes and used legally questionable strategies to minimize his tax bills. On Tuesday afternoon, in an attempt to draw more attention to The Times story, Biden released his own 2019 tax returns, and the topic was sure to come up during the debate. That is not to say that the debates wont play a role in shaping the final stretch of the campaign. Biden may be leading Trump, but his support is based less on enthusiasm for his candidacy than on the deep antipathy nearly half the country has for the president. Polling also indicates that the former vice president faces questions about his mental acuity, which Trump and his allies have stoked for months by calling him Sleepy Joe and accusing him of suffering from dementia. Hours before the debate, Trumps campaign accused Biden of refusing a pre-debate inspection for electronic earpieces. The messaging reflected pre-debate gamesmanship rather than any credible attack line, since there is no proof suggesting Biden is relying on pharmaceuticals or would wear an earpiece to the debate. Recognizing that the best way to allay any doubts about mental sharpness was to turn in a strong debate performance, the Democrats campaign staff has sharply limited Bidens public appearances in recent days and staged extensive preparation sessions. By contrast, Trump has held few mock debate sessions and insisted he is busy running the country. Trumps challenge is most pronounced on the issue of the virus. Up to this point, the president has attempted to grapple with the subject largely by arguing that it is all but resolved, promising an imminent vaccine and criticizing ongoing efforts by state and local governments to control the spread of the disease by restricting individual and commercial activities. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Energy told Al-Monitor that Israel "is aware" of publications about the country resuming negotiations with Lebanon over their maritime border. The spokesperson did not confirm the details published recently in the Israeli press on bilateral talks set to begin after the Jewish High Holidays season in mid-October. Still, the spokesperson confirmed that Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz was the one leading the contacts from the Israeli side. This affirmation came in reaction to reports last week by journalist Ehud Yaari. On Sept. 25, Yaari revealed that after many years of preliminary negotiations, Israel and Lebanon had reached an agreement to hold concrete talks about marking their maritime border. Apparently, these talks will be conducted in the southern Lebanon town of Naqura, where UNIFIL (the UN Interim Force in Lebanon) headquarters are located. The talks will be held under the auspice of a senior American official and with the presence of a UN rapporteur. Other reports indicated that the senior American representative would likely be Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs David Schenker, who had been involved in these recent negotiations. Schenker had visited Israel last week, updating Steinitz and seniors in Israels Foreign Ministry on advancement in his contacts earlier this month with Lebanese authorities, especially with parliament speaker Nabih Berri and officials in President Michel Aouns office. According to these reports, the formula that was finally accepted was for the Americans to lead the talks with the UN merely observing instead of the United States and the UN co-mediating talks, as Beirut had originally sought. Jerusalem had opposed talks under UN auspice. Thus, the notes of the UN rapporteur will not be officially filed at the UN. The dispute between Israel and Lebanon over their maritime border has lasted for about a decade, ever since the discovery of possible marine gas fields off the Israel-Lebanon coast. The two countries disagree over certain future drilling areas some 860 square kilometers of contested maritime territory. On June 23, Israeli authorities decided to greenlight exploration drilling in the disputed Block 72 area. The Israeli June decision on opening an international drilling tender generated a harsh Lebanese reaction, with President Aoun warning that the decision was "extremely dangerous." Now it seems that despite this decision, Beirut and Jerusalem are ready to negotiate the maritime borderline. None of the parties involved has openly disclosed so far if Israel intends to go through with the exploration drilling. Nevertheless, publications indicate that Israel had expressed its willingness to split the contested maritime territory in a 58:42 ratio in Beiruts favor. Such a decision would enable Lebanon and the French company Total to start drilling in Block 9 adjacent to the contested area, and for Israel to advance with its drilling tender. The dispute over the drilling areas explains the involvement of Minister Steinitz in the talks over marking the maritime borderline. Still, Israels Foreign Ministry is also an important actor in these talks and will take part in the negotiations that are expected to start in the coming weeks. A senior Israeli diplomat told Al-Monitor that the ministry has been deeply involved in mediated talks with Lebanon over the years, though the composition of the Israeli delegation if talks will indeed be relaunched has not been decided yet. Our 19 years of success are attributable to the incredible commitment and dedication of every AireSpring team member. We have always known that our people are, more than ever, our greatest asset, and we are fully committed to their success and wellbeing, even as we face new challenges together. AireSpring, a leading Managed Services Provider specializing in Unified Communications, Managed Network, and IT Services, has been named a Silver Stevie Award winner for Employer of the Year in the Telecommunications category for the second year in a row. AireSpring was among more than 700 nominees from organizations of all sizes and nations around the world, submitting this year for consideration in a wide range of categories for the fifth annual Stevie Awards for Great Employers. These categories include achievement in Employer of the Year, Chief Human Resources Officer of the Year, and Human Resources Team of the Year, among others. The Stevie Awards for Great Employers recognizes the worlds best employers and the human resources professionals, teams, their achievements and HR-related products and suppliers, who help to create and drive great places to work. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning crowned, the awards will be conferred upon the winners during a virtual awards ceremony on November 5. More than 90 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this years Stevie Award winners. AireSpring is extremely honored to receive the Silver Stevie Award for Great Employers for the second consecutive year, stated Avi Lonstein, AireSpring CEO. We are a smaller, family-owned and operated organization, competing with the giants. Our 19 years of success are attributable to the incredible commitment and dedication of every AireSpring team member, who pride themselves on providing extraordinary personalized service and expert support to our customers. We have always known that our people are, more than ever, our greatest asset, and we are fully committed to their success and wellbeing, even as we face new challenges together. "In the fifth edition of the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the judges were impressed by the Stevie winners AireSpring is extremely honored to receive the Silver Stevie Award for Great Employers for the second consecutive year. Our 19 years of success are attributable to the incredible commitment and dedication of every AireSpring team member, who pride themselves on providing extraordinary personalized service and expert support to our customers.who - during the crises weve confronted this year - continue to dedicate each day to making the lives of their employees and teams better through training, software, work-from-home plans, and more. We are pleased to celebrate them in 2020 and look forward to what they will accomplish in 2021, said Maggie Gallagher, president of the Stevie Awards. Details about the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the list of 2020 Stevie winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/HR. About AireSpring Founded in 2001, AireSpring is an award-winning Managed Services Provider specializing in Unified Communications, Managed Network, and IT Services, serving thousands of businesses nationwide. AireSpring provides fully managed and connected end-to-end, next-generation solutions for multi-location enterprise customers. Services include: Global Managed SD-WAN, AirePBX UCaaS, AireContact CCaaS, SIP Trunking, MPLS, Disaster Recovery, Managed Security, and Business Internet. AireSprings solutions are offered through a diversified network of channel partners that includes distributors, master agents, managed service providers (MSPs), and value-added resellers (VARs). AireSprings managed services are delivered over its highly reliable Global Network, providing customers with an integrated, complete end-to-end solution. AireSpring has been widely recognized for its managed services and custom engineered network with end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS), including over 30-plus carrier networks and cable providers aggregated to create a unified nationwide network providing more coverage than any other supplier. It all adds up to a seamless single-source solution experience with one bill and one point of contact for AireSpring partners and their customers. AireSpring has received numerous industry awards for Excellence in Customer Service, Next-Gen Solution Provider, Top Midmarket Vendor Executive, UCaaS and SD-WAN Product of the Year, Best Telecom Deal, Best in Show, and Top Channel Program. AireSpring is privately held, diversified, debt-free, and renowned in the industry for delivering a broad range of innovative cloud communications, networking, security, and connectivity solutions, with white glove service that extends throughout the entire customer lifecycle. For product information, or to become an AireSpring partner, please visit http://www.airespring.com or contact us at 888-389-2899. About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. Ranchi, Sep 30 : A 60-year-old man was trampled to death while another woman was injured by a rampaging elephant in Jharkhand's Giridih district on Wednesday. According to the police, the incident took place in Maheshpur village under the Pahadpur panchayat in Giridih district. The elephant got separated from its herd and turned rogue before entering the village. The deceased, who has been identified as Khooblal Mandal, was walking in the field when he was trampled to death by the elephant, which also injured another woman of the same village. The villagers informed the forest department about the rampaging elephant, besides demanding compensation for the kin of the victim. According to forest department data, more than 1,200 people have been killed by rampaging elephants in Jharkhand since the creation of the state in 2000. Farm Business Options Webinar A new weekly Teagasc webinar called Farm Business Options will feature news, views and interviews on current topics relevant to farm business diversification in Irish Agriculture. Farm Business Options will be hosted by Teagasc ConnectEd and live-streamed through Zoom. Speaking about the new webinar series, presenter Barry Caslin, Teagasc Energy & Rural Development Specialist, said: Farm diversification is about moving to alternate forms of income and enterprises outside of traditional farming activities. Thinking laterally about using your land, buildings and skills in different ways can help to manage risk and provide additional cash-flow to a business. Diversification is not a silver bullet, and can be a very complex process. The new webinar, Farm Business Options will target farmers, farm advisors, agricultural researchers and agri-businesses representatives of government and public authorities, and a broader interested audience. Considering a farm diversification and not sure where to start? This series will address common mistakes and the pitfalls to avoid. It will include important checklists in developing a new project. The webinar will be interactive with opportunities for registered participants to ask questions. Speaking ahead of the new webinar series, Mark Gibson, manager of Teagasc ConnectEd said: The Irish agricultural community is changing the way it meets, exchanges and explores ideas. Organisations across the sector are making the most of digital tools and holding virtual events and webinars. Farm Business Options will provide a great way to keep the wheels of innovation turning during the pandemic, and it also presents an opportunity to connect with a larger audience than ever before. Farm Business Options will be broadcast live from 11:00am to 12:00 noon every Tuesday from October 13th 2020. Participation is free. However registration is essential prior to each webinar. Register now to join us on Tuesday, October 13th for our premier show that will focus on the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH), and its relevance to the pig, poultry and horticultural sectors. Register at www.teagasc.ie/farmbusinessoptions The initial lists of topics are: Cattle herders, traders and heads of state are among the people who have sought the ear of the sharif of Nioro, one of Mali's most influential men, to whom they voice their needs, grievances and hopes. A man of great clout and reputed wealth, Mouhamedou Ould Cheikh Hamahoullah derives his status from his reputation as a holy man, a proclaimed descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. The 82-year-old figure, universally known as Bouye, responds with advice, adjudicates in disputes or offers support. Bouye heads a branch of West African Sufism founded by his father Sheikh Ahmedou Hamahoullah at the start of the 20th century. He very rarely leaves Nioro du Sahel, his birthplace near the Mauritanian border, where as sharif, or leader, he is responsible for protecting the community. But he has no need to travel, for people come to see him in an endless stream, "on foot, riding donkeys, camels and horses across the Mauritanian desert," he says. The branch of the Tijaniya Brotherhood conceived in Nioro by his father has between five and 10 million disciples -- there is no accurate count -- reaching as far afield as Senegal and Ivory Coast. The sharif describes how the new-born brotherhood alarmed the French colonial power, which twice deported his father for long spells and killed "two of my big brothers aged 28 and 24, while the third was jailed." This evening, the sharif is seated among followers in the courtyard of his zawiya -- or Sufi religious centre -- in the shade of a grand old tree with prayer mats at its feet. The air is hot but nobody moves, for all are drinking in every word of their charismatic leader. "I'm probably the most popular man in Mali, that's true, but it isn't nice to talk about oneself," Bouye declared before embarking on an interview with foreign journalists, his first in more than 10 years. According to researcher Aboubacar Haidara, Bouye's influence is enormous. It includes the funding of several presidential election campaigns in Mali and neighbouring Mauritania and shaping Malian governments from the zawiya. Story continues The putschists 'are my sons' But the sharif, with his shaven head, white beard and long black scarf wrapped loosely around his neck, downplays any such talk. After growing up in a rural family and receiving a Koranic education, Bouye defends himself from claims of meddling in politics. "As long as I'm not asked, I don't intervene. I have supported, it's true, many political figures, but it was they who came to ask for my help," he says. "Imams and religious leaders have a part to play to see that the country is on the right track," he maintains. Bouye flew to Bamako on Monday aboard a private Moroccan plane to meet delegates from King Mohammed VI. His exceptional trip came a day after transitional prime minister Moctar Ouane was appointed to form a new government. Bouye figures among the handful of powerful people whose help is solicited for resolving Mali's many problems, which range from deep poverty and ethnic rifts to jihadist violence. But he is the only one who can draw decision-makers from the capital Bamako 500 kilometres (300 miles) away. Anthropologist Hamidou Magassa, a specialist in Muslim movements of West Africa, gives Nioro the ironic epithet of being "a bit like the Vatican of Mali." The latest to come were soldiers who overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18. "They are my sons," Bouye said, prayer beads in his hand. "There is no reason not to trust them." The military should stay in power, he argued, because civilian governments have been so disappointing. Nonetheless, Bouye long backed Kieta, who was the first politician he funded openly during the election of 2013. The sharif contributed some 700 million CFA francs ($1.25 million / one million euros) to Keita's campaign, according to his followers. He also mobilised his own supporters in a network that includes many people in politics and business. Keita was elected with 77 percent of the vote but proved to be "incapable and incompetent," Bouye said. - Economic clout - Bouye's detractors accuse him of taking over the local economy, with a hand in sectors ranging from fuel to food supplies, and of enjoying favourable customs duties. Stickers with the sharif's face are on every goods vehicle in the region. The sharif denied having any such favours, but acknowledged setting up an import-export business after former president Amadou Toumani Toure granted his approval. The trade "benefits the population" and is not for personal enrichment, he said. As often happens, the interview ran far into the night. The sharif's doctor, who is director of Mali's largest hospital, has told him to take it easy and go to bed at 10pm, but aides said he rarely retires before midnight. Sometimes the visitors include African diplomats, but no envoy from the West has come in the past decade, he said. Bouye mostly receives ordinary people from his vast zone of influence, as is customary for a traditional chief in West Africa. "The sharif's contribution to the stability of the region can't be overestimated," one of his followers said. He described how, a few days earlier, jihadists moved in to preach in a village not far from Nioro. The first authority to whom the villagers reported the event was no state official but Bouye. ah/lal/nb/ach/ri/je Harris County Clerk Christopher Hollins plan to send mail ballot applications to all 2.4 million registered voters in the county far exceeds what the state Election Code allows, the attorney generals office argued before the Texas Supreme Court Wednesday. In oral arguments before the high court, Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins said the part of the Election Code requiring clerks to send applications to any registered voters who request them means the distribution of applications is limited to those voters. Harris County Clerk Christopher Hollins, he warned, cannot claim powers the Election Code has not expressly granted him. If Hollinss actions are allowed to proceed, it will fundamentally upset the balance of power between states and counties, Hawkins said. That conception of power has existed for a century. Attorney General Ken Paxton in August sued Hollins, saying he exceeded his authority by planning to send applications to voters under 65 even if they did not ask for them. Hollins contends residents deserve to be informed that they may be eligible to vote by mail, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when some voters may be wary of visiting polling places in person. At issue is whether the Texas Election Code grants county clerks the power to send unsolicited applications. Susan Hays, a private attorney representing Harris County, said the purpose of the Election Code is to make voting safe and accessible to all registered Texans. Requiring applications to be sent to voters who request them is a minimum requirement, she argued, not a limit. A statute that says we have to give an application to someone if they ask doesnt prohibit implicitly giving it to people because we think its a good management practice and we think it will make this election safe, Hays said. The eight justices in attendance peppered both attorneys with questions during their 20-minute arguments. Responding to a question about whether the countys plan would be out of step with how other parts of the state are handling mail ballots, Hays said all 254 counties should send mail ballot applications to registered voters. In an amicus brief, the Dallas County clerk argued the same. Justice Eva Guzman asked Hays if Harris Countys plan would create more opportunities for voter fraud. Hays said it would not, noting that each ballot is reviewed by a bipartisan committee to ensure the signatures on the ballot and application match. Justice Brett Busby asked Hawkins if the states position that clerks only have power explicitly granted by state law would bar them from developing new, innovative ways of providing services to customers. This is going to have ramifcations outside this case, Busby said. How do we tread that line to ensure clerks can continue to do, as they see it, good customer service? Hawkins said clerks would be fine so long as they are able to connect every action to a specific grant of power from the Legislature. Texas is one of a handful of states that requires an excuse for voting by mail. Residents must be at least 65, disabled, out of the county or incarcerated during the voting period. In a separate case in May, the Supreme Court ruled that fear of COVID-19 alone does not constitute a disability. It can, however, be combined with other health factors to qualify a voter for a mail ballot. State leaders raised no objection to Hollins sending mail ballot applications to all elderly voters during the July primary runoff. State Elections Director Keith Ingram objected to Hollins sending the applications to all voters, whom he said cannot possibly all be eligible for mail ballots. Election experts have said nothing in the Texas Election Code bars Hollins from carrying out his plan. A state district judge and the 14th Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Hollins. Paxton appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court issued a stay preventing Hollins from mailing any more applications until the case is resolved. Even if Harris County prevails, the timing of a ruling will be crucial. The deadline for voters to apply for a mail ballot is Oct. 23, and mailing the remaining 2 million applications would take several weeks, Hays said. The applications also are available online on both the county clerk and the Texas Secretary of States websites, readily accessible for any voter to print and mail to their home county. The justices did not indicate when they would rule on the case. zach.despart@chron.com A woman declared missing by her family two years ago was rescued after being spotted floating in the sea off the northern coast of Colombia last week. Angelica Gaitan was found in the sea more than one mile away from the port town of Puerto Colombia, before being brought to shore to receive medical treatment. Her rescuers had originally mistaken her for a floating log until she raised her hands to gesture for help, according to the local paper La Libertad. Footage filmed by Rolando Visbal, a fisherman who was one of her rescuers, shows Ms Gaitan being pulled into a boat and later being helped into a chair on a beach. In the clip which was reportedly shot on Saturday, she seems to fall in and out of consciousness. Ms Gaitan later told Colombian radio that she was discovered unconscious, floating in the sea by Mr Visbal and his friend. Recommended Suspected drug smugglers saved from drowning by floating cocaine packs Thank God I was alive, and he threw me a life-preserver. They brought me to a health center where I am receiving the necessary care, she added. Ms Gaitan alleges that she fled her home in 2018 after being abused for years by her ex-husband, a version of events her family contests. In an interview with RCN Radio Barranquilla, they said she had left unannounced while suffering from mental health issues. Ms Gaitan told Colombian media that she had thrown herself in the sea after being made to leave a refuge where she had been staying, adding that she had spent eight hours in the water before she was saved. Additional reporting from AP SULAIMANIYA, Iraq: Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary groups launched a rocket attack targeting U.S. troops in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regions capital Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistans counter terrorism service said on Wednesday. Six rockets were launched from the borders of the Sheikh Amir village in Nineveh province by the Popular Mobilisation Forces who were targeting (U.S.-led) coalition forces in Erbil International Airport," the service said in a statement. Four rockets landed at the edge of the airport compound and two did not explode, it added. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Jake Gyllenhaal and Oscar Isaac have joined the cast of Francis And The Godfather, a movie about the making of the iconic 1972 mobster film. Gyllenhaal, 39, will be playing producer Robert Evans, while Oscar, 41, is set to portray legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, according to Deadline. Barry Levinson, who has previously helmed Rain Man and Good Morning, Vietnam, will be directing the film. An offer they can't refuse! Jake Gyllenhaal and Oscar Isaac have joined the cast of Francis And The Godfather, a movie about the making of the iconic 1972 mobster film An offer they can't refuse! Jake Gyllenhaal and Oscar Isaac have joined the cast of Francis And The Godfather, a movie about the making of the iconic 1972 mobster film Widely regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time, the film is based on the Mario Puzo novel of the same name and follows the son of a mob boss and his initial efforts resisting the family business - before embracing it. ADVERTISEMENT The Godfather received widespread acclaim, and was awarded with an Oscar for Best Picture, Best Actor for Marlon Brandon, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Click here to resize this module While there was plenty of drama on screen, there was also no shortage of it behind-the-scenes. The original Puzo script was set in Kansas City, but a then-31-year-old Coppola had to persuade producer Evans to film the movie in the more expensive city of New York, according to Deadline. Kiss the ring: The film will revolve on the making of the epic film, which starred Marlon Brando as mob boss Vito Corleone Family business: Al Pacino played Michael, a young man initially resistant of the mob life - before eventually embracing it Lights, camera, action: Francis Ford Coppola received widespread acclaim for directing The Godfather Even the time period the movie was set in was problematic. Coppola butt heads with the studio over the decision to place The Godfather in the 1940s, with the studio keen on saving money by setting it in the 1970s. 'I mean, the script had hippies in it because it was being a - going to be set in the '70s,' he previously told NPR. 'And they wanted to shoot it in Kansas City. In fact, they took me on a trip to look around at Italian neighborhoods in Kansas City.' Devotion: It was an uphill battle casting Marlon, who stuffed cotton balls in his mouth to achieve Vito's rough voice during his screen test Behind-the-scenes: Gyllenhaal will be playing producer Robert Evans (pictured 2014) The disagreements spilled over into casting, with the decision to bring Marlon and Al Pacino on board also contentious. It was an uphill battle casting Marlon, who stuffed cotton balls in his mouth to achieve Vito's rough voice during his screen test, according to Market Watch. Additionally, 'uneasy' discussions occurred with real-life mob bosses, unhappy knowing their antics would be making it to the big screen. Stories about the behind-the-scenes drama have been circulating for years, but now it will all be coming to the big screen, with the film set to center on the director and studio chief desperate for a hit, according to Deadline. ADVERTISEMENT Already, Coppola has given his seal of approval on the decision to bring Levinson on board. 'Any movie that Barry Levinson makes about anything, will be interesting and worthwhile!' he said, according to Deadline. Grammy nominee Miley Cyrus glammed up in a faux tiger fur coat, fishnets, and patent leather platform heels in Manhattan on Wednesday to film a secret project with two-time Grammy winner Dua Lipa. Meanwhile, Dua snuck out of her trailer for a smoke on set while wearing full make-up, hair extensions, a white robe, and black Vivienne Westwood heels. Neither of the disco-loving pop stars were protecting themselves and others from the coronavirus by wearing masks the day after Mayor Bill de Blasio warned he would begin imposing fines for anti-maskers. Large entourage: Grammy nominee Miley Cyrus glammed up in a faux tiger fur coat, fishnets, and Vivienne Westwood platform heels in Manhattan on Wednesday to film a secret project with two-time Grammy winner Dua Lipa Puffing away: Meanwhile, Dua snuck out of her trailer for a smoke on set while wearing full make-up, hair extensions, a white robe, and black heels Citing the city's 3% spike for the first time in months, the 59-year-old politician told CBS News: 'We don't want to fine people. If we have to, we will. And that will be starting on a large scale today.' As of Wednesday, there have reportedly been an eye-popping 248K confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York City leading to over 23K deaths. The Tennessee-born 27-year-old and the British-Albanian 25-year-old's mystery collaboration with music producer Watt was first teased on August 5. The 29-year-old native New Yorker (born Andrew Watt) co-produced Miley's new song Midnight Sky, and he co-produced and co-wrote Dua's new song Break My Heart. 'Dua has heard what you haven't': The Tennessee-born 27-year-old (M) and the British-Albanian 25-year-old's (L) mystery collaboration with music producer Watt (R) was first teased on August 5 Hitmaker: The 29-year-old native New Yorker (born Andrew Watt) co-produced Miley's new song Midnight Sky, and he co-produced and co-wrote Dua's new song Break My Heart New song? Watt - who contracted the coronavirus in March - has also helped create hits for Cardi B, Camila Cabello, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Post Malone, and Ozzy Osbourne Watt - who contracted the coronavirus in March - has also helped create hits for Cardi B, Camila Cabello, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Post Malone, and Ozzy Osbourne. On Tuesday, Cyrus digitally released her live cover of Blondie's 1979 classic Heart of Glass after her September 23 iHeartRadio Music Festival performance went viral. And Lipa will drop the music video for the Club Future Nostalgia remix of her track Levitating featuring two-time Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby this Friday. Cover girl: On Tuesday, Cyrus digitally released her live cover of Blondie's 1979 classic Heart of Glass after her September 23 iHeartRadio Music Festival performance went viral By PTI NEW DELHI: Around 60 Left activists were detained when they tried to stage a protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan in the national capital against the gang rape and death of a 19-year-old woman in Hathras, police said. The protesters arrived at the UP Bhawan for the protest, but were detained immediately and taken to Mandir Marg police station, they said. The protesters, however, claimed that they continued their protest outside the police station. WATCH | Hathras gang-rape victim cremated in dead of night; kin allege police did it forcibly They demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and alleged that the state has become unsafe for women. The protest call was given by women's organisations affiliated to the Left. Around 60 protesters, including women, have been detained so far, a senior police officer said. The 19-year-old woman was brutally gang-raped in a village in Hathras district two weeks ago. She died of her grievous injuries at a Delhi hospital on Tuesday, prompting outrage, protests and calls for justice. The woman was gang-raped on September 14 following which she was admitted to the J N Medical College Hospital in Aligarh with serious injuries. She was referred to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Monday after her condition showed no signs of improvement. The Prince of Wales has worn a face mask in public for the first time as he visited Northern Ireland with the Duchess of Cornwall to thank key workers for their efforts during the pandemic. Charles stepped from his chauffeur-driven car wearing the blue cotton face covering when he arrived at the Ulster Museum, but quickly pocketed the cloth item as Camilla removed her mask. The coverings, made by artisans from Burma, are being sold for 6.50 on the website of the princes Turquoise Mountain, a charity which works to protect heritage and communities at risk around the world. Camilla has worn a face covering in public a number of times as have the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge but Charles, who has been carrying out public duties for a number of months in mainly outdoor settings, has not been seen wearing one before. Turquoise Mountain supports weavers in Burma and the princes mask was made by Nuu Nuu Pan whose family fled ongoing conflict in the region and has been living in a refugee camp since 2010. The Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to the Ulster Museum in Belfast (Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror/PA) Charles was also sporting a plaster on the top of his left ear. The prince and his wife spoke to nurses outside the building and thanked the health workers who transitioned early from Queens University Belfast and the Open University into clinical roles amid the health crisis. Bronach Best, who works in mental health, said everyone had pulled together as a community of staff. Charles and Camilla view a throne made for the party at the end of filming of Game of Thrones by local man Bob Johnson (Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror/PA) I think the public have been great, there was one occasion when I was going shopping in my uniform, and met a mum with her son who was wearing a Spiderman costume, and she said, look there is a real life hero there, she said. Its nice to be appreciated. Inside the museum Charles took an interest in a handwoven replica of the famous iron throne from the HBO show Game Of Thrones, which had been commissioned for the end of the fantasy drama which was principally filmed in the region. A frame of thrones, the prince quipped as he stood beside the piece for photographs. Story continues Camilla had tried to cajole Charles to sit in the famous throne but the future king stayed on his feet. The prince shares a joke with foodservice driver Stephen Taggart during a visit to the Henderson Groups food and grocery distribution centre (Niall Carson/PA) Later the heir to the throne made a solo visit to the Henderson Foodservice in Newtownabbey, County Antrim to recognise its achievements in keeping Northern Ireland consumers supplied with groceries during the pandemic. The firm which supplies more than 450 stores has diversified to introduce home delivery services from 250 outlets during the crisis. Stores have also supported their own communities by delivering hampers to nurses and others isolating away from their families. In the companys giant warehouse surrounded by 18,500 pallets and dozens of staff lined up in socially distanced rows, Charles was presented with a hamper of Northern Irish produce. The Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to the Belfast & Lisburn Womens Aid which supports those affected by domestic violence across Belfast and Lisburn (Tim Rooke/PA) Charles told the workers: I can only congratulate all of you, for what its worth, for the amount of effort youve put into this and clearly the extraordinary amount of difference youve managed to make to so many peoples lives, particularly in delivering food parcels and all the trouble thats taken in ensuring that everybody knows which customer is which and what needs are required. Camilla ended her day by hearing the moving stories of women who have survived abusive partners during a visit to Belfast and Lisburn Womens Aid centre in the south of the city. She listened to a woman, who remained anonymous, who was trafficked to Northern Ireland via Germany from her home country of Somalia. She tearfully recalled how four of her six children, all boys, were stabbed to death by her former partner, who also tried to kill her. The man has never been brought to justice and after her other two children, a twin boy and girl, were taken away by their paternal grandfather, the woman, who was married at just 16, left Somalia and has never seen them again. Your vital work changes and saves lives every day, and I am so grateful to the whole team at Belfast and Lisburn Womens Aid. The Duchess wrote a note to those at the charity who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/UMmrF2c0vb The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) September 30, 2020 She wept as she thanked Camilla for coming to hear her story, telling her: Thank you, thank you for coming to listen. I am very very happy to see you today. Camilla smiled and said: No thank you for telling us and made a point of going up to her afterwards and telling her: You are so very, very brave. The duchess also discussed how she believes the issue of domestic violence has increased since the lockdown saying: Victims are more exposed and it seems the problem is escalating which is endlessly worrying. There is no way out of the situation, or so they think, they feel trapped. They dont trust anybody. Fintech trading platform, TigerWit, has received a further pair of awards from the Global Forex Awards 2020. This year the firm has been recognised as the Most Transparent Forex Broker in Africa and as the Best Forex Fintech Broker in Asia. The timing of the awards comes as the company has seen rapid global expansion including the addition of James Blackwood Murray as Regional Director for the African region. Speaking about his work and experience within Africa, James was quoted as saying "I couldn't be happier to win Most Transparent Forex Broker. This really is the embodiment of everything we strive to provide for our African clients, and we are looking forward to further expanding our footprint across the continent." TigerWit has also seen plenty of recent additions to their services and tradable products. Barnabas Goh, Global Head of Marketing at TigerWit, said "The Global Forex Awards are highly respected within our industry and to be confirmed once again as a winner across multiple categories is an immense honour. Having won Most Transparent Global Forex Broker and Best Global Forex Trading Innovation last year, 2020 saw TigerWit go beyond established financial landscapes to further enable, service and create value for our clients in emerging markets. Innovating safer, simpler and superior solutions for investors across all markets has always been rooted in TigerWit's missional ethos and we are delighted that these awards reflect that." The growth that TigerWit has made this year includes vast increase in its sales, retention and marketing divisions. Many of the recent hiring's within the last six months have been 'virtual' and they are yet to work in the TigerWit offices. But despite this complication, the firm has ensured another award-winning year that has seen a 300% increase in new clients and 200% growth in new business revenue. In what has become another new normal of working from home in 2020, Tim Hughes, CEO at TigerWit, was delighted to receive the awards at home and provided the photos to celebrate the award. The latest awards come after winning a trio of awards last year from the Global Forex Awards, including Best Global Forex Trading Innovation; Best Asian Trading App; and Most Transparent Trading Platform. You can find out more about the services they offer on their global website https://global.tigerwit.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005398/en/ Contacts: Nathan Phillips nathan.phillips@tigerwit.com 07956587597 CAIRO Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek el-Mulla and the ministers of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum which includes Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, as well as the Palestinian Authority signed Sept. 22 the charter to transform the forum into a regional organization based in Cairo, with the aim of formulating a common vision on natural gas policies in the region, and confronting any projects that are contrary to the objectives of the organization or conflict with the interests of its members. Mulla said during the signing ceremony that the forum has officially become a large intergovernmental organization in the Mediterranean region, which gives it an institutional dimension in confronting the challenges facing the region. This Egyptian move is an attempt to form an international lobby capable of confronting the Turkish actions in the eastern Mediterranean, and stopping what Cairo described as the violation of its economic rights and attacks in the Mediterranean by Turkey. On the same day, Ankara immediately responded by saying that transforming the forum into an international organization is a new unilateral step, seeking unilateral action away from Ankara, which has always demanded the necessity of achieving equitable sharing of natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean region. Brig. Gen. Samir Ragheb, head of the Arab Foundation for Development and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor that transforming the forum into a regional organization will change the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean and block the way for Turkey's desperate attempts to control the region's natural resources. Ragheb expects more cooperation between the member states of the organization in the coming period, not only at the political level in terms of dealing with the gas wealth and determining the maritime borders of each country, but at the military level as well, through conducting naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean, enabling them to confront any attempt to create chaos in the region. He added that the task of the organization will be to secure the gas wealth in the region. He believes the presence of observers from the European Union gives the organization more strength and makes it a major regional pressure tool, as before it was only a platform for discussions and exchange of views. On Jan. 14, Egypt announced the establishment of the EastMed Gas Forum, with the participation of the aforementioned seven countries, with the aim to exchange expertise on the natural gas exploitation in the eastern Mediterranean basin. Egypt said back then that the forum would be transformed into an international organization that respects the rights of the member states in their own natural resources based on international law. Ragheb stressed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will have to reconsider his action after he was marginalized, especially since Turkey has expressed a lot of its discontent at not participating in this entity. On Jan. 17, Hami Aksoy, spokesman for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that Egypt's efforts to transform the EastMed Gas Forum into an international organization cannot work in reality, and that this forum was mainly driven by political motives to get Turkey out of the energy equation in the eastern Mediterranean, claiming this is why Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were never invited to participate. Aksoy stressed that any initiative that takes place in the eastern Mediterranean without the presence of Turkey and Turkish Cyprus will not succeed, and that Ankara will persistently continue to protect its rights and interests in the Mediterranean. Ragheb said that Erdogan has sought throughout the past period to get closer to Egypt, in an attempt to sow discord between the countries of the eastern Mediterranean basin, to avoid forming an alliance against him. Prior to that, Erdogan would constantly attack the Egyptian regime, accusing it of a coup, since the revolution of June 30, 2013, which toppled the Muslim Brotherhood. However, Egypt did not respond to any calls for rapprochement or reconciliation, which puts Erdogan in a weak position. On Jan. 13, Yasin Aktay, chief adviser to Erdogan, called for the need to sit down with Egypt and cooperate with each other. The cooperation and solidarity of the two countries are inevitable, and they must do that sooner or later, he said. On June 11, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Turkeys NTV channel that the most rational way to restore Turkish-Egyptian relations would be through dialogue and cooperation with Turkey instead of ignoring it. In a Sept. 12 interview with Arabi21, Aktay stressed the need for communication between Egypt and Turkey, regardless of any existing political differences. The Egyptian army is a great one, and we respect it very much because it is the army of our brothers, he said, noting that there is no way this army would wage a war against Turkey. In response to the Turkish calls for rapprochement, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry said in a Sept. 13 statement that Egypt is focusing on actions and not media statements. He noted that if such statements do not go hand in hand with the Turkish policies, then they do not mean anything, especially in light of the policies employed in Syrian, Iraqi and Libyan territories, in addition to the tension in the eastern Mediterranean; all convey policies aimed at destabilizing the region. In this vein, Ragheb added, Erdogan explicitly declared that the demarcation of the border between Egypt and Greece disturbed him, and this means that any alliance in the region by the countries of the eastern Mediterranean will be an obstacle to achieving his ambitions in the region. On Aug. 6, Shoukry and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias signed an agreement in Cairo to demarcate the maritime borders between the two countries in the eastern Mediterranean. In a statement Sept. 18, Erdogan said that the Athens-Cairo agreement bothered us in Ankara, and Egypt should reconsider if it wants another agreement with us. Meanwhile, Mohammed Ezz al-Arab, head of the Arab and Regional Studies Unit at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor that one of the organization's basic tasks is to dot the Is and cross the T's in defining the maritime lines for each country, in accordance with international law, and thus based on each country's share of the gas wealth. He added that this organization is a clear message to Ankara that its attempts at calm will not succeed unless it retreats from its ambitions in the region. Ezz al-Arab expects Turkey to carry on with its policies without any change, despite the risks threatening it with the launch of this organization, due to Ankaras severe energy poverty. In 2019, Turkey's energy imports reached approximately $41 billion, according to official figures issued by the Turkish Statistical Institute. By Trend Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova gave an interview to the Turkish TRT Haber TV channel regarding the military provocations of Armenia, the Parliament told Trend. Thanking on behalf of herself and the Parliament of Azerbaijan the state TV channel of fraternal Turkey for the continuous report of these events, Gafarova noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Speaker of Parliament Mustafa Shentop, Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar, and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu unanimously expressed support for Azerbaijan. My dear colleague Mustafa Shentop personally phoned me and expressed support of fraternal Turkey. At the same time, political parties represented in the Turkish parliament made statements of solidarity with Azerbaijan. We highly appreciate this support, your solidarity, said Gafarova. Speaking in detail about the provocations committed by Armenia on the front line, the speaker reminded that the armed forces of the occupying country again went on the offensive on September 27 at 06:00. Thus, Armenia intended to seize new territories. They also targeted civilians. Unfortunately, both civilians and military personnel were killed on our side. However, Azerbaijan promptly launched a counter-offensive operation and forced the Armenian army to retreat, said Gafarova. Stressing that the glorious army of Azerbaijan has already liberated several settlements from the enemy, the speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament expressed confidence that the army, fighting for justice, will soon liberate all our occupied lands. Were fighting for the liberation of our lands. We want to liberate the land of our great-grandfathers, which for years remained under occupation, and we have no eyes on alien land. Were simply returning and will return what belongs to us, emphasized Gafarova. Reminding that the Azerbaijani lands have been under occupation for 30 years, the speaker said that Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned the international community that Armenia is preparing for a new war. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also informed the world community about this intention of Armenia. This aggressive intention of Armenia, the occupation policy that has been going on for many years, is the main obstacle to peace. By eliminating this occupation, Azerbaijan will also bring peace and prosperity to the region, said Gafarova. At present, the Azerbaijani people have closely come together around President Ilham Aliyev in the name of a single idea - to win, liberate the lands. Because Azerbaijan is fighting for justice because Karabakh is Azerbaijan! Gafarova added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The special CBI court in Lucknow on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani, former union minister Murli Manohar Joshi, ex-Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti, in the Babri Masjid demolition case due to lack of conclusive evidence. Ruling out the criminal conspiracy theory, the court held that the demolition on December 6, 1992 was a spontaneous act and not pre-planned. Ending a nearly 28-year wait in less than 28 minutes, judge SK Yadav delivered the verdict around 12.15am. He held that the prosecution (CBI) could not establish the role of the 32 accused (now acquitted) with regard to the evidence (points) it had submitted in court during the proceedings. The verdict came nearly 11 months after the Supreme Court, in November last year, paved the way for building a Ram temple at the very site in Ayodhya where the masjid once stood. It observed that none of the locals of Ayodhya testified against any of the accused to prove that they incited the mob. Scenes at Murli Manohar Jooshis residence after the verdict. (HT Photo ) The CBI court has acquitted all the 32 accused in the Babri Masjid case. This ends the long pending dispute related to the December 6, 1992 case, confirmed lawyer KK Mishra, who represented 25 accused in the court, including Advani, Joshi and Kalyan Singh, who was the UP chief minister at the time of the demolition. The court observed that the December 6, 1992 incident wasnt planned and that it was a spontaneous act, the lawyer said. The judge did not admit the videos produced by the CBI as they were not certified (tested) in the forensic laboratory to ascertain their authenticity. Photographs submitted were also not accepted as the agency could not produce the original negatives, another defence lawyer Manish Tripathi said. Of the total 49 accused in the case, 17 had died. Twenty-six of the remaining 32 accused arrived in person at the court when the judge delivered the verdict. Advani was present via video link. There were intelligence reports, the court said, at the time indicating that some anti-social elements might indulge in some unwarranted act. It said that witness (number 9) Anju Gupta had given a statement in court that some dacoits and criminals also mingled with the crowd of kar sevaks. Anju Gupta was additional superintendent of police, posted in Ayodhya during the time the incident took place. She had testified in court The court observed that at noon on December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya, everything was fine. Then, some anti-social elements started brick-batting from behind the structure (Babri Masjid), it said. It also pointed out that Ashok Singhal (late VHP leader) was appealing to kar sevaks not to indulge in violence and only carry out kar seva as per guidelines of the Supreme Court. The judge who pronounced the verdict was on a years extension and his extended term ended today. A ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction of Ram temple was held on August 5 and attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Supreme Court had in November, while maintaining that the demolition was a criminal act, ordered that an alternative land be provided to the Sunni Waqf Board for a mosque within Ayodhya. The CBI will decide on filing an appeal against the special court verdict acquitting all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case after consulting the legal department, its counsel said on Wednesday. After a copy of todays verdict is received, it would be sent to the CBI headquarters where it would be studied by the legal department and a decision on filing an appeal would be taken as per its suggestion, CBI counsel Lalit Singh said. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the court verdict, terming it as Satyamev Jayate (victory of truth), according to a statement issued by his advisor Mritunjay Kumar. Adityanath also spoke with BJP veterans LK Advani and MM Joshi over phone and congratulated them on the verdict. Reacting to the courts verdict, Iqbal Ansari, a prominent litigant in the Ayodhya title suit case, said: The entire world saw what happened in Ayodhya (on December 6, 1992). I respect the courts verdict. Ansari had issued an appeal to the CBI court earlier this month, requesting to close the case and acquit all 32 accused in larger interest of the nation and Hindu-Muslim unity. We abided by the SC verdict in November last year and we would abide by the latest decision again. There is no question of opposing it. Ayodhya wants peace, Ansari said. Mohsin Raza, a minister in the UP government, welcomed the verdict. In an interview to HT on July 30, former chief minister Kalyan Singh, whose government was dismissed after the December 6, 1992 demolition, had said that he was proud of the fact that he refused to allow firing on kar sevaks (religious volunteers) who had gathered in Ayodhya. I am proud of the fact that I didnt allow firing. I also feel that it was the demolition that paved the way for the Ram temple, Kalyan had said. An accused in the demolition, Kalyan, infected with the coronavirus, couldnt make it to the court. Prior to the start of the second night of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale at the FasigTipton Sales Pavilion on Tuesday (Oct. 6) at 6:45 p.m., a special auction will be held to benefit the Standardbred Transition Alliance. Renowned Swiss timepiece manufacturer Ernst Benz has donated the first of a special Tim Tetrick Hall of Fame limited edition watch series to be auctioned off with all proceeds being donated to the STA. The first watch in the series of only 20 produced will kick off the sales second evening as Hip No. 127. The limited-edition Tim Tetrick Hall of Fame watch is a 47-mm Chronoscope and boasts the Tetrick Racing logo, all while utilizing the traditional green and yellow colour scheme, explained Ashley Tetrick. This will be a limited edition of which only 20 will be created in honour of Tims Hall of Fame class of 2020. Ernst Benz is an internationally recognized high end watchmaker and they were gracious to donate the number one watch to be auctioned for charity at the Lexington Sale. But the Tetricks have the bigger picture in mind to make this more than a one-time event to raise money for horse aftercare. Our goal, Tim and I, we would love for this to become a trend, every sale, theres one item that supports aftercare, said Tetrick. She would like to see others in the industry participate and grow the idea. If somebody came and said, why would you sell a watch, when you could sell a $25,000 item? Well that would be great, if someone could outdo us. We welcome it and we would love it if each year one or two people could make a donation of a large item that could be auctioned with proceeds benefiting aftercare, added Tetrick. And if each sale did one thing for aftercare, thats a lot of money that we could raise. But wait, theres more. Since Standardbred aftercare has been very important to both Tim and Ashley for a long time, they have had a longstanding relationship with New Vocations, a national horse rescue organization that also will benefit from the Tetricks generosity. The fundraiser is much bigger than just the one watch being auctioned at the Lexington Sale benefitting STA. Theres a second watch, a sleek 44-mm Ernst-Benz Chronoscope that Tetrick describes as having a sophisticated black and gold theme, but geared toward the equestrian enthusiast. The watches will be available for sale starting around October 1 at ErnstBenz.com and TetrickRacingGear.com with a large portion of each watch sold being donated to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, according to Tetrick. (USTA) UPDATE: 4.30pm Minister for Education Norma Foley has announced that students who received a lower Leaving Certificate grade due to two errors in the calculation system will receive a corrected grade via the calculated grades student portal. Speaking at a press briefing, the Minister said approximately 6,500 students have been impacted by the issue, estimating they received one grade lower in one subject. Students who received a higher grade than they should have due to the error will not be affected and will retain the mark given to them by the calculated grades process. Students who are impacted will be contacted by text message in the coming days, directing them to view their new result online. The Central Application Office (CAO) will receive the updated grades for all affected students, who will then be offered a place in a third-level institute to which they applied if their new results make them eligible. Advertisement Ms Foley explained that the error was found as a result of an independent assessment conducted by Polymetrica International, identifying an error in one line of coding out of a total of 50,000 lines. The coding error is thought to have affected 400,000 exam results, however only 7,200 results were lowered as a result. A subsequent error in the system was detected by the Department of Education as a result of further checks. Junior Certificate results in Civics, Social and Political Education (CSPE) were not due to be taken into account in the calculation process, however in some instances they were. Also, Junior Cert results for each of the students' two best non-core subjects were to be considered by the process, but for some students, their two lowest grades in non-core subjects were considered instead. The core subjects are English, Irish and Maths. The objective now is to reassure students, in terms of the places that they already have, and in terms [of] if necessary creating additional places for students who may now qualify in terms of third level courses. The objective now is to reassure students, in terms of the places that they already have, and in terms [of] if necessary creating additional places for students who may now qualify in terms of third level courses," said Taoiseach Micheal Martin, speaking in the Dail earlier today. Advertisement "But all of that has to be still worked out, in terms of the CAO and in terms of the various courses," he added. At the press briefing, Ms Foley said the Department of the Taoiseach had been informed on the errors last Wednesday, saying today's briefing had been planned before Labour leader Alan Kelly raised the issue with Mr Martin in the Dail earlier today. 'Humongous' ramifications Third round offers from the CAO had been due to be released tomorrow, with the organisation now confirming they will be issued at 5pm tomorrow rather than the originally planned time of 10am, with the news of today's errors responsible for the delay. The CAO has also said it will discuss the impact of updated results to existing offers with third level institutions when it receives the data. Labour leader Alan Kelly said the impact of the errors would be humongous. Weve situations where students are to repeat their Leaving Cert who may be going to college. Weve parents paying for accommodation which they may never need now or use they could be going to other colleges. Weve some people in courses, if theyre fairly restricted numbers, that may no longer be in the courses based on results. The ramifications for this across the country are humongous. Every detail of the Department of Educations instructions were carefully and comprehensively implemented in calculating the grade of each student. Clive Byrne, Director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), said: While this was the first-time school principals and teachers have undertaken such an endeavour, every detail of the Department of Educations instructions were carefully and comprehensively implemented in calculating the grade of each student. The Leaving Cert class of 2020 participated in the calculated grades system with the upmost maturity and understanding. It is now vital that those students impacted by these errors are communicated with immediately and efficiently to alleviate concern where possible. As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to wreak havoc globally, scientists race to develop an effective medicine or vaccine to fight the infection. With more than 33.5 million people infected since the pandemic started in December 2019, finding a treatment for those infected is crucial to stemming its spread. Now, a biotech company in Australia, Ena Respiratory, said that a nasal spray it is developing might help boost the human immune system to fight flu and common colds, significantly reduced the growth of the coronavirus in a recent study in animals. The potential nasal spray may not only help treat COVID-19 but also prevent it. The nasal spray The novel product, called INNA-051, is being developed by Ena Respiratory, and laboratory experiments have shown that it reduced viral replication by as much as 96 percent in the animal study. Spearheaded by Public Health Englands (PHE) Deputy Director, Professor Miles Carroll, the new study described the potential treatment and has been published in the open-source preprint server bioRxiv*. Used as a nasal spray, it aims to boost the natural immune system of the body to fight common colds and flu. It works by triggering the innate immune system, which is the bodys first line of defense against infection from a pathogen. When the drug has enhanced the immune system, it also prevented the infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the laboratory. Clinical observations. (a) Schematic of experimental design. Ferrets received INNA-051 and PBS treatments 4 days and 1 day prior to challenge with 5.0 x 106 pfu/ml SARS-CoV-2. Nasal wash and throat swabs were collected at days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 & 12 post challenge (p.c.) for all treatment groups and control group. Scheduled culls were performed for 6/24 ferrets on day 3 p.c. and 18/24 ferrets on days 12-14 p.c. (b) Temperatures were measured twice daily (approximately 8 hours apart), using implanted temperature/ID chips. Mean temperatures +/- standard error of the mean (SEM) are displayed. Temperature dip post SARS-CoV-2 challenge (*) was attributed to sedation. (b) Weight was recorded daily and percentage change from the ferret weight prior to treatment plotted. Mean percentage weight change +/- SEM are displayed. The study Respiratory tract diseases, including those that cause flu, common colds, and the coronavirus infection, represent major ongoing global health threats. These viruses have caused outbreaks to pandemics, endangering the lives of those who are at higher risk, such as children, older adults, and those who are immunocompromised. The SARS-CoV-2 infection is actively spreading worldwide, and it spreads quickly from one person to another through close contact and respiratory droplets. One of the biggest threats of the current pandemic is that several people infected with the virus are asymptomatic, which means that they do not know that they carry the virus. As a result, they are called silent spreaders. The research team from the National Infection Service, Public Health England (PHE) wanted to develop the nasal spray to prevent the replication of the virus in the nasal area, the most common point of entry of the virus. To test the nasal spray, the team obtained nasal wash and throat swab samples four days before the viral challenge. Upon analyzing the viral RNA in nasal wash samples, the team confirmed infection in all treatment groups, with lower viral RNA levels seen in the INNA-051 treatment. The team has found that prophylactic intra-nasal administration of INNA-051 in the SARS-CoV-2 ferret infection model has reduced levels of viral RNA in the nose and throat. The results of our study support clinical development of a therapy based on prophylactic TLR2/6 innate immune activation in the URT to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission and provide protection against COVID-19, the team wrote in the paper. Further, the research team added that the prophylactic approach is important to people at a high risk of community transmission or development of the severe disease from COVID-19, such as older adults, people with comorbidities, and those who are immunocompromised. Weve been amazed by just how effective our treatment has been. By boosting the natural immune response of the ferrets with our treatment, weve seen a rapid eradication of the virus, Christophe Demaison, the Ena Respiratory Managing Director, said. If humans respond similarly, the benefits of treatment are two-fold. Individuals exposed to the virus would most likely rapidly eliminate it, with the treatment ensuring that the disease does not progress beyond mild symptoms. This is particularly relevant to vulnerable members of the community. In addition, the rapidity of this response means that the infected individuals are unlikely to pass it on, meaning a swift halt to community transmission, he added. *Important Notice bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. A man has been taken to hospital in critical condition after an alleged attack in Brisbane's south overnight. Police say initial investigations suggest the 22-year-old was attacked after a group of people visited an Earle Street address in Greenslopes. Police said the man was assisting detectives with their ongoing inquiries. Credit:Queensland Police Service The man suffered wounds to his hand and abdominal region, a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said. He was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with critical injuries and later listed as stable. Iowa has broken from coronavirus guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, announcing Tuesday that a person who comes into close contact with a positive Covid-19 case no longer has to quarantine if they were both wearing masks. State officials said the 14-day quarantine is no longer a requirement, despite the federal agency advising that it should be completed even if masks are worn. Gov. Kim Reynolds said the rule change was aimed at keeping the state's schools open, even if positive cases are confirmed among students. It comes as the state experiences a rise in hospitalizations from the virus, with a 39 percent increase in the past eight days, and the move was criticized by health experts who called on the governor to release evidence to support the new guidance Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds updates the state's response to the coronavirus outbreak during a news conference Tuesday in which she announced that a person who comes into close contact with a positive Covid-19 case no longer has to quarantine if they were both wearing masks It comes as hospitalizations in the state continue to increase, concerning the White House Reynolds claimed the decision was reached after discussions with school superintendents and was hoped to encourage the wearing of masks among students. 'In some situations, they're having to quarantine a disproportionately high number of students when just a few positive cases have been identified,' she said. Iowa does not have a mask mandate for schools so students are under no obligation to wear one. The Iowa Public Health Association issued a statement following the announcement in which they questioned the new guidance. 'Masks, contact tracing, and quarantine are all established best practices in the control of infectious disease outbreaks. They work in concert to protect communities. None supersedes nor negates the need for the others,' the statement read. 'We ask the Governor to provide the public health evidence that supports her new guidance that diminishes the role of quarantine in the effort to stop the spread of the pandemic in Iowa. 'As the Governor has said many times over, we are trusting Iowans to do the right thing. The right thing is wearing a mask correctly (covering both mouth and nose) every time, everywhere, and staying home when ill or exposed to COVID-19,' it added. Dr. Rossana Rosa, an infectious disease physician with UnityPoint Health, also called on state officials to release the evidence that led to the new guidance. 'You have to wonder about the intensity of each one of those contacts,' she told the Des Moines Register. 'Indeed, I think you are actually saying this is a policy perhaps designed to reduce the number of children or people in quarantine, but doesn't seem to be necessarily aimed at reducing the number of cases in our state. 'Honestly, we don't seem to be in a better-off place taking that strategy,' she added. 'The virus has never really been under control in our state. We have been going through a series of surges and plateaus, and each surge has left us with a higher plateau than the previous one. I guess we'll see where the latest strategy will lead us to.' Kids wave from on the bus as they prepare to ride home from Sergeant Bluff-Luton Primary School in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, in late August. The quarantine rule change was aimed at keeping the state's schools open, even if positive cases are confirmed among students The number of patients in ICU has still not reached the peak first seen in May The number of patients admitted to hospital with coronavirus in Iowa has started to jump Iowa State Education Association president Mike Beranek added that the state's guidance was 'not consistent with what the scientific community continues to tell us about protecting ourselves, our students and our communities from COVID-19'. Iowa health officials have continued to argue the case, however. Dr. Caitlin Pedati, the state epidemiologist, said that the policy change was similar to those made in Wyoming and Nebraska. She added that data comparing Iowa school districts using face coverings with those that have not had been examined. Four schools districts in Sioux County, which leads Iowa in the number of positive tests, were compared. Only one of the districts required masks and it had experienced less spread of the virus than the other three. Pedati also highlighted a case from Missouri over the summer where two hairdressers infected with coronavirus did not infect any of their 139 clients after all parties involved wore face masks. Iowa state epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Pedati updates the state's response to the coronavirus outbreak Tuesday and defends the decision to change the quarantine requirements The change in policy in Iowa is only for non-health care and nonresidential settings, and those who come into contact with an infected person while they are both wearing masks will still be asked to self monitor for symptoms. If one of the parties was not wearing a mask, the 14-day quarantine will still be required. Those who are currently quarantining because of the previous policy are now allowed to discontinue if they were both wearing masks. A face shield is not considered a mask under the guidance. The policy does not change the requirements for people that are actually sick, or COVID-positive, to isolate from others. The CDC guidance calls on all people who have been in close contact with a person who has Covid-19 to quarantine. They define close contact as being 'within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more'. Despite the loosening of the quarantine policy, on Wednesday the White House said that Iowa's coronavirus outbreak was still in the red zone, according to KCCI. The report cited the state's growing number of cases and hospitalizations and recommended a statewide mask mandate. Iowa's COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to climb, although have not yet reached the total number seen at the peak in spring. However, on Tuesday, new hospitalizations in the prior 24 hours surpassed what they were during the first peak. In May, there was a high of 559 COVID-19 hospital admissions over a 14-day period. As of Monday, there were 669 admissions over a 14-day period. There are 390 patients hospitalized with the virus, as of Tuesday. That number is up from 376 the previous day and more than 100 patients from ten days ago. Statewide, hospitalizations have increased 39 percent in the past eight days, according to the Gazette. There are 100 patients in intensive care, up from 97 the previous day, yet there are still 35 percent of in-patient beds available and 423 ICU beds available. There are 31 patients on a ventilator in the state and 794 more ventilators available. Gov. Reynolds said that hospitalizations were being monitored but they were not concerned that systems could become overwhelmed. 'They have indicated that they still are able to handle what they're seeing,' Reynolds said. Nursing homes have again become a major cause for concern in the state. The number of outbreaks has risen to 50, more than triple to level from mid-July. Gov. Reynolds claimed that despite the rise, the homes were doing better at containing the virus and preventing its spread among residents. There have have been 88,555 coronavirus cases in total in Iowa and 1,342 deaths. NEW YORK CITY The city's daily coronavirus positive rate dipped back to 0.94 percent, a significant step back from a months-long high just one day before, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. But COVID-19 cases remain on the rise in six of nine Brooklyn and Queens ZIP codes identified as areas of concern by health officials, de Blasio said Wednesday. Those clusters, along with four other areas that are being monitored, will be the subject of continued outreach efforts, increased enforcement on mask wearing and restaurant compliance and expanded testing, he said. "All of this can help, will help, is helping," he said. De Blasio on Tuesday announced that the city's daily coronavirus positive rate ticked above 3 percent for the first time since June. Much of that rise has been traced to nine ZIP codes, which account for 25 percent of all cases citywide over the past two weeks, officials said. Those ZIP codes and their latest positivity rates, according to data presented by de Blasio on Wednesday, are: Gravesend/Homecrest, 11223 6.92 percent Midwood, 11230 5.64 percent Kew Gardens, 11415 3.31 percent Edgemere/Far Rockaway 4.91 percent Borough Park, 11219 6.23 percent Bensonhurst/Mapleton, 11204 6.05 percent Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/Sheepshead Bay, 11229 4.05 percent Flatlands/Midwood, 11210 4.73 percent Kew Gardens Hills/Pomonok, 11367 3.6 percent The city's positivity rate on a seven-day average generally considered a more accurate measurement of the virus' spread is 1.46 percent, according to city data. De Blasio said officials will step up efforts to fight the virus in the cluster ZIP codes. Residents will see 400 additional NYPD officers and 250 compliance officers from city agencies conducting outreach, mask distributions and face covering enforcement. "No summonses were necessary (Tuesday)," he said. "We would love to see that continue but obviously (we're) prepared to issue summonses as needed." Story continues Mitchell Katz, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, said city workers also plan to amp up testing efforts. "The virus is insidious, many people are asymptomatic and don't know they're infected and can spread the disease," he said. "Increased testing helps us to identify those people." The efforts will include "block parties" that turn streets and sidewalks into testing sites, Katz said. There will be six such sites that can churn out up to 3,000 tests a day, he said. Other areas such as schools and houses of worship will receive self-administered tests, Katz said. Also, 38 rapid testing machines that can return results in 20 minutes or less will go to doctors offices, he said. Coronavirus testing results are coming in much faster than the past and the process is easier than ever, de Blasio said. "You can help New York City by going out and getting tested today," he said. This article originally appeared on the New York City Patch A quarter of jobs are at risk at City Pub Group when the Government's furlough scheme comes to an end next moth after being impacted by coronavirus restrictions. Clive Watson, chairman of the pub group, said 'at least 25 per cent' of the workforce could be cut once the job retention scheme comes to an end on October 31. The company, which runs 48 pubs, primarily in London and the south of England, currently had around 1,000 employees prior to the pandemic. City Pub Group has reopened 37 sites in its pub estate but said it expects jobs to be hit at its remaining 11 sites by the end of next month. Clive Watson (pictured), chairman of City Pub Group, said 'at least 25 per cent' of his workforce could be cut once the Government's furlough scheme comes to an end on October 31 Mr Watson said: 'With the sites that are currently closed, jobs will go and we are now seeing how current restrictions will impact others. 'We are looking at this affecting at least 25% of our workforce we have to say, although this could be more.' The company has now started a consultation which could see staff agree to reduced hours, he added. Mr Watson said he expects there to be a jobs 'bloodbath' among pubs and hospitality firms once the job retention scheme comes to an end on October 31. He said the replacement job support scheme, which was announced by the Chancellor last week, is 'not suitable as a mechanism to save jobs in the pub trade'. Mr Watson said the business is 'fairly well protected' from the impact of the 10pm curfew and believes that people will change their habits as a result. 'I think we are already seeing some signs that people are coming to pubs earlier and obviously that's something we're keen to see,' he said. 'The desire to go to the pub is definitely still there but I think we'll see more shifts in people's habits as restrictions continue to change. 'I think Christmas will be tough without Christmas parties and big groups, but hopefully we might also not see the same fall in January as people usually detox. We'll just have to see how things pan out.' The pub group runs 48 pubs, primarily in London and the south of England. Pictured: The Hoste Arms in Burnham Market, Norfolk The company currently had around 1,000 employees prior to the pandemic but may have to reduce its workforce following the coronavirus restrictions. Pictured: The Cat & Mutton pub in Broadway Market, Hackney City Pub Group has reopened 37 sites in its pub estate but job cuts could not hit its remaining 11 sites. Pictured: The London Road Brew House in Bedford Place, Southampton The comments came as the group hailed 'strong' revenues since reopening, with like-for-like sales at around 80 per cent of previous levels. It revealed that revenues tumbled to 12.1 million for the six months to June 28, from 27.1 million in the same period last year. Shares in the company moved 7.6 per cent higher to 61.9p after early trading on Wednesday. Last week the Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the Job Support Scheme (JSS) which would replace the furlough, or Job Retention Scheme (JRS). Under the new scheme, employees' wages receive a maximum subsidy of 22 per cent from the Treasury, depending on how many hours they work. But firms must pick up the additional 55 per cent, compared to 20 per cent under furlough. The scheme will start in November and run for six months. It came after the Prime Minister set out a raft of measures designed to clampdown on Covid-19, including imposing a 10pm curfew on all pubs, bars and restaurants in England. The 10pm curfew on the hospitality sector sparked an immediate industry backlash, with the UKHospitality group calling it 'another crushing blow'. There were also fears the move could have unintended consequences amid warnings of a potential 'surge of unregulated events and house parties'. "We don't do conventional," buzzes the blurb for Cork's new Dean Hotel. By that, it means roof-top restaurants, cutting-edge cocktails, edgy Irish art and slick touches like the mini-Smeg fridges or Marshall amps in your room. In a pandemic, of course, it could just mean opening a new hotel. Before 2020, hotel plans were popping up like mushrooms in Ireland, particularly in Dublin. Then came Covid-19, a collapse in bookings, and now the spectre of a winter with up to nine out of ten bedrooms lying empty. Expand Close The Dean Cork - artist's impression / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Dean Cork - artist's impression But the Press Up Group is pressing ahead. It will open The Dean (see gallery above), dubbed "Corks first design-led boutique hotel" on Horgan's Quay in late November. Rooms can now be booked from 150 a night at thedean.ie. "It has always been a very resilient industry, but this is now a make or break time for hospitality in Ireland," says Bryan Davern, the Group's Head of Hotels. Irish hotels are "solely reliant" on the domestic market for now, Davern says, and the Group is opening as planned with the hopes of contributing both to Cork and the rejuvenation of Hogan's Quay. "We want The Dean to be used by the local community, be a cultural and creative space and offer a warm welcome even during the current difficult times." Expand Close The Dean Cork Sophie's Bar / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Dean Cork Sophie's Bar The hotel follows the template set by its namesake on Dublin's Harcourt Street, from the sixth floor Sophie's Rooftop Restaurant to the lobby's DIME barista bar, the scrawling neon sign over reception and the funky bedroom details - from Irish "munchie boxes" (think O'Donnell's crisps and sneaky packets of Silvermints) to Grafton Barber toiletries. A "boutique gym" will follow in January. 20-square-metre 'SupeRooms' are the lead-in room types, with prices rising to 450-a-night for suites and 890 for the rooftop Penthouse. 114 rooms all come with subway-tiled bathrooms and rain showers; the Penthouse adds splurges like freestanding copper bathtubs, a private bar, foosball table and stonking River Lee views. The Press-Up Group is known for its wide collection of bars and restaurants in Dublin, but has been expanding its deck of hotels in recent years - to include the Devlin in Ranelagh, the Mayson on North Wall Quay and the Glasson Lakehouse, currently undergoing upgrades and refurbs on its perch overlooking Lough Ree in Co Westmeath. The Group declined to provide a cost for the hotel, but said the Dean will create 120 full-time and part-time jobs in Cork. A third Dean hotel is slated to open in Galway later this year. Sign up for our free travel newsletter! Like what you're reading? Subscribe to 'Travel Insider', our free travel newsletter written by award-winning Travel Editor, Pol O Conghaile. On Sept. 29, the nation was given its initial glance at the first of three presidential debates between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. The debate has led to a firestorm of tweets on Twitter with political commentators such as CNN's Dana Bash calling the affair a "sh-tshow." Carlos Ghosn, the former auto-industry titan living as a fugitive in Lebanon, will help start a business program at a university in his troubled native country. The course will include an executive management program, training in new technologies and an initiative to support startups, Ghosn, 66, said at a press conference Tuesday at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, known as USEK. Ghosn, admired in Lebanon for his business successes, declined to answer questions about his dramatic escape from Tokyo to Beirut nine months ago or his own legal situation. He said hes eager to help the country, which is mired in debt and rudderless after a government collapse, but has no plans to seek office. When I first came here, I said I wont get into politics but I will help any institution or initiative with my expertise," Ghosn said. The time that I have for Lebanon is to help an institution like USEK." Ghosn led Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. until his arrest in Japan almost two years ago on charges of financial misconduct. Freed on bail, he fled the country by boarding a private plane while inside a large black music-instrument case. Since then, hes been living in Lebanon, which doesnt have an extradition treaty with Japan. He has denied the charges, saying they were part of a conspiracy to prevent him from further integrating Japans Nissan and Frances Renault, partners in a two-decade auto-making alliance. How a Powerful Nissan Insider Tore Apart Carlos Ghosns Legacy Lebanons dire situation has deteriorated further since a devastating explosion at its main port last month. The prime minister-designate stepped down Saturday, leaving the country without a government. We can say things are upside down, there are protests and no government," Ghosn said. But what were saying here is that regardless of what happens at the political level, and not to say it doesnt matter, we should do what we can." This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics A wealthy benefactor of Keith Raniere the disgraced leader of a self-improvement group in upstate New York convicted of turning women into sex slaves branded with his initials, is facing sentencing in the federal conspiracy case. Seagrams liquor fortune heiress Clare Bronfman is due to appear on Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn. The stakes are high: Her lawyers want a judge to give her three years probation instead of prison time while prosecutors say she deserves five years behind bars. The 41-year-old Bronfman admitted in a guilty plea last year that she harbored someone who was living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid labor and services and that she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere, leader of the group called NXIVM. In a letter to the court last month, Bronfman wrote that she never meant to hurt anyone, however I have and for this I am deeply sorry. Still, she said that she couldnt disavow Raniere because NXIVM and Keith greatly changed my life for the better. At trial, prosecutors told jurors the 60-year-old Ranieres organization, NXIVM pronounced NEHK-see-uhm operated like a cult whose members called him Vanguard. To honor him, the group formed a secret sorority comprised of brainwashed female slaves who were branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him, the prosecutors said. Bronfmans lawyers have argued she deserves leniency because she had no direct involvement in the most disturbing allegations and has a health condition that could put her at greater risk for a coronavirus infection if incarcerated. But in court papers, prosecutors argued she deserved a serious punishment since, There can be little doubt that Raniere would not have been able to commit the crimes with which he was convicted were it not for powerful allies like Bronfman. The defendant had long been affiliated with NXIVM, giving away tens of million of dollars to bankroll Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement classes. She also paid for lawyers to defend the group against a lawsuit brought by its critics. Along with Bronfman, Ranieres teachings won him the devotion of Hollywood actresses like Allison Mack of TVs Smallville. Mack also has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. As part of a plea agreement, Bronfman agreed to forfeit $6 million from a fortune prosecutors have said is worth $200 million. They also are seeking a $500,000 fine. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 00:47:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Passengers are seen at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 1, 2020. South Africa has started allowing business, investors and skilled experts into the country from Oct. 1. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor said those wanting to travel for tourism from high-risk countries will not be allowed to enter the country. However, those travelling for business from these countries will be allowed. (Photo by Yeshiel/Xinhua) PRETORIA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Africa will start allowing business, investors and skilled experts into the country on Oct. 1, said Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandoron on Wednesday. Pandor said those wanting to travel for tourism from high-risk countries will not be allowed to enter the country. However, those travelling for business from these countries will be allowed. The high risk countries include the UK, France, Jamaica, India, Iraq, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, Slovenia and the U.S., among others. "Travellers that intend to visit the country will need to produce a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test not older than 72 hours from the time of departure from the country of origin," Pandor said. "Upon arrival in the port of entry, the traveller will be screened for any COVID-19 symptoms or for contact with people who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus," said Pandor. Responding to Xinhua's question, the Deputy Health Minister Joseph Phaahla said China is a low risk country and are allowed to visit provided they follow the regulations. "China had high infections early and managed to reduce it successfully. At the height of our infection, we had few infections from China. China remains in low-risk because of the declining number of infections," said Phaahla. Pandor said all visitors are required to have travel insurance which will cover the testing cost if one shows symptoms and quarantine costs if tests positive to COVID-19. She pointed out that Africans would be allowed to visit regardless of the status of the country and required to provide a certificate to show they are free from COVID-19. "To allow ease of travel from the African countries, 18 borders will be opened. Thirty-five border posts will continue to offer restricted services due to insufficient capacity for screening, testing and quarantine. Travellers who present themselves at borders which are unable to accommodate them will be directed to the currently operational border posts for processing," she said. The government said the cross-border passenger transport operators will start operating on Oct. 1. Pandor said only three airports will operate for international travellers which are OR Tambo International in Johannesburg, Cape Town International in Cape Town, and King Shaka International in Durban. Pandor said ships will be allowed to dock, load and offload cargo to ease transportation of goods and medicines to and from the country. GETTY Twenty per cent of Canadians are dissatisfied with telecom sales practices, according to the CRTCs latest secret shopper report. The report released said 80 per cent of respondents are satisfied on key metrics like appropriate product recommendations and soliciting unwanted services, the number of individuals dissatisfied is still a significant number. The results of the Secret Shopper Project indicated that the majority of the sales interactions were perceived to be positive, although some shortcomings were also identified, the CRTC said. The report said one issue secret shoppers faced was that the Big Three (Bell, Rogers, and Telus) do not appear to be offering any flexibility in terms of choices. It said the lowest-priced postpaid plans were only being offered at $75 a month excluding a mobile device. This is the lowest priced plan offered by these service providers to the secret shoppers, even those who are looking for a lower-priced plan, or who dont use as much data and it would appear that their needs are not being accommodated, the report said, adding that Shaw Communications Freedom Mobile offers plans starting at $50 per month. In March, the federal government said Bell, Telus, and Rogers have to cut prices by 25 per cent on plans that offer 2GB to 6GB data in the next two years. However, with 5G expected to be fully deployed by 2021, experts in the industry expect consumers to use a lot more data, which will push more Canadians to buy unlimited data plans. Consumers with disabilities, language barriers face more dissatisfaction The secret shoppers also identified accessibility issues, noting that customers with disabilities are facing significant barriers in accessing the appropriate telecommunications products or services that accommodate their accessibility needs. The secret shoppers said these customers showed significantly lower satisfaction rates on sales practices that were misleading and aggressive. The report said these customers also faced trouble with the online chat function on websites, which may not be accessible to all Canadians who are blind or partially sighted, who rely on assistive devices and software that allow them to browse websites. Story continues While some companies offer services to accommodate deaf shoppers, the report said the process appears to have proven to be prohibitively difficult for the secret shopper who tried to access this accommodation. However, the report said it didnt have a large enough sample to determine if this was a systematic issue. The report also said the secret shoppers saw 36 per cent of consumers with language barriers felt the salesperson did not make an attempt to accommodate the language barrier. The research was conducted by Forum Research on behalf of the CRTC in early 2020 and had 422 secret shoppers. The shoppers were paid to shop from Bell, Rogers, Telus, Freedom Mobile, Quebecors Videotron, and Sasktel. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) released a series of measures in February 2019 that would prevent telecom companies from practicing unsavoury and misleading telecom sales practices. The measures were released after the CRTC conducted an investigation into allegations of high-pressure sales practices in June 2018. The secret shopper project was created in 2019 to better understand how front-line employees sell products and services to consumers and what consumers experiences are like during the process. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android and sign up for the Yahoo Finance Canada Weekly Brief. The bill would not eliminate the FAAs use of private-sector employees to review their own companies' planes lawmakers believe it would be too expensive for FAA to do the work, and that the aerospace companies have more technical expertise. Instead, the bill would give FAA approval over picking private-sector employees who perform safety analysis and allow civil penalties for companies that interfere with their work. Boeing whistleblowers complained of pressure to approve systems on the Max. WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Inc. announced today that, after consulting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Company has initiated a Phase 3 clinical study, MOMENTUM 1 (Study 304, NCT number pending), of lorcaserin in patients with Dravet syndrome, a severe type of epilepsy characterized by prolonged seizures that begin in the first year of life.1 It is a rare condition that affects one in 20,000 to 40,000 people worldwide.1 In addition to the MOMENTUM 1 Study, Eisai is continuing the lorcaserin expanded access program (EAP) (Study 405, NCT04457687), also known as the MOMENTUM 2 Study.2 The new Phase 3 clinical trial, MOMENTUM 1, is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study with an open-label extension phase of lorcaserin as an adjunctive treatment in subjects with Dravet syndrome. Lorcaserin is a selective serotonin 5-HT2c receptor agonist. Stimulation of 5-HT2c receptors with lorcaserin may increase GABA-mediated inhibition and result in reduced seizure activity in Dravet syndrome patients. Target enrollment for MOMENTUM 1 is 58 subjects who will be randomized and evaluated at approximately 20 sites in the United States. 3 "We commend the FDA for recognizing the tremendous unmet medical needs of patients living with Dravet syndrome and for providing Eisai with the opportunity to conduct the Phase 3 MOMENTUM 1 clinical study," said Lynn Kramer, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Neurology Business Group. "This important research exemplifies our human health care mission as it was prompted by the limited number of approved treatments for this condition along with the voices of patients, caregivers, and health care professionals who reported their clinical experience with lorcaserin in this severe form of epilepsy." The primary objective of the trial is to demonstrate that lorcaserin has superior efficacy compared to placebo on percent change in frequency of convulsive seizures per 28 days in subjects with Dravet syndrome.3 The key secondary objective is to evaluate whether lorcaserin has superior efficacy compared to placebo on the 50% responder rate (percent of subjects with at least 50% reduction in frequency of convulsive seizures per 28 days compared to baseline). Other secondary objectives include: Evaluating whether lorcaserin has superior efficacy compared to placebo on the proportion of subjects who are free from convulsive seizures; Evaluating the safety and tolerability of lorcaserin in subjects with Dravet syndrome; and Characterizing the pharmacokinetics (PK) of lorcaserin and the relationship between lorcaserin plasma concentrations, efficacy and safety.3 After the voluntary withdrawal of BELVIQ (active ingredient lorcaserin) from the market for the obesity indication in February 2020, Eisai received multiple requests from patients, caregivers, and health care professionals for continued access to patients who were prescribed BELVIQ to help treat Dravet syndrome, as well as other refractory epilepsies. While lorcaserin was not marketed for, nor approved by the FDA for use in these patients, Eisai, after consultation with the FDA, strongly believes it is important that these vulnerable patients continue to have access to lorcaserin to the extent their health care providers believe continued access is medically appropriate. As a result, Eisai is also continuing the MOMENTUM 2 (Study 405), a centralized EAP that includes patients with Dravet syndrome and other refractory epilepsies who were prescribed lorcaserin by their treating physician prior to the market withdrawal in February 2020. The MOMENTUM 2 includes a PK sub-study, a retrospective chart review, and prospective data collection to gather information on seizure frequency, PK, and safety with lorcaserin exposure. The dose of lorcaserin will be flexible during the program. Dosing and visit intervals for the EAP will be as clinically indicated per the judgment of the treating physician. Information about the MOMENTUM 2 (NCT04457687) is available on ClinicalTrials.gov.2 "On behalf of Dravet syndrome patients and caregivers, we thank the FDA and Eisai for continuing to make lorcaserin available to appropriate patients in this vulnerable population through the expanded access program," said Orrin Devinsky MD, Professor of Neurology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and MOMENTUM 1 lead investigator. "There is an urgent need to find new treatment options for Dravet syndrome, and we hope the new MOMENTUM 1 study will yield positive clinical outcomes for participants and a potential new therapy." About Dravet Syndrome and Refractory Epilepsies Dravet syndrome is a severe type of epilepsy characterized by prolonged seizures that begin in the first year of life. It is a rare condition that affects one in 20,000 to 40,000 people worldwide.1 Refractory epilepsies occur when antiepileptic medications don't work well, or at all, to control seizures. About one-third of people with epilepsy will eventually develop refractory epilepsy.4 About Lorcaserin Lorcaserin is the active ingredient in BELVIQ and BELVIQ XR, a weight-loss medication that in February 2020, Eisai voluntarily withdrew and discontinued sales in the United States. The decision to voluntarily withdraw BELVIQ was made by Eisai after consultation with the FDA on an analysis of data from the CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 trial and an observed numerical imbalance in the number of patients with malignancies. Eisai's global business partners have ceased distributing lorcaserin in the countries in which it was approved: Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan, India, Israel, and South Korea. The FDA granted lorcaserin an orphan drug designation for Dravet syndrome. About Eisai Inc. At Eisai Inc., human health care (hhc) is our goal. We give our first thoughts to patients and their families and helping to increase the benefits health care provides. As the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd., we have a passionate commitment to patient care that is the driving force behind our efforts to discover and develop innovative therapies to help address unmet medical needs. Eisai is a fully integrated pharmaceutical business that operates in two global business groups: oncology and neurology (dementia-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases). Our U.S. headquarters, commercial and clinical development organizations are located in New Jersey; our discovery labs are in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; and our global demand chain organization resides in Maryland and North Carolina. To learn more about Eisai Inc., please visit us at https://us.eisai.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. References https://dravetsyndromenews.com/what-is-dravet-syndrome/ https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04457687?term=NCT04457687&draw=2&rank=1 MOMENTUM 1 Study 304 Protocol https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/epilepsy/refractory-epilepsy Contact: Eisai Inc. Libby Holman 201-753-1945 [email protected] SOURCE Eisai Inc. Related Links http://www.eisai.com Dolly Parton is preparing to release her third Christmas album A Holly Dolly Christmas, which drops on October 2. And the 11-time Grammy winner is keeping the holiday spirit going, as she gives her fans another project to look forward to. She leads Christine Baranski and Jenifer Lewis in an upcoming Christmas musical movie, inspired by a song from the new album, premiering November 22 on Netflix. Netflix and chill: Dolly Parton leads Christine Baranski and Jenifer Lewis in an upcoming Christmas musical movie, inspired by a song from the new album A Holly Dolly Christmas, premiering November 22 on Netflix The 74-year-old executive produces and stars in Christmas on the Square, based on the single of the same name. Helmed by Grey's Anatomy actress/director Debbie Allen, the movie also features Treat Williams (Blue Bloods), Josh Segarra (Orange Is the New Black) and Jeanine Mason (Roswell, New Mexico). Baranski (The Good Fight) stars as Regina, a rich woman with a heart of coal, who returns to her small hometown after her father's death, with plans of evicting all his tenants and selling the land to a mall developer. But she's soon moved by the Christmas spirit, after connecting with the townspeople, reconnecting with an old love and meeting an actual angel (played by Parton). Movie musical: The 74-year-old executive produces and stars in Christmas on the Square, based on the single of the same name (pictured in June, 2014) Naughty list: Baranski (The Good Fight) stars as Regina, a rich woman with a heart of coal, who returns to her small hometown after her father's death, with plans of evicting all his tenants and selling the land to a mall developer (pictured in January, 2020) Also starring: Lewis (Black-ish) plays Margeline, a local beauty shop owner and the closest Regina has to a friend (pictured in September, 2019), while Jeanine Mason (Roswell, New Mexico) portrays an angel-in-training (pictured in January, 2019) Lewis (Black-ish) plays Margeline, a local beauty shop owner and the closest Regina has to a friend, while Segarra stars as the town's pastor leading the fight against her, and Mason portrays an angel-in-training. The movie's premiere date comes exactly a year after Netflix debuted Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, an eight-episode anthology series based on some of her hit songs. The episode These Old Bones received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie. The 2018 Netflix Christmas movie Dumplin' also featured a soundtrack of 12 Dolly Parton songs (six of which were written for the film). Hello Dolly: The movie's premiere date comes exactly a year after Netflix debuted Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, an eight-episode anthology series based on some of her hit songs (pictured in October, 2019) Going for gold: The episode These Old Bones received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie Iconic soundtrack: The 2018 Netflix Christmas movie Dumplin' also featured a soundtrack of 12 Dolly Parton songs (six of which were written for the film) Starring Jennifer Aniston, Danielle Macdonald, Odeya Rush, Dove Cameron and Luke Benward, it was based on the 2015 young adult novel by Julie Murphy, about a young woman with a fond connection to Parton's music. Parton's last Christmas movie was Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, which premiered on NBC in 2016. A sequel to that year's Coat of Many Colors, the stories were based on true events from her childhood in rural Tennessee. A Holly Dolly Christmas marks her 47th solo studio album, as well as her third Christmas album, following Once Upon a Christmas with Kenny Rogers in 1984 and 1990's Home for Christmas. Some 6,500 Leaving Cert students were marked too low in the calculated grade system and are to be contacted to get a higher grade. The places they would have got in third-level courses are to be facilitated in some way by the CAO, the Minister for Education Norma Foley has announced. In a live press conference this Wednesday, September 30, she apologised for the error, blamed on a coding system used to calculate the grades. Among the errors were using the two lowest non-core subject grades instead of the two highest to add up a score. in all 7,200 grades are wrong, but those marked too high will be left with their higher score. Minister Foley said the Department of Education and Skills has put in place a dedicated helpline and email address to answer queries from students. The calculated grade system was used after the Leaving Cert exams were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Students affected are going to be contacted by text, and will then be told to log on to the website gov.ie/LeavingCertificate to access their corrected grades. The helpline number is 01 8892199 and the email address is LC2020@education.gov.ie. The helpline will be open until 7 pm today and from 10 am to 5 pm tomorrow. FULL STATEMENT from the Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and the Department of Education and Skills regarding Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades Process The Department of Education and Skills has found two errors in the Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades process which mean that incorrect grades were issued to some students when they received their results on 7 September. The errors are being rectified and the process is being re-checked with a series of independent checks now underway. The Departments checks have indicated that this will impact on some of the Calculated Grades results that have already issued and some students will be receiving a higher Calculated Grade in one or more subjects than the grades they received on 7 September. The precise number of students who will receive higher grades will not be available until the process is completed, but it is likely to be in the region of 6,500. No student will receive a reduced grade in any subject as a result of this process. The checks also indicate that the majority of the students who will be receiving an improved grade will receive an upgrade in one subject only, with a smaller number of students receiving an upgrade in more than one subject. The Department of Education and Skills will contact students who will be receiving the improved grades as soon as all the checks are completed. When the revised grades are issued the CAO and the Higher Education Institutions will establish which students receiving corrected results would have been eligible for a higher preference offer in previous rounds of the CAO process. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Skills will work with the CAO and the Higher Education Institutions to determine how those students who receive upgraded results can be facilitated to commence the course that they would, otherwise have been offered in an earlier CAO round. Minister Foley said: I want to say how sorry I am that this has happened. My immediate priority is to fix the errors and their consequences so that students get their correct grades. That is happening right now and the next steps will follow quickly. On my instruction, the Department of Education and Skills has commissioned independent international experts to examine aspects of the Calculated Grades System to provide further reassurances to me and to students. I will provide full detail on the errors, how they are being addressed and the grade upgrades as soon as I can. Information on what has happened: Two errors have been discovered in the same part of the coding used to implement the standardisation process. The first error was in a single line of code programmed by the Departments external contractor Polymetrika International Inc. The error affected the way in which candidates Junior Cycle results were included in the standardisation process. It was intended that the students aggregate class level Junior Cycle results in Irish, English and Maths would be included in the data used by the national standardisation process, together with their best two other subjects. The error had the effect that the students results in Irish, English and Maths were put together with their weakest two other subjects in the standardisation process. The effect of this error has been that, in some subjects, some candidates received Calculated Grades that were lower than they should have been and some received grades that were higher. Polymetrika discovered the error and informed the Department about it immediately. They have since corrected the piece of code. The Department of Education and Skills found the second error while performing checks related to rectifying the first error. This error was contained in the same section of the code programmed by the Departments external contractor Polymetrika. The second error, which also related to the way in which candidates Junior Cycle results were included in the national standardisation process, was that the results of the Junior Cycle subject Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) were included in the data being used by the model. The Department of Education and Skills checks found that the subjects results had been included in error. It was incorrect, as in line with the design of the Calculated Grades process, this subject should not have been included in the data used by the model. How these are being addressed: The coding errors have been corrected. The Department has carried out a series of further checks and has identified no further errors in the coding. It has checked that the coding correctly implements all decisions of the National Standardisation Group about how data were to be combined and used in the standardisation process. As a further reassurance, the Department has contracted ETS Educational Testing Service, the world-leading US-based non-profit organisation which specialises in educational measurement, to review essential aspects of the coding. The results data have now been re-run through the corrected model. The review of relevant aspects of the code by ETS is expected to take a number of days. Once this is completed, the Department will have full information on which students will benefit from the improved grades and the specific subjects involved for each student. The Department will then contact all students, advising whether they will receive a higher grade or grades, or that they are not impacted. The Department will send a corrected file of student results to the CAO so that the CAO can work with higher education institutions to determine if a student is due a new offer and to do everything possible to facilitate their admission. Any student who would have been entitled to a different offer in previous CAO rounds if they received the correct grade on 7 September will receive this offer or a deferred offer as soon as practicable after the updating of results. This is in line with the practice that occurs in the appeals process every year. When the results are published on the portal detailed information on this process will be available for students on gov.ie/LeavingCertificate. The Department of Education and Skills has put in place a dedicated helpline and email address to answer queries from students. The helpline number is 01 8892199 and the email address is LC2020@education.gov.ie . The helpline will be open today from 4-7pm and tomorrow from 10am-5pm. FILE PHOTO: A man looks at Rolls Royce's Trent Engine displayed at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore (Reuters) - Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc will announce its plans to raise around 2 billion pounds ($2.58 billion) from investors on Thursday, in an effort to strengthen its balance sheet, the Financial Times reported. The British aero-engine group is planning to go ahead with the planned equity raise without the participation of sovereign wealth funds including Singapore's GIC, according to the report https://on.ft.com/3ij9O4c. The company had last week stated that no final decision had been made on allotting shares to potential investors, "including any sovereign wealth fund", and it was still reviewing all available funding options. Sky News first reported that the company had called off talks with sovereign funds in Kuwait and Singapore following opposition from existing shareholders. The Derby-based company has been reviewing funding options for the past few months, after suffering a blow from travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reduced at least 9,000 jobs in May, mainly in civil aviation, due to the slump in air travel and revealed its plans to sell Spanish unit ITP Aero and other assets, last month. Rolls-Royce did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Reporting by Rebekah Mathew in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler) A homeless man has been left devastated after all of his possessions were thrown in a bin by council workers. Dave Randall has been sleeping rough under a bridge near Chevron Island, an affluent suburb in the Gold Coast. About three weeks ago the struggling resident returned to the spot find all of his belongings, including blankets and spare clothes, had been tossed out. His friend Anthony Grech took to Facebook to call out the City of Gold Coast council for discarding Mr Randall's items. Dave Randall has been sleeping rough under a bridge near Chevron Island, an affluent suburb in the Gold Coast 'They've come here and picked all his stuff up, everything he owns and they've thrown it away into the bin, just like that,' Mr Grech said in the video. 'I think that's disgusting. 'The council knew he was sleeping here everyone knew he was under here. We've been trying to get him off the streets and get him a place. 'The council can't be just throwing, like, all his belongings away in the bin. It's not rightit really upsets me.' Mr Randall, who has been homeless for five years, has spent the past few weeks trying to source new blankets and clothes. Mr Grech has spent the past 18 months trying to help Mr Randall turn his life around. He said throwing out his items was making it more difficult. He said rangers were moving the homeless on to other areas rather than helping them. His friend Anthony Grech took to Facebook to call out the City of Gold Coast council for discarding Mr Randall's items Mr Randall, who has been homeless for five years, has spent the past few weeks trying to source new blankets and clothes 'There's a lot more we can do to actually help these people get off the streets.' A council spokeswoman told the Gold Coast Bulletin cleaners removed the items, which were left unattended in a public area, as they thought they had been discarded. 'We are working closely with the Queensland Government, through the Department of Housing and Public Works (DHPW) and as well as local specialist homelessness services in relation to this individuals situation,' she said. 'The causes and impacts of homelessness are complex and require a co-ordinated response by a range of relevant government departments, community organisations and local businesses.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted the City of Gold Coast council for further comment. Press Release September 30, 2020 Pangilinan thanks colleagues for OK of OVP 2021 budget in 'fastest hearing of the year' LIBERAL Party President Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan thanked his colleagues for the approval of the proposed augmentation of the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) after Vice President Leni Robredo herself faced the Senate Sub-Committee on Finance hearing on Wednesday. Presenting the accomplishments of her office through their flagship program Angat Buhay, Robredo detailed her office's efforts to help our countrymen during the COVID-19 crisis. "In government, if you see a functioning, working, effective agency you should give them more so that they will be even more effective. The opposite of course Is true with the ineffective, incompetent agencies. Where you put money, it's like throwing good money after bad. But in this case, it isn't so," Pangilinan said in the hearing. The OVP budget was slashed by over P44 million in the Department of Budget and Management's proposed National Expenditure Program. The OVP requested for P724 million in budget but the DBM submitted only P679 million in its proposal to Congress. Robredo said that bulk of the removed amount was to replace six vehicles of the OVP that are no longer usable, as well as for research. The members of the Senate present, led by the Minority Leader Frank Drilon, unanimously moved to restore the OVP's budget request in what Senator Sonny Angara said was the "fastest committee hearing of the year." "We support the manifestation of the minority leader to restore that particular item, and that based on the COA reports and based on the report of the Vice President, clearly, these resources are put to good use and will definitely go a long way and will not go to waste as the track record and the COA reports have shown," said Pangilinan. Senators Nancy Binay, Bong Revilla, and Lito Lapid also showed their support for the restoration of the OVP budget to what it submitted to DBM. COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority ownership stake in Casanova//McCann, the Costa Mesa, California-based multicultural advertising agency within the McCann Worldgroup network, has been sold to the agency's long-time President/CEO, Ingrid Otero-Smart. Terms were not disclosed. McCann Worldgroup is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). "I have worked with Ingrid for many years, she is of the most successful and influential agency leaders in the Worldgroup network. We are thrilled to watch Ingrid take this opportunity to grow and expand the agency she built across all marketing boundaries. She and the agency will continue to a valuble partner to us and and our clients," said Harris Diamond, Chairman & CEO, McCAnn Worldgroup. Founded as Casanova Pendrill Publicidad in 1984, the agency grew throughout the late 1980s and 1990s to become the largest independent Hispanic advertising agency in the U.S. In December 1999, it was acquired by the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG). In 2016, the agency rebranded to Casanova//McCann. Casanova//McCann was named most awarded Hispanic advertising agency at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This was the second consecutive year that Casanova//McCann earned this prestigious global recognition. Casanova will remain part of the McCann network as an affiliated agency partner, with McCann holding a minority stake in the company. "This is the right time for us to take control of our future and make a bigger impact in the advertising marketplace," said President/CEO Ingrid Otero-Smart. "This gives us the freedom to make decisions that are right for us. After almost two decades at McCann, it is a dream for me to take Casanova to the next level, to run a world-class agency that is owned by a Latina, and to have the creative and business opportunities of an independent agency. And we can operate on a global level with the resources of McCann behind us." Otero-Smart retains the senior management team that has helped make Casanova such a uniquely successful company. Elias Weinstock, the Chief Creative Officer, is one of the most respected creative talents in the business. Karla Acevedo, SVP Director, Account Leadership, brings 20 years of client experience to the business. And Will Pierce, Chief Strategy Officer, has spent 20 years working to uncover and represent Latinx insights in marketing. "Ingrid is one of the sharpest and most innovative creative and strategic minds in the business, and I mean the advertising industry as a whole, and not just the diverse consumer audience which she has served so spectacularly," said Devika Bulchandani, President, McCann North America. Ingrid Otero-Smart started her career at McCann Erickson in her native Puerto Rico, then moved to the U.S. to work on the Hispanic market for the past 20+ years. Her client experience includes automotive, packaged goods, travel, pharmaceuticals, QSR, financial services, retail, government, and technology categories, having worked with companies such as Nestle, Chevrolet, California Lottery, MillerCoors, GlaxoSmithKline, IKEA, Denny's, U.S. Postal Service, Disneyland among many others. Otero-Smart is a past President of the CMC (formerly known as AHAA). She was twice named one of Hispanic Business Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential Hispanics, 2009 Hispanic Ad Executive of the Year, named 2012 Marketing Person of the Year by OC Business Journal, recipient of 2013 Hispanic Achievement Award, 2015 Ad Colors Rock Star Award, 2016 Advertising Working Mothers of the Year Award (AWNY), received the Corporate Leadership Award at the 2016 National Puerto Rican Day Parade, and was inducted into the CMC Hall of Fame in 2018. Ms. Otero-Smart currently sits on the Board of Governors of California State University Fullerton. ABOUT McCANN WORLDGROUP McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), is a leading global marketing solutions network whose professionals are united across 100+ countries by a single vision: To help brands play a meaningful role in people's lives. McCann Worldgroup was named "Global Agency Of The Year" by Adweek magazine, "Network of the Year" by the Cannes Lions, the world's most creatively-effective marketing services company by the Effie Awards (for three consecutive years), "Global Network of the Year" by Campaign Magazine and "Network of The Year" by The Webby Awards. Fast Company named McCann Worldgroup to its list of The World's Most Innovative Companies. The network comprises McCann (advertising), MRM (science/technology/relationship marketing), Momentum Worldwide (total brand experience), McCann Health (professional/dtc communications), CRAFT (production), Weber Shandwick (public relations) and FutureBrand (consulting/design). SOURCE McCann Worldgroup Related Links http://www.mccannworldgroup.com Former Vice President Joe Biden has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to a Member of Parliament. The London Evening Standard reported that MP Chris Bryant put forth the nomination to the Nobel prize committee for consideration. Nominations can be made by a select group of people and organizations, including national lawmakers, heads of state and certain international institutions. In 2020, the committee received 318 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, of which 211 are individuals and 107 are organizations. Bryant said Biden has used his words when others have resorted to violent solutions, the newspaper reported. President Donald Trump has been repeatedly nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize to recognize his efforts in the Middle East. One of those nominations has come from Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian parliament for the populist Progress Party. Israel and the United Arab Emirates signed a historic deal normalizing relations at the White House in September. Tybring-Gjedde was one of two Norwegian lawmakers who nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for efforts to bring reconciliation between North and South Korea. Last year, Trump predicted he would win the Nobel Prize for a lot of things if they gave it out fairly, which they dont. The Norwegian Nobel Committee doesnt publicly comment on nominees. Under its rules, the information is required to be kept secret for 50 years. AFTER years of engaging in futile internal wars, MDC leaders now appear ready to ditch their suicidal factional battles and work together in the interest of the party, the Daily News reports. Yesterday, the partys interim leadership led by Thokozani Khupe held a hastily-arranged meeting of its standing committee in Harare, which officials said was meant to clear the ground for re-unification talks with the Nelson Chamisa group. A slight complication of any such talks is that these would have to accommodate MDC Alliance vice presidents Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti who joined the coalition when it was launched by the late and much-loved Morgan Tsvangirai in August 2017. This comes after party youths seized the MDCs iconic national headquarters in Harare, Morgan Richard Tsvangirai (MRT) House, in a desperate bid to force dialogue between Khupe and Chamisa. The two have been involved in a vicious tussle for the control of the countrys largest opposition party ever since the revered Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer of the colon on Valentines Day in 2018. MDC youth assembly chairperson for Harare, Paul Gorekore who led the takeover of MRT House told the Daily News yesterday that they were determined to achieve dialogue between Khupe and Chamisa. The standing committee, which is here today (yesterday), will be attended by the MDC leadership, and from that meeting we expect them to come up with a resolution to redirect the engagement process but the fact is that we are really desperate for unity. We are trying by all means to push our leaders to find each other, sit down and solve their differences, which we believe can be resolved amicably. When I talk about leaders, I am referring to those who held various positions when President Morgan Tsvangirai died in 2018, Gorekore told the Daily News. According to what we agreed as the youths, the leaders must follow the constitution. So, when they say they have suspended or expelled so and so, the procedure must be followed to the extent that the decisions must be ratified by the national executive committee and the national council. So, the leaders have not been expelled yet until those organs of the party have met. If they endorse that, or do not, then that will be the final decision, he added. Gorekore was apparently referring to the sacking of Chamisa from the 2014 structures by Khupe, as well as the many recalls of legislators and councillors around the country which other members of the Khupe team such as organising secretary Abedinico Bhebe have strongly objected to. On his part, MDC chairperson Morgen Komichi said he would only comment after yesterdays crucial meeting. There is an emergency standing committee meeting today (yesterday) where all those issues, including the fate of the expelled leaders, will be discussed. So, a statement will be released afterwards, Komichi told the Daily News. This comes as MDC youths seized MRT House on Monday, amid chaotic scenes before vowing to force dialogue between Khupe and Chamisa. In addition to commandeering the building, the discontented youths said their desperate action was meant to save the party from collapsing, as their leaders mindless bloodletting continued to escalate. The move came as political analysts warned at the weekend that the ugly infighting had now taken the once formidable party to the brink of political oblivion. Addressing the media, former MP for Highfield West Happymore Bvondo Chidziva said bluntly that youths from the partys current two main factions had had enough of their leaders brawling. We have decided to go back to the 2014 structures and start working together without apportioning factions to each other. From there, we want all processes done properly starting with the meeting of the national standing committee, national executive and the national council. We are sick and tired of the factional fights and for the past 21 years the youths have suffered the most. Some died along the way and we have realised that we have reached a point where the name MDC was about to be buried, Chidziva told journalists outside MRT House. We, therefore, want to have the past mistakes resolved like the Supreme Court directed and from there we come back and work as the MDC-Alliance in peace. The MDC-T is a component of the Alliance, but there were mistakes which need to be resolved by electing Tsvangirais successor. The leaders must find each other. That is the only thing we must do. We are past that time when we labelled each other Zanu PF, Chidziva, who was youth leader in the 2014 structures, further told journalists. I have been engaging leaders in the party and we agree that Khupe is the acting president, with Morgen Komichi as the chairperson and Douglas Mwonzora as the secretary-general, while Lynnette Karenyi-Kore heads the womens assembly in that order, so that we close all space for Zanu PF. The MDC-Alliance will still exist because it was started by Tsvangirai. So, it is only about the MDC-T component sorting its own things, Chidziva added. On his part, Gorekore said then that they had taken over the symbolic party headquarters to unite the leadership and save the party from being hijacked by Zanu PF. Individuals have been making unconstitutional and illegal decisions without the mandate of the Zimbabwean voters, party organs from branches, wards, districts, provinces, the national executive and national council organs which have not met since the Supreme Court judgment. The party has been infiltrated by sell-outs with an agenda to derail our freedom. It, therefore, follows that we must act to unite our leadership, our support base and Zimbabweans at large, and ensure the vision of Dr Morgan Tsvangirai MDC founding president, Morgan Tsvangirai Tsvangirai lives on across generations, Gorekore said. As the first line of defence of the party, the vanguards of democracy and the custodians of the party and its future, we have assumed all security duties of the party HQ, MRT House. This was necessitated by our realisation on the need to unite the people in the fight for a better Zimbabwe and defend the civilian space in the face of military state capture. We as the youths of the party as per 2014 structures, we have decided to go beyond our differences and unite to resolve the current crisis, Gorekore said further. This comes as the Daily News has reported on the MDCs senseless brawls consistently, fairly and accurately over the past two years calling out the futility of the anarchy. At the weekend, political analysts also warned that the partys futile infighting was driving the MDC to its death bed. They also repeated their other warnings that the divided opposition would find it exceedingly difficult to compete with Zanu PF in the fast-approaching 2023 national elections. The MDC has been ravaged by its futile ructions since Tsvangirai died from colon cancer in February 2018. The infighting went a notch up after the Supreme Court judgment earlier this year which upheld last years ruling by the High Court that nullified Chamisas ascendancy to the leadership of the party. Daily News Prince Philip is 'very, very disappointed' by Meghan Markle's failure to 'support the monarchy' and her husband, a royal expert has claimed. The Duke of Edinburgh, 99, who gave up his naval career to support the Queen, 94, when she ascended the throne in 1952, was 'irritated' when the Duchess of Sussex, 39, failed to do the same, according to Ingrid Seward. Speaking to Sky News, the royal biographer said the elderly prince couldn't understand why the former actress didn't follow his example when she married Prince Harry, 36, in May 2018. 'I think he's very, very disappointed because I think he feels he gave up his naval career in order to stand by the Queen and help the monarchy,' she said. Prince Philip is 'very, very disappointed' by Meghan Markle's failure to 'support the monarchy' and her husband, a royal expert has claimed 'And why can't Meghan just give up her acting career, support her husband and support the monarchy? 'As he used to say to Diana, this is not a popularity contest, this is all of us working together. 'He just cannot understand why she couldn't support Harry and help him rather than wanting to have her voice.' Ms Steward said Prince Philip didn't want to be a part of the talks about the Sussexes' future outside of the monarchy, which were held at Sandringham in January. The Duke of Edinburgh, 99, who gave up his naval career to support the Queen when she ascended the throne in 1952, was 'irritated' when the Duchess of Sussex failed to do the same in favour of having 'her voice', according to Ingrid Seward. Pictured: Meghan speaking at the Fortune's Most Powerful Women summit yesterday The Queen summoned Prince Charles and Prince William to the Norfolk estate for an emergency summit after Harry and Meghan announced their intention to go it alone and become financially independent. Ms Steward went on to claim the Duke of Edinburgh doesn't wish to get involved anymore since Prince Harry and Meghan officially stepped back from the Royal Family in March this year. 'Of course, it irritates him hugely. And when they had the Sandringham Summit, Prince Philip was seen leaving the house very swiftly before they all arrived,' she observed. 'He simply doesn't want to get involved anymore.' According to Ms Steward, as far as Philip was concerned, Harry and Meghan 'had everything going for them: a beautiful home, a healthy son, and a unique opportunity to make a global impact with their charity work'. Pictured following the birth of Archie Mountbatten Windsor in May last year Earlier this month Ms Steward discussed Prince Philip's overwhelming sense of duty in a piece for the Mail on Sunday. She said it 'grieves' him that many younger members of the Royal Family 'do not appear to share his values'. 'He has struggled greatly, for example, with what he sees as his grandson Harrys dereliction of duty, giving up his homeland and everything he cared about for a life of self-centred celebrity in North America,' Ms Steward wrote. 'He has found it hard to understand exactly what it was that made his grandsons life so unbearable. As far as Philip was concerned, Harry and Meghan had everything going for them: a beautiful home, a healthy son, and a unique opportunity to make a global impact with their charity work. Ms Steward went on to claim the Duke of Edinburgh doesn't wish to get involved anymore since Prince Harry and Meghan officially stepped back from the Royal Family in March this year (pictured at their final engagement in London) 'For a man whose entire existence has been based on a dedication to doing the right thing, it appeared that his grandson had abdicated his responsibilities for the sake of his marriage to an American divorcee in much the same way as Edward VIII gave up his crown to marry Wallis Simpson in 1937.' On Monday it was reported Harry and Meghan could create a Netflix documentary with sensational home footage recorded during their departure from the Firm. The couple signed a deal thought to be worth around $100 million (77.9million) with the US streaming giant earlier this month. Yesterday, speaking at the Fortune's Most Powerful Women summit, Meghan said she pays no mind to public 'flattery or criticism' about her and hit out at the media for 'misinterpreting' remarks she has made in order to make them sound more 'controversial' or 'inflammatory'. Valery Sharifulin/Getty WARSAW, PolandOne of the rare successes chalked up by the regime of Europes last dictator has been the establishment of a kind of East European Silicon Valley, which spawned a booming industry of Belarusian programmers and tech start-ups. The autocratic president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, now fears he has created a monster. An army of 30,000 tech-savvy professionals is turning against its creator. Coders and software engineers, many of whom are linked to the state-sponsored Hi-Tech Park in Minsk, have formed a hacking collective called Cyber Partisans which is wreaking havoc as Lukashenko tries to quell a growing revolution. Thousands of Belarusians have been arrested since Augusts presidential election, which was condemned as rigged by foreign observers. Opposition leaders claim Lukashenko was voted out of power amid huge demonstrations against a brutal quarter of a century in power. Hundreds of those who were arrested have been beaten and assaulted, some have allegedly even been raped and killed in jails. Lukashenko has tried to emulate his ally President Putins iron grip on dissent. Abduction of the Woman Leading the Belarus Revolution Is Classic KGB Terror Ploy Over the weekend, Cyber Partisans hacked into the Belarusian TV and Radio Company website, the national state media organisation, and showed 30 minutes of footage of security forces using violent force against protestors instead of the usual state news. The guy who created this is a real hero, one of the hackers told The Daily Beast. He spent about one week to prepare everything. He was a few days without sleep. That was just the latest act of online civil disobedience. Over the past three months, a common sight in the streets of Minskoften in broad daylightis the image of a desperate civilian being dragged, kicking and screaming, into an unmarked police vehicle by masked men, often in plain clothes. The vast majority of the individuals behind the violent crackdown and aggression have remained nameless and faceless. Abuses and crimes committed against the population were likely to go without consequenceuntil now. Story continues In a small office in central Warsaw, Yan Verbitsky, who works for NEXTA, an independent, anti-Lukashenko media organisation, sat at his computer admiring a spreadsheet he recently procured from the hackers filled with the personal details of Belarusian police. We want to show that they will not be able to hide behind masks and remain anonymous in their atrocities he says. Mumbling to himself in Russian, he plots the best way to present the list to the public and declares that he has no sympathy towards those he is about to unmask. Yan Verbitsky at his desk in Warsaw. Luke Pierce NOBODY STAYS ANONYMOUS, was the message eventually sent to two million Belarusians. It came at the start of a post releasing the names, addresses, dates of birth, and car registrations of 12 senior OMON police officials, accused of violence against citizens in Belarus. OMON is a special unit of the police, seen unbadged, armed with sticks, batons and pepper spray, and regularly pictured brutalising and harassing citizens countrywide. Attempts had previously been made to unmask individual officers behind the attacks on citizens. Nina Bahiskaya, 73, a prominent activist in Belarus, has been pictured grasping at balaclavas worn by police to expose their faces. Before the hack, there was no way to do this on a wider scale. On Aug. 16, NEXTA, which is run out of the Polish capital, released the alleged identities of a dozen senior police officers via their channel NEXTA Live, on the encrypted messaging app Telegram. Since then, they have gone on to release the names of over 2,000 more. Yan said: [Lukashenko] is not able to ensure the security of the data of his own minions. NEXTA has played a huge role in the revolution. With a growing following of over two million people, they release hundreds of videos and images daily depicting police brutality towards citizens. Protestors also look to them for instructions on where to converge for major demonstrations. All the while, these protests are orchestrated remotely. Their efforts have been effective in coordinating protestors and spreading word of abuses, but more was required. The Cyber Partisans claim to have seized over 10,000 names of individuals involved in the security services taken directly from the database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. They have shared this information with NEXTA in the hope of forcing more and more of Lukashenkos officials to quit. We hope that the publication of the lists will encourage honest people who have remained in the system to leave it and join the people, said Verbitsky. NEXTA say they have since received hundreds of police resignations, with more arriving every day. It is impossible to say what has inspired these resignations as many have already quit in response to the conduct of the government. There have also been cases of riot police putting down their shields and being embraced by protestors in thanks for their defiance. During an interview, conducted on a high-security encrypted messaging app, one of the hackers, using the pseudonym Yura, explained that after witnessing the violent clashes between police and since August and the continued harassment of civilians, they decided to act. We have [the] chance to do something for our country right now and to change something, he said. He explained that the government data security was weak, and it took just a few hours to retrieve the identities, but since then Yura said, they have gone into paranoia mode. Not only in the streets, but also in cyberspaceincreasing their security measures to halt further compromises. The list of identities shared with NEXTA is a fraction of Belaruss total police force, which is estimated anywhere between 200,000 and 300,000, but it is made up predominantly of senior officers and commanders across many branches of the internal security apparatus. Less attention is given to the foot soldiers, since NEXTA claim, The security forces themselves also suffer in it, they are being turned into criminalsand many who, going to the service, did not subscribe to the crime. The army of future hackers began to take shape in 2005 when Lukashenko signed a decree triggering the creation of Hi-Tech Park, in Minsk. Since then, it has flourished into one of the countrys most dominant economic powers. Software exports reached over a billion U.S. dollars in 2017, and more than 27,000 software developers and engineers were drawn to work in Hi-Tech Park alone. The tech industry was then built from the ground up by Valery Tshepkalo, a former aide to Lukashenko and Belarus former ambassador to the United States. After his success kickstarting a Belarusian tech revolution, Tshepkalo fell out with Lukashenko and stood against him to be president in 2008. When he was banned from running again and forced into exile earlier this year, his wife, Veronika Tshepkalo, took up the mantle and became one of a troika of female leaders at the head of a popular uprising against Lukashenkos regime. Speaking from his apartment in Warsaw, Valery Tshepkalo told The Daily Beast that the tech industry and its highly trained workers have become the strongest opponents to this regime. He had no idea that a technological rebellion would be required to fight against Lukashenko when building this industry. Now that the Ministry of Internal Affairs database of officials has been breached, Tshepkalo accepted that members of the security services had a difficult decision to make but he called on them to stop following illegal orders and quit. We call on them to resign, he said. The total number of tech experts actively turning against the government is unclear. Yura said so far there were, about 50-100 Cyber Partisans. Maybe more. Its only just begun. Dictators Gun-Toting Son, 15, Is Being Groomed as Belarus King Joffrey The Cyber Partisans do not work alone. He mentioned there were other hacker groups, but there have been issues working collectively as they need to be able to trust each other. The police are attempting to infiltrate these networks and it is near impossible to confidently share information between groups without suspicion. Any type of anti-government activity holds heavy sentences in Belarus, so Yura and his group are taking major risks, I understand my risks but Im trying not to think about this. We are trying to be more careful, he said. The Belarusian authorities have acknowledged the data breach and will not take it lightly. The forces, means, and technologies at the disposal of the internal affairs bodies make it possible to identify and prosecute the overwhelming majority of those guilty of leaking personal data on the Internet," said Volha Chamadanava, a ministry spokeswoman. This risk and the threat of reprisal is not deterring the group from continuing their work. They intend to keep sourcing more information about police, including photographs, social media profiles, email addresses, home addresses and telephone numbers, any information that will name and shame the police. They were close to obtaining the entire police database but lost their chance and are searching for a new one. Yet data leaks are not their only method of agitation. Looking forward, Yura declared that he has no desire to become a full-time hacker and will continue his career in software engineering once Lukashenko is out for good. But, for now, this transfer of skills put to political use among the tech community appears to be yet another vital string in the bow of the revolution with the mission to remove Lukashenko from power. The security services on Belarus appear to be key in this revolution and keeping Lukashenko in power. They are well paid, well equipped and are highly effective in suppressing any anti-Lukashenko, or pro-free election sentiments, however minor or major, across the country. We warned you: you wont be able to hide under Balaclavas, Lukashenko, affirmed NEXTA. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. New RPAS Is Based on MQ-9B SkyGuardian; Will Be Delivered to UK MoD in 2021 SAN DIEGO, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 25, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) completed the first flight of the Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), the fourth MQ-9B SkyGuardian air vehicle (the first three MQ-9B air vehicles are company-owned assets supporting the certification qualification). The first Protector RPAS, known within GA-ASI as UK1, will be used to support system testing as part of a combined UK Ministry of Defence, U.S. Air Force and GA-ASI test team. Upon completion of this initial testing, UK1 will be delivered to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence in the summer of 2021 but will remain in the USA to complete the Royal Air Force's test and evaluation program. "It was exciting to see the first flight of MQ-9B in the Protector configuration," said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. "The Royal Air Force has been a great partner for GA-ASI for more than a decade. We're thrilled to see this first customer aircraft completed, and we look forward to delivering their Protector fleet and gaining more MQ-9B SkyGuardian customers in NATO and around the globe." MQ-9B is GA-ASI's most advanced RPAS. The RPAS is available as the SkyGuardian, the maritime SeaGuardian (fitted with a multimode 360-degree field-of-regard Maritime Patrol Radar and optional sonobuoy capability) or, as with the UK Protector, in a special customer-specified configuration. The first MQ-9B customer delivery will be to the UK, but the RPAS has also been selected by the Belgian Defense and Australian Defence Force, with significant interest from customers throughout the world. "Protector will be deployed in wide-ranging Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations where its ability to fly consistently for up to 40 hours will offer a vastly improved ISTAR capability. Given that it is designed to fly in non-segregated, civil airspace, the Protector RPAS will be able to respond rapidly and offer flexibility, delivering many types of military or civil authority support missions, including search and rescue," said Group Captain Shaun Gee, the RAF's Director Air ISTAR Programmes. MQ-9B development began in 2014 as a company-funded program to deliver an RPAS to meet NATO's stringent airworthiness type-certification standard (STANAG 4671). STANAG certification will enable SkyGuardian, SeaGuardian and other MQ-9B variants to operate in civil airspace and better perform border patrol, fire detection and firefighting support, maritime patrol, and resource monitoring missions. MQ-9B is provisioned for the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid System (DAAS) to enhance safety of operations in civil and military airspace. The MQ-9B is built for adverse-weather performance with lightning protection, a damage tolerant airframe, and a de-icing system. Hi-resolution images of SkyGuardian are available to qualified media outlets from GA-ASI. About GA-ASI General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator RPA series and the Lynx Multi-mode Radar. With more than six million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight that enables situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com. Predator, Lynx, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. GA-ASI Media Relations General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. +1 (858) 524-8101 [email protected] SOURCE General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Georgia is also ready to provide a platform to handle the crisis. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that Russia has offered to act as a mediator "to reduce tension" between Yerevan and Baku, caused by the escalation of the war in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. This was reported by the ministry's press service. Read alsoNew hostilities erupt along Armenia-Azerbaijan border; civilian, military casualties reported (Photos, video) During a telephone conversation with Azerbaijan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov on September 30, Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov "proposed Russia's mediation efforts both in its national capacity and together with the other Minsk Group co-chairs, to reduce tension between the parties," the press service said. "A readiness has been confirmed to provide a Moscow platform for organizing relevant contacts, including holding the next meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in its statement. Georgia is also ready to provide a platform for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. A statement by that country's Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, posted on the government's website, says that Georgia has "good-neighborly relations with both countries," and the escalation of the situation "will have an extremely negative impact on the security of the entire region." Escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh: Recent developments On the morning of Sunday, September 27, Armenia and Azerbaijan resumed fighting in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Both countries blamed each other for shelling as a result of which they suffered casualties. Armenia and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic declared martial law and general mobilization. Azerbaijan, in turn, introduced martial law on September 28. Partial mobilization was announced in that country. Azerbaijan said that during a successful offensive they took control of several villages of Nagorno-Karabakh, but Armenia denies the information. Both sides claim that they inflicted huge losses on the enemy, numbering hundreds of killed soldiers and dozens of destroyed units of military equipment. Nagorno-Karabakh war: Past developments Democratic outrage over President Donald Trumps quick move to put another conservative jurist on the Supreme Court is filling campaign coffers across Texas. In the days following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18, the Texas Democratic Party reported a sevenfold increase in its online fundraising, though the party would not disclose the total it raised. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar received a flood of 200,000 donations just that weekend and finished out her best fundraising quarter yet a week-and-a-half later at $13.5 million. But presidential nominee Joe Biden is largely staying out of public efforts to shame Trump and Republicans for pushing a vote through the Senate less than a month before the election. Democratic strategists say Biden will instead stay focused on bigger-picture implications of a potential 6-3 conservative majority, in particular its effect on health care and the survival of the Affordable Care Act. A Texas-led lawsuit to repeal the ACA is scheduled to be heard by the high court a week after the Nov. 3 election. If the challenge is successful another 2 million Texans could lose their health care, adding to the states highest-in-the-nation rate of uninsured residents. Asked about the issue at the first presidential debate Tuesday night, Biden said the American people have a right to have a say and that the Senate should wait on confirming a new justice. But he quickly pivoted to the practical effect of a Trump nomination. Now, whats at stake here is the presidents made it clear, he wants to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, Biden said. Hes been running on that, he ran on that and hes been governing on that. Hes in the Supreme Court right now trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, which will strip 20 million people from having health insurance now, if it goes into court. Biden went on to link Trumps pick, federal appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett, with the presidents desire to slash the legislation and pointed out how that would disproportionately affect women and their health care. Barrett, in a 2017 academic essay published in a Notre Dame Law School journal, accused Supreme Court justices of distort(ing) either the Constitution or a statute to achieve what it deems a preferable result. Im not opposed to the justice; she seems like a very fine person, Biden said. But shes written, before she went on the bench, which is her right, that she thinks that the Affordable Care Act is not Constitutional. IN-DEPTH: In Texas, Cornyn v. Hegar is epicenter of battle over coverage for pre-existing conditions Biden and other Democrats have stressed that the balance of the court also directly affects core concerns about abortion rights, immigrant rights and the environment. Yet Biden has refrained from answering questions about whether he would add Supreme Court seats if elected, as his Democratic colleagues have already suggested. He said plainly at the debate Tuesday night that he was not going to answer the question. Whatever position I take on that, thatll become the issue, Biden said. The issue is the American people should speak. You should go out and vote. Youre voting now. Vote and let your senators know strongly how you feel. Democratic consultant Lisa Turner said Biden is playing the long game on this issue. By avoiding it, he can juxtapose his restraint and issues-based approach with Republicans display of legislative force, she said. Youre threading the needle if youre Joe Biden, Turner said. I would want the Republicans to show up the way that theyre currently showing up, which is trying to ram through an appointee instead of dealing with a stimulus package and helping people that are still on unemployment or threatening the fact that pre-existing conditions may not be protected. I think that is going to be a better tactic. Whether the issue will move the needle for either candidate in Texas or national races is still a big question mark. Trump has latched onto the battle for his nominees confirmation prior to the election as a rallying cry for his Republican supporters, eager to shift focus away from the previous central issues of his handling of the pandemic and the slowly rebounding economy. KNOW THE CANDIDATES: 2020 Houston Chronicle Voter Guide 2020 San Antonio Express-News Voter Guide In a conference call with reporters Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is a co-chair of the national Lawyers for Trump coalition, said he thinks the Supreme Court nomination will help Trump at the ballot box and encourage voters who may not have otherwise had an interest. I think its going to be a positive effect, Paxton said. President Trump, before he became president, he was very transparent about what he would do, who he would appoint. Sure enough, that list he followed through on. Hes done it again. I think people appreciate knowing what the president is going to do. Throwing a spark on Texas race for U.S. Senate The spotlight on the Senate, tasked by Trump with ushering through what would be one of the quickest Supreme Court confirmations in American history, has breathed new life into what had been a relatively sleepy race between incumbent Republican John Cornyn and Democrat and Air Force veteran MJ Hegar, whose fundraising and polling had been lagging. Since the passing of Justice Ginsburg, we have been humbled by the outpouring of support from people who want to ensure that her legacy of fighting for equal rights and justice for all is continued, Hegar campaign spokesman Jake Lewis said. Texans know that on Nov. 3 preserving our health care is on the ballot, protecting womens rights is on the ballot, defending voting rights is now on the ballot, which is why they are fired up and energized to send Sen. Cornyn packing. For at least two years straight, Texas has had the highest rate of uninsured people in the nation, as of the most recent census data available. In 2018, the rate was 17.7 percent, or about 5 million people, up from 17.3 percent the year prior. Hegar has drawn on that as a campaign issue, taking aim at Cornyn for his leadership role in the GOPs effort to repeal the ACA three years ago and his continued support for abolishing it. SENATE RACE COVERAGE: Democrat MJ Hegar calls for end to open carry of firearms in Texas Cornyn explained last week on the Senate floor why he supported a Senate vote on the nominee before the election, saying it was the will of the voters who elected a Republican president and Senate majority Do you think we would still be hearing the same arguments from our friends across the aisle if Hillary Clinton had become president and been able to nominate a successor to Justice Scalia? he asked. I think not. The issue is firing up Cornyns supporters as well, said campaign press secretary Krista Piferrer. The campaign declined to provide fundraising numbers. Our volunteers who were out knocking on doors this past weekend found the issue was top-of-mind to many, Piferrer said. The message from the voters has been consistent; they want a candidate who shares their values not someone like MJ Hegar whod allow Chuck Schumer to pack the court with liberal judges who legislate from the bench. But national polling suggests that its an issue that mainly resonates with voters who have already made up their minds. More anger at Trump? That cup is already full. A majority of voters want to see the next president choose Ginsburgs successor, rather than Trump doing so now, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll this week, and Democrats are more convinced than Republicans that the issue makes it even more important for their presidential candidate to win. Biden appears to be in a slightly better position to benefit from increased support spurred by the vacancy. The poll found that 64 percent of his supporters say that it makes it more important that Biden win the election, compared with 37 percent of Trump supporters when asked the same question. The majority of Trump supporters, or 62 percent, said it made no difference. But Texas political consultant Bill Miller, who has worked for candidates of both parties, says a political win right right before an election will work to the Republicans benefit. It breeds enthusiasm youre getting a Supreme Court justice nominee that you didnt expect on the eve of an election, Miller said. Republicans are enthusiastic about that, as the Democrats would be if it were the other way around. Its an enthusiasm-builder, its a feel-good moment, and especially so close to the election, it will carry over right into early voting and right into Election Day. On the other hand, the electorate is already extremely ideologically polarized, political strategists said, so the issue is more likely to fire up voters from both the Democrat and Republican bases than to engage voters who are not so sure. Relative to other issues, the Washington Post-ABC poll found that the vacancy did not animate voters of both parties as much as other issues. The economy, the coronavirus outbreak, health care and racial justice, in that order, were more likely to top voters lists. The anger is already there about Trump, Miller said, referring to Democrats. Theyve got plenty of anger for Trump, with or without this deal. That cup is already full. taylor.goldenstein@chron.com OTTAWAWith mere days to go before the end of the Green leadership race, one candidate is questioning the fairness of the contest after the party admitted a number of donations to his campaign were wrongfully directed to the partys general coffers. Glen Murray, a former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister, said the situation unfairly disadvantaged his campaign because it had less money than it actually raised, and donations reported to the public a key metric of a campaigns momentum in a race with little polling or media coverage did not reflect his true standing in the race. Murray is calling on the party to fix the situation before the scheduled announcement of results on Saturday, more than a week after more than 35,000 Green members were able to start voting for their next leader by ranked ballot. He said its too soon to know exactly how much donation money his campaign is owed, but that it discovered it was $12,000 short in its first day of checking and that the actual figure is likely significantly higher. Its hard to say its going to be a fair result, said Murray, who added that its premature to discuss whether he will accept the outcome of the vote. Its just not fair and its just heartbreaking, he said. Prateek Awasthi, the Green Partys executive director, said we regret deeply that Murrays campaign did not have access to all the funds from its donors. He said the party has reviewed information provided by Murrays campaign and concluded that $9,630 in contributions to the candidate were either misplaced by administrative error, submitted with paperwork that was not received by the party, or submitted with invalid credit card information. He said $2,130 of that money was processed as general donations to the party, because donation forms did not specify that they were intended for a leadership candidate. Donations to candidates in the campaign go through the party. Awasthi said the party will review any additional information about misplaced donations that Murrays campaign can provide, but there is no plan to extend voting or take any similar measures to address his concerns of fairness. In a campaign every dollar counts, so we understand that ... did pose some disadvantage, he said. Our reflection at this point is that, in a leadership contest like this, our donation numbers tend to have an exaggerated influence ... Its one person, one vote. Its not one dollar, one vote. He added that the party has not found similar discrepancies with donations to other leadership campaigns. But David Merner, a leadership contender from Vancouver Island, said he has been hearing from donors to his campaign who say they never got receipts from the party and are concerned their contributions didnt end up in his account. Merner said he suspects all candidates have been affected to some degree, and that the party should continue its review without delaying the result of the vote. I dont think anybody should be panicking right now, he said, calling it a systems problem rather than an issue that has only affected Murray. A spreadsheet of campaign donations provided to leadership candidates and obtained by the Star indicated that Murray had raised $62,550 by Aug. 31 the fourth-highest in the race at the point. That put him significantly behind Annamie Paul, a Toronto lawyer who had raised more than $186,000, the spreadsheet showed. Behind Paul was Montreal-based Dimitri Lascaris, with more than $112,000 in donations, and Yellowknife doctor Courtney Howard, who had more than $78,000 in donations. Murray said he believes such information disadvantaged his campaign by creating a narrative that other candidates had a better shot of winning. It also forced his campaign to scale back because it didnt have more money, he said. We need the party to get on it and start ... to figure out what it would feel would be the right thing to do to correct this, he said. It is the second time in recent days that a leadership contender has criticized the way the party is conducting the contest. Last week, Montreal lawyer Meryam Haddad accused the party establishment of trying to end her campaign after she was expelled from the contest for undisclosed reasons and then reinstated two days later. Haddad posted an email on Twitter in which the Green leadership committee said she broke party bylaws by criticizing members of the Green Party of British Columbia and endorsed a rival political party. Haddad, an avowed eco-socialist running on a proposal to form a temporary alliance with the federal NDP, had shared an image from the B.C. Eco-Socialist Party on Twitter ahead of the upcoming provincial election. She also posted that the B.C. Greens need to move further left if they want her support. Haddad also posted an email from interim Green leader Jo-Ann Roberts stating the party received complaints about her conduct as a leadership candidate, including from former campaign team members. Haddad responded that she never endorsed the Eco-Socialist Party in B.C., but had in fact criticized its leader, and she denied the alleged complaints as false and unfounded. She won an appeal of the expulsion and was reinstated as a candidate on the final ballot, having submitted the entire $30,000, non-refundable entry fee before the Sept. 1 deadline. Haddads campaign did not respond to an interview request from the Star on Wednesday. Awasthi declined to comment on the expulsion and reinstatement, other than to say party procedures were followed, citing confidentiality rules. Lascaris, who is also running as an eco-socialist who wants the federal Greens to move left, was also blocked from entering the race by the partys vetting committee last spring. He, too, successfully appealed and will appear on the final ballot. The winner of the race is scheduled to be announced at an event in Ottawa on Saturday night. For many observers, the biggest takeaway of the New York Timess bombshell report on President Trumps finances is how often in recent years he has paid little to no income tax, but for former intelligence officials, its the potential of his massive debt to make him susceptible to foreign influence. The Times expose, which is based on years of Trumps tax returns obtained by the paper, said the president is personally responsible for loans and other debts totaling $421 million, with most of it coming due within four years. President Trump speaks to journalists as he departs the White House on Saturday. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The Times report said the scale of the presidents debts, with few obvious income streams to service them, paints a picture of a businessman-president in a tightening financial vise. Intelligence professionals declared themselves stunned by the news of the debts, because of what those debts imply about the presidents vulnerability to foreign influence. Its just mind-boggling, one former counterintelligence officer told Yahoo News. Trumps public financial disclosures since he became president have named his lenders and the broad range of the amounts he owes to each for instance, one loan from Deutsche Bank that matures in 2024 is listed as simply over $50,000,000. But the Times report puts a precise figure on the debt and illustrates the trouble the president might have servicing it, and in doing so, helps explain why that debt is a weakness that, according to former CIA officials, could be used by foreign intelligence services. Adversarial foreign intelligence services penetrate banks for this very kind of information, said Douglas London, a former senior operations officer and counterintelligence expert with the CIA. The idea that he is in so much debt, there is no doubt in my mind that hostile intelligence services knew that, agreed Marc Polymeropoulos, a former senior CIA official. But rather than seek to formally recruit Trump as an intelligence asset, those spy services are more likely to have tried to use any control they might have over the financial institutions that hold his debts to persuade Trump to adopt policies to their liking, according to Polymeropoulos. In such a scenario, Trump would have become what is known in the intelligence community as an agent of influence, he said. Story continues Its a huge concern among people who look at counterintelligence because this would be a glaring sign for any hostile intelligence service, Polymeropoulos said. Financial vulnerabilities are at the top of the list when you pursue targets, period. These counterintelligence concerns will not dissipate even if Trump loses Novembers presidential election, according to Frank Figliuzzi, former assistant director of the FBIs counterintelligence division, who suggested that foreign intelligence agencies might then try to make him a paid agent. Presidents are privy to sensitive details that our adversaries want, Figliuzzi said. Hell need a way out of his crushing debt, and foreign intel services will be happy to help him for a price. Thats why we need to resolve this national security concern regardless of election outcome. Frank Figliuzzi. (FBI) While personal debt may be a concern, some officials said that doesnt mean Trump himself necessarily poses a risk. Donald Trump, to be fair to him, has shown repeatedly over the course of his career that he can have these huge amounts of debt and these business challenges and still find his way out of it and be, quote unquote, successful, said a former national security official in the George W. Bush administration, adding that he saw no evidence that links Trumps debts to any Russian influence. I just dont think that this tells us that much about his vulnerability to foreign pressure, the former Bush administration official said. I know thats the story everyone wants to tell, but Im not sure thats right. David Charney, a psychiatrist with a long history of assessing intelligence officers, including notable traitors like the FBIs Robert Hanssen, was also skeptical that Trumps debts might lead him to grant favors to foreign powers. In situations like Trumps, the lender is under more pressure than the borrower to get at least something coming back their way instead of nothing, Charney said. Do I think that would pressure a person like Trump to become vulnerable to exploitation or threats of exposure or manipulation? In a word, no. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Several former intelligence officials identified Russia as the country they were most concerned about when it came to gaining influence over Trump. Then-special counsel Robert Mueller led a lengthy investigation of the Trump 2016 presidential campaigns links to Russia but found no evidence of collusion, and according to the Times, the presidents tax returns reveal no previously unreported connections to Russia. Trump has always rejected allegations that Russia has any influence over him, even as he has repeatedly declined to criticize the countrys dictatorial president, Vladimir Putin. Such denials have done little to calm the fears of seasoned intelligence professionals in the United States, however, who said it would be relatively easy for foreign spy services to find out the details of Trumps debts. Penetrating a foreign bank is not like going after the North Korean nuclear program, Polymeropoulos said. The scary thing is that we all learn about this now, three and a half years into the presidency, while probably a lot of bad actors knew about this previously. The Times report makes clear that Trumps most reliable source of income in recent years came from his starring role in the reality television series The Apprentice, which together with endorsement and licensing deals has paid him $427 million. But someone with an income so dependent on the publics perception of his business acumen would have been even more vulnerable to intelligence services threatening to expose the fact that his corporate empire appeared to be a house of cards, according to former intelligence officials. Trump attends a Celebrity Apprentice red carpet event at Trump Tower in 2015. (Rob Kim/Getty Images) Its not just the money alone, London said. Its the exposure of those financial difficulties that threatens their brand and reputation, which makes them vulnerable. A number of members of the intelligence community said that Trumps financial peril would almost certainly make him ineligible for a security clearance if he were a normal individual. Botched finances is the No. 1 reason for your security clearance to be denied or suspended, said Larry Pfeiffer, a former senior CIA official. First, because it makes you more vulnerable to bribes in exchange for secrets. But more importantly, it shows a level of self-control, judgment and adherence to the law that raises serious questions of the persons reliability and trustworthiness to protect classified information. The president, however, is not subject to the normal background investigations and requirements that are required to get a security clearance, nor can he be stripped of a clearance. In our system theres only one way to remove a presidents access to classified information for any reason, said Pfeiffer. Removal from office. A former counterintelligence officer called for greater transparency regarding presidents finances and lamented how long it had taken Americans to learn the details of Trumps. Its a little late now, the former counterintelligence officer said. Its right at the window of an election that we discover this. We should have known these things four years ago. The former George W. Bush administration national security official decried the fact that Trumps enormously complicated financial situation had become public due to what he described as the illegal act of somebody sharing the presidents tax returns with the New York Times. Even so, he added, now we know, and voters can act accordingly. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. No opening handshake? No cheers or boos from the crowd? Such are presidential debates during the coronavirus pandemic. But we still had fireworks, and plenty of them, during Tuesday nights debate between GOP President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, the former vice president. There were issues aplenty to talk about: Coronavirus. The filling of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs seat on the Supreme Court. Racial divisions. Trumps income taxes. But presidential debates arent about policy. Theyre about unplanned moments. The gaffes. The zingers. Richard Nixons five oclock shadow. It was clear that Trump wanted to come storming out of the gate on Tuesday night. He constantly talked over and interrupted Biden and moderator Chris Wallace from the get-go. But if the president hoped to rattle Biden and force him into befuddlement, it didnt work. Would you shut up, man? Biden said at one point, no doubt speaking for millions of viewers watching on television. Forty-seven years youve done nothing, Trump retorted. An exasperated Wallace at another point said, Mr. President, let him answer. Hard to get any word in with this clown, Biden said. Give Biden credit for standing up to Trumps barrage, especially given that Biden came into the debate amid questions about his mental acuity. But we did get to the issues as well. Biden laid all of Americas 200,000-plus coronavirus deaths at Trumps door, pointing out that Trump had told writer Bob Woodward that he knew how deadly the virus was early on. Biden raised how Trump had said that the virus would be gone by April or with the warmer weather. He talked about Trumps lies about the pandemic. Trump blamed China for the virus, and said hed saved lives by limiting travel from that country early in the outbreak, a move that many Democrats condemned at the time. He then weakly pivoted away from COVID-19 to Bidens educational background and to the economy. Point Biden. Trump was on firmer ground laying out his record on the economy pre-COVID-19, including its recent resurgence, and about law and order issues. He condemned violent protests that have rattled many Democratic cities, while Biden looked out of touch when he said that Antifa is an idea and not an organization. Cmon, Joe. Meanwhile, the question about how much Trump has paid in personal income taxes was asked and answered in a relative eye blink given all the heat generated by headlines about the controversy this week. The two closed the night with a pointed back-and-forth about mail-in voting. Trump said that the process has already proven to be fraudulent while Biden pledged to accept the outcome of the election. Trump would not come right out and say the same, although he scored points with his base when he said that Democrats had looked to undermine him immediately after his election, including with the impeachment hoax. So much for the peaceful transfer of power, Trump scoffed. Given the divide we see in America these days, many went into the debate wondering if there really are any undecided voters out there at this point. Trump trails in most polls but he was supposedly behind right up until the election in 2016 too, and Democrats know how that turned out. His supporters are as energized as theyve ever been. They likely loved how Trump showed Biden and Wallace the back of his hand. Biden, meanwhile, had to dispel the notion that hes lost too much of his fastball and isnt up to the job of being president. Biden cleared that bar on Tuesday night, looking steadier and more forceful than he has in recent campaign appearances. His performance no doubt reassured voters and may have won over some fence-sitters. Biden and Trump will debate two more times before Election Day. The stakes will only get higher from here on out. Australians on higher incomes stand to receive $2,565 when future tax cuts are brought forward into next week's federal budget. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's second budget on Tuesday night is set to feature the biggest deficit since World War II, as coronavirus lockdowns spark the sharpest downturn since the 1930s Great Depression. With Australia now in recession for the first time in almost three decades, income tax cuts originally earmarked for July 2022 are set to be fast-tracked to January 2021 - benefiting more than 10million taxpayers. Another stage of tax cuts and a flattening of income tax brackets, due to take effect in 2024, could also be brought forward despite surging government debt. Scroll down for audio Australians on higher incomes stand to receive $2,565 tax cuts a year when Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivers his second budget on Tuesday night Economist Saul Eslake said the Treasurer may not wait for the start of the new financial year in July 1 next year to bring forward the cuts earmarked for July 2022 as the government desperately sought stimulus for the moribund economy. Poll Should income tax cuts due in July 2022 be brought forward to early next year? Yes No Should income tax cuts due in July 2022 be brought forward to early next year? Yes 526 votes No 81 votes Now share your opinion 'They could be brought forward to any date that he chose,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's probably easier if it was July 2021 because that means you have the same tax rate for the whole financial year but certainly governments have started new tax rates midway through financial years before, certainly I can remember it in the seventies.' Another renowned economist Chris Richardson, a partner at Deloitte Access Economics, said while the rich would benefit most from the tax cuts, they were still broadly fair - even if they were expensive. 'People have often heard that the tax cuts are unfair: they're not,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'They arguably are too big and it turns out the economy is not necessarily in as good a position to support the tax cuts.' In his first budget, unveiled in April 2019 ahead of the election, Mr Frydenberg announced that those earning $120,000 or more would receive $2,565 worth of annual tax cuts from the middle of 2022 Deloitte Access Economics calculates fast tracking the July 2022 tax cuts would cost $12.35billion with the low and middle-income tax offset kept in place. The fast-tracked tax cuts announced by Mr Frydenberg in his inaugural budget last year would give those earning $120,000 or more $2,565 worth of annual tax cuts from the middle of 2022. Those earning $90,000 would get $1,215, compared with 2017-18. Low-to-middle income earners on $50,000 to $80,000 would get $1,080 early while those on $40,000, barely above the minimum wage, would get a $580 cut. That was when the 32.5 per cent personal income tax bracket was to be moved from $90,000 to $120,000, as part of the second stage of tax cuts. Deloitte Access Economics partner Chris Richardson argued permanently boosting JobSeeker beyond its base rate of $565.70 a fortnight would do more to stimulate the economy, with the second coronavirus supplement of $250 due to end on December 31 Mr Richardson argued permanently boosting JobSeeker beyond its base rate of $565.70 a fortnight would do more to stimulate the economy, with the second coronavirus supplement of $250 due to end on December 31. 'There's always been a great case for an unemployment benefit of more than $40 a day,' he said. 'Where you live is a striking driver of how much financial pain COVID is causing and if want to have the best regional economic policy, there's another reason to raise the unemployment benefit permanently.' Mr Eslake said higher-income Australians receiving a tax cut from Mr Frydenberg were more likely to pay down their credit card or mortgage than spend the money, which would in turn create jobs. 'You can't guarantee that they're going to take it out of their pockets and spend it,' he said. 'Both economic theory and history tell you that the more that tax cuts are skewed towards middle and higher-income earners, the less likely it is that they will take it out and spend it and instead they'll use at least some of it to pay down debt or to save it.' Mr Frydenberg, the Liberal Party's deputy leader, has given several hints in media interviews about the fast tracking of the 2022 tax cuts. Mr Eslake said $1,000 tradeable vouchers that had to be spent on Australian tourism businesses or live theatre shows by June 2022 would be a better way of stimulating employment in COVID-19-hit sectors. 'Go to a concert or something, spend it in areas that are still being affected by restrictions that after all the government is imposing,' he said. He added repairs to public housing and roads would do more to create local jobs around Australia than big-ticket rail and highway infrastructure projects. Westpac chief economist Bill Evans is forecasting a budget deficit for 2020-21 of $240billion, which would see net debt as a proportion of the economy climb from 19 per cent a year ago to 37 per cent now. Economist Saul Eslake said $1,000 tradeable vouchers that had to be spent on Australian tourism businesses or live theatre shows by June 2022 would be a better way of stimulating employment in COVID-19-hit sectors. Pictured is the Sydney Opera House on September 25 at a near-deserted Circular Quay on the 20th anniversary of Cathy Freeman's Olympic gold medal Treasury's Economic and Fiscal Update, released on July, projected Australia's gross government debt would surge to $851.9billion by the end of this financial year, making up 45 per cent of gross domestic product. Mr Eslake is expecting next week's budget to show gross government debt of $1 trillion within the next two years, nonetheless pointing out its share of GDP would still be lower than what it was between 1901 and 1963. Australia's economy shrunk by a record seven per cent in the June quarter and the data since hasn't been that encouraging. Building approvals in August fell by 1.6 per cent, surprising financial markets which had expected a flat result. In an ominous sign New South Wales, Australia's most populated state, suffered a 14.2 per cent decline in project sign-offs. The economic malaise could even accelerate another round of tax cuts. Under a third stage of tax cuts announced last year, the 37 per cent tax bracket would be abolished from July 1, 2024 and a new 30 per cent tax bracket created for all individuals earning between $45,001 and $200,000. The number of tax brackets would be slashed from five to four for the first time since 1984. President Klaus Iohannis will attend a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, which includes topics such as the European Union's Single Market, industrial policy and the Union's digital policy, according to a Presidential Administration release. European leaders will also address foreign policy issues, mainly the Union's relations with China and Turkey."The President of Romania will advocate for a strong and consolidated Single Market, which can support the development of the member states of the Union. In this sense, he will support the need to identify means to restore the proper functioning of the Single Market after the COVID-19 crisis and to implement the measures to consolidate it. At the same time, President Klaus Iohannis will show that a more integrated Single Market means a more connected and inclusive Single Market, which is why the development of transport, energy, environment and digital infrastructure is essential for countries such as Romania, located on the geographical periphery of the Union," the release reads.The head of state will support efforts in favor of a strong, resilient and globally competitive European industry. In this context, President Iohannis will emphasize that the modernization effort required for the double transition - green and digital - will demand massive investments, thus contributing to stimulating the European Union's competitiveness and strategic autonomy."President Klaus Iohannis will address the need to ensure full complementarity between strategic autonomy in various sectors and the opening up of the European economy, one of the fundamental values of the Union. At the same time, President Klaus Iohannis will emphasize that EU strategic autonomy must be built on a market full and functional internal affairs," mentions the Presidential Administration.The President will welcome the importance given at Union level to the process of digital transformation of Europe, as well as the important funds that will be granted for the development of advanced digital technologies and very high capacity network infrastructures throughout the European Union."President Klaus Iohannis will mention that the Single Market poses, in addition to undeniable opportunities, challenges in the social field. In this regard, the President of Romania will emphasize the need to protect vulnerable groups, including seasonal workers, whose situation must be improved through the common action of European institutions and of the member states of the Union," shows the Presidential Administration. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 00:10:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Yu Hong (C), together with Brunei officials, launches a logo design competition in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Sept. 30, 2020. The Chinese Embassy to Brunei on Wednesday launched a logo design competition commemorating the 30th anniversary of the China-Brunei diplomatic relations in the year 2021. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua) BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy to Brunei on Wednesday launched a logo design competition commemorating the 30th anniversary of the China-Brunei diplomatic relations in the year 2021. Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Yu Hong said to celebrate the coming 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Chinese embassy to Brunei, together with Brunei's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, co-organized the 30th Anniversary Commemorative Logo Design Competition. The best design will be jointly selected by the organizers and used in the celebration next year, Yu Hong said. "I sincerely hope that we could join hands and continue to move our strategic cooperative partnership into new heights," the ambassador added. Enditem Donald Trump y el candidato presidencial democrata Joe Biden debatieron el martes en Ohio. (Getty Images) Donald Trump and Joe Biden have gone head-to-head in Cleveland, Ohio in the first of three televised debates ahead of the most contentious election in modern US history. But who won? Here, The Independent's US team give their instant reactions: John Bennett, Washington Bureau Chief Donald Trump likely amazed his conservative base, but few others. I had Joe Biden on my scorecard by a comfortable margin. He looked and sounded more presidential, while the incumbent bickered with his foe and moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. Mr Trump even refused when pinned down to condemn white supremacist groups, especially the Proud Boys. The president refused, merely saying to the Proud boys: "Stand back and stand by." Mr Biden repeatedly told the sitting president of the United States to "shut up" and "be quiet," calling him a "clown" on national television. Mr Trump yelled over the former VP all night, growing red-faced early on. He uttered false statements and offered very little in terms of a second-term vision. The former vice president appeared to do everything he intended to as he talked healthcare and coronavirus, trying to target white suburban women who supported Mr Trump in 2016 but broke for Democratic congressional candidates two years later. Winner: Biden. Griffin Connolly, US Political Correspondent The only person who won any sort of debate on Tuesday was Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House speaker who publicly urged Joe Biden not to "legitimize" Donald Trump by engaging in a debate with him. "Why bother? He doesn't tell the truth," Ms Pelosi said on Friday. He apparently doesn't let anyone else talk either not Mr Biden, not even the debate moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News. "Mr President, let him answer," Mr Wallace exclaimed. "Mr President, please stop." At one point, Mr Trump and Mr Wallace feuded over the degree to which Mr Trump had interrupted Mr Biden throughout the evening. Story continues "Frankly, you've been doing more interrupting," the Fox News host said, attempting to steer away from the squabble. If one candidate can't even get a word in without being repeatedly, incessantly interrupted, what are we even doing here? Lucy Anna Gray, Audience Editor Joe Biden did exactly what he needed to. If he had acted like the obstinate, furious, erratic Donald Trump we saw tonight he would not have gained anyone's respect that is not the politics people need right now. Although not a perfect performance, Biden got in just enough points to show himself to be the more mature and level-headed candidate. The winner tonight was clear. Richard Hall, Senior US Correspondent Tonight's debate diminished the United States. For decades, even in the midst of the most vitriolic and bitter election campaigns, presidential debates have been a chance for voters to hear candidates questioned on policy and challenged on their ideas. This was not that. Donald Trump interrupted, shouted and lied his way through this debate. The moderator, Chris Wallace, lost control of the president early on and never got it back. Answers on vital issues, from the coronavirus pandemic to a devastating economic crisis, were not heard. If there were any undecided voters out there before this evening, they would not have been helped by tonight's display. The coronavirus test and trace app has come under fire once again after Britons received messages telling them to self-isolate - only to find out the alert was an unannounced test. Users reported receiving a message telling them to self-isolate because they had been in contact with a person who tested positive. The message read: 'Possible COVID-19 exposure. Someone you were near reported having COVID-19. exposure date, duration and signal strength have been saved.' However, when they clicked on the app, the notification disappeared. The government has confirmed the message was a test, though users were not informed of that at the time. One furious man, Maurice Leaver, hit out at the farce and said he had been forced to wrongly self-isolate after receiving the message. Others claimed that test and trace workers had also been unaware the app had been sending out test messages. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'NHS Covid-19 app users only need to self-isolate if they get a notification directly from the app advising them to do so.' The NHS Covid-19 app was rolled out across England and Wales last Thursday, using Bluetooth technology in smartphones to keep an anonymous log of people an individual comes into close contact with. However, it has been plagued with problems, with thousands of users blocked from logging their positive tests and confusion over whether police officers should download the app. Close contact broadly means being within two metres of a person for at least 15 minutes. According to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the app was downloaded 12.4 million times by midday on Monday. Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own contact tracing apps, which were launched at earlier dates. The infection tracing software has been plagued with problems with the latest fiasco seeing up to 70,000 users blocked from logging their positive test results. At first, anyone who was tested in an NHS hospital, Public Health England lab or as part of an Office for National Statistics survey could not upload their result. Pictured bottom is the test message that users received. Top is the actual alert if someone near you has tested positive One furious man, Maurice Leaver, hit out at the farce and said he had been forced to wrongly self-isolate after receiving the message One of the key features of the app is that it enables people to scan their phones using QR codes in hospitality venues, so they can be alerted if there is an outbreak linked to that site. The app has been hit with several problems. Middle-aged customers reported being 'humiliated' by 'app disciples' at pubs and restaurants banning them from going in without the NHS Covid-19 app - despite government rules saying it is not compulsory. The infection tracing software has been used as an excuse for refusing entry to older drinkers and eaters without it downloaded onto their phones. This is despite the government's own guidance stating it should not be a precondition of entry. The rules only tell businesses they 'must' display the 'official NHS QR poster' and apply for a code to be connected to the app. But customers without the special phone system should still be allowed in as long as they supply their contact details in some form. Mark Sevia, from Nottingham, told MailOnline he and his group had been refused entry at three venues for not having the app. He said: 'One venue allowed us in with a paper form but after an hour's wait without any service we moved on. 'We were welcomed at our third choice and allowed to take a table after filling in the paper form. 'Almost as soon as we sat down the manager descended on us and pointed out the App sticker on the wall. 'On asking for proof of the legality of his refusal he backed down muttering about protecting his staff. 'Having reluctantly parted with too much money we decided to eat and drink at home for the foreseeable future. 'All three of the app disciples were young and arrogant and could not understand why this was such a challenge for older people. To be refused was bad enough but public humiliation was worse.' Middle-aged customers are being 'humiliated' by 'app disciples' at pubs over the software Pubs and restaurants have started turning away customers who don't have the app Stroke victim Derek Hudson said he was turned away from his coffee shop because he did not have the app. He said: 'I was refused service at a branch in my local supermarket. 'What was most annoying was that I am recovering from a stroke and needed to rest for a few moments.' The infection tracing software has been plagued with problems with the latest fiasco seeing up to 70,000 users blocked from logging their test results. Yesterday mother-of-two Clare Wakelam, 47, said she and two others had been due to go for lunch at Turtle Bay in Birmingham, West Mids, but was turned away when they did not all have the app. The local authority worker from Walsall said she happily provided her contact details but thought the phone software would cause too many issues. She told MailOnline: 'When it was our turn the person at the door unless we all downloaded the app we couldn't enter the establishment. 'We went to a pub and we walked in fine and wrote our name and number down. Brits have encountered problems using the tracing app, while others who refuse to install it say they have been denied entry into pubs and restaurants Law and orders: Do you really need the trace app to buy a drink? Government rules on the track and trace app say you do not need to have it to be allowed into pubs and venues. But customers without it do need to provide their contact details in another way to staff. If they refuse then they can be barred from going into the bar or restaurant. Pubs also have to follow the rules of the Licensing Act 2003. Licensees do have the right to refuse entry to people, but it cannot be unlawful - sexuality, race, or religion are among features that cannot be used to stop customers coming in. It does say they can refuse entry to people on grounds of 'public safety' but if customers did provide some contact details it would be difficult to justify on this point. Advertisement 'If Turtle Bay had just asked for our details we would have handed it over happily, I've done it everywhere else I've been. 'I won't download the app because I'm thinking it will cause too much trouble with how it alerts you and how sensitive it is. 'With the app I think about older people who haven't got phones like that so can't get it. I also think what if the battery goes or the data allowance is used up there are things that can go wrong. 'I think it's wrong that businesses are turning people away for things like this. I won't be going back.' Turtle Bay's website spells out customers have to download the app, adding 'We now need to ask everyone entering our restaurants to enter their contact details on the NHS Covid-19 App when they arrive. One customer wrote on Twitter: 'I have today been refused entry into two establishments {a cafe and a pub} because I haven't downloaded the NHS track and trace app!! Is this right?' Another said: 'Last night I was denied a meal because I didn't have a Gvt phone app!!!! 'You may think I'm being over dramatic but you must now get the point. What else are we soon going to be denied access to unless we have a government phone app. Please, please, please people wake up.' One user, Chloe James, wrote: 'I'm in a pub and apparently they've been told they can't serve anyone unless they have the track and trace app.' The Government's guidance on the app say that not having it is not a reason for venues to refuse entry, as long as they give their contact details. But places like pubs could use the excuse of licensing regulations as a reason to stop people coming in, citing public safety. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday formed a three-member SIT panel to investigate the Hathras gang-rape incident. The CM has also asked for conducting the case's trial in a fast track court, a senior government official told PTI. He added that state home secretary Bhagwan Swarup will lead the SIT while DIG, Chandraprakash, and commandant PAC Agra, Poonam, will be the other members of the panel. The SIT has been instructed to submit its report in seven days' time. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to CM Adityanath on Wednesday directing him to take a stern action against the culprits behind the tragic case. A tweet from the UP CM's official Twitter handle confirmed that PM Modi had talked to him about the incident. The body of a 19-year-old Dalit woman, who passed away at a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gang-raped was cremated in Hathras in the wee hours of Wednesday. The family of the victim alleged that the local police forced them to perform the last rites in the dead of the night. However, local police officers told the news agency that the cremation was carried out as per the wishes of the family. On September 14, the young woman went to the fields with her mother and went missing soon after. She was later found, beaten and tortured, her tongue cut as she bit it when the accused attempted to strangle her. Also Read: TPG, Mubadala next in line to invest around $1.8 billion in Reliance Retail The woman was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday after her condition showed no signs of improvement. She eventually died of severe injuries, sparking protests, outrage, and calls for justice. Meanwhile, Congress has been holding protests in Delhi and various parts of Uttar Pradesh demanding justice for the gang-rape victim. Party leader Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, said, "A daughter of India is raped-murdered, facts are suppressed and in the end, the right to perform the last rites is also taken away from the victim's family." "It is insulting and unjust," he said in the tweet in Hindi using the hashtag 'Hathras Horror Shocks India'. Along with the tweet, Rahul Gandhi also tagged a video purportedly of the cremation site showing a police officer not answering queries as to whether the body of the victim was being cremated there. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said, "I was on the phone with the Hathras victim's father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair." "He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night the victim's father was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites," she said in a series of tweets. Tagging Adityanath, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said, "RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as chief minister." Also Read: Bollywood drugs case: NCB 'almost' gives clean chit to Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor In another tweet in Hindi, she alleged that at 2:30 am Wednesday the "victim's kin kept requesting," but the UP administration "forcibly" cremated the deceased. "The government did not protect her when she was alive. The government did not provide her timely treatment when she was attacked. After her death, the government took away the right of the family to perform the last rites of their daughter and did not respect the deceased," Priyanka Gandhi said. Hitting out at the chief minister, she alleged, "Gross inhumanity. You did not stop the crime but behaved like criminals. You did not stop the atrocities, but committed atrocity on an innocent child and her family twice." Tagging Adityanath and asking him to resign, Priyanka Gandhi said, "There is no justice in your rule, only injustice." Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and asked why the victim's family was denied the right to perform her last rites and why was the body cremated at 2:30 am. He alleged that all limits of atrocities and brutality had been crossed and demanded Yogi Adityanath's resignation. A man who formerly served as the music director at a Spotsylvania County church and also worked in the Westmoreland County school system was ordered Monday to serve 30 years in prison for molesting a young girl. Kellen Thomas Donelson, 32, of Richmond, received the sentence in U.S. District Court in Richmond, where he previously pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. The 30 years he received was the maximum penalty for the conviction. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Federal authorities began an investigation last year after discovering pictures and videos on the internet of a young girl being sexually abused. He was arrested in December after police tracked the images to an iPhone and a laptop computer owned by Donelson. At the time of his arrest, Donelson was an associate minister and the music director at Mount Hope Baptist Church in Spotsylvania. He was also an elementary school music teacher in the Richmond city school system. Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co is investing $2 billion in a 25-year strategy plan led by US private equity firm Silver Lake, the companies said on Wednesday. Mubadala has also agreed to buy a minority stake in Silver Lake from Dyal Capital Partners, a unit of US-based investment management firm Neuberger Berman, through a secondary transaction. (https://refini.tv/3jhRI3U) Dyal, which acquired a stake of less than 10% in Silver Lake in 2016, will retain roughly half of its original investment. Mubadala is well known as a key investor in the ... Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza is among the 184 lawmakers who voted to keep Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano as House Speaker but his vote was not a statement of support. Atienza said Cayetanos offer to resign during the House plenary session on Wednesday was ill-timed, even calling it another version of telenovela of insincerity. Hindi 'yun ang usapan kagabi sa Malacanang e. As he admitted, he agreed to resign on October 14 para maihanda niya 'yung turnover, Atienza told CNN Philippines hours after the session. Binigla niya ngayon after a melodramatic privilege speech. [Translation: That was not what was agreed upon in Malacanang. As he admitted, he agreed to resign on October 14 to prepare the turnover. But he abruptly did it after a melodramatic privilege speech.] Atienza added that if Cayetano were sincere in prioritizing national interest, he would spend the next two weeks preparing Congress for the takeover of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco. Under the term-sharing agreement brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019, Cayetano was supposed to serve as Speaker for the first 15 months or until October this year. Velasco would then take over the post for the succeeding 21 months. In his speech, Cayetano claimed that Velasco rejected the Presidents appeals for the change in leadership to happen in December instead, to make way for the unhampered passage of the 2021 national budget. Cayetano also confirmed telling Duterte that hes ready to step down on October 14 to vacate the speakership as part of the deal. Mr. President, I will resign on October 14. Let me clarify, Mr. President, he (Velasco) needs to get the votes, Cayetano recalled telling Duterte. He believes Velasco would not have enough votes to secure the speakership. Wednesday's plenary session was a preview, House Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte, a Cayetano ally, said in a separate interview with CNN Philippines. The 184-1 vote with nine abstentions to reject Cayetanos resignation showed that we want Speaker Alan to continue to lead, Villafuerte said. He also echoed Cayetanos argument that its hard to replace the House leader in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. And even if by some chance, Velasco gets elected, Villafuerte predicts it many not be for long. "He can be Speaker on October 23, November 23, then after a month, we're not happy, we can always vote him out." Velasco lashed out at Cayetanos speech. He described it as further political maneuverings and theatrics," as the budget deliberations were put on hold. Instead of focusing on the work at hand, further political maneuverings and theatrics took the budget deliberations hostage, said Velasco in a Facebook post on Wednesday. We lost an entire day, and even tomorrow where you have declared that no session will be conducted, which are crucial in meeting our timeline. The chamber decided to suspend the budget deliberations until Friday morning. Velasco called on his fellow lawmakers to keep working on the swift passage of the national budget for next year before Oct. 14. I call on my colleagues to continue our work and pass the budget on or before October 14," he said. "This is the commitment weve made before the President, and this is our responsibility to our constituents, to deliver to them a fair and equitable budget. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told the state-run network PTV that he got a call from Duterte following the decision of the House to reject Cayetanos resignation. Ang sabi po niya, stay out tayo diyan, no comment tayo diyan (He said well stay out of that, well give no comment). That's a purely internal affair of the House of Representatives, Roque recalled. Although the President wants the term-sharing agreement enforced, his hands are tied if the lawmakers themselves would vote against Velasco, Malacanang has said. ARLINGTON, Va. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was buried Tuesday in a private ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, laid to rest beside her husband and near some of her former colleagues on the court. Washington last week honored the 87-year-old Ginsburg, who died Sept. 18, with two days where the public could view her casket at the top of the Supreme Courts steps and pay their respects. On Friday, the womens rights trailblazer and second woman to join the high court lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, the first woman to do so. Already the capital is looking ahead to confirmation hearings expected to begin Oct. 12 for Amy Coney Barrett, whom President Donald Trump announced Saturday as his nominee for Ginsburgs seat. Barrett was meeting with senators on Tuesday. Arlington, just over the Potomac River from Washington, is best known as the resting place of approximately 400,000 service members, veterans and family members. But Ginsburg is the 14th justice to be buried at the cemetery. Ginsburgs husband Martin Ginsburg was buried at Arlington in 2010 following his death from cancer. He had served in the Army as an artillery school instructor at Fort Sill in Oklahoma when the couple were newlyweds. The couple was married for 56 years and had two children. The justice had kept the framed, folded flag from her husbands casket in her office at the court. While the cemetery is known for its rows of white headstones, the section where the Ginsburgs are buried, called Section 5, is an older section of the cemetery where markers chosen by families are allowed, and their headstone is black, with a Star of David at the top. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said in a statement that according to the justices family, Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt who spoke at ceremonies last week for the justice at the Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol officiated at Tuesdays burial and offered traditional Jewish prayers. There were no formal remarks. Family, close friends, justices, and Ginsburgs staff attended, Arberg said. Ginsburg was an opera lover, and the ceremony concluded with recordings of two arias by Giacomo Puccini sung by Leontyne Price. Ginsburgs gravesite is just below the final resting place of former President John F. Kennedy. The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are in the distance. Nine other justices are buried in that section, including three that Ginsburg served with. Other justices buried at the cemetery include President William Howard Taft, who served as chief justice after he was president, and Thurgood Marshall, the civil rights champion who argued the landmark Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation case and became the courts first black justice when he joined the bench in 1967. Harry Blackmun, the author of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision establishing a womans right to an abortion, is buried next to Marshall in Section 5. The last justice to be buried at the cemetery was retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who died in 2019 at the age of 99. In addition to Stevens, the other justices Ginsburg served with who are buried at the cemetery are Blackmun and Chief Justice William Rehnquist. ___ Jessica Gresko of The Associated Press wrote this story. Follow Gresko on Twitter at twitter.com/jessicagresko. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved three draft agreements with the European Commission for a total funding of EUR 60 million. The decision was made at a government meeting on Wednesday. In particular, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft agreement on financing the Climate package for a sustainable economy: (CASE) in Ukraine, which provides for maximum funding from the European Union in the amount of EUR 10 million. The funds will be used to develop clean and resource efficient energy supplies; reducing emissions of greenhouse gases that deplete the ozone layer; stimulating the transition to a circular economy, where the same product is used several times. The draft agreement on financing the programme to support regions in Ukraine, which provides for maximum funding from the EU in the amount of EUR 30 million. The funds will help local authorities respond to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, support residents in regions affected by the armed conflict and the illegal annexation of Crimea, and contribute to the development of independent media. In addition, the draft agreement on financing the EU Project for Civil Society Development in Ukraine was approved, which provides for maximum funding from the EU in the amount of EUR 20 million. Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanyshyna has been authorized to sign these agreements. "Together with the European Union, we are overcoming many common challenges. These are the fight against COVID-19, hybrid threats, as well as the transition to a resource-efficient economy that does not harm the environment. These are common tasks, because overcoming these challenges will have a positive impact on the quality of life of citizens both in Ukraine and in the EU," Stefanyshyna said, commenting on the adoption of draft agreements. South Africa: NSFAS receives over 300 000 applications for funding The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has received more than 300 000 applications since the opening date for 2021 application cycle on 3 August 2020. Briefing media on regulations relating to the COVID-19 level 1 restrictions on Wednesday, Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, said the department is anticipating a high volume of applications leading up to the closing date in November. The pattern we have been seeing with regards to applications received per province remains interesting, as it has been consistent for the past three consecutive years, where Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo lead with the highest applications submitted. We have also seen some major improvements and positive changes from Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, as well as North West. "To date, NSFAS has received over 300 995 applications, this number is extremely overwhelming and encouraging, Nzimande said. In an effort to reach out to students who meet the requirements and who are in need of financial assistance but unable to access NSFAS funding due to lack of internet facilities or application resources in their areas, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) offices nationwide are open to the public. These offices have been fully operational since 14 September 2020. Over 15 Department of Basic Education (DBE) National Teacher Centres from various districts and provinces have been made available to be utilised by applicants during this application cycle. Applicants can access these facilities during school hours, the Minister said. Applications are opened for Grade 9 to12 learners and out-of-school youth who wish to further their studies at any public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college or university across the country. Bid proposals to supply, deliver laptops closed Meanwhile, Nzimande reported that a tender to supply and deliver laptops to NSFAS students was re-advertised on 4 September 2020 and closed on 21 September 2020. He said by the closing date, a total of 140 bid proposals had been received. NSFAS is currently evaluating the bid proposals, with the awarding of the tender estimated to be completed by 31 October 2020. NSFAS has conducted workshops and engagements with institutions and student leadership to spearhead the project, while the tender process is underway. Updated project guidelines and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be shared with institutions concerned. Once a service provider has been appointed, the learning devices will be delivered directly to the students... the Minister explained. Only contact NSFAS students funded under the Higher Education and Training budget, who are currently registered for the 2020 academic year at universities and TVET colleges, qualify to receive a device. Nzimande said NSFAS has also welcomed further collaboration with pre-funding agencies, who wish to opt into the scheme based on the availability of budget and their associated conditions. These pre-funding agencies must notify NSFAS in writing of their intent to opt into the scheme and confirm budget availability. All potential recipients of the digital learning devices, as well as the implementing institutions, are subject to the guidelines and must abide by the rules outlined in the guidelines, Nzimande said. He urged students and parents to familiarise themselves with the guidelines, which are available on the NSFAS website www.nsfas.org.za. 68% require digital devices Nzimande said the department's monitoring reports show that 68% of the general student population had indicated that they require a digital device (laptop/tablet) and 69% of NSFAS students will be supported to obtain one. He said the provision of data to university students remains high across the system, with 94% of undergraduate students being provided with data. It is expected that data provision will decrease over the next few months as more students return to campus and so have access to campus networks and Wi-Fi, Nzimande said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Newbridge man Pat Tinsley has appealed to the Health Service Executive to provide medicine which could help to save his life. The popular photographer, who was a regular fixture at GAA grounds in county Kildare, notably St Conleths Park, is battling amyloidosis, a rare hereditary condition rare disease that occurs when an abnormal protein, called amyloid, builds up in the organs and interferes with their normal function. Amyloid isn't normally found in the body, but it can be formed from several different types of protein. Organs that may be affected include the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system and digestive tract. It is the same condition that afflicted Sinn Feins Martin McGuinness, the Derryman and former Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, who died over three years ago. The Irish Mirror reported last weekend that Pat has lost 50 pounds in weight and is now largely confined to bed after being diagnosed with the condition two years back. The 64-year-old has now called on health chiefs to prescribe breakthrough drug Patisiran, which is available in the United Kingdom but not yet here. Pat told the Irish Mirror: Its like slow progress to the grave. Im losing power in my legs because my nervous system is attacked. I suffer badly with diarrhea and constipation, its an awful existence. He added: Its advancing fast and Im heading for a wheelchair. My legs are all wobbly. I can hardly get from the bathroom to the kitchen and I cant stand up for very long. Pat suffered with the rare genetic condition for years before doctors correctly diagnosed it. Recurring chest infections were treated with antibiotics and steroids. But he was hospitalised in 2018 and a cardiogram showed his heart was dangerously enlarged. Three weeks and several biopsies later medics still couldnt pinpoint his condition and it was only after a visit to a specialist clinic in London that he was diagnosed. According to the Mirror report the disease has been linked to Donegal, and the Derry politicians mother hailed from Buncrana. Pat said: They refer to it as the Donegal disease because theres a huge cluster of it. My mother was from Mayo and my cousins said loads of people there had died from it as well. Amyloidosis is caused by deposits of abnormal protein amyloid in tissues and organs throughout the body. Without treatment it can lead to organ failure and death. Pat said that there is no available treatment he is on condition management drugs, a diuretic and he is limited to 1.5 litres of water a day. Ive got very low blood pressure, so Im on a drug to boost that, Im on blood thinners, plus a few other drugs, but its just maintenance drugs to try to keep me at a level. The HSE said it received an application for reimbursement of patisiran, which is being considered in accordance with the statutory assessment process for new medicines. The assessment process is still ongoing and includes engagement with treating clinicians and patients through the Rare Diseases Technology Review Committee. "Podean is uniquely positioned to help brands grow their Amazon revenues in the Middle East, and to support their global ambitions. The addition of this office further reinforce Podeans reputation as the leading global Amazon agency network." Global Amazon agency and marketplace consultancy Podean has officially launched in the Middle East, headquartered in Dubai. The agency is the first independent global Amazon services provider to offer end-to-end marketplace marketing solutions to both international and local brands in the region. With ecommerce growing rapidly in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), Amazon is already the leading player and presents a formidable sales channel for brands that get established early. Research conducted by Podean in September 2020 found that 45% of United Arab Emirates adults shop regularly on Amazon. The most popular category is food and grocery with 26% of respondents having purchased items in the category over the past month, followed closely by electronics and home appliances with 25%, The research also shows that the benefits consumers value most are best prices, speed of delivery and range of products; all factors that play to Amazons strengths. Podeans physical presence will equip brands to drive incremental revenues among the regions combined population of 230 million people across the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey. In the UAE alone, ecommerce is expected to grow 30% from 2020 to 2021 and consumer confidence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranks second highest in the world. Podean will offer brands strategic consulting and holistic Amazon retail and advertising solutions, supported by the companys global network of experts. Globally Podean boasts more than 80 leading brands as clients who leverage the companys experience across all categories and facets of marketplace marketing, from retail to analytics, logistics/supply chain, creative, content, voice and media management. The agency will also provide non-endemic brands - that dont sell physical products in the marketplace - the ability to drive optimal marketing results by leveraging display and video advertising through Amazons DSP (demand-side platform). Founder of Podean, Mark Power, commented: We are excited to be launching in the Middle East, a sophisticated consumer market experiencing strong ecommerce growth. While the world continues to face uncertainty due to Covid-19, we know that Amazons model will meet these changing consumer needs. Podean is uniquely positioned to help brands grow their Amazon revenues in the Middle East, and to support their global ambitions. The addition of this office further reinforce Podeans reputation as the leading global Amazon agency network. Podean has appointed Paul Hart as Managing Director MENA, an experienced business leader who has been building partnerships with brands in the region for 13 years. Hart commented I am delighted to be joining a dynamic company who are shaking things up in the Amazon services space and running at the speed of Amazon. Through Podeans global network we are able to provide the experience, expertise, specialist resources, tools and technologies to our MENA clients that no other agency in the region has access to. I cannot wait to drive incremental sales for the many great brands in the Middle East. Podean will also be launching its proprietary tools including JourneyTM, the first ever Amazon media-mix-modelling and channel planning tool that optimizes investment across all Amazon advertising products. It will also launch ProphetTM, a groundbreaking analysis framework that optimizes brands Amazon business beyond just ROAS/ACoS and addresses all critical elements to drive success, from strategy to supply chain through to content and media. The combination of both platforms has seen Podean clients increase revenues by upwards of 40% and profits by 60%. Podean is global Amazon agency and marketplace consultancy headquartered in New York and has offices in Los Angeles, Sydney, London, Singapore and now, Dubai. Podean is the first global Amazon agency and marketplace consultancy helping brands drive sustainable long-term growth. Podean (poh-dee-uhn) hails from the word antipodean, referring to things diametrically opposed. Specifically, it is a term used in reference to Australia and New Zealand by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere. The notion of being opposite is what our Podean is focused on we want to operate and act the opposite of narrow, slow moving and slow acting agencies. Podean counts among its clients brands within the auto, beauty, appliance and technology categories, in addition to consulting engagements with media/advertising agency groups and high-profile global management consultancies. Podeans founder, Mark Power, recently co-authored Amazon for CMOs a best-selling business title where he interviewed many of the top CMOs about their opinions and ambitions as they relate to Amazon. Podeans global CEO Travis Johnson was most recently founder and President of Dentsus Amazon-focused consultancy, Sellwin. Prior to joining Dentsu he was Global CEO of Ansible Mobile, and also held CEO positions in Australia for media agencies UM, Initiative, Mnet and Cadreon. He was an Adweek Media Allstar in the US for 2017. http://www.podean.com CLEVELAND, Ohio The police officer who flipped off a group of protesters demonstrating outside the presidential debate in Cleveland is a Shaker Heights police officer, an official said. Shaker Heights Police Commander John Cole said an internal investigation is underway. Cole said investigators have not yet identified the officer. UPDATE: Shaker Heights cop on leave after he flipped off protesters marching before presidential debate in Cleveland Cole said the officer was working in Cleveland as part of the presidential debate detail. Several area police departments sent officers to help Cleveland police, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service provide an extra law enforcement presence during the debate and protests. The protests, organized by Black Lives Matter Cleveland and Black Spring Cleveland, among others, drew about 500 demonstrators and were entirely peaceful. I uploaded this from the field last night, so the quality is a bit grainy. You can pretty clearly see the finger at about 9 seconds pic.twitter.com/lEDsQd02Lt Robin Poltergoist (@robingoist) September 30, 2020 Organizers gave speeches and marched around University Circle for about two hours. As a caravan of armed officers drove near the march on East Boulevard near Hazel Drive, an officer in riot gear driving a Shaker Heights police van extended his arm out of the window gave the middle finger to protesters as he drove past. A cleveland.com reporter took a video of the incident. The officer drove the third of four police vehicles that drove by the march. A driver in a police caravan gave the finger to Black Lives Matter protesters in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood ahead of the Sept. 29 presidential debate. (Robin Goist, cleveland.com) Read more from cleveland.com: Protests outside first presidential debate in Cleveland remain peaceful despite few tense moments Four arrested outside presidential debate in Cleveland, police say Constant interruptions, insults, obscure substantive discussion at first presidential debate in Cleveland By Akbar Mammadov President Ilham Aliyev has said that Azerbaijan has always shown constructiveness in peace talks but negotiations have been disrupted due to series of demonstrative provocations by the Armenian leadership in recent years. Aliyev made the remarks in an interview with the Rossiya-1 TV channel on September 29. Azerbaijan has always shown constructiveness on the negotiation track. And the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, who are responsible for the mediation mission, can confirm this. In particular, over the past two years, we have repeatedly stated, both myself and other officials, that we are committed to the principles of settlement that have been developed over the years and which the Minsk Group and its co-chairs consider the basis for the negotiating process. But what has been happening in recent years, after the Soros coup which was carried out by the current government in Armenia? The Armenian prime minister publicly declares that Karabakh is Armenia, full stop. In this case, what kind of negotiations can we talk about? Armenian provocations Aliyev said that by trying to undermine the format of negotiations that has already existed for 20 years, Armenia deliberately disrupts the negotiations and puts forward unacceptable demands. Aliyev reminded that Armenia attacked Azerbaijani position on the border Tovuz region in July, sent a sabotage group to Azerbaijan in August. Among Armenias other provocations, Aliyev cited the holding of the so-called swearing-in ceremony for the so-called leader of the criminal Nagorno-Karabakh regime in Shusha, an ancient pearl of Azerbaijani culture. Then the Armenian side publicly and defiantly announced the resettlement of Armenians from Lebanon to the occupied territories and to our ancient Azerbaijani city of Shusha, which is a war crime. This is a violation of the Geneva Convention, Aliyev said. All these are deliberate provocations against us, attempts to drag us into conflict and provoke retaliatory actions, Aliyev said. The president further spoke about Armenias attack on Azerbaijani positions along the line of contact on September 27, saying that for three days, they have been bombing the settlements of Nagorno-Karabakh using artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. Aliyev pointed out that fierce battles have been going on for three days now, as a result of which the Azerbaijani Army has liberated a number of settlements from occupation and also seized strategic heights in different directions. He said that today the situation is such that active hostilities are underway. Commenting on allegations circulated in the Armenian media about engagement of fighters from other countries in the fighting on the line of contact, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is able to stand up for itself. This is more fake news. There are no fighters from Syria. There is no evidence, no proof. This has been introduced by Armenian propaganda and circulates through different websites and different media. There is no need for this. Azerbaijan has a trained army and a very large mobilization reserve. Just yesterday, I announced partial mobilization, we are calling tens of thousands of reservists under arms, and with a population of 10 million versus 2 million in Armenia we have no need for human resources. Therefore, we are able to stand up for ourselves and punish the aggressor so that he doesnt venture even to look in our direction. The president also answered the question about the role of Turkey in the region. I believe that Turkey is playing a stabilizing role in the region. Turkey is our brotherly country and our ally. From the very first hour, the world community learned that Armenia attacked Azerbaijan, Turkey spoke out unequivocally at the level of the head of state and other leaders in support of Azerbaijan, in support of international law. Stressing that Armenia has grossly violated international law by occupying the territory of Azerbaijan for about 30 years, Aliyev underlined that so the role of Turkey consists in that, nothing else. Turkey provides us with moral support, and we are grateful to the Turkish leadership, the President and the Turkish people for their solidarity and support. Turkey does not participate in this conflict in any other capacity. All the rumours that Turkey is participating as a party to the conflict being circulated by the Armenian side are of provocative nature. As they say now, this is fake news. Aliyev also highlighted that there is no evidence of Turkey's involvement in the conflict and neither is that necessary. Regarding the reason for the large-scale confrontation in the front, the president stressed that Armenia had been moving towards this for several months. If you trace the chronology of their actions and statements, you will clearly see that they deliberately went for this provocation. Not so long ago, speaking at the UN General Assembly, I openly said that Armenia was preparing for war and it must be stopped. In July, they launched an armed attack on our settlements at the state border. This is far from the conflict zone. One civilian and several servicemen were killed then. The clashes lasted four days, and since we did not have and do not have any military targets on the territory of Armenia, as soon as the Armenian armed forces were driven back from our territory, the fire was ceased by mutual agreement. Moreover, Aliyev reminded that a sabotage group infiltrated the Azerbaijani territory and was neutralized. He added that then Armenia publicly and defiantly announced the resettlement of Armenians from Lebanon to the occupied territories and to the ancient Azerbaijani city of Shusha, which is a war crime. He stressed that this is a violation of the Geneva Convention and is done demonstratively. Prior to that, they held the so-called swearing-in ceremony for the so-called leader of the criminal Nagorno-Karabakh regime in Shusha, an ancient pearl of Azerbaijani culture. All these are deliberate provocations against us, attempts to drag us into conflict and provoke retaliatory actions. We showed restraint, constructiveness and common sense, but when they failed, they made this attempt, Aliyev said. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Ryan Giggs has been praised by Jose Mourinho for showing he cares about Gareth Bale after the Wales manager omitted the Tottenham forward from next weeks Wembley clash with England. Bale has yet to make his second debut for Spurs since rejoining the London club on a season-long loan from Real Madrid earlier this month. The 31-year-old forward suffered a knee problem on international duty last month, at first during a 1-0 Nations League win over Finland in Helsinki before the injury flared up again in a similar victory against Bulgaria a few days later. Weve had conversations with both Gareth and the medical team and hes not quite right for this camp, Giggs said when announcing a 27-man squad for the England friendly on October 8 and the following Nations League games away to the Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria. Its nothing serious but its just one to keep an eye on. It has just taken a bit of time to settle down and hes not quite right. Of course Gareth always keeps himself fit so hes able to come back as soon as the injury is right. He will be back pretty soon I would imagine. He was (close) but I think with the circumstances, with him going to a new club, we had to think seriously about not only the short term but the long term. We want to have Gareth back fit, get him playing at a club he knows well. He will be playing regularly and I look forward to seeing him in the Premier League. Story continues Giggs decision to allow Bale to rehabilitate at Tottenham during the international break has gone down well with Spurs manager Mourinho. Spurs also aim to build up his general match fitness and sharpness during this period, with Bale having played just 235 minutes for club and country since February. It looks like Giggs cares about the player and understands how important the period is for Gareth, Mourinho said. Hes not ready to play, he couldnt play for them. But to be there, and lose the work he can do with us, would be very important for the player. The player belongs to Tottenham, the player belongs to the Welsh national team, and it looks like hes going to have this opportunity to work specifically and to be back in good conditions. Giggs has Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey available after injury, while the return of centre-backs Chris Mepham and Joe Rodon sees former captain Ashley Williams dropped from the squad. Williams, the fourth most-capped player in Welsh history with 86 appearances, is now 36 and without a club and it remains to be seen whether he will play for Wales again. Luton defender Tom Lockyer misses out with an ankle injury and Anderlechts James Lawrence also makes way. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho praised his Wales counterpart Ryan Giggs for leaving the forward out of the squad to play England next week (Matt Dunham/PA) Liverpool striker Ben Woodburn and fellow youngsters Brennan Johnson and Rhys Norrington-Davies, who are on loan at Lincoln and Luton respectively, are both included. We have to manage the minutes in these games, Giggs said. The good thing now is we are able to use five substitutes, six against England with it being a friendly. We want to play against the best and England are one of the top countries in the world. Any game for Wales against England is huge and by using the substitutions wisely it does give a chance for players to state their claim for the two games against Ireland and Bulgaria. Squad: Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Ward (Leicester), A Davies (Stoke), Gunter (unattached), B Davies (Tottenham), C Roberts (Swansea), Ampadu (Sheff Utd, on loan from Chelsea), Mepham (Bournemouth), Rodon (Swansea), N Williams (Liverpool), Cabango (Swansea), Norrington-Davies (Luton, on loan from Sheff Utd), Ramsey (Juventus), J Williams (Charlton), Wilson (Liverpool), Brooks (Bournemouth), Morrell (Bristol City), Vaulks (Cardiff), Smith (Man City), Johnson (Lincoln, on loan from Nottingham Forest), Levitt (Charlton, on loan from Man Utd), James (Man Utd), Robson-Kanu (West Brom), Moore (Cardiff), T Roberts (Leeds), Matondo (Schalke), Woodburn (Liverpool). A former state Assemblyman from Essex County who has been indicted for defrauding the city of Orange while he was its acting business administrator was charged with more crimes Tuesday in a superseding indictment. Former East Orange resident Willis Edwards III, 49, is now facing 31 crimes, which include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and taking kickbacks in connection with the business of Orange, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a release. Edwards, who served one term in the Assembly as a Democrat in the early 2000s, was previously charged with 28 offenses, including conspiracy to defraud Orange, theft from a federally funded local government, wire fraud, bribery, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and tax fraud. The original indictment centered on Edwards using his position as deputy business administrator from 2012 to 2015 -- a position to which multiple courts ruled he was unlawfully appointed by Mayor Dwayne Warren -- to reap tens of thousands of dollars in an extensive kickback scheme. The superseding indictment stated that an associate of Edwards, Jeanmarie Zahore, the owner of JZ Nettech, a computer consulting business, was awarded a $350,000 emergency contract on Sept. 15, 2015 to install a computer networking system at the Orange municipal complex without competitive bidding. The complex housed the citys municipal court and its police department. At a council meeting where the award was made, city council members questioned the selection of JZ Nettech, but Edwards did not tell them that he had been communicating with Zahore for over a month before the award of the contract, Carpenito said. From Sept. 18, 2015, to Nov. 10, 2015, Zahore received and deposited three checks which totaled $350,000 from the city for the project into his JZ Nettech bank account, authorities said. Beginning shortly after Orange made its first payment to Zahore, Edwards told Zahore on more than one occasion, in substance, that Edwards had taken care of Zahore and that Zahore should consider that and do something, a statement from Carpenito read. Between August and November that year, Edwards solicited and accepted cash payments of $20,000 from Zahore as a reward, federal prosecutors said. Both payments were listed as Gift WE in a spreadsheet kept by Zahore. The superseding indictment also stated that Edwards willfully signed a 2015 federal tax return under penalty of perjury that did not report, among other items of income, the approximately $20,000 in kickbacks. The federal indictment was the latest development in a federal investigation in Orange. Edwards was previously named as one of a 12 people in the FBIs search warrants of the Orange public library and City Hall in 2016 and 2017 related to the agencys investigation of theft, fraud, extortion, and misuse of government funds. The former executive director of the library, Timur Davis, pleaded guilty earlier this year to making false statements to a federal agency in connection to the librarys Saturday literacy program. Edwards, who now lives in Georgia, is the latest to be charged in connection with federal investigation. Edwards also came under scrutiny earlier this year when NJ Advance Media reported that $21,000 was unaccounted from an election fund for his campaign for East Orange mayor more than 10 years ago in which Edwards ended up not running. Edwards' attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. The media and Democrats have focused much of their criticism of President Donald Trumps handling of the coronavirus pandemic on his failures to clearly communicate legitimate health guidance to the public. Recent revelations from taped interviews with Bob Woodward have added fuel to this fire, with the presidents detractors accusing him of downplaying the dangers of COVID-19 for his own political purposes. But, these same parties must also share the blame for spreading misinformation and amplifying public fears, including their recent attempts to undermine heroic efforts of the biomedical community to bring a safe, effective vaccine to market in record time. Unfortunately, it seems the presidents opponents are motivated primarily by politics, hoping to reinforce a narrative that his selfish motivations or willful ignorance endanger the American people. The recent politicization of a CDC directive serves as a perfect, albeit frustrating, case study. On August 27, 2020, CDC Director Robert Redfield, M.D., announced in a letter to governors that they should be prepared for medical facilities to administer a coronavirus vaccination as early as November 1, 2020, explaining that the agency had contracted with pharmaceutical distributor McKesson Corporation to deliver upwards of hundreds of millions of doses in the fall. The letter did not indicate that federal officials had already greenlit the administration of the vaccine to the general public, nor did it say that McKesson would be allowed to subvert robust testing requirements before bringing it to market. Outlining how the existing approval systems could create a slowdown that poses a significant barrier to the success of this urgent public health program, Redfield simply asked state agencies to do their part in aiding a public health effort of significant scale by expediting the processing of permit applications for the new McKesson distribution facilities, including those for related business and building permits. But, Redfield insisted, breaking the bureaucratic logjam would not compromise the safety or integrity of the products being distributed. Story continues After the news broke of Redfields letter, the political Left began promoting conspiracy theories about the vaccine, arguing the president would rush an untested vaccine to market in time for the election but before it was safe to administer it. Some reporters have given credence to such baseless claims, including CNNs Gregory Krieg, who wrote that Trumps coronavirus delusions risk corrupting the search for a vaccine, while ironically asserting Trump was setting off a vicious circle that could undermine public confidence in a vaccine that credibly meets the strict, long-held standards set by scientists and public health officials. Ordinarily, such outlandish assertions are confined to activists, social media trolls, and a media unflinchingly committed to embarrassing a president they disdain. But, the highest leaders in the Democratic Party are espousing them, too. Earlier this month, Democratic vice presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), told CNN that she would not trust a coronavirus vaccine on the presidents word, but instead, rely upon a credible source of information that talks about the efficacy and the reliability of whatever hes talking about. If past is prologue . . . [scientists] will be muzzled, theyll be suppressed, they will be sidelined, she told CNN, adding Trump is looking at an election and wants to pretend hes a leader on the issue. Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo echoed this sentiment when he said he did not trust the FDA to properly approve a safe vaccine. Because of this, he says, he has launched a commission to determine whether New York will allow the administration of a federally approved vaccine. As the Wall Street Journal points out, the notion that his judgment is greater than that of thousands of private and public-sector scientists is suspect, considering his own administrations failures concerning the thousands of elderly patients who died due to his nursing home policy. Harris and Cuomos unsubtle insinuation is that the president would knowingly and deliberately flout scientific expertise to endanger the public in pursuit of a nefarious political gain. It is impossible to overstate just how perfidious such an accusation is. Not only is it not rooted in fact, but it is also a serious danger to public health at a time when it could not be more fragile. According to a CBS News September poll, only about one-third of registered voters say that a COVID-19 vaccine made available this year would be a scientific achievement, while two-thirds say it was rushed through. This same poll found just 34 percent of respondents feel they can trust the current president to ensure the vaccine is safe, compared with nearly half who said the same of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. While this may be a political achievement for Democrats and the overwhelming majority of the media whod like to see President Trump lose in November, its a distressing reality for apolitical public-health officials who are working overtime to put an end to a deadly pandemic and who believe a vaccine is the only way to restore normalcy in American life. Those worried about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine should consider the process of how a vaccine is developed, tested, approved, and finally brought to market. In the U.S., clinical trials of this scope typically include tens of thousands of participants across multiple phases, some of which include 30,000 or more volunteers at each stage. An independent review board determines when enough valid data have been collected, at which point they will relay their findings to the vaccine creator, who, when confident in its trial outcomes, begins a lengthy review process with public-health officials and governmental scientists. And along the way, the federal government has actually strengthened, not weakened, its approval standards to boost transparency and public trust. At no point during clinical trials do federal officials, including the White House, have access to trial data. Thus, it would be impossible for the president or any of his representatives to prematurely close a trial or rush an untested vaccine to market. If Harris and her allies are correct, that would mean multiple federal agencies, government scientists, private biomedical companies, review boards, and hundreds of thousands of clinical trial participants had gone along with a scheme to force the American people to be injected with an unsafe vaccination to win the presidency for Trump. Moreover, their theory relies upon the assumption that, if McKesson is indeed cleared to begin administering a vaccine on November 1, they would have enough supplies and manpower to distribute hundreds of millions of vaccines to the American people before the election two days later or that at least enough doses could be administered to serve as a fruitful political Hail Mary mere hours before polls close. Never mind that nearly all of the vaccines vying for federal approval would require a booster to actually work. Its bad enough that these sensational scare tactics are factually wrong, but theyre also deeply dangerous. Right now, only about half of Americans say theyre willing to be vaccinated for the coronavirus. These numbers are worse in communities of color who are already facing outsized rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death. Public-health professionals, civic groups, and non-profit organizations are also increasingly worried they wont be able to convince Americans, especially those in minority communities, that a vaccine would protect them and their loved ones. Here, skepticism and even fear of government-direct health programs are rampant. These anxieties are the product of longstanding failures of the U.S. government to meet the needs of underserved communities, the history of unethical medical experimentation in minority communities, and even commonplace myths that shape health literacy. It is certainly understandable that any American could feel trepidation about being among the first in the general public to receive a vaccine. But, its important to remember, too, that they wont be. Health-care professionals will obtain the first dosages allocated in any emergency-use authorization, as they are especially susceptible to encountering the disease in their interactions with patients. And in the event that the vaccine isnt 100 percent effective among those who initially get it, those people will still wear personal protective equipment in their dealings with the public and each other. Allowing doctors and nurses in the line of duty to receive the early publicly available vaccines also gives researchers the opportunity to fine tune it further, creating an even safer and more effective vaccination regimen for the general public. Our patriotic scientists in public service and the private sector alike should be lauded for their work to develop a safe, effective vaccine at breakneck speed. They want to help people, and they care about the integrity of their work. They would never agree to negligently bring to market any vaccine they think would have a chance of hurting people. And they do not deserve to have their integrity and motivations maligned simply because Trump is president. Any public figure with a platform has the vital responsibility of using it wisely. Needlessly stoking fears about a potential coronavirus vaccine to score political points is breathtakingly sinister and downright shameful. We need politicians, celebrities, and community leaders to support a common cause for the common good: promoting sound science that will save precious lives. Ellen Carmichael is the president of The Lafayette Company, a Washington, D.C.-based political consulting firm, and a former adviser to Dr. Tom Price. More from National Review (Natural News) Despite claims by Anthony Fauci and others that Americans should brace for a second wave of the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19), former Pfizer Chief Science Officer Dr. Mike Yeadon says this is nothing but fear-mongering based on junk science and fraud. A former vice president at the pharmaceutical giant, Dr. Yeadon claims that almost all of the tests being conducted for the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) are false positives, a phenomenon that has already been observed in Florida. Dr. Yeadon also says that there is no science to suggest a second wave should happen. Any second wave that comes along is completely manufactured based on fake new cases, Dr. Yeadon is further quoted as saying, responding in the affirmative when asked if we are basing a government policy, an economic policy, a civil liberties policy, in terms of limiting people to six persons in a meeting all based on what may well be completely fake data. Were it not for the test data that you get from the TV all the time, you would rightly conclude that the pandemic was over, as nothing much has happened, Dr. Yeadon further stated, noting that more people will probably be admitted to hospitals for influenza in the coming months, but that these should not be mistaken as Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) admissions. Be sure to check out the following video from Brighteon.com in which Dr. Yeadon talks to interviewer Julia Hartley-Brewer about the truth concerning the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) plandemic: Dr. Yeadon published a paper suggesting that the curve was flattened months ago Earlier this month, Dr. Yeadon and his colleagues published a paper they co-authored about the so-called pandemic. Entitled, How Likely is a Second Wave? this paper explains that most of the deaths associated with the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) occurred back in March and April, and quickly tapered off in the months that followed. By April, most countries, including the U.S., had successfully flattened the curve, though increased testing, most of which is fraudulent, continues to report new cases that those in favor of continued pandemic restrictions are using as evidence to push for endless mask-wearing, physical distancing and in some cases, lockdowns. It has widely been observed that in all heavily infected countries in Europe and several of the U.S. states likewise, that the shape of the daily deaths vs. time curves is similar to ours in the U.K., this paper reveals. Many of these curves are not just similar, but almost super imposable. This is further reflected in the latest survival figures, which since the month of May have risen to 99.8 percent of infections meaning only 0.2 percent of people who test positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) end up dying at some point after being diagnosed. This 99.8 percent survival rate is significantly higher than the one proposed by Fauci back in March and April when he falsely claimed that upwards of 6 percent of Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) patients would die from the virus meaning Fauci incorrectly claimed that the novel virus was 20 to 30 times more deadly than it actually is. The Infection Fatality Rate (IFR) value accepted by Yeadon et al in the paper is .26%, writes Ralph Lopez for HubPages. The survival rate of a disease is 100% minus the IFR. Concerning the allegedly novel nature of the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19), Dr. Yeadon claims that it is only novel in the sense that it is a new type of coronavirus. As it turns out, there are many other types of coronaviruses in existence, including four other strains that are freely circulating throughout the population as you read this. They all have striking sequence similarity to the new coronavirus, Dr. Yeadon points out in his paper, offering a different perspective that is rarely, if ever, mentioned by the mainstream media. Sources for this article include: HubPages.com NaturalNews.com Brighteon.com Author Jen Wilkin Delivers Chapel Message Sept. 30 September 30, 2020 Jen Wilkin, author and Bible teacher, delivered the message during the Universitys virtual chapel service Sept. 30. Wilkin is an author and public speaker from Dallas, Texas, who teaches biblical truths to audiences around the country and has written eight books and Bible studies. Wilkin spoke about wisdom and its importance, particularly amid the turbulent times of the pandemic. She emphasized that the best place to find wisdom is to start with scripture. She taught from 1 Kings 3 and discussed the wisdom God gave to King Solomon. She discussed how as Christians, we have learned to ask God for wisdom when we need direction, when we do not know where to live or who to date or what jobs to apply for. She then posed the question to viewers to consider whether these prayers we pray are for wisdom or for knowledge. Wilkin distinguished between the two, noting that knowledge includes a set of facts, whereas wisdom is the ability to take the facts at hand and make the best decision with the information we already know. While we are consumed with asking the question, what should I do? The better question to ask is, who should I be? Wilkin said. The path of wisdom is the path that we are set upon when we become a believer in Christ. Wilkin then shared how we are called to a life of holiness. She read 1 Thessalonians 4:3, For this is the will of God, your sanctification, followed by 4:7, For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. She went on to explain that we never have to wonder what the will of God is for our lives, for Gods will is that we would be holy just as God is holy. God is the God of all outcomes, she said. We think that we have to make the right choice, so that we can have the right outcome, but God sits outside of time and He holds all outcomes in His hands. We dont trust in outcomes. We trust in the God of all outcomes. So, we dont ask Him for information; we ask him for wisdom to live this day well and to grow in holiness. Wilkin has authored several books, including In His Image, None Like Him and Women of the Word. She has also authored numerous Bible studies, including Better: A Study of Hebrews and God of Creation: A Study of Genesis 1-11. She has organized and led studies for women in home, church and parachurch contexts. Wilkin and her family are members of The Village Church in Dallas. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 09:50:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was laid to rest on Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. She was buried next to her husband, Martin Ginsburg, who died in 2010. The liberal icon made history last week by becoming the first woman in U.S. history to lie in state at the Capitol. A renowned champion of women's rights, Ginsburg died earlier this month at the age of 87 due to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer. She was the second woman appointed to the highest court in the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated conservative federal appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill Ginsburg's seat. Barrett, who sits on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, met with Republican senators on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, as her confirmation process is underway. Enditem California Prosecutor: Driver Tried to Kill Trump Supporters LOS ANGELESThe organizer of a Southern California rally against police brutality and racism was charged with attempted murder Tuesday for driving her car into counterprotesters and running over a womans head. Tatiana Turner deliberately drove into a crowd of President Donald Trumps supporters with the intent to kill the woman and also seriously injured a man who broke his leg, Orange County prosecutors said. She positioned her vehicle to be used as a backup weapon and she used that vehicle as a deadly weapon, willing to injure and kill those who stood in her way, District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. A defense lawyer said Turner tried unsuccessfully to get help from deputies Saturday in Yorba Linda after her group was overwhelmed by a hostile crowd. This undated booking photo of Tatiana Turner. (Orange County District Attorney via AP) Turner saw people with guns and feared for her life when she got into her car that was blocked by Trump supporters, attorney Ludlow Creary II said. She was trying to get away and didnt intend to hit anyone. There were actions that caused her to become fearful for her life and thats when she accelerated, Creary said. Turner, 40, made her first appearance in court remotely from the jail and was ordered held on $1 million bail. A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf by her lawyer. The incident is one of more than 100 where motorists have plowed into demonstrations since late May, following protests against police brutality that grew nationwide over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer, according to Ari Weil, deputy director on the Chicago Project on Security and Threats at the University of Chicago. The vast majority of those cases tallied by Weil involved motorists who ran into those demonstrating for causes aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement, Weil said. He knows of only one other instance where that wasnt the case when a man drove into a people rallying in support of police officers in Eaton, Colorado, in July. Orange County Sheriff deputies keep protesters and counter-protesters apart in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Sept. 26, 2020. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP) Its a man bites dog case when compared to the usual pattern, said Jody Armour, a law professor at the University of Southern California. Armour said it may be difficult for prosecutors to prove Turner tried to kill someone because it requires showing she was more than just reckless or negligent. When youre talking about attempted murder, youre talking a requirement that the state prove that she drove into the crowd with the true purpose to cause someones death, Armour said. That says something about their motivations, their character, their state of mind. Its a value judgment. Its a moral judgment. Prosecutors are alleging just that. The felony complaint said Turner had the specific intent to kill the woman who was run over. The victim has not been named. Authorities said she was hospitalized with major injuries and expected to survive. Orange County Sheriff deputies line up as Black Lives Matter protesters and counter-protesters clash in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Sept. 26, 2020. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP) Turner, who has a felony record for drug sales and domestic violence, is also charged with six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, including one count for causing great bodily injury, mayhem, and two counts of the use of pepper spray by a felon. Turners group, Urban Organizers Coalition, had planned a peaceful march Saturday at the Yorba Linda Library, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. But they were quickly outnumbered and threatened by the other group, Creary said. The DA, however, referred to Turners group as professional militant organizers. Turner was seen in videos waving a baton and spraying what appeared to be pepper spray earlier in the protest. Some members of her group had helmets and riot shields. Creary said the charges were excessive. In my opinion, its a message to activists that go to OC, Creary said. They want to let them know that theyre going to push to the full extent of the law against activists. Again, its part of the hostile environment. The Walt Disney Co. plans to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division amid attendance limits and other restrictions on theme parks brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The layoffs will affect hourly and salaried employees in California and Florida, Mike Schneider reports for the Associated Press. Two-thirds of the layoffs involve part-time workers. Disneys parks closed in the spring as coronavirus spread through the country. Walt Disney World in Florida reopened in July but the company is still waiting on guidance from California officials to reopen Disneyland Resort, the report said. Californias unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen exacerbated the situation for the company, Josh DAmaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experience and Product, said in a letter to employees. DAmaro said his management team cut expenses, suspended projects and modified operations to avoid layoffs but it wasnt enough, according to the report. As heartbreaking as it is to take this action, this is the only feasible option we have in light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic, he said. Disney officials said the company would provide severance packages where appropriate and offer services to help with job placement, AP reports. The company didnt provide a breakdown of the layoffs between the two parks. Disney World has around 77,000 employees, while the Disneyland has more than 30,000 workers, the report said. When both parks were closed due to the pandemic in April, Disney furloughed up to 43,000 of its Florida workers while still paying for their health insurance, the report said. Many of them were brought back when Disney World reopened in July. Furloughed workers in California also received health benefits. Californias health secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly, said Tuesday that the state is close to finding a way to reopen theme parks responsibly. READ MORE: Bidens Will you shut up, man now a T-shirt featuring the U.P. Ilitch Holdings issues layoffs, furloughs in Red Wings, Tigers business operations Coronavirus cases surge in University of Michigan residence halls Gov. Whitmer extends coronavirus state of emergency through Oct. 27 Aquaman, Jason Momoa, spotted eating brunch at a Metro Detroit restaurant Zoo separates foul-mouthed parrots for swearing too much Singapore has announced that it will lift border restrictions for travellers from Australia, excluding those from Victoria, from October 8. Travellers will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival at the airport and isolate until they receive a result. If the result is negative, they will be able to "go about their activities in Singapore", the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore announced on Wednesday. "Both countries have comprehensive public health surveillance systems and displayed successful control over the spread of the COVID-19 virus," the agency said. "Over the last 28 days, Vietnam has zero local COVID-19 case, while Australia (excluding Victoria State) has a virus local incidence rate of 0.02 per 100,000. The risk of importation from these countries is low." However, the Australia government currently has a ban on overseas travel out of Australia, unless specific exemptions are granted. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment. Travellers from Vietnam will also be allowed to visit Singapore, which has been accepting travellers from New Zealand and Brunei since September 8. It has received 136 visitors from New Zealand and Brunei in the past month and has approved 331 applications from the two countries. "None of the visitors tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival," CAAS said. All visitors must have spent 14 consecutive days in their home countries before leaving for Singapore and must apply for an Air Travel Pass and download the Singapore Government's TraceTogether contact tracing app before arrival. For years, Mariah Careys siblings have been trashing her in the press, so she gets to have her say in her new memoir. In The Meaning of Mariah Carey, out now, the famous songstress details her troubled childhood and sheds light on the bitterness between herself and her ex- older siblings, Morgan and Alison Carey. She claims Morgan, 60, was very violent, once hurling their mother, Patricia Carey, into a wall, knocking her out cold, and was put in a childrens psychiatric center for seriously emotionally troubled children. The bad blood with Alison, 58, ran deeper with Mariah claiming she tried to sell me out to a pimp when she was 12. Mariah, 50, paints a sad saga about Alison, who became pregnant at 15 and had the baby against mom Patricias advice. She writes about being 7 and attending the most awkward baby/wedding shower ever for her sibling, who then moved to the Philippines to marry her baby daddy, a 19-year-old serviceman. Just a few years later, Alison, 20, returned to their native Long Island, N.Y., and was in a bad way. Whatever had happened to her over there, or on Long Island, or in a back room somewhere, had taken its toll on her, Mariah wrote. Something, or many things, must have happened to her to lead her to barter her body for money and drugs, as she went on to do for years. Mariah wrote that their parents split when she was 3 and she lived with their mother while Alison moved in with their dad, Alfred and there wasnt loving interaction between the siblings. But when Alison returned, she showed an interest in Mariah for the first time. She said Alison began luring her doing things like secretly getting the then 12-year-old her own phone line, unbeknownst to their mom. The Careys were poor, so Mariah was quickly won over. Alison was living with a new boyfriend who Mariah later learned was a pimp and invited her sister to the nice house where she was allowed to watch as much TV as she wanted and snack on all the foods her mom couldnt afford. Story continues BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Mariah Carey attends Variety's 2019 Power of Women: Los Angeles presented by Lifetime at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on October 11, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/FilmMagic) Mariah was told to tell nobody that she visited or that Alison and boyfriend John would take her to Manhattan, or to eat at IHOP, and giving her attention she craved. But Mariah soon learned it was manipulation masquerading in love. Now, of course, its clear to me that the fun house was a whorehouse. I think my sister was kind of like the hustler, the talent scout, Mariah wrote. I had no idea; after all, I was a 12-year-old girl. She said things quickly spun out of control. First, her sister started calling at all hours in desperate bouts of drug-induced hysteria. Worse, one day Alison and John were supposed to pick her up, but he came solo and had a gun on his lap, placed so Mariah could see it. First, John took Mariah to some seedy card playing venue, where adult men, the only ones there, leered at her and made lewd references. The next stop was a drive-in movie, where he immediately put his arm around me, she recalled. My body went stiff. My eyes were fixed on his gun. [He] pushed in closer and forced a hard kiss on me. I was nauseous and scared; I felt immobilized. Luckily she was saved. An elderly man, who she calls a prayer in person, pulled in next to them and gawked at the mismatched pairing of the older man and child kissing. Even if he didnt detect my distress, he could see this was no place a little girl would ever want to be, Mariah wrote of her angel. John started the car and drove Mariah home in silence. She unplugged the phone Alison installed for her after that. Big sisters are supposed to protect you not pimp you out, Mariah wrote. Mariah shared other upsetting stories about Alison like the time she claimed her sister handed me a little chalky ice-blue pill with the direction to take this. Within minutes, Mariah was in a scary darkness and couldnt pull myself out... At 12, I probably weighed 80 pounds soaking wet and Alison gave me a whole Valium. I dont know why my sister drugged me. There was also the time Alison was dropping her off outside their moms home and pulled out white crystal powder and held it up to my face, saying, Just try it. Mariah wrote she knew it was cocaine and it scared me to death. She declined, writing, I dont know what wouldve happened if I snorted cocaine right before seeing my mother, or ever in my life, saying it would have impeded her path to stardom. Another scary incident Mariah recounted was while they were having tea with their mom. Their dad called, upset with his daughters about something, and wanted to speak to them. Mariah tried to pass the call off to her sister because she was scared of their dad. While it started off as funny, she claims Alison turned. She was looking down at her mug of still-steaming tea ... and when she lifted her face, her eyes were rabid, without a trace of their former playfulness, Mariah recalled. Before I realized what was happening ... [she] threw the boiling hot tea on me. Mariah blacked out from the pain, coming to in a doctors office having suffered third-degree burns on her back. She recalled the doctor, who had to slice off her shirt, removing pieces of the fabric embedded into the flesh of my shoulder with tweezers. Mariah said her back was numb after and she couldnt be touched without it causing excruciating pain. She said it was years before I could accept a simple pat on the back, as most of my skin had to completely renew and repair itself. However, the deepest injury was the emotional trauma. In reflecting on the fractured relationship, Mariah called Alison the most brilliant and broken person I have ever known. I may never understand what hurt her so badly that it made her hurt so many others in return, but to me, she was her own most permanently damaged victim. Mariah said she tried to help Alison many times, financing treatments and paying for rehabs. However, in return, Alison has made her the target for which to take out her enduring pain, with Mariah writing that through the years, both my sister and brother have put me on the chopping block, sold lies to any gossip rag or trashy website that would buy or listen. In 2016, Alison who is HIV-positive was arrested on a prostitution charge in Saugerties, N.Y. Just prior, she used a tabloid as a forum to publicly beg Mariah for money for health expenses following a home invasion attack that left her brain damaged. The following year, Alison was sued for millions after allegedly hitting a man with her car and nearly killing him. Alison being interviewed after her 2016 arrest: In August, Alison filed her own lawsuit against their mom, Patrica, for alleged sexual abuse. She claims Patricia forced her to perform sex acts on strangers when she was 10. The Meaning of Mariah Carey is available in bookstores, including Amazon, now. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Shiv Sena has welcomed the acquittal of 32 accused associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said on Wednesday that both the party as well as Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray have welcomed the verdict. Earlier today, a special CBI court in Lucknow ruled that there was no conclusive evidence to prove that the demolition of the Mosque in Ayodhya in 1992 was pre-planned, ruling out a criminal conspiracy to bring down the mosque. Former deputy Prime Minister LK Advani along with other BJP stalwarts Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, were among the accused in the case. We should not forget the incident as grand Ram Mandir is now being built. If the Babri structure had not come down, we would not have seen the construction of the Ram temple, Raut said, reacting to the verdict. Former Shiv Sena leader Satish Pradhan, who was then a close aide of Sena founder Bal Thackeray, was also acquitted in the case. Expressing his happiness over the verdict, he said, he was not even present at the spot. I had no connection with the demolition as I was not even present at the spot. My stance has been vindicated and I finally got justice, said Pradhan. The court in Lucknow said there was no conclusive proof against the accused that also included Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Rithambara. Also Read: Babri Masjid demolition verdict: All 32 accused acquitted Earlier, LK Advani, too, welcomed the court verdict and said it came in the footsteps of another order which paved the way for his dream of seeing a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. It is a very important decision and a matter of happiness for us. When we heard the news of the courts order, we welcomed it by chanting Jai Shri Ram, Advani said in a video message. Also Read: LK Advani, acquitted in Babri case, says ruling vindicates my and BJPs belief in Ram Janmabhoomi movement After the court verdict, the 92-year-old BJP leader had greeted the media, gathered outside his house, by chanting the slogan of Jai Shri Ram. He was seen watching the news in his residence while sitting with his family members and his daughter Pratibha Advani, who was holding his hands, reported PTI. VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomd Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: ZOMD) (OTC: ZMDTF) (https://www.zoomd.com) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Zoomd Ltd. (collectively, "Zoomd" or the "Company"), the marketing tech (MarTech) user-acquisition and engagement platform, is scheduled to participate in a virtual presentation and fireside chat at the October 2020 Lytham Partners Virtual Investor Growth Conference on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 9:00am ET (6:00am PT). A webcast of the presentation will be posted under the investor relations section of Zoomd's website at https://zoomd.com/investors/, and can be accessed at https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2473/37788 or www.lythampartners.com/virtual. A replay of the presentation will be available following the event. Management will also be participating in virtual one-on-one meetings on October 6-9, 2020. To arrange a meeting, please contact Ben Shamsian of Lytham Partners at [email protected] or visit www.lythampartners.com/virtual. About Zoomd Zoomd (TSXV: ZOMD, OTC: ZMDTF), founded in 2012 and began trading on the TSX-V in September 2019, offers a site search engine to publishers, and a mobile app user-acquisition platform, integrated with a majority of global digital media, to advertisers. The platform unifies more than 600 media sources into one unified dashboard. Offering advertisers a user acquisition control center for managing all new customer acquisition campaigns using a single platform. By unifying all these media sources onto a single platform, Zoomd saves advertisers significant resources that would otherwise be spent consolidating data sources, thereby maximizing data collection and data insights while minimizing the resources spent on the exercise. Further, Zoomd is a performance-based platform that allows advertisers to advertise to the relevant target audiences using a key performance indicator-algorithm that is focused on achieving the advertisers' goals and targets. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information please contact: Company Media Contacts Amit Bohensky Chairman Zoomd [email protected] Investor Relations Lytham Partners, LLC Ben Shamsian New York | Phoenix [email protected] SOURCE Zoomd Technologies Ltd. Top officials at the White House pressured the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to produce more data that showed the spread of COVID-19 was declining in young people ahead of schools reopening, some officials have claimed. The officials, including Dr Deborah Birx and Vice President Mike Pence aides, were involved in pushing for alternate data that was in favor of children returning to school, the New York Times reports, citing interviews with former and current officials. Olivia Troye, a former aide who worked on Pence's COVID-19 taskforce, said she was repeatedly asked by the VP's chief of staff Marc Short to produce data that showed declining cases in children. She claims Pence's staff were asked to try and circumvent the CDC to search for data that better supported the push to reopen schools. Troye left the White House last month and has publicly slammed President Trump and his coronavirus response. Top officials at the White House pressured the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to produce more data that showed the spread of COVID-19 was declining in young people ahead of schools reopening, some officials say Short has since said Troye has a vendetta against Trump. Dr Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, sent CDC director Robert Redfield an email in July asking for specific data on children's mental health to be included as 'background' in its school reopening guidance, according to the NYT. The data came from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - an agency inside the Department of Health - and suggested that extended school closures could affect a child's mental health. That report suggested there were few instances where children were the primary source of COVID-19 transmission among family members and said that asymptomatic children were unlikely to spread the virus. CDC scientists flagged concerns that the data minimized the risk of COVID-19 in children. While the mental health argument was included in the introductory text of the CDC's final guidelines, the line about asymptomatic children was not included. Dr Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, sent CDC director Robert Redfield an email in July asking for specific data on children's mental health to be included as 'background' in its school reopening guidance Olivia Troye, a former aide who worked on Pence's COVID-19 taskforce, said she was repeatedly asked by the VP's chief of staff Marc Short to produce data that showed declining cases in children A CDC report released this week said that the incidence of COVID-19 in school-age children began rising in early September as many youngsters returned to their classrooms. About two times more teens were infected than younger children, the CDC said. Most infected children have mild cases and hospitalizations and death rates are much lower than in adults. A separate study by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association said the children of all ages now make up 10 percent of all US cases, which is up from 2 percent in April. Dr. Sally Goza, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the rising numbers are a big concern and underscore the importance of masks, hand-washing, social distancing and other precautions. 'While children generally don't get as sick with the coronavirus as adults, they are not immune and there is much to learn about how easily they can transmit it to others,' she said in a statement. The CDC report did not indicate where or how the children became infected. Global school studies suggest in-person learning can be safe when transmission rates in the larger community are low, the CDC report said. Bangkok, Sep 30 : Around 200 Thais left to work on farms in Israel on Wednesday on a flight arranged by the Labour Ministry, which declared the Covid-19 situation is "easing". Thiwalrat Angkinan, adviser to the labour minister, and deputy permanent secretary for labour Thianrat Nawamawat were at Suvarnabhumi airport to see them off, according to the ministry's Facebook page. Two groups, totalling 214, left for Israel - 131 newly hired workers and temporary resettlement workers in Thailand who had delayed their trip to Israel due to the Covid-19 outbreak since February; and 83 others whose Israeli employers had asked them to return, Thiwalrat said. Thiwalrat said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had placed emphasis on sending workers abroad. Normally, more than 100,000 Thai workers go overseas to work each year, remitting 100 billion baht back to the country, according to the statement posted on Facebook. The coronavirus pandemic caused the ministry to suspend the departure of workers to jobs overseas. The Covid-19 situation had now eased to some extent, due to measures taken by the government, she said. In past years, the Employment Department had sent Thais to work in the agricultural sector in Israel under a state-to state labour cooperation scheme first implemented in 2010, the labour minister's adviser said. The 214 workers boarded an Air Asia X charter flight, XJ208, which left Suvarnabhumi airport at 12.40pm, and was scheduled to arrive at Ben Gurion airport in Israel at 7.45pm, Bangkokpost reported. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin sent his best wishes and asked them to abide by laws and culture of Israel and keep away from drugs and alcohol, and pay heed to state measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Ms Thiwalrat said. Israel ranks 24th globally for Covid-19 infections, while Thailand ranks 137th. Israel currently has the world's highest weekly infection rate per capita. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI -- The public is invited to a live forum with Washtenaw County candidates vying for a seat in the state House of Representatives. The Washtenaw County Food Policy Council is hosting the virtual event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, with the candidates running in districts overlapping the county. Candidates expected to be present include: District 52: State Rep. Donna Lasinski and Greg Marquis District 53: State Rep. Yousef Rabhi and Jean Holland District 54: State Rep. Ronnie Peterson and Martin Church District 55: Bob Baird and Felicia Brabec The event is intended for the public to connect with the candidates before the election. The forum will specifically address issues related to local food systems, healthy food access and agriculture, according to the event page. It will be moderated by Zoe Clark of Michigan Radios Its Just Politics. Anyone interested should register online for the free event. DETROIT, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) Awards said today that, following a preliminary vote, 27 new vehicles have made its list of semifinalists for the 2021 awards. The list includes eight cars, 15 utility vehicles and four trucks available to consumers this year that are either all-new or substantially new. NACTOY accepted vehicle entries from automakers later than normal this year to better accommodate more than the usual number of late-launch vehicles. "Many of the new models on our semifinalist list make bold statements that are intended to distinguish them within their segments," NACTOY President Gary Witzenburg said. "Several are all-electric, while others have groundbreaking designs or off-the-charts capabilities. It will be fascinating to see which risks pay off this year as our evaluation process continues." This year's semifinalists were picked by a jury of 50 respected jurors from print, online, radio and broadcast media across the U.S. and Canada. The next step in the awards process is an annual comparison drive that will take place Oct. 5-8 where jurors will have another chance to evaluate the vehicles that made the semifinalists list. Next, jurors will vote to select three finalists from each category, which will be announced in December during an event hosted by the LA Auto Show. Winners will be announced in January 2021 during an event hosted by the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. 2021 NACTOY Semifinalists: Car of the Year Acura TLX Cadillac CT4/CT4-V Genesis G80 Hyundai Elantra family (includes N Line and HEV) Kia K5 Mercedes-Benz E Class Sedan, All-Terrain, Coupe, Cabriolet Nissan Sentra Polestar 2 Utility of the Year Cadillac Escalade Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Chevrolet Trailblazer Ford Bronco Sport Ford Mustang Mach E Genesis GV80 Hyundai Santa Fe Kia Seltos Kia Sorento Land Rover Defender Mazda CX-30 Nissan Rogue Toyota RAV4 Prime Toyota Venza Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge Truck of the Year Ford Super Duty Ford F-150 Ram 1500 TRX Jeep Gladiator Mojave Spanish and French versions of this release will be available on NACTOY's website. For more information about NACTOY and its history: http://northamericancaroftheyear.org. ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN CAR, UTILITY AND TRUCK OF THE YEAR The awards are intended to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. The organization gives out three awards. They are: "North American Car of the Year," "North American Utility Vehicle of the Year," and "North American Truck of the Year." The awards are unique because they are given by an independent jury of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada instead of being given by a single publication, website, radio or television station. SOURCE North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year Awards (NACTOY) So, as darkness closes in on the evening of the 7th down at the intersection of the Brock and Plank roads, where the ground fires are still burning from the previous day and you have the blackened corpses of soldiers . . . and the Union army comes to the crossroads and the men who have heretofore done the dying and the suffering know they are not turning back. They are going on. The Confederates will be correspondingly discouraged. Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has made several hires to strengthen its cyber insurance underwriting team: Tresa Stephens as regional product leader; Josh Navarro, executive underwriter; and Ed Lee, underwriting specialist. Based in New York, Stephens will lead the Northeast region, executing a national cyber strategy and developing underwriting and service capabilities for distribution partners and clients. She will also be responsible for cyber training across lines of business. Stephens joins from Argo Group, where she led the East region Cyber practice as an underwriting manager for Technology E&O and Cyber. For two years prior, she was an executive underwriter for Financial Lines with Chubb. Located in Chicago, Navarro will execute underwriting strategy in the Midwest region by developing relationships with producers and clients. He also will support key growth initiatives in line with growth and regional partnership strategies. Previously, Navarro was assistant vice president, underwriting manager with Argo Pro, responsible for Cyber and Professional Liability for the Midwest. Stephens and Navarro both report to Thomas Kang, head of Cyber in North America, Also joining from Argo Group where he was a senior Cyber & Technology E&O underwriter, Lee is based in New York. Reporting to Stephens, he will deliver cyber insurance and service capabilities across the Northeast. Topics Cyber Underwriting Allianz The boys are back! Why Don't We has returned from its nine-month hiatus. Dropping song Fallin' along with its music video Tuesday, the band is ready for its most exciting era ever and PEOPLE has some exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from their music video! The band comprising Jonah Marais, Corbyn Besson, Daniel Seavey, Jack Avery and Zach Herron completely logged off of social media in February to both take a break and start fresh on the future of WDW. As amazing as social media can be, it can be a toxic place as well and it was nice to delete the apps off of our phones for a bit, Marais, 22, tells PEOPLE. It allowed us to just focus on writing this music and rest." Zack Caspary Zack Caspary RELATED: Why Don't We: What to Know About the Hot New Boy Band And that's exactly what they did. Over the past few months, the band worked on their upcoming music, which they've written and produced themselves. And one more thing: We're all playing instruments now! says Marais. Switching up depending on the song, Marais will play the keyboards, synth bass and vocoder, Besson tests his skills on the guitar and bass, Seavey plays the guitar, drums and cello while both Zach and Avery hit the piano and guitar. We've grown up quite a bit, Marais says. We're now the band we've dreamed of being. This will be the most exciting era of WDW, he adds. We wrote and produced this new music and it's the most genuine we've ever been." Zack Caspary Jonah Marais on the set of "Fallin'" Zack Caspary Why Don't We on set RELATED: Why Don't We Answers Your Fan Questions With Puppies! WATCH: Boy Band Why Don't We Answers Your Fan Questions With Puppies! Why Don't We Will Be Performing In The 2017 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour The group returns in time for their four-year anniversary with track Fallin' a drum-backed, pop-rock track that embodies the group's evolution from its debut album 8 Letters. The boys are grown. Story continues The music pushes a musical boundary and genre that we haven't tried before, and we're stoked to show this side of us to the world, says Besson, 21. We played all the instruments on the track and the lyrics are based on our real feelings and experiences while touring and during quarantine. Besson explains that the track is about going full send for a girl you've always wanted." RELATED: Why Don't We Releases New Single 'Come to Brazil' in Nod to South American Fans Zack Caspary Zack Herron on the set of "Fallin'" Zack Caspary Jack Avery on the set of Fallin' Pamela Littky The writing session was crazy because the song basically wrote itself. We started entirely from scratch and about 45 minutes later it was finished, he says. We actually recorded about half of the vocals at Daniel's house due to the pandemic and after hearing the demo for the first time I remember feeling like 'oh s, this might be the song weve been waiting for.' Marais adds that the group was very involved in the whole video process, playing roles from the video treatment to set design to their own styling. (The video was directed by legend Isaac Rentz.) I hope our fans feel like they can let loose when they listen to this song and I can't wait to hear everyone scream the hook at the top of their lungs when we are able to play some shows again!" says Besson. "Fallin'" is out now. Lanesboro is the perfect location for a digital hub, according to Cllr Gerard Farrell, who proposed that Longford County Council acquire a property to develop such a facility in the town. Were in a new Ireland now where working from home is getting more and more popular, said Cllr Farrell at last weeks meeting of Ballymahon Municipal District. Lanesboro is perfectly positioned with two counties and several parishes. If the council could acquire a property and develop it, it would be huge for the economic development of Lanesboro. His motion was promptly backed by Cllr Mark Casey who said the old convent building in Lanesboro would be the ideal location for a digital hub. Cllr Paul Ross also agreed that it is a great idea, which would prompt a major change in the economy. We need to be proactive in developing employment and potential employment in Lanesboro, he said. Cllr Mick Cahill was also strongly in favour of the motion; It would be a benefit to that area, to two counties and six parishes. It also crosses the Shannon, so there should be opportunity there, he said. Cllr Pat OToole also expressed his support for Cllr Farrells very apt and timely motion, stating that something similar should be done for Ballymahon. Cllr Farrell, delighted with the level of support for the motion, agreed with Cllr Casey that the old convent building, with its three stores, would be perfectly positioned for a hub. Theres also a council carpark across the road from it, so it would be perfect, he said. Director of Services John McKeon agreed that the proposal was something we can look at but said the council is facing constraints. Its not something we could do on our own. We cant commit to anything other than to see what we can do, he said. Cllr Farrell also raised the issue of Just Transition applications, calling on Longford County Council to ringfence a sum of money from the Municipal Allocation Fund for 2021 to support applications. Its a new fund and we have to be ready to support community groups. If a worthwhile community project comes in, we would support them, he said. Cllr Mick Cahill warned that the council would have to be careful about how they phrase it as applications that would be supported should have to fully comply with requirements. Cllr Paul Ross agreed with the spirit of the motion but said that the council would need to assess each application on its own merits. Cllr Mark Casey stressed that they would need to make sure its community groups only and for the benefit of the community, not private enterprises. BELLEVILLE Illinois American Water is reminding customers of its assistance program H2O Help to Others and payment plans. Customers who are behind in payment should call 800-422-2782 as soon as possible to discuss options. We want to help our customers who are experiencing a hardship. Financial assistance is available, as are payment plans and an extended moratorium on shutoffs for low income customers and those experiencing financial hardship. All our customers need to do is give us a call, said Vice President of Operations Elizabeth Matthews. In March, American Water voluntarily placed a moratorium on customer accounts to prevent shut off for non-payment and late fees for late payments. The company also reinstated service for customers who were previously shut off for nonpayment. An Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) order approved in June allowed for the reinstatement of utility procedures for nonpayment and late payments at the end of July. Illinois American Water is holding off on reinstating shut off procedures until Oct. 1. The company is also extending the moratorium on shutoffs for low income customers and those experiencing a financial hardship. As utilities comply with the ICCs agreement and begin normal practices for nonpayment, we want to be sure it doesnt take our customers by surprise, Matthews said. Its important they receive the assistance they need to avoid an interruption in their service. Customers need to reach out to us immediately. To assist customers Illinois American Water has implemented flexible payment plans and payment options. More information about these plans are available online at illinoisamwater.com under Customer Service & Billing in the Customer Assistance Program section. The company also offers budget billing so residential customers can pay a fixed monthly payment over a period of 12 months. In addition, Illinois American Waters H2O Help to Others program offers financial assistance to residential customers in need. The program is offered to Illinois American Water customers and is administered by Salvation Army agencies within the companys service area. Information can also be found online at www.illinoisamwater.com under Customer Service & Billing in the Customer Assistance Program section. The guidelines of the H2O Help to Others program allow customers who have experienced a financial hardship to apply for assistance of up to $200, regardless of income. Assistance of over $200 is also available in extenuating circumstances. Our customer assistance program is not based on income to ensure it is inclusive for all of our customers who may be experiencing hardship, Matthews said. Its important we do what we can to help our customers our friends and neighbors. Matthews stresses customers need to call so the company knows they are in need. Customers with a past due balance should call 800-422-2782 to avoid their service being shut off. If customers currently arent experiencing a hardship, but their situation changes in the coming months, they should also call the utility immediately. We remain committed to our customers today and in the future. Our assistance programs are there to help our customers when they need it most, said Matthews. For more information about the H2O Help to Others program customers can visit illinoisamwater.com under Customer Service & Billing in the Customer Assistance Program section. BROWNSTOWN, MICH. -- Sometimes the birds are so high up that they appear like countless little specks of black pepper in the sky. Sometimes theyre treetop level, providing a dramatic show for the people who gather to witness this wild natural phenomenon. Its all part of the yearly spectacle of fall migration at Lake Erie Metropark, whose unique location has, for decades, made it a designated watch site for migrating raptors like hawks and eagles as they make their way to their wintering grounds. The 1,600-acre park sits along the waterfront where Lake Erie meets the Detroit River, giving it the advantage of being directly along the flight path for many of these migratory birds. When the wind direction and weather are right, park visitors can see literally tens of thousands of raptors flying overhead in a single day. Theres so many people who dont even know this happens, said Kevin Arnold, Huron-Clinton Metroparks' Southern District interpretive supervisor. For something that youre not expecting to see, its pretty awesome. Less than half the bird species in the United States are year-round residents in a specific location. Many species, ranging from tiny warblers to the iconic bald eagle, travel to different locations to breed or find more favorable living conditions, leading to mass migration events each spring and fall. Over the span of September, October, and November, Lake Erie Metropark regularly sees 16 species of raptors, including bald eagles, osprey, sharp-shinned hawks, broad-winged hawks, peregrine falcons, turkey vultures, and even golden eagles. The number of raptors streaming over the watch site have ranged from as low as 30,000 birds for the three-month migration season, to more than 600,000 birds, according to Huron-Clinton Metroparks. Thats made the park a hotspot for birdwatchers, from newbies to longtime birders, who travel here this time of year specifically to catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures. Visitors -- even first-time birdwatchers -- are encouraged to come witness fall migration at the park. The main viewing site is at the parks boat launch, which looks out over a channel toward the island of Gibraltar. Interpretive staff and volunteers are usually on hand through the end of November to answer questions and provide assistance with viewing. Visitors are encouraged to bring binoculars and camp chairs, and to remember that nature is not always predictable. Sometimes people come out and theyre just expecting a solid wall of hawks all day long, Arnold said. I think we had a total of 35 birds for the day yesterday. Theres really great days and theres really slow days as well. A Metroparks vehicle pass is required for entrance. Visitors can learn about the parks fall migration raptor programs via the Huron-Clinton Metroparks events page here, or visit metroparks.com for more information. RELATED: How to level up your Michigan spring birdwatching Think you know about Great Lakes birds? This new short film will amaze you Worlds oldest loon couple returns to Michigans Seney Wildlife Refuge Westinghouse and Energoatom sign contract for supply of nuclear fuel for VVER-440 power units of Rivne NPP Westinghouse Electric Company and Energoatom have signed a contract for the supply of nuclear fuel for the VVER-440 power units at Rivne nuclear power plant (NPP), according to a joint press release of the companies. "This agreement is another successful step in the continuation of the long-term partnership between Energoatom and Westinghouse," the statement said. The parties also signed a letter of intent to further study localization of production of components for fuel and assembly parts in Ukraine. Atomenergomash, a division of Energoatom, is currently qualifying for the production of VVER-1000 top and bottom nozzles for Westinghouse fuel. The signing of both documents took place in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We are pleased that Energoatom has once again demonstrated their confidence in Westinghouse's nuclear fuel performance. With this major agreement, we extend further our commitment to Ukraine's energy security and focus on further improving the operational excellence of its nuclear fleet. Westinghouse is looking forward to continuing to support Energoatom in other areas of expertise as a global strategic partner, Westinghouse President and CEO Patrick Fragman said. Agents and brokers should be on alert that plaintiffs attorneys in COVID-19 related business interruption claims lawsuits may be eyeing them as more cases against insurance companies begin to fail and claimants start looking around for other sources of reimbursement for losses incurred during government ordered shutdowns in response to the coronavirus pandemic, agent errors and omission (E&O) insurance specialists say. In a presentation on agency E&O best practices and the COVID-19 pandemic during the Virtual Insurcon held by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas in June, Jim Redeker, vice president and claims manager at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, said claims or potential claims against agents were already trickling in and more are expected. While the primary targets of the BI lawsuits will be insurers, agents will be added as policyholders fail to find relief from their insurance companies. The first target of these lawsuits is not going to be the insurance agents. The first target is going to be the carrier who denies the business interruption claim, he said. At least one Texas agency has successfully fought an action brought against it and one of its agents over a COVID-19 business interruption claim. The case was dismissed in August by a U.S. district judge in Dallas who found the plaintiffs had failed to state a claim against the defendants on which relief could be granted. Vandelay Hospitality Group LP, which owns several Dallas-area restaurants, had named Dallas-based Swingle Collins & Associates and agent Brandon Cass as additional defendants in a suit against Cincinnati Insurance Co. over the insurers denial of the restaurant groups claim for reimbursement for losses sustained as a result of forced business closures by local and state authorities. Vandelay had filed a claim under its commercial insurance policy for more than $1 million in losses among its three Dallas-area restaurants. While Vandelays action against Swingle Collins and Cass has been dismissed, the suit against Cincinnati Insurance was still alive as of mid-August when U.S. District Judge Sidney Allen Fitzwater of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued his opinion in the part of the case involving Swingle Collins and Cass. Redeker said the plaintiffs bar has been quick to take up the hunt for business interruption claims cases, with trial attorneys that normally work independently joining forces. He cited a mailer by four nationally recognized Missouri law firms that has been mailed out. They ordinarily work on their own. But they are cooperating going after carriers denying BI claims. The first sentence of the mailer reads: Business interruption insurance policies are individually crafted to the insureds business. So, it doesnt take much to see that when the carrier balks at playing these claims, theyre going to turn to the agency that was supposed to do the crafting of these policies, Redeker said. This of course begs the question: how do we respond on behalf of our insured agents and brokers? In the past, Swiss Re has relied on known panel law firms to handle claims against its insureds, he said. But because the insurer is expecting an onslaught of expected COVID-19 claims, it will be using a national coordinating counsel model. This method is described as a hub and spoke approach to defending cases. Our national coordinating counsel will act as the hub, receiving every case and reviewing it, and then sending it to a local office. The national coordinating counsel will help develop a defense strategy to be used around the country. The firms local attorneys will the tweak that strategy based on local law and traditional realities of the courts their cases are in, Redeker said. We are expecting many claims to be made against agents and brokers, said Susan Taylor Wall with Gordon & Rees, who serves as national coordinating counsel for Swiss Re in COVID-19 related E&O lawsuits. Speaking as part of the IIAT Insurcon panel on E&O, Wall warned that plaintiffs lawyers are very creative. And claims against agents and brokers may include novel allegations that weve rarely seen or may have never seen in the past. In defending lawsuits against agents, we do not intend to become embroiled in coverage, Wall said. The policy was drafted by the carrier and not the agent. The courts will ultimately determine the meaning behind policy language. Beyond the issue of policy language, Wall listed several reasons why agents and brokers would be named as defendants in lawsuits along with the carrier who denied the claim for a COVID-19 business interruption loss. One is that the plaintiff seeks to keep the case in state courts, which they may believe will be more amenable to their case. That was one of the motivations for the addition of Swingle Collins and Cass to Vandelays lawsuit against Cincinnati Insurance mentioned above, according to court documents. Agents also may be included as a second, deep pocket for recovery. Often plaintiffs lawyers may add an agent or broker hoping that the agent will become embroiled in the coverage question and thus increase the chance that recovery will be made against the agent, Wall said. Another concerning reason is that there is language on an agencys website or somewhere else in writing that could be construed as a promise of coverage which did not come true, Wall said. Or the agent might have made an oral promise of coverage, which allows recovery against the agent or potential recovery regardless of the ruling by the court on coverage in the policy language. Wall said agents should never promise a client that they have coverage after a loss that determination is the carriers responsibility. You dont want to take on more responsibility than the law requires that you have, she said. If a customer asks about coverage after a loss, the best thing to do is tell them the carrier will determine the claim, that you will put in the claim if the customer asks you to do that. And then the carrier takes over from there, Wall said. Topics Lawsuits Carriers COVID-19 Agencies Texas Claims USA Education CS George Magoha has directed final year students in all universities and tertiary institutions to report back to class on Monday, October 5. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the minister said this is part of progressive reopening of learning institutions. Following broad-based consultations, the Ministry of Education notifies the public that the progressive re-opening of education institutions will start with the re-opening of universities and tertiary institutions with effect from Monday 5 October, 2020, Magoha outlined in an advisory to newsrooms. He said Boards of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVETs), Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) and University Councils will announce the resumption date of in-person learning for other classes. CS Magoha directed respective University Councils and Senates to prioritize reopening of in-person teaching for science-based courses. The CS asserted that safe resumption of in-person learning in learning institutions requires utmost fidelity to Ministry of Health guidelines on COVID-19. Learning institutions are required to sporadically monitor temperatures for all students, enforce observance of hygiene as well as adopt innovative ways of enforcing social distance. Further, institutions that had been designated as quarantine facilities will be required to be fumigated under the supervision of health officials, prior to re-opening. Additionally, all institutions are required to have links to a medical facility before the re-opening with the Education Ministry threatening punitive actions to institutions that will be found flouting the laid-out guidelines. At the same time, Magoha said learners and staff will be provided with psychological and spiritual support as the targeted institutions are set to be reopened. Magoha said Education officials in conjunction with public health officials will continuously monitor and review the level of compliance. New Delhi: Income tax officers can now reopen tax cases for up to 10 years if search operations reveal undisclosed income and assets of over Rs 50 lakh. Currently, I-T officers can go back up to 6 years to scrutinise the books of accounts of assesses. According to the memorandum to the Finance Bill 2017, the amendment to the Income Tax Act will take effect from April 1, 2017. This means that the books of accounts of an assessee can be reopened by taxmen back till 2007. The amendment seeks to check tax evasion where tangible evidences in the form of undisclosed investment in assets are found during a search or seizure operation.It empowers tax officials to issue notices to such assessees up to the 10th assessment year, beyond the 6th assessment year already provided for in the I-T Act. ALSO READ | Budget 2017: Jaitley proposes tax concessions for banks struggling with NPAs As per the amendment, notices can be issued if the assessing officer has in his possession books of accounts or other documents or evidence which reveal that the income that has escaped assessment amounts to Rs 50 lakh or more in a year or in aggregate of four assessment years. The notices can also be issued if the income which escaped assessment is in the form of assets. ALSO READ | Budget 2017-18: Government to reduce time for revising tax return to 12 months The amended provision of Section 153A shall apply where search under Section 132 is initiated or requisition under Section 132A is made on or after April 1, 2017, the memorandum said. In case of undisclosed foreign assets, the government had allowed tax authorities to reopen cases up to 16 years. The move to extend the period for reopening of tax cases is part of the overall exercise of the government to unearth black money through a host of initiatives. Budget 2017: Here are 15 revealing points you must read to know why India is a non-tax complaint society The government had earlier come out with disclosure schemes for foreign and domestic black money holders. In November, it demonetised high-value bank notes and provided black money holders one last opportunity to disclose unaccounted cash holding in Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. C Shivakumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: Chennai's new master plan, which is now being prepared by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) with technical assistance from the World Bank, will focus on reducing the impact of natural disasters due to climate change. The Second Master Plan of Chennai which has been drawn up for the period till 2026 did not focus on disaster and climate resilience of the city. CMDA has started the groundwork for the new master plan by seeking a GIS expert and climate resilience and environmental specialist to devise a roadmap for urban growth of the city till 2046. Chennai's Second Master Plan was prepared to provide regulations for development and building activity in the city. It envisages a population of 58 lakh for Chennai city and 126 lakh for Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) by 2026. But with the proposed city limits being expanded from 1,189 sqkm to 8,878 sqkm, will the masterplan have to take into account proposed urban growth in the new areas? Former Anna University professor of urban engineering K P Subramanian, who had opposed the CMA expansion, told The New Indian Express that the new masterplan could not include the proposed expansion as the provisional notification had lapsed. Official sources said the preparation of the master plan for Chennai is part of the Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project (TNHHDP), a World Bank financed project of the state government. A total of USD 9 million up to the financial year 2023-24 has been approved by the World Bank for the CMDA as part of the project, a source said. The technical assistance from the World Bank includes a climate and disaster resilience study and geo-spatial mapping to feed into the master plan preparation process, as well as undertaking analytics on river drainage basin and flood plain mapping. This would include support to development of a comprehensive vision for future urbanization of Chennai plugging into and supporting the proposed Chennai City Partnership program (another project proposed to be financed by the World Bank). The focus of the new master plan will be to strengthen urban planning systems including supporting the preparation of guidelines that support the master plan process. It also includes capacity building towards establishing modern and inclusive land use planning systems and twinning with an international city on metropolitan planning functions. A source said the GIS expert will be part of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) set up at CMDA, whose role would include implementing the GIS roadmap prepared as part of the Master Plan Process and Capacity Study. The new master plan will include a metropolitan growth vision for the Chennai Metropolitan Area, including establishing a geo-spatial platform towards preparation of land use planning. This will focus on increasing the affordability of housing and building capacity of the institution to coordinate and aggregate multi-sector spatial information towards preparation of the master plan. K P Subramanian said that the new master plan should do away with conventional planning which used to focus on land use planning only. The focus of the third master plan should be on creating infrastructure and then on development. "Usually, the focus is on development and then on infrastructure and this has created chaos," he said. Interestingly, the Second Master Plan has been a contentious issue, with builders, planners and academicians faulting it. As per the norm, it should have been reviewed every five years but planners in the CMDA have hardly done so since it was implemented in 2010. While the First Master Plan and Second Master Plan projected a total increase in built-up area by 330.58 sqkm (33,058 hectares) over the 50 year period between 1976 to 2026, the actual increase in built-up area as worked out using satellite imageries over 37 years period between 1979 and 2016 was 450.26 sqkm pointing to large-scale illegal constructions. The fault lies in the state government not enacting the Flood Plain Zoning (FPZ) mandated by the Central Water Commission which in 1975 circulated a model bill for it. Even the Second Master Plan prepared by CMDAs planners did not provide for FPZ, a concept to regulate land use in the flood plains to restrict the damage caused by floods and determine the locations and extent of areas for developmental activities so that it does not affect the environment. Alarming as those figures are, what's also telling is the lack of data nationwide informing the analysis. As of August, only 19 states were publicly identifying COVID-19 cases or deaths specific to assisted living. As a result, it is difficult to know the extent to which residents and staff at assisted living facilities have been affected by COVID-19 or the extent to which interventions are urgently needed, the analysis said. Many in the industry say the shortage of data tracks with a bigger problem namely, assisted living residences have been largely overlooked in the country's coronavirus-relief efforts, even though their population is highly vulnerable. "We're forgotten, in a sense, says Dwayne J. Clark, founder and CEO of Aegis Living, which operates 32 assisted living and memory-care communities throughout Washington, California and Nevada. Thus far during the pandemic, Aegis has recorded 99 resident infections, 121 staff infections and 21 COVID-19 deaths among its 5,000 residents and staff. "Not many people understand the level of care that assisted living provides in our country, he says. We're caring for high-acuity people, just like nursing homes. Elaine Ryan, vice president for state advocacy and strategy integration at AARP, says assisted living has almost been third tier in terms of focus during this pandemic. "Ninety-nine percent of the focus early in the pandemic was on hospitals; nursing homes were second tier for things like [personal protective equipment] or any kind of staff support, she says. As the months wore on, more focus was put on nursing homes, which were particularly vulnerable. But there wasn't that same focus on assisted living residents. A patchwork response Although nursing homes are regulated by the federal government (and largely depend on federal funds through Medicare and Medicaid), assisted living facilities mostly are not; theyre licensed and regulated by the states, and the majority operate on a private-pay model. The federal governments response to COVID-19 in nursing homes has been widely criticized as too little, too late when it comes to requiring and supporting testing, PPE and visits between residents and loved ones. But with assisted living, states are even more on their own. "The federal government has been a little hands-off on this, so things have evolved differently from place to place, says Ted Doyle, vice president of communications and a founding executive at LCB Senior Living, which operates 27 assisted living and memory-care facilities in six Northeastern states. "We've been working closely with different state health departments to understand where they're coming from, to get advice, to try and find PPE, Doyle says. And while we've had some luck, we've had to do most of it on our own. His facilities have lost 54 residents who had COVID-19 diagnoses at the time of their death. Seven percent of residents and 7 percent of staff (around 140 in each category) have also been COVID-19 positive at some point. Essential coronavirus-mitigation strategies, such as testing, PPE supply and staffing, have rolled out inconsistently across the states. For example, Massachusetts offered assisted living facilities free testing from the National Guard from April until mid-June, which was very helpful, according to Brian Doherty, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association. Since the program ceased, there's been no state assistance or reimbursements for testing in assisted living facilities, even though Massachusetts guidelines recommend periodic testing. In Kentucky the free surveillance testing was initially offered only to nursing homes, and assisted living communities were left to figure it out on their own, says Betsy Johnson, president of the Kentucky Center for Assisted Living. In July the state started offering assisted living facilities reimbursements for sampling and laboratory costs, to encourage testing. Though the state support was not as quick as we wanted it to be, Johnson says, it will run at least until the end of the year. Still, there's confusion around how the testing will roll out. Assisted living is a nonmedical living model, so what the staff can do whether they can take the testing samples or get the training to do that is just very unclear right now, Johnson notes. We're still waiting on that particular guidance. Even within states, discrepancies exist. California, for one, issues guidelines for testing in assisted living residences but delegates oversight to the county health departments, which issue their own set of guidelines. Sometimes they conflict, Aegis Clark observes. That adds to the confusion of the quandary. A solid majority of New Jersey voters support the ballot question to legalize marijuana, polls show. Theyve seen that like the prohibition on alcohol in the 1920s, our war on weed is nonsensical and destructive. Black people are arrested disproportionately, deepening inequality; its an extraordinary waste of law enforcement resources, and a boon to the criminal black market. We are long past the tipping point on this, with two-thirds of voters now backing legalization, and its on the ballot only because of a failure of political courage. Let the people decide, our great leaders ultimately said. Yet even public approbation does not guarantee that this will pass, so here is a pro tip: Dude, turn your ballot over. It is time for New Jersey to #turnthepage on the marijuana prohibition. Remember to vote "Yes" on Public Question #1 this November 3rd. #NJCAN2020 #Voting pic.twitter.com/n32ET0MLHB NJ CAN 2020 (@NJCAN2020) September 25, 2020 Our biggest fear is somebody who intends to vote yes, but either neglects to turn the page over or has some unforced error. They dont sign in the right place or seal the envelope properly, says Amol Sinha, head of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. Polls dont mean much if those people dont vote. The weed question is on the backside of about 99 percent of ballots, and in some counties, looks like the fine print of a credit card agreement. That doesnt bode well for the roughly 4.5 million New Jerseyans voting by mail for the first time in this election. Previously, the biggest vote-by-mail election was the recent primary, at 1.5 million people. Even in a typical election, 30 to 40 percent of people dont get to the public question, Sinha says. So the ACLU and its partners are launching a digital ad campaign called #TurnthePage turn the page on marijuana prohibition, and literally, turn the page of your ballot. We believe that this is going to be more of a turnout campaign than a persuasion campaign, Sinha predicts. But heres why its so important to legalize weed, anyway. We are still arresting about 32,000 people a year in our state, solely for pot possession which has a massive ripple effect in lost jobs, missed schooling, even losing your housing or custody of your kids. The racial disparity is staggering. A few years ago, black people in New Jersey were 3 times more likely to be arrested than whites, even though they use pot at similar rates; now its as much as 3.45 times more likely, the ACLU found. This, at a moment when more than half of American adults admit to having smoked pot, including presidential candidates like Kamala Harris, Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz, and our governor, Phil Murphy. In fact, surveys show the U.S. has nearly as many marijuana users as cigarette smokers. Its a mild drug that is less harmful than booze. Not only is it much less addictive, and usually consumed in much smaller amounts its not associated with violence or accidents the way alcohol is, and you cant die of a weed overdose. Lawmakers would have ended these pointless arrests long ago, if only they could agree on how to proceed. As recently as last week, two state senators Nicholas Scutari, a former municipal prosecutor, and Ron Rice, a former police officer almost got into a physical scuffle over it during a legislative caucus. Scutari was taking off his jacket. Troy intervened and just separated us, Rice said of his colleague, Sen. Singleton. At issue was whether to move forward a decriminalization bill while the legalization question is pending. The fact is, we need both: Even if we vote yes to legalization on Nov. 3rd., police could still be making arrests on Nov. 4th. It will require an act of legislation to enable the constitutional amendment to legalize weed. And in the meantime, decriminalization would prevent police from making arrests. Yet most New Jerseyans realize that it doesnt go far enough. They want the illicit market eliminated, and they recognize the economic benefits of full legalization hundreds of millions in revenue for our hard-up state, some of which could go to places like Newark or Camden, which have suffered the most economically because of over-policing. Legislators have made a circus out of this issue for far too long. Get out and vote, and end the reefer madness. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share. PNL (National Liberal Party) leader Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Wednesday announced, after the meeting of the PNL National Political Bureau, that liberal branches are forbidden to get into alliances or agreements with PSD, the recommendation being that they exclusively collaborate with PMP (People's Movement Party), USR PLUS (Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party) and UDMR (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania). He stated that only one exception will be possible and this concerns an alliance with PER (Romanian Green Party) in Dolj, but stressed that this depends on the orientation of this branch. The Health Minister and top health officials are being accused of treating the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee 'shabbily'. Minister Stephen Donnelly and Acting Chief Medical Officer, Ronan Glynn, will appear before it this morning. Two members of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), Professor Philip Nolan and Dr Cillian de Gascun, will join via video link to discuss the state's Covid strategy. But Sinn Fein's health spokesman, David Cullinane, says it's unacceptable committee members only have two hours to question them. "It's quite shabby where we have arrived at a situation where for the last number of weeks we've had difficulty getting the Minister for Health in. I'm not sure why this has come about but I do think most reasonable people will see it's unacceptable that members of the committee who want to ask questions of the Minister for Health and the acting CMO and indeed Nphet that they will only have five minutes in one session for all of those witnesses." On Monday, committee chairperson Micheal McNamara said it was imperative that the committee heard from the HSE before producing its final report. "Members want to get answers from the HSE on its current test and trace system capacity and the current turnaround times in operation," he said. The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Michael Staisil for helping convicted Ponzi-schemer Kevin Merrill raise approximately $75 million for investments in purported debt portfolios offered by Global Credit Recovery. In September 2018, the SEC charged Merrill, Global Credit Recovery, and others with operating the $345 million Ponzi-like scheme, and obtained permanent injunctions against Merrill and two individuals in September 2019. Merrill and the two other individuals pleaded guilty in a parallel criminal case to charges arising from the same misconduct. The complaint against Staisil alleges that he acted as an unregistered broker and actively recruited investors for Merrill and Global Credit Recovery. According to the complaint, Staisil made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors, including lying about his own wealth and investments in the scheme and falsely overstating the amount that Merrill and Global Credit Recovery had raised. The complaint alleges that Merrill paid Staisil approximately $400,000 for his efforts. The SEC's complaint, filed in the U. S. District Court for the District of Maryland, alleges violations of the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and violations of the registration provisions of Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act. The complaint seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty. The SEC's continuing investigation is being conducted by Norman P. Ostrove and Dustin E. Ruta in the Philadelphia Regional Office, and is supervised by Scott A. Thompson and Kelly L. Gibson. The SEC's litigation against Staisil is being led by Mark R. Sylvester and Jennifer C. Barry. Sydney barrister Sue Chrysanthou, one of the city's best-known defamation barristers, has been appointed to the coveted rank of senior counsel in NSW, a year after her record win for actor Geoffrey Rush. Ms Chrysanthou was among 26 barristers to be appointed senior counsel (SC) this year, six of whom are women, and is joined by Richard Potter, also a prominent defamation expert. There were 108 applications. Sue Chrysanthou, SC, leaving the Law Courts complex in Sydney in 2019. Credit:AAP Among the other appointees are Sophie Callan, who is prosecuting former NSW Labor minister Eddie Obeid, his son Moses and former mining minister Ian Macdonald in a Supreme Court criminal trial, and Jason Downing, who was counsel assisting the coroner in the inquest into the death in custody of Indigenous man David Dungay. The latest crop of silks as they are known colloquially, in a nod to their silken robes was announced by the NSW Bar Association on Wednesday. MORRIS Morris Beach & Recreation is bringing back an old favorite - Scarecrows on the Green. Residents are asked to decorate their own scarecrow and set it up for display on the Town Green, located at the intersection of Routes 61 and 109, behind the bandstand. There will be a friendly competition, complete with prizes. There are no rules for creativity - but keep it Rated G, the department said. Rules: Create a scarecrow with your family. Once completed, transport him / her to the Town Green for display. Let everyone passing by enjoy your creative creation. Prizes will be awarded after judging on Halloween. Setup can be done between Oct. 24-31 at noon. Scarecrows must be removed from the green by Nov. 7. Registration is appreciated; email Morrissrctr@optonline.net. s Beardsley Library provides updates WINSTED The Beardsley Library reopened June 30 with contactless curbside pickup of library materials remaining an option for patrons. Throughout the summer, programs were offered virtually or outdoors and will continue with that format throughout the fall. To find out more about upcoming events, visit the website at www.beardsleylibrary.org and click on the calendar. The library is also offerin a new Smart Space room, created through a grant and donation funded project to renovate an area of the building for use by the community for such things as creative pursuits, STEM learning, skill sharing, and other similar endeavors. In addition to the Smart Space, the community now has access to a quiet study area by appointment. For those who prefer to stay outdoors, the library recently added two new seating areas with picnic tables. WiFi is also accessible in the outdoor areas. All areas and equipment are sanitized between uses. The librarys hours continue to be temporarily limited to Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m-2 p.m. For more information, or to reserve a time in one of Beardsleys new rooms, contact the library at 860-379-6043 or email questions to director@beardsleylibrary.org. Trans AM SpeedTour canceled LAKEVILLE The October 16-18 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli and Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA)SpeedTour Classic has been cancelled. The event had previously been moved from traditional Memorial Day weekend May 22-25, 2020. Trans Am and SVRA made this difficult decision due to ongoing logistical challenges associated with Connecticuts COVID-19 travel ban, according to a statement from Lime Rock. We deeply regret not hosting the Trans Am SpeedTour Classic this year, but we readily acknowledge the challenges associated with bringing race teams and staff from around the country together under the current challenging circumstances, said Lime Rock Park President Skip Barber. We know that Tony Parella and his team have exhausted every opportunity to conduct the Lime Rock event this year. Trans Am racing has been an integral part of Lime Rocks heritage, and we look forward to the return of this tradition over Memorial Day weekend in 2021 and for many years to come. Fans who have previously purchased tickets for the Trans Am SpeedTour Classic event will receive a communication regarding their options and next steps in the coming days. Lime Rock Park President Skip Barber reiterated Lime Rocks ongoing commitment to the health and safety of fans, participants, and staff. We are still hosting private track day events, autocross days, and Tapas programs as we turn our attention to the 2021 events calendar. For additional questions, Lime Rock staff can be reached by emailing info@limerock.com or by calling (860) 435-5000, Mon. - Fri., 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. More information about all major spectator events will be made available on www.limerock.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/limerockpark. Quilts that Care holding annual appeal WATERBURY Quilts that Care, Inc., based in Waterbury, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that makes and donates quilts to cancer patients at 12 Connecticut facilities, including Connecticut Childrens Medical Center, The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, Yale/New Haven Hospital/Smilow and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. Due to COVID-19, Quilts that Care, Inc., has canceled its in-person fundraisers for 2020. Instead, an appeal will run until the pandemic passes. Since 2012, QTC has donated more than 3,500 quilts, wrapping cancer patients and their families in comfort and hope, one quilt at a time. QTC also made and donated more than 1,000 masks to the facilities during the Coronavirus outbreak. QTC will acknowledge sponsorships at the $250 level and above on its website and on its 2021 banner that will be displayed at events through 2021. Donations may be made at quiltsthatcare.org through PayPal or at P.O. Box 166, Watertown, CT 06795-3002. For information, call 860-782-1043. Community tag sale set in Colebrook COLEBROOK A community tag sale to benefit the Colebrook Senior and Community Center will be held Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., rain date Oct. 4. Sellers set p by 8:30 a.m. in the center parkin glot. The cost is $10 for a 10 foot wide space with frontage on driveway, or $20 for 10 foot wide space with 1 table and 2 chairs with frontage on driveway, with a six-foot distance between spaces. Sellers may open trunk or tailgate and sell out of their vehicles. For more information call the Colebrook Senior and Community Center at 860-738-9521. Within hours of finalizing Crosby ISDs plans for bringing students back into classrooms, Superintendent Scott Davis and his staff began planning for the next eventuality setting a procedure for how and when schools should close due to COVID-19 infections. Neither the Texas Education Agency nor the Department of State Health Services set guidelines for how many infections should trigger a shutdown, so Davis and his team relied on a set of standards Los Angeles Unified School District Schools were considering. They decided that if 0.2 percent of a campus capacity had active COVID-19 cases, the building would be closed for three days of deep cleaning. In the past week, that has happened twice. Crosby High School closed for cleaning Wednesday after the district reported that 10 students at the school had active cases. Crosby Middle School was closed last Thursday and Friday for cleaning after they, too, met the districts threshold. They likely are the first campuses in the Greater Houston area to close due to COVID-19 infections, and Crosby High is the first to report 10 active cases among the roughly 20 Houston-area school districts that routinely post campus-level infection data. High school students who were learning on campus switched to remote learning Wednesday and will not return to the school until Monday. The middle school students returned to their campus on Monday. I believe, sadly, this wont be the last school shutdown for cleaning, Davis said. We just happened to be one of the first. Relative to its size, the district that sits along the northeast border of Harris County is reporting the most active cases of any Houston-area district, with 24 among its nearly 7,000 students and staff. Nineteen of those have been reported in students, while five were diagnosed in staff. More than 100 students and 17 staff members are in self-quarantine across Crosbys seven campuses, including 38 students at Crosby Middle School. Those numbers occurred despite the districts safety protocols. Staff at Crosby schools conduct routine temperature checks throughout the day and face masks are required. Teachers wipe down desks and chairs during the day and once before they leave. At night, custodians clean the classrooms again. Every three days, a sanitizing fog machine disinfects classrooms, and similar machines are used to sanitize school buses each day. While school systems are required to report cases of COVID-19 to local health authorities and to the state, Maria Rivera, who is co-leading the Harris County Health Departments school advisory group during the pandemic, said they do not have to report campus closures. Currently, the department recommends closing a campus for cleaning if there are outbreaks in three or more classrooms or if there is a steep rise in active cases at the school within the past 14 days. She said Crosby ISDs threshold was on the more conservative side. The way theyre handling school closures is a little different by school and by school district, Rivera said. Its not always included in their school reopening plans. Sometimes they have their own internal process we may or may not be aware of. In recent weeks, a few districts have reported four to six active cases at a campus, including Cy-Fair, Klein and Spring Branch ISDs. In most cases, school officials notified staff and the families of students if they were in contact with someone who tested positive. Those staff and students are told to self-isolate, and in some cases, entire classrooms have been sent home to continue their work virtually. Crosby ISDs criteria for closing a campus due to COVID-19 spread hinges on its seven-day rolling average of cases, which Davis said allows staff and parents to see a closure coming in advance so they can make childcare arrangements. Should the overall seven-day average at the district level reach 20 or more positive COVID cases, the districts website says that would trigger the closure of all seven campuses for a five-day cleaning. Current Texas Education Agency guidelines mandate that schools close for no longer than five days due to COVID-19 cases. I believe we will go through phases where we have to stop, drop and clean extra, Davis said. Thats just the way were going to have to do this. Id rather do that than let the numbers get too high. Brooke Ratcliff has been taking her seventh grade classes online since the beginning of the school year but returns to Crosby Middle School some days for volleyball practice. She and her brother plan to return to school for in-person instruction on Oct. 19, because students in the district are given the option to switch from virtual school to on-campus learning, and vice versa, each grading period. She said she is not worried about the virus, or that her school closed a week earlier. I do want to come back to see my friends and hang out with them since Im stuck in the house all day, Ratcliff said. My mom did say we could come back. Shes a little worried after the school closed, but my step dad still said well be okay, so send us. Jacob Carpenter contributed to this report. shelby.webb@chron.com European governments will pay claims above an agreed limit against AstraZeneca over side-effects from its potential COVID-19 vaccine, under different terms to a deal struck with Sanofi, an EU official told Reuters. The deals reflect different strategies by two of the worlds top drugmakers for protecting themselves as a debate rages about liabilities for vaccines aimed at ending the pandemic. AstraZeneca has secured the European Unions backing in a confidential agreement which reflects the lower price sought by the British drugmaker, the official said. If a company asks for a higher price we dont give the same conditions, said the official, who was involved in the talks but declined to be identified as the contracts are confidential. Unexpected side-effects after a drug has regulatory approval are rare, but the speed at which a COVID-19 vaccine is being pursued increases the risks of unforeseen conditions. COVID-19 Vaccine Makers Expect EU Liability Shield for Unexpected Side-Effects The European Commission has confidential liability clauses in contracts signed with AstraZeneca and Sanofi and is negotiating similar conditions with other firms for the advance purchase of potential vaccines. The deal with AstraZeneca, which shifts some of the risks involved in the roll-out of a vaccine to taxpayers, was struck in August and its liability clauses have not previously been reported. Under the deal, AstraZeneca would only pay legal costs up to a certain threshold, the official said, declining to elaborate on how the costs would be shared with individual European governments or the cap. The financial shield would cover both legal costs and potential compensation, which is rarer but potentially a much bigger outlay in the event of something going wrong. In return for the higher price paid for its vaccine, French drugmaker Sanofi, which is working with GlaxoSmithKline as a partner, did not get any liability waiver. Spokespeople for AstraZeneca, Sanofi and the European Commission declined to comment on the specifics of the deals. When asked about AstraZenecas relatively low price, a spokesman reiterated the companys pledge to share the vaccine widely and not to turn a profit from it during the pandemic. Under the AstraZeneca deal, EU countries have agreed to pay 2.5 euros ($2.92) per dose, while Sanofi has negotiated a price at around 10 euros, the official said. Under the AstraZeneca deal, EU countries have agreed to pay 2.5 euros ($2.92) per dose, while Sanofi has negotiated a price at around 10 euros, the official said. SIDE-EFFECTS As part of the supply deals, the only two sealed so far by Brussels, the EU has also made a non-refundable downpayment of 336 million euros to AstraZeneca to secure 400 million doses, proportionately lower than the 324 million euros it paid to Sanofi to secure 300 million doses. The EU official told Reuters that the contract with AstraZeneca included a narrow definition of side-effects that could limit the possibility of claiming compensation although the company remains liable for its vaccine. The deal with AstraZeneca was negotiated before it paused late-stage trials of its vaccine candidate this month after a British volunteer developed neurological symptoms. Trials have resumed in Britain but not in the United States. EU governments would share compensation costs only if unexpected side-effects emerged after the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved. Liability has been a key stumbling block in talks with other COVID-19 vaccine makers, EU officials have said, as companies fear they risk larger legal costs than they usually face when vaccines are developed in much longer trials. A European Commission spokesman said advance purchase deals provide for member states to indemnify the manufacturer for certain liabilities incurred under specific and strict conditions, but liability still remains with the companies. This means it would be the firms responsibility to defend its shot in the courts. Drugmakers have called on EU regulators to set up a Europe-wide compensation scheme, while patients organizations are calling for an EU-wide fund financed by pharmaceutical firms that would compensate for unexpected side-effects. The EU legal regime is among the least favorable to drugmakers on compensation claims, although plaintiffs have rarely managed to win as the law requires them to prove the link between an illness and a vaccine that may have caused it. The United States has granted immunity from liability for COVID-19 vaccines that receive regulatory approval. Meanwhile, Russia has said it would shoulder some of the legal liability should anything go wrong with the vaccine developed by Moscows Gamaleya Institute. ($1 = 0.8567 euros) (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Additional reporting by Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt, Matthias Blamont in Paris and Tom Hals in New York; Editing by Josephine Mason and Alexander Smith) Topics COVID-19 Claims Europe PITTSBURGH, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gateway Health LLC ("Gateway Health"), whose subsidiary, Gateway Health Plan, Inc. is a leading managed care organization dedicated to caring for the "total health" of its members, today announced that Shelley Risk, formerly Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Community Engagement at Gateway Health, has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). As CMO at Gateway Health, Shelley will continue to provide strategic oversight for the Marketing, Community Engagement, Public Relations, Digital and Internal Communications teams. Over the past year, Shelley has successfully led a major rebranding initiative for the entire organization, which featured a complete reimagining of Gateway Health's visual identity and messaging in the marketplace and within the organization. This included the launch of the company's new "It's Wholecare" brand platform, which proudly reflects and captures the essence of Gateway Health's long-standing history of addressing the Social Determinants of Health within the community. In conjunction with the rebranding and corresponding launch campaign, Shelley oversaw the development and implementation of the new mission, vision and values which were thoughtfully developed to complement the new Wholecare brand's mission-driven messaging. Shelley has also led crisis communications efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to work tirelessly to grow relationships and collaboration with key stakeholders throughout Gateway Health. "Since joining Gateway in the spring of 2019, Shelley has proven to be an outstanding leader," said Phil Barr, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Gateway Health. "Shelley is committed to both the development of her team, playing a leading role in Gateway Health's transformational journey and fostering a culture that attracts and retains the best talent in healthcare." Prior to her time at Gateway Health, Shelley served as SVP and General Manager at The Bulleit Group, a full-service public relations and communications agency in San Francisco. Shelley oversaw strategy and day-to-day business operations during her time with the agency. She developed engaging communications and marketing programs that promoted cutting-edge and high growth potential technology clients. About Gateway Health At Gateway Health, we believe in caring for the whole person in all communities where the need is greatest. We see a future in which everyone has equal opportunity to achieve their best health. Through our leading Medicaid and Medicare programs, Gateway Health is coordinating healthcare that goes beyond doctors and medicine that helps members achieve not just physical health, but also delivers whole person care. Our associates are helping to drive this new kind of healthcare in collaboration with a network of 29,000 primary care physicians, specialists, hospitals, and other ancillary providers. Gateway Health is also committed to supporting our neighbors through our many community outreach and engagement programs. SOURCE Gateway Health Plan Representative Image The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on September 30 extended the suspension of international commercial flights till October 31, 2020, in view of rising COVID-19 cases across the world. "In partial modification of circular dated 26-06-2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity of circular issued on the subject cited above regarding Scheduled International commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs IST of 31st October 2020," the DGCA wrote on Twitter. However, the DGCA stated that the above restrictions will not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specially approved by it. Also, the aviation regulator stated that international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the "competent authority" on case to case basis. Lufthansa cancels all scheduled flights to India until October 20 after government restrictions On September 29, the Civil Aviation Ministry informed that 5,834 repatriation flights were operated by the Air India Group under the Vande Bharat Mission till September 27. These flights carried over 7.6 lakh passengers. Out of 5,834 flights, 2,920 were inbound flights carrying 4.9 lakh passengers and 2,914 were outbound flights with 2.6 lakh fliers. I am woman, hear me roar. I can still remember the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, and my lungs starting to fizz as they unexpectedly began to double in size, when I first heard Helen Reddy sing these words in 1972. It was so loud. Not the usual feminine, breathless voice sweetly trilling across the airwaves but an uncompromising, totally controlled, full-on sound. Hear me roar ... Helen Reddy in full voice. Credit:Getty And what a relief: there wasn't a word in it about being in love; men only get a mention as brothers. I had attended the first "womens liberation" meeting at university two years earlier and was quietly trudging through life, trying to figure out what it all meant but sure it was meant for me, when suddenly, an anthem was delivered. An entire generation of women found their voice in that song. The power of the song, sung joyously in street marches, loudly in front of boyfriends in the car, spontaneously with friends, was as much about its musicality as its words. Even if you sang flat, you could make a fist of it. The US threat to withdraw diplomats from Iraq could set a dangerous precedent, the countrys foreign minister said Wednesday, warning that other members of the coalition assembled to fight the Islamic State may be tempted to do the same. The Donald Trump administration has said it will shutter the US Embassy in Baghdad if the Iraqi government doesnt do more to rein in the Iran-backed militias attacking diplomatic compounds and bases hosting foreign troops. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo informed President Barham Salih during a phone call last week that a strong and violent response would follow against the militias if the attacks continue, the Associated Press reports. Between last October and July 2020, some 40 rocket attacks have targeted the US Embassy or bases housing American troops. Earlier this month, a roadside bomb struck a British diplomatic convoy moving between the airport and the heavily fortified Green Zone. "We hope that the United States will rethink its decision," said Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, according to AFP. "A US withdrawal could lead to further pullouts" from the coalition, which would be "dangerous, because the Islamic State group threatens not only Iraq but the whole region. The United States maintains some 5,000 troops in Iraq as part of the coalition, advising and providing training for local forces to defeat the last remnants of the Islamic State. "Some people in Washington make parallels with Benghazi but it's a faulty analysis, just as this is a faulty decision," the minister said, referring to the Libyan city where four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were killed when militants stormed the US Consulate in 2012. On Monday, three children and two women were killed by a Katyusha rocket strike on a house near the Baghdad International Airport, the Iraqi military said. The US State Department, which has not confirmed the embassy reports, said it was outraged by the most recent attack. We have made the point before that the actions of lawless Iran-backed militias remains the single biggest deterrent to stability in Iraq, spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement, noting the risk posed to diplomatic officials and facilities. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met with two dozen top diplomats and pledged to protect their foreign missions from future attacks. Iraq is keen on enforcing the rule of law, the state's monopoly on having weapons, protecting foreign missions and diplomatic buildings," Kadhimi told a meeting of ambassadors and charges d'affaires, his office said. In a statement after the meeting, the British ambassador to Iraq, Stephen Hickey, said he and other diplomats are concerned by the sophistication and increasing number of attacks, and support strengthening security forces in Baghdads International Zone. This story contains reporting from AFP. The exhibition features props, costumes, and best of all, set re-creations that you can take pictures of yourself in. You can poke Ugly Naked Guy, and yell Pi-vot! while trying to move a couch up a tight flight of stairs, although you have to wear a mask while you do it. Theres a wall chart that resembles a CTA map to track all the various romances of the main characters and a display of all of Rachels various hairstyles, including of course the Rachel, which became a sensation where we learned how very few of us could pull it off. On Monday, Seventeen reported that clues pointing to new music by Shawn Mendes had been uncovered online. Now it's actually happening. The Seventeen report initially mentioned a broken link to a page on the lyrics site Genius for a song called "Wonder," by Shawn. Now the site has the first verse of the song: "You have a million different faces/But they'll never understand/Unless you let them in/You've been a million different places/So it gives them a chance to/Get lost in wonderland." Then, Shawn wiped his profile pics off his social media, and tweeted, "WHAT IS #WONDER." Next, he released the first 90 seconds of the song, along with a clip of a video, on his socials. A new website called WhatIsWonder.com features a 360-degree video of the room from the video. If Shawn has learned anything from his pal Taylor Swift, there are probably clues in that video about what he's got planned next. Additionally, the website Album of the Year has a placeholder for a Shawn Mendes album called Wonder, with a release date of November 1. Interestingly, there's also been a claim that Shawn is sporting a new tattoo of the word "Wonder," written in Camila Cabello's handwriting. Shawn's last album was his self-titled 2018 release, which featured the hits "In My Blood" and "Lost In Japan." By Andrea Dresdale Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Rajkumar Mohanty By Express News Service PURI: With over 450 servitors already tested positive till date, the Sri Jagannath Temple and Puri district administration are in a tight spot as rising infection among the priests could pose a problem for conduct of day to day religious duties and rituals in the famous shrine. The temple, one of the four dhams for the Hindus, is still closed for devotees as the Odisha Government is not in favour of opening religious places of worship. But, temple rituals are being conducted as per tradition. At least six servitors, including some senior ones, have succumbed to the virus while a surge in August and September has gripped the coastal district. Sensing that an unchecked situation could be a challenge, a virtual meeting of the temple administration and district officials was held on Monday. The meeting discussed how to effectively treat infected servitors and prevent spread of the virus. It has been decided to open two Covid treatment facilities - one at Puri and another at Bhubaneswar - with all essential equipment besides stationing an ambulance fitted with ICU and ventilator at Puri town. A list of alternative servitors would be prepared in consultation with temple Record of Rights (RoR) and senior serving servitors. The temple RoR book mentions alternative servitors for most of religious services when original servitor is unable, for various reasons, to render his services. It was also decided that no servitor or staff would be allowed chewing of betel inside the temple and spitting on complex would be completely banned. The annual Rath Yatra, held in June following the Supreme Court permission as a crowd-less affair, looks a distant past. Before the festival, two rounds of Covid-19 tests of all participating servitors, police and staff involved was conducted while one was held soon after conclusion of the Rath Yatra. Only three servitors were detected positive and they were asymptomatic. After treatment they were cured. Servitors were also given immunity boosting homeopathic drugs a number of times. Things have changed dramatically since. Currently, the total number of positive cases in Puri stands at 9,882, fourth after Khurda, Cuttack and Ganjam. On August 1, the confirmed case tally was 803 with 403 already recovered. The tally of servitors who tested positive, so far, is 451. Many were treated in various Covid Hospitals, while quite a few preferred to stay home and get treatment from private doctors. About 70 temple employees were found positive. Despite special attention of the district administration and door-to-door survey by health teams to ascertain their family health status within three months, a large number of servitors got infected. Many servitors are reluctant to perform their religious duties in the temple putting the temple administration in a tight spot. Before the Rath Yatra, the administration had opened an isolation facility for servitors in a posh hotel and at present, all its 30 rooms are full. This apart, recently Nilachal Bhakta Nivas (a hotel run by temple) was converted into isolation home exclusively for servitors. It also is full. Servitors complain that these facilities lack competent doctors and other emergency equipment like ICU and ventilators.Collector Balwant Singh, Administrator (Rituals) AK Jena, Administrator (Development) PK Sahu and Chief District Medical Officer Dr Sujata Mishra also participated in the meeting. Bella Thorne has been keeping busy with her controversial OnlyFans account, where she recently dropped her new single. But the former Disney Channel star is also enjoying some quality romantic time with boyfriend Benjamin Mascolo. She lived her goth girl fantasy Tuesday in a strapless black leather corset with sheer cutouts over her taut midriff, as she grabbed dinner with the Italian artist in West Hollywood. Goth vibes: Bella Thorne lived her goth girl fantasy Tuesday in a strapless black leather corset with sheer cutouts over her taut midriff, as she grabbed dinner with boyfriend Benjamin Mascolo in West Hollywood The 22-year-old paired the top with a matching black ruffled mini skirt, which showed off her toned legs in a pair of black leather platform combat boots. She finished the ensemble with a black 'vote' face mask, a chunky pearl Chanel choker, a matching handbag, a white Clinch Belts belt with a gold buckle and diamond bling on her wrists and fingers. Bella held hands with Benjamin, 27, who sported an equally pink look, as they arrived at the celeb favorite hotspot Craig's. She previously took to her Instagram Story to show off a bouquet of roses he bought her, writing: 'My boyfriend is perfect perfect perfect.' Leather queen: The 22-year-old paired the top with a matching black ruffled mini skirt, which showed off her toned legs in a pair of black leather platform combat boots Roses for Thorne: She previously took to her Instagram Story to show off a bouquet of roses Benjamin, 27, bought her, writing: 'My boyfriend is perfect perfect perfect' The Shake It Up actress gushed to her 23.8million followers: 'Come on. I mean... Come on, my boyfriend, number one stunner. Come on! I mean, just gorgeous. Gorgeous!' She also took to her profile with a behind-the-scenes photo from her Stupid F***ing B**** music video, showing her in a white bikini and matching pearls, looking into a poolside monitor. Bella teased the video for her new single the night before on Instagram, writing: 'STUPID F***ING B**** just about to drop this on my ONLY fans !!! Link in bio BE THE FIRST TO HEAR AND SEE' She launched her OnlyFans last month, charging $20 a month, $51 for a three-month subscription or $102 for six months. The Assassination Nation actress was reportedly the first content creator on the platform to earn $1million in their first 24 hours, after briefly crashing the site. She told the Los Angeles Times that she made $2million in the first week, and she's 'putting the earnings into her production company and toward charity.' Behind-the-scenes: She also took to her profile with a behind-the-scenes photo from her Stupid F***ing B**** music video, showing her in a white bikini and matching pearls, looking into a poolside monitor Video vixen: Bella teased the video for her new single the night before on Instagram, writing: 'STUPID F***ING B**** just about to drop this on my ONLY fans !!! Link in bio BE THE FIRST TO HEAR AND SEE' Breaking the internet: She launched her controversial OnlyFans last month, becoming the first content creator on the platform to earn $1million in their first 24 hours, after briefly crashing the site Although the site is mostly for adult entertainers to monetize their work, Thorne tweeted: 'Also nooooo Im not doing nudity!!!' But she quickly stirred up controversy, when she charged $200 for nude photos, which weren't actually nude, prompting many users to complain and request refunds. The site subsequently implemented some unwelcome changes, like capping payments at $50 for pay-per-view posts, as well as a hold that would require some international users to wait 30 days for their payout. Many sex workers who rely on the platform for their livelihood blamed Bella for making their jobs more difficult. She later apologized on Twitter, writing: 'I wanted to bring attention to the site, the more people on the site the more likely of a chance to normalize the stigmas, And in trying to do this I hurt you. A little controversy: But she quickly stirred up controversy, when she charged $200 for nude photos, which weren't actually nude, prompting many users to complain and request refunds (pictured in February, 2020) Unwelcome changes: The site subsequently implemented some unwelcome changes, like capping payments at $50 for pay-per-view posts, as well as a hold that would require some international users to wait 30 days for their payout Public apology: Many sex workers who rely on the platform for their livelihood blamed Bella for making their jobs more difficult, encouraging her to post an apology 'I have risked my career a few times to remove the stigma behind sex work, porn, and the natural hatred people spew behind anything sex related.' She added: 'I am a mainstream face and when you have a voice, a platform, you try to use you in helping others and advocate for something bigger than yourself. Again in this process I hurt you and for that Im truly sorry.' A spokesperson for OnlyFans clarified to BBC: 'Spending limits are in place to protect all OnlyFans users and to allow them to use the platform safely. 'The newly introduced limits on tips and paid posts is a change that has been in the pipeline for a while, and has not been implemented in response to any one creator or fan.' Bella told Paper of her reasons for joining the site: 'OnlyFans is the first platform where I can fully control my image; without censorship, without judgement, and without being bullied online for being me.' She also retweeted a journalist who claimed she joined as research for an upcoming project with director Sean Baker. Directorial debut: Bella previously won the Vision Award at last October's second annual Pornhub Awards, following her adult film directorial debut (pictured in October, 2019) Pornstar: She released Her & Him (featuring ex Mod Sun, 33, on the soundtrack) as part of the adult streaming site's Visionaries series The Florida Project director subsequently posted a statement, revealing that the film would be in the 'far future' and nothing was concrete. He wrote: 'I advised her team to consult with sex workers and address the way she went about this so as NOT to hurt the sex work industry. This has been the extent of my involvement.' Bella previously won the Vision Award at last October's second annual Pornhub Awards, following her adult film directorial debut. She released Her & Him (featuring ex Mod Sun, 33, on the soundtrack) as part of the adult streaming site's Visionaries series. It came after the Famous In Love actress released her own nudes in June of 2019, after she was threatened by a hacker. Bella posted the screenshots and a note to Twitter: 'F*** u and the power u think you have over me. I'm gonna write about this in my next book. Here's the photos he's been threatening me with, in other words here's my boobies.' A ban on public demonstrations in Ivory Coast ends on Wednesday just as the opposition plans to begin a campaign of civil disobedience against President Alassane Ouattaras third term bid. The opposition is demanding changes to the constitutional court, the electoral commission, and the withdrawal of Mr Ouattaras candidacy. Mr Ouattara has accused the opposition of scaring the public in order to disrupt the electoral process. International Crisis Group has urged the Ivorian authorities to allow former President Laurent Gbagbo and exiled ex-Speaker Guillaume Soro to return to the country. Supporters of Gbagbo and Soro have condemned the government for excluding them from the presidential election and threatened to hold protests. A weekend rally by the opposition, which has urged a united front against the president, registered a low turnout. Article share tools Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Prime Minister Imran Khans move to convert Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in the occupied northern areas into Pakistans fifth province at Chinas behest has provoked a pushback within the country. This week, Imran Khans fierce rival Maulana Fazlur Rehman joined the ranks of opposition leaders who have spoken out against Imran Khan for implementing Beijings agenda. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief underlined that turning the Gilgit-Baltistan area into a full-fledged province would end up validating Indias August 5 decision to treat Jammu and Kashmir as a centrally-administered territory. A deal has been made over the blood of Kashmiris... Business is being done in the name of Kashmir diplomacy, the firebrand cleric told reporters on Tuesday in Athmuqam. He pledged not to allow the partition of Kashmir. Nearly 70 km away, Latif Akbar, president of the PoK unit of Pakistan Peoples Party told reporters in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir capital Muzaffarabad that the federal governments move to treat Gilgit-Baltistan as a province was not acceptable to them. Pakistan has traditionally claimed that parts of Kashmir it controls are semi-autonomous and not formally integrated into the country in line with its position that a referendum should be carried out across the whole region. Gilgit-Baltistans assimilation into the Islamic state is widely considered as an implicit recognition from Islamabads perspective that the Line of Control (LoC) is the border between India and Pakistan, a proposal that had been floated by Pakistans National Security Adviser Moeed W Yusuf a decade earlier. Expenditure on some CPEC key projects (million $) Gwadar East-Bay Expressway 141 New Gwadar International Airport 230 Construction of Breakwaters 123 Dredging of Berthing Areas and Channels 27 Development of Free Zone 32 Pak-China Friendship Hospital 100 Pak China Technical and Vocational Institute at Gwadar 10 Cross Border optical Fiber Cable 44 Thakot-Havelin Section Karakoram Highway Phase II 1,386 Multan-Sukkur Section Peshawar-Karachi Motorway 2,980 Khuzdar-Basima Road N-30 80 Upgradation of Dera Ismail Khan-Zhob Phase I195 Karakoram Highway Thakot-Raikot 719 Expansion, Reconstruction of KarachiPeshawar Railway Line 8,172 Havelin Dry Port 65 The Imran Khan government has, however, made it clear that it has no intention to go back on its plan for GB and has proposed as the first step, to hold an election for the legislative assembly of Gilgit-Baltistan on November 15. Pakistan watchers in India link Imran Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwas anxiety to ramrod through the change in GBs status to mounting pressure from China to secure the China Pakistan Economic Corridor that Beijing wants to expand under Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI. It is a plan that has been in the making for four years, long before Imran Khan came to power on the back of populist assurances to root out corruption and reduce poverty. Indeed, it was after Xi Jinpings visit to Pakistan in 2016 that the first reports of a plan to upgrade the constitutional status of the Gilgit-Baltistan region emerged. A report by news agency AFP in January 2016 quoted an official: China cannot afford to invest billions of dollars on a road that passes through a disputed territory claimed both by India and Pakistan. This statement made four years ago, a Pakistan watcher in New Delhi said, explains the Imran Khan governments push to change GBs status in 2020. And there is nothing that Khan can do about it. He doesnt have a choice and has to go along with Beijing, he said. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - like much of the Belt and Roads Initiative conceived by Xi Jinping - is essentially designed to serve Chinas interests rather than the participating countries. This explains the focus on development of Gwadar port, often described as the crown jewel of CPEC that has proven to be a tax haven for China and helped cut costs of its exports. Former Pentagon official Dr Michael Rubin recently described the pact with China on CPEC as a devils bargain, partnering with a country that has been responsible for the incarceration in concentration camps of one million Muslims and thinks nothing about killing Pakistanis and humiliating Pakistan. For China, Pakistan can be a major market, provide land links into West Asia, and build a strategic port at Gwadar that would help Beijing reduce its dependence on the Malacca Strait, he said. The money that Beijing has poured into Pakistans CPEC leg has already gagged the Islamic country from commenting on the brutalisation of muslims in Xinjiang province. Beijing does also use Islamabad to keep India engaged with its terror camps. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Revivalist Spirits Founders Scott and Don Avellino We are bringing in a new era of gin that not only has delicious flavors, but that appeals to younger consumers with adventurous mindsets. We are expanding the gin market and are attracting more than just traditional gin drinkers. Revivalist Spirits, an innovative craft distillery which has been producing a variety of seasonally-focused botanical gins in historic Chester County just outside of Philadelphia since 2016, has been named the winner of USA Today's 10Best contest as the 2020 Readers' Choice Award for Best Craft Gin Distillery. Scott and Don Avellino, the founders of Revivalist Spirits, are thrilled to be awarded the first place honors after facing off against some of the best craft gin producers in America. They credit the win to their products flavor profiles, which features their unique botanical and seasonal blends from around the world, including how they appeal to a younger emerging market. This USA Today 10Best Craft Distillery award complements the many awards and accolades that Revivalist Spirits has won since being founded, including a double-gold medal at the 2018 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition for their Revivalist Equinox Expression Gin. There are five expressions of Revivalist Botanical gins, each distilled with seasonally-inspired botanicals. Each of the expressions highlights botanicals specific to Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. And the fifth expression celebrates year-round fun as the worlds only jalapeno infused gin. "This award is a great honor for us," said Don, also the CEO of Revivalist Spirits. "There is a gin renaissance in America right now, as people are looking for an experience beyond the traditional juniper heavy London dry gins. We are honored to be included on the list with other innovative American craft gin distilleries, and were incredibly excited by the prospect of attracting new gin lovers to our line of Revivalist Botanical gins. "We have been growing very rapidly, and our success in the market demonstrates that we are producing some of the best gins in the nation," said Scott, who is the of VP Sales and Marketing. "We are bringing in a new era of gin that not only has delicious flavors, but that appeals to younger consumers with adventurous mindsets. We are expanding the gin market and are attracting more than just traditional gin drinkers. By using a portfolio of flavor profiles inherent to each of the distinctive four seasons we experience, the taste and aromas of all of our products are attracting more and more customers." Revivalist Spirits by Brandywine Branch Distillers are distilled at 350 Warwick Road in Elverson, PA in the historic renovated Hippie Barn where they have a dine-in bistro and offer distillery tours. Included in their list of awards and accolades are the 2018 Double Gold honors from New York World Wine & Spirits Competition for their Revivalist Equinox Expression Gin; 2019 Best of Judging of Craft Spirits for their Revivalist Dragon Dance Jalapeno Gin; 2018 Distilled Competition Gold Winner for Revivalist Summertide Expression Gin; 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold honors and 2018; and 2017 Wine Enthusiast Best of Year. Learn more and place delivery orders by visiting http://revivalistspirits.com. In the capital and in the big cities, Christians can live their faith freely, but the situation is different in rural areas, where abuses and persecution are commonplace. A new law aims to promote a better understanding of the religious minority, often incorrectly associated with Western imperialism. Vientiane (AsiaNews) In Laos Christians can practise their faith more or less freely in the capital Vientiane and in the larger cities, not so in rural areas where they face discrimination and persecution from other Laotians, often with the support of local authorities. After decades of propaganda and abuse, the ruling Lao People's Revolutionary (Communist) Party has passed a law that strengthens the protection of the Christian minority, who represent about 2 per cent of the countrys seven million people, mostly Buddhists. In the past Laotian Christians, half of whom are Catholics, were forced to practise their faith in secret, fearing violence and retaliation, especially in the countryside. Recently, Christian groups began to work with the Interior Ministry and the Lao Front for National Construction to bring local authorities up to date about a new law that came into effect last December that allows them to worship freely and peacefully. According to Eglises dAsie, the new piece of legislation requires churches to obey all of the countrys laws, rules and legislation, but it also gives their members some freedom to practise their faith. Still, despite the law, officials in rural areas have continued to threaten and oppress Christians and treat them as second-class citizens, Laotian Christian groups lament. The persecution is the product of a dominant mindset among majority Buddhists who view Christians as "traitors" who practice a "foreign" religion imported by missionaries who came from Europe or the United States in the past. In its own propaganda, the ruling communist regime has also portrayed Christians as a tool to impose Western imperialism on the Asian country, a former French protectorate. What is more, many Christians are ethnic Hmong, who still carry the stigma of working with the Americans during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). Abuses include arrests. Last March in a village in the province of Savannakhet, the authorities jailed a clergyman for holding a religious service. He was not formally indicted nor any explanation was given for his detention. By and large, Christians living in rural areas were considered bad elements by other residents and by village authorities, a Christian told Radio Free Asia (RFA). Many Christians were abused, re-educated, evicted from their villages, arrested, and jailed mainly because the local authorities did not understand Christians, he explained. To remedy the situation, seminars and meetings have been organised. Thus Now we hope that these meetings will improve understanding between the authorities and Christians, the Christian added. Such meetings were also held last week in Bokeo, Bolikhamxay and Savannakhet provinces. At one meeting, we explained the law to the representatives of local authorities, said a Christian clergyman in Bolikhamxay near the border with Vietnam. Hopefully, these representatives will pass the information along to other local officials, including authorities in the villages in order to promote mutual knowledge and understanding. Ventilation systems in many buildings, which are designed to keep temperatures comfortable, may increase the risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus which causes Covid-19, particularly during the winter season when people prefer to stay indoors, says a new study. Scientists, including those from the University of Cambridge in the UK, found that widely-used mixing ventilation systems, which are designed to keep conditions uniform in all parts of the room, disperse airborne contaminants evenly throughout the space. According to the study, published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics, these contaminants may include droplets and aerosols, potentially containing viruses such as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. With evidence increasingly indicating that the coronavirus is spread primarily via droplets and aerosols expelled as people cough, sneeze, talk, or breathe, the findings underscore the need for good ventilation and mask-wearing to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk. Based on studies conducted so far, the researchers said indoor transmission is far more common than outdoor transmission -- likely due to increased exposure times and decreased dispersion rates for droplets and aerosols. As winter approaches in the northern hemisphere and people start spending more time inside, understanding the role of ventilation is critical to estimating the risk of contracting the virus and helping slow its spread, said study co-author Paul Linden from the University of Cambridge. Small respiratory aerosols containing the virus are transported along with the carbon dioxide produced by breathing, and are carried around a room by ventilation flows, Linden said. Insufficient ventilation can lead to high carbon dioxide concentration, which in turn could increase the risk of exposure to the virus, he explained. According to the scientists, air flow within the building works in one of two main modes -- mixing ventilation or displacement ventilation. They said the former mode is the most common, where vents are placed to keep the air in a space well mixed so that temperature and contaminant concentrations are kept uniform throughout the space. The second mode, displacement ventilation has vents placed at the bottom and the top of a room, creating a cooler lower zone, and a warmer upper zone, and warm air is extracted through the top part of the room, the researchers said. Since exhaled breath is also warm, most of it accumulates in the upper zone, they explained. If the interface between the zones is high enough, the study said contaminated air can be extracted by the ventilation system rather than breathed in by someone else. The scientists suggest that when designed properly, displacement ventilation could reduce the risk of mixing and cross-contamination of breath, thereby mitigating the risk of exposure. These two concerns are related, but different, and there is tension between them, which has been highlighted during the pandemic, said Rajesh Bhagat, another co-author of the study from the University of Cambridge. Maximising ventilation, while at the same time keeping temperatures at a comfortable level without excessive energy consumption is a difficult balance to strike, Bhagat said. In order to model how the coronavirus or similar viruses spread indoors, the scientists believe it is important to know where peoples breath goes when they exhale, and how that changes depending on ventilation. Using these data, we can estimate the risk of catching the virus while indoors, Linden said. In the study, the scientists explored a range of different modes of exhalation -- nasal breathing, speaking and laughing, each both with and without a mask -- by imaging the heat associated with the exhaled breath. When sitting still, humans give off heat, and since hot air rises, when you exhale, the breath rises and accumulates near the ceiling, said Bhagat. The researchers said laughing, in particular, creates a large disturbance, suggesting that if an infected person without a mask was laughing indoors, it would greatly increase the risk of transmission. One thing we could clearly see is that one of the ways that masks work is by stopping the breaths momentum, said Linden. While pretty much all masks will have a certain amount of leakage through the top and sides, it doesnt matter that much, because slowing the momentum of any exhaled contaminants reduces the chance of any direct exchange of aerosols and droplets as the breath remains in the bodys thermal plume and is carried upwards towards the ceiling, he said. According to the scientists, a three-layered mask decreases the amount of those contaminants that are recirculated through the room by ventilation. Keep windows open and wear a mask appears to be the best advice. Clearly thats less of a problem in the summer months, but its a cause for concern in the winter months, Linden said. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON (TNS) The Department of Workforce Development is expected to seek funds in the next state budget to update Wisconsins decades-old unemployment system, which officials say has hamstrung the departments ability to quickly process claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Gov. Tony Evers responded to criticism raised by Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Finance, that DWD has not specifically requested funds to replace the states system, which uses the 60-year-old COBOL computing language. Evers said the department has made replacing the system a priority and said specifics will be fleshed out during the state budget process.It didnt say what it is because theyre in the process of evaluating it, Evers said. I am really happy to have Rep. Nygren behind this because we desperately need it. We needed it in the past and we look forward to having a more robust and reliable system in the future with his help.In a statement, Nygren, who has been co-chair of the state budget committee since 2013, faulted Evers and DWD for failing to include a specific funding request to address ongoing concerns about the departments outdated system. If DWD were serious about addressing the computer problems, it would have included a request in its agency budget for upgrading IT systems, like other state agencies did, Nygren said.State departments earlier this month were required to file agency budget requests with the State Budget Office for the 2021-23 biennial budget. While DWDs request did not specify funding to address the outdated computer system, the department lists as a goal paying unemployment insurance benefits as quickly and accurate as possible.Agency requests are the first of several steps before a final budget is drafted. The 2021-23 budget is set to take effect July 1. If delayed, state agencies operate at previous budget levels until a new budget goes into effect.In a cover letter attached to DWDs budget request, former DWD Secretary Caleb Frostman, who was pushed out by Evers earlier this month due to the persistent backlog of claims, said building an accessible, responsive and robust unemployment insurance program is a top priority for the department.A new modernized IT system will provide better, quicker services to future claimants and improve the programs ability to respond to future recessions, Frostman said in the letter. DWD will continue to work with the Governors Office to develop an appropriate UI modernization funding strategy throughout the budget process that appropriately recognizes both the urgent need for improvements and the states fiscal condition.Nygren said the states GOP-led budget committee has the authority to approve a specific agencys request, but such a request has not been made by DWD.I will consider and evaluate a request from DWD for IT system upgrades, Nygren said in an email. The fact of the matter is, DWD should be exploring every financing option to get the UI benefits system upgraded if they feel this is a high priority. They should have started a long time ago.Democratic lawmakers have said challenges presented by DWDs 50-year-old computer system which cannot take in new claims and process payments simultaneously have been known for years.Nothing was done for six years to update that antiquated technology, Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Somers, said at a meeting of the Senate Labor and Regulatory Reform Committee in May. Republicans control how the money is spent and the budget and they chose not to put money in to upgrade the unemployment system.But Nygren said on Tuesday such a request needs to come from the department itself.If the IT system is the problem, DWD should have requested funding for upgrades, Nygren said. But they did not, and that failure brings into question whether the IT system is truly at fault.The Department of Workforce Development has faced an unprecedented number of unemployment claims for more than six months as businesses closed or limited services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.On Tuesday, the department reported more than 6.9 million weekly unemployment claims had been filed since March 15. Of those, about 8.6%, or just under 600,000 claims, were still being processed. More than $3.8 billion in state and federal benefits have been paid since March 15.To address the influx of claims, DWD has reorganized staff, spent millions of dollars to hire additional adjudicators, expanded call center hours and upgraded technology.Despite the updates, a state audit released last week found that between March 15 and June 30, less than 1% of calls to the states call centers were answered The Legislative Audit Bureau report found that of the 41.1 million total telephone calls received by DWD call centers over the three-and-a-half-month span, only 0.5% ultimately were answered. More than 93%, or 38.3 million calls, were blocked or met with busy signals, while another 6.2% of callers hung up before receiving an answer.While call volumes have put immense strain on the department, the states decades-old computer system has remained one of the biggest obstacles in terms of processing and paying claims. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Donald Trump and Joe Biden had their say, but not always with context or sometimes even facts to back up claims made during Tuesdays presidential debate in Cleveland. Heres more context to five topics covered. 1. Trump accuses Democratic states of bad policy for accepting ballots mailed in time, but arriving after Election Day. Trump: Can you imagine when they say you have to have your ballot in by Nov. 10? Nov. 10? Thats seven days after the election in theory should have been announced. We have major states with that, all run by Democrats, Trump said in discussing election fraud. The facts: Under law Ohio, a state where Republicans have dominated the statewide offices for years, the ballots arriving after the election will be counted, just as it was the case in 2016 when Trump won the state, and in elections before then. Read more about Ohios rules on late-arriving absentee ballots. 2. Trump vs. Barack Obama/Biden on the economy Trump: We built the greatest economy in history. Biden: We handed him (Trump) a booming economy. He blew it. The facts: Heres what the record says on jobs and unemployment rates, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Jobs growth slowed during the first three years under Trump from what had been the case during the final three years of Barack Obama. This is before the coronavirus struck, inflicting damage to the jobs market. As for the unemployment rate, it fell from 6.6% to 4.7% during Obamas final three years, then dropped to 3.6% after three years under Trump, as of January of this year. Read more about jobs and unemployment under Trump and Obama. 3. Coronavirus and how the U.S. has fared Biden: A lot of people have died and a lot more people are going to die unless he (Trump) gets a lot smarter. Trump said: He (Biden) wants to shut down the country." and also questioned the reporting of coronavirus death numbers from other countries. The facts: Uniform reporting of coronavirus cases and deaths has been a problem. As far as what is known, and compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the reported deaths in the U.S. of just over 200,000 account for 1-in-5 known deaths worldwide. The rates per 100,000 people are higher than the U.S. in at least 10 countries, including Peru, Belgium, Chile and Spain; they are lower in many more countries. Read more about coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and elsewhere. 4. Trumps federal income tax payments in 2016 and 2017 Moderator Chris Wallace: Will you tell us how much you paid in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017? Trump: Millions of dollars. The facts: Only a holder of Trumps tax returns knows for sure. The New York Times recently reported that Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016, the year he was elected president. And he paid $750 his first year in office. In other years, he paid nothing, the Times reported. Trump directly disputed this on Tuesday night, but he has not released his tax returns as proof, breaking from the custom of every presidential candidate in the last 40 years. Read more about Trumps taxes, the New York Times report and the history of presidential candidates making their returns public. 5. Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) Trump: Obamacare is no good. We made it better. We took away the individual mandate. Biden: Accused Trump of working to undermine Obamacare and protections for Americans in need of health care. The facts: Attitudes toward Obamacare widely differ. One area where facts are available is the number of people insured. Census Bureau estimates say the number of uninsured Americans increased by 1 million from 2018 to 2019, increasing to 29.6 million, as the percentage of uninsured increased from 8.9% to 9.2%. The national uninsured rate was 15% in 2010 and then dipped sharply after many of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare kicked in during 2013-14, the Census Bureau said. Rates have edged up in recent years, under Trump. Read more about coverage plans under the Affordable Care Act. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. See other data-related stories at cleveland.com/datacentral. Read related coverage Constant interruptions, insults, obscure substantive discussion at first presidential debate in Cleveland Trump and Biden barely mention Ohio during Cleveland presidential debate Four arrested outside presidential debate in Cleveland, police say Indian and Chinese diplomats held another round of dialogue on the border standoff on Wednesday with little to show beyond a commitment to implement decisions made at the last round of military talks about maintaining stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The latest virtual meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs provided both sides an opportunity to review the situation along the LAC and to hold frank and detailed discussions on developments since the bodys last meeting on August 20, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. Also Read: India, China discussing foreign ministers 5-point agenda to ease border situation: Chinese official Both the Indian statement and a readout in Mandarin from Chinas foreign ministry said the two sides positively evaluated the outcome of the sixth military commanders meeting on September 21. They emphasised the need to implement the steps outlined in the joint press release issued after the last meeting of the senior commanders so as to avoid misunderstandings and to maintain stability on the ground, the Indian statement said. In this context, the need to strengthen communication, especially between the ground commanders, was emphasised by both sides, it added. WATCH| Current situation at India-China border uneasy: IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria Also Read: Imran Khan faces pushback over Gilgit-Baltistan move. China ties his hands | Analysis The Chinese readout spoke about following up on decisions made by the military commanders, including properly handling the remaining local issues and jointly maintaining peace in the border areas while maintaining dialogue. The military commanders, at their last meeting, agreed to stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground, and avoid taking any actions that may complicate the situation. They had also agreed to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of India and China, strengthen communication, and avoid misunderstandings and misjudgements. People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that both sides were focused on ensuring there were no more flare-ups in the aftermath of several incidents earlier this month that saw Indian and Chinese troops firing warning shots the first time guns were used along the LAC since 1975. Both sides have mobilised some 50,000 troops each in the Ladakh sector and the soldiers are now preparing to dig in for the harsh winter, when temperatures can dip as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Asked about the WMCC meeting at a regular news briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: The main topics discussed are how to implement the five-point consensus reached in Moscow (on September 10) by the two foreign ministers to resolve outstanding issues on the ground and to ease the situation along the border. The WMCC meeting, co-chaired by joint secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava of the external affairs ministry and Hong Liang, director of the boundary and oceanic department of Chinas foreign ministry, attached importance to the meetings of the two defence ministers and the two foreign ministers in Moscow earlier this month. They also noted that the agreement between the two foreign ministers should be sincerely implemented to ensure disengagement at all the friction points along the LAC, the Indian statement said, referring to a five-point roadmap the two ministers had agreed on. Both sides further agreed to continue close consultations at the diplomatic and military levels, and that the seventh meeting of the military commanders should be held at an early date so that the two sides can work towards early and complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC in accordance with the existing bilateral agreement and protocols, and fully restore peace and tranquillity, the Indian statement added. The Chinese readout said the two sides would implement the five-point roadmap reached by the two foreign ministers, strictly abide by border affairs agreements and take practical measures to improve and further cool down the situation and avoid any actions that may complicate it. The five-point roadmap agreed on by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi includes dialogue aimed at quick disengagement, maintaining proper distance between troops of the two sides and easing tensions, abiding by all agreements and protocols on border management, continuing dialogue through the Special Representatives mechanism and the WMCC, and working on new confidence-building measures once the situation eases. This was the WMCCs sixth virtual meeting since the standoff in the Ladakh sector emerged in the open in May. The sharp differences that persist between New Delhi and Beijing became public this week, with India dismissing Chinas contention that it abides by a 1959 definition of the LAC, the notional alignment dividing the two countries. Sameer Patil, fellow for international security studies at Gateway House, said: It is the stalemate which is doing the talking. This is about both sides wanting to continue the negotiations but knowing that they wont budge from their stated positions. Its somewhat akin to what used to happen under the Special Representatives mechanism both sides would meet every year to take stock of the situation and agree to meet again. If there is no movement from the Chinese side, India cant offer anything, and that is another sign of the stalemate. President Donald Trump continued his assault on the integrity of the U.S. elections during the first presidential debate Tuesday, spreading falsehoods about the security of voting and misrepresenting issues with mail ballots. In the final segment of the contentious debate between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, Trump launched into an extended argument against mail voting, claiming without evidence that it is ripe for fraud and suggesting mail ballots may be manipulated. This is going to be a fraud like youve never seen, the president said of the massive shift to mail voting prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. Trumps riff was laden with misstatements and inaccuracies. Mail voting has proved to be safe and secure in the five states that already use it broadly. And while some irregularities and errors have occurred in the early vote, Trump on Tuesday mischaracterized those incidents. His comments come as his reelection campaign and the Republican Party have begun challenging the way those ballots are being processed and preparing for broad legal battles after Election Day. A look at Trumps claims and the facts. Trump accused Philadelphia election officials of inappropriately keeping his campaigns poll monitors from observing voters filling out mail ballots at a voting center Tuesday. He was repeating an accusation he and his son had made earlier this week and election officials have disputed. Election lawyers note Trump campaigns watchers had no legal right under state law to observe citizens filling out mail ballots. Trump cited a case of military ballots marked for him being thrown in the trash as evidence of a possible plot to steal the election. But he didnt mention the strange details of the case. County election officials say that the seven ballots, along with two unopened ones, were accidentally tossed in an elections office in a Republican-controlled county by a single contract worker and that authorities were swiftly called. Trump pointed to problems that have arisen as states rush to adapt to mail balloting mainly in his native New York, where elections officials sent error-riddled mail ballots this week and a slow count left the outcome of multiple congressional primaries up in the air in June. But he falsely claimed that the outcome of one of those races, the primary won by Democratic Rep. Carolyn Mahoney, was fraudulent. Trump claimed a West Virginia mail worker was selling ballots. That drew a clarification from West Virginias Republican secretary of state, Mac Warner, who noted the case involved a postal worker altering eight absentee ballot applications during the states primary election earlier this year. Five ballot requests had party affiliations changed from Democrat to Republican. On the other three requests, the voters GOP party affiliation was not changed but the postal worker circled the word Republican in a different color ink than was used on the forms. The carrier pleaded guilty to election fraud and injury to the mail in July. Voter fraud is rare in the United States. An analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice found Americans were more likely to be struck by lightning than to commit voter fraud. Still, Trump continued to sow distrust and again refused to commit to avoid declaring victory if the count goes past Election Day, as expected. Last week his refusal during a news conference to commit to a peaceful transition alarmed many. Biden tried to lower the temperature about accepting the voters will. I will accept it, and he will, too. You know why? Biden said. Because once the winner is declared once all the ballots are counted, thatll be the end of it. And thats fine. ___ Associated Press writer Anthony Izaguirre in Lindenhurst, New York, contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that the organization that conducted the voter fraud study is the Brennan Center for Justice, not the Brennan Institute for Justice. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global halal cosmetics market is anticipated to reach USD 22.53 billion by 2026 according to a new study published by Polaris Market Research. The market growth is primarily due to increase in Muslim populations and their purchasing power. This has created a surge in demand for halal cosmetics. Increasing demand has also compelled market players to engage in new product development. Currently, consumers are exhibiting growing interest in halal cosmetics and personal care. This is primarily due to the increasing consumer awareness about the importance of personal hygiene and improving lifestyles as a result of increasing disposable income. Halal cosmetics being different from conventional cosmetics are gaining popularity, as these cosmetics do not contain alcohol, porcine-by products and their derivatives. Basically, they do not contain contents or ingredients that are against Islamic beliefs. Request for sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/halal-cosmetics-market/request-for-sample Halal cosmetics are expected to be produced, packaged, stored, and distributed as per Islamic teachings. Moreover, these products are considered to be safe, clean, and high quality. The significant growth in Muslim populations across the globe is expected to offer immense opportunities to personal care and halal cosmetics industry. In addition, the rapidly accelerating economic power of Islamic countries is anticipated to largely influence them to spend additional money on beauty and personal products. The growing issues over the environmental and health hazards are also responsible for such as significant impact on the cosmetic industry. Some of the health hazards such as distortion, breast cancer, and abnormalities pertaining to genital are usually blamed to occur as a result of excessive usage of cosmetics products comprising nano-particle ingredients. The increasing in number of such events has promoted consumer awareness about the substance of beauty products, thus, driving demands for halal personal care and cosmetic goods. Browse summary of this report with TOC @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/halal-cosmetics-market Low level of awareness about the presence of halal cosmetic brands is acting as a challenge to the industry. As a consequence, the industry is not experiencing heavy demands as expected out of its potentials. Moreover, halal issues within the sector are considered quiet minor among consumers in comparison to food consumption. Thus, this requires manufacturers to improve their marketing strategies and production facilities. Furthermore, it becomes difficult to understand consumer perspective about halal cosmetic brands. Asia Pacific is anticipated to dominate the global halal cosmetics market, owing to the presence of emerging nations such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Pakistan. These nations have significant population that follow Islamic beliefs. The list of key companies that are operating in the market include Ivy Beauty Corporation Sdn Bhd, Mena Cosmetics, MMA Bio Lab Sdn Bhd, The Halal Cosmetics Company, Talent Cosmetic Co., Ltd., PHB Ethical Beauty, Saaf SkinCare, One Pure, Sampure Minerals, Amara Cosmetics, Wardah Cosmetics, Inika, Clara International, Prolab, and IBA Halal Care. These players are observed engaging in activities aimed at the development of new products. Speak to Analyst to know more @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/halal-cosmetics-market/speak-to-analyst Halal Cosmetics Market Size and Forecast by Product Type Key Findings Personal Care Color Cosmetics Fragrance Halal Cosmetics Market Size and Forecast by Application Key Findings Skin Care Hair Care Face Care Others Halal Cosmetics Market Size and Forecast by Distribution type Key Findings Online Distribution Offline Distribution Halal Cosmetics Market Size and Forecast by Regions Key findings North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK France Asia Pacific China India Japan Indonesia Malaysia Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Turkey Qatar Egypt Nigeria Get Exclusive Discount on This Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/halal-cosmetics-market/request-for-discount-pricing About Polaris Market Research Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities. Adept with a highly competent, experienced and extremely qualified team of experts comprising SMEs, analysts and consultants, we at Polaris endeavor to deliver value-added business solutions to our customers. Contact Us: Polaris Market Research Phone: 1-646-568-9980 Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com At least 250,000 current and former employees of fast-food behemoth McDonald's were denied 10-minute rest breaks they are legally entitled to, the fast-food workers' union has claimed, as it launches a campaign for employees to come forward to join a potential class action. The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) has joined with Shine Lawyers to carry out an investigation into the potentially "systematic" denial of break entitlements in McDonald's stores across Australia since September 2014. Darcy Dunlop says he was denied breaks in his time working for McDonald's. Credit:Janie Barrett Josh Cullinan, the secretary of RAFFWU, said the clause setting out the break entitlements "could not be clearer" and there is not much hope of arguing the breaks were denied "by accident". He said hundreds of workers have already registered with the union, and it's hoped the class action investigation will prompt many thousands more to come forward. Terra Lawson-Remer, economist, environmental attorney, community organizer, and educator, who served as Senior Advisor in the Obama Administration, may not have had Nigeria in mind when she declared that among the many frustrations in development; perhaps none looms larger than the "resource curse." Perversely, the worst development outcomes--measured in poverty, inequality, and deprivation--are often found in those countries with the greatest natural resource endowments. Rather than contributing to freedom, broadly shared growth, and social peace, rich deposits of oil and minerals have often brought tyranny, misery, and insecurity to these nations. She noted. Yet, incredibly, all the arguments, evidence and available documents this author stumbled at that gave rise to this piece, not only wholeheartedly approve and endorse that Terra Lawson-Remers thought was Nigeria specific but recalls that such worries have at different times and places been mooted here in the country by individuals and groups expressing their desire to contribute to the growth of the nation. Series of meetings, conferences and seminars were held at different levels to assist the government with right judgement in addressing this peculiar challenge posed by resource curse. Regrettably, failure to adjust, adapt and incorporate these calls by the nations policy makers have characterized Nigeria, in the estimation of the watching world as an unfinished project, worse than a work-in-progress. This has gone so bad that even at 60, no nation best typifies a country in dire need of peace and social cohesion among her various sociopolitical groups than Nigeria. Over the years, myriads of sociopolitical contradictions have conspired directly and indirectly to give the unenviable tag of a country in constant search of social harmony, justice, equity, equality, and peace. Out of many, two reports did more than anything else to convince Nigerians of the above claim. The first is on Oil pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, by AI Chukwuma Okoli. The second is a 106 paged document co-authored by Professor Akinyemi Onigbinde and Ambassador Humphrey Orjiakor, both members of the Nzuko Umunna/Aka-Ikenga and Core Federalists Group, the organizers of a Handshake across Nigeria Summit. To add context to the discourse,it is important to lay bare the fact that prior to the time Oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1956 at Oloibiri in the Niger Delta after half a century of exploration by Shell-BP, and the nation joined the ranks of oil producers in 1958 when its first oil field came on stream producing 5,100 bpd., there exists in the country accounts of victories in the discovery of natural resources in Nigeria. There were documented evidence of discoveries of; coal in Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria, and Tin in Jos, the present day Plateau state. Yet, the discovery of crude oil actually paved the way for the manifestation of sterling wealth that has defined the nations economic strength. Admittedly, the petroleum sector without going into specifics has rightly been the backbone of Nigerias economy; it has paradoxically in the accounts by AI Okoli doubled as a centre for the primitive accumulation of wealth as well as a platform for petro-rentier crimes. Within this sector, petroleum rents have been the object of an opportunistic scramble by corrupt political elites and their counterparts. In effect, the significance of oil wealth in Nigeria has been contradictory: it has been a blessing as well as a curse, by generating both revenue and criminality. This seeming paradox resonates with the resource-curse thesis. As mind numbing as the above appears, the account by the Nzuko Umunna/Aka-Ikenga and Core Federalists Group elicits trauma and prompts the question;whether the Nation is Truly Under Resource-Curse? The Group is of the views that the history of Nigeria is filled with the paradoxes of want in the midst of plenty. It sounds absurd that instead of shared prosperity and national cohesion, oil has brought Nigeria conflict and poverty, inequality and oppression, dependency, recurrent economic recession, and environmental dilapidation. Noting that despite the abundance of oil and gas, hydro and energy resources, guarantees for the most part, Nigerians live in darkness, and businesses atrophy for lack of power supply. There are huge solid mineral deposits across the length and breadth of the country, yet Nigeria depends 95% on oil income for foreign exchange earnings. Every part of the country is blessed with immense agricultural potentials, yet the vast majority of our youths remain unemployed, while we spend billions annually importing food staples and industrial raw materials. We are quick to boast of a huge population. It is true that one-in-every-four-black-persons in the world may be Nigerian, but a significant number are more of human liability than human resource. This is not the occasion or space to rehash the litany of Nigerias contradictions, a cursory study of the United Nations Human Development Index tells the pathetic story. Some International Agencies have gone so far as to declare Nigeria a failed or failing state despite its unmatched potentialities. The question that is in some ways more important than the nation's 60th independence anniversaries celebration are; is Nigeria truly under Resource or leadership Curse? Will Nigeria remain an abandoned project having failed to attain its manifest destiny? Even with its endowed human and material resources? And after it has endured and survived an unjust, yet an avoidable civil war? How can we use strategic methods to set and re-establish Nigeria where each region or state operates in a symmetrical manner with no part of the amalgam claiming superiority over the other? How can the nation strengthen this arrangement which at independence in 1960, made Nigeria a federation, resting firmly on a tripod of three federating regions-Northern, Eastern and Western Regions, and each of the regions economically and politically viable to steer its own ship? How do we foster collaborative approaches that minimize resource use but improve the masses' life chances? What can we do as a nation to bridge social and structural divides and build a community where everyone is welcome and has a sense of belonging? And most importantly, how can our leaders build a nation of equal citizens where opportunities are equal and personal contribution is recognized and rewarded on merit regardless of language, culture, religion or political affiliations? As the nation continues to brood over the above questions, the truth must be told to the fact that the current challenge was heightened by the nations refusal to learn from history which continues to teach humanity invaluable lessons about life. But instead, choose to dig a shallow grave for it. And the nation is consequentially being haunted by the presence of its shadowy ghost. To move forward, .the present administration must recognize that any personality who wants to grow in leadership must almost always scale and be open to learning. They must be molded by new experiences to improve their leadership selves. From the above demand flows another concern; how can leaders learn when they continuously mouth their determination to preserve the union called Nigeria, but the feudalistic and oligarch nature of their government promotes mindless exclusion, injustice and economic deprivation thereby doing the country more harm than good and quickening its disintegration? To make this anniversary rewarding, the nation as argued by Nigerians with critical interest, must return to that form of constitutional governance based on the universally recognized principles of federalism that enables the component units to exercise commensurate freedoms in a horizontal, and not a vertical relationship with the Central Government as exists right now. This implies, among other things, urgent agreements on devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, land and resource ownership and control, structural rationalization of the federating units, and systems change to drastically reduce the expanding cost of governance. Jerome-Mario Utomi ( [email protected] ), is a Lagos-Based Media Consultant. LOS ANGELESEven as attempts to weaken the online free speech protections guaranteed by the law known as Section 230 come from both sides of the aisle in Congress, courts have continued to uphold the law in a series of lawsuits. The latest comes from the United States Eastern District of New York, which ruled last week that the 24-year-old law shields Twitter from a defamation lawsuit. Known as the First Amendment of the Internet, Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, grants online platforms legal immunity for content posted by users. The law is crucial for the online adult industry in particular, because sexual content is often the first to be targeted when free speech protections are rolled back. In the case, Brikman v. Twitter, Mayer Chaim Brikman, the rabbi of a Brooklyn, N.Y., synagogue claimed that a group of disgruntled congregation members created a Twitter account that impersonated the synagogue. The spoof account posted numerous tweets that, the rabbi claimed, defamed him and the synagogue. But the social media company argued that under the provisions of Section 230, it was protected from legal liability because it was not a publisher, but instead an interactive computer service, a category which is specifically shielded by the law. Federal Judge Rachel P. Kovner agreed. Because the rabbis lawsuit demanded that Twitter remove the allegedly defamatory posts, the suit made the mistake of treating Twitter as, in fact, a publisher. The decision whether or not to remove content is the role of a publisher, not an interactive computer service, the judge ruled. Kovner was appointed to the bench in October of last year by Donald Trump. But Trump himself has made scaling back or even repealing Section 230 an issue. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order calling on the Federal Communications Commission to review and potentially rewrite the law. Kovner in her 10-page decision wrote that Brikmans lawsuit offered no indication that a valid claim may be stated. As a result, she dismissed the rabbis lawsuit with prejudice, meaning that he may not rewrite his legal complain and resubmit it. The decision follows a pair of rulings in August involving Section 230, as AVN reported. In one, a court held that the law protected the classified ad site Craigslist from a lawsuit by a woman who alleged that she had been sex-trafficked through an advertisement on the site. But in the second case, U.S. Eastern District Judge LaShan Darcy Hall a 2015 Barack Obama appointee held that Section 230 did not protect the creator of an online spreadsheet titled Shitty Media Men. The spreadsheet was a list of men in the media accused of sexual misconduct. Because the creator of the list also wrote some of the entries making accusations against men in the media, she qualified as a publisher and was not entitled to Section 230 legal immunity, Hall ruled. Photo By Howard Lake / Wikimedia Commons (Natural News) Politico will not be outdone. The Associated Press just wrote their own hit piece attacking Amy Coney Barretts Catholic faith, and this is how it begins: (Article republished from TheRightScoop.com) President Donald Trumps nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court has close ties to a charismatic Christian religious group that holds men are divinely ordained as the head of the family and faith. Former members of the group, called People of Praise, say it teaches that wives must submit to the will of their husbands. Not this again. Democrats just love attacking Christians for this, because they hate it. NEWS FLASH: Joe Biden also belongs to a group that says wives should submit to their husbands. Its called Christianity and the Catholic Church! The AP admits they went dumpster diving for material on the group People of Praise: AP also reviewed 15 years of back issues of the organizations internal magazine, Vine and Branches, which has published birth announcements, photos and other mentions of Barrett and her husband, Jesse, whose family has been active in the group for four decades. On Friday, all editions of the magazine were removed from the groups website. I wonder how many reporters they assigned to read 15 years worth of magazines. I bet it was quite a few. The AP suggests that because of Barretts affiliation with a group that elevates the role of men, she doesnt deserve to fill RBGs seat: Barretts affiliation with a conservative religious group that elevates the role of men has drawn particular scrutiny given that she would be filling the high court seat held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a feminist icon who spent her legal career fighting for women to have full equality. Barrett, by contrast, is being hailed by religious conservatives as an ideological heir to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a staunch abortion-rights opponent for whom she clerked as a young lawyer. They also try to paint the group as a cult where men dominate their wives: Several people familiar with People of Praise, including some current members, told the AP that the group has been misunderstood. They call it a Christian fellowship, focused on building community. One member described it as a family of families, who commit themselves to each other in mutual support to live together through thick and thin. But the group has also been portrayed by some former members, and in books, blogs and news reports as hierarchical, authoritarian and controlling, where men dominate their wives, leaders dictate members life choices and those who leave are shunned. Youd think the AP was describing Scientology or fundamental Mormonism. Its ludicrous. Lastly, the AP later admits that they didnt just read 15 years worth of People of Praise magazines: AP interviewed seven current and former members of People of Praise, reviewed its tax records, websites, missionary blogs and back issues of its magazine to try to paint a fuller picture of an organization that Barrett has been deeply involved in since childhood. I wish theyd scrutinize Joe Biden like they are scrutinizing Barrett. Its really amazing how hard the left is trying to demonize Catholicism and Christianity because Amy Coney Barrett is Catholic. They believe they can get away with their bigotry by focusing solely on this ecumenical group, demonizing it instead of attacking Christianity and Catholicism directly. But the items they are highlighting as cultish are basic Christian tenets of the faith, whether it be sex only inside of marriage, homosexuality being evil or wives being called to submit to their husbands. Regarding that last item of wives submitting to their husbands, the left ALWAYS leaves out the part right after where the Bible calls on husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. Which means husbands are called to love their wives so much theyd die for them. One might say wives got the better deal! Read more at: TheRightScoop.com To the Editor: 20 Theater Figures on How to Revolutionize Their World (Arts & Leisure, Sept. 13): Twenty theater figures have 20 no, more than 20 ideas on how to revolutionize the theater! But we only need to do one simple thing: subsidize the theater. Throughout the history of Western culture, every period of theatrical fecundity has been led by a subsidized theater Aeschylus and Sophocles, the Moscow Art Theater, the Abbey Theater, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the W.P.A.s Federal Theater Project and this is simply because the theater is, on the one hand, much too important to be neglected, and on the other hand, way too labor-intensive to be profitable. And this is especially the case if ticket prices are kept low enough that going to the theater is available to everyone. If the theater were paid for by a society that cared about the health of its culture, we wouldnt have to challenge the theater industrys leadership model, because getting a play done wouldnt depend on the approval of a few elderly white men. We wouldnt have to eliminate unpaid internships because wed be able to pay people to work. We wouldnt have to see a couch onstage over and over again because we wouldnt be limited to plays about the first-world problems of affluent white people. David Berman New York The writer is a former professional actor both on Broadway and Off Broadway. To the Editor: Re Lets End the Rule of Sit Down and Shut Up (Arts & Leisure, Sept. 13): Alexis Soloski suggests that elitist, classist and arguably racist thinking drives the standard ideas regarding silence in Broadway theaters, instead of landing on the more rational explanation that noise from the audience interferes with our ability to hear the actors onstage. Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. But the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt. So should IronRidge Resources (LON:IRR) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. The first step is to compare its cash burn with its cash reserves, to give us its 'cash runway'. See our latest analysis for IronRidge Resources When Might IronRidge Resources Run Out Of Money? You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. In June 2020, IronRidge Resources had AU$7.3m in cash, and was debt-free. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$11m over the trailing twelve months. So it had a cash runway of approximately 8 months from June 2020. To be frank, this kind of short runway puts us on edge, as it indicates the company must reduce its cash burn significantly, or else raise cash imminently. You can see how its cash balance has changed over time in the image below. How Is IronRidge Resources' Cash Burn Changing Over Time? While IronRidge Resources did record statutory revenue of AU$44k over the last year, it didn't have any revenue from operations. To us, that makes it a pre-revenue company, so we'll look to its cash burn trajectory as an assessment of its cash burn situation. As it happens, the company's cash burn reduced by 12% over the last year, which suggests that management may be mindful of the risks of their depleting cash reserves. IronRidge Resources makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth. Story continues Can IronRidge Resources Raise More Cash Easily? Even though it has reduced its cash burn recently, shareholders should still consider how easy it would be for IronRidge Resources to raise more cash in the future. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash and drive growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations. IronRidge Resources' cash burn of AU$11m is about 9.3% of its AU$113m market capitalisation. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money. How Risky Is IronRidge Resources' Cash Burn Situation? On this analysis of IronRidge Resources' cash burn, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap was reassuring, while its cash runway has us a bit worried. We don't think its cash burn is particularly problematic, but after considering the range of factors in this article, we do think shareholders should be monitoring how it changes over time. On another note, IronRidge Resources has 6 warning signs (and 3 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Anthem said Wednesday that it was the victim of a sophisticated state sponsored criminal attack group in the attack. The insurer said it did not believe it violated the law in connection with its data security, and it was not admitting to that with its latest settlement. Scientists have identified key molecules that mediate radioresistance in glioblastoma multiforme; these molecules are a potential target for the treatment of this brain cancer. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive type of brain cancer. It is treated by radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy. However, even with treatment, the five-year survival rate for GBM is less than 7%. One of the major causes for this is that GBM rapidly develops radioresistance (resistance to radiotherapy) by unknown mechanisms. A team of scientists from Hokkaido University and Stanford University have revealed a mechanism by which GBM develops radioresistance. Their research, published in the journal Neuro-Oncology Advances, explains how two key molecules, Rab27b and epiregulin, interact to contribute to radioresistance in GBM. The primary function of Rab27b is to regulate protein trafficking and secretion of molecules. Rab27b is also known to promote tumor progression and metastasis in several types of cancer. For these reasons, the scientists decided to investigate if Rab27b had any role to play in GBM. Upon performing tests on human glioblastoma cell lines, the scientists showed that Rab27b expression was increased for at least seven days after exposure to radiation. Knockdown of Rab27b increased the sensitivity of glioblastoma cells to irradiation. These tests were replicated in an animal model: the glioblastoma cells were injected into mice, which were then subjected to radiation therapy. Rab27b knockdown combined with radiation therapy delayed tumor growth and prolonged mouse survival time. As Rab27b is a regulator of protein trafficking, the scientists continued their work, looking for other molecules that contribute to radioresistance. They discovered that changes in the expression of Rab27b led to corresponding changes in the expression of epiregulin, a growth factor whose expression is known to increase in cancer cells; knocking down the expression of epiregulin increased the sensitivity to irradiation, as seen in the cells with Rab27b knockdown. Further, the scientists showed that increased expression of Rab27b and epiregulin in glioblastoma induced the proliferation of surrounding cancer cells, which could contribute to acquiring radioresistance. Finally, they analyzed gene expression data of GBM patients and found that upregulation of Rab27b and epiregulin correlated with poor prognosis of the patients. By identifying the roles that Rab27b and epiregulin play in the development of radioresistance in GBM, the scientists have brought to light a novel target for drug development, and one that could significantly increase the survival rate for GBM. Dr. Jin-Min Nam and Dr. Yasuhito Onodera are part of the Radiation Biology group at the Global Center for Biomedical Science and Engineering (GCB), a collaboration between Hokkaido University, Japan, and Stanford University, USA. The group specializes in molecular and cellular oncology, and radiation biology. Image Dr. Anthony S. Fauci on Capitol Hill this month. Credit... Pool photo by Graeme Jennings Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the leading U.S. official on infectious diseases, hit back at President Trump on Wednesday for what he called the misrepresentation of his stance on using masks to curb the coronavirus. In the presidential debate on Tuesday, Mr. Trump claimed that Dr. Fauci initially said masks are not good then he changed his mind. And when former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said wearing masks could save tens of thousands of lives, Mr. Trump contended that Dr. Fauci said the opposite. Dr. Fauci, whose relationship with his boss has often seemed tenuous at best, took issue with his claims the day after the debate. Anybody who has been listening to me over the last several months knows that a conversation does not go by where I do not strongly recommend that people wear masks, he said in an interview on ABC Newss Start Here podcast. The full interview can be heard Thursday, ABC said. Dr. Fauci explained that very early on in the pandemic, the authorities did not recommend masks to the general public because they were worried about shortages and hoarding. But that changed, he said, as it became clear that asymptomatic transmission was spreading the virus and that masks helped stop it. I have been on the airways, on the radio, on TV, begging people to wear masks, Dr. Fauci said. And I keep talking in the context of: Wear a mask, keep physical distance, avoid crowds, wash your hands and do things more outdoors versus indoors. Mr. Trump has often signaled his displeasure with Dr. Fauci, especially as the scientists stock has risen with many Americans. He once called him a major television star apparently a compliment but it was not clear that the president enjoyed sharing the spotlight. In April, under fire for his slow initial response to the pandemic, the president reposted a Twitter message that said Time to #FireFauci. And in July, Trump advisers undercut Dr. Fauci by anonymously providing details to various news outlets about statements he had made early in the pandemic that they said were inaccurate. Mr. Trump, watching the economy crumble in a re-election year, has been a cheerleader for state officials to reopen. Dr. Fauci has been rather the opposite. Just this week, he was ringing the alarm on ABCs Good Morning America. Were not in a good place, he said when asked about the nation averaging 40,000 new coronavirus cases a day. Dr. Fauci said the increases some states are seeing were especially ill timed, given the approach of flu season. You dont want to be in a position like that as the weather starts getting cold, he said. So we really need to intensify the public health measures that we talk about all the time. Actor-turned-MP Nusrat Jahan of the Trinamool Congress, who is currently shooting in London for a Bengali film, has sought additional security cover saying she received death threats on social media for posting a video in which she was featured as Goddess Durga, news agency PTI reported. On September 17, Jahan posted on her Instagram and Twitter accounts photos and videos in which she was dressed like the Hindu Goddess and armed with a trident. More than one thousand comments were posted. Many of the comments came from residents of Bangladesh. While most people made fun of the actor, some were bitterly critical. A comment in Bengali read You wont be able to save yourself, your God of earth wont be able to save you.. After your death you will realise your fault. There wont be any excuses for you. A senior officer at the Kolkata Police headquarters told HT that no official complaint was received till Wednesday evening. TMC leaders did not comment on the matter. Jahan could not be contacted. Jahan, who gets standard security cover as an MP, has taken up the matter with the West Bengal government and Ministry of External Affairs, seeking additional security arrangement during her outdoor shoots in London from September 27 to mid-October, her close aide told PTI on Wednesday. In a letter to the Indian High Commissioner in the UK on September 29, she said I would like to inform you that I reached London two days back on my professional purpose and after reaching here I have received a death threat via my social media pages from some fundamentalists who belong to India and neighbouring country. A copy of her letter was made available to PTI. Informing that she will be in London till October 16, Jahan said in the letter, During my stay in London I require an immediate police protection as the threat is very serious and it is affecting my mental health. I would request you to kindly arrange to provide me a necessary protection in London. She attached screen shots of two trolls on her mail box. One of them read, Your time of death has come. You are fearful of Allah but cannot cover your body. Shame on you. According to PTI, a member of Jahans team said she has always stood up for secular and inclusive views and these trolls do not deter her. Jahan had been trolled in the past by a section of Muslim fundamentalists for sporting sindoor and inaugurating a ISKCON Rathyatra. She had hit back, saying her faith in humanity and secularism does not prevent her from participating in religious festivals of other communities while believing in Islam. Ireland's Supreme Court has ruled that Subway sandwiches are too sugary to be classed as 'bread' and therefore are not liable for tax exemption. The court ruled on Tuesday that the sandwiches could not be categorised as a staple food, which would come with a zero VAT rate, rejecting a Subway franchise's arguments that it was not liable for tax on some of its takeaway products. The appeal by Bookfinders Ltd, based in Tuam, Co Galway, follows on from a 2006 decision by Revenue refusing the takeaway outlet a refund for VAT payments made between early 2004 and late 2005. Ireland's Supreme Court has ruled that Subway sandwiches are too sugary to be classed as 'bread' and therefore are not liable for tax exemption (Stock image) The ruling therefore ends a 14-year battle by the global takeaway chain to have its rolls recognized as a tax-free staple. The five-judge court determined that the bread in Subway's heated sandwiches falls outside that statutory definition due to its high sugar content, which stands at 10pc of the weight of the flour included in the dough. The Vat Act 1972 states that the weight of ingredients in bread such as sugar, fat and bread improver shall not exceed 2 per cent of the weight of flour in the dough. The court ruled on Tuesday that the sandwiches could not be categorised as a staple food, which would come with a zero VAT rate The Act aimed to distinguish between bread, which is considered a staple food and is taxed at zero per cent, and other baked goods made from dough, which are taxed. Bookfinders claimed that it was owed a refund after the sandwiches were taxed at 9.2 per cent when, it argued, the rate should have been zero. The company lost an appeal at the High Court and the Court of Appeal before the Supreme Court agreed to hear a further appeal. Mr Justice ODonnell dismissed the appeal in a judgment on Tuesday, while also admitting that the Bookfinders arguments were 'ingenious'. He agreed with the appeal commissioner that hot drinks, including tea and coffee, and sandwiches fell under the sixth schedule of the 1972 Act and were thus taxable at 13.5 per cent. Missional was a buzz word that, fortunately, had staying power because serious theologians and pastors awoke to it and pushed down deep roots. At the heart of missional thinking is, as Sally Brown states it in her book Sundays Sermon for Mondays World, We immerse ourselves in the story Scripture tells, we join other believers in consistent shared social practices throughout the week that cohere with that story, and we move out into the world as transparent, unequiovocal witnesses to the redemptive work of God. Right. Good. We can begin with that. When we do the following three strengths are at work: First, being a sent church enables churches to find an identity and a mission. Second, this permits a church to discovrer other churches as partners in Gods mission instead of competitors or threats. Third, the emphasis on church practices as witness gives an action oriented, relevant, flexible, and revisable way of being the church. So far so good, but there are weaknesses in the missional paradigm and one must say it has not been compelling to many traditional churches and it has not formed a substantive new kind of church. So, what are the weaknesses? Brown mentions four: First, it tends to present an idealistic/idealized understanding of a congregation and its practices. People arent just Christians because much of life overlaps. So, the missional approach tends to present Christians as too much other by Othering the world. Second, since missional has emphasized the Spirit at work in and outside the church it needs to live up to that both-and approach instead of othering the world the rest of the week. There are too many over against judgments. Image: Cover Photo Third, misional stuff has been too white, too male, too Protestant, and too mainline. Though women voices have been present often, persons of color have been ignored and much of it framed before their involvement. What is clear, too, is that much of what the missional movement has argued for has been present in churches of color, and what the missional folks have criticized in the church reveals they have ignored churches of color! The wisdom for the missional movement has been there all along in the voices not heard. Fourth, too much missional stuff is too ecclesial (its emphasis was anti individualism) and not enough about the ordinary iives of ordinary people in churches in their ordinary workday lives as they live in public spaces. Which is the heart of Browns book. Romance is on the run in the Southtown area. Over the course of the last week, strollers and joggers on the Eagleland Predestrian Bridge, at the corner of Guenter of Eagleland, may have noticed a chalk message scribbled on the concrete that seems like the start of the perfect chick flick. Apparently a secret admirer was stopped in their tracks last Thursday by a fellow runner and was so enamored by this person he or she decided the best way to shoot their shot was to leave a public note and a proposition for a second meeting. The note reads: "To the man with long black hair and a grey stripe in the front who I saw running shirtless Thursday, I almost yelled at you "Do you want to go on a date with me??? I'm glad I didn't do anything so public or embarrassing. Meet me here? Thursday? Noon?" Though a number of people have shared photos of the sweet sentiment online, no one has apparently claimed the musing. However, mySA.com and San Antonio Express-News Digital Content Producer Ryan Serpico caught a response faintly etched beneath the public proposal that reads, "Ok, I will be here." Whether it's the dreamy shirtless runner or someone playing a joke, San Antonio suckers for romance are hoping for a reunion on Thursday. Magaly Chocano, CEO of web design firm Sweb Development, was one of the passersby who noticed the note and posted it online. Friends who replied to her said they're tempted to lurk around the meeting spot just to see what happens. Go get 'em, anonymous hopeless romantic! And, if you're reading this, let us know how it goes. Below are photos of the note. Niagaras top public health official says the provincial government should consider including the region in a list of hot spots that have new visiting restrictions at long-term care homes next week as part of an effort to stem the rising tide of COVID-19 cases. Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Niagara Regions acting medical officer of health, said Tuesday it would prudent for Premier Doug Ford to impose restrictions locally until the rising rate of infection falls again. I would encourage residents to refrain from visiting family in long-term care homes until the situation settles down, Hirji said. It is important we do what we need to keep COVID-19 from getting into those homes. During his daily pandemic briefing Tuesday, Ford announced non-essential visitors which will largely include friends and family of residents will be barred from long-term care homes in areas the provincial government determines are COVID-19 hot spots. Ford did not say what regions will be designated or how they will be identified, nor what metrics the government is using. He did say the new measures will come into effect on Oct. 5 and that some family members will be able to register as essential caregivers to long-term care home residents. When the first wave of COVID-19 struck, long-term care homes across the country were hit hardest. In Niagara, the most significant local outbreaks happened at long-term care and retirement homes, sickening and hospitalizing hundreds of people. Of the at least 64 people with COVID-19 who have died in Niagara, most were long-term care residents. There are currently two long-term care outbreaks in Niagara Pioneer Elder Care in St. Catharines, which has at least two cases, and Deer Park Villa in Grimsby with at least one case. Hirji said now that cases are on the rise Ford has declared the province is in a second wave of COVID-19 infections steps must be taken to prevent novel coronavirus virus from finding it way back into homes where the people most vulnerable to the virus live. Currently, the majority of new infections are hitting people under 40 who on the whole develop less severe symptoms than seniors. Hirji said the household spread of the virus, along with workplace transmission, is driving new cases. However, Hirji said as the overall rate of infection in the broader community grows the risk of COVID-19 hitting a long-term care home increases. Limiting visitors to long-term care homes might be the best way to prevent a recurrence of the fatal outbreaks that gripped the homes in the spring. Niagara has seen a significant increase in daily COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks, with a surge hitting the region over the past few days. Fifty-five cases were confirmed since Saturday, according to public health data. Five of those cases were confirmed Tuesday, a number down from the double-digit increase over the previous three days. However, Hirji noted a single day does not make a trend. It goes up and down day by day, but I would not be surprised if something around 12 becomes the new baseline for a while, he said. Those five cases pushed Niagaras total number of COVID-19 cases since March to 1,065. On Tuesday, for the first time in two months, Niagara Health reported that two people have been hospitalized at the St. Catharines hospital with COVID-19. By Trend Turning to the Armenians living in Karabakh, I want to say that they must recognize the only legitimate state power of Azerbaijan and its army and in order to eliminate terrorist elements, liquidate the illegal regime that has oppressed them for 30 years, support us - the Azerbaijani army, the Azerbaijani state, and Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, Head of the Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, MP Tural Ganjaliyev, told Trend. Ganjaliyev made the speech during his interview with the Trend News Agencys PRESIDENT. Independence. Security. Prosperity. video project. Otherwise the joint presence of the Armenians living in Karabakh with these terrorists and illegal military units means that theyre on the side of the criminals. Theyre citizens of Azerbaijan, and they must understand this. Be that as it may, they will live under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan, so they must get rid of these elements if they want to live in a safe, developing and prosperous country, emphasized Ganjaliyev. The MP added that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, strictly observing the norms of international law, are conducting military operations. Strikes are delivered only against military targets of the Armenian army. And the Armenian army, realizing their powerlessness, strike at settlements, civilians, which once again shows that the main goal of aggressive Armenia is to destroy the people who live in the occupied territories and on the line of contact, to carry out another ethnic cleansing, which is an absolute violation of international law, the community's head noted. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Lucknow, Sep 30 : A Special CBI court hearing the Babri mosque demolition case of December 6, 1992, acquitted all the 32 accused on Wednesday saying it was spontaneous and not a planned move. Those acquitted in the case that lasted 28 years include former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, former Union Ministers M.M. Joshi, Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, among others. Former BJP MP Vinay Katiyar and Hindu leader Sadhvi Rithambhara, who were among the accused present in court, said: "Sab Ramji ki kripa hai". As soon as the court announced the acquittal of the accused, jubilation broke out outside the court, in Ayodhya and Lucknow where supporters of the leaders were present to celebrate the occasion. Special CBI judge S.K. Yadav, in his verdict, said that the demotion was not a planned incident but a spontaneous act. He said that Ashok Singhal and other Sangh Parivar leaders wanted to save the structure as Ram Lalla statues were inside. The court observed that leaders who were present on the dais repeatedly tried to persuade the 'kar sewaks' against taking any action on that day. The court further said the CBI has failed to substantiate the charges levelled against the 32 accused persons. The court also said that the video recordings submitted to the court were 'tampered with'. The judge pointed out that the prosecution could not produce enough evidence against the accused. He said that the authenticity of audio, video provided by CBI could not be proven and the audio of the speeches were not clear. The court also said that those who climbed on the dome, were anti-social elements. The 26 accused persons who were present in court on Wednesday, said that they had always maintained that the demotion was a conspiracy by the then Congress government. Babri plaintiff, Iqbal Ansari, said in Ayodhya that after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Ram temple last year, the demolition case had lost its relevance. "I welcome acquittal of the 32 persons by the court. There should be no further dispute on the matter," he said. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Former Bigg Boss 13 contestant Himanshi Khurana was rushed to the hospital on Monday morning in Ludhiana. Himanshi had tested COVID positive on Saturday and was rushed to the hospital two days later, after a decrease in oxygen saturation, reported SpotboyE. A source said that Himanshi was under home isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus but was rushed to the hospital when her condition deteriorated. She was moved from Chandigarh to Ludhiana via ambulance. The actress had taken to Instagram to inform her fans about being tested positive. In a text post, Himanshi had said that she tested Covid positive even after taking precautions. She said that she decided to take the test because she attended the farmers protest against the new farm bills. Considering that she was in a crowded place, she decided to take the Covid test before going for a shoot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Himanshi Khurana (@iamhimanshikhurana) on Sep 26, 2020 at 11:18pm PDT Farmers in Punjab and Haryana are protesting against the new farm bills, which have been passed in both the houses of the parliament. Many celebrities like Diljit Dosanjh, Harbhajan Mann, Ammy Virk and Sargun Mehta have come out in support of the protesting farmers. On the work front, Himanshi featured recently in a Punjabi song titled Khyaal Rakhya Kar with boyfriend Asim Riaz. Himanshi also suffered from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and was reported to undergo an operation for the same earlier this month after her condition worsened. Tsion Cafe in Harlem, New York, isn't just a restaurant it's a cultural center. Locals cherish it as a place where you can go not only to nourish your body with fresh, vegetable-heavy food, but also your mind, with live music, art exhibitions and film screenings. Now, as thousands of restaurants across the country shutter amid the COVID-19 crisis, owner Beejhy Barhany is more determined than ever to uphold the traditions of her culture and her home. Beejhy Barhany is the owner of Tsion Cafe in Harlem, New York. (TODAY) With dishes like doro tibs and shakshuka on the same menu, the eatery is an homage to owner Barhany's upbringing. But for the restaurateur who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Israel, Tsion is also a celebration of Harlem, the neighborhood she has called home for 20 years. The cafe is housed on the site where the legendary Jimmy's Chicken Shack, a eatery and jazz spot, used to be. In its heyday, Billie Holiday, Art Tatum and Hazel Scott used to perform at the venue. Malcolm X, Charlie Parker and Redd Foxx also used to work there. "Showcasing the musician, the artist is celebrating the beautiful, vibrant Harlem Renaissance here at Tsion Cafe," she told TODAY Food. "And, you know, Harlem, at large, is the mecca of Black culture. And for me, it's an honor to continue that and be part of it." The menu at Tsion Cafe is an homage to upbringing, having been born in Ethiopia and raised in Israel. (Courtesy Beejhy Barhany) Since opening Tsion in 2014, Barhany has dedicated herself to the community that lovingly embraced her when she moved from Israel in 2000. In addition to from providing New Yorkers with nutritious dishes and showcasing the various talents of local artists, she also employs immigrants, refugees and asylees in the area. But in March, when COVID-19 caused nationwide shutdowns, everything the food, the music, the art, all of it came to a dramatic pause. "It was a disaster," Barhany said. "Everybody's leaving the city. People are dying." Barhany has donated over 800 meals to front-line workers and people in need. (Courtesy Beejhy Barhany) So at the beginning of April, for the safety of her employees, herself and potential customers, she decided to close down her restaurant. After laying off her staff, she was closed for about a month. Story continues Instead of giving up, Barhany was determined to find alternative ways to keep her business afloat. After Paycheck Protection Program loans didn't come through many of them going to big chain restaurants she spent the month of April applying for various small business relief grants. Thanks to $24,000 in grants, she was able to reopen Tsion and rehire some of her workers by the end of month. She started feeding front-line workers and those in need. Since then, she's donated over 800 meals. "Since the pandemic started, we had to be very creative and find different ways to implement the different things we used to do before," said Barhany. Barhany showcases artwork from local artists inside and outside of her restaurant. (Courtesy Beejhy Barhany) She couldn't open Tsion's doors to the community again, but she could get her food into people's homes through takeout. She couldn't host live music in her space, but she managed to treat people to live performances through Instagram and Facebook events. In non-pandemic times, Barhany regularly has local musicians perform in her restaurant. (Courtesy Beejhy Barhany) At the end of May, when George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, sparked mass protests against police brutality across the country, as well as calls to support Black-owned businesses. "A lot of people wanted to support minority-owned businesses, Black-owned businesses," said Barhany. "And that helped, in a way. We appreciate it very much for people going outta their way, coming from the Lower East Side, Upper West Side, driving or coming from Connecticut just to support us and buy a meal." More help came, on July 14, when Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray granted Tsion $30,000 in payroll reimbursements as part of their $3 million Restaurant Revitalization Program with One Fair Wage, giving Barhany the ability to hire back even more workers, on a $20 hourly wage subsidized by the program. According to the program application, participating restaurants must commit to paying "full minimum wage, not inclusive of tips, to all workers within 5 years of returning to regular business practices" and make their food "accessible to essential workers and low-income residents in their communities," for example, through meal deliveries to seniors or free meals to grocery workers. Tsion Cafe was one of the first restaurants to be selected as part of the Restaurant Revitalization Program in New York City. (Courtesy Beejhy Barhany) The grants were awarded to 100 restaurants in "target neighborhoods" as identified by the city's Racial Inclusion and Equity Task Force, with a preference for "'restaurants who commit to high road' employer practices that promote livable wages, greater race and gender equity in recruitment, hiring, promotion, training and evaluation practices, and other worker-friendly conditions, and that are able to serve fellow New Yorkers in need." And then, later in July, Barhany was able to reopen her outdoor space to the public in the back, where she had always had a patio, and in the front, where city legislation granted her a temporary sidewalk license. With the new outdoor cafe, she brought back the live music and painting. It wasn't back to normal, but it was something. In July, city legislation allowed Barhany to put outdoor seating in front of her restaurant. (Courtesy Beejhy Barhany) "From maybe 30, 40 tables, now you have about 10 tables. It's a big difference in terms of revenue intake," said Barhany. "But are we gonna give up? No. We gonna still keep fighting and make sure we are feeding our community and the doors are opened to make sure that all employees can come and work and sustain themself." On Sept. 9, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that indoor dining would be allowed to resume in New York City at 25% capacity starting Sept. 30. So, on Wednesday, Tsion will be opening its doors to let customers inside its historic space for the first time since March. "It's all about giving back to the community, celebrating our diversity and, you know, in this pandemic time, hard time, if we can uplift people's spirit, if it's music, healthy food, our job is done," Barhany said. John Windham spent 30 years in prison for aiding in a murder in Sacramento as a teenager. Disconnected from society, by his own description, in his life before imprisonment, he became obsessed with politics and public affairs while behind bars, gathering all the news he could about polls and elections. Voting became my Super Bowl, Windham, 50, said from his home in Waterford (Stanislaus County). Since his release on parole in the past year, he has founded a nonprofit to help former inmates rejoin society and worked as a community organizer. But one thing neither Windham nor his 50,000 fellow parolees can do is vote in the November election. That will change if voters approve Proposition 17, which would add California to 19 states and the District of Columbia that allow former prisoners to vote while on parole. I feel as though my voice doesnt matter, my opinion doesnt matter, Windham said in an interview. You take my money (in taxes) every month, but yet I cant say what you do with my money and whos in office. Opponents of Prop. 17 argue that parolees are still serving their sentences and should be treated the same as inmates, who are barred from voting. Only two states, Maine and Vermont, allow prison inmates to vote. Parole is a period of state supervision after a prison sentence for a felony. Parolees must report periodically to their parole officer, can be searched at any time, are barred from possessing guns, and can be returned to prison for violating parole conditions. Supervision typically lasts three years, but can be five or 10 years for more serious crimes. Those like Windham who were convicted of murder and approved for release by the state parole board are on parole for life. As in much of the criminal justice system, the impact of the voting ban is racially disproportionate. As of December 2016, according to state records, African Americans made up 6% of the states adult population but 26% of its parolees; Latinos accounted for 35% of the population and 40% of the parolees, and whites were 41% of the population and 26% of the parolees. Other races and ethnicities made up the remainder. Courtesy John Windham California allows people to vote while on supervised probation for misdemeanors and some felony convictions, but voting by parolees has been barred since 1849, a year before statehood, by the California Constitution, which can be amended only by the voters. A 1974 ballot measure granted voting rights to former prisoners who had completed their parole period. Prop. 17 was placed on the ballot by two-thirds majorities in each house of the Legislature, voting largely along party lines, and needs a majority public vote to pass. Backers of the measure include the advocacy group Californians for Safety and Justice along with the American Civil Liberties Union and the League of Women Voters. They argue that extending the right to vote would benefit society as well as parolees. People on parole who have completed their prison sentences raise families, hold jobs, pay taxes, and contribute to society in every other way, supporters said in the states ballot pamphlet. Restoring a persons voting eligibility removes stigma and helps strengthen their connection to the community. They cited a 2011 report by Floridas Parole Commission saying inmates whose rights are restored after release are less likely to commit new crimes. Floridas permanent ban on voting by convicted felons, even after their release, was repealed by the states voters in 2018, but legislative Republicans quickly passed a new law requiring ex-convicts to pay all legal fines and fees before being allowed to vote. A federal appeals court upheld the law on Sept. 11. Opponents of Prop. 17, including the advocacy group Crime Victims United of California, argue that parolees do not deserve to vote. Parole is the adjustment period when violent felons prove they are no longer a violent threat to innocent citizens, they said in the ballot pamphlet. Prop. 17, they said, will allow criminals convicted of murder, rape, child molestation, and other serious and violent crimes to vote before completing their sentence, including parole. Although the pamphlet includes No-on-17 arguments, there is no opposition committee or campaign organization. As of Sept. 10, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla reported $378,793 contributed to Yes on 17, and zero to the opposition. The Crime Victims group did not respond to requests for comment. Still, any supporters of the measure who anticipate a one-sided vote on Nov. 3 might examine the states history for a note of caution. The U.S. Constitutions 15th Amendment, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting, became law nationwide in 1870 after ratification by the needed 28 states. California lawmakers did not approve it until 1962. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Political commentators and TV pundits have almost universally panned the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden as a complete disaster. CNNs Dana Bash called it a s***show live on air. That was the worst presidential debate Ive ever seen, an ABC News panellist said. But even from the incoherence, the first Biden-Trump debate taught us several things about the 2020 presidential race and how each candidate views his chances with five weeks to go before election day. Here are five things we learnt: 1. Pelosi was right Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been publicly urging Mr Biden for weeks not to debate the president, saying it was not worth his time to legitimise Mr Trumps words by appearing with him onstage. Why bother? He doesnt tell the truth, Ms Pelosi said on Friday. The speaker has a unique understanding of the value or lack thereof of engaging with Mr Trump directly. She herself has given up on it: she hasnt spoken with the president in more than 11 months. Everything the California Democrat said about the debate leading up to it looks prescient now. Mr Trump will belittle what the debates are supposed to be about, Ms Pelosi said as far back as 27 August. Theyre not supposed to be about skulduggery on the part of somebody who has no respect for the office he holds, much less the democratic process, she said. Mr Bidens campaign did not listen, and Tuesdays debate immediately decried as the most disgraceful in US history was the result. 2. 2016 Trump was nothing compared to 2020 Trump If you play back the tapes from Mr Trumps 2016 debates with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the difference from Tuesdays debate with Mr Biden is substantial. While Mr Trump did interrupt Ms Clinton throughout the three debates, she was at least allowed to deliver mostly full, cogent responses to the moderators questions. That was not the case on Tuesday. Mr Trump repeatedly interrupted Mr Biden, to the point the moderator, Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, apologised for having to raise his voice to quieten the two men. Mr President, let him answer, Mr Wallace exclaimed at one point. Mr President, please stop, he said another time. The presidents inability to let the moderator have the final word eventually derailed the debate so much that Mr Trump and Mr Wallace feuded over the degree to which Mr Trump had interrupted Mr Biden throughout the evening. Frankly, youve been doing more interrupting, the Fox News host said, attempting to steer away from the squabble. 3. Biden found a winning message on law and order Amid the chaos on Tuesday, Mr Biden managed to deliver a succinct, seemingly off-the-cuff expression that sums up his message on law enforcement in the US, a key issue this year in the wake of a summer of protests against police brutality and systemic racism. Are you in favour of law and order? Mr Trump asked his opponent at one point during a nearly incomprehensible back-and-forth. Law and order with justice, where people get treated fairly, Mr Biden responded, underscoring his belief that the vast majority of men and women who serve in local police departments are good people who need help to deal with the problems in their communities. Meanwhile, Mr Trump railed against Mr Biden for not directly condemning antifa, the loose collection of left-wing, anti-fascist demonstrators who have engaged in riotous behaviour in US cities this summer at racial justice protests. (Mr Biden has directly condemned antifa, as well as violence across the board.) Thats not true, Mr Biden muttered continuously throughout the night, in response to Mr Trumps line of attack on antifa and several other topics. 4. Biden knows he is the frontrunner It was clear from the former vice presidents message on Tuesday that he believes he has the support to win the presidency its just a matter of getting Americans to cast actual votes. You have it in your control to determine what the country is going to look like these next four years, he said, looking directly at the camera in response to a question from Mr Wallace about how Americans can believe in the legitimacy of the election results. He cannot stop you from being able to determine the outcome of this election, Mr Biden said, referring to Mr Trump. Hes just afraid of counting the votes. The Democratic nominee directly acknowledged he would concede the election to Mr Trump if the president wins the vote, something Mr Trump has not done, instead indicating he will challenge the results of the election if he loses, based on the unfounded belief that mail-in ballots will be rife with fraud. We might not know for months, because these ballots are going to be all over, Mr Trump said, claiming the election system was rigged against him. Study after study has shown virtually no instances of widespread voter fraud in any recent US presidential elections. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 18:27 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c48441c7 1 National KPK,graft,regional-heads,regional-elections,Corruption-Eradication-Comission,corruption,regional-leaders,bribery Free The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) identified at least six modi operandi for corruption committed by regional heads to get back the money they spend on election campaigns. We will know right away if regional heads are committing these acts, KPK public service and education director Giri Suprapdiono said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com. The first method was by offering positions in the regional administration to officials in exchange for illicit money. They offer positions ranging from agency head to school principal. A case against Tengku Dzulmi Eldin, the former mayor of Medan in North Sumatra, involved this modus operandi. He received bribes from regional officials who hoped to retain their position within the Medan administration as Tengku was expected to serve as mayor until 2021. The court sentenced him to six years in prison. Read also: KPK expresses concerns after most regional election candidates found to be backed by sponsors Second, a regional head might manipulate the procurement of goods and services through regional budget planning. Giri said it was common for regionals heads to receive kickbacks or arrange procurement tenders to favor a certain company. The antigraft agency arrested Tasdi, the former regent of Purbalingga in Central Java, for receiving an illegal commitment fee from a company for the construction of the regencys Islamic center. Third, a regional head might sell permits to certain corporations supporting their political campaign. For example, the regional head would issue a permit for construction and plantations in exchange for illicit money. One example of this method occurred in Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, where regent Rita Widyasari received bribes in exchange for a plantation location permit. Giri said regional heads could also embezzle from the regional budget. This method would require the leaders to work with the regional legislative council to pass an embezzled regional budget for the next financial year. Regional heads, Giri went on to say, also tended to receive unlawful gifts. According to the 2001 Corruption Law, a state official can face criminal charges if they do not report any gratuity to the KPK within 30 days. Lastly, a regional head could embezzle regional income by disbursing it to other state officials as well as their supporters rather than reporting it to the regional budget. Read also: Vote buying threatens to undermine year-end elections: KPK Giri added that incumbent regional heads could also embezzle money from regional budgets to fund his or her electoral campaign. Many believe high-cost election campaigns will encourage politicians to misuse their power and commit graft in their attempts to find easy money for the election. According to the Home Ministry, each regental or mayoral candidate can spend up to Rp 30 billion (US$2.01 million) to fund their campaign. Meanwhile, a gubernatorial candidate can spend up to Rp 100 billion to participate in an election. (dpk/kuk) The Glass Fire in Napa County burns on a mountainside with the Beckstoffer Vinyards in the foreground on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 in St. Helena, CA. Kent Nishimura | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images Will Abrams and his family packed their pickup truck with laptops, clothes, sleeping bags and a tent and quickly left their rental home in California's wine country after seeing flames on a hill about a quarter-mile away Monday morning. It was their third hurried fire evacuation in as many years. In 2017, Abrams woke up to find their Santa Rosa home on fire and cleared burning branches from the driveway so he could get his wife and children to safety. Their home was destroyed. Then last year, the family evacuated as another wildfire bore down on Sonoma County. They were terrified to cross into the San Francisco Bay Area amid smaller grassland fires sparked by power lines falling in the midst of strong, hot winds. "This time we hurried up and packed up the car, and we were in gridlock traffic on (Highway) 12 while the flames were approaching from behind," Abrams said Tuesday. He and his wife tried to entertain the kids by making conversation so they wouldn't panic. "It was just obviously traumatic on a personal level, but also just that so little has changed since the fires of 2017 in terms of preparedness and prevention." They have been told this home is still standing. But with the Glass Fire still completely uncontained, the Abrams and their 12-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter are staying in Berkeley until they are allowed to return. The Chateau Boswell winery burns during the Glass Fire in Napa County, California, U.S., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. Philip Pacheco | Bloomberg | Getty Images "I'm trying to prepare my kids and let them know that climate change is part of life and they're going to have to deal with it as they get older and also trying to provide them a sense of safety and security. It's not easy. But we should not accept this is the way it's going to be," he said. The Abrams family is among thousands of weary wine country residents confronting another devastating wildfire. The Glass Fire, which started Sunday, has scorched more than 66 square miles (170 square kilometers) and destroyed about 95 structures. It's the fourth major fire there in three years and comes ahead of the third anniversary of a 2017 wildfire that killed 22 people. Three fires, driven by gusty winds and high temperatures, merged into one on Sunday, tearing into vineyards and mountain areas, including part of the city of Santa Rosa. About 70,000 people were under evacuation orders, including the entire 5,000-plus population of Calistoga in Napa County. Numerous studies have linked bigger wildfires in America to climate change from the burning of coal, oil and gas. Scientists say climate change has made California much drier, meaning trees and other plants are more flammable. Burned grapes and vines are seen at the Chateau Boswell Winery after the Glass Fire came through, in Saint Helena, California, U.S., September 28, 2020. Fred Greaves | Reuters The Glass Fire spread rapidly and is now burning through land that was saved from the other recent wine country fires, Cal Fire Assistant Chief Billy See said. Some of the land has not burned for a century, while crews are now using old containment lines to fight the current fire, relieved slightly by easing winds. It's one of nearly 30 wildfires burning around California. The National Weather Service warned that hot, dry conditions with strong Santa Ana winds could continue posing a fire danger in Southern California through Tuesday afternoon. The state has already seen more than 8,100 wildfires that have killed 29 people, scorched 5,780 square miles (14,970 square kilometers) and destroyed more than 7,000 buildings. Patrick Ryan, who lives in Sonoma County just outside Santa Rosa, stayed up the whole night trying to fight the flames and save his house, which survived. "Surreal, let me just put it that way. It brings everything about that night in 2017 right back again," Ryan said. Broken wine bottles destroyed by the Glass Fire lie on the ground at the Chateau Boswell winery in St. Helena, California, U.S., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Massachusetts lawmakers after Tuesday nights wild debate called out President Donald Trump for refusing to directly condemn white supremacists and insisting violence and extremism was a left wing" issue despite his own administrations increased focus on domestic terrorism committed by far-right individuals and groups who target minorities. Moderator Chris Wallace asked the president if he was willing to denounce white supremacists to say they need to stand down and not add to the violence thats arisen after nationwide protests and calls for racial justice since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Trump said he was prepared to do that and willing to do anything for peace, but pivoted by saying that almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. Trump, who earlier this year expressed sympathy for Floyd, argues that American cities have become increasingly dangerous, claiming without evidence that efforts to defund police are tied to spikes in looting and other violence in areas largely run by Democrats. The president has deployed federal agents to Portland, Oregon, and other cities to quell violence, and he and his allies have mocked the phrase, peaceful protesters. Donald Trump fans the flames of racism, embraces white supremacy and employs state violence against Americans exercising their rights," Sen. Elizabeth Warren said during the debate. Thats Donald Trumps America. Donald Trump fans the flames of racism, embraces white supremacy, and employs state violence against Americans exercising their rights. That's Donald Trump's America. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) September 30, 2020 Former Vice President Joe Biden and Wallace both challenged Trump to directly condemn white supremacy; Biden asked him to denounce the Proud Boys, a far-right group. Trump responded, "Proud boys, stand back and standby. He then shifted to say somebody has to do something about antifa and the left. This is not a right-wing problem. This is left wing. The New York Times reported that the far-right organization celebrated after the presidents name drop during the primetime showdown with the Democratic challenger. Did he denounce the Proud Boys and we missed it? Rep. Ayanna Pressley tweeted during the debate. Did he denounce the Proud Boys and we missed it? Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) September 30, 2020 Trump said, You have to be kidding, when Biden noted that Trumps own FBI director, Christopher Wray, says antifa is not an actual organization but an idea or movement. Last year, Michael C. McGarrity, assistant director of the FBIs counterterrorism division, and Calvin Shivers, deputy assistant director of the criminal investigative division, testified on Capitol Hill that, Individuals adhering to racially motivated violent extremism ideology have been responsible for the most lethal incidents among domestic terrorists in recent years ... These actors tend to be radicalized online and target minorities and soft targets using easily accessible weapons." Sen. Ed Markey, whos called the president the most racist person in history to occupy the White House, tweeted that Donald Trump wont condemn white supremacists because he is one. The post was on its way to 100,000 likes and more than 23,000 retweets following the debate. Donald Trump won't condemn white supremacists because he is one. Ed Markey (@EdMarkey) September 30, 2020 One of those candidates pays his taxes. The other spent decades defrauding us. One wants to expand health care. The other wants to steal it away. One disavows white supremacy. The other embraces it. One loves America. The other loves only himself. Enough. Vote. Joe Kennedy III (@joekennedy) September 30, 2020 Donald Trump says he didnt say there were very fine people on both sides. He did. pic.twitter.com/tnvTO1S9dq Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) September 30, 2020 Looking directly into the camera, Biden argued the president had long stoked racial tensions. This is a president who has used everything as a dog whistle to try to generate racist hatred, racist division, he said. Related Content: One of the few Uyghur concentration camp survivors,Tursunay Ziyawudun who managed to escape China has arrived in the United States, according to the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP). Tursunay Ziyawudun, one of the few Uyghur concentration camp survivors who managed to escape China has arrived in the United States, according to the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP).UHRP, a Washington-based organisation in a press release said that Tursunay got released from a camp in December 2018. Thereafter, she managed to leave China and return to Kazakhstan, where she had lived for several years. In February 2020, their house near Almaty was set on fire in suspicious circumstances, after she went public with her story. She was subsequently forced to flee Kazakhstan for a temporary stay in a third country, UHRP said in its release. We are tremendously relieved that Tursunay is now safe in the United States, said UHRP Executive Director Omer Kanat. UHRP warmly thanks governments who have rescued at-risk Uyghurs. Every rescue is a godsend, Kanat added.According to the UHRP, she spent nine months in detention, where she suffered malnutrition, dehydration, forcible ingestion and injection of unknown drugs, and physical and mental torture.UHRP called on governments and humanitarian-aid groups to stand up an organized program to grant refugee status and provide humanitarian support for thousands of Uyghurs stranded in foreign countries. China put a million or more Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities into detention camps and prisons in Xinjiang over the last three years, according to the revealed the leaked documents released in US media.However, China regularly denies such mistreatment and says the camps provide vocational training.Uyghur activists and human rights groups have countered that many of those held are people with advanced degrees and business owners who are influential in their communities and have no need for any special education. ALSO READ: TikTok launches in-app guide on US election to battle misinformation People in the internment camps have described being subjected to forced political indoctrination, torture, beatings, and denial of food and medicine, and say they have been prohibited from practising their religion or speaking their language.Now, as Beijing denies these accounts, it also refuses to allow independent inspections into the regions, at the same time, which further fuels reports related to Chinas atrocities on the minority Muslims. ALSO READ: Narendra Modi, Bangladesh PM likely to hold virtual bilateral summit in December That's It: Transformations to True Self and Desires: an important tool of inspiration that will navigate one to find their true power and strength within. That's It: Transformations to True Self and Desires is the creation of published author Maria Leony Zaldivar, a faithful believer who also has her fair share of struggles. Zaldivar shares, I walk the path every detail of this book which lead me to make contact to the I. Its alive and living within us, our source of being, that fire of the Holy Spirit that lives within the heart, wanting to be put first to be loved to bring out to the open for us to be in love with it that gives us life into this form of the flesh were in can be done through purification. Be strong and courageous, get rid of fear, doubt, worries, and the way to make contact is to trust and obey the inspired impulse, and this can be done through meditation and believing. The body or flesh were in had gathered debris of dark forces energy. This will lead you to your true power that has been hidden within you to out the surface to deliver you to the kingdom of heaven which is in the now! The abundance, freedom, and pure love to receive in whatever you think about and dream about will be your reality. With patience of your journey in unconditional love and compassionate love to all mankind as you walk the path of your journey on earth with daily meditation and gratefulness, your purpose will be revealed to you! Always be watchful of your word for it corroded the ether that is holding mankind to get contact to the equilibrium or vortex which is the huge universe that delivers all we ask and desire which is called the land of milk and honey. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Maria Leony Zaldivars new book is an insightful manuscript encouraging readers to explore their faith, their being, and their beliefs. This creation will help them find the right direction as they move along their individual journeys in life. View a synopsis of That's It: Transformations to True Self and Desires on YouTube. Consumers can purchase That's It: Transformations to True Self and Desires at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about That's It: Transformations to True Self and Desires, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed to advocate for persecuted religious minorities in China while calling on the Vatican to reconsider renewing a deal with Beijing. "Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than it is inside of China today," Pompeo said Wednesday in Rome, Italy. "Nor of course have Catholics been spared this wave of repression." Pompeo's latest remarks come as the Vatican and China are negotiating to renew a controversial 2018 agreement on the nomination of bishops. The terms of that deal have not been publicly revealed. While admitting nation-states' efforts to protect religious freedom are "constrained by the realities of world politics," Pompeo made a subtle appeal to the Vatican to reverse the planned renewal underway. "The Church is in a different position. Earthly considerations shouldn't discourage principled stances based on eternal truths." Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See hosted a symposium on "Advancing and Defending International Religious Freedom through Diplomacy." Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Holy See Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Gallagher also participated. A senior State Department official confirmed the top U.S. diplomat is not scheduled to have an audience with Pope Francis during this visit. Pompeo met with the pontiff last October. Secretary of state, whose trip to Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Greece has been overshadowed by an impeachment inquiry at home targeting President Donald Trump, met the pope for about a half an hour The Pope's office reportedly told American diplomats he would not personally receive Pompeo due to concerns of being seen as influencing the November U.S. election. The U.S. secretary of state also met Wednesday with the Italian foreign minister. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 06:30:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron was philosophical on Wednesday in his appeal for global efforts to reverse biodiversity loss, saying biodiversity is the life insurance of humans. The protection of nature raises the fundamental ethical issue of the protection of human beings. Above all, the protection of biodiversity is the protection of ecosystems, he told the UN Biodiversity Summit. "I do not believe that the right of any other living creature is higher than a human right. But I do not believe in the effectiveness of preserving human rights without preserving the ecosystems in which we live. For me, this is the philosophical and ethical basis of this battle for biodiversity. This is why this new challenge must be the occasion for a collective awakening," Macron said. Scientists have long been alerting about the risks of the appearance of new infectious diseases due to deforestation and the poaching of wild species, by showing the very close links between human, animal and environmental health. The COVID-19 pandemic reminds that biodiversity is the life insurance of humans. "When it is weakened, our health security and our economic security are at stake," said Macron. He stressed the need to step up the fight against environmental crime, and to put a definitive end to all illegal activities that endanger nature, destroy ecosystems, feed corruption, hinder the development of the rule of law and, ultimately undermine the sustainable development of humanity. Macron also called for the transformation of the current models of production, trade and consumption, "because it is illusory to think that the development of societies can be based on a production model that destroys living creatures and therefore, ultimately, of our common health and prosperity." He called for public investment to enable the transformation. The French recovery plan will devote more than 1 billion euros (1.17 billion U.S. dollars) to biodiversity and the fight against land degradation, he said. If 2020 is the year of awareness, 2021 must be the year of action, said Macron. France will mobilize for the adoption of an ambitious new global strategic framework for the protection of biodiversity at next year's UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China, he said. "Like the Paris Agreement on climate change, we would like this agreement to include quantified and measurable commitments, as well as a clear implementation and accountability mechanism," he said. In this spirit, France has already set itself ambitious objectives by taking the lead, alongside Costa Rica, of a coalition aiming to protect 30 percent of the land and maritime species of the planet in the next decade, including 10 percent that would benefit from reinforced protection, he said. He invited all states to join this coalition and affirmed his determination to mobilize the international community at the highest level and deliver for the first time a message of common ambition in response to the three challenges of climate crisis, loss of biodiversity and land degradation. Enditem By AFP WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will head next week to Japan, South Korea and Mongolia, the State Department said Tuesday, on a trip expected to focus heavily on China and North Korea. Pompeo's trip to Tokyo will be the first by a top US official since Yoshihide Suga took office on September 16, succeeding veteran prime minister Shinzo Abe, a close ally of Washington. On October 6 in Tokyo, Pompeo will hold a four-way meeting with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan -- the "Quad" formation, heavily promoted by Abe, that has been widely seen as a bid by the region's major democracies to step up cooperation in the face of China. Pompeo is a vociferous critic of China on issues from security to human rights to the Covid-19 pandemic, which President Donald Trump's administration has sought to blame squarely on Beijing ahead of the November 3 elections. Pompeo has led an international campaign for other nations to shun China, including its technology. His trip to South Korea comes as hopes subside for a breakthrough with North Korea, earlier a top priority by Trump as he sought foreign policy wins before elections. Trump has met three times with the authoritarian state's leader Kim Jong Un, and Pompeo recently said that talks were continuing behind the scenes with North Korea, although he admitted that the administration would have liked to achieve more progress. Pompeo, the former head of the CIA, traveled four times in 2018 to North Korea in hopes of sealing a breakthrough. But he has not been to the region since June 2019, when he joined Trump at a Group of 20 summit in Japan and a stop in South Korea that included an impromptu meeting with Kim in the Demilitarized Zone. Pompeo on October 7 will be the first US secretary of state since 2016 to visit Mongolia, which has sought close relations with the United States amid its delicate position sandwiched between China and Russia. Pompeo has been traveling frequently in recent weeks after a slowdown due to the coronavirus. He will head to Asia shortly after wrapping up a trip to Greece, Italy and Croatia. By Trend The UN Security Council (UNSC) called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately cease hostilities, Trend reports citing TASS. Chairman of the UNSC, Permanent Representative of Niger to the UN Abdou Abarry told journalists after the closed consultations. Members of the UN Security Council support the Secretary General's appeal to the sides of the conflict to immediately stop hostilities, reduce tensions and return to negotiations without delay, he said. Closed meetings of the UNSC imply the participation of only 15 countries of the Security Council. Abarry noted that if necessary the Council will hold a meeting with the participation of representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan. If necessary, we will talk with both ambassadors so that they can come to an understanding, Abarry said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 00:06 United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that there is zero enthusiasm in the Democratic party for its presidential nominee Joe Biden and nobody wants "sleepy Joe" as a leader, a day after the two fiercely clashed over a wide range of issues in the first presidential debate. Trump, a Republican, and Biden are pitted against each other for the November 3 presidential elections. During the first of the three presidential debates in Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday night moderated by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace in Cleveland, Ohio, 74-year-old Trump and his 77-year-old rival Biden debated on issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, economy and climate. They also traded barbs about each other's families, making it one of the most chaotic White House debates in years. "Radical Left is dumping Sleepy Joe. Zero Democrat enthusiasm, WEAK Leadership!" Trump said in a series of tweets. Both the sides have, however, claimed victory after the debate. "Nobody wants Sleepy Joe as a leader, including the Radical Left (which he lost last night!). He disrespected (Senator) Bernie (Sanders), effectively calling him a loser!" Trump said in another tweet. Sanders lost the Democratic presidential primary to Biden. "Biden wants to Pack the Supreme Court, thereby ruining it. Also, he wants no fracking, killing our Energy business, and JOBS. Second Amendment is DEAD if Biden gets in! Is that what you want from a leader? He will destroy our Country!" he said and urged fellow Americans to go out and vote. Trump also slammed Biden for not using the word law and order during the debate. Trump had said that he and his party believes in law and order but Biden does not. "The top 10 cities and just about the top 40 cities are run by Democrats and in many cases radical left, and they've got you wrapped around their finger, Joe, to a point where you don't want to say anything about law and order. And I'll tell you what, the people of this country want and demand law and order. And you're afraid to even say it," he said. Biden used the term law and order after Trump demanded this from him multiple times. "Law and order with justice where people get treated fairly," Biden said. "It is crazy what's going on and he doesn't want to say law and order because he can't because he'll lose his radical left supporters and once he does that, it's over with," Trump said about his Democratic opponent. The president also asserted that Biden has no support from the law enforcement agencies to which Biden responded, "That's not true". -- PTI Evidence collected by two documentary filmmakers is challenging the official explanation of how 852 people died in the 1994 sinking of a ferry in the Baltic Sea, one of Europes greatest maritime disasters. The oceangoing passenger and car ferry, the Estonia, was en route from the Estonian capital, Tallinn, to Stockholm when it was stricken and sank rapidly in stormy seas. An official investigation found that its bow door had been ripped off by the heavy seas, flooding the car deck. The ship went down in less than an hour, with only 137 survivors. A subsequent investigation in 2008 said that the ship had been traveling too fast in the surging waters and that the crew, while trying to save the ship, made the critical mistake of turning it and causing it to capsize. But the five-episode documentary, which started streaming online in Scandinavia and Finland on Monday, draws a different and far darker conclusion: The filmmakers found a previously unrecorded gash in the hull of the ship about 13 feet long and four feet wide. 4 highlights from the final night of FRC's 2020 Values Voter Summit Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment One of the nations largest Christian conservative advocacy organizations Family Research Council hosted its annual Values Voter Summit last week, a four-day digital summit that featured remarks from President Donald Trump as well as other notable politicians, religious leaders and celebrities. Speakers addressed issues related to abortion, religious liberty, gender identity, the U.S. Supreme Court and the need for prayer as the country faces multiple challenges including a pandemic and social unrest. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Values Voter Summit, an annual conference usually held at a Washington, D.C. hotel and attended by hundreds of social conservatives from across the nation, was virtual this year. Earlier in the week, Sen. Josh Hawley spoke on the possibility conservatives have to reverse decades of disappointing Supreme Court rulings with the current vacancy in the wake of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs death. On Tuesday, a panel of experts spoke about the consequences of American societys embrace of transgender ideology. On Wednesday, Southern Baptist leader Al Mohler, head of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, warned that politicians are using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretense to enact policies demonstrating an overt hostility toward churches. The following pages focus on four highlights from Friday, the final night of the 2020 Values Voter Summit. Police officers who are wearing masks watch an oil tanker unloading crude oil at the port in Qingdao, eastern China's Shandong Province on March 20, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) China Encourages Holiday Travel Despite Local Lockdowns to Prevent COVID-19 Spread As China prepares to celebrate the eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, authorities in popular tourist cities are claiming that they are safe to visitdespite lockdowns and school restrictions suggesting that COVID-19 infections havent yet subsided. China will observe a national holiday beginning Oct. 1 to celebrate the festival, as well as the anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)s takeover of the country. Qingdao city, a seaside municipality on Chinas eastern coast thats a major tourist destination, reported two asymptomatic carriers late on Sept. 24. Since then, authorities organized mass COVID-19 testing and claimed that the city is safe to visit during the upcoming holiday season. However, a Qingdao university has placed all of its students under lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, only allowing students to take a one-day break and prohibiting them from traveling. Schools nationwide have recently issued rules to limit students travel plans. The Chinese economy is in bad shape. Each local government is trying to grab the opportunity to promote consumption during the holiday, said U.S.-based China affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan. Tourists will bring stimulation to the local economy because they need accommodations, food, and transportation, and will visit tourist sites and shop for souvenirs. He added that authorities wouldnt overtly launch strict lockdown policies because Beijing in early September had hosted a conference at which Chinese leader Xi Jinping touted the countrys success in fighting the virus and handed out awards. It wont allow the negative news to deny its political achievement, Tang said. Residents are tested for COVID-19 in Ruili in southwestern Chinas Yunnan Province on September 15, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) New Infections Just before midnight on Sept. 24, the Qingdao Municipal Health Commission announced two CCP virus infections. The commission said that the city would conduct COVID-19 nucleic acid testing once every two weeks on eight types of high-risk people, including medical staff, port workers, and people who had entered China from another country. It said two workers who unloaded imported frozen seafood from a freight ship on the evening of Sept. 19 tested positive. That led the commission to claim that the outbreak was due to contaminated frozen seafoodeven as food products are not known to spread the virus. The wife of one of the infected patients is a cook at the Qingdao No. 4 Middle School, while the other patient lives in an apartment that he shares with two roommates. The commission claimed that they were asymptomatic carriers, their family members or roommates were free of the virus, and that no other infections were found in the city. On Sept. 26, state-run broadcaster CCTV quoted the deputy director of Qingdaos Center for Disease Control and Prevention as saying the city was safe and that people could enjoy a vacation in the city. The skyline that is looking out from a fort that was built by German during World War I in Qingdao, eastern Chinas Shandong Province on July 24, 2014. (WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images) During the holiday, many Chinese travel around the country to take in famous sightseeing sites or visit family members. While Yunnan Province and other tourist regions are also promoting their tourist sites, just weeks ago, on Sept. 19, the Yunnan government announced that the entire province would enter wartime status, due to a new wave of CCP virus infections that started in Ruili city. Ruili was locked down on Sept. 14. But on Sept. 22, officials in Ruili suddenly announced that they had eased the lockdown. A resident is tested for COVID-19 in Ruili in southwestern Chinas Yunnan Province on Sept. 15, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) QUST Students A student from the Qingdao University of Science and Technology (QUST) told the Chinese-language Epoch Times in a phone interview that he and fellow students have been locked down on campus since Sept. 12. The campus, in Sifang district, was blocked by newly installed wire-mesh walls, he said. Although the school didnt announce new cases in September, students arent allowed to leave campus. We must apply for a special permit from the campus director if we really need to go out, which is complicated and needs time, the student said. The QUST director office confirmed the lockdown when contacted by The Epoch Times. The receptionist said the school isnt allowing students to go home for the holiday. Several local business owners who operate stores or shops close to QUST told The Epoch Times that due to the lockdown, students couldnt visit their storeswhich has hurt sales. An interviewee shared bulletin board posts on the campus, where students asked school staff why teachers could enter and leave campus freely, but they couldnt. One student complained that the school installed more doors recently on the campus to make sure students wont go out without permission. All interviewees spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal from Chinese authorities. Chinas Qingdao University of Science and Technology locks down the campus after the city announced two CCP virus infections on Sept. 24. On bulletin boards, students leave messages criticizing the strict lockdown measures. (Provided to The Epoch Times by interviewee) Education officials in some Chinese cities also told students and teachers to stay put for the holiday. The Fuzhou city education bureau in southern Chinas Fujian Province ruled on Sept. 26 that students and teachers in all grades who leave Fujian during the holiday must self-quarantine for 14 days and take a nucleic acid test upon return. The Chinese regime has used the one-size-fits-all approach to mandatory COVID-19 lockdowns at universities around the country. In the past week, students at the Guangzhou Institute of Science and Technology in Guangdong Province complained that the lockdown policy caused trash to pile up on campus and local food prices to increase. English French OTTAWA, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Canadian businesses pivot to digital amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) is working with Digital Main Street and Google Canada to offer .CA domain names to the thousands of Canadian small businesses accessing the ShopHERE powered by Google program. ShopHERE powered by Google helps small, independent businesses and artists that lack the expertise and resources to build their online stores to get selling online. As Canadians prefer to visit and do business with .CA websites, CIRA is proud to help give these small businesses a boost with a .CA domain name. Key facts CIRA expects to see as many as 3,000 .CA domain names as part of the first phase of the ShopHERE powered by Google program. The .CA domain names will be fulfilled through Google Domains, a .CA reseller. Google Domains has been helping Canadian businesses get online since 2016 with a website and email from Google. Seven in ten Canadians prefer to support Canadian businesses when possible. A .CA domain name is the quickest and easiest way to show your business is Canadian online. According to survey data, Canadians are four times more likely to choose a .CA website over a .com when shopping online. It is estimated that as many as 40 per cent of Canadian businesses are still without a website. Executive quotes Small businesses are the heart of the Canadian economyand the core of our customer base. We are proud to join the ShopHERE program and do what we can to help the thousands of small businesses who are still without a website to get online and thrive in a difficult economy. David Fowler, vice-president, marketing and communications, Canadian Internet Registration Authority Being able to provide our businesses with access to .CA domains through this unique partnership will allow us to continue to expand our support offering for businesses through the program and ensure these businesses can secure a domain that helps them stand out to their customers." John Kiru, Executive Director at Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) Google Domains aims to make it easy to find, buy and use domain names. We're delighted to join ShopHERE powered by Google and help Canadian businesses find their place online. Matthew Bilsland, Head of Business, Google Domains Additional resources About Google Canada Googles mission is to organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful. As a global technology leader, Googles innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. Google Canada has offices in Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa with over 1,500 Canadian Google employees working on teams across Engineering, AI Research, Sales and Marketing. About Digital Main Street Digital Main Street is a program that helps main street businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and our Digital Service Squad, a team of street-level team members who help main street businesses grow and manage their operations through technology. Digital Main Street was created by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct support from the City of Toronto. DMS is also supported by a group of strategic business partners, including Google, Facebook, Intuit Quickbooks, Square, MasterCard, Microsoft and Shopify. A $42.5-million investment from FedDev Ontario and an additional $7.45 million from the Government of Ontario brought together Communitech, Invest Ottawa, the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas and the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association to expand the Digital Main Street Platform in order to support more businesses to go digital as a response to the impacts of COVID-19. About the Canadian Internet Registration Authority The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) manages the .CA top-level domain on behalf of all Canadians. CIRA also develops technologies and servicessuch as CIRA DNS Firewall and CIRA Canadian Shieldthat help support its goal of building a better online Canada. The CIRA team operates one of the fastest-growing country code top-level domains (ccTLD), a high-performance global DNS network, and one of the worlds most advanced back-end registry solutions. Media contact Spencer Callaghan Communications Manager, CIRA spencer.callaghan@cira.ca (613) 237-5335 ext. 276 In this article BYD Chinese battery and electric vehicle maker BYD shows off a model of its Han EV series at the 2020 Beijing auto show. Evelyn Cheng | CNBC BEIJING Demand for luxury electric sedans is on the rise in China. In just over two months, orders for the "Han" line of electric cars from BYD a Chinese automaker backed by billionaire Warren Buffett have topped 40,000, the company disclosed at the Beijing auto show this past weekend. The luxury sedan was announced on July 12 and will initially be sold in China. The vehicle maker said 4,000 vehicles were delivered in August. The new Han model has a single-charge range of 605 kilometers (375.93 miles) with prices ranging from 229,800 yuan to 279,500 yuan, or roughly $33,000 to about $40,000. BYD is also selling a plug-in hybrid version for slightly less, at 219,800 yuan. That price range is slightly lower than that of Tesla's China-made Model 3 sedan. Elon Musk's company does not break out China unit sales, although nearly one-fourth of its revenue in the second quarter came from the Asian country. Tesla said that in the three months ended June 30, it delivered more than 90,000 vehicles worldwide. The automobile business and related products account for roughly half of BYD's revenue. The company is also one of China's major electric vehicle battery manufacturers and has a joint venture with Toyota. BYD's Hong Kong-listed shares have soared more than 200% so far this year and hit a record high on Wednesday. Chinese electric vehicle start-up Xpeng, which listed in New York last month, also said this past weekend that demand for its P7 luxury sedan is on the rise. Shares of Xpeng are up 25% since the public offering. The vehicle retails for 229,900 yuan to 349,900 yuan after subsidies, according to Xpeng, which also claims the P7 has the longest range of any electric car sold in China at 706 kilometers. Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng stands next to the company's P7 electric sedan as he addresses media at the 2020 Beijing auto show. Evelyn Cheng | CNBC - A man, who was only identified as @JohnGhatti_CEO, shared photos of his latest property online - The young entrepreneur revealed he is developing the site for rental purposes - South Africans were inspired by his post and applauded @JohnGhatti_CEO on owning property PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! This is the content we want to see! Young South Africans are making a success of themselves and buying property to celebrate it. One man, who was only identified by his Twitter handle @JohnGhatti_CEO, showed off his latest project. The entrepreneur bought land and is currently building residential properties for rental purposes. On Tuesday, he took to Twitter to post snaps of the progress being made on his property. @JohnGhatti_CEO captioned the post: "My project coming together. Rental property on the way." Young entrepreneur @JohnGhatti_CEO inspired social media users with his project online. Photo: @JohnGhatti_CEO / Twitter. Source: UGC Take a look at the post below: Social media users were inspired by his post and they congratulated @JohnGhatti_CEO on the project. Shalom Phiri, who goes by the Twitter handle @ShalomPhiri4, commented: "All the best with the project, I'll be joining you in that other project soon enough." Thato Moeng, @thato_tmg, added: "This is so amazing. Congratulations man." @JohnGhatti_CEO is clearly making bank. He often posts snaps of his luxury whips online and he even shared a video of himself counting the "thousands" of rands he makes every day. The clip was shared in April and captioned: "Money machine to count the thousands I make every day." In another post, he shared a photo of himself in a yellow sportscar and captioned it: "I open the roof when I ride so that I can remind myself there are no limits to this life thing. Enjoy your Saturday." Meanwhile, Briefly.co.za previously reported a man decided to share photos of his crib in honour of his late mom. Michael Boshielo apologised to his mom for not getting a proper education but showed off his house to prove that he is still a success. Boshielo shared before and after snaps of the house and the end product is absolutely stunning. Taking to Twitter, the man captioned the photos: "Mom I'm not as educated as you wished. But this is my little present to you. As I promised I will never forget where I come from." Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Troops from Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces engaged in a fourth day of intense fighting around the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh on September 30 that threatens to draw Russia and regional power Turkey into a wider conflict. Dozens of people, including civilians, have been killed and scores injured as both sides use armed drones, tanks, helicopters, and multiple-rocket systems. The violence is the worst in years, and possibly the worst since a 1994 cease-fire ended outright war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Both sides on September 30 confirmed heavy clashes along much of the line of contact that separates the ethnic Armenian forces that control Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan troops. The fighting has threatened to draw in Russia, a member of a security alliance with Armenia, and NATO member Turkey, which said that it will back Azerbaijan with "every means available" in the conflict. Deepening concerns, Russia's Foreign Ministry mentioned reports that fighters from Syria and Libya were being sent to join the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. The ministry did not say who was sending what it called "illegal militia members" nor did it say on whose side they allegedly would be fighting on. There have been unconfirmed reports that Turkey is sending fighters it backs in Syria to join the fighting on the Azerbaijani side. 'Intense Fighting' "Intense fighting continues," Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said in a statement on September 30, adding that military operations were under way "along the entire front line." Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Shushan Stepanyan said in a Facebook post that "artillery engagement continues along the entire front line in [Nagorno-Karabakh] at present." Russia and Western nations have called for restraint, with the Kremlin urging all countries, especially Turkey, to "do everything to convince the opposing parties to cease fire and return to peacefully resolving the conflict by politico-diplomatic means." WATCH: Turkish-Russian Rivalry Influences Azerbaijan-Armenia Fighting Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, offered to host foreign ministers from both Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks. It was unclear if the offer was being considered. Russia is among the largest supplier of weaponry to both Azerbaijan and Armenia. It also has a military base in Armenia. The UN Security Council strongly condemned the use of force and backed a call from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for an immediate halt in the fighting, a de-escalation of tensions, and return to meaningful negotiations. In dueling interviews with Russia's state-run TV network, the leaders of the two nations, however, brushed off the suggestion of peace negotiations, accusing each other of obstructing the process. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict over the mountain region since the waning years of the Soviet Union. They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed. Since then, the region has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces. The region's 1991 declaration of independence has not been recognized, though Armenia, which is its sole outlet to the outside world, has hosted official representative offices of the region's administration. Sporadic violence has broken out over the years, and internationally mediated negotiations with the involvement of the OSCE's so-called Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia, and the United States, have failed to achieve a resolution. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the long-simmering conflict to erupt anew on September 27. Both sides have accused each other of attacking civilian targets and firing into their territory outside of the Nagorno-Karabakh area. Separatist fighters have reported at least 84 servicemen killed over the past four days. Azerbaijan has reported the death of 12 civilians on its side but released no figures on its military casualties. The European Court of Human Rights called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to avoid any military action that could endanger civilians and warned military forces against using torture or inhumane treatment against captives. The call followed a request from the Armenian government asking the court to weigh in on the current fighting. Human Rights Watch urged all forces to "respect the absolute ban against targeting civilians or carrying out attacks that indiscriminately harm civilians." On September 29, Armenia claimed that one of its warplanes was shot down by a fighter jet from Turkey, killing the pilot -- in what would be a major escalation. Both Azerbaijan and Ankara denied this, but the Armenian government published on September 30 photos it claims show the wreckage of an Su-25 warplane shot down by a Turkish fighter jet. Azerbaijan asserted that two Armenian Su-25 jets had crashed and were destroyed. Armenia's prime minister, Nikol Pashinian, has accused Turkey of sending Turkish advisors and that officers were directly involved in the fighting -- an allegation that has not been independently confirmed. Turkey's foreign minister did little to allay fears of a broadening conflict, saying that Ankara will provide support if Azerbaijan asks for it. Pashinian, meanwhile, spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 29 and said that, at this point, he was not considering asking for help under a post-Soviet treaty, called the Collective Security Treaty Organization, though he reserved the right to do so. During a visit to Latvia on September 30, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Ankara for issuing "warlike messages." However, he said he had no proof of regional players such as Turkey being involved so far. After a phone call on September 30, Putin and Macron called for an immediate cease-fire and discussed steps the OSCE's Minsk Group could take to de-escalate the conflict. Macron is expected to talk with U.S. President Donald Trump the next day. With reporting by RFE/RLs Azerbaijani and Armenian Services and TASS, AP, dpa, Reuters, and Anadolu In this screenshot from the DNCCs livestream of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the virtual convention on Aug. 17, 2020. (Handout/DNCC via Getty Images) Michigans Whitmer Extends State of Emergency Until Late October Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has extended Michigans state of emergency through Oct. 27, saying the economic and social harms posed by the CCP virus pandemic remain widespread and severe. Whitmer first declared the emergency in March to assist local governments and officials in their efforts to slow the spread of the virus. It was due to expire Oct. 1, however, an extension had been expected. In her Sept. 29 executive order (pdf), the governor said an extension of the declaration was necessary to ensure that state emergency operations are able to continue to curb transmission of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The state of emergency order underpins state restrictions on business operations and gathering sizes along with a requirement to wear a mask in enclosed public spaces and crowded outdoor places. There is much we do not know about this novel virus, but we know at least three things for certain: it is widespread, it is easily transmitted by airborne particles, and its effects can be fatal, Whitmer wrote. That lethal combination, combined with ongoing uncertainty about how to defeat it, means that the health, economic, and social harms of the COVID-19 pandemic remain severe and affect every corner of this state. The COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, constitutes a statewide emergency and disaster. The governor also said she extended four executive orders that will protect the states families and most vulnerable populations. Fans sit in the stands wearing masks during a high school football game in Clinton, Mich., on Sept. 18, 2020. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images) We have saved thousands of lives in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among our most vulnerable populationspeople of color, seniors, and people with disabilities. Because we took swift action, the health of our families and our economy are faring better than our neighbors in other states, Whitmer said. This emergency will end, and it is a matter of months, she continued. But we are not out of the woods yet. Right now, the federal government and all 50 states have been under some form of state of emergency. We must continue doing our part to fight this virus on behalf of our families, frontline workers, and our small businesses. The health, economic, and social harms of the COVID-19 pandemic thus remain widespread and severe, and they continue to constitute a statewide emergency and disaster, she wrote. Though local health departments have some limited capacity to respond to cases as they arise within their jurisdictions, state emergency operations are necessary to bring this pandemic under control in Michigan and to build and maintain infrastructure to stop the spread of COVID-19, trace infections, and to quickly direct additional resources to hot-spots as they emerge. As of Sept. 29, Michigan had reported a total of 123,633 COVID-19 cases and 6,751 deaths. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Inside Hook Over the last decade, a growing number of states have legalized cannabis some for medical use, some for recreational use and some for both. All told, 33 states have made cannabis legal for medical use, with 11 of those also allowing cannabis to be used recreationally. A new report at CNN indicates that the 2020 elections have the potential to make those numbers increase even more. And while it might not be quite as transformative as the 2016 election, theres still a lot at stake. Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana and Mississippi are the states set to vote on a variety of proposals. Some are strictly focused on the medical aspects of cannabis notably, Mississippi, where voters will be able to vote for two distinct measures both dealing with medical cannabis. (AP) Clouded by a flood of disinformation, conspiracies and false claims in the hours ahead of the debate, Donald Trump made several misleading statements and outright falsehoods during his 90-minute debate with Joe Biden on Tuesday. Hours before the debate, the Trump campaign sent a text to supporters claiming thatJoe Biden REFUSES to take a drug test and DECLINES to undergo inspection for electronic ear pieces before the debate claims denied by the Biden campaign. That story quickly dominated social media, joining a growing list of baseless conspiracies amplified by the campaign and his allies. The president used the debate to deliver several false claims or misleading statements. Here are some of them. Affordable Care Act During the first round of questions from moderator Chris Wallace, Joe Biden turned the subject of the US Supreme Court to the future of the Affordable Care Act, a sweeping federal health law passed while he was vice president alongside then-president Barack Obama. Mr Biden said that the presidents attempts to dismantle the law could strip 20 million people from their insurance, a figure corroborated by healthcare analysts. The president claimed that health coverage for 180 million Americans would extinguish under Mr Bidens plan, which would expand the ACA and include a public option to provide coverage for people outside private networks. Mr Biden does not support Bernie Sanders vision for Medicare for All, which would eliminate private insurers and move millions of Americans into a nationalised single-payer system but the president routinely conflates Mr Bidens plan with proposals from progressive lawmakers in an attempt to paint him as a radical member of the left. Your party wants to go socialist, the president said. Theyre going to dominate you, Joe. Manufacturing jobs The president said he brought back 700,000 manufacturing jobs, overstating the job gains under his administration. "They said it would take a miracle to bring back manufacturing, he said. I brought back 700,000 jobs. They brought back nothing. They gave up on manufacturing. Story continues Over his predecessor Barack Obamas eight years in office, more than 1 million manufacturing were lost, amid a recession that struck across industries. Roughly 500,000 jobs returned between 2016 and 2019, though more than 200,000 were lost during the coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout. As of August, there were 237,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in the US than the beginning of Mr Trumps time in office, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics. We handed him a winning economy he blew it, Mr Biden said. Hunter Biden The president claimed that Mr Bidens son Hunter Biden received $3.5m from the wife of a former mayor of Moscow, which Hunter Biden has denied. Why is it, just out of curiosity, the mayor of Moscow's wife gave your son $3.5 million?" the president asked. Hunter Bidens lawyer George Mesires has said that he is not involved with a firm that Senate Republicans alleged received payments from the former mayors wife in 2015. Their investigation alleged that Elena Baturina paid Rosemont Seneca Thornton as part of a "consultancy agreement." The report did not provide any further details about the transaction. Mr Mesires has denied that Hunter Biden, a co-founder of the firm Rosemont Seneca Advisors, was involved with the firm Rosemont Seneca Thornton, and neither the Senate report nor Mr Trump and his campaign provided evidence of wrongdoing. Federal income taxes The president said he paid "millions of dollars" in federal income tax despite an investigation from The New York Times, which obtained his tax returns, revealing that he paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. Mr Wallace repeatedly asked how much the president paid in those years, and he insisted millions of dollars. Show us your tax returns, Mr Biden said. The papersinvestigation reported that the president paid little to no federal income taxes from 2000 through 2017. Mr Trump is the first president in modern history to refuse to disclose his tax returns; he has claimed that he will release them pending an audit from the IRS, though the agency has said that does not preclude him from releasing them. On Tuesday, Mr Biden and running mate Kamala Harris released their 2019 returns; documents from Mr Biden and his wife Jill Biden, filing jointly, show an adjusted gross income of roughly $985,000 and taxes totalling $300,000. Read more Painful to watch: Body language expert explains the first Trump-Biden debate Trump took control: Chris Wallace under fire for failing to moderate presidential debate Trump refuses to denounce white supremacism and instead tells Proud Boys to stand back and stand by' Presidential debate descends into chaos as Trump rails against Biden and moderator: 'Will you shut up man?' Apparently, a lot of Massachusetts residents are exploring a move up north. Massachusetts ranked number one on Google Trends for the search how to apply for Canadian citizenship after Tuesday nights first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. The commonwealth outpaced the rest of the country with how to apply for Canadian citizenship searches, and as of Wednesday, still leads the trend, followed by Michigan, New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Massachusetts led the country with "how to apply for Canadian citizenship" searches following Tuesday night's presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden. The debate Tuesday night was a long, tense, insufferable bout of interruptions which saw both candidates jab one another with insults including Joe Biden telling Trump to shut up three times and calling him a clown." Two more debates are scheduled for Oct. 15 and Oct. 22, although many political pundits and viewers are calling for them to be canceled. Related Content: The first lot of houses under the central governments affordable rental housing scheme, targeted at migrant workers in the cities who returned home in the aftermath of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) lockdown, may be ready by April 2021 and construction of new units will likely take two years, officials said. Nearly 75,000 vacant, government-funded housing complexes have been identified that would be converted into affordable rental housing complexes, or ARHCs, in the first phase of the scheme. These have been built under initiatives such as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) during the term in office of the United Progressive Alliance; and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. ARHCs mark a huge, paradigm shift in the housing rental market, said Amrit Abhijat, joint secretary, Housing For All. It focuses on providing comfort and utilising governments unutilised stock. These vacant government accommodations had an investment of nearly Rs 2,000 crore and were lying useless hence it is an important utilisation of the nations resources. We have also decided that these houses, given to the migrants, will not be affected by existing rental laws, Abhijat added. According to data from the ministry of housing and urban affairs, states having the most number of unoccupied houses built under the JNNURM and RAY include Maharashtra (32,202); Delhi (29,245), Gujarat (8,654), Rajasthan (7,045), Uttar Pradesh (5,923) and Haryana (2,545). At least 10.6 million migrant workers left the cities and returned to their homes in the villages of states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh during the coronavirus lockdown that was enforced on March 25, according to Centres estimate, as many factories and business establishments in urban centres shut. The AHRC scheme was approved by the Union cabinet in July, with the expenditure estimated at around Rs 600 crore. The scheme aims to cover nearly 300,000 beneficiaries. Under model one of the scheme existing houses will be retrofitted and leased out. Around 1.8 lakh houses have been identified. These maybe in poor, dilapidated condition and are mainly identified in states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, UP, Tamil Nadu etc. It would take at least six to seven months for them to be ready. They will be the first ones to be ready and should be taken up by March to April 2021. We have identified 75,000 beneficiaries, an official in the ministry of housing and urban affairs said. Under model two we will look at construction of new complexes, but that would take another two years depending on the funding available, land availability, local surveys etc. The construction time should be around 12-14 months. To begin with 2.25 lakh houses have been planned. We have also added a clause for technology innovation for the contractors and will provide them a grant for six to seven months, the official added, requesting anonymity. According to a request for proposal finalised by the ministry seeking applications from potential concessionaires, local authorities will fix the initial rent of ARHCs, based on surveys. Rent may be enhanced biennially by a maximum of 8%, subject to a maximum increase of 20% in aggregate over a period of five years effective from the date of signing a contract. The same model shall be followed over the entire concession period of 25 years. There has been reverse migration of workers/ poor in the country due to Covid-19 pandemic. Urban migrants/ poor consisting of workers in manufacturing industries, domestic/ commercial establishments, health sector, service providers, hospitality industry, construction or other such sectors play an important role in urban economy. They come from rural areas or small towns for seeking better employment opportunities in urban areas. Provision of rental housing options closer to workplace will improve their productivity. Therefore providing ease of living through access to dignified affordable housing close to their workplace is an imperative, the RFP said. A man fatally shot a woman and wounded his sister before turning the gun on himself and firing a round into his upper torso region in what Fort Worth police believe is an attempted murder-suicide. The shootings took place on Wednesday in the 900 block of East Davis Street on the citys south side, according to Fort Worth police. Investigators released few details about the shootings, including the ages of the suspect and the victims. The mans condition is unknown. A Fort Worth police spokesperson revealed that the suspect and the victims are all adults. Police have also not revealed the nature of the relationships between the individuals involved, though 911 records indicate that the man with the gun had wounded his sister. The shootings took place on Wednesday in the 900 block of East Davis Street on the south side of Fort Worth, Texas, according to local police Fort Worth police spokesperson Buddy Calzada (pictured) said it was a 'possible murder-suicide' One woman was pronounced dead inside the south Fort Worth home where the shooting took place, according to the Star-Telegram. The other female shooting victim managed to call 911. She was rushed to a hospital, and she was expected to survive. At this time were not looking for anybody else and we want to note the general public is not - we dont feel theyre in any danger at this point, Fort Worth police spokesperson Buddy Calzada said. Investigators continue to gather clues at the scene of the shootings. Its a possible murder-suicide, Calzada said. We dont have those details yet until homicide confirms, and were waiting for the final word from homicide. Officers responded to the 911 call just after 6am on Wednesday. Police said the caller reported that her brother had shot himself in an attempted suicide. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 15:26:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia's national science agency has announced a plan to cut its carbon emissions by half in about 10 years. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) on Tuesday signed a 10-year renewable power purchase agreement with the battery company ZEN Energy, which will enable it to halve its emissions from electricity. Under the agreement, 26 CSIRO research sites in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria including the Parkes Radio Telescope observatory, the Australian Center for Disease Preparedness and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Center will be solar powered. The deal is the largest agreement of its type signed by an Australian government agency, according to the CSIRO. "This is a very significant step towards being net-zero in our operations, and is in line with our broader remit to help Australia navigate to a low emissions future," Dave Agnew, the CSIRO's director of business and infrastructure services, said in a statement. "We aspire to be an organization that promotes and demonstrates sustainable operations and practices that are consistent with our science and innovation impact," he said. In August the CSIRO committed itself to facilitating Australia's transition to net-zero emissions "without derailing the economy" and creating a hydrogen industry to generate a new clean energy export industry. The agency has also installed solar panels with the capacity to generate more than five megawatts of renewable energy at 10 sites nationally, reducing the CSIRO's carbon emissions by approximately 5,900 tonnes each year. Enditem It didnt take long for fisheries experts from British Columbia to slam the Canadian government for its latest announcement on the impacts of salmon farms on Fraser River wild salmon stocks. A news release sent out on Monday said Fisheries and Oceans Canada had finished nine scientific risk assessments to determine the impact of interactions between wild Pacific salmon and pathogens from the salmon farms in the Discovery Islands. There are currently 18 in those waters. Federal officials said the results of these assessments concluded the transfer of pathogens pose a minimal risk to abundance and diversity of migrating Fraser River sockeye salmon. Although they say theres minimal risk, theres a lot of uncertainties in those reports, said Stan Proboszcz, a Vancouver-based science advisor for the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, a salmon advocacy group. Its very disappointing from a scientific perspective because I feel they are misleading Canadians. A total of 10 assessments were to be done after the country established the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River in 2009. The purpose of this inquiry, which wrapped up in 2012, was to discover the reasons for the decline of sockeye salmon stocks and to provide recommendations. A total of 75 recommendations were issued in the inquirys final report. One of the recommendations read as follows: On September 30, 2020, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans should prohibit net-pen salmon farming in the Discovery Islands (fish health sub-zone 3-2) unless he or she is satisfied that such farms pose at most a minimal risk of serious harm to the health of migrating Fraser River sockeye salmon. The Ministers decision should summarize the information relied on and include detailed reasons. The decision should be published on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans website. Proboszcz is especially disappointed federal officials did not conduct all of the assessments the ministry said it would undertake. He said officials had long maintained they would evaluate risks of 10 pathogens, following the release of the commissions final report, which was titled The Uncertain Future of Fraser River Sockeye. Proboszcz said an assessment on sea lice, arguably the most dangerous pathogen, was never done. Proboszcz said a final report on all the assessments, which had been previously promised, was never done either. It seems they ran out of time and they skipped some steps, Proboszcz said of federal officials. Proboszcz was a steering committee member for five of the nine assessments the government did perform. Plus, Proboszcz, who has been with the society for 14 years, does not trust the federal findings. I dont have a lot of confidence in their conclusions, he said. They failed to convince me these farms are at minimal risk. Proboszcz was hoping all the Discovery Islands salmon farms would be removed by the end of this month. The federal government has until the end of this December to decide whether it will renew the aquaculture licenses. What further infuriated Proboszca is that it was only in Mondays announcement that Canadian officials revealed they will commence consultations with seven First Nations regarding the salmon farm sites. Those First Nations are Holmalco, Klahoose, Komoks, Kwiakah, Tlaamin, We Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum. They just started those (consultations), which is kind of late, Proboszcz said. They had eight years from the time this inquiry started. Federal officials said these consultations will assist them in determining whether to keep the current salmon farms operational beyond the end of this year. Like Proboszcz, Bob Chamberlin, the chair of the First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance, was upset with Mondays announcement. It was a shameful disappointment, he said. Ottawa is doing what they want for a select few people and disregarding the voices of the majority of British Columbians. Chamberlin, the former chief for Kwikwasutinuxw Haxwamis First Nation, believes the consultations with First Nations that federal officials have mentioned will not be productive. I dont have any faith that will be meaningful in any way, shape or form, he said. Chamberlin said he anticipates it would be a lengthy process to consult with seven First Nations. He believes all of the First Nations would want their own separate meetings with federal officials as they would be dealing with their own specific needs. Chamberlin said they would also be discussing nine different reports concerning 18 fish farm licenses. Its painful and can be very long drawn out, he said of the process. Chamberlin doubts federal officials will listen to the concerns of officials from various First Nations. What you have is an ambush, he said. Windspeaker.com Read more about: Nigerian mobility startup, Metro Africa Xpress (MAX), has issued a N10 billion ($22 million) multi-currency bond. The company says it has already raised 400 million in the first segment of the N10 billion issue. With the new move, MAX became the first mobility company in Africa to issue a bond. MAX Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Adetayo Bamiduro, said the companys bond programme was structured in line with its mission to build the technology and financing infrastructure for mobility across Africa. He noted that proceeds from the bond shall be used to fund MAXs growing asset financing programme across two-wheeler, three-wheeler and other vehicle classes in Nigeria, as MAX continues to institutionalize driver financing across the continent. He said: MAX is extremely pleased with the successful Bond issuance, which reflects the market confidence in MAXs mission, strategy and execution capabilities. This is further evidence that MAX remains at the forefront of technology, financial and business model innovation to solve a fundamental aspect of Africans lives. On his part, the Chief Growth Officer and Co-Founder, MAX.ng, Chinedu Azodoh, said the innovative nature of MAXs driver-vehicle-collection technology was essential to demonstrating the companys ability to scale and manage an ever-growing pool of drivers across six cities. He noted that the funding was delivered on the basis of those proprietary technology capabilities that enable heightened levels of portfolio scrutiny and monitoring, which were fundamental to successfully closing the transaction. MAX, alongside Gokada, ORide, and other bike companies, have had their businesses disrupted in Lagos in recent time. Earlier in the year, the state government banned the operation of motorcycles (popularly called Okada) and tricycles (Keke) across the state. PREMIUM TIMES understands that the transaction and bond programme were both arranged by DLM Advisory (DLM), a Nigeria-based full-service developmental investment company that combines advisory, origination, underwriting and distribution services. The bond, distributed through a private placement, received strong interest from local and international fixed income investors despite the economic disruptions, the company said. Nancy and Villers-les-Nancy, 29 September 2020 6:00 p.m. (CET) Press release An e-Health pilot project is launched in Frances Grand Est region Pulsy, the Nancy Regional and University Hospital Centre (CHRU) and Pharmagest Group: 3 main actors in the service of the healthcare ecosystem *** Spearheaded by the GIP PULSY (a regional public interest group promoting the development of e-Health), the e-Parcours programme, a suite of digital services facilitating the patient care pathway, is continuing to implement its goal of improving communications between the office-based private practice and hospital segments. The technological solutions developed through this programme will facilitate the flow of information among the different business line applications of healthcare professionals across the private practice sector, healthcare establishments and regional coordination structures. Creation of an interoperable communications hub in the Grand Est region facilitating the flow of information between the office-based private practice and hospital segments. Operating an interoperable and interconnected communications platform facilitating the circulation of standardised documents and increasing the efficacy of tools for coordinating information and the healthcare and Socio-Medial IT systems of the Nancy region, this is the mission of the joint initiative of Pulsy, the Nancy CHRU and Pharmagest. As part of an Information Technology Master Plan, this programme will accelerate the transmission of health data between regional healthcare stakeholders and, in this way, improve patient care by delivering medical information to the right place at the right time. explained Jean-Christophe Calvo, Head of the Digital Transformation and Biomedical Engineering Department of the GHT Sud Lorraine hospital group. With its sizable installed base of software solutions, Pharmagest Group (through its subsidiaries PHARMAGEST, MALTA INFORMATIQUE, DICSIT INFORMATIQUE, ICT and AXIGATE comprising the Pharmacy and Health and Social Care Facilities Solutions Divisions) will contribute significantly to the ecosystem supported by Pulsy, who, with the Nancy CHRU, intends to capitalise on this deployment. Achieving a significant mass of health documents This cooperation will make it possible to share within a very short timeframe a sizable volume of health documents and information. For example, members of the patients care team working in private practice will be informed of their hospital admissions and discharges as well as the medications given by hospital practitioners. This hub, in connection with the Shared Medical Record, through the business line applications, addresses the requirements for private practice care and interoperability defined in the national roadmap for accelerating the digital transformation in healthcare. This first step in the greater Nancy region is part of a project intended in time to be extended to the entire Grand Est region. About the GIP PULSY - www.pulsy.fr Pulsy is the e-Health operator for the Grand Est region. To ensure a common vision of the regions healthcare challenges, its governance includes representatives of the Regional Health Agency, the French Health Insurance Fund, regional governments, healthcare establishments, public and private social care facilities and private practice health professionals. About the Nancy CHRU - www.chru-nancy.fr The Nancy Regional and University Hospital Center (CHRU) is the leading hospital in the Grand Est region of France. It includes a number of sites located in the city of Nancy (Hopital Central, Maternite, Centre Emile Galle, Hopital St Julien, Centre St Stanislas) in addition to a facility located in the Brabois district (Hopitaux de Brabois). With more than 9,000 employees (medical, paramedical, administrative and technical staff) and more than 100 different disciplines, the hospital provides acute care and support to healthcare organisations across the region. It leverages its multidisciplinary, high-quality medical expertise to treat 160,000 patients each year across all stages of life through more than 1.2 million consultation visits and inpatient stays. With its high-performance medical and surgical departments, the Nancy CHRU is a major player in biomedical research and contributes to the training of health professionals. In line with major reforms of the French healthcare system, to support its efforts to optimise patient care, the hospital is stepping up its ambulatory capabilities and playing a leading role in the development of telemedicine. The Nancy CHRU is also the lead hospital for the network of hospitals of the Sud Lorraine region (Groupement Hospitalier de Territoire Sud Lorraine). About Pharmagest Group www.pharmagest.com With more than 1,100 employees and Citizens in the Service of Health and Well-Being, Pharmagest Group is the leading provider of IT solutions for the healthcare sector in Europe through innovative solutions and services for healthcare professionals guaranteeing the efficiency of the healthcare system and improving the patient care pathway. As a key contributor to the quality of healthcare and coordination between office-based private practice and hospitals, Pharmagest Group is present in France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom where it is developing the leading healthcare platform and a single ecosystem for France and Europe bringing the best of technology to the service of people. Listed on Euronext Paris - Compartment B Indices: CAC SMALL and CAC All-Tradable par inclusion Eligible for the Long-Only Deferred Settlement Service (SRD) ISIN: FR 0012882389 Reuters: PHA.PA Bloomberg: - PMGI FP PHARMAGEST shares are eligible for French tax-advantaged PEA-PME equity savings accounts Follow Pharmagest on Twitter: @Pharmagest, LinkedIn and Facebook CONTACTS Pharmagest Group Press Contact Isabelle Aprile - Tel.: +33 (0)6 17 38 61 78 i.aprile@finextenso.fr Pulsy Press Contact Gersende Bausseron - Tel.: +33 (0)7 77 68 76 89 gersende.bausseron@pulsy.fr Nancy CHRU Press Contact Emilie Toupenet - Tel.: +33 (0)3 83 85 14 78 e.toupenet@chru-nancy.fr Attachment No firm accounting exists of how many Black cemeteries there are, or how many have disappeared to urban development and highway construction, but historians say that in the flowering of Black life after Emancipation, just about every community in the South had at least one. A bill introduced in the Senate last year would require the National Park Service to begin building a database and network of where the old burial grounds are, or were. To be sure, some Black cemeteries managed to hold on through the years of Jim Crow and the Great Migration, as about six million Black people moved out of the South to places in the Northeast, West and Midwest and could no longer tend to or visit the old family plots. Laurel Grove South Cemetery in Savannah, Ga., one of the biggest cemeteries in the South for free Black people before the end of slavery, is now operated by the city. At South-View Cemetery in Atlanta, chartered in 1886 by nine Black businessmen, current board members and staff are descendants of the founders. Representative John Lewis was recently buried there. And in many cases, researchers and volunteers said, their success can be attributed to the passion of memory and meaning that these places evoked. At Magnolia in Helena, Ark., a schoolteacher named Para Conner, who died a few years ago at 98, was for decades the cemeterys guiding light. She was the backbone, Mr. Williams said. Sometimes, however, the reliance on a few steadfast believers has resulted in dysfunction. At Randolph, a struggle over access to old cemetery records dragged on for years. Without proper burial records, Ms. Richey said, chaos sometimes ensued, with families buying plots and digging graves, only to find unmarked bones already there. At Richmonds twinned Black cemeteries, Evergreen and East End, questions of control have divided the community. U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a presidential permit granting approval to a $22-billion freight rail project connecting Alaska and Alberta. The president had tweeted his intent to issue the permit on Friday, based on the recommendations of Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, before officially granting the A2A Rail project the go-ahead on Monday. The permit issues A2A Rail permission to "construct, connect, operate, and maintain railway facilities at the international border of the United States and Canada." The project would build a new rail line from Fort McMurray, Alta., through the Northwest Territories and Yukon to the Delta Junction in Alaska, where it will connect with existing rail and continue on to ports near Anchorage. The 2,570-kilometre railway could move cargo like oil, potash and ore, container goods, or even passengers. Carolyn Kaster/The Associated Press A2A founder Sean McCoshen thanked Trump, as well as Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, the state's congressional delegation and legislature for their support. "The issuance of a presidential permit is a significant milestone that will greatly assist with our continued efforts to build the A2A railway," the founder of the Calgary-based company in a release. "This is a world-class infrastructure project that will generate thousands of jobs for American and Canadian workers, provide a new, more efficient route for trans-Pacific shipping and link Alaska to North American transportation networks." A2A Rail The company said in the release that the railway will provide a "missing link" between Alaska and other rail systems in North America. "This rail link will be the anchor tenant of a major northern development corridor; the purpose of which is to facilitate economic development, rural household service provision, and other opportunities to the communities in this isolated region," the company said. A spokesperson for Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson said his office has yet to receive an initial project description, but like with all projects, if and when it's received, it will be assessed. Story continues "We are fully committed to ensuring that good sustainable projects get built in Canada and that they are assessed in a timely, fair and rigorous way," he said. Next steps The next steps will include engagement with Indigenous groups, going through environmental impact assessments, and obtaining the correct regulatory approvals in both the U.S. and Canada. In July, the company commissioned an engineering firm to begin surveying land along the Alberta segment of the proposed route. It said it planned to begin field activities like land clearing, fencing and access road preparation in the province in the next three to six months. A spokesperson for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney had said in an emailed statement over the weekend that the premier welcomed the approval. "The Government of Alberta is glad to see the approval of the A2A rail project in the United States," the spokesperson said. "We support the development of trade corridors that can unlock new markets for Alberta's products." A2A Rail has said that if built, the project will create more than 18,000 jobs for Canadian workers and bring in $60 billion to the country's GDP through 2040. The company estimates construction could be complete in 2025, and the railway could be operational by 2026. Presidential border crossing permits are required for all cross-border infrastructure projects in the U.S. Biden and Trump clashed on how the coronavirus has been handled. Biden looked directly into the camera, as if speaking to viewers through their screens, and said, How many of you got up this morning and had an empty chair at the kitchen table because someone died of covid? How many of you are in a situation where you lost your mom or dad and you couldnt even speak to them? A two-day-old girl has been stabbed 100 times with a screwdriver and her body dumped at a temple amid a spate of newborn girl murders in an Indian city. Police were called early on Thursday morning to reports that a baby wrapped in a blanket was lying next to the temple in Bhopal. It was first thought that the girl had been savaged by an animal. But an autopsy revealed her wounds were inflicted by a screwdriver. Ayodhya Nagar police station said that it was scouring CCTV images of the area to track the perpetrator. A stock image of the city of Bhopal in India Officers believe the baby was born at home before the shocking murder. In the last two weeks another two girls have been killed in the city. The newborns were murdered by their mothers. Female infanticide in India is believed to be an under-reported phenomenon. However, the male-female birth ratio that is the ratio of boys to girls at younger age groups is used to support this claim. The natural ratio is usually said to be 106, with a range of between 103 and 107. Any number higher than 107 suggests that infanticide or abortions have skewed the proportion of males in a population. In India, the ratio for babies is estimated to be at 1.11. By comparison, in the United Kingdom and the United States the figure is 1.05, according to data from the CIA. 133 Shares Share Do you know what its like to sit in a meeting and learn that something you hold close as a fundamental principle is probably not as fundamentally true as you thought? Thats the way I felt earlier this week while attending a meeting on the quality of pharmaceuticals, sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration and Duke Universitys Margolis Center for Health Policy. The meetinga recording of which is available onlinebrought together thought leaders from the FDA, Duke, hospital systems, pharmaceutical companies, patient advocates, and others, including the American Cancer Society to discuss issues surrounding the quality assurance of the medicines we rely on every day. Some of the information was unsettling: The quality of medicines produced in the United States and Europe ranks high. Not so much for those produced in other parts of the world, including China and India One pharma executive made the public statement that he would not take medicines manufactured in India or Chinaif he was even able to determine the country of manufacture, a determination which itself is problematic A hospital system pharmacist recounted their experience with a drug used to fight the rejection of organ transplants that apparently stopped working on their patients. On further investigation, they found the drug they were using was defective A physician recounted their experience with a patient who had advanced heart failure, which was well controlled. Suddenly, their condition deteriorated, and they had to be admitted to the hospital. Control of heart failure was achieved, only to recur when the patient went home. This scenario repeated itself several times, until they discovered that the pharmacy that dispensed the medicine to the patient to use at home had a change in manufacturer. Put back on the original prescription; the patient once again did well. Another participant recounted that the problems recently encountered with some antihypertensive drugs that led to massive recalls were due to the fact that the manufacturer decided to use a chemical derived from rocket fuelyes, rocket fuelthat led to contamination with nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens. And that it took months for the knowledge to work its way through the system and lead to a recall. For me, this is personal. During the early part of my training and career as a physician, I experienced the arguments for and against the use of generic drugs. As I progressed in my career, I used generic medicines whenever possible in the care of my patients. They were far less expensive, and they worked. Today most of the medicines used in this country are generic. Every day I take generic medicines, and so far so goodexcept for those recalls mentioned above. Now I am not so certain based on the comments made at this meeting, especially for drugs manufactured in some foreign countries. It appears that their commitment to quality simply isnt to the level that most of us expect, and thats a problem. A couple of months ago, a physician colleague of mine raised the question of drug qualityfocusing on genericsand said in his opinion that the country of manufacture should be on the bottle label. Honestly, I didnt see the need at that time. Fast forward, and I can say that a considerable amount of the discussion during the meeting was exactly on that topic: how can we tell where the drug was manufactured, since the country of origin may influence quality? And that is complicated by the fact that our medicines may have components made in several countries, brought together in one place where they are combined further complicating their origin and other factors that could be problematic such as temperature during transportation. Compound that with the fact that it is very difficult for a pharmacist, let alone a doctor or patient, to determine the source of the medicine, who really made all the ingredients, and what manufacture lot it came from. Trying to offer a patient who is stable on chronic medications the same medicine from the same manufacturer refill after refill is out the window if the supplier changes. The pharmacist has no way to control the source of many of the medications they dispense to patients. Usually, it is someone else making the decision on which supplier or manufacturer they will be using for that medicine at any point in time. And then there is the inevitable question: If we really want better assurance that our pills meet quality standards, who is going to pay for it? It was clear from the discussions that cost is the driving factor for many of the medicines we take. Cost to the insurer, cost to the patient, cost to the health system. However, whats the cost of bad medicines? Who pays for that? Well, all of us, to be honest. Lets abandon the thought that we dont care about quality and wont pay for it. Decades ago, auto manufacturers in the United States were forced to improve the quality of the cars they produced because autos from Japan and Germany were notably better. Over time, consumers voted with their feet, and quality was forced to improve. And today, as noted in the current issue of Consumer Reports, the costs of cars (and our insurance) is increasing because more systems are built in to increase safety, with the hope over time that those costs will stabilize or go down because of improved systems and fewer accidents and serious injuries. Society made a choice that the investment in quality and safety is worth it when it comes to automobiles. There is certainly a lot of complexity in solving this problem. The FDA is committed to fixing it, however, resources are limited, and the solutions are complicated. Even finding the information to assess pharmaceutical quality can be very difficult. Part of the problem is that we need those resources and commitments to get this fixed. Thats a point that everyone in the room agreed on. How we get there wont be easy. Its clear we need to get started somewhere. What about holding some of the companies who have repeated poor quality reports accountable? Should drug distributors and pharmacy benefit managerswho know about these issuesturn their eyes elsewhere when they know this is a problem? Should insurers accept this as the status quo and not figure out how to pay for quality medications even if it costs a bit more (which by the way they theoretically could recover if fewer people had their blood pressure poorly controlled because of ineffective medications)? So, my colleague was right: There is a problem, and to him, I say publicly mea culpa. And to you, I say this is a problem that demands attention. Right now, it is the stuff of experts in the private and non-profit sectors and government agencies. Maybe its time that we as consumers and health professionals increase our awareness, band together, and demand a solution. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld is deputy chief medical officer, American Cancer Society. He blogs at Dr. Lens Cancer Blog. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), presides over the 43rd Chairperson's Council meeting of the CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, will convene its 14th meeting in early November in Beijing. The decision was made on Tuesday at the 43rd Chairperson's Council meeting of the CPPCC National Committee, which was presided over by Wang Yang, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. The Tuesday meeting reviewed and adopted a draft guideline on strengthening CPPCC members' sense of mission, a draft revision of the general rules on special committees under the CPPCC National Committee, and a plan (2020-2025) for promoting the application of information and smart technologies in the work of the CPPCC National Committee. Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, highlighted the need to improve the institutional building of the CPPCC National Committee and called for furthering the role of a mobile platform for political advisors to perform their duties. The CPPCC National Committee has fulfilled its duties with a commitment to controlling COVID-19 while advancing economic and social development over the year, making new contributions to the cause of the Party and the country, Wang said. Tuesday's meeting also reviewed and approved the draft agenda and schedule for the upcoming standing committee meeting. A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 persons accused of conspiring to demolish the 16th century Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992 -- an event that sparked a deadly cycle of riots and communal violence across India, leaving thousands dead. The verdict by judge Surendra Kumar Yadav ended a 28-year-long legal fight, and brought relief to senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, but raised serious questions about the investigation into a high-profile case by pointing out that several pieces of evidence were either inconclusive or unauthenticated. The 2,300-page judgment ruled out any criminal conspiracy behind the razing of the disputed structure and said it was a spontaneous act. WATCH | Welcomed Babri verdict with Jai Shri Ram chant: LK Advani on acquittal The incident was not pre-planned, Yadav said, reading out his verdict in open court in Lucknow. The leaders present there actually tried to control and pacify the mob... anti-social elements brought the structure down. Twenty-six of the accused were present in the court, while six -- Advani, Joshi, Bharti, Kalyan Singh, Ram temple trust chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, and former Shiv Sena leader Satish Pradhan-- followed the proceedings on video conference. Though 49 people were accused in the case, 17 died during the litigation process. Opposition parties criticised the verdict, describing it as a black day for justice. Experts said the decision showed the judge was not convinced of the evidence given by the CBI. And All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Zafaryab Jilani said the verdict will be challenged in high court. Yadav said in his judgment that CBI could not produce any conclusive evidence against any accused and refused to accept newspaper reports, documents and video cassettes as evidence. It was Yadavs last working day in judicial service after being on extension for a year. Also Read: Babri judgment sharpens political divide Reading out the operative part of the verdict at 12.15pm, the judge said he did not accept newspaper reports as evidence as their original copies were not produced and proved. He also did not rely on the photos of the incident as their negatives were not produced. The video cassettes were not sealed and even the videos were not clear and as such the same cannot be relied (on), he observed, adding that they were not certified by any forensic laboratory to ascertain authenticity. The CBI produced 351 witnesses and 600 pieces of document in court. Even VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) leader late Ashok Singhal was trying to stop the kar sevaks from demolishing the disputed structure because the idol of Lord Ram was also inside the structure, the judge wrote, concluding that the event suggested that the demolition was not planned in advance. As soon as the judge cleared the accused of all charges, chants of Jai Shri Ram filled the courtroom. Outside, celebrations began as Hindu groups distributed sweets and flowers. Supreme Court senior advocate Sanjay Hegde said there were various instances in which conspiracy charges had been applied when, at the spontaneous call of one person, others have joined in to injure a person or beat another to death. We do not know on weighing of the evidence, how the judge has approached the task. But in other normal conspiracy and unlawful assembly cases, we have many times seen that when one person gives a call and three or fours other persons use sticks and somebody dies, then they all get roped in under criminal conspiracy read with Section 149 of Indian Penal Code (which makes every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in pursuance of a common object by one person of that). But that standard does not seem to have been applied here, said Hegde. The verdict comes roughly 11 months after the Supreme Court last November paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the 2.77 acre site in Ayodhya and ordered that land for a mosque be given to the Muslim parties at an alternative spot. The ground-breaking ceremony for the temple was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5. CBI said it will decide on filing an appeal after consulting the legal department. After a copy of todays verdict is received, it would be sent to the CBI headquarters where it would be studied by the legal department and a decision on filing an appeal would be taken as per its suggestion, CBI counsel Lalit Singh said. Senior lawyer and AIMPLB member Zafaryab Jilani said the verdict will be challenged in high court. The special CBI court says that there is no evidence which prove that Babri Masjid demolition was a conspiracy but we say there is plenty of evidence, he said. The verdict was welcomed by the accused persons, who said their faith in religion and Ram was vindicated. The judgment vindicates my personal and the Bharatiya Janata Partys belief and commitment towards the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, said Advani, who joined the proceedings via video conference. Joshi said truth has triumphed. Another accused, BJP leader Vinay Katiyar who was present in court, said: We never had any role in the demolition. We were actually on stage that was away from the site where the demolition took place. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and defence minister Rajnath Singh hailed the verdict. I welcome the acquittal of all the 32 accused in the case. This shows, that though delayed, justice eventually triumphed, said Singh. The Congress expressed its disappointment with the verdict. The decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to Supreme Court judgment as also the Constitutional spirit, the party said in a statement. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the judgment obnoxious and said it contradicted the Supreme Courts observations in its verdict on November 9 last year that the demolition of the Babri mosque was a violation of law. This verdict will mark a black day in history, he added. A key Muslim litigant in the title suit case, Iqbal Ansari, welcomed the verdict. The entire world saw what happened in AyodhyaI respect the courts verdict. On December 6, 1992, tens of thousands of kar sevaks, or Hindu religious volunteers gathered in Ayodhya the result of a months-long political and religious mobilisation programme. As the day progressed, the crowd swelled, and shortly after noon, the kar sevaks broke through the police barricades and charged towards the three domes of the mosque. Armed with pickaxes, shovels and ropes, many young men scaled the domes. By evening, the structure was rubble and the state government had been dismissed. The criminal case originates from two police complaints lodged at 6.15pm and 6.25pm against unnamed kar sevaks and senior political leaders, respectively, at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station. Dispute over the structure, built on what Hindus believe as the birth place of Ram, dates back to the late 19th century. For roughly two decades, two separate criminal trials ran one against unnamed kar sevaks in Lucknow, and another against political leaders in Rae Bareli until the apex court clubbed the two in 2017. Allahabad high court lawyer Anurag Dixit said he thought that the prosecution failed to substantiate the evidence charges against the accused. Moreover as we saw it, most of the evidence was in the form of newspaper reports which clearly was not a strong point, Dixit said. United States President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden fiercely clashed over a number of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, economy and climate, during the first presidential debate, marked by angry interruptions and bitter accusations. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in their first 2020 presidential campaign debate held on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Photograph: Morry Gash/Pool/Reuters During the first of the three presidential debates in Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday night moderated by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, 74-year-old Trump and his 77-year-old rival Biden also traded barbs about each other's families, making it one of the most chaotic White House debates in years. "The fact is that everything he's (Trump) saying so far is simply a lie. I'm not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows he's a liar," Biden said. Trump responded, saying Biden is a liar and graduated last in his class. Attacking Trump over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 people and infected over 7 million in the US, Biden said the president has "no plan" to fight the deadly disease and he lied to Americans. "He still hasn't even acknowledged that he knew this was happening, knew how dangerous it was going to be back in February, and he didn't even tell you. He is on record as saying it. He panicked or he just looked at the stock market, one of the two, because guess what, a lot of people die and lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter, a lot quicker," he said. Trump hit back, saying, "don't ever use the word smart with me." "When you talk about numbers, you don't know how many people died in China. You don't know how many people died in Russia. You don't know how many people died in India. They don't exactly give you a right number. Just so you understand," Trump said, defending his handling of the crisis. As the two rivals clashed on medicate, Trump said the Democrats were planning socialising of medicine. Biden replied, "What this clown is doing?" Trump also justified his administration's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate deal, saying the agreement was a "disaster". Biden, however, vowed to rejoin the historic accord if voted to power. They also clashed over the issue of racism in America during the debate wherein the Republican leader hesitated to condemn white supremacists. "Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down?" the moderator asked Trump. "I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not the right wing," Trump replied. "I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace." When pressed further, he said, "Give me a name", to which Biden chimed in, "Proud Boys", referring to a far-right outfit that has been designated as a hate group by the nonprofit legal advocacy organisation, Southern Poverty Law Centre. "Proud Boys -- Stand back, stand by," Trump responded and then moved attention to the left-wing anti-fascist movement known as Antifa. Biden alleged that Trump has used everything as a "dog whistle" to try to generate racist hatred and division. Defending his record as president, Trump attacked Biden for his role in crafting the 1994 crime bill. "I'm letting people out of jail now," he said to Biden. "You've treated the black community as bad as anyone in the country. You called them superpredators and you've called them worse than that." "I never said that," Biden responded. The former vice president was also critical of Trump's handling of the events after the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. Trump also asserted that he paid millions of dollars in income taxes and dubbed the recent New York Times report that he paid just USD 750 in income tax in the year he was elected US president as "wrong". Biden described Trump as the "worst president America has ever had." On nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court to fill up the vacancy following the death of Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Trump said: "We won the election and we have a right to do it". Biden disagreed. Trump also rued that Biden was getting better press than him. "They give you good press. They give me bad press because that's the way it is, unfortunate...I don't care. I've gotten used to it. But I'll tell you, Joe, you could never have done the job that we did. You don't have it in your blood," Trump added. Biden also branded Trump "a fool", when the president was talking about the large crowd that he has been drawing in the election campaign. Hitting back, Trump said nobody shows up to Biden's rallies. Trump also expressed hope that the November 3 election would be "fair" and urged his supporters to watch "very carefully" the entire voting process to ensure there is nothing fraudulent. Trump raised concerns over the use of mail-in ballots, saying there are high chances of the process getting manipulated. "I hope it's going to be a fair election, and if it's a fair election, I am 100 per cent on board, but if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can't go along with that, Trump said, in his latest instance in which the Republican leader has refused to commit to accepting the results of the polls. Biden said Trump is scared of mail-in ballots since he is scared of the election result. "Here's the deal. The fact is that I will accept it and he (Trump) will too. You know why? Because once the winner is declared after all the ballots are counted, all the votes are counted, that will be the end of it, Biden said. "If it's me in fact, fine. If it's not me, I'll support the outcome, he added. By Aisha Jabbarova Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva has said that Azerbaijani people are defending their native lands in successful counter-offensive operations launched in response to Armenian attacks. "The Azerbaijani state has never laid claim to anyone elses lands, has never committed crimes against humanity. The Azerbaijani Army has never set foot on the lands of another state, it defends and fights for its native land," Mehriban Aliyeva said in a post in her Instagram account. "Yet another armed provocation of Armenia has been rebuffed! Defending the Motherland, the Azerbaijani Army is conducting a successful counter-offensive operation and liberating the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Aliyeva said. She expressed gratitude to all people, organizations and states that have expressed their principled and fair position in support of the Azerbaijani state and people. First of all, I express my deep gratitude to the brotherly people of Turkey and personally to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Their solidarity and support evoke a sense of pride in every Azerbaijani today, the First Vice-President said. We, the Azerbaijanis, are united in our thoughts, actions and prayers more than ever today! May the Great Allah protect the Azerbaijani people in their sacred struggle! May the Almighty grant every Azerbaijani the chance to kiss the sacred Karabakh soil! Aliyeva said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz PHOENIX In the wake of a fatal shooting, Gov. Doug Ducey has agreed to accept a gift of 150 body cameras from suppliers to begin outfitting officers of the state Department of Public Safety. But the free cameras could come with some expensive strings as it could financially wed the state to the donor companies who would be either doing the storage or providing that equipment to download the daily videos, all of which is a separate cost. Duceys request is not new. In fact, the governor asked for $3 million in January to equip all DPS officers with body cameras and another $2 million to hire 20 people to download and store all the videos. That was for just the current budget year. That request went nowhere as state lawmakers wrapped up the session early as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. But the issue gained new life in May after DPS Trooper George Cervantes shot and killed a 28-year-old man along a stretch of Loop 101 in northeast Phoenix. Dion Johnson had fallen asleep in his vehicle parked in a gore point of an entrance ramp. Phoenix police, who investigated the incident, said the trooper said there was a struggle and the officer shot Johnson. Dancing indoors in group of six is not allowed in England. (Getty) Singing and dancing in a group of more than six people at an indoor venue have been banned across England as part of a raft of new restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus. All reasonable measures must now be taken by pub landlords and those who run hotel bars, restaurants and members clubs to ensure larger groups dont break into song while enjoying themselves. Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes are also banned from playing music at more than 85 decibels, although live performances are exempt. Wedding ceremonies and receptions are also exempt from both rules. The new laws are coming into force as the government has been criticised by MPs for a lack of oversight or debate regarding restrictions. Human rights lawyer Adam Wagner said also that the confusing way the government had introduced extra coronavirus laws for large parts of the North East of England was unacceptable. The prime minister has been under pressure to give Parliament the opportunity to vote on future restrictions, with around 52 Conservatives signalling they could revolt ahead of Wednesdays vote to renew the powers in the Coronavirus Act. The rebels publicly backed an amendment to the legislation by Sir Graham Brady, the influential chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories that would have forced the government to let MPs vote and debate any further potential changes to the rules. However, the Commons Speaker said on Wednesday he would not select any amendments to the legislation, in order to avoid uncertainty and possible legal challenges. Watch: New lockdown rules for the North East The government was previously criticised when it banned mingling under its new rule of six law. The rule stated people could not mingle with others outside their designated social gathering. The law offered no definition of what mingling means in legal terms. National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) chairman Martin Hewitt has admitted there was no foolproof system to stop people flouting the rules and said stretched forces would not get into a manhunt scenario to find people who had broken laws. Story continues A man walks across the River Tyne on the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. (Getty) We have to be reliant that most people will be responsible, will accept that personal responsibility and will be sensible, but equally, there also has to be a response that is proportionate, he said. It also has to be something thats within the capacity of the service to deliver against when we have all the other demands that we have. Police expect the number of lockdown fines handed out to members of the public to rise, despite the fact that thousands of penalty notices already issued have gone unpaid. Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news, advice and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 21:33:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BERLIN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that encouraged by China's latest commitment to climate protection and emissions cuts, Europe will work with China in this field. China's participation in climate protection efforts is very important and unlike other large emitters, it is gratifying that China stands by the Paris climate agreement, Merkel said in a speech at the Bundestag. "When you see the development challenges the country still faces, these are very ambitious goals, which should also encourage us in Europe to really achieve our goals," said Merkel, referring to China's commitment to climate targets. China aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the General Debate of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly via video on Sept. 22. Relations with China will be one of the major topics of member state leaders at the upcoming European Union (EU) special summit scheduled for Oct. 1-2, said Merkel, expressing hope that the EU-China investment agreement will reach a breakthrough. Enditem Russian police apprehend six convicts escaped from penal colony in Dagestan RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 16:28 30/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 30 (RAPSI) Russian law enforcement officers have arrested six convicts, who could escape from a penal colony in Dagestan, according to a statement of Russias Investigative Committee. The fugitives were caught as a result of well-planned investigative and search operation conducted jointly by operational teams of the Interior Ministry and regional penal authorities in the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia, the document reads. It is expected that necessary investigative and procedural actions are to be performed when the apprehended persons are transported to the investigative directorate. According to the data currently available to investigators, the prisoners could tunnel their way out of the penal colony on September 22. ALBANY, N.Y. Federal investigators examining the 2018 crash of a stretch limousine that killed 20 people said Tuesday that state regulators repeatedly failed to properly oversee a poorly maintained vehicle with corroded brakes that hurtled down a road at more than 100 mph and slammed into an embankment. National Transportation Safety Board members unanimously voted to accept a final report that found widespread fault. The NTSB found that the crash in upstate New York was likely caused by the operators egregious disregard for safety that resulted in brake failure on a long downhill stretch, and that ineffective state oversight also contributed. The crash killed 17 family members and friends, including four sisters and three of their husbands, along with the driver and two bystanders outside a country store. It was the deadliest transportation disaster in the United States in a decade. Among the 20 total victims in the crash were Brian Hough, 46, a 1990 graduate of Boiling Springs High School, and his father-in-law, James Schnurr, 71. They were pedestrians in the parking lot of Apple Barrel Country Store when the limousine collided with a parked SUV. The driver of the limousine also was killed. Seventeen young people made the smart, safe decision to arrange for sober transportation when celebrating, board member Michael Graham said during an online hearing. They put their trust and safety into a system designed to protect them, and it failed. A phone message seeking comment was left with the lawyer for the limousine operator, Prestige Limousine. Staff members told the board that the limousines brake system was corroded and that the brake line was crimped, which would have restricted the amount of fluid able to flow to the right rear brake. In addition, parts of the line were coated in brake fluid, indicating a leak. Staffers said properly functioning and well-maintained brakes would have been able to stop at the bottom of the hill. The NTSB last month released a cache of documents indicating Nauman Hussain, the operator of Prestige Limousine, repeatedly changed the listed number of seats in the 2001 Ford Excursion limo and took other steps to avoid safety regulations. The NTSB on Tuesday faulted the state for letting it happen. Staffers told board members Tuesday that the state Department of Motor Vehicles failed to verify vehicle registration forms and that the state Department of Transportation failed at least seven times to keep the company, Prestige Limousine, from operating without authority. The two state agencies said they exercised the full authority granted to us under the law and ordered that vehicle off the road multiple times. But as NTSBs own reports on this crash reaffirm, Prestige repeatedly violated New York State law and was never authorized at any time to operate for-hire commercial passenger vehicle service in the State, according to a statement from transportation spokesperson Joe Morrissey and motor vehicle spokesperson Lisa Koumjian. The ill-fated limousine had been rented to take a group of friends and siblings to a 30th birthday celebration at a brewery near Cooperstown on Oct. 6, 2018. The vehicles brakes failed on a downhill stretch of a state route in Schoharie, 30 miles west of Albany. It blew through a stop sign at a T intersection and crashed into a culvert shortly before 2 p.m. Hussain faces 20 charges each of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. He has pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to stand trial in May, but the trial was delayed because of the pandemic. His lawyers have been meeting with prosecutors to discuss a possible plea deal. The NTSB last month released a cache of documents indicating Hussain repeatedly changed the listed number of seats in the 2001 Ford Excursion limo and took other steps to avoid safety regulations. In particular, Prestige took pains to avoid more stringent inspection rules intended to ensure a modified vehicle has the braking capacity and other requirements for carrying a heavier load, according to the NTSB documents. When it registered the limo, it didnt disclose to the Department of Motor Vehicles that it had been stretched, as required, and falsified the seating capacity from 18 down to 11. The company further reduced the seating capacity to 8 when it registered the vehicle in 2017, and listed the capacity as 10 in 2018, documents show. Any vehicle with 15 or more seats is defined as a bus under state regulations and is subject to semi-annual inspections. Thomas King, who lost four daughters in the crash, said he agreed that all the parties dropped the ball. Kevin Cushing, who lost his son, said as difficult as it was to read the NTSB report, it was good to see all the facts laid out. Theres certainly not any closure, by any stretch, Cushing said. Does it reopen wounds? Im not sure that the wounds have closed. NTSB Chairperson Robert Sumwalt also criticized the local prosecutor and state police for failing to cooperate with the agency and delaying the completion of the investigation to almost two full years after the crash. Unfortunately, the parallel criminal investigation conducted by the Schoharie County District Attorneys Office and the New York State Police significantly impeded and curtailed our typical investigative efforts, Sumwalt said in his opening statement. Particularly early in our investigation, some NTSB investigators were outright blocked from even viewing, let alone examining, critical evidence. Photos: Upstate New York limousine crash memorial Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Cadbury has released a new Christmas edition gingerbread biscuit chocolate block in Australia. The $3.50 Dairy Milk product was spotted on supermarket shelves by eagle-eyed customers, and now others are rushing to get their hands on a block. But the gingerbread treat will only be in stores for a limited time and is available across leading supermarkets and selected independent retailers. Cadbury has released a new Christmas edition dairy milk gingerbread biscuit chocolate block in Australia According to the product description, the chocolate is 'seasonally inspired with delicious gingerbread biscuit pieces'. It's made from rich ingredients including full cream milk, ground cinnamon, cocoa butter and sugar. But the 170g chocolate blocks are seemingly difficult to find online, as the product can't be found on the Woolworths website and is temporarily unavailable online at Coles. The confectionary product was spotted on supermarket store shelves by eagle-eyed customers, and now others are rushing to get their hands on a block But the 170-gram chocolate blocks are seemingly difficult to find online and is temporarily unavailable online at Coles (pictured) Independent retailers also seem just as excited as customers, with many sharing the news on Facebook. Ritchies Timboon in Victoria and Supa IGA Muswellbrook in New South Wales ensured their customers were informed about the new product release. 'To early for Christmas? I think not when it involves this delicious block of Cadbury Christmas Edition Gingerbread Biscuit Chocolate, YUM!' read one Facebook post caption by Ritchies Timboon. Customers seemed eager and tagged friends and family members in the comments. Traders at the La Nkwantanang-Madina Market in Accra have expressed worry over the poor sanitation in the market. Traders said the situation had been persistent over the years, and called on authorities to solve the problem before it because a health disaster. In an interview with Ghana News Agency, some of the traders indicated that, the situation had created a lot of inconvenience for them as well as buyers. Ms Comfort Narh, a grocer, said the situation became worse when it rained. Whenever it rains the place becomes so muddy that nobody would come and buy, said Ms Narh, adding, Our foodstuffs get spoilt and business slows down. So the few that come, we sell to them cheap and at the end of the day, we run at a loss. So we are pleading with the government to come to our aid, she said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video JEFFERSON CITY Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has agreed to investigate Democratic Auditor Nicole Galloway over a GOP groups allegations of campaign finance violations. In a letter obtained by the Post-Dispatch Wednesday, Ashcrofts office is requesting cooperation from the auditor in its pursuit of a complaint filed Sept. 9 by Liberty Alliance, a not-for-profit organization trying to get Republicans elected. The move by Ashcroft comes as fellow Republican Gov. Mike Parson and Galloway are duking it out heading into the Nov. 3 election. The auditors office said the groups effort is nothing more than a political stunt. This frivolous complaint is an attack by a partisan, dark-money group that has repeatedly targeted this office and the work of the State Auditor, Galloway spokesman Scott Holste said. This office will review and respond, as we always do, in compliance with the law. Liberty Alliance says an opinion piece by Galloway that ran in the Post-Dispatch last year focusing on a restrictive state abortion law was submitted to the newspaper by one of her state-paid press aides, violating state law barring the use of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes. The auditors office said there is no law prohibiting her, as an elected statewide officeholder, from speaking on any variety of topics. A spokesman for her campaign earlier called the premise of the complaint absurd. Liberty Alliance USA is owned by Cornerstone 1791, a 501(c)(4) organization incorporated in Missouri in February 2019, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission. While the organization says it wont be backing specific candidates, Liberty Alliance has close ties to once-powerful figures within the Missouri GOP, including ex-party chairman Todd Graves, an ally of former Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned in 2018. Missouri Alliance for Freedom, whose lead attorney also represents Liberty Alliance, sued Galloway in 2017 over alleged violations of the states open-records law. A Cole County circuit judge ruled in Galloways favor in January 2019. In 2018, Ashcroft launched a similar investigation into Josh Hawley after a Democratic group alleged Hawley, then serving as attorney general, may have used public resources to boost his successful campaign for U.S. Senate. Ashcroft, a Republican, later said he was stymied in his attempt to uncover information because he didnt have the ability to subpoena records. In response, the Legislature approved a change in law giving the secretary of state the power to force the turnover of documents. Like Galloway, Hawley at the time called the complaint frivolous. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 30, 2020) - Pasofino Gold Limited (TSXV: VEIN) (FSE: N07) ("Pasofino" the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr. John Sanders to the Board of Directors of the Company and that is has appointed Mr. Sanders as Chief Operations Officer, Mr. Ian Stalker as President and Chief Executive Officer - Africa and Mr. Steven Dunn as Chief Executive Officer - North America. Mr. Stalker is a senior international mining executive with over forty-five years of "hands on" experience in resource development, mine construction and operations in Europe, Africa, South America, and Australia. Ian has been responsible for managing development of over twelve major mining projects from initial exploration drilling to start-up, including numerous mining projects in Africa -Trekkopje, Siguiri, Geita, Bibiani and Obuasi open pit. Ian is also a director of K92 Mining Ltd and is the former CEO of various mining companies listed on the TSX and AIM. Mr. Sanders is an exploration and mining geologist with 36 years of experience having served in operational, senior and executive roles within the industry. This has included both the delivery of mineral resources and as part of the team in mine builds/developments, with multi-commodity experience. John was formerly Exploration Manager east and west Africa for AngloGold Ashanti, VP Exploration at Uramin Inc. and thereafter COO and subsequently MD of Elemental Minerals (now KORE Potash), VP Exploration at LSC Lithium Corp, GM Africa for the ASX listed lithium developer Infinity Lithium Corp,COO for Helium One a privately owned company exploring for helium in Tanzania and more recently ARX Resources. The Company also announces the resignation of Christian Scovenna as a director of the Company. Krisztian Toth, Chairman of the Board of Pasofino, commented: "On behalf of the Board, I'd like to welcome John and Ian to Pasofino Gold. They bring extensive expertise and knowledge to the Company from their years working in the mining industry and in Africa in particular that will prove very helpful as we continue to advance the Company's business plans. We look forward to benefiting from Ian and John's expertise as we accelerate our work program to realize the full value potential of the Dugbe Gold Project." About Pasofino Gold Ltd. Pasofino Gold Ltd. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (VEIN) and FSE (N07). Pasofino is earning a 50% interest in the advanced-stage Roger Gold-Copper Project located in Quebec's prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Through its recently announced acquisition of ARX Resources Limited, Pasofino has an option to earn a 49% economic interest (prior to giving effect to the Government of Liberia's 10% carried interest) in the Dugbe Gold Project. For further information, please visit www.pasofinogold.com or contact: Ian Stalker, President & CEO Africa T: 604 367 8110 E: istalker@pasofinogold.com Steve Dunn, President & CEO North America T: (416) 361-2827 E: sdunn@pasofinogold.com Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements. This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the ability to raise the funds to finance its ongoing business activities including the acquisition of mineral projects and the exploration and development of its projects. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to, the ability to successfully file and obtain approval for the Qualifying Prospectus, the ability to obtain all requisite regulatory approvals in respect of the Qualifying Prospectus, the results of exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/64928 The head of the UN has warned there is no end in sight to coronavirus after the number of global fatalities hit the mind-numbing level of one million. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it an agonising milestone, in a statement released after the world with more than 33 million cases reached a million deaths. He warned there is no end in sight to the spread of the virus, the loss of jobs, the disruption of education, the upheaval to our lives. The United States has recorded the most deaths with more than 200,000, followed by Brazil, more than 142,000; India, 96,000; Mexico, 76,000; and the United Kingdom, 42,090. Guterres added: Its a mind-numbing figure. Yet we must never lose sight of each and every individual life. They were fathers and mothers, wives and husbands, brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues. The pain has been multiplied by the savageness of this disease. Risks of infection kept families from bedsides. And the process of mourning and celebrating a life was often made impossible. Still he said he said the pandemic could be overcome with responsible leadership, cooperation and science, as well as precautions such as social distancing and wearing face masks. He said any vaccine must be available and affordable to all. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Kuwaits Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah was sworn in before parliament Wednesday as the ruling emir of the tiny oil-rich country, propelled to power by the death of his half-brother after a long career in the security services. At age 83, Sheikh Nawaf is not expected to deviate from the diplomatic path charted by his predecessor, the late Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah. But his accession touched off speculation about who will become the next crown prince in the country known for its lively elected parliament and relative independence in the neighbourhood of Gulf Arab monarchies. The late Sheikh Sabah, 91, made his final journey to Kuwait later on Wednesday, his remains flying back to Kuwait City from Rochester, Minnesota, home of the flagship campus of the Mayo Clinic where he had been receiving medical treatment after surgery. State television broadcast live as the rulers body, draped in a Kuwaiti flag, arrived at the airport. A host of Kuwaiti officials and close relatives carried the body aloft into an ambulance. Although his funeral would ordinarily draw tens of thousands of Kuwaiti mourners and scores of foreign dignitaries, because of the coronavirus pandemic the burial was restricted to relatives, reported Kuwaits state-run news agency, KUNA. Yet Qatars emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, came to pay his respects, alongside an Emirati official, underscoring the late rulers deft navigation of the regions stark political divides. Inside the spacious mosque, the late emirs adviser, with tears in his eyes and a trembling voice, led family members in prayer. As mourners knelt in unison, Sheikh Nawaf performed the prayers from a chair, permissible in Islam for those unable to stand up or suffering from health issues. The coffin was then moved to a nearby cemetery, where close relatives shared a moment of silence, heads bowed and eyes closed, and soldiers dug a fresh grave. Sheikh Nawaf and other mourners sprinkled dirt atop the body as it was finally lowered into the soil. The state TV narrator sounded as though he was choking back tears. The breadth and depth of emotion over the loss of Sheikh Sabah, known for his diplomacy and peacemaking, was reflected in condolence messages that streamed in from countries on opposite ends of regional feuds, from Saudi Arabia to Iran and Qatar. In Kuwait, shops shuttered for three days and roads emptied for the funeral procession. High-rises across Kuwait City illuminated at night with his image. Sheikh Nawaf took office as the new ruler of Kuwait in the parliament building before rows of applauding lawmakers, clad in traditional white robes and surgical masks because of the pandemic. In a low voice, he offered tribute to his late half-brother and promised to preserve the security of Kuwait. Kuwait throughout its history has seen serious and tough challenges, which we have succeeded in overcoming through co-operating together, said Sheikh Nawaf, reading from prepared remarks. Today, our dear country also faces risky circumstances and difficulties that there is no way to bypass except through unity. The challenges are manifold. Gridlock in parliament has blocked the passage of a public debt law needed to raise $65 billion and mitigate the countrys looming liquidity crisis. A major credit agency last week downgraded Kuwait for the first time in its history, citing the governments swelling budget deficit. Plunging oil prices amid the pandemic have robbed the wealthy country of cash. The economy still feeds on petrodollars and has been slow to diversify. Other headwinds include unchecked corruption, mediocre government services and unresolved issues, such as the status of stateless persons, wrote Bader al-Saif, a nonresident fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. After the ceremony, Sheikh Nawaf, in his flowing robe, strode into a black Mercedes as groups of soldiers delivered a crisp salute. During the day, he conducted meetings with top politicians, including the head of parliament, at his palace. Earlier this week, in an unexpected move, he received two opposition figures to discuss political reforms ahead of parliamentary elections in November, state-linked media reported, although the most prominent opposition leaders remain in exile. Sheikh Nawafs ascent to the throne bookended a political career that spanned from interior minister to defence minister, dating back to 1991 when U.S. troops and their allies invaded Kuwait to liberate it from Iraq. Sheikh Nawaf briefly served as social affairs and labour minister after the war, then as the deputy chief of Kuwaits National Guard and again as interior minister. He became the crown prince under Sheikh Sabah in February 2006, but was not known for making any major political decisions during his tenure. The sheikh was educated in Kuwaiti schools and is married with four sons and one daughter. While his taking the reins was prescribed by Kuwaits constitution, the succession plan remains uncertain. The late Sheikh Sabah came to power by jumping a traditional order of alternating rule between two branches of the royal family, when parliament voted to oust his predecessor, the ailing Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Sabah, just nine days into his rule. Now Sheikh Nawaf has inherited the fraught task of appointing a new crown prince. Kuwait stands out in the region for the power of its parliament, which retains the right to reject the emirs choice. Kuwaits chances for economic reform and reputation for neutrality in a turbulent region hang in the balance, said private intelligence agency Stratfor. Even under pressure from regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Sabah long charted a path of diplomacy through the bitter dispute that pits Qatar against an alliance of Gulf states, as well as through other ruinous Mideast conflicts over the years, such as in Lebanon and Yemen. Clarification - Oct. 2, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version to make clear that the U.S. troops and their allies invaded Kuwait in 1991 to liberate it from Iraq after Iraq invaded the gulf state in Aug. 1990. Members of Irans civil society have raised serious concerns about the prolonged detention and worsening health condition of Sharmin Meymandi-Nejad, a prominent activist, outspoken government critic and founder of one of the countrys most popular private charity organizations. Meymandi-Nejad has been in the custody of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) since June 22. During that time, the 50-year-old philanthropist has been kept in solitary confinement, deprived of visits and access to his lawyer. The detainees wife, Zahra Rahimi, said earlier this month on Twitter that in a brief call from jail, Meymandi-Nejad had complained about his deteriorating health, saying he badly needed a walker to be able to stand up. Meymandi-Nejad has also urged forgiveness, a typical request that Iranians make to family members and relatives at moments of looming death. And in an interview with Shargh, a pro-Reform daily, Rahimi said interrogators have been denying her husband the much-needed medicines he regularly takes for a heart problem as well as his ankylosing spondylitis, a rare but acute type of spinal cord arthritis. The account has caused alarm from Meymandi-Nejads supporters and other activists, who are speculating that alleged torture made him ask for a walker. When he left home upon arrest, Meymandi-Nejads wife said, he was in good health. The judiciary bears direct responsibility. In July, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet also expressed alarm over Meymandi-Nejads arrest, calling it a clear example of the [Iranian] governments tightening of measures targeting civil society actors. In 1999, Meymandi-Nejad founded the Imam Ali Popular Student Relief Society, initially relying on a small circle of top university students in the capital, Tehran. But over years, the organization has grown into a nationwide network of 10,000 altruist volunteers dedicated to providing relief and other help for Irans most impoverished and neglected areas. What has distinguished the group from other Iranian charitable organizations is its special concentration on empowering single mothers and providing proper education for abandoned and abused shantytown children, some of them garbage scavengers, with the aim boosting their opportunities for social mobility. As of July, the relief society was helping 6,137 of those kids across 20 Iranian provinces. Meymandi-Nejad has played a pivotal role, regularly visiting the target areas and delivering almost weekly speeches in which he has not shied from taking aim at systematic corruption and mismanagement plaguing the ruling establishment. The extension of Meymandi-Nejads detention is only explained by the fact that the IRGC needs time to fabricate a setup against him based on forced confessions, said senior Iranian lawyer Hassan Younesi. Drawing confessions under duress before airing them on state television has often be characteristic of Irans security system toward domestic opponents. Most recently, one such TV program showed Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari arrested in the aftermath of an anti-government protest confessing to murder. A week later, Afkari was sent to the gallows. While there is no formal indictment against Meymandi-Nejad as of yet, the arrest warrant, seen by the charity groups senior members, accuses him of insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, IRGC-owned media outlets have released an audio file in which Meymandi-Nejad is heard attacking IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed by the United States in January as a murderer of children. In what seems to be an anti-war speech in the same file, the charity founder also criticizes the Iranian governments irrationality and elaborates on a formal request to be submitted to the United Nations, asking for intervention to save Iranians from an unnecessary military conflict in the aftermath of Soleimani's death. In a statement, the charitable organization said Meymandi-Nejads comments had been taken out of context, and slammed state-funded outlets for labeling the activist as a convict before any judicial proceedings had taken place. A group of the families of Iranian martyrs also signed a public letter addressed to chief justice Ibrahim Raisi wondering why the Islamic Republic had arrested Meymandi-Nejad instead of honoring him. Such detention, the signees warned, only discourages sincere work by volunteers dedicated to the poor, who have been wounded by discrimination and inequality. The Tasnim News Agency, run by the IRGC, has accused Meymandi-Nejad of establishing a network to infiltrate Iranian public opinion under the guise of charity programs. Tasnim did not elaborate on the nature of that influence, but the statement has strengthened theories that the charity groups growing popularity among the destitute layers of the Iranian society is viewed by the Islamic Republic as a potential security threat, one that could translate into a mobilization of the disillusioned classes against the state. Since the outbreak of countrywide economic protests in late 2017, Irans intelligence organizations have grown increasingly conscious about, and particularly alarmed by, a disenchanted, furious lower class. This could perhaps explain why the Islamic Republic went to great lengths in its unprecedentedly violent crackdown in November, killing at least 225 protesters during street demonstrations that were triggered by a controversial fuel price hike, but which quickly gathered steam to turn into a national uprising over a host of deep-seated livelihood grievances. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Rome, Italy, on Sept. 30, 2020. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Pool/Reuters) Pompeo Warns Italy Over Chinas Economic Influence ROMEU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a warning to Italy over its economic relations with China on Sept. 30, and described Chinese mobile telecoms technology as a threat to Italys national security and the privacy of its citizens. The foreign minister and I had a long conversation about the United States concerns at the Chinese Communist Party trying to leverage its economic presence in Italy to serve its own strategic purposes, Pompeo told a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. The United States also urges the Italian government to consider carefully the risks to its national security and the privacy of its citizens presented by technology companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Di Maio said the Italians were aware of U.S. concerns over Chinese 5G technology, and fully realize the responsibility faced by every country when dealing with security. U.S. attention has focused particularly on Huawei, the worlds biggest telecoms equipment maker. Washington has told its European allies the Chinese firm poses a security threat, noting that Chinese companies and citizens must by law aid the state in intelligence gathering. Huawei has denied it poses a risk. The head of its Italian unit said on Sept. 30 it was ready for any scrutiny to show that its technology was safe. We will open our insides, we are available to be vivisected to respond to all of this political pressure, Luigi De Vecchis told a conference in Rome. While some U.S. allies, such as Britain, have announced bans on Huawei equipment in future telecoms infrastructure, Italy has so far declined to do so. However, the company was recently excluded from one major tender and a senior government official has told Reuters the state was ready to impose tougher rules in deals involving the Chinese firm. Italy raised hackles in Washington last year when it became the first major Western economy to join Chinas international infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative. However, the tie-up has yielded little economic gain thus far. Di Maio said Italy was looking for the European Union to adopt a common position on 5G development. Meanwhile, the Vatican said on Sept. 30 it had denied a request from Pompeo for an audience with Pope Francis, and accused the secretary of state of trying to drag the Catholic Church into the U.S. presidential election by denouncing its relations with China. By Angelo Amante Angela Merkel has limited public gatherings to 50 people in covid hotspots but pledged to avoid a national lockdown 'at all costs' to preserve Germany's economy. Fines will also be issued to those who flout track and trace rules, the Chancellor told a conference of the country's 16 state leaders on Tuesday. By European standards, Germany has experienced relatively low infection and death rates so far during the pandemic, but Merkel said cases could hit 19,200 per day if current trends continued. The country reported 2,089 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, compared to 8,051 in France and 7,143 in the United Kingdom. Chancellor Angela Merkel wears a face mask as she arrives to a session at the Bundestag today in the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany By European standards, Germany has experienced relatively low infection and death rates so far during the pandemic, but Merkel said cases could hit 19,200 per day if current trends continued Germany has recorded a total of 287,421 cases and 9,471 fatalities, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said. 'We have learned a lot and got through the summer well but we know a more difficult time lies ahead - autumn and winter - and a gradual rise, in some areas a significant rise in infections, is cause for concern,' Merkel told reporters. She said a 'hot spot strategy' would limit private parties to 25 people and public ones to 50 in areas where the infection rate hit 35 per 100,000 over seven days. If the rate hit 50 per 100,000, private celebrations would be restricted to 10 people and those in public to 25. The German economy contracted by 9.7% in the second quarter as household spending, company investments and trade collapsed at the height of the pandemic. Merkel's government has launched various stimulus measures, financed with record new borrowing, that it and economists expect will help engineer a significant return to growth during 2021. Medical staff member register and take a sample for a voluntary new coronavirus disease test (COVID-19) at a corona test station at the Oktoberfest area of Munich on Thursday 'We want to act regionally, specifically and purposefully, rather than shutting down the whole country again - this must be prevented at all costs,' said Merkel. Infections have been rising in Germany for weeks but state premiers have been at odds on what action is appropriate, partly because of regional variations in cases. Merkel said other priorities were for schools and nurseries to stay open. People who gave false identities to restaurants would be fined 50 euros (47) and work would be done to improve ventilation in buildings over the winter. The Seattle City Council approved a minimum pay standard for Uber and Lyft drivers on Tuesday, becoming the second city in the country to do so. Under the law, effective in January, ride-hailing companies must pay a sum roughly equivalent, after expenses, to the citys $16 minimum hourly wage for businesses with more than 500 employees. The pandemic has exposed the fault lines in our systems of worker protections, leaving many frontline workers like gig workers without a safety net, Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a statement. Seattles law, passed in a 9-to-0 vote, is part of a wave of attempts by cities and states to regulate gig-economy transportation services. It is modeled on a measure that New York City passed in 2018. Last year, California approved legislation effectively requiring Uber and Lyft to classify drivers as employees rather than independent contractors, which would assure them of protections like a minimum wage, overtime pay, workers compensation and unemployment insurance. The companies are backing an initiative on the November ballot that would exempt their drivers from the California law. The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 on Tuesday justified the repeat Covid-19 test being conducted on international travellers after seven days of their arrival to the country. The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, said at the taskforces briefing in Abuja that a significant number of 80 out of the 2,403 tests carried out when the exercise began turned out to be positive. He said this was despite the fact that the travelers who tested positive arrived in the country with a negative PCR test. Of the 2,403 passengers that were tested in Lagos when we started the exercise, 80 were positive. Meanwhile, they had negative Covid-19 PCR test, he said. He said the repeat test would have been unnecessary if the country had a system of enforcement of isolation such that everybody coming into the country self-isolated effectively for two weeks. Aliyu also warned foreign travelers to pay to only laboratories on the travel portal of the government for their repeat tests. Aliyu said, No Federal Government agency is receiving these funds. The negotiation for the cost is between the state governments and the private labs themselves. The charges range between N35,600 for the Kano portal which we are just about to operationalise to N50,400 for Lagos. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates (Newser) Squeezed by limits on attendance at its theme parks and other restrictions due to the pandemic, The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it planned to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division in California and Florida. Two-thirds of the planned layoffs involve part-time workers but they ranged from salaried employees to hourly workers, Disney officials said. The Florida parks reopened this summer, but the California parks have yet to reopen as the company awaits guidance from state authorities, the AP reports. In a letter to employees, Josh DAmaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experience and Product, said California's unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen" exacerbated the situation for the company. story continues below DAmaro said his management team had worked hard to try to avoid layoffs. They had cut expenses, suspended projects and modified operations but it wasnt enough given limits on the number of people allowed into the park because of pandemic-related measures, he said. "As heartbreaking as it is to take this action, this is the only feasible option we have in light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic, he said. Californias health secretary on Tuesday said the state was close to working out a way to have the theme parks reopen in a responsible way. Walt Disney World in Florida has around 77,000 employees, while the Disneyland Resort in California has more than 30,000 workers. (Read more Disneyland stories.) This years monsoon season in the Delhi-national capital region (NCR) officially came to an end on Wednesday, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials. Changes in low-level wind pattern into north-westerlies, a reduction in moisture content and cessation of rainfall are all indications that the south-west monsoon has further withdrawn from some parts of Rajasthan, the remaining parts of Punjab, the entire western Himalayan region, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi -NCR and some parts of Uttar Pradesh (UP), said an IMD scientist. Also read: Delhi sees driest September in 16 years Usually, the monsoon season lasts between June 1 and September 30, he added. The transition in overall weather conditions and wind direction will predominantly remain north-westerly in Delhi-NCR. The national capital will get relief from day heat soon. The humidity levels have also come down. A slight decrease in maximum and minimum temperature may come into effect from October 5, said Kuldeep Srivastava, who heads IMDs Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC). The average wind speed will remain around 20 kilometres per hour (kmph), which is likely to keep the air quality in Delhi-NCR in check at least until October 15, following which the wind speed is set to reduce, he added. The normal date for the complete withdrawal of monsoon from the country is October 15, as per the new onset and retreat dates of the rainy season issued by the IMD authorities in April. Until last year, the normal date for the commencement and withdrawal of monsoon was September 1 and October 15, respectively. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vatsala Shrangi Vatsala Shrangi joined HT Editorial team on July 2, 2018 as Principal Correspondent. She covers Environment, Civic bodies and the Social Sector. ...view detail President Donald Trump bizarrely credited eating McDonald's for his almost-full head of hair in the middle of a post-debate tweetstorm while on board Air Force On Wednesday. 'No wonder I didnt lose my hair!' Trump tweeted, sharing a 2018 tweet from former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, which had pointed to an ABC 7 Chicago story that said a chemical in McDonald's French fries may be a cure for baldness. Fleischer, who is bald, had commented, 'It doesn't work,' and had pinned his retort to the top of his feed, where the president must have saw it. President Donald Trump tweeted about his hair on Wednesday amid a tweetstorm reacting to Tuesday night's first presidential debate against Democrat Joe Biden 'No wonder I didn't lose my hair!' the president tweeted, linking to a 2018 tweet from former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who had shared an article saying a chemical in McDonald's French fries cures baldness A minute later, Trump tweeted out a 'thank you Ari!' as the former press secretary, who had served Republican President George W. Bush, had blamed Democrat Joe Biden for interrupting Trump first, setting the tone of the debate, in Fleischer's view. 'I rewatched the start of the debate,' Fleischer wrote. 'The first question went to Trump who gave an uninterrupted 2-minute response. Then Biden gave an uninterrupted 2-minute response. Then it went back to Trump, whose answer was interrupted three times by Biden.' 'If you didn't like it, blame Biden for starting it,' Fleischer said. The hair comment comes on the heels of The New York Times reporting Sunday that Trump had written off $70,000 in hairstyling from his taxes. Trump's long made a to-do about his 'do, famously allowing 'Tonight Show' host Jimmy Fallon mess up his unique coiffure in 2016 before a New Hampshire rally, in an effort to prove that it wasn't a wig. Earlier that year, Gawker put out a report suggesting Trump's hairstyle was the product of a $60,000 baldness intervention that weaved a donor's hair on top of the businessman's locks. However, an expert on baldness quickly came out with an op-ed in The New York Daily News, explaining it's more likely Trump had a hair transplant. Trump admitted that he had a bald spot in February 2018 after his medical report from then White House physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, confirmed he was taking the drug Propecia for male-pattern hair loss. During his appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, the president marveled at seeing himself on the jumbotrons that were flanking his podium. He air-patted his hair and did a twirl. 'I try like hell to hide that bald spot folks, I work hard at it,' he said to laughs. Michael Wolff's book 'Fire and Fury,' which had been released a month before, quoted Ivanka Trump as she explained to friends how her father's hairdo worked. 'She often described the mechanics behind it to friends: an absolutely clean pate a contained island after scalp-reduction surgery surrounded by a furry circle of hair around the sides and front, from which all ends are drawn up to meet in the center and then swept back and secured by a stiffening spray,' Wolff wrote. 'The color, she would point out in comical effect, was from a product called Just for Men the longer it was left on, the darker it got,' Wolff said. 'Impatience resulted in Trump's orange-blond hair color,' the author added. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo 30.09.2020 LISTEN The loud silence of President Akufo Addo on happenings in parts of the Volta region is alarming, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed. Secessionist group claiming independence in the region resurfaced September this year, and blocked entry and exits points of the region, ransacked two police stations in Mepe and Aveyime, and made away with weapons and ammunition. One life has been lost and three injured in the process while staff of the State Transport Company (STC) were beaten and some buses burnt to ashes on Monday dawn this week. However, President Akufo Addo is yet to condemn the act. This, the NDC in a statement signed by the National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is alarmed by the stoning silence of the president. He stated, "The NDC is alarmed by the significant deterioration of the National Security situation despite earlier threats and clear warning signals. The reported attacks on the sovereignty of Ghana as occurred on the 25th and 29th of September 2020 are a clear indication of the failure of the Government under President Nana Akufo Ado and the National Security Council which he Chairs." "While property has been destroyed and lives lost, the people of Ghana are yet to hear a comment by the President condemning these acts of treason and lawlessness, let alone consoling the victims, and taking urgent action as appropriate to restore law and order. This is what Ghanaians expect from their President who incidentally is the chairman of ECOWAS." According to the statement, the event appears to be a calculated and deliberate effort to suppress votes in the 'strongholds of the NDC, in view of an already heavy security deployment in the region during the recent voter registration exercise. "We do not want to believe that the inaction of the President and National Security Council is deliberate and calculated at achieving a sinister political motive including the suppressing of votes in NDC strongholds. There is already sufficient apprehension caused by these events that suggest complicity of officialdom to cause fear and human insecurity in that part of the country as a justification for an intimidating security presence the type of which was witnessed during the voter registration exercise only a few months ago," he said. He continued, "This sequence of events cumulatively constitute a threat to national peace, unity, territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ghana. The NDC calls for urgent action for the restoration of normalcy." Whiles there's been reports on the erection of sign posts in some locations of the Eastern and Volta Regions purportedly promoting secession of some sections of the Eastern territories of the Republic of Ghana, the Chairman for the party said "The NDC is closely monitoring the security situation along the Eastern corridor and the country as a whole, and that "call on all Ghanaians to rally together to preserve national unity, peace and stability particularly at this time of the final preparations towards the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections." SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Korea's national competitiveness will rise to the top 10 in the world if it adopts a differentiation strategy. * NCI: National Competitiveness Index "Korea's national competitiveness currently ranked 26th in 2020 may rise to 10th place or fall to 38th among 62 countries in the world, depending on the national strategy chosen by the government and businesses." (IPS National Competitiveness Research 2019-2020) This is the result of the "IPS National Competitiveness Research 2019-2020," which was announced simultaneously in Switzerland at 10 a.m. (Central European Time) and Korea at 5 p.m. (Korea Standard Time) on September 24. (see Table 1). Specifically, Korea's national competitiveness, which ranks 26th with no strategy, will fall to 38th if it takes a low-cost strategy, while it will rise to 10th if it takes a differentiation strategy. The difference in rankings shows that Korea's competitiveness declines if it uses strategies that do not meet the changing environment and internal conditions, but there is room for drastic improvement in national competitiveness if it uses effective strategies. The report confirmed that it is effective to focus on high-quality products rather than low-cost ones to enhance the competitiveness of Korea. The Meaning of National Competitiveness Ranking and Research Institutions Of the three institutions that report national competitiveness, International Institute for Management Development (IMD) and World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland announce only one type of rankings, while IPS publishes rankings in three different scenarios, depending on whether the country's government and businesses pursue a differentiation strategy, no strategy, or cost strategy. IMD is a Swiss business school that views national competitiveness as a good business environment for global companies to invest in. On the other hand, WEF is a research institute that hosts the Davos Forum and views national competitiveness as the industry productivity of individual countries. Therefore, in the IMD 2000 report, Malaysia's ranking (27th) is higher than that of Japan (34th) among 63 countries as Malaysia has better investment environment than Japan, while Korea ranked 23rd. On the other hand, the WEF 2000 reported that Japan, which was highly productive, ranked 6th among 141 countries, far higher than Malaysia's 27th, while Korea ranked 13th. The IPS National Competitiveness Report is jointly released by three institutions in Switzerland and South Korea. The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNTAR) in Geneva, Switzerland, the Taylor Institute of Franklin University Switzerland in Lugano, and the Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness (IPSNC) have collaborated since this year. Unlike IMD and WEF, which compare only the current conditions of each country, IPS derives the national competitiveness rankings by applying different competitive strategies of the country's government and businesses to the current conditions. Competitive strategies include low cost strategy and differentiation strategy. A low cost strategy refers to a strategy that pursues low cost and low quality, while a differentiation strategy pursues high cost and high quality. Korea's strong areas of competitiveness are demand conditions, related industries, entrepreneurs, and professionals IPS uses the "9-factor model" consisting of four physical factors and four human factors, and a chance event as the theory of determining national competitiveness. Korea ranked 26th this year when considering only the current situations with no strategy. Specifically, among the physical factors, demand conditions (11th) and related industries (17th) ranked relatively high, business context (32nd) is in the middle, and production conditions (53rd) are low. Among the human factors, entrepreneurs (21st) and professionals (19th) ranked relatively high, politicians and bureaucrats (24th) are in the middle, and workers (44th) are low. (see Figure 1). Looking at the ranking changes in the eight factors compared to last year, demand conditions (+5), related industries (+3), entrepreneurs (+8), and professionals (+3), which are relatively strong areas, all showed a rise in ranking, while factor conditions (-2) and workers (-24), which are relatively weak areas, all showed a downward trend. Thus, Korea is a country where the areas of strength are strengthened and the areas of weaknesses are weakened. Countries with such competitiveness structure can be very successful when applying a differentiation strategy. Two efforts must be made for Korea to be included in the top 10 in the future. The first is the physical and human factors. Specifically, Korea should further enhance the competitiveness of demand conditions and related industries among physical factors, and professionals and entrepreneurs among human factors. In particular, in the case of related industries, Korea has a competitive edge in the industrial infrastructure such as transportation and telecommunications, but is relatively behind in living infrastructure, which measures the quality of life. Living infrastructure is an important determinant, especially for attracting multinational corporations and global talents. On the other hand, as for entrepreneurs and professionals, a good social context is required to enable high-quality entrepreneurs and professionals to work efficiently as well as to enhance their personal competences. The second is the choice of national strategy, which requires the government and businesses to adopt a more differentiated strategy. Korea can go up to 10th place if it uses an appropriate differentiation strategy within the current competitive structure. Hence, if Korean combines the improved physical and human factors with an appropriate differentiation strategy, it can be positioned in the higher ranking of the top 10 list. Professor CHO Dong-sung, a joint researcher (IPS Chairman and Professor Emeritus of Seoul National University) said, "Factors that play an important role in an early stage of a country's economic development are factor conditions and workers, and the appropriate national strategy should be low cost strategies. However, as the national economy matures, key factors and national strategies should change accordingly." He then said, "Although Korea has become an advanced country, it should develop more advanced demand conditions and professionals, and pursue differentiation strategies to further enhance its national competitiveness." Professor MOON Hwy-chang, a joint researcher (IPSNC Chairman and Professor Emeritus of Seoul National University), mentioned "Many predict that some multinational corporations (MNCs) will leave China and reshore in their home countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. However, MNCs including Korean firms are diversifying their investments into India and Southeast Asia, generally countries around China. Given such a situation, unless Korea's domestic business environment improves, not only will Korean MNCs be less likely to make a U-turn, but Korea-based foreign firms will also be increasingly likely to go abroad." He stressed the importance of attracting investment from MNCs to Korea by improving the business environment for strengthening national competitiveness. Changes in the Rankings of the Top 10 Canada, Denmark, and Singapore ranked in the Top 3 of the overall ranking for the 2019-2020 National Competitiveness Research. In particular, Canada topped the list again as it did in the previous year, while the Netherlands and Hong Kong SAR (hereafter Hong Kong) showed a relatively large fluctuation in their rankings compared to other countries. The Netherlands (ranked 7th) jumped up five places to enter the Top 10 this year. This was mainly due to Brexit as a growing number of companies have been shifting their overseas direct investment target from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands, much to its benefit. Hong Kong, on the other hand, dropped by four places and ranked 9th place. Hong Kong's prolonged political protests have dealt a severe blow to its overall economy, leading to a drop from the upper ranking to the middle-low ranking in the Top 10. Variation of Regional Ranking According to the national average ranking by region and the average change in ranking compared to the previous year, the average ranking in Europe, where developed countries are mostly concentrated, is the highest by region at 26th, up 0.6 step from last year, making it the only region with a rise in the ranking among the four regions. On the other hand, Asia and Oceania ranked 29th on average, down 1.2 step from last year, America 40th on average, down 0.08 step from last year, and Africa 53rd on average, down 1.2 step from last year (see Table 2). Media Contact: The Institute for Industrial Policy Studies Research Fellow Kim, Jae-eun Phone: 82-2-360-0771 Email: [email protected] Related Files Press Release_National Competitiveness 2019-2020 Rankings_0929.pdf Related Images overall-ranking-of-ips-national.jpg Overall ranking of IPS National Competitiveness Research 2019-2020 * NCI: National Competitiveness Index image2.jpg SOURCE The Institute for Industrial Policy Studies It started out civilly enough, with President Donald Trump striding deliberately to his lectern, and Democrat Joe Biden nodding to his opponent and offering a 'How you doing, man?' But within 15 minutes, the debate had devolved into a series of endless interruptions, with Biden, seemingly unable to complete a sentence, finally blurting out, 'Will you shut up, man?' It was a chaotic and unusually bitter first presidential debate of the 2020 general election, made all the more unusual by the the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. There was no friendly handshake to kick things off, no room full of supporters in each candidate's court. Instead, the debate played out before a socially-distanced audience of about 100 people in a makeshift debate hall built in an atrium that had been previously set up as an emergency hospital for patients with COVID-19. Even without the pandemic, the 90-minute faceoff was jarring. Trump came out of the gate looking to challenge Biden and badgered him throughout the debate, drawing a string of rejoinders from the Democrat, including a plea to 'just shush for a minute' at the half-hour mark. At other points, the two candidates dialed down their rhetoric, only to resume their interruptions once again. When Trump was fielding a question about a report that he paid just $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, Biden was the one interjecting: 'Show us your taxes. Show us your taxes.' Trump came out of the gate looking to challenge Biden and badgered him throughout the debate Trump came out of the gate looking to challenge Biden and badgered him throughout the debate, drawing a string of rejoinders from the Democrat, including a plea to 'just shush for a minute' at the half-hour mark. TEN WORST MOMENTS OF THE DUMPSTER FIRE DEBATE 'PROUD BOYS - STAND BACK AND STAND BY' Trump was asked by Wallace to condemn white supremacists and militias. 'Sure, I'm willing to do that.' 'Then do it, sir,' Wallace said - and Biden shouted 'do it, say it.' Trump asked for a 'name' and Biden said: 'Proud Boys.' 'Proud boys - stand back and stand by! But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left,' Trump said. 'SHUT UP' Biden told Trump: 'Would you shut up, man?,' after getting interrupted repeatedly when discussing the Supreme Court. As Trump spoke over Chris Wallace Biden said: 'Keep yapping.' HUNTER AND COCAINE Biden spoke of his dead son Beau's decorated service in Iraq. 'I didn't know Beau. I know Hunter. He was thrown out, dishonorably discharged for cocaine use,' Trump said of Hunter Biden. 'That's not true.' Biden responded. Hunter got an 'administrative discharge.' 'CLOWN SHOW' 'It's hard to get any word in with this clown excuse me, this person,' Biden said. TRUMP GOES AFTER BIDEN'S BRAINS 'There's nothing smart about you Joe,' Trump told Biden. Biden had said 'a lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter.' BIDEN GOES AFTER TRUMP ON TRUTH 'Everything he's saying so far is simply a lie. I'm not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows he's a liar,' Biden said of Trump. TRUMP SPARS WITH WALLACE Moderator Chris Wallace begging Trump to follow the rules. 'I'm the moderator of this debate and I would like you to let me ask my question and then you can answer,' he said at one point. TRUMP CASTS DOUBT ON WHOLE ELECTION Trump again attacked mail-in ballots. 'This is going to be a fraud like you've never seen.' He said. 'We might not know for months because these ballots are going to be all over,' he said. TRUMP'S WAR WITH WALLACE 'I guess I'm debating you and not him but that's okay I'm not surprised.' BLEACH IN THE ARM 'And by the way maybe inject some bleach into your arm, that'll take care of it,' Biden said, mocking Trump's statement about injecting disinfectant to treat coronavirus. Advertisement Roughly 50 minutes into the debate, moderator Chris Wallace's frustration came to a boil as he tried to regain control. 'Gentlemen, I hate to raise my voice, but why should I be any different than the two of you?' Wallace said, drawing some muffled laughter from both sides of the otherwise mostly quiet room. Trump blamed Biden, but Wallace firmly pushed back to the president, 'Frankly, you've been doing more interrupting.' The reaction from the mask-wearing crowd, warned not to make a sound, was inaudible on television, though there were several moments when they could be heard laughing or jeering inside the atrium - including when Biden used his 'shut up' line. But was no discernible response when the former vice president called the sitting president a 'clown' and told him to 'keep yapping.' The television cameras also eliminated the difference in speaking volume between Trump and Biden that made Trump seem even more combative. Inside the atrium, Biden was sometimes hard to hear and spoke far more softly than Trump, who often yelled, and even Wallace, who repeatedly tangled with Trump as he tried to get the candidates to abide by the no-interruption rules their campaigns had agreed to. The debate was hosted by the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University in the 27,000-square-foot atrium of the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion on the clinic's Health Education Campus. Notre Dame, the original debate host, withdrew because of the pandemic. Earlier this year, the building had been transformed into a temporary, 1,000-bed surge hospital, named Hope Hospital, for expected coronavirus patients. Though it never ended up needing to be used, the floor where the debate stage was built was not long ago lined with beds for patients and copper piping to bring in oxygen. This time it was turned into a makeshift debate hall with a stage, red carpeting and elevated platforms for cameras. About 100 people watched, all of whom were tested for the virus and sat with plenty of distance between them. Guests were required to wear masks, though some - including members of the president's family - didn't. Seats were set with programs and antibacterial wipes. Most in the crowd did abide by the social distancing and mask-wearing rules. At least one audience member even wore a bright red 'MAGA' face mask, technically a violation of rules prohibiting campaign paraphernalia. Some in Trump's section tried to greet the first lady with a standing ovation as she walked in, but with the sparse crowd it didn't quite come together. The emptiness of the room only made the sharpness of the candidates' verbal slugfest, which often took the tone of a schoolyard squabble, more notable. 'The fact is that everything he's saying so far is simply a lie,' a flustered Biden snapped when Trump suggested that the vice president stole the nomination from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. 'I'm not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows he's a liar.' After just over 90 minutes, the faceoff was done - but not without more interruptions. 'This is the end of this debate,' said Wallace, as Trump continued to boom his objections. 'We're going to leave it there, to be continued,' the moderator said as he finished what he deemed an 'interesting' debate. 'Gentlemen, I hate to raise my voice, but why should I be any different than the two of you?' moderator Chris Wallace said, drawing some muffled laughter from both sides of the otherwise mostly quiet room. Egypt's parliament the House of Representatives will convene on Thursday to open its sixth legislative season. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued two decrees on Tuesday evening. The first (decree 478) is on the adjourning of parliament's fifth legislative season (on 24 August), and the second (decree 570) is on the opening meeting of the sixth legislative season on Thursday the first of October. Parliament's tenure will end on 9 January 2021. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Alaa Fouad told reporters two weeks ago that parliament will hold a meeting on 1 October to discuss a number of laws that were referred by the government. Fouad said that two laws on National Planning and the Value Added Tax were referred by the government. Egypt's Senate is also expected to meet soon after its election was held in August and September. President El-Sisi is expected to issue a decree soon naming 100 appointees in the Senate, bringing the number of members to a total of 300. Parliamentary elections will be held in Egypt to elect a new House of Representatives between 21 October and 8 December. ROME - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Vatican on Wednesday to join the United States in denouncing violations of religious freedom in China, saying the Catholic Church should be at the forefront in the fight to insist on basic human rights there. Pompeo made the appeal at a conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, with top Vatican officials in the audience. It took place at the same time the Vatican is entering into delicate negotiations with Beijing on extending their controversial agreement on nominating bishops for China. Pompeo has strongly criticized the accord, penning an essay earlier this month suggesting that the Vatican had compromised its moral authority by signing it. His article greatly irritated the Vatican, which saw it as interference in the churchs internal affairs for the sake of scoring domestic political points. The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said the Holy See was surprised by Pompeos article. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the conference, Parolin said the private meetings Pompeo had scheduled at the Vatican would have been the more appropriate setting to express his concerns, Italian news agency ANSA reported. Neither Parolin nor Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican foreign minister, mentioned China in their official remarks to the conference, which was held in a hotel reception room near the U.S. Embassy. Both focused instead on the Holy Sees longstanding history of promoting religious freedom as a fundamental human right. The question of protecting religious freedom so as to allow the local Catholic Church to exercise its mission remains an indispensable part of the scope and activity of the Holy See, Gallagher said, criticizing ideological threats to religious freedom, such as legislation in some Western nations that redefines traditional concepts of gender. In his remarks, Pompeo echoed the Trump administrations harsh criticism of Beijing, which increased after the coronavirus was first detected in China, and as the U.S. Nov. 3 presidential election neared. Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than in China, Pompeo said, accusing the ruling Communist Party of working day and night to snuff out the lamp of freedom, especially religious freedom, on a horrifying scale. Quoting St. John Paul II, retired Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, Pompeo urged a greater commitment from faith leaders to stand up for all religious believers. To be a church permanently in a state of mission has many meanings. Surely one of them is to be a church permanently in defence of basic human rights, he said, quoting a phrase Francis commonly uses. In his essay published in the conservative magazine First Things, Pompeo said the Vatican-China accord hadnt shielded Catholics from Chinas religious crackdown and suggested that the Vatican had compromised its moral authority by signing it. We want every institution to use their power. I happen to think that churches, and the Catholic Church included, have enormous capacity, Pompeo said Wednesday in defending the essay. They have historically stood with oppressed peoples all around the world. The Vatican has defended its accord with China, saying it was purely an ecclesial matter about bishop nominations and was not a political or diplomatic agreement. The Vatican has said the agreement had borne limited but positive fruit and was worth extending for another determined period of time. Critics, including the retired Hong Kong archbishop, have said the Vatican sold out Chinas underground Catholics, who for decades remained loyal to Rome, often at great personal cost. More sympathetic China watchers say at most the agreement has prevented an irrevocable schism in China by creating a mechanism through which bishops can be named through a process of dialogue. Asked Wednesday how the Holy See received Pompeos essay, Gallagher told reporters: It was received critically. He also said the proximity of Pompeos visit to the U.S. election, was one of the reasons why the Holy Father is not receiving the secretary of state. Pompeo, who met with the pope last year when he spoke at a similar conference, instead will meet Thursday with Gallagher and Parolin at the Vatican. After the conference, Pompeo met with Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, the first Group of Seven leader to sign onto Chinas infrastructure-building Belt and Road initiative. Conte said at the time of Italys 2019 signing, which was done over U.S. objections, that it would not put into question Italys trans-Atlantic partnerships. A State Department deputy spokesperson, Cale Brown, said Pompeo raised the issue during his meeting with Conte, and noted the risks of doing business with China. SPRINGFIELD The Illinois Senate Criminal Law Committee and Special Committee on Public Safety held its latest in a series of hearings related to the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus legislative agenda Tuesday, focusing on reclassifying offenses, drug penalty reform and elderly parole. We must confront the vast disparities in how individuals throughout the state are sentenced, state Sen. Elgie Sims, a Chicago Democrat and chair of the Senate Criminal Law Committee, said. We have to ensure that our justice system treats everyone fairly regardless of their race, religion and economic status. That often is not the case. These issues are important to achieve a more fair and equitable system. Witnesses testifying before the committee included Tanya Woods, executive director of the Westside Justice Center; Champaign County States Attorney Julia Rietz; White County States Attorney Denton Aud; Ben Ruddell, director of criminal justice policy for the Illinois ACLU; and representatives from Restore Justice Illinois. Witnesses generally agreed that changes made to reduce penalties for crimes involving cannabis, along with the expungement of minor cannabis-related drug crimes following marijuana legalization last year, were positive steps forward. Ruddell noted the war on drugs and drug crimes in general have harshly impacted Black Americans more than any other demographic. In 1980 our prison population was 11,768. Today it stands at more than 30,000. Despite a decades-long decline in the overall crime rate, data shows that increased drug arrests by the police and the enactment of punitive sentencing policies for drug offenses were major drivers in the spike in incarceration, Ruddell said. In 2018, Ruddell said, 60 percent of those arrested for a drug crime in Illinois were Black. While Black Illinoisans make up 14.5 percent of the state's population, they make up 54.8 of those in prison and are imprisoned at 8.8 times the rate of whites, one of the worst disparities of any state, he said. Isolated to drug crimes, the disparities are larger. Between 2016 and 2018, Black Illinoisans made up 69 percent of drug offenders admitted to the Illinois Department of Corrections, and 59 percent of strictly cannabis offenders. Ruddell suggested three reforms to combat these disparities: reduction of all drug crimes by one class; reclassification of felony possession to a misdemeanor; and elimination of mandatory minimums and sentence enhancements. Lawmakers discussed the third point in a previous joint hearing. Wendell Robinson, from Restore Justice Illinois, said as a juvenile he was sentenced to life in prison for violent crimes. Robinson served more than 25 years before being released in 2018 after a 2012 Supreme Court decision that made mandatory life sentences without parole for juvenile offenders unconstitutional. Robinson cited a Justice Policy Institute study of 200 elderly prisoners in Maryland who were jailed as juveniles and released as result of a ruling by the Maryland Supreme Court. The median age of the individuals was 64 and they had served 34 years on average. Over a 6-year period upon release, the group had a 3 percent recidivism rate. That was far lower than the national average of 43 percent of those released from prison being incarcerated again, according to a 2011 Pew research study. A lot of guys that we are talking about that could potentially be parolees are people that are near and dear to me like friends. These are individuals that helped shape and mold the man that I became today, Robinson said. I know a lot of elderly guys [in prison] I still keep in communication with about these guys, they are like extremely positive individuals, but they just need a second chance. The hearing was the fifth prompted by Black Caucus push to promote its agenda, which is based on four pillars: Criminal justice reform, violence and police accountability; education and workforce development; economic access, equity and opportunity; and health care and human services. The caucus plans to advance legislation to address each pillar during the upcoming veto session, which is scheduled for Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 by Paul Wang The government is allowing religious and sporting gatherings. Some restrictions remain in place until 8 October. So far, Hong Kong has reported 5,079 cases with 105 deaths. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) "Let's begin again!" said a missionary from the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), after the diocese announced that public Masses can be celebrated again, starting next Friday, after months of lockdown. The Chancery Office of the Diocese of Hong Kong sent a notice to its priests a few hours after local authorities lifted the ban on group gatherings, including those by religious groups and sporting organisations. This follows a significant drop in COVID-19 cases. Since 15 September, no local cases have been reported. However, certain requirements remain in place until 8 October, such a wearing masks in public, both indoors and outdoors; keeping social distance in restaurants; and no groups of more than four people. The guidelines of the Diocese of Hong Kong follow government regulations: Congregations in churches must be limited to 50 per cent of the buildings normal capacity; and worshippers entering churches must wear a mask, cleanse their hands with a sanitiser; and have their body temperature taken. Since the number of worshippers will be reduced to maintain social distancing, the diocese suggests adding one or two masses to allow more people to take part in the services. So far, Hong Kong has reported 5,079 SARS-coV-2 cases with 105 deaths. Berkshire Money Management To Sponsor Berkshire E-Talent Accelerator DALTON, Mass. Berkshire Money Management has committed $30,000 to sponsoring the Berkshire E-Talent Accelerator program at the Pittsfield-based Berkshire Innovation Center. Berkshire E-Talent Accelerator (BETA) is open to high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates countywide, and is an experiential learning program that will expose students to local STEM career opportunities. The goal of the program is to immerse students in fundamentals critical to these career paths and teach them to utilize the advanced equipment and community mentors available through the Berkshire Innovation Center. There were more than 40 applicants for the fall module and recently 20 were selected to participate. "The pool of applicants was so diverse and their responses to the application questions were absolutely compelling," BMM Community Development Director Nichole Dupont, who was on the selection committee, said. "What became very clear while going through the applications is that there is an absolute need for this kind of programming for our young people. And that the pandemic has deeply impacted their lives, probably forever, and yet they continue to find ways to traverse unimaginable obstacles." The first BETA-1 program, which will run from Oct. 12 to Nov. 24. The program will run after school and will be separated into four verticals advanced manufacturing and material science, software and programming, electronics and electrical engineering, and IT and security. Students will receive a $1,500 stipend for their participation. At the conclusion of the program, each student team will present their projects to a panel of judges. Each member of the winning team will receive a scholarship prize. Project work and presentations will be captured digitally and archived on the virtual collaboration platform and on the BIC website. DUBLIN, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Injection Molded Plastics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Raw Material (Polypropylene, ABS, HDPE, Polystyrene), by Application (Packaging, Automotive & Transportation, Electronics, Medical), by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global injection molded plastics market size is anticipated to reach USD 374.8 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 5.0%, over the forecast period Injection Molded Plastics Market Report Highlights Demand for packaging is likely to rise owing to the improving economic conditions of countries such as India , Brazil , Mexico , and Russia , , , and In terms of revenue, demand for injection molding from the packaging industry in the Asia Pacific will reach USD 49.1 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2020 to 2027 will reach by 2027 at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2020 to 2027 Growth of electronics industry coupled with the cost-effectiveness of electrical appliances is projected to remain a key driving factor for the next eight years Demand from the medical sector in North America is anticipated to expand at an estimated CAGR of 4.1% from 2020 to 2027 is anticipated to expand at an estimated CAGR of 4.1% from 2020 to 2027 Packaging was the prominent application segment in France and is expected to augment at a revenue-based CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period and is expected to augment at a revenue-based CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period Production in the Middle East and Africa is driven by rising product demand from the Asia Pacific and European countries. Growing demand from key applications including automotive, packaging, and construction particularly in countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), is likely to drive the market. The high-growth regions such as the Middle East and the Asia Pacific have witnessed a surge in capacity addition over the last few years. The increasing presence of plastic injection molding companies in China on account of low manufacturing costs and ample availability of skilled labor is anticipated to benefit the regional market. Major foreign companies are increasing their production capabilities in the region, owing to the growing demand for plastic products. Government support in the form of tax benefits and financial incentives in China and India to increase the FDI flow has helped develop the market for plastics in these countries. In packaging application, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is extensively used in thin wall injection molding. Growing packaging demand from food, bin liners, and thing gauge bags is anticipated to drive its growth over the forecast period. Rising penetration of injection-molded HDPE in shipping containers, industrial pails, and houseware applications is anticipated to further drive its demand over the forecast period. The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the revenue generation of the companies operating in the market owing to the halt or slowdown in the production facilities. Thus, the companies are focusing on stepping up of their resources and production capabilities to help in the fight against the pandemic. For instance, G&C products, a U.S. based plastic injection mold making company that produces plastic products for fishing and medical industry, started the production of personal protective equipment such as face shields and face masks. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Methodology and Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Injection Molded Plastics Market Variables, Trends, and Scope 3.1 Market segmentation and scope 3.2 Market lineage outlook 3.2.1 Global Plastics Market 3.2.2 Injection Molded Plastics Market 3.3 Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping 3.4 Global injection molded plastics industry value chain analysis 3.4.1 Raw Material Trends 3.4.1.1 Polypropylene (PP) 3.4.1.2 Polystyrene (PS) 3.4.1.3 Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) 3.4.2 Sales Channel Analysis 3.4.3 Vendor Selection Criterion 3.4.4 Profitability Levels By The Molding Machining Capability 3.5 Technology trends 3.5.1 Dual-Shot Injection Molding 3.5.2 WIT 3.5.3 GIT 3.6 Regulatory scenario 3.7 Injection molded plastics market dynamics 3.7.1 Market Driver Analysis 3.7.1.1 Increasing penetration in automotive applications 3.7.1.2 Growing construction spending in emerging markets 3.7.1.3 Positive outlook on global packaging industry 3.7.2 Market Restraints 3.7.2.1 Growing environmental concerns 3.8 Key Opportunities prioritized 3.9 Injection molded plastics market - Porter's analysis 3.10 Injection molded plastics market - PESTEL analysis Chapter 4 Injection Molded Plastics Market: Raw Material Estimates & Analysis 4.1 Injection molded plastics market: Raw material movement analysis 4.2 Polypropylene 4.3 Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) 4.4 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) 4.5 Polystyrene 4.6 Others Chapter 5 Injection Molded Plastics Market: Application Estimates & Analysis 5.1 Injection molded plastics market: Application movement analysis 5.2 Packaging 5.3 Consumables & Electronics 5.4 Automotive & Transportation 5.5 Building & Construction 5.6 Medical 5.7 Others Chapter 6 Injection Molded Plastics Market: Region Estimates & Analysis 6.1 Regional Market Snapshot 6.2 Injection Molded Plastics Market: Region Movement Analysis 6.3 North America 6.4 Europe 6.5 Asia Pacific 6.6 Central & South America 6.7 Middle East & Africa Chapter 7 Competitive Landscape 7.1 Vendor Landscape 7.1.1 Raw Material Suppliers 7.2 Injection molded plastics manufacturers and suppliers 7.3 Competitive environment 7.4 Strategy framework 7.4.1 Sourcing Strategy 7.4.2 Product Positioning 7.4.3 Operational Strategies 7.4.4 Expansion Strategies 7.4.5 New Market Entry Analysis Chapter 8 Company Profiles Exxon Mobil Corp. BASF SE DuPont Dow Inc. Huntsman Corporation Eastman Chemical Company INEOS Group LyondellBasell Industries N.V. SABIC Magna International, Inc. International Automotive Components (IAC) Group Berry Global, Inc. Master Molded Products Corporation HTI Plastics Inc. Rutland Plastics AptarGroup, Inc. Lacks Enterprises, Inc. The Rodon Group HePPner Molds For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/12yq0j Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com We know a lot more about Crossfire Hurricane today than we did in previous times when Director Comey testified before Congress, said Grahams spokesman Kevin Bishop. Earlier, [Comey] relied on the crutch of, well, its classified. . . . This is going to be his chance to answer those questions. Maybe therell be some areas where hell take the chance to admit it wasnt done by the book. Chilling Moment: How Beijing Pressured California Senate to Scrap Human Rights Resolution Chinese diplomats have for years worked behind the scenes to pressure state and local officials into adopting policies friendly to Beijing. But this issue has only recently gained national attention as the Trump administration raises the alarm on the communist regimes influence activities across the country. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned in a Sept. 23 speech at the Wisconsin state capitol that the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) covert influence operations targeting state and local politicians have been in full swing for years and increasing in intensity. He cited one example of a Californian state senator who in 2017 sought to introduce a measure denouncing the CCPs persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong. The Chinese consulate in San Francisco then initiated a campaign to scuttle the resolution, writing letters of protest to the state legislature. Unfortunately, the California state Senate bowed to the CCP pressure campaign and shelved the proposed bill, Pompeo said. To Joel Anderson, the then-state lawmaker who proposed the Senate resolution, such placating was outrageous and deeply disappointing, he said in an interview with The Epoch Times sister media NTD. Anderson left office in 2018 and is currently running for San Diego County Board of Supervisors, a five-member county legislature. When people saw that one letter and a phone call had such a chilling effect on my colleagues, it begged the question whywhy would they be so tied to the Chinese Consulate? Why is it so important to them not to offend, and put a blind eye to atrocities? Chinese Consulate General in San Franciscos Letter to California State Legislature (PDF) Chinese Consulate General in San Franciscos Letter to California State Legislature (Text) Adherents of Falun Gong, a traditional meditation practice featuring slow-moving exercises and moral teachings centered around truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, have faced brutal persecution in China since 1999. U.S.-based Falun Dafa Information Center estimates that millions have been detained and hundreds of thousands tortured. Disturbing evidence has continued to surface about the regimes state-sanctioned practice of killing adherents and selling their organs for transplant surgery. As a symbolic stance to commend Falun Gong practitioners uncompromising courage and condemn any government-sanctioned persecution against them, the resolution passed unanimously through the states judiciary committee on Aug. 29, 2017, but was blocked just two days later, after an unsigned letter from the Chinese Consulate reached every member of the state Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives, along with multiple state legislatures such as Minnesota, Arizona, Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado, has passed similar resolutions. Framing the bill as anti-China and anti-human, the consulate letter claimed that it may deeply damage the cooperative relations between the State of California and China and seriously hurt the feeling of Chinese people. State Sen. Anderson speaks in front of the Chinese consulate in San Francisco during a rally to protest the Chinese regimes interference in Californias legislature, on Sept. 8, 2017. (Lear Zhou/Epoch Times) Anderson called the letter stunning. It was very forceful. It told them that people would be held accountable who moved forward with it, he said. A phone chase ensued, whereby the consulate called up senators to make sure they saw the letter, according to Anderson. Days later, the former senator denounced the threats at a rally in front of the Chinese Consulate. He also made persistent attempts to bring the resolution to a floor voteat least 18 times during the last week of the Senate sessionin the hopes that people would come around to their senses. At one point during a speech on the Senate floor, he called on his colleagues to look around the gallery, which was seated with victims and relatives who fled China due to the persecution, and appealed to them to look in their faces. It was a chilling moment, he said. I just thought, for people who say they care about stopping atrocities, standing up for innocent lives, for always being for the underdog, I was deeply disappointed. 20170SJR10_98_California_State_Senate_Resolution (PDF) 20170SJR10_98_California_State_Senate_Resolution (Text) To think that California or any U.S. legislator would be influenced or intimidated by the Chinese government is scary, he added. We should feel confident in our own country to call out atrocities when we see them. He further pointed to the hypocrisy of politicians who were quick to call people out for not being woke on social justice issues, but refrained from speaking up in the face of such atrocities. An email inquiry to Kevin de Leon, then-president pro tempore for the California state Senate and now a Democratic member-elect of the Los Angeles City Council, wasnt immediately returned. Anderson, who hadnt had a chance to speak with de Leon about the issue, had learned from several senators new to the legislature at the time that they were acting on orders from leadership to vote against it, he said. They felt pressured. They werent sure what was expected of them. And they werent confident enough to be their own person, he said. In hindsight, I know that they have regrets. The threat letter is but one facet of the Chinese regimes influence operations over the years. Most recently, a New York City police officer was arrested on suspicion of spying under the directives of Chinese consular officials. And in March, the Chinese consulate in Chicago emailed Wisconsin state senator Roger Roth twice, asking him to pass a resolution drafted by the consulate to praise Beijings leadership in containing the CCP virus outbreak. Roth, in response, introduced a resolution laying out point by point how Beijing has been lying to the world and covered up the outbreak. The regime has blacklisted Anderson and called him a terrorist over a letter he drafted to Chinese officials in 2008, urging the release of a San Diego Falun Gong practitioner detained in China. Anderson, however, vowed to continue advocating for Chinas human rights whenever possible. This is a tipping point in history, he said. People of good nature have to stand for those being persecuted. Otherwise, this world is going to fail. Jose Mourinho says it is "possible" Dele Alli makes a return to the Tottenham team for their home Europa League play-off tie against Maccabi Haifa. Alli back in Mou plans? England playmaker Alli has been left out of the Spurs squad for three consecutive matches and linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain ahead of Monday's transfer deadline. Mourinho has been delighted by the way the 24-year-old has handled recent adversity and did not rule out him being handed a comeback for Thursday's home match. "I cannot confirm Dele's playing but I cannot confirm he's not playing," Spurs boss Mourinho said at his pre-match news conference. "We have still training sessions [on Wednesday], we have still decisions to make "The only thing I can say is he's being very, very professional. I have only respect for him. "He's being very professional, particularly [on Tuesday] when the team was preparing for the [Chelsea] game and he wasn't. "It would be perfectly acceptable to have a lack of motivation, even a lack of professionalism for this training session but it was exactly the opposite. "He trained very hard. He has my respect and the respect of his team-mates so it's possible he plays [on Thursday]." In an optimistic update on injuries, Mourinho suggested forward Son Heung-min had an outside chance of being fit to make a surprise return against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday. He also revealed Gareth Bale is progressing well in his bid to reach full fitness following his loan arrival from Real Madrid. Mourinho said: "Sonny of course is not playing [Thursday], is a big doubt for Sunday but I don't want to say he's not going to play because maybe he does and then my position is not good. "Bale cannot play [Thursday] or even on the weekend, that I can confirm. He is working very hard, very committed, very professional, very happy but not yet [ready]. "I believe the two weeks of internationals can be important for his last phase of his recovering and fitness, hopefully to play when we come back for the weekend after the national teams." Amid a frantic run of fixtures, Mourinho acknowledged the importance of reaching the Europa League group stage. The Portuguese added: "These knockout matches are very dangerous, because they are only one leg - very, very dangerous. "We felt the fear in Bulgaria and we have to make sure we win it [on Thursday]. One match, at home, away goals are not important. Penalties only after 30 minutes extra. "We have to do everything to try and win it because it is very important for us on a sports level but also an economical level." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 1 2020 Amid persistent COVID-19 testing constraints, the government appears to be looking into using rapid antigen tests, which are cheaper and faster although less accurate than the gold-standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Experts are on board but urge caution. National COVID-19 task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito said the government was searching for better and more accurate alternatives to its current screening method of rapid antibody tests, whose inaccuracy experts have highlighted, and that it was considering antigen tests. Wiku said on Tuesday that the government was aware of the World Health Organization's recommended list of rapid antigen test kits, which could provide results in less than 30 minutes. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Chittoor : , Sep 30 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district police on Wednesday arrested a gang of eight inter-state treasure hunters for desecrating a 'Nandi' idol outside an Abhaya Anjaneya temple near Abhayamangalam. With these arrests the police stopped a major arson planned across districts including in temples of Kanipakam, SR Puram, Tirupati, Kurnool, Mahanandi, Patthikonda and Guntur. "The Chittoor wing of Andhra Pradesh police has successfully cracked the 'Chittoor Nandi desecration' case within 72 hours," said an official. The accused included a team of five youths from Karnataka, who were aided by three locals. Police arrested Kuruva Somasekhar, 24; M.S. Manikanta, 30; J.L. Naveen, 35; R. Saravanan, 30; S. Kiran Kumar, 39; M. Vikas, 34; Ashok Kumar, 57 and P. Peddabba, 35. Somasekhar is from Peddahoturu village of Aaluru mandal in Kurnool district; Saravanan is from Palace Road in Kuppam in Chittoor district and Peddabba from Pichigulla House, Pandiguttur village, Mudigolam of Irala mandalam in Chittoor. The other five hail from places such as Tumkur, Tiptur and Bijapur in neighbouring state Karnataka. On Sunday, a local from Abhayamangalam reported the idol of 'nandi' (the cow accompanying Lord Shiva) having been desecrated by some unknown people. On receipt of this complaint, GD Nellore police station officials registered an FIR and set three teams in motion to nab the culprits. After two days, police received a tip-off that some treasure hunters were hiding at Kanipakam mandalam on Wednesday. Police rushed to the location and arrested all the eight gang members. On interrogating them, police found that the arrested five from Karnataka had researched on the Andhra temple and spoken to locals about them, enquiring about the presence of hidden treasures in those temples. "In the meantime, those who came in from Karnataka found local partners to collaborate with. The accused went to the extent of going on a recce before finalising the plan and executing the same," he said. Shockingly, they even made a list of temples and readied plans to execute similar treasure hunts in those ancient temples after this crime. They zeroed in on temples in Kanipakam, SR Puram, Tirupati, Kurnool, Mahanandi, Patthikonda and Mantralayam, as well as a few more spread across Ananthapur and Guntur districts. Meanwhile, Chittoor Superintendent of Police, S. Senthil Kumar, clarified that this incident was not a targeted one. "People tried to project this incident as a targeted attack due to the negligence of the police which is entirely false. In this case, we traced the accused within two days of registering the case," said Kumar. Cognizant of the charged atmosphere of religious politics raging in the southern state, Kumar said the police department has taken up a massive drive to secure all religious places. "Have asked all the managements to install CCTVs. Had the management of this temple also taken that initiative, this incident could have been prevented," the SP said. Post Antarvedi Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple chariot blaze, religious politics are raging in Andhra Pradesh, a state which has been immune to such developments and renown for communal harmony. Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh Armenia and Azerbaijan vowed to keep fighting and rejected international calls for negotiations on Wednesday as clashes over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region raged for a fourth day. Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union. The long-simmering conflict erupted on Sunday with the two sides trading heavy fire and blaming each other for the outbreak of violence. The confirmed death toll surpassed 100 people including civilians Wednesday and both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on opposing forces. In the Armenian capital Yerevan, dozens of men -- some already wearing military fatigues -- lined up outside a recruitment office to join the fight. "We must act to defend our homeland against the aggressor," said Kamo, a 32-year-old factory worker. "This is our land. We will die before we abandon it." Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev promised his military would keep fighting until Armenian troops withdraw fully from Karabakh. - No let-up in fighting - If "the Armenian government fulfils the demand, fighting and bloodshed will end, and peace will be established in the region," he said during a visit with wounded soldiers. Baku and Yerevan have ignored mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, as fears grow that the conflict could escalate into all-out war and draw in regional powers like Turkey and Russia. The Armenian defence ministry on Wednesday accused Turkish aircraft of performing "provocative flights" along their shared border and of violating Armenia's airspace, a day after Yerevan said a Turkish jet had downed one of its warplanes. Moscow, which has a military pact with Armenia but also good ties with Azerbaijan, has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting and offered to help with negotiations. But Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said talks with Azerbaijan were not yet on the table. "It isn't very appropriate to speak of a summit between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia at a time of intensive hostilities," Pashinyan said. He said that Yerevan "at this point" is not planning to ask for intervention by a Russia-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization that comprises several former Soviet republics including Armenia. There has been no let-up in the fighting since the weekend, with both sides reporting new civilian casualties Wednesday. - Burial for dead soldier - Officials in both countries have made claims of huge losses for the other side, but these have not been possible to verify. Azerbaijan has released no information on its military toll, but an AFP journalist in the southern Beylagan region saw dozens of women wailing over the coffin of a killed soldier, before men with Azerbaijan flags recited prayers at a burial. The Armenian side has recorded 81 military deaths and 22 civilians -- eight Armenians and 14 Azerbaijanis -- have been reported dead. Azerbaijan's defence ministry claimed Wednesday its forces have killed 2,300 Karabakh separatist troops since hostilities broke out. The ministry said its troops had "destroyed 130 tanks, 200 artillery units, 25 anti-aircraft units, five ammunition depots, 50 anti-tank units, 55 military vehicles". Karabakh's defence ministry, for its part, said Azerbaijani forces "continued artillery shelling" positions along the frontline. The two sides have accused each other of targeting civilian areas, including in areas away from Karabakh. Yerevan is claiming that Turkey, a longstanding ally of Azerbaijan, is providing direct military support, including mercenaries, for Baku. It said on Tuesday that a Turkish F-16 flying in support of Baku's forces had downed an Armenian SU-25 warplane, but Ankara and Baku denied the claim. - 'Close to large-scale war' - "We are definitely very close to seeing a large-scale war, possibly even on a regional scale," Olesya Vartanyan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. "If we see mass civilian casualties... that will be a very strong pretext for any regional power -- no matter Russia or Turkey -- to intervene," she said. Karabakh's declaration of independence from Azerbaijan sparked a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives, but it is still not recognised as independent by any country, including Armenia. Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities. Talks to resolve the conflict have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement. France, Russia and the United States have mediated peace efforts as the "Minsk Group", but the last big push for a peace deal collapsed in 2010. Search Keywords: Short link: Throughout the summer, as New York contended with a $14.5 billion budget gap, the state withheld 20% of aid payments to schools. The New York State United Teachers union sued, and the state reversed course, pledging to commit to fully funding schools in September, and that it wouldnt make any more decisions on cuts until the presidential election or further action from Congress. But advocates and school officials say that without knowing how long the payments will continue, theres no realistic way to budget for the rest of the year and students and staff will be the ones to suffer. School districts particularly dependent on state funds have been especially hard hit going into the fall school year. Albany and Schenectady were among the localities that ended up limiting older students to remote learning because of their strained budgets. The budget crisis has led to mass layoffs at many school districts. Rochester City School District has planned to lay off more than 200 food service workers and school security staff, after more than 100 teaching assistants were laid off in August. More than 200 teachers and other staff also lost their jobs last Friday in Albany. The wise thing to do, the efficient thing to do, is to actually make cuts sooner rather than later, said Jasmine Gripper, executive director of the Alliance for Quality Education, an industry group that advocates for low-income students. Many school districts are being forced to consider the worst-case scenario when making decisions about their budgets because they arent sure what to expect later in the year, she said, which will have dire consequences for high-needs districts particularly dependent on state dollars. For example, Schenectady laid off more than 400 staff in addition to other cost-saving measures as it contends with a projected $28.5 million loss in state aid, assuming the 20% withholding were to continue. Once we begin spending money down during the course of the school year, it makes it even more difficult to make up any potential gaps, Schenectady City School District interim Superintendent Aaron Bochniak told City & State. To consider making up a $30 million gap mid-year, we would even maybe have to cut deeper than we already did. State Budget Director Robert Mujica described the cuts being made locally as premature in a Times Union op-ed from Sept. 16, as the state has withheld an overall small portion of school aid and avoided cuts so far. Freeman Klopott, a spokesman with the state Division of Budget, wrote in a statement: Only 1% of annual school aid has been temporarily withheld, the September payments are being made in full, and going forward, we will continue to advocate for federal assistance and evaluate the States fiscal condition each month with any future actions taking district need into account. Gripper, whose organization ultimately supports circumventing school cuts by raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers or tapping into the states rainy day fund, said New York should follow Ohios lead when considering cuts to state aid. Clevelands school district, which is predominantly made up of low-income students, only lost 1% of its state funding, whereas Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine cut 40% of state funds from a wealthier suburban district. An across-the-board 20% cut to state aid in New York would amount to a cut of $2,626 per student in districts with more low-income students and more Black and Latino youth, according to a report from the Alliance for Quality Education, whereas the same cut would only translate to $873 per student in the states wealthiest school districts. The Cuomo administration has said it wouldnt pursue any across-the-board cuts and would take into account districts needs, but has not released any further details. Thats one question of particular interest to Bochniak, who oversees a school district that relies heavily on state aid and where nearly 80% of students are economically disadvantaged. We cant really operate not knowing what were doing one month to the next, especially when were dealing with kids, Bochniak said. When nerve cells arent busy exchanging information, theyre supposed to keep quiet. If theyre just popping off at random, like in a noisy classroom, it obscures the signals theyre supposed to be transmitting. But in the most common genetic cause of schizophrenia, it seems that nerve cells wont shut up, Stanford University School of Medicine investigators have found. And they think they know why. One in every 3,000 people carries the genetic defect called 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, or 22q11DS. Its one of the most widespread chromosomal deletions known to occur in humans. People carrying 22q11DS are at an astonishing 30-fold risk for schizophrenia compared with the general population, dwarfing the magnitude of all other known genetic or environmental risk factors. Plus, some 30%-40% of individuals with this deletion receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder early in their lives. Until now, nobody understood why this deletion so profoundly elevates the risk for these conditions. But experiments performed in a study published Sept. 28 in Nature Medicine have pinpointed a change in an electrical property of cortical neurons among carriers of the deletion that may explain how they develop schizophrenia, which is characterized by hallucinations, delusions and cognitive decline. The scientists identified a single gene that appears to be largely responsible for the electrical abnormality. Instead of describing psychiatric disorders as collections of behavioral symptoms, Sergiu Pasca, MD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, envisions defining these psychiatric diseases in terms of their molecular underpinnings what he calls molecular psychiatry. Oncologists can learn a lot about the underlying drivers of a patients cancer by studying a tumor biopsy, Pasca said. But probing the underlying biological mechanisms driving psychiatric disorders is hard, because we dont ordinarily have access to functional brain tissue from living patients. But a new technology circumvents that difficulty. Weve been working from behavior down, he said. Here, were working from molecules up. Experimenting on balls of brain cells The Stanford scientists, collaborating with researchers from other institutions, uncovered the electrical defect in nerve cells, or neurons, by generating and manipulating tiny spherical clusters of brain cells in a dish. Each cluster contained hundreds of thousands of cells. These so-called cortical spheroids, composed of neurons and other important brain cells, were first developed by Pasca several years ago. Derived from skin cells and suspended in laboratory glassware, the spheroids self-organize to recapitulate some of the architecture of the human cerebral cortex, a brain region often associated with schizophrenia symptoms. The spheroids continue to develop for months and even years in a dish. In the study, Pasca and his colleagues generated cortical spheroids from skin cells taken from 15 different 22q11DS carriers and 15 healthy control subjects. Pasca, the Bonnie Uytengsu and Family Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program, is the studys senior author. Lead authorship is shared by Stanford graduate student Themasap Khan; Stanford postdoctoral scholar Omer Revah, DMV, PhD; and Aaron Gordon, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar at UCLA. Not all the 22q11DS donors had manifested schizophrenias hallmark symptoms. Whereas schizophrenia usually reveals itself in late adolescence or early adulthood, even asymptomatic 22q11DS carriers remain at elevated risk of developing schizophrenia throughout their lifetimes. A cool front is upon us, and suddenly we are getting a respite from our many months of sweltering south Louisiana heat. We hope the summer humidity is behind us so we can start to look forward to the months to come. In normal times, that would mean the beginning of preparations for Mardi Gras 2021. But as you know, these are not normal times, and we as a community must seriously consider whether Carnival should happen next year. To begin with, there is no single right answer to whether and how we should celebrate. The danger of the Mardi Gras season, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is that because COVID-19 is primarily transmitted by respiratory droplets, population density might play a significant role in the acceleration of transmission. In other words, the safest Carnival would be one with no visitors from out of town, small crowds to enable social distancing and minimal yelling and screaming. Unfortunately, that does not fit very well with a festival that typically features tens of thousands of tourists who flock to New Orleans for parades filled with people screaming for throws in jam-packed crowds. Simply put, the festivities in pre-COVID format likely will not be safe by spring 2021. The evidence is clear that the 2020 Mardi Gras season contributed heavily to New Orleans being an early epicenter of coronavirus nationwide. The CDC reported in April that Louisiana, which experienced a temporarily high population density because of an influx of visitors during Mardi Gras celebrations in mid-February, has a higher cumulative incidence and greater increase in cumulative incidence than other states in the South. More Information Want to talk about this column with data analyst Jeff Asher? Join him and Times-Picayune | Advocate reporter Jeff Adelson for a live Q&A about Louisiana coronavirus data, today at 1:30 p.m. on the NOLA.com Facebook page. But by next February, New Orleans will have several advantages it did not have this past February, which might make something resembling Mardi Gras more feasible. To begin with, COVID wont sneak up on us this time. The first COVID test in New Orleans wasnt administered until March 5, and the first case wasnt confirmed until March 10. The coronavirus was clearly here during Carnival, however, with one model estimating that more than 25,000 New Orleanians had been infected by the time the first case was announced. We just didnt know it. Over 40% of tests conducted in New Orleans were positive in March, during the citys first wave, compared to less than 6% of tests conducted during the first two weeks of July during the second wave. This partially reflects just how devastating and widespread the initial outbreak was, but it also reflects dramatically increased testing capacity and ability to monitor the diseases spread. In addition, people are substantially better now at managing risks now than they were in February and March. Mask-wearing might not be universal, but it is reasonably close in a lot of places, and people who are more vulnerable are isolating now in a way they were not before. As a result, we have a much stronger understanding of the state of the virus now and, in theory, should be better positioned to stamp out outbreaks. Jeff Asher: Let's not panic over alarming prediction from high-profile coronavirus modeler A wave of terrifying headlines came out in early September regarding a high-profile models new forecast out to January. Our ability to control flareups should only have grown by February, although there is no way of knowing how prevalent the disease will be then. Testing is increasing and production of tens of millions of rapid antigen tests that return a result in minutes has already begun. Unfortunately, its not clear how readily available these tests will be even by February, and the likelihood of a widely distributed vaccine before the next Mardi Gras seems slim. So, while our capabilities to avoid COVID may have increased, the best strategy we have will likely be avoiding superspreader events such as Carnival. Floats must be built, throws must be purchased, logistics must be worked out and plans must be finalized soon. Predicting the state of COVID any more than eight weeks out can be a fools errand, and ultimately, we know very little about what the virus will be doing four months from now. Mardi Gras is as necessary for the soul of New Orleans as it is for the citys economy, but it is hard to imagine it occurring next February in the format we all know and love without worsening COVID here. Niagara Parks is partnering with Brock University to deliver a free virtual environmental speaker series. The event will showcase a diverse collection of renowned environmental leaders. The interactive four-part series will run each Wednesday in October beginning at 7 p.m. The series kicks off Oct.7 with Brian Kon, chairman of Niagara Region Metis Council and Indigenous lead for Niagara Catholic District School Board. This opening session will focus on how our changing environment has many people looking to the traditional ways of the Indigenous community for guidance on how we can respect and care for mother nature moving forward. Oct. 14, Brock Universitys Jessica Blythe will present Resilience, and Climate Change in the Niagara Region. Oct. 21, World Wildlife Federations Elizabeth Hendricks will present Connecting the Land, Water and Climate Impact to the region. Oct. 28, Adam Shoalts, Westaway explorer-in-residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, will present Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canadas Arctic. The new programming is part of an ongoing collaboration and support of environmental research and stewardship between Niagara Parks and Brock University. In recent years, this has included the development of Niagara Parks environmental stewardship strategy and action plan, in addition to providing Brock faculty and students access to Niagara Parks properties, such as the Niagara Glen, to complete important environmental research initiatives. For more information about the speaker series, visit niagaraparks.com/speaker. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, has asked the Commission on Elections to respond to the unresolved issues in the 2016 election protest lodged against Vice President Leni Robredo by her defeated opponent, former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. PET on Tuesday responded to the so-called third cause of action in Marcos' petition seeking to disregard votes from Basilan, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao due to alleged poll fraud and terrorism. The 12 justices who were present unanimously ordered the poll body to report if there were petitions filed for failure of elections in these contested provinces. If petitions were lodged, it asked Comelec for updates if these were granted or denied. It also asked Comelec to submit the results if special elections were held in these areas if there was a failure of elections during the 2016 national polls. In his electoral protest filed a month after the election day. Marcos urged the high court to nullify the votes from these the Mindanao provinces for "massive fraud," citing Comelec's technical examination of the results. He also casted doubts on the poll results following his claim of "widespread presence of terrorism, violence, threats, coercion, force, intimidation and harassment of voters as well as pre- shading of ballots in all of the 2,756 clustered precincts." The tribunal gave Comelec 20 days upon receipt of its order to submit their comment. The poll body and the Office of Solicitor General Jose Calida were also directed to give their legal opinions to "arrive at a full, fair, and efficient resolution." PET asked them if the tribunal can declare an annulment of elections without special elections and if it can declare failure of elections and order the conduct of special elections. They were also asked if PET will infringe on Comelec's mandate if it declares failure of elections. Robredo and Marcos were given 15 days to reply after receiving the Comelec and OSG comments. Marcos lodged an electoral protest against Robredo on June 30, 2016, questioning the results of the polls. Robredo was proclaimed vice president after clinching a lead of 263,473 votes against Marcos. A recount began in April 2018 covering polling precincts in Iloilo, Camarines Sur Robredo's bailiwick and Negros Oriental, which were areas handpicked by Marcos' camp. The tribunal, in October 2019, found that Robredos lead grew by around 15,000 votes or a total of 278,566 votes after a recount of ballots from the 5,415 clustered precincts in the pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental. Robredo received 477,985 votes in Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Maguindanao against Marcos' 169,160 votes. Annulling the votes from these provinces would effectively wipe out Robredo's lead during the May 2016 elections. Caguioa and Carpio previously voted to dismiss Marcos' electoral protest due to the violation of PET's Rule 65, which states that a protestant should choose for recount not more than three provinces "best exemplifying the frauds or irregularities alleged in his petition." Delay in PET decision? Robredo's camp said they will comply with the court's requirements. They remain confident the electoral tribunal will rule in their favor as Robredo has already won the elections and the recount of ballots. "Dalawang beses nang nanalo sa bilang si VP Leni. Matagal nang tapos ang boksing. Matagal nang talo si Marcos. Tapusin na natin ito," her lawyer Beng Sardillo said. [Translation: VP Leni has already won twice. The fight is over. Marcos has lost. Let's end this.] While the Vice President's team viewed the development as a way to speed up the resolution of the protest, the camp of Marcos said they have "extreme reservation" on the route taken by the justices as it adds another layer to the process, causing a "tremendous delay," which may stretch it closer the next national elections in 2022. "Considering the very thin time left in the term of the contested position, our protest is under real threat of becoming moot and academic by events leading to 2022 such as the filing of candidacy, campaign and national election that would reduce the clamor and right of the people to know who really won the vice presidency illusory," spokesperson Vic Rodriguez said in a statement. People gather at Breonna Taylor memorial in Jefferson Square Park as they prepare to march for the third day since the release of the grand jury report on September 26, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. People gather at the Breonna Taylor memorial in Jefferson Square Park as they prepare to march for the third day since the release of the grand jury report, on Sept. 26, 2020 in Louisville, Ky. Credit - Michael M. SantiagoGetty Images Breonna Taylors death in March was already a devastating anomaly. Even in a year marked by several high-profile killings of Black Americans by police officers, her case has stood out for both its circumstances and for the widespread public outcry it provoked, as people across the country called for the arrest of the officers involved. With Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron expected to release records from the grand jury deliberations, the case is getting even more unusual. The planned release of the proceedings comes after an unnamed juror filed a motion on Monday accusing Cameron of using the grand jury to deflect from his own responsibility in the indictment decisions. Though the Attorney General had planned to release the recordings to the court on Wednesday, his office on Tuesday asked for a one-week extension in order to finish redacting private information from the recording. In a statement sent to TIME, Camerons office said the judge ruled on the motion and gave them until noon Friday. The Grand Jury audio recording is more than 20 hours long, and our office filed a motion to request additional time to redact personally identifiable information of witnesses, including addresses and phone numbers, the statement said. Whenever the release comes, it will mark a departure from usual legal proceedingsand illuminate another reason Taylors case is drawing calls for reform. Typically, grand jury deliberations are kept secret from the public, and grand jurors must protect that secrecy. A prosecutor is supposed to bring all the evidence to the grand jury, so the jurors can decide if there is enough to indict the defendant. The secrecy protects the would-be defendant in situations where no charges result; in most cases, a grand jury will bring some charge against a defendant, but very rarely are police charged with homicide. Story continues But in the motion in the Breonna Taylor case, the juror requested the release of the transcripts and recordings as well as permission from a judge to speak publicly about the case. Kevin Glogower, an attorney representing the juror who filed the motion, said his client felt compelled to take action and believed that Cameron did not fully communicate the position of the grand jury when he announced Sept. 23 that, while one officer, Brett Hankison, would be charged with wanton endangerment for shooting into nearby apartments, none of the officers involved would face charges directly related to Taylors death. Protesters quickly took to the streets in response to the news. On Monday, Hankison pleaded not guilty. I can tell you my client has an issue with the levels of accountability and disclosures that have happened to this point, Glogower said at a Tuesday press conference. The primary concern that our client has is if you watched the press conference after the reading of the indictment, the Attorney General laid a lot of responsibility at the grand jurors feet. During Hankisons arraignment on Monday, a judge ordered the grand jury proceedings to be included in the court files for the trial. The Attorney Generals office agreed to release the records and granted the juror permission to speak publicly. However, the juror is, according to his or her lawyer, waiting for the court to confirm he or she is allowed to speak out. According to legal experts, while grand jury records do sometimes get released, its very rare for a juror to file a motion like the one seen in the Breonna Taylor case. Its a very unusual situation, says Joe Margulies, a law professor at Cornell University. Usually its another party whos seeking the grand jury [transcripts] for one reason or another, not one of the grand jurors. As far as grand jury [transcripts] being made generally available so the whole public can read them? That doesnt usually happen. Margulies says this turn of events makes circumstances around the case look problematicafter all, this is clear evidence that someone who did have an inside view of the circumstances behind the indictment decision thought something was offand that the motion could potentially lead to calls for a prosecutor other than Cameron to oversee the case. If it turns out that the Attorney General has misrepresented the way the proceedings were conducted then it delegitimizes the process and casts doubt on the determination not to charge the other two officers, Professor Margulies says. Sam Aguiar, an attorney for the Taylor family, said that the public, along with the family, deserves to see what was presented to the grand jury. He also accused Cameron of not being objective. Its made clear by the filing that they [the grand jury] feel like they were betrayed. They feel like Cameron used them as a scapegoat, Aguiar tells TIME. This is a situation where the AG made up his own mind and that he was not going to allow the grand jury to charge the officers. In an interview with WDRB-TV in Louisville on Tuesday, Cameron acknowledged that in fact he did not give the grand jury the option to charge the officers with murder or with any lesser charge directly related to Breonna Taylors death, as his office believed that the only charge they would be able to prove in a trial was one of wanton endangerment. Cameron previously said he has no problem with the grand jurors speaking out and the transcripts being shared publicly. But those who have turned the case into a flashpoint in the fight for racial justice are taking a much less matter-of-fact approach to what the transcripts and recordings may reveal. Some say this case is a prime example of why calls for reform should extend not just to policing, but also to the practices of prosecutors. You have a situation where one individual controls the access and flow of information. The grand jury only gets what the prosecutor decides to give them, says Howard Henderson, the director of the Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University. Thats dangerous because it lends itself to misconduct, corruption and its very difficult to check. Henderson also argues that because prosecutors and police work often work together, the system is not set up to support true independence and transparency. The police and prosecutors work hand-in-hand so how is one going to prosecute the other? Henderson says. Part of the reason police arent held accountable is because prosecutors dont hold them accountable. Prosecutors are not accountable to anybody. Whos watching them? DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- commercetools , the next-generation commerce software company, and Fluent Commerce , a cloud native software company providing distributed order management, are working with brand investment platform Go Global Retail to transform the e-commerce experience for popular indie brand ModCloth . With its new e-commerce solution in place, ModCloth can publish new products in real-time, bring unique experiences to its customers and make shopping more convenient than ever. One year after purchasing ModCloth from Walmart, Go Global Retail is focused on returning the popular brand to its indie roots and reconnecting with its shoppers. To do this, the company launched a technology transformation to rebuild the customer experience from end to end, including a brand new e-commerce experience from commercetools and more sophisticated order fulfillment with Fluent Commerce that would take them into the future fast. The solution for ModCloth is being delivered and implemented by devgurus, recently acquired by global digital transformation leader DMI. "The future of e-commerce is headless, API-driven and microservices-based, which is what we're getting with commercetools and Fluent Commerce," said Thoryn Stephens, CTO and partner of Go Global Retail. "When we acquired ModCloth, we acquired a lot of technical debt. We knew we needed a more agile commerce technology to give ModCloth customers the options and customized experiences they have come to expect and pay off our brand promise of empowering and uplifting women." Go Global Retail found the solution for ModCloth from the MACH Alliance (MACH stands for Microservices based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS and Headless), which was launched in June 2020 by commercetools and others to help enterprises adopt and adapt the best and most agile systems, processes and skills to turn their digital practices into business differentiators. "The MACH Alliance brings us the latest and greatest technology and interoperability to become a more flexible, modular and digitally global company," said Stephens. "With the re-platform, we reduced our time to market dramatically while improving overall operational efficiency, moving from intermittent code releases to three to four releases a month. In the fashion tech business, we believe technology should enable and not prohibit, and that drove the switch." Go Global Retail plans to take the successful new e-commerce approach it is using for ModCloth and roll it out to its other fashion brands. "We wanted to implement not just a model or a technology but a digital playbook so that we could have a standardized but flexible approach that all of our brands can leverage," said Jeff Streader, Founder and Managing Director, Go Global Retail. "We like to call it the 'Great American Digital Transformation' that we're helping bring to the retail industry." About commercetools commercetools is the world's leading platform for next-generation B2C and B2B commerce. To break the market out of being restrained by legacy suites, commercetools invented a headless, API-first, multi-tenant SaaS commerce platform that is cloud-native and uses flexible microservices. Using modern development building blocks in a true cloud platform provided by commercetools, customers can deliver the best commerce experiences across every touchpoint on a large scale. commercetools has offices across the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific, with headquarters in Germany. Since its founding in 2006, commercetools software has been implemented by Fortune 500 companies across industries, from retail to manufacturing and from telecommunications to fashion. More information at commercetools.com . About Fluent Commerce Fluent Commerce is a cloud software company focused on distributed order management for omnichannel retail. The Fluent Order Management Cloud Platform is cloud native, fully managed and code-free. It includes the essential components for unified commerce: Distributed order management, in-store tooling, inventory & location management, customer service, fulfillment optimisation and reporting. This enables retailers and brands to rapidly drive up revenue, drive down costs, and win the convenience battle. Fluent Commerce works with global and regional brands such as JD Sports, Samsung, eBay, Woolworths, Target and French Connection. For more information visit www.fluentcommerce.com Learn more at: www.fluentcommerce.com . Contacts: Margaret Rea VP/Head of Americas Marketing, commercetools E: [email protected] M: 949-278-9149 Rebecca Harbin Allison+Partners E: [email protected] Tel: 404-832-0698 SOURCE commercetools Related Links http://commercetools.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:54:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on July 14, 2020 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square in south China's Hong Kong, July 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu) Hong Kong is closely linked to the motherland, and the prosperity of the country has brought boundless vitality to Hong Kong, Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie Lam said. Everyone should take pride in the country's rapid development and take it as his or her duty to safeguard national security. HONG KONG, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Wednesday that Hong Kong is closely linked to the motherland, and the prosperity of the country has brought boundless vitality to Hong Kong. The affection for one's family and country is a fine tradition of the Chinese nation, said Lam while addressing an event celebrating the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Photo taken on July 1, 2020 shows the view of Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai) She said that everyone should take pride in the country's rapid development and take it as his or her duty to safeguard national security. China has made remarkable achievements in various fields since its founding, not only becoming the second largest economy in the world, but also playing an important role in the world, she said. "Since its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has successfully implemented 'one country, two systems', 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' and a high degree of autonomy. With the support of the country, Hong Kong's economy has continued to expand and people's livelihood has improved. In recent years, the country's Belt and Road Initiative and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have brought tremendous opportunities to Hong Kong." Aerial photo taken on June 27, 2017 shows the scenery on the both sides of the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) Lam pointed out that last year's social unrest hit Hong Kong's economic and social development to some extent. But thanks to the support and assistance of the central government, Hong Kong is gradually getting back on track. The legislation of the national security law in HKSAR by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in June and its inclusion in Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law have restored social stability in Hong Kong, guaranteed safety of life, fundamental rights and freedoms of the vast majority of law-abiding residents in Hong Kong, ensured the implementation of "one country, two systems" and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, she said. Photo taken on June 22, 2016 shows a view of the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Qin Qing) "In the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, the central government provided various assistance, including arranging support teams to assist the HKSAR government to successfully carry out a large-scale universal community testing program this month, and helped Hong Kong successfully contain the third wave of the epidemic. To strengthen Hong Kong's anti-epidemic capability, two other support projects -- a community treatment facility and a temporary hospital -- have been successfully launched. We sincerely thank the central government for its support to Hong Kong." In the coming year, the HKSAR government still have a lot to do both in combating the epidemic and in restoring the economy. But with the strong support of the central government and the concerted efforts of all sectors, Hong Kong will surely meet the challenges, she added. SpaceX has just tweeted out that the target launch for Elon Musk's Starlink is on October 1 at 9:17 am while the new target for SpaceX's GPS III-4 will be on October 2 with a 15 minute window that opens at 9:43 pm EDT. It seems like things are getting really busy with SpaceX especially with their collaboration with Starlink. For those who don't know Elon Musk has confirmed that Starlink will later on be opening up its IPO which could indicate that Starlink is a completely separate entity from SpaceX. Targeting Thursday, October 1 at 9:17 a.m. EDT for launch of Starlink. Due to a conflict on the Range, now targeting launch of GPS III-4 on Friday, October 2; 15-min window opens at 9:43 p.m. EDT pic.twitter.com/VVhhatjBbh September 30, 2020 Elon Musk's SpaceX and Starlink's relation Although they are separate, Starlink makes use of SpaceX rockets in order to send their low-orbit satellites into space in order to provide satellite-powered internet connection to not just the United States but all across the globe. The main goal of Starlink is to help address the lack of internet connection and the unreliability of the internet connection in certain places around the globe. Other countries like the Philippines (which reportedly has the most expensive but also very unreliable internet connection in Asia) could really benefit from the satellite connection. Read Also: [Confirmed] SpaceX Next Falcon 9 Launch of GPS III Space Vehicle 04 Will Be on September 30: Netizens Scramble Over Lack of Details The recent accomplishment of Starlink A recent accomplishment of Starlink was securing a contract with the United States military to provide them with internet connection when the satellites have been sent into space. The Military was pleased with the concept of being able to send internet connection to the navy, the air force, and the other segments in the military that require better internet connection. What's stopping Starlink right now from supplying internet connection around the globe is currently the lack of satellites in orbit. Although Elon Musk is trying to speed things up, the target number of satellites at 14,000 is still a huge goal to hit in comparison to the few hundreds currently in orbit. SpaceX on the other hand is also very busy with their own projects as they are working to make more trips to the ISS and even leave a Crew Dragon there in order to smoothen the process of transportation and restocking. Read Also: Elon Musk Confirms Starlink Will be Separate from SpaceX: IPO Could be Years Away but "Small Retail Investors" Will Get Top Priority What's the problem and is it serious? The problem that both companies are facing now is that although they are both under Elon Musk, they still share the same launch sites which means that they can't just launch at the same time in some particular instances. This results in a clash in schedule which means that one has to give way. In the recent instance, it seems like SpaceX is giving way to Starlink. Although people might question why should SpaceX give way despite owning the rockets, it is also because the importance of the SpaceX mission is slightly more complicated than sending satellites into space which SpaceX has already done before. This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian Buenconsejo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An anarchist podcast called The Ex-Worker explains that while some anarchists believe in pacifist civil disobedience inspired by Mohandas Gandhi, others advocate using crimes like arson and shoplifting to wear down the capitalist system. According to The Ex-Worker, the term insurrectionary anarchist dates back at least to the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath, when opponents of the fascist leader Francisco Franco took direct action against his regime, including assassinating policemen and robbing banks. If that is not enough to convince you that theres a method to the madness, check out the new report by Rutgers researchers that documents the systematic, online mobilization of violence that was planned, coordinated (in real time) and celebrated by explicitly violent anarcho-socialist networks that rode on the coattails of peaceful protest, according to its co-author Pamela Paresky. She said some anarchist social media accounts had grown 300-fold since May, to hundreds of thousands of followers. The ability to continue to spread and to eventually bring more violence, including a violent insurgency, relies on the ability to hide in plain sight to be confused with legitimate protests, and for media and the public to minimize the threat, Dr. Paresky told me. Her report will almost certainly catch the attention of conservative media and William Barrs Department of Justice, which recently declared New York, Portland and Seattle anarchist jurisdictions, a widely mocked designation accompanied by the threat of withholding federal funds. Theres an even thornier truth that few people seem to want to talk about: Anarchy got results. Dont get me wrong. My heart broke for the people in Minneapolis who lost buildings to arson and looting. Migizi, a Native American nonprofit in Minneapolis, raised more than $1 million to buy and renovate a place where Native American teenagers could learn about their culture only to watch it go up in flames, alongside dozens of others, including a police station. It can take years to build a building and only one night to burn it down. And yet, I had to admit that the scale of destruction caught the medias attention in a way that peaceful protests hadnt. How many articles would I have written about a peaceful march? How many months would Mr. Quinn have spent investigating suburban moms kneeling? Thats on us. While I feared that the looting and arson would derail the urgent demands for racial justice and bring condemnation, I was wrong, at least in the short term. Support for Black Lives Matter soared. Corporations opened their wallets. It was as if the nation rallied behind peaceful Black organizers after it saw the alternative, like whites who flocked to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after they got a glimpse of Malcolm X. There wasnt a day that went by that Cathy Terkanian didnt think about the daughter she placed for adoption in the 1970s, when Cathy was a teenager. My fantasy was she had the best life, Terkanian, 62, tells PEOPLE. Terkanian, a retired nurse, decided she would wait until her daughter was a teenager before she would search for her. I would not mess with her life as a young kid, she says. So I left it alone until she was about 15. Her heart sank when she learned the daughter she'd named Alexis had a closed adoption but in 2010, she received a letter from Social Services asking her to get in touch. I thought I was going to meet her, Terkanian recalls in this weeks issue of PEOPLE. Video: Teen Mom stars reunite with daughter after giving her up for adoption Instead, she was told that Alexis had gone missing in March 1989, when she was just 14 years old -- but Social Services refused to reveal her name or her adoptive parents' names. They did tell her the state where her daughter had gone missing, though, so Terkanian and her husband Edward became Internet sleuths. Soon they uncovered the name of her missing daughter, Aundria Bowman, on a Michigan police website. It was such a shock, Terkanian remembers, and then we got to work. For more on Cathy Terkanian's search, subscribe now to PEOPLE, or pick up this weeks issue, on newsstands Friday. Terkanian learned that Aundria had told school friends she had been molested by her adoptive father, Dennis Bowman. She also learned that Bowman, a Naval reservist, pled guilty to assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct in a 1980 case involving a 19-year-old woman he tried to lure into the woods. I was like, This guy did this,' she says. I had a gut feeling about him." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Terkanian reached out to authorities in Michigan about her daughters case, passed out fliers where Alexis went missing and worked with a private investigator. Story continues I was just absolutely determined to find out what happened, she says. Sadly, Terkanian finally got her answer. In Nov. 2019, Bowman was charged with murder after DNA linked him to the murder of 25-year-old Kathleen Doyle, a Navy pilots wife who was found raped, strangled and stabbed in her Norfolk, Virginia, home in 1980. In June, Bowman, 71, pleaded guilty to murder, rape and burglary and was sentenced to life in prison. Bowman allegedly admitted to detectives in Dec. 2019 that he'd hit Aundria during an argument, causing her to fall down the stairs and break her neck. RELATED: Man Previously Arrested for Killing of Another Woman Is Now Charged for Murder and Mutilation of Daughter In February 2020, authorities found Aundria's remains in Bowmans backyard. Bowman has since been charged with homicide, child abuse and mutilation of a human body. He has yet to enter a plea. I felt her kind of lift out of me, says Terkanian. Now, Terkanian plans to have her daughters adoption annulled and have her name changed back to Alexis. I'm having her cremated and bringing her home with me, she says. She's my child. She belongs with me. No mother would do otherwise. And then when I'm buried, she'll be buried with me. An Iranian Woman Walking For Peace: Pupeh Mahdavi Nader embarks on round-the-globe journey 07/22/20 Source: Tehran Times Iranian globetrotter Pupeh Mahdavi Nader has started a journey on foot from the UNESCO-registered Burnt City, southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, with the motto of "Love, Friendship and Global Peace". As the ancient city, based on the available documents, is one of the civilizations whose people were peaceful and there are no signs of war and conflict in that area, it has been selected as the starting point of this walk, Mahdavi-Nader announced on Tuesday. The project also aims at introducing Iran as a safe place, to the world as well as promoting the region's natural and historical attractions. She also plans to sell her footsteps, investing the revenue in the development of villages and deprived areas of the province. Pupeh Mahdavi Nader at Tehran's Azadi Square Founded around 3200 BC, the Burnt City, known as Shahr-e Sukhteh in Persian, was populated during four main periods up to 1800 BC. Previous rounds of excavations showed that its residents had great skills in weaving, creating fine arts such as decorative objects, stone carving, and pottery painting. Shahr-e Sukhteh is associated with four rounds of civilization, all burnt down by catastrophic sets of fire. Sistan-Baluchestan is home to several distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including the historical Seb castle, dating back to the time of the Safavids (1501-1736).; Darak beach, where sand dunes, palm trees and blue sea in a frame together create picturesque sceneries; Darren Negaran (literally meaning illustration of the valley) which is home to tens of carved pictures of different animals such as wild cows, camels, and antelopes; Chabahar beach, which is the only oceanic port of Iran; and Martian mountains with colors varying from gray to white during the day due to intensity of the daylight. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, from left, and ambassador Callista Gingrich greet Cardinal Raymond Burke. (Andrew Medichini / Associated Press) U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo came to Rome on Wednesday and waded into a dispute with the Vatican over China and diplomacy. Pompeo used a speech at a religious freedom seminar sponsored by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to attack Beijing as an egregious abuser of human rights. He called on the Vatican to join the Trump administration in making a similar condemnation. Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than it is inside of China today, Pompeo said on the third day of a five-day trip that includes stops in Greece and Croatia. Thats because, as with all communist regimes, the Chinese Communist Party deems itself the ultimate moral authority. Though his speech mostly quoted the late Pope John Paul II, a hero to conservative Catholics and other Christians, Pompeo used a phrase commonly uttered by Pope Francis that a church must be permanently in a state of mission. Surely one of them is to be a church permanently in defense of basic human rights, Pompeo said. The comments came after Pompeo this month criticized the Vatican for renewing an agreement with China over how the Roman Catholic Church can operate there. He suggested that the agreement betrayed underground Chinese Catholics in favor of those whom the government tolerates. Vatican officials were irked at Pompeos remarks, which they said should have been handled through diplomatic channels. Instead, Pompeo wrote his comments in a conservative U.S. publication that has been consistently critical of Pope Francis, a Latin American often seen as more progressive than his recent predecessors. "The Vatican endangers its moral authority, should it renew the deal," Pompeo said in a series of tweets after his article appeared in the First Things journal. Repetition of the phrase moral authority here and now struck Vatican officials as deliberate. Pompeos counterpart at the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, spoke at the same conference Wednesday. Parolin said to reporters later that the Holy See was surprised by Pompeos article. Story continues Another senior Vatican official who also spoke at the conference, Archbishop Paul Gallagher of England, told reporters of the Holy Sees irritation at the Pompeo article. Gallagher also said the proximity of Pompeos Rome visit to the U.S. election in just over a month was one of the reasons why the Holy Father is not receiving the secretary of state. It had been a matter of some speculation whether Pompeo was being snubbed by the pope, whose empathy for the poor and refugees has led to public clashes with President Trump. Francis received Pompeo last year when he spoke at a similar symposium in Rome. Pompeo has made religious freedom the central human right that he believes nations should stand up for. And bashing China has also become one of the key themes of Trump's reelection campaign as he, Pompeo and others seek to focus blame for the COVID-19 pandemic's death toll on Beijing rather than on their own handling of the crisis. Pompeo on Thursday will meet with Gallagher and Parolin at the Vatican. The ability of the Catholic Church to function in China has long been a delicate diplomatic and religious issue. The Chinese government sought to control the church there and name its leaders. The agreement that the Vatican has with China which is about to expire and is being renewed allows the pope to name bishops in China. But many believe that concession was made at the expense of Chinese Catholics who have long worshiped in the shadows. Asked later Wednesday if he was "picking a fight" with the Vatican and whether that could hurt Trump's political fortunes with U.S. Christian voters, Pompeo said the idea was "just crazy." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. On Saturday, August 29, officials of the Moosomin branch of the Royal Canadian Legion officially unveiled their new benches and planters on Main Street. The seating area is not the only upgrade to the hall as a federal grant was used to make renovations to the exterior of the building. The seating area, however, was made possible through the generosity of some local businesses and individuals. Donna Lafleur, Secretary-Treasurer for the Moosomin Legion, first thought of bringing in benches from out of province, but with price tags reaching as high as $30,000, a local solution was quickly explored. We thought why dont we see if we can find somebody locally that can create some kind of a bench for us, and after we do our exterior renovations, we will do some sort of seating area out front, said Lafleur. We wanted a community space on Main Street, because there is really no seating area, so we decided what better location than right across from the Post Office where everybody goes pretty much every day. The three metal benches were designed and built by Kelly and Stacey Romanow and the wooden benches and planters were created by Ken Aldous. Both Romanow and Aldous donated part of their labour to the project. The seating area and everything on it was all made possible due to donations of money, time and materials by local businesses and individuals. Park Concrete was chosen to do the cement pad and they donated part of the cost of the job. Crushrite Concrete donated part of the cost of the cement. Margetts Construction donated all the back fill for the prep of the area. Borderland Co-op made a cash donation. Kassies Jewelry donated the plaques. Shawn Stephen from Stephens Welding helped prep the seating area by removing the posts and chain-link fence that was there before. The seating area is intended as a community space. We have had nothing but positive comments, said Lafleur. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Wed, September 30, 2020 18:50 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4844670 1 National land-dispute,AMAN,police,TNI,PTPN-II,plantations,SOEs,state-owned-enterprise,state-owned-company,North-Sumatra,Langkat Free Dozens of indigenous peoples of Kampung Durian Selamak, Langkat regency, North Sumatra were injured in a clash with security forces on Tuesday after attempting to block state-owned plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara II (PTPN II) from occupying their customary land. Those injured, mostly women, said they were hit by PTPN II security guards who were assisted by local police and Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel. Nurainun, one of the injured, said local residents were trying to block PTPN IIs heavy machinery from entering the land but were unable to do so because they were outnumbered. We tried to block them, but we werent strong enough so we were stampeded by PTPN II forces, even my child was stepped on, Nurainun told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday while holding back tears due to the pain she felt from her injured leg. Fauzi, another one of the injured, said he was beaten up by five people wearing PTPN II security guard and TNI uniforms when he tried to stop them from damaging a post set up by a local nongovernmental organization. They were very brutal, Fauzi told the Post. I saw many indigenous peoples being chased around and hit with bricks, wood and fists. Fauzi sustained injuries to his head, lips and forehead due to the beating. Wina Khairina, a member of the Kampung Durian Selemak advocacy team, condemned the actions of the security forces and said the team had reported the incident to the police. We hope our report is processed immediately because many people have been victimized, Wina said, adding that she hoped the government would support the residents in this land dispute. Langkat Police intelligence division head Adj. Comr. Suherman Siregar declined to comment on the incident when contacted by the Post. Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) North Sumatra branch head Ansyurdin said the clash was a warning from PTPN II for the local residents to immediately vacate the 117-hectare area of land on Sept. 24. PTPN II offered to pay residents Rp 2 million [US$134] per hectare and Rp 20 million for each house, but the indigenous community rejected their offer, Ansyurdin said. Maybe because they were frustrated, PTPN II threatened to destroy all the houses of the indigenous peoples of Kampung Durian Selemak. Ansyurdin said 500 families currently lived in the village and had cultivated the land there for decades, planting vegetables and fruits such as oranges. He said each resident made around Rp 2.5 million per month from the crops. That income is very important for them to fulfill their daily needs, he said. Amnesty International Indonesia deputy director Ary Hermawan also spoke out against the incident, saying it was the latest in a string of clashes between indigenous peoples and companies looking to evict them from their land. "The government and security forces have to understand that land is a living resource that many indigenous communities use to fulfill their socioeconomic rights, including food, water, work and shelter," Ary said in a statement on Wednesday. "Many of these rights cannot be enjoyed without access to land." When contacted by the Post about the clash, PTPN II lawyer Ali Yusran Gea declined to comment. Sorry, I cannot comment on that issue, he told the Post on Tuesday night. A day before the clash, PTPN II lawyer Sastra had announced that the company would seek to clear land in several locations, including Kampung Durian Selemak, to accelerate national sugar production. The clearing of all land owned by PTPN II must be conducted immediately in order to fulfill and support national sugar production that has been planned by the government and the PTPN II management, Sastra said on Monday. (kmt) Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday refuted claims about clean chit given to Bollywood divas Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and others questioned in connection with the drugs case surrounding the death Sushant Singh Rajput, saying such reports are "devoid" of "truth and facts". "The news article mentioning that the drugs law enforcement agency giving clean chit to those examined by NCB is devoid of the facts and truth," NCB officials said, adding that the necessary "rebuttal" is being issued to the concerned. The remarks came after a media report claimed that the NCB has given clean chit to Deepika, her former manager Karishma Prakash, Sara, Shraddha and others in a drugs-related case. Ther NCB questioned Deepika, Shraddha and Karishma on Saturday in Mumbai for several hours over their alleged chats discussing drugs. The NCB also questioned Sara, who starred with Sushant in "Kedarnath" for over five hours in the case on Saturday. Deepika is the daughter of badminton icon Prakash Padukone and married to actor Ranveer Singh, while Shraddha is the daughter of veteran actor Shakti Kapoor. Sara is the daughter of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh. The NCB also grilled actor Rakul Preet Singh in connection with its probe on Friday for four hours. However, the officials of the NCB have remained tightlipped on its findings after the questioning of these actors in the case as it is corroborating the statements of all the people questioned in the case so far. The NCB also arrested producer Kshitij Ravi Prasad in connection with the case after it was found that he procured drugs for over a dozen times between May to July and paid Rs 3,500 for every 50 gm of the contraband. The NCB has already arrested Sushant's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, the late actor's house manager Samuel Miranda, personal staff Dipesh Sawant in the case along with 16 other accused. The NCB registered a case after it received a request from Enforcement Directorate (ED) following the alleged chats discussing drugs came to the fore. The NCB registered two cases and Sara and Shraddha are interlinked in both of the cases. Besides NCB, the CBI and the ED are also probing the death of Sushant, who was found dead in his Bandra's Mont Blanc apartment on June 14. HALIFAX - A First Nation in southern Cape Breton is set to become the second Indigenous band in Nova Scotia to launch a self-regulated commercial lobster fishery that will operate outside the regular season. The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mikmaw Chiefs issued a statement Wednesday saying fishers from the Potlotek First Nation plan to head out on St. Peters Bay on Thursday. The Mikmaq Nation celebrates the community of Potlotek as they take to the waters for their Netukulimk livelihood fishery and the many communities that will be taking similar steps in the near future, the assembly said in a statement. Netukulimk refers to the ability of a community to meet its nutritional and economic needs without jeopardizing the environment. Potlotek Chief Wilbert Marshall said his First Nation has drafted its own fisheries management plan, which it has submitted to Ottawa. Our community-developed plan will provide those in our community . . . with the opportunity to provide a means of support for themselves and their families, he said in a statement. Marshall said the harvesters plan to exercise their inherent right to fish for a moderate livelihood, as spelled out in a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision. Were not looking to get rich off of it, Marshall told CBC last month. We just want to make a decent living. Marshall has said about 10 licensed Indigenous fishers were expected to each use about 70 traps on Thursday. Most of the non-Indigenous lobster harvesters in the area are represented by the Richmond County Inshore Fishermens Association, but no one from that organization was willing to offer comment Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Sipeknekatik First Nation in western Nova Scotia has faced protests from non-Indigenous fishers after the band launched its own self-regulated lobster fishery on Sept 17. That First Nation has now entered into talks with the Federal Fisheries Department to settle its dispute with non-Indigenous harvesters. We had a very positive discussion (and) they recognized this is a nation to nation matter, Sipeknekatik First Nation Chief Michael Sack said Wednesday in a statement. We have agreed to reconvene in the coming weeks after everyone has had an opportunity to review our plan and regulations. On Thursday, the province celebrates its annual Treaty Day, which recognizes the signing of peace and friendship treaties between the Mikmaq and the Crown in the 1700s. Those treaties formed the basis of the 1999 Supreme Court ruling. In that historic decision, the court decided that Donald Marshall Jr. had a treaty right to fish for eels when and where he wanted, without a licence. The Marshall decision also said the First Nations in Eastern Canada could hunt, fish and gather to earn a moderate livelihood, though the court followed up with a clarification two months later, saying the treaty right was subject to federal regulation. That additional ruling is at the crux of the argument being made by some non-Indigenous fishers, who say First Nations must abide by Ottawas conservation measures. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020 Read more about: From 30 September to 3 October 2020, the Nexter Group will present its defense solutions at the 14th HEMUS defense exhibition in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. "Starring" is a VBCI 8x8 armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) fitted with a John Cockerill Defence 3030 weapon station 30mm cannon. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Artist view of Nexter's VBCI fitted with a John Cockerill Defense 3030 turret (Picture source: Nexter) The Nexter Group is exhibiting at HEMUS alongside Belgian industrialist John Cockerill Defense (JCD). The two partners share the same stand and are presenting a mock-up of a joint product: Nexter's VBCI 8x8, on which JCD's 30mm 3030 turret is integrated. This project concretizes the cooperation recently initiated with Belgium that could serve as a model in Europe : the Motorized Capability Program (CaMo), notified to Nexter in 2019, plans to supply the Land component of the Belgian army with 382 Griffon multirole armored personnel carriers (MPCVs) and 60 Jaguar armored reconnaissance and combat vehicles (EBRCs). The intergovernmental agreement signed between France and Belgium seals a strategic alliance for the two armies, but also a long-term partnership for manufacturers in both countries. The VBCI (French denomination of "Vehicule Blinde de Combat d'Infanterie)") is a French wheeled armoured infantry fighting vehicle designed and manufactured by the French Companies Nexter Systems and ARQUUS previously Renault Trucks Defense. The VBCI was designed to replace the old tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicle AMX-10P, which was used by the mechanized infantry,try units of the French Army. The first production VBCIs were delivered to the French Army in 2008, it is now the backbone of the mechanized infantry units of the French Armed Forces. In the French army, two variants of the VBCI are in service, including the IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) and Command Post Vehicle. The IFV variant is fitted with a one-man Nexter Dragar turret armed with a dual-feed 25mm NATO cannon type 25 M811 with 150 rounds in the turret and a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun. The VBCI IFV has a crew of three including the driver, commander, gunner, and can accommodate 8 infantrymen at the rear of the vehicle. The Command Post variant is equipped with a remotely operated weapon station armed with one 12.7mm machine gun. Based on an unprecedented modular concept, the John Cockerill 3000 Series weapon station is a single platform enabling guns of different calibers and their corresponding technological modules to be integrated onto the same turret: automatic 25 mm, 30 mm, 30/40 mm, 35 mm and 50 mm caliber guns, along with direct fire guns of 90 and 105 mm, which are also able to fire anti-tank missiles. Artist view of Nexter's VBCI fitted with a John Cockerill Defense 3030 turret (Picture source: Nexter) The Nexter Group is represented at the HEMUS trade show by three of its subsidiaries : Nexter Systems, Nexter Robotics and Nexter Munitions: Nexter Systems will unveil several mock-ups on the stand. The VBCI 3030 benefits jointly from Nexter's know-how in terms of armored vehicles and integration, as well as JCD's expertise in the field of turrets. In recent years, the VBCI has been successfully used by the French army in most theaters of operation (Afghanistan, Sahel, Central African Republic). A version of the 6x6 Titus armored vehicle integrates a Nexter ARX20 turret. Two models of the CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzer are also presented,one with 6x6 mobility and the other with 8x8 mobility. Due to its combat experience the longest and most varied in the 52-caliber class the CAESAR enjoys an excellent reputation. The CAESAR is thus a benchmark in the international artillery field: recently, Denmark and Morocco selected it to renew their fire support capabilities. The robots of the Nerva range with their different modules are demonstrated by the Nexter Robotics teams around the stand. The French Armament Procurement Agency (DGA) conducted an experiment on these micro-robots, which was concluded in 2019 with the order of 56 units as part of the SCORPION program. Nexter is exhibiting several of its ammunition, ranging from 20 to 155mm. In the field of artillery, Nexter is presenting the family of 155mm "LU" shells (explosives, smoke, illuminants) and the BONUS intelligent shell that equip many NATO armies. The stand also features medium-caliber ammunition, 81mm and 120mm mortars and 76mm naval ammunition. Finally, three medium-caliber Nexter models of turret are on display: the SH20 and the NC621 pod for aeronautical use, and the Narwhal for naval use. These mounts are used in about sixty countries. BRIDGEPORT Detectives are making progress in the recent homicide investigations as the city continues to see a wave of gun violence, the acting police chief said on Wednesday. Mayor Joe Ganim and Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia addressed the gun violence across the city on WICC-AM radio Wednesday morning. In less than a week, the Park City has had four homicides and several non-fatal shootings. Addressing the bump in gun violence is a top priority, Ganim said. Certainly for the chief, for the department and for me as mayor. He said the city was shifting resources to handle the escalating violence. Garcia, starting off by offering condolences to the families of the victims, reiterated the importance of solving the crimes. She said the most recent homicide investigations are progressing very rapidly, adding that the solvability factor for the recent killings are at a good rate at this time. Garcia stressed the importance of the community helping police close the cases and potentially prevent others. We need the community to be able to bring information to the police department so that we can solve these even quicker, she said. We might even be able to avoid or prevent this type of violence be it a homicide or someone being shot if someone picks up the phone and says hey this person has a gun. She said the department has various details, task forces and units devoted to getting guns off the streets and helping prevent future shootings. We need people to step up, Ganim said. We all need to step up and take some ownership. Garcia said law enforcement is focusing on a smaller group of people who are allegedly tied to many of the shootings. Police and other law enforcement officials have previously said the gun violence is tied to group violence or gangs within the city. We just want to send the message: Not here. Not here, Garcia said. We are not OK with this. In a follow-up email to the media later Wednesday, the city said police have started a strategic enforcement detail to crack down on things like illegal guns. The city said police task forces are also using surveillance and other details to serve warrants and make arrests. In September, the city said, police arrested more than 12 violent offenders and seized 21 guns. Residents may notice patrols increased during the evening and overnight hours in areas of the city that promulgate criminal activity, the city said. Partnering agencies like Project Longevity are reaching out to returning citizens, and the Council of Churches has contacted the Bridgeport Police Department to facilitate a gun buy-back program at a date to be announced. Anyone with information on any of the citys recent shootings is asked to call the Bridgeport police tips line at 203-576-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous. Bandit Queen fame film director Shekhar Kapur has been appointed as the president of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) society. The 74-year-old actor-producer is known for directing popular films like Anil Kapoor and Sridevi starrer Mr India and Shabana Azmi-Naseeruddin Shahs Masoom. Shekhar has also acted in some films like Gawahi (1989) and Drishti (1990). Congratulatory messages have started pouring in for the actor-director after Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar announced his appointment as the President and Chairman of the governing council of FTII on Twitter on Tuesday evening. Happy to inform that renowned international film personality #ShekharKapur has been appointed as the President of FTII Society & Chairman of Governing Council of FTII.@narendramodi @shekharkapur pic.twitter.com/lARfoDW4b9 Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) September 29, 2020 Actor Kangana Ranaut, who has recently joined Twitter and is in controversy for speaking against the film industry, congratulated the newly appointed president. The Queen actor said that she hopes to see Shekhar in such roles and that they need his guidance. Amazing news, congratulations sir, hope to see you in many such roles we need your guidance @shekharkapur https://t.co/CehsohoOYx Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 29, 2020 Replying to Kangana, Shekhar said that is an honour and a huge responsibility. Ranvir Shorey, who is soon going to appear in Hotstars PariWar, also congratulated Shekhar. Retweeting a news of Shekhars appointment, he said, A true master filmmaker at the helm of Indias premier film institute, FTII, will surely help India achieve excellence in cinema and find its place on the global stage at a time when filmmaking is exploding the world over. Congratulations to @shekharkapur! A true master filmmaker at the helm of Indias premier film institute, FTII, will surely help India achieve excellence in cinema and find its place on the global stage at a time when filmmaking is exploding the world over. https://t.co/b7MfEegzHX Ranvir Shorey (@RanvirShorey) September 29, 2020 Shekhar also received congratulatory messages from director-producer Vivek Agnihotri who made a thriller movie about the death of former Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri called The Tashkent Files. He congratulated Shekhar saying that the institute deserves Shekhar and vice-versa. Congrats @shekharkapur you and FTII both truly deserve each other. https://t.co/7MTzfGw4fl Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) September 29, 2020 Author Amish Tripathi also wished the director for getting the new responsibility. He tweeted that minister Javadekar has done a brilliant job with the appointment of Shekhar. Congratulating Shekhar, he said that he will do a wonderful job. This is a brilliant appointment by @PrakashJavdekar ji.Congratulations @shekharkapur. I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job! https://t.co/OTp4Xm3IcT Amish Tripathi (@authoramish) September 29, 2020 Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, who is the president of Indian Film & Television Directors Association, said that Shekhar is the best choice for this role and will take the institution to newer heights. Congratulations @shekharkapur for being appointed as the new President of FTII Society and Chairman of @FTIIOfficial Governing Council. You truly are the best choice for this prestigious post and will take this great institution to newer heights. @prasarbharati Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) September 29, 2020 Actor Arav Chowdhury who is a winner of the Mr India title also congratulated the director. Heartiest Congratulations @shekharkapur on becoming the Chairman & President of FTII . More power to you Sir . pic.twitter.com/flEFpGAp0L Arav Chowdharry (@Aravchowdharry) September 29, 2020 We congratulate Shekhar on his latest feat. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Authorities said a transgender woman was fatally shot Wednesday in southwest Puerto Rico, the sixth such killing this year. Michelle Ramos Vargas, 33, was found along an isolated road near a farm in the town of San German, according to officials, who said they were investigating whether it was a hate crime. Police officer Manuel Cruz told The Associated Press that the victim had apparently worked as a bartender and was studying nursing and was shot several times in the head. Human rights activist Pedro Julio Serrano condemned the killing and said trans people in the U.S. territory are being hunted. Enough of so much hate, he said in a statement. Trans people are as human as everyone else and deserve to live in peace, equality and freedom. The bodies of two transgender women were found inside a charred car in southeast Puerto Rico in April. The FBI took over the investigation after two men were arrested in that case. Also that month, a transgender woman was killed in prison. Meanwhile, a 19-year-old transsexual man was shot in the western town of Moca in March and a person identified as Neulisa Luciano Ruiz was found dead in the northern town of Toa Baja in February. Ruizs body was found after a video posted on social media showed at least two men mocking and threatening a person believed to be the victim, followed by gunfire. Assyrian Manuscripts Recovered From Suspected Islamic State Fighter in Mosul The Rev. John Botros Moshi, the Syriac Catholic archbishop of Mosul, Kirkuk, and the Kurdistan Region, stands in the rubble of the Tahera Church in Mosul on April 29, 2018. The church, badly damaged after the Islamic State took over the city, is being rebuilt by UNESCO. ( Zaid al-Obeidi/AFP/Getty Images) Iraqi security forces have recovered dozens of hidden Syriac manuscripts that were stolen from Assyrian churches in Mosul during the city's occupation by the Islamic State (IS). The historical writings were found after a suspected IS fighter led to their location and were in his possession, according to a statement by Mosul police chief Laith Al Hamdani. During the nearly three years that IS controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria, Iraqi Christians were largely driven from the region under threats of death unless they either converted to Islam or paid a "protection tax." Major manuscript collections in Mosul were among the casualties, "leaving behind only the digital images and a handful of severely damaged volumes," the Rev. Columba Stewart, a Benedictine monk and executive director of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library in Minnesota, told Aleteia in October 2019. Now, as Iraqi security forces supported by coalition troops continue to engage IS cells, they are uncovering stockpiles of stolen texts that are crucial to understanding and preserving ancient communities such as the Assyrians, an ethnic group indigenous to parts of Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran. Read the full story here. A handcrafted picture made with kitchen waste, including fish bones, fish scales and shrimp shells. The stunning picture was made by Gao Siji, an 88-year-old woman living in Hangzhou City, East China's Zhejiang Province. [Hangzhou Daily] Gao Siji, an 88-year-old woman living in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang Province, uses kitchen waste including fish bones, fish scales and shrimp shells to make handcrafted pictures. Every once in a while, she visits the aquatic area at her local wet market to pick up waste, which she then repurposes to create stunning handmade pictures. Gao's artistic creations originated from an incident she had 30 years ago. "As soon as I retired, I went to a senior's college to study arts and crafts. When I ate fish by chance, I found that some fish breast bones and ribs were like chrysanthemum petals." Being inspired, Gao cleaned the fish bones and glued them together to complete her first fish bone picture. Inspired by the shape of fish bones, Gao Siji starts to make handcrafted pictures with food waste. [Hangzhou Daily] Since then, she has developed her technique, creating pictures using withered flowers, seashells, paper corners, crab feet, fish scales and other food waste. Gao has made more than 100 artworks over the past 30 years, turning "waste" into wealth. Gao Siji creates fish bone images since she believes that she is turning "waste" into wealth. [Hangzhou Daily] Gao's environmental protection philosophy has influenced others, and she donates the money she wins from competitions to special education institutions. Internet users commended her for discovering the beauty of life and being kind. Amid the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control measures earlier this year, Gao wrote a poem to extol the medical workers and community workers and donated money to the Red Cross Society to support the battle against the virus. "The virus is ruthless, but we have love and benevolence. I want to contribute my effort to the fight against the epidemic," said Gao. (Source: china.cnr.cn, Hangzhou Daily and comments on the Internet/Translated and edited by Women of China) Technavio has been monitoring the maritime information market and it is poised to grow by 736.98 mn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 8% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005716/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Maritime Information Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. Technavio's in-depth research has all your needs covered as our research reports include all foreseeable market scenarios, including pre- post-COVID-19 analysis. Download a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts Frequently Asked Questions: What are the major trends in the market? Increase in seaborne trade is a major trend driving the growth of the market. Increase in seaborne trade is a major trend driving the growth of the market. At what rate is the market projected to grow? The year-over-year growth for 2020 is estimated at 8.34% and the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be 736.98 mn. The year-over-year growth for 2020 is estimated at 8.34% and the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be 736.98 mn. Who are the top players in the market? FLIR Systems Inc., Garmin Ltd., Inmarsat Group Ltd., Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Maxar Technologies Inc., ORBCOMM Inc., Raytheon Co., Saab AB, and Thales Group, are some of the major market participants. FLIR Systems Inc., Garmin Ltd., Inmarsat Group Ltd., Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Maxar Technologies Inc., ORBCOMM Inc., Raytheon Co., Saab AB, and Thales Group, are some of the major market participants. What is the key market driver? The need to comply with strict regulations is one of the major factors driving the market. The need to comply with strict regulations is one of the major factors driving the market. How big is the Europe market? The Europe region will contribute 45% of the market share. The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. FLIR Systems Inc., Garmin Ltd., Inmarsat Group Ltd., Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Maxar Technologies Inc., ORBCOMM Inc., Raytheon Co., Saab AB, and Thales Group are some of the major market participants. The need to comply with strict regulations will offer immense growth opportunities. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free. View market snapshot before purchasing Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations. Maritime Information Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Maritime Information Market is segmented as below: End-user Commercial Government Application MIA MIP VT AIS Geography Europe North America APAC MEA South America To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40416 Maritime Information Market 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The maritime information market report covers the following areas: Maritime Information Market Size Maritime Information Market Trends Maritime Information Market Industry Analysis This study identifies an increase in seaborne trade as one of the prime reasons driving the maritime information market growth during the next few years. Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Maritime Information Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist maritime information market growth during the next five years Estimation of the maritime information market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the maritime information market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of maritime information market vendors Table of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five force summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Application Market segments Comparison by Application MIA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MIP Market size and forecast 2019-2024 VT Market size and forecast 2019-2024 AIS Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Application Market Segmentation by End-user Market segments Comparison by End-user Commercial Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Government Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by End-user Customer landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity by geography Market drivers Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors FLIR Systems Inc. Garmin Ltd. Inmarsat Group Ltd. Kongsberg Gruppen ASA L3Harris Technologies Inc. Maxar Technologies Inc. ORBCOMM Inc. Raytheon Co. Saab AB Thales Group Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005716/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ https://www.aish.com/sp/so/Where-Was-the-Other-Ram.html Why did no ram appear to take the place of my son? I sat and listened to the reading of the Torah portion describing the monumental moment of the total dismissal of the natural instincts of our forefather Abraham as he raised the knife to give the life of his child to God as He had requested. I breathed a sigh of relief, as I do every year, when the angel appeared and Abraham spied the ram to take the place of the precious son whose life was to be spared. And I wonder, very quietly, in a tiny little voice, Where was my ram? Why did no ram appear on April 28 to take the place of my son, Saadya? No ram appeared and he succumbed at the relatively young age of 35 and 11 months to Covid-19. One of hundreds of thousands but for me, only one, my son. I am sitting here and I still believe in You and Your judgment. I guess You never promised me descendants from this child who would be greater in number than the stars in the sky and the sand of the earth. Yes, he had Down syndrome but he had accomplished so much, in spite of that, or perhaps because of it. He was kind and caring of every person he met, and so many people from all over the world knew him and loved him. (His funeral was viewed on 900 Zoom screens.) He broke barriers as part of the first program for young men with special needs in a yeshiva in Darkaynu, a program in Israel. He learned to navigate the subway system of the MTA to travel by himself to another barrier-breaking program: Makor College Experience for special young men in Yeshiva University. He was a role model for hundreds of families who had felt that the sky was limited for their child with special needs. He had moved to an apartment with three other young men and was going to be offered a regular job attending to lower functioning individuals. What other records might he have set? And yet, You didnt send a ram. Can I ask why? I thought not. But during the seven days of the shivah (Covid-style, with only Zoom and phone calls to comfort the mourners which it certainly did not), someone shared this with me. He had heard what a great Torah scholar who suffered several personal losses responded when someone asked, The Rabbi has no questions?' This venerable scholar responded Yes, I have questions, but Im not ready to do what I have to do to get the answers. I felt so validated. Its okay to ask Why knowing that the answers are hidden, seeing the whole picture of His plan is something mortals are not entitled to know. Does that mean I can try to surmise? During my sons illness of five weeks, so many people prayed, said additional prayers to beseech the Heavens to grant him a full recovery. Was that the reason? After his, ironically, unexpected passing, his story went viral. The Associated Press picked up the story of a young man (seen on these pages) with special needs who defied the odds and accomplished so much in spite of a disability. The organization, WelTab that gave us the Tablets to Communicate made a video of his life and used it is a campaign that raised $160,000. The programs that he pioneered, in Israel and at Yeshiva University, each established a memorial fund. And, God willing, I hope to write a book for families of special needs. Is that Why? Where was that ram when God took my other son? (Yes, I have had my akeidah twice, each son had so much to give this world and yet God chose not to send a ram.) Can I ask why about my son Akiva zl, who was 34. Diagnosed at fourteen with a nonmalignant tumor, he weathered massive operations, halo, tracheostomy, repeated surgeries; yet, despite physical pain and scars that never receded, he persevered, befriending everyone, concerned about everyone, both their physical and their spiritual needs. He went back to yeshiva, was a brilliant Torah scholar, went to Israel where his devotion was known to all, spending 18 hours a day in the study hall. Yet his friends there told me of his concern for the needs of everyone in his circle. His Rosh Yeshiva told someone investigating Akivas desirability as a possible mate for his daughter, Akiva will be the next Gadol Hador (great scholar in his generation), due to his combination of brilliance, genuine love, interest in every member of society, and his iron persistence for excellence. He married, continued his study of Torah, and was blessed with a daughter. He could have accomplished worlds. And yet an accident left him silent, in a coma at 26 years of age. Seven and a half years later the One Above took back his holy neshama. There was no ram. In the twenty years that he fought the beast (the neurosurgeons term for the recurrent tumor), the number of prayers, the mitzvot done to merit his recovery were indeed as many as the stars in the sky or the sand of the earth. A program that bears his name, Lev Akiva Shamai Learning Program, is influencing a whole community of Jewish souls to come back to their roots. People who might never learn anything of Torah and mitzvot or who were only partially aware are coming to classes, putting on tefillin, bringing their teenage sons and daughters to classes and to experience Shabbos. Is that Why, God? Is that why no ram appeared for my son? I cant nurture or love my sons as I might have planned, but Ill listen to that rams horn each year to hear its voice and answer the Why in the way You might have intended. I will labor to find the right words that might ease the frustration of a mother dealing with her child with special needs. Perhaps someone will open doors to a person with a disability to become part of their synagogue or school program. I will endlessly knock on doors to make sure that there are always funds to guarantee the continual existence of the program that bears my sons name, bringing the unaffiliated closer to Torah. Every act will raise the holy neshamos of my two sons for whom no ram appeared and even if they are not with us in this world, they will be impacting Gods world. I think I understand where the ram was. At least in this world. Yehi zichronom baruch. Columbia Pike, 3700 block, 2:45 a.m. Sept. 20. Two men who attempted to engage in a conversation with two males inside a business approached the males when they went outside. One of the men demanded cash, and when the request was denied, one of the males was struck, causing lacerations. The men fled from the scene. The injured male was treated in a hospital. After the news of the death of the Dalit woman gang-raped in Hathras broke, Kangana Ranaut had expressed grief and demanded justice for the deceased victim via her Twitter handle. The actress had asked for a solution to contain the growing numbers in gang rapes and such shameful assaults. A day later, the Manikarnika actress said she has immense faith in UP CM Yogi Adityanath, and wanted a similar swift justice meted out as in the encounter killing of the accused in the Hyderabad gang rape case last year. I have immense faith in @myogiadityanath ji, just how Priyanka Reddy rapists were shot dead on the very spot they raped and burnt her alive we want the same emotional, instinctive and impulsive justice for #HathrasHorror #HathrasHorrorShocksIndia," Kangana tweeted. I have immense faith in @myogiadityanath ji, just how Priyanka Reddy rapists were shot dead on the very spot they raped and burnt her alive we want the same emotional, instinctive and impulsive justice for #HathrasHorror #HathrasHorrorShocksIndia Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 30, 2020 A 19-year-old Dalit girl from Hathras village died in a Delhi hospital two weeks after she was brutally tortured by four upper caste Hindu men. The horrifying incident has sent shockwaves and wrath jolts through the length and breadth of the country. Several citizens including politicians and celebrities from various walks of life have expressed their ire online. In the Hyderabad gangrape-and-murder case last year, the four accused were taken to the scene of the crime, around 60 Km from Hyderabad, for a re-construction as part of the investigation. According to the police, one of the accused signalled to the others, possibly to escape, and they tried to snatch the weapons of the police personnel when the latter fired on them and they were killed allegedly in the cross-firing. Drinkmate today announced that the company has doubled its manufacturing and warehouse facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan to support the companys continued domestic and international growth. Expansion efforts in the domestic market and internationally throughout the United Kingdom, Canada and Asia position Drinkmate as the #2 brand in the global home carbonation category. The new facility in the United States streamlines efforts and accommodates increased demand for machines and CO2 gas supplies. Drinkmate is also implementing next level management of warehouse and operational processes to increase overall efficiencies. Other warehouse locations in the United Kingdom and Canada, and a branch office in Taiwan position Drinkmate to continue to increase reach throughout North America, Europe and the Asian markets. Drinkmates growth is attributed to continuing product innovations and the patented technology that allows consumers to carbonate any beverage, said Douglas Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Drinkmate. Even prior to the pandemic, consumers were asking for ways to increase overall health and reduce bottle waste, and this is the foundation on which the Drinkmate brand is developed. Covid has only accelerated demand for our products. We have now leveraged our technology to develop the first personal carbonating bottle, the stainless steel InstaFizz water bottle, that lets you carbonate beverages while on the go. As we increase our R&D, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities throughout the world, we are actively expanding our reach to support future and increasing growth for years to come. About Drinkmate Drinkmates mission is to allow consumers to get creative in discovering new beverages, drink healthier and have fun, while reducing plastic bottle waste. Its proprietary technology allows the consumer to carbonate any kind of beverage safely and quickly. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the company serves as the global headquarters for the Drinkmate brand with operations in Asia, Europe and the Americas. For more information, please visit https://idrinkproducts.com/. ### Political violence rocked Ipele community in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday as supporters of the candidate of the People... Political violence rocked Ipele community in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday as supporters of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Eyitayo Jegede and that of the All Progressives Congress, APC, clashed. The clash was said to have occurred when the campaign train of the PDP arrived in the community. Following the incident, Jegede alleged that policemen supervised the attack on his campaign train by thugs. According to Jegede, who spoke through his campaigns Head of Media Research, Kayode Fasua, the political thugs suspected to be from the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC attacked supporters of the PDP upon their entry into Ipele. Specifically, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Ipele was alleged to have backed the thugs all through the attack. Meanwhile, the camp of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has accused the PDP candidate of instigating the attack in the community. While emphasizing the PDP is crying more than the bereaved, the Spokesperson of the Akeredolu/Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization, Olabode Richard Olatunde stated that Eyiyato Jegede SAN, ordered his thugs to unleash coordinated attacks on the innocent people of Ipele and Ijebu in Owo local government area. Our people were traumatized with the sound of gunshots sporadically by Eyiyato Jegede thugs in Owo today. Sensing that the PDP might be in the main town, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, ordered his campaign convoy to take another route out of the town. Despite this, Eyitayo Jegede and the PDP still went ahead to cause mayhem in Owo by attacking innocent members of the public and anyone with APC or Akeredolu branded caps or T-Shirt. No fewer than 20 cars were destroyed and many innocent people of Ipele and Ijebu Owo injured. Motorcycles were burnt and the streets of Ipele littered with shells of bullets. This intimidation to scare the people of Owo from coming out to vote massively for their son will not work. The people are resolved to support Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. We must also note that the PDP went berserk when no one received them into Owo. They obviously prepared to come into the ancient town for attacks and violence not to campaign. Unfortunately for those with wanderlust, much of the world is closed to U.S. citizens. Governments have put Paris, London, Tokyo and numerous other international destinations off-limits. And its not just overseas travel. If you live in Texas or other states deemed to have an unacceptably high COVID-19 infection rate and travel to New York or Washington, D.C. or New Mexico or Maine youre required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Hawaii and Alaska dont welcome travelers from the U.S. mainland without a 14-day quarantine. The restrictions in the United States and abroad, however, are starting to ease. Hawaii soon wont greet visitors with quarantines. On ExpressNews.com: Wary Traveler: Pack a breakfast and lunch and dinner if youre taking a business trip in the coronavirus era Mexico reopened for air travelers in June, while in the Caribbean, Aruba reopened in July and the Cayman Islands was set to follow on Oct. 1. The key is usually, but not always, getting a COVID-19 test before you fly. Mexico doesnt require a test, but most destinations do, including Aruba and the Cayman Islands. Even then its confusing. Aruba, for example, allows Texas residents to enter the country with a negative COVID-19 test before departure. Officials consider Arizona, on the other hand, to be high-risk. Arizona travelers to Aruba have to take a second test upon arrival and quarantine for at least eight hours while results are processed. One international destination, Dubai, has been open to U.S. citizens since early July. Visitors must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 96 hours of their flight to Dubai, with the results in either English or Arabic. However, it may not be as simple as just presenting the negative test results. According to the United Arab Emirates website, travelers could receive another test at the discretion of local officials. If that second test is administered, visitors must quarantine at their own expense until they receive the results. Visitors can quarantine at their hotel, but they may want to think twice before sneaking out to visit the worlds largest shopping mall or aquarium. Violators of the temporary quarantine are subject to a fine of more than $13,000. In any case, hopefully you arent afraid of big dogs if youre intent on the Dubai trip. Dubai International Airport has put a bunch of German shepherds to work sniffing armpit swabs as part of a screening to determine if a second COVID-19 test is necessary. If travelers test positive on the second test, they have to quarantine for 14 days. Maybe Hawaii is a better option. United Airlines has announced that effective Oct. 15, it will offer a COVID-19 testing program for passengers headed to Hawaii from its San Francisco hub. Passengers will be able to take a rapid test at the airport. United said the results will be available within 15 minutes. Travelers also can use a mail-in test as long as they submit their swab within 72 hours of their departure. Either way, a negative test should enable travelers to avoid Hawaiis 14-day mandatory quarantine. Our new COVID testing program is another way we are helping customers meet their destinations entry requirements, safely and conveniently, United said in a news release. The program also helps United fill empty seats. On ExpressNews.com: Wary Traveler: Temperature checks becoming a hot topic at U.S. airports The United program coincides with an effort announced by Hawaii Gov. David Ige that also allows travelers to avoid the two-week quarantine if they receive negative COVID-19 test results. The state program allows travelers to take the tests at CVS pharmacies. Hawaii could use the visitors. Tourism ground to a virtual halt when the state introduced the visitor quarantine in March. Hawaii has one of the highest unemployment rates in the U.S., with thousands of resort and restaurant employees thrown out of work. The governor has also authorized another program called a resort bubble on the island of Kauai. Under an emergency order, visitors who have to quarantine are allowed to leave their room to visit the resorts pools and restaurants. But they have to wear electronic monitoring bracelets, similar to what is worn under home arrest. I cant see many travelers signing up for that program. Airline analysts say travel restrictions are part of the reason the number of passengers flying has collapsed. Many travelers are still afraid of contracting the virus, but putting that aside, whos going to get on a plane when theres no guarantee you will be allowed into your destination? Alaska has a series of confusing rules. Nonresidents must fill out a travel declaration form and either present negative COVID-19 test results or agree to pay $250 for a test on arrival and quarantine until the test results arrive. In any case, you might not want to stay more than seven days. If nonresidents are still in Alaska after seven days, the state asks that they take a second COVID-19 test. Penalties include fines of up to $25,000. New York s 14-day quarantine is one of the toughest in the U.S. The only exception is if youre passing through for less than 24 hours. New York's penalties are a $2,000 fine for the first quarantine violation, $5,000 for the second and $10,000 for the third. To enforce the rules, state officials greet arriving passengers at New York airports with a quarantine form. And they conduct random inspections to ensure that visitors actually are quarantined at their stated location. New Mexico and Pennsylvania also require quarantine for residents who come from states considered to have high COVID-19 infection rate, such as Texas. However, those states allow travelers to police themselves. Its confusing to say the least so its understandable that many travelers choose to stay home. Randy Diamond covers tourism and the travel industry. To read more from Randy, become a subscriber. randy.diamond@express-news.net "We know that caregiving can be emotionally, physically and mentally taxing, says Jean Accius, senior vice president, AARP Global Thought Leadership. But there are very few policies within the world of higher education that assist student caregivers particularly those who are caring for an older adult." Instead, according to the AARP report, many college administrators, college professors and even college students themselves appear to turn their backs on student caregivers. Nearly one-quarter of student caregivers interviewed said they felt discriminated against because of their caregiving responsibilities. And some 43 percent of student caregivers kept their caregiving responsibilities private, more than half of them because they believed their school or institution would not understand their situation. While the majority of student caregivers say they have told someone at their school that they are providing care for someone else, most of the time that person is a fellow student. Only 1 in 3 say they have informed their instructor or another staff member. Of those who did apprise instructors of their caregiver status, most said they did receive support, but the actual level of help seems to be lacking because only 1 in 3 said their instructor was very supportive." Addressing the issue head-on What needs to be done? First, Accius says, schools need to acknowledge that the problem exists. Next, colleges need to train staff and promote whatever resources they have available for student caregivers. Some schools provide resources for students caring for minor children but they're not even thinking about students caring for older adults, Accius says. These services could benefit not only students, but also university employees, he adds. What student caregivers need most of all, he says, is more flexibility. This would require early identification of their caregiver status, then offers of flexibility on everything from extended deadlines on assignments to a better understanding of possible class-attendance issues. Also, he notes, schools may need to offer tuition reimbursement policies for student caregivers who have to withdraw from a class due to changing caregiving responsibilities. Where to turn to for help Then, there's the issue of where student caregivers should seek help on campus. Fully 40 percent of student caregivers believe the best place is the counseling center. Some 39 percent say it should be through their school's financial aid office. Another 37 percent look to the Student Health Center. Some 32 percent go to their academic advisor. And 28 percent think their best option is to reach out to their instructor. Accius suggests that the best first stop is often the student's academic adviser, who ideally would help develop a plan to reach out to additional campus resources. Some universities are taking real action. At UMBC's Erickson School of Aging, Bradley estimates 60 to 70 percent of the students are primary or secondary caregivers. The AARP report is a wake-up call, she says. As a result, the school recently sent a letter to professors, administrators, and staff proposing the establishment of a working group to directly address the issue of how to specifically assist such students. "The hard work is in bringing the stories of student caregivers to light and then finding the right package of services to support them in their noble work, Bradley says. Back in upstate New York, Garner, the assessor, says that all she wants is a bit more flexibility, leniency and emotional support from the state's licensing office. Until you have walked in the shoes of a caregiver, she says, it's almost impossible to understand." A wildfire burning in southern Wyoming has destroyed 29 homes and 31 outbuildings, the Albany County undersheriff said Tuesday evening during a virtual community meeting. Assessments have been made in lower Keystone, Lake Creek and Foxborough, Undersheriff Josh DeBree said during the virtual community meeting. The sheriffs office has contacted 38 property owners who have experienced losses on their property. The announcement represents the first confirmation of building losses tied to the Mullen Fire, which erupted last Thursday in the Medicine Bow National Forest west of Laramie. To date, the fire has burned 103,000 acres and has no containment. On behalf of everyone working this fire, our hearts go out to everyone who lost homes or property, he said. The fire prompted evacuations in several forest communities including Keystone, Foxborough and Rambler. DeBree said it was not yet safe for property owners to return and check on their homes. The evacuations extended into northern Colorado on Wednesday. Wyoming Highway 230 was also closed from Riverside to the Colorado state line. Nearly 900 firefighters and other personnel are now working the blaze. They are having to contend with strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity, which have resulted in a fire that has quickly spread amid rugged terrain and beetle-killed trees. The work of firefighters has kept the property destruction from the Mullen Fire from being even worse, said Russ Bacon, forest supervisor for the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests. I can confidently say that without their amazing work over the last week, we likely would have lost more property had they not worked so hard and been focused, he said during the virtual briefing. Because of the weather conditions and the amount of unburned fuel, authorities dont expect to be finished with the fire anytime soon, Bacon explained. He said there were likely several weeks more of significant fire impact. Folks need to realize that were in this thing for the long haul, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Youd think more than three years removed from his departure from the FBI that James Comey would be yesterdays news. But in GOP circles, the former FBI directors name is still a source of outrage as Senate Republicans drag their probe into investigators actions during the 2016 Trump-Russia investigation and its spinoff inquiry led by former special counsel Robert Mueller to the Election Day finish line. Mr Comey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for the first time since 2017, the year Donald Trump fired him for refusing to shut down the FBIs criminal investigation into ex-Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. Appearing before the Senate panel via videoconference, Mr Comey largely defended his bureaus conduct of the 2016 Trump-Russia probe, saying it was done largely by the book even if there were a few instances of problematic behaviour by some agents. "I would say, in the main, it was done by the book. It was appropriate, and it was essential that it be done," Mr Comey said. There are parts of it that are concerning ... but overall I'm proud of the work, he said, acknowledging that some investigators filed partially errant surveillance warrant applications and that one even doctored an email that played an essential role in securing those warrants. 1. Its personal between Comey and Barr Attorney General William Barr has spent a large measure of his tenure at the DOJ under Donald Trump denigrating the origins of the FBIs 2016 counterintelligence probe into Russias attempts to influence the Trump campaign and swing the election to Mr Trump. He has called the probe "abhorrent" and appointed a special investigator, US attorney John Durham, to search for potential criminal misconduct by FBI agents. "I have no idea what on Earth he is talking about," Mr Comey said when asked about Mr Barr's comments. Mr Comey fiercely defended both his bureau's actions and the results of the probe he led, saying the proof of the investigation's legitimacy was in the list of indictments, plea agreements, and guilty verdicts federal prosecutors have secured over the last four years. "It was, in the main, conducted in the right way, picked up by the special counsel, led to the indictment of dozens of people, and a finding by your colleagues in the Senate that the head of Trump's campaign was a grave counterintelligence threat to the United States of America because he was funneling in information to a known Russian intelligence officer," Mr Comey said, referring to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is in the middle of a seven-year prison sentence after being found guilty of cheating the US tax system out of millions of dollars and conspiring to commit bank fraud. "The notion that the attorney general believes that was an illegitimate endeavour to investigate that mystifies me," Mr Comey said. While the Justice Department convicted more than a half dozen close Trump associates on a range of crimes including top 2016 campaign aides Mr Manafort, informal adviser Roger Stone, and ex-deputy campaign manager Rick Gates as a result of Mr Comey and Mr Mueller's investigations, Mr Durham's inquiry has produced just one indictment and guilty plea. Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty in August to falsely editing an email about former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, and then using that email as a partial basis to obtain a surveillance warrant against Mr Page. 2. Comey concedes FBI wasnt perfect Mr Comey conceded on Wednesday that his agents operation was not without error, acknowledging Mr Clinesmiths crime and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz reports about widespread issues with agents applications for warrants through Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts. The former FBI chief has admitted those shortcomings several times before, saying last year there was real sloppiness in some aspects of the 2016 Trump-Russia probe. On Wednesday, he agreed with Chairman Lindsey Graham that there were parts of it that are concerning. 3. Trumps debt to unknown creditor a serious concern Mr Comey agreed with Democrats on the panel that intelligence officials ought to be concerned whenever someone with or seeking a security clearance is in dire financial straits, as Mr Trump appears to be based on recent tax returns. The New York Times reported that Mr Trump only paid $750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and 2017 after reporting millions of dollars in losses and that hes on the hook for $400m to pay back to various unknown creditors within the next four years. "As a general matter, are there serious risks when someone with hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, personal debt, has access, as the president does, to all of the countrys classified and sensitive information?" Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois asked Mr Comey. It's a serious concern when anyone seeking or with a clearance has that kind of financial vulnerability, Mr Comey said. I don't know the circumstances, particulars of the president's case. But in general, yes, he said. 4. Who are these hearings for? Mr Comey was the third witness to appear before the Senate Judiciary panel as part of Mr Grahams probe into the conduct of top DOJ and FBI officials in 2016. Like the hearings earlier this year with former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (who appointed Mr Mueller) and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates , Mr Comeys evidence produced almost no new information about the events of 2016 and 2017. It figures to be more of the same when the panel grills former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe next Tuesday. Which all begs the question: who are these hearings even for? The Mueller report and the investigations that preceded it are so far removed from most Americans political consciousness, at this point, that no national polling outfit has bothered to solicit public opinion about them in over a year. The hearings still have some bearing on the ongoing criminal case against Mr Flynn, with Mr Barrs Justice Department siding with the defendant that his alleged crime lying about his communications with then-Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak was immaterial to the overall Trump-Russia investigation. The DOJs abrupt decision in May to back Mr Flynns motion to dismiss the case was deeply concerning, Mr Comey said on Wednesday. Its deeply concerning because this guy is getting treated in a way that nobodys been treated before, Mr Comey said of Mr Flynn, whose lawyer admitted in court earlier this week that she had updated Mr Trump, who ultimately commands the Justice Department, about the case. A special tribute has been paid by health chiefs to a late vaccine campaigner on what would have been her 28th birthday. Laura Brennan from Ennis, Co Clare died 18 months ago but has become an iconic figure for her brave and selfless campaign in support of HPV vaccine take-up. The HSE paid tribute to Laura to mark her 28th birthday. Laura died of cervical cancer at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) on March 20, 2019. But the brave young woman devoted the last few years of her life to encouraging people to avail of the free HPV vaccine. Laura acted as a public campaigner for the HSE and made a high-profile appearance on RTE's 'The Late Late Show'. Thanks to her campaigning, the take-up of the vaccine rose in some parts of Ireland by more than 40pc from previous levels. The HSE tweeted a picture with the words: "Thank you Laura." Today, we remember Laura Brennan on what would have been her 28th birthday. Laura campaigned for people to get the HPV vaccine that can protect them from the HPV. The vaccine is available to all first-year students. Get the facts, get the vaccine #ProtectOurFuture #ThankYouLaura pic.twitter.com/x35Nsd2SPl HSE Ireland (@HSELive) September 30, 2020 Health chiefs also issued a message about the bravery of the campaigner. "Today, we remember Laura Brennan on what would have been her 28th birthday. Laura campaigned for people to get the HPV vaccine that can protect them from the HPV. The vaccine is available to all first-year students. Get the facts, get the vaccine." Earlier this year the HSE indicated that uptake for the HPV vaccine in Lauras home county of Clare was now 90pc. "It is a wonderful testament to her selfless advocacy, and the continuing work of the Brennan family to promote the importance of the HPV vaccine." Laura was diagnosed with terminal cancer in September 2017. Her first symptoms included irregular cervical bleeding. She was upset at the low rates of women getting vaccinated and readily agreed to join a HSE campaign which urged teenage girls to avail of the vaccine. In a HSE video she said she was "the reality of an unvaccinated girl. "What kills me though is that all this could have been prevented," she said. Laura received many honours for her work including being awarded the inaugural Royal College of Physicians of Ireland patient advocate medal, an honorary doctorate from UCD. She was also honoured as Clare Person of the Year. An RTE documentary on Laura Brennan entitled "This Is Me" attracted a massive audience. Laura also worked with the World Health Organisation on their European HPV awareness campaign and spoke at HPV advocacy meetings in the United States. She was the youngest of four children and is survived by her siblings Colin, Fergal and Kevin and her parents Bernie and Larry. Pierce girls earn college degrees Brianna and Cierra Pierce of Queensbury have both graduated from college. Brianna Pierce graduated from the University of Vermonts School of Nursing and Health Sciences in May. She received the Scholastic Achievement honor for Top Medical Laboratory Science Student. She was also a member of the Mortar Board Honor Society and received the 2019 Roberta Provencal Scholarship for top student her sophomore and junior years. During her freshman year she went on a medical mission to Cosco, Peru. She is applying to graduate school to be a physicians assistant. Cierra Pierce graduated from St. Michaels College in May with a 4.0 grade point average and also received recognition as top biology/chemistry student for her graduating class. Cierra was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and Delta Epsilon Sigma Society. She was nominated by her professors and became a member of the Scientific Research Honor Society as she was involved in research during her four years at college. She also completed service trips during her four years at St. Michaels. She is applying to a physicians assistant graduate program. Rodriguez receives degree from Wofford SPARTANBURG, S.C. Brett Anthony Rodriguez of Queensbury has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting and finance from Wofford College. The college was forced to postpone then cancel commencement exercises for the Class of 2020. Smith excels at Seton Hall University SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. Emily Smith of South Glens Falls has been named to the deans list for the spring 2020 semester at Seton Hall University. Undergraduate students completing all courses with a grade point average of 3.4, with no grades lower than C, qualify for the deans list. On campus is compiled by Gretta Hochsprung. You can submit items to her at ghochsprung@poststar.com or 518-742-3206. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Rowland O'Connor, CEO Email Hippo The damaging, creeping fraud that erodes business growth is the most dangerous fraud of all. It takes place every day, against every business. It costs businesses time and money. And right now, more than ever, we need our economies growing. Email Hippo has launched a software product, ASSESS that helps prevent online fraud. It is the next generation of the companys award-winning email verification software. The product is designed to save businesses time and resources, by preventing fraud online at the first point of contact. Rowland OConnor, Founder and CEO of Email Hippo, said: Right now companies like ours that focus on preventing fraud have a responsibility to gear up and deliver services that will help businesses connect confidently online with real customers. I read recently that the business cost of fraud in 2019 was over $5 trillion USD* and that businesses should anticipate being hit by fraud for annual expenditure losses of between 3% - 6%. Luckily were in a position to be able to help reduce that figure. The fraud that hits the headlines tends to be big scams and data breaches. I think that the damaging, creeping fraud that erodes business growth is the most dangerous fraud of all. It takes place every day, against every business. Whatever shape the fraud takes, the bottom line is that it costs businesses time and money. And right now, more than ever, we need our economies growing. Thats why weve developed ASSESS. Its a pre-fraud solution that will help prevent fraud and it will play a part in helping businesses grow online. Ends Press enquiries to Jo Shinner jo.shinner@emailhippo.com, telephone 01566 701204. For more information about ASSESS visit https://www.emailhippo.com/products/ASSESS Notes for editors: About Email Hippo Limited: http://www.emailhippo.com Email Hippo makes data better. It is a Software as a Service (SaaS) company based in the UK, providing cloud-based data services to organisations worldwide. The majority of customers are in the USA and Europe. Email Hippo was set up in 2015. It develops software that helps companies fight fraudulent transactions. In April 2020 it was awarded a Queens Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for the fraud prevention service, MORE. ASSESS is the next generation of this award winning product. Email Hippo data services help businesses reduce fraud, maintain their databases and carry out effective communications. The company is owned by Rowland OConnor, an advanced programmer, who pioneered the ability to validate bulk email addresses. Email Hippo is based in the south west of England and uses cloud-based infrastructure to ensure scalable levels of speed and uptime. ASSESS overview Email Hippo delivers software as a service via API. The ASSESS service focuses on email intelligence; using the email address typed into any system as a primary source for identifying threats and risks associated with it. The data checked relates to email address, IP address, location, user and domain. Results are returned via a numeric Trust Score and also as individual, detailed facts. Examples of unique functionality include: The ASSESS Trust Score. This is an aggregated, weighted score that is the result of checking and cross-checking multiple elements within an email address, and (if supplied) user name data. It gives users instant access to Email Hippos experience and expertise and enables automatic processes to run. For example, blocking sign-ups from any user receiving an ASSESS Trust Score of < 4. Process of 24/7 checking for new disposable email addresses. ASSESS is fed by Email Hippos pioneering disposable email address detection system that pro-actively seeks new disposable email addresses. Advanced gibberish detection to identify email addresses that are likely to be associated with fraud and/or bots. ASSESS benefits from a sophisticated, next generation of gibberish detection. This enhanced service has been developed by Email Hippo in order to drive down the need for manually reviewing sign-ups and improve pre-fraud detection. Plus-address scoring helps businesses deal intelligently with the increasing use of multiple email addresses related to a primary email account. The unique plus-address scoring feature grades email addresses based on the content of any plus-address and qualifies user intent. Email Hippo customers either act on the result given by the ASSESS Trust Score, on specific pieces of information returned additionally by the API, or a combination of both. This gives them choice and scope to create tailored processes for their business. Use cases for ASSESS include: blocking sign-ups that have high-risk characteristics. For example if the domain in the email address has only been registered for a few days, its wise to block it as fraudsters often create websites in order to look credible, preventing bogus account creation when low quality email addresses make no sense, containing gibberish or profanity. These low quality emails indicate users creating multiple accounts, or seeking free resources without intent of becoming a real customer. An example of this would be as a use for companies that provide online quotes and need to recognise intent to buy as opposed to time-wasting price comparisons or spam applications. Challenging check out as guest sign-ups where the declared location and currency of the user dont match the result given by the ASSESS check. This pre-fraud action before an attempt at payment will reduce costs and risks for any business trading online. preventing people using disposable email addresses being accepted onto systems, as disposable email addresses often signify fraudulent intent. Companies that are a target for friendly fraud will see a reduction in chargebacks when they begin to block transactions from people using disposable email addresses. Benefits of ASSESS relative to traditional fraud-combating systems: As an automated pre-fraud solution, ASSESS is more cost effective than services that deal with managing the impact of fraud after its taken place. Thats because identifying and dealing with the impact of fraud is far more expensive than preventing it from happening. The market for anti-fraud software began by dealing with the effect of online fraud, rather than preventing it. Thats why many established fraud solutions focus on solving the effect of it, rather than stopping it at the first point of contact. ASSESS is delivered by an API that is easily integrated into any forms or systems and works continually in the background without intervention. Its scalable too. Users can add ASSESS into multiple points without any extra cost. Some traditional fraud solutions involve outsourcing work to specialist teams, adding layers of complexity and cost to processes. ASSESS requires minimal human resource as processes triggered by the results can be entirely automatic. It will reduce the need for manual reviews of sign-ups and new accounts and the occurrence of false positives where a genuine transaction is blocked. This will improve the customer experience and help users build profitable relationships. Results will give users information to build their fraud profile, allowing them to identify exposure risks and fine tune processes over time. Users are encouraged to take this level of control and it doesnt call for the additional cost of consultancy services. Thats a different approach compared to many software solutions. ASSESS is a challenger product and costs less than traditional services currently dominant in sectors where fraud solutions have had time to take hold. By focusing on email address intelligence Email Hippo is able to deliver ASSESS as a scalable, cost-effective fraud prevention solution with a laser focus on the single thing all fraudsters must have online; an email address. A note about Email Hippo and data security Email Hippo is trusted by companies to process data securely. Its systems are accredited to the international quality standard ISO 27001. The company is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. Full information about the company security and compliance can be found here: http://www.emailhippo.com/compliance A second law broadens the definition of a hate crime to include symbols such as nooses and swastikas that are designed to intimidate someone. The law, years in the making, comes from a spate of incidents in Anne Arundel County, which has the highest concentration of hate crimes and hate bias incidents in the state. Violating the law carries a penalty of up to three years in jail and a $5,000 fine. South Africa: SA opens its borders to African travellers South Africa will reopen its international borders for travellers from the African continent from 1 October 2020. The decision to open up the countrys borders to Africa is in a bid to facilitate the free movement of people, goods and services from South Africa, SADC and the rest of the continent. Travellers from all African countries are allowed and must possess relevant travel documents, and will also be screened for COVID-19 symptoms. To allow ease of travel from the African countries, 18 borders will be opened. Thirty-five border posts will continue to offer restricted services due to insufficient capacity for screening, testing and quarantine, said International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor. The Minister - together with her colleagues from the Home Affairs, Transport and Tourism departments fleshed out details for international travel on Wednesday during a briefing on the easing of international travel restrictions. The briefing comes as South Africa moved to alert level 1 on 21 September 2020 as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Travellers who present themselves at borders which are unable to accommodate them will be directed to the currently operational border posts for processing. Daily commuters who reside in cross-border towns and those who are from neighbouring countries, including those with relevant work permits and school children and teachers, will be allowed to enter and exit the borders for work purposes. Commuters will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and where necessary will be subjected to quarantine and isolation. Furthermore, these commuters will be expected to wear facemasks, wash hands and sanitise regularly and practise social distancing measures. Sea port operations To facilitate the ease of transportation of goods and medicines to and from the country, ships will be allowed to dock, load and off-load cargo. Crew members from the cargo ships will be allowed to crew changes. These crew members will also be medically screened for COVID-19 symptoms. Passenger liners for luxury travel are still not allowed to dock and off-load passengers. We want to appeal to all travellers and tourists for cooperation and increased vigilance in observing all the health and hygiene protocols we have announced today so that we stop the spread of COVID-19. Even though we celebrate the reduced numbers of infections, there is still no vaccine to the virus. We should continue to protect ourselves and those who are close to us from the devastating effects of this pandemic. We call on international travellers to enjoy the diverse tourist attractions of this country and to meet our friendly hospitable people, said the Minister. To read the full list of high-risk countries click here. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Theres tremendous interest in the presidential election coupled with the fact that the Covid pandemic still has a number of people concerned about going to polls on election day, said Erie County Republican Elections Commissioner Ralph Mohr. Mail-in balloting is a lot easier than going to the polls. Youre able to vote early and get it out of the way and do your civic duty and I think people are taking advantage of that," Mohr added. Jeremy Zellner, the Democratic commissioner of the Erie County elections board, thought the absentee ballot applications requests the most ever would have been even higher. President Trump has repeatedly sought to sow doubts about the absentee ballot process in the United States in what has become a partisan fight over the U.S. Postal Service and the alternative to in-person voting. Demonstrators after being detained by police officers during a protest against the death of George Floyd in Mott Haven, the Bronx, on June 4 Demonstrators after being detained by police officers during a protest against the death of George Floyd in Mott Haven, the Bronx, on June 4, 2020 Credit - Gabriela BhaskarThe New York Times/Redux Dr. Mike Pappas was marching through the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx with hundreds of peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters on June 4 when he noticed a shift in behavior among the dozens of police officers who had been trailing them for the last hour. About 10 minutes before the start of an 8 p.m. citywide curfew, Pappas says a swarm of New York City police officers in riot gear rushed to form a wall at the end of the street. They held bikes against their bodies as barriers to prevent the 300 protesters from moving forward, while another line of officers closed in on them from behind. We had nowhere else to go, Pappas says. People started to realize they were trapped. Panic set in as police began pushing the protesters back and arresting them en masse. Some officers got on top of police cars and swung their batons downward as penned-in protesters crashed into each other and tried jumping over one another in an attempt to escape, according to Pappas and footage captured by several other witnesses. It was a purposeful trap, Pappas says. On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report claiming the NYPD had planned the June 4 assault and mass arrests of the demonstrators in Mott Haven, a predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood of the city. More complaints about use of force by police have been made in the neighborhoods precinct than in any of the citys other 76 precincts, HRW says. After interviewing 81 protesters and analyzing 155 videos, the global advocacy group said the crackdown was among the most aggressive police responses to protests in the U.S. since George Floyds May 25 death, and that it violated international human rights. It came out so clearly through the footage how unjustified and totally unnecessary this was, says Ida Sawyer, the reports lead researcher and acting director of HRWs Crisis and Conflict division. There was no provocation, no warning. Story continues Citywide, dozens of protesters testified in June about being shoved, kicked and violently wrangled by police, during a three-day public hearing held online by the New York attorney general. Some displayed cuts and bruises as they told investigators they were kicked in the jaw, thrown against brick walls and pushed off bikes. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea testified that hundreds of police officers were injured during the first few nights of protests as some demonstrators looted and threw bottles, bricks, trash cans and rocks at them. Others set fire to police vehicles and attacked precincts. Mike Pappas, a doctor, was arrested by NYPD earlier in the Bronx while working as a medic during the #FTP #BlackLivesMatter protest.Frontline workers like Mike were called "heroes" by Cuomo and DeBlasio a little over a week ago.#FTP #BlackLivesMatter #FreeHealthcareHeroes pic.twitter.com/9tDrt3ouTb Left Voice (@left_voice) June 5, 2020 A peaceful protest in Mott Haven last night ended in violence as police trapped the marchers on a side street and refused to let them leave. Besides protestors, members of the media, bystanders and legal observers were also arrested. pic.twitter.com/AfONeLtwnb Sophia Guida (@sguida2010) June 5, 2020 This was some of the worst rioting that occurred in our city in recent memory, Shea said, adding that its difficult for officers to avoid interacting with peaceful protesters while dealing with violent ones. At a June news conference addressing the Mott Haven crackdown, Shea said the NYPD had received information ahead of the protests, regarding the intent to destroy property, to injure cops, to cause mayhem. He said the NYPD had a plan, which was executed nearly flawlessly in the Bronx. In a statement to TIME about HRWs report, the NYPD said it has reviewed its response to protests and has enhanced training, but it did not elaborate. Despite identifying himself to police as a medic and wearing green scrubs, Pappas, 30, was among the more than 260 people arrested in Mott Haven on June 4. The Bronx District Attorneys office told TIME all summonses for violating curfew issued that night have been dismissed and any order to appear in court for an arraignment will also be thrown out. None of this had to happen, says Pappas, who was arrested for violating curfew. Nationwide, dozens of people have been beaten with batons, hit by cars, doused in pepper spray and critically wounded by rubber bullets, beanbag rounds and other non-lethal but dangerous weapons. More than 93% of Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S. have been peaceful, according to an analysis of more than 7,750 demonstrations between May 26 and Aug. 22 by the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Yet at least 115 protesters were shot in the head, face and neck with various projectiles, including bullets and tear gas canisters, between May 26 and July 27, according to a report by Physicians for Human Rights. The nonprofit health advocacy group compiled its data from news and medical reports, social media posts and lawsuits. Advocates warn the Mott Haven crackdown and other instances of alleged police misconduct could cost taxpayers millions of dollars in settlements from lawsuits. During the 2019 fiscal year, New York City taxpayers alone spent $220 million to settle more than 5,800 lawsuits filed against the NYPD, according to the latest data released by the city comptroller. That number could increase exponentially in 2020, a year which has seen the largest sustained mobilization in modern U.S. history. At least 98 Mott Haven protesters and observers have so far filed notice of their intent to sue the city, according to HRW. It just seems like an utter waste of a massive amount of resources in addition to, more importantly, the harm done to the protesters, Sawyer says. Rouhani was quoted by his office as telling Pashinian that the region cannot withstand instability and a new war." "It is important for us to stop this conflict and we expect the two countries to take a step in this direction with tact and restraint," he said, referring to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Rouhani said Iran has friendly relations with both South Caucasus nations and stands ready to play any constructive role in easing tensions between them. "We wish an urgent end to the conflict and we should all seek to resolve issues in the region through politics and international norms," he added. The Iranian president was also reported to say: Any foreign intervention in this matter will not only not help resolve the problem but also prolong the situation and make it more complicated. It was not clear if he referred to Turkeys vehement support for Azerbaijan which has led Armenia to accuse Ankara of participating in the continuing fighting on Azerbaijans side. The official Armenian readout of the phone call said Pashinian discussed the direct Turkish involvement with Rouhani. Prime Minister Pashinian presented some details of that, it said. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts following the outbreak on Sunday of the large-scale hostilities along the Karabakh line of contact adjacent to Iran. Zarif reportedly urged both sides to restore the ceasefire regime and resume peace talks. A Long Island man convicted of running a sex trafficking ring out of his elderly parents' sprawling suburban home was sentenced Tuesday to 9 years in prison and must register as a sex offender and spend five years under court supervision thereafter. Raymond Rodio III, 49, recruited women through social media, got them hooked on heroin or crack cocaine and forced them to have sex with men in the basement of the Sound Beach home or at nearby motels, Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said. Rodio operated the ring for about four years, victimized more than 20 women and forced some to use a bucket instead of a toilet when they needed a bathroom, according to the district attorney. Rodio was arrested in April 2019 and pleaded guilty in February to charges including sex trafficking, promoting prostitution and criminal sale of a controlled substance. However on Tuesday he tried to backtrack. 'Allow me to take back my plea,' Rodio urged the judge. 'This whole case is a disgrace to the cause of justice. This is a travesty of justice, that is what this is.' Scroll down for video Raymond Rodio III was sentenced Tuesday to 9 years in prison and thereafter he must register as a sex offender and spend 5 years under court supervision (pictured at his arraignment in April 2019) Rodio used the cellar as a makeshift sex dungeon (pictured) between December 2014 and February of last year. Rodio victimized more than 20 women and forced some to use a bucket instead of a toilet Prosecutors said Rodio's parents, both aged 74, likely were not aware of what was going on in their home on Lower Rocky Point Road in Sound Beach (pictured) Rodio called it 'absolutely ridiculous,' and 'based on statements of people with no credibility.' The prosecutor said he deserves every second of the sentence he got. 'This defendant had a sex dungeon in his parents' home and forced women into sex slavery,' Sini said. 'He got them addicted to drugs, he used their addiction to control them. He took their money to pay for their drugs. And he pled guilty. He pled guilty in February because the evidence was overwhelming.' Sini added: 'This case sends a clear message to those who are trafficking women and girls in this county: We will not stand for it.' Rodio's parents may have known 'something untoward' was going on, but not necessarily that their son was running a prostitution ring, Sini said. They were not charged with a crime. On Tuesday the mother of one victims, 20-year-old Danielle Saunders who died of an overdose last year, attended court in Riverside. She called Rodio a monster and spoke about how he branded his victims with cigarette butts. 'She got caught up. Caught up and made promises and hooked on drugs and shes gone. She cant come back from this,' Stacie Saunders told CBS 2. 'She was a beautiful person. She didnt deserve this.' Saunders wore a T-shirt with her daughter's image on it. 'My daughter passed away two months before he was finally arrested,' Saunders added. 'He is a disgusting person. He doesnt own up to what he has done and he deserves a lot longer than he got.' Her daughter Tiffany called Danielle a 'beautiful soul.' Police say he kept the women's earnings for himself and used them to buy crack cocaine for himself. Pictured is his parents' basement in Sound Beach, New York (pictured) Rodio pleaded guilty in February but on Tuesday he tried to backtrack calling the case a 'travesty of justice,' 'absolutely ridiculous,' and 'based on statements of people with no credibility' On Tuesday the mother of one victims, 20-year-old Danielle Saunders who died of an overdose last year, attended court in Riverside. 'My daughter passed away two months before he was finally arrested,' Stacie Saunders said According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, in August 2018, police pulled over Rodio during a routine traffic stop and discovered a suspected victim of human trafficking in his car. A subsequent investigation uncovered that the woman had been forced into prostitution by Rodio in the spring of 2018. Further investigation by the Suffolk Police Human Trafficking Investigations Unit and the District Attorney's Office's Human Trafficking Team revealed that Rodio was trafficking women out of the basement of his parents' home on Lower Rocky Point Road in Sound Beach since December 2014. Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said Rodio used social media to lure some 22 women in their 20s, got them addicted to heroin and crack cocaine by initially offering them the drugs free of charge, and then forced them to have sex for money. Rodio III, who has a son and a daughter of his own, in November 2015 appeared on Suffolk County's Non-Paying Parents List If the women refused to comply, Rodio withheld drugs from them, or threatened them with violence. According to prosecutors, Rodio also plied the women with drugs to impair their judgement. Acting as the women's pimp, Rodio advertised their services on websites like Backpage.com and Craigslist.com, kept much or all of the women's earnings for himself, and used the money to support his own crack cocaine habit. According to officials, the women were locked for extended periods of time in Rodio's makeshift sex dungeon in the basement, which did not have a shower or a toilet. None of the women that Rodio had preyed on were arrested in connection to the prostitution case, but they will be receiving counseling. Video shot by News 12 Long Island inside the cellar showed a bed covered with a colorful duvet, several leather cushions and decorative animal skins hanging on the wall. 'The door to the basement has an exterior lock to which Rodio had the only key,' a press release from the district attorney's office stated. 'In addition to the house, Rodio also allegedly forced the victims to perform prostitution at various motels throughout Suffolk County.' Rodio's mother, Nancy Rodio, earlier denied that her son had used her basement as a brothel. 'There was nothing going on in my house,' she said. Rodio's father, Raymond Rodio Jr, said his son has battled drug addiction for many years. The elder Rodio said he tried to get his son help, but his efforts failed. Rodio III has a son and a daughter of his own. In November 2015, his name appeared on Suffolk County's Non-Paying Parents List, revealing that he owed more than $50,000 in child support payments. Rodio's father, Raymond Rodio Jr (left), said his son has battled drug addiction for many years. Rodio's parents may have known 'something untoward' was going on, but not necessarily that their son was running a prostitution ring, the DA said On Thursday, October 1, at 10.00 the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "How to Reduce State Budget Deficit by Eliminating Corruption Schemes at State Agro Enterprise. An Example of One Enterprise in Chernihiv Region." The participants: the MP of the ninth convocation from the Servant of the People party, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy Pavlo Khalimon, the Director of the state enterprise Experimental Farm Ivkivtsi of Remeslo Myronivka Institute of Wheat of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Oleh Pischenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). The press conference will be available on the Youtube channel of the Interfax-Ukraine agency. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot. L iverpool have confirmed that summer signing Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for coronavirus. The 29-year-old, who joined the Premier League champions from Bayern Munich earlier this month, will now self-isolate. Liverpool released a statement on Tuesday evening which read: "Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines. "The club has, and will continue to follow, all protocols relating to COVID-19 and Thiago will remain in self-isolation for the required period of time." The Spaniard's former club also sent a message of support, tweeting: Thiago made his Liverpool debut in their 2-0 Premier League win at Chelsea but missed Monday's 3-1 victory over Arsenal, with boss Jurgen Klopp saying he was not fit enough. "After the international break, he will be fine," the German told Sky Sports. "For sure and that's the situation at the moment, he isn't fit enough to be available tonight and that's it." Additional reporting by PA. CARLINVILLE In a July 7 ruling, Circuit Court Judge April Troemper declared that Illinois Alluvial Regional Water Co. Inc. a private company begun by Carlinville and a handful of smaller communities was created in violation of the law and is a void corporation. On July 22 the Secretary of State dissolved the corporation. Yet the city resisted, requesting a stay on the judges order as it continued to pursue the water project while the case is under appeal. But the stay was denied by both the circuit court and the appellate court. As a result, Illinois Alluvial Regional Water Co. no longer exists. We still have another case in the appellate court, so were not really at liberty to talk about whats going on right now, until we see what happens with the court, Carlinville Mayor Deanna Demuzio said. In October 2018 the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a $24 million grant and $42 million loan to the private company to fund the project. The projects cost was estimated at $66 million by the citys engineering company, MECO-Heneghan. The status of these awards, now that the company no longer exists, is not known. Carlinville resident Bill Armstrong has been a critic of the citys choice to form Illinois Alluvial Regional Water Co. from the beginning. He regularly attends City Council meetings on the subject. The city risks running out of water, Armstrong said. Carlinville Lake is the citys existing source of water, he explained. It has not been dredged in decades, and is so silted in, that boating is no longer permitted not even canoes are allowed for fear they will stir up the mud. In the face of this problem, the city began searching for alternative water sources approximately eight years ago. The city of Litchfield, 12 miles away, offered to sell water to the city of Carlinville for $2.73 per 1,000 gallons, less than the city makes its own water and less than the rates estimated by the proposed private project. Litchfield offered a 40-year contract. All the city would have to do is run a pipe to Litchfield to pick it up, Armstrong said. Furthermore, the project was to get alluvial water from wells it would dig in Jerseyville, much farther away. Many residents supported this as a much simpler, quicker and lower-cost answer to Carlinvilles water problems, as did the Macoupin County Board and Prairie Farms Dairy Inc., the citys largest water user. But the city instead sponsored the creation of the now discredited Illinois Alluvial Regional Water Co. The legal problems started when the city decided to pursue the water project through a private corporation instead of through a water district, a water commission or one of other entities that the Illinois Constitution specifies. Illinois Alluvial Regional Water Co. Inc. leadership also prohibited the public from attending its meetings, including the citys own aldermen except for Alderman Cindy Campbell, who was appointed to represent the city on the companys board. Thereafter, a handful of aldermen said they felt excluded from information on the water project and they kept the issue alive in front of the public, Armstrong noted. In short order, Carlinville residents Camille and Wayne Brotze sued the city of Carlinville for creating a private company that was not subject to the states Sunshine rules to provide its water. The city is appealing the circuit courts decision, which will delay the resolution of Carlinvilles water problems and could put the city further behind in securing a reliable, sustainable water source. The city-county consolidated government in Indianapolis has selected a new CIO, promoting from within its ranks IT staffer Elliott Patrick.As new head of the Information Services Agency, Patrick replaces former CIO Ken Clark, who served in the position for more than four years between 2016 and January. Patrick has been serving as interim CIO since January, when Clark left to become city controller, according to Inside Indiana Business Patrick is the agency's first Black CIO,reports.Before his recent promotion, Patrick served in a variety of roles for ISA, starting as a business services consultant in 2014. Between then and now, Patrick also served as chief financial officer and then chief operating officer, according to his LinkedIn . He also has substantial private-sector experience having previously been employed with public accounting tech firm Crowe Horwath for more than eight years.Throughout his time with the city, Patrick facilitated a number of initiatives including his recent effort as interim CIO to transition the city-county enterprise to telework.He holds a degree in accounting from the University of Notre Dame. Ive been staring at the Aura Strap on my wrist for a while now, trying to work out if I like this device or not. On paper, I can see the logic for such a device existing, and in theory I can see people using it to help them reach their goals. But in practice, it exists squarely in the nice to have, rather than essential category. And, even then, its hard to make a case for why you should own one. Aura got its start on Kickstarter, promising a wearable that could tell you more about your body than the competition. It pitched a device that used bioimpedance to unlock the secrets of your body composition, telling you your hydration and lean mass. Essentially, taking the tech from your fancy bathroom scales and attaching it to your wrist. Thats a fine idea, since it enables people to get some deeper insights into whats going on in their body. It would be nice to know if were feeling the signs of dehydration, and what our lean mass is on a regular basis. It comes in two forms: A standalone band, and the version Ive been testing, which replaces the strap on your Apple Watch. Since the Aura Strap cant connect to the Watch directly, taking a reading is a little more involved. You open the app on your Watch, and then hit a button on the side of the Strap hardware itself. You then need to create a circuit with your opposite hand, pushing the fleshy part of your palm below the thumb (the abductor pollicis brevis, anatomy enthusiasts) across the two contacts. The Strap hardware then emits a dialup-modem-esque sound, which your Watch microphone picks up on and analyzes. All of this information flies over to the iOS app, displaying the percentage (and calculated) weight of each data point. For instance, the reading I just took told me that I am 47.1 percent hydrated, 50 percent muscle and 34 percent fat. Dont worry math fans, those figures arent meant to add up to 100. Daniel Cooper Aura says that the watch cant be relied upon for completely accurate day-to-day measurements and instead asks you to look at the long-term trend. Put simply, dont start waving those figures in front of a doctor, but if the numbers start going up -- or down -- then you can trust in them. And this is where the strap falls down a bit, because those figures can vary a lot depending on how you measure. This is, as the companys representatives told me, an issue in both training folks to use the device better and ensuring that the system is getting accurate measurements. Aura says that an update, due to be pushed in the next couple of weeks, will greatly improve accuracy and help filter out bad measurements. And, fair enough, well have to come back to this in future and see if things dramatically improve. What is less compelling is that the app doesnt seem very interested or able in communicating these things to the users. Depending on your age and weight, you should (very broadly) be aiming for around a 50 percent hydration level on a regular day. So when the app tells me Im 37.1 percent, or 67.5 percent hydrated, surely it should be telling me to grab a drink or, in the latter case, slow down a bit. I will say that knowing what my potential lean mass could be, and having that as a target to work toward, is a good motivator. But in an ideal world, it would be nice if the device on my wrist could monitor that in real-time, rather than making it a regular task to complete. The fact that those measurements, too, bounce around a little too much reduces my confidence in the product a little as well. Ill come back to this device when the update is pushed, but for now, Im not sure its a piece of gear anyone really needs. Wonky figures and a less-than-perfect mobile app make me feel like this needs a little more refinement before anyone should invest. But, if you want to try it for yourself, you can buy the Strap here for $119, with shipping due on September 30th. Indian police were accused Wednesday of cremating the body a teenaged "untouchable" Dalit woman against her family's wishes after she died following an alleged gang-rape by four upper-caste men -- the latest sexual assault to shock the country. The 19-year-old from India's marginalised Dalit community was left paralysed following a brutal attack two weeks ago in fields outside a village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. She was found lying in a pool of blood after going missing while collect fodder outside her home village of Bool Gahri. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was later taken to hospital in New Delhi, around 200 kilometres (120 miles) away, but died Tuesday from her injuries. The assault comes months after four men were hanged for the brutal 2012 gang rape and murder of a student on a bus in Delhi, a case that came to symbolise the nation's problems with sexual violence. The latest attack sparked anger that was further fuelled Wednesday after the woman's family accused police of cremating her body in the dead of night -- against their wishes and religious custom -- raising doubts about their commitment to a proper investigation. "I wasn't even allowed to see the body of my daughter one final time before they burned it," her mother told reporters Wednesday. Four men have been arrested in connection with the attack -- all aged in their 20s and 30s -- with an Indian newspaper reporting one was from a wealthy landowning family feared by the community. He "creates trouble but no one ever says anything," the Indian Express quoted a villager as saying. "He drinks, harasses women. Everyone is scared of the family." Police chief Vikrant Vir insisted the woman's cremation took place with the family's consent, but added: "We did not want any outsider to create law and order disturbances." - 'Caste supremacy' - The All India Progressive Women's Association said the police action "reeks of caste supremacy". Story continues India's 200 million "untouchable" Dalits have long faced discrimination and abuse, and campaigners say attacks on them have increased during the coronavirus pandemic. The attack has sparked uproar and lit up social media in India, with politicians, Bollywood personalities, cricket stars and rights activists voicing anger. Nearly 90 rape cases were recorded every day last year, according to data released Tuesday by the National Crime Records Bureau, but vastly more assaults are thought to go unreported. On Wednesday several dozen protesters were detained outside the heavily barricaded Uttar Pradesh government offices. "We are getting reports of rape cases non-stop, this isn't the first one," protester Jaideep told AFP. "In this one there was so much pressure from the upper castes that the police didn't register a case for eight days." In Bool Gahri Wednesday, there was a heavy police presence with barricades and police at every corner as dozens of TV crews scrambled to interview relatives and locals. ja-bb-stu/fox PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund (NYSE: AWP) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, today announced that it paid on September 30, 2020, a distribution of US $0.04 per share to all shareholders of record as of September 21, 2020 (ex-dividend date September 18, 2020). Your Fund's distribution policy is to provide investors with a stable monthly distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital. Under U.S. tax rules applicable to the Fund, the amount and character of distributable income for each fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related Rules, the Fund may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders. The following table sets forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the Rules adopted thereunder. The table has been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The table includes estimated amounts and percentages for this distribution and for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date (11/01/2019 - 08/31/2020), from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated composition of the distributions may vary from month to month because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies. Estimated Amounts of Current Monthly Distribution per share ($) Estimated Amounts of Current Monthly Distribution per share (%) Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per share ($) Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per share (%) Net Investment Income $0.0144 36% $0.1584 36% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains* - - - - Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains - - - - Return of Capital $0.0256 64% $0.2816 64% Total (per common share) $0.0400 100% $0.4400 100% *includes currency gains The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy"). The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions in 2020 will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The following table provides information regarding the Fund's total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Fund's annualized and cumulative distribution rates. Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 08/31/20201 5.76% Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV2 8.39% Fiscal Year to Date (11/01/2019 to 08/31/2020) Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 (15.13%) Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 6.99% 1Return data is net of all fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of August 31, 2020. While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2010, the Fund may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Fund during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Fund, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the terms of the distribution policy. The final determination of the source of all distributions will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report distributions for federal income tax purposes. The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. The Fund's Board of Directors has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Standard Life Investments (Corporate Funds) Ltd. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the NAV of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. If you If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected] aberdeenawp.com SOURCE Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund Related Links http://aberdeenawp.com GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Relatives of Breonna Taylor have thrown their support behind a proposal to commemoratively designate a downtown Grand Rapids street after their loved one, who was killed by Louisville police earlier this year. But the proposal has drawn some opposition, with a few people expressing to city commissioners that the Black emergency medical technician doesnt deserve the honor. The comments largely in support of designating Monroe Center Street NW after Taylor were heard during a public hearing before the Grand Rapids City Commission on Tuesday, Sept. 29. The street that would be designated in Taylors honor is located next to Rosa Parks Circle. Some in support of the designation said it was a proper way to honor Taylor and be a reminder of the unjust killing of Black people. Some in support claimed Taylor doesnt rise to the level of those like Rosa Parks who are already honored in the city. The move to designate the street was made by Justice for Black Lives, a racial justice nonprofit. City commissioners will decide the designation question at their next meeting on Oct. 13. If approved, Monroe Center Street between Monroe Avenue and Division Avenue would be designated Breonna Taylor Way. Taylor, a Grand Rapids native, was shot and killed in her home in March by Louisville police, sparking widespread protests against police brutality and racial injustice. Police entered Taylors apartment on a no-knock warrant and shot her six times after her boyfriend, thinking the officers were intruders, fired a warning shot at them that hit one officer in the leg. Officers fired 32 shots in response. Officers did not find any drugs in her apartment. The person targeted by the warrant did not live there and was already in police custody. No officers were criminally charged with her death. Taylors cousin Tawanna Gordon told city commissioners she supports the designation. She said it was fitting that the street is next to Rosa Parks Circle, as both women sparked civil rights demonstrations and movements. There has been a call for justice that African Americans and brown-skinned individuals receive the same justice as our Caucasian Americans, Gordon said. Taylors death has sparked numerous demonstrations around the U.S. and in Grand Rapids. Demonstrations continued after the announcement last week that no officers would be charged with her death. Related: Its negligence, Breonna Taylors cousin speaks in Grand Rapids after ruling Some opposed to the designation blamed Taylors boyfriend for her death. One person made vague aspersions about Taylors lifestyle and said that she doesnt belong among those honored in the city like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Her life does not epitomize anything that I would want any of our youth to look up to, the caller said. Her death was tragic and horrible, however it does not give us any reason to revere her as a hero in any way. Still more took issue that the designation was being brought forward by Justice for Black Lives because, they said, the group does not support President Donald Trump. The political views of the organization has nothing to do with whether or not Breonna Taylor should be honored. She was a front-line worker and deserves to be honored, said Alyssa Bates, president of Justice for Black Lives. This is her home. Shes from Grand Rapids and a lot of her family still lives here. "Breonna belonged to a family, a family that will never be the same. And the least the city can do is give them an honorary road that she can be remembered by in the city she was born in. The majority of those that called in Tuesday expressed support for the designation, saying it would honor Taylor and stand as a reminder of the unjust killings of Black people in the United States. By doing this, I believe that we make a statement that Grand Rapids will not forget," one caller said. "As a city we must not miss this opportunity to show her family and the children being raised here that Breonnas murder has sparked a movement that will inspire people from every walk of life to be unified to end racism. "Our country is at a reckoning point. Weve lost too many black and brown lives due to the systems, policies and practices that led to her death. The designation wouldnt change the streets actual name but would allow for signage to indicate the commemorative designation. Grand Rapids has at least nine other roadways with commemorative designations and associated signage. The designations are Roberta Hunter Memorial Way, Museum Row, Historic Cobblestone Hill, Dirk Vlug Way, Cesar Chavez Way, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Veterans Memorial Bridge, Officer Bob Kozminski Way and Medical Mile. Read more: Hundreds of rentable electric scooters come to downtown Grand Rapids Grand Rapids leaders decide future marijuana businesses wont be near youth centers Outdoor fires, heaters and tents could mark outdoor winter dining in Grand Rapids 'Cold' case: Javier Martinez-Aguilar, 42, has been charged with endangering a child and criminal negligence for allegedly letting his 13-year-old stepdaughter drive him to get ice cream while he was drunk A Texas father's drunken food craving has landed him behind bars after police say he let his 13-year-old stepdaughter drive him to get ice cream. Javier Martinez-Aguilar, 42, from Lubbock, was indicted on Tuesday on felony charges of endangering a child and criminal negligence stemming from his alcohol-fueled father-daughter outing earlier this month. According to police, on September 9, an officer pulled over an SUV in the 2500 block of Avenue Q after it failed to yield the right of way to a patrol vehicle, nearly causing a crash, reported EverythingLubbock.com. The responding officer approached the vehicle and found a 13-year-old girl behind the wheel, with her purportedly worse-for-wear stepfather in the passenger seat. Police pulled over Martinez-Aguilar's SUV operated by the child on Avenue Q in Lubbock after the girl failed to yield the right of way to a patrol car When asked what she was doing, the teen allegedly replied that 'she was driving her stepfather to get ice cream because he was drunk,' an arrest report stated. Police said that Martinez-Aguilar was so inebriated that he had a difficult time taking his driver's license out of his wallet. The stepfather with the sweet tooth was booked into the county jail but was later released on bond. Police let his stepdaughter go and she was taken home by her older sister. Reportage Properties, a leading real estate developer, has launched a special offer for its projects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, including exemption from service fees for 10 years as well as paying 10% as a down payment, and instalments of 1.5% monthly payment for a period of 50 months. Reportage is developing 10 projects that provide about 4000 housing units within the most important investment sites in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The projects in Dubai include the "Alexis Tower", which was launched this year in Downtown Jebel Ali in Dubai. It provides 378 luxury residential units, and is expected to be delivered by the last quarter of 2022. On the Abu Dhabi developments, Reportage said it was developing two projects, one is Al Raha Loft 1, which provides 178 housing units, and Al Raha Loft 2, which adds 124 residential units. Both projects, located in Al Raha Beach area, are expected to be handed over during the first half of 2021. In Masdar City, Reportage is developing Oasis Residence 1 project, which provides 612 apartments, and is expected to be handed over during the second quarter of 2021. Oasis Residence 2, which provides about 304 housing units, is expected to be handed over during the second quarter of 2022. There is also "The Gate" project, which provides about 463 apartments. On the new scheme, COO Islam Ahmed Suleiman said: "The availability of sufficient liquidity and the stability of our financial position enhanced the opportunities for launching attractive offers to buyers, with the option of payment after hand over." "The company offers several options to buyers such as 10% down payment, 90% after hand over, or 20% in advance and 80% after hand over, both options benefit from a 5% discount, as well as exemption from service fees for 10 years in the company's projects in Dubai," he explained. Reportage Properties is organizing a sales event for Rakan Tower today (September 26) at The Westin Dubai Mina Beach Resort till 7 pm. Rakan Tower, scheduled to be completed and delivered by the last quarter of 2022, provides about 488 residential units. Studio prices start from Dhs280,000 ,one-room apartments from Dhs390,000 , and the two-room apartment start from Dhs600,000. Highlighting the importance of the recent launch of Rakan Tower, Suleiman said the project is being developed in cooperation with Continental Investment within the Dubailand area. The launch of the Rakan Tower, he stated, came after the company's success in achieving good sales from the first phase of "Rakan Lofts", which was launched at the end of last year, and included 349 residential villas, while the second phase includes about 305 villas. The Maria Vista project is also being developed on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, and provides 786 housing units. It is scheduled to be handed over in mid 2024. Last year, Reportage completed the handover of 177-unit Leonardo Residence project in Masdar City featuring 122 studios, 48 one-, 16 two- and one three-room apartments. The project was constructed over a 4,250- sq-m area. Suleiman said the company was interested in launching a number of innovative promotional offers that take into account the conditions of the real estate market at the current times, as well as discounts on some units when buying in cash. This also comply with the requirements of the competent authorities, by paying money into the escrow account, he added.-TradeArabia News Service TikTok on Tuesday launched a US election guide as part of an effort to battle misinformation on the wildly popular video-sharing app that the White House has targeted for a ban. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other internet platforms have all ramped up efforts to provide users reliable news and avoid being used to mislead voters during a contentious US election. TikToks in-app guide provides links to voter registration pages and access to election information from sources such as the National Association of Secretaries of State and BallotReady, according to head of US public policy Michael Beckerman. Our goal is to keep TikTok a place where authentic content can thrive, and our elections guide reflects our ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of our platform and the US elections, Beckerman said in a blog post. The guide can be accessed from a Discover page in the TikTok app and will appear on election-related search results, according to Beckerman. It will also be linked at the bottom of videos related to the election or on verified political accounts, he said. On TikTok were seeing how people, especially younger voters, are passionate about important issues and are ready to make their voices heard, BallotReady chief executive Alex Niemczewski said in the release. Younger voters often do not realize everything that will appear on their ballot, and we believe that TikTok can help them vote their entire ballot. - Voting information - MediaWise at the Poynter Institute will post a series of videos on TikTok aimed at teaching first-time voters how to spot bogus information online, according to program manager Katy Byron. We are excited to partner with TikTok to help teach their community how to sort fact from fiction online, Byron said. The election guide makes its debut as TikTok battles to stop a ban ordered by US President Donald Trump. The company has challenged the ban in court as being capricious and politically motivated. A US judge who stopped a ban on TikTok downloads from kicking in on Monday said that Trump likely overstepped the law with the attempted move. District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok, which the White House has called a national security threat stemming from its Chinese parent firms links to the Beijing government. The government order sought to ban new downloads of the app from midnight on Sunday. A second phase of the ban aimed at stopping TikTok operations in the US is set to take effect on November 12. Government lawyers have argued the president has a right to take national security actions, and said the ban was needed because of TikToks links to the Chinese government through its parent firm ByteDance. Were encouraging voters that by mid-October, the third week in October, if you still have that ballot in your hand, go to an early voting site, come to a location where we have one of our secure drop boxes, and just drop it in there, just to make sure your vote is received by us and is counted, Hernandez said at a news conference to kick off the early voting. Facet Wealth, a Baltimore, MD-based fintech company, raised $25m in Series B funding. The round was led by global investment firm Warburg Pincus, with participation from other existing investors. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate market expansion in response to the rapid growth of the product. Led by Anders Jones, co-founder and CEO, Facet Wealth provides comprehensive financial planning services focusing on developing long-term, fiduciary relationships between clients and financial planner professionals. The company also provides a Financial Wellness offering for employers seeking to empower their employees with comprehensive financial guidance. Facet Wealth already has pre-launch partnerships with leading employers including ClassPass, MyVest and ChiliPiper The company is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with professionals located across the United States. To date, Facet Wealth has raised $62m in funding from Warburg Pincus, Slow Ventures and others. FinSMEs 30/09/2020 The province has released $437.4 million in new highways projects in its 2020 Fall Tender, the largest in Saskatchewan history. The province says the new projects will stimulate the economy and improve the safety and reliability of a number of highways across the province. Our government is excited to announce a number of great highways projects in this years record Fall Tender schedule, Highways and Infrastructure Minister Greg Ottenbreit said. We have listened to industry and put the tender schedule out earlier than ever before, which mitigates the risk of rising prices and ensures the best value for the taxpayer. Putting projects on the market earlier also gives contractors time to plan for the upcoming construction season. For the last several years, our industry has been asking the provincial government to release the Fall Tender Schedule earlier, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association President Shantel Lipp said. This is the earliest the Fall Tender Schedule has been released and it will help our industry plan much more effectively and ensure gravel is where it needs to be for the start of the construction season next May. The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure publishes tender plans in the spring and fall so industry may prepare to bid on upcoming projects. Passing lanes highlight the package which includes the completion of a multi-year, multi-passing lane project on Highway 7 from Saskatoon to the Saskatchewan/Alberta border. Additional highlights include: Highway 8 resurfacing near Rocanville; Highway 16 passing lanes from Springside to Saltcoats; Highway 16 passing lanes from Saltcoats to the Manitoba border. Various culverts and bridge rehabilitations and replacements. Highways 8 and 308 The work on Highway 8 and Highway 308 will be advertised for tender in October. The work includes 27.71 km of paving The project includes about 11.5 km on Highway 308 from the intersection of Highway 8, said Steve Shaheen of Saskatchewan Highways. It also includes paving from Rocanville to about 16 km north. Highway 8 between Highway 308 and Rocanville is not currently planned. No other paving on Highway 8 is in the plans right now. There is not anything else to announce right now, said Shaheen. The ministry will continue to monitor and prioritize the remainder of the corridor for future work. Passing lanes on Highway 16 The passing lanes along Highway 16 will be tendered in February 2021. The Highway 16 passing lanes project is still in the design phase, said Shaheen. The section of highway from Yorkton to the Saskatchewan/Manitoba hasnt been finalized, but initially it is looking at three to four sets (6-8 passing lanes). In total, the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is planning for up to 12 sets (24 passing lanes) from east of Saskatoon (Clavet where the current twinning begins) to the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border. The distance between passing lanes is typically 10-14 km (in the same direction), however a number of factors need to be taken into consideration such as community accesses and geography. Typically, they position passing lanes where there arent good passing opportunities. While the first tender advertisements for the fall 2020 tenders are underway, start dates for construction will depend on when the tender is awarded, contractor availability and weather. All tenders are available at www.sasktenders.ca. The Government of Saskatchewan will improve more than 1,000 km of provincial highways this year, the first of its 10-year Growth Plan goal to build and upgrade 10,000 km of highways. The province has invested more than $9.8 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 15,800 km of Saskatchewan highways. A four-year-old born without ears is hoping reconstructive surgery will help her feel like every other little girl. Harriet Sanders, four, (pictured) was born without ears or ear canals Harriet Sanders from Tarragindi in Brisbane's south has a rare congenital condition known as bilateral microtia and atresia. She does not have ears or ear canals on either side of her head. Her father Jay Sanders said she seemed like a perfectly healthy baby when she was delivered. 'When she was born she came out and as little babies are they are all squashed and you don't really think much of it you think oh cool I've got a beautiful girl,' he said. But he said it wasn't long before they discovered something was wrong. Harriet was fitted with hearing aids at three weeks old and developed like any other normal child Her father Jay Sanders (pictured with Harriet) said she seemed like a perfectly healthy baby when she was delivered 'I remember looking at her side and thinking one ear is all scrunched up and the other side looks a little bare and I thought that's a bit strange,' he said. 'No-one could tell us what the story was, the doctors didn't really know much and Anna and I had to sleep on it for 24 hours until an ENT came the next day and said this is what has happened.' Harriet was fitted with hearing aids at three weeks old and developed like any other child. But her parents are fighting to get expensive reconstructive surgery so she can look and feel like a normal four-year-old girl. The operation to construct and surgically attach the 3D printed ears would take between 10 to 12 hours. But her parents Anna and Jay Sanders (pictured together with Harriet) are fighting to get expensive reconstructive surgery so she can feel like a normal four-year-old girl To cover the costs they have reached out to the community through crowdfunding platform GoFundme 'This operation will mean she can go to school and go through life looking like everyone else, with no physical deformity,' Mother Anna Sanders said. 'It will give her a huge amount of confidence.' 'For her to be able to wear sunglasses, and to look like a normal kid- to push her hair behind her ears- they are simple little things that she doesn't get to do today,' Mr Sanders said. The family faces being left $70,000 out of pocket even with private health insurance and Medicare footing part of the surgery bill. They have reached out to the community through crowdfunding platform Gofundme to help cover the costs. The family has raised more than $56,000 of their $70,000 goal since launching the fundraiser on September 3. Her parents are fighting to get expensive reconstructive surgery so she can feel like a normal four-year-old girl They say they are 'truly overwhelmed' by the support and generosity of strangers across Australia. 'We want to thank each and every one of you that have very generously donated and your kind words. We really do appreciate your support so much,' they wrote on GoFundme. 'We are so grateful and excited that Harriet's dream of having ears is getting much closer.' The surgery will be performed by Dr Joe Dusseldorp, known to his patients as Dr Joe. He will construct new ears using a 3D printer constructed with tiny holes which allow tissue to grow into it. The scaffolding is then covered with skin grafts so it looks like normal ears. South Africa: SA re-opens its borders to international traveller amid restrictions Guided by the World Health Organisations regulations, South Africa will gradually re-open some its international borders from 1 October 2020 after a six-month closure to manage COVID-19 infection rates. Business and some leisure travel will take precedence as the country welcomes international travellers in a staggered approach. Travellers intending to visit the country will be expected to produce a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test that is not older than 72 hours from the time of departure from the country of origin to South Africa. This test must be conducted by a certified medical practitioner and should have the name and signature of the practitioner who conducted such test, said International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor. The Minister - together with her colleagues from the Home Affairs, Transport and Tourism departments - fleshed out details for international travel on Wednesday, during a briefing on the easing of international travel restrictions. The briefing comes as South Africa moved to alert level 1 on 21 September 2020 as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Expanding on the requirements for international travel, Pandor said upon arrival in the port of entry, travellers will be screened for any COVID-19 symptoms or for contact with people who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus. Travellers will also need to provide an address as proof of accommodation should they need to self-quarantine at the time of arrival in the country. Should the traveller display any COVID-19related symptoms or have been in contact with an infected person, they will be expected to take a mandatory COVID-19 test. This test will be at the travellers cost, said Pandor. If the COVID-19 test comes back positive, the traveller will be subjected to a 10-day quarantine at a designated site. The accommodation at a quarantine site will be at the travellers cost. High, medium and low risk countries To effectively deal with travellers, South Africa developed a risk categorisation model for different international travellers. This model classifies international travellers according to a scale of high, medium and low risk. High-risk travellers are those who come from countries with higher numbers of COVID-19 infections and reported deaths compared to South Africa. Medium risk travellers are from countries with relatively equal number of infections and death toll to South Africa and low risk travellers obviously originate from countries with lesser number of infections of COVID-19 and death toll than South Africa. Leisure travellers from high risk countries will not be permitted. The exception will be business travellers with scarce and critical skills including diplomats, repatriated persons, investors and people participating in professional sporting and cultural events will undergo the same health protocol screenings, said the Minister. The list of high-risk countries is set to be reviewed every two weeks. If the passport of the traveller from a high-risk country indicates that he/she has spent 10 days or more in a low risk country before departure, he/she will be considered to be arriving from a low risk country. Travellers from medium and low risk countries will only be allowed into the country subject to the prevailing visa requirements. Airlines from high-risk countries are not necessarily banned, but their crew will be required to isolate in facilities at designated accommodation at the cost of their employer. Long-term visa holders who visit the country for business purposes will be allowed to travel to South Africa. These travellers will also be subject to health screenings for COVID-19 symptoms at the port of entry. Three airports open for travel by air Three airports will be opened and operational for international air travel. These airports are OR Tambo International, Cape Town International (in Cape Town, Western Cape) and King Shaka International in (Durban, KwaZulu-Natal). To read the full list of high-risk countries click here. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. U.S. Attorney David Anderson has been recused from the federal fraud case against former San Francisco building Commissioner Rodrigo Santos because his wife, Recreation and Park Commissioner Kat Anderson, contracted with Santos to work on the rebuilding of a cottage she independently owns in the Bayview. U.S. attorney office spokesman Abraham Simmons said Anderson initiated the recusal, and it was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice. Simmons declined to give the date the recusal was granted or any other specifics. Anderson declined comment as well. Anderson has no financial interest in his wifes property, nor does his name appear on paperwork associated with the rebuilding project. Santos is charged with bank fraud for allegedly pocketing $478,000 in funds, including 192 checks that were supposed to go to permit fees. The fraud allegations came to light in a civil action filed by City Attorney Dennis Herrera in September 2018. That suit accuses Santos and his engineering firm, Santos & Urrutia Associates, of sidestepping city permit requirements for excavations on three properties to save time and money. The citys civil suit was later updated to add six more properties and the check fraud claims. The information uncovered by the city attorney was forwarded to the U.S. attorney and became the basis for the federal criminal case brought in May. Santos has denied the charges. Kat Anderson said she hired Santos in 2019 on the suggestion of her contractor. That information was first reported by Mission Local. The cottage is located at 5114 Third St., behind Word A Cafe, which Anderson co-owns. An accessory dwelling unit project behind my Bayview cafe required a structural engineer, and my general contractor selected Santos, Urrutia, she said. Accessory dwelling units are commonly known as in-law units or granny flats and are generally small residences either within a larger structure or on the same lot. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle Anderson said she prepaid Santos about $3,500. I knew him through politics, as well, Anderson said of Santos. Santos was appointed to the citys Building Inspection Commission by Mayor Willie Brown in 2000 and was promoted to commission president by Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2004. He left the commission in 2005 and was appointed by Mayor Ed Lee to the City College Board of Trustees in 2012. Kat Anderson was appointed by Mayor Lee in 2016 and is active in local Democratic politics. She is also secretary of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, Local 39521 of the NewsGuild, which represents members of The Chronicles staff. On March 23, more than a year after Herrera accused Santos of improper business practices, Kat Anderson submitted a letter to the San Francisco Planning Department authorizing Santos and Urrutia Structural Engineers to act as agents to help acquire a code variance for the Bayview property. Anderson wanted to rebuild the cottage. Three months after the federal charges were filed, Santos was listed as the agent for the building permits on the Third Street project. We didnt want to start over when we learned Santos was charged, Anderson said. The work was almost done. He was honest and accurate, and he finished despite COVID delays. Anderson said there had been some discussion with the contractor about Santos legal troubles, but the feeling was everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Plus, there was no evidence that Santos had done anything improper on the Bayview job. Santos lawyer, Randall Knox, said his client did everything by the book on the Anderson project. The public record speaks for itself, Knox said. The neighborhood was in favor of the project. Knox said he had not been informed about David Andersons recusal from the federal case. The Santos case will be handled by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Reeves. Andersons recusal is the latest twist in the ongoing corruption investigation, which has put a spotlight on a pay-to-play culture in San Francisco City Hall. The investigation has already resulted in guilty pleas from restaurateur Nick Bovis and influential San Francisco contractor and permit consultant Walter Wong both are cooperating with federal authorities. Federal search warrants have also been served on the Public Utilities Commission and Public Works Department. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported guilty pleas in the City Hall corruption investigation. Former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru has not pleaded guilty. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KGO-TV morning and evening news and can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning an enforcement operation next month that would target arrests in cities and jurisdictions that have embraced sanctuary policies, according to a new report. U.S. officials told the Washington Post that the operation, known informally as the sanctuary op, could begin as early as this week in California before moving on to cities including Denver and Philadelphia. The officials called the plan more of a political messaging campaign than a major ICE operation, as the agency already focuses on immigration violators with criminal records and most arrests fly under-the-radar. While ICE agents in sanctuary jurisdictions can take custody of suspected immigration violators, they receive little-to-no cooperation from the local government. Jurisdictions with such policies generally decline to hold immigrants in jail longer than they are required to in order to allow ICE officers to take detainees into custody. They also refuse to check the legal status of suspects who are arrested or detained for minor offenses. ICE officials have told cities and counties considering sanctuary policies that more agents would be sent to make arrests in their jurisdictions should they adopt such a policy. We do not comment on any law enforcement sensitive issues that may adversely impact our officers and the public, said Mike Alvarez, an ICE spokesman, according to the Post. However, every day as part of routine operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement targets and arrests criminal aliens and other individuals who have violated our nations immigration laws. Jurisdictions that dont work with ICE increase risks for agents and the public, Alvarez said. Generally speaking, as ICE has noted for years, in jurisdictions where cooperation does not exist and ICE is not allowed to assume custody of aliens from jails, ICE is forced to arrest at-large criminal aliens out in the communities instead of under the safe confines of a jail, he said. Story continues Sanctuary policies limit the number of potential deportees who can be easily taken into custody, hindering the agencys ability to do its job. Seventy percent of the agencys arrests happen after it has been made aware of an immigrants pending release from jail or state prison. ICE has brought more than 160,000 such detainers with local law enforcement agencies since 2019, according to the Post. The policies have also deepened a backlog of at-large criminal and fugitive aliens ICE seeks to apprehend, according to the agency. ICE announced on Monday it had arrested a dozen people in Mecklenburg County, N.C., where the countys sheriff had minimized its cooperation with the agency. Six of those arrests included immigrants with criminal convictions who were wanted on immigration violations, ICE said, adding that sanctuary policies left them free to reoffend until their capture. ICE official Henry Lucero said in a statement to the Post that the agency cannot stand by idly while knowing the public is being misled about the role ICE plays in keeping the public safe. The fact is local policies prohibiting agencies from working with ICE put you in danger and waste police resources, Lucero said. The public should hold its leaders accountable and demand to know what type of criminals are being released from local custody instead of turned over to ICE. More from National Review "City of Belqeys" prosperous in late Sassanid, early Islamic eras: Expert 07/22/20 Report by Tehran Times; photos by ILNA Shahr-e Belqeys ("City of Belqeys"), situated in northeastern Iran, was prosperous during a span of time from the late Sassanid era to early Islamic times, a cultural heritage expert has said. "Though [previous] archaeological excavations at nearby mounts and hilltops put the antiquity of Belqeys at some 6,000 years, it enjoyed prosperity from the late Sassanid to the early Islamic eras," ILNA quoted Hossein Rahmani, director of the Belqeys national heritage, as saying on Tuesday. photo by Javad hassanpour, Wikimedia Historical evidence, including a book on the history of Neyshabour, suggests that Shahr-e Belqeys won special attention by Sassanid monarchs of the time, which brought the land a special fortune before the advent of Islam (in the region), he explained. "It can be said that Shahr-e Belqeys was hectic from the late Sassanid era to a time when Nader Shah Afshar (one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian history) assumed power (in early 18th century)." "Belqeys citadel is one of the largest mudbrick fortresses in Iran after the UNESCO-registered Bam citadel," the official said. The ruined citadel, which is sometimes referred to as Shahr-e Belqeys is located in northeastern North Khorasan province. It lies at a short distance from the city of Esfarayen. Remnants of the citadel, family lodgings, irrigation channels, a cistern, and a hypostyle hall are amongst objects so far been unearthed in Belqeys during rounds of excavation. The Sassanid era (224 CE-651) is of very high importance in the history of Iran. Under Sassanids, Persian art and architecture experienced a general renaissance. Architecture often took grandiose proportions such as palaces at Ctesiphon, Firuzabad, and Sarvestan that are amongst highlights of the ensemble. Crafts such as metalwork and gem-engraving grew highly sophisticated, yet scholarship was encouraged by the state. In those years, works from both the East and West were translated into Pahlavi, the language of the Sassanians. Islamic arts, the literary, performing, architecture, and visual arts of the vast populations overwhelmed Iran, West Asia and elsewhere that adopted the Islamic faith from the 7th century onward. These adherents of the faith have created such an immense variety of literatures, performing arts, visual arts, and music that it virtually defies any comprehensive definition. In the narrowest sense, the arts of the Islamic peoples might be said to include only those arising directly from the practice of Islam./p> KYODO NEWS - Oct 1, 2020 - 00:43 | All, Japan, World Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will not visit South Korea without a guarantee that assets seized from a Japanese company following a South Korean court ruling on compensation for wartime labor will not be liquidated, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday. The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, said that without such an assurance it would be "impossible" for Suga to attend a trilateral summit with China that South Korea seeks to host this year. Relations between Tokyo and Seoul have sunk to historic lows since South Korea's top court in October 2018 ordered Nippon Steel to compensate four plaintiffs for forced labor during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Japan argues the court decision goes against a 1965 agreement between the neighboring countries under which it provided South Korea with financial aid on the understanding that the compensation issue was settled "completely and finally." Last Thursday, Suga spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae In by phone for the first time since taking office in mid-September and said the leaders "cannot allow our relations to remain as they are." Assets held by Nippon Steel in South Korea have been seized and could be liquidated "any day now," the official said, adding that Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has warned his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung Wha multiple times that this would do "irreparable" damage to bilateral ties. Japan, South Korea and China have been holding trilateral summits roughly once a year since 2008, with the host rotating between the three countries. The previous meeting was held in Chengdu, western China, in December last year. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 22:56:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The British gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by a record 19.8 percent in Quarter 2 (April to June) 2020 compared with the previous three months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Wednesday. Although the latest revised reading was slightly better than initial estimates, which was published earlier at 20.4 percent plummet in Q2 compared with the first quarter, it reflected the largest quarterly contraction caused by the coronavirus pandemic since records began in 1955, the survey revealed. Revised figures showed the widespread fall of output in the services, production and manufacturing sectors, losing quarterly by 19.2 percent, 16.3 percent and 21.1 percent respectively. "More complete data has not substantially changed the economic picture, with the UK economy still shrinking by around a fifth in the first half of the year, far bigger than any previous contraction on record," said Jonathan Athow, ONS deputy national statistical for economic statistics. Despite the rise in activity in recent months, "the level of GDP is still considerably lower than it was in February", said the ONS, showing that GDP increased by 6.6 percent in July, following monthly increases in May and June. The official statistics body said the output of many service industries was "still considerably below" their pre-lockdown levels, most notably in hospitality and recreation industries. "In contrast, wholesale and retail has recovered much of its loss and is now broadly in line with levels before restrictions were applied," said the ONS. "The bulk of the pain of Q2's slump in GDP had been borne by the government rather than households and businesses," tweeted the Capital Economics UK, an economic research consultancy based in London. "But with recovery flattening, fiscal support fading and the full scale of the fallout in unemployment yet to be felt, that will soon change," added the consultancy. Howard Archer, chief economic adviser at EY ITEM Club, an economics forecasting group, said that "the release of a revised and rebased set of national accounts by the ONS shows some modest changes to the UK GDP performance, but does not fundamentally change the picture of the economy." ONS's data came at a time when countries, such as Britain, China, Russia and the United States, are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines. The British government's Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance said earlier this month that it is possible that some vaccine could be available in small amounts later this year, but it is more likely that a vaccine will be available early next year, although that is not guaranteed. Enditem By Laman Ismayilova Works of Azerbaijani artists have been displayed at Parisian " Bortone" art gallery. The exposition displays stunning colorful paintings of 15 national artists Asmar Narimanbayova, Aysel Mirgasimova, Rena Amrakhova, Leyla Aliyeva, Narmina Veliyeva, Nihad Aliyev, Tofig Narimanbayov, Sahib Asadli, Leyla Musayeva, Saida Kebirlinskaya, Nurjan Gurbanzadeh, Amina Hajili, Zahra Mammadzade and others. The artists presented their art works in different art styles. The project is curated by Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Asmar Narimanbayova, who lives in France. "Unfortunately, artists could not fly to the exhibition amid coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless they sent their art works to display at the exhibition that supposed to take place in this spring. Now the gallery is working in accordance with quarantine rules. Only 4-10 visitors are allowed to be in the gallery at the same time. They must all wear protective face masks, observe social distance and other rules," Narimanbayova told Trend Life. The Parisian art gallery also exhibits art works by famous artists from Italy, Georgia and Turkey. The exhibition aroused great interest among art lovers. Asmar Narimanbayova lives and works in two cities - Paris and her native Baku. The artist grew up in the atmosphere of love to art, music and literature. Her father Togrul Narimanbayov was the world-famous Azerbaijani artist and her mother Elmira Huseynova was a sculptor. Narimanbayova is distinguished by her bold and unique art works.The artist thrills art connoisseurs with her vibrant paintings in different styles, including impressionism, postimpressionism, cubism and others. Narimanbayovas works are displayed at prestigious exhibitions, international festivals and symposiums all over the world. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Zelensky says airport to be built in Vinnytsia 12:45, 30.09.20 1419 Large-scale construction of runways and terminals will be launched at airports across country in 2021. The Trump Administration imposed sanctions Wednesday on entities and individuals in Syria as part of Washingtons pressure campaign against President Bashar Assad and his inner circle. The sanctions came a day after intense clashes in southern Syria broke out between Russia-backed Syrian troops and local fighters who belong to the minority Druze sect, killing and wounding dozens. The sanctions were not related to the fighting in southern Syria. The Treasury Department and State Department sanctions are the result of legislation known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, named after the pseudonym of a Syrian policeman who turned over photographs of thousands of victims of torture by the Assad government. Among those sanctioned Wednesday was the Syrian armys Russian-backed 5th Corps that was established during the countrys conflict that started in March 2011. The 5th Corps includes rebels who later paid allegiance to Assads government. The State Department said it is sanctioning 5th Corps commander Maj. Gen. Milad Jedid for his involvement in the obstruction, disruption, or prevention of a ceasefire in Syria. The sanctions also included two sisters of Yasser Ibrahim, who is suspected of obstructing a political solution to the Syrian conflict and using his networks across the Middle East and beyond to cut deals to enrich Assad. The Ibrahim family, led by Yasser Ibrahim, acts as a front for Bashar Assad and his wife Asma al-Akhras, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. The State Department identified the sisters as Nasreen and Rana. The U.S. began implementing the Caesar Act in June with a raft of economic and travel sanctions for human rights abuses and blocking a settlement of the countrys bloody nine-year conflict. Sanctions imposed earlier this year included Assad and his wife and their eldest son, Hafez, as well as members of the extended Assad family, senior military leaders and business executives. Many of those on the list were already subject to U.S. sanctions, but the penalties also target non-Syrians who do business with them. The new wave of sanctions came as opposition activists reported clashes in southern Syria between the 5th Corps and local fighters who belong to the minority Druze sect. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the fighting that broke out Tuesday in Sweida province left 16 Druze fighters and 12 members of the 5th Corps dead. It added that dozens were wounded on both sides. The Observatory said the situation was relatively calm in the province Wednesday. The Suwayda 24, an activist collective in Sweida, said a funeral was held Wednesday in the provincial capital, also called Sweida, for 15 fighters killed the day before. It said the fighting broke out on Tuesday when local fighters attacked the 5th Corps in the nearby village of Qaraya to force them out of agricultural lands they had entered earlier. STAMFORD Cities and states that have sued OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma have committed to solely using any settlement funds to tackle the opioid crisis, according to company mediators working on negotiations in Purdues bankruptcy case. Many local and state governments, including Connecticut, that have sued Stamford-based Purdue have said they would use settlement proceeds to tackle the epidemic of opioid abuse. But to mediators Kenneth Feinberg and Layn Phillips knowledge, this is the first time states, territories, Native American tribes and local governments have agreed to be bound by such a commitment, they wrote in a report submitted to the federal bankruptcy court handling Purdues case. Purdue said in a statement that we are pleased with the progress of the mediation to date, and specifically with the growing support for using the vast majority of settlement proceeds to abate the opioid crisis. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said he was encouraged by the mediators update. Frank Franklin II / Associated Press I am pleased that I was able to achieve my goal of ensuring that virtually all proceeds to the state will go to abatement of the problem created by Purdue and the Sacklers (who own Purdue), Tong said. I am likewise thankful that my sister states and municipalities have agreed to do the same with whatever share they get. While it can never be enough to undo the harm caused, it will be a meaningful start to attack the problem of opioid addiction. Agreement among the parties about the use of the settlement funds likely reflects their study of other landmark corporate cases. Tyler Sizemore / Tyler Sizemore The $246 billion settlement in 1998 between tobacco companies and U.S. states has faced criticism through the years over the use of some of those funds to cover governments budget shortfalls. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who was Connecticuts attorney general at the time of the tobacco settlement, said earlier this year that those funds came back essentially in a way, constitutionally, that we could not limit the use of it for certain purposes. Structuring (the Purdue settlement funds) as restitution and regress for consumer harm would enable more of it to be used for that (opioid crisis-related) purpose. Despite the consensus about how to generally use any settlement funds, a final agreement between plaintiffs and the company does not appear imminent. About two dozen states have accepted the companys settlement offer, which it values at more than $10 billion. But Purdues proposed terms have been rejected by 24 non-consenting states, including Connecticut. Any settlement would also allot a to-be-determined amount to the private citizens who have filed approximately 122,000 personal-injury claims. While Purdue has offered to settle, it has rejected the lawsuits allegations that it fueled the opioid crisis with deceptive marketing of its opioids including OxyContin. To help negotiate the shares of the settlement that would be allocated to the groups of public and private claims, Purdue earlier this year appointed Feinberg and Phillips as mediators. Judge Robert Drain, a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York, is overseeing the case. Feinberg has overseen settlements involving victims of the Vietnam War herbicide Agent Orange, the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Among other roles, Feinberg was hired by Purdue from 2005 to 2015 as a consultant and negotiator to help resolve litigation and other disputes with generic-drug manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and purchasers of OxyContin. Feinberg said he has not worked for the company since 2015 and that he has never been hired by the Sacklers who own Purdue. Phillips is a former U.S. attorney and a former U.S. district judge who now works in private practice. He served as the neutral mediator in Oklahomas lawsuit against Purdue. That litigation that was resolved last year with a $270 million settlement. Purdue has said in earlier filings that it would pay Feinberg and Phillips $500,000 each per month. The company is also covering a total of $250,000 for the duo to hire specialists or consultants in areas such as finance and public health. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott (TNS) U.S. immigration officials quietly announced they would resume regular apprehension and detention practices, an apparent reversal from an earlier temporary suspension of non-criminal enforcement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Late Friday afternoon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement updated its COVID-19 information webpage to say that the agency is confident that our officers can properly and safely carry out operations.The statement continued: To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we have taken several precautionary measures from ensuring that our front-line operators have adequate personal protective equipment, maximizing telework for agency personnel whose duties do not require them to be in the office, completing temperature checks before removal, and requiring the isolating of detainees as appropriate to prevent the spread in detention facilities.The announcement which was not sent out to media outlets, a break in the usual protocol replaced an agency statement that ICE publicly announced in March, when it said it would adjust its enforcement posture. The new statement no longer talks about using more discretion when arresting non-criminal undocumented migrants, an attempt to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.In an email this week, ICE said the agency does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement.During the pandemic, the agency had said it would focus its enforcement on public safety risks and individuals subject to mandatory detention based on criminal grounds. Examples included investigations into child exploitation, gangs, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, human smuggling and terrorism. For people who arent a subject of those investigations, the agency said it would delay enforcement actions until after the crisis.Unlike its prior announcement, ICEs new statement omits information about any immigrant population it would avoid arresting and detaining.In an email, Andrea Flores, deputy immigration policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union, told the: The pandemic is very much still ongoing, and disproportionately impacting Black and Brown communities.More than 205,200 people in the United States have died from COVID-19, and more than 7.15 million people in the country have been diagnosed with the disease, she said. By resuming civil enforcement, ICE is increasing the likelihood that more immigrants and [Department of Homeland Security] staff will be exposed to this virus, not only in enforcement operations, but also in detention facilities.Over the weekend, a 56-year-old man held at a New Orleans ICE detention facility died from COVID-19, making him the eighth known person to die in immigrant detention after testing positive for the virus.ICE has repeatedly demonstrated its inability to provide safe and sanitary conditions even in the best of circumstances. This is an overtly political decision 35 days from Election Day that will lead to even more avoidable deaths and COVID-19 infections, Flores said. ICE should be suspending civil immigration enforcement and reducing the number of people in immigration detention, not increasing the population with new arrests. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been taken to task for not addressing the Saglemi housing issue in its manifesto. Leading the attack is the President of the Concerned Voters Movement (CVM), Razak Kojo Poku, who asked why the party's manifesto lied about proving so many houses for the people when the Saglemi housing project failed to achieve its objective. We, the members of the Concerned Voters Movement (CVM), want to know why the manifesto is silent over the Saglemi Affordable Housing project which it started in 2012 yet failed to complete? the CVM stated. Ghanaians were told that the 5,000 housing facility when completed would be a source of shelter for so many citizens, the CVM recalled. Facts, the CVM noted, show that the 5000 Saglemi housing project units were scaled down to 1502 yet the contract sum of $200 million for 5000 units was unchanged, adding, How can $200 million budgeted for 5000 housing units remain the same for 1,502 housing units? Ghanaians, the CVM said, should wake up because an incompetent John Mahama is roaming around deceiving unsuspecting voters, adding, The yesterday's incompetent John Mahama is the same today; his attitude has grown from bad in 2016 to worse in 2020. Mr. John Dramani Mahama and the so-called People's Manifesto dishonestly refused to capture any aspect of their flagship housing project on purpose, the CVM noted, adding the NDC manifesto is inconsistent with its so-called social democrat attribute. The CVM said a large portion of the 143-page manifesto contains hypocrisy, inconsistency and half-baked truths. As a social contract between the NDC and Ghanaians, the document would have been expected to give millions of Ghanaians hope about benefiting from the resources of the country regardless of their social, economic and political background. Unfortunately, however, the CVM said the document contains subtle means of exploiting the ignorance of Ghanaians.The so-called People's Manifesto is a total departure from the social democrat values which it claims to stand for. The manifesto, he went on, focuses on championing an agenda of winning the 2020 general election through deceit, selective and exploitative programmes and policies and 'We hereby call on Ghanaians to ignore the lies-laden manifesto. Under Social Housing of the NDC Manifesto page 94, the party presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, promises that the next NDC government will, over a four-year (4) year period, roll out an aggressive social housing plan to deliver a minimum of twenty thousand (20,000) low-income houses in all 260 metropolis, municipalities and districts, the CVM recalled but said even 1502 he could not deliver. Daily Guide Bengaluru, Sep 30 : In the wake of rising Covid-19 cases, Karnataka on Wednesday declared that the penalty for not wearing a mask in public places would be increased to Rs 1000 in urban areas while it is Rs 500 in rural areas. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with officers here, Karnataka Medical Education minister Dr K. Sudhakar asserted people have begun displaying negligence by not wearing masks and failing to maintain social distancing norms. "The area police have been authorised to collect the fine. Moreover, the state government had to take such harsh decisions to increase the fine amount from Rs 200. The fine will be imposed on those not fully covering their noses and mouths with masks," he said. Sudhakar added that the state government had again imposed a partial ban on participation of people in social, religious, political gatherings as well as weddings and other cultural ceremonies. "No more than 50 people can attend these ceremonies. Action will be initiated against organisers or owners of the organisation if more people are found in such gatherings," the minister maintained. He added that buses (public transport) can operate with 50% of their capacity. "Bus conductors will be instructed to allow only those with masks into the buses," he said, adding that all government employees must wear masks and they won't be allowed to enter the office if found without masks. During a speech via videoconference to the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Wednesday that the richness and protection of biodiversity directly "affects all walks of life." "Egypt has put in place effective systems for the conservation of the natural environment, especially the River Nile, which represents the lifeblood of a civilisation in which the rational management of natural resources is embodied," the president said. In a statement by the Egyptian presidency, El-Sisi said that Egypt has launched a comprehensive initiative aimed at integrating biodiversity into different sectors by achieving synergy between the three Rio Conventions on biodiversity, climate change and desertification. "We have worked hard during the past period with various partners to support this initiative," the president said, adding that Egypt is also applying its principles through the integration of biodiversity into the sectors of nature reserves and ecotourism, for example, and in its development plans to protect these resources and create more job opportunities. Regarding COVID-19, the president said that "there is no doubt that the novel coronavirus has imposed new restrictions and challenges hindering the success of international multilateral action." On the other hand, he affirmed that the pandemic has boosted "our sense of shared responsibility regarding the future of this planet and the fate of future generations." Below is President El-Sisis full address to UN's Summit on Biodiversity : In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It gives me pleasure to join you today at this summit that coincides with the 75th anniversary of the United Nations amid the current exceptional circumstances of the coronavirus outbreak and its economic and social consequences. We have become more aware of the gravity of the emerging challenges along with their intertwined effects, topped by the environmental issues and their unprecedented repercussions. Hence, the international communitys vision has been proven right when it has set its sights on the principle of the conservation of nature and biodiversity as one of the priorities of international cooperation. From this standpoint, the steady decline in biodiversity and the rapid loss of natural resources on the planet as a result of human intervention in nature and biological systems made it imperative to act in a more coordinated and effective manner in the face of these developments that threaten all of our countries, emphasize the differences between developing and developed countries, and limit our ability to achieve sustainable development goals for our peoples, mainly in developing and the least developed countries, particularly if we add the phenomenon of climate change since it is one of the drivers of biodiversity loss. Hence, our relationship with nature is currently tested; living in harmony with nature is not an option. To achieve this common purpose, we need to accelerate action on biodiversity for sustainable development. To realize this vision and to overcome the shortcomings in the international effort to achieve the objectives of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and the subsequent globally agreed targets and goals we have reached to prevent the current degradation of biodiversity, the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14), held in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2012, launched negotiations on the development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. It seeks to achieve ambitious goals supported by means and mechanisms of implementation. Egypt has been keen, over the last period, to work with all stakeholders to ensure the development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in a fair and balanced manner to be adopted at the next COP in China. Believing in the sole approach to the conservation of nature and the important role of all actors in this field: states, governments, the civil society and the private sector, Egypt has launched, during this conference, a comprehensive initiative aimed at integrating biodiversity into different sectors by achieving synergies between the three Rio Conventions - on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification. We have worked hard, during the past period, with various partners to support this initiative. Egypt is also applying its principles through the integration of biodiversity into the sectors of nature reserves and ecotourism, for example, and in its development plans to protect these resources and create more job opportunities. In this respect, Egypt was keen to support the efforts of the African continent in preserving biodiversity and stopping the degradation of nature. Egypt has hosted, on the sidelines of the same conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, an African high-level meeting addressing the continent's priorities for the conservation of its diverse natural resources. The ability of the developing countries, especially in Africa, to participate in this international effort is dependent on the support they get through financing, transferring technology, and building capacities based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities between developed and developing countries. Ladies and Gentlemen, As you know, the richness and protection of biodiversity directly affects all walks of life. Recognizing that, Egypt has put in place effective systems for the conservation of the natural environment, especially the River Nile, which represents the lifeblood of a civilization in which the rational management of natural resources is embodied. Egypt was, and still is, keen to ensure the sustainability of the river basin ecosystems and has always called for the need to strengthen transboundary cooperation between its countries given the fact that water is the cornerstone of our efforts to conserve biological diversity and protect nature. In conclusion, there is no doubt that the novel coronavirus has imposed new restrictions and challenges hindering the success of international multilateral action on one hand. However, on the other hand, this pandemic has promoted our sense of shared responsibility regarding the future of this planet and the fate of future generations. We hope that todays summit will contribute to raising our awareness of this responsibility and producing clear results reflecting our collective political will to change the status quo for the better. Thank you. Search Keywords: Short link: There were a few struggles with friendships in the last season of Vanderpump Rules. And it seems that repairs in relationships have yet to be made as Ariana Madix revealed that she and Tom Sandoval were not invited to recent gender reveal parties hosted by her castmates. The 35-year-old cocktail queen took to Instagram to poke fun of looming pregnancy discussions with a bare belly shot where she declared she was 'just bloated.' Jokes: Ariana Madix took to Instagram to poke fun of looming pregnancy discussions with a bare belly shot where she declared she was 'just bloated' Ariana rocked red-and-black plaid pajama pants with a black bra for the selfie shared to her one million followers. 'Some of yall are completely devoid of humor and think everything is 'shade' but I guess I got that attention I was desperate for anyway,' she later wrote. 'BTW its a bean and cheese burrito and Del Taco is the father.' Her post came shortly after eagle-eyed fans noted the couple weren't in attendance at Lala Kent and Randall Emmett's gender reveal extravaganza in Solvang. Tom and Ariana were also not spotted in photos when Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright revealed they are expecting a baby boy with a party hosted at their home in North Hollywood, which is just down the street from their own modern farmhouse in the San Fernando Valley. Just the two of us: The 35-year-old cocktail queen revealed that she and Tom Sandoval were not invited to recent gender reveal parties hosted by her castmates; seen in 2019 'Some of yall are completely devoid of humor and think everything is 'shade' but I guess I got that attention I was desperate for anyway,' she later wrote Ariana and Tom have adamantly denied interest in marriage or having biological children, much to the dismay of their fanbase. One fan wrote: '@TomSandoval1 & @ariana2525 you peeps are fav!! Just curious why you're MIA in the baby reveal parties?' The Fancy AF Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers author wrote back: 'We have not been nor would we expect to be invited to any of those things.' Jax and Sandoval's relationship spiraled during the last season of Pump Rules after Taylor felt his best friend wasn't committing enough time or interest to his upcoming wedding to Brittany. Honest: The Fancy AF Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers author wrote back: 'We have not been nor would we expect to be invited to any of those things' Hot mamas: Lala Kent recently confirmed the pregnancy pact between a few of her co-stars, including Stassi Schroeder, Katie Maloney and Brittany Cartwright; seen on Instagram Tom tried to show even more effort than before and still managed to to stand by Jax's side as one of his best men at their wedding last summer in Kentucky. Lala Kent recently confirmed the pregnancy pact between a few of her co-stars, including Stassi Schroeder, Katie Maloney and Brittany Cartwright. While Katie admitted she's still working on her end of the deal, Stassi and Lala are expecting baby girls and Brittany is due to have a boy. 'I'm so happy for my friends and really enjoying being along for their journey. It will happen for us when it's right,' she wrote. 'Sometimes it just takes time and doesn't always happen the first try.' Kristen Doute was on hand at Jax and Brittany's big reveal with her new boyfriend, Alex Menache, and seems to be making her way back into good graces with her friends after a difficult falling out on the last season of the popular Bravo program. The Department of Education has found two errors in the Leaving Certificate calculated grades system, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has told the Dail. It is understood the errors will affect about 6,000 pupils, or 10% of candidates. Q. What are calculated grades? When schools closed in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all Leaving Cert students were given the option of accepting calculated grades or sitting written exams at a later date, when it is safe to do so. Calculated grades were totted up the same way for all students, whether they have completed the established Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Applied, or the Leaving Cert Applied Programme. Detailed guidelines were given to schools on how calculated grades should be issued. Its a four-step system. First, teachers were asked to use their professional judgement to give each student an estimated grade and a class ranking in their subject. These marks were then considered by other teachers in the school to see if the process has been correctly followed. It was then reviewed by the school principal. Once the school principal was satisfied that the process has been followed correctly, the data was then submitted to the Department of Education. Q. What went wrong? Education Minister Norma Foley said an error in the calculated grading system will "not disadvantage any student" after she revealed 6,500 students are impacted. Ms Foley confirmed there were two errors in the calculated grades system. "These are errors that should not have occurred, however, this will not disadvantage any student," she said. The fault was identified by a contractor, paid 160,000 to oversee the function of predicted grades, on Tuesday of last week. The contractor informed the Department of Education immediately but the public was only made aware of the mistake today after a debate in the Dail. The Coalition of the Right to Information (RTI) is to step up its request for information to monitor institutions that are complying with the Right to Information Act, Act 989. It said the exercise would identify and commend institutions that were complying with the law, and shame those that were doing otherwise. The exercise will culminate into a hall of fame and shame activity where institutions that are complying with the RTI Act will be commended and those that are not will be called out," a Vice Chairperson of the RTI Coalition, Ms Mina Mensah, said at a press conference in Accra yesterday. The event formed part of activities to commemorate this year's International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) on the theme: Ghanas Right to Information Law: The need to build public trust in the implementation process. The UN proclaimed September 28 as IDUAI at its 74th General Assembly in October last year. Compliance Ms Mensah, who is also the Director of the Africa Office of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, said an exercise commissioned by the coalition towards accessing information from 18 public institutions in Accra between June and August, this year, showed a disappointing 11 per cent compliance. She said out of the 18 requests made in Accra and Kumasi, only two institutions responded, with the rest completely ignoring the request. We also discovered that only eight of the institutions, less than 50 per cent, had information officers appointed or designated to process information requests. This is in sharp contrast to the provisions of the Act and a public announcement by the Ministry of Information in February this year that all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have been directed to designate officers in charge of information to help people access information as required by the law, Ms Mensah added. She said the coalition would use infographics to carry out public education on key sections of the act. It is not for nothing that the framers of our 1992 Constitution placed the Right to Information under the Bill of Rights section of the supreme laws of the land. Article 21(91)(f) that guarantees our right to information has been in place since 1992, and almost three decades after the coming into effect of this constitution, we cannot be seen as a country going in reverse, especially now that we have an Act of Parliament to operationalise that constitutional provision, the vice chairperson said. Assent Ms Mensah said when the RTI Act was assented to by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in May, last year, members of the coalition had a lot of expectation of an era where they would not have to live with opaqueness in public administration. Again, she said, the coalition was elated by a very proactive implementation road map that was announced by the Ministry of Information the following month at a consultative meeting that included civil society. However, the vice chairperson said the coalition was disappointed in the path of implementation. She said the coalition had written to the Minister of Information requesting a copy of a report covering the status of the implementation of the RTI Act so far, and the record of funds, if any, that had been released for the implementation by the Ministry of Finance. It is instructive to note that the Ministry of Information, which is the government agency assigned to lead this initial implementation process, has not responded to this request for information from us, Ms Mensah said. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Jamie Abbott, executive director of the airport, said he was notified just before 8 a.m. and said the collision happened on an outer road on the west side of the airport but the force of the crash sent at least one vehicle through the airport perimeter fencing and onto airport property. Pompeo made the appeal at a conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Vatican on Wednesday to join the U.S. in denouncing violations of religious freedom in China, saying the Catholic Church should be at the forefront in the fight to insist on basic human rights there. Pompeo made the appeal at a conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See. It took place at the same time the Vatican is entering into delicate negotiations with Beijing on extending its controversial agreement over bishop nominations. In the audience was Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican foreign minister, who didn't mention China in his remarks. Instead, Gallagher focused on more ideological threats to religious liberty, citing the imposition of gender ideology in the West and other types of ``politically correct`` legislation that he said were threats to the conscience of religious believers. Pompeo, echoing the Trump administration's harsh criticism of Beijing that has increased as the U.S. Nov. 3 presidential election nears, said there was nowhere on Earth where religious liberty is more under assault than in China. ``We must support those demanding freedom in our time,`` Pompeo said. Citing St. John Paul II, retired Pope Benedict XVI and even Pope Francis, Pompeo urged a greater commitment from faith leaders to stand up for all religious believers. ``To be a church `permanently in a state of mission' has many meanings,`` Pompeo said, quoting Francis. ``Surely one of them is to be a church permanently in defense of basic human rights.`` The Vatican has defended its agreement with China, saying it is purely an ecclesial matter about bishop nominations and is not a political or diplomatic accord. Gallagher said the Holy See, in all its diplomatic dealings, ``has stressed the importance of dialogue and mutual respect.`` The Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, also spoke in general terms about the Holy See's longstanding defense of religious liberty. But he didn't mention China or any country by name. Pompeo's visit to the Vatican has been made fraught by an essay he penned earlier this month in the conservative magazine First Things suggesting that the Vatican had compromised its moral authority by signing the 2018 accord with Beijing. Asked Wednesday how the Holy See received Pompeo's essay, Gallagher told reporters: ``It was received critically.'' He also said the proximity of Pompeo's visit to the U.S. election, was ``one of the reasons why the Holy Father is not receiving the secretary of state.'' Pompeo, who met with the pope last year when he spoke at a similar conference, instead will meet Thursday with Gallagher and Parolin at the Vatican. After the conference, Pompeo met with Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, the first Group of Seven leader to sign onto China's infrastructure-building Belt and Road initiative. Conte said at the time of Italy's 2019 signing, which was done over U.S. objections, that it would not put into question Italy's trans-Atlantic partnerships. A State Department deputy spokesperson, Cale Brown, said Pompeo raised the issue during his meeting with Conte, and noted the ``risks`` of doing business with China. Search Keywords: Short link: As a true testament of its overall growth, Adlumin was awarded a multimillion-dollar F-35 fighter jet contract with the U.S. Air Force. Adlumin is the leading security and compliance automation platform in the financial sector for institutions between $100 million to $25 billion in assets. Adlumin continues to grow in the industry, providing a mission-critical product to financial institutions and the firms that provide information technology, security and compliance services. This Series A funding expands on the remarkable few years that Adlumin has had in building and expanding its product to financial institutions around the country. This critical funding will accelerate Adlumins expansion of its Abakis platform designed for the myriad of service providers demanding an edge in the financial services market. We are so happy to support Adlumin in their first round of Series A funding, says lead investor Karl Gemperli, founding partner at Leawood Venture Capital. As proud investors of the company, we have had a front row seat to Adlumins growth and expansion within the financial sector. Adlumins world-class analytics, features and capabilities are among the short list of the potential it has to dominate the industry. We cant wait to see what new heights the company will reach in the upcoming years. Over the last few years, Adlumin has built a high-quality product and viable business model by catering to the unique needs of community banks. As part of this effort, Adlumin participated in the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program, designed to foster community bank-fintech partnerships. Adlumin was later selected as an ICBA Preferred Service Provider, further enhancing its visibility in the community banking space and helping to propel the company forward. We continue to be impressed with Adlumin's approach to security management and their efforts to create a tailored solution that addresses the compliance considerations and requirements of community banks, Senior Executive Vice President of Community Bank Solutions Kevin Tweddle said. Were pleased to support the company with this additional capital investment and look forward to following their innovation journey. As a true testament of its overall growth, Adlumin was awarded a multimillion-dollar F-35 fighter jet contract with the U.S. Air Force. The company has also built into its platform a 24/7 SOC service, the Adlumin Threat intelligence Portal (ATIP), enriched compliance reporting to include the FFIEC CAT and NCUA ACET and patented software specifically designed to keep core banking systems protected from threats, malfunctions and IT operations failures. I would like to extend our greatest thanks and appreciation to all of our investors for supporting and recognizing the impact of our platform, says Adlumin CEO Robert Johnston. Through their overall support and funding, Adlumin is able to continue trailblazing our own path within the financial industry and offering our customers quality analytics and security. We look forward to executing our vision and revolutionizing the way corporations secure sensitive data. Adlumin will continue to deliver a superior product to financial institutions and service providers. The company looks forward to advancing its patented core banking security technology, unlimited data scalability using a cloud application and compliance solutions meeting industry requirements. This funding round will leave a lasting impact on the legacy of Adlumin and will create more opportunities for the company to build its brand and powerful product. ### About Adlumin Adlumin Inc. is a patented security and compliance automation platform for the financial sector. The Adlumin team has a passion for technology and solving the most difficult problems through the targeted application of data science and compliance integration. Our mission is to add luminosity or visibility to every customers network processes through real-time threat detection, analysis, and response to ensure sensitive data remains secure. CONTACT: Timothy Evans, Adlumin SVP, Chief of Strategy Email: timothy.evans@adlumin.com Phone: (202) 352-8001 A signed confession by a man involved in the fatal shooting of a Box Elder teenager last year creates conflicting narratives over whose idea it was to rob a marijuana seller and how the shooting unfolded. Andre Martinez and Cole Waters agree in their factual documents that Waters used Martinez gun to shoot into a car, killing 17-year-old Emmanuel Hinton in February 2019. But Martinez said the robbery was Waters' idea while Waters said it was Martinezs idea. Martinez wrote that Waters took the shot while standing away from the car while Waters said the gun went off when his arm got caught in the window. Martinez, appearing at the Pennington County Court through a video feed at the jail, signed his factual basis document and pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on Tuesday morning. Waters pleaded guilty to the same crime in June. The pair who are both 20 but were 19 at the time of the killing pleaded guilty to the type of first-degree manslaughter that involves killing someone with a dangerous weapon. If you aid and abet manslaughter or another crime like Martinez, who provided a gun but did not actually shoot and kill Hinton you can still be convicted of the main crime. Even though Martinez and Waters shared some different facts, there is enough information in each confession that makes them responsible for Hintons death, said Pennington County States Attorney Mark Vargo. The confessions both support the culpability of each defendant for the robbery and death, he said. Vargo said it will be up to the judge to decide during the sentencing hearings which facts he believes and whether the defendants are equally responsible or if one played a larger role. Martinez and Waters were originally charged with aiding and abetting first-degree murder, committing a felony with a gun, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, and aiding and abetting an attempted first-degree robbery. Convictions on the first-degree murder charge would have automatically sent the pair to life in prison without the chance of parole. The manslaughter conviction makes life without parole the maximum punishment. Waters plea deal says prosecutors wont ask for more than 50 years in prison but the judge can override that request. Martinez rejected that same deal but later agreed to one without any limits on what sentence the prosecution will ask for. Hinton is described in his obituary as a fun-loving, cheerful person who cared for everyone he met. He enjoyed spending time with friends and family, outdoor activities especially walleye fishing and dreamed of becoming a music producer, the obituary said. The narratives Martinez wrote that Waters texted him on the afternoon of Feb. 26, 2019, saying there were people who wanted to buy a gun from him. He then brought a handgun to Waters home on the 700 block of Blaine Avenue to discuss the possible sale. Waters did not mention this in his confession. Both Martinez and Waters agree that Martinez later received a text from someone who was going to sell him marijuana. But Waters said Martinez asked him for help obtaining the marijuana without paying while Martinez said Waters was the one who suggested they rob the buyer. Martinez said he agreed to rob the buyer. Waters wrote that he was surprised Martinez handed him the gun because he thought he was there to act as a lookout and prevent Martinez from getting hurt. But Martinez wrote it was Waters who suggested they use the gun. It is only five grams of weed why would we use a gun? Martinez said he asked of Waters. Waters backed off but later asked if he could hold the gun, which Martinez let him do, Martinez wrote. Martinez asked Waters to give him back the gun after Waters suggested they rob his girlfriends cousins. Martinez let Waters keep the gun after he promised he wouldnt use it. Both agree the seller arrived in the alley in the back seat of a car with three other males, including Hinton, who was in the front passenger seat. They agree Martinez asked to see the marijuana and the seller responded that he needed to see the money first. The pair also agree that this is when Waters pulled out the gun. Waters said he stuck the gun into the rear window to scare the group. He said the gun went off as his arm got caught in the window as the car began to drive away. Martinez said Waters pointed the gun directly at the seller and Waters stepped back and fired as the car drove forward. Martinez wrote that he agreed to the robbery and gave a gun to Waters but never suggested or agreed to Waters using it for the robbery. Both agree Waters ended up striking and killing Hinton. The shooting happened around 8 p.m. and Hinton died around 10:30 p.m. after someone in the car drove him to the hospital, the police department previously said. Waters turned himself in the next morning while Martinez was arrested at his home after a brief deployment of the SWAT team. Martinez is scheduled for sentencing at 8 a.m. on Dec. 16. Waters sentencing hearing will begin at 1 p.m. that day. Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Caritas Ghana, the humanitarian agency of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has extended support to victims of the recent flood in the Upper East and North East Regions by donating relief items to the Catholic diocese of Navrongo Bolgatanga. The Chief Executive Officer of Caritas Ghana, Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo on Monday, September 28, 2020, during a presentation ceremony in Bolgatanga joined the Most Rev. Alfred Agyenta, Catholic Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese to appeal for more humanitarian assistance for the victims of the recent floods. The floods were precipitated by incessant heavy rains and the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, North of the Upper East Region displaced many people in the diocese which covers the Upper East and North East Regions of Ghana. Since 1999, eight years after the construction of the Bagre multipurpose Hydro Dam on the White Volta sub-basin in Burkina Faso, several communities in Ghana to the downstream of the White Volta River have experienced series of flood disasters. These disasters have occurred partly because, the Burkinabe power company, Societe Nationale Burkinabe dElectricite (SONABEL) continues to spill excess water from the Bagre Dam in order to maintain the Dams 235 1meters water holding capacity. From the downstream side, it appears Ghanas preparedness is still trailing as risk reduction strategies are daunting. Sadly, for the past 19 years, the story on the devastating effects of the Bagre water spillage has remained unchanged in the country. The spillage continues to cause massive floods in communities in Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions of Ghana and this has led to devastating impact such as loss of human lives and livelihoods among the vulnerable poor. Bishop Agyenta speaking at a very brief ceremony to receive a donation from Caritas Ghana, lamented about the seriousness of the humanitarian situation, announcing that so far eight of his rural parishes were the most hit by the disaster as most of the people had been displaced while others have lost their means of livelihoods and are taking temporary shelter in the Parishes and Schools. He noted that the full humanitarian situation was yet to fully emerge since there are potential health implications from polluted water sources from the floods and expected poor harvest that cannot sustain families into the next farming season. He, however appealed for more help from benevolent organizations to ameliorate the conditions of those displaced. The Bishop invited his Diocesan Director responsible for Governance and Justice, Mr. Joseph Bangu to provide a brief situational report which according to him, statistics so far collated on the situation of victims in the eight parishes covering seven political administrative Districts in the Upper East and North East Regions. According to him, the statistics covered 2,653 Households and 19,013 individuals comprising 6,197 Adults, 5,962 Children, 1,586 Women and Others including 7 deaths, adding that Eleven thousand, four hundred and eighty-seven (11,487) Acres of farm lands with crops have been destroyed. Due to the situation, the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference Humanitarian Agency, Caritas Ghana, responded positively by donating various food items and shelter materials comprising mats, clothing and blankets estimated at GHc70,000. In addition, a cheque for GHc10,000 was included to procure more food items locally to supplement the deliveries from Accra by Caritas Ghana. Mr. Zan Akologo in a remark at the presentation ceremony in Bolgatanga thanked the Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga for the passion and sense of mission with which his Diocese handled the humanitarian situation from their own efforts. He added to the appeal of the Bishop to Corporate Bodies to work with Faith-Based Organizations like Caritas Ghana and others who have outreach at community levels to respond to the victims directly. Mr. Zan Akologo indicated that Caritas Ghana will always adhere to the admonition of Pope Francis never to feel overwhelmed by any humanitarian situation but instead respond to it in fraternal solidarity, no matter how small the resources available. Referring briefly to the Covid-19 and other environmental calamities, Mr. Zan Akologo paraphrased a quote from Pope Francis Laudato Si (Care for Our Common Home) that the "Cry of the Earth is also the Cry of the Poor" indicating that the poor, weak and vulnerable are always disproportionately affected in these situations. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump after the first debate with Joe Biden. (Getty Images) Ill get to the whole white supremacy thing in the presidential debate in a minute. But first, let me set the scene: Last night, President Trump was belligerent, bullying and wildly inaccurate in most of the first debate with his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden. But thats who Trump is. I don't know why people were shocked by his performance. No matter what he said, his base was already locked and loaded and ready to vote for him if they can figure out a way, because, after all, Trump has contended that most of the avenues for voting have been compromised. Im guessing what Trump hopes is that his performance wooed the base-adjacent folks the undecided but conservative voters who want to protect gun rights while also depriving themselves and everyone else of some degree of abortion rights. I can understand why he plays to those voters. But even on the most coarse political level, why can he not disavow white supremacists? He claims Black people would do better by having him as president. Just FYI, theres no universe in which white supremacists are sanctioned where Black people do better. And (rational) white people abhor white supremacists as well. But, mystifyingly, Trump seems to have missed this calculus. I cant believe in debate prep Chris Christie, the Republican former New Jersey governor, or anyone else said to Trump, Hey, if the moderator asks you whether you support white supremacists, dodge the question and attack antifa (the anti-fascist and left-wing political movement). And if they did, they should never get invited back to the White House for anything. And, sure enough, Fox News anchor Chris Wallace (who did a heroic job of moderating a debate in which the sitting president decided to go rogue and not follow any of the rules he agreed to) asked Trump: Are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as weve seen in Portland? Story continues First, Trump dodged and said all the protesters he sees are from the left wing, not from the right wing. But then he said, Im willing to do anything. I want to see peace. Then do it, sir, said Wallace. Trump took a beat and seemed unsure. What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name. Wallace answered: White supremacists and right-wing militia. So Trump answered that he would tell the Proud Boys a violent group described by the Anti-Defamation League as "misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and anti-immigration," to stand back and stand by. (Huh?) Then he pivoted back to his diatribe on antifa: Ill tell you what. Someone has got to do something about antifa and the left. Because this is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem. OK. Lets just say, for arguments sake, that hes right (and theres no evidence he is) that antifa is the bigger threat. What does he lose by disavowing the white supremacists we know have become more public and outspoken in the last four years and have shown up at various protests to stir up mayhem? Whose votes does he lose? The white supremacists'? Even Trump cant really care about them, can he? I doubt it. This was the thin-skinned, nasty Trump on display who is annoyed that he got criticized several years ago for not denouncing the white racists who showed up in Charlottesville at the rally that got out of control and ended in the violent death of a peaceful protester. Pressed at the time on that incident, he said, You had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. (Trump and his allies insist that the president was referring to protesters for and against removing a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.) The scene in Charlottesville was complicated. But, today, there is no upside in a presidential debate to offering an alarmingly vague directive to white supremacists to stand by. How scary is that? But then, how scary is Trump? This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Arteris IP, the worlds leading supplier of innovative, silicon-proven network-on-chip (NoC) interconnect intellectual property, today announced that the Samsung Foundry has again licensed Arteris FlexNoC Interconnect IP for use by its worldwide networking, mobile, Internet engine, consumer, and automotive customers. The Foundry Design Service team at Samsung Electronics are some of the worlds most experienced chip designers and are expert users of Arteris IP products including Ncore cache coherent interconnect, CodaCache last level cache, and FlexNoC non-coherent interconnect IP. The team members gained their many years of expertise by licensing FlexNoC interconnect IP for use in their customers system-on-chip (SoC) designs starting in 2017. In addition to ensuring Samsung Foundry's customers have access to the worlds state-of-the-art interconnect IP to optimize on-chip dataflow, the relationship ensures that Arteris interconnect IP products are characterized for frequency and timing for the latest Samsung semiconductor process technology nodes. Using Arteris IP has allowed us to more quickly adapt our platform ASIC designs to constantly changing customer demands and new emerging markets, helping secure our reputation as a technical leader, said Mijung Noh, VP of Foundry Design Service team at Samsung Electronics. In addition to delivering the best performance and ease of use, Arteris FlexNoC, Ncore, and CodaCache IP provide power and die area savings in our customers' products. We are proud of our longstanding relationship with the Samsung Foundry and are honored that they have once again chosen our technology as their on-chip interconnect IP for customers chip designs, said K. Charles Janac, President and CEO of Arteris IP. Samsung Foundrys success is an example of the advantages that our NoC technology brings to companies that fiercely compete in fast-changing markets by consistently innovating. About Arteris IP Arteris IP provides network-on-chip (NoC) interconnect IP to accelerate system-on-chip (SoC) semiconductor assembly for a wide range of applications from AI to automobiles, mobile phones, IoT, cameras, SSD controllers, and servers for customers such as Baidu, Mobileye, Samsung, Huawei / HiSilicon, Toshiba and NXP. Arteris IP products include the Ncore cache coherent and FlexNoC non-coherent interconnect IP, the CodaCache standalone last level cache, and optional Resilience Package (ISO 26262 functional safety), FlexNoC AI Package, and PIANO automated timing closure capabilities. Customer results obtained by using Arteris IP products include lower power, higher performance, more efficient design reuse and faster SoC development, leading to lower development and production costs. For more information, visit http://www.arteris.com or find us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/arteris. Arteris, FlexNoC, Ncore, CodaCache, PIANO, Arteris IP and the Arteris IP logo are registered trademarks of Arteris, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. ### Former first lady Michelle Obama urged Americans not to be turned off of politics by Tuesday night's trainwreck of a presidential debate, arguing that would be playing into President Donald Trump's hands. 'But we cant let him win by tuning out altogether,' she wrote Wednesday evening on Instagram. 'We've got to vote for Joe [Biden] in numbers that cannot be denied.' As Obama was making her plea, Biden was being greeted by hundreds of supporters in Greensburg, Pennsylvania - the county seat of Westmoreland County, which Biden and President Barack Obama lost to Republican presidential nominees in both 2008 and 2012. Michelle Obama urged people not to be turned off after Tuesday night's nasty presidential debate imploring Americans to 'vote for Joe [Biden] in numbers that can't be denied' Michelle Obama posted the plea to her Instagram account, explaining that she believed President Donald Trump wants American to be tuned out Meanwhile, Democratic nominee Joe Biden was greeting some of the largest crowd he's seen since the coronavirus crisis hit in March Taking an Amtrak train through Ohio and Pennsylvania Wednesday, Joe Biden greeted hundreds of supporters in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in the early evening Greensburg is the county seat of Westmoreland County where voters twice picked the Republican nominee over the Obama-Biden ticket in 2008 and 2012 Unlike Hillary Clinton, who didn't spend much time campaigning outside of Pittsburgh, Biden made a number of stops Wednesday on his train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania in towns that don't scream Democratic. In both Alliance, Ohio and Greensburg, Pennsylvania Biden was greeted by the largest crowds the candidate has seen since the coronavirus crisis hit in March. In Greensburg, supporters chanted 'We want Joe! We want Joe!' as the former vice president tossed his hands up as he came to say hello. Most in the crowd looked to be wearing masks, a departure from Trump's supporters. One supporter who talked to the pool, 77-year-old Harriet Ellenberger, said the nasty presidential debate inspired her to come out and see Biden. 'After last night's episode on TV I was so depressed that I thought I should really come out and show him support,' Ellenberger said. Another crowd was waiting for Biden in nearby Latrobe - also in Westmoreland County - where the ex-veep will also make a stop. In 2008, Obama and Biden lost Westmoreland County to Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Parlin 41 per cent to 58 per cent. It's become more Republican since. Romney pulled 61.3 per cent of the vote in 2012, compared to Obama and Biden's 37.6 per cent. Joe Biden is photographed greeting supporters on the Amtrak platform in Greensburg, Pennsylvania Wednesday Joe Biden gets down and waves to supporters in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on his train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania, two important swing states In 2016 Trump trounced the Democratic ticket 64.1 per cent to 32.7 per cent. Biden's last stop on his train tour will be in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a formerly blue city and the largest in Cambria County. In 2008, Obama and Biden won the county by two points - 50 per cent to 48 per cent. It's dramatically become more GOP-friendly. There was a 10-point swing in 2012, with Obama-Biden earning 40.2 per cent to Romney's 58 per cent. And then nearly another 10-point swing in 2016 when Trump was atop the ticket: 29.6 per cent for Clinton-Kaine and 67.3 per cent for Trump-Pence. Polling in Pennsylvania has Biden ahead, however recent Trump rallies in both Latrobe and Pittsburgh have brought out crowds that numbered in the thousands. Here's one of the most important stories regarding ACCOUNTABILITY for public officials that has been the focus of debate and civil unrest across the nation during 2020. Check the most important detail of this story that shouldn't be ignored . . . "A disciplinary hearing for Amy McGowan, the prosecutor responsible for Kiddd wrongful conviction is set for Friday. Her license to practice law could be revoked." Read More of this fascinating life journey . . . The saga of stiffer EU environmental standards and a deluge of appeals against forestry licences looks like being brought to a sudden halt, as the government uses its majority to rush through emergency legislation before the timber industry runs out of native raw material. When the legislation was introduced last week in the Seanad and passed on Friday night by the Upper House of the Oireachtas, Co Corks Senator Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) warned that the timber industry running out of raw material is already a reality. He revealed the GP Wood sawmill in Enniskeane, Co Cork, employing 500, is to reduce operations to only four days this week, and will then go to three-day and two-day weeks. To have the biggest industry in that village go to a four-day week will have a knock-on effect across the entire community in West Cork, said Lombard. GP Wood is one of Irelands largest suppliers of sawn softwood products. He also said that farmers looking for six by three timber, used for building sheds, cant get it from the co-ops in West Cork, and that shed construction was stopping because of the lack of timber. In the next few months, we will be importing timber from Scotland, through the port at Passage West, south of Cork. Five shiploads have been booked in for the next three months to keep this sawmill going. It is amazing to think that Ireland must import raw material from Scotland to keep industries alive. He said freeing up nearly one million square metres of timber tied up in a forest licensing logjam is the biggest dilemma for minister of state with responsibility for forestry Pippa Hackett, of the Green Party. It is indeed a dilemma for the party which has protection of the environment as one of its pillars. Senator Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) said the timber industry running out of raw material is already reality, with the GP Wood sawmill in Enniskeane, Co Cork, employing 500, to reduce operations to only four days this week, and then going to three-day and two-day weeks. Picture: iStock However, Ms Hackett told the Seanad the legislation she proposes is about job losses. I am not willing to gamble with those jobs by delaying the process. While I appreciate the concerns about the haste of the legislation, it is emergency legislation, in essence. It is a gamble I am not willing to take. Current delays in issuing licences have led to serious difficulties for people involved in the forestry industry. If no action is taken, we could very quickly face the prospect of sawmills running out of timber and of job losses, particularly in rural Ireland. The delays in hearing appeals are affecting the timber being felled and transported to sawmills and are influencing planting rates. To date this year my department has established just under 1,941 ha of new afforestation, which is down by 35% on this time last year and is way off our national targets. She added that Ireland is now importing wood to make the pallets on which so many industries depend. The forestry industry has been grinding to a halt over the past year. It began with changes in licensing introduced by the EU in response to important Court of Justice of the European Union decisions which found licensing in Ireland did not fully meet EU environmental requirements. Fundamental changes to the licensing system were unavoidable, including significant investment in extra resources in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), which issues licences for all forestry operations. Every application for a licence must be assessed to ensure any effect the proposed operations may have on the surrounding landscape and environment is carefully considered. After the EU raised the environmental standards required, additional ecologists, forestry inspectors and administrative staff were required. One of the requirements is a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) prepared by a suitably qualified person. Farmers say the extra cost of an NIS will be enough to put them off applying for a licence to establish smaller forests. However, that is one of the lesser problems in the industry at the moment. With the number of felling licences issued in August the highest in 13 months, in both timber volume and forestry area, it seems that the DAFM is getting to grips with the administrative challenge of hiring extra staff to manage the more environment-friendly current licensing system (including 14 ecologists extra to help ensure continued compliance with the EU directives on habitats and birds). Theres a licensing logjam for establishing a new forest, building a road to access a forest, for aerial fertilisation, or thinning or clear-felling the trees. One of the victims is None-So-Hardy Nurseries in Co Wicklow which had to shred 5m young trees, half of them oak trees, over three years, because forest planting slowed to a crawl. Picture: iStock But the other big problem is a surge in appeals against forestry licences. It takes a long time to get a licence. When it is granted, it can be appealed against during the next 28 days, unlike the system in other countries, In Scotland, for example, once a licence is issued, there is no option to appeal. Appeals against forestry licences have risen from 14 in 2017 to over 400 so far this year. In 2019, there were 489 appeals against 311 forestry licences, more than double the total of 231 in 2017 and 2018. A licence must be applied for if establishing a new forest, building a road to access a forest, for aerial fertilisation, or thinning or clear-felling the trees. It is relatively easy to make an appeal, you dont have to live near the location of the proposed licence project, and there is no fee. You can submit multiple appeals per day. Nearly 100% of licences are being appealed. The appeals, mostly linked to environmental regulations, are in the majority of cases shot down by the Forestry Appeals Committee, the independent body which handles appeals. But licence applicants cannot commence work, pending the outcome of appeals. Covid-19 restrictions have also slowed the process. With the overhaul of licensing continuing, and an overwhelming volume of appeals, its impossible to clear the backlog, and forest felling has slowed to the point that Ireland is running out of timber. Very few new forests are being planted; to date this year, the DAFM has established only 1,940 hectares of new afforestation, down by 35% compared to the same time period last year, and way off the national targets. It has been estimated it would take nearly 15 months to clear the licensing queue, even if no other applications are made, and before any appeals are submitted. Its not just felling that has been held up in the licence logjam. None-So-Hardy Nurseries in Co Wicklow had to shred five million young trees, half of them oak trees, over the last three years, because forest planting slowed to a crawl. Meanwhile, reliance on imported timbers poses the danger of bark beetles and tree diseases which are endemic in continental Europe becoming established in Ireland. Essentially, environmental considerations have brought the forest industry to a halt. Such was the dilemma for Ms Hackett, of the Green Party as she introduced the Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020 (previously titled the Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2020), in Seanad Eireann last week. It was scheduled for introduction in Dail Eireann this week. Even the public consultation before the legislative process began was rushed. There was only a month for the public to make submissions, but nearly 9,000 did so, indicating intense public interest in the issue. There wasnt enough time for the submissions to be published, only enough analysis for the DAFM to review all the submissions and say that 81% were in support of the Bill, and submissions objecting to the Bill were 16%. The submissions in support were 74.4% from private sources, 24.9% from industry (such as forestry companies, haulage companies, sawmills, forestry contractors, building providers, timber processing industry, etc), and 0.4% from public representatives (such as councillor, TD, Senator). Submissions objecting to the bill were 94.9% from private sources, 1.4% from public representatives, and 4.1% from others (such as NGOs, associations, political parties). Submissions received unrelated to the bill were 3%. The rush continued in the Seanad, senators had less than 24 hours in which to analyse the bill proposals and submit their amendments. As the leader of the Green Party in the Seanad, Pauline OReilly said: We need to bring people with us if we are truly going to transform this country. Asked why not legislate for felling only, she emphasised the importance of afforestation, with Ireland having the second lowest tree cover in Europe and being about 35% behind last year in new hectares planted. Ms Hackett pointed out that the Bill will help landowners trying to do things the right way. They are doing what we have been asking them to do, namely, to plant the right tree in the right place, and they are then subject to appeal or are being delayed in the granting of their licence because of the backlogs. I have been contacted by farmers who are frustrated because they want to plant a small area of broadleaves on their farms. There is only a certain window of opportunity to do this in the year as this planting is a seasonal thing. They are ringing me up and asking why they cannot plant and who is appealing their broadleaf plantations. They are saying they are running out of time and that if they have to wait 28 days, it will push them into next year. But other senators did not spare the blushes of the party for protection of the environment. Senator David Norris said he was astonished that a Green Party minister of state would introduce legislation of this kind, rushed through at such breakneck speed, and without pre-legislative scrutiny. He said it was a real abrogation of the democratic process, and stemmed from a recent judgment which identified a failure of the forestry licensing sector of the DAFM to comply with the EUs environmental impact assessment directive, and habitats and birds directives. Independent Senator Sharon Keogan said the Bill is, ultimately, about jobs, and she supported it. It might not be too welcome to the Green Party, but it will certainly get support from the Minister of States Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Green Party colleagues. That is the price one must pay when in government as a smaller party. Senator Annie Hoey, Labour, said: I hope this is not how the Green Party in government feels about others from different political persuasions and our contribution to environmental legislation. The most Seanad amendments to the proposed legislation came from Independent Senator Alice-Mary Higgins. She said aspects of the current afforestation model have in some cases had negative impacts on local communities, biodiversity, water quality and landscapes. This is the position that we all took last year, yet we are seeing a significant push to fast-track business as usual and everything that is in the system currently. This bill is literally about having as many horses as possible bolt before we consider a door-closing strategy somewhere down the line. She suggested the Bill could have been narrowed down solely to the question of felling, instead of including the issue of planting. Senator Victor Boyhan said: This is a litmus test of how the Green Party will support environmentalists and NGOs, stand behind the Aarhus Convention, support the principle of justice associated with environmental matters, and support the environmental pillars that validly wish to make a submission. Senator Lynn Boylan of Sinn Fein said we need a licensing system that is robust, environmental law and Aarhus Convention compliant, expedient, and that will provide certainty for all stakeholders involved. Senator Lynn Boylan said we need a licensing system that is robust, compliant and expedient. She said if this emergency legislation is to pass, it should be subject to a review, and continued oversight by the Oireachtas. She said a new forestry programme is promised, and this is the opportunity the minister of state has to address the systemic flaws and to get rid of the legacy of previous governments. The debate continued along party lines, with several amendments going to a vote and being fairly ruthlessly shot down by the government party senators. Senator Michael McDowell took the opportunity to call out those who allowed the forestry situation to deteriorate. The problems, the arrears and the backlog must have been developing for far longer than the past few months, and it is an awful pity that this problem was not addressed earlier. I am also conscious of the fact that the crisis that has taken place in the forestry business and forestry sector, with the destruction of saplings and so on, is a sign of weak administration, unfortunately. He said he supports the bill, because if Ireland is to engage in major afforestation, it needs to get serious about it. The current target is to plant 400m trees by 2040. Mr McDowell said: We need to make it possible to comply with the targets we are setting. There is no point in wandering off to Paris conferences or UN conferences saying we have a plan and then saying, Hold on a second, though. There are four objectors here and five objectors there. Then the plan just collapses for want of implementation. He said the public has to understand the target and the process, and understand that not everybody can live surrounded by a bare landscape, if we are to plant 400 million trees over the next 20 years. Views we used to have will no longer be there. We must get serious if we are going to afforest this country. If we are telling people the truth about the 400m trees over 20 years, or 250m trees over 10 years, we must get serious about this and stop the codology and stop the capacity of people, including people who do not even have to pay a fee, to get involved in afforestation plans and proposals which have very little to do with them. We live in a world where the consumption of meat from sheep and cattle is in decline, and there are constraints on that form of agriculture. Afforestation is hugely important, and in supporting this amendment, I ask that we remember full transparency regarding the reports being received is a good idea to bring the people with us in this process. Senator Ronan Mullen said: In trying to please everybody we are in danger of doing our economy and our social fabric serious damage. Foresters have spoken to me about needing to thin their forests but being unable to do so. This has an environmental impact. Biodiversity on the forest floor is impacted because there is less light. There is a greater risk of trees falling due to wind. It may seem laudable to lodge objections based on environmental concerns or the quality of peoples social lives if trees are growing near them, but these issues have had unforeseen consequences. We are at a time in our economy and our country when we simply must put Irish economic and social life at the centre and protect peoples economic well-being. He also asked where was the previous Government in dealing with this problem since 2018. He said the new legislation rightly provides for the possibility of dismissing vexatious appeals. When 100% of licences are appealed, one must think that there is an element of vexatious activity going on. Senator Garret Ahearn of Fine Gael suggested the same people who oppose deforestation around the world are now delaying the growth of trees in Ireland. Contentious issues as the bill progresses through the Oireachtas include the payment of a fee with licence appeals. Ms Hackett said this is a long-standing requirement for other boards such as An Bord Pleanala and the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board. The intent is not to make it prohibitive. The fees will help in a small way to offset the cost of conducting the appeal. The appeals to the FAC are costing around 1,000 per appeal, which is quite costly. Taxpayers are paying for that now. The fee would only go towards a small portion of that. The minister said it has always been open to any person to appeal a decision and that will continue to be the case. Her proposals allow the Forestry Appeals Committee to invite additional expertise to discuss particular appeals if it needs to, a provision which is already available to the committee. Many Seanad amendments called for additional time for lodgment of an appeal against a forestry licence. These were defeated in votes. Ms Hackett said 28 days is a sufficient time to allow for the lodgment of an appeal, bearing in mind that a time period of 30 days is given in the first instance for interested parties to make a submission regarding a licence application. From the point at which a licence application is submitted, there is a two-month period within which a submission can be made. If people are very concerned about an issue at the point the licence application is made, they have up to two months to collect data and information and determine their view in respect of the licence. They can potentially appeal after that. She said plans are well advanced for introduction of an online portal for forestry licence applications, providing all the necessary details for interested parties to examine at the time of a licence application. But the main provisions of the Bill are increasing the capacity of the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) to determine appeals by enabling it to sit in divisions of itself; enabling the FAC to determine appeals without an oral hearing, wherever it is possible; providing the Minister of the day with power to specify procedures; and introduction of reasonable fees for appeals. Updates incorporated from the public consultation include no change to the right of applicants and all third parties to appeal directly to the FAC (which is quite rare in Europe); a chairperson or deputy chairperson and at least one ordinary member constituting an FAC quorum for decision making; all information and documentation to accompany an appeal, for it to be valid; and clarity as to circumstances in which the minister might issue a general policy directive with regard to ensuring the economic and environmental yield of forest goods and services. Ms Hackett said the Bill aligns with the Aarhus Convention. She said allowing the FAC sit in multiple divisions means more than one appeal can be heard at once. However, many of her points were argued in the Seanad, and they will be disputed even more hotly in the Dail this week. The bill will leave a bad taste in the mouths of many, and a realisation for the Green Party of the perils of being a minority Government party. The bill and the reasons it is necessary will scare more farmers away from forestry (although it is noticeable that many small clumps of mature forest have disappeared recently, as clever farmers take advantage of strong lumber prices in the grossly under-supplied market). Honda Motor is introducing work-from-home allowances and rearranging its office spaces in the latest sign that large Japanese companies confronting COVID-19 are making gradual but permanent revisions to their corporate cultures. "After experiencing teleworking at home, we realized it is possible to implement a new kind of work style we had never imagined," said Asako Suzuki, Honda's head of human resources and corporate governance. "It has become apparent that we were spending more time commuting and in meetings than was needed. [The pandemic and subsequent telework boom] made us reconsider our workflow from scratch." Suzuki was speaking during an online news briefing on Tuesday. In April, at the peak of Japan's outbreak, Honda allowed nearly 30,000 employees to work from home. The number represents over 70% of the automaker's total Japan workforce. Next month it will suspend the traditional practice of paying employees' monthly commuter train expenses. In place of the stipend, Honda will provide a per-day allowance of 250 yen (about $2.35) to help employees cover their increased utility bills and the costs of any equipment they might have had to buy so they can work from home. Some employees may also receive company support for their purchases of face masks, air purifiers and wireless routers. Honda is also making arrangements for those still working out of the office. In some offices, desks are being moved to open space among workers, while in others partitions are going up to create booths for individual workers. In addition, internal agreements and other documents that have previously required signatures in ink will now be digitized so that matters can be made official via email. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is set to begin selling off unused spectrum this week as it looks to generate around $1 billion, as well as boosting network capacity. Indias Economic Times quoted three senior government officials speaking on condition of anonymity as saying that the Pakistani government planned to retain an international consulting firm to structure the auction process and advise on reserve pricing and other aspects of the sale. A PTA spokesman confirmed that the hiring process for a consultant on "Spectrum Auction 2020-21" has begun, but provided no further information. The auction is seen as a forerunner to the advent of commercial 5G in Pakistan. No date has yet been proposed for the auction, but the officials confirmed that 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum will be made available. These frequencies are typically used for 4G/LTE networks. Pakistans government is hoping that the upcoming auction will raise some much-needed funds. Tax collections and an economic downturn were already biting before the Covid-19 pandemic worsened the situation. Separately, TeleGeography reports that the PTA has published a consultation paper regarding Pakistans WiLL regime, with the sector having been on a downwards trajectory since 2013. Between 2011-2012, the technology reached its apex with 3.11 million users, but by 2016 this figure had dropped to 200,000, although it recovered substantially the following year to reach 300,000. The sector was hammered by the advent of 3G and 4G mobile data, which provided cheaper and faster data access without mobility limits. WiLL technology uses spectrum in the 450MHz, 1900MHz and 3.5GHz bands. With licences for these frequencies due to expire in 2024, the government is assessing whether this spectrum could be more valuable if used for different technologies particularly 3.5GHz spectrum, which is in high demand for 5G use. The regulator is asking stakeholders in the sector for feedback on the viability of the sector up to and beyond 2024. Protesters in a Guinean opposition stronghold pelted rocks at the prime minister's convoy, the government said Wednesday, adding that the attack marked an attempt to "sabotage" next month's presidential election Conakry, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2020 ) :Protesters in a Guinean opposition stronghold pelted rocks at the prime minister's convoy, the government said Wednesday, adding that the attack marked an attempt to "sabotage" next month's presidential election. Prime Minister Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, who is President Alpha Conde's campaign manager, was travelling in central Guinea on Tuesday when his convoy was attacked, causing several injuries, according to a government statement on Wednesday. The incident occurred in the Fouta-Djalon region -- a bastion of the main opposition candidate contesting the October 18 election, Cellou Dalein Diallo. It also follows months of political tension in the poor West African state, where Conde is running for a controversial third presidential term. The 82-year-old pushed through a new constitution in March, allowing him to reset the two-term presidential limit to zero. Opposition to that possibility triggered a wave of protests from October last year during which dozens of people were killed. On Wednesday, the government said that the convoy attack was part of a "concerted plan to sabotage the electoral process". The UFDG has denied involvement in the attack, according to local press reports, and some party officials cast doubt on the government's account. AFP was unable to independently confirm the details of the incident. Conde became Guinea's first democratically-elected president in 2010 and won re-election five years later. Rights groups have accused him of drifting into authoritarianism, however. This month, the president drew criticism for apparently stoking ethnic tensions ahead of the October election. In a campaign speech delivered in the Malinke language, the president told voters that backing an opposition Malinke candidate amounted to voting for Cellou Dalein Diallo. Guinea's politics are mostly drawn along ethnic lines. President Conde's party is largely backed by Malinke people, and Diallo's UFDG by Fulani people, although both insist that they are pluralist. Diallo is a former prime minister who was heavily involved in the protest campaign against a Conde a third term. The House speaker said she and Mnuchin had an "extensive conversation" and "found areas where we are seeking further clarification." Entering the talks, Mnuchin said the White House and Democrats had reached common ground on issues including direct payments, small business loans and airline aid. But reports indicate they still need to resolve disputes over state and local government aid and liability protections for businesses, among other topics. Approving the bill would be a largely symbolic action as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already opposed it. The pair will continue discussions as they try to craft an elusive fifth relief package that could pass both chambers of Congress, the California Democrat said in a statement. House Democrats initially aimed to pass their roughly $2.2 trillion rescue legislation Wednesday night, but called off the vote until at least Thursday to allow more time for bipartisan talks. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a briefing to the media on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 10, 2020. Pelosi and Mnuchin met in person for the first time since last month, raising hopes of Congress approving more aid to boost the U.S. economy and health-care system before the Nov. 3 election. Both officials sounded more optimistic about the prospect of a deal earlier Wednesday as Mnuchin prepared to offer a roughly $1.5 trillion package to counter the Democrats' proposal. Speaking to reporters as he left the Capitol, the Treasury secretary said the sides "made a lot of progress over the last few days," according to NBC News. "We still don't have an agreement, but we have more work to do. And we're going to see where we end up," he said. After months of lawmakers wrestling over how much money to inject into the ongoing fight against the virus outbreak, it is unclear what could pass both chambers of Congress and get signed by President Donald Trump. The Republican-held Senate has grown more wary of spending federal dollars on the response as leaders in the Democratic-held House insist on a comprehensive relief package. Vulnerable members of both parties have agitated to pass more aid ahead of Election Day. The House this week released its latest coronavirus stimulus plan, which costs about $1.2 trillion less than the $3.4 trillion plan the chamber approved in May. To trim the price tag, it largely cuts back the amount of time for which money is allocated. The package would reinstate the enhanced federal unemployment insurance at $600 per week through January and send another $1,200 direct payment to most Americans. It would set aside more money for a second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans for certain small businesses, provide another $25 billion in aid for airline payrolls, and send $436 billion in relief to states and municipalities over one year. The bill would include rent and mortgage assistance funds, $75 billion for Covid-19 testing and contact tracing, along with more than $200 billion for education. CNBC's Ylan Mui contributed to this report Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. As COVID-19 cases continue to pile up, a leading health expert says the Ontario government should consider shutting down casinos, movie theatres and shopping malls. Industry defenders, meanwhile, say closures would be unnecessary and unfair. Closing them completely should be a last resort. But I think we need to consider everything right now. How surgical can we afford to be? said Dr. Abdu Sharkawy, an infectious disease specialist with the University Health Network. Tuesday, Ontario had 554 new COVID-19 cases, down from a record-setting 700 the day before. But Sharkawy warns we havent come close to the peak of the second wave. I have no doubt that well be seeing a thousand cases per day within the next two to three weeks, said Sharkawy, who was surprised to see some Ontario casinos reopen on Monday for the first time since March. Casinos had been allowed to open since the province hit Stage 3 in mid-July, but casino operators had been negotiating unsuccessfully with the province to boost a 50-customer cap. Theyre closing strip clubs and cutting bar hours but casinos are still open? Gambling is not essential. All it will take is one outbreak at a facility like this to show why we shouldnt be supporting them right now, said Sharkawy. Those casinos are all managed by Great Canadian Gaming Co., which runs 11 casinos in Ontario, including at Woodbine and Mohawk. Shutting casinos down wouldnt be fair to the industrys 17,000 workers in Ontario, said Paul Burns, president and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association, the casino industrys national trade association. If they roll things back to Stage 2 for the entire province, or an entire region, thats their prerogative. If they cherry-pick one sector of one industry, thats problematic, said Burns, who pointed out that casinos which have opened are nowhere near their standard capacity, and are missing some standard features: booze and table games. Were the safest part of the entire hospitality industry, because were already so heavily regulated. And now, there are only 50 people allowed in at a time, said Burns. A spokesperson for the provincial ministry of health said the government is still monitoring the COVID situation across Ontario, and could implement further restrictions. The government, in consultation with public health experts, continues to review trends from a range of criteria on an ongoing basis to determine if public health measures need to be adjusted or tightened, said Anna Miller. Allowing just 50 customers into a casino thats designed for thousands isnt a money-maker, said Burns. Not that its being done for charitable purposes, he admitted. They wanted to demonstrate to public health officials that they could open and operate in a safe manner. Its not economically viable at 50 people, said Burns. Eventually, Burns said the casino industry would like to see more gamblers coming through the doors. That conversation stopped when the province announced a 28-day moratorium on more opening up. Its a conversation that well continue at the appropriate time. We recognize that now is not the time, Burns said. Mall operator Cadillac Fairview, which runs properties including the Eaton Centre, says its ready if the government clamps down again. Like many other businesses, we are closely monitoring the current COVID-19 environment and local public health updates with regards to potential restrictions being reimposed. Should this be the case, we have plans in place to act quickly and as mandated, said Cadillac Fairview spokesperson Janine Ramparas. A spokesperson for the countrys largest movie theatre chain said the company would follow whatever rules are put in place, but said their theatres are safe. I wouldnt want to speculate about what may or may not happen, but above all our primary concern is the health and well-being of our team and guests. We have proudly and safely welcomed back over 1.5 million guests to our theatres since Canada Day, but will of course follow all heath and safety guidelines put in place at the federal, provincial and municipal level should things change, said Cineplex spokesperson Sarah Van Lange. A ventilator gifted by the U.S. is on display at a handover ceremony in Hanoi, September 30, 2020. Photo by USAID/Nguyen Thac Phuong. The U.S. donated 100 ventilators worth over $1.7 million to Vietnam for its Covid-19 fight at a ceremony in Hanoi on Wednesday. It has also pledged grants of $9.5 million for combating the pandemic, improving epidemiological monitoring, clinical care and labs capabilities and helping the private sector recover. The ventilators were received by the National Lung Hospital, which will distribute them. The U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, Daniel Kritenbrink, said at the ceremony: "The world is impressed by Vietnams strategy and proactive measures in tackling Covid-19, but this serious disease remains a threat in Vietnam and the world," according to a statement from the U.S. Consulate in HCMC. The U.S. has provided assistance to various countries, international agencies and non-governmental organizations to help deal with the pandemic. But it has been the worst hit country with over 7.4 million cases and 210,785 deaths. Vietnam has had 1,094 cases of Covid-19 so far and 35 deaths. But there has been no local transmission in nearly a month. Courtney Roznowski (pictured) was jailed after having sex with a 16-year-old high school student in Green Bay, Wisconsin A disgraced school worker has been jailed for six months after having sex with a 16-year-old high school student - who allegedly told cops that 'it is every kid's dream to do a teacher'. Courtney Roznowski was branded the 'nightmare of every parent' by a judge as he sentenced her to prison. Roznowski admitted a charge of exposing herself to a minor under a plea deal which saw more serious sexual assault counts dropped. The 32-year-old was handed the six-month sentence at a hearing last Friday where she told the court in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that 'I know what I did was wrong', according to Fox11. But judge Donald Zuidmulder said he was 'unimpressed' by her pleas for understanding, calling her actions 'appalling'. 'You are, frankly, the nightmare of every parent. Because what a parent assumes is that their child is in safe environment with trusting people,' the judge said. He also told Roznowski to turn around and look at her parents in the public gallery of the Green Bay courtroom. 'Heres what I want to tell you, Miss Roznowski: Youve broken their hearts,' the judge said. 'And whatever punishment I impose on you, I assume that the humiliation and embarrassment youve caused your mother and father is more punishment that you will carry than what I could impose on you.' Courtney Roznowski (pictured in court) was branded the 'nightmare of every parent' by a judge as he sentenced her to prison. The support worker was also placed on probation for three years and ordered to write a letter of apology to staff at Southwest High School in Brown County. According to a police report obtained by WBAY, Roznowski admitted having sex with the boy, who said she told him he was 'special and deserved special things'. Roznowski told investigators she had seen herself as a mentor to the boy before their relationship became sexual. According to the police report, the 16-year-old victim told investigators that 'it is every kid's dream to do a teacher'. Roznowski said she accepted responsibility and admitted her actions were wrong, but said she had not 'initiated' the relationship. According to a police report obtained by WBAY , Roznowski admitted having sex with the boy, who said she told him he was 'special and deserved special things'. Roznowski was jailed for six months, placed on probation for three years and ordered to write a letter of apology to staff at Southwest High School (pictured) in Green Bay, Wisconsin She said she had not initially realized that she was exchanging messages with a student at her school, but admitted she should have stopped when she found out. The school worker also blamed her behavior on a drinking problem which she told the court she had since overcome. Roznowski was arrested last year on the more serious charges of sexual assault of a child by a staff member. Brown County jail records show she was booked in last August and released on a $10,000 bond. She later confessed to investigators when they asked for permission to go through her phone. A judge accepted a plea deal earlier this month after state authorities said her contract at the school had ended before the sexual contact took place. Advertisement The Proud Boys were celebrating online Wednesday after Donald Trump told them to 'stand back and stand by' during the first presidential debate - while president was attacked by members of his own party for refusing to condemn white supremacy before delivering his message to the far-right group. Members of the group posted about the shout out, telling the president: 'We're ready.' Their account on the social media app Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir.' Proud Boys is a far-right organization that admits only men as members and promotes and engages in political violence. The group believes white men and western culture are under siege and one of its co-founders recorded a video titled '10 things I hate about the Jews.' 'Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' Trump said when he was challenged to condemn white supremacists during Tuesday's presidential debate. He claimed the protests in the country on race relations were a left-wing problem. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a liberal advocacy organization, has designated the all-male Proud Boys as a hate group. The group is known for its violent clashes at political rallies. The Proud Boys were celebrating online Tuesday night after Donald Trump told them to 'stand back and stand by' during the first presidential debate Following the shout out several members of the group appeared to pledge their allegiance to the president. One social media account connected to the organization even appeared to made 'Stand back. Stand by' part of a new logo READ THE FULL 'PROUD BOYS' EXCHANGE CHRIS WALLACE: You have repeatedly criticized the vice president for not specifically calling out Antifa and other left wing extremist groups. But are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia group and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we've seen in Portland. DONALD TRUMP: Sure, I'm willing to do that. CHRIS WALLACE: Are you prepared specifically to do it. DONALD TRUMP: I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing not from the right wing. CHRIS WALLACE: But what are you saying? DONALD TRUMP: I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace. CHRIS WALLACE: Well, do it, sir. JOE BIDEN: Say it, do it say it. DONALD TRUMP: What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, go ahead who do you want me to condemn. CHRIS WALLACE: White supremacist and white militia. JOE BIDEN: Proud boys. Proud boys. DONALD TRUMP: Okay. Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what somebody's got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem this is a left wing. JOE BIDEN: His own FBI Director said unlike white supremacist, Antifa is an idea not an organization- DONALD TRUMP: Oh you got to be kidding me. JOE BIDEN: not a militia. That's what his FBI Director said. DONALD TRUMP: Well, then you know what, he's wrong. CHRIS WALLACE: We're done, sir. Moving onto the next [crosstalk] Advertisement Following the shout out several members of the group pledged their allegiance to the president. One social media account connected to the organization even appeared to made 'Stand back. Stand by' part of a new logo. Proud Boys organizer Joe Biggs wrote: 'President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA... well sir! we're ready! 'Trump basically said to go f*** them up! this makes me so happy.' Joe Biden retweeted a post which looked to show a number of their posts in the wake of Trump's comments. He wrote: 'This. This is Donald Trump's America.' Republican Senator Mitt Romney said 'of course' President Donald Trump should have condemned white supremacists during the presidential debate Tuesday night. 'Of course, of course,' Romney, who's openly criticized Trump when he disagrees with the president, told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning. 'It was not a Lincoln Douglas debate, that's for sure,' he added of the clash between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden that pundits dubbed a 's*** show' and 'dumpster fire.' Other Republicans said they would give the president a chance to explain, including Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black GOP senator. 'I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wllace's comment,' Scott said on Capitol Hill Wednesday. 'He was asking Chris what he wanted to say. I think he misspoke. I think he should correct it. If he doesn't correct it I guess he didn't misspeak.' And Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana said the president should have been clear that extremist groups from both the left and right should be condemned. 'He should have been very clear, and he should have made it very clear that there's no room for people on the far left or the far more far right. When it comes to either an antifa or these white supremacist groups should have been very clear,' Young said. And Hogan Gidley, the spokesman for the Trump campaign, said the president condemned them three times during the debate. 'He did call them out. He has condemned them,' Gidley said on CNN. 'He said sure three times.' Some of the president's other supporters also said he missed out on the chance to condemn such hate groups, including Brian Kilmeade, one of the co-hosts of Trump's favorite morning show 'Fox & Friends.' 'Donald Trump ruined the biggest layup in the history of debates by not condemning white supremacists,' Kilmeade said on the cable news morning show Wednesday. 'I don't know if he didn't hear it, but he's gotta clarify that right away,' he added. 'Why the president didn't just knock it out of the park, I'm not sure.' The Proud Boys hold a rally in Portland, Oregon on Saturday. Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency prior to Saturdays rally as fears of political violence between Proud Boys and Black Lives Matter protesters grew. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted: 'It's astonishing that, when asked a simple question, will you condemn white supremacists, @POTUS responded - 'The Proud Boys should stand back and stand by.' 'Trying to determine if this was an answer or an admission. @POTUS owes America an apology or an explanation. Now.' Proud Boys describes itself as a fraternal organization that 'venerates the housewife' and is 'anti-political correctness.' It has been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook. Computer science professor Megan Squire told NBC News: 'To say Proud Boys are energized by this is an understatement. 'They were pro-Trump before this shoutout, and they are absolutely over the moon now. Their fantasy is to fight antifa in his defense, and he apparently just asked them to do just that.' Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the president's campaign, said Trump's call to 'stand by' was 'very clear he wants them to knock it off'. A Proud Boy wearing a Proud Boys yamaka is seen during a Proud Boys Rally at Delta Park Vanport. The Oregon governor declared an emergency in advance of the event hosted by a right-wing group with a history of violence at protests Members of the far-right group posted about the shout out, telling the president: 'We're ready.' Their account on the social media app Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir' The Trump campaign tweeted afterward: 'President Trump has repeatedly condemned white supremacists. What a ridiculous question from Chris Wallace.' Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes started the Proud Boys in 2016. McInnes and the Proud Boys have described the group as a politically incorrect men's club for 'Western chauvinists' and deny affiliations with far-right extremist groups that overtly espouse racist and anti-Semitic views. In February last year, McInnes sued the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling the Proud Boys as a hate group. In response to the lawsuit, the law center said Proud Boys members often spread 'outright bigotry' over the internet and have posted social media pictures of themselves with prominent Holocaust deniers, white nationalists and 'known neo-Nazis.' In New York City in October 2018, police arrested several Proud Boys members who brawled with anti-fascist protesters following a speech by McInnes at a Manhattan Republican club. Proud Boys members also have frequently clashed with counterprotesters at rallies in California and Oregon. About 1,000 people gathered at the Proud Boys rally in Delta Park on Saturday, while a group of 500 left-wing counter-protesters massed at nearby Peninsula Park, leading to fears of clashes. Ahead of the right-wing rally, which organizers said was to support President Donald Trump and 'to end domestic terrorism', Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency and Mayor Ted Wheeler said it poses the 'greatest threat we've faced so far' amid fears of clashes with left-wing protesters. President Donald Trump listens to Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate Tuesday Debate moderator Chris Wallace asked the president if he would condemn white supremacists and militia groups. 'I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing,' Trump said. Wallace asked him to clarify what he meant. 'I'm willing to do anything, I want to see peace,' Trump said. 'Then do it, sir,' Wallace challenged. 'What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name,' Trump said. 'White supremacist and right wing militias,' Wallace said. Instead, Trump turned to attack antifa, an unorganized group opposed to extreme right-wing political groups like fascists. 'Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' he said. But antifa is not an organization - it's a political idea that many different groups support. And law enforcement has found no evidence these groups were working with the Black Lives Matter protesters in cities across the United States. Trump has declined to call out the citizen militias that have sprung up during the protests as he declined to do Tuesday night. 'Antifa is an idea not an organization. His FBI director said,' Biden said. 'Antifa is a dangerous, radical,' Trump started saying as Wallace interrupted him to say they were moving on to another topic. But the president got in one last zinger on antifa: 'They'll overthrow you.' Race relations, like other debate topics, resulted in a furious back-and-forth, shouting over each other conversation between the presidential contenders. At one point in the night, Biden called Trump a 'racist' when the two men debated race relations in the country. Trump was defending his decision to end racial sensitivity training for federal workers when his Democratic rival hit him with the 'racist' label. - The employees staged protests in the Nairobi's CBD concurrently with their Eldoret counterparts in a bid to persuade the once giant retailer to pay them their salary since July - They also dismissed the company's claims that it was experiencing constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic saying their competitors were expanding during the period - The company's CEO Dan Githua as earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke was once forced to apologise after the delayed payment of salaries citing cash flow problems - The company a month ago entered a KSh 2 billion agreement with a Mauritius firm in a bid to ward off financial constraints PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed The woes facing the cash strapped Tuskys Supermarket have continued after its employees took to the streets demanding their salary arrears. The employees staged protests in the Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) concurrently with their Eldoret counterparts in a bid to persuade the once giant retailer to pay them their salary since July. READ ALSO: Diana Marua raises eyebrows online after stepping out in revealing fishnet dress The company a month ago entered a KSh 2 billion agreement with Mauritius firm in a bid to ward off financial constraints. Photo: NTV Source: UGC READ ALSO: Larry Madowo gives netizens a sneak peek of his Washington DC house Unpaid salaries Speaking to Citizen on Wednesday, September 30, Silas Chirchir, an ex-employee of the company, said they were demanding their service after their contracts were terminated without notice. "We were terminated without notice. We were not paid, we have families to take care of, we have a budget for that money, were are being told to come for our service in 2021 which is very far, we want our money," he said. The employees dismissed the company's claims that they were having constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic saying their competitors were expanding during the period. Photo: Tuskys Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Former TV anchor Louis Otieno says he is returning back on TV They also dismissed the company's claims that it was experiencing financial constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic saying its competitors were expanding and opening other branches and it was not the only company affected. The company's CEO Dan Githua as earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke was once forced to apologise after the delayed payment of salaries citing cash flow problems. The company's CEO Dan Githua as earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke was once forced to apologise after the delayed payment of salaries citing cash flow problems. Photo: Tuskys Source: Facebook "The Tusker Mattresses Limited Management regrets for the delay of July 2020 salaries and wishes to clarify that it has no reason whatsoever of holding employees salaries. We further confirm that salaries for the month of July 2020 has been paid in part up to 50 per cent of the total, he said in a letter. KSh 2 billion agreement The company a month ago entered a KSh 2 billion agreement with a Mauritius firm in a bid to ward off financial constraints In a statement released on Tuesday, August 25, the company's chairman Bernard Kahianyu said the money will be released subject to fulfilling transaction condition precedents. As previously communicated, we wish to reiterate our commitment to resolve the underlying working capital challenges quickly," he said. "This funding will provide the needed impetus to our overall capitalisation journey," he added. Closure of outlets The financial turbulence necessitated the retailer to close down some of its branches countrywide. On Tuesday, August 25, the company shut down two of its branches located in Eldoret's Uganda Road and Nairobis Komarock Mall over rent arrears. The financial turbulence necessitated the retailer to close down some of its branches countrywide. The Star Source: UGC The closure came barely days after the supermarket found itself in the same position when auctioneers landed on its Kisumus United branch. The branch was shut down over KSh 36 million rent arrears. PAY ATTENTION: Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme - https://www.patreon.com/tuko This is me coming to you with a heavy heart. My friends left after I got cancer - Esther Nyambura/TUKO TV Source: TUKO.co.ke In times of crisis, the right to meaningful participation matters more than ever, Secretary-General tells OHCHR UN General Assembly event Meaningful public participation in decision-making is a human right that must be defended and enhanced in the face of pushback, an imperative heightened by crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told an OHCHR event at the UN General Assembly. Speaking at the virtual event featuring UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, and representatives of Member States and civil society, the Secretary-General underscored the multiple crises facing political leaders and societies worldwide. The window to address climate change is almost shut. Inequalities and marginalization have reached new heights. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused human suffering on a massive scale and brought economies to a standstill. Decades of advances in global health, development, poverty reduction, equality and human rights are at risk. People across the globe are loudly expressing their discontent. They lack confidence that the political process can work for them, the Secretary-General said. These crises have put a magnifying glass on the social and economic injustices that bedevil our societies, he said. They are an enormous governance challenge for societies and for the global community. Overcoming them requires approaches driven by unity, solidarity and compassion. For that, we need governance models and structures that work for the common good, with an intergenerational perspective. We need to prioritize the rebuilding of trust between people, institutions and leaders. And we need leadership that is representative of both men and women in our societies. The key to reinvigorated and reimagined governance lies with truly meaningful participation of people and civil society in the decisions that affect their lives, he said, underlining that popular discontent reflects not only impatience with he status quo but also a desire to play a part in bringing about positive change. Participation in public affairs is a fundamental human right and an underutilized tool for better policy making. It deepens our understanding of issues and helps identify better solutions. It ensures that concerns are heard, reducing social tension and preventing violence. It leads to a greater sense of ownership, allowing effective implementation. It can be the difference between progress and disarray, he said. Global pushback Despite its clear advantages, the right to participate is under attack, the Secretary-General said. In many places around the world, participation is being denied and civic space is being crushed. A global pushback on human rights has placed participation in its crosshairs. We see repressive laws and restrictions on the work of journalists and human rights defenders, especially women -- often ending in murder or jail on spurious charges. Governments, often operating under overly broad definitions of terrorism, abuse new technologies to curtail basic freedoms of media and civil society groups, he said. As civic space shrinks, so, too, do human rights, he warned. High Commissioner Bachelet underscored the Secretary-Generals message. Protecting and respecting the right to participation is a legal obligation for every Member State. But it is also a major asset to governments, even if not always recognized as such, she added. To be meaningful and effective participation must not be merely formal or tokenistic; it must have an actual impact on decisions; and be timely and sustained. And, crucially, participation must be inclusive, extending participation most especially to marginalized and vulnerable groups. Deep global urgency In her remarks, the High Commissioner told the event that it was important to keep five messages in mind: participation is an essential principle of governance; it is key to achieving the core purposes of the United Nations; that not only is participation itself a human right, it also supports and is dependent on other rights that are collectively essential to effective governance, development and peace; when people are prevented from participating in shaping decisions that affect them, the consequences for governance can be severe; and the strengthening of participation is a concern of deep global urgency. Our world is at a governance cross-roads. The pandemic has zeroed in on, exposed and found fuel in the inequalities that result from weak governance of development, climate change and peace and security. The continued surge of protest movements across the world reflects these socio-economic and political crises and inadequate prior opportunities for participation. No government can afford to ignore these powerful demands for change, she said. The event, entitled Participation, Human Rights and the Governance Challenge Ahead, was organized by OHCHRs New York Office and co-sponsored by Argentina, Costa Rica, Denmark, the European Union, The Gambia, the Republic of Korea, Ukraine and Uruguay. Speakers, from among Member States and civil society, referred variously to the importance of participation at local, national and international levels; the role of participation in helping a country overcome past human rights violations and crisis; participation as a vital tool to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic; the crucial importance of gender in participation; and the grave situation of indigenous persons and minorities when they are excluded from participating in governance. Among the civil society speakers was Satta Sheriff, a youth campaigner who has been named by the United Nations as a Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals and is Founder and Executive Director of Action for Justice and Human Rights, in Liberia. Todays conversation is crucial, she said. Evidence has shown that when young people are given the space to participate, our communities become better and safer places, developmental agendas are easily achieved. Better laws are made, innovative ideas are created, and the world takes a step closer to achieving equality. All we need is the right space, the right opportunity, political willpower from government, and resources, she said. We all want the same thing: a just, peaceful and sustainable world. PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to seek a dialogue with Russia to enhance the continents security rather than relying primarily on the NATO military alliance. Speaking Wednesday in a news conference in Riga, the capital of the Baltic nation of Latvia, Macron said Europeans should be able to rethink their relation with Russia despite recent tensions after the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. Our collective security imposes that, given geography, we need to discuss with Russians, he insisted. During a three-day visit to Lithuania and Latvia, Macron sought to reassure that his goal was to build up Europes defense capabilities as a complement to NATO not to replace it. Macrons efforts towards Russia have prompted concerns from Baltic states, whose relations with Russia have remained icy for nearly 30 years since their independence in the wake of the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Estonia and Latvia both have sizable ethnic-Russian minorities, while Lithuanias ethnic-Russian population is more minor. Macron reiterated that Russia should provide clarifications on the poisoning of Navalny or the country would face international consequences but he did not elaborate on what those would be. Macron, who once lamented the brain death at the NATO due to a lack of American leadership, last year launched efforts to try to thaw Frances relations with Russia, which were damaged by Russias annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Smoke saturated Williamstown, Dauphin County, in the middle of the night, waking one woman up sometime after 2 oclock. The woman, who asked not to be named, lives about three blocks from where a fire was reported at 2:20 a.m. but said she first thought there was something burning in her house. Instead, she learned a fire had broken out at a home in the first block of Market Street. When she walked outside, she could see the light and smoke from the fire. Police said two bodies were recovered from the debris later this morning and 10 people have been displaced. The woman said she went to the scene when she realized what was happened, and when she first arrived on Market Street, only one building was burning. But quickly she saw it spread to the surrounding buildings, including two homes and a chiropractors office beneath one of the homes. By three, she said all three were burning, and fire crews were lining the streets trying to get it under control. When she left for work at 5:30, she said there were still areas of open flame. Officials earlier said it took at least 4 hours to get the fire completely under control. The State Police Fire Marshal was called. Police said four adults and six children were the people displaced from the fire and are being assisted by the American Red Cross. The neighbor pointed to a building in the middle, which she thought was three stories tall before the fire but was a single story topped by rubble by Tuesday afternoon. Williamstown, Pa., firefighters clean up the remnants of a fatal house fire on East Market St. in which two people were reported killed in the early morning fire. Sept. 29, 2020. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com Only a handful of people watched as crews cleaned up and utility companies worked on wires in the area Tuesday afternoon. Fences were placed in front of the buildings to block access to the public. A crane was used to help tear down some of the heavily damaged walls, but heavy fire damage could be seen throughout three buildings. No cause has been reported by officials. The woman said there were a number of people out throughout the day, watching what happened. She said one woman made sandwiches with her kids to help the families and firefighters who worked on the fire while a local church is starting collections for the families. The woman said Williamstown is small, with all the ups and downs of small-town life. When something happens, all that gets put aside, she said, and you do what you gotta do. 11 Two killed in Williamstown house fire Read more on PennLive: Walt Disney said on Tuesday it will lay off roughly 28,000 employees, mostly at its US theme parks, where attendance has been crushed by the coronavirus pandemic, especially in California where Disneyland remains closed. About two-thirds of the laid-off staffers will be part-time workers, the firm said in a statement. Disney shut its theme parks worldwide when the novel coronavirus began spreading this year. All but Disneyland nicknamed the Happiest Place on Earth - reopened, though the company was forced to limit the number of visitors to allow for physical ... TAIPEI, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TaiGen Biotechnology Company, Limited ("TaiGen") (Taiwan: 4157) today announced that they have signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Luminarie Canada Inc. ("Luminarie"), a leading Canadian pharmaceutical company, to develop and commercialize Taigexyn (nemonoxacin) in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Taigexyn is a novel safe and effective antibiotic for the treatment of bacterial infections including those caused by drug-resistant bacteria. Under the terms of the agreement, Luminarie will be responsible for the development, registration and commercialization of Taigexyn in the territory and assume all associated costs. The territory includes Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In exchange for the exclusive rights, TaiGen will receive the additional regulatory and commercial milestones in the future. Luminarie will purchase Taigexyn at a pre-negotiated price from TaiGen for its commercialization in the territory. Yanick Thibeault, President-Owner of Luminarie Canada, said "We're pleased to develop a long-term partnership with TaiGen, an experienced developer of novelty drugs with Global manufacturing standards, and to offer Taigexyn to our patients and customers. Taigexyn will support our vision to bring novel products for unmet medical needs." Kuo-Lung Huang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Licensor, said, "We are interested in Luminarie because we share the same innovative vision for Taigexyn. By partnering with Luminarie, TaiGen will be able to tap into these developed markets with Taigexyn where the need for such a novel antibiotic to treat drug-resistant infection is very high." About Taigexyn Taigexyn is a novel non-fluorinated quinolone available in both oral and intravenous formulations. TaiGen has completed multi-national and multi-center trials of Taigexyn in oral and intravenous forms. The oral formulation of Taigexyn have received market approval in Taiwan and mainland China shown activity against drug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and quinolone-resistant MRSA as well as quinolone-resistant Streptococcus pneumonia. Taigexyn is marketed in mainland China by Zhejiang Medicine Co. through an exclusive marketing and manufacturing licensing agreement. TaiGen also partnered the exclusive rights in the Russian Federation, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Turkey to R-Pharm of Russia; in the Latin American to Productos Cientificos S.A. de C.V. In addition to the oral formulation, TaiGen is going to obtain the market approval of the intravenous formulation in Mainland China and Taiwan. In the US, TaiGen has completed two Phase 2 studies, one in CAP and the other in diabetic foot infections (DFI). In December 2013, the US FDA granted Taigexyn Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) and Fast Track designations for CAP and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). TaiGen owns the worldwide patent portfolio of Taigexyn that protects composition, use, and processes until 2037. About Luminarie Canada Inc. Luminarie Canada is a recently created company specialized in the commercialization of innovative healthcare products and solutions in Canada. With expertise in virology, microbiology & immunology, Luminarie Canada acquired the commercial rights to pharmaceutical products and diagnostic devices to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. About TaiGen Biotechnology TaiGen Biotechnology is a leading research-based and market-driven biotechnology company in Taiwan with a wholly-owned subsidiary in Beijing, China. In addition to Taigexyn, TaiGen has three other in-house discovered NCEs: TG-1000, a novel pan-influenza antiviral effective against influenza-A, influenza-B, avian flu H7N7, and Tamiflu-resistant viruses, TG-3000, a chemokine receptor antagonist for stem cell transplantation and chemosensitization, and Furaprevir, a HCV protease inhibitor for treatment of chronic hepatitis infection. TG-1000 is currently in Phase 1 clinical study in China and preparing IND filing in USA, TG-3000 has completed Phase 2 clinical studies and Furaprevir is currently in Phase 3 clinical development. SOURCE TaiGen Credit: CC0 Public Domain Public opinion on microblogging sites, such as Twitter, is randomly distributed, so data mining such information offers many technical challenges. Writing in the International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems, a team from China has now used a multi-visual clustering model to underpin a new algorithm to help them extract opinion from microblogging sites. Lin-lin Li, Wei-zhen Hou, and Jing Liu of Renmin University of China in Beijing explain how microblogging often provides very timely and by virtue of its nature, succinct, public opinion data. Statistical analysis of such data might provide us with an almost real-time perspective on public opinion in various realms of activity whether political, commercial, artistic, scientific, or any other. Such opinion mining can help guide policy, marketing, and other areas of human endeavor so that it might jibe better with public opinion especially in areas of controversy. The team has had much success but concedes that there is work still to do in removing invalid data prior to applying the algorithmic analysis. They also point out that there needs to be greater precision in the choice of experimental data so that the algorithm can be tuned to work more efficiently and efficaciously. Explore further 'Opinion-mining' algorithm summarizes social media sentiments automatically More information: n lin Li et al. Study on microblog public opinion data mining algorithm based on multi-visual clustering model, International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems (2020). n lin Li et al. Study on microblog public opinion data mining algorithm based on multi-visual clustering model,(2020). DOI: 10.1504/IJAACS.2020.109810 LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Michigan Legislature on Tuesday finalized a bill that would lengthen the financing period of inland lake projects in the wake of flooding that damaged dams and drained lakes in the Midland area. The legislation would extend, from 10 years to 40 years, the maximum maturity date of bonds issued to pay for lake-level control projects across the state. Special assessments are levied on lakefront properties and back lots with deeded or dedicated lake access to repay the borrowed funds. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Clothing & footwear digital retailer Brown (N) Group plc (BWNG.L) said that it continues to trade in line with its expectations. Group revenue for the first-half of fiscal year 2021 declined 17.6 percent. Product revenue for the period also deceased 20.5 percent. For this financial year, the group said it is confident of offsetting at least 75% of the Group gross profit decline through operational cost savings. The company will release its results for the six-month ended 29th August 2020 on 5th November 2020. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Following the first presidential debate of the general election, a chaotic contest between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, local political activists reflected on what it could mean for Webb County voters. Webb County Democratic Party Chair Sylvia Bruni said she had never in her life seen a debate like this, and she was shocked by Trumps behavior. Bruni called the debate a debacle. If its an undecided voter, and Im going to count on that undecided voter to be a thinker, to be an analyzer, to be reasonable then I would be scared silly, scared out of my mind about this man thats trying to stay in power, she said. It would scare me witless. Bruni, before becoming party chair this year, had previously worked on non-partisan campaigns to get Laredoans to register to vote, events that typically attracted young people. This year, she has helped people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who have never voted before get registered. Webb County Republicans on Tuesday gathered at Rochas Bar and Grill to watch the debate, many clad in their Make America Great Again caps and holding Trump-Pence signs. Bill Young, Webb County Republican Party chair, said Trump did a good job attacking Biden, and that Biden contracted himself, especially on the Green New Deal. I was surprised Biden could stay in it as much as he did without making many mistakes. He did all right, but Trump was great as usual, Young said. Another spectator of the debate was Hector Garza, the head of the Border Patrol union in Laredo and an organizer of the Trump Train event earlier this month. He stated that the debate reaffirmed why Trump is the best candidate. In tonights debate, President Trump was able to highlight the great work he has done with handling the COVID-19 pandemic, boosting the economy and respected the rule of law, Garza said. President Trump has done more during his presidency than Vice President Joe Biden has done in over 47 years in government. Also at the watch party were several candidates running for office both from the Republican Party, such as Sandra Whitten who is running against Rep. Henry Cuellar for U.S. District 28, and Kevin Patrick Yeary, who is running for re-election to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Christian Ochoa, precinct chair for the Webb County Democratic Party and a TAMIU student, noted a lack of respect by Trump for his opponent and those around him. He called it preposterous and perplexing. His main takeaway from the evening was Bidens focus on families and human decency. Ochoa said Trump would rather throw gasoline on the fire. It sounds cliche, but this will be one of the most consequential elections in our lifetime, he said. Ochoa turned 18 this year, and this will be the first presidential election he participates in. He said he and people his age want accountability and someone they can trust. jwallace@lmtonline.com, jorge.vela@lmtonline.com The Rashtriya Lok Samta Party of former union minister Upendra Kushwaha which has formed a third front ahead of Bihar polls after spurned by the National Democratic Alliance and disowned by the Rashtriya Janata Dal-helmed Grand Alliance, on Wednesday received another jolt when its key leader Madhaw Anand resigned over the "disastrous" tie-up with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. Anand, the party's principal national general secretary and chief spokesperson resigned from the posts as well as the primary membership stating that the party ran the risk of being "finished" on account of the "inconsequential" move. "I am leaving not because of any personal bitterness. I joined the party in 2017 and have tried to nurture it since then. But, unfortunately the course chosen by the RLSP will only cause it to perish. And my aim, to make a difference in the politics of Bihar, cannot be achieved in such circumstances", Anand said. The 38-year-old media savvy politician, who has been one of the most visible faces of the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party which was formed in 2013, was incidentally seated by the side of Kushwaha, glum faced, while the alliance with BSP and a non-descript Janatantrik Party (Socialist) was being announced. Later in the day, BSP supremo Mayawati had announced in Lucknow that her party would be supporting Kushwaha as the "chief ministerial" candidate, an averment which is being scoffed at by the ruling NDA in Bihar as well as the Grand Alliance comprising RJD, Congress and others. The RLSP had performed dismally in the 2015 Bihar assembly polls when it won only two seats. It later succeeded in getting one of its members elected to the legislative council. However, all the three legislators revolted against Kushwaha's decision to walk out of the NDA in December, 2018 and after the party drew a blank in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, they merged with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United. Anand's exit from the RLSP came barely two days after it received a rude shock with its state president Bhudev Chaudhary, one of the partys founding members, joining the RJD. The proverbial straw in the wind had become visible hours later when Anand drove to the residence of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav late on Tuesday night. He, however, chose to keep his cards close to the chest and asked about the meeting with Yadav, replied "I have personal relations with Lalu ji and his family and I met Tejashwi for a courtesy call. My future political move will be announced soon". Anand insisted that his decision to quit the RLSP was "not guided by any resentments stemming from past injustices, since I remained loyal to Kushwaha through thick and thin". Desertions of senior RLSP leaders leave Kushwaha in the lurch. But, Kushwaha says he is not worried. "It's good that people are getting down from the ship before it sails deep in the sea," Kushwaha said. "When ministers and senior legislators are changing political sides during the election whats so big if some of my party colleagues are doing so. This is routine during poll times and we are not bothered," Kushwaha, who served as minister of state for HRD in Narendra Modi's first cabinet, said. Kushwaha had left Mahagathbandhan in the hope of a "decent" return to the ruling NDA coalition. Earlier, this week he had gone to Delhi to meet top BJP leaders, but it seems things did not work for him. Kushwaha himself had told media persons Tuesday that he met BJP General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav and had also talked on seat-sharing and the RLSP expectations. Media reports suggested Kushwaha is interested in contesting Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha bypolls schduled on November 7. The by-election on the Valmiki Nagar seat has been necessitated due to untimely death of sitting JD-U MP Baidyanath Mahto. Asked about speculations in the media about RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's estranged brother-in-law Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav joining them, Kushwaha said "you will hear a lot of rumours during election time." Below are just a few key points influencing or indicating the reopening of tourism in Nepal. Nepal Open for Trekking & Mountaineering, Oct 17 - That was the popular headline that got many people excited, but nearly 3 weeks later, nothing more has been confirmed. There has been no further information about on-arrival visas, quarantine requirements (rumored 7 days), who is allowed in, or where they are allowed to go. Covid Cases - We have averaged 1,000 - 1,500 for the last two weeks with a 2,000 case record within that time. The Ministry of Health said they would request a lockdown when active cases reached 25,000, so a few more days at 1,500 daily cases will get us to that number. Overall, the country has given up on masks, social distancing, and other preventative measures. Hospitals are full, the death tally has doubled in 30 days, but there is little to indicate Nepalis care. Bus and Domestic Air Travel - Has resumed but again, most reports indicate there are no safety measures in place. There has not been much demand for travel yet. Hotels and restaurants are rarely enforcing any covid standards for masks, cleanliness, etc. International Travel - Getting to Nepal in the next 60-90 days will not be easy. Getting home could be just as difficult. Due to the Civil Aviation Authority continuing to change approvals for flights, airlines are cancelling flights at unprecedented rates. Some people trying to leave Nepal in the last few months have endured 4-6 flight cancellations with some waiting for their 3rd or 4th refund. Outbound flights, which should be empty, are still hard to book as flights continue to change. Services - I would say fewer than 30% of Nepal's hotels are ready for travelers and probably fewer restaurants and shops. I wager 80% of the hotels in Pokhara are closed. For those interested in trekking, the reports from the mountains indicate villagers are not interested in outsiders coming to their communities. The consensus from the more professional members of the travel industry is that no tourism will take place before January. There is a genuine concern we're now facing the possibility of seeing Spring 2021 lost to the same issues we face today. Dashain and the festival season will certainly cause spikes of covid across the entire country in October. I give the fall travel season a 10% chance of seeing any tourists at all. I give March-May better odds, maybe 65%. Airline major Lufthansa said on Tuesday that it will cancel all planned flights between Germany and India from September 30 to October 20. According to the airline, the move comes after Indian authorities rejected Lufthansa's planned flight schedule for October. Lufthansa had applied for the continuation of special flights it was granted to operate until the end of September," the airline said in a statement. "This application process is necessary since India has, so far, not accepted the invitation by the German government to discuss the details regarding a temporary travel agreement between both the countries," it said. Lufthansa was operating these flights under the 'Air Bubble' agreement between India and Germany. India had formalised an 'Air Bubble' agreement with Germany in July 2020. This type of arrangement allows nationals of both the countries to travel in either direction. As per the statement, Lufthansa had originally scheduled flights for October in order to continue connecting Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru with Europe and other regions in Lufthansa's worldwide network. "The October schedule would also have seen the addition of flights to and from Chennai, one of the most important cities in southern India," it said. The airline urged India to work together with the German government in order to establish a temporary travel agreement between both the countries. "Such an agreement is necessary to address the urgent need of tens of thousands of Indians and foreign nationals for travel to and from India and would also help balance the interests of both the countries' airlines. "As visa issuance is restarting and demand for flights to and from India is increasing, it is regrettable that Lufthansa is currently being unnecessarily restricted in its ability to serve its loyal Indian customers and enable their desired travel," the airline said. However, aviation regulator DGCA in a statement said that there are restrictions in place for Indian nationals desiring to travel to Germany which was putting Indian carriers at a significant disadvantage, resulting in inequitable distribution of traffic in favour of Lufthansa. "As against Indian carriers operating 3-4 flights a week, Lufthansa operated 20 flights a week. In spite of this disparity, we offered to clear seven flights a week for Lufthansa, which was not accepted by them. Negotiations continue," the DGCA said. Earlier, Lufthansa had said that it will operate 160 flights between India and Germany in September. This would have been a four-fold increase in flights to and from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Imagine being stolen from your parents at 5 years old. Its a scene of chaos as a strange man in a red uniform with a flattened black top hat and gold trimming drags you, kicking and screaming from the clutches of your mother. She collapses to the floor in tears and hopelessness. Your father is yelling at the man to let you go. The man, who is a law enforcement officer called an RCMP, speaks in a foreign language you dont understand. But your father backs down, defeated and watches as youre hauled away in a cattle truck with a herd of other children. The home where you grew up, the security of the love of your parents fades behind the dust. Confusion, terror, and anticipation of what is to come when you arrive at a towering, brick building a few hours later. Youre taken to an assembly line and stripped naked, head shaved and scrubbed with hard soap until your skin breaks. You dont understand what the strange women in black with their heads covered are telling you. Theyre pointing in your face, so you answer in your mother tongue of Cree, only to be met with a burning slap to the face. They then throw a tattered uniform at you for clothing. Youre sent to a big, cement walled room with rows of bunkers for sleeping. Distraught, shivering, and hungry you crawl in a bed and cry yourself to sleep. You learn to survive here in this despondent land far from home. Soon, things get worse youre beaten on the regular and made to work like a slave picking rocks to clear the fields of farmers nearby. Theres a room with desks where a nun walks around with a wooden stick to threaten anyone who gets out of line. There is no peace or comfort anywhere. Its a test of endurance as you learn the ways of the whites and pray to the God of their religion to ask forgiveness for being born an Indian savage. At night, the demons in the long, black robes steal you away and violate your innocence. Molestation is rampant the children whimper in their beds and miss their mothers. Imagine, growing up this way and then at age 16 being thrown out of the doors of an institution that tore you from your family, inflicted unspeakable abuse and indoctrinated your mind to believe you were worthless. And it was all because you were Indigenous. Thus was the story of hundreds of thousands of Metis, First Nations, and Inuit peoples, albeit at varying degrees of physical, mental and sexual abuse, for over 100 years in Canada. There are children who didnt make it out alive, thousands died in these God forsaken schools, many of their bones are still scattered in unmarked graves. The last victims of this demented system walked out of the Gordon Residential School in Punnichy, Sask., in 1996. It was the last of approximately 130 residential schools across Canada to close. Thats just 24 years ago its in our lifetime. Whats left is a despairing cycle of brokenness in the lives of survivors, their children, and grandchildren. You see, the effects of abuse and neglect are ongoing. Nations of people recovering from attacks of genocide that began with colonization, then oppressive polices like the Indian Act, which ushered in the residential school era, and on its heels the Sixties Scoop, which continued the stealing of Indigenous children. Survivors were sent home to cope after the foundations of familial and cultural identity were shattered by the violence and cruelty of Canadas assimilation agenda. And people see a drunken Indian on the street, shake their heads and ask, Why cant they just get it together and contribute to society? or they read another headline of violence on a reservation and are thankful not to live there. Is there any understanding? Compassion for the consequences were seeing of a failed attempt to conquer the spirits of the First Peoples of these lands? Yes, we had a publicly funded Truth and Reconciliation Commission that made recommendations on how to not repeat the mistakes of the past and how to commence a journey of healing together. But, it only made a dent in the work that needs to be done to eradicate the fallout of this horrifying legacy. Too many Canadians remain indifferent and uninformed about the human tragedies of our not so distant past. We wear orange shirts once a year on Sept. 30 to solemnly commemorate residential schools, and to honour the survivors. But Canada, much more is needed. Were talking generations of damage and impacts to heal from. And its on both sides. The mainstream has, in recent years, partially stepped up in this process to help abolish the racism, discrimination and ignorance towards Indigenous. But we have to strive harder to heal. The way things are going in the world with awareness of racism and inequality, violence and protests, these are issues to tackle once and for all. Its uncomfortable, its tough to learn the horrid details, but we must learn the truth so its never forgotten. Stand for the future of our future generations, and become a reconciler for it to never happen again. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Punjab National Bank on Wednesday declared its exposure of Rs 1,203.26 crore to Sintex Industries Ltd (SIL) as fraud. The lender added that it has already made provisions amounting to Rs 215.21 crore toward the exposure, as per prescribed prudential norms. RBI norms mandate banks to set aside up to 100 per cent as provision on a fraud-hit account. This provision can be made over a period of a few quarters. A fraud of Rs 1,203.26 crore is being reported by the Bank to the RBI in the accounts of the Company (SIL), the bank said in a late night notification to exchanges. The fraud was reported at the banks large corporate branch at Ahmedabad. In a separate notification earlier in the day, stressed textile firm Sintex Industries said it has defaulted on debt repayment to the tune of Rs 49.54 crore to a total of 10 investors. Of this, Rs 45.84 crore related to the principal amount, while Rs 3.7 crore pertains to interest that was due. Other lenders to Sintex include Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, and Bank of India. Its total debt stood at Rs 7,358.88 crore as of June-end. Under Reserve Bank of India norms, Once a bank declares an account as fraud-hit, it will have to make up to 100 per cent provision either in one shot or over a period of four quarters. Provision refers to the amount which the banks need to set aside for potential losses. (With Online Desk inputs) Application Being Reviewed Under FDA's Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) Pilot Program NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Kadmon Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:KDMN) today announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for belumosudil (KD025), the Company's Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase 2 (ROCK2) inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). "Today's NDA submission under the FDA's Real-Time Oncology Review pilot program marks an exciting milestone for Kadmon and for patients living with cGVHD," said Harlan W. Waksal, M.D., President and CEO of Kadmon. "We believe the robust and durable clinical trial results achieved with belumosudil demonstrate its potential to offer meaningful clinical benefit to cGVHD patients. We look forward to our continued dialogue with the FDA as we continue to make preparations for potential launch, if approved." As previously reported, the NDA is being reviewed under the Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) pilot program, an initiative of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence. The RTOR program aims to explore a more efficient review process to ensure that safe and effective treatments are available to patients as early as possible. The NDA submission is supported by positive data from ROCKstar (KD025-213), the Company's pivotal clinical trial evaluating belumosudil in 132 patients with cGVHD who have received two or more prior lines of systemic therapy. As previously reported, belumosudil achieved clinically meaningful and statistically significant Overall Response Rates (ORR) of 73% with 200 mg once daily and 74% with 200 mg twice daily. Responses were achieved across key patient subgroups and complete responses were observed in all organ systems. Belumosudil has been well tolerated and adverse events have been consistent with those expected in the patient population. Data from ROCKstar are expected to be presented at an upcoming medical meeting. In October 2018, the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to belumosudil for the treatment of patients with cGVHD after failure of two or more lines of systemic therapy. About ROCKstar ROCKstar (KD025-213) is an ongoing open-label trial of belumosudil (KD025) in patients with cGVHD who have received at least two prior lines of systemic therapy. Patients were randomized to receive belumosudil 200 mg once daily or 200 mg twice daily, enrolling 66 patients per arm. The primary endpoint of the study is Overall Response Rate (ORR). The ORR endpoint was met at the interim analysis, conducted two months after completion of enrollment. At the study's primary analysis, conducted six months after completion of enrollment, belumosudil achieved ORRs of 73% and 74% in the respective arms. Data from ROCKstar are expected to be presented at an upcoming medical meeting. About Belumosudil Belumosudil (KD025) is a selective oral inhibitor of Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase 2 (ROCK2), a signaling pathway that modulates inflammatory response. The FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to belumosudil for the treatment of patients with cGVHD after failure of two or more lines of systemic therapy. The FDA has also granted Orphan Drug Designation to belumosudil for the treatment of cGVHD. The belumosudil NDA is being reviewed under the FDA's Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) pilot program. Belumosudil is also being studied in an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in adults with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (KD025-209). About cGVHD cGVHD is a common and often fatal complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In cGVHD, transplanted immune cells (graft) attack the patient's cells (host), leading to inflammation and fibrosis in multiple tissues, including skin, mouth, eye, joints, liver, lung, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract. Approximately 14,000 patients in the United States are currently living with cGVHD. About Kadmon Kadmon is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and delivers transformative therapies for unmet medical needs. Our clinical pipeline includes treatments for immune and fibrotic diseases as well as immuno-oncology therapies. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements may be preceded by the words "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "targets," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, (i) the initiation, timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies and clinical trials, and our research and development programs; (ii) our ability to advance product candidates into, and successfully complete, clinical trials; (iii) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, workforce, patients, collaborators and suppliers, including delays in anticipated timelines and milestones of our clinical trials and on various government agencies who we interact with and/or are governed by; (iv) our reliance on the success of our product candidates; (iv) the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; (v) our ability to expand our sales and marketing capabilities; (vi) our ability to expand our sales and marketing capabilities; (vii) the commercialization, pricing and reimbursement of our product candidates, if approved; (viii) the implementation of our business model, strategic plans for our business, product candidates and technology; (ix) the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our product candidates and technology; (x) our ability to operate our business without infringing the intellectual property rights and proprietary technology of third parties; (xi) costs associated with defending intellectual property infringement, product liability and other claims; (xii) regulatory developments in the United States, Europe, and other jurisdictions; (xiii) estimates of our expenses, future revenues, capital requirements and our needs for additional financing; (xiv) the potential benefits of strategic collaboration agreements and our ability to enter into strategic arrangements; (xv) our ability to maintain and establish collaborations; (xvi) the rate and degree of market acceptance of our product candidates, if approved; (xvii) developments relating to our competitors and our industry, including competing therapies; (xviii) our ability to effectively manage our anticipated growth; (xix) our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel; (xx) our expected use of cash and cash equivalents and other sources of liquidity; (xxi) the potential benefits of any of our product candidates being granted orphan drug designation; (xxii) the future trading price of the shares of our common stock and impact of securities analysts' reports on these prices; (xxiii) our ability to apply unused federal and state net operating loss carryforwards against future taxable income and/or (xxiv) other risks and uncertainties. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including Kadmon's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact Information Ellen Cavaleri, Investor Relations 646.490.2989 ellen.cavaleri@kadmon.com SOURCE: Kadmon Holdings, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608562/Kadmon-Announces-Submission-of-New-Drug-Application-to-the-US-FDA-for-Belumosudil-in-Patients-with-Chronic-Graft-Versus-Host-Disease Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, discusses what can be done from a government perspective to address the wealth gap. Kabul, Sep 30 : Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, headed to Doha on Wednesday as the two Afghan negotiating teams are struggling to finalize ground rules for talks. "Headed back to Doha and the region to meet with partners on Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace negotiations and prospects for increased regional connectivity, trade, and development following peace," Khalilzad tweeted. Khalilzad also said that the international community and Afghan people are watching and expect the teams to make progress. "The Afghan people and international community are watching closely and expect the negotiations to make progress toward producing a roadmap for Afghanistan's political future and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire," Khalilzad tweeted. Critics have suggested that a mediator might be needed in the negotiations, as the contact groups of both sides of the Afghan peace talks have discussed the rules many times over the last 20 days but have not reached an agreement, Tolo news reported. The procedural rules for the negotiations have over 20 articles. The two sides have agreed on 18 of them. According to negotiators from both sides, two articles are still disputed: the foundational religious jurisprudence for the talks, and the recognition of February's US-Taliban deal as the overarching authority to which these Afghan peace negotiations are subject. The last time the contact groups of both sides of the peace negotiations met was Monday evening. The meeting lasted for hours but could not achieve an agreement on the rules and regulations, according to negotiators. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Mike Marsland, Getty Images It's the age-old question that working moms have been asked for years: How do you balance your career and motherhood? There's no one right answer, but while actress and mom of two Keira Knightley, for one, admits to HelloGiggles that "the guilt is absolutely constant" when she's away from her kids, she'd prefer to focus on a different question: Why don't we ask men the same thing? "Why do we not engage men in that conversation?" Knightley asks, speaking over the phone in September to discuss her new film, Misbehaviour (out on VOD now). "Why do we not expect a working man to be looking after their children as much as their partner is? Why do we assume that they dont feel guilty about not spending enough time with their children as well?" The belief that women should prioritize their kids while men prioritize their careers is an archaic one, to say the least. But despite its patriarchal roots, Knightley thinks that women still contribute to part of the problem when they praise men for showing up as parents in ways that moms are expected to all the time. "It's really rare to see a guy at a children's [daycare], and if he is, people say, Ooh what a lovely dad. Look at him looking after his own children,'" Knightley notes. "You would never say that to a woman." "We really need to start asking men about what their role within the childcare situation is, how much of that they take on, and expect them to take on that responsibility," she continues. "We expect women to take on that responsibility, and yet for some reason, we give men a free pass." These sexist standards are fully demonstrated in Misbehaviour. Set in 1970 London, the British dramedy tells the true story of how the newly-formed Women's Liberation Movement invaded the stage at the Miss World competition, successfully disrupting the most-watched live television broadcast at the time. Knightley plays Sally Alexander, a single mother and college student who joins her fellow feminists in protesting the competition and society at large. The movie may take place 50 years ago, but the actress says that the women's slogans"We're not beautiful. We're not ugly. We're angry"continue to ring true and still need to be heard today. Story continues "It means, 'Im allowed to be more than my face. Im allowed to be more than my body or this very thin definition of beauty. Im allowed to feel. Im allowed to speak,'" Knightley explains. "Were still living in a world where the only profession where women are paid more than men is modeling." "As much were entitled to say that our voices are important, the workplace tells us that the way we look is still more important than what we have to say." Keira Knightley Over her years in Hollywood, Knightley says she hasn't experienced sexism as "overt" as that shown in Misbehaviour, but she has often been "the only woman in the room." "Most of the powerful positions are held by men on film sets," she explains. "I do think that my voice has been heard, but you cant hide that fact that you are the only woman at the table." Luckily, the atmosphere while filming Misbehaviour was a different story. The film, which also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lesley Manville, and Jessie Buckley, was directed by Philippa Lowthorpe and produced by a predominately female team; Knightley recalls the rare on-set experience as "an absolutely gorgeous time." Together, the team helped build a timely movie that, as the actress notes, deals with causes and issues not much different from political movements happening today. "When I read the script I thought, Wowit's extraordinary that this is set in 1970, yet it feels utterly relevant and utterly part of the conversation that we still seem to be having about feminism and that intersection with racism today,'" Knightley says. While the 1970 Miss World competition saw protesters for the first time, it also saw the first Black woman get crowned: Jennifer Hosten, aka Miss Grenada (Mbatha-Raw). The "crux of the story", according to Knightley, is a scene in which Sally and Jennifer meet in a bathroom and discuss what they're each fighting for. For her own character, it's the rejection of the idea that women's value comes from their bodies; for Miss Grenada, it's the representation of all races in the media. But at the end of the day, it's clear both women are working toward the same goal: equality. "We only see the world through our own eyes and we only live through our own experience," Knightley says. "Ive had to really embrace the fact that I have no frame of reference for lots of peoples experiences, so the only way that I can be helpful to as many women as possible is if I listen to their different experiences." Just like how these OG feminists used the Miss World competition to get their message across to the widest range of people possible, Knightley believes we all need to continue fighting for our voices to be heard. "You have to keep speaking, protesting, and perhaps you have to keep doing civil disobedience in order to make the most amount of people aware of the cause and aware of your point of view," she says. "Quite often, I think we all feel like were just a very small part in the worldand of course we arebut together, collectively, I think people can do great things. You may be one person, but maybe you can join one other person and do something really amazing." A cargo ship docks at Qinzhou Port in China-ASEAN Free Trade Area in Qinzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on July 11, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] Amid challenges brought by the epidemic, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for the first time has become China's top trading partner, opening up bright prospects as China and ASEAN are now each other's largest trading partners, the Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday. Li Chenggang, assistant minister of commerce, said at a news conference economies around the world are grappling with growing downward pressure and shrinking international trade due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Against this backdrop, China and ASEAN strived to minimize the influence of the epidemic and bucked global trends with good trade and economic cooperation. Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed in the first eight months of this year, China-ASEAN trade volume reached 2.93 trillion yuan ($429.5 billion), up 7 percent on a year-on-year basis and accounting for 14.6 percent of China's foreign trade. In the first half of this year, China's investment in ASEAN amounted to $6.23 billion, growing 53.1 percent on a yearly basis and taking up 76.7 percent of China's investment in economies related to the Belt and Road Initiative. ASEAN's paid-in investment in China surged by 5.9 percent year-on-year, according to the ministry. "In addition to growing bilateral trade volume and dynamic investment cooperation, China and ASEAN had closer cooperation in digital economy, and made steady progress in regional economic cooperation," Li said. He noted China and ASEAN had delivered remarkable results in trade and economic cooperation, in which the China-ASEAN Expo has played a vital role. Since it was first held 16 years ago, the expo has built a significant platform for bilateral trade and economic cooperation, ensured unimpeded access to trade and investment, boosted international cooperation in production capacity and encouraged Chinese companies to go to Southeast Asia. The 17th China-ASEAN Expo, which is to be held from Nov 27 to Nov 30 in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, will feature both physical exhibitions and "Cloud CAEXPO". The 17th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit will be held at the same time. Zhou Hongbo, vice-governor of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said: "This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China ASEAN Free Trade Zone. The CAEXPO, over the past 16 years, has drawn together 832,000 exhibitors and trade visitors and concluded a lot of cooperation projects related to trade in goods and services, investment, international production capacity and cross-border industrial parks." According to Zhou, to mitigate the influence of COVID-19 this year's expo and summit will be offered with an online version, so those who are outside the Chinese mainland are able to join. In addition, in partnership with Alibaba Group an online CAEXPO will be launched to provide a variety of services such as showrooms, business talks via video link and livestreaming, among others, to exhibitors and trade visitors all year round. Zhang Shaogang, deputy director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said in the future CCPIT will continue to build more effective platforms for the industrial and commercial circles of China and ASEAN and explore more fields for cooperation, especially in the fields of new energy, new infrastructure, digital economy and intelligent manufacturing. Up to 100 million additional doses of any eventual Covid-19 vaccines will be secured for delivery to poorer countries in 2021, health groups announced Tuesday, as the virus showed no sign of receding after claiming more than one million lives around the world. The announcement doubles the number of doses already secured from the Serum Institute of India by the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, following an initial agreement last month. The public-private health partnership stressed that the eventual total is "potentially several times" greater, and said the price would be capped at $3 per dose. "No country, rich or poor, should be left at the back of the queue when it comes to Covid-19 vaccines; this collaboration brings us another step closer to achieving this goal," Gavi chief Seth Berkley said. As nine vaccine candidates are in last-stage trials, the World Bank said Tuesday it had asked its board of directors to approve $12 billion to help poor countries purchase and distribute vaccines. A World Bank spokesman said that "the global economy will not recover fully until people feel they can live, socialize, work and travel with confidence." As humanity struggles against Covid-19, the World Health Organization said this week that some 120 million rapid tests will soon be made available to low- and middle-income countries if funding can be secured. The kits faster, cheaper and easier to administer than standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab tests, but also less reliable will be rolled out across 133 countries in the next six months. European wave UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that "responsible leadership matters" in steering the world through the pandemic. "Science matters. Cooperation matters and misinformation kills," he warned, urging people to respect familiar infection control measures like hand-washing, distancing and mask-wearing. Story continues Case numbers are climbing rapidly in Europe, where governments are clamping down on movement in an attempt to curb the surge. >>France's coronavirus second wave 'arriving faster than we thought' Germany introduced new limits on the number of people who can attend private events, after Spain, France, Britain and Northern Ireland all imposed fresh restrictions. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "a reaction is necessary" after recent outbreaks were frequently traced to weddings and other gatherings. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson appeared to share general confusion about his government's measures, apologising after wrongly saying that rules limiting gatherings in northeast England to no more than six people did not apply outdoors. The Czech Republic and Slovakia said they were preparing to declare a state of emergency. In Israel, which has the world's highest infection rate per capita, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Tuesday that there was "no way" the country's second nationwide coronavirus lockdown would be lifted after three weeks as originally planned. New York worries again Across the Atlantic, former coronavirus hotspot New York's rate of positive tests surged to more than 3 percent from below two in just 24 hours, authorities said, adding that Orthodox Jewish communities have faced a particularly sharp increase. The figures were a "real cause for concern", Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters as he introduced fines for those not wearing masks in public. More than one in ten of the 203,107 people who have so far died of coronavirus in the US were New Yorkers. US President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden sparred over Trumps response to the virus in the candidates first televised election debate, with Biden asserting that Trump was at least partially responsible for the countrys death toll, and Trump claiming that millions would have died had Biden been in charge. Hours before the debate began, the economic impact of the virus was highlighted by Disney saying it planned to cut 28,000 jobs from its US theme parks division. Worldwide the virus has now infected almost 33.5 million people and killed over a million, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources. Mid-September saw a record rise in cases in most regions and the WHO has warned that virus deaths could even double to two million. On Monday, the number of cases in India surpassed six million, with the country on course to overtake the US in the coming weeks as the nation with the most infections. The country's lead pandemic agency said Tuesday that as many as 60 million of India's 1.3 billion people could already have been infected, based on a study of blood antibodies. (FRANCE 24 with AFP) CLEVELAND, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Roll-A-Rack, a faster, lower-cost, ballasted solar-racking solution, will unveil its first portable, roll-forming machine in October at its virtual SPI 2020 showroom. Click here for a video showing the inside working of the first solar-racking, roll-forming machine. The new roll-forming machine has been built by Roll-A-Rack manufacturing partner, New Tech Machinery in Denver, Colo. Like seamless rain gutters, which are cut to length on each installation site by a portable roll-forming machine, Roll-A-Rack produces custom solar racking on site and on demand. The new system simplifies the solar racking supply chain, eliminates waste and speeds installation time. "Roll-A-Rack brings a solar racking factory to each installation site," said Don Scipione, company president and founder. "There are dramatic savings in time, planning and material costs, and the system accommodates all those inevitable last-minute design changes." Roll-A-Rack is seeking 10 developers or solar installers to help refine the installation processes. For more information about becoming a beta tester, visit roll-a-rack.com., email [email protected], or download the informational flyer. Roll-A-Rack product development research is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. Click here to view our SPI 2020 conference technical poster. About Acme Express: dba as Roll-A-Rack Acme Express, Inc. (roll-a-rack.com) is a technology company that develops applications for the transportation, finance, education healthcare, and renewable energy industries. The company's founder, Don Scipione, an experimental elementary particle physicist, has been awarded multiple innovation grants from Ohio Third Frontier, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Research Resources, National Library of Medicine, and U.S. Department of Energy. About Solar Power International 2020 SPI 2020 (www.eventscribe.com/2020/spi-esi/index.asp) is powered by the Solar Energy Industries Association (www.seia.org), the national trade organization for the U.S. solar industry, and the Smart Electric Power Alliance (www.sepapower.org), a provider of education, research, standards, and collaboration to utilities, electric customers, and other industry players. About New Tech Machinery New Tech Machinery (https://www.newtechmachinery.com/) builds the world's finest portable roll forming machines; revolutionizing the metal construction industry by bringing versatile, easy-to-use roll forming right to the job site. About the Solar Energy Technologies Office The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (energy.gov/solar-office) supports early-stage research and development to improve the affordability, reliability, and performance of solar technologies on the grid. News Media Contact Joe Mosbrook 216-375-2141 [email protected] SOURCE Acme Express, Inc. As the four-day-old war pitting Azerbaijan against Armenia over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh enclave continues to escalate with dozens of casualties on both sides, there are growing indications that the latest conflagration between the traditionally hostile former Soviet states was not sparked by accident but was preplanned by Azerbaijan and its regional ally Turkey. The unanswered question is where regional heavyweight Russia stands in those plans. Is it supporting Turkey and Azerbaijan for its own strategic purposes, or is it biding its time before slapping them down? The Kremlin has a military pact with Armenia and a large base there close to the Turkish border. It supplies weapons to both countries and has avoided openly taking sides. Its joined the United States and NATOs calls for an immediate cease-fire. Azerbaijan and Armenia have rebuffed the calls. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Moscow of siding with Armenia today. "If Armenia hadnt enjoyed support today from other countries from the West, Russia it wouldnt be able to muster up this courage," he said in an interview with the state-run Anadolu news agency. He made no bones about Turkeys position, saying, We will do what is required if Azerbaijan wants to resolve this [conflict] on the ground. Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says Turkey is providing arms and military advisers to Azerbaijan. Despite Azerbaijani denials, various Syrian rebels attached to Turkish-mentored brigades continue to confirm their presence in Azerbaijan, saying they were transported there by Turkey. Armenias Ministry of Defense said yesterday that one of its Russian-made Sukhoi S-25 combat aircraft was shot down by a US-made Turkish F-16 warplane within Armenias airspace. Today it shared footage of the wreckage. Turkey denied that it's using planes and drones against Armenia. The conventional wisdom, however, is that Turkey is providing Azerbaijan with military support of a kind not seen since the start of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 1988. Turkeys assistance to ill-disciplined and largely unmotivated Azerbaijani forces proved fruitless at the time. A truce was called in 1994, with Armenia retaining control over the Armenian-majority enclave and five administrative regions surrounding it, amounting to a fifth of Azerbaijani territory. After 36 years, Azerbaijan is far wealthier thanks to its substantial oil and gas resources and boasts an arsenal of sophisticated weapons. Turkeys combat drones, which have had a game-changing effect against Kurdish insurgents in Turkey as well as its foes in Syria and Libya, are helping Azerbaijan wrest back territory for the first time, according to diplomatic sources who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition they not be identified by name. The sources said Azerbaijani forces were close to regaining control of Fuzuli and Jebrail, south of Nagorno-Karabakh, that fell to Armenian forces in 1993 and were seeking to cut off a supply route from the Armenian capital Yerevan to Nagorno-Karabakh by taking the peak of the Murovdag Mountain. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said on Sunday that its forces already had. The diplomatic sources briefing Al-Monitor said Turkey had likely left behind assorted military hardware in Azerbaijan used during joint exercises that were held from July 29 to Aug. 10 in the capital Baku and the countrys second-largest city, Ganja, among others. Combat aircraft and land forces took part, prompting sharp protests from Armenia and admonishments from Russia. The exercises followed the most recent round of clashes between the sides in early July that left at least 16 people dead. Those who argue that Russia is letting Turkey and Azerbaijan run loose for the moment offer several reasons. It wants to expose the impotence of the United States and France, who together with Russia are permanent members of the so-called Minsk Group. The group, which operates under the umbrella of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, has been trying unsuccessfully to broker peace since 1994. When both sides are sufficiently exhausted Russia will step in as the ultimate arbiter of the conflict, sending a strong message to Pashinyan that his reformist 2018 Velvet Revolution comes at a price. Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told Al-Monitor, Its not clear to me that Turkey and Russia are on the opposite sides of this conflict. It seems the Russians are sitting on the fence, even allowing Armenia to lose territory. Relations between Moscow and the Pashinyan government in Armenia have not exactly been smooth. People also underestimate the nature of the relationship between [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and [Azerbaijani president] Ilham Aliyev, himself the son of a high-ranking KGB official, Haydar Aliyev, Aydinstasbas observed. Its unlikely that Turkey will want to settle scores with Russia [over Syrias rebel-held] Idlib by way of upping the ante in Azerbaijan. The two countries and their respective leaders value their relationship and know how to compartmentalize their differences. Ankara is not interested in opening another front against Russia. Either way, for Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, being able to claim credit for winning back Azerbaijani territory, however little, would be an enormous boost to his droopy poll numbers in the midst of a looming economic crisis. Moscows support in that endeavour would in theory make him more dependent on the Kremlin. It might also accommodate Turkeys demands to let it take another swipe at Syrias Kurds. But its not just Turkey that is coming to Azerbaijans aid. Israel is also providing weapons and intelligence to Azerbaijan. Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to Aliyev, confirmed to Axios today that Azerbaijani cargo planes have been traveling to Ovda, a military base in southern Israel. The planes are allegedly ferrying weapons back to Azerbaijan. Hajiev acknowledged that in addition to fruit and vegetables, the planes might be carrying military items as well. Azerbaijan is among Israels top suppliers of oil but its main interest in the Turkic nation is its border with Iran and all the intelligence-gathering benefits it entails. Despite its official statements in support of its fellow Shiite Azerbaijanis, Iran is widely believed to be arming Armenia, with which it also shares a border, as a deterrent to potential Azerbaijani attempts to provoke its own large ethnic Azeri population against its clerical regime. Russia cooperates with Israel against Iran in Syria, so its conceivable it does so in Azerbaijan as well. If so, it doesnt necessarily follow that it's cooperating with Turkey in Azerbaijan, as it does in Syria. Kevork Oskanian, an honorary research fellow at the University of Birmingham, contends that the idea that Turkey and Russia are acting in cahoots in Azerbaijan and that Moscow wants to cut Pashinyan down to size is a bit far-fetched. Oskanian told Al-Monitor in emailed comments, Yes, the personal relationship between Pashinyan and Putin isnt good, but nor was the relationship between Putin and [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko, even before the recent troubles [in Belarus]. Oskanian continued, What matters much more is Armenias geopolitical orientation. And in terms of the security relationship with Russia, things are still close. If anything, Oskanian noted in a recent essay, the presence of Syrian mercenaries, if confirmed, would also be perceived as highly provocative by Moscow in light of the proximity of the restless North Caucasus, inviting a potential response. He was referring to Russias rebellious Muslim-majority republics, Dagestan and Chechnya, which have served as a fertile recruiting ground for the Islamic State and other jihadi groups. As such, in all likelihood, the escalation over Nagorno-Karabakh is more like Turkey doing something, and Russia standing by for now. Through its intervention in the southern Caucasus, Turkey is seeking to create leverage over Russia in Libya but above all in Syria. Turkeys basic logic, Oskanian concluded, is, If you meddle in my backyard, Ill meddle in yours. Editor's note: Oct. 1, 2020. An earlier version of this story incorrectly asserted that former Islamic State operatives were among Syrian rebels allegedly deployed to Azerbaijan. The Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government on Wednesday rescinded a notification issued in August for the implemention of the contentious farm ordinances, which were replaced by three laws passed in Parliament this month. The move came after the coalitions key ally, the Congress, threatened to boycott a state Cabinet meeting later in the day if this was not done. The notification dated August 10 directed local authorities governing Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees to implement the three central farm ordinances issued in June. Also Read: Babri Masjid demolition case verdict: Shiv Sena welcomes acquittal The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) representatives were likely to raise the issue of the implementation of the newly-enacted farm laws at the Cabinet meeting. The two parties have opposed the laws as anti-farmer and their implementation in the state. The Maharashtra government is yet to take a decision over implementing the laws. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday advised the states ruled by her party to explore the possibilities of legislation under the Constitutions Article 254(2) to negate the anti-agricultural laws and to prevent the grave injustice being done to farmers. The Congress is in power in Rajasthan, Punjab and Chhattisgarh, and Puducherry. It is part of coalition governments in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government pushed three farm bills to deregulate agricultural trade. They were passed controversially in Parliament, overriding demands for greater scrutiny and voting. Also Read: Indias Covid-19 tally crosses 6.2 million mark with 80,472 fresh cases, 1,179 new fatalities Big farmers groups are protesting against the laws saying the deregulation will leave them vulnerable to powerful agribusinesses and in a weaker negotiating position than before. Deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar last week said the farm laws will not be implemented in Maharashtra. Revenue minister and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said all the ruling parties are against the laws and the decision on not implementing them in the state will be taken collectively after due deliberation. The Congress has organised #SpeakUpForFarmers on social media to garner support against the laws. It also held a virtual farmer rally and gathered signatures from 10 million farmers opposing the laws. A delegation of Congress leaders met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari demanding the withdrawal of the legislation. The British government on September 30 rolled out a new campaign to inform businesses about upgraded rules to hire workers from outside the country, including from India, which will come into force from January 2021 once the UK's Brexit transition period concludes. The new points-based immigration system will require UK-based employers to be registered as a licensed sponsor in order to be able to hire employees from outside the UK. Under the system, workers from the European Union (EU) will be brought in line with those from outside the economic bloc once the EU free movement of people rules come to an end on December 31. The new points-based system will be fairer and firmer, giving us control of our borders and treating people based on the skills they have to offer and the contribution they can make to the UK, not where they come from, said Kevin Foster, UK Home Office Minister for Future Borders and Immigration. We will be able to decide who comes into the country, allowing us to prioritise and invest in those people already in the UK, upskilling our current work force, whilst also attracting the best and brightest from around the world to complement the skills we already have, he said. The Home Office has claimed the new system will be simpler, which would treat workers from every part of the world equally, welcoming them based on the skills they have to offer and how they will contribute to the UK, not where their passport comes from. It will be simpler for businesses to access the talent they need as we have removed the Resident Labour Market Test, lowered the skills and salary threshold, and suspended the cap on skilled workers, it said. The UK-wide marketing campaign being launched this week will run for the coming months, using a wide range of channels to reach UK-based employers across different sectors. The key message for businesses is that the way they hire from the EU is changing and to recruit from outside the UK they will need to be a licensed sponsor. We are working extensively to understand employers' needs and encourage them to invest in the best home-grown talent alongside recruiting the best and brightest from abroad, the Home Office said. Indian industry and students' groups had broadly welcomed the new post-Brexit points-based regime unveiled by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel earlier this year as a means to attract the "brightest and the best" from around the world. The magic number of points required to apply under the new system will be 70, accrued in increments of 20 or 10 based on professional skills, English language proficiency, a job offer from an approved sponsor and pre-set salary levels. Some of the categories will fall under tradable points, such as salary levels and jobs that fall within the shortage occupation list, giving applicants some options to make up a total of 70. Besides the points-based system, the government has also put in place schemes to enable more scientists, academics, investors, entrepreneurs, and health and care workers to come to the UK to plug specific needs. It is also reviewing the recommendations of the independent Migration Advisory Committee on the Shortage Occupation List and will bring in rules that help fill roles where shortages may occur. Boris Johnson has not ruled out standardising local lockdown rules to make them simple (Picture: Getty) Boris Johnson has not ruled out standardising local lockdown rules to make them simpler to follow after he was criticised for the complexity of the legislation. The prime minister apologised on Tuesday when he failed to explain the new measures for large parts of the North East. Conservative MP for Wycombe, Steve Baker, said on Wednesday the PM made the mistake because of the large and changing number of regulations. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also attacked Johnson for his strategy for local restrictions during Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs). Downing Street has now said it has not ruled out standardising rules to make them easier to comprehend. The prime ministers official spokesman said: We always keep the guidelines under review and you have seen in the past us take steps such as introducing the rule of six in order to provide more clarity and certainty around the rules. Starmer questioned why only one area of England, Luton, has ever come out of local restrictions. He also pushed Johnson on what his plan for lifting restrictions was and criticised his whack-a-mole strategy. In response, Johnson accused the opposition leader of sniping from the sidelines. The PM said the reason Luton had been the only area to be freed from a local lockdown was that local people pulled together to suppress the virus and followed guidance. He added: Nobody wants to impose restrictions of this kind, whether in Bradford or anywhere else in the country, and we work very closely with local authorities to ensure that we have the right mix of the approach that we adopt. But, frankly, when you have the virus going up in the way that it is now in some parts of the country, you have to take strong, local action. Watch: Keir Starmer challenges Boris Johnson on Covid-19 rule confusion Business secretary Alok Sharma has hinted that concessions for Tories disgruntled by quick-fire coronavirus rules could be on their way. He said ministers would come forward with some suggestions to pacify concerns that there had been a lack of scrutiny in a recent flurry of restrictions designed to stem the second wave of COVID-19 infections across the UK. Story continues On Wednesday, MPs approved the renewal of the governments emergency powers granted under the Coronavirus Act, which was passed at the start of the pandemic in March. The motion was approved by 330 votes to 24 a 306 majority. It came after more than 50 Tory MPs had signed an amendment by the chairman of the influential Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, requiring the government to consult Parliament on any new measures. Speaker Lindsay Hoyle decided against allowing MPs the chance to consider the amendment. Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news, advice and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter Over the next five years, Vietnam will strive for a 7 percent average GDP growth and a $5,000 per capita income. The country's per capita income in 2020 was estimated at $2,750, nearly 1.3 times higher than the $2,109 in 2015. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong said at a meeting Tuesday that in the next five years, the country should focus investment on key sectors and projects of national importance, especially in infrastructure, transportation, energy, digital transformation, science and technology development and innovation. By 2025, Vietnam is expected to complete major projects such as the entire North-South Expressway and the first phase of Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai, which is expected to help reduce current overload on the Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCMC. In major cities, the ministry wants investment focused on speeding up urban railway projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, ring roads and waste treatment projects. 'Very different' Phung Quoc Hien, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly, said at the meeting the 2021-2025 period "would be very different" from the past five years. In particular, 2021 will be more difficult because the Covid-19 pandemic crisis is unlikely to bend before mid-2021, he added. Hien also asked the ministry to remove bottlenecks and speed up delayed projects in the power, aviation and railway sectors, as also the 11 North-South Expressway sections. Last year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had expressed his hope Vietnam would become a high-income country by 2045. Vietnam could soon climb onto the upper-middle income classification with Gross National Income (GNI) per capita at $3,996-$12,375, Phuc said. This group includes China, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand. HCMC Party chief Nguyen Thien Nhan had said at a recent meeting that the southern metropolis, the largest in Vietnam and the country's major economic driver, targets becoming an economic and financial hub in Asia by 2045 with income per capita increasing to $40,000. The National Green Tribunal Wednesday junked a plea by the Delhi Police seeking permission to raise construction for accommodation of the trainees in the flood plains of river Yamuna. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said the project is located right on the flood plains and thus cannot be allowed. It refused to agree with the submission of the Delhi police that the Principal Committee, formed to oversee Yamuna rejuvenation, made recommendations in favour of the Delhi Police. The present project is right on the flood plains and has potential for generating solid waste and sewage, unlike the project which was earlier allowed, the bench said. The tribunal said activities which may be beneficial for the rejuvenation of the river like bio-diversity parks, artificial wetlands, afforestation etc. are required not the constructions. Idea of semi-permanent or temporary construction for utilization of the Police officials may not be a very germane idea. Such requirement is not temporary. Alternatives for viable permanent constructions may need to be explored, the bench also comprising Justice S P Wangdi said. The tribunal was hearing an application filed by the Delhi Police for permission to raise construction for accommodation of the Police trainees in the flood plains of river Yamuna. The NGT in its 2015 order prohibited any construction activity in the demarcated flood plain and directed the Principal Committee to identify all existing structures as of today which fall on the demarcated flood plain. Upon identification, the Principal Committee shall make its recommendations as to which of the structures ought or ought not to be demolished, in the interest of environment and ecology, particularly, if such structures have been raised in an unauthorised and illegal manner, the bench said. MARQUETTE, MI - Weve shared with you before the story of Bugsy Sailor and the outdoor routine he follows every day. The founder of the Marquette-based U.P. Supply apparel company and a self-described ambassador for Michigans Upper Peninsula spent 2019 with his camera, documenting each days sunrise as a personal journey of beauty and light. This week while in Marquette on our search for Michigans Best Doughnut, we bumped into Sailor - and found out hes still chasing every sunrise. This is my life. Its my moment of Zen, he said. After the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March, getting up before dawn to greet each sunrise gave me something to focus on," he said, while standing near the ore dock in the citys Lower Harbor. We were lucky enough to catch him on sunrise No. 638. Sunrise 638. I had the delight of bumping into @MichiganGonzo this morning who joined me for a sunrise coffee chat. pic.twitter.com/uJq7i8YzXn Bugsy Sailor (@BugsySailor) September 29, 2020 In our interview right before sunrise we also talked about his annual Plaidurday event, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Friday, Oct. 2. Its a worldwide celebration of plaid where everyone is encouraged to wear plaid and post a photo of themselves on social media with the hashtag #plaidurday. Pick out a plaid shirt and lay it out for Friday, he said. RELATED: U.P. to break out the flannel for Plaidurday celebration He typically organizes a big group shot each year, but he wont be able to do that because of COVID-19 safety precautions. Learn more about Plaidurday at plaidurday.com. Shoutout to the awesome folks at @NorthernMichU on making a whole bunch of plaid masks for their dining staff! Go Wildcats! Shirt by @StormyKromer Hat by @UPSupplyCo Face by @BugsySailor Just a few of the organizations that have helped grow Plaidurday! pic.twitter.com/bvPhK0Bz1B Plaidurday (@plaidurday) September 29, 2020 Follow Bugsy Sailor on Social Media: Bugsy on Twitter - @BugsySailor Bugsy on Instagram - @bugsysailor U.P. Supply Co. website - upsupply.co. As of 8:15 a.m. more than 60,000 households in Massachusetts were without power due to storms rolling through the state. The high winds downed trees, disconnected power lines and delayed students from logging on remotely for virtual learning. School districts around the state acknowledged students may be without power and internet Wednesday morning and connected with families via social media to alert them attendance would not be taken. Brockton Public Schools said students should log on when able," but reminded parents school was not closed due to the power outages. Brockton reported 6,028 outages on Wednesday. A few parents in the Brookfield area have asked if there is school because the Brookfield and surrounding homes do not have power. School is ON for the Brookfield, however we understand families may not have power right now and remind them to log on when they are able. 2/2 Brockton Public (@BrocktonSchools) September 30, 2020 In Stoughton, schools acknowledged delays and interruptions in remote learning could occur. Attendance, the school said, should not be a concern of students early Wednesday. We recognize folks without power wont be able to log in yet. Dont worry about attendance right now. Just stay safe and connect with your teachers later. Stoughton Schools (@StoughtonPS) September 30, 2020 At Blackstone Millville Regional High School, the storms forced high school students to remote learning, however, all other schools in the district proceeded with their normal schedules. Attn BMRSD- full remote instruction today at the high school ONLY. All other schools will run their normal schedule. Dr. Jason DeFalco (@BMRStrong) September 30, 2020 Medfields superintendent Jeffrey Marsden also acknowledged that teachers and students from the town were affected by the power outages. Damaging winds and heavy rainfall that started battering the state Tuesday evening will continue to do so through Wednesday morning. A high wind warning remains in effect for parts of Eastern and Southeastern Massachusetts as well as northern and southern Rhode Island, where forecasters predicted wind gusts may reach up to 60 miles per hour. The National Weather Service reported gusts as strong as 58 mph on the tip of Cape Cod and 70 mph just south of Boston at the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center in Milton. Related Content: The Satanic Temple said it is suing a billboard company over its rejection of an ad that targeted anti-abortion counseling centers. The plan called for eight billboards in Arkansas and Indiana near crisis pregnancy centers, which counsel women against abortion. The billboards are owned by Lamar Advertising. The billboards would have contained messages comparing a fertilized human egg, which it called not a baby, to cake batter, which it called not a cake. The Satanic Temple says it has a religious abortion ritual that women getting an abortion can perform, which makes them exempt from complying with state regulations such as mandatory waiting periods and compulsory counseling. It argues that Religious Freedom Restoration Acts in many states protect religious practices and beliefs from government interference. The Satanic Temple provides a downloadable letter of exemption from abortion regulations based on religious belief. The religious abortion ritual it provides includes the personal affirmation, By my body, my blood, by my will it is done. The Satanic Temple, based in Salem, Mass., says that after it submitted the artwork to Lamar Advertising, Lamar rejected all four proposed designs. Lamars contract says that they may reject or remove any billboard that is not in good taste and in line with the moral standards of the individual communities in which it is to be displayed. Lamar, which is headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., and also has offices in Alabama, informed the Satanic Temple that all of the content was objectionable. The Satanic Temple alleges that Lamar engaged in religious discrimination, acted in bad faith and deprived it of the ability to advertise its religious abortion ritual because Lamar holds a monopoly over much of the U.S. billboard market. While it is understandable to be concerned with forcing a private entity to engage in speech or conduct it objects to, this scenario is different, said Lucien Greaves, co-founder of The Satanic Temple. Lamar initially agreed to work with us and their rejection appears to be religiously based. In addition, they have a virtual monopoly in certain regions. In this way, Lamar is able to regulate public speech and they are not permitted to selectively exclude religious voices they object to. AL.com has contacted Lamar, but officials did not immediately comment. A strong, black coffee to wake you up after a bad night's sleep could impair control of blood sugar levels, according to a new study. Research from the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise & Metabolism at the University of Bath (UK) looked at the effect of broken sleep and morning coffee across a range of different metabolic markers. Writing in the British Journal of Nutrition the scientists show that whilst one night of poor sleep has limited impact on our metabolism, drinking coffee as a way to perk you up from a slumber can have a negative effect on blood glucose (sugar) control. Given the importance of keeping our blood sugar levels within a safe range to reduce the risk of conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, they say these results could have 'far-reaching' health implications especially considering the global popularity of coffee. For their study, the physiologists at the University of Bath asked 29 healthy men and women to undergo three different overnight experiments in a random order: In one, condition participants had a normal night's sleep and were asked to consume a sugary drink on waking in the morning. On another occasion, participants experienced a disrupted night's sleep (where the researchers woke them every hour for five minutes) and then upon waking were given the same sugary drink. On another, participants experienced the same sleep disruption (i.e. being woken throughout the night) but this time were first given a strong black coffee 30 minutes before consuming the sugary drink. In each of these tests, blood samples from participants were taken following the glucose drink which in energy content (calories) mirrored what might typically be consumed for breakfast. Their findings highlight that one night of disrupted sleep did not worsen participants' blood glucose / insulin responses at breakfast, when compared to a normal night's sleep. Past research suggests that losing many hours of sleep over one and/or multiple nights can have negative metabolic effects, so it is reassuring to learn that a single night of fragmented sleep (e.g. due to insomnia, noise disturbance or a new baby) does not have the same effect. However, strong black coffee consumed before breakfast substantially increased the blood glucose response to breakfast by around 50%. Although population-level surveys indicate that coffee may be linked to good health, past research has previously demonstrated that caffeine has the potential to cause insulin resistance. This new study therefore reveals that the common remedy of drinking coffee after a bad night's sleep may solve the problem of feeling sleepy but could create another by limiting your body's ability to tolerate the sugar in your breakfast. Professor James Betts, Co-Director of the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism at the University of Bath who oversaw the work, explains: "We know that nearly half of us will wake in the morning and, before doing anything else, drink coffee - intuitively the more tired we feel, the stronger the coffee. This study is important and has far-reaching health implications as up until now we have had limited knowledge about what this is doing to our bodies, in particular for our metabolic and blood sugar control. "Put simply, our blood sugar control is impaired when the first thing our bodies come into contact with is coffee especially after a night of disrupted sleep. We might improve this by eating first and then drinking coffee later if we feel we still feel the need it. Knowing this can have important health benefits for us all." Lead researcher, Harry Smith from the Department for Health at Bath added: "These results show that one night of disrupted sleep alone did not worsen participants' blood glucose/insulin response to the sugary drink compared to a normal night of sleep which will be reassuring to many of us. However, starting a day after a poor night's sleep with a strong coffee did have a negative effect on glucose metabolism by around 50%. "As such, individuals should try to balance the potential stimulating benefits of caffeinated coffee in the morning with the potential for higher blood glucose levels and it may be better to consume coffee following breakfast rather than before. "There is a lot more we need to learn about the effects of sleep on our metabolism, such as how much sleep disruption is necessary to impair our metabolism and what some of the longer-term implications of this are, as well as how exercise, for instance, could help to counter some of this." This week marks International Coffee Day (1 October) in celebration of the widespread appeal of coffee around the world. Coffee is now the world's most popular drink, with around two billion cups consumed every day. In the US about half of the people in the United States aged 18 and over drink coffee every day, whilst in the UK, according to the British Coffee Association, 80% of households buy instant coffee for in-home consumption. ### This study was released as a first view article on 10 September ahead of final publication in issue. The full study 'Glucose control upon waking is unaffected by hourly sleep fragmentation during the night, but is impaired by morning caffeinated coffee' is published in the British Journal of Nutrition https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114520001865. Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie will not support the government's university funding reforms over concerns they make it harder for low-income students to get degrees, leaving the proposed bill one vote short in the Senate. The government will now need to convince Centre Alliance senator Stirling Griff to support the bill or face defeat in the upper house. Senator Griff said the party had "not locked in a formal position at this time" on Wednesday night. Senator Jacqui Lambie has delivered the Morrison government a major blow in declaring she will not support its higher education funding reforms. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Senator Lambie declared the bill deserved to fail because it "makes university life harder for poor kids and poor parents". "I'll be damned if I'm going to be the vote that tells the country that poor people don't get dream jobs," Senator Lambie said in a statement on Wednesday evening. An Economists Take on 1st TrumpBiden Debate: Heavy on Health Care, Light on Trade Commentary From the perspective of an economist looking for clues from the first TrumpBiden debate, there were some important insights regarding the health care sector, energy policy, and the auto industrybut, surprisingly, we didnt learn much about the candidates prospective trade policies. On Sept. 29, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden participated in the first of three debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates for the 2020 electoral season. Im not qualified to discuss how the combative debate might help or hurt each candidate; there are others who are. And it will be important to understand those experts analyses, because this election isnt just a choice between a low-tax, light-regulations incumbent (Trump) and a higher tax, more-regulations challenger (Biden). It isnt that simple. For example, the chances for a new stimulus package probably will go up if the Democrats gain a majority in the Senate and take over the White House. However, U.S. manufacturing would likely become less globally competitive if Biden were to win the presidency, and power prices would go up should he and a new Senate commit America to reducing carbon emissions under the Paris Agreement. From what was discussed during the debate, it seems that Trumps philosophy of light regulation may be speeding America toward COVID-19 treatments and maybe even a vaccine faster than the country otherwise might have been able to accomplish. During the debate, Trump mentioned the militarys ability to deploy 200,000 vaccines a day. He also mentioned conversations he has had with senior management at Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Moderna, all of which are developing vaccines. Also regarding health care, there was substantial discussion about the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare). Many of us may have learned during the debate that the Supreme Court will soon take up a case being brought by the federal government as well as 18 state attorneys general to strike down the act. Investors would be wise to pay attention to this case. Given what we know about the writings of Trumps recent nominee to the Supreme CourtJudge Amy Coney Barrett is on record criticizing past judicial decisions upholding the ACAthat case will be important not only for the companies that have been hurt by the ACA, but also all those which have benefited from it. Finally, there was also discussion about emissions standards on U.S.-manufactured cars. At least initially, it seems a continuation of Trumps easier standards would likely benefit the companies that primarily build traditional carbon-burning cars. A Biden White House, it seems, may mean less profits, at least initially, for such companies. However, there was little discussion about trade relations, where I was expecting some regarding China or at least the UK, which soon will be looking for free-trade partners as it exits the EU. Trade policy with China impacts companies with supply chains there as well as the entire U.S. agricultural industryChina is a major buyer of U.S. food products. U.S. policy toward trade with China will also impact which companies are likely to succeed or fail as the world builds out its 5G telecom networks. None of these topics were discussed. Locally, an increase in global trade, especially across the Pacific region, is particularly important for the economies around the ports in San Pedro and Long Beach, California, as well as for trucking and other transport companies that move all those containers to the rest of America. Debates can be interesting political theater and might sway elections. Investors are wise to consider not only how this debate might sway the upcoming election of Nov. 3, of course, but also how to position portfolios and make other decisions that reflect the true probabilities of the outcome. Ideally, a portfolio would be as robust as possible for all possible outcomes and provide the highest expected return for a given level of expected volatility, or the lowest possible volatility for a given desired expected rate of return. Tim Shaler is a professional investor and economist based in Southern California. He is a regular columnist for The Epoch Times, where he exclusively provides some of his original economic analysis. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Democrat Joe Biden branded election rival Donald Trump a "national embarrassment" on Wednesday for failing to explicitly denounce white supremacist groups, as the president moved to quell the storm sparked by his remarks on the debate stage. The bitter adversaries returned to the campaign trail one day after their off-the-rails showdown in Cleveland made headlines less for the substance than for its unrestrained chaos. The toxic shout fest -- with Trump constantly interrupting and Biden launching personal attacks -- even prompted the overseeing Commission on Presidential Debates to announce it would be imposing new measures to help moderators "maintain order" at the upcoming two debates. After his assertive performance Biden launched a whistlestop train tour Wednesday through battleground states Ohio and Pennsylvania where he renewed his criticism of Trump. "The president of the United States conducted himself the way he did -- I think it was a national embarrassment," Biden said in Alliance, Ohio. He fiercely attacked Trump's failure to make a clear and forceful denunciation of white supremacist groups or the far-right Proud Boys, instead giving a shout-out to the male-only militia group by saying they should "stand back and stand by," and that the real problem is "far-left" extremists. "My message to the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is: cease and desist," Biden said. "That's not who we are. This is not who we are as Americans." Trump, in an apparent attempt to tamp down outrage over his comments, called on the group to "stand down". "I don't know who Proud Boys are but whoever they are they have to stand down," Trump told reporters at the White House. "Stand down, let law enforcement do their work," he said. "Whoever they are, stand down." - Trump 'misspoke' - Biden also knocked Trump for failing to speak directly to the US public about their plight during the Covid-19 crisis, which has killed more than 206,000 Americans. Story continues "Does your president have any idea or understand what you're going through? Biden asked. "Or does he just ignore you, look down on you, lie to you?" After the president failed to explicitly condemn white supremacists, Senator Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the US Senate, said Wednesday that he believes Trump "needs to correct" his comments. "White supremacy should be denounced at every turn. I think the president misspoke, and he needs to correct it," Scott told reporters. "If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak," Scott added. Trump spent much of the debate time interrupting Biden, accusing him of being controlled by the "radical left" and trying to get under his skin with comments about his son Hunter's past business affairs. The former vice president mostly kept his composure and went toe-to-toe with Trump for the full 90 minutes, attacking his handling of the pandemic, race relations and the economy. Tuesday's showdown in Cleveland allowed Biden, 77, to rebuff Republican claims that he doesn't have the stamina for the White House job. Trump earlier had insinuated that Biden is too old for the job and his mental faculties have been diminished by age. An exasperated Biden variously described Trump as a "clown," a "liar" and "Putin's puppy" while telling him at one point to "shut up, man." Snap polls on the debate performances of the presidential candidates leaned towards Biden, who withstood a barrage of barbs from the 74-year-old Trump while delivering some of his own. A CBS sampling of 1,039 likely voters who watched the televised debate had Biden edging Trump by 48 percent to 41 percent -- a margin similar to that of national polls heading into the November 3 election. - 'Meltdown' - While Biden's camp was praising their candidate's performance Wednesday, Trump took to Twitter to lash out at Fox News host Chris Wallace, the moderator, claiming he had joined forces with Biden and ganged up on him. Biden responded with a tweet depicting Trump as a crying baby. The Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said Trump's debate behavior demonstrated why she had recommended that Biden not debate him at all. "You saw a political nervous breakdown, a meltdown," Pelosi said on MSNBC. Trump "has never respected the dignity of his office and he demonstrated that last night." The Cleveland debate was scheduled to be the first of three before the election but the acrimonious debacle led to calls by some commentators for the two others to be cancelled. In an interview with CNN, Biden's running mate Senator Kamala Harris suggested it was unlikely that the Democratic nominee would bow out of the next debates. "Joe Biden's never going to refuse to talk to the American people," Harris said. Trump was to attend a fundraiser Wednesday and address an outdoor campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota, a Midwestern state narrowly won by Hillary Clinton in 2016. The next debate is scheduled for October 15 in Miami. cl-mlm/jm Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey apologized to a survivor of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing for the states role in fomenting the 1963 KKK attack on Wednesday. Iveys response came after survivor Sarah Collins Rudolph pressed state leaders for an apology and restitution for Gov. George Wallaces role in inciting white supremacist violence leading up to the bombing that killed four girls. There should be no question that the racist, segregationist rhetoric used by some of our leaders during that time was wrong, said Ivey, who said she was extending a sincere apology without hesitation or reservation. On the morning of September 15, 1963, Collins Rudolphs sister, Addie Mae, and three other girls, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robinson and Carole Denise McNair, were killed by a bomb at the church. Collins Rudolph, then 12, was blinded in one eye. Referred to as the fifth little girl, for years afterwards, glass remained lodged in her chest, eye and abdomen. She has said publicly that the experience changed the course of her life. After the attack, her academic performance suffered and her dreams of becoming a nurse never materialized. In 1963, the church had served as Birmingham headquarters for Martin Luther King and Fred Shuttlesworths organizing efforts, including The Childrens Crusade, a young peoples march in Kelly Ingram park. In April of that year, King was arrested for protesting and wrote Letter from a Birmingham Jail. In response to the states growing civil rights movement, Gov. Wallace spoke out against desegregation and called for Alabamians to resist. On Wednesday, Collins Rudolphs attorneys said they were pleased with Iveys response. We are gratified by Governor Iveys unequivocal acknowledgment of the egregious injustice that Ms. Collins Rudolph suffered, and by the Governors apology for the States racist and segregationist rhetoric and policies that led to Ms. Collins Rudolphs injuries," Collins Rudolphs legal team said in a statement. "We look forward to engaging in discussions in the near future with the Governor about compensation, which Ms. Collins Rudolph justly deserves after the loss of her beloved sister and for the pain, suffering and lifetime of missed opportunities resulting from the bombing. Gov. Ivey offered to meet with lawyers from the state legislature and Collins Rudolphs team to discuss her request that the state legislature issue an apology. Ivey called the bombing a dark moment in Alabamas history, but said it spurred important changes in the civil rights movement. The following year, Congress passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Three Klansmen, Bobby Frank Cherry, Robert Chambliss and Thomas Blanton, were prosecuted between 1977 and 2002 for the church bombing. While few can truly imagine what it was like to live through that tragic day, what Ms. Collins Rudolph has endured as a survivor is a testament to the Biblical belief that good does conquer evil, said Ivey. SUV Can you, for instance, name all the specialized studios, shops or carrozzerias currently doing their thing for car lovers on the Peninsula? Of course not, there's a billion of them...Also, can you say youve heard the name Aznom before? Probably not. Sure, the Monza-based company has been for years in the business of customizing vehicles, but they're incredibly rare. And you most definitely didnt ever hear a thing about a car wearing the full Aznom badge before.That will change at the end of October, when the Italians will be pulling the wraps off the Palladium, a contraption described as a blend between a luxury sedan and the capabilities of an all-terrain or, as they call it, the hyper-limousine.What we call it is huge. As per the available info, the Palladium is a monster of a car 6 meters (19.6 feet) long and 2 meters (5.6 feet) high, packing a 670 or thereabouts horsepower V8 under its hood, and drawn in such a way as to remind people of the luxury automobiles from the thirties.There are a lot of things we do not know about this car at the moment. The biggest question is what the base for this is. Its doubtful Aznom built one from the ground up, so well probably see some extreme makeover of an existing chassis and body.The vehicle will be revealed at the end of October during the Milano Monza Open Air Motor Show. Sometime in the near future, it will enter production as a small series dedicated to an interesting and exclusive niche. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) wants the Lakshmi Vilas Bank-Clix Group merger to happen at the earliest in the backdrop of events at the banks annual general meeting (AGM) last week. On September 25, at the digitally convened AGM, seven directors were ousted by shareholders, including the managing director and CEO. The anguished shareholders, unhappy with the governance at the Chennai-based bank, also ousted the statutory auditors. The bank is currently run by a three -member committee of independent directors. The RBI hasnt put a deadline as such. But the regulator wants both parties to come up with a merger plan at the earliest, say in the next 10-15 days, failing which the RBI will look at other options, including merging LVB with a bigger, stronger bank, said a person in the know of latest developments. The RBI, however, will give first preference to the Clix-LVB deal since this is already ongoing and due diligence is largely complete, the person said. What is delaying the Clix deal? The Clix deal is possibly being delayed by two factors. One, the likely higher capital requirement by the bank compared to what was initially estimated. LVB needed around Rs 1,500 crore urgently but this capital requirement might have gone up close to Rs 2,500 crore-Rs 3,000 crore due to fresh slippages, the Covid impact and the provisioning that will be required for a one-time loan recast. According to the person quoted earlier, Clix may be reassessing the capital required up front if the deal goes through, hence the delay. Second, the hunt is now on for a new, additional investor to come on board, said a second person familiar with the ongoing negotiations. The reason being private equity firm Aeon Capital, which already holds a major chunk of around 80 per cent in Clix Capital Services, may end up holding a much bigger portion in the final merged entity, depending on the swap ratio, which the regulator may not be comfortable with, the person said. To neutralise that, the hunt is on for a fresh investor meeting the RBIs fit and proper criteria and this may take some time, the person added. Both individuals declined to be named citing the sensitivity of the matter. Emails sent to the RBI, the Clix Group and LVB seeking the status of the merger process and reasons for delay remain unanswered. What if the Clix deal falls through? If the Clix deal comes to nothing, the RBI wants the bank to be merged with a larger bank. While Moneycontrol couldnt confirm the names of banks that are being considered, a Business Standard report on Tuesday said that the RBI has spoken to Punjab National Bank (PNB) about a potential merger. The bank, however, has denied this report. For PNB, a merger with LVB makes sense because it doesnt have a strong presence in the South. The merger with Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank helped PNB gain strength in the East and North but it still lacks a strong presence in the South. In that sense, LVB with 566 branches, will be a good fit for PNB. The regulator wont give PNB the first preference, however, since there is already an ongoing deal between LVB and Clix, said a senior banker, who spoke on condition of anonymity. On September 15, LVB had informed exchanges that the mutual due diligence process for merger with the Clix Group is substantially complete and both parties are in discussions on the next steps. Prior to this, the bank was attempting a merger with Indiabulls last year but the RBI had rejected the proposal last October without citing a reason. Weak financials LVBs financial position has deteriorated sharply and the developments at the recent AGM have added to the headache of the regulator. Going by the March quarter figures, LVBs capital adequacy ratio (CAR) a measure of the financial stability of a lender was just 1.12 percent as on March 31, as against the RBI requirement of 8 percent. Similarly, the Tier I and II components of CAR stood at a negative 0.88 percent and 2 percent, respectively. Gross non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, as on March 31, stood at 25.39 percent compared with 23.27 percent a year ago. In the March quarter results notes, under the head material uncertainty related to going concern, the banks auditors had outlined its severe financial situation and indicated that any chances of survival depend on capital infusion. Banks statement In a release on Sunday, LVB, however, assured the public that it has enough liquidity and a fully functional board. Certain news items have appeared, expressing concerns about governance of the bank. Based on voting results of the 93rd Annual General Meeting, reappointment of seven directors was not approved. However, the bank continues to have a fully functional Board of Directors, including three independent directors, LVB said. The banks liquidity position as on date is comfortable, with liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) of around 262 percent against a minimum 100 percent required by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the lender said, adding that the management continues to enforce direct and indirect cost-reduction measures. The provision coverage ratio (PCR) remains healthy at 72.6 percent, as against the minimum 70 percent prescribed under the RBIs Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework. Congress as well as Left parties said that UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has 'no moral right' to continue in the post following allegations by the Hathras gangrape victim's kin that the police forced them to conduct her last rites Protests and candle marches were held in several parts of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal and Maharashtra on Wednesday after news reports claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Police "forcibly" cremated the body of the Hathras rape victim in the dead of the night on Tuesday. The reports also elicited angry responses on social media, and from Opposition leaders in the state who sought Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation over the issue. The Opposition also alleged that the the 'forced' cremation of the 19-year-old Dalit girl was "an attempt to destroy evidence". The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of the gangrape and sent notices to the chief secretary of the state government and the Uttar Pradesh Deputy General of Police. Some politicos also questioned the government over safety of women in the state while the Left parties highlighted rise in crimes against Dalits and women. A report from Hathras said tempers also ran high in the victim's village when Panchayti Raj Minister Bhupendra Chaudhary, who is also in-charge of the district, reached there along with the local MP, MLA and other BJP leaders. Besides justice for the victim and capital punishment to the culprits, the locals also demanded a transfer of district officials. The background The 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras by four men on 14 September. According to PTI, she had gone to the fields with her mother, where the accused allegedly abducted her. She was found badly injured in nearby fields. The girl had been beaten and tortured so badly that she had bitten on her own tongue in pain when the accused attempted to strangle her. She was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday after her condition deteriorated. She succumbed to her injuries in Delhi on Tuesday. Local police officers told PTI that the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family". However the family of the rape victim alleged that the police forced them to perform the last rites. Opposition demands Adityanth's resignation Taking to Twitter, Samajwadi Party chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at the Adityanath government over the cremation of the rape victim, accusing it of "destroying evidence". "This act of destroying evidence is condemnable," he tweeted. "The BJP government not only committed a sin by doing so but also committed a crime," he added. The Left parties too hit out at the UP government stating that the cremation without her family's consent was "blatant denial of justice and exposed the prevalence of caste-based violence in the state". In a press statement, the Politburo of the CPM said the "barbaric caste-based rape" was "reflective of the utter lawlessness" in the northern state. "The CPM strongly condemns the actions of the Adityanath Government on the blatant denial of justice to the Hathras dalit rape victim and her family. Her death is the result of the callous approach of the Government," the statement said. "The victim was grievously injured in the barbaric rape crime committed by four upper caste men on 14 September, her tongue was cut out, she was bleeding profusely but the police refused to file an FIR for five days, denied the victim the immediate medical treatment which could have saved her and in the ultimate act of caste cruelty, the police cremated her body, denying the family the right to give their daughter a dignified funeral," it said. The CPM Politburo alleged that under the BJP government, patronage given to casteist and reactionary forces was leading to a big increase in crimes against Dalits and women. The party demanded action against the police personnel who reportedly refused to file an FIR in the case, and against those responsible for the 'forced cremation' of the victim. CPI general secretary D Raja, in a separate statement, said according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, in the past few years crimes against Dalits are on the rise and at the same time the convictions rates have substantially declined. The official statistics further indicate that UP is leading in crimes against Dalits especially Dalit women, he said. The woman's death was "one more instance laying bare the violence of caste society and the absolute humiliation engendered by the ideology of Brahmanical Patriarchy", Raja said. "Her death poses a deep moral question upon the Indian society which even after seven decades of the formal establishment of the modern democratic republic continues to be organised and operating through the archaic, irrational and violent caste collectives. While the four upper caste perpetrators have been arrested, this entire incident draws attention to the deplorable situation prevailing in Uttar Pradesh under Adityanath," he said. The CPI demanded that Adityanath steps down as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, saying he has no "moral right" to continue on the post. Tagging Adityanath in a tweet, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi too demanded Adityanath's resignation. "There is no justice in your rule, only injustice," she tweeted. In a video statement posted on her Twitter account, Priyanka also slammed Adityanath for making a statement 15 days after the incident. "After 15 days, he (Adityanath) has made a statement and what does he say that 'PM called and I have constituted an SIT'. Were you waiting for the PM's phone call, you could not do anything for 15 days, you did not provide her treatment, did not take her to a good hospital, she was brought to Delhi only day before yesterday," the Congress general secretary said. "What kind of treatment has been meted out to the family of the victim as they could not even take the body of their daughter home for one last time, her father could not light her funeral pyre and he was locked up in a room," she alleged. "This is the biggest example of how inhuman your government is. What all is happening in Uttar Pradesh and you are not taking responsibility... Is there no concern for women's security in your state? Will you not take responsibility, what kind of a chief minister are you?" Priyanka said. Earlier, in a series of tweets, the Congress general secretary in-charge of UP said, "I was on the phone with the Hathras victim's father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair." "He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night, the victim's father was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites," she said. Tagging Adityanath in a tweet, the Congress leader said, "RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as chief minister." In another tweet in Hindi, she alleged that at 2.30 am on Wednesday, the "victim's kin kept requesting", but the Uttar Pradesh administration "forcibly" cremated the woman. "The government did not protect her when she was alive. The government did not provide her timely treatment when she was attacked. After her death, the government took away the right of the family to perform the last rites of their daughter and did not respect the deceased," Priyanka said. Hitting out at the UP chief minister, she alleged, "Gross inhumanity. You did not stop the crime but behaved like criminals. You did not stop the atrocities, but committed atrocity on an innocent child and her family twice." UP CM sets up SIT to probe case Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday constituted a three-member SIT to probe the gang-rape case and also asked for conducting the trial in a fast-track court. Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) September 30, 2020 In a tweet, the chief minister's office said the prime minister spoke to Adityanath over the case. "Respected Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji has spoken on the Hathras incident and said that strict action should be taken against the culprits," the CMO said. Meanwhile, a PIL in the Supreme Court has sought investigation by CBI or SIT headed by a sitting or retired judge into the Hathras gangrape. A plea has also sought direction to transfer the case from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi. The chief minister also spoke to the father of the rape victim and assured him of stringent action against all the accused, a senior official said. According to reports, the UP government has also announced Rs 25 lakh compensation for the victim's family along with a house and job. Protests seen in several parts of country; Left parties calls for nationwide protest Protests were held in several parts of Uttar Pradesh as well in Delhi, West Bengal and Maharashtra with students as well as politicians taking part in candle marches against the BJP government in the northern state. In Uttar Pradesh, Opposition party workers reportedly clashed with the police in some parts, while sanitation workers in some parts of the state announced 'no sanitation' strikes demanding justice for Hathras gangrape victim. In Maharashtra, Congress workers took out a candlelight march from Dr BR Ambedkar statue to Central Library in Mumbai in protest against the Hathras gangrape. State Ministers Balasaheb Thorat and Yashomati Thakur also participated in the candlelight march. The Shiv Sena too slammed the UP government with party spokesperson Sanjay Raut questioning the silence of Dalit leaders over the gangrape. Maharashtra: Congress workers took out a candlelight march from Dr BR Ambedkar statue to Central Library in Mumbai in protest against the #Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) gangrape incident. State Ministers Balasaheb Thorat and Yashomati Thakur also participated in the candlelight march. pic.twitter.com/9qDcRtNpaJ ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2020 According to ANI, Congress workers also staged protests outside the West Bengal Raj Bhavan in Kolkata. West Bengal: Youth Congress workers staged a protest outside Raj Bhavan in Kolkata today, demanding justice for Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) gang-rape victim. They were later detained by Police. pic.twitter.com/EX2ddYgBdh ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2020 Protests were also held in Delhi near the India Gate by All India Students Association and Bhim Army. Delhi: Members of All India Students Association (AISA) and Bhim Army staged a protest near India Gate earlier today, demanding justice for Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) gang-rape victim. pic.twitter.com/ECeOOrkTkl ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2020 In Uttar Pradesh, Congress workers staged protests in Hathras, Lucknow, Azamgarh, Bhadohi, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, and Varanasi, among others, reports said. Congress' state media convenor Lalan Kumar told PTI that party workers were taken into custody at several places. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu led the protesters to the chief minister's residence in the state capital Lucknow, but they were stopped at the VVIP guest house, Kumar said. He claimed that a number of Congress workers were injured as police used batons to stop them from proceeding towards the chief minister's residence. Protests were staged in Hathras by the Balmiki Samaj and the Congress, with the protesters clashing with policemen at several places. There were reports of stonepelting and a motorcycle being set ablaze, but there was no official confirmation. Samajwadi Party (SP) MLC Yashwant Singh was stopped by the Hathras police from proceeding towards the victim's village. Additional police has been deployed and the situation in Hathras is now under control, the police said. A report in News18 said that the Valmiki community has announced a 'no sanitation' strike in the city. According to PTI, the Nagar Nigam Safai Karmacharis' Union of Aligarh boycotted all civic work as a token protest. They have also formed the Balmiki Sangharsh Samiti, which has submitted a memorandum to the president demanding that the culprits of the Hathras gangrape be hanged. Local leaders belonging to a number of political parties participated in a meeting of the samiti on Tuesday night and candlelight protests were held in the Civil Lines police station area. Separate protests were held by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. A candlelight march was taken out on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus and a large number of students handed over a memorandum addressed to the president to the city magistrate. Heavy police patrolling is underway in all sensitive areas of Aligarh. The additional district magistrate (city), Malpani said no untoward incident has been reported and the situation in the localities on the Agra road, where protests were staged over the Hathras gangrape on Tuesday evening, is normal now. A report from Aligarh said Bhim Army workers staged a protest in Hathras and Tappal towns, alleging that the chief of the outfit, Chandrashekhar Azad, has been detained by the Uttar Pradesh Police. Earlier in the day, functionaries of the Azad Samaj Party, which was launched by the Bhim Army chief in March, claimed that Azad and the Bhim Army's Delhi unit head Himanshu Balmiki went missing after 10 pm on Tuesday while they were on their way to Hathras, accompanying the family of the gangrape victim. There was, however, no official confirmation of Azad's arrest, despite efforts to contact senior police officers, PTI reported. Lalan Kumar also said that Congress workers also staged a sit-in in Hathras demanding justice for the gangrape victim and their colleagues in Varanasi gheraoed the Minister's Office. With inputs from ANI and PTI No, L K Advani did not says he regretted handing over country to Modi-Shah PM Modi, Shah meet Advani at his residence to wish him on birthday Babri verdict vindicates BJP's commitment towards Ram Janmabhoomi: Advani India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Sep 30: BJP veteran, Lal Krishna Advani who was an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, welcomed the court verdict by chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', and said it vindicates his personal and BJP's belief and commitment towards the 'Ram Janmabhoomi Movement'. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News Advani, who was the face of the Ram Janambhoomi Movement in 1992, was acquitted along with all other 31 accused in the case. "It is a very important decision and a matter of happiness for us. When we heard the news of the court's order, we welcomed it by chanting Jai Shri Ram," Advani said in a video message. Later in a statement, he said, "The judgement vindicates my personal and the Bharatiya Janata Party's belief and commitment towards the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement. "I also feel blessed that this judgement has come in the footsteps of another landmark verdict of the Supreme Court given in November 2019, which paved the way for my long cherished dream of seeing a grand Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the foundation laying ceremony of which was held on 5th August, 2020." All acquitted in Babri demolition case as court observes incident not pre-planned After the court verdict, the 92-year-old BJP leader came out and greeted the media, gathered outside his house here, by chanting the slogan of "Jai Shri Ram". He was seen watching the news in his residence while sitting with his family members and his daughter Pratibha Advani, who was holding his hands. The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. "I am grateful to my party workers, leaders, saints and all those, who through their selfless involvement and sacrifices gave me strength and support during the Ayodhya Movement," Advani said. The BJP veteran said now he along with millions of countrymen look forward to the completion of the beautiful Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. San Francisco, Sep 30 : Microsoft has revealed that Electronic Arts video game subscription service EA Play will now be included in Xbox Game Pass for free. EA Play will arrive on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on November 10, the same day that Microsoft is launching both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. "Starting November 10, EA Play will be available on Xbox consoles, including Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X, as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and beginning in December, members with an Ultimate or PC subscription will be able to download and play games from the EA Play library on Windows 10 PCs,'' Sarah Bond, CVP Gaming Partnerships and Ecosystem said in a statement. Only Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers ($14.99 per month) will get access to EA Play, alongside the xCloud and bundled Xbox Live Gold benefits. EA Play will include access to more than 60 additional EA games, including The Sims, FIFA, Mass Effect, and many more. ''We are entering the next generation of gaming - and it looks and feels unlike any before it. With cross-play connecting people across platforms, Xbox Game Pass continually bringing new experiences to discover, and cloud gaming making it possible to play anywhere, there have never been more ways to play with Xbox,'' Bond said. On top of this set of games, with Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media, Bethesda games will be coming to Xbox Game Pass as well. NEW HAVEN A recent upswing in coronavirus cases in the Yale New Haven Health system has the attention of health officials, as Connecticut Wednesday reported 12 new hospitalizations, bringing the total to 104. The 104 hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours marks the first time the daily number has risen above 100 since July 2. Hospitalizations peaked at 1,922 on April 22, then fell to a midsummer range between the low 40s and 70 before rising again in late September. During a news conference in Hartford Wednesday morning, Gov. Ned Lamont said if the state sees a sudden increase in daily positive tests, he might halt the states planned Phase Three reopening slated for Oct. 8. If I saw it ramp up like they saw in Arizona, in Florida, the speed at which that would be happening, that would give me real concern, the governor said. State health officials reported 221 new cases of the disease Wednesday. Those cases, with 12,390 tests, brought the days positivity rate up to 1.8 percent for the second day. Somewhere three, five percent is a change mark, depending on how fast things happen, Lamont said. But right now were not there. Were still less than two percent. The 7-day rolling average is still 1.2 percent - higher than the levels of the summer but still one of the lowest in the nation. The average for the United States was 4.5 percent Wednesday. But while Connecticuts rate of positive tests has risen slightly, the nations rate has generally declined from a high above 8 percent in mid-July. Three more deaths associated with COVID-19 were recorded, bringing the states death toll to 4,508. There are 28 patients hospitalized with the coronavirus across the Yale New Haven Health system, up from 26 on Tuesday, CEO Marna Borgstrom said Wednesday. That includes approximately 14 patients at Yale New Haven Hospital, including three in intensive care and one on a ventilator, and roughly six at Bridgeport Hospital, she said. Theres a slight uptick there, said Borgstrom. We have gone as low as 12 or so across the system in the last eight weeks. But, again, the numbers remain very small if you put that in context and go back to April when we were talking about 800 patients across the system. Dr. Thomas Balcezak, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at Yale New Haven Hospital, said officials are appropriately concerned about the recent increase in cases in Connecticut, which included 92 hospitalizations across the state Tuesday, according to the office of Gov. Ned Lamont. The number of cases at Yale New Haven Health locations is still well below the height of the pandemic, Balcezak said, but are part of the most sustained uptick the system has seen since the first week of August. He said residents may be feeling a sense of coronavirus-related fatigue as the pandemic stretches on, prompting some of the uptick. Theres a lot of fatigue within our communities. Not just our workers, but everyones tired of wearing masks; theyre tired of not celebrating weddings and funerals and birthdays, said Balcezak. I think people are letting their guard down. I think we need to be careful about that. Amid the ongoing pandemic in Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont also announced Wednesday that the state would hire community resource coordinators at service agencies. At a press conference in Hartford on the community counselors, Lamont said the state was not out of the woods yet, and was spiking up a little bit, although its numbers still compare well to other states. He said the infection rate in Connecticut was 1.8 percent Wednesday; more than 100 people were hospitalized. Lamont said for the state to step back from Phase 3 reopening, which would allow businesses to operate at 75 percent capacity, among other measures, the positivity rate would have to ramp up, potentially to between 3 percent and 5 percent. The state isnt there at this point, but is watching this sharply, he said. (Were) one of the best in the country in knowing what weve got to do, and one of the best in the country when it comes to a low infection rate. But thats only because youre taking the necessary precautions - and were doing everything we can to make it easier for you to take those precautions, said Lamont. These are all ways were trying to say do the right thing. He noted there is less quarantining going on than there was six months ago and flu season is upon us. He again advised residents to take cautionary steps. Balcezak said that in other communities, such as New York City, where the positivity rate Tuesday reached the highest its been since June, small outbreaks have been tied to people failing to take appropriate mitigation measures. I think where were seeing these mini-outbreaks, many times theyre related to some of that fatigue and some of that laxity with what we know works masking, social distancing, et cetera, said Balcezak, noting that colleges in the state had largely avoided small outbreaks. Can that creep into Connecticut? Absolutely. If were not careful, we could be susceptible to that, he said. Outcomes for coronavirus patients have improved over the course of the pandemic, Balcezak said. In March, Balcezak said, 87.7 percent of patients diagnosed with the virus survived; 37.5 percent of those put on ventilators survived. Both figures have steadily improved. In September, 98 percent of patients admitted survived to discharge, including 100 percent of those intubated on ventilators. Balcezak said it was unclear why the survival rate has increased to this degree. Possibilities include increased familiarity among medical professionals with the disease; steroids being used more often; and maybe, just maybe its possible that the virus has mutated to become less lethal. Thats all speculation, but I think its a small ray of light in what can be an exhausting period of time, he said. The racial, gender and age breakdown of recent cases in the Yale New Haven Health system has been similar to whats come before, Balcezak said. He noted that the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Latino residents. To date, he said, 44 percent of the patients admitted with coronavirus are white ; 26 percent are Latino; 25 percent are African-American. The survival rate of those patients has differed somewhat 84 percent of white patients have survived, as compared to 92 percent of Latinos and 88 percent of African-Americans. The survival rate within the health system has also varied by age, Balcezak said. Those under 51 have survived at a 98 percent rate; patients between 51 and 70 have survived at a 91 percent rate; those over 70 have a 77 percent survival rate. Inpatient levels are increasing across the system toward pre-pandemic levels, as people seemingly become more comfortable coming to the hospital for care, Borgstrom said. Yale New Haven Hospital was at capacity Wednesday morning, with 30 patients awaiting beds. Borgstrom said the system has performed approximately 205,000 coronavirus tests to date. That includes 65 at a rally for peace in New Haven last Saturday, Balcezak said. Testing is a cornerstone of the collective ability to get through the pandemic, along with masking, social distancing and contact tracing, Balcezak said. Balcezak said that while there is a theoretical possibility that the Food and Drug Administration could approve a vaccine in the coming days the FDA has set a relatively low bar of effectiveness in 50 percent of individuals for approving the vaccine, he noted he estimates a vaccine is more likely to be approved in late November or December. Pfizer is continuing to recruit patients at Yale New Haven Hospital into its vaccine trial. A total of 209 people have been recruited from the hospital so far, he said. A logistical process to ship and administer the vaccine would be required when one gains approval, delaying its availability to the public. Theres a difference between approval by the FDA and our ability as caregivers, as clinicians, to deliver it to large groups of populations. Theres a lot of logistics that are going to need to take place, said Balcezak. He noted, as an example, that two vaccine candidates need to be stored at colder than negative 100 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring additional infrastructure. Balcezak also said he was concerned that people would not take a vaccine, even it its proven safe and effective, thus neutering its impact. He said that greater transparency from the FDA would be helpful in building trust among the public and noted he would advise his family members to get an approved vaccine, as he trusts the agencys approval process. Lamont also announced Wednesday that he intends to extend a moratorium on evictions in Connecticut through the end of 2020. Tenants who were current on their rent at the beginning of the pandemic and have paid at least a portion of their rent since will be protected, according to a release from his office. Lamont also announced the state would double the amount of funding set aside to help renters impacted by the coronavirus, bringing the total to $40 million. Public health experts at the CDC have determined that supporting renters and landlords during this public health crisis is critical to controlling the spread of COVID-19, Lamont said. Im trying to get people back to work and children back to school, and having a home you can call your own is a critical foundation for making that happen. Tenants who can pay their rent on time should do so, and landlords and tenants should work together to develop reasonable payment plans for these extraordinary circumstances. The Connecticut Mirror reported Sept. 23 that two families had received assistance through the rental assistance program. More than 7,400 had been pre-approved for assistance at that time; a spokesman for Lamonts office said an additional 40 would receive help by the end of the week. In the release, Connecticut Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno said intake of applications had been paused because the program was slow, noting that they had received more than 7,000 applications. She said the program was being redesigned, with additional staff devoted to the cause. About the Community Resource Coordinator program, Tanya Barrett, senior vice president of United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1, said that it would help to ensure that our states most vulnerable residents are given the support they need to safely self-isolate or self-quarantine. The coordinators will be responsible for working hand-in-hand with the contact tracing team, providers and service organizations to ensure that individuals have access to food, housing and income they need to stay at home, with the hope that, given they are locally based, they can can ensure individuals get access to what they need quickly, from food assistance to cash cards for basic expenses to COVID safety kits. The coordinator for the New Haven area will be staffed through a contract with Gilead Community Services Inc., according to Lamonts office. In lower Fairfield County, the state will contract with the Southwestern CT Agency on Aging; in northwest Connecticut, they will partner with New Opportunities Inc. Lamont said November is going to be a close month, when it comes to the ability of the state health care system to provide appropriate care. Balcezak called for residents to get their flu vaccine this fall. In addition to risks of the disease, as the flu and coronavirus share symptoms, he said hospital officials will have to treat people presenting with a respiratory disease, particularly if they have a fever, as though they have the coronavirus until further tests are conducted. This could strain hospital resources and care, he said. It has a risk of really disrupting emergency and other care. So, from a public health perspective, reducing the incidence of flu in our community is going to be very important to keep people safe from COVID-19, said Balcezak. Unfortunately, there isnt a bright line (when it comes to symptoms), said Borgstrom. Correction: This story has been updated to reflect there were 12 new hospitalization Wednesday in the previous 24 hours. There was a total of 104 COVID-related hospitalizations as of Wednesday. Over 81,000 essential oil enthusiasts joined the virtual event focused on quality, purity, sourcing and philanthropic work around the world Behind the scenes of the doTERRA Pursue 2020 Global Connection. Behind the scenes of the doTERRA Pursue 2020 Global Connection. Pursue 2020 included presentations from experts in the fields of science, quality, research, medicine, supply chain, and philanthropic work. Pursue 2020 included presentations from experts in the fields of science, quality, research, medicine, supply chain, and philanthropic work. PLEASANT GROVE, UTAH, Sept. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- doTERRA recently celebrated its largest annual global convention with over 81,000 people from 133 countries registered for the event. Conducted virtually for the first time in doTERRAs history in order to keep participants safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pursue 2020 doTERRA Global Connection used state-of-the-art technology and creative strategies to deliver an engaging and educational digital experience. Registrants also shared the content with many customers and future leaders with the content reaching hundreds of thousands of people. This years convention theme, Pursue, is a celebration of doTERRAs mission to Pursue Whats Pure, said David Stirling, doTERRA founding executive and CEO. We do not take this pursuit lightly. Each session examined how doTERRA has, and will continue to pursue pure products, pure business practices, pure intentions, and the pure love of humanity. If this year has taught us anything, its that coming together is much more than our physical surroundings. We are grateful for the technology that brought us together and helped us connect with so many of our friends around the world. The doTERRA events team developed more than 22 hours of inspiring and educational content. Participants had the ability to watch at their own pace eight general sessions, presented over 4 days, including new product announcements and presentations from experts in the fields of science, quality, research, medicine, supply chain, and philanthropic work. The convention also featured 53 bonus content segments providing a deeper dive into session content and additional in-depth training about essential oils. To create this experience, an entire floor of one of the buildings on doTERRAs Lindon, Utah campus was transitioned into a set, including six modern and vibrant rooms of a home, created to provide an engaging choose-your-own-adventure educational experience. Story continues The convention was translated into 12 languages, plus American Sign Language. Interactive portals allowed global viewers to ask real-time questions and participate in polls in their own languages. Social Media users participated by using #doterrapursue2020 with many of their posts appearing on the event site throughout the week. This was truly a labor of love for our doTERRA team, said Emily Wright, founding executive, global leadership development. Normally, we have over 30,000 people join us in person in downtown Salt Lake City for a week of learning and celebration, but given the global pandemic and our unique circumstances, we knew we had to pivot. We challenged ourselves to create an experience that people would want to tune into and content they would engage with over four days and refer to in weeks to come. The result was beyond our expectations, and we appreciate so much our team who embraced the challenge of a virtual event and the tens of thousands of people around the world who joined us in celebration of the pursuit of pure products, pure intentions, pure business practices and the pure love of humanity. Access to Pursue 2020 doTERRA Global Connection is still available online through the end of October 2020 at https://www.doterra.com/US/en/convention. About doTERRA doTERRA International is an integrative health and wellness company and the world leader in the Global Aromatherapy and Essential Oils market. doTERRA sources, tests, manufactures and distributes CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils and essential oil products to over nine million doTERRA Wellness Advocates and customers. Through industry leading responsible sourcing practices, doTERRA maintains the highest levels of quality, purity and sustainability in partnership with local growers around the world through Co-Impact Sourcing. The doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, offers resources and tools to global sourcing communities and charitable organizations for self-reliance, healthcare, education, sanitation, and the fight against human trafficking. Through the life-enhancing benefits of essential oils, doTERRA is changing the world one drop, one person, one community at a time. To learn more, visit www.doterra.com. Attachments CONTACT: Kevin Wilson doTERRA kawilson@doterra.com London: Boris Johnson's backbench has curbed the British Prime Minister's capacity to order any new national coronavirus lockdown, amid warnings a second wave of infections is "not under control" and extra rules to tackle it are not yet working. The government on Wednesday temporarily defused tensions over how Johnson and his cabinet were responding to the situation by promising Tory MPs the chance to debate and vote on any future national restrictions. The MPs increasingly distrust the advice of Johnson's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, and chief scientific advisor, Sir Patrick Vallance, who worry that surging infection rates in parts of Scotland, Wales and England's north could spark a wave of new deaths across the United Kingdom this northern winter. There is also unhappiness about how restrictions to curb the outbreak were enacted without any parliamentary input. Its probably Azerbaijan that started the shooting in this latest round of fighting with neighbouring Armenia. Which is not to say that its all Azerbaijans fault. The killing that started on Sunday is the biggest clash since the ceasefire of 1994: helicopters shot down, tanks blown up, and dozens of soldiers dead already. It could go the distance the 1992-94 war cost 30,000 lives and drove a million people from their homes or it could die down in a few days. But it wont settle anything. In the Caucasus, neighbouring countries can be wildly different: Azerbaijan is Shia Muslim and speaks what is really an eastern dialect of Turkish, while Armenia is Orthodox Christian and speaks a language that has no known relatives within the Indo-European family. But the two countries share a long history of oppression. They both spent almost a century in the Russian empire, got their independence back briefly during the revolution, and then spent another 70 years as part of the Soviet Union. When they both got their independence again in 1991, however, they almost immediately went to war. That was Joseph Stalins fault. When he was Commissar of Nationality Affairs in 1918-22, he drew the borders of all the new non-Russian Soviet Republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia according to the classic imperial principle of divide-and-rule. Every republic included ethnic minorities from neighbouring republics, to minimize the risk that they might develop a genuine national identity. In the case of Azerbaijan, Stalin gave it the district of Nagorno-Karabakh (mountainous Karabakh) even though that area was four-fifths Armenian in population. When the Soviet Union began crumbling 70 years later, the local minorities in both countries started fleeing to areas where they would be safely in the majority even before the war got underway. The actual war in 1992-94 was a brutal affair involving active ethnic cleansing: 600,000 Azerbaijanis and 300,000 Armenians became refugees. On paper Armenia should have lost, for it has only three million people to Azerbaijans nine million, but it actually won most of the battles. When post-Soviet Russia brokered a ceasefire between the exhausted parties, Armenia wound up holding not only Nagorno-Karabakh but a large amount of other territory (now emptied of Azerbaijanis) that connected Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia proper. And thats where the border more precisely the ceasefire line remains to this day. I havent been near the front line since shortly after that war, so why would I claim to know that its Azerbaijan starting up the war again this time? Three reasons. First, Armenia already controls all the territory it claims and more. However, in terms of international law it has no legal claim to it, and the UN Security Council has four times called for the withdrawal of Armenian troops. Why would Armenia draw further unwelcome attention to the fact that it has been illegally occupying foreign territory for 26 years? Secondly, Armenia is much weaker in military terms. Not only has it far fewer people but it is poor, whereas Azerbaijan has enjoyed great wealth from oil. Both countries buy most of their weapons from Russia, but in the past two decades Azerbaijan has consistently outspent Armenia on defence nine-to-one. Finally, Azerbaijans elected dictator, Ilham Aliyev, has a strong political need for a war right now, while Armenias new leader, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, does not. Pashinyan came to power in 2018 in a free election, after non-violent protests forced out his long-ruling predecessor, who was trying to do a Putin (that is to say, stay in power when he hit the two-term limit as president by moving real power to the prime ministers office, and coming back himself as prime minister). Armenia now has free media and a popular president. Aliyev is fighting to prolong his familys dynastic rule for a third generation in the face of popular protests. His father, Heydar Aliyev, was a career KGB officer who became leader of the Azerbaijan Communist Party and took over as dictator after the Soviet Union collapsed. (This happened in most of the Muslim ex-Soviet republics.) Azerbaijans opposition parties, despite oppression, jail and torture, are resisting Ilham Aliyevs tyranny, and their most effective rallying cry is Armenias occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh. Mobs of anti-regime demonstrators took over central Baku last week demanding action, and this miniwar is Aliyevs attempt to placate them. It will all die down if Armenia can hold on long enough for Russia to impose another ceasefire. Otherwise, it may get very ugly again. Father of Ali Hassan, an assailant who allegedly stabbed two persons using a meat cleaver outside the former Paris office of the Charlie Hebdo magazine last week, has said he is 'proud' of his son for his brave act. According to media reports, the father of Pakistani terrorist also praised his son for doing 'a great job' and said he is 'very happy' about the attack. "My son has the heart of a lion, he told his interviewer. The French government, however, has condemned the stabbing on Friday outside the former office of the satirical magazine as an act of 'Islamist terrorism'. On 25 September, two people were severely injured near the former office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, following which the Pakistan-born Ali Hassan claimed responsibility for the attack, citing the republication of the Prophet Mohammed cartoon as the reason. He seriously injured two employees of TV production agency Premieres Lignes, whose offices are in the same city centre block that used to house the magazine Charlie Hebdo. The magazine had shifted its office after the January 2015 attacks on Charlie Hebdo, a policewoman and a Jewish supermarket that left 17 people killed. The latest stabbing attack came days after Charlie Hebdo republished the caricature of Prophet Mohammed to mark the start of the trial of 14 people accused of helping the two terrorists who carried out a gun rampage at the former offices of the satirical weekly in 2015. READ | Paris cleaver attack suspect confesses to stabbing people near Charlie Hebdo office READ | Suspect claims prophet caricatures prompted Paris stabbings outside former Charlie Hebdo offices Father appeals to Pakistan govt for safe return of his son Ali Hassan's father claimed that Hassan was a good son who prayed regularly and attended Milad twice a year. He said that his son was a follower of Muhammad Ilyas Qadri, a Pakistani Sunni Muslim scholar and founder of the Dawat-e-Islami organisation, which has established a chain of madrasas across Pakistan and abroad. The attackers father also appealed to the Imran Khan government and other Islamic countries to help bring his son home. "He has done service in the cause of Islam and we are a Muslim country, he told the Pakistani channel. Ali Hassans father is a farmer and lives in the small town of Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab. He said that Ali Hassan had gone to France two years ago and out of his five sons, three are abroad. Two in France and one in Italy the father informed. READ | Paris cleaver attack suspect confesses to stabbing people near Charlie Hebdo office READ | Paris attack: French Minister calls stabbing near Charlie Hebdo office 'an act of terror' (Image credit AP) State Rep. Tommy Brann, R-Wyoming, is being challenged by Democratic Bob Smith for Michigan's 77th District House seat in the November general election. (Photos supplied to MLive) KENT COUNTY, MI -- Republican state Rep. Tommy Brann, R-Wyoming, will face Democratic challenger Bob Smith in the Nov. 3 general election for Michigans 77th House District seat. The owner of Branns restaurants was first elected in 2016 and is seeking a third, two-year term representing the Kent County district that includes Wyoming and Byron Township. Smith, who works in the remanufacturing industry and is vice president of UAW Local 167, is looking to upset the incumbent. Meet the two candidates: Tommy Brann, 68, of Wyoming, lists on the Voters Guide under qualifications and experience that he owns a blue collar restaurant and that it helps him make decisions in Lansing for his constituents and employees. He serves on the House Appropriations committee, where he is chair of the Judiciary subcommittee. He also serves on the General Government, Military & Veterans Affairs & State Police, and Transportation subcommittees. The lawmaker and restauranteur is seeking a third term. Bob Smith, 51, of Byron Center, is a product team member at North America Fuel Systems Remanufacturing. In addition to being vice president of UAW Local 167 since 2017, he cites on the Voters Guide two other roles under qualifications and experiences: vice chairperson UAW West Michigan Community Action Program since 2016 and co-chairperson UAW 167 Veterans Committee since 2017. Smith says he earned an associates of business from Grand Rapids Community College. MLive Media Group partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide candidate information for readers. Each candidate was asked to outline their stances on a variety of public policy issues. Information on all state and federal races and many of Michigans county and local races is available at Vote411.org, an online voter guide created by the League of Women Voters. All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for a necessary cut if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. Below are Brann and Smiths unedited responses to six policy questions from education to economic security. What is your position on the role of public funding of education in Michigan? What measures do you support/propose to improve educational outcomes and accessibility for all Michigan students? Brann: My highest priority is to protect and support increased funding for K-12 education during these uncertain times of budget issues. I have rich and poor school districts in my state house district. I continue to have a good working relationship with all of my superintendents, I go to them because they are the experts. Smith: Public funding should only go to public schools, never for-profit charter schools. I support a reduced emphasis on standardized testing. I favor teachers having the flexibility to tailor teaching methods to the needs of the students in their class. I support the read by third grade requirement; but insist on ensuring that teachers have the resources to help the children learn to read. I support moving to an equitable disbursement of school funding so that school districts in impoverished communities are not also cash-starved and unable to teach effectively. What policies do you support to increase jobs and help Michigan residents improve their economic positions, in general and given the pandemic? Brann: I continue to be a supporter of entrepreneurship. We have the human talent and I want to provide paths to careers that will help create a health economy. We need to reimburse our unemployment trust fund, which is funded 100% by businesses, with federal and state resources for our workers. Make opening a business simpler. Smith: The best way to ensure job growth over the long term is have an educated workforce. I support tuition free community college for Associates Degree and skilled trade certificates. Having a highly skilled workforce will attract companys with high-skill jobs. Short term, we need to do more to help companies that were shut down due to the pandemic so that they will be able to reopen when it is time. Stimulus actions must include helping those employers who remained open provide hazard pay to their workers. We must ensure workplace safety to avoid infection spikes and the need to shut down again. What state policies do you support regarding Michigan elections, voting and campaign funding? Do you support mailing ballots to all eligible voters? Brann: I support safe and secure absentee ballots, with verification processes in place. I support voter-driven absentee applications. Smith: Yes. Michigan voters passed no-reason absentee voting in 2018. The current pandemic perfectly illustrates why it is needed. I support any action to make voting more accessible to eligible voters and oppose any measures meant to suppress the vote. What actions or policies do you support to protect Michigans water, air and land for current and future generations? What is your position on energy efficiency and renewable energy? Brann: As state representative, I have continued to support funding for programs in the Natural Resources and Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to protect Michigans water, air, and land. I support energy efficiency and renewable energy if it makes sense to the consumer. Smith: I support restoring caps to ground water withdrawals and charging companies appropriately for bottling our water. I support expanding the use of renewable energy and weaning our state off of coal, natural gas, and nuclear power plants. How would you address the racial, economic, health, education, etc. inequities, including Michigans 20% of children and 17% of seniors living in poverty? Brann: I was awarded this year and continue to champion homelessness issues, such as removing barriers for homeless individuals to get housing and employment and increasing funding for homeless shelters. I am pushing for legislators to attend the Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State in order to continue the fight for racial justice. Smith: I support an equitable use of public funding to put tax dollars where they are most needed, not just where most of it came from. I will work to undo the changes made by the Legislature to the minimum wage and sick leave laws during the 2018 Lame Duck session. I will work to bring up wages for the lowest income families and ensure that they can stay home to care for themselves or family members when they are sick without fear of lost wages. I also support adding LGBTQ people to those protected under the Elliott-Larsen Act. Do you believe that Michigan has a gun violence problem? If so, what measures would you support to alleviate this problem? Brann: All violence is a problem, whether its one victim or one thousand victims. That is why we need to fund police. We need to look at the root cause of acts of violence and address the racial and economic issues contributing to them. We need increased funding and access to mental healthcare. Smith: Yes, as was proven by recent armed protests at our state capitol. I support banning all assault-style rifles in Michigan. I support banning open carry of long guns in our cities, with some common-sense exceptions. Brandishing laws need to be better defined with serious consequences. More on MLive: After 9 month hiatus, longtime country radio personality back on air in Grand Rapids Lisa McClain, Kimberly Bizon face off in Michigans 10th Congressional District Why U.P. ambassador Bugsy Sailor is still capturing Michigan sunrises after 638 days University of Limerick President Professor Kerstin Mey has taken to the streets with local gardai in off-campus housing estates to remind students to follow public health guidelines. As students make a return to learning this week, members of ULs senior leadership have engaged in nightly walking tours of local residential estates in conjunction with An Garda Siochana. University management said it is being done to engage with students, educate them about public health guidelines and to stress a co-operative approach in protecting the community surrounding the campus in light of the situation with COVID-19. A co-ordinated plan of engagement and education has been adapted to ensure that UL staff and gardai work together to reach as many students as possible who live on campus and off-campus. UL has also allocated further resources to An Garda Siochana to increase its capacity to undertake community engagement activity over the course of the coming weeks. FYI: The party at @studentpresULs gaff is off Yesterday marked the launch of @UL_StudentLifes COVID19 Awareness Campaign in collaboration with @MaryiSU, @LSADatLIT & @LIT_SU. COVID19 is still among us and we, young people, can be the solution. pic.twitter.com/QiIGC1vuX7 University Of Limerick (@UL) September 28, 2020 Our presence is to show a shared responsibility for community welfare through direct visibility with gardai who are out in the normal course of their work, explained UL President Professor Kerstin Mey. We are hoping that our presence will help with the message that for students, behaviour in the general community is directly linked to their status as a UL student. UL takes its civic responsibilities very seriously and has worked with gardai, community representatives and the Universitys representative body, UL Student Life, to try and reinforce the message that everyone must take responsibility for their actions. The safety of staff and students has always been a priority and it is vital that students take responsibility for their actions, follow the public health guidelines, limit their social contacts and stay safe. We are fully aware that this situation is difficult for students in what should have been one of the most exciting weeks of their lives but they must follow the advice and heed the warnings, or they risk putting the people they love and the wider community at risk by their actions, she added. Above all else, UL is a community comprising of many stakeholders who work, learn and reside together in many different ways. As a community, UL views its relationship with its neighbours as a key component of how it maintains its community responsibilities, added Professor Mey. Chief Superintendent for the Limerick Garda Division Gerard Roche said: The assistance of UL to help us engage, educate and encourage the community is welcomed. In supporting the COVID-19 public health guidelines, we need everyone to double down on the tremendous efforts they have made here in Limerick. We need everyone to limit the contact they have with each other. Whilst you may feel safe at home and think its ok to have friends over or have a party, you are putting your health, their health and everyone you come into contact with afterwards at risk. It is vital that you continue to play your part by limiting contact with others - this will save lives, Chief Supt Roche added. Student union representatives are working on a parallel daytime education and advice operation to assist with student queries and to meet students living in local accommodation. UL Student Life and the Postgraduate Student Union engaged in a substantial leaflet drop and meet and greet exercise last Sunday with the message of Protect the Pack, a reference to the union mascot and the need to take personal responsibility for individual and public health. Following the request by the Government on Friday that all higher education institutions move to the enhanced public health protection measures applied to Dublin-based HEIs recently, UL has made changes to its on-campus schedule. The vast majority of academic delivery has moved online, with the exception of labs and workshops and some essential tutorials which will take place on campus as scheduled. UL students are being advised not to travel to Limerick if their full programme is due to be delivered online over the next two weeks and all social and club activities on campus have been suspended until further notice. A COVID-19 Student Charter has been developed between UL, LIT and MIC to protect students and staff in each of the institutions and to make clear to students their personal responsibility in this global pandemic environment. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. Action can be taken against students through the code of conduct who, by breaching public health guidelines, may be considered to have engaged in conduct that is harmful to others. There is no set sanction within the code of conduct for any offence but penalties allowed within the code of conduct include monetary, academic, suspension and expulsion. Students have a responsibility to their wider community to follow government and institutional guidelines. Police officers have been told they can use the coronavirus contact tracing app on their personal smartphones while working- 24 hours after they were told not to download them for 'technical reasons'. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) had initially advised officers to hold off downloading the app on both personal and work devices pending a technical assessment. A spokesman denied any suggestion of 'security issues' or a policy reversal, saying such checks are standard procedure for any new software used on work-issued smartphones. Police officers were initially asked not to download the app due to technical issues Guidance distributed to chiefs on Tuesday still recommends that officers do not install the app on work handsets. It comes as officers at Lancashire Constabulary were told on Tuesday they should not carry their personal phones on duty and should ignore self-isolation warnings via the app on their own mobiles and call the force's own Covid-19 helpline instead. Some constabularies do not allow officers to download 'third party' apps on their work phones whereas others are more lenient. Most police devices do not have Bluetooth enabled, which the app relies on to detect whether users have come into close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. After 24 hours police officers were told they could download the app if they wished to Covert personnel or those in sensitive roles have been asked to consider not downloading it at all for the time being until more detailed guidance is given in the coming days, the NPCC spokesman added. The Police Federation said it approached the NPCC on behalf of members following confusion over guidelines from police chiefs. 'The welfare of our members is absolutely paramount, and we view this app as a key part of the public campaign to contain the virus alongside personal protective equipment (PPE), distancing and hand hygiene,' said John Apter, national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales. 'For our colleagues and their families to be as safe as they can be, all these elements need to be used together. 'It is of course a personal decision if officers now want to download the app. 'However, we would encourage and urge our 120,000 members to do so for their own safety.' The NHS Covid-19 app was rolled out across England and Wales last Thursday, using Bluetooth technology in smartphones to keep an anonymous log of people an individual comes into close contact with. The Prime Minister displayed the latest slides on the status of coronavirus at the No10 press conference tonight Close contact broadly means being within two metres of a person for at least 15 minutes. According to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the app was downloaded 12.4 million times by midday on Monday. Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own contact tracing apps, which were launched at earlier dates. The infection tracing software has been plagued with problems with the latest fiasco seeing up to 70,000 users blocked from logging their positive test results. At first, anyone who was tested in an NHS hospital, Public Health England lab or as part of an Office for National Statistics survey could not upload their result. One of the key features of the app is that it enables people to scan their phones using QR codes in hospitality venues, so they can be alerted if there is an outbreak linked to that site. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / First Growth Funds Limited (CSE:FGFL) "(Company") is pleased to announce an investment in rare earth resource company Vital Metals Limited (ASX:VML). Vita Metals has a resource in Nechalacho (Canada) and Wigu Hill (Tanzania). Vital Metals recently completed a $8M placement and First Growth Funds received circa 1% of the allocation due to heavy demand by other investors. First Growth Funds is already showing a 25% premium on its investment. On August 11, the Company investment in listed resource company Golden Deeps (ASX:GED). First Growth Funds is pleased to announce it has recently sold its investment booking 35% profit. The Company continues to hold the free attaching listed options. On August 21, the Company announced an invested in ecommerce solutions provider RooLife (ASX: RLG). RooLife recently announced another contract, taking total contract value won since March 2020 to $10.6m (subject to minimum sales targets). The recent contract with INIKA Organic is expected to deliver $2.5m in revenue over a three-year period, comprised of guaranteed service fees and the balance subject to sales targets being met. RooLife has an enterprise value of less than $10m and will have an estimated $7m cash to accelerate growth further. First Growth Funds is actively working on new opportunities and will provide further update in due course. About First Growth Funds Limited First Growth Funds Limited invests across a broad range of asset classes including listed equities, private equity, blockchain and digital assets. The company also operates an advisory business providing corporate advisory, capital raising and capital markets support to its portfolio. www.firstgrowthfunds.com THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, timelines and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws or the Canadian Securities Exchange. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. SOURCE: First Growth Funds Limited View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608438/First-Growth-Funds-Update-on-Investments Appointment 30 September 2020 Liz Johnson has been appointed Director of Sales & Marketing for Salmon Falls Resort, an intimate full-service waterfront resort in Ketchikan, Alaska, and its sister property Edgewater Inn Restaurant & Marina. In her new role, Johnson will be responsible for leading a revenue-driven sales team and overseeing both resorts' advertising, public relations, social media and branding initiatives. Johnson brings more than 12 years of travel industry experience to the duo of Alaskan resorts. Most recently, she served as Interim Director and Tourism Manager for Visit Seattle, establishing and implementing highly visible strategic marketing plans in key European markets in order to increase travel and spending in the destination. Prior to working for Visit Seattle, she served as Account Manager of Global Sales for international airline Icelandair. Johnson's background also includes numerous roles in Alaskan tourism, including sales positions at CIRI Alaska Tourism Corporation and Explore Fairbanks, and she served on the Visit Anchorage Board of Directors. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oregon and continued her business and marketing education at the University of Washington. Sacha Baron Cohen (Credit: AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Amazon has scooped up the Borat sequel, and will release it ahead of the US presidential election. According to Deadline, the mockumentary comedy will land on Amazon Prime Video at the end of October, with the election taking place on 3 November. The relevance of the movie being unveiled prior to the election likely relates to its reported name - Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan. Sacha Baron Cohen at the Borat premiere in Cannes, 2006 (Credit: John Shearer/WireImage) Further to the clear political intention of the film, a spoof video, narrated by Sacha Baron Cohen's hapless Kazakhstani reporter, appeared online yesterday. Purporting to be from 'The Republic of Kazakhstan's account, it hails Donald Trump as 'a strong premier who always put America and Kazakhstan first!', as well as saying that he is 'not racist', and saying twice that he 'never had stroke'. Watch: Sacha Baron secretly filmed Borat 2 The release of the movie on Amazon is perhaps also significant considering Trump's adversarial relationship with the company's owner, Jeff Bezos, also the owner of The Washington Post. It emerged last month that Baron Cohen had filmed the sequel to 2006's Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan mostly in secret, and had already screened it to Hollywood executives. Congratulation to great friend of the Kazakh people @realDonaldTrump for winning debate today! Impressive and amazing result for a strong premier who always put America and Kazakhstan first! pic.twitter.com/qLljQ8b5UU Republic of Kazakhstan (@KazakhstanGovt) September 30, 2020 The filming only came to light after a fan spotted the British comedy star filming in Los Angeles and posted a video to TikTok. Story continues Read more: Baron Cohen unrecognisable in Chicago 7 trailer However, Baron Cohen had seemingly been active over the summer too. In disguise, he made an appearance at a right wing political rally in Washington in June, organised by the militia group the Washington Three Percenters, and succeeded in encouraging the crowd to sing along with a song featuring racist lyrics. Sacha Baron Cohen infiltrated the Washington militia event in Olympia today. A last-minute big donor paid to sponsor the event, and hire security & then that security kept the organizers from getting on stage to stop Cohen "Whatcha gonna do? Chop em up like the Saudis do". pic.twitter.com/qnYMNYLv1l Tee *55 Days Until Change* Mitch (@InsideASCIF) June 28, 2020 He also tried to prank interview Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani in a separate incident, Giuliani later claiming he called the police. It's not known whether either footage will appear in the Borat sequel, or whether a second series of his show Who Is America? could be in the offing - though Cohen has previously said he isnt planning a second series. In it, he conducted spoof interviews with political figures like Dick Cheney, Roy Moore and Bernie Sanders. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The decision of Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL) to spend money on rebranding and IPL marketing when it is currently incurring loses came under scrutiny at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 30. At least one shareholder questioned the debt-ridden telecom operator's actions. Nearly two years after the merger with Idea, the telecom major on September 7 rebranded itself as Vi (read as We). Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, which owns VIL with Vodafone Plc, said tariffs continue to be the lowest in India, while the data consumption in the country is the highest in the world. According to CNBC-TV18, Birla added that the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues have added to the financial woes of the telecom operator and that efforts are being made to resolve the financial burden through staggered payments, which have been upheld by the Supreme Court (SC). The Department of Telecom (DOT) is also looking to restore financial health of the sector through a two-year moratorium. The pricing revival is critical for the health of the sector, Birla said. According to Birla, long term-opportunities remain intact. The increase in content consumption through videos and social media has driven strong data demand. Work from home is also driving increased data consumption and will provide a significant uptick to all telcos, he added. A CNBC-TV18 report said that all shareholders questioned the company about its survival given losses being incurred by the company, Jio's aggressive expansion and how the company plans to tackle it, Capex and 5G plans apart from the excess money spent on rebranding and IPL marketing. Though many of the above questions remained unanswered, Vi officials did speak about capex, their strategy ahead, and 5G plans. On Capex, the company said a fund raise of Rs 25,000 crore was sufficient and it would help the company compete effectively. As for 5G, it will be in a good position to launch 5G services and added that before 5G spectrum auction takes place, we need to develop use cases for India. The telco also said that it has a strategy in place to expand its subscriber base. VIL is exploring various avenues for raising additional funds to ensure adequate cash flows for stable ongoing operations. VIL is making efforts to keep its business running in India, after the SC gave telecom companies 10 years to pay AGR dues. Vodafone Idea owes slightly over Rs 50,000 crore to the DoT as AGR-related dues. The SC asked telecom companies to make an upfront payment of 10 percent of the balance AGR dues by March 31, 2021. Live your fantasy, the performer tells me with a reassuring air. And if you need anything, Im Bussy, or Sam. Towering above me on 8-inch heels, she saunters away to the dressing room with a flip of her pale blond hair. Im inside the Red Victorian on Haight Street, a 116-year-old hotel that once welcomed thousands of guests as an Airbnb. Now left vacant as a result of the shelter-in-place order, it plays host to the Fishbowl a socially distanced, not quite drag show taking place in the hotels large front windows. Its an opportunity to revive some semblance of nightlife for the struggling neighborhood, but its also a weekly fundraiser organized by the hotels current tenants with the goal of transforming the space into a housing project for queer, trans and gender-nonconforming individuals, as well as BIPOC many of whom have been displaced from their own homes since losing their jobs due to the economic shutdown. Some of them now live at the Red Vic including Bussy Dad, who was a former employee there and have been performing just about every Saturday night since early August. The world has stopped running, but were still expected to work, so Im throwing a party in my living room, she explained with a laugh. Robby Durler / SFGATE The organizers also launched a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised nearly $14,000 of its $100,000 goal. The shows have garnered dozens of sidewalk spectators each week, but after tonight, theres a chance that they could come to an end for good. Backstage, a wayward mannequin with disembodied arms lounges next to a piano beneath the dim glow of a spider web lamp. A whiteboard, labeled $LUT$ in blue marker, is propped up in the corner, boasting the set list for the evening. The distant sound of idle chatter drifts from the back of the room, where the performers are applying their makeup and fervently preparing for the night ahead. In the makeshift green room, DIY costumes neatly hang on clothing racks while the performers flit about in their stockings and heels. When Veda Superstar arrives, the room begins to hoot and holler in approval. Superstar flashes a pose, showing off their scantily clad costume, accentuated by pearl-laden pasties, red fishnet tights and a seemingly intricate head wrap topped with a sparkling gemstone tiara. I compliment Superstar on this, and they excitedly inform me that they crafted it themselves using a pair of nylons. Robby Durler / SFGATE Minutes before the show begins, the performers carry fold-out chairs to the sidewalk in sets of two, making sure to place them six feet apart. Pop songs from the early 2000s play over the speakers facing the street as masked spectators file in, picnicking on bodega snacks, slices of pizza and tall cans of White Claw. When eight oclock rolls around, there are about 50 people in the crowd. Bussy Dad takes the stage and everyone begins to applaud. Welcome to the motherfing giiii-iiiig! she cries into the mic in an exuberant Valley Girl drawl, just as shes done several times before. Her co-host for the evening, fellow performer St. Nastine, turns to the audience with a comically deadpan expression. No one tells her to say that, they inform us. The stage itself is a vibrant explosion of nostalgia, gloriously cluttered with a Lisa Frank-meets-Nickelodeon sensibility. Fuzzy TV screens play retro McDonalds and Sapporo commercials, and carpet samples reminiscent of a neon bowling alley floor litter the plywood below. Plastic dinosaurs and G.I. Joe action figures are lined up against the window, as if to watch the show themselves. The upbeat atmosphere makes it somewhat difficult to remember that this isnt just a lighthearted show, but a group of performers publicizing their dire goal of keeping their residency. Bussy Dad and St. Nastine remind the spectators of their cause before encouraging us to tip the performers on Venmo. Before kicking off the show, Bussy Dad also asks the growing crowd to avoid standing in the road. I dont want to peel you off the street in my couture, she lectures with a flirtatious giggle. Bathed in a magenta glow, she begins to confidently strut around the stage as Britney Spears Gimme More blasts over the speakers. She peels off her mesh black dress and kicks her heels in the air, voguing, occasionally pausing to place her hands on the glass as she lip syncs. The performances that follow seem to feature a series of increasingly acrobatic choreography, and Im amazed when no one accidentally collides with the glass in front of them. By the end of the night, there are 140 people in the audience, crouching on the sidewalk and huddling around the perimeter of the stage. It might no longer be socially distanced, but its the largest crowd the Fishbowl has seen yet. Robby Durler / SFGATE During our phone conversation the following afternoon, though, Bussy Dads infectious self-assurance exuding from her onstage persona seems to waver. This show seems really happy, but its come out of a crisis, she tells me. When COVID hit, I lost my job and didnt have a place to go. All I have to give to the world is this show, and a lot of the other performers feel the same way. Originally from Missouri, Bussy Dad moved to San Francisco at the age of 22 and pursued work as a makeup artist. She started dabbling in drag using the moniker Tia Samantha. At the same time, she was considering starting the process of gender transition. Im Dominican, so Im very hairy, and I used to shave my whole entire body, she recalled. Then, I kind of had a breaking point. I was so tired of trying to be what other people considered as a passing woman, of existing on other peoples terms and what they thought I was supposed to look like. It was a moment where, even if I am perceived as a man, I know who I am, and I know that Im a woman. She changed her name to Bussy Dad and let her hair grow out again. Her friends and surrounding community were supportive, but as the shelter-in-place order loomed and much of the drag scene moved online, she didnt feel as welcomed. Robby Durler / SFGATE A lot of the videos I was posting were getting taken down because of my body, she said. Thats when she began to consider the idea of putting on a live show herself. It came from the frustration of not being able to continue to do drag because it wasnt accepted. One day, as she was sitting in the Red Vics lounge area with Michael Borel a current resident as well as the artist responsible for the hotels window display she wondered aloud why the huge space wasnt being utilized. Borel agreed, suggesting that they use the windows for a peepshow-style performance. Not long after, Borel and Adam Rice, an independent contractor for the hotel, built the stage using donated curtains and plywood as Bussy Dad set out to find their talent. A few of the performers already lived at the hotel, while others are in her current social bubble. Honestly, as soon as I started telling people, they were, like, throwing all of these ideas at me, she said, noting that Gia, a performer going by the name FKA Supernova Girl, was her biggest inspiration. When we did our first show, she said, We need lights, a prop, a chair ... . She really wanted to elevate the experience. She was displaced from her housing at the same time I was, and began taking hormones here about four months ago, and so she feels very connected to this space in terms of not only her housing but her well-being. Robby Durler / SFGATE FKA Supernova Girl delivered an especially emotional performance to close out the show Saturday night, one that was directly influenced by the loss of her sister-in-law, who died from cancer earlier last week. Before the show, I asked, Are you sure you still want to do this? Bussy Dad recalled. And she said, This is exactly what I need. This is where I need to channel my emotions right now. For a lot of us, its tough to navigate our everyday lives, and this is a place where we can be ourselves for the world to see as opposed to creating a character. For that reason, she insists that the Fishbowl isnt really a drag show at all. All of the performers are either trans or gender nonconforming, and she feels they arent always included in mainstream drag culture. With RuPauls Drag Race streamlining things, its controlled the idea of what drag is for a lot of people who have never experienced it before, she said. The popular competitive reality show has long been criticized by fans for its exclusion of trans and nonbinary contestants. Seeing trans bodies openly celebrated rather than being hidden away in clubs at night is the goal of this show for me. Robby Durler/Special to SFGATE Now, shes worried about losing her creative outlet for good not to mention her home. Earlier this month, the residents and performers received notice from their landlord to vacate the building by Sept. 30, though theyre currently working with the property owner to negotiate a new lease that would allow them to stay. For me, its hard because Im having to think about losing a show that means so much to me, as well as my housing, but thats also what makes the performances so good, she said. When Im not onstage, Im stuck in my house, working and trying not to think about my country falling apart. And I have my one day, which is Saturday, where I can be myself, be with others being themselves, and forget about everything. Personally, its the only thing keeping me going. Robby Durler / SFGATE In spite of the obstacles ahead, Bussy Dad is determined that Saturdays performance wont be the Fishbowls last. Her goal is to continue running the show in some iteration or another regardless of whether theyre at the Red Vic or doing it out of somebodys car. Even if it is our last show for a while, I feel really happy with what weve been able to bring to Haight Street during this time, she said. I have no intention of stopping. The Fishbowl is located at the Red Victorian Hotel on 1665 Haight St. On Wednesday afternoon, the Fishbowl announced it would resume performances on Oct. 10. Shows typically take place every Saturday at 8 p.m. Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE culture reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The first of three scheduled presidential debates took place last night at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Chris Wallace of Fox News moderated the event, which took place over 90 minutes in six 15-minute blocks. President Trump and Vice President Biden were asked about their records, the Supreme Court, COVID-19, the economy, race and violence in our cities, and the integrity of the election. The debate was contentious from the beginning, with each candidate contradicting the other repeatedly throughout. Fox News is calling the debate fiery; CNN describes it as rancorous and chaotic. According to USA Today, it was one of the most chaotic, insult-laden presidential debates in modern history. How Richard Nixons suit affected the 1960 election Before last night, more than 70% of Americans said the debate wouldnt matter much to them. Fewer people than at any time since 2000 consider debates important to deciding how they will vote. However, televised presidential debates have been changing history since 1960, when Richard Nixons light gray suit blended into the background on black-and-white television and his opponent, Sen. John Kennedy, began the ascendancy that led to his eventual victory. Ronald Reagans memorable response in 1984 to a question about his age (I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponents youth and inexperience) led to his easy reelection. President Fords insistence that there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe may have contributed to his loss in 1976; Ronald Reagans clear dominance of his debate with President Carter in 1980 likely contributed to his landslide victory. The contentious nature of last nights debate reflects the contentious nature of our culture. Our politics are locked in a zero-sum game: abortion is legal or it is not; LGBTQ rights and sexual liberty take precedence over religious liberty or they do not. More than ever before, Republicans and Democrats both consider the other side to be brainwashed, hateful, and racist. Why these are good days for compassion and love In the midst of such political animosity, lets gain a larger perspective. The world passed one million confirmed coronavirus deaths on Monday, losing 3,819 lives per day since the start of the year (by comparison: 2,977 people were killed on 9/11). It has been estimated that the US has lost two million years of life from early deaths due to the pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning Americans to prepare for a second wave of COVID-19 this fall. In other news, one of the largest medical cyberattacks in US history occurred last weekend. Multiple people died during a hostage situation in Oregon on Monday. A priest in China was reportedly abducted and tortured for refusing to join the government-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. And a Texas pastor and his wife were killed when a driver crossed into their lane and struck their vehicle head-on. Their three small children survived. I took you through these stories to make two related points. One: Every days news reminds us that ours is a broken world. Many people are suffering in ways that far transcend political divisions. And such divisiveness is nothing new in America. We are fallen people living in a fallen culture. Two: Tragedy and hatred are opportunities for compassion and love. The more acrimonious our country becomes, the more urgent and powerful our ministry becomes. Lets close by focusing on this fact. 'What is the invitation of God in your fear?' Not in my lifetime have I seen an election this intense, with supporters on each side convinced that our nations future depends on their candidates victory. We can and must vote, pray, and speak biblical truth to the issues of the day. But it is vital to remember that God measures success not by outcomes in our world but by obedience to his word. When Jeremiah warned his people not to flee to Egypt (Jeremiah 42), they did not obey the voice of the Lord (Jeremiah 43:7) and in fact forced the prophet to go with them (v. 6). This was not the outcome he wanted, but Jeremiahs obedience resonates still today. In fact, fear of failure can be reframed as an opportunity for greater faith. Writing for the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Boston, Curtis Almquist notes: Fear is not a sign of the absence of God. In our fear we rather find the bidding presence of God. Our fear most often arises out of something that is bigger than we are, and we find that in and of ourselves, there isnt enoughnot enough energy, or patience, or hope, or encouragement, or provision. We come up short. Where is God in your fear? What is the invitation from God in your fear? How would you answer his questions today? Originally published at the Denison Forum By John C. Stickler Even before annexing Korea in 1910, the Japanese began constructing a railway line from Busan to Seoul and Pyongyang and on to the Chinese border to link up with the Trans-Siberian Railway. To accommodate travelers, the Japan Railway Bureau constructed five-star hotels along their routes, two of which were the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Chosun Hotel in Seoul. The five-story Chosun, designed by a German architect, was an oasis of European elegance in the Hermit Kingdom. Opened in 1914, it featured a grand staircase of imported marble, Tiffany-era stained glass, sterling silver flatware from Germany and fine Irish linens. The entire staff was Japanese, from housekeepers to the general manager. No Korean was spoken; Koreans were not welcome. My first visit to the landmark property was early in 1963. As a U.S. Army draftee I'd recently arrived at 8th Army HQ on the Yongsan compound. A new friend escorted me into the imposing red brick structure. It had seen better days. All I remember now is the glassed-in terrace facing the Temple of Heaven. Known as the Palm Court it was deserted: a cold tile floor, no staff, no guests. My friend spoke in a whisper, as if we were alone in a church. Returning to my barracks I had no way of knowing that within two years I would have a room there, on my wedding night, after a matrimonial ceremony in the Princess Room and a reception at the old Seoul Club. Nor that less than three years after that the entire building would be demolished to make way for Korea's rebirth into the 20th century. Somehow by the end of 1963 I had qualified for an Army R&R "New Year's Eve cruise" from Busan to Hong Kong and back on a U.S. Navy troop ship. Our arrival was highlighted by a flyover of two low-flying British Royal Air Force fighter jets screaming a most impressive welcome to Hong Kong. Stepping into one of the then-modern hotels on the Kowloon side I was immediately struck by the lobby not the decor, but the cosmopolitan aura of the space, the international vibes, the palpable energy of the room. This is where things happen, I thought. Why doesn't Korea have anything like this? Lo, in the summer of 1970, 50 years ago, American Airlines' new Chosun Hotel opened and instantly became the social and economic hub of South Korea. Granted, international tourism was still at "square one." The ban against Japanese tourists had been lifted, they could visit but only in groups. My international advertising agency, specializing in tourism and export promotion, was among the first offices opened in the new hotel which became my largest account. President Park's five-year plans were gaining traction and businessmen were now arriving from around the world to make deals. They stayed in the Chosun Hotel where the "Miracle on the Han" was unfolding. John Stickler was the CBS radio correspondent in Seoul from 1967-76. He and his wife Soma Han have produced an audiobook of their prize-winning Korean fairy tale Maya and the Turtle. Reach them at johnandsoma@Ymail.com Washington, D.C. The Fallen Journalists Memorial (FJM) Foundation, News Media Alliance, National Newspaper Association and National Association of Broadcasters today commended the U.S. House of Representatives on passing bipartisan legislation authorizing the FJM Foundation to establish a national memorial that honors the many reporters, editors, photographers and broadcasters who have los... - A man only identified as @JohnGhatti_CEO shared photos of his latest property online and he sure is loaded - The young entrepreneur revealed he was developing the site for rental purposes - Netizens were inspired by his post and applauded him for his hard work PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB feed This is the content we want to see! Young Africans are making a success of themselves and buying property to celebrate it. One man, who was only identified by his Twitter handle @JohnGhatti_CEO, has showed off his latest project. READ ALSO: Martha Karua says she is ready to meet William Ruto, other leaders for deliberations ahead of 2022 Young entrepreneur @JohnGhatti_CEO inspired social media users with his project online. Photo: @JohnGhatti_CEO / Twitter. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Magazeti ya Jumatano, Septemba 30: DP Ruto awatangazia mahasidi hali ya hatari The entrepreneur bought land and is currently building residential properties for rental purposes. On Tuesday, he took to Twitter to post snaps of the progress being made on his property. @JohnGhatti_CEO captioned the post: "My project coming together. Rental property on the way." Take a look at the post below: READ ALSO: Video of Jose Mourinho following player rushing for bathroom break during crucial Chelsea match tickles fans online Netizens inspired Social media users were inspired by his post and they congratulated him on the project. Shalom Phiri, who goes by the Twitter handle @ShalomPhiri4, commented: "All the best with the project, I'll be joining you in that other project soon enough." Thato Moeng, @thato_tmg, added: "This is so amazing. Congratulations man." READ ALSO: Diana Marua raises eyebrows online after stepping out in revealing fishnet dress @JohnGhatti_CEO is clearly making bank. He often posts snaps of his luxury whips online and he even shared a video of himself counting the "thousands" of shillings he makes every day. The clip was shared in April and captioned: "Money machine to count the thousands I make every day." In another post, he shared a photo of himself in a yellow sportscar and captioned it: "I open the roof when I ride so that I can remind myself there are no limits to this life thing. Enjoy your Saturday." Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme - https://www.patreon.com/tuko This is me coming to you with a heavy heart. My friends left after I got cancer - Esther Nyambura Source: TUKO.co.ke As the heaviest fighting in years flares between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, a war of words has erupted over reports that Turkey has sent thousands of Syrian fighters to Azerbaijan to support its Muslim-majority ally, Baku. Azerbaijan has called the reports "fake news," while Russia suggested on September 30 that it had information supporting claims that Syrian fighters had been sent to the area, and Turkey has remained silent on the issue. Armenia has claimed that the mercenaries are already clashing with local Azeris as the rebels allegedly attempt to impose Shari'a law, and a British-based organization that observes the Syrian civil war has reported the first death of a Syrian militant in Nagorno-Karabakh. Some analysts have given credence to the idea that Turkey is sending militants it controls to help Azerbaijan, while others have voiced skepticism about Sunni Syrian rebels fighting on behalf of majority Shi'ite Azerbaijan. Through the murk, the prospect of foreign fighters entering the long-simmering fray over Nagorno-Karabakh -- an Armenian-controlled, separatist enclave of Azerbaijan that has been fought over off and on since the last days of the Soviet Union -- raises concerns of a wider conflict that could draw in regional powers Turkey, Russia, and Iran. In September 28 report, the Reuters news agency quoted two unidentified members of Turkish-backed rebel groups in northern Syria as saying they were being deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh. The two told the news agency that they expected to guard facilities, not fight, and that the deployment had been coordinated with Ankara. Each of the men said they had been told by their commanders in the Syrian National Army -- an umbrella group of Syrian rebels backed by Turkey -- that they would receive about $1,500 a month for their services. "I didn't want to go, but I don't have any money," one of the fighters, who used to belong to the Turkish-backed rebel group Ahrar al-Sham, told Reuters. "Life is very hard and poor." The second source, who belonged to the Turkish-backed rebel group Jaish al-Nukhba, said he had been told that 1,000 Syrians were to be deployed to Azerbaijan. The Guardian published similar claims, reporting on September 28 that three men living in rebel-controlled northern Syria said they had signed up to work as border guards in Azerbaijan for a private Turkish security company. Two of the men, brothers who spoke on condition they be allowed to use pseudonyms, said they were recruited to work as guards at observation posts or oil and gas facilities in Azerbaijan for $900 to $1,300 a month. 'Thousands Willing To Go' The alleged recruitment effort, which The Guardian reported began weeks ago, followed a previously reported effort by Turkey to send Syrian militants to Libya. "When we first started being offered work abroad in Libya, people were afraid to go there, but now there are definitely thousands of us who are willing to go to either Libya or Azerbaijan," said a third source who spoke under a pseudonym. "There is nothing for us here." Infographic: The Conflict Between Armenia And Azerbaijan Analysts were split on the prospect of Turkey sending mercenaries to Nagorno-Karabakh. Zaur Gasimov, a senior research fellow at the University of Bonn, told RFE/RL: "I heavily doubt" the involvement of Syrian mercenaries on behalf of the Azerbaijani side, citing the fact that those reported to have been sent were Sunni. "The deployment of Sunni Syrian fighters in Azerbaijan, a borderland of Russia's predominantly Sunni regions of Dagestan and Chechnya, would never tolerated by Moscow [or] by Iran," Gasimov said. "Even hypothetically, that would enable their further penetration into Russia's southern regions," he said. "The same goes" for Iran, which "opposes Sultan Murad's and Hamza Brigade's activity in Syria." Jaish al-Nukhba and Ahrar al-Sham, he added, are considered to be Salafist Sunni terrorist organizations by Russia and Iran, both of which have given crucial military backing to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in the nearly 10-year war in that country. Speaking to RFE/RL's Armenian Service on September 30, Turkish studies specialist Ruben Safrastian of Armenia's National Academy of Sciences said that he believes Turkey is responsible for sending up to 1,000 Syrian fighters to Azerbaijan so far. "It is clear to me that Turkey is trying to create quite large groups of jihadists controlled by it for them to help their ally Azerbaijan," Safrastian said. RFE/RL, along with Reuters and The Guardian, was unable to confirm reports of Syrian fighters in Azerbaijan. 'Reliable Sources' The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory For Human Rights, however, reported on September 30 that it had documented the first death of a "Syrian fighter of Turkish-backed factions in Azerbaijan." Citing "reliable sources," the observatory said that "Turkish-backed mercenaries were sent to join the battles in Azerbaijan, while their sole mission was supposed to be protecting the oil fields." Speaking after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Russian state television on September 29, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian mentioned the reports of Syrian fighters being sent to Azerbaijan "to take part in these combat activities." "By the way, there already is information that clashes have already taken place among these mercenaries and local Azerbaijanis, because these mercenaries are trying to impose Shari'a law in these villages, they go to local shops demanding that they stop selling alcoholic beverages, etc.," Pashinian said. The comments came a day after Armenia's ambassador to Moscow, Vardan Toganian, said Turkey had sent around 4,000 Syrian fighters to Azerbaijan, and that they were fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. On September 30, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that according to "information that is coming in, fighters from illegal armed formations are being sent to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, including from Syria and Libya, to participate directly in the military action." The Foreign Ministry statement did not specify the source of the information or whether Russia had independently confirmed it, but said Moscow was "deeply concerned about these processes," which it warned would "lead to further escalation of tension in the conflict zone" and "create long-term threats to the security of all countries in the region." Without naming any particular nation, it called on governments to "take effective steps to prevent the use of terrorists and mercenaries in the conflict" and to "withdraw them from the region without delay." Baku has rejected the allegations, with Aliyev aide Hikmat Hajiyev on September 29 calling the reports of Syrian fighters in Azerbaijan as "absolutely baseless" and dismissing them as "propaganda and fake news from Armenia." "Why should Azerbaijan bring others to its sovereign soil?" he asked, denying any military support from its close ally Turkey. In a telephone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on September 30, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian "strongly condemned the direct military-political and military-technical involvement of Turkey in the fighting initiated by Azerbaijan on the contact line separating the Karabakh and Azerbaijani forces, as well as on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan," according to the Armenian Foreign Ministry. Turkey, while not addressing the claims that it had sent mercenaries to Azerbaijan, has pledged its support for its South Caucasus ally. "Whichever help is needed by Azerbaijan, we are ready [to provide it]," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was quoted as telling Turkish state media on September 30. "We said that we are together with Azerbaijan both at the negotiation table and on the battlefield. Those are not empty words." Turkey and Azerbaijan held joint military drills in Azerbaijan in August, and during his recent speech to the UN General Assembly Turkish President Recep Erdogan accused Armenia of attacking Azerbaijan. The simmering crisis was reignited on September 27 when armed clashes broke out between the two sides in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries from some of the worst fighting seen there since a 1994 cease-fire. In New York City, the daily test positivity rate hit 3 percent on Sunday for the first time since June, city officials said Tuesday. Nine ZIP codes accounted for a quarter of the citys cases over the past two weeks. If the city sees an average test positivity rate of 3 percent or greater in a seven-day period, the mayor has said the citys public schools which only began reopening for in-person instruction last week will close. As of Sunday, the seven-day average test positivity rate in the city was 1.38 percent. Adding to the urgency, indoor dining in New York City returns this week, at 25 percent capacity. So far, New Yorks public officials seem to be treating the increase in positivity rates with the seriousness and urgency it deserves. Mr. de Blasio has directed multiple city agencies to step up enforcement in those nine New York City ZIP codes, sending officials to the neighborhoods to ask people to wear masks in public and issuing violations to those who refuse to do so. Since localities are principally in charge of enforcement, this is a needed step. The mayor also ought to make it clear that he expects this rule to be enforced among the citys police officers, who regularly patrol New York streets without masks. The governor agreed. Why dont the N.Y.P.D. wear masks? Mr. Cuomo asked Tuesday. What signal does that send? Good question. Taking additional steps to stop the spread of the virus in these areas like banning gatherings of 10 or more people or closing nonessential businesses would require approval from Mr. Cuomo. The ventilators were handed over by leading US officials in Vietnam The handover ceremony was attended by US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink, USAID/Vietnam mission director Michael Greene, Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, and National Lung Hospital director Nguyen Viet Nhung. The ventilators, produced in the US, reflect leading in-demand technology. They are compact, deployable, and provide Vietnam with flexibility in treating patients affected by the virus. For patients whose lungs are not working adequately despite receiving oxygen, this vital resource may prove life-saving. The world is impressed by Vietnams strategy and proactive measures in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, said Ambassador Kritenbrink, but this serious disease remains a threat in Vietnam and the world. Building on the strong relationship between our countries over the last 25 years, the US government is pleased to support our friends in Vietnam with this donation of ventilators to fight the coronavirus. In addition to the ventilators, the US government, through USAID, has committed $9.5 million to Vietnam in response to the pandemic, which is helping to strengthen clinical care, disseminate health messages, build laboratory capacity, improve disease surveillance, as well as support private sector recovery by mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the Vietnamese economy. For decades, the US has been the world's largest provider of bilateral assistance in health. Since 2009, US taxpayers have generously funded more than $100 billion in health assistance and nearly $70 billion in humanitarian assistance worldwide. In Vietnam, over the past 20 years, the US has invested more than $706 million in health assistance and more than $1.8 billion in total assistance. Through an All-of-America approach, the US is providing life-saving support by coordinating with the government of Vietnam and other stakeholders to identify priority areas for investment. Because an infectious-disease threat anywhere can become a threat everywhere, the US calls on other donors to contribute to the global effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Albany, N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a new executive order this week that protects more tenants in New York from residential evictions. The new order, issued Tuesday, expands an eviction moratorium included in a state law that passed earlier this year to cover more people. The law, known as the Tenant Safe Harbor Act, stopped evictions caused by tenants' money troubles or missed payments only during coronavirus pandemic, which the law defined as beginning on March 7. The new order halts evictions ordered before that date as well, which potentially protects more people from losing their homes. Under both the order and the law, tenants are only exempt from an eviction if they suffered some sort of financial hardship during the pandemic. And while landlords cant kick any of those people out, the law still allows them to win monetary judgments that tenants could be forced to pay eventually. The Safe Harbor Acts eviction protections remain in effect until Cuomo declares the pandemic emergency over. The expanded protections in this weeks order end Jan. 1. A separate order from Cuomo extended commercial eviction protections earlier in September. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Adeline Fagan, doctor from CNY who died of Covid-19, remembered by family, classmates, community Potential coronavirus exposure reported at CNY pumpkin patch Cuomo coronavirus rules for Uber, taxis, limos: Masks, no rides with strangers, windows down Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Former Union minister and newly appointed national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata party Daggubati Purandeshwari tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, even as the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments claimed a steady decline in the intensity of the pandemic. Purandeshwari, who returned from New Delhi on Tuesday, got admitted to a corporate hospital in Hyderabad with symptoms of Covid-19 and tested positive for the virus. Her condition is stable, a party leader familiar with the development said. Purandeshwari was inducted into the national executive committee of the BJP as a national general secretary on September 26. She is the only woman among the nine national general secretaries of the party. There has been a steady flow of visitors and well-wishers to her house for the last four days to greet her. She also gave interviews to the media after her elevation to the party position. In the process, she might have contracted the virus from any of the visitors in Hyderabad or Delhi, the party leader said. Meanwhile, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh which have been reporting high number of Covid-19 cases in the last couple of months have been showing a steady decline in the incidence of the virus. Telangana director of health G Srinivasa Rao said there has been a steady drop in the number of Covid-19 infections but it would take a few more months to get back to normalcy. Increased testing, early diagnosis, isolation of symptomatic and asymptomatic persons were the reasons for steady decline in the incidence of the disease, Rao said. On Wednesday, Telanganas Covid-19 tally stood at 1.91 lakh out of which 1.61 lakh people have recovered the recovery rate being 84 per cent. The fatality rate is only 0.54 per cent, as against the national average of 1.56 per cent. In the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, too, the government claimed that the Covid-19 pandemic has been declining over the last couple of weeks. There has been a 23.75 per cent reduction in the number of coronavirus cases in the fortnights August 30-September 12 and September 13-26. The reduction in the number of deaths was 22.5 per cent, Special Chief Secretary (medical and health) K S Jawahar Reddy said. About 58 per cent of the Covid-19 deaths were being reported from the rural areas in the state, while the rest from urban centres. From a high of 16.73 per cent, the infection positivity rate fell to 10.22 per cent by September 26. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Visitors view an exhibition of artworks created by Chinese and Sri Lankan children during an event commemorating the 71st National Day of the People's Republic of China in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sept. 28, 2020. An event has been held here to commemorate the 71st National Day of the People's Republic of China by the Sri Lanka China Society (SLCS) at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. (Xinhua/Tang Lu) COLOMBO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- An event has been held here to commemorate the 71st National Day of the People's Republic of China by the Sri Lanka China Society (SLCS) at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. The event was attended on Monday by senior government officials including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, and Ambassador-designate of Sri Lanka to China Palitha Kohona, as well as Chinese Embassy officials. Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, Hu Wei thanked the SLCS for organizing the event amid the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that Sri Lanka-China friendship organizations have played an important role in strengthening bilateral ties. "China and Sri Lanka have been supporting and helping each other, both well containing the pandemic, and setting a great example of bilateral cooperation for the international community," Hu said. "In the post-COVID-19 time, China is ready to work with Sri Lanka to spearhead pragmatic cooperation in various fields to bring benefits to our two peoples and to realize the common development of our two countries," he said. Palitha Kohona thanked China for extending crucial assistance to Sri Lanka during its own fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing that the two countries stand firmly together. SLCS President Jinith De Silva said Sri Lanka-China relations can be dated back to the ancient silk road and that China has been among the first to assist Sri Lanka in times of need. "Sri Lanka values such friendship and Sri Lankans too have been supporting China. When the COVID-19 pandemic was reported in China, Sri Lanka's political leaders, cutting across political lines, expressed solidarity," De Silva said. Also speaking at the event, Sirimal Abeyratne, Professor of Economics at the University of Colombo, praised China's rapid development, including success in exports and foreign direct investments, as a model for Sri Lanka. Abeyratne said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provides tremendous opportunities that Sri Lanka should seize to achieve its own development. The SLCS was founded in 1981 to strengthen Sri Lanka-China relations in economic and cultural fields. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is expected to release Unlock 5.0 guidelines on Wednesday (September 30) and it is likely that the Centre would announce several new relaxations in its latest guidelines. READ | Unlock 5.0: Centre announces major changes; here's all you need to know It may be recalled that in Unlock 4.0 the MHA had allowed Metro trains in Delhi and some other cities to resume services. During his recent meeting with chief ministers of the seven worst-hit states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised the chief ministers to implement the idea of micro-containment zones and refrain from imposing local lockdowns and curfews as these restrictions will affect the economic recovery. Notably, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced few days ago that cinema halls will be allowed to reopen in the state from October 1. The West Bengal government, however, added that the cinema halls will need to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines. Here's what can be expected in Unlock 5.0 guidelines: Economic activities While the MHA allowed the reopening of restaurants, malls, salons and gyms in Unlock 4.0, it is expected that more economic activities may be allowed from October 1. PM Modi had already urged the state to impose lockdowns in a way that they curb the spread of coronavirus effectively without hampering the economic activities. Because of this, economic activity should not face problems. We have to increase our focus on effective testing, treating and surveillance, and clear messaging, he said. Cinema halls Information and Broadcasting Ministry secretary, Amit Khare, had suggested a sitting arrangement plan to the Centre for movie theatres to open. Khare suggested that cinema halls can keep alternate seats in the first and next rows to maintain social distancing. Live TV Toursim and hospitality sector There is no denying the fact that tourism sector has been the worst hit due to the lockdown and it is expected that in Unlock 5, more tourism centres and tourist places would open its doors for visitors. Sikkim government has announced that it will allow hotels, home-stays and other tourism-related services to restart operations from October 10. Kerala government is also gearing up to reopen the tourism sector in October, while Uttarakhand government has also lifted all coronavirus restrictions for tourists. Schools and colleges Currently, schools have partially reopened from September 21 in compliance with the Unlock 4 guidelines issued by the MHA. These have only been allowed in the non-COVID-19-containment zones. The MHA had also stated that States and UTs may permit up to 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to the schools at a time for online teaching or tele-counselling and related work. Meanwhile, India's coronavirus tally crossed the 62-lakh mark on Wednesday as 80,472 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. A total of 1,179 deaths were also recorded in last 24 hours. The total case tally stands at 62,25,764 including 9,40,441 active cases, 51,87,826 cured/discharged/migrated & 97,497 deaths. (Natural News) Pro-life Americans assume that Ruth Bader Ginsberg was a hammer-and-tongs feminist who was a die-hard supporter of Roe v. Wade. The truth is somewhat more complicated. (Article by Steven Mosher republished from LifeSiteNews.com) Roe v. Wade predated Ginsbergs service on the court, of course, and she originallyand correctlyconsidered it an example of judicial overreach. In a 1993 speech to New York University School of Law students, she explained that the court should have stuck to the issue at handthe constitutionality of the Texas law against abortion that was being challengedinstead of seizing the opportunity to touch each and every state law that touched on abortion. Not that Ginsberg was opposed to the end sought by Roe v. Wade: legalized abortion throughout the United States. She wasnt. But she was honest enough to admit that the court had engaged in a raw act of judicial tyranny to get there, overriding the democrat process at the federal level and fashioning a set of rules that displaced virtually every state law then in force. Ginsberg believed that this was a bridge too far: A less encompassing Roe, one that merely struck down the extreme Texas law and went no further on that day, I believe , might have served to reduce rather than to fuel controversy. She also felt that Roe v. Wade halted a political process [in favor of abortion rights] that was moving in a reform direction and thereby prolonged divisiveness and deferred stable settlement of the issue. She was wrong, of course. Abortion advocates were not then, and are not now, interested in a stable settlement. Instead, their demands have become ever more extreme over time. They have abandoned the trimester formula laid out in Roe in favor of abortion-on-demand up to the point of childbirth. Indeed, we now have leading members of the Democrat party publicly promoting the killing of babies born alive after failed abortions. Infanticide by any other name is still infanticide. Ginsberg may have deplored the judicial overreach which led to Roe v. Wade, but she herself joined the court only to augment the ranks of those who practiced it. She became a leading member of the cadre of black-robed tyrantsas Robert Bork called themwho were engaged in turning the Supreme Court into a second legislature, superior even to the U.S. Congress. Amy Coney Barrett, by all reports, is made of sterner stuff. The mothers of large families usually are. When confirmed, she will help steer the court back to its proper constitutional role as a judicious watchdog against legislative and executive overreach. This necessarily means voting to overturn Roe v. Wade, which is arguably the most notorious example of judicial overreach in the entire history of the court. In a 2013 speech at the University of Notre Dame on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, she accurately noted that the courts reasoning essentially permitted abortion on demand. Even leaving aside her personal conviction that life begins at conceptionwhich both faith and scientific fact teach us is trueit is abundantly clear that she believes Roe vs. Wade was wrongly decided. The only thing that now stands in the way of tossing out Roe is the notion of stare decisisthat once the Supreme Court has issued a ruling it must ever after abide by its own precedent. Barrett has already disposed of this objection in no less than four separate articles. In them, she argues that stare decisis may conflict with an originalist reading of the Constitution and, in addition, sometimes violates the due process clause. (Expect Democrat senators to aggressively question Barrett on her views on stare decisis at next weeks hearing. They will portray themselves as fierce defenders of what they will embrace as a sacred judicial principle rooted in longstanding tradition.) Aside from support for pro-life legislation, what else might Christian conservatives expect to come from a Justice Barrett? The first thing to note is that her ascension to the court will cement in place a solid majority of five conservative justices for years to come. There is little doubt Barrett will close ranks with Justices Alito, Gorsuch, Thomas, and Kavanaugh on cases having to do with everything from 2nd Amendment rights and immigration, to executive power and Obamacare. This means that the notoriously inconstant Chief Justice John Roberts will no longer hold the balance of power on the court. Even better, the liberal troika of Kagan, Sotomayor, and Breyer will be reduced to writing impotent dissents. (Breyer, by the way, just turned 82. I wish the courts senior justice many years of continued good health, but it is not improbable that President Trump, during his second term, may get to appoint an unprecedented fourth justice to the court.) The first thing to go may be Obamacare, which will come before the Supreme Court for a third time this November. We owe the survival of this legislative monstrosity to Chief Justice Roberts. He joined the liberal wing of the court in 2012 in upholding Obamacare, offering the novel argument that the penalty for not having insurance was actually a tax. Barrett is on record in a 2017 Notre Dame University Law Review article saying that his opinion twisted the statute beyond its plausible meaning. The new conservative majority will also protect the right of Americans to keep and bear arms. Last year a case came before the 7th circuit, on which Barrett currently serves, concerning a law that bars those convicted of even a nonviolent felony from ever owning guns. She dissented from the liberal majority on the grounds that those who would take away someones 2nd Amendment rights must prove that they are a present threat to society. Barrett is also likely to be a reliable vote to uphold the Presidents executive authority in matters of immigration. She supported (in a dissent) Trumps executive order requiring prospective immigrants to prove that they would not become a burden on the public. Trumps creation of a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court in a single term is nothing short of miraculous. Not only will it help to restore the proper balance between the three separate but equal branches of the federal government, it will have the added effect of reinvigorating the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution and returning power to the states. For decades conservatives have been alarmed by the courts increasing willingness to overstep its constitutional bounds and become an instrument of progressive oppression. There is no more costly or poignant example of this kind of judicial tyranny than Roe v. Wade, which has condemned tens of millions of unborn Americans to an untimely death. Not long after Amy Coney Barrett joins the court as Justice Barrett, I am convinced, Americas long national abortion nightmare will begin to come to an end. The Founders will once again be able to sleep peacefully in their graves knowing that the constitutional order they designed over two centuries ago will survive for another generation. And the precious unborn will once again be able to dream peacefully in the wombs of their mothers, safe from the scourge of abortion in much of America, until they are born into this blessed land. Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com BEIJING As China's leaders get ready to release their national development plan for the next five years, some government advisors emphasize the priority is building up China's domestic strength. Chinese authorities have stepped up their efforts to shift the economy from one reliant on exports to one driven by domestic consumption. The country faces the shock of the coronavirus pandemic to global growth this year as well as tensions with the U.S. The U.S. has been China's top trade partner. "China's economy needs to continue to develop. If exports decline (as a result of shrinking global demand), then they will be consumed domestically," Justin Yifu Lin, a counsellor to China's top executive body, the State Council, said at a briefing with reporters Tuesday. That's according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language remarks. In the same way, U.S. pressure on Chinese companies such as Huawei mean these businesses must also look more at the Chinese market, Lin said. He is also honorary dean of the National School of Development at Peking University, and formerly the chief economist of the World Bank. The greater emphasis on the domestic Chinese market is part of a new term "dual circulation" that has emerged as leaders deliberate on the next five-year development plan set to kick off in 2021. The economic plan will be the 14th such roadmap for national priorities. On Monday, state media announced that the Communist Party Central Committee will hold a key meeting in Beijing on the plan from Oct. 26 to 29. That means the session will end just days before the U.S. presidential election, set for Nov. 3. Tensions between China and the U.S. have escalated in the last two years, beginning with trade and spilling over into technology and, to some extent, finance. Many economists predict China will surpass the U.S. as the world's largest economy in the next several years, when the 14th five-year plan will be in place. Jeremy Corbyn has apologised after a photo emerged of him breaching the 'Rule of Six' by attending a dinner party. The photo showed the former Labour leader, 71, and his wife Laura Alvarez, 51, seated around a nine-person strong table at a friend's house. Corbyn and his guests now face fines of 200 each, racking up to 1,800 in total, for breaching Covid-19 rules. The MP for Islington North tonight apologised for the incident, admitting it was a 'mistake'. The photo of Corbyn, 71, and wife Laura Alvarez, 51 (third from right, in front of back door) 'I recently had dinner at a friend's house where the number of guests eventually exceeded five,' he told The Sun. 'I understand that remaining at the dinner was a breach of the rule of six. I apologise for my mistake.' Guests at the event reportedly included left-wing activists, filmmakers and artists. One guest got up from the table to take a picture of the other eight, with an unsmiling Corbyn sitting two seats away from his wife. The 'rule of six' was brought in by the government on September 14 in an attempt to control the spread of a second wave of Covid-19. Those in violation of the rules face potential fines of 200 each for first-time offenders. It is understood the dinner party took place on the same day Corbyn's older brother Piers led an anti-mask rally of thousands of people in Trafalgar Square. A source told The Sun: 'It's clear that Jeremy realised immediately the danger the photo had put him in. The MP for Islington North tonight apologised for the incident. admitting it was a 'mistake' (File image) 'His face says it all. He knew he shouldn't have been present and he, of all people, should know the rules.' David Morris, Tory MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, described the image as 'disappointing'. Rule of Six: The new rules at a glance FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLDS OFF: All gatherings of more than six people will be illegal, putting the traditional family Christmas at risk. A family of five will be allowed to meet only one grandparent at a time, while families of six or more will be banned from meeting anyone. It does not matter how many different households meet up, as long as they stick to the rule of six. So six people from six different households can all get together, but two households of four cannot. ON: The only exemption is if a household or a support bubble is made up of more than six people. Support bubbles allow adults who live by themselves as well as single parents to join up with one other household. SOCIALISING OFF: All social gatherings of more than six whether a book club, dinner party or picnic are banned. Police will have the power to break up bigger groups in parks, pubs and private homes. An army of 'Covid marshals' will be recruited by councils to step up enforcement, patrolling town centres, parks, shopping centres and train stations and encouraging large groups to break up. People in groups of seven or more face spot fines of 100, doubling with each repeat offence to a maximum of 3,200. OFF: Pubs or restaurants cannot seat more than six people at one table. Hospitality venues can still accept more than six people in total, but each group must be separate and kept a safe distance apart. So a group of eight friends, for example, can't get round the restriction by booking two neighbouring tables of four. And you cannot go to a pub in one group, then join another group. Venues face fines of 1,000 if they do not comply with the rules. Pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas must record names and contact details of all customers, visitors and staff for 21 days. RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES ON: Churches, synagogues, mosques and temples will remain open, although congregations will be required to stay at least a metre apart. ON: Wedding ceremonies and receptions are exempt from the new rules, and up to 30 guests are allowed but they have to sit or stand a metre apart. ON: Funerals are also exempt, with 30 people allowed. SPORTS ON: Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools will remain open, as long as they are 'Covid secure' and enforce social distancing rules. Yoga or exercise classes with more than six people are allowed. ON: Grassroots sport is largely unaffected. Recreational sports, including five-a-side football, cricket, rugby and parkruns, can go ahead as long as they follow protocols. But teams of more than six can't go for a post-match pint together. ON: Professional sports and elite training can go ahead. Pilot events for reintroducing fans to stadiums can continue, but with a limit of 1,000 spectators. SCHOOLS, CHILDCARE AND OFFICES ON: Schools and universities are not affected by the new rules. But they must continue to operate under existing guidelines. ON: Youth groups, registered childcare and playgroups are exempt from the rule of six. OFF: The rules still apply outside these settings, so a group of ten school friends cannot go from the classroom to a park, or seven colleagues cannot go from the office to the pub. PROTESTS ON: Protests can go ahead in groups larger than six, as long as they are 'Covid secure'. Advertisement 'Millions of Brits are quietly sticking to the rules to defeat this horrific virus while Jeremy Corbyn is swanning around at a posh dinner party,' he said. The rule applies across England by law, meaning that gatherings must be limited. There are also local lockdowns in place across much of England with some 16 million Britons living under such local restrictions. Britain today recorded 7,108 more coronavirus cases and another 71 deaths including a three-month high of seven in Scotland. Daily infections are up 15 per cent on last Wednesday's 6,178 and almost 80 per cent higher than on Wednesday two weeks ago. But Britain's infections are a far-cry from what they were during the darkest days of the crisis in March and April, when at least 100,000 people were getting struck down every day. It comes as Boris Johnson's rallying cry to the nation to keep fighting coronavirus was bolstered by new figures showing the infection rate started slowing after restrictions, including the rule of six, were tightened. In the strongest evidence yet that local lockdowns are working, results from the largest Covid-19 study in England found the R-rate fell from 1.7 to around 1.1 this month, following the implementation of the new rules. The director of the study by Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori said the interim findings from 80,000 participants 'reinforced the need for protective measures' to help extinguish the virus. That restrictions are seemingly helping to stem the spread of Covid-19 will help the Prime Minister's case for imposing curbs to flatten the second wave. At a Downing Street press conference last night, Mr Johnson, flanked by Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance, vowed not to 'throw in the sponge' and capitulate to demands to abandon his strategy. Critics have argued that the recent suite of measures, including local lockdowns and national restrictions such as 10pm curfews on pubs, are ineffective but are laying waste to the economy and infringing civil liberties. While the rate of infection appears to be falling, the study, commissioned by the Department for Health, found that of the volunteers tested between September 18-26, one in 200 people had coronavirus. It also revealed the virus to be spreading more among young people, while simultaneously laying bare the North-South divide, pointing to the north west as the epicentre of the UK's outbreak. Professor Paul Elliott, director of the programme at Imperial from the School of Public Health, said: 'While our latest findings show some early evidence that the growth of new cases may have slowed, suggesting efforts to control the infection are working, the prevalence of infection is the highest that we have recorded to date. 'This reinforces the need for protective measures to limit the spread of the disease and the public's adherence to these, which will be vital to minimise further significant illness and loss of life from Covid-19.' Despite the green shoots of recovery, the government is still under pressure following the introduction of the rule of six and other lockdown measures. Mr Johnson was lampooned on Tuesday night and urged to 'get a grip' after becoming muddled with the North East's lockdown rules, forcing him to make a rare apology for 'misspeaking'. In a toe-curling episode that mirrored comedian Matt Lucas's spoof of government bumbling, the PM floundered as he was grilled on how the restrictions work - suggesting that households could still mix in groups of six indoors. To cap his embarrassment, Mr Johnson then had to tweet to clear up the confusion, saying he had misspoken and households will not be allowed to mix indoors, regardless of numbers. Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner claimed the PM did not understand the rules he is imposing on two million people. She added: 'For the Prime Minister to not understand his own rules is grossly incompetent. These new restrictions are due to come into force across huge parts of the country tonight. The Government needs to get a grip.' Answering questions about the North East lockdown at Exeter College in Devon yesterday, Mr Johnson said: 'On the rule of six, outside the areas such as the North East where extra measures have been brought in, it is six inside, six outside. 'And in the North East and other areas where extra tight measures have been brought in you should follow the guidance of the local authorities. 'But it's six in a home or six in hospitality, but as I understand it not six outside. That is the situation there.' Whitehall sources said No10 had been blindsided by Matt Hancock's decision to press ahead with the new restrictions, which had not been expected until at least the end of this week. The PM's blunder had uncomfortable echoes of the skit by Lucas, which was aired at the start of the Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 last week. It saw the comedian dressed up as Mr Johnson taking a faux press conference in Downing Street. Ridiculing the complicated rules, Lucas urged people to 'bake in a tent' if they must, before adding: 'Don't bake in a tent.' The Imperial College and Ipsos Mori study laid bare the North-South divide, pointing to the north west as the epicentre of the UK's outbreak In the strongest evidence yet that local lockdowns are working, results from the largest Covid-19 study in England found the R-rate fell from 1.7 to around 1.1 Last night, the PM finally bowed to demand to give MPs a vote before any fresh lockdown restrictions - after furious Speaker Lindsay Hoyle blasted him for treating the Commons with 'contempt'. In the face of a huge backbench rebellion over the scope of new laws introduced by ministers without being seen by MPs, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the government would 'consult Parliament' on any England-wide or UK-wide restrictions, and a vote will be held in advance 'wherever possible'. It came ahead of a vote in the Commons on renewing emergency coronavirus powers, with around 100 MPs ready to force changes if the Government failed to give concessions. Mr Hancock said: 'Today I can confirm to the House that for significant national measures, with effect in the whole of England or UK-wide, we will consult Parliament wherever possible we will hold votes before such regulations come into force,' he said. 'But of course responding to the virus means that the Government must act with speed when required and we cannot hold up urgent regulations which are needed to control the virus and save lives.' Sir Graham Brady, who led the Tory revolt, welcomed the climbdown - which followed weeks of rising tensions with the backbenches. The motion was later passed by 330 votes to 24, majority 306. Mr Johnson tonight begged Britons to stick with his coronavirus plan, warning that a 'more costly' second full lockdown will have to be imposed unless the public behaves better. At a No10 press conference with Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance, the PM said it was too early to judge whether the Rule of Six and 10pm pubs curfew introduced over the past fortnight were working. And he said that letting the virus 'take its course' risked overwhelming the NHS and many more deaths. But in a nod to rising anxiety about the consequences of restrictions, Mr Johnson said he intended to update the public more 'regularly' in the coming weeks. Boris Johnson's father Stanley faces 200 fine after being seen shopping WITHOUT a facemask in his local newsagent Boris Johnson's father faces a 200 fine after he was spotted breaching coronavirus rules and shopping without a facemask. Stanley Johnson, 79, who just months ago flew to his Greek villa in brazen defiance of the pandemic travel warnings, was spotted without a face covering as he popped into his local newsagents in West London on Tuesday for a newspaper. The scenes come after the Prime Minister today pleaded with the British public to 'follow the guidance' and urged people to wear a mask in shops and on public transport during a Downing Street press conference. After being caught red-handed without a mask, the Prime Minister's father admitted he was 'maybe not 100 per cent up to speed' with the rules having just returned from abroad and said he was 'extremely sorry'. Stanley Johnson, 79, was spotted without a face covering as he bought a newspaper at a newsagents in West London on Tuesday He told The Mirror: 'I was maybe not 100 per cent up to speed but that was my first day back in England after three weeks not in England. 'So they (the rules) may have changed in that time. I'm not really a big shopping man. 'I'm extremely sorry for the slip up and I would urge absolutely everybody to do everything they can to make sure they do follow the rules about masks and social distancing.' The scenes come just months after the Prime Minister was met with a furious backlash after his father jetted to his four-bed home in Greece - ignoring Foreign Office guidance which stated no one should travel unless it was essential. Despite the Government advising against all but essential travel, Mr Johnson claimed he needed to 'Covid proof' his villa before the letting season began. The retired Tory MEP told local and international press: 'There is no question of my breaking the law. The minister of tourism here has my papers. 'It was always absolutely clear from the Greek government that the only thing they were banning were people coming in from direct flights from Britain.' The scenes come after the Prime Minister today pleaded with the British public to 'follow the guidance' and urged people to wear a mask in shops and on public transport Locals claimed he arrived to the region by private car after documenting his controversial journey from the UK on social media, sharing a video of himself on a plane and a selfie. When he was later confronted by international media in Pelion, Mr Johnson said he was unaware of the outcry in Britain about his flight. 'It is true I took the pictures down,' he said. 'But I didn't put them up in spirit of defiance. I certainly had no intention of provoking anyone.' Today Boris Johnson pleaded with Britons to 'follow the guidance' in an effort to prevent a second 'more costly' lockdown national lockdown. He said: 'Let me just say what I've said to everybody, please everybody follow the guidance. 'Bearing in mind, you are doing it not just to protect your neighbour but ultimately someone that you could transmit the disease to that could end up infecting someone that you love. It is absolutely crucial that we stop the spread of this disease.' He added: 'Wear a mask on transport in the way that is recommended. 'And, bear in mind that the fines are now very considerable and they will be imposed.' Last week, the Prime Minister revealed that fines for failing to wear a face covering would rise to 200 and will become compulsory for bar staff, shop workers, waiters and taxi passengers. Babri demolition verdict: All you need to know about the key figures Operative portion: Why court acquitted all arraigned as accused in the Babri demolition case India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 30: A special CBI court has acquitted all the accused in connection with the Babri Masjid demolition case. The court observed that there was no evidence against the accused persons. The court also said that there was no evidence to say that the demolition was a pre-planned one. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News The court observed that the leaders present at the site during the demolition were trying to stop the mob and not incite them. The pelting of stones started from behind the disputed structure. Ashok Singhal wanted to keep the structures safe as it had the statues of Ram Lalla, Special Judge, S K Yadav said. All acquitted in Babri demolition case as court observes incident not pre-planned Further, the court also said that a local intelligence report had cautioned in advance that unexpected sequence of events can take place on December 6. However, it was left unattended, the court also said. All the Kar Sewaks were directed to bring water and flowers to keep both their hands busy, the judge said. The court also found that the video was fabricated and the investigation team did not produce negatives of the pictures. The court while acquitting all 32, who were arraigned as accused said that there is no conclusive proof. The demolition was not pre-planned the court also said. Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti, Satish Pradhan and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das joined proceedings through video conferencing today. In August, the Supreme Court extended by a month the deadline for completion of trial in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case involving 32 accused, including BJP veterans L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharti, and said that judgement should be delivered by September 30. The battle to attract a new U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic is settled, with Spotsylvania County beating out Fredericksburg and Stafford County. The decision was posted online by the VA on Monday, nearly three years after federal officials began advertising for outpatient clinic space in an area stretching from Stafford to Spotsylvania, mainly along the Interstate 95 corridor. Its a game-changer, said Spotsylvania Supervisor Kevin Marshall, who also serves as the business development manager in the countys Economic Development office. Marshall said the clinic will give local military veterans an easily accessible outpatient clinic, will create jobs and also prove a boon economically. He and fellow supervisor Gary Skinner expect the clinic also will draw other medical facilities and businesses to the area. Skinner, a U.S. Marine veteran, praised county staff for working so hard to get the clinic. He singled out Marshall. If it wasnt for his work it probably wouldnt have happened, Skinner said. He said the clinic will open up many opportunities for the county, but also believes the impact will stretch beyond Spotsylvania. Its not only great for us, its great for the state of Virginia, he said. The 426,722-square-foot outpatient clinic will be built on about 60 acres off Hood Drive between U.S. 1 and Interstate 95. The land was owned by former Spotsylvania Supervisor and businessman Hugh Cosner, who recently died. Marshall said Cosner, also a military veteran, was involved in the negotiations and would be glad to see the clinic coming to the county. The 20-year lease agreement is with Ohio-based Carnegie Management and Development Corp., which will build the clinic. The contracts value totals $376,748,586. The earliest the new facility can open is 36 months from the date of the lease award or upon acceptance of the space, whichever comes later. Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., has been urging the VA to make a decision. I have worked hard in the Senate to get this Fredericksburg facility built on a timely track in order to meet the demand of the rising veteran population in the commonwealth, he said in a statement. I was pleased to see today that the lease has been awarded for this project, and that despite what has been an exceedingly slow pace at times, we are now one step closer to better serving veterans in Fredericksburg and breaking ground on what will eventually be the largest VA healthcare facility in the country. Del. Rob Wittman, R-1st District, also said he is happy to see a new clinic coming to the region. This will allow even better care for our veterans living in the 1st District, said the congressman. Id like to applaud and thank our local governments in competition for this facility for their tremendous efforts and the great opportunities they made available to the VA. Officials and staff in the city and Stafford also tried to draw the clinic to their localities. Stafford officials havent said much about pursuing the clinic. On Monday afternoon, the county said it hadnt officially been notified of a decision. Fredericksburg officials were open about their pursuit of the project, promoting a parcel known as the Hylton tract along I95 between Cowan Boulevard and State Route 3. We are, of course, disappointed that the Hylton site was not selected, but we congratulate Spotsylvania County and Carnegie Management & Development Corporation, Fredericksburg Economic Development and Tourism Director Bill Freehling wrote in an email. We firmly believe that this will be a very positive project for the entire region, and that the Hylton property has a very bright future. Staff writer James Scott Baron contributed to this report. Supporters of US President Donald Trump rally outside the "Latinos for Trump Roundtable" event at Trump National Doral Miami golf resort in Doral, Florida, on Sept. 25, 2020. (Marco Bello/AFP via Getty Images) Cuban Americans Say Threat of Socialism Greatest Factor Affecting Their Vote MIAMIThe creeping threat of socialism and communism is a key theme repeatedly brought up by Cuban American voters in Miamia significant voting blockwho say the issue remains one of their top concerns heading into the November election. Nearly 2.7 million individuals make up the Cuban diaspora in the United States, including those born in Cuba and those who report Cuban ancestry, according to the Census Bureaus 2018 American Community Survey. While Cubans live all across the United States, about 77 percent reside in the Sunshine State. The Epoch Times spoke to nearly three dozen Hispanic voters in Miami, the majority of whom are Cubans, as well as a small number of Venezuelans and Colombians. An overwhelming majority said they would vote for President Donald Trump, citing his hardline stance against communist regimes that some older voters had escaped. The Trump campaign has been courting Cuban Americans in Florida through advertisements and other means, including a Latinos for Trump event hosted by Trump himself at his hotel in Miami on Sept. 25. Democrats, meanwhile, have expressed concern that their presidential candidate, Joe Biden, is rapidly losing ground among Cubans. A number of polls favor Trump on this front, with one recent NBC News/Marist poll revealing that 50 percent of likely Latino voters of Cuban descent favor Trump, compared to 46 percent for Biden. Rey Anthony, a third-generation Cuban American and co-chair of the Cuban American Republicans of Florida, said that for many in the city, the election is personal. Anthonys grandparents fled the communist dictatorship of Fidel Castros Cuba in search of freedom. I would be ignorant and disrespectful to [my grandparents] if I didnt recognize that and value the freedom that we have in this country, Anthony told The Epoch Times. They sacrificed everything so that my parents, my generation, could live in freedom and not have to go through the horrors that so many people in Cuba today still go through. Born and raised in Miami, Anthony says that when people ask him who his heroes were when he was younger, he would answer easily that they were his grandparents. They really did something that I dont know if a lot of people have the courage to do, which is to get on a boatnot knowing if youre going to arrive or notin search of freedom, he said. How could we ever forget that? According to Anthony, his community is turned off by what he described as a hijacking of the Democrat Party by politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. He said that he and others in the Cuban community support Trumps sanctions against the Cuban regime. The Cuban Heart of Miami: Little Havana Cuban cigar shops, restaurants, and cafes line the streets of Miamis Little Havana, regarded as the Cuban heart of the city. Many living in the community are expatriates from Cuba. The streets are filled with bright Latin American street art and thousands of Cuban Americans who call the neighborhood home. At Versailles, an iconic Cuban restaurant nestled inside Little Havana, dozens of patrons told The Epoch Times that they would never vote for a Democrat, regardless of who was the candidate. Virtually all of the patrons also said that they would be voting in person, rather than by mail, noting that they didnt trust the mail-in system. A handful of patrons said they would be voting for Biden, the reason being generally that they believe Trumps character makes him unfit for office. Miles away from Versailles, Jorge Monteagudo, the owner of Jorges Pharmacy, a family-owned business that has served the Cuban community for more than 45 years, said that as a business owner himself he supports Trumps law-and-order message, referring to the widespread riots taking place across the United States. Monteagudo, who was born in Cuba, said he fears the United States turning into Cuba due to the Democratic Partys further shift to the left. Who is going to pay for all of it? he told The Epoch Times, referring to those who push for socialism in the United States. The top four counties in the United States with the highest concentration of Cubans are all in the state of FloridaMiami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, and Palm Beachaccording to the Migration Policy Institute. Florida, which counts for 29 electoral votes, is a key battleground state. Barbara Lopez, a second-generation Cuban American who is Monteagudos daughter, told The Epoch Times that while the older generations in the community tend to be more conservative, those in the younger generation are more mixed. Lopez has American friends who support socialism and politicians such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). She believes they have been heavily influenced by liberal professors and teachers at U.S. colleges and the nations public schools. Her friends send her articles that tout the advantages of socialism and about topics that include equal distribution and taxing the rich. She said shes afraid to post anything about politics on social media. To me, they are blinded, she said. They see what happened with their parents country and how Cuba is, with the buildings deteriorating, but they dont want to recognize that. The Trump administrations campaign is resonating among many older Cuban Americans. In one advertisement, it shows Biden saying himself that he is going to be one of the most progressive presidents in American history. The ad then quickly cuts to footage of former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and former Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, a socialist who lost the 2018 presidential election, the Hill reported. Our progressive governments, says Chavez; progressive ideas, the ideas of socialism, says Castro; this new progressive axis would have very powerful allies, says Petro, in the advertisement. Two Sides When residents found out that Trump would be in Miami on Sept. 25 to attend a Latina roundtable at his hotel in Doral, supporters of both parties flocked to his property. About 20 Biden supporters gathered at one side of the street, with about 40 Trump supporters on the other side facing them. Both sides received honks of support from passing drivers. According to Sept. 1 voting registration statistics in Miami, 301,317 Hispanics have registered for the Republican Party of Florida, compared to the 273,129 have registered for the Florida Democratic Party. Alex Gubanos, a Cuban American, told The Epoch Times hes voting for Trump because the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan he received greatly benefited his business of about 600 employees. Alex Gubanos outside Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, on Sept. 25. (Bowen Xiao/The Epoch Times.) Democrats didnt want to give us the money, Gubanos said, adding that Trump is implementing a lot of policies that benefit all Americans. Gubanos says he 100 percent supports the sanctions against Cuba by the administration, adding that he has family living there. According to what he has seen, he says most Cuban Americans around him are voting for Trump. Days before visiting Miami, Trump added new sanctions against the regime in Havana, including new restrictions on Cuban exports and the barring of Americans from staying at regime-owned properties. Trump said the sanctions are part of our continuing fight against communist oppression. Trump said the new sanctions will ensure U.S. dollars do not fund the Cuban regime. Actress Genelia Deshmukh was last seen in 2012 Hindi film, Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya. In her eight-year hiatus, the actress did a few cameo appearances for her friends. In a recent interaction with Hindustan Times, Genelia said that she is ready to make her comeback and has been dying to explore newer characters. Talking about her sabbatical, Genelia said that she was quite clear from the beginning that she would take some time off from work to focus on her family life. "When I decided to settle down I was very clear that I want to spend time with Riteish and I wanted to have my children and be around when they need me. I think now my kids are somewhat settled in their space. So I'm looking at restarting. There are so many opportunities at the moment. I'm really excited to see the kind of content we're making," the actress told the leading daily. She further added, "After marriage, I got busy with another phase in my life and didn't want to complicate things. I missed working but I also knew I didn't want to be stressed and go to the sets thinking 'oh my kids are at home, are they alright...' I wanted to give my undivided attention to my craft because I love being an actor and there's no two ways about it." Genelia told the tabloid that she is open to offers from films and web, and is currently in talks for a few projects. However, she also added that she won't settle for anything mediocre. She said, "When I watched Delhi Crime and Aarya, I was like wow female protagonists are portraying such strong and amazing roles these days. And these are the kind of characters I connect with. If I'm coming back after long it should be worth, it should be something that I'll enjoy with all my heart. And I don't have any perception that I won't play a mother or of not playing my age on screen." On being asked about reuniting with actor-hubby Riteish Deshmukh on screen, Genelia said, "Actually he has been after me to start working. Riteish would be like 'how long will you wait, come do a film.' He's happy that I'm finally ready. I would love to work him but it's not like a condition. But, if we work together, it must be something that's meant for us, won't do something for the heck of it." Meanwhile, Genelia recently recovered from COVID-19. In an interview with a leading tabloid, the actress revealed that staying in a separate flat was the most challenging part of battling the virus. However, she had her friends cheering her up with frequent phone calls. ALSO READ: Genelia Deshmukh Post COVID-19 Recovery: It Was Tough To Stay Alone, My Friends Kept Me Cheerful ALSO READ: Genelia D'Souza To Make A Comeback In Tollywood With Chiranjeevi's Lucifer Remake North Korea and China have recently negotiated a new agreement in the hopes of easing recent border tension. The tension and agreement follow several shooting incidents in which North Korean Border Patrol fired at Chinese citizens who crossed the border. One source (unnamed for security reasons) explained to Daily NK, a news source devoted to providing news on North Korea, that "From this past Spring until last month, North Korean soldiers shot and killed several Chinese near the border but North Korea failed to apologize properly, so the Chinese government proposed [the agreement] as a way to protect their citizens." The agreement signed would allow for the following: "China will raise customs duties three-fold on goods entering the country (from North Korea) if North Korean border guards 'indiscriminately' and 'recklessly' shoot and kill a Chinese national. The agreement also requires North Korea to compensate a shooting victim with RMB 1,200,000 (around USD 175,922)" The details of the agreement are able to hold more sway than normal over North Korea as the COVID-19 border closure would mean North Korea would be unable to import many necessities from China. Additionally, as of September 11th, the Ministry of State Security and General Staff Department mandated that North Korean border patrol adhere to the agreement. However, Daily NK had also reported earlier in September that North Korea had established "buffer zones" in which border patrol officers are ordered to shoot any who enter. Although the agreement between North Korea and China was meant to relieve tension, it seems as though it will still be quite some time before North Korea opens borders to China. By PTI NEW DELHI: E-commerce major Amazon India on Wednesday said it has created more than one lakh seasonal job opportunities ahead of the festive season across its operations network in the country. E-tailers like Amazon and Flipkart usually hire thousands of people in temporary delivery and support roles to handle the high volume of orders during sale period. The new seasonal positions will help elevate its delivery experience and boost the company's fulfilment and delivery capabilities to meet the surge in customer demand this festive season, Amazon India said in a statement. ALSO READ| Amazon infuses Rs 1,125 crore into India unit ahead of festive sales It added that the company has also generated tens of thousands of indirect opportunities through its partner networks such as its trucking partners, packaging vendors, 'I Have Space' delivery partners, Amazon Flex partners and housekeeping agencies among others. In May this year, Amazon India had created close to 70,000 seasonal opportunities across its operational network and customer service centres. "This, along with today's announcement, is another step forward in Amazon India's commitment to create one million new job opportunities in India by 2025 through continued investments in technology, infrastructure, and its logistics network," it said. In 2019, Amazon India and rival Flipkart had announced creation of over 1.4 lakh temporary jobs across supply chain, last-mile connectivity and customer support in preparation for their festive sales. A report by RedSeer estimates that about three lakh jobs are expected to be created by various e-commerce and logistics companies during this year's festive season. E-commerce companies see a large chunk of their business coming in during the festive sales and they make significant investments ahead of time to ramp up their capacity to be able to handle the spike in orders. ALSO READ| Amazon India launches 'Fulfilment Centre' in Tamil Nadu to strength network in state Festive season sees players holding multiple sale events, timed around Dussehra and Diwali. Electronics, fashion and home furnishing are some of the categories that see a huge demand during the festive season. Another report by RedSeer had said festive sales are expected to almost double this year and touch USD 7 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) as compared to USD 3.8 billion in the same period last year. "This festive season, we are looking forward to serving customers in every part of the country by providing fast, safe and a more seamless ecommerce experience to them from the safety of their homes. This year, more than 1,00,000 seasonal associates will join us to fulfil customer promises," Amazon India Vice President - APAC, MENA and LATAM Customer Fulfilment Operations Akhil Saxena said. He added that Amazon India remains committed to creating job opportunities across the country, specially at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges in earning livelihood for many. In the last few months, Amazon India has announced plans to launch 10 new warehouses and expand 7 existing centres across the country this year. The company now has more than 32 million cubic feet of storage capacity and supports more than 6.5 lakh sellers across regions. A prolific sperm donor with 150 children worldwide has fathered a further six babies during lockdown after claiming COVID restrictions haven't slowed him down. With five women currently pregnant with 'Joe Donor's' unborn children, and one already having given birth this summer, the 49-year-old, from Vermont, is on target to impregnate 10 women this year. The prolific donor offers both sexual intercourse and artificial sperm insemination - he claims about 50 per cent of his children are a result of having sex - and insists he does not make any profit from his donations, although he is sometimes paid for his travel expenses. Joe, who conceals his real name, has spent the majority of lockdown in Argentina after getting stuck there while donating his sperm - but the singleton is now in London and already set to meet five women this week. Thanks to Facebook and recommendations, Joe says he has been as busy as ever since March and hopes more British women in need of sperm will get in touch now they know he's in the country. Joe, whose children will be able to try to track him down in the future, has previously admitted he is on a mission to impregnate as many women as he can, with 2,500 kids being a long-term goal. Prolific sperm donor, Joe (pictured with one of his children), with 150 children worldwide, has fathered a further six babies during lockdown after claiming COVID restrictions haven't slowed him down With five women currently pregnant with 'Joe Donor's' unborn children, and one already having given birth this summer, the 49-year-old (pictured with one of the women he's impregnated, left and one of his children, right), from Vermont, is on target to impregnate 10 women this year Joe (pictured with one of his children), who conceals his real name, has spent the majority of lockdown in Argentina after getting stuck there while donating his sperm He said: 'I have about 150 kids worldwide but there's currently five women pregnant with my children and one already born. 'Coronavirus hasn't slowed me down and I feel busier than ever. I love seeing photos of the babies when they're born as a lot of them do look like me. 'I don't financially gain from providing my sperm to women, I just enjoy helping people. Luckily I run a few online businesses so I'm always available and can provide sperm whenever they're ovulating. But the singleton (seen with one of his children) is now in London and already set to meet five women this week Thanks to Facebook and recommendations, Joe (captured with some of the children he's fathered) says he has been as busy as ever since March 'I had travelled to Argentina to provide sperm to a few women who had contacted me online, but I ended up getting stuck there until international flights resumed a few weeks ago. What are the laws on sperm donation? Joe, who claimed all his efforts are considered legal, said that hes at risk of any of the children hes fathered contacting him despite often donating his sperm anonymously. This is because hes not making his donations through a registered US clinic, which protects the anonymity of their clients. Unlike in the UK, fertility clinics are not bound by laws governing anonymity, meaning that donors can change their status whenever they like in the US. They do not need the consent of parents and if they opt to remain anonymous then their identity can never be revealed. In the UK, the law was changed in 2005 to allow children to request personal information about their sperm donor. The US also has no limit to how many families can use one donor. Donors are often paid or compensated and the US also doesn't have any uniform regulation on a federal level. Advertisement 'I'm now in the UK for a few weeks and hope to help as many people as possible fall pregnant.' Joe, who claimed all his efforts are considered legal, said that hes at risk of any of the children hes fathered contacting him despite often donating his sperm anonymously. This is because hes not making his donations through a registered US clinic, which protects the anonymity of their clients. Joe has travelled across America, Argentina, Italy, Singapore, The Philippines and the UK donating his sperm. He said: 'I have babies all over the world and although people always worry over incestual issues, that has never happened. I aim to donate my sperm for as long as it works which could be until I'm in my 90s 'I started donating sperm in 2008 and have fathered on average 10 children per year. 'I have always said I wouldn't father more than 2500 but that would technically be impossible unless I live until the age of 250. He added: 'I offer both options and although the natural way has a higher success rate, I do understand that it's not for everyone. 'Some of the women are lesbians and would not want to have sex while others are married but their husband's are infertile. 'There's not a single charge for the "sperm pot" as I do just enjoy making the world a better place. 'Some women do offer to help with travel expenses if they live far away. I always feel great when I know there has been a birth.' Joe (pictured feeding one of the children he's fathered) hopes more British women in need of sperm will get in touch now they know he's in the country Joe (pictured with two children) has unprotected sex with scores of women and claims to not make any profit from his donations Joe opts to have yearly medical checks to ensure he's practising as safe as possible. He adds: 'I have a health check at least annually but if a woman requests more frequent testing, I will have another check on demand. 'There's always a risk as what I'm doing isn't regulated but women have checks during pregnancy too so they'd soon find out if they'd contracted a sexually transmitted disease, which has never happened.' Joe (pictured with two of his children) has previously admitted he is on a mission to impregnate as many women as he can, with 2,500 kids being a long term goal Joe (pictured left with one of the women he's helped) has travelled across America, Argentina, Italy, Singapore, The Philippines and the UK donating his sperm Joe (pictured with one of the children he's fathered) offers both sexual intercourse and artificial sperm insemination - he claims about 50 per cent of his children are a result of having sex Joe is hoping to head back to his hometown after his UK trip but says he's happy to travel anywhere in the world to donate his sperm. He added: 'I'm contacted by women all over the world via Facebook or email. I don't mind travelling as I can work wherever I need to in the world. 'I'm hoping that as lockdown eases in some parts of the world again that it'll be easier to travel more frequently.' Joe (seen with some of the children he's fathered) is hoping to head back to his hometown after his UK trip but says he's happy to travel anywhere in the world to donate his sperm KYODO NEWS - Sep 30, 2020 - 13:36 | All, Japan Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is planning to visit Vietnam and Indonesia around mid-October in his first official overseas trip since taking office earlier this month, government sources said Wednesday. If the trip goes ahead, the premier is expected to hold talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Suga will make a final decision on whether to travel after examining the coronavirus situation at home and in the two Southeast Asian countries, where the spread of infections has remained relatively stable compared with other countries such as the United States, according to the sources. The plan to visit the Association of Southeast Asian Nations members comes as Japan seeks to strengthen ties with countries in the region amid growing tensions between its main security ally the United States and its biggest trading partner China, over trade, security and other issues. Amid the spat, Beijing is aiming to boost its clout among ASEAN members, but some have increasingly been at odds with China over jurisdiction in the South China Sea while others have seen as problematic its hardline approach to Taiwan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said face-to-face exchanges between leaders play a key role in diplomacy. He also reiterated that Japan seeks to promote the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, including the maintenance of the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, and peaceful settlement of disputes, by building a stable relationship with its neighbors. "The diplomatic environment surrounding Japan is becoming harder to foresee and control, given the growing national particularism and the U.S.-China tensions...We would like to strategically and steadily promote the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific by working with partners sharing the same values," he told a press conference. Vietnam and Indonesia were also the first overseas destinations for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after he assumed the premiership for the second time in December 2012. Abe pursued closer economic and security ties and Suga is expected to follow suit after pledging to carry forward his predecessor's policy legacy. After becoming prime minister on Sept. 16, Suga has held bilateral phone talks with countries including the United States, South Korea, China and Russia, but has also been seeking to meet leaders in person. Known for their friendly ties with Tokyo, Vietnam is this year's ASEAN chair, and Indonesia is a member of the Group of 20 major economies. Related coverage: Suga, Putin agree to promote territorial talks based on 1956 accord North Korea abductees' kin urge Suga to help reunite families Kyodo News journalist named special adviser to PM Suga Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 18:13 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c48433d6 4 National Sexual-assault,Komnas-Perempuan,Buton,rape,Southeast-Sulawesi,regent,sexual-abuse,prosecutors,women-empowerment,sexual-violence Free The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has raised concerns about the appointment of Southeast Sulawesi's North Buton Deputy Regent Ramadio as acting regent because of his alleged involvement in a sexual assault case against a minor. Ramadio was named a suspect in December 2019 for allegedly paying Rp 2 million (US$134.71) to rape a 14-year-old girl. However, he was not detained and prosecutors have yet to bring his case to court even though they claimed that had completed their case against him. Were worried that he will exercise his power to delay the investigation and trial against him once he is inaugurated as acting regent, Komnas Perempuan commissioner Siti Aminah Tardi said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com. [RA::Indonesian lawmakers are biggest enablers of nation's rape culture::https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2020/07/09/indonesian-lawmakers-are-biggest-enablers-of-nations-rape-culture.html[ She added that justice was not being served as another suspect in the case, a pimp identified as T, had been on trial and sentenced to nine years in prison. T has appealed the verdict with the Supreme Court. Its unfair for the other suspect who had undergone trial, Siti said. Komnas Perempuan urged prosecutors and the court to put Ramadio on trial as soon as possible. (dpk) Editor's note: Paragraph one of this article has been edited for accuracy. Fighting continues between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, with both sides blaming each other for resuming the attacks that reportedly killed and wounded dozens since fighting broke out Sunday. On Tuesday, Armenia's Defence ministry accused Azerbaijan of carrying out strikes against civilian infrastructures of Vardenis region located within the internationally recognised territory of Armenia. Armenia claims that a passenger bus had been hit by an Azerbaijani drone. No reports of casualties have been reported related to this incident. The UN Security Council called on Armenia and Azerbaijan Tuesday evening to immediately halt the fighting and urgently resume talks without preconditions. Since Sunday, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Ministry reported 84 servicemen killed, while Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said 10 civilians were killed on its side, although he didn't detail the country's military casualties. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994 at the end of a separatist war following the breakup of the Soviet Union three years earlier. The region in the Caucasus Mountains of about 4,400 square kilometres (1,700 square miles), or about the size of the Americans state of Delaware, is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region. This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. New Delhi: The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) will now make centralised payments to newspapers for advertisements issued on behalf of different ministries, Union I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday. He made the announcement after meeting with a seven-member delegation led by Indian Newspaper Society (INS) in New Delhi. The Union Minister told the delegation that the earlier decision of payment of bills to newspapers for advertisements by respective Central ministries has been revoked and DAVP will now make centralised payments for the same. The delegation, led by Akila Urankar, Deputy President and K Balaji, Vice-President of INS, welcomed the move and thanked Naidu for acting quickly on earlier representation of the newspaper body in this regard, a statement released in New Delhi said. Naidu assured the delegation that print media was an important partner in public communication and some of the issues have already been taken up with ministries concerned. The Information and Broadcasting Minister enquired from the delegation about the share of government advertisements in the revenues of newspapers, difference between commercial and DAVP rates for advertisements, methodology of fixing DAVP rates etc, adding that all these will be looked into. He said the concerns of the newspaper industry relating to GST rates, service tax and wage board have already been referred to the Ministry of Finance for consideration. On the issue of Wage Board, he said it required wider consultations, given its implications. The Union Minister added that measures were being taken to ensure that government advertisements were issued to only those publications, which were being regularly published based on production of evidence of the same. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. So far as of Tuesday morning, 101,092 absentee ballots in Alabama have been requested and 35,184 have been successfully returned for the Nov. 3 general election. So says the office of Secretary of State John Merrill, who issued a reminder Tuesday that Alabama voters have less than 30 days remaining to apply for an absentee ballot ahead of Election Day. Merrills statement encouraged voters concerned about their well-being or spreading the coronavirus to apply for and cast an absentee ballot, and that remains good advice. Misinformation abounds on social media platforms, but the bottom line remains that officials from the local level such as Lee County Probate Judge Bill English, to the state level such as Merrill, to the federal level such as with the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) continue to insist that absentee voting is a protected and viable option for voters to choose. Even President Donald Trump, who fans and critics alike often wish hed refrain from his colorful Tweets and too-often unsourced claims, has suggested that absentee voting in states like Alabama is not only a safe option but a politically acceptable one. Medical staff take a swab sample from a Myanmar woman to test for COVID-19 at a clinic in Insein township, northern Yangon, Sept. 21, 2020. Political parties faulted the Aung San Suu Kyi governments handling of the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday because of Myanmars rapidly rising number of coronavirus cases, saying a slow and poorly coordinated response allowed the predicted second wave of the virus to ravage the countrys largest city and spread nationwide. Myanmar, which holds nationwide elections in November, has the fourth-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases among the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but is third in deaths behind the Philippines and Indonesia. As of Tuesday, the country of 54 million people recorded 12,425 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases with nearly 800 new ones, and 284 total fatalities, including 28 new deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports. The number of recoveries stands at 3,391. All states and regions in Myanmar, except tiny Kayah state on the border with Thailand, have reported coronavirus-positive patients, with the majority of cases and the highest number of deaths in the populous Yangon region and Rakhine state in the west. On Tuesday, the ministry reported more than 8,300 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yangon region, and 1,527 in Rakhine state, whose pandemic problems are compounded by a war that has displaced 220,000 people since late 2018. In response to the surge, which began on Aug. 16, officials in the hardest-hit regions and states have imposed lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions and have set up additional COVID-19 testing and treatment centers and quarantine facilities. Medical workers have been mobilized and sent to hospitals and clinics in Yangon and Rakhine state. The central government has allocated more than 1 trillion kyats (U.S. $747.5 million) to fight the spread of the highly contagious respiratory illness. It also has started using antigen and test kits from South Korea to test people for COVID-19. Our rules and regulations are not meant to restrict people, Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said in a speech aired on state television on Sept. 21. We intend to contain the disease, she said. 'Like cats chasing their own tails' Several political parties, which are competing in general elections on Nov. 8, faulted the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) governments management of the pandemic as tardy and insufficient. Thein Tun Oo, spokesman for the main opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said the ruling government failed to communicate effectively to the people when issuing COVID-related orders and instructions. They should be issuing the orders and guidelines in clear, concise, and understandable terms so that laymen can easily comprehend them, he said. Their announcements are like cats chasing their own tails. It can take time trying to make sense of them. People are reluctant to follow their orders and guidelines since they are not clear, he said. Ye Naing Aung, general secretary of the Peoples Party, told RFA that the government didnt act in time to prevent the spread of the outbreak to other regions. It is a time when the government should review what it has been doing, he said, suggesting that election preparations had delayed the pandemic response. Kyaw Zeya, vice chair of the Peoples Pioneer Party, noted that the countrys health minister, Dr. Myint Htwe, had warned of second wave of the virus but the government still didnt take adequate measures in advance. When the second wave actually arrived, their response was all wrong, Kyaw Zeya told RFA. They didnt have a specific plan on how to respond to the second wave of the outbreak. Now, there are shortages of quarantine centers, [and] the virus testing facilities are not working properly, he said. These are all problems that could have been avoided. Myanmar Red Cross members walk across a parking lot at a new temporary shelter for COVID-19 patients that was set up on a soccer field in Yangon, Sept. 19, 2020. Credit: AFP Exponential increase Despite the heavy criticism, NLD spokesman Monywa Aung Shin said he has confidence in the governments response to the health crisis and believes that the number of new COVID-19 infections will drop in October. I have absolute faith in the leadership of the State Counselor Daw [honorific] Aung San Suu Kyi, he said. She has compassion and pays attention to the details. Aung San Suu Kyi has issued statements about COVID-19 on a daily basis and has worked to have more quarantine centers, Monywa Aung Shin said. I think the number of new cases will decline in mid-October, he said. But Ye Myo Hein, executive director of the Tagaing Political Studies Institute, noted that the central government has been weak when it comes to working with state and regional governments on COVID-19 prevention measures. The greatest weakness of the government is that it lacks mechanisms to coordinate all branches of the government. Now, their responses always come only after the outbreaks. The [number of] new cases is increasing exponentially, he said. It is very challenging for all parties to work together to contain the virus. Chinese city sets example Myanmars largest city and commercial hub Yangon, home to 4.3 million people, is at the center of the second COVID-19 wave with the largest number of new confirmed cases daily. Hundreds of people believed to be infected with COVID-19 in Yangon region, are being told daily to self-isolate at home because of a lack of resources and overcrowded testing and quarantine facilities, according to a doctor who oversees the more than 20 government-sponsored fever clinics in the region. We send them back home with specific instructions on how to self- quarantine, Dr. Kyaw Min Tun told RFA on Tuesday. Health care workers normally would send those suspected of infection to hospitals for lab tests, but now all the hospitals are full, he said. It could be as many as 300 potential positive patients that we have to send back home, Kyaw Min said. Dr. Khin Khin Gyi, director of the Central Contagious Disease Prevention and Eradication Department at the Ministry of Health and Sports, said health authorities can test a maximum of 5,000 patients daily for COVID-19. We are already overloaded, she said. We can say that the current increase of 500 to 600 new cases every day is the peak. Peoples Pioneer Party official Kyaw Zeya pointed to the Chinese town of Ruili in Yunnan province, which sits across the Shweli River border from the Shan state town of Muse, as showing the right way to tackle the pandemic. Chinese officials locked down the entire town earlier this month after city administrators discovered that two coronavirus-positive Myanmar migrants had crossed illegally between the two countries. Chinese officials tested roughly 100,000 people for the virus after those two cases. Weve seen the Chinese government take effective actions such as locking down the whole town of Ruili and getting everyone tested, Kyaw Zeya said. Of the 100,000 they tested, only person from Myanmar tested positive. This is exemplary. Reported by Nay Myo Htun and Soe San Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. A Pakistani man accused in a double stabbing outside the former Paris offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo has been handed preliminary terrorism charges. The suspect told investigators he acted out of anger over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad recently republished by the weekly newspaper. Investigating magistrates handed him preliminary charges of attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise, the counterterrorism prosecutors office said Wednesday. He will remain in custody pending further investigation. Relatives and associates of the suspect were released without charge. Counterterrorism prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said the Pakistan-born suspect identified himself as Zaher Hassan Mahmood, 25. Ricard said the assailant did not claim an affiliation with a specific extremist group. Two people were seriously wounded in last weeks stabbing, which took place outside the newspapers former offices where Islamic extremists killed 12 people in January 2015. The two brothers involved in the 2015 attack targeted Charlie Hebdo because they believed the newspaper blasphemed Islam by publishing the same Muhammad caricatures. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amid the coronavirus pandemic, certain cities have been required to close down bars and restaurants, with the new restrictions in Marseille making headlines across the country. Cafe culture has long been associated with life in France but in many countries, cafes are more than places to have a libation and socialize. They have been the birthplace of major iconic cultural works. JK Rowling penned Harry Potter" in Edinburghs Elephant House, Hemingway wrote A Movable Feast" at Pariss Closerie des Lilas, while inspiration for international hit Garota de Ipanema" came from a Brazilian girl passing by a Rio de Janeiro bar leading to the beach. -Literature Harry Potter - JK Rowling Without the Elephant House pub in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Harry Potter saga may not have seen the light of day. Most of the early novels of the saga were penned in this Scottish pub with a red facade. JK Rowling sat in the back room overlooking the Edinburgh castle, drafting the characters and the whole universe that became an international blockbuster when first published in 1997. A Movable Feast - Ernest Hemingway This autobiographical tale by Ernest Hemingway came out after the writers death. The novel narrates the first few years that Hemingway spent in Paris during the 1920s. It offers readers a trip through the City of Lights and its most iconic neighborhoods from rue Mouffetard, to Brasserie Lipp and the Les Deux Magots cafe in Saint-Germain-des-Pres. But its in the Montparnasse neighborhood that Ernest Hemingway actually wrote A Movable Feast," at Closerie des Lilas, a cafe-restaurant where painters like Renoir and Monet gathered in the mid 19th century. On a side note, Closerie des Lilas is also where F. Scott Fitzgerald asked Hemingway to read The Great Gatsby" before publication. Being and Nothingness - Jean-Paul Sartre If Parisian Cafe de Flore had been shut down, would French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre have produced all of his iconic texts? In an upper room of this historic Saint-Germain-des-Pres cafe, the French writer outlined drafts of Being and Nothingness," published in 1943. Not far from Sartre, at a table that faced him, his partner Simone de Beauvoir drafted what would go on to become her first hit novel, She Came to Stay." -Painting Cafe Terrace at night - Vincent Van Gogh Its a must see for every tourist visiting Arles in the south of France. Located on the Place du Forum, just next to Nord Pinus hotel, Van Gogh made this cafe immortal in 1888. At the time, it was called The Terrace." The Dutch painter set his easel on the northeastern corner of the Place du Forum and depicted the warm end-of summer atmosphere of this welcoming French cafe. -Music Garota de Ipanema - Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes The most well-known bossa nova tune was written in 1962 in a Rio de Janeiro cafe called Veloso. Music composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and poet Vinicius de Moraes regularly met there. They both drew inspiration from a young Brazilian woman who used to pass by the bars terrace. Garota de Ipanema" became an international hit thanks to Stan Getz and Joao Gilbertos adaptation in English two years later. The Girl from Ipanema," sung by Astrud Gilberto, is one of the most played songs worldwide, and the legend started in a carioca bar Stockholm (Sweden) 30 September 2020 (SPS)- The Right Livelihood Foundation strongly condemned Moroccan Media campaign against Saharawi Organ against Moroccan occupation (ISACOM), in a press release issued Today by the Foundation and published on its website. Following is the complete text reproduced by SPS: "Morocco and Western Sahara: Stop the smear campaign and prosecution of Aminatou Haidar and Sahrawi activists The Right Livelihood Foundation strongly condemns the online smear campaign that Moroccan media have been conducting against 2019 Right Livelihood Laureate Aminatou Haidar and her fellow human rights activists, as well as the opening of a judicial investigation in response to the recent establishment of the Sahrawi Organ against Moroccan Occupation (ISACOM)[1], a new organisation created in El-Ayoun and led by Haidar. On September 20, 2020, alarmed by the deterioration of the human rights situation in Western Sahara, Haidar announced the establishment of the new organisation ISACOM, with the aim of, among others, committing to defend the Sahrawi peoples rights to freedom, independence and dignity through legitimate non-violent means. In the days following the announcement, Moroccan media and social media sites have launched a smear campaign against Haidar and the other founding members of the organisation, claiming that they are establishing a separatist body that poses a serious threat to social peace, and, in some cases, inciting violence against them and calling for their detention. Articles published in the Moroccan press claimed that the Right Livelihood Foundation has been requested by Spanish lawyers and members of the international human rights community to withdraw the Right Livelihood Award, bestowed on Haidar last year. Others argue that the open letter recently sent by 22 Right Livelihood Laureates to the UN Secretary General denouncing the human rights situation in Western Sahara is the result of a manipulation by Haidar, who convinced them to be at the service of the Polisario Front. We firmly deny these accusations, as well as any intention to withdraw the Award bestowed on Haidar or having been requested to do so. On September 29, the Moroccan Prosecutors Office in El-Ayoun opened a judicial investigation against ISACOM on the basis that it threatens national integrity and that the constitutive congress of this new independence NGO is a clear incitement to commit acts contrary to the Penal Code. It also announced that adequate measures will be taken to preserve public order, as well as legal sanctions appropriate to the crime of attacking the territorial integrity of Morocco[2]. This is not the first time efforts have been made to undermine Haidars peaceful human rights work: it is consistent with a long line of actions by Moroccan authorities to repress Sahrawi civil society, said Ole von Uexkull, Executive Director of the Right Livelihood Foundation. We strongly condemn the decision to open an investigation against members of the new organisation, which is in violation of their rights to freedom of expression and association. More than ever, we stand in solidarity with Haidar and her fellow Sahrawi activists in their struggle for self-determination and respect for the fundamental rights of their people. 2019 Right Livelihood Laureate Aminatou Haidar has been campaigning for over 30 years for the self-determination of the Sahrawi people and the respect of their fundamental rights. Her activism has taken place within the context of the illegal occupation of the territory of Western Sahara by the Kingdom of Morocco. During her peaceful activism, she has been a victim of enforced disappearance, she was detained without charges, beaten and tortured by the Moroccan authorities. Despite the enormous psychological and physical suffering to which she has been subjected, she has continued to tirelessly fight for justice and the rights of her people. Haidar received the Right Livelihood Award in 2019 for her steadfast non-violent action, despite imprisonment and torture, in pursuit of justice and self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. [1] La Instancia Saharaui contra la Ocupacion Marroqui [2] https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20200929/483761786457/justicia-marroqu... " (SPS) 090/500/60 (SPS) MDHHS Office of Inspector General receives $600,000 grant to prevent food assistance fraud; Efforts ensure dollars available to those most in need FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 30, 2020 CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112 LANSING, Mich. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Office of Inspector General has received a $600,000 boost to its ongoing efforts to prevent food assistance fraud. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the award of $601,350 to enhance the program integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that in Michigan provides food assistance benefits to approximately 1.2 million people. MDHHS is focused on SNAP program integrity so that the limited federal dollars that are available can benefit families that need assistance, said MDHHS Inspector General Alan Kimichik. This funding allows the Office of Inspector General to continue using the groundbreaking technology thats already been successfully implemented while making enhancements that increase efficiencies and execute concepts identified in the SNAP Fraud Framework. We will be implementing enhancements and additional automation not previously envisioned or available, increasing our efforts to ensure taxpayer funding is benefiting those truly in need. The Office of Inspector Generals grant award is focused on using data analytics and enhanced case management systems to detect and prevent fraud. It will pay to modernize the Office of Inspector Generals investigative case management system known as the Michigan Inspector General System. Upgrades will improve access to reports and dashboards for investigators and the offices management team. It also will provide for increased security of data with lower operating costs using a U.S. government cloud-based system. This two-year grant will fund projects that support implementing the SNAP Fraud Framework a collection of procedures, innovative ideas and best practices provided to state agencies in May 2018. USDAs Food and Nutrition Service created the SNAP Fraud Framework to improve state efforts to detect, investigate and prevent SNAP recipient fraud. # # # THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 (MA) 129 minutes Netflix Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7 may not be the squarest film ever made about 1960s radicalism; Stanley Kramer's 1970 R.P.M., with Anthony Quinn and Ann-Margret, remains stiff competition. Still, this loose "true story" is exactly what you would expect from Sorkin, in some respects Kramers successor as the screen poet laureate of American liberalism. Jeremy Strong (left) as Jerry Rubin in The Trial of the Chicago 7. Credit:Niko Tavernise/Netflix Chicago 7 is only the second feature Sorkin has directed. He is known above all as a TV showrunner, especially on the high-minded political soap opera The West Wing. But his screenwriting credits stretch back to 1992, when he adapted the courtroom drama A Few Good Men from his own Broadway play, allowing Jack Nicholson to bellow "You can't handle the truth!" Some historical facts are in order and boy, does Sorkin love exposition, almost as much as he loves grandstanding. The Chicago Seven, originally the Chicago Eight, were a group of radicals charged with conspiracy and inciting to riot following the protests that disrupted the 1968 Democratic National Convention, with opposition to the Vietnam War then at its height. if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... Those groups argued that the pandemic is likely to extend well beyond January, so the regulations aimed at preventing the spread should be made permanent. We need these enhanced measures to continue for as long as the virus is still spreading, said Felicia Miller, a deli employee at a Safeway store in Warrenton and a union shop steward for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400. Please, please protect me and my co-workers by strengthening these standards and making them permanent. Donald Baylor, an organizing director for the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers, which represents corrections officers, told the board that COVID-19 cases have surged among the prison inmate population and more than 70 corrections officers also have tested positive. This is a destructive disease, and to say it is a temporary situation is misleading at best, he said. We know this virus is going to be with us for some time. The standards put in place save lives. The cost of conducting COVID-19 training sessions has ranged from around $1,000 for small businesses to millions of dollars for large companies, said Brett Vassey, president and CEO of the Virginia Manufacturers Association. Our whole point is this should end with the pandemic, said Nicole Riley, state director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses in Virginia. She said the state Safety and Health Codes Board also should collect more information on the effectiveness of the rules before adopting permanent regulations. New Delhi, Sep 30 : A majority of 71 parents will not be sending their children to school in October even if schools reopen. With rising Covid cases, percentage of parents willing to send their children to school drops from 23 per cent to 20 per cent in one month, according to a Local Circles survey. Only 28 per cent parents are in favour of schools reopening in calendar year 2020 while 34 per cent feel they should open only in the next academic year i.e. April 2021 Many parents in North India expect COVID-19 combined with October-November smog will only make the situation worse for children. The Covid-19 cases in India have risen to over 60 lakh and are showing no signs of plateauing, with more than 80,000 cases being reported every day. The daily case load has slightly reduced but the numbers are misleading as the average number of tests in the last two weeks have fallen from 11 lakhs a day to 7 lakh a day, LocalCircles said. The death toll in India is now approximately 1 lakh while people are confused about whether to go out or stay home as markets, restaurants, bars, metro and various other services are now open. Schools in the country have been closed since March after the lockdown was announced with voluntary attendance for students of senior classes permitted from September 21 basis authorisation from parents. LocalCircles conducted a survey to get pulse of the parents on school reopening. The survey received over 14,500 responses from parents located in around 217 districts of the country with 61% parents from Tier 1 districts, 21 per cent from Tier 2 districts and 18 per cent from Tier 3, Tier 4 and rural districts of India. When asked if the Central Government and their State Government decide that schools should open in their state in October, would they be sending your child/grandchild to school in October, 71 per cent responded in a clear 'no' while only 20 per cent said 'yes'. 9 per cent were unsure about it. LocalCircles had conducted a similar survey in August this year and the percentage of parents who said they would want to send their kids to school during the COVID-19 pandemic stood at 23%. The data clearly shows that with rising COVID cases, percentage of parents willing to send their children to school drops from 23 per cent to 20 per cent in one month. In the second question, parents were asked given the current daily Covid-19 case load and the upcoming festive season, what is their position regarding opening of schools in India. In response, 32 per cent said schools should not open till December 31, 2020, while 34 per cent said Government should not open schools for this academic year i.e. till March/April 2021. 7 per cent said schools should open from October 1, 12 per cent said schools should open from November 1, and 9 per cent said schools should open from December 1. This means that only 28 per cent parents are in favour of schools reopening in calendar year 2020 i.e. before December 31, 2020, while 34 per cent feel they should open only in the next academic year i.e. April 2021. Months of October and November have festivals in most parts of India and schools stay closed for many days due to it. Additionally, the upcoming smog season, especially in the northern parts of the country, is also a developing concern for many parents. Last year, after the PM 2.5 touched 900 in Delhi and NCR cities, 74 per cent parents had demanded that the Government announces a 'smog break' for schools from November 1 -20 each year, keeping in mind the negative health effects that the October/November smog caused due to farm fires in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana could have on children's health. Keeping all this in mind, majority parents think it will be best if the schools are not reopened in the months of October and November and if the Covid-19 situation improves be considered for opening from January 1. However, that is a big if given the way countries around the world are experiencing their second COVID wave, with India's festive and smog season making things worse, schools may have to likely stay closed for this academic year 2020-21. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Desperate farmers have been forced to offer attractive wages to out-of-work Australians to help pick their fruit as their usual sources of seasonal labour have dried up due to border closures arising from Covid-19. Faced with the prospect of their produce rotting on trees, farmers are now trying to lure unemployed Australians to fill the places of an estimated 26,000 pickers who can not travel due to border lockdowns and long quarantine periods. Guy and Sim Gaeta have grown cherries and apples on their farm outside Orange in central NSW for more than 30 years and are becoming desperate to find more staff. Farmers are facing the prospect of leaving fruit to rot on trees during harvest (pictured) due to a lack of fruit pickers from a decline in foreign workers amid COVID-19 'It's easy to walk away from your crop when it's no good because it has been destroyed by rain and hail, we've done that quite a few times, but to walk away from it because you can't harvest it is just unheard of,' Mr Gaeta told A Current Affair. The couple are calling out to Australians who found themselves out of work due to government lockdowns to fill the void left by backpackers on the harvest trail. At this time of year fruit pickers would normally be migrating from harvesting mangoes in the Northern Territory to bananas in Queensland before picking summer fruits and vegetables along the east coast. More than $100million worth of mangoes was salvaged after a trial program in September brought 160 pickers from Vanuatu to the Northern Territory to save the harvest. Farmer Guy Gaeta (pictured) said while the work is tedious, it is not difficult and offers incredible pay A budget package to be announced next week will allow seasonal workers and backpackers to extend their Australian visas in an effort to aid the labour shortage. Mr Gaeta said while the work is tedious, it is not difficult and offers an incredible daily pay rate. 'If they want to come and work, they have the opportunity to earn $200 a day, to $500 a day,' he said. If pickers can not be found and the food rots, the resulting shortage of supply will send the prices of fruit and vegetables soaring across the country. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the government must incentivize local workers into filling the positions that our farmers desperately need. 'Australians haven't wanted to take up this work and we're going to pull out all stocks to try to get those Australians on Jobseeker into these roles,' he said. (Natural News) Once again, the raw mathematical stupidity and scientific ignorance of Fox News, conservative media and independent media has emerged to push totally fake news about covid-19 fatalities, wildly misreporting the CDCs latest data on covid-19. A few days ago, the CDC released new data along with Infection Fatality Ratio data as follows: 0-19 years: 0.00003 20-49 years: 0.0002 50-69 years: 0.005 70+ years: 0.054 Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html (See Scenario 5, Current Best Estimate in Table 1) I accurately covered the news in this article, correctly reporting what the numbers mean. As any person competent in mathematics or science would readily know, an Infection Fatality Ratio of 0.054 means that theres one death out of every 18.5 people. In other words, its a 5.4% death rate in that age group (70+) among those who were infected. (To get the 18.5 number, calculate 100 / 5.4) In other words, covid-19 is killing 5.4% of the people it infects who are over the age of 70. Thats much, much higher than fatality rates from the flu. But Fox News, which is staffed by functionally illiterate journalists, reported the death rate for the 70+ age group as 0.054%. In other words, they just slapped a % sign onto the end of the fatality ratio numbers, with no understanding of the CDCs reported numbers. A death rate of 0.054% means it only kills 1 in every 1,850 people, and thats off by two orders of magnitude. Heres the fake news graphic they produced and broadcast: From here, numerous conservative and independent media outlets took this bad math Fox News graphic and used it in their own reporting, claiming that covid-19 only kills 0.0002% of people in the 20-49 age group, for example, or only 0.054% of people in the 70+ age group. Theyre all off by two orders of magnitude. (A factor of 100.) This is the same magnitude of error as reporting that 2 + 2 = 400. But no one in conservative media seemed to notice. Im not even going to name all the publishers who are doing this, because theyre too mathematically illiterate to argue with. Even when you explain the error to them, they still dont get it. Its like trying to teach pigeons to play chess. But this underscores the importance of getting your pandemic information from people who are mathematically literate and have some sort of science background. In previous articles, Ive named numerous people across independent media who are absolutely clueless when it comes to reporting numbers or math. Nothing has changed. Theyre still the same clueless fools who happily repeat utterly false information (and fake graphs, Ive noticed, too) as long as it fits their narrative that covid-19 is a hoax. Why this matters A skeptic might say, So what? But this matters for a very important reason: Conservatives claim that progressives cant to math when it comes to the subject of climate change. Thus, conservatives are claiming they have a better grasp on math and science than Leftists, because those Leftists misinterpret ocean level data or global temperature data, they say. But when conservatives cant even do the basic math of a simple ratio, their entire argument falls flat. I would say to conservatives: If youre so good at math, why cant you run a simple ratio thats equivalent to perhaps 6th grade mathematics? If youre going to argue against climate change with any sense of effectiveness, you cant be mathematically illiterate and have any credibility in your arguments, in other words. And when you have dozens of conservative and indy media talking heads suddenly declaring themselves virology experts this year, claiming they alone have a monopoly on truth about the pandemic, it doesnt help your case if you cant handle simple data with a proper understanding of what it means. Adding to the ridiculousness of the situation, there are now a growing number of alt media outlets who claim theres no such thing as a virus, and that no coronavirus even exists. Ive dubbed this the Flat Earth theory of epidemiology. Why do I call it that? Because it turns out many of these very same people literally believe the Earth is flat, too. The bizarre theory is actually making huge gains across indy media under the question everything banner which also leads people to absurdly believe viruses and bacteria are fictions, too. In America, we are now living in a society that is increasingly dominated by people who are hopelessly ignorant on subjects like science, math and even geography. And thanks to the new phenomenon of factual relativism, everybody thinks they are entitled to their own reality, even if it conflicts with actual reality. In this way, surprisingly, alt-right media has something in common with LGBT transgenderism indoctrination: They both believe your reality is whatever you claim it to be. So when conservative or alt-right media are saying theres no such thing as a virus, thats equivalent to Leftists claiming biological men can have babies. Its just as delusional and insane, yet both parties believe their own lies because they are backed by a circle of consensus in their own thought bubbles. But fairy tales arent real, and the hallucinations of LGBT pushers as well as covid denialists are all false. Facts are stubborn things, as John Adams once said, and you can weave your fairy tales in your protected Wonderland, but you cant change the laws of physics, chemistry or mathematics just because you feel like doing so. Flatly stated, some of the most popular alt media networks, podcasts and talking heads are run by people who cant do basic math and are living in a land of self-delusion. Ive had numerous private conversations with many of these people, and they refuse to listen to reason. They arent interested in being accurate; only in being sensational in their fake news broadcasts. See? No one is dying from covid! The CDC numbers prove it! Its beyond pathetic. Its dangerous. Its made even more frustrating by the fact that the mainstream media is lying, too, but in the other direction. Theyre claiming the pandemic is far worse than it actually is, mostly to hype up mail-in voting while destroying the Trump economy as best they can. So encountering honest, accurate, scientifically-literate reporting on the coronavirus pandemic is nearly impossible. Almost everyone puts their political agenda ahead of scientific integrity. I dont do that. Which is why I am not liked in certain circles of the indy media, where propaganda is far more important than accuracy. Ill give it to you straight, whatever the current data show. When the coronavirus was killing 1 in 10 people it infected in New York, I reported that (first half of April). As the virus became less lethal due to host adaptation, I reported that, too. Now, Im reporting the CDC data which show that covid-19 is extremely deadly to elderly people while not at all deadly to young people. But what I hear from the indy media now is that the CDC admitted covid-19 isnt deadly to anyone, and thats blatantly false. The CDCs data show covid-19 is a very serious threat to people 50 and over, and its extremely dangerous to those over 70. As Ive said over and over again in covering this, its critical to get this right. And as much as Ive tried to correct other publishers, pundits and talking heads across the independent media, Ive given up on that after learning that, frankly, they dont give a sh#t about being accurate. This is why Ive stopped listening to all of them. If they dont give a crap about being accurate on covid, how can you trust their accuracy on anything? Ive literally heard, live on air, prominent alt media hosts saying, Hundreds of thousands of Americans die every day in America, and using that argument to claim 1,000 daily deaths from covid is no big deal. But of course the statement is wildly false. Its almost a Joe Biden kind of claim, yet nobody corrects it, nobody questions it, and sheeple listeners just soak it up as if it were fact. (Guess how many people actually die per day in America? Its somewhere around 8,000 on a normal day, from all causes combined.) And when the CDC reported a few weeks ago that 94% of covid death victims also had underlying health conditions such as stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and so on, virtually the entire independent media falsely reported that only 6% actually died from covid, claiming the CDC just admitted that 94% of people died from something else, which is not at all what the CDC said. In truth, almost everybody who dies has underlying health conditions at the moment of death, for the simple reason that perfectly healthy people rarely die at all. Yet this logic escapes the indy media pundits. Sadly, what Ive come to discover about the alt media in all my years of being one of its most prominent voices is that scientific illiteracy is a huge problem across the industry. And when it comes to discussing technical issues like epidemiology, virology and statistics, you flat-out cant trust them at all. They are totally clueless. But they exude extreme confidence in their reporting, even while they refuse to correct anything they say, so to the feeble minded, it all seems rather convincing. So weve arrived at a scary moment in history where people believe whatever they choose to believe, regardless of what the data show, because nobody can analyze data anyway (and in many cases, the data are faked by snake-like corporations such as Monsanto or Bayer). We have arrived at whats called a post-truth era where each individual decides their personal truth based entirely on emotions, not information. And the voices of reason are all censored, because rationality has been outlawed, and reason is treason. The average person is now mentally whiplashed between the lies of the mainstream media and the lies of the alt media, and theres little truth to be found in either one when it comes to a highly politicized subject like covid. No wonder people are so damn confused all the time. Theres almost nowhere you can go thats reporting honest, accurate, good faith information. My goal has always been to make Natural News that source for you. I havent always gotten it right, but Ive always reported in good faith, with the intent to inform our readers with actionable information. Since 2013, Ive been steeped in science, and that has made my science-based reporting far more informed and accurate over the years. Its no exaggeration to state that Im one of the few published scientists that exists today in the independent media, who runs an active, ISO-accredited mass spec laboratory and has a bestselling book on food science (Food Forensics). That doesnt make me an expert virologist, but it does give me the foundation from which I can accurately understand and report statistical data on a wide array of subjects. It also means Im not a denialist when it comes to the existence of viruses. Viruses are real, as are bacteria, and we cannot make them go away merely by pretending they dont exist, as many prominent alt media personalities now claim. In my reporting, I will always cover the story in good faith, and I will never twist the science to cover for a political agenda. In fact, I strongly criticized Trump in March and April of this year when he was in denial mode. Thankfully, he later began to take the virus seriously, and now weve got it mostly under control in the USA. However, it still remains a dangerous threat to people over the age of 50, and we cannot simply deny that threat and hope it goes away. We must be reasonable and cautious if we hope to get through with our lives (and sanity) intact. We finally have a world leader call out Russia, China and the U.S. for hindering the process of working together to solve the worlds problems. Thank you, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for standing up for those that need support. We need reform at the UN to battle climate change and COVID-19 for future generations. Trudeau should be lauded for pointing the way. BEAUMONT, Texas, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Infrared Cameras Inc. (ICI), the leader in advanced temperature screening technology, unveiled its new ICI Partner Program. The program is designed to unite best-in-class integrators and solution providers to help their customers mitigate the current biorisk threat, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as subsequent litigation that threatens to derail the economic recovery. Science Daily recently reported that governments and businesses should expect to spend $30 billion a year to protect against the next pandemic. Advanced biorisk management solutions, including those offered by ICI, are increasingly viewed as a core component in an effective biorisk strategy, yet businesses struggle with finding trusted advisors to integrate these solutions into their corporate IT infrastructure. As businesses across the country recognize the urgent need for biorisk threat mitigation and safeguard against excessive liability lawsuits, the ICI Partner Program is giving best-in-class integrators and solution providers yet another avenue to help their corporate customers quickly and economically protect their most important assets: their workforce. "We can't do enough to address the demand from manufacturers, schools, airports and Fortune 500 companies during this unprecedented time, which is why we created the ICI Partner Program," said Gary Strahan, ICI's CEO. "This program allows us to work with best-in-class solution providers on the forefront of helping businesses adopt cutting edge technology to reduce the threat of biorisk." As members of the ICI Partner Program, partners will have the ability to leverage the following services: Above-market incentives for solution providers to learn, position, sell and support ICI's suite of infrared cameras and biorisk solutions Market development funds to cover the costs of marketing ICI solutions to partners' installed base of accounts Deal registration services to align their most important and strategic accounts with the ICI roadmap and encourage close collaboration By partnering with ICI, solution providers can show their dedication to providing corporate customers a means to put the health and safety of employees above all else. ICI's cutting-edge thermal screening technology quickly identifies one of the first signs of COVID-19elevated temperaturewith the highest accuracy of any thermal screening technology on the market. Businesses are already facing financial losses and uncertainty spurred by the pandemic, making it more critical than ever for companies to protect themselves against possible employee lawsuits from those who contracted the virus in the workplace. The most effective way to mitigate the risk of legal action is get ahead of the threat by deploying leading technologies to safeguard the health of their workforces, such as onsite infrared cameras. "When it comes to helping our customers protect their businesses, we believe the best defense is a good offense," said Jimmy Whalen, President of Velasea, an Irvine, California-based full-service technology solutions provider. "We facilitate our customers' access to the very best technologies to address their ever-evolving needs. Joining the ICI Partner Program illustrates that commitment by offering a solution that proves their dedication to investing in solutions to protect their employeeswhich in turn, safeguards their business." In early 2020, few organizations believed they needed a comprehensive biorisk management strategymuch less had taken action to develop such a plan. Mere months later, that need was clear, but businesses were far from prepared to address it. Having provided businesses, healthcare facilities and schools with thermal screening technology to combat biorisk over the course of 25 years including H1N1, SARS, Ebola and moreICI was prepared to help organizations create an effective biorisk management strategy at the very onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In turn, through its new ICI Partner Program, ICI is empowering partners to offer customers a solution that combats the most dangerous biorisk of our generation. To learn more about the ICI Partner Program, visit www.infraredcameras.com/support/ici-partner-program. About Infrared Cameras Inc. Infrared Cameras Inc has been a leader in developing and manufacturing innovative infrared imaging technology since 1995. Veteran-owned and based in Beaumont, Texas, ICI offers complete infrared solutions, including equipment, custom designs, software, calibration, training, and more. The company's mission is to develop the most sensitive, accurate, and competitively priced infrared cameras in the world. To learn more about Infrared Cameras, visit www.infraredcameras.com or follow ICI on Twitter , LinkedIn , YouTube and Facebook . ICI Media Contact: Alexis Diehl [email protected] (469) 999-4975 SOURCE Infrared Cameras Inc Related Links www.infraredcamerasinc.com Rada backs cancellation of plenary sessions on Thursday, Friday due to increase in COVID-19 incidence among MPs Ukrainian parliamentarians supported the replacement of the plenary sessions of the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday and Friday, October 1-2, with work in committees due to the increase in the incidence of coronavirus infection COVID-19 among MPs and in the Parliament's Apparatus. Some 278 deputies voted for the updated draft agenda of the plenary session of the Rada on Wednesday. Before that, the chairmen of factions and deputy groups of the Verkhovna Rada had appealed to speaker Dmytro Razumkov with a call to replace the plenary sessions on Thursday and Friday with work in committees. Would a traffic light like warning system be a good thing for Luxembourg? Just across the border in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz, ministers are rolling out an early-warning system to better help monitor potential COVID hotspots. Would such a process be of use in the Grand Duchy? The "Corona Warning and Action Plan" with a 3-stage system for Rheinland-Pfalz was presented on Wednesday 30 September and designates specific actions for definitive situations. Malu Dreyer, Prime Minister of Rheinland-Pfalz, said of the plans to flag areas where COVID levels were spiking and detailing where it was not, was a clear forward movement in 'living with the virus'. "I am in favour of a catalogue of effective protective measures, each of which is up-to-date with scientific knowledge," she said. "In concrete implementation, however, we need a decentralised application for cities and states in order to effectively contain Corona and prevent additional restrictions across the country." Dreyer suggests that if an area has low infection rates there is the possibility to relax restrictions. Even going so far as to suggest that masks may not be needed. "When the number of infections in Munich goes through the roof, we do not need to wear masks in public places in Mainz, Koblenz or Ludwigshafen," Dreyer says. "Similarly, there may be different measures for urban and rural regions. The virus does not stop at national borders, but it makes a difference whether I live in a region with high or low infection rates and whether or not many people tend to come together." The chairman of the Rheinland-Pfalz County Council, Gunther Schartz agrees. He emphasized that the preventive step concept was useful in developing valuable work aid for local authorities and wider state services; "The recommendations contained therein, such as frameworks and operational plans, for example in the health sector or in the field of civil protection are vital in adapting to COVID spread. The step-by-step concept makes recommendations for individual measures at the respective incidence levels easier and contributes to the most uniform control of rising infection rates in Rheinland-Pfalz," he says. So what are these early warning triggers? In brief terms: Yellow level: more than 20 cases of infection per 100,000 people Orange level: more than 35 cases per 100,000 people Red level: more than 50 cases of infection per 100,000 people Yellow warning level Comes into place, if the 7-day incidence of approx. 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants is exceeded for more than 5 days Warning to the population: Everyone should be aware of the responsibility. Increased mindfulness and discipline can prevent further levels of danger. The carelessness of an individual can endanger the many. Measures: Increased public relations, targeted references to behavioural recommendations and the Corona rules via press and social media as well as on the Corona homepage of the country and homepages of the counties and cities Preparing for the eventual occurrence of level 2, Orange Warning Level Comes into play if the 7-day incidence of about 35 cases per 100,000 inhabitants is exceeded for more than 5 days. Establishment of a local Corona Task Force from affected municipalities, regulatory authorities, health authorities, ministry of health, ministry of the interior, ministry of education, directorate of supervision and services, local associations and police. Red Warning Level If the 7-day incidence of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants is exceeded for more than 5 days. It is important to prevent widespread spread in any case. The Task Force makes recommendations for regional actions that may be associated with restrictions on public life. These must be implemented as a general decree or by decree in a regionally specific manner. Measures in addition to those of the Orange hazard level: Tightening the personal limit to one person per 20 sqm; Contact restriction to a maximum of five people; Mask duty in busy places in public spaces Switching between classroom and distance learning in schools; Establishing emergency care; Decision on the compulsory mask, even in a fixed place at events; further reduction of allowed event sizes also for private celebrations; closure of individual social and commercial sectors; Decision on curfew hours. This is not to say that the German model is better than that which is in place here in the 'Burg, but perhaps a switch to a more regionally flexible model is a good idea. Even if you take away the thought that there are areas (geographical as well as theoretical) where the public are less inclined to follow the rules to the letter. Moreover, how would this benefit Luxembourg, when the per 100,000 levels are below even the Yellow Warning Alert criteria at this stage? The thresholds would have be tweaked, with ratios falling in line with population statistics, Luxembourg's total population being nearly half than Koln and close to that of Dusseldorf. With a country the size of the Grand Duchy it is both easier and harder to govern the crisis as would be seen from 'firmer hands' in different lands. In one sense the GD can have a sweeping unilateral regulation and restriction directive and on the other, that places areas were there are not as densely concentrated cases of COVID are punished. Further, and has been much discusses, Luxembourg's cross border workers are a concern when factoring in 'precise' data strands. Luxembourg's Prime Minster Xavier Bettel, recently said of the COVID issue; "The crisis has reached every corner of the world and put limitations on some of our most sacred values: personal liberty, free circulation of citizens and goods, and the functioning of our health sectors. Not to speak of the numerous ethical issues, which most of us never had to face in our lifetimes." It is likely that a system such as the Yellow, Orange and Red approach is already being operated in the chambers and would thus set out the plans for the Luxembourg government in preventing a second lockdown. Much of that depends on the general public's application of common sense and sense of personal responsibility - something, that if recent comments below the line are anything to go by, points to patience wearing thin. Unsplash A more visual mapping of the virus (spread or containment) could perhaps indicate to our less than convinced neighbours in Belgium and Germany, that people transiting from an area where there are limited numbers of cases carry a decreased risk of infection and thus a review of risk zones need be applied. But although a clearer visual overview of outbreaks/clusters may highlight problem areas for improving international measures, would that bring issues closer to home? An unofficial 'COVID MAP' was released earlier this year and caused much argument and debate on the validity of such information being released. Would it be feasible to prohibit the travel of someone living in a hotspot area unless they had a negative test result? Should Luxembourg be asking the same for anyone coming to the Duchy, be that for business or pleasure? Especially when taking into consideration a festering distrust of neighbouring countries and their reporting of infection cases. Could, for example, branding certain areas as hotspots put significant economic pressure on communes and livelihoods? The smart answer would be yes, but, is that cost greater than that if a second national lockdown was put in place. Unsplash Even with 420,000 doses of vaccine being earmarked for distribution in Luxembourg, there are no guarantees that this will result in a fix all solution. These are the decisions being debated in the chambers and the living rooms/bars/coffee shops of the Grand Duchy currently, and with a recent spiking in Luxembourg figures giving a real cause for concern, it will not be long before Xavier Bettel and Paulette Lenert are required to make some tough decisions. By Philip Van Slooten, CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE ANNAPOLIS, MD An update to Marylands hate crimes law, named for slain Army 2nd Lt. Richard Collins III, is one of several anti-discrimination measures going into effect Oct. 1. Other notable bills address crime, the environment and healthcare, including an infectious disease mandate named for Olivia Paregol, a University of Maryland freshman who died during a 2018 campus outbreak. Collins Law - HB917/SB606. Sponsored by Delegate C. T. Wilson, D-Charles, and Sen. Joanne C. Benson, D-Prince Georges, this hate crimes update was named in honor of the Bowie State University ROTC candidate who was murdered by Sean Urbanski at a University of Maryland, College Park bus stop in 2017. He was a young rising star, a young military officer about to be commissioned, state Sen. William C. Smith Jr., D-Montgomery, said of Collins, who was Black. While Urbanski, who is white, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2019, the judge failed to find enough evidence to convict under the states hate crime law at the time. The standard, the fact he didnt actually utter a certain phrase, was not enough to convict him of a hate crime as well, Smith explained. So, we changed the standard to allow the prior activity to be enough to prove intent. We were able to give that small peace of mind to the family. Sen. Clarence Lam, D-Howard and Baltimore counties, also wanted to highlight Collins law as an important piece of legislation enacted last session. Particularly in this time when the national environment is certainly very fraught, Lam said. There have been concerns about populations and individuals who feel they may be targeted due to their race, color, gender or orientation. To make sure the hate crimes statute covers them is particularly important. Theyre all people, after all. Below are a few other bills enacted last session and going into effect Thursday. They are grouped by category. Story continues ANTI-DISCRIMINATION Fair Housing - HB231/SB50. The HOME, or Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Act, whose sponsors include Smith and Delegate Brooke E. Lierman, D-Baltimore, expands Marylands fair housing policy by prohibiting landlords from discriminating against individuals based on their source of income, to include government subsidized housing vouchers, when renting or selling property. I think this law will unleash economic opportunity for thousands of families across Maryland, said Smith. A vast majority who have vouchers and are single mothers. Employment Opportunity - HB1444/SB531. Known as the CROWN Act, this law bans employment descrimination due to racial perceptions regarding hair texture or style by expanding the states legal definition of race. Bill sponsors included Sen. Smith and Delegate Stephanie M. Smith, D-Baltimore. The problem globally is a number of men and women who wear traditional hairstyles associated with the Black race have suffered discrimination in the workplace about professional hairstyles, Sen. Smith explained. If they refused to change, they wouldnt be hired or promoted. Its something a number of Black men and women think about every single day as they move through society. Minority Businesses - HB404/SB499. Another new law with an intent to address economic racial disparity, sponsored by Delegate Eric G. Luedtke, D-Montgomery, and Sen. Melony G. Griffith, D-Prince Georges, requires the Department of Commerce to include information on the percentage of economic development assistance distributed to minority businesses. Hate Symbols - HB5/SB161. A new law that will prohibit using symbols of hate to threaten or intimidate others was sponsored by Delegate Mark S. Change and Sen. Sarah K. Elfreth, both Democrats representing Anne Arundel County, where in February multiple news outlets reported a noose found in a middle school classroom. LGBTQ - HB81. In another inclusive legislative move, Delegate David Moon, D-Montgomery, sponsored a repeal of Marylands sodomy law.T he ACLU reports several states dating back to Illinois in 1961 have already repealed these laws, which were historically used in a discriminatory manner against the LGBTQ community. LAW ENFORCEMENT Speed Cameras - HB46/SB177. As of Oct. 1, according to this bill sponsored by Delegate Alfred C. Carr and Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher, both D-Montgomery, the Motor Vehicle Administration will no longer have the authority to suspend a vehicles registration if the owner or driver fails to pay a traffic light or speeding ticket. Other penalties may still be assessed. Strangulation - HB233/SB212. Delegate Jesse T. Pippy, R-Carroll and Frederick, and Sen. Susan C. Lee, D-Montgomery, are co-sponsors of two significant pieces of anti-crime legislation. This first bill adds an additional prison sentence of up to 25 years for intentionally strangling someone during an assault. Sexual Solicitation - HB246/SB231. Pippy and Lees second major law enforcement bill bans individuals from seeking the consent of a parent or guardian of a minor when attempting to sexually solicit a minor. House of Ruth - HB620. A law whose sponsors include Delegate Sara N. Love, D-Montgomery, requires money deposited in donation boxes at Baltimore-Washington International Airport security screening checkpoints go to support House of Ruth Maryland. House of Ruth is a leading center aiding victims of intimate partner violence. ENVIRONMENT The General Assembly passed several bills last session that also seek to protect Marylands environment from harm. Vehicle Emissions - HB133. Active duty service members who are deployed when their vehicles are due for emissions testing may seek an exemption under this new law. One of the laws requirements is that the vehicle owner must certify receiving orders to deploy outside of the U.S. or to a duty station not subject to an emissions program. More information on this legislation sponsored by the Environment and Transportation Committee should be made available to service members through applicable agencies once the law goes into effect. Black Bears - HB897/SB353. Marylands Department of Natural Resources reports on its website that the states black bear population is rapidly growing, partly due to an improving natural habitat. Unfortunately, this environmental success story is tempered by the need to manage increasing human-bear interactions.The Black Bear Damage Reimbursement fund is one such effort and this year. Delegate Wendell R. Beitzel and Senator George G. Edwards, both Republicans representing Garrett and Allegany counties, sponsored legislation adding pets to the list of damages that can be claimed for reimbursement under the fund. Firefighting Foam Ban - HB619/SB420. Though this law goes into effect Thursday, Delegate Patrick Youngs, D-Baltimore, and Sen. Sarah K. Elfreths, D-Anne Arundel, legislation actually bans the training use of fire-fighting foams that contain polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, as of Oct. 1, 2021. As of that date firefighters must use non-fluorinated foam during training. According to the EPA, PFAS chemicals dont break down in either the environment or the human body, and can build up over time leading to adverse health effects. Styrofoam Ban - HB109/SB285. This law bans the use of Styrofoam food and beverage packaging across the state and was sponsored by Sen. Cheryl Kagan, D-Rockville and Gatithersburg, and Delegate Lierman. This first-in-the-nation-ban is an important step toward eliminating harmful environmental waste, Kagan said Wednesday in a press release.Originally passed in 2019, this bill was to take effect July 1, 2020, but was delayed due in part to the pandemic. HEALTH CARE Maternal Mortality - HB286. A health-related bill designed to address racial disparities in maternal health care goes into effect this week as well.This bill, sponsored by Delegate Jheanelle K. Wilkins, D-Montgomery, requires meetings convened under the Maternal Mortality Review Program to include stakeholders reflecting the racial and ethnic diversity of women most impacted by maternal deaths in the state. According to the groups 2019 annual report, at least 40 percent of the 15 pregnancy-related deaths in 2017 were among non-Hispanic Black women. It is now required for this data to be taken into account and reflected in the diversity of the program. Suicide Prevention - SB810.This new law permits the State Highway Administration to post suicide prevention information, which includes a hotline number, on highway electronic signs within five miles of a zone designated as a high risk for suicides. Waldstreicher sponsored the bill. Cannabis Providers - HB378/SB304. Delegate Nicholas Kipkes, R-Anne Arundel, and Sen. Christopher R. Wests, R-Baltimore County, bill stating physician assistants can be considered as a certifying provider and member in the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Cannabis Commission, pending a review of eligibility requirements, goes into effect.The commission develops the policies and procedures needed to safely implement Marylands medical cannabis program. Nursing Homes - HB 364. This week each hospital or nursing facility in the state must begin ensuring personnel wear an identification tag when providing patient care. This mandate, sponsored by Delegates Sid A. Saab, R-Anne Arundel, and Bonnie L. Cullison, D-Montgomery, comes at a time when elderly care and vulnerability have been critical issues during the pandemic. Olivias Law - HB187/SB329. This legislation enacted last term is named for Olivia Paregol, a University of Maryland, College Park freshman who died during an adenovirus outbreak on campus in 2018. Sponsored by legislators including Delegate Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk, D-Prince Georges and Anne Arundel, and Senators Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher, D-Montgomery, and James C. Rosapepe, D-Prince Georges and Anne Arundel, it requires colleges and universities to submit an infectious disease outbreak response plan to the Maryland Department of Health annually beginning in 2021. In response to the current pandemic outbreak, the University of Maryland launched a COVID-19 Dashboard on Aug. 19 to provide public updates on testing, cases, and the availability of campus quarantine and isolation housing.The General Assemblys previous session ended early, on March 18, due to the pandemic. The next session is set to start Jan. 13. This article originally appeared on the Across Maryland Patch Your browser does not support the audio element. Vo Duc Tam works as a driver in Ho Chi Minh City for ride-hailing app Grab, but he will start attending college in a few days, in the hope of changing his life for the better. In October, Nguyen Duc Tam will begin his freshman year in the refrigeration thermo-electrical engineering technology program of Cao Thang Technical College. Never too late to start Early in the morning, Tam returns to his tiny dorm room in Binh Chanh District of Ho Chi Minh City, which costs him and his roommate, who is also a driver for Grab, just over VND1.3 million (US$56) per month. This room has been his home since he came to Ho Chi Minh City three years ago to work as a driver. Born into a large family in the Mekong Delta province Vinh Long, Tam lived his childhood in a roughly-built shack. He dabbled in a multitude of jobs right after graduation from high school, working as a property guard, parking lot guard, shopkeeper and delivery worker, none of which was enough to make ends meet. Tam also provides for his disabled sister. It was out of the need to cover the bills for both him and his sister that Tam decided to move to Ho Chi Minh City, hoping to earn more with gig-based work. The job was lucrative when he first arrived, but it suddenly became less profitable due to the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions that were in place back in April. In the quarantine days, the street was cleared of people [so] no one was booking rides. Businesses were also closed, and no one was ordering food either. Life was stressful at that time. I had no money but I still have to survive, Tam recollected. The restrictions brought a new perspective to Tam, and he began to think about what he should do next to make sure that he can take care of himself and his sister. After a round of sleepless nights and a few conversations with college students, he figured out what the next breakthrough in his life might be. I was committed to pursuing further education, to enter the lecture hall to learn a trade academically. With a trade, my life would change and opportunities would open up. Thirty-five is not too late, but it would be if I have not started tomorrow, Tam reasoned. A few months after, he was accepted into Cao Thang Technical College. Open doors for future When he came to the school to submit paperwork, Tam was requested to pay upfront a total of VND6 million ($258) in tuition fees and other extras. At that time, he only had VND4 million ($172) to his name. I had started to squeeze my budget on food and other expenditures to save money for my studies ever since I began to consider attending college, Tam said. Then the pandemic happened and there was barely any income, much less [any spare amount for] savings. As I didnt have enough [to cover the tuition fee], I had to borrow from my friends to gather VND6 million, Tam recounted as he pulled out the tuition fee receipt and college acceptance letter as proof of his first success on his new path. Fellow Grab drivers are skeptical about Tams choice at first, pointing out his age as a setback on any academic pursuit. Yet, Tam has his mind set on the goal, even as he knows that the path he chose is not easy. Running gigs from the morning till 8:00 pm, Tam revealed that he had collected VND200,000 ($8.6) in fare fuel costs and commissions toward Grab excluded. That amount might sharply diminish during the semester: Tams curriculum at Cao Thang will span three years and require full-time commitment with theoretical lessons in the morning and hands-on practice in the afternoon, which leaves only the nighttime open for him to drive. That is not to mention homework and studying that might stretch into the night as well. Understanding the challenge, Tam made it clear that he cannot back down, and he is ready to exert himself to the fullest for a brighter future. As for his choice of major, Tam reasoned that almost all households possess thermo-electrical devices such as refrigerators or air conditioners, which assures the demand for the trade in the future. As Tam envisaged, he will graduate at 38. By that time, he would have been out of the target demographic for recruitment of most enterprises, so working in a local store would be the most sensible choice for him. Tam has also planned to ask for work at one of his nephews repair shops to train repairing thermo-electricity devices. My dream is to open a thermo-electricity repair shop, so I would have the choice to move back to my hometown and take care of my sister if I want to, Tam said. As long as I have a trade, my life will change for the better. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! That goes for social media too. If you are gearing up to unleash on someones social media feed, you definitely dont have his support. Take a deep breath and choose to move on. I dont engage in arguments. I never respond to critics, Mr. Chopra said. He doesnt respond to flatterers either. Hes on social media merely to distill information or offer inspiration. But once in a while he will catch a glimpse of a comment under an Instagram post and acknowledge it. I do respond, but not to the question, he said. I respond with an inspiring quote. If you decide to walk away, you can stop reading here. Before you go, youll probably need to release some pent-up resentment that youve swallowed from choosing not to engage in your argument. Mr. Chopra said to sit quietly with eyes closed, take some deep breaths, and center your attention on your heart. Continue until the residual anger dissipates. STEP 2 OK, youve decided to engage So first, listen. If you dont start with an open ear, youve lost your opponent. The key is to listen to the other person enough to get to know them in an authentic way at least a little bit. If youre not aware of what is going on in their mind, in their life, in their relationships, in their personal experience of everyday reality, where is the solution? Mr. Chopra said. Youre just going to attack them. Listening also allows you, and the other person, to cool down. STEP 3 Learn about the other persons values. The simplest way to learn about someone else is to ask about what is meaningful to them. Mr. Chopra has used the following strategy whenever hes been enlisted to resolve conflicts, even among his highest profile clientele: I tell them to go out and have Chinese food together and talk about their mother or their father or their teenage years," he said. Something that shows you that you are a regular human being and that you can be also vulnerable. He said that expressing your vulnerability is a sign of strength. This is the best way to understand a persons values, which Mr. Chopra defines as core beliefs. They pertain not to politics, religion, money or sex. They fit the description, Speak your truth, he said. Find your truth before you spout off. BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Newlab was honored in Fast Company's Innovation by Design Awards for 2020 in the Design Company of the Year category. Two Newlab ventures, Spiro Devices, and Applied XL, have also been honored in the General Excellence, Social Good, and Health categories. The awards, which can be found in the October/November 2020 issue of Fast Company, recognize people, teams, and companies solving problems through design. One of the most sought-after design awards in the industry, Innovation by Design, is the only competition to honor creative work at the intersection of design, business, and innovation. Newlab is a singular community of experts and innovators applying transformative technology to solve the world's biggest challenges. Its Membership and Studios bring together entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors, and industry leaders to create sustainable solutions and enterprises. Newlab employs technologies, including robotics, AI, and material science, to transform what matters mosthealth, environment, media, cities, and infrastructure. "We are delighted to have Newlab recognized as the Design Company of the Year, and for Newlab ventures Spiro Devices and Applied XL to be honored by Fast Company in this year's Innovation by Design awards," said Shaun Stewart, CEO of Newlab. "Newlab empowers transformative innovation applied to the world's most pressing challenges in three key ways: through our member community of over 800 entrepreneurs, engineers, and inventors; our Innovation Studios, through which we partner with Fortune 500 companies and civic leaders to solve complex challenges across industries; and our Venture Studios, in which we collaborate with experienced leaders to build impactful, scalable companies. This recognition is a testament to the extraordinary success of our member community and our Innovation and Venture Studio models in applying transformative technology to the things that matter most." Two Newlab ventures, Spiro Devices , and Applied XL , have also been honored by the Innovation by Design awards. Spiro Wave, an emergency bridge ventilator developed to meet the anticipated shortage facing hospitals worldwide during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, was spearheaded by Spiro Devices, a company formed by Newlab, Newlab founding member 10xBeta, and design-for-manufacturing firm Boyce Technologies. In under one month, Spiro Devices accomplished what would ordinarily take established medical device manufacturers at least a year: they developed, began manufacturing, and received FDA Emergency Use Authorization for the Spiro Wave emergency bridge ventilator. Spiro Wave is a finalist in the General Excellence and Health categories. "When the pandemic began, we at Newlab, together with our partners 10xBeta and Boyce Technologies, felt that we were uniquely suited to leverage our incredibly talented community of entrepreneurs, engineers, and inventors to help address the anticipated hospital ventilator shortage in New York City and worldwide," said Scott Cohen, Co-Founder of Newlab and Spiro Devices. "With the support of clinicians, engineers, and regulatory experts from across the country, Spiro Devices designed, tested, and manufactured the Spiro Wave emergency bridge ventilator in under one month. We're deeply grateful to Fast Company for this recognition and are pleased to be included in this year's extraordinary cohort of awardees." Applied XL, a data company launched through the Newlab Venture Studio program, is developing real-time information systems powered by experts to track the health of people, places, and the planet, partnered with leading health publication STAT, the Center on Rural Innovation and Narrativa to develop the COVID-19 Tracker and County Preparedness Index. The platform, which aggregates comprehensive data on COVID-19 cases globally and assesses every U.S. county's preparedness to address the pandemic, has been named a finalist in the Social Good category and received an honorable mention in the Health category. "The COVID-19 Tracker and County Preparedness Index were refined through input from public health experts, and the solutions are being used by decision-makers and the broader public to make sense of COVID-related data. We are actively growing our expert network to continue improving the precision of our information," said Francesco Marconi, Co-Founder of Applied XL. "Through our partnership with STAT, the world's most trusted health publication, we endeavored to make critical health data accessible, digestible, and transparent. We are profoundly appreciative of the recognition by Fast Company and are thrilled to be included in this year's Innovation by Design Awards." "We need innovative design more than ever, and the 2020 honorees have brought creativity, inventiveness, and humanity to address some of the world's most pressing problems, including the global pandemic, racial injustice, and economic inequality. Together these entries offer a glimpse into a future that is more inclusive, more accessible, and more just," said Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. The judges include renowned designers from a variety of disciplines, business leaders from some of the most innovative companies in the world, and Fast Company's own writers and editors. Entries are judged on the key ingredients of innovation: functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural impact, and business impact. Winners, finalists, and honorable mentions are featured online and in the October/November issue of Fast Company magazine, on newsstands October 20. To learn more about Newlab, Applied XL, and Spiro Wave please visit http://www.newlab.com ABOUT NEWLAB Newlab is a singular community of experts and innovators applying transformative technology to solve the world's biggest challenges. Newlab membership and studios bring together entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors and industry leaders to create sustainable solutions and enterprises. Newlab employs technologies including robotics, AI and material science to transform what matters mosthealth, environment, media, cities, and infrastructure. ABOUT SPIRO DEVICES Spiro Devices, a Newlab Venture Studio company, was launched in partnership with 10XBeta and Boyce Technologies in response to the COVID-19 ventilator crisis. The company developed the Spiro Wave - a low-cost automatic resuscitator that helps hospitals expand their capacity to care for patients with critical ventilation needs. ABOUT APPLIED XL Applied X L, a Newlab Venture Studio company, is an information company building data systems to track the health of people, places, and planet to build resilient organizations. AppliedXL combines computational journalism and expert networks to power information products with real-world utility. ABOUT FAST COMPANY Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com. CONTACT: Lynn Fischer, [email protected] SOURCE Newlab Related Links https://newlab.com United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams speaks to delegates at the UAW Special Convention on Collective Bargaining at Cobo Center March 25, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Former United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams on Wednesday pleaded guilty to trying to embezzle union funds. Appearing by video in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, Williams entered his plea and apologized to the members of a union that faces a corruption probe by the office for Matthew Schneider, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Williams is one of 15 people charged so far in the probe being run Schneider, who has said a takeover of the union remains an option. "I want to close by apologizing to this court, to my family and to each and every hard-working member paying dues," Williams said just before he officially entered his plea. "I hope by accepting responsibility for my actions and for my failures, this process might help restore the faith in our union." Williams, 67, was charged last month by federal prosecutors in Detroit with conspiring with other union officials to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars in UAW funds. Under the agreement to plead guilty, Williams' sentence may not exceed 24 months. He had faced a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. No agreement was reached on the fine or how much in restitution will be paid, which will be determined at Williams' sentencing on Jan. 25. Williams, who was forced to resign from the union on Sept. 18, said he had repaid the union more than $56,000. The UAW said in a statement it would pursue repayment of legal fees and other misspent union funds. The UAW said Williams "put his personal and self-interest above that of our members and this union. These serious charges deserve serious legal consequences." Those representing the government should prioritize state interests over personal beliefs, the President's Office states. The President's Office says they are "struck by personal assessments and comments" by First Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian delegation to the Minsk Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas Vitold Fokin on the war in Donbas and Crimea. According to the President's Office, those representing the government should prioritize state interests over personal beliefs. "Everyone who represents the state should always remember the official stance should not be confused with the personal one. If there is a difference in positions, and your own vision, whatever it may be, differs from that of the government, you need to choose the government's one as long as you represent it. Not a personal, but namely a government vision," the President's Office reported on Facebook. Read alsoRussian armed forces' military aggression only factor leading to Ilovaisk tragedy prosecutor's officeIt was with the Russian invasion that the occupation of Crimea began, as well as of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Office recalls. "This is the country that fully controls the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and has a decisive influence on everything that is happening there," the President's Office said. At the same time, the statement said nothing about Fokin's further participation in delegation's work. "Of course, Vitold Fokin's statements, which are categorically at variance with the official positions of the government, have already been properly assessed first of all, by the public who have paid a great price for their ideals. It is impossible not to understand this," reads the report. Reactions to Fokin's controversial statement Vitold Fokin, the first prime minister of Ukraine who is now deputy chair of Ukraine's delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement, says he "does not see" a war between Ukraine and Russia ongoing in the country's east; that he believes that mercenaries from 30 countries have been fighting against the Ukrainian Army; and that he is convinced a comprehensive pardon is needed for those who committed crimes in Donbas. The statements came as he was doing a Q&A at a Parliament Committee on Tuesday, September 29. It took Fokin several weeks to report to Parliament to clarify his position after a notorious interview he gave to one of the pro-Russian outlets. Read alsoNSDC chief on Ukrainian negotiators' notorious statements: "Own opinions"All committee members, with the exception of those from the pro-Russian Opposition Platform For Life Party, backed a motion asking President Volodymyr Zelensky to recall Fokin from the Ukrainian delegation at Minsk talks. The official position of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group was announced by Head of the delegation, Leonid Kravchuk, his first deputy Oleksiy Reznikov, and deputy Oleksandr Merezhko, who said: "Mr. Fokin, like any person, has the right to his own position, no matter how strange it may seem. But being part of the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations with the TCG, we must adhere exclusively to the official position of our government, even when we do not participate in talks." Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, in turn, posted an emotionally charged response to criticize Fokin's statement. "[Mr.] Fokin, thousands of our soldiers and civilians were killed in the war, which, as you claim, isn't there. Tell this to the families of those who died from Russia's multiple rocket launchers near Saur-Mohyla and Ilovaisk!? You scoundrel. 'They aren't there' these are the words of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, rather than those of Ukraine representative," the minister said. Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Serhiy Kryvonos dubbed Fokin a 'senile, blind fool.' Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Andriy Yermak said Fokin "must resign" over his controversial statements. The contraction of Indias public administration, defence and other services by 10.3% in the first quarter of the current financial year show that the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-induced 20.97 lakh crore economic stimulus was not strong and effective enough, consultancy firm EY India said in its latest report and called for an immediate second round of stimulus. The latest edition of Economy Watch said rather than providing a net fiscal stimulus, the Central and state governments together provided a net fiscal de-stimulus. Indias gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter of 2020-21 contracted by 23.9% mainly because of a sharp decline in various economic activities such as mining [-23.3%], manufacturing [-39.3%], construction [-50.3%], trade, hotels, transport and communication [-47%] , financial, real estate and professional services [-5.3%] and public administration, defence and other services [-10.3%]. Also Read: India among worst performing economies in world; stimulus inadequate: Abhijit Banerjee It may be noted that the central government had frozen dearness allowance (DA)/dearness relief (DR) payments and state governments either followed suit or even cut down on salary payments of their employees, the report said. On April 24, the Centre had held back payments of DA to all its employees for 18 months and proposed a similar move for state government staff to cumulatively save about 1.20 lakh crore. DK Srivastava, the chief policy advisor at EY India, said that even the stimulus was inadequate to boost the economy. We may note that out of 20.97 lakh crore, only 2.02 lakh crore that is about 1% of estimated 2020-21 GDP, was net over and above what was provided for in the Union Budget 2020-21, he said. Also Read: The economy going forward He said that there was a slowdown rather than an increase in the government expenditure in the first quarter of 2020-21. The whole idea of injecting the stimulus early in the fiscal year was to enhance government expenditure significantly above what was budgeted in a bid to overcome the contraction that was happening in private expenditure, he said. The Central government had taken several measures, including holding the payment of DA to its employees and prioritising spending by different ministries, in a bid to reduce public expenditure. On June 4, it had directed all ministries not to launch any new scheme that entails capital expenditure during this financial year, and suspended already approved projects, barring those under the 20.97-lakh crore stimulus package. Earlier, on April 8, the Union finance ministry had spelled out expenditure priorities for ministries, departments and institutions under three distinct categories. The first category included the governments arms dealing with crucial subjects such as healthcare, agriculture, food and public distribution and pharmaceuticals. They have been asked to specify expenditures for the first quarter of the current financial year in advance and strictly comply with them. Also Read: The impact of Covid-19 on state economies The next category, which included over 30 ministries, departments and institutions, had been asked to restrict some of their expenditures to 20% of the budgeted amount in the first quarter of the financial year. The third category of 52 ministries and departments were asked to restrict their first quarter expenditure to 15% of their budgeted amount. Ram Singh, a professor at the Delhi School of Economics (DSE), said that the government must step up public expenditure to boost growth. Yes, this is the time when the government should double its expenditure on ongoing infrastructure and healthcare projects, clear its dues to vendors and contractors to boost the economy. The move will create demand and preconditions for reviving private investments, he said while underscoring the need for another economic stimulus. In an interview with HT on Tuesday, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said she was open to one more stimulus, if necessary. One more may be needed is what we are hearing from the people who interact with us, and we are trying to see what it is that we can do, she had said in the interview. An analytical report, India: GDP slump, a warning bell for hamstrung policies, issued by the securities house Nomura, expects a second round of targeted fiscal support in the coming months. The next round of policy stimulus is likely to be targeted and could take the form of an expanded scope of cash transfers, public employment programmes in urban areas, along with the continued focus on public investment, it said. Srivastava said the infusion of capital expenditures would be the most desirable method of increasing demand because it could lead to high multiplier effects both on employment and output. In this context, both Central and state governments should participate. We may note that states capital expenditure contracted by (-)42.6% in the first quarter of 2020-21. The figure is based on the data from 19 states. It would be justified even when it is financed by an additional fiscal deficit. An infrastructure investment can lead to more asset creation, which can also match additional liability, he said. Creditors and shareholders took their haircut under Virgins administration and now it's the pilots turn. They are facing changes to pay and conditions that could equate to significant reductions under new owners, Bain Capital. It's a move that puts pressure on Qantas which will operate with a much higher level of employee cost. Qantas signed off on a long haul pilot enterprise bargaining agreement in the months before the coronavirus pandemic hit, and its short haul agreement has a few years left to run. There are many moving parts to the way pilots are remunerated. But the proposal being put by Virgin management involves a reduction in hourly pay, an increase in hours and a drop in the number of days off. The aim of the exercise is to vastly increase the productivity of pilots. A Palestinian doctor arrested as part of a major investigation into the New IRA must remain in custody, a High Court judge ruled on Wednesday. Issam Bassalat, 62, was refused bail on a charge of attending an alleged meeting of the dissident republican organisation. Mrs Justice Keegan ruled there was a risk of flight and potential re-offending. Dr Bassalat, with an address at Telford Road in Edinburgh, is among ten people facing prosecution following a surveillance-led offensive targeting the terrorist grouping's activities. The operation involved MI5 bugging two suspected meetings at properties in Co Tyrone earlier this year. Dr Bassalat was detained at Heathrow Airport in August. He faces a single count of preparatory acts of terrorism by allegedly attending and addressing an IRA meeting in Omagh on July 19. Previous courts heard claims that the doctor was part of a plan by the grouping to source weapons. But the accused insists he had been misled and pestered into attending by an alleged MI5 agent. His lawyers contended that he was the victim of entrapment, caught up in a "dirty squabble" between the intelligence agency and dissident republicans. Since being remanded in custody at Maghaberry Prison Dr Bassalat reportedly staged a hunger strike over being subjected to routine Covid restrictions. Other inmates were said to have joined him in a solidarity protest which has now ended. During the bail application Mrs Justice Keegan acknowledged: "There may well be issues regarding the evidence to be debated in due course." "But identifying risks in releasing the accused, she confirmed: "I have therefore decided not to grant bail at this stage in the case." Five African grey parrots at a wildlife park in London have found themselves in isolation from each other after they were swearing at park visitors. According to CNN, the birds were donated to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in England by five different owners. The birds were kept in quarantine together before going on display to the public. Chief executive Steve Nichols told CNN Travel, It just went ballistic, they were all swearing. We were a little concerned about the children. I get called a fat t**t every time I walk past, Nichols told CNN Travel. The story of the swearing parrots has gone global. On its Facebook page, the wildlife park said, Weve done it again .... for the second time in a month were all over the world... this time its swearing parrots. Earlier this month, Chico, another parrot, went viral for his ability to sing the 2008 Beyonce hit, If I Were a Boy. Here is Chico: According to CNN, the birds are named Eric, Jade, Elsie, Tyson and Billy. Nichols told CNN, They literally, within a very short period of time, starting swearing at each other, Nichols said. 'F**k off' is the most common one, he explained - its a very easy one for them to learn -- but the birds would utter anything you can think of. Nichols said the parrots were temporarily removed from public display and separated. They were put into other flocks. Another zoo officials told BBC, Im hoping they learn different words within colonies - but if they teach the others bad language and I end up with 250 swearing birds, I dont know what well do." READ MORE 100 most censored books include classics, autobiographies and Captain Underpants , We're sorry, this article is not currently available For weeks now, the hundreds of millions of people using TikTok outside of its home base of China have been watching as the fate of the app in the US and other countries is being determined. The US governments main beef with the app, and why its moving to ban it, has centered on TikToks ownership by a Chinese firm, which government lawyers have argued represents an immediate danger to national security. The apps parent company ByteDance is based in Beijing, and the Trump administration has claimed that the apps American user data risks ending up in the hands of the Chinese government a claim that TikTok has denied. At the same time, ByteDance has been involved in a settlement around consumer privacy litigation that has exposed it to hundreds of millions of dollars in damages in the US and involved claims that the app unlawfully recorded facial-scan images of children and sent confidential information about adult users to China, according to a filing in Chicago federal court cited by Bloomberg. Then, over the past weekend, a federal judge in the US partially granted TikToks request for a temporary injunction against the Trump administrations attempt to ban the app in the country, reported Bloomberg. The move effectively blocked the US governments ban on downloads of the app only hours before the policy was set to take effect. This is happening all while the application scrambles to find a commercial partner that would allow it to continue operating in the US. Read more: Insurer deal to be used as precedent in TikTok sale controversy While it has become the center of attention in this saga, the US isnt the only country thats been scrutinizing TikTok. At the end of June, India banned TikTok, and, just last week, the general manager of TikTok Australia and New Zealand had to reassure a parliamentary hearing about the security of the apps data. Concerns about the security of the app have likewise cropped up in Europe, though theres been little action to investigate or ban the app on the continent so far. The debates around how serious a privacy risk TikTok actually presents have many layers to them, and, in many cases, encircle other social media applications that gather and use peoples data with what is sometimes reckless abandon. Nevertheless, TikToks expansion, and the political controversies it has sowed, have underscored the rise of a new risk in the cyber and privacy landscape, as well as the importance of regulations to protect users rights and privacy, such as the GDPR in Europe, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada, state-specific legislation in the US, and the mix of federal, state and territory laws used in Australia to regulate data privacy and protection. Theres a lot to be gleaned from this developing regulatory environment where an increasingly harsh light has been shone on companies that either dont adequately safeguard their users information or misuse it. In fact, some experts have predicted that the next cyber storm on the horizon involves the wrongful use or wrongful collection of data. However, insurers are somewhat tentative about providing coverage for wrongful use or wrongful collection of information because its an evolving risk, which in turns presents challenges on the cyber insurance front, in terms of adequately protecting companies from the financial losses that could arise. As a result, brokers and agents have their work cut out for them, to not only understand how cyber policies are evolving to adjust to a changing risk landscape, but also to explain to clients how their policies work and, importantly, what they dont cover. I think people expect their cyber policies to do a lot more than they actually do, Nick Economidis, vice president, eRisk at Crum & Forster, recently told Insurance Business. They expect their cyber policy to cover everything to do with their computer system, and so lots of people try to make claims for things that are far beyond the intention of the policies. While it may seem like the privacy issues floating around TikTok have little to do with your insureds, the controversy is a good reminder of the growing consumer and political disillusion towards misuse of data, the reputational as well as financial risks that this environment can introduce, and the potential gaps that exist in cyber policies to address this threat. Its also a learning opportunity for the insurance industry about the need to be fast-moving in identifying new privacy and cyber-related challenges, and providing relevant risk transfer solutions to clients, while also passing along useful risk mitigation tools so that insureds understand what the wrongful use and/or collection of data looks like within their own operations, and the consequences of not respecting regulations. By staying ahead of the privacy curve, insurers can demonstrate their value and help clients avoid in the worst-case scenario becoming the next target of governments around the world. Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more Computer systems design and related services added 13,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labors August jobs report. Technology-related jobs figures for August are not yet available, but net IT employment in July was up by more than 203,000 positions since the COVID-19 outbreak; and there were more than 235,000 job postings by U.S. employers, according to the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). CompTIA said the top five roles with openings in July were software and application developers; IT support specialists; systems engineers and architects; systems analysts; and IT project managers. The highest number of job postings by industry sector were professional, scientific and technical services; finance and insurance; manufacturing; information; and the retail trade. WFH Effect on Tech Jobs Market With the pandemic having forced enterprises to let their staff work from home, the emphasis is shifting to cloud-based solutions, remote tech services and security, Ray Wang, a principal analyst at Constellation Research, told TechNewsWorld. Were seeing a skillset shift away from hardware and network engineers to software, cloud, and artificial intelligence, Wang said. Digital skills are also important. Skills for the cloud that will be in demand are cloud engineering, development, integration and hybrid cloud management, according to Wang, who added that AI skills in demand are algorithmic library development, machine learning expertise, and the development of AI and learning models. Cybersecurity experts, cybersecurity command center operators, and threat analysts will also be in demand. This is not industry-specific, Wang pointed out. We see this demand across industries, though financial services and the public sector may have a good number of people in cybersecurity. The public sector is less on the cloud than other industries and AI is a competitive differentiator for all industries, Wang said. The Impact of AI As we look to the future, artificial intelligence has significant potential to disrupt the world, Congressman John Yarmuth (D-KY), Chairman of the House Budget Committee, stated at a Sept. 10 virtual hearing on the impact of AI on the workforce. A D V E R T I S E M E N T AI presents opportunities to improve lives, livelihoods, productivity, and equality, Yarmuth said. However, it also poses serious risks of large-scale economic changes. Like the arrival of the steam engine, electricity, and computers, AI will reshape a broad swath of industries and jobs, but old jobs will be eliminated, and some workers will be left behind, Yarmuth observed. Some areas in which AI might play a role are smart cities; smart buildings; autonomous vehicles; medical research; disease diagnosis; various areas of scientific research; sales and marketing; retail; and the military, which is funding research into how human intelligence analysts can work with AI. Hottest Categories for Tech Talent Artificial intelligence and blockchain are two key markets in IT that are expected to have continued year over year growth, Arran Stewart, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Job.com, told TechNewsWorld. With AI predicted to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 42 percent up to 2027, and blockchain a CAGR of over 67 percent up to 2025, these two areas represent the biggest areas of growth in the IT space with over US$1 trillion in market value, Stewart said. There will be increased demand for data scientists, programmers and blockchain specialist programmers for the next three years, he predicted. Other areas are logistics, especially in the autonomous car and delivery sectors due to increased investment into the use of AI and machine learning to innovate, improve and renew the realm of transportation, noted Stewart. Theres also been a big shift in financial technology (Fintech) and privacy towards a blockchain future, so its likely that these industries will absorb a larger portion of talent in the next decade. Top Places for Tech Workers Austin, Tx., Atlanta, Ga., and Raleigh, N.C., are the top three cities that will see the greatest number of postings for high-tech jobs that are in demand for the next three to five years, Stewart said. Weve seen strong growth in terms of open job postings in tech in these cities over the last several years and their traction doesnt seem to be stalling at all. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Other areas that high-tech workers want to move to, according to Constellations Wang, are in Washington State around Seattle and Vancouver; Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Reno, in Nevada; Frisco, Tx., near Dallas; Nashville, Tenn.; Boise, Idaho; and Boulder, Colo. Florida is also high on the list. The shift to WFH will likely see an increased exodus to other less expensive but similarly appointed locales, Job.coms Stewart predicted. New Delhi, Sep 30 : Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde on Wednesday said the Supreme Court will not allow any damage to the eco-sensitive zone and if an area falls in an eco-sensitive zone, then neither the Centre nor state will have the right to mine it. A bench, headed by the Chief Justice and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian, said as far as exploitation of natural resources is concerned, the court cannot rely on either the Centre or the state government. "When it comes to nature, there is always an attempt to make money out of it. If the eco-sensitive zone is hampered, we will not allow it," said Chief Justice Bobde as the bench heard a suit filed by the Jharkhand government challenging the Centre's decision to auction coal blocks in the state for commercial mining. The bench noted that prima facie, the Centre is entitled to auction coal blocks in the state, as it is not a scheduled area, and asked the Centre to file an affidavit within a week clarifying whether in the area under question is eco-sensitive or not. The Chief Justice noted that Jharkhand is claiming immunity from the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act). "Politics and law are connected, no doubt about it, but we don't consider it a part of law," he said. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the state government, submitted that 53 per cent of Jharkhand is forest areas and the state is challenging the auction, which, he insisted, is "contrary to public interest". As the Chief Justice asked if he was saying that mining lease cannot be granted in an eco-sensitive zone, Singhvi said it can be done in a small area far away from such a zone. The Chief Justice then sought evidence be placed on record that the area under coal blocks is an eco-sensitive zone. Senior advocate Fali Nariman, also appearing for the state government, said the government has put forth full details on the areas in eco-sensitive zones. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, representing the Centre, said that two weeks before the filing of the suit, the state filed a writ petition asking the Centre to hold back the coal block auction until global investment climate improves, which would help the state to maximise returns on natural resources. Querying Singhvi on this submission, the CJI said the court is not an expert on eco-sensitive areas, but it can certainly ask someone to visit and check if these areas are eco-sensitive. Nariman urged the court to postpone the auction of coal blocks for a few months as the suit under Article 131, filed by the state, needs to be decided. Singhvi submitted there is a large population of tribal people in the state and 30 per cent of the area is a forest area and the MMDR Act will not apply as the state is a scheduled area. However, the AG objected to these arguments. After a detailed hearing on the matter, the bench then adjourned the case for two weeks and permitted the state government to file a rejoinder after the Centre files its affidavit. In July, the top court had issued notice to the Centre on the state government's plea challenging its decision to auction coal blocks and alleging that the announcement was made by the Centre unilaterally. ISLAMABAD - Afghanistans chief peace envoy Abdullah Abdullah ended a three-day visit to Pakistan on Wednesday optimistic the uneasy neighbours have turned a corner from a relationship marked by suspicion and downright hostility toward a partnership for peace in the region. In an interview in the Pakistani capital, Abdullah said he asked Pakistans powerful military to use its influence to press the Taliban into a reduction of violence, which could be seen as a first indication the two neighbours share the same goal of peace. Abdullahs first visit to Pakistan in 12 years comes at a crucial time for Afghanistan as government negotiators sit across the table from the Taliban in the Middle Eastern State of Qatar to plot a future course for a post-war Afghanistan. As chief of Afghanistans High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah oversees the government side in negotiations. His visit to Pakistan was seen as particularly significant because of the ties the Taliban have with Pakistan, especially with the powerful military, which is largely responsible for the countrys Afghan policy. Abdullah said he has asked not just Pakistan, but Washington and every other country that has a voice at the Afghan table, to press for a reduction of violence with the Taliban. Still, for most Afghans Pakistan is seen as having the greatest leverage with the Taliban, whose ruling council is widely thought to be headquartered in southwestern Baluchistan. Its in their best interest of peace to encourage the Taliban (but) if cease-fire today, for example, is too heavy a word for the Taliban let us talk together to find what can we do so that people see that there are changes in the security environment, Abdullah said, referring to a reduction in violence. It is time (for the Taliban) to show some practical signs of their commitment for peace. ... Why are they not giving the people a chance to breathe and to see that things are happening? Pakistan has been applauded by Washington and Kabul for its role in getting the Taliban to the peace table, first in direct talks with the United States, which resulted in an agreement that led to the so-called intra-Afghan negotiations now underway in Doha. In meetings with Abdullah, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan loudly endorsed a peaceful end to Afghanistans relentless wars and also called for a reduction in violence by all sides in the conflict, a welcome call, said Abdullah. Still, for many Afghans, Pakistan is viewed with deep mistrust, blamed for a resurgence of the Taliban after their defeat by the U.S.-led coalition in 2001 by giving the religious insurgents a safe haven from which to operate. Pakistan is seen by many in Afghanistan as wanting to keep the Taliban as possible leverage against influence in Afghanistan by its long-time enemy India, which has been critical of any post-war government in Afghanistan that includes the Taliban. Abdullah, however, who shared power in Afghanistans last government as chief executive and before that as foreign minister, said he was encouraged by the tone of conversations in Pakistan. The conversations centred around peace and Abdullah said the improvements in relations and in perceptions of each other as good neighbours will come with time and actions, including messages from Pakistan to the Taliban to embrace the current negotiations underway in Doha. He has asked Pakistan to send the right message to all sides but mainly to the Taliban that this is the right time to make genuine efforts for achieving peace, to be flexible be ready, be determined (and) know that there is no other way. ... This will be the right thing at this stage. Read more about: Baton Rouge Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and CF Industries President and CEO Tony Will announced the company will make a $41.4 million capital investment to enhance nitric acid production at the worlds-largest nitrogen fertilizer complex in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. CF Industries will retain 487 jobs, with the project resulting in more than 30 new jobs in the Capital Region, including seven new direct jobs that will have an average annual salary of $100,000, plus benefits, and 24 new indirect jobs. The new project follows a $2.1 billion expansion completed by CF Industries in 2016 that parish officials described as the largest single capital investment project in Ascension Parish history. In that project, CF Industries exceeded its obligations to the State of Louisiana and has created nearly 50 percent more new jobs than projected. The latest reinvestment by CF Industries in their Donaldsonville facility is a testament to Louisianas economic strengths, said Gov. Edwards. From our highly skilled workforce to our strategic transportation infrastructure, Louisiana remains a key destination for new and renewed industrial investment. CF Industries investment will position the Donaldsonville facility for continued growth and ensure that it remains a key facility in the companys global supply chain. On behalf of the entire state, I congratulate CF Industries on this new investment. CF Industries is a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of nitrogen products for fertilizer, emissions abatement and other industrial applications. Based in Deerfield, Illinois, the company operates nine nitrogen facilities in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. The Donaldsonville complex is the largest production complex in the world producing anhydrous ammonia, urea, and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), nitric acid and diesel exhaust fluid, which represent the nitrogen-based products most heavily used by agricultural, industrial and other markets. CF Industries is pleased to continue our long history of investing in and expanding our Donaldsonville Nitrogen Complex and creating jobs in Louisiana, President and CEO Tony Will said. The capital investment we are making to enhance nitric acid production at the site will further expand Donaldsonvilles production flexibility and enable us to meet strong demand for the product, particularly from Louisianas strong chemicals industry. We appreciate the support from Governor Edwards, as well as from Ascension Parish and local leaders, to bring this project to fruition. The companys Donaldsonville site is located on 1,400 acres along the west bank of the Mississippi River in Ascension Parish. The CF Industries facility makes use of five major natural gas pipelines and multiple modes of transportation in Ascension Parish, which allows the facility to serve customers on every continent. "The CF Industries Nitrogen Complex in Donaldsonville is the worlds largest nitrogen facility and the largest employer for the west bank of Ascension Parish, said Clint Cointment, Ascension Parish president. This investment in nitric acid speaks to the continued growth and success of the Donaldsonville facility in both operations and employees. The Donaldsonville facility is the world's largest and most flexible nitrogen facility, with six world-scale ammonia plants, five urea plants, four nitric acid plants, three urea ammonium nitrate plants and a diesel exhaust fluid plant. The site ships product to customers via the NuStar ammonia pipeline, rail, truck barge (river and ocean), and deep-water vessel. In the latest project, CF Industries will increase the concentration of its industrial-grade nitric acid from 60 percent to 65 percent in the Nitric Acid No. 4 plant, which carries an annual production capacity of 600,000 tons. The investment also will include the addition of an air chiller and the installation of product storage. Additionally, new rail car and truck loading will be included as part of the reinvestment. It is great that CF is continuing to invest in the Donaldsonville area, said Mayor Leroy Sullivan of Donaldsonville. We benefit not only from the increased spending but also from the new jobs created locally from these investments. The company is expected to utilize the states Industrial Tax Exemption Program for the expansion. Over the years, CF Industries has grown as a strong supporter of the local community and nonprofit organizations through its corporate giving and volunteering programs. The expansion of CF Industries Donaldsonville plant already the worlds largest nitrogen facility brings both new jobs and the positive signal of recommitting to the regional economy, said President and CEO Adam Knapp of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. Expansion of major industry is always welcome news, but especially so in the current climate. We are grateful to our partners in Ascension Parish for their work on making this expansion as smooth as possible. Afghanistans top peace negotiator says Afghanistan and Pakistan are on the threshold of a new relationship characterized by mutual respect, sincere cooperation, and shared prosperity. Abdullah Abdullah, who is on a bridge-building mission to Pakistan, said the neighboring countries should shun the suspicion, rhetoric, and conspiracy theories that have dogged relations in the past. Abdullah met both Prime Minister Imran Khan and the powerful chief of the army. In a statement following his talks with Abdullah, Khan vowed Pakistan's support for a postwar Afghanistan. Khan said in his meeting with Abdullah he underscored that all Afghan parties must work for reduction in violence leading to cease-fire, according to the statement. There was no immediate comment from Pakistan's military following Abdullah's meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Earlier in the day Abdullah told the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad that he believes that after many troubling years the two countries need to go beyond the usual stale rhetoric and shadowy conspiracy theories that have held us back. He said people are demanding fresh approaches and it is more urgent than ever to look to our region as one region. Afghanistan has long had troubled relations with Pakistan, which Kabul and Washington accuse of harboring and aiding the Taliban leadership, a claim Islamabad has denied. Pakistan claims its influence over the Taliban is overstated but says it is willing to do whatever is possible for peace in Afghanistan. Abdullahs visit comes as intra-Afghan peace negotiations are under way in the Gulf state of Qatar. Negotiators from the Afghan government and the Taliban have been locked in talks since September 12 but have been unable to agree a framework for the negotiations aimed at ending the 19-year war. Abdullah, the head of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, a body that oversees the peace talks, arrived in Islamabad on September 28 for a three-day visit. He said the current intra-Afghan talks offer the best hope to put the war in the past. He said Afghanistan does not want a terrorist footprint within its borders or any entity in Afghanistan to pose a threat to any other nation. Despite the efforts for peace, violence continues in Afghanistan. On September 29, a roadside bomb killed at least 14 civilians in the central province of Daikundi. The provincial governor's spokesman, Nasrullah Ghori, told RFE/RL that seven women, five children, and two men died when their vehicle was hit by the explosion. Three other passengers were wounded in the blast, he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian blamed the Taliban. The talks in Qatar follow a landmark deal signed between the United States and the Taliban in February. Under the deal, foreign forces will leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban, which agreed to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and a power-sharing formula with the Afghan government. Pakistan faces its own challenges after most major opposition parties demanded the countrys powerful generals surrender their stranglehold over politics and withdraw support for Khans administration. The newly formed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on September 29 announced it would kick off a nationwide protest campaign on October 11 RFE/RLs Radio Free Afghanistan reported. Based on reporting by AP Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-29 23:36:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A live streamer (L) sells seafood products via internet at Haitou Town in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Yuze) The internet penetration rate in China reached 67 percent, about 5 percentage points higher than the global average. BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The number of internet users in China had reached 940 million as of June, accounting for one-fifth of the world's total, according to a report on China's internet development released Tuesday. The internet penetration rate in China reached 67 percent, about 5 percentage points higher than the global average, said the report issued by the China Internet Network Information Center. Residents in 98 percent of China's poor villages had access to the internet through fiber-optic cables, said the report, noting that the urban-rural digital gap had been significantly narrowed. Internet services such as online education, medical consultation and remote-office facilities have great development potential due to the influence of the COVID-19 epidemic, said the report, adding that the number of online-education users now exceeds 380 million. https://www.aish.com/ci/s/Auschwitz-Museum-Directors-Offers-to-Trade-Places-with-Imprisoned-Child.html Piotr Cywinski is offering to serve time in prison in Nigeria so a child imprisoned for blasphemy can go free. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, a new promise was made: Never Again. Never again would the world stand idly by while Jews or anyone else was persecuted because of who they are or what they believe. Never again would the world watch in silence as a Jews or any other group was denied their rights and put in danger. Never again would we remain indifferent while people were tortured and killed as they were during the horrible dark years of the Holocaust. From 1939 to 1945, the Nazi killing machine murdered six million Jews, along with hundreds of thousands of Roma, Communists, minority groups and disabled people. In the horrified aftermath of the Holocaust, as these crimes came to light, people around the world announced never again would such crimes go unnoticed and unremarked upon, the worlds grim silence aiding the killers and pouring bitter scorn of indifference on the victims. Never Again echoes the key commandment in the Torah You shall not stand idly by while your fellows blood is shed I am God (Leviticus 19:16). When we see a person in grave danger, being persecuted, we have an obligation to go and help them. The reminder I am God adds gravity to this key command: its a reminder that every single person on earth was created in the image of God every human being is infinitely precious and important. Dr. Piotr Cywinski, Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum in Poland, which preserves the memory of the 1.1 million men, women and children who were murdered there during the Holocaust, is today showing the world what Never Again truly means: hes offering to give up his freedom to help a boy hes never met, who is facing horrible persecution in Nigeria. Dr. Piotr Cywinski A few months ago, 13-year-old Omar Farouq, who lives in Kano State in northwestern Nigeria, got into a fight with another boy, and apparently uttered a curse word toward Allah. That was enough to get him hauled in front of a local Muslim court and charged with blasphemy. Incredibly, the court found him guilty and sentenced Omar to ten years hard labor in prison. His case received little attention at the time, despite its outrageous excessiveness and cruelty. A local human rights attorney found out about the sentence in August, and is trying to free the boy from ten years of torturous labor so far with no success. Dr. Cywinski read about Omar Farouqs case and like many others was outraged. But unlike most of us, Dr. Cywinski decided he had to do something about it. Running the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, hes accustomed to telling people that we must learn real lessons from the Holocaust, that Never Again means nothing if its not a true call to action. Omar Farouq reminded him of the many Jewish children who were persecuted and tortured in Auschwitz-Birkenau. I cannot remain indifferent to this disgraceful sentence for humanity, he wrote in a letter to Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari. Pres. Buhari had even visited Auschwitz-Birkenau himself, in 2018. Had he learned nothing from his visit? Dr. Cywinskis letter fell on deaf ears, so he decided to do something more. In a letter thats recently become public, Dr. Cywinski offered to serve one month of Omars 120 month prison sentence and to recruit 119 other adults to each serve one of the other months. Many times we are asked to like, unlike, to share, to retweet and sign a petition online, Dr. Cywinski explained; I wanted to do something more. Dr. Cywinskis offer to serve part of Omar Farouqs sentence echoes the words of Elie Wiesel, who was imprisoned in Auschwitz. Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil, he warned. The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, its indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, its indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, its indifference. Turning away from anothers pain is never an option. Instead, we all can learn from Piotr Cywinski and refuse to stand by while we watch our fellow human beings in torment. Dr. Cywinski has yet to hear a response to his offer to help Omar Farouq, but his gesture illustrates the true meaning of Never Again. We are all responsible for standing up when we see people who are persecuted, tortured, in danger and in pain. Remaining indifferent isnt benign, its evil. We must stand up and help. NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market Research Report by Ingredient Type (Chelating Agent, PH Regulators, Solubilizers, Solvent, and Surfactants), by Cleaner Type (Aqueous-Based Metal Cleaner, Halogenated Solvents, Hydrocarbon Solvents, and Solvent-Based Metal Cleaning Chemicals), by Metal, by End-user - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05975619/?utm_source=PRN The Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market is expected to grow from USD 11,927.76 Million in 2019 to USD 16,370.22 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.41%. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Metal Cleaning Chemicals to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Ingredient Type, the Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market studied across Chelating Agent, PH Regulators, Solubilizers, Solvent, and Surfactants. Based on Cleaner Type, the Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market studied across Aqueous-Based Metal Cleaner, Halogenated Solvents, Hydrocarbon Solvents, and Solvent-Based Metal Cleaning Chemicals. The Aqueous-Based Metal Cleaner further studied across Builders, Emulsion Cleaners, Sequestrants And Inhibitors, and Surfactants. The Solvent-Based Metal Cleaning Chemicals further studied across Oxygenated Solvents. Based on Metal, the Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market studied across Aluminum, Copper, and Steel. Based on End-user, the Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market studied across Automotive & Aerospace, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. Based on Geography, the Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Company Usability Profiles: The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market including 3M Company, BASF SE, Chautauqua Chemicals Company Inc., Crest Chemicals Inc., DST Chemicals, Eastman Chemical Company, Element Solutions Inc., Enviro Tech Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Hubbard-Hall, Kyzen Corporation, Nouryon, NuGeneration Technologies LLC, Quaker Houghton, Spartan Chemical Company Inc., Stepan Company, Surtec Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd., The Chemours Company, The Dow Chemical Company, Zavenir Daubert, and Zet Chemie GmbH. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market? 6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Metal Cleaning Chemicals Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05975619/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links www.reportlinker.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 09:22 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c481759f 1 Business seaport,Coordinating-Maritime-and-Investment-Ministry,infrastructure-development,infrastructure-project,patimban-seaport,NCICD,labuan-bajo Free The Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister has vowed to continue port and coastal infrastructure development projects, including the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) and Patimban seaport, an official has said. The NCICD project aims to prevent coastal flooding and land subsidence as some parts of the capital city, especially near the northern coast, are sinking up to 12 centimeters a year. The project requires Rp 600 trillion (US$40.22 billion) of investment, according to the Committee for Acceleration of Priority Infrastructure Deliverys (KPPIP) data. The project will reduce the potential for natural disasters, pollution and environmental damage. Furthermore, it will push Jakarta to become a safe metropolitan area, the ministrys assistant deputy for infrastructure, urban and water resources, Rahman Hidayat, said in a statement on Monday. Massive infrastructure development has been one of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodos main priorities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted several infrastructure projects as the government reallocates its budget to fund its fight against the disease while the outbreak disrupts construction activity. In addition to the NCICD project, the ministry also vowed to continue the coastal barrier development in the northern part of West Java, Jakarta, Central Java and East Java provinces, which stretches for 59.1 kilometers in total and costs around Rp 641.5 billion, as well as the 27-km-long Semarang-Demak toll road in Central Java. The ministrys transportation infrastructure deputy Rusli Rahim said in the statement that various port development projects, including the Patimban seaport project in Subang regency in West Java, were showing progress. According to the ministrys data, the Patimban seaport terminal and reclamation project had reached 81.9 percent completion as of Sept. 13, while the access bridge construction progress had reached 11.9 percent completion as of Sept. 16. Industries located in East Bekasi and Karawang in West Java can use Patimban seaport in the future, while industries in West Bekasi and Tangerang will continue to use Tanjung Priok seaport. Therefore, the seaport will support logistics connectivity, he said. He added that the Japan-backed Patimban seaport project was scheduled for partial operation in December, a month later than previously estimated by Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono. Patimban seaport is one of the governments national strategic projects, funded by an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the Japanese government amounting to Rp 14.2 trillion for the first development phase. The port is expected to be Indonesias primary export port and to ease the burden on Tanjung Priok port and traffic congestion in Jakarta from the transport of cargo. It is also projected to support the future Rebana Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in Cirebon, Patimban and Kertajati in West Java, along with Kertajati International Airport. In the first development phase, Patimban seaport is planned to serve 3.75 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and accommodate 600,000 complete built-up (CBU) vehicles. Meanwhile, in the second phase, Patimban's capacity will increase to 5.5 million TEUs and it is expected to reach its final capacity of 7.5 million TEUs in phase 3. Besides Patimban seaport, Wae Kelambu Multipurpose Seaport in Labuan Baju, East Nusa Tenggara has also shown significant progress as 29.8 percent of its water infrastructure construction and 26.8 percent of its land infrastructure were completed, Rusli said. The government is developing Wae Kelambu seaport to boost tourist visits to Labuan Bajo, which is one of the governments super-priority tourist destinations. The seaport will be designated for logistics and container handling, while the Labuan Bajo seaport will handle inbound tourists and passengers. Hemant Kumar Rout By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos with indigenous components for an extended range from a land based platform off the Odisha coast. The missile deployed in full operational configuration blasted off from launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 10.30 am and met all mission parameters as expected. Defence sources said the missile -- an Indo-Russian joint venture -- was put to trial with indigenous booster, airframe section, propulsion system, power supply and many other major components. The test jointly conducted by DRDO and BrahMos Aerospace for an extended range of 450 km has paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful weapon system realising the Atmanirbhar Bharat pledge. "It is one more major step in enhancing the indigenous content. The BrahMos land-attack cruise missile was cruising at a top speed of Mach 2.8. The missile has proved its prowess once again as the best supersonic cruise system in the world," said a senior defence official. Although the land-attack version of the missile has been operationalised in the Indian Army since 2007, this test validated the indigenous components incorporated to achieve higher strike range. The extended-range version of BrahMos was developed after India's full membership to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which removed caps on the range of the cruise missile. The strike range of the missile has been enhanced from 290 km to 450 km. "The changes in the engine and fuel system give it additional capabilities of going much beyond its earlier range of 290 km. We are testing the capabilities of flying the missile at a higher altitude so that it can achieve more range as the friction in air is much less," the official informed. The nine-metre long two-stage missile is capable of carrying a conventional warhead weighing up to 300 kg. The BrahMos missile has three versions - land, ship and air. It can effectively engage targets from an altitude as low as 10 metres for surgical strikes at terror training camps across the border without causing collateral damage. "With an extended range, the world's best cruise missile in its class can now change the dynamics of conventional warfare. Its range, speed and stealth capabilities can be enhanced further as per the requirement of the armed forces," the official added. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated DRDO personnel, team BrahMos and the industry for the spectacular mission. They shocked fans when they left Triple J Breakfast for Adelaide's Nova 91.9 last October, after three years with the government-funded radio station. But Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton's big gamble has paid off. The duo now have the most popular commercial radio show in South Australia. Breakfast kings! Ex-Triple J hosts Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton now have the number one commercial radio show in Adelaide Their segment jumped 1.3 percentage points to an audience share of 11 per cent in the latest radio survey. The pair overtook their main FM competitor, Mix 102.3, which dropped off 0.1 points for a share of 10.5 per cent. Ben and Liam shared their delight with fans on Instagram on Tuesday. Time for celebration: Their Nova 91.9 show jumped 1.3 percentage points to an audience share of 11 per cent in the latest radio survey They popped champagne, started to dance and sing while clapping in video uploaded by a colleague. 'Number 1 FM Breakfast show baby,' the caption read. It was followed up with a throwback video of Ben and Liam on Freshly Squeezed seven years ago. Celebrating the right way: Ben and Liam shared their delight with fans on Instagram on Tuesday 'That's good orange juice,' Ben said to Liam after drinking from a glass. 'Mmm, it's freshly squeezed. A bit like Ben and Liam on six to nine Wednesday mornings on Freshly Squeezed,' Liam responded while looking at the camera. The comical take was uploaded to Liam's account alongside a more recent picture of the pair. Throwback Wednesday: The duo's celebration on Tuesday was followed up with a throwback video of Ben (left) and Liam (right) on Freshly Squeezed seven years ago 'After seven years, we're finally snagged our first #1 in the ratings,' his caption read. Despite this triumph, Nova did suffer in Drive, with the number one spot going to Mix 103.2s Will and Woody, which jumped to a share of 12.3 per cent with 0.2 points. Nova's figure of 12 per cent dropped from 15 per cent in the last survey. The 4pm until 7pm slot holds the Kate, Tim & Marty show. Downfall: Nova suffered slightly in Drive, with a 12 per cent drop from 15 per cent in the last survey. The slot holds the the Kate, Tim & Marty (pictured) show Joel Creasey replace Marty Sheargold in the last few days of the survey between July 26 and September 19. Five AA and SA FM duos Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little, and Ed Kavalee and Dave Hughes, trailed in closely behind Nova and Mix. Five AA had 11.6 per cent from 9 per cent last time in Drive, and SA FM had a 10.9 per cent from 9 per cent. 12:39 | Lima, Sep. 30. "Let us abide by the protocols that have been implemented at airports and airplanes to show respect and solidarity with others," he noted. "We have experience with the resumption of domestic flights. In light of the upcoming restart of international flights , we continue working so that people can resume their works, studies, and other activities, but taking care of their health," he said. Air filtration systems He said the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) provide that airplanes must have air filtration systems similar to those used in operating rooms. In addition, airplanes must be disinfected before the boarding and disembarking of passengers. Virtual check-in shall be promoted as well. Social distancing For their part, airport concessionaires shall mark the distance between passengers waiting in lines to maintain social distancing, place alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispensers in various areas of the air terminal, implement protective panels in passenger service areas, and mark the seats that cannot be occupied at the airport facilities, among other actions. Health affidavit Meanwhile, domestic passengers shall continue to present a health affidavit . In the document, travelers shall state that they do not have COVID-19 symptoms. In addition, they have to provide their personal information to be contacted and informed if they traveled close to a coronavirus carrier. First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians to vote massively for President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming December 7 general elections to ensure it continues with its good works. She made the call when she visited the Adentan Constituency on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Mrs. Akufo-Addo said the NPP government in its first term of office, under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo, has implemented several social intervention policies and executed many infrastructural projects to set Ghana on the path of agenda Ghana beyond Aid. The First Lady said President Akufo-Addo believes that enriching a nation's human resource base while industrialising the country is a sure way to ensure sustained economic growth. She said this is what influenced the President to implement policies such as Free SHS, 1D1F, and PFJ which are all geared at empowering the people to build a vibrant industrial economy. At the Adentan and Ogbojo markets where she met with traders, the First Lady urged them to vote massively for President Akufo-Addo and the parliamentary candidate for a brighter future for their children and announced that the Rebecca Foundation has started the processes to build a creche at the Adentan market to provide a conducive place for their children. She assured them the Rebecca Foundation will continue to complement the efforts of government to address the development needs of Ghanaians especially women and children. As part of her tour of the constituency, the Mrs Akufo-Addo also visited the Frafraha Health Centre where she interacted with Hospital management and staff as well as some patients and donated Hospital beds, nose masks, sanitizers, diapers, bed sheets, blankets, detergents and thermometer guns to the facility to assist them in their health delivery. The First Lady congratulated staff of the facility for contributing their quota in ensuring minimal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the risks and expressed government's appreciation for their sacrifices. Mrs. Akufo-Addo ended her tour with a durbar of traditional leaders, community leaders and people at Ogbojo where she was welcomed by a large enthusiastic crowd, chanting four more for Nana to do more. Mrs Akufo-Addo expressed her appreciation to the people for their ecstatic welcome and thanked the Adentan constituency for supporting the Akufo-Addo government in its first four years in office stating that the many projects in the area of education, health and road construction which have been executed in the Adentan constituency should encourage the people to vote for President Akufo-Addo and Yaw Buaben Asamoa in the coming December elections, to do more. Mrs. Akufo-Addo was accompanied by NPP MP for the Adentan constituency, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Regional Executives and constituency Executives. New Delhi: AAP MLA Ajay Dutt on Wednesday claimed he was kicked and slapped" by senior Delhi Police officers when he went to meet the family of the Hathras gang rape victim at the Safdarjung hospital here. Delhi Police refused to comment on the allegation. Dutt told reporters that he was at the hospital and when he sought to know the whereabouts of the victims body, he was allegedly taken to a room and assaulted. They took me to a room by pulling my collar and there I was slapped and kicked by the SHO, ACP and DCP. If this is the treatment given to an elected representative then think about the common man," Dutt, MLA from Delhis Ambedkar Nagar assembly constituency, said. He demanded action against the police officials who allegedly assaulted him. Delhi Cabinet Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam also demanded an FIR against the local SHO, ACP, DCP and other Delhi Police officials who allegedly manhandled and assaulted Dutt for questioning the police action in the Hathras gang rape case. The victim was admitted to the Safdarjung hospital. AAP leaders, including Dutt and MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, were also present at the Safdarjung Hospital. We suddenly found a car without a number plate at the spot. This car was there to carry the dead body of the survivor. Objecting to this act, Ajay Dutt intervened and questioned the police," he said. Thereafter, the DCP manhandled Dutt, who is an elected representative from Delhi. Bharadwaj also confirmed that the police used caste slurs against the elected representatives of Delhi. If the attitude of the police is such towards the elected representatives of Delhi, then we can imagine what it could be with the common people," Pal alleged. The 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, by four men on September 14. She succumbed to injuries on Tuesday at Delhis Safdarjung hospital. Pal said the Aam Aadmi Party demanded an independent probe in the case by the CBI. We do not have any confidence in the UP Police regarding this matter. The AAP demands a speedy trial of the case. We also demand that the UP government must give Rs 2 crore to the family and a government job to a family member," he added. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Unemployed Australians are about to come under increasing 'heat and pressure' to take farm jobs instead of relying on welfare payments as a reduced supply of workers pushes up the prices of fruit and vegetables. The federal government is set to announce a range of measures in next week's budget to get the huge numbers of people thrown out of work by coronavirus lockdowns to take up employment in rural and regional areas. Among the measures, workers on JobSeeker will to earn $300 per fortnight before it affects their payment levels. That will push up the amount of money a JobSeeker recipient can receive to $1,160 a fortnight, or $30,000 per year. Backpackers and seasonal workers will be allowed to extend their tourist visas to pick fruit amid critical labour shortages. Pictured: A female fruit picker in Australia The government is also considering ways to push the unemployed to take the jobs. 'We need some more teeth,' federal Liberal MP John Alexander told a parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday. 'While we can't probably go to conscription, can we apply a little more heat and pressure and do it urgently? Because the crops won't wait.' Efforts to get workers to accept regional jobs have largely failed, with primary sector employees able to offer low wages to foreign backpackers and imported temporary workers. 'The question should be asked, "if not, why not?" If somebody is saying "Oh no, I don't want to do that" because they're just happy sitting on the couch and taking the dole,' Mr Alexander said. 'What more pressure could be applied to somebody who's a little bit marginal? 'It needs to be done as if we're in a war situation. It needs to be mobilised very quickly.' As well as trying to entice Australians into taking the jobs, the government is also looking to allow backpackers and seasonal workers to extend their visas to pick fruit amid critical labour shortages. Backpackers working on farms will be able to stay with one employer for more than six months and stay in Australia an extra year. Pictured: Fruit pickers in Australia The primary industry sector has been pushing for such measures because international and state border closures have restricted availability of workers, with an estimated shortfall of about 26,000 harvesters. They say the cost of wasted produce, and higher wages, will drive up the cost of fresh produce by Christmas and put financial strain on families struggling amid the COVID-19 economic downturn. The age limit for working holidaymakers will be temporarily lifted, allowing people above the age of 31 to work as fruit pickers. Backpackers working on farms will be able to stay with one employer for more than six months and stay in Australia an extra year. Programs aimed at bringing in Pacific and Timorese workers to fill rural and regional job shortages will also reopen. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has already announced a range of changes aimed at plugging the gaps. 'Farmers don't have the luxury of sitting around waiting for workers to turn up and we don't want fruit rotting on the vine or crops left in the field,' he said on Wednesday. He also explained the federal government will work closely with farmers on additional measures ahead of next week's federal budget. According to a report by consultancy firm Ernst & Young, the demand for pickers will peak in March next year. Pictured: Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack (right) and Agricultural minister David Littleproud (left) 'Current scenario projections indicate that the casual labour gap will increase from November 20 and reach a peak in March 21 likely to represent a gap ranging between 20,000 and 26,000 roles,' the analysis read, according to The Australian. 'This would represent a 36 to 59 per cent labour supply shortage over Nov 20 to June 21.' Areas that would suffer the most are Tasmania and Victoria due to their strict border closures and the intensive effort it takes to harvest grapes and berries. Cairns and Wide Bay in Queensland, north-west Victoria, Grafton and Murray in NSW, and the south-east coast of the nation would also be hit hard by the workforce shortages. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told the ABC on Wednesday that cherry farmers in Young, in the south west New South Wales, are short 3,500 pickers. 'That's just one area,' he said. 'What we want to make sure [farmers] can get that fruit picked so that it doesn't rot on the trees.' He urged unemployed Australians consider fruit harvesting to fill the workforce gaps. 'We're backing regional Australia. I'm very confident about the future of regional Australia and very confident about the harvest that we are going to have this summer, but we need workers. We need those people to come to regional Australia.' CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro slipped against its major opponents in the European session on Wednesday, as the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden sparked concern about the U.S. election outcome. Both candidates clashed over Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and the integrity of the upcoming election in the debate held at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The safe-haven dollar strengthened following the chaotic presidential debate, weighing on the euro. Anxiety over rising coronavirus cases also undermined, with Germany outlining new measures in a bid to contain the spread of the virus over autumn and winter. On the data front, German unemployment declined for a third month in September while retail sales rose much more than expected in August, separate reports showed. The euro dropped to 123.58 against the yen, after rising to 124.25 in the previous session, which was its highest since September 18. The euro is likely to find support around the 127.5 level. Data from the ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed that Japan retail sales rose 4.6 percent on month in August - coming in at 12.419 trillion yen. That beat expectations for an increase of 1.0 percent following the downwardly revised 3.4 percent drop in July. Having hit an 8-day high of 1.1755 at 10:30 pm ET, the euro pulled back to 1.1694 against the greenback. The euro is seen finding support around the 1.14 level. The single currency pared gains to 1.0793 against the franc, from a high of 1.0817 seen at 2:45 am ET. The euro is poised to face support around the 1.06 area. The euro eased off to 0.9113 against the pound, reversing from a 5-day high of 0.9157 hit at 4:00 am ET. On the downside, 0.90 is possibly seen as its next support level. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the UK economy contracted at a record pace in the second quarter though the decline was less severe than previously estimated. Due to the coronavirus containment measures, gross domestic product fell 19.8 percent sequentially. The rate was revised from a 20.4 percent fall estimated initially. The European currency retreated to 1.5665 against the loonie, 1.6429 against the aussie and 1.7776 against the kiwi, from its prior session's high of 1.5739, 2-day high of 1.6514 and a 6-day high of 1.7839, respectively. Near term support for the euro is seen around 1.54 against the loonie, 1.62 against the aussie and 1.74 against the kiwi. Looking ahead, U.S. ADP private payrolls data for September is scheduled for release at 8:15 am ET. Canada GDP data for July, U.S. GDP data for the second quarter and pending home sales for August will be released in the New York session. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de On Sunday, President Donald Trump strongly demanded that his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, be drug tested for Tuesdays debate. Only drugs could explain why Sleepy Joe Biden sometimes wasnt so sleepy at all, Trump alleged. If it initially sounded like the president may have been referring to another drug that was famously popular in his heyday in 1980s New York, a surrogate, Rudy Giuliani, clarified things on Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning. He claimed that Biden has dementia. Theres no doubt about it. Ive talked to doctorsand then added: The presidents quite right to say maybe [Biden]s taken Adderall. Advertisement Theres no evidence to suggest Biden is actually on any drugs, legal or otherwise. But purely hypothetically: Would Adderall really do what Giuliani (and by implication, Trump) claims? What kind of miracle drugs does Trump think Biden would need here? Slate spoke to Michael T. Swanoski, a professor at the University of Minnesotas College of Pharmacy, to get into what is and isnt scientifically possible. Our conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heather Schwedel: How would a drug like Adderall affect someones debate performances? Michael T. Swanoski: Adderall is a stimulant thats often prescribed for attention deficit disorder. So Adderall potentially could increase your attentiveness if youre feeling drowsy or if youre fatigued. But it doesnt increase cognition per se. It doesnt improve thinking, but it provides a boost similar to what youd get from a cup of coffeea little more pronounced, but not increasing cognition in any way. It wouldnt have an effect on your acetylcholine, which is the chemical thats connected with clear thoughts, thinking through a difficult task, and high-level thinking. Advertisement Advertisement What other kind of drugs would take a person from sleepy to wide awake, so to speak? Theres been a push in marketing nutritional supplements that are touted for improving brain health or memory. They make vague claims of brain enhancer or memory enhancer without really getting too specific, because theyre not allowed to make claims that they cant back up. But thereve certainly been cases of students using stimulants to help, maybe if theyve got a big exam, to make them more alert potentially. People are purchasing these products with the hope that theyll help them with giving them a competitive edge, perhaps in their job or whatever they need to think about. Advertisement Advertisement Would those show up in a drug test? Whether a nutritional supplement would show up in the urine is questionable. If you had amphetamine in your urine, that would show up. Trump seems to be implying that theres a drug that could magically make someone who was frail and confused into a brilliant debater. Is that possible? Inherently your talents in debating are not going to suddenly be enhanced because you took a nutritional supplement or you took a prescription stimulant. The best they can do is maybe make you more alert. Theyre not going to suddenly increase your intelligence. Thats just not possible. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has been pretty vague, but on Fox News, Rudy Giuliani has gone so far as to say Biden has dementia. Theres a difference between normal cognitive decline and actual dementia, right? Advertisement Advertisement There is a difference. As we age, our mental acuity or intelligence, theyre all still there. Forgetting someones name is not unusual, but if you forget where you live or where youre going, its really a more pronounced loss of memory and cognitive function. With normal aging, theres occasional short-term memory lapses here and there, but its not profound enough to really impact us. You look at someone like Judge [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg, who was almost 90 years old. She was highly intellectual and exercised her brain, and maybe she had some symptoms of forgetting where she put her keys, but her high level of cognition was still intact. Not everybody who ages gets dementia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani also said the presidents quite right to say maybe [Biden has] taken Adderall, implying it would be a treatment for his supposed sleepiness. Dementia is not lack of energy; theres damage going on in the brain. Theres neural damage that occurs that then impairs the function of these neural transmitters, these chemicals like acetylcholine, which is this chemical thats really responsible in large part for our normal cognitive function. And so someone with dementia would not be treated with amphetamines to get them more alert. It wouldnt increase their brain acuity at all. It would make them jittery, more confused, really, because they wouldnt be able to think clearly. Drugs for dementia are primarily aimed at increasing levels of acetylcholine, like Donepezil, which is used for Alzheimers dementia. So just to be clear, youre saying that Adderall is not a treatment for dementia? You are correct. When Imperial opened in 2012, the restaurant was part of a wave of big-name restaurant openings after a decade when most of Portlands dining attention had been firmly focused on the east side. But at 5 p.m. Friday, as Vitaly Paley and wife, Kimberly, were breaking the news to staff that Imperial would close for good, the sidewalk outside their Southwest Broadway restaurant was filled not with customers, but with grim reminders of a downtown he thought had been left in the past. Sir David Eastwood and Sir Chris Husbands want teaching to go through to July University bosses have called for the government to scrap A-level exams next year in favour of teacher assessments to avoid another education 'fiasco'. The Vice-chancellors of Birmingham University and Sheffield Hallam University have said it would be 'simply wrong' to make sixth form students sit exams rather than carry on with lessons after losing weeks in the classroom earlier this year. But their plan to focus the entire academic year on learning goes against Education Secretary Gavin Williamson's proposal to go ahead with assessments that could be slightly delayed or based on reduced curriculums. University bosses have called for the government to scrap A-level exams next year in favour of teacher assessments to avoid another education 'fiasco' Writing in The Times, Birmingham's Sir David Eastwood and Sheffield Hallam's Sir Chris Husbands said: '[Students] need all the time for learning they can possibly get.' Their proposal - supported by several other figures - is to simply cancel A-level exams and 'extend learning all the way through this academic year, until July'. Teachers would provide assessment grades on their work over the year, which would avoid the possibility of repeating the summer grading 'fiasco' if exams had to be cancelled. A decision now by the Department for Education would give exam boards time to set out a moderation process for teacher grading 'almost every other advanced educational system'. 'Our approach would have huge benefits. It would give students certainty and remove the worry that learning would be interrupted by a local lockdown,' they added. Sir David Eastwood, Vice-chancellor of Birmingham University, said it would be 'simply wrong' to make sixth form students sit exams rather than carry on with lessons after losing weeks in the classroom earlier this year Sir David and Sir Chris Husbands, Sheffield Hallam's Vice Chancellor (pictured) have proposed cancelling A-level exams and 'extend learning all the way through this academic year until July' 'It would give universities certainty about assessments. It would ease progression from school to university for learners whose education has been so interrupted.' The university chiefs, whose institutions together teach 60,000 students, added that time was critical to 'mitigate the impacts of further disruption on our young people'. Figures published yesterday showed the number of secondary schools fully open fell in the past week from 92 per cent to 84 per cent. The Department for Education replied by saying: 'We expect exams to take place next year and continue to work with [the exam regulator] Ofqual and the exam boards on our approach, recognising that students will have experienced considerable disruption to their education in the last academic year. 'There are a range of measures pro- posed by Ofqual, including a possible short delay to the exam timetable and subject-specific changes to reduce pressure on teaching time.' The university chiefs, whose institutions together teach 60,000 students, added that time was critical to ' mitigate the impacts of further disruption on our young people'. Pictured: Locked down students at Manchester Metropolitan University But the their plan to focus the entire academic year on learning with teacher marks goes against Education Secretary Gavin Williamson's proposal to go ahead with assessments that could be slightly delayed or based on reduced curriculums It comes as dozens of teaching professionals also wrote to Boris Johnson to warn of the impact of testing problems has had on children and teachers as it has caused disruption since schools reopened this month. In a new poll, released by the Publishers Association, more than half (53%) of teachers with students due to take exams next year claim their students are not on track to get the results they are capable of. This figure rises to 66% in deprived schools with the most children receiving free school meals. The study also found that 81% of headteachers stated they do not have access to the funding needed to fully equip pupils who will take exams in 2021 with the physical textbooks and workbooks required to succeed. In a letter to the Prime Minister published yesterday, the National Education Union (NEU) demanded 'urgent clarity and realism on exams and tests for next year'. The letter stated: 'There needs to be fairness for children across the country who will miss varying amounts of schooling as a result of isolation and local lockdowns.' In an unusual move, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday sent a notice to the Kerala crime branch asking it to hand over the case diary of the twin political murders of Youth Congress workers and cautioned that the agency would be forced to seize it if it was delayed further. The CBI has sent the notice under CrPC 91 (summons to produce important documents) after the crime branch failed to hand over details after six requests, a senior official of the agency said. The notice was issued to the deputy superintendent of police who investigated the case. The state government is trying its best to prevent the CBI from taking over the probe fearing the central agency will implicate its senior leaders in the case. Youth Congress workers Kripesh and Sharth Lal were waylaid and hacked to death brutally by an alleged group of CPI (M) workers in Periya in north Kerala in February 2019. Though both chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had condemned the double murders most of the arrested were active party workers. Parents of the victims had moved the High Court later saying that the investigation was not conducted properly and many leaders were left out by the crime branch due to political pressure and they sought a CBI probe. A single bench of the HC had accepted their plea but the government moved the division bench which also upheld the single bench order. However, the government later moved the Supreme Court which also refused to stay the HC order. The Opposition Congress and BJP have questioned the governments move saying it was more interested in protecting the perpetrators of the crime, not families of the victims. Many senior advocates from the Supreme Court were approached by the government but all the courts stood with the parents of the victims. Though the state police arrested 12 people, all local CPI(M) workers, in connection with the case, the parents alleged that it was a well-planned and executed murder and many senior district leaders were involved in the conspiracy. A week before the murder, the CPI(M) had organised a protest rally in the area and senior leader V P P Mustafa had made a speech in the meet threatening both the men that their days were numbered, the parents pointed out in their plea saying a central agency probe was needed to bring all the conspirators to book. The CBI is already probing two political murder cases in north Kerala in which many senior leaders including former Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan were named as accused. So, the party had strongly opposed the CBI probe fearing that senior party functionaries would be made accused in the latest case also. Parents of both men alleged that senior party leaders knew about the murder and they protected the accused after the crime. The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) said the Union government was using central agencies to weaken the state government and it will not allow free reign of CBI in the state. The Modi government is using all opportunities to weaken an elected government. We will not allow this to happen, said LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan. Two days back the party had announced an agitation against the central agencies but dropped its plan after Covid-19 cases spiked. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the government wanted to protect the real killers that is why it was opposing the CBI probe. North Kerala is notorious for political killings especially between red and saffron forces and usually the party leadership prepares the list of accused and submits it in the police station after every killing and this helps the real killers and those who worked behind the scenes to go scot free. But things have changed of late due to effective intervention of the judiciary and media, say political observers. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON COLUMBUS, Ohio - When people have the option to click "like" on a media article they encounter online, they spend less time actually reading the text, a new study suggests. In a lab experiment, researchers found that people spent about 7 percent less time reading articles on controversial topics when they had the opportunity to upvote or downvote them than if there was no interactive element. The finding was strongest when an article agreed with the reader's point of view. The results suggest that the ability to interact with online content may change how we consume it, said Daniel Sude, who led the work while earning a doctoral degree in communication at The Ohio State University. "When people are voting whether they like or dislike an article, they're expressing themselves. They are focused on their own thoughts and less on the content in the article," Sude said. "It is like the old phrase, 'If you're talking, you're not listening.' People were talking back to the articles without listening to what they had to say." In another finding, people's existing views on controversial topics like gun control or abortion became stronger after voting on articles that agreed with their views, even when they spent less time reading them. "Just having the ability to like an article you agreed with was enough to amplify your attitude," said study co-author Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, professor of communication at Ohio State. "You didn't need to read the article carefully, you didn't have to learn anything new, but you are more committed to what you already believed." The study, also co-authored by former Ohio State doctoral student George Pearson, was published online recently in the journal Computers in Human Behavior and will appear in the January 2021 print edition. The study involved 235 college students. Before the study, the researchers measured their views on four controversial topics used in the experiment: abortion, welfare benefits, gun control and affirmative action. Participants were then showed four versions of an online news website created for the study, each on one of the controversial topics. Each webpage showed headlines and first paragraphs for four articles, two with a conservative slant and two with a liberal slant. Participants could click on the headlines to read the full stories. Two versions of the websites had a banner that said, "Voting currently enabled for this topic," and each article had an up arrow or down arrow that participants could click on to express their opinion. The other two websites had a banner that said, "Voting currently disabled for this topic." Participants were given three minutes to browse each website as they wished, although they were not told about the time limit. The researchers measured the time participants spent on each story and whether they voted if they had the opportunity. As expected, for each website, participants spent more time reading articles that agreed with their views (about 1.5 minutes) than opposing views (less than a minute). But they spent about 12 seconds less time reading the articles they agreed with if they could vote. In addition, people voted on about 12 percent of articles that they didn't select to read, the study showed. "Rather than increasing engagement with website content, having the ability to interact may actually distract from it," Sude said. The researchers measured the participants' views on the four topics again after they read the websites to see if their attitudes had changed at all. Results showed that when participants were not able to vote, time spent reading articles that agreed with their original views strengthened these views. The more time they spent reading, the stronger their views became. When participants were able to vote, their voting behavior was as influential as their reading time. Even if they stopped reading and upvoted an article, their attitudes still became stronger. "It is important that people's views still became stronger by just having the opportunity to vote, Knobloch-Westerwick said. "When they had the opportunity to vote on the articles, their attitudes were getting more extreme with limited or no input from the articles themselves. They were in an echo chamber of one." Sude said there is a better way to interact with online news. "Don't just click the like button. Read the article and leave thoughtful comments that are more than just a positive or negative rating," he said. "Say why you liked or disliked the article. The way we express ourselves is important and can influence the way we think about an issue." ### Contact: Daniel Sude, Sude.2@osu.edu Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, Knobloch-Westerwick.1@osu.edu Written by Jeff Grabmeier, 614-292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu The White House has blocked an order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that wouldve kept cruise liners docked until early next year, reports say. The CDCs current no sail policy, first put in place in April, was set to expire on Wednesday. During a Tuesday coronavirus task force meeting, CDC Director Robert Redfield reportedly recommended extending the current order again until at least mid-February, 2021. Redfield reportedly voiced concern the ships would likely become virus hotspots again, just as they had been at the beginning of the pandemic. But a senior health official told Axios that Redfield was ultimately overruled as the administration instead plans to extend the order only until October 31, before permitting ships to take to the seas once again. The official said the decision to reject Redfields proposal was politically motivated, with the Trump administration reluctant to upset the cruise industry in the critical swing state of Florida ahead of November's election. The White House has blocked an order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that wouldve kept cruise liners which are considered a hotbed for coronavirus docked until early next year, reports say During a Tuesday coronavirus task force meeting, CDC Director Robert Redfield reportedly recommended extending the current order again until at least mid-February, 2021 The White House timeline for reopening the cruise industry aligns with a voluntary plan the industry itself offered up, which was overseen by former Utah Gov. Michael Leavitt and former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. The industrys plan calls for a gradual return to the norm with its first trips taking on crew members posing as passengers and testing guests twice before arrival and prior to boarding. In a statement to Axios, White House spokesperson Brian Morganstern insisted there was nothing political behind the overruling of Redfield. The president, the vice president and the task force follow the science and data to implement policies that protect the public health and also facilitate the safe reopening of our country, he said. Its not about politics. Its about saving lives. Under Redfields leadership, the CDC has been broadly criticized for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, ridicule which began with its haphazard rollout of testing kits back in the spring. It also recently received criticism for issuing new guidance on airborne transmission of the virus, only to retract it days later claiming it had been posted in error. Redfield, who has previously been admonished by Trump advocating for mask wearing and issuing warnings that vaccines wont be readily available until next year, reportedly feared hed be fired before the Tuesday decision, according to the New York Times. The outlet further reported that Redfield had also considered resigning from his post if he were forced to oversee a policy that would compromise public health, a senior administration official disclosed. He reportedly warned the taskforce that allowing cruise ships to sail without proper precautions could lead to a public health crisis. The Diamond Princess cruise ship became one of the first examples of a coronavirus superspreading event at the beginning of the pandemic, when more than 700 of its 3,711 passengers and crew tested positive for COVID-19, and 14 died A passenger wearing a protective mask holds up a sign that reads, "Test Me," as she stands on the balcony of the Coral Princess cruise ship while docked at Port Miami Between March 1 and July 10, the CDC reported there had been 2,973 cruise-related coronavirus illnesses and 34 deaths The Diamond Princess cruise ship became one of the first examples of a coronavirus superspreading event at the beginning of the pandemic, when more than 700 of its 3,711 passengers and crew tested positive for COVID-19 and 14 died. Between March 1 and July 10, the CDC reported there had been 2,973 cruise-related coronavirus illnesses and 34 deaths. The cruise ship industry is considered to have a vast political influence in Florida and generates $53 billion annually in economic activity. The Florida Ports Council said that states cruise industry, the largest in the nation, has been the hardest hit by the coronavirus. With Trump fighting hard to win over the state in a neck-and-neck election race with Joe Biden, Republican politicians in Florida and cruise industry lobbyists have called for ending the no-sail order. I urge the C.D.C. not to extend or renew the No Sail Order, Carlos A. Gimenez, the Republican mayor of Miami-Dade County, said in a Saturday statement. Earlier this month, Republican Florida Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio proposed the Set Sail Safely Act, which would create a maritime taskforce on the logistical changes needed for the industry to resume operations safely. The Florida delegation is very supportive, and is trying to work with the administration and the C.D.C. to see what efforts we can do to get the industry up and operating, Michael Rubin, vice president of governmental affairs for the Florida Ports Council told the Times. Its still the only industry thats not allowed to operate at the moment. Trump had included three chairman from the cruise industrys largest lines Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian On a White House task force formed in April to advise him on reopening the country. Despite the cruise industry being pummeled by the pandemic, liners were ineligible for stimulus funds because theyre operated overseas. GUELPH The battle against the spread of COVID-19 has a new ally: wastewater sampling. Yes, testing peoples poop. Testing wastewater is an efficient addition to testing individuals, which involves long wait times and high costs. Individuals with the COVID virus, they shed in their feces millions, if not billions, of viruses into the toilet every day, says Ed McBean, an engineering professor at the University of Guelph and former Senior Canada Research Chair in water supply security. McBean and his team are researching the best way to test wastewater in order to detect if cases of COVID 19 are rising, and potentially catch outbreaks before they happen. Viral RNA that has been shed in feces is detectable using DNA technology. Testing wastewater for viral RNA concentrations catches cases even when they are asymptomatic. McBean and his team received $50,000 of funding from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. They are also partnering with Stantec, a design and consulting firm, which donated $14,000 in kind to the work. The team is working to find the best method of gathering samples, the best time to take those samples, the best testing procedures in the lab, and the best protocol once testing has been carried out. The goal to establish effective protocols that local governments and organizations like universities can use to effectively monitor and track down rises in cases. It might be a good way to characterize a neighbourhood or perhaps a city, although thats huge for most cases, to arrange things like lockdowns, McBean said. I mean thats horrifically impactful to the economy, so we dont want to do that unless we have good evidence. The teams research is taking place at five selected residences at the University of Guelph. Samples are taken at the manholes or vent holes where the buildings sewage is pumped into the citys wastewater system. These samples will be sent to labs at the Public Health Agency of Canada, Laval University Infectious and Immune Disease Research Centre and the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety at the University of Guelph for results and to determine the best lab testing methods. The whole end game, said McBean, is to see if we are improving or deteriorating in terms of sampling without actually having to test 40,000 people. If higher concentrations of the virus are detected in a wastewater treatment plant, the city or municipality can then test neighbourhoods to narrow down where the increase in infections originates. That said, the virus gets harder to detect the more diluted it becomes and the longer it has travelled in a sewage system. This method worked recently at the University of Arizona where cases of COVID were detected in the wastewater of a residence, even though all students tested negative in order to move in. RELATED STORIES Waterloo Region Surface tracking could be useful tool in fight against COVID-19 As a result of the wastewater testing, all students and workers associated with that building were retested and two asymptomatic people tested positive. They were isolated before they could potentially cause an outbreak. McBean said wastewater testing could be very fast, with samples sent to labs within half an hour of acquiring them. Just how fast lab results would be able to come back is yet to be seen. The research is already underway, and is scheduled to continue for a year. McBeans team has been collecting samples for two weeks now, keeping them frozen until the labs are ready to receive them. They are expected to be thawed and sent for testing this week. McBean hopes to see results before the year is through. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 23:51:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close XINING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- During the forthcoming National Day holiday, Li Delin and his colleagues will keep working at the China Global Atmosphere Watch Baseline Observatory at Mount Waliguan in northwest China's Qinghai Province. Located 3,816 meters above sea level on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, the observatory went into operation in 1994. It is one of 31 global baseline observatories established by the World Meteorological Organization and the highest one in the world. Over the past 26 years, workers at the observatory have fought against the harsh environment to monitor greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide and shared data with international meteorological organizations. Besides greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, the station also monitors levels of halogenated gases, aerosols, solar radiation, and radioactive substances. Every day, more than 60,000 pieces of data are collected, according to Liu Peng, deputy head of the observatory. "The World Meteorological Organization said that the monitoring data from Waliguan provided sufficient evidence that global greenhouse gas levels are increasing. The data is crucial for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, providing a reference for governments to implement energy conservation and emission reduction plans and targets," said Zhang Guoqing, head of the observatory. To ensure the proper operation of the observatory and the collection of data, ten people take turns working at the observatory. They often eat pre-cooked food in a bid to avoid producing too much smoke, which may affect data collection. "The job is full of hardships. But we firmly believe that our jobs will benefit future generations and protect the earth. It is a worthwhile and noble career," said Li. The workers are now expecting a new working area, which will be officially put into use in November. Thus, the working area and living area will be separated, and workers of the observatory will have a better working and living environment. Enditem SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Founded in 2017 by dance and music artist Lydia Querian, Daily Malong is on a mission to empower weavers, master artists and other Indigenous community leaders in the Philippines to continue their living traditions by extending appreciation of indigenous creations to Filipino diasporic communities in North America. "Many youths in weaving communities are assigning more value to Western culture than their own traditions. We believe that by demonstrating how much people in the Filipino diaspora appreciate their culture and work, it will encourage these youth to take a more active role in perpetuating the traditions, practice them with pride, and value their communities." Lydia Querian, Founder. "Most of my customers are either Filipino folk dancers/musicians, cultural practitioners, young professionals, recent college graduates, or still in school," says Querian. "My business model allows me to keep prices reasonable so that more people can have a piece of an authentic, handwoven item." Purchasing directly from weavers is how Lydia keeps high-quality malongs and apparel in stock without charging so much that her younger customers can't afford it. It also ensures that weavers can maximize the economic benefit from their work. "A master weaver labors for two to three weeks to finish one piece." Daily Malong is set to release a fresh logo, website and a documentary to celebrate Fil-Am History Month in October. The store will also have a site-wide sale during the month to celebrate both Filipino American History Month and Indigenous People's Month. Website: www.dailymalong.com Social Media (FB, IG, Pinterest, Twitter): @dailymalong Press Contact: Jemm Magaling Email: [email protected] About Daily Malong Daily Malong strives to empower Indigenous Pilipino artisans to continue their living traditions by extending appreciation to curious markets in the diaspora. Daily Malong is an e-commerce store promoting the Malong as their main item for sale. A malong is a tubular cloth that has been used in different indigenous communities in the Philippines from way back during pre-colonial times. Daily Malong also offers other woven products sourced from different indigenous communities in the Philippines through different apparels, accessories and home goods. The store is proud of its sustainable operations by working directly with communities. About the Founder Lydia Querian is a San Francisco dance and music artist who left her corporate work to pursue social entrepreneurship. She's done several collaborations, performances and has toured both nationally and internationally with Dancing Earth, KulArts, Parangal Dance Company and Fusion Dance Project. She was part of the feature in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2017, along with the San Francisco Kulintang Legacy -- a group that was put together to honor the late Father of Kulintang in North America, Master Danongan "Danny" Kalanduyan. Lydia is the Co-Founder of House of Gongs, the Co-Producer of one of the first and biggest Kulintang Festival in North America - Gongster's Paradise, and the executive producer of Gongs Away Music. Related Images daily-malong-spring-summer-lookbook.jpg Daily Malong Spring/Summer Lookbook Looks using handwoven and hand-beaded textiles from the Philippines. Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOu1Ta7eFqM SOURCE Daily Malong The hurried cremation of the Hathras gang-rape victim was meant to suppress protests and chief minister Yogi Adityanath must resign, opposition political readers said on Wednesday, while also demanding the case be shifted outside of Uttar Pradesh. The slugfest intensified after the family of the 19-year-old Dalit victim alleged that they had been forced by UP police to perform her last rites in the stealth of the night. The police said they had the consent of the kin. Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the people of the country are sad and angry over the gruesome incident and said the Nirbhaya of Hathras did not die but was killed by a cruel and insensitive government and its administration. WATCH: Hathras horror: Cars can overturn in UP says BJP leader; Congress slams Yogi What kind of justice is this? What kind of a government is this? You think you can do anything and the nation will sit and watch. Never, the nation will speak against your injustice. On behalf of the Congress party, I demand justice for the family. India belongs to everyone. Everyone has the right to live with dignity. The Constitution has given us this right. We will not allow the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] to break the country and violate the Constitution, the Congress president said in a video message. Also Read: Resolve the Hathras rape case swiftly Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded the resignation of the chief minister, who said he had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the September 14 gangrape, in the course of which the woman was brutalised by four men. Tagging Adityanath, Priyanka Priyanka, who oversees her partys Uttar Pradesh unit, tweeted: RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as chief minister. @myogiadityanath RESIGN Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister. 3/3 Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020 In another tweet in Hindi, she alleged that at 2:30 am on Wednesday, UP police forced the family to cremate the body. - ? 14 ? ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/Q2qPcDXDTT Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020 I was on the phone with the Hathras victims father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair. He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night the victims father was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites, she wrote. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi joined his sister in attacking the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh. A daughter of India is raped-murdered, facts are suppressed and in the end, the right to perform the last rites is also taken away from the victims family. It is insulting and unjust, he tweeted in Hindi. Members of Dalit groups and activists alleged the police was actively prohibiting them from agitation. The whole world is watching how the government and the police together cremated our sister in the absence of her family. I have been taken into custody and put under house arrest in Saharanpur; but we will continue to fight, said Chandrasekhar Azad, chief of the Bhim Army that had led protests outside Delhis Safdarjung hospital on Tuesday. The Samajwadi Party also tried to organise a march to the CMs residence, but the police stopped the group too with a lathicharge. In New Delhi, around 80 Left activists were detained when they tried to stage a protest outside Uttar Pradesh Bhawan. By PTI PUNE: A 15-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide, as she did not have a smartphone to attend online classes, in Karad tehsil of Maharashtra's Satara district, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place in Ond village, 10 km from Karad town last week, an official said. According to the deceased minor's mother, who works as a labourer, the Class 9 student had asked for a smartphone for online classes and despite being promised one, she hanged herself from the ceiling at her home, inspector K M Dhumal of Karad taluka police station said. While the police did not recover any suicide note from the scene, a case of accidental death was registered in this regard, he added. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA's 24x7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance.) Diaspora Forum: Some Zimbabweans watch the USA presidential election debate Tuesday with some of them saying it was uninformative as President Donald Trump interrupted Joe Biden several times. But others said the two did well. They say such debates can be conducted in Zimbabwe. James Comey, former director of the FBI, testifies via videoconference during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington on Sept. 30, 2020. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Comey Claims He Was Unaware of Key Exculpatory Evidence in Spy Warrant Applications Former FBI Director James Comey told senators on Wednesday that he wasnt aware of key exculpatory evidence in secretive spy applications made against a Donald Trump campaign associate. Comey said he did not know that Carter Page was a CIA asset, something that was kept from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) by an FBI lawyer who pled guilty to manipulating an email. Kevin Clinesmith admitted to changing the email to say Page was not an asset when a CIA employee had said he was. I did not know the nature of his relationship with the CIA, Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Comey also claimed that, despite the existence of the email attesting to Pages role as a CIA asset, he still isnt sure whether Page worked for the intelligence agency. I dont think the record established that he worked with the CIA, Comey claimed. Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) challenged that notion, telling him, We have the email confirming he was a source for the CIA. Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) questions former FBI Director James Comey, who was speaking remotely, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington on Sept. 30, 2020. (Ken Cedeno/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) The spy applications made to FISC to spy on Page were riddled with errors and omissions, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz found. U.S. Attorney John Durham is conducting a criminal probe into the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane. The warrant applications relied on a dossier put together by ex-British spy Christopher Steele, who was being paid through a third-party by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee. While Trumps current and former associates were being probed for alleged ties to Russia, recently released documents show that Steeles primary source was a suspected Russian spy. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Russians successfully targeted Steele, because some Russian disinformation made its way into the Steele dossier. Comey denied knowledge that the primary source was under investigation as a potential Russian spy dating back to 2009, that the source told FBI agents that statements attributed to him in the dossier were inaccurate, that the dossier contained Internet rumors, and that the dossier may have included Russian disinformation. Comey said Crossfire Hurricane was opened on the basis of a warning from an allied nation that Trumps campaign had dirt on Clintons campaign. The FBI opened the investigation on July 31, 2016, after receiving information from a Friendly Foreign Government reporting that, in May of that year, Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos suggested the Trump team had received an offer from Russia that it could assist with an anonymous release of information that would be damaging to Clinton, according to Horowitz. Comey and Peter Strzok, a top FBI agent, were told on Sept. 7, 2016, about a reported Clinton plan that aimed at using an alleged Trump-Russia connection as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private mail server, according to information declassified this week. That doesnt ring bells with me, Comey said. Pressed on whether the head of the FBI had a duty to be more aware of such a major probe, Comey later added: There is a heightened duty of candor, that includes exculpatory information. Comey at one point told Graham that he wouldnt have signed the application to spy on Page if he knew what he knows now. No, not without a much fuller discussion about their disclosure obligations to the court, he said. There are no good guys in 2020. The upcoming election and Democracy don't really offer Americans much hope given that most people realize that years of antagonistic political fighting will inevitably follow the outcome of the November vote. Accordingly and with respect to our progressive pals . . . From an objective standpoint there's no denying that Prez Trump "won" last night's debate. But it was ugly. Moreover, it's unclear if the victory convinced anyone to change their vote given that, historically, angry politicos turn away the electorate in the privacy of the voting booth. Mudslinging, personal attacks, constant interruptions, name-calling and gutter politics dominated the night and seemed to disappoint all but the most diehard President Trump fans. Nevertheless, Prez Trump appeared stronger and more resolute than his opponent. There's no question that the former game show host is skillful at protecting his public persona against a frail lifetime politico. Sadly, none of the bravado or rhetoric from the debate will do much improve the lives of Americans stuck in the same recession that's been obliterating the working-class since November 22, 1963. The nation has endured rising income inequality under both Republican & Democratic Party rule despite so many empty pleasantries and promises. Similarly, only suckers believe that U.S. troops will ever leave Iraq or Afghanistan. Feigned surprise over the popularity of president who commands the stage like a tyrant is overwrought and willfully ignores the brutal realities of the American super power which affords social justice activists their rights whilst like-minded progressives are habitually slaughtered in other parts of the world. The struggle to attain or keep power is never pretty and last night voters finally got a brief glimpse at the contentious nature of American politics that's likely to grow even more combative. Check the links . . . Debatable Conduct Presidential debate: Trump, Biden clash over Barrett Supreme Court nomination, ObamaCare as insults fly President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden kicked off their first presidential debate sparring over the Supreme Court nomination and ObamaCare, but it quickly devolved into Trump interrupting and Biden calling the president a "clown" and a "liar." Trump stood by his Supreme Court pick of Judge Amy Coney Barrett and his push to get her confirmed before the election. Proud Boys Win Name Check "Stand back and stand by": Trump's 2 chilling debate warnings One of the few groups in America with anything to celebrate after last night's loud, ugly, rowdy presidential "debate" was the violent, far-right Proud Boys, after President Trump pointedly refused to condemn white supremacist groups. Why it matters: This was a for-the-history-books moment in a debate that was mostly headache-inducing noise. Showdown Postscript Why Trump resorted to torching the debate Interruptions. Insults. Chaos. POLITICO's Gabby Orr breaks down the key moments from Tuesday night's showdown between Trump and Biden - and what it all means for the final stretch of the campaign. In the fall of 2016, he shrewdly used the policy issues of immigration, trade and Obamacare, and the personal issues of alleged corruption, against Hillary Clinton. Name Game Debate How The First Debate Between Donald Trump and Joe Biden Spiraled Out of Control It did not take long for the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden to spiral totally out of control. Markets Fear Fighting Global investors dump stocks as presidential debate fireworks escalate election jitters The stock markets were not impressed with Tuesday night's Trump-Biden debate. You decide . . . EXILED former Zanu PF officials, who were hounded out of the country at the height of the military coup in 2017, have called for an inclusive government to stabilise the ship, saying the present government has no capacity to rescue the country from the current mess. In an interview yesterday, former Foreign Affairs minister Walter Mzembi said the new ideas they represented would never die even if they were in exile. He also rubbished claims by Zanu PF that G40 elements had infiltrated ruling party structures by sponsoring candidates for the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections in order to regain lost ground. Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu on Monday claimed that the group was active on the ground and sponsoring their candidates, adding that the security of the party was on high alert. Mzembi said an inclusive arrangement was the only viable option for Zimbabwe. Zimbabwes answer lies in the inclusive government, where you now harness all skills and potential to get better results. We tried it in 2009 and everyone now reminisces of the period, but if you say you won an election and are, therefore, entitled to benefit with my followers, to benefit when the country has over 14 million people, four million voters and only two million voting for you, there is a problem, he said. If I were to meet my brother (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa, this is the advice I would give him. This is what (the late former President Robert) Mugabe used to do, bringing his enemies closer. He knew that in Cabinet there were people who wanted his position, some who did not agree with him, but people worked, he added. On claims they were actively involved in the DCC elections, Mzembi said: We advanced an argument with the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, we told them we had a dispute with those people. If you deny it to the ANC, it always has a way to manifest in DCC. You can deny it and claim that you vanquished G40, but what would you do if you are approached with guns, you take cover. But the mobilisation will not take cover, the software of G40 which is the grassroots will not take cover and it is very much intact. It is inherent in Zanu PF. He said Mnangagwa made a mistake of being vindictive with the young people in Zanu PF who would put on their thinking hats and decided to please people who aided him to power, hence the challenges he is facing. Another exiled G40 member, speaking on condition he is not named, said: They have G40s in their bedrooms. G40 is the party. Simple! All the threats against persecuted members and allegations of undermining the party are far-fetched and childish. The party is very young and the majority are G40s. Its evident that the cabal is ignoring the truth. Elections anytime within the party, the young will prevail. Guns dont win DCC elections. Threats dont wear party regalia. Persecution of comrades will not break the determination to reclaim the party to basics. Restore legitimacy and democracy within the party and all will be sorted. Newsday U.S. secretary of defense in Malta for SOFA Esper meets premier Abela. Government in favor of agreement (ANSAmed) - VALLETTA, SEPTEMBER 30 - US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper arrived in Malta last night where he is scheduled to meet with Premier Robert Abela. According to Maltese media, Esper is expected to get Abdela's green light for the proposal of a Status of Force Agreement (SOFA) which would open the doors of neutral Malta to the presence of US soldiers on the island. The accord which the US has with about one hundred countries worldwide guarantees that US troops cannot be legally pursued in the territory in which they are operating. Based on SOFA, for example, the culprits of the Cermis cable-car disaster in 1998 were tried in the US. Local media and the opposition have already expressed strong concerns that the potential accord is unconstitutional, also considering it not appropriate given the strong ties Malta has with unaligned countries like Russia, China, Turkey and Arab nations. The Times of Malta yesterday revealed that the government in a cabinet meeting in July gave its approval to the signature of SOFA, an objective the United States have been pursuing for at least 20 years. Over the past year, also thanks to the contribution of the FBI in a probe on the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia which revealed suspected ties of members of Joseph Muscat's government with entrepreneur Yorgen Fenech accused of ordering it, the pressure has increased significantly. According to the Times of Malta, the green light to SOFA would be granted by the government to obtain by Washington ''protection'' ahead of the upcoming evaluation of Malta by Moneyval, with the archipelago that risks being included in the grey light of countries at risk of money laundering. The government yesterday denied that such an accord is in the works but the opposition leader has already declared that the Nationalist party will vote against it in Parliament, where the government would need a two-thirds majority to approve a potential deal. The Maltese constitution states the Republic's absolute and perpetual neutrality. The Republic is part of the European Union but not a Nato member.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). The horrific gangrape and death of a Dalit girl in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras has sent shock waves across the country. The victim was raped and brutalised by four men of the upper caste in the UP village on September 14. She passed away on Tuesday at Delhis Safdarjung hospital. People are demanding justice for the girl, who was cremated in a hushed up manner by the police in the dead of the night. However, the debate has once again gone towards the capital punishment being advocated as the deterrent for heinous crimes like rape. It was witnessed during the Nirbhaya case too that people demanded death penalties for the accused. However, despite death penalties, the crimes continue to happen. Among those who advocated for the killing of rape accused in the Hathras case was model and actor Milind Soman. Kill rapists in public," he wrote. Kill rapists in public. Milind Usha Soman (@milindrunning) September 29, 2020 But Twitter was quick to remind him that death penalties have never been able to control the crime rates. Nirbhaya convicts were hanged, the accused in Telangana techies rape were hanged, but crimes against women didnt stop at that. Like the telengana accused were killed? If that worked then Hathras rape wouldnt have happened, no? https://t.co/MbyAQVd7AW tanuja kothiyal (@tanuja_kothiyal) September 30, 2020 Men would literally rather advocate murder than advocate feminism.Because advocating murder is just a few strokes on a keyboard that they know has no personal consequences, whereas the other thing involves letting go of their own power. https://t.co/czT5D7JIVf Khemta Hannah Jose (@khemta_h_jose) September 30, 2020 hormonal men stop openly campaigning for death penalty when it does nothing to deter assault in this country challenge https://t.co/zs06hdeI8B yodababy stan acc (they/she) (@pussyriottt) September 30, 2020 Report this tweet for inciting violence. This does not help the victims. It creates kangaroo courts, mob lynching, violates human rights and justice. https://t.co/eCIJcCAocv Baba (@BabaGlocal) September 30, 2020 Women: Can we be safe?Society: We will kill your rapists. Women: but we dont wanna get raped Society: We will kill your rapists. https://t.co/5LQUYGwmhh Fitoor (@JeanDmello) September 30, 2020 Pliss saat aap, deer.Were not barbarians. Frontier justice has no place in a civilized society. https://t.co/4OtbdIqbI7 Nastik Nirishwarwadi Amogh (@amogh_astra) September 29, 2020 And solve nothing? At all? https://t.co/QklgSS68v1 Sulagna Chatterjee (@BeingChatterjee) September 30, 2020 Stick to talking about running. Or even better, dont talk and just run. https://t.co/niOAHt8TUo iamjustavisualperson (@priyankasacheti) September 30, 2020 Meanwhile, the police has been accused of forcibly keeping away the family of the 20-year-old Dalit woman as they cremated her body at at around 3am on Wednesday against the wishes of the family. The womans family members said the police forcibly performed the last rites last night even though they wanted to bring her body home one last time and cremate her in the morning as per customs. The parents and the brothers of the victim were in Delhi when the UP police brought her for cremation to Hathras, 200 km away from the national capital. Bhuri Singh, the uncle of the deceased, told News18 that police pressured relatives to perform the last rites in the middle of the night. Capital punishment for the rapists has been the war cry for many, including top world leaders, even though this hasnt help to keep the crimes in check. Earlier this month, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had called for castration of rapists after a woman was raped in front of her children in Pakistans Lahore. Utah woman, Larain Latter Jolley (pictured), has been charged in connection with the kidnapping of her six-year-old grandson A Utah grandmother has been charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly refusing to tell police the whereabouts of her six-year-old grandson who authorities say was kidnapped by his biological mother over the weekend. Timothy Butler, the father of Terran Butler, contacted law enforcement to report that his son had been kidnapped on Saturday. According to a statement from the Unified Police Department, Terran was on a court supervised visit with his biological mother, Emily Jolley, 43, and her mother, Larain Latter Jolley, when the alleged kidnapping occurred. Police said Terran's father attempted to pick him up from the home only to discover that Emily had taken him from the residence without consent. Terran, who still hasn't been located, was last seen in the area of Millcreek with Emily Jolley. Latter was arrested by officers at her Millcreek home on Sunday, a day after an Amber Alert was issued for her grandson. According to Fox13, Latter was the adult supervising the visit. Terran's dad said that he tried contacting both Latter and Jolley before he reported the kidnapping to police. Police said Terran (left and right) was on a court supervised visit with his biological mother, Emily Jolley (left), 43, and her mother, Larain Latter Jolley, when the alleged kidnapping occurred Police said Terran's father attempted to pick him up from the home only to discover that Emily had taken him from the residence without consent Eventually, Butler made contact with Latter, who allegedly told him that his son had been taken by US Marshals and a warrant was out for his arrest. Upon arriving to Latter's home, police conducted a search for Terran. Later, in an interview, Latter admitted to police that she knew her grandson was safe, according to Fox13. She didn't tell police where her daughter and grandson are located. Eventually, investigators discovered a text conversation between Jolley and Latter while searching through her cell phone. According to the news station, a third woman by the name of Stephanie Barber was a part of the text chat and told Latter to tell officers that her daughter had moved out. Latter was charged with second degree felony obstruction of justice in connection with a reported child kidnapping. Her bail has been set at $10,000. Terran's father, Timothy Butler (pictured with Terran), said he tried contacting both Latter and Jolley before he reported the kidnapping to police Eventually, Butler made contact with Latter, who allegedly told him that his son had been taken by US Marshals and a warrant was out for his arrest. According to a Facebook post from Butler's girlfriend, Amelia Jensen Meneses, it's believed that Jolley had been planning the kidnapping 'for months even years' According to a Facebook post from Butler's girlfriend, Amelia Jensen Meneses, it's believed that Jolley had been planning the kidnapping 'for months even years'. Meneses said that Jolley lost all custody over Terran about 18 months ago 'and visits had to be supervised and at dads [sic] discretion'. Jolley is reportedly driving a blue 2008 Toyota Prius that has a Utah license plate with the number E847GT. 'Emily has ties to Washington State and may be traveling to Washington with Terran,' authorities said in a statement. Authorities are urging anyone with information on Emily Jolley's whereabouts to call 801-743-7000. Former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images; Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden faced off Tuesday night in the first presidential debate of the 2020 US general election. In all, the event featured a constant stream of false claims, misinformation, and conspiracy theories, mostly from the president as he shouted over Biden and the Fox News host Chris Wallace, who attempted to moderate the debate. Scroll down for a fact-check of the event. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden's highly anticipated first debate rapidly descended into bickering and hard-to-follow barrages of false claims, misinformation, and conspiracy theories, mostly from Trump. CNN's Dana Bash described Tuesday night's event as a "s---show." Her colleague Jake Tapper largely agreed, calling it "a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck." "That was the worst debate I have ever seen," he said, adding: "Primarily because of President Trump." Here's are some of the biggest whoppers from both presidential candidates and how they stack up with reality: The Supreme Court What they said: While discussing Trump's push to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Supreme Court seat, Biden attacked Trump for trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Trump then accused Biden of working to "extinguish 180 million people with their private healthcare that they're very happy with." "That's simply not true," Biden said. "Well, you're going socialist," Trump said, adding, "That's not what you said and that's not what your party said. Your party wants to go socialist medicine and socialist healthcare, and they're going to dominate you, Joe, you know that." "I am the Democratic Party right now," Biden shot back. "The platform of the Democratic Party is what I, in fact, approved of." Story continues Fact-check: It's not true that Biden's healthcare plan would kick 180 million people off their insurance. Biden has proposed a "public option," which would allow people to voluntarily join a government-run healthcare program similar to Medicare. But if they want to keep their current insurance, under Biden's plan, they would be able to. Trump and other Republican lawmakers have repeatedly claimed that Biden and other establishment Democrats caved to progressive lawmakers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Last week, one White House representative described Biden as "a prisoner of the radical, extreme, socialist left." In fact, Biden often comes under attack from his progressive rivals for his centrist record and long history of collaborating with Republicans. Though he adopted some positions endorsed by progressives, he has not embraced the benchmark policy proposal they've advocated: Medicare for All. Biden opposes government-run universal healthcare and has instead pushed to expand the Affordable Care Act, the law also known as Obamacare. The former vice president also pushed back on the "socialist" label, saying during the debate that he "defeated the socialist," referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who challenged Biden in the Democratic primary and describes himself as a democratic socialist. COVID-19 What they said: Trump claimed Biden opposed his decision to ban certain types of travel from China early on during the US coronavirus outbreak. He said of travel from China, "We closed it down." Trump also said the US was "weeks away" from a COVID-19 vaccine. Fact-check: Biden's campaign said in April that he supported Trump's decision to restrict travel. Trump also did not impose a complete ban on travel from China, and thousands of people traveled to the US from China after the restrictions were announced. The restrictions were also implemented after the virus had already gained a foothold in the US. Regarding a coronavirus vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's director, Robert Redfield, recently told Congress: "If you're asking me when is it going to be generally available to the American public so we can begin to take advantage of vaccine to get back to our regular life, I think we're probably looking at late second quarter, third quarter 2021." What they said: Trump told Biden he didn't "do very well" in handling the swine flu, known as H1N1. "You were a disaster," Trump said. Fact-check: Biden wasn't president when the H1N1 pandemic struck the US in 2009, and he wasn't spearheading the federal response to it; President Barack Obama was. H1N1 also killed far fewer Americans 14,000 than COVID-19 has. What they said: Biden tore into Trump for saying the virus outbreak would be gone by this past Easter or the early summer. He also attacked the president for suggesting during a coronavirus task-force briefing that "maybe you could inject some bleach in your arm and that would take care of it." "That was said sarcastically, and you know it," Trump shot back. Fact-check: Here's what the president said during the April task-force briefing, according to a transcript and video recording of his remarks: "So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it's ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said, that hasn't been checked but you're going to test it. And then I said, supposing it brought the light inside the body, which you can either do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you're going to test that too, sounds interesting. And I then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute, and is there a way you can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it'd be interesting to check that. So you're going to have to use medical doctors, but it sounds interesting to me, so we'll see. But the whole concept of the light, the way it goes in one minute, that's pretty powerful." What they said: Biden said the US had "5% 4% of the world's population, 20% of the deaths." Fact-check: This is true based on the known numbers. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, 1,005,394 people around the world have died from COVID-19. The US consists of 205,996 of those deaths. The economy What they said: Biden claimed Trump would "be the first president in history to leave office with fewer jobs than when he came in." Fact-check: President George W. Bush "inherited 4.2% unemployment in January 2001," a rate that had "grown to 7.8% when he left office eight years later," Vox reported. When Trump took office, he inherited a 4.2% unemployment rate from Obama. The current unemployment rate is 8.4%. CNN also reported that job losses during Trump's first term were the worst of any president in recorded American history, though President Herbert Hoover also left office with fewer jobs than when he took office. What they said: The debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump about a recent bombshell New York Times investigation that found Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and 2017. Trump replied that he paid "millions of dollars" in income taxes, and Biden called on Trump to "show us your tax returns." Trump said he would when the IRS was done auditing them. Fact-check: The president has indeed paid millions in taxes, but not in federal income taxes, as The Times reported. There is also no rule prohibiting individuals from disclosing their tax returns when they're under audit. What they said: Biden claimed the US had a higher deficit with China "than we did before." Fact-check: This is a misleading claim, according to The New York Times, which reported that the trade deficit with China "fell sharply" between 2018 and 2019 as Trump's trade war took a significant toll on commerce between the US and China. Race and violence in American cities What they said: Biden claimed Trump said there were "very fine people" on both sides after neo-Nazis engaged in violence with counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, during the "Unite the Right" rally in August 2017. Fact-check: This is true. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides," Trump said at a press conference after the rally. "On many sides." "You also had people that were very fine people, on both sides," he said a few days later. Neo-Nazis and white supremacists celebrated the president's remarks as an affirmation of their views. What they said: Trump claimed Biden called Black Americans "superpredators" in connection to the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Fact-check: This is untrue. Hillary Clinton made the remark in 1996, not Biden. What they said: Asked whether he would condemn white supremacists and violent far-right groups involved in stoking violence in the George Floyd protests, Trump said almost all the violence he'd seen "is from the left wing, not the right wing." He also recycled the Republican talking point that the loose-knit antifa movement was to blame for the violence. Biden replied that Trump's own FBI director, Chris Wray, said antifa "is an idea, not an organization, not militia." "Well, then, you know what, he's wrong," Trump interjected. Fact-check: Federal prosecutors have charged multiple far-right activists involved in groups like the Boogaloo Bois with provoking violence connected to the protests. Last month, prosecutors indicted a 17-year-old Trump supporter, Kyle Rittenhouse, on homicide charges after he was accused of killing two people at a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Law enforcement and US intelligence agencies have also issued multiple warnings that far-right extremists may seek to infiltrate protests to sow discord. In June, two intelligence assessments said "boogaloo" extremists might soon "target" Washington, DC. Earlier that month, three self-proclaimed members of the movement were arrested on charges of domestic terrorism. Biden's claim that Wray classified antifa as an ideology, not an organization, is true. "It's not a group or an organization. It's a movement or an ideology," Wray said. He added, however, that antifa activists and far-right extremists were a serious concern for the bureau and that the FBI had launched "any number of properly predicated investigations into what we would describe as violent anarchist extremists." What they said: Trump claimed Sheriff Mike Reese of Portland, Oregon, supported him. Fact-check: This is untrue, according to Reese, who tweeted: "In tonight's presidential debate the President said the 'Portland Sheriff' supports him. As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him." What they said: Biden said at one point that Trump's former White House adviser, Kellyanne Conway, said: "Riots and chaos and violence help his cause. That's what this is all about." "I don't know who said that," Trump replied. "I do," Biden said. When Trump asked who, Biden replied that it was Conway. "I don't think she said that," Trump said. Fact-check: "The more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is for the very clear choice on who's best on public safety and law and order," Conway said during an August 27 appearance on "Fox & Friends." Trump's and Biden's records What they said: Trump claimed no other president had done as much as he had in 3 1/2 years. He added that he did it in spite of the "impeachment hoax and you saw what happened today with Hillary Clinton, where it was a whole big con job." Fact-check: It is not true that Trump has been more successful than any other president. He's had some significant achievements, like appointing nearly 300 judges to the federal bench, launching the Space Force, implementing Republican tax cuts, taking steps to reform the criminal-justice system, and ordering the killing of the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But he's also presided over a pandemic that's killed more than 200,000 Americans, decimated the US economy, and gutted small businesses. He acknowledged on tape that he knew how bad the COVID-19 outbreak could be and that he "downplayed" it from the start, despite multiple warnings from US intelligence and public-health agencies. His administration implemented the controversial and widely criticized "zero tolerance" policy that separated migrant families at the southern US border. Under Trump's leadership, the US has become isolated on the world stage and adversaries like Russia, Iran, and Turkey have gained significant ground, often at the cost of US allies. As Fiona Hill, the former senior director for Russian and Eurasian affairs on the National Security Council, recently put it: "We are increasingly seen as an object of pity, including by our allies, because they are so shocked by what's happening internally, how we're [eating] ourselves alive with our divisions." Trump's reference to Clinton was connected to a statement his top spy chief, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, released in which he publicized Russian disinformation about Clinton. Specifically, Ratcliffe declassified dubious information from a "Russian intelligence analysis" in 2016 alleging that Clinton "approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal" against Trump "by tying him to Putin and the Russians' hacking of the Democratic National Committee." The letter said the US intelligence community "does not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication." Ratcliffe's decision to release disparaging information about Clinton from Russian intelligence sources also mirrored Moscow's ongoing disinformation campaign against the former secretary of state. What they said: Trump attacked Biden's son Hunter over his work for the board of the Ukrainian natural-gas company Burisma Holdings and his business activities in China. The president accused Joe Biden of trying to have the Ukrainian prosecutor general ousted when he was vice president to shut down an investigation into Burisma and protect Hunter Biden. Trump also alleged that the younger Biden received "$3.5 million from Moscow." Fact-check: It is true that Biden, when he was vice president, pushed hard for the Ukrainian government to fire Viktor Shokin, the prosecutor general at the time. Biden, however, was acting in his official capacity as part of the Obama administration when pushing for Shokin's firing because the prosecutor did not make a concerted effort to fight corruption. The US's Western allies and institutions, including the World Bank, supported the move. Also, by the time Biden started pushing for Shokin's dismissal, the investigation into Burisma was dormant, according to Bloomberg. Trump's claim that Hunter Biden received $3.5 million from Moscow refers to uncorroborated allegations from a Republican Senate report last week that said an investment firm linked to Hunter Biden took in $3.5 million from Yelena Baturina, the widow of the late Mayor Yury Luzhkov of Moscow. Biden's lawyer, George Mesires, told Politico in a statement that the Senate report held no merit because Hunter Biden did not have any "interest in" and was not the "cofounder" of the investment firm, Rosemont Seneca Thornton, "so the claim that he was paid $3.5 million is false." What they said: Trump claimed Biden called US military service members "stupid bastards," and that he "said it on tape." "I did not say that," Biden said, adding that Trump should "play it," referring to a tape of his comments. Fact check: It's true that Biden called US troops "stupid bastards" in 2016, but his campaign said he made the comment "in jest" after expressing his appreciation for their service. The pro-Trump website Breitbart News also said the former vice president made the remark "jokingly." Election integrity What they said: Trump repeated his frequent claim that Democrats, Hillary Clinton, and the Obama administration "came after me trying to do a coup" and "spying on my campaign." He continued: "They were a disaster, they were a disgrace to our country, and we've caught them. We've caught them all." Fact-check: Trump was referring to the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election. The bureau launched the inquiry in July 2016 after a Trump campaign foreign-policy aide, George Papadopoulos, drunkenly boasted to an Australian diplomat about Russia having dirt on the Clinton presidential campaign in the form of "thousands of emails." The Justice Department inspector general determined after an internal investigation that the FBI had an "authorized purpose" to launch the investigation and that it was not motivated by political bias. He faulted the bureau for violating protocol when applying for a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant to monitor the communications of the Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. But he did not uncover evidence that the FBI improperly or illegally "spied" on the Trump campaign, as the president has repeatedly alleged. What they said: "I'm encouraging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully, because that's what has to happen," Trump said. "I am urging them to do it. In Philadelphia they went in to watch ... they were thrown out. They weren't allowed to watch. There are bad things happening in Philadelphia, bad things." Fact-check: This is untrue. As The Philadelphia Inquirer reported: "There were several reasons none is corruption why elections staff did not allow members of the public to arbitrarily enter their offices. The Trump campaign has no poll watchers approved to work in Philadelphia at the moment. There are no actual polling places open in the city right now. And elections officials are following coronavirus safety regulations, such as those limiting the number of people indoors." Trump's call for his supporters to "watch very carefully" also could be interpreted as an intimidation tactic. What they said: Trump said that increased mail-in voting would result in a "fraudulent election" and that Democrats were calling for more voting by mail to "cheat" in the election. Fact-check: This is one of the most commonly floated conspiracy theories from the president and his allies. While voter and election fraud does happen, it's vanishingly rare. A database of voter- and election-fraud cases maintained by the conservative Heritage Foundation found that documented cases of fraud with mail ballots had been more common than cases of in-person voter impersonation, ballot-petition fraud, and registration fraud but that overall rates of fraud are infinitesimally low. Grace Panetta contributed reporting. Read the original article on Business Insider Two civil society organisations, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have condemned plans by some members of the House of Representatives to reintroduce the National Water Resources Bill into the House. The bill was withdrawn Tuesday during a rowdy session in the House. Some lawmakers alleged a breach of House Standing Rules while working towards passing the bill into law and relied on the anomaly to ask the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, to throw the bill away or at best have it reworked and then represented for consideration. Following this development, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa said the House would start the consideration of the bill afresh. In a statement issued in Lagos, AUPCTRE and CAPPA said that the plan to reintroduce the bill smacks of respect for the wishes of Nigerians who have unanimously called for it to be trashed because of its ambiguous, obnoxious, and pro-privatisation clauses. We are not in any way perturbed by the withdrawal of the bill but we are very worried that even with the confirmation that the current effort to pass it is a backdoor deal, its promoters are still pressing ahead with trying to reintroduce it and foisting it on Nigerians, said Benjamin Anthony, AUPCTRE National President. It is totally unexplainable and unacceptable. Mr Anthony cautioned the House of Representatives from considering the Bill in its present form, advising that Nigerians must be part of the process of a genuine people-centred bill from the initial stages through the entire process at the National Assembly. The National Water Resources Bill, which passed second reading in the House and referred to a committee, had generated severe criticisms from Nigerians, including the Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Nigerian Labour Congress. The federal government, who introduced the bill, had pushed back on the criticisms, describing opponents of the bill as anti-people. While ruling on the withdrawal of the bill from the House, Speaker Gbajabiamila said the bill should be gazetted for fresh consideration. Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPA Executive Director, said the Houses decision to withdraw the bill vindicates the position of civil society groups. We had noted that the speed with which it was smuggled into the House and passed was very suspicious, said Mr Oluwafemi. Our position will not change. This kind of draconian Bill is not what Nigerians need. Not currently, and never. Since reports made the rounds about the Bill passing the Second Reading AUPCTRE and CAPPA started campaigning vigorously for it to be jettisoned. The two organisations addressed a press conference in Lagos to highlight the detrimental provisions of the bill and came up with a demand that the controversial Bill be withdrawn from the National Assembly while insisting that Nigerians must be properly carried along in the issues that affect them. On September 5, 2020, the two organisations wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari raising objections about various sections of the Bill that are contentious. The Sections include 1, 2, 3, 13, 22, 24, 89, 98, 104, 105 and 107. Others are Sections 109, 110, 120, 121, 125, 129 and 131. In Section 1 (l) AUPCTRE and CAPPA alerted that though on the surface of the Bill, it appears that Public-private partnership is beneficial and will only apply to the infrastructural development of water resources, there was no way private corporations would commit resources to the development of water without a measure of control and ownership. We are unambiguous when we say the motives of the promoters of this ill-conceived Bill are suspicious. The Bill will not do Nigerians good and was not intended to do that. We are using this medium to reiterate our opposition to it and want it trashed. There is no other alternative, they insisted. What Exactly Is Spectrum And Why It Is Important For Telecom Sector? Features oi-Priyanka Dua There are high chances that the government might not sell 5G airwaves in the upcoming auction due to its high pricing. But, the Department of Telecom is likely to sell 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, and 2500 MHz under the 4G airwaves. On the other hand, the ministry has not floated the cabinet note on the same, but now it is expected that soon it will take some decision as Supreme Court has already given its verdict on AGR. However, the main question that arises here is that what exactly the spectrum means and why the telecom industry is dependent on the same. So, today, we are trying to explain the meaning and its importance in the telecom industry. What Is Spectrum And Why It Is Important? You guys must have heard the Spectrum word several times but what exactly does this mean. Many people believe that it is related to a 2G scam. But, you'll be surprised to know that spectrum basically means a range of radio- waves that allow you to communicate. The radio waves transmit data and any kind of communication requires a basic frequency range to work. In fact, mobile devices, FM radio, and all those devices that have Bluetooth require radio waves. The spectrum is a lifeline of the telecom sector and the whole industry is dependent on the same. It is worth mentioning that a telecom spectrum has been allocated by the Department of Telecom only. The ministry allows all operators to purchase the spectrum so that they can operate smoothly and offer the best communication services to their customers. Spectrum Bands In India At present, the telecom operators are offering 2G, 3G, and 4G airwaves in India. For the unware, the 2G airwaves had been allocated in 1992, while 3G airwaves was introduced in 2008, and the 4G network was launched in 2012. Notably, Airtel was the first operator that launched 4G services in India. Best Mobiles in India Three years after a review of Manitoba public housing found increasing demand, aging buildings and a lack of funding, the province has announced it will take a full inventory and assess its value to come up with a strategic plan. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Three years after a review of Manitoba public housing found increasing demand, aging buildings and a lack of funding, the province has announced it will take a full inventory and assess its value to come up with a strategic plan. The announcement from Manitoba Families Minister Heather Stefanson, whose portfolio includes Manitoba Housing, came Tuesday afternoon, along with the start of a public tender process. The government is seeking consultants who can assess each of its 3,483 public-housing properties across the province. "As outlined in the Department of Families mandate, this review will ensure the government has accurate data to make informed decisions for years to come, and that we continue to provide safe and affordable housing to thousands of Manitobans who need it," Stefanson said in a statement. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Some housing advocates worry, however, the move is another step toward privatization of Manitoba's public housing. Shauna MacKinnon, head of the University of Winnipeg's department of urban and inner-city studies, said the government assessing the value of public-housing properties is a signal it intends to off-load them. "My perspective and the perspective of people who are concerned about housing for the most vulnerable (is) this is exactly what we don't need to do, and especially right now, when we have this situation that is increasing the number of people that are in vulnerable housing situations," MacKinnon said Tuesday. She said the timing of the government announcement during a pandemic, and just two days away from lifting the pandemic-related evictions ban is "outrageous," when more people are vulnerable and in need of more public housing, not less. In 2017, KPMG conducted a review of Manitoba Housing for the government that recommended transferring public-housing units to the private sector. It found a significant portion of buildings were at least 35 years old and were getting more expensive to operate, along with increasing demand for public housing. When it introduced its pre-pandemic budget in March, the province set out the beginning of its five-year plan to transfer ownership of public housing units to non-profit agencies. A leading rights watchdog in Afghanistan has documented a dramatic drop in girls education in two provinces where the Taliban controls large swathes of rural territories and is battling government forces for more power. Nearly two-thirds of school-age girls in the southeastern province of Ghazni and almost half of those in northern Faryab Province are being deprived of a proper education, according to the latest report by the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). Zabiullah Farhang, communications officer for the AIHRC, says conflict is the number one reason girls are not attending school. The biggest obstacles are clear: war and insecurity," he told Radio Free Afghanistan. "Insecurity has created a snowball effect of other countless restrictions on girls seeking a proper education." In the report, titled Girls Access to Education in Ghazni and Faryab Provinces, the AIHRC says fewer girls are attending school in the two provinces and a large percentage of girls are being completely deprived of this basic human right. Issued this month, the report is based on extensive interviews with women, lawmakers, officials, and activists in the two provinces. In Ghazni, where the AIHRC estimates 69 percent of eligible girls are deprived of an education past the sixth grade, the Taliban controls nine of the provinces 19 districts and contests the others. Out of Ghaznis 766,000 eligible children, only 360,000 go to school, of whom 118,000 are girls. In Faryab, the hard-line Islamist group controls half of the 14 districts, and 45 percent of girls cannot attend school. A total of 120,674 out of 278,000 Faryab schoolchildren are girls. The report does not distinguish between government-controlled and Taliban-run territories, but according to local media girls access to education has been declining for years as the Taliban has gained control of an increasing number of districts. The Taliban has already taken measures to limit freedoms and artistic expression in the two provinces, banning music, mobile phones, and fashion deemed "un-Islamic." Moral policing and a ban on womens education and work were the hallmarks of the Talibans brief stint in power in the 1990s. Taliban leaders have made a point of saying their attitude toward women has changed. Earlier this year, top Taliban leader Sirajuddin Haqqani wrote in an op-ed about a future Afghanistan where the rights of women that are granted by Islam -- from the right to education to the right to work -- are protected, and where merit is the basis for equal opportunity. There are international media reports indicating that the Taliban is encouraging a certain level of education for girls in the rural Afghan regions they control. But the groups recent comments to a Dutch broadcaster about the ongoing peace talks in Doha paint a picture of a low view of women, with a spokesman saying that women were neither responsible nor capable enough to be included on the hard-line movements negotiating team. Afghans living under Taliban control, however, have seen few signs the group has changed. Nabila, a teenager who goes by one name only, is a resident of Faryabs Dawlat Abad district, where the Taliban and Afghan forces frequently battle for control. She says that after the Taliban took control of her village she was forced to stop going to school and now must spend her days at home weaving carpets and embroidering. I attended school, but when the Taliban came they said we could not study past the sixth grade, Nabila tells Radio Free Afghanistan. The area became very unsafe after that, so I could not continue my studies. Nabila says she wants the government to provide safety and security for her and her peers so she can pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. Decades of war, insecurity, and economic poverty in Afghanistan have hurt women the most. Most Afghan women believe access to education is just one of the many hurdles they face in their quest for equality. In seeking an education, they face other challenges such as strict societal traditions, poverty, negligence by officials, a lack of facilities, a lack of female teachers, and harassment, amid other factors. The Afghan Education Ministry estimates that of the 3.7 million children deprived of education across Afghanistan, more than 60 percent are girls. Nooria Nazhat, a spokeswoman for the ministry, tells Radio Free Afghanistan that it is common for girls to drop out of school because of taboos or misconceptions about education. "A number of girls who attend school often leave because of cultural barriers stopping them. This is on top of the issues of insecurity, distasteful customs, and widespread poverty, she says. Researchers publish first data on the impact of cannabinoids on the respiratory health of individuals with COPD Cannabinoids, a class of prescription pills that contain synthetically-made chemicals found in marijuana, are associated with a 64 per cent increase in death among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the first published data on the impact of cannabinoids on the respiratory health of individuals with the lung disease. The findings, published Wednesday in Thorax, have significant clinical implications as more physicians prescribe cannabinoids to patients with COPD to treat chronic muscle pain, difficulty sleeping and breathlessness. The study, led by St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto, found that cannabinoids can contribute to negative respiratory health events in people with COPD, including hospitalization and death. COPD is a progressive lung disease that causes difficulty breathing and chronic productive coughing, and can be associated with a variety of non-respiratory issues, like chronic muscle pain and insomnia. "Cannabinoid drugs are being increasingly used by older adults with COPD, so it is important for patients and physicians to have a clear understanding of the side-effect profile of these drugs," says Dr. Nicholas Vozoris, lead author, a respirologist at St. Michael's and an associate scientist at the hospital's Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. "Our study results do not mean that cannabinoid drugs should be never used among older adults with COPD. Rather, our findings should be incorporated by patients and physicians into prescribing decision-making. Our results also highlight the importance of favouring lower over higher cannabinoid doses, when these drugs actually do need to be used." The study analyzed the health data of over 4,000 individuals in Ontario ages 66 years and older with COPD from 2006 to 2016. The data was equally split into two groups: older adults with COPD who were new cannabinoid users and older adults with COPD not using cannabinoids. Older adults in Ontario with COPD who were new cannabinoid users represented 1.1 per cent of the data, which was made available by ICES. Researchers observed particularly worse health outcomes among patients with COPD who were using higher doses of cannabinoids. Compared to non-users, new higher-dose cannabinoid users had a 178 per cent relative increase in hospitalizations for COPD or pneumonia, and a 231 per cent relative increase in all-cause death. "Older adults with COPD represent a group that would likely be more susceptible to cannabinoid-related respiratory side-effects, since older adults less efficiently break down drugs and hence, drug effects can linger in the body for longer - and since individuals with COPD have pre-existing respiratory troubles and respiratory compromise," says Dr. Vozoris, who is also a scientist at ICES. Researchers conducted a sub-analysis to explore what impact cannabinoid drugs versus opioid drugs had on respiratory outcomes among older adults with COPD, since cannabinoid drugs are often prescribed as an alternative to opioids to treat chronic pain. The research team did not find evidence to support that cannabinoids were a safer choice over opioids for older adults with COPD in so far as respiratory health outcomes. ### The President of the Republic Of Ghana His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has charged the Chairman for Inter-Ministerial Committee On Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng to create more Community Mining for the youth. The President lauded the IMCIM Chaired By Prof Frimpong-Boateng for the good work done so far and employed the Committee to create more of the community mining for the teeming youth in the mining areas. Addressing the Chiefs and People of Bibiani during the President's campaign tour of the Newly created Western North Region "Prof Frimpong-Boateng the Minister for Environment, Science and Chairman for IMCIM has told you, what they've done so far with the Community mining and are putting in plans to create more Community Mining for the youth" the President said. The jubilant crowd couldn't hide their ecstasy with pronouncements of more Community Mining for the youth in that area since galamsey has been their works from time immemorial. The IMCIM under the leadership of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng has commissioned several community mining projects across the country which has created thousands of jobs for the teeming youth. It is in no surprise that the President commended the unique leadership qualities of the good Professor as far as the fight against galamsay and creation of community mining projects are concerned. Thousands of Victorian healthcare workers could have been provided with masks that don't fit them because some of the most popular models used in the states hospitals have high failure rates. Experts say one of the most commonly used brands of masks in Melbourne, colloquially known as the orange duckbill, has a significant failure rate, only fitting an estimated 30 per cent of users. Australian Society of Anaesthetists president Dr Suzi Nou says she is one of a small proportion of healthcare workers who fit the an orange duckbill mask. Credit:Jason South Workers at a Melbourne health network have also been told not to throw out some expired N95 masks, as authorities are investigating if it might still be safe to use them, amid ongoing anxiety among doctors about the adequacy of Victoria's supplies of protective gear during a global shortage. More than 3500 Victorian healthcare workers have caught coronavirus during the pandemic, including 1020 in Melbourne hospitals, with many expressing concern in recent months about the availability of high-quality protective equipment. UIA to postpone start of flights from Kyiv to Brussels, Dusseldorf until Oct 24 Ukraine International Airlines (UIA, Kyiv) has revised its flight schedule for October due to a decrease in load on a number of European destinations. The airline said on Wednesday that UIA postpones the start of flights Kyiv-Brussels-Kyiv and Kyiv-Dusseldorf-Kyiv until October 24, 2020. In addition, from October 4, the airline will temporarily suspend the operation of Kharkiv-Tel Aviv-Kharkiv flights and from October 8, Dnipro-Tel Aviv-Dnipro flights. "The revision of the flight schedule at the end of summer navigation is associated with a decrease in load on these European routes due to the transition to the autumn-winter low season for aviation. The decision was also influenced by the restriction of crossing the Israeli borders from September 25 to October 11," UIA said. In addition, Kyiv-Tel Aviv-Kyiv flights will be operated with the removal of flights on Tuesdays, the rest of the scheduled flights will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Odesa-Tel Aviv-Odesa flights will be operated on Thursdays. Dejazmatch James has lost close friends to gun violence, and some of his family members have been shot and wounded. The 27-year-old is a lifelong resident of Lawrence Heights, a neighbourhood where he says hearing gunfire is quite common. Were so used to it now, so when we do hear gunshots, my friends and I, well just message among each other, Yo, we heard gunshots. Is everyone OK? James said hes always living in fear, having to constantly look over my shoulder and always worry that anything could happen at any time. James is a member of the Lawrence Heights Change Makers, a newly formed resident-led group that he says is determined to change the narrative of the community. What we are demanding is for private funding to go into public housing, improved quality safety measures such as lights, speed bumps and surveillance (and) a tenant oversight committee that guides developers to make changes that benefit us, he said. On Sept. 22, the group joined forces with the Lawrence Heights Parents Association and local city Coun. Mike Colle to hold a safety walk to call attention to the gun violence plaguing the area and what residents say is a lack of resources in the community. Lawrence Heights, located just north of Allen Road and Lawrence Avenue West, includes large public housing complexes and is undergoing a revitalization. But the revitalization hasnt curbed the violence, James said. Im saying that because I live in one of the new revitalized buildings and I still experience the same type of life experience that Ive been experiencing my whole life. Longtime area resident Mohamed Hadi, a father of four, said hes fearful for his familys safety. He said he heard gunshots followed by sirens just a few weeks ago; in May 2012, someone was shot and killed outside his home. Hadi, 57, said he put his children in French school partly because he doesnt want them walking in the neighbourhood. His children take a school bus. Hadi said he wants a police station in the area in the hopes that maybe it will reduce the gun violence. Colle said hes been advocating for the police station for 20 years, but the idea has always hit a brick wall. We need more neighbourhood policing, he said. The shooting continues, the unemployment continues, so we just cant keep protecting the status quo. There have been 37 shooting occurrences so far this year (as of Sept. 27) within 32 Division, which is bounded by Steeles Avenue to the north, Lawrence Avenue to the south, Bayview Avenue to the east and the CNR tracks to the west. Police say the majority of those shootings have occurred in Lawrence Heights. Just this past Saturday night, police received reports of a drive-by shooting in which seven shots were fired at a parked vehicle in the area. No one was hurt. Insp. Joe Matthews of the integrated gun and gang task force said Lawrence Heights is experiencing a high volume of shootings, but noted the community is not much different than many other neighbourhoods with gang conflicts. These gang conflicts are often territorial, about drug trafficking and other illegal criminality, . . . so the rivalries develop and build up, he said, noting drive-by shootings, in particular, are a common MO for gang members. A fairly new gang prevention unit aims to help those who are vulnerable to be brought into gangs or actually are in gangs leave that lifestyle, Matthews said. For years theres been such an investment with the police into that community (Lawrence Heights) to develop partnerships and trust that we just need to keep building on that, he noted. We continue to look for ways to curb the gun violence. Its definitely a partnership between the community and the police. Anti-violence groups Zero Gun Violence Movement and One By One Movement are also working in Lawrence Heights. Its a community that definitely is hungry for change, said One By One founder Marcell Wilson. Theyre over-represented agency-wise, so the agencies in that particular community have a much louder voice than the actual community members. . . . Programs are being implemented, decisions are being made without the real voice of the community and its dividing the community further. Louis March of Zero Gun Violence said shootings are a symptom of other major problems. If we really want to deal with the issue properly and effectively, we have to deal with the undercurrent issues and thats what were not dealing with. Andrew Palamarchuk is a reporter with toronto.com. Reach him via email: apalamarchuk@toronto.com Subcon 2020 was held from September 23 to 26 at Bitec Bangkok after being delayed from its initial May schedule as Thailand implemented a strict lock-down that received praised for successfully controlling the COVID-19 outbreak. The event is co-organized by the BOI, the Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association and event organizer Informa Markets, in conjunction with Intermach, the leading industrial machinery exhibition in South East Asia. "This is better than expected and its quite a success especially when you consider that the schedule of the event was confirmed only two months ago and the time we had to publicize it was quite limited," said Sonklin Ploymee, Director of the BOI's Industrial Linkage Development Division. "This was the first time we organized business matching online so we did not expect that so many buyers would register in advance, showing a strong need to enter our business matching activities." The foreign participation to Subcon included companies from Japan, China, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Korea, Vietnam, Italy, UK, India, and the US, mostly from the automotive and car parts, electronics, medical equipment, and machinery sectors, said Ms Sonklin, who from October 1st will become Deputy Secretary General of the BOI. "This is the first time we had Chinese companies taking part to business matching at Subcon, and also the first time we linked the Thai and Vietnam supply chains, showing our strength as the regional hub of subcontracting," she said. "Vietnam-based companies were mostly on the buy side." Some 121 exhibitors presented their technology, equipment and services in 183 booths, Ms Sonklin said, adding that the show was attended by 12,487 visitors in line with expectations. A total of 103 buyers invited by the BOI registered to take part to business matching sessions during the show, including 79 companies who took part online and 24 onsite. Of the total 1,277 business matching sessions, 1,140 were held onsite and 137 online, she said. The estimated business value does not yet include the result of the online sessions which is still being evaluated. In one of the largest business linkage opportunities at the event, China's Great Wall Motor, which will be starting automobile production in Thailand next year, met with Thailand-based suppliers and part makers in a conference organized by the BOI. Taking advantage of Thailand's comprehensive supply chain in the automotive sector, Great Wall told part makers at the event that it plans to ramp up local content from 45 percent next year to as much as 90 percent within 5 years. "Despite COVID-19 and travel restriction for foreign visitors, the show was a big hit and successfully delivered business opportunity, business linkage and business collaboration between exhibitors, buyers, and entrepreneurs," Informa Markets said on its website in a statement about the 2020 edition of Intermach and Subcon. The next edition of the shows will be held from 12-15 May 2021, the organizers said. SOURCE The Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) Andreea Gleeson, Chief Revenue Officer, TuneCore and Matt Barrington, Chief Operating Officer, TuneCore Denis Ladegaillerie, CEO of Believe Group said, The elevation of Andreea and Matt to oversee the company as co-heads affirms their contributions in strengthening TuneCores services and growth in order to best serve artists at all stages of their careers on a worldwide basis. TuneCore, the leading digital music distribution service provider for independent artists, today announced executive management appointments. Andreea Gleeson has been elevated to Chief Revenue Officer and Matt Barrington has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, reporting directly to Denis Ladegaillerie, Chief Executive Officer of Believe, TuneCores Paris-based parent company. TuneCore and Believe together distribute close to one third of the worlds digital music. So far in 2020, TuneCore is in the midst of an upward trajectory with exponential growth in new clients and distribution across all markets around the world. Announcing the new corporate structure, Denis Ladegaillerie, CEO of Believe Group said, The elevation of Andreea and Matt to oversee the company as co-heads affirms their contributions in strengthening TuneCores services and growth in order to best serve artists at all stages of their careers on a worldwide basis. Gleeson joined TuneCore in 2015 as head of marketing and was subsequently promoted to Chief Marketing Officer. In her expanded role as Chief Revenue Officer, Gleeson will oversee Marketing, Artist Support, Artist and Partner Relations and International. Among her immediate goals will be to reimagine TuneCore artist support and artist and partner relations to best serve artists at all stages of their careers as well as pursuing partnerships in order to maximize opportunities for TuneCore artists. Gleeson is also spearheading the companys international expansion into key music markets, both established and emerging. I joined TuneCore 5 years ago because I connected with the companys mission and wanted to be a part of an organization that not only empowered independent artists but advocated for their needs and interests, said Gleeson. I look forward to new countries, new partnerships, new employees, and new artists, yet the same artist first independent spirit as we continue to build the best independent music distribution platform in the world. Barrington, most recently Chief Financial Officer of TuneCore, will oversee the Finance, Data, Technology, Product, Operations and Legal Departments. Having joined TuneCore in 2010, over the course of Barringtons decade-long leadership, TuneCore has become recognized as the most trusted, consistent and transparent place for independent artists to earn money from their music. In his new role, Barrington will further optimize distribution product to offer the best services for artists. My time at TuneCore has been immensely fulfilling, having helped build the company from a start-up to where we are now, commented Barrington. Its an extremely exciting time as we continue to refine our best in class technology and practices in order for TuneCore artists to receive maximum benefits as we scale, innovate and embark on TuneCores next chapter. This month, TuneCore expanded into Brazil and Russia, two very important growth markets, robust with local talent. In July, TuneCore launched in India, with a dedicated website for the Indian music market featuring local talent and local currency. Other key market launches are being planned for the coming year, as TuneCore continues its aggressive international expansion. To download the TuneCore logos, click here. About TuneCore TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers -- with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, JioSaavn, Deezer, TikTok and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Austin, and global operations in the UK, Australia, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, India, and Brazil. http://www.tunecore.com About Believe Believe is a world leading digital music company, helping artists and labels to build their audiences and careers, at all stages of their development. It is a best-in-class technology organization, providing global distribution and digital marketing services to its partners, with more than 1,200 professionals and offices in 45 countries. Believe owns several brands, labels and companies including Believe Distribution, TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naive and AllPoints. http://www.believemusic.com WASHINGTON - Republican lawmakers on Wednesday confronted former FBI Director James Comey about his oversight of the Trump-Russia investigation during a politically charged hearing that focused attention on problems with the probe that have become a rallying cry for President Donald Trumps supporters. Comey, making his first appearance before Congress since a harshly critical inspector general report on the investigation, acknowledged under questioning that the FBIs process for conducting surveillance on a former Trump campaign adviser was sloppy and embarrassing. He said he would not have certified the surveillance had he known then what he knows now about applications the FBI submitted in 2016 and 2017 to eavesdrop on the aide, Carter Page. The questioning of Comey, conducted with the election just weeks away, underscores the extent to which the FBIs investigation four years ago into potential co-ordination between Trumps campaign and Russia remains front and centre in the minds of Republican lawmakers, who see an opening to rally support for the president and cast him as the victim of biased law enforcement. The hearing was part of a review of the Russia probe by the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee. Though Comey acknowledged the FBIs shortcomings in the surveillance of Page, he also described that aspect of the probe as a slice of the broader Russia investigation, which he defended as legitimate and valid. But those answers, including Comeys repeated assertions that he had been unaware at the time of the extent of problems, frustrated Republicans who point to the surveillance flaws to try to discredit the overall Russia investigation. A Justice Department inspector general report identified errors and omissions in each of the four applications that the FBI submitted to obtain warrants to surveil Page, who was never charged with any wrongdoing. The FBI relied in part on Democratic-funded research in applying for those warrants. The inspector general report, and documents released in recent months, have raised questions about the reliability of that research. The FBI relied on that documentation over and over and over again even though it was fundamentally unsound, said the Judiciary Committee chairman, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. What do we do? We just say, Well, that was bad, thats the way it goes? Does anybody get fired? Does anybody go to jail? Graham said. To my Democratic friends, if it happened to us, it can happen to you. Comey was fired by Trump in May 2017 but has remained a prominent and complicated character for Republicans and Democrats alike. Republicans have joined Trump in heaping scorn on Comey, but Democrats have not embraced him either, angered by his public statements made during the Hillary Clinton email case that they believe contributed to her loss. Democrats lamented the backward-looking nature of Wednesdays hearing, saying the FBI had good reason to investigate contacts between Trump associates and Russia and that the committees time could be better spent on other matters. Most people think we should be talking about other things, except maybe President Trump, said Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Comey defended the investigation, which was opened after a campaign adviser boasted that he had heard Russia had damaging information about Clinton. The probe examined multiple contacts between Russians and Trump associates during the 2016 campaign. Comey noted that special counsel Robert Muellers investigation resulted in criminal charges against dozens of people. In the main, it was done by the book. It was appropriate, and it was essential that it be done, Comey said. He later added: The overall investigation was very important. The Page slice of it? Far less given the scope. But Comey, the latest high-profile former official from the FBI or Justice Department to testify in Grahams investigation, acknowledged embarrassing problems in the handling of surveillance applications. He said had he known then about the problems, he would not have certified the surveillance without a much fuller discussion within the FBI. Im not looking to shirk responsibility, Comey said. The director is responsible. A Justice Department inspector general report did not find evidence of partisan bias and concluded the investigation was opened for a legitimate reason. But Republican lawmakers have seized on the critical aspects of the watchdog report to cast broader doubt on the Russia investigation. They have also released documents they say support the conclusion that the probe was flawed. On Tuesday, Graham revealed that he had received declassified information on the probe from national intelligence director John Ratcliffe, a Trump loyalist, even though Ratcliffe has said he does not know if it is true. In a letter to Graham made public Tuesday, Ratcliffe said that in late July 2016, U.S. intelligence agencies obtained insight into Russian spycraft alleging that Clinton had approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal against Trump. But Ratcliffe added that American intelligence agencies do not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication. Comey brushed aside questions about that document, saying, I dont understand Mr. Ratcliffes letter well enough to comment on it. Its confusing. The Senate panel has already heard from Rod Rosenstein and Sally Yates, both former deputy attorneys general, and has scheduled testimony from ex-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. 'Common sense': Boris Johnson at Wednesday's Downing Street briefing. (@10DowningStreet/Twitter) Boris Johnson insists following COVID rules is common sense PM makes remark as poll finds 64% of Brits find government guidance unclear Johnson himself has had to apologise for muddling North East rules Visit the Yahoo homepage for more stories Boris Johnson has insisted following the governments coronavirus rules is common sense as a poll found 64% of Britons find the guidance unclear. Downing Street has been accused of mixed or confusing messaging over its various local lockdowns across the country. Johnson, speaking at Wednesdays Downing Street press conference, said: People will pick up on various discrepancies or complications, complexities that have arisen as a result of this local approach. The best thing I can tell you is that everybody in the North East or elsewhere, in Merseyside, the Midlands everywhere there are local restrictions get on the websites, look at precisely what youre supposed to do. Watch: Boris Johnson warns of further measures if coronavirus advice ignored So much of this is about common sense and about following the basics of the guidance and just restricting the possibility of transmission from yourself to somebody else, or from somebody else to you. The remarks came as a YouGov poll, carried out on Wednesday, found 31% of Britons find the governments guidance very unclear, with 33% seeing it as fairly unclear. Only 5% of the 2,109 adults surveyed said it is very clear, with 27% finding it fairly clear. Johnson himself made an embarrassing gaffe on Tuesday in which he completely muddled key details about the North East lockdown. He later apologised. At Wednesdays briefing, the prime minister urged people to stick to the rules at a critical moment as his senior scientists warned hospital admissions are rising and COVID-19 is not under control. Johnson said no matter how fed up people are of the restrictions being imposed, they are the only way to curb the spread of the virus. Story continues Watch: People in England face 10,000 fines for not self-isolating Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter FDI pledges estimated at US$21.2 billion in first nine months Pledges of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first nine months of 2020 were estimated at US$21.2 billion, down 18.9% compared with the same period last year, as shown by data as of September 20. Manufacturing receives the largest share of FDI in the first nine months of 2020. In the meantime, disbursement fell by only 3.2% to reach US$13.76 billion, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Manufacturing was the most attractive sector to foreign investors, receiving US$9.9 billion, accounting for 46.6% of total FDI, followed by power generation and distribution and real estate with US$4.3 billion and US$3.2 billion, respectively. Among the 111 countries and territories with investment in Vietnam, Singapore came out on top with US$6.77 billion, equivalent to nearly one third of the total, while the Republic of Korea and China came second and third with US$3.17 billion and US$1.87 billion, respectively. In terms of new projects, the Republic of Korea ranked first with 499 projects, followed by China (271) and Japan (209). Singapore came fourth with 173 new projects. The southern province of Bac Lieu remained the largest FDI recipient thanks to a US$4 billion natural gas project invested by a Singaporean investor. The two economic hubs of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi received the second and third largest shares of FDI with US$3.25 billion and US$2.92 billion, respectively. Alcohol monitoring can assist in determining who needs help, making the workplace a safer place. It could also help in-house employee assistance programs work more effectively to support the employee and their families." Tampa Bay Monitoring, a GPS and alcohol monitoring company located in Tampa, Florida announced today that it is now offering discreet and affordable breath alcohol tests to companies nationwide for employment safety compliance. Breath alcohol testing devices, also known as breathalyzers measure how much alcohol is currently in a persons blood. Alcohol use and abuse on the job creates a huge risk to employers, employees, and the community. Impaired employees are more likely to make mistakes, create hazardous situations, and engage in inappropriate behavior resulting in lost time, declining profit margins, serious injuries, and risk of workers compensation claims and lawsuits. According to the The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): Workers with alcohol problems were 2.7 times more likely than workers without drinking problems to have injury-related absences. Analyses of workplace fatalities showed that at least 11% of the victims had been drinking. One-fifth of workers and managers across a wide range of industries and company sizes report that a co-workers on-or off-the-job drinking jeopardized their own productivity and safety. Alcohol monitoring in the workplace helps to foster a safe & healthy work environment. It is an affordable, discreet, and effective method for: Fleet safety compliance Workplace safety Aviation safety Tampa Bay Monitorings mission is to provide affordable solutions for parents, defendants, companies, courts, & family law by offering innovative alcohol and GPS monitoring products & services. For over a decade, they have provided GPS and Alcohol Monitoring for thousands of clients for both state and county pretrial and probation departments. The company has given family court judges nationwide a way to guarantee the safety of children by making sure that a parent isnt drinking during visitation or shared custody: https://tampabaymonitoring.com/child-custody/. They have also provided alcohol monitors to those who voluntarily want to prove that they are not drinking. Safety is our main goal. We know how alcohol abuse tears families apart and ruins lives. But on a national level, we also know that it adds to the rising cost of health care and has a huge negative effect on productivity and the economy now more than ever, says Frank Kopczynski, owner of Tampa Bay Monitoring. Not only can alcohol monitoring assist in determining who needs help, making the workplace a safer place, it could also help in-house employee assistance programs work more effectively to support the employee and their families. Monitoring can increase productivity and positively affect the bottom line while ensuring public safety. Tampa Bay Monitoring is constantly looking for innovative ways to protect people while helping those who are monitored retain their privacy and dignity as often as possible. They added discreet alcohol monitors to their inventory so that clients can avoid the stigma of being monitored or alarming others, which has been a large factor in their growth. Moreover, given the pandemic those being monitored for alcohol can rest easy knowing that they are not getting a device that has been previously used. We also strongly encourage companies to implement employee assistance programs that can help workers who are struggling with alcohol and drug addiction, rather than just firing them and writing them off. With proper training, supervisors and employees can recognize the signs of addiction and offer support. Mr. Kopczynski concluded. ABOUT TAMPA BAY MONITORING: Tampa Bay Monitoring has been providing alcohol and GPS products & services for over a decade. Being on the forefront of alcohol testing in the state of Florida, they became the leading provider of alcohol and GPS monitoring in the southeast and Tampa Bay Area. Visit: http://www.tampabaymonitoring.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-kopczynski/ You know whats a great recipe? Pork chops in lemon-caper sauce. Until a few days ago, it appeared on NYT Cooking under my byline, with a note above the ingredients explaining where it came from: the author and editor Toni Tipton-Martins excellent cookbook, Jubilee. The recipe appeared under my byline because I wrote about Tipton-Martin for The Times and included the instructions for making her chops for NYT Cooking. But, of course, its not my recipe. Im just the guy who brought it to you. Im the reporter. Tipton-Martin is the source. Many of the recipes on NYT Cooking have been presented in similar fashion. Our reporters find recipes in restaurant kitchens, learn them from home cooks, read about them in cookbooks, and then interview the people responsible for them. They dig into the history of the recipe, chase down its evolution. They ask a lot of questions and record the answers: How you do this particular technique and why. Then they cook the recipes, have them tested, make them possible to cook in a home kitchen rather than a professional one. And while we write about our sources in the introduction to each recipe, the byline too often gave the journalist more credit than the person who actually made the food in the first place. Thats not just confusing. Its unfair. So weve made changes to how we present recipes on our site that have been adapted by our journalists, to increase transparency about their provenance. We will now credit both the source of the recipe and the journalist who reported on it at the top of the page. BRUSSELS Democratic standards are facing important challenges in some European Union countries, particularly in Hungary and Poland, where the judicial systems are under threat, the EUs executive commission said Wednesday in its first report on adherence to the rule of law. The European Commission depicted a bleak situation in the two countries. Its wide-ranging audit found that prosecution of high-level corruption in Hungary remains very limited, and deemed Poland deficient in the four main areas reviewed: national justice systems, anti-corruption frameworks, media freedom and checks and balances. It is relevant to have an overview of these issues, and see the links between them. Not least because deficiencies often merge into an undrinkable cocktail, EU Values Commissioner Vera Jourova told journalists. The report, published a day before the leaders of the EUs 27 nations meet in Brussels for a two-day summit, could have repercussions for discussions on the blocs long-term budget. While EU leaders have agreed in principle on a 1.8 trillion-euro economic recovery package for the 2021-2027 budget period, they have yet to find common ground on how to distribute the money because many countries insist that allocations should be linked to respecting the EUs rule of law standards. Poland and Hungary, which believe they are being unfairly targeted, are opposed to the idea. The EU has accused the two countries of violating rule-of-law standards for years and is pursuing sanction procedures against them. Hungary immediately dismissed the report as irrelevant and biased. The Commissions Rule of Law Report is not only fallacious, but absurd, the Hungarian government said in a statement. The concept and methodology of the Commissions Rule of Law Report are unfit for purpose, its sources are unbalanced and its content is unfounded. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki made no reference to the report while presenting his new cabinet on Wednesday, while Polands liberal opposition, the Civic Coalition, stressed that the report was critical of the right-wing government, but not of the country itself. It is the current ruling team that is rated so low in the report and its Law and Justice (party) that is responsible for all the problems that the European Commission is referring to now, said Civic Coalition lawmaker Kamila Gasiuk-Pichowicz. The EU report also called out Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia and Spain for threats against journalists, and threats, attacks and smear campaigns against journalists were also reported in Hungary. Bulgaria also was cited for a lack of judicial independence and an inability to tackle corruption cases properly. Bulgarian officials reacted along party lines. While government officials called the report an appreciation of Cabinet efforts to stem corruption, opposition lawmakers said the EUs conclusions demonstrated that the government lacks the political will to implement needed reforms. The report is positive, objective and clearly outlines the results of cooperation with the EU, Minister of Justice Desislava Ahladova said. The left-leaning countrys president, Rumen Radev, who has been a vocal critic of the government and supports the three-months long anti-corruption protests in Bulgaria, had a different perception. They should have come earlier, he said of the reports findings. The sticking points in Poland are the right-wing governments moves to take control of the justice system, especially the judiciary. The report says the double role where the minister of justice is also the prosecutor general has raised particular concerns, as it increases the vulnerability to political influence. In Hungary, government-sponsored laws targeting media freedoms, minority rights, the electoral system and academic and religious freedoms drew the commissions notice. The EU report also criticized a consistent lack of determined action to start criminal investigations and prosecute corruption cases involving high-level officials or their immediate circle. In an interview last week with Germanys Der Spiegel magazine, Jourova said the report highlighted an alarming picture, and she accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of building a sick democracy. The story triggered Orbans anger. He said Monday that Jourovas statements humiliated Hungary and asked for her resignation, but EU officials have offered their overwhelming support to the commissioner. As I grew up in communist Czechoslovakia, I know how it feels to live in country without the rule of law, Jourova said. The European Union was created also as an antidote to those authoritarian tendencies. The commission also looked into government measures that have limited personal freedoms during the coronavirus pandemic and noted that reactions to the crisis showed overall strong resilience of the national systems. The commission will next debate the report with the European Parliament and EU nations. ___ Pablo Gorondi in Budapest and Monika Scislowska in Warsaw contributed to this report. NORTH GREENBUSH Rensselaer County officials refused to let a state Health Department inspection team into the county nursing home Wednesday, saying the inspectors wouldnt provide proof they had tested negative for COVID-19. It is a continuation of a clash between the county and state over access to the nursing home. We just wanted the state to follow the state rules, said Richard Crist, the county's director of operations. Crist said the county wanted the group of about seven Health Department employees to either show paperwork that they had tested negative for the virus or to sign a county-provided form attesting that they had tested negative for the disease. The state group departed Van Rensselaer Manor (VRM), the county nursing home, around 10 a.m., according to county officials. Similar scenes played out in July. State health officials tried to carry out a surprise inspection of the facility on July 20 at the request of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), but were stopped when County Executive Steve McLaughlin showed up and demanded they be escorted for the duration of the inspection. They refused and then left, according to state and local officials. State officials returned to the facility three days later with a regional CMS director in tow and faced additional resistance and attempts by the county to interfere with the survey team, according to state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, who said visits are supposed to be unannounced and unaccompanied in order to provide an "unvarnished view" of a facility's operations. After the earlier confrontation, Zucker warned McLaughlin that the attempt to block a health inspection at the county-run nursing home could put the facilitys Medicaid and Medicare funding at risk. When the county executive pulled the same stunt back in July we warned him that it would ultimately be his nursing home residents and county taxpayers that would pay the price. Although not required by federal mandate, our inspectors are tested weekly in the same manner as the staff at Van Rensselaer Manor. This is reckless obstruction of a federally mandated inspection and we have referred the matter to CMS, Gary Holmes, a spokesman for the state Health Department, said Wednesday. McLaughlin sent a letter to Zucker Wednesday saying that the state's guidelines for visitors to nursing homes require all visitors to be tested and free of COVID-19 and that there is "no 'carve-out' for state staff and inspectors." He said the county is following the state-issued directives. "At every turn, VRM staff worked to accommodate the inspection by the state while also following the state directives requiring all visitors to be free of COVID-19 and current in testing," McLaughlin wrote. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. In the current situation, the team was scheduled to be at Van Rensselaer Manor for five days to carry out an annual inspection, county officials said. The last time an inspection was made was in December 2018, county officials said. The state conducts the next inspection within nine to 24 months of the previous one, they said. Our intention is to ensure the safety of the facility and that the inspection is done safely as well, Crist said. He noted that VRM, which has a capacity for 362 residents, has had one resident and 10 staff members test positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic and it has had no fatalities. The county, however, has seen 32 residents die from COVID-19 at three privately owned nursing homes. These facilities are the Troy Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Troy, Diamond Hill in Schaghticoke and Riverside Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Castleton-on-Hudson. Crist said the county assumes that when the state issues rulings about protecting nursing home residents and other people from COVID-19 that it is following the rulings as well. The county claims it has curtailed access to the nursing home in an effort to prevent residents from being infected. McLaughlin, a Republican, is a regular critic of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat and has sparred with the governor's advisors on social media. McLaughlin has joined with other state Republicans in criticizing Cuomos handling of nursing home deaths during the coronavirus pandemic. It was only this past July, when talking to a friend who was quarantining in Tennessee, that I learned that periodical cicadas spend their whole lives underground until its time to mate and reproduce and then, almost immediately thereafter, die. She mentioned they were having a cicada summer, and she was having a grand old time sitting on her porch in the evenings practically bathing in their song. I was confused. Wait, are you saying there are summers without cicadas? I asked and instantly tried not to be mortified by my ignorance. To be 54 and learning only now that there are silent summers and cicada summers and that there are, depending on the type of insect, either 13 or 17 years in between! If I had known this sooner, I think I would have organized my life differently and scheduled my travel plans around the broods mating calendar, just so I could be sure to be on a porch somewhere when they started singing. While it came with a little sting of embarrassment to have never learned this on my own before, mostly Im just thrilled to finally know. It did make me realize, though, that its just always going to be rather uncomfortable to not know what everyone else already seems to. When have I ever not wanted to bluff my way through those moments so as not to be caught out as ignorant? When I arrived on campus for my second freshman year of college, I thought I was a precocious and savvy 17-year-old having already lived on my own in New York City, already worked in restaurants and a raucous nightclub, already dropped out of a different college the year before, already been in trouble with the law (and been charged with two felonies). But my new housemate, a graduating senior I met that afternoon, hooked me by the arm and cruised me across campus to the welcome convocation where I suddenly froze as I realized I had never been to an academic lecture before. Dr. Gloria Joseph, the love of Audre Lorde, was at the lectern, discussing third-world feminism, followed by the Pakistani political scientist Eqbal Ahmad, who used words like anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism, while I sat in the back of the hushed amphitheater, surrounded by nodding classmates who appeared already fluent in these concepts. The next day I took a good long walk in the crisp New England air to work it all out, to ask myself some big questions under the scrutiny of no one this Thoreauvian remedy at least I had known since before high school. Walking and walking, past the apple orchards, alone in the hushed privacy of the pine-needle floor of the surrounding woods and coming eventually to the edge of a vast expanse of hard clay fields of Western Massachusetts, I felt less stupid than I did the day before. Apart from the BJP, RSS and VHP, the Congress was at the root of the demolition, Owaisi said, adding that it was during the Congresss rule that the idols were kept in the mosque, which was later demolished Calling the acquittal of the 32 accused on the Babri Masjid demolition a denial of justice and a black day for Indian judiciary, Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the special CBI courts judgment satisfied the collective conscience of the Hindutva ideology and its followers but denied justice to those wronged in 1992. Senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti were among 'key conspirators' named in a CBI chargesheet filed in the case of the 6 December, 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. However, a CBI court, ruled after 28 years that the demolition was a spontaneous act by a mob of miscreants and not part of any larger conspiracy, as alleged by the CBI. Owaisi, while slamming the judgment, went on to say that he felt the same humiliation and helplessness that he felt on the day of the demolition. He also said that the CBI courts judgement went against the Supreme Court, which had said in a November 2019 judgment that the demolition by kar sevaks was an "egrerious violation of rule of law" and "calculated act of destroying a public place of worship". I am unable to understand that if this was an egregious violation of rule of law, was the mosque martyred using magic on 6 December? How were idols kept inside on the nights of 29 and 29 December, 1949? Were the locks opened using magic when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister?" Owaisi asked. Also hitting out at special CBI judge SK Yadav's judgement where he stated that the demolition was not not pre-planned and occurred at the spur of the moment, he said, "Now, the court says there was no conspiracy. Please enlighten me, how many days of months of preparations are required to disqualify an action from being spontaneous?." Alleging that Advani, Joshi and Bharti were distributing sweets when the mosque was being demolished, the MP from Hyderabad said, "Violence pays politically. You can say that wherever Advani's Rath Yatra went, there was bloodshed. Innocent people were murdered, properties were burnt, families were uprooted and destroyed." However, they were rewarded by being given ministerial berths, Owaisi went on to say. Apart from the BJP, RSS, VHP and the Congress were also at the root of the demolition, Owaisi said, adding that it was during the Congresss rule that the idols were kept in the mosque. Citing an eyewitness statement in the CBI chargesheet, he went on to say that then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh had said that the Supreme Court has restricted construction and not demolition at the disputed site. "Did the CBI chargesheet not say that Advani hatched the conspiracy at Vinay Katiyar's home on 5 December? Is it not true that Advani told Kalyan Singh not to resign until the mosque is demolished so that the government is not dismissed? Did the BJP government (UP) not promise the Supreme Court that it would protect the mosque?" Owaisi asked. Responding to questions, Owaisi further said that he hopes the CBI will appeal against the courts decision for the sake of its independence. He also said that he would approach the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and ask them to appeal against the judgment. Owaisi also reacted with a quote in Urdu by Malikzada Manzoor Ahmed, which roughly translates to, "The killer is the only litigant, the only court and the only judge in the case. Therefore, a lot of verdicts are one-sided." Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt and Marcia Langton, the joint leader of the group drafting options for the Voice for Indigenous Australians, have defended the co-design process after criticism from one of its senior advisers. Pat Turner, head of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and a member of the senior advisory group, told the National Press Club on Wednesday the "convoluted and flawed process" was not proper shared decision making. Pat Turner told the National Press Club final decision making on the Voice for Indigenous Australians "is to occur behind closed doors by government". Credit:Dominic Lorrimer "As it is currently proposed, final decision making on our Voice is to occur behind closed doors by government," she said. Professor Langton said it appeared Ms Turner had misunderstood the process for creating the Voice. In Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, Republic Media Network has now accessed exclusive details of transactions between CBI accused number one Rhea Chakraborty and talent management agency KWAN. As Enforcement Directorate investigates the financial link, questions arise as to why was KWAN making multiple transactions to Rhea. KWAN bosses are under the scanner of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) as their names emerged in the drug chats where there were talks of alleged drug supply. The ED is probing this drug angle with respect to the KWAN-Rhea transactions too. KWAN-Rhea's money transactions under ED scanner The first transaction of Rs 3,96,825 was done on March 12 through RTGS and the second one followed in a span of little more than a month. This time an amount of Rs 3,68,098. The third payment was done through NEFT on May 2 and the amount was Rs 1,60,651. The fourth payment one happened in the same month and the amount credited was Rs 1,72,126. The fifth transaction was through a cheque on June 4, and the amount credited was Rs 1,59,300. The other five money transactions of Rs 2,75,400, Rs 1,36,802, Rs 2,75,400, Rs 1,17,900 and Rs 1,21,125 were done either through RTGS or NEFT on June 25, July 4, July 6, October 4 and November 18 respectively. KWAN has come into the spotlight amid the NCB's probe into the Bollywood drug nexus over which Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, as well as KWAN executives Jaya Saha and Karishma Prakash have been questioned, in relation to two FIRs that are filed as part of the Sushant Singh Rajput death probe, in which Rhea Chakraborty is named as the prime accused. KWAN bosses also part of WhatsApp drug chat group The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) which is investigating the Bollywood drug nexus, had summoned KWANs CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar, their talent manager Jaya Saha and employee Karishma Prakash, who is also Deepika Padukone's manager. Last week, Republic Media Network had accessed even more details of a WhatsApp group formed by talent manager from KWAN Jaya Saha with Deepika, Karishma Prakash and KWAN co-founders Anirban Das Blah and Vijay Subramaniam. These WhatsApp group chats show that the top management of the company which is under the scanner was part of the group and they were aware of the alleged drug supply chain that ran via KWAN employees. READ | Sushant's friend Smita Parikh remarks on CBI-AIIMS probe update, hopes it reassures all Sources revealed that NCB Chief Rakesh Asthana will be been handed a 'drug dossier' by the officials. As per sources, this drug dossier contains a list of top Bollywood stars involved in procuring drugs. It also contains a detailed report of drug chats between Bollywood actors and peddlers along with testimonies of actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and Shraddha Kapoor. It also holds the testimonies of others including those of KWAN talent managers Karishma Prakash, Shruti Modi and designer Simone Khambatta. The drug dossier also holds details on the financial dealings and ownership of KWAN talent management agency and the testimonies of KWAN members and their links to drug peddlers. READ | As AIIMS submits Sushant death report, Dr Swamy picks hole in Cooper's 'hanging' claim NCB opposes bail for Rhea & Showik The NCB had earlier arrested actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and some suspected drug peddlers. The Bombay High Court, last week had adjourned the hearing of the bail plea of Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik for September 29. According to sources, Narcotics Control Bureau on Monday opposed the bail plea. READ | Sushant Singh's sister Shweta urges everyone to 'stay united' as CBI releases statement "At the onset, it is submitted that the application filed by the applicant (Rhea & Showik Chakraborty) is devoid of any merits and therefore deserves to be rejected," the affidavit read. "Rhea has actively aided, abetted, and financed other accused person for the drug transaction in pursuance criminal conspiracy," it further said. Phase 3 of NCB's drug probe to begin Sources have told Republic that the 'Phase 3' of NCB's Bollywood drug probe will see names even bigger and more influential than Deepika Padukone and the others coming under the agency's radar. Furthermore, the four actors summoned so far - Deepika, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh - appear to all have 'read from the same script', sources said, adding that they have only piled on the trouble for themselves by doing so and are aware that they are cornered. All four have claimed that 'hash isn't a drug', while two have also tried to claim that the NCB isn't versed with 'Bollywood English'. Lastly, the NCB is said to be shocked at the pressure it is coming under over Kshitij Prasad's arrest, from bureaucrats and politicians. The agency is confident, however, that a lot of names will come out over the course of his interrogation in custody, and has also dismissed as 'malicious' claims of physical overreach in its grilling of the director/producer who was once associated with a top Bollywood production banner. Sources told Republic that the NCB has a lot more evidence it hasn't presented yet and another set of summons for the actors hasn't been ruled out. READ | SSR death case: Here's how to sign #SushantJusticeNow petition and hold CBI accountable STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Ayisha Egea changed her story several times when detectives questioned her about the disappearance of her boyfriend Michael Cammaratas estranged wife, a justice recently wrote. But what never varied in Egeas accounts was her attempts to exculpate and distance herself from any role in Jeanine Cammaratas vanishing and death last year, Justice Mario F. Mattei wrote in recently denying Egeas motion to suppress those statements. The victims charred remains were found in a plastic bin inside an Arden Heights storage unit on April 4, 2019, prosecutors said. While the evidence appeared to contradict it, Egea told cops Jeanine Cammarata, a New Brighton resident, was alive when Michael Cammarata stuffed her into a big bag after an altercation in the victims car on March 30, 2019. He then brought her into the apartment which he and Egea shared in Queens. Egea said Jeanine Cammarata, 37, later popped out of the bag inside the apartment and left the next morning. A jury will ultimately decide whether or not Egeas statements are true. Mattei ruled they were properly obtained, and prosecutors can use them against the defendant at trial. Probable cause existed for the defendants arrest and statements she made to the police were done so voluntarily after she was advised of and knowingly waived her rights, Mattei wrote. There was no evidence police had forced Egea to talk to them, he said. Likewise, there was no indication her medical condition had prevented the defendant from voluntarily and knowingly waiving her right to refuse to answer investigators' questions and to have a lawyer present, said the judge. The defense contended investigators had unlawfully secured the statements, and Egea, who was pregnant and had a foot injury, was in no condition to speak to cops. A memorial was set up outside PS 18 in New Brighton in April 2019, for Jeanine Cammarata, a slain teacher who once taught there. (Staten Island Advance/Albert Rizzi) MURDER CHARGES Egea and Michael Cammarata have been charged with murder and other crimes in connection with Jeanine Cammaratas death. Michael Cammarata, then 42, and Egea, then 41, are accused of slaying the victim on the night of March 30, 2019, after she drove out to the defendants' Far Rockaway, Queens apartment. Prosecutors allege the defendants attacked Jeanine Cammarata in her car. Afterward, they carried her body into their apartment and removed it the next day, prosecutors maintain. The defendants transported the corpse to New Jersey and then to Staten Island to an Arden Heights storage unit where it was left on April 1, 2019, at 3:30 p.m., prosecutors allege in court papers. The victims remains were discovered three days later, authorities said. Mattei held the pretrial hearings for both Michael Cammarata and Egea over several dates last October and November. In July, he rejected Cammaratas motion to suppress his statements to police. No trial date has been set. INTERVIEWS WITH DETECTIVES With respect to Egea, investigators interviewed her three times between April 2 and April 4, 2019, said the judges ruling. The defendant changed her account of the events at various times in those discussions, Mattei said. Yet each time she maintained her innocence, contending she had done nothing to harm the victim, or to help dispose of the body. Egea last spoke to cops on April 4, 2019, after they found the victims burnt and dismembered body in the storage unit rented in Michael Cammaratas name. The charred remains of Jeanine Cammarata were found on April 4, 2019, inside this storage facility on Arden Avenue in Arden Heights. (Staten Island Advance/Shira Stoll) She said the events unfolded on the night of March 30 when Jeanine Cammarata drove out to Queens to talk to her husband about their kids. The children were staying with Michael Cammarata and Egea. The defendant said she and Michael went into Jeanines car, and they drove around the block. The Cammaratas, who were in the front seat, began arguing and it turned physical, Egea said. Jeanine struck Michael, and he hit her back, said the defendant. Egea said she was in the back seat and tried to break them up. She said she then looked down and heard a bang. On looking up, she saw Jeanine was unconscious, laying diagonally in the front seat. Michael said his wife had a heartbeat and tried to give her CPR, said Egea. Michael left the car and returned a few minutes later with a shopping cart and black contractor garbage bags. He stuffed Jeanines body into a garbage bag and put it on top of the cart, Egea told cops. Egea said she didnt help him put the victim into the bag. They went into their apartment and Jeanine was placed in a back bedroom, she said. At some point later, Jeanine stood up while still in the bag and began speaking nonsensically, Egea said. Michael came into the room, hit her and placed her back in the bag, Egea told police. All three adults spent the night in the apartment, she said. The next morning, Michael told Egea that Jeanine had left, the defendant said. However, the victims car was still outside. Ayisha Egea, seen in an appearance in state Supreme Court, St. George, on August 28, 2019, is accused, along with her boyfriend, Michael Cammarata, of killing Jeanine Cammarata, Michael's estranged wife. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel) Police later questioned Egea about the visit which she and Michael made to the storage unit prior to investigators' discovery of the victims remains there on April 4. The remains were found in a blue tub. Surveillance videotape showed Michael walking to the unit with a dolly, said Matteis ruling. On the dolly was the same blue tub containing the same plastic bags he was previously seen on another surveillance video taking out of the defendants' Queens apartment. Egea said she and Michael had gone to the unit to photograph things he wanted to sell. When asked about the blue tub, Egea denied knowing where it was, despite a detective saying he had video depicting the defendant standing next to it, Mattei wrote. The defendant was then shown pictures of the victims body in the tub. Egea began crying. She said she would have called police if she knew the victim had been killed. She also said didnt know Michael had done it. However, on later being shown the storage-unit video, Egea admitted she knew Jeanine had been dead and her mistake was in not informing police, wrote Mattei. I have to live with that, said Egea. Defense lawyer Mark J. Fonte said hes anxious to put the case before a jury. Despite days of grueling interrogation, at no time did my client ever admit to participating in the death of this poor woman, said Fonte. The death occurred at the hands of the co-defendant. Attorney Mario F. Gallucci represents Michael Cammarata. CNN anchor and Washington Post columnist Zakaria approaches the new realities of 2020 with his usual sang-froid, delineating the systems we must implement and the fears we must face to come out on the other side of the novel coronavirus. Zakaria considers the digital economy, the resilience of cities, the lessons of socialism and the deepening rift between the United States and China to deliver a small-scale syllabus for global course correction. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Tuesday announced that it will contest the forthcoming assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh. Asaduddin Owaisi is the national president of the party. He is also the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad seat. Partys state unit president Shaukat Ali said that in the meeting held on Sunday, the partys state unit decided to contest the bypolls and the central leadership later gave its approval to the decision. Dilshad Ahmed will be the partys candidate from Bulandshahr seat while the candidates for the remaining seats will be finalised soon, he said. Also, Ghulam Mohammad Shabir was appointed the AIMIMs UP unit general secretary on Tuesday. The decision of the AIMIM to contest the bypolls is likely to upset the strategy of the SP, the Congress and the BSP as the AIMIM enjoys support among the Muslim voters in west and east UP, said Ashok Kumar Sinha, a political observer. Also Read: Babri Masjid demolition verdict: All 32 accused acquitted Bypolls to the seven assembly seats in the state will be held on November 3, stated the election commission on Tuesday. The counting of votes will be held on November 10. The seven assembly seats include Naugawan Sadat, Bulandshahr, Tundla, Bangermau, Ghatampur, Deoria and Malhani. Hathras case: Kangana Ranaut expresses immense faith in UP CM However, the poll panel decided not to hold the bypoll on the Suar assembly seat in Rampur district that fell vacant after Allahabad high court on December 16, 2019 set aside the election of Samajwadi Party MLA Abdullah Azam on charge of submitting wrong documents to contest election. An election commission officer said the matter related to the Suar assembly seat was pending in court. The commission decided to announce the bypoll on Suar seat later. Panaji: Two-month-long hectic campaigning by political parties for the February 4 Goa Assembly election will culminate on Thursday. Campaigning ends 48 hours before the beginning of the polling process. The election for the 40 Assembly constituencies in the State would be held across 1642 polling booths. The coastal State is witnessing a four-cornered fight with BJP, Congress, AAP and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party-led alliance vying for mandate to rule Goa. Besides them, small parties and Independents are also in the fray. While AAP, which was the first political party to starts its campaigning, is contesting on 39 seats, Congress has fielded 37 candidates and is supporting other nominees on the remaining three constituencies. Read | Goa Polls: Amit Shah attacks Congress, says Rahul wearing Italian glasses Ruling BJP has fielded candidates in 36 constituencies and is supporting four Independents in Catholic voters dominated constituencies. The new alliance between MGP, rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkars Goa Suraksha Manch and Shiv Sena is contesting on 28 constituencies. While the MGP-led alliance and AAP have declared their Chief Ministerial candidates, Sudin Dhavalikar and Elvis Gomes, respectively, BJP and Congress have not done so. BJP has hinted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar might be sent back to Goa as Chief Minister if it wins the polls. Read | EC issues show cause notice to Manohar Parrikar over 'bribery' remarks, seeks explanation by 3 Feb Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Manohar Parrikar have addressed rallies in support of party candidates. For Congress, Vice-President Rahul Gandhi addressed two public meetings, while Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala and others addressed scores of corner meetings for party nominees. AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal accompanied by his colleagues from Delhi Cabinet also addressed rallies.Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP President Sharad Pawar, too, addressed rallies. There are 58 Independents in the fray, down from 72 in 2012. Read | What did BJP do in Goa in five years, asks Uddhav Thackeray For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Nana Lloyd is the founder and owner of Nunuki, a proudly South African skincare brand developed to care for the sensitive skin of little humans. With an established marketing career, what led you to make the switch to skincare - specifically skincare for children? How did you go about formulating the Nunuki range? Where are Nunuki ingredients sourced from, and where are the products manufactured? What are the challenges and also the benefits that come with manufacturing locally? The main challenge of manufacturing in South Africa, is to contain the input costs to ensure that we can sell to customers at a competitive price. The biggest benefit is that the growth of Nunuki can directly have a positive impact on other South African businesses and people. Nunuki is now available at a number of SA retailers, including Kids Emporium and Pick n Pay. What was the process like getting your products onto retail shelves? It has been a huge learning curve I am the packer, logistics manager, accounting clerk, marketing manager and everything else it has come with some hard lessons and sleepless nights, and the prospect of building a sustainable, growing South African business. Each Nunuki product is paired with a cute character that imparts valuable life lessons. What inspired this approach? What have been your most important lessons learned on your business journey thus far? How do you think more consumers can be encouraged to support local brands? There has been a forced global move to nationalism due to this pandemic, which has contributed to our story of supporting local. We need big business to help support this movement the small businesses need them to grow. Nunuki merges the science of skincare with fun by incorporating an enchanting family of characters , called nunukis, who each have their own special strengths and help teach children valuable life lessons.As a mother of two, Lloyd understands the importance of family time and how intimate moments during bathtime and bedtime are perfect teaching opportunities. "It was important for me to create a brand that resonates with parents and makes a difference in their everyday life. A brand that is not only known for skincare but offers the most valuable life lessons to each user," she explains.With 20 years of marketing experience under her belt, Lloyd's work with clients in the skincare industry and her experience as a mother led her to identify a market opportunity for skincare products that were gentle enough for children of all ages and that provided parents with peace of mind.She developed the Nunuki range in partnership with a panel of South African cosmetic and pharmaceutical experts, using natural active ingredients compatible with the most sensitive of skin. All Nunuki products have been dermatologically tested and approved, CANSA-endorsed and are Proudly South African.Nunukis first product listing was in Kids Emporium in April 2019, and in June 2019 a Pick n Pay buyer approached Lloyd indicating the retailer's interest in stocking the brand. The range is also available at leading pharmacies and independent baby boutiques.Lloyd says that while her business is still small, her dream is for it to have a significant impact on the lives of little ones and parents for years to come. "I want to remind parents that special moments and a foundation for good, open communication happens during simple, everyday routines such as bathing and creaming. Make it fun and make it count."Here, Lloyd share more on the development of the Nunuki business, and her journey so far.I left formal corporate marketing employment at the end of 2012 to start a marketing consulting business. The main driver for leaving the security of working for a company, was to have more flexibility to spend time with my children. One of my clients that I worked with for over 2 years, was a dermatologist with his own teen and adult skincare brand. That was the introduction to that category.The decision to develop a range for children was both driven by a market opportunity and my own passion for little ones. The development of the range (2018 - 2019) was completed while I still consulted to a range of clients.The benefit of my marketing experience is that you work with a range of businesses, departments, categories and specialists to help grow a brand. My expertise is collaboration and getting the right people to work together for an optimal end product.I wanted a range that was developed for sensitive little humans skins, and helped to create special memories for parents through unique smell and touch so I worked with expert local cosmetic chemists and pharmacologists to develop formulas to meet those objectives.Most of our ingredients are sourced through local companies, but they import some of the ingredients. All the packaging (except the cosmetic pumps) are manufactured locally, and the production of Nunuki products happen just outside of Pretoria.To launch and grow a new brand is a relentless process of knocking on doors, getting used to people not responding back to you or saying no, but mostly to celebrate the small wins and inroads made. A local, authentic story with a solid business case helped to open doors.My first listing was in Kids Emporium in April 2019, and I agreed to supply their stores on a consignment basis to help get Nunuki products into the hands of consumers. The business and franchisees have played a big part in growing the brand over the last year.I met the Pick n Pay buyer while exhibiting at my first Mama Magic expo in May 2019. Pick n Pay focuses on local, small suppliers and helping businesses enter retail and help them grow. I am so grateful that the Pick n Pay team is giving Nunuki the opportunity and support to help fast-track the growth of the business.One of the key values I want to instil in our children is to always be kind. This value has translated into the purpose of my business.During skincare time with little ones, parents have time to connect with their little ones what a perfect time to teach a life lesson? So, each Nunuki product has a unique nunuki character that can help parents teach these lessons. The children also take ownership of their own nunuki and turns skincare time into fun time. The best way to teach little ones is through storytelling.That most things will not go according to plan, and that you must roll with the punches. It is hard, and resilience is the most important characteristic for an entrepreneur. But like one of my mentors says "nothing worth it, is every easy."If more retailers can adopt the Pick n Pay approach to supporting local, it will go a long way to help consumers buy local. Chandigarh: In view of Punjab Assembly elections, to be held on February 4, the Haryana government on Thursday notified the polling day as paid holiday for its staff who are enrolled as voters in Punjab, to enable them exercise their franchise. The holiday would be observed under section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and section 135-B of Representation of the People Act in all Haryana government offices, education institutes, boards and corporations in respect of those staff of the state government who are registered voters in Punjab, an official spokesperson said. Or such employees may avail special casual leave, paid, on that day, he said. It was also notified that employees of various factories, shops and private establishments located in Haryana, who are registered voters of Punjab, can take paid leave under Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act for the same purpose. The spokesperson said February 4 would also be a close day (holiday) for all shops and commercial establishments falling within the jurisdiction of Haryana only for the staff who are enrolled as voters in Punjab so as to enable them to exercise their franchise, under Section 10 of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 (Punjab Act 15 of 1958). For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BICSI, the association advancing the information and communications technology (ICT) profession, is pleased to announce the release of its updated Registered Communications Distribution Design (RCDD) Program, including an updated publication, course and exam: Telecommunications Distribution Methods Manual ( TDMM ), 14 th Edition Released February 2020 ( ), 14 Edition Released DD102: Applied Best Practices for Telecommunications Distribution Design Training Course NEW! Training Course NEW! Registered Communications Distribution Design (RCDD) Credential Exam NEW! The BICSI RCDD professional has the tools and knowledge to work with architects and engineers in designing the latest technologies for intelligent buildings and smart cities, encompassing state-of-the-art solutions in ICT. RCDD professionals design communications distribution systems; supervise the execution of the design; coordinate activities with the design team; and assess the overall quality of the completed communications distribution system. "The BICSI RCDD credential is globally recognized as a designation of the exceptional expertise and qualifications of the individual in the design, integration and implementation of cutting-edge ICT solutions," said John H. Daniels, CNM, FACHE, FHIMSS, BICSI Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. "With the rapid evolution of intelligent and smart technology design, the RCDD continues to elevate the standards for the entire industry and is recognized and required by many organizations." Award-Winning Publication The Telecommunications Distribution Methods Manual (TDMM), 14th edition, is BICSI's flagship manual, the basis for the RCDD exam, and the foundation of ICT cabling design. From a new chapter detailing special design considerations, new sections such as disaster recovery and risk management, and updates to intelligent building design, 5G, DAS, WiFi-6, healthcare, PoE, OM5, data centers, wireless networks and addressing the latest versions of electrical codes and standards, the TDMM 14th edition is the indispensable resource for modern cabling design. Earlier this year, the TDMM 14th edition won both the "Best in Show" and "Distinguished Technical Communication Awards" by the Society for Technical Communication. New RCDD Course Revised to reflect recent telecommunications distribution design trends, BICSI's DD102: Applied Best Practices for Telecommunications Distribution Design course features brand new design activities and a greatly expanded student guide. In addition, DD102 includes hands-on and virtual collaboration tools to enhance the student learning experience and maximize material retention. Two additional courses in the RCDD program will be released soon: the official BICSI RCDD Online Test Preparation course and DD101: Foundations of Telecommunications Distribution Design. New RCDD Credential Exam The RCDD Program was updated and aligned with the most recent Job Task Analysis (JTA), a critical process performed every 3-5 years to reflect the changes and evolution within the ICT industry. In addition to the expansion of topical areas, this version includes JTA-aligned modifications to both the eligibility and recertification requirements of the RCDD credential. About the BICSI RCDD Certification Critical to building infrastructure development, the BICSI RCDD program involves the design and implementation of telecommunications distribution systems. Being recognized as a BICSI RCDD expert has many advantages, including: New job and promotion opportunities Higher salary possibilities Recognition by fellow ICT professionals as a subject matter expert A positive impact on your professional image An expanded ICT career field Those who achieve the RCDD designation have demonstrated their knowledge in the creation, planning, integration, execution and/or detailed-oriented project management of telecommunications and data communications technology. More information about the BICSI RCDD program can be found at bicsi.org/rcdd. About BICSI BICSI is a professional association supporting the advancement of the information and communications technology (ICT) profession and currently serves more than 26,000 members and credential holders. BICSI is the preeminent resource for the Connected World. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, USA, BICSI membership spans nearly 100 countries. SOURCE BICSI Related Links http://www.bicsi.org President Akufo-Addo says his government will deal ruthlessly with persons plotting to foment trouble during the December 7 election. President Akufo-Addo said he will ensure that the upcoming polls are violent-free and Ghanaians are able to undertake their civic duty without any hindrance or intimidation. The President made the remarks when he addressed a durbar of chiefs and people of Juaso in the Asante Akyem South District as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region. When its time for the elections, anyone who has registered should go and vote. The upcoming polls will be peaceful, we will not allow anyone to foment trouble. For those who will seek to bring trouble, we will deal with them. They will know that the government has the power to deal with them. So, the polls will be peaceful for everyone to exercise their franchise, he said. The President as part of his tour commissioned a 12-unit classroom block for the Juaso Senior High Technical School. He also inspected a fertilizer and Pork processing factories under the One District One Factory projects in the Asante Akyem South District. In addition, he also commissioned a 12 unit classroom block for the Konongo Odumase Senior High School. citinewsroom The Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia says government will not engage groups claiming to be campaigning for the independence of an imaginary Western Togoland state. He said the groups and their demands are criminal and as such the government will under no circumstance engage them on the matter. He indicated that granting the separatists audience will open the government up for many such illegal demands for secession. Negotiation with criminals? On what basis? Then we will be open to many things and tomorrow you go somewhere and another group will also come and say they are the northern territories [seeking independence]. It will not happen. It doesnt make sense, the Vice President said in an interview on Asempa FM on Wednesday. Dr. Bawumia insisted that the Western Togoland area is nonexistent and is only a figment of imagination of persons making such demands. It does not exist. The Mamprusis, Gonjas, Oti people are part of Ghana. They have not expressed interest in going anywhere so where is this figment of a Western Togoland? Where is it? Is it Ho? Kpando or Kpeve? There is no legal basis for those demands. It is criminal and so Ghana must come together Some criminals are trying to misrepresent history and engage in criminal activities, Dr. Bawumia said. The government is currently holding 31 persons believed to be members of a separatist group that blocked the JuapongAccra, and SogakopeAccra main roads, raided police stations and stole some state assets last Friday. That incident has rejuvenated national discussions on separatist groups that have emerged in the country with the view of gaining independence from Ghana. According to Bawumia, the situation is a cause for worry and Ghanaians must unite to stop it. From that point of view, all of us should be worried and we should do everything and we [government] would do everything to stop it. We shouldnt allow any criminal to jeopardize [our peace], he said. He further expressed confidence in the approach of the countrys security agencies to address the situation while urging the public to support government in its quest to silence such groups. citinewsroom Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 49F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low around 30F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 18:50:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Three speeches by President Xi Jinping when attending a series of events celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 2019 will be published in the Qiushi Journal on Oct. 1, China's National Day. The speeches by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in the 19th issue of the journal. Xi delivered the speeches respectively at the grand rally to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC on Oct. 1, 2019, the reception to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC on Sept. 30, 2019, and the presentation ceremony of national medals and honorary titles on Sept. 29, 2019. In the speeches, Xi said that the founding of the PRC completely reversed China's miserable fate born from poverty and weakness and being bullied and humiliated over more than 100 years since the advent of modern times, noting the Chinese nation has since embarked on the path of realizing great rejuvenation. "Today, a socialist China is standing firm in the East. No force can ever undermine our great motherland's status, or stop the Chinese people and the Chinese nation from marching forward," Xi said. "Seventy years are but a fleeting moment in human history. Yet for the Chinese people, for our nation, these have been 70 epochal years of great change. The Chinese nation has realized a tremendous transformation: it has stood up, grown rich and is becoming stronger; it has come to embrace the brilliant prospects of national rejuvenation." All great achievements are the result of continuous struggle, and all great causes must build upon past success. The new era is certain to see great achievements, Xi said, stressing that the Chinese people are great people, the Chinese nation is a great nation, and Chinese civilization is a great civilization. China's yesterday has been inscribed in human history; China's today is being created in the hands of hundreds of millions of Chinese people; China's tomorrow will be even brighter, he said. "All members of the Party, the armed forces and people of all ethnic groups should unite closer together, stay true to our original aspiration and the founding mission, build on existing achievements and continue to develop our People's Republic. We should continue to enhance our efforts to achieve the two centenary goals and national rejuvenation," Xi said. Enditem The cleaner's win reflects a growing frustration among Russians with pro-Kremlin candidates - Vladimir Smirnov/Tass via Getty Images A week ago, Marina Udgodskaya used to clean the office of the leading village official. On Wednesday, he was packing up for the cleaner to take his place. Ms Udgodskaya, who cleans at the administration building in the village of Povalikhino, about 380 kilometres east of Moscow, was running as a spoiler candidate against incumbent Nikolai Loktev, a Kremlin party candidate, at last weeks elections for the district encompassing about two dozen sparsely populated villages in the Kostroma region. With 84 out of 130 votes cast in the district of just 400 people, the 35-year-old cleaner won the race and literally sent Mr Loktev packing. I needed an opponent, and she was the only one who agreed to run, Mr Loktev told the Telegraph by phone when asked why his cleaner was in the competition in the first place. The outgoing village chief, who was packing up his office when reached by the Telegraph on Wednesday afternoon, described her as an energetic young woman who will manage. People simply wanted something new, Mr Loktev said, explaining his defeat. Ella Pamfilova, the Russian election chief, in an interview on the Govorit Moskva radio station insisted that Ms Udgodskaya won in a fair race and that there was no fraud. The cleaner, who is due to start her new job on Thursday, avoids journalists but in her only interview with Russian journalists she admitted to being shell-shocked by her win and initially wanting to relinquish her new role. First, I wanted to give it all up but then all residents supported me, the young woman with her hair in a ponytail told Komsomolskaya Pravda in a video interview filmed on a dirt path in Povalikhino. Ms Udgodskaya is raising two children while her husband is away most of the year working on construction sites around Moscow. Asked about her immediate plans for the office, the mother of two said: First, we need to deal with the pond for children to swim in. She also said she wants to upgrade playgrounds and improve street lighting. Story continues Ms Udgodskaya insisted that her lack of qualification is not an impediment and said she is proud of the work she did before: Its a normal job. There was no other work. I had to make money somehow. Mr Loktev has promised to help the cleaner with the new job. Ms Udgodskayas win reflects a growing frustration among voters across Russia with candidates from Vladimir Putins United Russia party who are increasingly perceived as corrupt and inefficient. Just a few weeks earlier, several regional legislatures got a major overhaul as candidates endorsed by opposition leader Alexei Navalny won a sizable number of seats. Kremlin-connected political analyst Sergei Markov has described the cleaners surprise win as a kind of payback from residents of Russias heartland for the federal government largely abandoning those areas which have suffered from a chronic brain drain and under-funding for decades. Those regions have grown depopulated, impoverished and neglected to the point that there are no people, no roads and no work left, Mr Markov said in a Facebook post. And no one even wants to run them. You cant have a black hole in the middle of the country. Iran has spent nearly $20 billion pushing its controversial foreign policy objectives in the region, the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in an interview on state television. Speaking to state TV channel Ofogh on September 26, Ali Fadavi said Iran had spent $19.6 billion on the 1980-1988 war with Iraq while adding that the cost for Iran's regional policies -- on such things as proxy armies and military aid in countries like Syria, Iraq, and Yemen -- was less than that. He added he could not remember the precise amount. But Fadavi, the second most senior commander in the IRGC, said those billions were insignificant compared to what Iran had gained in the region. "From the beginning when we got involved in the [so-called] Resistance Front, how much do you think we spent? The numbers are very low, a lot less than the war but the results [have been significant]." he said. The rare estimate on how much the IRGC spent supporting regimes and factions in nearby countries was far less than figures cited by other sources. Lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, for example, was quoted by Iranian media in May as saying Iran might have spent between $20 billion and $30 billion just on its involvement in Syria where Iranian-backed forces and militia have propped up the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It's not possible to verify such figures due to the secrecy of most IRGC expenditures and because Iran does not reveal the cost of its support for regional proxies aimed at expanding its influence in the region and countering its rival, Saudi Arabia. 'Think Of Us' Iran's support for those paramilitaries, including the Lebanese Hizballah, has been a source of anger for some Iranians particularly when economic mismanagement and crippling U.S. sanctions have led to the free fall of the national currency and skyrocketing prices that make life extremely difficult for many people. During recent antiestablishment demonstrations, protesters chanted "Leave Syria, think of us," and "No to Gaza, no to Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran." The chants highlight the frustration people have with Iran's support for those regional armies and the aid it provides to Syria. Iran's use of proxies has also been a talking point by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump against the clerical establishment, accusing Tehran of stealing resources from the Iranian people to create instability in the Middle East and support terrorist groups. The U.S. State Department said in 2018 that the Iranian establishment has spent "$16 billion propping up the Assad regime and supporting its other partners and proxies in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen since 2012." The report also said Iran funds Hizballah to the tune of $700 million annually and gives a further $100 million a year to Palestinian groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. When Fadavi was asked about the chants of protesters against Tehran giving such aid to countries in the region, he appeared to suggest that they're unimportant in the face of what he described as the "victories and greatness" Iran has achieved through its policies being implemented. In separate comments, General Rahim Yahya Safavi, a military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who served as IRGC commander, said Iran will support any "Muslim or non-Muslim country" that will ask for its help, adding: "but we will take money from them." Iranian officials have suggested that despite Washington's campaign of "maximum pressure," which has brought unprecedented problems to the Iranian economy, they are not ready to give up their support for proxies. Gold For Fuel The IRGC's external Quds force, whose chief Qasem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone attack in January, is believed to have played a major role in expanding Iran's regional operations. "For every assistance we provided to the Iraqis we received dollars in cash," Safavi said in a September 27 interview with the semiofficial Mehr news agency. "We signed a contract with the Syrians in exchange for certain things, of course the Russians will [benefit] in Syria more than us." He also confirmed earlier media reports that Tehran had received gold for sending fuel to Venezuela, which has also been targeted by U.S. sanctions. "We gave gasoline to Venezuela and received gold bars [in payment]. We brought the gold to Iran in a plane so that nothing would happen to it," Safavi said. The two countries have forged close bilateral relations due to their shared problems with Washington. "Venezuelans are communists, but they stood up to the Americans and we are helping them, giving them software, and giving them ideas such as how to mobilize people and how to repel cyberattacks," he said, without providing details. It turned out to be a bipartisan effort. In 1969, Republican President Richard Nixon supported a push in Congress to abolish the electoral college. So too did his rival in the presidential race a year earlier, Democrat Hubert Humphrey. The reason both united in support: Former Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Wallace who had famously said, Segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever stoked racial animosity as the candidate of the American Independent Party. He won five Southern states and netted 46 electoral votes. Advertisement Heres why an electoral college revolt is unlikely today Even before the 1968 election, there was fear that Wallace would win some electoral votes and possibly cause a tie between Nixon and Humphrey. Under the Constitution, the House of Representatives would then select the president and the Senate the vice president. Although there had been previous proposals to abolish or alter the electoral college, Wallaces strong showing finally gave the cause some momentum. I believe the events of 1968 constitute the clearest proof that priority must be accorded to electoral college reform, Nixon said in February 1969. I believe the events of 1968 constitute the clearest proof that priority must be accorded to electoral college reform. Richard Nixon, February 1969 To change the electoral college requires an amendment to the Constitution, which needs the support of two-thirds majority in the House and Senate, followed by ratification by three-fourths of the states. Congress and the states have let this situation continue for too long. The electoral reform issues raised in the recent election must be acted upon, Humphrey wrote in an op-ed published in the Los Angeles Times in April 1969. Direct election of the president would give each American citizen an equal vote a fundamental principle of our democratic process. Although Nixon supported an amendment crafted by the American Bar Assn. that called for electing the president by popular vote, he also offered his own proposal to permit the election of a president by a plurality of 40% of the electoral vote, instead of an absolute majority. If no candidate received 40%, then a runoff would occur. Ultimately, the plurality proposal Nixon supported did come to a vote on the floor of the House. It passed overwhelmingly in September 1969. But hope for a change to the electoral college quickly faded. Mark Weston, a historian of the electoral college and author of the The Runner-Up Presidency, said the amendment was filibustered and finally killed in the Senate by a group of Southern senators concerned that states with large populations would dominate elections. This really was essentially one of the last serious attempts to end the electoral college, Weston said in a recent interview. Presidential candidate George Wallace greets supporters at the Texas State convention of his American Independent Party in Dallas on Sept. 17, 1968. (PhotoQuest / Getty Images ) More recent attempts to scrap the electoral college have been motivated less by fears of a tie than the odd fact that a candidate can win the popular vote but still not take the White House. In the 19th century it happened three times in 1824, 1876 and 1888. Democrat Hillary Clinton won 2.8 million more votes than Republican Donald Trump nationally, but when the electors gather Monday to cast their ballots in state capitals, its virtually certain his victory will be made official. In the days after Clintons loss last month, Californias outgoing Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer incensed by the outcome introduced a proposal to abolish the electoral college system. The time had come, she said, to get rid of the outdated, undemocratic system that does not reflect our modern society. Clinton is the second presidential candidate in the last 16 years to win the popular vote, but lose the electoral college. Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000, but lost the electoral college vote after a recount gave George W. Bush the win in Florida and put him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. Since 1969, hundreds of efforts to end the electoral college have been floated, and the only other one to gain some traction came about a decade later. Then-President Carter, citing the need to boost participation in elections, sent reform proposals to Congress, emphasizing the need for change. I do not recommend a constitutional amendment lightly, Carter said in March 1977. I think the amendment process must be reserved for an issue overriding the governmental significance. But the method by which we elect our president is such an issue. The amendment did not come to a vote on the Senate floor until two years later where it did not pass. That year, a group of liberal senators from Northern states, such as Delaware, Maryland and New York, opposed the effort, arguing, among other things, it would weaken the influence of African Americans and Jews in populous cities. With a constitutional amendment so difficult to pass, other efforts are afoot to end the influence of the electoral college. In 2006, John Koza, a computer scientist, penned a proposal creating the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact an effort in which states agree to award all their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. So far, 10 states and the District of Columbia have signed up, including California, with its 55 electoral votes. According to PolitiFact, the plan would not eliminate the electoral college, but it would dramatically alter its purpose and make it reflect the wishes of voters nationwide. But supporters of the compact concede that even if more states eventually sign on, its likely to face court challenges. Back in 2012 before he was a candidate Trump called the electoral college a disaster. Now, it appears, hes a staunch defender. The electoral college is actually genius in that it brings all states, including the smaller ones, into play, he tweeted last month, just days after the election. kurtis.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @kurtisalee ALSO Why our presidents are elected by a cabal of elites The most important elevator in New York: Whos riding to the top of Trump Tower? Obama says election cyberattack came from the highest levels of the Russian government and vows retaliation Register now for free online AMSAT-UK Satellite Colloquium The AMSAT-UK Online International Space Colloquium takes place Sunday, October 11. It's a Free event Open To All - Register Now The Online AMSAT-UK Convention takes place on October 11, from 11am BST (10:00 GMT) to approximately 5pm, with a break for lunch, and several short breaks during the day. You dont have to be a member of AMSAT-UK to participate, and the event is free of charge but please register ASAP. Those who are registered will be entered for a number of free raffles which will take place during the event. Among the many talks and demonstrations provisionally planned during the day are: 1100 BST (1000 GMT) Official opening by Martin Sweeting G3YJO 1105-1125 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Update by Ciaran Morgan M0XTD 1135-1200 Decoding Mars spacecraft Bits and pieces you can learn from spacecraft telemetry by Daniel Estevez EA4GPZ 1210-1230 Tevel FM transponder satellite constellation by David Greenberg 4X1DG 1240-1300 LUNART A Lunar Amateur Radio Transponder Project by Peter Gulzow DB2OS 1400-1420 FUNcube next, to boldly go creating an open platform in space by Phil Ashby M6IPX 1430-1450 QO-100 Demonstration by Mike Willis G0MJW 1500-1520 Getting Goonhillys 32m antenna ready to support ESA missions by Matt Cosby Director of Space Engineering at Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd 1530-1550 AMSAT North America Engineering Update by Jerry Buxton N0JY 1600-1620 LEO Sat demonstration by Drew Glasbrenner KO4MA Please register online at http://tinyurl.com/amsatukreg2020 AMSAT-UK Colloquium Page https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/ AMSAT-UK https://twitter.com/AmsatUK Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Salima Lebel (Agence France-Presse) Kuwait City, Kuwait Wed, September 30, 2020 07:23 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c480caa9 2 World Kuwait,Sheikh-Sabah-al-Ahmad-Al-Sabah,Emirati Free Kuwait's emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, architect of the nation's modern foreign policy and mediator in some of the worst crises to grip the Gulf, died on Tuesday at the age of 91. The government quickly named his half-brother, 83-year-old Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, as his successor. Sheikh Sabah had earned a reputation as a shrewd, unshakeable leader who helped steer his country through the 1990 Iraqi invasion, crashes in global oil markets and upheavals in parliament and on the streets. "With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn... the death of Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah," Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah, minister in charge of royal affairs, announced in a televised statement. The government declared a 40-day period of national mourning. The United Nations described the late emir as a "distinguished statesman and an outstanding humanitarian" as it led tributes which came from across the Middle East's political divides. "Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed earned international recognition for his wisdom, generosity and achievements in state-building and preventive diplomacy," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesman said in a statement. He had made "a personal contribution to regional stability and humanitarian assistance which will long be remembered", British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. The emir, who had ruled the oil-rich Gulf state since 2006, died in the United States where he had been receiving hospital treatment after undergoing surgery in Kuwait City. Details of his illness were not disclosed. In his absence, Sheikh Nawaf -- an elder statesman who has held high office for decades including the defense and interior ministries -- had served as acting ruler. He is to be sworn in on Wednesday. Smooth handover The 15th leader in a family that has ruled for over 250 years, Sheikh Sabah weathered Kuwait's crises with shrewd judgment and an iron fist. As the country's top diplomat for nearly four decades, he fostered close ties with the West, most notably the United States which led the international coalition that freed Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1991. He later emerged as mediator between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iran, and between Saudi Arabia and Qatar following Riyadh's 2017 decision to cut ties with Doha. In a sign of the respect that the emir commanded across the region, the UAE, Egypt and Qatar all declared three days of mourning. "The Arab and Muslim world has lost one of its most valuable leaders," Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in a tweet. Regional power Saudi Arabia said it mourned his passing, while its arch-rival Iran praised the emir's policy of "moderation and poise". Baghdad said that Sheikh Sabah had put the Iraqi occupation in the past and supported the "new" Iraq after Saddam Hussein's rule, choosing to stand with it against "terrorism". Next generation? The Kuwaiti leader had remained deeply involved in global affairs into his old age. "The loss of Sabah al-Ahmed will be felt deeply, both due to his prominent role as a diplomat and regional mediator and as a unifying figure at home," said Kristin Diwan of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "Kuwaitis have appreciated his ability to keep the emirate out of regional conflicts and rivalries." Major policy changes are not expected under his successor, even after the Gulf underwent a seismic shift with Kuwait's neighbors, the UAE and Bahrain, opting to normalize relations with Israel. Normalization with the Jewish state is highly unpopular among the Kuwaiti public, which largely supports the Arab world's historic position of demanding a resolution of the Palestinian cause before giving diplomatic concessions to Israel. "There is no indication a future leadership would want to change Kuwait's posture," Diwan said. Kuwait's constitution stipulates that the ruler should be a descendant of the nation's founder, Mubarak al-Sabah, but the throne has alternated between the descendants of his sons, Salem and Jaber, for four decades. Contestants for the newly vacated role of Crown Prince include Sheikh Sabah's son and former deputy prime minister and political heavyweight Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah. "Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed should be viewed more as a caretaker than as a watershed new leader," said Cinzia Bianco, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Behind the scenes, however, younger princes would likely continue to compete to succeed him." Natiq Taghiyev, journalist in Azerbaijani Birlik newspaper The velvet revolution in Armenia which had begun with the promise of the anti-corruption campaign against the countrys business elite and the former leadership had been brought to its knees as the Laundress of Armenia, nations first lady Anna Hakobyan has yet again unskinned her true nature. According to the latest reports in view of the full scale war with Azerbaijan and the ongoing mobilization Armenian oligarchs had paid substantial amounts of money for the safe pass out of the country. Just as in the previous cases, the money was channeled through the charitable foundations My Step and City of Smiles headed by Anna Hakobyan to end up on her Swiss and the off-shore bank accounts. The role of middle man in this evacuation operation for the elite was played by the Prime Ministers brother-in-law, Anna Hakobyans brother and the member of the Armenian Parliament Hrachya Hakobyan. H.Hakobyan who had gained the notoriety for the hostile takeovers of the countrys former leaderships business enterprises had previously appeared in the sensational cigarette smuggling scandal back in 2019. As for the current smuggling operation Anna Hakobyans brother not only had mad the necessary arrangements for the wire transfers, but also had made a bit of a pocket change by handling the logistical support. Its been rumored that he had even provided his own Lear Jet and arranged the fly-outs from Zvartnots, Armenian main international airport which was closed out of the safety considerations due to the military situation. More details of this operation will be provided as the story unfolds. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Walmart is getting inspiration from the airport terminal as it revamps the layout and signage of its stores to speed up shopping and better cater to smartphone-armed customers. The nation's largest retailer, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, said that the look, which includes signs with bold dimensional typeface spotlighting sections, is currently in one store. It will be rolled out to 200 stores by early next year, with plans to add another 800 stores by early 2022. Walmart says it was working on a new store layout a year ago. But the pandemic accelerated those efforts as customers are increasingly focused on contactless shopping amid safety concerns. Walmart redesign (Mark A Steele / Walmart) We were inspired by airport wayfinding systems as best-in-class examples of how to navigate large groups of people," says Janey Whiteside, executive vice president and chief customer officer at Walmart's U.S. division, in a corporate blog. As part of the overall signage, the exterior and interior of the stores will reflect the Walmart app icon. As customers enter the store, they will see colorful iconography and a store directory that encourages them to download and use the Walmart app while they shop. It says its aisles will feature letter and number combinations to guide customers from phone to products. Walmart redesign (Mark A Steele / Walmart) It's also featuring dedicated sections within the store for toys, baby products and other areas. Shoppers who don't use their smartphones for shopping will still benefit with the bigger signs, which will help them find items, Whiteside noted. Digitizes the subscription process to unburden fund administrators from the halted revenue growth and poor investor experience brought on by manual onboarding BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Finomial, a leading Compliant Client Lifecycle Management ("CCLM") platform, today unveiled Finomial Electronic Subscriptions to digitize the manual subscription process. With this newest product, Finomial now offers a complete solution for alternative investment managers and their fund administrators, including investor compliance, on-boarding, capital activity, collaboration, and regulatory reporting to global authorities. With Finomial Electronic Subscriptions, funds can re-imagine the onboarding process by self-enabling investors with an easy-to-use, cloud-based platform, providing an online subscription process guided by rules to ensure that documents are completed accurately the first time. The product reduces back-and-forth between investors, advisors, fund managers and fund administrators, and automatically captures investor data, allowing teams to focus on high-value investor interactions. Finomial Electronic Subscriptions helps ensure that all stakeholders in the subscription process have transparency into where things stand, as well as a workflow to complete tasks seamlessly by Curating the Investor Experience - from investor onboarding to compliance and capital activity, collaboration and regulatory reporting - from investor onboarding to compliance and capital activity, collaboration and regulatory reporting Digitizing Investor Onboarding - reduce back and forth, eliminate email and paper, and enable communication - reduce back and forth, eliminate email and paper, and enable communication Harvesting Data Automatically - extract data automatically, eliminating errors and manual data entry, integrating key investor data, and enabling four-eye controls - extract data automatically, eliminating errors and manual data entry, integrating key investor data, and enabling four-eye controls Creating Transparency for Stakeholders - promote collaboration, provide transparent dashboards, and configure flexible workflow. "While many teams are remote and distributed at the moment, firms are looking for more rigorous compliance processes for KYC, AML, FATCA, CRS, and need the ability to ensure all transactions are being processed in a compliant manner," said Meredith Moss, CEO and Founder of Finomial. "We're excited to offer our clients a tool that will help evolve the industry by enhancing their workflows, delivering transparency to the end-user, and ultimately positively impacting their bottom line." Finomial's platform is used to provide investor services to over 3,200 funds, spanning hedge funds, private equity, and real estate. For more information or to schedule a demo, please contact info@finomial.com. About Finomial With over US$1.5 trillion in alternative assets serviced on our software platform across the globe, Finomial automates client on-boarding, comprehensive due diligence, and global regulatory reporting in a rapidly changing compliance environment - all while delivering a digital client experience. Finomial is transforming the interactions between financial institutions and their investors, minimizing the friction so GPs and LPs can focus on what matters. Media contacts: Jamie Kemp for Finomial (516) 417-3975 jamie@calibercorporateadvisers.com SOURCE: Finomial View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608364/Finomial-Launches-Electronic-Subscriptions-to-Enhance-the-Investor-Experience-Offers-Complete-Solution-for-Fund-Administration-of-Alternative-Investments Dublin has yet to see any significant improvement in curbing the spread of Covid-19 after more than a week in lockdown, it emerged today. Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the Dublin lockdown impact only appears to be kicking in around now. Read More But he also appeared to dampen fears that city lockdowns in Cork and Galway might be imminent. He was speaking at the Oireachtas committee investigating the Covid-19 response. The Dublin lockdown at Level 3 is for three weeks and this is the second week. Dr Glynn said there is a balance to be struck in timing and if NEPHT met today to review Dublins status it would be premature. Questioned on where Dublin now stands in relation to the spread of Covid-19 Dr Glynn later said: The optimist in me would say Dublin appears to be stabilising but thats an optimistic note. We do need to see what happens in the next three to four days in particular. Dr Glynn, who was responding to Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll McNeill, said the fact the virus is dispersed it means there are no major outbreaks. But this also makes it more difficult to control. There needed to be a stepping up of anti-Covid behaviour in peoples personal lives as well as in sports, culture and commercial areas. He also remarked on the level of traffic on the road and wondered if enough people are taking on board the message to work from home if possible. Questioned by Cork TD Mick Barry about a possible city lockdown on Cork he said speculation around this had not come from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NEPHT). He said the highlighting of the worrying levels of Covid-19 in Cork city and suburbs was not to signal that a lockdown was imminent but rather to warn people about the need to control their behaviour. There were even concerns about county lockdowns because of the evidence that people move about quite widely. NPHET meets tomorrow to review the latest data and decide on whether to recommend further lockdowns. Cork Independent TD Michael Collins said he was contacted by businesses 150km away from Cork city because of the anxiety about a potential lockdown. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the evidence from the lockdown in Laois, Offaly and Kildare was that county lockdowns work. He told the committee he has sanctioned a doubling of public health staff who are central to managing and investigating Covid-19 cases and outbreaks. He said the pre-Covid there were 254 people working full time in the HSE public health departments and that will be doubled. In the next two weeks the HSE will begin a recruitment campaign for 255 staff including public health doctors , nurses, scientists and support staff. He also confirmed he is sanctioning another E30m to support nursing homes over the next three months in a bid to reduce the risk from Covid-19 , providing funding for staff, PPE and other supports. The Minister told Fine Gael TD Fergus O Dowd he would look at whether it is possible to waive freedom of information fees for relatives of people in nursing homes who have sought background on Covid-19 outbreaks in facilities where people died. Asked about testing at airports Mr Donnelly said it would not be the highest priority at this stage. He told Labour party TD Duncan Smith that Ireland will switch to the EU traffic light system and it would see a liberalisation in travel. Travel to countries in the orange zone would involve a mixture of locator forms and testing. Prof Philip Nolan of Maynooth University said there is no point in introducing point in- time testing for incoming travellers but the EU plan offers a plausible way forward. Asked about the oversight of spending in the Department of Health to ensure value for money Mr Donnelly told Social Democrat TD Roisin Shortall he said that there are various controls in place. New Delhi: The death of an 18-year-old woman from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh after a brutal gangrape has once again revealed the apathetic face of our system. It takes cognisance when a woman is either found to be brutally gang-raped or she met her tragic demise. When a similar incident happened with Nirbhaya 8 years ago, it was felt that the nation has woken up, but the Hathras case is belying that reality. Some people are also trying to divert the attention by saying if the Hathras girl was gang-raped or not? However, this incident has once again exposed the thinking of our society towards women. The 18-year-old Hathras girl is subjected to brutal violence in a farm and her spine was broken causing her painful death. Not only this, but the poor soul was also denied her funeral rights. She was cremated in the dead of the night on Wednesday with family members alleging they were forced by police to hurriedly conduct the last rites. The girl who suffered the trauma in the field was also cremated in the open field in the dark of night in absence of her family members. She was even denied her right to a respectful funeral. This whole episode has also proved that our system is morally dead. The Zee News team reached Hathras, 180 km away from Delhi, to report the stark reality of the case. The DNA analysis is based on the facts that were traced from the victim's village and other places connected with the entire incident. The body of the victim was cremated in the dead of the night on Wednesday (around 2.30-3 am) with family members alleging they were forced by police to hurriedly conduct the last rites. When villagers told police officers that the last rites are not performed at night, one police officer said that it is not written anywhere. To convince the villagers, the District Magistrate of Hathras had also reached the spot. In a video, he is seen trying to convince the villagers with a weird argument. The uproar lasted for several hours, but the police officers did not listen to villagers and the body of the victim was 'set on fire' in a field in the village. After this, protests were held in many cities across the country. As protests broke out in several parts of the country and political leaders and activists voiced their protest over the manner in which the funeral was conducted near the woman's home in a village in Hathras, a local police officer said it was carried out 'as per the wishes of the family'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took cognizance of this incident and spoke with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said strict action should be taken against the culprits. The chief minister constituted a three-member SIT to probe the case asking that the trial be conducted in a fast track court. The SIT has been asked to submit its report in seven days. The team consists of the Home Secretary, Deputy Inspector General of Police, and a female IPS officer. The state administration has come into action 17 days after the incident, but what happened the last night in the village will surprise you. The 18-year-old woman was brutally gang-raped on September 14 in Bhoolagadhi village in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. She died of her grievous injuries at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Tuesday, prompting outrage, protests, and calls for justice. Notably, several videos have come out showing how the girl was subjected to endure pain. After the incident, her brother took her on a motorcycle to reach the police station where some policemen are seen standing around her. The police are seen least bothered to take her to a nearby hospital. Her brother later took his sister to a hospital in an auto. In the second video, the girl is seen admitted to a local hospital, where she is relating what happened to her on the 14th of September. Her mother is seen telling about the incident. In their statements, both the girl and her mother did not mention the gang rape but named two boys- Sandeep and Ravi. The police have arrested 4 people, including Sandeep and Ravi, for murder and gangrape. As her condition deteriorated, the girl was referred to a hospital in Aligarh, where she is clearly telling that she was raped on that day. After this statement, the police added the section of gangrape to the FIR. However, the medical report of the JN Medical College in Aligarh did not confirm the rape of the girl, who remained admitted in the same hospital till September 22. The report, however, mentioned that the girl was strangled with her dupatta. Her spine was also broken and she was paralyzed because of this injury. It cited scratch marks on the girl's back but did not mention internal injuries, stating that the rape can be confirmed only after the forensic investigation. Since the girl's condition was serious, it advised that her statement should be recorded before a magistrate as soon as possible. She was later referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi where she breathed her last on Tuesday. The girl left Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday night amid heavy police deployment and reached their village in Hathras. Family members said the body of the victim arrived in an ambulance after midnight in the village. The vehicle was parked on a road near the house and not taken to the family's home but straight to the crematorium, they alleged. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday announced that kin of the Hathras gangrape victim will be given Rs 25 lakh as ex-gratia and a house, and a government job will be given to a member of the family. Sacha Baron Cohen found himself in such dangerous situations filming Borat 2 that he "risked his life". The actor has reprised the role for a follow-up film that was shot during the pandemic and is set to be released one day before the US election. According to Deadline, Baron Cohen attended numerous sketchy events as Borat, and "had to wear a bulletproof vest" on two separate occasions. While it's currently unknown what specific situations the actor found himself in to take these precautions, several reports indicate that Borat was present at a far-right rally in Olympia, Washington. He was also almost arrested following a run-in with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Borat will return for a new film released this November (Getty Images) The sequel is reportedly titled Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan. As well as being a joke at the expense of the much-criticised US vice president Mike Pence, the title and its release date suggests the film will have a political edge. Following the release of his 2018 series Who Is America?, Baron Cohen revealed he discovered what he believed may have been a paedophile ring while filming under the guise of Italian playboy Gio Monaldo for a skit in Las Vegas. He explained: At the end of the interview I say, Listen, I want to go out and celebrate now. Can you get me a date for tonight? He says, What do you mean, a date? I go, you know, like a young man. He says, Well, what kind of age? I say, lower than Bar Mitzvah but older than eight. And he says, Yeah, I can put you in touch with somebody who can get you some boys like that. Borat 2 will be released via Amazon Prime on 2 November. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Vatican on Wednesday to join the US in denouncing violations of religious freedom in China, saying the Catholic Church should be at the forefront in the fight to insist on basic human rights there. Pompeo made the appeal at a conference on religious freedom organized by the US Embassy to the Holy See. It took place at the same time the Vatican is entering into delicate negotiations with Beijing on extending its controversial agreement over bishop nominations. In the audience was Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican foreign minister, who didnt mention China in his remarks. Instead, Gallagher denounced the imposition of gender ideology in the West as a violation of religious freedom. Pompeo, echoing the Trump administrations harsh criticism of Beijing that has increased as the U.S. Nov. 3 presidential election nears, said there was nowhere on Earth where religious liberty is more under assault than in China. We must support those demanding freedom in our time," Pompeo said. Citing St. John Paul II, retired Pope Benedict XVI and even Pope Francis, Pompeo urged a greater commitment from faith leaders to stand up for all religious believers. To be a church permanently in a state of mission has many meanings," Pompeo said, quoting Francis. Surely one of them is to be a church permanently in defense of basic human rights." The Vatican has defended its agreement with China, saying it is purely an ecclesial matter about bishop nominations and is not a political or diplomatic accord. Gallagher said the Holy See, in all its diplomatic dealings, has stressed the importance of dialogue and mutual respect." Pompeos visit to the Vatican has been made fraught by an essay he penned earlier this month in the conservative magazine First Things suggesting that the Vatican had compromised its moral authority by signing the 2018 accord with Beijing. Asked Wednesday how the Holy See received Pompeos essay, Gallagher told reporters: It was received critically. He also said the proximity of Pompeos visit to the U.S. election, was one of the reasons why the Holy Father is not receiving the secretary of state. Pompeo instead will meet Thursday with Gallagher and the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, at the Vatican. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:17:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MACAO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The total merchandise import to Macao expanded by 16.0 percent year-on-year to 8.61 billion patacas (about 1.08 billion U.S. dollars) in August, the special administrative region's statistic department said here on Wednesday. The latest report from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) showed that the imports of beauty, cosmetic and skincare products, perfumes, and mobile phones surged by 383.2 percent, 152.9 percent and 83.3 percent respectively, but those of gold jewellery and watches fell by 72.0 percent and 34.5 percent respectively. From January to August, the total value of merchandise import declined by 19.6 percent year-on-year to 45.35 billion patacas (about 5.68 billion dollars). By place of origin, merchandise import from Chinese mainland and the European Union decreased by 18.7 percent and 21.9 percent respectively year-on-year to 15.34 billion patacas (about 1.92 billion dollars) and 12.11 billion patacas (about 1.51 billion dollars) in the first eight months of 2020. Besides, imports from the Belt and Road countries and regions and the Portuguese-speaking countries reduced by 15.8 percent and 20.8 percent respectively to 7.89 billion patacas (about 988.50 million dollars) and 457.00 million patacas (about 57.26 million dollars). From January to August, imports of consumer goods went down by 22.3 percent to 30.58 billion patacas (about 3.83 billion dollars), with imports of watches and gold jewellery falling by 53.3 percent and 66.2 percent respectively. But imports of beauty, cosmetic and skincare products expanded by 61.3 percent. Enditem What happens in polls doesnt always happen at the polls and thats why a University of Virginia politics prognosticator has teamed up with an international research firm ahead of the November presidential election. Ipsos, a French firm that provides information and research gleaned from the internet and social media to corporations, governments and in public polls, is combining efforts with the University of Virginia Center for Politics and Sabatos Crystal Ball to give political junkies insight into the increasingly fractured U.S. electorate. The team has created Political Atlas to provide not only polling figures but spending trends and hot items and topics on social media and internet searches. The information goes from the national scene down to the state and, in some cases, the county level. The atlas can be found at political-atlas.com and is free. We have worked with Ipsos for two elections cycles now, 2018 and 2020, said Kyle D. Kondik, managing editor of Sabatos Crystal Ball. They have built some really cool and innovative tools that measure social media sentiment, model presidential job approval at the county level, and many other trends. Kondik said the Crystal Balls political analysis adds context to Ipsos figures. We provide to them our race ratings to add a qualitative element to the quantitative research they produce, Kondik said Ipsos is a major international pollster, and they are great to work with. Its more important than ever to provide as much context as possible to political polling numbers, Clifford Young, president of U.S. public affairs at Ipsos, said in a statement. On-the-ground analysis of what issues are being discussed on the internet and in the media, what people are seeing on their social media feeds, how many new cases of COVID-19 there are in a given state, how bad unemployment has gotten, these factors all matter a great deal and we ensured they were a major feature in our platform, Young said. Some of the information is less than shocking. Virginians, the atlas indicates, support Democrat Joe Biden over President Donald Trump. Biden has a 56% favorability rate in the election across the state while Trump has a 41% approval rating. Locally, the atlas shows 50% of Albemarle County residents approve of Trump, even though 56% favor Biden. It is possible in the figures to both approve of Trumps performance but prefer to vote for Biden. Trumps approval rating has jumped 11% in the last week. Charlottesville residents, on the other hand, give Trump only a 23% approval rating and that rating has dropped 2% in the last week. The city residents favor Biden by 70%, according to the atlas. The site provides information on how the candidates are faring in the public view and provides fundraising totals, voting methods, spending on Facebook ads, social media sentiment and the most shared articles on social media per topic. Topics and issues that may impact an election at the last minute are included in the atlas along with rising trends. The coronavirus remains the most important on social media in Virginia with 33% of social chatter regarding the pandemic. But the virus has dropped in importance since the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and the Supreme Court nomination has jumped to the second most-discussed social media topic at 16% of posts. The atlas also breaks down which candidate was mentioned more often in social media posts regarding community passion topics like abortion, guns, racism and the economy and which posts were shared the most in those topics. The social media chatter is important as it provides a context behind the polls, Kondik said. I think it is interesting to follow, but I also dont think its at the point where one could or should base projections on it, he said. In other words, polling is still the best way of measuring voter sentiment. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. David Frost and Michel Barnier, pictured before earlier trade negotiations - Reuters British exports could still face EU tariffs even if there is a free trade agreement with Brussels after David Frost appeared to admit defeat in securing a key demand of the UK car industry. The UK's chief negotiator told carmakers the EU had rejected "in any circumstances" a proposal that would allow assembled car parts from non-EU countries to count as "British" and so qualify for zero tariffs. In a letter to the car industry, seen by the BBC, Mr Frost said the EU had refused to engage with the idea and the UK "obviously cannot insist upon it". Industry sources countered that Mr Frost has forcefully argued on the UK fishing industry's behalf in the trade talks, which continue this week in Brussels. About 55 per cent of the UK's 1.06 million car exports went to the EU last year. Under the expected terms of the deal, British manufacturers will need to prove that UK-exported goods meet a threshold of British parts. EU parts could count as British towards the threshold, expected to be about 50 percent, but moves to extend that to countries such as Japan and Turkey have been rejected by Brussels. British moves to secure an exemption for electric cars and bikes have also been stonewalled by the EU, the BBC reported. In June, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator (seen giving an update that month in the video below), said that giving in to British demands on "rules of origin" and "cumulation" would cost European jobs. "Why make it easy for UK manufacturers to source nearly all their parts from elsewhere?," he said, claiming that 80 percent of UK car part imports came from the EU. British chemical manufacturers will need to send ammonium nitrate to EU labs for detonation safety testing after the end of the Brexit transition period, the European Commission separately warned on Wednesday. The EU has so far rejected British demands in the trade talks for mutual recognition of UK testing labs. Mutual recognition means the labs could carry out testing for EU standards from January 1 and spare UK exporters the costs and time of using EU labs. Story continues The current round of trade negotiations is the last scheduled, and ends on Friday morning. It is hoped compromises can be found to kickstart more intense negotiations, finalise the trade deal by the EU summit on October 15 and leave time to ratify the agreement before the transition period ends on December 31. Ireland's foreign minister, Simon Coveney, said on Monday night that there was a "good chance" of agreeing a trade deal before the EU's end of October deadline, despite the divisions over fishing, governance and the "level playing field" guarantees. "The obstacles are not insurmountable," he said before claiming a deal would mean the row over the UK's Internal Market Bill, which overrides parts of the Withdrawal Agreement, would "fade away". EU sources said a British offer this week over state subsidies, one of the major sticking points in the negotiations, did not go far enough on enforcement of the rules. The EU wants the power to suspend parts of the trade deal if state aid rules are ignored by Britain. WASHINGTON A computer outage at a major hospital chain thrust healthcare facilities across the U.S. into chaos Monday, with treatment impeded as doctors and nurses already burdened by the coronavirus pandemic were forced to rely on paper backup systems. Universal Health Services Inc., which operates more than 250 hospitals and other clinical facilities in the U.S., blamed the outage on an unspecified IT security issue in a statement posted to its website Monday but provided no details about the incident, such as how many facilities were affected and whether patients had to be diverted to other hospitals. UHS workers reached by The Associated Press at company facilities in Texas and Washington, D.C. described mad scrambles after the outage began overnight Sunday to render care, including longer emergency room waits and anxiety over determining which patients might be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. The Fortune 500 company, with 90,000 employees, said patient care continues to be delivered safely and effectively and no patient or employee data appeared to have been accessed, copied or misused. The King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, company also has hospitals in the United Kingdom, but its operations in that country were not affected, a spokeswoman said Monday night. John Riggi, senior cybersecurity adviser to the American Hospital Association, called it a suspected ransomware attack, affirming reporting on the social media site Reddit by people identifying themselves as UHS employees. BleepingComputer, an online cybersecurity news site, spoke to UHS employees who described ransomware with the characteristics of Ryuk, which has been widely linked to Russian cybercriminals and used against large enterprises. Criminals have been increasingly targeting health care institutions with ransomware during the pandemic, infecting networks with malicious code that scrambles data. To unlock it, they demand payment. Increasingly, ransomware purveyors download data from networks before encrypting targeted servers, using it for extortion. Earlier this month, the first known fatality related to ransomware occurred in Duesseldorf, Germany, after an attack caused IT systems to fail and a critically ill patient needing urgent admission died after she had to be taken to another city for treatment. UHS may not be a household name, but has U.S. hospitals from Washington, D.C., to Fremont, California, and Orlando, Florida, to Anchorage, Alaska. Some of its facilities provide care for people coping with psychiatric conditions and substance abuse problems. A clinician involved in direct patient care at a Washington UHC facility described a high-anxiety scramble to handle the loss of computers and some phones. That meant medical staff could not easily see lab results, imaging scans, medication lists, and other critical pieces of information doctors rely on to make decisions. Phone problems complicated the situation, making it harder to communicate with nurses. Lab orders had to be hand-delivered. These things could be life or death, said the clinician. A different UHS healthcare worker, at an acute care facility in Texas, described an even more chaotic scene. Both the Texas and Washington D.C. workers asked not to be identified by name because they were not authorized to speak publicly. As of right now we have no access to any patient files, history nothing, the Texas worker said, with emergency room wait times going from 45 minutes to six hours. Doctors arent able to access any type of X-rays, CT scans. Nothing that runs on Wi-Fi alone was functioning Monday, the Texas worker said. Telemetry monitors that show critical care patients heart rates, blood pressure and oxygen levels went dark and had to be restored with ethernet cabling. The Washington clinician said there was a lot of concern about how to determine whether or not patients had been exposed to the coronavirus, the Washington clinician said, adding that no harm came to any of the 20 or so patients they attended to. However, anxiety reigned during the entire shift. Handing off a patient to another department, always a delicate task because of the potential for miscommunication, became especially nerve-wracking. We are most concerned with ransomware attacks which have the potential to disrupt patient care operations and risk patient safety, said Riggi, the cybersecurity adviser to hospitals. We believe any cyberattack against any hospital or health system is a threat-to-life crime and should be responded to and pursued as such by the government. Ransomware attacks have crippled everything from major cities to school districts, and federal officials are concerned they could be used to disrupt the current presidential election. Last week, a major supplier of software services to state, county and local governments, Tyler Technologies, was hit. In the U.S. alone, 764 healthcare providers were victimized last year by ransomware, according to data compiled by the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft. It estimates the overall cost of ransomware attacks in the U.S. to $9 billion a year in terms of recovery and lost productivity. The only way to effectively recover, for those unwilling to pay ransoms, is through diligent daily system data backups. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has been appointed as party's Bihar in-charge on Wednesday at a party meeting. The decision was taken at a meeting held at BJP president JP Nadda's residence. Ahead of Bihar Assembly polls, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis has been appointed as partys Bihar in-charge on Wednesday at a party meeting here. The decision to appoint Fadnavis as partys Bihar in-charge was taken at a meeting held at BJP president JP Naddas residence along with Home Minister Amit Shah, MoS Nityanand Rai, BJP National General Secretary BL Santosh, BJP Bihar President Sanjay Jaiswal, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, Lok Sabha MP Bhupender Yadav and other senior leaders. This is a great time to learn as well. We will fight this election with full power. NDA will be in power. Nitish Kumar will lead the state, said Fadnavis while speaking to media. BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav said, NDA gathbandhan under the leadership of CM Nitesh Kumar will fight the Bihar Elections. BJP, Janata Dal (U) and Lok Janshakti Party these three parties will fight the elections. NDA will be a win. Nitish Kumar will be Chief Minister again. We will make a formal announcement of the alliance soon, he added. Bihar assembly elections will be held in three phasesOctober 28, November 3, and 7 and the counting of votes will take place on November 10. In the 2015 assembly polls, JD-U, RJD, and Congress had fought the elections together under the Mahagathbandhan banner. On the other hand, the BJP-led NDA had fought the elections with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and other allies. Also Read: Hathras horror: Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut and Preity Zinta and others condemn incident Also Read: Bihar elections 2020: JP Nadda meets top leaders over election strategy, seat sharing RJD with 80 seats had emerged as the single largest party in the elections, followed by JD-U (71), and BJP (53). However, BJP got the largest vote share (24.42 per cent), followed by RJD with 18.35 per cent and JD-U (16.83 per cent). Differences later emerged between the RJD and JD-U, resulting in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returning to the NDA. (ANI) David P Ross, Lanesboro, Longford The death occurred, suddenly, in New York, on Tuesday, September 22 of David P Ross, Lanesboro, Longford. Predeceased by his father Barney and his brother Gerard. Deeply regretted by his mother Nancy, brothers Brian and Paul, sister Lil, extended family, neighbours and friends. Rest in Peace. Funeral Mass in St Mary's Church, Lanesboro on Sunday, October 4 at 2pm, burial afterwards in Clonbonny Cemetery. House strictly private at all times. Following government guidelines regarding public gatherings, funeral Mass will be restricted to close family and friends. Those who would have liked to attend but due to current restrictions are unable to, may leave personal messages in the "condolences" section on RIP.ie. John (Sean) Nevin, 6 Plunkett Avenue, Boyle, Roscommon / Longford Town, Longford The death occurred, peacefully at home, on Monday, September 28 of John (Sean) Nevin, 6 Plunkett Avenue, Boyle, Co Roscommon and formerly Congress Terrace, Longford, Co. Longford. Predeceased by his wife Margaret (nee Burke). John will be sadly missed by his loving children Rory, Mary, John, Tina, Oliver and Mark, grandchildren and great-grandson, his brothers Gerry and Mattie, sons and daughters in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Rest in Peace. John's remains will arrive to St Joseph's Church for Funeral Mass at 12 noon Thursday, October 1, with burial afterwards to Assylynn Cemetery, Boyle. Due to Government restrictions regarding Covid-19, the Funeral Mass will be restricted to family and friends only. Face masks must be worn in Church. Family flowers only. Donations, if desired, to Roscommon and Mayo Hospice, care of Higgins and Sons Funeral Directors, Boyle and Ballinameen. Funeral Mass will be streamed live by logging on to St Joseph's Church Webcam. Messages of sympathy can be left on RIP.ie. David McKeown, No 1 RockHouse, Rock Square, Castle St., Castlebar, Mayo / Longford Town, Longford The death occurred, peacefully, in Castlebar General Hospital, on Saturday, September 26 of David McKeown, No 1 RockHouse, Rock Square, Castle St., Castlebar, Mayo and formerly of St Michael's Road, Longford. He is predeceased by his parents Joseph and Elizabeth. David will be remembered by his brother Tommy, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, neighbours and friends, in Longford and Castlebar. Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts, Rest in Peace. Reposing in Connell's Funeral Home, Church Street, Longford, on Thursday, 1st October 1, from 6pm until 7pm. Please observe government guidelines regarding social distancing, there will be no handshaking and please wear a face covering. Funeral Mass on Friday, October 2, in St Mel's Cathedral, Longford, at 11am, followed with burial in Ballymacormack Cemetery. (Funeral Mass restricted to 50 people only). To leave a message, please use the link on RIP.ie. Bernard (Bernie) Murray, Bannon Terrace, Longford Town, Longford The death occurred, suddenly, at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, after a long illness bravely borne, on Saturday, September 26 of Bernard (Bernie) Murray, Bannon Terrace, Longford Town, Longford (Former member of 17th Bn. and 4th Motor Sqn.). Predeceased by his parents and his twin children. Deeply regretted by his loving wife Bridie, sons Brian, Paul and Charlie and his partner Marie, grandchildren Dylan and Conor, sisters Mary, Caroline and Jackie and brother Peter, brothers-in-law Richard, Jim, Michael and Chris, sisters-in-law Kathleen, Masie, Martina and Christine, nephews, nieces, cousins, relatives and friends. Rest In Peace. Bernies Funeral Cortege will depart from his home at Bannon Terrace on Thursday, October 1 at 10:30am, to arrive at Saint Mels Cathedral for Funeral Mass at 11:00am, followed by burial in Ballymacormack Cemetery. Following Government guidelines regarding public gatherings the Funeral Mass will be restricted to Family and very close friends Limited to 50 people. The Mass will be streamed live on www.longfordparish.com Those who would like to attend but cannot do so, due to these restrictions may leave a personal message below in the Condolence section on RIP.ie. The family very much appreciates your support and consideration at this time. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to the Dialysis Unit, Tullamore Regional Hospital, C/O Kellys Funeral Directors, Athlone Road or any family member. Attracta Flanagan (nee Daly), Cornamaddy, Ballykeeran, Athlone, Westmeath / Longford The death occurred, peacefully, on Sunday, September 27 of Attracta Flanagan (nee Daly), Cornamaddy, Ballykeeran, Athlone, Westmeath / Longford. Sadly missed by her loving husband Jimmy, son Seamus, daughter Eileen, step-sons Colm and David, step-daughter Olive, brothers Fr. John, Seamus and Dermot, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren Lynn, Chloe, Katie, Jessica and James, great-grandchildren Leo, Jack and John, nephews, nieces, in-laws, relatives and many friends. May She Rest In Peace. Due to Covid-19 restrictions and by adhering to government guidelines, a private family funeral will take place for Attracta for family members only. If you wish to express your sympathies or pay your respects, please do so personally by phone or text or use the online condolences below, or Mass Cards by post. Attracta's Funeral Mass will be live streamed for public viewing on Wednesday, September 30 at 12 noon. The link is: https://www.churchservices.tv/coosan Kathleen Sweeney, Broucklagh, Drumlish, Longford The death occurred, peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family, on Sunday, September 27 of Kathleen Sweeney, Broucklagh, Drumlish, Longford and formerly Birmingham, England. She is predeceased by her parents Patrick and Mary Ellen. Kathleen will be forever missed with love by her family, her husband and life-long friend Michael, sons Michael, Liam, Dermot, Patrick and Brendan, daughter Ann, daughters-in-law Dawn and Joanna, her adored grandchildren Mikey, Tomas, Eoin, Cormac and Eleonore, brother Pat-Joe, sisters Patrica, Elizabeth, Margaret and Veronica, brothers-in-law, sister-in-law,nephews, nieces, neighbours and friends here in Ireland, Birmingham and London. Her nature was loving and giving, Her heart was made of gold, And to us who truly loved her, Her memory will never grow old. Rest in Peace Kathleen. Due to government guidelines, Kathleen will repose at home on Wednesday, September 30 from 4pm until 6pm for family and close friends only please. (House is private outside of reposing time). Please observe government guidelines regarding social distancing, please wear a face covering. Funeral Mass on Thursday, October 1 at 12 noon, in St Mary's Church, Drumlish, Co Longford, followed with burial in the New Cemetery. (Funeral Mass is restricted to 50 people only). Family flowers only, donations if desired, to The Dementia - Alzheimer Society of Ireland, c/o Connell Funeral Directors or any family member. Kathleen's family would like to thank you all for your support and understanding at this difficult time. To leave a condolence message, use the link on RIP.ie. David Augustine Cox, Tawnyeely, Mohill, Leitrim The death occurred, suddenly, at The Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar on Monday, September 28 of David Augustine Cox, husband of Mary (nee Moran) of Tawnyeely, Mohill, Co Leitrim. Predeceased by his sister Mary and sister-in-law Mary. Remembered by his daughter Catriona and son Michael, his uncle Bernie Joe, his brothers Bernard and Jarlath, sister-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends. Rest In Peace. Funeral Mass on Thursday morning at 11am in St Patrick's Church, Mohill, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Cemetery restricted to family only, please. In accordance with government and HSE guidelines, the funeral Mass will be private to close family and friends. Those who would have liked to attend, but due to current restrictions are unable to do so, are asked to post their personal message in the condolence section on RIP.ie. Patrick (Paddy) Brady, Corfree, Loch Gowna, Cavan The death occurred, peacefully, in the loving care of his devoted family and in his 95th year, on Tuesday, September 29 of Patrick (Paddy) Brady, Corfree, Loch Gowna, Cavan. Predeceased by his wife Mary Rose, brother Eddie, sisters May and Betty. Beloved father of Joe and father-in-law of Breda. Treasured by his grandchildren; Gary, Laura, Paul and Mark, his sister Bridie McGuire (Sallaghan) nieces, nephews, relatives, close neighbours & many friends. Rest in Peace. Due to HSE and government regulations, Paddy's funeral will be private to family and close friends only. The funeral cortege will depart from his son Joe's home in Loch Gowna, on Thursday, October 1 to arrive at the Church of The Holy Family, Loch Gowna, for 12 noon Requiem Mass, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. The mass will be broadcast live on www.irishwebtv.com. Those wishing to extend their sympathies to the family may do so in the condolence section on RIP.ie. Family flowers only please, donations, if desired, in lieu of Cavan Palliative Care. Philip (Phil) Brady, Killakeen, Ballyheelan, Kilnaleck, Cavan The death occurred, peacefully, at College View Nursing Home, Cavan, on Tuesday, September 29 of Philip (Phil) Brady, Killakeen, Ballyheelan, Kilnaleck, Cavan. Predeceased by his sisters Gretta, Bridget and brother John. Sadly missed by his sister Anna Dunne USA and brother Noel USA, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends. May He Rest in Peace. Reposing at Reilly's Funeral Home, Kilcogy, on Wednesday evening, September 30 from 6.30pm to 8pm (Please adhere to social distancing). Funeral Mass on Thursday, October 1 at 12 noon in St Mary's Church, Ballynarry. Interment afterwards in Mullahoran Cemetery. Due to the government and H.S.E. guidelines Phil's Funeral Mass will be private to family and close friends. Messages of sympathy can be left on the condolence section on RIP.ie. If you wish to have a death notice published on www.longfordleader.ie you can email it to newsroom@longfordleader.ie And if you wish to submit an obituary for publication in the Longford Leader, you can submit it along with a photograph of the deceased to newsroom@longfordleader.ie This year's Hurun India Rich List has an inspiring name that is a remarkable rags to riches story. Meet Lachman Das Mittal, an LIC agent who worked his way up to become an entrepreneur and is a billionaire now. The 89-year-old businessman is the owner and chairman of Sonalika Group, which has grown to become the third-largest tractor manufacturer in India. Incorporated in 1969 for manufacturing farm implements, Mittal ventured into tractor manufacturing in 1996 and established Sonalika Tractors. Also Read: Mukesh Ambani earned Rs 90 crore per hour since lockdown, total wealth Rs 6.6 lakh crore: Hurun List The largest manufacturing plant of Sonalika is situated in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, while the Group has five plants operating in five different countries. The company also exports tractors to over 120 nations. With a wealth of Rs 7,700 crore, Mittal ranked 164th on the IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2020. He is a gold medallist from Punjab University, with dual postgraduate degrees in English and Urdu. The list names the richest individuals in the country with a wealth of Rs 1,000 crore or more as on August 31, 2020. The 2020 edition of the Hurun list has 828 Indians, comprising 40 women, up from 94 last year, whereas the average wealth in the list is Rs 7,300 crore, and the average age is 63. The top spot on the list was retained by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani for the ninth successive year with Rs 6.58 lakh crore of personal wealth. Besides, he is the only Indian to feature among the top 5 on the global rich list. Also Read: Happiest Minds IPO propels Ashok Soota to join Hurun India Rich List 2020 London-based Hinduja brothers (SP Hinduja, along with his three brothers) with a joint wealth of Rs 1,43,700 crore ranked second on the list, followed by HCL-Founder Shiv Nadar in third place with a wealth of Rs 1,41,700 crore. Gautam Adani & family stood at fourth spot with a net worth of Rs 1,40,200, while Wipro founder Azim Premji ranked fifth with a wealth of Rs 1,14,400 crore. Serum Institute of India (SII) founder Cyrus Poonawalla ranked sixth with a net worth of Rs 94,300 crore that rose 6 per cent in the last 12 months. The Vice President of India underwent a Covid-19 test today morning. He has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is asymptomatic and in good health. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Vice President Secretariat informed on Tuesday.As per reports, Naidu is asymptomatic and in good health. Naidus wife Usha Naidu also underwent a test today, however, she has tested negative and is in self-isolation. The Vice President of India who underwent a routine COVID-19 test today morning has been tested positive. He is however, asymptomatic and in good health. He has been advised home quarantine. His wife Smt. Usha Naidu has been tested negative and is in self-isolation, Vice President Secretariat said in a tweet. Mr Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, recently attended the monsoon session of parliament, which was cut short after more than 25 members tested positive for the virus.Both houses of parliament were adjourned indefinitely on September 23, instead of continuing till the designated date of October 1. Today, for the first time in 28 days, the number of coronavirus deaths over a 24-hour period dropped below 1,000. Along with the 776 fatalities, a total of 96,318 people have lost their lives to the disease till now.Officials said that, before September 7, only about 25 employees were reported to have been infected. The number of positive cases sharply increased during the eight-day period of session.Testing was made compulsory for anyone entering the Parliament building during the session, including for the media personnel. ALSO READ: Health Ministry questions Serum Institute of Indias mathematics, disagrees that Rs 80,000 crore is needed to vaccinate all Indians ALSO READ: iDEX4Fauji a step towards self reliant India: General Bipin Rawat Newsflare Protesters chanted 'protect our children' outside Downing Street in London, at the end of a march against mandatory vaccination for British public health workers. Thousands of protesters joined the protest, which ended outside the street in which the prime minister has his official London home. Workers in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) are required to be vaccinated by April or they could face the sack. The need for a delay between jabs mean the process of firing what could be more than 70,000 (protesters claim it is 100,000) as-yet unvaccinated staff could begin on 3 February. As well as NHS staff, the crowd included supporters concerned about civil liberties, and a number of so-called anti-vaxxers. Great British Bake Off viewers were left in hysterics last night after Prue Leith made a cheeky comment about one baker's 'very large nuts'. The second episode of the Channel 4 series saw contestants tackle Biscuit Week, with the bakers asked to create florentines in the first challenge set by judges Paul Hollywood and Prue. But viewers were left howling after the judge told baker Mark, from Liverpool, she had been 'worried about his very large nuts' in his Chunky Mango Lassi Florentines. One commented: '"I remember worrying about your very large nuts". HOWLING.' Great British Bake Off viewers were left in hysterics last night after Prue Leith made a very cheeky comment about one baker's 'very large nuts' Another wrote: 'I am enjoying the innuendo this week from Prue: large nuts and spurt...' At the start of the show, Prue and Paul set the bakers off with the signature task- 36 chocolate Florentines with a perfect snap. During the challenge, Mark explained he was keen to include larger nuts in his signature biscuits. He told the camera: 'In my nuts I want some bigger bits because you want, obviously, a bite of nuts.' Many of those watching at home were left howling over the cheeky comment from Prue, with some saying the innuendo had them 'howling' His florentines were crammed full of macadamia nuts and chunks of mango. While trying out the bakes in the first challenge, Paul told Mark: 'It looks a little bit lumpy.' And Prue couldn't help but comment on the 'size of his nuts', as she surveyed the biscuit, explaining: 'I remember worrying a bit about your very large nuts.' The comment left the judges and host Noel Fielding in hysterics, while the rest of the cast and crew could also be heard giggling and covering their faces with surprise. Mark explained that he was keen for his florentines to be crammed with larger pieces because he wanted to give the judges 'a bite of nut' During the signature challenge, the baker packed the biscuits full of macadamia nuts and chunks of mango Viewers were also left howling at the playful innuendo, as one said: 'Steady on Pru! Worrying about Marks very large nuts. Ooh la la...' Another wrote: 'Prue worrying about Mark's very large nuts, had me creased right up.' Meanwhile another commented: 'Prue worrying about the lads very large nuts. It's why we watch.' Elsewhere in the episode, contestants were asked to create macaroons and a 3D memorable meal show-stopper. While the baker was praised for the snap on his fruit and nut biscuits, Paul told him they looked 'lumpy' Meanwhile Mark was left red-faced after Paul and Prue's assessment of his biscuits had the tent cackling with laughter Despite Rowan having a disastrous three rounds, with Prue once again mentioning the music teacher didn't take Paul Hollywood's advice to 'rein it in', Mak was eliminated. Of his exit, Mak said: 'I just felt it in my bones it was me. I know I gave it everything. It was a privilege to be here.' Fans of the show couldn't believe eccentric music teacher Rowan had escaped leaving the tent by the skin of his teeth. The baker seemed the clear front runner to face the axe after being unable to finish off his waistcoat Florentines, leaving around half a dozen just covered in chocolate, as well as placing last in the technical with his 'peculiar piped' macarons. The Great British Bake Off continues on Channel 4 next Tuesday at 8pm. Iraqi security forces have recovered dozens of hidden Syriac manuscripts that were stolen from Assyrian churches in Mosul during the citys occupation by the Islamic State (IS). The historical writings were found after a suspected IS fighter led to their location and were in his possession, according to a statement by Mosul police chief Laith Al Hamdani. During the nearly three years that IS controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria, Iraqi Christians were largely driven from the region under threats of death unless they either converted to Islam or paid a protection tax. Major manuscript collections in Mosul were among the casualties, leaving behind only the digital images and a handful of severely damaged volumes, the Rev. Columba Stewart, a Benedictine monk and executive director of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library in Minnesota, told Aleteia in October 2019. Now, as Iraqi security forces supported by coalition troops continue to engage IS cells, they are uncovering stockpiles of stolen texts that are crucial to understanding and preserving ancient communities such as the Assyrians, an ethnic group indigenous to parts of Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran. "Syriac manuscripts are important cultural heritage items of sacred value and historical relevance, said Alda Benjamen, the Avimalek Betyousef post-doctoral Fellow in Assyrian history at UC Berkeley. Syriac manuscripts can advance our understanding of northern Iraq, a region with an abundance of cultural diversity, and ancient heritage." Police in Iraq who arrested the suspected member of the Islamic State were led to a stockpile of 32 old books and manuscripts looted from churches across Mosul in August. The arrest took place in the Bab al-Jadid district of Mosuls old city, much of which was destroyed by coalition bombing. Police said the books were hidden in a compartment in the kitchen. Iraq is home to one of the worlds most ancient Christian communities. Before 2000, more than 1.5 million Christians including Chaldeans, Syriacs and Assyrians considered Iraq home. Shortly before the IS takeover, over 800,000 fled abroad, according to a report by the Atlantic Council. Today, the number of Iraqi Christians is around 150,000. In a conversation with the Chaldean Catholic patriarch last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi urged the return of Christians to their homeland. Iraq is the country for everyone and Christians are the original children of the country, he said. We are serious about providing assistance to our Christian families and solving their problems. We are glad that Christians will return to Iraq and contribute to its reconstruction. Iraqis of all sects are yearning for a new Iraq that believes in peace and rejects violence. But many inside these minority communities criticized the remarks as unrealistic and demanded the federal government first rein in armed militias that continue to influence the region and threaten their safety. Survivors of IS who belonged to marginalized communities such as the Assyrian Chaldeans and Yazidis list security as their top fear when it comes to returning, according to Reine Hanna, director of the Assyrian Policy Institute, as cited in the Atlantic Council report. Hanna estimates that only about 7% of people have returned to areas such as the Ninevah Plains. Suzan Younan, an Assyrian American who moved to Erbil in 2018, told Al-Monitor that there is no trust that either Kurdish peshmerga or Iraqi forces would keep these communities safe. When the vulnerable communities witness their history being stolen, destroyed and sold in their areas of origin, that fear increases dramatically, she said. Until today, we [Assyrians] have not experienced improved acceptance of our rights from the majority communities. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA Malcum Salyers, an electrician and volunteer firefighter in Jonesville, Ohio, works on average 55 to 60 hours a week. In just over two weeks he pays more tax than the president of the United States. Related: $70,000 on hairstyling Donald Trump's taxes in numbers This week the New York Times reported that Donald Trump paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, and paid no income tax in 10 of the past 15 years. The investigation comes after Trump refused to disclose his tax returns for years, breaking a several-decades-long precedent of presidential candidates releasing their tax returns. I paid millions in taxes, Trump said on Tuesday night during his debate with Joe Biden. He declined to give a specific figure before adding: I dont want to pay taxes. Its disheartening to see what I pay in taxes in comparison to what Trump paid, said Salyers, who on average pays about $350 a week in federal income taxes, about $18,000 a year, and only receives an annual tax rebate of about $1,000, while currently paying to put his daughter through college. The tax rates are 100% unbalanced. As Trump has paid virtually no federal income taxes in the past 15 years, US workers who pay much more in taxes, are struggling to make ends meet and dealing with the pandemic in essential jobs. David Yolmeh has worked as a meat cutter in a grocery store deli outside Orlando, Florida, for 10 years. Over the past three years, he has paid between $2,200 and $4,700 in annual federal income tax. Its crazy thinking about how long Ive been wearing a mask to work every day now, said Yolmeh. We are on a strict cleaning schedule to keep all touched surfaces sanitized for customer and employee safety. We have the markers. We have the barriers for our cashiers. What we didnt get was any sort of hazard pay or temporary pay increases. Sales increased dramatically in the first month of lockdown and we received none of those profits back. Story continues In Port Huron, Michigan, Henry Dunham, 41, has worked as a chef for 20 years and paid about $17,000 in federal income taxes over the past 20 years. He was laid off from his job at a hotel restaurant when the pandemic hit and is still waiting to receive unemployment benefits. I cant receive unemployment because reaching the office here in Michigan is impossible. I have months of unpaid claims now, and all the information I can get on the website are non-monetary issues, even though they show over $10,000 in due payments, said Dunham, who had never had to file for unemployment before the pandemic. Im frustrated Trump pays less in taxes than I do. Im close to the poverty line. But I pay taxes out of my paychecks with no possible way to defraud the IRS. Yet here is a supposed billionaire, who has paid less than I, in the past 20 years cumulatively. One New York-based landscaper said the news didnt surprise him. The Guatemalan worker, who did not want to be identified, said he pays about $8,000 a year in state and federal taxes, taken out at source. He doesnt pay taxes? Thats good for him. But it is not fair. Its not good. But thats how it is. The big shark eats the little shark. If we dont pay taxes, they want to kick us out. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 04:04:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MINSK, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Belarus will lower exports duties on oil and oil products, which are exported outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), on Oct. 1, 2020. Belarus will lower the export duty on crude oil from 47.5 U.S. dollars to 45.4 dollars per tonne, while the duty for straight-run gasoline will be decreased from 26.1 dollars to 24.9 dollars per tonne, the government said in a statement. Export duties on commercial gasoline, light and medium distillates, diesel fuel, benzene, toluene, xylene, lubricants, and other oil will be decreased from 14.2 dollars to 13.6 dollars per tonne. The export duties on crude oil and some categories of derivative oil products were previously revised upwards on Sept. 1. Enditem Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio smiles during a march in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 17, 2019. (John Rudoff/AFP via Getty Images) Proud Boys Leader: Group Will Stand Down, Stand By After Trump Remarks The leader of the rightwing Proud Boys group said it will stand down after President Donald Trump told them to during Tuesday nights debate. I will stand down sir!!! Enrique Tarrio, the leader, said on Parler, a social media platform. Standing by sir, he added. Trump in Ohio told the debate audience that the Proud Boys should stand back and stand by. But Ill tell you what, Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left, he added. Because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem. The Proud Boys, an all-male organization that has clashed with the anarcho-communist Antifa in the past, held a largely peaceful rally in Portland over the weekend. That was followed by an unruly Black Lives Matter rally that led to arrests. Tarrio, who has worn a Make America Great Again hat before, said he was excited that the group was mentioned on the debate stage but didnt take what Trump said as a direct endorsement from the President. Attendees listen to speakers during a Proud Boys rally in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 26, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images) He did an excellent job and was asked a VERY pointed question. The question was in reference to WHITE SUPREMACY which we are not, Tarrio said. Him telling the ProudBoys to stand back and standby is what we have ALWAYS done. Im am extremely PROUD of my Presidents performance tonight. Tarrio said that the Proud Boys stood by this weekend while Antifa turned Portland into a third world [expletive] hole. According to the Proud Boys website, the groups core values include supporting free speech and gun rights, being against the war on drugs and racism, supporting minimal government and strong borders. During a live broadcast commenting on the debate with Gavin McInnes, the Proud Boys founder and former leader, commentator Ryan Katsu Rivera said that Trump acted like the general of the Proud Boys. I control the Proud Boys, Donald, McInnes said, laughing. Do not stand down, do not stand back. President Donald Trump speaks during the first 2020 presidential campaign debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Brian Snyder/Reuters) The line of questioning by moderator Chris Wallace that led to the Proud Boys mention was a request to Trump to condemn white supremacists and militias. Critics of Trump said his response was another point against him. Trump owes America an apology or an explanation, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote on social media. And, in case anyone has any doubts, the Proud Boys are a virulent strain of American right-wing extremism. They have a long track record of violence, including in Portland this past weekend, he added. Former White House aide Anthony Scaramucci said on Twitter that Trumps response and his shout out to Proud Boys violent bigots showed that he is lost. Added Cori Bush, a Black Lives Matter activist and Democratic nominee for a U.S. House seat representing Missouri, Trump told the proud boys to stand by. Why? For orders? By PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that if an area falls under eco sensitive zone then neither the Centre nor the state government will have the right to mine it. The remark was made by the top court which was hearing Jharkhand government's pleas challenging the Centre's decision to auction coal blocks for commercial mining. The apex court said prima facie Central government is entitled to auction the coal blocks in the state. However, it said that to find out if the areas in question are eco-sensitive or not, it may send some experts. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde asked the Centre to file an affidavit within a week on whether these areas in question are eco-sensitive zones or not. During the hearing, the bench observed that at the moment we are not dealing with whether the Centre has the right or the Jharkhand to do mining. If the area is eco-sensitive then no one either the Centre or the state government have the right to mine. It said, "We are not experts to decide whether the areas are eco-sensitive or not. What we will do is send some expert's to say on this." At the outset, senior advocate F S Nariman, appearing for Jharkhand, said that auction of coal blocks can be postponed for a few months and the suit under Article 131 they have filed needs to be decided. Senior advocate A M Singhvi, also appearing for the state government, said that the state has a large population of tribal people and 30 percent of area is a forest area and falls under eco sensitive zone. "I am challenging the coal auction as it is against the public interest and not the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act)," he said. The bench told Singhvi that how can he say that the MMDR Act will not apply in the state on the ground that it is a scheduled area. "Central government is prima facie entitled to auction the coal blocks," the bench observed, and asked Singhvi that under which law there cannot be mining leases in eco-sensitive areas. Singhvi said mining can be done in small areas far away from eco-sensitive zones. The bench asked Singhvi to show the evidence that these areas in questions are eco-sensitive zones. Nariman then referred to various areas including Hazaribagh wildlife sanctuary terming them eco-sensitive zones. The bench said that what has the state been doing in these areas and it would like to hear whether they are eco-sensitive areas. Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for Centre, said that just 14 days before a suit is filed, they had filed a writ petition asking us to roll back auction of coal mine in Jharkhand for six to nine months or unless until Global investment climate improves, so that Jharkhand maximizes returns on natural resources. The bench said that at the moment it is not dealing with whether the Centre has the right or the Jharkhand has right to do the mining but if the area is eco-sensitive then no one either the Centre or the state government have the right to mine. "Our experience shows that people want to exploit the eco-sensitive zones and if the areas are eco-sensitive then we will not allow either to mine," it said, adding that as the courts are not an expert on the issue, it may send some experts to ascertain whether they are eco-sensitive areas or not. Venugopal said that they are not eco-sensitive areas and proposed to file an affidavit in this regard. The bench then adjourned the hearing for two weeks and asked the Centre to file an affidavit within a week on the issue and permitted the state government to file a rejoinder thereafter. On July 14, the top court had issued notice to the Centre on Jharkhand government's pleas challenging its decision to auction coal blocks for commercial mining. The state government has alleged that the announcement was made by the Centre "unilaterally" without consulting it. On July 6, the top court had said it would hear this week the plea challenging the Centre's decision for virtual auction process of 41 coal blocks for commercial mining. It had also said the plea would be heard along with the original suit filed by the state questioning the Centre's coal block auction. The original suit under Article 131 of the Constitution provides for the state to move directly to the Supreme Court in matters of dispute with the Centre. In its suit, the state has claimed that it is "highly inappropriate" for the Centre to conduct an auction at this time of COVID-19 pandemic as all the machinery of the state and the Centre are to be enjoined to "alleviate the problems of citizen" caused due to the deadly virus. "The defendant (Centre) has announced the impugned auction unilaterally without consultation with the plaintiff (Jharkhand). The plaintiff state is the owner of the mines and minerals situated within the territory of the plaintiff," said the suit. Referring to the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, which deals with administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes, it said that six of the nine coal blocks in Jharkhand - Chakla, Chitarpur, North Dhadu, Rajhara North, Seregarha and Urma Paharitola -- which have been put up for auction fall within the Schedule Fifth areas. It said out of the total population of 3,29,88,134 in Jharkhand, a total of 1,60,10,448 resides in the Schedule Areas and the impugned action impinges the rights of the indigenous people of the state. This includes "1,116 bursts and shots." The OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission in Donbas say they have spotted almost 1,400 ceasefire violations since the latest truce was declared following the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, and OSCE) on July 22. "Following agreement reached at the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on 22 July regarding additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire, from 00:01 on 27 July until the end of the reporting period, the SMM has so far recorded a total of 1,398 ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions," reads the OSCE SMM report published on September 29. Read alsoDonbas warzone update: Three Ukrainian soldiers wounded in booby-trap blastThe violations include "257 explosions, nine projectiles in flight, three muzzle flashes, 13 illumination flares and 1,116 bursts and shots." Ceasefire in Donbas: Background Participants in the Trilateral Contact Group on the peace settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a full and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line from 00:01 on Monday, July 27. The new ceasefire regime was enforced at 00:01 Kyiv time on July 27. On the very first day of the newly-agreed truce, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has reported more such violations over the latest period. On September 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called ending war in Donbas and liberating Ukrainian territories his top priority. On September 22, Zelensky noted that the latest ceasefire agreement for Donbas had been effective for almost two months already. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 16:40:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation industry had maintained a consecutive 120 months of safe flight operations as of August, according to the country's civil aviation authorities. A steady nationwide development momentum has continued in the civil aviation sector, said statistics from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). As of the end of August, the country's civil air transport sector had achieved a total of 85.8 million flight hours of safe operation, CAAC statistics showed. In August, China's civil aviation industry handled a total of 862,000 flight hours of air transport. The figure represented a 20.3 percent decrease compared from that of last year, but a 10.9 percent increase than the volume in July. The civil aviation industry achieved its stellar safety performance thanks to the persistent efforts of both authorities and carriers in the supervision, control and operation of safety measures, according to the CAAC. Enditem She's set to welcome her first child with husband Laurens van Leeuwen later this year. And Romee Strijd updated fans on her journey to motherhood as she revealed she's now 30 weeks pregnant on Wednesday. The Dutch supermodel, 25, looked every inch the yummy mummy as she cradled her baby bump for a radiant snap shared to Instagram. Oh baby! Romee Strijd updated fans on her journey to motherhood as she revealed she's now 30 weeks pregnant on Wednesday Cutting a radiant figure, the Victoria's Secret Angel caught the eye as she teamed a pale pink bra with black bottoms. The catwalk queen proved less is more as she opted for minimal make-up and wore her tresses in a straight fashion. Romee captioned her social media shot: 'Little bump update - 30 weeks', alongside heart emojis. Blossoming: The Dutch supermodel, 25, has been documenting her pregnancy on social media Exciting times ahead: The Victoria's Secret Angel is set to welcome her first child with husband Laurens van Leeuwen, 29, later this year The blonde announced she was expecting her first child with husband Laurens in May, and a month later confirmed they would be welcoming a baby girl. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, the condition that affects one in three women in the UK Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work. The three main features of PCOS are: Irregular periods which means the ovaries don't regularly release eggs (ovulation). This can affect a woman's ability to get pregnant. Excess androgen high levels of 'male hormones' in the body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair. Polycystic ovaries the ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) which surround the eggs (it's important to note that, despite the name, if you have PCOS you don't actually have cysts). Source: NHS Choices Advertisement The news came two years after she was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, which can greatly impact fertility and make it very hard for women to naturally conceive. '2 years ago I got diagnosed with PCOS after not getting my period for 7 years. I was devastated because being a mom and starting a family with @laurensvleeuwen is my biggest dream,' she shared during her pregnancy announcement on social media. 'I was so scared that I would never be able to because I got told it was harder to get babies in a natural way.. I started to research PCOS and came to the conclusion that mine was not the typical pcos. 'Mine was because of my body being in fight or flight mode.. which means my body was under constant stress. I never felt mentally super stressed so it was hard te understand this, but my life consisted of travelling all the time (no biorhythm), working out every day, eating super clean (restricting foods). 'I think I pressured my body to much, and honestly every body is so different but I think my weight was not good for my body to function properly and couldnt handle the constant traveling.' 'This was the point where I started to research natural healing for PCOS and came to the conclusion that I should do way less high intensity training, dont restrict foods, be nice to myself, and take breaks when needed.' Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work. Romee and business consultant Laurens, 29, whose father is a famous TV presenter in the Netherlands, eloped in October 2018 following an eight-year relationship. But the president has more often denounced voting by mail, issuing baseless claims that it is a way to rig the election against him and arguing that mail-in ballots are inherently suspect. During his debate on Tuesday with Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic presidential nominee, Mr. Trump once again assailed mail-in balloting, citing a handful of ballots in Pennsylvania that were inappropriately discarded to argue that Democrats were using the mail to cheat. Historically, mail-in voting has not bestowed a partisan advantage on either side. But Mr. Trumps talk has turned the practice itself into a political issue. In polls, many more Democrats than Republicans have said they planned to vote by mail this election. Beyond the presidential race, the divide could also mean trouble for endangered Republican incumbents including Senators Joni Ernst of Iowa and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania. Republicans should be worried, said Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, who is part of a group of Republicans opposing Mr. Trumps re-election. In 2010, I put in place a significant turnout strategy around getting mail-in ballots in the hands of my seniors. This is going to hurt Republicans in down-ballot races. The Republican strategist Scott Jennings said that both parties were playing with fire with their messaging around voting by mail but that Democrats might suffer more. They may be driving people into a system theyre not familiar with, and theyre risking a high rate of ballot rejection, Mr. Jennings said of Democrats. Both parties have room for worry. In 2016, more than 318,000 mail-in ballots were rejected during the presidential election. This year, with a huge increase in mail-in ballots, and slowdowns in mail delivery, experts have estimated the number of mail-in ballots that are disqualified may exceed one million. While more than 140 million Americans are expected to vote, the discarded ballots could make a difference in competitive states. The rejection rate for mail ballots in most states is typically 1 to 2 percent, with many ballots uncounted because they arrived to election officials too late, the voter forgot to sign the ballot or the signature on the ballot did not match the one in a voters file. A limited liability corporation owed by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe that oversees the stalled Taunton casino project has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, MassLive has learned. Federal investigators have requested that the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority, a five-member board charged with overseeing the First Light Resort & Casino, hand over documents, records and communications pertaining to contracts and agreements it entered into with the tribes casino architect, Robinson Green Beretta Corp., according to a copy of the subpoena obtained by MassLive. Officials are requesting, among other things, the fully executed Consulting Services Agreement dated May 7, 2014 between the gaming authority and Robinson Green Beretta Corp., and all modifications, amendments and internal communications related to the agreement from that date through the end of 2017. Its the third subpoena targeting officers or entities within the tribe in four months. In June, investigators requested information related to the tribes finances; two months later, the grand jury sought information about the 2013 and 2017 elections of Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell. A little more than a year ago, a federal grand jury also issued subpoenas for the tribes sitting treasurer, Gordon Harris, and his predecessor, Robert Hendricks. Cromwell, who is the tribes head of government, is also the president of the gaming authority. Harris also sits on the board. Following the second subpoena, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council motioned to remove Cromwell from power, sources tell MassLive. That vote was unsuccessful, however, with three council members voting in favor and five against. Little is known about how the gaming authority operates. According to a 2016 audit of the tribes government services department by Arizona-based Walker and Armstrong LLP, the authority had accumulated $375 million in debt as of January 2017. Sources tell MassLive that that debt has since grown to more than $500 million, which is owed chiefly to its casino financier, Genting Malaysia. Genting Malaysia has since wrote off its investment in the tribe as a loss. The audit report described the authority as a discretely presented component of the tribe. In 2016, it transferred more than $17 million in cash and real estate to tribal operations. The latest subpoena comes amid longstanding transparency concerns within the tribal community over the tribes casino-related spending and mismanagement of finances. David Pocknett, a tribe member and former vice chair of the tribal council, said the tribal membership hasnt voted on an operating budget in two years. A vote by the membership is required by the tribes constitution, he said. Pocknett added that the tribe has never had a say in gaming authority spending. The tribe has never, ever had a vote on a gaming authority budget, he said in a phone interview on Wednesday. The latest subpoena comes several months after the U.S. Department of the Interior told the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe that its reservation will be disestablished and the land taken out of trust in what felt like a death blow to a tribe locked in a prolonged legal battle over 321 acres of land in Taunton and Mashpee. The original suit was brought forward by neighbors of the proposed casino-resort. A federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in a separate lawsuit in early June that the Interiors decision to take the land out of the trust was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and contrary to law, and remanded the matter back to the federal agency. The tribes economic prosperity depends on the success of the embattled $1 billion casino-resort in Taunton. The state negotiated a compact with the Mashpee Wampanoag in which the tribe would pay 17% of its gambling revenue provided it had exclusive rights to a category 1 casino in the region. Benjamin Wish, an attorney with Todd & Weld LLP and outside counsel for the tribe, said that investigators note that the tribe the target of investigation. The Tribe intends to cooperate with the US Attorneys Office concerning the subpoena requests and anticipates that the Tribe will also cooperate with any other proper request for information, Wish said in an email. "The Tribe remains focused on economic development and supporting its members during the ongoing pandemic. Related Content: Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 29) President Rodrigo Duterte revealed on Monday he offered to resign as president because of the rampant corruption in the country. "I offered to resign as president, sabi ko kasi nagsasawa na ako, (because I said I'm sick of it [corruption])" Duterte expressed during his weekly national address. The President added that through his vast experience as a government official, he admitted that corruption cannot be stopped. "Even with the investigation or the clamor for government to shake the tree, wala, hanggang ngayon (nothing, until now) it's being committed every day. Can you stop it? You cannot, there is no way," said Duterte. Duterte mentioned in his speech that he is ready to appear before legislators on enacting laws to curb corruption in the government. "I appeal again to Congress, I cannot fight corruption...I cannot find a way to move who are almost resistant to finding fault and resisting moves of government to improve. Congress might want to enact a legislation," he said. Duterte also cited the Land Registration Authority as one of the most "notorious" government agencies in engaging in corrupt practices especially in the provinces, since he said he handled many cases against its officials when he was still Davao City prosecutor. Reorganizing PhilHealth The President also said in his address that he intends to reorganize the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). "Balak ko mag-reorganize (I am mulling to reorganize [PhilHealth]) and impose upon them a single line of authority," he said. Duterte said the procedures in the embattled state health insurance firm should be streamlined to prevent corruption from happening. "There are so many tables there in the office, not just in PhilHealth, who can do the work, who can process the papers, without having the discretion whether or not he should be hanging on it or sitting on it," explained Duterte. In the latter part of his speech, Duterte called for the abolition of the beleaguered agency. He also revealed that the government is raising funds, including selling its real estate properties in Japan, to sustain the operations of PhilHealth. "Kung i-privatize mo naman, susmaryosep, walang pera. Sino insurance mo? Huwag mo sabihin ng mga kapitalista sa insurance: Kami ang magbayad? Wala kayong pondo," he said. [Translation: If we privatize PhiliHealth, we don't have money. Who will be our insurer? We should not allow the capitalists to say on the insurance that they will pay because we don't have any funds.] PhilHealth has been hounded by corruption issues through the years, more recently with allegations of overpayments to hospitals and procurement of overpriced new equipment. To give a fresh mandate in the state health insurer, Duterte appointed former National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran as the new PhilHealth president and chief executive officer last August 31. He replaced Ricardo Morales, who resigned at the height of the investigations in the agency's alleged corruption issues due to his poor health. Duterte also approved the recommendation of the Department of Justice-led (DOJ) investigating task force to file complaints against ranking PhilHealth officials which include Morales, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Jovita Aragona, and Chief Operating Officer Arnel De Jesus among others. The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission is conducting a separate probe on the corruption allegations in the agency. By PTI LUCKNOW: Amid outrage over the Hathras gang-rape case, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and sought strict action against the accused, the Chief Minister's office said. Adityanath on Wednesday constituted a three-member SIT to probe the gang-rape case, a day after the death of the 19-year-old woman in a Delhi hospital and also asked for conducting the trial in a fast track court. WATCH | Hathras gang-rape victim cremated in dead of night; kin allege police did it forcibly In a tweet, the chief minister's office said that the prime minister spoke with Adityanath over the case. "Respected Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji has spoken on the Hathras incident and said that strict action should be taken against the culprits," the CMO said. The woman was brutally gang-raped in a village in Hathras district two weeks ago. She died of her grievous injuries at a Delhi's Safdurjung hospital on Tuesday, prompting outrage, protests and calls for justice. A senior official said a SIT has been constituted to the probe the case. Secretary home, Bhagwan Swarup, will lead the SIT and DIG, Chandraprakash, and commandant PAC Agra, Poonam, will be its members. The SIT has been asked to submit its report in seven days time, the official said. Meanwhile, the Congress on Wednesday slammed the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the Hathras gang-rape victim's family being allegedly denied the right to perform her last rites, with party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation. ALSO READ | Hathras gang-rape victim cremated in dead of night; kin allege police did it forcibly The body of the 19-year-old Dalit woman, who died in a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gang-raped, was cremated in Hathras in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. Local police officers, however, told PTI that the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family". The Congress has been holding protests in the national capital and various parts of Uttar Pradesh demanding justice for the gang-rape victim. Party leader Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, said, "A daughter of India is raped-murdered, facts are suppressed and in the end, the right to perform the last rites is also taken away from the victim's family." "It is insulting and unjust," he said in the tweet in Hindi using the hashtag 'Hathras Horror Shocks India'. Along with the tweet, Rahul Gandhi also tagged a video purportedly of the cremation site showing a police officer not answering to queries as to whether the body of the victim was being cremated there. ALSO READ | Hathras rape case: UP police official says medical examination did not confirm rape Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said, "I was on the phone with the Hathras victim's father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair." "He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night the victim's father was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites," she said in a series of tweets. Tagging Adityanath, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said, "RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as chief minister." In another tweet in Hindi, she alleged that at 2:30 am Wednesday the "victim's kin kept requesting", but the UP administration "forcibly" cremated the deceased. ALSO READ | Rape survivors face challenges in filing FIRs in UP: Report "The government did not protect her when she was alive. The government did not provide her timely treatment when she was attacked. After her death, the government took away the right of the family to perform the last rites of their daughter and did not respect the deceased," Priyanka Gandhi said. Hitting out at the chief minister, she alleged, "Gross inhumanity. You did not stop the crime but behaved like criminals. You did not stop the atrocities, but committed atrocity on an innocent child and her family twice." Tagging Adityanath and asking him to resign, Priyanka Gandhi said, "There is no justice in your rule only injustice." The Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and asked why was the victim's family was denied the right to perform her last rites and why was the body cremated at 2:30 am. He alleged that all limits of atrocities and brutality had been crossed and demanded Yogi Adityanath's resignation. On September 14, the young woman had gone to the fields with her mother and went missing soon after. She was found later, beaten and tortured, her tongue cut as she bit it when the accused attempted to strangle her. She was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday. Photo: (Photo : DarkmoonArt_de on Pixabay/https://www.woodenearth.com/) Former colleagues helped a man with terminal cancer repaint his house to show support to the retired teacher. Tim Gjoraas of Sioux Falls, South Dakota was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. After undergoing chemotherapy treatments, he was told that he may only have a few months to live. Speaking to CNN, he said he found out that he was not going to win the fight. After teaching at Washington High School for 22 years, Gjoraas was forced to retire at the age of 45 so he can spend more time with his family. "They gave a time frame," he wrote on his social media account, "it is not enough!" Still, he said he was feeling good and planning many trips with his family and make many memories as they can. "We are a family" Gjoraas' coworkers at the high school love him dearly. He recalled that when he got the news that he had terminal cancer, people stepped up to organize a fundraiser for them, telling him that his family deserves it, and he deserves it. "At Washington, we are a family," said one coworker. Gjoraas said he is humbled by the overwhelming support. He said his wife would like to have their house repaint the brown walls of their house blue. So he asked his friend and fellow retired teacher, Doug Rinken, to help him with the home improvement project. On Saturday, September 26, Gjoraas was surprised by his colleagues at Washington High. They arrived carrying brushes, paint sprayers, and tarps. True to their word, the teachers showed their solidarity by helping Gjoraas repaint his house. The team accomplished the paint job in just five hours and later enjoyed lunch in the driveway. Rinken said he wasn't sure at first if anyone would be willing to help, but he is prepared to help and do the work himself if no one else would come with him. However, his colleagues did not disappoint him. It only took an hour of making phone calls to have a dozen people saying yes to him. Meanwhile, other people donated money for the paint while others provided food. It will not change anything, but it makes them feel better Rinken said that he understands that whatever they do, it is not going to be enough and it will not change anything. Yet, he hopes that his friend would feel a little bit better as it did make them feel a little better. Gjoraas said he didn't expect that the help he will get will represent people from all his 22 years at the school. This year, he got torn out of the classroom, he told Argus Leader, and that he misses teaching. It did make him feel good to get back together with former coworkers and reminisce about the past. What did he realize with the outpouring of support from the community? "If you spend your life being a good person," and you surround yourself with good people and try to make "a positive impact on your community," then people will show up when you need help. Read next: Teacher Builds an Outdoor Classroom to Help Keep Students Safe During in-Person Learning College Student Donates Personally Decorated Crutches to Children in Need Teen Builds More Than 100 Desks for Online Schooling of Children in Need, Free of Charge KALAMAZOO, MI Members of the Kalamazoo City Commission were briefed on the police operations plan in the days before the Aug. 15 Proud Boys visit to Kalamazoo, and city staff reviewed a draft plan before the event that resulted in a street brawl between the Proud Boys and others. Plans communicated to city leaders about taking a hand-off approach to intervention, with references to criticism the city faced for police response to Black Lives Matter protests in early June, helps explain the reason officers were not present when violent clashes began between Proud Boys and counterprotesters on that date. A lack of police presence separating the two groups has been chief among criticism the police force and city leaders have faced in the wake of the incident. MLive obtained the police operations plan and accompanying documents through a Freedom of Information Act request. City administration and KDPS staff met with individual city commissioners in the days before Aug. 15 to give them verbal briefings and to answer questions regarding the operations plan for that weekend, Deputy City Manager Jeff Chamberlain said. Related: Why the Proud Boys visited Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson said it is unusual for commissioners to be briefed on police operational plans. Anderson said they received an overview briefing that included information about police using a hands-off or a stationed away approach. The police tactic was new since the city received criticism over what some saw as a heavy-handed response to Kalamazoo protests in late May and early June, police officials said previously. Anderson said he tries to give input when he thinks it will be helpful. He did not feel he was in a position to tell police administration no or to suggest a different course, pointing to his lack of law enforcement experience. Commissioner Jack Urban said he was also briefed on the KDPS operations plan before the Aug. 15 event, and did not give any comments or input to KDPS. I wish I had asked if the Sheriffs Mounted Division would be called in to assist. My recollection is that it has been useful in past similar situations, Urban said. I should have spoken up. Kalamazoo City Commissioner Chris Praedel said city administration provided commissioners with several updates prior to Aug. 15 via email, phone, and in a prior bi-weekly staff briefing. My general assessment is that city administration was particularly alert about the preparedness required and making sure we were briefed and had an opportunity to ask questions, Praedel said. Following the Aug. 15 violence, Chief Karianne Thomas and City Manager Jim Ritsema both acknowledged parts of the police response should have been different. One version of the plans for police response was also emailed to city staff before the event. In an email that asked recipients to please do not disseminate," a group of city employees in the city managers and city attorneys offices received a bullet-point list of the planned police response to the expected presence of the controversial Proud Boys group. Staff received the email from Chief Thomas on Thursday, Aug. 13, with a draft version of the plan. It originally came from the city managers office. Thomas added some notes to it before sending it to employees of the city managers office, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety leadership and the city attorneys office. The revised plan sent by Thomas including a number of bullet points. Here are summaries of a few of those points detailing the background and KDPS' operational plan: There are social media posts indicating that the Proud Boys will be at the Arcadia Festival Site Saturday at 2 p.m., but there has been no contact from the group, nor did they reserve the site. Pastor Nathan Dannison and the First Congregational Church reserved the Arcadia Festival Site for the morning and afternoon for a Kalamazoo United for Peace event with speakers and prayers on Saturday. A meeting was held Thursday morning, Aug. 13, with Dannison, KDPS staff, city staff, as well as staff from Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership and the County Health and Community Services Department. The intent of the Kalamazoo United for Peace event is to be peaceful, according to Dannison. The Festival Site will not be fenced off that day nor gated. This may set up a situation where if the Proud Boys show up and are disruptive, they may be asked to leave the site, though it is uncertain who will ask them to leave, since the site is a public space. KDPS is monitoring possible protests and counterprotests. KDPS will have its crowd control unit on standby Saturday. The unit will be offsite but nearby, and officers will wear personal protective gear (riot gear). KDPS will only activate if civil disobedience lends itself to riotous behavior including property damage, vandalism or if violent behavior by any party breaks out. If that happens, KDPS will clear the site which may require numerous officers and deployment of pepper spray and tear gas, though the goal is to keep KDPS hands-off if possible. Pastor Dannison said he will instruct people to clear the site if violence breaks out. KDPS and Dannison will establish a line of communication on Saturday as needed. The document also states the city received multiple requests for information from the media and from downtown property owners, and notes a plan to release a brief statement. The KDPS operations plan referenced in the email also includes a map, and other details about the planned police response. A map included in the KDPS operations plans. On Aug. 14, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas emailed Kalamazoo city commissioners about the plans, saying the following: A portion of the KDPS Crowd Management Team (CMT) has been planned for the event, Thomas wrote in the email. "The CMT will not be downtown but staged at a KDPS facility and will be wearing their protective gear. The CMT will be used, if necessary, for an officer safety/extraction issue or an issue require immediate entrance into the crowd such as a critical medical issue. "Should agitators create a situation which diverts from the scheduled peaceful protest and begins to create a riotous or physically destructive situation, KDPS will respond using available on-duty officers, as safely as the situation dictates. Should additional officers be needed, requests will be made to surrounding jurisdictions as well as off-duty personnel, and response may be delayed. Once sufficient amount of staffing has been assembled, organized crowd management/mobile field force techniques will begin. In response to the FOIA request, MLive also obtained the following roster that shows how Crowd Management Team officers were configured in three squads before the event and the equipment they carried with them: Plans for the Crowd Management team during the Aug. 15 event in Kalamazoo. Another document describing plans for the event includes a map, and shows how law enforcement personnel would be positioned in the area of downtown near the site where the demonstration was expected to occur. The city did not respond to questions from MLive before the event seeking plans for the police response, nor did officials answer questions about whether the Crowd Management Team would be on standby or whether tear gas would be used. With short notice, the city also revoked a permit for a stationary parade planned downtown on Aug. 15, but declined to answer questions about why the event was canceled. When the Proud Boys and counterprotesters clashed in the street downtown multiple times, officers were absent as people traded blows with fists and weapons. When police did arrive on scene, the violence between the two groups had ended. Police later arrested several citizens, including an MLive reporter and a legal observer. Police did not arrest any Proud Boys, which has prompted some to question the apparent imbalance in enforcement. In an email sent on the afternoon of Aug. 15, Thomas notified Deputy City Manager Jeff Chamberlain about the numerous fights that broke out: Once the event turned violent, the officers responded quickly in order to restore order to the area and protect people from assaultive behavior. In order to restore order to the area, the officers declared a police zone and dispersed the crowds. The Proud Boys returned to their vehicles in a nearby parking ramp. They left the ramp in vehicles and were met by the opposing group, whom attempted to block them and damage their vehicles. It was a volatile situation but was soon brought under control, Thomas said. Tyrone Burnett, who attended on Aug. 15 as a counterprotester and an observer, gives the department credit for the relatively short time the conflicts lasted, but said KDPS made mistakes. (KDPS) did nothing to keep both sides apart and did nothing to get in between the two groups once violence started, Burnett said. Its a criticism echoed by many others in the wake of the event. Burnett also gives police credit for not using tear gas, though he said protesters and counterprotesters started and stopped the violence without any police intervention. The operations plans went off the rails when the police focused all of their efforts and attention on local citizens instead of outside agitators, Burnett said. As a result, citizens in the local community are justified in questioning the intentions of the police who should be serving and protecting Kalamazoo County citizens first. Urban said he was told the plan was to keep police offsite so they did not appear provocative. As it turned out, Urban admits city leaders may have been naive in their plans and expectations for the event. The plan to show respect for First Amendment rights then get them out of town as quickly as possible would have been great if it had worked, Urban said. Demonstrations and street theater performed by sophisticated provocateurs really tested the plan, much to our embarrassment, Urban said. Related: Kalamazoo police release videos from Proud Boys protest to the public The fallout associated with the event has been significant. The city managers office also recently made changes to Kalamazoos police accountability board, announcing it would not re-appoint Pastor Nathan Dannison, claiming the pastor is biased. The city voted to create a subcommittee made up of city commissioners to focus on police issues, and earlier this month began the process to hire a third-party investigator to review police response to the events in May, June and August. Commissioner Praedel said he is grateful to serve on the subcommittee alongside Vice Mayor Griffin and Commissioner Cunningham. Were taking a continuous improvement mindset and do not intend to let this important work fade," Praedel said. We could get caught up in pointing fingers or we could focus our energy on pointing us forward. I prefer the latter approach." Most notable among changes in the wake of the summer incidents, though, was news of an unexpected change of leadership at KDPS. Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas announced her retirement in the weeks following the August event, amid calls from some for change in police and city leadership. The city managers office did not respond directly to some of the questions from MLive sent by email asking about reasons for chiefs sudden retirement. Ritsema, in a statement, praised the chief as she prepares to leave the department. Chief Thomas spent 27 years at the department and has truly been an outstanding public safety chief and community leader. She helped build an outstanding department that has become a model for public safety services across the nation, Ritsema said. Related: Kalamazoo commissioners thank outgoing public safety chief and welcome her successor Mayor Anderson said it was the chiefs decision to leave, and some of the reasoning may remain private if she decides that. The mayor highlighted Thomas' professionalism, and city officials point to a department accreditation announced earlier this month as a major final accomplishment in the chiefs 27-year career. The commission wasnt pressing her to resign, Anderson said in an Sept. 29 interview with MLive, the day before the chiefs final day before retirement. Chief Thomas did not respond to a request from MLive for comment about her retirement. Anderson acknowledged it is a challenging time to be a police chief in communities across the country, and acknowledged that police issues were being scrutinized in Kalamazoo at the time of Thomas departure. Dozens of people called in to city commission meetings to advocate for police reforms, including some demanding resignations and other leadership changes. Youd have to live in a cave to feel like it was independent of everything going on, Anderson said. Read more: Critics continue calls for resignations over Kalamazoos response to Proud Boys event Kalamazoo police chief heard calls to resign, Proud Boys chaos last straw, activists say Counterprotester aggression was catalyst for violence at Proud Boys event in Kalamazoo, officers report says We as a community have to come together, Kalamazoo assistant police chief says Kalamazoo officers who returned fire to kill shooter receive police chiefs Medal of Honor Spains foreign minister on Wednesday said her country rejects Turkeys unilateral search for energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, adding that such actions hinder a negotiated way out of a territorial dispute that has ratcheted up regional tensions. Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya expressed support for fellow European Union member Cyprus as Turkey continues to prospect for gas in waters where the Mediterranean island nation claims exclusive economic rights. We dont believe there is a unilateral solution to the problems of the eastern Mediterranean region, Laya said after talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides. And therefore, we reject unilateral moves that are not helping in finding a long-lasting solution. Spains top diplomat said negotiations and dialogue are the only way to reach a long-standing solution to the complex maritime boundaries issue, which also triggered a weeks-long naval standoff between NATO allies Greece and Turkey this month. Im saying this as this is exactly what Spain is doing to delimit its maritime borders with its neighbors. So Im not preaching anything different from what Im practicing, Laya said. Turkey insists that its entitled to carry out a gas search off Cyprus in order to protect its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots who run a breakaway state in the islands northern third thats recognized only by Ankara. Turkey doesnt recognize Cyprus as a state and claims that much of the ethnically divided islands exclusive economic zone as lying over its own continental shelf. Christodoulides hailed Turkeys withdrawal of a warship-escorted survey vessel from Greece-claimed waters as a positive first step to deescalating tensions at sea. But he said Turkey has stepped up its activities in Cyprus maritime zones, displaying a total disregard for European Union to cease its illegal actions and to respect the sovereign rights of a bloc member. The leaders of the EU's 27 member nations are expected to discuss potential sanctions against Turkey, which is not a member, at a two-day summit starting Thursday. Christodoulides said Cyprus expects EU leaders to honor a deal the blocs foreign ministers struck last month to simultaneously impose sanctions on Turkey as well as Belarusian officials suspected of election fraud or involvement in a security crackdown on anti-government protesters. Cyprus looks to the EU and its partners for solidarity in action, Christodoulides said. Concretely upholding our common values and interests and implementing our own decisions is of the essence. Access Bank Plc on Tuesday announced that it has received the Central Bank of Nigerias approval-in-principle for the banks restructuring to a holding company (HoldCo). The proposed HoldCo structure would enable the bank to further accelerate its objectives around business diversification, improved operational efficiencies, talent retention as well as robust governance. The bank said in a disclosure notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange that further details regarding the HoldCo structure will be communicated to the market in due course. A holding company is a corporation that owns a controlling interest in one or more banks but does not itself offer banking services. Holding Companies do not run the day-to-day operations of the banks they own. However, they exercise control over management and company policies. Access Bank also announced definitive agreements to bolster its market position in Mozambique and enter the South African market. The bank said the move follows the recent transaction with Cavmont Bank in Zambia and further embeds its presence in the SADC region, one of Africas most important trading blocs. These transactions will result in a more connected African banking network that builds on Access Banks existing foundation and enhances its value proposition to stakeholders, including customers and employees, the bank said. Shareholders will benefit from the economies of scale of a larger banking network, including the associated cost efficiencies arising from the Banks federated IT system and the replication of investments in innovative products across a wider range of markets. A broader and connected Africa network remains a core strategic focus for geographic earnings growth and diversification, which will further enhance profitability and risk metrics. Through these transactions, Access Bank will be well placed to promote regional trade finance and other cross-border banking services, further leveraging its presence in key global trade corridors in the UAE, the UK, China, Lebanon, and India. Strategic Entry On Tuesday, Access Bank also announced that it has received regulatory approvals to commence operations in Mozambique under the name Access Bank Mozambique, S.A. (Access Bank Mozambique). The bank said that its subsidiary, Access Bank Mozambique, has entered into a definitive agreement with ABC Holdings Limited (ABC Holdings), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlas Mara Limited (Atlas Mara) to acquire African Banking Corporation (Moambique), S.A., (BancABC Mozambique) for cash, in a combination of definitive and contingent consideration. This transaction will be funded from the capital invested by the Bank in Access Bank Mozambique and will result in the Access Bank Mozambique becoming the 7th largest bank in the country, up from the 20th, it said. As an enlarged business, Access Bank Mozambique will have an enhanced capacity to play a more impactful role in the growth of the Mozambican economy, particularly in the emerging oil and gas sector, an industry that Access Bank has deep experience in. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions precedent. South Africa Building on its strategy of delivering a robust banking operation that connects key African markets, Access Bank said it has also entered into a definitive agreement with GroCapital Holdings (GroCapital) to invest in Grobank Limited over two tranches. The first is an initial cash consideration for a 49 per cent shareholding, increasing to a majority stake in the second tranche, the bank said. Both tranches are subject to various regulatory approvals and the overall transaction subject to Grobanks shareholder approvals, it added. GroCapital, whose shareholders include the Public Investment Corporation Africas largest investment manager, and Fairfax Africa Holdings a leading global investor, will retain an existing but diluted shareholding in Grobank. A presence in South Africa will serve as a cornerstone for further momentum in delivering on Access Banks mission to be Africas Gateway to the World. The proposed transaction is expected to provide access to the largest banking market in Africa and enable Access Bank to consolidate its Southern African and broader African footprint with enhanced capabilities to fulfill the needs of multi-national clients. Speaking on these developments Herbert Wigwe, GMD/CEO Access Bank said, We have consistently said that we are focused on building the scale needed to become a leading African bank; one that leverages our experienced and growing talent base and key stakeholder partnerships towards driving sustainable impact and profitability. Todays announcement demonstrates further commitment to delivering our strategic aspirations of becoming Africas Gateway to the World in line with our vision to be the Worlds Most Respected African Bank. These transactions will significantly strengthen our presence in Southern Africa and further our footprint for growth in the SADC region. With a broader presence across the continent, Access Bank will be better placed to support our customers who are increasingly looking towards intra Africa growth. Advertisements Mr Wigwe said the proposed transactions will accelerate the banks momentum towards delivering world-class banking services to an expanded customer base across Africa. Our goal remains to reach and impact 100 million unique customers across the continent, he said. The court saw an opportunity to speak to the history of the disproportionate impact the application of certain laws, rules, policies and practices have had on the African American population, the Latinx community, and other people of color in Illinois and nationally, the statement said. The Delhi prisons administration on Wednesday initiated an enquiry after videos and photographs allegedly taken inside Tihar jail number 1, purportedly showing prisoners holding knives, smoking cigarettes, and speaking about a murder in the jail premises, started doing the rounds of social media. In the video, some men believed to be undertrials are seen alleging that an inmate, Sunny Dogra, was murdered in jail number 1 on September 24. They allege the role of the jail superintendent in the killing. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos and photographs circulating on social media. An order issued on Wednesday by Mukesh Prasad, additional inspector general (prisons) for conducting an enquiry, mentions the viral video clips and photographs. The viral video clips and photographs were purportedly made in Jail No 1, Tihar. It also makes several allegations against the superintendent of jail No. 1 that are of serious nature, Prasad said in his order, directing DIG (prisons) Rajesh Chopra to conduct a detailed enquiry into the alleged allegations. Director general (DG) of Delhi prisons Sandeep Goel and additional IG Mukesh Prasad were not available for a comment on the issue and calls and text messages sent to them remained unanswered. The order also directed Chopra to enquire how the alleged videos and photographs were filmed inside Jail No. 1 despite the fact that mobile phones are prohibited inside Delhi prisons. Prasad asked Chopra to make recommendations with regard to corrective measure that can be taken to prevent such incidents inside the jail. On September 24, a 29-year-old inmate, identified as Sikander alias Sunny Dogra, of Tihar jail was killed allegedly by four other prisoner, who attacked him with a sharp object outside the barrack. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. Dogra was jailed after being caught in an Arms Act case, the police said. Seven teenagers from Bergen County face charges for illegally entering a petting zoo, riding donkeys and disturbing the animals, police said Tuesday. The incident occurred about 10 p.m. Aug. 22 when the trespassers broke into our barnyard petting zoo, Abmas Farm in Wyckoff reported on its Facebook page. The 50-acre farm has been in business since 1932 and has been run by generations of the Abma family, according to its website. During the alleged break-in, a photo of a teen girl riding a donkey was posted to social media. A pony was later found with lipstick on its face, reported CBS-NY. They opened gates and rode our miniature donkeys, who should not be supporting that much weight, Abmas owners said in the Facebook post. The farms owners were alerted about 10:15 p.m. by someone who spotted the photo of the girl riding the animal on Snapchat, the owners said. The farm closed at 6 p.m. on the day of the incident, according to the Abma website. After a concerned party alerted us to the Snapchat, we caught two other trespassers trying to steal, the farms owners said on Facebook. When we called the police, the two fled the scene. Police charged the seven teens all from Wyckoff and Oradell with trespassing, criminal mischief and the animal cruelty offense of overloading animals, according to Wyckoff Police Lt. Joseph Soto. Six of the teens are age 17 and the seventh is age 18, police said. The owners said the animals were left frightened by the event but appeared not to have been physically harmed. We must explain the seriousness of this break-in, Abmas said on Facebook. "First and foremost, we are a working farm, and four families (and four generations) live here. This is our home. Second, from a human safety standpoint, breaking into animal pens with no animal training is dangerous, the post said. Animals can kick, rear up, and trample you. In the dark, anything can happen. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Tuesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organisation and the Nuclear Power Ghana, in Accra. The collaboration, had created a platform for the media to champion public information and ownership of Ghanas efforts at energy security, industrial development and sustainability. Mr Affail Monney, the President of the GJA, said the Association was excited with the landmark partnership, and was confident that the hope expressed by the nuclear scientists and energy experts who had led the countrys efforts to re-activate the long held vision of using nuclear technology for power generation would be a success. He said as committed and objective professionals, we wield the power to the minds, hearts and activities of our people, promising to provide a holistic framework for media relations and management of information in support of the implementation of Ghanas Nuclear Power Programme (NPP) and Project, and also guide Ghanaians to make informed and excellent energy choices for domestic and industrial development. These efforts, we believe, would accelerate our industrial and economic growth and make Ghana the Energy Hub in the sub-region. He said as the world battled with the COVID-19 pandemic and its related issues, the unrelenting efforts to escape energy shortages, reduce greenhouse gas emissions as climate change impacted on natural and human systems were some of the challenges that could not be ignored. Mr Monney said the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, as well as the responsibility to do so safely and securely, made the topic of Nuclear Power inescapable, adding, that environmental demands and the need for energy security remained in tension. As a professional body, the GJA was committed to the promotion of clean, sustainable technologies and efforts that would assist the nation to overcome the many difficulties that stood between now and a future with global energy security, he said. He pledged the GJAs commitment to good public information dissemination and discourse to promote ideas, scientific and engineering technologies, social and economic efforts that offset the energy poverty and vanquished unsustained energy security activities. Professor Benjamin Jabez Nyarko, the Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), gave a brief historical background of the countrys Nuclear Reactor Programme, which dated back from 1963, to the present decision to progress into adopting a mix of nuclear power for energy generation, for enhanced industrialization. He said although the journey had been long, there had been a great success, with Ghana achieving a solid footing with all the 19 infrastructural requirements for establishing a Nuclear Power Plant, adding that, after completing the Phase one, a Programme Comprehensive Report, had been submitted to Cabinet, to aid the Government in making an informed decision on the NPP. Prof. Nyarko, however, said although capital intensive, nuclear energy was the most cost effective, saying, energy cost could go down by five cent per kilowatt, and was safe and environmentally friendly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, reliable, sustainable, and more resilient to external shocks. He urged the media to be open-minded without polarisation, to encourage vendors to come on board for a smooth take-off of the operation of Ghanas nuclear power plant. He said so far four candidate sites had been identified for the construction of the Nuclear Power Plant, and a vendor identified, but the decision was to be made by the Government. Dr Stephen Yamoah, Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana, commended GJA for the commitment exhibited and hoped the collaboration would yield the results of seeing Ghana achieving success in its nuclear ambition. Dr Nii Kwashie Allotey, the Director-General of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, assured Ghanaians about the safety, security, and safeguard of Ghanas nuclear power plant, and said the development of the necessary local expert competencies had been on-going for the past four years in addition to the sorting out of the operating licensing and other regulations for guiding its operation. Mr Robert Sogbadji, the Deputy Director, Renewable and Nuclear Energy at the Ministry of Energy, admitted that collaborating with the media would enhance advocacy and public education, eroding all forms of misinformation about the operation of a nuclear power plant, and ensure local ownership. He pledged the full support of the Ministry to the GNPPO to achieve Ghanas vision of becoming a net exporter of energy and industrialization agenda. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tuesdays presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden brought the first mass protest to Cleveland since the May 30 demonstration that led to rioting, property damage, and more than 100 arrests throughout downtown. Despite a few fleeting-yet-tense moments, people stayed calm. About 500 protesters, wielding signs with messages like all lives cant matter until black lives matter and holding balloons depicting the president as a diapered infant rallied in front of the Cleveland Museum of Art as the sun set over the renowned institutions banner reading For the Benefit of All the People Forever. The crowd marched up Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and returned to Wade Oval where the rally began. The protest featured activists and speakers exercising the foundational First Amendment right. Several Cleveland-based progressive groups organized the protests, including Black Lives Matter Cleveland, the Sunrise Movement, the Coalition to Stop Inhumanity at the Cuyahoga County Jail and Black Spring CLE. The two-hour rally and march took place more than half a mile from the Cleveland Clinics Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion, which hosted the debate because Cleveland and the U.S. Secret Service fenced-off a large event-zone that barred the public from entering. Unlike the much larger May 30 protest, which recent records released by the Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Department showed caught Cleveland police off-guard and ill-prepared, Tuesdays march took place under the watch of a massive number of law enforcement officers from Cleveland police, the National Guard, the U.S. Secret Service and several local police departments. In the days leading up to Tuesdays debate, the city announced an exhaustive list of items that were either banned or restricted, including the size of sticks used to hold up political signs. Officers confiscated some megaphones, along with sticks and PVC pipes some protesters used to hold their signs and made four arrests during the event. Law enforcement detained two men who were not associated with the protest after they walked around barriers set up outside the event zone as Trumps motorcade passed, according to a witness. Cleveland police refused to provide any details about arrests on Tuesday night. One tense moment came when the driver in a police caravan led by vehicles marked as belonging to the city of Shaker Heights gave the middle finger to protesters near East Boulevard and Hazel Drive. Demonstrators yelled back at the officers as they drove away. Another tense moment came when a supporter of President Trump confronted a smaller group of demonstrators outside the Ronald McDonald House, near the Clinics campus after the mass gathering began to dissipate. The man recorded video with his cellphone as he approached the group and got in the face of several demonstrators, shouting white lives matter and four more years. A female protester and members of the Cleveland police bike unit stepped in and helped diffuse the situation. A few dozen protesters made their way to the gates on Chester Avenue outside the event zone, where Cleveland police officers on bicycles and horses stood nearby. Deputy Chief Wayne Drummond also came over and spoke to some of the protesters. Officers pulled up and confiscated a groups signs. David Guran, of Akron, was among those who had his sign confiscated. Guran said he made sure to measure the signs before he came to the protest, and said a different group of officers measured his signs earlier in the night and said they were OK. We need to show that whats happening in this city cannot keep going on, Guran said. Weve turned into a police state. Officers also confiscated the megaphone of Terrisa Bukovinac, founder and executive director of the anti-abortion Democratic group Pro-Life San Francisco. Bukovinac said she attended each of the debates held in the Democratic primary race and said the law enforcement presence in Cleveland Tuesday was outrageous. She said the myriad of street closures, banned items and expanded special restriction zone amounted to police overreach. This is what everyone is fighting right now, Bukovinac said. Read more stories Protesters march in Cleveland ahead of first presidential debate Watch police caravan driver outside presidential debate give Cleveland Black Lives Matter protesters the finger Two detained by police after walking around barriers as President Trumps motorcade drove to debate in Cleveland, reporter says Tamir Rices cousin decries police violence in BLM protest ahead of Cleveland presidential debate Student Services Albany State U Extends Counseling Reach with Online Help A university in Georgia will be using an external counseling staff to supplement the work of its own crew. Albany State University has signed with META, a company that produces an app to help students connect with therapists for non-emergency purposes. The deal was made possible through a grant managed by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The university's counseling staff will use META's platform to treat students' emotional needs and help them with their personal, academic and career goals. Students also may choose to receive teletherapy from META's own network of providers. All in-house sessions are free to the students and a limited number of free sessions are available with the external providers. To use the service, students download the META app; choose a counselor; and receive chat, video or voice counseling through their smartphones. Students see on the app whether counselors are available online for immediate connection, or they can leave a chat message to schedule a future session. META also provides articles, videos and other content created for college students. The app is available for iOS and Android devices. "We want to make sure any student who seeks counseling can swiftly and safely connect with a counselor," said Terry Lindsay, vice president of student affairs, in a statement. "By partnering with META, we instantly expand student access to counselors, lower their wait times and comply with social distancing recommendations." A few weeks ago, we had reported that Radhe Shyam team is planning to shoot remaining sequences with Prabhas and Pooja Hegde in Italy. And now, a latest report published in a leading portal suggests that the lead pair of the Radha Krishna Kumar's directorial have jetted off to Italy to resume filming for the same. The report states that the makers have planned a 15-day schedule to shoot crucial scenes of the film. They have reportedly decided to commence shooting from the first week of October with a limited crew. Apart from Prabhas and Pooja Hegde, the supporting cast will also be present in Italy for the shooting. However, there is no official confirmation about the same. A few days ago, reports were stating that after wrapping up Italy schedule of Radhe Shyam, the makers will quickly start their next schedule on the special sets which is reportedly erected at Annapurna Studios, Hyderabad. But no one has confirmed it officially yet. Well, Radha Krishna Kumar has already shot 70 per cent of the film and he is waiting to finish the remaining portion as soon as possible, to release it in 2021. After all, the shooting of Radhe Shyam was halted for almost 6 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also Read : Radhe Shyam: Pooja Hegde To Essay A Double Role In Prabhas-Radha Krishna Kumar's Romantic Drama? Meanwhile, Radhe Shyam is an intense love story in which Prabhas will play the role of a palm reader whereas Pooja Hegde will portray a princess. The film also stars Bhagyashree, Murli Sharma, Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Sachin Khedekar, Kunaal Roy Kapur and many others in pivotal roles. Jointly produced by Gopikrishna Movies and UV Creations, Radhe Shyam will release in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam. Also Read : Is Prabhas' Radhe Shyam Not Getting A 'Fancy' Price From Distributors? The feather looks like any feather you might find on the ground. But its not. Its about 150 million years old, and it fluttered to the ground back when the dinosaurs roamed what is today called Bavaria. Its entombed in limestone, and, when paleontologists unearthed it in 1861, it became the first fossil feather ever discovered. Many paleontologists think the feather came from archaeopteryx lithographica, a creature that, with its feathered wings and sharp-toothed mouth, bears features of both dinosaurs and birds, making it a herald of the evolutionary transition between the two groups. But that first-known fossil feather isnt attached to an archaeopteryx skeleton, and so for more than a century, not all scientists have agreed on the identity of the feathers owner. Theres been this debate, even when the feather was found: Does this isolated feather belong to the same animal as these skeletal specimens of archaeopteryx? said Ryan Carney, a paleontologist and epidemiologist at the University of South Florida who has a tattoo of the feather on his arm. Sales activity in the Toronto condo market shrunk by more than 50% annually in the second quarter, and pre-sales had an even greater 85% drop during the same time frame. The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board attributed these major declines to the chilling effect of the coronavirus outbreak, which is showing no signs of stopping at the moment. Conversely, the latest figures from the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington showed that the average sales time has fallen by 7.7 days annually, and new listings have increased by almost 12%. Average home prices have shot up by 21% in the interim, reaching $662,257 as of the end of the August. According to Zurini, around 46% of current buyers in Hamilton come from other markets and that this dynamism is itself pushing many of Hamiltons home owners out to other markets. Zurinis client base, who are mostly in their late 40s and early 50s, are taking the opportunity to upsize across the Niagara Region. Danielle Grant of Ambitious Realty Advisors echoed these observations, saying that Hamiltons millennials are being pushed out of their own market and are forced to seek more affordable options in Welland and St. Catharines. Its no secret that Lt. Gov. John Fetterman wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania. Its not because, as he said some of his critics suggest, that hes a stoner looking for some better quality pot. I dont use marijuana, Fetterman said in a Facebook Live conversation with PennLive Opinions Editor Joyce Davis on Tuesday. I havent used marijuana. Ill take a drug test if thats what it takes. You dont have to use a substance in order to advocate that it should be safe, legal, regulated, taxed for the benefit of everybody and available to any adult that wants to use it safely in the privacy and comfort of their own home in a responsible way, he said. Live On PennLive with Joyce Davis Lt. Gov. John Fetterman explains why legalizing recreational marijuana would be good for the state and its people on today's Facebook Live. Get your respectful comments and questions ready for today's discussion. Posted by PennLive.com on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 During the hour-long conversation, Fetterman said his statewide listening tour last year made it clear that a majority of Pennsylvanians favor recreational adult use marijuana for a variety of reasons. That conclusion has led Gov. Tom Wolf to urge state lawmakers to legalize it as well. House and Senate Republican leaders, however, have said they do not share the position that this is a priority for Pennsylvania right now. Neither of the GOP-controlled chambers is planning to move cannabis legalization bills this fall, although two bills are sitting in the House and one is in the Senate. Fetterman hasnt taken a position on any particular bill, although he would like the one that reaches the governors desk to include expungement of low-level marijuana convictions. I support the bill that would get through the Pennsylvania Legislature and whatever that looks like because thats the reality in Harrisburg," he said. "Its got to be bipartisan and the underlying dynamics is that cannabis is very bipartisan. He also said movement on this issue in Pennsylvania could come if the Democrats' prevail at the federal level in November, which he predicts would lead to legalization and decriminalization and removal of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. Then you are going to have a supernova of development across the country, he said. I would rather not be behind on that. In terms of revenue, Fetterman estimates conservatively, it would generate $250 million a year in revenue for the state, which is about half of what Auditor General Eugene DePasquale had projected it would bring in to state coffers. Over 20 years, Fetterman said thats $5 billion. Right now, he said, were getting zero. What could that revenue do for our commonwealth? he said. We have a thriving cannabis market within Pennsylvania already. Its just illegal. And all of the revenue and all of that is going to drug cartels and we are left with criminality. We are left with unknown purity levels. We are left with a sales force, for lack of a better phrase, that sells a lot of addictive and truly harmful substances. But Dan Bartkowiak, a spokesman for the conservative Pennsylvania Family Institute & Council, said legalized marijuana also carries a cost that Fetterman and Wolf seem to overlook when looking at it as a revenue generator. Fetterman and Wolf do not calculate any of the new expenses and harms that would come with the full legalization and commercialization of marijuana. No state has met their revenue projections and Pennsylvania officials relying upon a pre-COVID report made by Auditor General Eugene DePasquale for revenue projections -- which adds a 35-percent sales tax -- is not only irresponsible but would be welcomed by the black market, Bartkowiak said. He added Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton said on a recent call organized by Fetterman that tax revenue should not be the reason to push for legalization. Aside from the revenue argument, Fetterman said theres the social justice issues it would address, jobs it could create, the prospect of a new cash crop for farmers, and the desire for Pennsylvania to reap the revenue from it instead of neighboring states. He said with the expectation that New Jersey residents will vote to legalize it in their state in the November election, 40% of Pennsylvanias population will be within an hours drive of legal cannabis. Legalizing cannabis is the right side of history, he said. Its not a matter of if. Its a matter of when. He said teen use in the 11 jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis has dropped because its sale is regulated. When challenged on that point with data from Britannica ProCon that states 16.21% of Colorados 12- to 17-year-olds and 18% of Alaska teens in that age group reported using marijuana, Fetterman said he doesnt subscribe to those numbers and suggested other studies tell a different story. Throughout the conversation, Fetterman frequently brought up the point that legalizing pot is no more dangerous or harmful to people than alcohol, tobacco, firearms and gambling. Its also not as addictive as opiates that doctors readily prescribed for years. Here is the truth about cannabis: No overdose deaths ever have been medically reported. It is not addictive physically and it is a plant, the lieutenant governor said. You can grow it in your yard like a tomato plant. This idea that its an insidious narcotic is just simply reefer madness and thats really the last thing prohibitionists are clinging to at this point. He said the cannabis market is flourishing in Pennsylvania through the black market and it comes with many unknowns as far as what its purity level is, what it is grown in, and whether its laced with some harmful substance. Legalization and regulations would take away those with unknowns from those who choose to use it. Bartkowiak pointed out many mainstream health and safety organizations oppose legalizing marijuana. The American Academy of Pediatrics is opposed to full marijuana legalization because it would create an industry to commercialize and market marijuana, which would be harmful for children, he said. Likewise, the American Medical Association is opposed to the sale of marijuana for recreational use because marijuana is a dangerous drug and as such is a serious public health concern. And the American Automobile Association (AAA) is also opposed to full legalization because of its inherent traffic safety risks. Rather than working to help people with their ailments through the states medical marijuana program or a separate discussion on decriminalization, Bartkowiak said Wolf and Fetterman want full commercialization of high-strength marijuana that will include marketing that appeals to children. The health and safety of our children will no longer be a priority while marijuana gummy bears, marijuana ice creams and weed vape pens with highly-potent marijuana oils in flavors like Strawberry Cough are marketed on social media and being sold in more stores than McDonalds and Starbucks combined - which is what happens in states that legalize it, Bartkowiak said. Thats why recreational marijuana should never be a priority for Pennsylvania. Fettermans response to that is it likely will soon be legalized in New Jersey and he suspects New York and other states will follow suit. Besides that, Fetterman said those health and safety organizations are acting like marijuana is something new. Its already in the world. Its everywhere, he said. This idea that its going to somehow harm society just isnt true. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. There is always that one sibling that seems to be too cool for the family and never ends up following the norms. One cheeky dog from Hong Kong has become an internet sensation for ruining the most perfectly timed shots with its dog siblings. Hina, an adorable white Shiba Inu, pulls off hilarious antics like yawning or turning her face instead of staying still during photo shoots with her siblingsSasha, Kikko, and Momo, who pose just perfectly in front of the camera. She yawns a lot and I just happen to catch the moment in the photos, Yoko Kikuchi, Hinas owner, said. I take so many photos and it just makes me laugh. The 53-year-old owner is often amused at the behavior of the naughty canine but stresses Hina is usually the most obedient of the pooches while she is away from photoshoots. The mother of one told Caters News Agency that Hina doesnt even need a leash while she is on walks as she follows the family around respectfully. Hina, who happens to be the youngest among her siblings, joined Kikuchis family about two years ago after the yoga instructor begged her husband to take her in. I couldnt stop thinking of her, as she was a lovely White Shiba, Kikuchi said. Alluding to the goofy dogs personality, Kikuchi said Hina enjoys and loves the company of other dogs but is often very shy among humans. The wacky dog has also earned the nickname of destroyer as she loves chewing on cables, shoes, and headphones, among other things. However, long before Hina came into the family, Kikuchi reveals that she hated dogs. It was in fact only after she met her husband that she took in Sasha, Kikko, and Mimmo as he convinced her. Kikuchi now chronicles the dogs antics on her Instagram account, which has amassed a following of 106,000 followers. Many of the followers end up falling in love with Hina. Hina you are the best, said one person, charmed by her antics on a photo where she faces her back to the camera instead of looking into the lens. [T]his white dog is incredible [at] sabotaging almost every group photo, wrote another. Meanwhile, there are others who ended up calling Hina a rebel. But for some, this prankster dog just unknowingly ends up brightening their day with her hilarious antics. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Credit: AskJoanne/Wikipedia California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Tuesday that seeks to protect mountain lions and other wildlife from being poisoned by a popular form of pesticide. The move raises questions about how the state will manage its growing urban rat population, which some experts say is surging due to the spread of homeless camps across California. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1788, which bans, with few exceptions, the use of what are known as "second generation anticoagulant rodenticides" until state pesticide regulators develop plans to ensure they're not harmful to wildlife. Just about every major environmental group supported the bill authored by Assemblyman Richard Bloom, a Santa Monica Democrat. They argued the toxins are being found in often lethal levels in birds of prey and predatory mammals, especially bobcats and mountain lions. The toxins build up in their systems as the animals consume rodents that are dying from the poisons. Nine in every 10 dead mountain lions state scientists test have the toxins in their livers. "By pulling these four highly toxic rat poisons from the hands of pest control operators, California is giving sensitive species like mountain lions a bit of a fighting chance," Debra Chase, chief executive of the Mountain Lion Foundation, said in a written statement.. Pest control companies, the California Chamber of Commerce, apartment management associations and other business groups opposed the bill. They say the poisons are critical to controlling a rat and mouse population that has exploded in some major California cities, often in low-income areas and around homeless camps that have poor sanitation and piles of trash. In recent years, the megalopolis of Los Angeles County has seen skyrocketing cases of a rodent-borne disease called typhus. State environment officials last year, meanwhile, faced a major public relations crisis when they announced they planned to set out the poisons to control rats that had taken over the Sacramento CalEPA building courtyard it shares with a daycare center's outdoor playground. Environmental groups were furious, and in response, the state agreed to use another type of poison. The building houses the Department of Pesticide Regulation, which in 2014 prohibited the use of the poisons to anyone but state-certified pest control operators. Newsom signed the bill just weeks after the National Park Service announced that biologists in the Santa Monica Mountains had found a dead mountain lion and a dead bobcat that had been killed by the poisons. The cougar was the sixth mountain lion wearing a GPS-tracking collar to die from the poisons in a years-long study in the region. Rat poisons are part of the reason why state regulators are considering protecting Southern California and Central Coast cougars under the state's Endangered Species Act. The bill provides some exceptions for the continued use of the poisons on farms, food storage and processing facilities, medical centers, or when needed to keep rodents like the non-native swamp rats called nutria from tearing up levees. A public health official also can order the poison set out to prevent or address a public health crisis. Newsom's been an ardent supporter of the state's big cat population over the years. His father, Judge William Newsom, who died in 2018, was a founding board member of the Mountain Lion Foundation. "My father was a naturalist and a strong advocate for the preservation of mountain lions, and I grew up loving these cats and caring about their well-being," Newsom said Tuesday in a press release. "He would be proud to know that California is taking action to protect mountain lion populations and other wildlife from the toxic effects of rodenticides." Explore further Rat poison eyed in 2 California mountain lion deaths 2020 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Limestone County Board of Education member Bret McGill said he did not refer to school employees by a racial slur, as alleged in a lawsuit filed earlier this year and a story Tuesday in the Alabama Political Reporter. The former human resources director for Limestone County Schools, Samuel Mark Isley, filed a lawsuit accusing the systems interim superintendent Mike Owens of trying to fire him in retaliation for reporting wrongdoing in the school district. Isley was put on administrative leave with pay in January after reporting to state officials that the Limestone County Board of Education hired teachers who arent properly certified, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice back on March 5. Isley is no longer an employee of the system. Efforts by AL.com to reach Isley for comment on Wednesday were not immediately successful. McGill, serving as board president, was also a defendant in the lawsuit, which claimed that McGill objected to hiring a Black principal for a certain high school, accusing him of referring to African-Americans by using the N-word. The allegation came to light again in an interview with Isley that appeared in the Alabama Political Reporter on Tuesday. The article said that Isley claims he turned over a recording of McGill making the comment to the FBI as part of an investigation into the system. Board Member Charles Shoulders, who is Black and was named in the lawsuit as having heard the conversation, told AL.com in February that Isleys claim is false. I dont remember any conversation with him about that, Shoulders said. In an interview with AL.com, McGill said the allegation was false, and the Tuesday report was the first mention hed heard of a recording. We had sworn affidavits from two African-Americans at that meeting who said they didnt hear me say that, McGill said. I was the board chairman, and I never had any interaction with Isley that I knew of. And my voting record shows that Ive supported many, if not all, of the African-American job candidates weve had in the school system. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 15:28:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Wednesday detained in Istanbul 13 foreign suspected Islamic State (IS) members who plan to carry out terror attacks, the state-run Anadolu agency said. The Istanbul Police Department's Counter-Terrorism Unit teams launched simultaneous operations in 16 different locations across the city to capture the suspects, it noted. The teams acted upon a tip-off, which said the suspects were seeking occasions to carry out terror attacks, according to Anadolu. Those targeted in operations entered the country illegally after engaging in activities in conflict zones in Syria and Iraq, the agency said without specifying the nationalities of the suspects. Many organizational documents and digital materials were seized in the operations. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu recently said Turkey so far prevented a total of 152 "terrorist attacks" this year thanks to the hard works of security forces. The IS was blamed for a spate of deadly attacks in Turkey since 2015, killing more than 300 people. Enditem President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden exchange points during the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Morry Gash/AP Photo, Pool) First Debate: Let Biden Be Trump Commentary If you thought 2020 couldnt get any weirder, you must have missed last nights 90-minute presidential debate. No-Plan Biden Claims Trump Has No Plan For years now, Republicans have correctly said Democrats have no plan other than getting rid of Trump, and no policy prescriptions other than Trump is evil and must go. Democrats have done nothing but obstruct for the past four yearsthe failed Russia hoax, the failed and corrupt Mueller investigation, and the failed attempt to impeach the president. Despite these relentless, never-ending attacks, amounting to a failed coup, the pandemic, and Floyd riots, Trump slashed taxes, slashed regulations, replaced horrendous trade deals with great ones, bringing historic lows in unemploymentincluding black unemployment, and bringing back manufacturing jobs Obama said would never returnand achieved a historic peace deal in the Middle East, which John Kerry insisted could never happen. Yet, at the debates, the former vice-president, running on a non-platform of no policy prescriptions other than Trump-hatred, scored points claiming Trump had no plan to replace Obamacare, whichthough driving health-care costs through the roof and failing miserablyBiden claimed must be protected at all costs. Biden, likewise, argued that Trump had no plan to deal with the coronavirus despite advancing none himself, other than previously claiming Trump was racist and xenophobic for having early on saved thousands of lives by imposing a travel ban on China and later hot spots in Europe. Running on the Promise He Will Restore Civility to the Oval Office and Act Presidential, Biden Calls Trump a Clown and Tells Him to Shut Up Though the only discernible element of his platform is that Trump is a nasty, hateful man, that we need to restore civility and decorum to the Oval Office, and vote in a president who will act presidential, Biden called the sitting president a clown and said, will you shut up man. Trump conversely, though he interrupted Biden frequently, was uncharacteristically soft on his opponent. In 2016, when Hillary Clinton said it was a good thing Trump was not in charge, Trump famously retorted, because youd be in jaildestroying his opponent. Where was that Trump? Its not like he didnt have plenty of subject matter there, as he famously quipped in 2016, referring to Rand Pauls looks: Biden is on tape, bragging about having threatened to refuse to give Ukrainian officials a billion dollars in U.S. aid unless they fired a prosecutor who was allegedly investigating a Ukrainian energy company from which his son, Hunter, was receiving a massive salary as a board member while having no expertise in the field. That prosecutor was fired and Joe Biden cleared the aid to Ukraine. Any objective person would agree Hunter had one thing to sellinfluence with his father, then as vice president, in charge of U.S.Ukraine relations. Trump did bring up the most recent Hunter scandalallegedly receiving $3.5 million from the wife of Moscows mayorand briefly alluded to yesterdays startling revelation (pdf) that Obama was briefed that intelligence sources revealed that Hillary Clinton had allegedly hatched the plot to accuse Trump of having colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 electionbut was not nearly as blunt and accusatory as the old Trump would have been. The old Trump would have said, Joe you should be in jail, you are on tape bragging about having bribed Ukraine. So should your son. Instead, Trump attempted to be civilironically the very thing Biden was most definitely not, yet claims he is and Trump can never be. Filling RGBs Seat With Barrett Early on, Fox News Chris Wallace, the moderator, asked about Trumps nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by Ruth Bader Ginsbergs recent death, given Bidens insistence the nomination of RGBs successor await the election. The old Trump would have tackled the issue head on, pointing out the inherent contradiction in Biden claiming we must continue RGBs legacy of protecting constitutional rights by violating the Constitution and not nominating a replacement as the Constitution says a president shall do. Instead, Trump channeled his inner Obama, noting that elections have consequences, missing the opportunity to expose Bidens rank hypocrisy. Trump also allowed Biden to pivota signature Trump move. Biden spent nearly his entire 2 minutes on the Supreme Court segment arguing we must protect Obamacare, an apparent reference to a pending case to overturn Obamacare. Instead of pointing out the obviousthat no one knows what Judge Barrett would rule in that case, and that, in any event, that has nothing to do with the issue of when and how the vacancy should be filledTrump sanctioned the pivot, responding with his own criticism of Obamacare. This took the debate off the Supreme Court point, and then, when Biden dodged Wallaces question about the Democrats threat to pack the court, overtly refusing to answer, Wallace, displaying an obvious bias, did not press Biden. Nor did Trump. Trump Condemns White Supremacy but Wallace Talks Over Trump, and Refuses to Accept His Answer Wallace challenged Trump to condemn the white supremacists and militia groups and to say they need to stand down and not add to the violence. But Wallace was talkingand interruptingmore than the candidates were, so when Trump directly answered, Sure, Im willing to do that, meaning yes he does condemn white supremacists, much of the audience did not hear Trumps answer. Confused by Wallaces insistence (in stark contrast to his letting Biden off the hook on packing the court) that Trump do it, sir, Trump then goes on to ask Wallace what group he would like him to condemn. Biden offers the Proud Boys, which Trump responded to by saying, Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. The liberal media responded instantly with fake news articles that Trump was unwilling to condemn the Proud Boys, when that is precisely what he did. COVID-19: Trump Allows Biden to Obscure Trumps Early Response; Biden Stands on the Graves of the Fallen Though Biden has no plan for COVID-19, and attacked Trump as racist and xenophobic for his ban on travel from China, still he managed to score some points here, simply evoking sympathy for the fallen. Trump missed an opportunity: He could have pointed out that Biden was forced to agree with Trump in April when Biden reluctantly said he favored Trumps travel ban. So Trump was ahead of Biden all the way on the virus, having saved thousands of lives that would have been lost had Biden been in charge, and Biden now favors again shutting down the country, which Americans dont want. Trump did manage to get in one decent zinger. When Biden said a lot more [people] are gonna die unless [Trump] gets smarter, Trump shot back that Biden forgot the name of his college, and was at the bottom of the class: Dont ever use the word smart with me. Theres nothing smart about you, Joe. Where was the mention of Bidens obvious dementia? The whole worldliterallyis talking about that, including many Democrats. The old Trump would have quipped, Joe, you were dumb before the Alzheimers set in. Dont you dare tell me I should get smarter. On the related issue of re-opening America and restoring our economy, Biden scored points, claiming credit for having inherited the economy at the outset of the Great Recession in late 2008, and having restored it. Trump did not effectively parry that thrust with the obvious retortthat Biden presided over the most drawn-out and anemic economic recovery in U.S. historyand that Biden is the last person we want now dealing with the restarting of the economy post-COVID. Riots and Law Enforcement Although Trump won this segment, he missed the opportunity to truly bury Biden for attacking cops and for his campaign staffers donating to a bail reform group working to release rioters and looters. Biden hurt himself more than Trump hurt Biden, idiotically saying Antifa is an idea not an organization Trump should have mentioned the radical views on the riots espoused by Bidens running mate, Kamala Harris, but failed to, and that a vote for Biden would really put Harris, who was polling at about 5 percent before dropping out, in charge. My Scorecard As between the candidates, the debate was a draw. But Wallace inserted himself as a principal in the debates. He spoke way too much, interrupted the candidates more than they interrupted themselves, and showed his obvious bias against Trump. It seems Trumps debate-prep team managed to convince Trump not to be Trump. This was an odd strategy, given Trumps former campaign managers, Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, co-authored a best-seller following Trumps historic success in 2016, titled, Let Trump Be Trump: The Inside Story of His Rise to the Presidency. On the other hand, it seems Bidens team adopted Trumps 2016 playbook, adapting it to read: Let Biden be Trump. Stephen B. Meister is a lawyer and an opinion writer. Twitter @StephenMeister. Opinions expressed here are his own, not his firms. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was one of the people who helped prep President Donald Trump for for his first debate against Democratic challenger Joe Biden. So naturally, when Christie appeared on a panel Tuesday night on ABC after the often chaotic, frequently combative debate was finished, he was asked directly: Is that the debate they prepared for? No, Christie, now a paid political analyst on ABC, responded. It was too hot, he said about Trump, a fellow Republican and longtime friend who is so far trailing Biden in the polls. You come in and decide you want to be aggressive, and I think it was the right thing to be aggressive. But that was too hot. I think that the advice was for the president to be aggressive, but it was hotter than it was planned to be, Christie added. Hot may be an understatement. Trump and Biden repeatedly talked over each other, which the president often pounding the former vice president with questions and insults mid-answer. Biden, meanwhile, told Trump to shut up" and called him a clown" more than once. Much of the evening featured moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News trying in vain to regain control of the whole affair. Christie said when it comes to Trump, what happened was: With all that heat ... you lose the light. That potentially can be fixed, added Christie, a fellow Republican. Maybe, maybe not. Well have to see on the Trump side. ... Potentially you can turn that heat down a little bit. "Is that the debate you prepared for?" @GStephanopoulos asks. "No," @ChrisChristie says, saying Pres. Trump was "too hot," but that Joe Biden did not turn in a "reassuring performance." https://t.co/wGz0RuZ29W #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/mdlpAy9iDb ABC News (@ABC) September 30, 2020 But the former governor had even harsher words for Biden, saying the former V.P. did not deliver a reassuring performance to the American people and that hed be very concerned his problems cant be fixed." He looked very shaky at many, many times at this debate, Christie said. His numbers were way off. He would wander off in mid-sentence. And he used lots of name-calling and insulting language. Thats not rising above it." If youre not up to being able to stand up there for 90 minutes and be consistently coherent, people are gonna wonder whether youll be able to do that when youre sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office," the ex-governor added. Christie also weighed in on a controversial moment, when Wallace asked Trump if he would denounce white supremacists. Im willing to do that, but I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing, Trump said. Im willing to do anything. I want to see peace. When Wallace pressed him again, Trump asked: What do you want to call them? Give me a name." Biden mentioned the Proud Boys, a far-right group that openly believes white men are under siege. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled them a hate group. Proud Boys stand back and stand by, Trump said. But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left. Asked by debate moderator Chris Wallace to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, Pres. Trump replies, "Sure, I'm willing to do that." "Then do it, sir," Wallace says. https://t.co/kLSOfYWoGJ #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/PyPJyfDf0m ABC News (@ABC) September 30, 2020 Christie defended Trump, saying the president did say he was willing to denounce white supremacists and that Trump was being sarcastic" when he asked Wallace to tell him what he wanted to hear. Because I know he feels frustrated, the former governor said. He feels like he has said a number of times that hes denounced white supremacists and he denounces neo-Nazis. And I think that was him saying to Wallace: Tell me exactly what you want me to say so I can put this to rest. Matt Katz, a radio reporter for WNYC in New York City who once covered Christie for the Philadelphia Inquirer and wrote a book on the politician, had wondered during the debate during Twitter how Christie would react to Trumps comments on white supremacy considering his own record. Wondering what @ABC analyst @GovChristie who once won 51% of Hispanic vote, nominated a Muslim man to the state Supreme Court, got a standing O at Whitney Houstons funeral (!) thinks about the president, whom he coached for this debate, refusing to condemn white supremacy. Matt Katz (@mattkatz00) September 30, 2020 Christie is a longtime friend and ally of Trump. After dropping out of the 2016 race for the Republican presidential nomination, Christie helped Trump with debate prep against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Trump praised the ex-governors help, saying he was harder to debate than Hillary." This week, Christie said he was helping Trump with debate prep again, this time for the first showdown with Biden. 1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up. 2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed. 3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms. 4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually. 5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings. Vote View Results OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 30, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Commission for UNESCO today announced three new inscriptions of unique and irreplaceable documents detailing significant periods in Canadian history to the Canada Memory of the World Register. All inscriptions undergo a thorough assessment by the Canadian Advisory Committee for Memory of the World. Created in 2017, the Canada Memory of the World Register promotes and provides access to an immense diversity of documentary heritage significant to the country. In recognition of the International Year of Indigenous Languages, the Call for Nominations emphasized Indigenous languages and cultures. The three new inscriptions are: Founded in 1981 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association was the first community-based national Residential School Survivor organization and has membership spanning Canada and the United States. Over the past four decades, the alumni association has been gathering documentary heritage including photographs, oral history transcripts, audio-visual footage, and documentation of their community reunions that preserve evidence of Residential School experiences while drawing attention to the resilience of survivors. The Augustinians founded 12 hospitals in Canada, including Canada's first hospital in 1639. Their archives offer more than 375 years of documentary history, including medical, religious, social, political, and economic artefacts. The Augustinians tell the story of providing healthcare in the New World by adopting Indigenous practices and developing scientific methods. Their archives also trace women's progressive place in building the nation, notably in health and social services, at a time when public power was mainly entrusted to men. Selections from the Gospels in the dialect of the Inuit of Little Whale River is the first book printed in Inuktitut using syllabic characters. Just 8 pages, the book was printed in 1855 and 1856 in Moose Factory, Ontario, and was distributed to Inuit in Nunavik by Christian missionaries. The book is the only known copy and represents an early artefact of the contact between Inuit and European settlers in the Nunavik region and documents a significant period of change for Inuit and their way of life. It is held by Library and Archives Canada. Visit the Canada Memory of the World Register for a complete list of all 19 inscriptions. What does it mean to be included in the Memory of the World Register? UNESCO's Memory of the World program showcases the most meaningful documents in humanity's heritage and history. Being included in the Memory of the World Register underscores the importance and relevance of preserving documentary heritage. It also highlights the importance of making these unique collections accessible to citizens, students, researchers, and the public. The Canadian Advisory Committee for Memory of the World is made up of experts who examine the applications and make recommendations to the Canadian Commission for UNESCO regarding collections that should be included in the Register. "The Canadian Commission for UNESCO is pleased to add three exceptional collections to the Canada Memory of the World Register to help us understand the evolution of our society, including the remarkable resilience of Residential Schools Survivors," says Secretary-General Sebastien Goupil. "At a time when we must work together to implement the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we hope that the inscriptions on the Register will give pride of place to the experiences and knowledges of Indigenous peoples and contribute to a better understanding of the ongoing impact of colonialism on their lives, cultures and languages." "These collections all have a relationship with Indigenous languages and cultures; they are distinguished by their significance, uniqueness, and quality" explains Chantal Fortier, Chair of the Canadian Advisory Committee for Memory of the World. "As members of the Advisory Committee, we appreciate the excellent work done by the organizations that presented proposals that highlight the importance of documentary heritage; in one case, this work started almost four centuries ago." The Canadian Commission for UNESCO is also pleased to launch the new Call for Nominations for 2020-21. In light of the United Nations' International Decade for People of African Descent, the call continues to extend a special invitation for documentary heritage related to Black Canadians with the goal of increasing awareness of this community's diverse cultures and contributions to Canada. CCUNESCO also continues to extend a call for proposals for documentary heritage related to Indigenous languages and cultures. Many are considered to be endangered, and their preservation, strengthening, and revitalization are of crucial importance to Indigenous peoples and to Canadian society. About the Canadian Commission for UNESCO The Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) serves as a bridge between Canadians and the vital work of UNESCOthe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Through its networks and partners, the Commission promotes UNESCO values, priorities and programs in Canada and brings the voices of Canadian experts to the international stage. The Commission facilitates cooperation and knowledge mobilization in the fields of education, sciences, culture, communication and information to address some of the most complex challenges facing humanity. Its activities are guided by the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other UNESCO priorities. CCUNESCO operates under the authority of the Canada Council for the Arts. SOURCE Canadian Commission for UNESCO For further information: Vanessa Poulin-Gladu, Acting Manager, Public Affairs, Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Tel: 613-862-1637, [email protected] Related Links https://en.ccunesco.ca/ Watch: The latest trailer for No Time To Die No Time To Die will complete the story arc that began with Daniel Craigs debut as James Bond in Casino Royale, with 007s romance with Madeleine Swann playing a key part. Its the fifth and final [Bond] film that Daniel Craig is going to be doing, producer Barbara Broccoli reveals on the first episode of No Time To Die: The Official James Bond Podcast. [No Time To Die is] a culmination of everything that his portrayal of the character has been through, and it ties up all the storylines. Its a pretty epic film, I have to say. Part of that arc that the film will address is Bonds emotional journey from the emotionless blunt instrument whose heart was broken by Eva Greens Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, to the secret agent who was ready to settle down with Lea Seydouxs Madeleine Swann at the end of Spectre. James Bond (Daniel Craig) in discussion with Dr. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) in NO TIME TO DIE. (Nicola Dove/2019 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM) He felt betrayed [by Vesper] and it hardened him a great deal, adds producer Michael G. Wilson, hes been going through these films peeling back that hardness, evolving his humanity. Read more: 'Secret idea' prevented Daniel Craig from quitting Bond after Spectre French star Seydoux says her character plays a key part in Bonds redemption, in her second Bond film which she describes as more psychological and more emotional than Spectre. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) and James Bond (Daniel Craig) share a vodka martini in Spectre. (MGM/Eon/Sony Pictures) We needed Madeleine to tell Bonds story, she explains, I think it was important to see Bond in love again, because he had this relationship with Vesper, but she betrayed him. This time, I think [Madeleine] is the real love in a way. I think that the film is also a love story between the two of them, and so its very unusual for a Bond film to see James Bond in love, and I think its quite modern in a way. Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) and James Bond (Daniel Craig) embrace in Casino Royale. (MGM/Eon/Sony Pictures) Previous to Casino Royale, Bonds biggest love story in 1969s On Her Majestys Secret Service, which saw George Lazenbys Bond marrying Diana Riggs Tracy di Vicenzo. It was a short-lived marriage, as the film ended with her being assassinated by Blofeld. Could a similar fate await Madeleine? Story continues Bonds determination to root out the bad guys will draw him out of retirement, add screenwriters Neal Purves and Robert Wade. Read more: The Bond girl rule that can help predict Bond 25s plot At the end of Casino Royale the book [Bond] is determined to find, and hunt down, the arm that holds the whip and gun, says Wade. Thats the arc that were trying to get to on [No Time To Die]: he cant stop doing that, even if hes got a relationship, and even if hes retired. Dr. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) in No Time To Die. (Nicola Dove 2020 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM.) In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. The film, from Albert R. Broccolis EON Productions, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM), and Universal Pictures International was written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (Spectre, Skyfall), Fukunaga, Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Bourne Ultimatum) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve, Fleabag). Starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, with Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz and Ralph Fiennes as M, No Time To Die lands in cinemas on 12 November. Watch: Rami Malek introduces his Bond villain in new No Time To Die teaser EBRD financing package of US$ 40 million to Ipoteka Bank Funds to support domestic SMEs and women entrepreneurs Commercialisation of leading financial institution The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the business activity of local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Uzbekistan affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The latest US$ 40 million finance facility, extended to the countrys fourth largest lender, Ipoteka Bank, will also provide support to women-led businesses. The package will consist of a US$ 30 million loan to SMEs and a US$ 10 million loan for women entrepreneurs under the EBRDs Central Asian Women in Business (WiB) programme. The WiB loan will be supported by grant funding from the World Bank-managed Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, which will help women entrepreneurs receive professional training and provide them with the knowledge and confidence to take the next step. Support for local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises is particularly important for Uzbekistan, Central Asias most populated state, where they employ almost 80 per cent of the workforce. The EBRD funds will also contribute to the further commercialisation, greater efficiency and competitiveness of Ipoteka Bank, paving the way for its eventual privatisation. To date, the EBRD has invested 1.8 billion through 81 projects in Uzbekistans economy. By Akbar Mammadov The military personnel of the Armenian battalion in Tonashen is fleeing, leaving defensive positions, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said on September 30 at 11:46 am. "The military personnel of the 2nd battalion of the 7th mountain rifle regiment of the 10th mountain rifle division of the 1st combined arms army of Armenia, stationed in Tonashen, suffered heavy losses and, leaving their defensive positions without permission, fled." Furthermore, the ministry noted that a fire attack was inflicted on the command post of the Armenian regiment. "A fire attack was inflicted on the command post of the 41st separate artillery regiment of the 18th motorized rifle division. The control of troops has been completely disrupted," the ministry said. The ministry added that there are many killed and wounded among the military personnel. "The regiment command asks for help to evacuate the wounded." The ministry has also said that Azerbaijan's Army units deliver artillery strikes on the Armenian positions. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Vientiane, Sep 30 : Laos' Health ministry has urged the people to remain vigilant and continue to take precautions against Covid-19. The authorities and the people must remain vigilant and continue to abide by the measures determined by the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. The ministry advised the people to adapt to the new normal to stop the spread of the virus. The public should avoid leaving home for unnecessary reasons, wear masks when going out or visiting risky places, avoid using public transport, observe frequent hand washing with gels or soaps, according to media reports. Social distancing of one to two meters must be observed, besides avoiding sharing personal belongings with others, and changing clothes once reaching home. On Tuesday, a total of 1,724 people entered Laos through international border checkpoints. The temperature of each person entering Laos was checked and no one showed signs of fever. The National Taskforce Committee announced that it has been monitoring 4,016 people at 50 accommodation centres across the country. Laos announced its first two Covid-19 confirmed cases on March 24. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Many rational people who attempted to read Margaret Atwood's dystopian The Handmaid's Tale (1985) found it a big yawn. But the left loved it. So Hulu (a Disney company partly owned by Comcast), naturally made a mini-series of it. Now we have the left opining, on September 21, that people like Amy Barrett were the inspiration for that totalitarian nightmare. "Amy Coney Barrett, a favorite to be President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is affiliated with a type of Christian religious group that served as inspiration for Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel, The Handmaid's Tale." I suggest that the boot is on the other foot! It has been the women of the left who are first and foremost the handmaidens responsible for the appalling state of the nation and its totalitarian, "woke" culture and their narcissist soy boys like former President Obama, Trudeau of Canada, Newsom of California, et al. Looked at in this light, Joe Biden is the perfect Democrat candidate! As a white, ineffectual, imbecilic male, ready to drop off the perch, he is exactly what Democrat women love and why they detest his opposite, Donald Trump. Women now have enormous political power through sheer numbers. Although there has been no female president as yet, women are heavily represented at all levels of the political, legal, bureaucratic, educational, health, H.R., and local county sectors. Women are a determinative voting segment, and younger women have been educated to identify with the left. Therefore, it is their policies, and their values alone, that have been enacted, including claiming the murder of their unborn children as their natural right. It is the handmaiden founders of Black Lives Matter who have denigrated women's traditional role (part of the "oppressive patriarchy") and who have encouraged street violence. It is the handmaidens working for Planned Parenthood who have joked about selling aborted baby body parts. And it was Kamala Harris, when she was A.G. of California, who viciously prosecuted the young man who exposed that scandal, after she had received a hefty donation from Planned Parenthood. So what area of the dystopian, censored "woke" society we now find ourselves in are women not responsible for? The Deep State? Oh, no! We have the corruption of HRC and scandal after scandal involving female politicians and officeholders, day after day. The latest is handmaid Ilhan Omar's treacherous ballot-harvesting in Minneapolis. Professor Janice Fiamengo's YouTube "Fiamengo Files" (now very heavily censored) give witness to the diabolical hatred of men that characterizes these feminist handmaidens. And we have Jane Fonda telling us why women are at the forefront of the unscientific climate change hoax, where men are accused of raping Gaia! Nancy Pelosi, in an attempt to distract attention from her hairdo hissy fit and the left's mismanagement of forest areas, has told us Mother Nature is angry. Nor can we overlook that handmaiden of Gaia, the squinty-eyed Greta Thunberg. As for globalism, the U.N. says women are key to that supra-nationalist organization's sustainable development goals. Translate: New World Order. Teenage handmaidens are at the forefront of the LGBT+ gender revolution, as revealed by Abigail Shrier in her book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters. The health industry is on board and immediately affirms the young handmaidens' self-diagnosis, frequently entailing drastic surgery and hormonal intervention. One can only ask what else remains for these handmaidens to destroy. Virtually nothing. Traditional hearth and home demolished. Constitutional law shredded. Civil war lit. Gender confusion. A.I.-human interface planned. They have, with the help of their male enablers and those who do not see themselves as the beneficiaries of dead, white males, chopped out, erased, expunged, and revoked the Western heritage, root and branch. Yet, having accomplished all of this, they are unhappy. It's not enough. There are still those who dare to protest against them, like the illustrious signatories of the recent Philadelphia Statement, courteously requesting a return to freedom of speech in the cause of liberal democracy. They will be canceled out because the Amazon handmaids have debauched the language as well, using the terminology of liberal democracy to mean its opposite (exactly as their buddies, the Chinese, do). But there is hope. We know from history that moral decay eventually leads to societal collapse and the opportunity to rebuild anew. I believe we may be witnessing not the beginning of a new nightmare, but the final death agonies of the feminist dystopia, paralleled in the fate of Joe Biden. Intrinsic to the human psyche is a foundational desire to adore the Eternal Good which many call "God." When that is replaced by the lust for power, as Faust testified, hell enters. In making that Faustian bargain, by exchanging womanly graces for vengeful power, the handmaids sowed the seeds of their own destruction. That is the chaos we now behold. LifeWay sues former president Thom Rainer for breach of contract; lawsuit divides board Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Trustees of the Southern Baptist Conventions publishing arm, LifeWay Christian Resources, are expected to gather in an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss a lawsuit against the organizations former president, Thom Rainer, for allegedly breaching his severance agreement. The lawsuit filed Monday in Williamson County, Tennessee, and cited by the Baptist Press, points to an agreement between Rainer and LifeWay upon his 2019 retirement that prevented him from doing business with LifeWay competitors until Oct. 31, 2021. Among competitors listed in the agreement is Tyndale House Publishers, which announced in August that it had reached a multi-book, multi-year agreement with Rainer. A news release said the partnership would produce books that cover topics vital to a churchs life and health within the coming decades. Each core book is expected to have an accompanying video curriculum, participants guides, and other ancillary books to empower church leaders and inspire church members. Tyndale is ecstatic about our long-term partnership with Thom Rainer and Church Answers. Thom is a gifted leader, teacher, and communicator whose personal mission aligns perfectly with Tyndales. He is so successful and respected among tens of thousands of churches not only because he is a thoughtful and talented writer, but also because he knows perhaps better than anyone the needs and pulse of the church its leaders and congregants. Working together we have no doubt we will create tools to serve the Church in unique and powerful ways so that we can all participate more fully in the growth of Gods Kingdom for His glory, Ron Beers, Tyndales senior vice president and publisher, said at the time. Rainer explained to BP that in October 2019, he received a written and amicable release from publishing with LifeWay Christian Resources and spoke with the organizations attorney and had assumed all was well until he received notice of the lawsuit on Monday. Before learning of the lawsuit, I heard from a LifeWay representative about this concern only one time on September 8, 2020, Rainer said in a statement to BP. LifeWays counsel sent me an email asking for an explanation of my relationship with another publisher. I gave a quick and substantive response that same day. Even more, I requested to meet with the board officers in my response. I assumed all was well until the lawsuit was filed yesterday. LifeWay argues in the lawsuit that termination of the Publishing Agreement did not release Rainer from the noncompete section of his transition agreement which keeps him as a paid LifeWay employee through Oct. 31, 2020, as chief advisory officer. Rainers actions, said the lawsuit, will cause LifeWay to suffer immediate and irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law. It further asks the court to force Rainer to end his relationship with Tyndale and award unspecified damages to LifeWay. The emergency meeting set for Wednesday will seek to put an end to the dispute. Jimmy Scroggins, who is on the LifeWay board, said he was disappointed by the lawsuit, calling it "embarrassing" and "damaging to the kingdom." I am confident there were, and are, better options for resolving any contractual disputes we have with Dr. Rainer, he added, noting that the matter should have been discussed with the full board. Other SBC pastors like Tim Rogers, have expressed their disagreement with the lawsuit publicly as well. This is sad. My God please move on the hearts of the leaders of the @SBCExecComm to take the reins of common sense and scriptural authority. This is what happens when the sufficiency of scripture is forfeited at the altar of $$$$$s, he wrote on Twitter. MIAMI, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas and Louisiana in 2017, it also brought catastrophic flooding. Like most Americans, Alexis Maureau and Jordana Carmona were heartbroken when they saw the apocalyptic scenes from the Houston area on the news. The two longtime friends in Margate, Florida decided they needed to do something to help. They decided they would fill up a large van with donated essential items like diapers, hygiene items, bottled water, clothing and food, and then drive to Houston so that the donated items would go directly to people in need. To cover the costs, they set up a GoFundMe page and raised $2,300. A line of cars - nearly a mile long at one point- formed with local teachers and students coming to receive free backpacks stuffed with school supplies at the Florida Career College campus in Margate. Over 400 backpacks were distributed to K-12 teachers and students in the community. "We could not sit by and do nothing. We knew there were going to be organizations helping but we wanted to take action," Maureau said. "We wanted to make sure that donated items were getting directly to the people who need them the most." The experience was a powerful one for the two women, who decided that they wanted to continue to help others. "The feeling we got from that trip changed us. We felt a sense of purpose. A calling to do more," Maureau added. "We wanted to do more projects, so we worked to help single moms with groceries later that year and a couple of other smaller efforts. We were funding these out of our own pockets and we realized that we could not afford to help as many people as our hearts wanted." The crusading duo eventually formed a nonprofit organization called the "100 People Project" with the goal of helping at least 100 people every year, in their spare time when not working or taking care of family. "Helping 100 people seemed like a realistic task for us," Maureau said. "We have really smashed that goal!" Now designated as an official 501C(3) nonprofit organization by the I.R.S., the 100 People Project is now helping hundreds of people each year. The Margate campus of Florida Career College (FCC) has partnered with them, hosting a Back to School event for students and teachers in the community for the past two years. On August 1, the coronavirus pandemic didn't stop the event from happening for its third year in a row. FCC hosted a volunteer drive-through event for local teachers and students, distributing much-needed school supplies that were gathered and assembled by the 100 People Project. "2020 threw a pandemic and then a hurricane at us for our annual Back to School event. This year has certainly kept us on our toes but we made a commitment to the teachers in our community and with the support of our amazing volunteers and Florida Career College, we helped 416 teachers in the community, and their students," Maureau said. "By letting us utilize space at their campus, FCC is providing a valuable resource that has allowed us to do more than we ever thought possible. We are extremely grateful." "I am thrilled that we were able to host the event in spite of everything happening. I want to thank everyone who volunteered to help with this amazing event. It was a pretty remarkable day," said Mikkel Dixon, FCC Margate Executive Director. "At Florida Career College, we believe that education is a driving force in the community and supporting the 100 People Project's efforts to supply local teachers and students is one of the many ways we strive to support our community." "Our charitable work is demonstrated through giveaways or events with a specific focus. Giveaways ask for submissions to nominate worthy individuals who could use a little help," Maureau said. "Our primary goal is to spread as much kindness and inspire as much giving as possible and this is where we ask for the help of people who want to do more but don't know where to start. We have seen in just two short years how powerful our community can be and just how much of an impact we can make on others." FCC Margate plans to do more with 100 People Project starting this fall. "We are so happy to be expanding the partnership with FCC to include a food pantry for those in emergency need, and we want to develop a mentoring program for local young men who have grown up without a father," Maureau said. "We look forward to ongoing efforts to support our community in partnership with the 100 People Project," Dixon said. "They are truly an inspiration to our students, and the community at large." To learn more about 100 People Project, or to volunteer or donate, visit their website or find them on Facebook. About Florida Career College: Florida Career College (FCC) is an accredited, employee-owned post-secondary career education system with campuses locations in Florida and Texas. FCC offers programs in high-demand fields such as health care, business and skilled trades. Each program is designed to provide every student with the skills, knowledge, and training they need to be successful in their future careers. FCC programs are tailored to meet the needs of students with small classes. Students can train for entry-level careers and start building their future in as few as 10 months. For more information visit www.floridacareercollege.edu. Media Contact: Joe Cockrell (949) 812-7749 [email protected] SOURCE Florida Career College Wednesday, September 30, 2020 There are two primary reasons why any business would change: Fear, or Opportunity. Today, how can any manufacturing business in North America not see a multitude of both threats and opportunities? Absolutely nothing is static. The case for change surrounds us. It is not episodic. It is continuous and growing. It is not a management edict. President should take stronger stance toward Pyongyang President Moon Jae-in came up with an official response Monday to the death of a South Korean official who was killed by North Koreans in the North's territorial waters. Moon expressed sorrow for having failed to protect the official, but stopped short of criticizing the North for shooting him. He only asked North Korea to resume the operation of communications channels between the military authorities of the two sides. The President expressed his appreciation to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for offering an apology over the recent incident, saying it is of particular significance and calling it rare and unprecedented. He even said he could understand Kim's mind. This apparently means Moon was elated by Kim's apology and that his mindset sharply contrasts with the public uproar over the North's reckless act. He expressed hope that the tragic incident would rather result in a chance for dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas. Moon's remarks are disappointing in that many people expected he would issue a stern warning to Pyongyang as it was his first statement in six days after the incident. He should have called for the North's appropriate reaction in coping with it and explained how Cheong Wa Dae has addressed the issue, clarifying diverse questions surrounding it. It is problematic for Moon to only appreciate the North Korean leader's apology, while keeping silent on the North's behavior. The Justice Party's former chairwoman Rep. Sim Sang-jung cited the need for some ruling party members to refrain from putting priority on inter-Korean relations over the lives of South Korean citizens. Moon should pay heed to Sim's statement. It is also improper for the Moon administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea to focus on a declaration to end the Korean War despite the recent incident. The party submitted a resolution calling for a declaration ending the war and the resumption of individual tourism to North Korea. Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs who is on a visit to the U.S., said he would discuss the peace issue with the United States. Cheong Wa Dae has already come under criticism for Moon's address at the United Nations which focused on the peace issue despite it being informed about the shooting incident in advance. The opposition People Power Party is opposing the resolution, describing it as an attempt to disregard public anger over the North's killing of the official. Many observers have also cast skepticism over the ruling camp's move toward the declaration. The state of Florida has reported a rise in new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday after Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order, easing restrictions on restaurants and bars. With this executive order, restaurants and bars are allowed to operate at full capacity. New cases surged to 3,266 from the 738 reported on Monday, according to Florida's health department. That is the highest one-day number since Sept. 19. DeSantis lifted restrictions on bars and restaurants on Friday. Scenes of crowded bars and restaurants contributed to the situation over the weekend. Florida's cases had been falling. The state was also seen with at least 10 percent reduction in new cases in the week ending Monday. That is compared to the last seven days. Arizona, Geogia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia are among the states with a decline in new cases in the past week. In total, the state of Florida has reported 704,568 cases. More than one million people have died worldwide from COVID-19. The U.S. accounts for more than 20 percent of the death toll. The U.S. has been hit hard by the virus with almost 7.12 million reported infections and over 205,000 deaths. With recent rise in U.S. COVID-19 cases, health experts warn that things could get worse soon. Around 20 states are holding steady when it comes to the average of daily new cases compared to the last week. About 23 states are reporting increases. These states are: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Fall and winter seasons are seen to drive more people indoors and bring about flu season. Experts say Americans need to be consistent in following guidelines, which include mask wearing, practicing social distancing, and avoiding large crowds. Experts say this will be the key along woth authorities increasing testing capacity as infections start to rise again. The U.S. is at the top when it comes to the total number of reported deaths. Latest John Hopkins' data showed that the U.S., Brazil, India, and Mexico are responsible for more than 50 percent of coronavirus deaths. Meanwhile, biotechnology company Moderna and the National Institutes of Health expanded an early-phase trial of their vaccine candidate and found that the vaccine safely brought about an immune response in older adults. "The immune response to many other vaccines has been shown to decrease with increasing age. Thus, the testing of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates in older populations is of paramount importance, since these persons account for the majority of serious COVID-19 cases and associated deaths," the NIH-led researchers said. The phase one clinical trial expansion included 40 participants who were 56 and older. They were given two doses of either 25 micrograms or 100 micrograms of vaccine, which are 28 days apart. The immune reaction was stronger in the group that got the larger dosage. Adverse side effects were mostly mild or moderate, as stated by the researchers. Check these out: How Prepared Are California Schools for Reopening? Schools Struggle to Reopen at Limited Capacity While Parents Protest Against It How Are Some Schools in The U.S. Going to Reopen A Turkish kebab shop worker who killed his daughter and used a doner meat knife to dismember her body has been sentenced to 24 years in prison. Hasan Uslu strangled 32-year-old belly dancer Didem Uslu to death and stashed her chopped-up body parts in a freezer because 'she came home drunk.' The killing took place in the district of Kesan in the north-western Turkish province of Edirne. Didem Uslu, 32, a belly-dancer, was found expertly carved up by police officers in woodland and her kebab-chef father, Hasan, was detained on suspicion of her killing. He has now been sentenced to 24 years in prison Uslu told the court that it was his daughter's fault, saying she insulted her mother when she arrived home and then argued with him when he ordered her to be respectful. When she argued back, he said he lost his temper, and then strangled her to death. The kebab cook was arrested after the dancer's arm was found wrapped in newspaper in local woodland by a man collecting pine cones near a local mosque on January 9. Police tested the arm's fingerprints and found that it belonged to Didem Uslu. An investigation found that her father had been trying to dispose of her body in a nearby forest piece by piece. Uslu attended court via a video call while his wife - accused of failing to report the crime to the police - did not attend the hearing. The father asked the court to be released, saying he is danger of contracting Covid-19 in prison, arguing that his age and underlying health conditions put him at risk. Kebab chef Hasan Uslu was jailed after being found guilty of hacking off the limbs off his 32-year-old daughter Didem after he strangled her to death following an argument Uslu pictured while flanked by Turkish police officers as they haul him in for questioning during their murder investigation last year after his daughter's limb was found in woodland However, the court found Uslu guilty of 'deliberately killing' his daughter, and sentenced him to 24 years in prison. Sati Uslu, his wife, was reportedly acquitted of the charge of failing to report the crime. She said she felt unwell after the killing and had gone to her bedroom where she fainted. In his confession to the police last year, Uslu stated his daughter had psychological problems, Hurriyet reported. Pictured: Didem Uslu stands in a field of sunflowers with striking blonde hair. Her social media posts show that she performed at dinners and events Uslu's father told the court that it was her fault he killed her, saying she insulted her mother when she arrived home and then argued with him when he ordered her to be respectful Uslu claims Didem insulted him and insulted his wife and then he strangled her on December 14, 2018, the Turkish daily reported. Didem's mother Sati Uslu and younger sister Ozlem were also detained by police investigating the gruesome crime in the Kesan district of Edirne Province, although Ozlem has since been released. After the dancer's dismembered arm - hacked off at the shoulder - was found wrapped in a newspaper in woodland, police were alerted. They then used sniffer dogs to trace other parts of the body, all cut with very precise and straight incisions. The publication 15 years ago by a Danish newspaper of controversial drawings representing the Prophet Mohammed was just the beginning of a wave of outrage in the Muslim world. The anger spread as other publications followed suit, defying a Muslim religious convention that forbids visual depictions of the prophet, seen as idolatry and thus blasphemous. A timeline: On September 30, 2005, the conservative Danish daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten published the drawings under the headline "The Face of Mohammed". The most infamous of the drawings was that by Danish artist Kurt Westergaard, which showed the prophet concealing a bomb inside a turban. Muslim officials demanded an apology from Denmark and Muslims demonstrated in Copenhagen in their thousands. In early 2006, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Copenhagen and a boycott of Danish products spread through the Arab world, hitting the country's exports. On the internet, several Danish sites were targeted by hackers. Also Read: Paris attack suspect wanted to target Charlie Hebdo with arson Several European newspapers, including a Norwegian Christian newspaper called Magazinet and the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris also ran the drawings, in the name of freedom of expression. The controversy went global. In Gaza, armed groups threatened to vent their anger on Western journalists. In Beirut, Damascus and Tehran, in Indonesia, Somalia, Nigeria and Afghanistan, violent demonstrations, attacks and torchings of European embassies left dozens dead. A number of journalists and the chiefs of the publications concerned were taken to court, but acquitted. They included Philippe Val, the then chief at Charlie Hebdo in March 2007, followed by Algerian public television journalists in October. In February 2008, just when the situation seemed to have calmed down, the re-publication by 17 Danish newspapers of the most controversial cartoon after a failed attack on the artist revived anger in numerous Muslim countries. In June 2008, a suicide attack claimed by al-Qaeda against the Danish embassy in Islamabad left six dead. In early 2010, Danish police caught a 28-year-old Somalian armed with a knife in the artist Westergaard's house, where he was planning to kill him. Also Read: Why the hatred? Jewish victims of 2015 Paris attack ask In February 2015, Danish-born Omar El-Hussein shot dead a filmmaker outside a free speech event attended by Swedish artist Lars Vilks -- who in 2007 portrayed the Prophet Mohammed as a dog -- hours before killing a Jewish man outside a synagogue. In May 2015 in the United States police shot dead two armed men who opened fire in a Dallas suburb in Texas near to a centre hosting a competition of Mohammed cartoons organised by the American Freedom Defense Initiative. One of the invitees was the Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, who had made a film in 2008 linking terrorism and Islam. In November 2011, an arson attack was carried out at the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo, in response to its edition renamed "Charia (Sharia) Hebdo" with the prophet caricatured on the cover. Then on January 7, 2015, two French jihadists killed 12 people, including five artists, at the offices of the weekly, which had received death threats for its publication of caricatures of Mohammed. The attackers were shot by police on their third day on the run. The publication a week later of an edition of the newspaper featuring a drawing of the prophet on its cover led to violent demonstrations around the Muslim world, during which 10 died in Niger. On September 2, as the trial of men accused of being accomplices in the massacre of the newspaper's staff opened, the newspaper republished the caricatures, to the ire of several Muslim states. Al-Qaeda again threatened to attack its editorial staff. Three weeks into the trial, a man armed with a knife seriously wounded two people in a suspected terror attack outside Charlie Hebdo's former offices. He said he was responding to the drawings. A special court at Anand in Gujarat sentenced a man to death for raping and murdering a three-year-old girl after kidnapping her over three years ago. The special court hearing cases related to Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act passed the order on Tuesday. Additional sessions judge Dilip Hingu sentenced Raju Devipujak (38), who had committed the crime on February 14,2017. The court said the case comes under the category of"rarest of the rare". The court also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on him, failing which he will have to undergo two years of rigorous imprisonment. The court held him guilty of crimes under IPC sections302 (murder), 363 (kidnapping), 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 376 (rape), 377 (unnatural offence), 397(robbery), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act. The convict had taken the girl to a tobacco farm and sexually assaulted her before strangling her to death and leaving her body at the site. He also took away jewellery that she was wearing. ORLANDO, Fla. Stricken by the coronavirus pandemic, Walt Disney Co. revealed Tuesday it is laying off 28,000 U.S. employees, including some at Walt Disney World. Josh DAmaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said the layoffs are happening as the virus has hurt business, and because California has not lifted restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen. We have made the very difficult decision to begin the process of reducing our workforce at our Parks, Experiences and Products segment at all levels, DAmaro said in a news release. Disney did not provide a breakdown about how many employees are losing their jobs at Disney World and Disneyland. No notice of mass layoffs has been filed with the state of Florida, according to online records. Of the 28,000 employees, about 67% are part-time employees, DAmaro said, adding the cuts will affect executive, salaried, and hourly jobs. At one point, the Disney empire of theme parks was closed around the world from the coronavirus pandemic, costing the company $2 billion last financial quarter. But as a company, Disney has generated $50 billion in profit over the past five years. Disney World reopened in mid-July after a shutdown dating back to mid-March. Last week, DAmaro held a virtual press conference with the news media to put pressure on the California government to lift the restrictions, saying tens of thousands were dependent on the theme parks for jobs. In a letter to employees, DAmaro called the layoffs the only feasible option. For the last several months, our management team has worked tirelessly to avoid having to separate anyone from the company. Weve cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed our cast members while still paying benefits, and modified our operations to run as efficiently as possible, however, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity. As heartbreaking as it is to take this action, this is the only feasible option we have in light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business. The Actors' Equity Association, one of several unions that represents Disney workers, said staff members are in discussions with Disney to learn the impact of Tuesdays layoff announcement. Performers working on Equity contracts will hear more from the union as soon as the union has more information, according to an Equity press release. The union will prioritize making sure performers are protected with all relevant provisions of the collective bargaining agreement. The pandemic has slammed Central Floridas economy, leading to its unemployment rate being the highest in the state at 11% in August. Across Orlandos theme parks, SeaWorld permanently laid off 1,900 furloughed workers at its three Orlando properties this month. Universal also disclosed it is furloughing nearly 5,400 employees indefinitely. As the Disney news broke Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., issued a statement saying, Like so many others over recent months, these layoffs will be devastating for countless people. Its up to all of us to step up and help in every way we can. She urged people in need to reach out to her office for assistance. We will be working with government and civic partners to provide as much support as possible to these workers and their families, and to all those who are out of work through no fault of their own, Demings said. I also once again call on Senator McConnell and Senate Republicans to stop stonewalling and allow a vote on our emergency COVID relief legislation. These layoffs show yet again how desperately that assistance is needed by American households and businesses. ___ Gabrielle Russon Orlando Sentinel of the Orlando Sentinel wrote this story. Staff writer Jason Garcia contributed to this report. (c)2020 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) Visit The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) at www.OrlandoSentinel.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced the controversial nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett's nomination is a move that may cement a young, reliably conservative majority on the court for years to come. The nomination looks to receive a significant amount of pushback from Senate Democrats, who claim that the nomination is illegitimate and unprecedented. However, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has claimed that he has the votes necessary to confirm Barrett's nomination. Barrett is a judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and was considered by Trump to fill the vacancy left by retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2018, although he eventually chose Justice Brett Kavanaugh instead. Axios reported last May that Trump was "saving her for Ginsburg," according to sources familiar with the president's deliberation process in 2018. Prior to serving on the Court of Appeals, Barrett taught for many years at the University of Notre Dame Law School, which is her alma mater. Barrett also clerked for former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, whose strict textualism and originalism Barrett takes after. In a highly divided country and with a nomination that may be extremely consequential, partisan allegiances have largely determined the reaction to Barrett's nomination. Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham described Barrett as "highly qualified in all the areas that matter - character, integrity, intellect, and judicial disposition." McConnell also praised Barrett in a statement, saying Trump "could not have made a better decision." On the opposite side of the aisle, Democrats condemned Republicans as hypocrites for contradicting their opposition to Merrick Garland's nomination in 2016, another election year. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) described a vote to confirm Barrett as "a vote to strike down the Affordable Care Act and eliminate protections for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions." "By nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, President Trump has once again put Americans' healthcare in the crosshairs," he added. A Fox News source familiar with the process reported that Oct. 12 is a possible date for the start of confirmation hearings. The nomination process starting in mid-October means that Barrett could potentially be confirmed just days before the election. Trump has been open with sharing his desire to have all 9 Supreme Court seats filled before the election so the court can potentially make a final ruling. Democrats have criticized Trump for using the nomination process to increase the chance that the Supreme Court will rule in his favor and he will be re-elected. Barrett's beliefs, specifically her anti-abortion stance, were flagged by Democrats during her 2017 confirmation hearing for the 7th Circuit. A source told Fox News that Trump had taken note of how "tough" Barrett was after she endured the 2017 confirmation hearing Challenger energy brand Octopus has today continued its international expansion with its first foray into the massive US market. The firm, which has grown rapidly since launching four years ago and now boasts 1.7m accounts in the UK, has bought American supplier Evolve Energy in a $5m (3.9m) deal. The acquisition is the first step in a program that will see Octopus invest $100m into the US, with the goal of acquiring 25m US customers on its technology platform by 2027. By 2030, the firm has set itself the challenge of achieving 100m customers around the world. Octopuss chief executive Greg Jackson told City A.M. that in partnering with Silicon Valley-based Evolve, the group would become a tech knowledge powerhouse. He said that the acquisition would be a great launchpad for the firm, adding that the UK had a real chance to be a pioneer in the development of such tech around the world. The energy transition is probably the biggest single economic shift since the invention of the internet, he said. We have the chance to be a pioneer and to drive change on that scale. In April 2020, Octopus became the countrys latest tech unicorn, valued at close to $2bn after Australias leading energy company Origin Energy acquired a 20 percent stake for nearly $400m. Aside from the 1.7m UK households, it looks after directly, Octopus has leased its technology to a number of other suppliers, supporting around 17m customers in total. Related: Worlds No.1 Oil Trader Sees Crude Inventories Shrinking This Year Npower, E.On and Good Energy all use the Kraken software, equally roughly 25 percent of the whole UK market. The firm has also expanded into Australia. Octopus Energy is inspirational in growing a customer base of over 1 million households in just four years. It matches our aspiration for innovation and were thrilled to be part of the Octopus family, said Evolve founder Michael Lee. The US energy market is rapidly moving towards ultra-low-cost renewable energy and is prime for a true digital transformation. By CityAM More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Crown Point residents were extremely helpful with contacting the department with information on possible sightings, Martinez said. There were reports that Dax was spotted jumping fences and swimming across a pond. After the first escape, officers found the dog about 8 a.m. Monday in a neighborhood off East Monitor Street. The dog was in healthy condition and only had a slight abrasion on its paw, Martinez said. Dax's first escape happened Saturday evening after his handler, Ventrice, and two other K-9 handlers returned from training for a week in Ontario, Canada. Martinez said Dax likely became startled as Ventrice was trying to get the dog into a house and his leash came loose. The police dog then broke away from his handler and ran away with the 6-foot lead still attached. Ventrice has been with the department for about two years. Her first dog, K-9 Razor, became ill and was exchanged for K-9 Dax. K-9 Razor still lives with Ventrice after being diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis, Martinez said. Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey have announced morning against a suspect accused of shooting two county sheriffs deputies in a parked patrol car in Compton earlier this month, The Los Angeles Times reports that Deonte Lee Murray, 36, was taken into custody on September 15, and is facing two premeditated attempted murder charges for the shooting, which harmed two deputies, a 31-year-old woman and 24-year-old man, who have not been identified by the LA County Sheriffs Department. They have both since been released from the hospital following surgery. The shooting was captured on surveillance video. At the time of the incident, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Mr Murray was also suspected in an armed carjacking, and he was charged with felony carjacking, robbery, and assault, and brought in after a lengthy chase on Sept. 15. Mr Murray was apprehended following a high-speed car chase, according to NBC Los Angeles. After he crashed in the Lynnwood area, authorities, including a SWAT team, evacuated residents as they began searching the area. Eventually, a K9 unit helped locate Murray hiding in a trash can. At the time, Sheriff Villanueva told news media he had not confirmed a link between Murray and the Compton shooting. Forensic evidence later linked Mr Murray to the shooting of the deputies, CBS Los Angeles reports. During the car chase when he was apprehended, Mr Murray threw a ghost gun that was later linked through ballistic and forensic evidence to the Compton shooting, sheriffs captain Kent Wegener also told reporters. Other key pieces of evidence included that Mr Murray fled the scene of the Compton shooting in a black Mercedes, the same vehicle he was accused of violently carjacking on September 1. Amid heightened tensions around policing across the country, the story quickly became national news. President Trump called the suspect an animal that must be hit hard" and called for the death penalty as punishment. The FBI also stepped in to assist with the investigation. Josie Huang, a reporter for LAist and NPR affiliate KPCC in Los Angeles, was arrested on Sept. 12 and charged with obstruction of justice while filming the arrest of members of a small group of protestors outside the hospital where the deputies were being treated. Local media captured several deputies pinning her to the ground. The sheriffs office said in a statement on social media that Ms Huang "did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person" though she was wearing press credentials around her neck. The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced last week it will not prosecute the charges. Mr Murray could face a maximum sentence of life in prison if fully convicted on his charges. The government on Wednesday slashed the rate at which most of the natural gas produced in India is sold by a steep 25 percent to $ 1.79. Gas produced by state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Oil India from areas given to them on nomination basis will cost $1.79 per million British thermal unit for a six-month period beginning October 1, 2020, an official order said. The price of new gas from difficult fields such as deepsea has also been cut to $4.06 per mmBtu from $5.61, the order said. Dr. Marquet has more than three decades of experience in the biotech industry and is the current chairman of the board of Matrysis, a clinical stage company developing novel therapies based on the skin microbiome. She previously was the co-founder of Ajinomoto Althea & AltheaDx and the former chairman of the board of directors of UCSD Moores Cancer Center, where she now sits on the executive committee. Dr. Marquet has been an independent board member for Micronoma since 2019 and brings with her a deep passion for improving the lives of those with high cancer risk through research and innovation. "I am excited to see our team growing so strong," said Sandrine Miller-Montgomery, CEO of Micronoma. "Magda taking the reins as chairman provides the kind of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity any company would dream of having, thanks to her business acumen and diagnostic domain expertise. But most importantly, she is giving Micronoma her heart and intention to help us create a positive difference in the lives of many patients and their families." "With all my experience working in biotech and leading companies that aim to optimize health, Micronoma is truly distinct," said Dr. Marquet. "Not only because of the company's unmatched technology and the outstanding expertise of the team, but in its utter commitment to reduce the tremendous suffering that early cancer detection can uniquely provide. Like so many, I have personal stories about how cancer has uprooted my life. My road to Micronoma feels nothing short of meant-to-be for me. From my mother's death from breast cancer at a young age, to being driven to find success in the biotech sector, providing my expertise to Micronoma is a pivotal chapter in my own journey." Micronoma recently announced its launch with $3 million in seed funding that will be used to further advance cancer detection technology with the development of pioneering microbiome research. The goal is to provide this new diagnostic tool to clinicians within the next two years. For more information, please visit Micronoma.com. About Micronoma Micronoma is the first cancer-detection company using liquid biopsy technology to detect and predict cancer by interrogating the microbial signal with clinical-grade accuracy at an early stage of the disease. Micronoma was founded in 2019 by leaders in microbiome research, and is committed to improving the lives of all involved in cancer diagnosis. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California. SOURCE Micronoma Related Links https://www.micronoma.com Two years ago, Eagles player Jason Kelce addressed a crowd of thousands in Center City to remind everyone that we are the underdogs, and we dont give a f*** if you dont like us. What he expressed is what many locals felt, a common sentiment after years of enduring trash talk from fans of other teams. That win would bring the city together for some long overdue celebration and mayhem. I was there, and I was swept up in the spirit of the parade, a fired up crowd not deterred by frigid temperatures. On Tuesday night, Philadelphians united again, this time to decry President Donald Trumps assertion that our city is a place where bad things happen. I remember the pride on display when I watched the Eagles win the Super Bowl. Despite feeling just as weepy and amazed, I did not take to the streets afterward to join in on the pole climbing and setting cars on fire. I didnt expect anything less from inebriated fans who waited their whole lives for that moment. And those crowds, mostly peaceful, some rowdy, did not fail to make quite the scene. READ MORE: Trump says bad things happen in Philadelphia. Heres what actually happened in Philadelphia. It is true that Philadelphians dont take BS, and that this is a gritty city. We are tough talkers who, from the outside, are often standoffish. This may sometimes be accurate to insiders too, and if anyone has ever sat at a green light longer than a second, theyd concur. Lets not forget that weve earned ourselves a jail and court inside of the now-demolished Veterans Stadium. Were also clever opportunists, already turning a profit off of Trumps now infamous words with shirts and sweatshirts being sold within an hour of the close of the debate. Many companies (like this shirt line) are hitting back by routing profits into the very community he sought to defund. As many may recall, Trump has been quite critical of Philadelphia, and he has even tried to cut funding because of our sanctuary city status. He has also been outspoken about District Attorney Larry Krasner and our rates of gun deaths. Tuesday nights disparaging remarks came after he inaccurately referenced poll watchers being ejected during Tuesdays initial voting sessions. From Trumps tone, I picked up that he thinks Philadelphia is a wasteland, reminiscent of when Joaquin Phoenix and his posse went on a rampage through Gotham. The reality is quite the opposite. Elementary school children from the tristate area dont get dragged around Old City to learn about panhandling. No, they discover that the founding of this nation happened within a one-mile radius of this city. People dont wait six months for reservations at Zahav because it is mediocre, and our Art Museum doesnt house Modiglianis, Renoirs, and Monets because we arent cultured. READ MORE: Trump told Proud Boys stand back and stand by. What does that actually mean? | The Angry Grammarian Good things do happen here, and in fact, we do it big. The Declaration of Independence was written and signed here, and Betsy Ross was credited with making the original flag here. Prior to that, the Marine Corps was founded here, and Benjamin Franklin proclaimed his love of cougars over younger women here. This city inspired and lit a fire under some of this countrys most prolific thinkers, like Edgar Allan Poe, who in six years wrote the majority of his most famous works here. I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him, he famously wrote in The Tell-Tale Heart. Philadelphia was the inspiration behind both his main characters murderous rage, and the kindness that preceded it. Whatever shade you throw, President Trump, you must know that after years of being the underdog, we can take the punches. Thats why the Rocky theme song plays at all of our races. If after all of that you still doubt our grittiness and passion, then let Hitchbots demise be a reminder: Dont mess with Philly. Tonya Russell is a freelance writer who currently resides in South Jersey. Her Philly cred includes a strong belief that the mall on Market Street will always be the Gallery. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/29/2020 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Jihoon Lee has denied Deavan Clegg 's suggestions he abused her daughter Drascilla, which she has implied was one of the major reasons why the couple split.Jihoon posted a long rant Monday night on his Instagram Stories in response to allegations he abused Drascilla, Deavan's five-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, while the : The Other Way couple was living in South Korea with Drascilla and Taeyang, their toddler son."Hello all, To everyone who has been witnessing the past few months of [Deavan] and mines relationship.. I have not been the one to put this out on social media because I believe strongly to not cause drama online. However, now with the accusations and lies swarming around, I must defend myself so that my son sees the truth one day," Jihoon began his rant, which went on for 13 posts.As part of Jihoon telling his side of the story, he wholeheartedly denied ever abusing Drascilla, whom Deavan has previously described as "a wild child.""Deavan wanted her daughter to be my daughter, Taeyang is my son. She said this to me. She wanted me to be a father to Drascilla. I accepted and when I tried to show Drascilla right from wrong, or even disciplining, both [Deavan] and Drascilla rejected the growing pains," Jihoon wrote."Deavan did not accept my type of discipline or helping her child become an amazing young girl. Here is a prime example: Drascilla was enrolled into an English academy in Korea. I would get calls from the director that Drascilla was hitting, spitting, screaming, and pulling other kids' hair and the teachers."Jihoon claimed that, given he'd been asked to fulfill a parental role with Drascilla, he took it upon himself to try to address her behavior at the school she was attending."So I would come down to the school and try to talk to her the best I could. She wouldn't listen. She would continue with the same tactics, even after I would show her what she was doing was wrong," Jihoon explained."When she was pulling other children's hair and making them cry, I tugged on her hair, and asked, 'If I pull on your hair, does it hurt? You don't want to hurt your friends or the other kids.' And that still didn't work in her understanding."Deavan apparently didn't agree with Jihoon's parenting techniques and it caused some major issues between the former couple."How could I be a father to a child who she had called me dad in Korean, but when I tried to be a father, Deavan said I was in the wrong and hurt her child? (I have a written statement from the school in regards to these incidents of Drascilla being this way)," Jihoon continued.Jihoon insisted he tried to co-parent Drascilla and his infant son Taeyang to the best of his ability. Jihoon, in fact, said "it's a lie" when Deavan claims he had refused to help her with the kids.Deavan confirmed last week she has filed for divorce from Jihoon but he has yet to sign the papers, although Jihoon claimed earlier this month "there's no divorce on paper right now."On their breakup, Jihoon said about a month after Deavan left him and returned to the United States, she accused him of abusing Drascilla and "demanded a breakup."One month after that, Jihoon said, "Another man was imitating Taeyang's father. Deavan made claims saying that Drascilla told Deavan that I had been abusing Drascilla. Drascilla told the truth that there was nothing to be said later on.. and Deavan was still going for the separation without confirming it with me.""She did it through social media after she found her new boyfriend," added Jihoon, who confirmed his relationship with Deavan was over and she had moved on with a new man in late August.Deavan's new boyfriend is Christopher "Topher" Park, a Korean-American actor who was born in Los Angeles, CA.Deavan and Topher went Instagram official on September 12 following weeks of Deavan teasing she's in a new relationship by posting photos of a man on her Instagram with his head cropped out.Deavan then admitted she's totally smitten with Topher on Instagram on September 16 by posting a video of the couple cuddled up next to each other on a couch with their foreheads touching.In regards to rumored allegations Jihoon's parents had also abused Drascilla, Jihoon also wrote, "It's a lie. There are not circumstances, evidence or reasons for that. It's social media and the world making up falsehoods."Jihoon went on to slam Deavan by saying, "But is it okay to walk around outside without wearing masks on children in America? Is it okay to force children on rides for their couple videos when they cry and don't like it, but continue to do it anyways? This is what is shown on their YouTube channel."Jihoon later added, "She's lying about my parents abusing her. Drascilla, she yelled at my mother. Because they couldn't communicate at all. My father spoke a little English. It's fine. So my mother got angry and yelled at her. That's abusive?"Deavan previously made it clear she has no future with Jihoon because he allegedly did something "evil" that "can never be forgiven." It now appears Deavan may have been referring to Jihoon allegedly abusing Drascilla.Deavan had accused Jihoon of wanting "nothing to do" with their son Taeyang, deleting their family from his memory, calling her "degrading" and "vile names," and putting herself, Taeyang and Drascilla in "danger." (Jihoon denied those claims ).Deavan wrote on Twitter in August that she had "moved back" to America for a "horrible reason" and Jihoon had done "the most vile thing possible" that made her want to return to the United States.Deavan had initially repeatedly teased fans must "wait 'till the Tell-All" to find out the awful things Jihoon had allegedly done to her and her kids.However, that all changed last week when Deavan suddenly announced on her Instagram Stories that she and Jihoon will not be appearing on : The Other Way's second-season Tell-All when it airs this later fall."We will not be attending the Tell All," Deavan reportedly wrote of the cast reunion."TLC is aware of what happened to my daughter and has been for months their reason being 'we don't want to have to put your family through that and be around him' so I'll leave it at that."Deavan, however, reportedly insisted her side of the story -- the "truth," she says -- will be released in the near future."I am a little upset I will not be able to tell my side due to the fact they knew what was happening and I sat here pretending it was okay online for them so I wouldn't be breaking my contracts. So the truth of my story will come out in time," Deavan reportedly noted.Season 2 of : The Other Way on TLC featured Deavan in a "flash forward" segment waiting out the coronavirus pandemic while living in a high-rise apartment building in South Korea.The footage filmed earlier this year, seemingly around February or March, and was seemingly originally intended for TLC's : Self-Quarantined spinoff, which aired on TLC this past spring.But speculation began to swirl that Deavan and Jihoon's relationship was over when she reportedly returned to the United States with her children, Taeyang and Drascilla, in May.Deavan's mother Elicia revealed on social media in late July that Deavan was just visiting America with her two kids and got "stuck" in Utah due to COVID-19 while Jihoon remained in South Korea."She is visiting here, but the travel restrictions have forced her to be here longer," Elicia reportedly wrote, adding, "[Deavan and Drascilla] are stuck here until travel restrictions are lessened because of the virus."But it now appears Deavan and Jihoon were already broken up by then and Elicia felt the need to come up with a cover story in order to avoid : The Other Way spoilers about the current status of her daughter's relationship.Deavan also vented on her Instagram Stories in August about how viewers know very little about her struggles in 2020, suggesting her relationship with Jihoon had been on the rocks for months prior to their split."If you guys only knew the disgusting things that happened this year off camera," Deavan wrote."If you knew everything going on in this very moment. Knew what I'm doing and going through, the scars that happen this year. Enjoy the show. #90dayfiance."Prior to the mid-season finale of : The Other Way, Deavan was shown repeatedly forgiving Jihoon for his mistakes and trying to make a life work with him in South Korea.Not only did Jihoon lie to Deavan about having a lot of money saved for his family, but he was also dishonest about working a full-time, high-paying job.Jihoon's lack of parenting skills with Drascilla and Taeyang only added to the couple's issues, but he kept promising to become a better husband and father.Deavan therefore decided to give Jihoon a second chance under the expectation he would find a permanent apartment for them to live, make and save money, and better support and provide for his family.: The Other Way will return to TLC on Sunday, October 11.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. However, after investigating Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (NYSE:LH), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger. Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.089 = US$1.3b (US$18b - US$3.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020). Therefore, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings has an ROCE of 8.9%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 9.8% average generated by the Healthcare industry. Check out our latest analysis for Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings roce In the above chart we have measured Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings here for free. What Does the ROCE Trend For Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings Tell Us? Over the past five years, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings' ROCE and capital employed have both remained mostly flat. This tells us the company isn't reinvesting in itself, so it's plausible that it's past the growth phase. So don't be surprised if Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings doesn't end up being a multi-bagger in a few years time. Story continues The Key Takeaway In a nutshell, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings has been trudging along with the same returns from the same amount of capital over the last five years. Since the stock has gained an impressive 67% over the last five years, investors must think there's better things to come. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn't high. On a final note, we've found 3 warning signs for Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings that we think you should be aware of. For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Santos says the Narrabri field can supply as much as half of NSW's gas needs. Credit:Brendan Esposito Loading In an indication that Santos still has regulatory hurdles to clear, the IPC said its consent for the project did not extend to the proposed gas-fired power station at Leewood, the Westport workers accommodation or non-safety flaring infrastructure. The phased approval covers four stages of the project's development, covering appraisal, construction, production and finally rehabilitation once the two decade-plus project involving 850 gas wells ends. Addressing some of the concerns the project drew some 23,000 submissions, most of them opposed to the gas field the commissioners laid out a range of conditions that indicate Santos still has a lot of work to do before the first joules of gas get piped to customers. Among the key conditions are those relating to groundwater, greenhouse gas emissions and the need to dispose of as much as 840,000 tonnes of crystallised salt during the project's life. On groundwater, the IPC said that, while the proponent's impact modelling was "fit for purpose for this approval", it still needed more information before the project could proceed to construction "to reduce the level of uncertainty". "The imposed conditions do not permit [Santos] to establish the production field (Phase 2) if the revised groundwater model predicts an exceedance of the water management performance measures identified in the consent," the IPC said. On the contentious issue of whether tapping methane from the coal seams would have less of a climate change impact than coal, the IPC said such an emissions advantage "may be jeopardised by an underestimation of fugitive emissions" escaping to the atmosphere. Santos's CSG storage ponds in the Pilliga State Forest. Approval will open the way for 850 wells in the gasfield. Credit:Dean Sewell To counter that, the IPC will require Santos to fully offset any exceedances of its emissions predictions during the extraction and transport, or so-called Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions. Santos said the Scope 1 emissions would be the equivalent of 15.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, with 18 million tonnes for Scope 2 and 94.3 million tonnes from so-called Scope 3 or downstream combustion. "The applicant will also be required to consult with an expert advisory group in measuring, minimising and reporting these emissions," it said. Santos, too, will have more work to do to proceed even to the first phase of the project when it comes to disposing of the mountains of salt expected to be brought to the surface along with water as Santos tries to extract the gas. While the commission was "satisfied" the waste salt could be disposed of appropriately, with landfills considered a last resort, it added extra conditions. Loading The NSW Environment Protection Authority, as lead regulator, will have to confirm Santos is meeting its pledge to minimise on-site storage of the salt, and will "require arrangements for beneficial reuse or landfill disposal at an appropriately EPA-licensed facility to be in place prior to Phase 1" of the project. Georgina Woods, a co-ordinator of the Lock the Gate Alliance, said the approval was "disappointing" but the conditions mean Santos "is a long way from the starting gates". The requirement for the company to redo the groundwater model so that it meets a Class-3 confidence level before project construction can proceed will be particularly challenging, she said. "Santos is really going to struggle to proceed with this gasfield," Ms Woods said. Ms Woods noted the IPC had highlighted that some 71 per cent of the local submissions were opposed to the project, dousing commentary that the region supported the gasfield. The panel of three commissioners chaired by Stephen O'Connor with John Hann and Professor Snow Barlow said that "on balance" the project was likely to provide "a net economic benefit for the local community, region and state". Opponents are not likely to give up on their battle to prevent the Narrabri gas field from proceeding even with the IPC's verdict. Credit:Nic Walker It also had the potential "to improve gas security for Australias east coast domestic market". Santos chief Mr Gallagher told the IPC in July his firm had spent $1.5 billion on a gasfield with the potential to meet half of NSW's gas needs. The state currently imports 95 per cent of the fuel, much of it from Santos's operations in the Cooper Basin of South Australia. During construction, Santos has said the venture would employ as many as 1300 people, with up to 200 of the jobs ongoing. Royalties will tip $1.2 billion into state coffers. Whether the added conditions will make the project commercially unviable remains to be seen. Likewise, it is not clear whether added supply will make much if any difference to gas prices. Santos has pointed to a 2020 report by the Australian Energy Market Operator where the production cost in Narrabri was put at $6.40 per gigajoule - excluding transportation costs. The Australia Institute has pointed out modelling for that figure was from Santos itself. Previous AEMO estimates put the cost at $7.28-$9.36 per gigajoule. By contrast, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is predicting gas prices to average $5.63 per gigajoule in 2021. Pressure transmitters display readings on a Santos pilot well operating in the Pilliga forest in Narrabri. Credit:Bloomberg The push to lift gas supply in Australia's south-eastern states has been taking on increasing urgency in recent years as gas-reliant manufacturers struggle in the face of a three-fold rise in contract prices. Union officials in the manufacturing sector, which uses gas for energy or as a feedstock, said the Narrabri green light had the potential to greatly alleviate supply-and-demand pressure and drive down prices. "More gas should mean more affordable gas; more affordably gas means more competitive manufacturing and cheaper electricity," Australian Workers Union secretary Daniel Walton said. Loading "New South Wales should be a thriving global heavy manufacturing hub, and that's exactly what we can become if we better harness our gas wealth. This approval is an excellent step." Mr Walton called on the NSW government to ensure that Santos remained committed to ensuring that Narrabri gas would be kept for local consumption and not be sold on the export market. Oil and gas industry representatives say the Narrabri project would unlock gas reserves for NSW homes, small businesses, major industries and electricity generators. "The clearest way to put downward pressure on gas prices for customers, including manufacturers, is to increase supply and competition," Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association chief Andrew McConville said on Wednesday. "The Narrabri Project does just that. This is an important outcome for energy security and reliability for the state of NSW." Graeme Bethune, chief excutive of advisory firm EnergyQuest, said Narrabri "certainly should be extremely competitive on the east coast". Mr Bethune described the project as "critical ... if it doesn't go ahead the [gas] price will go back up". Remaining hurdles include securing investment and approvals for a gas pipeline to take the Narrabri gas to market, and also possible legal challenges. Tony Pickard, a local farmer in the region near the proposed Santos coal seam gasfield near Narrabri inspects vegetation killed from saline water produced from pilot wells. Credit:Jacky Ghossein David Morris, chief executive of the Environmental Defenders Office, said giving approval of the gasfield placed "the groundwater, ecosystems and local communities around the Pilliga at risk". "It adds another source of powerful greenhouse gas emissions to our atmosphere at a time when what is urgently needed is rapid and deep reductions in emissions," he said, adding the organisation would be meeting clients in coming days to discuss legal options to block the project. The venture involves contruction of as many as 425 well pads and the clearing of about 1000 hectares within the 95,000 hectare project area. Eleanor Lawless, a campaign manager at the Wilderness Society, said the approval was "devastating for Australias natural and cultural heritage". The long-running campaign, including from the Morrison government, to pressure the IPC to approve the gasfield "undermined our democracy and corrupted proper process", Ms Lawless said. Market analysts described Wednesday's decision as positive news for Santos following years of public opposition and long delays that forced the company to write down the value of the asset to zero in its accounts. Washington: As a means of helping American voters understand the policy differences between the two major party candidates, the first US presidential debate was an epic and demoralising failure. As a representation of a democracy and global superpower in deep trouble, and possibly long-term decline, it was a vivid portrait. Heckler-in-chief: US President Donald Trump. Credit:AP Donald Trump didn't come to Cleveland, Ohio, to debate. He came as a chaos agent on a mission to taunt, interrupt, bluster and bully. Trump was so unrelentingly aggressive that he risked turning off the voters he needs to win the election - especially moderate women in the suburbs. See Full Image Gallery >> The 2021 Toyota Camry gains both visual and technology improvements in the new model year. Its not a full-fledged mid-cycle update, but the changes are welcome nonetheless. Toyota added an XSE grade to the Hybrid trim to start. This brings the sportier suspension tuning and aggressive appearance package to the greenest of models. Its pictured in gray here, and if not for the blue Toyota logo and Hybrid badge, wed never assume this model was the eco-focused one. It looks just like the XSE grade for the standard Camry, which gets an even bolder honeycomb style grille this year. If boring, hybrid-car looks were keeping you from going Camry Hybrid, Toyota appears to have a solution for that now. Both the LE and XLE grades get a revised front fascia for 2021, too. The entire front bumper is essentially all grille now. Its been amplified and made even more dramatic this year, and its starting to become a bit much to take in. New wheel designs also make their debut on LE and XLE models this year. On the inside, Toyota is debuting a new Herringbone seat pattern on the XLE. Plus, all grades get a revised set of interior trim appointments. If its a model aiming at comfort, youll get a dark wood look. If its a sporty trim, Toyota has added a patterned metal package. In addition to the new styling, Toyota upgraded the infotainment systems options in the 2021 Camry. The new base infotainment setup uses a newly-integrated seven-inch touchscreen. You can upgrade to a nine-inch version of the display. Both run Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa as standard. Toyota just pulled the displays out of the RAV4 and dumped them in here. The last notable tech update for 2021 is improved driver assistance and safety equipment. Toyota upgraded the Camry to its Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 systems, bringing enhanced auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, full-speed adaptive cruise control (can bring vehicle to stop and start again on its own), lane-tracing assist (keeps car centered in lane), auto high-beams, road sign assist and Toyotas rear seat reminder. Story continues Pricing for the Hybrid actually goes down for 2021. It starts at $28,265, which is $1,160 less than 2020s base price. The new Hybrid XSE trim is much more expensive with a starting price sitting at $33,715 its the most expensive Hybrid now. Most non-hybrid trims see modest increases of a few hundred dollars in price, but the base LE trim doesnt go up from its $25,965 sticker. One notable increase is a $1,015 increase for the TRD trim (adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, heated exterior mirrors and new Ice Edge paint option for 2021), which now starts at $33,180. Its still the cheapest way to get the V6 engine, but the value proposition isnt as good as it was last year. 2021 Camry lineup is set to hit dealerships in October this year. You Might Also Like A 10-year-old Michigan boy is recovering in a local hospital after he suffered severe injuries while grabbing an explosive hidden inside a Christmas ornament box. Brittany Moist, Connor's mother, said family members tried to prevent him from lighting the explosive, which cost him his left index and middle finder as well as hearing loss in both ears. The Dewitt Township boy also lost eyebrows, eyelashes and the front of his hairline, while suffering cuts along his abdomen and chest. Moist said that she was called on Friday afternoon and told of the incident shortly after it happened. Connor, 10, suffered serious injuries after he reached into a Christmas box and grabbed an explosive instead of an ornament The 10-year-old has to do physical therapy, counseling and needs to have more surgeries 'Last year my grandmother bought a Christmas box from a yard sale. It was full of ornaments and decorations and stuff and Connor found this little silver one. It had a hook on it like all the other ornaments and it had a little wick on it and he thought it was a smoke bomb, so he took it downstairs,' the mother explained to WLNS. Shanda Storie, the boy's godmother, shared that she tried to stop him. 'Grandma said, "No don't light that,"' Storie said, referring to Connor's great-grandparents. 'Grandpa thought, "Well, what's the harm, it's a smoke bomb."' She added: 'I'm getting ready for work, so the light bulb went on for me and I said 'wait Connor' and as I was walking toward him to grab it from him he got excited and he lit it.' Storie said that she then rushed into the home and found a towel to wrap Connor's arm in. She then alerted authorities. Connor lost both his index and middle finger on his left hand in the explosion. He also suffered hearing loss in both ears and had cuts all along his abdomen and chest Connor also lost eyebrows, eyelashes and the front of his hairline. The 10-year-old also received 5 stitches to his forehead. Moist shared that she was left in the dark on her son's condition until after her son was taken out of emergency surgery. 'No one really would tell me what happened and then when I got to the emergency room, they rushed him down to like, do the X-rays and then straight to emergency surgery and then I met him in his room and he was already bandaged up, he was really scared. He was happy to see me and then it's just been kind of a day-to-day journey from there,' she said. Connor had a long road to recovery, his mom shared. The 10-year-old has to do physical therapy, counseling and needs to have more surgeries. 'He has tried to talk to me about the incident, but he gets too upset, so I haven't had the chance to hear the whole story from his perspective. He's been waking up at night afraid because he remembers what happens. If he hears a loud noise he panics. He's not dealing with the explosion very well,' Moist said. The family has set up a GoFundMe for the kid's recovery, providing updates as to how Connor is doing. G eneva is to introduce a minimum wage of almost 3,500 a month after locals approved the measure in a surprise vote. The new minimum wage, set at just under 19.50 per hour, will reportedly be the highest in the world. The cantons 500,000 voters passed voted in the new sum proposed by local unions and left wing parties, after twice rejecting it in 2011 and 2014. The wage rise was approved by just over 58 per cent of Geneva voters on Saturday and the measure comes into effect on October 17. It comes amid reports of growing coronavirus-linked poverty with people flocking to food banks in the Swiss city. The new wage is more than twice the rate in neighbouring France, with a guaranteed minimum monthly salary of 4,086 Swiss francs (3,457) based on a 41-hour working week. Yearly, it adds up to an annual income of 49,000 Swiss francs (41,430). People wait in line to receive food parcels at a food bank in an ice rink during the coronavirus crisis in Geneva / Getty Images France 3 television reported that the measure came after Geneva, whose economy depends on tourist and business visitors, had been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 epidemic. Michel Charrat, the president of the Groupement transfrontalier europeen, an organisation that supports those working across the French-Swiss border, described the vote result as a mark of solidarity with the citys poor. He told The Guardian: Covid has shown that a certain section of the Swiss population cannot live in Geneva. 4,000 (Swiss francs) is the minimum to not fall below the poverty line and find yourself in a very difficult situation." He added the measure would benefit 30,000 low-paid workers, two-thirds of them women. The UKs national living wage, the minimum paid to workers over the age of 25, is 8.72. The minimum wage for those younger and apprentices ranges from 4.15-8.20 an hour. In France, the minimum wage is 10.15 (9.28) an hour and 1,539,42 (1,407.25) a month for a 35-hour working week. Map of Hercules plant and disposal area from EPAs final Superfund cleanup plan for the site. Read more Chemical maker Hercules will pay $11.3 million toward cleanup of a Superfund site in Gloucester County under a consent decree reached in federal court with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state of New Jersey that would require tons of toxic soil to be dug up and removed. The DEP is pleased that Hercules has agreed to reimburse the state for all outstanding costs to the state for the remediation of the Gibbstown plant, and to complete the remediation of the site," Catherine R. McCabe, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said in a statement. "Hercules' assumption of responsibility for long-term monitoring of the remaining soil and groundwater contamination will ensure that the public and the environment are protected. The 350-acre Hercules Inc. site in Greenwich Township contains a portion of Clonmell Creek that flows toward the Delaware River and separates an 80-acre former plant and a four-acre solid waste disposal area. Hercules purchase the site in 1952 from DuPont, which the EPA said disposed of lead fragments and tar produced while making the chemical compound aniline. Hercules then used a portion of the site to make phenol and acetone. The use over decades resulted in contamination of soil and groundwater with volatile organic compounds and heavy metals. As a result, sediment in Clonmell Creek was also polluted. The Gibbstown site was listed as a Superfund site in 1983. The plant was decommissioned and demolished in 2010. The EPA announced a cleanup plan in 2018. This important agreement ensures that the responsible party will perform the work needed to address contamination at the Gibbstown Plant, EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez said. Under the consent decree, Hercules must implement the EPAs 2018 plan and the agency will oversee the work. In addition, the company must also pay $144,000 in other costs to the EPA and $130,000 to New Jersey. The plan requires Hercules to excavate four feet of contaminated soil and treat it with microorganisms to break down contaminants. Deeper soil will also be treated to encourage microorganisms to destroy the remaining chemicals. Cleaned soil will be used as a cap. Further, Hercules will have to dig up lead-contaminated soil and dispose of it off-site, and remove contaminated sediment from the creek and a stormwater basin. A groundwater extraction and treatment system has already been installed to protect local municipal drinking water wells. To date, more than two billion gallons of contaminated groundwater have been treated.Hercules was one of 14 Superfund sites in the Philadelphia region identified by The Inquirer as lying within a flood zone susceptible to rising seas connected with climate change. In the event of a flood, such sites have the potential to spread contaminants. The consent decree is subject to a 60-day public comment period and final approval by U.S. District Court in Camden. The New Jersey Sierra Club hailed the agreement as a win. Finally, Hercules will be paying to clean up the mess they made," said the groups director, Jeff Tittel. But, he said that Hercules was getting off cheap and said the EPA failed to order a full cleanup that includes a long-term plan to remove tar pits at the site, as well as additional soil and water. Thousands of US students have had their addresses and other private details leaked online after school district officials failed to meet a hackers ransom demand. The mass doxxing took place in Clark County, Nevada, exposing the names, addresses, grades, social security numbers and some financial information of the victims. The hacking attack, which also disclosed employees personal information, took place during the first week of online classes since returning from summer break. It took the form of a ransomware attack, in which hackers illegally gain access to an organisations computer system and encrypt the files so that they can no longer be accessed without a password. The attackers then demand payment in exchange for the password needed to take back control of the encrypted system. Nearly three weeks after the attack was first reported, cyber security specialist Brett Callow discovered documents containing the schools records in an online hacking forum - suggesting the ransom was not met - according to The Wall Street Journal. The Clark County School District (CCSD) did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but previously said it was working with forensic investigators. Recommended Woman dies after hackers cause IT failure CCSD is working diligently to determine the full nature and scope of the incident and is cooperating with law enforcement, a spokesperson said. As the investigation continues, CCSD will be individually notifying affected individuals. CCSD values openness and transparency and will keep parents, employees, and the public informed as new, verified information becomes available." Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common in recent years, facilitated by the rise of cryptocurrencies that offer an efficient way to anonymously receive ransoms. More than 40 per cent of all cyber insurance claims in the first half of 2020 were ransomware-related, according to leading insurance firm Coalition, with claims ranging from $1,000 (778) to $2m (1.56m.) The cost of such attacks is not always just financial, however. A ransomware attack on Dusseldorf University Clinic earlier this month locked computer systems and forced ambulance drivers to divert to other health facilities. One woman in a critical condition subsequently died as a result of delays to her treatment. The hackers later withdrew the extortion attempt. Atheist Richard Dawkins canceled by oldest student debate society Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Famed atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins invitation to speak at the oldest student debate society in the world was canceled over what the societys auditor deemed as his offensive views on Islam and sexual assault. Brid ODonnell, the auditor of Trinity College Dublin's Historical Society (The Hist) in Ireland, announced on Instagram Sunday night that she was unaware of Richard Dawkins opinions on Islam and sexual assault until this evening and that the society will not be moving ahead with his address as we value our members comfort above all else, according to The University Times. Her post was made on her personal Instagram page and is not available for public viewing. According to ODonnell, Dawkins was invited by her predecessor and she had only researched him briefly and read his Wikipedia page. It was not until other people pointed out what Dawkins had said about Islam and sexual assault that she decided to disinvite him. Dawkins compared Islam to cancer in 2019, calling it the worlds most evil religion because of its poor treatment of women and homosexuals. In numerous public appearances, he has made similarly disparaging statements about many religions. He is well-known in Christian circles for his 2006 book, The God Delusion, in which he writes, The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all of fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully. However, ODonnell made no reference to Dawkins views being offensive to Christians or Jews in her explanation of his cancelation. On sexual assault, Dawkins said in a 2013 interview with The Times magazine that he personally experienced mild pedophilia as a child, but it did not cause lasting harm and that people shouldnt judge the moral failings of past generations on sexual abuse with the same standards used today. In 2014, he also said on Twitter that If you want to be in a position to testify and jail a man [for rape,] dont get drunk. When a Twitter commenter asked him for an explanation, Dawkins said he meant its difficult to get a conviction for rape with only statements like I was too drunk to remember. His cancelation from the progressive Society follows the clubs 2018 decision to rescind a gold medal award for controversial British pro-Brexit politician Nigel Farage. The College Historical Societys roots date back to 1747, when influential conservative philosopher Edmund Burke founded the club. Its original purpose was to meet twice weekly for Speeching, reading, writing and arguing in Morality, History, Criticism, Politiks and all the useful branches of Philosophy, according to the clubs records. Currently, the Society is the oldest collegiate student group in the world. Historical figures such as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu have spoken at the Society. Incumbent general Mayor of the Capital City Gabriela Firea claims elections in Bucharest were rigged, as there were "very many irregularities" discovered. "Elections in Bucharest were rigged! PM Orban - the grave-digger of PNL (National Liberal Party), and Plicusor [untranslatable pun, Plicusor would mean "a small envelope" if translated into English, while the spelling is close in Romanian to Nicusor, the real name of Gabriela Firea's counter-candidate to the general mayor - editor's note] - the friend of the Dog. We also found very many irregularities! So why do they approve the count of the votes?," Firea wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday.The PSD candidate to the office of mayor of district 1 of Bucharest, Dan Tudorache, went to the Electoral Bureau of district 1 and asked for the votes to be counted again in this administrative-territorial area.Many supporters showed up in front of the building of the Electoral Bureau of district 1 to support him in this endeavour to have the votes counted again. Boris Johnsons controversial Brexit bill has cleared its final House of Commons hurdle even though a number of senior Tories failed to vote for it. Former British prime minister Theresa May and two ex-attorney generals, Geoffrey Cox and Jeremy Wright, were among 21 Conservatives who did not vote for the UK Internal Market Bill at third reading on Tuesday evening. While some, including ministers, will have been given permission to be away from Westminster or have been paired with opposition MPs, others may have chosen to deliberately abstain. Mrs May and the two former law officers were among the strongest critics of the legislation which ministers have admitted breaches the UKs treaty obligations under international law. Former attorney general Geoffrey Cox did not vote for the Bill (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Bill, which passed its third reading by 340 votes to 256, a Government majority of 84, will now go to the House of Lords. It gives the Government the power to override provisions in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement the divorce settlement with Brussels signed by Boris Johnson relating to Northern Ireland. Ministers argue the measures are necessary to provide a legal safety net to protect the Northern Ireland peace process if Britain fails to get an agreement on a post-Brexit free trade deal with the EU. However the Government has faced fierce criticism from across the political spectrum for going back on commitments made in an international treaty. Michael Gove has said the Government will not withdraw the Northern Ireland provisions (Stefan Rousseau/PA) British Ministers were able to defuse a wider Tory rebellion after they agreed to amend the legislation to require a Commons vote before the provisions relating to Northern Ireland could be activated. However there may be further attempts to amend the legislation in the Lords where a number of senior Tories including former party leader Lord Howard of Lympne have spoken out against it. Wednesday, meanwhile, is the deadline set by the EU for the UK to withdraw the Northern Ireland provisions from the legislation. At talks in Brussels on Monday, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove made clear the Government was not prepared to back down despite a renewed threat by the EU of legal action. Despite their differences the two sides are continuing their negotiations on a free trade deal in talks in the Belgian capital headed by Michel Barnier for the EU and Britains Lord Frost. Both sides have acknowledged that time is running out, and that agreement needs to be in place by mid-October. Mr Johnson has said that he is prepared to walk away from the negotiating table if it cannot be settled by the EU summit on October 15 as it will be too late to implement before the end of the current Brexit transition period at the end of the year. An employee answers questions from the public near samples of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinopharm subsidiary CNBG that are displayed during a trade fair in Beijing on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. AP-Yonhap Out of 300 vaccine candidates around the world, nine are in phase 3 human trials, according to the If Chinese vaccines are safe and effective, how many can be made? China is among the world's front-runners in developing Covid-19 vaccines. Its indications that mass production of vaccines is imminent has raised questions about capacity, efficacy and availability.Out of 300 vaccine candidates around the world, nine are in phase 3 human trials, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) . Four of those are being produced in China , by Sinovac Biotech, military-affiliated private firm CanSino Biologics, and state-owned China National Biotec Group (CNBG), which has two different shots in development. China approved three inactivated vaccines two by CNBG and another by Sinovac Uncertainties remain, but Chinese officials are optimistic that the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines will be ready for the general public as early as November or December.China approved three inactivated vaccines two by CNBG and another by Sinovac for emergency use in July. Both companies' entry to the mass market is subject to the results of the phase 3 clinical trials. According to the National Health Commission (NHC), the country's annual capacity for production of Covid-19 vaccines will reach 610 million doses by the end of this year, and is expected to increase to 1 billion doses next year. China's population is estimated at about 1.4 billion. What do we know about the safety and efficacy of Chinese vaccines? Although health experts are pressing for transparency as countries race to develop vaccines under political pressure, little has been revealed to the public about the research methodology and trial protocols of the Chinese companies. China has been administering a domestically produced Covid-19 vaccine candidate to selected groups of workers, including medical staff and border inspection officials, since July. None of those who initially received a dose reported a fever and none had any serious adverse reactions, while preliminary results suggested the protection was effective, according to the NHC. What will the vaccines cost? CNBG's vice-president Zhang Yuntao said this month that its vaccines, if approved by the state drug regulator, would be available for CNBG's vice-president Zhang Yuntao said this month that its vaccines, if approved by the state drug regulator, would be available for at most 600 yuan (US$88) down from the 1,000 yuan suggested in August. So far the cheapest is the candidate developed by It was not clear whether Zhang was referring to the retail or wholesale price, but the figure is still the highest so far quoted for a vaccine candidate. Pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have cited lower prices for their vaccine candidates, heavily supported by the US and British governments.So far the cheapest is the candidate developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca , which will cost about US$4 per dose when sold to the US government. Other countries have deals to buy the vaccine from AstraZeneca, including Britain, whose government has agreed to buy 100 million doses for an undisclosed price. Other developers including Moderna, Pfizer and Merck have said that they expect a profit from their products. The Chinese government will set price guidance based on cost and subject to adjustment, with the aim of making vaccines affordable for the public. There is a disparity between urban and rural incomes: China's average annual disposable income in urban areas last year was 42,000 yuan (US$6,150), while in rural areas it was 16,000 yuan. It is not known whether the Chinese government will pay wholly or partly for vaccinating people. Not everyone in China will need to get vaccinated against Covid-19, according to Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suggesting the government has no plan for universal vaccination as yet. The NHC has said vaccination would start with high-risk groups including border agents and medical workers as well as the elderly, pregnant women and children. Which countries could get Chinese vaccines? Along with the United States and Russia, China is conspicuously absent from the list of 156 countries the WHO last Monday said were involved in Covax a WHO programme to ensure fair access to Covid-19 vaccines. Countries where Chinese vaccine developers are running clinical trials including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Peru, Morocco , Turkey, Bangladesh, Brazil and Indonesia could be among the first recipients. From Asia to Africa, vaccines have formed part of a charm offensive by China to repair strained ties and bolster engagement. Chinese President Xi Jinping told the World Health Assembly at its virtual gathering in May that his country's Covid-19 vaccines, when available, would be treated as a "global public good". China has vowed that African countries would be among the first to benefit from an approved vaccine. It has also said priority would be given to Mekong River countries Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam and promised the Philippines would be given quick access, while Latin American and Caribbean nations would receive US$1 billion in loans to buy the vaccines. What is vaccine diplomacy'? "China is conducting vaccine diplomacy' by making promises to many countries in the developing world," said Huang Yanzhong, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York think tank. "However, it remains to be seen whether China will work with the US if its vaccine proves effective. Lack of trust between the two is hindering cooperation in public health." The chief executive of Sinovac, Yin Weidong, has said the company will apply to the US Food and Drug Administration to sell its vaccine in the US if it passes its phase 3 trials. "Our goal is to provide the vaccine to the world, including the US, European Union and others," Yin was quoted by Associated Press as saying. Will China and the US cooperate on vaccines? In July, the US' top infectious diseases official Anthony Fauci said it was unlikely the US would use vaccines developed by China or Russia, given their regulatory systems were far more opaque than those in the West. "Each will prioritise itself," Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, said regarding US-Chinese cooperation. "The most effective way to eradicate the virus is not at the top of the political agenda of any country." Xi's priority is to retain support in China by ensuring the coronavirus does not wreak further havoc there, Tsang said. Is vaccine nationalism' a major problem? Huang said lack of trust was expected to affect other Western powers' interest in Chinese-made vaccines, while China may use vaccine availability to punish countries with which it has diplomatic disputes, such as Australia, Canada and India. Some governments have signed agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers to supply vaccines to them ahead of other countries. The Covax initiative, meanwhile, encourages countries to sign up to a deal to make 2 billion doses of vaccines available to poorer countries by the end of 2021. A small number of wealthy nations representing only 13 per cent of the global population between them have already bought over 51 per cent of the expected vaccine stocks, according to an Oxfam study released last week. China, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Bangladesh some of the world's most populous countries were among the countries competing for the remaining 2.8 billion expected doses. Jonathan Moreno, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said: "Imagine that instead of a virus that originated on Earth, an alien civilisation had dropped it. The whole world would be united against a common enemy. Instead we're scrapping among ourselves." The University of South Florida has earned statewide recognition for its supplier diversity and community engagement efforts. The Miami-based Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council honored USF with its Doing Well While Doing Good Humanitarian Award in the corporation category during its 45th annual Business Impact Awards event. A Celebration of Excellence in Supplier Diversity was the theme of the virtual event, which recognized the achievements of Floridas top minority businesses, major corporations and individuals committed to supplier diversity in 14 categories. The Florida council, founded in 1975, is one of 23 regional councils affiliated with the National Minority Supplier Development Council. The Doing Well While Doing Good Humanitarian Award, given to a minority-owned business and a large corporation or institution, recognizes civic, philanthropic and volunteer initiatives. This recognition and the impact and success that USF is experiencing are due to the efforts of a lot of very hard-working people who are committed to this initiative and we are excited that this hard work is being recognized, said Terrie Daniel, assistant vice president for supplier diversity at USF. I have an excellent team that is very committed to the University of South Florida and to making our supplier diversity program the best in the state and across the country, she added. They work extremely hard and this recognition positively shines a light on the efforts they are making every day. In materials provided to the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council, Daniel highlighted several community engagement efforts, including: Free consulting services are provided by the Office of Supplier Diversity and the USF Small Business Development Center. In addition, Daniels office sponsors a variety of events to promote diverse supplier utilization to the USF buying community. USF Health programs, including Tampa Bay Street Medicine, the BRIDGE Clinic, Ybor Youth Clinic and pediatric outreach serve homeless, uninsured and underinsured populations. The College of Education offers the Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise and Economics Education, Tutor-A-Bull and the Mort Teacher Leader Academy, providing resources and training to pre-service and in-service teachers. STEM for Scholars and the Oceanography Camp for Girls are annual summer enrichment programs that prepare local youth for academic life and careers in STEM fields. The Office of Veteran Success helps student veterans transition to civilian life through mentorship, academic support and employment readiness. These programs have been put in place because we want to make a significant impact, Daniel said. We are not just an organization that sits in the community. We are an organization that impacts the community in which we sit. USFs Office of Supplier Diversity works with all USF purchasing agents, departmental buyers and facilities to monitor, implement, track progress and make adjustments to the universitys diverse business utilization strategic plan. "We pull together listings of capable suppliers we can use across the university, such as for janitorial supplies, landscaping, construction, USF Health initiatives and research initiatives, Daniel says. There are suppliers in a wide variety of areas that can support the business functions of the university. A primary emphasis of Daniels office is helping suppliers understand the way USF does business. As one example, she cited a Business Empowerment Series her office launched last year that helps diverse suppliers learn about bidding, bonding and insurance, marketing strategies, health and wellness, finances and taxes, and human resources. Its really important that we educate our suppliers so they have success bidding our jobs, Daniel said. We are trying to identify barriers that we can break down as an organization to help businesses have a lot more access to what we are doing from a contractual perspective. She noted that in the past two years, USF has awarded more than $115 million in contracts to businesses that are partnered with Black-owned firms. Those contracts include the new residence hall that opened recently on the St. Petersburg campus, Osprey Suites, and the Judy Genshaft Honors College building planned for the Tampa campus. Another challenge is helping diverse suppliers learn of business opportunities not only at USF, but throughout the region. We send weekly e-blasts to our vendor database because we want them to know what the current opportunities are, Daniel says. We also partner with a lot of other organizations across Tampa Bay so they know about other opportunities as well. USF President Steven Currall has established a series of near-, medium- and longer-term policy changes and initiatives designed to enhance supplier diversity. They include a code of conduct for all employees with purchasing authority that will establish vision and a clear understanding of expectations for faculty, staff and administration surrounding supplier diversity. Also, project contractors will have to submit a Diverse Business Utilization Plan outlining their commitment to utilizing diverse suppliers on major construction projects (those in excess of $4 million). Currall also has indicated that USF vice presidents and college deans will be held accountable for additional progress on supplier diversity. More information about the Office of Supplier Diversity is available at www.usf.edu/osd; via email, osd@usf.edu; or by phone, 813-974-5052. Boris Johnson has seen MPs approve his controversial Brexit legislation, which ministers have admitted could lead to the UK breaching international law. The UK Internal Market Bill, which has provoked a furious row with the European Union, had its third reading passed by the House of Commons in a vote on Tuesday night, with a government majority of 84. It means the proposed legislation, which has now cleared all its Commons stages, will move to the House of Lords. The prime minister had ploughed ahead with the bill, parts of which will give ministers the power to override the Brexit divorce deal, despite the EU's call for him to withdraw those measures from the proposed legislation by the end of the month. Brussels has warned it will "not be shy" in taking legal action if the UK government does not agree to the demand. The government introduced the bill earlier this month to anger from both European capitals and at Westminster - including among a sizeable group of its own Conservative MPs. US presidential candidate Joe Biden also issued a warning over the prime minister's plans. Two weeks ago, Mr Johnson was forced into action to head off a growing rebellion among Tory backbenchers. And his promise to give MPs a vote before any of the bill's powers are used ensured the safe passage of the bill's third reading on Tuesday night. The proposed legislation will now be considered by the House of Lords, where ministers might face a rougher ride as the government does not possess a majority in the upper house. Many Tory peers - including former Conservative leader Michael Howard and ex-chancellor Norman Lamont, who are both Brexiteers - have also criticised the bill. However, Downing Street has warned it would breach constitutional convention for the House of Lords to fully block the legislation. The government has argued the bill is "critical" to ensuring the unfettered access for goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK after the end of the Brexit transition period, and to protect the Good Friday Agreement. Story continues At the opening of Tuesday's debate in the Commons - ahead of the vote on the bill's third reading - Business Secretary Alok Sharma told MPs: "Our approach will give businesses the regulatory clarity and certainty they want. "It will ensure the cost of doing business in the UK stays as low as possible, and it'll do so without damaging and costly regulatory barriers emerging between the different parts of the UK." He described those parts of the legislation that would allow the UK to override its Withdrawal Agreement with the EU as a "legal safety net" in case London and Brussels do not agree on how to implement the provisions for Northern Ireland in the agreement, which is known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. Ed Miliband, Labour's shadow business secretary, described the legislation as "indefensible" and urged the House of Lords to "bring this bill into compliance with the rule of law and salvage our reputation". He highlighted reservations from US President Donald Trump's Northern Ireland envoy, Mick Mulvaney, adding: "When the Trump administration starts expressing concern about your adherence to international agreements and the rule of law, you know you are in trouble. "That is how bad this bill is." After the Commons approved the third reading of the bill, Conservative co-chairman Amanda Milling criticised Labour's opposition to the legislation. "On their final opportunity to stand up for the integrity of the UK, Labour have unsurprisingly again chosen to side with the EU," she said. "For all their talk of new leadership, Labour's actions tell a very different story - they won't stand up to Brussels, they won't protect the Union and Sir Keir Starmer won't rule out working with Nicola Sturgeon to rip our country apart. "Our UK Internal Market Bill protects the Union and ensures we can preserve peace in Northern Ireland, delivering on our manifesto promise to ensure unfettered trade across the whole United Kingdom." Kentucky authorities will give the public a rare glimpse at a secret aspect of the criminal justice system when they release recordings of the grand jury that weighed the case of three police officers who opened fire in the raid in Louisville, Kentucky, that killed Breonna Taylor. The unusual move which state Attorney General Daniel Cameron originally planned for Wednesday but now wants to delay comes after the grand jury indicted one of the officers, Brett Hankison, for wanton endangerment, for firing bullets that went into a neighboring apartment, but did not charge any of the three officers in Taylors death. (Hankison has pleaded not guilty.) The lack of other charges set off protests in Louisville and around the country and prompted a motion in court by one of the 12 Jefferson County grand jury members to release records of the panels work so that truth may prevail, said a lawyer for the juror. The secrecy of grand jury proceedings across the United States has fueled distrust of law enforcement authorities, particularly in cases of police officers accused of using excessive force. While grand juries return indictments in the vast majority of cases prosecutors bring to them, they rarely indict police officers for homicide. Taylors death, like many of the killings of unarmed people by police in recent years, has prompted calls for more transparency in the grand jury process, or for avoiding the use of grand juries in such cases. Critics of the current system say grand juries have become too compliant to prosecutors, who are less inclined to pursue charges against members of a local law enforcement agency with whom they work closely. Image: People react after a decision in the criminal case against police officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor, in Louisville (Eduardo Munoz / Reuters) On Tuesday, the unnamed jurors lawyer indicated that his client was concerned that Cameron, the special prosecutor in the case, hasnt been clear on what charges prosecutors told the grand jurors they should consider filing against the officers. We're not getting the level of accountability that the public deserves, the lawyer, Kevin Glogower, told reporters. Story continues A judge on Monday ordered prosecutors to release the grand jury recordings, and Cameron agreed grudgingly, saying that doing so could damage a federal investigation. Heres a look at how grand juries became an integral and divisive piece of the criminal justice system. What is a grand jury? The grand jury system is a relic of Americas early criminal justice system, which took cues from Englands. Grand juries were seen as providing protection against meritless prosecutions by the government. Before prosecutors could bring charges, they had to present the case against a suspect to a group of impartial citizens who decided whether charges made sense. The right to a grand jury indictment ended up enshrined in the Bill of Rights, although the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states do not need to use grand juries. That is why about half of the states no longer require them, allowing prosecutors to opt instead for preliminary hearings before a judge. In states that have grand juries, the procedures vary, including the number of people who serve on them. How does a grand jury work? A grand jury does not decide if someone is guilty or innocent, and its proceedings, without the participation of a judge, the suspect or defense lawyers, are largely one-sided, focused on deciding if there is probable cause to charge someone. If the grand jury decides there is probable cause, it votes to issue a formal accusation of a crime, called an indictment, which makes it easier for prosecutors to pursue a case. A grand jury may issue subpoenas for information or for a witness to testify. Its members often hear several cases over the course of weeks or even one day. An indictment does not require a unanimous vote, but does need a majority; the specifics depend on the jurisdiction. The work of a grand jury is recorded, but is sealed from the public. Why is a grand jurys work secret? Historically, grand juries have been blocked from public view in order to protect jurors, witnesses, the accused and the case itself. Secrecy allows jurors to serve and witnesses to testify without fear of outside pressure or retaliation. It safeguards the suspects reputation in case the grand jury decides that criminal charges are not warranted. And it guards against the chance that a suspect will flee after hearing they are under investigation. But that secrecy also makes grand juries unaccountable to the public for their decisions and makes their decisions more likely to be misunderstood or distrusted. The backlash to the grand jurys work in the Taylor case is an example of that. Why do people think grand juries should be changed? There is a saying in the criminal justice system that grand juries have become so easy to manipulate that prosecutors could indict a ham sandwich. That is largely because grand juries are asked to decide whether prosecutors have shown probable cause that a suspect committed a crime a much lower standard than at a trial, where prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Critics of the system say that grand juries have become too compliant to prosecutors and that they should be eliminated in favor of preliminary hearings before a judge. At the same time, grand juries are much less likely to indict police officers who have killed someone than accused suspects in other types of homicide cases. That is partly because police operate within legal boundaries that make it difficult to prove they broke the law in using force against someone. But critics also say that prosecutors, controlling what a grand jury sees, are less inclined to pursue charges against officers or an agency they work closely with on a daily basis. That has fueled efforts to remove local prosecutors from such cases and hand them to a state or independent authority. The Breonna Taylor case may reveal another approach: compelled transparency. Now that the grand juror is forcing the release of recordings of the panels work, and is seeking permission to speak about the experience, the public will be able to see for itself how prosecutors presented the case against the three officers. CLEVELAND - Fresh off their chaotic debate-stage clash, President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden targeted voters across the Midwest on Wednesday, hitting hard at their contrasting messages as as millions of voters cast early ballots. Biden headed out on his most aggressive day on the campaign trail all year, with eight stops planned for a train tour that began mid-morning in Cleveland and was scheduled to end Wednesday night in western Pennsylvania. Trump was to address voters and donors in Minnesota late in the day. Both men were active on social media, too, hoping to use the turbulent debate to score political points. He lies to you, Biden said of Trump at an outdoor event alongside the Cleveland train station. Hes too weak to beat the pandemic. While some Republicans feared that Trumps debate performance was too aggressive, he wasted no time in attacking moderator Christ Wallace as well as Biden Wednesday morning. Chris had a tough night, Trump tweeted. Two on one was not surprising, but fun. The president added a darker swipe at Biden in a subsequent tweet: He will destroy our Country! The first of three scheduled debates between Trump and Biden deteriorated into bitter taunts and chaos the night before as the Republican president repeatedly interrupted his Democratic rival with angry and personal jabs that overshadowed any substantive discussion of the crises threatening the nation. Trump refused to condemn white supremacists who have supported him, telling one such group known as Proud Boys to stand back, stand by. There were also heated clashes over the presidents handling of the pandemic, the integrity of the election and how the Supreme Court will shape the future of the nations health care. The two men frequently talked over each other with Trump interrupting, nearly shouting, so often that Biden eventually snapped at him, Will you shut up, man? Trumps brash posture may have appealed to his most passionate supporters, but it was unclear whether the embattled incumbent helped expand his coalition or won over any persuadable voters, particularly white, educated women and independents who have been turned off in part by the same tone and tenor the president displayed on the debate stage. With just five weeks until Election Day and voting already underway in several key states, Biden holds a lead in national polls and in many battlegrounds. Polling has been remarkably stable for months, despite the historic crises that have battered the country this year, including the pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans and a reckoning over race and police. Increasingly, the candidates have trained their attention on working-class voters in the Midwest, a group that helped give Trump his victory four years ago and will again play a critical role this fall. Biden opened his day by delivering a speech alongside the rails of Clevelands train station. The former vice-presidents campaign stenciled a map of the train journey hes making with wife, Jill, on a board behind the lectern where he spoke. Aboard the six-car train: only the Bidens, their campaign staff and a handful of journalists. The train features a Biden-Harris logo and a sign urging supporters to text Train to the campaign to show their support. Biden spent decades commuting between his home in Delaware and Washington while serving in the Senate. He announced his 1988 campaign for president, the first of his multiple runs, at the station in Wilmington, Delaware, posing with his family off the back of the train. That wont be possible this time since Amtrak no longer produces cabooses, the Biden campaign said. Trump, meanwhile, was scheduled to attend an afternoon fundraiser in Shorewood, Minnesota, a suburb to the west of Minneapolis, before appearing at an evening campaign rally in Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior. While Trump carried Ohio and Pennsylvania four years ago, he narrowly lost Minnesota, one of the few states he hopes to flip from red to blue this fall. The presidents path to success likely depends on finding more votes in rural, conservative areas and limiting his losses in the states urban and suburban areas. Its a strategy Trumps campaign is trying to execute in other states and it depends on a robust field operation with the money and time to track down infrequent or first-time voters. That could be a tall order since Minnesota already has one of the nations highest voter turnout rates. ___ Peoples reported from New York. EDWARDSVILLE Circuit Judge Kyle Napp said Wednesday she will announce her verdict Thursday as to the fate of Donald M. Nelson, the killer of Eldon Twirp Williams of Godfrey. Nelson, 36, of Alton is charged with first-degree murder, criminal trespass to a residence, armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and unlawful possession of a firearm. The case went to the judge after an expert for the defense testified that Nelson did not appreciate the criminality of his act when he shot Williams in the back of the head on Oct. 16, 2016. There was no argument as to the facts that Nelson went to a house in the 200 block of West Delmar Avenue, Alton, where Williams was sitting in a car, and shot him in the head. On Tuesday, court psychologist Daniel Cuneo testified that Nelson was malingering, or feigning insanity. But Dr. Terry Killian testified Wednesday that Nelson did not understand the criminality of his actions. Killian said Nelson has a history of mental illness. He said he formed his opinion partly off the reports of the number of times that Nelson was admitted to mental health facilities for treatment. He also said he did not believe Nelson was lying in the first 87 minutes of a recorded police interview in which Nelson gave conflicting statements about his whereabouts the day of the murder. Killian said some of what Nelson said may have been lying, but that Nelson was confused. His report to the court said Nelson suffered from probable schizo-affective disorder, which entails symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania. Killian said he could not diagnose an accompanying mood disorder, along with Nelsons hallucinations. Cuneo testified Tuesday that Nelson was able to appreciate the criminality of his acts, although he is mentally ill. He said that, during one of his interviews with Nelson, the defendant agreed with everything Cuneo suggested. Some of what Nelson told the experts was not until after he was charged and taken into custody in the Madison County Jail. In her closing argument, Assistant Madison County Public Defender Mary Copeland said Nelson carries with him a great amount of guilt, over his actions. She said that, when he is taking the proper amount of medication, his symptoms are less bothersome. She said the Illinois Department of Human Services let her client down by failing to do enough to treat him when he was admitted to mental health facilities. She said it is not logical that Nelson would kill an 87-year-old man he did not know and for no reason. She noted that, if Nelson is found not guilty by reason of insanity, he is not going home. He would be assigned to a mental health facility and a judge would review his case periodically to determine if he can be released. If Nelson is found guilty but mentally ill, he would be sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections with the opportunity for treatment, but he would have to serve out his sentence. Assistant Madison County States Attorney Cyrstal Uhe argued that Nelsons flight following the shooting and his lying to police is evidence of his recognition of the criminality of his acts. European Union members of the U.N. Security Council Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, along with incoming members Ireland and Norway have welcomed the recently signed diplomatic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Belgium's deputy U.N. ambassador, Karen van Vlierberge, briefed reporters ahead of a meeting of the U.N Security Council. She said Israel's commitment to suspend plans to unilaterally annex areas of the occupied Palestinian territory is a "positive step." Earlier this month Israel signed historic diplomatic pacts with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House. The bilateral agreements formalize the normalization of Israel's already thawing relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in line with their common opposition to Iran. "The two-state solution with Jerusalem as a future capital for both states is the only way to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the region," van Vlierberge said. Israel and the U.S. hope the agreements can usher in a major shift in the region should other Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, follow suit. That could have implications for Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Until now, Israel has had peace deals only with Egypt and Jordan. Other Arab countries believed to be close to recognizing Israel include Oman, Sudan and Morocco. This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. Grand Rapids, Michigans second-largest city with a population of 200K, is looking for a communications partner to handle economic development work. Six outstanding nursing students commitment to serving the needs of older patients earned scholarships for demonstrating distinct leadership and dedication to their geriatric studies. For the third consecutive year, Home Instead Senior Care and The National League of Nursing Foundation for Nursing Education (NLNFNE) partnered to promote geriatric nursing education by awarding $10,000 in scholarships to these deserving individuals, who were recently honored at the 2020 NLN Education Virtual Summit September 23-25. With our aging population increasing at a rapid pace, it will be more crucial than ever that our health care communities are comprised of individuals who deeply understand and advocate for the unique needs of these vulnerable patients. Through this scholarship, Home Instead and the NLN hope to inspire others to pursue a career benefiting older adults. Older adults rely the most on the U.S. health care system and their needs are often complex. Through the continued partnership of the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education with Home Instead, we have helped over a dozen nursing students fulfill their academic goals and become emerging leaders in geriatrics, said NLN Foundation Chair Dr. Cole Edmonson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, FAONL, FNAP, FAAN. As the voice for all levels of nursing education, the NLN Foundation and the National League for Nursing are proud to help nursing programs to graduate competent nurses to serve at the front lines of public health. This years scholarship recipients include nursing students from a number of prestigious universities across the U.S., including Home Instead alumni Kristen Lopatka. Now a student at Thomas Jefferson University, Lopatka began working with older adults as a Home Instead CAREGiver in West Chester, Pennsylvania, while attending nursing school. Through this experience she was exposed to how rewarding it can be to provide care for aging adults, which led her to pursue a career in nursing and furthered her desire to help adults through the challenges that come with aging. At Home Instead, we are driven every day to live by our mission to enhance the lives of older adults and their families, said Jeff Huber, CEO of Home Instead Senior Care. Through our partnership with the NLN Foundation, we hope to foster this mission by helping to prepare a strong and diverse workforce of nurses who share the same passion for providing older adults with the best quality of care. ### About Home Instead Senior Care Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska, the Home Instead Senior Care franchise network provides personalized care, support and education to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, the network is the world's leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with more than 1,200 independently owned and operated franchises that provide more than 80 million hours of care annually throughout the United States and 13 other countries. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ approximately 90,000 CAREGivers worldwide who provide basic support services that enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. Home Instead Senior Care franchise owners partner with clients and their family members to help meet varied individual needs. Services span the care continuum from providing personal care to specialized Alzheimers care and hospice support. Also available are family caregiver education and support resources. Visit HomeInstead.com. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. About the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education The NLN Foundation for Nursing Education, works to raise, steward, and distribute funds to support the mission of the National League for Nursing: promoting excellence in nursing education; building a strong and diverse nursing workforce; advancing the health of our nation and the global community. The NLN Foundation collaborates with partners in various industries to empower nurse educators through scholarships and research initiatives that change the landscape of nursing education. As the preeminent funder of scholarships, grants, research, and faculty development programs, the NLN Foundation is committed to empowering nurse educators today and for generations to come. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections intends to roll out this week a publicly-accessible dashboard showing the status of poll worker recruitment and other open positions related to the Nov. 3 election. Board Deputy Director Shantiel Soeder during a Wednesday board meeting said the dashboard should be available on the homepage of the boards website beginning Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. It is expected to be updated twice a week. The boards progress on staffing its election workforce is of the utmost importance in Cuyahoga County, given that turnout is expected to be high because of the presidential race and the coronavirus pandemic making recruitment of workers difficult. Cuyahoga County, unlike other smaller counties in Ohio, has yet to hit its recruitment goal, and an email debacle last week may have left some poll worker applicants confused about whether they would be needed on election day. The dashboard is expected to show how many workers the board wants to hire for each category of election-related positions, how many have been placed in training classes, and how many have completed training, board Director Anthony Perlatti told cleveland.com after the meeting. Its intended to be an easy-to-read snapshot of the boards progress. As of last week, there were still 1,000 or more poll worker positions that needed to be filled in Cuyahoga County. Since Friday, about 2,400 applicants had signed up for in-person training, Soeder told the board Wednesday. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Washington President Donald Trumps nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court has close ties to a charismatic Christian religious group that holds men are divinely ordained as the head of the family and faith. Former members of the group, called People of Praise, say it teaches that wives must submit to the will of their husbands. Federal appeals judge Amy Coney Barrett has not commented publicly about her own or her familys involvement, and a People of Praise spokesman declined to say whether she and her husband are current members. But Barrett, 48, grew up in New Orleans in a family deeply connected to the organization and as recently as 2017 she served as a trustee at the People of Praise-affiliated Trinity Schools Inc., according to the nonprofit organizations tax records and other documents reviewed by The Associated Press. Only members of the group serve on the schools' board, according to the systems president. The AP also reviewed 15 years of back issues of the organizations internal magazine, Vine and Branches, which has published birth announcements, photos and other mentions of Barrett and her husband, Jesse, whose family has been active in the group for four decades. On Friday, all editions of the magazine were removed from the groups website. People of Praise is a religious community based in charismatic Catholicism, a movement that grew out of the influence of Pentecostalism, which emphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus and can include baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. The group organizes and meets outside the purview of a church and includes people from several Christian denominations, but its members are mostly Roman Catholic. Barretts affiliation with a conservative religious group that elevates the role of men has drawn particular scrutiny given that she would be filling the high court seat held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a feminist icon who spent her legal career fighting for women to have full equality. Barrett, by contrast, is being hailed by religious conservatives as an ideological heir to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a staunch abortion-rights opponent for whom she clerked as a young lawyer. In accepting Trumps nomination Saturday, the Catholic mother of seven said she shares Scalias judicial philosophy. A judge must apply the law as written, Barrett said. Judges are not policy makers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold. Barretts advocates are trying to frame questions about her involvement in People of Praise as anti-Catholic bigotry ahead of her upcoming Senate nomination hearings. Asked about People of Praise in a televised interview last week, Vice President Mike Pence responded, The intolerance expressed during her last confirmation about her Catholic faith I really think was a disservice to the process and a disappointment to millions of Americans. But some people familiar with the group and charismatic religious groups like it say Barretts involvement should be examined before she receives a lifelong appointment to the highest court in the nation. Its not about the faith, said Massimo Faggioli, a theology professor at Villanova University, who has studied similar groups. He says a typical feature of charismatic groups is the dynamic of a strong hierarchical leadership, and a strict view of the relationship between women and men. Several people familiar with People of Praise, including some current members, told the AP that the group has been misunderstood. They call it a Christian fellowship, focused on building community. One member described it as a family of families, who commit themselves to each other in mutual support to live together through thick and thin. But the group has also been portrayed by some former members, and in books, blogs and news reports, as hierarchical, authoritarian and controlling, where men dominate their wives, leaders dictate members' life choices and those who leave are shunned. The AP interviewed seven current and former members of People of Praise, and reviewed its tax records, websites, missionary blogs and back issues of its magazine to try to paint a fuller picture of an organization that Barrett has been deeply involved in since childhood. ---- People of Praise was founded in South Bend, Indiana, in 1971 as part of the Catholic Pentecostal movement, a devout reaction to the free love, secular permissiveness and counterculture movements of the 1960s and early 70s. Many of the groups early members were drawn from the campus of nearby Notre Dame, a Catholic university. The group has roughly 1,800 adult members nationwide, with branches and schools in 22 cities across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. All members are encouraged to continue to attend church at their own parishes. After a period of religious study and instruction that lasts from three to six years, people involved in People of Praise can choose to make a lifelong covenant pledging love and service to fellow community members and to God, which includes tithing at least 5% of their gross income to support the groups activities and charitable initiatives, according to a statement on the groups website. People of Praises more than 1,500-word covenant, a copy of which was reviewed by the AP, includes a passage where members promise to follow the teachings and instructions of the groups pastors, teachers and evangelists. We agree to obey the direction of the Holy Spirit manifested in and through these ministries in full harmony with the church, the covenant says. Its unclear whether Barrett took the covenant. But members of the organization and descriptions of its hierarchy show that members almost invariably join the covenant after three to six years of religious study or they leave, so it would be very unusual for Barrett to continue to be involved for so many years without having done so. Joannah Clark, principal of a People of Praise-sponsored private school in North Portland, grew up in People of Praise and became a member as an adult. She acknowledged that the board of governors consists of all men, but said that is not a reflection on the worth or ability of women, but rather the approach the group has chosen for that level of leadership. In a marriage, we look at the husband as the head of the family. And thats consistent with New Testament teaching, said Clark, head of Trinity Academy. This role of the husband as the head of the family is not a position of power or domination. Its really quite the opposite. Its a position of care and service and responsibility. Men are looking out for the good and well-being of their families. Trinity Academy, one of four People of Praise schools around the country, opened in 2011 on North Mississippi Avenue and serves students in grades through 12, offering what it calls classical education, with an emphasis on reading great books and practicing the arts, along with learning math, science and humanities. The school, which calls itself ecumenically Christian,graduated 13 diverse seniors this year. Clark said she had previously served as a handmaid, a term that People of Praise formerly used to describe its women leaders. The term was a reference to Jesus' mother Mary, who called herself the handmaid of the Lord. The organization recently changed the terminology to woman leader because it had newly negative connotations after Margaret Atwoods dystopian novel The Handmaids Tale was turned into a popular television show. Clark said the woman leaders in People of Praise do things like provide pastoral care and organize help for community members, such as when people are sick or need other help. Theyre also in a role of advising, so the men will ask the women leaders' advice on issues that affect the patterns of life within the community, certainly issues that affect women and families, Clark said. A 2006 article in the groups magazine includes a photo of Barrett attending a People of Praise Leaders' Conference for Women. The magazine also includes regular notices when members are released from the covenant and leave the group. The APs review found no such notice of Barretts or her husbands departure. A request to interview Barrett made through the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, where she currently serves as a judge, was declined. The judge didnt mention People of Praise in her 2017 Senate judicial questionnaire, filled out prior to her confirmation for the bench. Jesse Barrett did not respond to voicemail or email sent through his law firm in South Bend. People of Praise spokesman Sean Connolly declined to discuss the Barretts or their affiliation with the group. Like most religious communities, the People of Praise leaves it up to its members to decide whether to publicly disclose their involvement in our community, Connolly said by email. And like most religious communities, we do not publish a membership list. Several people familiar with the group told the AP that, unlike some other charismatic movements, People of Praise has a strong commitment to intellectualism, evidenced in part by the schools they have established, which have a reputation for intellectual rigor. Barretts father, Michael Coney Sr., has served as the principal leader of People of Praises New Orleans branch and was on the groups all-male Board of Governors as recently as 2017. Her mother, Linda Coney, has served in the branch as a handmaid, a female leader assigned to help guide other women, according to documents reviewed by the AP. One of the key principles of People of Praise is freedom, the exercise of our own freedom in following the Lord and in following our own what we believe, what we think is right, Michael Coney, 75, said Friday in an interview with the AP. Barrett, in accepting Trumps nomination at the White House on Saturday, put particular emphasis on the equality of her own marriage, saying she expected from the start the she and her husband would run their household as partners. As it has turned out, Jesse does far more than his share of the work, she said. To my chagrin, I learned at dinner recently that my children consider him to be the better cook. Though People of Praise opposes abortion, those familiar with the group said it would be a mistake to pigeonhole their politics as either left or right. While socially conservative in their understanding of family and gender, some members are deeply committed to social justice in matters of race and economics, they said. Barretts parents are both registered Democrats, according to Louisiana voter registration records. Last week the Cabinet approved the Forestry Bill 2020 which aims to reform the way appeals lodged against forestry licences are processed. It has brought forward what is essentially emergency legislation - the Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. Pre-legislative scrutiny was dispensed with and the Bill, proposed by Minister of State for Forestry Pippa Hackett, will be brought through the Seanad and the House within a week. The bill will allow the committee to increase in size and hear more than one appeal at a time. While it received overwhelming support by politicians, the bill was met with opposition by Save Leitrim, Irish Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Irish Environment. The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is extremely concerned about the undue haste with which new forestry legislation is being rushed through the Oireachtas. In a statement, it said This legislation proposes to introduce fees for objectors for the first time and was part of a broader set of recommendations to reform Irelands failed forestry model. Yet this one aspect of the review has been singled out for urgent action ahead of root and branch reform which would address legitimate concerns that forestry is not compliant with environmental law. Save Leitrim, IWT and FIE are calling on the government to suspend this legislation and to prioritise a new forestry programme that addresses the biodiversity and climate emergency. Save Leitrim are not happy they will now need to pay to appeal and raise concerns of reasonable and legitimate concerns about law breaking and many negative impacts of large scale plantation policy. Local Fianna Fail Senator Eugene Murphy said the bill will enable the forestry appeals system to be more efficient and reduce the current backlog of appeals with the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC). Senator Murphy said, This is important legislation which aims to get the forestry sector moving again. The sector has warned that tree planting has collapsed and 12,000 forestry-related jobs are threatened by a massive backlog in the Government's licensing and appeals system and if we didnt do something about it, it would take 3 years to clear that backlog. FF Deputy Marc MacSharry said: I support the right to object and indeed the need for it but in everyones interest we must have a short and defined time frame for assessments to be made and decisions to be turned around so that communities and the timber industry can have certainty. Together with colleagues Cllr Sean McGowan and Cllr Paddy Farrell, I visited Masonite in south County Leitrim where continuity of timber supply is crucial to their business. He continued saying if the new legislation is to be successful to assist companies like Masonite, who employ 140 people, we must immediately increase resources in personnel to ensure both applicants and appeals alike are afforded due process as quickly as is necessary for all concerned. Save Leitrim is calling on Minister of State Pippa Hackett to visit Leitrim and see the effects of large scale afforestation on communities and on individuals. Also read: Proposed walkway from Drumkeerin to Spencer Harbour A truck driver accused of careless driving causing serious harm to a five-year-old schoolboy who got trapped under the wheel of his truck has been acquitted after a judge found the prosecution case against him was speculative. Following legal argument after the first day of his trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd said the accused man, Joseph Coughlan, had been effectively exonerated by the garda investigating the accident. The trial on Tuesday heard from garda forensic investigator, Sergeant Peter Culleton, who said he believed the accident occurred very very quickly and was unavoidable. The judge said she struggled to find evidence of careless driving in the case and that the prosecution case against Mr Coughlan was made up of elements which were speculative in nature. I think it would be dangerous to put the charge to the jury, the judge said, adding she appreciated it was an unusual ruling. The prosecution case against Mr Coughlan had closed but the closing speeches had not yet been made to the jury when defence barrister Oisin Clarke BL sought to have the case thrown out. Today, Judge Codd told the jury they were no longer required. She thanked them for their service and formally acquitted Mr Coughlan. The court heard the little boy and his older sister were both struck by the truck as they tried to cross the road with their mother at Ongar in west Dublin four years ago. The girl was struck by the front bumper of the truck and escaped serious injury, but the little boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, was briefly trapped under the front wheel, the court heard. He spent 23 days in intensive care. Mr Coughlan (aged 60) of Kilcarrig Close, Fettercairn, Tallaght, Dublin had pleaded not guilty to one count of driving without due care or attention and causing serious bodily harm to the child at Sweeney Mews, Ongar, Dublin 15 on February 16, 2016. The court heard Mr Coughlan was making a delivery to Dunnes Stores in Ongar and was navigating a turn to get into the delivery bay in the car park when the accident occurred shortly before 9am on the day in question. Read More Three men to appear in court over Dublin shooting Statement from boy's mother In a statement read out to court by prosecuting counsel, Diana Stuart BL, the boy's mother said she was walking to school with her children and chatting to her daughter about her new shoes. As they went to cross the road, the mother said her daughter was just behind her and her son was just behind her daughter. She said she didn't notice the truck or any other vehicle. When I was halfway across the road, I turned and saw (my daughter) getting hit by the truck. She fell to the ground, she said in her statement. Then I saw (my son) lying on the ground between the first and second wheels of the truck. The truck had driven completely over his legs. I started screaming. The mother was not in court for the trial, but the children's father was present. The jury was shown photos and CCTV footage of the incident, including a photo of one of the little boy's shoes under the truck wheel. Statement from truck driver Mr Coughlan cooperated with gardai at the scene and made a voluntary statement that same day, the court heard. He was breathalysed and tested negative for alcohol. The truck was examined and found to be in good condition and road conditions were dry on the day. Mr Coughlan told gardai that there were a lot of people around but no one was about to cross the road when he began to turn. He said he was crawling along at about a mile or two an hour. I looked in my mirrors and it was all clear, he told gardai. I had just started turning and there were a few people on the footpath who started waving at me to stop. "I stopped the truck immediately as I knew there was something wrong. Other evidence Sgt Culleton said Mr Coughlan had a very quick reaction time to the incident and stopped the vehicle quickly. He said cognisance must be given to the situational awareness of the boy's mother when crossing the road. The boy was taken to Temple Street Hospital in a critical condition, where the court heard he spent 23 days in intensive care and had to be ventilated. He suffered lung and abdomen injuries, among others, and required skin grafting and surgery. In a statement to the court, his doctor said the boy has made an excellent recovery, considering the magnitude of his injuries and is not expected to have any further complications. He has permanent scarring to his abdomen, the court heard. In seeking to have the case thrown out, Mr Clarke argued that this was an unavoidable accident and that Mr Coughlan met the standard of care when driving his vehicle. He submitted that the garda investigator in the case agreed that Mr Coughlan had reacted extremely quickly when the accident occurred and exhibited due care and attention in the CCTV footage of the incident. Ms Stuart argued the case should go before the jury. She submitted that if Mr Coughlan had been paying due care and attention, then the accident wouldn't have happened. Advertisement New York City's restaurants resumed indoor dining on Wednesday after months of crippling closures but are only allowed to serve 25 percent of their normal capacity, which means none will come close to breaking even. It is the latest in a string of blows for the industry which has been left 'in the dark' by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio since they were suddenly forced closed in March. Cuomo finally announced on September 9 that he would allow indoor dining to resume on September 30. It came after months of pleas for information from restaurant owners about when they would be able to welcome patrons back inside. With the sudden announcement, they scrambled to organize their staffs and spaces. Last week, Mayor de Blasio also announced that he would extend outdoor dining - which had been happening since June - indefinitely. He'd previously said that it would end in November. On the surface, both announcements were good news for the industry. But the reality for operators now is a whole new set of challenges. The 25 percent capacity limit drastically reduces the amount of money restaurants - many of which struggled to turn a profit when packed - can make. Many are urging Cuomo to allow them to start at 50 percent on October 15 and 75 percent on November and 100 percent by Thanksgiving. Diners we spoke to Wednesday said they could not wait to get back to their favorite restaurants in the city. Joe Sullivan, 45, dined at Bobby Van's steakhouse in midtown on Wednesday evening. He told DailyMail.com: 'I am so happy to be back. The food is great, the atmosphere is great. We are all socially distanced, we are all being safe. To be back and to support the restaurant industry is the best part about it.' Geoff Simone, 50, added: 'It is amazing to be back...so great to be inside. It's been so long, New York City needs this so badly.' Scroll down for video Diners inside Keens Steakhouse on Wednesday on the first day of indoor dining in New York City. Restaurants can operate at a 25 percent capacity Arrows on the floor in Keens to mark one-way walkways for customers and staff in a bid to reduce transmission of COVID-19 Waiter Lenworth Thompson serves lunch to David Zennario, left, and Alex Ecklin at Junior's, a chain restaurant, on Wednesday People sit in the Mediterranean seafood restaurant Estiatorio Milos at the Hudson Yards Wednesday Increasing the capacity for indoor dining would fall in line with what the rest of the state has been allowed to do since June. To continue offering outdoor dining through New York's frigid winters, outdoor heaters are essential. But with little to no notice that they'd need them, restaurants are struggling to gain the appropriate heaters - which have to be approved by the FDNY - or the permits they need to use them, which could take months. On top of that, they need to source the gas they'd need to keep them functioning. It is amazing to be back...so great to be inside. It's been so long, New York City needs this so badly. Diner Geoff Simone On Wednesday, some restaurants were able to open their doors for the first time since March 16. Ron Spivak was joined by his wife Troy and their friends Diane Findlay and Jay Aubrey Jones at Gallaghers Steakhouse for opening night. Ron told DailyMail.com: 'We used to come to Gallaghers every Friday night. And during the pandemic we missed it so much we actually held a virtual Zoom Gallaghers every Friday from our apartment. 'We are just so glad that is has reopened. We knew that the moment that they announced they would be back we would be here opening night.' But for some the prospect of indoor dining still poses too much of a risk. Stuart Marland was outdoor dining at Hold fast restaurant in midtown Manhattan. He told DailMail.com: 'I am hoping to enjoy outdoor dining for as long as possible and I would probably rather stay outdoor dining even if the weather gets cold with a heater or a coat on. I just feel like fresh air from the outside is still the better option.' But Kenneth Dane, who was dining at Le Rivage, said: 'It doesn't matter whether the dining will be indoor or outdoor, I will be happy to participate.' Diners at Daniel on Wednesday: Chef Daniel Boulud, of the famous Daniel restaurant on the Upper East Side, told DailyMail.com he was excited to finally welcome diners back for dinner but that it was not without its challenges For diners, many said they could not wait to get back to their favorite restaurants in the city; Gallaghers Steakhouse on Wednesday Jon Harris, 35, of Manhattan, pictured, was out celebrating his birthday at Daniel. He told DailyMail.com: 'These restaurants really work on a whole experience so I always prefer to eat indoors' Chef Daniel Boulud, of the famous Daniel restaurant on the Upper East Side, told DailyMail.com he was excited to finally welcome diners back for dinner but that it was not without its challenges. 'It's a mix of anxiety and excitement for sure, I am very excited for the staff to be back to work of course. 'I may see the 25 percent lasting longer than we thought though because of resurgence in different countries [of lockdowns],' he said. Boulud said it was 'impossible' to run a business with such a limited capacity. 'All my life, I have spent it cooking in fine dining restaurants and in restaurants where, of course, we put a lot of effort, energy and creativity in to provide the best food and service. Our entire pyramid collapsed,' he said. 'It's a mix of anxiety and excitement for sure, I am very excited for the staff to be back to work of course. I may see the 25 percent lasting longer than we thought though because of resurgence in different countries [of lockdowns] Daniel Boulud of Daniel on the UES Daniel - where prices for soup start at $35 - is able to reopen because, as Boulud says, they were doing 'financially very well' before the pandemic. 'Thank god we were financially very well before COVID, so we have been able to reopen and bring back a lot of staff but it is very, very frightening to know so many little businesses had to close,' he said. Reservations at Daniel started last Friday and filled up quickly, he said. Now, there is a wait list. Customers, he said, will be treated to a special experience on Wednesday night as staff dress up and offer a 'different' type of service than before. They will also have to follow strict rules, like two hour time slots and wearing their masks when not eating or drinking. 'At 25 percent, we need to turn the table at least once. If you come at 8 o'clock or 9 o'clock, it's obvious - you can stay. 'But you cannot stay too late because we have to keep the staff late and we have an obligation to close at a certain time. It will make us very conscious. The customer has to help. 'It's the same for every one of my colleagues an the industry. The customer has to understand that. 'If you want to buy the table for four hours? Fine. The customer can pay double,' he said. Jon Harris, 35, of Manhattan, was out celebrating his birthday at Daniel. He told DailyMail.com: 'These restaurants really work on a whole experience so I always prefer to eat indoors.' Diners inside Sarabeth's, a well-known chain in Manhattan, on Wednesday at lunchtime for the first time in months There were plexiglass screens separating tables at Sarabeth's on Wednesday afternoon as staff watched on wearing masks Two women eat lunch indoors at Dallas BBQ in Chelsea, one of the thousands of restaurants that reopened for indoor dining on Wednesday Diners inside Rosa Mexicano on Wednesday on the Upper West Side. Many of the table were marked as unavailable with large bowls due to the capacity limit Chefs inside Il Gattopardo restaurant in midtown preparing an appetizer on the first day of indoor dining A waitress tends to a table at Dallas BBQ in Chelsea as New York City restaurants reopen for dining limited to 25 percent seating capacity Fox Hospitality Group also took diners in three of its restaurants on Wednesday. Group owner Mark Fox told DailyMail.com: 'We've had a busy lunch, tables have been full guests are definitely delighted to sit inside again, it's definitely helpful. If we could increase capacity that would move things along.' Sant Ambroes in SoHo and the West Village also welcomed diners back indoors. A manager at the SoHo location, who preferred not to be named, said most diners were still choosing to sit outside but that it had been a 'great experience for everybody' finally bringing people back to dining rooms. We will have to increase our team at busy times however I dont see any change in terms of current revenue from now until Christmas, Robert Mahon, Toro Loco Rob Mahon, owner of Toro Loco, said he'd welcomed back diners inside. Mandatory temperature checks and QR code menus are in place. 'We will have to increase our team at busy times however I dont see any change in terms of current revenue from now until Christmas,' he said. The restaurant had put much of its indoor furniture outside to accommodate outdoor dining. Now, they have to rejig the layout again. Mahon also said he was not optimistic about outdoor dining with heaters when temperatures in New York City plummet. 'I dont see people sitting outside when its NYC cold regardless of outdoor heating systems you install,' he said. Restaurants in the city have been crying out for additional financial help for months. The PPP payments they were given initially, along with every other type of small business, have dried up. Joe Smith of Bobby Vans Steakhouse told DailyMail.com for his restaurants to survive they need to be at 100 per cent capacity by November. 'For now 25 per cent isn't going to cut it', Smith argued, adding: 'We need 50 per cent.' He said the lockdown 'has been absolutely brutal', adding: 'Steakhouses are expensive and we serve midtown, Wall Street, business men and women. For seven months we did absolutely nothing - the buildings are deserted, there is no residential custom here, all commercial, so it was really not worth the effort. 'We opened our restaurant on 54th Street for lunch today - we served around 14 lunches. On a normal day we would serve 120 lunches.' Smith said he blames the politics playing out between city and state leaders, adding: 'We could have 25 per cent and people in offices two months ago. 'It has been so badly handled. Even today the offices are not back, people are not riding the subways, buses. The business isn't there. They need to stop with the scare tactics. 'There is a lot of politics and the small businessman is getting caught in the middle.' Joe Smith of Bobby Vans Steakhouse, pictured, told DailyMail.com for his restaurants to survive they need to be at 100 per cent capacity by November. Even for now 25 per cent 'isn't going to cut it', Smith argues, adding: 'We need 50 per cent.' He said: 'It has been absolutely brutal' Kenneth Dane, and Valerie Lynch, of Manhattan dine at Le Le Rivage restaurant on Wednesday Diners at Katz's Deli on the Lower East Side, a famous lunch restaurant known for its sandwiches Inside Katz's Deli at lunchtime on Wednesday, the first day of indoor dining in New York City. The restaurant would normally pack tables next to one another Diners are told to wear masks before they get to their tables and only take them off when they are eating and drinking A man enjoys one of Katz's famous cold meat sandwiches on Wednesday at lunchtime In New York City, many restaurants rely largely on tourism and office workers - who have all but vanished - for trade. Only 10 percent of the city's office workers have returned to work after being given the option to work from home. Tourists are still a long way from returning to the city. Tavern on the Green and the Boathouse in Central Park both remain closed. A manager who answered the phone there on Wednesday told DailyMail.com it was simply 'impossible' to run either restaurant on the current rules. To think 25 percent helps at this late stage, four months after the rest of the state, when we pay more per square foot than any other region, after all our PPP funds have been used, even with outdoor seats.... we'll come nowhere close to preventing hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants from closing. Mark Fox, Fox Hospitality Group And after being forced to stay closed for seven months, restaurants in the city - particularly independently owned ones - are 'on their knees.' 'To think 25 percent helps at this late stage, four months after the rest of the state, when we pay more per square foot than any other region, after all our PPP funds have been used, even with outdoor seats... we'll come nowhere close to preventing hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants from closing. 'It could have been prevented. That's the tragedy,' Fox said. He is among thousands of restaurant owners who are worried about investing in heaters and gas only to be told that they have to shut down again in the event of a second lockdown. The challenges are from a financial perspective that if we invest into it and have an extraordinarily cold season, we won't get any benefit until spring. 'Secondly, if we invest into it and they revoke the roadway seating, then it'll all be in vain,' he said. Propane gas heaters will only be allowed on sidewalks and electric heaters have to be used on roadways to avoid accidents. There is the added stress for restaurants that the city may soon start charging them to put tables on the streets. Ordinarily, they would need to pay for an expensive permit for cafe seating but that has been waived. Spaced out diners at Rosa Mexicano restaurant on Wednesday Diners at Sarabeth's restaurant on Wednesday; New York City restaurants are opening up indoor dining to 25% of their pre-Covid-19 capacity today Staff at Il Gattopardo restaurant get instructions before service on the first day that restaurants were allowed to start indoor dining since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Manhattan Philippine Army members and local police conduct a security patrol in the Iligan city in Lanao del Norte province which is under a general quarantine through the end of October, Sept. 8, 2020. The World Bank approved a U.S. $600 million (29.1 billion pesos) loan to the Philippines for its social protection program to benefit 4 million families amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the multilateral lending agency said Wednesday. The funds are to be used to provide support to the Beneficiary FIRST Social Protection Projects conditional cash transfer program that directly benefits the poor, the World Bank said. Patterned after similar programs in Brazil and Mexico, it provides cash to children on condition that they go to school while their nourishment and health are monitored. We are pleased to support the governments efforts to sustain social protection for the poor and most vulnerable families, said Ndiame Diop, the banks country director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. He said this would help impoverished families ensure that children can remain in school and stay healthy as the country takes measures to control this pandemic. In these difficult times, cash transfers to the poor and vulnerable indirectly support local economies and boost prospects for recovery, he said. The World Bank has been supporting the countrys poverty alleviation project for a decade. The project, implemented in about 145 cities and another 1,400 municipalities, has benefited about 4 million Filipinos. Restrictions The Philippines has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the East Asia region. Most of the country remains in stages of lockdown. Earlier this week, the government decided quarantine restrictions in Manila and five other heavily populated urban centers would remain until at least the end of October. Metropolitan Manila, with its estimated population of 16 million, and the other urban centers in central and southern Philippines would have less strict health protocols but remain on lockdown. The southern province of Lanao del Sur, including the city of Marawi, is to be on a modified enhanced community quarantine and Iligan city in Lanao del Norte province will be under a general quarantine in October. On Wednesday, the health department reported 58 more people have died, bringing the death toll to 5,054. It also reported 2,426 new infections, bringing the total in the Philippines to 311,694 the highest in East Asia. Globally, more than 33.7 million COVID-19 infections and more than 1 million deaths have been recorded, according to disease experts at U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. President Rodrigo Duterte has said the country is expected to have a vaccine by the second quarter of next year, noting several Chinese pharmaceutical firms have made plans to start trials here. In addition, Russia announced plans to conduct trials of the Sputnik V vaccine in the Philippines by next month. Foxs most famous viewer was very pleased with this call on Election Night in 2016. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images Those who want to dismiss the red mirage scenario of an early Trump victory claim on Election Night attributable to a big partisan tilt in voting methods have on occasion assured us Chicken Littles that the great big adults of the mainstream media will stop that by refusing to call the election for Trump if their decision desks see contradictory data. A more concrete assurance has now been offered by the New York Times Ben Smith, who has profiled the decision-desk captain of Fox News, the TV network most likely to accept instructions from the White House to cook the books on Election Night: [A] new office on the third floor of [Fox News] headquarters on the Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan, known by employees as the nerdquarium. Thats where a prickly, bespectacled 65-year-old named Arnon Mishkin and his staff of data-crunching wonks will come to work on Election Day. And this Nov. 3, Mr. Mishkin may be the last bulwark against the most frightening prophecies of electoral insanity. Mr. Mishkin runs Fox Newss decision desk, the team responsible for telling Fox viewers also known as Donald Trumps base who won the election. The team and its sister polling unit are among the few endeavors at Fox that have proven immune to the presidents takeover of the network. Mr. Mishkin is a straight shooter a registered Democrat who told me he voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and is paid as a consultant, not as a Fox employee. There will be no one putting their finger on the scale in either direction, he told me with matter-of-fact confidence[.] Part of the argument Smith makes is that Fox News is too disorganized to put anyone in a position to make Mishkin a liar or drive him to publicly blow the whistle on an order from The Top to cut Trump some slack. That is a rebuttable presumption at best. But Mishkin does have some street cred thanks to his famous refusal to bend to televised intimidation from Karl Rove on Election Night in 2012, when the decision desk pushed back at the Mishkins efforts to dispute a call of Ohio and thus the election for Barack Obama. As Smith notes, a refusal by the Fox decision desk to ratify a Trump victory based on a grossly premature slice of votes will likely produce an on-air backlash far stronger than Rove could muster: The nightmare scenario goes like this: Its a close race, and Mr. Trump leads in the early vote count in Pennsylvania, and needs just that state to win the election. Tens of thousands of votes are still untallied, and the counting may take weeks but Mr. Trump has already declared that hes been re-elected. Hes demanding that Fox do the same, making calls to Fox Corporations co-chairman, Rupert Murdoch, or working back channels to the executive who effectively runs the network, Viet Dinh. Mr. Trumps most loyal acolytes at Fox, the prime-time hosts Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, are backing the presidents claim on the air. And Fox faces the temptation it often succumbs to: offering its audience the alternate reality it wants. Thats not exactly right: The more likely scenario is an Election Night with Trump leading in multiple battleground states with perhaps a third to half of the total vote still uncounted. While the White House would lift heaven and earth to secure a major-network endorsement of an Election Night victory claim thus neutralizing all the other news organizations determinations with we said/they said confusion Trumps Fox News friends could probably generate enough triumphalist noise to offset any sober pushback from the decision desk. And that would still set the stage for a Trump campaign effort to delegitimize or stop the counting of mail ballots later. What would really throw sand in the gears of any Trump effort to steal the election would be decision-desk announcements that Biden would ultimately win, once heavily Democratic mail ballots are completely tabulated, even with Trump leading in the raw vote. There could well be data to support such an unprecedented claim. Check out these numbers from a new Times/Siena poll of (yes) Pennsylvania: In a harbinger of a deeply lopsided election night/week count: Biden leads 75-18 among voters who have requested an absentee ballot, while Trump leads by 8 among voters who have not done so Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) September 28, 2020 At present, since Pennsylvania cannot begin to process, much less count, mail ballots until Election Day, the odds are very high that the above configuration would produce a temporary Trump lead certain to give way to a later Biden win. The models decision desks deploy, which combine exit polling of in-person voters with traditional opinion polling of those who vote by mail, should show that pretty clearly. Would Mishkin and his Fox News superiors have the chutzpah to call an election for Biden with Trump in the lead, particularly with the president and his allies bellowing that all those subsequent mail-in ballots will be skewed by Democratic fraud? Thats the true acid test. Otherwise the country could drift into a post-November 3 twilight world in which both sides are making equally complicated claims as lawsuits to shut down and protect vote-counting swirl, protesters clash in the streets, and the December 8 deadline for certifying electoral votes approaches. Daniel Cameron has asked a judge to halt the release of the highly-anticipated recordings by one week. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has asked a judge to delay the release of grand jury evidence in the Breonna Taylor case that was set to be presented to the public on Wednesday. Cameron, a Republican, was expected to release the highly-anticipated recordings of the grand jury proceedings after a Jefferson County state court judge ordered that the evidence in the two-and-half-day period be filed with the court. The judges ruling came after one of the 12 jurors accused Camerons office of possibly mispresenting the case to the public versus the case that was presented before the grand jury. The jurors lawyer requested in court that all recordings, transcripts, and reports of the grand jury relating to the police shooting of Taylor be publicly released. Read More: Louisville SWAT team had concerns about Breonna Taylor raid: report Breonna Taylor, left, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, right. (Photo: Breonna Taylors family/Getty Images) On Monday, Cameron announced that he would comply with the court ruling to release all of the evidence, which he initially refused despite calls to do so from the Kentucky governor, the Louisville mayor and Breonna Taylors familys attorneys. However, the very next day the attorney general filed a motion to delay the release of the recordings by one week, according to CNN. Cameron argued that he needed time to redact evidence to protect the interests of witnesses. In a statement from his office, Cameron said he wanted to redact personal identifiers of any named person, and to redact both names and personal identifiers of any private citizen. The AG added that the recordings are 20 hours long and needed additional time to redact personally identifiable information of witnesses, including addresses and phone numbers. As theGrio previously reported, Kevin Glogower, the lawyer representing the concerned juror, says that the unidentified person was unsettled by the fact that the grand jury was not given the option of charging Louisville Metro Police Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove. The 12-member panel was presented only with possible charges for Detective Brett Hankison, who was fired in June and is now facing three charges in the case not for shooting and killing Breonna Taylor but into her neighbors home. Story continues Brett Hankison (Instagram), Breonna Taylor (Facebook) Read More: Breonna Taylors Black neighbor questions exclusion from indictment: Im a human being too Last week, in his news conference, Cameron declined to say what charges were presented to the grand jury. Our prosecutors presented all of the evidence, even though the evidence supported that Sgt. Mattingly and Detective Cosgrove were justified in their use of force after having been fired upon by Kenneth Walker (Breonna Taylors boyfriend), said Elizabeth Kuhn via email. A spokeswoman for Camerons office clarified for the Times that the only charge recommended (to the grand jury) was wanton endangerment. theGrios Biba Adams contributed to this report. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron seeks to delay release of grand jury evidence in Breonna Taylor case appeared first on TheGrio. Finnie Phung runs the Green Fish Seafood Market, just blocks from the Fortune Cookie Factory. When a drive-by car rally for Black Lives Matter passed her store this summer, Mrs. Phung stood on the sidewalk and cheered. Her employees, many of them older or recent immigrants, did not understand what was happening, or her enthusiastic support. They think, Theyre Black, theyre Americans, they speak English. Whats the difference? Mrs. Phung explained. She added: They dont understand the skin color is what causes the difference. For Ener Chiu, associate director of real estate at the Oakland-based East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, the epiphany came when he watched the video of George Floyd being suffocated while an Asian-American police officer stood by. I used to shave my head like that, he said, referring to the Asian-American officer. I looked at the image and thought that was me. I thought, Oh my God, were just sitting here doing nothing. At a time when Asian-Americans are also being subjected to hatred, he added, we need to be more vocal and more together with the African-American struggle. Throughout Oakland, Asian-American and Black leaders are reaching across generational and racial divides in new ways. In the wake of Californias pandemic shutdown, the African American, Chinatown, Vietnamese and Latino Chambers of Commerce in Oakland submitted their first joint proposal to the city to coordinate assistance across neighborhood lines as businesses try to survive and rebuild. In June, the Oakland City Council approved $500,000 to fund the effort. Id always been saying there will be a time where we need to come together to advocate for each other, to support each other, said Shonda Scott, chairwoman of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce. Who knew itd be Covid-19 and some pandemic that we would be fighting against? And the other pandemic is racism. Jennifer K. Tran, executive director of the Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, has also noticed how the pandemic is prompting changes in the relationship between Asian and Black residents. We need to rise above this Asians-against-Black, Black-against-Asians, this interracial tension, but rather look at how the systems have been designed for certain people to succeed and other people to flounder, she said. Second-generation immigrants are beginning to see that. Trinh Banh and Tommy Wong, two Chinatown community leaders, have been working since the start of the pandemic to help local businesses stay afloat. The pair are now using crowdsourced funding to supply free lunches to medical workers, homeless encampments and predominantly Black neighborhoods in East Oakland. The inspiration for the free lunches, Mr. Wong said, came from the Black Panthers, who ran a free breakfast program that served tens of thousands of mostly Black children in the 1970s. Tarika Lewis, a veteran of the Panthers food program and a local Black activist, joined Mr. Wong and Ms. Banh at their first free food pickup in Chinatown, and continues to work with them. Two Alabama police officers have been charged with felony assault in connection with an April incident in Dallas County. District Attorney Michael Jackson on Wednesday announced the indictments against Selma police Det. Matthew Blaine Till and Dallas County sheriffs Deputy John Nicholas Taccone. Till was fired shortly after the incident, and Taccone no longer works with the sheriffs office, Jackson said. The incident happened April 30 near the Crossroads Exxon in the 2700 block of Highway 80 West in Selma. Jackson said Tills wife got into some kind of a road rage incident with the victim and called her husband. Till then called Taccone, both of whom were on duty and in uniform at the time, and they responded to the scene. When they arrived, the victim was exiting a parking lot and they stopped him and ordered him out of the vehicle, Jackson said. Till got one handcuff on the victim but was unable to get the second on and a scuffle ensued. Till pulls out a gun and says hes going to kill him,'' Jackson said. They Tased him multiple times, threw him to the ground and were punching and kicking him. It was a brutal beating." Jackson pointed out that both officers are white and the victim is Black. He said the victim repeatedly asked the officers What did I do?. He managed to get back in his vehicle and fled, but crashed a short time later. "These officers escalated a personal matter that should have been a traffic stop at worse into a Rocky Horror beating,'' Jackson said. The grand jury issued the indictments Tuesday. Both lawmen are charged with felony second-degree assault, as well as two Class A misdemeanor charges of unlawful imprisonment and obstructing governmental operations. It wasnt immediately clear if they have lawyers to speak on their behalf. Court records show Till pleaded guilty last week in federal court in the Southern District of Alabama to obstruction-related charges. Documents show Till, in part, sent a text to another police officer stating, The indictments are coming for us. We need to get on the same page and use the same attorney. I dont care what they threaten you with. If we dont fight this together we are both going to be getting in trouble. Tills sentencing is set for Dec. 28 and he faces up to 20 years in prison. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation all assisted in the lengthy probe. The laws of this great nation are one of those things that bind us together,'' Jackson said. Nobody is above the law. Unlawful and brutal attacks on citizens will not be tolerated.'' S Lalitha By Express News Service BENGALURU: Even as increasing the ridership on Metro trains is proving to be challenging, a new problem has surfaced for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited -- safety of its own staffers. It has now come to light that a total of 28 loco pilots and station controllers tested positive for COVID-19 following the restart of operations on September 7 and are recuperating. A Metro source told The New Indian Express that they were all asymptomatic and out of danger. "They have self-isolated themselves and are in home quarantine or in hospitals as advised by the doctors depending on their health," he said. Ajay Seth, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited Managing Director told The New Indian Express, All the affected staff are fine and are mostly asymptomatic. BMRCL proactively arranged testing of the staff who work at stations so that travel by general public can be made safer." Another source said six station maintainers too have tested positive. Nearly 450 loco pilots and station controllers are presently manning the operations of Metro trains which operate between 7 am and 9 pm on both the Green Line (Yelachenahalli and Nagasandra) and Purple Line (Mysore Road and Baiyappanahalli). On steps taken for staff safety, an official said that a Covid Care Centre on Bannerghatta Road caters exclusively for BMRCL employees. Thermal scanning to check temperature is carried out for all staffers before they report for duty at stations and trains. We are following all the SOPs issued by the Centre. Our employees commute to work from their homes in different parts of the city. The infection could have been caught anywhere. Ridership hits nearly 7 lakh A total of 6,92,269 riders have travelled by the Metro in 23 days (Sept 7 to Sept 29). Ridership which stood at an average of 5.1 lakh commuters a day on all working days before March 22 is not even one-tenth of that figure. While patronage was picking up pace and crossed the figure of 42,000 on all working days last week (September 21 to September 25), the patronage earlier this week has been a letdown. The figures were as follows: September 26: 36,558; September 27: 18,257 and September 28: 30162. It picked up yesterday (September 29) with the highest ridership of 46,157 riders registered on both lines. The partial shutdown of Green Line operations on Sunday and Monday could also be a reason for this dip in patronage. It was restored on Tuesday. On ridership not picking up pace, Seth said, "City residents seem to be adhering to the work from home policy." Another official said that the closure of schools and colleges has robbed a good chunk of its ridership. "Once they open up, we will have a increase in our numbers, he said. The unrelenting surge in COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru and a subsequent fear of stepping out could also be a reason. No passenger without a mask has been allowed to enter any station or train, an official said. "A few tried arguing and entering at Kempegowda Interchange Metro station but were not allowed inside," he added. MENTOR, Ohio, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RB Medical Supply partnered with the office of Secretary of State Frank LaRose to contribute surgical masks for Ohio's poll workers in preparation for the 2020 election. As promised, 463,500 masks were shipped to every board of elections from August through September. This initiative is part of the company's mission to provide products like personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies to frontline workers, employees and communities. "We're donating all of these masks to make sure all of these volunteers who are donating their time to the election are safe," said Justin Bloyd, President of RB Medical Supply. As a division of RB Sigma, LLC, RB Medical Supply is a top-tier medical supplier for COVID-19 PPE and provides wholesale medical supplies for government organizations, medical associations, general industries and private consumers. Headquartered in Mentor, OH, the company serves local Cleveland hospitals, along with facilities, small businesses and communities around the world. For media inquiries please contact Nathan Ingrao at (716) 367-0958 or [email protected] SOURCE RB Medical Supply Mohanlal, the complete actor has decided to take a pay cut for the highly anticipated upcoming project, Drishyam 2. The Kerala film producers association confirmed the reports in a recently held general body meeting. The association representatives confirmed that Mohanlal had taken around 50 percent pay cut for Drishyam 2, considering the current situation. According to the Film Producers Association, the superstar, who is also the president of the actors association A.M.M.A, readily agreed to take a pay cut upon their request. However, two popular actors of the industry refused to take a pay cut. Instead, they went on to increase their remuneration, amidst this difficult situation. Drishyam 2 Is An Expensive Project, Reveals Producer Antony Perumbavoor Reportedly, one of the above-mentioned actors, who was charging Rs. 75 Lakhs per film, has now decided to increase his remuneration to Rs. 1 Crore. The other actor, who was charging Rs. 45 Lakhs, has now raised his remuneration to Rs. 50 Lakhs. The Film Producers Association is now reconsidering the decision to permit the shooting of the upcoming films, that features these two actors. The association has decided to have an official word with the producers of both films, on the same. Coming to Drishyam 2, the highly anticipated movie has thus emerged as the first project to follow the budget cut decision put forward by the Kerala Film Producers Association. Earlier, it was revealed that Jeethu Joseph, the director of the project, has also decided to take a pay cut considering the current situation. After Mohanlal too decided to take a pay cut, more actors and technicians are expected to follow the same path. Also Read: RUMOUR HAS IT: Mohanlal's Drishyam 2 To Go The OTT Way? Empuraan Script Is Locked, Confirms Prithviraj Sukumaran & Murali Gopy! kilowatt This floating tiny home (though its not really tiny) promises to do all that while taking you on a water adventure. It is a floating luxury condo that was previously a wedding chapel on water. And its for sale.This unique floating home has an equally fascinating story to tell. It starts back in 2004, when a Florida couple visited Australia and saw for the first time a floating wedding chapel. They got the idea to build their own, so they commissioned a naval yard (Daniel J. Avoures and Associates) to make them a fiberglass-hull, 60-foot (18.2-meter) catamaran on which they plopped an actual blue-roofed chapel.This came to be known as Chapel on the Bay, believed to be one of the two vessels of this type in the world. It became famous, and for all the right reasons: with accommodation capacity of 110+ people, it came with hand-carved pews, altar, stained windows and even a brides changing room. It was the perfect wedding venue for the unconventional couple, who could opt either to have the ceremony docked or while casually exploring the waters at a cruising speed of 6 knots.The floating chapel was and remains to this day completely self-propelled. It has twin 115 hp Diamond Series Cummins diesels that take it to speeds of up to 9 knots, which, granted, is not incredibly fast but its just perfect for the purpose it was built for. The catamaran hull gives it more stability than a typical barge would, and it uses a pair of electric winches power steel beams for anchor. These allow it to moor in shallow water and offer steadiness in bad weather.Another plus is that the catamaran hull allows for docking directly on the dock, which means guests dont have to use a dinghy to get onboard.In 2013, the couple listed the chapel for sale, as the wedding-on-water business took a dive. Two years later, Sam Cribbs and wife Linda bought it and decided to convert it into a luxury condo a waterfront condo, as it was now docked on Manatee River in Palmetto, Florida. Reports say the conversion set them back some $1.3 million and involved stripping off the old interior completely and building a two-bedroom, two-bath floating home.On the 1,800 square feet (167 square meters) of the catamaran, the house offers 1,050 square feet (98.4 square meters) of living space.From the chapel, the Cribbs kept the stained glass, the now-instantly recognizable blue roof with the spire, the wooden front door and the original flooring. Then, they added a generous open-plan living with kitchen with granite countertops, leather furniture and access to a patio with seating and barbecue grill. Also on the ground level is the master bedroom with ensuite and another guest bathroom.Upstairs is another bedroom with sleeping for two and a sofa. In total, the floating home can sleep and accommodate four people in the utmost comfort. It comes with AC and extra fans, antenna satellite, WiFi and an 8-generator to run the appliances off on when on water.For a while, the floating house was offered for rent on Airbnb for $250 a night, but guests didnt have the option to take it out. Its currently listed with Special Finds (its been offered for sale before), with an asking price of $399,000 and the new owner will be able to do as they please with it.As per the listing, it would make for an excellent floating tiny home: you could live at the marina for as little as $900 a month and have complete freedom of moving around with your home. It sells with everything you see in the photos in the gallery above, from flat-screen TV to fully stocked kitchen and the furniture. The floods that have affected various Jigawa communities in the past few months have caused at least 40 deaths, officials have said. The floods are also the worst in the state since 1988, residents and state officials told PREMIUM TIMES, amidst fears the floods could worsen Nigerias current food insufficiency that has led to an increase in prices of basic food like rice. The Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said the deaths occurred in about 19 local government areas of the state Hadejia Emirate, with eight council areas, is the worst hit, the executive secretary of SEMA, Sani Yusuf, told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Yusuf said the deaths were recorded since the commencement of the current rainy season. These are the number of deaths so far reported to the agency since the beginning of this rainy season, he said. He explained that the agency, with federal government support, is doing the needful to cushion the effects of the disaster by providing emergency needs to the victims of the flood. He added that the agency has so far distributed 30 canoes to communities affected by the flood, as well as materials to the affected communities to build embankments in order to control the water. Worst Flood in over 30 years Hamza Muhammad, special assistant to Governor Muhammad Badaru on community development and social inclusion, said this years flood is the worst since 1988 with Hadejia emirate as the worst affected area. He listed the affected local governments as Buji, Hadejia, Ringim, Taura, Jahun, Miga, Malammadori, Auyo, Kafinhausa and Guri. Others include Gwaram, Kiyawa, Kaugama, Birninkudu, kirikasamma, Garki and Babura. Cause of flood Mr Muhammad attributed the cause of the flood to an overflow of Tiga and Challawa dams in Kano State as well as effects of climate change. He also said torrential rainfall, as earlier forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, contributed to the disaster. In an earlier report done by this newspaper, Isa Mustapha, the executive director, Exceptional Leadership and Integrity Promotion, listed the major causes of the flood as insufficient drainage channels, silted dams, weeds, trypa grass overgrowing on river channels and river beds, as well as illegal diversion and encroachment of waterways. Other causes, according to Mr Mustapha, include lackadaisical attitude towards the desiltation of the Hadeija-Yobe Kwamadugu River basin, as well as poor coordination among stakeholders on the control of the menace of flood. Governments intervention Mr Muhammad said the state government has been doing its best since January 2020 to prevent the flood including directing officials to conduct a survey in flood-prone areas of the state. He said the government had also deployed water pumping machines to the affected communities to evacuate the flooded water. Where we cannot use the machines to evacuate the water, we organized self help groups in such communities and empower them with tools for embarkment, he said. Affected communities deny governments intervention Contrary to Mr Muhammads claims, residents of the affected communities said the government is not doing enough. They accused the government of not providing any remedial measures to help mitigate the impact of the flood. Mr Mustapha and some officials of SEMA, while on an assessment visit to some of the flooded areas on Monday, were mobbed by angry residents who decried the governments negligence of the areas. One of the vehicles conveying the officials got damaged while journalists trying to take footage of the flooded areas were also chased away by the angry residents. Impact of Flooding on Food Production Officials, including President Muhammadu Buhari, are already lamenting the impact of the flood on food production in Jigawa, and Nigeria, especially rice production. Advertisements Jigawa is one of the states that has benefitted most from the federal governments Anchors Borrowers Programme to assist farmers boost rice production in the country. Mr Muhammad, the governors aide, expressed the fear that the state may experience food shortage, saying that Sixty-five per cent of Fadama farmland were washed away by the flood especially in Hadejia where much anticipated rice is expected. He added that grains like millet, maize and sorghum were also lost to the flood. Officials could not give the exact number of farmlands and houses that were destroyed by the flood but said the damage is unprecedented while assessment is ongoing. In his reaction, President Muhammadu Buhari described this years flood in Jigawa as unprecedented and devastating. In a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Mr Buhari, on Tuesday, sympathised with the victims of the flood while assuring them of federal governments intervention. He described the flood, which has reportedly destroyed over 100,000 hectares of rice farms in the state, as a setback to agriculture especially rice production which his administration has actively promoted and discouraged its importation. The price of rice has also doubled in the past few months across Nigeria due to various reasons including the floods affecting rice-producing states like Jigawa and Kebbi. A plan for a surf park and entertainment center at the Oceanfront is forging ahead where others have failed, and the project is inching closer to construction. Venture Realty Group, which is working with music icon Pharrell Williams, has steadily passed muster with the city in its quest to build Atlantic Park, a $325 million mixed-use project on the former dome site. Most recently, the Virginia Beach-based real estate firm met a Sept. 23 deadline, proving that it can secure financing so that more formal design plans can get under way. There were a number of benchmarks that were met, said Councilman Guy Tower, who declined to elaborate on the details because negotiations are ongoing. They checked all the boxes. The city began working exclusively with Venture Realty Group in 2017 to transform the land between 18th and 20th streets, one of the last remaining open spaces in the heart of the resort area. Venture Realty Group won the citys favor with its proposal to develop the parking lots into a vibrant live 1/4 u2010work 1/4 u2010play community, with support from Pharrell, who masterminded the inaugural Something in the Water festival in 2019. Pharrell made a surprise visit to a City Council meeting last November, encouraging members to green light the development agreement. It was approved, marking the first time in 25 years that a proposal for the land had reached that point. Since then, city officials and the developers have been meeting regularly and ironing out the projects footprint, which will stretch over three city blocks owned by the Virginia Beach Development Authority. The city is also buying property on 18th Street between Pacific and Arctic avenues. The land is owned by Norfolk Southern and used by Dominion Energy for its Atlantic substation. Under the terms of the development agreement, Virginia Beach has committed to providing $95 million in tourism tax dollars to pay for parking, street improvements and the construction of the entertainment venue. Story continues A groundbreaking on Atlantic Park is still at least a year out, according to Mike Culpepper, managing partner of Venture Realty Group. The developer and the city will first invest in architectural drawings, select a general contractor and analyze costs before construction can begin. The design work is really getting serious now, said Tower. The main thing were going to see is theyre going to be spending more money, and we will, too, to the extent that we have to help with the infrastructure. Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com 2020 The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.) Visit The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.) at pilotonline.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Henry more frequently referred to as Onion is to serve as the series' narrator, and as our portal into this bizarre world. He's at once terrified by his new freedom, fascinated by Brown, strongly disinclined to die on one of Brown's mad missions, and trapped by a hostile environment populated by Red Shirts such as the pathetic yet frightening Chase (Steve Zahn). It's a tricky spot that Henry's in, but it draws a wonderfully mature and astute performance from the 15-year-old Johnson, who embodies a cork trying to calculate its way across an ocean. Hawke, it scarcely needs saying, is an utter delight, his character hanging by a single broken hinge, but being afforded no unwarranted deference by those who tire of his interminable prayers. A wild ride you'll want to get on. Pen15 Stan, from Sunday It's one thing to remember what it was like to be a teenager. It's quite another to know it on such a cellular level that you can become that very same teenager again in the way that the grown-up Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle play their younger selves in this clever, charming and deeply touching comedy series. The new second season finds them in the eighth grade, circa 2001, with the rest of their class played once again by real child actors. Anna Kone (Anna Konkle) and Maya Ishii-Peters (Maya Erskine) in the second season of Pen15. Credit:Lara Solanki/Hulu It shouldn't work half as brilliantly as it does, but Erskine and Konkle are so extraordinary in the way that they recreate adolescent physicality and adolescent emotion that you almost feel every little skewer of heartbreak and humiliation push right through you, and then the joy of the most intimate best-friendship fill you right back up again. The actual kids are terrific too no doubt it helps to be getting a masterclass in vulnerability from Erskine and Konkle every time they go to work. Expect some brilliant writing, a lot of fretting about boys, and some odd experiments in witchcraft. The Walking Dead: World Beyond Amazon Prime Video, from Monday A decade after the events that kicked off The Walking Dead, a generation of child survivors who barely remember life before the zombie apocalypse is rapidly approaching adulthood. Alexa Mansour as Hope and Australian Hal Cumpston as Silas in The Walking Dead: The World Beyond. Credit:Jojo Whilden/AMC Must be time for a spin-off that brings a touch of Stand By Me to a landscape still infested with undead. Leaving home on an epic trek are Hope (Alexa Mansour), her sister Iris (Aliyah Royale), Elton (Nicholas Cantu), and Silas (Australian Hal Cumpston). It feels familiar, but not without potential. Cobra Kai Netflix This marvellous sequel series to The Karate Kid isn't just a huge suckerpunch of nostalgia for kids of the '80s. It's also a sharp, dry comedy of the kind we've come to expect these days, and something that even today's teenagers might find themselves getting sucked into. Ralph Macchio reprises his role as Daniel LaRusso, the scrawny kid from the 1984 movie who is now a successful car dealer. Most compelling and entertaining, though, is William Zabka as LaRusso's childhood rival Johnny, now a man at rock bottom. Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in Cobra Kai. Credit:Guy D'Alema RBG Docplay This celebratory 2018 biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an eye-opener on many fronts not least when it comes to the kind of gym workouts the octogenarian cancer-survivor undertook to keep herself fit for work as a US Supreme Court judge. Most fascinating is the way the eversparkling Ginsburg and directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West show how her work as a lawyer arguing for the rights of women before the court helped reshape America's legal landscape long before she joined the bench. The Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO) is requesting the federal government to keep its promise of ending long-term boil water advisories. According to a statement from the SCO, government claims the delay is due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the SCO believes that First Nations need access to clean and safe drinking water now and that any potential delay in ending the advisories is not acceptable. During the 2015 federal election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to eliminate all long-term water advisories on First Nations by March 2021. Since that time, there were 12 long-term advisories in First Nations communities in Manitoba. The potential abandonment of the promise to end long-term boil water advisories on reserve by March 2021 is deeply concerning, said SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels. The COVID-19 pandemic cannot be blamed for the governments potential failure to deliver on a promise made five years ago during their campaign. In this years Speech of the Throne, the federal government referred to the need to end long-term boil water advisories across the country. However, there was no specificity on whether they will fulfil their original goal to end all long-term advisories by March 2021. In the past six months, we have seen the federal government take action in many different ways to better the lives of Canadians throughout the pandemic. When are they going to give us the same level of effort to benefit our lives and communities, and ensure all First Nations have access to safe drinking water, which is a basic human right? said Daniels. Since November 2015, the federal government has lifted 93 long-term drinking water advisories but 61 long-term advisories still remain, five of which are in Manitoba. The federal government cant delay any longer. There is no excuse for any community to not have access to fresh, clean drinking water. The federal government must fulfill its longstanding promise, and grant us the same access to clean water as all other Canadians, said Daniels. Currently, the SCO is working to build a Water Authority in their territories to protect and guarantee safe water sources and infrastructure for southern First Nations in Manitoba. We are working aggressively to meet the Spring 2021 goal to ensure all First Nations on reserve have access to safe, clean and reliable drinking water, said the press secretary for the Minister of Indigenous Services Adrienne Vaupshas on Wednesday. Our work on water infrastructure will continue beyond Spring 2021. We will continue to support operations and maintenance of water infrastructure on reserve to prevent future short and long term drinking water advisories, she added. Vaupshas noted that the health and wellbeing of First Nation community members remain the federal governments top priority. First Nations are leading the response to protect their communities from COVID-19. In some cases, this has had an effect on getting equipment and resources into communities, especially in remote and northern areas. It is too early to determine the full impact of COVID-19 on water infrastructure timelines, she said. Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Read more about: She recently unveiled the results of her breast augmentation, which saw her boost her cup size from 32B to a 32C. And Georgia Harrison continued to showcase her enhanced chest as she went topless in a series of sizzling snaps shared to Instagram on Wednesday. The Love Island star, 25, left little to the imagination as she covered her modesty with her hands while posing up a storm for her social media posts. Busty: Georgia Harrison continued to showcase her enhanced chest as she went topless in a series of sizzling snaps shared to Instagram on Wednesday Showcasing her toned abs, the model was dressed in just a pair of denim joggers, which she styled with gold jewellery. The Essex native, who used a butterfly filter on her face, proved less is more as she opted for minimal make-up and wore her tresses in its naturally curly state. Explaining why she decided go under the knife, the television personality told Closer Magazine: 'I'd see myself on TV wearing swimwear and think, "Oh, my boobs don't look good", and it made me feel very self-conscious.' Georgia went on to say she would limit what she wore, only opting for padded tops or tops with high necklines. Changes: The Love Island star, 25, recently unveiled the results of her breast augmentation, which saw her boost her cup size from 32B (pictured L) to a 32C (R) Turning up the heat: The model left little to the imagination as she covered her modesty with her hands while posing up a storm for her social media posts She detailed: 'I'm around 8.5st now, but when I was about 19 I was nearer 12st and my boobs were a lot bigger, I was working abroad and had a really unhealthy lifestyle, and I'd drink and just eat junk.' 'But when my weight dropped a bit, so did my boobs, it looked like there was space to fill. I also had a problem with inverted nipples that I wanted to fix.' Georgia first found fame with a brief stint on The Only Way Is Essex in 2014, before becoming a household name with an appearance on 2017's Love Island. The bubbly star then gained an American fanbase when she starred in series 33 of The Challenge in 2018, reaching the final and finishing in eighth place. The Challenge saw reality stars from around the world come together to compete in a series of physical and mental challenges in the hope of the scooping prize money. During her time on the show, she was involved in a tumultuous relationship with fellow Brit and Ex On The Beach star Stephen Bear, a storyline that dominated much of the series. A year later, Georgia's quest for love continued as she signed up to Celebrity Ex On The Beach. The blonde was previously in a relationship with Sam Gowland, who starred on the same series of Love Island as her and then went on to have an on-off relationship with Chloe Ferry on Geordie Shore. When was the last time you had an international dish on foreign land? For me, it was 2019. Its been a long year since that fun excursion. With limited to no new plans, the news of the Macao Light Festival (held from 26th September to 31st October) is bringing up all the build-up wanderlust. After all, a trip to Macao comes with zero hassles. Macao is a visa-free destination for Indians. From dreaming about those sumptuous egg tarts to learning all about the local culture in Macao, theres a lot on my wander-list. But heres how I decided to find my middle ground. If I cant go to Macao maybe we can bring the flavors of Macao to our dinner table. After all, the destination is UNESCO approved as the City of Gastronomy. So if you are looking to experiment with your flavours, here are some popular Macanese dishes that you can add to your dinner menu. 1. Macao Egg Tarts Macao Tourism This hot-selling Macanese dish has been picked up from the Portuguese and given a local flavor. A delicious soiree for the pastry loving traveller, the Macanese Egg Tart recipe is a combination of crispy creme Brulee, pastry crusts, and egg custards. The best egg tarts are found in the colourful streets of the Colonae village at the original Lord Stows Bakery. 2. African Chicken Macao Tourism The African Chicken is something so unique to Macao that youll not find anywhere else. Created by the late chef Americo Angelo in the late 1940s, this quintessential Macanese dish is a South Asian take on the traditional chicken curry. Its marinated using spices from Africa, chili, onion, garlic, and paprika. The chicken is then sauteed in a lemon and buttery coconut sauce with crushed peanuts to crunchy perfection. The African chicken is almost like a staple dish at most local restaurants in Macao. 3. Almond Cookies YouTube These traditional Macao cookies are popular among tourists and locals alike. The cookies are tender, sweet, and a bit savory. They are found at every bakery around the corner in Macao but the ones at Koi Kei bakery are irresistible, to say the least. Because of its dry texture, they are usually served with tea. 4. Serradura Macao Tourism Another sweet and savory dessert from Macao! Made with cookie or tea biscuits crumbs, this Portuguese inspired dessert is also known as the sawdust pudding. The cookie crumbs are layered with sweetened vanilla whipped cream to complete this delicious traditional pudding. 5. Minchi Macao Tourism If you want to try authentic Macanese dishes, dont forget to add Minchi to your list. Its one of the most loved dishes in Macao and youll find several variations of the same. Even though traditionally Minchi is made with beef or pork, you can cook up with this delicious delight with chicken, fish, shrimps, or even vegetables. The dish essentially contains friend potatoes, onion, cheese, and any kind of minced meat. But heres where Macanese Minchi gets even better. It is topped with an egg yolk to add to its sumptuous taste. 6. Pork Chop Bun Macao Tourism This easy to recreate Macanese dish is just the snack you need to fill up your weekends. Its almost like a hamburger minus the veggies and sauce. This Macanese burger is a crispy bakes baguette that is served with thickly sliced grilled pork meat in between. What makes this really great is the grilled flavour and text of the pork meat. Macanese dishes have their own unique flavour. So if youre planning a trip to Macao any time soon make sure you add these to your itineraries to sample the local taste and cuisine. Till then, you can bring the Macanese flavour home with these delicious recipes. If you are up for this challenge, you may want to take it a notch further and participate in the #TasteOfMacao contest to win some goodies. All you have to do is pick one Macanese dish and create the same with your own flavours. If you're a vegetarian, you can even give these Macanese dishes a vegetarian twist. To participate, you need to share at least 3 photos of your dish on your social feed with the #TasteOfMacao. You can check the complete rules and regulations of the contest below. Im bringing the #TasteOfMacao home with my attempt at the Serradura. What about you? Generating renewable hydrogen fuel from the sea The power of the sun, wind and sea may soon combine to produce clean-burning hydrogen fuel, according to a team of Penn State researchers. The team integrated water purification technology into a new proof-of-concept design for a sea water electrolyzer, which uses an electric current to split apart the hydrogen and oxygen in water molecules. This new method for "sea water splitting" could make it easier to turn wind and solar energy into a storable and portable fuel, according to Bruce Logan, Kappe Professor of Environmental Engineering and Evan Pugh University Professor. "Hydrogen is a great fuel, but you have to make it," Logan said. "The only sustainable way to do that is to use renewable energy and produce it from water. You also need to use water that people do not want to use for other things, and that would be sea water. So, the holy grail of producing hydrogen would be to combine the sea water and the wind and solar energy found in coastal and offshore environments." Despite the abundance of sea water, it is not commonly used for water splitting. Unless the water is desalinated prior to entering the electrolyzer -- an expensive extra step -- the chloride ions in sea water turn into toxic chlorine gas, which degrades the equipment and seeps into the environment. To prevent this, the researchers inserted a thin, semipermeable membrane, originally developed for purifying water in the reverse osmosis (RO) treatment process. The RO membrane replaced the ion-exchange membrane commonly used in electrolyzers. "The idea behind RO is that you put a really high pressure on the water and push it through the membrane and keep the chloride ions behind," Logan said. In an electrolyzer, sea water would no longer be pushed through the RO membrane, but contained by it. A membrane is used to help separate the reactions that occur near two submerged electrodes -- a positively charged anode and a negatively charged cathode -- connected by an external power source. When the power is turned on, water molecules start splitting at the anode, releasing tiny hydrogen ions called protons and creating oxygen gas. The protons then pass through the membrane and combine with electrons at the cathode to form hydrogen gas. With the RO membrane inserted, seawater is kept on the cathode side, and the chloride ions are too big to pass through the membrane and reach the anode, averting the production of chlorine gas. But in water splitting, Logan noted, other salts are intentionally dissolved in the water to help made it conductive. The ion-exchange membrane, which filters ions by electrical charge, allows salt ions to pass through. The RO membrane does not. "RO membranes inhibit salt motion, but the only way you generate current in a circuit is because charged ions in the water move between two electrodes," Logan said. With the movement from the bigger ions restricted by the RO membrane, the researchers needed to see if there were enough tiny protons moving through the pores to keep a high electrical current. "Basically, we had to show that what looked like a dirt road could be an interstate," Logan said. "We had to prove that we could get a high amount of current through two electrodes when there was a membrane between them that would not allow salt ions to move back and forth." Through a series of experiments recently published in Energy & Environmental Science, the researchers tested two commercially available RO membranes and two cation-exchange membranes, a type of ion-exchange membrane that allows the movement of all positively charged ions in the system. Each were tested for membrane resistance to ion movement, the amount of energy needed to complete reactions, hydrogen and oxygen gas production, interaction with chloride ions and membrane deterioration. Logan explained that while one RO membrane turned out to be a "dirt road," the other performed well in comparison to the cation-exchange membranes. The researchers are still investigating why there was such a difference between the two RO membranes. "The idea can work," he said. "We do not know exactly why these two membranes have been functioning so differently, but that is something we are going to figure out." Recently, the researchers received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue investigating sea water electrolysis. Logan hopes their research will play a critical role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions around the world. "The world is looking for renewable hydrogen," he said. "For example, Saudi Arabia has planned to build a $5 billion hydrogen facility that is going to use sea water. Right now, they have to desalinate the water. Maybe they can use this method instead." ### Penn State researchers Le Shi, postdoctoral researcher in environmental engineering, Ruggero Rossi, postdoctoral researcher in environmental engineering, Derek Hall, assistant professor of energy engineering, Michael Hickner, professor of materials science and engineering and chemical engineering, and Christopher Gorski, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, also contributed to the project. The research was supported by the Stan and Flora Kappe Endowment in the Penn State Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the NSF, the United States Agency for International Development and the National Academy of Sciences, as well as additional funding from Penn State. This story has been published on: 2020-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Former acting General Secretary of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh a.k.a Kabila has applauded the Akufo-Addo government for not resorting to counter attacks on the Western Togoland secessionists. To him, despite the attacks by the secessionists which saw them attacking some Police stations in the Volta Region on Friday, September 25 and subsequently allegedly carrying out an arson attack at the State Transport Corporation (STC) in Ho on Tuesday, September 29, it is incumbent on the government to use tactical means to resolve the issue. Kabila, speaking on Peace FM's flagship programme 'Kokrokoo', explained why he is in bed with the government on not deploying the Military and Police personnel to the Volta Region saying it would give cause for political opponents to play chess with the issue. He alluded to similar incidents that occurred during the Electoral Commission (EC) voter registration exercise where the government deployed the Military to guard the land borders in the Volta Region but took a political twist. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused the Akufo-Addo administration of using the Military to intimidate and prevent residents in the Region from participating in the registration exercise. "I am happy that this government and the security regime hasn't acted the way some people have suggested they should have acted. If they have gone to arrest people, what would have been the feedback? To me, this is a very delicate issue," Kabila told host Kwami Sefa Kayi. He also refuted claims that the security agencies have failed in clamping down on the secessionist group. "Our intelligence hasn't failed as we may want it to look . . . The criminal is always ahead of the intelligence. Unless, the intelligence have people planted on the inside to pre-inform you but if they don't give you a hint and whistle-blowing, they're always ahead of you. Again, sometimes, when we have gathered all the intelligence, there is operational aspect; the resource in terms of material and human to deploy. Sometimes, you reach the scene to find out the people are using sophiscated means. Even US, they've been beaten to it before," he argued. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The University of Georgia always talks about doing better for marginalized communities, but never actually does better. Time and again, instead of addressing the root cause of the disease, the university addresses the symptoms. This cycle reeks of abuse. NICOSIA, Cyprus - Spains foreign minister on Wednesday said her country rejects Turkeys unilateral search for energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, adding that such actions hinder a negotiated way out of a territorial dispute that has ratcheted up regional tensions. Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya expressed support for fellow European Union member Cyprus as Turkey continues to prospect for gas in waters where the Mediterranean island nation claims exclusive economic rights. We dont believe there is a unilateral solution to the problems of the eastern Mediterranean region, Laya said after talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides. And therefore, we reject unilateral moves that are not helping in finding a long-lasting solution. Spains top diplomat said negotiations and dialogue are the only way to resolve the complex maritime boundaries issue, which also triggered a weeks-long naval standoff between NATO allies Greece and Turkey this month. Im saying this as this is exactly what Spain is doing to delimit its maritime borders with its neighbours. So Im not preaching anything different from what Im practicing, Laya said. Meanwhile, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said Athens supports Cyprus call for fresh EU sanctions against individuals and companies involved in Turkeys gas search amid intensified Turkish wrongdoing in the wider region. Dendias said after talks with Christodoulides late Wednesday that the possibility for more economic measures against Turkey should remain open in case it carries on with its illegal actions. The leaders of the EUs 27 member nations are expected to discuss potential sanctions against Turkey, which is not a member, at a two-day summit starting Thursday. Turkey insists that its entitled to carry out a gas search off Cyprus in order to protect its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots who run a breakaway state in the islands northern third thats recognized only by Ankara. Turkey doesnt recognize Cyprus as a state and claims that much of the ethnically divided islands exclusive economic zone as lying over its own continental shelf. Christodoulides hailed Turkeys withdrawal of a warship-escorted survey vessel from Greece-claimed waters as a positive first step to deescalating tensions at sea. Greece says its hopeful that the move can pave the way for talks on a Greek-Turkish maritime border deal, but that its up to Turkey to prove that it wont backtrack. But the Cypriot foreign minister said Turkey has stepped up its activities in Cyprus maritime zones, displaying a total disregard for European Union calls to cease its unlawful actions and to respect the sovereign rights of a bloc member. Dendias said the Greek government has asked for a list of potential measures the EU could take against Turkey so that Ankara understands that there will be consequences if it carries on with its illegal actions. Our wish, of course, remains that it doesnt become necessary for these measures to be taken, Dendias said. Christodoulides said Cyprus expects EU leaders to honour a deal the blocs foreign ministers struck last month to simultaneously impose sanctions on Turkey as well as Belarusian officials suspected of election fraud or involvement in a security crackdown on anti-government protesters. Cyprus looks to the EU and its partners for solidarity in action, Christodoulides said. Concretely upholding our common values and interests and implementing our own decisions is of the essence. Located in the northeast of Hainan Free Trade Port, Wenchang is home to Wenchang Confucius Temple which was built more than 600 years ago and the first low-latitude coastal launch site in China. Wenchang boasts beautiful scenery, abundant cultural and tourist resources, and characteristic food. The famous Hainanese chicken rice which was spread over Southeast Asia in the late 19th century and in the early 20th century is a dish of poached Wenchang chicken and seasoned rice. As Wenchang is a well-known hometown of overseas Chinese, the multicultural fusion allows Wenchang to be a city of all kinds of delicious food. In the activity, the host visited arcades, old streets, and small lanes in Baoluo Town, Wencheng Town, and Puqian Town in Wenchang to taste local food. Down the ages, Wenchang people have been skilled in the ingenious mix of different flavors. For example, Baoluo rice noodles are somewhat salty and sweet, and tasty; the dregs vinegar, added with seafood, vinasse, and other local ingredients, is a perfect blend of several flavors like fresh, fragrant, sour, spicy, sweet, and salty; in the Old Dad's Tea culture, there are diverse choices for breakfast, which will make customers astonished. In this activity, delicious food in Wenchang was introduced. In addition, He Huanbao, Vice Mayor of Wenchang, was invited to give a detailed introduction to the 2020 Wenchang Travel and Shopping Carnival on National Day Holiday, and welcome netizens at home and abroad to visit Wenchang and appreciate attractive Wenchang. Image Attachments Links: Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=373113 Caption: Live Streaming for Delicacies at Old Dad's Tea in the Activity "Breakfast in Thousands of Cities, A Bite of Wenchang" SOURCE Wenchang Convergence Media Center OTSEGO COUNTY, MI Snowbirds heading south for the winter can rest easy about their Michigan properties thanks to the Michigan State Police. Troopers in Northern Michigan are once again offering property checks for residents who will be away for the holidays or winter season in 2020. MSP posts in Cadillac, Gaylord and Houghton Lake are participating. The Alpena Post serves Alpena, Alcona, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Presque Isle counties. The Cadillac Post serves Wexford, Benzie, Manistee, Leelanau, and Grand Traverse counties. The Gaylord Post serves Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet and Otsego counties and the Houghton Lake Post serves Roscommon, Missaukee, Crawford, and Kalkaska counties. Lt. Derrick Carroll, public information officer for MSPs Seventh District, said there are several things you can do to deter would-be thieves. According to Carroll, residents can use lighting to their advantage by installing a motion activated light outside and set a timer for inside lights. Residents can avoid window shopping by keeping curtains and shades drawn shut. Make your house appear as if someone is home by arranging to have your driveway plowed and sidewalks cleared, Carroll said. Stop mail service and newspaper delivery. Tell a trusted friend or neighbor you will be gone and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. Residents can also contact the MSP post that serves their area to let them know when you will be gone. Troopers will ask for an address and a contact number. The information will be given to troopers on patrol and they will periodically check the residence and log the dates and times your property was inspected. Professor Paul Cosford is the emeritus medical director of Public Health England The 57-year-old, who was incurable lung cancer, has only up to two years to live His biggest fear around dying is the 'lack of control' he will have in his final days Professor Paul Cosford is the emeritus medical director of Public Health England One of Britain's top health officials has revealed he now supports assisted dying after developing incurable lung cancer. ADVERTISEMENT Professor Paul Cosford, the emeritus medical director of Public Health England, said he would like the option of an 'extra vial of morphine' in his final days. The 57-year-old has only another one or two years to live and described the current ban on assisted dying in the UK as 'inhumane'. Writing in the British Medical Journal, Professor Cosford said his biggest fear around dying is the 'lack of control' he will have in his final days. He wrote: 'The option of a prescription to allow me, in my last days, to bring forward the end of my life is simply not there.' He added that he sometimes hoped he died from Covid-19 instead, as it would be a 'quicker and kinder option'. Professor Cosford said: 'My biggest fear around dying is the lack of control. The lack of ability, if all becomes too much, to advance the end a little, to take some control in my final days. 'I might have a diamorphine pump at that time, and the idea of having an extra vial in the fridge for me to use if I need it is appealing. 'But I know it cannot be prescribed legally for this purpose so is not really an option. Despite helpful conversations with excellent palliative care specialists, this final element of choice and self-determination seems to evade me.' Click here to resize this module Professor Cosford said his experience of lung cancer had caused him to change his views on euthanasia. He had previously believed the law was 'too blunt an instrument to deal with the complexities' of death, but was now convinced it must be reviewed. ADVERTISEMENT All forms of assisted dying are illegal in the UK, and can result in up to 14 years in prison. But assisted dying has been legalised in several countries including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Canada. Campaigners who argue for the ban on assisted dying to be overturned in the UK have been met with significant opposition from doctors, religious groups and MPs. Parliament has consistently voted against changing the law. Professor Cosford wrote: 'We need to set aside entrenched positions on each side of the debate and look openly at the problems faced by people at the end of their lives. IS ASSISTED DYING LEGAL IN THE UK? Assisted dying remains outlawed in Britain, despite polls showing up to 80 per cent of the public support a change in the policy. It is considered a criminal offence and currently carries a maximum jail sentence of 14 years in Britain. Assisted dying is currently legal in several European countries, such as Switzerland - home of Dignitas, and some states in America. The non-profit society was founded in 1998 in the landlocked nation, situated next to France, Germany and Italy. Since the inception of Dignitas, it has reportedly helped more than 2,000 people end their lives. They often have severe physical or mental illnesses. Those wanting to end their lives must not be motivated by selfishness, have to be cleared by an independent doctor and prove they are of sound judgement. 'We need to understand why rational, law abiding people sometimes feel compelled to travel to Switzerland for such care, often not telling their families why they are going. And we need to understand why their loved ones are sometimes prosecuted afterwards for helping them. Surely this tells us that our current arrangements are inhumane.' ADVERTISEMENT Professor Cosford detailed the deterioration in his quality of life as his cancer progresses and said he would have less concern about dying if he knew assisted suicide was an option. He wrote: 'I try hard not to, but inevitably I sometimes ponder how I will die There are many unpleasant scenarios I can contemplate. 'In some ways I hope it will be an infection that takes me, as that may be a quicker and kinder option. Perhaps, paradoxically, covid-19 or flu, which I have worked so hard to control over the years as a public health professional, will come to my aid. He said: 'My exercise tolerance, already much lower than before my cancer, is likely to reduce still further. 'I already get out of breath walking uphill, and I can manage only a few miles on the bike instead of the several hundred I used to enjoy as an ultra long distance cyclist Professor Cosford has had a distinguished career in public health and infectious diseases, and was involved in the UK's response to Ebola ad the Salisbury poisonings. ADVERTISEMENT He stepped down from his role as Director for Health Protection and Medical Director at Public Health England last year due to his illness. He now serves as emeritus medical director at the body, providing advice to the chief executive. New over-the-road and ocean visibility capabilities strengthen the global offering by enabling an end-to-end supply chain view AALBORG, Denmark and PARIS and CHICAGO, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- project44, a global leader in supply chain visibility for shippers and logistics service providers (LSP), today announced advanced capabilities with SAP Logistics Business Network. The latest enhancements include the addition of global ocean visibility and expansion of B2B connectivity for truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) freight contracting. These brand-new native integrations are the next step towards delivering on a joint multi-modal strategy to provide organizations with a single view across their end-to-end supply chains. Driven by a shared vision of a fully connected and transparent logistics network, project44 and SAP joined forces in 2019 to enable B2B connectivity and collaboration, empowering global companies to create more resilient supply chains and make smarter decisions across their logistics workflows with real-time access to high-fidelity data. "With the uncertainty global companies are facing today, supply chains are at their breaking point, and logistics is what interconnects the entire process. Shippers need visibility data to steer their entire supply chain," said Paige Cox, SVP and Head SAP Business Network. - "With their global network, project44 acts as the connective tissue by aggregating high-fidelity data. Combining this power with SAP Logistics Business Network, we plan to deliver global multi-modal visibility." Since the initial launch of the partnership in 2019, project44 and SAP have added some of the largest food manufacturers and global brands to their growing customer portfolios. "Supply chains are moving into a new era of logistics, requiring more collaboration and optionality across regions and modes," said Jett McCandless, Founder and CEO of project44, "In partnership with SAP, we are delivering a connected, intelligent, and resilient solution that will allow global organizations to make proactive decisions across their entire supply chain." Committed to driving more efficiencies across the entire transportation ecosystem, project44 offers coverage across all modes of transportation with access to an expansive and high performing global network that reaches across more than 120 countries. To recognize project44's outstanding contributions as a partner, SAP awarded project44 the 2020 SAP Pinnacle Award as the Cloud Integration Partner of the Year. The winner was chosen based on recommendations from the SAP field, customer feedback, and performance indicators. project44 and SAP will continue to grow the offering to deliver an end-to-end solution across modes and geographies, including integrating rail and air visibility and expanding coverage around the world. To learn more about the joint solution, watch a fireside chat between project44 and SAPor read a recent article about the partnership. About project44 project44 is the world's leading advanced visibility platform for shippers and logistics service providers. project44 connects, automates and provides visibility into key transportation processes to accelerate insights and shorten the time it takes to turn those insights into actions. Leveraging the power of the project44 cloud-based platform, organizations increase operational efficiencies, reduce costs, improve shipping performance, and deliver an exceptional Amazon-like experience to their customers. Connected to thousands of carriers worldwide and having comprehensive coverage for all ELD and telematics devices on the market, project44 supports all transportation modes and shipping types, including Air, Parcel, Final-Mile, Less-than-Truckload, Volume Less-than-Truckload, Groupage, Truckload, Rail, Intermodal, and Ocean. project44 has placed second, behind only Amazon, on FreightWaves' 2020 Freight Tech 25, a list of the most innovative companies across the freight industry, and received the 2020 SAP Pinnacle Award as the Cloud Partner Integration of the Year. To learn more, visit www.project44.com. Any statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties described in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC), including its most recent annual report on Form 20-F, that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. SAP cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which SAP has no obligation to update and which speak only as of their dates. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyrightfor additional trademark information and notices. Mariya Barnes mbarnes@project44.com A Citigroup Inc. trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Citigroup's new global head of equities trading has cut at least three of his most senior U.S. trading personnel as the firm prepares for broader changes at the flagging business, CNBC has learned. The bank yesterday informed Jim Everett, the bank's head of North American high-touch trading, Jason Cuttler, who made derivatives recommendations for hedge funds and pensions, and Bill Power, a regional sales head out of Boston, that their positions were being eliminated, according to people with direct knowledge of the cuts. All three were managing directors, the coveted top title on Wall Street that typically comes with the most responsibilities and biggest bonuses. The moves are just the first steps that Fater Belbachir, who joined Citigroup from Barclays last month to jump-start the firm's equities business, is expected to take. While it began this week with the most expensive American talent, cuts are expected to broaden to lower-ranked workers and spread to the bank's Europe, Middle East and Africa operations, the people said. Citigroup has the sixth-largest global equities trading business, a ranking that leaves them too small to deliver returns that help the overall company meet its performance targets. For instance, in the second quarter, the bank saw equities trading revenue drop 3% to $770 million. At the same time, bigger rival JPMorgan Chase produced a 38% revenue boost to $2.38 billion. "It's been a problem area for Citigroup, which is why you've had so many leadership teams in the last couple of years," said an industry insider who knows Belbachir. "This is Fater's style. He's known to be very cost-focused, very efficiency-focused. He was hired to do the same thing at Barclays." Citigroup spokeswoman Danielle Romero-Apsilos said that the reductions are part of the bank's broader move to trim employees. The company is in the midst of "a limited number of staffing reductions" totaling less than 1% of the firm's 204,000 workers, she said. The overall size of Citigroup should remain steady when factoring in hires, she added. "We have made organizational changes to our equities business over the last several months to capitalize on our investments in talent and technology," Romero-Apsilos said in an e-mailed statement. "The decision to eliminate even a single colleague role is very difficult, especially during these challenging times," she said. "We will do our best to support each person, including offering the ability to apply for open roles in other parts of the firm and providing severance packages." Industry insiders expect that Belbachir, a JPMorgan veteran who spent less than a year at Barclays before agreeing to join Citigroup, will help the bank improve its margins in the equities business. He is credited with helping Barclays and JPMorgan make outsized profits by going long on volatility risk. Some of them said Ms. Bronfman sued them relentlessly, drove them into bankruptcy and even persuaded local prosecutors to initiate criminal charges against them. At times, the hearing felt like an intervention. Several of the women looked straight at Ms. Bronfman, sitting silently at the defense table, and begged her to denounce Mr. Raniere. Ms. Bronfman told the judge last month that she could not disavow Mr. Raniere because she still believed in him. I pray that you will take the claws of Keith Raniere out of you, and you will learn who Clare Bronfman really is, said one of the victims, Susan Dones, through tears. He is killing you, she said. After the victims spoke, Judge Garaufis stared sternly at Ms. Bronfman for several moments. A heavy silence fell over the courtroom. Nxivm (pronounced NEX-ee-um), which was headquartered near Albany, became known as a sex cult after trial testimony showed that Mr. Raniere had groomed a group of women in the group to be his sexual partners. During a secret ritual, the women were branded with his initials near their pelvis while saying, Master, please brand me, it would be an honor. Before Mr. Ranieres trial, Ms. Bronfman and four other leaders within his inner circle pleaded guilty, including top Nxivm recruiter and former Smallville actress Allison Mack. Ms. Bronfman, who was not herself a member of the secretive womens group, pleaded guilty to two charges related to identity theft and immigration fraud. MILFORD The public will have another chance to comment on proposed zoning changes that would allow a 300-unit apartment building to be constructed at the Connecticut Post Mall. The Planning and Zoning Board voted at its Sept. 15 meeting to continue the hearing to Oct. 6. The proposal drew mixed reviews from business leaders, city officials, and residents at a recent hearing. The first speaker during the public hearing was Gary Johnson of Terrace Road, who said he supported the proposal as a necessary thing so that the mall could sustain and grow. Johnson thanked the mall operators for their generosity over the years. He commented that in 1990 during a celebration for the expansion that brought Filenes and JC Penney to the mall, then owner Westfield donated $50,000 to Milford Hospital for some much-needed hospital equipment. While he did not identify himself as serving in that role, Johnson is president and chief executive officer of United Way of Milford. That generosity from Westfield, now to Centennial, has continued in the fact that the mall is very generous in giving to non-profits in this community. United Way is certainly one of the beneficiaries, said Johnson. I think this is necessary thing to happen to ensure the mall stays sustainable and grows in the future. Dominic Cotton of Corona Drive said he sees the project as a positive thing a walkable community close to the highway. Cotton said the project should include 30 units of affordable housing. Pamela Staneski of Point Lookout, executive director of the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, spoke in that role in support of the project, saying that the mall has helped Milford businesses over the years and has sponsored scholarships for graduating high school seniors. Staneski said now the city needs to help the mall. She said the project would provide jobs, and commented that the school system has the capacity to add more students, having dropped from 7,700 to 5,500 students in recent years. We should applaud Centennial and the Connecticut Post Mall leadership for thinking outside the box, looking at the future and addressing the challenges that other malls have ignored, said Staneski. However, Alderman Frank Smith of Second Avenue, D-3, who is running for state representative in the 118th district, said he while understands the trends and difficulties facing the mall, the board should explore other options before going to residential. Smith said the proposed change could open up the floodgates for other residential projects on the Post Road that would transform the traditional commercial district. Kathleen Paulson of Park Avenue said she agreed that the mall needs to change, but said Milford has added a lot of housing recently, which may lead to crowding of schools. I dont think we need any more housing, said Paulson. Julie Nash, director of economic and community development for the city, also spoke in opposition to the project. Nash said that while she would normally applaud a mixed-use development, she said this project is not one that lends itself to the long-term health and well-being of Milford and its economy. She said the residential areas must blend together with the commercial areas to work together as one ecosystem and this is not demonstrated in this project. The proposal is not comprehensive enough to justify the proposed changes, said Nash. The proposal lacks a long-term cohesive plan that encompasses multi-family residential development along with complementary, innovative and vibrant uses that will enhance the viability of the mall. Nash said the project should encompass other uses, such as university extensions, workforce development, corporate headquarters, and co-working spaces, as is being done at other malls across the country. She also expressed the concern about the effect this project would have on surrounding properties. As two of the four examples cited by Nash, she said Google leased the entire Westside Pavilion, a former enclosed shopping mall in Los Angeles, and is using it as a creative office campus. Westfield is repurposing more than 34,000 square feet of its Westfield San Francisco Centre as a co-working space, technology demonstration and event space called Bespoke. In response, Steven Levin, founder and chief executive officer of Centennial, said he is familiar with the Los Angeles project. Levin said he loves co-working and it would be great to work with Google, but said the Los Angeles and San Francisco projects cannot be compared to the mall in Milford. We have to deal with the reality of where we are and what our project is, said Levin, saying the company lost 30 percent of its income in one year. We are asking for your support to help this mall survive. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jess Melvin Wed, September 30, 2020 12:00 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4826126 2 Opinion theconversation,1965-mass-killing,1965-tragedy,impunity,TNI,Soeharto Free It is 55 years since the Indonesian military under former general Soeharto launched a military operation to take over the country following an attempted coup that was blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party. Known as the Annihilation Operation, it resulted in the 1965-66 Indonesian genocide that killed up to 1 million unarmed civilians. Since the time of the killings, the government has maintained that the violence was spontaneous and led by the people who rose in anger against communist followers deemed responsible for the attempted coup that killed seven army officers. However, my latest research has proven the Indonesian military planned the killings. The military spent at least one year preparing to initiate and implement its attack. This included deploying civilian militia groups to support its operation. My analysis of 3,000 pages of secret internal military documents strengthens various findings pointing to the Indonesian militarys involvement in the 1965-66 mass killings. Yet no one has been brought to justice. President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who promised to resolve this crime as part of his presidential campaign, has failed to keep his promise. Today, the Indonesian state remains conflicted over how to come to terms with this dark past. The rising influence of the military in Jokowis second term increases the risk of Indonesia facing similar military operations in the future. Findings from the past In 2010, during fieldwork in Aceh, I obtained access to 3,000 pages of military documents detailing how the military seized control of the Indonesian state before initiating and implementing the 1965-66 killings. I call these internal military documents the Indonesian Genocide Files. Along with other newly public documents produced by the US State Department and the Chinese government, the files provide evidence of military agency behind the violence. The Indonesian Genocide Files prove the 1965-66 killings were launched as a centrally co-ordinated campaign by the military. Under this campaign, the military deployed civilian militia groups and death squads. These carried out extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances and torture to terrorise the population into supporting military rule. Beginning in mid-1964, the military actively planned to seize control of the Indonesian state. The military leadership had grown increasingly concerned that President Sukarno was planning to weaken the militarys monopoly of armed force. The military was especially worried when Sukarno declared his support for the Communist Partys proposal to establish a Fifth Force or peoples army. The US State Department documents show the military leadership hoped to use a pretext event to launch its own undeclared coup and justify its planned attack against the Communist Party. This pretext event occurred during the early hours of 1 October 1965, when a small group of disgruntled military officers, calling themselves the 30 September Movement, kidnapped and murdered key members of the military leadership, whom they accused of planning to stage a coup against Sukarno. The 30 September Movement had no connection to the Communist Partys membership base, but the military was quick to blame the party. Early on the morning of 1 October 1965, Major General Soeharto assumed the position of commander of the armed forces and refused to step down when ordered to do so by Sukarno. He retained his position as commander of the armys Strategic Reserve Command. The Indonesian Genocide Files also show that Soeharto seized control of the Mandala Vigilance Command, established as part of the countrys Crush Malaysia campaign. The command was granted the power to declare martial law internally, without first having to seek the approval of the president. With this new power, Soeharto declared martial law in Sumatra island on 1 October. The use of civilian militias The Indonesian Genocide Files show the military mobilised different types of civilian militia groups during the 1965-66 killings. The military ordered members of political organisations to assist. These included Islamist student groups and nationalist groups such as Pemuda Pancasila. These organisations were encouraged to hunt down communists for the military. Leading members of these organisations were further organised into military-sponsored death squads. Members of the paramilitary Civil Defence and Peoples Defence groups were also mobilised and co-ordinated through the territorial warfare command. These civilian militia groups were involved in the torture, forced disappearances and extrajudicial execution of alleged communists. The deployment of civilian militias was made possible under the militarys warfare structure. As part of this structure, the Military Region Command parallels civilian government from the national level down to provincial, district and sub-district levels. In addition, the military supported the mobilisation of civilian militia groups as part of its Total Peoples Defense doctrine. Learning from the past To this day, no one has been held accountable for the 1965-66 killings. Victims continue to live alongside perpetrators, terrorised into silence. Jokowis promise to resolve past human rights abuses has failed to materialise. Perhaps most worryingly, the military in Jokowis second term continues to increase its influence. Jokowi has allowed key military figures to hold important positions in his administration. This includes the defence minister and former opposition leader, retired general Prabowo Subianto, who has called for a return of the militarys Total Peoples Defence doctrine. Jokowi has, to date, failed to speak out against Prabowos proposal, signalling the countrys setback as a democratic nation that managed to crush the militarys dominance more than 20 years ago. Today, on the 55th anniversary of Soehartos coup and the beginning of the 1965-66 genocide, Indonesia, the worlds third-largest democracy, faces two stark choices. It can seek to investigate and make public the atrocities that occurred in 1965-66, in the hope of never again allowing the country to sink into such horrific violence. Or it can continue to deny military agency behind the 1965-66 killings, while actively re-establishing one of the key policies that allowed the military to commit such atrocities in the first place. Jess Melvin, ARC DECRA Fellow, Department of History, University of Sydney This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Consumers can still take advantage of new 5G services outside of airports Theres apparently been a deal cut regarding the chaos that AT&T and Verizons new 5G service would create on airplanes' instruments and guidance systems. As the clock ticked precariously toward the launch of the 5G enhancement, the White House stepped in late Tuesday to referee the situation. It apparently was able to get the telecom companies to agree to delay 5G C-band deployment around key airports and help airlines avoid a rash of potentially canceled flights. This ... Hillsong Church apologizes for tweet calling President Trump a bully during debate Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Hillsong Church apologized late Tuesday night for a post on its Twitter account that called President Donald Trump a bully and suggested his microphone be cut during the first presidential debate. Cant they just mute Trumps microphone!! Hes coming across as such a bully. No respect for him sorry. #PresidentialDebate2020, said the since deleted tweet that criticized the president nearly an hour into Tuesday's debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Despite the deletion of the tweet, a screenshot of the post quickly became viral on social media and drew concern from people like Greg Locke, popular internet personality and leader of the Global Vision Bible Church in Tennessee. Dear @Hillsong, that was deleted very quickly. Careful. I sat beside @brianhoustontv at the RNC acceptance speech at the White House. Your boss secretly likes Trump, Locke cautioned on Twitter at about 11:00 p.m., referring to Hillsong founder Brian Houston. Dear @Hillsong, that was deleted very quickly. Careful. I sat beside @brianhoustontv at the RNC acceptance speech at the White House. Your boss secretly likes Trump. pic.twitter.com/nfVGkLU4ge Pastor Greg Locke (@pastorlocke) September 30, 2020 About nine minutes later, the international evangelical church posted its apology. Earlier today a staff member accidentally posted on this account personal comments about the US presidential debate that were meant for a personal account. Hillsong does not comment on partisan politics & apologizes. These comments do not represent the views of Hillsong Church, the church said. Last December, during a visit to the White House, Houston, whose church spans more than 150,000 members in 23 countries, explained how honored he was to pray for President Trump. Its a great honor, of course, to have had the chance to go into the cabinet room, even into the Oval Office and pray for the president of the United States of America, he said in a post on Instagram. To me, its not about the politics, its about the position, and a significant man like the president of the US can use all the prayer we can possibly give him. Many voters were turned off by the 90-minute face-off between Trump and Biden, which was the first of three scheduled debates ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. The event saw both candidates frequently interrupting each other. Biden at one point told the president, Will you shut up, man? Veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC on Wednesday that participants in his focus group were disappointed with what they saw in the first debate. I have never had a session blow up where the participants were disappointed on both sides, where everyone was embarrassed and everyone was upset about what had happened, Luntz said. They felt like they didnt get the policy they were looking for, such as on economic issues, Luntz, who had more than a dozen participants in his debate focus group, explained. They felt like the candidates behaved as though they didnt deserve to be president. It actually makes them less likely to vote for any candidate. Some political analysts like NPRs Domenico Montanaro declared in an op-ed Wednesday that this was maybe the worst presidential debate in American history. Photo credit: Courtesy Christy Nyeing From ELLE Photo credit: Courtesy Christy Nyeing The refugee camp in Thailand where Christy Nyeing lived for seven years had no electricity, no plumbing, and no access to healthcare. Meals consisted of plain rice and the occasional chicken bone broth soup. When her mother abandoned their family, Nyeing stepped up to help raise her younger sister and two younger brothers, walking them to school and reading them bedtime stories. She cooked, gathered wood for fires, and took over cleaning duties while her father was at work. But she didn't do it alone. "Everyone who lived in the camp came together to help out when we needed it most," Nyeing, 20, tells ELLE.com. "It is something I'll never forget." The kindness from her community led Nyeing to pursue a career in health education when she came to the U.S. in 2011. It's also what inspired her frontline work as the country continues to battle a crippling public health crisis. Nyeing is one of 21 refugees nearly all of who came to the U.S. through resettlement programs or are the children of resettled refugees swabbing patients and helping with translations at a COVID-19 testing site in Georgia. "In Thailand, I really admired how everyone helped me, even when they had so little themselves," Nyeing says. "Now I feel it is my turn to help out." Photo credit: Ellis Vener The mobile testing site where Nyeing works is organized by CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), an emergency relief nonprofit organization offering free COVID-19 tests for high-risk communities, including low-income groups and communities of color, in coordination with International Rescue Committee. It's located in Clarkston, a small town in DeKalb county that is home to nearly 30,000 refugees from over 60 countries, including Bhutan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somali, Sudan, Liberia, and Vietnam. The city has been dubbed the "Ellis Island of the South" because so many of its residents fled social, religious, or ethnic persecution, often with little more than the clothes on their backs. Members of the community have had to learn to navigate their new realities together. Nyeing and her family moved there in 2011. Story continues Her parents, who are both from Myanmar, left the country to escape conflict between armed ethnic groups and the military before she was born. They applied for refugee status when Nyeing was 4 years old and settled into the refugee camp in Thailand. Her mother and father divorced three years later, leaving Nyeing to assume the role of "mom of the house," as she describes it. "I had to help out because I'm the oldest," she says. "Sometimes I had to be very bossy!" Photo credit: Courtesy Christy Nyeing Before relocating to the U.S., Nyeing used to think the "American Dream" meant having a "big car, big house, and fancy news clothes," she says. "But now that I'm here, I understand it's so much more than that. It's about community and education and opportunities." Nyeing graduated Clarkston high school last year and was accepted to Georgia State University, where she studies public health. All of her classes are online now due to the pandemic. Her siblings are still in high school, and her dad works as a cleaner in a factory. When CORE posted a job listing for a Burmese speaker, Nyeing volunteered right away. Between classes, she puts on PPE and heads to the Clarkston site, where she translates for Myanmar refugees who need COVID tests. She helps them get registered, walks them through the nasal swab process, and explains how to access results. The work is rewarding, she says, but it's also an opportunity to network with healthcare professionals. After college, Nyeing wants to return to Thailand and teach health classes at refugees camps like the one she grew up in. "I'm glad I had the life that I did in Thailand, because I learned from it and now I can go back and make it better," she says. "I want to give back." You Might Also Like live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More East India Securitie's report on Nesco Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC) was handed over to Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to be converted into a COVID care centre. With the volatile situation in cases being reported in Mumbai, the BEC will remain with the MCGM for some more time, post the decline in cases the BEC is expected to be handed back to the company. The company is hopeful that exhibitions should start in a light format from Q4FY21. The revenue in FY22 should be similar to FY20 levels for the exhibition business. The planned expansion of BEC will not be delayed and should start in the next two months once permissions are received. The expansion will be a multipurpose hall for both social and corporate gatherings. The companys own events division has been dialled back for now, although the company has big plans for the same going ahead. Jio Convention centre is not seen as a threat by the company, as it craters to a different segment of exhibiters. Currently no rental hikes are on the cards for BEC till FY22. Outlook We arrive at a target price of Rs631 through DCF method implying an 18 PE multiple to FY22E earnings. We have Accumulate rating on the stock. For all recommendations report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More Kansas reported another seven-day record for new coronavirus cases, with 16% of the tests for the virus during that period coming back positive on Monday. The continued spike in confirmed and probable cases comes as officials in some Kansas counties worry that they wont be able to spend some coronavirus relief funds before the end of the year as federal law requires. Some counties havent seen any of $400 million in aid allocated by the state in June because of the states process for reviewing their spending plans. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Kansas had 2,037 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases since Friday, an increase of 3.6% to make the total 58,629 since the pandemic reached the state in early March. Kansas had an average of 667 new cases a day for the seven days ending Monday, or 7% higher than the previous record of 622 for the seven days ending Wednesday. The state also reported five new COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the pandemic total to 637. Deaths continued to represent about 1.1% of the total cases. During a news conference Monday, Gov. Laura Kelly said she was concerned with the lack of a statewide mask mandate and testing strategy. Kelly said she is also worried Kansans with preexisting health conditions may lose their health insurance if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the Affordable Care Act. This week numbers continue to grow. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, my concerns remain the same, especially because today we saw the highest number of cases in a single reporting period, Kelly said. Kelly also announced her administrations plans to implement a new statewide testing strategy in coming weeks. She said the plan will increase routine testing in congregate facilities, including nursing homes, correctional facilities and schools, and areas of the state with high ongoing community spread. She said the new plan includes testing people who are asymptomatic in areas where there are larger concentrations of COVID-19. The state has seen its testing increase since September began to about an average of nearly 4,200 a day for the seven days ending Monday. Kansas officials want to see the states rate of positive tests drop, but the seven-day figure of 16% was the largest in three weeks. Meanwhile, counties are now answering questions from the states Office of Recovery about how they plan to spend the $400 million in aid, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported. The counties had to submit their spending plans to the office by mid-August, and the office responded earlier this month. The money was the first part of $1.25 billion in aid from the federal government to Kansas. The states 105 counties face a time crunch because they have until the end of the year to spend the money or return it, and theyre navigating the states back-and-forth review process. As soon as we heard that the money was going to have to be spent by the end of the year, all of our brains exploded, said Jeremy Johnson, a county commissioner in Crawford County in southeast Kansas, which has yet to receive any of its $7.8 million in relief funds. Federal law requires that the funds be used only for COVID-related purposes, and the state is aware of the pressing deadline that counties face. Recovery Office executive director Julie Lorenz, also Kansas transportation secretary, said a close eye needs to be kept on counties with plans to spend much of the money toward the end of the year. Johnson doesnt blame the state, saying he wants it to take the time to meticulously analyze and ensure all of the money is spent. He said the bigger issue is the end-of-the-year deadline set by the federal government. In its report for Ford County, the Recovery Office questioned the countys plan to use part of its $11.1 million dollars for construction of two city buildings. The city of Ford needs a new building for city administration functions, said city clerk Penny McAllister, because the one she operates out of right now is an old school building with no windows, ventilation or enough spacing. She said retrofitting the building could cost millions of dollars, while building a new one would cost $245,000. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics COVID-19 Kansas Newly elected President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs who also doubles as the paramount chief of Breman Asikuma traditional area, Odeefuo Amoakwa Boadu VIII has underscored the need for Chiefs to support the education of children in order to adequately prepare them for the future. Odeefuo Boadu VIII called on the Chiefs to collectively work to make the Central Region a preferred and attractive education hub. "We will form various Committees with clear responsibilities and every member of the house will have the privilege to work with at least one committee," he said. Odeefuo Boadu VIII made this remark during the election of new Chiefs to join the Central National and Regional House of Chiefs in Cape Coast. The newly elected President added that the Region will soon not be counted among the poorest Regions in Ghana stressing "we should exert the right influence as Chiefs to improve upon infrastructure and primary health care in the Region. Odeefuo Boadu VIII, who won the election by 15 votes against the sitting President Obrempong Nyanful Krampah XI, further stated that there can be no development without peace, therefore its very important for the Chiefs to maintain peace in the traditional areas and the Region at large. He thanked his predecessor, former President of Central Regional House of Chiefs and paramount chief of Gomoa Adjumako traditional area, Obrempong Nyarko Krampa VII and his Vice Obrempong Appiah Nuamah II, paramount Chief of Twifo traditional area, for their good works and also for leading the house for the past 4 years. The house also elected three newly Chiefs to represent in the National House of Chiefs. They are Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, who is the current Vice President of the National House of Chiefs, Odeefuo Afankwa III and Oseadeyo kwesi Kennin IV. Source: Sally Ngissah/Peace News Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Empire Cement Packaging plans affordable cement for Ghanaians 30 September 2020 Empire Cement Packaging Ltd has acquired 18.74 acres of land in Weija, Ghana, to establish the company under the One District One Factory initiative. The company has reiterated that it has a comprehensive plan to operate without affecting or disturbing other companies such as the Panbrose Salt Company. Empire Cement Packaging Ltd aims to deliver affordable cement to Ghanaians. The 1Mta factory will cost approximately US$500m and is being developed in partnership with Obokom Civil Engineering Ltd, which will own a 30 per cent stake in the factory. Chinese investors will own a 70 per cent share in the joint venture. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in June 2020 and the plant is expected to be built within one year. Published under Above: Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer, Etihad Aviation Group, described how leadership in aviation and aerospace is going to be more important in difficult times like this than at any time before. Courtesy Etihad Aviation Group The Summit included a line up of industry leaders from across the world who addressed audiences online regarding the aviation, aerospace, space and defence sectors biggest tests and future prospects. Mohammed Ahmad Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defense Affairs, United Arab Emirates, said that wherever there is ambition, innovation and creativity, humanity will find the ability to overcome difficulties, achieve the impossible and rise again. He added that the UAE has developed a unique model for dealing with this crisis to ensure the continuity of work and the resumption of normal life. Al Bowardi highlighted that the aerospace industry plays a fundamental role in the world economy and that industrial investments in the aerospace sector represent a great portion of the major industrial countries' investments. Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman, UAE Space Agency, highlighted that growth in the space sector is being driven by the need to develop new design concepts and that seemingly traditional roles in space are changing with government enabling the private sector to facilitate industry growth. H.E. added that new players entering the space sector are focussed on the development of capabilities and technological advancements. Ahmad Al-Ohali, Governor of Saudi Arabias General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) explained how GAMI has created a framework to streamline the investment landscape so that there are no barriers to foreign investors who are interested in entering the market, as long as they partner with the Kingdom in its promising journey towards localizing the industry through building on the mutual interests and common goals. Khaled Abdulla Al Qubaisi, chief executive officer, Aerospace, Renewables & ICT, Mubadala Investment Company said that the industry is in survival mode and facing extremely tough new decisions. He added that as an industry of innovators, leaders will have to use this mode to transition to a more agile and sustainable business mode. Faisal Al Bannai, chief executive officer and managing director, EDGE addressed the effects, opportunities and lessons of disruption time and how to manage supply chains in the Arab region. He spoke about how the aerospace industry is going through further iterations and evolutions with autonomous technology. Examples include the increasing use of drones, which bring more security to human workforce. Jim Taiclet, president and chief executive officer, Lockheed Martin Corporation highlighted how the organisations partners are looking to leverage emerging technologies for the benefit of their men and women in uniform and their citizens technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G telecommunications, quantum and distributed computing. He added that the industry should actively seek opportunities to partner with commercial technology companies and academia to bring some of these game-changing technologies into the 21st century battlespace, and build and empower the next generation of talent. Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer, Etihad Aviation Group described how leadership in aviation and aerospace is going to be more important in difficult times like this than any time before. He spoke about how Etihad is navigating the greatest crisis in aviation history and talks of the importance of wellness, technology and sustainability as drivers for the future. Californias Governor Gavin Newsom last week announced that the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines would be banned from 2035 in the state administrations latest effort to reduce its carbon footprint. The move was praised by environmentalists and carmakers alike - the latter already having committed billions to build an EV presence. But there is one problem the Golden State might want to fix by 2035 if the ban is to work: its power supply. Last month, California was threatened by the first rolling blackouts in about two decades as a heatwave led to a spike in electricity consumption. This, in turn, revealed that the states demand exceeded its supply - including imported electricity - and ignited a debate about whether it had grown its renewable energy generation capacity too aggressively for its own good. The debate is important if California plans on letting millions of EVs on its roads in less than two decades. These EVs will add to the demand for electricity, and there is no guarantee whatsoever they would need this electricity in off-peak hours. In the meantime, California will continue expanding its renewable capacity but likely not gas capacity. According to some, this could be a problem because gas provides an essential baseload when solar and wind cant supply power to the grid. Others, however, have brushed off these concerns. The president of the California Independent System Operator, the state grids manager, recently told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that the problem was more complex than some made it out to be. A shortage of imports and mostly the fact that Californias grid operates too close to the margin were at the heart of the outages. We knew coming into the day on Friday that we were going to be tight, but thats not unusual, Stephen Berberich told the LA Times. Were often tight. And imports generally take care of the gap. In this case, because it was hot in the West, we werent able to get the imports we would normally get. Renewables are not at the heart of the issues we had on Friday night. Yet renewables do bear improvement in the form of batteries, which, according to Berberich, could help with the load problem. However, they wont solve it on their own. Solar, he noted, is not available 24/7. In fact, Solar has virtually no value in the net peak hours, in the evening. This intermittency has plagued solar - and, perhaps to a lesser extent, wind - for years. Batteries are getting bigger and better, but they have a long way to go before they can completely replace power plants with a constant supply of fuel. In other words, the California grid is quite vulnerable to outages, especially during the summer season. This summer, when authorities asked Californians to conserve energy to prevent blackouts, they did. But can the authorities prescribe EV charging times to alleviate the load on the grid? This will hardly work with millions of people. Related: Worlds No.1 Oil Trader Sees Crude Inventories Shrinking This Year Electricity demand in California could jump by 25 percent if all passenger vehicles on its roads are electric, the Wall Street Journals Russell Gold wrote last week, citing calculations done by experts. This is a major demand increase even if it is hypothetical: California will not be banning existing ICE cars from the road, only new sales. Sales of used ICE cars will also be allowed after 2035. But the goal is clear enough: make EVs the dominant mode of transportation. And this will cost the grid. There has been an idea to use EVs to actually supply power to the grid when needed, but it has been fraught with problems that, for now, make it impractical. Thats all right because the millions of EVs that the idea envisages as grid supporters have yet to hit the road. For now, the only other idea about how to cope with the situation is adapting the grid to the higher demand: upgrading the transmission and distribution equipment to handle the stronger demand from households, since most EVs are charged at home. One utility, the WSJs Gold reported, has also suggested incentivizing people to charge their cars during off-peak hours to avoid overloading the grid. For now, the best time to do this seems to be the middle of the day. Trying to make millions of people charge their EVs during the middle of the day could be challenging despite any incentives utilities might think of. And in case it does work, the additional EVs would just turn into another peak demand period, potentially threatening more outages in its own right since most drivers would want to fast-charge their EVs if they would be charging them at noon instead of at night, at home. Reconciling Californias grid vulnerability with its EV ambitions will require a lot of workwork that needs to get underway now. Currently, EVs comprise just a tenth of Californias car demand. This may change by 2035, and with the proper incentives, it probably will. So, the grid needs to be prepared for the surge in EVs that would need charging because the heatwaves during the summer are unlikely to go away. By Irina Slav for Oilpirce.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com State health officials confirmed another 450 coronavirus cases on Tuesday as the test positivity rate and the number of COVID-related hospitalizations continues to tick up. There are now 129,243 cases of COVID across Massachusetts. Tuesdays increase is based on 14,124 new reported molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials also announced another eight COVID-related deaths, for a total now of 9,210 statewide. The seven-day average of positive tests has risen to 1% again, up from a low of .8% in recent weeks, according to Tuesdays data. There are currently 444 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including 107 in intensive care. Both figures have increased in recent days. The latest state figures come as COVID-19 deaths worldwide surpass one million, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. There are more than 33 million cases of the virus since the pandemic was declared roughly six months, including more than 205,000 deaths in the United States. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Tuesday that Massachusetts communities at lower risk for COVID spread will be cleared to move into the next step in the states reopening plan beginning Oct. 5. Those places are designated gray, green and yellow on the states COVID risk assessment map. Under this latest step, the state will allow indoor and outdoor performance venues up to 50% capacity or 250 people. The state will allow up to 50% capacity for arcades and recreational businesses with trampolines, obstacle courses, roller rinks and laser tag, as well as gyms, museums, libraries, driving schools and flight academies, Baker said. Several colleges and school districts with hybrid models are reverting to remote learning following new outbreaks on campuses and large gatherings. Some of the gatherings, such as a recent party that drew dozens of Milton teens, have not been verified as COVID-19 magnets but prompted school officials to go remote as a precaution. In North Andover, Merrimack College moved to go fully remote after a five students in a dorm tested positive for the virus. In Springfield, Health Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris said infections are rising again, noting that the trend appears to be linked to people not wearing masks, socially distancing or isolating. A recent cluster of COVID-19 cases on Nantucket island have been linked to a church gathering, officials say. After months of low case numbers, the island is now one of 15 communities labeled high risk for coronavirus transmission. Boston University said on Tuesday that it will begin disciplinary hearings after nearly two dozen students were at an outdoor party over the weekend reportedly not following university-mandated COVID-19 guidelines, including gathering size, masks and social distancing. The college also announced that it is canceling spring break next semester due to coronavirus concerns. Here are the number of coronavirus cases in each Massachusetts county: Barnstable County: 1,779 Berkshire County: 717 Bristol County: 10,074 Dukes County: 64 Essex County: 19,921 Franklin County: 411 Hampden County: 8,254 Hampshire County: 1,235 Middlesex County: 27,507 Nantucket County: 105 Norfolk County: 10,308 Plymouth County: 9,726 Suffolk County: 24,426 Worcester County: 14,417 Unknown location: 299 Related Content: Marvelling at Mandela, and the spirit and humility of the man Michael Cassidy reflects on one of his meetings with South Africas first democratic president. 18th of July, Nelson Mandelas birthday, is celebrated internationally each year, to honour the legacy of this great leader. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, also affectionately known by his clan name, Madiba, was elected as president in South Africas first fully representative democratic election, in 1994. After 27 years of imprisonment by the apartheid government, with its institutionalised racism, Nelson Mandela chose to lead South Africas new coalition government, and the nation, in reconciliation. Declining a second term as president, he then chose to focus on philanthropy rather than politics. AE founder Michael Cassidy, in his autobiography, Footprints in the African Sand, gives a fascinating account of South Africa in the 1990s, and his encounters with Mandela at the time. He recalls his sense of awe at meeting Mr Mandela, and Madibas teasing humour as he remarked to Michael: I have heard good things of AEs work. But perhaps they only tell me the good things! Michael reminisces on another meeting where he was able to give Mr Mandela one of Billy Grahams books. Madiba, speaking of Billy Graham, remarked, I was much touched by one of his sermons which I saw on television when I was in Pollsmoor Prison. In fact, you know, when I was on Robben Island I never missed a church service or Bible study and I appreciated very much my regular visits from a Dutch Reformed minister. I wanted to send a gift from me to his wife, and all I had was a guava from my breakfast that morning. So thats what I gave. But when the wardens realised I was developing a friendship with this minister, they disallowed him from coming to see me. I thought that very sad. In 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president following a peaceful national election that was deemed an absolute miracle. In 1996, when violence threatened to sabotage South Africas provincial elections, Madiba told Michael: You know, we politicians cant fix this thing. Thats why we need you people and the Church to come to our aid and see what you can do. In remembering Madiba, we honour his legacy: humility, forgiveness and reconciliation. And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that makes us ministers of reconciliation too. Lord Holmes denies any wrongdoing. (Victoria Jones/PA Wire) A beauty therapist has been accused of rewriting history in her allegation that a blind former Tory peer sexually assaulted her. Lord Chris Holmes of Richmond, a nine-time Paralympic swimming gold medallist, is accused of sexually assaulting the woman on 7 March last year. The 48-year-old peer, formerly with the Conservatives, allegedly groped the womans bottom and asked if she did extras as he pointed at his crotch. Holmes denies any wrongdoing. His defence was given her victim impact statement, notes from the womans counselling sessions and text arguments with her boyfriend. Sarah Forshaw QC, defending Holmes, suggested on Wednesday that the alleged victim would exaggerate and overthink things. You get things in your head that arent true, Forshaw asserted. The woman denied her evidence was exaggerated or overthought. Lord Holmes is accused of sexual assault. (Victoria Jones/PA Wire) Forshaw read the therapists statement that the alleged incident turned her life upside down. Thats not true, because a client, on your account, touched your bottom over clothing on one occasion? Forshaw said. You are rewriting history to fit your account of what happened, Im going to suggest that. The woman also stated that her relationship with her boyfriend had been affected. Holmess defence read a series of arguments the couple had on WhatsApp that took place before the alleged assault. She had also complained to her boyfriend that two of her ex-partners had stalked her after one liked a social media post and she bumped into the other one in Tesco, the court heard. The woman said the disagreements were normal, and stalking was a phrase used when someone goes through anothers social media account. The court was told she complained that her wrists had been broken after police handcuffed her when she faced a charge of assaulting an officer after a boozy brunch in Brixton in December 2019. The case is taking place at Southwark Crown Court. (PA) The defence claims she was instead treated for soft-tissue damage. Holmess trial at Southwark Crown Court has previously heard how the therapist, who cannot be named for legal reasons, feared she could not tell the police about the alleged incident because she finished the deep tissue massage. Story continues She said on Tuesday that she was worried Holmes would hurt himself or his guide dog if she left the small room at a five star London hotel. The woman said she had allowed Holmes to touch her face, believing blind people did that. She told her manager half an hour after the alleged assault that she should have left the room, but he shushed me and apologised so many times, and told her boyfriend it was my fault as I stayed in the room. Her boyfriend said she should complain to the House of Lords or the police, adding that authorities take this seriously now after #MeToo. Jurors have been told that Holmess defence suggests the woman has made a malicious claim to gain financially. He has been blind since he was 14, and has also had a successful career as a solicitor. The trial continues. "Google continues to make capturing moments easy with an unbeatable camera, vast storage, plus the brilliant display keeps those special memories crystal clear," said OtterBox CEO Jim Parke. "OtterBox keeps your connection protected from daily drops and bumps with cases for Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a (5G)." Show off your new Google device with Symmetry Series for Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a (5G). Symmetry Series is sleek, stylish and protective day after day. The clear or clear sparkle cases protect from everyday drops and bumps. Defender Series for Google Pixel 5 provides multi-layer defense for everything from adventures in parenting to hiking a fourteener, with a screenless design that lets you interact directly with the display. Protect Google Pixel 4a (5G) with two-layer defense packed into a slim case with Commuter Series. For an added layer of protection, Commuter Series now offers antimicrobial protection to defend against everyday bacteria, too.3 Amplify Glass incorporates the first EPA-registered antimicrobial glass and will help keep your screen safe from damage with 5X anti-scratch and shatter resistance.4 Amplify glass is compatible with Symmetry Series, Defender Series and Commuter Series for Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a (5G). OtterBox understands this industry better than anyone and has gone the extra mile to guarantee all products are 5G compatible. OtterBox has searched and sourced new materials and poured hours into researching and testing all to ensure cases are as protective as ever, and ready to be 5G transparent, without compromise. OtterBox cases for Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a (5G) are coming soon to otterbox.com . About OtterBox: OtterBox innovates bold products that deliver confidence and trust in any pursuit. From its humble beginnings with a drybox in a Fort Collins, Colo., garage, OtterBox has honed and leveraged its expertise in manufacturing and design to become the No. 1-selling smartphone case brand in the U.S. and a leader in rugged outdoor lifestyle products.1 At the center of every OtterBox innovation is a deeper goal to affect positive, lasting change. In partnership with the OtterCares Foundation, OtterBox grows to give back by inspiring kids to change the world through entrepreneurship and philanthropy. To learn more about this mission, visit otterbox.com/givingback. For more information, visit https://www.otterbox.com/. 1 Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service: Cell Phone Device Protection / Units Sold / January 2016 July 2019 2 Symmetry Series, Defender Series, Commuter Series are NOT protective against water. Will provide added protection against drops and shock. 3Helps protect the case exterior against many common bacteria. It does not protect you or the screen. 4Amplify Glass with antimicrobial technology does not protect the user or provide any express or implied public health benefit. SOURCE Otter Products LLC Related Links http://www.otterbox.com Google searches for 'move to Canada' spiked after the first presidential debate on Tuesday. The search engine saw queries for moving from the US to the neighboring country spike following the chaotic debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden where they repeatedly interrupted each other and dropped snide comments. 'How to apply for Canadian citizenship' soared an hour into the debate and peaked around 10.30pm, according to a Google Trends. It spiked again at 3.44am Wednesday and again around 7.30am. Google searches for 'move to Canada' spiked just one hour into the chaotic first presidential debate on Tuesday evening Google Trends shows that the first spike in searches related to moving to Canada took place around 10.30pm Tuesday evening, about an hour and a half into the debate. It was followed by surges on Wednesday morning around 4am and 7.30am The most searches came from Massachusetts followed by Michigan, New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania The most searches came from Massachusetts followed by Michigan, New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Google searches for 'how to move to Canada' and 'move to Canada' also surged during the contentious debate. The search for 'how to move to Canada' was most popular in Wyoming, Oregon, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Washington state. The searches are an echo to the 2016 election when many Americans threatened to flee north if Trump won the presidency. Twitter users also shared memes and jokes sarcastically saying they'd pack their bags and move up north, but the border has been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The raging debate saw Trump bulldoze his opponent and moderator journalist Chris Wallace with interruptions and Biden slam the president a 'clown', 'the worst president America has ever had', and snap 'Will you shut up, man.' In one stunning moment Wallace asked Trump to condemn white supremacists and militias. The searches are an echo to the 2016 election when many Americans threatened to flee north if Trump won the presidency Twitter users also shared memes and jokes sarcastically saying they'd pack their bags and move up north, but the border has been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic 'Proud boys - stand back and stand by! But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left,' Trump said, refusing to outright denounce them. When Biden brought up his late son Beau and his decorated service in Iraq, Trump quipped back, 'I didnt know Beau. I know Hunter. He was thrown out, dishonourably discharged for cocaine use.' CNN host Dana Bash blased the tumultuous debate as 'a s**tshow'. 'That was a s**t show,' the veteran host exclaimed, 'and, you know, we're on cable. We can say that. Apologies for being, maybe a little bit crude, but that is really the phrase I'm getting from people on both sides of the aisle on text and it's the only phrase I can think of to really describe it.' Her co-hosts Jake Tapper and Abby Phillip shared the same sentiments, describing the event as a 'hot mess inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck' and as a 'complete disaster', respectively. The search engine saw queries for moving from the US to the neighboring country spike following the chaotic debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden where they repeatedly interrupted each other and dropped snide comments NBC's Chuck Todd described the debate as a 'train wreck', blaming Trump rather than Biden for the chaos. 'We know who did it. President Trump did this,' said Todd. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said that 'this sort of debate shouldn't happen in a democracy'. 'What happened on that debate stage was unlike anything that has happened on a presidential debate stage ever before,' she said, calling Trump's performance a 'monstrous cavalcade of increasingly wild and obscene lies'. Amid the admonishment, an instant poll conducted by CBS found that a majority of 48 percent of viewers thought that Joe Biden won the opening debate, to just 41 percent who believe Trump did. Another 10 percent of the viewership believed the event ended in a tie. The vast majority of viewers - 83 percent - said the tone of the debate was negative, and the most common reaction to the proceedings was annoyance, the poll found. A similar CNN audience poll yielded even less favourable results for Trump. A landslide 60 percent of pollsters ruled a Biden victory, with only 28 percent backing the incumbent. Finland has deployed dogs trained to smell the coronavirus at the countrys main international airport. A trial of this experimental search method will take place for four months. If successful, the system could be established as a low-cost and quick way to identify infected travelers. Finlands Smell Detection Association trained the four dogs now at work in the Helsinki Airport. Its a very promising method. Dogs are very good at sniffing, said Anna Hielm-Bjorkman, a University of Helsinki professor of animal medicine. If it works, it will be a good screening method, she added. Hielm-Bjorkman believes the dogs could be used at hospitals, ports, group homes for older people and at large public gatherings. The airports Twitter page includes an image of one of the newly employed sniffers. Researchers in countries including Australia, France, Germany and the United States are also studying dogs. But, the Finnish trial is among the largest so far. Hielm-Bjorkman told The Associated Press that Finland is the second country after the United Arab Emirates - and the first in Europe - to use dogs to sniff out the coronavirus. A similar program started at Dubai International Airport over the summer. Passengers who agree to take a free test under the voluntary program in Helsinki do not have direct physical contact with a dog. They are asked to swipe their skin with material which is then put into a container and given to a dog waiting in a separate place. The animals - ET, Kossi, Miina and Valo all received training in the past to smell cancer, diabetes or other diseases. The trainers say it takes a dog a 10 seconds to sniff the virus samples before it gives the test result by scratching with a paw. They also might lie down, make a noise or do something else to make their findings known. The process should be completed within one minute, said Hielm-Bjorkman. If the result is positive, the passenger is urged to take a coronavirus test to confirm the dogs result. The airport is near Helsinki, in the city of Vantaa. Its deputy mayor, Timo Aronkyto, said the program is costing $350,000. He called the amount remarkably lower than other methods of testing arriving passengers. The four sniffer dogs are to work in the airport at different times, with two on duty at a time while the other two get a break. If the scent is easy, it doesnt wear out the dogs too much. But if there are lots of new scents around, dogs do get tired easier, said Anette Kare of the Smell Detection Association, as she patted her white dog ET. Im Mario Ritter, Jr. Jari Tanner reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story sniffing v. to breathe air into your nose in a way that can be heard often in an effort to smell something screening v. examining or testing people to see if they can board a plan or take part in some other activity swipe v. to make a motion across a surface scratching v. to move a hand or paw across the ground or the body paw n. the foot of an animal scent n. a smell that can be identified by a dog or similar animal We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Zimbabwe's main opposition party is denying an accusation from a state security official that it is plotting a coup attempt. State security minister Owen Ncube offered no evidence for his accusation, made Monday, and political analysts warn Zimbabwe has a history of using such allegations to crack down on opposition parties. Clifford Hlatywayo, spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC Alliance), dismissed a claim from state security minister Owen Ncube that the party is smuggling guns into the country for a coup. MDC Alliance are archbishops of peace. ZANU-PF are the archbishops of violence," said Hlatywayo. "We are victims of violence, state sponsored and state engineered. What we know is the ballot and not the bullet. What we are being accused of is false, baseless. What they are trying to do is blame game. They do not want dissenting voices. Late Monday, Ncube said Zimbabwes security and stability was under siege from a number of threats being fomented by internal and external actors. The objective of this attack is to effect an unconstitutional change of government following the outcome of the 2018 harmonized elections, which was not favorable to the MDC-Alliance and its foreign backers," Ncube said. "As the state security arms of government, we would like to assure citizens that we are watching the environment very closely and that we shall fulfil our mandate of ensuring peace, stability and development in Zimbabwe. In his remarks, aired on state television, Ncube did not say which countries allegedly are working to topple the Zimbabwean government. Prolific Mataruse is a senior political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe. He says he is not surprised by the security ministers claims, given that some Western countries and activists have been complaining about a crackdown targeting activists. "It is probably expected that as the country continues to experience economic challenges within the framework of COVID 19, underutilization of industrial capacity, liquidity challenges and other contested issues, we are likely to witness more of such statements or more ideas about external threats," Mataruse said. "It is almost a rule that as domestic policies face challenges real or imagined ideas about outside threats come to the fore. Under the 37-year rule of the late Robert Mugabe, the government would periodically accuse the opposition of plotting to topple the government. The accusations would be followed by the arrest of opposition leaders on charges of treason. In 2017, his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, promised not to use the iron-fisted tactics of Mugabe. But activists have complained that Mnangagwa is not living up to his word. In July, more than a dozen opposition activists went into hiding, fearing prosecution, after the government used force to break up an anti-government protest. He had been living with a recurrence of leukaemia for several months and received hospice care at his home in Palm Springs, California Timothy Ray Brown, 54, has died after a battle with cancer, the International Aids Society (IAS) announced Wednesday The first person to be cured of HIV, Timothy Ray Brown - known as the 'Berlin Patient'-- has died after a battle with cancer, the International Aids Society (IAS) announced Wednesday. The 54-year-old made medical history and became a symbol of hope for the tens of millions of people living with the virus that causes AIDS when he was cured of it in 2007. Last week, he revealed that he had been living with leukaemia for several months and was receiving hospice care at his home in Palm Springs. IAS President Adeeba Kamarulzaman announced his death on Tuesday in a statement. Timothy Ray Brown poses for a photograph, Monday, March 4, 2019, in Seattle. Brown, also known as the "Berlin patient," was the first person to be cured of HIV infection 'On behalf of all its members... the IAS sends its condolences to Timothys partner, Tim, and his family and friends,' said IAS President Adeeba Kamarulzaman. 'We owe Timothy and his doctor, Gero Hutter, a great deal of gratitude for opening the door for scientists to explore the concept that a cure for HIV is possible.' Brown was diagnosed with HIV while was studying in Berlin in 1995. A decade later, he was diagnosed with leukaemia, a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. To treat his leukaemia, his doctor at the Free University of Berlin used a stem cell transplant from a donor who had a rare genetic mutation that gave him natural resistance to HIV, hoping it may wipe out both diseases. It took two painful and dangerous procedures, but it was a success: in 2008 Brown was declared free of the two ailments, and was initially dubbed 'the Berlin Patient' at a medical conference to preserve his anonymity. Timothy Ray Brown with his dog, Jack, on Treasure Island in San Francisco in 2011. Brown, who was known for years as the Berlin patient, had a transplant in Germany from a donor with natural resistance to the AIDS virus. It was thought to have cured Brown's leukemia and HIV Two years later, he decided to break his silence and went on to become a public figure, giving speeches and interviews and starting his own foundation. 'I am living proof that there could be a cure for AIDS,' he told AFP in 2012. 'It's very wonderful, being cured of HIV.' While he remained cured of HIV, his cancer returned. In an interview with The Associated Press recently, he said he was still glad he underwent the procedure. 'Im still glad that I had it. It opened up doors that werent there before' he said. Ten years after Brown was cured, a second HIV sufferer -- dubbed 'the London Patient' -- was revealed to be in remission 19 months after undergoing a similar procedure. The patient, Adam Castillejo, is currently HIV-free. In August a California woman was reported to have no traces of HIV despite not using anti-retroviral treatment. It is thought she may be the first person to be cured of HIV without undergoing the risky bone marrow treatment. Sharon Lewin, president-elect of the IAS and director of the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, Australia, praised Brown as a 'champion and advocate' of a cure for HIV. 'It is the hope of the scientific community that one day we can honour his legacy with a safe, cost-effective and widely accessible strategy to achieve HIV remission and curs using gene edition or techniques that boost immune control,' she said. Almost four years after the Lucknow High Court shifted out to the new building on Faizabad road, the old High court building in Kaiserbagh is buzzing with activity again because of the Babri Masjid demolition case verdict. Twenty-eight years after the 16th-century mosque was brought down triggering a cycle of communal violence and politics, we look back at 16 headlines that captured the Babri Masjid demolition.The first big-armed assault on Babri Masjid was reported in October 1990, when thousands of Kar Sevaks led by the VHP stormed the mosque and police firing killed six of them. (Image: Anand Swaroop Verma) The Treasury Department on Tuesday said airlines could receive larger federal loans than previously expected after some carriers opted out, freeing up more funds in the program. Congress in March approved $25 billion in federal loans for U.S. passenger airlines to help them weather the coronavirus pandemic, which has kept air travel demand at roughly 30% of last year's levels. Despite preliminary agreements, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines have said they ultimately don't plan to pursue the loans, thanks to other sources of financing. Delta, for example, earlier this month said it was able to upsize a debt sale backed by its SkyMiles frequent flyer program to $9 billion from the $6.5 billion it planned. Airlines have until Wednesday to decide whether to take the federal loans. Seven airlines Alaska, American, Frontier, JetBlue, Hawaiian, SkyWest and United are planning to take the loans, the Treasury Department said. American last week said it secured $5.5 billion from the program, more than the $4.75 billion it had expected to receive. The Fort Worth-based carrier said it expects it will have up to $7.5 billion available, the maximum amount for a single carrier. U.S. passenger airlines also received portions of $25 billion in payroll support, mostly grants, from the government. Those funds prohibit carriers from cutting jobs until Oct. 1, but in just hours, the airlines, mostly American and United, plan to cut more than 30,000 jobs. Airlines and their labor unions are urging Congress for an additional $25 billion that would preserve sector jobs through March 31. That proposal has won support from a bipartisan group of lawmakers as well as from the Trump administration and was included in a new $2.2 trillion national coronavirus relief package House Democrats unveiled on Monday. "We call on Congress to extend the Payroll Support Program so we can continue to support aviation industry workers as our economy reopens and we continue on the path to recovery," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement. If theres one thing remote workers probably dont miss about going into the office, its the commute. Microsoft, however, disagrees. The company announced that it is working on a new feature for its Teams platform that will allow remote workers to schedule virtual commutes.The idea is to help give workers a solid separation between work and home, a time before and after work each day where they can reflect and set goals without work or home getting in the way. This does admittedly sound more calming than an actual commute would be, sort of like a miniature meditation session.Microsoft has yet to reveal details on exactly how this feature, set to roll out in 2021, will work. According to the Wall Street Journal , users may be able to write down goals and to-do lists for each day, and then uncompleted items will be moved to the following day. The feature may also ask workers to describe how they feel at the beginning and end of each day. Julia Garner disappeared into the role of fake German heiress Anna Delvey while filming in New York this Tuesday. The 26-year-old actress is leading the cast of the upcoming Netflix mini-series Inventing Anna, which chronicles the escapades of the fraudster. Known for her role as brash, brassy, curly-haired Ruth Langmore in Ozark, Julia was worlds away in both appearance and character as she donned a sleek blonde wig to play the elegant fraudster in the new show. Workday: Julia Garner disappeared into the role of fake German heiress Anna Delvey while filming in New York this Tuesday Her Manhattan chic outfit included a slinky little black dress and a pair of matching leather gloves, plus stiletto boots. Julia's black and white houndstooth jacket featured flecks of red, forming the perfect complement to her gleaming crimson purse. Wearing her blonde hair down, she accented the look with makeup and a black choker and slipped into black hose. Between takes Julia and the rest of the cast and crew made sure to take the precaution of wearing masks. Who's that girl? Known for her role as brash, brassy, curly-haired Ruth Langmore in Ozark (left), Julia was worlds away in both appearance and character as she donned a sleek blonde wig to play the elegant fraudster in the new show (right) Chic to the hilt: The 26-year-old blonde is leading the cast of the upcoming Netflix mini-series Inventing Anna, which chronicles the escapades of the fraudster Julia and a couple of her male cast members were also glimpsed wearing transparent face shields for extra protection. However she did have to take her face covering off at one point in order to have her makeup touched up by a masked crew member. The show covers the real life of Anna Sorokina, who was born outside Moscow but pretended to be a German heiress while in America. Last year she was sentenced to four to 12 years behind bars for scamming hotels, banks and a private jet firm out of almost $200,000, as well for attempting to bilk a $25 million loan from a hedge fund. Careful: Between takes Julia and the rest of the cast and crew made sure to take the precaution of wearing masks Doubling up: Julia and a couple of her male cast members were also glimpsed wearing transparent face shields for extra protection Getting the work done: However she did have to take her face covering off at one point in order to have her makeup touched up by a masked crew member She ingratiated herself into New York City's beau monde under her fake heiress identity Anna Delvey until she eventually got caught in 2017. The 'Soho Grifter' was arrested that year and held in Rikers Island, precipitating a trial where the fashionista wowed the press with her glamorous courtroom looks. After a month at trial she was convicted of three counts of grand larceny, one of attempted grand larceny and four counts of theft of services. 'I'd be lying to you and to everyone else and to myself if I said I was sorry for anything,' she told the New York Times last year after her sentencing. Who's who: Shonda Rhimes is creating the Netflix show about the scam, while Lena Dunham is working on one at HBO and Anna herself is writing a memoir Source material: Shonda's project is based on a New York magazine article called How Anna Delvey Tricked New York's Party People by Jessica Pressler By the way: Jessica also wrote the New York magazine piece that became the basis for last year's acclaimed stripper drama Hustlers starring Jennifer Lopez Esteemed company: The cast of the Netflix series includes Veep alumna Anna Chlumsky, Orange Is The New Black actress Laverne Cox and Scandal star Katie Lowes Blithe spirit: Julia was the image of good cheer while having her hair and makeup adjusted between takes New York black: The sizzling sensation's outfits that day included an ensemble that featured a floral blouse, a dark coat and a pair of wine-colored heels Shonda Rhimes is creating the Netflix show about the scam, while Lena Dunham is working on one at HBO and Anna herself is writing a memoir. The cast of the Netflix series includes Veep alumna Anna Chlumsky, Orange Is The New Black actress Laverne Cox and Scandal star Katie Lowes. Shonda's project is based on a New York magazine article called How Anna Delvey Tricked New York's Party People by Jessica Pressler. Jessica also wrote the New York magazine piece that became the basis for last year's acclaimed stripper drama Hustlers starring Jennifer Lopez. In his essay Yes, This Is The Face Of A Tyrant, the lefts favorite purported conservative thought leader Andrew Sullivan, with apologies to George Will, Jennifer Rubin, Jonah Goldberg, Max Boot, and so many others, showcases the double standards and intellectual dishonesty that have, until the rise of the #NeverTrump right, been the province of the left and their mouthpieces in the Democrat media complex. That Sullivan is a very gifted writer, though a subjective judgement, is a fact Ill easily concede. The way he weaves Shakespeares fictional Richard III narrative into his piece is brilliant. The inevitable effort to associate the mad genius of Richard III with Trump was given away in the title. This is where Mr. Sullivan goes off the rails. Sullivan's essay offers a tutorial on double standard and intellectual dishonesty: Note how he turned Congressional subpoenas into toilet paper; how he crippled and muzzled the Mueller inquiry; how he installed a crony at the Department of Justice to pursue his political enemies and shield him from the law; how effectively he stymied impeachment; how he cucked every previous Republican opponent; how he helped destroy the credibility of news sources that oppose him; how he filled his cabinet with acting secretaries and flunkies; how he declared fake emergencies to claim the power of the purse assigned to the Congress; and how he has reshaped the Supreme Court with potentially three new Justices, whom he sees solely as his loyal stooges if he comes up against the rule of law. Barack Obama did all of these things with the exceptions of not being targeted by any Mueller type investigations by the preceding administration, and only got to appoint two Supreme Court justices whom he could count on to enforce his progressive policy agenda. Sullivan seems to have forgotten about AG Eric Holder, Obamas self-proclaimed "wingman," as well as Obamas infamous phone and pen" that he used to do end runs around Congress to dictate policy he'd repeatedly said was out of his purview -- DACA, border enforcement etc. Sullivan also easily forgets Obamas constant barrage of criticism of Fox News, the only major media outlet that had the temerity to offer any measure of criticism of his administration and their policies, or the Obama administrations weaponization of the tools of the state to go after what they considered unfriendly media actors like James Rosen and Sharyl Attkisson. No one in the Democrat media complex seemed to give a flying rip about any of this. The understanding between Obama and the media seemed to be if they didn't report it, then it didn't happen. Despite a mountain of criticism, he has not conceded a single error, withdrawn a single statement, or acknowledged a single lie. His party lost the mid-terms, but seriously, what difference did that make? His control of the Republican party, and his cult-like grip on the base, has never been greater... Change the word "Republican" to "Democrat" and there is not a single word of this that could not be equally applied to Barack Obama! His control of the Republican party, and his cult-like grip on the base, has never been greater than now. Yes, he has said and done racially polarizing things -- but the joke is he may yet have more support from blacks and Latinos in 2020 than he did in 2016. More of the same. Racial polarization was Barack Obamas ace in the hole and we saw him go to it repeatedly during his tenure from dropping charges of voter intimidation against the Black Panthers -- a clear civil rights violation -- to statements about the Cambridge Police, Trayvon Martin, Ferguson, MO and every other racial grievance event of his tenure. Giving a charlatan and fraud like Al Sharpton the credibility of a White House Advisor was a slap in the face of any true civil rights advocate. That President Trumps economic policies that, prior to the pandemic, delivered the most robust economy in decades along with the lowest unemployment rates for blacks, Hispanics, and women ever recorded would sway many to support Trump seems to eludes Sullivan, for whatever reason. Sullivan then delivers this gem: Think of his greatest policy failures: the appalling loss of life in the Covid epidemic and the collapse of law and order in the cities. Trump has been pilloried by his critics for closing off travel from China and Europe early in the pandemic and equally pilloried for not imposing the draconian lockdown policies favored by the left nationwide, for which, if he had, he would be pilloried as an autocratic dictator. On COVID-19 Trump has been, quite literally, damned when he does and damned when he doesnt. To think a one size fits all solution to the pandemic would work in a country the size of the USA with its diversity of population density is a conceit only a liberal could embrace. As such, Trump wisely delegated many of these decisions to local governments. Had Obama done the same under similar circumstances, he would be hailed as a brilliant leader. Sullivans second point here simply takes the cake. For Sullivan to blame "the collapse of law and order in the cities" on Trump is so far beyond mere intellectual dishonesty it's galling. Trump was pilloried for suggesting sending in troops to restore law and order to these overwhelmingly blue cities, many of which haven't seen a Republican mayor since the Eisenhower administration. A tired trope perhaps, but if not for double standards the left, and the #NeverTrump right, would have none at all. Image: Gage Skidmore New Delhi: In a big relief to banks struggling with bad loans, the government on Budget day proposed tax concession on provisions for NPAs while announcing capital infusion of Rs 10,000 crore for state-owned lenders. It also proposed that tax on interest will be levied on actual receipts and not on accrual basis in respect of Non Performing Asset (NPA) or bad loan accounts. BSE banking index surged 2.76 per cent, a full percentage point more than the BSE Sensex itself. Main provision for banking sector in Budget 2017: -- Proposal to increase allowable provision for Non-Performing Asset from 7.5 per cent to 8.5 per cent. This will reduce the tax liability of banks. --Proposal to tax interest receivable on actual receipt instead of accrual basis in respect of NPA accounts of all nonscheduled cooperative banks as well, at par with scheduled banks. This will remove hardship of having to pay tax even when interest income is not realised. Currently banks can claim deduction in respect ofprovision for bad and doubtful debts. -- Rs 10,000 crore infusion to public sector banks in the next fiscal and more will be provided if required. -- As per the Indradhanush plan, the public sector banks will be provided with Rs 10,000 crore in the next fiscal. -- Additional allocation would be made if required," he said. Under Indradhanush roadmap announced in 2015, the government will infuse Rs 70,000 crore in state banks over four years while they will have to raise a further Rs 1.1 lakh crore from the markets to meet their capital requirement in lines with global risk norms, known as Basel III. --Public sector banks has been given Rs 25,000 crore in each fiscal, 2015-16 and 2016-17. Besides, Rs 10,000 crore each would be infused in 2017-18 and2018-19. -- The government has already announced fund infusion of Rs.22,915 crore, out of the Rs 25,000 crore earmarked for 13 PSBsfor the current fiscal. Of this, 75 per cent has already been released to them. The first tranche was announced with the objective of enhancing their lending operations and enabling them to raise more money from the market. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 21:46:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHINJAN, Afghanistan, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- "We have replaced lanterns with electric bulbs that lights our homes, and electricity enables us to watch television and get familiar with the world situation. Thanks to China for manufacturing small motors that facilitate us to build small hydropower power plant in our village," said Abdullah. Living in the mountainous Duab village in Khinjan district of the northern Baghlan province, Abdullah, 30, told Xinhua recently that there are 40 families living in the village and all had used lantern in the past to light their homes at night, but today all have electricity in their houses and have started to watch TV series and world news on televisions. Nevertheless, the villager lamented that the power they produce in their village is too weak to run a refrigerator or a washing machine, calling on the government to construct water dams and more powerful hydropower plants to provide more electricity. Afghanistan, according to Abdullah, is a rich country in terms of water resources, and has the capacity to produce more-than-enough electricity to its citizens, even can export some electricity if the destructive war ends. To overcome power shortage, the government has imported power from neighboring states of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Iran. According to Wahidullah Tawhidi, the spokesman for Breshna Sherkat, a state-owned power company, Afghanistan needs 7,500 megawatts of power but currently only has a capacity of 1,450 megawatts in the whole country, of which 80 percent is imported. The usage of simple-made power producing equipment, according to Abdullah, is on the rise and almost all villages in his district Khinjan and its vicinity have been using the equipment to light their houses. Mohammad Sharif, a professional in construction of such system, told Xinhua that he had built about 200 hydropower generator plants in several villages and there might be some 500 such plants across Baghlan province to light houses. In the areas where the locals are facing water shortage, the people use solar panel to light their houses, Sharif said. "Building small hydropower plants and using solar system have utterly replaced the lantern with electricity bulbs and lightened the houses of many villagers over the past 20 years," Sharif told Xinhua. Most motors used in making the small scale hydropower plants are made in China, Sharif added. Many of the small scale hydropower generating plants in the villages, according to the source, have been constructed by villagers' fund and some with financial support from aid agencies or Provincial Directorate for Rural Development and Rehabilitation. "We have constructed our hydropower generator plants five years ago and said goodbye to the diesel-run lantern forever. I and all my villagers are satisfied with the outcome," Mohammad Kazim, 60, who lives in Khinjan's neighboring Andarab district told Xinhua. Enditem A senior Indigenous leader has lashed the Morrison government's co-design process for a Voice for Indigenous Australians, labelling it disjointed and conflicted and warning that it risks sowing division among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Pat Turner, CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, will tell the National Press club on Wednesday that the proposed Voice mechanism envisaged by Canberra "will not stand the test of time and is doomed to fail, unless these foundational shortcomings are addressed urgently". Pat Turner in July with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Ms Turner, who is the niece of legendary Aboriginal leader Charlie Perkins, has become increasingly unhappy with the convoluted process set up by the federal government to respond to the landmark 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart. Her criticisms are significant because she is one of 19 members appointed by the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, to a senior advisory group providing input on the Voice's "co-design". She has not previously gone public with her concerns. Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena led the Sri Lankan delegation to the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers of the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on 24 September 2020. The annual event, which traditionally takes place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, was convened in virtual mode this year amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. At the informal meeting, Minister Gunawadena underlined the need for coordinated and collaborative action to mitigate the adverse impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, as the United Nations forecasts South Asian economies to contract by 4.8% this year. He also pointed out the importance of reviewing South Asias economic outlook, finding employment for impacted workforce, revitalizing businesses, while increasing production. Minister Gunawardena conveyed that President Gotabaya Rajapaksas National Policy Framework Visions of Prosperity and Splendour envisages a non-aligned, neutral and friendly foreign policy with an enhanced focus on Asian neighbours to keep regional cooperation in the forefront. The SAARC has the potential to become a catalyst in economic growth and prosperity. South Asia should expand cooperation in soft projects such as public health, poverty alleviation, agriculture, food security, environment, education and promotion of people to people contacts, he added. The meeting was chaired by Nepals Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, facilitated by the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu. The newly appointed Secretary General of SAARC Esala Weerakoon also addressed the informal meeting. The Sri Lanka delegation comprised Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage and senior officials of the Ministry. Foreign Ministry Colombo 24 September 2020 Read more: www.mfa.gov.lk In the past decade, the digital revolution has been driving businesses to change the way they accept payments. The number of American credit card users is growingand merchants are paying for it. Last year, merchants in the U.S. processed $7.58 trillion in card transaction volume and paid over $116 billion in fees. For many merchants, the cost of offering credit cards is the second-highest operating cost after payroll. These costs are only increasing total credit card interchange fees collected by Visa and Mastercard more than doubled between 2012 and 2019. Some businesses handle these rising costs by refusing to accept card payments, limiting payment choices for their customers. Others raise their prices for all customers, which forces customers paying with cash and debit to cross-subsidize someone elses credit card rewards. Some businesses have come to see these fees as an inevitable cost. Still, for entrepreneurs, the hit to the bottom line can be overwhelming, taking away valuable resources from innovation and growth opportunities. Surcharging provides an alternative, allowing businesses to pass on the cost of acceptance to customers who choose to pay with credit cards. With surcharging, customers continue to have no-fee options, like paying with a debit card. Since surcharging was first introduced to the U.S. in 2013, many states with legacy no-surcharge laws, including California, Florida, New York, and Texas, have overturned or narrowed their limitations. This model is now permitted in 46 states, with no signs of slowing down: just last December, Oklahoma Attorney General Michael Hunter reversed the states ban on surcharging. Surcharging is the rare issue that has policy support across the political spectrumas Ive previously been quoted saying, surcharging may perhaps be the only issue supported by both Senator Elizabeth Warren and the Cato Institute. It's still a little complicated With such broad-based support and clear economic benefits, why has surcharging not become ubiquitous already? Many merchants who are eager to get started with surcharging assume that it simply entails adding a fee. However, through implementation, they quickly realize that this assumption overlooks numerous requirements or best practices in operations and IT how they will address customer messaging about surcharges, incorporate surcharges into their online checkout experience or invoicing tools, reconcile deposits to their bank account or handle cash application for transactions that now include surcharges, as well as handle the implications for receipts and refunds. On top of these requirements, the staggering compliance overhead raises the barrier to entry for surcharging; card brand rules from Visa and Mastercard, along with the evolving state law landscape, regulate surcharging practices and create complexity for merchants. Related: Your 'Minimum Purchase' Credit Card Policy Is Dumb And these rules are being actively enforced. Take Riverside Cafe, for example. The Wichita-area restaurant paid over $60,000 in a settlement case with their countys District Attorney after implementing a 4 percent credit card surcharge. The restaurants lawyer said the owner had taken the word of a credit card company who told him that issuing a surcharge was permitted. Kansas, the home state of Riverside Cafe, is one of the four states that still does not allow merchants to apply credit card surcharges. But among some states that permit surcharging like California, Maine, Minnesota, New York, and Oklahoma additional nuance remains. And businesses with locations across multiple states run into the further challenge of ensuring that they are only surcharging in states where this model is allowed and following each of those states regulations and mandates. Even for very large merchants whose legal departments may be familiar with some of the laws or card brand rules, actually implementing a processing solution that meets all the requirements remains a large operational burden. Setting the right surcharge is not always a simple equation As a concrete example, one of these rules prohibits merchants from profiting from the credit card surcharge. The implementation task this creates for the merchant is to determine what amount to set as the credit card fee. Merchants sometimes try to use the average amount they spent on credit card processing fees in the last month or last year, but these fees vary greatly depending on the mix of cards that were used during that period, and it can be especially inconsistent for growing merchants or merchants with cyclicality in their transaction volumes. Since setting the surcharge at a higher fee than what they pay for processing is a violation of the rules, merchants who try to surcharge themselves will usually set a lower rate, which means they continue to bear a portion of the credit card fees. Therefore, most merchants cannot reap the full benefits of surcharging and eliminate their credit card costs altogether without constantly updating their surcharge fee, which should be avoided as it is a disorienting experience for customers. Related: 9 Crucial Tips to Protect Your Small Business From Credit Card Fraud In addition, since merchants are only allowed to apply a fee to credit card payments, not to debit cards or prepaid cards, they need to determine what kind of card their customer is using at the time of transaction. Identifying debit and prepaid cards and ensuring they are not charged a fee is a particularly vexing requirement for merchants who take payments online, when the card is not physically present. Some merchants have attempted to use the first six digits of a card to look up the card type in a publicly available database; unfortunately, these databases are imperfect, since credit card companies are constantly issuing new cards and updating their existing card products. More accurate payment technologies use the full card number when determining card type, but doing this themselves would significantly increase the merchants PCI exposure raising a whole different set of compliance requirements to deal with. Another card brand rule for surcharging requires merchants to report the surcharge amount in the authorization and clearing message for every transaction, which necessitates controlling the connection to the credit card networks something very few merchants are in a position to do. This complex web of rules means that, while surcharging presents many benefits to merchants, they often consider the implementation to be extremely challenging. Finding the right technology provider can help mitigate these challenges, and we recommend that businesses that want to use surcharging look for solutions that automatically comply with all the applicable rules and provide a seamless experience across IT and operations. The only truly compliant way for a merchant to be guaranteed zero-cost credit card processing is to work with a technology partner that detects the card type accurately and instantaneously and applies a surcharge accordingly. Moreover, while building a checkout page that includes the required disclosures and calculations for surcharging may be daunting, these technology providers can offer a drop-in UI, which obviates the need for development work. In my experience leading a surcharging platform, Ive seen businesses successfully use this option to add up to 3.5 percent to their bottom lines which, particularly in a challenging economic environment, makes a tremendous difference. With the proper support, merchants can use surcharging to accept credit cards at no cost, empowering entrepreneurs to focus on growing their ideas without growing their expenses. Related: Your Business Doesn't Have to Pay Credit Card Fees Any More and ... Related: Considering Credit Card Surcharging? Here's What You Need to Know. Need For Better Fraud Prevention Strategies Amidst Surge In Payment Digitization: Report How Entrepreneurs Can Scale And Save Money Without Startup Capital Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved The past two weeks have seen the world come full circle in terms of its views on how Sweden has handled the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). In March, Swedens no-lockdown, minimal-restrictions, people-know-best approach was a novelty. In April, as the lockdown took its toll on other economies, it was touted as a success. In June and July, the sentiment turned. The countrys Scandinavian neighbours even closed their borders with Sweden, and the country was criticised for not doing enough to protect lives even as livelihoods suffered. Now, over the past two weeks, Swedens approach, which hasnt changed at all, has come in for praise again. Ive long been a critic of Swedens approach. On April 30, in Dispatch 42, I wrote: The death rate (as a proportion of those infected) in Sweden is over 12%; per million of population it is 230. Yet, because it did not lock down (even school terms continued) it did issue guidelines on social distancing, but left the enforcement to its people and businesses the country likes to see its response to Covid-19 as a success (and indeed, this is evident in some of the coverage regarding Swedens strategy in dealing with the pandemic). At this point in time, at least to this writer, those numbers do not indicate a success at all; in the trade-off between lives and livelihoods, Sweden seems to have swung too much towards the latter. WATCH | In Covid parameters, India faring better than many countries: Harsh Vardhan That column was written at a time when a lockdown seemed to be the best strategy to counter the spread of the virus. The death rate has come down (it is now 6.3%). And as countries around the world have opened up, are opening up even more, or not locking down despite a surge in cases, Swedens strategy is being examined again, and finding several endorsers. Theres been talk of Swedens immunity and the concept of herd immunity. Some countries seem to be telling themselves that if lockdowns are not an option, there could be things they can learn from Sweden. That must be music to the ears of Anders Tegnell, the epidemiologist in charge of managing the pandemic in Sweden who was initially celebrated, then vilified, for the countrys Covid-19 response. In a late June podcast on Swedish radio, he called for an honest assessment of the countrys strategy. Tegnell has always maintained that Covid-19 isnt going to go away miraculously, and that the best way to deal with it is to keep things open, but educate people on social distancing guidelines (Sweden wasnt big on masks until recently and has just started talking about their use in public places). India announced its own its fifth round of reopening guidelines on Wednesday, paving the way for the conditional reopening of schools (online classes are to continue, though, and are preferred, the home ministry said), and multiplexes. I remain unconvinced about Swedens approach at two levels. One, the numbers do not show the strategy as being the success it is claimed to be. Sweden, according to the latest data on worldometers.info, has 582 deaths per million, compared to Norways 50, Finlands 62, and Denmarks 112. India has 71. The UK has 619, and the US 636. Many of Swedens dead were older people in care homes which were ravaged by the disease. The Swedish economy is expected to shrink by 4.6% this year, which makes it better off than some European and American nations, although not Norway, whose economy is expected to shrink by 4.2% this year. Two, the Swedish approach assumes that people know best, and will always act with their best interests in mind. Theres enough evidence on how this has played out in other countries some researchers say that the USs third wave can be directly correlated with how people behaved during Labour Day weekend. And, during the coming festive season (there has already been some lobbying to allow celebrations, and new reopening guidelines do allow social and religious gatherings to be held in open air, with precautions such as the wearing of masks and social distancing), its easy to see how this will play out in India. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 'Dear Alton Towers, 'Yesterday (28th September 2020) I spent my Birthday at your theme park. On your website, it states Alton Towers wants to help guests with additional needs have a fabulous and unforgettable experience. It certainly was an unforgettable day for all the wrong reasons. I went with my girlfriend Lucy and my sister Hannah. Hannah has Cerebral Palsy and is in a wheelchair, but that is all. She is completely aware of her surroundings, understands everything you say and communicates non-verbally. 'Through this letter I will: (1) Briefly explaining the day we had and why we were so upset followed by (2) Our suggestions to you about how Alton Towers can do better so we can make this world a more inclusive place. Please note, I have done my research, can see it from your side and understand health and safety comes first. This is not a slanging match, but due to seeing how upset my sister was yesterday, I feel I have a duty to approach this subject in a positive and enlightening manner to ensure other people do not have the same experience. 'An explanation of the day we had and why we were so upset 'We have been to Alton Towers every year for many years, and have had NO issues. Hannah has previously rode on every ride she wanted, and has had the best experiences. Arriving at Alton Towers around 12 noon yesterday, we went straight to the customer services to gain our disability access band and head off to have fun! We got given a leaflet for our virtual queue but at no point was any explanation on what rides we could go on given to us, or Hannahs disability questioned further. 'Starting off the day we headed to the Smiler. Seeing Hannah in her wheelchair (looking pretty obvious Hannah cannot walk unaided), we were shown to the disabled access entry point, then met by two more workers who showed us up in the lift. Once getting to the top of the lift we were greeted by a miserable woman. I noticed a sign saying to ride the rollercoaster, the individual must have to walk 25m unaided. 'Once I had noticed this, I told the woman Hannah wouldnt be able to do so, in which she replied yeah she cant ride. The lady then turned to her co-worker and shouted across SHE CANT WALK, and shut the door behind us. My issues with this situation is that Hannah is a human - please speak to her directly. Do not embarrass her by shouting out her insecurities across the ride for a crowd of people to hear. We passed three lots of workers, and not one of them thought to explain the rules of the ride before we got up there and had to turn around. 'We shrugged this off as we understand the importance of health and safety. Off to Rita we went. Hannah loves Rita, this will cheer her up. We got straight onto Rita with no wait time which was a BONUS. The train before us got delayed due to someone pulling their phone out, meaning that the ride had to be restarted. This resulted in a 30 minute wait. During this time, no-one questioned Hannahs level of disability or if she could she transfer unaided or if she could walk. Nothing. When the time came, two different workers watched me carry Hannah onto the ride. We both sat down and were strapped in by the workers. Ready to go - how exciting! 'Until a worker came up to me (not Hannah) and asked if Hannah could walk. They continued to ask if Hannah could walk off the ride if it broke down. I calmly explained they had just seen me carry Hannah onto said ride, so obviously she could not. At this point, the crowd of people waiting for the next train and in the queue were looking at us. The girl said Hannah could not ride due to health and safety. I began to cry due to being so angry. They had embarrassed us by letting us get on to then be publicly removed from the ride. When I asked to speak to someone about this, I was consulted with the most rude, uninterested member of staff. I have never experienced such a horrendous level of customer service. 'Hannah, inconsolable at this point, was angry and fed up due to the ignorance of your staff. We headed off to the customer service centre to try and turn the day around. Alton Towers - your life saver of the day was the lovely and empathetic man we met next who explained health and safety considerations and the rides Hannah could go on. Why was this not done at the start of the day? The staff member then gave us a refund and also managed to stop us all from crying. At this point, we decided to draw a line, look at what we could go on and set off again. 'The Teacups surely this had to go smoothly right? We enjoyed a lovely little ride, Hannah started to smile. When we asked if we could stay on for another go, we were told we had to have a two minute break between each ride so we had to get off to get back on. Considering the fact it took us over three minutes to get the wheelchair and get Hannah off, please explain to me, with NO queue (and I mean no queue) how we couldnt stay put for a second ride? This is a perfect example of how an adaptation could be made to meet the needs of a person with a disability. 'We then went to Duel, as the leaflet specifically said this ride had disability access, and spent five minutes looking for the disabled access entry point. When we couldnt find it, we asked a staff member. The reply was, Oh yeah we used to have disabled access, but we dont anymore. At this point, all we could do was laugh from the shock. Due to the ridiculousness of it all, we decided to leave. Why did the leaflet say Duel was an accessible ride when there was no disabled access? 'After spending 40 per ticket, driving for one and a half hours, and wasting my Birthday, we went on two rides - The Runaway Train and the Teacups. If you know Hannah, she is the biggest adrenaline junkie and these rides are known as childrens rides. She isnt wrong. Wheelchair users want the same experiences as everyone else. 'Our suggestions to Alton Towers about how to become more inclusive 'Ok so what is wrong with all of the above? There are two separate topics I want to address: '(1) Ride accessibility 'Alton Towers claims, We are committed to providing an enjoyable and safe visit for all of our guests and We reserve the right to refuse admission to certain rides should we feel there is a danger to an individual for whatever reason. I accept all the above, however we are in 2020, and other parks have been able to make real adaptations for wheelchair users. 'Having been to Disney World, Universal Resorts, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and EVEN Alton Towers two years ago how can this theme park claim to be inclusive for people with disabilities when a fully grown adult can only have fun on a teacup ride. As a family, we are also part of a charity which takes large groups of children with disabilities to Disney World every two years. 'Disney World claims, on their website, that for ALL rides the individual must be ambulatory OR assisted by members of their party, i.e. any ride is accessible as long as there is another party to support them. The same goes for Universal Studios and Blackpool. Why is this the case in the biggest theme parks in the world, but not one local to us? Furthermore, as an example, at Disney World there are 45 rides over 4 parks which are available to wheelchair users, with 6 even having transfer devices available. 'Please learn from the above, this is incredible. As a family, we have helped Hannah to achieve her dreams and not put any limits on her. We know this is not always possible, due to health and safety, but believe me we try. My advice to you Alton Towers, is if you wish to be as big and as inclusive as other theme parks, and provide amazing experiences for all people, please look at what you can do as an organisation to better yourselves. This includes larger changes, e.g. investment in transfer devices, plus smaller adaptations (e.g. as referred to above with the Teacup ride) to provide a better experience. '(2) Employee attitude and awareness 'Taking out the fact most of your rides are unavailable to certain disabilities, the way we were treated and the lack of awareness and training with disabilities was the biggest issue here. It was disgraceful. Examples include not speaking directly to Hannah, going through numerous staff members and gateways without them checking our ability to use the rides, rudely shouting SHE CANT WALK in front of everyone, the lack of awareness of the disability restrictions, the not being able to make very small adjustments (i.e. at the Teacups), and causing a very distressing and embarrassing scene in front of a crowd at Rita and not opening the safety bars promptly to let us off the ride. 'This is the reason we are taking this further - Alton Towers needs to invest in clearer guidance for guests with disabilities, needs to train staff on this guidance, and then needs to provide behavioural training for staff to prevent these issues from occurring again. Please let Hannah and me to offer to personnally come and train your staff on how to speak to people with disabilities, expose your staff to awareness and build positivity around this. Not one person spoke to, or apologised to Hannah herself. She had to sit and listen to you argue with me around how her disability has effectively ruined our day. Not our fault, yours. 'Best wishes, 'Becky, Hannah and Lucy.' UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday urged the international community to donate 35 billion U.S. dollars to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT)-Accelerator program. Two days after his deputy made the same call, the UN chief told a virtual high-level side event that the project -- the only global mechanism with the full spectrum of partners and tools to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, he said -- "needs a quantum leap in support." "The 3 billion dollars it has received has been critical for the start-up," said the secretary-general. "Now we need to scale-up and ensure maximum impact -- and that requires an additional 35 billion dollars." "That must begin with an immediate infusion of 15 billion dollars," he added. Launched at the end of April at an event co-hosted by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the WHO's ACT-Accelerator brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, philanthropists and global health organizations to deliver the tools needed to accelerate the end of the pandemic. Guterres said that these resources are crucial now to avoid losing the window of opportunity for advancing purchase and production, to build stocks in parallel with licensing, to boost research, and to help countries prepare to optimize the new vaccines when they arrive. "We cannot allow a lag in access to further widen already vast inequalities," he said. "But let's be clear: We will not get there with donors simply allocating resources only from the official development assistance budgets." Official development assistance is a term coined by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to measure aid. "We need to think bigger. It is time for countries to draw funding from their own response and recovery programs," the secretary-general said. "By helping others, they will help themselves," he said. "Investing in the ACT-Accelerator will accelerate every country's own recovery." UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Monday called on countries to help fill the gap with 35 billion dollars in order to meet the global goals of COVID-19 vaccine production, treatments and tests. "The world urgently needs development, production and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 diagnostics therapeutics and vaccines," Mohammed told a hybrid press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York. ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gas South, a leading natural gas provider in the Southeast, and parent company Cobb EMC will host "Energy Forward," a new virtual symposium on key issues affecting the energy industry's future. The forum, which is free to attend, will take place on Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EST. Registration for "Energy Forward" can be done by visiting Energyforward.Eventbrite.com. "Even before the pandemic, there were already significant shifts happening in the energy market," said Kevin Greiner, President & CEO of Gas South. "While the current circumstances keep us from bringing people together in a traditional sense, we are excited to have so many thought leaders joining us virtually to engage on these critical issues and trends in our industry." "Energy Forward" will feature virtual panels on the following topics: Energy Disruption: Adjusting To A New Market will explore the supply and demand dynamics that are creating disruptions and opportunities for businesses around the Southeast. will explore the supply and demand dynamics that are creating disruptions and opportunities for businesses around the Southeast. Moderator: Peter Heintzelman , President & CEO, Cobb EMC , President & CEO, Cobb EMC Panelists: Misty Blizzard (Southern Power Company) and Brian Smith (Shell Energy) (Southern Power Company) and (Shell Energy) Covid-19: Utilities & Resiliency will assess how the pandemic has fundamentally altered the energy sector and the short- and long-term impact on the industry. will assess how the pandemic has fundamentally altered the energy sector and the short- and long-term impact on the industry. Moderator : PJ Zonsius , Director of C&I Business Development, Gas South : , Director of C&I Business Development, Gas South Panelists : Bryan Batson (Southern Company Gas) and Chuck Eaton (Georgia Public Service Commission) : (Southern Company Gas) and (Georgia Public Service Commission) Reimagining Energy: A Low Carbon Future will address the pathways to more sustainable sources of energy and the ensuing opportunities for innovation, investment and market share. will address the pathways to more sustainable sources of energy and the ensuing opportunities for innovation, investment and market share. Moderator : PJ Zonsius , Director of C&I Business Development, Gas South : , Director of C&I Business Development, Gas South Panelists : Mike Zenker (NextEra Energy Resources), Kevin McCrackin (Marlin Gas Services/Chesapeake Utilities Corporation) and Ben Go (bp Energy Company) : (NextEra Energy Resources), (Marlin Gas Services/Chesapeake Utilities Corporation) and (bp Energy Company) Southeast Spotlight: Energy As An Economic Driver will discuss energy's role in creating economic growth in the Southeast and the competitive advantages inherent to operators in the region. will discuss energy's role in creating economic growth in the Southeast and the competitive advantages inherent to operators in the region. Moderator: Kevin Greiner , President & CEO, Gas South , President & CEO, Gas South Panelists: Chris Clark ( Georgia Chamber of Commerce), Mark Wilson ( Florida Chamber of Commerce) and Roy Bowen (Georgia Association of Manufacturers) "I am excited to facilitate a discussion on Energy Disruption and how the market has changed from just a year ago and what the potential disruptions of the future might be," said Peter Heintzelman, President & CEO of Cobb EMC. "I hope you can join us." About Gas South: Gas South is a leading provider of natural gas in competitive markets throughout the southeastern U.S. The company serves more than 300,000 residential, business and governmental customers in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Gas South offers simple and competitively priced rate plans, outstanding local customer service, and a promise to give back 5% of its profits to help children in need. Gas South is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobb EMC, one of the country's largest electric cooperatives. For more information, visit www.GasSouth.com . About Cobb EMC: Cobb EMC is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative. The company safely delivers reliable electricity to more than 200,000 residential and commercial consumers in Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee, Fulton, and Paulding counties. Cobb EMC is consistently recognized for low-cost, reliable power, a commitment to renewable energy and giving back to the communities it serves. Cobb EMC is one of the largest EMCs in the nation, and the company's wholly owned subsidiary Gas South is a leading provider of natural gas in the Southeast. For more information, visit www.CobbEMC.com. Media contact: Adam Schick The Wilbert Group 404-510-9597 [email protected] SOURCE Gas South Related Links http://www.gassouth.com Mumbai: Mumbai Police have issued summons to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap in connection with a rape case filed against him by actress Payal Ghosh, an official said on Wednesday. Kashyap has been asked to appear before the Versova police here on Thursday for further probe into the case registered against him nine days back, the official said. The Versova police registered an FIR against Kashyap on September 22 after the actress along with her lawyer Nitin Satpute approached the police, the official said. In her police complaint, the actress alleged that Kashyap raped her in 2013. On Tuesday, Ghosh and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale met Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari to seek action against Kashyap. After the meeting, Athawale told reporters that the governor said he will speak with Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on the issue. On Monday, Ghosh in a joint media press conference with Athawale, president of the Republican Party of India (RPI-A), demanded that Kashyap be arrested. Athawale on Monday met Mumbais joint commissioner of police (law and order) Vishwas Nangare Patil along with Ghosh, seeking action against the filmmaker. The Union minister had also said his party will stage a protest if the police do not arrest Kashyap in a week. The Versova police last week registered the FIR against Kashyap under Indian Penal Code Sections 376 (I) (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty,), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement). Vietnam is one of four countries with the best HIV/AIDS treatment in the world along with Germany, the U.K. and Switzerland, Acting Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said. Vietnam has a rate of HIV-infected people receiving anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment with a viral load below the inhibitory threshold reaching 96 percent, contributing to reducing community HIV infection, Long told a meeting of the National Assemblys Committee on Social Affairs on Tuesday. Over the past 10 years, Vietnam has kept the community HIV infection rate below 0.3 percent. According to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), since 2000 the country has deployed preventive measures to stop 400,000 people from being infected with HIV while 150,000 received treatment that prevented death from AIDS. According to statistics from Vietnams health ministry, around 250,000 HIV patients are still alive, but only 210,000 know their HIV status. In 2014, Vietnam became the first country in Asia to adopt the 90-90-90 targets set by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, under which by 2020, 90 percent of those living with HIV would know their HIV status; 90 percent of people who know their status are on HIV treatment; and 90 percent of all patients on treatment would have undetectable levels of HIV in their bodies. USAID first supported HIV/AIDS programs in Vietnam in the mid-1990s. Despite achieving positive results in HIV/AIDS prevention and control, however, some shortcomings remain, Long said, adding the current law still has many limitations, with no specific regulation on who is entitled to access information about HIV patients. Therefore, he proposed the amended law add greater information access on HIV infectees to ensure proper treatment, payment of medical examinations and treatment costs as well as prevent infection among carers treating patients. Vietnam has been struggling to find funds for its HIV/AIDS programs after foreign donors started to pull out when it achieved middle income status. These funds are expected to dry up completely by the end of this year. By then, drugs are scheduled to be provided under Vietnams health insurance system. According to experts in the field, the lowest cost for treatment for one HIV patient per year exceeds VND4 million ($172), but for those who are drug resistant, the cost can be seven to eight times higher. Drug resistance rises because people halt treatment halfway or do not follow the assigned treatment regimen. This combination of file pictures shows President Donald Trump speaking during a news conference in the Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, on Sept. 27, 2020, and Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden delivering a speech at a local theater in Wilmington, Del., on Sept. 27, 2020. (Joshua Roberts and Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) Trumps Campaign Releases 17 Questions Joe Biden Must Answer in the Debate Biden's campaign responds, says Trump's presidency is a 'failure' The Trump campaign released some of the questions that it hopes to get answered during Tuesdays debate, including several about Hunter Biden, the former vice presidents son. The questions are included on President Donald Trumps reelection website, titled 17 Questions Joe Biden Must Answer in the Debate. Questions involving Hunter Biden top the list. The younger Biden has drawn scrutiny over the past several months after he sat on the board of a Ukrainian gas company while his father was in office, reportedly taking home a lucrative salary. Meanwhile, the firm, Burisma Holdings, and its founder was the subject of an investigation in Ukraine about possible corruption. Trumps campaign also wants to see Biden asked about why he has not released his list of Supreme Court nominees, as Trump did several weeks ago. He also wants Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) to answer questions about a possible expansion of the high court. Other questions are on immigration, trade, and taxes. Several are about China and the Chinese Communist Party. Your plan would raise the U.S. business tax rate higher than Chinas rate. Wont that make it more expensive for companies to do business in America and ultimately send jobs overseas, said one question. President Trump imposed restrictions on travel from China on January 31 to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Why did it take you two months to say you supported that decision? asked another. Another question centers around Bidens staff donating money to a group that bailed out rioters in the wake of George Floyds death and the ensuing riots. Earlier this year your campaign staff donated money to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, an organization that bailed out of a jail a rioter who shot at police officers and other violent criminals and sexual predators. Your running mate Kamala Harris also urged people to donate to that organization and is still raising money for it. Do you condone that? said another question. Bidens campaign issued a statement on Trumps questions, issuing a warning about Hunter Biden. Joe Biden is ready for anything. But if Donald Trump goes there, it will backfire, said Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates in a statement to news outlets on Tuesday. The country is reeling from the pandemic because of Donald Trumps erratic leadership, which has plunged our economy into the worst downturn in 90 years. We dont but that even Donald Trump is stupid enough to think he can dodge these emergencies with smears about Hunter Biden, Bates said. He added, For Donald Trump to demonstrate that the only case he can make for himself is to lash out at Joe Bidens children would be the ultimate admission that his presidency is a weak, pathetic failure. The debate is scheduled for 9 p.m. Tuesday, moderated by Fox News Chris Wallace. The entire list of questions can be accessed here. Please be safe, she said. Please take care of yourself. Please wear the mask. Listen to those of us who have COVID and are still having symptoms. And those people who lost their lives. Is not wearing a mask really worth it? We all dont know what this virus truly is. Between pre-release leaks and information Google shared ahead of today, there werent many surprises at the companys Launch Night event. We knew the Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, 2020 Chromecast and Nest Audio were coming, but that didnt make seeing Google detail those devices any less interesting. Heres everything you need to know about Googles 2020 hardware lineup. Pixel 5 Pixel 5 After chasing the iPhone since 2016, Google is trying something different with its latest lineup of Pixel phones. Compared to its predecessor, the Pixel 5 is a more value-oriented flagship. It forgoes Qualcomms Snapdragon 865 processor for the more modest but still 5G-capable Snapdragon 765G. Google has also removed the Pixel 4s Soli radar module -- so no face unlock or touch-less Motion Sense controls of questionable utility. The removal of Soli also means the Pixel 5 has a fingerprint sensor and a notch-less design, with a clean pinhole punchout adorning the phones 6-inch, 2,340 x 1,080 display. Thankfully, the screen still includes the 90Hz refresh rate of last years model. Anyone who has had to put with woeful battery life on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 will also be happy to learn the Pixel 5 comes with a larger 4,000mAh capacity battery. Some other notable tweaks include a rejigged primary camera system made up of 12-megapixel and 16-megapixel sensors capturing photos from wide and ultra-wide lenses. It wouldnt be a Pixel launch without new software features for those cameras and Google didnt disappoint. One new feature is a panning tool that theres to help you capture smooth video. Rounding out the Pixel 5s spec list is support for Qi wireless charging, a water-resistant design, 128GB of storage and a price tag that starts at $699. Pixel 4a 5G Pixel 4a 5G Pixel fans will notice we didnt mention an XL model above. Thats because theres isnt one this year. Instead, Google plans to release a more premium version of the Pixel 4a or a more affordable take on the Pixel 5, if thats how you want to look at things. The $499 Pixel 4a 5G surprisingly has many of the same marquee features as its more expensive sibling. Both phones feature Qualcomms Snapdragon 765G processor. They also have the same front and rear camera arrays. What you wont get with the Pixel 4a 5G is support for Qi wireless charging, waterproofing and a 90Hz display. But it does come with a headphone jack. Story continues Chromecast Google Chromecast Googles new Chromecast comes with a remote. Yes, Google has finally listened to its customers, but theres a lot more to its latest streaming puck than merely a new way to control things. Google has gone with an updated design that borrows from both the Chromecast Ultra and its colorful Nest Mini speakers. Inside, the puck features a new processor that allows it to play 4K HDR content at up to 60 frames per second. Additionally, theres support for Dolby Vision and surround sound. As for that remote, it has a built-in microphone for quick and easy Assistant access. In terms of buttons, there are Back, Home, Mute, Power and Input keys, as well as a dedicated volume rocker. It also comes with shortcuts for YouTube and Netflix. Handy that. Where things get somewhat confusing is that the new Chromecast runs Google TV. The platform runs on top of Android TV and adds a new interface to the mix that borrows features from Googles Play Movies and TV app. You can grab the Chromecast starting today for $50. Nest Audio Nest Audio Lastly, Google announced a new smart speaker called Nest Audio. Like the Nest Mini, the Nest Audio is covered in fabric. Google outfitted it with a 19mm tweeter and 75mm mid-woofer. The company says those components allow the Nest Audio to get 75 percent louder than the Google Home. It also produces 50 percent more bass than that speaker. On the device, youll find LED lights that turn on when you speak to Assistant. But theres also a mute switch on the back of the speaker if you dont want the digital helper turning on by accident. It also comes with a Media EQ feature that Google says will automatically tune your Nest Audio depending on what youre listening to, and theres support for multi-room audio. You can also pair two Nest Audios to get stereo imaging, which will be tempting since a single speaker only costs $100. The November election marks the latest chapter in the fight over sidewalks in Bellaire. This time, the battle is over the so-called right to choose whether you have a sidewalk on your block. Bellaire residents will vote on three amendments to the city charter, which governs how the city runs. Each amendment focuses on making it more difficult for the city to build sidewalks, a goal it has been trying to accomplish since at least 2016. It was then when residents voted on a bond package that paid for, among other things, sidewalks in several parts of Bellaire that have long been without them. The measure quickly met resistance, and in 2018 a local advocacy group named Sidewalk Choice successfully urged the city council to halt the sidewalk construction initiated by the 2016 bond. Sidewalk Choice has since crafted the three proposed amendments on the November ballot with the goal of making it near impossible to build new sidewalks in Bellaire. Mike Jacobs with Sidewalk Choice told Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider that some residents were frustrated with the way Bellaire executed the sidewalk construction from the bond. "There was destruction of multigenerational trees or expensive landscaping," Jacobs said. "(Residents were) just getting something they didn't want. More than one person told me that they came home just to see their front yards torn up, and they had no idea why." However, Patricia Bernstein with a group called Safe Bellaire told Schneider that Sidewalk Choice only speaks for a small group of residents - but their actions could affect a large number of people. "I really resent the fact that a small group of angry people who have gotten crosswise with the city over time want to control every other resident of Bellaire's opportunity to appeal to want a sidewalk on their block, no matter how badly it's needed," she said. The first of the three amendments requires a six-month notice to residents before the city council even considers sidewalk construction. It also requires a complete hydrological study included in that six-month notice. The second amendment requires a 50 percent approval from each property owner on the block, while the third ensures that the city counteracts any flood mitigation problems, according to Schneider's reporting. Do you think sidewalk placement should be up to residents? Send your thoughts to me on Twitter (@JayRJordan) or email me. American Airlines said on Tuesday that it will offer coronavirus tests to passengers, joining United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue Airways in rolling out preflight testing. Tampa International Airport also said it will offer tests. The tests, which range from rapid tests at the airport that return results in minutes to tests that take a few days, allow travelers whose results are negative to skip or minimize quarantine restrictions in various destinations. The new tests come as the number of people flying both domestically and internationally continues to be at record lows (the Transportation Security Administration screened 568,688 people on Tuesday compared to 1,998,980 on the same date a year ago). Testing at airports, it is hoped, will assuage people who are worried about the safety of flying amid the ongoing pandemic. Our plan for this initial phase of preflight testing reflects the ingenuity and care our team is putting into rebuilding confidence in air travel and we view this as an important step in our work to accelerate an eventual recovery of demand, Robert Isom, Americans president, said in a statement on Tuesday. American initially will test people traveling to international destinations, starting with people traveling from Miami International Airport to Jamaica. Testing for travel to Jamaica will be for residents flying to their home country; if a passenger tests negative for the virus, the 14-day quarantine currently in place for returning residents would be waived. The airline is also working to start testing for visitors and residents going to the Bahamas and other countries in the Caribbean. Beginning in mid-October, the airline will offer at-home testing that can be done via video call with a medical professional; in-person testing at a CareNow urgent care location; and rapid on-site testing, administered by CareNow at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport for flights to Hawaii. As 12 Hong Kong activists face the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival of moon gazing and poetry behind bars in mainland China after they tried to flee to democratic Taiwan, their families are calling for the release of records that would show where their speedboat was when it was intercepted by the China Coast Guard. Family members of some of the detainees brought traditional Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes to the ruling Chinese Communist Party's Central Liaison Office in Hong Kong on Wednesday, asking officials to deliver them to their loved ones, who are currently being held in Shenzhen's Yantian Detention Center on suspicion of "illegally crossing a border." The group -- accompanied by opposition lawmaker Eddie Chu -- chanted a slogan opposing the appointment of government-approved lawyers after the detainees were denied permission to meet with lawyers appointed by their families, as well as "Give us back our kids!" The families also requested a meeting with Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung and Secretary for Security John Lee, and called on Hong Kong's Marine Department to provide radar records of the area around the Ninepin Islands on the day that the speedboat was intercepted. They also chanted slogans calling for the immediate release of all 12 Hong Kong detainees, or at least for family visits to be allowed at the detention center. Incommunicado detention is a known risk factor for torture and other forms of mistreatment in detention, and has been linked to several high-profile torture cases in mainland China in recent years. The father of detainee Cheng Tsz-ho said the family is devastated that he can't be with them during this year's festival. "We used to have meals and mooncakes together during the Mid-Autumn Festival," Cheng told RFA. "This year, my son is missing, and life is pretty miserable." "My wife is sick ... and I have trouble sleeping at night," he said. Traditional freedoms lost Cheng said Hong Kong has lost any of the traditional freedoms it once enjoyed, under a draconian National Security Law imposed by Beijing from July 1. "Things feel more tense now than they did during the Japanese occupation," he said. "Nobody dares to speak out." "I don't know whether I'll be down at the police station tonight, given what I've said today," he said. "There is no rule of law now." The wife of a detainee surnamed Wong said she had bought a mooncake embossed with his favorite mythical figures. "There was a small mooncake with my husband's two favorite figures on it, so I bought it," she said. "I hope that it will be delivered to my husband today through the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region." "I hope we can have a family reunion in the Mid-Autumn Festival next year, which will not be possible this year," she said. A mother of one detainee surnamed Lee hit out at the Hong Kong government for doing little to assist families and detainees, some of whom have been trying to get essential medicines delivered to the detainees, to no avail. "They told us to stop arguing, that the medicine can't be delivered, and that's that," Lee said. "We have made it very clear that we want to appoint our own lawyers, and that we don't want government-appointed lawyers." "According to the laws of mainland China, we should be allowed to hire our own lawyers there too," she said. Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam and her senior officials have said they wont interfere with law enforcement in another jurisdiction. Nobody emerged from the Central Liaison Office to take delivery of the mooncakes, and police guarding the building eventually told the group to pose for photos then take them away again. Mid-Autumn Festival, traditionally a harvest celebration, starts on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon appears at its roundest and largest. It is marked in China on Thursday, and coincides this year with the Oct. 1 National Day celebration and the annual Golden Week holiday. March applications denied The families' protest comes after Hong Kong police turned down an application by march organizers the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) to hold a march in support of the 12 detainees on Thursday, citing a risk of "violence" and widespread transmission of coronavirus. CHRF convenor Jimmy Sham has called on Hongkongers to wear black instead to register their protest over the incommunicado detention of 12 Hong Kong activists in a Shenzhen detention center after they tried to flee to the democratic island of Taiwan by speedboat. None of the lawyers appointed by the families of the 12 activists, aged 16 to 33, has been allowed to meet with their clients. Hong Kong police have arrested thousands of people in connection with protests that swept the city throughout most of last year, on charges that rights groups and overseas officials have said undermine the city's traditional freedoms of expression and association, guaranteed by China under the terms of the 1997 handover. Hundreds more have been arrested since July 1, when the ruling Chinese Communist Party imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong outlawing words and deeds deemed by the authorities to constitute separatism, subversion or terrorism, or collusion with a foreign power. In August, the United States announced sanctions against Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam and senior Chinese and Hong Kong officials for their role in curbing the city's promised freedoms and in implementing the national security regime, which has seen China's feared state security police set up a headquarters in the city. Reported by Man Hoi-tsan for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Delhi reported at least three rapes and 126 vehicle thefts every day in 2019 -- the year when overall crime in the national capital went up by 20% compared to the previous year, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Report. To be sure, the national crime rate has grown by 3% during the same period. As per the NCRB data, thefts accounted for most of the crimes in Delhi. Over 82% of the 299,475 crimes in Delhi were thefts -- such as burglaries, stealing of vehicles or snatching that do not involve use of force. Also Read: India records 1.6% rise in crimes in 2018-19: NCRB data The crimes in this category saw an increase of 25.7% as compared to 2018. In sharp contrast, thefts accounted for just a little over 20% of the 3.2 million crimes across India where the overall thefts increased by 8%. WATCH | Vikram Chandra on Yogi facing heat over Hathras gang-rape death, other stories Robberies, however, witnessed a substantial dip of 20% even though the rate (number of cases per 100,000 population) remained the highest across India. The rate of robbery cases in Delhi last year was 9.8 as against the all India rate of 2.3; and 6.3 by the next ranked state Maharashtra. Also Read: Maharashtra only state to see 6 crimes worth over 100 crore: NCRB Robberies are different from thefts. Robberies include use of force while committing a theft and are registered under a separate IPC section. The NCRB does not maintain separate data for street crimes, particularly snatching, which is a rising menace in the city. That is because a crime like snatching on the streets is either registered in the first information report (FIR) under IPC section of theft or a robbery, depending on whether force was used or not. But the Delhi Polices data shows that until August 15 this year, there have been nearly 20 incidents of snatching every day in the national capital. Despite fewer people going out due to the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a 6% increase (4,257) in the snatching incidents this year compared to 4,010 in the corresponding period last year, according to police data. Vehicle thefts dip Vehicle thefts witnessed a negligible dip of 0.46%. While 46,433 vehicle thefts were reported across Delhi in 2018, last year there were 46,215 such cases. However compare to the national average, the scene in Delhi remains bleak. The vehicle theft rate in Delhi in 2019 was 231.8 compared to 17.8 nationally and 12.6 in Uttar Pradesh -- the second ranked state in this category. 24 rapes every week Rape cases in 2019 in Delhi rose by 3% compared to the previous year, the NCRB data shows. In 969 cases, children were victims compared to 989 such instances in 2018. Cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act dipped marginally from 1,736 to 1,719. Also Read: Mumbai ranks third in crimes, after Delhi, Chennai: NCRB data The NCRB data shows that in 98.7% of the 1,253 total rape cases in 2019, the victims and the suspects were known to each other. Of them, 129 were family members, 588 were friends, neighbours or employers and 520 were cases in which the accused were online friends, estranged partners or rapes on the pretext of marriage. Reported cases of molestation fell by 13% to 2,355 last year. Incidents of sexual harassment went down to 456, a 17% decrease compared to 2018. Overall, crimes against women decreased by 6% from 12,521 to 11,755. Drop in crimes against and by minors The data shows a 5.7% dip in crimes against children -- from 6,271 to 5,915. Moreover, overall crimes allegedly executed by minors also saw a drop of about 3.5% from 2,727 in 2018 to 2,633 last year. But the number of murders committed by minors rose to 72 in 2019 compared to 58 in 2018. Prakash Singh, former director-general of police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, said though he has not seen the NCRB data, he found Delhi to be a better place for registration of cases compared to other states. If Delhi saw a 20% increase in registered IPC crimes in 2019 when compared to the national spike of 3%, I must say that Delhi is a better place for registration of crimes than other Indian states. I want to compliment the Delhi Police for truthfully and faithfully registering the cases, said Singh. But, more than the statistics, the focus should be on crime detection rate, timely filing of charge sheets, and behaviour of police personnel towards complainants, Singh added. This would help in building confidence among the public, he said. A Delhi Police spokesperson said, The Delhi Police believes in truthful registration of cases and fair investigation. Our crime prevention strategies include analysing all crime related calls received in the police control room and accordingly register first information reports (FIRs). These practices may lead to rise in registration of cases but we should not be bothered about numbers. Our focus should be on making efforts to nab the offenders and bring them to justice. In the long run, this will eventually lead to a decline in the number of FIRs. Our prime focus is on curbing serious crimes such as snatching, robbery, house theft, murder and crimes against women and children. As far of cases of thefts are concerned, the Delhi Police have provided people with a platform where they themselves register FIRs online related to property thefts, including vehicles, the spokesperson said. Forward-looking: Weve been hearing about jet suits for a few years now, but their practical uses havent been too obviouswere still a long way off any weaponized versions being used by the military, thankfully. In the UK, though, the devices are being trialed in a new role: helping paramedics reach injured hikers in remote areas. The suit is the work of Gravity Industries, a UK-based firm founded by Richard Browning. They do have a strong Iron Man vibe, with propulsion provided by two micro jet engines on each arm and one on the back. A paramedic service that would see the suits used to reach people in emergency situations is being trialed in the mountainous Lake District region of the UK. In the example shown in the video above, Browning is able to reach someone in 90 seconds instead of the 25 minutes it would take on foot. Andy Mawson, director of operations at the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), told Sky News there were two types of patients that could benefit from the service. "The first is those who need the helicopter, but those we can get to a little bit quicker." "Also patients that don't require critical care that might have a more simple injury like a broken ankle or a broken arm that may still wait an hour for a mountain rescue team, and we can be by their side in a matter of minutes, giving them some strong pain relief, making them comfortable in lieu of the mountain rescue teams arriving." If someone had a cardiac arrest at the top of Helvellyn [a 3,000-foot mountain in the area], and we were able to employ the jet suit I am confident we would have a defibrillator on the patient within eight minutes. As things stand now our aircraft would be first on the scene and that could take 20 to 25 minutes. The 1,050bhp suit isnt cheap, retailing at 340,000 (around $435,900). It can move a pilot at over 80mph, and is capable of reaching12,000 ft, though its flown lower for safety reasons. All the maneuverability comes down to your own human balance and coordination. If you point the jets increasingly down you go up and if you flare them out you go down again, said Browning. It is very safe, you only go to a height where if you fell you would be able to recover, it would not be a terrible injury. The suit isnt ready to be adopted by the GNAAS just yet as Gravity Industries is still making alterations and collecting data from the trial, but flying emergency responders could soon become a reality. The pandemic has now claimed over a million lives worldwide, among over 33.49 million confirmed infections so far. Qatar reports over 125,000 infections and 214 deaths. The development of herd immunity is an important way of gaining protection from contagious diseases, such as smallpox, measles, mumps, polio, and COVID-19. Once achieved, herd immunity can provide some level of protection even to non-vaccinated individuals primarily because of the significantly reduced chance of disease spreading within the community. There are two ways to develop herd immunity: vaccination and previous infection. Now, a recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in September 2020 shows the achievement of herd immunity for SARS-CoV-2 infection by at least some expatriate worker communities in Qatar. Questions for the Researchers The current study aims to answer whether infection chains have truly been broken in any country or community such that transmission can no longer be maintained because of successful herd immunity. And secondly, at what attack rate does herd immunity occur? Qatar is a small country in the Arabian Gulf, with a population of 2.78 million, which suffered a heavy COVID-19 outbreak. The case rate reached over 50,000 per million by August 2020, among the highest in the world. It thus followed the classical SIR model, having peaked in May, with a steady decline after that over the next four months. Highest Infection Rate Among Expat Workers The initial community transmission and highest case rate were among the expatriate population, mostly comprising craft and manual workers (CMWs). Typically consisting of single young men between 20-49 years, this group makes up a majority (60%) of the Qatar population. At any given workplace, these workers work and live together with shared rooms, dormitories and bathrooms, and dining rooms, with food prepared in a cafeteria-style common kitchen. Most workers stay within their community, thus restricting the infection to discrete community bubbles. Despite the near-impossibility of classic social distancing, this allowed the infection to spread rapidly within each community but to remain confined there, similar to influenza outbreaks in schools and especially boarding schools. Salient Features of the Epidemic in Qatar The researchers draw attention to four features of the outbreak in Qatar: The high case number per million in CMWs The high proportion of asymptomatic infection The high positive test proportion in random testing campaigns carried out around the peak of the epidemic in various communities of CMWs The classical epidemic curve following the SIR pattern, with a sharp decrease in incidence over four months following the peak even without stringent social distancing This gives rise to the question whether herd immunity may have been reached in at least some of these communities. The operational definition for herd immunity in this situation was the proportion of the population ever infected (attack rate) beyond which infection transmission/circulation becomes unsustainable in this population with limited if any new infections occurring. To answer this, the researchers carried out serologic testing in a number of CMW communities for detectable COVID-19 antibodies. Among almost 5,000 CMWs from 10 communities, the researchers found that over 70% were below 40 years, and almost entirely male. About 43% and 33%, respectively, were Nepalese and Indian in origin. Two-Third Seropositivity Rate About 3,200 seropositive results were obtained from these individual tests, with the highest community rate being ~84% and the lowest ~55%. On average, about 66% of tests were positive. When the national COVID-19 database was searched for prior test results in the same individuals, it was found that fully over 1,000 had a history of laboratory-confirmed PCR-positive infection before the current study. The highest rate of diagnosis ranged from 28% to ~83% in communities that had been broadly tested by PCR earlier due to random testing drives or as part of contact tracing. In other communities, the rate of diagnosis varied from 0.4% to~13%. Community-Wise Disparity in Seroprevalence The highest odds of being positive for COVID-19 antibodies were for Bangladeshis, at almost 7 times the odds of other nationalities, while Nepalis had a ~5-fold risk, Indians and Kenyans ~3.5%, while the lowest risk was ~3% for Sri Lankans and ~2% for Filipinos. The first three were mostly workers, while some Indians, and the last two communities, were mostly managers and administrators, with possibly less contact and different grades of accommodation than the former. While women comprised only 5% of the group, they were 87% less likely to be seropositive. This is probably because they shared accommodations in smaller groups. With higher education, especially university education, the odds of being seropositive were 75% lower. Symptoms of COVID-19, contact with infected people, or signs of more severe infection were similar to non-predictive of seropositive status. Low PCR Positivity For these CMWs, just over 2,000 were tested for viral RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Only 112 were positive, with several communities having a detection rate of zero, while the highest detection rate was ~11% in one community. For pooled testing, the PCR positivity was 4%. Interestingly, only 0.8% of seronegative individuals had been diagnosed as PCR-positive before this. Even more, about 80% of the positive tests came with a cycle threshold value above 30, indicating that active infection was not present. There was a striking community-based difference in infection positivity, by either serologic or PCR testing, from a high of ~84% to a low of 63%. The pooled test positivity was still ~66%. Only 21 of these individuals had been hospitalized for COVID-19, but only five and one with severe and critical disease. All 21 tested positive by serology or PCR. The proportion of people with severe or critical infection out of the ~3,200 confirmed test-positives was 0.2%. Herd Immunity Threshold Crossed Overall, therefore, the CMW communities had a seroprevalence of 65-70%, which agrees with the classical calculation for herd immunity (at R0 of 2.5-4, this figure agrees with the calculated 1-1/R0); a low PCR positive rate, with most of these being suggestive of earlier infection rather than active infection. Moreover, they did not find a single cluster of infection during this study, suggesting that transmission is now unsustainable, despite the fact that large clusters had been identified quite commonly in these communities during the rising and peak phase of infection, at the end of May. Moreover, such clusters have not been identified for the last few weeks in Qatar in any CMW community in the absence of meaningful social distancing since June 15, 2020. The researchers conclude that their results support that herd immunity has been reached (or at least nearly reached) in these CMW communities, and that the level of herd immunity needed for SARS-CoV-2 infection is an attack rate (proportion ever infected) of about 65-70%. However, they do not rule out the attainment of herd immunity even at a lower attack rate, based on mathematical modeling, which indicates that the exposure to a novel infection in the first round could significantly overshoot the level required for herd immunity as per the earlier calculation. This is especially so for a community which allows homogeneous social contact, while a heterogeneous contact rate brings down the number of people ever infected. Implications The researchers say this study provides to our knowledge the first empirical evidence for herd immunity worldwide. This process, albeit limited to specific communities, was achieved within a few months. This could mean that in similar communities, just about two-thirds of the population required to be infected to achieve herd immunity, similar coverage is required for vaccination to accomplish herd immunity in a community starting with zero exposure to SARS-CoV-2. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Source New Delhi, Oct 1 : The Delhi High Court yet again pulled up the city government for not using its actual testing capacity, noting that Delhi can conduct 15,000 RT-PCR tests per day while actual number of tests being done is still around 11,000. "Delhi has the capacity of conducting 15,000 tests per day through RT-PCR mode... 4,000 RT-PCR tests per day are not being utilised, which does not make any sense when cases of Covid-19 infection during the period between September 14, 2020 to September 27, 2020, remain in the range of 3,500-4,000 cases per day with only one exception on September 20 when the positive cases reported were 2,548," said a division bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad. The court further noted that the report of Sero Surveillance-3 reflects a reduction of the IgG antibodies' seroprevalence from 28.7 per cent to 25.1 per cent. "The seroprevalence has declined in northwest and central districts but has increased in west, south, northwest and east districts," it said. As per the report submitted to the court, the seroprevalence was found to be more in females during the three rounds of Sero Surveillance and least in those aged 18 to 49 years, as compared to those aged below 18 years and above 50 years. "The conclusion in the Sero Surveillance-3 report is that there is a need to enhance the focus on sample representativeness of the survey in the central, northeast and north districts," the court said. In its report filed before the court, the city government said that Geospatial Delhi Ltd has incorporated the changes made in the draft map, in terms of the feedback received from various districts and the said map of available testing in Delhi was received by the Delhi government on September 28. "The map mentions a total of 320 testing sites in Delhi. The said map has been shared with DMRC for being displayed at permanent locations/sites at all major Metro Stations. It has also been sent to the Delhi State Mission and uploaded on various websites of the Delhi Government," the order noted. The Delhi government also told the high court that providing access to Covid-19 testing through Mohalla Clinics and Community Centres is under the active consideration of the Expert Committee constituted by the Lt. Governor. "But no final decision on the way forward for capacity building and ramping up the overall testing strategy in Delhi has been taken," the government, represented by Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain and Additional Standing Counsel Satyakam, submitted. While posting the matter for further hearing on October 7, the high court has asked the ASG to inform the court of the date finalised for commencing the next Sero Surveillance in Delhi. "Since we are informed that the Expert Committee is actively involved in re-strategising the testing capacity as also reviewing the overall strategy required to be followed by the Delhi government and request has been made to await the said recommendations, list on October 7, 2020," said the court. The directions came as the court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Rakesh Malhotra seeking increasing Covid-19 testing numbers in the national capital and getting speedy results. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Armenia and Azerbaijan vowed to keep fighting and rejected international calls for negotiations Wednesday as clashes over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region raged for a fourth day. In the breakaway province's capital Stepanakert, two explosions were heard around midnight as sirens sounded. Residents said the city had been attacked by drones. Streets were dark with public lighting shut off, although some shops were open in the city, which local authorities said came under fire when fresh violence erupted Sunday. Moscow said Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron had called for a "complete" halt to fighting in Karabakh and said they were ready to intensify diplomatic efforts to help solve the conflict. "Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron called on the warring sides to halt fire completely and as soon as possible, de-escalate tensions and show maximum restraint," the Kremlin said. In a telephone call, the two leaders expressed "readiness" to see a statement made on behalf of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group -- Russia, France and the US -- that would call for an "immediate" end to fighting and start of talks, it added. Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed. The confirmed death toll surpassed 100 people including civilians Wednesday, with both sides claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on the other. Baku and Yerevan have ignored mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, sparking fears the conflict could escalate into all-out war and draw in regional powers like Turkey and Russia. "We need to prepare for a long-term war," Karabakh separatist leader Arayik Harutyunyan said Wednesday. Moscow, which has a military pact with Armenia but also good ties with Azerbaijan, has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting and on Wednesday offered to host negotiations. Story continues - Russia 'ready' for meeting - In separate phone conversations with his counterparts from both ex-Soviet countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's "readiness" to organise a meeting. But neither leader showed signs of being ready for talks. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev promised his military would keep fighting until Armenian troops withdraw fully from Karabakh. If "the Armenian government fulfils the demand, fighting and bloodshed will end, and peace will be established in the region," he said while visiting wounded soldiers. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said it was not "very appropriate" to speak of negotiations "at a time of intensive hostilities". In the Armenian capital Yerevan, dozens of men gathered outside a recruitment office to join the fight. "We must act to defend our homeland against the aggressor," said Kamo, a 32-year-old factory worker. "This is our land. We will die before we abandon it." There has been no let-up in the fighting since the weekend, with both sides reporting new civilian casualties Wednesday. Armenia has recorded 104 military deaths and 23 civilians killed. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said its forces have killed 2,300 Karabakh separatist troops and "destroyed 130 tanks, 200 artillery units, 25 anti-aircraft units, five ammunition depots, 50 anti-tank units, 55 military vehicles". Armenia claimed that Azerbaijan had lost 130 troops while another 200 were wounded. "Armenian armed forces destroyed 29 tanks and armoured vehicles," a defence ministry spokesman said. - 'Real enemy' - Karabakh's defence ministry, for its part, said Azerbaijani forces "continued artillery shelling" along the frontline. The two sides have accused each other of targeting civilian areas, including some away from Karabakh. Yerevan claims that Turkey, a longstanding ally of Azerbaijan, is providing direct military support for Baku. It said on Tuesday that a Turkish F-16 flying in support of Baku's forces had downed an Armenian SU-25 warplane, but Ankara and Baku denied the claim. The Karabakh separatist leader reiterated claims Turkey was involved. "The real enemy is Turkey," Harutyunyan said. There have been reports of Turkey sending fighters from Syria, where Ankara is allied with some rebel groups, to join the Azerbaijani side. Azerbaijan for its part also claimed Armenia was deploying foreign fighters. "Mercenaries from Middle Eastern countries are fighting against us alongside Armenian forces," Aliyev's foreign policy adviser, Hikmet Khadjiyev, told AFP. Russia's foreign ministry said that "fighters of illegal armed groups including from Syria and Libya" were being deployed to the conflict zone. It said it was "deeply concerned" but did not say who was responsible or lay any blame. - 'Close to large-scale war' - "We are definitely very close to seeing a large-scale war, possibly even on a regional scale," said Olesya Vartanyan of the International Crisis Group. Talks to resolve the conflict have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement. bur-mm-as/spm Last month, the Victorian state Labor governments Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced that no charges would be laid against the police officers involved in the death of Aboriginal woman Tanya Day, nearly three years ago. She died from a brain haemorrhage while being held by the police for four hours. Neither the DPP nor the government gave any reasons for this decision. The DPP did not even directly inform Days family and their lawyers. In a statement issued through the Human Rights Law Centre, Days family said prosecutors seemed to have based their conclusion on a police investigation that we have said all along was flawed and lacked independence. They added: We are devastated and angry. The two police officers who failed to properly check on our mum, have been let off. It is not good enough that such an important decision was made behind closed doors, without any input from our family or the broader Aboriginal community. Tanya Day (Credit: instagram.com/justicefortanyaday) The circumstances of Days death, and the failure to hold any police officer to account, shows the increasing impunity with which the forces of the state treat the poorest and most oppressed sections of the working class, especially Aboriginal workers and young people. On December 5, 2017, Day, a 55-year-old grandmother, travelled on a train in country Victoria to visit her youngest daughter in Melbourne. After she fell asleep, the conductor deemed her to be unruly and called police to remove her when the train pulled in at Castlemaine station. Police took her off the train at 3.14 p.m., arresting her for public drunkenness, and drove her to the Castlemaine police station in a divvy van. She was placed in a cell at 4 p.m., to sober up. Day received no medical or welfare assistance, even though, in her intoxicated state, she was unbalanced and presented a high risk of falling. CCTV footage captured her stumbling, falling and knocking her head against cement on four occasions. Sergeant Edwina Neale was asked during the inquest why she conducted no falls risk assessment before placing Day in the cell. Neale said she did not know the arrested woman had the potential to fall. When it was suggested that she could have taken Day to hospital for observation, rather than a prison cell, Neale replied that she had never taken anyone to hospital because they were merely drunk. While Day was in the cell alone, physical checks on her welfare consisted of Leading Senior Constable Danny Wolters taking a glance through venetian blinds on the cell window, and engaging in a quick verbal exchange, all in the space of 6 or 7 seconds. At 4.50 p.m., Day fell forward and hit her forehead hard against the wall. This impact caused a brain haemorrhage that remained undetected until police entered the cell at 8.03 p.m. to prepare her for release. From 6.38 p.m. onward, Day lay on the floor of the cell. This was observed by Wolters during a check at 6.42 p.m. Neale said she did not check on Day because, shes an intoxicated human being who was sleeping on the floor, which is not unusual for intoxicated people. At 8.03 p.m., Neale and Wolters entered the cell but could not rouse Day to full consciousness. They observed an oval-shaped bruise on her forehead and called for an ambulance. Day was taken to a regional hospital in Bendigo, and then transferred to a hospital in Melbourne, where she died from her injuries 17 days later. For all deaths in custody, the standard process is an initial investigation by the police themselves, via the Professional Standards Command. The actual purpose of this procedure is to ensure that officers escape any accountability. A coroners investigator (also a police officer) then carries out an investigation, and the results are handed to a coroner, who conducts an inquest. On average, these inquests occur two years after the victims death. The inquest is designed to create the illusion of a transparent and independent process, while the role of the coroner is only to determine causal factors and identify systemic failures with a view to preventing similar deaths from occurring in the future (as explained in the coroners report into Days death). Typically, inquests end with toothless recommendations, similar to those of previous inquests, and nothing changes. Days coronial inquest began in August 2019. Coroner Caitlin English announced her findings seven months later, in April 2020. She found that Neale and Wolters had taken a minimised approach to the medical needs of Day. She said the quality of the checks, indicated by their speed, did not meet the standards of the official guidelines, resulting in their failure to take proper care of Ms Days safety, health and welfare. English also found that Wolters was not a credible witness due to apparent contradictions in his evidence. These related to the officers evidence, in which he asserted: I didnt ever actually see her hit her head at any stage. Yet in the emergency call that Wolters made to Ambulance Victoria, he is recorded as saying: She has fallen over in the cells. I seen her slip over an hour ago. The paramedic who arrived first at the police station, Sarah Harrup, stated in her evidence that she clearly recalled Wolters describing the fall to her, and she inferred from this that he had witnessed it on CCTV. In her electronic patient record, Harrup had written: Approx 7 p.m., police witnessed the patient, via cell camera, roll from a slouched/seated position on the bed (approx. 30 cm high), and strike her forehead on the ground. States that patient immediately got up (denies loss of consciousness). The coroner noted that during the inquest, Wolters had rejected the accuracy of the paramedics accounts. She added that due to Wolters lack of credibility, her ability to accept other aspects of his testimony was impaired. English directed that the case be referred to the DPP for a criminal investigation, as an indictable offence may have occurred. But the DPP declared on August 27 that no such offence had occurred. Among her recommendations, English called for the abolition of the criminal offence of public drunkenness. Days arrest had been made solely on the basis of that law. Such a recommendation was made nearly 30 years ago, in 1991, by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, but the Victorian and Queensland state governments have refused to implement it. The Hawke federal Labor government launched the Royal Commission in 1987, to head off growing public indignation with the mounting numbers of unexplained deaths of Aboriginal people in custody. Tanya Days uncle, Harrison Day, was one of the deaths investigated by the Royal Commission. No police officer was charged with homicide as a result of the Royal Commission, giving a green light for killings to continue. Since 1991, 434 Aboriginal people have died in custody, and not a single police officer has been charged. In December 2019, the indigenous incarceration rate was 2,536 per 100,000, compared to 218 per 100,000 for non-indigenous people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up 2 percent of the Australian population, but 27 percent of prisoners. While systemic racism is clearly involved, indigenous people, along with immigrants, refugees and working class youth, are victimised because they are the among the most impoverished and vulnerable layers of the working class. The purpose of the Royal Commission, and the hundreds of coronial inquests that have followed, has been to promote the illusion that the capitalist state can be pressured into reducing its violence against the working class, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal alike. The DPPs decision to lay no charges over Tanya Days death is a signal that both Labor and Liberal-National governments will continue to provide police with a free hand to commit such crimes with impunity, as the economic and social crisis pervading the lives of ordinary working people escalates throughout the country. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has held a meeting of the National Reform Council in Vinnytsia region, the presidents press service reports. At the meeting, he outlined priority steps that need to be implemented in Ukraine to improve the business climate. "This format of external regional meetings of the National Reform Council or meetings of our deputies, or government meetings in the regions of Ukraine means that the reforms are not taking place on Bankova Street, in the Verkhovna Rada or in the Cabinet of Ministers. As first of all, they are intended for people. That is why I am very pleased that we have chosen such a regional format, the president said. Zelensky said he would like to hold meetings of the National Reform Council in various regions of Ukraine. "People will be involved in our work and understand why and for whom we are doing it," he added. He also stressed that important bills should be the result of the National Reform Council. "And then, the most important thing. To vote for this or that law is one thing, and to implement it and really reform our country for the sake of such students, for their future is completely different, said Zelensky. According to the Office of the President, participants in the meeting focused on the discussion of three reforms: the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate, subsoil use and connection of consumers to the power grid. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stressed that the three reforms proposed for consideration are extremely important for improving the economic situation and attracting investment to Ukraine. "Each of these reforms creates conditions for regional competition, which will help each community to attract investors to its territory," he said. iy OTTAWA - A fundraising letter sent by new Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole to party members contains passages identical to sections of his rival Peter MacKay's campaign website.The missive to members was sent earlier this month in the wake of O'Toole's victory over MacKay in the August leadership vote.Portions of the letter about the impact of COVID-19, O'Toole's vision for the party and a definition of conservative values all contain the same sentences and phrasing as MacKay's campaign website. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - A fundraising letter sent by new Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole to party members contains passages identical to sections of his rival Peter MacKay's campaign website.The missive to members was sent earlier this month in the wake of O'Toole's victory over MacKay in the August leadership vote.Portions of the letter about the impact of COVID-19, O'Toole's vision for the party and a definition of conservative values all contain the same sentences and phrasing as MacKay's campaign website. Conservative party spokesman Cory Hann says human error is to blame: a contractor hired to write the note drafted one version in the event MacKay won the contest, and one for an O'Toole victory.Hann says content from the MacKay letter was inadvertently left in when the final version was put together.O'Toole won the contest with 57 per cent of the available points, compared to MacKay's 43 per cent.The two men were perceived as the front-runners during the contest, and ran distinctly different campaigns.O'Toole's campaign included ads directly attacking MacKay, whom he sought to paint as "Liberal-lite" compared to O'Toole's "true blue" credentials. MacKay took only a few pointed jabs at his rivals, framing his campaign more in terms of his own vision. The portions from MacKay's website which appear in the O'Toole letter include a paragraph on the impact of COVID-19, and broad-brush comments about conservative values. "Canada needs Conservative ideas and Conservative solutions that will work in every part of the country," reads a bolded section on MacKay's website. "Canada needs Conservative ideas and Conservatives solutions that will work in every part of the country," reads an underlined statement in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press. Both also share this line: "My vision is to leave an even better Canada to our children and grandchildren." Hann said the contract with the third party who wrote the letter is under review. "Since winning the leadership Mr. OToole has instructed the party to review all vendors and their operations, analyzing both value for money as well as their professional standards, and this vendor is part of this ongoing review process," he said in an email.While the letter might have been written in error, it underscores one of the running themes of the now-concluded campaign: how similar the two men are to each other. Both come from political families and both were lawyers before entering politics. Both have connections to the military and veterans' causes. O'Toole served in the military and was briefly veterans affairs minister while MacKay was defence minister for several years. Both also have ties to Nova Scotia. O'Toole did some of his military service and went to university in the province. MacKay is one of the province's noted political sons, having grown up in and represented a Nova Scotia riding throughout his time in national politics. MacKay has not ruled out attempting to do again, though would have to first secure O'Toole's blessing to run as a Conservative candidate in the next election.This report by The Canadian Press was first published September 29, 2020. An outbreak of COVID-19 at a Clatsop County seafood processing facility is responsible for nine of 19 new virus cases reported in Cowlitz County Tuesday, according to the Cowlitz COVID-19 Incident Management Team. As of Monday, close to 100 positive cases were linked to the outbreak at Pacific Seafood in Warrenton, west of Astoria, according to Clatsop County Public Health. Early last week, 77 of the plants 159-member night shift tested positive, according to the Clatsop County Public Health Department. Six of 106 day-shift employees tested positive Thursday and Friday, according to the department. The Oregon Health Authority has identified 86 of those cases as Clatsop County residents. John King, general manager at the Warrenton plant, said in a statement the company traced the outbreak back to a Labor Day barbecue among workers and social activities, The Astorian reported Saturday. King said the vast majority of Pacific Seafood workers who tested positive live in seasonal housing at a hotel, according to The Astorian. Pacific Seafood last week temporarily closed the Warrenton facility. The plant had a smaller outbreak earlier this year, when 11 employees and four close contacts of those workers tested positive, according to Clastop County. Clatsop County is working with the Oregon Health Authority to provide contact tracing, quarantine and other services for COVID-19 patients connected to the outbreak. Cowlitz County Health and Human Services staff have taken over the contact tracing for the county residents connected to the outbreak, said Ralph Herrera, IMT spokesperson. As of Friday, 526 of Cowlitz Countys 690 cases were considered recovered. Three virus patients are currently hospitalized outside the county. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Hours after the Uttar Pradesh police cremated the 19-year-old gang-rape and murder victim, allegedly while her family members were locked up in their homes, the state government has formed a three-member SIT to investigate the matter. The team led by the Home Secretary Bhagwan Swaroop along with DIG Chandra Prakash and IPS officer Poonam will submit the first report in the case within seven days. Amid nationwide outrage, the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also asked the trial to be conducted in a fast-track court. The disturbing sequence of events captured last night showed the bereaved family of the victim begging to take the body home, while the relatives were seen throwing themselves on the hood of the ambulance carrying the body. The woman died in the national capitals Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday morning after suffering multiple fractures, paralysis and a gash in her tongue. While the protests were being staged outside the Safdarjung Hospital demanding justice for the victim, the womans brother told the media that his sisters body had been whisked away by the UP police without their knowledge. Her father and brothers sat in protest but they were taken away by the policemen in a black car with UP plates, NDTV reported. The body was then taken to her village in Hathras, about 200 km from Delhi, after midnight. The family members alleged that the UP police wanted to complete the last rites right in the middle of the night and they insisted that this was against their tradition". Paying no heed to the familys demand for cremating her in the morning, the policemen cremated the woman at around 2:30 am, while most of the family members were at home. However, all four attackers, upper-caste men from the womans village are currently lodged in jail and will now also be charged with murder. By Umaru Fofana FREETOWN (Reuters) - Sierra Leone's anti-corruption body has summoned former president Ernest Bai Koroma for questioning under oath over allegations of graft while in office, it said on Wednesday. The summons by the anti-graft commission is the latest move in a campaign by Koroma's successor, President Julius Maada Bio, to call to account the previous administration that Maada Bio says took the country to the brink of economic collapse. It concerns alleged wrongdoing in connection with mining, construction and procurement contracts, and follows an order on Tuesday to bar Koroma and 111 officials from leaving the country after a judge-led inquiry alleged that they illicitly enriched themselves during his 2007-2018 tenure. "The former presidents chief security officer received the notice on his behalf this morning at his residence in Makeni," anti-corruption commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala told Reuters. Koroma had been ordered to answer questions from the commission - which has prosecuting powers - in person on Oct. 5, he said. Koroma was not available for comment, but has denied any wrongdoing in the past and said corruption allegations are part of a long-running smear campaign. The former ruling All People's Congress party, which Koroma still leads, has rejected the inquiry's findings as "politically motivated, legally flawed and procedurally defective". It plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal. Koroma's Makeni property is among assets worth $200 million the government has ordered Koroma and the officials forfeit or repay after the inquiry released its report last Friday. An earlier report commissioned by Maada Bio accused the previous administration of exploiting an Ebola outbreak in the West African country for personal gain. Sierra Leone, recovering from a decade of civil war that ended in 2002, saw its economy contract more than 20% in 2015 due to a slump in global commodity prices and the Ebola epidemic that had peaked a year earlier. (Editing by Alessandra Prentice and Mark Heinrich) A former Pentagon leader who's viewed as the next likely defense secretary if Joe Biden becomes president said installing troops at polling places this fall would be a risk to American democracy. "I would hate to see a situation where we have to inject the military and the Guard into our democratic elections," Michele Flournoy, the former undersecretary of defense for policy, said on Wednesday. "... I don't think that's a healthy thing for our democracy." Flournoy, who served at the Pentagon during the Obama administration and co-founded the Center for a New American Security think tank, spoke during an event on military modernization and policy priorities hosted by Defense News. Read Next: Marines Offer Former Pilots Up to $100K to Come Back to Active Duty Flournoy said last month she wouldn't turn down a nomination to lead the Pentagon in a possible Biden administration. Such a move would make Flournoy the first-ever female defense secretary. "I've spent 30 years in some form of public service either in government or in the non-profit sector. That is my calling," she told NBC News during the annual Aspen Security Forum. "I do think he's the right answer for the country," Flournoy added, speaking of Biden. "And I would do anything to support his success and for the sake of the country." On Wednesday, Flournoy told Defense News she was troubled by some of the rhetoric she heard about the upcoming election. Without mentioning him by name, Flournoy said she was disturbed by President Donald Trump's mention of poll watchers during Tuesday night's debate. "I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully," Trump said. "...They're called poll watchers, a very safe, very nice thing." Flournoy said calling on people to watch polls could intimidate voters -- a move that's common in nondemocratic nations. "This is a democratic process. We know how to do this. We've done it over and over and over again, without violence, with peaceful transition," Flournoy said. "That's according to the rule of law, and our Constitution. So, we need to hold each other accountable as Americans to back off of this fire that we're playing with." Poll watchers are typically installed by candidates or political parties. The 2020 presidential election is the first in decades in which Republican poll-watching activity won't be under court supervision, 60 Minutes reported. In 2018 a, federal court finalized a decision to terminate a "consent decree" the Republican National Committee entered into in the 1980s, according to the news program, following claims that minority voters were harassed at polling places. Tuesday wasn't the first time the president has called on his supporters to be on alert. At an August rally in North Carolina, Trump urged voters to "watch it." "Be poll-watchers when you go there," the president said. "Watch all the thieving and stealing and robbing they do." Flournoy said she's not only worried about the potential use of troops at polling places on Election Day, but also the threat of violence should the results be thrown into question. That could prompt governors to ask the National Guard to step in. "I hope we don't get there as a nation," she said. "... Our democracy is on the line here in how we behave in this coming season. We need to try to calm things down rather than whip them up into a point of violence." -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: First Presidential Debate Heavy on Insults, Light on Veteran and Military Issues Watch: Hugh Jackmans wife Deborra-Lee Furness responds to sexuality rumours Hugh Jackmans wife Deborra-Lee Furness has spoken out about mean-spirited rumours that the X-Men star is gay. Actor and producer Furness, 64, has been married to the 51-year-old actor for 24 years and they have two children together. Furness was asked about the long-running rumours about Jackmans sexuality on Australian chat show Anh's Brush With Fame. She said: They are just so mean-spirited. I hope people realise it's all made up. Its just wrong. Hes been gay so many years. I was gay too. You know when I did Shame? I was gay. They were shocked when I got married. Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness have been married for 24 years. (AP) "And so what? What are we discussing here? Is he a vegetarian? Is he gay?" Furness added: Its just wrong. Its like someone saying to Elton John: Hes straight. Im sure hed be p***ed. Read more: Hugh Jackman spends Valentine's Day doing a jigsaw of him and his wife Jackman said in an interview in 2018 that he believed the rumours stemmed from his Tony-winning Broadway performance in musical The Boy From Oz as Peter Allen, Liza Minnellis first husband, who later came out as gay. Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness and their children Oscar and Ava in 2012. (AP) He told The Hollywood Reporter in 2013 that the rumours had started to upset his wife. Jackman admitted: Just recently, it bugs her. She goes: It's big. It's everywhere. But in 2018 he told a US radio station: "Some dudes do get upset, some dudes say 'Don't say I'm gay' but I am good. The couple met on the set of the Australian television show Correlli in 1995, and were married a year later. Read more: Hugh Jackman honoured with Guinness World Record They are parents to adopted children Oscar, 20, and Ava, 15. Deborra-lee Furness says she feels very lucky to be married to Hugh Jackman. (AP) Jackman said of their first meeting: We just had this amazing connection. And I feel blessed that I experienced that I feel like I met my soulmate, whatever that is. And Furness said she feels very lucky to be married to the Greatest Showman star. She said: Lucky? Like I won a chook [chicken] raffle... Its because hes the stud muffin. But thats showbiz and Hollywood and the brand of Hugh Jackman. LONDON: A statue of Harry Potter, flying a Nimbus 2000 broom over the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, was unveiled on Wednesday in Londons Leicester Square. The bronze statue, which shows Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe, is just a few steps from where the film Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone" had its world film premiere in November 2001. Harry Potter is hugely important to literature, theatre and, of course, to film," said Ros Morgan, chief executive at Heart of London Business Alliance. We know there are fans of Harry Potter of all ages all around the world and we look forward to welcoming them to the West End and Leicester Square, whenever that will be." Potter joins other film icons including Laurel & Hardy, Mary Poppins, Mr. Bean and Paddington as part of Scenes in the Square, an interactive film trail in Leicester Square. Some young fans were enthralled. I love Harry Potter and have been posing for photos pretending to play Quidditch with the statue all morning," said Finn Bruce, aged 10. I love coming into London and Im happy Harry is here now too." The secretive data and surveillance company Palantir will offer its stock to public investors for the first time Wednesday, a long-anticipated move that promises to transform its business and its public profile. The direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange is one of the most hotly-anticipated tech IPOs in years, and investors seek to capitalize on a business that has grown by almost a third each year since 2009. But some recently disclosed financial records, furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the public offering process, suggest Palantir's business may be overly concentrated among a few loyal customers, raising questions about whether it can scale up the same way as other tech outfits. The records show that Palantir has 125 corporate and government customers, a relatively small number for a large, publicly traded tech company. Two-thirds of its revenue comes from its top 20 customers, raising concerns that it could lose business as long-running government contracts are renegotiated. It generated an average revenue per customer of $24.8 million last year. Palantir's reliance on that insular market could make it a risky bet for many investors, said Rohit Kulkarni, a senior analyst at MKM Partners in San Francisco. "The company is still almost at the mercy of a small number of government contracts," Kulkarni said. "If and when they come up for renewal the investment community will get extremely spooked about how those negotiations go." Palantir, named for a mysterious black orb that a dark wizard uses to communicate with a giant disembodied flaming eye in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, has long been one of Silicon Valley's most closely held secrets. It was founded in 2004 by tech investor Peter Thiel with financial help from the CIA and has stayed private longer than many observers thought it would. While government contracts remain the bedrock of its business, it has diversified significantly in recent years. Today, its algorithms, with names such "Gotham" and "Foundry," are applied to problems as high-stakes as spotting terrorism suspects and as mundane as analyzing payroll. Some of Palantir's contracts with the U.S. government have been a lightning rod for activists and its own employees. In recent years it has renewed lucrative partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, provided digital profiling tools to the federal agency as it carried out President Donald Trump's increasingly controversial policies for apprehending and deporting undocumented immigrants. The company acknowledged in its filing with securities regulators that some of its contracts have made it a target for protests, but did not detail any of its work with ICE. It has also nosed its way into the Defense Department's information technology industry, capitalizing on efforts to modernize the Defense Department's technology to compete with foreign nations such as Russia and China. In an $800 million coup for its military business, Palantir in 2019 beat out Raytheon to become the primary provider for the Army's battlefield intelligence system. That sort of work is expected to take on a higher profile in the future as the U.S. military seeks to rely more heavily on artificial-intelligence algorithms and unmanned weapons systems. Palantir doubtlessly has more room to grow as it seeks to expand its military work. It recently took on another Army contract, and in March it won an $80 million contract for a complex Navy logistics system. Still, there is a concern that the company's long-term market could be limited. Palantir's typical corporate customer is a large, multinational company with huge amounts of data. While Palantir has emphasized its opportunity to expand within these companies - aiming to become "a central operating system" for their data - it will eventually run out of giant global companies to sell to. Brendan Burke, an analyst at venture capital industry research firm PitchBook, said he thinks investors have valued Palantir as if it were an enterprise software company. But its financials suggest that it is primarily in the government contracting business. "It's clearly not an enterprise software company with government customers," said Brendan Burke, an analyst at venture capital industry research firm PitchBook. "It is a government contractor that is expanding and transferring some of its lessons to the private sector." Palantir is growing revenue rapidly like a tech company, but because it invests heavily in sales and marketing, its profit margins are below those of typical software companies. At about $20 billion, Palantir would be valued in line with other business software makers such as Splunk and Elastic Search. At that price, public market investors would be betting the company can find new avenues of growth. "It has achieved high growth. I think investors expect high growth to continue," Burke said. By Trend The only solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is peaceful negotiations with an immediate effect, Petar Stoyanov, former President of Bulgaria, Board of Trustees Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, told Trend. I would like to express my deep concern at the resumption of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which is a breach of international law. In order to prevent further escalation and loss of human lives, as well as the violation of basic human rights, all hostilities must cease immediately. The only solution to this crisis is peaceful negotiations with an immediate effect. I call on all parties involved to put their efforts towards the peaceful settlement of their long-standing differences in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and abide by UN Security Council resolutions and international law with the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of state borders of Azerbaijan at their core, he said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the frontline, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of the retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Caracas, Sep 30 : Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that US financial sanctions have caused Venezuela's oil revenue to plunge 99 per cent over the last six years. Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves, but its oil industry is hobbled by US sanctions which have thrown the country into its worst economic crisis in years, Press tv reported. Maduro said on Tuesday that 30 billion dollars have been lost each year since 2015, adding "it's impossible to imagine the amount of pressure placed on our economy." "For every 100 dollars obtained through oil sales in 2014 we receive one today," which means oil revenues fell from more than 56 billion dollars in 2013 "to less than 400 million dollars last year", he said. According to Maduro, Venezuela experienced the "sharpest" foreign exchange losses in its history between 2014 and 2019. "In six years we lost 99% of our foreign exchange revenues," he said. The main reason for the huge drop in revenues was "the war declared on oil prices," to "attack the world's major producers," he said. With most shipowners and oil traders shunning business with Venezuela for fear of the sanctions, Iran has emerged as the only country helping Caracas bring its refineries back to service and cope with an acute fuel shortage. The Iran-flagged tanker Forest, the first of a group of three tankers transporting some 270,000 barrels of Iranian fuel for Venezuela, entered the waters of the South American nation on Monday, reports said. The two following Iranian tankers, the Faxon and the Fortune, are estimated to arrive in early October. They are together expected to deliver about 820,000 barrels of gasoline and other fuels, helping to ease shortages in Venezuela. The same vessels and two additional Iranian tankers delivered 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and diesel fuel to Venezuela between May and June despite US threats to stop them, while the South American nation shipped a cargo vessel carrying alumina to Iran's Bandar Abbas port. An Iranian very large crude carrier (VLCC) is expected to leave Venezuela's Jose port with 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy oil for sale in Asia. On Tuesday, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza was quoted as saying that his country had learnt from Tehran how to confront the coercive US measures. An Iranian supertanker that shipped the country's first oil cargo to Venezuela last week despite US threats to stop it is loading the Latin American country's crude for export, Bloomberg reports. Arreaza also said after talking with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif via a video call that Venezuela's historic relations with Iran are at their best. Washington has sought to disrupt the deepening bilateral trade between the two countries. Last month, the US government went on a full-throttle propaganda campaign, claiming that it had seized 1.116 million barrels of Iranian fuel because it was bound for Venezuela. Iran, however, asserted that neither were the ships Iranian nor their owners or their cargo had any connection to the Islamic Republic. Venezuela pledged to continue trade with Iran after the US announced new sanctions on Iranian official entities as well as President Maduro this month. By Trend The Azerbaijani army is inflicting the artillery strikes on the positions of the Armenian armed forces, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Shortly after the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden was over Tuesday night, CNN anchor Jake Tapper called the event a hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck. That was the worst debate I have ever seen, he said. His colleague Dana Bash who went to high school in Montvale took it a step further. Im just gonna say it like it is: That was a shit show," she said. "That was a hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck," @jaketapper says. "That was the worst debate I have ever seen. It wasn't even a debate. It was a disgrace." "That was a shit show," @DanaBashCNN adds. pic.twitter.com/EhTIeM7Skc Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) September 30, 2020 Those werent the only strong reactions. Politicians, pundits, and everyday people went to town on what is supposed to be the first of three presidential debates between Trump and Biden, the former vice president, before they face off in the Nov. 3 election. The consensus was that it was extremely chaotic, with the candidates snapping over each other, Trump frequently interrupting Biden with questions and insults, Biden yelling at Trump to shut up," and moderator Chris Wallace struggling to keep control of the evening. On MSNBC, anchor Rachel Maddow said "this sort of debate should not happen in a democracy. NBCs Nicole Wallace said Chris Wallace did not act as a moderator" and Trump did not act like a debater." Over on ABC, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie who helped Trump prep for the debate said this was not what the presidents team planned for. It was hotter than it was planned to be," Christie, now a political analyst for ABC, said. He also said he believes its possible for Trump who is so far down in the polls to fix his mistakes, while saying Biden was not seeming on the ball, getting numbers wrong, wandering in mid-sentence, not being able to finish thoughts. Can that problem be fixed? I dont know, he added. "Is that the debate you prepared for?" @GStephanopoulos asks. "No," @ChrisChristie says, saying Pres. Trump was "too hot," but that Joe Biden did not turn in a "reassuring performance." https://t.co/wGz0RuZ29W #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/mdlpAy9iDb ABC News (@ABC) September 30, 2020 FiveThirtyEight listed some of headlines from its live blog for the evening: What If The Presidential Debate Was Like the Worst Fight Your Uncles Ever Had At Thanksgiving Everyone Lost The First Presidential Debate 2020 Is Perfectly Encapsulated In First Presidential Debate Vox summed up the event thusly: Not Americas finest hour. The Los Angeles Times said Trump was untethered," while Biden had no major senior moment' that would fuel questions of his competency" but at times stooped to Trumps level. In his fact check of the evening, CNNs Daniel Dale wrote that Trump unleashed an avalanche of lies," while Biden was largely accurate in his statements, though he did make some false or misleading claims. Fox News' Doug Schoen wrote that the biggest takeaway is that there were no surprises, and nothing happened that will change any attitudes, cause either candidate to gain or lose any votes, or move any undecided voters one way or the other. And Foxs Howard Kurtz wrote that this was a debate as barroom brawl, as television shoutfest, as exhausting insult derby. Meanwhile, pollster Frank Luntz held one of his patented post-debate focus groups to gauge their reaction to the nights proceedings. Im on live with my virtual focus group of undecided voters from battleground states. #Debates2020 Tune in here: https://t.co/DVnkjLE2I3 Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) September 30, 2020 One woman called Trump a crackhead, saying shes now voting for Biden. Words undecided voters in @FrankLuntz's focus group had for Trump: "arrogant," "crackhead" and "un-American" Biden: "better than expected," "more professional," "restraint and compassion," "Predictable" "coherent" "leader" Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) September 30, 2020 Other reactions to Trump? New Jerseys own Democratic U.S senator, Cory Booker, appeared on Stephen Colberts late-night talk show after the debate and lamented a controversial moment when the president danced around a question about whether hed denounce white supremacists. Booker quoted writer Maya Angelou: "If someone tells you who they are, believe them. Christie defended Trumps reaction to the question, saying the president was at one point being sarcastic because hes been frustrated over not getting credit for denouncing white supremacists before. New York Magazines Ed Kilgore wrote that Americans should be worried by Trumps latest remarks on whether hed accept the results of the election. Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth Polling Institute, looked at the possible international reaction to the evening. I've done a lot of interviews with foreign media outlets over the past week. Nearly every one of them started off with "We can't believe what's going on over there..." or "I'm sorry for what you're dealing with..." I expect that to ramp up tomorrow. Patrick Murray (@PollsterPatrick) September 30, 2020 As for Biden criticism? Conservative blog The Blaze wrote that Trump backed the former V.P. into a corner about the Green New Deal. Another conservative website, The Federalist, hounded Biden for refusing to answer a question about whether he supports packing the U.S. Supreme Court if the presidents nominee is confirmed. Not surprisingly, both campaigns declared victory Tuesday night. Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said the debate was a free exchange of ideas but the president was the winner. The president was in command of every moment of that debate, Murtaugh said. At the same time, Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager for the Biden campaign, claimed there was one leader on stage tonight and one liar. There was one president on the debate stage tonight, and it was not the person who flew on Air Force One," Bedingfield said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. In this article NKLA Trevor Milton CEO of Nikola Massimo Pinca | Reuters Nikola has cut founder, Trevor Milton, out of all decision making or consulting at the electric truck company following his resignation last week and subsequent allegations of sexual misconduct. The former executive chairman, who holds more than 91 million shares in the company, is being treated like any other shareholder, executives told CNBC. Milton, who remains the company's largest shareholder, relinquished his seat on Nikola's board and resigned as executive chairman following fraud allegations by short seller Hindenburg Research reportedly leading to federal inquiries about whether he and the firm misled investors. Milton and the company have denied many of the claims in the report. Nikola Executive Chairman Steve Girsky and CEO Mark Russell attempted to distance themselves and the company from Milton on Wednesday. They also downplayed Milton's role as an unpaid consultant with the company through the end of the year, per the terms of his resignation. "He's no longer an employee, he's no longer a board member, and so he's the same as another shareholder at this point," Russell told CNBC during a phone interview. When asked about Milton consulting with the company, which was "on an ad hoc basis," according to his exit package, Russell responded, "Same as another shareholder." Girsky confirmed Milton also is "not involved in any board discussions." Hindenburg Research's report accused Milton of making false statements about the company's technology to attract investors and partnerships with other automakers. Milton and the company have denied many of the claims in the report. Milton, 38, also now faces allegations of sexual assault. Two women have filed such complaints with Utah authorities against Milton. Both allegations were more than 15 years old but separately involved a cousin and an office assistant when both women were 15 years old. CLEVELAND, Ohio - As Joe Biden and Donald Trump traded arguments over the presidents leadership of the economy during Tuesdays debate, Trump declared, Ohio had the best year its ever had last year. Trump did not say by what measure he was making that claim. The exchange came during a debate on whether the Barack Obama/Biden years were better for manufacturing, including the auto industry, than what has occurred under Trump. But politicians commonly cite jobs numbers during such arguments. By that measure, Ohio did not have the best year its ever had. In fact, according to the monthly jobs reports issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ohio lost jobs during the third year of his presidency, from January 2019 to January 2020, for the first time in a decade. Ohios jobs count was down 1,300 during that 12-month period, slipping to 5,596,800. That compared with Ohio jobs gains of 53,000 and 28,000 the previous two years, at the beginning of the Trump Administration, and gains of 55,600, 71,600, 94,700 and 63,900 during Obamas final term. As for just the manufacturing jobs, Ohio lost 5,500 from January 2019 to January 2020, in slipping to 698,300 statewide. This was after manufacturing job gains the previous two years of 11,400 and 5,600. Ohio also lost manufacturing jobs in the final year of Obamas presidency, from January 2016 to 2017, a loss of 600 manufacturing jobs. This followed gains of 1,800, 17,500 and 7,900 the previous three years. The jobs numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics are based on payroll data from near the middle of each month. Since presidential terms begin near mid-January, the January to January comparisons were used for this comparison. Sometimes, however, politicians use December to December numbers for their arguments. Based on December to December changes, Ohio gained jobs - rather than lost jobs - during 2019, yet it was the states worst year for jobs since 2009. Ohio picked up 18,300 jobs from December 2018 to December 2019, the BLS data shows, in comparison to gains of 35,600, 37,700, 45,700, 60,300, 94,100 and 76,900 the previous six years. And using the December to December timeframe, Ohio lost 3,700 manufacturing jobs last year, the biggest loss since 2009, and only the second time manufacturing jobs were down. One note about all these jobs numbers. They may differ some from what was reported earlier in 2020. The BLS routinely updates previous estimates once more data becomes available. The numbers used in this story were the based on the latest estimates, as of Sept. 30, 2020. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. See other data-related stories at cleveland.com/datacentral. Read related coverage Constant interruptions, insults, obscure substantive discussion at first presidential debate in Cleveland Trump and Biden barely mention Ohio during Cleveland presidential debate Four arrested outside presidential debate in Cleveland, police say Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A Republican candidate seeking election to the state Senate faces a criminal complaint accusing him of improperly renting out his home for parties and events. In an interview, Manuel Lardizabal who is campaigning to represent a chunk of Albuquerques West Side said the allegations are false and based on misinformation. The complaint was filed Friday in Metropolitan Court by Angela Zamora, a code enforcement specialist for Albuquerque. She said in the complaint that she had investigated allegations that the property was being used as an event center even though its in a residential area. Zamora reported finding an advertisement offering the property for Airbnb, parties and events contrary, she said, to a city ordinance on the allowed uses in a residential zone. Lardizibal told the Journal that he lives at the 8,000-square-foot home which has enough beds and rooms for more than 20 people to sleep but rents out half of the property because of its size. He described it as actually being two homes. Lardizibal said he has a right to advertise the property on Airbnb, a home-sharing company. We havent had any complaints to us about it, he said. The site doesnt host weddings or similar events, Lardizibal said, but he has limited power to control what guests do once they arrive. Joe Valles, president of the Grande Heights Neighborhood Association, said neighbors have complained for a good while about noisy parties and events at the property, which is on Vista Grande NW. The owners, Valles said, should operate it like its a residence and not a business abide by the law. Just this weekend, police dispatch records show the property was the subject of calls about a loud party and shots fired in the area Saturday night and Sunday morning. Loud parties were also reported to police on two dates in August. Lardizabal said his family called police twice over the weekend because the people renting his home violated our Airbnb policies by having a party and large gathering unauthorized. Lardizabal is running against Senate District 26 incumbent Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, in the Nov. 3 election. Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty The New York Times is putting together a team of journalists to re-report its critically acclaimed podcast on the Islamic State after one of its central characters was arrested for allegedly faking his background in terrorism. We are going to look for the truth of his story and inevitably we are going to also ask the question about how we presented him so we are going to put together a group of reporters and take a new look at the story, his story and inevitably how we presented his story, executive editor Dean Baquet told staff on Wednesday, according to a readout of the meeting provided to The Daily Beast. Caliphate, hosted by Pulitzer Prize-nominated reporter Rukimini Callimachi, focused at length on the story of Abu Huzayfah, a Canadian who said he traveled to Syria to join the Islamic State before eventually becoming disillusioned after taking part in brutal, public executions. But last week, Canadian police upended the story when they arrested 25-year-old Shehroze Chaudhry and charged him with concocting a terrorist hoax. Initially, both the Times and Callimachi stood by the podcast and its characterization of Huzayfah. Callimachi, who features as both a narrator and protagonist in the podcast, said on Twitter, The narrative tension of our podcast Caliphate is the question of whether his account is true. But in a new statement on Wednesday, the Times said it is undertaking a fresh examination of his history and the way we presented him in our series. Callimachi expressed support for the move on Twitter, writing, I welcome the @nytimes effort to re-examine the story of Abu Huzayfah. In its initial statement late last week, the Times had said its reporters first interviewed Huzayfah in mid-2016 and spent a year-and-a-half reporting his story across three continents. It said challenges in verifying his story were a central part of the narrative. For example, Huzayfah claimed he joined ISIS before the caliphate was formed and his passport, school transcripts, and geolocation of photos didnt line up. Story continues One chapter of the podcast was dedicated to processing these inconsistencies. We believe the series was responsible journalism that helped listeners understand the power and pull of extremism, the initial statement said. However, Baquet said Thursday that, given the allegations Huzayfah may have fabricated part of his story, the newspaper would re-examine the whole podcast. So if you look at the whole series, we did make it clear in the series that there were questions about his story, but given what happened in Canada, given the allegation he made everything up, we are going to re-report it, he said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. A former employee of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Oreoluwa Adesakin, has been handed a cumulative 98 years in prison on Monday. Adesakin was found guilty of stealing N49,320,652.32 and another $368,203 belonging to the bank. She was said to have converted the sums to her personal use. The convict was prosecuted by the Ibadan zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and convicted on 14 counts bordering on stealing, forgery and fraudulent accounting. One of the charges read, That you, Oreoluwa Adesakin, sometime between the months of May, 2013 and November 2013, at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division, whilst being a staff member of First Bank Plc, stole the sum of N25,974,116.13 from First Bank Plc MoneyGram payment naira account, property of First bank Plc. She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, which necessitated her trial. The prosecution counsel, Usman Murtala, presented vital documents and witnesses, which nailed the convict. Justice Muniru Olagunju of the Oyo State High Court noted that the EFCCs evidence against the convict was clear and showed that the agency did a diligent investigation on the case. The judge pronounced Adesakin guilty of all the charges and sentenced her to seven years in prison without an option of fine on each of the 14 counts. The jail terms are to run concurrently. The convict is also to pay restitution of the money she stole to First Bank through the EFCC. The convict was arraigned on April 4, 2014, by the EFCC following the conclusion of investigation into a petition dated December 18, 2013, which was written by her former employer. The bank alleged in the petition that Adesakin, as its money transfer operator saddled with the responsibility of effecting payment through Western Union Money Transfer and MoneyGram platforms, fraudulently manipulated the accounting system and withdrew the sums of N49,320,652.32 and $368,203 for herself, which it uncovered while reviewing its internal account. The EFCC also established the fact that the convict used part of the proceeds of her crime to acquire landed property in different parts of Oyo State. Woman Bags 98 Years for Stealing N49m, $368,000 from Employer A former staff of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Oreoluwa Adesakin, was on Monday, September 28, 2020, handed a cumulative 98 years in prison by Justice Muniru Olagunju of the Oyo State High Court for fraud. pic.twitter.com/LPmPL7P4Zh EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) September 29, 2020 Beijing and Paris come together in cultural event to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival BEIJING/PARIS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A medley of online and offline cultural interaction between Beijing and Paris was held simultaneously Tuesday night (Beijing Time) to celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Oct. 1 this year. The event, hosted by International Confucian Association (ICA) and the Foundation Prospective and Innovation (FPI), took place at Beijing's Dajue Temple and Chateau De Brinville in Paris at the same time. In the moonlight, Chinese artists played the Chinese folk song "Jasmine Flower", and Kunqu masterpiece "The Peony Pavilion," while their French counterparts played Moonlight, a Western classical piano piece. Participants from all walks of life interacted through cultural activities such as reciting poems and playing music. Liu Yandong, president of ICA, and former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, also chairman of FPI, attended the event in Beijing and Paris respectively. Liu extended her good wishes to Raffarin and the French people via a video link and hoped the event would boost culture exchange between China and France. She called for building a bridge of understanding, friendship and cooperation, and the determination to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. Sounding delighted on sharing a good time with Chinese friends, Raffarin said, "Our two great civilizations could speak to each other on an equal basis. The civilizations, each enjoying thousands of years of history, respect each other. Common values bring us together," he said. "I wish our friends in China could soon come to visit France again. I wish the pandemic is defeated so that we can meet again," he added. The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important traditional Chinese festival celebrating reunion and harmony. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, the event aims to cherish the beautiful, harmonious and sustainable development of the world. China is set for eight days of national holiday this year as the Mid-Autumn Festival coincides with the National Day. ICA, founded in 1994 in Beijing, is a non-governmental international academic and cultural group. It has brought together academic organizations, experts and scholars from more than 80 countries and regions for the study of Confucianism and traditional culture. The organization is committed to becoming the inheritor of Confucianism and facilitates exchanges and dialogue among civilizations. 'Our collective security imposes that, given geography, we need to discuss with Russians,' he insisted French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to seek a dialogue with Russia to enhance the continent's security rather than relying primarily on the NATO military alliance. Speaking Wednesday in a news conference in Riga, the capital of the Baltic nation of Latvia, Macron said Europeans should be able to rethink their relation with Russia despite recent tensions after the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. ``Our collective security imposes that, given geography, we need to discuss with Russians,'' he insisted. During a three-day visit to Lithuania and Latvia, Macron sought to reassure that his goal was to build up Europe's defense capabilities as a complement to NATO _ not to replace it. Macron's efforts towards Russia have prompted concerns from Baltic states, whose relations with Russia have remained icy for nearly 30 years since their independence in the wake of the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Estonia and Latvia both have sizable ethnic-Russian minorities, while Lithuania's ethnic-Russian population is more minor. Macron reiterated that Russia should provide clarifications on the poisoning of Navalny or the country would face international consequences _ but he did not elaborate on what those would be. Macron, who once lamented the ``brain death'' at the NATO due to a lack of American leadership, last year launched efforts to try to thaw France's relations with Russia, which were damaged by Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Search Keywords: Short link: Dear Annie: Recently, an old friend got back in touch with me. He had gotten a divorce, and I wanted to be a friend to him because he was going through a lot of grieving. His ex-wife had alcohol issues and was abusing her bipolar medication. She also, prior to their marriage falling apart, got gastric bypass surgery and, after the procedure, began having extramarital affairs. He caught them and found out who one of them was one day. The situation came to a head when she came home drunk and barely could speak. There was a big fight, and he put her in rehab. This led to their divorce. Then, when she got out, she looked up an old boyfriend and ran to live with him. When that relationship fell apart, she went back home to her parents, only to start dating a guy she met in Alcoholics Anonymous. They quickly married, and that marriage only lasted a year and a month. One day, I saw on social media that my friend was beginning to talk to his ex again, and before I knew it, he was back in her life. I was shocked because we had talked at great length about everything and how he hated her. Even more upsetting is that, during the time we were talking, my friend had to go on dialysis for kidney failure. I thought for sure that, if anything, he would choose to move closer to his family in New Jersey, but instead, he has moved in with his ex-mother-in-law, and his ex-wife lives there. He says he is planning on saving money to make a life there. I really dont know what to believe. She said she accidentally read one of my text messages to him -- yeah, right; wasnt born yesterday -- and that their relationship now is about kindness and forgiveness. She lies about everything on social media. She talks about dying to be thin and likes to make a spectacle of her lost weight and how she lost too much, but then will post other pictures saying she looks good for 55. She says shes always been a good mother, but she ran around for the last five years without being much of a mother. My friend says he wont leave Florida because his boys live there. They are like 31, 29 and 27 -- big boys who certainly can take care of themselves. I just have been in such shock over all of this that I had to leave the friendship. It just seems too codependent on his behalf, and she is somewhat of a narcissist. She lives for attention yet doesnt have a good opinion of herself. She lies about the truth, but that could be part of her illness -- who knows? Do you think this is normal, and how would you have handled this if this was your friend? -- Just Dont Get It Dear Just Dont Get It: Normal is defined in the dictionary as conforming to a typical standard. No, this is not normal behavior, but I use that word with caution. He clearly loves his ex-wife and is having a difficult time letting her go. If she really has changed and is sober, if they have gone to marriage counseling and he has forgiven her, then Im not here to judge his decision as not normal, and you shouldnt be either. In fact, I commend him. The disease of alcoholism can ruin families and cause all sorts of terrible behavior. He was looking to you to be a friend when he was dealing with a difficult time. I also respect his decision to want to be close to his adult children. Although they are grown and can take care of themselves, that doesnt mean he cant be close to them as friends now. If I were you, I might take a look at myself and see why I judged him and his ex-wife so harshly. Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie is out now! Annie Lanes debut book -- featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette - is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM Read more advice: Ask Amy: Separated soulmates are eager to connect Dear Annie: Looking to hop off the hamster wheel Dear Abby: Children cut off stepmother with dads power of attorney Moderna will not be the company to fulfill President Donald Trump's wish for a coronavirus vaccine by Election Day, the firm's CEO said Wednesday. Stephane Bancel told the Financial Times that his firm would not have enough data from its late-stage trials to submit to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) until November 25, at the earliest. Bancel had previously said Moderna would likely have enough data from its coronavirus vaccine trials to know whether or not the shot works by November, but said there was a slim possibility it could know if the shot worked by October. If the company's COVID-19 vaccine proves to be at least 70 percent effective, it plans to seek emergency authorization for its use in high-risk groups, Bancel has said. Moderna's vaccine candidate - mRNA-1273 - is nearing the finish line in its push to enroll 30,000 individuals in a late-stage trial of a novel coronavirus vaccine. Early data from its tests of the shot's safety for older people is promising so far, with a report released Monday showing the shot triggered a strong immune response and left the vast majority of the 56-and-older volunteers with only mild or moderate side effects. Moderna has scaled up its manufacturing and is confident it can make 500 million doses a year, and perhaps as many as one billion. Even so, Bancel told the FT that Americans should not expect that Moderna's shot - even if approved early - will get the FDA green light to distribute to everyone in the US before spring. The revelation is a blow to President Trump, but could further clear the pathway to first place for Pfizer, whose CEO continues to tease the possibility of getting a COVID-19 vaccine FDA approved in the coming weeks. Stephane Bancel told the Financial Times that his firm would not have enough data to seek FDA approval until November 25 at the earliest (pictured: speaking on CNBC earlier this month) Moderna's CEO Stephane Bancel said the company should have enough data from its coronavirus vaccine trials to know whether the shot is more effective at preventing infection than a placebo by November (file) 'November 25 is the time we will have enough safety data to be able to put into an EUA [emergency use authorization] file that we would send to the FDA - assuming that the safety data is good, i.e. a vaccine is deemed to be safe,' Bancel asid at the FT's US Pharma and Biotech Conference. Vaccines must demonstrate they are at least 50 percent more effective than a placebo to be considered for approval. To prove that, government officials have said, at least 150 COVID-19 infections must be recorded among trial participants with at least twice as many occurring among the placebo group. But FDA regulators may raise those standards, anonymous sources told the New York Times earlier this month. Proposed new guidelines might require trials to follow drug companies to follow trial volunteers for at least two months after they are given their second dose of a vaccines. That change alone would make it nearly impossible to for any of the competing shot-makers to get a vaccine approved before November 3. The revelation is a blow to President Trump, but could further clear the pathway to first place for Pfizer, whose CEO continues to tease the possibility of getting a COVID-19 vaccine FDA approved in the coming weeks. Tensions are mounting between Trump and White House health officials. Trump insinuated he might overrule such a regulatory change if the FDA made it - although it is unclear whether he has the authority to do so. FDA Commissioner Dr Stephen Hahn (himself a Trump appointee) said at the same FT conference that his agency does plan to use these higher standards as their benchmark for approving a coronavirus vaccine. The purported new requirements have not yet seen the light of day or been officially released by regulators, however. If a vaccine is especially effective, companies could have their answer sooner. An independent safety board will take a first look at Moderna's data as soon as a total of 53 people in the trial become infected with COVID-19. Bancel had previously warned that if infection rates decline in the US, it could delay the progress of Moderna's vaccine trial. 'If the infection rate in the country was to slow down in the next weeks, it could be pushed out, I think the worst case scenario is December,' he said in a recent Squawk Box interview. 'We need people getting sick to calculate...how many people get the disease with a vaccine and how many get the disease on placebo to calculate the efficacy.' If most of the people who got sick got the placebo shot, that would indicate the vaccine was protecting those inoculated and could be enough evidence to seek U.S. regulatory approval for an EUA. Moderna's shares by about four percent after the firm released the details of its late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial and CEO Stephane Bancel earlier this month 'If the interim readout is deemed by the independent safety committee as positive with 70 or 80 or 90 percent efficacy, we will indeed consider approval,' Bancel, said in a telephone interview. 'At such a level of efficacy, if we get there, we can protect a lot of lives in the people at the highest risk, and so, we will consider filing for an EUA for a very limited population,' Bancel said. He said the FDA will determine whether the benefit of the vaccine to a small group of high-risk individuals outweighs the risk of not having a full readout of safety data from all 30,000 study participants. The company has already recruited 25,296 out of its 30,000 planned participants. And 10,000 of those enrolled have already received both doses of the vaccine. The two groups of high-risk individuals who might be covered in such an EUA would be healthcare workers and the elderly, Bancel said. Moderna released its study protocol on earlier this month, making public details on how its vaccine will be evaluated. If the vaccine does not reach the efficacy mark after 53 cases, the data safety and monitoring board will take another interim look at the data after 106 cases, and a final look after 151 people in the trial become infected with the virus. Public health officials have said that approving a vaccine for widespread use based on a small number of cases would not offer enough safety information to show how the vaccine would perform. Moderna, which has never brought a vaccine to market, has received nearly $1 billion from the U.S. government under its Operation Warp Speed program. It has also struck a $1.5 billion supply agreement with the US. In a presentation to investors on Tuesday, Pfizer Inc said the company has enrolled more than 29,000 people in its 44,000-volunteer trial to test an experimental COVID-19 vaccine the company is developing with German partner BioNTech . Pfizer expects to have enough data to show whether the vaccine works by the end of October. Last month, the CDC sent state instruction to prepare for the arrival of coronavirus vaccines by the end of October. That timeline was reiterated yesterday as the agency and its White House and Department of Defense partners published a plan to start distributing vaccines, at no cost, to all Americans by January. CDC Director Robert Redfield said that the 'game plan' was designed to ensure that state are ready to distribute vaccines as soon as possible whenever they might be approved, but that the general public is unlikely to be vaccinated until spring or summer of 2021. US officials plan to ship the first doses within 24 hours of the FDA issuing emergency use authorization or approving a vaccine. Trump's latest coronavirus adviser, Dr Scott Atlas, said Wednesday the US would have 700 million doses by March. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has said that the US will have 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine by the end of October and 300 million by January. Vaccines made by multiple companies will be distributed to Americans, according to the new federal government plans. Moderna's shot will likely be one of them, but it seems increasingly unlikely it will be the first. New Jersey authorities have charged seven teens in connection to an August break-in at an animal farm that led to a viral photo of one of the alleged teens riding a miniature donkey. The Wyckoff Police Department shared in a Tuesday release that the group was charged with trespassing, criminal mischief, and overloading animals. Charged in the group were three 17-year-old boys, three 17-year-old girls and an 18-year-old male. None of the suspects were named in the release. Wycoff police have charged seven teens in connection to the break-in at Abma's Farm on August 22. A young girl identified as a 17-year-old student-athlete at River Dell High School in Bergen County, New Jersey, was photographed riding a miniature donkey at the barnyard petting zoo All of the cases for the minors will be handled in the Superior Court, the Daily Voice reports. The adult will be tried in the Municipal Court. The investigation was led by Detective Sgt. Michael Ragucci and Detective Sgt. Kevin Kasak. On August 22, Jimmy Abma, a fourth-generation farmer whose family has owned Abmas Farm in Wyckoff, New Jersey, for more than 80 years, received the message on his phone about the group's activities. It showed a young girl riding on a miniature donkey. Abma recognized the animal, which he confirmed to be his after seeing that the Snapchat image also had the caption Abmas Farm attached toward the bottom. The owner of Abma's Farm, Jimmy Abma (above), received the image of the girl riding the donkey at around 10:30pm on August 22. That's when he sped toward the petting zoo and chased the teens away Abma temporarily closed the barnyard so that veterinary staff could do a wellness check on the animals. The image above shows one of the animals being tended to by a veterinarian Abma's Farm has been owned and operated by the family for more than 80 years He also grew concerned since the miniature donkeys on his property are not big enough to support the weight of a teenager. Obviously, were closed, so that raised a concern to me right off the bat, that theres people trespassing, the animals are somewhat in danger and I just need to figure out whats going on, he told WCBS-TV. Abma, who lives on the property, said he immediately ran outside and chased at least half a dozen youngsters off of his property, which includes a barnyard petting zoo, a farm, and a supermarket. He was shocked to discover that the gates to the petting zoo were open and some of the animals had been traumatized. One pony had lipstick spread on its face. Abma said that all of the animals have been accounted for Abma said several of the animals were left traumatized by the experience Couple of the animals you couldnt even get close to, Abma said. 'They were all skittish. They were all jumping around. We did a full count on the animals and were still trying to account for all of them so its just a frustrating thing. He added: These animals, they have the ability to kick and rear up and they have the ability to bite you. Abma also said he noticed two teens trying to shoplift items from his supermarket. As he dialed 911, the two teenagers ran off. On Facebook, Abma wrote that all of the animals were accounted for and that the barnyard would be closed to allow a veterinarian to come to the property to conduct a wellness check. Abma posted an image on Facebook the following Monday showing a veterinarian checking up on one of the donkeys. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 22:53:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BANGKOK, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) on Wednesday announced that China-based Great Wall Motors (GWM) had signed a share sale and purchase agreement with General Motors (GM) to acquire the latter's production facilities in Rayong. GWM earlier told the Thai media that it aims to make Thailand its ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) production base for domestic sales and export of new energy vehicles and internal-combustion engine models. GWM plans to begin production in the first quarter of 2021, as part of its vision to be a "Global Mobility Technology Company," said in the BOI announcement. GWM's move to set up its production base in Thailand kicked off in February this year when the company started negotiations with GM to acquire, under a signed binding term sheet, GM Thailand and GM Powertrain Thailand legal entities, which include the Rayong vehicle assembly and powertrain facilities. The two companies reached an agreement recently and officially signed the share sale and purchase agreement. The Rayong plant will be the 11th full-scale automobile manufacturing base of GWM worldwide. While the ASEAN automotive industry is clearly on its growth trend, Thailand has strong fundamentals as a leader in this industry and is regarded as one of the world's best location, said Zhang Jiaming, president of GWM ASEAN Operations. Enditem Donald Trump; Wilbur Ross Donald Trump; Wilbur Ross Getty/Salon Wilbur Ross, secretary of commerce in the Trump administration, recently ordered the U.S. Census Bureau to end its field operations for the 2020 U.S. Census on Oct. 5. But U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh, in San Jose, Calif., had issued a preliminary injunction ordering the census count to continue until the end of October. And according to Bloomberg News reporter Joel Rosenblatt, Koh has "initiated contempt of court proceedings" against Ross for violating her injunction. Rosenblatt reports that Koh "said, during a hearing Tuesday, that Monday's announcement that Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross is targeting Oct. 5 to wrap up the once-a-decade population count 'is doing exactly' what she ordered the agency not to do last week. The judge said the proceeding could be identified by a more formal name but made clear she believes Ross violated the order." According to Rosenblatt, "Ross' Monday announcement took Koh by surprise. It came days after she ordered Census data collection operations to continue through Oct. 31 to get an accurate population count." Axios Reporter Rebecca Falconer notes, "Koh's injunction suspended the Census Bureau's deadline for ending the once-in-a-decade count on Sept. 30, reimposing an older Census Bureau proposal to end operations on Oct. 31." Koh set a Friday, Oct. 2 date for a hearing on possible contempt charges for Ross. The judge said, "You don't have to call it contempt. You can call it something else." Democrats have been stressing that the 2020 U.S. Census count needs to be as thorough and as accurate as possible because it affects the number of seats that states will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. Related Articles Iran is auctioning off twelve retired airliners, including five Boeing 747s, two 727s, three Airbus 300s and two 320s. Minimum (or reserve) bid for all of them is $234,000 (or $19,500 each). The lowest reserve price is $19,500 for a 46-year-old 727-200. Highest reserve price is $26,900 for a 41-year-old 747SP. The Iranian civil aviation fleet consists of about 300 owned or leased aircraft with a total of 40,00 seats. As of 2019 only about half those aircraft were flyable and those contained 26,600 seats. The twelve airliners being auctioned off are among the oldest of the grounded or retired Iranian airliners. It will be difficult for most foreigners to buy any of these old airliners because of banking sanctions on Iran. It is unclear if any of these retired aircraft can be flown at all. It is believed that all these aircraft are good for is scrap. Apparently, the engines, tires and other frequently replaced items on these aircraft are well worn and not useful as replacement parts for airliners still flying. After Iran signed the 2015 nuclear weapons control treaty with China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain, the United States and the EU (European Union), most economic sanctions were lifted. Iran promptly ordered over 200 airliners and transports. A year later the U.S. accused Iran of violating the terms of the treaty and reimposed sanctions in 2017. As a result, Iran was only able to take delivery of three Airbus airliners and 13 smaller European turboprop transports before the sanctions halted any additional deliveries. Iran was also able to buy dozens of second-hand airliners because that is a larger and less tightly regulated market. Iran was also able to import a lot of spare parts and aircraft maintenance equipment but not enough to get a lot of its grounded airliners and cargo transports flying again. At the time the 2015 treaty was signed Iran believed it needed to acquire 300 new airliners within five years and nearly 600 within the next ten years to revive its elderly civil air fleet and sterling reputation Iranian airlines once had. In 1976 Iran Air and Australian airline Qantas were rated the safest in the world. At that time Iran Air had not had an airliner accident since 1966. Qantas was rated a little better because they had gone a little longer without an accident. That Iranian air safety reputation changed after the 1979 revolution, which led to a religious dictatorship taking power. The religious leaders promptly invaded the American embassy and tool the embassy staff hostage. Then there as an eight-year war with Iraq and a growing list of economic sanctions on Iran for sponsoring terrorism and all manner of bad behavior. In the 1990s Iran found it increasingly difficult to buy new airliners or replacement parts for its existing civil and military transports. By 2006 it got so bad that nearly two percent of Iranian heavy air transports were lost to accidents in one year. While Iranian civil aviation was once among the safest in the world, after 2000 more and more of their airliners, or airlines, were banned from EU airspace because of safety concerns. Iranian airliners still fly to many Middle Eastern and Asian nations with the understanding that the most accident-prone aircraft not be used. There are still a lot of passenger flights inside Iran and, each time there is another accident, the government faces more criticism for the corruption and mismanagement of aircraft maintenance. For the average Iranian this is a more personal issue than Iran being able to import new airliners because the lack of spare parts is only part of the problem. The more immediate one is the poor management of civil aviation. This causes a lot of non-fatal and or injury-free accidents that simply remind the average Iranian that most other countries in the Middle East and the world do not tolerate such sloppiness. Older Iranians remember that before the 1979 revolution Iran was seen as the country with some of the best run airlines in the world. During the 1980s, many of the pilots, managers, maintainers and others who made those legendary safe Iranian airlines run, left the country and were not replaced. Iranian airline pilots and other aircrew had a more up close and personal view of the safety issues and were not happy with what they saw and flew in. In mid-2018 an Iranian airline pilot was arrested, and released a few hours later. This was all about a TV appearance five days earlier in which the pilot revealed that some Iranian airliners were flying despite unsafe conditions, like mandatory repairs not made. Pilots were ordered to fly anyway even though the safety violations made the aircraft a lot more likely to have an accident or at least be forced to make an emergency landing. Experienced pilots have been fired for refusing to fly these unsafe aircraft. The arrested pilot was quickly released because the TV network he had appeared on was prepared to make a big deal about the arrest and that would have given more Iranians to hit the streets and demonstrate against the government. Iranian airlines have a lot of customers inside Iran, a large country where flying is the fastest way to get somewhere. Problems with the airlines, especially airline safety, is a popular issue in Iran. For that reason the religious government sees airline safety as a political issue, one that has, so far been more of a problem than an asset to the government. The Geisel Library building is pictured at the University of California-San Diego. The University of California system is among the universities that have begun investing in start-ups. (Mike Blake/Reuters) Universities across the country have developed entrepreneurship programs in recent years aimed at encouraging students and faculty to turn promising business ideas into actual companies. Now, an increasing number of them also are giving money to help those businesses get started. In the past several months, some of the nations top universities have poured millions of dollars into venture capital funds. The goal is to help promising businesses secure much-needed money while also giving the university a chance to reap handsome returns if the firms find success. But venture capital is a high-risk, high-reward investment. The vast majority of start-up companies fail to make it big, so investors often back many of them in hopes that one or two will yield a significant financial return. As a result, some critics have questioned whether universities should dedicate a portion of their budgets to such risky investments, especially when many states are slashing higher-education funding and tuition is reaching historic highs. In the Washington area, universities have organized networks of investors and introduced them to promising start-ups, many of them having ties to the institutions. But others are going further. The University of California announced the creation of a $250 million venture fund in September that will be invested in companies with ties to its network of schools, medical centers and research labs. The question were asking is, What can we do to help the ecosystem develop these ideas and participate in the upside? said Jagdeep Singh Bachher, chief investment officer for the University of California Board of Regents. The money comes from $90 billion that the University of California holds in its pension fund, endowment and other assets, Bachher said. The system invests $1 billion through other venture funds, but this will be the first managed by the university. Venture capital is attractive to have from [an investment] diversification standpoint, Bachher said. When you have size and scale and patience, which are three competitive advantages I believe we have, those are good characteristics. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill unveiled late last month the Carolina Research Venture Fund, a $10 million pool of money that will be funneled into companies that commercialize technology developed at the university. The money will come from income the university has earned through other investments as opposed to tuition dollars or state appropriations and any returns will be reinvested into the fund to help underwrite future companies, said Sallie Shuping-Russell, a managing director at BlackRock and member of the universitys board of trustees. The venture fund has been years in the making and aims to tackle a nagging problem, Shuping-Russell said. The university is home to groundbreaking science, research and innovation, but turning that into viable businesses requires capital that is less plentiful in North Carolina than other parts of the country. We have to get these companies to a stage where the more national firms want to invest, she said. Thats been the dilemma. But are universities best suited to help young companies cross the chasm? Dileep Rao, a clinical professor of entrepreneurship at Florida International University, says no. He argues that high-profile success stories think Google, Facebook, Groupon have given some universities a false sense that big returns are all but guaranteed. Basically, I see it as the triumph of hope over reality, Rao said. When you look at the real numbers, I think it paints a vastly different picture. Professional venture capital funds have yielded a 9.95 percent return over the past 10 years, according to the National Venture Capital Association and Cambridge Associates. Though that number may be higher than other investment channels, such as savings accounts, those returns are primarily the product of successes by a small number of venture funds. The rest of them are either breaking even or losing money, and this is something most people dont know, Rao said. The University of Michigan offers a counterweight. A donor gifted $2 million to create the student-run Wolverine Venture Fund in 1997, and it has since invested in 22 companies, said Stewart Thornhill, executive director of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Though more than half of the funds portfolio companies never amounted to much, a handful of them went on to find success. The returns from those investments were put back into the fund, which now stands at $7 million. I think theres a strong case to be made to diversify. The broader question is, Are you better equipped as a university fund to do that administration or are you better off pooling your money in somebody [elses] venture capital fund? Thornhill asked. In 2013, the Virginia Tech Foundation pooled money with Carilion Clinic, a medical system, and Third Security, an investment firm, to create Valleys Ventures, a $15 million fund that invests in southwestern Virginia companies. More recently, a network of alumni has collaborated with the universitys newly formed Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to create the VT Investor Network. Modeled off of a similar program at the University of Maryland, the group provides small investments in companies with ties to the university. But the money comes from wealthy alumni, meaning Virginia Tech isnt putting its own capital on the line or taking a cut of future returns. Weve been able to identify some alumni that have gone on to do really incredible things that are now looking for opportunities to give back to the university in very specific ways, said Derick Maggard, the centers director. Anything that universities are doing to lower the barrier for entrepreneurs, he added, good for them. Mark Wright's father has asked for his son and daughter-in-law Michelle Keegan to make him a grandad after they shared broody snaps to Instagram. Over the weekend, the former TOWIE star, 33, and Brassic actress, 33, went to visit her cousin Kate who recently welcomed a baby boy called Brody. Sharing a collection of sweet snaps to Instagram, Mark's father, Mark Wright Sr, was quick to lead the comments as he demanded the couple gave him a grandchild. Demands! Mark Wright's father has asked for his son and daughter-in-law Michelle Keegan to make him a grandad after they shared broody snaps to Instagram He penned underneath one broody snap of his son: 'Lovely baby and it's about time you made me a grandad and your mum a grandma.' Mark's mother, Carol Wright, also commented under the photo and said: 'Oh beautiful little boy x x suits you,' followed by shrugging emojis. While celebrity pal, Denise Van Outen, added: 'Suits you! Daddy vibes.' Mark had captioned the photo: 'The day I met Brody. New member to the clan. Gorgeous little boy. @katiefearnehoughx & Tony he is beautiful !! love him already.' So sweet: Over the weekend, the former TOWIE star, 33, and Brassic actress, 33, went to visit her cousin Kate who recently welcomed a baby boy called Brody Grandparents: Sharing a collection of sweet snaps to Instagram, Mark's father, Mark Wright Sr, was quick to lead the comments as he demanded the couple gave him a grandchild (pictured with wife Carol) Hints: Mark's mother, Carol Wright, also commented under the photo and said: 'Oh beautiful little boy x x suits you,' followed by shrugging emojis Pals: While celebrity pal, Denise Van Outen, added: 'Suits you! Daddy vibes.' He added on a separate snap: 'Another one (wont be the last) just because I cannot cope with this little man.... 'I must say, he took to uncle Mark like a duck takes to water !! Brody Allen welcome to the world little fella !! Another hammer to join the clan !!' While Michelle, who also posted a sweet snap cuddling Brody, penned: 'B R O D Y A L L E N you're so loved.' In June, Michelle revealed her 'frustration' at people constantly questioning why she and husband Mark don't have children, insisting 'nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors'. Welcome to the family: Mark had captioned the photo: 'The day I met Brody. New member to the clan. Gorgeous little boy. @katiefearnehoughx & Tony he is beautiful !! love him already.' Lovely: Michelle captioned her sweet image with: 'B R O D Y A L L E N youre so loved' The actress, who has been married to the TOWIE star turned TV presenter for five years, hit out at sexist double standards - admitting queries about when she is going to have a baby do 'bother' her now. In an interview with the August issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, she said: 'A few years ago it didn't bother me and I answered the question, but now I think, "I don't need to answer that because nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors". 'I remember when I finished Our Girl people were like, "Is it because you're going off to have a baby?" 'I know for a fact if Mark finished a job, nobody would ask him if he was going to have a baby. It's not fair. It does make me feel frustrated.' Frustrating: In June, Michelle revealed her 'frustration' at people constantly questioning why she and husband Mark don't have children, insisting 'nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors' Michelle previously told of her frustrations about the subject last year, telling The Sun: 'Its horrible. Its like, "Youre 32. Are you not yet?" People dont know if were trying. They dont know the background of whats happening. 'Its no one elses business. In this day and age you shouldnt ask questions like that.' Michelle added that she has learned to brush off the question and said it is 'no one else's business.' Michelle and husband Mark have been together since late 2012 when they met while they were both on holiday in Dubai. The former TOWIE star popped the question nine months later and the pair married in a lavish ceremony at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk in May 2015. The couple previously had to conduct a long distance relationship while Michelle worked in South Africa for extended periods for BBC drama Our Girl, and Mark had filming commitments on EXTRA in Los Angeles. Unveiled back in March and later released in India, the Samsung Galaxy M11 is now available in the Netherlands. The device is an entry-level offering with a 6.4-inch HD+ Infinity-O LCD, Snapdragon 450 chipset and 5,000 mAh battery. It retails for 159 and will likely come to more European markets over the coming weeks though pricing may vary between countries. Galaxy M11 in black and blue Around its plastic back, the M11 comes with a 13MP main shooter alongside a 5MP ultrawide and 2MP depth helper. The front cam snaps 8MP selfies. Youll also spot the fingerprint scanner around the back. The M11 boots OneUI Core 2.1 on top of Android 10. Charging takes place over USB-C and tops off at 15W speeds. Samsung Galaxy M11 key features The Galaxy M11 will be offered in a single 3GB RAM and 32GB storage version in black and blue colors. A refugee mother from the Democratic Republic of Congo sits outside a shelter with her baby in Toko Kota in the Central African Republic. UNHCR/Stella Fatime UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and some 100 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), today called on global leaders to ensure that refugees are included in social safety nets and support services for COVID-19 and stressed the need for stronger integration of refugees and refugee-led organisations, their skills and knowledge, in humanitarian responses. The call came as part of the annual consultations between UNHCR and NGOs, co-hosted by UNHCR and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), that were held from 28 to 30 September. This years theme, Responding to Pandemics, focused on how UNHCR and partners respond and can strengthen partnerships in responses to COVID-19 and other pandemics. The event was attended by participants representing some 100 NGOs, as well as refugee themselves, academia, faith-based organisations and international agencies. For the first time, these NGO consultations were held online in four different languages and across seven time zones. Thanks also to preparedness measures, we have not yet seen any major outbreaks amongst refugees, said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The greatest challenge now will be to shield refugees from the economic impacts of the pandemic, which have hit the most marginalized, including refugees, the hardest. We need to focus on livelihoods and access to work for refugees to avoid them being pushed further into poverty. Only this will allow refugee families to survive. The event started with a panel discussion with Grandi, ICVA Executive Director Ignacio Packer and Najeeba Wazefadost, an Afghan refugee in Australia, co-founder or the Global Independent Refugee Women Leaders and the Executive Director of Asia Pacific Network of Refugees. Further sessions focused on three key subthemes around protection challenges, resilience and inclusion of refugees and climate action, particularly how to identify entry points for partnership and community engagement. "The pandemic has highlighted the need for us to work in close partnership so that we are able to stay and deliver, said Packer. For NGOs, the ability to stay and deliver rests on four key enablers: field presenceand operational footprint, adaptation, access to timely, predictableflexible funding as well as the ability to procure and deliver the most needed items. Wazefadost warned that refugee women and girls are particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, including debt bondage, modern slavery and human trafficking, as they are often excluded from social safety nets. What we have learned during this pandemic is the importance of prioritizing the needs of women and girls, we need to look for allies, said Wazefadost. In responding to COVID19, we need to create a firewall between immigration policies and health measures so that everyone can access health care without fear of detention, deportation or stigmatization. Participants also acknowledged the need to develop innovative new ways of working that better leverage the capabilities of refugee-led organisations and more deeply integrates them with the refugee response. The consultations also included cultural events, such as UNHCRs first digital 3 D refugee art exhibition, A world where kindness defeats Covid-19, which featured 35 winning drawings created by young artists aged from 12-25 that participated in UNHCRs Youth with Refugees Art Contest. Sudanese refugee and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Emi Mahmoud, read out her poem called The Seven Stages of Grief During Coronavirus. With powerful words, Emi described how refugees felt and struggled during the pandemic, Some things that havent been stopped by COVID-19: wars, domestic violence, famine, pestilence, displacement our will to live. For more information on this topic, please contact: The court said that the demolition was not pre-planned and that the people who demolished the mosque were anti-national elements. The accused people were, in fact, trying to control the crowds, the CBI court observed. A special CBI court today settled a 28-year-old controversy in favour of the Hindu nationalist forces as it acquitted all 32 accused in the demolition of Babri Mosque that was razed to the ground by a mob following a polarising campaign on 6 December 1992. The verdict, however, was as controversial as the case itself, as the right wing politicians claimed they felt vindicated, while many others termed it a 'travesty of justice' Key accused in the case included BJP veterans LK Advani, MM Joshi and Uma Bharti along with several other workers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Shiv Sena and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The court, deciding on whether or not the demolition was a result of a pre-meditated plan, cleared all accused of conspiracy charges as there was no "conclusive proof" against the accused. It not only cleared all 32 people of all charges, but also noted that they had "tried to control" the mob of 'anti-national elements' who destroyed the structure. Court says accused tried to stop mob from attacking structure Delivering the verdict on the day of his retirement, as special Judge SK Yadav began reading the 2,000-page order on Wednesday, he observed that evidence against the accused was not strong enough and the Babri Mosque demolition incident "was not pre-planned". The court observed that the people who demolished the mosque were anti-national elements. The accused people were, in fact, trying to control the crowds, the judgement added. Yadav did not accept newspaper reports and video cassettes as evidence. The court also observed that the late Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal wanted to save the structure because Ram idols were inside. The verdict comes less than a year after the Supreme Court's historic judgment in the related Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute that paved the way for the construction of a temple at the Ayodhya site. The apex court verdict had called the demolition an egregious violation of the rule of law. But combined with the bhoomi pujan' for the Ram temple only last month, the verdict in the demolition case has come as boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party. It also helps bring the temple issue centre stage just weeks before the party faces assembly polls in Bihar. The 32 accused persons include former deputy prime minister Advani, former Union ministers Joshi and Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, during whose tenure the structure was pulled down, besides Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Rithambara. Champat Rai, the general secretary of the trust in charge of constructing the temple, is also among the accused. The CBI, which went into the case, produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the court. Charges were framed against 48 people, but 16 had died during the course of the trial. Twenty-six out of the 32 accused were present in the special court when the judgment was pronounced. Advani (92), Joshi (86), Bharti (61), Singh (88), Nritya Gopal Das, and Satish Pradhan were not present in court and attended proceedings via video conferencing on Wednesday. On 16 September, CBI judge SK Yadav had directed all 32 surviving accused to remain present in the court for the judgment. However, six of them were exempted from being present in person including Bharti and Kalyan Singh who are in hospital due to COVID-19 had joined the hearing on Wednesday via video conference. In one of the first reactions to the Babri conspiracy case verdict, Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted "Jai Shri Ram". "All the accused, including Advaniji, acquitted. There was no pre-planned conspiracy to demolish the Babri structure," he added. I was witness to the entire incident of 6 December, the Bihar minister further added. It was all spontaneous no conspiracy. I was conducting the meeting from dais I was surprised when some Kar Sewaks climbed the Babri structure. Advani ji was unhappy. Satyameva Jayate! Reacting to the verdict, the two accused BJP leaders, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi also reacted to the judgement, welcoming it. Senior BJP leader Advani said he welcomes the significant verdict. He adds that the judgement vindicates my personal and BJPs belief towards the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, as per NDTV reports. "It's a historic decision by the court. This proves that no conspiracy was hatched for December 6 incident in Ayodhya. Our program and rallies were not part of any conspiracy. We are happy, everyone should now be excited about Ram Mandir's construction," BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said after the verdict, news agency ANI reported. Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh welcomed the CBI courts judgment, saying "It proves that justice triumphed however late it may be." , , . , Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 30, 2020 Welcoming the CBI court's verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case, BJP leader Ram Madhav tweeted saying: "Truth triumphs". "CBI courts acquittal in Babri conspiracy case was long overdue. A malicious case against some of the most respected leaders of our nation has fallen aside finally after 3 decades," said Madhav. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, however, expressed outrage over the judgment. Calling the judgement "obnoxious", he claimed it was 'contrary' to the Supreme Court'sobservations in its verdict on 9 November last year that the demolition of the Babri mosque was a calculated act of destroying a public place of worship and aviolation of rule of law. "...If the Supreme Court says that egregious violation of rule of law, was masjid sacrificed on December 6 (1992) by any magic ? Were the idols kept bymagic in 1949? Were the locks opened when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister by magic? Thats why I say that todays judgement is contrary to what the Supreme Court said," he told reporters . Questioning how there was no conspiracy behind the pulling down of the structure, he asked who had called for the huge gathering of people and who facilitaed it. Isn't it true that the CBI charge-sheet said that then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh said rok construction par hai, destruction par nahi hai' (curbs are on construction, not destruction), Owaisi said. Maintaining that all these were facts, he sought to know how all the accused have been exonerated. The mosque was pulled down on 6 December, 1992, by mobs of kar sevaks who maintained that it was built during the time of the first Mughal ruler at the spot which marked the birthplace of Ram temple. In a landmark judgment last year, the Supreme Court allotted the disputed site in Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram temple, while calling the demolition of the mosque a violation of the rule of law. The top court had also said that the demolition of Babri Masjid was illegal and directed the government to acquire an alternative plot of land to build a mosque. The earlier deadline set by the Supreme Court for the special CBI court to pronounce verdict was August-end. It was extended by a month on 22 August. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Kavya Lalchandani By The Covid-19 pandemic has created havoc not only in the health sector but also in the economy of various countries. Multiple disruptions in supply chains and the global economic slowdown have the tendency to push various otherwise viable companies to file for insolvency. The medium and small enterprises are presumed to be the worst affected by such a crisis. India, like other countries, started by increasing the threshold for what constitutes a default to prevent several companies from being pushed into insolvency. But as an extreme measure, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) was amended and no fresh insolvency proceedings could be filed for a period of six months starting 25 March 2020. This was extended by another three months last week. This step has been criticised both at national and international levels, perhaps for the right reasons. The IBC has several protective provisions that aid in the functioning of distressed businesses. One such provision is the moratorium, which essentially envisages putting a stay on the institution of any claim against the corporate debtors assets with the main aim of preserving their value. Since there will not be any admission of fresh applications, it will lead to stripping the businesses off the protection of moratorium and add to their agony. Another provision for interim financing, which helped the businesses still act as a going concern by funding the ongoing works and operations after the application was admitted by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), will also not be available now. Businesses would no longer be able to restructure under the IBC nor will they be able to function normally, which will lead to the problem of loss of value of assets. This is against the principle of maximisation of value of assets of the corporate debtor.The spirit and ideology of the IBC was to move from the debtor-in-possession to the creditor-in-possession regime, but this amendment marks a shift from this approach. It is also suggested by the policymakers that they are looking at pre-packs as a method for resolution of distressed businesses; however, the modalities of the same have not yet been worked out. Pre-packs will be a new process for India to adopt and may even not be viable in such an environment. Moreover, it again shifts to the regime of debtor-in-possession. If this is an acceptable solution, then DIP Financing should have been the go-to option for the government.One of the main hindrances was also the functioning of the NCLT and overburdening of the cases for which the legislature did not take any measures. We continue to see NCLTs work only on matters that are treated as urgent. India already faces a crunch on the appointments of judges in both tribunals and courts. The Centre had an opportunity to increase the strength of the Benches and function online, but it chose not to do the same. Rather, it drove the businesses away from the opportunity to save themselves. Various regulators such as the RBI and SEBI have time and again been relaxing their compliance requirements in these times. This inevitably leads to restructuring of businesses. Hence, in the end, the firms are ending up getting restructured but without any interference from the courts/tribunals. This measure does not only harm corporate debtors but also various classes of creditors and most importantly the banks that form the backbone of any economy. These measures not only delay the adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross Border Insolvencywhich has not been adopted yet by India and has posed its own problems (as can be seen in the Jet Airways case)but will also push India down in the Ease of Doing Business rankings. India jumped up in the last rankings because of the enactment of IBC. However, this measure will have a significant impact on the next rankings. Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms have started to be accepted in cases of insolvency and at least this legislation should have paved the way for that. Moreover, if corporate debtors and the creditors are suggested to renegotiate the terms of the facilities provided, it again leads to restructuring of the debt or the operations. India should have looked at other systems of law such as the UK and Singapore that have a new insolvency act for such times; none have suspended the filing of fresh cases. These Acts focus on saving otherwise viable businesses and give impetus to restructuring and moratorium reforms and suspension of wrongful trading in these times, instead of depriving businesses of the opportunity to restructure and reorganise. Therefore, India should have first taken certain facilitative measures to work out a mechanism best suitable for the environment, taking into consideration the interests of all the stakeholders ranging from financial creditors to the workers of the enterprise before adopting such an extreme measure. Kavya Lalchandani Legal Researcher based out of Delhi (lalchandani.kavya@gmail.com) A view of Central Park, taken from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, in New York City, on July 24, 2015. (William Edwards/AFP/Getty Images) Only 1 in 10 Manhattan Office Workers Back at Desks, Hurting Local Businesses Office employees in Manhattan are resuming in-person work at a mere trickle, squeezing local businesses and clouding their prospects of survival amid struggles to recover from the COVID-19 fallout. As of Sept. 18, only about 10 percent of Manhattan office workers had returned, according to recent figures from commercial real estate services firm CBRE Group, as reported by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by the companys director of communications in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. This is only marginally higher than in July, when a CBRE report found average daily building occupancy languished at less than 10 percent. By comparison, a nationwide review of real-estate firm data by The Wall Street Journal found that, on average, around 25 percent of office workers have returned to their desks. The consequences of Manhattans stunted commercial occupancy rates could be dire for local businesses that depend on foot traffic from nearby offices, such as restaurants. Edison Castillo, manager of Cafe Metro, a quick-service restaurant near the MetLife building in Manhattan, which relies on office workers for business, told The Wall Street Journal that times are tough. Ninety percent of our revenue depends on office workers and another 10 [percent] depends on tourists, Castillo said. We have lost both ways. I used to have 55 employees between both morning and night shifts. Right now, we are down to six. New York City restaurants were set to resume indoor dining at 25 percent capacity on Sept. 30, helping lift their prospects for survival. Many restaurateurs, however, say this may be too little too late. Hundreds of protesters marched in New Yorks Midtown Manhattan on Sept. 28 toward Gov. Andrew Cuomos office, calling for indoor dining to be raised to at least 50 percent capacity. The past six months, its been a lot of work, weve been just treading water here, trying to keep our heads afloat, trying to survive more than anything, said Chris Page, operating partner of White Oak Tavern. Two-thirds of restaurants are going to be going under, if they havent already. And we might be one of them if they dont pass this 50 [percent]. Were not going to make it to November. We probably have, maybe, four weeks left in us. Mark Fox, president of Fox Lifestyle Hospitality Group, said the pandemic forced him to slash staff from 130 down to 50. He called for the passage of the RESTAURANTS Act, a proposal that would provide a $120 billion relief fund for restaurant owners and New York Citys 167,000 restaurant workers. These people are in dire financial straits, Fox said. I see the anxiety and pain on their faces every day. They want to work. Ask any employee that shows up here today what they want to do. They want to go to work and they want to take care of their families. Low office occupancy rates in New York City have also affected the citys tax base, with the city government projecting a $9 billion drop in sales tax and other revenue for its fiscal year that began on July 1. The economy of New York City, which was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic at its onset, has been hit harder than the nation thus far, wrote city Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, in recent comments on the citys adopted budget for fiscal year 2021. In New York City, employment plunged by about 20 percent from February to April and grew by a smaller 3.4 percent from April to June, he wrote. The FY 2021 Adopted Budget reflects the ravaging of the Citys economy and tax revenues by the pandemic. According to the most recent tax revenue projections from the Independent Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency that assists New York City authorities in their budgeting process, expected tax collections for fiscal years 2020 and 2021 have, since January, been revised downwards by $8.5 billion, while the forecast for 2022 has dropped by nearly $5 billion. Reuters contributed to this report. The aim is to assess the Vaticans compliance with international rules against money laundering and the financing of terrorism by examining its legislative framework and programmes. The visit comes a few days after the Becciu affair. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Moneyval, the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism, began its visit to the Vatican today, as part of the process to evaluate the Vaticans compliance with international rules, and the effectiveness of its legislative framework and programmes. The scope of this phase of evaluations is to assess the effectiveness of the legislative and institutional measures adopted by the jurisdictions in recent years for the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism, reads a press release by the Vatican Press Office. The current evaluation for the Holy See is a regular part of a process that began with the first on site visit, in 2012, and the subsequent adoption of the Mutual Evaluation Report of the Holy See, of 4 July 2012, followed by the First Progress Report, of 9 December 2013, the Second Progress Report, of 8 December 2015, and the Third Progress Report, of 6 December 2017. Moneyvals visit is a fundamental step towards assessing how well the Vatican is upholding international financial rules, a goal to which Pope Francis following in the footsteps of Benedict XVI has dedicated time and efforts since the start of his pontificate. Meanwhile, the Cardinal Angelo Becciu affair broke out. Last week, the Vatican Press Office issued a statement. It reads as follows: "Today, Thursday, 24 September, the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the Office of Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and from the rights connected with the Cardinalate, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu. The new effect is that the cardinal retains his title, he cannot participate in the conclave, take part in consistories, or collegially assist Francis in the exercise of government. Francis's decision is related to serious charges levelled against the prelate over alleged favours made to benefit three of his brothers and the murky management of the financial assets of the Secretariat of State, including Saint Peters Pence, when he was Substitute for General Affairs (2011-2018). One of the charges involves a property on Sloane Avenue, London, that saw six officials of the Secretariat of State suspended and then removed. For his part, the cardinal says he is innocent. In a press conference following Francis's decision, he said, among other things: "I hope that sooner or later the Holy Father realises that there has been a major misunderstanding", adding "I hope he wasnt manipulated. (FP) New South Wales has recorded a fifth consecutive day of no new community transmissions of coronavirus. The state recorded four new cases on Wednesday, who were all returned travellers in hotel quarantine. More than 13,575 people were tested in the latest 24-hour reporting period, more than double the 6,381 tests conducted on Monday, after fears testing rates were too low. NSW has recorded a fifth consecutive day of zero new community transmissions of coronavirus (pictured, a Sydneysider relaxing in Centennial Park on September 26) Of the 50 active cases across NSW, eight are in hospital, including three in intensive care. The number of confirmed cases in NSW now stands at 4,035 while the state's death toll remains at 55. NSW Health has thanked the community but urges everyone to remain vigilant and to get tested and self-isolate as soon as possible if symptoms such as a runny nose, scratchy throat, cough or fever appear, regardless of how mild. 'This is particularly important with school holidays and increased movement of people around the state,' NSW Health states. 'COVID-19 continues to circulate in the community and we must all be vigilant.' Spectators can now attend community sporting events in NSW (pictured, parents at a children's soccer game in Sydney on the weekend) Queensland will ease border closures to 152,000 NSW residents from 1am Thursday, just in time for the October public holiday weekend. Residents in 41 postcodes including Byron Shire, Ballina, Lismore, the Richmond Valley including Casino and Evans Head, and Glen Innes will be added to the Queensland-NSW border bubble. Locals from those 41 postcodes will be free to cross the border while Queenslanders will also be able to travel in far northern NSW. The Queensland government has vowed to reopen the border if NSW goes 28 days without recording a coronavirus infection with no known source. Rio Rancho Fire and Rescue brings awareness to mental health wellness for firefighters through the Yellow Rose Campaign. September marks suicide prevention month and the YRC initiative between RRFR and the local firefighters union, International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) 4877. The campaign was created by the Michigan Fire Chiefs Association in 2018 to encourage a supportive and emotional-wellness culture among firefighters, according to a press release from RRFR. In 2019, the New Mexico Fire Chiefs Association adopted the YRC. We also looked into, along with the YRC, Stop the stigma. It was another saying that we kind of grabbed a hold of and it stuck out to us, because we dont want the people on the floor doing the job, to feel the stigma of, Well, we just got to suck it up and keep going. It is OK to reach out and it is OK to say you need help, said IAFF 4877 President Chris Mandeville. In 2018, over 48,000 Americans died by suicide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is one death every 11 minutes. In 2018, about 1.4 million adults attempted suicide, according to the CDC. New Mexico has the highest suicide rate in the U.S., according to the American Association of Suicidology. A study funded by the Ruderman Family Foundation indicated first responders are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. In 2017, at least 103 firefighters died by suicide, with 93 firefighters dying in the line of duty. Firefighters and police officers experience post-traumatic stress disorder at a rate five times higher than the civilian population, according to the study. Among resources members of RRFR can use is the Peer Support Team. This consists of 13 firefighters who have received mental health training to support to their peers and connect them to more resources. Capt. Ryan Floersheim of RRFR is a part of this team. All the research has found that peer support teams, like ours, get used a lot more than just sending someone off to a psychologist or a counselor that doesnt know what we do on a daily basis, Floersheim said. So, our personnel are really a lot more likely to turn to one of our own who are experiencing the same things, and so we are able to start the conversation a lot easier with them because we can sympathize with what they are going through. Floersheim monitors for signs of emotional distress and is consistently checking in with peers to see if they are doing OK, he said. After exceptionally difficult calls, the Peer Support Team is sent to talk with crew members. We sit down with them and make sure they are processing everything that they saw, he said. This consistent opportunity to talk with a peer is creating a culture of mental wellness among first responders, something that was not always the case, he said. We started realizing (firefighters) were having significant mental health problems after they retired. Part of it was because they never had the chance to decompress and talk about (trauma) when they were experiencing it, Floersheim said. That is when we realized, as a profession, we really needed to up our game as far as providing mental health resources. Losing a comrade to suicide is something the department has experienced, he said. Lt. Colin Bubba James Rice died by his own hand in June 2019. He was the other co-leader of the peer support team, so he and I helped build the team, Floersheim said. (Mental wellness) was always important before then because we were aware of the nationwide epidemic that was growing in the fire service as far as mental health disorders, suicides, divorces and substance (abuse) and all the things that go along with it, but we never imagined that it would hit that close to home. To honor Rice, crew members at Station 1 on Southern Boulevard wore T-shirts for suicide prevention month, with Rices badge number on the sleeve and the YRC logo on the front. As part of the YRC, RRFR firefighters received a challenge coin for taking a voluntary pledge to be supportive of each other and to destigmatize mental health issues, Floersheim said. He said changing the mental wellness culture among first responders is a work in progress but asking for help is the most important step anyone can take. Those experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress can call the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line at any time by dialing 1-855-662-7474. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255. It is important to note that everyone can make a difference by being open to listen, help in the efforts to destigmatize mental health disease and realize that it is normal to feel stressed, especially during these unprecedented times of COVID-19, according to the press release. WASHINGTON - After more than a year of circling each other, Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden met on the debate stage Tuesday night in Ohio. The 74-year-old president and the 77-year-old former vice-president are similar in age, and they share a mutual dislike. But they differ starkly in style and substance. All of that was evident from the outset on the Cleveland stage. Here are key takeaways from the first of three scheduled presidential debates before Election Day on Nov. 3. AND IN THIS CORNER Trump is no stranger to going on offence, but his pugilistic approach on stage left his Democratic opponent fighting to complete a sentence. Trailing in public and private polling, Trump advisers have pushed him to reframe the election away from a referendum on his presidency to a choice between him and Biden. Trump, instead, commandeered the debate, trying to trip up Biden by interrupting and insulting him. In the process, Trump made the debate more about himself. Theres nothing smart about you, Trump said of Biden. 47 years youve done nothing. While Trump played into his reputation as a bully, it may have been effective at breaking up the worst of Bidens attacks simply by talking over them. Trump aides believed before the debate that Biden would be unable to withstand the withering offensive on style and substance from Trump, but Biden came with a few retorts of his own, calling Trump a clown and mocking Trumps style by asking, Will you shut up, man? Trumps supporters may have been cheered by his frontal assault. Whether undecided voters, who watched the debate to try to learn about the two candidates, were impressed is another matter. Moderator Chris Wallace was none too amused, delivering a pointed reproach to Trump for his interruptions. Frankly, youve been doing more interrupting, Wallace said, appealing to Trump to let his opponent speak. Trump is fond of superlatives, but in the case of the debate there is little doubt that it was the most acrimonious of since the forums have been televised. TRUMP CANT ESCAPE THE VIRUS Trump has wanted the election to be about anything but the coronavirus pandemic, but he couldnt outrun reality on the debate stage. It is what it is because you are who you are, Biden told the president, referring to Trumps months of downplaying COVID-19 while he said privately he understood how deadly it is. But Trump didnt take it quietly. He proceeded to blitz Biden with a mix of self-defence and counter-offensives. 200,000 dead? Bidens death toll would have been millions, Trump said. A rocky economy? Biden wouldve been worse. Biden wouldnt have manufactured enough masks or ventilators. The kicker: There will be a vaccine very soon. Biden fell back on his bottom line: A lot of people died, and a lot more are going to unless he gets a lot smarter. For voters still undecided about whod better handle the pandemic, the exchange may not have offered anything new. RACIAL RECKONING Trump said Biden was the politician who helped put millions of Black Americans in prison with the 1994 crime law. Biden called Trump the racist in the Oval Office. For a nation confronting a summer of racial unrest and centuries of injustice the debate was the latest cultural flashpoint. Biden was quiet as Trump blitzed him as a tool of the radical left and a weak figure who opposes law and order. He pressed Biden repeatedly to name any police union thats endorsed him. He falsely accused Biden of wanting to defund the police. Biden didnt capitalize when Trump refused to condemn armed militias and insisted, against the guidance of his own FBI director: This is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem. Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, Trump said when prompted on the far-right group. But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left. President Donald Trump declined to clearly condemn white supremacist groups and their role in violence during Tuesday's first presidential debate, at one point telling the neo-fascist group "Proud Boys" to "stand back and stand by." The former vice-president tried to push back, but not until after Trump had made his arguments, including the misrepresentations. Biden regained some footing mocking the presidents warnings about suburbs, saying, He wouldnt know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn. And perhaps revealing the thinking about allowing Trump the rhetorical upper hand, Biden said, All these dog whistles and racism doesnt work anymore. QUESTION ABOUT COURT, ANSWER ABOUT HEALTH CARE Trump defended his decision to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court just weeks before Election Day, saying elections have consequences. Biden said he was not opposed to the justice, but said the American people have a right to have a say in who the Supreme Court nominee is. But rather than litigate Republicans 2016 blocking of Merrick Garland to the high court, Biden quickly pivoted to the issues that will potentially come before the court: healthcare and abortion. Its an effort by the Democrat to refocus the all-but-certain confirmation fight for Trumps third justice to the Supreme Court into an assault on Trump and his record. Biden said Barrett, who would be the sixth justice on the nine-member court to be appointed by a Republican, would endanger the Affordable Care Act and tens of millions of Americans with preexisting conditions, and would imperil legalized abortion. It was a reframing of the political debate to terms far more favourable to the Democrat, and one Trump played into. Trump said of the conservative Barrett, You dont know her view on Roe vs. Wade and he defended his efforts to try to chip away at the popular Obama-era health law. Biden has tried to press Democrats to use the court confirmation fight as a rallying cry against Trump, and the debate discussion largely played out on his turf. INVISIBLE WALLACE STRUGGLES TO CONTAIN TRUMP Debate moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News tried mightily to hold his ground Tuesday after saying beforehand that it was not his job to fact-check the candidates, especially Trump, in real time. But Wallace struggled to stop Trump from interrupting and at times seemed to lose control of the debate. Mr. President, as the moderator, we are going to talk about COVID in the next segment, Wallace said. Soon after: Im the moderator, and Id like you to let me ask my question. Minutes later: I have to give you roughly equal time. Please let the vice-president talk. And when Wallace noted that Trump hasnt come up with his health care plan in nearly four years, Trump turned the question back on Wallace. First of all, Im debating you and not him. Thats okay. Im not surprised. Wallace said he wanted to be invisible. Well, that was impossible. FAMILY BUSINESS As expected, Trump found a way to bring up Hunter Biden, the former vice-presidents son, and recycle allegations about the younger Bidens international business practices. Biden called Trumps litany discredited and fired back, I mean, his family we can talk about all night. But Biden sidestepped any of the specifics of Trumps international business dealings and instead turned straight to the camera. This is not about my family or his family, Biden said as Trump tried to talk over him. This is about your family. In a later exchange, Trump interrupted Biden when he was talking about his late son, Beau Biden, who died of cancer in 2015 after having served in Iraq. I dont know Beau, I know Hunter, Trump said. Residents of long-term-care homes in Ontario were at much greater risk of dying during the first wave of COVID-19 compared to their counterparts in British Columbia because B.Cs health-care system was better prepared and responded more effectively than Ontarios, according to a new study. The study published Wednesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal examines both pre-existing factors that made a clear difference as well as actions taken during the pandemic. Researchers found that after adjusting for the difference in population, there were about four times as many deaths in Ontario care homes compared to B.C. As of Sept. 10, Ontario recorded 1,817 deaths in long-term care, while B.C. had 156. There is no single circumstance that led to the drastic difference in outcomes, but rather a confluence of factors, said Dr. Irfan A. Dhalla, a vice president and physician at Unity Health Toronto, and one of the studys authors. Its almost certainly not just all about the response during the pandemic, Dhalla said. We found that there were some pretty striking differences between the long-term-care system in the two provinces that existed even before the pandemic. Actions such as Ontario calling in the military to assist some care homes illustrates how stark the difference in outcomes was between the two provinces, Dhalla said. I dont think anybody could have imagined that we would be calling in the military. And the fact that we had to do that just shows how badly we failed, Dhalla said. The study notes that prior to the pandemic, B.Cs care system was in better shape than Ontarios. There was better co-ordination in B.C. between homes, public health systems and hospitals, allowing for a faster and more effective response. Provincial governments determine policies, funding and standards at care homes. The study found on average, combined funding per resident per day was higher in B.C. ($222) than in Ontario ($203). Most of that funding is used to pay staff. The study did not compare staff wages but it said some estimates suggest before the pandemic B.C. residents received more daily hours of direct care (3.25) than those in Ontario (2.71) and that there is a relation between staffing levels, care hours and higher rates of infection. One clear difference between the provinces is in the use of shared rooms. Prior to the pandemic, residents in Ontario were more than twice as likely to shared a room, at 63 per cent versus 24 per cent in B.C. A recent study in Ontario showed that residents living in shared rooms are more likely to contract COVID-19. There is evidence different business models result in different outcomes. In Ontario, 58 per cent of care homes are managed on a for-profit basis, compared to 34 per cent in B.C. The study says evidence suggests that on average, for-profit homes deliver inferior care compared to non-profits. A preliminary study found an association between for-profit status, the extent of COVID-19 outbreaks and the number of resident deaths. Its also clear the frequency of inspections at homes can make a difference. Both provinces require annual inspections of care homes. But the study says in late 2018, Ontario transitioned to a risk-based framework where narrower inspections are conducted in response to critical incidents and complaints. In 2019, inspections were carried out mostly in response to complaints or critical incidents. As a result, only nine of 626 long-term-care homes in Ontario received a comprehensive inspection that year. Actions taken during the pandemic also made a significant difference. The study says leadership and communication was better in B.C., with health officials and elected leaders delivering consistent messages. In Ontario, elected leaders and government bureaucrats sometimes conveyed conflicting messages in separate briefings, although the report does not elaborate. The study suggests orders limiting staff to working in a single home were effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19. B.C. announced such a policy on March 26. Ontario did not do so until April 14. In total, Ontario long-term-care homes saw almost 6,000 COVID cases compared to 466 in B.C. Differences in how the two provinces approached infection prevention and control also contributed to contrasting outcomes. Starting with the first outbreak in B.C. on March 7, the province sent specialized health teams with expertise in infection control to all homes with outbreaks. Ontario did not start working with public health units and hospitals to form similar teams until April 15. In B.C., the threshold for an outbreak at a long-term-care home was a single case among residents or staff. Ontario did not revise its definition of an outbreak until April 15. B.C. was also ahead of Ontario in screening asymptomatic residents at care homes with outbreaks, starting in March, whereas Ontario did not do so until April 22. B.C. was also faster in requiring that everyone wear a mask in care homes. They issued this order on March 25; Ontario did not follow suit until April 8. The study offers many lessons for governments, public health agencies and care homes to learn from, Dhalla said. Among them: regular and unannounced inspections are critical to ensuring plans are being followed correctly. Staff should be restricted to working at one site to avoid spreading the virus. And governments must consider if their public health systems are organized in a way to provide the most effective delivery of care. Sometimes people are looking for a simple answer I dont think anybody can say confidently, its that one thing that made a difference, Dhalla said. Read more about: Maldives thanks India for supporting with $250 million amid coronavirus pandemic International oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Washington, Sep 30: The Maldives has thanked India for the financial assistance of USD 250 million "the single largest financial assistance from a donor" to support the island nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of global cooperation. In the Maldives, without the support of our friends, our bilateral and multilateral partners, we would not be able to continue weathering this storm," Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives Abdulla Shahid said in his address to the General Debate of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. India does not give a 'straight count' on Covid-19 deaths: Trump "I thank all our partners who have generously extended financial, material and technical support during this crisis, even when they themselves are going through challenging times. One such example is India. The recent budget support of 250 million US dollars, was the single largest financial assistance from a donor during this pandemic," he said. The minister said as nations work towards finding a vaccine, Maldives hopes that every person who needs it will have access to it. "That we will work together to ensure equitable access." Coronavirus outbreak: India records 80,472 new cases, crosses 62 lakh COVID-19 cases in India This month, India provided the financial assistance of USD 250 million to Maldives to help it mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian embassy in Maldives had said in a statement. The grant, provided under the most favourable terms possible, was in response to the request made by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to overcome the difficult economic situation in the Maldives. Babri Demolition Case:Court acquits all 32, says 'leaders tried to prevent demolition'|Oneindia News The financial assistance was announced first during a virtual meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and provided through a Treasury Bond sale to the State Bank of India (SBI), Male which has a tenure of 10 years for repayment, the statement said. A consignment of 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines was donated in April, another consignment of 6.2 tonnes of medicines was airlifted from four Indian cities to Male by the Indian Air Force, and 580 tonnes of food aid was provided in May. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 11:41 [IST] Mr Macron, youre going to have problems with me personally, warned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan two weeks ago after the French president advised European leaders to be clear and firm, not with Turkey as a nation and people, but with the government of President Erdogan, which has taken unacceptable actions. Echoing his bosss defiant mode, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar quipped that Macron was trying to take on the role of Napoleon, who died 200 years ago. But we can all see that he is neither powerful enough nor tall enough to do it. As the EU meeting on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean approached, together with looming sanctions, Erdogan has had to soften his tone. Last week he even called up Emmanuel Macron to plead with him for permission to let Turkey take part in the production of the French-Italian SAMP/T missile defence system. According to a report by Bloomberg on 25 September, Macron responded that Erdogan would have to clarify Turkish objectives in Syria before Paris would consider his request. The mere mention of Syria was a stinging rebuff. Turkey has occupied and effectively annexed big chunks of northern Syria, the first target of Erdogans neo-Ottoman expansionist ambitions. However, his influence and control there has been steadily dwindling while his mortal enemy in Damascus, Bashar Al-Assad, has been gradually regaining ground thanks to support from Russia. Russia, too, has been increasingly vocal in its criticism of Turkish behaviour in northern Syria and recent developments have led some observers to predict that Putin and Erdogan may soon part ways in Idlib. Judging by news reports and developments on the ground, the agreement they signed in March, and the understandings they reached in Astana before that, over the creation of a demilitarised zone and the removal of terrorist groups from Idlib, are very shaky. Hardly a day goes by without some violation of the truce on the part of Al-Assads forces, which could not occur without a green light from Moscow. Al-Assads advances weaken Ankara not just strategically but also, and more importantly, in the eyes of the militant groups it backs. Moscow, for its part, appears determined to expand its presence in Idlib city, strategically located just north of the M4 international highway and to the west of the even more vital M5 which runs north to south between Damascus and Aleppo. This has been one of the main bones of contention recently between Russia and Turkey. Erdogan refuses to believe Moscows claim that the security patrols are under threat. Instead, he believes that Russia is in a hurry to reopen that vital overland artery in order to offset the impacts of US sanctions against Damascus and stimulate the Syrian economy. Russia is also keen to prepare the climate for the elections that Al-Assads regime has envisioned for 2021 a vision that the Turkish regime rejects out of hand. Russia has been pressuring Turkish and Turkish-backed forces to withdraw to a depth of 35 kilometres south of the M4, claiming that Turkey has failed to meet its commitments under the Sochi Agreement to clear terrorist groups out of the area. Turkey counters that is Russia that is not living up to its end of the bargain which involves expanding the area in Idlib under control of a joint Russian-Turkish peacekeeping force. Moscow is dragging its feet and reneging on its word as usual, complain pro-government mouthpieces in Turkey. But not only are developments in Idlib working against Erdogans designs in Syria, the same applies to the situation to the north from Tel Rafat and Manbij to the region east of the Euphrates. The Turks complain that Russia has failed to meet its commitment to hand over control of Tel Rafat, Manbij and other designated towns to the control of Turkish-backed forces. Some Turkish analysts believe that Moscow is taking advantage of Turkeys predicament in the Eastern Mediterranean, the EUs mounting anger over Ankaras aggressive policies in the region and the fact that the situation in Libya has taken a turn contrary to Erdogans plans. Conditions were ripe for pushing the Turks and the Turkish-backed opposition in Syria into a corner in Idlib. But what the Turks had not anticipated was that Putin would reach some accommodations with the US, on the one hand, and with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the other, heedless of Turkeys oft-repeated concerns regarding the latter, which it regards as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). On 15-16 September, Russian and Turkish interagency delegations met in Ankara for technical consultations on the situations in Idlib and Libya. According to Western diplomatic sources, on the second day of that meeting Moscow intensified pressure on Ankara to reduce its military presence in Idlib. Ankara had recently intensified that presence to an estimated 10,000 Turkish troops stationed in dozens of bases in Idlib. As follow-through, on Sunday, 20 September, Russian fighter jets bombarded portions of northwest Syria controlled by Turkish-backed Syrian militias. It was the most intense wave of Russian strikes in the vicinity of Turkish observation points in Idlib since the Russian-Turkish agreement to cease major combat activities six months ago. The Syrian army has also launched intermittent strikes against Turkish bases in Idlib, while Damascus and the militias allied with it have continued to amass troops along the fronts. In light of the foregoing, it comes as little surprise that a recent report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) concluded that, in that meeting with Russia on 16 September, Turkey may have agreed to cede control of territory in southern Idlib to pro-Assad forces and, if so, then a pro-Assad offensive in southern Idlib is probably immanent. The report described a pattern of recent events that substantiate the likelihood of a partial Turkish withdrawal from Idlib. It cited, for example, the withdrawal of hundreds of Turkish special forces and infantry and Turkish-backed opposition fighters from southern Idlib towns in the Jabal Zawiya area on 8 September and the reduction in the frequency of Turkish military logistics convoys into Idlib from one every one or two days to only three conveys in the 13 days prior to the publication of that report. The report also noted several pro-Assad protests staged outside several Turkish observation points on 16 September, which it described as a tactic the Syrian regime uses to emphasise the unpopularity of the Turkish presence in Idlib as a means to ratchet up the pressure on Ankara. It added that although Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu denied on 16 September that negotiations with Russia were productive, Cavusoglu may be trying to temporarily conceal the details of an agreement with Russia in order to preserve Turkeys reputation among greater Idlibs population and avoid backlash from opposition groups. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: PHILIPSBURG:--- A well-known Civil Servant identified as Julian Lake currently working in the cabinet of the Minister of TEATT was arrested today Tuesday, September 29th, 2020, while his ex-wife also a senior civil servant was also questioned. SMN News learned that the arrest has to do with the seabass investigation, that involves the ICT department of government. According to information provided to SMN News the civil servant once worked in the ICT department. On November 19th, 2019, the National Detectives searched 5 locations, two businesses, and three homes. A press release from the Prosecutors office states that the head of the department identified as M.D was suspected of abusing his position when awarding public ICT tenders. Various projects were awarded to the suspect and/or companies owned by the suspect's relatives. M.D. is also suspected of having laundered the unlawful proceeds. In the investigation, several persons and legal entities were identified as suspects. A precautionary seizure was also made of, among other things, sums of money and a plot of land. The National Detectives will proceed with this investigation over the coming months. The National Detectives have pursued this investigation because the actions of the accused undermine the integrity of the public administration and the civil service. Administrative responsibilities and business interests are intertwined. This can be at the expense of the quantity, quality, and price of products supplied to the government. Furthermore, this has not benefited the citizens of Sint Maarten and disturbs the level playing field for the business community. A spokesman for the Prosecutor's Office Roderick Gouverneur confirmed the arrest of Julian Lake, he said that the prosecutor's office is not ruling out other arrests in the Seabass investigation. THE SEABASS INVESTIGATION In a long-term investigation called SEABASS, the National Detectives investigates irregularities in the procurement of ICT projects in recent years. This investigation focuses on the Head of ICT for Country Sint Maarten, M.D. M.D. is suspected of abuse of his position in awarding public ICT tenders and of laundering the illegal proceeds. In the investigation, several persons and legal entities have been identified as suspects. In addition, amounts of money and a plot of land were seized. As part of this investigation, J.L. was arrested this week by the National Detectives. More arrests are not excluded. The National Detectives have continued this investigation because the actions of the accused undermine the integrity of the public administration and the civil service. Administrative responsibilities and business interests are intertwined. This can be at the expense of the quantity, quality, and price of the products delivered to the government. Moreover, this does not benefit the citizens of St. Maarten and disturbs the level playing field for the business community. Prosecutors' Press Release A laptop and several memory sticks used to program Philadelphias voting machines were stolen from a city warehouse in East Falls, officials confirmed Wednesday, setting off a scramble to investigate and to ensure the machines had not been compromised. UPDATE Oct. 8: Election equipment theft appears to be random crime, unrelated to campaign, D.A. says Though it remains unclear when the equipment was stolen, sources briefed on the investigation said the items vanished this week. The laptop belonged to an on-site employee for the company that supplies the machines. It and the USB drives were the only items believed to have been taken. City officials vowed Wednesday that the theft would not disrupt voting on Nov. 3. We are confident, said Nick Custodio, a deputy to Lisa Deeley, chair of the city commissioners, who oversee elections, that this incident will not in any way compromise the integrity of the election. But behind the scenes, they fretted about how President Donald Trump and his allies might use the news to cast doubt on the integrity of the citys elections in light of false claims and conspiracy theories he cited during Tuesdays presidential debate. The commissioners initially refused to confirm the theft or that an investigation had been opened. They only did so after The Inquirer informed them it would be reporting the incident based on sources who were not authorized to publicly discuss it. Philadelphia police referred all questions to Mayor Jim Kenneys office. Since being informed of the incident, I have immediately committed to making necessary police resources available to investigate this incident and find the perpetrators. I have also committed to the city commissioners additional resources to provide enhanced security at the warehouse going forward, Kenney said in a statement. This matter should not deter Philadelphians from voting, nor from having confidence in the security of this election. Trump, who trails former Vice President Joe Biden in Pennsylvania polls, has sought to cast doubt on the integrity of the election and has specifically targeted Philadelphia, falsely saying Tuesday that Republican poll watchers had been turned away by the citys election staff. His rhetoric has alarmed experts and voting rights advocates, who say the president is undermining public confidence in the electoral system and inappropriately politicizing the democratic process. Many details surrounding the stolen technology in Philadelphia remained unclear Wednesday, including how the equipment was taken, whether there are any suspects, and whether any machines had been compromised. Custodio, the deputy to Deeley, said officials ensured the stolen laptop had been disabled remotely after the theft was discovered to prevent it from being used and added that it did not have any of our election material on it. His statement did not address the stolen memory sticks, which are used to program the machines in advance of an election, including setting the design of the ballots. The flash drives are encrypted to prevent tampering, and specifically matched with individual voting machines, said a spokesperson for Election Systems & Software, the voting machine vendor, adding: Upon programming, these encryption keys marry the USB with the machine, and if placed in another machine, it will cause an error and the machine will not work. Philadelphia has 3,750 of the ExpressVote XL touchscreen voting machines, and elections staff have begun programming them so they are ready to use on Nov. 3. The flash drives are inserted into the top of the machines; some of them are used to record the electronic votes used for unofficial results on election night, but it was unclear whether those stolen served that function. Once a machine has been set up, its closed with a numbered seal. That means that any voting machines that are opened after being programmed should be identifiable because they would have broken seals. The commissioners have begun checking all the seals on the machines, which are numbered to prevent them from being opened and simply replaced, Custodio said, to ensure they have not been tampered with. Sources familiar with the investigation said late Wednesday that during the review, officials found several machines had the wrong seal numbers, but Custodio said they believe the discrepancies were due to a logging error in recording the numbers and did not indicate that the machines had been compromised. Those machines, he said, will be thoroughly examined, wiped, and tested just to be sure. Philadelphias voting machines are fairly new, used for the first time last November. Gov. Tom Wolf ordered every voting machine in Pennsylvania, including those in Philadelphia, be replaced in advance of the 2020 election with more-secure machines that leave a paper trail that can be audited or even individually recounted by hand. That means theres a paper record of every vote cast, officials said. In the event of an audit or recount, it is the text on the ballots that is counted, not the bar codes or the electronic tallies. All voting systems have voter-verified paper ballots, which can be audited or recounted and are the official vote of record, Wanda Murren, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State, said in a statement. We are confident that Philadelphia, working with the department and our many partners, will be able to conduct a secure and fair election for its voters on Nov. 3. The discovery of the theft came during a particularly bad week for Philadelphias elections officials. On Tuesday, the city opened its first-ever satellite elections offices to allow voters to cast mail ballots in person and the statewide voter database went down moments after the celebratory news conference. That afternoon, Trump falsely accused Philadelphia of blocking his poll watchers from the offices, and again put a target on the city by repeating the claims during the presidential debate. Voting via mail ballots has begun in Philadelphia, including at the satellite elections offices opened Tuesday, which city and state officials do not consider to be polling locations. . Still, Trump said falsely on Twitter and in the debate that his campaigns poll watchers had been blocked from observing early voting, accused the city of corruption, and encouraged his supporters to monitor in-person voting. A lawyer for the campaign sent a letter to the commissioners late Tuesday threatening legal action if they are not allowed to observe the elections offices. READ MORE: Bad things happen in Philadelphia, Trump says at debate, renewing false claim about poll watchers City officials are urging anyone with information on the stolen laptop and voting machine memory sticks to contact the Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS. Science and Technology Minister on Wednesday launched the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Technologies for rural development, a statement said. Among the technologies launched by Vardhan are improved beehive for quality and hygienic extraction of honey, developed by CSIR's Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology; manufacturing of ginger paste developed by the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore; dehumidified drier for food and agri products and agricultural waste (wheat bran, sugarcane bagasse and fruit peels) based biodegradable plates, cups and cutleries developed by Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram. The technologies were launched under a joint initiative of CSIR, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) and Vijnana Bharti (VIBHA) A tripartite MoU to this effect was signed by the three parties on July 28 to work jointly for post-COVID fast track action plan to create livelihood opportunities in rural areas, particularly for the people who returned to their native villages in the lockdown period. In his address, Vardhan said appropriate intervention of science and technology (S&T) can play a crucial catalytic role in bringing equity and equality in the process of development. "Corporates, research agencies, organisations working with medium, small, and cottage level entrepreneurs, voluntary social organisations, NGOs, and socially cognizant citizens need to partner on a common platform to address various problems affecting the lives of millions," the statement quoting Vardhan said. "The challenges that we would be facing need actions at several levels, and we need to explore and reinvent innovative approaches for actions from different stakeholders that include not just government agencies but also voluntary social organisations, NGOs, corporates, entrepreneurs, academicians and scientists and constructively supplement these efforts," he said. He highlighted that the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Education conceptualised and launched in IIT Delhi, with a vision of transformational change in processes by leveraging knowledge institutions to help build the architecture of an inclusive India. "Unnat Bharat Abhiyan now constitutes 45 Regional Coordinating Institutions (RCIs) and 2,614 Participating Institutions (PIs). Till date, a total of 13,760 villages have been adopted under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When Helen King posted a notice on the Chippawa Community News page on Facebook recently noting she and her husband were considering moving to Niagara to live in the village, she asked residents for input into a post shed seen referring to sewage backups in basements in the area. The town has exactly the vibe that were looking for we just want to be sure were buying in a safe zone, she said. That sparked well more than a hundred comments from residents, some of whom clearly didnt want more newcomers arriving in the village from the Greater Toronto Area. Stay away; this town has gone to s--t because of all the newcomers, one man told King bluntly. If coming from GTA, stay away, we dont want you, another man posted. They were a minority: resident Laura Walsh, for instance, told King they dont represent the spirit of Chippawa. Welcome Helen King, I hope you love this village as much as we do, she said. But the comments do reflect a nervousness among some in the village that its in danger of being overrun with development to the point where it could lose its unique identity. There are fears among many that new developments will only worsen what some say has been decades of problems with basements being flooded with sewage backups during heavy rainfall. An apartment building proposed for the corner of Sodom and Lyons Creek roads became a flashpoint for anti-development sentiment recently. It dated back to the summer of 2018 when developer Go-To Niagara Falls Chippawa Inc. pitched the idea of a six-storey apartment building and nine townhouses at the site across from the Chippawa public boat launch, which met solid opposition from residents. So the developer changed the plan to two four-storey apartment buildings. Both of those plans would have required an amendment to the citys official plan, its master planning document. At a demonstration adjacent to the site in July, more than 100 residents gathered to voice concern over the proposal, saying the area is already congested with traffic. Many said they feared it would worsen sewage backups into basements. But there also appears to be an overarching sentiment among many Chippawa residents that there is simply too much growth, happening too fast in the community that was forcibly amalgamated by the province with Niagara Falls a half century ago. Not far from the protest site on Lyons Creek Road construction of the new Legends on the Green housing project is going full steam ahead on Willoughby Drive. As Niagara Falls council considered a new iteration of the Lyons Creek Road proposal recently, now changed to just a single four-storey building with 77 units, comments submitted by residents reflected on that. Chippawa is a very quaint part of Niagara Falls with a close-knit, community and cottage feel, one resident whose name was redacted in the city report said in an email. Adding condo units at that intersection will be a mess for traffic and ruin the essence of Chippawa. Resident Mark Bucchinfuso, who lives on Nassau Avenue, told city council development cant be stopped but that doesnt mean it should be allowed to utterly transform a community. That seems to me like the aim here: to make us another Oakville, he said. Well, were not Oakville, were not even Niagara Falls. Were Chippawa and were very proud to be called Chippawa. City councillor and former longtime mayor Wayne Thomson said more than $22 million has been spent to fix up Chippawas sewage infrastructure in recent decades according to a new city report presented in August. The sewer situation was so disastrous when we took it over in 1970, he said. Weve really done a great job there. Mayor Jim Diodati said the city has spent more per capita in Chippawa than anywhere else in the city trying to rectify past problems. Niagara Region has plans to build a new sewage treatment plant in the citys south end, but construction start is still about four years away. At the city council meeting, Coun. Victor Pietrangelo said when its built, installing a trunk sewer line to the plant from the south side of Chippawa Creek will mean sewage from there wont have to be pumped under the river to the existing treatment plant north of the river, reducing further any chances of basement flooding. But Coun. Vince Kerrio Jr. said that may not stop anti-development sentiments. I dont think youre going to change the perception of a lot of the residents of Chippawa, he said in August. As soon as someone wants to do something in Chippawa, all the residents get nervous and they say it (sewage infrastructure) cant handle it. City council turned down approving a zoning bylaw amendment to allow the new Lyons Creek Road apartment building at the Sept. 15 meeting of council. Thomson said the developer will almost surely get that decision overturned if its appealed to the provinces land use referee, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. This thing will be passed in a heartbeat by the tribunal, he said. Coun. Mike Strange said public opposition to the project is a reflection of an overall fear of development overwhelming the community. Everyone is jealous of Chippawa, I think, in Ontario because they all want to move down, he said. Its such a beautiful place and weve seen it grow so much in the last 20 years and a lot of residents feel like its being taken away from them, that heritage and that old feeling of Chippawa. President Donald Trump during Tuesday nights debate said he secured the endorsement of the Portland sheriff -- presumably a reference to Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese. Reese shortly after tweeted that was false. In tonights presidential debate the President said the Portland Sheriff supports him," Reese said on Twitter. "As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him. Trump also said if local and state leaders cooperated as he wants, he could end protests in Portland in 30 minutes. Moderator Chris Wallace asked Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate for president, if he had reached out to try to stop the violence in Portland. Have you ever called the Democratic mayor of Portland or the Democratic governor of Oregon and said, hey, you gotta stop this, bring in the National Guard, do whatever it takes, to stop the days and months of violence in Portland? Wallace asked. I dont hold public office now, Biden responded. "I am a former vice president. Ive made it clear, Ive made it clear in my public statements, that violence should be prosecuted. Wallace continued: But youve never called for the leaders in Portland and in Oregon to bring in the National Guard and knock off 100 days of riots? They can in fact take care of it if hed just stay out of the way, Biden responded, referring to Trump, who scoffed at the assertion. Trump said he sent in U.S. Marshals to get the killer of the young man in the middle of the street," an apparent reference to the killing of 39-year-old Aaron Jay Danielson. "They shot him, and for three days Portland wouldnt do anything. I had to send in the U.S. Marshals, and they took care of business," Trump said. Biden responded that Trump "keeps trying to rile everything up. He doesnt want to calm things down. Instead of going in and talking to people and saying, Lets get everybody together, figure out how to deal with this, Whats he do? Biden said. He just pours gasoline on the fire, constantly, every single, solitary time. Another issue familiar to Portlanders -- the far-right group the Proud Boys -- was addressed during the debate when Wallace asked Trump to condemn white supremacy. Trump deflected the question, but when Wallace pressed, Trump asked for a name of a group. Biden offered the Proud Boys, a group that has openly advocated for violence and is a designated hate group. Proud Boys stand back, stand by. But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem, Trump said. This is a left-wing problem. Proud Boys' internet chats shortly after erupted with excitement, apparently seeing Trumps statements as encouragement. The group quickly had memes on social media that included Stand Back, Stand By" with the groups logo. This story will be updated. -- K. Rambo krambo@oregonian.com @k_rambo_ David Knight Legg, top adviser to Premier Jason Kenney, has been appointed to head the new Invest Alberta Corporation. Established in July, the corporations mandate is to attract money to Albertas energy, agriculture, and tourism sectors, as well as growing industries like technology, aviation, and aerospace. Knight Leggs CEO salary is set at $249,435. Thats in line with the CEO salaries of other public sector bodies such as the Alberta Enterprise Corporation and Travel Alberta. Board chair Scott Hutcheson said in the release the corporation was fortunate to have Knight Legg, who will help turn our province into a destination for global capital and talent. Knight Legg, a former investment banker, came under fire 10 months ago from Albertas NDP for billing Alberta taxpayers $45,000 in travel expenses over six months, including $18,000 for four trips to London, England. The trips were aimed at securing international investment and their costs were consistent with government-approved rates, the government said. NDP Opposition economic development critic Deron Bilous said in a statement Wednesday that Kenneys strategy to attract investment and jobs isnt working and the work of Invest Alberta was redundant. All this corporation does is duplicate work already being done by the minister. Instead of creating jobs for his close friends and insiders, Jason Kenney needs to focus on getting Albertans back to work, said Bilous. Read more about: A SCRAMBLE is under way to find extra places in higher-education colleges following the latest twist in the never-ending calculated-grades saga. Around 6,500 students are being upgraded and many will receive new offers from the CAO. But they face an agonising delay before they know what, if any, offers they will get. Minister Norma Foley is highly concerned that there may be further undiscovered coding errors, so she has called in US testing experts to double check the results urgently. With the best will in the world, it will take a few days to finish that work. The revised grades will then go to the CAO, which will work out how many new offers will be made. It is impossible to say how many will get a better offer. Last year there were 3,000 successful appeals on Leaving Cert results which resulted in 600 new offers. Inevitably, several hundred students will get new offers from the CAO this month. The colleges will do their best to accommodate them this year, but they are crowded as it is. To date, record numbers of applicants 48,000 have accepted offers of college places, which is up 2,000 on last year. Read More Thats before Round 3 offers, which are due out today, are accepted. Higher Education Authority CEO, Dr Alan Wall, is meeting the universities and institutes of technology this morning to discuss creating extra places. It is thought that more could be accommodated in areas like arts, law or business, but the real battleground will be in the high-demand, high-points courses. The problem is that dentistry and veterinary are maxed out, as one administrator noted yesterday, and it will be hard to squeeze many more into our medical schools. If high-flying students are suddenly entitled to a place in these sought-after courses and want to take up a place, they wont be easily fobbed off by an attitude of sorry, were full. This one might well be heading for the courts and/or compensation. The latest episode will also impact on the court cases already in the pipeline over calculated grades But its biggest impact will be on public confidence in the whole system, which was shaky enough to begin with. Minister Foley may have saved the Government some political trouble by taking historic data out of the equation. In doing so, she avoided what happened in the UK when disadvantaged schools were badly hit by multiple downgrades before the Johnson administration was forced into a U-turn. However, she upset some fee-charging schools as well as grind centres and some high-achieving schools in the Free Education scheme, who felt harshly treated by downgrades. As it happens, her decision to drop school profiling in calculating grades has nothing to do with the latest errors, which were down to a single line of code one line out of 50,000. They affected the way in which candidates Junior Cycle results were included in the standardisation process. It was intended that the students aggregate class-level Junior Cycle results in Irish, English and maths would be included in the data used by the national standardisation process, together with their best two other subjects. The error had the effect that the students results in Irish, English and maths were put together with their weakest two other subjects instead of their strongest. The Department of Education and Skills found the second error while performing checks related to rectifying the first error. This error was contained in the same section of the code programmed by the Departments external contractor, the Canadian company Polymetrika, which is receiving 160,000 from the State. The errors would be laughable if they were not so serious. They dont do much for the publics faith in the whole process. If Joe Duffys callers were anything to go by today, then Liveline listeners are not impressed by the latest twists. Somebody had obviously tipped off Labour leader Alan Kelly, who forced Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Dail to confirm the worst just as Minister Foleys officials were preparing for a media briefing in the afternoon. The premature disclosure put the Government on the back foot and the Minister faced some tough questioning at the briefing. The most obvious question is how the errors went undetected for so long. The first time the Minister was made aware of the scale of the problem was last Wednesday. All involved set out to immediately limit the damage caused. The measures include hiring the US-based Educational Testing Service, to ensure the process of setting the grades stands up to expert scrutiny, whatever about instilling public confidence. The Leaving Certificate and the CAO system have stood the test of time and, until now, have been viewed as tough but fair. It will take some time to restore that public trust. A popular community centre on Queen Street East wont have to be torn down to make way for the Ontario Line, but despite that good news residents living along the route say they still have concerns about how the provincial transit project will impact their neighbourhood. On Tuesday, provincial transit agency Metrolinx released updated designs for the most contentious section of the $11-billion Ontario Line: a 2-kilometre stretch between the Lower Don River and the intersection of Pape Avenue and Gerrard Street East. That portion, which would run through Leslieville and Riverside, would be built above ground in the Lakeshore East GO corridor. Fitting in the Ontario Line while also accommodating additional commuter rail service under Metrolinxs GO Transit expansion project will require doubling the number of tracks in the corridor from three to six. The Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre directly abuts the GO line at Queen East and Degrassi Street, and local residents have been worried that shoehorning more track into the corridor could require tearing down at least part of the facility, which offers swimming, fitness, after school and preschool programs. But a Metrolinx post accompanying the new designs asserts the recreation centre will be able to continue operating throughout construction (of the Ontario Line) and beyond. The agency expects the above-ground portion of the line will stay mostly within the existing footprint of the GO corridor and the agency will minimize impacts to surrounding neighbourhoods. A platform for the proposed Leslieville station would be located mostly south of Queen, allowing the community centre to remain in its location on the north side. Kate Hilton with the residents group EastEnd Transit Alliance said the preservation of the community centre is terrific news. She said the facility is a really important hub in the middle of a very densely populated community that doesnt have access to a lot of other recreational opportunities. But she said the latest plans still dont provide detailed enough designs for the overground section, which could be either elevated or at ground level, to properly gauge its impact on the community. Once its operational, trains will run through the neighbourhood once every 90 seconds. Hilton said she and her neighbours are also concerned about Metrolinxs plans to grant property rights near stations to private developers in exchange for them paying for some costs of new transit infrastructure. Where are those developments going to occur? How high are they going to be? Hilton asked. Coun. Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth) said she would need to see more specifics of Metrolinxs plans before she could believe assurances the community centre wont be touched. Them just telling us theres no problem isnt good enough for me, she said. I dont believe anything they tell me off the bat. Fletcher said shes also worried the line could encroach on seven public parks along the route, as well as nearby businesses and homes. Asked about possible property expropriations, Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said the agency is still assessing property needs and expects to share more information with affected residents later this fall. Our default approach is to negotiate with property owners to reach amicable agreements, with expropriation reserved as a backstop, she said. Aikins said during the construction of the line there will be some temporary impacts to parks so that Metrolinx can avoid acquiring properties, but the agency is committed to only using the space that is absolutely necessary. Early works for the line are expected to begin in 2021, but Metrolinx and the provincial government are no longer committing to the Ontario Lines initial projected opening date of 2027. Aikins said the winning bidders on the construction contracts will determine when the line will open. Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation for the Star. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr Read more about: New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Wednesday released amended rules for international mobile roaming, mandating telecom operators to ensure such services are deactivated by default and are activated only when consumers ask for it. Once activated, the services can be discontinued on consumers request, the telecom regulator said in the amended regulations, which will be effective after thirty days from the date of public notification of the same. In this regard, Trai has issued Telecom Consumers Protection (11th Amendment) Regulations 2020 after consultation with stakeholders. Trai in May had floated a consultation paper on Regulation of International Mobile Roaming Services, highlighting several issues that lead to bill shocks to consumers on international roaming. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone Idea Ltd had recommended that international roaming charges should not be regulated and any intervention by Trai may limit the scope of improvement in these services given the complex structure of such tariffs involving deals and negotiations with many foreign operators. The latest amendments will be inserted as the sixth chapter--measures to protect consumers from bill shocks while using international mobile roaming servicein the regulations. Trai said the existing consumers using international roaming can carry on or deactivate the services through SMS, e-mail or mobile app within thirty days of public notification of the rules. Telecom service providers (TSPs) will also inform consumers as soon as international mobile roaming is activated. Telcos, through SMS, e-mail or mobile app, will have to notify consumers the activation and the applicable tariff, one-time or recurring, of the services. The regulator also asked mobile operators to inform consumers about the applicable rates on voice, SMS and data services, and details of carriers in the visiting countries that need to selected for activation of services. Consumers will also know about the precautions to be taken to avoid bill shocks while on international roaming. One of the issues raised in the consultation paper was the significant divergence between standard rates and pack tariffs, which are not a part of the amended regulations. While Reliance Jio was is in favour of rationalizing the huge differences between standard rates and pack tariffs offered under international mobile roaming, Airtel and Vodafone Idea were of the view it may impact the interest of consumers. For instance, telcos offer standard rate of 90 per minute for incoming calls while roaming in the US and calls to India cost 180 per minute. But one-day pack with unlimited incoming calls and 100 minutes of calls to India is being offered at 575, Trai had said in its consultation paper. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics In 1959 she opened for Sammy Davis jnr at the Melbourne Stadium, and the next year she moved to Sydney, where she worked her way up from beer-barns to nightclubs, only to return to Melbourne after marrying musician Kenneth Weate. The short-lived marriage gave Reddy her first child, Traci (born in January, 1963), and mother and daughter moved back to Sydney in 1964. A year later she entered a TV talent contest called the Bandstand Starflight International, the first prize being a trip to New York and the chance to record for Mercury Records. She won. However, when she arrived in New York in 1966, it was to find that Mercury Records would not sign her. Without a green card she headed for Canada and a nightclub gig in Winnipeg. Back in New York she was befriended by expat Australian journalist Lillian Roxon and survived there a little longer, courtesy of a rent party at which she met her second husband, Jeff Wald. To finance the apartment that she, Wald and Traci would initially share she cashed in her return airfares to Australia. The die was cast. Reddy married Wald and they moved to Chicago and then Los Angeles. With her career in the doldrums she briefly studied psychology and parapsychology at UCLA, before comedian Flip Wilson offered her a spot on The Tonight Show while he was filling in for Johnny Carson. Her appearance led to a contract to record a single for Capitol Records and I Don't Know How To Love Him resulted. This might never have charted because Reddy, not overly keen on the song, originally intended it as the throwaway B-side to I Believe in Music. A last-minute swap led to a hit and Reddy's first album. International touring and further hits followed: Crazy Love, I Am Woman, Delta Dawn, Angie Baby Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress) and more. If her voice was not especially distinctive it was certainly easy on the ear and came with an array of influences. Her second child, Jordan, was born in December, 1972, and in May, 1973, when collecting her best female vocalist Grammy Award, she famously finished her acceptance speech by thanking "God because She makes everything possible". Loading In the same year she hosted eight episodes of the prime-time Helen Reddy Show on NBC TV. At the height of this success she lost her mother, dear friend Roxon and father all within 10 weeks of each other. She found respite in becoming a qualified genealogist. In 1974 she was a guest on The Tonight Show at a time when Sinatra was receiving harsh treatment from the press in Australia. Reddy's defence of him was seen by Sinatra's daughter, Tina, who told Sinatra. The next day she received a dozen yellow roses from him. Later that year, she would share a stage with Sinatra and Gene Kelly. That was also the year she became an American citizen, to howls from the Australian Murdoch press 11 years before Murdoch took the same step. Her wealth was now such that when she played a Las Vegas season she commuted by private jet from LA each night so as to maximise time with her children. Her success led to film roles in Airport '75 and Pete's Dragon, but no screen career of substance. She was an enthusiastic fundraiser for governor Jerry Brown during the 1976 presidential campaign, and served for three years as a commissioner of parks and recreation in California. By the end of the 1970s her star was in decline. A move from Capitol to MCA failed to revive it, and meanwhile her marriage to Wald (and their business partnership) collapsed, ending in an ugly custody battle and what People magazine called "Hollywood's dirtiest divorce". Loading Following it all, she found herself heavily in debt and with her career in tatters. Feeling vulnerable, she entered a marriage with Milton Ruth that ended in divorce in 1995. As Reddy's recording career waned, she returned to theatre, appearing in a series of musical between 1985 and 1997, as well as the play Shirley Valentine. Meanwhile, she continued to tour with a downsized band, and was the first Western female singer to perform in China. Early in the new century she spent extensive time on Norfolk Island in an effort to address long-term health issues. After the dizzy success she had experienced, she found herself tired of show business. She studied hypnotherapy and, returning to live in Sydney, became patron of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists. This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here. Norman Bernal, a Peruvian-born violinist who emigrated to the United States, had a job that was not for the faint of heart: putting string instruments in the hands of adolescents and drawing music out of his young charges. He did it for decades in Georgias public schools, a part of his musical life that did not elicit ovations from an audience. But his dedication was nevertheless recognized by those who knew him. Anyone who goes into teaching at a middle school willingly is a saint and then add music to that, said Sara Hennessey, who learned cello from Mr. Bernal beginning in 1988. But I remember him being so patient. Teaching middle schoolers might not have been his first love, but he did it well. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 15:35 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c483a27e 1 National defense-agreement,Prabowo-Subianto,defense-ministry,menteri-pertahanan,Lawmakers,house-of-representatives,Sweden Free House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees security and foreign affairs, has given a nod to the ratification of a defense cooperation deal between Indonesia and Sweden. During a hearing with the commission on Wednesday, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto spoke about the urgency of House approval for the bill that would legitimize the bilateral cooperation. I hope the House will pass the bill into law as soon as possible, Prabowo said. All political party factions at the commission approved the government's proposal, paving the way for the bill to be passed into law during the nearest House plenary session. Prabowo said the cooperation would open more opportunities for Indonesia to develop its defense industry as well as wider collaboration with Sweden. The partnership was expected to boost bilateral ties between the two countries, with hopes that it would also bring opportunities for Jakarta and Stockholm to explore possible cooperation in other sectors. Read also: 'Charlie' tells more about Kopassus Prabowo said the defense cooperation with Sweden would include several things, such as the exchange of information and experiences on military affairs and international maritime security as well as defense industry collaboration, such as technology transfer, joint research, joint production and joint marketing. Indonesia and Sweden would also develop training and education in the defense and military sector as well as cooperation on issues surrounding military health care. Defense ministers of the two countries had signed the partnership in December 2016, and the Swedish government has ratified the agreement. In November 2019, Prabowo met with Indonesian Ambassador to Sweden Bagas Hapsoro in Jakarta to explore the cooperation with Sweden, during which the minister expressed interest in Sweden's defense technology, particularly missiles and radar. "I also want all of our taruna [cadets] to study abroad, so that they can expand their knowledge in defense issues and improve their language skills, Prabowo said. OTTAWA COUNTY, MI A driver fleeing police late Tuesday, Sept. 30, crashed a Dodge Charger on the Baldwin Street entrance ramp to eastbound I-196. The incident began around 11:40 p.m. when an Ottawa County sheriffs deputy saw the suspect driving recklessly at Baldwin and Cottonwood Drive in Georgetown Township. The deputy activated lights and siren but the driver sped away. After a brief pursuit, the driver crashed into a cement wall on the Baldwin Street entrance ramp to the expressway. The Charger came to a stop partially blocking the right lane of eastbound I-196, police said. The driver tried to flee on foot but was quickly arrested, police said. The driver, who was not hurt, had multiple outstanding warrants and faces news charges for allegedly fleeing police. The entrance ramp and the right lane of eastbound I-196 were closed for about an hour. Read more: Jogger who hears fatal gunshots becomes target, testimony shows Kalamazoo man accused in infants death will stand trial After 9 month hiatus, longtime country radio personality back on air in Grand Rapids Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 19:02:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- When Huang Qi enrolled in a law school in Shanghai in 1981, she was one of only eight female students in the 58-person class. "The ratio of female students was even lower in other classes," recalled the 58-year-old, an associate professor at the school of law at Shanghai International Studies University. "We thought it was quite normal at that time as it was deemed a social convention that men always outnumbered women in studying law." But when she came back to celebrate her 20th graduation anniversary, she found that more than half of the students were female in many classes. "The sharp comparison convinces me that equality between men and women is no longer just a slogan," she said. When Huang served as the president of the Shanghai Lawyeress Association in 2012, there were about 3,000 female lawyers in Shanghai. Now the number has reached nearly 12,500, about 42 percent of the total number of lawyers in the business hub. The changes mirror the fruits of China's consistent and comprehensive efforts to promote equality between men and women and protect the rights and interests as well as well-rounded development of women with laws and policies. The first law of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was the Marriage Law in 1950, which established gender equality between men and women and monogamy in the marriage system to fundamentally guarantee women's social and family status, according to Huang. "The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women," enacted and implemented in 1992, was the first basic law in the country to promote equality between men and women and protect women's rights and interests. It stipulates women's political rights, cultural and educational rights, labor rights, property rights, personal rights and marriage and family rights. In 1995, the Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing and has been credited with laying out 12 critical areas of concern that must be addressed to achieve gender equality. "Exactly 25 years after the Beijing conference, the significance of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted is undimmed. The outcome of the Beijing conference remains the most comprehensive and transformative global agenda for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls," said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN undersecretary-general and executive director of UN Women. WOMEN POWER SHINES IN NEW ERA Women have played an irreplaceable role in every aspect of society -- politics, economics, science, education, social welfare and poverty alleviation, among others. In many sectors, women hold up "half the sky" and play their unique roles in the nation's socialist cause. In China's battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic this year, women have shown their powerful will, professionalism, selfless devotion and great resilience alongside their male peers. Official data shows that about 42,000 medics rushed to central China's Hubei Province, the hardest-hit region, to assist in combating the epidemic early this year. Among them, about 28,000 were women, accounting for two-thirds of the total. Zhang Jixian, a female respiratory doctor in Wuhan, the provincial capital, has been hailed as the first doctor to alert the medical system of the novel coronavirus. Guo Qin, 38, has been taking care of COVID-19 patients in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University since the beginning of the epidemic. She was infected on the job due to insufficient protection. On Jan. 28, after receiving her blood results, nucleic acid tests and CT scan indicating full recovery, she immediately returned to work. The emergency center Guo works at has a total of 76 medics, of which more than half are women. "Women played a mainstay role in the anti-epidemic fight," said Guo. "In the race against time to rescue patients, we were all soldiers in white, and there was no gender difference on the frontline." During Wuhan's lockdown, the emergency center she works for admitted more than 100 severe COVID-19 patients and treated more than 7,000 patients with fever. Guo was also awarded for her outstanding contribution in the anti-epidemic fight. "I decided to enter nursing school because my aunt is also a doctor, and she always takes good care of all the family members," she said. "I've seen more and more prominent women over the past 15 years at the center. They are always leading the charge whenever they're needed." In September, Chinese military medical scientist Chen Wei was awarded a national honorary title -- "The People's Hero" -- for her outstanding contributions to the country's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. She has made major achievements in COVID-19-related basic research and development of vaccine and protective medicine. Last year, eight people were awarded the Medal of the Republic, the country's highest honor for those who have made great contributions to the construction and development of the PRC. Two of them were women -- longtime national legislator Shen Jilan who passed away in June and Chinese scientist Tu Youyou, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize for the discovery of artemisinin, a group of drugs used to combat malaria. China has also guaranteed women's rights to participate in the administration of public affairs and social and economic development. In the 13th National People's Congress, the national legislature, female deputies account for about 24.9 percent of the total, a record high and 12.9 percentage points higher than the figure for the First NPC in 1954. BETTER PROTECTION, BETTER LIFE For Anipiguri Yumel and millions of Uygurs in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, having a job seemed a dream for many women even a decade ago. About 10 years ago, Anipiguri Yumel, a native in south Xinjiang's Kashgar Prefecture, made a bold decision with her husband to join tens of millions of migrant workers that left their home in rural China to earn a better living in urban areas. Back then, China has already experienced fast industrialization and urbanization after decades of reform and opening-up. In 2014, the couple returned home with 80,000 yuan (about 11,730 U.S. dollars) and built a new house. Xinjiang, the country's largest cotton production base, took the development of the textile and clothing industry as a strategic measure to boost employment. Anipiguri Yumel found a job at a garment company in 2017 and was promoted as a team leader the next year, making 3,000 yuan a month. As of November 2019, nearly 600,000 people worked at the weaving, clothing, home textiles, knitting and other sectors in Xinjiang, with the majority being women. China is actively committed to poverty alleviation and development for poor women, with a series of policies and measures in economic development, employment and entrepreneurship, culture and education, social security and health care. Women account for about half of China's more than 700 million people who have been lifted out of poverty. According to a 2019 white paper on the progress of women's causes in the past 70 years since the founding of the PRC, women account for 40 percent of the labor force in China. In 2017, there were 340 million working women, doubling the figure in 1978. Meanwhile, Chinese women's education levels have lifted dramatically over the past seven decades, according to the white paper titled "Equality, Development and Sharing: Progress of Women's Cause in 70 Years Since New China's Founding," released by the State Council Information Office. The illiteracy rate among females aged 15 and above dropped from 90 percent before 1949 to 7.3 percent in 2017. The gender gap in the nine-year compulsory education has been basically eliminated. In 2017, the net primary school enrollment rates of boys and girls were both 99.9 percent, while the proportions of girls in primary schools and junior high schools were 46.5 percent and 46.4 percent, respectively. Enditem MONTGOMERY TWP Two of Montgomery Townships most well-known women have both earned high honors. The townships supervisors recognized District Judge Andrea Duffy and longtime employee Ginny Bailey for earning high honors with the Pennsylvania Federation of Business and Professional Womens Clubs this summer. It is a night for recognizing outstanding efforts, not only of our township personnel, but also of some outstanding citizens, said supervisors Chairwoman Tanya Bamford. Duffy, the townships district judge since 2012, was honored by the BPWPA with their Public Servant Award during their 100th annual convention, held virtually on June 13, according to supervisor Beth Staab, who said the judge earned recognition from the group via her nonprofit Drug Addiction Resource Alliance, which presents seminars and connects residents with resources to fight addiction across the region. Duffy earned the recognition for her work with DARA, and the Liberty and Law civics classes she conducts in the elementary schools in the North Penn School District, said Staab. Bailey, a longtime employee of the townships parks and recreation department and community and recreation center, earned the BPWPAs Woman of the Year award for her longtime involvement with the BPWPA, including her role as vice president of the groups Central Montgomery County chapter. This is the highest honor that the BPWPA can bestow, in recognition of contrivutions to the advancement and ideals of the Pennsylvania Federation of Women, Staab said. Cleveland, OH - During their first meeting as presidential candidates in the first presidential debate, after Trump cornered him, Democratic candidate Joe Biden repeatedly denied that his son Hunter Biden got $3.5 million from the wife of the former mayor of Moscow. The former United States vice president, Joe Biden all throughout defended his son's controversial business relationships which can be linked to Russia, China, and Ukraine while denying the authenticity of the alleged huge payments that were initially disclosed just last week. Trump stated during the debate that China ate Joe's lunch and he does not wonder why the son of Joe, Hunter is going to China and takes out, taking out billions of dollars to manage and he makes millions of dollars and this statement was linked by Trump to the business deal reached after the son of Biden flew to China in 2013 aboard by Air Force Two, New York Post reported. The former vice president then replied that it is simply not true. But Trump answered him that since that they are in that issue why not they will just talk about the bombshell allegation in an 87-page report from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee wherein he asked Biden that why the wife of the former mayor of Moscow gave his son $3.5 million. Read also: US Pres. Donald Trump Receives Third Nobel Peace Prize Nomination This 2021 The widow of Yury Luzhkov, who is the former mayor of Moscow, Elena Baturina who is the current richest woman in Russia allegedly made the transfer in 2014. Trump then questioned Biden as to what his son did to deserve it. He also asked the former vice president as to what did he do with Burisma to deserve an amount of $183,000, an issue that refers to the Ukraine energy firm that employed the son of Biden during the time that he was in charge of the Ukraine policy under Obama administration. The current president requested that Ukraine should investigate the dealings of Biden and his son Hunter as it resulted in Biden's impeachment by House Democrats in December. Meanwhile, Republicans senators acquitted the current president in February of abusing power and obstructing Congress. According to the Daily Mail, reports claimed that Hunter Biden earned an estimated amount of $83,333 per month on the Burisma board. Despite the numerous allegations of Trump thrown to Biden, the former Vice president just responded that none of that is true and it is totally discredited. But Trump replied to Biden that Hunter got $3.5 million. The former vice president just kept denying and stated that everything is not true. Trump continued and asked Biden if Burisma paid Hunter $183,000 on a monthly basis and not having any experience in energy or even got paid without any job. But Biden answered it and shared that his son did nothing wrong with Burisma but he does not want to let me answer it because he knows that Biden has the truth. The 50-year-old son of Joe Biden, Hunter is recovering from drug addiction which was pointed out by Trump that Hunter got thrown out of the Military and dishonorably discharged for use of cocaine and he did not have any job until Joe became the Vice president. Trump also mentioned and questioned that despite Hunter's past, he managed to make a fortune in Ukraine, China, and Moscow. Related article: Highlights of First US Presidential Debate Kicks Off With Trump and Biden in Heated Arguments @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. There are times when the US and the West in general throw up their hands over the Middle East, by which they mean, when we take a closer look, the Arab world. Such fits of despair have their origins in the proscriptions of the historian Bernard Lewis in the 1960s and, subsequently, in Fouad Ajamis pronunciation of The End of Pan-Arabism in 1970s. They have since become a kind of mantra reiterated every decade or so when circumstances give rise to the belief that the end is nigh for the Arabs, Arabism or Arab states. In the 1990s the Arab exception gained currency as a term that summed up Western frustration that Arab states had failed to catch up with the train of nascent democracies that emerged after the end of the Cold War in Eastern Europe and then in Latin America. After the turn of the millennium, the Arabs were blamed for the waves of terrorism that reached their zenith with the 11 September attacks in New York and Washington, DC. That gave birth to the satanic notion of bringing regime change to the Arab world at the end of a tank barrel. When the US invaded Iraq it was commonly said in Washington that the target was not specifically Baghdad, but Cairo and Riyadh as well. The war in Iraq wreaked untold tragedies with irreparable consequences. The same applies to the war in Afghanistan that Washington had started before that. In the 2010s, Western jubilation at the Arab Spring did not last long because that season soon revealed the theocratic and terrorist movements and organisations that had been ready to pounce, and unleashed a maelstrom of violence and civil warfare that tore societies apart and wreaked massive destruction. In the middle of that decade, a Middle East Strategy Task Force (MEST) was formed to study how to repair and rebuild this devastated region. A bipartisan assembly of Middle East specialists, the group was headed by Madeleine Albright who had served as secretary of state under Bill Clinton and Stephen Hadley who had served as national security adviser to George Bush Jr. In their final report, they concluded that the root causes that precipitated the deterioration in the region essentially lay in the lack of liberal and democratic traditions. The Democrats and Republicans had no differences to pick with each other over this outlook on the Arab world. On 5 September, Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council for Foreign Relations, came out with a grim assessment beneath the heading The End of Hope in the Middle East and the subheading The region has always had problems but its now almost past the point of recovery. Cook is not alone in this prognosis. Others have held similar notions, sometimes based on a focus on a single Arab country, generally Egypt or Saudi Arabia. What they have in common is not only their liberal frame of reference, which is no longer the only gauge of progress in the world, but also the notion that the tides of change in the US have called into question the ability to sustain progress in light of the intense complexities engendered by contemporary modes of production combined with the universal backlash against globalisation and the recoil into nationalist isolationism. If, as it seems, scholars in the West have applied a distorted lens to their approaches to the Middle East and, specifically, the Arab world, the greater flaw is to be found in a deficiency in scholastic rigidity, close observation of developments in this region and fairness. The region has endured a number of brutal tests during the past two decades, starting with the Islamist extremism and Islamist terrorism that hit this part of the world harder than anywhere else. These radical trends interwove with the tumultuous waves of the Arab Spring generating the chain reactions that resulted in political and economic collapse, civil wars and numerous forms of chaos that were not at all creative. Nothing in that brew was conducive to the processes of democratisation and construction of the civil state that theorists in Washington had envisioned. One phenomenon that escaped the attention of the various American think tanks and task groups is that despite the succession of tragedies, the Arab state proved more resilient than imagined. Algeria had emerged from the dark 1990s with a state stronger and fitter to rise up and engage in the search for a brighter political future. Despite the invasion of Iraq and the USs attempt to dismantle the state and reconstruct it on the basis of a sectarian/ethnic quota system, Iraq has remained unified and the Kurdish secessionist referendum failed. Even at the fiercest heights of the Syrian conflict, there has not been a move from within Syria or abroad to partition that country. The same applies to Lebanon, Libya and Yemen apart from in the imaginations of US think tanks. More importantly, the Arab world had not been idle all this time. Various reform initiatives emerged during the first decade of the 21st century and these began to be implemented during the second decade in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria and Bahrain. Tunisia pursued a path of its own under the heavy weight of the Tunisian chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood and its political facade, the Ennahda Party. Political success there came hand in hand with economic deterioration and a rollback in secularist values. In short, the Arab world has been dealing with its crises through profound reform processes that reached deep into its various countries distinct geographic, historical and intellectual makeups. Saudi Arabia and Egypt furnish models certified by the IMF, World Bank, UNDP human development reports, global competitiveness reports and similar studies that US researchers generally do not consult unless they support their opinions. The reforms go beyond the mega economic projects that have multiplied their land use rates to projects that resolve long intractable problems in education, health and housing. These have proceeded in tandem with concerted efforts to renovate religious thought, empower women and constructively address minority issues. An unprecedented cultural/civilisational awakening has accompanied this developmental process as evidenced in the recent archaeological excavations in Saudi Arabia and, in Egypt, in the construction of more museums, roads, towns and universities than in the second half of the 20th century. The Arab world did not passively succumb to difficult fates. It was resistant to the forces of disintegration and ready to rebuild itself using methods applied by emergent powers as opposed to the Western path which had proven a failure in many experiments carried out under Washingtons supervision. And it persisted despite pressures from all sides, from the aggressive behaviours on the part of Iran, Turkey, Ethiopia and Israel to direct interventions on the part of Russia and NATO. Arab responses to these pressures were epitomised by Riyadhs leadership of the G20 and its attempt to solve the Yemeni conflict without partitioning Yemen and in a manner consistent with UN resolutions, by Egypts proposed peace and prosperity project for the Eastern Mediterranean, and by Bahrain and the UAEs efforts to promote peace in the Middle East. Surely these and other developments should inspire hope and point the way to a promising future that Cook apparently does not wish to see. *The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: DNY59/iStockBy BILL HUTCHINSON and SABINA GHEBREMEDHIN, ABC News (LOUISVILLE, Ky.) -- Kentucky State Attorney General Daniel Cameron was granted a 48-hour delay in releasing the grand jury's recordings in the Breonna Taylor case after asking for more time just hours before he had been ordered by a judge to place the materials in the court record. Cameron had requested a week to redact names and personal information of witnesses and private citizens from the 20 hours of audio recordings a judge ordered him to place in the court record by noon on Wednesday. But Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Ann Bailey Smith only granted Cameron an extension until noon on Friday to release the audiotape. Smith's revised order requires Cameron to immediately file an unredacted copy of the recording to be kept under court seal. "We are complying with the Judges order. The Grand Jury audio recording is more than 20 hrs long, & we filed a motion to request additional time, if the court permits it, to redact personally identifiable information of witnesses (addresses and phone numbers)," Cameron said in a Tweet. Cameron was instructed by Smith on Monday to enter into the court record the recording of the grand jury hearing that produced a single charge of wanton endangerment against one of the officers involved in the Taylor shooting, but not for Taylor's death. On Wednesday morning, Cameron filed a motion, hoping he would be given until next week to release of the recording. "For its grounds, the Commonwealth states that in the interest of protection of witnesses, and in particular private citizens named in the record, the Commonwealth seeks to redact personal identifiers of any named person, and to redact both names and personal identifiers of any private citizen," Cameron's motion reads. Cameron had initially objected to releasing the audiotapes, saying. "The Grand Jury is meant to be a secretive body." "It's apparent that the public interest in this case isn't going to allow that to happen," Cameron said in the statement he released earlier this week. "As the special prosecutor, our team has an ethical obligation not to release the recording from the Grand Jury proceedings, and we stand by our belief that such a release could compromise the ongoing federal investigation and could have unintended consequences such as poisoning the jury pool." Despite the objections, Cameron said he would comply with the judge's order. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the Taylor family, stressed the urgency of releasing the recordings. In a Twitter post on Wednesday afternoon, Crump said that if Cameron "used the grand jury as a shield in order to not give justice to Breonna Taylor, we NEED to know! We need to know if Bre was disrespected in the courtroom. We need to know if there was transparency. We need the transcripts with no more delays!" In her 20 years as a court reporter, taking dictation on hundreds of grand jury hearings, Jackie Carter said she's never heard of such a scenario that has transpired in a grand jury hearing that has included a juror revolting against a prosecutor in the Breonna Taylor case. But Carter said she's not surprised that a grand juror in the police shooting case that has garnered national attention has filed a motion asking a judge to speak publicly about the case and for all the records in the hearing to be released to the public. The motion was filed just two days after Cameron put the onus on the panel for declining to indict any of the police officers on charges directly connected to Taylor's death. Hes the district attorney. So how do you still pass that buck? You can't. You made that decision. He has to own that decision. He has to own it because no one else came up with it," Carter, who spent her career working in courts in Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia, told ABC News. The charges against now-former Louisville Metro Police Department officer Brett Hankison, who was fired in June for violating police department policy in the shooting, stem from firing errant shots into Taylor's apartment that penetrated a wall and entered the residence of a white family that lived next door. Hankison pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Monday. In a news conference following the Jefferson County grand jury's announcement last week, Cameron claimed prosecutors walked the panel through the "homicide offense." He said "then the grand jury was ultimately the one that made the decision about indicting Detective Hankison for wanton endangerment." "No, the jury did not ask you for any charges because most grand jurors dont know the criminal code. So why would they come to you and say, 'We want wanton endangerment?'" said Carter, who is retired and has now founded an organization called Alliance For Safe Traffic Stops, which works to defuse tensions between the police and Black communities. She said that is why the release of the recording of the grand jury hearing and the transcript of it are crucial for the public to understand what transpired in the closed-door proceedings. "Not only was I the court reporter, I was the transcriber. So the transcript is an accurate depiction of what goes on. So that transcript will tell that he (Cameron's designated prosecutor) came in asking for specific charges because you will see the soliloquy that the grand jurys talking and the attorneys talking and youll see who said what," Carter said. "That will be very clear. I will be very shocked and dismayed if the grand jury came to the district attorney and said, 'Can you please give us this charge? Ive never seen it. Its never happened. So the truth will come out when it comes to that." In a statement released on Monday, Cameron conceded that prosecutors did not recommend homicide charges against the officers involved in the Taylor shooting. He said the "only charge recommended was wanton endangerment" for Hankison, who has since pleaded not guilty to the charges. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Ann Bailey Smith's order for Cameron's office to release the recording and other records related to the grand jury hearing came as a member of the grand jury filed a motion asking the material to be released and to be granted freedom to speak about the decision he and his fellow panelists made in the case. "The citizens of the Commonwealth have demonstrated their lack of faith in the process and proceedings in this matter and the justice system itself," reads the motion filed by the grand juror. "Using grand jurors as a shield to deflect accountability for these decisions only sows more seeds of doubt in the process while leaving a cold chill down the spine of future grand jurors." Judge Smith's decision was not based on the grand juror's motion, since it was only filed Monday night and there hasn't been a hearing. She ordered the recording released as part of the normal trial rules of discovery. Cameron's office has come under intense scrutiny about what evidence was presented to the grand jury. The panel declined to indict any of the three officers who unleashed a barrage of 32 shots into Taylor's Louisville apartment in March, killing the 26-year-old certified emergency medical technician. A criminal investigation conducted by Cameron's office found the two other officers involved in the shooting, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, were justified in their use of deadly force because Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired at them first, hitting Mattingly in the thigh when the plainclothes officers forced open Taylor's door to serve a search warrant, according to Cameron. The grand jury's Sept. 23 announcement of its decision set off a cascade of demands for the public release of the evidence from Walker, who was initially charged with attempted murder, and attorneys for Taylor's family who called the proceedings a "sham" and alleged that no evidence was presented to the panel in regards to Taylor's death. Attorneys for the Taylor family released a statement Tuesday, saying, "Daniel Cameron clearly failed to present a comprehensive case that supported justice for Breonna." "That conclusion is supported by the grand juror who came forward to say that the attorney general misrepresented the grand jurys deliberations," reads the joint statement from attorneys Crump, Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker. "We fully support the call to release the entire proceeding transcript as the only way to know what evidence was presented and how the grand jury instructions led to this outcome." The shooting unfolded on March 13, when officers attempted to serve a search warrant at Taylor's apartment in a drug trafficking investigation. A judge approved a "no-knock" warrant based on a sworn affidavit from a detective that an ex-boyfriend of Taylor's was sending packages of drugs to her apartment through the U.S. Postal Service. No drugs were found in Taylor's apartment and lawyers for Taylor's family allege the warrant was secured with an affidavit that contained lies. The warrant required the police to verify with postal inspectors that the ex-boyfriend was receiving packages at Taylor's address. But lawyers for Taylor's family say the Louisville Postal Inspector denied that his office inspected packages sent to Taylor's home as part of a drug-trafficking investigation. The officers who served the warrant claimed they were ordered by their supervisor to knock and announce themselves when they arrived at the apartment, Cameron said during a news conference last week. When no one answered the door, the officers used a battering ram to force it open. Cameron claimed that statements from the officers that they knocked and announced their presence before entering Taylor's apartment "were corroborated by an independent witness, who was near in proximity to apartment 4," which was Taylor's unit. But lawyers for Taylor's family claim that at least 11 other witnesses who were at the apartment complex when the shooting erupted say they didn't hear the officers knock or announce themselves. Walker's attorneys say the one witness who says otherwise changed his story. They told ABC News that a week after the shooting, the individual, who has not been publicly identified, claimed the officers did not identify themselves as police, yet two months later he said they did. Vice News published an alleged recording of the witness telling an investigator on March 21 that "nobody identified themselves." ABC has not independently verified the audio. Walker claimed the officers never knocked or announced their presence before they entered the apartment. He said he fired a warning shot from his licensed 9mm handgun because he thought the officers were intruders. Cameron said a total of 32 shots were fired by Mattingly, Cosgrove and Hankison. Six shots hit Taylor, including a fatal bullet fired by Cosgrove, Cameron said. Hankison fired 10 shots through a sliding glass patio door, but none of his bullets hit Taylor, Cameron said. The attorney general said that because Walker fired the first shot, Cosgrove and Mattingly were justified in using deadly force. "This justification bars us from pursuing charges in Ms. Breonna Taylor's death," Cameron said. Walker was initially charged with attempted murder, but those charges were later dropped. He has since filed a civil suit against the police department suggesting that Mattingly was shot by friendly fire from one of the other officers. A ballistics report from the Kentucky State Police could not determine that Walker shot Mattingly, contradicting Cameron's statements, according to records obtained by ABC News. In an interview with ABC News, Steve Romines, one of Walker's attorneys, said "the Kentucky State Police's own ballistics report could not determine that Kenny's shot is who hit Officer [Jonathan] Mattingly." A portion of the Kentucky State Police ballistic report obtained by ABC News indicates that the one shot fired by Walker "was neither identified nor eliminated as having been fired" from his weapon "due to the limited markings of comparative value." Mattingly's attorney, Kent Wicker, released a statement on Tuesday saying the theory that Mattingly was shot by someone else other than Walker "is a ridiculous argument not grounded in fact or reality." Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 18:20:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WUHAN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A scheduled air cargo route linking Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, and Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, was launched on Wednesday. A cargo flight carrying 95 tonnes of nucleic acid testing kits, masks and other epidemic prevention materials took off from Wuhan's Tianhe International Airport for the African country at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday. It is the first regular international air cargo route linking Wuhan and Africa. The round-trip service operates on Mondays and Thursdays. Liu Ziqing, vice mayor of Wuhan, said Hubei is an important production area for masks and protective equipment, biopharmaceuticals, nucleic acid testing reagents and vaccines, and plays a pivotal role in the global supply chain to combat the COVID-19 epidemic. "The opening of the air route provides an efficient logistics channel for the transportation of pharmaceutical products made in Hubei, and promotes the industrial development of Wuhan and areas around the province," Liu said. The daily passenger throughput of commercial flights in Wuhan, which was badly hit by the epidemic, has exceeded 60,000, and the domestic passenger numbers have reached 90 percent of the same period last year. Enditem company has entered into a pact with global operator Telesat to bring LEO network to India, according to a statement. and Telesat will collaborate on terrestrial facilities, commercial distribution and regulatory frameworks to offer Telesat LEO connectivity in India, the statement said. Telesat LEO, a next-generation satellite constellation, will help bridge the digital divide in remote and challenging locations, accelerate 5G expansion, and enable new levels of performance for enterprise, telecom, mobility and government broadband connectivity on land, air and sea. "The Telesat LEO constellation will provide complete coverage of India and superior enterprise connectivity in the country, subject to necessary regulatory clearances," it said. The availability of Telesat LEO network in India has the potential to provide a slew of benefits in areas entailing 4G/5G backhaul, mobile hotspots, distance education, telemedicine, village connectivity, in addition to maritime and in-flight connectivity. Commenting on the development, satellite communication service provider CEO P J Nath said, "considering the huge potential for Satcom services growth in the country in the coming years, we are continuously exploring the latest satellite technologies to bring better value to our customers and expand the market". "We believe that our partnership with Telesat will help in bringing LEO satellites into the country, which has the potential to revolutionise connectivity in the future," he added. Telesat's Senior Vice President, Corporate and Business Development, Michael Schwartz said that LEO's secure, high throughput, low-latency network will bring strong performance and flexibility for enterprise applications and extend the reach of terrestrial networks throughout the country. Globally, the satellite communications industry has been growing leaps and bounds owing to advancements in technology, light touch regulations and an increase in internet traffic demands. "LEO satellites are poised to revolutionise the industry, and with the prospective opening of the space sector in India, Nelco, through its strategic relationship with Telesat, plans to serve new market segments and requirements for high-bandwidth, low latency applications with Telesat LEO connectivity," the statement added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rev. Ralph Howe of First United Methodist made three suggestions regarding homelessness to the Human Rights Commission. PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Human Rights Commission is urging city officials to establish housing as a fundamental human right. The Rev. Ralph Howe of First United Methodist Church outlined three suggestions to commission on Monday on how to best address the homeless epidemic and purposed a move toward Pittsfield adopting a housing first model. "Housing is a fundamental human right, if you have been housing insecure or have dealt with people who are homeless you will realize that when a person lacks housing they are driven to survival modalities," he said. In response, commission unanimously approved to resolution urging Mayor Linda Tyer and the City Council to draft a housing first policy as a fundamental human right given to individuals before they are expected to clean up their lives. Chairman Drew Herzig brought the resolution to the commission and modified it before the vote to ask the city to "support and facilitate" the work of organizations addressing the homelessness issues. "I think partnering from the city is something that we need to address because as Reverend Howe said, if the city indicates its willingness to be part of the part of the project, funds from the commonwealth and other agencies are easier to get," he said. "If the city holds back and does not partner that becomes more problematic because very few agencies will want to appear to be intruding on a city's authority." Commissioner Peter Marchetti, also City Council president, said he would submit the resolution to the council. Also attending were Commissioners Marietta Rapetti Cawse, Christine Cordella, and Jay Lopez. In early September, First United Methodist Church was approved to become a 40-bed homeless shelter administrated by ServiceNet after an approval delay and a lengthy amount of conditions. These conditions were set to eliminate loitering around the area and ensure ServiceNet will keep the entrance and abutting property clean. The church has already been used for community meals, personal hygiene kit handouts, and a place to shower. Howe's goal is to have the shelter open by Christmas, but even after it opens he believes the city has a lot more work to do on the homeless aid front. Howe's first suggestion for addressing homelessness is adopting the housing-first assistance model. This approach prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness so they can have a platform to pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life. "Only with this model can most people gather themselves up enough to address the other issues that they face," he said. The state of Utah launched a Housing First program in 2005 and has recently reported a 91 percent decrease in homelessness. Howe believes that a similar model could greatly benefit Pittsfield. He explained that just being homeless causes an unbearable amount of stress. "I would say that after warfare and domestic or sexual abuse, the leading cause of PTSD is homelessness," Howe said. In terms of meetings goals beyond basic survival when experiencing homelessness, he states that it is near impossible. "Persons without housing are working 24/7 with anxiety and fear and constantly scheming and moving from place to place to get shelter and all the other things that are so incredibly difficult when you do not have shelter," he said. "It's a grueling experience that drives people to the limits of their mental, physical, social, and spiritual capabilities." Howe's second suggestion to approaching homelessness is to desegregate the city. City zoning has created a divide between middle and upper income neighborhoods and lower-income neighborhoods, he said, creating an unequal distribution of wealth and resources. The history of zoning in the United States stems from the "separate but equal" doctrine upheld by the now rejected Supreme Cout decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, he said, thus leaving no place for it in our current society. "As a newcomer to Pittsfield seven years ago, it was obvious to me and my family," he said. "The rich and white live in separate neighborhoods, often with no sidewalks for outsiders to walk though, white middle class get nice sidewalks and the poor, they are the ones that need the sidewalks the most and theirs are usually in the worst condition." According to Howe, homelessness is connected to segregation in Pittsfield because a "gentrifying crony-capitalist" complained during the hearing process that having a homeless shelter near market-rate housing diminished their property values. Howe believes the cultural arts district of Pittsfield is a wonderful asset, yet at the same time is designed in such a way that the permit process makes aforementioned comments valid to reject or condition a project for poor people to have places to live. He urged members of the Human Rights Commission to look further into the segregation of Pittsfield, calling it an "insidious hidden system." The last suggestion Howe has for addressing homelessness is recognizing the dysfunctional systems that are intended to help the poor but end up disadvantaging them. These include mental health, physical health, elderly care, disability care, and many more. He states that these areas are starved of funding, instructional flexibility, and opportunities for creative cooperation. To change this, Howe believes the city needs to develop a process for interdisciplinary strategic planning. "We need a fresh start," he said. "One that includes everyone." The FTSE 100 index closed lower this afternoon, ending up down 0.53 per cent or 31.40 points at 5,866.10. US markets are up following a dismal presidential election TV battle last night. The UK economy shrank by 19.8 per cent in size between April and June, according to the Office for National Statistics. The figures are less severe than first thought, but are still the worst GDP contraction on record. House prices rose by 5 per cent in September compared to the same month last year, figures from mortgage lender Nationwide show. It is the highest price increase on record and is also up 0.9 per cent from August. Royal Dutch Shell today announced plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs or more than 10 per cent of its workforce around the world. The oil and gas giant said that the reorganisation will lead to annual savings of up to 2billion by 2022. British car makers could face higher export tariffs even with a Brexit deal, according to a letter seen by the BBC. The European Commission has apparently rejected a request for car parts from Japan and Turkey used on UK car production lines to be considered British. TOKYO, Sept 30, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Seikagaku Corporation announced today that the companies have entered into an agreement for the marketing alliance in South Korea for SI-613 (diclofenac conjugated sodium hyaluronate), a therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis discovered by Seikagaku. Eisai and Seikagaku signed an agreement for the co-development and marketing alliance in China of SI-613 on April 1, 2020. Thus, South Korea becomes the second country for the companies to conclude the marketing alliance for SI-613.On the basis of this agreement, Eisai Korea Inc., Eisai's subsidiary in South Korea, will acquire exclusive marketing rights for SI-613 in South Korea and apply for the manufacturing and marketing approval thereof. After obtaining approval, Seikagaku will supply products to Eisai, and Eisai will be responsible for distribution. Eisai will pay Seikagaku the upfront payment and sales milestones.Osteoarthritis is a disease caused by the articular cartilage damage due to aging and other factors, leading to inflammation and pain, which result in impaired quality of life (QOL). Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent cases among the diseases thereof, and the number of patients with knee osteoarthritis in South Korea is estimated to be approximately 3.2 million.(1) It is anticipated that the number will continue to increase as the population ages.SI-613 is diclofenac conjugated sodium hyaluronate created by Seikagaku using their proprietary drug-binding technology to chemically bond hyaluronic acid and diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory drug). This material has the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of diclofenac, which is designed to be sustained-released(2) by a drug delivery system(3), in addition to the joint function improving effect of sodium hyaluronate. Hence, it is expected that SI-613 rapidly and continuously reduces the pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.Under this agreement, Eisai aims to meet the unmet medical needs of patients with knee osteoarthritis by utilizing the knowledge and networks that Eisai has cultivated through its Korea business. Seikagaku will seek to maximize the value of SI-613 in South Korea by leveraging Eisai's business base in South Korea.Through the commercialization of SI-613, the companies will provide new treatment options in South Korea for knee osteoarthritis and contribute to improving the QOL of patients.About SI-613SI-613 is diclofenac conjugated sodium hyaluronate created by Seikagaku using their proprietary drug-binding technology to chemically bond hyaluronic acid and diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory drug). This material has the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of diclofenac, which is designed to be sustained-released(2) by a drug delivery system(3), in addition to the joint function improving effects of sodium hyaluronate. It is expected that SI-613 rapidly and continuously reduces the pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis (such as knee joint). Also, since this is administered directly into the joint cavity by injection, it is considered that the amount of diclofenac systemic exposure and the risk of eliciting systemic adverse drug reaction are to be low.On January 6, 2020, Seikagaku submitted a new drug application (?NDA?) for manufacturing and marketing approval of SI-613 for osteoarthritis (knee joint, hip joint, and ankle joint) in Japan. Eisai and Seikagaku signed an agreement for the co-development and marketing alliance of SI-613 in China on April 1, 2020.About Eisai Co., Ltd.Eisai Co., Ltd. defines our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With approximately 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products to address unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology. As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through working with key stakeholders to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.For further information on Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.eisai.comAbout Seikagaku CorporationSeikagaku Corporation is an R&D-oriented pharmaceutical company that focuses on glycoscience as an area of specialization. Since its foundation in 1947, Seikagaku has continuously focused on the possibilities of glycoscience and developed original, beneficial pharmaceutical products and medical devices in the fields of orthopedic disorders and ophthalmic diseases. Under a unique business model of specializing in R&D and manufacturing without having an in-house pharmaceuticals sales division, Seikagaku contributes to healthy and fulfilling lives for people around the world by marketing products globally in collaboration with companies having strengths in particular countries and product areas.For further information on Seikagaku Corporation, please visit https://www.seikagaku.co.jp/en/References:(1) For the estimated data regarding the number of patients with knee osteoarthritisVital Data - Korea Statistical Information Service, URL: http://kosis.kr/index/index.do(New Window)Changes in the number of patients - Healthcare Bigdata Hub, URL: https://opendata.hira.or.kr/home.do(New Window)(2) Sustained release is a gradual release of the active pharmaceutical ingredients of a drug to achieve a sustained therapeutic effect.(3) Drug delivery system (DDS) is a technology for the controlled release, targeting, and absorption improvement of drugs.Eisai Co., Ltd.Public Relations DepartmentTEL: +81-(0)3-3817-5120Seikagaku CorporationInvestor Relations and Public RelationsCorporate Staffir@seikagaku.co.jpSource: EisaiCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 30, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Coast Guard plays a vital role in keeping our oceans protected from coast to coast to coast. Under the Oceans Protection Plan, we're investing in the Canadian Coast Guard to ensure it has modern equipment needed to respond to environmental spills quickly and effectively. These investments will allow it to continue protecting Canada's waters, coasts and coastal communities from marine pollution. Following an open competitive process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, has awarded a $1.7 million contract to Can-Ross Environmental Services Ltd. of Oakville, Ontario for the acquisition of 10,000 feet of environmental response equipment known as Tidal Seal Boom. The contract includes options for an additional 8,200 feet. Tidal Seal Boom acts as a barrier to protect coastal areas from spills and helps to contain pollution during active shoreline cleanup operations. The boom protects the shore by automatically adjusting to changing water levels, such as high and low tides, helping to ensure pollution doesn't reach the shoreline while cleanup crews are at work. The $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan is the largest investment ever made to protect Canada's coasts and waterways. This national plan is creating a marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coastlines and clean water for generations to come. This work is being done in close collaboration with Indigenous peoples, local stakeholders and coastal communities. Quotes "Under the Oceans Protection Plan, we are providing our dedicated Canadian Coast Guard members across Canada with the best equipment possible. The Tidal Boom will ensure the Coast Guard can continue to respond quickly and efficiently in the event of an environmental emergency. These investments will help strengthen the Coast Guard and ensure it remains a world-leader in ocean protection and marine environmental response." The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard "We are committed to protecting Canada's waters through the Oceans Protection Plan. This contract is an example of how we are stimulating the Canadian economy while helping the Coast Guard better protect our oceans and coastlines by strengthening its capacity with modern and effective equipment to safely and effectively address emergency situations." The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement "Protecting Canada's marine environment, oceans and waterways is of paramount importance, and we continue to take action to safeguard marine life, shorelines and coastal communities. Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada has strengthened our ability to respond to threats to our marine ecosystem, and has ensured our coasts are protected with modern and efficient technologies. This new equipment for the Canadian Coast Guard is a positive step in our commitment to environmental stewardship." The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport Quick Facts Since the Oceans Protection Plan started in November 2016 , over 50 initiatives have been announced in the areas of marine safety, research and ecosystem protection that span all of Canada's coasts. , over 50 initiatives have been announced in the areas of marine safety, research and ecosystem protection that span all of coasts. This contract is part of the Canadian Coast Guard's Environmental Response Equipment Modernization project under the Oceans Protection Plan. This project is bringing the Coast Guard beyond current standards regarding environmental spill response and helping it take advantage of innovations and advancements in technology. Under this contract, new equipment will be delivered to Canadian Coast Guard facilities in Hay River, Northwest Territories , Parry Sound and Prescott, Ontario , and Saanichton, British Columbia . Associated Links Stay Connected Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Subscribe to receive our news releases and more via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/rss-eng.htm. SOURCE Canadian Coast Guard For further information: Jane Deeks, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-550-9594, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected] Related Links https://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/ Khloe Kardashian is reportedly feeling betrayed by her sisters and her mom. The end of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" is something the mom-of-one isn't on board with. According to Life & Style, the 36-year-old reality star is "taking I the hardest" and "hasn't stopped crying," when they announced that KUWTK would end after 14 years and 20 seasons. Khloe is said to be devastated but has still put a positive spin on the decision to pull the plug on their long-time reality show. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "Change is hard, but also needed at times." However, behind the scenes, she's not only sad but also furious and heartbroken. A source told the outlet that the show's cancellation wasn't her idea and never wanted it to end. "She thinks it's selfish to stop just because Kim and Kylie are financially set for life." Meanwhile, her other sisters, Kourtney, have wanted to quit the show for years. At the same time, Kendall's modeling career is really taking off. The insider reveals that Khloe Kardashian feels betrayed by her sisters. Perhaps because of money problems. Life & Style said that True Thompson's mom has a lot more to lose than the others. After all, her business, the Good American clothing line, isn't earning a lot compared to Kim Kardashian West's KKW Beauty and SKIMS. At the same time, Kylie Jenner is worth about a billion thanks to her Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin. "Khloe benefits from the publicity the series generates and is afraid of the effect this will have on her financial bottom line." Unlike her sisters, Khloe needs the money she is making from "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." According to reports, she makes about $4.5 million per season. Though she's not desperate for cash yet, she has a lifestyle she has to maintain. "She's accustomed to certain luxuries. Her lifestyle isn't cheap." Moreover, Khloe Kardashian is already hustling to keep the dough roll in. Back in May, she listed her Calabasas mansion for $19 million. A glance at Khloe's social media also showed that she has already started getting paid advertisements for diapers, house spray cleaners, and migraine medication. She's also reportedly posting many clothes up for sale on Kardashian Kloset, their family's designer resale website. The insider noted, "Khloe's got to work harder and run a tighter ship." Khloe's mom, Kris Jenner, insisted that it is just the right time for "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" show to end, as "there is so much more to live." Unfortunately, her youngest Kardashian daughter is still not on the same page as the entire family. "She's nervous about her future," the insider shared. "Khloe says it's not fair what her family has done. She's just furious with them." Aside from her lifestyle, she also has a two-year-old daughter. She couldn't simply allow her daughter to wear hand-me-downs from her sisters' kids, as it's just a tad insulting. True Thompson still has to get her designer clothes on. Following the show's cancelation, Khloe Kardashian was already spotted with Kim Kardashian and Scott Disick filming some episodes for KUWTK's final season. READ MORE: 5 Bombshell Revelations from 'The Meaning of Mariah Carey' A social activist filed a petition on Wednesday with the Supreme Court seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a special investigation team (SIT) into the Hathras rape-murder, including the possible inaction by Uttar Pradesh (UP) authorities. The petition came even as the National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the UP government and the police, and members of the National Commission for Women and the Delhi Commission for Women sought action. Police personnel after getting the dead body of deceased cremated the same without the consent of the family members of the deceased. Police authorities have not performed their duties towards the victim and (are) trying to shield the accused persons. Grave injustice had been done to the victim and the system is silent on the issue, the petition by social activist, Satyama Dubey and two lawyers Vishal Thakre and Rudra Pratap Yadav said. The NHRC asked the Uttar Pradesh government and the states police chief to explain their position on the incident, taking suo motu cognizance of the matter. Delhi Commission For Women chairperson Swati Maliwal on Wednesday wrote to the Chief Justice of India demanding action against officials who were allegedly involved in what she described as a cover-up. Maliwal also demanded a high court-monitored investigation and a trial to ensure the strictest and swiftest possible punishment to the accused in the letter which was also addressed to the Supreme Courts judges. Immediate suspension and punitive action against all erring police and administrative officials including the senior-most officials who tried to coverup the incident. Setting in place definite mechanisms to ensure that no other daughter has to suffer the same fate, the letter said, listing out her demands. The NCW too condemned the manner in which the Hathras gang-rape victim was cremated, saying it will seek explanation from the UP Police on it. In UP Gang-Rape Tragedy, 2.30 am Cremation By Cops, Family was Kept Out. @NCWIndia condemn it strongly. Why the family wasnt allowed in Cremation? Why at night?@Uppolice @hathraspolice, NCR chief Rekha Sharma tweeted. President clashed with Joe Biden in first debate (Getty Images) Donald Trump has been dondemned online after claiming that his campaign rallies have had no effect on the spread of coronavirus. During Tuesday night's first debate, the president said "we've had no negative effect", when quizzed about indoor events held by his team earlier this year. With new infections soaring, the president held a number of indoor rallies that appeared to flout social distancing guidelines. More recently, the president has been setting up shop outdoors. But images from those events have shown thousands of his supporters packed closely together, many of them not wearing masks. Following his "no negative effect" claim, Twitter was quick to remind Mr Trump, 74, that Herman Cain, the former GOP presidential candidate, died in July after contracting the disease after attending a campaign rally. You are a joke. Everything has been fine at your rallies. How about Tulsa? Herman Cain is dead. And how many other people got sick from that Rally? You lie and deflect. lgoblir (@lgoblir) September 30, 2020 "Donald Trump is a LIAR!!!" fumed one user. "He just said that his rallies during a pandemic have had no negative affect on people? Ask Herman Cain how that worked out for him! And that rally was INDOORS! He is the Spreader-in-Chief!" Another said: "Did Donald Trump really say theyve had no problems with COVID related to his rallies? Did I dream up Herman Cains death?" A third said: "You are a joke. Everything has been fine at your rallies. How about Tulsa? Herman Cain is dead. And how many other people got sick from that Rally? You lie and deflect. Cain had attended a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma in June without wearing a mask. He was taken to hospital for treatment after coronavirus complications in early July and died just over a week later. Story continues It is unclear where Cain contracted the disease and there is no evidence to suggest he got infected at the Trump Tulsa rally. The commander-in-chief himself has denied Cain got infected at the rally. "No, I dont think he did," he told White House reporters hours after Cain's death. At the first of three televised debates Mr Trump and Mr Biden, 77, clashed over the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 200,000 lives. In what has been described as the most bad-tempered clash in living memory, the pair also went toe-to-toe on race relations, the economy, the president's tax records, the Supreme Court and the legitimacy of the 2020 election result. Mr Biden appeared to get the better of the president, who attempted to repeatedly interrupt his rival. Read more Presidential debate: Rather than ideas, Trump and Biden serve American voters garbage during chaotic clash AP FACT CHECK: False claims flood Trump-Biden debate Presidential debate: Did Joe Biden prove he is ready to be president? COVID-19 has eliminated the chances of it happening in the Province of Manitobas 2020-21 fiscal year, but Premier Brian Pallister announced on Tuesday his government ended up achieving a small surplus in the 2019-20 fiscal year. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us COVID-19 has eliminated the chances of it happening in the Province of Manitobas 2020-21 fiscal year, but Premier Brian Pallister announced on Tuesday his government ended up achieving a small surplus in the 2019-20 fiscal year. Tuesday saw the release of several financial documents by the province, including public accounts showing a $5-million surplus in 2019-20 and a first-quarter 2020-21 fiscal update. "We knew that we needed to turn the canoe away from the rapids and the rocks and to a safer shore," Pallister said about the financial situation his government inherited from its predecessor when it took power in 2016 during a noon-hour media conference with Finance Minister Scott Fielding. Thats better than originally expected for that fiscal year, with the 2019 budget estimating Manitoba would end up with a $360-million deficit. Speaking on how a balanced budget was achieved, Pallister said his governments philosophy has been to shop smart, know the difference between wants and needs, cut red tape, cut excess funding from the top levels of organizations and invest in front-line workers. Because the COVID-19 pandemic only reached Manitoba in March 2020, the last month in its 2019-20 fiscal year, any financial impact caused by the virus is only minimally represented. "COVID has handed us new challenges," Pallister said. "Even greater ones, perhaps, than before." The 2020-21 fiscal year wont be as lucky, with the premier and Fielding saying current projections estimate a $2.9-billion deficit. Before the pandemic, the government expected to only have a deficit of $220 million for that same fiscal year. It is currently estimated the province will lose $957 million in tax revenue, $353 million in other revenues, $340 million in revenue from government business enterprises, and spend $105 million extra in health costs, $30 million extra on the risk recognition program and $933 million extra on the Manitoba protection plan and #RestartMB campaign. Asked if the achievement of one of his signature goals would lead to his retirement, Pallister declined to comment on whether he would seek an early exit from politics or not run in the next provincial election. It should be noted under the Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Act, the province cannot officially include Manitoba Hydros $99-million net profit for 2019-20, and the $229 million transferred to the Rainy Day Fund has to be noted as an expenditure. That means instead of a $5-million surplus, there is a $323-million deficit when adjusted to comply with the act, below the deficit limit of $727 million the government was required to abide by. Manitobas Auditor General, Tyson Shtykalo, had a statement included in the report stating from his perspective, the reported surplus should be $48 million higher because the province did not include the finances of the Workers Compensation Board. Because the WCB wasnt included in last years annual financial report, he also said last years deficit should have been $53 million higher. He also said the province should have included the assets of the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporations production insurance trust and hail insurance trust in its 2019 and 2020 reports. If included, they would have decreased 2018-19s surplus by $225 million and decreased 2019-20s surplus by $10 million. Combined, that would have led to a surplus of $23 million in 2018-19 and a surplus of $43 million in 2019-20. The Sun asked Pallister and Fielding what the current balance of the provinces Rainy Day Fund is during the media conference, but a direct answer was not provided by either. Back in March, Pallister said the $800-million fund was likely going to be depleted within three months. According to a page in one of the documents sent out by the province, approximately $1.8 billion had been budgeted for strategic infrastructure investments in 2019-20 but only approximately $1.4 billion was spent. Asked about what infrastructure projects had been deferred to account for that $400-million gap, Pallister didnt name any specific projects, but said his recent trip to Ottawa included a constructive talk with federal ministers about future infrastructure investments. Speaking with the Sun Tuesday afternoon, Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew said while the government might have a surplus, theres plenty of evidence of the government underfunding sectors in the province. "Theres a deficit in health care, theres a deficit in infrastructure, theres a deficit in education in terms of the services people are receiving," he said. "The real-world impact of what this governments been doing is that you can no longer go to an emergency room in Roblin. You can no longer go to an emergency room in Altona or many emergency rooms in Winnipeg. People have a lot less services and a lot less support." In response to Pallister and Fielding talking about having made record investments in health care, education and social services, Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont told the Sun via phone these are results of the federal government increasing transfer payments rather than being accomplishments of the current provincial government. He also pointed to the Auditor Generals notes on the accounts as the current government "cooking the books." "The way they balanced their budget if you look at how it happened, they got an absolutely colossal increase from the federal government in transfers: $354 million," Lamont said. "On the one hand, I think the premier is trying to do a victory lap, but I think there was a lot of unnecessary pain there when the budget could have been balanced all along almost entirely thanks to increases in federal transfers and revenue." cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark By Trend Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova has sent a letter of gratitude to Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Shentop, Trend reports citing the Parliament. The letter says that Azerbaijan met with great enthusiasm the Joint Declaration adopted on September 28, 2020, by the four parties represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, in which the next act of aggression and provocation of Armenia is strongly condemned. On her own behalf and all members of the Parliament, Gafarova expressed gratitude for the fact that the Turkish parties expressed a decisive and fair position. Azerbaijan, using the right granted to it by international law, is fighting for the liberation of its lands from the Armenian occupation. As a peace-loving state, Azerbaijan has been patiently waiting for a peaceful resolution of the conflict at the negotiating table for the past 30 years. Azerbaijan demanded the implementation of decisions and resolutions of numerous international organizations led by the UN and the OSCE to resolve the conflict on the basis of restoring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. However, for 30 years Armenia has not complied with these resolutions, and the international community has not put pressure on it to implement these decisions. As a result, this led to the fact that unpunished Armenia again launched an offensive against Azerbaijan, trying to occupy new territories. But these attempts by the Armenians were in vain thanks to the determination of the valiant Azerbaijani army. Were convinced that the glorious Azerbaijani army will very soon completely liberate the occupied territories and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan will be restored, said the letter. The letter stressed that the mentioned Declaration has again shown that Azerbaijan and Turkey are always close in all matters of a national nature. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Washington: The first presidential debate of the US election rapidly descended into farce and name-calling as Donald Trump constantly interrupted Joe Biden and the Democratic nominee called the President a "clown" and told him to "shut up". In the aftermath, at least one election expert called for the following presidential debates to be scrapped. US President Donald Trump during the first presidential debate. Credit:AP Debate moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, struggled to exert control on Wednesday (AEST) as a belligerent Trump dominated the stage in Cleveland, Ohio, by rarely allowing Biden to answer a question in full. "Will you shut up, man?" Biden asked Trump early in the debate, before labelling him "the worst president America has ever had". Mystery surrounds the death of a 19-year-old woman who was found dead in her share home in a remote WA town. Brooke Tuhakaraina was found by a friend with blood on her face on Wednesday morning in Port Denison, south of Geraldton, The West Australian reported. Investigators are still trying to determine her cause of death, with homicide detectives called in. Brooke Tahukaraina had been working in Australia for a year. Source: Facebook A WA Police spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia as of Thursday morning there are no updates on the investigation. Ms Tuhakaraina, originally from New Zealand, worked for a local shearing company and lived with other workers in the share home. Neighbours said they barely knew the women living in the home as they were often coming and going. The teenager had been working in WA for a year. Detectives at the share home the teen was discovered. Source: 7News Employer Mike Henderson, whose team found Ms Tuhakaraina unresponsive at about 7am, told the West Australian she was a nice girl and worked as a wool handler. Family responded to news of her death on social media, saying they are all devastated. Tributes also poured in from friends online, with one person describing Ms Tuhakaraina as a beautiful girl. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in their first 2020 presidential campaign debate on Tuesday in Cleveland. Brian Snyder/Reuters The first presidential debate on Tuesday was a disaster. President Donald Trump spent the vast majority of the night lobbing personal attacks at former Vice President Joe Biden. Moderator Chris Wallace begged Trump to stop interrupting Biden, without much success. Presidential debates in the past have generally been little more than political theater. Tuesday night was a political horror show. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The first 2020 presidential debate was supposed to occur on Tuesday. But what transpired on Tuesday night was not a debate, which involves two people thoughtfully and reasonably engaging on the issues. It was a disaster that encapsulated the mess that the US is in under a president who has repeatedly refused to take the job seriously. President Donald Trump spent the vast majority of his time on the debate stage Tuesday night interrupting former Vice President Joe Biden and lobbing personal attacks. Moderator Chris Wallace struggled to keep order. Wallace repeatedly implored the president to allow Biden to answer his questions. When the president objected and said that Biden was also cutting him off, Wallace replied, "Frankly, you've been doing more interrupting." At one point, Wallace jokingly suggested to Trump that they should switch seats so that the president could moderate the debate as he continued to talk over all parties. Though Biden was not always perfect when it came to presenting the facts, there's no comparison between the former vice president and Trump in terms of the barrage of lies and false information the president spewed over the course of the night. Trump made false claims on his COVID-19 response and continued to push the erroneous notion Biden is a socialist, for example. There were some remarkable moments amid the chaos. Biden called the sitting president a racist to his face, for one. Trump also hesitated to explicitly condemn white-supremacist groups when given the opportunity. Story continues But the night generally involved Trump seeking to rattle Biden, with little success overall. "Will you shut up, man ... Keep yapping, man," Biden said to Trump early on in the night. Trump spent far more time throughout the debate attacking Biden than addressing the issues. Biden sought to offer substantive answers, but it was often difficult to hear him over Trump's efforts to derail him. "It's hard to get any word in with this clown," Biden said. "Excuse me, this person." The president has been characterized as a bully for years. He openly embraced that role on Tuesday evening. The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 30, 2020 Coming into the debate, Trump and his allies repeatedly painted Biden as senile and not up to the task of running the country. Trump went as far to suggest that Biden was taking performance-enhancing substances. Meanwhile, conservative media figures pushed conspiracy theories that the Democratic nominee would back out last minute or that he'd be wearing an electronic ear device during the debate. In the process they set a very low bar for the vice president to easily rise above. Biden joked about these unfounded attacks in a tweet before the debate. "It's debate night, so I've got my earpiece and performance enhancers ready," Biden wrote. In many ways, the tweet was a preview of his debate strategy. Biden refused to engage with the alternative reality that Trump presented to the country, brushing it off and doing his best to stay on topic. If Tuesday night was meant to convince voters one candidate has a better temperament to lead the country, Biden won. But if it was meant to educate voters on where the candidates stand on the issue, there were no winners and the voters themselves were the losers. In the past presidential debates have generally been little more than political theater. Tuesday night was a political horror show. Read the original article on Business Insider Researchers have identified a new species of bacteria that may contribute to the dangerous buildup of brain fluid after infections in newborns, according to their analysis of 100 infants in Uganda. Although more research is needed to establish causation, their results mark a stride in identifying the microbial origins of postinfectious hydrocephalus, the most common reason for neurosurgery in children worldwide. The identification of the microbe could also lay the road for more effective prevention and treatment strategies for the disorder, which remains a major health burden in developing countries. There are an estimated 400,000 annual cases of postinfectious hydrocephalus, which often develops in infants recovering from blood infections soon after birth. Although the condition is theoretically preventable, scientists are still unsure which species of microbes drive postinfectious hydrocephalus in endemic regions. As a result, clinicians lack preventative tools and rely on expensive neurosurgery to prevent brain injury and death in affected children. Searching for DNA from bacteria, viruses, and fungi, Joseph Paulson and colleagues sequenced blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples from two groups of Ugandan infants: 64 infants with postinfectious hydrocephalus and 36 with non-infectious hydrocephalus. The resulting genetic portrait showed a new strain of the bacterial genus Paenibacillus predominated within the postinfectious group - where it correlated with more severe brain damage - but was absent in the non-infectious infants. The team also noted Paenibacillus frequently co-occurred with infections of cytomegalovirus, a virus common in both children and adults. Paulson et al. caution their study is limited in geographic scope and does not explain the exact relationship between Paenibacillus and cytomegalovirus. Nevertheless, they say their pan-microbial approach could help identify other microbial causes of postinfectious hydrocephalus in other parts of the world. ### Chances are you've heard about and been personally affected by ballooning healthcare costs. It's no secret that business owners are facing a crisis paying for healthcare costs. In 2019, the average cost of employer-sponsored health insurance was $7,188 for single coverage and $20,576 for family coverage, according to study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Employees covered $1,242 or $6,015 of the plan for single and family plans, respectively. In total, employers paid over $6 billion a year for employee health plans. The average healthcare cost per person in 2019 was $11,599, amounting to a $3.6 trillion healthcare market. Premiums will likely increase by 4 to 40 percent in 2021. These astronomical costs can hit small business owners and entrepreneurs particularly hard. To complicate the situation, any effort that a business makes to save on healthcare typically comes at the cost of harming employees. Increasing employee burdens and destroying employee satisfaction is a quick way to kill a business. Adding to the problem of high healthcare costs is the issue of missed work. In America, employees missed 893 million days due to illness and lost an estimated 527 million days because of illness impacts on productivity, according to a 2018 study. There is a snowball effect of mounting healthcare problems if they are not dealt with appropriately. Take, for example, mental health. If an employee does not receive proper treatment due to embarrassment, the price of services or the cost of missed work, the problems get worse. Likewise, if an employee with an illness tries to come into work, they can very rapidly infect numerous other workers. Altogether, sick employees cost employers $530 billion a year. Related: What Chadwick Boseman's Death Tells Us About Workplace Healthcare How technology can help There are numerous problems with the healthcare market, but a huge problem is supply and demand. The demand for healthcare is much higher than supply. The existing deficit of doctors and nurses will likely get worse in the future. In some cities and at some times, we also have a shortage of hospital beds and medical devices. Medical devices and prescriptions are costly to develop and produce. Our healthcare demand is dramatically increasing as the population ages and, of course, as we deal with global health crises. Technology is critical to help overcome the supply and demand problem. Technology can and will have a significant and positive effect on our lives in numerous ways. It can significantly reduce healthcare costs, improve patient access and improve health care and associated diagnoses. Everything from telehealth, to online medical records, to the exciting new uses of artificial intelligence (AI) can save money and increase health and well-being. Related: 5 Companies to Invest in After the Health Crisis Telehealth About 90 percent of U.S. healthcare providers had full functioning or developing telehealth programs before 2020. Then, in the first half of 2020, patient adoption of telehealth services grew by 33 percent over the previous year. Telehealth funding could reach $185.6 billion by 2026. Employers could save up to $6 billion per year on healthcare costs by providing telemedicine technologies to their employees. When employers implemented a telemedicine program, they saved 11 percent on the benefits budget. In one study of cardiovascular patients, telehealth options reduce the patients monthly healthcare costs by $576. A telehealth program in Houston reduced unnecessary emergency visits by 6.7 percent, resulting in a $2,468 savings for the healthcare system for each unnecessary visit. Telehealth saves patients over 100 minutes of their time compared to an in-person visit, and they can conduct each appointment anywhere in the world there's a telephone or Internet connection.This time can be directly applied back into a productive workday or to increase an employees quality of life. For a number of technology and health and wellness companies, telehealth represents a vast, mostly untapped market. For all employees, telehealth enables increases in the companys bottom line and improvements employee health and well-being. It is incredible just how much virtual care can accomplish. It currently extends well beyond general medical and mental healthcare services. For example, one provider, Teledochealth, provides direct-to-consumer services, platforms that support the physician practice and platforms and models that help hospitals and health systems with everything from teleICU, telestroke and teleneonatal care. Teledochealth was able to help reestablish an entire practice, Paradise Medical Group, after the California wildfires destroyed all of its facilities. Patients can send doctors a message online. The nurse can triage the questions and have the doctor answer the questions as needed when it is convenient for the doctor. The patient does not have to wait on hold or make an unnecessary appointment, which costs, on average, $150 per visit with insurance. Telehealth increases the number of patients healthcare providers can see while also improving patient access to valuable health information, which decreases costs by 11 percent. Teledoc has found that in some cases, doctors can increase the number of patient communications by as much as 800 percent. Imagine how much better healthcare could be if we were able to quickly and effectively get our healthcare questions answered by a healthcare provider instead of Dr. Google. Even better, telehealth visits have a 93 percent satisfaction rate compared to an 88 percent satisfaction rate for traditional, in-person doctor visits. Saving time is an apparent reason for increased satisfaction. When patients were asked what would encourage them to book a telemedicine appointment, convenience factors, including easy-to-use technology (69 percent), communication (57 percent), online scheduling capabilities (47 percent) and immediate appointment availability (47 percent), were the main reasons. Instead of driving to an office and sitting in a waiting room (with other sick patients), all a patient needs to do is make a phone call or log into a website. The visits can be made at work or in the privacy of a patients home. Doctors can send prescriptions to the pharmacy and have the medications delivered directly to the patient's home. These actions save time and money for the employer and the employee. When anything is made less complicated, people are more likely to do it. The simple process of making healthcare more accessible increases patients engagement with their health and increases the accuracy of diagnoses. Related: Telemedicine is Laying the Roadmap for Healthcare's Future Other healthcare technology If a healthcare provider has the right technology, they store patient information in the (safe) cloud. The access to data improves diagnoses, because all information is available for all providers that a patient sees. The data can then enable AI and other forms of predictive analytics to go to work helping the patient. Like so many parts of our lives now, technology advances that once seemed far-fetched now very much exist. With the correct information, AI can learn about a patients health by looking for trends and patterns. This is no different than Google learning your favorite stores and brands and then sending targeted coupons or ads. Mindstrong can detect depression by watching how a person uses their phone. Livongo uses AI and questionnaires to its users to manage diabetes, hypertension, mental health and weight control. Google and Apple have been using GPS during the past several months to see where people have been and tracking if people have entered high-risk areas or been in contact with infected people. It seems like almost an obvious statement to say that technology can so dramatically improve our lives and a companys bottom line. Healthcare has been one area slow to adapt to changes. Regulations and privacy concerns are two primary factors that have caused the delays. The global health crisis has pushed us to embrace health technologies in new ways, and now we've seen the positive benefits. We have decreases in sick leave and increases in health and well-being. And, of course, the big one, we see significant reductions in healthcare costs. Doctors are finding greater convenience, the ability to work anytime and anywhere, less canceled or skipped appointments and open access to more patients. Related: 5 Technological Innovations Changing Medical Practice What business owners can do Business owners need to be advocates for themselves. They can negotiate for their health plans. Think of employee health plan purchases like any large business purchase and negotiate the best rates and the best specifications. Payors were once resistant to paying for health care technologies, and these negotiations were complicated. However, the global health crisis has brought unprecedented demand for and use of virtual care, including support at the government level. The relief packages enacted in early 2020 allowed Medicare to cover telehealth and also waived some rules about crossing state lines with telehealth. The changes enable patients in high demand and/or low-supply areas to find care. Although the political environment can change rapidly, it currently looks like much of the relief packages are here to stay. The global health crisis has made some insurance companies more willing to negotiate. Also, now is the time to make sure technologies are part of a benefits package. Entrepreneurs can insist that healthcare plans cover telehealth visits. They can also request that specific technology healthcare tools be available to employees. Education programs can help employees understand all the tools that exist to help manage health. These tools can lead to an empowered and educated patient, which leads to a more productive and effective employee all of which saves billions of dollars. Related: How Entrepreneurs Can Take on the Future of Aging Using Artificial Intelligence Related: U.K. Ambulance Services Are Testing a Rescue Jet Suit Losing the Battle Against Your Kids' Screens? Try a Family "Rewirement Plan." 7 Deadly Sins Of Virtual Events Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Donald Trump once told CNN that he cant recall ever asking God for forgiveness. I dont bring God into that picture, he explained. Nevertheless, he explained, I have a great relationship with Evangelicals. Five years later, The Atlantic has the scoop on the impiety of Mr. Two Corinthians. Here it is: Privately, Trump makes fun of religious people. Especially people such as megachurch televangelist and Prosperity Gospel preacher Creflo Dollar. When Trump saw Dollar was raising money for a Gulfstream G650 jet, Trump said, Theyre all hustlers and full of s***. He also made derisive remarks about televangelist faith healer Benny Hinn. Man, thats some racket, he is reputed to have said about Hinns faith healings. Atlantic reporter McKay Coppins writes, The presidents alliance with religious conservatives has long been premised on the contention that he takes them seriously, while Democrats hold them in disdain. And he later refers to The Faustian nature of the religious rights bargain, with Trump. Two things are missing here: an understanding of the Evangelical world and an understanding of politics. Know who else makes fun of people such as Creflo Dollar and Benny Hinn, and who thinks they are full-of-it hustlers and con men? Many conservative religious Trump voters. In fact, many of them would prefer Trump was chummier with an entirely different set of Evangelicals. Its too early to know whether the religious rights bargain with Trump is Faustian. What we do know is that it is a political bargain. For a politician, taking an interest group seriously as an ally is not in conflict with personally holding them in disdain, or ridiculing them. Black voters didnt hold it against the Democratic Party which passed the Civil Rights Act that Lyndon Baines Johnson was a racist and an enthusiastic connoisseur of regional variations on the n-word. Disdain can matter in politics. When a political opponent reveals their disdain, it can make the policies they advocate seem like an intentional act of malice rather than the unintended consequence of an ideal. Those who felt accused by Barack Obama of clinging to guns and religion or of being a deplorable by Hillary Clinton may cease thinking that their political opponent is well-meaning but ignorant and conclude that cruelty is the point. Story continues But wearing the disdain of your political allies can almost be a compliment. It confirms the strength and importance of your role in the coalition. You think Iowas corn growers dont know how politicians talk about the ethanol subsidies in private? Its true that white evangelicals are almost twice as likely to say that the president is somewhat religious. But its not clear what to take from this. Theres no stable category for a somewhat saved or somewhat damned individual. Only 12 percent of white evangelicals say Trump is very religious less than the 14 percent who say hes not at all religious. Its possible they only mean to express that Trump is somewhat with them; that is, hes with them politically. In fact, transactional relationships are often easier in politics. George W. Bush could slow some of the criticism of his stem-cell bargain by claiming to be born-again. Biden can credibly tell the Little Sisters of the Poor, the hospice nuns who have been locked in federal court since the days of the Obama administration, I share your faith. What he cant credibly tell them is that the people hed appoint to write rules in the Department of Health and Human Services will take their interests to heart, nor will the judges he elevates to circuit courts. Does anyone think Donald Trump probably wouldnt say heinous things about nuns in private? Especially if he had been slavering over their work in public. Ive never met a nun so naive. Democratic strategist Neera Tanden loves The Atlantic story and gave it a public I told you so, saying, Behind closed doors he laughs at you as rubes who fall for his con. Im sure many religious conservatives laugh at Trump, too, thinking that he is a rube and an ignoramus and that theyre getting the deal of their lives. Trump is going to take all the heat. And they will get an American judiciary that slows down the lefts legal assault on their colleges, seminaries, and hospitals. Trumps private disdain of them is the least costly part of the bargain for religious conservatives. At least, unlike Mrs. Reagan, Melania doesnt practice the occult in the White House. More from National Review OTTAWA - The Liberal government is reviving its effort to create a new statutory holiday to commemorate the victims and survivors of Indigenous residential schools. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Perry Bellegarde holds up an Orange Shirt Day T-shirt as he speaks during the Honouring National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony in Gatineau, Quebec on September 30, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - The Liberal government is reviving its effort to create a new statutory holiday to commemorate the victims and survivors of Indigenous residential schools. Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault introduced legislation in the House of Commons today to establish Sept. 30 as a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation for federally regulated workers. That date is already known as Orange Shirt Day, an occasion to commemorate the experiences of First Nations, Metis and Inuit children in residential schools. It is so named in memory of a piece of clothing one First Nations girl in British Columbia had taken away from her on her first day at a residential school in 1973. Creating such a statutory holiday was one of the 94 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which probed the history and legacy of residential schools. The Liberal government introduced similar legislation in February 2019 but the bill died in the Senate when the last federal election was called. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2020. By Trend The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) appealed to international party organizations and political partner parties due to the military provocation of the Armenian armed forces and the struggle of the Azerbaijani army against the Armenian occupiers, Trend reports. The appeal stresses that on September 27 the Armenian armed forces, having committed an attack, fired on the positions of the Azerbaijani army and settlements located in the front-line zone from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery of various calibers. According to the appeal, as a result of the intensive shelling by the Armenian army of a number of villages in Azerbaijans Tartar, Aghdam, Fizuli, and Jabrayil districts, the local civilians were killed and wounded, and civilian infrastructure was seriously damaged. In order to suppress the new provocation of the armed forces of Armenia and ensure the security of the civilian population, the Azerbaijani army launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front. "Despite the ceasefire regime in force since 1994, the occupying country regularly makes provocations on the front line and in the border regions, targeting civilians and settlements of Azerbaijan, the appeal noted. In July this year, Armenia committed a bloody clash along the border with Azerbaijan in the direction of Tovuz district outside of the conflict zone, and in August made an attempt to conduct a reconnaissance-sabotage operation in the direction of Goranboy district. Not limited to all this, grossly violating the norms of international law, the Armenian leadership illegally populates the occupied territories." -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz New Delhi, Sep 30 : Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's United Breweries (Holding) Ltd on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it had offered over Rs 14,000 crore to various banks to settle its dues and that the company's assets exceeded its total debt. Senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for United Breweries, submitted before a bench comprising Justices U.U. Lalit, Vineet Saran and S. Ravindra Bhat that the response of the banks had been received. He contended that since the company's assets exceeded the total debt, it was not the case wherein the company should be directed to wind up. He insisted that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had attached many assets of the company, as a result of which none was available to the banks. "The total amount offered is over Rs 14,000 crore whereas the total due amount is Rs 6,203 crore plus interest. But the allocation has been only Rs 430 crore," Vaidyanathan contended. He added that not a single attached property had been actually attached by the ED since 2009. Vaidyanathan said that the petitioner was the guarantor though the loans were taken by Kingfisher and others. The submissions were made during hearing of United Breweries' plea to challenge the Karnataka High Court order to uphold the winding-up of the company. The counsel submitted that not a single asset had been acquired since 2009 when bank loans were allegedly siphoned off overseas. In response, Justice Lalit queried: "Has the attachment order been challenged?" The counsel said that an appeal was filed in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act Tribunal, adding that they were told that the attachment order was for satisfying debts and the bulk of assets were in the form of shares. He argued that the PMLA probe revealed that a major part of the total money sanctioned by the IDBI Bank was remitted outside India, and used for payments for aircraft and spare parts. The investigation concluded that IDBI loans were not backed by marketable commodities, while orders for provisional attachment were passed on the ground of involvement in money-laundering, Vaidyanathan said. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the State Bank of India, submitted that the appeal was devoid of merits. In the last hearing, the apex court had queried whether a company's attached assets could be considered for liquidation for the settlement of debt. The bench will hear the matter on Thursday. KYODO NEWS - Sep 30, 2020 - 20:20 | World, All Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong was indicted Wednesday over an anti-mask law protest last October, another court case Wong said the government uses to contain his political activities. Wong, 23, is accused of taking part in an unauthorized assembly on Oct. 5 while wearing a facemask to conceal his identity, an offense under the newly invoked anti-mask law that is pending judicial review on its constitutionality. Related coverage: Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong arrested for mask protest Hong Kong court indicts democracy activists on unlawful rally charges U.S. sanctions Hong Kong leader Lam, others for undermining autonomy "If the Court of Final Appeal ruled that the anti-mask law was unconstitutional before my trial begins, one of the two charges against me will be withdrawn," Wong told reporters outside the Eastern Magistracy after he was released on bail. The court granted the prosecution's request that Wong be barred from leaving Hong Kong, in addition to a cash bail. "The government is not only trying to generate a chilling effect with prosecutions, but more obviously it is trying to stack up cases against me, barring me from leaving Hong Kong and telling the world about Hong Kong's political struggle," he said. The case is adjourned to Dec. 18. The city's appellate court has ruled that the face masks ban is applicable in the case of unauthorized protests but not in authorized ones. The top court will give a final ruling on the ban's constitutionality following a hearing in November. Wong, along with fellow activists Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam, has also been indicted for organizing, inciting and taking part in a protest at the police headquarters in June last year. The trial is set for November. He is also among 26 pro-democracy activists indicted for taking part and inciting others to join a rally on June 4 to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. A hearing to move the cases to the District Court, which could mete out heavier sentences, will be held next month. China's acting consul-general in Perth has praised Western Australia as playing a leading role in China-Australia relations, saying Beijing appreciated the "positive attitude" of the state government and the public. In a lengthy opinion piece published in The West Australian newspaper, Jin Qian also talked up the Chinese Communist Party's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. China's consul-general in Western Australia has praised the state for its cooperation. Credit:Getty Images The overtures towards WA came on the same day China's foreign ministry criticised Australia, the United States, Japan and India for participating in a "Quad" meeting next week in Tokyo. Relations between Australia and China are at its lowest point since diplomatic ties were established almost 50 years ago, with Beijing imposing more than $1 billion in trade strikes after the Morrison government pushed for an independent global inquiry into the coronavirus. Microsoft India has announced the addition of Assamese as the latest Indian language in Microsoft Translator. The Azure-based service will now provide real-time translation and transliteration support for the language. Powered by Azure Cognitive Service Speech, users will also be able to translate speech into Assamese text or to translate Assamese text into another language with speech output. Microsoft is currently the only cloud service provider to support Assamese translation. Strengthening its position in democratizing the access of information in the native languages, Microsoft has taken the lead in providing end-to-end communication support for Assamese overcoming the complexities in Machine Learning models used to develop the communication functionalities. With this latest addition, Microsoft now supports 12 Indian languages viz., Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Assamese besides being the official language of the state of Assam is spoken by more than 14 million people across Indias north eastern states. With its inclusion, Microsoft Translator will now allow over 90% of Indians to access information and work in their native/preferred languages, making computing language-agnostic and more inclusive in the country. It can help general users interpret real-time conversations, menus and street signs, websites, and documents. Companies can leverage it to globalize their business and strengthen customer outreach. Microsoft Translator can be availed across Windows, iOS, Android, and the web. Sundar Srinivasan General Manager AI & Search Microsoft India, said, At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization to achieve more. Microsoft has a responsible approach to AI, a key principle of which is inclusiveness. Breaking language barriers is a key step in enabling inclusion of more people and organizations to utilize technology to achieve more. As part of our mission to remove language barriers, particularly in India, we are happy to announce the release of translation for Assamese to add to the set of 11 Indian languages already supported. The service is available on Microsoft Translator app, add-ins, Office 365, Bing Translator, and through the Azure Cognitive Services Translator API for businesses and developers. Users can translate Assamese text, supported by more than 70 languages, for their apps, websites, workflows and tools with Azure Cognitive Services Translator. Businesses can also avail multi-language support such as translation for e-content, e-commerce product catalogues, product documentation and internal communication, among others. Alexander G. Savelyev 30.09.2020 LISTEN In December 2019, the United States officially invited China to enter into a strategic security dialogue. The White House said it hoped Beijings consent to this proposal might become the first step towards an international agreement encompassing all nuclear weapons of the United States, Russia, and China. As expected, this proposal was rejected. China said its nuclear arsenal was much smaller than those of the United States and Russia, and it would be able to participate in such talks only when their nuclear potentials were brought to parity with its own. In March 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump once again declared his intention to ask Russia and China to hold such talks with the aim of avoiding a costly arms race (Reuters.com, 2020). The Chinese Foreign Ministrys response followed virtually in no time. Its spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that China had no intention of taking part in the so-called China-U.S.-Russia trilateral arms control negotiations, and that its position on this issue was very clear (ECNC.cn., 2020). He called upon the United States to extend the New START and to go ahead with the policy of U.S-Russian nuclear arms reduction, thus creating prerequisites for other countries to join the nuclear disarmament process. There is nothing new about Chinas stance. A year earlier Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang, while speaking at a news conference in May 2019, made a similar statement. China refused to participate in a trilateral arms control agreement (Fmprc.gov.2019). It is noteworthy that while advising the United States and Russia to downgrade their nuclear potentials to its level, China does not say what exactly this level is. One of the rare official statements (if not the sole one) on that score was the Chinese Foreign Ministrys statement, published on April 27, 2004, that Chinas nuclear arsenal was the smallest of all (Fact Sheet China, 2004). Even in that case the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not specify if it was referring to the quintet of the UN Security Councils permanent members. If so, Chinas nuclear arsenal, according to official statistics, consisted of no more than 190 warheads (Britains level that year). Such (understated according to most analysts) estimates, have also been mentioned by a number of experts. For example, Harvard researcher Hui Zhang says China in 2011 had 166 nuclear warheads. There are other, higher estimates. For instance, Professor Phillip Karber of Georgetown University believes that China has 3,000 warheads at its disposal (Karber, 2011), while many other researchers call this in question. The estimate offered by H. Kristensen and M. Korda of the Federation of American Scientists, who issue annual world surveys of nuclear arms potentials, is shared by most researchers and draws no objections from political circles in various countries, including the United States. According to their calculations as for April 2020, the United States had 3,800 deployed and non-deployed nuclear warheads, and Russia, 4,312 warheads. As for China, the same survey says it has 320 non-deployed nuclear warheads (Kristensen and Korda, 2020). While underscoring the importance of nuclear arms cuts by the United States and Russia to Chinas level, Beijing does not specify if this idea applies only to strategic or all nuclear weapons. In the former case, if Chinas approach is to be accepted, Russia and the United States would have to slash their nuclear arsenals by 65%-75% (from 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads in compliance with the rules of the still effective New START). But if the total number of nuclear warheads on either side is to be counted, each countrys nuclear potential would shrink by no less than 90%. Only after this will China be prepared to consider in earnest its participation in nuclear arms control talks. The United States and Russia can hardly find this suitable. At the same time, these countries have not yet officially formulated their specific approaches to and basic provisions of hypothetical trilateral talks and a future agreement on this issue. For the time being, these issues are in the focus of experts attention in a number of countries, and they have over the past few years offered a variety of possible formats and parameters of a future multilateral treaty. In most cases, experts delve into certain aspects of a future agreement that might be attractive to China. Very few think of what China might lose the moment it enters into nuclear arms control talks or what military-political consequences might follow if China eventually changed its mind regarding participation in such negotiations. In my opinion, Chinas demand for achieving the comparability of nuclear potentials as a precondition for beginning a trilateral dialogue stems precisely from its evaluation of the consequences of its participation in the negotiations. This stance is neither far-fetched nor propagandistic, contrary to what some experts and politicians claim, but rests upon major political, military and strategic cornerstones. Disregard for Chinas arguments actually reduces to nothing all efforts, above all those taken by Washington, to engage Beijing in nuclear arms talks. As far as the United States is concerned, the motives behind its attempts to persuade China to join nuclear arms talks are not quite clear. There may be several possible considerations that the United States is guided by in its policy on the issue. One is that Washington may be looking for a way to obtain necessary information about the current state of Chinas nuclear potential and plans for its development in the future in order to be able to adjust its own modernization programs accordingly. Another explanation is that the United States may be reluctant to go ahead with the nuclear disarmament policy and hopes to use Chinas unequivocal refusal to participate in negotiations as a chance to blame it for the disruption of this process and for dismantling the nuclear arms control system as such. I believe both explanations may be true, but their analysis lies beyond the scope of this article. OPTIONS OF ENGAGING CHINA IN NUCLEAR ARMS CONTROL TALKS Americans performed three very different policies on the Peoples Republic: From a total negation (and the Mao-time mutual annihilation assurances), to Nixons sudden cohabitation. Finally, a Copernican-turn: the US spotted no real ideological differences between them and the post-Deng China. This signalled a new opening: West imagined Chinas coastal areas as its own industrial suburbia. Soon after, both countries easily agreed on interdependence (in this marriage of convenience): Americans pleased their corporate (machine and tech) sector and unrestrained its greed, while Chinese in return offered a cheap labour, no environmental considerations and submissiveness in imitation. However, for both countries this was far more than economy, it was a policy Washington read it as interdependence for transformative containment and Beijing sow it as interdependence for a (global) penetration. In the meantime, Chinese acquired more sophisticated technology, and the American Big tech sophisticated itself in digital authoritarianism technological monoculture met the political one. But now with a tidal wave of Covid-19, the honeymoon is over recently wrote professor Anis H. Bajrektarevic on a strategic decoupling between the biggest manufacturer of American goods, China and its consumer, the US. Indeed, Washington has not formulated in detail its official stance on engaging China in negotiations yet. Disarmament experts consider a number of options that may be proposed in principle. These options may be grouped into three main categories. The first one is putting pressure on China with the aim of making it change its mind regarding arms control. The second one is the search for proposals China may find lucrative enough, which the Chinese leadership might agree to study in earnest. And the third one is a combination of these two approaches. As far as pressure on China is concerned, the United States is already exerting it along several lines. For one, China is criticized for the condition and development prospects of its nuclear arsenal. Specifically, it is blamed on being the only nuclear power in the Permanent Big Five that has not reduced its nuclear potential. Moreover, as follows from a statement made in May 2019 by Robert Ashley, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, over the next decade, China is likely to at least double the size of its nuclear stockpile in the course of implementing the most rapid expansion and diversification of its nuclear arsenal in Chinas history (Adamczyk, 2019). Both officials and many experts have been quoting this postulate as an established fact requiring no proof. China is also accused of the lack of transparency, that is, refusal to disclose the size and structure of its nuclear forces, programs for their upgrade, and other nuclear policy aspects. The U.S. leadership argues that this state of affairs by no means promotes strategic stability and international security. Some experts believe that Chinas involvement in negotiations would help avoid some adverse effects, for example, another nuclear arms race under a Cold War scenario (Zhao, 2020). Rose Gottemoeller, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security in the Barack Obama administration, believes it may be possible to make a case for the Chinese to come to the table early on intermediate-range constraints of ground-launched missiles, because they are staring at the possibility of a deployment of very capable U.S. missiles of this kind (Mehta, 2020). Apparently, the United States had counted on Russias support in such matters, especially as the Russian leadership said more than once that the New START, signed in 2010, was to become the last bilateral nuclear arms reduction treaty and time was ripe for other nuclear states to join the nuclear disarmament process. However, in late 2019 Russia made a U-turn in its stance on Chinas participation in negotiations. Speaking at a conference entitled Foreign Policy Priorities of the Russian Federation in Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Context of Changes in the Global Security Architecture, held on November 8, 2019 in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia respected Chinas position concerning its refusal to participate in the talks. Moreover, he stated that declaring Chinas consent to participate in the negotiating process as a precondition looked openly provocative. Thus Russia made it clear that it had no intention of putting pressure on China regarding the issue, but at the same time it would have nothing against the Chinese leadership eventually making a decision to join the United States and Russia in nuclear disarmament talks. Russia is unlikely to alter its position even under pressure from the United States, which has long harbored plans for using the prolongation of the New START as a factor for getting China involved in the talks in some way, or even securing its consent to become a signatory to the treaty. Specifically, the U.S. presidents National Security Advisor Robert OBrian made an unequivocal statement on that score (Riechmann, 2020). Also, in May 2020, the United States came up with an ultimatum that it would not extend the New START until China agreed to participate in it. Moreover, the newly appointed special U.S. presidential representative for arms control, Marshall Billingslea, actually demanded that Russia bring the Chinese to the negotiating table. The United States may exert (or is already exerting) pressure on China indirectly, for example by using such levers as the U.S.-Chinese trade war and Chinas alleged responsibility for the spread of the coronavirus (which the United States regards as proven). Such pressures may be largely exerted covertly. Some military and political experts believe that it is worth exploring compromise options of Chinas participation in nuclear arms control. Such options may accommodate the interests of all partakers and match the specific structure and quantitative parameters of weapons subject to control. Establishing transparency in the given sphere would be one of the simple ways of involving China in the strategic dialogue. In other words, such transparency would imply mutual disclosure of information about the number of missiles and deployed warheads, their basic parameters, including range, and also specific locations and deployment sites (Tosaki, 2019). It must be noted that this seemingly least painful and easy-to-accomplish solution for making China join the international arms control dialogue is in fact least acceptable to it. The long list of other proposals includes various options of a mixed approach to the control of missile systems. For instance, reaching an agreement on a common ceiling for intermediate-range ground-based and air-launched missiles or a similar restriction on any strategic missiles regardless of the type of deployment (ground, sea, or air launched), as well as the intermediate-range missiles of three nuclear powersChina, the United States, and Russia. The proponents of this approach believe that this may provide an approximately equitable basis for talks among the aforesaid states (Zhao, 2020). All of the aforementioned recommendationsand a number of other ideasfor plugging China into bilateral or multilateral nuclear arms control talks are based on the past experience of negotiations on the issue. In the meantime, the specifics of Chinas nuclear policy are left unnoticed or intentionally ignored. It is generally believed that inviting China to participate in negotiations is tantamount to official recognition of its status as a great power responsible, like the United States and Russia, not only for its own security but also for global security. This recognition is often considered a reason enough to expect China to consent to participate in such negotiations and the main problem is seen in the formulation of concrete proposals for discussion. In the meantime, such an approach looks erroneous. THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CHINAS NUCLEAR POLICY Chinas policy concerning nuclear arms and their role in maintaining national security has remained unchanged for more than 55 years, starting from its accession to the nuclear club in 1964. Central to that policy is Chinas pledge not to be the first to use nuclear weapons or threaten to use them against non-nuclear countries and countries in nuclear free zones. It is believed that Mao Zedong made that decision personally in 1964 (Fravel, 2019). In accordance with this pledge, China, as it reiterates, maintains its nuclear deterrence weapons at a required minimum by declaring its readiness for retaliation against an aggressor in the event of a hypothetical nuclear attack. China vows it does not participate in a nuclear arms race against any country. These provisions have remained unchanged for many years and can be found in many Chinese fundamental military and strategic planning documents, available from open sources (The State Council, 2019), and are repeatedly quoted by the Chinese mass media (Xinhuaneet.com., 2019). In contrast to the classical nuclear deterrence formula China does not demonstrate its retaliatory strike capabilities; on the contrary, it conceals them for various reasons. Enhancing the survivability of retaliatory strike systems is one. Such existential means of deterrence enables the country possessing a relatively small nuclear potential to keep a potential aggressor in a state of strategic uncertainty as it cannot be certain that its first strike would disarm the defending opponent by eliminating all of its nuclear weapons with a surprise counterforce strike. To confirm its adherence to the no-fist use principle, China declares that it limits its nuclear potential to the minimum defense requirements, while all upgrade programs are geared mostly to ensuring the survivability and reliability of retaliatory strike systems. Chinas nuclear forces have become more survivable due to the creation and deployment of mobile ICBMs, and measures to shelter a considerable part of its nuclear potential, including mobile ICBMs and shorter-range missiles in a network of underground tunnelsthe Underground Great Wall of China. Also, other means of hiding nuclear weapons are used, such as mock ICBM silos and shelters for nuclear submarines inside coastal rocks. As the information about the condition, development prospects and size of Chinas nuclear potential remains scarce, its nuclear policy issues are in the focus of attention of many specialists and think tanks in the United States and other countries. Most of them (but far from all) believe that Chinas declared policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and estimates of its nuclear potential (around 300 warheads) agree with reality (Pifer, 2019). But other researchers maintain that under certain circumstances China may revise its attitude to the no-first-use principle and abandon the minimum deterrence concept in favor of gaining opportunities for conducting limited nuclear war. Such conclusions are made on the basis of data showing the growth of qualitative parameters of Chinas nuclear forcesgreater accuracy of nuclear warheads, the deployment of MIRVs on ICBMs, forecasts for a considerable increase in the overall number of nuclear weapons at the countrys disposal, etc. (Giacomdetti, 2014; Yoshihara and Bianchi, 2019; Schneider, 2019). It should be acknowledged that the lack of official information about the condition and development prospects of Chinas nuclear arsenal and implementation of programs in the strategic field (creation of a heavy ICBM, research and development of a missile attack warning system, deployment of a missile defense, and others) afford ground for a variety of speculations over Chinas compliance with the professed principles regarding nuclear weapons. In the meantime, this by no means contradicts the fundamental principle of Chinas nuclear policyno-first-use of nuclear weaponswhich will remain unchanged in the foreseeable future. Even if one assumes that China does participate in the nuclear arms race (which is also a subject of speculations), it is by no means its instigator. Certain changes are possible, though. China may acquire real capabilities for a limited response to a limited nuclear attack. In other words, the countrys military-political leadership, empowered to make a decision to use nuclear weapons, will acquire extra opportunities and options for retaliation other than a massive nuclear strike against the enemys major unprotected targets, such as cities and industrial centers. At the same time there is no reason to say that the improvement of parameters of Chinas strategic nuclear forces increases the risk of a first counterforce strike against a would-be aggressor just because the nuclear potentials of China and the two leading nuclear powers are incomparable. In this case size does matter. EFFECTS OF ARMS CONTROL ON CHINAS NUCLEAR STRATEGY AND POLICY Should China agree to participate in negotiations or draft an agreement on control of its nuclear weapons, its nuclear strategy and policy will most likely undergo the most serious changes. And these changes, in the authors opinion, may be far from positive. They will result not from possible restrictions imposed on Chinas nuclear forces or disadvantageous terms of a future treaty forced upon China, but the very fact of concluding such an international treaty. A close look at Soviet-U.S. and Russian-U.S. nuclear arms control agreements reveals how the parties approaches to solving the problems of national security and strengthening strategic stability have been changing. At early stages the two sides managed to come to terms regarding the overall number of ground-based launchers of strategic ballistic missiles, SLBM capable submarines and SLBM launchers. Later, the class of strategic weapons was expanded to incorporate heavy bombers armed with long-range cruise missiles and gravity nuclear bombs. Some types of nuclear weapons, for instance, strategic air-launched ballistic missiles were banned. Next, there followed restrictions on nuclear warheads deployed on delivery vehicles and then their reductions. A total ban was applied to ground-based intermediate- and shorter-range cruise missiles. An attempt was made to outlaw ICBMs with multiple warheads. Each clause of the concluded treaties was scrutinized by the expert community and drew worldwide interest. In addition, efforts were made to develop a mechanism to verify compliance with the assumed commitments. The first Soviet-U.S. agreements SALT-1 (1972) and SALT-2 (1979) assigned the control function to national technical means of verificationintelligence satellites. The contracting parties pledged to refrain from creating impediments to their operation. Also, the signatories undertook not to use deliberate concealment measures which impede verification by national technical means of compliance. In the next agreementsthe INF Treaty (of 1987) and, particularly, START-1 (1991) a comprehensive system of control and verification was developed and adopted. It envisaged exchanges of data (including the geographical coordinates of each ICBM silo) and various notifications and on-site inspections, which made it totally impossible to conceal even the slightest violations of these agreements. This system of verification functions within the framework of the still effective Russian-U.S. New START, concluded in 2010. It is hard to imagine a hypothetical agreement with China not including compliance verification procedures. And it is very unlikely that the system of verification in such an agreement will be soft, as was the case with the one established under the earlier SALT-1 and SALT-2 treaties. On the contrary, as follows from statements by U.S. officials, the United States is determined to pay the closest attention to the verification and control of compliance with all future agreements. U.S. Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Christopher Ford has made an explicit statement on this score. Even if such an agreement does not impose any obligations on China, requiring reduction of its nuclear potential, Beijing will be expected to provide exhaustive information about its nuclear weapons and deployment sites. Also, China will have to give up measures to conceal its nuclear forces, change the locations of mobile missile systems and allow foreign inspectors to visit classified facilities (including the Underground Great Wall of China) in order to confirm that the provided information is correct and proper action has been taken under assumed commitments. Besides, China will have to notify other signatories of the commissioning of new nuclear weapons and withdrawal from operational duty or elimination of older systems, the redeployment of weapons, etc. All these measures will make it possible to keep under full control Chinas nuclear potential and nuclear arms delivery vehicles. These measures, understandable from the standpoint of an arms control treaty, may have truly disastrous effects on Chinas entire official nuclear policy. Information disclosure and control measures would make Chinas nuclear arsenal totally vulnerable to a first nuclear strike and partially to a non-nuclear strike. A potential aggressor, possessing a considerable advantage in nuclear weapons and full information about the deployment sites, will have a guaranteed capability to destroy the adversarys entire nuclear potential. Theoretically, it would spend far more nuclear weapons than the victim of the aggression (in this particular case, China) would lose, but still retain an enormous attack potential. In a situation like this, there will be no weapons available to deliver a retaliatory strike. All this will mean that Chinas declared no-first-use policy will lose credibility. In other words, it will turn into a propaganda slogan, with no real resources to rely on to implement this policy in practice. Apparently, it is precisely these considerations that are behind Chinas refusal to participate in nuclear arms control talks, and they will remain in place at least until the strategic situation in this field undergoes fundamental change. One of the most important conditions for China to enter into such negotiations (it says so openly) is further reduction of nuclear arsenals by Russia and the United States to levels comparable with Chinas potential. As it has been already stated, this condition, described as a political one, has fundamental strategic, military and technical grounds. LIKELY CONSEQUENCES OF CHINAS PARTICIPATION IN A NUCLEAR ARMS CONTROL TREATY As has been said above, Chinas consent to enter into nuclear arms control negotiations and conclusion of a corresponding agreement will be unlikely in the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, it is worth pondering on what decisions in the military and political field the Chinese leadership may adopt if it has to give in to U.S. pressure. One of the most important decisions is, to my mind, the possibility of China remaining committed to the no-first-use principle. Currently, this principle is ensured not so much by the quantitative parameters of Chinas nuclear arsenal, but as its stealthy deployment, concealment measures, and refusal to provide relevant information. In order to retain a retaliatory strike potential in a situation where the information about the deployment sites of Chinas nuclear forces has been disclosed while the amount of nuclear arms available remains considerably inferior to those of the partner or partners, China will have to exert major efforts to ensure the invulnerability of at least some of them. Doing this will be impossible without a major buildup of the nuclear potential, above all, of the least vulnerable strategic systems (mobile ICBMs and SLBMs). All of this will require considerable expenses and time. Even if the work on a new treaty takes two or three, or even five years, one can hardly expect any considerable changes in the quantitative and qualitative structure of Chinas nuclear forces by the moment this work is finalized. The problem of strategic nuclear forces vulnerability may theoretically be resolved (at least to a certain extent) by developing and deploying missile defenses around deployment sites. But this would entail heavy spending, too. Also, such a program can hardly be implemented within tight deadlines. The problem of greater vulnerability of Chinas strategic nuclear forces can also be resolved by adopting the launch-under-attack concept or launch on warning concept. Their adoption might be considered, although with great reservations, to conform to the no-first-use principle, but in this case it will be essential to build a warning system based on early warning satellites and radars. However, still there will be no guarantees that such a system will be able to issue a timely notification to the military and political leadership of a missile attack against China, if such a strike is carried out with U.S. SLBMs having short flight-in time and counterforce capability. Under such a scenario Chinas strategic forces will have to remain on high alert all the time. This means that China will be forced to give up keeping missile warheads in store separately and to deploy them on strategic delivery vehicles, thus demonstrating its readiness for instant retaliation in case of an attack warning. The above arguments prompt the conclusion that China, if it agrees to the drafting and signing a nuclear arms control treaty, will certainly have to depart from the principle of no-first-use of nuclear weapons, with all the ensuing negative consequences. This may also trigger an enhanced arms race and induce China to adopt more aggressive nuclear arms concepts. It is nakedly clear that China finds it far easier to refuse to hold nuclear arms control talks than address the adverse military and strategic effects its participation in such an international agreement is bound to entail. In this situation the United States should give more thought to its policy of engaging China in nuclear arms control talks and focus on Russian-U.S. strategic relations, including the prolongation of the New START without any linkages and preconditions. As far as Russia is concerned, its current policy of avoiding pressure on China to make it engage in nuclear arms talks looks reasonable. From the political standpointalongside with other considerationsa trilateral agreement would mean that Russia officially regards China, albeit formally, as a partner (if not a potential adversary), just as the United States, and that strategic relations among such parties are based on the concept of nuclear deterrence, the balance of nuclear forces, and their capabilities to deliver first and retaliatory strikes. Incidentally, Chinas participation would have the same implications for Russia. Lending this dimension to bilateral relations hardly meets the interests of the two countries. Alexander G. Savelyev, Dr. of Political Science Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Moscow, Russia Center of International Security Chief Research Fellow A new software update on the MQ-9 Reaper allows the hunter-killer drone to carry eight AGM-114 Hellfire missiles -- double its usual capacity, according to a service release. As part of "Operational Flight Program 2409," members of the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, flew the unmanned autonomous vehicle earlier this month with the increased payload. The MQ-9 typically carries four Hellfires under its wings. Read Next: This Navy Destroyer Just Broke the All-Time Record for Consecutive Days at Sea With the upgrade, Hellfires pylons that previously were reserved for 500-lb. bombs, such as the GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition, or for fuel tanks, can now carry the additional missiles, the release said. "History has proven the MQ-9's ability to provide aerial continuity and attack support for air and ground forces during counter-insurgency and Close Air Support," Lt. Col. Michael Chmielewski, commander of the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron, said in the release. "Doubling the firepower of this high-endurance aircraft with Hellfires improves the lethality and agility of the MQ-9 over many combat roles, with an arsenal of highly versatile, accurate, and collateral-friendly weapons for all combatant commanders." The MQ-9 has a payload of 3,750 pounds and carries a combination of Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-38 JDAMs, according to the service. Master Sgt. Melvin French, Test System Configuration Manager for the program, explained that the MQ-9's weapons load remains flexible, because munitions can be swapped in and out to fit the mission. "Aside from the extra hardware required to be on-hand, no other changes are required to support this new capability and added lethality," French said in the release. The latest news follows another recent exercise in which the Air Force tested whether airmen at multiple locations could coordinate to execute the same MQ-9 sortie. The result proved that numerous airmen can operate the drone during its mission, Lt. Col. Brian Davis, commander of the 29th Attack Squadron commander at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, said in an interview last week. The Air Force used the same exercise to test whether it could use a slimmed-down profile of personnel, fuel and equipment to conduct full-scale MQ-9 operations, Davis said. That experiment was also successful. "I can now take my capability and move it," Davis said Sept. 21. "At the same time, I can reach back to other locations around the world and continue to move my operation all within the same sortie. We are flying this operation ... from here at Point Mugu, and we're also flying it from other bases, all in the same sortie." During the exercise, "Agile Reaper," the MQ-9 conducted combat search and rescue; maritime strike coordination and reconnaissance; and other missions, over the Navy's Pacific ranges. "We're testing other Navy assets and Air Force assets out to strike simulated enemy vessels," Davis said. "We're conducting maritime close-air support for amphibious assaults out over San Clemente Island off the coast here, demonstrating that we can do that over any other island, whether it be the South China Sea, the Black Sea or any other adversary location that we might get into." In the Reaper exercise, the Air Force provided the Navy with targeting data "in order to synchronize joint effects across multiple domains," he said, without disclosing more information. David added, "We can put this operation literally anywhere in the world in a very rapid timeframe well inside of enemy targeting cycles." Commanders have been expanding the MQ-9's mission set since 2017. Chmielewski said in the release that increased firepower would help better defend isolated personnel in any environment around the globe. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: Air Force Tests Ability to Team Up Operators in Different Locations for Single Drone Sortie Ontario reported 625 new cases of COVID-19 amid warnings the province is on track for 1,000 daily in a couple of weeks surpassing the recent high of 700 depending on the impact of recent restrictions including shorter hours for bars and restaurants. The next targets could be trouble spots for transmission such as banquet halls, indoor group fitness classes and workplaces with lax attitudes on allowing employees to come to work sick or to skip quarantines, chief medical officer Dr. David Williams said Wednesday. We need to tighten the beltsor were going to see a lot more cases, he told a briefing at Queens Park. Cases are doubling every 10 to 12 days, top provincial health officials said in presenting new computer modelling on the likely trajectory of the pandemic which shows Ontario on the same path as neighbouring Michigan and the Australian state of Victoria, where an overnight curfew starting at 8 p.m. was enacted for Melbourne. We are starting to see that sharp upward curve, said Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Premier Doug Ford said his cabinet is discussing the provinces next moves to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus because of the deeply concerning projection, but added we arent rolling back today as opposition parties called for quicker action. If these numbers keep rising well see 200 to 300 patients in ICU (intensive care) beds per day. Folks, we have to work together to turn the tide in this fight, the premier acknowledged after four deaths were reported for the second day in a row. While the province is waiting a few more days to gauge the effect of shuttering strip joints and ordering earlier closures for bars and restaurants along with a Sept. 19 reduction in the maximum size of public gatherings to 10 indoors and 25 outdoors, were going to start looking at other venues that are a problem, said Williams. Some banquet halls and workplaces are being less than stringent on enforcing guidelines such as crowd limits, mask wearing, physical distancing and staying home when sick, he added, with group fitness classes a problem because people are breathing hard, working hard in close quarters. The briefing followed Mondays spike to 700 new cases and another 554 Tuesday in a September surge that has seen daily infections rise from around 100 daily through August, raising concerns about how long schools will be able to remain open with cases rising in classrooms as well. The Ontario Hospital Association, along with a number of doctors and epidemiologists have called on the government to take stricter measures before the spread of COVID-19 gets further out of hand, warning hospitals could eventually be swamped. The OHA, for example, is pushing for a return to Stage 2 in urban hot spots like Toronto. While the trend has been for the majority of cases in people under 40, that growth is helping to spread the highly contagious in older age groups more likely to require medical care and hospitalization, provincial officials said. They cautioned that could limit the capacity to perform surgeries and other procedures backlogged from the first wave. We have seen this same pattern play out in Florida, France, Spain, University of Toronto epidemiologist Dr. David Fisman said on social media. You need leadership that understands these patterns and has the political courage to act when things dont yet look horrible. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath echoed that, saying we need to do it now. Ford and Williams said they are aiming for targeted actions based on provincial and local data to avoid widespread shutdowns unless absolutely necessary. You have to measure the impacts on peoples livelihoods, Ford told reporters. Ontario Health chief executive Matthew Anderson said several regions in the province outside larger cities have no or very few new cases, whereas hot spots like Peel and Ottawa are in situations where three per cent of people being tested are positive for COVID-19. Fisman said four per cent of people in their 20s being tested are positive. The governments fall preparedness plan released Wednesday states positivity rates should be kept below three per cent. Officials at the briefing said hospitals can remain close to normal with fewer that 150 COVID-19 patients in intensive care but capacity is increasingly limited beyond that with 350 coronavirus ICU patients making normal operations impossible, meaning surgeries have to be postponed. Hospitalizations have doubled to 150 in the last two weeks and there were 35 patients in ICU in Wednesdays daily report, including 17 on ventilators. Intensive care patients peaked just below 300 in early April before the province hit a then-high of 640 new daily cases later in the month. Another 52 cases of COVID-19 were reported in schools with the number of schools with cases rising by 32 to 282, with three schools closed temporarily. Read more about: President Akufo-Addo, has cut the sod for work to commence on the 83.5-kilometer standard gauge railway line from Kumasi to Obuasi, as part of the new Western Line being constructed. Performing the sod-cutting ceremony, on Wednesday, 30th September 2020, President Akufo-Addo noted that, by January 2017, out of the 947 kilometres of colonial narrow-gauge rail network bequeathed to the country by the colonialists, barely 10% was operational. He stated that apart from the 15 kilometre narrow gauge railway line, built between 2012 and 2017, from Sekondi to Takoradi via Kojokrom, no kilometre of the railway line had been added. Upon my assumption of office, I was determined to change this statistic, because I believed that the presence of an efficient, effective railway system was critical to the progress, prosperity and development of our nation. This led me to the decision to establish the Ministry of Railways Development, with the dynamic Hon. Joe Ghartey, Member of Parliament for Essikadu Ketan at the helm of affairs. By all accounts, this has started yielding fruits, the President said. He continued, Today's event, the cutting of the sod for the construction of the 83.5km Kumasi to Obuasi line, is a clear manifestation of the Akufo-Addo Government's policy to grow and develop the country's railway sector. It will be recalled that earlier this year, Cabinet and Parliament both approved a 500 million agreement for the construction of a new standard gauge line from Takoradi Harbour to Kojokrom, and also from Manso to Huni Valley. Once this is completed, one hundred and two kilometres (102km) of new standard-gauge railway lines would have been constructed, as part of the development of a new standard-gauge Western Line. President Akufo-Addo explained that the Western Line is critical to the successful establishment of the new bauxite and aluminum industry being promoted by the government. The Sheini and Oppon Manso iron ore deposits, which will form the basis of the imminent iron and steel industry, according to the President, require a modern railway network to transport the ore and the processed raw material. Additionally, President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that work is also progressing steadily on the Tema to Mpakadan Line, which is the first phase of the Tema to Paga section of the Ghana-Burkina Railway Interconnectivity Project. This railway line has branch lines to Sheini and Oppon Manso. The exploitation of the bauxite deposits at Atiwa, as part of the nascent bauxite and aluminum industry, will also benefit from the construction of a new railway line, he added. With the imminent commencement of construction of the Boankra Inland Port, following the approval by Parliament of a $300 million concession facility, the President stated that, since 1995, the country has been grappling with the development of the inland port. The economic viability of the Boankra Inland Project, he stressed, will be greatly enhanced by the presence of a railway line, adding that a new standard gauge railway line from Accra to Tema to Kumasi is a must, and I expect contracts to be signed for the commencement of the construction of a line from Accra to Tema towards Kumasi before the December elections. With the country's railway network has never gone beyond Kumasi, the President announced that a feasibility study and the preliminary design of a new standard gauge line, from Eduabin to Paga through Bechem, Sunyani, Techiman and Tamale, has been completed. Next week, final stakeholder holder consultations will commence, after which the processes for land acquisition will begin. Let me take the opportunity to appeal to the chiefs, who are the custodians of our land, to give their full support to this project. The economic value of all lands, where there is the development of the railway line, will be greatly enhanced, he added. In the first four years of his administration, President Akufo-Addo noted that more construction activity in the railway sector has gone on than in any period of the country's history since independence. Over the last three years and ten months, we have laid a solid foundation, which will receive an even greater impetus when Nana and the NPP get four more years to do more for you. My commitment to the development of a new modern standard railway network is unwavering, he assured. NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mexico has a mining history that goes back over 500 years and continues to be a hotbed for high-grade silver discoveries. In 2019, the Latin American country was responsible for close to 200 million ounces of silver. Junior miners who were lucky enough to gain a stake in the prolific region have continued to see promising results. Mexico is the world's top silver-producing country and offers exciting opportunities to companies like Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV:MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF), Endeavour Silver (TSX: EDR) (NYSE: EXK), SilverCrest Metals (TSX: SIL) (NYSE: SILV), MAG Silver Corp. (TSX: MAG) (NYSE: MAG), and Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX: GPR) (NYSE: GPL). Hitting Bonanza-Grade Silver in Mexico Mexico-based gold exploration company Minaurum (MGG.V) (MMRGF.QX) began drilling on its flagship Alamos silver project in Sonora, Mexico, in August 2017 and has continued to uncover exceptionally high silver grades ever since. In February 2020, Minaurum acquired historical data on the project, including mine maps, sections, and results of 40 holes (6,099 meters) drilled in multiple surface and underground exploration campaigns that occurred from the 1960s through the early 1980s. The majority of these historic drill holes cut wide widths of high-grade silver, including 4.6 meters (m) grading 2,838 grams per tonne (g/t) (82.8 oz/t) silver, 11.3m of 785 g/t (22.9 oz/t) silver, and 1.2m of 5,588 g/t (163 oz/t) silver. At the Promontorio mine, drill holes intersected mineralization over 50m below the historic mining level and indicate an aggregate 735m strike length of mineralization. The historical data indicates mining ended in mineralization, offering the potential for more silver to be discovered. On July 15, Minaurum commenced its Phase II drilling program at the Alamos project, which includes a minimum of 20,000 meters. One drill will offset the Europa-Guadalupe discovery hole, which returned 8.25m grading 1,760 g/t (57 oz/t) silver, including 2.2m grading 5,098 g/t (164 oz/t) silver, while the other drill will test targets at Promontorio, both along the vein trend and beneath the Promontorio Mine. With multiple rigs drilling 75 to 150 meter step-outs, the company anticipates to release ongoing results from the Phase II drilling program over the next 12 to 18 months. On September 24, Minaurum's first drill results came in from its Phase II program , discovering more high-grade silver with intercepts such as 3.50m of 404 g/t (13 oz/t) silver, including 1.15m of 999 g/t (32 oz/t) silver, and 6.35m of 356 g/t silver (11 oz/t), including 0.70m of 2090 g/t (67 oz/t) silver. President & CEO Darrell Rader commented, "We are encouraged by how these results from the first Phase II holes into the Europa-Guadalupe vein show a downwards increase in grade and thickness from AL20-041 and -042 to AL17-007. This trend suggests that we are in the uppermost portion of a silver shoot...Europa-Guadalupe is just one of many newly identified mineralized veins discovered through our Phase I drilling and we are simultaneously drilling the Promontorio vein. Initial Promontorio results will be released shortly." SilverCrest Metals (TSX:SIL) (NYSEAMERICAN:SILV) is another Mexico-focused miner that has continued to experience drill success at its properties. In August, the company announced additional drill results for the Babi Vista Vein at its Las Chispas Property, which is also located in Sonora, Mexico. The current drill program on the Babi Vista Vein is designed to expand and in-fill high-grade precious metal mineralization, which will be included in the updated resource for the ongoing feasibility study. The most significant result was Hole BV20-60, which intersected 1.3 meters (estimated true width) grading 634.56 g/t gold and 26,003.6 g/t silver, or 73,595 g/t silver equivalent (AgEq). Mexico Silver Miners Report Encouraging Second Quarter Financial Results During the second quarter, mining companies in Mexico were forced to temporarily shut down their mines due to the health crisis. Luckily, operations began to resume in May after the Mexican government declared mining as an essential service and most companies weren't impacted too greatly. Endeavour Silver (TSX:EDR) (NYSE:EXK) reported its Q2 2020 results on August 4, noting that despite the suspension of mining operations, the company was able to reduce its quarter-over-quarter loss thanks to improved operating performance and higher precious metals prices. In the second quarter, Endeavour reported a net loss of $3.3 million ($0.02 per share), including $2.2 million in care and maintenance costs during the mine suspension period and $1.1 million in general and administrative expenses related to the mark to market of deferred share units due to the higher share price. For MAG Silver Corp. (TSX:MAG) (NYSEAMERICAN:MAG), the temporary suspensions during COVID-19 hindered surface construction at its Juanicipio Project, a joint venture with Fresnillo. The Juanicipio Joint Venture is currently constructing and developing the surface and underground infrastructure on the project to support a 4,000 tonnes per day mining operation. Luckily, the anticipated development timetable remains unchanged, with the Juanicipio processing plant expected to be commissioned in mid-2021. Meanwhile, silver and gold producer Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX:GPR) (NYSEAMERICAN:GPL) reported record net income of $8.6 million and operating cash flow of $19.5 million for Q2 2020 despite temporary shutdowns at two of its three mines. The company also finished off the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $60.2 million, an increase from $37 million at December 31, 2019. With silver prices expected to remain elevated for the foreseeable future, it's encouraging to see silver mining companies move forward with projects and add value for shareholders. Silver market enthusiasts will likely keep their eyes on Minaurum and upcoming results from its Phase II drill program at Alamos. For more information on Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV:MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF), click here. Disclaimer: Microsmallcap.com (MSC) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. MSC owns and operates Miningnewsdaily.com. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with MSC or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by MSC are solely those of MSC and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. 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Media Contact: FN Media Group, LLC [email protected] +1(561)325-8757 SOURCE Microsmallcap.com By Trend A ceremony of sending hundreds of volunteers to the military service was held at the Azerbaijani Binagadi branch of the State Service for Mobilization and Conscription on Sept. 30, Trend reports. Young people, as well as those seeing off these young people, had a high fighting spirit. Volunteers were sent to the military units by special transport. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz SVHC resents Virtual COVID Q & A Session for Northern Berkshires BENNINGTON, Vt. Southwestern Vermont Health Care Presents Virtual COVID Q & A Session for Northern Berkshires Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) will host a free COVID webinar featuring its clinical experts for residents of Williamstown and the Northern Berkshires 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. The event will include the latest advice on travel, vaccinations, COVID and flu prevention and an interactive Q & A session with SVHC's physicians and is one of five planned region-wide throughout the month. Attendees are encouraged to register and submit their questions in advance at svhealthcare.org/Classes-Events The events are part of an annual series known as SVHC Today. SVHC's President and CEO Tom Dee will kick off each of the five events with health system updates, before passing the virtual podium to clinical experts. The panelists for each session include the hospital's chief medical officer, infectious disease physician, and primary care providers from the region. They will answer both pre-submitted and live questions. Panelists for the Williamstown event include: There's nothing more boring than watching paint dry but apparently, there's nothing more delightful than watching a man guess what color paint is being mixed on TikTok. Australian comedian Christian Hull is charming social media users with a series of videos in which he watches paint colors being mixed and, with a knack for building suspense, he enthusiastically shares his guesses for what hue the final product will be. The Melbourne resident manages to make a seemingly mundane guessing game edge-of-your-seat viewing as he expresses joy and shock over the final outcomes. Just delightful! Australian comedian Christian Hull is charming social media users with videos in which he watches paint colors being mixed Addictive: The Melbourne resident manages to make a seemingly mundane guessing game edge-of-your-seat viewing as he expresses joy and shock over the final outcomes Duet: Christian does TikToks duet with user @smittenkittensmittens. In a duet, one TikTok user's original video plays on the right, and a reaction video plays simultaneously on the left Must see TV! He watches as @smittenkittensmittens mixes custom paint colors and guesses what it will look like when it's done Shocker! His suspenseful narration and giddy reactions have earned him a lot of fans Viewers have fallen in love with how invested he is in the outcome and they've become invest, too Guessing what paint color is being mixed seems like a fairly easy and straight-forward game for anyone who went to kindergarten. Red and blue make purple, blue and yellow make green, and so on. But it turns out the chemistry of mixing pigments for wall paint is much more precise and can have some truly shocking results and Christian's reactions to watching it all unfold on screen has TikTok and Twitter users rolling with laughter. In his first video of the series, Christian does a TikTok duet with user @smittenkittensmittens. In a duet, one TikTok user's original video plays on the right, and a reaction video plays simultaneously on the left. 'This is my favorite game to play, you literally just guess what the final paint color's gonna be,' he says. The video shows professional paint mixing equipment, with a bucket of wall paint base slowly being filled with pigments. Science: Mixing pigments for wall paint is much more precise and can have some truly shocking results and Christian's reactions has TikTok and Twitter users rolling with laughter 'This is my favorite game to play, you literally just guess what the final paint color's gonna be,' he says Ta-da! In one video, he sees 'a little yellow, a little white, a handful of blue, and a lot of red' poured into the paint base and guesses correctly that it will be a light purple Red, blue, white, and yellow pigments pour into the bucket as Christian expresses shock that all the primary colors are being mixed together. Narrating, he guesses that that the final product will be a 'really dark brown,' as @smittenkittensmittens's video shows the bucket being sealed up and placed in a mixing machine. When the mixing is done, @smittenkittensmittensopens the paint to reveal a pretty robin's egg blue color inside prompting an hysterical laugh from Christian, who doesn't believe it. Christian has gone on to upload 11 more such videos, which have caught the attention of millions of TikTok users and millions more on Twitter. In one video, he sees 'a little yellow, a little white, a handful of blue, and a lot of red' poured into the paint base and guesses, after much agonizing, that it will turn out a light mauve and is giddy when he is proven correct. Mixing: Yet another shows 'a hint of orange, mostly mustard, and black' poured into the base, making Christian figure the result will be a 'poo brown' What!? When the paint tin is opened, though, the final color is shockingly an off-white 'I just can't stop. I can't stop!' he says in yet another video. 'This is just such an addictive game!' Yet another shows 'a hint of orange, mostly mustard, and black' poured into the base, making Christian figure the result will be a 'poo brown.' When the paint tin is opened, though, the final color is shockingly an off-white. 'I just can't stop. I can't stop!' he says in yet another video. 'This is just such an addictive game!' In this one, he sees black, white, yellow, and mustard dye added to the mixture and guesses it's making pastel yellow. Again, though, he's caught off-guard to see a bright neon green when the can is opened. 'Every time it comes out, it just hasn't made any sense,' he says. What will it be? In another, he sees black, white, yellow, and mustard dye added to the mixture and guesses it's making pastel yellow 'Every time it comes out, it just hasn't made any sense,' he says Who could've guessed! He's caught off-guard to see a bright neon green when the can is opened Viral: Commenters have found the videos funny and charming, calling the videos 'delightful,' 'sooo funny,' and 'the most satisfying thing I've seen in weeks' Well done! He guessed the blue color of this paint pretty well Commenters have found the videos funny and charming, with Vox editor Rebecca Jennings saying her 'main source of joy is this guy who frantically guesses what color the paint is going to be.' 'He seems so emotionally engaged with it!' tweeted Verge editor Russell Brandom. 'I went from completely disinterested to fully invested in what this paint was going to look like so fast. this guy is amazing,' added writer Jake Cohen. Others called the videos 'delightful,' 'sooo funny,' and 'the most satisfying thing I've seen in weeks.' Oregons top transparency official resigned Tuesday, after clashing with the state board she chairs over its efforts to make her office more independent from the governor. In a resignation letter obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive, Public Records Advocate Becky Chiao wrote that a disagreement has arisen between me and at least one esteemed member of the Public Records Advisory Council regarding my actions. Rather than distract the group with a debate about this disagreement, after serious soul searching, I agree that my continued service in this role is not in the public interest. Gov. Ned Lamont on Wednesday called for the Trump administration to declare a major disaster from the damage caused by Tropical Storm Isaias in early August. In a letter to President Donald Trump, the governor asked for federal assistance for all eight counties and the states two tribal nations. The letter also asks to implement the Federal Emergency Management Agencys hazard mitigation grant program, which provides funds to prepare for future disasters. Lamonts letter provides a high-level view of the full scope of damage caused by the tropical storm, which tore through the state on Aug. 4. Across the state, damaging wind and rain from Isaias resulted in more than 750,000 power outages, some lasting for up to a week, the letter said. More than 600 roads were blocked, with winds dropping around 8,800 trees. The damage was made worse in some areas by microbursts or local wind rotations that added 10 to 20 mph to the wind speeds. Several areas received tornado warnings, and officials later confirmed a waterspout struck Westport. During the storm, state police responded to 5,200 calls for service, with 246 motor vehicle accidents, according to state police. The storm cut power to 75 long-term care facilities along with five state police troops and a major crime squad facility. State police Troop As dispatch center also went down, forcing that state police troop and another local dispatch center in the town of Thomaston had to have calls rerouted to another troop, the letter said. During relief efforts, 387,381 bottles of water and more than 45,940 meals-ready-to-eat were distributed, Lamonts letter said. Tropical Storm Isaias came through Connecticut fast and created an impact that is taking weeks to repair, Lamont said Wednesday in a prepared statement. If approved, this federal declaration will allow many municipalities in our state to become eligible for much-needed cost reimbursements as they continue to fix damaged infrastructure from the storm. President Donald Trump, in need of another dose of fear to keep his sputtering reelection bid afloat, is now, officially, throwing the kitchen sink of chauvinism at American voters: casually rehashing racist tropes directed at suburban women, a nod to white supremacists, tough-guy law and order calls from the cheap seats for whomever that works for, andwhat else?ICE raids! Were talking too much about the deadly pandemic that flourished under Trumps leadershiplets get the wall back in play. To make that happen, the Trump administration is going to use American taxpayer dollars and is planning a series of immigration enforcement operations in so-called sanctuary cities, the Washington Post reports, with such sanctuary ops starting as soon as this week in California. The publicity stunt would then move to swing statesDenver and Philadelphiaofficials told the Post, with the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, slated to tag along on the ground to help focus the spotlight on the stunt. Of those three American cities, you can bet Wolf will pop up in the one located in Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Upping the pressure on sanctuary cities ahead of the election has been floated around the Trump administration, but the idea was put on hold in the spring due to the coronavirus, which resulted in far fewer Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and arrests. But that could be about to change. Trump has inveighed against sanctuary jurisdictions throughout his presidency, and he has expanded those attacks to include Democratic mayors in cities convulsed by racial justice demonstrations and sporadic rioting after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the Post notes. The immigration operation would sync with two themes of Trumps reelection campaign: his crackdown on immigration and his push to vilify cities led by Democrats, whom he blames for crime and violence. While extraordinary in its cravenness, it doesnt seem that unusual for a president who held his party convention at the White House, contrary to American political norms and literal laws. Even the Trump administration admitted the operation is, essentially, a last-minute political play. Two officials with knowledge of plans for the sanctuary op described it as more of a political messaging campaign than a major ICE operation, noting that the agency already concentrates on immigration violators with criminal records and routinely arrests them without much fanfare, the Post reports. Expect a sudden surge of fanfare. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 08:56:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Liverpool confirmed on Tuesday that Spain international midfielder Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for the coronavirus. Thiago joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich earlier in September and although he made his debut against Chelsea eight days ago, he missed Monday night's 3-1 win at home to Arsenal. Liverpool issued a statement saying he has "tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines." "The club has, and will continue to, follow all protocols relating to Covid-19 and Thiago will remain in self-isolation for the required period of time," informed the club. The news means Thiago will also miss Spain's forthcoming international games, which see them play a friendly in Portugal on October 7, and UEFA Nations League games at home to Switzerland on September 10 and away to the Ukraine three days later. Enditem The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a Swedish national living in Thailand with conducting a multi-million dollar online offering fraud that victimized thousands of retail investors worldwide, including hundreds of investors from the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Loss communities. The SEC's complaint alleges that from November 2012 to June 2019, Roger Nils-Jonas Karlsson, through his entity, Eastern Metal Securities, defrauded over 2,000 retail investors in nearly every state in the United States, as well as in over 45 countries around the world. According to the complaint, Karlsson solicited investors for what he described as a "Pre Funded Reversed Pension Plan," falsely claiming that the investment platform was run by award-winning economists and promising a payout based on the value of gold. Karlsson allegedly claimed that the investment had no risk of loss. At least 847 of the investors were members of a community for the Deaf that invested more than $2 million in Eastern Metal Securities since 2015 as their retirement investment. The SEC alleges that Karlsson raised $3.5 million from December 2017 through June 2019, and misappropriated at least $1.5 million to purchase real estate in Thailand and for other personal expenses. The SEC alleges that Karlsson violated the registration provisions of Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act of 1933 and the antifraud provisions of 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5(a) and 10b-5(c) thereunder, and seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. This matter was investigated by Karen M. Lee, John C. Lehmann, Jordan Baker, and Thomas P. Smith, Jr. of the SEC's New York Regional Office, and Mika Donlon and Charu A. Chandrasekhar of the Division of Enforcement's Retail Strategy Task Force. The litigation will be led by Richard Hong, and the case is being supervised by Sanjay Wadhwa, both of the SEC's New York Regional Office. The Retail Strategy Task Force encourages investors in the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Loss communities to learn more about how to spot frauds in their communities and how to protect themselves and others from investment fraud through the Task Force's investor outreach video for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Loss communities. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, the Internal Revenue Service, the securities and financial markets regulatory authorities in Austria, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Romania, Singapore and Thailand, and the National Bureau of Investigation of Finland. The new 2021 Hyundai Sonata is now available at Coastal Hyundai, located in Melbourne, Florida! Residents of Melbourne, Florida, and the surrounding area that are shopping for a vehicle can find all sorts of useful information to help them through the process by visiting the website of local automotive dealership Coastal Hyundai. The dealerships website is chock full of informative model research pages, competitive comparisons and more that give shoppers the details they need to make an informed buying decision and simplify the purchasing process. Recently, the new 2021 Hyundai Sonata arrived in the dealerships showroom, with several trim levels, exterior colors and more options available from which to choose. Potential buyers looking to learn about whats new in the 2021 model year version of the midsize sedan can find the details on the vehicles model research page. It highlights some of the enhancements that the automaker made to the vehicle before its release, such as the new Safe Exit Warning standard safety technology. The page also briefly touches on the automobiles new N Line trim level, a high-performance variant of the popular vehicle. Shoppers in the area looking to learn all about the new model can find all of this information and more on the dealerships website. Those looking to learn more about the 2021 Hyundai Sonata or any other vehicle the brand has to offer can find its model research page and many others at http://www.CoastalHyundai.com. Specific questions about the new midsize sedan can be directed to the sales desk at 321-499-2999. Coastal Hyundai is located at 915 New Haven Ave. in Melbourne. Reprise RecordsNeil Young will release a new archival live album and video titled Return to Greendale on November 6 that features the folk-rock legend and his frequent backing band Crazy Horse playing Young's 2003 concept album Greendale in its entirety. The concert took place in June of 2003 in Toronto during Young & Crazy Horse's tour in support of Greendale. The show featured the album's 10 songs played in sequence, with the band joined by a cast of actors who spoke lyrics during the performance. Return to Greendale will be available in multiple formats, including a deluxe box set containing a Blu-ray, two CDs and two vinyl LPs documenting the concert, as well as a DVD featuring Inside Greendale, a documentary focusing on the making of the album. Return to Greendale also will be released separately as a two-CD set, a double-LP collection and via digital formats. Inside Greendale features footage capturing Young and Crazy Horse in the studio, as well as segments from the 2003 Greendale fictional movie that brought the album to life. Greendale follows the travails of members of the Green family, who live in a small fictional California town. The story focuses on themes of environmental crisis, political corruption and the damaging aspects of capitalism. You can pre-order Return to Greendale now at Young's official online store. Here's the track list of Return to Greendale's audio discs and Blu-ray: "Falling from Above" "Double E" "Devil's Sidewalk" "Leave the Driving" "Carmichael" "Bandit" "Grandpa's Interview" "Bringin' Down Dinner" "Sun Green" "Be the Rain" By Matt Friedlander Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. MECHANICVILLE In a letter to the City Council, a former municipal employee has accused Mechanicvilles elected Commissioner of Public Works Anthony Gotti of a host of misdeeds, including using the N-word at work, making homophobic statements, drinking and fighting on the job as well as having workers allegedly provide asphalt to cover the driveway of the mayor's secretary. In the letter provided to the City Council and city Attorney Lyn Murphy, William Mahoney, who was fired on July 29, said he felt compelled to shed some light on the wrongdoings now because he was too afraid to speak up previously for fear of losing his job. In the two-page letter dated Aug. 10, Mahoney levied a long list of allegations against his former supervisor, including speaking "negatively about Black people and (using) the N word often, denigrating gay people and shaming overweight workers, and harassing and threatening co-workers. He accuses Gotti, who is also a member of the City Council, of throwing things when he gets into "yelling matches" with employees, allowing some employees to skip using the time clock, and allowing one employee to continue working after the worker allegedly failed four drug tests. Gotti, when reached on Tuesday, said he was not going to acknowledge any of this kind of nonsense. Mechanicville, like Saratoga Springs, has a commissioner form of government. That makes Gotti an elected official who also oversees a department in this case, the Department of Public Works. His term, which pays $50,000 a year according to the website SeeThroughNY, runs through 2021. Any questions I answer from this point on, Im going to have my attorney answer, said Gotti, whose attorney is John Aspland. (Aspland) is already involved in other things. I have to be careful how that comes out. Im not going to dignify the allegations. City Attorney Murphy said she was aware of the letter but declined to comment. Aspland did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mayor Dennis Baker said officials are "looking into it. At the city's Aug. 12 meeting, Mahoney attended and asked city officials if anything was being done. The mayor responded that the matter would be discussed in executive session. Mahoney, in a second letter to the city on Aug. 23, said he feared the city was not taking his allegations seriously. "I would like to see a written response on how you will be addressing the misconduct and a timeline," Mahoney wrote. "I have yet to be questioned nor have the employees of the DPW. This gives the impression that this is not being taken seriously. ... I feel that this is falling to the wayside." On Wednesday, Mahoney said he had a recent 15-minute discussion about his allegations with Murphy, who is also an attorney for the town of Halfmoon. He said he was told at that time that other DPW employees would be interviewed. "Everything in the letter is true," Mahoney said. "Something needs to be done." In recent years, Mechanicville has been plagued by city leaders accusing each other of wrongdoing. Last year, Gotti accused then-Commissioner of Accounts Kimberly Dunn of filing an $86,000 insurance claim for flooding in the Senior Center, which he said could have easily been fixed by his department. Dunn was also accused by former city Attorney Val Serbalik of not fulfilling a Freedom of Information Law request. She, in turn, blamed his poor counsel. Serbalik took the city to court and won. In 2018, the city's police department filed a complaint against the mayor, accusing him of "name calling, barging in on crime scenes, demanding issuance of more tickets and threatening to shut down the entire department." The mayor and the department settled their differences by signing an agreement in which the mayor promised to not interrupt day-to-day operations by giving direction to individual officers. As part of the current allegations, Mahoney says Gotti the only Democrat on the City Council gave city asphalt to the mayors secretary, Gina Kenyon, for her driveway on Warsaw Avenue last spring. Kenyon on Tuesday would not confirm or deny the allegation, noting there is "an investigation being done." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. James Eacker, whose home backs up to Kenyon's two Warsaw Avenue properties, said he saw city workers paving the road and noticed a wheelbarrow of asphalt being carried to Kenyon's properties where her driveways were patched in areas near her back patio. He said he has photos that he shared with the city attorney, who interviewed Eacker on Sept. 11 about the incident. On Wednesday, Eacker said he brought up the issue with city officials because "there are principles involved." Commissioner of Accounts Mark Seber, who serves on the council with Gotti, declined to comment on the matter. Commissioner of Public Safety Barbara McGuire, who is also a City Council member, and Deputy Commissioner of Finance Amanda Proper, who is heading the finance department while the commissioner's seat is vacant, could not be reached for comment. Mahoney explained in his letter that he was fired for tardiness, but said when he started at the DPW on March 16 he was told coming in around 7:05-7:10 having coffee, then getting to work was perfectly acceptable. I did not think anything of it since this seemed to be the norm for Gotti and my co-workers," he wrote. When he was notified about his firing, Mahoney said he had a three-hour meeting with Gotti in which he was told that the commissioner "just wanted to fire me before I was protected by the union. Mahoney also alleges that Gotti keeps a flask of cognac at the Mechanicville Reservoir that he wanted Mahoney to enjoy. Mahoney said he rejected the offer but Gotti insisted, so he took the flask and poured it out after Gotti left. He alleges Gotti also offered to get him some steroids from his guy and that the commissioner, whom he alleges keeps a handgun and ammunition in his personal vehicle, brought his gun into the city garage. I never spoke up because Gotti made a habit of threatening the employees, stating that he is free to do as he pleases as he has already beaten lawsuits," Mahoney wrote. "I am just an average guy that needs my employment for the stability of my family and household, so I chose to keep my head down and stay quiet. A student attending Appalachian State University died after developing complications from the coronavirus, university officials said. Chad Dorrill was attending classes online and living off-campus in Boone, North Carolina, according to a statement Tuesday from Appalachian State University Chancellor Sheri Everts. The 19-year-old was diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier in September and later experienced complications from the virus, the university said. According to an account from his family, Dorrill was encouraged to return home to quarantine after he began feeling ill and later tested positive. After initially following quarantine procedures, Dorrill's doctor cleared him to return to Boone, where the university if located. However, upon returning, Dorrill experienced additional complications and was later hospitalized, the university said. "Despite generally being at lower risk for severe illness, college-age adults can become seriously ill from COVID-19," Everts said in the statement. "As we approach the halfway mark to the last day of classes for the Fall semester, we are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases in students." Appalachian State, part of the University of North Carolina system, adopted a blend of face-to-face, hybrid and online courses for the fall semester. There are currently more than 180 active Covid-19 cases among students and employees at Appalachian State as of Wednesday, according to the university's dashboard. More than 600 students, employees and subcontractors have tested positive since March when the university began keeping track of cases. "All of us must remain vigilant with our safety behaviors wherever we are in our community. We can flatten the curve, but to do so, we must persevere," Everts said. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill canceled in-person classes in mid-August, only a week into its fall semester, after the percentage of total coronavirus tests returning positive spiked and the university ran low on quarantine space. "Most students" who had tested positive have experienced just "moderate" symptoms, according to the university. "Chad's family asked that this moment stand as a stark reminder of how Covid-19 is deadly serious for all of us, even for otherwise healthy young adults. We have a heightened duty to one another in these extraordinarily trying times, and we all need to remain vigilant," UNC system President Peter Hans said in a statement Tuesday. Dorrill is among the few college students who have reportedly died from the coronavirus since classes resumed this fall. However, tracking the number of students who have tested positive or died from the virus at universities has been difficult. Many institutions adopt different measures of reporting cases. A New York Times database last updated Friday has found more than 130,000 coronavirus cases and at least 70 deaths on college campuses since the beginning of the pandemic, though that number is likely an undercount. Most of the deaths occurred in the spring as the virus was sweeping through the country, and most of the deaths were employees, according to the database. In July, Penn State University announced that Juan Garcia, a 21-year-old student, had died from respiratory failure and Covid-19. The Times also reported earlier this month that Jamain Stephens, a student at California University of Pennsylvania, died of a blood clot after being admitted to the hospital with Covid-19 and pneumonia. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn't respond to a CNBC inquiry about the number of university students who have been hospitalized or have died from Covid-19. Younger people are less likely to develop serious illness and die from the coronavirus, though underlying health conditions like diabetes or hypertension can increase someone's risk for hospitalization, according to the CDC. (Natural News) Researchers at the China Medical University in Taiwan and the University of Chicago discussed the theory of Chinese medicine and its application in the treatment of acute and critical medical conditions, including epidemics. Their review was published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. In developed nations and Eastern countries, western medicine is routinely used for treatment while traditional medicine is only used by a select few as a complement to modern medicines. But research shows Chinese medicine can also be an effective treatment for chronic diseases, especially in cases when western medicine fails to produce the desired results. Many studies have also demonstrated how Chinese medicine can be useful in the management of acute and critical illnesses. Chinese medicine has a holistic view of the human body and emphasizes individualization based on body balance and mind-body interactions. Some of the most frequently employed therapies in Chinese medicine are herbal medicines and acupuncture. The researchers explored the use of this ancient therapy as a complementary medicine in modern times, particularly for the management of serious medical conditions, such as SARS, acute heart diseases and ischemic cerebral stroke. The researchers also believe that well-designed controlled clinical trials are urgently needed to prove the safety and effectiveness of Chinese medicine, as well as to promote its application. Journal Reference: Luo Y, Wang CZ, Hesse-Fong J, Lin JG, Yuan CS. APPLICATION OF CHINESE MEDICINE IN ACUTE AND CRITICAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2019;47(06):12231235. DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x19500629 WASHINGTON President Donald Trump unleashed a torrent of fabrications and fear-mongering in a belligerent debate with Joe Biden, at one point claiming the U.S. death toll would have been 10 times higher under the Democrat because he wanted open borders in the pandemic. Biden preached no such thing. Trump barreled into the debate Tuesday night as unconstrained by the facts as at his rallies, but this time having his campaign opponent and frequently the Fox News moderator, Chris Wallace, calling him out in real time, or trying. Biden stumbled on the record at times as the angry words flew from both men on the Cleveland stage. A look at how some of their statements from Cleveland stack up with the facts in the first of three scheduled presidential debates for the Nov. 3 election: VIRUS DEATH TOLL TRUMP, addressing Biden on U.S. deaths from COVID-19: If you were here, it wouldnt be 200,000 people, it would be 2 million people. You didnt want me to ban China, which was heavily infected. ... If we would have listened to you, the country would have been left wide open. THE FACTS: The audacious claim that Biden as president would have seen 2 million deaths rests on a false accusation. Biden never came out against Trumps decision to restrict travel from China. Biden was slow in staking a position on the matter but when he did, he supported the restrictions. Biden never counseled leaving the country wide open in the face of the pandemic. Trump repeatedly, and falsely, claims to have banned travel from China. He restricted it. The U.S. restrictions that took effect Feb. 2 continued to allow travel to the U.S. from the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macao. The Associated Press reported that more than 8,000 Chinese and foreign nationals based in the two locales entered the U.S. in the first three months after the travel restrictions were imposed. Additionally, more than 27,000 Americans returned from mainland China in the first month after the restrictions took effect. U.S. officials lost track of more than 1,600 of them who were supposed to be monitored for virus exposure. Dozens of countries took similar steps to control travel from hot spots before or around the same time the U.S. did. PROTESTS TRUMP: The (Portland, Oregon) sheriff just came out today and he said I support President Trump. THE FACTS: That is false. The sheriff of Multnomah County, Oregon where Portland is located said he does not support Trump. The sheriff, Mike Resse, tweeted, As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him. Portland has been a flashpoint in the debate over racial injustice protests in the U.S. Police and federal agents have repeatedly clashed with demonstrators gathered outside the downtown federal courthouse and police buildings. Some protesters have thrown bricks, rocks and other projectiles at officers. Police and federal agents responded by firing tear gas, rubber bullets and other non-lethal ammunition to disperse the crowds. ___ BIDEN: There was a peaceful protest in front of the White House. What did he do? He came out of his bunker, had the military do tear gas. THE FACTS: It was law enforcement, not the military, that used chemical irritants to forcefully remove peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square outside the White House on June 1. And there is no evidence Trump was inside a bunker in the White House as that happened. Secret Service agents had rushed Trump to a White House bunker days earlier as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. HEALTH CARE TRUMP: Drug prices will be coming down 80 or 90%. THE FACTS: Thats a promise, not a reality, and its a big stretch. Trump has been unable to get legislation to lower drug prices through Congress. Major regulatory actions from his administration are still in the works, and are likely to be challenged in court. Theres no plan on the horizon that would lower drug prices as dramatically as Trump claims. Prescription drug price inflation has been low and slow during the Trump years, but it hasnt made a U-turn and sped off in the other direction. Prices have seesawed from year to year. Looking back at the totality of Trumps term, from January 2017, when he was inaugurated, to the latest data from August 2020, drug prices went up 3.6%, according to an analysis by economist Paul Hughes-Cromwick of Altarum, a nonprofit research and consulting organization. Hughes-Cromwick looked at figures from the governments Bureau of Labor Statistics, which measures prices for a set of prescription medicines, including generics and branded drugs. When comparing prices in 2019 with a year earlier, there indeed was a decline. Prices dropped by 0.2% in 2019, a turnabout not seen since the 1970s. But thats nowhere near close to 80% or 90%. From August of last year to this August, prices rose by 1.4%. VIRUS RESPONSE TRUMP: Dr. Anthony Fauci said very strongly, masks are not good. Then he changed his mind, he said, masks, good. THE FACTS: He is skirting crucial context. Trump is telling the story in a way that leaves out key lessons learned as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, raising doubts about the credibility of public health advice. Early on in the outbreak, a number of public health officials urged everyday people not to use masks, fearing a run on already short supplies of personal protective equipment needed by doctors and nurses in hospitals. But that changed as the highly contagious nature of the coronavirus became clear, as well as the fact that it can be spread by tiny droplets breathed into the air by people who may not display any symptoms. Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, along with Dr. Robert Redfield of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Stephen Hahn of the Food and Drug Administration and Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House coronavirus task force, all agree on the importance of wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Redfield has repeatedly said it could be as effective as a vaccine if people took that advice to heart. ___ TRUMP, on coronavirus and his campaign rallies: So far we have had no problem whatsoever. Its outside, thats a big difference according to the experts. We have tremendous crowds. THE FACTS: Thats not correct. Trump held an indoor rally in Tulsa in late June, drawing both thousands of participants and large protests. The Tulsa City-County Health Department director said the rally likely contributed to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases there. By the first week of July, Tulsa County was confirming more than 200 new daily cases, setting record highs. Thats more than twice the number the week before the rally. ___ TRUMP, addressing Biden: You didnt do very well on the swine flu. H1N1. You were a disaster. THE FACTS: Trump frequently distorts what happened in the pandemic of 2009, which killed far fewer people in the United States than the coronavirus is killing now. For starters, Biden as vice president wasnt running the federal response. And that response was faster out of the gate than when COVID-19 came to the U.S. Then, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions flu surveillance network sounded the alarm after two children in California became the first people diagnosed with the new flu strain in this country. About two weeks later, the Obama administration declared a public health emergency against H1N1, also known as the swine flu, and the CDC began releasing anti-flu drugs from the national stockpile to help hospitals get ready. In contrast, Trump declared a state of emergency in early March, seven weeks after the first U.S. case of COVID-19 was announced, and the countrys health system struggled for months with shortages of critical supplies and testing. More than 200,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. The CDC puts the U.S. death toll from the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic at about 12,500. ECONOMY BIDEN: Trump will be the first (president) in American history to lose jobs during his presidency. THE FACTS: No, if Trump loses reelection, he would not be the first president in U.S. history to have lost jobs. That happened under Herbert Hoover, the president who lost the 1932 election to Franklin Roosevelt as the Great Depression caused massive job losses. Official jobs records only go back to 1939 and, in that period, no president has ended his term with fewer jobs than when he began. Trump appears to be on track to have lost jobs during his first term, which would make him the first to do so since Hoover. VOTING TRUMP, on the prospect of mass fraud in the vote-by-mail process: Its a rigged election. THE FACTS: He is exaggerating threats. Trumps claim is part of a months-long effort to sow doubt about the integrity of the election before its even arrived and to preemptively call into question the results. Experts have repeatedly said there are no signs of widespread fraud in mail balloting, as have the five states that relied exclusively on that system for voting even before the coronavirus pandemic. Trumps own FBI director, Chris Wray, said at a congressional hearing just last week that the bureau has not historically seen any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether its by mail or otherwise. Wray did acknowledge voter fraud at the local level from time to time, but even there, Trump appeared to paint an overly dire portrait of the reality and he misstated the facts of one particular case that received substantial attention last week following an unusual Justice Department announcement. Trump said nine military ballots found discarded in a wastebasket in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, were all marked for him. Though thats consistent with an initial statement the Justice Department made, officials later revised it to say seven of the nine ballots had Trumps name. FOOTBALL TRUMP: Im the one who brought back football. By the way, I brought back Big Ten football. It was me and Im very happy to do it. THE FACTS: Better check the tape. While Trump had called for the Big Ten conference to hold its 2020 football season, he wasnt the only one. Fans, students, athletes and college towns had also urged the conference to resume play. When the Big Ten announced earlier this month that it reversed an earlier decision to cancel the season because of COVID-19, Trump tweeted his thanks: It is my great honor to have helped!!! The conference includes several large universities in states that could prove pivotal in the election, including Pennsylvania, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. SUPREME COURT BIDEN, on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett: She thinks that the Affordable Care Act is not constitutional. THE FACTS: Thats not right. Biden is talking about Trumps pick to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett has been critical of the Obama-era law and the court decisions that have upheld it, but she has never said its not constitutional. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case Nov. 10, and the Trump administration is asking the high court to rule the law unconstitutional. DELAWARE STATE TRUMP: You said you went to Delaware State, but you forgot the name of your college. You didnt go to Delaware State. ... Theres nothing smart about you, Joe. THE FACTS: Trump is quoting Biden out of context. The former vice president, a graduate of the University of Delaware, did not say he attended Delaware State University but was making a broader point about his longstanding ties to the Black community. Trump is referring to remarks Biden often says on the campaign, typically when speaking to Black audiences, that he goes way back with HBCUs, or historically Black universities and colleges. Biden has spoken many times over the years at Delaware State, a public HBCU in his home state, and the school says thats where he first announced his bid for the Senate his political start. I got started out of an HBCU, Delaware State now, I dont want to hear anything negative about Delaware State, Biden told a town hall in Florence, South Carolina, in October 2019. Theyre my folks. Biden often touts his deep political ties to the Black community, occasionally saying he grew up politically or got started politically in the Black church. In front of some audiences, hes omitted the word politically, but still with a clear context about his larger point. The statements are all part of standard section of his stump speech noting that Delaware has the eighth largest Black population by percentage. A spokesman for the Delaware State University, Carlos Holmes, has said it took Bidens comments to refer to his political start, saying Biden announced his bid for the U.S. Senate on the DSU campus in 1972. Bidens broader point is pushback on the idea that hes a Johnny-come-lately with the Black community or that his political connections there are owed only to being Barack Obamas vice president. CRIME BIDEN: The fact of the matter is violent crime went down 17%, 15%, in our administration. THE FACTS: Thats overstating it. Overall, the number of violent crimes fell roughly 10% from 2008, the year before Biden took office as vice president, to 2016, his last full year in the office, according to data from the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting program. But the number of violent crimes was spiking again during Obama and Bidens final two years in office, increasing by 8% from 2014 to 2016. More people were slain across the U.S. in 2016, for example, than at any other point under the Obama administration. ___ TRUMP: If you look at whats going on in Chicago, where 53 people were shot and eight died. If you look at New York where its going up like nobodys ever seen anything the numbers are going up 100, 150, 200%, crime, its crazy whats going on. THE FACTS: Not quite. The statistics in Chicago are true, but those numbers are only a small snapshot of crime in the city and the United States, and his strategy is highlighting how data can be easily molded to suit the moment. As for New York, Trump may have been talking about shootings. They are up in New York by about 93% so far this year, but overall crime is down about 1.5%. Murders are up 38%, but there were 327 killings compared with 236, still low compared with years past. For example, compared with a decade ago, crime is down 10%. An FBI report released Monday for 2019 year of crime data found that violent crime has decreased over the past three years. ___ Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Colleen Long, Ellen Knickmeyer, Mark Sherman, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Bill Barrow, David Klepper, Amanda Seitz, Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker contributed to this report. Over the years I have read so many books and articles and blogs about CVs. From my practical and very hands-on experience as a Recruiter/ Headhunter (I am the owner of HIREghana), allow me to suggest at least 9 rules that your CV needs to 'obey': . 1. #Clean and #Neat #presentation. Visually messy CVs are not welcoming to read. Actually, any visually messy document is very unlikely that it would be read 2. #Perfect #grammar + #Superb #Syntax. With so many tools, it is inexcusable to have any such #Errors. I can't even think of any wordprocessing package without a spellchecking ability. If you want to be a super writer - even for business communication, may I suggest that you look at either: The Elements of Style, an American English writing style guide in numerous editions. FYI: The original was composed by William Strunk Jr. in 1918 an American English writing style guide in numerous editions. FYI: The original was composed by William Strunk Jr. in 1918 The Chicago Manual of Style, a style guide for American English published since 1906 by the University of Chicago Press. 3. There #must be #numbers and #How_Tos For example, we should expect reading the CV of a Civil Engineer, that s/he should tell us how many building s/he has constructed and of how many floors each and how they tested the structural integrity of the columns/ beams, or how many roads and their total length... Or if we were to read the CV of an HRBP person, they should tell how many employees they are supporting or have supported or how did they set up that wonderful Performance Management System. 4. #Provide #Evidence Customize your CV to #convince #beyond #doubt that you will #outperform #when (not if) they #hire you. 5. Your #CV #must #match your #seniority You are a senior executive/ CxO and you still list duties instead of #numerical #accomplishments? 6. #Language should be simple No complex words/ sentences . 7. Show #Emotion You are a Manager or HR and you talk about strategy but not about the humans that you are responsible for? #Seriously? 8. #No #Lies So easy to spot them.... Any recruiter can tell lies in a CV - don't underestimate that and don't get blacklisted. 9. #Name your #CV_file in a good way Eg "Kweku Smith, CV for IT Support Roles" . Tnx + Good Luck, . Irene . About the Author: Irene Gloria Addison is the owner of HIREghana [Human Intelligence Recruitment], a niche HRM Consultancy and a Leader Ghanaian Recruitment Agency and Executive Search firm, based in Accra. Irene welcomes your feedback/ comments/ remarks/ suggestions via your email message to Press [at ] HIREgh.com. HIREghana can be reached at +233 50 228 5155 Our website is https://hiregh.com 2020 Irene Gloria Addison and 2020 Human Intelligence Recruitment Jerusalem, Sep 30 (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah of maintaining a "secret arms depot" in a residential neighbourhood of Beirut, warning it could cause another tragic explosion in the Lebanese capital. Hezbollah denied the allegations and invited international and local media to immediately visit the site, where they found a small factory housing heavy machinery but no weapons. In an address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Netanyahu pointed to maps purportedly showing the missile depot's location next to a gas company and residential housing, not far from Beirut's international airport. He also showed what he said was a picture of the entrance to the depot. "Here's where the next explosion will take place, right here," he said. You've got to act now, you've got to protest this because if this thing explodes, it's another tragedy," Netanyahu said, addressing the Lebanese people. "You should tell them, 'Tear these depots down.' Last month, a warehouse filled with nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut's port, killing nearly 200 people, wounding thousands and causing widespread destruction in the capital. The ammonium nitrate had been stored there for several years after being removed from an impounded cargo ship. No one has yet been held accountable for the blast, which appears to have been triggered by an accidental fire. Israel has long accused Hezbollah of storing weapons and maintaining military posts in civilian areas, especially in the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon, both strongholds of support for the Iran-backed militant group. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah denied Netanyahu's allegations, insisting the group does not store missiles in civilian facilities. Whoever wants to go can go now. If Hezbollah is storing missiles in this facility, then there is not enough time to remove them, Nasrallah said in a televised address. We don't store missiles at the port or near gas facilities. We know where to store missiles. We will allow media outlets to enter the facility so that the world knows that Netanyahu is lying," he added. Dozens of reporters, including an Associated Press photographer, toured the small factory in the southern neighbourhood of Jnah on late Tuesday, where they saw large pieces of iron and steel, heavy machinery and oxygen canisters but no missiles or weapons of any kind. Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afif, who led the tour, said the facility did not belong to the militant group. You can see the missile and the missile factory behind you," he said sarcastically. We want to confirm again that all charges by the enemy are mere lies. After Netanyahu's address, the Israeli military released detailed maps showing the site in Jnah and two other alleged missile depots it said were under residential apartment blocks. It described all three as precision-guided missile manufacturing sites. The military provided precise locations of what it called weapons sites but gave no other evidence and did not say how advanced the manufacturing programme is. Israel has long warned that Hezbollah is seeking to manufacture precision-guided missiles or add guidance systems to its existing projectiles, something Israel insists is a red line that may require military action. Hezbollah is believed to have massively expanded its arsenal in the years since it fought Israel to a monthlong stalemate in 2006. Israel believes Hezbollah has tens of thousands of rockets and missiles capable of hitting virtually anywhere in Israel, but precision guidance would make them far more lethal. Netanyahu said another depot had exploded just a few days ago in the southern Lebanese village of Ain Qana, near the port city of Sidon. It is not clear what caused that explosion, which sent smoke billowing into the sky but did not cause any casualties. The Israeli prime minister usually uses his annual address to the UN to highlight Israel's concerns about archenemy Iran and its nuclear programme. And he does it in a distinctive manner. In contrast to most leaders, who typically sit behind desks or stand at podiums, he often uses visual aids such as maps and diagrams to make his points. This year, talking about potential explosions, he delivered his speech against the backdrop of a Jerusalem street scene filled with intense oranges and yellows. This year, Netanyahu said the recent decision by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to normalise relations with Israel showed that Israel and Arab countries stand together in confronting the greatest enemy of peace in the Middle East Iran. Netanyahu claimed that Iran would have enough enriched uranium in a few months for two nuclear bombs after it recently began exceeding limits set by the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Iran began publicly exceeding those limits after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the agreement and reimposed crippling sanctions on Tehran. Iran insists it has never sought nuclear weapons and that its atomic program is for civilian purposes. Netanyahu, a staunch opponent of the nuclear deal, praised Trump's decision to withdraw from it and called on the world to follow the US in snapping back sanctions. He also reiterated his willingness to negotiate peace with the Palestinians on the basis of Trump's proposal to end the conflict, which overwhelmingly favours Israel and has been rejected by the Palestinians. (Image: AP) This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. Published on 2020/09/30 | Source Korean movies opening today 2020/09/30 in Korea: "Miniforce: Hamburger Monster's Attack" and "Steel Rain 2: Summit"'s re-release Advertisement "Miniforce: Hamburger Monster's Attack" (2020) Directed by Lee Yeong-joon Synopsis Bolt, who was accidentally photographed eating hamburgers at Mr.J Burger, the best restaurant in Blue City, was selected as an advertising model for Mr.J Burger. Thanks to the video that received huge views on social media. Bolt who became a superstar overnight, quarrels with his friends on a busy schedule and eventually leaves Miniforce. In the meantime, Breaker J and an army of hamburger monsters appear to create a world that only eats hamburgers, endangering the peaceful Blue City, and the helpless Miniforce without their leader, Bolt. The mighty hamburger monster army that ruled the world! The newly upgraded Miniforce counterattack begins! "Steel Rain 2: Summit" (2019) Directed by Yang Woo-seok With Jung Woo-sung, Kwak Do-won, Yoo Yeon-seok, Angus MacFadyen , Shin Jung-keun, Ryu Soo-young,... Started filming: 2019/08/27 Synopsis "Steel Rain 2: Summit" is a futuristic film about a crisis near the brink of war after three leaders are kidnapped by a North Korean nuclear submarine in a coup d'etat during a summit between the two Koreas and the United States. Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria, Wednesday, 30th Sept 2020: Nigerian Violence: Putting The Record Straight : The Intl Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law (Intersociety) has found that violence presently ravaging and wrecking Nigeria can be categorized into at least twelve types. Intersocietys research investigation on this has become importantly necessary so as to open the eyes of all Nigerians and members of the intl Community especially the western democracies and rights and research organizations and other respected intl bodies like UN and its rights and humanitarian agencies, the EU and the Commonwealth on: who is killing who and why, how, when and where the killings in Nigeria or any part thereof. This is to counter false narratives by the Government of Nigeria which has been going about misleading and misinforming the countrys intl partners that killings in Nigeria are beyond religious (anti Christian) boundaries and that they have proportionality of victims and perpetrators, or 50-50 Muslims and Christians respectively. In other words, the Nigerian Government is saying (falsely) that there is no systematically organized violence targeted at Christians and their sacred places of worship and learning. Some intl reports have also unfortunately and disappointingly toed a similar line by muddling up the killings or by falsely tagging same farmers-herders clashes; ignoring inherent disproportional use of force between the attackers and the attacked and the Nigerian security forces cover and protection being given to the perpetrators or attacking jihadists. Unmasking Twelve Types Of Violence Ravaging Nigeria: Therefore, within the circle of violence currently ravaging Nigeria, it can be divided into twelve types, with violence against Christians taking the majority or numbering over six. The twelve types of violence presently ravaging Nigeria are: (1) violence targeted at defenseless Christians by Jihadist Muslim groups (i.e. Fulani, Boko Haram, ISWAP and Ansaru jihadists, jihadist Bandits and Muslim controlled security forces), (2) violence targeted at defenseless Judeo-Christians (I.e. pro Biafra activists and neutral others) and minority Muslims (i.e. Shiites) by the countrys Muslim controlled security forces, (3) structural and cultural violence targeted at Christians by the heavily Muslim controlled Government of Nigeria, (4) violence targeted at indigenous Hausa Muslims (i.e. in Katsina, Northern Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, etc) by State backed local and foreign Fulani Jihadist Muslim groups and (5) violence against residing and traveling Nigerians particularly Christians by eco-jihadist Muslim groups or jihadist bandits and their cells. Others are (6) violence against properties targeted at Christians lands, homes and sacred places of worship and learning by Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen and other Jihadists or Jihadist groups (i.e. burning down or destruction of over 17,000 churches and Christian schools mostly in the Middle Belt (North-central) and Northeast parts of Nigeria since July 2009; with Boko Haram and ISWAP accounting for over 14,000 and Jihadist Herdsmen and others accounting for the remaining 3,000, (7) violence against Christians by Government condoned mob Muslim groups or State/security forces backed mob actions against Christians especially in the North; and (8) security forces onslaughts (violence) against defenseless Nigerians or state actor killings outside the law including crimes against humanity and war crimes; part of which are unlawful, extrajudicial and summary killings or executions and disappearances. The rest are: (9) street crimes or domestic criminal violence against general Nigerian citizens by various criminal groups including armed robbery, murder, abductions/kidnappings, arson, burglary, rape, domestic violence, cyber crimes or violence, etc, (10) intra/inter communal violence within and between Nigerian rural communities, (11) reprisal violence (acutely pocketful and constantly repelled by Muslim controlled Nigerian security Forces) by Christian victims groups against their attackers; and (12) insurgency violence against the State of Nigeria including attacks on Government facilities and killing of service personnel by terror jihadist groups like Boko Haram, Ansaru, ISWAP, terror Bandits; with the exception of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, etc. In the area of structural and cultural violence against Christians by present Nigerian Government, it involves enactment of pro Islamic laws and promotion of policies that are jihadist and antithetical to the countrys secularity status including gross lopsided composition of the countrys public security establishments and other key agencies by making them to be heavily Muslim controlled as well as condoning the atrocious acts of the Muslim Fulani jihadists against Christian populations and providing them with state cover and protection. For instance, out of 38 key federal political, legislative, judicial, justice, military, policing and paramilitary establishments and their heads in Nigeria recently identified by Intersociety, 31 are manned by Muslims while Christians were given only seven. Most of the serving Justices of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal as well as Judges of the Federal High Court appointed recently by the Government of Nigeria are heavily dominated by Muslims; likewise recent appointments made into the Federal Character Commission and the National Population Commission. In Kaduna State, all the 15 top political, legislative, judicial, justice, military and policing positions recently identified are held by Muslims; in a State with 60-40 Muslim-Christian population. In the area of violence against Nigerians by eco-cultural-jihadist Muslim groups, locally called banditry; it involves targeted abduction of residing or traveling citizens especially Christians and forcing them to pay monetary ransoms in captivity or get permanently disappeared or killed without traces. The jihadist content of the above involves targeted abduction of residing or traveling Christian citizens especially women and children. Such young Christian women are forcefully married off, converted to Islam and made sex slaves by their Islamic captors who also made them pregnant so as to bear future radical Muslim children. Christian men among them are forced to be converted to Islam or risked being killed or permanently disappeared in custody. Captured Christian children are radicalized with radical Islamic doctrines and forced into child soldiering including suicide bombing. Who Kills Who In Nigerian Violence : All the perpetrators of insurgency violence or those behind most of the violent attacks ravaging the country are members of the Nigerian Muslim Faith. In other words, till date, no insurgency group wreaking havoc in present Nigeria belongs to Christians. This is with the exception of street criminal activities like armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, cyber violence, etc where criminal citizens and entities of Christian and Muslim faiths and others are involved. The jihado-insurgency killings in the country are carefully perpetrated and perfectly executed by their perpetrators. The original targets of the attacks by all Jihadist groups in Nigeria are Christians. They also have one central objective-to Islamize, exterminate and wipe out Christians and Christianity and have the same replaced with Islamic socio-legal system and Sultanate or Caliphate modeled Islamic Government and governance. Therefore, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen holistically target and kill Christians and destroy their churches, schools and homes and take over their lands, but spare Muslims. This is the case in old Middle Belt areas of Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Christian parts of Niger State as well as Christian areas of Taraba and Adamawa States. It was also our recent finding that the motives behind the killings in Birnin Gwari and other Muslim areas of Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto are not the same with killings in the named old Middle Belt and referenced Northeast States as such killings in the named Muslim areas are eco-cultural-jihadist in nature. Which is why the victims, though Muslims, but are mostly, if not completely of indigenous Hausa Ethnic background-a sort of continuation of the 1800s Fulani Jihadism against pagan and moderate Muslim Hausa populations. Generally speaking, though the central target of Muslim insurgency killings and attacks in Nigeria are Christians and their properties and faith, but other jihadist groups such as Boko Haram, Ansaru and ISWAP also asymmetrically, disproportionally and collaterally target and kill moderate Muslims. Islamic Conversion Using Inducements: Conversion of thousands of Christians to Islam using material inducements (in some cases charms are used on young Christian women and girls) have intensified across Nigeria. Such inducements include offers of monetary cash, bags of rice and salt, water boreholes, generator plants, motorcycles and tricycles, etc. Reports of same going on have been independently reported in Christian parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, Oyo as well as in some Christian States of South-South and Southeast Nigeria. Government Is Aiding Spread Of Jihad Across Nigeria : Violence against Christians and its accompanied jihad project has spread and is still spreading southward, no thanks to its overt and covert promotion, aiding and abetting by the countrys central Government. Estimated 400 Christians have been killed in the South since 2016, out of which Southeast or mainland Igbo Nation accounted for at least 200 including the Nimbo massacre of April 2016 where not less than 48 rural Igbo Christians were massacred by jihadist Fulani Herdsmen. This year alone, not less than 35 Igbo Christians have been killed by same Government backed Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen including ten killed in Igbo part of Benue State, ten killed in Anambra and scores of others killed in other Igbo areas. In April 2018, six Igbo Christian farmers were hacked to death by the Jihadists in Anam Community in Anambra West Council Area of Anambra State. In our field survey conducted in May-July 2020, it was found that forests and bushes in not less than 400 Igbo Christian communities and villages have been forcefully occupied by the Jihadist Herdsmen through the aid of the Nigerian military. The number has risen to over 600 as at end of Sept 2020, with addition of Igbo parts of Benue and Kogi States. 33,000 Christian Lives Lost In Eleven Years (Since 2009): Since July 2009 when uprising majorly targeted at Christians by Boko Haram and Fulani jihadist groups took a center stage, over 33,000 Christians have been hacked to death and many of the over 24,000 disappeared persons since then are also Christians. While over 8,300 of the 33,000 Christian death tolls belonged to the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, a dominant church in the Boko Haram insurgency affected States of Taraba, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno, the present Government of Nigeria and its security forces also accounted for over 1000 Judeo-Christian deaths. The remaining 25,000 Christian deaths and multiple thousands of disappearances including thousands of Igbo Christians resident in the North are spread among members of other Christian denominations including Catholics, Anglicans, Pentecostals and members of ECWA and African Instituted Churches. That is to say that Boko Haram and others have killed over 16,800 (about 11,400 between July 2009 and Jan 2014 and 6,000 between Jan 2015 and Sept or end of 2020) defenseless or unprotected Christians in the past eleven years or since 2009 while Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for over 15,000 (6,000 between Jan 2009 and Dec 2014 and over 9,000 between Jan 2015 and Sept or end of 2020). Nigerian Government Killed Over 1000 Christians In 5 Years : The Nigerian Government killing of over 1000 Judeo-Christian citizens since August 2015 had included August 2015-Sept2017/August 2020 massacre of over 510 defenseless in Christian held old Eastern Nigeria; air bombing of over 236 Christian IDPs in the Northeast State of Borno in Jan 2017, another air bombing of not less than 50 rural Christians in another Northeast State of Adamawa in Dec 2017, killing of 240 detainees in 2016 at Giwa Military Barracks in Northeast State of Borno, among them were not less than 100 Christians; killing in June 2020 of 30 Tiv Christians in Taraba, and other war crimes in the Northeast. Between 1,650 & 1,700 Christians Killed In Nine Months : From our research checks, between 1,650 and 1,700 Christians were hacked to death by Muslim jihadists in Nigeria between 1st Jan 2020 and 30th Sept 2020. Further breakdown indicates that Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for as much as 1,200 Christian deaths from about 1,077 recorded in our last updates of 5th August 2020 while Boko Haram and other jihadist groups accounted for at least 450 Christian deaths. In our June 2020 updates regarding killing of Christians by Boko Haram and its allied jihadist groups, 394 Christian deaths were calculated and credited to the named jihadist groups; from over 600 defenseless Nigerians including moderate Muslims killed. Between July and 30th Sept 2020, not less than 100 civilians have been killed which included at least 50 defenseless Christians. Dozens who are mostly Christians have also been abducted and permanently disappeared or presumed killed in their captivity. The breakdown of the 1,650-1,700 defenseless Christians hacked to death by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen since Jan 2020 indicates that Southern Kaduna topped the list with 430 Christian deaths, followed by Benue 170 with deaths, Plateau 163, Niger 65, Kogi 55, Nasarawa 42, Adamawa 40, Igbo areas including Delta and Benue Igbo 35, Taraba 32, Southwest 25-30, non Igbo-Delta 20, Edo 10 and Bayelsa four. There are also at least 50 abducted and permanently disappeared Christians and a dark figure of 50; bringing the total to as much as 1,200 Christian deaths recorded in the hands of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen between 1st Jan and 30th Sept 2020. 84 Mostly Christians Abducted By Fulani Jihadists In August & Sept: Southern Kaduna and mainly Christian parts of Niger State have lost 84 mostly Christian citizens to Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen abduction between August and Sept 2020. While 53 Christians were abducted in Southern Kaduna, 31 were abducted in mainly Christian parts of Niger State. The abductees who are yet to be seen, months after being abducted, are presumed or most likely to have been killed in captivity for being Christians. Twenty Muslim Jihadist Groups Operating In Nigeria : The number of jihadist terror groups wrecking havoc in Nigeria has risen to at least 20, from three in 2015. By mid 2015, three jihadist groups were operating in Nigeria and they were Boko Haram, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Ansaru or Movement for Emancipation of Muslims in Black Africa. But today, their number has risen to not less than 20, involving: two sub terror groups within Boko Haram excluding Ansaru and ISWAP or Islamic State in West African Province. There are also Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, further divided into three sub terror groups of indigenized jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, foreign or imported jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and jihadist Shuwa Arabs. The Jihadist bandits terror group, originally named Zamfara Bandits has today split into at least 13 sub jihadist terror groups operating and terrorizing residing and traveling Christians and indigenous Hausa Muslims in Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Niger States, etc. Signed: For: Intl Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law-INTERSOCIETY Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair, Amaka Damaris Onuoha, Esq., Head, Campaign & Publicity, Chinwe Umeche, Esq., Head, Democracy & Good Governance, and Obianuju Igboeli, Esq., Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law By Hyonhee Shin and Sangmi Cha SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday expanded the search for a missing fisheries official killed by North Korean troops at sea last week, a day after North Korea accused the South of raising tension by intruding into its territorial waters. South Korea's military has accused North Korean soldiers of killing the man, dousing his body in fuel and setting it on fire near the sea border, apparently in an effort to prevent the risk of a novel coronanvirus outbreak. Officials in Seoul are calling on North Korea to agree to a joint investigation into the incident, which prompted an apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who said the killing should not have happened. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said on Monday that military hotlines with North Korea should be restored to prevent unexpected incidents. North Korea severed the inter-Korean hotlines this year as relations soured. Moon called Kim's apology "unprecedented, very rare and special" and a sign that North Korea did not want relations to worsen. He added that communication must resume to prevent future problems. As of Monday, the North had not responded to the call for a joint investigation. On Sunday, its state media issued a statement complaining that South Korea's naval operations had entered its territorial waters in the area, off the west coast of the peninsula, threatening to raise tensions. "We have never crossed the Northern Limit Line to the North's side, but there has been differences in how the two Koreas mark the waters," South Korea Coast Guard Lieutenant Lee Hong-chear said, referring to a disputed maritime demarcation that dates to the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War. At least six aircraft and 45 vessels were participating in the search, including 36 ships from the coast guard and navy, and nine boats from the fisheries ministry and private owners, Lee said. North Korea said on Sunday it was conducting its own search for the man's body, and said it was considering ways to hand it over to the South if found. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Sangmi Cha; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Robert Birsel) The agreement will enable 90% of population of Nepal to get access to Sputnik V vaccine The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russias sovereign wealth fund, and one of the leading pharmaceutical distributors in Nepal, Trinity Pharmaceuticals, have agreed to supply to the country 25 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine based on a well-studied human adenoviral vectors platform. The agreement will enable 90% of population of Nepal to get access to Sputnik V vaccine and provide countrys clinics with an anti-COVID vaccine with proven safety and efficacy. The agreement underlines that many countries recognize the importance of having a vaccine based on a human adenoviral vector platform in the coronavirus vaccine portfolio. The human adenoviral vector platform is a well-researched vaccine platform that has been proven safe over decades including through 75 international scientific publications and in more than 250 clinical trials. Clinical trials of the Russian vaccine have shown no serious adverse events, with Sputnik V generating a stable humoral and cellular immune response in 100% of participants. In contrast, vaccines based on novel platforms have yet to prove their safety and currently have no data on carcinogenicity or effects on fertility. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: Thanks to agreement with Trinity Pharmaceuticals about 90% of population of Nepal will be provided with Sputnik V vaccine. Unlike experimental vaccines based on monkey adenovirus or mRNA, Sputnik V vaccine was created on human adenoviral vectors platform, which has been studied over decades and has proven no negative effects in the long-term. We see a strong interest from other partners in Asia. In this regard, RDIF is ready to supply Sputnik V vaccine to the countries of the region as novel coronavirus infection is our common enemy which can be defeated only by joining our efforts. Kishor Adhikari, Director of Trinity Pharmaceuticals, said: We are excited to announce our cooperation with Russian Direct Investment Fund. Trinity is waiting for results of the final trial of Sputnik V. As soon as the vaccine is approved by Government of Nepal we will make it available for the population of Nepal. Recently, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was accused of sexual harassment by Payal Ghosh. The actress took to Twitter and recalled the incident that allegedly took place years ago and revealed that Kashyap forced himself on her. Now, the Mumbai Police has issued a summon to Kashyap to appear before them on Thursday at 11 am. The summon has come after Ghosh met with Union Minister Ramdas Athawale and the state governor in the last two days. The actress has demanded the arrest of the filmmaker and claimed that Mumbai police is not acting on the matter with urgency since he is an influential person. You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person. Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else. Democratic nominee Joe Biden's campaign raised $3.8 million in the best online fundraising hour of all time at the conclusion of the first presidential debate Tuesday night. 'Joe Biden spoke directly to the American people tonight and they are responding,' Biden's Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director Kate Bedingfield told reporters in a late Tuesday night call. 'We broke the single hour record for a campaign ever on ActBlue and we broke our own record and raised 3.8 million between 10 o'clock and 11 o'clock. The Cleveland, Ohio debate between Biden and President Donald Trump kicked off at 9 p.m. and wrapped up about 90 minutes later. Democratic nominee Joe Biden's presidential campaign raised $3.8 million in a one-hour span during and after Tuesday night's first presidential debate President Donald Trump (left) debates former Vice President Joe Biden (right) in Cleveland, Ohio Tuesday night Joe Biden, photographed Wednesday during his Ohio and Pennsylvania Amtrak tour, also got people to register to vote, his campaign said Tuesday night As September wraps up this week, the fresh millions will likely help Biden and the Democrats continue their fundraising advantage, which would have been unheard of earlier this year. A message to a Trump campaign spokesperson on the president's debate night fundraising numbers has so far gone unreturned. In August - the month Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris would join him on the ticket and the Democrats held their mostly virtual convention - Democratic fundraising totaled an eyeball-popping $364.5 million. In comparison, Trump and Republicans raised $210 million. CNBC reported earlier this week that the GOP and Trump are trailing the Democrats and Biden by about $140 million in cash-on-hand. For months, Trump and Republicans had the fundraising advantage as Biden battled it out with other Democrats during the spring primaries. But the former vice president had the nomination essentially wrapped up by mid-March, around the same time lockdowns began due to the coronavirus pandemic. As CNBC reported, a big reason Biden now has the advantage is because of all of his virtual campaigning, including spending hours each week fundraising via Zoom. Trump, on the other hand, has continued to host large in-person rallies - which are more expensive - and also continues to fundraise in person. For example, he stopped at his Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. for under two hours on Friday to get a fundraiser in before jetting off to Virginia, where he had scheduled an additional rally. Biden's campaign not only pointed to the fundraising haul, but said voter registration interest also ticked up during Tuesday night's presidential debate. 'You also heard the VP speak about IWillVote.com, call out IWillVote.com, that call-out led to the most concurrent users in the website's history,' she said. TUNIS - Reducing the obstacles for the development of organic agriculture and boosting the competitiveness and integration of micro, small and medium-sized companies (Msme) operating in this sector are the specific objectives of the project Organic Ecosystem, funded by the EU. Launched in Tunisia, it aims to develop the organic sector in Mediterranean countries. Six countries are interested in the project - Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, Italy, Greece and Spain - with the final aim of creating a transborder food ecosystem that strengthens the entire Mediterranean organic sector. In order to support the project, new commercial alliances will be started as well as innovative chains and specialized support for Msme to improve the quality and marketing of products and their ability to access new markets. The funding assigned to Tunisia for this project totals 276,000 euros. ''This project will be made in three years, starting in 2020, and could be further extended given the emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic'', the coordinator of the project and farmers' union representative Faouzi Zayani told Tap news agency. He added that ''this project is aimed at the organic sector whose relevance was highlighted during this period of the pandemic with the growing for healthy food''. ''Candidatures will be open in two months to farmers who want to benefit from the training provided by the program. Particular attention will be given to women farmers and young entrepreneurs, opening channels of exchange with the operators interested in organic agriculture from other countries''. In 2019, Tunisia ranked first in the world in terms of areas dedicated to organic olive tree culture with 255,000 hectares, followed by Italy with 235,000 hectares and Spain with 195,000 hectares, according to the statistics provided by the Research institute on organic agriculture (FiBL) in Switzerland and the International federation of movements of organic agriculture (Ifoam). Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:41:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Wu Xia BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- One lesson to take away from the ongoing pandemic is the fragility of human life in the face of a tiny and baffling novel coronavirus, which has already killed more than one million people worldwide. As world leaders prepare to hold the United Nations (UN) Summit on Biodiversity on Wednesday via video link, the meeting can serve as a platform for the international community to reflect on the link between humanity's destruction of biodiversity and the rise of new diseases like COVID-19, and on how the human race can better co-exist with other life forms on their shared home planet. "COVID-19 -- which emanated from the wild -- has shown how human health is intimately connected with our relationship to the natural world," UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on this year's International Day for Biological Diversity. "As we encroach on nature and deplete vital habitats, increasing numbers of species are at risk. That includes humanity and the future we want," he said. In some ways, the pandemic heralds the fall of anthropocentrism. It is time for the human race to start recognizing the value of all living things in nature and strive to build a shared future for them all. A better future for all ought to be a greener future. Thus countries worldwide should work to pivot to a sustainable development path that is not driven by pollutive fossil fuels and over-exploitation of natural resources. It is also an urgent task for the international community to jointly address such environmental issues as climate change, pollution, degradation and resource depletion. China, the host of the next UN Biodiversity Conference that will review the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, stays committed to green growth and sustainable development. Satellite data show that more than a quarter of the newly added green space in the world between 2000 and 2017 was in China, making it the largest contributor to the greening of the global landscape. In a little more than a decade, China has made itself a champion of clean energy technology, producing more solar panels and wind turbines than any other nation in the world. It is also the world's biggest manufacturer of electric vehicles. Beijing has also been consistently committed to battling climate change. Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the UN General Assembly that China will aim to peak its CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. That means China will descend from its emission peak far more rapidly than other major economies. Climate change is a cumulative problem and can only be tackled by all countries working together in good faith. The tragic fact is that the United States, the world's largest economy and also the biggest carbon polluter in history, has so far rejected an international drive to slow climate change. Instead, Washington has quit the Paris climate accord citing an alleged "unfair economic burden," while some U.S. politicians still insist that global warming is simply a hoax. Worse still, the world's sole superpower even tries to politicize environmental issues for political gains, seeking to tear the world community apart and jeopardize humanity's common cause to save the Earth. In the face of pressing environmental challenges, all nations, big and small, share a common future, and must thus share responsibility. Otherwise, the efforts of some countries will only be wasted if others refuse to act. The upcoming UN biodiversity summit offers a chance for change. World leaders must work together, not turn against each other, sharpen their consensus, come up with fresh ideas and formulate new solutions to build a better future for all life on Earth, the common home of humanity. There is no time to lose. Enditem These days it's easy to simply buy an index fund, and your returns should (roughly) match the market. But you can significantly boost your returns by picking above-average stocks. For example, the Watches of Switzerland Group plc (LON:WOSG) share price is up 19% in the last year, clearly besting the market decline of around 15% (not including dividends). That's a solid performance by our standards! Watches of Switzerland Group hasn't been listed for long, so it's still not clear if it is a long term winner. See our latest analysis for Watches of Switzerland Group In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. During the last year Watches of Switzerland Group grew its earnings per share, moving from a loss to a profit. When a company is just on the edge of profitability it can be well worth considering other metrics in order to more precisely gauge growth (and therefore understand share price movements). We think that the revenue growth of 4.8% could have some investors interested. We do see some companies suppress earnings in order to accelerate revenue growth. You can see how earnings and revenue have changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values). This free interactive report on Watches of Switzerland Group's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further. A Different Perspective Watches of Switzerland Group boasts a total shareholder return of 19% for the last year. And the share price momentum remains respectable, with a gain of 17% in the last three months. Demand for the stock from multiple parties is pushing the price higher; it could be that word is getting out about its virtues as a business. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Watches of Switzerland Group that you should be aware of. Story continues But note: Watches of Switzerland Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on GB exchanges. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. As the competition among employers for top tier talent grows ever fiercer, so does the importance placed on employee benefits. After all, why go with Company A when Company B offers an equal salary but a few extra bells and whistles? Among these benefits is a focus on employee health and well-being. A healthy workforce can mean lower stress and fewer employees calling out sick, which means increased wins for the business overall. Initiatives that place an emphasis on employee health are needed perhaps more than ever, too. Its reported that 63% of adults in the U.K. are overweight and its not much better in the United States, amounting to a problem in the billions for healthcare. Employers are taking notice of the need for robust health programs for team members and according to a survey by Society for Human Resource Management, wellness benefits increased more than any other area in 2019. Just like fashion, food, and music, wellness trends come and go and some are on the rise more than others (dont expect to see jazzercise classes in the company gym). In fact, its not so much a new focus on the physical when it comes to employee well-being, but mental, holistic, and tech approaches to health. Mental health offerings are increasing Despite technology making many aspects of our lives easier, people are more stressed today than they were a few decades ago. While this may not seem especially surprising, it has resulted in an increased focus on not just the physical health of employees, but mental health. The trend of employers offering a broader spectrum of mental health services seems to be rising with an 11 percent increase in company mindfulness programs and a 13 percent increase in on-site stress management programs. The stigma around mental health has shifted dramatically over the last few decades. Whereas mental health issues were at one-time taboo, individuals are encouraged more than ever to seek out mental health resources without fear of judgment. This has led to companies such as American Express taking an active stance with its Healthy Minds program that offers on-site counseling and emotional support services. Related: Self-Compassion Is an Essential Tool for all Entrepreneurs The increase in mental health benefits isnt going unnoticed either. According to a survey published by Aetna, 80 percent of respondents would give higher marks to an employer who offered mental health services over one that did not. A holistic approach to employee well-being Another emerging well-being trend that employers would be wise to take notice of is the holistic approach. With the workforce rapidly changing, employers must look to well-being programs that acknowledge a work/life blend over a work/life balance. Whats this mean exactly? In short, it means employers will need to construct benefits plans that address both mind and body components of an employees life. Employees are looking to their employers to help with the issues that may be unique to their particular life, such as getting out of debt, legal counsel, or becoming more involved in their community, in addition to mental and physical needs. There was this initial focus on health and fitnessphysical health, Sarah Sardella, senior director for global benefits at Akamai Technologies told the Society for Human Resource Management. Now everyone is saying What about financial wellness, emotional well-being and mental mindfulness? This is especially true when it comes to younger workers with Generation Z and Millennial employees placing higher importance on holistic employer programs than older workers. Incorporation of tech and artificial intelligence Dont act too surprised to see tech in the lineup of emerging employee well-being trends. Employees in the workforce today expect their employers to provide them with the latest technological tools and apps to keep their health in check. Whether its a device such as a Fitbit to ensure theyre hitting those daily recommended 10,000 steps or some form of telehealth to communicate with a health professional virtually. For example, the SHRM survey found that company-offered telehealth services for employees increased by 10 percent in 2019 and this is expected to increase in 2020 and 2021 with Covid. Related: Is Covid-19 a Mental Health Tipping Point? Tech is finding its way into employee well-being programs in numerous ways, from virtual clinics to companies such as Apple offering genetic testing to Silicon Valley employees. Not surprisingly, many tech companies are also incorporating AI into these programs to better predict employee needs. Peer collaboration is key for a productive team, and when employees are stressed, tired, or sick, this lags. Companies are already at work in finding ways to team up AI with HR to help reduce employee burnout. Aside from identifying employee stress, AI is also emerging as a growing resource to better manage healthcare enrollment and aid employees in selecting the optimal healthcare plan. This reduces the likelihood theyll be over-insured, which in turn, can save on company healthcare costs. The bottom line is that like with any aspect of business, employee health needs are shifting and leaders should keep up with the changes. Were likely to see these trends emerger even stronger in a post-Covid world as a greater focus is placed on keeping the workforce healthy. Related: Is Your Company Embracing These Employee Well-Being Trends? 3 Things To Know About the New Cat Que Virus Healthcare is in Turmoil, But Technology Can Save Businesses Billions Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved By Online Desk India's COVID-19 tally has crossed the 62 lakh-mark with a spike of 80,472 new cases and 1,179 deaths reported in the last 24-hours, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday. India tally stands at 62,25,764 including 9,40,441 active cases, 51,87,826 recoveries and 97,497 deaths as per Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data. The COVID-19 case fatality rate due to the coronavirus infection stands at 1.57 per cent. Meanwhile, ahead of the festive season, the Karnataka banned religious and other public gatherings across the state due to spurt in the coronavirus cases. (Natural News) Ultraviolet (UV) light is known as a health hazard to the skin and eyes, but a new study reports that a certain type of germicidal UV light can eliminate airborne coronaviruses without harming exposed human tissues. According to researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Centers Center for Radiological Research, far-UVC light, which has a lower wavelength than DNA-damaging UVA and UVB from the sun, can inactivate 99.9 percent of airborne viral pathogens in the span of 25 minutes at considerably low doses. This makes it a safe and effective disinfectant to use in public areas, where people are likely to catch infectious diseases like COVID-19, which is caused by the Wuhan coronavirus. The full article was published in the journal Scientific Reports. Far-UVC vs. UVA, UVB and UVC Prolonged exposure to UV radiation is a major risk factor for skin cancer. This natural energy is emitted by the sun, but because UV light has a shorter wavelength than visible light, it is invisible to the eyes. Despite this, the damaging effects of UV rays can easily be felt and seen, especially on the skin. Two types of UV rays are responsible for the skin damage associated with excessive sun exposure. UVA, which has a longer wavelength (320 nm to 400 nm) than UVB, is the type that causes premature skin aging. UVB, whose wavelength ranges from 280 nm to 315 nm, is the type that causes sunburn. Although UVB doesnt penetrate as deeply as UVA, it can still damage the DNA of cells that make up the outermost layer of the skin. UVA, in contrast, is responsible for the genetic damage that occurs in the innermost layer of the skin, where skin cancers usually develop. UVA also accounts for up to 95 percent of the radiation that reaches the Earth from the Sun. Another type of UV ray exists, although it is relatively less discussed. UVC, which happens to be the most damaging type of radiation due to being high-energy, only has a wavelength range of 200 nm to 280 nm. But since it is easily filtered by the atmosphere, UVC doesnt reach the Earths surface, unlike UVA and UVB. The human body has ample natural protection from UVC, so long as exposure is limited and not consistent. The layer of dead skin that covers most of the human body can absorb UVC completely and prevent it from harming live tissue. However, because UVC is readily absorbed by most organic matter, certain areas with reduced dead skin thickness may sustain extensive DNA damage upon exposure. This can easily lead to severe erythema and squamous cell cancer. On the other hand, UVCs high absorbability offers a unique advantage. The strong absorption shown by organic molecules like DNA makes UVC a powerful germicide that can destroy not only the genetic material of viruses, but also the reproductive processes of microbial pathogens, such as bacteria and fungi. In a 2017 study published in Radiation Research, Columbia University researchers discovered that a type of radiation in the UVC band can effectively kill the superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) without causing skin damage in mice. This UV light has a wavelength of 222 nm far shorter than that of conventional germicidal lamps (254 nm) and was referred to as far-UVC. Far-UVC can safely get rid of airborne viruses in public spaces The following year, the same research team led by Dr. David Brenner, a professor of radiation biophysics at Columbia University, found that far-UVC can efficiently inactivate aerosolized viruses. At a low dose of 2?mJ/cm2, the 222-nm UV light altered the surface chemistry of the H1N1 influenza virus, which hampered its ability to infect target cells. The H1N1 virus was responsible for the 2009 influenza pandemic that killed more than half a million people worldwide. In their new study, Brenner and his team tested far-UVC light against two strains of airborne human coronviruses, namely, alpha HCoV-229E and beta HCoV-OC43. They believe that inactivating viruses within a short time of their production is an effective strategy to limit airborne viral transmissions. Their experiments revealed that at substantially low doses of 1.7 and 1.2 mJ/cm2, far-UVC inactivated 99.9 percent of aerosolized coronavirus 229E and OC43, respectively. Considering the current regulatory UVC exposure limit is 3 mJ/cm2/hour, the researchers estimate that continuous far-UVC exposure at this rate in occupied public areas will result in about 95 percent viral inactivation in the span of 11 minutes, and 99.9 percent inactivation in 25 minutes. Although they were not able to test far-UVC against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the current pandemic, Brenner and his team are confident that far-UVC will be just as effective. After all, human coronaviruses have similar genomic sizes, and far-UVC has a strong absorbance in biological materials, especially those of micrometer or smaller dimensions like bacteria and viruses. While staying within current regulatory dose limits, low-dose-rate far-UVC exposure can potentially safely provide a major reduction in the ambient level of airborne coronaviruses in occupied public locations, the researchers wrote in their report. When asked how best to use far-UVC, Brenner suggests installing overhead far-UVC lights in public places. This will allow the harmless radiation to continuously kill microbes, including (potentially) the Wuhan coronavirus. (Related: A town in Germany prevented 40% of coronavirus infections by masking up.) We dont see far-UVC light as an alternative to masks and social distancing, said Brenner. We see it as a new extra weapon that we can use in the battle against COVID-19. Sources include: WakingTimes.com SkinCancer.org WHO.int HPS.org PhysicsWorld.com BioOne.org Nature.com 1 Nature.com 2 CDC.gov Britain's hotly-contested 10pm curfew will not curb the spread of coronavirus unless pubs enforce staggered leaving times, a respiratory virologist has warned. Dr Julian Tang, from the University of Leicester, urged ministers to consider making pubs, restaurants and bars adopt a rota system where tables leave at different times, to avoid tougher restrictions. This, he argued, would stop drunken crowds descending on supermarkets and off-licenses at the same time, in a quest to pick-up alcohol to carry on drinking late into the night. Dr Tang also suggested revellers in cities should do their bit by nominating a designated driver who, where possible, would take them home after a night out so they could avoid cramming onto public transport. Packed trains and buses provide the ideal environment for the coronavirus to spread due to the proximity of passengers and fact there is little ventilation of the air surrounding them. Masks can help to protect those on-board, but may not stop all the virus particles in the air from getting through. 'That's anti-curfew rebellion,' he told MailOnline, describing the hordes packing the streets after it came into force this weekend. 'If people don't listen to this the Government is going to put everyone into lockdown again. 'It's the young people that will suffer the most, it's the service jobs that are going to go first. People are being a bit short-sighted.' Pub industry chiefs have blasted the 10pm curfew as 'shambolic', after clips showed eager drinkers packing supermarkets to the rafters as they stocked up on wine, beer and spirits before continuing their night out on the street. Hundreds took to the curbside in Liverpool for a street party after their local boozers pulled down the shutters. Dozens more revellers were seen dancing the night away in Manchester, York and other cities across the UK. LONDON, OXFORD STREET: Revellers were seen piling onto the tube on Saturday with scant regard for social distancing after the 10pm curfew came into force BRISTOL: When pub's pulled the shutters down in the city hundreds were seen gathering together un-masked along its main streets on Saturday PORTSMOUTH: Supermarkets were crowded across the country after the 10pm curfew, including this Tesco Express store on Saturday Dr Julian Tang, from the University of Leicester, has urged pubs to consider bringing in staggered leaving times so that the Government doesn't have to bring in further measures Single superspreader is blamed for Swansea University outbreak Liverpool John Moores University's campus accommodation halls yesterday A coronavirus-infected superspreader who attended a house party has been blamed for all 32 Covid-19 cases at Swansea University as infections sweep 47 campuses nation-wide. The Welsh university said the person 'came from outside the area' and attended a 'particular party' sparking the outbreak. Six people have so far been handed warnings for breaching the country-wide rules - which include a six-person limit on gatherings - at Swansea as rave-deprived students were warned they could be kicked off their courses if caught. Even so, no formal quarantine measures in student halls - such as those seen in Manchester and Glasgow - have been introduced as the cases have been linked to private accommodation blocks and not the university's campus. Liverpool John Moores University's campus has also remained quarantine-free, despite footage of a huge booze-fuelled rave in an accommodation hall surfacing today. A group of students - some standing on furniture - were seen crowding together inside the university's Cambridge Court halls as they danced and sang along to Dizzee Rascal song Bonkers. The footage emerged despite coronavirus causing havoc at universities across the country. Up to 4,000 students across Britain are now self-isolating for a fortnight after more than 500 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed across at least 47 universities. Advertisement Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Tang said a designated driver would further take the pressure off public transport, and reduce the risk of the virus being spread. The individual could be someone at the pub with the group who has opted to avoid alcohol, or someone who could come and collect them afterwards. Addressing the Government, he said they needed to explain the 'longer term benefits' of the curfew to the population. 'The curfew is just an indicator (of the situation in the country),' he said. 'What the spirit of the curfew should be is that it's designed to reduce contact between people to reduce the spread of the virus, but if people don't follow it and abuse it, it's not going to work.' 'If people get used to it and respect it then it may start to work.' He added that there would be a two to three week lag between when it was introduced, on September 24, and a fall in the daily number of coronavirus cases - providing it had an impact. Railing against pundits slamming the curfew for 'lack of evidence' over whether it would work, he said as it hasn't been tried before in the UK there is 'no evidence' of whether it will or will not work. This will only become available in the coming weeks. The curfew - which is the same across the whole of the UK - aims to reduce contact between people and the risk of a second lockdown, by curbing transmission of coronavirus. But Britain's have dismissed the rule and mocked officials, arguing the virus does not go to sleep after 10pm. Conservative MPs have labelled it 'idiotic' and a 'sick experiment' to 'incubate a second wave', while more than 100 pubs including Wetherspoons and Greene King urged the Government to rethink its hospitality curbs. Other scientists have, however, argued that officials are missing the point because the curfew is trying to ensure people do not get too drunk and give up on wearing masks or sticking to other guidelines. Dr Jennifer Cole, a biological anthropologist at Royal Holloway University, argued that one of the biggest influences over people spreading the virus, and ignoring social distancing, was alcohol. 'The more drunk you are, the less inhibited and less risk-averse you are,' she said. 'Closing bars and restaurants at 10pm simply keeps people more sober. It gives them plenty of time for a meal, or a quick drink with friends after work, but means they are likely to be sober enough to put on a face covering on the train or bus home.' But some critics pointed out it may only lead to people quitting hospitality venues in large groups and cramming together, ideal conditions for the virus to spread. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at Southampton University, warned when the measures came into force he expected them to have 'little or no impact' on the spread of the virus. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, said it was 'doubtful' the measure would be enough to prevent a second wave and said ministers should be focusing on how to protect the most vulnerable citizens. Others warned it will just lead to people heading home to drink together, where Government data shows the virus is most likely to spread. Data from NHS Test and Trace shows people are most commonly exposed to the virus by another member of their household, at 59 per cent, followed by visiting the household of someone who has tested positive, at 13 per cent. If the UK's outbreak continues to surge, the Government and local authorities may be forced to take additional measures to curb its spread. Households have already been banned from mixing together across the North East to limit the spread, with warnings this measure may be imposed on London as early as next week if the transmission of the virus does not stop. Britain recorded another landmark surge in coronavirus cases yesterday, when it recorded its highest daily increase yet at 7,143 new infections. Professor Robert Dingwall, a sociologist at Nottingham Trent University, disagreed with Dr Tang's suggestions, telling MailOnline people do not need 'more elaborate rules'. 'We should just realise that the curfew was a bad idea and scrap it, leaving people to stagger their own departure times. 'The consequences we have seen would have been entirely predictable to anyone who remembered Scottish pubs before 1976 - I was a PhD student in Aberdeen. 'They closed at 10pm, we spilled out onto the streets with armfuls of beer cans and whisky bottles and carried on partying, although more usually in someone's flat than on the street - Scottish streets are a bit cold in the winter! 'If anything, then, the curfew is probably amplifying household transmission.' Hospitality industry bodies lined up to blast the 10pm curfew after revellers were seen swarming to supermarkets and standing on street corners. Emma McClarking, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said the weekend curfew had led to customers 'leaving venues and filling the streets en masse'. 'We would like to see the hard 10pm reviewed to allow us flexibility on doors closing time and allow customers to stagger their exits,' she said. 'Having not been consulted by the Government on the announcement last week, we do stand ready to work with them to find the safest and most practical ways to tackle coronavirus while crucially keeping our businesses and the hundreds of thousands of jobs they provide alive.' Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has called for a 9pm watershed on alcohol sales to ensure the curfew has its intended effect after the North West faced many house parties over the weekend. 'My gut feeling is that this curfew is doing more harm than good,' he told BBC Radio 4 on Monday. 'It creates an incentive for people to gather in the street or more probably to gather in the home.' Boris Johnson is set to address the nation at 5pm on the current state of coronavirus in the UK. A Government spokesperson said: 'Our measures strike a balance between saving lives by protecting our NHS and the most vulnerable and minimising the wider impact on the economy and schools. 'The latest data suggests a considerable rise in the infection rate from within the hospitality sector in recent weeks, so we have taken immediate action to cut the transmission rate and save lives and will keep all measures under constant review.' Emily Hamblin, consul general in Ho Chi Minh City and trade director for Vietnam The UK aims to join the agreement (CPTPP), putting the nation at the centre of a network of free trade deals with dynamic economies. How could it affect the investment activities and strategies of UK enterprises here? Pursuing potential accession to the CPTPP is a priority for the UK government and a key part of our free trade strategy. CPTPP membership would help unlock new opportunities for UK businesses, increase trade and investment, and build on the strong economic ties we already hold with CPTPP members. In 2019, each region and nation of the UK exported at least 1 billion ($1.28 billion) worth of goods to CPTPP member countries and we are keen to expand this relationship with accession to the agreement. UK companies held nearly 98 billion ($125.27 billion) worth of investment in CPTPP countries in 2018. In 2019, we carried out over 110 billion ($140.2 billion) worth of trade with nations in this area. We believe the CPTPP will complement the existing and new bilateral agreements that the UK is party to, or is currently negotiating, with CPTPP members. Currently, the UK and Vietnam are working closely together to transition of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) that recently came into effect into a bilateral UK-Vietnam FTA by the end of this year. This will ensure trade continuity and benefits for both British and Vietnamese businesses, and UK businesses that are new to Vietnam will want to take advantage of the attractive trade conditions. What sectors will see growing interest if the UK joins the CPTPP? The UK was the 15th largest investor by accumulated investment in Vietnam and the 13th largest foreign investor in Vietnam in 2019. Established British investors in Vietnam include financial services companies like HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, and Prudential; Jadines in real estate; as well as pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca and GSK. It is estimated that bilateral trade in both goods and services between Vietnam and the UK amounted to 5.8 billion ($7.41 billion) in 2019. Total trade between the two has grown on average by 13 per cent a year between 2009 and 2019. The World Economic Forums 2019 Global Competitiveness Index 4.0 named Vietnam as the most improved country globally. The national vision for a digital economy recently announced by the Politburo aims for the digital economy to account for 25 per cent of GDP by 2030. In pursuing this ambition, Vietnam is mindful of the challenges around developing regulations, a digital structure, and a skilled labour force. This is where the UK can add significant value, especially by providing support on areas such as smart cities, digital in construction and healthcare, and utilising fintech to support business growth and financial inclusion. The CPTPP removes tariffs on 95 per cent of goods traded among its members, and establishes modern rules in areas of increasing importance for UK industry and business, including digital trade, data, financial, professional, and business services. Where is Vietnam placed among the UKs partners in ASEAN, and how will the UK joining the CPTPP increase the attractiveness of Vietnam among British investors? Vietnam has positioned itself as a regional leader during the COVID-19 crisis. Its impressive performance in keeping the number of cases and deaths low is not only a remarkable achievement for public health it has also demonstrated the countrys economic resilience. The International Monetary Fund is forecasting potential growth of 2.7 per cent for Vietnam in 2020, making it the fastest-growing economy in the region outside Singapore. Vietnam has been increasingly open to global trade. Trade almost quadrupled over the last decade and is now twice the size of the economy. The country has an extensive network of trade agreements with 13 signed FTAs including the CPTPP and the recently effective EVFTA. This year has been a remarkable one in which we celebrate 10 years of the UK-Vietnam Strategic Partnership. We are pursuing a closer long-term trading relationship with Vietnam through our own bilateral FTA, and CPTPP membership would enhance this even further. The UK is committed to a closer strategic relationship with Vietnam and the wider region. This is evidenced by the new UK Mission to ASEAN; our ongoing application for ASEAN Dialogue Partnership status; and the recent successful UK-ASEAN Economic Dialogue co-chaired by UK International Trade secretary Liz Truss and Chair of the ASEAN Economic Community Minister Tran Tuan Anh of Vietnam. As 2020 ASEAN chair, Vietnam has an opportunity to lead the region by championing innovative and sustainable methods of recovery from COVID-19. Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas says that the adoption of the draft law "On Inland Water Transport" is an important milestone in the implementation of the transport chapter of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. In his letter addressed to Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov, the text of which is at the disposal of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, Maasikas stressed that the adoption of that bill would also be an important result for the upcoming Ukraine-EU summit on October 6. "Sustainable transport development is an important part of European Green Deal, and this sector has significant potential to contribute to the economic growth of the country and pave the way for attracting much-needed investments, both private and from international financial institutions," Maasikas stressed. He also noted that the potential for inland water transport in Ukraine, and notably the Dnipro River between Kyiv and the Black sea, is significant, and its development would contribute to greening transport and reduce the modal share of road transport, while removing bottlenecks on the rail network during the harvest season. "However, what is needed first is a stable legal framework. The adoption of this draft law before the upcoming summit would be a significant milestone in our cooperation in this sector, aimed at developing an efficient, safe and sustainable transport system in Ukraine," the ambassador stressed. As reported, the American Chamber of Commerce is urging MPs to keep business proposals when the inland waterway bill is passed. Earlier, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Issues unanimously decided to recommend to the parliament to adopt at the second reading and in general, draft law No. 1182-1-d "On Inland Water Transport" dated January 17, 2020. SEATTLE, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To help guests prepare for Hawaii's pre-travel testing program, Alaska Airlines will partner with Carbon Health to offer rapid COVID-19 testing at its pop-up clinics across the West Coast, starting Oct. 12 in Seattle. Hawaii will begin to welcome back visitors on Oct. 15 by allowing out-of-state travelers to enjoy the islands without a 14-day quarantine when they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of their final leg of departure to Hawaii. Tech-enabled health care provider Carbon Health will make rapid COVID-19 testing available at its pop-up clinic located in downtown Seattle at 220 6th Avenue North. Guests will be able to make an appointment with Carbon Health starting Oct. 8, with priority testing for Alaska Airlines flyers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PDT, starting on Oct. 12. Test results will be ready within two hours at a discounted cost of $135. More information, including how to schedule an appointment, will be available after Oct. 5 at alaskaair.com/hawaii-bound. At this time, testing will be offered in Seattle, as the airline has focused the full return of twice-daily flights to all four major Hawaiian Islands from its largest hub starting Oct. 15. Additionally, on Nov. 1, nonstop service to Hawaii will resume from Portland, Oregon; San Jose, California; and San Diego, California. Hawaii service will begin from Anchorage, Alaska, and Los Angeles on Nov. 20. Carbon Health is planning additional pop-up and full-service clinics for rapid COVID-19 testing in those Lower 48 cities in the coming weeks. "Our guests have been eager to return to the Hawaiian Islands and we're excited to be adding more ways to safely get them there," said Sangita Woerner, Alaska's senior vice president of marketing and guest experience. "By assisting our guests with convenient testing options as they prepare for their trip, we're working together to help keep each other, and Hawaii, safe." "Carbon Health is excited to partner with Alaska Airlines to support their guests with a safe, responsible way to fly to Hawaii," said Eren Bali, Carbon Health's CEO. "Our innovative COVID-19 pop-up testing clinics and dedicated rapid test offering to Alaska's guests provide a hassle-free, convenient way for travelers to get tested and see their results within two hours. We look forward to our launch in Seattle and expansion across the West Coast in the coming weeks." Carbon Health utilizes the Abbott ID NOW rapid test, which meets the requirements of the State of Hawaii's pre-travel testing program. The company will work closely with the Hawaii Department of Health to meet the state's Trusted Testing Partner requirements. Testing will be available for all Alaska guests of any age over three months old as well as for travelers to the state of Alaska, which also has a 72-hour testing requirement. Alaska Airlines will continue to share available testing options with guests, including the State of Hawaii's trusted testing partners, as the airline continues to expand its list of testing providers. In addition, Alaska has been working closely with the Port of Seattle on developing future opportunities for on-site testing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. "We appreciate Alaska's shared commitment in providing new health services to customers at SEA," said Lance Lyttle, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's managing director. "We all recognize that there is no one path forward for defeating COVID-19 and no one solution that will work for every travel situation. To help broaden the options for travelers, we will continue to explore the feasibility of partnering with a health vendor to provide rapid testing at the airport. Multiple measures and new partnerships like these are essential to achieving a safe and full reopening of our economy." With a continued focus on keeping our guests and employees safe, Alaska has implemented nearly 100 safety measures, as part of the airline's commitment to Next-Level Care. The airline emphasizes a layered approach to safety, which starts with the requirement that all employees and guests wear a face mask or covering through the airport and on board, with no exceptions. Flyers must also enter into a health agreement at check-in to confirm that they are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and will adhere to the mask policy. Alaska has also extended physical distancing on board by limiting the number of guests and blocking middle seats through Nov. 30, 2020 and extended its flexible travel policy for all new ticket purchases, including Saver fares, through Dec. 31, 2020. Alaska Airlines and its regional partners serve more than 115 destinations across the United States and North America, providing essential air service for our guests along with moving crucial cargo shipments, such as food, medicine, mail and e-commerce deliveries. With hubs in Seattle; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; and Anchorage, Alaska, the airline is known for low fares, award-winning customer service and sustainability efforts. With Alaska and its Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 800 destinations worldwide. Learn more about Alaska at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK). Carbon Health is the technology-enabled healthcare provider designed from the ground up to put patient care first. By combining technology with modern clinics, it delivers a uniquely seamless experience from virtual care to in-person care to meet patients where they are. Carbon Health removes the boundaries to high-quality, transparent and personal care and envisions making patient-centric, world-class care accessible and a reality for everyone. Carbon Health is headquartered in San Francisco with clinics across California and virtual care in 16 states across the U.S. To access Carbon Health, download the app (iTunes or Google Play) or visit carbonhealth.com. SOURCE Alaska Airlines Related Links http://www.alaskaair.com An air hostess has been jailed for 28 months for drug dealing after turning to crime following the loss of her job during the coronavirus crisis. Alexandra Dobre, 27, who is thought to have worked for Ryanair and Wizz Air, had been based at London Luton Airport but was made redundant in the spring. She began a relationship with a man she met on a dating app and moved to Staffordshire, before agreeing to deliver cocaine after becoming short of cash. Former air hostess Alexandra Dobre, 27, is thought to have worked for Ryanair and Wizz Air Dobre had been based at London Luton Airport but was made redundant during lockdown Staffordshire Police then stopped her grey Fiat Punto in Stoke-on-Trent on the night of August 7 this year and found six wraps of cocaine inside her purse. Neil Ahuja, prosecuting, told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: 'She was evasive with the officers about where she was living.' Police searched a flat in Hanley and came across 81 small snap-seal bags of white powder concealed in a bedside table, which tested positive for cocaine. Another six sealed bags of the class A substance were found. In total, the 19.4 grams had an estimated street value of between 1,740 and 2,610. Detectives also seized 480 in cash, along with a mobile phone. Dobre pleaded guilty to possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply. Dobre (pictured) pleaded guilty to possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply Police searched a flat in Hanley and came across 81 small snap-seal bags of white powder concealed in a bedside table, which tested positive for cocaine. Another six sealed bags of the class A substance were found. Detectives also seized 480 in cash, along with a mobile phone Paul Cliff, defending, said she moved to Britain from Romania three years ago, adding: 'She was a flight attendant for a number of years, with different airlines. He added: 'She was well-paid, but lost her job in spring this year and lost her accommodation as a result of that. She was at a loose end over what to do next. 'She had friends in the North Staffordshire area, one of whom was a nail and beauty technician, and came up to Stoke-on-Trent.' He added: 'Since her arrest, he has disappeared into the ether and she has not been able to contact him. She was plainly acting under direction. Dobre (above) began a relationship with a man she met on an app and moved to Staffordshire Dobre (pictured) agreed to deliver cocaine in Staffordshire after becoming short of cash 'One of the terrible consequences of her offending is she will never work as a flight attendant again. It's something she loved. She is not by nature criminally minded. 'She's from a good family in Romania. She knows her family will be absolutely mortified that she has found herself involved in something of this nature.' Sentencing her to 28 months in prison, Judge David Fletcher said she must have understood what she was doing was a crime. He told her: 'It was a class A substance, the consumption of which causes misery. You were an important cog in that wheel of the supply of this particular drug.' The judge told Dobre (pictured) she must have understood what she was doing was a crime Dobre was described as an 'important cog in that wheel of the supply of this particular drug' After the case, Sergeant Marc Proctor, of Stoke South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: 'We welcome the sentence Dobre has been handed by the courts. 'Drugs can cause a huge amount of disruption to the community and we are committed to tackling this behaviour. 'We would urge everyone to report drug matters to us. Let's work together and deter this behaviour from continuing.' Dobre has posted a number of glamorous photographs on her Instagram page including some of her posing next to planes in her uniform and sitting on the beach. Council has unanimously passed new rules for Toronto during the pandemic as a second wave continues to concern officials. The rules include reducing the number of people allowed in restaurants and bars at one time from 100 to 75 and requiring everyone visiting those places to provide contact information instead of just one person in the party as was previously the case. Table sizes both indoors and outdoors will also be reduced from 10 to six people. The changes further limit eating and drinking establishments that are subject to provincial emergency orders, with Toronto cases making up more than half of the new daily cases in the province this week. The vote, which saw little debate among members, follows recommendations by medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa as the number of new cases in the city neared 400 on Monday. Restaurants and bars should also limit background music and TVs to no louder than normal conversations to avoid people having to shout to be heard, increasing the risk of virus transmission. Other existing measures, including requirements for apartments and condos to provide hand sanitizer in building common areas, were extended to 2021. Mayor John Tory also introduced additional measures ahead of the meeting that were approved by council. Those included asking staff to explore how to support the restaurant industry with winter patios and asking the province to extend rules for liquor sales with takeout and delivery and to pause commercial evictions. I am committed to doing everything possible as a city government to help restaurants and other businesses that are hard hit by the public health measures, whatever they might be, Tory said at a press conference ahead of the council meeting, adding he expected council to be united on new measures recommended by de Villa. Coun. Joe Cressy, chair of the board of health, also had a successful motion to ask the medical officer of health to consider any additional measures required to prevent virus spread, including but not limited to restricting businesses, social gatherings and enhancing screening. And Coun. Frances Nunziata, councils speaker, asked staff responsible for enforcement to review existing resources and opportunities for reallocation and report to executive committee. Meanwhile, the city announced Tuesday it would extend road closures under its popular ActiveTO program into October to allow for social distancing for pedestrians and cyclists. That includes upcoming closures this weekend on Lake Shore Boulevard and Bayview Avenue. The city also announced in a press release it would make changes to access to its 10 long-term-care homes, restricting outside visitors to those deemed essential those visiting a person who is very ill or palliative and essential caregivers who provide direct support to residents. Virtual visits will continue. Earlier on Wednesday, council also endorsed an action plan and shelter strategy, asking the provincial and federal government to contribute to the building of 3,000 affordable rental and supportive homes in the next 24 months to address the housing crisis in the midst of the pandemic. Jennifer Pagliaro is a Toronto-based reporter covering city hall and municipal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @jpags Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's animated Netflix series about inspiring women is 'creating a lot of buzz in the industry', a source has claimed. The Duke, 36, and Duchess of Sussex, 39, announced earlier this month that they have signed a megawatt Netflix deal said to be worth 112million to make TV series, films and children's shows for the streaming service. Their first project, which is aimed at a young audience, is in pre-production and has been greenlit by bosses at the media giant. An industry insider told Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl: 'There's a lot of buzz about it, it is going ahead and work has started on the series.' Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle's, 39, first Netflix project which is an animated series about inspiring women is 'creating a lot of buzz in the industry', a source has claimed Other projects the couple are currently working on include a wildlife documentary series, which could see the Duke and Duchess travel to Africa when global Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. And future plans include scripted series, docuseries, documentaries, features and children's programming with the couple looking to focus on stories and issues that resonate with them personally. Meanwhile Ingrid Seward said the news the couple won't be making a reality show would come as a relief to the Queen. The royal expert said it would be 'too much too soon' for the couple to consider a documentary, adding: 'I think they should wait and think long and hard about making anything that is deemed 'personal.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussexes's first project, which is aimed at a young audience, is in pre-production and has been greenlit by bosses at the media giant Earlier this week, the couple were forced to deny plans to to star in a fly-on-the-wall Netflix reality series with cameras following them for three months. Reports had suggested Harry and Meghan would be followed amid the possibility of cameras being allowed into their home in Montecito, California. Prince Harry and Meghan were said to have been hoping to 'give people a glimpse into their lives and see all the charity work they do', according to a source. A source had told The Sun: 'They may have had all these lofty ideas about producing epics highlighting environmental causes and the poverty gap, but Netflix obviously want their pound of flesh. Meanwhile royal expert Ingrid Seward said the news the couple won't be making a reality show would come as a relief to the Queen 'It will all be very tasteful, and not Katie Price and Peter Andre-style reality TV, but they want to give people a glimpse into their lives and see all the charity work they do.' But they added: 'It will still be a fascinating insight and Meghan hopes viewers will get to see the real her.' But a spokesman for the royal couple insisted earlier this week: 'The Duke and Duchess are not taking part in any reality shows.' Rumors of Harry and Meghan seeking to gain a foothold in Hollywood have run rampant ever since the couple announced their plans to quit as senior royals, seek financial independence and move to North America in January. Meghan's first post-Megxit job in showbiz was as a narrator of the Disney Plus docuseries Elephants, which came out in April. Meghan's first post-Megxit job in showbiz was as a narrator of the Disney Plus docuseries Elephants, which came out in April The 39-year-old Los Angeles native nabbed the job after Harry bragged about her voice-over skills to Disney chairman Bob Iger at the London premiere of The Lion King live-action remake last summer. Harry followed in her footsteps by appearing in a new Netflix documentary about about the Paralympic Games called Rising Phoenix, which aired on August 26. The decision to work with Netflix is also a move reminiscent of former President Barack Obama and his lawyer wife Michelle. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 22:56:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity via video on Sept. 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for sustained efforts by all parties to enhance biodiversity conservation and global environmental governance. Xi made the call at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, noting that "the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of the ecosystem pose a major risk to human survival and development." "We need to take up our lofty responsibility for the entire human civilization, and we need to respect nature, follow its laws and protect it," Xi said. He stressed upholding multilateralism and building synergy for global governance on the environment, noting that faced with global environmental risks, countries "share a common stake" and form "a community with a shared future." "Unilateralism finds no support; cooperation is the right way forward," he said. "We must firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and uphold the sanctity and authority of international rules so as to enhance global governance on the environment." At a time when COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on economic and social development globally, Xi emphasized the need to "have our eyes on the long run" and "stay the course for green, inclusive and sustainable development." The Chinese president also stressed upholding the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" for developed and developing countries in tackling the challenges to the environment. Developing countries' concerns over funding, technology and capacity building need to be accommodated, he said. In his address, Xi also shared with the world China's experience of advancing biodiversity governance and ecological progress. "China has always prioritized ecological progress and embedded it in every dimension and phase of its economic and social development," said Xi, adding that the country has also rolled out strong policies and actions for preserving biodiversity and protecting the ecosystems. For the last 10 years, China has topped the world in forest resource increase, with more than 70 million hectares of land afforested, he noted. Pledging that China will adopt even more forceful policies and measures on environmental protection, Xi reaffirmed the country's goal to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Before concluding his address, Xi extended invitations to the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, scheduled to be hosted by China next year in the city of Kunming. "I look forward to the adoption of a comprehensive, balanced, ambitious and implementable framework of action," he said. Enditem Related reports: (Independent) Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced charges Wednesday morning against a suspect accused of shooting two county sheriffs deputies in a parked patrol car in Compton earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times reports. Deonte Lee Murray, 36, was taken into custody on September 15, and is facing attempted murder charges for the shooting, which harmed two deputies, a 31-year-old woman and 24-year-old man, who have not been identified by the LA County Sheriffs Department. They have both since been released from the hospital following surgery. The shooting was captured on surveillance video. At the time of the incident, Sheriff Alex Villanuera said Murray was also suspected in an armed carjacking, and he was charged with felony carjacking, robbery and assault and brought in after a lengthy standoff on Sept. 15. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister took time to celebrate accomplishing one of his major political goals Tuesday, while fending off questions about his future. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister took time to celebrate accomplishing one of his major political goals Tuesday, while fending off questions about his future. The government announced it had balanced the province's budget last year, for the first time since 2009, posting a surplus of $5 million. Placing the province on a more solid fiscal footing has been a key objective of the 66-year-old Pallister since he became premier in 2016. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Asked if he was going to run again in the next election, Pallister would not tip his hand. "My intention is going to be shared with you when I decide to say something about that. My intention right now is to continue staying focused with (Finance Minister) Scott (Fielding) and others on our team, our cabinet, our caucus, to make sure that Manitoba leads the way in getting back on its feet after this COVID challenge is over. And more than that, that we continue to grow our province as we've done here," he said. Asked if he might make an announcement next spring, the premier said: "It might be the spring, summer, it could be the fall, and it might be the winter. It might be 2029, it might be 2036. I mean, I'm half the age of (U.S. presidential nominees) Joe Biden (77) and Donald Trump (74). So I have all the energy in the world to focus on helping rebuild our province. And I'll stay focused on that." While the province also released Tuesday its latest estimates of revenues and expenditures for the current fiscal year and the possibility of a $2.9-billion deficit Pallister dwelled on the success of balancing last year's budget in his remarks to reporters, calling it "historic news." "Today, we celebrate the accomplishment of balancing the budget. We did it. And we did it with discipline and we did it with compassion. We didn't do it with reducing services. We did it by growing the economy," he said. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, the secretive big data and surveillance company Palantir Technologies offered its stock to public investors for the first time on Wednesday, a long-anticipated move that will bring public scrutiny to one of tech's most secretive start-ups. The direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange was one of the most hotly anticipated tech IPOs since the debuts of Slack and Uber, giving investors the chance to capitalise on a business that has grown by almost a third each year since 2009. So far, it is largely seen as a successful listing: Palantir stock started trading at $US10 per share higher than its earlier reference price of $US7.25 per share and closed up 31 per cent at $9.50. Of greater significance is the way in which the public offering will lift the veil of secrecy around the company's technology and finances. The first financial filings shared with investors ahead of the offering revealed Palantir's business is concentrated among a handful of loyal customers, raising questions about whether it can scale up the same way as other tech outfits. Peter Thiel's Palantir has had a successful trading debut. The records show that Palantir has just 125 corporate and government customers, a relatively small number for a large, publicly-traded tech company. Two-thirds of its revenue comes from its top 20 customers, raising concerns that it could lose business as long-running government contracts are renegotiated. It generated an average revenue per customer of $US24.8 million ($34.6 million) last year. President Klaus Iohannis said at the Cotroceni Palace on Wednesday that he was "explicitly in agreement with the condition that European funds be granted to respect for the rule of law" and that, together with the Executive, he wanted efforts to be made to make our country "an example to follow" in this regard. "We agree and have explicitly agreed to make the granting of European funds conditional on respect for the rule of law. In Romania we are determined - both I, the Government, and the democratic parties - to make it so that the rule of law is respected very well, to become an example to follow for others. So, yes, I agree that European funds should be conditional on respect for the rule of law. How this can be done - surely, by analysis, by study, by voting, in the end," the president said. He also spoke of the first report on the rule of law in the EU, published by the European Commission on Wednesday. In this respect, he stated that he preferred this assessment of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), so that Romania and Bulgaria would no longer be discriminated against. "I appreciate the appearance of this report. It is the first report to examine the situation of the rule of law, freedom of the press and so on in all the Member States of the European Union. Romania has long maintained that this is what we need instead of the CVM which discriminates in some way Romania and Bulgaria. It is very good that we have this report. It is very good that in this report things are said just as we see them," the president pointed out. In this respect, he gave as an example the assessment of the Laws of Justice and the rule of law in the document. "It is clearly said: between 2017 and 2019, the evolution was very problematic. In 2020, the government in office is trying to revalidate, restart the process to balance what went wrong. So things are very good. At the same time, some of the issues that have also appeared in the CVM reports are also being recalled, and all these things will be reflected in the projects that will be presented this very evening by the Minister of Justice. There are draft laws to repair the Laws of Justice, which will go into a large debate, a public debate, in a different manner than the PSD did, which arranged them there, somewhere, in a room from the party or from Parliament, no one knows, went out with them, pushed them with force and almost ruined all of our democracy," he said. Iohannis asserted that "this kind of report is useful because we can figure out where more action is needed in the European Union, where there are examples of good practice, how to intervene to make Justice stronger, more independent". 4,838 illegal fishing suspects captured along Yangtze by Yang Zekun September 30,2020 | Source: CHINA DAILY Police in China had solved 3,292 criminal cases and captured 4,838 suspects in a campaign against illegal fishing in the Yangtze River Basin by the end of September, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday. Police have also seized more than 1,500 vessels involved, over 23,000 sets of fishing gear and more than 77,000 kilograms of fish since the launch of the campaign in July. On Jan 1, the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council banned productive fishing in 332 aquatic life reserves along the Yangtze River. A moratorium on fishing in the river's major tributaries, including Minjiang, Tuojiang and Hanjiang rivers, as well as lakes connecting with the river, including the Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake, will be put in place for 10 years, starting Jan 1, 2021. Public security organs at all levels in provinces along the Yangtze have worked with other departments, focusing on related illegal activities including capturing, trafficking and purchasing fish. Joint working groups sent by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs have visited more than 154,000 fishermen to ensure they have quit their jobs and been offered proper alternatives, as well as 21,000 fishing sites to publicize the ban. They have also collected about 2,300 tips regarding illegal fishing in the river, according to the ministry. Additionally, seven working groups also conducted the first joint inspection of 14 provinces and cities along the Yangtze over 10 days and informed local authorities of problems they detect. Authorities were urged to promptly rectify any issues. Li Jingsheng, director of the Public Security Ministry's security administration bureau, said that the 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze was an important decision for the long-term interests of the nation and a key measure to reverse the trend of ecological and environmental deterioration in the river. Over the past three months, the number of detected illegal fishing cases in the river has been 1.5 times higher than the number of such cases detected all of last year, Li said. The ministry will work with other departments to strengthen law enforcement and supervision to address the issue of manufacturing and sales of banned fishing gear. It has set up video surveillance in key waters and has carried out drone inspections. Further, it has established platforms for people to report illegal fishing. Anyone with information about people involved with such activities can provide tips 24 hours a day by calling 010-66262044, or by sending private messages to "China Police Online" through social media platforms Sina Weibo and WeChat. Those who provide useful tips will be rewarded, the ministry said. Qian Xiongfei, deputy director of the ministry's security administration bureau, said that illegal fishing in the Yangtze River Basin has been strongly discouraged since the launch of the campaign, but the crime has not been fundamentally eradicated. Eating fish caught from the river has been common practice for a long time, Qian said. Driven by interests, some restaurants promote river fish to attract customers and illegally sell it, emboldening the criminal activity. Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods. Google Australia boss Melanie Silva says the proposed arbitration process between it and the media companies on payments made for use of their articles is unworkable, given the unrealistic numbers put on the table. The draft news media bargaining code, announced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in July, gives media companies three months to strike a deal about payment for use of their articles. If there is no agreement, a final arbitration process is put in place to decide between the most appropriate of the two final payment offers. Melanie Silva is optimistic the code can still be made workable. Credit:Louie Douvis Ms Silva said the size of the payments proposed by the media companies so far was unreasonable. "This concept of final offer arbitration usually is used when the parties are very close in numbers...we've already seen in the last several months numbers that are completely extraordinary," Ms Silva told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Nine Entertainment Co (owner of this masthead) and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp Australia previously said they expect news organisations to receive between $600 million and $1 billion from Google and Facebook. In a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath dispensation in Uttar Pradesh over the Hathras gang-rape incident, interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi said in a video message on Wednesday that the victim was killed by a ruthless government", its administration and its ignorance. The 19-year-old Dalit woman, who died in a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gang-raped in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras, was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday. Her family alleged the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. However, local police officers claimed they had the familys consent to conduct her last rites. Highlights of Hon'ble Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi's video statement demanding justice for the Hathras gang-rape victim. pic.twitter.com/tU54YqZQET Congress (@INCIndia) September 30, 2020 In a video statement posted to the Congress partys official Twitter handle, Gandhi sought justice for the victim. Is it a crime to be a daughter of a poor family?" she asked, alleging that the issue was sought to be hushed up while referring to the victim as Hathras Nirbhaya". I want to say that Hathras Nirbhaya did not die. She was killed by an oppressive government, by its administration, by the indifference of the Uttar Pradesh government," said Gandhi in a strongly-worded statement. She alleged that while the victim did not get justice while she was alive, she was not allowed to be handed over to her family even when she was dead. Gandhi, in an emotional statement, claimed the crying mother" was robbed of her chance to bid a final goodbye". The Congress chief called it an utter sin". The girls body was cremated forcefully. A person has dignity even after death. Our Hindu faith speaks of it. But that child was cremated like an orphan by the force of the police. What kind of justice is this? What kind of government is this? You think you will do anything and the nation will just watch? Absolutely not. The country will speak up against your injustice," said Gandhi, adding that she on behalf of the Congress party stands with the bereaved family with their demand for justice. The 19-year-old Dalit victim, who was gangraped and left paralysed by four upper caste men, died a fortnight after the attack in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday. Former Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had earlier termed the gang-rape and murder the class-specific jungle raj" of UP and had condemned the manner in which the woman cremated. A daughter of India is raped, facts are suppressed, and in the end the right to funeral is also taken away from her family. It is abusive and unjust, he had said. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed the cremation by police and district administration against the wishes of the family as inhuman. The government did not protect her while she was alive. The government did not provide timely treatment when she was attacked. After the death of the victim, the government took the last rites of the daughter from the family. Gross inhumanity, she said. Priyanka Gandhi had also demanded the resignation of UP chief minister Adityanath, saying that instead of protecting the victim and her family, his government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister," she tweeted. (With inputs from agencies) What should Christians do when their government cannot protect them from terrorism? As the worlds first post-coronavirus coup shakes Mali, nearby Burkina Faso is experimenting with a controversial lesson in self-defense. Last month, a cohort of army officers deposed Malis president following widespread protests against economic and security conditions. While the coup has been condemned by regional leadersplacing the West African nation under sanctionsinitial indications suggest Christians have been respected and consulted in the majority-Muslim nations transitional process. Coup leaders have stated they will respect the fraying peace deal reached with local rebels in 2015, but will also continue to work with the multinational efforts dedicated to stamp out the terrorist threat. Back in June, former colonial leader France formalized an agreement to unify forces under a single command with troops from Mali, Mauritania, Chad, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Last week, the United States announced $150 million in humanitarian assistance for 4 of the 5 Sahel republics (excluding Chad) to address mass displacement and food insecurity caused by the conflict. To gain perspective on Burkina Faso, CT interviewed Joanna Ilboudo, secretary-general for ACTS Burkina, a nonprofit Christian association dedicated to helping the nations widows and orphans without religious distinction. She in turn took the pulse of local Christian leaders and laity on behalf of CT. Located in West Africas volatile Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert, the Colorado-sized Francophone country of 20 million had been home to one of the continents model nations for peaceful coexistence. Around 60 ethnic groups divide the population religiously into 61-percent Muslim, 19-percent Catholic, 4-percent Protestant, and 15-percent indigenous beliefs. Muslims are located primarily in the north, east, and west border areas, with Christians located in the south and central areas. But schools are mixed and intermarriage is common, while 80 percent of the population works in farming. Jihadist groups began attacking Burkina Faso in 2015, following the popular removal of a president in power for 27 years. The transitional government ended his policy of allowing terrorists to harass neighboring Mali from across the border. Three jihadist groups proliferate, one affiliated with al-Qaeda, and have targeted grain fields and the educational system. But according to reports, only the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)which has wreaked havoc in Nigeriahas specifically targeted Christian communities. CT has repeatedly reported on the escalating church attacks. Open Doors reported that 41 Christians were killed in 2019, while over 200 churches closed in the northern regions to prevent further raids. Ranked outside Open Doors 2019 World Watch List of the 50 places where it is hardest to be a Christian, Burkina Faso rose to No. 28 in the 2020 listing. But Christians have been far from the only victims. The world doesnt seem to have understood that our country runs the risk of disappearing, said Catholic priest Pierre Belemsigri to Aid to the Church in Need. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project tallied 1,295 deaths in 2019, up from 173 the year before. Nearly 100 health centers and 1,800 schools have closed, denying medical care to 250,000 people and education to 320,000 students. Over 1 million people have now been displaced by the violence. President Roch Marc Kabore assumed office in 2015 after a clear but competitive election. But as militant attacks began weakening state power, self-defense groups called Koglweogoguardians of the bush in the local languagebegan to proliferate. The United Nations estimates their number at around 4,500, with 45,000 members. Armed primarily with hunting rifles, the groups have also engaged in retributive atrocities against ethnic groups suspected to have harbored terrorists. Beset by crisis, in January the Burkina Faso parliament unanimously approved a new law to train, arm, and regulate civilian volunteer forces to stave off the terrorist threat. It is anticipated that Koglweogo groups will be drafted into the effort, but is also meant to provide self-defense for vulnerable villages across the nation. Back in May, such villagers were among the 15 casualties killed while escorting a commercial convoy through a dangerous northern province. Reporting in July called them no match for jihadists, as volunteers in one village dropped from 500 to 200 over the summer. Ilboudos ministry, whose French acronym translates to Christian Action, All for Solidarity, is another means to help the ever-increasing victims. To gather Christian perspective on the governments militia initiative, she interviewed a well-known theologian teaching in the largest theological college in Burkina Faso; a member of the national Assemblies of God executive board; a lawyer working with international diplomats; and a social worker in the field of education. She also conducted five focus group conversations, one specifically of women and another of youth this past spring. The Burkina Faso government has approved a plan to arm civilians to fight terrorist groups. Please explain the basics. Following the approval of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, the groups to be formed are called Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland. Their mission is to contribute, when necessary and requested by the army, to the defense and protection of populations in the villages. The law specifies that individual volunteers must obtain the approval of the local population in general assembly. It requires their patriotism, loyalty, discipline, neutrality, integrity, and sacrifice, even unto death. What are the hopes for results, and are they achievable? Without volunteers, the people in the villages have been taken by surprise by terrorists and unable to defend themselves. Now they are training to be like spies and detect terrorist infiltration. Most of these attacks began when an unknown individual would stay in the village for some time, determine the best paths of entry, and only later lead their colleagues to come and attack the innocent people. In the case of an attack, weapons are provided so villagers can defend themselves. Since the program has been in place, many terrorists have been found and killed, and young kidnapped girls have been rescued and returned home. What are the dangers, and how likely is it that things could go wrong? The danger is that these groups might be used for other purposes unrelated to terrorism. Most people I have spoken with express concern that if there is a political crisis in the country, the government might utilize them as a militia. If the volunteer groups will be trained by the army as they say, then praise the Lord! But politics is politics, and we dont know. If they start fighting with the government or each other, then it will be a disaster. What impact is terrorism having on the church, and perhaps your own congregation? I live far from the areas where terrorist attacks are taking place, so there has been no personal impact for us. But closer to where the attacks are taking place, many Christians have been displaced and even pastors have left. In February, I heard that about 40 pastors from the SIM church had fled. It is difficult to give statistics because the number is growing each week. People have been cut off from their livelihoods, and food insecurity is rapidly worsening. Is it biblical for individual Christians to join this effort? Please explain how pastors are counseling their congregations. All the Christian leaders I have contacted compare volunteering in these groups to the role of someone in the army. They do not think there is a problem for a Christian to join in order to defend their village and country. The head of our army is a Christian in the Assemblies of God church. And early on, a Christian lieutenant died in service, killed by an enemy landmine. Christian leaders even believe it is better to have believers among the volunteers, because their contribution can help keep the situation from going in a wrong direction. The theologian specifically called it a just war, situating it within that Christian tradition. Has there has been any good news since these tragedies began multiplying? I cannot say there has been a revival yet, but prayer in the country has intensified. Many groups of Christians are fasting and praying weekly, in addition to what the local churches are organizing. I belong to two groups, and each group has a time of prayer each week. We are pleading for Gods mercy and protection over the country. Christians and Muslims are still living peacefully together, and all religious groups are trying to do what they can to preserve the peace that we have been known for. But we do not know how long this struggle will last, because of the strong financial investment of Arab countries in our nation. Also, some Muslims think that because Islam is the largest religious group, the country should be Islamic. They are favorable to sharia law, not knowing the implications it may have in a country like Burkina Faso. Help us understand the context of this crisis. How do people understand what is happening? The problem is very complicated. Some people believe it is linked to politics. Others say that Western nations are playing a role in this war because it is a way to extract some of the natural resources of the country. The areas where terrorism is very active have a lot of mineral resources. Other people believe that terrorism is a jihad sponsored by Arab countries which want to take control of Burkina Fasoa strategic point in West Africaand from there extend their grip to other countries in the region. What do you want US evangelicals to know or do about Burkina Faso? Our country is seriously at war. Since we do not know the real intentions of those who are killing the innocent people, we would greatly appreciate the prayers of US evangelicals for this war to end. With the great number of displaced Christians in various part of the country, the future of Christianity is at risk. And with these recurrent terrorist attacks, coupled with our limited financial resources, it is difficult to plan large evangelical campaigns like we used to. We want to find the peace we used to have in this countrypeace that allowed all ethnic and religious groups to live together without conflict. WASHINGTON The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday night was more like a bar fight than a contest for the nations highest office. It looked more like the mid 1800s when there were brawls in Congress, than any recent debates even 2016, said Christopher Mann, assistant professor of political science at Skidmore College. Amid the vitriolic shouting and endless interruptions, a perceptive viewer could glean some policy and personality differences between the two but it was tough to make sense of much of what was yelled over the course of the hour and a half. This highly publicized debate is the most uncivil and disrespectful presidential debate that I have ever observed, Political Science Professor Gary Rose of Sacred Heart University said. Neither President Trump or former Vice President Biden conducted themselves in a presidential manner. In my view, this debate diminished the stature of the American presidency. Here are the seven things you should know: Moderator Chris Wallace could not control the interruptions. Olivier Douliery / Associated Press From the top, Trump came in hot with interruptions, attacking Biden on his health care plan, while Biden interrupted right back to try to correct Trumps mischaracterizations of his positions. Within minutes both had called the other a liar. Its hard to get any word in with this clown, this person, Biden said at one point. Wallace, a veteran journalist and anchor of Fox News Sunday, tried and mostly failed to stop the verbal barrage. I hate to raise my voice but why shouldnt I be different from the two of you? Wallace asked the candidates at one point, imploring them to cut it out. Late in the debate, Wallace reminded Trump that his campaign agreed to the rules of the debate and by interrupting he was breaking them. The moderator was terrible, said Paul Hernnson, political science professor at the University of Connecticut and fellow at the Center for Responsive Politics. He let Trump talk all over himself and over Biden. Mann defended Wallace for asking good questions and trying to enforce the rules. Political science research shows that people are turned off by incivility in politics, Mann said. In particular, the crosstalk with Chris Wallace - a well known and well liked Fox News anchor - was not a good look for Trump. With Biden, this crosstalk might look like a political argument. The crosstalk with Chris Wallace looked like he was bullying and disrespectful. Biden, Trump explained how they will handle delayed and disputed election results. Olivier Douliery / Associated Press At the close of the debate, Wallace asked both candidates if they will urge voters to stay calm during a possible extended period after the election when the results could be unknown as the ballots are counted. He asked if they would pledge not to declare victory until the election results are independently certified. Trump, who responded first, said he urged his supporters to go to the polls and act as poll watchers as ballots are being counted to watch very carefully and look for misconduct. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that, Trump said, again raising the prospect that he may not commit to a peaceful transition of power, if he loses the election. Biden said he would not declare victory until the results have been independently certified. He defended the use of vote-by-mail as standard practice by the military and in five states Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Utah where almost all ballots are cast by mail every election. Biden promised that if he is not the victor of the election, that he will support the winner. Given the variety of election laws among the states, each state has a different deadline for counting absentee ballots, said Gayle Alberda, assistant professor of political science at Fairfield University. For Americans, we might not know who win on Election Day. Leaving that as the last issue for the debate was beneficial in helping voters set expectations for obtaining election results. Trump would not explicitly disavow white supremacy during debate over race, violence. Patrick Semansky / Associated Press In a key exchange during a discussion on race and protests, Wallace the moderator asked Trump if he would explicitly, on stage condemn white supremacy. Trump said sure I would be willing to do it, but when pressed by Wallace never followed through with his condemnation and instead said the people agitating peaceful protests were a left wing problem. Asked to condemn the Proud Boys, Trump told them to stand back and stand by. Trump's unwillingness to condemn white supremacists when directly asked about to do so by Chris Wallace is likely to be the moment most likely to end up in TV ads, Mann said. Wallace also pressed Biden on why he would not call the mayors of Portland, Ore. or other cities experiencing lengthy periods of civil unrest over racial justice issues and demand they stop looting and rioting in their cities. Biden responded, I dont hold public office now. I am a former vice president. He said violence is never appropriate. Biden slammed Trump for his response to the death of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Trump attacked Biden for his work on the 1994 crime bill. Positioning himself as the law and order candidate,Trump pressed Biden to name one law enforcement group that had endorsed Bidens campaign, but Biden could not respond with one. He said he wanted to reform policing by rooting out bad apples and encouraging discussion between community members and the police. Trump said he ended racial sensitivity training at federal agencies because it was teaching people to hate our country and sick ideas. I ended it because its racist, Trump said. I ended because a lot of people were complaining they were asked to do something that was absolutely insane. Biden declared Trump a racist, saying People have to be made aware of what other people feel like. This is the man who told you to inject bleach. Patrick Semansky / Associated Press Speaking to the camera, Biden asked the American public how many people had an empty chair at their kitchen table because someone died from coronavirus. Biden blamed Trump for the deaths saying he never had a plan to fight the virus, he minimized the pandemics seriousness and refused to offer the country the support it needed to stop the virus outbreak and heal the economy. In a memorable line, Herrnson said, Biden quoted Trump who said it is what is, about the virus, and then retorted it is because of what you are. He mocked Trump saying this is the man who told you to inject bleach. Trump said the remark was sarcastic. He highlighted his work putting in place a travel ban in China and said he made the right decision to shut down the greatest economy in history due to the china plague and now he supported its reopening. Trump repeatedly stated that that Democratic governors were keeping their states shut down until after the November election for political reasons because They think theyre hurting us by keeping it closed. Voters in Connecticut are likely focused on issues surrounding the jobs, the economy, and the on-going pandemic, Alberda said. The state is still rebounding from the Great Recession and with the pandemic, it will likely hurt the states budget and economy even more. There was very little discussion on how each candidate will help the states with any budget shortfall due to the pandemic. Trump divided Biden from progressives on the environment. Throughout the debate, Trump sought to portray Biden as a radical socialist who was puppeteered by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Then, when Biden refused to supported some ideas backed by progressives, Trump jeered that Biden was now losing those voters. Trump claimed that Biden supported the Green New Deal, a progressive policy proposal to fight climate change. Trump said it would put airplanes out of businesses, take peoples cars away and even take the cows out. After stumbling once over his words, Biden said, I dont support the Green New Deal... I support the Biden plan that I put forward, describing how he believes investments in renewable energy, weatherizing homes and buildings and other changes can create new, good-paying jobs. I am not sure that Biden said anything that ends up in TV ads, except perhaps his misspeaking about the Green New Deal, Mann said. Biden will take some heat from the left wing of his party for moving to the center, but the left wing is already far more motivated to vote against Trump than for Biden so this won't cost any votes. On his own views on climate change, Trump said he believed a lot of things contribute to global warming. We have to do everything we can to have immaculate air, immaculate water, he said. He brought up the recent wildfires burning the West and blamed them on poor forest management. A similar dynamic unfolded when Trump claimed Biden wanted to take away peoples private health insurance. Biden countered that he did not he wanted to expand Medicaid so more people would have access to a public option, he said. Your party wants to go to socialist medicine, Trump said. I am the Democratic party right now, Biden said. The platform of the Democratic party is what I approved of. Trump said he paid millions in federal taxes. After a bombshell New York Times investigation into Trumps personal and business tax practices, Trump claimed he paid millions in federal taxes in 2016 and 2017. The New York Times investigation revealed Trump paid just $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and no income tax at all in 11 of the 18 years that the Times reviewed, thanks to huge businesses losses he carried, among many other findings. Trump has broken with tradition with precedent by refusing to release his tax returns and waging a legal battle to keep them hidden. Hours before the debate, Biden released his 2019 tax return showing he and his wife paid nearly 300,000 in federal taxes, a little less than a third of his adjusted gross income of $985,000. Biden urged Trump to show us your tax returns. Trump said Youll see it as soon as its finished. Biden repeatedly linked Trump to millionaires and billionaires making profits off the pandemic, while talking up his Scranton roots. Bidens working class background and public service career came across. He sought to connect with everyday people, focus on policy, and address the performance of government, Herrnson said. Trumps background also came across. He was born into wealth, went into business and reality TV, and developed a public persona as a bully. His interruptions and personal attacks were consistent with his background. The animosity could not have been more clear. Trump and Biden did not hide their disdain for one another one iota although to win in November, each man must win a portion of moderate voters some of whom backed Trump in 2016 and some of whom supported Democrat and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Youre the worst president America has ever had, come on, Biden to Trump during a segment on taxes. He called Trump a clown more than once. Trump suggested that Biden graduated last in his college class and attacked his intellect. He repeatedly called Biden a socialist. He lambasted Bidens son, Hunter Biden, for his work for a Ukrainian energy firm and getting kicked out of the military, among other allegations many of which have been disproven. A shook up Biden, said Hunter struggled from a drug problem, like many people, but has recovered and Trumps other allegations were false. One of the big take-aways was the lack of real policy debate, Alberda said. Too often they focused on zingers or interrupting each other and not on sharing with voters where they stand on the issues. Both the candidates dodged questions, which is expected, but the extent to which they did often can leave many voters in the dark. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson More than 200 projects from sectors such as infrastructure, technology, agroindustry, energy and tourism, among others, will be presented at the virtual meeting, which will take place October 7-9. MADRID, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The sixth version of the Colombia Investment Summit this year will be virtual and is expected to attract between 1,200 and 1,500 attendees. More than 550 investorscoming from markets in Europe, Asia and Americawill participate in over 1,000 business meetings. The event, led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism and by ProColombia, has established itself as the most important meeting in the country for generating sustainable and responsible investment opportunities and promoting projects in sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, energy, agroindustry and technology, among others. "Foreign investment is one of the essential instruments for the current moment because it creates job opportunities and helps to boost the economy. Today we are working to promote the arrival of more investors and to facilitate new tools for increasing those flows and improving the business climate. In addition, we facilitate a good environment for the relocation of companies seeking to reorganize their supply chains and efficiencies as they exit other latitudes. In addition, we provide sectoral and regional incentives," said Jose Manuel Restrepo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism. "The Colombia Investment Summit is an event that supports the country's economic reactivation, an opportunity to materialize more investment in the regions, creating quality jobs, technology transfer, development, and greater competitiveness," said Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia. The academic agenda will begin on the first day, October 7. On October 8 and 9, seven sectoral panels will be held on industries such as chemical and life sciences, infrastructure, tourism, metalworking, agribusiness, energy, and industry 4.0. The event will enjoy the participation of Ivan Duque, president of Colombia, ministers and directors of government institutions, senior executives of national and foreign companies, special guests, and international investors interested in establishing business operations in Colombia. In the 2019 edition, Colombia Investment Summit generated ten investment announcements, together worth over one billion US dollars, in projects related to agroindustry, infrastructure, chemicals and life sciences, energy, and investment funds. Investors interested in taking part in this event can register and obtain more information at: https://colombiainvestmentsummit.co Related Links https://procolombia.co SOURCE ProColombia Download Image: Web Its not every day that you meet a student who has a certain poise about her a genuine sincerity, intelligence, talent, and compassion that draws you in and makes you want to learn more about what makes her tick. Maryam Haytham Esmat 21 is that student, and you cant help but find her passion infectious. The international student from Cairo, Egypt, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in astrophysics with a mathematics minor as well as a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing with a fiction track, and she makes it appear effortless. Esmat has completed a long list of enhanced academic experiences during her time at Lycoming. Her first research experience was with the Radio Jove Project team in Lycomings astronomy and physics department. The highlight so far, however, has been her six-month research experience involving NASAs James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in Baltimore, Md. My research assistantship at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) was a dream materialized! I grew up learning about space through STScIs public outreach articles online; through them I learned about the JWST which has been my favorite telescope since I was fifteen, says Esmat. Its hard to believe that I got to be one of the people working on it at its very own headquarters. Helping scientists use the telescopes instruments to literally look back in time to observe our universe as it was 13.5 billion years ago and observing planets outside of our Solar System was all very wonderous! Notably, Esmat is a co-translator of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center published Webb Key Facts International for the JWST, a translation she provided from English to Arabic for the telescope's media department. As a Joanne and Arthur Haberberger Fellow this academic year, Esmat is modeling the electron density in our home galaxy, the Milky Way, which will allow astronomers to measure astronomical distances from Earth to astrophysical objects at a high level of accuracy. Her research in the field of gravitational waves, under the guidance of Christopher Kulp, Ph.D., professor of physics at Lycoming, and Katelyn Breivik, Ph.D., Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, will culminate in a scholarly departmental honors thesis titled Constraining the Galactic Electron Density with Multi-Messenger Astronomy. Maryams Haberberger Fellowship project is in the cutting-edge field of gravitational wave astronomy. This exciting new field has been made possible due to the discovery of gravitational waves during the last five years, Kulp explains. She is investigating the number of pulsars within our galaxy which are observable using both radio and gravitational waves. The goal is to see if gravitational waves can provide additional information about the composition of the pulsar systems.- Esmat is excited to have co-edited a physics college textbook, co-authored by Kulp, that integrates coding into classical mechanics. I worked on the textbook for about a year and a half, and I thank Dr. Kulp so much for letting me be a part of this project! Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach with Examples Using Mathematica and Python, co-authored with Vasilis Pagonis, Ph.D., from McDaniel College, will be released in November 2020 by Routledge. Part of Maryams role was to read our text from the perspective of a student, pointing out sections that needed further clarification and parts she thought would be particularly helpful for students. Our book is much better thanks to her efforts, says Kulp. In addition to scientific research, Esmat embraces the beauty of creative writing. She has taken creative writing courses abroad in Bath, England, with the help of Allison Holladay in Lycomings Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences. While in Bath, she interned for Advanced Studies in England as a blogger and social media marketer. Ms. Holladay worked so hard to find me a suitable and cost-effective study abroad program specific to my creative writing interests. Most impressively, Esmat is the author of The Escaping Flashback, published by Dar Al-Shorouk in 2017, which earned her the title of Youngest Author in the Arab World by the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, as well as a Goodreads author recognition. The book, written in English, is a mix of mystery, action, literature, and sci-fi, and the second and third books in the series are forthcoming. Maryam entered Lycoming as a published novelist, and at times I didnt know whether I was teaching her or unteaching her, but she had her hand up always with questions, and she worked diligently at whatever writing task was before her, says G.W. Hawkes, Ph.D., professor of English. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Esmats summer internship in Dubai was cancelled, but she didnt let that stunt her productivity. I took a college course, helped found a startup, volunteered for Education USA, and went on road trips with my friends along the Mediterranean and the Red Sea coastlines, she shares. I also began my elected term as the associate zone councilor for the Society of Physics Students (SPS) National Council for the 2020-21 academic year. This is the highest position a student can hold on the council, and Esmat is the first student from Lycoming to be appointed. In this role, she will oversee and represent all SPS chapters on university and college campuses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. When asked about her return to campus this fall amid a global pandemic, Esmats ever-optimistic personality shines through just like the stars in the galaxy she loves dearly. I like being back on campus. Navigating the hard times the entire world is going through currently, I believe, requires a sense of community. Being around my people is motivating my productivity this semester, which has surprisingly, given the circumstances, been my favorite semester throughout my college career so far, admits Esmat. My days revolve around Shakespearean plays and American literature, researching gravitational waves and pulsar physics, and my friends. I can't ask for more on a good day, let alone during a pandemic. I chose to attend Lycoming College because it gave me the variety and flexibility to pursue my passions for astronomy, physics, writing, and literature. The small size of campus also was a huge factor in my decision because I needed guidance in the diversity of my interests and help as an international student, learning to navigate my way in a new community. Esmat says that it was after a phone conversation with David Fisher, Ph.D., professor of physics, facilitated by the Lycoming admissions office during her senior year of high school, that she knew Lycoming was the right choice. We talked about his love for physics, space, and creative writing. During my time in the department, weve engaged in these conversations, and weve read each others poetry and fiction pieces and discuss them together, sometimes on our SPS trips to observatories, national laboratories and conferences, and NASA flight facilities. She continues, I have been provided numerous opportunities that have enhanced my academic experiences. Having these networking and research experiences coupled with faculty and staff support have given me confidence and valuable assets needed for my future pursuits. I have had the pleasure of having Maryam in six different courses ranging from Introductory Physics to Quantum Mechanics. It has been a lot of fun watching her develop as a scientist. Maryam is very intelligent and an exceptionally hard worker. By leveraging her talents in science and creative writing, she has charted her own path to success, says Kulp. Following graduation, Esmat plans to pursue her callings as a scientist and artist. Wed like to tell her to reach for the stars, but we have a feeling she will go even further. India's active COVID-19 cases constituted 15.11 per cent of the total caseload on as on Wednesday as against 33.32 per cent on August 1, the Union said. The ministry's data updated at 8 am showed there are 9,40,441 active cases of infection in the country. "From 33.32 per cent on August 1 to 15.11 per cent on September 30, active cases have less than halved in two months," it said in a statement while highlighting that the country "continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases as a percentage of the total caseload". Keeping a "continuous upward trajectory", India's recovery rate has touched 83.33 per centwith86,428 patients having recuperated and discharged in a day. The total number of recoveries has surged to 51,87,825 and exceed active cases of COVID-19 by 42,47,384. "With an increasing number of recoveries, this gap is continuously widening," the ministry said. More than 76 per cent of the active cases of COVID-19 are concentrated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Maharashtra accounts for the maximum with over 2,60,000 active cases. Following the 'test, track, trace, treat, technology' strategy, states and Union Territories are registering speedy recoveries. Fourteen states and UTs have less than 5,000 active cases, the ministry said. Also, 10 states and UTs contribute 78 per cent of the total recovered cases. Maharashtra leads the tally with more than 10,00,000 recoveries followed by Andhra Pradesh with over 6,00,000, it said. The said 76 per cent of the new 80,472cases reported in a day are from 10 states and UTs. Maharashtra has contributed the maximum to the new infections with nearly 15,000 cases followed by Karnataka with more than 10,000 cases. Besides, 1,179 fatalities have been reported in a day. Of these, nearly 85 per cent are concentrated in 10 state and UTs -- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. More than 36 per cent of new fatalities are from Maharashtra, the ministry said. India's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 62,25,763 on Wednesday with80,472 infections being reported in a day, while the death toll climbed to 97,497with 1,179 people succumbing to the disease during the same period. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India is planning to seek cabinets approval to sell 25% stake in the nations largest life insurer, people with knowledge of the matter said, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks resources to plug a widening budget gap. The government plans to amend the act of parliament under which the state-run Life Insurance Corp. of India was set up to prepare for the sale, the people said, asking not to be identified as the discussions were private. The timing of the insurers initial public offering will be depend on market conditions, and the sale is likely to be done in tranches, they added. A finance ministry spokesman was not immediately available for a comment. A stake sale in LIC through a public offering of shares will help the government bolster its finances after the coronavirus pandemic stalled growth and threatens the fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of gross domestic product set for the year ending March 2021. The administration has raised about 57 billion rupees through asset sales in the fiscal year from April 1, as against a target of 2.1 trillion rupees. The government has picked Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Ltd. and SBI Capital Markets Ltd. to help Life Insurance Corp. of India prepare for an initial share sale, Bloomberg News reported last month. The advisers will help evaluate the capital structure of Indias biggest insurer as well as aid the company in reworking its financial statement, according to a tender document issued in June. As part of the proposal, the government will also move an amendment in parliament for an authorized capital of 200 billion rupees which will be divided into 20 billion shares, the people said. A ministerial panel set up for asset sales will decide on the size of the public offering while the cabinet will consider changes to capital structure of the insurer, the people said. Taking the insurer public will help instill discipline and unlock value, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said in her budget speech in February, without providing details or the time line for the sale. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers India NeuroBehavioral Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Crown Point, Ind., fired an employee last week after she was quoted in a New York Times article about nursing homes and their illegal dumping of unprofitable patients at emergency rooms and psychiatric hospitals. The employee, Kimberly Jackson, was a discharge planner at the hospital. Her employment was terminated last Thursday because she violated the hospitals media policy, said Rebecca Holloway, the hospitals corporate director of human resources. Ms. Jackson said she had spoken to The Times to help expose how nursing homes in Illinois and Michigan routinely sent elderly and disabled patients to the hospital where she worked in an apparent effort to evict the residents. The article, published on Sept. 19, quoted her as saying that most of those patients were not psychotic and should not have been sent to the hospital. The homes seem to be purposely taking symptoms of dementia as evidence of psychosis, Ms. Jackson said in the article. She cited the example of a resident who a nursing home had claimed was psychotic because the resident yelled at a staff member. Airline passengers flying at Tampa International Airport can now get their COVID-19 test results. On Tuesday, airport officials started a pilot program that offers coronavirus testing for all passengers who want a test. It made Tampa International Airport (TPA) the first U.S. airport to offer all passengers testing no matter their airline or destination. TPA collaborated with BayCare Health System for a 30-day trial period. "COVID's not going away any time soon and because of that we have to figure out how to adapt our lives to be safe," Dr. Nishant Anand, the chief medical officer at BayCare, said in a report. Travelers can find the main terminal's testing area near Airside E and F and walk up without an appointment.A nurse will take you to a private room for a nasal swab after checking in. Passengers can get the result in 15 minutes or two days, depending on the test. The airport offers the 15-minute rapid antigen test for $57 and the PCR test for $125. PCR is considered more accurate and delivers results within 48 hours.To avail of this service, passengers must pay with a credit card and show proof of travel. Airport officials said travelers could get tested within three days before or after their flight. "People just need more knowledge. If they know that they're positive, they won't go on the plane. If they know they're negative, they're going to go see their friends, their loved ones and say, 'I'm good,'" Joe Lopano, the Tampa International Airport CEO, said in a report. Travel authorities said they hope the option will help restore some confidence in travel safety.Lopano said there would be 150 tests available per day for passengers. It could be adjusted based on demand. Lopano noted that they are scalable and flexible. He added that they would see how it goes, adding that they think this is something that other airports around the country will emulate. The testing area will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Airport officials advise passengers to arrive early before a flight, as the process will take about 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Oakland International Airport will begin its free, rapid-result COVID-19 testing for its employees and the public. Its airport officials said that the testing would start Oct. 6 at the North Field terminal complex at 9070 Earhart Road in Oakland in cooperation with CityHealth Urgent Care, which would be responsible for the testing. Results will be available on the spot or through CityHealth's web portal.Airport officials assured passengers that CityHealth is HIPPA compliant. Bryant Francis, Port of Oakland's director of aviation, said the Port of Oakland is everyone's port, and the Oakland International Airport (OAK) has been the people's airport since 1927. All Oakland airport employees, as well as tenant airlines, concessionaires, and ground handlers, are eligible for testing. The public can also get tested by scheduling a time through CityHealth's website. Oakland airport authorities urge travelers planning to go to Hawaii to use the free rapid-result testing at OAK before their trip. Check these out: Los Cabos: Mexico's Tourism Jewel Amid COVID-19 Mexican Caribbean Regarded as a Safe Travel Destination by the WTTC Is Coronavirus the Greatest Tourism Threat Since World War II? India recorded 80,742 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry website on Wednesday. This pushed the nationwide tally to over 6.2 million. The country also saw 1,179 new fatalities in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative death toll at 97,497, according to health ministry. The ministrys bulletin on Wednesday showed 9,40,441 active cases in the country, which account for 15.42 per cent of the total cases India has seen so far. India has increased its testing capacity significantly in the last six months with tests per million population for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crossing the 50,000-mark, shows Union health ministry data. In the past 10 days alone, Covid-19 testing has gone up from about 46,000 tests per million population to about 53,000 tests currently. Overall, 51,87,825 people have recovered from the disease so far, the ministry data showed. The national recovery rate crossed 83 per cent on Tuesday and the number of cases under treatment were less than 1 million. Ten Indian states which have seen the most number of coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours include Maharashtra (430), Karnataka (136), Punjab (75), Tamil Nadu (70), Uttar Pradesh (63), West Bengal (62), Delhi (48), Madhya Pradesh (39), Chhattisgarh (39)and Andhra Pradesh (35). The slight dip in Indias Covid-19 number comes on the day when the central government is likely to release guidelines for the fifth phase of relaxations (Unlock 5). A detective who Kentucky's attorney general said fired the shot that killed Breonna Taylor is seeking to purchase the rest of his service time so he can retire from the Louisville Metro Police Department, according to an online fundraiser launched by his family. The campaign on GiveSendGo.com is seeking $75,000 to help Officer Myles Cosgrove purchase the rest of his service time "so that he can retire and continue to focus on the safety of his family." It says the family has been put "continually at-risk over the past few months." It had raised a little more than $7,200 as of Tuesday evening. Detective Myles Cosgrove. (Louisville Metro Police Department) Cosgrove could not be reached for comment Tuesday. The founder of GiveSendGo, Jacob Wells, confirmed that the campaign was created by Cosgrove's immediate family and said proceeds will go to them. The campaign was first reported by the Courier-Journal newspaper of Louisville. Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly are on administrative leave while separate internal and FBI investigations are conducted into the March 13 raid at Taylor's apartment. Mattingly was wounded in the shooting. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said a grand jury agreed that Cosgrove and Mattingly fired in self-defense after Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who said he mistook police for intruders, fired at them. A grand juror in the case, who filed a court motion Monday seeking the release of the grand jury's transcripts and permission from a judge to speak publicly, has disputed that account. Kevin Glogower, one of the attorneys for the juror, who is not named in the motion, said Tuesday that it is unclear whether the grand jury was given an option to charge Cosgrove or Mattingly in Taylor's death. The grand jury last week indicted a third officer, Brett Hankison, on three counts of wanton endangerment. Hankison was fired in June for his conduct during the raid. He is accused of firing bullets into another apartment with three people inside. No one in that unit was injured. None of the three officers were directly charged in Taylor's death. Hankison pleaded not guilty Monday and is free on $15,000 bond. Story continues IMAGE: Breonna Taylor (Family photo) Taylor, 26, an emergency medical technician, was shot six times, Cameron said. She died in the hallway of her apartment. The "fundraising story" for Cosgrove says the result of the raid "was tragic for all involved." "Any situation that results in the loss of human life is and should be considered a monumental travesty," it says. "As time has passed, as outrage has been made known, and as protests only continue to grow, it is our ongoing stance that creating a conversation which is both safe and rational is the only way to find a solution. "We must create an atmosphere of progress for everyone," it continues. "However, amidst this conversation, safety has proven difficult to come by for Myles and his family and we are, at this point, emotionally concerned for all parties involved." The campaign takes aim at the news media, saying Taylor's case "has been forged into a tool for an agenda that has no regard for the lives that are being destroyed." The story also says: "While it's imperative to listen to each and every one of our city's voices at this cultural moment, we would like to highlight an important note, a simple exercise in understanding: Most people simply don't understand what it's like to be a police officer in America today. Most people don't know what it's like, as a career, to put your life on the line on the daily basis to simply serve and protect your community. Most people don't know what it's like to have a weapon fired at you." And it says: "Even fewer know what it's like, after all of that, to have the entire world turn on you with pure vitriol for simply performing your job exactly as you were trained to do by your superiors." Cosgrove's family said they ask that people "take a moment of empathy to place yourself in that position, think about what it would be like for yourself" and consider what they are going through. The police department said that neither Cosgrove nor Mattingly has filed retirement paperwork. The Courier-Journal reported that a police department spokeswoman said in August that the officers were being provided security outside their homes following threats. A police spokesman, Sgt. Lamont Washington, said Thursday: "We do not confirm nor deny security details." Trump also refused at the debate to condemn white supremacists who have supported him, telling one such group known as the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by. Asked directly on Wednesday if he welcomed white supremacist support, he first said only that he favored law enforcement but when the questioner persisted, he said he had always denounced any form of any of that. The exterior of the Stout Criminal Justice Center, at Juniper and Filbert Streets in Center City Philadelphia, in September. Read more An appellate court dealt a setback to activists seeking to monitor bail hearings in Philadelphia in order to hold officials accountable and seek reforms. The Philadelphia Bail Fund does not have a constitutionally protected right to record hearings, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held, overturning the decision of a federal district judge and preserving the status quo in Pennsylvania, which has some of the nations most restrictive rules on courtroom public access. The district court had granted summary judgment to the bail fund, reasoning that if Municipal Court fails to record or transcribe the hearings, the public must be permitted to do so. The Third Circuit acknowledged Tuesday such a recording might be helpful. But Judge Morton Ira Greenberg wrote, Just because something may be a good policy does not mean that it rises to the level of a constitutional right. The First Judicial District and the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts both declined to comment on the opinion. The lawyer representing the bail fund, Nicolas Riley of Georgetown Universitys Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, said he was still evaluating how to proceed in the case. In dissent, Judge Cheryl Ann Krause said the decision could have grave consequences for public discourse and confidence in government institutions. She wrote: All parties and members of the panel agree that the First Amendment right of access applies to bail hearings. Yet the majority proceeds to eviscerate that right. As Krause noted, studies of the preliminary arraignment hearings held 24 hours a day in the basement of the Stout Center for Criminal Justice have found that magistrates set bail in 90% of cases without inquiring about ability to pay. The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit last year alleging systemic failure by magistrates who ignored the law in setting bail. However, in the end, the Supreme Court found the system essentially sound and rejected pleas for wholesale reform. District Attorney Larry Krasner, who has taken fire for recent bail decisions, called the courts ruling disappointing. He said the hearings should be recorded or transcribed. One of the biggest problems we have in the city right now is that were dealing with the last gasp of cash bail. In my opinion, it not only puts people who should be out of jail in jail, but it has the potential to endanger the community because some people who present a very serious danger are able to pay money to get out, he said. We need accountability in the bail process so we can try to improve it. When you dont have the right to have a record, it makes it a lot harder. ABC staff have voted against deferring a pay rise of 2%, set to be enforced on October 1 as part of a new three year enterprise agreement, approved by the Fair Work Commission in January. The Sydney Morning Herald claims sources said 80% of staff votes were against the deferral. Communications Minister Paul Fletcher wrote to the ABC in May asking employees to pause the pay rise in the context of large scale job losses across the economy as well as pay freezes in private sector media and the public service. SBS was also asked to consider a freeze on pay rises. We felt it would have been a fine gesture of solidarity with those across the media sector who have been doing it much tougher than the ABC, Fletcher said. It is evident from the results of todays vote that ABC staff did not share this view. In early September ABC Board left the decision up to staff. Chair Ita Buttrose asked staff to vote on the matter which would deliver one-off savings of $5 million that would be diverted to emergency broadcasting. Sinddy Ealy, the Community and Public Sector Unions ABC secretary, said staff deserved a pay rise because of their performance during the bushfire and coronavirus crises. Theyve seen 220 of their colleagues lose their jobs because of the governments funding cuts, she said. I dont think anyone could say they havent endured their share of pain. ABC managing director David Anderson took a 5% pay cut from April until the end of September. Indian benchmark indices closed positive on Wednesday after a volatile session, tracking cues from overseas markets. While Sensex ended at 38,067, up 94 points, Nifty gained by 4 points to 11,226. Yesterday, Sensex ended 8 points lower at 37,973 and Nifty fell 5 points to 11,222. Sun Pharma, ONGC, M&M and HUL were among the gainers. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank was the top loser on Sensex, followed by ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, SBI, PowerGrid, NTPC and HDFC Bank. Sectorally, a mixed trend was witnessed on the sectoral front as gains in consumer durables, FMCG and capital goods were capped by losses in telecom, oil & gas and metals. Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services said, "As expected, benchmark indices remained volatile throughout the day, fluctuating between losses and gains before finally ending the day flat. Global cues were mostly negative, following caution over the outcome of US presidential elections and also because of rising virus cases around the world." European markets opened in the negative as investors remain cautious with COVID-19 infections on the rise again in the US and European countries that can spark tighter lockdown measures. Uncertainty over the course of the pandemic and over how it will affect the economy clouded sentiment. Most Asian indices traded in the green, barring Nikkei and Strait Times as investors were cheerful on manufacturing data coming out of China and release of key economic data for September. Wall Street closed lower on Tuesday, snapping a three-day winning streak as investors were cautious amid political uncertainty. Stocks closed lower after the first round of presidential debate involving United States President and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump and his rival from the Democratic Party Joe Biden. A tug-of-war over the new aid package between U.S. House of Representatives and House Democrats also kept sentiments tepid. On the currency front, the Indian rupee settled 10 paise higher at 73.76 against the US dollar on Wednesday as against Tuesday's close of 73.86 against the greenback, supported by positive domestic equities. On Rupee's outlook, Ajit Mishra, VP - Research, Religare Broking said, "For the October series, the USDINR pair has resistance around 74.50 followed by 75.20 levels. On the other hand, support for the pair is at 73.20, followed by 72.80 mark" Worldwide, there were 338 lakh confirmed cases and 10.12 lakh deaths from COVID-19 outbreak. India's COVID-19 caseload breached the 62-lakh mark and the death toll from COVID-19 infections rose to 0.97 lakh, as of today. Technical outlook Forming a Doji candle chart, Nifty has closed flattish note for the second consecutive session today, after rising for three sessions. On markets closing-Manish Hathiramani, proprietary index trader and technical analyst, Deen Dayal Investments said," The Nifty has closed below the 11350 level which indicates that weakness still persists in the system. Until we do not close above this level, the trend remains southwards. If the Nifty gets jittery at the current level, we could possible go down to 10800." Rohit Singre, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities "Index has strong resistance near 11300 zone any break above said level can active good momentum which can push index to next hurdle zone of 11400, good support is coming near 11200-11120 zone overall index may trade in consolidation and range would be 11200-11300 zone." Gold price falls amid strong dollar; silver rates at Rs 61,200 RIL share rises as General Atlantic to invest Rs 3,675 crore into retail business Rupee drops 9 paise to 73.77 amid strong dollar, weak equities Why Future Enterprises share fell 4% after three sessions of gains Ralph DiPietro loves to travel, dine out and especially sit in a club and listen to live jazz. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken all of that away from him. I travel at least two or three times a year. My traveling is zero now, said the 57-year-old. I usually eat out. I havent eaten out at all. But he will be traveling to Cape May this weekend for the Exit Zero Jazz Festival. The twice-a-year festival, which consistently brings in some of the biggest names in jazz, is happening Thursday through Sunday outdoors and with pandemic safety protocols. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Septet with Wynton Marsalis headlines and opens the festivals first night at 7 p.m. The word festival brings to mind large groups of people sitting or standing close together, and often jazz music attracts an older audience two things that raise immediate red flags since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March. And Michael Kline, the festivals executive producer and artistic director, is keenly aware of that. A McDonald's customer recently revealed a sneaky hack for buying a cheeseburger for half price. Josh Garlepp filmed his journey through a McDonald's drive-thru in Perth, Western Australia, and posted it to TikTok on Sunday. In the video, he asked a restaurant employee whether he could add a slice of cheese to his hamburger, valued at $1.50. McDonald's cheeseburgers are priced at $3.55 - more than double the cost of a hamburger - but the only difference between the two is a single slice of cheese. But McDonald's isn't the only place you can get a bargain deal on a meal or a drink. Here, FEMAIL reveals the top menu hacks from high street chains across the UK and worldwide to save a small fortune on food and drink. Burger King has a secret 'Have It Your Way' menu that allows you to customise its burgers any way you want to BURGER KING: HALF PRICE BACON DOUBLE CHEESE BURGER Burger King has a secret 'Have It Your Way' menu that allows you to customise its burgers any way you want to. Money Saving Expert previously revealed a hack that means you can get the chain's 4.39 Bacon Double Cheeseburger for less than 2. To take advantage of the trick, all you need to do is order a Plain Double Cheeseburger from the King Saver menu at a branch of Burger King. Then you ask the server to add bacon - and your burger should look identical to an official Bacon Double Cheeseburger that costs half the price. The chain also has deals on its app including a 1.99 Whopper Burger and 1.99 chicken nuggets as well as a 2.49 Chicken Royale. STARBUCKS: UNLIMITED COFFEE FOR 1.55 Buried deep on the Starbucks website, the chain reveals that it offers free refills in the UK. We're used to fast food chains such as McDonald's and Burger King offering refills on soft drinks, but it still may take some by surprise that a coffee chain also offers this deal. There is a small catch, however. Starbucks offers its customers free refills if they order a 1.55 filter coffee from any of its branches in the UK The free refill offer only applies to the coffee titan's filter coffees, which are on sale in the UK for 1.55. But if you order one, you can then ask your barista for another tall filter coffee on the house. The menu hack is revealed in the FAQ section of the Starbucks website. The UK version reads: 'When you purchase a Filter Coffee to stay in one of our participating stores in the UK or Ireland, after you finish you can enjoy a Tall Filter Coffee on us.' But it adds that this deal is only available while stocks lasts, and that the free refill offer can be withdrawn at the discretion of the barista. PRET: FREE COFFEE FOR A MONTH To welcome customers back after stores closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pret A Manger is offering customers the deal of unlimited coffee for just 20 a month. But the first month is free - meaning shoppers can go a whole month getting five coffees a day (that's 155 coffees) without paying a penny. Though that may be a little too much caffeine for most. To welcome customers back after stores closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pret A Manger is offering customers the deal of unlimited coffee for just 20 a month - with the first month free MCDONALDS: 1.99 Big Mac and fries for life Typically, the beloved burger accompanied by the restaurant's crispy, golden fries costs close to 4. MoneySavingExpert has found an ingenious way to cut costs at the McDonald's checkout, though. A few minor steps are required to make this fast food hack work, but once you've got it down you'll never pay more than 2 for a Big Mac meal again. First thing's first, you'll need to make a purchase. MoneySavingExpert recommends opting for a 59p mini McFlurry, the cheapest thing on the menu. A drink will do as well. One savvy fast food fan has found a way to save money on your next Big Mac from McDonald's After you've made your purchase, take your receipt and head over to the Food for Thoughts website to enter the offer code written or printed near the survey details. The whole process should take about two minutes. When all is said and done, you'll be given a five-digit number redeemable for a discounted Big Mac and fries. The meal should come in at 1.99. You can repeat the same process with each new receipt until the promotion ends but it is limited to one per day. The offer is also only available to over 16s. Not a fan of the Big Mac? This offer works the same with the Fillet-O-Fish or Veggie Deluxe. NANDOS: SAVE 40p on chips 2 on chicken Couples can save money in Nando's by ordering a sharing platter instead of two separate meals. A large wing platter - which includes 10 wings and large chips - costs 15.50, meaning diners can save 2.50. If you fancy chips with your meal, a large chips cost 40p less than two regular, but gives you more overall, according to the Sun. Couples can save money in Nando's by ordering a sharing platter instead of two separate meals CAFFE NERO: One drink for the price of three Customers can get two free hot drinks with the Caffe Nero app by referring a friend. On their website they explain: 'To refer your friends, all you need to do is tap on INVITE FRIENDS at the bottom of the referral card. 'This will generate a link that you can send via your phone's messaging apps, including Mail, native SMS as well as third party apps you have installed on your phone(e.g. Whatsapp). 'Please make sure that you are running on the latest version of the app to be able to refer someone. If you have issues generating a referral link, please check your Internet connection and make sure you have enough connectivity. (Natural News) Back in 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) hoodwinked the world with a so-called swine flu pandemic that resulted in the U.S. government needlessly stockpiling deadly vaccines along with $1.5 billion worth of Tamiflu, an influenza drug that just so happened to enrich the estates of Donald Rumsfeld and other key deep state actors. Now in 2020, we are watching the same thing happen all over again with the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, a manufactured crisis that once again exposes global public health initiatives as nothing more than corporate-government fraud. From the very start of this latest worldwide scare, the WHO has contended that there is nothing anyone can do about the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) other than to take Remdesivir, an antiviral drug manufactured by Gilead Pharmaceuticals, and simply wait for a future vaccine in self-isolation with your mask on, of course. The WHO has further denigrated hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as dangerous and useless, citing a bogus study that was authored by a porn star and sci-fi writer under the direction of a questionable U.S. healthcare analytics company. Also in on the ruse are other key deep state players such as the infamous Anthony Fauci, who 15 years after publicly stating that HCQ is effective against coronaviruses is suddenly now opposed to the drugs use. As it turns out, Fauci has financial ties to new drugs that are being pushed through the pipeline as alleged remedies for the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19), which explains his anomalous opposition to HCQ, which he once promoted. Every doctor and medical professional who has bravely come forward in support of HCQ during the current pandemic, by the way, despite the deep states opposition to it, has faced ridicule and persecution. Dr. Didier Raoult of France says he has actually received death threats simply for announcing that HCQ combined with the antibiotic drug azithromycin successfully cured 80 of his own patients. By administering hydroxychloroquine combined with azithromycin, we were able to observe an improvement in all cases, except in one patient who arrived with an advanced form, who was over the age of 86, Dr. Raoult is quoted as saying, noting that HCQ-plus-azithromycin had a 91 percent success rate with zero side effects when used in more than 1,000 patients. Dr. Raoult published these and other findings in an online journal, only to be threatened with death for daring to spill the beans. And according to Great Game India, this death threat came from a top financial recipient of none other than Gilead Pharmaceuticals, which apparently wants to maintain a corner on the available oral drug options for the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19). Professor Raoult testified that, shortly after he started to talk about HCQ as a treatment, in March, he received anonymous death threats, reports indicate. He filed a complaint with the police, and an enquiry was opened by the French judiciary. The medical doctor behind the threats was found and happens to be from a Nantes university hospital. It happened to be the person who received the most money from Gilead over the past 6 years. Dr. Raoults full testimony before the French Parliament, which took place on June 24, is available for viewing at this link. Gilead Science has dark history of bioterrorism, claims Great Game India With the help of the WHO, which at the current time is colluding with both deep state government entities and corrupt pharmaceutical interests to keep the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) plandemic going, Gilead was able to strongarm the federal government back in 2009 into buying up stocks of Tamiflu, enriching the pocketbooks of not just Rumsfeld but also George Schultz, a former U.S. secretary of state. Rumsfeld chaired Gilead while Schultz sat on the companys board. The interesting part is, Gilead was part of the vaccine lobby at whose behest the WHO faked the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, and kept it a secret from people until committees were setup (sic) which exposed the entire racket, reports Great Game India. As a background, Gilead appears to be a creation of the military-industrial complex with a dark history of bioterrorism, according to Great Game India. Despite its benign image as a mere pharmaceutical manufacturer, Gilead has been accused of engaging in illegal bioweapons research programs in the country of Georgia, where 73 people are said to have died at the hands of Gilead researchers who were testing deadly chemicals on them. Igor Giorgadze, a former minister for state security in Georgia, is on record as claiming that the illegal tests were conducted by The Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research near the nations capital of Tbilisi. More than 100,000 pages of classified information shows that Gilead was involved in conducting military research, biological weapons research, and other clinical experiments there that resulted in the deaths of Georgian citizens. Equally disturbing are Gileads ties to the Pentagon, as the company has been accused of bombing a competitors manufacturing facility with the deep state entitys approval, all under the guise of fighting Al-Qaeda. As for Remdesivir, which currently maintains orphan drug status, it remains to be seen where the drug ends up in the world and at what cost or as Great Game India puts it, we will have to see what countries does Gilead choose to donate to and beyond the donations, whether Gilead prices Remdesivir reasonably, particularly in developed countries. More stories about the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) plandemic and the corporate-government corruption that is keeping it going can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com GreatGameIndia.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Videos.Assemblee-Nationale.fr GreatGameIndia.com Reporter Ben Zigterman is a reporter covering business at The News-Gazette. His email is bzigterman@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@bzigterman). Debenhams workers who had their jobs cut without notification in April when the UK based company ceased trading in Ireland, took their protest to the door of Education Minister Norma Foley's constituency office on Tuesday. Over 100 workers have maintained a protest for 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the closure to highlight the abrupt way in which they were left without work and financial support from the company. "We asked if she (Minister Foley) was about and we were told she was in Dublin," said Amy Hourigan. The workers insist that progress has been slow and they plan to up their protest in the coming weeks. "We're bringing our voices back to the Ministers as we feel not enough is being done," she added. Amy slammed the lack of interest in Deputy Joan Collins' recent Dail motion that called for a change in legislation that would immediately resolve the Debenhams dispute. The motion called for a ring-fenced insolvency fund, as exists in several European Union states, to allow for all payments due to workers laid off by an insolvent company to be financed by a levy on Employers PRSI. Amy said the workers are disappointed that the motion was amended and 'gutted' leading to a further review. "We feel the Government is letting down workers. Norma Foley has stood with us on two separate occasions, she's given us a lot of lip service but we feel she let us down last week with this motion," Amy said. "There are women on our picket line in Tralee who are 64 years of age. It's appalling the way they've been treated. We've protested in Yellow, Orange and Red weather warnings. "The temperature is starting to drop and you can really feel it in the bones. As much as we don't want to be there, we will stay until we get what we want. This is for the benefit of future workers going forward," she said. Debenhams are still trading online in the UK in-spite of a 200 million dept default that has left its former Irish employees in limbo. Debenhams closed its 11 stores in Ireland in early April that included its unit at Manor West Retail Park where its workers continue their protest in a makeshift tent close by the premises. "Debenhams have made a lot of money over here from the Irish taxpayer and now they're leaving the Government with a bill of the bones of between 11 and 13 million of statuary redundancy. "We're like a roller coaster in that some of us have good days and bad days. I won't say it's been easy, but we're determined," Amy said A woman reportedly missing for two years has been found floating out at sea. Angelica Gaitan, 46, was unconscious and suffering from hypothermia when she was pulled from the water by fishermen off the coast of Colombia. Rolando Visbal spotted Ms Gaitan floating around 1.2 miles off the town of Puerto Colombia at around 6am on Saturday. Her first words after being rescued reportedly were: "I was born again, God did not want me to die." Dramatic video of the rescue shows Mr Visbal and a friend pulling Ms Gaitan on board and giving her water. She appears unresponsive and was reportedly suffering from hypothermia. They initially mistook her for a log before she lifted her hands to wave. It's thought she was at sea for eight hours before she was rescued. Ms Gaitan was taken to hospital where she was reunited with her family. Mr Visbal told a local radio he nearly didn't go out fishing after problems with his boat's engine caused delays to an earlier trip. Talking about the rescue, he told Caracol Radio: "Gustavo warned me to be careful with the trunk and I began to turn about 15 degrees to the right, then to my surprise the trunk moved. I thought it was something supernatural." He said Ms Gaitan didn't say anything when they hauled her onto the vessel. He added: "So it turns out that I didn't catch any fish that day either, but I fished a life. I think this was God's purpose." It is not clear how the woman managed to spend the last two years. Ms Gaitan told another local radio, RCN, that she had fled an abusive relationship, although this has been disputed by family. Ms Gaitan's daughter Alejandra Castiblanco told local media she hadn't seen her mother for two years and didn't know her location. She and her sister are now raising money to get Ms Gaitan to Bogota where they live, more than 1,500 miles away from Colombia, so they can care for her. KYIV, Ukraine, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Westinghouse Electric Company signed a contract with the National Nuclear Energy Generating Company (NNEGC Energoatom) on VVER-440 nuclear fuel for the Rivne nuclear power plant. This agreement illustrates another successful step in the continuation of the long-standing partnership between Energoatom and Westinghouse. The parties also signed a Letter of Intent on further exploring localization of fuel assembly component production in Ukraine. Atomenergomash, a subdivision of Energoatom, is currently completing qualification to manufacture VVER-1000 top and bottom nozzles for Westinghouse fuel. The signing of both documents was witnessed by Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We are pleased that Energoatom has once again demonstrated their confidence in Westinghouse's nuclear fuel performance. With this major agreement, we extend further our commitment to Ukraine's energy security and focus on further improving the operational excellence of its nuclear fleet," said Westinghouse President and CEO Patrick Fragman. "Westinghouse is looking forward to continuing to support Energoatom in other areas of expertise as a global strategic partner." Westinghouse VVER-1000 fuel is already in operation in six nuclear reactors in Ukraine. This latest generation of VVER-440 fuel assemblies offers superior fuel economics, substantially extended refueling intervals, excellent performance and reliability meeting both high safety and quality standards. By providing fuel to additional units beyond VVER-1000 reactors, Westinghouse will supply more than half of the Ukrainian reactors. Energoatom CEO Petro Kotin commented, "We are taking another step in our combined need for continuing to improve the performance of our plants and diversifying our supply. This is an important decision not only for Ukraine, but for all countries of the European continent with VVER-440 units." Westinghouse Electric Company is the world's pioneering nuclear energy company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa., U.S. Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. For more information, please visit www.westinghousenuclear.com Contact: Thuy La Telephone: +33 1 69 18 54 29 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Westinghouse Electric Company Related Links http://www.westinghousenuclear.com Ahead of the parade to mark Nigerias 60th Independence anniversary on October 1, the Federal Government has ordered that all routes leading to the Eagle Square should be blocked from midnight on Wednesday. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. The minister said the measure is put in place to further enhance security in and around Eagle Square, venue of the Independence ceremony located in the heart of Abuja. He said that Shehu Shagari Way, Ahmadu Bello Way, outward and inward-bound Airport Roads and adjoining roads would be blocked to traffic. The minister added that the Federal Secretariat Complex would be evacuated by 2.00 p.m. on Wednesday. He explained that by the evacuation, all workers within the precincts of the Eagle Square must vacate their offices from the time. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Thursday parade and presidential broadcast is the climax of the events lined up for the 60th independence anniversary celebration. NAN reports that the celebration has been in full swing following the launch of the theme and logo by the president. So far, a public lecture, Special Jumat Service, an Inter-denominational Church Service and the launch of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy as well as the Integrity Award to commemorate the 20th anniversary of ICPC have been held. A historical exhibition titled Nigeria: A Country of Colours and Tongues, has also been held. The federal government has also announced that the Diamond Jubilee would be a year-long celebration with the hosting of staggered events until September 30. (NAN) BOSTON - Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, the data-mining outfit Palantir Technologies is finally going public in the biggest Wall Street tech offering since last year's debut of Slack and Uber. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. BOSTON - Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, the data-mining outfit Palantir Technologies is finally going public in the biggest Wall Street tech offering since last year's debut of Slack and Uber. Never profitable and dogged by ethical objections for assisting in the Trump administrations deportation crackdown, Palantir forged ahead Wednesday with a direct listing of its stock, gaining 31% in its first trading day. FILE - In this Thursday, March 8, 2012, file photo, Clarium Capital President Peter Thiel speaks during his keynote speech at the StartOut LGBT Entrepreneurship Awards in San Francisco. Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, Palantir Technologies is finally going public. Thiel, the iconoclastic entrepreneur and PayPal co-founder, holds the largest chunk of Palantir stock. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File) Rather than selling newly minted shares to raise money; Palantir listed existed shares for public trading. After a delay, trading began after noon and the stock closed at $9.50 after reaching a peak of $11.42. The low-key stock strategy was in character for a secretive company long reliant on spies, cops and the military as customers and whose founders are keeping voting control of the company. The big question for both investors and company management: Can Palantir successfully transition from a business built on the costly handholding of government customers to serving corporate customers at scale? The company is a hybrid provider of software and consulting services that often embeds its own engineers with clients. Analysts say its future depends on selling multinationals on its tools for gathering disparate data from an ever-expanding data universe and using artificial-intelligence technology to find previously undetectable patterns. Those can theoretically guide strategic decisions and identify new markets much as they have aided in tracking terrorists and sorting military intelligence. The company sets itself apart from most U.S. technology providers, and just moved its headquarters to Denver from Silicon Valley. Palantir colours itself patriotic and belittles other tech firms that won't unquestionably support U.S. dominance in war-fighting and intelligence. FILE - In this Wednesday, May 15, 2019, file photo, Palantir CEO Alex Karp arrives for the Tech for Good summit in Paris. Seventeen years after it was born with the help of CIA seed money, Palantir Technologies is finally going public. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) Our software is used to target terrorists and to keep soldiers safe, CEO Alex Karp wrote in a letter accompanying Palantirs offering prospectus. While Karp acknowledged the ethical challenge of building software that enables more effective surveillance by the state, Palantir's prospectus touts its work helping U.S. soldiers counter roadside bombings and fight the Islamic State group. But investors also have to reckon with the Peter Thiel factor. The iconoclastic entrepreneur and PayPal co-founder endorsed President Donald Trump in 2016, worked on his transition team and holds the largest chunk of Palantir stock. Thiel already exerts tremendous power from the board of Facebook, which dominates global media and seeks to create a digital currency. In its IPO prospectus, Palantir paints a dark picture of faltering government agencies and institutions in danger of collapse and ripe for rescue by a central operating system forged under Thiel's auspices. As the offering is structured, Thiel will be the dominant voice among the Palantir co-founders who will retain voting control. Is that someone who you want deciding how a component of the (national) security apparatus is designed? asked New York University business professor Scott Galloway. If you believe that power corrupts and checks and balances are a good idea, this is just from the get-go a really bad idea. Earlier in September, BuzzFeed reported that Thiel hosted a known white nationalist, Kevin DeAnna, at a 2016 dinner party, citing emails it obtained and published whose authors refused to talk to the online news outlet. Thiel declined through a spokesman to discuss the report with The Associated Press. Critics say he shares the blame for Facebooks incomplete removal of toxic disinformation disseminated by the pro-Trump far-right fringe. Then there are Palantirs fundamentals, which Galloway considers lousy. The company has just 125 customers in 150 countries, including Airbus, Merck, Credit Suisse and the Danish National Police. Slightly less than half its 2019 revenues were from government agencies, and three clients which Palantir did not name accounted for almost a third of revenues. Theyre massively unprofitable and theyve never been able to figure it out, Galloway said, noting that it took Google three years to earn a profit, and Amazon seven. Over a much longer span, Palantir has accumulated $3.8 billion in losses, raised about $3 billion and listed $200 million in outstanding debt as of July 31. Palantir, named for the mystical all-seeing stones from Tolkiens Lord of The Rings, has recently been deepening its relationship with Uncle Sam, including winning a modest contract early in the COVID-19 pandemic for helping the White House gather data on the virus' impact. Senior emerging technology analyst Brendan Burke of Pitchbook says he isn't worried that Thiel's association with Trump will hurt the company if Trump loses the election. The political connections dont appear to be the main driver of their recent substantial contract wins, he said, although he noted that government contracts can be more volatile than corporate ones, where Palantirs foothold is less firm. Palantir offers two software platforms. Foundry is designed to link disparate and largely incompatible data sources into a central operating system. It's the company's primary hope for broadening its business. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. An earlier product, Gotham, has been used by defence and intelligence analysts and police departments to identify patterns deep within datasets. But the value of predictive policing tools developed with the platform have been questioned for their potential to unfairly target people of colour. The New Orleans and New York City police departments have used it. A 2017 research paper by University of Texas sociologist Sarah Brayne, who studied the Los Angeles Police Department's use of Gotham, found the software could lead to a proliferation of unregulated personal data collected by police from commercial and law enforcement databases. On Monday, Amnesty International issued a briefing that says Palantir is failing to conduct human rights due diligence around its contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling it deeply ironic that the company crows about its determination not to work with regimes like China that abuse human rights. Palantirs ICE contracts involve the maintenance and improvement of two tools used in deportation raids, court records and federal documents show. One is web-based Falcon, for which Palantir enhanced data accessible to investigators involving the illegal movement of people into, within, and out of the United States, according to documents obtained by the non-profit Electronic Privacy Information Center in a freedom-of-information request. The other is the Integrated Case Management system. Palantir has acknowledged in its SEC filing that unfavourable coverage in the media and from social activists could hurt its business. It also says its contractual obligations might prevent it from being able to defend its actions publicly, although it recently named a former Wall Street Journal reporter to its board. Negative publicity over ICE contracts may also have hurt company recruitment on college campuses. Christin Evans. A Black college student in Texas says police officers stormed into her room after her roommates filed a false criminal report about her. Christin Evans, a student at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, was asleep in her dorm room when she says police entered with guns drawn at 3 a.m. A group of at least 10 students, including Evans three white roommates, falsely warned their resident adviser that Evans was threatening to stab one of them with a pair of scissors, Evans' attorney Randall Kallinen told USA TODAY. The RA then contacted campus police, warning them of the wrongfully filed threat. Evans wasnt harmed, but Kallinen said it could have been a Breonna Taylor circumstance, according to KPRC-TV in Houston. Campus police and school officials did not respond to questions on specifics of the incident to USA TODAY but released these statements: My heart goes out to the young lady who was an innocent victim in this matter, said school president Scott Gordon in a statement. We will do all we can to support her and her family through this heinous ordeal. The students responsible will be held accountable for their actions at every possible level, school chief of police John Fields said in a statement. It remains unclear whether the students involved have faced any consequences from the incident. The case surrounding Breonna Taylor, the Louisville woman who was fatally shot by police officers in March, has become a rallying cry for protests against racial injustice throughout the United States. The three officers involved that night were not charged with her death; only one, Brett Hankison, was charged for "wanton endangerment." Breonna Taylor: Kentucky AG to release Breonna Taylor grand jury records after juror complains he misled I cant sleep at night because of this, Evans said at a Monday news conference, KHOU-TV in Houston reported. It has made me really paranoid. Kallinen told USA TODAY that this is an instance of swatting, a method of harassment in which individuals wrongly report a false emergency to authorities, effectively sending police or emergency forces to someone's home. Story continues The "pranks" have resulted in multiple deaths. Tyler Barriss was sentenced to 20 years in prison after a swatting call he made to police in Wichita, Kansas, led to the shooting death of Andrew Finch in 2017. Casey Viner, a co-conspirator, was sentenced to 15 months. Casey Viner: 'Call of Duty' gamer solicited a fatal 'swatting' call. He was sentenced to 15 months. Evans has since moved out of the shared four-person dormitory but is still taking virtual classes at SFA. Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black college student: Police drew guns after false report Canada has no plans right now to send an official team of observers to the U.S. election, government sources have confirmed. But with Donald Trumps increasing reluctance to see the vote as legitimate, Canada might want to start rethinking that decision in the days ahead. This country has sent election observers to all kinds of fragile democracies over the years. The sad fact is that the United States, thanks largely to Trump, is fast becoming one of them. If Trump decides to dispute the results of the Nov. 3 vote as he appeared to indicate during this weeks raucous presidential debate Canada needs its own eyes and ears on the ground, and soon. Other international observer teams have already arrived. On Tuesday, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) set up a 40-plus member mission in the United States, with 11 experts based in Washington and 30 observers dispatched throughout the country. The mission will assess to what extent the elections are held in line with international obligations and standards for democratic elections, including the commitments agreed to by all OSCE countries, as well as with national legislation, the news release stated. Canada is a member of the OSCE, so technically you could say that it does have some kind of election-observation presence for what is shaping up to be a wild democratic ride in the U.S. But Trumps escalating rhetoric around the very legitimacy of the vote would appear to call for more direct, formal observation from Canada, much like this country dispatched during the 2019 vote in Ukraine. Justin Trudeau has ordered his own Liberals not to get involved in the U.S. election, but an observation team could be strictly non-partisan, maybe even including some high-profile former conservative prime ministers such as Stephen Harper or Joe Clark. Clark has been doing international work in democracy for years now, including election observation around the world. Harper, during his time in power, sent three separate teams to watch elections in Ukraine, in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Trudeau could argue that with so much for Canada and democracy at stake in the U.S. election, we are sending a blue-chip team to make sure we have our own information on how to regard the results. Granted, Trump might take offence at the U.S. being treated as a democratically challenged nation, in need of adult supervision, but the president has only himself to blame if the world is starting to have doubts about how things are unfolding. Its not going to end well, Trump said twice when the subject of mail-in ballots came up during Tuesday nights debate, also volunteering that it could be months before the official results are known. The president also said: Im urging my supporters to go in to the polls and watch very carefully, because thats what has to happen. Even better than Trump supporters, though, would be international, neutral teams of watchers, capable of assessing claims from either side about alleged fraud at the polls. COVID-19, which is creating the need for so many mail-in ballots, has also made the act of election observation more difficult. The Guardian reported this week that the pandemic, with its accompanying travel and health risks, has dramatically scaled back the expected number of international observers for the election precisely when that act is most needed. The delegation from the OSCE, for instance, is far smaller than originally envisioned in August, when it planned to send around 500 observers for the U.S. vote. In an article this month in The Conversation, Timothy Rich from Western Kentucky University reported that most Americans would support international election monitors. In the surveys quoted by Rich, it was the people most concerned about catching COVID who wanted some kind of independent election observation. Canada is already riveted to this spectacle in the United States. This election matters; democracy itself is being called into question by no less than the leader of the country and one of the chief contenders in this messy vote. Serious people agree. Author and journalist Bob Woodward, who interviewed Trump 18 times for his newly released book Rage, has said hes very worried about how Trump will deal with the Nov. 3 results. On Wednesday, Woodward said this is a big mess and added: I dont know whether we have a process or leadership out there that can gather the remnants that are on the floor that Trump has shredded, just absolutely shredded and ignored, and put it back together. Independent election observation might help and Canada, as an avowed defender of democracy in vulnerable countries, should take part. Susan Delacourt is an Ottawa-based columnist covering national politics for the Star. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt Read more about: Our goal is that if we are able to prevent one illness and somebody were to get sick from COVID, then perhaps that would decrease poor health outcomes from COVID, Bell said. Its a known measure that we have to try to prevent hospitalization and prevent illness. Since we dont have that for COVID, we think this is a way you can protect yourself from one of the illnesses. Tuesdays clinic was the first of five through the end of October, with the next 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 8 at Catholic Charities, 2450 N. Harvard Ave. Others follow on Oct. 10 at Church That Matters in Sand Springs, and two on Oct. 24 at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Sapulpa and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in east Tulsa. Masks will be required for attendees. The clinics drive-thru format is not only for conveniences sake, but also to keep participants safe. Bell said data shows the pandemic has led many to postpone what she called regular health maintenance, things like mammograms, colonoscopies and diabetic management visits. Bell said getting a flu vaccination is an easy and empowering way to protect yourself and others as temperatures drop, and to feel confident in health-care providers efforts to prevent COVID-19s spread. President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden clashed bitterly in a chaotic presidential debate on Tuesday with sharp, testy exchanges and name-calling as they sought to sway undecided voters just five weeks from the close of polling on November 3. The acrimonious showdown exasperated several analysts, with several media outlets calling Biden the winner of the duel. Trump was expected to try and dominate the first face-to-face meeting of the two nominees in Cleveland, Ohio and turn the race, but he may have ended up overplaying his hand, by repeatedly interrupting and talking over Biden, flouting debate rules agreed upon by both campaigns and arguing with the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News. They debated issues such as the presidents handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, the way to deal with it going forward and on who to trust on vaccines when they become available, as well as taxes, economy, healthcare and climate change. But the 90-minute debate was overshadowed by President Trumps unbridled aggression. Did you use the word smart? Trump asked Biden at one point. You graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class. Dont ever use the word smart with me, Joe. Will you shut up, man? an exasperated Biden said to Trump at another stage. He went on to call the president a clown and the worst president America has had. But he also took the opportunity to turn away from these exchanges to address voters by looking directly at the cameras. Many experts and longtime observers came away frustrated at the debate, which was soon awash in descriptions such as messy . Michael Beschloss, a presidential historian, wrote on twitter, Democracy was trashed tonight by a President who ran roughshod over the rules. Trumps own allies seemed disturbed. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who helped the president prepare for the debate, conceded on ABC News Trump had come out too hot. Former Republican senator Rick Santorum said on CNN, Donald Trumps personality ran wild tonight. In one of the exchanges in the segment on racism, President Trump ended up with the nights most controversial remarks. Proud Boys Stand back, stand by, he said, referring to a right-wing extremist group, when repeatedly pressed by the moderator if he will condemn white supremacists. President Trump has been accused of dog-whistling support for white supremacists by refusing to condemn then. Trump claimed he had paid millions in taxes when asked if he had parted with only $750 for each of his first two years in office, as reported by The New York Times. But he refused to go into specifics. As expected, the president levelled unfounded corruption allegations against Hunter Biden, the former vice-presidents younger son, and repeated them when Biden was talking about his elder son, Beau Biden, a veteran who died of brain cancer. In one of the most poignant moments of the debate, Biden said his younger son was a recovering drug addict and he was proud of him. Though most experts shook their heads and declared American people the loser in the tumultuous debate, some polls done immediately after it had a clear winner and a loser. Biden beat Trump 60%-28% in CNNs poll of those who watched the debate, and by 48%-41% in a CBS News poll. The 90-minute debate was held at Cleveland Clinic under strict social distancing guidelines. Only about 80 people were allowed in the audience, mostly family members of the two nominees, campaign staff, hosts, health and security officials and journalists. The former vice-president leads the president in all major polls, just five weeks from the end of polling on November 3 (early polling in person and by mail is under way in many states) Biden is ahead of Trump by 7.1 points in the FiveThirtyEight weighted average of national polls 50.2% to 43.1%; and by 6.1% in the RealClearPolitics national average of polls 49.3% to 43.2%. Trump needed to do something dramatic to turn the race around, start rolling back Bidens lead which has held steadfastly for weeks defying the presidents attempts to weaken the former vice-president by questioning his mental acuity, age and qualification for the job using a range of nicknames. The two candidates will meet next in two weeks, on October 15, for the second debate in Salt Lake City, Utah. There was some talk of canceling the next two after the chaotic debate in Cleveland, but the Biden campaign said they were on. Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner could be cleared of the rape of an Irish woman after it emerged his DNA did not match that found at the scene. Police have been investigating Brueckner as a suspect in the rape of Irish tour rep Hazal Behan in 2004. The 37-year-old was attacked in Praia da Rocha, just three years before Maddie was snatched. Irish woman Hazel Behan, 37, (pictured), waived her right to anonymity to share details of the attack which saw a masked man climb over the balcony to her apartment in the early hours of the morning Christian Brueckner (pictured left) left Portugal after Madeline McCann (pictured right) disappeared on May 3 2007 Ms Behan was raped in apartment in Praia da Rocha, Portugal, in 2004 (building exterior pictured) In a blow to investigators, traces of DNA found at the scene of the crime do not match that of Brueckner, a source has revealed. Someone familiar with the case told The Sun: 'There is no evidence at the moment that links B to this rape. 'Officers have looked hard but at the moment there is nothing concrete we can use. 'It was decided the case should be looked at because of the similarities with the American woman but at the moment we cannot pin it on him at all.' Brueckner, who is the main suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, was convicted of a similar rape a year after Ms Behan was attacked. Ms Behan, who waived her right to anonymity in June, was working as a holiday rep, aged 20, in Praia da Rocha on the Algarve coast in April 2004. Three months ago, Mrs Behan demanded police reopen her case after discovering it had striking similarities with the rape of an American woman for which Brueckner was convicted last year. Ms Behan was attacked in the resort town of Praia da Rocha, which is around 20 miles away from Praia da Luz - where Madeleine was abducted in 2007 Christian Brueckner (pictured with a friend in 2011) was convicted of a similar rape of an American woman a year after Ms Behan was attacked Earlier this month, German authorities agreed to open an investigation into the incident. She recently revealed details of the attack which saw a masked man climb over the balcony to her apartment in the early hours of the morning. He is said to have held a knife to her throat, tied and gagged her before raping her repeatedly. The assailant then threatened to kill her before fleeing over the balcony and leaving her bleeding. Ms Behan contacted Scotland Yard after Brueckner was named as the main suspect in the Madeleine case with details emerging about his conviction for raping an American woman in similar circumstances. She told the Guardian at the time: 'My mind was blown when I read how he had attacked a woman in 2005, both the tactics and the methods he used, the tools he had with him, how well he had planned it out. 'I puked, to be honest with you, as reading about it took me right back to my experience.' In June, Brueckner was identified the German man as a suspect in the case of Madeleine McCann (pictured), who disappeared from an apartment in 2007 while her family was on holiday in the resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal Mother-of-two Ms Behan said at the time that the Met Police had told her they were taking her case very seriously and would be contacting Portuguese counterparts after taking a statement. Ms Behan has previously said that she was treated badly by the Portuguese detectives as they abandoned their investigation after eight months without identifying a suspect. In June, Brueckner was identified the German man as a suspect in the case of Madeleine, who disappeared from an apartment in 2007 while her family was on holiday in the resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal. He has two previous convictions for 'sexual contact with girls', authorities say, but they do not have enough evidence to hold him in prison on the strength of the McCann case alone. Abrupt is a good way to describe the recent decision from Queens Park to order new closing times for restaurants, bars and nightclubs and to outright shut down strip clubs. The announcement came down midday Friday and took effect Saturday another step to regain control of the spread of COVID-19 that has surged upward in recent weeks. Understandably, some decisions have to be made quickly in order to put the lid back on this pandemic. The most important thing is that we get through this safely, and with as little economic upheaval as possible. That said, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce is right when it complains the system needs more transparency. Next time, maybe a heads up is in order so owners and employees can prepare themselves? Businesses are asking, Give us clarity on what to anticipate and what to expect, so that they can actually build their business model around that aspect of it, said chamber president and chief executive officer Mishka Balsom. We dont know what the numbers were that were the basis of this particular decision or if it really was driven by certain regions, versus all of Ontario. Weve been in the midst of this pandemic since March. Surely that is enough time for everyone to be using the same playbook. Yet too many times decisions come out of Queens Park that are a surprise to the people and businesses they affect. And often, people are left wondering who advised the government to make that particular call, and on what basis it was made. The Niagara chamber raised an important point was Fridays decision made based on Ontarios rising COVID-19 case count, or could it instead have been done regionally and carried out in places where the increase is worse? As it faces that second wave of the coronavirus, the Ford government has said it wants a targeted response that protects the public while also putting as few jobs and businesses at risk as possible. That seems a reasonable approach so far but it also requires the government to communicate its plans better to the community. Fridays decision requires all restaurants and bars to stop serving alcohol at 11 p.m. and to close by midnight except for takeout or delivery; it also ordered all strip clubs temporarily shut down (when cases have been reported at those places, contact tracing has proven extremely difficult). Maintaining public health has to remain the priority, of course, and controlling the spread of COVID-19 can be done better when were all on the same page. Rather than springing decisions on the public, a little advance discussion and notice would allow people and businesses to plan. The damage inflicted on Niagaras economy has been well documented in August, 16,000 people still had not returned to their jobs that were lost when the pandemic struck. And that survey, by Statistics Canada, was taken at a moment when things were looking up. Since then, the COVID-19 caseload has started increasing again and its acknowledged were now into that dreaded second wave. On its own, autumn and winter will be hard on the Niagara economy this year. Anything that can be done to preserve the jobs that remain, such as giving business owners a little prep time, is important. We are always as a chamber talking about the economic impact, but the economic impact is really the impact on people and individuals, said Balsom, and she is absolutely right. So please, no more unexpected hairpin turns as we all try to navigate our way out of this pandemic. A Grand Falls-Windsor man is expressing concerns about a recent email from the Newfoundland and English School District about radon levels in the school his children attend On Sept. 27 Ryan Stacey, like other parents of children who go to Forest Park Primary in Grand Falls-Windsor, received a notification from the district that a recent test showed increased levels of radon gas were found in parts of the school. Stacey has two children in the school and was immediately worried about any contamination from the odourless, colourless and radioactive gas. No one knew there was a problem, he said. Forest Park Primary was one of 25 schools identified this year as having above the Health Canada recommended levels of radon as a part of a co-operative project between the school district and Health Canada that saw radon tests conducted at various facilities across the province. According to regulations, those 25 schools will need to have the problems mitigated within the next two years. All impacted school communities have been notified, said a school district spokesperson in a prepared statement. Where mitigation has been required in the past, it has been completed in advance of the deadlines outlined. The levels of radiation found with the test are not considered a risk by Health Canada if the timelines for mitigation are met. The first test done as a part of the project in St. Lawrence in 2018. Another 60 schools were tested, at random, during the 2018-2019 school year, while the remainder were tested in 2019-2020. The ongoing second phase of the project is the identification and remediation of the problem. So far, eight schools were identified as needing work to reduce radon levels in parts of their buildings. They were joined by the 25 schools that fall within the two-year mitigation period. The mitigation process requires reducing pressure under the floor with a pipe and a fan. This would allow the ground gases to bypass the school. All of the schools that need to get work done have been assessed and the process has already started. In subsequent emails from the school district, Stacey has been assured work has already started on refurbishing the parts of Forest Park Primarys ventilation system and the hope is it could be completed in relatively short order. None of this information was included in the districts email to parents and that is at the heart of Staceys concerns. Reading the email, his anxiety as a parent started to rise, especially considering its only been a couple of weeks since children were sent back to school after an extended break because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The information he received from the district since receiving the email helped ease that anxiety. All of this confusion and anxiety could have been prevented with this information, said Stacey. Further to that, Stacey felt the refurbishing of the schools ventilation system should have been made before the decision was made to return children to schools. Schools have been closed since March, there could have been things in place, he said. The system worked, but barely. After a previous effort by the board of directors to grant overly generous raises to employees and supervisors, the new Drainage District 6 budget comes back to reality. The board, following a resignation of one member, on Tuesday approved a budget that reduced employee raises to 2% and eliminated the so-called equalization raises for the top 11 members of management. The reversal came after a 3-2 vote earlier this month to approve a 3% cost of living adjustment and thousands of dollars in raises for top employees. That was unwarranted and tone-deaf. Its a good thing that board members Bernie Daleo and Tony Malley voted against the earlier budget and made their dissatisfaction known to Jefferson County commissioners. Former board member Miriam Johnson had voted for the initial raise, which was inappropriate because her daughter was one of the employees set to receive a substantial pay hike. Johnson resigned because of the fallout from that vote and is being replaced by local rice farmer Chuck Kiker. Precinct 3 Commissioner Michael Shane Sinegal spoke for many taxpayers when he said, When I found out what happened with DD6s budget and the raises, I was offended. He noted that the initial raises would have elevated some DD6 employees to higher annual salaries than the county commissioners or the county judge. Those numbers are already pretty high, at $110,059 for commissioners and $144,678 for County Judge Jeff Branick. This is the same drainage district that was rocked by another scandal last October, when general manager Richard LeBlanc resigned after DD6 workers were discovered doing flood repairs at the homes of DD6 employees Joey Rosetta and LeBlancs son Stephen after Tropical Storm Imelda. That should have taught all workers and board members in the drainage district a strict lesson on accountability, but apparently some missed the message. Taxpayers should not have to put up with close calls like this. Many private sector workers wont see even the reduced 2% raises that DD6 employees (and Jefferson County workers) will get next year. The pandemic has shaken the local economy, closing many business for weeks and, unfortunately, some of them permanently. Many county residents have been laid off or had their hours reduced. They are spending less, which means less revenues for local stores and restaurants. The coronavirus is likely to be a factor in Southeast Texas for the rest of this year and part of 2021, assuming that an effective vaccine is produced soon. Even when COVID-19 is no longer an active threat, it will take time for our regional economy to fully recover. More Information home of district employee Joey Rosetta, See More Collapse Average people in Jefferson County are tightening their belts during this crisis because they have no choice. Some are just hanging on. The cities, counties and drainage districts that depend on local tax dollars should respect their plight and show fiscal restraint until better times return. These are gloomy times. Our country is painfully divided. Some people love Boris Johnson, others hate him. His detractors sometimes compare him to Donald Trump. But, my goodness, having watched the fractious 90-minute debate between Trump and Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden, I rejoiced in our countrys more seemly politics. I felt grateful to be British. For all his weaknesses, which have been on particular show these past few days, Boris is about as far from being like the U.S. President as it is possible to be. Trump is a malign twister and a cunning braggart with a limited vocabulary. Even the PMs severest critics dont accuse him of that. Labours Sir Keir Starmer is Cicero compared to 77-year-old Biden who, while showing no obvious signs of suffering dementia as his enemies allege, appeared intellectually plodding and bereft of interesting ideas. Abusive This was an unedifying tussle between two septuagenarian bruisers in which Biden sank quickly to Trumps level, trading insults as though to the manner born. Although Trump interrupted and spoke over his opponent more in fact, for most of the time Biden was freer with his insults. At various times he called the Republican President a liar, a racist, a fool and a clown. During chaotic and acrimonious exchanges that would have shamed a school playground, he instructed his adversary to shut up, man. Our country is painfully divided. Some people love Boris Johnson, others hate him. His detractors sometimes compare him to Donald Trump (pictured) With jutting chin and glowering expression, Trump watched Biden with a mixture of astonishment and contempt. His most cutting observation was that there was nothing smart about his opponent. It was one of the very few truthful things he said. The President sought to damage the Democratic candidate not so much through crude epithets as nasty commentary. For example, when Biden brought up the subject of his deceased son Beau who served with distinction with U.S. Forces in Iraq, Trump switched the subject to his other son, Hunter. Hunter got thrown out of the military, asserted Trump. He was thrown out, dishonourably discharged for cocaine use. Its true he was discharged, though not dishonourably. These attacks on Bidens family were mean-spirited and low. Some have accused moderator Chris Wallace, from Right-wing Fox News, of being ineffectual. But how is it possible for the most determined referee in the world to separate two angry, writhing pythons? What a terrible example such peevish and abusive conduct is to millions of younger Americans! Rulers were once enjoined to set a standard of rational debate and civilised behaviour. These two acted like dysfunctional children. I realise that American politics has always been rougher and more rumbustious than our own. More violent, too. Four U.S. presidents have been killed in office, and there have been more than 30 attempts to kill incumbent presidents, former presidents, or those in waiting. There have been sex-mad leaders, and incompetent and corrupt ones. Andrew Jackson, who occupied the White House from 1829 to 1837, even killed a man in a duel in so brutal a way that he was ostracised by his peers. But I cant think of any president or challenger in recent times who behaved as disgracefully as these two brawlers. Even the liar Richard Nixon tricky Dicky who left office in disgrace in 1974, was a gentleman by their side. The two contenders are supposed to be politically far apart. What struck me, though, is how alike in some ways they are. They are both street fighters with unsavoury reputations, though Trumps is much more chequered. He has been accused of 26 incidents of unwanted sexual contact and 43 instances of inappropriate behaviour. There is a notorious video in which he talks about women in the most sexually demeaning terms. For all his weaknesses, which have been on particular show these past few days, Boris (pictured) is about as far from being like the U.S. President as it is possible to be Eight women have accused Biden of touching them inappropriately or invading their personal space in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. Most seriously, Tara Reade, a former political aide, has alleged that he sexually assaulted her in a Capitol Hill basement in 1993. Both men have been accused of nepotism. Trump has shamelessly employed his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner in important White House roles. As for Biden, though its hard to convict him of nepotism, in 2014 his wholly unqualified son Hunter became a highly paid director of the largest natural-gas producer in Ukraine. Was this because Biden was U.S. Vice-President at the time? This is one of Trumps favourite subjects, and he raised it during the TV debate. Detestable The fascinating question is how a great country like America could have produced two such low-grade candidates for the highest office in the land and the leadership of the free world. Why do tens of millions of normally sensible Americans still support Donald Trump even though he is plainly a thoroughly detestable and self-serving human being with no regard for the truth? And how can the Democrats the party of J. F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt have chosen Joe Biden, who, whether or not he is suffering from dementia, is a slippery mediocrity? Perhaps Americans are just unlucky. Or are these two coarse characters, squabbling in their juvenile way, in some way representative of modern America? It is a dreadful thought, which is hard for any admirer of the United States to accept. Trump is of course the more dangerous of the two. There were two clues in the debate. One was his refusal to condemn white supremacists and militia. All he would do was criticise violent protesters on the Left. Why not both? The other alarming note was his reluctance to say whether he would accept the outcome of the election. He is obsessed with the alleged iniquities of ballot papers, and claims that many bearing his name have been found in creeks, rivers and wastepaper baskets. With jutting chin and glowering expression, Trump watched Biden (pictured) with a mixture of astonishment and contempt Fraudulent Unlike Biden, he refused to rule out declaring victory before all the votes have been counted, stating that this is not going to end well. He appeared to mean that the Supreme Court, which has a Right-wing majority that may be bolstered by a further nominee before the election, could rule in his favour in the event of a disputed outcome. So in what is supposed to be the greatest democracy on earth there is the prospect of a contested result, and of Trump refusing to budge from the White House on the spurious grounds that missing ballot papers will make it, in his words, a fraudulent election. That is why, when I finished watching the debate and I dont suppose the next two before the November 3 election will be any more uplifting I felt such relief that, for all their faults, our own leaders have not yet descended into the gutter occupied by Trump and Biden. Thank God for that. But then I reflected that the U.S. is still supposed to be head of the w estern alliance, which with the rise of China, the resurgence of Russia and numerous other problems is threatened more than ever. In the end, Americas tragedy is our own, or at any rate we cant be divorced from it. Whether Trump or Biden emerges as victor, America will remain an unhappy and divided country, and a very inadequate leader of the free world. By Akbar Mammadov Armenia's attempt to use the European Court for political purposes, has turned against itself, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said on September 30. The ministry noted that on 29 September 2020, in response to a request lodged by the government of Armenia, the European Court of Human Rights adopted a relevant ruling, in accordance with Rule 39 of the Rules of Court. In its ruling, the European Court called upon both Armenia and Azerbaijan to refrain from taking any measures which might entail breaches of the Convention rights of the civilian population, the ministry added. Thus, Armenia's attempt to use the European Court - a legal tool - for political purposes, turned against itself. Indeed, while taking this ruling, the European Court confirmed its conclusion reached in the 2015 judgment in the Chiragov and Others v. Armenia that Armenia is responsible for the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and human rights violations on these territories. This is another legal acknowledgment of the continuing occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and of the fact that the current conflict is going on between Armenia and Azerbaijan."This is another legal acknowledgement of the continuing occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and of the fact that the current conflict is going on between Armenia and Azerbaijan," the ministry emphasized. The ministry also highlighted that during the present hostilities, Armenian military units have been shelling Azerbaijani towns and villages, including civilian population and numerous civilian objects, which resulted, so far, in the death of at least 12 and injuries of dozens of civilians and irreparable damage to private and public properties. "Consequently, the European Courts decision of 29 September 2020 means a call on Armenia to put an end to violent actions against human rights and the international humanitarian law committed on the Azerbaijani land." The ministry also stated that in addition, the European Court requested Armenia to inform it, as soon as possible, of the measures taken to comply with its obligations. It should be noted that, during the counter-offensive launched in response to the act of aggression committed by Armenia on 27 September 2020, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan fully and strictly observe the international humanitarian law, and do not target in any form the civilian population and civilian objects. The Government of Azerbaijan will provide the European Court with the relevant information on the measures taken to comply with its international obligations, in line with the Courts ruling. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Two men were shot in Central City, New Orleans police said Tuesday evening. The gunfire was reported in the 2500 block of Washington Avenue. Police didn't say when the shooting happened but alerted the news media at 5:37 p.m. Authorities said one of the men took himself to a hospital, while the other had to be taken by paramedics. Their conditions are unknown at this time. Details on suspect and motive were not immediately released. Stay with NOLA.com for more updates. To any reasonable person watching, it was clear that President Trump prepared and resoundingly defeated former Vice President Joe Biden at Tuesday nights first presidential debate in Cleveland. As ridiculous as that verdict by David Bossie, a right-wing Fox News contributor, may seem to many viewers of the appalling, yet riveting, slugfest billed as a debate, he may not be too far off the mark. Televised presidential debates are the modern-day High Noon of American politics. The outcomes of these critical campaign events are often decided, not on policy expertise, but on the glimpse into the spirit and style that voters get of the candidates. For Biden, a good showing was critical to ridding himself of the Sleepy Joe image with which Trump has tried to paint him and to show that he could at least be a credible president. Listen to Ed Keenan discuss what may happen if Trump loses the election In the immediate aftermath of the worst presidential debate in living memory, the consensus of postdebate polls and political pundits was that Biden got the better of things. He did so by standing up as a decent human being to Trumps personal assaults and by not falling apart and seeming befuddled as some Democrats had feared might happen. But now there are five reasons emerging for why the consensus that Trump lost may be wrong. Biden failed to land a knockout punch: As hard as it is to rattle Trump, Biden let Trump off the hook and failed to deliver a blow that might cause panic in the presidents camp or start a large swing in voter intentions. He wasted opportunities over revelations that Trump paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, on Trumps handling of the environment, Supreme Court appointment and criticism of the military. Trump pleased his base: For the president, the goal was to protect his base and to fire up his supporters. He was forceful on the issues his hard-core supporters consider key, such as the Supreme Court appointments, focusing on law and order and reinforcing views of conservatives that federal troops are needed to crack down on protests. He also portrayed Biden as a captive of the left. Trump was best on the economy: He kept insisting he was a better steward over the economy than Biden, criticizing what he called a weak recovery during the Obama-Biden presidency and by claiming Biden wants to shut down the economy again. Such talks resonates well with Trumps blue-collar supporters in factories and mines. Trump scored enough points: While Trump put on a disgraceful show of disrespect for Biden and the truth, he managed to make several key points that will sell well on his political ads in the coming days. The best was his bottom-line clip: In 47 months Ive done more than you have in 47 years. It was the same political message he used in 2016 when he criticized Hillary Clinton for what he described as her failure to accomplish anything of substance in all her years in power positions. Biden was too controlled, too scripted: Biden, 77, who has been called Sleepy Joe by Trump and had his mental and physical health questioned in Republican attack ads. But at times he was too disciplined, too eager to stick to his speaking notes while Trump raged on the other side of the stage. Biden did call Trump a clown, which is true, but could enflame the presidents fans much like what happened when Clinton branded some Trump supporters deplorables. He had some good moments, but not enough to seal the deal. Given how polarized the U.S. is right now, its doubtful many voters changed their minds about who to support. Its also true that performances in debates often dont translate into victory or defeat on voting day. For example, Barack Obama fared miserably in the first 2008 debate against John McCain while Hillary Clinton was considered the winner of the first debate against Trump in 2016. Trump and Biden will face off again on Oct. 15, with a final debate on Oct. 22. Biden is still leading in the polls, but he clearly has much work to do before he can declare victory in the debates to come. Bob Hepburn is a Star politics columnist based in Toronto. Twitter: @BobHepburn is a Star politics columnist based in Toronto. Twitter: @BobHepburn Read more about: About two-thirds of the laid-off employees will be part-time workers, the company said in a statement. Disney shut its theme parks worldwide when the novel coronavirus began spreading this year. All but Disneyland - nicknamed the Happiest Place on Earth - reopened, though the company was forced to limit the number of visitors to allow for physical distancing. "We have made the very difficult decision to begin the process of reducing our workforce at our Parks, Experiences and Products segment at all levels," Josh D'Amaro, chairman of the parks unit, said in a statement. He cited the parks' limited capacity and uncertainty about the pandemic's duration, which he said was "exacerbated in California by the state's unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen." In a letter to employees, D'Amaro called the move "heartbreaking." He said management had tried to avoid layoffs by cutting expenses, suspending projects and streamlining operations. The company had continued to pay health benefits for furloughed workers since April. Advertisement "However, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity," D'Amaro said. Walt Disney World in Florida had employed 77,000 full- and part-time workers before the pandemic, while Disneyland in California employed 32,000. Disney did not disclose how many other U.S. employees work in the parks unit, which includes consumer products, cruise lines and other businesses. Last week, Disney urged California officials to issue guidelines that would allow Disneyland to welcome visitors again . On Tuesday, Dr. Mark Ghaly, California's health secretary, said the state had taken a science-based approach to reopening that aimed to "minimize the health and economic risks that would be caused by opening and shutting repeatedly." - Reuters Additionally, the secretary of state has informed the Supreme Court he intends to appeal both the postmark ruling and a ruling removing the state limits on how many ballots one person can deliver to the elections office on behalf of others. However, Stapleton isnt asking that the lower courts collection ruling on ballot gathering be stayed. The safe bet is to plan on mailing ballots not later than 7 days before the Nov. 3 general election, said the Bret Rutherford, Yellowstone County Elections officer. The United States Postal Service doesnt guarantee delivery by Election Day of ballots mailed with less than a week to spare, the same terms USPS used for the June primary. If you still dont trust the Postal Service, you can drop off your ballot at the Metra, Rutherford said. Other reasons for getting a ballot returned early are numerous. They include election workers concerns about handling freshly licked ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic. For safety reasons whenever possible ballots were allowed to sit for a couple days during the spring primary before being handled by election staff Rutherford said. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A Franklin County judge was wrong when he ordered Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to accept electronic absentee ballot applications for the upcoming presidential election, a three-judge Ohio appellate court panel unanimously ruled Tuesday while overturning the previous decision. However, all three judges said LaRose, a Republican, under state law has the discretion to do so were he to so choose at some point in the future. Three judges from the 10th District Court of Appeals said they agreed with arguments from the Ohio Democratic Party that the state law doesnt prohibit elections officials from accepting applications for absentee ballots via email or fax. But two of the judges said the Ohio Democratic Party didnt demonstrate a right under the law to unlimited methods for delivery of their applications or prove that LaRose had a legal duty to offer applications option beyond in-person or mail delivery of applications. In the majority opinion, Judge William A. Klatt wrote, and Judge Frederick D. Nelson agreed, that officials have discretion to interpret ambiguous laws, as long as they do so reasonably. They also sided with arguments from LaRose that changing the states elections protocols so close to the election could pose a security risk. At least on the evidence presented to date, the secretarys decision to continue the long-established practice of mail and in-person return of these applications, instead of jeopardizing the security and administration of the election by implementing a new procedure to allow electronic return of the applications, cannot be deemed unreasonable, wrote the ruling signed by the judges, both Republicans. Judge Julia L. Dorrian, a Democrat, said she agreed with the decision to overturn the lower court, but gave different reasoning. She she agreed with LaRoses arguments that changing elections procedures so close to the election could pose a security risk or cause confusion in administering the election, and agreed that nothing in the law required him to accept electronic absentee applications. But, she said she disagreed that LaRose acted reasonably in choosing not to accept electronic applications in the first place. Under the states current elections protocol, voters must fill out a paper form to request an absentee ballot and deliver it to their county board of elections. LaRose for years has called on Ohio to allow voters to request absentee ballots online. His request hasnt gotten anywhere in the Republican-controlled state legislature. But hes said Ohio law prevents him from accepting electronic absentee applications. Were pleased that the court unanimously agreed that the cybersecurity concerns were too great to abandon Ohios safe and accessible system so close to the election, LaRose spokeswoman Maggie Sheehan said. Ohioans are showing incredible confidence in how were running this election by requesting absentee ballots at a record pace. Our mission is to reward that confidence by running a safe, secure and accessible election. Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper claimed a moral victory, pointing out all three judges undermined LaRoses claim that he was legally barred from accepting electronic requests. The Court agreed with what the Ohio Democratic Party has been saying all alongthat nothing in Ohio prohibits the Secretary of State from authorizing absentee applications to be submitted by fax, email or other ways. For two years now, its been LaRose himself, not Ohio law, prohibiting this easy way for voters to ask for absentee ballots. Todays decision shows hes been wrong the entire time," Pepper said. The Ohio Democratic Party sued to allow emailed and faxed requests in Ohio, arguing state law doesnt say anything about them. They got an early court victory earlier this month in Franklin County, where a judge agreed with them. The case could still be appealed, so the issue may not be completely settled. The election is Nov. 3, while early voting begins on Oct. 6. Another lawsuit filed by the Ohio Democratic Party also is pending in the 10th District appeals court. In that case, ODP seek to force LaRose to allow county elections boards to set up more than one ballot drop box. LaRose has appealed a lower court ruling from a Franklin County judge who ruled in ODPs favor. Theres also a pending federal lawsuit on ballot drop boxes, although the judge overseeing that case said hes going to wait for the state case to play out further before stepping in. Here is Tuesdays complete ruling: Veracruz man arrested driving SUV involved in Cancun shooting Cancun, Q.R. A driver has been arrested and his GMC truck seized by police after it was found involved in a recent shooting. Cancun police noticed the white SUV was traveling on city streets with overlapping plates. The Tuesday afternoon arrest took place in SM 307 of Bonfil after a review of the vehicle revealed that it is likely related to a bullet attack against a home in Region 95 two weeks ago. Police verified that the superimposed plates correspond to a Renault car, not the GMC. The serial number of the vehicle confirmed a theft report. Police also noticed that the SUV had a bullet hole in the rear of the vehicle. Cancun police arrested the driver of the unit, 26-year-old Luis Mario N., from Veracruz. He is being investigated for possession of the vehicle, which police noted, appears on surveillance cameras of an address that was shot shortly before dawn on September 16. At that time, a person from inside the private home is alleged to have repelled the attack, leaving a bullet hole in the rear of the SUV. Advertisement A WWII ship which divers think could contain the legendary Amber Room has been found at the bottom of the Baltic sea. The wreck of the German cruiser Karlsruhe was discovered off the Polish coast by divers exploring the area in search of the ship which was sunk in April 1945. Tomasz Stachura from the Baltictech diving group, which deals with examining Baltic wrecks, said: 'Looks like after months of searching, we finally came across the Karlsruhe steamer wreckage. A WWII ship which divers think could contain the legendary Amber Room has been found at the bottom of the Baltic sea The Amber Room (pictured in Russia in 1917), which was packed with amber, gold and precious jewels, was looted by the Nazis in 1941 and its contents mysteriously disappeared in 1945 'We've been searching for this ship for over a year. 'The shipwreck was found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea several dozen kilometers north of Ustka. 'It rests at a depth of 88 meters (290ft). It is practically intact. In its holds, we discovered military vehicles, porcelain and many crates with so far unknown contents.' He added that the discovery 'may provide groundbreaking information on the disappearance of the legendary Amber Chamber. 'It was in Konigsberg that the Amber Chamber was seen for the last time. The wreck of the German cruiser Karlsruhe was discovered off the Polish coast by divers exploring the area in search of the ship which was sunk in April 1945 The ship brought 1,083 refugees and 360 tons of cargo and has been lying 290ft underwater for decades Divers have discovered military vehicles, porcelain and many crates with so far unknown contents The shipwreck was found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea several dozen kilometers north of Ustka 'From there the Karlsruhe left on its last voyage with a large cargo.' For three centuries, the Amber Room, which is sometimes dubbed the eighth wonder of the world, stood in the imperial Catherine Palace near St Petersburg. Covering more than 590 sq ft and containing over 6 tonnes of amber, it was dismantled by German troops during the occupation of the USSR. In 1941, the Amber Room was placed in storage in the then East Prussian city of Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad), and then disappeared. Divers found the shipwreck at a depth of 88 meters and say most of it is practically intact The explorers say that the ship was in Konigsberg around the time the Amber Room was last seen Karlsruhe took part in Operation Hannibal, a German naval operation involving the evacuation by sea of German troops and civilians The ship is not to be confused with the Karlsruhe which was also recently discovered off the coast of Norway, which was sunk in 1940 Tomasz Zwara from Baltictech added: 'The history and available documentation show that the Karlsruhe was leaving the port in a great hurry and with a large load' Now divers believe that the 196-foot-long Karlsruhe, which towards the end of the war was used to evacuate Germans from what was then East Prussia, could be involved in the disappearance. The ship is not to be confused with the Karlsruhe which was also recently discovered off the coast of Norway, which was sunk in 1940. Stachura from Baltictech told Polish media: 'The German steamer Karlsruhe, which after Gustloff, Goyi and Steuben was another unit participating in Operation Hannibal, set off on her last journey from Pilawa on April 12, 1945 and was the last ship to leave Krolewiec before the Russians took it. The remains of the Amber Room after it was seized by the Nazis, who packed the amber panels in 27 crates and shipped them to Germany, where they vanished and have not been seen since 'She brought 1,083 refugees and 360 tons of cargo with her. She set off on her last journey under a strong escort. 'Sunken April 13, 1945 in the morning. Only 113 people were saved. 'We don't want to get excited, but if the Germans were to take the Amber Chamber across the Baltic Sea, then Karlsruhe Steamer was their last chance .' Tomasz Zwara from Baltictech added: 'The history and available documentation show that the Karlsruhe was leaving the port in a great hurry and with a large load [] All this put together stimulates the imagination.' The Congress in Karnataka on Wednesday ruled out any understanding with its former alliance partner JD(S) for the November 3 by-election to two assembly constituencies in the state. We are not going to have an alliance with any political party. We will fight on our own. Congress is a national party. We have the strength and we will fight, Congress Legislature Party Leader Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question about any understanding with the JD(S) to defeat the BJP. Responding to a similar question about a friendly fight with JD(S), state Congress President D K Shivakumar too said, They (JDS) are a party and similarly we (Congress) are another party. We will fight our election and they will fight theirs. The Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for by-election to Sira assembly constituency in Tumakuru district and Rajarajeshwari Nagar (R R Nagar) in the city, for which the results will be declared on November 10. The bypoll in Sira was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA B Sathyanarayana of JD(S) last month, while the R R Nagar seat fell vacant after disqualification of Congress MLA N Munirathna under the anti-defection law in 2019. Siddaramaiah said the Congress was prepared to fight the elections and was confident of winning both seats. We have finalised a strong candidate in SiraT B Jayachandra who is a senior leader of the party. For Rajarajeswari Nagar, we are yet to finalise the candidate as the election was announced just yesterday. We will sit and decide on a strong candidate there, he said. Asked whether Congress was facing difficulty in finding a candidate for R R Nagar, he said the party never has a dearth of probable candidates and in every constituency there will be at least eight to ten of them. Munirathna, who had contested and won on a Congress ticket from R R Nagar in 2018, is now with the BJP and is likely to be the saffron partys candidate for the seat. Noting that all elections are prestigious for all the parties, KPCC chief Shivakumar said the party has finalised the candidate for Sira constituency. For RR Nagar, we have spoken to the district unit and the process is on, he said. Regarding the aspirants for RR Nagar, he said several applications have been received. We were not sure about the election being declared for the constituency. Now that it has been done, we will finalise the candidate, he said. A student who claims he was punched, kicked, burned with cigarettes and force to drink a dangerous amount of liquor during a brutal fraternity hazing early this month is suing the frat and Bucknell University in federal court. He is fortunate he was not killed, Aaron J. Freiwald, the attorney for John Jean, wrote in U.S. Middle District Court complaint against the school and the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity. Jean, a 20-year-old New Jersey resident, claims the reckless and dangerous hazing he endured on Sept. 10 and 11 sent him to a hospital emergency department. Bucknell spokesman Mike Ferlazzo said Wednesday that the university does not comment on pending litigation. All Kappa Delta Rho chapter operations and activities are suspended pending a completed investigation, Ferlazzo added. Jean claims in his suit that his initiation session at the Kappa Delta Rho house included playing a game called Dont (Expletive) Your Brother where he and five other pledges had to guzzle from a 2-liter bottle of vodka while frat members chanted and cheered. The pledges were then ordered to keep drinking beer and other hard liquor, he says. Jean was not comfortable with the situation, but frat members prevented him from leaving, the suit states. When he tried to leave a frat member punched him in the face, Jean claims. He says he fell to the ground, vomited and passed out. The suit states that a Bucknell security officer witnessed the alleged assault and called 911, but that the incident wasnt reported to local police. Jean says he was treated at Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg for alcohol poisoning and a head injury. He claims he had extensive bruising on his face, arms, torso, legs and buttock had suffered cigarette burns to his feet. According to the suit, Kappa Delta was banned from Bucknell for hazing violations in 2009 but allowed to return under supervision three years later. Jean claims that after his alleged assault the fraternity engaged in a cover-up. He says group messages sent by the frat told members of the importance of getting your story straight. Another advised them We arent totally off the hook yet, but I think were definitely chillin'. The suit states that one frat member, after meeting with university officials, texted We are in deep (expletive) here guys so be responsible one more strike and it could spell the end for KDR. Jean questions whether university official really are conducting a thorough investigation of his supposed hazing. He claims the school creates a permissive campus environment for fraternity life, with excessive drinking and partying on a regular, even bi-weekly basis that occurs in the open, out in the street, on campus within full view of campus security and administration officials. Bucknell cannot plead ignorance of hazing taking place within its fraternities, the suit states. Jean is seeking unspecified financial damages from Bucknell, the fraternity and individual frat members named in the suit on counts of false imprisonment, infliction of emotional distress, assault and battery, negligence and committing hazing in violation of Pennsylvania law. Jonathan Rossmoine, 36, has been arrested after a 15-year-old Florida girl's parents found he had been living in their daughter's bedroom closet for more than a month A Louisiana man has been arrested after a 15-year-old Florida girl's parents found he had been living in their daughter's bedroom closet for more than a month after he met the teen online two years ago and traveled to meet her for sex. Jonathan Rossmoine, 36, was arrested and charged with multiple sex crimes Sunday after the child's parents learned he had been secretly living in her bedroom at their family home in Spring Hill, Hernando County. Rossmoine allegedly confessed to traveling from Louisiana to Florida on multiple occasions to have sex with the child, who described the 36-year-old as her boyfriend. Police said he then moved into the girl's room in August, where he would hide out from her parents in the closet and emerge when they left the house. Hernando County investigators were called to a home in Spring Hill Sunday when the girl's parents found Rossmoine living in her closet. Police said the 36-year-old first made contact with his victim online two years ago through VRChat when the girl was around 13. The virtual reality social platform allows users to use 3D avatars as their identities. The suspected pedophile drove from Louisiana to Spring Hill to meet his victim and have sex with her on several occasions since they first communicated, police said. Police said he first made contact with his victim online two years ago through VRChat - a virtual reality social platform where users use 3D avatars as their identities. Rossmoine allegedly confessed to traveling to Florida on multiple occasions to have sex with the child Rossmaine then allegedly began living on and off in the girl's bedroom from August 19. The suspect managed to remain undiscovered for around five weeks with the help of the teenager, staying hidden in the closet when the girl's parents were home and coming out when they left for work. 'He and the young lady came up with the idea that he could just stay in her room if he hid in the closet whenever the parents came in,' Hernando County Sheriff's Office Detective Tom Cameron said. Rossmaine then allegedly began living on and off in the girl's bedroom from August 19, said authorities. Hernando County Sheriff's Office Detective Tom Cameron (pictured) said he remained undiscovered for around five weeks 'They kept the bedroom door closed and locked and whenever someone came to the door it gave them an opportunity to run and hide in the closet and open up the door to where maybe she was changing or something.' Child psychologist Dr. Wendy Rice (above) said it was a warning to parents about the dangers of the online world The parents heard noises coming from the bedroom Sunday and were shocked to discover Rossmoine in the storage space. Rossmoine was arrested and charged with four counts of lewd and lascivious behavior with a victim between the age of 12 and 16 and one count of obscene communication and travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child. The teenage victim referred to her alleged abuser as her boyfriend, police said. Child psychologist Dr. Wendy Rice told Fox 13 the shocking case was a warning to parents about the dangers of the online world to children. 'Kids can be doing things under our noses and in your house that you might not be aware of that could shock you,' said Rice. 'Get the electronics out of the bedroom. That is key. None of us really need to be sleeping with our phones next to our beds and least of all teens.' Rossmoine is being held in the Hernando County Jail on a $25,000 bond. Tesla CEO Elon Musk walks next to a screen showing an image of a Tesla Model 3 car during the opening ceremony for Tesla's China-made Model Y program in Shanghai, Jan. 7. Reuters-Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul, Kim Yoo-chul Tesla is looking to acquire a stake in LG Energy Solution, soon to be separated by LG Chem, to procure a stable supply of batteries, bank sector sources told The Korea Times, Monday. "Tesla is looking to acquire a stake in LG Energy Solution. Specifically, Tesla is said to be exploring taking up to a 10 percent stake in LG Energy Solution," one source said on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to officially speak to the media. LG Chem, a key battery supplier to Tesla and General Motors, said earlier its decision to spin off its battery business in December was based on its judgment that this is the "right time" to do so, as the battery industry is growing rapidly and structural profits in the electric vehicle (EV) battery sector are being made. From Tesla's standpoint, any direct investment in LG will help it purchase qualified batteries for use in its Tesla EVs without any outstanding risks in terms of battery supply. Based on Tesla CEO Elon Musk's assertion that they will still rely heavily on cell makers and the huge executional risks of ramping, industry experts said Tesla will likely continue to partner with cell suppliers for its new innovations. "It's quite early to tell if Tesla has an actual plan to acquire a stake in LG Energy Solution. But given Tesla's growing attempts at cost cuts and moves in producing round batteries, it does make sense that Tesla would explore an opportunity to buy a stake in LG Energy Solution," another source familiar with the issue added. According to the latest reports issued by Bernstein Research, a top-tier independent investment research firm, Tesla is trying to find a sweet spot between battery size and energy capacity. It aims to increase production of larger cell sizes. The emphasis will move from the 18650 Li-ion format to higher capacities 21700 and 46800 in the future. The new 46800 cell provides five times more energy and 16 percent longer range. The 46800 cells are easier to manufacture with fewer parts and have a shorter electrical path length to reduce heat. "Tesla will hand over the battery manufacturing to partners, the same as now, rather than doing its own battery cell manufacturing. We believe the possibility of this scenario is high considering the execution risk Tesla invest in part of the cell manufacturing process but still partners with a cell manufacturer for the rest of the cell manufacturing process," Bernstein's Mark Newsman said in a recent report co-written by Steven Chen, Yan Li and Jane Wang. At present, Tesla and Japan's Panasonic operate Gigafactory, a joint venture electric vehicle assembly and battery production plant in the U.S.. But by diversifying battery sourcing channels, Tesla could cut its battery procurement costs. And it bears relevance that Musk announced last week that Tesla will bring a $25,000 passenger EV to market in the next three years. "While China's CATL is also one of the top battery suppliers to Tesla, given Tesla's deep partnership with Panasonic, Tesla's equity purchase of LG Energy Solution would come and it's no surprise to see that," the second source said. CATL is yet to realize an economy of scale to mass-manufacture quality-assured round batteries. Global carmakers are rushing to secure a battery supply with the hope of rising EV sales on the back of continued government subsidies and quotas aimed at reducing carbon emissions. LG Chem recently established ventures with General Motors and Geely Automotive Holdings in China. LG Chem's global EV battery market has spiked from 11 percent last year to over 25 percent as of July this year. It outpaced both CATL and Panasonic. EFFINGHAM The Effingham School Board has announced that Superintendent Mark Doan is retiring. The announcement comes at an important time for the board, since elections for new board members are spring of next year. The timing of the announcement is designed so those seeking election will know that selecting a superintendent will be a central element of their term. Doan is set to retire on June 30, 2022. He will have been with the district for 11 years when he retires. For those interested in joining the school board, the beginning date for circulating nominating petitions was Sept. 22. The filing period, when qualified candidates submit their names to the Effingham County Clerk, will be in December. The candidates will be elected in April. Contact the Effingham County Clerk's Office for more information. Doan said he knew he wanted to retire for the 2022 school year when he signed his current contract. "Really, it's time," he said in an interview, adding he is excited to spend time with his four grandchildren, wife and RV. In the nine years he has been superintendent, he has overseen several administrative and operational projects. Doan is particularly proud of the ways he's been able to handle the finances of the district. Near the beginning of his tenure, school district budgets around the state faced programming cuts. In Unit 40, programs weren't cut. "We kept music. We kept extracurriculars," Doan said. "Our goal was to continue not cutting programs." "One of the other things I'm really proud of: Keeping the tax rate low," he said. Doan helped guide setting the tax levy for the district, since the district's budget comes mostly from county property taxes. The Effingham Unit 40 tax rate has been under 4, one of the lowest in the state. The tax rate has remained under 4 even as Doan oversaw improvements to the district's buildings, most recently a three-year, $14 million renovation of Effingham Junior High School, which was paid for by selling 20-year Health-Life Safety bonds. Though Doan oversaw improvements in the district, he was involved in advocating for a sales tax that would have benefited schools. However, it failed three times at the ballot box, in 2014, 2017 and 2019. In 2018 and 2019, Doan ran into trouble with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit which works to separate religion from governmental affairs like state houses and public schools. The organization reached out to him on three occasions for things in the district it saw as inappropriate incorporations of religion in public education. "This is a faith-based community," Doan said. He added that the arguments around free speech are always complex. The group released press releases for the issues at the time commending his response. Doan credits other administrators and educators for achievements in the district under this tenure. As a leader, Assistant Superintendent Jason Fox said Doan is not a micromanager. "He's very much a leader who wants each of the leaders under him to find their own way," he said. Executive Secretary Penny Weidman, who is retiring at the same time as Doan, said he is easy to get along with. "He's a leader you can respect, but he's very easy going. I always felt that the taxpayers will miss him when he retires," she said, citing his family values, passion for the people of the district, and commitment to keeping tax rates low. Both Fox and Weidman stressed Doan's focus on the primacy of the district's students. "When he makes decisions, he tries to do what's best for students and keeps them first," Fox said. Prior to coming to Effingham, Doan served as a superintendent for school districts in Farmington and Bartonville. He is currently the vice president of the Schools of Illinois Purchasing Cooperative. He served on several committees for the Illinois State Board of Education and continues to serve on several Illinois Association of School Administrators committees. Locally, he is a board member for the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, president of Effingham Regional Career Academy and a member of the Rotary Club. Even though his retirement has been announced, Doan said people shouldn't expect slacking. "I don't want anybody thinking we won't be working 100%," he said. He added that there are still building renovations that he plans to oversee and that he's working on effectively rolling out the technological advancements being made in the district with its 1:1 computer initiative and new student management software. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The first presidential debate between candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump has begun and marks a crucial moment in deciding who gets a lead in the electoral process. Before the debate began, Trump expressed his concerns that Biden would be using an earpiece to get advice on what to say during the discussions and that he could be planning to use performance-enhancing drugs. According to USA Today, Biden responded to Trump's accusations by tweeting a picture of earphones and ice cream, saying that he was preparing for the debate with his earpiece and performance enhancers the night before the event. Climate change President Trump has repeatedly called global warming a "hoax" and said that greenhouse gases had little contribution to climate change. When asked about the exact science of climate change, the Republican leader noted there were many factors to consider. He added he withdrew former President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan, which he said shot energy prices through the roof. White supremacists Moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he was willing to condemn white supremacists who were partly responsible for the surging violence across the nation. The president said he was ready but noted that the real culprit behind the chaos was the left-wing movement. Also Read: Why SCOTUS is a Hot Topic for Trump-Biden Debate Trump has repeatedly criticized the far-left anti-fascist group Antifa as being responsible for the large number of protests and violence within the United States. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director, Chris Wray, said the Antifa is only partly to blame, noting white supremacists are also responsible. Refusing to back down During the debate, Trump frequently interrupted Biden while the former vice president answered the moderator's questions. Wallace repeatedly chided the Republican president and said that he was more disruptive during the discussions. Later on, Wallace again noted Trump's interference and sarcastically asked if he wanted to swap seats with him. During the later stages of the debate, the president again interrupted Biden, forcing Wallace to directly ask Trump why he was not abiding by the rules his campaign agreed with. When the Republican president tried to answer, the moderator quickly noted it was a rhetorical question. Income tax Wallace also asked Trump about a report that The New York Times released, which detailed how the U.S. president only paid $750 in income tax in 2017, his first year in the White House, as reported by CBS News. Trump answered by saying he paid several millions of dollars in income taxes and noted that his tax returns were currently being audited. He added that he is willing to reveal their contents once the process was finished. Citing Trump's tax overhaul in 2017, Biden said the Republican leader ineptly handled the country's economy during his first term. The former vice president also criticized Trump and said he was the worst president the U.S. has ever had. According to Fox News, chief political anchor Bret Baier said that the first 30 minutes of the debate is the crucial moment when the nation's eyes will be focused on the two presidential candidates. White Hosue Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Tuesday that Trump was looking forward to having a heated exchange with Biden during the first presidential debate before the November election. Related Article: US Pres. Donald Trump Receives Third Nobel Peace Prize Nomination This 2021 @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Gerry Kelly's tweet celebrating a prison break that resulted in the death of a warder does not advance the cause of Irish unity, the Taoiseach has said. The Sinn Fein MLA, a member of the Policing Board, was one of 38 IRA inmates who escaped from Maze Prison in 1983. Prison officer James Ferris died of a heart attack after being stabbed while attempting to stop the breakout. Another officer survived being shot in the head. Micheal Martin accused Sinn Fein of pursuing a shared island unit in his department for the purpose of winning more votes. "When Gerry Kelly celebrates a prison escape which resulted in the murder of a prison officer, is that okay?" he asked. "Do you think that advances the cause of Irish unity? Of course it does not." North Belfast MLA Mr Kelly described the breakout as "one of Big Bob's best ops", referring to the late senior republican Bobby Storey. "I had the privilege of the front passenger seat. Well someone had to check we were taking the right route out," he wrote. Mr Martin told the Dail that Sinn Fein's interest in the new shared island unit in the Taoiseach's department was about winning more votes. "It (the unit) is much more profound and complex than that," he said. Following the outcry, Mr Kelly acknowledged there were "opposing views of legacy events" but that he was "proud of being part of the biggest escape in British penal history". Meanwhile, Justice Minister Naomi Long has called on Mr Kelly to reaffirm his commitment to peace. It comes after UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt called on the minister to use her powers to remove Mr Kelly from the Policing Board following his tweet. Mr Nesbitt, who also sits on the Policing Board, pointed out Mrs Long could remove him if she was not satisfied he was "committed to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means" or "he is otherwise unable or unfit to discharge his functions as a member of the board". While Mrs Long was critical of Mr Kelly's comments, she gave no indication she would remove him from the board. Mrs Long said Mr Kelly's tweet was "offensive and thoroughly inappropriate". "It is not acceptable to try to make light of the incident in question or to glorify acts of terrorism," she added. "I would call on Mr Kelly to reaffirm his commitment to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means, consistent with his responsibilities both as a member of the Policing Board and as a Member of the Legislative Assembly." A Sinn Fein spokesperson said the party would "take no lectures" from Mr Nesbitt, given the UUP's historic record as the ruling party of Northern Ireland. (Natural News) President Trump has proposed a second-term plan that aims to uplift black communities in a variety of ways, fueled by an investment of roughly $500 billion. Some of the highlights include bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. and using an immigration policy that is aimed at protecting American jobs. It also promises improved education and job training, along with homeownership opportunities. In addition, it seems to provide improved access to healthcare and lower healthcare costs. Trump announced the plan at a speech during a Black Voices for Trump campaign rally in Atlanta, referring to it as a contract with black Americans for the upcoming four years should he be re-elected. He said that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been taking black voters for granted and has participated in most of the policies that have brought about pain and suffering to the black community over the last half a century. His campaign said: After years of neglect by Democrat politicians, black Americans have finally found a true advocate in President Trump, who is working tirelessly to deliver greater opportunity, security, prosperity, and fairness to their communities. Here is a closer look at the main aspects of the Platinum Plan. The full report can be viewed on his campaigns official website. Measures for increasing black economic empowerment and access to capital: Providing 3 million new jobs for the black community Tax cuts aimed at stimulating hiring and investment to help grow minority-owned businesses Increasing employment and wage growth for black communities so that all people who are seeking jobs can get one An investment of nearly $20 billion in internet and broadband access to provide greater classroom connectivity, better access to tele-health services and more job opportunities An exploration of alternative means of building credit, such as by paying rent, phone bills and utilities More than $400 billion in lending to help grow small businesses and create opportunities for generational wealth Creating half a million new black-owned businesses An immigration policy that protects American jobs Making the Minority Business Development Agency permanent and engaging with private sector advisors to create realistic solutions Measures aimed at improving healthcare and making it more affordable: Giving people more control over their healthcare and choices of doctors Investments into causes and cures for problems that disproportionally affect black populations, such as diabetes, sickle cell disease, kidney disease, and maternal mortality Offering better access to telemedicine and other technologies to improve health Improving transparency so people know the costs before getting care Lowering costs and expanding access to high-quality healthcare via the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Measures for creating greater educational opportunities: Closing schools that are failing and replacing them with full school choice so parents have greater control over the futures of their children Expanding childcare tax credits and improving access to high-quality preschool Increasing Pell grants and allowing for vocational employment Continuing to protect historically black colleges and universities Increasing childcare tax credits Advancing job training and targeted apprenticeship programs Defending exemptions for religious freedom, respecting religious believers, and protecting life Measures aimed at improving safety and the justice system: Working with police, mental health experts, and community leaders to put in place responsive and accountable policing models, including diversity training Setting up a national clemency program to invest in human potential and address wrongful prosecution Improving the criminal justice system and focusing on drug rehabilitation over drug incarceration Advancing second chance hiring to help rehabilitated people with criminal records get back to work Making black communities more prosperous: Advancing home ownership through federal policy reforms Increasing financial literacy within the black community On-shoring manufacturing to bring more jobs to the country Providing federal support for revitalizing neighborhoods Addressing food disparities and improving access to healthy foods Defending religious freedom Prosecuting Antifa and the KKK as terrorist organizations Making lynching a national hate crime Making Juneteenth a national holiday The plan also draws attention to some of President Trumps accomplishments so far that have benefited black Americans, such as achieving historical employment levels for blacks. It also points out that he was the first president to give historically black colleges long-term funding. It also mentions the First Step Act, which he says has brought about some common-sense criminal justice reform and made communities safer for families and businesses. Black Voices for Trump Advisory Board Member K. Carl Smith said in a statement: Though black Americans have traditionally been shut out of opportunities to grow our own businesses and create generational wealth, President Trump is working hard to give us access to the American Dream. He added: President Trump is a businessman and understands that pride, community, and dedication are built through entrepreneurship. Democratic lawmaker Vernon K. Jones told Fox News Bret Baier that Trumps commitment to the black community is unparalleled to any other president, Democrat or Republican, in the past 50 years, adding that he has made good on promises he made four years ago, such as prison reform with the First Step Act, opportunity zone districts and supporting historically black colleges. Although many of his detractors will view this as a last-ditch attempt by Trump to attract more black votes, the truth is that many of these steps make a lot of sense and could go a long way toward improving peoples lives. Isnt it interesting that we havent seen any type of detailed plan aimed at truly helping black communities coming from the Black Lives Matter-loving Dems? Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com FoxNews.com DonaldJTrump.com Former Union minister and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi Wednesday termed historic a special CBI court verdict acquitting all the 32 accused, including him, in the Babri masjid demolition case. I will say only one thing 'Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko sanmatti de bhagwan (May Lord, bestow wisdom on all), he said, expressing happiness over the judgement. The special CBI court in Lucknow on Wednesday acquitted all the 32 accused in the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case, including Joshi and former deputy prime minister L K Advani, saying there was no conclusive proof against them. The court had delivered a historic verdict, Joshi told reporters here in his first reaction to the verdict in the 28-year-old case. He thanked the lawyers who appeared for him in the matter and said they presented all the aspects and facts before the court. "The CBI's arguments could not withstand the ones presented by our lawyers because of their hard work and preparations in this complex case. And the judge has brought out the truth before everybody, he said. Joshi was the BJP president during the period when thousands of karsevaks gathered in Ayodhya as part of the campaign for building a Ram temple, and the mosque was brought down. The verdict has proven that our programmes were not under any conspiracy, the 86-year-old said Wednesday. He said, I feel this controversy should come to end with the verdict. The entire country should be ready for the construction of a grand Ram temple. I will say only one thing Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko sanmatti de bhagwan," he said. A contemporary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, Joshi was one of the key faces of the party in 80s and 90s. He has been a member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh several times and was considered close to the RSS. Donald Trump's nominee to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court has submitted her 65-page questionnaire to the Judiciary Committee, explaining why she argued in favor of a convicted felon being allowed to own a gun, and stating her hope to continue teaching if appointed. Amy Coney Barrett, 48, submitted the form on Tuesday night. She was asked to provide a comprehensive resume and detail her speaking engagements, writings and some of her most significant legal rulings. The questionnaire was accompanied by 1,800 pages of documentation and appendices, including over 150 speeches and writings, for both academic and popular audiences. Amy Coney Barrett, born in New Orleans, is hoping to be sworn in to the Supreme Court Barrett, who now lives in Indiana, was officially nominated by Donald Trump on Saturday She provided press clippings from her speaking engagements, as far afield as Ecuador. She described how, in February 2020, she served as a judge in a fictionalized trial of Peter Pan, staged in Washington DC by a theater company. Entitled 'Negligence in Neverland: Was Peter Pan guilty of kidnapping?', Barrett's final decision ruled in Pan's favor, concluding that Wendy was a trailblazer for women's rights in Neverland. More seriously, she identified nearly 100 opinions she had written and over 800 appeals in which she has participated. Asked to identify her 10 most significant rulings, she included the case Kanter v. Barr, decided in 2019. 'Rickey Kanter challenged application of federal and state felon dispossession laws to prevent him a non-violent offender from owning a firearm, arguing that these laws violated his second amendment rights,' Barrett wrote in her questionnaire. 'He had previously been convicted of mail fraud for selling therapeutic shoe inserts while misrepresenting them as Medicare approved.' A panel of 7th Circuit judges ruled that the application of statutes was substantially related to the government's objective to prevent gun violence, she wrote. 'I dissented,' Barrett wrote. Barrett's questionnaire included a summary of her education and employment She had to detail awards, publications, speeches, writings and notable decisions Barrett said that she looked to the 'Founding-era history' and 'explained that legislatures have the power to prohibit dangerous people from possessing guns, but that power extends only to people who are dangerous, not to nonviolent felons like Mr Kanter.' In another section of the questionnaire, she was asked under what circumstances she would recuse herself from cases. She replied that she had a long-standing policy of recusing herself from cases involving her husband or sister - both practising attorneys - and cases on which she had previously ruled on appeal. She would also recuse herself from cases involving Notre Dame, her alma mater. Asked whether anyone involved in her nomination process at the White House or in the Senate had discussed with her any pending or specific cases, legal issues, or questions that could 'reasonably be interpreted as seeking any express or implied assurances concerning your position in such a case, issue or question,' she said no. She also was asked if she made 'any representations to any individuals as to how you might rule as a justice if confirmed,' to which she responded: 'No.' Democrats fear that Barrett may support the overturning of Roe v Wade if elected Barrett is pictured on Tuesday meeting Rick Scott, Florida senator, to discuss her nomination Barrett also referenced her stints teaching at various universities - most recently Notre Dame, but also George Washington University law school and the University of Virginia School of Law. She said she would like to continue teaching, in some capacity, if possible. 'My present position as a federal judge does not permit me to undertake traditional pro bono legal work,' she wrote, but she added 'service is a priority for my family.' Barrett is the mother of seven children, including two adopted from Haiti. 'We regularly participate in food and clothing drives for a shelter for homeless veterans, a day center for struggling women, and our parish's sister school in Haiti,' she explained. 'We always participate in Angel Tree drives, and we have served at a local soup kitchen.' She added that as a professor, she made it 'a priority to help students in need, students with disabilities, and first-generation law students find their home at Notre Dame.' The questionnaire also required Barrett to discuss how she would 'resolve any conflict of interest.' 'If confirmed, I would resolve any conflict of interest by looking to the Code of Conduct for United States Judges (although it is not formally binding on members of the Supreme Court of the United States); the Ethics Reform Act of 1989, 28 U.S.C. 455 and other relevant,' she wrote. 'I would also seek guidance from judicial ethics officials to structure my limited financial investments to minimize the potential for conflicts.' Lindsay Graham, chair of the Judiciary Committee, has indicated that Barrett's confirmation hearing will be held October 12. Democrats have protested loudly that a new Supreme Court judge should not be appointed in an election year, but they admit that they are powerless to prevent it. A woman in a Republican pollster's focus group has become a cult hero after expressing her frank opinions on the performances of Donald Trump and Joe Biden during the Presidential debate. Ruthie, from Pennsylvania, was joined by 14 other undecided voters in the focus group conducted via Zoom by veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz on Tuesday night. She had originally been on the fence about the vote but later stated that Trump's behavior during the debate had persuaded her to support Biden. The group watched the 90-minute debate, broadcast from Cleveland, Ohio, as the two candidates shouted and insulted each other while moderator Chris Wallace lost control of the 'dumpster fire' that was the first Presidential debate. Most of the voters in the group described Trump in a negative light following the encounter as Ruthie likened Biden's struggle to trying to 'win an argument with a crackhead'. She has since been labeled as a 'cult hero' on social media. A woman in Republican pollster's focus group has become a cult hero after expressing her frank opinions on the performances of Donald Trump and Joe Biden during the Presidential debate Ruthie, from Pennsylvania, (top right) was joined by 14 other undecided voters in the focus group conducted via Zoom by veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz on Tuesday night The presidential debate quickly devolved into an unconstrained mess surpassing prior encounters in the force and severity of the attacks but also into the constant cross-talk and breakdown of orderly discussion. Barely had the night begun when the two candidates began name calling and fighting, with Biden asking Trump to shut up and slapping him down as the president repeatedly interrupted his answers. The group said they were largely stunned by Trump's performance before characterizing him as 'unhinged,' 'arrogant,' 'forceful', 'chaotic', 'un-American' and a 'bully'. In contrast, when asked to describe Biden, Politco reported that the group offered: 'better than expected,' 'politician,' 'compassion,' 'coherent,' and a 'nice guy lacking vision.' Most of the voters in the group described Trump in a negative light following the encounter as Ruthie (pictured) likened Biden's struggle to trying to 'win an argument with a crackhead' Ruthie, who described the President as a 'crackhead' more than once in the group, has since been labelled a cult hero online. Replying to a thread about the discussion, one social media user wrote: 'Ruthie actually won the debate tonight.' Another commented: 'We should all be more like Ruthie!' And a third added: 'Hero to women, Ruthie! Thank you for calling it like you see it...' There were nine men and six women in the group from battleground states across the country - Arizona, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Nevada. The group ultimately found that four said they were supporting Democratic nominee Joe Biden after watching the debate. Two backed President Donald Trump and the rest remained on the fence. The findings appeared to mirror those found with an instant poll conducted by CBS. It suggested that a majority of 48 per cent of viewers thought that Biden won the opening debate - to just 41 per cent who believe Trump did. Another 10 per cent of the viewership believed the event ended in a tie. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden during Tuesdays debate accused President Donald Trump of mishandling the coronavirus crisis, noting that more than 200,000 Americans have died. A lot of people have died and a lot more people are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter, Biden said of the president. Trump said: He wants to shut down the country. ... More people will be hurt by continuing" the shutdown. And Trump argued that death counts from some other countries were not believable, because of inconsistencies in reporting. Here is what is known about the death numbers, based on available data, according to COVID-19 tracking by Johns Hopkins University Medicine. The U.S. accounts for 1-in-5 known deaths worldwide attributed to coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reports. The U.S. death total, as of Tuesday, was listed at 205,774. well ahead of Brazil (142,058), India (96,318), Mexico (76,603) and the United Kingdom (42,161). At 62.7 deaths per 100,000 population, the United States also ranks near the top in deaths per capita, with about the same rate per 100,000 as the United Kingdom (63.3). Nine other countries were listed with higher death rates per 100,000: San Marino (124.3), Peru (100.9), Belgium (87.4), Bolivia (69.6), Andorra (68.8), Brazil (67.8), Chile (67.8), Spain (67.2) and Ecuador (66). Canada ranked much lower, with 25.2 deaths per 100,000. The death count has far exceeded the normal losses to the flu in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control reports that since 2010, flu deaths in the United States have ranged from 12,000 to 61,000 a year. HDI Global Specialty SE has appointed Thomas Barenthein as the managing director of its Scandinavian Branch. Barenthein joins the specialty lines insurer from Inter Hannover where he was managing director, Sweden. The Scandinavian branch of HDI Global Specialty in Stockholm is the insurers centre for international and general aviation, marine and specie as well as a range of political risks. At Inter Hannover, Barenthein was also chief branch officer and a member of its executive committee. Prior to joining the company in 2008, he had previously worked at Guy Carpenter and Skandia International. Speaking about his appointment, Barenthein said: I am excited to be joining HDI Global Specialty at a time of such challenge and opportunity. The companys development has been very impressive during its first 18 months and I very much look forward to contributing to its continued success. With strong owners, solid rating and many industry professionals as new colleagues I am convinced that our future will be very positive. Barenthein also joins the executive board and replaces Mats Westerborn who moves to the role of General Manager, Aviation, in HDIs Scandinavian branch. About HDI Global Specialty SE Following approval by the supervisory authorities, HDI Global Specialty rolled-out operational activities on Jan. 1, 2019. HDI Global Specialty is a joint venture of Hannover Re and HDI Global SE, both established players in the insurance and reinsurance market. Source: HDI Global Specialty SE Topics Excess Surplus Maryland "This was truly an extraordinary event and you all were fantastic, every one. I feel blessed to have been in your company, you all are extraordinary musicians and wonderful people. I hope you do many more in the future!" Dan M. (Boulder, Colorado) GUITAR GREATS JENNIFER BATTEN, ANGELA PETRILLI, VICKI GENFAN, AND GRETCHEN MENN, TO TEACH AT JENNIFER BATTENS GUITAR CLOUD SYMPOSIUM LAUNCH OCTOBER 16-19 Early bird registration available through October 9 Jennifer Battens Guitar Cloud Symposium (GCS)TM is coming to guitarists worldwide October 16-19, 2020. The four-day online guitar mastery program features an all-star presenter lineup, including Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson/Jeff Beck guitarist), Angela Petrilli, Vicki Genfan, and Gretchen Menn. These internationally acclaimed guitar greats will deliver powerful techniques and insights to help guitarists of all levels boost their musical growth, artistic development, and performance ability. Designed in the style of an virtual guitar camp, GCS offers 24 live, dynamic, class modules on more effective playing and practice techniques, composition and creativity building, enhanced expression, and more! Also on the agenda are live Q&A sessions and virtual social gatherings with surprise guests and sponsor giveaways! Attendees will have fun connecting with presenters and each other during this unique experience that is as engaging and inspirational as it is academically game-changing! Learn more about Batten and all the GCS presenters through audio samplers, videos, course listings, and biographies at http://www.guitarcloudsymposium.com. Im excited to have incredible musicians like Angela, Vicki, and Gretchen on board as presenters for the launch of GCS, says Batten. It was a guitar symposium that inspired me to apply to Musicians Institute and launch my music career. You never know how an event like this can impact someones life. So now, as I present GCS, the intent is to empower other guitarists with the tools and inspiration they need to express themselves and achieve their goals. For the complete Guitar Cloud Symposium schedule (including international time zone listings) and registration information, visit guitarcloudsymposium.com. Early-bird discount is available through October 9. PRESS CONTACT: 503-882-3803 Jennifer Batten | team@guitarcloudsymposium.com ABOUT GUITAR CLOUD SYMPOSIUM GCSTM Guitar Cloud Symposium (GCS) is an all new virtual guitar mastery program, and the brainchild of Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson/Jeff Beck guitarist). GCS was born from her desire to empower the modern musician with lessons learned from her decade-long world tours with Michael Jackson and playing alongside guitar icon, Jeff Beck. One of the early graduates of Musicians Institute (MI), Batten was also an instructor and became known for her musical versatility, creativity, and innovation, as well as her excellence in guitar education. Jennifer Battens Guitar Cloud Symposium instructors are personally vetted by Batten and meet her rigorous criteria. The Guitar Cloud Symposium brings students of all levels a mix of techniques, styles, wisdom, insights, and fun! The roster of instructors includes Jennifer Batten, Angela Petrilli, Vicki Genfan, Gretchen Menn, Nili Brosh and is quickly growing to include other world class guitarists. Instructors offer a wealth of knowledge from their onstage experience, in the recording studio, and from their years of teaching musical subjects they are passionate about. Their desire is to connect with players around the globe and help students unluck their creative potential. Learn more at guitarcloudsymposium.com. pdf of letter TAPOL and ETAN Letter to UK and US Ambassadors to UN on Anniversary of 30 September Movement HE Dame Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative United Kingdom Mission to the UN New York, NY and HE Kelly Craft Permanent Representative United States Mission to the UN New York, NY 30 September 2020 Dear Ambassadors, We write to you on the fifty-fifth anniversary of the so-called September 30th movement (G30S) in Indonesia. The movement, which led to the mass killing of hundreds of thousands of people accused of being communists by the military and its proxies, marked the beginning of the New Order military dictatorship in Indonesia. The governments of the United States and the United Kingdom both played crucial roles in these events. Despite a period of political reform after 1998 following the fall of the dictatorship, there has not been an accounting for the deaths of those killed during 1965 and in the years that followed, nor proper acknowledgement by the authorities of the many human rights violations committed during 32 years of rule under military dictatorship. Without acknowledgement and a process of truth-seeking, there can be no reconciliation and closure, no justice for the many victims and their loved ones, and no genuine commitment to upholding democracy in Indonesia. The Indonesian military may have formally withdrawn from the frontline of politics, but it still enjoys considerable power and influence, which has been enhanced under the presidency of Joko Widodo. The former military officers he has appointed to cabinet have influenced a policy of allowing the security forces to enforce social distancing and mask wearing during the Covid-19 pandemic. The executive and legislature have failed to compel the military to divest from its businesses as required by a 2004 law, and the legislature is even debating whether to appoint serving military officers to the civilian bureaucracy, a proposal of President Widodo. The military has been involved in the conflict in West Papua, which has been ongoing since 1965, during which it has been responsible for numerous documented and undocumented human rights violations. Tens of thousands have died and the territory's population continues to suffer from joint military and police operations. Most recently, it was reported that Pastor Yeremia Zanambani killed by the Indonesian military near his church. During President Widodo's address to the UN's General Assembly of 22 September, he claimed that Indonesia shared a responsibility to strengthen the United Nations and multilateralism. On 15 September, Indonesia's UN representative Dian Triansyah Djani, speaking in the Security Council, highlighted Indonesia's role in peacekeeping training and promoted the greater participation of women soldiers in UN Peacekeeping Operations, citing his own country as an example. However, there is a danger that the serious problems associated with the military, particularly the stalled process of security sector reform, longstanding impunity, and enduring military power and influence over domestic politics, will be overlooked. We therefore draw your attention to the clear contradiction between promoting the values of the United Nations in respect of human rights, democracy, and multilateralism and the deployment of peacekeeping personnel from a nation with an unreformed military where the president is relying on a cabal of former military officers to govern and continues to shut out proper scrutiny of past and ongoing atrocities in West Papua and elsewhere. In your capacity as representatives of permanent members of the Security Council, we call on you and your governments to investigate and raise with the Indonesian government these problems. The United States and the United Kingdom have a duty to address the impunity and influence that the military continues to enjoy. Both your countries have a responsibility to correct the damaging history of aiding military abuses when your countries regarded the dictatorship as a close ally and provided it with substantial security assistance and diplomatic support. In 1975, for example, when Indonesia was also on the UN Security Council, your governments supported Indonesia as it invaded East Timor. Both of your countries sold arms to Indonesia and trained its military personnel even though it was clear that they were committing atrocities in East Timor, Aceh and West Papua, and in Indonesia more generally. Yours sincerely, Pelagio Doutel, Campaigner TAPOL info@tapol.org John M Miller, Coordinator East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) etan@etan.org cc: Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations The investigation will also appoint an explosives test to confirm or refute the terror attack theory. The State Bureau of Investigation probing last Friday's An-26 plane crash that killed 26 people on board, including crew and air force cadets, is considering several versions of what could have caused the transport aircraft to plunge during landing, including a terrorist attack. That's according to the chief of the SBI's Main Investigation Department, Maksym Borchakovsky, RBC Ukraine news agency reports. According to the official, following the initial inspection of the scene and the study of the radio exchange data of the crew and dispatchers, the investigation has come up with four main versions of the crash cause: Technical malfunction of aircraft units; Improper performance of duties by crew; Improper performance of official duties by persons responsible for flight control; and Inadequate aircraft maintenance and flight preparation. The investigation will appoint an explosives test to confirm or refute the relevant terror attack theory. Borchakovsky has also refuted the reports of engine failure. He added that it was only one of the plane sensors that failed, namely a pressure sensor. Read alsoMilitary plane carrying cadets crashes in Kharkiv region (Photo, video): UPDATEDAt the same time, he added the wreckage of the plane had been seized by the court as material evidence. So far, the "black boxes" are being decrypted. What is more, Borchakovsky said the investigation might publish transcripts of radio communications between the pilots and the tower to remove insinuations. He said about 50 persons, including the only survivor, the air force cadet, had already testified to the SBI. The bodies of cadets killed in the crash will be handed back to their families before the end of the week after DNA tests are completed. An-26 crash in Chuhuiv: Background The military plane crashed by the highway while approaching the Chuhuiv military airfield late on September 25. Kharkiv Air Force University's crew and cadets were on board a total of 27 people. Twenty-five were killed at the crash site and one of the two survivors later died in hospital. The only survivor is still undergoing treatment with no threat to his life reported. Read alsoCCTV camera captures last seconds of tragic An-26 flight before crash (Video)According to the SBU Security Service, the plane's captain reported left engine failure to the tower and requested an approach to land shortly before the crash. Ukraine's Defense Minister Andriy Taran, citing aviation experts, said one of the sensors in the engine of the An-26 transport military aircraft failed, as a result of which the plane's wing caught on the ground as it was approaching the airfield near Chuhuiv before plunging and setting ablaze. The An-26 that crashed on September 25 was manufactured in 1977. It had been operated as a training aircraft for the Air Force. President Donald Trump told the white supremacists group the Proud Boys to 'stand back and stand by' when he was challenged to condemn them during Tuesday's presidential debate. He also attacked antifa instead. He claimed the protests in the country on race relations were a left-wing problem. 'Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem, he said. Proud Boys is a far-right and neo-fascist organization that admits only men as members and promotes and engages in political violence. The group believes white men and western culture are under siege. One member of the group tweeted their pride at being mentioned and said the president gave them permission for violence. 'The Proud Boys are ecstatic tonight about getting mentioned in the debate tonight. "Trump basically said to go f*** them up! this makes me so happy," writes one prominent Proud Boy,' Mike Baker tweeted. Joe Biden retweeted that person, writing: 'This. This is Donald Trump's America.' It was one of many memorable moments in Tuesday's chaotic first presidential debate where Trump, Biden, and moderator Chris Wallace shouted over one another throughout most of the 90 minutes. Trump has been accused of being a racist after his defense of the Confederate Flag and his criticism of the Black Lives Matters protests that sprung up in the wake of George Floyd's death - the Minnesota black man murdered by a white cop. President Donald Trump told white supremacists to 'stand back and stand by' when he was challenged to condemn them 'Patriot Gathering' of a few hundred heavily armed nationalists met at Carrie Gaulbert Cox Park and marched in downtown Louisville earlier this month Debate moderator Chris Wallace asked the president if he would condemn white supremacists and militia groups. I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing, Trump said. Wallace asked him to clarify what he meant. I'm willing to do anything, I want to see peace, Trump said. Then do it, sir, Wallace challenged. What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, Trump said. White supremacist and right wing militias, Wallace said. Instead, Trump turned to attack antifa, an unorganized group opposed to extreme right-wing political groups like fascists. Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem, he said. But antifa is not an organization - it's a political idea that many different groups support. And law enforcement has found no evidence these groups were working with the Black Lives Matter protesters in cities across the United States. Trump has declined to call out the citizen militias that have sprung up during the protests as he declined to do Tuesday night. 'Antifa is an idea not an organization. His FBI director said, Biden said. Antifa is a dangerous, radical, Trump started saying as Wallace interrupted him to say they were moving on to another topic. But the president got in one last zinger on antifa: They'll overthrow you.' Race relations, like other debate topics, resulted in a furious back-and-forth, shouting over each other conversation between the presidential contenders. The debate on racial relations got so bad that at one point Joe Biden called Trump a 'racist' At one point in the night, Biden called Trump a racist when the two men debated race relations in the country. Trump was defending his decision to end racial sensitivity training for federal workers when his Democratic rival hit him with the racist label. The president said the training was resulting in very sick ideas and teaching people to hate our country. If you look at the people, we were paying people hundreds of thousands of dollars to teach very bad ideas and frankly, very sick ideas. It really, they were teaching people to hate our country. And I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to allow that to happen. We have to go back to the core values of this country, Trump said. Nobody is doing that. He's racist, Biden said. He defended the training programs. The fact is there is racial insensitivity. People have to be made aware of what other people feel like. What insults them, what is it demeaning to them. It's important to people. Now, many people don't want to hurt other people's feelings, but it makes a big difference, he said. And then he pivoted it to emphasize his blue-collar roots and hinted Trump is a snob. It makes a gigantic difference in the way a child is able to grow up and have a sense of self-esteem. It's a little bit like how this guy and his friends look down on so many people and look down their nose on people like Irish catholics like me who grew up in Scranton. They looked down on people who don't have money, they looked down on people who are of a different faith, he said. As the two men bickered on race, Biden invoked the death of Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that sprung up in the wake. Trump invoked his law and order presidency. The president has accused Biden on multiple occasions of wanting to defund the police, which Biden has said he would not do. During the debate, the Democratic nominee said most police officers are good but the bad ones need to be rooted out. The vast majority of police officers are good, they risk their lives every day to take care of us, but there are some bad apples and when they occur, when they find them they have to be sorted out, Biden said. Cops aren't happy to see what happened to George Floyd. These cops aren't happy to see what happened to Breonna Taylor. Most don't like it, but we have to have a system where people are held accountable. And by the way, violence and response is never appropriate. Never appropriate. Peaceful protest is. Violence is never appropriate, he said of protests. Trump hit back: What is peaceful protest? When they run through the middle of the town and burn down stores and kill people all over the place? That is not peaceful protest. The president also has complained Biden hasnt said hes for law and order, a phrase Trump has used to define his presidency. They don't want to talk about law and order. Are you in favor of law and order?, he asked Biden. I'm in favor of law, Biden said. But he attacked Trumps approach of handling racial unrest across America. The point is that is why he keeps trying to rile everything up. He doesn't want to calm things down. Instead of going in and talking to people and saying let's get everybody together, figure out how to deal with this, what does he do? He just throws gasoline on the fire constantly. Every single solitary time, he said. The Colombian Navy said 94 Haitian migrants who were stranded at sea while trying to make their way to Central America have been rescued. Authorities said on Tuesday, a fishing boat discovered the ship named "Jhosua" drifting off Colombia's Caribbean coast after its motors failed. The migrants, 61 adults and 33 children, were brought safely to shore. According to officials, they were attempting to reach Panama, which serves as a transit point for most migrants heading from South America to the United States by land. The nation closed its borders due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, halting the journey of nearly 2,000 migrants largely from Haiti. For months they have been stuck in camps in the jungle along the nation's northern and southern borders. CARROLLTON A group of 10 current and former Greene County law enforcement officials is endorsing Democratic candidate Matt Goetten for circuit judge. Goetten, a special prosecutor and longtime states attorney, was elected Greene County states attorney in 2004 and was in that role for eight years. After a narrow defeat in a 2012 run for Congress, Goetten became a special prosecutor for the Illinois Appellate Prosecutors Office. He will face Republican Zachary Schmidt, a Carrollton native and former assistant states attorney in Logan and Peoria counties. The group of law enforcement leadership, which endorsed Goetten in the primary race earlier this year, said it discussed the qualifications of both candidates. The group includes representatives of both political parties. Citing his ethics and courtroom experience, the group said, We have witnessed his courtroom skills and his knowledge of the law, and have full faith that the decisions he renders from the bench will be made with compassion and fairness, but most of all him utilizing his 18-plus years of judicial experience and common sense. They said a recent trend of serious crimes in the county is what makes the next election of Greene Countys circuit judge so very important. Greene County needs and deserves an experienced and seasoned attorney presiding over these types of cases and over the entire justice system in Greene County. The endorsement was signed by Greene County Sheriff Rob McMillen, retired sheriffs Mike Fry and Rick Graham, White Hall Chief of Police Luke Coultas and retired Chief Jack Wallis, Carrollton Chief of Police Terry Gross and acting Assistant Carrollton Chief of Police Mike McCartney, Roodhouse Chief of Police Kyle Robison and retired Chief Steve Speeks and Greenfield Chief of Police John Goode. The judge position is opening because of the retirement of Circuit Judge James W. Day, who is not seeking retention after 30 years on the bench. One of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's most well-known character traits is his colourful way of speaking; sometimes he's telling stories about being a teenager at a swimming pool, sometimes he's reminiscing about how his dad used to drive cars, sometimes he's putting his foot in his mouth, and sometimes he's resurrecting decades old words like "malarkey" and plastering them across buses. During Tuesday night's debates, he added a new phrase to his ever shifting lexicon - "Inshallah." Mr Biden deployed the phrase in a testy exchange with Donald Trump regarding his still-unreleased tax returns. "Millions of dollars, and you'll get to see it," Mr Trump said, when asked how much he paid in taxes. "When?" Mr Biden replied. "Inshallah?" The invocation of the Arabic phrase by the 77-year-old, white, Roman Catholic man from Pennsylvania, did not go unnoticed on social media. Mr Biden's campaign confirmed later on Tuesday that yes, he did use inshallah to respond to Mr Trump about his tax returns. The phrase means "God willing" in Arabic and Farsi, but is used more colloquially as a non-committal response, akin to "not going to happen", "if it ever happens," or as writer Wajahat Ali put it, the "Arabic version of fuggedaboudit." Reaction to his use of the phrase was mixed. Some found it endearing that a political candidate was using Arab American colloquialisms on the national stage, while others criticised his use, likening it to transparent and insulting pandering, or, worse, as disrespectful to Mulsims. Sahid Hamid, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and a contributing writer at The Atlantic, was pleased with Mr Biden's use of the phrase. "If my parents had told me when I was growing up that a major presidential candidate would one day say the words 'inshallah' in a nationally televised debate, I would have assumed they were crazy. But anything is possible in 2020," he wrote. Bas, a rapper in Queens, New York who is French with Sudanese heritage, praised Mr Biden as well. Did Biden just hit him with a inshallah? That's all I needed to hear!!" he wrote. On the other side, some users were already imagining the meandering op-eds explaining how an elderly white man using an Arabic phrase counts as representation. Whoevers writing that op-ed about feeling seen because Biden said inshallah, I urge you to spare your community the embarrassment please, Asad Dandia, a Columbia University graduate student, tweeted. Meriam Masmoudi, a political activist, likened the phrase to table scraps being tossed to the American Muslim community at a time when violence against them has been increasing throughout the country. "It's so disheartening that the best thing the Biden campaign seems to be able to offer Muslim Americans in the midst of an uptick in islamophobic violence is an offhand, completely inappropriately applied 'inshallah' in the debate," she wrote. Though the US Muslim population is relatively small - only about 1 per cent of the US electorate - they account for large populations in swing states like Michigan, Ohio and Florida. Over the summer, Mr Biden held a virtual meeting with more than 3,000 Muslim leaders through the Emgage Action advocacy group. During the meeting, he said he wished public schools did more to educate students on the Islamic faith. "One of the things that I think is important: I wish, I wish we taught more in our schools about the Islamic faith," Mr Biden said. "What people don't realise is ... we all come from the same root here, in terms of our fundamental basic beliefs." He has also pledged to end Mr Trump's controversial "Muslim ban" on the first day of his presidency. A former top official in Gov. Phil Murphys administration who resigned amid criticism shed pushed out employees to make room for friends and family had closer contact with the governors office than previously disclosed, New Jerseys top corruption watchdog said in a report Wednesday. Lizette Delgado-Polanco stepped down in April 2019 as leader of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, the agency overseeing school construction and renovation in the states poorest areas. Murphy administration employees said they did not authorize every detail of Delgado-Polancos managerial decisions but their actions, and in some cases, inaction, made it clear that she conducted her overall activities as CEO with the tacit approval of the Governors Office, according to the State Commission of Investigation. Delgado-Polanco was ultimately a woefully inexperienced CEO who oversaw an agency plagued by questionable administrative actions, suspect hires and outright managerial malfeasance, investigators wrote. Delgado-Polanco previously denied claims she turned the agency into a patronage pit. She called the SCI investigation a hit job full of mischaracterizations in a document included in the report. She declined to comment further when reached by phone. During his latest press briefing in Trenton, Murphy declined to comment on the report, which he said he had not read. In an email, a Murphy spokeswoman did not directly address the investigation but said the offices current leader, Manuel Da Silva, has made significant changes to the agency which strengthened hiring processes and procedures. The SDA continues to look for ways to enhance efficiency and accountability, which included the hiring of a consulting firm to further analyze and improve internal HR practices, Christine Lee wrote. Republican lawmakers said the findings showed more oversight was needed. Firing highly qualified government employees and hiring family and friends who lack sufficient skills is the epitome of abuse of power and personal greed," state Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Passaic, said in a statement. "The Murphy administration must be held fully accountable for their aversion to the truth. Delgado-Polanco took over in August 2018. The job description called for someone with an advanced degree, but Delgado-Polanco didnt have a bachelors, nor did she have construction-related experience or any background in running a multi-faceted organization, investigators wrote. During the next nine months, an agency that was quickly running out of money nonetheless set aside $2.7 million for new hires, the report said. That included money to hire Delgado-Polancos best friend and her best friends daughter-in-law, even though neither were qualified, investigators wrote. Delgado-Polanco also fired 15 people, including 14 on a single day. She told a human resources director to keep quiet about part of the reorganization, according to the report. All the while, the governors office received regular updates even though the board tasked with overseeing the agency was kept in the dark, investigators said. Records obtained by the Commission indicate a steady stream of frequent communication via phone and text message between Delgado-Polanco and top-ranking members of Gov. Phil Murphys staff throughout her employment, according to the report. "I would say Ms. Delgado-Polanco consulted the governors office at every step of the way in the entire reorganization process, so they were made aware of all the decisions that were being contemplated before they were actually executed, said Al Alvarez, her former chief of staff, according to the report. (Alvarez later lost his job after he was accused of rape, an accusation he has denied.) Delgado-Polanco defended her work as a way to drum up public support for more funding and as a strategy to make the agency more efficient. The investigation was a smear campaign against her and the governor, she wrote in an affidavit. Her extensive experience in state government made her well qualified for the job, she said, and other officials at the agency were also involved in hiring and firing. It defies credulity to principally blame me for all the problems at the SDA," she wrote. She added that she could not respond to every accusation because she did not have an advance copy of the investigation. The report also blamed the governors office for obstructing a deeper review of what happened. A full accounting of the events that led to her appointment were thwarted, in part, because key decision-makers in that process failed to provide meaningful testimony, investigators wrote. They singled out Pete Cammarano, Murphys former chief of staff, for saying he didnt remember many details, and for being stopped from answering some questions by a lawyer for the governors office. Cammarano took issue with that characterization, according to a letter included in the report. He had testified to all details he could recall, he wrote, and he said investigators inflated his oversight role. While he had been in contact with Delgado-Polanco and knew about some of her changes, that hardly amounted to green lighting every decision, he said. Cammarano did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The state attorney generals office did open its own investigation into the agency near the end of 2018, and Murphy eventually fired 30 employees, including 27 Delgado-Polanco hired. While Delgado-Polanco is gone, and pension records show she is no longer a state employee, its not clear the agency could avoid a similar scandal in the future, investigators wrote. Another report will include recommended reforms, they said. Meanwhile, three lawsuits stemming from Delgado-Polancos tenure remain active, according to the report. The human resources director who said she was told to keep quiet" sued after she was fired for insubordination, the report said. The woman later received a $550,000 settlement. NJ Advance Media staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. Siliguri, Sep 30: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked officials not to lower guard despite decline in COVID-19 cases in Darjeeling hills and continue testing and tracing protocols in the region. The situation has improved in Darjeeling and Mirik. But we need to keep a watch on the situation. We cannot lower guards, more because the festive season is coming," she said at an administrative review meeting here in Darjeeling district. Durga Puja committees should set up pandals with open spaces to prevent the spread of the virus, Banerjee said. I again urge Puja committees and the public to cooperate with the police and the administration in following all COVID-19 safety protocols. Everyone should wear a mask and use sanitiser before entering a pandal," she said. About regularisation of 4,397 Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) employees, Banerjee said that such requests should be made after the Covid battle is over. The CM said while 70 lakh Kisan Credit Cards have already been distributed in the state to help small and marginal farmers, 8 lakh such cards were still left to be given to them. Banerjee said that 2,800 Sahayata Kendra will be set up across the state to help people get information about ration card, old age pension etc. She provided Rs 10 crore as grant each to the Terai Dooars Board and the Adivasi Board and Rs 150 crore to the GTA. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor FARGO, N.D. - COVID-19 cant hurt me because Im young and healthy. Im so over it. Nobody tells me what to do. Executives at a Bismarck marketing agency hired to help stem the tide of rising virus cases in central North Dakota say thats the mindset facing them with their campaign in the hot spot of a state that for weeks has been among the nations leaders in the number of new virus cases per capita, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Agency MABU was hired by a governors task force in Burleigh and Morton counties that is nearly six weeks into its effort and frustrated by the lack of progress in an area that includes the cities of Bismarck and Mandan. The state will soon follow with a nearly $2 million campaign of its own that dwarfs MABUs $76,800 media budget. In the meantime, MABU has created messages designed to leverage North Dakotans strong sense of freedom the same thing that Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has said would make it difficult to impose a mask mandate even as last week he raised the risk levels of a dozen counties, including Burleigh and Morton. Burgum decried the politicization of mask-wearing at a press briefing in May. He choked up as he said people may be wearing them because they might have a 5-year-old child going through cancer treatments or vulnerable adults in their lives stricken with COVID-19. But Burgum has been unwilling to impose a requirement. In the end, its about individual decisions, not what the government does, he has said on numerous occasions. In Fargo, the states largest and most liberal city and runaway leader in total number of COVID-19 cases, citizens flooded a City Council meeting this month to complain about a proposal to require masks. One resident said face coverings dont work and dont look human. Mayor Tim Mahoney said emails to his office have been 80% opposed to a mask mandate. Anti-maskers made similar complaints at a Bismarck City Commission meeting, Mike Mabin, MABU president and CEO, said the ad campaign plays on personal choice. Its about letting people know that everyone is free to respond as to how they choose to protect themselves and others, Mabin said. Its more coming at it from their own personal motivation for self-preservation, but more importantly the altruism and being empathetic to others. Based on the highest number of cases, the agency is targeting age groups 20-29, described as invincible; 30-39, labeled as fatigued; and 50-59, pegged as resistant. Those people are most likely to contribute to community spread and pass on the virus to the most vulnerable populations, such as people in long-term care centres. The first video ad features three people in each of those age groups who first express their skepticism about the virus before having a change of heart. Im tired of this but I want my kids in school every day, one woman says. Im young and healthy but not everyone else is, a young man says. I dont have to but I choose to protect myself and others, an older man says. By the end of the 30-second spot, each is wearing a mask and declaring that COVID stops with me. Besides the website, the offering includes other forms of advertising, digital billboards, a tool kit for businesses and others with posters and photos that can be customized. There also is a social media calendar, and communication and strategy support for groups such as the Burleigh-Morton task force. Kalen Ost, emergency preparedness information specialist for Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health, said hes hopeful the quickly assembled campaign will change minds and reinforce peoples positive actions about wearing masks, social distancing and good personal hygiene. I kind of feel if we scream, people wont listen, Ost said. Im fully aware that by default there are people who will dig in their heels and will not do it. Its just not going to happen and nothing you can say or do will ever change their minds. Thats just reality. But I also believe there are people out there who want to have some way that they can help. I think this campaign can illustrate some ways they can help and why they can, he added. The task appears daunting. Burleigh County is the states leader in active cases, and along with Morton County has accounted for nearly one-third of the states deaths from the virus. North Dakota Department of Health spokeswoman Nicole Peske said its no secret that COVID-19 numbers are headed in the wrong direction. She said the larger state campaign, Mask Up North Dakota, will include messaging that is meaningful for older adults and people who live in close-quarters like dorms or multi-generational housing. North Dakotans are experiencing COVID fatigue and our campaign efforts aim to get at the WHY behind the necessary recommendations to social distance, wear a mask, avoid large gatherings, etc., Peske said in a statement. Our Second Amendment rights are at the foundation of the U.S. Constitution and what it means to be American. For me, its the most important issue I look at when making decisions in state and federal races. This election, Sen. Bruce Bostelman is running for reelection. As a gun owner and avid outdoorsman, he understands the importance of gun rights. Hes received the sole endorsement of the National Rifle Association and an A+ rating from them. And theres a good reason: He led efforts to pass the only pro-Second Amendment bill in the Nebraska Legislature in the last few years. And hes opposed so-called red flag laws that would allow liberals to take away our guns without due process. Im voting to support Sen. Bostelmans reelection, and I hope you will too. Remember: Our right to bear arms is on the ballot, and its on us to show up and defend them this fall. Terry Kriz Brainard Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Matt Damon couldn't stay away from Ireland for too long. The Hollywood star, who spent lockdown in the seaside village of Dalkey, Co Dublin, has returned to Ireland and has been spotted shooting scenes from The Last Duel in the historic town of Cahir, Co Tipperary. The 49-year-old was also spotted in Co Wicklow last week wearing a full suit of armour and riding a horse for one of the scenes of the much-anticipated flick. The star, who has become somewhat of an Irish treasure after his stint in Dalkey, was pictured earlier this year practising his horse-riding for the movie with co-star Jodie Comer in France. The film, scheduled for release in October 2021, is based on the last royal-decreed chivalrous duel. It tells the story of a knight ordered by France's King Charles VI to settle a dispute with his best friend by means of a duel. The Last Duel stars Damon and Ben Affleck, as well as Jodie Comer, Adam Driver, Michael McElhatton and Caoimhe O'Malley, and is expected to be one of the hit films of 2021. Expand Close Jodie Comer leaves the set of the Last Duel. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jodie Comer leaves the set of the Last Duel. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire Speaking on American talk-show Conan about the movie, Damon said: "It's about the last sanctioned duel in medieval France between these two knights, one of whom claimed the other raped his wife. "They could not resolve what had happened, and so they fought to the death to let God decide who was telling the truth." The film crew are all in "bio bubbles" in the exclusive K Club in Co Kildare to ensure filming goes without a hitch during the coronavirus pandemic. It is believed that Affleck wrapped up his scenes in Ireland the week before last. Expand Close Caoimhe OMalley on set. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Caoimhe OMalley on set. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire Video of the Day The medieval epic will have extensive scenes shot at Cahir Castle over the coming weeks and along with the town's beautifully situated Inch Field, overlooking the River Suir. It is understood to be a huge production with more than 200 cast members flocking to the historic Cahir Castle for filming. The castle's car park has been partially cordoned off to host the stars, extras and film crew, with cranes, portable cabins and film tents already installed. The castle, which was built in the 13th century and served as the stronghold of the Butler family, is no stranger to A-list celebrities. It was previously featured in the 1981 film Excalibur and hit TV series The Tudors. If youve grown up in evangelicalism, youre familiar with what it means to cultivate a Christian worldviewthe idea that all of life and lifes interactions with the world have a distinctly Christian approach to them. As an ethics professor at a Protestant seminary, my career is devoted to developing a framework with which to understand and live out authentically Christian lives. My children attend a classical Christian school, and my wife is a classical Christian schoolteacher. Our entire family invests in an educational pursuit intended to produce lives worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10). Does it work? A recent report from the American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for Family Studies called The Protestant Family Ethic: What Do Protestant, Catholic, Private, and Public Schooling Have to Do with Marriage, Divorce, and Non-Marital Childbearing? compares Christian (Protestant evangelical) school education with public school, secular private schools, and Catholic schools. Among the findings, adults who attended Christian schools are more than twice as likely to be in an intact marriage as those who attended public schools. They are also about 50 percent less likely than public-school attendees to have a child out of wedlock and 60 percent less likely than public-school attendees to have ever divorced. As for students attending Christian schools, 75 percent said almost none of their school peers have ever had sex, and 83 percent reported that almost no kids in their grade use illegal drugs. While the report does not determine causation for these outcomes, the correlations suggest a formula within Protestant educational contexts that positively affects students lives. What factors might have caused these results? The research findings suggest several things. First, a Protestant worldview education, involving the transmission of explicit, value-rich morals, yields positive results for American social capital consistent with Christian teaching on marriage and family. In a biblical and Protestant framework, marriage is an institution wherein a man and woman become husband and wife and father and mother to any children their union produces. That formula is purposeful. Complementarity, chastity, and permanency as cultural goods provide society with a clear moral source to guide its actions. Second, I see this study reinforcing the positive role of religiously informed ethics education in fostering the social capital necessary for a stable political order. In my view, modern public education offers a more free-floating morality with little basis beyond the pragmatic and utilitarian. Such morality, emphasizing consent, freedom, and autonomy, provides little by way of ethical limits regulating sexuality and marital norms. This results in fewer marriages, more divorces, and more children born outside marriage. Third, Protestant ethical education stressing character and family formation should be as accessible as possible. Private religious education remains out of reach for many on lower and middle socioeconomic rungs. My wife and I bear witness to this. Despite having sustainable incomes, we have to find additional funds outside our regular budget to make even a modestly priced classical Christian education affordable. To replicate the social capital resulting from Protestant education, we will need to be more entrepreneurial, perhaps through vouchers or educational savings accounts. If anything, this report ratifies the need for more religion in public life and public education, not less. Fourth, following themes from Alexis de Tocqueville, The Protestant Family Ethic report yet again demonstrates the inseparable connection between religion and a free and virtuous society. This merely repeats what ought to be a truism of ordered liberty (meaning freedom limited by the necessity of order). Ordered liberty requires an external value system to direct its fulfillment. Religion provides this value system and plays a mediating role. It offers a moral ecology of biblical authority, local church accountability networks, and concepts such as creation ordinances and natural law working together to contribute to family formation within liberal democracy. Finally, this Protestant family ethic serves to further our thinking about the common good in uniquely Protestant ways. The common good operates as a set of conditions in societyinformed by stated or unstated normsallowing individuals and groups to flourish respective of their nature and purpose. The common good facilitates and promotes an order of justice. In Christian thinking, the common good serves as an ethic of loving social responsibility. This report helps Protestant educational institutions understand that the body of doctrine they teach has a real, quantifiable impact on persons and their communities. All Christiansnot just Protestantsshould view the norms of family life inherent within biblical creation as a kind of common grace and as a way to love our neighbors by upholding the ideals that allow them to flourish. Christian educators should be encouraged by this report. It shows how the sweat and toil of raising young Christians into mature Christians pay off. Andrew T. Walker is associate professor of Christian ethics and apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Seagram's liquor fortune heir Clare Bronfman, who is accused of using her family fortune to bankroll the NXIVM cult, has been sentenced to almost seven years in prison and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine for her role in the branded sex slave case. Bronfman, the daughter of the late billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr., was sentenced to a total of 81 months on Wednesday at the US District Court in Brooklyn. The 41-year-old is the first member of the notorious NXIVM group, led by disgraced founder Keith Raniere, to be sentenced. Bronfman pleaded guilty last year to charges she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere and to knowingly harboring a Mexican woman brought to the US on a fake work visa in order to obtain that woman's labor for herself. In addition to prison time, Bronfman will also pay a $500,000 fine and $96,605 in restitution to the Mexican woman she recruited. Raniere, the disgraced leader of the self-improvement group in upstate New York, was convicted last year of turning women into sex slaves who were branded with his initials. His adherents included Bronfman, actress Allison Mack of TV's Smallville; and a daughter of TV star Catherine Oxenberg of Dynasty fame. Seagram's liquor fortune heir Clare Bronfman, who is accused of using her family fortune to bankroll the NXIVM cult, was sentenced to 81 months in prison on Wednesday in a Brooklyn court Bronfman arrived at court wearing a mask on Wednesday ahead of her sentencing hearing. Bronfman's lawyers had asked a judge to give her three years' probation instead of prison time Bronfman's lawyers had asked a judge to give her three years' probation instead of prison time but prosecutors had argued she deserved at least five years behind bars. Bronfman watched on silently on Wednesday as nine women gave victim impact statements before her sentence was handed down and described how their lives had been destroyed by her and NXIVM. One former member had said she watched Bronfman mentally descend over the years into a 'dangerous megalomaniac'. Another slammed her as a predator, saying: 'You should feel shame, self loathing... You should understand there are lives you destroyed'. 'I pray that you will take the claws of Keith Raniere out of you, and you will learn who Clare Bronfman really is.' Prosecutors say Bronfman recruited individuals into NXIVM-affiliated organizations and then sought to obtain visas or other immigration status for them based on false promises. In regards to Jane Doe 12, Bronfman submitted documents to secure a work visa that would see the Mexican woman paid $3,600 per month. Prosecutors say, however, that Bronfman only paid the woman about $4,000 over a year-long period for her work. In a letter to the court just last month, Bronfman wrote that she 'never meant to hurt anyone, however I have and for this I am deeply sorry'. Still, she said that she couldn't disavow Raniere, who is due to be sentenced next month, because 'NXIVM and Keith greatly changed my life for the better'. During Raniere's trial last year, prosecutors told jurors that NXIVM operated like a cult. To honor Raniere, the group formed a secret sorority called DOS that was comprised of brainwashed female 'slaves' who were branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him, prosecutors said. Bronfman denied being a member of the secret women's sorority but prosecutors argued that Raniere and NXIVM wouldn't have been so powerful without her financial support. She has long been affiliated with NXIVM and gave away tens of million of dollars to bankroll Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement classes. She also paid for lawyers to defend the group against lawsuits brought by its critics. Keith Raniere, the disgraced leader of the self-improvement group in upstate New York, was convicted last year of turning women into sex slaves who were branded with his initials Prosecutors say the secret society was comprised of brainwashed female 'slaves' who were branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him Clare Bronfman's history with NXIVM and how she still stands by disgraced founder Keith Raniere Bronfman, who is the daughter of the late billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr., is the first to be sentenced in the NXIVM case. She pleaded guilty in April last year to charges of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit identity theft. Prosecutors say she made false statements to obtain a visa for a young Mexican woman to come to the US after being recruited to work for NXIVM. She also admitted to committing credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere. Bronfman joined NXIVM in 2003 after hearing about the group from her sister Sara and father Edgar Bronfman, who was the former chairman of the Seagram company. Bronfman, who is the daughter of the late billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr., is the first to be sentenced in the NXIVM case. She is pictured in 2018 leaving court As she became more involved in the group, she quit her professional equestrian career to move to NXIVM's headquarters in upstate New York. Bronfman and her sister Sara are said to have helped woo Mack when she considered joining NXIVM. Sara has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing. Bronfman gave away tens of millions of dollars to bankroll Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement classes. She also used her wealth to hire lawyers, private investigators and public relations firms to discredit critics of NXIVM. Prosecutors said Bronfman spent more than $100million funding NXIVM's legal battles. She also gave Raniere $67million to invest in the commodities market, which he never repaid, prosecutors said. Bronfman has denied any involvement in the sex slave arm of the cult saying she was 'never told about anything sexual or damaging of any nature'. Other members have also previously written to the judge backing up her claims that she was not involved in DOS. Smallville actress Allison Mack, the group's bookkeeper Kathy Russell, NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman and her daughter Lauren Salzman were also charged (Pictured clockwise) In a letter to the judge just last month, Bronfman refused to denounce her loyalty to Raniere, saying he 'changed my life'. THE NXIVM MEMBERS CHARGED IN SEX CULT CASE Clare Bronfman Charges: Racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit identity theft Plea: Guilty (plea deal) Sentence: 81 months in prison and $500,000 fine Keith Raniere Charges: Racketeering conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit identity theft. Plea: Not Guilty Verdict: Guilty, all counts Allison Mack Charges: Racketeering conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking Plea: Guilty (plea deal) Kathy Russell Charges: Racketeering conspiracy Plea: Guilty (plea deal) Lauren Salzman Charges: Racketeering conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy Plea: Guilty (plea deal) Nancy Salzman Charges: Racketeering conspiracy Plea: Guilty Advertisement 'Many people, including most of my own family, believe I should disavow Keith and NXIVM, and that I have not is hard for them to understand and accept,' Bronfman wrote in the letter dated August 28. 'However, for me, NXIVM and Keith greatly changed my life for the better. 'Most of my teenage years and early 20s, I was ashamed of who I was, constantly focused on my shortcomings and ridden with self-hate. 'NXIVM changed that. I learned a sense of who I am beyond my faults and the tools of how to transform things I didn't like about myself into traits and behaviors I do. I started to embrace myself and turn outwardly to care for and help others.' She reiterated in the letter that she had no knowledge of 'anything sexual or damaging' related to the ground. 'I was assured by them and by professionals that: there was no harm being done; no one was being forced to do anything; and to the contrary, people were experiencing improvements in their life through their membership in DOS,' she wrote. She told the judge during her plea hearing that she had wanted to help people through NXIVM but ended up dishonoring her family. 'Your honor, I was afforded a great gift by my grandfather and father,' Bronfman said at the time. 'With the gift, comes immense privilege and more importantly, tremendous responsibility. It does not come with an ability to break the law.' 'For this, I am truly sorry.' Bronfman's grandfather Samuel Bronfman founded Seagram and made millions during the prohibitions era of the 1920s by making liquor in Montreal, Quebec, where alcohol production was still legal. His son Edgar, who is Clare's father, would become CEO and took control of the first Seagram subsidiary in the United States in 1933. As part of her plea deal, Bronfman agreed to forfeit $6 million from a fortune that prosecutors say is worth $200 million. The plea meant Bronfman, who was one of the most devout members of the group, avoided going to trial. Inner workings of NXIVM's secret sex cult: How women were kept on starvation diets, branded with Keith Raniere's initials and ordered to have sex with him Bronfman was one of five NXIVM members to be charged alongside Raniere the guru of the group that attracted heiresses and Hollywood actresses. Smallville actress Allison Mack, the group's bookkeeper Kathy Russell, NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman and her daughter Lauren Salzman were also charged. All five women initially tried to fight the charges but eventually agreed to plead guilty as part of deals with prosecutors. Mack, who admitted helping Raniere assemble his harem and collect 'collateral', and Bronfman were indicted at the same time as him. Raniere, who was arrested at a Mexican hideout in 2018 following an investigation into his group, is the only one to have faced trial. Raniere was found guilty last year on all counts of sex-trafficking and coercing women into sex for turning his female devotees into his sex slaves through such means as shame, punishment and nude blackmail photos He started NXIVM in the 1990s in Albany, New York as a purported self-improvement group that then expanded across the country. The group first became known for its 'Executive Success Program' courses, which purported to give students the ability to achieve their goals in life by overcoming mental blocks He was found guilty last year on all counts of sex-trafficking and coercing women into sex for turning his female devotees into his sex slaves through such means as shame, punishment and nude blackmail photos. Raniere's six-week trial featured testimony from several women who said Raniere victimized them, including Lauren Salzman, who was the only one who was charged to testify against him. He started NXIVM in the 1990s in Albany, New York as a purported self-improvement group that then expanded across the country. The group first became known for its 'Executive Success Program' courses, which purported to give students the ability to achieve their goals in life by overcoming mental blocks. Prosecutors allege that Raniere started a secret branch, known as the DOS, in about 2015 that was just for women. Prosecutors say the secret society was comprised of brainwashed female 'slaves' who were blackmailed into have sex with him, follow dangerously restrictive diets and be branded with his initials. They were told that the material would be released if they disobeyed orders or tried to leave, according to a former member and other witnesses. According to testimony, Raniere's 'slaves' were forced to give up 'collateral' - nude photos and other material - to keep them in line. Among the more damning allegations against Raniere were that he had some women branded with his initials and that he started having sex with a follower when she was 15. Prosecutors said he took nude photos of the teen that were shown to the jury during his trial. Raniere kept the photos stashed in his private study as 'a trophy' of 'his sexual conquest', jurors were told. One victim described being confined to a bedroom for more than 700 days on orders from Raniere as punishment for showing interest in another man. Another said she was blindfolded and bound to a table so that another woman could perform a sex act on her. The defense argued during the trial that Raniere was a genuine believer in unconventional means for self-improvement and that all his sexual encounters with female followers were consensual. Raniere is scheduled to be sentenced next month. On Monday, the Amsterdam-based think tank, European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) hosted a webinar in order to discuss the emerging threat of the Islamic State in South Asia. Pakistan, over the years, has gained the reputation of being a terror- breeder, and perpetrator and is now counted among the dreaded few for spreading uproar across South Asia and the globe. The webinar titled 'Rise of ISIS in South Asia' came on the sidelines of the 45th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. EFSAS director Junaid Qureshi, human rights activists, NGO representatives and scholars in the field of terrorism and South Asian politics moderated the event. The researchers also drew similarities between the modus operandi of ISIS in Pakistan and the Haqqani Network, stating that often times the two groups acquired weapons and ammunitions from similar sources. After the fall of the caliphate in Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State is fast spreading its network in South Asia, the region which already has a large number of terrorist and extremist groups. Discussing the future of the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) in detail, Timothy Foxley, an independent political and military researcher said that earlier this year, the United Nations in July assessed that there might be around 2000 ISKP fighters. The statement came in the backdrop of the US-Taliban 'Peace Talks' and the US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan. "So there is some kind of consensus in the number of forces available. They are a mix of nationalities fighting within ISKP, many came originally from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, TTP - the Pakistani Taliban. Some of these have been in Nangarhar province for several years from around 2010. According to US military sources, as many as 70 per cent of the ISKP fighters are Pakistanis," he said. READ: Islamic State terrorists strap donkey with bombs to attack governor in Nigeria READ: UN experts urge Nigeria to overturn singer's death sentence, say 'music not crime' The threat the ISIS poses to Southeast Asia has often been highlighted by the leaders of the nations in the region. Further, Dr Paul Stott, EFSAS Research Fellow, writer, academic and researcher on terrorism and radicalisation contended that ISIS aims to appeal to Sunni Muslims globally, invoking senses of perceived injustice and local grievances in various contexts, including the region of South Asia, which has resulted in the development of a non-contiguous Islamic State, at least in thought. Stott further stated that an estimated number of 800-1000 Britons have travelled to join ISIS. The Islamic State of Khorasan province has been accused of carrying out attacks on behalf of the Haqqani network and the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Afghanistan and India. Various reports suggest that the Pakistani deep state is pushing the Haqqani Network to increase its stake in ISKP to retain its leverage on Afghanistan. READ: Nigeria state's Governor passes new castration law for rape convicts READ: Reporter interviews donkey to school man on road without face mask; Watch viral video (with inputs from ANI) (Imagre credits: ANI, EFSAS Webinar) Space News space history and artifacts articles Messages space history discussion forums Sightings worldwide astronaut appearances Resources selected space history documents advertisements SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts name Dragon capsule 'Resilience' September 29, 2020 The next astronauts who will launch on a SpaceX capsule to the International Space Station looked to the present, rather than the past or the future, to select the name for their spacecraft. NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, commander of SpaceX's Crew-1 mission to the space station, joined his three crewmates in revealing their ship's call sign during a NASA press briefing held on Tuesday (Sept. 29). "We're excited about the opportunity to name our vehicle," Hopkins said, speaking on behalf of he fellow Crew-1 astronauts, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker of NASA and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "The Crew-1 Dragon capsule, no. 207, will henceforth be known by the call sign 'Resilience.'" The name, explained Hopkins, reflected the challenges that the current year has put forth, not just for his crew or the teams at SpaceX and NASA, but for the entire country and the world. "If you look up the definition of the word 'resilience,' it means functioning well in times of stress or overcoming adverse events. I think all of us can agree that 2020 has certainly been a challenging year, [with] a global pandemic, economic hardships, social unrest [and] isolation," he said. "Despite all of that, SpaceX and NASA have kept the production line open and finished this amazing vehicle that is getting ready to go on its maiden flight to the International Space Station." "So the name 'Resilience' is really in honor of the SpaceX and NASA teams, and, quite frankly, it is in honor of our families, our colleagues, our fellow citizens, our international partners and our leaders, who have shown that same quality, those same characteristics all through these difficult times," Hopkins said. Assigned to the second crewed launch of a SpaceX Dragon capsule, the Crew-1 astronauts will be the first to fly on a NASA-certified, commercially-run operational mission, following the Demo-2 test flight that splashed down in August. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley were the first to name their spacecraft "Endeavour," after the space shuttle on which they both flew their first missions but they waited until they had made it safely into orbit to reveal their choice. The Crew-1 mission is targeted to launch at 2:40 a.m. EDT (0640 GMT) on Oct. 31, 20 years to the day after the launch of the first crew to take up residency aboard the International Space Station. The Resilience will lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on a trajectory to reach the orbiting laboratory the next day. Before arriving at Resilience, Hopkins and his crewmates filled a whiteboard with a long list of "good ideas" for their spacecraft's name and then narrowed down their choices, he said. "We wanted to make sure that the name fit," Hopkins said in an interview with collectSPACE, following Tuesday's press conference. "We got it down to two or three names and they were all very close in terms of that we liked them and could have been really happy with them, [but] at the end of the day, it was the one that just felt right." "I liken it a little bit to when my youngest son was born. My wife and I had two names picked out and it wasn't until we saw Lucas that we knew that was the name. It just fit," he said. "And I think 'Resilience,' in this case, it fit the vehicle, it fit where we are right now in this country, and I really hope it can be an inspiration for everybody for what is possible when we work together." The same message, he said, is reflected in the symbolism of the Crew-1 mission patch. The emblem, which features the Crew Dragon spacecraft set against an illustration of a mythical dragon's head and the icons representing the past and present of U.S. spaceflight programs, omits the crew's names and country flags. "That patch, it doesn't just represent the four of us, but it really represents the countless people who have contributed to getting the vehicle ready and getting us ready for this mission," Hopkins told reporters. "That same theme applies to the name of this vehicle, 'Resilience.'" "It is not just a connection for the four of us," he said. "We really feel it is a connection to all of you, to everybody. We hope it brings a smile to your face. We hope it provides something positive in your lives, and quite frankly, we hope it is an inspiration that shows when you work together, there is no limit to what you can achieve." SpaceX's Crew-1 astronauts, including NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi, pose in front of their Dragon capsule, "Resilience," at SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, California. (SpaceX) SpaceX's Crew-1 astronauts, including NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi, pose inside their Dragon capsule, "Resilience," at SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, California. (SpaceX) SpaceX's Crew-1 mission patch includes icons for the past NASA human spaceflight programs but omits the astronauts' names and national flags, such that it represents more than the crew. (SpaceX) 2022 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. Brazils two postal workers union federations decided on September 21 to shut down a 35-day strike against the state-owned Brazilian Post Office (Correios) after the Supreme Labor Court (TST) ruled on the same day in support of the company managements withdrawal of benefits. These benefit cuts are part of the plan by the government of Brazils fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro to privatize the postal service by 2021. Postal workers had been on strike since August 17 after the company decided to withdraw 70 of the 79 provisions of their collective agreement, which reduced benefits related to food, vacations, maternity leave and the education of employees children, among others. Initially, the agreement signed in October of last year was to be in effect until 2021, but the Supreme Federal Court (STF) accepted a request from the Correios management to abrogate the two-year agreement at the end of August. The Labor Courts decision maintained, besides the nine provisions that had already been proposed by the company, another 20 social provisions from last years collective agreement that involved no increase in the companys expenses. The Labor Court also imposed a wage increase of 2.6 percent for the postal workers, barely half of what they were demanding. The withdrawal of 50 out of the 79 provisions of the collective-bargaining agreement represents a harsh attack on postal workers, who, according to the statistics institute DIEESE, may have their wages reduced by between 43 percent and 69 percent. This is the first time that we have ruled on a matter in which a company withdraws practically all of its employees rights, labor court justice Katia Arruda acknowledged. The deciding opinion of the Labor Court was drafted by the right-wing judge and member of the reactionary Catholic order Opus Dei, Ives Gandra Martins Filho. He also proposed ruling the strike abusive and deducting every day on strike from the workers wages. The Labor Court plenary rejected this proposal, but decided to deduct wages for half the days on strike and to apply a daily fine of R$100,000 (US$18,000) against the unions if workers failed to return to work. Postal workers protesting in the city of Campinas, Sao Paulo (SINTECT-CAS) This workers strike was one of the longest against the Correios management and the largest one since 1995. It was also the largest strike during the Bolsonaro government, which demonstrated workers determination to fight back against the attacks on their living conditions, now aggravated by the uncontrolled spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having been considered an essential service at the beginning of the pandemic, thousands of postal workers were infected by the deadly virus, and at least 120 are known to have died from COVID-19. The end of the strike came amid the governments drive to privatize Correios. The Bolsonaro government recently announced that it plans to send a bill to the Brazilian Congress by the end of this year to end the monopoly of the postal service. In fact, Correios management had justified its withdrawal of the provisions of the collective-bargaining agreement by saying that this would adapt it to a business logic similar to that practiced in the market. Last Wednesday, Fabio Faria, whose ministry of communications is responsible for Correios, said that the privatization of the company is on the agenda and that five companies would be interested in purchasing Correios, among them the American firms Amazon and FedEx and the German DHL. The site Poder360 reported that by November the consulting firm Accenture will present a privatization model for Correios, a process that could destroy up to 60,000 of the companys 100,000 jobs. Operating in nearly all of the countrys 5,500 cities, Correios has developed a unique logistical capacity over its 357 years of existence in a continent-sized country like Brazil. It is this capacity, together with the possibility of retail companies such as Amazon to operate in places far from large urban centers, that interests the companies willing to purchase Correios. In the last three years, Correios has also made hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits, not only from the postal service, but also the parcel delivery service, which is open to free competition in Brazil. Shutting down a strike amid these brutal attacks and the increasingly real threat of privatization is only the latest in a series of betrayals by the two union federations of postal workers, Fentect, affiliated to the Workers Party (PT)-controlled CUT union federation, and Findect, which is affiliated to CTB, the union federation controlled by the Maoist Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB). Both union federations represent what is most corrupt about Brazilian unionism, using the structure of 36 local unions to divide postal workers and finance the union bureaucracies and the political parties behind them. In 2013, the bureaucratic union apparatus in five of the local unions split from Fentect and created Findect in order to receive the union federations share of the transfer of union dueswhich until 2017 were obligatory for all workers and historically constituted one of the Brazilian states mechanisms of control over workers organizations. Despite the small number of affiliated unions, Findect controls the two largest postal workers unions, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which include about 40 percent of Correios workforce. During the strike, Findect boycotted local rallies and marches, and the only national demonstration against Correios management, an empty virtual assembly, was called on the same day as the Labor Court hearing. Fentect and Findects justifications for shutting down the strike could not be more fraudulent. On its site, Findect wrote that there was no defeat, only an advance by the enemy. Fentect said in regard to the Labor Court decision that this result does not contemplate the workers and will lead to an impoverishment of the workers, but even so it guides the affiliated unions to return to work. As for the CUT president, Sergio Nobre, the Labor Courts decision takes away everything that postal workers have conquered over more than 35 years of struggle, adding, what happened is very serious because the Labor Court is a court that should defend the workers. In addition to sowing illusions in the capitalist courts, the CUT kept the postal workers strike isolated from the beginning. It controls more than 2,000 unions in the country, including those representing other sections of federal workers threatened by the Bolsonaro governments privatization schemes, and teachers, who are entering into struggle against the reopening of schools in Brazil. It was also during the postal workers strike that the CUT-affiliated union federation of Petrobras oil workers, FUP, accepted a two-year agreement proposed by the company that it claimed would strengthen the fronts of struggles against privatizations, involving other categories, governments, parliamentarians and civil society. However, the FUPs claim that it is fighting against the privatization of Petrobras is a fraud. In recent weeks, plans for privatizing Petrobras have advanced amid negotiations between the union federations and Petrobras management. Petrobras president, Roberto Castello Branco, declared on September 9 that the sale of Liquigas, a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution company, and the oldest Petrobras refinery in Brazil, is expected in the coming months. Last year, the Bolsonaro government completed the sale of BR Distribuidora, which destroyed 1,800 jobs at the former Petrobras subsidiary responsible for fuel distribution, and it announced the privatization of eight of the countrys 13 oil refineries. At the beginning of the year, the closure of a Petrobras subsidiary, Fafen, against which Petrobras oil workers carried out a 19-day strike, led to the firing of 1,000 workers and thousands more in the production chain. On September 7, Castello Branco announced that next year it is expected that 11,000 of the 40,000 Petrobras direct employees will leave the company through a voluntary layoff plan. The FUP subordinated the strike against the closure of Fafen to all possible layers of the Brazilian stateincluding the Labor Court and the right-wing presidents of the two houses of the Brazilian Congresswith empty appeals against the countrys deindustrialization and in defense of national sovereignty. The same nationalist script was seen followed in the Correios strike. The PT said that Bolsonaro betrays national sovereignty to hand over Correios, while the CUT advanced the slogan Defending Correios is defending national sovereignty. However, the struggle of postal and oil workers, as well as that of the entire Brazilian working class, requires a defense not of national sovereignty, but rather the independence of the working class. The calls for a defense of national sovereignty mean a subordination of the workers struggle to the capitalist state. At the same time, they oppose the independent mobilization of the entire working class in defense of jobs and living conditions. All of the organizations that depend upon and operate within the structure of national states, such as the trade unions, have been completely undermined by the globalization of the capitalist economy. The problem is not merely the treacherous bureaucratic leaderships of the unions, as the Brazilian pseudo-left claimed in the face of the defeat of the postal workers strike, but the unions themselves, which no longer ensure any wage gain or improvement in working conditions at the national level. Postal workers and the entire Brazilian working class cannot defend themselves against the intensification of capitalist exploitation imposed by globalization by reforming unions or restoring national sovereignty. Workers must create new organizations of struggle, independent rank-and-file committees, which must turn to the Brazilian, Latin American, and international working class in a common struggle against the source of modern exploitation: the capitalist system. Do you struggle making your weekly shopping list? Do you find yourself scratching your head when it comes to planning hearty and healthy nutritious meals for your family? Or maybe you just want to simplify dinnertime - then the brand-new website from celebrity chef Donal Skehan Donals Kitchen is the solution for you. Helping you modernise your approach to mealtimes, DonalsKitchen.com is a subscription-based, interactive online platform where users can view step-by-step videos to over 75 recipes. Generate weekly meal plans and access automated shopping lists that allow you to add and remove items you may already have at home - its never been so effortless to cut back on food waste and track what food you need to re-stock each week, saving you time and money in the long run. With over 75 recipes at your fingertips, tune into step-by-step video guides that will cover you from breakfast right through to dinnertime, as well as access to an exclusive Facebook Community with Donal and a number of helpful tutorials on basic kitchen skills, equipment, and how to batch cook and meal prep for the week ahead. This is all about reclaiming your kitchen and ensuring it serves your every need when it comes to putting delicious food on the table making family life that little bit easier! Whether its ideas for weeknights or a special occasion, Donals Kitchen will cater for every aspect of family life, with Donal sharing all his hacks and the secrets of the trade he has learned as his own family has grown over the last few years. Donal recently relocated back to Ireland from LA with wife Sofie and their two boys, Noah and Oliver. He knows a thing or two about plating up tasty, flavoursome food while juggling parenthood and his new venture is sure to help you too. DonalsKitchen.com is live from Thursday, October 1, so head over for more information on how to sign up. Pompeo Urges Vatican to Stand Up for Victims of Religious Oppression in China U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Vatican to join the United States in denouncing violations of religious freedom in China, saying the Catholic Church should be at the forefront in the fight to insist on basic human rights there. Pompeo made the appeal at a Sept. 30 conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See. It took place at the same time the Vatican is entering into delicate negotiations with the regime in Beijing on extending its controversial agreement over bishop nominations. Pompeo called on the Catholic Church to stand up for its followers who are oppressed by the communist regime in China because of their beliefs. Nowhere, howevernowhere is religious freedom under assault more than it is inside of China today. Thats because, as with all communist regimes, the Chinese Communist Party deems itself the ultimate moral authority, Pompeo said in his speech at the conference. The Chinese regime has desecrated and destroyed Catholic churches and shrines and imprisoned bishops such as Augustine Cui Tai, as well as priests and lay leaders, in connection with human rights movements in Hong Kong and other areas of China, Pompeo said. Authorities order residents to replace pictures of Jesus with those of Chairman Mao and those of General Secretary Xi Jinping, Pompeo said. A textbook approved by the Chinese regime for use in vocational training schools across China includes an altered Bible passage. The pillar of a demolished Catholic church in Puyang, in Chinas central Henan Province on Aug. 13, 2018. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images) The mission of defending human dignityand religious freedom in particularremains at the core of American foreign policy, Pompeo said. Although the United States has spoken for those oppressed, used various measures to punish those responsible for the abuses, and urged others to join it in this advocacy, its efforts are constrained by the realities of world politics, Pompeo said. However, the Church is in a different position, [as] earthly considerations shouldnt discourage principled stances based on eternal truths, Pompeo said, citing the example of Father Bernhard Lichtenberg, a German priest who was imprisoned by the Nazis and died in Gestapo custody for speaking out against the persecution of Jews by Nazis and helping the oppressed. Pompeo also reminded how Pope John Paul II played a pivotal role in igniting the revolution of conscience that brought down the Iron Curtain and challenged Latin America authoritarianism. I urge all faith leaders to exhibit a similarly moral, bold witness for the sake of religious freedom, for human dignity, and for peace, he said. Christian leaders have an obligation to speak up for their brothers and sisters in Iraq, in North Korea, and in Cuba. The Chinese Communist Party has battered every religious community in China: Protestant house churches, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong devotees, as well as the Uyghur Muslims of Xinjiang and more. Nor, of course, have Catholics been spared this wave of repression. Pope Francis holds the weekly general audience at the San Damaso courtyard at the Vatican, on Sept. 16, 2020. (Yara Nardi/Reuters) We must support those demanding freedom in our time, Pompeo said. Citing St. John Paul II, retired Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis, Pompeo urged a greater commitment from faith leaders to stand up for all religious believers. To be a church permanently in a state of mission has many meanings, Pompeo said, quoting Francis. Surely one of them is to be a church permanently in defense of basic human rights. The Vaticans secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, also spoke in general terms about the Holy Sees longstanding defense of religious liberty, but he didnt mention China or any country by name. Earlier this month, Pompeo published an essay in a Catholic magazine, First Things, that sharply criticized the Holy Sees plans to renew a 2-year-old agreement with Beijing, and suggested that the Vatican had compromised its moral authority by signing a 2018 accord with Beijing that allows the regime to appoint Chinas bishops. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who has tested positive for COVID-19, on Wednesday thanked the vice president of Maldives for his message wishing him a speedy recovery and said he appreciates his spontaneous response and sincere concern. Responding to a message from Vice President Faisal Naseem of Maldives, Naidu said, "I am doing well and there is no cause for concern." "I am taking all the necessary steps to combat the virus as per medical advice. I am indeed touched by your warm good wishes," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted quoting Naidu. The vice president also thanked ministers, chief ministers and legislators for their messages wishing him a speedy recovery. "I am indeed touched by your warm, good wishes," he responded on Twitter. Naidu had on Tuesday tested positive for COVID-19. He is asymptomatic and in good health. Naidu, 71, has been advised home quarantine. His wife Usha Naidu has tested negative for COVID-19 and is in self-isolation. (Image Credits: PTI) This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. As part of measures to further reach out to the public with up-to-speed services, the Registrar-Generals Department has opened its fourth regional office in Sunyani in the Bono region. Officials of the Department say, frantic efforts are being made to open additional offices in the remaining twelve regions of the country to ensure that as many people as possible have easy access to its services. Already, the Department has regional offices in Sekondi, Tamale and Kumasi in addition to the national office in Accra. The Registrar-Generals Department comes under the office of the Attorney-General and was established by the Civil Service Structure Regulation 1961, L.I 139. Amongst others, the Office of the Registrar-General administers a number of laws bothering on the registration of businesses, industrial property rights, registration of estates and marriages. For the people of Sunyani and indeed many people around Bono East, Bono, and Ahafo regions, the new office of the Department in the area has come as a great relieve as they would no more have to travel to Accra or Kumasi to access register their businesses or access any of the services rendered by the Department. At a brief ceremony in Sunyani to officially open the new office, Registrar-General, Mrs. Jemima Oware, stated that the Sunyani office of the Department will play a key role in the new Office of the Registrar of Companies which is expected to come on stream by August 2021 following the passage of New Companies Act 2019, Act 992. She also used the occasion to throw more light about some of the key deliverables of the Department. Following the reforms at the department, one of the key outcomes was to decentralize our services to make them more accessible to our stakeholders and that is why we are here today. Previously, our office was only in Accra, she explained. Currently, you can access our services, first of all through our website www.rgdeservices.gov.gh as well as our regional offices; we have one in Sekondi, one in Tamale and one in Kumasi and now we are adding Sunyani. Under the new act, we are supposed to set up offices in all the 16 regions of Ghana, Mrs. Oware further said. For her part, the visibly elated Municipal Chief Executive of Sunyani, Justina Owusu-Banahene, commended the Department for extending its services to the door-steps of people of the area and called for effective ways of curbing the activities of Middle-men popularly called Goro-boys." ([email protected]) Trump invoked Biden's son Hunter's work in Ukraine, while Biden called the president "Putin's puppy." The first presidential debate in the U.S. between incumbent Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden featured a series of bitter exchanges and name-calling, with the president repeatedly speaking over his opponent and the moderator struggling to maintain control. The president leveled barrages of unfounded accusations against his Democratic rival and his family, invoking his son Hunter Biden's work in Ukraine and bringing up the younger Biden's history of drug abuse. Mr. Trump declined to condemn white supremacist groups and defended his response to the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 200,000 American lives, trying to portray Biden as a socialist who isn't equipped to occupy the Oval Office, according to the CBS News. Biden, for his part, tried to direct his answers to the audience watching at home. He called Mr. Trump "the worst president America has ever had," blaming him for bungling the response to the pandemic and fueling racial divisions amid recent protests against police brutality. "This is a president who has used everything as a dog whistle to try to generate racist hatred, racist division," Biden said. Biden argued that the president had weakened the country. "Under this president, we've become weaker, sicker, poorer, more divided and more violent," Biden said. He also called the president "Putin's puppy," referring to the Russian president. Biden criticized the president over reports that he has referred to military service members as "losers" and "suckers." He referenced his son, Beau Biden, who served in Iraq and died of brain cancer in 2015. "I don't know Beau, I know Hunter," Mr. Trump said, referring to Biden's other son, whom the president has criticized for his ties to a Ukrainian gas firm. Read alsoZelensky: Ukraine mustn't be dragged into U.S. election process over leaksBiden noted that his son Hunter had overcome an addiction problem, and said "I'm proud of my son." After Biden said China has "perfected the art of the steal" under Mr. Trump's presidency, Mr. Trump found his moment to strike. The president went after Hunter Biden, the former vice president's son who sat on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while his father was in office. Mr. Trump insisted Hunter Biden made millions of dollars, and claimed without evidence that he received money from the former mayor of Moscow. Biden emphatically insisted his son did not receive millions of dollars from the former Moscow mayor. A lawyer for Hunter Biden has also denied the claim, saying the younger Biden was not involved in a partnership named as receiving $3.5 million in a recent Senate report. At the Hunter Biden topic, the moderator intervened: "Weve already been through this. I think the American people would rather hear about more substantial subjects." Read alsoNYT: Trump paid no income taxes in 10 out of 15 years beginning in 2000Mr. Trump and his allies have long gone after Hunter Biden as a way to attack the former vice president. The president was impeached for pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden's work in the country. Biden finally had enough. "Will you shut up, man?" an exasperated candidate said. "It's hard to get any word in with this clown." "His family we could talk about all night," Biden said, pointing to the president's children who work in the White House and on the president's campaign. Ahead of a second wave of the coronavirus in Canada, Torontos Deputy Mayor Stephen Holyday is asking city council on Wednesday whether its time for the city to leverage its power as an employer, by deploying the countrys exposure notification app, COVID Alert, on all its city-owned mobile phones used by thousands of employees. Can a municipality decide what apps go on its mobile phones, if the phones then are surveilling City workers in some fashion? Slow down, wed say. Keep in mind that Canada made a very carefully considered and privacy-centered approach to contact tracing technology. Use of the COVID alert app is explicitly voluntary. All the privacy analysis done assumed that individuals would have a choice to meaningfully consent to its use. So council should realize that it may be messing with that underlying presumption. It may be messing with the public trust that the national public health effort requires to be effective. Council ought to at least hear from their workers, and public health officials federally and provincially, before a too-clever idea goes any further. Leaving aside that jumbo risk, there is the question of worker rights. An employer may own their workers phones, but not their workers dignity, liberty, or privacy. The courts have recognized that workers with employer-owned phones have a reasonable expectation of privacy, albeit its diminished, to permit employer access to their property. Sometimes that access is addressed during the collective bargaining process, but most labour agreements didnt see the pandemic coming. Nor can deployment of the app be justified simply by blowing the COVID whistle. Taking rights seriously means achieving proportionality between means and ends. The nature of the privacy interest in this case is very serious: tracking with whom Ive come into contact is the stuff of police surveillance requiring warrants. On the other hand, the privacy impact is low, thanks to privacy protections built in, and control thats given by the app to the user. But the public health utility is also low, at present. Its low because not enough people are using it and that wont change no matter what Toronto does. So if both upside and downside are low, can an employer unilaterally do this? Canadian labour law offers a test easily asked but not easily answered: whether its reasonable in the totality of circumstances. The answer turns on what exactly the deputy mayor means by deploying the app on all city mobiles. Id say that the city cant do more than download the app on its phones, if at all. The COVID Alert app allows users to control their private information at every stage of its functionality. The city cannot and should not interfere with that user-control. Does deployment interfere with that control? It does on one front: instead of getting to control whether the user opts in, deployment could mean that workers have to opt out. Im not saying they can track their employees whereabouts for public health purposes thats not how the app works. But could council push the (opt in) COVID Alert app onto their workers, whose info potentially would be shared with other app users and potentially public health officials? For the city to nudge their workers towards using the app, they could start by encouraging as much by various means of communication and advocacy. Better yet, offer incentives. If council insisted on going a step further, the only way would be installation of the COVID Alert app, without more. That way the user has to actively opt-into the COVID Alert apps functionality, albeit that presumes worker knowledge and worker empowerment. If the employer presumes the employees choices, and enters that information for the employee, then that would be unreasonable, and therefore unlawful. The city, of all employers, ought to be taking workers rights seriously, and that means respecting their dignity, autonomy and privacy to make their own choices about sharing their contacts, and ultimately their health status, with others. The bigger risk arises with Canadas largest city moving too quickly, causing an avalanche of unreasonable employer demands on a vulnerable workforce, and ruining the trust needed for high tech public health solutions to fulfil their potential in Canada. Michael Bryant is the executive director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and downloaded the COVID Alert app as soon as it was released. Graham Norton has spoken out about Strictly making history with their first same sex pairing. Boxer Nicola Adams, 37, was confirmed as being the first contestant to form a female partnership with a professional dancer when the new series returns this autumn. Now, comedian Graham, 57, has said while he can see why the BBC have decided to make this groundbreaking move, he feels it could make judging more complicated. His view: Graham Norton has spoken out about Strictly making history with their first same sex pairing Graham told Best Magazine: 'As you have people who can be openly gay on that show, I don't particularly need to see a man dancing with a man. 'I understand the reason the Strictly bosses might do it is coming from a good place, but it does kind of muddy the waters for the judges. 'If you've got two partners who can do lifts and men's bodies are different shapes, how would that work? I don't think it's a homophobic thing. You want to be able to compare like with like.' Groundbreaking: Last year male professional dancers Johannes Radebe and Graziano Di Prima performed a same sex routine during the show's seventeenth series Exciting: Boxer Nicola Adams, 37, was confirmed as being the first contestant to form a female partnership with a professional dancer when the new series returns this autumn Norton is openly gay. He split up from his partner of two years, Trevor Patterson, in 2013, and broke up with his subsequent partner, Andrew Smith, in 2015. MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment. Earlier this month, the BBC defended having a same-sex pairing on this year's series, after the show was hit by more than 100 Ofcom complaints. Graham said: 'As you have people who can be openly gay on that show, I don't particularly need to see a man dancing with a man', he said (pictured in 2019) The BBC said: 'Strictly Come Dancing is an inclusive show and is proud to have featured same sex dancing amongst the professional dancers in group numbers in previous series. 'We have stated, in the past, that we are open to the prospect of including same sex pairings between our celebrities and professional dancers, should the opportunity arise. 'Nicola Adams requested an all-female pairing, which we are happy to facilitate. The show is first and foremost about dance, the sex of each partner within a coupling should have no bearing on their routine.' Defiant: Nicola recently spoke about her upcoming appearance on the show, saying she is ready to 'break boundaries' as part of first same-sex couple in show's history Making a change: Of calling trolls out, Nicola said 'Ella [Baig, pictured in 2019] and I decided to fight back, because maybe there are people out there who aren't able to cope' Last year male professional dancers Johannes Radebe and Graziano Di Prima performed a same sex routine during the show's seventeenth series. While the dance - conducted during a performance by pop star Emeli Sande - was met with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response on social media, it prompted 200 complaints with TV regulator Ofcom. Nicola recently spoke about her upcoming appearance on the show, saying she is ready to 'break boundaries' as part of first same-sex couple in show's history. She told the Guardian: 'I guess its just breaking those boundaries and showing people that its OK. 'Its not such an uncommon thing: professional dancers dance with people of the same sex all the time; you dance in a nightclub with your friends. 'I just wanted to break down the thing of it being a big deal when its not really a big deal.' With her dance partner yet to be confirmed, Nicola believes she will be given the male role when the show gets underway because of her aversion to traditionally feminine clothes, adding: 'Dresses arent my thing.' The Alliance of Civil Society Organisations working in Extractive, Anti-Corruption and Good Governance says it will continue to kick against the Agyapa Gold Royalties deal despite a move by the Special Prosecutor to get the implementation process suspended . Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has written to the Finance Ministry to pull the brakes on the issuance of the Initial Public Offer (IPO) as he is yet to receive crucial documents to assist him with a corruption risk assessment of the deal. Applauding the Special Prosecutor for his efforts, leader of the Alliance, Dr. Steve Manteaw hinted that other avenues will be explored to address their grievances. I think his main concern as the Special Prosecutor has to do with the corruption risk we have raised, issues around cronyism and procurement irregularities. So he is going to look at issues within his own mandate based on the status of his establishment. So those other issues that do not fall within the remit of the Special Prosecutors mandate are issues we will find other ways of dealing with. Let me say that, the Alliance of CSOs are not going to bed because the Special Prosecutor has indicated a certain interest in the matter. We will continue with our agitation and engagement with government all with the intention to assist the government to improve on the transaction on the table, he said. The Office of the Special Prosecutor has stated that the non-submission of all information and documents on the Agyapa Royalties Transaction from the Ministry of Finance is impeding his ongoing corruption risk assessment on the deal. In a letter addressed to the Minister of Finance and sighted by Citi News, the Special Prosecutor indicated that despite the fact that the Ministry had already submitted some documents to the office, critical information that concerns the launch of the Initial Public Offer (IPO) for Agyapa Royalties remain outstanding. The Special Prosecutor had earlier written to Parliament to furnish his office with the necessary documents regarding the deal. The request was in line with the mandate of the office to exercise the functions and powers of prevention of corrupt activities. About the deal In 2018, Parliament passed the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act 2018 which establishes the Fund to manage the equity interests of Ghana in mining companies and receive royalties on behalf of the government. The purpose of the fund is to manage and invest these royalties and revenue from equities for higher returns for the benefit of the country. The government then, through the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), set up Agyapa Royalties Limited to monetize Ghana's gold royalties. This was after Parliament on August 14, 2020, approved the Agyapa Mineral Royalty Limited agreement with the Government of Ghana despite the walkout by the Minority. In exchange, the company plans to raise between $500 million and $750 million for the government on the Ghana and London Stock exchanges to invest in developmental projects. The deal, however, has become a topical issue following concerns from members of the opposition. Civil Society groups in Mines and Energy have also described the Special Purpose Vehicle as one which is not transparent and must be suspended . But the government insists the deal is in the best interest of the country. citinewsroom More than 170 people have tested positive for coronavirus at a meat processing plant in Cornwall. Most of the cases at the Pilgrim's Pride food factory in Pool, near Redruth, were asymptomatic, the local public health team said. An alert to the national test and trace service from a single member of staff led to 500 colleagues at the plant being tested. The company says it has introduced additional measures and checks its compliance with Covid-19 controls on a daily basis. Outbreaks of the virus have forced food processing plants across Britain to close, with fears conditions enable the bug to thrive. More than 170 people have tested positive for coronavirus at the Pilgrim's Pride food factory in Pool, near Redruth In August, it was revealed that as many as 40 food processing plants in Britain were suffering from coronavirus outbreaks. A spokesperson for Pilgrim's Pride added: 'From the outset we have worked conscientiously to do all we can to protect our workforce and the local community. 'Our teams have been working extremely hard in collaboration with the local authority and public health to manage this challenging situation, and have bravely conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity as they continue to play their important role in maintaining the UK food supply chain.' Chilled and damp interior with ultraviolet light: Why meat plants are a hotbed for coronavirus outbreaks The virus thrives in cold, damp and indoor environments, particularly on cool surfaces. The lack of a breeze or ultraviolet light from the sun means the moisture remains and can't be killed off inside food processing plants. Furthermore, social distancing is particularly difficult in workplaces with a busy production line meaning the virus is likely to spread more easily. Loud machinery also forces people to raise their voices and researchers say situations where people have to shout result in an increased risk of projecting the virus to others. It's not just in the UK where a trend has been seen, either, after hundreds tested positive in a Berlin slaughterhouse, while a wet market in Wuhan is believed to have been at the heart of a huge number of infections early on in the crisis. Advertisement Rachel Wigglesworth, interim director for Public Health for Cornwall Council, said: 'Our team has been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic, and have strengthened our local Covid-19 contact tracing approach to help detect cases early, prevent spread and support people to self-isolate. 'We've quickly identified and tested hundreds of people, and in finding people who weren't displaying symptoms we have potentially stopped much wider spread in our communities. 'We continue to closely monitor the situation and appreciate the cooperation of Pilgrim's Pride Ltd. and their employees.' Coronavirus cases in the South West remain relatively low, despite spikes in other parts of the country. In the seven days up to September 27, there was an infection rate of 31.5 per 100,000 people in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, with 180 positive cases. This was up from a prevalence of 20.1 per 100,00 people the week before, and 115 confirmed cases. Britain today recorded 7,108 more coronavirus cases and another 71 deaths including a three-month high of seven in Scotland. Daily infections are up 15 per cent on last Wednesday's 6,178 and almost 80 per cent higher than on Wednesday two weeks ago. But Britain's infections are a far-cry from what they were during the darkest days of the crisis in March and April, when at least 100,000 people were getting struck down every day. The Department of Health data also adds to evidence that the death count is now slowly starting to climb after weeks of surging infections. For comparison, the number of victims announced today is almost double that of last Wednesday (37) and more than triple the figure a fortnight ago (20). But the average number of victims each day (40) is still massively lower than the daily death tolls seen during the peak of the first wave, when more than 1,000 Britons were succumbing to the life-threatening infection every day. At a Downing Street Covid-19 conference tonight addressing the spiralling outbreak, Boris Johnson described the resurgence of Covid-19 as 'a more localised phenomenon this time'. His top medical advisers Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance said Mr Johnson's theory was 'possible' but cautioned that it was 'far too early to say that' we are following localised outbreaks seen in Italy and Spain. The first televised debate between President Donald Trump and his Democrat rival, Joe Biden, has shed little new light on the candidates policy platforms or suitability for office, but it has raised serious concerns about what will happen after the election on November 3. Much of the debate covered topics that resonate most strongly inside the Beltway, the Washington-centric bubble of US politics. Mr Trump was asked about the latest revelations that he pays almost no tax and is many millions of dollars in debt. Mr Biden was grilled about his sons foreign business dealings when the Democrat candidate was vice-president. In the US, many people will be concerned by Mr Trumps refusal to condemn white supremacism, although he would argue he is more concerned about so-called Antifa protesters on the left. The debate did cover some issues that will have direct consequences for Australia. For example, Mr Biden promised strong action on climate change while Mr Trump refused to accept it is happening. If Mr Biden wins, Australia could come under pressure to follow his lead. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Bern, 30.09.2020 - Switzerland responded immediately with emergency aid following a fire which devastated the refugee transit camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. Over several weeks, Swiss Humanitarian Aid focused on access to safe drinking water, medical support in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and disaster risk reduction. It also dispatched five tonnes of relief supplies to the facility. Switzerland is ending its emergency aid activities on Wednesday 30 September, having restored access to clean drinking water for 10,000 people. It will continue its support in the form of medium and long-term assistance. For almost three weeks Swiss Humanitarian Aid, which is part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), was involved in efforts to assist refugees and migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos. A large fire destroyed the Moria camp on Wednesday 9 September, leaving thousands of people without shelter, food or drinking water. Emergency facilities and drinking water Swiss aid initially focused on providing basic necessities. "Switzerland responded quickly to the fire and immediately offered humanitarian aid to the Greek government. The main aim was to swiftly ensure appropriate shelter, care and protection for the migrants and refugees," explained Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA. Between 11 and 15 September, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) transported five tonnes of aid equipment to the small Aegean island, including tents, generators, water tanks, water treatment and distribution kits, and other relief supplies. It also delivered 40,000 face masks to the main hospital of Lesbos to help protect against the COVID-19 virus. Experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) were also deployed on site to assist with assessing and responding to the humanitarian needs. The Greek authorities quickly started work on a new temporary registration and identification centre, which was operational just one week after the blaze. This centre houses around 10,000 refugees and migrants. Switzerland subsequently offered its expertise in the fields of water and risk analysis. The SHA specialists were involved in restoring access to drinking water in the new centre and participated in monitoring and sanitation operations. With support from disaster risk reduction experts in Switzerland, a site planning expert conducted an assessment of the risks facing the new camp, such as high winds and flooding. Hazard maps were then submitted to the local authorities. Longer-term support for water and health SDC Deputy Director General Manuel Bessler, delegate for humanitarian aid and head of the SHA, visited the Lesbos camp on Tuesday 29 September to meet with actors on the ground and get a clear picture of the current situation. On Wednesday 30 September he is meeting with the Swiss ambassador to Greece, Olaf Kjelsen, and Greece's Vice Minister for Migration Giorgos Koumoutsakos, as well as other officials in Athens. "We provided emergency aid because this is one of the areas we specialise in. We were rapidly on the ground with our skills and expertise. Now it is time to hand over our work to the aid agencies and NGOs," he said. "We want to support our partners and the Greek authorities in this immense challenge, and this is why Switzerland will remain committed to Lesbos after its emergency aid operation." With Swiss Humanitarian Aid's emergency intervention coming to an end on 30 September, most SHA experts will leave the island of Lesbos on 1 October. Switzerland will then continue its support in the form of medium and long-term assistance. Swiss Humanitarian Aid's activities in relation to water will initially be transferred to the International Rescue Committee, an NGO also present on the ground. In addition, a water expert from the SHA has been seconded for one month to support the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in this field, in consultation with the Greek authorities. Swiss Humanitarian Aid will continue its support at the main hospital of Lesbos. Preparations are under way for the delivery of additional personal protective equipment against COVID-19. A disbursement of CHF 250,000 for the hospital is also planned under the COVID-19 supplementary credit. This should make it possible to send additional medical equipment (ambulances, measuring instruments) which will benefit both refugees and the local inhabitants of Lesbos. Address for enquiries FDFA Communication Federal Palace West Wing CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53 Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55 E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch Twitter: @SwissMFA Publisher Federal Department of Foreign Affairs https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html OTTAWA - Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole used his first speech in the House of Commons as party leader to lambaste the Liberal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Conservative leader Erin O'Toole stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole used his first speech in the House of Commons as party leader to lambaste the Liberal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his formal reply to the Liberals' throne speech, O'Toole drew on his own experiences with being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. That kicked off a lengthy attack on what he called the government's slow and at times completely wrong approach that left too many people behind. O'Toole, an Ontario MP, was elected leader of the party in August, but just ahead of the resumption of Parliament last week he contracted COVID-19 as did his wife. That forced him into quarantine, and he only emerged Wednesday to deliver his official reply to the Liberals' throne speech. The Tories have already said they won't vote in favour of it, but while that vote is a confidence measure, the backing of the NDP is promised and so the Liberal government will likely survive. "That throne speech could have provided a clear and distinct plan on the eve of a second wave of this pandemic, it failed to do that," O'Toole said.In the first wave of the pandemic, the Liberals dragged their feet on the deployment of rapid testing, scaled back a government pandemic-warning system that might have flagged the severity of the threat sooner and screwed up early aid bills despite suggestions for improvement from the Opposition, O'Toole said. But along with attacking the Liberals, O'Toole sought to provide some glimpses of what might be different if he were prime minister for the Tories are, he said, a government in waiting. He pledged tough foreign policy that would hold China more accountable for its aggressive actions on trade, increased health funding to the provinces, and fiscal policies that take the needs of small businesses to heart. "They don't need to build back better," he said, using the slogan Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has adopted. "They need to stay open so the family can survive." O'Toole said Trudeau is a poster boy and what Canada needs is a handyman. "Canada doesnt need another slogan, it needs a plan," he said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. That plan can't just be for those who vote Liberal but for the whole country, he said. Putting together a Conservative plan that would appeal to the whole country is part of the work that lies ahead for O'Toole. He has acknowledged several times that to form a majority government, his party will need to broaden its base and find a way to bring in new supporters. On Wednesday, he used his first question to Trudeau in question period to press the government on its record on reconciliation with Indigenous people, not a file the Tories have made a priority in the past. Trudeau replied he was encouraged to see O'Toole take that direction on a very important issue, a response O'Toole later described as condescending. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. Shanann Watts was 15 weeks pregnant in 2018 when her husband, Christopher Watts, killed her and their two young daughters. American Murder: The Family Next Door," a new documentary on Netflix from director Jenny Popplewell, tells the story of the Watts family through text messages, social media and home videos. Watts, who was 34 when she died, was originally from Passaic (her name was Shanann Rzucek before she got married). She had moved to North Carolina and was living in Frederick, Colorado with Christopher and their daughters when he killed her. Shanann was pregnant with a son who was to be named Nico. Police said Christopher Watts killed Shanann and their daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, at home smothering the girls and strangling Shanann. His daughters were discovered in an oil tank at the oil and gas company where their father worked. Shanann was found buried in a shallow grave there. Christopher Watts was sentenced to consecutive life sentences in prison without parole in 2018 as part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. He was also sentenced to 48 years for unlawful termination of a pregnancy and 36 years for tampering with a human body. Prosecutors said he was having an affair and had wanted to escape his marriage and family. The Watts case was previously the subject of the Lifetime movie Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer." Shananns parents objected to the film, saying they had no involvement in the project and were not consulted. American Murder: The Family Next Door" is now available on Netflix. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Tell us your coronavirus story. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a tip here. Some developers of covid vaccines may release interim data from their final stage trials over the next few weeks. There is no approved COVID-19 vaccine yet, but several are in advanced trials, including from Pfizer Inc , Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca-Oxford University, Novavax and Moderna. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech could have late-stage clinical data as soon as the end of October, the vaccine makers had said earlier. "Based on current infection rates, the companies continue to expect that a conclusive readout on efficacy is likely by the end of October," Pfizer said earlier this month while seeking US regulator's approval to expand its trial to 44,000 participants. Data from Moderna is also expected soon after. Johnson & Johnson and Novavax have also recently begun their own late-stage trials and could have data over next few months. Meanwhile, a top Russian scientist behind its Sputnik V covid vaccine told Reuters that Moscow plans to publish interim results based on the first 42 days of monitoring volunteers. If Russia is able to publish interim data from final-stage trials it has a high chance of becoming the first worldwide to announce any data from a final-stage trial. The first of 5,000 volunteers in Russia was vaccinated on September 9, which means interim results could be issued some time after October 21. Russia's sovereign wealth fund, which has invested in the vaccine's roll-out, has said it expects interim results to be published in October or November. Several Western developers are conducting final-stage trials that have already been going on for more than 42 days but have not published any interim results. Their early-stage trial results were peer-reviewed and published in The Lancet. Russia had approved a covid vaccine in August even before the final-stage trials. The head of the Food and Drug Administration office that oversees vaccines said drugmakers developing Covid-19 shots are aware of the data that will be required to gain an emergency-use authorization, regardless of whether the agency provides formal guidance. The companies know what were expecting," said Peter Marks, director of the FDAs biologics office, at an event on Tuesday. The US agency has scheduled an Oct. 22 meeting of outside experts to discuss a vaccine. "On October 22, 2020, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Researchs (CBER), Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will meet in open session, to discuss, in general, the development, authorization and/or licensure of vaccines to prevent COVID-19. No specific application will be discussed at this meeting. (With Agency Inputs) Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. (Natural News) American newspaper and media fact-checker USA Today may need to brush up on history, according to journalism watchdog and think tank MRC NewsBusters, after the former flagged several news items and memes on Facebook as false. One of the items in question, as highlighted by the Right-leaning media watchdog, was a meme about Democrats holding what is considered to be the longest filibuster in the United States history, which was done in order to stall the passing of the Civil Rights Act. According to the Facebook meme, which was shared by approximately a thousand users, 21 Democrat senators, along with six Republicans all of whom were from Southern or border states filibustered for 75 days. As fact-checked by USA Today, however, the senators in question, which included Albert Gore Sr. of Tennessee and Strom Thurmond who eventually switched parties and became a staunch Republican only filibustered for 60 days, and not 75 as reported in the meme. USA Today then flagged it as partly false, which caused the post to be partially obscured with a warning. It is true that the Democrats hold the record for the longest filibuster. But there are a couple of aspects of the exact claim that are false or misleading. It wasnt 75 days long; it lasted only 60 days, the newspaper said in a post. Another fact-check questioned by the MRC involved an article by USA Today that claims that the Democratic Party did not start the Civil War and later on, the hate group known as Ku Klux Klan (KKK). The article was a response to social media posts that claimed Democrats were responsible for the destructive war, which resulted in over 620,000 deaths and the creation of the notorious white supremacist hate group. (Related: Left-wing medias fact-checkers are even MORE biased than the media outlets they represent.) Friendly reminder that if you support the Democrat Party, you support the party that founded the KKK and start a civil war to keep their slaves, a post shared by Instagram user @snowflake.tears said. Pointing to historical accounts, USA Today noted that while factions of the Democratic Party did indeed contribute to the Civil Wars start, as well as the founding of the KKK, it remains largely inaccurate to say that the party as a whole was responsible for either. Citing Tera Hunter, a Professor of American History at Princeton University, the paper noted that the assertions aired by the original social media posts are commonly used to discredit the current policies of the Democratic Party. At the core of the effort to discredit the current Democratic Party is the refusal to accept the realignment of the party structure in the mid-20th century, Hunter said. The MRC, however, finds fault in this, noting that Hunter is also known to be a donor to the Democratic Party, thus making her accounts biased. USA Today gets a Democratic donor to defend the party against its true, racist past, the media watchdog said in its rebuttal. According to the MRC, USA Todays treatment of the KKKs history is virtually the same, with facts concerning the hate groups founding deliberately worded so as to shift the blame only to certain people. Experts agree the KKK attracted many ex-Confederate soldiers and Southerners who opposed Reconstruction, most of whom were Democrats, the paper said in its article, citing Jon Grinspan who is the curator of political and military history at the Smithsonians National Museum of American History. According to Grinspan, during the time of its founding, the KKK functioned almost like a paramilitary organization meant to benefit one party, with that party being the Democrats. Grinspan noted, however, that despite their shared history, the KKK isnt the Democratic Party, and that the Democratic Party isnt the KKK a line that USA Today ran with in its purportedly fact-checked story. How reliable is Facebooks fact-checking program? Aside from being one of the leading middle-market newspapers in the country, USA Today is also a third-party fact-checker for social media giant Facebook, alongside other publications and news outfits, all of which have been certified through the non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network, which was started by the non-profit journalism school and research organization Poynter. As fact-checkers, these media groups are expected to independently review, rate and verify news content on Facebook and its image-sharing sister site Instagram to help prevent the spread of false information on the popular social media platforms. According to Facebook, stories flagged by these fact-checkers will often come with tags warning readers of their spurious content whenever they are published or linked to on the platform. However, as pointed out by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), this method of presenting fact-checked articles may, in fact, be doing more harm than good. As described in the study, which has been published in the journal Management Science, Facebooks current method of warning readers has one unintended yet dangerous side effect: the notion of implied truth, wherein people believe stories that havent been marked as more accurate even when they are completely false. This is one of those things where once you point it out it looks obvious in retrospect, David Rand, an associate professor of management science at MIT Sloan Scool of Management who led the study, said. When you start putting warning labels on some things, it makes everything else seem more credible, says Rand. We have a false sense of security because we might assume something was fact-checked when it wasnt at all, Rand, a brain and cognitive sciences expert, said, describing their findings as disquieting. Baybars Orsek, the director of the International Fact-Checking Network, has since responded to the study by Rand and his colleagues. I respect the criticism and the suggestions a lot but claiming that users believe/share more when something is not fact-checked, does seem to sacrifice the role and the value of fact-checking for Facebooks policies and journalisms scalability issues, Orsek posted on Twitter. I respect the criticism and the suggestions a lot but claiming that users believe/share more when something is not fact-checked, does seem to sacrifice the role and the value of fact-checking for Facebooks policies and journalisms scalibility issues. pic.twitter.com/w0HqpTLFpX Baybars Orsek (@baybarsorsek) March 5, 2020 Unfortunately, boosting implied truth was not the only thing that the social media platforms fact-checking program got wrong its very nature also makes it vulnerable to getting hijacked for political purposes. According to journalist Judd Legum, Facebook grants its fact-checkers some of whom belong to corporate media outfits allied with political parties the ability to make arbitrary decisions on what can be considered as fact. In an article for Popular Information, Legum highlighted a recent incident wherein Check Your Fact a fact-checking group linked to conservative and Right-leaning website The Daily Caller flagged an article by Politico that recounted an incident in which President Donald Trump purportedly told attendees at a South Carolina rally to treat coronavirus as a hoax. Check Your Fact, Legum said, defended its flagging of the Politico article by explaining that Trump was actually referring to the alleged politicizing of the coronavirus by Democrats as their new hoax and not the actual coronavirus itself. According to Legum, however, this is a case of Check Your Fact using its power to push an interpretation favored by Trump, who previously made claims downplaying the threat of the coronavirus. Liberal media has been found guilty of this as well as shown by the two USA Today stories called out by the MRC. This is particularly troublesome, since, according to a survey carried by Zignal Labs, 86 percent of American citizens do not fact-check the information they read on social media platforms, while 61 percent habitually share, comment and like posts recommended by their friends rather than checking the accuracy and correctness of the news at hand. Sources include: NewsBusters.org 1 USAToday.com 1 USAToday.com 2 NewsBusters.org 2 Facebook.com ResearchGate.com Popular.info Politico.com Go.ZignalLabs.com PARIS: Is dislodging African artwork from a European museum a political statement, or a criminal act? Thats the question a French court weighed Wednesday in an emotionally charged trial centered around a Congolese activist campaigning to take back art he says was plundered by colonizers. It belongs to us! shouted a Black woman watching the trial, breaking down in tears and storming out after a lawyer for Paris Quai Branly Museum insisted that its holdings including tens of thousands of artworks from former colonies belong to the French state. Congo-born Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza and four other activists went on trial on attempted theft charges for removing a 19th century African funeral pole from its perch in the museum in a June protest livestreamed on Facebook. Guards quickly stopped them; the activists argue that they never planned to steal the work but just wanted to call attention to its origins. Lurking beneath nearly every exchange in the courtroom was the question of whether and how former empires should atone for colonial-era wrongs. The question took on new urgency after this years global protests against racial injustice unleashed by George Floyds death in the U.S. at the knee of a white policeman. Diyabanza seized on that mood and has staged three livestreamed museum protests in recent months in Paris, Marseille and the Netherlands. French officials denounced the Quai Branly incident, saying it threatens ongoing negotiations with African countries launched by President Emmanuel Macron in 2018 for legal, organized restitution efforts. If convicted of attempted group theft of a historical object, Diyabanza could face up to 10 years in prison and a 150,000 euro fine ($173,000). However, the lawyer for the French state did not ask for prison time, demanding only modest fines. A verdict is scheduled Oct. 14. Diyabanza defended what he called a political act and said its about time that Africans, Latin Americans and other colonized communities take back ill-gotten treasures. He accuses European museums of making millions on artworks taken from now-impoverished countries like Congo, and said the pole, which came from current-day Chad, should be among works returned to Africa. We are the legitimate heirs of these works, he said. But he insisted that appropriation wasnt my goal. The aim was to mark the symbolism of the liberation of these works." The presiding judge asked the activists why they thought they had the right to take the law into their own hands. He insisted that the trial should focus on the specific funeral pole incident and that his court wasnt competent to judge Frances colonial era as a whole. Quai Branly lawyer Yves Goulard argued that because of the discussions underway between France and African governments, there is no need for this political act." The French state is very committed to this, and serious" about following through, he said. The prosecutor said the activists should have made their point via more peaceful means. Defense lawyer Hakim Chergui argued that it shouldnt have taken this many decades after African countries independence to settle the issue. He choked up when talking about the skulls of Algerian 19th century resistance fighters long held as trophies in a French museum and returned to his native Algeria this year. There is a frustration in the population that is growing, growing, growing, he said, calling Wednesdays proceedings a trial of the colonial continuum. Applause and boos periodically interrupted the proceedings. A crowd of supporters shouted in anger at not being able to enter the small, socially distanced courtroom, and judges sent Diyabanza to calm them down. The Quai Branly Museum, on the banks of the Seine River near the Eiffel Tower, was built under former French President Jacques Chirac to showcase non-European art, notably from ex-French colonies. A 2018 study commissioned by Macron recommended that French museums give back works that were taken without consent, if African countries request them. So far, France is preparing to give back 26 works of African art out of some 90,000 works believed held in French museums, most in the Quai Branly. ___ Jeffrey Schaeffer in Paris contributed to this report. ___ Follow all AP stories on racial injustice at https://apnews.com/Racialinjustice. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor When Texas officials requested shipments of protective gear from the Strategic National Stockpile this spring, they sent and received hundreds of emails about the essential supplies they needed to fight an unprecedented pandemic. Five months after the Houston Chronicle filed an open records request for those emails, the Texas Department of State Health Services still has not provided the records. In response to the Chronicles April 17 request, a DSHS official said she was too busy to respond and it was unclear whether she ever would. Such delays arent normally allowed under state law. But open government advocates say transparency in Texas has taken a hit during the pandemic as officials across the state say their offices are closed and workloads are too heavy to respond to requests for public information. The Texas Public Information Act gives everyone the right to ask for government records. State law says public entities have 10 business days to reply to open records requests. Under a bill written by state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, the law was amended in 2019 to give officials a grace period of up to 14 business days in the event of a disaster. COVID-19 has lasted for months, far beyond the grace period. The Texas attorney generals office, which issues rulings on open records conflicts, published an advisory earlier this year stating that if a public agency has closed its office because of the pandemic, then the clock doesnt start ticking for the response deadline, even if employees are working remotely. Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, said theres been no consistency in how public agencies are interpreting the attorney generals guidance. RELATED: Officials at all levels of government knew they were unprepared for a pandemic and cut funding anyway. It's lawlessness, Shannon said. Theres no real cohesiveness or consistency with how governments are carrying out this important law. Some agencies and school districts are still responding to open records requests even though their employees are working remotely. Other agencies in similar situations simply declare their offices are closed and dont provide any documents at all even if employees are being paid to work from home. Our argument is, just because your office is physically closed, it doesn't mean you're not working, Shannon said. Unable to process At Texas Southern University, officials declined to release financial records to the Chronicle after receiving a request in April for the schools check registry, a public record under state law. We are unable to process your request for public records at this time, TSU lawyer Ashlianne Cosby wrote in an April 13 email. We will contact you once our office is open and accordingly will resume with processing your request. Cosby sent an update last week saying the request was being processed. After the Texas General Land Office received an open records request from the Chronicle in April for documents referenced during a public School Land Board meeting, the agency declined to provide them, insisting its office in Austin was closed. The agency gave the same response to several other Chronicle requests, including one about the land offices planned renovation of the Alamo in San Antonio. When a reporter called to in July to ask about the delays, the agencys director of open government, Hadassah Schloss, answered her work phone. She said she was in the office printing some papers and declined to answer further questions. The land office waited until Sept. 17 nearly five months to request an attorney generals opinion on whether it could withhold the School Land Board records from public disclosure. The attorney general has not yet responded. The agency also recently sought an opinion on the Alamo records. Karina Erickson, a spokeswoman for the land office, said the agency is dealing with a high volume of requests and is overcoming technical obstacles and hiring more employees. The global pandemic has challenged businesses and government entities across Texas to move their operations online, a task that all of us didnt anticipate, Erickson said in an email. City officials in Dallas said their offices were closed when the Texas Public Policy Foundation asked for copies of any city authorizations related to Black Lives Matter protests during the pandemic. More than a month later, the city finally told the foundation that it had no records, said Robert Henneke, the groups general counsel, who complained there was no legitimate reason for the delay. It's abusive for government to just declare itself exempt from the requirements of state law, Henneke said. The city of Dallas is open. They may have their staff working remotely, but they're conducting business. They're operating as a city government. It thwarted my rights as a citizen to access public information, Henneke added. Catherine Cuellar, a spokeswoman for the city of Dallas, said its offices are still closed but that officials are trying to do their best to respond to the public. We are still processing open records requests to the best of our ability, she said. It is taking more time than usual. 171 of 288 pages redacted Gov. Greg Abbott has touted his track record of keeping Texas businesses open during the pandemic. But hes been quiet about public agencies claiming theyre closed and delaying responses to open records requests. Abbotts office has not used such tactics, but it is withholding documents that detail Texas response to the pandemic by citing a section of the Texas health and safety code that says records related to disease outbreaks generally arent public. The law also says statistical information may be released but its up to officials to decide. In one batch of 288 pages of records released by the governors office, officials blocked out the entire text of 171 pages of documents more than half. Kieran Hillis, public information coordinator for the governors office, said in an email that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons office had previously concluded that similar types of records were confidential in their entirety under the Texas health code. Shannon said it will probably take a change in state law or more clarification from the attorney general to prevent more delays from public agencies. Henneke said hed like to see the law amended to give people a way to quickly resolve future open records disputes. Under the current law, requesters who believe officials are violating the Texas Public Information Act can complain to the district or county attorneys office or file a lawsuit in district court. I think there needs to be a simple, faster way of seeking enforcement, said Henneke, who suggested that lower-level courts overseen by justices of the peace could offer a faster resolution. In the meantime, officials arent releasing records that could give the public valuable information about how theyre conducting business and dealing with a deadly pandemic. After the Chronicle asked for emails on April 17 between Texas officials and the Strategic National Stockpile, a federal agency that was besieged for requests for personal protective equipment, state officials said it would cost $288 to review the records and redact any confidential information. The Chronicle paid the fee, but the state agency still hasnt provided the emails. The Chronicle complained to the attorney generals office that the agency wasnt complying with the law. The attorney general wrote a letter to one of the agencys lawyers on August 10, saying it had 10 business days to either release the emails or seek a ruling from the attorney generals office to withhold them. In a letter dated August 25, the agencys open records lawyer, Jonathan Miles, said officials were retrieving relevant emails and reviewing them for any confidential material that the agency says shouldnt be made public. Five months after the messages were requested, its still unclear when any emails will be released. john.tedesco@chron.com Vice President Bawumia has categorically stated that the government of Ghana will not enter into any negotiation with the secessionist group demanding independence from Ghana to form an autonomous Western Togoland. A security analyst Col. Festus Aboagye (Rtd) had urged the government to sit at a table with leaders of secessionists group as he believes an engagement between the two entities is critical in preventing the seeming growth of recalcitrant acts perpetrated in the Volta Region over the past week, from escalating. His call came after a group of persons believed to be members of Western Togoland separatist movement Monday down attacked the State Transport Corporation (STC) in the Volta regional capital of Ho. In this latest attack allegedly carried out by the group which follows an earlier attack on some state institutions and police stations including mounting of roadblocks on Friday 25th September 2020, some drivers in the yard were beaten while two vehicles belonging to the company were set ablaze. The vehicles including a 14-seater bus with registration number, GG-4054-19 was burnt totally while the second one GG-1737-19 had parts of it burnt. Speaking on JoyNews, Col Abogye (Rtd) emphasized the need for a dialogue between the two sides. Negotiation and mediation do not only seek to find solutions. Sometimes, its for purposes of communicationsWe need to find out the legitimacy of their struggle and who they represent. They also need to understand us as Ghana. But commenting on the issue in an interview on Asempa FM monitored by Kasapafmonline.com, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia stated that it will be senseless on the part of the government to engage the separatists. Negotiate with who, these criminalson what basis? It doesnt make sense. If so then well be open to many things, tomorrow youll go somewhere and some group will get up and say the northern territory has to also be somewhere else. What we need is intelligence and well try to deal with this. Source: kasapafmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The president of the University of Limerick has visited off-campus housing estates to remind students to follow public health guidelines. As students make a return to learning this week members of ULs senior leadership, including Professor Kerstin Mey, have engaged in nightly walking tours of residential estates in the Castletroy area The initiative, which is being undertaken in conjunction with gardai, is being done to engage with students, educate them about public health guidelines and to stress a co-operative approach in protecting the community surrounding the campus in light of the situation with Covid-19. Through its community liaison committee, UL has developed a community response plan with the gardai to ensure that new and returning students can live and learn as safely as possible in the context of Covid-19. Social media footage of house parties - particularly in the College Court area - have sparked concern and fears of a further spike in cases of Covid-19 in Limerick. A co-ordinated plan of engagement and education has been adapted to ensure that UL staff and gardai work together to reach as many students as possible who live on campus and off campus. UL has allocated further resources to An Garda Siochana to increase its capacity to undertake community engagement activity over the course of the coming weeks. Student union representatives are also engaging with students both on and off campus to educate them on following the public health guidelines. Our presence is to show a shared responsibility for community welfare through direct visibility with gardai who are out in the normal course of their work, explained Professor Mey. We are hoping that our presence will help with the message that for students, behaviour in the general community is directly linked to their status as a UL student. UL takes its civic responsibilities very seriously and has worked with gardai, community representatives and the Universitys representative body, UL Student Life, to try and reinforce the message that everyone must take responsibility for their actions," she added. The UL president, who took up the role earlier this month, says the safety of staff and students has always been a priority and it is vital that students take responsibility for their actions, follow the public health guidelines, limit their social contacts and stay safe. We are fully aware that this situation is difficult for students in what should have been one of the most exciting weeks of their lives but they must follow the advice and heed the warnings, or they risk putting the people they love and the wider community at risk by their actions, she said. Above all else, UL is a community comprising of many stakeholders who work, learn and reside together in many different ways. As a community, UL views its relationship with its neighbours as a key component of how it maintains its community responsibilities, added Professor Mey. The head of the Limerick garda division Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche has welcomed the increased engagement with the University of Limerick. "The assistance of UL to help us engage, educate and encourage the community is welcomed. In supporting the Covid-19 public health guidelines, we need everyone to double down on the tremendous efforts they have made here in Limerick. We need everyone to limit the contact they have with each other. Whilst you may feel safe at home and think its ok to have friends over or have a party, you are putting your health, their health and everyone you come into contact with afterwards at risk. It is vital that you continue to play your part by limiting contact with others - this will save lives, he said. Student union representatives are working on a parallel daytime education and advice operation to assist with student queries and to meet students living in local accommodation. UL Student Life and the Postgraduate Student Union engaged in a substantial leaflet drop and meet and greet exercise last Sunday with the message of Protect the Pack, a reference to the union mascot and the need to take personal responsibility for individual and public health. A significant amount of planning has gone into establishing a safe environment to ensure University of Limerick students can access campus as part of the coming academic year. Following the request by government on Friday that all higher education institutions move to the enhanced public health protection measures applied to Dublin-based HEIs recently, UL has made changes to its on-campus schedule. UL students are being advised not to travel to Limerick if their full programme is due to be delivered online over the next two weeks and all social and club activities on campus have been suspended until further notice. A Covid-19 Student Charter has been developed between UL, LIT and MIC to protect students and staff in each of the institutions and to make clear to students their personal responsibility in this global pandemic environment. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. Action can be taken against students through the code of conduct who, by breaching public health guidelines, may be considered to have engaged in conduct that is harmful to others. There is no set sanction within the code of conduct for any offence but penalties allowed within the code of conduct include monetary, academic, suspension and expulsion. Students have a responsibility to their wider community to follow government and institutional guidelines. A Boston woman was sentenced to serve 4 years in jail after she pleaded guilty to charges in connection with a 2018 crash in Revere that claimed the lives of two young sisters, the Suffolk District Attorneys Office said. Harris, 43, of Beacon Hill, appeared via Zoom for a change of plea hearing Tuesday in front of a Suffolk Superior Court judge. Harris is the driver who struck and killed 5-year-old Adrianna Mejia-Rivera and her 2-month-old baby sister Natasha Nicole Mejia-Rivera in Revere in 2018. Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins' office said Harris pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Linda Giles sentenced Harris to a total term of 4-and-a-half years in a jail, six months suspended, and 4 years of probation following her release. While on probation, Harris cannot drive and will lose her license for 15 years. She must also remain alcohol and drug-free as she will be subjected to random testing by the Massachusetts Probation Department. Harris was also ordered to attend and complete the Brains at Risk program, which brings awareness to the devastating effects of traumatic brain injuries. Second Assistant District Attorney Masai King told the court that Harris was driving northbound on Revere Beach Parkway shortly after 5 p.m. on Dec. 9, 2018, when her 2015 Chevy Equinox left the roadway and traveled onto the center median where the two victims, their mother, another adult, and a 2-year-old child were waiting for the walk signal to cross the street. Adrianna, the 5-year-old girl, died at the scene. Her 2-month-old sister, Natasha, was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital where she died two days later. The defendant made statements admitting to drinking one beer that afternoon and vaping non-THC cannabinoid oil while operating the vehicle, the district attorneys office said. Officers who responded to the scene located an open can of Budweiser outside of the drivers side door of Harris' SUV, and a vape pen was found inside the vehicle. Harris also told investigators she had taken a muscle relaxant and melatonin the previous night and had only slept for two hours before performing a full day of work before the crash. She admitted that she may have nodded off while driving, authorities said. In addition, she failed a series of field sobriety tests administered at the scene of the crash and at the Revere State Police barracks. A drug recognition expert evaluated Harris and determined that she did not exhibit any signs of intoxication. An analysis of blood drawn from Harris after the crash also yielded a negative result for alcohol, the district attorneys office said. Two beautiful children are gone as a result of reckless behavior that could have been prevented. Ms. Harris may not have intended to cause harm, but she failed to show any concern for the foreseeable consequences of driving a nearly two-ton vehicle while incapacitated, Rollins said. Her choice was made with complete disregard for the lives and safety of others, and she is being held accountable for the harm she inflicted. Rollins added, Adrianna and Natashas parents had to bury their only children. When I look at the pictures of these beautiful children, I cant begin to comprehend the depths of their anguish. I only wish we were able to get a more significant sentence for this defendant. Had the case of intoxication been stronger, we would be looking at a different outcome. Anglican leader warns Christians against treating church as politics, saying malicious things online Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the global Anglican Communion, recently warned Christians against treating church as politics and engaging in bad behavior on social media. Archbishop Welby preached a sermon on Sunday at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., which focused on how refugees should be treated. During his remarks, Welby said that the Kingdom of God is an autocracy of the purest love, and Christians do not choose to be its citizens; its ruler called us out of helpless darkness. After noting that our role is to proclaim, our joy is to celebrate, Welby went on to warn that this is not always how we show ourselves. Treating church life as politics and our way of doing things as superior, we engage in malicious comment through social media, we are insincere, we are cruel, he said. We have been transformed by the grace of God alone, yet we behave as though we then had to wage a civil war in Gods church so that our views may prevail. It is no wonder that in the Global North we see numbers decline in church attendance and affiliation, for the rule of love has become the rule of self, he added. We do not as Christians resolve problems by their over-simplification, that is the broad road with much good company of those who we can find who will agree with whatever view each of us chooses. The path of the cross, of following the crucified God in His journey, is one that tells us to embrace the complexity of suffering and walk alongside those with whom we disagree passionately, bearing our crosses. Pastor and author Timothy Keller voiced a similar concern about partisanship overtaking churches in a series of controversial tweets posted earlier this month. In his social media posts, Keller denounced the notion that a Christian has to vote for Donald Trump or has to vote for Joe Biden, with the theologian citing a liberty of conscience. The Bible binds my conscience to care for the poor, but it does not tell me the best practical way to do it, tweeted Keller at the time. Christians cannot say to other Christians no Christian can vote for or every Christian must vote for [] unless you can find a Biblical command to that effect. In response to some critics of his thread on Twitter, Keller clarified that his comments on conscience and voting should not misinterpreted as him supporting things like legalized abortion. The Bible tells me that abortion is a sin and great evil, but it doesnt tell me the best way to decrease or end abortion in this country, nor which policies are most effective, added Keller. Earlier this week, the Barna Group released a report which found that 74% of surveyed Protestant pastors were concerned that the presidential election will impact their church. When asking pastors if they were worried about the political impact, 33% of respondents said they were very concerned, while 41% said somewhat concerned. During his sermon on Sunday, Welby also focused on the issue of refugees, noting that around 75 million people were presently displaced, calling it the greatest movement of people in human history. The causes of movement vary. Poverty, ambition, fear, war all play a large part. Some flee modern slavery. Some run from family or clan disorder, stated Welby. They flee for any and every reason. They may have illusions about their destination and their reasons for fleeing may be more or less understandable. Yet they flee. In light of calls to better treat refugees, Welby declared that Christians cannot surround our love with barbed wire so that only those with the password can be its recipients. When we see the refugee and those who fear them we must not compromise with false simplicities, but we do channel the abundant grace of God. His comments come as President Trump has overseen major reductions in the annual refugee resettlement cap in the U.S. His administration lowered the cap to 18,000 for fiscal year 2020 (Oct. 1, 2019 Sept. 30, 2020), the lowest it has been since the program was created in 1980. Trump has yet to make a proposal for the number of refugees that could be resettled in the U.S. for the new fiscal year. The US Food and Drug Administration has broadened its investigation of a serious illness in AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine study and will look at data from earlier trials of similar vaccines developed by the same scientists, three sources familiar with the details told Reuters. AstraZeneca's large, late-stage US trial has remained on hold since September 6, after a study participant in Britain fell ill with what was believed to be a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis. Australian regulators will be watching the progress of AstraZeneca's vaccine development closely given the government has brokered a deal for biotechnology giant CSL to make 30 million doses of the product in Melbourne if it works. Safety reviews of coronavirus vaccine candidates will be slowed by the FDA. Credit:AP The widened scope of the FDA probe raises the likelihood of additional delays for what has been one of the most advanced COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development. The requested data was expected to arrive this week, after which the FDA would need time to analyse it, two of the sources said. The aviation industry is facing the toughest days in its history: airplanes have been left idle for several months, while the salaries of pilots and flight attendants have seen unprecedented sharp cuts. N.K.T, an A321 captain for Vietnam Airlines, said because of Covid-19, airlines have suffered heavily, especially after the second outbreak. As airplanes cannot take off, the income of workers has dropped dramatically. According to T, their income depends on the number of flight hours. Before the pandemic broke out, a captain flying with A321 could make about VND300 million a month. But now, as the number of flights has decreased and pilots have to take turns flying, the income has dropped to around VND60-70 million. The income of flight attendants has fallen to about VND10-15 million a month instead of the previous VND40 million. Vietnam Airlines, the national flag air carrier, has cut the average pay of pilots and attendants by 50 percent. The State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises (SCMC) in June 2020 said the national flag air carrier has suffered heavily and needs additional cash flow to overcome the crisis. It proposed the state to lend VND12 trillion to Vietnam Airlines for at least three years to help overcome difficulties. The average pay for pilots is VND77 million a month, a decrease of 48 percent compared with 2019. The income of attendants and on-ground workers has decreased by 52 percent and 55.5 percent, respectively. Vietnam Airlines has stopped using foreign pilots and attendants, and adjusted the transportation output to adapt to the new circumstances. Vietjet Air also has adjusted the pay to workers. The leadership team has voluntarily accepted a 50 percent salary cut. However, no adjustment has been made to workers with a monthly income of VND10 million or lower. The airline decided that pilots of the airline fly in shifts, so that everyone keeps an income. No worker has been laid off so far. Vo Huy Cuong, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), with the achievements in controlling Covid-19, Vietnam has begun to reopen some international air routes. However, if an outbreak returns, the aviation industry will be in serious difficulties. After the second outbreak, airlines had to stop international flights but maintained some domestic air routes. Deputy CEO of Vietnam Airlines Le Hong Ha said the airline has tried to arrange flight hours for all pilots and attendants. In August, each of them had 30-40 flight hours. Vu Diep First regular commercial international flight to arrive in Vietnam on September 25 The first regular international commercial flight to Vietnam on a Vietnamese airline after the second Covid-19 outbreak will occur on September 25. A convicted wife-killer is trying to use the revelation that Nicola Gobbo worked as a police informer to demand a fresh investigation into his case, alleging he lost his 1999 murder trial because of a betrayal when she briefly represented him following his arrest. On Wednesday the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants published statements from a number of former clients who allege they are victims of miscarriages of justice due to the former barrister's involvement in their cases. Former lawyer and police informer Nicola Gobbo in 2008. Credit:Joe Armao The statements, which were tendered in early 2019 shortly after the royal commission was announced, include many from criminals such as Zlate Cvetanovski, Francesco Madafferi and others whose cases have since come under scrutiny by the inquiry or are being challenged through court appeals against their convictions. Others were written by former clients who claimed they were victims of miscarriages of justice simply because Ms Gobbo was now known to have been co-operating with police at the time she represented them, and they were later convicted. A man on Lynnbrook Avenue said his brother saw via a security camera an older white male stealing tools from the back of the mans vehicle. The man confronted the suspect and he took off in a green Ford F150 with his tools. The man was able to locate the suspect a short while later. He said when he confronted the suspect again, the suspect returned his tools. The man does not wish ... (click for more) HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the first of three debates between the candidates for U.S. President, Joe Biden kicks off a train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO proudly welcomes back Joe Biden to our Commonwealth. "Joe Biden has shown again and again that he knows the challenges facing working people today. He's from our neck of the woods; he understands what's going on in Johnstown, Greensburg, and Scranton. Joe Biden will champion American manufacturing, not sit by and tweet as factories close. Joe Biden will invest in building the infrastructure we were promised four years ago, not walk away from the greatest economic disaster in a century. Pennsylvania workers must know, Joe Biden will be the jobs president. Joe Biden will be the union jobs president," President Rick Bloomingdale stated. "As Joe Biden travels across western Pennsylvania today, he recognizes the extraordinary potential of our industrial heartland. He knows what it means to make it in America and will put the presidency's power behind 'Buy American and Build American. Buy Union and Build Union.' Pennsylvania must restore manufacturing and invest fully in our infrastructure. Both are inextricably linked. Joe Biden will be the president who empowers our workforce to succeed in the 21stcentury and protect the worker's voice on the job," remarked Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder. SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 20:37:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People wearing face masks walk beside Chitgar Lake in Tehran, Iran, on Sept. 29, 2020. Iran announced on Wednesday 3,582 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of confirmed infections to 457,219. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) TEHRAN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Iran announced on Wednesday 3,582 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of confirmed infections to 457,219. Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said at her daily briefing that out of the 3,582 new cases, 1,567 patients required hospitalization. She also said that 183 deaths related to COVID-19 were registered between Tuesday and Wednesday, which takes the total death toll in Iran over the pandemic to 26,169 so far. According to the spokeswoman, 380,956 people have as of Wednesday recovered and been discharged from hospitals, while 4,093 remain in critical condition in intensive care units. So far, 4,014,821 laboratory tests for the novel coronavirus have been carried out in Iran, she added. The risk of infection is high in 26 out of 31 Iranian provinces, and 4 other provinces are on alert over the spread of the disease. Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19. Iran and China have offered mutual help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China, and donated 3 million masks to China. In return, China delivered several shipments of medical supplies to Iran. On Feb. 29, a five-member Chinese medical team visited Iran for a month-long mission to help Iran fight the pandemic. Enditem EBRD said its new Green Economy Transition approach for 2021-2025 is part of the banks overall strategy for the next five years The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is poised to reinforce its position as a leader in green finance with a plan that targets expanding its climate activities to become a majority green bank by 2025. In a statement on Wednesday, the EBRD said its new Green Economy Transition (GET) approach for 2021-2025 is part of the banks overall strategy for the next five years, going to the Board of Governors for approval at the EBRD Annual Meeting on 7-8 October. If approved, GET 2021-2025 will be the EBRDs new blueprint for supporting its countries of operation pursue a green, inclusive and resilient recover from the impact of the pandemic, the EBRD said. GET 2021-2025 will build on the success of an already ambitious GET approach for 2015-2020, which the EBRD launched in the run-up to the Paris climate conference, where countries agreed to take action to reduce global warming, according to the statement. The first GET approach has already taken EBRD green investments to 46 percent of its total investment in 2019, up from 24 percent in the decade up to 2015, according to the EBRD. The EBRD is pursuing its ever more ambitious green strategy while continuing to offer short-term support to its countries and clients to address the implications of Covid-19. All EBRD investments in 2020-2021, worth 21 billion, are already committed to helping these countries counter the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. An emergency support programme for infrastructure providers is helping ensure the provision of vital services and the continuation of sustainable infrastructure projects despite acute pressure from the pandemic, added the statement. EBRDs Managing Director for Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Josue Tanaka stated that Covid-19 is a sharp warning shot bringing an increasing realisation about the urgency of addressing the rising climate and environmental crisis. Accordingly, the new EBRD Green Economy Transition approach identifies specific policies and investments in the short term which will support a green, inclusive and resilient recovery. In addition, it defines a set of actions to support its countries of operations to progress towards a low-carbon and resilient future, according to Tanaka. GET 2021-2025 commits EBRD to focus on aligning with the Paris Agreement goals, with a decision on full alignment to be considered within the next two years. Search Keywords: Short link: NASA and SpaceX have set a new launch date for Crew Dragons first crewed operational flight: October 31st. The SpaceX Crew-1 mission follows the companys successful Demo2 test flight, which flew astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS. It was the first crewed flight that launched from US soil since the final space shuttle mission on July 8th, 2011. That mission returned to Earth with Behnken and Hurley in August, a couple of months after they headed to the ISS on a Crew Dragon. The company and the agency were originally aiming for an October 23rd launch. They decided to move it a few days later to give both ground and station teams a longer time to prepare and check for issues after a Soyuz launch on October 14th and a Soyuz departure from the ISS on October 21st. NASA explained in an announcement: The new target date will deconflict the Crew-1 launch and arrival from upcoming Soyuz launch and landing operations. This additional time is needed to ensure closure of all open work, both on the ground and aboard the station, ahead of the Crew-1 arrival. The increased spacing also will provide a good window of opportunity to conduct additional testing to isolate the station atmosphere leak if required. SpaceX continues to make progress on preparations of the Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, and the adjusted date allows the teams additional time for completing open work ahead of launch. The mission will take NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker, as well as JAXAs Soichi Noguchi, to the ISS where they will stay for six months. SpaceX delivered the Crew Dragon spacecraft that will be used for this flight to Cape Canaveral in Florida back in August. The capsule will launch on top of a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center on Halloween at around 2:40AM Eastern time. NASA says its in the final stages of the data reviews needed for the companys certification following Demo2. It will broadcast a series of media briefings to provide updates about the certification process and to talk about the Crew-1 mission starting on September 29th, 11 AM Eastern. Congresswoman Lori Trahan has introduced legislation that would help support teachers during the coronavirus pandemic, which would authorize $6 billion in funding for programs including teacher residencies. Trahan, who represents Massachusetts' third congressional district and is a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, joined with Congresswomen Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Cheri Bustos of Illinois to introduce the Supporting Teachers with Residency Opportunities and New Grants (STRONG) Act. Teachers, just like many of our other frontline heroes, continue to overcome daily challenges during this pandemic while still providing quality education to our children. Its time that they receive the support they need and deserve, Trahan said in a statement. The STRONG Act will give teachers the long overdue assistance necessary to deliver a safe, quality education to kids. It will also establish a strong pipeline of teachers ready to hit the ground running in classrooms -- or the remote environment -- across America," Trahan said. "As a mom to two school-aged daughters who witnesses the sacrifices teachers are making for our kids firsthand, I know its time Congress act to support our educators. This legislation should be voted on without delay so we can implement these solutions immediately. With the legislation, eligibility for undergraduate students and recent graduates with a teaching or education major to enter into teacher residency programs would expand, helping to fast-track teachers into the current workforce, Trahans office said. The act would allow undergraduate students enrolled in a teacher residency to enter into the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and authorize $600 million in funding to support teacher residencies and teacher preparation. Amid the pandemic, teachers across the country are teaching both in-person and remotely. In Massachusetts, education officials and Gov. Charlie Baker have urged communities with low coronavirus transmission rates to bring students back into classrooms. The STRONG Act is key to ensuring that teachers, many of whom are parents or part of the sandwich generation, are able to continue doing their jobs knowing that their safety and their ability to succeed in their roles is taken just as seriously as that of their students, Trahans office said in the statement. Both the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers endorse the act, according to the statement. Related Content: They were first linked when they made their red carpet debut at the InTheStyle and Warner Bros Golden Globe after-parties together in January. And Paris Hilton and her boyfriend Carter Reum are now celebrating their anniversary together, as she gushed over their romance on her Instagram page. The heiress, 39, penned a heartfelt tribute to her man, where she called herself the 'luckiest girl in the world', and said he was the 'most extraordinary person'. It's love! Paris Hilton and her boyfriend Carter Reum are now celebrating their anniversary together, as she gushed over their romance on her Instagram page Paris' post included a snap of herself and Carter, 39, having a smooch at the This Is Paris' YouTube Original Documentary film screening in September. The businesswoman wrote: 'Happy Anniversary my love! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world because I have you. You opened my heart in ways I didn't [know] existed. 'You are the most extraordinary person I've ever met. You transformed my life in so many ways. I never thought it was possible to have this much love for someone. Let there be cake! The couple celebrated their anniversary with a huge personalise cake, which featured Paris and Carter's initials with a love heart in the middle 'I will never forget our first kiss. When we are together I feel like we are in our own world and everything disappears around us and it's only you and me. 'You are everything I have dreamed about and perfect for me in every single way. You showed me what true love is, you were that one missing piece of the puzzle. 'Thank you for being the best, most loyal and supportive man in my life. Thank you for filling my heart with so much love. We make each other whole. We are One. 'Lucky': The heiress, 39, penned a heartfelt tribute to her man, where she called herself the 'luckiest girl in the world', and said he was the 'most extraordinary person' 'We are the perfect match. You are both my boyfriend and best friend in one and I cannot even express how grateful I am for you. I love you so much and I am so excited for our future together!' The couple celebrated their anniversary with a huge personalise cake, which featured Paris and Carter's initials with a love heart in the middle. It is unclear which anniversary Paris and Carter were celebrating, as wished him a 'happy anniversary' in both July and April earlier this year. Paris was first romantically linked to Carter when he accompanied her to a Golden Globe afterparty in January. A source told E! News at the time: 'They are very happy together. They met through friends, and everyone is saying what a great couple they make.' It marked her first public date since breaking off her brief engagement with Chris Zylka, 35, in November of 2018. - KNUN secretary general Seth Panyako said the union leaders decided to call off the strike because they respect court orders - Panyako faulted the SRC for the delayed salaries since 2012 when KNH was upgraded to a parastatal - The more than 5,000 workers downed their tools on Monday, September 28, after the expiry of a one-week strike notice The Kenyatta National Hospital health workers who have been on strike from Monday, September 28, have called off their strike. KNH premises. The health workers called off their strike due to a court order. Photo: The Standard. Source: UGC The unions representing the health workers amicably decided to end the strike after the Labour Court ordered them to go back to work pending the hearing and determination of a case related to the matter. Respect for court orders Speaking to Citizen TV, Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) secretary-general Seth Panyako said they agreed to temporarily call off the industrial action because of their respect of the law. "Workers here at Kenyatta National Hospital respect court orders and they have said they will go back to work immediately," he said. Seth Panyako faulted SRC for the crisis at KNH. Photo: Citizen TV. Source: UGC Panyako blamed the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for the impasse involving their delayed higher salaries since 2012. He said the battle was now in court and they will wait for the court's decision. The strike had paralysed services in the referral hospital leading to the death of one patient. On Tuesday, September 29, a woman caused drama at the hospital after she was captured tearfully pleading with the striking health workers to attend to her patient whom she said was in a critical condition. The devastated woman said she had struggled so much to get medical help for her patient since most hospitals took her around in circles asking her to go to another facility. The KNH workers downed their tools after failing to strike a deal with the government over implementation of their salary package agreed upon in 2012. After the hospital was upgraded to a parastatal in 2012, the workers' salaries were also supposed to be re-categorised but it has not happened eight years down the line. A letter dated February 12, 2013, to then-finance principal secretary detailed the exact amount employees from all job groups would earn with the lowest basic salary for the hospital CEO set at Sh400, 000 and highest being KSh 560,000. Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme -https://www.patreon.com/tuko Keep abusing me, you will get tired eventually - Kenya's youngest Reverend Victor Githu | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chemours Company (Chemours) (NYSE: CC), a global chemistry company with leading market positions in fluoroproducts, titanium technologies, and chemical solutions, today published its third annual Corporate Responsibility Commitment report, continuing the company's commitment to responsible chemistry. The company's Corporate Responsibility Commitment is anchored by ten bold goals targeted for completion by 2030 that are aligned across three key pillarsInspired People, Shared Planet and Evolved Portfolio. They cover eight key areas of focus that the company defines as follows: Safety ExcellenceFocusing on the safety of our people, communities and the environment around us Vibrant CommunitiesInvesting in our communities to improve lives through education, safety, and sustainable environment programs Empowered EmployeesBuilding an engaged global workforce to reflect the varied viewpoints and diversity of the communities in which we operate ClimateReducing greenhouse gas emissions to support the global transition to a low-carbon economy Water QualitySafeguarding this important shared natural resource through the reduction of air and water process emissions WasteReducing landfill waste generation by refining our products and processes Sustainable OfferingsIncreasing our portfolio offerings that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), and the percentage of revenue derived from them Sustainable Supply ChainDriving responsible behaviors throughout our supply chain The report, which is based on Chemours' 2019 operations, is entitled "Single Focus, Shared Future" and highlights the contributions made by Chemours' 7,000 employees across the globe, and how their actions contribute to the company's sustainability goals. Through a singular focus of helping to create a better world, Chemours employees are seamlessly integrating their Corporate Responsibility Commitment into the company's business strategies, daily operations, customer and supplier interactions, community partnerships, and neighborhood outreach. The 2019 Corporate Responsibility Commitment report demonstrates the collective impact of those efforts. Select report highlights from the company's 2019 operations include: 10.4% of the company's revenue were derived from product sales that directly support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The impact of Chemours' first Global Corporate Responsibility Commitment Day, which included employees from 29 locations and 13 countries advancing the company's 10 Corporate Responsibility Commitment goals through action. Successful completion and startup of a thermal oxidizer in the company's Fayetteville Works site, designed to remove greater than 99% of air process emissions of organic fluorinated compounds routed to it. 48% of the company's products sold in recyclable packaging. Implementation of projects at manufacturing sites to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 545,000 metric tons of CO 2 e "Companies like ours are proving that big challenges can be solved by motivated individuals operating in an organizational structure that magnifies and multiplies their power," said Mark Vergnano, president and chief executive officer of Chemours. "I can say with confidence that our commitment to Corporate Responsibility is becoming a part of how Chemours operates today and plans for tomorrow's future, as it should beas it must be." Click here to read Chemours' 2019 Corporate Responsibility Commitment report. About The Chemours Company The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in titanium technologies, fluoroproducts, and chemical solutions, providing its customers with solutions in a wide range of industries with market-defining products, application expertise and chemistry-based innovations. Chemours ingredients are found in plastics and coatings, refrigeration and air conditioning, mining, and general industrial manufacturing. Our flagship products include prominent brands such as Teflon, Ti-Pure, Krytox, Viton, Opteon, Freon and Nafion. Chemours published its first corporate responsibility commitment report in 2018, which highlights goals aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The company has approximately 7,000 employees and 28 manufacturing sites serving approximately 3,700 customers in over 120 countries. Chemours is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol CC. For more information, we invite you to visit chemours.com or follow us on Twitter @Chemours or LinkedIn. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical or current fact. The words "believe," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "target," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify "forward-looking statements," which speak only as of the date such statements were made. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, corporate responsibility commitments and sustainability goals, the outcome or resolution of any pending or future environmental liabilities, the commencement, outcome or resolution of any regulatory inquiry, investigation or proceeding, the initiation, outcome or settlement of any litigation, changes in environmental regulations in the U.S. or other jurisdictions, anticipated future operating and financial performance, business plans, prospects, targets, goals and commitments, capital investments and projects, all of which are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that may not be accurate or realized. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties that are beyond Chemours' control. Additionally, there may be other risks and uncertainties that Chemours is unable to identify at this time or that Chemours does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020 and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Chemours assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law. CONTACT: INVESTORS Jonathan Lock VP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations +1.302.773.2263 [email protected] NEWS MEDIA Thom Sueta Sr. Manager, Corporate Communications and Reputation Management +1.302.773.3903 [email protected] SOURCE The Chemours Company A man was hospitalized with a gunshot wound Tuesday after a possible drug deal gone bad, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Officers responded to a Circle K gas station on the corner of Castle Cross and Gibbs Sprawl shortly after 3 p.m. for a reported shooting. An officer found a man outside of a grey car with a bullet wound to the chest. He was taken to the hospital and his condition was not immediately known. Police believe there may be two other victims but neither of them were on scene when officers arrived. Chief William McManus noted there was cash scattered inside the grey vehicle and said the shooting appears to be a drug deal gone bad. Witnesses told police they saw a person running through a nearby field with a silver handgun. A black semiautomatic pistol was found in the field. Marta Paezs route home was blocked by the police cars and yellow tape marking the scene. So sad, Paez said of the shooting. So many things are happening in this world. While McManus was addressing the media, vehicles collided at the intersection of Castle Cross and Gibbs Sprawl. The shooting remains under investigation. SAN FRANCISCO Easing winds gave California firefighters a break Tuesday as they battled a destructive wildfire that was driven by strong winds through wine country north of San Francisco and another rural blaze that killed three people. Breezes replaced the powerful gusts that sent the Glass Fire raging through Napa and Sonoma counties Sunday and Monday, scorching more than 56 square miles (146.59 square kilometers). More than 110 buildings have burned, including homes and winery installations. The fire in wine country pushed through brush that had not burned for a century, even though surrounding areas were incinerated in a series of blazes in recent years. As the winds eased Monday evening, firefighters were feeling much more confident, said Ben Nicholls, a division chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire. We dont have those critical burning conditions that we were experiencing those last two nights, he said. The Glass Fire in wine country is one of nearly 30 wildfires burning around California. The National Weather Service warned that hot, dry conditions with strong Santa Ana winds could continue posing a fire danger in Southern California through Tuesday afternoon. In a forested far northern part of the state, more than 1,200 people were evacuated in Shasta County for the Zogg Fire. Three people have died in the fire, Shasta County Sheriff Eric Magrini said Monday. He gave no details but urged people who receive evacuation orders: Do not wait. Numerous studies in recent years have linked bigger wildfires in America to climate change from the burning of coal, oil and gas. Scientists say climate change has made California much drier, meaning trees and other plants are more flammable. Residences are widely scattered in Shasta County, which was torched just two years ago by the deadly Carr Fire infamously remembered for producing a huge tornado-like fire whirl. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility had cut power to more than 100,000 customers in advance of gusty winds and in areas with active fire zones. The utilitys equipment has caused previous disasters, including the 2018 Camp Fire that killed 85 people and devastated the town of Paradise in the Sierra Nevada foothills. By Monday night, the utility said it had restored electricity to essentially all of those customers. However, PG&E said about 24,000 people remained without power in areas affected by two fires in Napa, Sonoma, Shasta and Tehama counties. So far in this years historic fire season, more than 8,100 California wildfires have killed 29 people, scorched 5,780 square miles (14,970 square kilometers) and destroyed more than 7,000 buildings. The Glass Fire began Sunday as three fires merged and drove into vineyards and mountain areas, including part of the city of Santa Rosa. About 70,000 people were under evacuation orders, including the entire 5,000-plus population of Calistoga in Napa County. Some people were injured and Sonoma County sheriffs deputies had to rescue people who ignored evacuation orders, officials said. Sonoma County Supervisor Susan Gorin, who lives in Santa Rosa, said she was stuck in two hours of heavy traffic Monday night to reach safety. Gorins home was damaged in another fire three years ago and she was rebuilding it. She saw three neighboring houses in flames as she fled. Were experienced with that, she said of the fires. Once you lose a house and represent thousands of folks whove lost homes, you become pretty fatalistic that this is a new way of life and, depressingly, a normal way of life, the megafires that are spreading throughout the West. Gorin said it appeared the fire in her area was sparked by embers from the Glass Fire. Ed Yarbrough, a wildfire evacuee from St. Helena in Napa County, watched firefighters douse flames across from his house Monday. I can see in the distance that it looks like its intact, he said but said spot fires were still being doused. So I know were not really out of the woods yet, and the woods can burn, he said. The fires came as the region approaches the anniversary of the 2017 fires, including one that killed 22 people. Just a month ago, many of those same residents were evacuated from the path of a lightning-sparked fire that became the fourth-largest in state history. Our firefighters have not had much of a break, and these residents have not had much of a break, said Daniel Berlant, an assistant deputy director with Cal Fire. Officials did not have an estimate of the number of homes destroyed or burned, but the blaze engulfed the Chateau Boswell Winery in St. Helena and at least one five-star resort. Associated Press reporters Christopher Weber and John Antczak in Los Angeles, Juliet Williams in San Francisco and Haven Daley in Santa Rosa, California, contributed to this report. About the photo: Flames from the Glass Fire consume the Black Rock Inn, late Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in St. Helena, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Armenian soldiers in the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan - Armenian Defence Ministry Nato allies France and Turkey exchanged angry accusations over Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday, where Azerbaijan and Armenian fighters were engaged in a fourth day of fighting in the worst flare-up of violence in decades. Both sides reported shelling along the line of contact separating the ethnic Armenian enclave from Azerbaijan, as fighting that has killed dozens threatened to escalate into full-blown war. Azerbaijan vowed to continue fighting until all Armenian troops withdrew from the disputed territory. "Azerbaijan is resolutely determined to continue the counter-offensive operation until its sovereignty and territorial integrity is fully restored," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement. War in the energy-rich Caucasus could shake oil markets, increase tensions within Nato, and draw in regional powers Turkey and Russia. Moscow maintains good relations with both of the former Soviet republics but has a security treaty with Armenia, while Turkey supports Azerbaijan. Frances President Emmanuel Macron said Turkey's incendiary rhetoric was encouraging Azerbaijan to reconquer the breakaway region. France remains extremely concerned about the warlike messages from Turkey in the past few hours, which amount to giving Azerbaijan the go-ahead for what would be a reconquest of Nagorno-Karabakh, Mr Macron told a news conference in Latvia. However he said he had no proof of direct Turkish involvement in the fighting. At this stage, we have no evidence that would allow us to talk about a regionalisation of the conflict, he added. But Turkeys statements favouring Azerbaijan were inconsiderate and dangerous, he said. In response, Turkeys foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Frances position amounted to supporting Armenias occupation of part of Azerbaijans territory. Mr Cavusoglu said Turkey would "do what is necessary" if Azerbaijan requested military support, echoing earlier remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Story continues Armenia has repeatedly accused Turkey of involvement in the fighting, and on Wednesday shared images showing the wreckage of what it said was an SU-25 warplane shot down by a Turkish jet on Tuesday. Ankara and Azerbaijan denied that a Turkish F-16 had downed an Armenian plane. Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries are also reportedly fighting for Azerbaijan in the conflict, with BBC Arabic reporting that one fighter said at least 10 of his comrades had been killed and dozens wounded. Hundreds of fighters from the Turkish-backed opposition Syrian National Army had travelled to Azerbaijan via Turkey, BBC Arabic reported, drawn by monthly salaries of $2,000. Nearly 100 people have died in the fighting so far, most of whom are ethnic Armenian separatists, officials say, but also 17 civilians on both sides, including women and children. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said Armenian shelling injured civilians in Tartar on Wednesday morning, while Armenia said bombing from an Azerbaijani plane killed three civilians in the city of Martakert. The current clashes in the breakaway territory are some of the worst since the 1990s, when Azerbaijan lost control of the enclave in fighting that killed 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. In 1994, ethnic Armenians declared independence, which has not been recognised internationally. Both sides are resisting international calls for a ceasefire. Mr Macron said he would discuss the conflict in telephone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday evening and with Donald Trump on Thursday. France, Russia and the United States co-chair the Minsk Group of 13 countries which aims to resolve the conflict. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday that peace talks with Azerbaijan under Russian mediation would be inappropriate. "It isn't very appropriate to speak of a summit between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia at a time of intensive hostilities," Mr Pashinyan told Russia's Interfax news agency. Flames are visible from the Zogg fire on Clear Creek Road near Igo, Calif. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press) Another person has died as a result of the fast-moving Zogg fire burning in Shasta County, officials announced Wednesday, raising the blaze's death toll to four. The latest victim, a man who was not identified, was taken to a hospital with significant burns Sunday, Sheriff Eric Magrini said. "He was transported to a hospital, and we received word last night that he succumbed to his injuries," Magrini said during a briefing. "So, again, our condolences go out to that family." Thirty people have now died in the unprecedented firestorms that have pummeled California this year. Half of those victims perished in the North Complex fire, which laid waste to small mountain communities in Butte County northeast of Oroville this month. The Zogg fire has burned more than 55,000 acres and destroyed 147 structures since igniting Sunday afternoon near the community of Igo, about nine miles southwest of Redding. The blaze is now 9% contained. "We expect that containment to increase every day," said Sean Kavanaugh, an incident commander with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "There may be slow increments as we move forward." Reinforcements have also arrived to buttress the battle against the blaze, he said during a briefing. As of Wednesday, 117 engines were on the scene, up from 81; and 23 hand crews, up from about 12. The fire is still threatening more than 1,500 structures, and crews were challenged again Wednesday by hot, dry conditions in the burn area. "Were feeling good about where were sitting, but we still have a lot of work thats going to take place," Kavanaugh said. "Its really going to be weather-dependent, also." The forecast is also top of mind for those assigned to the Glass fire in Northern California's wine country. Story continues Though crews have made progress reporting 2% containment as of Wednesday evening officials warned that winds are expected to pick up again this week, posing a new challenge to those on the front lines. Since igniting early Sunday, the fire has grown to cover more than 51,200 acres. A red flag warning will be in effect for the North Bay mountains and other areas near where the fire is burning from 1 p.m. Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday, with "critically dry and breezy conditions" expected, according to the National Weather Service's San Francisco Bay Area office. Fire officials said they are preparing for the potentially adverse weather and warned residents to stay alert about possible updates regarding evacuations. "Nows the time for our firefighters to buckle down," said Billy See, Cal Fire incident commander. During a Wednesday briefing, See said, "were looking at a very similar wind event" as when "this fire first started moving out three days ago." "Mother Nature is something that we dont try to guess, so were preparing for the worst-case scenario and we're hoping for the best," he said. Santa Rosa Fire Chief Tony Gossner noted that "this wind event is going to be serious enough for everyone to pay attention." "It's very important that we keep all new fire-starts to a minimum so we can concentrate on what weve got going on now," he said. The Glass fire has destroyed 36 and 107 homes in Sonoma and Napa counties, respectively. One commercial building in Sonoma and five in Napa have been razed. In Sonoma County, those numbers will almost certainly rise, said 1st District Supervisor Susan Gorin, who toured her community Tuesday afternoon. A firefighter told Gorin at least one neighborhood was completely wiped out. "There are some significant areas of total devastation up and down the hills and off Highway 12 and Calistoga Road and St. Helena Road," she said. You can clearly see where the homes have been burned. The ash is white. The debris of life a washer, dryer, sometimes patio furniture is still standing. For the most part, you know exactly where there was a home there and a family that loved living there. She took a deep breath, let out a sigh, then concluded: Its been a pretty exhausting morning for me emotionally. Once again the 1st District was impacted by fire. Gorin lost her home to the 2017 Tubbs fire, and her new home is still being rebuilt, she said. In Sonoma County alone, the Glass fire has already caused damage to land and property totaling at least $8 million without accounting for personnel costs, county Emergency Management Director Christopher Godley said Tuesday. The blaze has also taken a toll on some of the region's renowned wineries, which have already had to contend with several recent bad fire seasons as well as the coronavirus outbreak. I cant begin to express my frustration with these continuing wildfires around here, said Vince Tofanelli, owner of the Tofanelli Family Vineyard, a Calistoga winery devastated by the fire. Its very heartbreaking. The fire was still threatening 26,290 structures as of Wednesday evening, according to Cal Fire. Despite the threat, authorities have been able to lift or reduce some evacuation orders in Napa and Sonoma counties, downgrading mandatory evacuations to warnings Tuesday for areas including Summerfield, Spring Lake and parts of the communities of Melita and Calistoga. Evacuation orders remain in place for the hills on both sides of the northern Napa Valley, flanking Calistoga and St. Helena, and parts of the east side of the Silverado Trail. Such directives also remain elsewhere in Calistoga, and authorities ordered residents Tuesday evening to evacuate from an area west of Highway 29, extending to the Sonoma County line and bounded by Diamond Mountain Road and Petrified Forest Road. On Wednesday morning, a new evacuation warning was issued for all areas between Silverado Trail and Highway 29, from Larkmead Lane to Zinfandel Lane, as well as all areas west of Highway 29 from Whitehall Lane to Madrona Avenue. California has been under near-constant siege by wildfires for nearly two months as conflagrations of historic size, intensity and destruction have ignited and spread throughout the state. Five of the six largest fires recorded in California have started since August. Though crews have largely hemmed in three of those massive blazes, two the Creek fire in the Sierra foothills northeast of Fresno, and the August Complex fire burning in and around the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests remained just under 50% contained as of Wednesday. At roughly 949,000 acres, the August Complex is more than twice as large as any fire in the states modern history. The Creek fire, at just over 307,000 acres, is the sixth-largest. This year, more than 8,100 wildfires have burned in excess of 3.8 million acres statewide, according to Cal Fire. The fire season has "broken almost every record there is to break," officials wrote on Twitter, and the state is likely to continue "to see increased wildfire activity." Though many of this year's fires were sparked by a fierce lightning storm, officials are still investigating the causes of others, including the Glass and Zogg fires. KTVU-TV Channel 2, a Bay Area television station, reported that Cal Fire investigators have been canvassing and examining burn patterns at a hillside vineyard near the wine country town of St. Helena. A spokesman for Cal Fire would not comment on its investigation. A spokeswoman for the owner of the vineyard, Cakebread Cellars, told the television station that the winery was "cooperating with and providing information to Cal Fire." Authorities overseeing the response to the Zogg fire urged residents Wednesday not to jump to conclusions or share unverified gossip about how that blaze might have ignited. "This is still an active fire and this is an active investigation, and these investigations take time," Magrini said. "Theres been a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors. Our office has received several reports of a lot of misinformation thats out there. "Please," he added later in the briefing, "do not go to your Facebook pages and listen to what has not been confirmed by any of the officials here today." Times staff writers Sarah Parvini, Hayley Smith and Matthew Ormseth contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. County teen authors Ramadan book EDWARDSVILLE Not many ninth-graders can say they have published a book, but Mariam Quaizar has... Southwestern names honor rolls PIASA Southwestern High School has named high honor and honor rolls for Semester 1. High honor... Hundreds attend pro-life rally in Springfield SPRINGFIELD Riverbend residents and students on Friday joined about 700 people from across the... Chennai: Indian aerospace start-up AgniKul Cosmos has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Alaska Aerospace Corporation to test launch their Indian-made Agnibaan rocket from the Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island in the United States. The company is targeting commercial rocket launches from 2022 onwards. Under this agreement, the Alaska Aerospace and AgniKul will work together to secure several regulatory approvals. They include the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launch licensing, the US export control, and will comply with export laws & regulations in India to receive necessary clearances from the Indian authorities as well. The aim is to define launch vehicle-spaceport interfaces, related procedures and conduct at least one test launch from PSCA. We are thrilled AgniKul has partnered with Alaska Aerospace for high inclination flight testing, said Mark Lester, President and CEO of Alaska Aerospace. Agnikul has established itself as a leading rocket technology company, and we are pleased Alaskas proven launch infrastructure and expertise continue to attract new space launch companies from around the world, he added. Srinath Ravichandran, CEO and Co-founder of AgniKul Cosmos said that this announcement was further evidence of their companys steady progress towards launch. Alaska Aerospace and AgniKul share a vision of providing rapid, agile, and low-cost access to space. This is a great platform for us to demonstrate our 'Made In India, for the world' launch services solution through our mobile vehicle Agnibaan he elaborated. When asked about the reason behind choosing the Alaskan launch port, Srinath said that for certain types of orbits which are preferred by customers, it was preferred to launch from a high latitude location. In some cases, we might have to launch closer from poles and Alaska offers that, when it comes to launches from close to the equator, Sriharikota is an option and we are working with Indias In-space for this, he told WION. When WION asked about the complexities in the logistics of getting a rocket to a foreign land, he said that it would be similar to how flights land in foreign airports. The rocket can be shipped to the destination and at the launch port, well be provided facilities like fuel and tracking and telemetry systems. This enables us to go where the customer is, he said. He also feels that there isnt much of competition n the segment that his company is targeting - payload of up to 100 kg to low Earth orbits up to 700 km. There are quite a lot of players making rockets, but very few in the less than 100kg segment, he said, adding that they were targeting a maiden test launch by end of 2021. By partnering with Alaska Aerospace, AgniKul engineers and staff can focus on the technical complexities of perfecting our rocket Agnibaan's launch operations from different environmental conditions across geographies, said AgniKul Co-founder & COO Moin SPM. "Having access to high latitude launch locations is an important aspect of our strategy for offering customer-centric launch services, and this partnership with Alaska Aerospace is going to be directly helpful, he added. Under the agreement with the Alaska Aerospace Corporation, additional tests and operational launches are also possible. This is said to be an important step in moving the small satellite launch market towards a customer-centric business model as opposed to what it is today a vehicle-centric model. This would mean faster, easier commercial space access, and ultimately will open up space for everyone. AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited is a Chennai-based start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Now Open 30 September 2020 Radisson Hotel Group confirms its commitment to the Baltic market with the opening of a Park Inn by Radisson hotel at Vilnius Airport. With 120 guest rooms, four meeting rooms totaling 400 sq. m., the Italian style Bocca Buona restaurant and bar, a modern gym and parking, the new upper-midscale hotel offers guests the best and most convenient start to their trips. The hotel's contemporary guest rooms were designed featuring a modern, neutral palette of grey and cream colors, and each room is decorated with photographs of Lithuania taken by the well-known photographer Marius Jovaisa. The hotel design was created by Ginte Pamerneckiene according to the latest Radisson Hotel Group design standards. The hotel's Italian restaurant, Bocca Buona, features a live pizza cooking station which celebrates the Italian way of living and creates a warm and lively ambience. The new Park Inn by Radisson hotel can safely accommodate guests and groups up to 300 people in its business centre. The largest meeting room accommodates up to 150 people. The hotel uses the latest protocols as outlined in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene have been implemented. In May, Radisson Hotel Group launched the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol, a program of in-depth cleanliness and disinfection procedures, in tnership with SGS, the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. These new guidelines include hand sanitizing stations at all entrances, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and protective screens, enhanced and recorded cleaning and disinfection frequency, social distancing in all areas of its hotels, including in the Meeting & Event facilities, training in local, Centers for Disease Control, or World Health Organization recommendations and health guidelines, reiteration of food safety standards and comprehensive staff training. A San Antonio meat cutter blames his former employers negligence for causing him to have his legs amputated. Andy Mora, 35, is suing San Antonio-based Merida Foods LLC for more than $1 million in damages. Merida supplies meat to Chachos restaurants. READ ALSO: H-E-B yanks Swoon Mixers from stores, sues maker over name Having to work to feed your family shouldnt cost you both of your legs, said Robert C. Hilliard, one of Moras Corpus Christi lawyers. The level of callousness exhibited by Merida is mind-numbing. A Merida official didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Jerry Lara /Staff photographer Mora, who is diabetic, started at Merida in February 2019. He cut meat and placed it in a tumbler to marinate. He later packaged the meat and placed it in a freezer. He spent the last hour of each shift cleaning the tumbler. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio man sues H-E-B after cashier allegedly whacked him with a cucumber Merida required Mora to wear rubber boots that it provided him. The boots were dirty and unsanitary, his complaint alleges. Even with the boots, his feet would become soaked from the water used to clean the tumbler, according to attorney T. Christopher Pinedo, who also represents Mora. Mora developed a blister because Merida didnt provide the proper foot attire for his job, the suit adds. He complained to his supervisor, who is now deceased, about the boots and their unsanitary condition but nothing was done, Pinedo said. On Sept. 5, 2019, Mora took off his sock to show his supervisor that his left foot had become infected. Four days later, he had surgery to amputate a toe. Mora informed Merida of the toe amputation when he returned to work wearing a brace on his foot. He had to place a plastic bag on the foot because he couldnt put the boot on over the brace, Pinedo said. Jerry Lara /Staff photographer The work environment was such that Mr. Mora developed gangrene in both feet, the suit says. Diabetes is a risk factor for developing gangrene, the Mayo Clinic says on its website. Feb. 6 was Moras last day on the job. Three days later, he had both legs amputated below the knee. Instead of spending $100 on a pair of boots that would have saved Andys legs, or just allowing Mr. Mora to wear his own boots, Merida didnt care, Hilliard said. Now, as a result, they have put Mr. Mora in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox Regarding Moras responsibility to protect the blister from getting infected, Pinedo said theres probably some level of that. But his employer knew he was diabetic, Pinedo added. They knew (he) was susceptible to having issues with regard to (his) feet. They were negligent in not providing him better footwear or giving him a different location to work where he was not subjected to constant fluids getting in the boots and remaining there. Mora, who is unable to work, lives with his father and grandmother, along with six children, on the West Side. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for past and future lost wages, disfigurement, medical expenses and physical pain and impairment. The action was filed last week in state District Court in San Antonio. The San Antonio office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not received a complaint or investigated Moras allegations against Merida, U.S. Department Labor spokeswoman Chauntra Rideaux said. Patrick Danner Patrick Danner covers banking, insurance, business litigation and bankruptcies. To read more from Patrick, become a subscriber. pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD Xiaomi Mi 10T, Mi 10T Pro and Mi 10T Lite have officially launched as the companys latest flagship and mid-range smartphones under the Mi 10T series that succeeds the Mi 9T lineup from 2019 Xiaomi Mi 10T, Mi 10T Pro and Mi 10T Lite have officially launched as the companys latest flagship and mid-range smartphones under the Mi 10T series that succeeds the Mi 9T lineup from 2019. The Mi 10T series is also rumoured to launch in India sometime in October. Xiaomi also announced the Mi Watch that was recently launched in India as the Mi Watch Revolve alongside a 65W fast charger. Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro have a lot in common including a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 144Hz high refresh rate display and a large capacity battery that supports fast charging out-of-the-box. The Mi 10T Lite, on the other hand, is the worlds first phone to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor that was announced last week. Lets take a look at the price, specifications and features of the Mi 10T series. Xiaomi Mi 10T, Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T Lite pricing Xiaomi Mi 10T is priced starting at Euro 499 for the base variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage and Euro 549 for the 8GB RAM variant. The Mi 10T Pro starts at Euro 599 for the base 8GB+128GB variant and Euro 649 for the 8GB+256GB variant. The Mi 10T Lite is priced at Euro 279 for the base variant with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage and Euro 329 for the 6GB+128GB storage variant. Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro specifications Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro feature a 6.67-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution display with a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera up front. The screen supports 144Hz high refresh rate and is HDR10+ certified as well. The display is also topped by a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 as is the back panel. The phone is made using an aluminium frame and measures 9.3 millimetres in thickness. The Mi 10T weighs 216 grams while the Mi 10T Pro weighs 218 grams. The Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 650 GPU. This is paired with upto 8GB RAM and upto 256GB storage options to choose from. The phones run on MIUI 12 based on Android 10, out-of-the-box. Both the Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro come with a triple camera setup but the primary camera on the Mi 10T uses a 64MP sensor while the Mi 10T Pro uses a 108MP primary camera. There is a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera with 123-degree field-of-view and a 5MP depth sensor on the Mi 10T and 10T Pro. The rear cameras are capable of recording 8K UHD videos at 30FPS and 4K UHD at upto 60FPS. On the front, there is a 20MP selfie camera housed within the punch-hole cutout. The Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro have a side-mounted fingerprint reader and the phones come equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging out-of-the-box. Xiaomi claims that the phone can go from 0-100% in 59 minutes. Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite specifications The Mi 10T Lite is a mid-range phone in the lineup and the worlds first phone to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor. The Mi 10T Lite features a 6.67-inch display with a Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution and a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The screen supports a 120Hz high refresh rate and supports AdaptiveSync that optimizes the refresh rate of the phone automatically between 30Hz to 120Hz. The display is also topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5. The Mi 10T Lite measures 9 millimetres in thickness and weighs 214 grams. The Mi 10T Lite is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 650 GPU. This is paired with upto 6GB RAM and 128GB storage options to choose from. Like the other two phones in the series, the Mi 10T Lite also runs on MIUI 12. The phone has a quad-camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 64MP camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera with 120-degree field-of-view, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The rear cameras can record in 4K UHD at 30FPS and 960FPS slow-motion videos. Theres a 16MP selfie camera housed within the punch-hole cutout. Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite comes equipped with a 4,820mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging out-of-the-box. A Royal Canadian Airforce helicopter was battered by a polar bear earlier this month. In a post to social media, the air force says a CH-149 Cormorant crew with a transport and rescue squadron parked its helicopter on Sept. 16 at the Saglek, Newfoundland and Labrador, airfield after poor weather prevented them from landing at their preferred location. Sometime overnight, a curious polar bear came by to investigate the helicopter, causing some superficial damage as it pushed on a side door, popped out an emergency exit window and removed a small cover panel on the nose, the air force said. The polar bear did not gain access to the helicopter and there were no crew members in the area at the time. After an inspection, repairs were completed and the crew resumed flights on their planned two-week mountain flying search and rescue exercise. By Associated Press ARLINGTON (US): Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was buried Tuesday in a private ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, laid to rest beside her husband and near some of her former colleagues on the court. Washington last week honoured the 87-year-old Ginsburg, who died Sept. 18, with two days where the public could view her casket at the top of the Supreme Court's steps and pay their respects. On Friday, the women's rights trailblazer and second woman to join the high court lay in state at the US Capitol, the first woman to do so. Already the capital is looking ahead to confirmation hearings expected to begin Oct. 12 for Amy Coney Barrett, whom President Donald Trump announced Saturday as his nominee for Ginsburg's seat. Barrett was meeting with senators on Tuesday. Arlington, just over the Potomac River from Washington, is best known as the resting place of approximately 400,000 service members, veterans and family members. But Ginsburg is the 14th justice to be buried at the cemetery. Ginsburgs husband Martin Ginsburg was buried at Arlington in 2010 following his death from cancer. He had served in the Army as an artillery school instructor at Fort Sill in Oklahoma when the couple were newlyweds. The couple was married for 56 years and had two children. The justice had kept the framed, folded flag from her husbands casket in her office at the court. While the cemetery is known for its rows of white headstones, the section where the Ginsburgs are buried, called Section 5, is an older section of the cemetery where markers chosen by families are allowed, and their headstone is black, with a Star of David at the top. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said in a statement that according to the justice's family, Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt who spoke at ceremonies last week for the justice at the Supreme Court and the US Capitol officiated at Tuesday's burial and offered traditional Jewish prayers. There were no formal remarks. Family, close friends, justices, and Ginsburg's staff attended, Arberg said. Ginsburg was an opera lover, and the ceremony concluded with recordings of two arias by Giacomo Puccini sung by Leontyne Price. Ginsburg's gravesite is just below the final resting place of former President John F. Kennedy. The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are in the distance. Nine other justices are buried in that section, including three that Ginsburg served with. Other justices buried at the cemetery include President William Howard Taft, who served as chief justice after he was president, and Thurgood Marshall, the civil rights champion who argued the landmark Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation case and became the courts first black justice when he joined the bench in 1967. Harry Blackmun, the author of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision establishing a womans right to an abortion, is buried next to Marshall in Section 5. The last justice to be buried at the cemetery was retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who died in 2019 at the age of 99. In addition to Stevens, the other justices Ginsburg served with who are buried at the cemetery are Blackmun and Chief Justice William Rehnquist. A more recent publication of this set of statistics is available. Latest publication: Energy supply and consumption 2021, 3rd quarter Published: 30 September 2020 Energy consumption in transport decreased during the corona spring According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, total energy consumption in January to June amounted to 628 petajoule (PJ), which was ten per cent less than in the corresponding period last year. Electricity consumption amounted to 41.6 terawatt hours (TWh), or seven per cent less than one year earlier. Carbon dioxide emissions from the energy use of fuels declined by 15 per cent year-on-year. Total energy consumption *preliminary The effect of the coronavirus epidemic was visible in the consumption of oil and particularly of liquid transport fuels in the second quarter. The consumption of motor gasoline and diesel diminished by 35 and 25 per cent compared to one year ago. The consumption of jet fuel used in international air transport decreased by 90 per cent. In January to June, the consumption of oil was in total 13 per cent less than one year earlier. Of other fossil fuels, the consumption of hard coal decreased by 26 per cent and the consumption of natural gas by 13 per cent in the first half of the year. The accelerating decrease in the consumption of coal has been affected by the ban on the use of coal for energy, which will enter into force in 2029. The consumption of peat was 22 per cent lower than one year ago. In January to June, total electricity consumption fell by per cent from the previous year. In addition to the warm weather, the fall in electricity consumption was affected by lower consumption of electricity in manufacturing. The significant growth in the generation of renewable electricity dependent on weather conditions in the early part of the year evened out in the second quarter. In January to June, production of hydro power and wind power increased by 24 per cent from the year before. As a result of the grown production of domestic hydro and wind power, less electricity was imported than in the year before. Net imports of electricity declined by 26 per cent from the previous year. In January to June, diverse energy products were imported into Finland to the value of EUR 3.4 billion, which was 36 per cent less than one year earlier. Most energy products were imported from Russia, whose share of the value of imports was 55 per cent. Exports of energy products from Finland amounted to EUR 3.8 billion. The value of exports decreased by 22 per cent from the corresponding quarter of the year before. Most energy products were exported to OECD countries, which accounted for 75 per cent of the value of exports. Total energy consumption by source (TJ) and CO2 emissions (Mt) Energy source I-II/2020* Annual change-%* Percentage share of total energy consumption* Oil 1) 131,149 -13 21 Coal 2) 39,599 -26 6 Natural gas 3) 35,500 -13 6 Nuclear energy 4) 124,373 1 20 Net imports of electricity 5) 25,691 -26 4 Hydro power 5) 29,784 24 5 Wind power 5) 14,268 24 2 Peat 25,834 -22 4 Wood fuels 166,187 -14 27 Others 6) 34,882 -5 6 TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION 627,537 -10 100 Bunkers 13,842 -43 . CO2 emissions from energy sector 17 -15 . * = Preliminary data. = Category not applicable1) Oil: includes the bio part of transport fuels.2) Coal: includes hard coal, coke, blast furnace gas and coke oven gas.3) The consumption of natural gas does not include raw material use.4) Conversion of electricity generation into fuel units: Nuclear power: 10.91 TJ/GWh (33% total efficiency)5) Conversion of electricity generation into fuel units: Hydro power, wind power and net imports of electricity: 3.6 TJ/GWh (100%)6) Others: includes exothermic heat from industry, recovered fuels, heat pumps, hydrogen, biogas, other bioenergy and solar energy. Source: Statistics Finland, Energy supply and consumption Inquiries: Aleksi Sandberg 029 551 3326, Mari Yla-Jarkko , energia@stat.fi Publication in pdf-format (261.6 kB) Updated 30.9.2020 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Energy supply and consumption [e-publication]. ISSN=1799-7976. 2nd quarter 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 22.1.2022]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ehk/2020/02/ehk_2020_02_2020-09-30_tie_001_en.html West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of reopening schools anytime soon, saying her government will take a callon the issue only after mid-November. In an administrative review meeting in North Bengal, Banerjee said a decision in this regard will be taken after Kali puja on November 14. All schools have been shut in Bengal since March 16,following the outbreak of COVID-19. "Any decision on reopening of schools will be taken after Kali puja," the CM said. Earlier, state education minister Partha Chatterjee had said that Bengal would wait for the pandemic to slow downas it was not in favour of "exposing its students to health risks" by resuming classes in schools. At the meeting, Banerjee also announced that 50 acres in north Bengal has been allotted to Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University for its second campus. "Work for the second campus will start soon," shesaid. The south gate of Gyondong Island's fort, May 2020. Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff In the late hours of September 20, 1875, the Japanese warship Un'yo anchored off Yeongjong Island (where Incheon International Airport is located). It was on the "castle" (Yeongjong fort) that Captain Inoue intended to exact revenge for the "perfectly unprovoked assault" on his crew by the Koreans the previous day. From what they gathered, the fortress was a short distance from the main landmass and had four gates north, south, east and west. Outside the western gate was a small bridge they identified as "Bansei [and] the road over it leads to the mainland." Captain Inoue and his officers decided the best place to attack would be near the east gate and at dawn. Kawamura Kwanshu, one of the Un'yo's officers, described the attack in dramatic and vivid detail. Just before daybreak, 32 Japanese (10 marines, 19 sailors and three officers) landed near the east gate of the fortress. Almost immediately, the "white-coated" Korean defenders began firing their antiquated matchlocks (kill-range of about 50 meters) and shooting arrows through the fortress's loopholes. A French map of the region to the south of Ganghwa Island, circa 1866. Ernst Oppert, "A Forbidden Land: Voyages to the Corea" One sailor was struck and wounded by a matchlock ball while another was shot in the groin by an arrow. They both survived but the suddenness of the attack seems to have shaken the Japanese. Adding to this, trumpeting could be heard from within the fort and, Kawamura candidly admits, Captain Inoue and his men became somewhat "anxious" as to what the Koreans were doing. Undaunted, some of the Japanese pushed on, climbed over the wall and then opened the gate, allowing their fellow marines to rush into the fortress. A small group of sailors went to the south gate and set fire to the houses around it. Sporadically, the Un'yo fired its deck guns (6.3 inch and 5.5 inch), causing even more chaos among the Korean defenders. The Koreans, believing the superior-armed Japanese force was much larger than it actually was, sought to escape through the western gate but, unknown to them, six Japanese sailors had taken up position just outside the gate and shot anyone trying to pass through it. The south gate of Gyondong Island fort, May 2020. Robert Neff Collection The Korean soldiers including the officers "clambered down the steep bank on the south-eastern side, and in hopes of escaping to the opposite island they stripped off their clothes and plunged into the sea." Unfortunately, the tide was high and too deep to wade across. Many of them hesitated and the Japanese fired on them without mercy 24 Koreans were killed on the rocks and many more drowned trying to swim to safety. Only six or seven were seen making it safely ashore on the distant island. Somehow, Yi Min-dok, the commander of the military district, managed to escape but other officials did not fare so well. A drowned Korean was fished from the water, "the sleeves of his coat were red and the back of it was brown," so they assumed he was one of the generals. The fortress was plundered and among the items of value were 36 bronze cannons and a drum nearly six feet in diameter. According to Kawamura's notes: "In addition to this there were four drums three feet in diameter. Their trumpets were very like toy trumpets used by children in Japan. Their bows also were very like the Japanese. Their arrows were exactly like those in Japan. The swords were numerous, but they must have been bought in Japan. The guns were all matchlocks. Among the booty was a French book on gunnery translated into Chinese." The Japanese fleet at Fusan (modern Busan) in February 1876. Wikipedia image Several Koreans (one source claims 16 while Kawamura states a dozen including three officers) were captured including one soldier with a journal giving the garrison's normal strength as being 250 men and were forced (much to their displeasure) to carry the plunder to the boats that subsequently transported it to the Un'yo. The Japanese flag was also raised over the fortress a challenge to the Koreans to come and reclaim the island. The challenge went unanswered. "We were all greatly disappointed," Kawamura smugly declared. The following day, the Un'yo weighed anchored and returned to Japan the smoking ruins of Yeongjong an example of how the Japanese government would react to unprovoked attacks on its ships or emissaries. Did Korea provoke the Japanese or did the Japanese provoke Korea? Japanese soldiers and their Gatling guns at the negotiations for the Japan-Korean Amity Treaty of 1876. Wikipedia image In his book, "The Japanese Seizure of Korea," Hilary Conroy noted that the dispatch of three warship including the Un'yo under the pretense of surveying the coast was part of a secret plan by "only a very few" members of the Japanese Foreign Office to exert power on the Joseon government. On February 6, 1876, a fleet of two Japanese warships and three transports painted black and reminiscent of Commodore Matthew Perry's opening of Japan to the United States in the mid-1850s and a steamship with the Japanese envoy anchored near Ganghwa Island. They had arrived to "make a treaty or war." On March 22, 1876, Japan and the Joseon government ratified the Treaty of Amity it is no surprise that many Koreans prefer to call it the Treaty of Ganghwa Island. Note: Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be any photographs of the Yeongjong Fortress, so I have decided to illustrate the article with a few images of the reconstructed south gate of the fort on Gyodong Island An image published in the Japan Punch celebrating the ratification of the treaty between Japan and Korea in March 1876. Robert Neff Collection The new UCF co-developed algorithm can accurately identify COVID-19 cases, as well as distinguish them from influenza. UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA AI Can Detect COVID-19 in the Lungs Like a Virtual Physician, New Study Shows The new UCF co-developed algorithm can accurately identify COVID-19 cases, as well as distinguish them from influenza. ORLANDO, Sept. 30, 2020 - A University of Central Florida researcher is part of a new study showing that artificial intelligence can be nearly as accurate as a physician in diagnosing COVID-19 in the lungs. The study, recently published in Nature Communications, shows the new technique can also overcome some of the challenges of current testing. Researchers demonstrated that an AI algorithm could be trained to classify COVID-19 pneumonia in computed tomography (CT) scans with up to 90 percent accuracy, as well as correctly identify positive cases 84 percent of the time and negative cases 93 percent of the time. CT scans offer a deeper insight into COVID-19 diagnosis and progression as compared to the often-used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR, tests. These tests have high false negative rates, delays in processing and other challenges. Another benefit to CT scans is that they can detect COVID-19 in people without symptoms, in those who have early symptoms, during the height of the disease and after symptoms resolve. However, CT is not always recommended as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19 because the disease often looks similar to influenza-associated pneumonias on the scans. The new UCF co-developed algorithm can overcome this problem by accurately identifying COVID-19 cases, as well as distinguishing them from influenza, thus serving as a great potential aid for physicians, says Ulas Bagci, an assistant professor in UCF's Department of Computer Science. Bagci was a co-author of the study and helped lead the research. "We demonstrated that a deep learning-based AI approach can serve as a standardized and objective tool to assist healthcare systems as well as patients," Bagci says. "It can be used as a complementary test tool in very specific limited populations, and it can be used rapidly and at large scale in the unfortunate event of a recurrent outbreak." Bagci is an expert in developing AI to assist physicians, including using it to detect pancreatic and lung cancers in CT scans. He also has two large, National Institutes of Health grants exploring these topics, including $2.5 million for using deep learning to examine pancreatic cystic tumors and more than $2 million to study the use of artificial intelligence for lung cancer screening and diagnosis. To perform the study, the researchers trained a computer algorithm to recognize COVID-19 in lung CT scans of 1,280 multinational patients from China, Japan and Italy. Then they tested the algorithm on CT scans of 1,337 patients with lung diseases ranging from COVID-19 to cancer and non-COVID pneumonia. When they compared the computer's diagnoses with ones confirmed by physicians, they found that the algorithm was extremely proficient in accurately diagnosing COVID-19 pneumonia in the lungs and distinguishing it from other diseases, especially when examining CT scans in the early stages of disease progression. "We showed that robust AI models can achieve up to 90 percent accuracy in independent test populations, maintain high specificity in non-COVID-19 related pneumonias, and demonstrate sufficient generalizability to unseen patient populations and centers," Bagci says. The UCF researcher is a longtime collaborator with study co-authors Baris Turkbey and Bradford J. Wood. Turkbey is an associate research physician at the NIH's National Cancer Institute Molecular Imaging Branch, and Wood is the director of NIH's Center for Interventional Oncology and chief of interventional radiology with NIH's Clinical Center. This research was supported with funds from the NIH Center for Interventional Oncology and the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, intramural NIH grants, the NIH Intramural Targeted Anti-COVID-19 program, the National Cancer Institute and NIH. Study co-authors also included first author Stephanie A. Harmon with the NIH Molecular Imaging Branch, National Cancer Institute and the Clinical Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research; Thomas H. Sanford and Dominic Labella with the State University of New York-Upstate Medical Center; Sheng Xu, Victoria Anderson, Amel Amalou, Maxime Blain, Michael Kassin, and Dilara Long with the Center for Interventional Oncology, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, NIH Clinical Center and NIH National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research; Evrim B. Turkbey, Dima Hammoud, Ashkan Malayeri, Elizabeth Jones, and Ronald M. Summers with NIH Clinical Center Radiology and Imaging Sciences; Holger Roth, Ziyue Xu Dong Yang, Andriy Myronenko, Daguang Xu, and Mona Flores with the NVIDIA Corporation; Nicole Varble with the Center for Interventional Oncology, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, NIH Clinical Center and NIH National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research and Philips Research North America; Stephanie M. Walker and Peter L. Choyke with the NIH Molecular Imaging Branch, National Cancer Institute; Anna Maria Ierardi, Elvira Stellato, and Guido Giovanni Plensich with the Department of Radiology Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, in Milan; Giuseppe Franceschelli with the Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Service, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, San Paolo Hospital in Milan; Cristiano Girlando and Giovanni Irmici with the Postgraduation School in Radiodiagnostics, Universita Degli Studi di Milano; Kaku Tamura, Hirofumi Obinata, and Hitoshi Mori with the Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital in Tokyo; Francesca Patella and Maurizio Cariati with the Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Service, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, San Paolo Hospital in Milan; Gianpaolo Carrafiello with the Department of Radiology Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano and Department of Health Sciences, University of Milano in Milan; and Peng An with the Department of Radiology, Xiangyang NO.1 People's Hospital Affiliated to Hubei University of Medicine Xiangyang in Hubei, China. Bagci received his doctorate in computer science from the University of Nottingham in England and joined UCF's Department of Computer Science, part of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, in 2015. He is the Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) chair in UCF's Department of Computer Science and a faculty member of UCF's Center for Research in Computer Vision. SAIC is a Virginia-based government support and services company. CONTACT: Robert H. Wells, Office of Research, robert.wells@ucf.edu ### Anarchism is having a momentor at least the word is. President Donald Trump spent much of the summer blaming violence at protests around the country on radical-left anarchists. His election rival, Joe Biden, has made clear that while he supports peaceful protests, he strongly opposes anarchists as well. Some of Trumps critics have suggested that with his disregard for the norms and institutions of American politics, hes the real anarchist. The A-word got its most dubious usage in September when Trump released a directive to federal agencies instructing them to find ways to withhold funding for designated anarchist jurisdictions like the cities of Portland, Oregon; Seattle; and New York. The memo blamed Democratic city governments for allowing anarchy, violence, and destruction in Americas cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The designation was immediately met with scorn and ridiculethe three cities are among the safest in the nation, for one thing. But perhaps because of recent state failures, there is something of an anarchist spirit in the air. Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. In response to the pandemic, mutual aid groupsa term originated by the Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkintook off in cities throughout the world to deliver services to those in need. Activists in Seattle maintained a police-free autonomous zone for several weeks. Leaderless protest movements are on the rise, while once-radical ideas for limiting the states power, like defunding police forces and abolishing prisons, are gaining mainstream acceptance. To discuss what anarchism really means, I spoke with James C. Scott, a professor of political science and anthropology at Yale. Scott has applied an anarchist squint to politics and the study of peasant and nomadic societies in books like the classic Seeing Like a State and his recent critical history of agriculture, Against the Grain. In his 2014 book Two Cheers for Anarchism, he makes the case for an anarchist approach to both political activism and everyday life. We discussed the recent protests, how anarchism got such a bad name, and whether anarchism could ever get a Bernie Sandersstyle rebranding. This conversation has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joshua Keating: When you look at the leaderless anti-racist protest movements weve seen in recent months, or the autonomous zones that have appeared in a couple of cities, do you see those as examples of anarchist practice? James Scott: Yes. I think when Trump talks about antifa [the commonly used shorthand for anti-fascist activists], he imagines, I suppose, a kind of organization that is plotting and then directing from some command structure, telling its minions to go out and do this or that. Advertisement Advertisement It seems to me that when you look at almost all of modernand I mean modern going back to the French Revolutionprogressive movements, social uprisings, almost all of them begin as grassroots phenomena without any leadership, or a leadership that grows organically from the streets. Advertisement By and large, its not organizations that start movements. Its movements that, by their activity and growth, then precipitate out, if you like. Organizations then carry a legislative or an actual program forward, but the organizations are the product of an eruption of anger. That was true for the civil rights movement with [the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee]. It was true for all the wildcat strikes during the New Deal as well. It wasnt unions that created those strikesthey erupted against union instructions by and large. Advertisement Advertisement Why do you think theres this persistent use of anarchist as an epithet? I suppose its two things. One of them, of course, is that its not as if there wasnt, historically, a section of anarchism did believe in violence. The anarchists of the deed had this idea that if you bombed train stations and prime ministers and parliaments and command structures of the military and so on, you could destroy the state. So its not as if it there isnt a grain of truth about the history of anarchism deploying violence in a strategic way. But today it has just become a synonym for violence and chaos and the absence of order. Its a product, if you like, of a kind of a capitalist mindset, especially when it comes to the destruction of property. Advertisement Advertisement How did your interest in anarchism first develop? In most peoples mouths its just a synonym for chaos and violence. James Scott In two stages, I suppose. I used to teach courses on theories of peasant revolution. And there was a time when I worshipped at the altar of Ho Chi Minh and Mao and Sekou Toure and so on. And it dawned on me, of course, by looking more closely at them, and actually then reading a tremendous amount about the French Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution, that most revolutions ended up installing a state that was more oppressive than the state that they had destroyed. So, that was bracing. Advertisement Advertisement Then, when I was teaching courses on social change, I found myself saying things, which, in the back of my head, I thought, Hmm, that sounds like what an anarchist would say. And it happened enough times that I decided, well, I better make sure. I better teach a couple of courses on anarchism and read all the classics. And so thats how I came to make a deeper dive, if you like, into the arguments against the state for anarchism. Advertisement But, as you know, the reason my book is called Two Cheers is because there are aspects of anarchism that I dont agree with. So you wouldnt describe yourself as an anarchist? No, you could say Im a sympathizer. The problem is that while in most peoples mouths its just a synonym for chaos and violence, in fact, etymologically, it just means a kind of order without hierarchy. It seems to me that describes many of the most progressive and important structures of social protests historically. In your book, you write a lot about figures like Martin Luther King and Jane Jacobs as examples of anarchist practice, even though people wouldnt normally identify themand they wouldnt identify themselvesas anarchists. Are there more traditional anarchist movements we can learn from? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The formal organization is a product of an improvised explosion of anger. James Scott Of course, during the Spanish Civil War, the Republican side was identifiably, in large parts, an anarchist movement emphasizing local autonomy and so on. The only postwar example that I think is extremely important is the Solidarity movement in Poland [in the 1980s]. It never had a centralized leadership. It depended on both rural and urban and labor and the middle class coming together voluntarily. And because of the widespread hatred for martial law under [President Wojciech] Jaruzelski, it was a tremendous success. That was a successful, peaceful, and anarchist revolution in the full meaning of the term. Advertisement Advertisement Can you explain what you mean by the anarchist squint? The point of the anarchist squint is to show how much social action actually depends on this heterogeneous coming together of people whose anger has many of the same targets. This action depends on popular improvisation by a large number of people who dont have the same objectives in mind, nor a formal means of agreeing on exactly what to do. Advertisement I think, for example, of things like desertions from Napoleons army, or by poor white soldiers from the Confederate forces during the Civil Warpeople defected as whole units. The same is true for squatting. Squatters dont announce their objectives. They just squat and then maybe move out when theyre threatened and then move back again. Advertisement The Black Lives Matter movement now has spokesmen we can listen to on the cable news. But Black Lives Matter was precipitated out of Black anger on the streets over time. And the formal organization is a product of an improvised explosion of anger. Over the years youve been teaching these topics, have you noticed an increasing interest in anarchism? Advertisement I havent taught formal anarchism for some time, but when I taught the course, I was astounded by the number of people who turned up. I used to say during those three years during which I taught courses on anarchism, if you dropped a bomb on my class, you would have destroyed the Yale undergraduate left. And now I think its actually partly because people are particularly concerned about the technology for state control through the use of personal information. I think we know a fair amount about how far this is going in China, with facial recognition technology and so on, in the Uighur areas. So people are paying attention, if you like, to Leviathan. Advertisement And now it seems to me that the kind of control that the state has at its command is far more granular and microtargeted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is there a way to rehabilitate anarchism for the general public? I guess one reason why you called me is the way in which anarchism has just become an insult to hurl, and its actually quite effective. Its not as if I imagine Im going to take the rest of the American public to a little seminar for three hours and convince them that anarchism isnt such a bad thing, even if theres more of an appetite now. Its a little like the process by which Eastern European command economies gave socialism a bad name, and then it became an insult. In fact, much of what the public would like to have happen in public life, in terms of legislation and security and so on, has historically gone under the name of socialism. And yet when you call it socialism, it implies that thought control and a command economy and everybody telling you what to do. Whereas capitalism still has a relatively good name, to the point where Elizabeth Warren calls herself a capitalist. Well, that raises the question. Theres been a rehabilitation of socialisms brand in American politics lately, thanks to Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others. Could there ever be a Democratic Anarchists of America? [Laughs] There could be, but as you appreciate, democratic socialism is not a contradiction in terms. A formal organization called the Democratic Anarchists of America is at the edge of being self-contradictory: The president of the Anarchist Association and the board of trustees of the Anarchist Association of Americait somehow doesnt sound right. Its better as a practice than as a label. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 15:14:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close More than 100 high-speed train attendants, police officers and firefighters on Monday celebrated the upcoming National Day holiday in front of a railway station in Wuhan, the central Chinese city which was hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic. This year's National Day holiday travel rush began too. About 108 million passenger trips by trains are expected to be made from September 28 to October 8. China's National Day falls on October 1. It coincides with the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year. Late Sushant Singh Rajput's father K K Singh met Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna, today, September 30. The meeting agenda is unclear but according to some reports, K K Singh went to CM Kumar's residence to thank him for initiating CBI investigation of Sushant's death and ensuring justice. Bihar: Father of #SushantSinghRajput, KK Singh meets Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna. pic.twitter.com/9vDOErUhQb ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2020 In late July, K K Singh had filed an FIR with the Bihar Police, alleging Rhea Chakraborty, her family and two others of abetment to suicide, theft, fraud and other charges in connection with Sushant's death. Singh had earlier met the CM in August, requesting him to order a CBI probe into the death case. Sushant's death is currently being probed by three agencies: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Rhea, her brother Showik and a few others were arrested by the NCB in connection with a drugs case that emerged from Sushant's death case. The two are in judicial custody till October 6. For the unversed, the actor was found dead in his Mumbai apartment on June 14. According to the latest developments in his case, AIIMS submitted a report to the CBI which stated that they did not find any traces of organic or inorganic poison in Sushant's body. Recently, K K Singh's lawyer, Vikas Singh to express frustration over the delay by the CBI to convert the abetment of suicide case to a murder case. He claimed that an AIIMS doctor had told him that Sushant had died by strangulation. However, the panel chief of AIIMS forensic team dismissed these claims and stated that no opinion can be made based on marks. ALSO READ: Sushant's Family Lawyer's Claims On Actor's Death By Strangulation Dismissed By AIIMS Panel Chief ALSO READ: Sushant's Family Lawyer Is Frustrated With CBI, Alleges Actor Died By Strangulation And Not Suicide Secretary Pompeos visit demonstrated that the US recognises Greece as a pillar of stability in the wider region and so does the EU, stressed Alternate Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis during an interview to Bloomberg and the European Close show, broadcast live on Tuesday afternoon. In response to questions by journalists Guy Johnson and Alix Steel, Mr Varvitsiotis referred to the US Secretary of State's visit to Thessaloniki and Crete, stating that Greece is a traditional and firm ally of the United States. He stressed that there is a clear message to Turkey: that its behaviour will not be tolerated by the international community, and that neither the US nor the EU intend to permit Turkey to act outside the rules of International Law. He added that the international community has come to understand that it is not Greece causing tensions, but Turkey that wants to change the status quo, disregarding International Law. He further noted that Greece is seeking dialogue without the presence of military means and with respect on the part of Turkey for the rules of international law. Asked about the upcoming EU Summit, Mr Varvitsiotis noted that the European Union is prepared to present Ankara with two options. One is the path of cooperation. The other is the path Turkey has been following to date, the path of distancing itself from European values and at the end of this path lie sanctions. The EUs message to Turkey is that there will be zero tolerance for any actions undermining stability and security in the region, he stressed. In response to a relevant question, the Alternate Minister made it clear that Greece will not accept demilitarisation of our islands while under threat. Finally, asked about defence cooperation between the US and Greece, he underlined the importance of the base in Souda for the security of the broader region of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Member of Parliament for the Ablekuma West Constituency, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, on Monday arrived to a rousing welcome in the capital of the Upper East Region, Bolgatanga as she began a four (4) day visit. The four days tour to the region forms part of an intensive commencement of campaign duties by the NPP to secure another victory in the December 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections. The Minister for Communications was welcomed by the Regional Women's Wing, supporters and sympathizers of the party who proceeded on their motorbikes to usher her into the Bolgatanga Municipality. Mrs. Ekufuls entry into Bolgatanga was followed by a procession through the principal streets which took close to two hours to complete, as young and old rushed to catch a glimpse with hundreds of standers also waving and cheering. Speaking to the gathering crowd, Mrs. Ekuful expressed her appreciation and commended the people for their unflinching and overwhelming support to the NPP and urged them to remain steadfast in the party's quest to win more parliamentary seats and increase the electoral fortunes in the region. She tasked the youth to help spread the NPPs message and ensure that the NPP emerges victorious come December 7th as the NPP had more and better plans and policies to ensure a bright future for Ghana's youth. Whilst in the Upper East Region, Mrs. Owusu Ekuful will visit the Garu, Tempane, Bawku Central, Zebilla,Pusiga, Binduri and Navrongo Central Constituencies. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video JERUSALEM - For the last four months, Ahmed al-Kurdi, his wife and three children have been stranded in Jordan, where they travelled from their home in the Gaza Strip for life-saving medical treatment for his 2-year-old daughter. At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has led to border closures and travel restrictions, they find themselves stuck, not because of quarantine measures, but because of a dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. They need an Israeli permit to return to Gaza through the occupied West Bank and Israel, which would normally be facilitated by the PAs civil affairs division. But the Palestinians officially cut off all ties with Israel in May to protest its plans to annex parts of the West Bank, making it even more complicated to get permission to travel. The Palestinians had hoped to pressure Israel by forcing it to assume more of the burden of its half-century occupation of the territory. Instead, the decision has mainly hurt ordinary Palestinians, underscoring the control Israel exerts over nearly every facet of their lives. Al-Kurd and his wife, who left Gaza with their children last December, have been on unpaid leave, relying on relatives to pay rent and support them in Amman, Jordans capital, where prices are much higher than in Gaza. They are among dozens of families who left Gaza for health or other reasons and cannot return. They applied for a permit through the Palestinian Embassy in Amman but were told it is no longer in contact with Israel. Its very hard, not just for us but for the other Gazans in Jordan who want to go back and cant, he said. This is a humanitarian situation. The political situation shouldnt enter into it. Gaza has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power from Palestinian security forces in 2007. Israel, which considers Hamas a terrorist group, allows Gazans to travel for humanitarian reasons, but requires them to co-ordinate requests through the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank. Gisha, an Israeli group that advocates for Palestinian freedom of movement, has been able to help some families obtain permits outside the normal channels. But it says Israel is ultimately responsible for allowing Gazans to return home. Israels ongoing control over Gaza comes with legal obligations to uphold the rights of Gaza residents, including to freedom of movement, it said in a statement. Returning to ones home is a fundamental human right that cannot be withheld using procedural excuses. The Israeli military body that oversees Palestinian civilian affairs, known as COGAT, said that under past agreements the PA must submit requests for residents to enter Israel through the established channels. COGAT said it is prepared to process such requests but has not received any from the PA since it cut off contact. COGAT is constantly working, together with the appropriate offices despite the suspension of co-ordination by the Civil Committee, and despite the outbreak of the coronavirus to provide the best possible response to the various humanitarian needs of the Gaza Strip residents, it said in a statement. In theory, Palestinians have the option of bypassing Israel altogether and entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. But Egypt only opens the crossing sporadically, and getting there requires flying to Cairo and then travelling overland across the northern Sinai Peninsula, where Egyptian troops are battling insurgents from an Islamic State affiliate. The al-Kurdi family departed through Rafah after several delays in getting an exit permit from Israel, which was ultimately granted. But that was late last year, before the pandemic. My daughters condition does not allow us to travel by way of Rafah. You have to take a car from Cairo and it can take 11 hours with all the checkpoints, al-Kurdi said. My daughter is immunocompromised. The decision to cut ties with Israel has affected ordinary Palestinians in other ways. The dispute has halted the transfer of tax and customs duties Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, forcing it to slash the salaries of civil servants. The boycott has also affected the registration of Palestinian births, leaving more than 30,000 babies essentially stateless. Under agreements reached in the 1990s, during the now-moribund peace process, the Palestinian Authority issues birth certificates and passports. But these must be registered with Israel, which controls all access to the West Bank. The unregistered babies are therefore unable to travel. Palestinian Deputy Interior Minister Yousef Harb says more than 33,000 babies have been born in the West Bank since the Palestinians cut ties on May 19, and at least six families have been unable to travel abroad for work because they cant bring their babies with them. The entire world recognizes the documents issued by PA, except for Israel, he said. Palestinian officials say they have reached out to international organizations to facilitate travel but that Israel insists on direct co-ordination. Why on earth should we give our citizen records to Israel? The entire world recognizes us, why dont they? said Ahmad Majdalani, a senior Palestinian official. The Palestinian Authority appears to be in a holding pattern, hoping a new U.S. administration will discard President Donald Trumps Mideast plan, which strongly favours Israel and would allow it to annex up to 30% of the West Bank. In the meantime, Palestinians stranded outside the country are stuck in limbo. Dr. Mohammed Ayesh left Gaza in the summer of 2019 to do a medical specialization in Ukraine. After he completed his course his student visa expired, but he was unable to return via Jordan because he cannot get an Israeli permit. Instead, he flew to Dubai, where he has been stranded for more than two months. He hasnt seen his three children in more than a year. Their birthdays are all in the summer, in June, August and September ... I missed them all, he said. My daughter calls me a liar. She says you promised you would return before I went back to school and you arent here. As a highly trained physician, he could find lucrative work in the United Arab Emirates, far from the crippling conditions of the Gaza blockade. But hes homesick. People ask me why I cant return, if its because of the coronavirus, and I say no, its because of the Israeli military and the Israeli government, he said. They wont let me come back. ___ Associated Press writer Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank contributed. Read more about: The HMS Grafton in Japan notice the ship is decorated with evergreens for the Christmas season. December 1896. Courtesy of Dougal Watson By Robert Neff Following the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, the British government increased its naval strength in the Far East. In early summer of 1896, one of the British navy's newest ships, the HMS Grafton, departed England for the China Station. Captain Edward Pitcairn Jones, a Tasmanian, commanded the ship but he was not the senior officer aboard that honor fell to Rear-Admiral Charles Lister Oxley, the second-in-command of the British China Station fleet. We know little about their relationship save Oxley was described as being "most eccentric altho' very friendly" and Jones who had been chastised for being drunk on duty when he was a young naval officer had a bad heart. Almost from the beginning, the HMS Grafton's voyage was plagued with mishaps. On July 3, 1896, while steaming through the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka, the ship encountered heavy seas and the main topmast equipped with semaphore equipment and top-heavy snapped and was carried away. Fortunately, it "was soon repaired by the artisans on board." Sivoutch Bay or the nearby lake. September 1896. Courtesy of Dougal Watson Two days later, in the early afternoon, the crew was startled to discover a huge whale impaled upon the ram of the ship. Fortunately, the ship suffered no damage but the whale, estimated to be about 18 meters long, had to be cleared from the ram before the ship could continue. On August 11, the H.M.S. Grafton finally arrived at its destination, Yokohama, Japan. Apparently, after the long arduous voyage, the crew was allowed shore leave and took to exploring the Japanese port on bicycles for many of the sailors, this was their first time astride two-wheel and wreaked havoc on the population by crashing into pedestrians, rickshaws and walls. Shortly after his arrival in Japan, Oxley decided to tour the region surrounding the East Sea in the Grafton. He first traveled to Vladivostok where he was treated quite civilly by the Russian authorities and then traveled along the eastern coast of the Korean peninsula. One of the first places they visited in Korea was a remote anchorage near the Russian border known as Sivoutch Bay. Sivoutch Bay on a map, circa 1904. Robert Neff Collection Korean villagers inspecting a British naval officer near Wonsan in 1887. Robert Neff Collection On the morning of September 28, Oxley decided to take advantage of the good weather and do some bird hunting with his secretary, Henry James Troughton, 27. Bird hunting was a popular sport for British naval officers along the north-eastern coast of the Korean peninsula. This region was still comparatively uninhabited with vast tracts of wilderness and wetlands. Of course, there were dangers. Tigers and leopards roamed these desolate regions with relative impunity. but I have found no mention of any armed-Westerners being killed by these predators in Korea. Inhabited areas were also dangerous. Villagers were often alarmed at the sudden appearance of armed foreigners and would sometimes flee their homes or grudgingly humor their uninvited guests making it clear the sooner the foreigners left, the better it would be for all involved. Even when welcomed, the foreigners often found themselves the center of unwanted attention by the more curious members of the male community no part of their clothing or bodies were exempt from curious hands. Sometimes the victims of this curiosity feared they were going to be pick-pocketed, but generally the only thing taken was their personal space and dignity. There was, however, an even greater and more plausible danger of contracting smallpox, which often plagued the Korean peninsula. Oxley, however, does not seem to have been concerned. He and Troughton tramped a couple of kilometers inland to a large lake where they spied a large flock of wild geese at the opposite end. It was here that they separated Troughton trudged along the shore towards the geese while Oxley waited. A British naval officer hunting party going through a Korean village. They are concerned about contracting smallpox from the Korean villagers. Circa 1894. Robert Neff Collection After a short time, Oxley heard Troughton "fire both barrels of his gun, and, turning round, saw him throw off some of his clothes and wade into the lake to recover the birds he had hit." Oxley thought nothing of it and "sat down and waited, expecting to see him emerge from the water again in a few minutes." Troughton never reappeared. Alarmed, Oxley raced to the spot where he had last observed his secretary and found "his gun, cartridge bag, and clothes, and observed footprints where [Troughton] entered the water." Realizing his secretary was probably dead, Oxley returned to the ship "as quickly as possible, and procured men, drags &c., and had boats carried overland to the lake." The lake was dragged and it was not until the early morning of the 30 that the young man's body was discovered. "It was covered with the Union Jack, was reverently brought on board, and received by all the officers on the quarter-deck, while the ship's bells were tolled. He was buried at sea the same afternoon." A curious group of Koreans near Sivoutch Bay. September 1896. Courtesy of Dougal Watson Oxley ordered that a cross be cut into the stone near the spot where he had discovered his secretary's clothing and gear. A picture was taken as a final remembrance of the young officer who "was much esteemed by all who knew him." The HMS Grafton returned to Japan and the death of the young officer was reported to the Admiralty. It was speculated that Troughton, upon entering the water, had suffered severe cramps or possibly a fit of some sort. We will probably never know what killed the young man. Oxley remained in the Far East as second-in-command for a little over a year before going on to other assignments. He eventually retired in 1906 as a full admiral. Captain Jones ended was sent back to England with "Morbus Cordis" heart disease but soon recovered and was given other commands. He retired as a rear-admiral at the end of 1905. British naval officers and a Korean villager near Sivoutch Bay. September 1896. Courtesy of Dougal Watson The Grafton finished its tour in September 1899 and two years later was assigned to the British Pacific Station Fleet. Surprisingly, once again, the Grafton had a strange encounter with a denizen of the deep. In early 1903, while sailing from Peru to Chile, an enormous blackfish which, according to one officer, was between 10 and 13 meters long and landed on the bow. The impact killed the fish immediately. The young officer remarked in a letter home that he had never heard of such an encounter perhaps he should have checked his own ship's history. I would like to express my appreciation to Diane Nars for her assistance and to Dougal Watson whose great-great-uncle, Frank Seymour, served aboard the HMS Grafton and was kind enough to allow me to use his images for this article. If you would like to know more about the HMS Grafton's tour on the China Station see Mr. Watson's site https://atlantic-cable.com/CableStories/Seymour/people_seymour_f.html The location of Henry James Troughton's drowning. September 1896. Courtesy of Dougal Watson Facebook announced Wednesday it's integrating Messenger chat with Instagram direct messages, pushing it toward its goal of a unified messaging system across its three messaging apps. Facebook users can now message Instagram users without needing to download a new app, and vice versa, although they can also opt out of the feature. The move is part of Zuckerberg's plan to pivot Facebook towards private communication, as opposed to the open broadcasting by users in the News Feed. The ultimate goal, according to Zuckerberg, is to integrate the messaging services in Instagram, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. "I believe the future of communication will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure and their messages and content won't stick around forever," Zuckerberg said last March. Wednesday's announcement is Zuckerberg's latest move to exert control over all three apps, which were originally intended to operate independently under the Facebook umbrella. Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion in 2012, and it bought WhatsApp in a $16 billion deal in 2014. The founders of Instagram and WhatsApp have all quit the company since then giving up hundreds of millions of dollars and Zuckerberg has since installed loyalists in their place. WhatsApp founders Brian Acton and Jan Koum left over disagreements that included Facebook's plans to integrate advertising and other monetization methods. Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger abruptly announced their departures just over two years ago. Even though they will remain standalone apps, the move to bring the chat companies together could also raise antitrust concerns over its messaging dominance. Facebook had been developing the feature in part to keep users from migrating to rival messaging services, like Apple iMessage and Google Chat. Facebook's messaging apps have a combined 3.14 billion unique users each month, according to its second quarter 2020 earnings release. European Union lawmakers expressed concerns over user privacy in January after Facebook announced its intentions. Facebook also faces antitrust scrutiny in Europe and the U.S. But Zuckerberg argued that social media users have many chat options. However, linking WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger together could make it more difficult for regulators to break up the company into those individual parts. "More than a billion people already use Messenger as a place to share, hang out and express themselves with family and friends," the company said. "That's why we're connecting the Messenger and Instagram experience to bring some of the best Messenger features to Instagram so you have access to the best messaging experience, no matter which app you use." Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Earthsight claimed the automakers buy leather sourced from cattle ranching on illegally razed land in a part of Paraguay that is home to one of the world's last uncontacted tribes Some of Europe's biggest car giants including BMW and Jaguar Land Rover use leather linked to deforestation in South America, threatening the most vulnerable tribes, environmental campaigners Earthsight claimed on Wednesday. The non-profit organisation said the automakers buy leather for vehicle interiors initially sourced from cattle ranching on illegally razed land in a part of Paraguay that is home to one of the world's lasttribes with no contact with outsiders. The London-based group said the leather from the Paraguayan Gran Chaco, a region rich in biodiversitythat is home to jaguars and giant anteaters, enters the auto industry supply chains via Italian tanneries. "Our investigation highlights the urgent need for EU and UK legislation mandating car companies and other industries to conduct proper due diligence," Earthsight said in a lengthy report titled "Grand Theft Chaco". However, it alleged that trade groups linked to the automotive industry have lobbied the European Union and German governments to water down or scrap proposed new laws to require companies to clean up their supply chains. "If they are to avoid being branded hypocrites, the car giants must now come out in public support of meaningful regulations," Earthsight added. "If they don't, it is essential European lawmakers stand firm against lobbying to the contrary." Earthsight's investigation identified cattle ranches that have illegally cleared forest inhabited by the Ayoreo Totobiegosode, said to be the only indigenous people living in voluntary isolation in the Americas outside the Amazon rainforest. Undercover visits During undercover visits, it found Paraguayan tanneries which supply Italian counterparts bragging that they provide leather for a number of famous cars, including BMW models and the Range Rover Evoque. BMW told the NGO it had "no information" that its Latin American leather supply chains were "affected by the problems presented" but that it was "exploring options for extending traceability systems further". It added in a statement that it had investigated the possible violations and been assured all company standards had been met, but was seeking further detailed information from Earthsight. The firm, which owns the Mini and Rolls Royce brands, added that its "medium-term strategy" is to phase out leather from the region altogether. Jaguar Land Rover, which noted that its leather suppliers are based in mainland Europe and Scotland but sources hide from all over the world, said it took immediate action to investigate. "We tracked the supply chain that Earthsight references and we have not as yet found evidence to verify that we have been supplied with hide from an illegally cleared area," it added. "We continue our drive for further transparency." Earthsight said it was easiest to trace the leather being used by BMW because the German automaker had shown "more concern over the source of their leather than most of their competitors". But the NGO found no car firm was able to trace all of its leather back to ranches, which it said was essential if links to human rights and environmental abuses are to be avoided. 2020 AFP Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) are tracking white storks in a bid to find out about migratory habits that disappeared more than 600 years ago. It follows the release last month of 19 captive-bred young storks at Knepp Estate, West Sussex, as part of the White Stork Project, which aims to reintroduce them as a breeding bird in the UK. The project is led by a pioneering partnership of private landowners and nature conservation organisations. The birds joined another four juvenile storks that fledged from two nests in the wild at Knepp this year - the first successful nests in Britain since the 15th century. Migratory birds, white storks used to be native to Britain, but the last pair recorded nested on the roof of St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh in 1416. For a trial in 2019, the research team at UEA and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust fitted GPS trackers to eight storks, which were then released. The devices have been developed by Movetech Telemetry - a partnership between UEA, the British Trust for Ornithology and University of Porto, Portugal - and this year they were fitted to another eight young storks. These birds are providing data that will enable the researchers to gain insights into the life and migratory choices of the reintroduced storks. A charismatic species that is happy to live alongside humans, they feed on agricultural land and nest in trees but also on chimneys and power lines. In folklore, they have been associated with the arrival of babies. Dr Aldina Franco, associate professor in ecology at UEA, leads a research group investigating changes in the migratory behaviour of birds. She said: "The reintroduction of storks in Britain will have both ecological and cultural value and having this species restored to the UK landscape will be a fantastic achievement. "In Britain there are no experienced migratory birds so the reintroduced birds, those migrating will have to find their migratory way and return in the spring." European storks migrate to Southern Europe and Africa in the autumn and have two main routes - the eastern and western migratory routes - with a migratory divide in Germany. Dr Franco added: "In the past, British storks probably used the western migratory route but storks from Poland use the eastern migratory way. In Southern Europe some populations are no longer migratory and spend the whole year near the breeding area." Previously unpublished data from the 2019 trial reveals that many of the storks spent the winter at landfill sites in Southern Europe and Northern Africa, where they have adapted to take advantage of new food resources and gather in large numbers. Initial data from the birds released this year indicates that migratory storks crossed to Continental Europe via Dover-Calais. Three storks are now in Spain using landfill sites, two are in France and one is still in the UK. One stork died in the UK and one in France ??is no longer transmitting, which the team is investigating using local contacts. "There is a high level of excitement and anticipation after deploying the tracking devices, as we don't know what the birds will do or if they will survive the migration," said Dr Franco. "In 2019 some of my colleagues were positive the UK storks would remain in the country, others thought they would migrate using the western migratory route, while I thought they follow their parents' route towards the East. In fact, we were all right, and astonished to see the diversity of strategies individuals adopted. "The 2020 storks will encounter other individuals and follow leader birds - older animals that are more experienced - in migration. They may spend winter in a range of locations depending on the storks they encounter on the way." The tracking devices have the potential to track the storks for several years. 'Marge', one of the best known storks from the 2019 release, is still transmitting. She spent the first winter near Rabat, Morocco, and returned to Morocco recently after a summer trip to Donana, in Southern Spain. Some of the 2019 birds remained resident in Britain. Lucy Groves, White Stork Project Officer for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, said they are already seeing the results of changes made since last year to improve the tracking. "Storks helped to unlock our understanding of bird migration when in 1822 a stork appeared in Germany with an African spear through its neck, proving the long journey they take each spring and autumn," she said. "Today, we have technology to give us detailed insights. Lightweight GPS tracking devices enable us to increase our understanding and knowledge of these birds' incredible journeys. "There have been many suggestions put forward as to what our British storks would do. Would they stay here over winter? Would they migrate? Which route would they take if they left our shores?" She added: "It has been fascinating to follow the individual migration routes taken since August 2019 and the data collected is allowing us to build up a picture of the wide range of behaviours and patterns displayed by our juveniles. "It was amazing to watch Marge, who left the UK just two days after being released and, although she headed east to start with, she then continued on her journey south west and became our first British white stork to cross the strait of Gibraltar into Morocco. A huge success for the project. "The combination of sightings and GPS data has shown that these juveniles are integrating with wild populations of storks, following the more experienced birds once they meet them in Europe. I am looking forward to seeing if our 2020 juveniles pick the same or different routes and if any will join Marge in Morocco?" The juvenile storks released this year were ?offspring of? captive-bred parents at Cotswold Wildlife Park, which ?are injured or incapacitated storks rehabilitated and donated by Warsaw Zoo. Similar reintroduction schemes, aiming to boost white stork numbers across Europe, have been implemented in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Sweden. ### San Francisco Mayor London Breed lifts 1-person indoor worship service limit Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Following pushback against San Francisco's one-person limit on indoor church attendance that was not equally imposed on secular entities in response to COVID-19, the city announced that restrictions on houses of worship would be eased. San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement on Tuesday: Starting on Wednesday, September 30, places of worship can open indoors at 25% capacity, up to 100 people. Previously, the citys worship restrictions allowed only one person at a time to enter a church for prayer while limiting attendance at outdoor worship services to 50 people. While Breed attributed the decision to raise the limit on indoor mass attendance to the citys declining coronavirus infection and case rates, the move came just days after the United States Department of Justice sent a letter to Breed warning her that San Franciscos limitation on religious services was draconian, out of step with the treatment afforded other similar indoor activities in San Francisco, wholly at odds with this Nations traditional understanding of religious liberty, and may violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. Earlier last week, San Francisco Catholics participating in a Free the Mass procession protesting the citys worship restrictions made similar arguments as they proclaimed that we are essential. A petition asking Breed to lift unfair restrictions on the mass surpassed 35,000 signatures on Tuesday. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, who spearheaded the Free the Mass event, praised the decision to revise worship restrictions as a good first step, but argued that the new limit is still unjust. I want to thank Mayor London Breed for recognizing that faith is essential, he said. I want to thank the thousands of San Francisco Catholics and others who joined the processions, the more than 35,000 who signed the petition came to St. Mary Cathedrals outdoor plaza to witness to our faith, wrote letters to the editor or op-eds, and who generally spoke up with one united voice under the banner: We are essential! Free the Mass! The state of Californias limit of no more than 100 people inside a house of worship regardless of the size of the building is still unjust, he added. We want and we intend to worship God safely: with masks, social distancing, sanitation, ventilation, and other such safety protocols. But we will not accept believers being treated more severely than other, comparable secular activities. Under the new guidelines that became effective Wednesday, indoor dining may reopen at 25% capacity up to 100 people, the same restriction placed on indoor religious services. However, the guidelines enable indoor shopping centers and malls to operate at 50% capacity, a less severe restriction than those placed on indoor worship. San Francisco is not the only major U.S. city facing backlash over worship restrictions in response to COVID-19. The Washington, D.C.-based Capitol Hill Baptist Church is suing Mayor Muriel Bowser over her executive order that bans worship gatherings in excess of 100 people or 50% of building capacity even if held outdoors. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, cited the Washington, D.C., worship restrictions when declaring that some politicians have used COVID-19 as an opportunity for overt hostility to religious congregations and especially the Christian churches during the Values Voter Summit last week. No government authority has the right to tell us how we are to order our worship services, and no government has the authority to say that Christian churches or other religious gatherings can be uniquely discriminated against, he asserted. As many cities continue to enforce strict restrictions on worship services, the state of Ohio has passed a law banning municipalities from closing churches. The law will take effect in mid-December. Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- The global transformer oil market is projected to reach USD 3.0 billion by 2025 from an estimated market size of USD 2.2 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period. The factors driving the growth for transformer oil are the upgradation of electric grids in developing countries along with the expansion of electric grids due to growing industrialization and urbanization. The transformer segment is expected to hold the largest share of the transformer oil market The transformer oil market has been segmented, by application, into transformers, switchgears, and reactors. The transformer segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing during the forecast period. Transformer oils are used in applications such as power and distribution transformers. Rising electricity requirements due to an increasing population has resulted in an increase in investments for the expansion of the existing power grids as well as for the construction of new power infrastructure in developed and developing countries. The upgradation and expansion of electric grids due to the rising power demand is expected to increase the demand for transformers, which will eventually propel the transformer oil market for this segment. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=967 The transmission and distribution segment is expected to be the most significant transformer oil market The transmission and distribution segment is projected to be the most significant transformer oil market, by end-user, during the forecast period. It has the largest share of the transformer oil market owing to the global growth in the production and consumption of electricity. Transmission and distribution utilities own and operate the transmission and distribution system. Thus, growing demand for power will necessitate the expansion of the transmission and distribution network, thereby enhancing the demand for electrical components, such as transformers, reactors, and switchgears, leading to an increase in the demand for transformer oil. The Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing transformer oil market In this report, the transformer oil market has been analyzed for 4 regions, namely APAC, North America, Europe, and RoW. APAC is expected to lead the market during the forecast period. APAC is expected to dominate the global transformer oil market during the forecast period. The growth of this market can be attributed to the growing demand for power in developing countries, such as China and India, and established economies, such as Japan and China. Growing power requirements, along with the upgradation of the aging electrical infrastructure, are expected to result in an increase in the number of substations. This will propel the demand for transformers, reactors, and switchgears, which will boost the demand for transformer oil. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=967 Some of the top players in the transformer oil market include Nynas AB (Sweden), Ergon International (Belgium), Petrochina Company Limited (China), Apar Industries (India), and Sinopec Lubricant (China). About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA : 1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/transformer-oil.asp Grassley Says Disclosing Trumps Tax Data Without Authorization May Violate Tax Code Senate Finance Committee Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) says that any effort by lawmakers to obtain and disclose President Donald Trumps tax records ahead of the election could violate the U.S. tax code. Grassley implied that any action by his panel to obtain Trumps tax records now might be seen as more politically motivated than having any legislative purpose. For sure, somebody violated section 6103 of the tax code by violating the privacy of income tax, Grassley said, referring to claims in a New York Times report that included Trump paying no income tax at all in 11 of the 18 years reviewed by paper reviewed, and only a small amount in 2016 and 2017. When a reporter asked Grassley if he would obtain Trumps tax returns, Grassley replied: I checked and 6103 doesnt allow tax returns to be used for political purposes. Section 6103 of the tax code outlines the confidentiality of tax records, saying that federal officers or employees may not share those returns or the information in them without the taxpayers permission. However, the tax code provides some exceptions for Senate and House committees that have jurisdiction over taxes, such as Grassleys. But even lawmakers access must be attached to lawmaking, not politics. According to a Congressional Research Services 2019 report (pdf), Congress can access an individuals tax records if the inquiry must further a legislative purpose and not otherwise breach relevant constitutional rights or privileges. Generally, Republicans have voiced suspicion about the allegations in the NY Times report published Sept. 27, which claimed Trump paid no federal income taxes for many years and that the president is being audited for claiming a $72.9 million tax refund. We dont even know whether those facts are true. Grassley continued, saying that much of what the NY Times has written about Trump has been wrong or misleading. Trump has called the reporting on his tax returns fake and made up, stating he would share his tax information after the IRS audit is complete. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) on Sept. 28 called for an investigation into the newspapers report. In a statement, Brady, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, said theres the prospect of a felony crime in the leaking of the presidents tax information. While many critics question the articles accuracy, equally troubling is the prospect that a felony crime was committed by releasing the private tax return information of an individualin this case, the Presidents, Brady said on Sept. 28. To ensure every American is protected against the illegal release of their tax returns for political reasons, I am calling for an investigation of the source and to prosecute if the law was broken. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), another House Ways and Means Committee member, echoed Bradys concerns in a Sept. 28 statement on Twitter. The unethical, perhaps illegal, leaking of any Americans tax returns is a stunning breach of public trust. That doesnt change because it happened to @realDonaldTrump. The joint political hit piece between the New York Times and Democrats just weeks before an election shows no wrongdoing by @POTUS but leaves Americans wondering if their own private tax information can be weaponized against them for political gain, he said. There must be an investigation into who turned over confidential tax records to the press to determine if the law was broken. Isabel Van Brugen contributed to this report. Anthem Inc. said on Wednesday it would pay $39.5 million as part of a settlement with U.S. states attorneys general following an investigation into a massive cyber-attack at the company in 2015. The second largest U.S. health insurer said a state sponsored criminal group had perpetrated the attack, adding that it does not believe the company had violated the law in connection with its data security. Anthem said it has also undertaken commitments that align with its ongoing focus on protecting information. In February 2015, several U.S. states began a probe after the company disclosed that unknown hackers had penetrated a database with some 80 million records. Anthem had said it suspected the hackers had stolen information belonging to tens of millions of current and former customers as well as employees. The investigation by the FBI and security organization FireEye Inc. did not find any evidence that information obtained through the cyber-attack has resulted in fraud, the company said on Wednesday. (Reporting by Dania Nadeem in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) Topics Carriers Cyber USA Americans for the Arts: The next Administration must boldly activate the nations 5.1 million arts and cultural workers to address critical infrastructure, community development, innovation, and public health needs. Creative workers, and the hundreds of thousands of creative businesses they drive, have been devastated by Coronavirus more than almost any other sector one study pegs the creative worker unemployment rate at 63% and a collective income loss of over $60 billion but stand ready to heal, strengthen, rebuild, and reimagine our communities. Americans for the Arts President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden had their first chance to challenge each other face to face. They did a lot. Hardly a minute went by in the 90-minute brawl without one of the candidates angrily interrupting the other, whether on the coronavirus pandemic, the Supreme Court, the economy or anything else, including each other's families. "Will you shut up, man?" Biden snapped at Trump at one point. "You're the worst president America has ever had," he said later. "China ate your lunch," Trump shot back at Biden during questions on the economy. Even the moderator, Fox News' Chris Wallace, couldn't always stay above the fray. "I hate to raise my voice, but why shouldn't I be different than the two of you?" the exasperated host said at one point. Here are the highlights. For more details, see our live blog. Attacks from the outset The first question was about the Supreme Court, where Trump has nominated conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "We won the election," Trump began. "Elections have consequences." Biden responded that "the American people have a right to have a say," and that "we should wait" until after the presidential election to select another justice. But Trump jumped in before the former vice president had finished his answer. The two candidates started sparring, first over Barrett's record but quickly moving on to other territory. Wallace jumped in after a few exchanges, and himself began to bicker with Trump. "Please let the vice president talk," Wallace admonished Trump at one point. Trump and Biden continued to interrupt each other. "Would you shut up, man?" Biden snapped at Trump. As Wallace moved onto the coronavirus, Biden said with a laugh: "That was really a productive segment." Trump spars with the moderator: 'I guess I'm debating you' US President Donald Trump speaks during the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 29, 2020. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images As Wallace asked the second question of the night, Trump jumped in to push back on the "Fox News Sunday" anchor. Wallace began asking about health care, and Trump interrupted Wallace to dispute his line of questioning about having not introduced a comprehensive plan to replace the Affordable Care Act implemented by former President Barack Obama. Wallace continued to try to get through his question, asking Trump to let him finish. After a few moments of cross-talk, Trump said, "I guess I'm debating you, not him," referring to Biden. Wallace repeatedly asked Trump and Biden to maintain order throughout the debate -- though he acknowledged that he had to admonish Trump more. "Your campaign agreed that both sides would get two-minute answers," Wallace told Trump late in the debate. Biden: Trump didn't take Covid seriously until it hit stocks Biden swiped at Trump over the president's early handling of the coronavirus, alleging that the administration started to inform the public of the disease's severity only when it hit the stock market. "Do you believe for a moment what he's telling you in light of all the lies he's told you about the whole issue relating to Covid?" Biden asked. "He still hasn't even acknowledged that he knew this was happening knew how dangerous it would be back in February and he didn't even tell you." "He panicked, or just looked at the stock market, one of the two," Biden added. "Because guess what? A lot of people died and a lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter or a lot quicker." Biden and Trump battle over the economy Both candidates took turns trumpeting their qualifications to navigate the U.S. economy through the coronavirus pandemic. Trump highlighted his business-friendly tax cuts and stock market gains while Biden noted significant job creation while he was vice president in the Obama administration. Trump said: "When the stock market goes up, that means jobs. It also means 401(k)s." Trump at Biden: "If you got in ... if you ever became president with your ideas you want to terminate my taxes [tax cuts], I'll tell you what. You'll lose half of the companies that have poured in here. ... They'll leave." Said Biden: "We were able to have an economic recovery that created the jobs you're talking about. We handed him a booming economy. He blew it." He continued: "Even before Covid, manufacturing went in the hole. Manufacturing went in the hole." "I'm the guy that brought back the automobile industry. I was asked to bring back Chrysler and General Motors. We brought them back right here in the state of Ohio and Michigan. He blew it." Trump and Biden spar over their adult children Biden and Trump sparred over their children, with Trump launching a misleading attack on Biden's son Hunter over his consulting business. "China ate your lunch, Joe. No wonder, your son goes in and he takes out billions of dollars. takes out billions of dollars to manage. He makes millions of dollars," Trump said. "That's simply not true," said Biden. Trump continued with another unfounded claim: "Why is it, just out of curiosity, the mayor of Moscow's wife gave your son $3.5 million?" "None of that is true," Biden said again. "He didn't get $3.5 million?" Trump demanded. According to Politifact, there is no evidence that Hunter Biden had anything to do with the deal in question. This kind of sparring continued for several minutes, until Biden pivoted. "Here's the deal. You want to talk about families and ethics? I don't want to do that. His family, we can talk about all night," Biden said, referring to Trump's adult children. "My family lost a fortune coming down and helping with government," Trump shot back. "Every single one of them." "This is not about my family. It's not about your family. It's about the American people," said Biden. Wallace then changed the subject. But Trump returned to Hunter late in the debate. "Hunter got thrown out of the military," Trump said of Biden's son. "He got thrown out." Trump would not explicitly condemn White supremacists Trump would not explicitly condemn White supremacists and tell them not to "add to violence" surrounding unrest in the U.S. Wallace asked Trump if he would publicly "condemn White supremacists and militia groups and say they need to stand down and not add to the violence." Trump immediately turned to an attack on what he calls the "radical left" like antifa, referring to antifacist demonstrators. "I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing," Trump said, referring to violence at demonstrations. Pressed by Wallace to state his condemnation for White supremacists, Trump said, "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left." The Proud Boys is a far-right organization deemed a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter have suspended accounts and removed pages of members affiliated with the group for hate. Biden urges voting, Trump warns of 'fraud like you've never seen' Britain has offered the EU a last minute concession on the crunch issue of post-Brexit fishing rights in an attempt to break the negotiating deadlock in trade talks, it was claimed today. The UK is said to have offered Brussels a three year 'transition period' which would give EU trawlers time to adapt to new fishing arrangements in British waters. The plans would reportedly see the permitted catches of EU boats 'phased down' between 2021 and 2024 to avoid an immediate cliff edge. The proposals are included in a new negotiating paper which the UK has presented to the bloc ahead of the forthcoming round of trade negotiations, according to The Guardian. The move, not denied by Downing Street, will be seen as a last ditch attempt to resolve one of the key areas of disagreement between the two sides which have held up progress on other matters. The UK is said to have offered the EU a last minute concession on post-Brexit fishing rights. A fishing vessel is pictured working in the English Channel on August 10 This map shows the extent of the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone - the waters Britain will take back control of after Brexit. At the moment the EEZ of every EU member state is merged into one large zone which can be accessed by fishermen from all over Europe. Downing Street is adamant that British fishing boats will be given priority in UK waters next year after the end of the Brexit transition period. But the bloc wants to maintain something closer to the current arrangements which grant EU member states reciprocal access to each other's waters. The concession apparently offered by the Government represents a potential compromise on the issue. One EU diplomat was optimistic that the plans could be enough to resolve the issue, telling The Guardian: 'We have a long way to go but if the other problematic issues can be sorted, it doesn't look like fisheries will stand in the way of an agreement.' Why the complex issue of UK-EU fishing rights is leaving Brexit talks floundering in cold water Each country has an Exclusive Economic Zone which can extend up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. That country has special fishing rights over that area. However, in the EU each country's Exclusive Economic Zone is effectively merged into one joint EU zone. All fishing activity within that zone is then regulated by the bloc's controversial Common Fisheries Policy which dictates how many of each type of fish can be caught. The joint EU zone is open to fishermen from every member state. But after the Brexit transition period the UK will regain sole control of its Exclusive Economic Zone. Advertisement However, the plans prompted a warning from the UK fishing industry as ministers were warned not to 'back down'. Barrie Deas, the head of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said: 'What we wouldn't agree to is surrendering fishing rights in order to have a trade deal. 'There is no expectation within the UK fishing industry that the UK will back down on fisheries.' The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman did not reject the reports but would not be drawn any further. He said: 'What we have said is that we will not accept any proposals which compromise UK sovereignty over our own fishing waters or, for example, our ability to set our own subsidy You have heard me say on any number of occasions that the sort of agreement we are looking for is the sort of agreement which the EU has with Norway. He added: It is not for me to comment on the negotiations beyond setting out the broad principles. Our position in relation to fishing and access to our fishing waters has been very clear from the outset. Both sides remain hopeful of striking a post-Brexit trade deal but time is now running out and there remain a number of unresolved issues. Number 10 has said it does not want talks to drag on into the autumn while EU officials view the end of October as a hard deadline. The prospect of a breakthrough in the talks on fishing came as the UK struck a bilateral fisheries agreement with Norway which will come into effect from January 1. It is the UK's first fisheries agreement struck since leaving the EU and means Britain and Norway will hold annual negotiations on access to waters and quotas. Positive Case of COVID-19 at St Pauls Lower Primary School A positive case of COVID-19 has been identified within St Pauls Lower Primary School. The Contact Tracing team have been liaising with school staff and the Department of Education. All individuals who have been identified as close contacts have been informed that they are required to self isolate. The latest available information is that 20 individuals (3 staff members and 17 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the positive case and all have been instructed to self isolate. Close contact is defined as close proximity within an enclosed area for a period of time longer than 15 minutes. Pupils who attend St Pauls Lower Primary School should attend school as normal if they have not been contacted by the Contact Tracing Bureau. Parents are reminded that children with COVID-19 symptoms should not attend school. They should stay at home, self-isolate and call 111. Siblings and close contacts of children who have been asked to self-isolate should attend school as normal unless otherwise advised by the Contact Tracing Bureau. Individuals who have specific concerns arising from any of this information are asked to contact the schools Head Teacher. JPMorgan Chase reached a deferred prosecution agreement to settle charges of a longrunning scheme to manipulate the precious metals and US Treasury markets JPMorgan Chase will pay $920 million to settle US civil and criminal charges over fake trades in precious metals and Treasury futures designed to manipulate the market, US agencies announced Tuesday. The settlement comes as the US banking giant reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department to resolve criminal fraud charges over the long-running schemes. In one of the schemes, JPMorgan traders in New York, London and Singapore between 2008 and 2016 commissioned tens of thousands of orders for gold, silver, platinum and palladium futures that were placed in order to be canceled to deceive other market participants, the Department of Justice (DOJ), one of three agencies involved in the case, said in a press release. Over the same rough time period, traders in JPMorgan offices in London and New York commissioned orders to buy and sell US Treasury products with the intent of misleading other traders. "For nearly a decade, a significant number of JP Morgan traders and sales personnel openly disregarded US laws that serve to protect against illegal activity in the marketplace," said William Sweeney Jr., assistant director of the FBI's New York field office. "Today's deferred prosecution agreement, in which JP Morgan Chase and Co. agreed to pay nearly one billion dollars in penalties and victim compensation, is a stark reminder to others that allegations of this nature will be aggressively investigated and pursued." The Justice Department has attained guilty pleas from two former traders who have yet to be sentenced. It has also indicted three other former traders and one former salesperson on charges connected to the case. Along with the fine, JPMorgan is required to beef up its compliance program and self-report any offenses, said the Justice Department, whose criminal case was settled along with civil charges from the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Story continues The agreement takes into account JPMorgan's cooperation with the probe and steps it has already taken such as hiring hundreds of new compliance officers, the Justice Department said. "The conduct of the individuals referenced in today's resolutions is unacceptable and they are no longer with the firm," said Daniel Pinto, co-president of JPMorgan's corporate and investment bank. "We appreciate that the considerable resources we've dedicated to internal controls was recognized by the DOJ, including enhancements to compliance policies, surveillance systems and training programs." Shares of JPMorgan fell 0.9 percent to $95.33 in afternoon trading. jmb/cs New Delhi, Sep 30 : Lal Krishna Advani , who spearheaded the Ayodhya movement, on Wednesday hailed the acquittal of 32 accused, including him, by a special CBI court in December 6, 1992 Babri mosque demolition case. Advani, who appeared in the court through video conferencing, welcomed the court order and said, "The judgment vindicates my personal and BJP's belief and commitment towards the Ram Janmabhoomi movement." "I am grateful to my party workers, leaders, saints, and all those through selfless involvement and sacrifices gave me strength and support during the Ayodhya movement," Advani said in a statement. He also thanked the party leaders, seers and his legal team for the joint efforts, which led to the foundation laying ceremony in Ayodhya for the temple. He said he looks forward to the construction of a grand and beautiful Ram Temple. The Special CBI court hearing the Babri mosque demolition case of December 6, 1992, acquitted all the 32 accused on Wednesday saying it was spontaneous and not a planned move. Those acquitted in the case that lasted 28 years include former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, former Union Ministers M.M. Joshi, Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, among others. Former BJP MP Vinay Katiyar and Hindu leader Sadhvi Ritambhara, who were among the accused present in court, said: "Sab Ramji ki kripa hai (All is Ram's blessings)". As soon as the court announced the acquittal of the accused, jubilation broke out outside the court. In Ayodhya and Lucknow, supporters of the leaders celebrated the verdict. -- Syndicated from IANS California firefighters are attempting to gain control over multiple wildfires raging across the state (Rex) For the second time during this historic fire season, California Governor Gavin Newsom has asked Donald Trump for a presidential major disaster declaration to help fight wildfires scorching much of the state. California is experiencing another siege of fires from early September, which continue to devastate communities throughout the State, Newsom wrote in the letter, sent Monday. In addition, at least two additional significant fires the Glass Fire and the Zogg Fire began burning yesterday and have rapidly spread and caused significant destruction. The presidential disaster declaration would help free up emergency federal funds to aid state and local firefighters battling nearly 30 fires burning across all parts of the state. Around 70,000 people in northern California alone have been forced to evacuate from the Glass and Zogg fires, which began on Sunday. Newsoms letter to Trump follows a previous request from the governor. In August, the president declared a major disaster declaration after a series of dry lightning events sparked hundreds of separate fires. So far, there have been more than 8,000 fires during this record-breaking season in California, killing 29 people and burning nearly 6,000 square miles. Mass shut offs from PG&E, one of the states major utilities, made things even more complicated, as power was cut to avoid sparking any new fires in anticipation of gusty winds over the weekend. As of Monday night, about still 24,000 lacked power. Fires are a natural part of the ecosystem in California, but climate change and residential development practices have drastically increased the severity of their impact. Read more Top chefs mourn loss of famed Napa Valley restaurant in California wildfire Drone footage reveals San Franciscos looming health disaster from wildfire smoke and chronic homelessness After wildfire pause, protests resume in Portland Irvine Remains Safest US City With Population Over 250,000, Says FBI IRVINE, Calif.For the 15th year in a row, Irvine, California, had the lowest violent crime rate per capita in 2019 of any city in the United States with a population of 250,000 or more, according to information released by the FBI on Sept. 28. A total of 87 violent crimes were reported last year: 31 robberies, 30 aggravated assaults, 26 rape cases, and zero murders. Los Angeles reported over 14,000 violent crimes last yearthe most in the state. Preliminary FBI data suggests Irvine is also on track to maintain that record in 2020. Once again, the men and women of the Irvine Police Department were successful in maintaining the safety of everyone in our wonderful community, Irvine Mayor Christina Shea said in a statement. The partnership of our police department, City Council, residents, and businesses continues to make Irvine the safest city to live, work, and play. Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel said the citys track record for safety is the result of a positive relationship between local law enforcement, city leaders, and residents of the community. Maintaining public safety, while delivering profession and compassionate service to everyone is always our top priority, Chief Hamel said in a statement. In a message on the departments website, Hamel said, It doesnt matter where you come from, your lifestyle, what language you speak or what religion you practice, we are your police department and we are here for you. The FBIs Annual Crime Report measures what is known as Part I crime, which includes murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, auto theft and arson. We are heading into the height of holidays for Canadians with Thanksgiving, Halloween, Remembrance Day and Christmas looming just around the corner. This gives me pause to think about how our lives have changed in just seven short months of living with COVID-19. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. We are heading into the height of holidays for Canadians with Thanksgiving, Halloween, Remembrance Day and Christmas looming just around the corner. This gives me pause to think about how our lives have changed in just seven short months of living with COVID-19. If living in a pandemic has taught us anything, its that we are quickly learning what we can and can not live without. In the first week the pandemic was called while stranded in Thunder Bay waiting to find out if my work contract would be cancelled I wandered the empty streets looking for a shop where I could get a good coffee. It was at that moment as I found one after another coffee shop closed that I realized that I could drink pretty much any coffee even the hotels less than high-end grog. A week later, I was travelling back up north and being rerouted through three of the biggest airports (epicentres for disease, in my mind) as the government made decisions on how to limit the spread of the virus across the country. My flight was full of WestJet employees who had been sent home as international flights and many of the smaller national flight services were halted. These were just the first signs that the world as we knew it was going to change. I had a bag full of those little soapy serviettes courtesy of the amazing hotel front desk staff and I used them almost neurotically as I travelled through Pearson, then Calgary and on through Edmonton International back home to Yellowknife, where I was the first of many travellers who would have to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to "normal" life. I have an immunocompromised daughter and I didnt want to potentially infect her, so it was an easy thing to isolate in order to keep her and my family safe from this virus should I be a carrier. Through that experience, I learned that I could live without many "freedoms" for the health and safety of my friends and family. And in those 14 days, I had time to think about how restrictions were going to change our lives forever, how many people including myself and my children and grandchildren would have to adjust to a changing way of living. People with children have one of the hardest tasks during these times; learning how to maintain small joys for kids while we navigate one of the scariest times in recent history. There have been many losses as children have more and more of their freedoms scaled back and Ive seen, heard and read many comments on how we can keep those joys of childhood during the pandemic. Parents are getting really creative with planning things in small bubbles of family and friends that will create lasting memories for their little ones. We have, if nothing else, the ingenuity to make something special out of a bad situation. I feel like Brandonites will continue that theme as we head into our winter celebrations. We will give thanks during Thanksgiving and find ways to include our elderly and those in need. And when Remembrance Day hits for this military proud city and its surrounding areas, I expect there will still be a grand show of respect on that day, even if it isnt the same as the years before. At the end of all this, we will all have learned what we can and cant live without whether its toilet paper, bakers yeast or celebrating the wonderment of children during the holidays. By Azernews By Akbar Mammadov President Ilham Aliyev has said that Azerbaijan is able to stand up for itself in face of Armenias ongoing aggression against the country. President Ilham Aliyev made this remark during an interview with the Rossiya-1 TV channel broadcast the 60 minutes program dedicated to the latest events on the Azerbaijani-Armenian line of contact on September 29. During the program, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan responded to questions from the hosts on the program. Commenting on the question on whether there are fighters from Syria on the front right now, Aliyev said: No! This is more fake news. There are no fighters from Syria. There is no evidence, no proof. This has been introduced by Armenian propaganda and circulates through different websites and different media. There is no need for this. The president stressed that Azerbaijan has a trained army and a very large mobilization reserve. Just yesterday, I announced partial mobilization, we are calling tens of thousands of reservists under arms, and with a population of 10 million versus 2 million in Armenia, we have no need for human resources. Therefore, we are able to stand up for ourselves and punish the aggressor so that he doesnt venture even to look in our direction. Aliyev said that the situation at the front is tense. He noted that as a result of the Armenian military provocation, which began on the morning of 27 September, Azerbaijani settlements and the Azerbaijani combat positions were subjected to massive artillery fire. As a result of this aggression, 11 Azerbaijani civilians, including two children, were killed. There are also casualties among the military. We were forced to give an adequate response to the aggressor and thus protect our people and our land, he added. Aliyev pointed out that fierce battles have been going on for three days now, as a result of which the Azerbaijani Army has liberated a number of settlements from occupation and also seized strategic heights in different directions. He said that today the situation is such that active hostilities are underway. The president also answered the question about the role of Turkey. I believe that Turkey is playing a stabilizing role in the region. Turkey is our brotherly country and our ally. From the very first hour, the world community learned that Armenia attacked Azerbaijan, Turkey spoke out unequivocally at the level of the head of state and other leaders in support of Azerbaijan, in support of international law. Stressing that Armenia has grossly violated international law by occupying the territory of Azerbaijan for about 30 years, Aliyev underlined that so the role of Turkey consists in that, nothing else. Turkey provides us with moral support, and we are grateful to the Turkish leadership, the President and the Turkish people for their solidarity and support. Turkey does not participate in this conflict in any other capacity. All the rumours that Turkey is participating as a party to the conflict being circulated by the Armenian side are of provocative nature. As they say now, this is fake news. Aliyev also highlighted that there is no evidence of Turkey's involvement in the conflict and neither is that necessary. The Azerbaijani Army is sufficiently prepared to protect its people and territory, he stressed. Furthermore, Aliyev also commented on the question regarding downing a plane of the Armenian Air Force. He stressed that Azerbaijan does not have this information. Just recently, I was informed that such news appeared in the information space. It is not confirmed by anything. The F-16 aircraft of the Turkish Air Force do not participate in hostilities in any way. You know, taking into account modern technologies, it is very difficult to conceal anything today because there are objective forms of observation, he said. Aliyev emphasized that there are satellite observations, and therefore it is very easy to verify that this is another provocation. We understand the goal of the Armenian side by creating such false news, they first want to belittle the combat capability of the Azerbaijani Army, which is now fulfilling the task of restoring its territorial integrity with dignity, and also to create the impression that the conflict is growing, that third countries are joining it. They are trying to attract as many countries as possible in order to justify their provocation. Aliyev stressed that Turkey is not a party to the conflict, does not participate in it in any way, and there is no need for this. The president further spoke about the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He noted that Azerbaijan has always shown constructiveness on the negotiation track and the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, who are responsible for the mediation mission, can confirm this. In particular, over the past two years, we have repeatedly stated, both myself and other officials, that we are committed to the principles of settlement that have been developed over the years and which the Minsk Group and its co-chairs consider the basis for the negotiating process. Moreover, we have stated repeatedly in the past two years and before that, we are committed to the format of the negotiations. Aliyev stressed that negotiations are underway between Armenia and Azerbaijan and there are only two sides to the conflict. He pointed out that sometimes when talking about the conflict, there is a mention of all sides and emphasized that this is an incorrect definition. Not all sides. There are only two sides Armenia and Azerbaijan. But what has been happening in recent years, after the Soros coup which was carried out by the current government in Armenia? The Armenian prime minister publicly declares that Karabakh is Armenia, full stop. In this case, what kind of negotiations can we talk about? The president added that after all, the essence of the principles developed by the OSCE Minsk Group is that the territories around the former Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region should be transferred to Azerbaijan. And if he says that Karabakh is Armenia and, in addition, that we have to negotiate with the so-called puppet regime of Nagorno-Karabakh, thereby trying to undermine the format of negotiations which has already existed for 20 years, it means that Armenia deliberately disrupts the negotiations and puts forward unacceptable demands. Aliyev recalled that when the Minsk Group recently began to speak more actively about who is still an obstacle to the settlement, Armenia resorted to provocations like the one on 27 September. Before that, on 12 July, our positions at the state border were attacked. After that, on 23 August, when an Armenian sabotage group was captured, its leader was captured on the line of contact. Everything is being done to disrupt the negotiations, then accuse Azerbaijan, then involve third parties and thereby disrupt the negotiations, he said. The president stressed that Armenia wants to maintain the status quo. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group represented by the presidents of Russia, France and the United States have repeatedly made statements that the status quo is unacceptable. And this means that the territories under occupation must be returned to Azerbaijan. We are committed to negotiations, but we see completely opposite actions from the Armenian side, the president noted. Regarding the reason for the large-scale confrontation in the front, the president stressed that Armenia had been moving towards this for several months. If you trace the chronology of their actions and statements, you will clearly see that they deliberately went for this provocation. Not so long ago, speaking at the UN General Assembly, I openly said that Armenia was preparing for war and it must be stopped. In July, they launched an armed attack on our settlements at the state border. This is far from the conflict zone. One civilian and several servicemen were killed then. The clashes lasted four days, and since we did not have and do not have any military targets on the territory of Armenia, as soon as the Armenian armed forces were driven back from our territory, the fire was ceased by mutual agreement. Moreover, Aliyev reminded that a sabotage group infiltrated the Azerbaijani territory and was neutralized. He added that then Armenia publicly and defiantly announced the resettlement of Armenians from Lebanon to the occupied territories and to the ancient Azerbaijani city of Shusha, which is a war crime. He stressed that this is a violation of the Geneva Convention and is done demonstratively. Prior to that, they held the so-called swearing-in ceremony for the so-called leader of the criminal Nagorno-Karabakh regime in Shusha, an ancient pearl of Azerbaijani culture. All these are deliberate provocations against us, attempts to drag us into conflict and provoke retaliatory actions. We showed restraint, constructiveness and common sense, but when they failed, they made this attempt, Aliyev said. Moreover, the president highlighted that another reason is the internal political crisis that exists in Armenia. After all, there is a Soros regime in Armenia today. The coup that failed in Belarus was successful in Yerevan two years ago. Today the Armenian leader in the person of Pashinyan is Soros' henchman, a man who made a lot of promises and who cannot fulfil them, and the country is in crisis, he stressed. Aliyev noted that Pashinyan needed an external factor, some kind of a mess, so to speak, in order to divert the attention of the population, which he succeeded in doing. Moreover, literally two days before they attacked us, the leader of the main opposition party in Armenia was arrested again. So, the dictatorial and despotic regime of Pashinyan eliminated the entire opposition in his country and is now demonstrating aggression against the Azerbaijani people again, the president added. It should be noted that after the presidents remarks on the questions asked by the host, Igor Korotchenko, Editor-in-Chief of the Natsionalnaya oborona magazine said that undoubtedly, it was an absolutely clear, logical, precise and consistent speech by Ilham Aliyev. Korotchenko stressed that President Ilham Aliyev is right when he said absolutely correctly that with the current level of development of intelligence technologies satellite, electronic, undercover it is impossible to conceal the fact that if Turkish fighters were really deployed to the territory of Azerbaijan, this would be exposed quite easily by any country that has satellite intelligence. We are all adherents of international law, he added. Korotchenko also pointed out that from the point of view of the norms of international law, military action today is taking place on the territory of Azerbaijan, between the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Armenian military formations. In an echo of events in Libya, rebels from Syrias Idlib province are being recruited by Turkey to fight for Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, The Guardian has reported, citing several militants. Idlib is Syrias northwestern province, and the last bastion of the Turkish-backed militants who once hoped to effect regime change in Damascus. It is there the recruitment drive for Azerbaijan began a month ago, three rebels told the Guardians correspondent Bethan McKernan. Her story was published on Monday evening. Two brothers from Azaz said they had been summoned to a camp in Afrin on September 13 and told by a commander in the Sultan Murad Division that three- or six-month contracts were available guarding observation posts and oil and gas facilities in Azerbaijan for 7,000-10,000 Turkish lira a month. That works out to roughly $900-$1,300 a month, and is a princely sum compared to the monthly wage of 450-550 Turkish lira a month ($57-$70) that Ankara pays the militants to fight against the government of President Bashar Assad. For at least the past two weeks Turkey has been signing up Syrian rebel fighters to deploy to Azerbaijan as private mercenaries - cracking scoop from @mck_beth. Underlines Erdogans ambitions, further complicates conflict with Armenia & will alarm Moscow https://t.co/O6YAitHgKE Henry Foy (@HenryJFoy) September 28, 2020 Our leader told us that we wont be fighting, just assisting in guarding some areas, said one of the men, whom the newspaper named as Muhammad. Our salaries arent enough for living, so we see it a great opportunity to make money. There are no jobs available, added his brother, Mahmoud. I used to work as a tailor in Aleppo but since we were displaced to Azaz, Ive tried many times to practice my craft but my family and I cant earn enough. It was implied that the militants would be taking the job, though they could not say what exactly it entailed, for how long, when they were expected to leave or even the name of the Turkish security company officially hiring them. Another militant, who also asked for his name to be changed, said he and 150 other men were summoned to Afrin on September 22, but then told their departure had been delayed. He had promised $200 from the first paycheck to a local broker to sign him up for the job. When we first started being offered work abroad in Libya, people were afraid to go there, but now there are definitely thousands of us who are willing to go to either Libya or Azerbaijan, he told The Guardian. Also on rt.com Turkey vows to defend Tripoli-based govt against Haftar dictatorship in Libya Reuters also reported on Monday about the recruitment of Syrian militants, citing two fighters who had fought for Ahrar al-Sham jihadists, and subsequently volunteered for Azerbaijan after being promised $1,500 a month. I didn't want to go, but I don't have any money. Life is very hard and poor, one of the men told the news agency. Reuters said it could not independently verify their accounts. Turkey has previously been accused of sending Syrian militants to Libya, to fight for the Turkish-backed government against the Libyan National Army of General Khalifa Haftar. On Monday, the Armenian ambassador to Russia said that around 4,000 militants from northern Syria were sent by Turkey to Azerbaijan, as fighting broke out over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Also on rt.com Armenia claims Azerbaijani artillery attacks are intensifying as Nagorno-Karabakh officials allege they've downed Azeri warplane An aide to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev dismissed those claims as complete nonsense and another provocation from the Armenian side. A source in the Turkish Defense Ministry likewise told the Guardian that Ankara does not deal with recruiting or transferring militiamen anywhere in the world, but they would not go on the record. The Guardian cited unnamed sources in the Syrian National Army as saying that a first group of some 500 Syrian militants has already arrived in Azerbaijan, including senior commanders Fahim Eissa of the Sultan Murad Division and Saif Abu Bakir of the Al Hamza. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a source normally beloved of Anglo-American mainstream media, claimed as many as 1,000 fighters could be headed for Azerbaijan. The Guardian said it could not verify either of those claims. Some of the men who went to Libya said they had been told they would be working as security guards, but ended up fighting on the front lines instead. They also said their commanders would take up to 20 percent of their wages. Nagorno-Karabakh is one of several border disputes left over from the collapse of the Soviet Union. An enclave predominantly populated by Armenians, it seceded from Azerbaijan in 1988 and declared itself the Republic of Artsakh following a bitter war in 1992-94. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Close Bamboo Systems, a Cambridge, England and San Jose, CA-based arm-only server vendor, secured $7m in funding. The round was led by existing investors Seraphim Capital and Opea Holding with support from the UKs 1.25 billion Future Fund. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by Tony Craythorne, chief executive officer, Bamboo Systems provides servers which are optimized for microservices-based software, high performance workloads and processing at the edge. Earlier this year, the company announced its B1000N Series of servers. A fully configured B1008N consists of 8 servers providing 128 cores, 16 DDR4 memory channels to 512GB DRAM, 24GB/s to 64TB of NVMe storage, fed through 160Gb/s network bandwidth. This is delivered in a single rack unit (1U) at approximately 50% of the cost of a legacy Intel-based server, 25% of the energy consumption, and 20% of the rack space. FinSMEs 30/09/2020 Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, an honest look at President Biden's press conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces entered a fourth day on Wednesday in the biggest eruption of their decades-old conflict since a 1994 ceasefire. Azerbaijan and the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh said there were attacks from both sides at several directions along the line of contact that divides them. The fighting has spread well beyond the borders of the enclave, threatening to spill into all-out war between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Armenia`s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, said he was not at this point considering asking for help under a post-Soviet security treaty but did not rule out doing so. "Armenia will ensure its security, with the participation of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) or without it," Russian news agencies quoted Pashinyan as saying. He said he and Putin had not discussed the possibility of Russian military intervention in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russia has used the CSTO, along with the Eurasian Economic Union, another regional bloc focused on trade, to project influence across most of the former Soviet Union. Nagorno-Karabakh is a breakaway region that is inside Azerbaijan but is run by ethnic Armenians and is supported by Armenia. It broke away from Azerbaijan in a war in the 1990s but is not recognised by any country as an independent republic. Any move to all-out war could drag in Russia and Turkey, which is a close ally of Azerbaijan. The Azeri prosecutor`s office said on Wednesday seven more civilians were wounded as a result of shelling of the city of Terter, which borders Nagorno-Karabakh. Its defence ministry said ethnic Armenian forces attempted to recover lost ground by launching counter-attacks in the direction of Madagiz, but Azeri forces repelled the attack. Armenia`s defence ministry said the Azeri army had been shelling the whole front line during the night and two Azeri drones were shot down in the town of Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh`s administrative centre. It was not possible to independently confirm the report. Dozens of people have been reported killed and hundreds wounded since the new wave of fighting broke out on Sunday. (Natural News) A temperature reading from nearly three decades ago is now recognized as the lowest recorded temperature in the Northern Hemisphere. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the climate-related wing of the United Nations, confirmed the new record of -93.3 F, which was logged in Greenland on Dec. 22, 1991. The reading was only acknowledged decades later thanks to a group of climate detectives at WMOs Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes. In the era much attention focuses on new heat records, said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. This newly recognized cold record is an important reminder about the stark contrasts that exist on this planet. The all-time temperature low in the Northern Hemisphere was previously held by the Russian towns, Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon, which recorded -90 F in February 1892 and January 1933, respectively. Meanwhile, the worlds record low, a numbing -128.6 F, was registered at the high-altitude Vostok weather station in Antarctica in July 1983. Tracing climate data from nearly 30 years ago The WMO could usually evaluate extreme climate observations within a few years after the observations were made. But in some cases, evaluations would not be made until climate historians uncovered long-overlooked weather data that contains important climate information. That was the case with the just-concluded evaluation of the nearly 30-year-old temperature reading at the Klinck weather station. The remote site of Klinck sits at more than 10,000 feet aboveground, close to the topographic summit of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The automatic weather station operated for two years in the early 1990s and was overseen by researchers studying the Greenland Ice Sheet. In 1994, it was returned to the laboratory for testing before being sent to the field, this time for the Antarctic. However, this was long before WMOs archive was established in 2007. The record came to light only after a blue-ribbon international panel of scientists at WMO tracked down the original research team to help verify the information. To the panels luck, the Klinck research team diligently stored the metadata and calibrations throughout the ensuing decades. After reviewing the equipment, observation practices and weather patterns of December 1991, the committee unanimously endorsed the acceptance of the new all-time temperature low in the Northern Hemisphere. South Africa: Lockdown travel: Government releases list of high-risk countries With hours to go before the reopening of some borders following the easing of lockdown restrictions, South Africa has released a list of countries from which leisure travellers will not be allowed into the country. Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, revealed the list of countries at a briefing on Wednesday on the reopening of borders and ports of entry for international travellers following South Africas move to level 1 of the lockdown. Leisure travellers from the following countries will not be allowed to travel to South Africa: United Kingdom United States of America Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Slovakia Slovenia Switzerland Ukraine Venezuela San Marino Trinidad and Tobago Jordan Kuwait Luxembourg Monacco Netherlands Oman Peru Portugal Georgia Honduras Hungary Iran Israel France Guatemala India Ireland Malta The list follows President Cyril Ramaphosas announcement that the countrys borders will be reopened for business and leisure travel for international travellers, subject to a number of restrictions for travellers. These restrictions include that all travellers visiting the country will be expected to abide by the regulations, which include the mandatory wearing of masks at all times, practising social distancing in public spaces, regular washing or sanitising of hands and presenting a negative COVID-19 test result not older than 72 hours from the time of departure. Should a traveller display any COVID-19related symptoms or have been in contact with an infected person(s), they will be expected to take a mandatory COVID-19 test. This test will be at the travellers cost. If the COVID-19 test comes back positive, the traveller will be subjected to a 10-day quarantine at a designated site. The accommodation at a quarantine site will be at the travellers cost. International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor said the decision taken with regards to high risk countries is complex. She further said travellers to South Africa are required to have travel insurance. Exceptions The exception for travellers from high-risk countries will be business travellers with scarce and critical skills, including diplomats, repatriated persons, investors and people participating in professional sporting and cultural events, who will undergo the same health protocol screenings. Also speaking at the briefing, Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu said leisure travellers from these countries will not be barred from entering South Africa forever. For now they are not allowed. It doesnt mean they won't be allowed in forever because even the high risk characterisation of their country might change to low or medium risk, he said. Pandor said data will be reviewed every two weeks. Resumption of visa sand ID applications Motsoaledi announced that the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will extend the validity period of legally issued visas, which expired during the lockdown period. The validity of these visas will be extended to 31 January 2021. When the lockdown started, we announced that all those who are on visas, which will expire intra-lockdown, were extended to 31 July 2020. We then extended it to 31 October. It is clear that by 31 October 2020, things would not have changed. All those with [legally issued visas] will be regarded as valid until 31 January next year. Anyone, who has a visa that has expired, has nothing to fear, he said. However, this only applies to visitors already in South Africa. Holders of such visas are permitted to remain in the country under the conditions of their visit. Those wishing to be repatriated to their country within this period can depart without being declared undesirable. We want to assure such people that if you arrive with a visa that has expired, because we deem it to be valid until 31 January 2021, you wont be declared undesirable [when you leave], said Motsoaledi. In addition, the DHA is also resuming services for applications of identity documents (ID) or documents for all types of passports. People can now apply for IDs and passports, he said. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The Proud Boys, a far-right group with a history of violent confrontations, is gaining increased national scrutiny as academics and advocates have warned the group has ties to white supremacy. The Proud Boys were catapulted to the forefront in a debate Tuesday night when President Donald Trump dodged a chance to condemn them. That's worrying to Amy Cooter, a Vanderbilt University senior lecturer who studies nationalism, race and ethnicity. Cooter told USA TODAY on Wednesday that the Proud Boys have a history of tolerating racism among their ranks, associating with overtly racist figures and are becoming increasingly armed as they mingle with other right-leaning groups. The Proud Boys publicly deny supporting white supremacy and style the group as a counterbalancing force against the loosely organized anti-fascist movement known as Antifa, Cooter said. The Proud Boys were founded in 2016 by Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes and described themselves at the time as a politically incorrect mens club for Western chauvinists." Current Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who is Afro-Cuban, says the group has "longstanding regulations prohibiting racist, white supremacist or violent activity," Ronald D. Coleman wrote in an email to USA TODAY. Coleman said he is a spokesman for the Proud Boys. "We do not care what color you are or what your background is ... if you love America ... we consider you a brother," Tarrio said in a written statement provided by Coleman. The group condemns racism, fascism, communism and socialism, the statement says. The group is known for its "anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric," according to The Southern Poverty Law Center, a legal advocacy organization that has designated the Proud Boys as a hate group. The SPLC has been warning about the group's violent tendencies for years. The Proud Boys have become an increasingly visible part of ongoing social unrest as the group's demonstrations have frequently devolved into fights and violence. When the Proud Boys met with counterprotesters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in August, the tensions boiled over into fights requiring law enforcement to step in. Story continues Last weekend in Portland, Oregon, hundreds of people dozens of them wearing militarized body armor gathered for a rally organized by the Proud Boys. Although law enforcement said the rally ended without serious violence, videos showed an assault after a suspect kicked a man who was livestreaming at the rally. Members of the Proud Boys and other right-wing demonstrators march across the Hawthorne Bridge during an "End Domestic Terrorism" rally in Portland, Oregon, on Aug. 17, 2019. "The Proud Boys have had a yearslong reputation for not only violence but very clear ties to white supremacy," Cooter said in an email to USA TODAY. The group remains dominated by white men while being more to the right than most constitutional militias and more prone to physical violence, Cooter told USA TODAY. But they seemed committed to attempt to publicly separate themselves from neo-Nazi groups. Their reputation for violence was a subject on the debate stage Tuesday night. When presidential debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and urge them to stand down from adding to violence and social upheaval, Trump asked Wallace to name a specific group. Democratic rival Joe Biden interrupted to cite the Proud Boys. "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said. Megan Squire, a professor of computer science at Elon University in North Carolina who studies online extremism, told USA TODAY that the comment led the group's organizers to feel "validated." Tarrio said in his statement the group did not consider Trump's mention an endorsement. An ongoing lawsuit filed by McInnes claims SPLC's characterizations of him as a "'hate' figure" are "defamatory, false and misleading" as well as "purposefully deceitful." McInnes quit the Proud Boys after an October 2018 clash between members of the Proud Boys and Antifa that followed a McInnes speech at a New Yorks Metropolitan Republican Club. Contributing: John Bacon, Courtney Subramanian, Jordan Culver, Phillip M. Bailey and Rebecca Morin; Gabriel Rom and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, Rockland/Westchester Journal News; The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who are the Proud Boys? Group mentioned at debate has violent history US Department of Justice to sue Google over search and advertsing The US Department of Justice will file a lawsuit against Google next week, reports Reuters citing three inside sources. This suit will accuse the company of trying to undermine rival search engines (Microsofts Bing and others). By limiting their access to data about users and their preferences, Google is preventing its rivals from improving their search and advertising platforms. The search giant has denied these accusations. The DoJ is also looking into Googles ad business that sells space for ads under search results as well as the tools to run such ads. State attorneys general have reportedly been asked to sign onto the lawsuit. Some of them are already investigating other Google businesses. Just last year the European Commission slapped Google with a 1.49 billion fine for trying to cement its dominance in search ads by limiting the use of rival search engines. Source Sweeney Todd, Waitress...baking and the stage have had a lengthy and lucrative relationship. So we're thrilled that The Great British Baking Show has returned to Netflix, at a time when we need the amuse-bouche of quaint British boulangerie the most. In addition to the whimsical banter from hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas and judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, several of this season's contestants have a background on or around the stage. Laura Adlington ( Immediate Media/Channel 4) First of all, there's digital manager Laura Adlington. When not volunteering for the Samaritans, Laura is a self-professed "musical theatre geek." According to her (admittedly baking heavy) Instagram, she is a frequent theatergoer, seeing the West End productions of Wicked, Dear Evan Hansen, and, of course, Waitress. Her version of Freddie Mercury's head may be somewhat unorthodox, but she's got good taste. Lottie Bedlow ( Immediate Media/Channel 4) Secondly there's Lottie Bedlow, who (spoilers!) earned a special handshake from Paul Hollywood last week after her impressive florentines. While she may be a master crafter of baked goods, she's also a fine theater creator, currently working as a production coordinator for Anton Benson Productions and its yearly holiday pantomimes. Before overseeing the 2018 and 2019 pantos, Bedlow worked as a production coordinator at North London's Hampstead Theatre, and before that, was an administrative assistant for veteran producer Bill Kenwright. Whether or not Bedlow will remain in the theater profession after the series or be snatched up by the baking community, only thyme will tell. Rowan Williams ( Immediate Media/Channel 4) And how can we forget about Worcestershire-based music teacher Rowan Williams? Entirely self-taught, Williams describes his baking style as "ostentatious," as evidenced by his shockingly realistic cake bust of Marie Antoinette. But he is also a major theater and opera lover, as evidenced by his technical Battenberg, themed around Mozart's The Magic Flute. The prestigious Glyndebourne opera loved it so much that they publicly offered him tickets to their planned fall production. Finally, there's new host Matt Lucas, a West End vet who originated the role of Leigh Bowery in Taboo and has a long history of playing Thenardier in of Les Miserables. Here he is singing "Master of the House." AN initial report on the police use of tear gas against a group of protesters on Sunday has been completed. The report, compiled by officers involved, is expected to be reviewed and recommendations made on if any protocols were breached by the officers engaged in the activities at the Queens Park Savannah in Port of Spain. With the endorsement of Gov. Ned Lamont, the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Wednesday to rename the Marine Sciences building at Avery Point in Groton in honor of former Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. Weicker, who lives in Essex a short distance from Avery Point is a former Greenwich first selectman, U.S. congressman and senator and then governor, serving from 1991 to 1995. He is perhaps best known for establishing a state income tax amid intense criticism. For that, he received a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. Lamont said Weicker is a champion for marine science biology and Avery Point. It means a lot, Lamont said. Lets face it, I know he is one cantankerous son of a gun but hes also made some tough choices along the way and, personally speaking, I think the state is better for it. UConn Board Chairman Dan Toscano, recalling Weicker as a great scuba diver in his younger days, called it an appropriate tribute. Board member Andrea Dennis-Lavigne called the marine science center a beautiful building. The campus is home to a research vessel named for the former governor. Weicker helped to establish UConn as a national Sea Grant institution and a national Undersea Research Center. As governor, he helped secure a $50 million grant for the Avery Point Marine Sciences building that will now bear his name. His proud legacy of public service in Connecticut and the nation, as well as his courage in the face of major challenges on behalf of his state and his constituents, is such that the University of Connecticut should name a major facility in his honor, UConn President Thomas C. Katsouleas said in his resolution. A naming ceremony will be held sometime this fall. Finance Minister: "No IMF tranche" scenario off table 12:20, 30.09.20 262 Marchenko said the IMF mission is expected to arrive in October or November 2020. The Shanghai Grand Theatre will present two concerts of Ludwig van Beethoven's symphonies on Oct 9 and Dec 6. The Shanghai Opera House Symphony will be playing under the baton of maestro Xu Zhong, director of Shanghai Opera House, performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 and 3 on Oct 9 and Symphony No. 4 and 6 on Dec 6. These concerts are part of the celebration of the German musician's 250th birthday at Shanghai Grand Theatre. As a pianist-turned-conductor, Xu said his understanding of Beethoven's symphonies come from his familiarity with the musician's piano concertos. Each conductor is supposed to build his own interpretation of these symphonies without losing the composer's distinctive style. Of the four pieces, Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" and 6 "Pastoral" are more frequently performed, while 4 and 8 are less familiar to audiences. "Each of Beethoven's nine symphonies is brilliant and well balanced," Xu told the media on Tuesday. "You can play Beethoven any time and give audiences a great musical experience." Political slugfest over the new farm laws intensified on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the protesting opposition parties of opposing farmers independence, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the laws were a stab in the farmers hearts. Accusing the opposition of working against farmers interests, the prime minister said, A few days ago with the new laws, the country has freed its farmers from many shackles. Now a farmer can sell his produce to anyone, anywhere. But today, even when the central government is giving the farmers their rights, these people [opposition parties] have come down to protest and are opposing the independence of the farmer. Referring to Mondays incident when members of the Punjab unit of Youth Congress set a tractor on fire at near the India Gate lawns in New Delhi , he said, These people are now humiliating the farmers by setting fire to the goods and equipment that the farmer worships. Modi was inaugurating six sewage treatment plants in Uttarakhand under Namami Gange via video conferencing. The three bills - the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Bill, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 - have become acts after President Ram Nath Kovind signed them into law. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his video interaction with a group of farmers from across the country, said, The new farm laws will promote an East India company-like culture. This time, a West India company has come in. There is no difference between GST [Goods and Services Tax], noteban and these three laws. The only difference is that this is directly stabbing your heart with a knife. But I have clarity in my mind that these have to be opposed. Not for farmers, but for the future of India. The Congress has launched a nationwide agitation against the farm laws and Gandhi too is expected to join the famers protest in Punjab later this week. West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee,too, hit out at the Centre saying that this legislation would devastate the farmers of the country and help the hoarders. The farm laws will devastate the farmers of the country. It will only help the hoarders. Farmers, especially in Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against the legislation, which the government says will enable them to sell their produce in any market of their choice rather than limit them to government-run mandis called APMCs. The protestors say the Centres farm reforms could pave the way for the dismantling of the MSP system, leaving them at the mercy of big companies. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has walked out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the centre to protest against the farm legislation. Shirley Ballas has spoken out about how she had a furious row with Craig Revel Horwood after he reportedly body-shamed her back in 2018. The head Strictly judge, 60, described how Craig's 'painful' alleged comments about her figure drudged up bad memories from her second marriage to retired dancer Corky. Shirley said Craig gave a grovelling apology after he is said to have told a crowd her breasts were 'hanging out' when she auditioned to replace Len Goodman. Her side of the story: Shirley Ballas has spoken out about how she had a furious row with Craig Revel Horwood after he reportedly body-shamed her back in 2018 (pictured last September) Craig, 55, allegedly said while promoting his autobiography at the time: 'What happened is that she came to the audition and literally had her thing open to her navel. I am not joking. 'Her boobs were like La BaZooKa things hanging out. It was not very, erm, Strictly. So they came in and sewed all that up. Then they had to push them down . . . and they're fake.' Two years on, Shirley spoke of her shock in her autobiography, Behind The Sequins. Taunt: Shirley says Craig gave a grovelling apology after he is said to have told a crowd her breasts were 'hanging out' when she auditioned to replace Len Goodman (pictured in 2019) In an extract obtained by The Mirror, the retired dancer said: 'It was awful and very, very painful. It brought up a lot of things from my past that I thought I'd dealt with.' She claimed: 'Once again, I was propelled back to my toughest days with [ex-husband] Corky, when he would make comments about my appearance: my crooked teeth, my nose, my a**e that was too big. 'All those insults just came flying back as I read what Craig had said, apparently in jest. I told him exactly how I felt.' Shirley said she told Craig she felt a sense of betrayal as she felt he should 'feel like a protector to me and I should to you.' The Strictly star added Craig gave her a grovelling apology and sent her flowers as an olive branch. Old wounds: In an extract of her autobiography, the retired dancer said: 'It was awful and very, very painful. It brought up a lot of things from my past that I thought I'd dealt with' Made it up: The Strictly star said Craig gave her a grovelling apology and sent her flowers as an olive branch (pictured last year) MailOnline has contacted Craig and Corky's representatives and Strictly for comment. Shirley was with her second husband, professional dancer Corky Ballas when she decided to increase her bust size from a 32B to 34DD 18 years ago. She told MailOnline last year: 'For years Corky was what I call a jokester. He'd tease me with things like, "You've got breasts like two currants on a breadboard" or "You've got a sunken chest like a pirate's something or other." He didn't like my teeth until I got braces at 25. 'It's like a little pickaxe that goes, chip, chip, chip, until, in the end, you think you are ugly. Boob job: Shirley was with her second husband, professional dancer Corky Ballas when she decided to increase her bust size from a 32B to 34DD (pictured in 2018) Confidence knock: For years Corky was what I call a jokester. He'd tease me with things like, "You've got breasts like two currants on a breadboard", she claimed 'I thought I'd have this fantastic bust and everyone would look at me and think I was amazing.' 'After the operation I did feel fantastic: I'd put a bra on and I had a cleavage. But her delight was short-lived. 'Because if you're not happy with yourself if you're heart is not happy you won't be happy with anything you do to your body,' she said. 'It isn't until you're at peace with yourself that everything about you is beautiful. So what if you've got a smaller bust? I think it's only since I've been with Danny that I've realised that.' Last year Shirley had an operation to remove her implants and wowed fans when she returned to Strictly just days after her surgery. Scientists believe theyve found more evidence confirming the presence of a large reservoir of liquid water under the surface of Mars first discovered back in 2018. In fact, they believe theyve found three more subsurface saltwater lakes surrounding that main one a huge discovery, seeing as those lakes are potential habitats for life. As Nature notes in its post about the scientists paper, the first finding was met with lot of skepticism because it was only based on 29 observations from 2012 to 2015. This study and its findings were based on 134 observations made between 2012 and 2019. The team used data from a radar instrument on the European Space Agencys (ESA) Mars Express spacecraft to investigate the planets southern polar region. Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding or MARSIS, as the instrument is called, is capable of sending out radio waves that bounce off materials on the planets surface. Different materials reflect those signals differently, and the same technique is used to find subsurface glacial lakes here on Earth. Upon observing an area thats around 75,000 square kilometers in size, they found locations that reflected those signals back in a way that indicates the presence of water trapped underneath a kilometer of ice. The main lake, the one discovered back in 2018, measures 30 kilometers or 19 miles across, while each of the three smaller lakes surrounding it are a few kilometers across. While the scientists findings are promising, some experts still believe we wont find lakes on the red planet at all. Jack Holt, a planetary scientist part of NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter program, doesnt believe theres enough heat flow under the surface of the planet for water to remain liquid. And even if we do find liquid water under Martian ice, that wont automatically mean well also find life. See, the lakes have to be very salty to remain liquid, but their salt content must not exceed five times that of seawater to be able to support life. As John Priscu, an environmental scientist at Montana State University, told Nature: Anurag Kashyap has been summoned by the Mumbai Police over the sexual assault complaint and subsequent FIR alleging rape registered against him by Payal Ghosh. The filmmaker has been asked to be present at the Versova Police station on Thursday at 11 AM. It was confirmed on Tuesday that he was set to be summoned by the Mumbai Police for interrogation over the complaint. READ: Proof: Payal Ghosh Shares Forcibly Deleted 2018 Posts On #MeToo Encounter With 'director' Payal Ghosh had registered a sexual assault complaint against Anurag Kashyap at the Versova police station in Mumbai on September 22, three days after opening up on the alleged incident. She had tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action against Kashyap and security for her after claiming that he had forced himself upon her around 2014-15. This is apart from another complaint she filed with the Narcotics Control Bureau alleging he consumed drugs, and another complaint with the National Commission for Women. The First Information Report (FIR) against Anurag Kashyap had been registered against Sections 376 (I) (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty,), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code. Earlier, Payal Ghosh had also been interrogated over the statements by the Versova police, where she had registered her complaint. READ: Payal Ghosh & Ramdas Athawale Meet Maha Governor; Discuss Case Against Anurag Kashyap Payal Ghosh vs Anurag Kashyap Meanwhile, Payal Ghosh is receiving support from politicians amid her battle for justice. Union Minister Ramdas Athavale joined her in addressing a press conference recently, where he warned the police of protest from his party RPI if action is not taken for seven days. The minister also helped the actor put forth her plea before Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari. Payal Ghosh had tweeted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on September 19, seeking action against Anurag Kashyap, claiming he had forced himself upon her around 2014-15. She has filed a police complaint against the director, and also registered pleas with the National Commission for Women and another with the Narcotics Control Bureau alleging Kashyap consumed drugs. READ: Anurag Kashyap To Be Summoned By Mumbai Police For Questioning Over Payal Ghosh's Rape FIR READ: Ramdas Athawale Backs Payal Ghosh; Gives 7-day Warning To Police Before Starting Protests Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More State Bank of India on Wednesday said it will raise up to Rs 5,000 crore through debt instruments in the current financial year. The central board of the bank in a meeting held on Wednesday accorded the approval for raising of capital by way of issuance of Basel-III compliant debt instruments in Indian rupees during FY21, SBI said in a regulatory filing. The board said it has approved "raising of additional tier-I (AT1) bonds to the extent of Rs 5,000 crore by way of issuance of Basel-III compliant debt instruments in INR, within the overall capital plan earlier approved by the board for raising equity during FY21, SBI said. The issuance of the additional tier-I bonds will be subject to regulatory and government approvals, it any, it added. Shares of SBI settled at Rs 185.40 apiece on BSE, up 0.22 percent over previous close. Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd and AWP Australia Pty Ltd are facing action as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) launches civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against both companies for the alleged misleading sale of travel insurance on Expedia websites. ASIC said both companies allegedly breached the Corporations Act and the ASIC Act relating to misleading and deceptive conduct and general license obligations. Four North Carolina police officers and a sergeant have resigned after they were all cited for termination for the in-custody death of a black man earlier this year, officials say. On January 23 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers arrested Harold Easter, 41, on drug charges after he was found in possession of marijuana and cocaine. He 'ingested and swallowed cocaine' during the traffic stop and was later left unattended in an interview room for 20 minutes where he suffered periodic seizures. When he was finally found in medical distress he was rushed to a hospital and died three days later. Last week the five CMPD employees involved - Sgt. Nicolas Vincent, Officer Brentley Vinson, Officer Michael Benfield, Officer Michael Joseph and Officer Shon Sheffield - were 'cited for termination' following an internal investigation and by Tuesday had resigned. Four North Carolina police officers and a sergeant have resigned this week after they were all cited for termination for the in-custody death of Harold Easter, 41, (above) in January 'The five sworn employees who were cited for termination following the internal investigation into the death of Harold Easter have resigned,' a CMPD public information officer confirmed to WBTV. On September 18 CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings announced the termination recommendations saying the officers had 'intimate knowledge' that Easter had ingested cocaine. 'Had our officers followed our policy, Mr. Easter may be alive today,' Jennings said. 'And had our officers had more concern for the sanctity of Mr. Easters life, we may not have had such a tragic outcome with this.' They had been on administrative leave with pay in the midst of the investigation. Their resignations come just days before video of the incident will be released to the public on October 1. Video of Easter reportedly shows him placed in an interview room at 12.19pm, where he was checked on periodically. In the clip he falls to the ground and suffers periodic seizures around 1.06pm. He was discovered by the sergeant at 1.13pm and hospitalized. Despite being cited for termination, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer B. Merriweather III determined last week that no charges would be filed against the five CMPD employees involved in Easters death. On January 23 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers arrested Harold Easter, 41, on drug charges after he was found in possession of marijuana and cocaine. He 'ingested and swallowed cocaine' during the traffic stop and was later left unattended in an interview room for 20 minutes when he needed medical attention. He suffered seizures, was hospitalized, and died three days later 'The officers remarked several times that he ate cocaineFor a period of minutes he was calling out for help and just repeating, "Im gonna die, Im gonna die," family attorney Alex Heroy said A 35-page report released last week said the state would have to prove the officers knew or should have known that Easter ingested cocaine and that their failure to get medical attention resulted in criminal negligence. Theyd also have to prove that the failure to obtain medication attention was the cause of his death. 'There were three medical experts we consulted. None of those three could say with a degree of medical certainty that he wouldnt have died,' Merriweather said. 'Its because of the amount of cocaine and cocaine tablets in his system,' he added. Easter's family attorney Alex Heroy slammed the officers for 'trying to escape accountability' in resigning before an official Board hearing. 'The officers remarked several times that he ate cocaineFor a period of minutes he was calling out for help and just repeating, "Im gonna die, Im gonna die," family Heroy said to WCNC. The District Attorneys Office condemned the officers in the case saying they could have taken different actions that could have prevented Easters death. 'The video image of Mr. Easter slowly beginning to perish, unattended, for over 15 minutes has left an indelible mark upon each of us,' Merriweather said. Last week Easter's sister Andress Mackey spoke out following the DA decision to not press charges. She said: 'Im still upset. It doesnt bring him back but at the same time, if he has been treated like a person with respect, we wouldnt be here today. Hed still be with us' 'We also acknowledge that a person certainly might reasonablyand justifiablyinfer that different actions by the officers could have saved Mr. Easters life. That inference alone is insufficient to sustain a criminal prosecution, but it is wholly appropriate to deem what occurred on January 23, 2020 to be an abject failure of operating procedure and general standards of custodial care,' he added. Easters death sparked outrage in the state and led to changes within the CMPD including a new policy where officers must continuously observe any person while theyre in custody. Last week Easters family held a press conference after the District Attorneys decision saying theyre still mourning the loss of their loved one. 'I miss him everyday. Every second, every minute, every hour of everyday. Im still upset. It doesnt bring him back but at the same time, if he has been treated like a person with respect, we wouldnt be here today. Hed still be with us,' Harolds sister, Andrell Mackey said. Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: Global alternative asset management firm H.I.G. Capital has closed buyout fund H.I.G. Capital Partners VI at $1.3 billion. The alternative money manager with $40 billion of equity capital under management said in a press release that the Fund closed with aggregate capital commitments of $1.3 billion, well exceeding its target. The Fund will continue the strategy of H.I.G.'s five predecessors lower middle-market funds, by making private equity investments in lower middle-market companies, primarily in North America. H.I.G. Capital Partners V closed at $1 billion in 2013. Sami Mnaymneh and Tony Tamer, H.I.G. Co-Founders and Co-CEOs commented: "We are grateful for the continued support from our longstanding investors, reflecting the strong performance and differentiated investment approach of our lower middle market strategy throughout H.I.G.'s 27-year history." Investors include the $83.8 billion Virginia Retirement System, Richmond, and the $30.7 billion Texas County & District Retirement System, Austin. Jordan Peer, Managing Director and Global Head of H.I.G. Capital Formation, said: "The Fund received overwhelming global support from our investors, allowing us to complete an entirely virtual fundraising process within a compact time frame of a few months. We are grateful for these long-standing partners across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia." "The current economic environment presents both challenges as w...................... To view our full article Click here The first televised debate between President Donald J. Trump and his opponent, former vice president Joe Biden, took place on Tuesday night, Sept. 29. Each candidate was given two minutes to respond to a question. Then there could be an open-ended back and forth. In typical formal debates, response time is also limited, but the two sides had agreed to this open-ended approach. Both candidates often talked over each other. Each interrupted the other, but President Trump was the more aggressive interrupter of the two. President Trump came on stage looking grouchy and tired. Former vice president Biden came in his casual street persona, greeting the president by saying "man." There were some exceptional low points from both sides and from the moderator. Chris Wallace asked President Trump about his taxes, basing his question upon a story that had just appeared in the New York Times. This was extremely irrelevant. What does the amount of money Trump paid in taxes have to do with his re-election or non-re-election? Moreover, the question was based on a newspaper story that reviewed his taxes and found nothing illegal. So what if his lawyers beat the system and found some good write-offs and deductions for him? Isn't that why people go to professionals to have their taxes completed? Moreover, the Times article was based on information illegally obtained, since tax forms are confidential, and it is illegal for the government or anyone to share the information with a third party. Wallace's question was underwriting the legitimacy of the Times article, which the said article did not deserve. President Trump, for his part, brought up the question of Hunter Biden's gaming the system (or worse) with his work for Burisma in Ukraine, with the notoriously corrupt Moscow mayor's widow, and in the People's Republic of China. These "jobs" seem to be a source of ill gotten gains and a way for Ukraine, Russia, or China to exercise some undue influence on his father. Trump did not ask the former vice president why he was not concerned about the appearance of impropriety, which was obvious, or tell his son that he was against these ventures. Instead, it's well known that Biden pushed the Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating Burisma, the Ukraine company on whose Board of Directors Hunter Biden sat, to drop the case or lose U.S. aid in the amount of $1 billion. Then he also had the prosecutor fired. In short, the president failed to articulate his concern about the connection between Hunter's actions and his father's intervention. He did not connect the dots between Hunter and Vice President Joe's possible and likely corruption. So without that connection being made, the viewer might logically ask: So the son's a screw-up or manipulator? What does that have to do with Biden's candidacy? Biden ruthlessly blamed the president over and over again during the debate for events that had nothing to do with Trump's judgment or behavior namely, the COVID pandemic and the riots in many of our large, Democrat-controlled cities. The president did not create the virus and did nothing to bring it to our shores. In fact, as he affirmed multiple times in the debate and on many previous occasions, he halted travel of non-Americans from China to the U.S. early on as news got about the apparently new and deadly disease. Vice President Biden at that time called the president xenophobic, as did Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Trump attempted to make that point but couldn't get a word in edgewise. The action by the president vis-a-vis travel from China to the U.S. did more to prevent COVID deaths than any medical action that could have been taken, as he attempted to say. Both with COVID and the urban riots, Biden stated that they "happened on your watch." This is a stupid statement, but there are many stupid people who might consider it valid. It is stupid because if someone breaks into my house, would it make sense to blame me for having the house? Disease or riots breaking out during his presidency in no way demonstrate that they are "his fault." That is the new woke morality we are dealing with. Are we to blame the presidents of the past because various flus attacked the citizenry? Polio was rampant when I was a kid. Would anyone have thought to blame Presidents Truman and Eisenhower? Was Lincoln to blame for the violent New York City draft riots of 1863? The president in response to the riots kept insisting that he is for law and order; he should have gone on the offensive in the debate and specifically called out Biden and all other Democrat leaders as well as the mayors and governors of Democrat-controlled cities and states for not putting the riots down. He should have pointed fingers instead of saying merely he was for law and order. His was a somewhat weak rejoinder because in a certain sense that claim fed into Biden's portrayal of Trump as ineffectual and a fomenter of the urban disturbances. His claim of being for law and order gives rise to a question that Biden did not ask, but which was implied: if you are for law and order, why have you not achieved law and order? To informed citizens, the answer is obvious. Only governors can call out the National Guard. Trump attempted to say this but was shouted down. Yet despite this, only Trump could only act definitively vis-a-vis the military under the Insurrection Act of 1807, but to date he has not invoked that law even though it was used to quell riots in Los Angeles in 1992. More to the point, it seems to this writer that Trump did not act more aggressively to put down these riots because he did not want to fall into the trap of being portrayed as a military-style dictator willing to use the military for police power against our citizens. But that wasn't brought up. The president was surly, brusque, and ill-humored throughout, the opposite of his persona at his rallies where he is forceful, good-humored, and really rock 'n' rolling as he moves from topic to topic. Biden managed not to appear flustered or mentally ill, which was, for him, quite an achievement. He was so dismissive of the president and more than once called the President a liar. He was completely contemptuous of the president of the United States which many, like myself, will find completely unwarranted and offensive in the extreme. Although this was a debate for the presidency of our country, it seemed more like a schoolyard argument between two aggressive personalities lacking a mature concern for policy. Mr. Biden denied his collaboration with Bernie Sanders which the president attempted to bring up intermittently throughout the 90 minutes. Yet, this was a patent deception as we know that Biden has moved closer to the socialist/green new deal/anarchist agenda of woke morality than any presidential candidate in history. President Harry Truman had repudiated the politics of Henry Wallace in 1948, so Wallace needed to start another party. But Biden has not repudiated Sanders or the openly socialist green sycophant Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Although the Trump presidency is serving the country very well, tonight's debate did not define the president at his best, and Mr. Biden, while adept at political platitudes, showed himself to be accusatory and devoid of a positive vision for our country. Image credit: Fox News screen shot via shareable YouTube. A songbook/CD set with scores for four part choir, words, translations and background information for eighteen songs of significance and beauty from Oceania. There are songs of the East Timorese struggle for self determination since 1973 (including the national anthem), Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songs, and songs from the Pacific. The East Timorese community and others gave advice and assistance. 2005. 52 pp., spiral bound with audio CD. $25 B75 The Testimony Project: Papua by Charles E. Farhadian, photographs by Stephan Babuljak A collection of histories in West Papua. Twelve West Papuans speak for themselves, movingly present their life stories in 'raw narratives' as if the interviewees were speaking directly to the reader. Introduction by Ed McWilliams. Dr. Charles Farhadian, who edited the book, explains: "The goal in creating the book is two-fold. First, it is crucial that Papuans get a chance to speak for themselves, rather than being reinterpreted or silenced for any number of reasons and by any number of people. By speaking for themselves, Papuans demonstrate they are actors in their own right. Second, it is equally important to provide an historical document that records the lives of Papuans at the beginning of the 21st century." This book is the first of its kind. It dignifies Papuans and lets us speak on our own terms. -- Father Neles Tebay, Bishop of Jayapura, Papua "The Testimony Project: Papua challenges the standardized or idealized views of Papuans. -- Rev. Dr. Benny Giay, Professor of Church & Society, Papua Penerbit Deiya. 2007. 125 pp. $20 MUSKEGON, MI Muskegon Public Schools is finding new ways to bring physical education to students while the district is online-only because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The districts physical education teachers, with the help of local law enforcement, are leading a new bike riding club for K-8 students to ride safely through the Muskegon community. The daily program, which launched last week, begins and ends at one of the districts four elementary schools Monday through Thursday. Our students love to be active, said Jennifer Hammond, the districts director of curriculum. We often are confined by the four walls of the gymnasium for P.E., so this is just a lifelong skill of learning to love bike riding and knowing how to do it safely. Muskegon Public Schools started the school year online-only Aug. 26 in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. But the district has found unique ways to keep students engaged during virtual learning, including offering daily face-to-face tutoring sessions with teachers in small group settings. RELATED: No in-person classes? No problem. This Michigan school has a personal solution Another way the district has complemented virtual learning is through the bike club program, titled EMBARK. The program is offered four days a week from 2:15-3:15 p.m. and was created in conjunction with the Muskegon Rotary Club. School leaders started planning for the program by creating and inspecting local bike routes over the summer. We would look at stop signs, we would look for potholes, we would look for pedestrian crosswalks, she said. And then someone from our team would talk to the city of Muskegon and they would go out and make the route even safer. The program was originally intended to be a way for students to bike to and from school every day safely, Hammond said. But when the district announced it would be online-only this fall, school leaders still wanted to offer some kind of bike riding program to students. So for now, the club will take students on a recreational bike ride around the community every day. About a dozen kids have participated in the program since it started last week, all ranging from grades K-8, Hammond said. One of our kindergarten students asked her P.E. teacher if she could come along even through she was still on training wheels, and he said, Of course, Hammond said. So he just kept at a slower pace alongside her." Hammond said the program is open to all family members in the district and encourages parents to ride along as well. She said she hopes to eventually create a community bike route that any member of the community can use for safely riding their bikes around town. The district is currently seeking volunteers to help by riding along to ensure student safety, which can be anyone in the Muskegon community. Volunteers can sign up here. While the district is online-only right now, school leaders are looking to build up a volunteer base for if the district offers in-person learning in which case, the program would be used for kids to ride their bikes to and from school in a bike train. Because P.E. teachers would be busy teaching in-person classes, volunteers could step in to lead the after-school routes, Hammond said. Rachel Fawcett, a Muskegon resident and member of the Rotary Club, said she hopes the program will boost physical activity in the community. I think this offers an opportunity for parents to engage with their children in a healthy way, said Fawcett, who is the chair of the rotary clubs health and wellness committee. I think it offers kids an opportunity to really own a program, and to develop leadership skills and safe biking skills. If the K-8 program goes well, Fawcett said she hopes to expand the program to Muskegon High School, as well as other districts in Muskegon County. Norton Shores, Reeths-Puffer, Whitehall, those are all areas that could implement the safe bike routes, she said. It would be my dream that people from every community would see this program and want to have it in their own community, and we could help with guiding them and developing those routes for every community in our county. To help you navigate this complicated fall, were pleased to offer you a simpler way to get all of your education news: Our new Michigan Schools: Education in the COVID Era newsletter delivered right to your inbox. To receive this newsletter, simply click here to sign up. More on MLive: When school is safer than home during a pandemic Some students could fall through the cracks without in-person learning Mandatory masks, 50% classroom sizes: Grand Rapids Public Schools details hybrid learning plan A makeshift memorial to Breonna Taylor in downtown Louisville, Ky. Taylor was fatally shot in a police raid on her apartment in March. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) A judge granted a motion filed by Kentucky Atty. Gen. Daniel Cameron on Wednesday to delay the release of transcripts and audio from a grand jury's inquiry into the police killing of Breonna Taylor. It's the latest legal turn in a case that has helped propel the national discourse about race and policing. Cameron, who filed a motion early Wednesday, asked for a one-week delay so that his office could redact the personal information of people who were part of the proceedings. The circuit court judge, Ann Bailey Smith, granted a delay until Friday for the documents from the 2 days of proceedings. Normally kept secret, the documents and audio recordings were set to be made public after an unidentified grand juror filed a separate court motion this week asking a judge to release the record of the proceedings. The motion filed by the juror argued that there was a compelling public interest to have the grand jury record released. In addition, it accuses Cameron, who was also the special prosecutor in the case, of using the grand jury to deflect accountability and responsibility for [the indictment] decisions. Last week, Cameron announced the grand jurys decision not to hold the three officers Myles Cosgrove, Jonathan Mattingly and Brett Hankison involved in the shooting legally responsible for the killing of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, in Louisville. The decision stirred outrage across the country. Cameron disclosed this week that his office had not given the panel the option to consider murder or lesser charges in Taylor's death. A Jefferson County circuit court judge ruled in favor of the motion to make public a record of the grand jury's deliberations, and Cameron has said he will comply by releasing documents from the proceedings. Officers burst into Taylor's apartment March 13 with a no knock warrant and fired multiple times after her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker who did not know who was entering the home shot and wounded one of the officers. Taylor, who had been sleeping at the time, was shot multiple times and died instantly. Story continues Hankison, since dismissed from the Louisville Metro Police Department, was charged by the grand jury with wanton endangerment for firing rounds that struck neighboring apartments a legal determination, critics say, that served as a further insult to the value of Taylors life. In an interview with a local news station late Tuesday, Cameron defended the decision not to give the grand jury the option of recommending murder or lesser charges, saying it was not appropriate. The charge that we could prove at trial, beyond reasonable doubt, was for wanton endangerment against Mr. Hankison, Cameron said. Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly were fired upon by Mr. Walker. They were justified in returning fire. In the days since the announcement, attorneys for Taylor and for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, have called on Cameron to release the transcripts amid more than 120 days of protests that have shuttered the city. The largely peaceful demonstrations have served as a relentless rally against police brutality toward Black people. On Wednesday afternoon, Jackie Reynolds, a local college student, sat on a sidewalk near Jefferson Square Park in downtown Louisville, the site of massive demonstrations in recent months. She has been among those protesting. "In time, the truth will come out," Reynolds said, noting she is not concerned about the delay in releasing the grand jury transcripts. "We're not going to stop marching until these officers are charged with murdering Breonna." Reynolds was among nearly a dozen other protesters in the park, where a large mural in honor of Taylor is located. Benjamin Crump, a civil rights attorney representing Taylors family, said that since the grand jury decision was announced, weve been saying that Daniel Cameron clearly failed to present a comprehensive case that supported justice for Breonna. That conclusion is supported by the grand juror who came forward to say that the attorney general misrepresented the grand jurys deliberations, Crump said. He added: In America, law-abiding citizens including Black citizens have the right to live peacefully in their homes, without police breaking down their doors in the middle of the night, and they have a right to protect themselves and their property from intruders. Cameron, the state's first Black attorney general, has faced criticism from some Black activists here. "You are a coward, you are a sellout," Tamika Mallory, a leading activist, said of Cameron during a news conference last week. In the local television interview, Cameron responded to criticism of how he has handled the case. Some of these folks, they seek to divide and push hatred and to stir the pot," he said. Just because I might have a different philosophy should not discredit the fact I am a Black man." Since Taylors death six months ago, the city has sought to implement changes and ease tensions. Local elected officials have enacted a ban, known as Breonnas Law, on no knock warrants like the one officers used to force their way into her residence. The city is also creating an independent civilian police-review board with subpoena power, designed to foster greater accountability and transparency within the Police Department. Earlier this month, the city settled a wrongful-death lawsuit with Taylors family for $12 million, the highest amount ever paid out by the city in a case of its kind. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Embattled Florida attorney Scot Strems, who, with his firm, has filed thousands of assignment of benefit and first party lawsuits against Florida property insurers over the last several years, has been found by a court-appointed referee to have violated more than a dozen rules regulating the Florida Bar. The findings by Judge Dawn Denaro of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court bring Strems one step closer to disbarment by the Florida Supreme Court after a several months long legal battle brought against him by the Florida Bar. Denaro said the bar had proven Strems violated the 14 rules by clear and convincing evidence. The bar first brought its case against Strems to the states high court back in June, when it alleged the owner and sole named partner of Coral Gables-based Strems Law Firm (SLF) had caused great public harm through a vast campaign of unprofessional, unethical, and fraudulent conduct. The Florida Supreme Court issued an emergency suspension of Strems June 9 in response to a 48-page petition from the bar that stated Strems was the respondent of several complaints before the bar. Strems and SLF are also accused of illegally filing multiple lawsuits on an individual policy claim, delaying and ignoring court deadlines, and violating court orders. Several Florida insurers have reported dealings with the firm that aligned with these allegations and a former associate of the firm testified that the firm had filed thousands of suits against Florida property insurance companies. Strems denied all of the bars claims and filed a motion to dissolve the emergency suspension on June 26, which was denied by Denaro, who was appointed referee of the case. Denaro disagreed then with Strems attorneys claims that the misconduct alleged by the bar didnt warrant emergency suspension and that the bars petition was deficient [and] does not demonstrate that Mr. Strems is causing immediate and serious injury to a client or the public.' Strems case then proceeded to trial, which was held Sept. 8 to Sept. 16. Among the bar rules that Denaro found Strems had violated include: Lawyers are required to making reasonable efforts to expedite litigation. Lawyers must not issue false statements of fact or law to a tribunal or failing to correct a false statement of material fact or law previously made. Lawyers must not submit evidence known to be false. Lawyers must not obstruct another partys access to evidence or otherwise unlawfully altering, destroying or concealing a document or other material. As sole partner and owner of the Strems law firm, Strems failed to ensure that the lawyers in his firm comply with the rule that requires a lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client. A lawyer shall not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. Denaro cited in her findings of the violations conduct by Strems that had led to case dismissals and numerous sanctions issued against him and attorneys representing SLF. These matters were always immediately brought to his attention. He was very hands on with the problem cases, and had an open-door policy to his attorneys, she said. Denaro also noted testimony from former Strems Associate Christian Aguirre, who served as a witness for the bar and was previously deposed by Security First Insurance Co. in January 2020 in a $321,000 fee dispute. Aguirre, who resigned from the firm in 2018, said that during his tenure the firm had as many as 10,000 lawsuits against insurance companies and that he personally handled as many as 700 in one year for the firm. In the deposition, also included as evidence in the petition for Strems emergency suspension, Aguirre said the Strems firm did not instruct him to keep track of his time and the law firm billed for case meetings that never occurred. Denaro said that Aguirre testified during Strems trial to remedial actions taken by Strems to remedy issues the firm was having, but she noted these actions were insufficient and unreasonable in light of the fact that the firm was assigning, according to Aguirre, 20 to 50 cases, new, a week. Aguirre testified that Strems considered more cases to be better. And consequently, his attorneys could not keep up with the volume, she said. Denaro now has until Oct. 8 to issue her recommendation to the Florida Supreme Court on Strems punishment up to and including disbarment, which is what the bar has requested. In the sanctions hearing following Denaros decision on the violations, Strems attorney Scott Tozian said a 90-day suspension of Strems was warranted with a probation period up to three years, with whatever conditions Denaro thinks are appropriate and that would protect the public when Strems is reinstated. Hes already suffered the imposition of the emergency suspension, Tozian said. The bar hasnt cited any case law to support the draconian request that theyve made of you. Tozian called Strems case novel, saying the bar had overpled and over argued, it and noted the insurance industrys involvement. I think you can fairly determine that that overpleading, arguing and prayer for permanent disbarment stems from the influence of the insurance industry, he said. Strems himself testified he recognized where the firm was deficient in terms of communication and that he could have done better at dealing with problems that had developed at his firm. Still, Strems said he believed his firm put forth quality representation for the overwhelming majority of our clients. Strems testified he didnt operate the firm to mislead or take unfair advantage of insurance companies, but that generally speaking insurers do not look to do the right thing for our clients. If given the chance to practice law again Strems said he would do my absolute best every single day to put forth the kind of practice that is expectant and doesnt just meet standards but go above and beyond whatever standards we consider to be adequate. Florida Bar Attorney handling the Strems case Derek Womack said the bar had clearly shown Strems dishonesty and how that dishonesty came to characterize much of the respondents practice, both on his own and the practice of his firm, and that such dishonesty can only be explained by an intent to advance and preserve the ultimate financial interest of Strems and his firm. He said Strems and the firm routinely pushed forward with cases they should have known were meritless, or at least deeply, deeply flawed, and that numerous admonishments and sanctions by the courts have done nothing to curb Strems pattern of misconduct, the consequences of which the courts are still dealing with. In light of all that, the Florida Bar submits there is no meaningful prospect of reformation, consequently, permanent disbarment provides the only adequate measure to address this misconduct for good and all, he concluded. Strems is also facing a contempt of court petition by the bar over claims he violated his emergency suspension order and a racketeering lawsuit by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Topics Lawsuits Carriers Legislation Florida A San Diego police officer has been suspended without pay after he is alleged to have posted a photo on social media mocking a makeshift memorial for a man that he and his partner fatally shot earlier this year. San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit announced the suspension of Officer Jonathon Lucas on Tuesday. Lucas was forced to give up his gun and badge while the SDPD investigates a social media post that appears to mock a makeshift memorial for 25-year-old Leonardo Ibarra, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. I want to assure the community that I do not take these allegations lightly, Nisleit said on Tuesday. On June 27, Lucas and another police officer, Tevar Zaki, were on duty in downtown San Diego when they recognized Ibarra as a robbery suspect. Lucas and Zaki, who have been with the force for four years, believed he matched the description of a man involved in a June 21 robbery because of his face tattoos, so they tried to approach him. San Diego police officer Jonathon Lucas and his partner Tevar Zaki shot Leonardo Hurtado Ibarra, 25, (pictured) after he allegedly pulled a gun on them in downtown San Diego on June 27. Lucas is being investigated for allegedly posting images of Ibarra's memorial with laughing emojis on Thursday Screenshots of the posts show pictures of the 'Justice 4 Leo' memorial with crying-from-laughing emojis on top and the word '#eastside' written (left). A second screenshot (right) shows the account's bio, describing the poster as 'promoting a healthier lifestyle for cops' Candles were arranged at the site where Ibarra was shot by San Diego police on Sixth Avenue on June 27 When the two officers told him to stop, Ibarra dropped a plastic bag he was carrying and started to run. Police said Ibarra then pulled out a gun from his waistband and pointed it at one of the officers. The officers then shot Ibarra. He underwent emergency surgery at UC San Diego Medical Center but died from his injuries on June 29. Bodycam footage released by San Diego police a day after the shooting shows an officer approach Ibarra and say: 'Hey man we need to talk to you for a second. Stop, stop.' Ibarra appears to try to run away and the officer raises his gun before both officers begin shooting as the footage fades to black. A car alarm rings as the officers approach Ibarra's slumped body on the sidewalk. The officers said they gave him first aid while officers waited for paramedics to arrive. Police said they found a loaded revolver wrapped in a bandana under Ibarra's body when he was handcuffed. Gabriela Gudino, Ibarras ex-girlfriend and the mother of two of his children, said police shot Ibarra 11 times. San Diego police said the shooting is still being investigated. Gudino told NBC7: 'It was excessive force. That was just too many times. Nobody deserves that. 'I get it, one, two but 11 times? I think thats not right. Even if he pulled out a gun, there are other ways to try to stop him.' Ibarra is survived by a 3-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 6 and 8. The shooting prompted scrutiny as it came amid nationwide protests following the May 25 police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Body cam footage shows Lucas and Zaki trying to stop Ibarra before shooting him in the street Ibarra appears to try to run away and the officer raises his gun before both officers begin shooting A makeshift memorial was set up by mourners near the site where Ibarra was shot. After the shooting, Lucas was placed on administrative leave while police investigated, but he allegedly posted images on Instagram of Ibarra's makeshift memorial with laughing face emojis on Thursday. Lucas Instagram post also included the hashtag #Eastside, though it is unclear what this means. A screenshot of the Instagram post was circulated by a group called United Against Police Terror, which seeks to expose alleged instances of police brutality. A member of the group, Cat Mendonca, told the Union-Tribune that an anonymous Instagram user sent the photo. The user claimed that the photo was posted to an account belonging to Lucas. Nisleit said the alleged actions by Lucas shocked and disturbed him. Ibarra's shooting sparked outrage across San Diego at the time, with protesters taking to the streets to express their anger at supposed police brutality on June 28 (pictured) I want to send a clear message that this behavior is not acceptable in the San Diego Police Department and does not reflect the values of the men and women of this department, he said. The police chief also apologized to Ibarras family. This unnecessary act only opens wounds during an already painful time, Nisleit said. He acknowledged that this is a critical time (with regards to) relationships between law enforcement and the communities we serve. Nisleit vowed the matter was given top priority by the internal affairs unit that is handling the investigation. The police chief also pledged that the department would be transparent about its findings. SDPDs social media policy requires its employees to adhere to conduct that does not reflect negatively on the (Police) Department or the City. The policy forbids SDPD personnel from speech or expression that, while not made pursuant to an official duty, is significantly linked, or related, to the Police Department and tends to compromise or damage the mission, function, reputation, operations, or professionalism of the Police Department or its employees. A federal judge on Tuesday blocked major fee increases for citizenship and other immigration benefits three days before they were to take effect, saying the last two chiefs of the Homeland Security Department were likely appointed illegally and so were unable to introduce the fee hikes. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White found Kevin McAleenan improperly leapfrogged to acting secretary when Kirstjen Nielsen resigned in April 2019. The judge said McAleenan, as Customs and Border Protection commissioner, was seventh in line to assume the acting role under rules of succession at the time. Chad Wolf, who became acting secretary after McAleenan resigned in November, was also promoted out of order from his position as under secretary for strategy, policy and plans, said White, ruling in Oakland, California. Kevin McAleenan, left, and Chad Wolf, right, were wrongfully promoted to Homeland Security Secretary out of turn, a judge in California ruled on Tuesday night New U.S. citizens wave American flags at a naturalization ceremony, pictured in 2018 White, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, also blocked the fee hikes on grounds that the Trump administration likely failed to adequately consider the impact of the changes as required under federal rule-making, including their effect on low-income applicants. The Homeland Security and Justice departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency with Homeland Security that awards citizenship, green cards and temporary work permits, said it was reviewing the decision. Homeland Security strongly disagreed with a finding in August by the Government Accountability Office, a congressional investigative agency, that McAleenan, Wolf and Ken Cuccinelli, the department's second-highest ranking official, were appointed illegally. Chad Wolf was sworn in as acting Secretary of Homeland Security in November 2019 Elizabeth Ross (C) from Venezuela along with family and friends pose for pictures with an American flag after she took the oath to become a U.S. citizen at a Naturalization Ceremony President Donald Trump nominated Wolf to be secretary on September 10 - exactly 17 months after Nielsen stepped down as the last Senate-confirmed leader of the department. The Senate has not yet acted on Wolf's appointment. Fees were set to increase by an average of 20 per cent on Friday. Changes were to include a first-ever fee for applying for asylum of $50. Asylum-seekers would also have to pay $550 if they sought work authorization and $30 for collecting biometrics. The fee to become a naturalized citizen was set to jump to $1,170 from $640. Fee waivers were to be largely eliminated for people who cannot afford to apply. Eight advocacy groups sued the administration in August after Homeland Security published a final version of the fee hikes, incorporating public feedback. McAleenan initially proposed the hikes in November in one of his last acts as acting secretary. Migrants' rights groups on Tuesday night celebrated the judge's decision, which will prevent naturalization ceremonies like this one in El Paso in 2019 from being made more expensive 'The injunction will ensure that millions of low income immigrants, applicants for naturalization, asylum seekers, survivors of domestic violence and survivors of human trafficking will be able to affordably apply for the immigration benefits they are eligible for,' said Melissa Rodgers, director of programs for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, one of the plaintiffs. The Migration Policy Institute recently cataloged more than 400 actions under Trump to reshape immigration policy, including border enforcement, asylum eligibility and vetting for visas. Many are being challenged in court. Lawyers suing the administration are increasingly questioning the legitimacy of actions taken by McAleenan, Wolf and Cuccinelli but it is unclear how often those arguments will prevail. A federal judge in Maryland said this month that the appointments of McAleenan and Wolf were invalid because they didn't follow the order of succession, ruling in a case over a new one-year waiting period for asylum-seekers to apply for work permits. Nursing homes are to be given a 30m Government winter funding injection in a bid to prevent another wave of Covid-19 infections sweeping through hundreds of elderly people as the risk of more city or county lockdowns looms. The funding - to cover the next three months - comes as a further 363 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 yesterday and another death from the virus was announced, bringing the growing death toll to 28 this month. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is expected to announce the winter cash injection for nursing homes today amid mounting fears the country is on course for another surge in the killer virus and is a clear message about the urgent need to prevent another high death toll among older residents. The extended funding, under the temporary assistance payments scheme for nursing homes, will cover extra staff, equipment and protective supplies necessary to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read More It comes amid major unease about how the virus is maintaining a grip in locked-down counties Dublin and Donegal and is also threatening Cork, Roscommon and Galway, There were 154 new cases yesterday in Dublin, 40 in Cork, 23 in Donegal, 16 in Wexford, 15 in Roscommon, 14 each in Galway and Monaghan, 11 each in Kildare, Meath and Wicklow, nine in Limerick, six in Clare, five each in Mayo and Tipperary, with the remaining 29 cases in nine other counties. The evidence seems to be that more younger age groups have reached breaking point with restrictions and it is becoming increasingly difficult to rein them in. Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said: "Public buy-in and willingness to adhere to public health guidance remains the front line of our defence against the spread of Covid-19." He said the vast majority of people were continuing to take the necessary steps in their everyday activities to protect themselves and others. "If you start to experience symptoms, stay at home and contact your GP to assess your need for a Covid-19 test as soon as possible," he said. "If you have been informed that you are a close contact of someone who has the illness, please don't meet up with other people, including your family or friends, don't go to work or college, don't play sport, and avail of a test when it is offered. "I know that these are difficult choices for people to make but each individual effort will make a significant impact on the spread of this disease and, ultimately, on the numbers of deaths that we can prevent this winter." Figures released yesterday showed there were 117 patients with Covid-19 in hospital and 18 were fighting for their lives in intensive care. The virus is also taking hold in Northern Ireland where the 14-day incidence was 144.9 per 100,000. This compared with 88.2 per 100,000 in the Republic. It was at 191 per 100,000 in Donegal and 160.3 per 100,000 in Dublin. The incidence in Derry was highest at 357.7 per 100,000 while it was 204 per 100,000 in Belfast. Risk The National Public Health Emergency Team will meet tomorrow to examine if more lockdown recommendations should be made. The at-risk counties include Cork, Galway and Monaghan. They will look at whether city lockdowns should be imposed on Cork and Galway. The HSE confirmed yesterday it was looking at more use of automated or robot supports for its Covid-19 testing regime. A spokeswoman said: "As part of the HSE's response we have introduced robotic technology into some of the contracted laboratories. This helps to reduce the time taken to complete the PCR Covid-19 test. It also reduces some of the associated risk with manual handling of samples. "We are seeking to expand our domestic capacity by using more automated solutions in our laboratories. It includes robotic equipment to minimise the sample handling." China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar troops launch rockets from missile systems during the "Caucasus-2020" military drills at the Turali range on the Caspian Sea coast in the Republic of Dagestan in Southern Russia on September 23, 2020. (DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images) Beijing Amps Up Rhetoric and Military Exercises Amid Taiwan Tensions, Including With Fake Footage Beijing has revved up its rhetoric and military drills surrounding the Taiwan Strait in recent weeks, in its boldest display of aggression toward the self-ruled island of Taiwan. The Chinese regime considers Taiwan a part of its territory, despite the island being a de-facto nation state with its own democratically-elected government, military, and currency. Beijing has threatened to use military force to bring the island under its fold. In recent weeks, those threats were amplified. China announced that it was conducting five simultaneous military drills in four seas on Sept. 28, while state-run broadcaster CCTV reported that the army practiced street fighting on Sept. 25 in Fujian Province, which is located directly across the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, Chinese warplanes have continually entered Taiwan airspace. The United States indirectly suggested that it would support Taiwan in a conflict. On Sept. 24, the Air Force Magazine reported that its workhorse drone MQ-9 Reapers, with an eye on China, were training for a maritime conflict, including shooting non-stealth aircraft down or jamming their transmissions. In an accompanying photo, air force members participating in the drone exercise could be seen wearing an armband that features a red-colored map of China. Though the atmosphere in the Taiwan Strait is tense, commentators said the Chinese military is flexing its muscle but unlikely to provoke a real conflict. Military vehicles carrying DF-15B ballistic missilesreplacement of DF-11participate in a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2015. (GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images) Targeting Taiwan On Sept. 24, state-run media PLA (Peoples Liberation Army, official name of Chinese military) Daily released a video showing the militarys Eastern Theater Command firing 10 DF-11A short-range ballistic missiles at a targeted airport. In the footage, an aircraft runway goes up in flames. The Eastern Theater Command is the primary unit that targets Taiwan. The DF-11A short-range ballistic missile has a range of 600 kilometers (373 miles), with a 500 kg (1,100 pounds) payload. The PLA Daily didnt disclose when or where the command performed the exercise. But during a Sept. 24 press conference commenting generally on the PLAs past live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait, Chinas national defense ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said they were targeted at the very small number of Taiwan independence separatists and their separatist activities. The Chinese regime frequently portrays those who affirm Taiwans sovereignty, such as Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen and her Progressive Democratic Party, as separatists. Tsai has maintained that the island is already an independent state called the Republic of China, its official name. Smoke rises from the sea to mark electronic counter-measures (ECM) during the Han Kuang (Han Glory) life-fire drill, some 7 kms (4 miles) from the city of Magong on the outlying Penghu islands in Taiwan on May 25, 2017. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images) Tan also confirmed at the press conference that the military just completed battle training for its two aircraft carriers, the Shandong and Liaoning. Chinese state-run media Haixia Daobao reported on Sept. 12 that the two carriers were conducting group exercises in the Bohai Sea, with the purpose of showing its muscle to Taiwan and the United StatesTaiwans chief arms supplier. Meanwhile, Chinese state-run CCTV reported on Sept. 16 that the PLA performed military drills on an unspecified date with warships, such as guided-missile frigates, to find and attack air invaders. CCTV also stated that PLA recently performed exercises in Fujian Province, including with helicopters that simulated dispatching eight soldiers to enemy-controlled land at the same time, warplanes cooperating with soldiers on land, and so on. The Western Theater Command also performed exercises simulating the army fighting with enemies on land. A formation of military H-6K bombers fly over Beijing during a military parade at Tiananmen Square on Oct. 1, 2019. (GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images) Fake Videos The DF-11A missiles footage released on Sept. 24 was found to be fake. Netizens compared the video with one that CCTV broadcast in 2016revealing that most of the scenes were the same. Chinese state-run media also posted a photo on Sept. 22 and claimed that it was a H-6 twin-engine jet bomber participating in military exercises in the Taiwan Strait together with J-10, J-11, and J-16 fighters. Soon after, Taiwan military fans pointed out that the photo was the same as one taken by Taiwans National Defense Ministry in February, in which a Taiwanese F-16 fighter flew beside a H-6 to drive it away from Taiwan airspacebut with the F-16 photoshopped out of the image. On Sept. 19, the PLA Air Force also posted a video on popular social media platform Weibo, claiming it was a simulation exercise of a H-6 bombing of Guama U.S. territory that houses a naval and air base. However, netizens discovered that the video includes footage from U.S. movies The Hurt Locker and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The video that PLA Air Force posted, allegedly of a military exercise simulating a H-6 bomber attacking Guam, used footage from the 2008 movie, The Hurt Locker. (Screenshot/YouTube) Will PLA Fight First? But whether the PLA will actually invade Taiwan remains a question. During a podcast interview with the Washington think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, Chad Sbragia, the Pentagons deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, said senior PLA officers have told him in person several times: Understand that we may be compelled to go to safeguard against the permanent losses of national interests, whether we actually can succeed or not. Meanwhile, U.S.-based China affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan believed the Chinese regime is unwilling to enter into a conflict right now due to domestic economic troubles and mounting international criticism over issues such as trade practices, the COVID-19 pandemic, and aggression on the India-China border. The Chinese regime has no real friend Taipei has support from the U.S., Japan, and other countries. The Chinese regime has no reason to fight now, Tang analyzed. MOSCOW, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia's sovereign wealth fund, and Pharco, one of the leading pharmaceutical groups in Egypt (acting through its key operational subsidiary - Biogeneric Pharma) have agreed to secure the supply of 25 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to Egypt. The vaccine, which is based on a well-studied human adenoviral vectors platform with proven safety and efficacy, will support the efforts of the Ministry of Health of Egypt to secure a vaccine against COVID-19. The agreement will enable 25% of Egypt's population to have access to the Sputnik V vaccine. In the future, it is planned to distribute it to neighboring countries. Egypt will secure a diversified vaccine portfolio which includes a vaccine based on the human adenoviral vectors platform. This platform has proven safe over decades including through 75 international scientific publications and in more than 250 clinical trials. Clinical trials of the Russian vaccine have shown no serious adverse events, with Sputnik V generating a stable humoral and cellular immune response in 100% of participants. In contrast, vaccines based on novel platforms have yet to prove their safety and currently have no data on carcinogenicity or effects on fertility. On August 11, the Sputnik V vaccine developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the world's first registered vaccine against COVID-19 based on the human adenoviral vectors platform. Detailed information on the Sputnik V vaccine, the technological platform of human adenoviral vectors, and other details are available at sputnikvaccine.com On September 4, a research paper on the results of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine was published in The Lancet, one of the leading international medical journals. Post-registration clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine involving 40,000 volunteers are currently ongoing. More than 60,000 volunteers have applied to take part in post-registration trials. The first results of these trials are expected to be published in October-November 2020. More than 50 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Europe and CIS have applied for Sputnik V. RDIF has already announced supply agreements with Mexico for 32 million doses, with Brazil for up to 50 million doses, India - 100 million doses, Uzbekistan - for up to 35 million doses and Nepal for 25 million doses. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: "The agreement between RDIF and Pharco will help Egypt obtain an efficient and safe vaccine, Sputnik V, for almost 25% of its population. The adenoviral vectors platform has a longer safety track record compared to novel technologies such as monkey adenoviral vectors or mRNA used by other vaccine manufacturers. So the people of Egypt will get a proven vaccine created on a platform with no negative long-term effects, including carcinogenicity or risks for fertility in the future. We expect more countries to include Sputnik V in their vaccine portfolios in the coming weeks." Dr. Sherine Abbas Helmy, Founder and President of Pharco, said: "We greatly appreciate this agreement to secure supplies of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine with proven safety to Egypt. Besides vaccine supply, we are considering numerous further cooperation opportunities jointly with RDIF, including the localization of production in Egypt at the facilities of Biogeneric Pharma within the next few months for the benefit of both countries." Feliks Ershov, virologist, and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted: "This pandemic will not be completely eradicated without a vaccine. The vaccine created by the Gamaleya Center is not one-piece, like the vaccines of the past, (containing a live or killed virus). It is made using modern biotechnology and a proven platform, in contrast to products by a number of companies based on mRNA or the monkey adenovirus, which have not been tested before. The safety of the Sputnik V vaccine is ensured by using a simple flu virus that is harmless to humans and does not contain the coronavirus itself - only a part of its genetic code, which excludes the possibility of infection. But the antibodies response necessary to protect the body is ensured, which was confirmed by the results of trials. The use of two consecutive shots with different mechanisms of delivery of the virus code into the body guarantees immunization and represents a unique advantage of the Russian vaccine." Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF's management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB1.9 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia's GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 18 countries that total more than $40 bn. Further information can be found at rdif.ru PHARCO Corporation (PHARCO) was founded by Dr. Hassan Abbas Helmy and started operation in 1987. PHARCO is a top dominant player in the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt, the Middle East & Africa offering an unparalleled range of pharmaceutical generics & branded generics alongside other nutritional & vitamin products for treatment & prevention of diseases to improve every patient's quality of life. PHARCO Corporation is currently a group of nine healthcare companies operating in the pharmaceutical field for development, manufacturing, marketing, distributing and exporting of a comprehensive array of branded and generic drugs, together with a rising number of licensed pharmaceutical products and vaccines. Further information can be found at pharco.org Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140939/Russian_Direct_Investment_Fund_Logo.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 30, 2020) -NetCents Technology Inc. (CSE: NC) (FSE: 26N) (OTCQB: NTTCF) ("NetCents" or the "Company"), a cryptocurrency payments company, is pleased to announce that it has completed a partnership with Sosure Pty Ltd of Australia ("Sosure"). Sosure is a payment app that rewards users for participation, a new reward ecosystem designed to give members the most flexibility and value when shopping. Partner merchants include restaurants, retail outlets, and online stores. Members earn rewards that can be used across the entire network of participants in the network. To visit Sosure's website: https://www.sosure.com.au/index.html. Sosure has chosen Melbourne Australia as the focus of their marketing effort, and they are now branching out into other markets across Australia. The platform is currently averaging 500 thousand transactions per month, with average transactions exceeding $20. Sosure management is very excited to add cryptocurrency as a payment method to its platform in the coming weeks. Sosure is presently accepted by 450 merchants, with more being added daily. NetCents management is excited about increasing its operating footprint in the Australian market, where Cryptocurrency interest outpaces NetCents' stronghold North American presence. Deutsche Bank recently published a research report calling for the acceleration of mobile payments - expecting them to grow to 40% of all transactions.1 NetCents management agrees with this conclusion and is focused on partnering with as many payment gateways as possible to continue its penetration of the payment industry. "The creation of Bitcoin was spurred by a desire to create transaction processes that streamlined electronic commerce, we at NetCents haven't lost sight of that goal. Sosure has taken this a step further by incentivizing consumer behavior through rewards. We believe that the best way to accelerate the adoption of cryptocurrency as a transactional medium is to reward users for using cryptocurrency to close out a transaction instead of using fiat currency," stated Clayton Moore, CEO Net-Cents "We are looking forward to working with Sosure as we are contemplating deploying our own rewards mechanisms to give users a financial benefit for choosing to use their Crypto for purchases," Mr. Moore concluded. NetCents has added the Australian Dollar the list of fiat currencies in which it can transact. It is currently seeking additional platforms across Europe and Asia to increase its operating footprint. The Company looks forward to communicating further developments regarding its merchant network and technology as they occur, and; if you would like to start accepting cryptocurrency payments for your company, sign up for a NetCents merchant account: https://net-cents.com/business/register. About NetCents NetCents Technology Inc, the transactional hub for all cryptocurrency payments, equips forward-thinking businesses with the technology to seamlessly integrate cryptocurrency processing into their payment model without taking on the risk or volatility of the crypto market. NetCents Technology is registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with FINTRAC. For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.net-cents.com or contact Investor Relations: investor@net-cents.com. To keep up on the latest - make sure to join the telegram channel http://t.me/NetCents On Behalf of the Board of Directors NetCents Technology Inc. "Clayton Moore" Clayton Moore, CEO, Founder and Director NetCents Technology Inc. 1000 - 1021 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 0C3 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates, and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. 1 https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/RPS_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000504589/The_Future_of_Payments_-_Part_III__Digital_Currenc.pdf?undefined&realload=ElU~Or2JPKJmL4G5Z6wTGldieW7b32wyPasV5a7ZKq/EzDu8jw/ydRfBb~GLeTrE~BoH~6ACxyD43xBakki91g== To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/64910 By Akbar Mammadov The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has shared the video recording of Armenian military equipment destroyed in the morning on September 30. Earlier, the ministry revealed information about the losses of the occupying Armenian armed forces during the combat operations around the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The ministry said that starting from September 27 until the morning of September 30, about 2,300 servicemen of the occupying Armenian armed forces were killed and wounded, about 130 tanks and other armoured vehicles and more than 200 artillery pieces were destroyed by the Azerbaijani Army. Furthermore, the Armenian armed forces multiple launch rocket systems, grenade launchers, about 25 air defence systems, 6 command posts, and command-observation posts, 5 ammunition depots, about 50 anti-tank weapons, 55 vehicles were destroyed and forced out of operation. The ministry also reported that during yesterday's fighting on the territory of Shushakend of Khojaly region, one S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of the Armenian armed forces was destroyed. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz French farmer and winemaker Dominique Herque, left, and his farmer-novelist wife Shin Yi-hyun check grapevines in their vineyard in Chungju City, North Chungcheong Province, on Sep. 17. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul French farmer, his Korean wife use European-style organic farming to make pure, natural wines By Kang Hyun-kyung Chungju, North Chungcheong Province Last Thursday was another fulfilling yet busy day for French-born farmer and winemaker Dominique Herque and his Korean wife Shin Yi-hyun. In the hot, humid weather, the farmer couple began their day in their newly created vineyard in Chungju's rustic area of Suanbo-myeon, about a 30-minute drive from their home in the city. Nestling snugly at the foot of a hill, the vineyard is their nature lab. They have experimented with European-style organic farming called biodynamic agriculture to produce "100 percent, additive-free" natural wine. The grapes will be harvested from next year and used for their wine project. "By natural wine, I mean there's no sugar or other artificial additives in it," Shin says. "Just grape juice, without anything else, that's the only ingredient we use to make natural wine." The couple pays as much attention to cultivating the soil as they do to the grapes. Herque cuts the grass and weeds in the vineyard, which stretches over 6,611 square meters of land in the rural area surrounded by low mountains. Near him, Shin picks cucumber, zucchini and basil for cooking. Checking carefully the vineyard, Herque finds a long, slender earthworm. Grabbing it, he beams and says it's a good sign for their vineyard. "Having earthworms means there's a lot of activity going on underneath the soil," he says through Shin, who translated his French into Korean. The couple purchased the vineyard from a local farmer last year, three years after they settled in Chungju in October 2016 to run a winery using locally produced fruit. Before Chungju, they lived in Paris with their child for over a decade. After touring several candidate cities in Korea in search of a location for their winery, they were attracted to Chungju because it is home to premium apple and has good soil and weather conditions for farming grapes. Being a farmer creating pure, natural wine with locally produced fruit has long been a dream for Herque. He quit his job as a computer programmer nearly two decades after he entered the sector and went to a Paris-based agriculture college to learn wine-making when he was 45 years old. Since 2016, after settling in Chungju, the couple has made apple cider with fruit they harvested from a rented orchard about the same size of their vineyard at a brewery in Pottery Village, in the city's northern area of Umjeong-myeon. They also bought organic grapes from a friend who has a vineyard in Gimcheon City and made sparkling rose wine and white wine. Herque checks apple cider at his brewery in Chungju City. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul While brewing apple cider and making wine for sale online, the couple realized they needed their own vineyard to truly live up to their commitment to produce pure, natural wine. "The landlord of the apple orchard we rented is a farmer," says Shin. "Just like other local farmers here, he used traditional agricultural methods for a long time to grow apples. So the soil and other conditions were not good enough for us to produce the apples that we wanted. So we concluded we needed our own farm to cultivate the soil and fruit as we wish." After buying the vineyard in Suanbo-myeon, Herque and Shin planted five grape varieties, including Campbell Early, Riesling and MBA. Each vine is held tight by a wooden guard marked with a tiny piece of fabric tied around the top. The colored fabric indicates which grape variety is planted there. Creating the vineyard required a lot of work. "Dominique was born to be a farmer," Shin says. "The other day, I asked if he regretted his decision to come to Korea and settle down in Chungju to start a winery. I asked this because I was a bit tired of operating the winery here because the work is endless. "A winery requires farmers to work all day long, from early morning till evening, but the financial compensation rarely reflects our long hours of work. My husband said he had no regrets and he even feels happy when he prunes grapevines during the winter." Shin, also a novelist, met her husband in Paris in the late 1990s. After releasing her first novel, she headed to Paris for a language course. The former French major said honing her language skills was just an excuse, noting she just wanted to explore France for a year or so. She then met Herque at a mutual friend's housewarming party. After marrying, they had a child and remained in Paris until they returned to South Korea to start the winery business. "Dominque wanted to operate a winery in France," Shin says. "But I was tired of living in Europe Thankfully, he agreed to move to South Korea. He just wanted to be a farmer and the location of his farm was a secondary issue for him." The biodynamic farming the couple adopted for their vineyard keeps them busy. The organic farming technique was introduced by German philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) in 1924. Under the scheme, farmers choose to plant, cultivate or harvest various crops based on the phases of the moon and the zodiacal constellations the moon is passing through. "We follow the sowing and planting calendar that is updated every year," Shin says. "The idea behind biodynamic agriculture is that we grow grapes while cultivating the soil. Unlike other local farmers who are mostly interested in harvesting better and more fruit, our agriculture method allows us to work on soil fertility too, as the fruit and soil are interrelated." Their vineyard reminds Shin of Alsace, a rustic French region in the French-German border area well-known for white wine. Herque was born and raised in the area and worked briefly as a winemaker there after he quit his job as a computer programmer. "Suanbo-myeon, which houses our vineyard, is similar to Alsace," Shin says. "Alsace is a region surrounded by the Vosges Mountains and like in this area, the vineyards are located on the slopes of a range of low mountains and exposed to the sun. Also like here, in Alsace there is a small village at the base of the mountain. The only striking difference between the two places is that Alsace has a lot more vineyards." Herque poses with grape he harvested from his vineyard on Sep. 17. He and his wife will make natural wine with grapes they will harvest from their vineyard next year. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul In South Korea, wineries are an emerging agribusiness for young farmers. The culture of wine production in Korea has a relatively short history. But in the past five decades there has been a big shift in the industry from the dominance of corporate-made wine to wines produced by small farmers. In South Korea, wine production began in the 1970s as a state-sponsored project directed by then-President Park Chung-hee. Inspired by the Riesling wine he tasted during a state visit to Germany, Park proposed homegrown wine production as part of a national strategy to increase farmers' income by making the most of abandoned land. Farmers were encouraged to grow crops on fertile land and create vineyards in territories that were not suitable for crops. Back then, the homegrown fermented alcoholic beverage makgeolli, also known as drunken rice which was made using rice, was popular among farmers. Park reportedly didn't like the idea of "wasting" rice to make alcoholic beverages. Under his direction, vineyards were created in the rural North Gyeongsang Province on land unfit for rice production. Noble Wine produced by Haitai in 1974 was the first Korean wine. Three years later, Majuang was released. It was the result of Oriental Brewery's years of work to produce homegrown wine. It sent local experts to German wineries for training. Majuang, a combined Korean word meaning "sit together and enjoy," became a hit. But the local wine label faced brutal competition in the 1990s with the increase in imported wines. Majuang managed to survive as it was used during Sunday Mass at Catholic churches. With the end of the corporate winemaking era, local wineries began to emerge in the 2000s with the influx of educated young people entering the agriculture sector in search of business opportunities. Currently, there are nearly 150 wineries nationwide and some 700 wine varieties are on sale. Homegrown wines are popular among people in their 20s and 30s who seek trendy new beverages. The rapid growth in local production over the past two decades is a remarkable change from the 1990s when European and Latin American varieties dominated the wine market. Herque and his wife Shin at the brewery / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Express News Service MUMBAI: The audio clip of estranged senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse, in which he was heard telling a loyalist that he has decided to leave the BJP, has gone viral. , In the clip, Khadse's loyalist Roshan Bhangale tells him that he has been sidelined again while other leaders such as Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawde promoted to senior posts in BJPs national party newly formed committee. I will make the final decisions in the next month. Without getting anything concrete in hand, there is no point leaving the BJP and joining other parties. I will take the decision at the right time, Khadse told his loyalist over the phone. Interestingly, Khadse said that it was not his voice in the clip and someone might have done mimicry. The mobile phone of his loyalist with whom he was heard speaking to has been switched off since the clip went viral. Sources in NCP said it is true that Eknath Khadse is negotiating with them. NCP chief Sharad Pawar had called a meeting with the party leaders from Jalgaon, the native place of Khadse. Pawar saheb deliberated on the pro and cons in the scenario of Khadse joining the NCP. He wanted to gauge our opinion before inducting Khadse into the party, said a senior NCP leader who attended the meeting. He further said that Khadse is an OBC leader with a significant fan following in other communities as well. Khadse joining the NCP will boost the cadre in North Maharashtra and some part of the Vidarbha. The Leva Patil community from North Maharashtra has always with BJP because of Khadse. "Once Khadse joins the NCP, the community will follow the suit. It will damage the prospect of the BJP in a big way. Khadse is a grassroots leader who expanded BJP with late Gopinath Munde and Pramod Mahajan in every nook and corner of the Maharashtra said a source requesting anonymity. A highly emotive video is going viral showing the gut-wrenching moment a woman pleaded with striking doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital to attend to a patient. The woman, identified as Francisca Kinuthia, had taken a critically-ill patient for treatment on Monday, September 28 when she was denied services by the striking doctors. In the 1-minute video shared by Citizen TV, Francisca is seen wailing and lamenting that she had gone to several hospitals but was not getting any help. At one point, Francisca is heard painfully calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene as the medics cheer her on. She mentions that her patient was in a car and feared that he would die if not treated urgently. Makes you wonder what happened to medicine being a calling rather than a profession. This comes after a 27-year-old man succumbed at the Kenyatta National Hospital parking lot on Monday after workers refused to attend to him. Evans, a bodaboda operator, was vomiting blood and left to die after waiting for hours to be treated. Health workers at KNH, Kenyas largest public hospital, downed their tools on Monday demanding implementation of proposed salary review. The strike entered its second day on Tuesday as KNH moved to court to challenge the go-slow in an application certified as urgent. Subsequently, the Employment and Labour Relations Court suspended the strike pending the hearing of the case. The strike notice by the Respondent calling for a general strike or lockout with respect to any category of staff in the employment of the Kenyatta National Hospital is hereby suspended and or stayed pending inter-parties hearing of the application herein, the court order read in part. Lady Justice Maureen Onyango directed KNH management to serve striking workers and interested parties not later than close of day on Wednesday. The court set the inter partes hearing for the application October 6. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined Democratic governors in 10 states who condemned threats against the integrity of the upcoming presidential election. In a joint statement released Wednesday, the governors said President Donald Trump must leave office if he loses after votes are cast on Nov. 3. The statement was released a day after Trump claimed there will be fraud like youve never seen during his first debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden. Trump has repeatedly attacked widespread absentee voting as clerks in several states, including Michigan, promote mail-in voting as a safer alternative due to the coronavirus pandemic. The president said the election will be rigged and urged his supporters to watch the polls on Election Day. Today, we affirm that all votes cast in the upcoming election will be counted and that democracy will be delivered in this election, the statement from 11 governors said. That means all valid ballots cast in accordance with state and local laws must be counted, and that all states must properly appoint electors in accordance with the vote. We will not allow anyone to willfully corrupt the democratic process by delegitimizing the outcome or appointing fraudulent electors against the will of the voters. Govs. Jay Inslee of Washington, Kate Brown of Oregon, Gavin Newsom of California, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Tim Walz of Minnesota, John Carney of Deleware, Steve Sisolak of Nevada and Michelle Lujan Grisham, were included on the statement. The statement did not refer to Trump by name. A press release indicated it was a response to threats to American democracy. Our nation has held presidential elections and upheld the results throughout our history, even in times of great peril," it read. We did it during the Civil War and both World Wars, and we can do it during a pandemic. And if the outcome of this election means the end of a presidency, he must leave office period. Biden also noted the countrys successful election during the Civil War toward the end of Tuesdays debate. The former vice president said he would support the outcome of the election, regardless of whether he wins. He has no idea what hes talking about, Biden said of Trump. Heres the deal. The fact is, I will accept it, and he will too. You know why? Because once the winner is declared after all the ballots are counted, all the votes are counted, thatll be the end of it. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Trump and Biden clash in worst presidential debate in history First presidential debate: Trump says Michigans COVID-19 orders like being in prison Michigan congresswoman worries Trump wont concede if he loses election Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 06:01:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic governmental authority in Sudan on Wednesday announced its opposition to Sudan's normalization with Israel in all fields. This Fatwa, a legal opinion based on the Islamic law, was announced by Islamic Fiqh Complex on its Facebook page as Washington has been exercising pressures on Khartoum to join the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain in achieving normalization with Israel. On Sept. 20, U.S. and Sudanese officials met in the UAE over a possible normalization agreement between Israel and Sudan. According to media reports after the meeting, Sudan's agreement to normalize with Israel depends on whether Washington would meet its demands for economic assistance and remove it from the list of states sponsoring terrorism. Since the ouster of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, rapprochement between Khartoum and Washington has speeded up despite the outstanding issues. The United States started imposing economic sanctions on Sudan in 1997 and has been listing it as one of the countries sponsoring terrorism since 1993. In 2017, Washington decided to lift its economic sanctions on Sudan but kept it on the terror sponsors list. Enditem US President Donald Trump on Tuesday questioned the credibility of Indias statistics on Covid-19 deaths, lumping in the US partner with nemeses China and Russia during a fiery pre-election debate. Trump was responding to heated criticism from his Democratic rival Joe Biden, who blamed Trump for the heavy Covid-19 toll in the United States which has recorded more than 200,000 deaths and more than seven million infections. When you talk about numbers you dont know how many people died in China, you dont know how many people died in Russia, you dont know how many people died in India," Trump said at the debate in Cleveland. They dont exactly give you a straight count," he said. Trump said that millions" could have died without his actions and again blamed the pandemic on China, which initially suppressed news of the disease when it emerged late last year. US leaders frequently criticize China and Russia but it is rare for them to take a negative tone on India, a growing US partner. Trump in February paid a visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who shares some of Trumps nationalist orientation, with the two leaders addressing a packed stadium together. India officially has more than 6.1 million coronavirus cases, second only to the US. But Indias lead pandemic agency said Tuesday that the real number could be more than 60 million, basing its findings on blood tests in the densely populated country. 100 Years Ago 1920: The temporary school building in Sun Village was completed last week, and school was begun on Monday morning. Mrs. Pearl D. Stoots is teacher, and has 48 pupils on the IA grade enrolled. These little folks had been very anxiously waiting for their school to begin, and are now much pleased in their pleasant and comfortable new school home. The new building on the Powell ground has part of the roof on, due to rain delays, and is slated to open Monday, Oct. 11. 75 Years Ago 1945: Acting on strike notice given Sunday night by the Oil Workers International, CIO Local 234, Sinclair Refinery officials at Trainer today began the shut-down of the plant, expected to be completed by 8 a.m. Wednesday. The shut-down the plant, Sinclairs third largest refinery in the United States, involved approximately 1,000 employees. A strike vote was taken by the union members last Monday in their first move toward their goal of a 40-hour week for 52-hours pay, comparable to a 30 percent increase for most members. 50 Years Ago 1970: The two United Fund drives are underway in Delaware County. Their slogan for this year If You Dont Do It, It Wont Get Done. The 1971 United Fund Torch Drive of Greater Philadelphia opened officially Tuesday at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia, with $163,000 as Delaware Countys quota of the overall $18.5 million goal. The 1971 United Community Fund of Chester and Vicinity with a goal of $1,033,750 had its official kickoff Thursday. 25 Years Ago 1995: About 85 workers dumped the junk from their desk drawers into cardboard boxes and left Scott Plaza in Tinicum Township last week, bitter stragglers in the exodus of Scotts national headquarters from here to Wilmington, Del, as their company merges with Kimberly-Clark. So much laughter in these walls, so many faces that haunt this place, said one, lugging a box and a seat cushion from Plaza No. 1 to her car. This is sad. 10 Years Ago 2010: Delaware State Police arrested a Chester man after the he led Chester police on a high-speed chase through the city, onto Interstate 95 and into Delaware Tuesday night. Advised that a black pickup truck was allegedly involved in a Houston Street shooting, Officer John Ross spotted the 26-year-olds Dodge pickup truck around Elkington and Edgmont avenues and attempted to pull it over. The man allegedly led police through Chester at speeds more than 70 mph, hitting several vehicles, before heading south on I-95 where he allegedly reached over 100 mph. COLIN AINSWORTH By Trend The Armenian armed forces continue to intensively fire at the densely populated areas, regional and rural centers, civil infrastructure facilities, namely, residential buildings, hospitals, first-aid posts, schools, kindergartens, administrative buildings of state structures by using heavy artillery installations, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend on Sept. 30. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday extended a "sincere heartfelt apology" to a survivor of the 1963 Klan bombing of a Black church in Birmingham - an act that that shocked the nation and helped speed passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act. The bombing on Sept. 15, 1963 "was one of the darkest days in Alabama's history," the Republican governor wrote to attorneys for Sarah Collins Rudolph, who is now 69. "If any good could come from something so bad and evil, it was the momentum that was created to spur many profound and long-overdue changes - changes that were not only beneficial for our state but also the entire nation." Rudolph was 12 and permanently blinded in one eye by shards of glass when the dynamite blasted through the ladies lounge in the basement of the 16th Street Baptist Church. The explosion killed Rudolph's 14-year-old sister, Addie Mae Collins, and their friends, Denise McNair, 11, Carole Robertson, 14, and Cynthia Wesley, 14. Rudolph's attorneys had sent a letter to Ivey on the anniversary of the bombing this year requesting a formal apology from the state of Alabama and restitution. Rudolph and her lawyers singled out the state for encouraging the bombing. "While the State of Alabama did not place the bomb next to the church, its Governor and other leaders at the time played an undisputed role in encouraging its citizens to engage in racial violence," their letter read. In her response Wednesday, Kaye said "many would question whether the State can be held legally responsible for what happened at the Sixteenth Baptist Church so long ago. Having said that, there should be no question that the racist, segregationist rhetoric used by some of our leaders during that time was wrong and would be utterly unacceptable in today's Alabama." Ivey said the state legislature would need to decide whether to issue a formal apology or make restitution and proposed that attorneys from her office and the state legislature begin discussions with Collins' attorneys "as soon as possible." Such dialogue "would be a natural extension of my Administration's ongoing efforts to foster fruitful conversations about the all-too-difficult - and sometimes painful - topic of race, a conversation occurring not only in Alabama but throughout America." Collins's attorneys at the Washington D.C. office of Jenner & Block, which has taken on her case pro bono, welcomed Ivey's response Wednesday. "We are gratified by Governor Ivey's unequivocal acknowledgment of the egregious injustice that Ms. Collins Rudolph suffered, and by the Governor's apology for the State's racist and segregationist rhetoric and policies that led to Ms. Collins Rudolph's injuries," firm partners Ishan Bhabha and Alison Stein, said in a statement on Wednesday. "We look forward to engaging in discussions in the near future with the Governor about compensation, which Ms. Collins Rudolph justly deserves after the loss of her beloved sister and for the pain, suffering and lifetime of missed opportunities resulting from the bombing." The 16th Street Baptist Church had become a staging ground in early 1963 for a campaign to desegregate the city led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and local minister Fred Shuttlesworth. That May, Police Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor had directed his forces to sic dogs on the young civil rights demonstrators and blast them with fire hoses during the Children's Crusade near Kelly Ingram Park. Thousands of protesters had been arrested by summer, including King, who famously penned his "Letter From a Birmingham Jail." Democratic Gov. George Wallace, in resisting federal demands to desegregate, declared that "what this country needs is a few first-class funerals." But by early September the city had already begun integrating the first few schools. Earlier this month, Collins released a statement about the impact the bombing had on her life. "That day changed the course of my life forever," she wrote "It is hard to put into words the pain I've had to deal with, both physical and emotional, because of the acts of violent hatred and bigotry on that day," she wrote. "They wanted to hurt me or kill me because I'm black. They bombed a church because it was a black church. They murdered my sister and her friends because they were black. It has taken decades to even begin to come to terms with this trauma. To have my suffering acknowledged and to receive an apology for what happened to me would help bring a sense of closure. I truly hope Governor Ivey will do the right thing." SYDNEY, Australia, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Everyone has that one friend who has all the inside scoop on the most amazing undiscovered restaurants. Now, with its arrival in Australia, food delivery app Chowbus makes you that friend. From the spicy noodles of Chong Qing Street Noodle, to the fragrant Pad Thai of Do Dee Paidang Thai Restaurant, Australias best authentic Asian dishes are just a tap away. Today Chowbus announced that its delivery services are now available in Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra. The launch across Australia marks the companys first international launch outside of North America. Australian residents can now order delivery through the Chowbus app from 300+ of the countrys top historic Chinatown and local restaurants in each city. The app is also constantly refreshed with more restaurant choices in real-time such as: By Korea, ABC Chicken, Juicy Bao, and HappyLemon in Melbourne, Do Dee Paidang Thai restaurant, Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, Great Dragon Hot Pot, and Red Chilli Sichuan Restaurant in Sydney, And Yangguofu Malatang, Chong Qing Street Noodle, Tak Kee Roast Inn, and Superemoji in Canberra. Chowbus hand-picks restaurants, working with the owners to select only their best dishes, so users know theyre enjoying only the most authentic and mouth-watering foods. And for those who want to experience multiple flavors in one meal, Chowbus offers a distinctive bundling feature that lets users order from multiple restaurants in a single delivery. Additionally, customers with a Chowbus Plus membership have access to exclusive rewards and free delivery without any restriction on distance. All Chowbus customers can try out Chowbus Plus free for the first month. Australia has a rich Asian food culture and history, and our goal is to connect more people with the best dishes that their Asian restaurants have to offer. But that starts with supporting our restaurant partners, said Linxin Wen, co-founder and CEO of Chowbus. We are committed to true partnerships with restaurants and provide high-quality photography and marketing insights to help them grow with no hidden fees. We dont succeed unless they do. This international launch builds on the momentum that Chowbus has gained over the past year. After securing a $33 million Series A funding round this July, the company now works with more than 3,000+ restaurants in 27 cities across North America and Australia, including Vancouver, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Chowbus is poised to continue expanding its global market footprint and bring its food-delivery service to help food lovers explore authentic Asian flavors and help restaurants grow their business. We love Chowbus because it is one of the user-friendly food delivery apps, said Gary Gui, director of Taste of Lan Japanese Dining. The ability to bundle dishes from different restaurants at the same time is also so unique because it saves money for the customers and also benefits nearby businesses." To learn more about Chowbus, visit chowbus.com . *additional cut-off times for ordering may apply to food lovers in the suburbs and some areas of the city. About Chowbus Chowbus is a food delivery platform providing high-quality, authentic Asian food, that empowers local independent restaurants and stores with the technology, tools, and marketing to grow their business. Founded in 2016 by chief executive officer Linxin Wen and chief technology officer Suyu Zhang, Chowbus helps people discover local Asian cuisine that isnt easily found on traditional third-party delivery apps. Chowbus provides a curated list of high-quality mom-and-pop restaurants and stores (paired with real food pictures), a unique bundling feature that allows users to order from multiple restaurants in a single delivery with no added fees, and reliable delivery service. Media Contact: Becca Reyes rebecca@propllr.com 262.744.8117 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0e333d05-94b0-4162-a9db-5af3c627d0b4 Several students were lucky enough to only suffer minor injuries when their school bus was hit by a cargo train in Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon. The collision happened at around 4:00 pm at the intersection of Tay Mo Street and the railway in Nam Tu Liem District. The 45-seater school bus, which was carrying more than 40 fourth-grade students from Ly Nam De Elementary School in the same district back to school after an extracurricular activity, was attempting to cross the railway but had to move backward as a truck in the opposite direction was blocking the way, according to a witness. At that time, a cargo train on the tracks hit the school bus. The students on the bus screamed in panic and many people rushed to smash the windows of the bus to rescue the children, said the witness. People rescue students from a school bus after it was hit by a cargo train in Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, September 29, 2020. Photo: Bao Anh / Tuoi Tre Six students were slightly injured and rushed to Military Hospital 103, about 6.2 kilometers from where the collision occurred. The six children had their health checked and have all been discharged from the hospital. Meanwhile, rescuers and functional forces took other people on the school bus to a safe zone after the collision. It is reported that there are no barriers or danger-warning signals at the intersection where the accident took place although local people have long proposed them. Authorities are investigating the crash. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A desperate search is underway for a two-year-old and 37-year-old woman who disappeared almost a week ago. The pair were last seen at a Kulgun Circuit address in Inala, south-west of Brisbane, on September 25. They have not been in contact with family since and their disappearance has been described as out of character. The child is described as less than one-metre tall, Caucasian, of slim build with blonde hair and blue eyes. Queensland Police and family are concerned about the woman and baby girl's welfare and are seeking any information on their whereabouts. The child is described as less than one-metre tall, Caucasian, of slim build with blonde hair and blue eyes. The woman is about 150cm tall, of a slim build with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is urged to contact police immediately. Sebastian Acosta Sebastian has helped buy and sell over 350 properties since 2013. Haute Residence is pleased to welcome Sebastian Acosta to the exclusive Haute Residence Network as its representative in the real estate market of the Brickell Key and Brickell areas of Miami, FL. Sebastian Acosta is a highly respected real estate agent, speaker, and book author. He has mastered this business thanks to hard work, strong ethics, and full dedication to his profession. He has consistently been a top producing agent in every company he has been with since he started in this business. Sebastian has helped buy and sell over 350 properties since 2013. Book author of "Make Millions with Foreclosures and Short Sales" (2008) and recent best selling new business book on Amazon (2018-2020) "The Million Dollar Listing Social Media." Visit Sebastian Acosta's Haute Residence profile: https://www.hauteresidence.com/member/sebastian-acosta/ Visit Sebasitan Acosta's website: https://www.sebastianacosta.com/ ABOUT HAUTE RESIDENCE Designed as a partnership-driven luxury real estate portal, Haute Residence connects its affluent readers with top real estate professionals, while offering the latest in real estate news, showcasing the worlds most extraordinary residences on the market and sharing expert advice from its knowledgeable and experienced real estate partners. The invitation-only luxury real estate network, which partners with just one agent in every market, unites a distinguished collective of leading real estate agents and brokers and highlights the most extravagant properties in leading markets around the globe for affluent buyers, sellers, and real estate enthusiasts. HauteResidence.com has grown to be the number one news source for million-dollar listings, high-end residential developments, celebrity real estate, and more. Access all of this information and more by visiting http://www.hauteresidence.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The trial of a U.S. citizen who is also a Saudi national began Wednesday in Saudi Arabia in a counter-terrorism court that has been used to imprison rights activists in a case that could spark further tensions in already uneasy U.S.-Saudi relations. The case of Salah al-Haidar, who has been detained since April 2019 in Saudi Arabia, has caught the attention of members of Congress who are urging President Donald Trump to personally seek his immediate and unconditional release. Al-Haidar, who has a family home in Vienna, Virginia, is facing between eight and 33 years in prison for alleged Twitter posts criticizing the Saudi government, according to people with knowledge of his case, including a U.S. official familiar with the case who insisted on anonymity to discuss it with The Associated Press. Although the trial began Wednesday, people with knowledge of the case said they were originally told it would begin Thursday. It was not immediately clear how the misunderstanding took place People with knowledge of the case, who spoke anonymously in order to discuss the matter without repercussion, said al-Haidars lawyer and a sibling were present for the opening court session. Judges heard his defence as well as that of other defendants arrested on similar charges around the same time. The next court date was set two months from now. U.S. embassy officials were not present inside the courtroom, the people said. Al-Haidars mother is prominent Saudi womens rights activist Aziza al-Yousef, who is among nearly a dozen women on trial for charges related to their activism, such as pushing for the right to drive before the ban on women was lifted in mid-2018. Al-Yousef, a grandmother and former university professor, was released from prison the week before her sons arrest. She and others have told a Saudi criminal court they were abused during interrogations, including being waterboarded, beaten with canes and electrocuted. She has been barred from leaving the kingdom, despite holding permanent residency in the U.S. The crackdown on perceived critics of the government has intensified under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who continues to face criticism over the killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in late 2018. Since Khashoggis murder, the imprisonment of the women activists and others in Saudi Arabia has drawn widespread condemnation from members of Congress, the British Parliament and others. Representatives of a congressional delegation in Virginia, where al-Haidar has immediate family, are pressing the U.S. State Department to send personnel to observe his trial and to ensure transparency to the extent that the Saudis permit it, the U.S. official said. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism subcommittee, and Democratic Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, who sits on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and its subcommittee on the Middle East, asked Trump in a letter Wednesday to raise al-Haidars case with the highest levels of the Saudi government. They said they believe his arrest is a targeted effort against the family because of their advocacy for social reforms. We urge you to secure the unconditional and immediate release of Mr. al-Haidar and facilitate his and Ms. al-Yousefs return to the United States. We also urge you to do the same for all other U.S. citizens being held in Saudi prisons over allegations relating to peaceful dissent, the Virginia representatives said in the letter, which was also addressed to the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema bint Bandar. The Trump administration has been criticized by Democrats for not pressing Saudi Arabia enough on its human rights record, instead prioritizing lucrative Saudi weapons deals and the kingdoms tacit support for Gulf Arab normalization with Israel. The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment on the case. The Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh presiding over his trial is notorious for its secretive nature. According to a 53-page report released earlier this year by Amnesty International, the court has been used as a weapon of repression to imprison peaceful critics, activists, journalists, clerics and minority Shiite Muslims, including some who were sentenced to death and executed. A range of cases are brought before the court under broadly worded counter-terrorism laws that criminalize acts such as insulting the government and disobeying the ruler. The government contends that the specialized court follows the same rules and procedures of other criminal courts and that defendants, their lawyers and families can be present during hearings. However, Amnesty International said it had documented numerous cases of trials held in secret. Attempts at appealing the courts judgements were further conducted behind closed doors, without the presence or participation of defendants or their lawyers. A person with knowledge of the case said al-Haidar had not been allowed to meet with his lawyer to discuss the charges before his trial opened. Al-Haidar, 35, has been imprisoned since his arrest 17 months ago in Saudi Arabia, where his wife and two-year old son reside. ___ Tucker, AP National Security writer, reported from Washington. Buem is a constituency in the Oti Region of Ghana and its considered to be a stronghold for the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The opposition NDC has held on to power in the constituency for years as efforts for other political parties to take over have been unsuccessful. The NDC has continuously won this seat in the past six elections: 1996 2016 Daniel Kwasi Ashiamah is the incumbent Member of Parliament for Buem constituency. His bid to seek reelection however failed as he was defeated during the NDC parliamentary primaries. The new NDC candidate is therefore Kofi Adams. His main contender is Lawrence Kwame Aziale of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Source: Rebecca Tetteh Addo / Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Earlier this month, Disney+ had announced a new co-watching feature called GroupWatch that allows users to sync movies and shows from the entire Disney+ library with their family or friends simultaneously from different locations. After testing this feature in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the streaming service on Tuesday has started rolling out the GroupWatch feature to users in the U.S. Also Read- Best Ways to Watch Videos Together with Friends The GroupWatch feature allows up to seven people (which includes a host and up to six other co-watchers) to watch together in a synced playback experience available across the Disney+ website, on the Android and iPhone apps, Smart TVs and connected devices, and share reactions in real-time. Storytelling comes alive when youre able to share and enjoy it with others, and in this moment when many are still apart from their friends and family, GroupWatch offers a way to safely connect virtually by co-viewing your favorite Disney+ stories with your favorite people from the comfort of your living room, said Jerrell B Jimerson, SVP Product Management for Disney+ in a press release. The new group feature icon will appear next to the Watch List icon and this will generate a link, which users will need to copy and send to friends and family for them to join. They can invite up to six other people to watch with them (Disney+ subscription required). If the recipient doesnt have a Disney+ subscription, they will be prompted to sign up. While invitations must originate from mobile or web, but you can then watch from your connected TV device or Smart TV. GroupWatchs synchronized playback seamlessly allows each participant the ability to pause for a bathroom break, play, rewind to watch a favorite scene again, or fast forward, for the whole group, keeping everyone connected. While watching, viewers can react in real time with six different emojis: like, funny, sad, angry, scared and surprised through the Disney+ app. However, there are some limitations such as if a show or movie isnt available in the users region, they wouldnt be allowed to join in. Further, childrens profiles will not be able to initiate GroupWatch and can also be protected with a pin code. To get the new co-viewing feature, Disney+ users will be required to update their app on their selected device. The GroupWatch feature is expected to expand to Europe later this fall. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 30, 2020) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) (FSE: 4YX) (OTC: TRUFF) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company"), an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale of its brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that its science division, Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation ("Scarlette Lillie"), has secured a relationship with Jinfiniti Precision Medicine ("Jinfiniti") in order to explore the potential roles that psilocybin and truffles can play for age-related and psychiatric disorders. Jinfiniti has created a world class "AgingSOS" test panel that can detect key factors from blood that drive aging and other genetic instabilities. The speed and affordability of this test can allow for both company's Scientists to clearly evaluate the potential for psilocybin treatments that go beyond what is currently being explored. The CEO of Jinfiniti is Dr. Jin-Xiong She, a professor at Augusta University in Georgia, USA, whose expertise is in the creation of biomarker panels. Jinfiniti's state of the art panel is making it possible to extend the applicability of psilocybin. "We are pleased to work with Scarlette Lillie, and we are excited to add this special dimension to their clinical study explorations as they emerge," says Dr. She, CEO of Jinfiniti. "The idea that psilocybin and truffles have deep physiological and medicinal effects that go beyond psychiatric applications is not new, but as a scientist, Scarlette Lillie is allowing me to truly explore whole new markets, with a rigorous biomarker panel. Additionally, this work has the potential to help us understand if there are unknown mechanisms at play for neurological and psychiatric disorders," says Dr. Joseph Geraci, CEO of NetraMark Corp. and a scientific advisor to Red Light Holland. Dr. Geraci is helping to establish several clinical programs. He brings a deep knowledge of systems biology, medical science, and artificial intelligence to the team. This relationship with Jinfiniti will allow Scarlette Lillie to add a novel component to expected clinical studies for psilocybin and truffles. The knowledge that comes from this has the potential to not only influence the outcome of clinical studies but can also potentially lead to novel treatments for several disorders. "When you see brilliant Scientists like Dr. Joseph Geraci and Dr. Jin-Xiong She, a professor at Augusta University, show this much excitement, it gets me really excited!" Added Todd Shapiro, CEO and Director of Red Light Holland. "I've always made it very clear that as a company we take Science and Innovation very seriously. This is just another example of Scarlette Lillie moving forward intelligently with world class experts to hopefully help be a part of positive change." About Jinfiniti Precision Medicine Jinfiniti is a precision medicine company that aims to increase the human healthspan. Using measures of key blood biomarkers, Jinfiniti is able to provide a detailed overview of individual aging health. Composed of researchers who met at the Medical College of Georgia, the Jinfiniti team is dedicated to the prevention of chronic disease and the promotion of longevity. Their novel approach to anti-aging practices involves conducting lab tests to measure aging biomarkers within the blood. This information then helps to guide individual lifestyle adjustments, leading to improved health and quality of life. Jin-Xiong She, Ph.D., Professor at Augusta University Founder & CEO Jinfiniti Precision Medicine, Inc. 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912 About Red Light Holland Corp. RLH is an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale of its brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws. The Company's brand of magic truffles are expected to be sold in the Netherlands through existing Smart Shops as well as its e-commerce platform, and are expected to be initially made available in the form of its previously announced Microdosing Packs. For additional information on the Company: Todd Shapiro Chief Executive Officer and Director Tel: 647-204-7129 Email: todd@redlighttruffles.com Website: https://redlighttruffles.com Forward-Looking Statements Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Readers are further cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such forward-looking statements (including, but not limited to, the assumption that (i) the Company will be able to execute on its business plan, and will receive one or multiple licenses, permits, and authorizations from time to time necessary to execute on its business plan, (ii) the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, (iii) there will continue to be a demand, and market opportunity, for the Company's product offerings, (iv) the Company will be able to establish, preserve and develop its brand, and attract and retain required personnel, (v) the establishment and success of the Company's planned clinical trials, uncertainties associated with the Company's planned clinical trials and planned studies, uncertainties associated with any results of the Company's planned clinical trials and studies, uncertainties associated with the clinical development process, regulatory submission and approval process, the use of Jinfiniti's technology in any proposed trials and studies and its impact on the Company's planned clinical trials, (vi) current and future economic conditions will neither affect the business and operations of the Company nor the Company's ability to capitalize on anticipated business opportunities, and (vii) the magic truffles currently being grown by the Company will be ready for harvest and distribution within the timelines anticipated by the Company, and in particular, will pass the testing criteria established by the Company), although considered reasonable by management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and result in actual results differing materially from those anticipated, and as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements, forward-looking financial information and other metrics presented herein are not intended as guidance or projections for the periods referenced herein or any future periods, and in particular, past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results of the Company in this news release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast or projection of the Company's future results. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/64888 Far-right groups celebrated on social media after President Donald Trump responded to a debate question about white supremacists by saying that the extremist Proud Boys, a male-only group known for its penchant for street violence, should "stand back and stand by." Starting Tuesday night and continuing Wednesday, Trump's comments were enshrined in memes, including one depicting Trump in one of the Proud Boys' signature polo shirts. Another meme showed Trump's quote next to an image of bearded men carrying American flags and appearing to prepare for a fight. A third incorporated "STAND BACK AND STAND BY" into the group's logo. Such images spread quickly on the conservative social media site Parler and channels on the encrypted chat app Telegram, according to researchers. One prominent Proud Boys supporter on Parler said Trump appeared to give permission for attacks on protesters, adding that "this makes me so happy." Others supporter saw a retail opportunity, pushing $30 t-shirts and $40 hoodies bearing the group's logo and the words, "PROUD BOYS STANDING BY." On the fringe social media site 4chan, an anonymous supporter wrote, "STAND BACK AND STAND BY . . . SOMEONE HAS TO STOP THESE FAR LEFT RIOTERS," according to SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks far-right groups. Mainstream platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have cracked down on the Proud Boys for violating policies against hate speech. Twitter and Facebook acted in 2018. YouTube has quickened the pace of enforcement against violent right-wing extremist groups since updating its hate-speech policy last year. The Proud Boys, like other extremist groups, have found new homes online, especially on Telegram, and new visibility, thanks to Tuesday night's debate. One researcher said memberships to three Proud Boys channels on Telegram grew nearly 10% after the debate. "He legitimized them in a way that nobody in the community expected. It's unbelievable. The celebration is incredible," said Rita Katz, executive director of SITE Intelligence group, which monitors extremists online. "In my 20 years of tracking terrorism and extremism, I never thought I'd see anything like this from a U.S. president." SITE found that Telegram channels devoted to neo-Nazis and white supremacists portrayed Trump's comments as signals of support. The Proud Boys dispute characterizations of them as white supremacists, but their actions often are touted by white supremacists and others on far-right political fringes. Twitter also experienced a huge spike in references to Proud Boys: more than a million since Trump's statement and about 75,000 an hour on Wednesday morning, according to Clemson social media researcher Darren Linvill. The group more commonly averages a few thousand references on Twitter per day. "They've been given a gift," he said. Trump's comments came in response to a question from the moderator, Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, about whether he would be willing to publicly denounce white supremacists. The president initially suggested he would, but when Democratic nominee Joe Biden asked specifically about the Proud Boys, Trump responded, "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left." The Trump campaign tweeted afterward: "President Trump has repeatedly condemned white supremacists. What a ridiculous question from Chris Wallace." And on Wednesday, Trump told reporters that he did not know who the Proud Boys were. "I mean, you'll have to give me a definition, because I really don't know who they are. I can only say they have to stand down. Let law enforcement do their work," Trump said. Trump and his Cabinet have sought in recent months to portray political violence as predominantly a problem of far-left groups, including the loosely organized antifa. But independent researchers on political extremism and terrorism have consistently concluded that white supremacists and the far right generally have been more dangerous in recent decades. The prospect of Election Day violence has increasingly concerned those who monitor such groups. The Michigan chapter of the Proud Boys, one of those that made memes featuring Trump's quote Tuesday night, had recently urged people on Telegram to become "poll challengers" on Election Day. Trump sounded similar themes in the debate, urging his supporters to monitor polling places for supposed acts of fraud. Later, the Trump campaign ran advertising encouraging people to become poll workers. "The Proud Boys were quick to react to the president's remarks. They heard them as a call to action and rapidly created 'standing by' memes designed to help mobilization in the group," said Joseph Carter, program manager at Graphika, a network analysis firm. The Coalition for a Safer Web, a nonprofit group that advocates for technologies and policies to remove extremist content from social media, called Telegram a particularly problematic platform used widely by white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other far-right groups. The group said it was tracking 13 Proud Boys Telegram channels, including one advertising an event in Ohio on Saturday, saying, "Proud Boys will be standing back and standing by in New Albany, OH." The coalition's president, former U.S. ambassador to Morocco Marc Ginsberg, called Telegram in Capitol Hill testimony last week "a global sanctuary from which extremist groups can actually plot and direct attacks in real time." On Wednesday, there was no immediate reply to a request for comment to Telegram, which is based in Dubai. SITE's Katz, of SITE Intelligence Group, said enforcement actions by mainstream platforms have disrupted the recruitment activities of the Proud Boys, who used to conduct outreach efforts on Facebook. Trump's comments helped them on other platforms. "As one Proud Boys user on Telegram wrote, 'Nobody here has Facebook we all got band [sic] a long time ago.' To that point, after Trump's 'stand back and stand by' comment, their celebration was happening far more on less-moderated platforms like Telegram and Parler," Katz said. The hashtag #WhiteSupremacy trended on Twitter on Tuesday night in the United States, among accounts espousing support for the left and for the right. That included the Trump campaign and right-wing influencers such as Candace Owens, as well as left-leaning actress Kerry Washington, tweeting in response to Trump's comments, according to disinformation researchers at the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public. "Talking points about white supremacy developed among influencers on both sides of the Twitter spectrum," said Kate Starbird, associate professor in the department of human-centered design and engineering at the University of Washington. The Proud Boys were founded in 2016 by Vice magazine co-founder Gavin McInnes, who has since distanced himself from the group. They say they are a "fraternal group spreading an 'anti-political correctness' and 'anti-white guilt' agenda," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The group is suing the Southern Poverty Law Center over the characterization. The group has been involved in a large neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017, in the reopen protests demonstrating against coronavirus lockdowns earlier this year and recent protests in Portland, Ore. Facebook has banned it, labeling it a hate group. "Acknowledgment from the top sets the pretense for increased white vigilantism," said Joan Donovan, director of the Technology and Social Change Research Project at Harvard University's Shorenstein Center. "This is a group that has organized street brawls using social media, has targeted people in their homes, and now believes their crusade against protesters is legitimate." South Africa: SA retailers commit to curb food waste The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has launched the South African Food Loss and Waste Voluntary Agreement, which commits food manufacturers and retailers to reduce food waste. Launched on Tuesday, the Food Loss and Waste Voluntary Agreement was developed by CGCSA in partnership with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF). It was co-funded by the European Union (EU) through the SA-EU Dialogue Facility. Governments partnership with CGCSA and co-operation with the SA-EU Dialogue Facility have been instrumental in the development of the Voluntary Agreement, which will assist South Africa to reduce food waste, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. It will also showcase the value of public-private partnerships in developing innovative strategies to bolster the circular economy. The agreement commits CGCSA food manufacturing and retail members to implement measures to minimise and reduce food waste in the country. Speaking at a virtual launch, Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy welcomed the initiative and its potential to ensure more sustainable consumption patterns in the country. Creecy noted that water scarcity, land degradation and burgeoning food and packaging waste are some of the major environmental problems of our time. Organic waste is a major component in any landfill and all efforts to divert this waste through ensuring better use of food products is a significant contribution to our joint efforts to promote resource efficiency, Creecy said. 10 million tonnes of agricultural produce wasted each year CGCSA Food Safety Initiative Executive Matlou Setati said the current estimates show that about 10 million tonnes of local agricultural produce in South Africa is wasted each year. This is equivalent to an estimated R60 billion a year. In a country where an estimated 14 million people go to bed hungry every night, this is a monumental unnecessary waste, which cannot be allowed to continue, Setati said. CGCSA co-chairperson Gareth Ackerman said that by developing the Voluntary Agreement, CGCSA is making a bold call to South African food manufacturers, distributors and retailers to commit themselves to prevent and reduce food waste. Given that South Africas retailers sell approximately 80% of the food consumed in the country, they sit at a critical point in the value chain to influence changes to reduce some of the food waste South Africa generates each year, Ackerman said. Ackerman acknowledged support from CGCSA members, including Massmart, Danone, Tiger Brands, Pick n Pay, Woolworths and Shoprite, which have already pledged to support the initiative. Many more members are signing up because they believe it is the right thing to do. Let todays launch be the start of an irreversible commitment to ensure that our members become the catalyst for action to address food waste and food insecurity in South Africa. Ultimately, the CGCSA is advocating for legislation to make it possible for surplus food, which is still safe for human consumption, is donated to the needy as part of national goals to avert food insecurity in South Africa, Ackerman said. Director of Agroprocessing at DTIC, Thembelihle Ndukwana, commended the willingness of both manufacturers and retailers companies to partner with government in ensuring that food waste is reduced with the aim to eliminate food waste in the near future. This is one of the efforts by South Africa to transition to a sustainable consumption and production and achieve healthy sustainable food systems, Ndukwana said. Minister Counsellor and Head of Co-operation at the EU delegation, Dr Bernard Rey, said that through international insights and expertise, collaborative dialogue and grassroots research, this dialogue series has evolved into the successful launch of a multi-sectoral voluntary agreement on managing food waste in South Africa from farm to fork. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. A special-edition pair of Crocs released in collaboration with the Latin pop star Bad Bunny went on sale on Tuesday at noon. Within 16 minutes, they were sold out. The Bad Bunny Crocs, adorned with glow-in-the-dark versions of the brands proprietary Jibbitz charms and Bad Bunnys logo, were the latest in a series of highly anticipated, quick-to-sell-out collaborations between the famously comfortable foam clogs and a well-known musical artist. Designs the company created with the Grateful Dead and Post Malone a serial Crocs collaborator all sold out within an hour. Other recent Crocs collaborations, including one with Kentucky Fried Chicken, have been similarly popular. By late Tuesday afternoon, the lowest price at which the shoes could be purchased on the resale site StockX was $265. Hours earlier, they retailed for $64.99. The Angolan Church commemorated World Day of Migrants and Refugees under COVID-19 restrictions but with a call for the full integration of IDPs and refugees into Angolan society. Anastacio Sasembele - Luanda, Angola The Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples of the Episcopal Conference of Angola, Sao Tome and Principe (CEAST), over the weekend, renewed its call for the integration, into Angolan social life, of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees. See the face of Jesus in IDPs and refugees Sister Neide Lamperti, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission at CEAST made a passionate appeal to the Angolan government to take the lead in promoting initiatives of social integration not only of refugees but also of the countrys Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The Commission believes that the Angolan government can do more towards the integration of peoples. Displaced persons and refugees should be allowed to contribute to wider Angolan society, the Commission insists. It is necessary to promote the inclusion of Internally Displaced Persons in ecclesial and social communities as well as in the public services. Many IDPs and refugees are living precarious situations of vulnerability and like everyone else need food, housing, education and health facilities, said Sr. Lamperti. Sr. Lamperti has urged Angolans to see the face of Jesus among IDPs and refugees. The results of civil war and regional conflicts Twenty-five years of civil conflict, In Angola, generated many Angolan refugees who fled the violence. Others fled to other parts of the country and became Internally Displaced Persons. With the war over, the returned refugees have only added pressure to the resettlement efforts. Angola is also a recipient of refugees. The armed conflicts in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have led to DRC refugees seeking shelter in Angola. According to UNCHR, in 2017 alone, as many as 100 000 Congolese fled to neighbouring countries. The situation of DRC migrants in Angolas Lunda Norte Province is complicated. The Angolan government accuses DRC migrants of illegal Diamond mining and smuggling. During the 2018 month-long Operation Transparency, Angola expelled 400 000 refugees and migrants back to the DRC. This prompted pleas from Human Rights Watch for the government to distinguish between irregular migrants and genuine refugees. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove, center right, and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Inter-institutional relations and Foresight Maros Sefcovic, center left, attend the third meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee at EU headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (John Thys, Pool via AP) EUUK Spat Over Brexit Deal Clouds Key Trade Talks This Week BRUSSELSBritain entered a crucial week of post-Brexit talks with the European Union on Sept. 28 by rejecting the EUs demand that it drop plans to breach the legally binding agreement it signed on its departure from the bloc. The EU told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to brace for a legal fight. The EU insisted that abiding by every last detail of the international treaty that regulated the UKs departure on Jan. 31 was key to maintaining trust and hopes of salvaging a rudimentary trade deal in the next few weeks. After a short meeting between the two sides in Brussels, UK Brexit planning minister Michael Gove said Britain wouldnt withdraw its Internal Market Bill, which includes clauses to override parts of the Brexit withdrawal treaty. Those clauses will remain in that bill as a safety net in case the UK and the EU dont reach a trade agreement, Gove said. The EU renewed its threat to take legal action if the UK doesnt drop the bill, which is currently passing through Parliament. We are considering all legal options available to us, European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said. The rift means that talks between the two sides trade negotiators will begin on Sept. 29 under an ominous cloud. Britain and the 27-nation bloc have just weeks to strike a deal before a post-Brexit transition period runs out on Dec. 31. Both sides stand to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs and a big chunk of their income if they fail to find a compromise agreement. Yet Brussels and London have been digging in their heels, both vowing not to compromise on key issues. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Sept. 28 that his government is preparing its budget in three weeks time on the basis that there will be a no-deal Brexit. Martin said Johnsons attempt to pass a law that violates the legally binding EUUK divorce agreement had eroded trust and undermined confidence. If it becomes law, Johnsons Internal Market Bill will give the UK the power to disregard part of the Brexit withdrawal treaty dealing with trade to and from Northern Ireland, which shares a 300-mile (500-kilometer) border with EU member Ireland. Johnson has said he wouldnt put it past the EU to abuse the treaty to put the Northern Irish part of the UK in an economic chokehold. The EU denies this and insists the full withdrawal agreement must be respected for fear that it otherwise might reignite tensions on the island of Ireland. Britain and the EU jointly promised in the Brexit divorce agreement to ensure there are no customs posts or other obstacles on the Northern IrelandIreland border, no matter what the final terms of Brexit. The open border is key to the stability that underpins the 1998 Good Friday peace accord that ended decades of violence between Irish nationalists and British unionists. Sefcovic warned on Sept. 28 that Britain shouldnt try to use the withdrawal agreement and its Northern Ireland provisions as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations. Johnsons law-breaching bill has also brought a warning from senior American politiciansincluding House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Bidenwho said passing it would scupper chances of a UKU.S. trade deal. On Sept. 28, the U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, Mick Mulvaney, said there was a chance the bill could place the Northern Ireland peace agreement at risk. On a visit to Dublin, he said that was something were very interested in seeing not happen. Were here to protect, defend that Good Friday Agreement that was so hard-fought and won, he said after meeting with senior Irish politicians. Against that background, trade negotiations led by the EUs Michel Barnier and the UKs David Frost will resume on Sept. 29, hoping to bridge gaps on EU boats access to UK fishing waters and the amount of support that governments are allowed to give to businesses. The EU has accused Britain of trying to retain the privileges it had as a member of the bloc without following the EUs rules. The UK says the bloc is making demands that it hasnt placed on other countries it has trade deals with, such as Canada. Still, London maintained there was some hope that a deal could be reached before or at an EU summit in mid-October, which Johnson has called the deadline for a deal. We expect discussions to continue in the run-up to the European Council on Oct. 1516, UK government spokesman James Slack said. Although the last few weeks of informal talks have been positive, there remains much to be done. By Raf Casert & Jill Lawless The League of Women Voters will host virtual candidate forums for the Glade Spring and Damascus Town Council elections this week through the Zoom app. The Glade Spring Town Council candidates have already met in a forum conducted on Monday at 7 p.m. The candidates incumbent Ricky Call, Ricky Stumbo and Kyle Sensabaugh are vying for three Town Council seats. The full panel featuring questions from voters can be viewed at the League of Women Voters YouTube channel: LWV-WCVA. Interested residents can also visit facebook.com/washco.va.lwv or lwv-wcva.org. The Damascus Town Council forum will take place on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. To attend live and submit questions, send an email to washco.va.lwv@gmail.com. A link will be sent out before the forum for those interested in watching live. The forum will be available at a later date on the LWV-WCVA YouTube page. In Damascus, the two candidates for mayor are incumbent Jack McCrady and challenger Katie Lamb. There are three Town Council seats up for election, and three of the four candidates will attend: Beaty Jackson, Susan Coleman and Larry Riddle, all challengers. Another Town Council seat will be filled through a special election, and two of six challengers Shannon Barrett and Lindsey Fleming will attend the forum. The League of Women Voters also asks candidates to provide responses to questions submitted by the League at Vote411.org. There, voters can see candidate profiles with responses for local mayoral and Town Council races, the Ninth District congressional race, the U.S. Senate race and the presidential race. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. By Trend Armenia must leave Nagorno-Karabakh - this is the historical land of Azerbaijan, Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor at Sokhumi State University (Georgia) told Trend. "Nagorno-Karabakh is occupied by the Armenian armed forces, therefore, from the point of view of international law, Azerbaijan has every right to return its historical lands. That is, Armenia cannot have any claims against Azerbaijan," Kavtaradze said. "The Armenian government has never taken a constructive position to resolve the conflict," says the professor. The expert believes that in political terms, Georgia also supports Azerbaijan, although the country's officials equally urge both sides to sit down at the negotiating table. "If both sides sit down at the negotiating table, the best option to do this is in Georgia. Armenia must leave Nagorno-Karabakh, this is the historical land of Azerbaijan. The occupied territories must be returned to their owner, Azerbaijan," Kavtaradze said. According to the expert, since Armenia has not understood for 30 years that it is impossible to seize foreign territories, now they are getting what they deserve. The truth is on the side of the Azerbaijani people. The expert stressed that he is in solidarity with the Azerbaijani people and morally supports Azerbaijan. "I wish success to the Azerbaijani people in liberating their territories from the aggressor and I hope that soon I will be able to visit the Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh," he stressed. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Kawasaki is a rare disease which usually affects children under the age of five. According to Kawasaki Disease Foundation India, the incident rate of Kawasaki in India is 60 to 150 per 100,000 children below the age of 5 years. In India, most patients remain undiagnosed due to lack of awareness. So far, it was believed that there is only a single cause (yet unknown) behind Kawasaki disease, irrespective of the demography. However, in recent research published in The Journal of Pediatrics on 21 September, 2020, it was found that Kawasaki disease can have multiple triggers and can appear different in different clusters. What is Kawasaki disease? Kawasaki disease is an autoimmune disease, which usually presents with a high temperature that may last for five days or more, a rash, swelling in the glands present in the neck, dry and cracked lips and red eyes, fingers and toes. The cause of this disease is not yet known. While some believe it could be due to genetic predisposition, others believe it is the result of some bacterial or viral infection. If the condition remains untreated, the child may develop coronary artery aneurysms (balloon-like bulges in the blood vessels), which can ultimately result in myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure or even death. Finding the clusters of Kawasaki disease A disease cluster is a situation when a greater than expected number of cases of a disease occur in a group of people who either live together or work in the same area. In this study, scientists from UC San Diego examined 47 Kawasaki clusters, that were found in 1,332 kids, for 17 years. The kids were diagnosed with complete and incomplete Kawasaki disease and were treated at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego between January 2002 and March 2019. These kids were compared to two control groups of synthetic (artificially-made) Kawasaki Disease clusters. The scientists examined the white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein and haemoglobin levels of these kids. Results The results of the study showed that kids who showed low levels of haemoglobin, presented with high levels of inflammation in their body and vice-versa. It was also found that some clusters had distinct clinical features such as strawberry tongue or abnormal lymph nodes, while these were absent in the other clusters. Conclusion The scientists concluded that there can be different clusters of Kawasaki disease which can vary from each other due to multiple environmental triggers or weathers patterns such as temperature, rainfall and wind patterns. They further added that while these clusters of Kawasaki disease are the result of different triggers or different intensity of exposure to the triggers, they all respond in the same manner. The scientists believe that with this study, they will be able to find out the exact cause behind Kawasaki disease. For more information, read our article on Kawasaki Disease. Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health. This July 2020 photo provided by Walmart shows the bright signage and Walmart logos from the parking lot outside the Walmart Supercenter in Springdale, Ark. Walmart is getting inspiration from the airport terminal as it revamps the layout and signage of its stores to speed up shopping and better cater to smartphone-armed customers. (Mark Steele + FITCH/Courtesy of Walmart via AP) Walmart is getting inspiration from the airport terminal as it revamps the layout and signage of its stores to speed up shopping and better cater to smartphone-armed customers. The nation's largest retailer, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, said that the look, which includes signs with bold dimensional typeface spotlighting sections, is currently in one store. It will be rolled out to 200 stores by early next year. with plans to add another 800 stores by early 2022. Walmart says it was working on a new store layout a year ago. But the pandemic accelerated those efforts as customers are increasingly focused on contactless shopping amid safety concerns. "We were inspired by airport wayfinding systems as best-in-class examples of how to navigate large groups of people," says Janey Whiteside, executive vice president and chief customer officer at Walmart's U.S. division, in a corporate blog. As part of the overall signage, the exterior and interior of the stores will reflect the Walmart app icon. As customers enter the store, they will see colorful iconography and a store directory that encourages them to download and use the Walmart app while they shop. It says its aisles will feature letter and number combinations to guide customers from phone to products. It's also featuring dedicated sections within the store for toys, baby products and other areas. Shoppers who don't use their smartphones for shopping will still benefit with the bigger signs, which will help them find items, Whiteside noted. In this July 2020 photo provided by Walmart, a woman looks at her smartphone near a digital store directory inside the Walmart Supercenter in Springdale, Ark. Walmart is getting inspiration from the airport terminal as it revamps the layout and signage of its stores to speed up shopping and better cater to smartphone-armed customers. (Mark Steele + FITCH/Courtesy of Walmart via AP) This July 2020 photo provided by Walmart shows a store interior with produce in the center and bright signs for other foods positioned along the walls, at the Walmart Supercenter in Springdale, Ark. Walmart is getting inspiration from the airport terminal as it revamps the layout and signage of its stores to speed up shopping and better cater to smartphone-armed customers. (Mark Steele + FITCH/Courtesy of Walmart via AP) 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. General Sir Nick Carter said hostile powers 'cannot afford' a militarised conflict Instead they are turning to cyber attacks and disinformation to sow division He today announced greatest shift in UK's defence strategy 'for a generation' Russia and China are waging 'political war' on the West with the express goal of 'breaking our willpower', Britain's highest ranking army officer warned today. Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter said hostile powers 'cannot afford' a militarised conflict and so are turning to cyber attacks and disinformation. ADVERTISEMENT He said such actions fall outside the traditional parameters of declaring war but nevertheless aim to sow division and sap 'economic, political and social resilience'. Announcing the greatest shift in the UK's defence strategy 'for a generation', Sir Nick said: 'We must fundamentally change our thinking if we are not to be overwhelmed.' Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter said hostile powers 'cannot afford' a militarised conflict and so are turning to cyber attacks and disinformation He told the Policy Exchange think tank on Wednesday: 'These regimes believe that they are already engaged in an intense form of conflict that is predominantly political rather than kinetic. 'Their strategy of "political warfare" is designed to undermine cohesion, to erode economic, political and social resilience, and to compete for strategic advantage in key regions of the world. 'Their goal is to win without going to war: to achieve their objectives by breaking our willpower, using attacks below the threshold that would prompt a war-fighting response. 'These attacks on our way of life from authoritarian rivals and extremist ideologies are remarkably difficult to defeat without undermining the very freedoms we want to protect. We are exposed through our openness.' His speech, in which he launched the Integrated Operating Concept 2025, name-checked Russia and China as potential threats. In addition to amassing an awesome weapons arsenal which includes state-of-the art ballistic missiles, Sir Nick said China has marshalled technological forms of attack. He said: 'It commands satellite information attack and defence forces, electronic assault forces and Internet assault forces, campaign information operations forces, which include conventional electronic warfare forces, anti-radiation assault forces, and battlefield cyber warfare forces.' Click here to resize this module He added that Beijing is 'forging a future of mass surveillance... and is rapidly exporting these tools to other parts of the world.' ADVERTISEMENT On Russia, Sir Nick pointed to the 'St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency troll farm which engages in sowing division abroad.' And he highlighted evidence of how rogue actors are exploiting the coronavirus pandemic, including 'pro-Russian vaccine politics whose disinformation narratives are designed to permeate anti-vaccination social media groups.' Announcing the greatest shift in the UK's defence strategy 'for a generation', Sir Nick said: 'We must fundamentally change our thinking if we are not to be overwhelmed' Sir Nick also said that rival powers have observed Western military tactics and are adapting their methods to exploit weakness. He said: 'Our adversaries have studied our 'Western way of war', identified our vulnerabilities and modernised their own capabilities to target them. The campaigns of the last 30 years have been played out over global media networks. 'From the first Gulf War in the early 1990s to the air strikes in Bosnia and Kosovo, the response to the terrorist attacks on embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and of course the campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya - all have been watched closely by our rivals.' Sir Nick even said that 'Russia has created battle laboratories from real life events to develop their tactics and battle harden a new generation of soldiers'. To combat such rapidly evolving threats, the Integrated Operating Concept will shore up defences which fall below the 'threshold' of typical warefare. ADVERTISEMENT He also stressed the need to cement international alliances, forge better cooperation with the various strands of the armed forces and modernise the British military. MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Supreme Court weighed Tuesday whether to go along with conservatives who argue that 130,000 voters should be removed from the rolls in the hotly contested presidential battleground state, while the Democratic attorney general defended not purging them. The Wisconsin case is one of several lawsuits across the country, many in battleground states, that seek to purge voters from registration rolls. It is being closely watched because President Donald Trump won the swing state by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016. However, the lawsuit was unlikely to be resolved by the state Supreme Court before the Nov. 3 election just five weeks away. Justices on the court controlled 4-3 by conservatives gave little indication during the hour-long oral arguments how they were leaning. The Wisconsin case hinges on whether voters who were identified as potentially having moved should be removed from the voter registration database. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a conservative law firm, argued that the state elections commission broke the law when it did not remove voters from the rolls who did not respond within 30 days to a mailing last year indicating they had been identified as someone who potentially moved. The commission wanted to wait until after the presidential election before removing anyone because of inaccuracies found while previously attempting to identify voters who may have moved. Because voters who moved were concentrated in more Democratic areas of the state, liberals argued that the lawsuit was meant to lower turnout on their side. Republicans countered that it was about reducing the likelihood of voter fraud and making sure that people who moved are not able to vote from their previous addresses. A circuit court judge ruled last year that the voters must be removed immediately, but a state appeals court overturned that in February. Many of the questions from justices on Tuesday revolved around whether it was the duty of the state elections commission, or local election clerks, to remove voters from the rolls. Justice Brian Hagedorn, part of the courts conservative majority who has sometimes sided with liberals, questioned whether the state elections commission had the legal authority to remove anyone from the registration list. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul maintained that the elections commission was under no duty to treat as reliable the information it received about voters who may have moved. Kaul said the commissions only responsibility under the multi-state Electronic Registration Information Center agreement was to notify flagged voters that they may need to update their address. Rick Esenberg, attorney for the conservative group that brought the lawsuit, argued that state law clearly gives the elections commission the responsibility to maintain the voter list. When presented with the information about those who had moved, the commission had a duty to remove those who did not respond to the mailing, Esenberg said. No voters have been deactivated while the yearlong legal fight continues. Even if a voter has their registration deactivated, they can register again later or on Election Day when they show up at the polls. Absentee voting is underway in Wisconsin with more than 308,000 ballots returned already. The lawsuit is just one of several voting-related challenges across the country, many of them in battleground states. On Tuesday, hours after the Supreme Court arguments, a federal appeals court upheld a ruling that expanded the time that absentee ballots can be counted in Wisconsin. And on Monday, a judge in Georgia dismissed a similar voter purge lawsuit filed by two voters in Fulton County, which includes Atlanta. The lawsuit sought to force election officials to hold hearings that could have resulted in 14,000 voters being removed from the countys voter rolls before the November general election. In Pennsylvania, a federal lawsuit filed by the conservative group Judicial Watch alleges that up to 800,000 registered voters should be classified as inactive and removed. That case is on hold until after the election. Judicial Watch also sued in North Carolina, saying not enough has been done to periodically remove inactive or permanently moved voters in that state. And in Michigan, a Republican activist sued in federal court to remove ineligible voters from 16 counties with abnormally high registration levels. The state recently sought to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the plaintiff had no standing to sue and, even if he did, federal law prohibits the systemic removal of ineligible voters within 90 days of the election. That case is pending. Removals or proposed removals, especially this close to an election, can be confusing and intimidating for voters and frequently arent based on reliable information, said John Powers, an attorney with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, which has been fighting those efforts. Youre scaring people and kicking eligible voters off the rolls, all of which undermines confidence in elections at time when thats the last thing we need, he said. ___ Associated Press writers Kate Brumback in Atlanta; David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Bryan Anderson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbauerAP My colleagues Dana Rubinstein and Luis Ferre-Sadurni said that so far, the mislabeled ballots seemed especially prevalent in Brooklyn. Its appalling, Mr. de Blasio said on Tuesday about the errors. The mayor does not control the citys elections board. The ballots appeared to contain other errors, too. For example, they instructed voters to mark the oval to the left of their choice, even though the ovals were above candidates names. Elections officials are blaming the company hired to mail ballots. Mr. Ryan said the problem was caused by Phoenix Graphics, a commercial printing company based in Rochester, N.Y., that was hired to mail absentee ballots to Brooklyn and Queens. He said during the Tuesday meeting that the vendor would bear the cost of sending new ballots to potentially affected voters. Sal DeBiase, the president and chief executive at Phoenix Graphics, did not reply to multiple requests for comment from Times reporters. The downside of introducing widespread absentee balloting is that once the Boards of Elections start contracting out the process of mailing, then they lose quality control and direct supervision of what goes on, Douglas Kellner, the co-chair of the citys elections board, told my colleagues. A hotline to report problems has seen long wait times. City Board of Elections officials were encouraging voters to email or call a hotline with reports of erroneous ballots. But phone lines appeared to be jammed at times. New method for early flutter detection will help in the development of safer and more eco-friendly turbines in aircraft Despite humanity's remarkable engineering prowess, sometimes completely unexpected or poorly understood physical phenomena can rapidly lead to catastrophic failures. Such was the case in Braniff International Airways Flight 542 in 1959 and Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710 in 1960, where both aircrafts spontaneously disintegrated in mid-air due to a mechanical phenomenon known as "flutter." In aerospace research, flutter generally refers to undesired and self-sustained vibrations in turbine blades that can readily grow out of control, destroying them along with the engine, and even the aircraft's wings. It is not very surprising that flutter remains an area of active research and one of the main concerns when designing turbines. In fact, flutter has been placed once again under the spotlight in a project (advanced-fan-jet-research: aFJR) launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) aimed at designing highly efficient and environment-friendly turbines. In a new study published in Physical Review Applied, scientists from the Tokyo University of Science (TUS), in collaboration with researchers from JAXA, tackle the problem of developing a novel methodology for early detection of flutter in the design state of blades. Dr. Hiroshi Gotoda (corresponding author of the paper) from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at TUS explains the problem at hand and how they tried to solve it, "The onset of cascade flutter has impeded the technological development of advanced jet engines and its early detection is a long-standing problem in current aerospace propulsion engineering. Our main aim was to explore the applicability of a methodology combining complex networks and synchronization to detect a precursor of cascade flutter." The main idea behind their approach is that the turbine fan can be mathematically modeled as a complex network of interrelated oscillators and that flutter is ultimately the result of the progressive synchronization of more and more blades as a result of increased airflow going through the turbine. In another study, published in the Journal of Applied Physics, the same group had explored an artificial intelligence-based method for detecting the onset of flutter from time-series data using the permutation entropy of the system, which is a measure of the randomness of the turbine's complex dynamics. In their current work, they demonstrate that a network representation of the system based on synchronization is closely related to the actual oscillatory behavior of the blades. Through experiments on an actual turbine test rig conducted at JAXA's Altitude Test Facility, the research team found that, before the onset of flutter, one particular blade begins to act as a "central hub" in the network and adjacent blades start to oscillate in sync with it. This "local" synchronization quickly expands and leads to the collective synchronization of all blades, resulting in potentially catastrophic "flutter." In this context, the network representation of the system proposed in this study serves two important purposes, as explained by Dr. Gotoda, "We demonstrate the applicability of two local and global measures as potential detectors of cascade flutter: the connecting strength between individual network nodes and the network's synchronization parameter. The former is valid for specifying the dominant blades for the onset of cascade flutter. In contrast, the latter, which ranges from 0 to 1, is more suitable for determining a threshold for this onset." The combined findings of these new studies shed light on the complex phenomenon of flutter, and contribute to the academic systemization of nonlinear problems in the field of aeronautical engineering and related nonlinear science. They could represent promising techniques for the early detection of flutter onset in the design state of blades. The efforts of this research team from TUS and JAXA would help the development of safer and more eco-friendly turbine designs. ### Reference Titles of original papers: (1) Early Detection of Cascade Flutter in a Model Aircraft Turbine Using a Methodology Combining Complex Networks and Synchronization (2) Experimental study on early detection of cascade flutter in turbo jet fans using combined methodology of symbolic dynamics, dynamical systems theory, and machine learning Journals: (1) Physical Review Applied (2) Journal of Applied Physics DOI: (1) 10.1103/PhysRevApplied.14.014093 (2) 10.1063/1.5143373 About the Tokyo University of Science Tokyo University of Science (TUS) is a well-known and respected university, and the largest science-specialized private research university in Japan, with four campuses in central Tokyo and its suburbs and in Hokkaido. Established in 1881, the university has continually contributed to Japan's development in science through inculcating the love for science in researchers, technicians, and educators. With a mission of "Creating science and technology for the harmonious development of nature, human beings, and society", TUS has undertaken a wide range of research from basic to applied science. TUS has embraced a multidisciplinary approach to research and undertaken intensive study in some of today's most vital fields. TUS is a meritocracy where the best in science is recognized and nurtured. It is the only private university in Japan that has produced a Nobel Prize winner and the only private university in Asia to produce Nobel Prize winners within the natural sciences field. Website: https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/mediarelations/ About Associate Professor Hiroshi Gotoda from Tokyo University of Science Hiroshi Gotoda graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Keio University, Japan, in 1998 and received a PhD from there as well in 2003. He has been with Tokyo University of Science since 2015, where he works as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and leads his own lab. His main research interests are combustion, fluid dynamics, and nonlinear physics. He has published over 54 refereed international papers and received awards from the Combustion Society of Japan, Keio University, and Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. PHILIPSBURG:---The Committee of General Affairs will meet on September 30, 2020. The Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 14.00 hrs. and will be held in a virtual setting. The Chamber of Labor Unions and the Committee of Civil Servants (CCSU) will be in attendance. The agenda points are: Discussion with the Chamber of Labor Unions and the Committee of Civil Servants Unions regarding: 1. Clarification on agreements reached thus far between CCSU and Government. 2. Status of public and private sector workers in the event of depleted government coffers. 3. Unions proposals of cost-cutting measures to government regarding the conditions set forth by the Dutch government for liquidity support. 4. Letter from the general Audit Chamber dated June 26, 2020, 0n the illegal withholding of vacation allowance. (IS/033/ 2020-2021 dated September 22, 2020) (This meeting was requested by MP C.T. Emmanuel, MP C.A. Buncamper, and MP A.E. Arrindell) Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19), the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building. The parliamentary session will be held virtually and will be carried out live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten Sexist attitudes influence how politicians accused of sexual misconduct are viewed, even more than partisanship, according to a Dartmouth study. The findings are published in Research & Politics. "Our study shows that partisanship clearly plays a major role in affecting people's favorability about a politician who is accused of #MeToo allegations," explained lead author, Mia Costa, an assistant professor of government at Dartmouth. "Gender attitudes about women however, is really what influences whether and how people react to sexual misconduct scandals, above and beyond partisanship, even though both are obviously important," she said. The purpose of the study was to understand how partisanship and sexist attitudes affect how voters view political candidates who are accused of sexual allegations. Dartmouth undergraduate students came up with the idea for the study last fall, as part of the course, Experiments in Politics. They wanted to investigate how #MeToo political scandals affect voters' sentiments. To evaluate how voters react to sexual misconduct allegations, over 2,800 respondents were surveyed online in October 2019. The participants were given a series of pretest and posttest questions to evaluate how favorably they viewed a fictional, male Senator and how likely they would be to vote to reelect him. Respondents were provided a brief biography about the politican and were asked to provide their favorability and reelection ratings. They were then shown a news article that reflected one of three experimental conditions: allegations that the Senator had sexually assaulted women, allegations that he had often made sexist jokes, or a control condition that the Senator had recently visited a county fair. After reading the news article, they were asked how favorably they feel towards the Senator, whether they would vote for his reelection, and what type of punitive consequences he should face, if any, such as whether he should apologize or resign. The Senator's political party affiliation was randomly assigned. The findings showed that overall, favorability and electoral support decreased after respondents read about the allegations of either sexual assault or sexist jokes, even when they had the same party affiliation as that of the Senator. Reactions were stronger to allegations of sexual assault than sexist jokes. The results also demonstrated several instances of "partisan motivated reasoning." Partisan motivated reasoning happens when people process information with the aim of protecting their pre-existing, partisan interests. In an era of heightened polarization, "motivated reasoners" prioritize their party identification above all else. Respondents appeared to be more sympathetic to the Senator when they had the same party affiliation. For example, after respondents with the same party as the Senator read about sexual assault allegations, favorability decreased by 31.9 percent as compared to the control while those with the opposite party affiliation decreased their favorability by 38.6 percent. Respondents appeared to be less critical of the allegations of sexist jokes as well if the Senator was from the same party. Favorability decreased by 20.4 percent for those of the same party as compared to 28.5 percent for those of the opposite party, illustrating the degree to which partisanship plays a role. In addition, those who had the same party affiliation as the Senator were less likely to indicate that the he should be penalized (e.g. lose his seat) for sexual assault allegations or making sexist jokes. The sexual assault allegations and sexist jokes by the Senator had zero effect, however, on favorability and electoral support for respondents who ranked highest on the sexism scale. This means that the most sexist respondents indicated that they would have been just as likely to vote for the Senator had they had not heard about the allegations or sexist jokes. The higher the respondents were on the sexism scale, the less likely they thought that the Senator should be penalized. The impact of sexual assault allegations and sexist jokes on changes in favorability and electoral support was much larger for women than men. For women, electoral support decreased by 34 percent for assault allegations as compared to 23 percent for men. When the results were broken out by party affiliation, the data demonstrated that Republicans decrease their favorability and electoral support much less than Democrats do, illustrating a partisan divide on how the #MeToo movement is perceived. Regarding age, changes in favorability and electoral support was highest among millenials (age 18-24), who decreased favorability by 53 percent and decreased electoral support by 42 percent for the Senator accused of sexual assault, as compared to older age groups, who only decreased by an average of 30 percent and 26 percent, respectively. "In the last few weeks of the 2016 campaign, the Access Hollywood tapes put issues of sexual assault on the top of the agenda for voters. In 2020, we may very well see such issues resurface and our study helps to understand what consequence, if any, that would have for the outcome of the election," added Costa. ### Costa is available for comment at: Mia.Costa@Dartmouth.edu. Mom-shaming is a regular occurrence on the internet these days, with many people around the world judging celebrity mothers for practically everything they do. And things are not much better for soap opera characters. General Hospital actor Lisa LoCicero recently saw her character, Olivia Falconeri, being mom-shamed by viewers. However, instead of standing by quietly, LoCicero decided to clap back at the critics who judge Olivia for her decisions. Lisa LoCicero | by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Olivias recent behavior on General Hospital has attracted mixed responses This past month, General Hospital viewers have been watching Olivias adventure in Europe. She initially went across the pond to visit her son Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) in Geneva, Switzerland. Afterwards, she accompanied Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers) to Monte Carlo, Monaco, to find out whether his ex-wife Holly Sutton (Emma Samms) was really alive or not. While some people do not have a problem with Olivia going to Europe for a while, others think her trip was excessive, considering the fact that she had a young son left at home. Lisa LoCicero clapped back at people who mom-shamed Olivia Olivia's bags are packed and she's ready to see Dante. Ned, however, thinks she should stay in Port Charles. Tune into an all-new #GH STARTING NOW on ABC! @lisalocicerogh pic.twitter.com/pOgxuv0fY0 General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) September 2, 2020 RELATED: General Hospital: Lisa LoCicero Reassures Fans Her Recent Kiss Scene Was Filmed Before Shutdown However, LoCicero is standing up for her character against mom-shamers. Taking to Twitter, LoCicero pointed out that Olivias son, Leo, is 10 years old. This is an age when many kids do not need constant supervision, and LoCicero does not see anything wrong with Olivia leaving him at home with his step-father and relatives. Honest question: these comments judging a woman leaving 10 yr old son at home with his father and family members for roughly 4 days..? Do majority women feel guilt about this? LoCicero wrote on Twitter. Do you shame male characters for same choice? This kind of thinking undermines women. LoCiceros tweet has since earned support from a lot of people. Over one thousand users liked it, and LoCiceros co-star, Nancy Lee Grahn, even responded positively. Is Leo really 10? Grahn, who plays Alexis Davis, wrote. And excellent point my friend. Whats next for Olivia on General Hospital? RELATED: General Hospital: Dominic Zamprogna Revealed His Wife Cried While Watching a Recent Scene on the Show Olivia could be going through a rough patch very soon, especially when it comes to her marriage with Ned Quartermaine (Wally Kurth). Before Olivia left for Europe, she and Ned got into several arguments concerning his habit for prioritizing work over his family. Furthermore, Ned did not seem happy to hear that Olivia would be going to Europe with Robert Scorpio and that she had decided to stay on her trip a bit longer. Things seemed to be going downhill for Olivia and Neds marriage as well when he found out she had stayed in a honeymoon suite in Monaco. With Olivia away, Ned has been spending more time with his ex-fiancee, Alexis Davis. The two of them are going through crises of their own, and they bonded after running into each other at a bar. It looks like things are heating up for Ned and Alexis, which no doubt could wreak havoc into his marriage with Olivia Of course, many fans suspect Olivia and Robert might develop feelings for each other as well. To see what will happen with Olivia in the coming weeks, tune in to General Hospital every weekday. A bathroom innovation designed to save water is actually wasting billions of gallons every year. Dual-flush toilets are wasting more water than they save, reports UK conservation group the Waterwise Project, which points the finger at frequent leaks and users being confused by the flush buttons. Between 5 and 8 percent of UK toilets are leaking, the group says - adding up to about 88 million gallons of water a day - and most are dual-flush models. 'Because so many dual-flush toilets flow continuously, 'that water loss is now exceeding the amount of water they should be saving nationally,' Andrew Tucker, water efficiency manager at Thames Water, told the BBC. Scroll down to watch video Dual-flush toilets are wasting more water than they save, reports UK conservation group Waterwise, which points the finger at frequent leaks and users being confused by the flush buttons 'The volume of water loss is getting bigger every day as more people refurbish and retrofit their older toilets and as we build more homes, so we're actually adding a problem.' When used correctly the high-efficiency models can save up to 68 percent more water than a conventional low-flow toilet. But dual-flush toilets are prone to leaks, experts say. Traditional toilets use a siphon system - the handle forces a high volume of water over a lip down into a tube. When air hits the siphon tube, it stops sucking in water. Dual-flush toilets use a drop valve system to evacuate waste and water. But the valve can get stuck open by mineral deposits or other debris, causing the toilet to fill continuously. Most of the 5-to-8 percent of UK toilets that are leaking are dual-flush models, according to Waterwise, adding up to about 88 million gallons of water wasted every day Most dual-flush toilets use a drop valve, which sits underwater at the bottom of the tank. Instead of relying on siphoning it uses gravity to do the job, which means less water for every flush. But that valve can easily be stuck open by mineral deposits or other debris, causing the toilet to fill continuously. 'A siphon will not leak whereas an outlet valve - if we look at the figures we've got - they could leak within a week of installation. It could be two years but they will leak,' Jason Parker, managing director at plumbing manufacturer Thomas Dudley Ltd, told the BBC. Traditional toilets use a siphon system - the handle forces a high volume of water over a lip down into a tube. When air hits the siphon tube, it stops sucking in water, making leaks less likely Even though dual-flush toilets are his biggest seller, Parker says he wants drop valves banned in the UK. 'If we're serious about wasting water and we want to stop it, the only way to do that is put a siphon back in.' Aside from the engineering issue, there's also a communication problem. Thames Water found as many of half of its customers used the wrong button - or pressed both. The first two-button toilets were developed in Japan in the 1960s but didn't migrate to the West until the 1980s, when they were introduced in Australia by Caroma Industries. They were seen as environmentally friendly because they gave users a choice of how much water to use: A full 1.6-gallon flush for solid waste or a half-flush for urine. Old-school toilets typically use at least 3.5 gallons in every flush. The dual-flush became ubiquitous in water-deprived Down Under, and is commonly seen across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It's increasingly popular in new construction in the US, as well. Though they're more expensive than other types of low-flush toilets, many consumers believe they'll save money in the long run with lower water bills. By Azernews By Akbar Mammmadov The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has revealed information about the losses of the occupying Armenian armed forces during the combat operations around the occupied territories of Azerbaijan on September 30. The ministry said that intense battles of the Azerbaijan Army for the liberation of the occupied lands continue. According to the report, starting from September 27 until the morning of September 30, about 2,300 servicemen of the occupying Armenian armed forces were killed and wounded, about 130 tanks and other armoured vehicles and more than 200 artillery pieces were destroyed by the Azerbaijani Army. Furthermore, the Armenian armed forces multiple launch rocket systems, grenade launchers, about 25 air defence systems, 6 command posts, and command-observation posts, 5 ammunition depots, about 50 anti-tank weapons, 55 vehicles were destroyed and forced out of operation. The ministry also reported that during yesterday's fighting on the territory of Shushakend of Khojaly region, one S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of the Armenian armed forces was destroyed. It should be noted that on September 29, Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Colonel Vagif Dargahli said: "According to our intelligence, the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems covering the airspace of Yerevan were removed from combat duty and are moving towards the occupied territories. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense states that the same fate awaits them in Nagorno-Karabakh as that of the previously destroyed Armenian military equipment. The recent battles once again destroyed the myth of the invincibility of the Armenian army." The occupying Armenian armed forces, who had concentrated additional forces in the Madagiz direction to regain lost positions, attempted to attack in the early morning of September 30. The ministry noted that currently, combat operations are conducted along the entire front. Earlier, at the night of 30 September, the ministry said that today (29 September) the Azerbaijani Armys units destroyed military equipment of the occupying Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Jabrayil region of the front. As seen from the video footage, the Azerbaijani Army destroyed the tank of the Armenian armed forces by the drone strike. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Venezuelas foreign currency revenuesalmost all of which come from crude oil saleshave plunged by 99 percent since 2014, Nicolas Maduro said, blaming most of the losses on the persecution and criminal blockade of Venezuelas oil exports. In six years of persecution and criminal blockade against Venezuela, the country lost 99 percent of its foreign currency income, Maduro said on Twitter, sharing a graph showing that Venezuelas foreign currency income slumped from US$56.6 billion in 2013 to just US$477 million as of September 28, 2020. The decline of 99 percent was attributed in the graphic to the drop in oil prices in that period and the blockade of Venezuelas oil exports. Venezuelas exports have significantly slumped since the U.S. imposed sanctions on its crude oil exports in early 2019, essentially prohibiting U.S. refiners from buying Venezuelan crude, which was a large part of the imports of crude for U.S. Gulf Coast refiners. U.S. sanctions have exacerbated the already dire state of the Venezuelan oil industry, which is suffering from years of mismanagement, corruption, lack of investment, and the inability of the financially weak state oil firm PDVSA to invest in new production or find customers willing to risk secondary U.S. sanctions if they purchase Venezuelan oil. Venezuelas oil production and exports have been in freefall for several years, but the U.S. sanctions on its industry and exports, the crash in demand, and the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the decline. Venezuelas oil industry was collapsing even before the oil price crash and the pandemic, due to the increasingly stricter sanctions in the U.S. maximum pressure campaign against Maduros regime and its sources of revenues. Oil income is pretty much the only hard currency that Maduro gets, so the U.S. is looking to stifle as much of Venezuelas oil trade as possible. At the end of August, U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams told Reuters in an interview that the U.S. Administration is considering a tightening of the sanctions against Venezuela in the near future. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: BEVERLY, Mass., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DataOne Software, a Dominion Enterprises company and a leading provider of automotive data and software solutions, today announced a partnership with Toyota Motor North America to include DataOne's VIN Decoder API web services as a means to obtain their manufacturer build data for Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles. This build data powered VIN Decoding will provide DataOne's customers with the ability to identify the specific manufacturer equipment installed on each vehicle. This level of vehicle detail is not available from standard VIN decoding and is key information as digital car buying continues to grow. "While VIN-level manufacturer data has always been an important piece of the vehicle purchase process, it is critical for our customers as they move into this next phase of the online buying process," stated Jake Maki, President at DataOne Software. "We are excited to add Toyota build data to the suite of DataOne solutions that contribute to our customer' successes across the automotive, insurance, and many other allied industries." The addition of Toyota's OEM build data to the VIN-decoder API web service enables DataOne customers to present online shoppers with comprehensive vehicle details of the vehicle as it rolled off the production line. Each Toyota, Lexus or Scion VIN decoded will include details that otherwise cannot be identified using the VIN pattern alone, including the as-configured MSRP, interior and exterior color, upholstery type, options, packages and all other manufacturer installed equipment. This level of vehicle detail will be used by DataOne's clients to build more powerful solutions for dealers, as well as insurance, finance, fleet and service industries. For more information about obtaining build data through DataOne's VIN decoder web service, call 877.438.8467 or e-mail [email protected]. About DataOne Software DataOne Software is a leading vehicle data and software solutions provider for U.S. and Canadian automotive markets. Since its founding in 1999, DataOne has provided powerful data solutions to the automotive marketplace, empowering businesses with industry-best VIN decoding and support for rapid technology development. In 2007, DataOne was acquired by Dominion Enterprises and has added, as clients and sister divisions, some of the largest automotive solutions in the industry. Today, DataOne Software, a Dominion Enterprises Company, provides data and software to most segments of the automotive industry including dealerships and their service providers, as well as portals, insurance, finance, transport, print, and government agencies. For more information about DataOne Software automotive content, visit www.dataonesoftware.com, call 877.438.8467 or e-mail [email protected]. About Dominion Enterprises Dominion Enterprises ("DE") is a leading digital marketing and software services company offering client solutions across multiple business verticals. Our customers rely on our B2B cloud SaaS solutions to establish their online and mobile brands, generate leads, and manage customer relationships through our Homes.com, Dominion Dealer Solutions, Dominion Business Solutions / DX1, Travel Media and Franchise and Business Opportunity divisions. Our B2C web and mobile applications include Homes.com, HotelCoupons.com, FranchiseOpportunities.com, FranchiseGator.com, Franchise.com, and BusinessBroker.net. About 2,000 employees reside and work in our Norfolk, VA home office and in offices across the U.S. Our employees will tell you about our collaborative, innovative, team-oriented work environment, excellent career enrichment opportunities, community service opportunities, competitive earnings, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes a generous 401(k). DE is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse workforce. DE is a drug-testing employer. Media Contact: Laurie Halter Charisma! Communications 503-816-2474 [email protected] SOURCE DataOne Software The short version of the debate is that Biden did well if one ignored that almost every other statement he made was a lie or fantasy; Trump dominated him, almost too aggressively; and Chris Wallace may have been the worst and most obviously biased moderator since Candy Crowley. Most significantly, though, Biden and Trump each made a critical point. Biden's was a tacit admission that if he is elected president, he will preside over the end of the filibuster, allowing Democrats to pack the courts and add two new Democrat-majority states. Trump's point was that he's holding damning evidence about the Democrats' coup attempt. Let's begin with Biden, whose squirming on court-packing and the filibuster promises the end of the American experiment. Chris Wallace, in one of the few tough questions he posed to Biden, said this: So my question to you is, you have refused in the past to talk about it, are you willing to tell the American tonight whether or not you will support either ending the filibuster or packing the court? Biden refused to answer, something the Trump quickly challenged. Here's the colloquy: BIDEN: Whatever position I take on that, that'll become the issue. The issue is the American people should speak. You should go out and vote. You're voting now. Vote and let your Senators know strongly how you feel. TRUMP: Are you going to pack the court? BIDEN: Vote now. TRUMP: Are you going to pack the court? BIDEN: Make sure you, in fact, let people know, your Senators. TRUMP: He doesn't want to answer the question. BIDEN: I'm not going to answer the question. TRUMP: Why wouldn't you answer that question? You want to put a lot of new Supreme Court Justices. Radical left. BIDEN: Will you shut up, man? TRUMP: Listen, who is on your list, Joe? Who's on your list? WALLACE: Gentlemen, I think we've ended this BIDEN: This is so un-Presidential. TRUMP: He's going to pack the court. He is not going to give a list. Presidential debate ERUPTS when @JoeBiden REFUSES to say he won't "pack the court" if @realDonaldTrump's SCOTUS nominee Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed. "Would you shut up, man?" pic.twitter.com/yE30PUJsY7 The First (@TheFirstonTV) September 30, 2020 You can see that Biden made a nonsense statement to avoid answering whether he will preserve the filibuster and the Supreme Court's current system of nine justices. Shamefully, Wallace let him get away with not answering. Wallace surely understands that Biden's handlers plan to end the filibuster so they can pack the court and add D.C. and Puerto Rico as states. Packing the court ends the American experiment as we know it. It means that the Supreme Court will be a political body that will exist solely to put its imprimatur on Democrat policies. And for those who say, "Well, if they pack the Court, then Republicans will pack it more when they're in power," that's sadly foolish. If Democrats pack the Court, there are no more Republicans. The whole democratic republic will be over. Once Democrats pack the Court, they never again need to persuade American voters to support their policies. One of their first policies in that new era will be to add hard-left Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico as the 51st and 52nd American states. That means four more Democrat Senate votes and a permanent Democrat party majority. You see, the hard-left Democrat party views our American political system the same way Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan viewed democracy before becoming a dictator for life: "Democracy is like a train. We shall get out when we arrive at the station we want." This time around, once the Democrats win, they will change the rules so they can never lose again. Heed this warning: if Biden wins, our constitutional America is gone. We will be a socialist country. If you don't believe me, just read the Democrat platform. They're not hiding their goals. Trump, though, might have some aces up his sleeve. When the subject of a "transition" came up (based on Biden's assumption that he will win), Trump stated that he'd been denied a transition period. Instead, there was a coup attempt (emphasis mine): There was no transition because they came after me trying to do a coup. They came after me spying on my campaign. They started from the day I won and even before I won. From the day I came down the escalator with our First Lady. They were a disaster. They were a disgrace to our country. And we've caught 'em. We've caught 'em all. We've got it all on tape. We've caught 'em all. "We've Caught em All. We've Got It All On Tape. We've Caught em All."-@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/qg2O1DuM0k John Basham (@JohnBasham) September 30, 2020 Maybe Trump's exaggerating, but I don't think so. And maybe he's going to keep that evidence secret, but I don't think that, either. My guess is that this October, the Trump administration is going to release one piece of evidence after another showing that the Democrat party, from Hillary to Obama, and from the FBI to the CIA to the DOJ, and everywhere in between, engaged in a massive, seditious conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2016 election. Indeed, the information cascade has already begun with the release of DNI John Ratcliffe's letter about Hillary's conceiving of the Russia hoax. In sum, amid all the sound and fury of the debate, these two important points emerged: (1) If he wins, Biden will almost certainly sign off on ending the filibuster to pack the courts and add two new states for a permanent Democrat majority that will leave the Constitution behind. (2) Trump may have announced that he's about to reveal that the Democrats, from Obama on down, engaged in a coup against an American president. Image: First presidential debate. YouTube screen grab. Union Home Minister on Wednesday distributed 200 electric potter wheels and other equipment to 200 families of the marginalised Kumhar community in through video conference. The 200 families belong to 20 villages of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, an official statement said. Gandhinagar is Shah's Lok Sabha constituency. "As many as 200 families of the marginalised Kumhar community from 20 villages in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad took a stride towards sustainable self-employment by associating with Kumhar Sashakrikaran Yojana of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)," the statement said. The home minister distributed 200 electric potter wheels (chaak) and other pottery equipment to 200 trained artisans at a function held at village Randheja of Gandhinagar through video conference from New Delhi, it said. The distribution of electric potter wheels will benefit at least 1200 members of the community by increasing their productivity and their income, which is the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the statement said. Shah lauded the various self-employment schemes of KVIC like Honey Mission, Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana, Leather Artisans' Empowerment and Project DigniTEA. Shah also interacted with the potters, who have been given 10-days training by KVIC in pottery making and provided with electric 'chaak' and other equipment. The potters thanked the government saying this will enable them earn a better livelihood and become "Aatmanirbhar". Shah said the electric 'chaak' will not only help potters to enhance their production but also enable them to make new fancy products that will fetch them good income during the Dussehra and Diwali festivals. He urged every beneficiary to rope in at least 10 other families with Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana for the larger benefit of the community. "Empowerment of the Kumhar community by improving their socio-economic condition has been the dream of our prime minister. KVIC's Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana is aimed at making potters 'Aatmanirbhar, by creating sustainable local employment for them while preserving the heritage art of pottery. It is important that young potters take up the art of pottery and expand it across the country," Shah said. The home minister said the government has created proper marketing channels including tie-up with the Indian Railway for selling their products. "The Indian Railway has already designated 400 railway stations where only earthenware is being used to sell food and beverages. I will request the railway minister to identify more such railway stations so as to provide a bigger marketing platform to our potters," he said, while also advising the potters to form cooperatives to sell their finished products at railway stations. Several regions of Gujarat, particularly Kutch and Saurashtra, are well-known for the traditional pottery art. Since the launch of Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana in 2018, the KVIC has trained nearly 800 potters in The KVIC has also distributed them with electric potter wheels and other equipment like blunger machines for mixing of clay. This has eliminated drudgery from the process of pottery making and also resulted in increasing the production by 3-4 times, the statement said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertisement Russia has accused Turkey of sending 'terrorists' from Syria and Libya into the Nagorno-Karabakh region, where fierce fighting has raged for the past four days between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces. Russia's foreign ministry said today that Syrian and Libyan fighters from illegal armed groups were being sent to the region. Russia called on the countries involved to prevent the use of 'foreign terrorists and mercenaries' in the conflict. Two Syrian rebel sources have said that Turkey is sending Syrian rebel fighters to support Azerbaijan, which Turkey and Azerbaijan have denied. Earlier today, Armenia revealed photos of the wreckage of its SU-25 fighter jet which it claims was shot down by a Turkish F-16 amid accusations that Ankara is throwing its military might behind Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan today announced it had 'neutralised' 2,300 Armenian soldiers as fighting entered a fourth day in the worst eruption of violence between the two countries since a 1994 ceasefire over an Azerbaijani territory which is largely inhabited by Armenians. Despite Azerbaijan and Turkey denying that an F-16 had downed Armenia's SU-25, the defence ministry in Yerevan named its dead pilot as Major Valeri Danelin and published photos of the jet painted in the Armenian Air Force colours, smouldering on a mountainside. Turkey has been stridently backing Muslim Azerbaijan, raising fears that Russia - which has a military base in Christian Armenia - could be drawn into a proxy war after Moscow and Anakara came close to trading blows in Syria last year. French President Emmanuel Macron today slammed Turkey's fighting talk as 'reckless and dangerous' after Ankara pledged its full support for Azerbaijan to reclaim the ethnically-Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh territory. The Kremlin, which also wields influence over the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, has called on the hostilities to be 'immediately ended' and warned Turkey not to 'add fuel to the flames.' Azerbaijan said today it has killed or wounded at least 2,300 Armenian troops so far in the battle which started on Sunday. The defence ministry, which has been tweeting numerous videos of its strikes, said it had destroyed 130 tanks and armoured vehicles, 200 artillery and missile systems and 50 anti-tank guns. Armenia has revealed photos of the wreckage of its SU-25 fighter jet which it claims was shot down by a Turkish F-16 over the the Caucasus Mountains The colours of the Armenian flag painted in a roundel on the plane's fuselage, left, and identification markings, right Turkey denies that one of its F-16 fighter jets was involved in a dog fight, but Armenia has named Major Valeri Danelin as their dead pilot (pictured: the wreckage on the mountainside) Crossroads between the Middle East and Russia: The fighting is in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh of Azerbaijan which is controlled by separatists allied to Armenia. Turkey borders Armenia but is an ally of Azerbaijan, and Ankara's support for Baku is the latest military adventure in the region after incursions into Syria and Libya. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are former Soviet republics that border Iran. Moscow has called for both sides to stop the fighting Footage released by Azerbaijan's military showed two tanks being blown up during the latest fighting in Armenia Macron on Wednesday pledged his support to Yerevan, telling reporters: 'I say to Armenia and to the Armenians, France will play its role. Why Armenia and Azerbaijan are fighting WHAT AND WHERE IS NAGORNO-KARABAKH? Karabakh is a region within Azerbaijan which has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces since a full-scale separatist war ended in 1994, after killing about 30,000 people and displacing an estimated one million. Nagorno-Karabakh is about 1,700 square miles in size, but Armenian forces also occupy other nearby territory. HOW DID THE CONFLICT START? Long-simmering tensions between Christian Armenians and mostly Muslim Azerbaijanis began boiling over as the Soviet Union frayed in its final years. Once the USSR collapsed in 1991 and the republics became independent nations, war broke out. A 1994 cease-fire left Armenian and Azerbaijani forces facing each other across a demilitarised zone, where clashes were frequently reported. WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE? International mediation efforts have brought little visible progress. The conflict has been an economic blow to the Caucasus region because it has hampered trade and prompted Turkey to close its border with Armenia. Fighting periodically breaks out around Nagorno-Karabakh's borders, often deadly, notably in 2016 and this July. Since new fighting erupted on Sunday, dozens have been killed and wounded in apparent shelling by both sides. Each country blamed the other. WHATS THE BROADER IMPACT? In addition to causing local casualties and damage, the conflict in the small, hard-to-reach region is also of concern to major regional players. Russia is Armenias main economic partner and has a military base there, while Turkey has offered support to Azerbaijanis, fellow Muslims and ethnic brethren to Turks. Iran neighbors both Armenia and Azerbaijan and is calling for calm. Meanwhile, the United States, France and Russia are meant to be guarantors of the long-stalled peace process, under the auspices of the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Advertisement But the French president also said it was too soon to speak of a regional conflict. He said he would discuss the tensions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday evening and US President Donald Trump on Thursday before reporting on the situation to the European Council of EU leaders. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow was willing to host the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks, a ministry statement cited him as saying. He said Russia would continue to work both independently and together with other representatives of the Minsk group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to mediate in the conflict. Ethnic-Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh are fighting for secession from Turkish-backed Azerbaijan and the dispute has led to decades of unresolved violence. Erdogan's aide Fahrettin Altun has said that Turkey 'stands with Azerbaijan, our friend and brethren' despite UN condemnation for the violence. 'Let there be no doubt that the world will hear our roar if Azerbaijan were to suffer from the slightest injustice under international law,' he said on Tuesday. Azerbaijan also aired footage of two Armenian tanks being blown up on the battlefield, while Armenia claimed to have taken out 80 armoured vehicles, 49 drones and four helicopters in the latest fighting which has killed dozens of people, allegedly including civilians. However, Altun dismissed the F-16 claim as 'absolutely untrue' while Azerbaijan described it as 'yet another lie of Armenian propaganda'. 'Armenia should withdraw from the territories under its occupation instead of resorting to cheap propaganda tricks,' Altun said. Russian-backed Armenia warned that it would deploy more destructive weapons in the conflict because of what it described as an Azerbaijani offensive, saying the fighting had been 'elevated to a new level'. Armenia last night accused Turkey of 'supporting Azerbaijan to carry out genocidal acts', a reference to the early 20th-century massacre which it calls the Armenian Genocide and which still poisons relations between Turkey and Armenia. Both nations have accused each other of firing into each other's territory beyond the Karabakh region, raising fears of an all-out war which could draw in nuclear-armed Russia. The Kremlin has a military base in Armenia but has called for the hostilities to be 'immediately ended' - warning Turkey not to 'add fuel to the flames' by raising the prospect of intervention. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that 'both sides need to stop the violence' while German chancellor Angela Merkel called for an 'immediate ceasefire' and France called for a revival of peace talks. Martial law has been declared in both countries and Armenia has banned men over 18 in its military reserves from leaving the country as the warfare continues despite global appeals for calm. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said today that the opposing forces attempted to recover lost ground by launching counter-attacks in the directions of Fizuli, Jabrayil, Agdere and Terter. The ministry said there was fighting around Fizuli on Tueday morning and the Armenian army shelled the Dashkesan region on the border between the two countries, miles away from Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia denied those claims, but reported fighting throughout the night and said that Nagorno-Karabakh's army repelled attacks in several directions along the line of contact. Footage released by Armenia's military purported to show a drone being shot down (left) and the remains of a helicopter bursting into flames on the battlefield (right) Both sides blame each other for causing the latest flare-up, with Armenia claiming that the separatists in Nagorny-Karabakh are resisting a 'thoroughly planned attack'. 'Defence forces of Nagorno-Karabakh are left with little option but to defend themselves,' Armenia's foreign ministry claimed. Military leaders in the Armenian enclave say that 84 servicemen on their side have been killed so far, while both sides blame the other for alleged civilian deaths. Azerbaijan says 10 civilians have died on its side, but has yet to give details on military casualties. Armenia claimed on Tuesday that a nine-year-old girl was killed in shelling, while her mother and a brother were wounded, while Azerbaijan says five members of a family died in the gunfire. Armenia's defence ministry said a civilian bus was set on fire after being hit by an Azerbaijani unmanned drone. Armenia accuses its enemy of using Smerch and TOS-1A rocket launchers, saying it was forced to use 'military hardware with larger power' in response. 'Since early morning the Azerbaijani side resumed large-scale offensive ops. TOS-1A heavy flamethrowers are being employed. The use of TOS, Smerch and other large-caliber systems changes the philosophy and the scale of mil ops, elevating them to a new level of escalation,' claimed defence spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan. As a result, Armenian forces are 'compelled to use pieces of equipment and munitions designed to engage wide area targets, intended for large and indiscriminate destruction of manpower, and static and mobile property alike,' she warned. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan came down firmly on the side of Azerbaijan, which shares ethnic, cultural and linguistic ties with the larger power. 'The time has come for the crisis in the region that started with the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh to be put to an end,' Erdogan said. 'Now Azerbaijan must take matters into its own hands.' Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev on Monday ordered partial military mobilisation and General Mais Barkhudarov vowed to 'fight to the last drop of blood in order to completely destroy the enemy and win'. Armenia has accused Turkey of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan, a claim which Erdogan's government denies. Turkey informed the fighters they would be tasked with 'guarding border regions' in Azerbaijan in return for wages of up to $2,000, said Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Anna Naghdalyan, a spokeswoman for Armenia's foreign ministry, said people in Nagorno-Karabakh were 'fighting against a Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance'. 'Turkey, which a century ago annihilated Armenian people in their historical homeland and justifies that crime, now supports Azerbaijan by all possible means to carry out same genocidal acts in South Caucasus,' she said. As many as 1.5million Armenians were rounded up and killed by their Turkish rulers in mass killings which started during World War I, but Turkey fiercely disputes the term 'genocide'. Armenian positions are hit by Azerbaijani forces as they claimed to be taking control of highlands around the village of Talis Azerbaijan's soldiers fire from a mortar at the contact line of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh An Azerbaijani artillery strike towards the positions of Armenian separatists in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh How the military forces compare AZERBAIJAN 82,000 armed forces personnel 570 tanks including T-55, T-90 and modified T-72 upgraded by Israel 29 combat aircraft (five MiG-21, 12 MiG-29 and 12 Su-25 planes) ARMENIA 49,000 armed forces personnel 110 tanks including T-80, T-72, T-55 and BMP models 13 combat aircraft (nine Su-25 and four Su-30 planes) TURKEY 510,000 armed forces personnel 3,000 tanks including 339 German-made Leopard 2A4s and 1,200 American M60 tanks 206 combat aircraft (48 F4 jets and 158 F-16 jets) RUSSIA 1.45million armed forces personnel 12,950 tanks including Soviet-era T-72 and T-80, Russian-era T-14 Armata and T-90 models 1,616 combat aircraft including MiG, Sukhoi and Tupolev models 7,000 nuclear warheads with land, air and sea-based launchers Advertisement Turkey has also conducted drills with F-16 jets in Azerbaijan, but Baku denied claims that it has any of the fighter planes or that one been involved in a shootdown. Russia has previously supplied Armenia with weapons in the sensitive region, where pipelines shipping Caspian oil and natural gas from Azerbaijan to the world pass close to Nagorno-Karabakh. Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday urged the opposing sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to hold their fire, during a conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire and for all sides to take measures to de-escalate the crisis, the Kremlin said. Azerbaijani state energy company SOCAR said yesterday that the country's oil and gas infrastructure was safe thanks to measures taken by the army. The report of Turkish intervention comes after the European Union warned regional powers not to interfere in the fighting and condemned a 'serious escalation' that threatens regional stability. Omer Celika , spokesman for Erdogan's ruling party, denied reports that Turkey had sent arms or foreign fighters to Azerbaijan. 'Armenia is disturbed by Turkey's solidarity with Azerbaijan and is producing lies against Turkey,' Celik said. Erdogan criticized France, the US and Russia - the three chairs of the so-called Minsk group that was set up in 1992 to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict - saying they had failed to resolve the issue for 30 years. 'They have done their best not to solve this issue. And now they come and counsel and issue threats. They say, is Turkey here, is the Turkish military here?,' Erdogan said. France said yesterday it would 'trigger a co-ordination of the Minsk Group' in the coming days to 'find a way out' of the crisis. Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation on Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities. Analysts warn that the conflict could escalate into a proxy conflict between Moscow and Ankara, who both wield influence in Syria and Libya already. Michael Carpenter, a former Pentagon official, said any Turkish involvement would be 'hugely destabilising' and 'could lead to a proxy war between Turkey and Russia'. Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence monitoring group, said the two countries 'continue to vie for control across region, backing proxies on contentious non-secular lines' - referring to the fact that Azerbaijan is a majority-Muslim country, while most Armenians are Christians. In addition to the EU and Russia, France, Germany, Italy and the United States have urged a ceasefire. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States would seek to end the violence. 'We're looking at it very strongly,' he told a news briefing. 'We have a lot of good relationships in that area. We'll see if we can stop it.' Democratic nominee Joe Biden urged the White House to push for more observers along the ceasefire line and accused Russia of 'cynically providing arms to both sides.' Erdogan last night discussed the crisis in a phone call with British PM Boris Johnson, with Downing Street calling for 'urgent de-escalation in the region'. German chancellor Angela Merkel - who has clashed with Erdogan in the past - has called for an 'immediate ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table' after speaking with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's rocket launches from missile system at the contact line of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh Five European countries - Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany and Britain - asked for a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council on the escalating conflict on Tuesday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to both countries' leaders and called for 'an immediate stop to the fighting, a de-escalation of tensions and a return to meaningful negotiations without preconditions or delay. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation 'is a cause for concern for Moscow and other countries.' 'We believe that the hostilities should be immediately ended,' Peskov said, adding that the process of resolving the conflict should shift into 'a politico-diplomatic' dimension. Nuclear-armed Russia has a military base in Armenia and considers it to be a strategic partner in the South Caucasus region, supplying the ex-Soviet country with weapons. The Kremlin has cast itself as a mediator but Azerbaijan claimed last month that Moscow was 'intensively arming Armenia' after earlier clashes in July. Hostilities this year have been the worst since 2016, when intense fighting killed dozens and threatened to escalate into all-out war. Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in a conflict that broke out as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Although a ceasefire was agreed in 1994, after thousands of people were killed and many more displaced, Azerbaijan and Armenia frequently accuse each other of attacks around Nagorno-Karabakh and along the separate Azeri-Armenian frontier. During the worst recent Karabakh clashes in April 2016, around 110 people were killed. In July 2020, heavy clashes along the two countries' shared border - hundreds of miles from Karabakh - claimed the lives of at least 17 soldiers from both sides. Chinese Amateur Radio satellite launches delayed CAMSAT says the CAS-7A launch has been postponed until next May, and CAS-5A until next June. "Because of COVID-19, many things have been delayed," CAMSAT's Alan Kung, BA1DU, told ARRL. He said an announcement would be made closer to the announced launches. CAMSAT said last spring that CAS-7A would launch in mid-September; the launch has been postponed multiple times since first announced. CAS-5A was predicted to launch in October. Both satellites will carry two transponders that include HF, in a configuration similar to that of the Russian RS satellites decades ago. CAS-7A will be placed into a sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98 degrees at 500 kilometers above Earth. The transponders will have a bandwidth of 30 kHz. According to the IARU amateur satellite frequency coordination page, the HF/HF linear transponder will uplink on 15 meters - 21.245 to 21.275 MHz, and downlink on 10 meters - 29.435 to 29.465 MHz. A CW beacon will transmit on 29.425 MHz. The HF/UHF transponder will uplink at 21.3125 to 21.3275 MHz, and downlink at 435.3575 to 435.3725 MHz. A CW beacon for that transponder will transmit on 435.430 MHz. The CAS-5A nanosatellite, with a 6U form factor, carries two HF transponders and two VHF/UHF transponders. While in orbit, it will deploy the tiny CAS-5B femtosatellite, which will weigh just 0.5 kilogram. The array of CAS-5A linear transponders will include HF/HF, HF/UHF, and VHF/UHF with 30-kHz passbands (except 15 kHz for the HF/UHF transponder). CAS-5A will include CW telemetry beacons on HF and UHF. The HF CW beacon will be at 29.465 MHz, and a UHF telemetry beacon will be at 435.57 MHz. Other beacons include the HF/HF transponder beacon at 29.490 MHz; the HF/UHF transponder beacon at 435.505 MHz, and the VHF/UHF transponder beacon at 435.540 MHz. Telemetry will be transmitted at 435.650 MHz. The V/U linear transponder will uplink at 145.820 MHz; the V/U FM transponder will uplink at 145.925 MHz. Terrestrial stations will access the transponders at 21.385 - 21.415 MHz. HARRISBURG Swastikas and Confederate flags are symbols, but they are also symptoms of a bigger problem. Its a problem which was created, in part, by people deciding to create racial groups, which dont exist. Everybody is part of the Homo sapiens group human beings, said Earl Harris, founder of Harrisburgs Black Wall USA. The only way I can enslave you is if I make you inferior. And symbols play a big part in this. Despite these symbols showing up throughout America, and even in Harrisburg as recently as last month with swastika graffiti on the Kesher Israel Congregation, Harris and the speakers at a rally today in Harrisburg had a message stronger than the symbols. Love conquers hate, Harris said. But you cant be passive about it. You have to be active and proactive. Black Wall USA held a rally Wednesday on the Capitol steps in Harrisburg. Though fewer than 20 attended, they said their message will soon be spreading through Harrisburg and the surrounding communities. At todays rally, they introduced the Resolution for Love, Not Hate, which they will be bringing to municipalities and ask them to put it on the books and take a stand against symbols of hate. You can watch a Facebook Live recording of the rally here: Organizers penned the resolution in August after the Kesher Israel Synagogue was vandalized with swastika graffiti. These symbols are a common denominator in hate crimes targeting racial, ethnic and religious groups, organizers say. And taking this stand will be a good first step, organizers said. The resolution asks municipalities to recognize that the most effective way to combat hate is to stand together as one people with love, recognizing our differences, but united in our common humanity. It asks them to: Condemn the vandalism at the Kesher Israel Congregation To stand firmly against hatred and bigotry from whatever source and in whatever form To pledge to work at all times for understanding, tolerance and mutual respect among the people of the community And to take all necessary steps to assure law enforcement officers in the municipality receive annual training on the Ethnic Intimidation and Institutional Vandalism Statutes of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code. Among todays speakers were Hank Butler, executive director of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition. Since the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting near Pittsburgh, he said anti-Semitism has been on the rise with swastika graffiti, vandalism, threats, fliers and social media posts. We just need to stop. All hate has to stop, Butler said. He has been working with lawmakers to develop legislation to combat hate, recently passing into law grants for cameras and other security systems at religious facilities to prevent what occurred in Pittsburgh. Its time to stop hating someone for being different than you, he said. Claudie Kenion of Unite Central PA spoke at the rally, as well. Its 2020, and were still here talking about hate, Kenion said. He said 6 million Jewish people died during the Holocaust, 40,000 Black people died during the Civil War, and between slavery, lynchings, killings and police brutality, that number has topped 1 million. But Im still here today talking about it. When are we going to stop and realize we are all human beings? He said symbols like swastikas and the Confederate flag are a direct results of hatred, and people have the right to be angry when they see these symbols. We all know what they mean, he said. They are symbols that carry a message that flies in the face of the American dream that we all share, according to Pastor James Gamble of the Interdenominational Ministers Conference of Greater Harrisburg. There are symbols and messages and people in our society that want to put a stop sign to all people enjoying the freedom and liberty of being an American citizen. These signs and symbols say you dont belong here, youre not worthy of the freedom in this land. You are less than me, he said. We must eliminate these signs and symbols and the thinking that goes along with it." The side that hates is not going to win, Ann Van Dyke of the Community Responders Network told those gathered. Love is always more powerful. And Otto Banks of Fair City said, America will never be destroyed by an outside power unless she destroys herself from within. And hatred is tearing at the fabric of what makes America, he said. That is why they are asking municipalities to make a stand against these symbols. And against hate. The goal is to create the beloved community, Harris said. You create it so you can see each individual as a human being. Polls show that 82 percent of white evangelical Protestants support President Donald Trump. As a white evangelical Christian who has read the Bible, I find this hard to understand. When I look at Donald Trump, I do not see a Christian. I do not see a conservative. And when I look at Trump from a Biblical perspective, I certainly dont see the chosen one. I dont think believers should have anything to do with Trump. I am probably what you would call a conservative evangelical. I am not a theologian or an academic, but I have read the Bible cover to cover twice. I registered to vote when I turned 18 in 1977, and Ive voted in every presidential election since then. I have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate. Politically, Ive always considered myself a Republican. However, todays Republican Partly is an embarrassment. This is not the party of Abraham Lincoln. This is not the sunny, optimistic party of Ronald Reagan. That changes in November. Given the mendacity and incompetence of Trump and his administration, I will have no trouble voting for Joe Biden in November. In 1 John 4:1, the apostle John warns the believers that not everyone who claims to be a Christian knows Christ. John gives the believers two tests that any Christian will pass. The first test is a question: who do you say Jesus Christ is? But the second test is an observation: does this person show a self-sacrificing love for others (1 John 4:7-8)? John says that if you dont have love, you dont have God because God is love. When you think of Trump does the word love pop into your head? Me neither. Not even in the top 10. In the third chapter of Colossians and the fifth chapter of Galatians, we are given a list of attributes of those living their Christian faith: compassion, kindness, humility and gentleness. I do not associate any of these words with Trump. But in those same two chapters we are given a list of attributes of those who do not know Christ: anger, fits of rage, malice, slander, filthy language, sexual immorality, and envy. Trump checks most of these boxes. The apostle Paul says in Galatians 5:21 that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God. And if you pull the focus back and look at the overall arc of Trumps life, what you see from a secular perspective isnt any better. Everything Trump puts his hand to fails or is corrupted: hotels, casinos, a university. People who associate with Trump are demeaned, corrupted or in prison. From a Biblical perspective, wed say God blesses nothing that goes through Trumps hands. Nothing he touches prospers. This should terrify anyone who loves this country. So based on the Bible and on what I can see of Trump, I strongly suspect he is a pagan. And not just any pagan, but a pagan idolater (Ephesians 5:5-7 and Colossians 3:5). The idol he worships is himself. And if you want to be on his team, you better be prepared to bend the knee, too. If you dont sing his praises fervently enough, you wont last long in his administration. While there are many reasons and theories as to why some Christians are attracted to Trump, what I see from a Biblical worldview are excuses, rationalizations and hypocrisy. Some of what is going on is Biblical illiteracy and a lack of faith in God, and some is a consequence of what happens when the church becomes corrupted by its involvement in politics. Nowhere does God say we should partner with darkness to help Him achieve His ends. Just the opposite. Romans 12:21 tells us not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good. God gave us just one job: go make disciples. Tell people about Jesus. Give people the good news (Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16: 15-16). Live your faith. You cant do that if youre aligned with a political party. When you get into politics you are alienating half the people in the country no matter which side you choose. Christians shouldnt be in the business of alienating anyone. In the Gospels, Jesus had nothing good to say about religious conservatives. That should give us all pause. The conservatives Jesus was dealing with were the Pharisees. This group had been waiting centuries for the messiah. But they were so caught up in their own righteousness, their own petty rules and their own fiefdoms, they were blind to the messiah standing right in front of them. Theyd lost Gods heart. In John 8:3-11, the Pharisees are messing with Jesus. They bring before Jesus a woman they say was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says she should be stoned, but the Pharisees want to know what Jesus would do. Theyre picking up rocks, but Jesus tells them that the one without sin should throw the first stone. Think about that a second. There is someone right there qualified to throw that first stone. Jesus! But does He throw any rocks? No. He tells her to go and sin no more. Thats Gods heart! If you still doubt Gods heart is for people, look no further than the cross. Jesus didnt suffer for an ideology. He suffered for us. As Christians we should live in a manner that draws people to Christ, not in a manner that pushes people away. Those who embrace Trump are tearing down Gods kingdom, not building it up. We should all examine our hearts to see if were truly in the faith. And if you realize youve become a Pharisee holding a rock let it go. Goen is a mechanic who has lived in the Houston area since 1995. PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Insurance, the leading digital insurtech company transforming small business insurance, today announced the availability of its Workers' Compensation offering to 24 additional states across the nation, including Alabama, Iowa, Louisiana and Virginia (see the full list below). This expansion increases the company's overall Workers' Compensation coverage in the US to more than 50% now equipping small business owners in 30 states with affordable, hassle-free policies that protect them and their employees from financial harm while meeting state requirements. Workers' Compensation is essential not only for high-risk jobs like those in construction where physical injuries can be more frequent, but also for relatively safer occupations where slip-and-fall accidents and strains can occur. Offering coverage that starts at just $14 per month, Next Insurance is helping to solve an often stressful and costly insurance requirement by giving business owners a seamless way to obtain an instant quote and explore their coverage options - all online. With Next Insurance, small business owners can obtain General Liability , Professional Liability , Commercial Auto and Workers' Compensation coverage all under one roof. "By expanding Workers' Compensation to more than half of the country, Next Insurance is taking another important step in our journey to become the one-stop-shop for all small businesses," said Sofya Pogreb, COO of Next Insurance. "This expansion helps us provide simpler and more affordable solutions for Workers' Compensation, which is far too often one of the largest operational expenses for small business owners. Now, small businesses can easily protect employees while complying with their state guidelines. We remain dedicated to bringing more benefits to customers, and are working on launching pay-as-you-go, which fluctuates automatically with your payroll to ensure you never over or under pay." Legally required in most states as soon as a company hires its first employee, Workers' Compensation protects both the employee and the business in the event of an accident, illness or death occurring while working or engaging in work-related activities. Next Insurance's Workers' Compensation policies cover medical expenses, loss of income, retraining, permanent injury, and survivor benefits, ensuring employees receive proper care without placing potentially devastating financial burdens on employers. Even sole proprietors can benefit from Workers' Compensation if medical expenses related to workplace accidents are not covered by health insurance. Today's Workers' Compensation state expansion announcement includes: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. These states join previous coverage availability in: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada and Texas. As the company builds on its mission to become the one-stop-shop insurance provider, Next Insurance will steadily expand Workers' Compensation in additional states into 2021. With Next Insurance, insureds have access to USA- based licensed insurance advisors, tools and services like 24/7 access to certificates of insurance from a mobile device or computer and in-house claims filings where a decision is typically made within 48 hours. Learn more about Next Insurance's Workers' Compensation coverage and get an instant quote online today. About Next Insurance Next Insurance is transforming small business insurance with simple, digital and affordable coverage tailored to the self-employed. Next Insurance offers policies that are easy to buy in 10 minutes or less and provides 24/7 access to services such as Live Certificates of Insurance, Additional Insured, and more, with no extra fees. Revolutionizing a historically complicated insurance industry, Next Insurance utilizes AI and machine learning to simplify the purchasing process and drive down costs by up to 30% compared to traditional policies. Founded in 2016, the company is headquartered in Palo Alto, has received a total of $631 million in venture capital funding and has been recognized by Forbes Fintech 50, JMP Securities InsurTech 50 and Forbes Best StartUp Employers. For more information visit NextInsurance.com. Stay up to date on the latest with Next Insurance on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and our blog. Press Contact: Kerry Ogata [email protected] 301-717-4224 SOURCE Next Insurance Related Links https://www.nextinsurance.com/ A total of 58 CRPF jawan died of the coronavirus COVID-19 infection till Wednesday. A total of 82 new COVID-19 positive cases, 234 discharges, and a death were reported from various units on Wednesday. They have been kept in isolation centres for treatment. Currently, 1,598 cases are active and so far, 9416 people have recovered taking the total cases to 11,072. At least 28 people, including 23 security personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the northeastern state's tally to 1,986, news agency PTI reported quoting a health department official said on Wednesday. Of the fresh cases, 14 were reported from Aizawl, 11 from Serchhip, two from Lunglei and one from Champhai districts, he said. "Fifteen Border Security Force (BSF) jawans, seven Assam Rifles personnel and an employee of the Assam Regiment of the Indian Army are among the new patients," he said. Twenty-five of the 28 fresh patients have recently returned to the state from different parts of the country, and three were detected during contact tracing, he said, adding that all are asymptomatic. "At least 410 BSF jawans, 206 Assam Rifles personnel, 18 Central Reserve Police Force employees and 21 Indian Army staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram so far," he said. Thirty-two National Disaster Response Force personnel and 36 Border Road Organisation (BRO) employees have contracted the disease in the state, the health department official said. Mizoram now has 410 active cases, while 1,576 people have so far recovered from the disease. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients is currently at 79.36 per cent. "Of the 410 active cases, 203 are from armed forces. Seven Indian Army personnel, 15 CRPF jawans, 53 Assam Rifles employees and 128 BSF staffers are among active patients," the health department official said. The state government has arranged separate quarantine and treatment facilities for security personnel who have been diagnosed with the disease. A total of 76,976 samples have been tested for COVID- 19 in the state so far, he added. Updated industry billing guidance includes provisions to address pandemic-related patient financial challenges. Some provisions, such as the use of pauses, could bring technological challenges. Implementation tools are included in the guidance. HFMA recently updated its best practices for providers to use when resolving outstanding medical bills, as patients struggle with increased financial challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally published in 2014, the voluntary best practices for the fair resolution of patients' medical bills were designed to provide billing guidance to healthcare providers, their business affiliates and credit bureaus. The 28-page update, jointly published with the Association for Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA International), was formulated by a task force of providers, consumer advocates and collection agencies. Key provisions included: Emphasizing pause points before aggressive collection steps Ensuring hospital leadership is aware of billing and collection policies that are used Adding pandemic-related billing guidance Urging analysis of racial and ethnic disparities and implementation of mitigation steps The updated industry guidance came in the face of increased financial challenges for patients and providers amid the pandemic. Although work on the update began before the pandemic, its release coincides with spikes in unemployment and uninsured rates. During COVID-19, many ACA members employed hardship programs to help consumers better understand their options for either pausing or resolving outstanding medical debt obligations, including by providing them detailed information about financial assistance programs that are available to them, said Mark Neeb, CEO of ACA International. The best practices reflect some of the steps ACA members have been taking and confirm their commitment to work with consumers to find a solution that works for them. A recent analysis of U.S. Census Bureau survey data found 3.3 million nonelderly adults lost employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) over the summer during the historic spike in unemployment. Self-pay patients are usually most vulnerable to challenges related to healthcare affordability and bill paying. Even among those with ESI, which typically carries lower out-of-pocket costs, one-quarter had medical bill problems or debt in the past year, according to a survey conducted from January through June. Its important that these practices be reassessed during the pandemic because so many people are struggling with maintaining insurance [and] paying all sorts of bills, including medical bills, said Mark Rukavina, a project director for Community Catalyst and a member of the task force. The update also followed a growing number of news reports expressing criticism of hospital bill-collecting practices, and government policy moves to highlight aggressive practices and lawsuits to collect patients unpaid bills. For instance, President Donald Trump issued an executive order Sept. 24 for HHS to update the Hospital Compare website within six months to detail the frequency at which hospitals pursue legal action against patients, among other measures. Whether or not the executive order is implemented given the looming presidential election similar federal transparency requirements will likely emerge in the coming years, said Chad Mulvany, director of healthcare finance policy, strategy and development, for HFMA. You might want to know now what youre doing, so you are aware and can make changes if you need to make changes, Mulvany said. If its not public knowledge today, its very likely that it will be in the near future. How challenging will implementation be? The guidelines generally are designed for hospitals and health systems to meet without the need for extensive investments, such as outside expertise, Mulvany said. That assurance was provided by the range of hospitals and health systems included in the 12-member task force, as well as from broader groups of providers that gave feedback when the proposals were formulated. Its having the discipline and focus and consistently do these things that can be challenging, Mulvany said. One tool that can help with communications is HFMAs Patient Financial Communications adopter program. A provision that may prove challenging for some is the encouragement of pause points before pursuing extraordinary collection actions. That is because hospitals increasingly have automated their billing and collection processes to improve organizational efficiency. We talked a lot about pause points and saying, Hey, stop. Is this ready to go to that next level? Have we done everything we could possibly do to satisfy this or to get this resolved? said David Muhs, CFO of Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and a member of the task force. Performing analysis of racial and ethnic disparities in collection efforts, to identify differing effects, also may prove complex. That complexity stems from hospitals use of separate information systems to house patient financial information and demographic data. But such data integration eventually will prove possible as hospitals undertake ongoing information system upgrades, Mulvany said. Also, providing patients with upfront estimates for planned procedures, which the guidelines describe as a core part of the education and engagement process, is still not done by many hospitals, Muhs said. Giving that information upfront eliminates a lot of the back-end issues that are potentially out there, Muhs said. How to implement the guidance The report maps out the entire medical accounts receivable resolution process, from preservice to post-discharge, incorporating elements from HFMA's Patient Financial Communications Best Practices and Patient Friendly Billing initiative. It details financial assistance policy communication requirements for not-for-profit hospitals. The task force recommends all hospitals meet those requirements, regardless of tax-exempt status. A section on frequently asked questions addresses the basics of the account resolution process, how to work with account resolution business affiliates, steps to take when initiating certain collection actions and final disposition of unresolved accounts. Appendices include a sample public health emergency financial assistance policy, relevant legal provisions, a glossary of terms and sample consent language. As part of its effort to meet the guidelines, Henry County Health Center recently undertook an upgrade of its patient estimator tool. A lot of companies on patient estimation will just take your data and say, Heres what you could expect to pay, not what you will pay, Muhs said. And then, if we brought them in here and gave them a true estimate, there could have been a really big difference based on copay and deductible. EVLI BANK PLC STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 AT 9.00 AM (EET/EEST) Inside information On September 30, 2020, Evli Bank Plc and the owners of Alexander Incentives Oy have signed an agreement on a share exchange between Evli Awards Management Oy (EAM) and Alexander Incentives Oy, in which EAM will acquire 100 percent of Alexander Incentives Oy's shares. In return, EAM will issue new shares, bringing the minority stake to 35 percent of the company's shares. Evli Bank's holding in the company is 65 percent. By merging the operations, the new company can serve its clients through the whole value chain of incentive programs, from planning to management and implementation. The joint operations will be offered under the name Evli Alexander Incentives Oy. EAM, a subsidiary of Evli Bank Plc, offers a wide range of incentive program management services to listed and unlisted companies in Finland and Sweden. Alexander Incentives Oy offers advisory services related to the design of share-based incentive programs. In addition to company specific remuneration programs, the services include, among other things, top executive salary analyzes and customized remuneration reports. We want to offer our clients a broader and more comprehensive service of incentive and retention programs. Alexander Incentives Oy's expertise complements Evli Awards Management Oy's core competence. The companies have a long history of working together and the co-operation has always worked seamlessly. Through the merge of operations, we can offer our existing and new clients a comprehensive service, from advisory and design of incentive programs to their management and realization. This is a business area that is strategically important to Evli, in which we see significant growth opportunities through development of new services, new products and new markets, says Maunu Lehtimaki, CEO of Evli Bank. EVLI BANK PLC For additional information, please contact: Maunu Lehtimaki, CEO, Evli Bank Plc, tel. +358 50 553 3000, maunu.lehtimaki@evli.com Story continues Evli Bank Plc Evli is a bank specialized in investments that helps institutions, corporations and private persons increase their wealth. The product and service offering includes mutual funds, asset management and capital markets services, alternative investment products, equity research, the administration of incentive programs and Corporate Finance services. The company also offers banking services that support clients' investment operations. Evli is the highest ranked and most used institutional asset manager in Finland*. Evli has a total of EUR 12.9 billion in client assets under management (net 6/2020). Evli Group's equity capital totals EUR 71.8 million and its BIS capital adequacy ratio is 15.3 percent (June 30, 2020). The company has around 250 employees. Evli Bank Plc's B shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. *KANTAR SIFO Prospera External Asset Management Finland 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and SFR Scandinavian Financial Research Institutional Investment Services, Finland 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd, main media, www.evli.com Hugh Killen has been the CEO of Australian Agricultural Company Limited (ASX:AAC) since 2018, and this article will examine the executive's compensation with respect to the overall performance of the company. This analysis will also evaluate the appropriateness of CEO compensation when taking into account the earnings and shareholder returns of the company. See our latest analysis for Australian Agricultural How Does Total Compensation For Hugh Killen Compare With Other Companies In The Industry? According to our data, Australian Agricultural Company Limited has a market capitalization of AU$669m, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth AU$774k over the year to March 2020. That's a slight decrease of 4.6% on the prior year. In particular, the salary of AU$643.5k, makes up a huge portion of the total compensation being paid to the CEO. On examining similar-sized companies in the industry with market capitalizations between AU$281m and AU$1.1b, we discovered that the median CEO total compensation of that group was AU$850k. From this we gather that Hugh Killen is paid around the median for CEOs in the industry. Moreover, Hugh Killen also holds AU$306k worth of Australian Agricultural stock directly under their own name. Component 2020 2019 Proportion (2020) Salary AU$643k AU$649k 83% Other AU$131k AU$163k 17% Total Compensation AU$774k AU$811k 100% On an industry level, around 66% of total compensation represents salary and 34% is other remuneration. According to our research, Australian Agricultural has allocated a higher percentage of pay to salary in comparison to the wider industry. If salary is the major component in total compensation, it suggests that the CEO receives a higher fixed proportion of the total compensation, regardless of performance. A Look at Australian Agricultural Company Limited's Growth Numbers Australian Agricultural Company Limited has reduced its earnings per share by 26% a year over the last three years. It saw its revenue drop 8.2% over the last year. Story continues Few shareholders would be pleased to read that EPS have declined. And the impression is worse when you consider revenue is down year-on-year. So given this relatively weak performance, shareholders would probably not want to see high compensation for the CEO. Looking ahead, you might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for the company's future earnings.. Has Australian Agricultural Company Limited Been A Good Investment? With a three year total loss of 27% for the shareholders, Australian Agricultural Company Limited would certainly have some dissatisfied shareholders. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously. To Conclude... As we noted earlier, Australian Agricultural pays its CEO in line with similar-sized companies belonging to the same industry. On the other hand, EPS growth and total shareholder return have been negative for the last three years. Considering overall performance, shareholders will likely hold off support for a raise until results improve. CEO compensation is an important area to keep your eyes on, but we've also need to pay attention to other attributes of the company. We did our research and identified 3 warning signs (and 2 which are a bit concerning) in Australian Agricultural we think you should know about. Important note: Australian Agricultural is an exciting stock, but we understand investors may be looking for an unencumbered balance sheet and blockbuster returns. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. B oris Johnson has warned that further measures may be needed in the fight against coronavirus as he said the UK has reached a "critical moment". Addressing the nation at a Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister called for collective forbearance, common sense and willingness to make sacrifices. He said the latest increase in coronavirus cases, with more than 7,000 recorded on Wednesday , showed why the Government had been forced to bring in new restrictions. Explaining that the country was at a critical moment, Mr Johnson said he would not hesitate to bring in new measures if required. If we put in the work together now then we give ourselves the best possible chance of avoiding that outcome and avoiding further measures, he said. I know some people will think we should give up and let the virus take its course despite the huge loss of life that would potentially entail. I have to say I profoundly disagree. I dont think that is what the British people want. I dont think they want to throw in the sponge. They want to fight and defeat this virus and that is what we are going to do. Loading.... The Prime Minister said he wanted to avoid another national lockdown, adding: What we are not doing at the moment is going back to the situation we were in in March. And, I really dont want to do this. I dont want to go back to a national lockdown where the overall guidance is stay at home, that is not what we are saying. We want to keep the economy moving. We want to keep young people, pupils in education. But the only way we can do that is if we all follow the guidance and depress the virus. The Prime Minister spoke alongside chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance. Professor Whitty warned that the UK was experiencing a rise in the number of Covid patients entering hospitals and intensive care. He said hospitalisation is rising, particularly in hotspots, though the figures remain at a much lower level than at the beginning of April. Professor Whitty added: We are pointing out that the direction of travel for both hospitals and intensive care is going in the wrong direction, particularly in these areas that have seen rapid increases in cases. He told the Downing Street press conference there was a significant rise in test positivity in the north-east and north-west of England, and Yorkshire and Humber. Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty / PA The Prime Minister said the country was entirely dependent on the publics collective action in driving down the virus, when asked by the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg for his honest assessment on whether further, nationwide, restrictions were on the way. Mr Johnson, citing a package of recent measures, restrictions and enforcements including the so-called rule-of-six limit on socialising said: The answer is, Im afraid, entirely dependent on how effective we are now in collectively driving down the virus. We know we can do it because we did it before, in March and April. What we hope is that if people obey the guidance fulfil the guidance in the way they can and the way they have in the past, we will get the spread (of the virus) down again. The strategy is to do that while keeping the economy open the vast bulk of the economy open and keeping young people in education. Those have to be absolutely crucial priorities. Im confident we can do it together if we follow the guidance. But our success will have to be judged in the days and week ahead. It is still too early to tell whether that package of measures will be successful. The UKs chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance added: Things are definitely heading in the wrong direction. In line with the governments medium-term vision to use the aquaculture sub-sector to increase domestic fish production and generate additional jobs and employment along the aquaculture value chain for the youth, the Ministry for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in 2018 launched and piloted the Aquaculture for Food and Jobs (AFJ) Initiative; enhanced aquaculture training and extension, and instituted measures to contain and prevent fish disease to reduce fish death. This came to light when the sector minister, Hon. Elizabeth Afoley Quaye took her turn to brief journalists at the Meet The Press series organized at the Ministry of Information on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. According to the minister, so far, 465 beneficiaries have been trained in Aquaculture Best Practices, Pond Construction, Pond Management and Harvesting. Some of the institutions which have benefited from this training include; James Camp Prisons in Greater Accra (3 ponds), Techiman Nobel Youth Association, Techiman at Bono East (10 ponds constructed, stocked & feed provided), Atwereboanda Pentecost Youth group at Adansi, Ashanti Region (10 ponds constructed), Osei Tutu Senior High School in the Ashanti Region (4 earthen ponds constructed, stocked & feed provided),Wenchi SHS (4 ponds constructed), Dormaa Senior High School in the Bono Region (10 ponds and 4 ponds constructed), Balofiri Youth Group (8 earthen ponds) and St Francis Xavier Seminary (4 concrete tanks), Ashanti Regional Fish Farmers ass (8 cages constructed, stocked & feed provided) On fish disease control, Hon. Afoley Quaye disclosed that her outfit has so far vaccinated aquaculture establishments along the Volta Lake enclave with the Aquavac-Irido Vaccine. About 3.1 million fingerlings have been immunized with a survival rate of 99.3% on 13 farms.The Ministry will continue with the vaccination exercise and provide extension services to aquaculture establishments and training to small and medium scale fish farmers as well as hatchery operators on: Biosecurity Measures at farm level and Hatchery Management, quality fingerling production and Best Aquaculture Practices including feed formulation, disease detection and early warning systems, she stressed. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Photo: The Canadian Press Orange County Sheriff deputies line up as Black Lives Matter protesters and counter protesters clash in Yorba Linda, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. Police eventually declared the event an unlawful gathering and cleared the streets near Yorba Linda and Imperial. Authorities said people were struck by a car and injured during the Black Lives Matter protest and counter protest about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Orange County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun says the injured were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the driver was detained. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP) The organizer of a Southern California rally against police brutality and racism was charged with attempted murder Tuesday for driving her car into counterprotesters and running over a woman's head. Tatiana Turner deliberately drove into a crowd of President Donald Trump's supporters with the intent to kill the woman and also seriously injured a man who broke his leg, Orange County prosecutors said. She positioned her vehicle to be used as a backup weapon and she used that vehicle as a deadly weapon, willing to injure and kill those who stood in her way, District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. A defence lawyer said Turner tried unsuccessfully to get help from deputies Saturday in Yorba Linda after her group was overwhelmed by a hostile crowd. Turner saw people with guns and feared for her life when she got into her car that was blocked by Trump supporters, attorney Ludlow Creary II said. She was trying to get away and didn't intend to hit anyone. There were actions that caused her to become fearful for her life and thats when she accelerated, Creary said. Turner, 40, made her first appearance in court remotely from the jail and was ordered held on $1 million bail. A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf by her lawyer. The incident is one of more than 100 where motorists have plowed into demonstrations since late May, following protests against police brutality that grew nationwide over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer, according to Ari Weil, deputy director on the Chicago Project on Security and Threats at the University of Chicago. The vast majority of those cases tallied by Weil involved motorists who ran into those demonstrating for causes aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement, Weil said. He knows of only one other instance where that wasn't the case when a man drove into a people rallying in support of police officers in Eaton, Colorado, in July. Its a man bites dog case when compared to the usual pattern, said Jody Armour, a law professor at the University of Southern California. Armour said it may be difficult for prosecutors to prove Turner tried to kill someone because it requires showing she was more than just reckless or negligent. When youre talking about attempted murder, youre talking a requirement that the state prove that ... she drove into the crowd with the true purpose to cause someones death, Armour said. That says something about their motivations, their character, their state of mind. Its a value judgment. Its a moral judgment. Prosecutors are alleging just that. The felony complaint said Turner had the specific intent to kill the woman who was run over. The victim has not been named. Authorities said she was hospitalized with major injuries and expected to survive. Turner, who has a felony record for drug sales and domestic violence, is also charged with six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, including one count for causing great bodily injury, mayhem, and two counts of the use of pepper spray by a felon. Turners group, Urban Organizers Coalition, had planned a peaceful march Saturday at the Yorba Linda Library, about 30 miles (48 kilometres) southeast of Los Angeles. But they were quickly outnumbered and threatened by the other group, Creary said. The DA, however, referred to Turner's group as professional militant organizers." Turner was seen in videos waving a baton and spraying what appeared to be pepper spray earlier in the protest. Some members of her group had helmets and riot shields. Creary said the charges were excessive. In my opinion, it's a message to activists that go to OC," Creary said. "They want to let them know that theyre going to push to the full extent of the law against activists. Again, it's part of the hostile environment. Celebrities like Shekhar Suman and Suchitra Krishnamoorthi had recently raised why only female actresses had been called in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) investigation into Bollywood-drug links. The trend is set to change soon with not one, but three male actors set to be summoned by the investigating agency in the next week. All the three male stars are former co-stars of Deepika Padukone who has been questioned in the probe over alleged chats about drugs, and the summons are likely to create huge chaos, sources said. READ: Suchitra Krishnamoorthi 'aghast' At No Male Actors In NCB Probe, Slams Industry 'misogyny' Deepika Padukones co-stars to be summoned As per sources, three stars with code names 'A', 'S' and 'R' are to be summoned. The NCB has found evidence against the three male stars and they could be summoned next week. READ:NCB To Summon 10 TOP Bollywood Actors & Producers In Drug Probe As 'Phase 3' Begins The likely development comes close on the heels of information that as many as 50 popular names including actors and directors being under the NCB radar. Earlier, it was reported that 10 big names of the film industry were to be summoned, and that up to 6 top stars had contacted their lawyers fearing imminent questioning. Deepika Padukone questioned Deepika Padukone had been questioned by the NCB on Saturday, where she had been confronted with her chats where she had asked for maal or hash. Her manager Karishma Prakash, who was the recipient of the chats, too was brought face to face with the actor over the chats. Deepika Padukone denied consuming drugs, but the officers were not too satisfied with all her answers. Her phone and those of Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh, Simone Khambatta, Karishma Prakash, as well as Jaya Saha, who is being touted as the kingpin of the entire cartel, have been cloned for further information. Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and other accused are already under NCB custody, while an executive producer with a top banner, Kshitij Prasad has also been arrested. Actors Abigail Pande and Sanam Johar have also been booked over alleged possession of drugs. Meanwhile, as per sources, NCB Chief Rakesh Asthana has given the officers six months time to register the chargesheet in the case. 'Phase 3' of NCB's questioning to begin Sources had told Republic that the 'Phase 3' of NCB's Bollywood drug probe will see names even bigger and more influential than Deepika Padukone and the others coming under the agency's radar. Furthermore, the four actors summoned so far - Deepika, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh - appear to all have 'read from the same script', sources said, adding that they have only piled on the trouble for themselves by doing so and are aware that they are cornered. All four have claimed that 'hash isn't a drug', while two have also tried to claim that the NCB isn't versed with 'Bollywood English'. Sources told Republic that the NCB has a lot more evidence it hasn't presented yet and another set of summons for the actors hasn't been ruled out. READ:Shekhar Suman Hits Out At Bollywood Stars' 'inhuman' Remarks On Sushant In NCB Drug Probe READ:NCB To Take Call On Arresting Bollywood Stars In Drug Probe; Evidence Being Sequenced Bihar BEd CET results 2020: The Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Kameshwaranagar, Darbhanga is expected to declare the Bihar B.Ed. Common Entrance Test (CET) result 2020 on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, on its official website. Once the results are announced, candidates who have appeared in the Bihar BEd CET 2020 exam will be able to check their results online at bihar-cetbed-lnmu.in. The varsity conducted the Bihar BEd CET 2020 examination on September 22, 2020. Earlier on September 24, the varsity had released the provisional answer key for Bihar BEd CET 2020, and candidates were allowed to raise objections till September 27, 2020. How to check Bihar BEd CET results 2020: Visit the official website at bihar-cetbed-lnmu.in On the homepage, click on the Bihar BEd CET 2020 result link A new page will appear on the display screen Key in your credentials and login The Bihar BEd CET results 2020 will be displayed on the screen Download the result and take its print out for further reference. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Austria's producer prices declined at a softer pace in August, figures from Statistics Austria showed on Wednesday. The producer price index declined 1.9 percent year-on-year in August, following a 2.1 percent fall in July and June. The decline in producer prices was mainly driven by a fall in energy prices and intermediate goods by 5.7 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, prices for capital goods rose 0.6 percent in August and those for consumer goods increased 0.7 percent. On a monthly basis, producer prices remained unchanged in August, after a 0.1 percent increase in the preceding month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. ALBANY An array of community development and environmental groups on Wednesday lined up for and against National Grids request for a 4 percent electric and 6 percent gas rate increase that, if approved, would start next July. Chamber of commerce and business development groups as well as human service agencies spoke in favor of the plan, noting that the utility has long been generous with grants and other assistance and they support their efforts to upgrade their infrastructure. National Grid has been an incredible community partner, said Anthony Baynes Jr., president and CEO of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce in western New York. On the other side were environmental groups who said the increase would help fund National Grids plans for more natural gas pipelines, which they view as the wrong approach in the era of climate change. We see them pushing expensive gas infrastructure projects to hook up more people to gas, said Jessica Azulay, executive director of the Alliance for a Green Economy. Wednesdays on-line public statement hearing, in which there was no questioning, was one of several such events being put on this week by the state Public Service Commission, which will decide on the rate hike request. In addition to business developers and environmentalists, others said the rate hikes would impose a special hardship on low-income customers, especially since many are unemployed or under-employed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is really not the time for a rate hike, said Jeanette Rice, a Rensselaer County resident who also opposes the use of more natural gas. The company noted that in July they proposed a $50 million COVID-19 relief plan to help customers impacted by the pandemic. The plan, updated on Tuesday, includes up to $25 million for low income customers enrolled in the Energy Assistance Program with immediate bill credits and help with making payments that are in arrears. They also plan to offer up to $20 million in arrears incentive payments for business customers and up to $5 million for new COVID-19 recovery assistance grants for commercial, industrial and small business customers. National Grids current three-year rate agreement expires March 31, 2021. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. More for you Controversial gas pipeline under Hudson River on hold for now Under the proposed rate increase, residential electricity customers would see an average bill increase of 4 percent or $3.43 per month. Residential gas customers would see an average bill increase of 6 percent or $4.53 per month. The company originally planned to file its request for new rates in April but delayed that filing until July 31 due to COVID-19. The increases would reflect the transmission and delivery costs, not the actual energy, which is produced by a variety of separate generation companies that feed into the states energy grid. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU A man is fighting to retain his sight after his friend mistook him for a duck and shot him on a hunting trip. Valery Sosedov, 25, from Kovrov in Russia, was hit with birdshot by his unnamed pal, 23. The victim was making a duck call from behind a bush to attract the birds but his friend fired his gun into Sosedov's face. Valery Sosedov (left), 25, from Kovrov in Russia, is fighting to retain his sight after his friend mistook him for a duck and shot him on a hunting trip (right) Sosedov (pictured) was hit with birdshot by his unnamed pal, 23, and remains in hospital His cousin Viktoria is now raising money to pay for his medical bills, say reports. The gunman has poor eyesight and was hunting without his glasses, she said. An X-ray shows how Sosedov's eyes and face were peppered with birdshot. The victim's mother Marina Sosedova, 42, said: 'A criminal case has been opened. 'We were shocked how his friend could confuse his head in a camouflage bandana with a bird. The victim's mother Marina Sosedova (pictured together), 42, said: 'A criminal case has been opened' His cousin Viktoria is now raising money to pay for his medical bills, say reports His face, head and neck were badly hit by the lead shot but surgeons are working first to save one eye 'But this is what happened.' Her son is being moved to a hospital in Moscow, she said. 'One eye is lost, but there is the chance to save the second one, although it is not 100 per cent.' His face, head and neck were badly hit by the lead shot but surgeons are working first to save one eye, she said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-25 09:16:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close QUITO, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Ecuadoran government has invested more than 219 million U.S. dollars in fighting COVID-19 through employing epidemiological monitoring strategies and strengthening the national health system, Health Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos said Thursday. During a teleconference with the Americas Society and Council of the Americas, Zevallos said that to contain the spread of the virus, "it was essential" to activate and strengthen the nation's health facilities through expanding hospitals and adding beds to intensive care units. According to the minister, Ecuador currently has 142 hospitals for COVID-19 treatment and 54,997 health professionals, of whom 2,273 were newly hired during the pandemic. Zevallos added that the country is also fighting the virus through searching for cases actively by using tools such as georeferencing, telemedicine, and active epidemiological surveillance. "This is a health, economic, and social pandemic," he said. "It should not be resolved within hospitals, but should rather be controlled at the community level." To date, Ecuador has registered 131,146 COVID-19 cases with 11,213 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. Zevallos said that the pandemic cannot yet be considered to be under control in the country, but Ecuador "is on the way to reactivation." Enditem Hathras gangrape case: Cremation was done in family's presence, says UP Police India oi-Madhuri Adnal Lucknow, Sep 30: Uttar Pradesh ADG Law & Order Prashant Kumar on Wednesday said that 19-year-old woman who had died after her gang-rape and torture, was cremated in the presence of family. ''The victim died yesterday in Delhi. After the post-mortem, the funeral was conducted with the consent of the family members & in their presence as the body was putrefying. The details of the examination will soon be out and shared,'' Prashant Kumar, UP ADG, said. Hathras gang-rape case: NHRC issues notice to Uttar Pradesh govt, state police chief ''The prima-facie chronology indicates that the incident happened on Sep 14 & that a complaint was registered. Thereafter on Sep 22, the victim revealed that she was gang-raped. The charges filed, were altered accordingly. Now the 4 accused will be also be tried for murder,'' he further said. "The police have forcibly taken the dead body and my father along with them for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the crematorium) by the police," a brother of the woman said on Wednesday. Cinema halls may reopen from October 15 under Unlock 5 | Oneindia News Another relative said that the woman's father was accompanied by 30 to 40 people, chiefly relatives, and others from their neighbourhood had gone to the crematorium near Bool Garhi village, under Chandpa police station limits, in the district in western UP. The 19-year-old Dali girl, who was gang-raped by four upper-caste men in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras District, has succumbed to her injuries. The girl was brutally assaulted and raped in a field area. Hathras gangrape case: Cremation was done in family's presence, says UP Police Earlier, Victim's parents admitted her in a local district hospital, but as there were no signs of improvement she was shifted to AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and from there she was last admitted in Delhi's Safdarjung hospital. The police so far have booked all the accused in the case, the further probe is still underway. (Global Times) The UK Department for Education has issued guidance for schools in England, in which it says "schools should not under any circumstance use resources produced by organizations that take extreme political stances." This includes a "publicly stated desire to abolish or overthrow democracy, capitalism." According to the guidance, this is also the case, even the material itself is not extreme. The guidance represents "extreme political stances." Chinese netizens are asking: "Has such violation of so-called freedom and democracy happened in the UK?" The guidance is actually an attempt to use "ideological orthodoxy" to protect democracy. Its essence is still to maintain the stability of capitalism. In 1949, George Orwell wrote his satirical novel 1984 when he was under surveillance from the MI5. After decades, the "big brother" in the UK is still "watching you." British former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said that on the basis of the latest guidance, "it will be illegal to refer to large tracts of British history and politics, including the history of British socialism, the Labor Party and trade unionism," because these have advocated the abolition of capitalism at different times. These rules are vague and will have a wide-ranging impact. If the UK's history is partly omitted under the guidance, it will be a tragedy. Within the ruling British Conservative Party, radical ideological correctness is growing day by day. Will it eventually overwhelm the freedom and democracy that some Western countries have been proud of? In the examples the guidance listed as "extreme political stances," "opposition to the right of freedom of speech" comes right after "a publicly stated desire to abolish or overthrow democracy, capitalism." This is self-contradictory and is a huge slap in the UK's face. It is understandable that any political party needs to maintain its rule, and ensure the long-term stability of the country. However, some Western countries always want to hide such intentions. They chant their slogan of democracy and freedom, and constantly smear other countries with different ideologies, trying to highlight the advanced and noble nature of their own political systems. In the end, these Western countries will only become inconsistent and contradictory - just like the UK's guidance - and their hypocrisy will be exposed to the world. China has long been criticized as violating "freedom of speech" by Western countries. China follows socialist path with Chinese characteristics but it has never banned private sectors. Just the opposite, socialism with Chinese characteristics includes a socialist market economy, which fully absorbs the rational factors of capitalism to serve socialism. The Chinese mainland also hopes that Hong Kong will maintain its social culture based on the capitalist system. Now, who is violating "freedom of speech?" Western society's double standards in "freedom of speech" are trapping itself. Among the rules that oppose abolishing or overthrowing democracy and capitalism, Western countries are destined to drift farther away from the freedom and democracy they boast about. Findings of a recent study from the University of Georgia support growing evidence for airborne transmission of Covid-19 in enclosed spaces. Researchers were able to link a community outbreak of Covid-19 in China to a source patient who likely spread the virus to fellow bus riders through the buss air conditioning system. The possibility of airborne transmission has long been suspected, but with limited empirical evidence. Our study provided epidemiologic evidence of transmission over long distances, which was likely airborne, said Ye Shen, an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UGAs College of Public Health and lead author on the study. The study, which was published recently in JAMA Internal Medicine, calls into question the prevailing thought on how Covid-19 can spread. It was largely believed that close contact through droplets is a major route of transmission for Covid-19. However, the widely adopted social distancing and hand washing did not effectively prevent the transmission globally. Instead, the number of new Covid-19 cases increased steadily, said Shen. Shen and his co-authors worked with epidemiologists from two regional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in China to trace infections following a large outdoor worship event in Zhejiang province. Some of the attendees, it turns out, took two buses to the event creating a unique natural experiment for the researchers. Both buses had closed windows and had air conditioning running, said Changwei Li, an associate professor of epidemiology at Tulane University and study co-author - but one bus carried a patient infected with the virus, and the other did not. Of the passengers who later got sick, the majority of them rode on the same bus as the source patient. Even though the two groups later mixed in with the larger crowd at the worship event, the number of new cases attributed to the event were much lower, suggesting that the bus was the major point of transmission. Further, some of the bus passengers who later showed symptoms of Covid-19, the authors found, were not sitting close to the infected passenger. These findings highlight scenarios where Covid-19 could be spread through fine aerosol particles being circulated in an enclosed space, and as the weather turns colder, Shen and Li hope this work will persuade more people to wear face masks in public areas, particularly in indoor spaces. Understanding the transmission routes of Covid-19 is critical to contain the pandemic, so that effective prevention strategies can be developed targeting all potential transmission routes, said Shen. Our findings provide solid support for wearing face covering in enclosed environments with poor ventilation, Shen added. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Press Release September 30, 2020 Pangilinan: Tap millions of pesos in excess of rice tax to give as cash aid to farmers LIKE a COVID-19 patient, Filipino farmers are in an emergency situation needing urgent assistance from the government to spare them from demise, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said Wednesday. "Ang katumbas ng CPR para sa ating mga naghihingalong magpapalay, lalo na yung nakikisaka lang, ay direct cash assistance. Dusa sila dahil sa pagbagsak ng presyo ng palay at kawalan ng pagkakataong maghanapbuhay ngayong pandemya (The life-saving measure is direct cash assistance especially to the small farmers now suffering from the plunge in the prices of palay and from the lack of other livelihood opportunities due to the pandemic)," Pangilinan said. Data as of July 2020 showed that tax collection from the Rice Tariffication Law has reached P10.728 billion. Taxes collected in excess of P10 billion needed to fund the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program (RCEP) may be allocated as cash assistance to farmers, said the former Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization. "We have an excess collection of P728 million as of July and this should directly benefit the farmers especially in these hard times," he said. "We need to get the cash in their hands so they could continue to plant and put food on every Filipino's table," he added. Farmers are seeking help from government as palay prices nosedived to as low as P12 a kilo from the P17 to P20 buying range of the National Food Authority. Pangilinan has called the attention of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to address this phenomenon, which he said is expected to happen regularly after the Rice Tariffication Law was enforced last year. The law opened the Philippine market to unlimited rice imports at higher tax rates. In November last year, the Philippines became the world's top importer of rice overtaking China. The senator called on the Economic Cluster of the Cabinet to make an updated public accounting of the taxes coming in from rice imports and determine the excess funds that may be utilized to immediately give as cash aid to the farmers. "If the collection as of July 2020 was P10.728 billion, it is definitely bigger three months later. The excess funds should benefit our farmers," he said. "Hindi pwedeng gutom ang nagpapakain sa atin. Kailangan silang matulungang magpakain sa ating lahat," Pangilinan said. Marine biologists studying the genetic structure of the Humboldt squid population found it is vulnerable to overfishing by fleets on its migration path. A group of marine biologists is pushing for more international collaboration to manage the Humboldt squid population after their study to identify its genetic stocks revealed its vulnerability to overfishing by fleets trying to feed the worlds hunger for squids. Hiroshima University marine biologist Gustavo Sanchez led a team of researchers to find out the genetic structure of the Humboldt squid population in the Eastern Pacific Ocean using two types of DNA markers the mitochondrial ND2 gene and nuclear microsatellite loci. The team found that Humboldt squids could trace back their population to three historical matrilineage that spread out during the late Pleistocene and that the species has at least two contemporary genetic stocks homogeneously co-distributed in the northern and southern hemispheres. Different genetic stocks within a species are usually defined by where they feed and breed. But in Humboldt squids, DNA markers showed no north-south divide. The equator doesnt serve as a natural barrier to separate the different genetic stocks of these fast swimmers risking capture by different fishery fleets along their migration route. In our study, we identify at least two genetic stocks co-distributed in the north and southern hemisphere of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Our results suggest that rather than independent marine policies from each country, the sustainability of this squid requires an international marine policy, Sanchez said. To ensure sustainable fishing, countries in South America where the squid is traditionally found have established yearly catch quotas. But the study found this approach to be ineffective, especially as catch restrictions are absent in international waters on the squids migration path. Countries fishing this squid have established catch quotas with no consideration that the total amount varies from year to year, and that the amount of squid caught influences the number of squids next year. By doing so, the genetic contribution of the offspring every year will also clearly fluctuate. In such a situation, there is a risk of having a genetic erosion with a smaller number of squids which are also less likely to adapt rapidly to the changing environment, he remarked. From our study, it is also clear that the squids caught by different countries also belong at least two different populations, with likely different genetic contribution for the next generation. Catching these squids without knowing that their genetic contribution is different, is also very risky. A grim warning Both warm tropical waters and the cooler Humboldt current, which runs from Tierra del Fuego at the southernmost tip of the South American mainland upwards to the northern coast of Peru, play a role in the Humboldt squids life cycle. The squid seeks warm waters near the equator to spawn its clusters of neutrally buoyant eggs. But it needs nutrient-rich cool waters where they go on a feeding frenzy to grow from one-millimeter paralarvae specks to enormous predators of over 1.2 meters long. These squids typically spawn only once during their one-year lifespan then die, making their future volatile if fishing goes unchecked. And such fears are not farfetched. Its eastern relatives, the Japanese flying squid, has suffered the same fate. Years of overfishing, poor regulatory oversight, and the changing climate have depleted their population at an alarming rate that yearly catch of Japanese fishermen dropped over 70% from more than 200,000 tons in 2011 to 53,000 tons in 2017. The shortage worries the fishing town of Hakodate whose identity and economy are intertwined with the squid. The population of the Japanese flying squids has decreased, and this is because along the distribution of this squid you have a lot of fleets from Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan, some with high capacity for catching this squid. Countries like China with massive distant-water fishing fleets can move anywhere outside their national jurisdiction to catch this squid. If you have the technology you can go to international waters and catch anything, Sanchez said. He said Hakodates experience could be a grim warning of things to come for his country Peru. The Humboldt squid is the second most important economical species in Peru. That means that when we have less squid, that will affect also the economy of the country, particularly the economy of the fisherman that depends on this squid, he said. Historical clues Over 90 percent of warming on Earth in the past 50 years has happened in the ocean and the speed it is heating up is accelerating. Warming oceans due to climate change have driven sea creatures toward the poles. The Humboldt squid population itself has expanded its migratory path. It recently stretched its route farther north to Alaska and south to the tip of Chile which exposes these cephalopods that hunt in packs of up to 1,200 to fishing boats in each territory on its path as well as technologically advanced vessels waiting in international waters. Sanchezs team found a similar pattern of historical population expansion under extreme climate conditions when they looked at the mitochondrial DNA of the squid. They found that warming global temperatures 30,000 years ago which thawed Ice Age glaciers contributed to a sea-level rise favorable for the Humboldt squid population to spread out. The event which coincided with the decrease in the population of sperm whales, their natural predators, led to a population expansion for the squids. Although quick to adapt, warmer temperatures mean less food, smaller maturity size, and fewer eggs to replenish its population. Securing Humboldt squids future Much, including its conservation status, is still unknown of this large squid species. But with its economic significance to fishing communities and its important role in the marine ecosystem as food for diverse species, the new knowledge of its genetic stock can help inform future marine policies to manage its population. The Humboldt squid is the largest squid fishery in the world and is heavily caught in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by several countries, including countries from Asia like Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. This squid is one of the most commercial squids in the world, and it sustains the economy of many countries. Identifying genetic stocks, also known as genetically different groups, throughout population genetics is very important for implementing marine policies that control the total catch of this squid. The high migratory capacity of this squid is the main challenge to identify the exact number of genetic stocks, and more genetic resources and sampling are required to clearly reveal this number. ### About Hiroshima University Since its foundation in 1949, Hiroshima University has striven to become one of the most prominent and comprehensive universities in Japan for the promotion and development of scholarship and education. Consisting of 12 schools for undergraduate level and 4 graduate schools, ranging from natural sciences to humanities and social sciences, the university has grown into one of the most distinguished comprehensive research universities in Japan. English website: https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Black Tusk Resources Inc. ("Black Tusk" or the "Company") (CSE:TUSK)(Frankfurt:0NB)(OTC PINK:BTKRF) is pleased to announce that the company executives have recently completed site reconnaissance on the majority of its Quebec properties. The reconnaissance was undertaken during the week September 21 to 25, 2020. The sites were visited by Richard Penn CEO, Roman Rubin CFO, and Perry Grunenberg, director and geologist for Black Tusk. Black Tusk now holds five mineral properties in Quebec. This includes the Golden Valley located north of La Sarre, the McKenzie East, PG Highway, and MoGold properties located north of Val d'Or, and the Lorrain located immediately south of Lorrainville, Quebec. The Golden Valley property underwent diamond drilling in 2019. At the McKenzie East, the team completed a reconnaissance of access routes and observed the general terrain on the property. The team also located a core logging and sampling facility that is conveniently close to the property boundary. The McKenzie East is slated to begin diamond drilling once ground conditions allow access to all of the proposed sites. The Quebec-based geological team, including Valerie Doyon (VD Geo Service) and Mathieu Piche (Black Tusk director) met with the visiting executives to discuss drilling options targeting gold for the upcoming program. As part of the team reconnaissance, the executives also met with diamond drilling contractors in Val d'Or. At the Lorrain property, the reconnaissance team located the site of historic drill hole LA-01-06 (GM60923) where significant values of platinum and palladium were intercepted, along with copper, silver, nickel and cobalt (see table below). This very interesting historic drill hole is under discussion for possible follow-up by Black Tusk. The reader is warned that drill-hole intercepts as shown in historic reports have not yet been verified by the company. Significant results from drill hole LA-01-06 as shown in report GM60923 From m To m Length* Pt_ppb Pd _ppb Ag_ppm Cu_pct Ni_pct 64.8 66 1.2 337 170 1.6 0.19 0.15 66 67.5 1.5 129 58 1.4 0.15 0.09 67.5 69 1.5 141 76 1.3 0.16 0.11 69 70.5 1.5 44 24 0.6 0.06 0.03 70.5 72 1.5 125 77 1.2 0.14 0.11 72 72.8 0.8 128 80 1.2 0.10 0.13 76.9 78 1.1 113 102 1.6 0.20 0.20 78.5 80 1.5 210 110 1.6 0.19 0.48 80 81.5 1.5 240 244 3.1 0.80 0.58 81.5 83 1.5 204 214 2.9 0.71 0.65 84.5 97.7 13.2 457 433 3 0.59 0.60 Including 92 96.5 4.5 732 595 2.1 0.66 0.78 Including 93.5 95 1.5 1020 790 3 0.67 1.08 *Reported length of intercepts may not reflect the true intercept widths, which requires further drilling and interpretation to calculate. At the PG Highway, the team located the site of historic drill-hole 8712-2 (GM46998) that intercepted interesting geologic features including a reported 9.4 metres of massive pyrite and pyrrhotite within basaltic rocks. The records indicate that this section was only analyzed for gold, returning up to 50 ppb. The intercept is thought to contain potential for other elements of interest, such as PGE. This historic drill hole is under discussion for possible follow-up to verify the geology and to sample the reported massive sulphide interval. During the PG Highway property reconnaissance, the team also evaluated access to the adjoining MoGold property for future reference. Both properties are accessed from Highway 397 north from Val d'Or. The Company now holds significant assets in Quebec, and is looking forward to continued exploration on these projects to advance them in the discovery of precious metals. Perry Grunenberg, P.Geo, a "Qualified Person" as that term is defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Grunenberg is also a Director of the Company. Cautionary Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions as of that date. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to exploration and development; the ability of the Company to obtain additional financing; the Company's limited operating history; the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations; fluctuations in the prices of commodities; operating hazards and risks; competition and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Prospectus dated September 8, 2017 available on www.sedar.com. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions, and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. On behalf of the Board of Directors Richard Penn CEO (778) 384-8923 Figure 1 Quebec Properties Figure 2 Black Tusk Val-d'Or drill core processing facility SOURCE: Black Tusk Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608308/Black-Tusk-Management-Team-Completes-Quebec-Properties-Reconnaissance By Trend A special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict context was convened at 17:00 local time in Vienna today, Sept. 29, by Albanias 2020 OSCE Chairmanship, Trend reports citing OSCE. The meeting was attended by representatives of the OSCEs 57 participating States. Opening the meeting, Ambassador Igli Hasani, Chair of the Permanent Council, reiterated the Chairmanships alarm at the ongoing clashes and deterioration of the situation on the ground. Dismayed by the rising number of casualties, he repeated the OSCE Chairmanships call for an immediate de-escalation and offered condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured. Briefing the Permanent Council, Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, said he was receiving information directly from the ground and local interlocutors at the highest level. Ambassador Kasprzyk said he was in constant communication with the sides, and said his team were ready to resume monitoring on the ground as soon as the situation permits. Representatives of the Minsk Group Co-Chair countries France, Russian Federation and the United States reiterated the Co-Chairs appeal to all sides to cease hostilities immediately and to resume negotiations to find a sustainable resolution to the conflict. The Albanian OSCE Chairmanship repeated the importance of a negotiated solution and its support for the work of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Ambassador Kasprzyk in their efforts to stabilize the situation on the ground. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia says the next NDC government has a special package for the vulnerable in society, including orphans, widows and the aged. According to him when elected into office in the December 7 elections, the NDC administration will establish special homes for the aged who are in need and give all persons above 60 years free health care. Mr. Asiedu Nketia also said widows will be protected through a legal instrument to ensure that they benefit from their deceased husbands properties as well as protect them from harassment or intimidation. He explained that the new law when passed will complement Intestate Succession Law 1985, PNDC Law 111. The NDCs General Secretary made this known when he addressed a mini durbar of Chiefs, elders and cashew farmers at Baano no.2 in the Jaman South constituency as part of the Bono Regional campaign tour of NDC presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday. Mr. Asiedu Nketia was concerned about the inadequacy of legal protection for domestic workers, noting that some people take advantage of the situation to cheat and unfairly treat their domestic employees. He said the next NDC government will therefore address the situation by passing a law to protect domestic workers. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Delhi Police have arrested four more people, including Brinder Singh Dhillon, the President of Punjab Youth Congress, in connection with the tractor burning incident near the India Gate during a protest against the farm Bills recently passed by the Parliament. The other three who have been arrested are Harish Panwar and Abraham Roy Mani, both national general secretaries of All India Youth Congress, and Bunty (Rushikesh) Shelke, secretary, All India Youth Congress, and in-charge of Punjab Youth Congress. The Delhi Police had earlier arrested six persons in connection with the case. According to the police, an FIR has been registered at the Tilak Marg police station under various sections of the law, including a non-bailable section of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The arrested individuals have been booked under Section 188 of Disaster Management Act, Epidemic Diseases Act and various other sections of the IPC. According to the Delhi Police, around 15-20 unidentified persons reportedly belonging to the Punjab Youth Congress gathered at the India Gate in the national capital on Monday to protest against the farm Bills. During the protest, they set a tractor on fire just a few metres away from India Gate. The fire was later doused and the tractor was removed from the spot by the police. Joel Courtney has gotten married. The Kissing Booth actor tied the knot with his 'best friend' Mia Scholink - who he got engaged to in February - at an outdoor ceremony in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday. 'I am just so thrilled to be married, the actor told People. 'It's one of those things where as much planning and as much anticipation goes into the day, I'm so excited to be married to my best friend.' Wedded bliss: Joel Courtney has gotten married. The Kissing Booth actor tied the knot with his 'best friend' Mia Scholink - who he got engaged to in February - at an outdoor ceremony in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday She wore a white lace dress with her hair in a half-up style and he had on a tuxedo. The 24-year-old star's parents are likely to be thrilled by the union because they have known 23-year-old Mia's family since before their children were born. He explained: 'My parents knew Mia's parents before either one of us were born. 'My dad did some web development work for her dad's business, and they met through church and by the time Mia and I were born, we hung out for three or four years running around in diapers and play dates - not just us, but our siblings. Happiness: 'I am just so thrilled to be married, the actor told People. 'It's one of those things where as much planning and as much anticipation goes into the day, I'm so excited to be married to my best friend' 'There are multiple photos where all five of the Scholink kids and all four of the Courtney kids are sitting around a table eating sandwiches and we're all under the age of 14. It was so cool.' However, things didn't turn romantic for the couple until 2015, but the romance was short-lived before they decided to give it another go last year. Joel explained: 'We reconnected in 2015 and started dating in 2017. We dated for a year and we broke up for a little bit of time and then started dating again in 2019 and it moved really quickly after that.' Marry me: When they got engaged on Valentine's Day, Scholink shared two photos of the couple kissing, all while showing off the bride-to-be's engagement ring A nice rock: The ring was diamond and yellow gold and from Brilliant Earth, it was made clear When they got engaged on Valentine's Day, Scholink shared two photos of the couple kissing, all while showing off the bride-to-be's engagement ring. 'ENGAGED to my best friend!!! Can't wait to marry you,' she wrote in the caption. 'I like it, so I just had to go and put a ring on it,' Courtney wrote, along with a number of hashtags before adding, 'Stay tuned! Sooooooo much more to come!!!' Scholinks post included pictures of the couple showing off the engagement ring. Courtney couldn't resist taking to Instagram again to gush over his fiancee. 'Like I said, so much more to come!!! This woman right here, lemme tell you a lil bit about her,' he captioned another snap of the couple staring into each other's eyes while showcasing the engagement ring. 'She is kind, patient, hysterical, forgiving, so beautiful she makes my heart stop, honest, and joyful. I love you @mia_scholink and I am so blessed to have you as my fiance.' His hit franchise: He is best known for his films Kissing Booth 1 and 2; and he has said a third has already been made. This image shows Meganne Young, from left, Courtney, and Joey King in a scene from The Kissing Booth 2 Courtneys Kissing Booth co-star Joey King was among the people who offered their well-wishes. 'CANT WAIT TO BE THE RING BEARER!!!!!!!!!!! No but for real, I'm so happy for you two, you're going to build the most beautiful life together. Cheers to your love,' King wrote. While Joel's fans may be disappointed that he's off the market, they had some good news recently after Netflix confirmed that not only is there a third Kissing Booth movie on the way, but it's already been filmed. Joel said: 'We filmed two and three at the exact same time.' His co-star King added: 'It was the hardest secret to keep... In one day we'd be filming both.' LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- World Voices Media (WVM) and Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ) launched the "Progress Not Prisons" campaign aimed at mobilizing eligible Latinx voters and raising awareness about the urgent need to redirect a portion of the budget spent on prisons toward health care, schools, jobs, housing and services for victims of crime. Since the November 3rd elections are just around the corner, the campaign seeks to mobilize more than 30,000 Spanish-speaking voters and encourage civic participation through early voting. A primary goal is to start a conversation in our communities about the urgency of criminal justice reform. California spends $50 billion dollars on the criminal justice system every year. Reinvesting just 1% of that budget could provide our families and communities with resources to solve the most serious problems Californians face every day, including the need for more medical and educational services. If California redirected just 1% of the $50 billion spent on its criminal justice system each year, the state could invest in: Restoring health care coverage to more than half of the estimated 2.1 million Californians who have lost their health care during the pandemic as of mid-May Providing COVID-19 treatment for 16,000 people, including hospital stays Maintaining 11,000 EMTs or 4,000 nurses, at a time when 1.4 million healthcare workers throughout the country lost their jobs during the month of April Providing shelter to nearly half of California's estimated 108,000 unsheltered homeless residents, at a time when an estimated 5.3 million residents are at risk of eviction estimated 108,000 unsheltered homeless residents, at a time when an estimated 5.3 million residents are at risk of eviction Preserving 6,000 elementary school teachers Paying for public education for 41,000 K -12 students -12 students Supporting annual tuition and fees for 62,000 university students, nearly one out of every four incoming freshmen The campaign seeks to motivate Californians to make the best decision by asking for progress, not prisons. The best way is to start locally: talking to our community centers, with neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family, about the importance of registering to vote, voting, and encouraging others to do the same. Eligible Latinx voters are asked to make a "pledge" to support progress, not prisons, and to vote in the upcoming election, while committing to encouraging three friends, neighbors, family members or co-workers to vote. To facilitate the participation process, WVM & CSJ will make it possible for eligible voters to start the voter registration process via cell phone by sending a text message with the word PROGRESS to 52886. Studies show that around 8 out of 10 people who have taken the step of registering are more likely to vote on Election Day. "Overly punitive statutes have a devastating effect on the Latino community. Partnering with Californians for Safety and Justice will give us the opportunity to inform our community about how we can make progress in California through investments in infrastructure, schools, medical, and mental health services, instead of spending more on prisons and giving more people felonies for minor offenses," says Patricia Frausto-Rodriguez, Executive Director of World Voices Media, a nonprofit that works with other organizations to create social impact campaigns. "In just the past decade alone, California has spent $100 billion on prisons, taking resources away from what our families need to be healthy and safe," said Tinisch Hollins, Associate Director of Californians for Safety and Justice. "Instead of relying on incarceration to keep our communities safe, we need to commit to making necessary investments in prevention to stop the cycle of crime, health care, education, and programs that address homelessness, addiction and mental illness. Californians working on the frontlines to solve our greatest challenges are coming together to say that we can no longer afford to spend billions of dollars on prisons. We need progress, not prisons, and we must engage in our civic duty by registering to vote and casting our ballots," Hollins continued. As part of the "Progress Not Prisons" campaign, a dedicated page on LaRedHispana.org was created along with audio capsules which will be transmitted through the La Red Hispana network of more than 200 radio stations in Spanish. Video and social media elements will complement these assets through the La Red Hispana digital channels and social networks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as on its flagship programs such as Bienvenidos a America and Doctora Isabel's show. For more information visit the Spanish-language campaign page on LaRedHispana. org. Contact: Mercy Padilla (202) 360-4112 [email protected] SOURCE La Red Hispana The Ontario government is reappointing Metrolinx chief executive officer Phil Verster to a new term and giving him a substantial raise on his half-million-dollar salary, the Star has learned. Senior government sources familiar with the matter said Versters management of major projects like Premier Doug Fords controversial $28.5-billion GTA transit expansion plan and a significant increase in GO Transit service has given the province confidence hes the right person for the job. Were depending on his expertise, and his role is critical to delivering these promises that we campaigned on, said one of the sources, all of whom spoke on background in order to discuss Versters appointment before it was set to be announced Wednesday by an order in council. Considering the expansive mandate at (Metrolinx) we believe were getting good value, the source said. Verster, 57, will be appointed to a three-year term and get a base salary of $686,566 in 2021, the sources say. Thats a 35-per-cent increase to the $507,968 he earned in 2019, the most recent year for which figures are available through Ontarios public-sector salary disclosure. In addition to his base salary, Verster will be eligible for additional performance-based payments worth 20 per cent of his salary, which would take his potential earnings next year to more than $823,000. According to the source, a consultant hired by the chair of the Metrolinx board recommended the salary level after a scan of similar positions around the globe. Regardless, the provinces decision to hand Verster a pay hike at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has put the Ontario government under massive financial pressure is certain to cause blowback, especially in light of the fact Ford took aim at expensive salaries for CEOs of provincial agencies during his successful 2018 campaign. In August, the provincial government projected the economic fallout of the pandemic would push its deficit to a record $38.5 billion this year. At GO Transit, which Metrolinx oversees, ridership has been decimated, and with the second wave of the outbreak now gripping the province its unclear when if ever fare revenues will return to pre-COVID levels. But according to the sources, the government believes the pay increase is justified because the scope of Versters job has grown significantly thanks to the province taking control of new Toronto transit projects last year. Metrolinx is now in charge of delivering all of the major new lines under Fords GTA network expansion program, which includes the Ontario Line and Scarborough subway extension. When Mr. Verster was first hired on by the Liberal government back in 2017, what he was hired for was certainly not what hes been tasked with today, said one of the sources. A second senior government source said the province needed to do everything possible to retain Verster and ensure continuity during a time of crisis. If we had to have someone else to come in because we couldnt be globally competitive on salary, (it) would be extremely more disruptive to our programs and actually cost the taxpayers a lot because of the risks associated with that, a source said. Verster, a transit industry veteran and native of South Africa, was appointed to the top job at Metrolinx in 2017 for a three-year term. Before that he was an executive at ScotRail in the U.K.. He has been a major booster of Fords expansion plan, which in addition to the Ontario Line and Scarborough projects includes the Yonge North extension and Eglinton West LRT. In a statement set to be released Wednesday and reviewed by the Star, Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney backed Versters appointment, saying his commitment, dedication and considerable achievements to date have made real and significant improvements for transit riders across the Greater Golden Horseshoe and will help our government continue its path to building better public transit for generations to come. Verster has been commended for taking the lead on difficult negotiations to secure track rights from CN and CP to enable GO service expansion, and he has also spearheaded the provinces transit-oriented development strategy, while advancing customer-focused improvements like free Wi-Fi on GO vehicles. There have been bumps along the way. In 2018, under his leadership, Metrolinx gave the consortium building the Eglinton Crosstown LRT a $237-million settlement to keep the project on schedule. The decision was later criticized by Ontarios auditor general, who found Metrolinx agreed to the payment without verifying the costs were legitimate. The Crosstown has since fallen behind schedule again. Verster has also presided over a sometimes-messy dispute with the TTC over claims the Presto fare card network is deficient, and more recently came under fire for Metrolinx backing out of plans to donate land to build a community hub in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood. Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr Read more about: An earlier product, Gotham, has been used by defense and intelligence analysts and police departments to identify patterns deep within datasets. But the value of predictive policing tools developed with the platform have been questioned for their potential to unfairly target people of color. The New Orleans and New York City police departments, once customers, have used it. Representative image The passing of the recent labour reforms concludes the herculean attempt of the legislature in consolidating, amalgamating, updating, and rationalising several labour laws. These codes will likely be seen as one of the most important policy decisions of the current government with the potential to impact millions of organised and unorganised workers across the country while also ensuring that India has a competitive edge where industry and commerce is concerned. It is indeed walking a tightrope to balance two equally important and competing needs of industry and the workforce. Greater Autonomy In a move that will allow greater autonomy to employers, the threshold for requiring prior government approval for retrenchment and layoffs has been increased from 100 to 300 workers. Similarly, applicability of standing orders which govern the day-to-day functioning of an organisation has also been increased to establishments having 300 or more workers. Now employers have a free hand in having their own set of rules and regulations that would govern employer-employee conduct. Streamlined Negotiations The new code also brings in the concept of a negotiating union which will simplify the process of collective bargaining for employers, who will now have to deal with a single union rather than having to deal with multiple trade unions. Presumably, this will result in swifter resolutions with the interests of the majority workers being represented by one entity. The new provisions prevent workers from going on strike without proper notice. These measures are likely to attract foreign investments by players who have refrained from setting up their presence in India owing to rigid labour laws and pugnacious trade unions. Ease Of Doing Business The Occupational Safety Code and the Social Security Code introduces a period within which employee claims need to be brought against employers, after which they are time barred. Putting a time limit on claims of this nature gives greater certainty in business transactions such as corporate acquisitions and private equity investments where it is customary for promoters to indemnify investors or acquirees from such claims. All three codes also introduce the concept of compounding of offences by companies where companies can disclose their non-compliance for less stringent monetary penalties. Employers are generally wary of coming forward with non-compliances since most labour statutes provide for penalties such as imprisonment of the officers of the company. However, allowing compounding of offences will encourage employers to remedy non-compliances under labour laws without fear of retribution and imprisonment. The codes also make a push towards digitisation with several processes such as registrations, certifications etc. being moved online. This will surely lead to greater ease in compliance as well as transparency which would be welcomed by employers. Lessons From COVID-19 While encouragement to industry and commerce is one side of the story, the codes also include several provisions that benefit workers. Special provisions are made to strengthen the rights of migrant workers whose plight was brought front and centre in the pandemic. In fact, the definition of migrant workers has been significantly widened all workers coming from one state to another state, earning a monthly family income of less than Rs 18,000 will be considered migrant labour and will get benefits under the code. The pandemic has also underscored the importance of insurance coverage and access to healthcare for all. This lesson seems to have found place in the widening coverage of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under the code. Cast A Wider Net The scope of Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has also been widened and now all institutions which have 20 or more workers will be covered. Consequently, more of the workforce will be covered by this social security legislation. Fixed term employees also stand to benefit from the provisions of the code, with express provisions being included granting them the same benefits as permanent employees, including pro-rated gratuity. The new code also strives for gender equality, allowing women to work before 6 AM and beyond 7 PM with their consent for all types of work, but making employers responsible for their safety. There is also a provision for setting up common creches by organisations or groups of establishments that are unconnected. This will allow smaller establishments to extend such facilities to their employees. Increasing number of creches is critical to retaining women in the workforce. Fired. Now What? The Industrial Relations Code also contemplates creation of a re-skilling fund for the first time. It would be used to re-skill those workers who have lost their jobs, to enable them to be gainfully employed once again. From the fund, workers would be given 15 days salary in case of retrenchment. The code also contemplates setting up career centres presumably in place of employment exchanges. If run effectively, these centres would provide a fillip to job creation and effective placements. While allowing employers greater flexibility to hire and fire, the code is mindful of ensuring that workers are provided with adequate resources to ensure that they are brought back into the workforce. Clearing The Clutter Perhaps the most modest but far-reaching consequence of the codes will be to set to rest the ambiguity and conflicting provisions of various labour laws. Uniformity and harmonisation of provisions will benefit workers and employers alike by facilitating implementation, removing multiple definitions and authorities without compromising the basic concepts of welfare and benefits to workers. It has provided for far simpler mechanisms, reducing registration and licensing requirements under different laws. Lastly, the codes will make it easier for employers understand and comply with laws, and for the labour authorities enforce the law. These reforms are expected to promote setting up of more enterprises and investments in India which in turn will lead to creation of more employment opportunities and greater social welfare for the nations workers. The object is to achieve industrial peace and harmony as the ultimate pursuit and these codes are a long-awaited step in that direction. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 19:31:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province celebrates the 70th anniversary of its establishment this year. -- Over the past 70 years, two major changes have transformed fortunes in Garze. -- Democratic reforms in the 1950s led to the emancipation of serfs in the prefecture. -- China's anti-poverty efforts helped farmers and herders cast off poverty. CHENGDU, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- On rainy days, Changchub Drolma's legs ache more than ever. Years of toiling as a serf during her childhood has taken its toll on her health. "As a child, I was the 'property' of the landowner, and so were the other kids," said Changchub Drolma, 85. "I was a skinny girl, but I had to work day and night for the landlord," she said, still remembering the bright sun that hurt her eyes. Changchub Drolma is a resident of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Established in 1950, the highland prefecture has 1.2 million permanent residents, with 82 percent of them being Tibetan. Changchub Drolma reacts when talking about the past at home in Dawu County of Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Xiangji) Earlier this month, authorities held a ceremony to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its establishment. Changchub Drolma was once a serf in the area before democratic reforms transformed the prefecture in the 1950s. The reforms freed serfs and brought them land. These days, you are more likely to find Changchub Drolma sitting in the small hotel run by her family in the county of Dawu in Garze, her legs under warm blankets, and her cheerful grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing around. "Gone are the dark days when we had no freedom, food or houses of our own," she said. EMANCIPATION OF SERFS IN GARZE In 1935, Changchub Drolma was born into a family of serfs in the county of Dawu. As serfs, her impoverished parents would always lower their heads out of fear and insecurity. To survive in the feudal society of serfdom, Changchub Drolma learned at a young age how to plow, herd cows and sheep, wash dishes and clean floors in exchange for food. "I had to start working at the break of dawn. I starved all day, and I had to resist it," she recalled. "At sunset, I knew I could get some highland barley." "When I was too weak to work because of starvation, I secretly ate some of the left-over tea leaves from the landlord and chewed on them," she said. "I once saw a serf who was wrongly accused of stealing. The landlord grabbed him by the hair, hung him for three days and beat him until blood covered his body." A once poverty-stricken villager poses for a photo with his new house under construction in Geka Village of Mazi Town, Dawu County of Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Kun) In her memory, childhood was all about skinny body, dirty face and hard work. "I thought it was my destiny," she said. "I thought all serfs were born to work endlessly, suffer and die." Changchub Drolma's life took a drastic turn in 1956 when democratic reforms came to Garze and serfs started to fight for freedom. With the help of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and local authorities, she joined the militia. At that time, the county had just gone through reforms, and many rebels started to resort to bloodshed, killing PLA soldiers and local officials. The young Changchub Drolma joined in the fight against the rebels. "I remember seeing PLA soldiers being carried off from the battlefield on horseback with blood trailing them the whole way," she said. "I guarded the gate of the county Party committee with a gun in the day and carried water to the PLA soldiers at night." Following the battle, the serfs won houses, land and human rights. "We learned that our destiny is in our own hands," she said. In the ensuing decades in Garze, what was a broken world has gradually turned a new page: mud shacks turned into new Tibetan-style houses, electricity replaced candles and cement roads took over mud trails. Now, Changchub Drolma gets up early in the morning and makes steamed buns and buttered tea. "Although I am 85, I still work because I want the kids to know that hard-working people can live better lives through their own efforts," she said. FROM POVERTY TO PROSPERITY The democratic reforms liberated farmers and herders, but high altitudes, low oxygen and poor transportation in Garze remained to be stumbling blocks for development. Then comes China's nationwide poverty-relief efforts. The aim is to eradicate absolute poverty by the end of this year. In the Tibetan Yuthok New Village in Garze's Derge County, villager Tsering Raga has developed a hobby: eating hotpot. Tsering Raga shows her copper pots and an electric cooker in Tibetan Yuthok New Village in Derge County of Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Xiangji) "When I eat hotpot, I feel warm and the atmosphere around me is lively," said Tsering Raga, 76. Tsering Raga used to live in an old village tucked away in the mountains at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above sea level. It took one day to ride a horse from the bottom of the mountain to the old village. "Our family of four used to make ends meet in the mountain village by growing barley," she recalled. "Winter was the worst time because we had no electricity. On windy days, the cold gusts of wind blew right through the house, and on rainy days, we had to use basins to catch rainwater." Drinking water was also a problem, and locals had to dig ice for water in the valleys. In 2017, through a government-initiated relocation program, all villagers moved off the mountain and into their new Tibetan houses, which feature road lamps and wide village roads, with potato flowers dotting their yards. Photo taken on Aug. 5, 2020 shows a view of the Tibetan Yuthok New Village in Derge County of Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Xiangji) After moving, Tsering Raga's son found a job in the county and brought back many "novel items," including two copper pots for making hotpot and an electric cooker. "I really enjoy eating hotpot with my family," she said. Like Tsering Raga, more than 50,000 impoverished people in Garze have cast off poverty by relocation. Over the course of 70 years, Garze has seen economic aggregate surging from 34 million yuan (about 5 million U.S. dollars) in 1950 to 38.8 billion yuan in 2019. GDP per capita rose from 66 yuan in 1950 to 32,440 yuan last year. About 223,000 impoverished local residents have shaken off poverty. "The past 70 years have seen people work hard to make Garze what it is today -- a beautiful picture of the prefecture rising from closure to openness, from left-behind to advancement and from poverty to prosperity," said Liu Chengming, secretary of the Garze prefectural committee of the Communist Party of China. "In the future, there are more happiness ahead for the Garze people," said Liu. (Reporting by Zhong Qun, Zhou Xiangji, Lu Youyi and Kang Jinqian; Video reporter: Yang Jin; Video editor: Wu Yao) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. AP-Yonhap U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit South Korea next week for talks with high-level officials there, the U.S. State Department said Tuesday. His planned visit comes after South Korean President Moon Jae-in proposed declaring an end to the Korean War as a way of bringing North Korea back to the dialogue table over its denuclearization process. It will be part of his three-nation trip that will begin Sunday, according to the State Department. He will first head to Tokyo where he will meet with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan in a four-way forum known as the Quad. "Secretary Pompeo will also visit Ulaanbaatar October 7, and Seoul October 7-8 for meetings with senior officials," the State Department said in a released statement. Seoul's foreign ministry said South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Pompeo are set to hold talks Thursday to discuss bilateral relations, the Korean Peninsula situation and regional and global issues. "Secretary Pompeo's visit to South Korea this time is expected to deepen bilateral cooperation on Korean Peninsula, regional and global issues, and serve as an opportunity to further develop the alliance," the ministry said in a press release. Pompeo's visit to Seoul will mark the first of its kind in over a year since June 2019, when he accompanied U.S. President Donald Trump to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. North Korea has since stayed away from denuclearization talks. As part of efforts to restart the denuclearization negotiations, Moon called for international efforts to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly last week. The South Korean president insisted the move would provide a security guarantee that Pyongyang has long sought. Earlier Tuesday, however, North Korea's ambassador to the world body, Kim Song, said his country will not "sell off" its dignity for what he called a "brilliant transformation" of its economy. The North Korean diplomat also claimed his country has obtained a "reliable security guarantee" based on absolute strength. Pyongyang declared having perfected its nuclear and long-range missile capabilities in late 2017 when it staged its sixth and last nuclear test, followed by a series of intercontinental ballistic missile launches. (Yonhap) A group is seeking to get a question on the March 3 city ballot that would set up a Chattanooga Community Control Board with much stronger powers than the new Police Advisory Board. The Election Commission discussed the 27-page document on Wednesday and said the group needs to revise some of its language, but said it is close to getting it acceptable to state election officials. When approved by the election panel, the group would need to get enough names on a petition equal to 25 percent of votes cast in the last mayor election. That would require 4,719 names. Citizens would then vote yes or no on the proposal. The control board would have nine members, including six designated from the following groups: Cempa Community Cares, Chattanooga Racial Equity Collective, the Concerned Citizens for Justice, Tennessee United, the Unity Group of Chattanooga and 10,000 Fearless of Chattanooga. The proposal says the mayor "shall accept nominations from each of the six organizations. . . All board member nominations shall be approved by the Chattanooga City Council." Those six at-large members would then get together and choose the remaining three members. It says, "All board nominations shall be accepted and approved by the mayor and Chattanooga City Council." The nine members would make the same salary as City Council members. The office would have an annual budget of up to $1 million. The board would have the power "to receive, investigate, hear, make findings and recommend action upon complaints by members of the public against uniformed and sworn personnel of the CPD that allege misconduct. . ." The board could issue subpoenas while investigating the complaints, could require the police to turn over some its files, and could go out to the scene where alleged police misconduct occurred. It could also set up a mediation program to resolve issues relating to citizen allegations. The proposal says, "The Board shall provide its findings of fact to the Chief of Police and, absent clear error, the Chief of Police shall accept those findings of fact. The Board shall also make disciplinary recommendations and the Chief of Police shall make all disciplinary decisions based on the Board's findings of fact, absent clear error, and consistent with the matrix and guidelines." Police officers would be summoned before the board for "interviews." Police are to provide to the board the number of stops made by police officers during the previous quarter broken down on such data as the race, ethnicity, gender or age of the person stopped, and give an explanation of the reason for the stop. Additional detailed information about the stops are required. The board also wants to know quarterly the number of use of force incidents by the CPD and detailed information about those. It says if the chief of police does not go along with a discipline recommendation from the board that he may be summoned before the panel to explain why. HALIFAXDalhousies faculty association says the universitys president may have violated academic freedom after he emailed teachers, staff and students to warn them against making negative comments about an Indigenous-run fishery. The presidents letter, dated Sept. 23, came after weeks of tension between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers over the right of the Sipeknekatik First Nation to fish and sell lobster during the off-season in southwestern Nova Scotia. Negative comments against the Indigenous community exercising their right to a livelihood are not reflective of Dalhousies core values, reads the email, signed by Dalhousie president Deep Saini and vice-provost Theresa Rajack-Talley. This includes any disparaging comments by any Dalhousie community member(s). Faculty association president David Westwood said Wednesday his organization is looking into whether the email is a violation of academic freedom. He declined to make further comments. David Robinson, the executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, says the letter comes off as ambiguous at best. It tended to conflate things that might be legitimately criticism with things that might be harassment or discrimination that are illegal under the law, he said in an interview Wednesday. Negative comments themselves dont breach regulations and are protected by the universitys principles of academic freedom of expression, he added. Robinson said Dalhousie should consider clarifying the statements as different interpretations could leave faculty wondering if negative comments could lead to disciplinary actions. I think theyve handled this a little awkwardly. Dalhousie spokesperson Janet Bryson said Wednesday the president sent the email to promote and emphasize respectful dialogue within our community in line with our values and in response to matter where unacceptable, discriminatory remarks were made. This was not related to academic faculty sharing their expertise. Academic freedom is a core value of Dalhousie University and we support our facultys rights and responsibilities within this area, Bryson said in an email. Mikmaq fishers have been asserting their treaty right, which was affirmed in a 1999 Supreme Court decision, to fish for a moderate livelihood. They say non-Indigenous fishers have threatened and intimidated them for their off-season fishery. The Sipeknekatik First Nation says non-Indigenous fishers recently removed 350 Mikmaq lobster traps from St. Marys Bay and vandalized equipment and vessels. Non-Indigenous fishers, however, say the Mikmaq should follow the licensing system established by the federal government, which prohibits lobster fishing during the off-season, which is from May to November. Colin Sproul, president of the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermens Association, said Wednesday the presidents letter has driven a wedge between the commercial fishing associations and the marine science department at Dalhousie. Anybody ... at Dalhousie should be concentrating on science and not politics and those statements cant be viewed as anything but political statements, Sproul said in an interview. Sproul says the off-season was created to allow the lobster stocks to replenish. But that claim has been criticized by some marine experts, who say the stocks are plentiful and the Indigenous fishery doesnt pose an ecological threat. Fred Whoriskey, an adjunct professor in the biology department, disagrees with Sproul. A day after the president sent the email, the biology department published a statement of support for the Mikmaq fishers on its website. The Department of Biology at Dalhousie University stands in solidarity with Mikmaw fishers, the statement reads. We respect the rule of law and reject the use of violence in all circumstances for the settling of disputes. Whoriskey said the department isnt concerned about appearing biased because the statement doesnt breach the universitys concerns about hateful comments toward the Indigenous community. We understand the university is an academic institution with academic freedom, Whoriskey said in an interview Wednesday. So honest debate, respectful debate surrounding a variety of different issues, hopefully the university would be the place that would foster these kinds of discussion in a constructive and civil manner. Read more about: The Assemblys economy committee was being updated on the Internal Market Bill and the Trade Bill (PA) Certain Japanese goods sold in Great Britain as part of a new trade deal may not be available in Northern Ireland due to the Brexit deal, a Stormont official has said. The application of the Northern Ireland protocol in the region may also see it excluded from protections offered on some goods to ensure fair competition within the UK internal market, the Assemblys economy committee heard. The concerns were flagged by Department for the Economy (DfE) officials as they briefed members on the potential impact of domestic legislation on post-Brexit trading arrangements currently going through Parliament. The committee was being updated on the Internal Market Bill, which sets the terms for trade with the UK after the end of the transition period, and the Trade Bill, which will create a framework for the UKs international trade policy. On both pieces of legislation, members were alerted to ways Northern Ireland may end up being treated differently due to the regions continued alignment with EU Single Market rules on goods. Expand Close Northern Ireland Economy Minister Diane Dodds has voiced concerns about the Trade Bill (Liam MuBurney/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Northern Ireland Economy Minister Diane Dodds has voiced concerns about the Trade Bill (Liam MuBurney/PA) Under the terms of the Northern Ireland protocol, many goods made in the region will still have to adhere to EU standards after the transition period ends. Products made in the rest of the UK would be subject to standards set by the UK Government. DfE official Victor Dukelow referred to the recent trade deal agreed between the UK and Japan as he highlighted what consequences the protocol could have for Northern Ireland. The sort of outworking of all of this may mean that there are products from Japan that previously would not have gained access to the EU market that would now be able to gain access to the GB marketplace, he said. So our position under the protocol, were that to be the case, is we would be following EU rules and until the EU determines that those products are allowed into Northern Ireland, or into the EU, then there will be points of difference that emerge. And I suspect those will start to emerge as part of the Japanese deal. It would appear that some of these market access principles for goods don't apply in Northern Ireland, or they don't apply to goods that fall under the scope of the protocol here DfE official Stephen Kelly Mr Dukelow said that was not necessarily due to a lowering of standards in the rest of the UK, rather a different approach to standards. Economy Minister Diane Dodds has already made clear she will not ask the Assembly to give its legislative consent for the Trade Bill until the Government makes binding commitments that ensure Northern Ireland can play a full part in future trade deals struck by the UK. Mr Dukelow said the need for Northern Ireland exporters to potentially have to apply different standards than competitors elsewhere in the UK could undermine their ability to benefit from the opportunities offered by trade deals. Our concern under the Trade Bill is that these kinds of points of difference could lead to a differential of standards between Northern Ireland as we operate under the protocol and the UK in a manner that means our competitive position is less strong in GB and less strong as we compete alongside GB firms into FTAs around the globe, including Japan in future, he said. I think that thats where our chief concern lies. The Internal Market Bill aims to establish a set of market access principles to govern trade within the UK after the transition period. These are based on the concepts of mutual recognition and non-discrimination and are designed to ensure that companies have equal access to sell their goods through the entirety of the UK market. DfE official Stephen Kelly said while Northern Ireland would be covered by protections offered in the legislation for services and mutual recognition of qualifications, it was not clear whether the goods would be included. It would appear that some of these market access principles for goods dont apply in Northern Ireland, or they dont apply to goods that fall under the scope of the protocol here, he said. Mr Kelly said the department was trying to gain clarity from the Government on the issue. What were looking for is how does this Bill, and the other pieces of the puzzle around unfettered access, how does it protect our businesses in the GB market whenever our goods are being made potentially to different standards, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Wed, September 30, 2020 18:03 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c484244a 2 People Meghan-Markle Free Meghan, Britain's Duchess of Sussex said on Tuesday that her public remarks often were misinterpreted by critics and were "not controversial." The American-born Meghan has urged people to promote positivity online and, with her husband Prince Harry, encouraged Americans to vote in the November presidential election. That prompted a backlash in some quarters because Britain's royal family do not traditionally venture into politics. In response to a question at Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women Summit, Meghan said she tried to be "authentic" in public comments and that her remarks often were misconstrued. "If you look back at anything that I've said, it's really interesting because what ends up being inflammatory, it seems, is people's interpretation of it," Meghan said. "But if you listen to what I actually say, it's not controversial." On Tuesday, Meghan encouraged people to avoid clicking on misinformation online and to report comments that are untrue. "As we are just days away from this election period, we have got to all put our stock in something that is true," she said. "And we all need to have reliable media news sources that are telling us the truth. Without that I don't know where it leaves us." Harry and Meghan now live in Southern California after stepping down from their royal roles in March to forge new careers. They moved out of Britain after growing media hostility. Earlier this month, the couple signed a production deal with Netflix Inc to produce films and TV series. WATERLOO REGION Hundreds of students learning in-person at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board are making the switch to virtual learning after the Thanksgiving weekend. The board says 877 students attending school for face-to-face learning will move to virtual learning for Oct. 13, whereas 101 students currently learning virtually will move to in-person learning. After the switch, there will be a total 4,066 learning virtually with the boards St. Isidore school, and 20,414 learning in person. While we do have more than 100 students moving from virtual to face-to-face, the number going the other direction means there will definitely have to be some reorganization of some classes primarily in those schools which are more impacted, said John Shewchuk, spokesperson for the board. Schools where more students are making the switch to virtual we will see some teachers from those schools moved into the virtual environment as well. It is not ideal and certainly not our preference to disrupt learning at this point in the year, but we have no choice. Shewchuk said the disruption to learning is the trade-off of offering parents two learning options. We have neither the money nor staff even if we had the money to have teachers for two parallel systems, he said. Students and families who wanted to make the switch this early into the school year, were asked to make a decision by Sept. 28. We did have an initial survey in August for families, to ask whether their children would be attending in person or virtually and based on that we created our classes in regular schools and developed our virtual school, said Jason Connolly, superintendent for the Catholic Board. We then established intervals or transition points where families could re-evaluate their decision and decide whether they wanted to move back into regular school or into virtual. Elementary students will be able to request a switch again in November and late January. For secondary students, changes can be made at the end of each quadmester. For students in the public elementary school system, parents and guardians were asked to decide by Sept. 25 if they wanted to switch from one learning mode to another. The number of students making the change isnt known yet, but this data is expected to be available on Friday, said Alana Russell, chief communications officer with the Waterloo Region District School Board. The majority of the requests received have been to move from in-person to distance learning, she said. But there have been some requests to move from distance learning to in-person. These transitions will be made in mid-October. The next time students can make the switch will be early into the new year. The number of elementary students in the English distance learning program as of Sept. 18, was 8,015. In the French-speaking distance learning program there was 1,371. In the secondary school system, there are 2,586 students taking online courses exclusively. High school students will get the opportunity to change learning modes at the end of each quadmester, the next one being in mid-November. Russell said the rising number of COVID-19 cases is likely playing a role in students moving from in-class to distance learning, but another factor could be that students and parents see the online learning program as an opportunity they havent had before. If it meets their personal needs, then thats the purpose behind offering the option. We want our families to be comfortable and confident in the education their child is receiving. Mithun Chakraborty was worried for his family as the the 'only earning member' during the pandemic Since first appearing in late 2019, the novel virus, SARS-CoV-2, has had a range of impacts on those it infects. Some people become severely ill with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and require hospitalization, whereas others have mild symptoms or are even asymptomatic. There are several factors that influence a person's susceptibility to having a severe reaction, such as their age and the existence of other medical conditions. But one's genetics also plays a role, and, over the last few months, research by the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative has shown that genetic variants in one region on chromosome 3 impose a larger risk that their carriers will develop a severe form of the disease. Now, a new study, published in Nature, has revealed that this genetic region is almost identical to that of a 50,000-year old Neanderthal from southern Europe. Further analysis has shown that, through interbreeding, the variants came over to the ancestors of modern humans about 60,000 years ago. "It is striking that the genetic heritage from Neanderthals has such tragic consequences during the current pandemic," said Professor Svante Paabo, who leads the Human Evolutionary Genomics Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST). Is severe COVID-19 written in our genes? Chromosomes are tiny structures that are found in the nucleus of cells and carry an organism's genetic material. They come in pairs with one chromosome in each pair inherited from each parent. Humans have 23 of these pairs. Thus, 46 chromosomes carry the entirety of our DNA - millions upon millions of base pairs. And although the vast majority are the same between people, mutations do occur, and variations persist, at the DNA level. The research by the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative looked at over 3,000 people including both people who were hospitalized with severe COVID-19 and people who were infected by the virus but weren't hospitalized. It identified a region on chromosome 3 that influences whether a person infected with the virus will become severely ill and needs to be hospitalized. The identified genetic region is very long, spanning 49.4 thousand base pairs, and the variants that impose a higher risk to severe COVID-19 are strongly linked - if a person has one of the variants then they're very likely to have all thirteen of them. Variants like these have previously been found to come from Neanderthals or Denisovans so Professor Paabo, in collaboration with Professor Hugo Zeberg, first author of the paper and a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Karolinska Institutet, decided to investigate whether this was the case. They found that a Neanderthal from southern Europe carried an almost identical genetic region whereas two Neanderthals from southern Siberia and a Denisovan did not. Next, they questioned whether the variants had come over from Neanderthals or had been inherited by both Neanderthals and present-day people through a common ancestor. If the variants had come from interbreeding between the two groups of people, then this would have occurred as recently as 50,000 years ago. Whereas, if the variants had come from the last common ancestor, they would have been around in modern humans for about 550,000 years. But random genetic mutations, and recombination between chromosomes, would have also occurred during this time and because the variants between the Neanderthal from southern Europe and present-day people are so similar over such a long stretch of DNA, the researchers showed that it was much more likely that they came from interbreeding. Professor Paabo and Professor Zeberg concluded that Neanderthals related to the one from southern Europe contributed this DNA region to present-day people around 60,000 years ago when the two groups met. Neanderthal variants pose up to three times the risk Professor Zeberg explained that those who carry these Neanderthal variants have up to three times the risk of requiring mechanical ventilation. "Obviously, factors such as your age and other diseases you may have also affect how severely you are affected by the virus. But among genetic factors, this is the strongest one." The researchers also found that there are major differences in how common these variants are in different parts of the world. In South Asia about 50% of the population carry them. However, in East Asia they're almost absent. It is not yet known why the Neanderthal gene region is associated with increased risk of becoming severely ill. "This is something that we and others are now investigating as quickly as possible," said Professor Paabo. ### The Court of Appeals has overturned the decision of the first instance court to invalidate special permit for production of hydrocarbons of Arkona Gas-Energy LLC. "Thus, on September 29, the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeals held a hearing on the appeal of Arkona Gas-Energy, which is part of Smart Energy group of companies and is a Ukrainian asset of British Public Company Enwell Energy. The company appealed to the Court of Appeals to overturn the July decision of the Kyiv District Administrative Court on a lawsuit filed by PJSC Ukrnafta to invalidate Arkona's special permit for hydrocarbon production at Svystunkivsko-Chervonolutske field," according to a report on the website of Smart Energy. "We are rooting for decision of the Sixth Court of Appeals. It is not only an opportunity for us to continue preparing for drilling the first well in a quarter of a century but also a green light for foreign investors to invest in the Ukrainian economy and a tendency to reduce investment risks here," Serhiy Hlazunov, the CEO of Smart Energy Group and Enwell Energy company, said. "We consider such decision of the Court of Appeals to be quite legal and logical, because in the end of 2019 the Supreme Court in another case has already established that the permit was issued to Arkona in a legal way. That is, the court of the first instance in making the contested decision in this case actually reviewed decision of the Supreme Court, which violated the principle of legal certainty and binding nature of the court decision, regulated by both national and international laws. Also, the court of the first instance committed a number of procedural violations, which, given today's decision, did not go unnoticed by the Court of Appeal," Gleb Bialyi, a partner at Asters law firm, which represented Arkona in this case, said. Enwell Energy plans to start drilling the first well at the field by the end of 2020. CLEVELAND, OhioAbout 500 chanting, sign-wielding demonstrators against President Donald Trump gathered and marched on Clevelands East Side late Tuesday afternoon, ahead of the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University. The gathering, put together by left-leaning organizers, included people calling attention to issues ranging from racial justice to inequality at the Cuyahoga County Jail, though all voiced a dislike of the president. Watch police officer outside presidential debate give Cleveland Black Lives Matter protesters the finger >> After gathering at the Wade Oval, the crowd marched up Martin Luther King Drive and around the Cleveland Museum of Art before returning down East Blvd. to where they began. Malia Lewis, a 54-year-old Cleveland Heights resident, showed up to the rally with a sign reading >$750, a reference to a recent New York Times report that Trump paid only $750 per year in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. When asked if shes been protesting a lot, Lewis said, Yeah, its been a busy summer. Cleveland Police getting in position along Carnegie Avenue not far from debate site. pic.twitter.com/Ws8HGDe0G8 Peter Krouse (@PeterKrouse) September 29, 2020 Molly Garfield, a 61-year-old Cleveland resident, said shes been active against police brutality for many years. I feel very passionately that Trump is a disaster, Garfield said. And Im very passionate about racial justice and against capitalism. Garfield said while shes critical of Democratic nominee Joe Biden, she intends to vote for him. Im not thrilled with the choices, she said. Asked what she wants the candidates to take away from the demonstrations, Garfield said, I want them to see that theres a strong section of the population that feels very strongly about racial justice. Demonstrators hold signs and "Baby Trump" balloons during a protest at Wade Oval on Tuesday evening ahead of the first presidential debate. (Robin Goist, cleveland.com) Gunnar Calvert, a senior at Case Western, said he doesnt mind that his school is hosting the debate. Its interesting to see people come together to express solidarity, as long as it remains peaceful which I believe it will, said Calvert, a native of Pennsylvania. Madison Hirschfeld, a 21-year-old student at Case Western Reserve University, holds a sign during a demonstration at Wade Oval ahead of Tuesday's presidential debate (Eric Heisig, cleveland.com) Mia Miller, a 19-year-old Cleveland resident holding a sign criticizing Cleveland transit police, said her grandmother protested during the Civil Rights Era. We shouldnt be going through this right now in 2020," Miller said. "The fact that this (protesting) has to repeat itself is kind of sad. Protesters gather before the Cleveland presidential debate. (Eric Heisig, cleveland.com) Jade Roberts, Millers longtime friend, said she was attending her first protest. I just want to make history, Roberts said. About 10 police officers were at the demonstration and kept a low profile early Tuesday evening. You can watch the protests live on cleveland.coms Facebook page: Protesters march from the protest organized by Black Lives Matter Cleveland, Black Spring Cleveland and other groups through Cleveland. Posted by cleveland.com on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 A protest featuring members of Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists, Black Spring Cleveland and other groups is taking place ahead of tonights Presidential Debate. Hayden Grove is at Wade Lagoon showing you the scene. Posted by cleveland.com on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 A protest organized by various left-leaning groups is taking place outside of Wade Lagoon near the Cleveland Museum of Art ahead of tonights Presidential Debate. HHayden Groveis on the scene, taking your thoughts, comments and questions now. Posted by cleveland.com on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 Hayden Grove contributed. PHOENIX, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ReadyCloud Suite ( https://www.ReadyCloud.com )a Shipping, Returns and CRM suite built for eCommercehas officially been added to WooCommerce Marketplace . ReadyCloud gives WooCommerce merchants a variety of tools to improve the way they work, so they can deliver an excellent consumer experience with each sale. "WooCommerce is known for being a user-friendly and easy to set-up shopping cart," explains Michael Lazar, a Partner at ReadyCloud. "With the addition of the ReadyCloud Suite, merchants will have all the backend tools they need to improve the way they work and deliver an excellent consumer experience. ReadyCloud's robust tools help merchants execute their promise to consumers for fast fulfillment, customer-friendly returns and great communication throughout the process." The ReadyCloud Suite connects to WooCommerce via a single, modern plugin that can take the place of many without causing conflicts. It provides a Suite of functionality to improve workflow, operational efficiency and communication between teams in a day and age of decentralized and often remote workforces. Since ReadyCloud integrates with today's most popular sales channels and marketplaces (including Amazon, eBay and Walmart), it helps merchants see their cross-channel data in news ways. ReadyCloud's orders-based CRM delivers features complimentary to WooCommerce. Examples include: Cross-channel order performance. Graphical timeline to detail shipping, delivery and returns. Advanced product filtering for restricted items. Customizable Views to see data by product, delivery, discount codes and more. Tasks to organize and create conversations among internal groups. Growth marketing to email or SMS tracking and delivery confirmations, customer follow-ups and cross promotion. ReadyCloud's growth marketing tool is called Action Alerts and it's included in the WooCommerce bundle. Action Alerts is intelligent and action-based. It gives every merchant the versatility of action based notifications for automatic shipment tracking, delivery, upsells, cross-sells, or follow-up on a perishable item, for example. Action Alerts is rules based and can be proactively set to keep the merchant's brand in sight months after the original purchase. "The new WooCommerce integration for ReadyCloud is a complete backend solution that includes features like CRM, Shipping, Returns and Growth Marketing," Lazar says. "These are all pieces that would take multiple plugins that can add clutter and bloat or that are simply not available for WooCommerce at this time. But you can get them all by plugging WooCommerce into the ReadyCloud Suite instead... to see past the 'Buy' button and deliver a shopping experience that leaves your customers elated!" The ReadyCloud Suite starts at $24/month per user. The WooCommerce integration is featured at: https://woocommerce.com/products/readycloud-crm-bundle/ , where it can be easily installed for a no-risk trial. ReadyCloud can be expanded to meet the needs of growing merchants with powerful apps that include ReadyShipper , a multi-carrier shipping software; and ReadyReturns , for "Amazon-like" returns built into the pages of the merchants WooCommerce store. Got questions? Give ReadyCloud a ring at: 877-818-7447. Or email them at: [email protected] . Learn more at: https://www.ReadyCloud.com About ReadyCloud ReadyCloud is a suite of connected systems designed to improve the way you work. Shipping , Returns , Growth Marketing and more are all connected through ReadyCloud for better communications from Admin to Operations. Contact: Michael Lazar 4809399372 [email protected] SOURCE ReadyCloud Suite Related Links https://www.readycloud.com New Delhi, Sep 30 : After the special CBI court in Lucknow acquitted all the accused charged with conspiracy to demolish the Babri mosque, the Congress on Wednesday demanded that the government go in appeal against the acquittal. The Congress has said the decision of the court runs counter to the decision of the Supreme Court of India, as the BJP-RSS were part of the conspiracy to demolish the mosque. Addressing the media, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "The decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to the Supreme Court judgement as also the Constitutional spirit." "Every Indian, who has innate faith in the Constitution as also in the spirit of communal amity and brotherhood, expects and urges the Central and the state governments to file an 'appeal,' against the decision of the Special Court founded in error and follow the letter of the law and the Constitution, without any partiality and pre-meditated prejudice. "This is the true calling of rule of law and our Constitution," said Surjewala. He said, "The Supreme Court in its judgement dated November 9, 2019 pronounced by five judges clearly held that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and 'egregious violation of the rule of law'. Surjewala cited the SC judgment in para 788 XVII x, which said: "On 6 December 1992, the structure of the mosque was brought down and the mosque was destroyed. The destruction of the mosque took place in breach of the order of status quo and an assurance given to this Court. The destruction of the mosque and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the rule of law. "Para 800 said, "The Constitution postulates the equality of all faiths. Tolerance and mutual co-existence nourish the secular commitment of our nation and its people." He said, "The entire country witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by the BJP-RSS and its leaders to destroy the country's communal amity and brotherhood for usurping power at any cost. "The then BJP government of Uttar Pradesh was a co-conspirator in the designed attack on India's Constitutional ethos. So much so that the Supreme Court was misled by filing a wrong affidavit on oath. It is only after detailed examination of all these aspects, facts and evidence that the Supreme Court held the demolition of the Masjid to be 'an egregious violation of the rule of law." "But, still the Special Court found no one guilty," said Surjewala. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 00:30:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARARE, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday commissioned the first batch of farm equipment under a deal with Belarus. The batch includes 163 tractors, 19 combine harvesters and low bed haulage trucks with more equipment expected before year end, Mnangagwa said at the launch in Harare. The two countries also agreed on a 50 million U.S. dollars agricultural equipment deal, which would constitute phase two of the Belarus farm mechanization program. "Zimbabwe requires more than 40,000 tractors and 600 combine harvesters with associated matching implements. It is out of this need to cover this gap and equip local farmers that my government engaged the Belarus government to establish the facility we are launching today," Mnangagwa said. The Belarus farm mechanization facility deal follows engagements made by Mnangagwa last year with his Belarusian counterpart President Alexander Lukashenko when he visited that country. Mnangagwa said the equipment would be distributed through local banks. "Beneficiaries of the Belarus mechanization facility, like those for the John Deere facility, must be credit worthy farmers. The facility will be accessed through local banks who have been appointed as implementing agents," he said. He said corruption will not be tolerated in the distribution of the equipment, with only productive farmers set to benefit. Improving agricultural output for national food security as well as for raw materials for industry remained a top priority for the government, Mnangagwa said. He said the use of modern equipment together with effective utilization of the country's water bodies will undoubtedly help the country to mitigate the impact of climate change. "This will in turn have an enduring impact on sustainable economic recovery and growth given the centrality of agriculture in our economy," Mnangagwa said, adding that besides Zimbabwe's cooperation with Belarus in the agriculture sector, plans were underway to enhance cooperation in the mining sector. Speaking at the same event, Agriculture, Mechanization and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka said the Belarus deal and the multi-million dollar deal with American firm John Deere, would help to boost agricultural production. "All together, this brings the mechanization thrust to 152 million U.S. dollars in just 12 months and this will bring into the country a cumulative 3,000 tractors which is unprecedented in the history of our country," he said. He said Zimbabwe has just over 6,000 tractors that were acquired over the past 20 years. "In twelve months we have managed to get 3,000 units," he said. Enditem Piers Morgans Spitting Image puppet has been revealed ahead of the shows return this weekend. The political satire show will air on streaming service BritBox this Saturday (3 October), with a new season of episodes taking aim at political and pop cultural figures through the use of distorted puppets. One famous name being given the Spitting Image treatment is Morgan, who was brought face-to-face with an image of his puppet during this mornings (30 September) episode of Good Morning Britain. Ive waited all my adult life to have Spitting Image do a puppet of me and then last night I got sent the image and I was like, You know what, I couldve waited another 40 years for this, Morgan said. As you can see, it bears no resemblance to me whatsoever. The 'GMB' host met his puppet self (ITV) In the caricatured puppet, Morgans chin is enlarged, while his mouth appears in a shrunken pout. The picture was reshared on social media by Gary Lineker, who mocked Morgan as he tweeted that it was the first time I can recall a Spitting Image puppet to be actually quite flattering. While the initial images released from Spitting Image were of Conservative politicians such as Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab, creator Roger Law has insisted that the new series will mock figures from across the political spectrum. Explaining that there was no fun in only targeting the right-wing people, Law said: Theres lots of ammunition to throw at the other side as well. You go for them all. Other celebrities being parodied in puppet form for Spitting Image include Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, RuPaul, Adele, Elon Musk, Beyonce, and James Corden. Authorities identified the two who were arrested in a police pursuit that is under review, which began in Montclair and left two cops and a civilian injured. Rajon Norwood, 48, and Kisha Eutsey, 32, both of Newark, face multiple charges in connection to the incident. Their names were released more than a week after the crash happened and they were arrested on Sept. 22. Norwood, the driver of the car, faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a weapon, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest by flight, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Eutsey faces possession of drug paraphernalia and receiving stolen property. The Essex County Prosecutors Office previously said the incident was being investigated by its Professional Standards Bureau. A Montclair police officer stopped their vehicle for various motor violations around 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 22, authorities said. It is still unclear what type of motor violations. Authorities said the officer learned the vehicle had been reported stolen during the course of the stop. The vehicle fled and struck a Montclair police officer, the prosecutors office said. The pursuit ended in the area of North 6th Street in Newark when the vehicle struck a parked car owned by a civilian. An Orange police officer who was responding to assist and a civilian were injured, authorities said. Norwood is being held at the Essex County Jail, while Eutsey was released. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. The domestic stock market ended Wednesday's volatile session on a flat note with a positive bias, lifted mainly by HDFC Bank, HDFC, and FMCG stocks. The S&P BSE Sensex settled 95 points, or 0.25 per cent higher at 38,068 levels, while the Nifty50 index ended at 11,226.5 levels, up 4 points, or 0.04 per cent. Tech Mahindra (up nearly 3 per cent), Titan (up nearly 3 per cent), Nestle India, and Hindustan Unilever (both up 2 per cent) were the top Sensex gainers. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel and Tata Steel ended as the top losers. Among individual stocks, Reliance Industries rose 1 per cent in early deals after the company said that General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, will invest Rs 3,675 cr in Reliance Retail Ventures Limited. The stock, however, ended 0.49 per cent lower at Rs 2,233.75 on the BSE. BPCL tumbled nearly 9% after the government extended the deadline to submit an expression of interest (EoI) for the company's privatisation to November 16, 2020. Lakshmi Vilas Bank slipped nearly 7 per cent to Rs 18.8 on the BSE on concerns Clix Capitals proposed deal may not materialise after a large section of the banks shareholders voted against the reappointment of the top brass. The trend among Nifty sectoral indices was mixed, with the Nifty FMCG index, up over 1 per cent, leading the list of gainers. In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap and SmallCap indexes ended 0.05 per cent and 0.04 per cent higher, respectively. In the primary market, UTI AMC IPO gets subscribed 47% while that of Mazagon Dock gets subscribed over 4 times on Day 2. Likhita Infra offer was subscribed 2 times till 4 pm. In the global markets, stocks fell and safer assets, such as the yen and dollar, found buyers on Wednesday after a chaotic first US presidential debate and rising Covid-19 cases turned investors cautious, though strong factory surveys boosted Chinas MSCIs broadest index of world shares which tracks nearly 50 countries dropped 0.2 per cent for a 4 per cent September loss. Oil prices extended losses as rising Covid-19 cases fuelled demand concerns. PITTSBURGH, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mortgage Connect, a leading national mortgage services provider for the nation's largest financial institutions, investors and servicers, today announced Kevin McCrea as Vice President of PR & Marketing. McCrea has 14 years of experience in the industry, most recently serving as the director of strategic alliances for the Five Star Institute an industry mainstay of publications, events and affinity groups. While at Five Star, McCrea successfully oversaw sales and marketing strategies along with brand positioning and awareness for numerous portfolio servicing management companies. McCrea has a broad scope of industry experience, having engaged with all organizational types including lenders, servicers, GSE's and service providers. "Kevin joining our organization is great timing," said Jeff Coury, Chief Executive Officer of Mortgage Connect. "He brings invaluable experience with marketing, publishing and branding. With Mortgage Connect's rapid expansion and addition of products and services throughout the mortgage continuum, Kevin will be leading the charge to succinctly deliver our message through various marketing and public relations strategies." McCrea will spearhead the management of corporate branding, marketing strategy and business development among other initiatives. Heavily integrated with the sales team, McCrea plans to help leverage the company's tremendous growth and expansion as a leading innovator in the digital transformation of the industry. His arrival coincides with Mortgage Connect's recent naming to Inc. Magazine's Fastest-Growing Private Companies list the second time in three years the company has been recognized on the list. About Mortgage Connect LP Mortgage Connect is a Pittsburgh, PA headquartered national mortgage services provider, serving the Origination, Default, Valuation, Critical Communications, Loss Mitigation and Capital Markets sectors. Mortgage Connect employs 1000+ professionals with additional offices in New York, Texas, California, Colorado, Nevada and Alabama. The company offers customizable solutions for the nation's lenders and servicers, including 4 of the top 5 and 17 of the top 20. Through its serve-first culture, Mortgage Connect and its subsidiaries are committed to an unwavering level of communication, education and customer service on each transaction. For more information, visit www.mortgageconnectlp.com. SOURCE Mortgage Connect LP Related Links www.mortgageconnectlp.com Lisa Curry bid farewell to her daughter Jaimi at her funeral earlier this month, following her death at the age of 33. Since then, a devastated Lisa has shared several gut-wrenching social media posts about grief and her 'unbearable sadness and anger'. But on Wednesday, the three-time Olympian documented her trip to the beach on Instagram, and hinted that she was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Healing: On Wednesday, Lisa Curry documented her trip to the beach on social media, and hinted that she was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after the death of her daughter Jaimi earlier this month 'Just "pawsing" for a moment to take in some joy': The three-time Olympian spent the morning at Stumers Creek, near Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast 'Just "pawsing" for a moment to take in some joy. Mali's first time at the beach.... being a farm dog this was all new to her,' Lisa captioned the photo, which was taken at Stumers Creek, near Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast. Lisa smiled for the camera as she waded through shallow water in a pair of denim overalls and a white billowy top. 'So happy to see your smile,' a fan commented, while another wrote: 'Wonderful to see you and pooch experiencing some joy, a brief escape from grief.' One follower suggested the beach was a great place for soul searching and 'healing'. 'So happy to see your smile': Lisa received heartfelt messages from fans, one of whom suggested the beach was a great place for soul searching and 'healing' 'So many flowers': Earlier this month, Lisa thanked her friends, family, and the general public for their support following the death of her daughter Jaimi Earlier this month, Lisa thanked her friends, family, and the general public for their support following the death of her daughter Jaimi. In an emotional Instagram post, the former competitive swimmer shared several photos of the many flowers she'd received since Jaimi's passing. Lisa said that she'd received support in many different ways, from people sharing their own stories of grief with her to strangers hugging her on the street. Heartbroken: In an emotional Instagram post, the former competitive swimmer shared several photos of the many flowers she'd received since Jaimi's (left) passing, and also spoke of her 'unbearable sadness and anger' 'To the people in the street who come and just hug me... thank you,' she wrote. The retired athlete then admitted that losing her daughter had tested her strength. 'I seem to be going through waves of different emotions, unbearable sadness to anger.... I'm usually the one strong one but now I'm leaning on others for strength... so thank you,' she added. Gut-wrenching: Following Jaimi's death, Lisa had confessed on Instagram that she didn't know 'what to do' with herself while carrying so much grief Following Jaimi's death, Lisa had confessed that she didn't know 'what to do' with herself while carrying so much grief. She wrote on Instagram: 'I don't know what to do...' alongside emojis depicting a sad face, a broken heart and an angel. Lisa also alluded to her daughter's battle with demons that led to her death, saying that at least now they would haunt her no more. Pure love: Prior to her death, Jaimi had expressed her desire to one day have a family of her own, and absolutely doted on the children in her family. Jaimi (left) is pictured her younger half-sister, Trixie (right) Family ties: Lisa is pictured with her son Jett (left), surviving daughter Morgan (right) and her grandson Flynn 'Our little angel, you can now rest peacefully. Free of pain, free to flourish and free to grow, free to just be,' she added. 'Jaimi, as dad and I lovingly held you when you took your first breath, we lovingly held you as you took your last. Goodnight sweet girl... we hope you have a nice long sleep.' Jaimi died at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on September 14, after a long battle with alcoholism and an eating disorder. She was buried at a 100-person funeral on the Sunshine Coast, which was attended by her parents, sporting greats Lisa Curry and Grant Kenny, and her younger brother, model Jett Kenny. For free and confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or the Butterfly Foundation for eating disorder concerns on 1800 ED HOPE DOJ Objects to San Franciscos Draconian Limit on Religious Services San Francisco officials are relaxing their regulation limiting churches to one congregant per indoor service, after the Department of Justice called the edict draconian and wholly out of step with this nations understanding of religious liberty. Mayor London Breed said Sept. 29 that, beginning today, churches could host up to 50 people for indoor worship meetings, but she warned that the more restrictive regulation would be restored if CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus infections increase following relaxation of the one-congregant rule. The last thing we want to see is a spike in cases and a need to roll back all the progress weve made, Breed said. More than 35,000 individuals signed a petition circulated by local Catholic officials asking San Francisco to free the mass. The limitation to one person wasnt applied against organizations allowing multiple patrons in other indoor settings, including gyms, tattoo parlors, hair salons, massage studios, and daycares, the DOJ stated. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California David Anderson told San Francisco Mayor London Breed in a Sept. 25 letter: San Franciscos treatment of places of worship raises serious concerns about religious freedom. In particular, the limitation of indoor worship to one congregant without regard to the size of the place of worship is draconian, out of step with the treatment afforded other similar indoor activities in San Francisco, wholly at odds with this nations traditional understanding of religious liberty, and may violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. Dreiband heads the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, while Anderson is the U.S. attorney with jurisdiction in San Francisco. City officials have public health obligations, especially in times like the current pandemic, but those duties dont displace constitutional rights, they said. In exigent circumstances, the Constitution allows some temporary restriction on our liberties that would not be tolerated in normal circumstances, they wrote. But, there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution. Individual rights, including the protections in the Bill of Rights, are always operative and restrain government action. Thus, even in times of emergency, when reasonable, narrowly-tailored, and temporary restrictions may lawfully limit our liberty, the First Amendment and federal statutory law continue to prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers. These principles are legally binding, and the Constitutions unyielding protections for religious worshipers distinguish the United States of America from places dominated by tyranny and despotism. The federal officials encouraged Breed to revise the regulation and noted that the Department of Justice is reviewing its options and may take further action, as and if appropriate, to protect the religious liberty rights of the people of San Francisco. In a statement to local media, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera ignored the constitutional issues raised by the DOJ letter, dismissing it as lobbing careless legal threats. Herrera claimed that the city is opening at the speed of safety, and he said local officials are planning to allow larger church gatherings beyond what is described in the federal governments letter. The new plan allows indoor meetings of 25 percent of a church congregations total capacity but not more than 50 individuals, as well as outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people, with social distancing, masking, and other safety protocols. A spokesman for the city attorney referred The Epoch Times to the statement Herrera previously released to local media outlets. First Amendment and religious freedom advocacy groups were not reluctant to comment on the San Francisco rule. Jeremy Dys, special counsel for litigation and communications at the Plano, Texas-based First Liberty Institute told The Epoch Times on Sept. 30 that San Francisco has some of the most draconian restrictions on the free exercise of religion this country has ever seen, but thats in part the result of Gov. Gavin Newsoms continued hostility toward the religious liberty during COVID. Dys applauded DOJ, saying the department is right and that there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution. Using a pandemic as an excuse to impose restrictions on the free exercise of religion that would make totalitarian regimes envious is inexcusable, he said. California has been a hot spot of controversy due to the states extreme regulation of churches during the pandemic. Los Angeles County officials, for example, have repeatedly lost in court struggles against Senior Pastor John MacArthurs Grace Community Church before winning a temporary injunction against indoor worship services. North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara stopped holding indoor services and moved them outdoors after officials imposed more than $50,000 in fines on the congregation. Senior Pastor Jack Trieber declared victory after officials agreed to drop the fines as a result of the move to outdoor services with social distancing. Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc The latest on COVID-19 in the Triad, North Carolina and the United States, with an afternoon update from Guilford County and the CDC: Note that health officials warn that data is preliminary and can change as information is updated and as processes for collecting data are modified during the pandemic. Number of N.C. cases: According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, there were 889 new cases as of 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, for a cumulative total of 209,137. The total now includes antigen positive tests. (An antigen test, which detects certain proteins in the virus, also uses a nasal or throat swab to get a fluid sample.) There were a total of 13,346 tests completed Monday. Of the tests returned Sunday, 6% were positive, according to the latest data available. In Guilford County: There are two different official counts of Guilford Countys COVID-19 numbers: According to state health officials, there were 54 additional cases reported Tuesday and one new death. That brings the case total to 8,689 (163 cases per 10,000 residents), with 181 deaths. When invited at the first presidential debate to confirm whether he hoped to expand the Supreme Court in order to pack it with Democrats, Joe Biden explained that he would not entertain the question. Whatever position I take, Biden said, that will become the issue . . . Im not gonna answer the question. This would have been a preposterous answer from a presidential candidate had the topic been the future of the Post Office. But that Biden believes he can get away with it on a topic as explosive as blowing up the Supreme Court is nothing short of remarkable. Despite his low-key campaign, it remains the case that Joe Biden is running for president of the United States, and that he had elected to take part in a televised event during which he was expected to take positions and address issues. That his taking a position would become an issue in the election is almost certainly true. But that does not represent a bug within the system, but a feature. Americans of all persuasions deserve to know whether Biden is on-board with what would be the most radical reform to our system of government since the Second World War. This is not one of those pass it to find out whats in it situations. We suspect that if Donald Trump were proposing to amend the 1869 Judiciary Act in order to install a set of friendlier judges on the nations highest court, the problem with the idea would be evident to almost everyone. But one does not have play imagine if in order to grasp just how appalling a notion this is. Up until now, it has been tried only once in American history, by a newly reelected Franklin D. Roosevelt. Despite Roosevelts party controlling 74 of the 96 seats in the Senate and 334 of the 435 seats in the House, it failed. The Chairman of the House Rules Committee called it the most terrible threat to constitutional government that has arisen in the entire history of the country. This measure, wrote the 1937 Senate Judiciary Committee, should be so emphatically rejected that its parallel will never again be presented to the free representatives of the free people of America. Story continues From Joe Biden, a simple no would suffice. Why does Biden not offer that answer up? After all, if he were to reject the idea, there would be no issue to discuss. The first possibility is that Biden is secretly in favor of the scheme, but that he is smart enough to know that to acknowledge as much would destroy the return to normalcy argument for his candidacy, undermine his reputation as an institutionalist, and severely hurt him in the upcoming election. If this is the case, then Biden is a dangerous Manchurian candidate. Court-packing is a damaging enough proposition when advanced openly. But for a presidential candidate to refuse to answer in the hope that he could turn around after an election and, with a razor-thin majority in the Senate, both abolish the filibuster and pack the Supreme Court would represent a political deception of historic proportions. The second option is that Biden understands that the proposal is ridiculous but does not want to upset a Democratic base that is already lukewarm about his nomination. Back when he was happy to answer questions on the topic, Biden confirmed that he would not get into court-packing. We add three justices; next time around, we lose control, they add three justices. We begin to lose any credibility the Court has at all. This argument is the same today as it was last year, but Bidens party is not. His own running mate supported court-packing during the primary. Voters deserve to know on which side of the growing divide the Democratic candidate stands. There are some questions in American politics that require a reflexive, emphatic, uncomplicated answer. Will you accept a peaceful transfer of power? is one. Will you pack the Supreme Court? is another. That both candidates for the highest office in the land are struggling to answer such inquiries without meandering non sequiturs or craven demurrals is a disgrace. Yes or no, Joe? Theres no room here for malarkey. More from National Review Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled, "Surgical Tables and Lights Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026". According to the report, the global surgical tables and lights market was valued at more than US$ 1,300.0 Mn in 2017 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of more than 3.0% from 2018 to 2026. Developing health care infrastructure in emerging countries and introduction of technologically advanced surgical tables and lights by market players are likely to boost demand for surgical tables and lights during the forecast period. Rapid development of health care infrastructure and increase in per capita health care expenditure present significant opportunities in the market in countries such as Australia, India, and New Zealand. This in turn is likely to boost the surgical tables and lights market in Asia Pacific from 2018 to 2026. Request Brochure for Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=46236 High Cost of Surgical Tables and Lights to Restrain Market Specialty surgical tables incur high acquisition as well as maintenance costs for health care settings. Constant evolution in the surgical tables and lights segment, with introduction of new features and designs has led to high prices of these products. This acts as a major restraint of the global market. The price of a general surgery table ranges from US$ 3,000 to US$ 7,000 in the U.S., while that of a specialty table ranges between US$ 9,000 and US$ 30,000. LED surgical lights based on various illumination techniques are estimated to cost from US$ 8,000 to US$ 25,000 in the U.S. Gynecology Examination Tables to Lose Market Share The report offers detailed segmentation of the global surgical tables and lights market based on product type and application. In terms of product type, the surgical tables segment is projected to account for a large share of the global market during the forecast period. Demand for surgical tables and lights in operating rooms is propelled by increase in number of ambulatory surgery centers in the U.S. and other developed countries, and emergence of new hospital projects in Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Moreover, increase in number of new and advanced surgery tables introduced in the global market and comparatively higher prices of these equipment have led to dominant share of the segment in 2017. The gynecology examination tables segment is anticipated to lose market share during the forecast period and account for less than 18.0% by 2026. Request for Analysis of COVID19 Impact on Surgical Tables and Lights Market https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=46236 Public Hospitals to be Leading Segment In terms of application, the public hospitals segment is projected to account for a dominant share of the global surgical tables and lights market during the forecast period. The segment is likely to expand at a higher CAGR from 2018 to 2026, owing to well-developed hospital infrastructure in the U.S., Canada, and countries in Europe that is largely governed by the public sector. According to the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the public sector accounts for 85% of the total GDP spending on health care by developed countries in Europe and North America. However, increase in number of private players entering the market in emerging countries and rise in number of public-private partnerships are projected to drive the private hospitals segment of the global market from 2018 to 2026. North America Market to Expand at Rapid Pace In terms of revenue, North America held a major share of the global surgical tables and lights market in 2017. This is due to increase in number of hospital-based and free-standing ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and rise in installation of integrated and hybrid operating rooms by existing hospitals in the region. Entry of new players in the hospitals segment along with rise in investments by public & private sectors is encouraging the development of new hospitals in countries such as Australia & New Zealand and India. These factors are expected to drive demand for new unit shipments of surgical tables and lights in Asia Pacific. Moreover, rise in per capita health care spending and better access to health care service are factors likely to propel the surgical tables and lights market in Asia Pacific from 2018 to 2026. Stryker, Hill-Rom Services, Inc., and STERIS plc to Dominate Market The report also provides profiles of leading players operating in the global surgical tables and lights market. These include Stryker, Hill-Rom Services, Inc., STERIS plc, Getinge AB, Mizuho OSI, Merivaara Corp., JW Bioscience, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Dr. Mach GmbH & Co. KG, and NUVO. Expansion of product portfolio by developing new products or acquisitions is a key strategy adopted by several players. For instance, in 2018, Dr. Mach GmbH & Co. KG announced the launch of its new LED 150 surgical lights, which offers superior colour rendering, a multi-lens system, along with other features. Other key players are also adopting such strategies. About Us Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for several decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact Transparency Market Research, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ By Trend According to the UN Security Council resolutions, Armenia should have withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan long ago, Ali Babayev, chairman of the National Congress of Azerbaijanis of Georgia, told Trend. "The whole world recognizes Karabakh as the territory of Azerbaijan and does not even think to question it," he said. Babayev noted that Azerbaijan has always demonstrated a peaceful position, however, the Armenian aggressors showed the whole world that not only are they not going to start de-occupation of Azerbaijani lands, but are clearly pursuing the goal of expanding the zone of occupation. "The resolutions of the UN Security Council demand the immediate withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territory of Azerbaijan. For 30 years, Yerevan has not made a single step towards the implementation of these documents. Azerbaijan has the right to free its territories from occupation. And if the aggressor not only does not want to leave in an amicable way but also seeks to seize new lands, Azerbaijan is simply obliged to use force," he said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz As school districts across the country and Texas scramble (again) to create online learning opportunities for students, haphazard remote-teaching plans fail to acknowledge and respond to what our children need most right now. Students desperately need opportunities to connect, to digest and express what they are feeling, to explore, create, reflect, relate to others, empathize and have their feelings validated. In the arts, this is exactly what we do and yet in many schools, the arts are being cut out to focus on what some leaders (often far removed from students) consider essential. While I appreciate how challenging it must be for school administrators to satisfy all constituents, let us put the children and their needs at the center. My daughter recently began her first semester at a new high school. She loves school but has not been excited about starting the year online. She is not alone. As a professor, last spring, I missed being in a classroom with my students. Being online was not the same, but my students and I were still able to connect and create together. Texas Take: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday What seems to be missing from much of online learning is connection what young people need most. Schools are not only places where students feed their brains; they also or should learn how to nurture relationships, develop empathy, express their thoughts, ideas and feelings, and engage in critical dialogue even when online. This kind of activity happens in arts classrooms. I am not articulating a need for children to be able to reiterate who wrote which symphony or painted what masterpiece. I am talking about opportunities for young people to observe art or listen to music and then consider what the creator was feeling and how that relates to our own experiences; for students to create a visual art piece that expresses how they are feeling concerning the pandemic; for students to move as a community online through a dance piece that expresses the losses they are facing. Express Briefing: Get the morning headlines in your inbox Last spring, school districts and parents lamented that students were experiencing a gap in their learning but those discussions tend to focus on cognitive learning. Schools have a responsibility to nurture the whole child, not abandon their emotional needs when they are most clearly apparent. Lest we forget, our country and our children are in trauma. We need to engage our tools to help everyone get through this. We need to prioritize the arts, and social and emotional learning. On HuffPost, history professor Natalia Mehlman Petrzela speaks to the need for the U.S. education system to abandon rote memorization. The problems come into focus when parents worry more about what college their child may have access to than if they are connecting with others with outlets to express what they are feeling. Mo Willems, author of Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, encapsulated this perfectly on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently: Right now, the arts are essential. Science will get us out of this (pandemic), but art will get us through this. Young people need to create, express and process what they are experiencing. The arts make envisioning the other side of this pandemic possible. Roxanne Schroeder-Arce is an associate dean of UTeach Fine Arts in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. President Akufo-Addo has warned that Covid-19 still poses great threat to human lives and should not be underestimated. According to him, even though the rate of new infections in the country has reduced significantly, the disease has not been totally eradicated. He has, therefore, entreated the populace to continue to strictly adhere to all health safety protocols in order to stay safe and defeat the virus. President Akufo-Addo issued the stern warning when he addressed the Asanteman Traditional Council at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Monday. We should all continue to abide by the health protocols that have been suggested by health professionals to help protect our lives from Covid-19. We are making giant strides in the fight against the coronavirus but the disease has not been totally dealt with so we should be cautious always. Let us continue to adhere to protocols such as social distancing, using sanitizers and wearing of face masks, among others, to help protect our lives, he stressed. The signs show that the country is winning the fight against the disease but if complacency sets in, new infections can rise suddenly, he added. Salutes Chiefs The President commended traditional leaders for contributing to reduce the rate of new infections. Through Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, I am thanking all chiefs in Ghana for their invaluable support and contributions in fighting the disease so far, he said. President Akufo-Addo, however, appealed to chiefs to continue to offer unflinching support to government so that Covid-19 would become history. According to him, the collective support and efforts of every citizenry is needed to prevent a second wave of Covid-19 infections in the country. He reiterated the need for the citizenry to continue to wear face masks, wash their hands periodically, use sanitizers and observe social distancing always. President Akufo-Addo was at the Manhyia Palace to introduce to the Asantehene the New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidates in the Ashanti Region. Daily Guide On September 29, 2020, The Securities and Exchange Commission charged three Florida residents with fraudulent sales of stock in NIT Enterprises, Inc., a South Florida technology company. The SEC previously charged NIT Enterprises, its former CEO, and two SEC-barred brokers with allegedly defrauding over 100 retail investors, many of them seniors. In the latest action, the SEC's complaints allege that Mason Newman, Christian Baquerizo, and Kevin Cardenas raised approximately $1.4 million selling unregistered NIT stock to retail investors, most of whom were seniors, and received nearly $500,000 in undisclosed commissions. According to the complaints, the defendants cold-called investors, making baseless promises about NIT's future profitability and imminent public offering and leading investors to believe that NIT would use their funds primarily for research and development, while concealing that 30% or more of the funds invested would be used to pay commissions to the defendants. The SEC also alleges that Newman used an alias to conceal that the SEC had previously barred him from acting as a broker and offering penny stocks to investors. The SEC's complaints charge the defendants with violating Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b) and 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and rule 10b-5 thereunder and, the complaint against Newman charges him with having violated Section 15(b)(6)(B) of the Exchange Act. The SEC seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement of allegedly ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. Baquerizo and Cardenas, without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations, agreed to be enjoined from future violations of the charged provisions while leaving the resolution of monetary relief to a later date. The settlements are subject to court approval. Baquerizo and Cardenas also consented to industry and penny stock bars. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Michael J. Gonzalez and Eric E. Morales in the Miami Regional Office and supervised by Jason R. Berkowitz and Glenn S. Gordon. The SEC's litigation is being led by Wilfredo Fernandez and Mr. Gonzalez and supervised by Andrew O. Schiff. The SEC appreciates the assistance of Florida's Office of Financial Regulation. Four men are at the centre of a police hunt today after a gang punched and stamped on a man who died in hospital two weeks later. Victim Simon Whisker, 40, had to be rushed to hospital where he died 12 days after he was punched by four men on London Road in Croydon on July 1. Detectives have released images and CCTV of four men they would like to speak to in connection with the incident. Mr Whisker was involved in a fight with a group who knocked him to the ground with a series of violent punches before stamping on him. He was taken to hospital, treated and discharged but almost two weeks later he died in the early hours of July 13. Victim Simon Whisker (pictured), 40, had to be rushed to hospital where he died 12 days after he was punched by four men on London Road in Croydon on July 1 His next of kin have now been informed of his death and a post-mortem examination has been held. The case is not being treated as a murder inquiry, detectives revealed. Extensive enquires have been carried out by detectives from the South Area Command Unit but so far there have been no arrests. Enquiries to establish the circumstances continue. Detectives have released images of four men they would like to speak to in connection with the incident. Detectives have released images and CCTV of four men they would like to speak to in connection with the incident Detective Constable Jo Cheung, from the South Area CID, said: 'The victim became involved in an altercation with a group of males and was viciously assaulted. 'We are not treating this as a murder inquiry at this time. We just want to find out who was responsible for the attack on Simon. 'I am asking the public to contact us if they recognise any of these males.' DGAP-News: SCHIRP & PARTNER Rechtsanwalte mbB / Key word(s): Legal Matter/Research Update SCHIRP & PARTNER Rechtsanwalte mbB: WIRECARD disaster: Internal whistleblower warned EY as early as 2016; plaintiff representatives see tailwind for lawsuits against EY 30.09.2020 / 13:39 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. WIRECARD disaster: Internal whistleblower warned EY as early as 2016 Plaintiff representatives see tailwind for lawsuits against EY With reference to an addendum to the KPMG report of April 27, 2020, the "Financial Times" reports that an EY-internal whistleblower had already warned of irregularities at WIRECARD in 2016. Specifically, the warnings dealt with a company acquisition in India and accusations of "roundtripping"; there had also been an attempt to bribe an EY auditor. The Berlin lawyers Dr. Wolfgang Schirp and Dr. Marc Liebscher see themselves fully confirmed by this article. Dr. Wolfgang Schirp: "We have been filing claims for damages directly against EY on behalf of numerous investors since June 2020 at the Regional Court in Stuttgart. Our lawsuits are based on the fact that, according to our analysis, EY has audited alleged trust funds "into the blue" and has not uncovered further balance sheet manipulations at WIRECARD. The current coverage in the Financial Times now spectacularly confirms these assumptions". Dr. Marc Liebscher: "We find the following circumstances particularly noteworthy: 1. the whistleblower came internally from EY: this means that the whistleblower's knowledge is initially attributable to his EY unit. 2. the headquarters of EY-Germany was informed by the whistleblower: This means that the German leadership of EY and thus the German EY inspectors of WIRECARD had to know about the information. The knowledge of the whistleblower is thus fully attributable to EY-Deutschland and the specific examiners. 3. the information did not come to EY from outside, but directly and internally through a separate employee. This made the allegations much more credible for EY-Deutschland. 4. the whistleblower informed that there had been attempts at bribery by WIRECARD's management towards EY employees. Therefore, the German EY management should have taken special care to conduct a careful and independent investigation. This puts the leadership of EY Germany in the spotlight: "What have they done to ensure a legitimate audit? Dr. Wolfgang Schirp adds: "The whistleblower provided information about "round-tripping", which is one of the main tools used to inflate the asset side of the WIRECARD balance sheet. This was exactly the core of the accusations made against WIRECARD before. We also consider it essential that the EY investigation was stopped at "the behest of Marsalek". This means that Marsalek determined the scope and intensity of the audit, although accusations had just been made against his management in Asia by the EY employee/whistleblower. What did the individual members of the EY management in Stuttgart know about this? Dr. Marc Liebscher: "EY's defense attempts ("we uncovered it"; "WIRECARD was so criminal that it could not be found earlier") are thus getting another crack. EY must explain in detail and in a comprehensible manner how they intend to prevent such mistakes from occurring again in the future. The APAS must expand its investigations at EY accordingly. In any case, we see a tailwind for our claims for damages in Stuttgart". For further information please contact Dr. Wolfgang Schirp, Schirp & Partner Rechtsanwalte mbB, Leipziger Platz 9, D - 10117 Berlin, Tel. 0049-30-3276170 and 0049-179-5320213, mail: schirp@schirp.com, URL: www.schirp.com Dr. Marc Liebscher, Dr. Spath & Partner Rechtsanwalte mbB, Kurfurstendamm 102, D - 10711 Berlin, Tel.: 0049-30-88701617 and 0049-176-93150194, mail: marc.liebscher@gmx.net, URL: www.dr-spaeth.com 30.09.2020 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de "First and foremost, I would like to extend an apology on behalf of the District and the Board of School Directors to the student who was involved and to his family. They did not ask for this incident to occur, nor do they deserve the negative attention that it has brought." - school board President Tina Stoll The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday appointed former Maharashtra chief minister, Devender Fadnavis as the in-charge for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, which will be conducted in three phases; and began the process of formal discussion on seat sharing with allies. Deputy chief minister of Bihar, Sushil Modi is in Delhi to be part of the seat-sharing talks which will be conducted with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) over the course of the next few days. While the LJP has been threatening to put up contestants against the JD(U), if its demand for a respectable seat allocation is not met; BJP leaders said the differences will be sorted out at the meetings. The LJP leadership also held meetings ahead of the formal talks with the BJP. Even as the BJP leadership has asserted that the election will be contested with chief minister Nitish Kumar being in the saddle; there is also pressure from the cadre to divide the seats equally between the JD(U) and the BJP. The JD(U) for its part is insistent that the party should get more seats than the other partners, even if it is a single digit more. According to a functionary, a suggestion from the cadre is to divide between 105-110 seats between the BJP and the JD(U), leaving the rest for the HAM-S and LJP. The BJP has appointed leaders to negotiate with the allies on the issue of seat sharing, BJP general secretary and in-charge of Bihar Bhupender Yadav said. He added, all partners will carry out an extensive study of the constituencies to arrive at a decision on which seats are best suited for which alliance partner. This is the second time that Yadav and Fadnavis will work as a team for the state assembly polls; Yadav was the election in-charge for Maharashtra when Fadnavis was seeking re-election. This combination of pictures shows Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, left, and President Donald Trump speaking during the first presidential debate at the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio on Sept. 29, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) After First Debate, Trump and Biden Head Back to Campaign Trail President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are heading back to the campaign trail on Wednesday, hours after clashing in Ohio in their first debate. Trump, 74, is scheduled to travel to Minnesota for a fundraiser in Shorewood, about 20 miles southwest of Minneapolis. The Republican will then hold a rally in Duluth in the northern portion of the state. Trump surprised many by winning nearby Wisconsin in 2016. He lost Minnesota by 1.5 percentage points but his campaign sees it as a state he could flip this time around. I really see this as a state, not unlike Pennsylvania, there is a bubbling up underneath, there is an undercurrent of change in the state, campaign manager Bill Stepien told reporters on a phone call in July. President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Bemidji Regional Airport in Bemidji, Minn.,, on Sept. 18, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Biden, 77, and his wife Jill Biden are touring eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. They plan to travel by train. Vice President Biden will highlight how he will build our economy back better for working families, not the super wealthy and corporations, Bidens campaign said. The couple planned to start in Cleveland and stop in Alliance, Ohio. Events in Pennsylvania were to follow, including an event in New Alexandria and a drive-in event in Johnstown. Biden is seeking to flip Ohio and Pennsylvania after Trump won both in 2016. Biden was born in Scranton and often refers to his roots, though he has lived in Delaware for most of his life. Audience members listen as Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participates in a CNN town hall event in Moosic, Penn., on Sept. 17, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) During the debate, Trump promoted how his administration helped quell unrest in Minneapolis in June when riots exploded following the police custody death of George Floyd. We got it back, Joe, because we believe in law and order, but you dont. The top 10 cities and just about the top 40 cities are run by Democrats, and in many cases radical left. And theyve got you wrapped around their finger, Joe, to a point where you dont want to say anything about law and order. And Ill tell you what, the people of this country want and demand law and order and youre afraid to even say it, Trump said. Biden said he was in favor of law and order with justice, where people get treated fairly. In his capacity as a private citizen, he added, he didnt see his role as one in reaching out to Democrat mayors and governors to push them to quell ongoing unrest in their cities and states. Biden said the Obama-Biden administration brought Chrysler and General Motors back to Ohio and Michigan but accused Trump of messing things up, leading to the companies leaving. Ohio had the best year its ever had last year. Michigan had the best year theyve ever had, Trump responded, adding: Many car companies came in from Germany, from Japan, went to Michigan, went to Ohio and they didnt come in with you. Biden later said Trump has done very little and criticized the trade deals Trump frequently trumpets as leading to higher deficits. Trump also defended holding large rallies, pointing out that most have been held outside, while Biden said holding large gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic is dangerous. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday spoke to the father of a 19-year-old woman, who died two weeks after she was allegedly gang-raped in Hathras, and assured him of stringent action against all the accused, a senior official said. "The CM has spoken to the father of the deceased woman of Hathras. Her father...asked for harshest penalty against the accused. The CM assured him that the most stringent action shall be taken against the accused and all possible help shall be provided to the family of the deceased," Additional Chief Secretary-Home Awanish Kumar Awasthi said. The chief minister spoke to the father via video call, he said. The officer later told reporters that the chief minister has announced Rs 25 lakh financial assistance, including Rs 10 lakh that had already been announced, to the family of the woman; job to a family member in the post of junior assistance; allotment of a house under the State Urban Development Agency scheme; and hearing of the case on a fast-track court. The government earlier announced that a three-member special investigaton team will probe the case. The Dalit woman, who died in a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gang-raped, was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday. Her family alleged the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. However, local police officers claimed that the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family" and news regarding cremation was "incorrect". On September 14, the young woman had gone to the fields with her mother and went missing soon after. She was found later, beaten and tortured, her tongue cut as she bit it when the accused attempted to strangle her. She was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday. Watch: The first The Craft: Legacy trailer The Craft: Legacy, a continuation of 1996s teen horror The Craft, is coming to UK cinemas on 28 October. The sequel had been in development for several years and was filmed in October last year, but very little was known about when it might come out. But now, in surprise news, Sony Pictures has fast-tracked the films release in time for Halloween. The original which starred Neve Campbell and Fairuza Balk followed a group of teenage high school outcasts who form a coven of witches. Despite mixed reviews, it was a modest hit and has since gone on to become a cult classic. Read more: The Craft reboot is about female empowerment The sequel looks set to pick up where the previous film left off with Hannah, a teenage girl, joining a new school, where a coven trio think theyve found their fourth member. The trailer shows the girls discovering a photo of Fairuza Balks Nancy, hinting that a cameo may be on the cards. The poster for The Craft: Legacy. (Sony Pictures) The sequel, produced by Jason Blum under the Blumhouse banner, has been written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones (Band Aid/Lola Versus) and stars Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, Zoey Luna with Michelle Monaghan and David Duchovny. In North America, the film is being released straight to PVOD. Jones pitch for The Craft: Legacy was so impressive that Jason Blum previously called it: one of the best pitches [Ive] ever heard She pitched it and you could see the entire movie in a 20 minute pitch which was amazing. Its very rare. Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Rachel True and Neve Campbell in a scene from the film 'The Craft', 1996. (Photo by Columbia Pictures/Getty Images) Douglas Wick, who produced both The Craft films said Lister-Jones, who wowed Sundance with Band Aid, had found an interesting way in. "It's always challenging, because I did The Craft so many years ago, and I started doing it because I just wanted to make a movie about teen-aged girls coming into their sexuality and as I was reading about it, I was reading that the age-old mythology for talking about female empowerment and fear of it was witchcraft, Wick told ComicBook.com. Story continues The new coven of The Craft: Legacy (Sony Pictures) So then I started going to writers to try and do that We talked to so many people and we found a really talented female writer/director [Zoe Lister-Jones] and we're happy with what she's doing, so we'll see." The Craft: Legacy is coming to cinemas on 28 October. A Bexar County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of tampering with government documents, Sheriff Javier Salazar said. Salazar said an internal investigation alleges Sherman Andrews, 48, falsified documents to hide that he did not perform complete checks on a 47-year-old Bexar County Jail inmate who attempted to commit suicide Monday. The sheriff said Sherman was "less than forthcoming" when asked about the incident. Salazar said detention deputies are supposed to check on inmates multiple times a day, some 48 to 96 times during a 24-hour period. Salazar said Andrews was "lazy" and did not conduct his checks during the suicide attempt, but wrote in his logs that he did. "To be frank, had the deputy done the proper checks, he would have been able to prevent it ... but certainly in my estimation the fact that he tried to conceal it by falsifying government documents, that is why he is in jail tonight," Salazar said. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox Andrews was arrested at his home Tuesday night without incident. The deputy was first hired with the department in 2008 and then left in 2012. It is unclear why he left the first time but returned to the department in 2017. He is now likely to be fired, Salazar said. Andrews is on paid administrative leave per investigation regulations, but the sheriff said BCSO is preparing to serve him with a proposed termination. "While I'm not happy with what happened, I am proud of our deputies and investigators for stepping up and doing what needs to be done," the sheriff said. "This is a distasteful part of what we do, but it is something we demand of ourselves because the public demands it of us." Salazar said the inmate is in critical condition. ALBANY A sports bar said "Covid is real" on social media last week when it canceled a voter-registration event a few days after temporarily losing its liquor license following a visit by state investigators, who allegedly found more than 100 people violating regulations for bars and restaurants related to limiting the spread of the coronavirus. Johnnie's on Broadway, in north Albany at 1278 Broadway, near the border with Menands, had its license to sell alcohol suspended Sept. 19 by the board of the State Liquor Authority for permitting approximately 115 people to drink while standing and mingling or dancing, not requiring masks or enforcing physical distancing or insisting patrons order food with initial alcohol purchases, according to an announcement Tuesday from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office. All of the alleged behaviors flout current state rules. The investigators' visit to Johnnie's was on Sept. 18, according to the announcement, which says the bar was warned by the SLA in July that the agency had received complaints about violations of rules regarding physical distancing among patrons and would be conducting follow-up inspections. The announcement from the governor's office says 15 Johnnie's patrons were observed drinking while standing in front of the bar without wearing masks or observing distancing rules, about 70 more were inside under similar circumstances, and another 30 were on a rear patio. Beyond requiring 6 feet of distance between separate parties, whether inside or out, current regulations stipulate that the number of indoor patrons be limited to 50 percent of a business' official capacity. The regular threshold for Johnnie's was not readily available Tuesday. The day the suspension was imposed, a message was posted on the bar's Facebook page: "Well Johnnies will no longer be serving alcohol due to not social distancing." It said it would be open for food service the following week. Businesses with suspended liquor licenses are permitted to continue to sell food, though most choose not to. On Sept. 22, the Facebook page informed patrons that an upcoming voter-registration event was canceled because management feared it would draw a large crowd. A note said, in part, "Covid is real. These are the governors rules and regulations and it is what it is." It added, "The last day to register to vote is October 2nd. ... Vote. Our future depends on it!" Johnnie's was among 16 bars and restaurants statewide that were part of the latest batch of license suspensions announced by the SLA and governor's office. The new suspensions seven in New York City, Johnnie's locally and eight elsewhere were issued by the board during meetings held between Sept. 19 and Sunday, the SLA said. In the past week, a multi-agency state task force conducted 8,634 compliance checks at bars and restaurants across New York, resulting in 40 lesser violations being issued, all to New York City establishments, the SLA said. In all, 217 bars and restaurants statewide have had their liquor licenses temporarily suspended and a total of 1,161 charges have been filed for pandemic-related offenses in the past six months, state records show. Locally, including the new suspension at Johnnie's, a total of 17 businesses have been cited. Of those, nine have had their liquor licenses temporarily suspended. Most were for enforcement agents observing what were seen as egregious violations of pandemic-related safety measures or, in the case of Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon and Liberty Ridge Farm in Schaghticoke, preemptively suspended for advertising Fourth of July events that would have defied those regulations. The latter two had their licenses reinstated with no penalties; two other local bars suspended for flagrant violations, Loopies Pub in Tribes Hill and Hudson Brewing in Hudson, paid $10,000 fines to get their licenses back, according to the SLA. Liquor licenses remain suspended at Johnnie's, The New Elbo Room, The Clubhouse and Andys Place in Albany and at Marks Grill and Wolffs Biergarten in Schenectady. According to the agenda for Wednesday's SLA board meeting, The Clubhouse and Wolff's-Schenectady have submitted offers of $10,000 penalties to have their liquor licenses reinstated. A US delegation has suggested to the Syrian opposition that talks with the Autonomous Administration may soon begin writes North Press. Gabriel Moshe, an official in the Assyrian Democratic Organization (part of the Syrian opposition coalition and active in Syrias Qamishli), said on Monday that a US delegation hinted to the officials of the Syrian opposition coalition to prepare for a dialogue with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. In an exclusive statement to North Press, Moshe added that the US remarks came within the framework of focusing on the necessity of the unity of the Syrian oppositions stance to the east and west of the Euphrates. This took place during a recent meeting held between a delegation from the US State Department and a delegation from the opposition coalition, following the meetings of the Constitutional Committee. The US approach coincides with the participation of representatives of the State Department and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the intra-Kurdish dialogue, which started about six months ago. Discussions are currently taking place between the PYD-led Kurdish National Unity Parties and the Kurdish National Council in Syria (ENKS). The Kurdish National Unity Parties are aligned with the Autonomous Administration, while the ENKS is part of the opposition coalition. A mobilization against Damascus Jamal Sheikh Baqi, secretary of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party (which is a part of the Kurdish National Unity parties), said that the United States, is trying to mobilize the forces opposing Damascus, as a prelude to force the latter to start a political process. Faisal Yusuf, a member of the ENKS presidency, agreed with Sheikh Baqi and said, The US seeks the unify the opposition forces, including the Kurdish forces to the east of the Euphrates, to pressure the implementation of the international resolutions related to the Syrian issue. Reaching a Kurdish consensus is an opportunity to enhance the Kurdish role in the negotiations for a political solution in Syria, he added. So far, Autonomous Administration representatives have not participated in the international negotiations on Syria due to the Turkish refusal to include them. Moshe believes that the success of the intra-Kurdish dialogue is a prelude to broad dialogues between all parties to reach consensus and understandings, thus enhancing the chances of a political solution in Syria. But the political forces to the east of the Euphrates, whether the Autonomous Administration or those represented within the [opposition] coalition, have only a weak position in the face of the regime, he added. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The Government has been accused of failing to produce an affordable housing plan despite repeated promises (PA) The Governments failure to deliver its affordable housing plan as promised is not good enough for the thousands of people without a secure roof over their heads, the Dail has heard. Leader of the opposition Mary Lou McDonald accused the Government of having a policy of manana, manana and putting everything on the long finger. She said the Housing Minister had vowed to unveil his plan before the end of September, but on the last day of the month it is yet to be seen. We were promised, the people were promised, a scheme and a plan for affordable housing, Ms McDonald said. The government has failed to produce a plan for affordable housing. They promised that it would be published in September. Today is the last day of September...where is it? pic.twitter.com/jDTqVf09pT Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) September 30, 2020 We were promised wed see it in September, we have not seen it yet. And to judge by your response, Taoiseach, I can only conclude there is no such plan, that no such scheme exists. This policy of manana, manana and putting everything on the long finger seems to be one of the hallmarks of your chaotic Government. But thats not good enough, Taoiseach. Thats not good enough for people who as we speak do not have a secure roof over their heads. The Sinn Fein leader said too many people are trapped in a rental market with sky high prices, and that is impacting on their ability to deal with Covid-19. If we ever needed a reminder of the importance of a stable roof over our heads, well then the pandemic has provided it because during this pandemic peoples homes have truly become our sanctuaries, she said. In response, the Taoiseach defended the Governments record and said he agrees that a strong social housing programme is needed. Micheal Martin added: That is something the Government will be targeting and the Government will be identifying in terms of the estimates for next year and the budgetary framework. Mr Martin said Covid-19 had negatively impacted the building programme. Expand Close Mary Lou McDonald said too many people are trapped in the expensive rental market (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary Lou McDonald said too many people are trapped in the expensive rental market (PA) He said the lockdown and the restraints brought about by the pandemic had resulted in a 30% reduction in the number of houses being built. Between 15,000 and 16,000 houses are due for completion this year rather than the 24,000 that had been expected. But he said Housing Minister Darragh OBrien had been very quick off the mark with the July stimulus, in which 40 million euro was allocated to bring 2,500 social housing units back into play. That money went out to the local authorities, he said. That was quick action which hadnt been called on by anyone in the House. A special CBI court pronounced its judgement in the Babri Masjid demolition case today. All the 32 accused in the case have been acquitted as the court said that no strong enough pieces of evidence were found against the accused in the case. The verdict further stated that the demolition was not preplanned. The judgement by the court came at around 12.30 p.m. Taking this into account security was tightened at the court premises, ahead of the hearing in connection with the incident which took place in 1992. There were 49 accused in the case out of which 17 have passed away. Therefore, the court will pronounce its judgement on the rest 32 accused, who have been asked to be physically present in the court. However, owing to COVID-19, senior citizens and those who were unwell among the accused were exempted from personally appearing in the court. A meeting over the security details for today had been held a day earlier in which it was decided that the accused and their advocates would enter the court premises through gate number 3. However, due to security reasons or for any other reasons, if there is a need to enter the premises through vehicles then gate number 6 can be used. Also read: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu tests positive for coronavirus Also read: Bihar Assembly elections 2020: BSP, RLSP come together, back Kushwaha for CM post The police department has been deputed to look after the arrangements of security in the court premises today. Some of the high-profile personalities in the case include senior BJP leaders such as Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati, Kalyan Singh, among others. Apart from them, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Champat Rai, and others are also accused. There were two cases registered in connection with the Ram Janmabhoomi temple-Babri Masjid dispute. The first was a title suit, whose judgement was pronounced by the Supreme Court on November 9, 2019, paving way for the construction of the Ram temple at the spot. Earlier, the Special CBI judge Surendra Kumar Yadav directed all the 32 accused, including former deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, BJP leaders MM Joshi, Uma Bharti and Vinay Katiar, to remain present in the court on the day of the judgment. The court had last month rejected pleas of two prosecution witnesses Hazi Mahmood Ahmad and Sayyed Akhlakh seeking permission to file written arguments in the Babri Masjid demolition case, holding that they were not victims in the matter. Notably, the CBI has already filed its 400-page written arguments in connection with the case. The Supreme Court had earlier extended till August 31 the tenure of special CBI Judge SK Yadav and directed him to complete the trial and deliver the judgment in the case by that time. The apex court had later granted another month to special CBI judge SK Yadav to pronounce the judgment in the case. Also read: iDEX4Fauji a step towards self reliant India: General Bipin Rawat KALAMAZOO, MI Local organizers and activists are staging an evening protest and march Wednesday, Sept. 30, to continue calls for transparency, accountability and reform of policing in Kalamazoo. Protest organizers, who say the goal is to ensure long-lasting positive change, plan to march from the Kalamazoo County Courthouse, to the Kalamazoo Department of Safety headquarters at 150 E. Crosstown Pkwy Ave. The group will gather outside the courthouse at 227 W. Michigan Ave. at 5 p.m., where they will rally until marching to the public safety headquarters several blocks away at 7 p.m., according to a Facebook post from organizer TC Custard. Activists with organizations such as Uplift Kalamazoo and Village in the Valley have been protesting KDPS and city officials outside of the Kalamazoo County Courthouse twice weekly during the month of September. Protest leaders say they wont stop until KDPS responds to their inquiries about the departments handling of certain highly publicized events that resulted in police intervention over the summer. Kalamazoo activists say they are still looking for answers to how and why Kalamazoos Black Lives Matter protests were met by police in early June. When videos surfaced on social media of officers using tear gas on protesters who were laying in the street, acting peacefully, Assistant Chief Vernon Coakley said the protesters who were laying there had been chased all around the community before the gas was deployed. Several community members and activists who were at the scene when the group was gassed disagreed with Coakleys assessment of the situation. Throughout the summer, the Kalamazoo City Commission heard calls for the resignation of Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas and other city officials following the use of tear gas incident in June, and again after the Aug. 15 Proud Boys march that turned violent when Proud Boys and counterprotesters clashed. On Sept. 16, Thomas announced her plan to retire at the end of the month. Im truly honored to have served the Kalamazoo community and its amazing residents for 27 years, Thomas said in the statement released previously. Read more: Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas to step down Thomas, who began her stint as public safety chief in 2017 following the departure of Chief Jeff Hadley, is being succeeded by Assistant Chief Vernon Coakely. The promotion of Coakley, effective Oct. 1, means the city will not conduct a search for the next chief. Activists who have made their presence felt throughout the summer by various demonstrations and protests across the city say theyll be cheering on Coakley in his new role. But they also say there is still work to do before his department can expect to have the communitys trust. One of the biggest things he needs to follow through with is transparency and accountability," protest organizer Noelle Massey said. That doesnt mean getting snippets of body cam footage and bits and pieces of reports. That means admitting where they were wrong and telling us exactly how theyre going to do better." Massey is hopeful the efforts of protesters and activist will push city leaders to enact change. Were in a position right now where it could go one of two way, the first way is that we become a model for reformation, that other cities across the nation can look to and take some positive changes for themselves, Massey said. And then, you know, the other side of that, sadly, is we are primed to a be a city where something like Breonna Taylors case, like Jacob Blakes case, George Floyd, where something like that could happen here. That is the reason, Massey says, why she and others have been proactive in efforts to establish positive relationships with officers and her community. Thats really the goal of continuing these protests, to make long-lasting positive change so we dont have those types of situations here," she said. Also on MLive: Kalamazoo police chief responds to criticism of handling of Proud Boys rally Kalamazoo City Commission forms committee to guide police force in response to protests $300-per-week in federal unemployment to Michigans jobless wont last long Vice mayor, activist husband use life experiences to push for systemic change Coronavirus in local schools is inevitable, Kalamazoo County health director says Hanawon. Korea Times file By Kang Seung-woo The first of two Israeli Iron Dome missile defense batteries arrived in the United States on Wednesday as part of a congressionally mandated purchase to fill a gap in the US militarys missile defense capabilities. Israels Defense Ministry announced the delivery on Monday. A spokesperson for the US Army Futures Command did not immediately return a request for comment. Why it matters: The US Congress mandated in its 2019 defense budget that the military obtain and field four mid-range air defense units to counter cruise missiles by the end of fiscal year 2023. The United States has a wide array of missile defenses as well as counter-rocket, artillery and mortar units, but lacks systems that can also shoot down cruise missiles. The legislative mandate came as efforts to revamp the US Armys missile defense program to focus on shooting down weapons such as those that could be fired on future battlefields by adversaries like Russia and China were bogged down with delays. Israeli defense manufacturer Rafael Advanced Air Defense Systems, Ltd, claimed the Iron Dome could shoot down cruise missiles, but Pentagon officials said field testing data did not support that claim. The transfer of the first two arrays has moved ahead regardless, though senior US Army officials have also publicly questioned whether the Israeli system can pair with American electronic communications systems and sensors. The US Army purchased the batteries last August. Whats next: Under Congress mandate, the US Army must develop an entirely new system to fill its indirect fire protection capability gap before fiscal year 2023 or it must purchase additional units. Gen. Mike Murray, who heads the Army Futures Command, suggested before Congress in March that the United States not purchase additional Iron Dome units, citing delays in obtaining the system and continued questions about its compatibility with American equipment. In August, US-based Raytheon Missiles and Defense announced a partnership with Rafael to manufacture Iron Dome units in the United States. The US facility will also produce SkyHunter missiles, a US version of the Iron Domes Tamir missile. The second Iron Dome battery is scheduled to be delivered by the end of the year, Moshe Patel, chief of the Missile Defense Organization under the Israeli Defense Ministry, said in the statement released Monday. Know more: Danny Zaken lays out how a potential Trump administration sale of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to the United Arab Emirates could open the door for greater opportunities between Israeli defense firms and Gulf countries. COVID-19 means just about everyone who can do so now works from home. But the rapid pace at which this happened put IT under a great deal of pressure, so, what have we learned that may help in future? The digital transformation continues The JNUC conference this week sees 15,000 Apple-in-the-enterprise IT staff come together, and a lot of the focus is on the challenges of rapid migration to remote work. The scale of this migration is vast, and it seems to be continuing at pace. Microsoft Vice President Brad Anderson shared a little data to illustrate this: We're seeing 1.5 million new devices every seven days coming into the cloud to be managed (by Microsoft Endpoint Manager) and that's Windows, iOS, Mac and Android. (Italics mine.) When offices were first forced to close and employees sent home, events took place fast. Speaking at the show, Joe Steele, the head of workplace technology at UK-based Starling Bank, said: I was given two days notice for our office workers to be working from home. They were desktop-based and they were going to have to be laptop-based. "I bought every available MacBook Pro in the UK and shipped them directly to staff homes. Within 48 hours, these users had gone from not having a device to having a device that was fully provisioned by Jamf with all the software, security and compliance tools they needed to work effectively from home. "Interestingly enough, there was no feedback on what I would consider quite an incredible feat, but, you know, unless somethings broken, nobody notices IT anyway, right? (Mac v. Windows TCO fans may be interested Steeles claim that he needs one support staff member to manage 20 Windows PCs, or they can manage 250 Macs.) Climbing on board The vast majority of Jamf employees began working remotely in early March. With a remote-first vision at the heart of the company, this was less challenging than at other comanies. CEO Dean Hager explained some of the pain points ] enterprises might face in the process of becoming remote-first and onboarding new employees: Cloud: If you used on-premises servers, remote working becomes a problem because of the need to maintain the on-site servers who will be on premises? If you used on-premises servers, remote working becomes a problem because of the need to maintain the on-site servers who will be on premises? Landlines: Companies using traditional PBX landlines faced disruption. We have over 1,300 people around the world. No one has a landline. Our 200 customer support people work entirely off iPhones. Because all our call routing software is cloud-based, when we all went home service was just the same as it already was, he explained. Companies using traditional PBX landlines faced disruption. We have over 1,300 people around the world. No one has a landline. Our 200 customer support people work entirely off iPhones. Because all our call routing software is cloud-based, when we all went home service was just the same as it already was, he explained. Endpoints: With employees working remotely, the need to secure endpoints became critical. Thats particularly the case when every employees infrastructure (broadband, home security, living arrangements) is unique. The capacity to protect the device and the data held on that device become hugely important. Hager says the change in the way we work will also change the nature of the workspace: Going forward, Jamf facilities will be a service to employees, not an expectation of them. How onboarding changed at Evernote Evernote Senior IT Manager Shams Mansoor discussed how remote working has changed the onboarding experience. He explained how before the pandemic, onboarding had included an hour-long hardware orientation and set-up session; this has now been replaced by remote set-up and self-service support. As the pandemic hit, Evernote automated many onboarding processes using OneLogin, BetterCloud and Jamf. All we have to do is send the laptop, employees open it up and its set up with what they need, he said. This reduces the time around orientation, so employees know what and how to use our IT. We try our best to make sure new hires dont need to contact IT on the first day. The processes and what we have learned well keep this forever. To help onboard new staff, Mansoors advice is: Automate where possible. Make IT support available where employees are (chat, self-service, etc). Create a self-help wiki to help staff solve problems themselves. Build an easy-to-use unified ticketing system. Jay Srinivasan, co-founder and CEO of atSpoke, explained SaaS confusion. Most companies use dozens of different SaaS apps, which means employees often spend a great deal of time just trying to find the right place to get help for a specific SaaS function, or attempting to figure out how to resolve challenges themselves. This is an even bigger problem for remote workers and new hires. His advice? Build a single, clear source for information concerning all the apps used at your company, automate where possible and develop a transparent and easy to access support request system. Everyone in IT seems to agree that support tickets are more than administrative they help IT identify trends and winnow out more trivial (yet frequent) support requests that can be serviced by users themselves with help from a support wiki. It's wise to use this data to improve support and enable support staff to focus on bigger problems. That zero-touch thing For many enterprises, rapid remote deployments were made easier through use of tools for remote configuration. With this in mind, Jamfs biggest news at JNUC was its much-improved Jamf Connect solution, which combines user management tools from Apple (Apple Business Manager) and Microsoft (Endpoint Security, Azure). One example of this employees can set up, provision and begin using a completely new Mac by simply opening the machine and using Face ID on their iPhone, thanks to Jamf Connect's integration with Apple and Microsoft Azure. That differentiation between Apple as a consumer-focused company and Microsoft for the enterprise continues to erode. Jeremy Butcher, Apples Enterprise and Education Product Manager, said: The idea that there needs to be a distinction between enterprise-grade security and consumer grade security is kind of a fallacy. Why shouldn't everyone have amazing security? Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe. A Marine Corps KC-130J refueling aircraft and an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter collided during an air-to-air refueling mission in California, causing the stealth jet to crash, officials said Tuesday. The F-35B pilot was able to eject successfully and is being treated, said 1st Lt. Brett Vannier, spokesman for Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona. The KC-130J made an emergency landing in a field near Thermal Airport, roughly 130 miles northeast of San Diego, according to local news reports. All nine personnel -- one in the F-35B and eight in the KC-130J tanker -- are accounted for. "There are some mild injuries that are being treated, but they are all safe," Vannier told Military.com. Read Next: Sailor Behind Pearl Harbor Shooting Was 'Insider Threat' with Underdiagnosed Issues The personnel are assigned to the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, Vannier said. It's not immediately clear whether those involved were students or instructors or from where the aircraft took off. Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course is hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One at Yuma. Aviators attend the course, where they face a series of escalating training events that cover advanced air and ground tactics. The accident involving the short takeoff/vertical landing F-35 variant occurred at 4 p.m. local time. The cause of the collision is under investigation, Vannier said. This marks what will likely be the third Class-A aviation mishap for the Marine Corps in fiscal year 2020, which started Oct. 1, 2019, and ends Wednesday. Earlier this month, a CH-53E made an emergency landing in North Carolina after an engine fire broke out. The crew was able to get out of the aircraft safely. In May, a civilian skydiving plane collided with a parked MV-22B Osprey in San Diego. There were no injuries reported. A similar Marine refueling exercise involving a KC-130J and F/A-18D Hornet left six dead in 2018. That collision took place during a nighttime exercise off the coast of Japan. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: General, Colonel Rebuked After Marine Corps Finds Serious Flaws in Fatal Crash Investigation The verdict given by the special CBI court in the Babri demolition case has been hailed by many political leaders and Union ministers. Defence minister Rajnath Singh took the lead in congratulating the 32 people who have been acquitted by the court. I welcome the decision of the special court of Lucknow not to join any conspiracy of 32 people including Shri LK Advani, Shri Kalyan Singh, Dr Murali Manohar Joshi, Umaji in the Babri Masjid demolition case. The verdict has proved that justice prevailed even if it is late, Singh wrote on Twitter. Delivering the verdict, judge SK Yadav said that the demolition of the mosque was not pre-planned, but a spontaneous act. He also said that there is no conclusive proof against the accused. Also read: Click here for live coverage of Babri demolition case verdict The case related to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. I wholeheartedly welcome the judgement by the Special Court in Babri Masjid demolition case. The judgement vindicates my personal and BJPs belief and commitment toward the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, said LK Advani after being acquitted by special CBI court. WATCH| Babri case: Court acquits Advani & 31 others; says demolition not pre-planned BJPs Murli Manohar Joshi, also one of the accused, said, Its a historic decision by the court. This proves that no conspiracy was hatched for December 6 incident in Ayodhya. Our program and rallies were not part of any conspiracy. We are happy, everyone should now be excited about Ram Mandirs construction. False narratives and conspiracy theories are finally laid to rest by the Honbl CBI Court in historic Babri Masjid Demolition Verdict, minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri said. He also congratulated LK Advani and other leaders who were acquitted by the court. BJPs Lok Sabha MP and one of the accused in the Babri demolition case, Ram Vilas Vedanti, emerged from court flashing a victory sign. Its good. Justice done. The court agreed that we did no wrong, he said after the verdict. Welcoming the verdict, Uttar Pradesh chief minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath said, Satyamev Jayate- truth has won In a press statement CM said, the then Congress government acted with political bias, indulged in vote bank politics defamed the BJP leaders, saints, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders and various social organizations by lodging false cases. The people involved in the conspiracy should apologize to the people of the country. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said both the party as well as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray welcome the verdict. We should not forget the incident as grand Ram Mandir is now being built. If the Babri structure had not come down, we would not have seen the construction of the Ram temple, said Raut. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) also welcomed the verdict. After this decision, all sections of the society should come together in unity and harmony and work successfully to face the challenges before the country, and work towards the progress of this country, RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi tweeted. Work is officially underway on Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan's dream home. On Wednesday, the former TOWIE star sported high-vis as he was spotted on the building site of his new house alongside his dad 'Big Mark', who works in construction, as they overlooked the developments of the swanky home. Mark and Michelle, both aged 33, bought the home for 1.3million in October and it was revealed in January that they would demolish the four bedroom Essex farmhouse to create the sensationally lavish new house with 'classical design'. Hard at work! Work is officially underway on Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan's dream home and on Wednesday, the former TOWIE star sported high-vis as he was spotted on the building site of his new house Mark looked engrossed in his work as he chatted to his dad and a fellow construction expert who they warmly greeted on site. Back in June it was revealed that the sprawling new home will feature a huge swimming pool, bar and make-up room, floor plans have revealed. Posted on Epping Council website and being designed by Essex-based company MP Architects, the stunning plans show the couple's incredible vision, which also features a playroom for any future kids. Earlier this year, they submitted plans to knock down their home and replace with a sprawling Georgian-style mansion - details of which can be seen online. Grafters: He was joined by his dad 'Big Mark', who works in construction, as they overlooked the developments of the swanky home Wow! The new home will feature a huge swimming pool, bar and make-up room, floor plans revealed Happy days: The couple have been married for five years (pictured in March last year) Big ideas: Their planning agent previously said: 'This new house has been carefully designed so that it is similar in area and volume to what is currently on the site While the couple had no objections from neighbours, they withdrew requests for 'demolition of an existing stable building' to build a 'one-bedroom annexe'. Images of the ground floor show the home is set to give a nod to both their love of work and play, with a gym and bar placed either side of the huge kitchen. The hub of the home is certainly the kitchen, which runs the entire length of the back of the house and includes a living area and island. He's the expert! Back in June it was revealed that the sprawling new home will feature a huge swimming pool, bar and make-up room, floor plans have revealed Lobbying: While the couple had no objections from neighbours, they withdrew requests for 'demolition of an existing stable building' to build a 'one-bedroom annexe' Lavish: The first floor meanwhile shows an equally impressive plan, with a balcony extending from the master bedroom, which includes a dressing room and make-up room The first floor meanwhile shows an equally impressive plan, with a balcony extending from the master bedroom, which includes a dressing room and make-up room. Every bedroom features an en suite while cupboards are littered through the floor. The first floor features three bedrooms. Second floor plans show two more bedrooms and further en suites. Set on sprawling grounds, the rear of the house boasts a swimming pool plan while the vast drive is set to accommodate a plethora of cars. Sprawling: The views visible from their future home were nothing short of exquisite Swish: Second floor plans show two more bedrooms and further en suites Their planning agent previously said: 'This new house has been carefully designed so that it is similar in area and volume to what is currently on the site. 'The new house will sit further back on the site and will create a much more functional family dwelling for our clients. 'The existing house has been extended several times and is not functional, therefore a new house would be a better use of the site.' That was then: On starting a family after moving into their dream home, Mark previously said: 'We say we're going to try [for a baby] every year but something comes up with work' On starting a family after moving into their dream home, Mark previously said: 'We say we're going to try [for a baby] every year but something comes up with work... 'So it'll be Michelle filming in South Africa and then I got the job in Los Angeles so we think, right, we'll try next year. It'll be around December or January, we'll talk about it and we'll go from there. 'With kids, I used to want three or four. But now, I'm 31, we're not having kids any time before 32. I think we could have two or three. Twins would be great because you're getting two out of the way at once! HADDONFIELD, NJ A Haddonfield woman in her 70s has died after testing positive for the coronavirus, Camden County officials announced on Wednesday. She was one of three Camden County residents whose coronavirus-related deaths were reported on Wednesday. A Pine Hill woman in her 60s and a Voorhees woman in her 70s have also died as a result of the virus, officials announced. As of Wednesday, there are 116 cases of the coronavirus among Haddonfield residents, and there have been five confirmed deaths reported. Countywide, there are 10,674 cases of the coronavirus and 555 confirmed deaths, according to numbers provided by Camden County officials. New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families as we mourn three Camden County residents who have died in recent days due to COVID-19, Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said. Today, Governor Murphy announced that the state has reached a 3 percent positivity rate for the first time since July. Remember, even if many of those cases are in a handful of municipalities, it only takes one asymptomatic person to quickly spread this disease elsewhere. Thats why we must continue to take precautions like wearing masks and keeping at least 6 feet of distance from others. Twenty-two new cases were reported in Camden County on Wednesday. None were in Haddonfield or Haddon Township, which currently has 127 cases and five confirmed deaths. Trace investigations are underway in all new cases. According to the Camden County Department of Health, there are 1,437 confirmed cases among residents at the county's long-term care facilities, with 327 deaths. Another 604 cases were reported among staff members, with three deaths. Residents who are having difficulty coping with the coronavirus crisis can call the Mental Health Association in New Jersey, Inc. at 877-294- HELP (4357) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. for emotional support, guidance and mental health referrals as needed. For additional information and services, call Camden County's Office of Mental Health & Addiction at 856-374-6361. See related: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know This article originally appeared on the Haddonfield-Haddon Township Patch Michelle Goldberg Joe Biden. The debate was a shouty disaster. Chris Wallace was utterly disgraceful as a moderator, constantly letting Trump interrupt Biden and allowing him to spout gross and anti-democratic lies about the legitimacy of the election. Biden got tongue tied and let himself be put on the defensive a few times, especially about riots in Portland, Ore., and his son Hunter. He missed several opportunities to bring up the generals who have spoken out against Trump. But I cant imagine that anyone not already supporting Trump could be won over by his sneering insults, unhinged ranting and conspiratorial non-sequiturs. Ultimately, talking about this in terms of who won seems like a category error. Trump used his massive platform to urge his supporters to intimidate people at the polls. Biden was occasionally ineffectual. One was a bullying fascist, the other an avatar, however imperfect, of civic responsibility. There should be no false equivalency here. Matt Labash Joe Biden. He did a really lousy impression tonight of a senile person. Which, considering Trumps multi-month campaign to deem him as such, means he passed the dribble test with flying colors. (As in, he didnt dribble down his shirt.) But beyond that, Biden appeared more presidential, which is a problem for Trump, considering hes already president. Trump couldnt even manage to act like the thing that he already is. Opinion Debate Will the Democrats face a midterm wipeout? Mark Penn and Andrew Stein write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. Matthew Continetti writes that time and again, the biggest obstacle to a red wave hasnt been the Democratic Party. Its been the Republican Party. writes that time and again, the biggest obstacle to a red wave hasnt been the Democratic Party. Its been the Republican Party. Ezra Klein speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. Michelle Cottle examines two primary contests that will shake the parties well beyond the states in play. Liz Mair Joe Biden. But who really won? Everyone who didnt watch. Biden will probably be shown to be the winner in post-debate polling, but as awful as Trump was, for my money, he prevented Biden from landing enough punches and looking as tough and capable as Biden should have and could have. Daniel McCarthy Joe Biden. President Trump has succeeded by demolishing the artificiality of American politics and occupying far more space in his opponents minds, as well as his supporters, than his rivals do. But he overplayed his hand in this debate, with rougher shock tactics than voters might tolerate. Biden was not persuasive on his own, but this was one night when being plain vanilla was probably enough. Bret Stephens Joe Biden, because when he got to speak, he did so directly to the American people. Hector Tobar Joe Biden won mostly because the president was so, so awful. And because Biden managed to express a few moments of genuine humanity and keep his cool during the waterfall of Trumpian insults. But Biden wasnt very sharp either; Chris Wallace offered as many effective retorts to the presidents excesses as Biden did. Charlie Warzel Nobody really won tonight. We all lost. If letting men in their 70s talk over each other is the best way to decide presidential politics, then theres no good reason to do two more. Ultimately though, Donald Trumps job was to try to claw back voters who dont fall squarely within his base. His performance offered nothing to voters who dont already worship him. No minds changed tonight. So Joe Biden wins by default. Peter Wehner Joe Biden won because hes leading in the race and acquitted himself pretty well despite debating a man who is unstable, enraged, highly agitated and vicious: a bonfire of hate and grievance. Biden is normal and decent; Trump is deeply abnormal and indecent. Anyone who watched Donald Trumps debates with Hillary Clinton in 2016 was on notice that he would likely be aggressive and obnoxious in his first debate with Joe Biden. But Trumps bullying performance in Cleveland on Tuesday evening which overwhelmed moderator Chris Wallace was an insult to the American people. We can argue about which candidate won the debate, such as it was. Our view is that the former vice president, while put on the defensive by Trumps insult-comic shtick, managed to focus effectively on facts about Trumps atrocious administration that matter: his epic mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic, his failure to produce a health insurance plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, his stoking of racial divisions. But we worry that these and other points were lost in the chaotic back-and-forth of the exchange. Americans could be excused for turning off the television in disgust, not only at Trump but at the failure of the Commission on Presidential Debates to prevent the president from hijacking the forum. The commission has given Biden ample reason to refuse to participate in anymore such encounters, though his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, suggested afterward that he would not decline. KYIV -- Ukraine has registered more than 4,000 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the highest number registered in a day since the pandemic broke out in mid-March. Health Minister Maksym Stepanov told reporters in Kyiv on September 30 that of the 4,027 individuals who tested positive for the coronavirus, 276 are children and 171 are medical personnel. According to Stepanov, 733 individuals were hospitalized. As of September 30, the total number of coronavirus cases registered in Ukraine is 202,959, including 4,129 deaths. About 7.5 million acres has already burned this fire season, mirroring the 10-year average since 2010 and rivaling 2015 and 2017 that each exceeded 10 million acres. California, Colorado and Oregon are still fighting some of the worst fires in their states history. Nine different fires have burned in Montana this year, and while the cumulative acreage is far less than other states in the West, these fires have also been destructive with 28 structures burned in the Bridger Foothills Fire near Bozeman. Across the country, Americans are experiencing tragic loss of life and property. This year, COVID-19 has added complications for firefighters, and the smoke is affecting the public at large, as new research suggests exposure to smoke could worsen symptoms and even increase the mortality rate. Wildfires are nothing new, in fact it was the Great Fire of 1910 that brought attention to the potential for catastrophic wildfire leading to decades of fire suppression. However, development within the wildland-urban interface has since increased and is exacerbated by dense forest stands, the rapid spread of highly flammable invasive vegetation, and warmer, drier weather. Mother Nature is a harsh manager of these landscapes, especially in their current conditions. The resulting high-intensity wildfires cause total forest stand replacement, altering the soil chemistry and structure, changing hydrological systems, releasing tons of carbon and toxic pollutants, all while destroying wildlife habitat. These impacts are long-term and can permanently alter the forest. Fortunately, we have the science and experience to return these ecosystems to a more balanced state. We know that active forest management such as harvesting trees, thinning dead and dying trees, creating fuel breaks, prescribed and managed burns, and creating defensible spaces are all effective tools at our disposal. The Forest Service and its partners are implementing active forest management projects that reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. These projects improve the health of our forests and support jobs, but they also improve wildlife habitat by increasing forage production and creating more dynamic, resilient landscapes. Along with greater consideration of social-ecological systems, warmer, drier weather and projected landscape conditions, active forest management is a critical piece of a comprehensive approach to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfire. The Boone and Crockett Club has a long history with wildland forest management. In the early 1900s, we worked to develop and pass legislation that created the National Forest System and the U.S. Forest Service to manage these forests. More recently, we have worked with Congress to give the federal government new tools and direction to address the situation, helping pass legislation in 2003 expediting thinning in the wildland-urban interface, in 2010 protecting the budget of the Forest Service against the rising costs of fighting wildfires, and in 2014 and 2018 creating Good Neighbor and Shared Stewardship authority to administer forest health projects. In mid-September, a hearing in the U.S. Senate focused on the bipartisan Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act of 2020 that would grant broad authority to federal agencies to implement fuels reduction projects, create new training to implement much needed prescribed fire, and allow projects to proceed while agencies protect species listed under the Endangered Species Act. We look forward to working with the members of both the Senate and House of Representatives on this important legislation. The time for blame, political gamesmanship, endless planning and litigation has passed. We need to come together with a common goal to apply science and all the available tools to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and restore our forested landscapes. The end result will be better for our communities, for forests, and for wildlife habitat. Tony A. Schoonen is the chief executive officer of the Boone and Crockett Club, which has been headquartered in Missoula since 1992. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 A motorcyclist says he is 'lucky to be alive' after he was knocked him off his bike, suffered a heart attack and was revived in the road by a passing off-duty firefighter. Alan Lorrimer's heart stopped after 81-year-old psychotherapist Dr Joseph Berke smashed into the back of his bike on a roundabout in Hertfordshire on July 24 last year. Shocking dashcam footage from a nearby lorry caught the moment Lorrimer was hit by Dr Berke's black Citroen Picasso at 9.55am. Lorrimer, a bar and music venue boss, was thrown from his bike and lay in the road as Dr Berke, from Highgate, London, slowed down before continuing down the South Mimms interchange where his lawyer said he was looking for somewhere to stop. Bar and music event boss Alan Lorrimer was thrown from his motorbike on July 24 last year after psychotherapist Dr Joseph Berke ploughed through him on a roundabout in Hertfordshire Dashcam footage from a nearby lorry showed Lorrimer being thrown from his motorcycle by Dr Berke's black Citroen Picasso The founder and owner of Piano Works in London suffered a heart attack as a result of the crash and was saved by an off-duty firefighter who performed CPR. Lorrimer was then taken to Royal London Hospital by air ambulance where he spent three days in intensive care being treated for a broken shoulder bone, three broken ribs and scarring to his knee. In a statement read at Stevenage magistrates, Lorrimer said: 'I was stationary at a red traffic light on a bright sunny morning and the next thing I knew I was lying on my back in the middle of the road of a busy roundabout. 'The pain was excruciating and I couldn't get up. Suddenly I passed out and started having a heart attack. 'A firefighter called Curtis rushed across and started CPR. The first time he tried there were no vital signs and it was only on the second attempt that I started to breathe again. Lorrimer's motorcycle spins off down the road as he lies in pain. Dr Berke's car is seen slowing down near a slip road before continuing and looking for somewhere to stop, according to his lawyer An off-duty firefighter runs into the road to help Lorrimer and performs CPR on him when his heart stopped. A nurse and soldier also run into the road to assist him 'If it hadn't been for Curtis I honestly believe I would be dead. I feel lucky to be alive.' Dr Berke who is described as a 'pioneer in medication-free therapy', is known for having treated Mary Barnes, a schizophrenic Scottish nurse who later became a famous artist, writer and mystic. He did not appear in court because of coronavirus self-isolation but admitted to driving without care or attention and his insurance company has admitted liability. Lorrimer's lawyer Laura Swaine, of Osbornes Law, said her client was still suffering from physical and mental scars and that he was pleased Dr Berke had pleaded guilty. Appearing in court, Lorrimer said that he was diagnosed with moderate PTSD and requires 16 sessions to try and help him get over it. Alan Lorrimer (pictured) suffered a broken shoulder bone, three broken ribs and scarring to his knee He also said: 'I am told he was interviewed by police at the time and he said his brakes had failed. The vehicle inspectors said there was nothing wrong with them.' Speaking through his lawyer Jonathan Black, Dr Berke said he had been trying to find a Kwik Fit and had not noticed the traffic lights on the roundabout. Black said: 'He tells me that he has tried to call and find out what has happened to Mr Lorrimer but he was told that there was no information available. 'He said I pray for him everyday that he gets better. There is no reason to believe that this is not genuine. 'After the accident from Mr Berke, he looked for the first place he could stop. He didn't drive off. He struggled to get out of his car.' Black also said that the event was a one-off and out of character for Dr Berke, describing it as 'an extremely unfortunate incident'. Dr Berke was handed a six-month driving ban and fines and costs totalling 700 which needed to be paid within 14 days. Alongside the off-duty firefighter who performed CPR, a nurse and a soldier also rushed to Lorrimer's aid and to say thank you, he tracked them down and held a party for them. Speaking after the hearing, Lorrimer said he was pleased that Dr Berke had been handed the maximum sentence but would have liked the opportunity to speak with the psychotherapist, who he says has not apologised. He said: 'This has been a year and three months since the incident and he has made no contact with me either to ask after me or to apologise.' Dr Berke (pictured) who is described as a 'pioneer in medication-free therapy', is known for having treated Mary Barnes, a schizophrenic Scottish nurse who later became a famous artist, writer and mystic Three members of the Writers Association of Iran sent to prison 07/22/20 Source: Committee for the Defence of the Iranian People's Rights On Saturday, September 26, 2020, Baktash Abtin, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, and Keyvan Bajan, three members of the Writers' Association of Iran, were summoned to the Evin Prison Prosecutor's Office on Saturday and transferred to evin prison to serve their sentences. These three have been convicted to a total of 15 years and 6 months in prison by the appeal court. Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bajan and Reza Khandan Mahabadi The charges brought against these three witers were "propaganda against the regime" and "gathering and collusion with the intention of acting against national security". The cited proofs of these charges were membership in the the Writers' Association (Kanoon), publication of internal statements and newsletters of the Kanoon, visiting the graves of the victims of the infamous "serial murders", i.e. Ja'far Puyandeh and Mohammad Mokhtari, and attending the memorial service of Ahmad Shamloo. The Writers' Association of Iran had previously called these sentences "an insult of justice" and said that they are punished for opposing censorship and defending freedom of expression. "At a time when the new wave of coronavirus in the country takes hundreds of victims daily and the lack of health facilities in prisons can have disastrous consequences, imprisoning these three writers and others charged for their ideological and political views makes no sense other than that the security and judicial authorities want to send protesters and dissidents to the altar," the Writers' Association of Iran said in a statement released on Sunday. In January 2019, Baktash Abtin and Reza Khandan Mahabadi were each sentenced to six years and Keyvan Bajan to three years and six months imprisonment. The three writers have been tried in connection with a case opened for them by the Intelligence Ministry of Hassan Rouhani's government in 2015. The Writers' Association of Iran has written that in the past years it has "always witnessed the arrest and harassment of its members, and has lost several members during the political murders of the 1990s" and that "the rulers of the Islamic Republic, the judiciary, and the Ministry of Intelligence are responsible for protecting the lives and health of the detained members of Kanoon." The Writers' Association of Iran condemned the sentences and said, "This is not just the trial and conviction of three writers. This is not the only trial of the Writers' Association of Iran. It is the condemnation of all writers and those who want the right to freedom of expression." It also called the "reasons and evidences of the court" for these charges "more irrelevant and looser than the charges themselves." The World Pen Association has also objected to these sentences when they were announced. In its new statement, the Writers' Association of Iran (Kanoon) called on "writers, human rights organizations, and the freedom-seeking people of Iran" to react to these "inhumane sentences." About the Writers Association of Iran (Kanoon): The Writers' Association of Iran was founded in May 1968. Simin Daneshvar, Mahmoud Etemadzadeh (Beh-Azin), Nader Naderpour, Siavash Kasrai, Dariush Ashouri, Esmaeil Khoei, and Ahmad Shamloo were among the first members of the board of directors. During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and during the Islamic Republic, the activities of the Writers' Association have been restricted and its members have been under pressure from the government. A number of members of the Writers' Association of Iran were executed after the 79 revolution, and in the 1990s, several of them were killed, which proved the role of Intelligence Ministry agents in their murders in the case of Mohammad Mokhtari and Mohammad Ja'far Puyandeh. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Warief Djajanto Basorie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 13:10 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c482b4b9 3 Opinion press,G30S,1965-tragedy,Indonesia,media Free BPS=Sukarnoism to kill Sukarnoism and Sukarno. The castigating line in English appeared on the electronic board of the Senayan Indoor Stadium in Jakarta Feb. 23, 1965. The event was the 19th anniversary of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI). Its commemoration was the prelude to the failed putsch attempt later in the year of the Sept. 30 Movement blamed on the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). At issue in the Senayan gathering was the clash in ideology between noncommunist newspapers and communist-oriented dailies that painted the political landscape in Indonesia from 1964 to 1965, the latter years of the Sukarno presidency. A formidable PKI and a fervently noncommunist Indonesian Army were the two power camps competing to exert their influence and gain the favor of Sukarno, the countrys president since he proclaimed Indonesias independence in 1945. This PKI- Sukarno-Army trilateral power play only needed a trigger for a game-changing political explosion. The battle of the minds also filtered down to the media sector. Polarization of the press business was caused by two events in 1964, according to Tribuana Said in a 1983 book Indonesias BPS Press Fight Against PKI Movement. First, on May 8, 1964 thenpresident Sukarno with PKI coaxing ordered the banning of the Cultural Manifesto, a group of noncommunist literary writers who sought freedom of expression not serving political ends. They distinguished themselves from the pro-PKI writers in Lekra, the Peoples Cultural Institute, who used political rhetoric in their work. The Political Manifesto of the Republic of Indonesia as the illuminator of the Pancasila has become the broadlines of the state and any other manifesto accompanying it would be out of the question, the banning order stated. Pancasila is Indonesias five tenets of national ideology with belief in the one and only God as the first principle. The second development was the forming of the Action Committee to Boycott American Films (PABFIAS) sponsored by the PKI-controlled National Front. PABFIAS actions spread to attacks on United States libraries and cultural centers and a call for the expulsion of American Peace Corps volunteers. Editorial polemics over ideology also featured between noncommunist papers like Merdeka (Freedom) and Harian Rakjat (Peoples Daily), PKIs official organ. One issue was their respective interpretation of Sukarnoism. On Sept. 1, 1964, anticommunist press outlets concerned with the rise of communist influence, established the Body for the Upholding of Sukarnosim (BPS). Its stated aim was to enhance and popularize Sukarnoism through the press, radio and television. Its name was a pretext to counter PKI actions, Tribuana, then chief editor of the Medan-based Waspada daily and a BPS activist, acknowledged in a September 2020 interview. Again, with communist cajoling, Sukarno on Dec. 17, 1964 outlawed BPS stating that the organization fostered disunity among revolutionary, progressive national forces. PKI and its allies wanted to draw blood. The communist-oriented leadership of the PWI expelled 12 BPS-linked members including BPS chair and Berita Indonesia chief editor Soemantoro. More expulsions were to follow. The Antara news agency, whose chief editor was a PKI confidante, forced the early retirement of nine journalists and a manager. The day after PWIs 19th anniversary reception, then-information minister Achmadi withdrew the publication license of 11 BPSaffiliated papers in Jakarta and nine in Medan, North Sumatra. More closures followed in Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya. The political clock was ticking quickly. PKI intensified its propaganda. Aidit said in a speech Sept. 13, 1965 in West Kalimantan reported by Antara that PKI can play a role as a forerunner in enhancing a revolutionary situation up to the summit. In the predawn hours of Oct. 1 Aidit pulled the trigger. Aidits putsch attempt failed due to poor coordination between the field action units. Within 12 hours, the army under Maj. Gen. Soeharto got the upper-hand and began to dismember the PKI and its mass organizations. In the media sector, the Army shut down all papers except for the dailies the military ran, Berita Yudha (War News) and Angkatan Bersenjata (Armed Forces). Noncommunist papers were allowed to run again. Out of a total 163 papers at the time, 46 were banned. This included Harian Rakjat and all left-wing publications (Atmakusumah. Kebebasan Pers dan Arus Informasi di Indonesia, 1981). At the PWI, the tables were turned. At a congress held in Jakarta Nov. 4-7, 1965, general chair Karim D.P. and secretary general Satyagraha were ousted. Mahbub Djunaidi of the Muslim paper Duta Masjarakat became general chair and Jakob Oetama of Kompas daily the secretary-general. The trials the Indonesian press went through prior, during and after the Sept. 30 movement affair is not thoroughly documented. Tribuana, now 80, did a commendable job on writing about the BPS. Across the dividing line, Martin Aleida, then a 21-year-old reporter at Harian Rakjat, gives an inside look on newsroom intrigue of the communist daily in his 2020 memoir Romantisme Tahun Kekerasan (Romanticism in the Years of Violence). In an interview, Goenawan Mohamad, a signatory to the Cultural Manifesto who later became the founding chief editor in 1971 of the weekly newsmagazine Tempo, affirms the historical importance of the Indonesian press in the 1964-1966 period but little has been written about it. There are fewer and fewer witnesses from that period, Goenawan, now 79, lamented. *** The writer is journalism instructor at Dr Soetomo Press Institute Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. An Arkansas pastor has been accused of taking meth with his parishioners and performing an exorcism on a 21 month old child who was found bruised and emaciated by cops. Lloyd Eddie Lasker Jr., 49, pastor of the House of Refuge and Deliverance in the small town of Mayflower, about 30 minutes north of Little Rock, is facing drugs charges after cops found meth and drug paraphernalia in his truck and inside the church. The pastor in the tiny town of less than 2,000 people allegedly confessed to taking meth with members of his congregation on 'several' occasions and to having a gun at his home. Police said he also admitted to trying to exorcise a 'demon' from the toddler who still remains in intensive care in hospital. Arkansas pastor Lloyd Eddie Lasker Jr. (pictured) has been accused of taking meth with hisparishioners and performing an exorcism on a 21 month old child found bruised and emaciated by cops Conway Police were called to perform a wellness check at Lasker's church back on September 18. Detective Brittani Little arrived on the scene to find Lasker in the church along with a dangerously thin toddler covered in 'multiple bruises from head to toe' and the child's mother, according to an arrest warrant filed in Faulkner County Circuit Court. The mother allegedly told cops the 21 month old was 'possessed by a demon'. The infant was rushed to a local hospital 'with a brain bleed and extreme malnourishment' and remains in ICU, authorities said. Officers then returned to the House of Refuge and Deliverance on September 22 as part of their investigation in the child abuse case but Lasker was not at the church. They tracked him down to an Exxon gas station in the town, according to a second affidavit. Police said they found the suspect in the passenger seat of his white Dodge truck while another man, Timothy Bynum, was standing near the driver's side of the vehicle. The pastor of the House of Refuge and Deliverance (pictured) in the small town of Mayflower, about 30 minutes north of Little Rock, is facing drugs charges after cops found meth and drug paraphernalia in his truck and inside the church. A search of the truck uncovered four grams of meth in a small baggie inside the door panel, a pipe, a second smoking device and more meth on the floor of the passenger side of the vehicle, the affidavit says. Lasker told officers in an interview he didn't know there were drugs inside the truck but admitted to having used meth in the past. He then confessed to doing drugs with his parishioners 'several times' including with the mother of the toddler, the warrant says. Police later executed a search on the church where they reportedly found a baggy of a substance suspected to be meth. When asked about the allegations of child abuse, the pastor admitted he tried 'to exorcise the demon in [the child] but he would not explain how he did this,' the warrant says. Conway Police were called to perform a wellness check at Lasker's church back on September 18 when they discovered the 'bruised and 'emaciated' child The pastor also confessed to having a shotgun at his home. A search of his home uncovered a shotgun, shotgun rounds and ammunition, the warrant states. Lasker was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a gun by a convicted felon. Bynum, who said the meth belonged to Lasker, was also arrested on charges relating to the meth found in the door and the pipe. Lasker made his first court appearance on September 23 where he was given a $7,500 bond. He is next scheduled to appear in court on October 13. An action by a Leaving Cert student at Dublins Belvedere College has been chosen as the lead challenge over the standardisation of 2020 Leaving Cert grades. The outcome of the case by Freddy Sherry, to be heard on October 21st, is expected to impact on other challenges over the standardisation process, all of which have been adjourned to await the outcome. Separately, Brian Kennedy SC, for the Minister for Education, told Mr Justice Charles Meenan on Wednesday the Minister intends to appeal the judges decision last week upholding another student's challenge to the refusal to consider her for calculated grades. The judge dealt earlier on Wednesday with case management issues in three separate cases over the standardisation process. He directed that applications for permission to bring an additional two new cases, by students who sat the 2019 Leaving Cert and claim the 2020 standardisation process has unfairly affected them, should be made on notice to the Minister. Should leave be granted, those will not be heard before the outcome of the case by Mr Sherry, he directed. In his action, Mr Sherry, of Newtown, Celbridge, Co Kildare, represented by Micheal P. OHiggins SC, Feichin McDonagh SC and Brendan Hennessy BL, instructed by Ferry Solicitors, claims a decision by the Minister for Education last August interfered with the work of the Independent Steering Committee on Calculated Grades. He claims the Ministers direction not to rely on previous school data or schools historic records in the standardisation process lead to him being unfairly downgraded by 55 points in his Leaving Cert this year. He was hugely disappointed that his teachers estimated CAO points total of 542 for him was reduced to 487 under the process, his first course choice was pharmacy in TCD and he may now have to sit the Leaving Cert exam in November, Mr Sherry said. Having been told on Wednesday the sides agreed his case could proceed as the lead case, Mr Justice Meenan made directions for the exchange of documents between the sides for the October 21st hearing. The judge was told the sides had decided that another case, that of Aine Finnegan, of Fairview, Dublin, represented by the same counsel and solicitor Eileen McCabe, would not proceed as the lead case, despite having been initiated before Mr Sherrys, because Ms Finnegan has taken up an offer of an alternative college place other than her first choice. Ms Finnegan wants to concentrate on her studies for now and would await the outcome of the lead case, the judge was told. A third case, by the Board of Management of St Kilians German school in Dublin and eight of its students, who claim the standardisation model lead to an extraordinary downgrading of results in German and other subjects there, will also await the outcome. The judge also on Wednesday made formal orders arising from his judgment last week overturning the Minister for Education's refusal to consider a home-schooled Leaving Cert student for calculated grades on the basis none of those involved in her schooling were registered teachers. The formal orders included a declaration that the refusal to provide a calculated grade in any circumstances where the applicant is home schooled by a teacher or teachers who are not registered is "irrational, arbitrary, unfair and unlawful". The judge also awarded costs to the student against the Minister. Mr Kennedy, for the Minister, said the judges decision would be appealed and, in those circumstances, the judge put a stay on his orders. Mr Kennedy said, while another home-schooled student, Elijah Burke, had been awarded calculated grades after the judge found in his favour in a separate challenge, the girls case was regarded as different by the Ministers side. There are a considerable number of students in her position and each of their situations will be considered on a case by case basis, counsel said. Mr Burke (18), from Co Mayo, was home-schooled by his mother, a registered teacher but, in his judgment on the girls case, the judge disagreed with the Ministers argument that meant the Burke case could be distinguished from the girls case. The judges ruling in favour of Mr Burke is also being appealed. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) Authorities rescued a kidnap victim held in captivity for two weeks in Zamboanga del Norte after a clash with the suspected kidnappers on Wednesday morning, the military said. Rex Triplitt was abducted on Sept.16 by armed men in camouflage while he and his wife were onboard his motorcycle on their way home to Barangay Piacan, Siarawai, a statement by the Philippine Army in the region said. He was rescued by troops from the Armys 42nd Infantry Battalion after a clash with the kidnappers in Brgy Pisa Itom, Sirawai. The perpetrators, suspected to be members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, were able to escape. There were no reported casualties in the firefight. "The rescued victim is now being secured by the troops on the ground and transported for evacuation and immediate medical evaluation," the statement said. There were conflicting reports on the victim's background with the Army describing him as Filipino-American while the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command noted that he was a farmer. Some reports also said that he was born to Cebuano and Tausug parents. Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, commander of the 102nd Infantry Brigade which has operational jurisdiction over Zamboanga del Norte, stressed that the Army's pursuit operations will continue "until we apprehend these terrorists and make them accountable to court." A New York Times report claimed Mr Trump paid around 578 in federal income tax the year he entered the White House and the issue took centre stage as he and Joe Biden faced off on Tuesday. Moderator Chris Wallace asked the president when he would make personal taxes public as he has long promised. Show us your tax returns, @realDonaldTrump. Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 30, 2020 All presidents except Mr Trump have publicly released their taxes since the presidency of Richard Nixon. Mr Trump has said since 2016 that he would eventually release them, but when asked by moderator Chris Wallace when this would take place, the republican replied: Youll get to see it. Mr Biden said: Show us your taxes. Show us your taxes. The Democratic candidate used taxes as a point of attack, saying Mr Trump does take advantage of the tax code and pays less tax than a schoolteacher. Advertisement But Mr Trump shrugged off the attack, saying that all business leaders do the same unless they are stupid. Ahead of the debate in Cleveland, Mr Biden and his wife Jill, released more of their personal tax returns. The Bidens returns show the couple paid almost 300,000 dollars (233,000) in federal taxes in 2019, including almost 288,000 dollars (159,000) in personal income tax. The Bidens reported taxable income of 944,737 dollars (523,000). At every turn, Spanish politics are becoming more toxic than the virus thats caused a pandemic. Day after day, ever since the beginning of this bleak September, the stream of news about the rise in contagion and deaths has been aggravated by the deplorable spectacle of political discord, of inefficiency working hand in hand with partisanship, of a frivolous irresponsibility that is slowly mutating into criminal negligence. Spanish politics are as destructive as the coronavirus itself. A vaccine against the virus will be found, and palliative care will improve; but there seems to be no remedy against the Spanish poison of finger-in-the-eye politics. Scientists tell us that our country has greater vulnerabilities than others. Epidemiologists compare figures that place Spain at the top of the European list in terms of coronavirus cases, deaths, infected healthcare workers. International economic institutions warn that our recession is going to be deeper than in any other European Union country. Our economy had not contracted this much since the Civil War (1936-1939). An entire generations future is on hold because nobody knows whether schools will remain open. What we needed was so obvious that it seemed impossible that sweeping agreements would not be reached to achieve it But Spains political class, its parties, and the media organizations that cover their battles and their bluster, seem trapped inside some kind of bubble where the only attitude on display is one of aggressive swagger, combined with the impulse to hurt and the use of a foul vocabulary that chiefly serves to poison the collective atmosphere even further, all in order to avoid accountability and find scapegoats, enemies to blame for all the mistakes that have been made. Its the virus that kills, but it would kill a whole lot less if, for many years now, the administrative machinery of government had not been weakened by incompetence, corruption and political cronyism, effectively pushing out a lot of capable people and dragging those who remained into a state of despondency, depriving them of necessary resources that are instead squandered on crafty privatizations or on sumptuous salaries for parasites. Good governance and social justice require, first of all, an honest and efficient system of administration. The best intentions will sink into irrelevance or absurdity if there are no efficient, flexible structures in place and no capable civil service employees to keep them going. An achievement as vital as the minimum basic income can become mired in the bog of an overstretched public administration. Spain is a country of sonorous speeches and official hotlines where nobody ever picks up; of innumerable advisors and health centers short on medical and cleaning equipment; of political leaders who promise a paradise of independence or equality, while physicians are forced to sign one-week and even one-day contracts in order to make a living. The Madrid region has the highest contagion rate in the world, yet its pompous deputy premier has just inaugurated a hand sanitizer dispenser at a subway station. A group of 150 top scientists have published a letter in The Lancet asking Spains central and regional governments to conduct a comprehensive, rigorous, independent evaluation of the countrys management of the pandemic. The letter was published in early August, when the contagion curve was already rising: not one single institution issued a response; only in mid-September, after a second letter came out in The Lancet in more alarmed tones, did the health minister reach out to the scientists to propose a meeting in October. Clearly, there is no rush. Good governance and social justice require, first of all, an honest and efficient system of administration Doctors, nurses, cleaners, food delivery workers, supermarket employees, police officers, members of the military, caregivers at senior residences, teachers, pharmacists; the scope and human quality of the individuals who put their lives on the line performing essential work during the darkest days of confinement give us faith in the strength of our country, and it is all the more meritorious because it persists despite a destructive and sterile political climate, despite a political class that no doubt includes some honest and capable individuals, but which taken as a whole, in light of everyday reality, has become an obstacle not just for civilized coexistence, but for the countrys sustainability, for the survival of its institutions and the rules of democracy. Its not just that every single day they prove themselves to be incompetent or irresponsible in the way they manage the problems affecting us: its that they actively work to make them worse, preventing any form of constructive agreement, and very frequently creating new problems that only exist because they made them up in order to throw fuel on the flames of daily political bickering. They are so caught up in their own interests that they lack the ability to show generosity or eloquence towards the citizens that they represent and who provide their bread and butter. They speak in public but they are only addressing their own people. They are capable of sabotaging plans that would benefit a majority, if doing so causes damage to their own adversary. Instead of engaging in public debate, in the exchange of ideas, in the search for better practices, they prefer the poisonous circus of social media, which has become the toy and the showcase that they all subscribe to. Nobody remembers this now, but we had a repeat election a year ago because the parties that received the most votes in the previous April election were incapable of reaching a governing deal, which forced us into a protracted caretaker period that we were only beginning to timidly emerge from when the pandemic hit, bringing us face to face with all the weaknesses that have been holding us back for years due to the shiftlessness and incompetence of our political class. They are capable of sabotaging plans that would benefit a majority, if doing so causes damage to their own adversary It seemed then, in early March, that the sheer weight of reality would force political leaders and parties to adopt a modicum of good sense, to become imbued with a sense of responsibility equal to that shown by citizens who, from one day to the next, changed their habits and observed the lockdown; or even equal to that shown by healthcare workers and civil service employees who displayed quiet heroism for months, often in wretched working conditions. What we needed was so obvious that it seemed impossible that sweeping agreements would not be reached to achieve it. But I remember that during the darkest days, the Spanish right was as scary as the coronavirus in its sheer destructive viciousness, and that it formed a perfect tandem with that other fundamentalist right that some people believe to be left wing just because it defines itself as anti-Spanish: right now, the people whom the Catalan separatists most closely resemble, in terms of their lack of solidarity and their desire to quarrel and to make the most of a disastrous situation, are the Spanish patriots who are mismanaging the Madrid region. In both cases, they are more interested in the damage they might cause to the central government than in the damage to everyone else. And within the central government, hampered by internal disagreement and lack of direction, loudmouths and irresponsible individuals are thwarting the efforts of those who actually know what theyre doing. I honestly dont know what can be done by regular citizens like ourselves, those who are not filled with hate, those who would like to see political life guided by the same principles of pragmatism and goodwill that guide nearly everybody in everyday life. We put on our face masks, keep our social distance, wash our hands, and do our jobs as best we can. If we dont do something, these people will be the ruin of us all. Antonio Munoz Molina is a writer. English version by Susana Urra. SALINE, MI - Scot Graden has noticed a difference in the disposition of students returning to the classroom this week for the first time in 198 days. Absence seems to have made students' hearts grow fonder of in-person school, Graden, Saline Area Schools superintendent, said. Its interesting, the traditional view of students is, I dont want to go back to school,' Graden said Wednesday, Sept. 30. Thats been the complete opposite (this year), even at the high school. I think they value the opportunity to come in now, differently than they did. Saline students returned to the classroom for the first time on Monday to a hybrid learning format thats welcoming them to Blue and Yellow groups on alternating days, Monday through Thursday, with Friday dedicated to remote learning throughout the district. After two weeks of this format, Graden said the districts back to school committee will meet to determine if Saline is ready to go to full in-person school five days a week on Oct. 12, based on local health statistics and whether there are any outbreaks or COVID-19 cases within the district. Remote learning will continue for all who want it. About 30% of Saline students remain in a remote learning setting, Graden said, accounting for about 1,200 of the districts more than 5,100 students. A number of families have chosen to stay in a remote learning setting through at least the first trimester of school, and district administrators are working to ensure those students are being fully integrated to the in-person school experience via Zoom and other creative measures, Graden said. Beginning in seventh grade, all virtual students are able to participate via video during in-person instruction, Saline Middle School Principal Laura Washington said. Students can even participate in breakout sessions reserved inside the class with their fellow virtual classmates, she said. Theyre thrilled to be in class and have some sort of normalcy for the kids here, said Washington, who previously served as Heritage Elementary School principal. For the kids at home, I think they are still feeling like theyre a part of their classroom, which was really important to us. Inside school buildings, hallways are lined with directional traffic signs and reminders for social distancing. Plexiglass shields have been installed in office areas, while the cafeteria is typically limited to three students at a table. Desks and work stations are sanitized every class or every four hours, depending on the building, Graden said. After sanitizing desks, teachers have assigned seating to ensure students in the next class sit at different desks to allow for proper sanitization. At Pleasant Ridge Elementary School, mask breaks are built into the day, giving students a chance to go outside and chat without masks on while social distancing. Teachers typically are trying to fit in three to four mask breaks per day, once again referencing the normalcy administrators are seeking for students in the early stages of the year, First-year Principal Kenyatta Hughes said. An opportunity to take that mask off and be able to see some of that self-expression in their classmates is a great opportunity, Hughes said. Pleasant Ridge is trying to create good mask habits for students by encouraging them to only engage with students in a playground or recess setting if they are wearing a mask, Hughes said. Saline also has installed tents for outside congregation. Exterior doors at Pleasant Ridge offer students access to the outside without having to travel through the building, while also allowing for student drop-off and pick-up for parents. Lunch periods are still going on inside the cafeteria, Graden said, estimating about 200 students are in the space for each of the three lunches staggered throughout the afternoon. Specialized classes like music and band are also taking place for both in-person and remote learning students through the use of Zoom technology. At the middle school, a Meeting Owl camera device captures 360 degree video and audio, following the teacher around the classroom so students learning at home can follow along with the interactive lessons with their in-person classmates. Its creating a really cool environment for the students at home and it allows us to touch base with them, band teacher Ben Reed said. READ MORE: This is what back to school looks like for Washtenaw County school districts Parents want students back in class as Ann Arbors remote learning wears out welcome Parents to choose between virtual and gradual return to in-person classes in Saline Area Schools T he fractious first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden prompted huge numbers of Americans to turn to Google and ask for advice on how to move to Canada. Google Trends, the tech giant's popularity monitor, revealed that the queries "move to Canada" and "how to move to Canada" soared in popularity in the immediate aftermath of the 90-minute showdown. The US state of Massachusetts recorded the highest number of searches relating to obtaining a Canadian passport. The search for how to apply for Canadian citizenship peaked roughly an hour into the debate, TechTimes reported. Another ominous search term, "relocation", also saw increased usage in the period across other areas, including the District of Columbia, Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, and Alaska. The event, held in Cleveland, Ohio, saw the rival candidates attack and interrupt each other as they sparred over the coronavirus pandemic, job losses and the Supreme Court. Biden Calls Out Trump For Suggesting 'Injecting Bleach' To Treat Coronavirus Debate moderator Chris Wallace, an anchor at Fox News, has been criticised for not reigning in either candidate. A CBS poll, conducted immediately after the debate, found that 48 per cent of people believed Mr Biden won. Mr Trump was close behind, with 41 per cent of respondents showing support for the Presidents performance. However, CBS News also found that the overarching reaction was one of general annoyance. Loading.... The poll showed that 69 per cent found the debate "annoying" and just 17 per cent found it "informative". In the continued mission to ensure healthy outcomes for new moms and their babies, the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade (HSCMD) is supplying FDA approved cloth masks to approximately 350 prenatal care providers in Miami-Dade County, for their patients and staff. The cloth masks were provided by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). The HSCMD is distributing an estimated 50,000 cloth masks, which they are making available to their OB/GYN partners, while supplies last. This effort supports the health and safety of pregnant women, new moms, and continues to emphasize the importance of Healthy Start prenatal risk screening for every pregnant woman. We welcome the partnership of the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade as we ensure healthy outcomes for new moms and their babies. We thank the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade for their partnership in distributing face coverings to their OB/GYN partners for their clients and families to help mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, stated Yesenia Villalta, DNP, MSN, APRN Administrator/Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County. Miami-Dade County averages approximately 40,000 pregnancies each year, and as part of our ongoing efforts to encourage prenatal screenings, this mask distribution is essential, said HSCMD CEO Manuel Manny Fermin. We are very excited to be working with the frontline healthcare workers in making certain that this at-risk population is able to take all the precautions necessary to maintain their safety during this incredibly difficult time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, cloth face coverings are a critical preventative measure. All people 2 years of age and older are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings in public settings and practice social distancing. Cloth face coverings should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. Because COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not know that they are infected, its important for everyone to wear cloth face coverings in public settings. The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. To learn more, visit http://www.floridahealth.gov/. About the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade The Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade (HSCMD) is a community-based non-profit organization statutorily designated and funded by the State of Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to serve as Miami-Dade Countys prenatal and infant care coalition. HSCMD partners with local community-based organizations and healthcare professionals to plan, coordinate and provide high quality health and education services to women of childbearing age, children from birth to age three, and their families. For more information, visit http://www.hscmd.org as well as following us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates. Voters in the Nov. 3 election are set to decide which candidate they believe will be the best choice for judgeship in the Romulus-based 34th District Court. Attorneys Lisa Martin and Alexandria Taylor are vying to win the judgeship. The six-year seat was previously held by former Judge David Parrott, who placed third in the primary and was eliminated from the campaign to retain his judgeship there. Parrott was embattled in controversy after a drunken driving incident, as well as a suspension with pay following a domestic violence assault and battery charge. Martin and Taylor are well-known attorneys in the Romulus community, as well as Belleville, Van Buren, Sumpter and Huron townships, which all make up the areas served by the court. Both candidates were asked to provide some background information and answer the same questions detailing why they should be elected to the judgeship. Martin, 48, is a staff attorney with Lakeshore Legal Aid in Warren. She was appointed as attorney magistrate in the 34th District Court from June 2018 until February 2020. She and her husband, Kevin, have resided in the Van Buren Township area for more than 13 years. Taylor, 39, is the managing attorney of her own firm, Taylor Law Firm. It is located in Downtown Detroit. She is the chairwoman of the Charter Commission in Romulus. Taylor has three children. The following are the questions asked of the candidates and their responses: Q: What makes you a better candidate for this seat than your opponent? A: Martin: I prefer to assert that my educational experiences at Harvard University and University of Michigan Law School, 21 years of legal experience practicing primarily in Michigans district courts, time as attorney magistrate with the 34th District Court and my lifetime of volunteer service to community support programs makes me the best candidate to serve the residents in the position of 34th District Court judge. Taylor: What makes me a better candidate is a mix of experience and character. I am a trial attorney. I have spent my entire career as a litigator, including working as an assistant city attorney in Woodhaven and Allen Park. While being a magistrate puts you in the court doing traffic matters and landlord/tenant; it lacks the perspective one gains from actually practicing law. I have held trials in district and circuit courts around the state. I have also practiced appellate law, arguing in the Michigan Court of Appeals. Practicing law gives perspective. I am not saying this cannot be learned; however, it is a steep learning curve at the expense of the community/litigants. Working as an assistant city attorney, I learned to cross the aisle. I learned collaboration and had a positive working relationship with local law enforcement. I am coming to the table with not just the experience, but the character and temperament that is needed in our court. The endorsements I have are largely judicial endorsements from judges that I have practiced in front of and can attest to my preparedness and passion. Q: How can you assure voters that you will bring a sense of trust and accountability to the court? Martin: I pledge to the voters that as their next district court judge, I would continue to act as I have during my more than 21 years as an attorney by being courteous, respectful and staying current in changes to the laws and court rules. Further, I assure the voters that I recognize and appreciate the value and importance of being entrusted with their vote and I will remain mindful of the weight of that responsibility by faithfully performing my duties. Finally, I have strived to live a life that is worthy of the sacrifices that my parents made to provide the best possible upbringing for my sisters and I and would continue to honor them by keeping my promise to serve the voters in the manner that is expected and demanded for the office that I seek. Taylor: I can assure voters that I will bring a sense of trust and accountability because I have built my legal career on trust and accountability. One can tell a tree by the fruit that it bears. The fruit in my life is plentiful. I am deeply committed to fairness and justice; however, I know that I am only one person. Through my work with Wayne State University, I have provided internships to many students, teaching them what it is like to be a lawyer. I am vested in a strong legal community. Voters can be assured that I will bring a sense of trust because I have run, and will continue to run, a clean race. I dont want any position that requires a compromising of my integrity. Throughout this race I have been faced with negative anonymous mailings sent in a poor attempt to dissuade voters from supporting my campaign. I want voters to know and trust that when I am on the bench, I will not be swayed by political pressure, but instead, grounded in the law. Meghan Markle has lost her latest legal skirmish - Gotham The Duchess of Sussex will have Finding Freedom used against her when the privacy battle she is waging against the Mail on Sunday reaches trial. A judge agreed on Tuesday that the newspaper could rely on the recent biography of the Sussexes in its defence as the Duchess lost the latest skirmish in her High Court case. She is suing Associated Newspapers (ANL), the owner of the Mail on Sunday, over its publication of a private and confidential letter sent to her estranged father. Lawyers acting on behalf of the newspaper sought permission to change its defence after the biography was released - claiming the Duchess had breached her own privacy. ANL said it wished to argue she had "co-operated with the authors of the recently published book Finding Freedom to put out their version of certain events". The suggestion was strongly refuted by the Duchess's lawyers, who denied she had collaborated with the authors and argued the references to the letter in the book were simply extracts from the Mail on Sundays own stories. Copies of 'Finding Freedom' are stacked up in Waterstones Piccadilly on August 11, 2020 in London, England - Chris Jackson One of the authors, Omid Scobie, provided a written witness statement to the court saying the Duchess had not been involved with the book. Ruling on the application on Tuesday, Judge Francesca Kaye said she did not wish to get drawn into a mini trial over the issue and allowed the amendment to be made. She said the changes to the argument did not raise new defences", adding that the Duchess knows the case case she has to meet and there is no suggestion that she is in fact unable to do so. Neither the arguments put forward by the Duchess's barrister, Justin Rushbrooke QC, or the statement from Mr Scobie delivered a knockout blow against the amendments and they would be issues for the trial judge to determine, she said. She added of Mr Scobies statement: It may be what it does not say, rather than what it does say, that might prove to be significant at trial. It emerged in court that the latest legal tussle had cost the Duchess nearly 180,000 - 139,000 for her own representation and 39,000 to cover the newspapers costs after losing the ruling. Story continues The Duke and Duchess of Sussex - Dominic Lipinski Master Kaye also indicated impatience with the leisurely pace at which the legal battle was unfolding, saying she did not wish for the comparatively modestly valued, relatively straightforward case to take up yet more court time when it came to trial in January. In a statement released after the ruling, a spokesman for Schillings, the law firm representing the Duchess, said: The Mail has been allowed to prolong this action and try contending its amended defence at trial, where we have no doubt it will fail. This defence has no merit and is in fact false. The Duchess is suing ANL over five articles - two in the Mail on Sunday and three on MailOnline, which were published in February 2019. She claims the February 2019 publication of parts of the handwritten letter, sent to Thomas Markle, 76, in August 2018, was a misuse of her private information and breached the Data Protection Act. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 09:47:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Lu Jiafei BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's latest slanders against Chinese diplomats in the United States have once again proved that he is a self-serving instigator of confrontation and a career liar. By blatantly spreading lies to pit the U.S. public against China and stoke tensions between the two countries, Pompeo and his fellow China hawks in Washington have actually become a liability and are endangering global peace and stability. For years, Pompeo has been notorious for "pushing conspiracy theories," as described by The New York Times opinion columnist Thomas Friedman. His numerous lies have already bankrupted his credibility both at home and abroad. His latest baseless accusations against China's Consulate General in New York came straight from the anti-China playbook of China-bashers in Washington, who for years have been deliberately and flagrantly stigmatizing China and fanning hatred against the Asian country for political gains. This is not the first time Pompeo made sensational and ill-founded charges against Chinese diplomats. Back in July, Pompeo and his State Department tried to justify Washington's abrupt order to close China's Consulate General in Houston by claiming that the naked political provocation was to protect "American intellectual property and American's private information" without presenting any concrete evidence. Quoting U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, CNN reported at the time that King was not aware of any "recent intelligence of particular Chinese activities, either with regard to our elections, or the whole confrontation between our two countries" that may have driven the decision. Pompeo's latest accusations against China came as the U.S. administration was scrambling to make China a scapegoat for U.S. failure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic at home. As the top U.S. diplomat, Pompeo was widely criticized for seeking to undermine rather than galvanizing global unity in the anti-epidemic fight. With his credentials as a qualified U.S. secretary of state questioned by many, Pompeo has recently intensified his rhetoric bombshells on China to divert public criticism. By portraying China as the enemy of Americans, Pompeo, along with other corrupt U.S. politicians, is attempting to conceal the fact that they are the underlying reasons for the problems plaguing the country. What is more, by constantly seeking a deterioration in U.S.-China relations, Pompeo is placing his political ambitions and ideological prejudices above U.S. national interests, as well as global peace and stability. Unlike most of his predecessors, who viewed constructive U.S.-China ties as crucial to both sides and the world as a whole, Pompeo has brazenly proved himself to be a disciple of a zero-sum strategy and Cold War mentality. Apart from falsely claiming that the U.S. engagement with China has failed, he has pioneered concrete actions to sever ties with China, including political oppression targeting Chinese media, imposing restrictions on Chinese students in the United States, and tagging Confucius Institutes, which focus on people-to-people exchanges, as a "foreign mission." With his absurd and overheated rhetoric against China's diplomatic and consular missions in the United States, Pompeo is apparently paving the way for further deteriorating diplomatic ties with China. History has shown that a constructive China-U.S. relationship is a win-win for both sides and world prosperity, and neither can afford the costs of a full-blown confrontation. Right now, Pompeo is on a tour to some European countries, and is expected to make up more lies about China. Yet whatever he has done or is going to do to smear China, his fate of being remembered as the worst U.S. secretary of state ever is not going to change. Enditem Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday rolled out his task forces report on policing reform in Houston, but said he needed more time to digest the 153-page report before taking action on its recommendations. The task force lists 104 reforms the city could enact to improve policing in Houston, which the Chronicle previously reported. Among them: a fundamentally revamped oversight board with full-time investigative staff, a blanket ban on no-knock warrants for nonviolent offenses, the public release of body camera footage within 30 days of critical incidents, more stringent rules on police officer misconduct and an online process for complaints about police behavior. Turner said his initial read indicated the report was comprehensive. He embraced revamping the oversight board a conclusion he said he reached before the report was released but declined to say when recommendations would be adopted. If you can just give me a few days to really digest it, and then to visit with Chairman (Laurence) Payne and the sub-chairs, and some of the members of city council, Id be in a much better position, Turner said when asked about implementation. Literally, I just got it yesterday. In the report, the task force pleads with the mayor to adopt its recommendations, saying the guidance from past groups too often has been left on the shelf. The document lays out an accountability timelines with measures that can be implemented in 90 days (such as appointing patrol officers to long-term assignments), six-to-12 months (implementing changes to the promotion process) and long-term (overhaul the police board). Payne said he and the task force would work with the mayor on timing, saying lets not even try to jump the gun. We worked hard on this being a document that isnt going to sit on a shelf, that will have actionable items, that will be implemented, Payne said. And we're going to stay committed with him, we're not disappearing, we're not going away, so we're going to make sure this happens. Turner said he would seek to follow the timeline as best as I can. Payne asked residents to print the document, visit the Say Their Name memorial in Emancipation Park and then go somewhere quiet to read the booklet. We have a way out. This document is the starting point. We have a way forward, said Payne. Turner convened the task force in June, and it was met with widespread skepticism from advocates who said it could be used to stall on substantive reforms. The group met behind closed doors for three months, honing the 100-plus suggestions as calls for reform outside City Hall grew. Rain Eatmon, an organizer with Houston Justice, said it was disheartening the mayor did not offer more details on implementing the findings. Houston Justice is part of the Right2Justice Coalition, which released its own recommendations in a July 4 report called Justice Cant Wait. It appears that we are still being made to do so in this late hour, said Eatmon. We know that change comes from the push of the people, said Carla Brailey, a Texas Southern University professor and task force member. And the people pushed us to have this moment. Lacy Wolf, business manager with International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers, said he was among those skeptical, even after he was named to the group. When labor took a look at this task force that was being formed, we were thinking to ourselves this would be a failure, a futile exercise, Wolf said at Wednesdays news conference. But I have to say It was an amazing event. Councilmember Letitia Plummer, who unsuccessfully pushed for reforms in the city budget, said she too had extremely low expectations. After reading the document, I can say these are comprehensive recommendations that encompass the spirit of my budget amendments, Plummer said. Its time to legislate, and I look forward to embracing my role. If adopted, its recommendations would mark the most substantive changes to policing in Houston since protests following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Turner has signed two executive orders in the meantime: A June order that limited certain uses of force; and an order Monday opting HPD into a Harris County cite-and-release program, which seeks to divert misdemeanor offenders from jail. A major recommendation is revamping the oversight board, a group of volunteer citizens that in its current make-up reviews completed investigations from the Internal Affairs Division. The report calls for upgrading that group with a full-time, professional staff and facilities outside the police department. The report also calls for the public release of body camera footage within 30 days of critical incidents. That was a major call among protesters this summer after a string of six police killings in Houston. Currently, the police chief determines when to release such footage, and Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo has expressed concern that releasing them could jeopardize criminal investigations of the officers. The report also proposed several changes that Houston Police Officers Union would have to agree to in their contract. Those include how the department handles allegations of police misconduct, such as extending the window to discipline officers, which would likely spark pushback from rank-and-file officers. Additionally, the task force recommended tripling the Crisis Intervention Response Team program, which pairs licensed mental health clinicians with law enforcement officers. The departments 12 teams respond as back-up to calls with mental health components, and the report lauded its performance on those calls. CAIRO For the first time since 2006, Palestinian movements Hamas and Fatah agreed to hold general elections within six months. The announcement came Sept. 24 at the conclusion of talks that took place between the two parties in Istanbul, upon Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas call on his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to sponsor the Palestinian reconciliation. The agreement was met with official Egyptian silence, knowing that Cairo has been the one sponsoring and leading Palestinian reconciliation efforts for years. Egyptian media outlets close to the authorities condemned the agreement, accusing Hamas of implementing Turleys plan to control the West Bank through its sponsorship of the Palestinian reconciliation. Palestinian and Egyptian politicians and experts who spoke to Al-Monitor on this matter said the agreement points to Turkeys plan to pull the rug out from underneath Cairo when it comes to the Palestinian reconciliation file. It also shows, according to these sources, the Palestinian Authoritys (PA) growing discontent over Egypts support for the recent normalization deals reached between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. Hussam al-Dajani, a political analyst and professor of political science at al-Ummah University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor that by resorting to Ankara in the reconciliation file, the Palestinian parties sought to send a protest message to Egypt over its welcoming of the normalization deals. Another reason Abbas turned to Erdogan is the Arab Leagues rejection of a Palestinian draft statement to condemn the UAE-Israel normalization deal and, before that, its rejection of a Palestinian demand to hold an emergency meeting, Dajani said, adding that this has pushed Palestine to step down from the rotating presidency of the Arab League. Dajani believes that Abbas relations with the Qatari-Turkish axis and Hamas strong ties with the same axis will lead to a positive breakthrough in the Palestinian file. He said Hamas has assured Abbas that it will not control the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and will accept him as chairman of the PLO in exchange for an agreement between the two parties to elect a consensual president in case presidential elections are held, in order to weaken the chances of dismissed Fatah leader and Abbas rival Mohammed Dahlan, who is backed by the United States and the UAE. Dajani added, Egypt, with a mandate from the Arab League, represents the exclusive sponsor of the Palestinian reconciliation file, and taking away this file would constitute a major political loss for Egypt. Hassan Nafea, a political science professor at Cairo University, agreed with Dajani. He told Al-Monitor, Turkeys [new] role in the Palestinian reconciliation reflects the Palestinian discontent over Egypts ambiguous policies toward the Palestinian cause. Theoretically, [Egypt] expresses its support for the Palestinian cause, while in reality it is pushing for a settlement and is supporting the [recent] push toward Arab normalization with Israel. Nafea said that Turkey has taken advantage of its relations with Hamas and of Egypts positions to pull the rug of the reconciliation file out from under Cairo. He added, Egypt understands the Palestinian discontent and will not criticize the agreement [on elections] publicly unless Turkey uses the Palestinian card in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood, which constitutes the main point of dispute and tension between Ankara and Cairo. Egypt has been leading the reconciliation efforts between Palestinian factions since October 2017 and has hosted representatives of Hamas and Fatah around one table in Cairo on several occasions, following the Palestinian split in 2007 after Hamas took military control of the Gaza Strip and expelled Hamas from the enclave. But these Egyptian efforts have stalled in recent years due to major disputes between the two Palestinian movements. Tarek Fahmy, a political science professor at Cairo University who is well informed on the Palestinian reconciliation file, told Al-Monitor, Cairo does not have reservations on any [action] that serves the Palestinian cause, including the agreement reached in Istanbul. Although Turkey seeks to confront Egypt in light of the developments in Libya and other regional issues, and Palestinians want to pressure Egypt, Fahmy downplayed Turkeys ability to play Egypts role and said Palestinians may not be ready to do without Cairo. He added, Turkey has no past accumulative experience in the Palestinian cause like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations, or even Qatar have. In addition, Turkeys role in the latest talks was limited to hosting the delegations, but it did not offer any vision to solve the problem. Fahmy continued, Egypt is the epicenter of the Palestinian file and will remain the main reference for any inter-Palestinian negotiations. Meanwhile, Barakat al-Fara, Palestines former ambassador to Cairo, said the Turkish-sponsored talks are similar to previous talks aimed to bring the visions of the PA and Hamas closer and hosted by Russia, Turkey, Senegal, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He told Al-Monitor the reports on tensions between the PA and Egypt are nothing but baseless speculation, stressing that our relations with Egypt are strong and historical, and it has been supporting us since the emergence of the Palestinian cause. Fara added, Even Hamas relations with Cairo were not affected despite its suspicious ties with Qatar, Iran and Turkey. This is simply because no one can fill in for Egypts role in the Palestinian cause. Shortly after the announcement of the agreement in Istanbul, Abbas sent the delegation tasked with negotiating with Hamas to Cairo on Sept. 27 for talks with Egyptian leaders to fill them in on what happened in Istanbul. Secretary-General of Fatahs Central Committee Jibril Rajoub and member of the movements Central Committee Rawhy Ftouh met in Cairo with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. In this context, Dajani said the reconciliation talks have always witnessed the intervention of various countries, such as Senegal, Yemen, Qatar, and even Russia and Saudi Arabia. But each time, the Palestinian leadership would always inform Egypt of the minor details, he added. He added, This visit confirms that the Palestinian tendency [toward Egypt] has not changed, adding that a Hamas delegation will also visit Cairo later this week to discuss the reconciliation file. It is in no ones interest in Palestine to circumvent Egypt, as it is the lung of the Gaza Strip and Hamas, and at the same time Cairo is able to absorb the Palestinians in the aftermath of the UAE and Bahrain deals with Israel and settle the reconciliation file from its land, Dajani concluded. Winnipeg city council will vote Wednesday on whether to extend the police-in-schools program, which has been under fire from several community advocates who want it to end. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipeg city council will vote Wednesday on whether to extend the police-in-schools program, which has been under fire from several community advocates who want it to end. While the Winnipeg Police Service says the school resource officer program helps prevent crime and build relationships between law enforcement and the community, others argue the officers presence in schools sparks fear in racialized students, and can compromise their educational outcomes. Coun. Markus Chambers, the chairman of the Winnipeg Police Board, said he hopes council approves the agreement to extend the program, in which 19 officers would visit schools in six divisions, until June 2023. Chambers said he believes the program helps pupils cope with safety risks and bullying, and raises awareness of drug abuse. "Theres a lot of great aspects of the program that I think we still need to consider," he said. Chambers said he volunteered for a Stay in School program at Gordon Bell High School in the 1990s, an effort that included former Winnipeg Police Service chief Devon Clunis. The councillor said that program provided presentations and activities that he believes are similar to what is offered now. "It was a very effective way of building relationships and mentorships," said Chambers. By contrast, some Winnipeggers believe inviting police into schools causes more harm than good for specific groups of students, such as Indigenous pupils and those of colour. "Police are a (frightening) presence for a lot of marginalized students and as long as there is a uniformed police officer in the schools, they are pushing people away by association and theyre making schools more exclusive places," said Cam Scott, an organizer with Police-Free Schools Winnipeg. Instead of funding the program, Scott said governments should invest in breakfast programs, nurses and/or support workers. A city report notes the provincial government is expected to provide $1.7 million for the program until 2023, while school divisions will cover $3.4 million of the cost. The Winnipeg Police Service expects to provide nearly $3 million of in-kind support. If governments and police refuse to end the program, Scott said his organization expects to lobby school boards. Joe Curnow, a University of Manitoba professor who teaches racial justice courses, said shes concerned that placing police in schools could make marginalized students less likely to succeed. "It makes it really hard to create spaces where either reconciliation or anti-racism or culturally relevant and culturally sustaining pedagogies can thrive," said Curnow. The professor said she believes racialized students are more likely to be "over-policed" in their communities, so an officers presence at school can trigger anxiety. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Chambers said he would support a review of the program to help address the concerns of its opponents but remains convinced the benefits outweigh any flaws. "There is still a lot of support for the program" (among) school divisions, parents and students, he said. However, not all councillors are convinced the program should continue as is. Coun. Sherri Rollins said she wont support the extension. "I am not going to be supporting the motion because community-based organizations called on us to reallocate resources and to consider some police accountability," said Rollins. Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga The study confirms the hypothesis that marks the Mediterranean basin as the original place for the Drosophila subobscura colonizer individuals. Credit: University of Barcelona The western area of the Iberian Peninsula could be determinant in the origin of the ancestral population of Drosophila subobscura, an invasive species widely spread across multiple latitudes. This is the conclusion of a study of adaptive genetic markers now published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, which was led by Marta Pascual from the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) of the University of Barcelona. The study supports the use of adaptive genetic markers combined with genetically informed environmental niche modeling as the scientific methodology to determine the potential areas of origin of the colonizer species. Moreover, these indicators could be useful to define areas that are not yet colonized. The study counts on the participation of experts from the University of Oporto (Portugal) and the University of Washington and National Science Foundation (United States), among others. Drosophila subobscura: from the Mediterranean basin to the American continent The study confirms the hypothesis that marks the Mediterranean basin as the origin of the D. subobscura colonizer individuals, a native species from the palearctic area, which colonized the American continent in the late 1970s. Like other invasive species, an anthropic environment (freight traffic, etc.) would have made it easier for the species to spread. According to the experts, during the colonizing process of D. subobscura, North and South America underwent a bottleneck effect, and both hemispheres were colonized in a sequential manner. The study confirms the influence of the origin and the genetic composition of the founding individuals in the dispersal of the species. Compared to previous modeling studies on the potential distribution of the species, this study model considers the existence of local adaptations that can allow greater adaptation to certain environmental conditions. The model that better predicts the colonized region by D. subobscura is the one based on populations with a high frequency of warm chromosomal arrangements. Credit: University of Barcelona "Genetic data enabled determining that chromosomal arrangements of the species are adaptivein particular, to cold and warm environmentsand their frequencies vary quickly depending on the environment," says Pascual, lecturer at the Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics of the UB. The current distribution in the American continent could not be completely explained if the origins of the colonizers were in northern Europe, whereas if they were from the south, there would be a better explanation, according to the authors. Therefore, the model that better predicts the colonized region by D. subobscura is the one based on populations with a high frequency of warm chromosomal arrangements. Apart from inferring potential areas of origin of the colonizers, the distribution models of the species combined with adaptive genetic markers can contribute to identify future situations of introduction and spread of a new invasive species. "If the colonizers come from a specific area, we can predict the potential distribution of the species. If they come from different environments, the dispersal potential can be very powerful. With this knowledge, measures could be taken to prevent invasive species from reaching certain areas of the world. Once they colonize an environment, it is very hard to remove them," says Pascual. Explore further Mediterranean sea urchins are more vulnerable than previously thought More information: Neftali Sillero et al. Distribution modeling of an introduced species: do adaptive genetic markers affect potential range?, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2020). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Neftali Sillero et al. Distribution modeling of an introduced species: do adaptive genetic markers affect potential range?,(2020). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1791 By Trend To put an end to the Karabakh war, a ceasefire agreement with the mediation of Russia was signed in 1994, Former Co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group and ex-US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza said, Trend reports. Bryza made the speech during his interview with CNN. The current situation is different. During the years when I was the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, there was an agreement in principle between ex-President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Within a number of key factors, this was considered logical, Bryza said. There were hopes that Nikol Pashinyan, who came to power after the "velvet" revolution, will establish normal relations with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and that there will be certain progress in resolving the conflict. In fact, after the first meetings in 2018, both leaders said in their statements that it is necessary to prepare the peoples for the truce process. However, after the "velvet" revolution, Pashinyan came under political pressure in his country, couldnt live up to expectations, and, having changed his mind, said that he didnt support the previously agreed principles Bryza said. As for the current tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Bryza noted that it is not known who started the conflict, from which side fire was first launched, but it is known that both sides use heavy weapons and armored vehicles are deployed along the line of contact. It is too early to talk about peace. I think that the fighting will continue until Armenia prevents Azerbaijan's military operations, or until Azerbaijan is fully entrenched in the returned lands, said Matthew Bryza. The US has certain interests in the region. But it is clear that, as it was during the presidency of Obama, the administration of Trump is also not paying enough attention to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I think that mainly Karabakh was the focus of the administration of Bush. They are voids in the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group, the co-chairing countries of which are the US, Russia, and France, they cannot do more than what they did. Therefore, I believe that in the current conditions these voids can be filled by Russia, which supports Armenia, and Turkey, which supports Azerbaijan with the slogan "one nation, two states", Bryza added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The brand will launch in seven international markets this month: the UK, the US, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Russia. Master distiller and blender Kimio Yonezawa produces the hydro gin in small batches at his family-owned Kaikyo Distillery in Hyogo Prefecture. He blends classic London Dry gin with Japanese botanicals and finishes it off with some of his distilled Junmai sake. The brand is named after the 135th meridian east, a line of longitude chosen in 1888 to mark Japans official standard time. I wanted to make a gin with a strong personality that would surprise gin lovers with new taste sensations, said Yonezawa. Following extensive research into over 50 different options, I selected five new Japanese botanicals like yuzu and sansho pepper to bring a distinctive Oriental flavour to 135EAST. I also decided to add a touch of my Junmai sake to the blend as not only is rice at the heart of Japans cuisine and history, but Junmai sake is made from Yamadanishki rice, known as the king of rice. Once distilled, it has a typical soft sweetness which gently envelops and complements the Japanese botanicals. Marussia was founded in 2004 and it now has subsidiaries in 12 countries, with a turnover of more than 250 million last year. Its brands include Mamont vodka, Mozart liqueurs, Austrian Schlumberger sparkling wines, Chateau Mukhrani, Tamada and Visimino from Georgian wines, Scotch brands Mossburn and Torabhaig Scottish, Mezan rum, Akashi-Tai sake and Hatozaki Japanese whisky. Sarah Gandy, head of marketing for Marussia Beverages UK, said Were really excited to launch 135EAST as part of our Japanese spirits portfolio, it will sit alongside our existing artisan sake brand, Aksahi-Tai. 135EAST is a unique and unconventional style of gin, which will give the brand much needed stand out in the crowded UK gin market. It has an rrp of 35 in the UK for a 70cl bottle, with online retailers and independents a key focus. In a letter addressed to the CJI and other Supreme Court Judges, Maliwal said: "Even in her death, the Uttar Pradesh government was not moved by the pleas and tears of the victim. In gravest of grave violation of her human rights, her family was locked up in their home and her body forcibly taken to village fields at 2 am (on Wednesday) and cremated by police. No family member was allowed to cremate the body and the family could not be with their daughter in death." New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Wednesday wrote to Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde to urge the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the gruesome gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district. The development came amid the flak the Uttar Pradesh government and state police received after the bereaved family alleged that the 19-year-old victim was cremated forcibly on September 29-30 night. She had died in Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday. The DCW chief claimed that the conduct of the UP government and its police was a "matter of grave concern" since authorities tried for days to pass off the crime -- which occurred on September 14 -- as a dispute between villagers and tried to cover it up. The victim's brother had earlier told the media: "The police forcibly took the body for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the cremation site) by the police." However, Hathras police denied the charges and maintained that the family cremated the body after following rituals under the supervision of police and civil administration. --IANS anb/tsb FLINT, MI A crepe eatery and Latin American restaurant in Flint have reopened their doors after an employee tested positive for COIVD-19. The Flint Crepe Co., 555 Saginaw St., reopened on Sunday, Sept. 27, after being closed for two days and Xolo, 555 Saginaw St. STE 105, reopened on Wednesday, Sept. 30. In addition to the two businesses, The Eberson also closed as a result of the COVID case, but there is not an exact date of when it will reopen, according to Phil Shaltz, who is a part owner of Xolo and The Eberson. The Eberson will be opening soon, Shaltz said. Flint Crepe Co. rents kitchen time at Xolo, the business where an employee tested positive for the virus. Xolo and The Eberson are both owned by the same people and share staff, which prompted all three restaurants to temporarily close Thursday, Sept. 24. Flint Crepe Co. Manager Russ Bedford said the employee who tested positive for the virus had another test that was negative. We havent actually had to change anything, Bedford said of the reopening. Weve had pretty stringent sanitation guidelines the whole time during coronavirus, we just took precautions because we share a kitchen. The eatery offers outdoor dining, weather permitting and take-out. Customers are also advised to wear masks when picking up their orders, Bedford said. Xolo shared its plans on Facebook to reopen and the precautionary measures it took to ensure safety of its staff and customers. We want to thank all of you for the understanding and encouragement during our break! We truly love and appreciate our customers and cant wait to see you!" Some of the precautionary measures include immediate shutdown, communication with health department, sanitization of all surfaces and testing of every single employee and require a negative test result and clear to return to work. As always, we will continue to sanitize all surfaces, wear our masks and screen employees before starting shifts. Welcome back! #bringonthetequila #xoloflint #tacos #tequila #downtownflint #comehangout," Xolo posted. COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS: In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/. Related news: One person tests positive for COVID-19, closing 3 restaurants in Flint Flint Crepe Company impresses John Gonzalez on his search for Michigans Best Coffee Shop A woman has been awarded $54,000 in damages for defamation after a former high school acquaintance distributed a naked photo of her on Facebook Messenger and made disparaging posts suggesting she was a "whore" and a bad mother. The Chief Magistrate of the ACT Magistrates Court, Lorraine Walker, said the woman at the centre of the case had "no capacity" to respond to continuing attacks posted on the Facebook page of the woman tormenting her, because she was not a Facebook "friend" with access to her page. The ACT Magistrates Court heard the intimate image was shared on Facebook Messenger. Credit:Jenny Kane "The comments thus stood unchallenged," Chief Magistrate Walker said. The court heard the woman became aware an intimate photo of her was being circulated in a Facebook messenger chat group containing about 80 people in November 2018, and she was identified by name as the subject. She was not a member of the chat group. "The walk-up testing location and the drive-through option at Chadstone Shopping Centre were opened earlier today. They were able to get them up and running earlier than anticipated." Loading Professor Cheng said it was safe for shoppers to return to Chadstone. "The staff have been contact-traced and cleaning has occurred, so it is perfectly safe to go back into Chadstone at this time," he said. The Deputy Chief Health Officer said a resident in the Great Ocean Road town of Anglesea could be carrying the virus, after a wastewater test detected traces of COVID-19 for the second time this week. "This could mean that there is someone with an active infection in Anglesea, but it could mean there is someone who has recovered from infection who is in Anglesea and we can't tell the difference from testing," he said. He called on the Anglesea community to continue to come forward for testing at a pop-up clinic at the town hall. Mystery cases emerge across 14 council areas Thursday's figures bring the state's 14-day average, tied to the next stage of easing lockdown restrictions, to 15.9 new cases per day. For Melbourne to move to step three of the government's road map out of lockdown, the 14-day average needs to be five or less. Previous trigger points relied on the crucial 14-day average of cases in Melbourne, but moving to step three will be dependent on the average for all of Victoria. There also needs to be fewer than five "mystery" cases statewide those without a known source of infection over the prior two weeks for restrictions to be eased further. Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has said he and his colleagues are now placing greater weight on mystery cases. He said the raw daily case numbers were now less important for the big-picture decisions than the origin of each individual infection and whether it could be tracked and traced. Professor Cheng said mystery cases have been halving week-on-week for the past four weeks. He said 19 mystery cases had emerged in the two weeks to September 28: nine cases between September 15 and 17, one case on September 20 and nine between September 22 and 25. "So, over the next few days, the nine cases [between September 15 and 17] will fall out of this reporting window," he said. "It is important to note that these mystery cases are in 14 different local government areas, so they are widely distributed and ... it just reinforces the need for people with symptoms to come forward for testing wherever they are in Melbourne." Melburnians want 5km travel rule scrapped Meanwhile, the results of a snap SMS poll show Melburnians believe they should now be allowed to travel more than five kilometres from their homes. A Roy Morgan survey of 2223 Victorians on Monday and Tuesday showed more people support lifting three key lockdown restrictions now than two or three weeks ago, with 61 per cent of respondents wanting the five-kilometre travel rule axed immediately, up 11 percentage points from two weeks ago. The biggest shift in consensus was on the topic of indoor dining 56 per cent of those surveyed said Melbourne restaurants, pubs and cafes should be allowed to offer table service, up 19 percentage points from three weeks ago. And 59 per cent said Melbourne residents should be able to visit the homes of their immediate family members, up 4 percentage points from two weeks ago. But Premier Daniel Andrews pleaded with Victorians to be patient ahead of October 19, when more restrictions are due to be eased, pending case numbers. "We're confident we'll be able to build a COVID-normal Christmas, a COVID-normal summer, and [have the] virus at such a low level that we can sustain that over the long term," he said. "That may even be for the majority, or indeed the entirety of 2021. "I think the vast majority of Victorians are determined to have a very different 2021 when compared to 2020, and that is all about making sure that we get these numbers low, open up, steady, safe and stay open, and keep those numbers low." Victoria by the numbers One woman in her 70s and one woman in her 90s died of the virus, bringing the state's death toll to 800. Both women were linked to aged care outbreaks. There are 289 active cases in the state, including 45 among healthcare workers and 135 linked to nursing home outbreaks. There is just one active case in a disability setting a staff member. There are just three active cases in regional Victoria. Seven of Thursday's 15 cases are linked to known outbreaks and complex cases, while eight remain under investigation and one has been reclassified. Thirty-eight Victorians are in hospital with the virus and six are in intensive care, three of whom are on a ventilator. On Wednesday, 14,709 coronavirus tests were processed across the state. Victoria recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths on Wednesday. Two of those cases were household contacts of aged care workers from Estia Health Keilor and Edenvale Manor, while two were linked to the Chadstone Shopping Centre outbreak. Representative image India and China on Wednesday held a fresh round of diplomatic talks with a focus on implementing the five-point agreement reached between the two countries to resolve the nearly five-month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh. The virtual talks were held under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs. The focus of the talks was to de-escalate tensions, people familiar with the developments said, as the two sides discussed ways to implement the five-point agreement reached between their foreign ministers in Moscow on September 10. In Bejing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing that China and India are holding the 19th meeting of the WMCC on China-India Border Affairs. The main topics discussed are how to implement the five-point consensus reached in Moscow by the two foreign ministers to resolve outstanding issues on the ground and to ease the situation along the border, he said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) meet in the backdrop of a deteriorating situation in eastern Ladakh triggered by a fresh confrontation between the armies of the two countries. At the meeting, the two sides reached a five-point agreement that included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Wednesday talks took place amid a war of words between the two sides on perception of the LAC, the de-facto Sino-India border spanning a length of nearly 3,500 km. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson recently insisted that China abides by the LAC as proposed by then Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter dated November 7, 1959. In a sharp reaction, India on Tuesday categorically rejected Chinas "so-called unilaterally defined" LAC of 1959, and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from advancing an "untenable" interpretation of the de-facto border. The Indian government also reminded China that its insistence there is only "one LAC" is contrary to the solemn commitments made by Beijing in previous bilateral agreements, and expected it will "sincerely" abide by them in their entirety. On the basis of the understanding reached between Jaishankar and Wang, the two sides held a nearly 14-hour-long Corps commander-level talks on September 21 following which they announced a slew of decisions to de-escalate the situation. The decisions included to stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters. It was for the first time that the two armies announced specific measures to ease tensions in eastern Ladakh where the face-off began in early May. The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged the former president of a Marin, California real estate development and management company with operating a fraudulent Ponzi scheme and misappropriating over $26 million from more than 1,300 investors - many of whom were elderly and retired. According to the SEC's complaint, from September 2015 through May 2020, Lewis I. Wallach and the now deceased founder of Professional Financial Investors, Inc. (PFI) raised approximately $330 million by falsely telling investors that their money would be used primarily to invest in multi-unit residential and commercial real estate managed by PFI. As alleged in the complaint, many of the defrauded investors were elderly, retired and relying on their investment income for daily living expenses. The complaint alleges that Wallach knew that a significant portion of investor funds was being used in a Ponzi-like fashion to pay existing investors. The complaint further alleges that he personally misappropriated more than $26 million of investor money, including to purchase a vacation home and to invest in a failed land development deal. As cash levels at the company declined and incoming investor money slowed, Wallach allegedly claimed to investors that the company was in a financially strong position. The SEC's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, charges Wallach with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Wallach consented to entry of a judgment ordering a permanent injunction and an officer-and-director bar, with civil penalties, disgorgement, and prejudgment interest to be determined by the court at a later date upon motion by the SEC. The proposed judgment is subject to court approval. In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California today filed criminal charges against Wallach arising from the same conduct alleged by the SEC. The SEC's investigation, which is continuing, was conducted by Rebecca Lubens and Mike Foley with the assistance of Brent Smyth, under the supervision of Tracy L. Davis and Monique C. Winkler of the San Francisco Regional Office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Powells Books named a new CEO Tuesday, tasking veteran business consultant Patrick Bassett with helping Portlands signature bookseller cope with the pandemic and rebuild the business. We have not found our way out of the woods yet, said Emily Powell, who is stepping aside as CEO but remains the companys owner and president. She said she sought someone with more management experience to help the business adapt to the pandemic, and to help it build a modern website as Powells grows increasingly reliant on online sales. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 07:59:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Volkan Bozkir, president of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA), opens the General Debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 22, 2020. (Rick Bajornas/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) "While sovereign countries can undertake actions as they deemed fit, leaders were clear that solutions, in an interdependent and interconnected world, can only come from multilateral actions, with UN at its center," said Volkan Bozkir, president of the UNGA 75. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The General Debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 75) on Tuesday lowered its curtain at the UN headquarters in New York on a positive note with the vast majority of world leaders and national representatives voicing strong support for multilateralism and the United Nations. "Through their virtual presence, our political leaders have demonstrated their commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations. The vast majority confirmed this commitment in their speeches," Volkan Bozkir, president of the UNGA 75, told the closing ceremony of the virtual summit. "Many recognized that multilateralism presents the most effective system to address global challenges, such as the (COVID-19) pandemic and climate change," said the UNGA president. Noting that the meeting "has been substantive and exceptional" and for the first time in the history of the United Nations, global leaders were not able to be here in person, Bozkir stressed that "this did not prevent multilateralism from operating at the highest levels." "Heads of States, Heads of Governments and Ministers laid down a complete agenda, which not only supports the priorities I laid down, but also provided enhanced guidance, on steps needed to overcome the challenges we face," he said. "The added feature of introductory remarks by Permanent Representatives was pioneering and maintained the spirit of the occasion." "While sovereign countries can undertake actions as they deemed fit, leaders were clear that solutions, in an interdependent and interconnected world, can only come from multilateral actions, with UN at its center," he said. The UNGA president expressed the hope that in the coming year and months ahead, he will "strongly rely on" the member states and their leaders to support him in this regard. Volkan Bozkir, president of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), addresses a high-level meeting to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 21, 2020. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) "I urge you to stay positive and look at the bigger picture," said Bozkir. "One thing is clear: 'We are stronger together.'" "Our global consultation around UN75 revealed that this is precisely what people around the world want," he said. "Greater solidarity," the UNGA president stressed. "Stronger international cooperation and coordination. Ever more United Nations." Speaking about COVID-19, Bozkir said that "the call for solidarity is impossible to ignore in the context of the current pandemic." "Every member state referred to the catastrophic consequences of this disease in their remarks. There was clear recognition that a disease that ignores global borders requires a solution that delivers for us all. And that we all experienced challenges arising from the pandemic," said the UNGA president. "Unilateral actions have failed to halt its spread," he noted. "Significant efforts are needed to combat the current pandemic and prepare for future health shocks," added Bozkir. Talking about the "three issues" which he will address through his presidency, Bozkir listed them in order: "Firstly, early warning system: creating conditions to prevent emergence of another disease; Secondly, inclusivity in approaches to dealing with the crisis; And thirdly, equity in access to future vaccines." "At the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the pandemic later this year, I encourage you to present policy solutions on these three issues, to strengthen cooperation and put the world back on track towards achieving the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)," the UNGA president said. "I wholeheartedly endorse the call for vaccines to be distributed equitably, not just from a practical perspective, but also from a moral standpoint." Good Morning Britain viewers were given a sneak preview of what Piers Morgan's caricature in the new series of Spitting Image will look like - and many were left 'in stitches' at the sight of Piers the puppet. An aggrieved-looking Piers, 55, maintained that the rubber head looked nothing like him, saying: 'As you can see, it bears no resemblance to me whatsoever' and admitted he was more than a little disappointed with how he'll be portrayed. A revamped version of the political satire show, hugely popular in the 80s, starts on BritBox this Saturday - with famous faces including Prince Harry, Boris Johnson and Donald Trump all featuring. Scroll down for video Are you looking at me? Piers, who claimed he'd 'waited 40 years' to have a Spitting Image puppet of himself made admitted to Good Morning Britain viewers that he could have waited 'another 40 years' having now seen the less than flattering likeness Piers, 55, mimics the pursed lips of his puppet after it was unveiled just before 9am on GMB today; a revamp of the 80s political satire show starts on BritBox on October 3rd While GMB co-host Susanna Reid giggled, Piers told viewers: 'Ive waited all my adult life to have Spitting Image do a puppet of me and then last night I got sent the image and I was like, "You know what, I couldve waited another 40 years for this"'. Matt Forde and Luke Kempner, who provide some of the most recognisable voices on the new series, joined the show to chat through Piers' new look. And while the daytime star may not be very happy with his portrayal in latex, at least his 'hilarious' gurning puppet cheered up the show's viewers. After it was unveiled, revealing an over-sized jawline and a pair of pursed lips, alongside a greying hairline, many took to social media to share their mirth. In the studio, Susanna was left open-mouthed and howling with laughter at the sight of her friend re-imagined by Spitting Image's artists. One viewer said the puppet was 'a great improvement' on the real-life Piers, while another revealed they almost parted company with the last swig of their morning coffee after clapping eyes on Mr Morgan. Rubber necking: Susanna's face says it all; Piers' co-host was left open-mouthed by the sight of the gurning puppet of Piers Piers' friend Gary Lineker, who's known for having a pop at his close friend, said the image was 'the first time I can recall a Spitting Image puppet to be actually quite flattering'. Matt Forde and Luke Kempner, who provide some of the voices that will be heard on the new new series, joined the show to chat through Piers' new look Gary Lineker, a close friend of the star, shared the image on Twitter, saying it was 'the first time I can recall a puppet to be actually quite flattering.' It appears not many famous faces are safe from the glare of the satire show, with a naked sauna room Kung-fu fight between Boris Johnson, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin the centrepiece of a trailer heralding the programme's return. The trailer shows the UK and US heads eating fried chicken in the hot room together before the Russian premier enters accompanied by two blondes and attacks. The short film shows the UK and US heads eating fried chicken in the hot room together before the Russian premier enters accompanied by two blondes before attacking A naked sauna room Kung-fu fight between Boris Johnson, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin provides the shocking centrepiece of a trailer hearalding the return of puppet satire Spitting Image Their towels drop during the fight to reveal their full puppet anatomies at the end of the jawdropping trailer. The show also takes aim at other A-listers such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Mr Johnson and Mr Trump feature highly in the two-minute long advert, starting it by discussing Spitting Image's comeback. The US President states: 'Puppets. That is the very most moronic thing I've ever heard.' The show takes aim at a host of world leaders including Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel Creators have also put together a Who's Who of famous faces in puppet form, from Priti Patel to Kim Kardashian, for the show's return. The trailer sees Gwyneth Paltrow advertise some unusual products while Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg steals a mobile phone and boasts: 'I've got all your private data.' Puppets of Kanye West, Ed Sheeran and the Pope also feature in the advert for the new series. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be among of the most anticipated characters to be seen on the show The puppet of Prince Harry was first seen at a stand at MIPCOM in Cannes, France, last year Price Harry and Meghan Markle will feature in puppet form in the return of Spitting Image The puppet of Meghan Markle was first seen at a stand at MIPCOM in Cannes, France, last year Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg also appears in puppet form in Spitting Image Kanye West is among the A-list names whose puppet is featured in the advert for the new series Home Secretary Priti Patel is also targeted in the new series of the show which was watched by 15 million viewers in its heyday Ed Sheeran also features in the advert for the new series, which kicks off on October 3 Kim Kardashian is among the huge number of celebrities satirised in the two-minute clip The controversial trailer sees Gwyneth Paltrow advertise some unusual products Viewers comments, on Twitter, ranged from: 'That is too gross and explicit... can't watch it with the family,' to 'hard to unsee that sauna scene' and 'offending all the right people. Brilliant, keep it up.' It comes as new images of the puppets of environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg and Home Secretary Ms Patel were released. The satirical puppet show, which was watched by 15 million viewers in its heyday, will return on October 3 with a 10-week series on BritBox. Producers previously unveiled images of the Prime Minister, his chief adviser Dominic Cummings and the Duke of York ahead of the show's comeback. Spitting Image starts on BritBox on October 3rd BOSTON, MA, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC (the "Adviser") and subadvised by Wellington Management Company LLP (the "Subadviser"), announced today sources of its quarterly distribution of $0.2900 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of September 11, 2020, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Notification of Sources of Distribution This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ) with important information concerning the distribution declared on June 25, 2020, and payable on September 30, 2020. No action is required on your part. Distribution Period: September 2020 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.2900 The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable September 30, 2020, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount. For the period 7/01/2020-9/30/2020 For the fiscal year-to-date period 1/1/2020-9/30/2020 1 Source Current Distribution ($) % Breakdown of the Current Distribution Total Cumulative Distributions ($) % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions Net Investment Income 0.1170 40% 0.3265 31% Net Realized Short- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.0000 0% Net Realized Long- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.0000 0% Return of Capital or Other Capital Source 0.1730 60% 0.7155 69% Total per common share 0.2900 100% 1.0420 100% Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on August 31, 2020 3.76% Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of August 31, 2020 9.29% Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through August 31, 2020 -9.91% Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of August 31, 2020 8.35% ________________ 1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on January 1, 2020 and will end on December 31, 2020. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has declared the September 2020 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed quarterly distributions in the amount of $0.2900 per share, which will continue to be paid quarterly until further notice. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investment Management Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Wellington Management Company LLP is an independent and unaffiliated investment subadviser to John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund. About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and as Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1.2 trillion (US$900 billion) as of June 30, 2020. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com. One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com. SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management The Syrian regime has announced that it will auction off a Falcon 400 aircraft, in an effort to raise funds and mitigate losses caused by the Caesar Act reports SY 24. Pro-Syrian regime sources revealed that the American Caesar Act prompted the Syrian government to put a Falcon 400 aircraft up for sale, at an asking price of 300,000 euros for foreign bidders and 450 million Syrian pounds for domestic bidders. The same sources stated that Syrian Airlines had announced an internal and external sealed-bid auction to sell a Falcon 900 plane for an initial asking price of 300,000 euros for foreign bidders and 450 million Syrian pounds for domestic bidders. Final bid security amounts to 10 percent of the contract value, while delay penalties amount to one thousandth of the contract value, for each day of delay. The company clarified that the commitment period is 180 days, starting the day following the deadline for submitting bids, which is Nov. 15, 2020. The sources also revealed that the aircraft offered for sale is one of two in Syria, the second being most likely out of service, especially since the US sanctions, imposed under the Caesar Act, prevent any company, entity or person from dealing with Syrian Airlines, whether buying, selling or supplying spare parts. According to Wikipedia, the price of a Falcon 900 plane ranges between 40 to 45 million dollars. Economist, Dr. Muhammad Hajj Bakri, told SY 24 that, the regime, after having mortgaged the countrys fixed assets through agreements, is left only with the current assets and is now auctioning those off, in light of the financial crisis that has reached its epitome and the poverty that affects most of society, except for the Assad family and their entourage, of course. Bakri added, The Caesar Act prohibits acquiring spare parts for aircraft. As for Assad, he is devoid of patriotism so he wont be preserving Syrias resources especially if that means keeping his seat and power while the country is on the verge of economic collapse. On Sept.17, 2020, Washington sent a strict warning to Assad, announcing that it would not lift the sanctions on the regime until the release of all of those who are detained arbitrarily, noting that the Assad family and his aides live in luxury and wealth at the expense of the Syrian people. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The bodies of an 18-year-old man and 17-year-old girl were found Tuesday in the debris from an overnight fire in Williamstown that ravaged several buildings, Pennsylvania State Police said. State police identified the 18-year-old as Logan Aaron Mitchell. Trooper Megan Ammerman said state police will not identify the 17-year-old since she is a minor. Mitchell and the teenage girl were found late Tuesday morning, after firefighters from Dauphin and Schuylkill counties worked for hours to quell flames that broke out around 2:20 a.m. on the first block of East Market Street. Four adults and six children were displaced because of the fire, according to the American Red Cross. The Red Cross said it is providing them with food, clothing and temporary shelter. A woman who lives not far from East Market Street told PennLive she saw the fire quickly spread from one building to two others, comprised of homes and a chiropractors office. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Its unclear if the victims were residents of one of the homes affected by the fire. New Delhi: Moon Express, which recently made it to the list of top five finalists of Google Lunar Xprize competition, has received another USD 20 million for landing its rover on the lunar surface. Moon Express will be the first spacecraft from the US to land on Moon after 1972. Naveen Jain, the co-founder and chairman of Moon Express, said in a media interview that the team has got a fresh funding of $20 million. He said that Moon Express now in total has raised $45 million from all the investors. Moon Express has not finalised the date of launching yet, however, it looks forward to launch the spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida in November or December. Naveen also said that the team has managed to implement state of the art technology which allowed the team to prepare for the moon mission with a budget of $7 million, which usually costs $200 million. Google Lunar Prize aim is to send low cost unmanned space mission. Moon Express will launch its spacecraft, the MX-1E, under the guidance of Rocket Lab of USA. After the launch, the MX-1E will get detached from the spacecraft and will go on a four-day journey towards the moon. The spacecraft will also carry several scientific and commercial payloads along. Rocket Lab will provide five rockets for each unmanned mission that will be organised by Moon Express. The first team that will successfully complete the mission will be awarded Google Lunar Prize of $20 million. Also, a bonus $5 million will be given away for completing additional tasks on the surface of the Moon but that would be optional. The five teams that have been shortlisted for the Google XPrize competition are Moon Express, Israels SpaceIL, Synergy Moon, Indias TeamIndus, and Japans Hakuto. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the lunar probes of all the five teams. The teams will be required to carry out some specific activities on the lunar surface including making their spacecraft take a trip of the Moon around1,640 feet (500 meters) and transmit high-definition video, by the end of the year. 33 teams had applied for the contest, out of which only five have made it to the final round and are competing for Google Lunar XPrize. What is Google Lunar XPRIZE? The $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE is a competition that challenges and inspires engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration. In order to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a privately funded team is required to successfully place a rover on the surface of the moon. The rover should explore at least 500 meters and should be able to transmit high-definition video and images back to Earth. About XPRIZE XPRIZE designs and implements innovative competition models in order to solve the grandest challenges in the world. Active competitions include the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE, the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, the $15M Global Learning XPRIZE, the $10M Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, the $7M Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, the $7M Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE, the $5M IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, the $1.75M Water Abundance XPRIZE and the $1M Anu & Naveen Jain Womens Safety XPRIZE. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A man died after crashing his car into a utility pole Tuesday afternoon in Gloucester, authorities said. The collision was reported at the intersection of Essex Avenue and Concord Street around 2:35 p.m., according to a joint statement from the Gloucester police and fire departments. The man was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. He was the only person inside the car, the statement said. Authorities have yet to publicly identify the driver. Next of kin are being notified, according to authorities. Massachusetts State Police responded to the scene and is investigating the crash with Gloucester police. As the election draws near, Donald Trump and Mike Pence are campaigning across the Midwest, making big claims about bringing back jobs. I have one question for them: Why does the Trump administration continue to turn its back on Americas workers? In 2016, Trump won big in the traditionally blue stronghold in northeast Ohio where I live, helping Trump carry the state after it twice voted for Obama. Blue-collar voters believed Trump when he said he would be the greatest jobs president that God ever created. Four years later, its obvious we were duped. Under Trump, weve lost 5 million of the 11.6 million net jobs created under Obama. Thats the worst jobs record of any modern president. My fiance Cheryl and I met at the General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio. In 2014, we bought our house up the street from the plant because we believed our future with GM was bright. Today, everything we thought was possible has been replaced by uncertainty. When GM closed the Lordstown plant in 2019, I took a medical retirement. Cheryl moved hundreds of miles away to Tennessee to work at GMs Spring Hill plant, leaving her daughter behind to finish high school. This summer, GM announced it would be permanently eliminating the third shift at the Spring Hill plant, laying off 680 workers. Cheryl doesnt know how much longer shell have a job. We decided to sell the house that was our American dream. Now we dont know where were going to live. Ohio, where our community has been devastated by the plant closure and job opportunities are scarce? Or Tennessee, far from our families, where the cost of living is higher and Cheryls job could disappear? GM is a billion-dollar company that was built on the backs of workers like me and Cheryl. If we had a government that stood up to companies like GM and demanded they put their workers first, our lives wouldnt be decided by the whims of corporate greed. Instead, we have a president who has broken promise after promise. He didnt lift a finger when GM laid off 14,000 workers across Michigan, Maryland and Ohio, including me. Instead, the Trump administration let GM continue collecting $700 million in federal contracts and massive tax breaks. All told, 1,800 factories have disappeared since Trump took office. Even before the pandemic, job growth had already plummeted in Ohio and had fallen to its lowest level in a decade next door in Michigan, the Institute for Policy Studies found recently. Americas working people are tired of lies and broken promises. We wont be fooled again. Americas working men and women deserve a president that will make our government work for them. We deserve the chance to work hard and earn enough to feed our families, afford our own home, go to the doctor when were sick, and walk down the street without being afraid of the police. We deserve to reclaim the American dream. Chuckie Denison is a founding member of Our Revolution Mahoning Valley and a former GM Lordstown, Ohio, worker. This commentary was adapted from a letter to the Warren Tribune-Chronicle and distributed by OtherWords.org. SKAEL's vision is to help people work smarter by intelligently combining human and digital employees to build a more efficient and happier modern workforce. Established in 2016, the company has 26 employees and has received investment totalling $4.1M from firms including Bonfire Ventures, Daher Capital, Backend Capital, RIDE Ventures, StratMinds VC, Buffalo Ventures and others. Matt Cooley is a veteran SaaS leader with a focus on scaling early stage technology businesses. As a member of the initial leadership team at New Relic, Cooley built and managed the global sales team, driving the company from $0 to $100M in revenue which in turn led to a multi-billion dollar initial public offering in 2014. Most recently Matt served as Chief Revenue Officer at Quip, which was acquired by Salesforce for $750M in 2016. Cooley has also led go-to-market organizations at Citrix Systems and at Mixpanel. "I am very excited to join SKAEL," said Cooley. "At SKAEL I see strong similarities to the early days of New Relic, namely a great combination of powerful technology and super smart team in a new, fast-growing market. SKAEL has a great opportunity to become one of the leading hyperautomation companies and I look forward to serving as a leader on this journey." "In a very short timeline SKAEL has built a technology platform that enables our customers to help their people work smarter by automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks," said Nadimpalli. "Matt's leadership experience and growth mindset are exactly what I'm looking for at SKAEL as we embark on a period of rapid expansion and success." About SKAEL SKAEL's mission is to deliver better user - centric outcomes through intelligent cognitive automation, empowering a synergistic human digital workforce. The company's unique Digital Employee technology maps to any organization's existing processes, onboarding and completing tasks in minutes. The company has been headquartered in San Francisco since its founding in 2016. To learn more about SKAEL, please visit www.skael.com or follow us on Twitter. SOURCE SKAEL Related Links https://www.skael.com My friends spirit left his body on a chilly afternoon in a lovely Winnipeg backyard in early autumn. Hed planned it that way. My friend lets call him Scott and I met some six years ago. We have been helping each other and hanging out ever since. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. My friends spirit left his body on a chilly afternoon in a lovely Winnipeg backyard in early autumn. Hed planned it that way. My friend lets call him Scott and I met some six years ago. We have been helping each other and hanging out ever since. He was a good neighbour, and its been hard to say goodbye. Later that afternoon, I went to the local pub to order a single belt of Ardbeg 10 to drink to Scotts memory. Other friends were there, but physical distancing was on my mind. I cut the pleasantries short to sit by myself, sipping Scotch and musing on memories of a man whod shared tears and jokes that very afternoon and was dead scant minutes later. I recalled the events. Wed been a congenial company the honoured guest, an assemblage of siblings, partners, offspring and me. We gathered on the deck by a swimming pool Scott had maintained over the years. The cabana bar was stocked and open. The chairs were in a circle, and flames from the table heater warmed against the chill. Beside the pool was a coffin designed and built to resemble a large Lego block, featuring more than 60 wooden dots to mark the length of Scotts days. We clustered around the flames, sipping coffee and sharing banter. Early on, Scotts partner beckoned me near to talk about the home care attendant whod wept when he said goodbye on Scotts final night. He expressed appreciation for working with a family who showed so much love to each other during this cancer journey. She wept in the telling. Throughout the rest of the proceedings, she was composed. Grieving, yes, but her emotions were largely spent in the rigours of the past year. We listened carefully when Scott began to speak more seriously. He mentioned his residual belief in God, a "distant Christian," as he put it. He acknowledged failures and regrets in his years. He spoke of some fear, but harboured a strong hope for a blissful eternity. He expressed immense satisfaction with the outpouring of love that made his past few weeks a season of family restoration. Scotts adult children were a godsend, attentive to his desires and responsive to his needs, active and engaged, with their dads well-being the goal. The experience bonded them all in meaningful ways. They were practical and imaginative, doing their grieving in the process of being good helpers. Theyd come as soon as they could when they learned his diagnosis. That marked a clear beginning, and the activities of the afternoon delivered an ending most solemn. The night before he died, Scott casually asked me to share a few comments with the company. I focused on the value of relationships and highlighted my own role as a friend of a very ordinary kind. Because we lived in the same building, Scott and I bumped into each other frequently. It struck me again how a multiplicity of small encounters accrues to a companionable friendship the sort that will be sorely missed. Helping others was a driving force in Scotts character. We remembered how he liked to be the guy who went above and beyond. We also touched on religious themes. I spoke to my Christian faiths abiding hope in a loving Creator and an enduring human spirit. Such thoughts often comfort my soul. They did for Scott, too. I concluded with a blessing: "May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we learn to trust, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of our Creators eternal Spirit." The mood in the circle grew more somber after the team from Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) arrived. They were informative, courteous and discreet, meeting with Scott privately to secure his final consent, and then the nurse inserted the IV tubes into his arm that would deliver the medicines that would carry his life away. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Scott selected a section of the yard from which to bid farewell "a good taking off spot," he called i t and we gathered near around him. Pictures. Hugs. Tears. I saw no shrinking from the imminent death. He was accepting, brave, and minutes later ... dead. After a brief spell to absorb the finality and complete formalities, the kids wheeled Scott back to the conversation circle beside the coffin. For 45 minutes or so, the stories flowed. Shortly before workers arrived to take away the body, the kids picked up their dad and laid him to rest inside the coffin the coffin Scott had designed, and they brought into being. As the vehicle bearing Scotts body drove away, I received a nice hug from one of his kids, who spoke of the peace that had settled the night before, of a wonderful rest and a pervasive sense of satisfaction with the way the family came together to make Scotts final days so special. They honoured his wishes, laid on the love he so craved, and observed the rituals he desired. I finished my own wee ritual, sipping the last drop of the peaty Scotch, its taste a sharp reminder of the down-to-earth man who died that afternoon. Scott himself was with us one moment; only Scott's body was there the next. His spirit gone. He is gone. Now, like the mingled flavours that surface once the initial bite of the Scotch subsides, may my continuing memories add meaning to the legacy of a man Im glad became my friend. Doug Koop is a spiritual health practitioner and freelance writer. A court in Hong Kong on Wednesday extended a travel ban on pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong in connection with an "illegal" protest last year, and for defying a government ban on mask-wearing in public. The Eastern Magistrate's Court granted bail applications from Wong and co-defendant Koo Sze-yiu, who face charges of "taking part in an illegal assembly" on Oct. 5, 2019, before adjourning until Dec. 18. But while it lifted a travel ban linked to bail for Koo, it extended the ban on Wong leaving Hong Kong. Protesters and supporters gathered outside the courtroom, chanting: "Go Joshua Wong!" as dozens of uniformed police officers stood by, while a pro-China group showed up to shout insults and call for Wong's bail application to be denied. Koo, who has stage IV cancer requiring chemotherapy and multiple surgeries, said public rallies don't need to seek the approval of the authorities before going ahead. Wong, who faces a number of protest-related charges in separate cases, said he had no intention of giving up his activism. He said the extended travel ban was likely aimed at ensuring he can't promote the cause of the Hong Kong protesters overseas, as fellow activist Nathan Law has done."The prosecution once more applied for me to be prevented from leaving Hong Kong," he said. "The government wants to create a chilling effect under the guise of a criminal trial.""By bringing case after case against me, they have succeeded in preventing me from leaving Hong Kong, to make it much harder for me to talk about Hong Kong's resistance movement to the rest of the world," he said."But what I have to put up with is nothing compared to the charges [faced by many others] of rioting, assault and conspiracy, not to mention the 12 Hongkongers [detained] in Shenzhen," Wong said.He called on Hongkongers to remember the 12 detainees in Hong Kong, whose speedboat was seized by the China Coast Guard as they tried to flee to the democratic island of Taiwan.Hong Kong police last week turned down an application to hold a protest march on China's Oct. 1 National Day public holiday, to call for the release of the 12 detainees."I believe that Hongkongers will use different methods, today, tomorrow, and in the future, to express their concern for them," Wong said.Wong, 23, was arrested on Sept. 24 as he reported to Central Police Station in connection with another ongoing protest-related case.He has already served several months' of prison time in connection with last year's anti-extradition and pro-democracy protests and the 2014 Occupy Central movement.He continues to face six charges in three separate cases, including "inciting others to participate in an illegal assembly," "organizing an illegal assembly," and violating an emergency law banning masks in public. Custodians at Hamilton public schools cant keep up with day-to-day cleaning due to the new COVID-19 safety protocols. And the head of the caretakers union says more funding is needed to keep classrooms and hallways clean. Were doing what we physically can to ensure that proper disinfection is being done, but the general condition of the schools is deteriorating, some more rapidly than others, Blake Corkill, president of CUPE 4153, told The Spectator. Corkill, the head caretaker at Memorial City Elementary School, says that caretakers in schools across the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) are short-staffed on afternoon shifts and have de-prioritized their typical cleaning routines sweeping hallways, mopping floors so they can instead disinfect classrooms and enact cleaning protocols recommended by Ontarios Ministry of Education. The HWDSB received $1.2 million from the ministry for caretakers in August, as schools prepared for reopening, which afforded 22 additional custodial workers for Hamiltons roughly 100 public schools. But the short period of time allotted to hiring and training additional staff led the board to hire occasional custodial workers with experience on the job. The boards task now is to find workers willing to take the remaining occasional positions. Loading The hiring backlog comes at a time when schools are facing increased scrutiny for health and safety standards and cleaning protocols. In August, the board released a plan for enhancing its cleaning protocols by disinfecting objects and frequently touched surfaces, scrubbing down classrooms, bagging water fountains, and promoting frequent handwashing for students and staff. Each public school has between four and six custodial staff that enact enhanced cleaning measures a minimum of twice a day and perform their usual cleaning duties when they can. This year, the board has relocated some custodial staff to higher priority schools and adjusted shift hours, leaving some shifts vacant and some jobs unattended. Corkill said his school was missing several caretakers on Monday, amounting to 20 hours of unfilled work. COVID-19 cases have popped up in 249 schools across Ontario, six of which are in Hamilton. When a student or staff member is diagnosed with the virus, the custodial staff are instructed to carefully disinfect the areas of the school they worked in. No schools in Hamilton have been shut down. Manny Figueiredo, director of education for the HWDSB, said the health and safety of students and staff will not be compromised by a shortage of custodial staff. Do we have enough workers to do normal cleaning procedures and enhanced cleaning protocols? No. But do we have enough to ensure deep cleans of classrooms and to disinfect when needed? Yes, Figueiredo told The Spectator. The safety measures are our priority right now. Figueiredo says the board has moved several custodial workers from afternoon shifts to daytime shifts because schools are not as busy in the afternoons as they were prior to the pandemic. We dont have extracurricular programs, so there arent kids staying for clubs, staying in the gymnasium, staying for community rentals. Thats usually what our afternoon caretakers are there for. I know some of them have higher standards they want to make sure they can do deep cleaning while also keeping the floors polished and we think thats great, but we just want the deep cleaning to be the No. 1 priority right now. The Justice Department said employees stationed on desks in New York, London and Singapore engaged in an unlawful schemes to trade gold, silver, platinum, and palladium futures contracts, scooping up orders with the intention of canceling them before they were executed. The conduct of the individuals referenced in todays resolutions is unacceptable and they are no longer with the firm, Daniel Pinto, co-president of JPMorgan, said in a statement. The manipulations in metals markets which began around 2008 and lasted into 2016 involved ten former traders, according to a deferred prosecution agreement signed by Stacey Friedman, the banking giants top lawyer. Five former JPMorgan employees also participated in thousands of instances of illegal trading in Treasury markets, the agreement said. An American flag flies outside the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington, D.C. Reuters By Emanuel Pastreich The United States of America is a term that contains in it all the hope and all the contradictions of our country, and of the Americas. That hope dates far back in the past, to the inspiring words of the Declaration of Independence that articulated a form of governance that was, at least in terms of its potential, unprecedented. The enslavement of Africans and the attacks on the native nations belied those powerful words "all men are created equal." But the power of those words transcended the limitations of the men who wrote them and echoed around the world. America's contradictions, which we have buried out of shame, continue to hold us back from realizing our potential to be great in word and deed. If we were at last "united" as "states" we could achieve our destiny and find strength in unity. That would require us to recognize not only the shadows that have accompanied the bright light of hope, but also the tremendous wisdom left to us by the original peoples of the Americas. They were men and women who wove intricate tapestries of life and spirit that were completely invisible to the dull men who drafted maps far away; men who sold off mountains, rivers and forests as a dry and exchangeable thing called "real estate." The sad legacy of those past sins is that politics and economics in the United States have been reduced to a game of division. People are divided using symbols and motifs that appeal to unconscious associations; nations are divided using misperceptions and false generalizations; land is divided using alien concepts like real estate, national borders and property rights. Security for one's family and for one's home has been distorted into a right to destroy nature and community in the pursuit of profit. The "United States of America" ends today in a militarized wall, a DMZ of the south that defines in a precise manner, to the inch, where one nation state ends and where another nation-state begins. Yet for all the precision of this division, it has no basis in human experience in the natural world and it certainly means nothing to the sun and the moon that have offered their light to the diverse nations of the Americas for tens of thousands of years. When the sun and the moon look down from above they see a long stretch of land between the two poles that narrows to a delicate isthmus in the middle, forming an exquisite whole, balancing the mountains that rise up above the ground with those that lie beneath the ocean. Unbroken bands of culture and natural chains of plants and animals link together the Americas from south to north. From the concentric stone circles that form Moray, the agricultural laboratory developed by the Incas to assure a sustainable future for all, and the soaring temples of Tenochtitlan, erected by the Aztecs to reflect the unity of Heaven and Earth, to the delicate communities of the Karitiana people deep in the pristine jungles, and the Mesa Verde city carved into the face of a cliff by the elders of the Pueblo Nation, the human achievements of the Americas are diverse and exquisite. From the soaring peaks of the Aconcagua Mountains, and the surface of Lake Titicaca that reflects the skies so perfectly, to the waves of sand constantly reshaped in fantastic patterns by the winds of the Mohave Desert, the surface of the Americas forms an inspiring mosaic. Those climates and habitats are inhabited by the golden lion tamarin that swings gracefully through the lush Amazon trees, by the magnificent Magellanic penguin standing watch confidently on the shores of Patagonia, by the indefatigable armadillo that has roamed over the grasses between Big Bend Ranch and Canon de Santa Elena -- long before humans gave those formations names. Moreover, the working people in the cities of the Americas, whether they speak Spanish or English, or other tongues, have so much more in common with each other than they could possibly know. There is a great unity of experience, whether it is the pleasures of being with our children in the mornings, or the frustrations of work, or the sorrows of communities torn apart by hidden forces. Yet, there are hidden powers and subterranean currents that are not blocked by borders. No, those powers make the borders, enforce the borders, so as to keep the little people, the honest people, north and south, penned up like cattle, so as to deny them the freedom of the eagle or of the taruca. There is the flow of money and currency, a flow of agricultural goods, finished products and components, a flow of information and data controlled by the powerful, and used for their own selfish ends. That flow is unimpeded by borders. The powerful drink deeply from that flow of money. They want us to be separated from each other, and they will do anything to encourage us to think that it is the hard-working families from the south, struggling to feed themselves, and not the multinational corporations that are responsible for the pain we feel. Powerful politicians, Democrat and Republican, promote borders, enforce borders, and militarize borders. They have built a horrific DMZ between the United States and Mexico. They make fortunes for their friends pouring concrete where there were once cactuses and wildflowers. Who are those borders for? Those borders pin us up inside and make us prisoners. They are also building walls in our neighborhoods, walls around their mansions and their exclusive communities, and walls around private prisons and camps where they detain us and abuse us. Sadly, many in the United States think that what is being done to Hispanics has nothing to do with them. They could not be more wrong. What has been done to immigrants in the camps over the past few years is but a trial run for what will be done to all working Americans. The time has come for all Americans to realize that they have much more in common with the immigrant family locked up in a camp than they do with the billionaires. The peoples of the south do not travel to the north because they like the cold weather, or because they like the wretched taste of processed foods like hamburgers. They would rather live in their villages, farm their fields -- the fields where their ancestors farmed for decades before they too lay beneath them. They are forced to move, compelled to leave behind family, friends and familiar landscapes because of the hidden flow of money over borders that powers the takeover of farms by corporations for wasteful and destructive production. Corporations force farmers to use one-use seeds and pesticides and herbicides that poison our sacred land. They drive the butchery of the majestic jungles and encourage the drilling for natural resources underground at any human cost. That oil and metal should stay underground where it is. Those soaring trees must be left alone. We are subject to a psychotic pursuit of profit powered by forces far from the jungles and rivers of the Americas. Investment banks in London, in Hong Kong or in Dallas that seek quick profits for their wealthy clients are driving this suicide march. They care nothing about nature or about people Americans do not know about the horrors unfolding in the south because such truths are kept secret from them by a corrupt and decadent media; a media that is a tool for control, a weapon of deception. Americans see those forced to immigrate, forced to work for almost nothing to survive and they feel threatened. They would feel solidarity with those people if they could see how much they have in common. Instead, they are told by the dark powers that these people are the enemy. The newspapers, the public opinion leaders and church ministers repeat those lies. Those newspapers and those churches have been bought off by the billionaires. It was those billionaires who manufactured this disaster. We can certainly understand why some Americans respond emotionally to what seems like an invasion of foreigners. Their emotions are not unlike the emotions felt by those in the Amazon when they see tractors destroy their jungles in search of oil, minerals and timber. The shooting at the Walmart in El Paso, Texas, on August 3, 2019, represented a terrible evil that is invisible even as it stalks the streets in daylight. August 3 is not just any day. It was on August 3 of 1492 that Christopher Columbus set off from Spain to "discover" this land and set up, unknowingly, a process that would unleash tremendous evil. It was on August 3 of 1914 that Germany invaded Belgium and started the First World War. It was on August 3 of 1934 when Adolf Hitler declared himself "Fuhrer" (leader) and ended the rule of law in Germany. The El Paso attack left 23 dead and 23 injured. It was an obvious bid to turn fear and loathing into outright war. Who knows what happened in El Paso? We know that people died there and that a terrible evil was unleashed that slouches now toward a murky horizon. The Bible teaches us that evil is colorless, that evil is invisible, and that evil is seductive. This evil is not the obvious evil encountered by superheroes. No. It is a more pernicious, a more subtle and more enticing evil -- an evil that demands that we be prepared for an epic battle over the soul of humanity. We do not need a "United States" of finance, of manufacturing and of distribution. We need a "United States" of teachers, of doctors, of social workers, of students, and of farmers. We need a "United States" of mothers and fathers. When we have that, then we will discover how much we have in common. Our universal concerns cross over borders, languages and habits of the mind. We must go back to the original sin, to the manner in which the Conquistadors took over the Americas, doing such terrible damage, and bringing with them a new culture that remains with us today, a culture that offers us great depths, but also savage cruelty camouflaged as piety. The sins of this day are but the latest variation on that original sin. Remember that it was Jesus on the cross that gave authority to the Conquistadors. It makes no sense, but it is the truth. Jesus, who lived among the poor, among the homeless, the beggars, and the prostitutes, Jesus who refused to possess anything, Jesus who died on the cross for his spiritual resistance to the decadent power of the Roman Empire. That Jesus was invoked as a cause for the destruction of the cultures of the Mayans, of the Incas, of the Aztecs and of many, many other peoples. And now, we witness a similar erasure of cultures and of peoples across the Americas. At the heart of this transformation we find the concept of ownership, specially the ownership of land. Consider the famous case of the island of Manhattan. The story we learned as children in school is that Peter Minuit of the Dutch West India Company met Lenape nation representatives in May 1626 and that he purchased for his company the island of Manhattan for 60 guilders. We assumed that the Lenape people were simply naive, that they did not understand the value of Manhattan. They were too ignorant, or too foolish, to see how these rocks and forests would become a great center for global finance that would rise up in the form of skyscrapers where once there were trees. Now we know that the truth was the complete opposite. The Lenape people were wise and the Dutch West India Company was foolish. The Lenape nation did not see the exchange of currency (coins, beads or trinkets) as anything more than an agreement for cooperation. The very idea that the soil, the rivers, the forests and the wildlife that filled that sacred island of Manhattan could belong to any one person, let alone to a soulless corporation, made no sense to them. The concept of real estate and of assets embraced by the Dutch West India Company was an irrational, and in a sense a psychotic, misperception of the relationship between people and nature. Perhaps a five-year-old child may have such a self-centered concept of the world, but for adults to be so indulgent suggests it was a spiritual sickness. The conflict that followed was, at its core, not a conflict between peoples, between interests, or between nations, but rather a conflict between means of perception, between basic values. A terrible blindness seized the souls of those who trampled on the cultures of the Incas, the Mayans, the Aztecs, and those of their brothers and sisters. Many of those involved in this original sin were not aware of what they were doing. And now, the environmental and cultural crisis is so great that we are forced to recognize that a sustainable society must be integrated with nature and that there will be no future otherwise. That is what the Lenape people and the Mayan people knew all along. The myth of development and growth that we believed in for so long was a falsehood. The scars created in the violence of the past are like the bluffs along a river. They are aged, but the fractures are still clear. The harm resulting from the violence of today in the detention camps, and in the prisons, in places where children are locked up alone and families are torn apart, that harm remains a gaping wound. The scars and the wounds are a part of who we are. In some cases, the scars make us stronger; in other cases, they hold us back. We can be sure, however, that any progress forward must also involve a return to that painful past. In some cases, money can help. In some cases compensation can ease the pain of the past. But if compensation to the native peoples of the Americas and of Africa is only seen in terms of money, the results will be limited. If we assume that everything can be solved by money, that assumption will reinforce the horrid centrality of money in our society, in how we perceive land and water, plants and animals, people and cultures. Memory and history are critical. They are more critical than money because if people remember what existed before, then they will value the past. If there is no memory, there will be no political will. No political will means no money. First, before we talk about anything else, we must tell the painful tale of how native cultures were destroyed, recognizing that we are talking about that potential for evil that rests within all of us. There is no border between North and South America when it comes to those past sins, or to current sins. One possible first step is to establish two new Holocaust museums in Washington, D.C. A Holocaust museum stands on the Mall in Washington, D.C., that faithfully records the horrific killing of Jews in Europe in the 1940s. It is a source of information of tremendous value to us as we strive to understand the nature of evil. I recommend that you take your children to the Holocaust museum. Yet, we must remember that the Holocaust documented at that museum happened in Europe, not in the Americas. There were, however, two terrible holocausts that took place in North and South America, two holocausts that cry out from the grave for a fit and proper memorial on the Mall. My administration will fight tooth and nail to build both Holocaust museums. The first Holocaust museum will be dedicated to the memory of the hundreds of millions of native peoples in the Americas who were slaughtered, or left to die of starvation, or of disease, in the brutal process of colonization and development that took place over four long and cruel centuries. We need a Holocaust museum that documents the history of the peoples of the Americas, and records their cultures and their arts. We need this museum so that all of our children learn about that tragedy, about what humans are capable of doing in their blindness. We need another Holocaust museum on the Mall. We need a Holocaust museum that documents the sufferings and the losses of the tens of millions captured in Africa and shipped to the Americas for slave labor over 400 years. Many millions of men, women and children died on the slave ships; millions more were worked to death, or grew old and died miserably in slavery. Their cultures, their families and their very souls were trampled into the mud. All schoolchildren should visit this Holocaust museum as well and learn what was lost, what was affirmed, and what hope remains for the United States if we look back on our past with honesty. Because these two memorials will make no distinction between North and South America, they will draw the attention of Americans to the common sufferings and the common tragedies of the Americas. The term "American" itself will expand to include both North and South and the artificial divisions created will start to fade away. Part of that healing process must involve the introduction of the best of the cultures, the medicines, the spiritual practices, the clothing and designs, the architecture and the history of indigenous nations into all aspects of contemporary American society. Our fashions should draw on the patterns of the Navahos and the Incas, our hospitals should use the herbs employed by the Hopi and the Cari, and the legends of all the original nations should be integrated into our contemporary dramas, movies and songs. Only then will their true value be made manifest. Only then will their living spirit, after being buried for centuries, be brought back to life, be rekindled for a new age. When I imagine the relationship of the United States with our southern neighbors, with our southern partners, with our southern brothers, I keep coming back to the inspiring work of Henry Wallace, the remarkable politician who implemented President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor Policy" toward Latin America. Vice President Wallace fought for an equal relationship with all nations in the Americas, a balanced dialogue on education, on agriculture, on science and on society that created an inspiring consensus on what was possible. His tour of Latin America in 1943 created excitement about true unity, and ardent opposition to fascism, that has not been matched since. It did not stop there for Wallace. He was passionate about the spiritualism of the Native Americans and he believed wholeheartedly in the depth to be found in the original cultures. He grasped a potential for growth, not merely in terms of money and products, but in terms of civilization itself. The policy of my administration toward the Americas will assume the same potential for harmony and unity in the pursuit of a true "new deal." It will be a harmony with all peoples that is respectful, and a harmony with nature that is sustainable. We will assert that small is beautiful and that the greatest wisdom can be found in the subtle thinking of ancient people, in the cultures of those who left only the slightest traces on the natural environment. We will shy away from the gaudy rituals of politicians. We will step back and promote a dialogue between people that dissolves away borders just as a swift current cuts a beautiful canyon through the hardest of stone. A painting purchased for just $60 at a market could end up being one of the most valuable pieces of art in Australia; worth tens of millions of dollars. The piece was snapped up by an anonymous buyer at a market in Geelong a few years ago and is currently being held in a vault in Melbourne. Art historians believe the painting of a windmill has a striking resemblance to similar works by Vincent Van Gogh and could be the work of the Dutch master. Scroll down for video The painting of a windmill could potentially be an original work by dutch post-impressionist Vincent Van Gogh The Dutch impressionist spent a large portion of his career painting windmills, (pictured) a common fixture in the Netherlands landscape Art historian Andrew Mackenzie has been researching the painting for two years. He has taken it to be analysed at the National Gallery of Victoria and the work has also undergone a macro photography analysis at the Monash University to determine when it was made and the materials used. Mr Mackenzie said early investigations indicate it could be an authentic work of Van Gogh, who painted in the 1880s. Art Historian Andrew Mackenzie (pictured) has been researching the particular artwork for two years. 'It showed up the way it was built underneath, which was very much in the style of Vincent Van Gogh,' Mr Mackenzie told Nine News. The Dutch impressionist - best known for his Sunflowers series, Starry Night and several self-portraits - spent a large portion of his career painting windmills, a common fixture in the Dutch landscape, before moving to France. Some of his early drawings as well as later works during his time in Paris in 1886 and 1887 also feature the structures. Mr Mackenzie believes the work may have been brought to Australia by one of Van Gogh's old art school friends Peter Russell. 'Van Gogh said "choose a couple from my studio before you go back to Australia", so it could well be that this is one of those,' he said. 'If it is proved to be a Van Gogh, it will be probably one of the most valuable works in Australia.' The fresh flare-up between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which began with mortar and artillery exchanges early Sept. 27 and became full-fledged drone warfare within hours, continued into its fourth day Wednesday. How the conflict will evolve is a crucial question in an energy-rich region where Russia, Turkey and Iran are major stakeholders with competing interests. The scene of the clashes the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region has been occupied by Armenia since a war in the 1990s despite being officially recognized as part of Azerbaijan. The clashes have concentrated in Murov Mountain dominating the north of the region and the Fuzuli area near the Iranian border to the south. Tensions at the Azeri-Armenian borders spiked in early summer, leading to clashes in another area, Tavush, which lies on the route of crucial energy conduits, in July. A flurry of military activity followed in the region, with Azerbaijan holding joint military exercises with Turkey and Armenian troops joining Russian military drills. There are five main factors behind the flare-up: Both Azerbaijan and Armenia have acquired new military capabilities, particularly in terms of drones; indirect fire; intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance; command, control and communication; and proxy elements. Major changes are taking place in the energy politics of the South Caucasus, encouraging a dramatic increase in Azerbaijans energy cooperation with Turkey, with which it has close political and ethnic bonds, while dealing blows to Iranian and Russian exports to Turkey. The Azeri and Armenian governments are both under the strain of economic woes at home and need to distract their publics. Nationalist and populist trends are on the rise in both Azerbaijan and Armenia, pushing their respective leaders Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan to adopt more escalatory postures. Moscow appears to be looking for an opportunity to weaken the Pashinyan government, which is seen as less friendly to Moscow than previous Armenian administrations. As for the military situation on the ground, a pattern has emerged since the 1990s, including in the faceoffs in April 2016 and most recently in July, whereby clashes arise between Azerbaijan and Armenia and continue for several days before Moscow intervenes. Curiously, Moscow has been atypically low key thus far in the latest flare-up. The Kremlin comes across as unwilling to bring Aliyev and Pashinyan to the negotiating table, while the Russian media is busy conducting back-to-back interviews with the two leaders. The Azeri army is in an offensive military posture, but the difficult terrain and the coming winter conditions present an advantage for the defending Armenian forces. The Azeri military seems to be missing the opportunity for a blitzkrieg, displaying a rather slow operational pace. Ideally, by now it should have managed to take control of most roads leading to Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakhs capital, and seize a couple of urban centers such as Terter, Agdam and Fuzuli. Large armor-mechanized infantry maneuvers of corps size have yet to be seen on the battlefield, but both sides continue to reinforce their military buildups on the front lines. The Azeri military has been opening new fronts in a bid to force the Armenian forces to disperse. The Armenians, for their part, have been making use of their defensive position to rain artillery and rocket fire on the Azeri troops to slow and disconcert them. Meanwhile, kamikaze drones a new element on the battlefield have been hunting for high-value targets. Air forces have been absent from the battlefield thus far, despite Armenias claim that one of its Su-25 jets was shot down by a Turkish F-16. Ankara has denied doing so. Without warplanes and attack helicopters, the Azeri army has failed to provide close air support to its ground forces to speed up their advance. Similarly, there has been no military sign that either Armenia or Azerbaijan could use ballistic missiles, despite Armenian insinuations to the contrary. Armenia is in possession of Russian-made Iskander ballistic missiles with a range of up to 280 kilometers (174 miles), while the Azeri arsenal boasts Israeli-made LORA missiles with a range of up of 300 kilometers (186 miles). From a political standpoint, it seems fair to assume that neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan can use air power and ballistic missiles without Russian consent. Apparently, Moscow has not given the nod at least for now to the deployment of warplanes and ballistic missiles, a step that marks the threshold of a conventional war. Two major dynamics make the latest flare-up different from previous clashes. The first is the presence of drones. The Azeri army is using Turkish-made TB2 armed drones and Kargu-2 kamikaze drones, which are bound to change the nature of the clashes in the Caucasus. The Armenian army has apparently taken substantial bruises from drone attacks, caught unprepared for drone warfare in positions and defense lines vulnerable to air assaults. The second difference is the intensity of information wars and the role of social media. The Azeris are trying to showcase strength by circulating drone-strike videos on social media, while Armenias propaganda war has focused mostly on disseminating manipulative and deceptive reports aimed at generating Russian and Western support. How the conflict could evolve? Like previous flare-ups, the clashes are likely to stop before long, probably within a week, following outside intervention, resulting first in a lull on the front lines and then an end to most military activity in the area. Here are the main reasons such a prospect makes sense: The Caucasus is Russias backyard and Russia would like to prevent NATO from using a regional conflict to enter what it regards as its "near abroad." Therefore, it has an interest in not letting the clashes escalate to the level of a conventional military confrontation. Turkey and Iran are both in the grips of economic crises and would like to avoid the repercussions of a regional war, including an increase in security costs, migration and the postponement of regional political and business initiatives. Turkey is keen to ensure the continuity of energy supplies from the Caspian basin. Also, Turkey's wariness of any fallout on its relationship with Russia in the Syrian and Libyan conflicts requires it to keep the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the level of low-intensity distraction battles. Some Turkish observers, however, believe that Ankara seeks to use the clashes in Nagorno-Karabagh as leverage to balance Moscow in Libya and Syrias rebel-held province of Idlib. Some even suggest that the flare-up could lead to an Astana-like process, in which Moscow and Ankara would become equal mediators between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Yet, such expectations appear unrealistic, given the power asymmetry between Turkey and Russia as well as Russias established ways of geopolitical thinking and doing business in the Caucasus. Moreover, the upcoming winter conditions, coupled with the harsh terrain, will limit large-scale military operations. Also, the crippled economies of both Azerbaijan and Armenia will not allow them to maintain a prolonged conventional military confrontation. Still, the front lines might not freeze completely this time, unlike previous flare-ups between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The prospect of a lengthy war of attrition, with episodes of low-intensity conflict and proxy, drone and information warfare, cannot be ruled out. (Newser) Republicans are concerned by a wide Democratic lead in mail voting, according to the Washington Post, which reports Democrats have requested the majority of mail ballots in the battleground states of Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maine, and Iowa. Democrats represent 52% of the more than 9 million voters who've requested ballots in those states. Just 28% are Republicans and 20% are unaffiliated. Internal data from both camps "shows a similar trend in Ohio, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin," per the Post. Democrats are also returning ballots at higher rates than Republicans in Florida and North Carolina, where that information is available. Longtime GOP pollster Whit Ayres notes Republican voters are being asked to request absentee ballots "at the same time those voters are hearing from their president that mail voting is ripe with fraud." story continues below It's especially frustrating as Republicans previously "made an art of tracking down people who would otherwise be reluctant to vote in person and getting them to use absentee ballots," Ayres tells the Post. A strategist adds Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has twice met with Trump to persuade him to stop talking "imprecisely" about voting by mail. The Republican National Committee is also touting mail voting in calls to supporters, including one recorded by Lara Trump. Some Republicans say the difference will be made up in early in-person voting or on Election Day. Meanwhile, Derek Thompson at the Atlantic notes even experienced voters can mess up mail ballots, which require a postmark, various signatures, and the right number of envelopes. Errors have already been flagged on 5,800 of some 281,000 submitted ballots in North Carolina, per the Post. (Read more mail voting stories.) Address by H.E. Ambassador Hu Zhangliang on the Occasion of 71st Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China 2020/09/30 October 1st, 2020 marks the 71st anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. In the past 71 years, the Peoples Republic of China has gone through an extraordinary journey and achieved the miracle of rapid economic development accompanied with long-term social stability which is rarely seen in the world. The year 2020 witnessed China face up to daunting challenges and blaze its way forward. At the beginning of this year, China was struck by COVID-19 abruptly. This turned out to be the most serious public health emergency China had ever come across since 1949. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the whole nation waged an all-out peoples war on the virus. Through painstaking efforts and tremendous sacrifice, China has won strategic victory in controlling the virus. In this hard battle, the Chinese people and the Chinese nation carried forward the great spirit of putting people and lives first, maintaining nationwide solidarity, making fearless and selfless contributions, respecting science, and having a sense of mission for humanity. The strength, spirit, efficiency, and responsibility displayed by the Chinese government and people in fighting the pandemic have been widely recognized and highly acclaimed by the international community. The year 2020 witnessed China make solid progress and harvest remarkable achievements. China coordinated epidemic control with economic and social development, and took a lead in resuming normal work and daily life. Today, vigor and vitality resumed in each and every corner of China. In the second quarter of this year, China's economic growth rate turned from negative to 3.2%. China is the first major economy to achieve positive growth since the outbreak of COVID-19. China has continued to register major scientific and technological breakthroughs. The global networking of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has been completed. The Tianwen-1 Mars probe has been successfully launched. The commercialization of 5G technology has been accelerated. And the development of COVID-19 vaccine has reached the third phase of clinical trial. This year, China will clinch a complete victory in eradicating poverty and build a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled. This will solve the problem of absolute poverty that has plagued the Chinese nation for thousands of years. By the end of this year, China will realize the first Centenary Goal with the Communist Party of China fulfilling its solemn promise to the Chinese people. The year 2020 witnessed China cooperate closely with the international community to overcome common difficulties. In the war against COVID-19 that humanity has to fight and win, China provided substantial support to the international community despite enormous challenges at home. Up to now, China offered medical supplies assistance to more than 150 countries and international organizations and sent over 30 medical expert teams to countries in need. At the Virtual Opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly and the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19, H.E. President Xi Jinping announced a host of major measures to support other parts of the world. Although certain country willfully pursues unilateralism and hegemonism, withdraws from international treaties and organizations and escalates provocative actions against China and other countries, China stays firm in upholding multilateralism, the UN-centered international system and international justice. China actively promotes the construction of a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation and the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. In short, China has injected positive energy into a world full of instability and uncertainty which is further exacerbated by the pandemic. The year 2020 witnessed China-Sierra Leone friendship get further enriched and consolidated. China and Sierra Leone have always been good friends through thick and thin. At the critical stage of Chinas fight against COVID-19, H.E. President Julius Maada Bio sent a letter to H.E. President Xi Jinping expressing sympathy and solidarity. The parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone passed a special resolution and awarded a certificate of solidarity to the National Peoples Congress of China. Friends from various circles demonstrated solidarity with China in different ways. When Sierra Leone was struck by the virus, China was the first to provide swift medical assistance even though China herself was still faced with huge challenges. So far, the Chinese side has provided several rounds of much-needed medical supplies to Sierra Leone. The three Chinese medical teams in Sierra Leone have been working day and night in the frontline with their local colleagues. Major cooperation projects between the two countries are proceeding on smoothly, contributing to Sierra Leone's socioeconomic recovery. On behalf of the Chinese side, I wish to take this opportunity to commend the Sierra Leonean government and people for their robust efforts to prevent and control the pandemic under the staunch leadership of H.E. President Julius Maada Bio. China will continue to support Sierra Leone in the fight against the pandemic and social economic development. China is appreciative of the understanding and support from Sierra Leone on issues involving Chinas sovereignty, security and development interests. Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends, The more hardships, the greater Chinese peoples resolution. The past 71 years have never been a smooth journey for China, but China has successfully overcome one challenge after another with significant achievements. History and facts have proven that the leadership of the Communist Party of China and Socialism with Chinese characteristics are the fundamental pillars for Chinas great successes. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, the Chinese government and people have every confidence and capability to tide over whatever storm on their way forward and achieve the great national rejuvenation. China is willing to join hands with the international community including Sierra Leone to build a community with a shared future for mankind and create an even better tomorrow! Best wishes to the prosperity of China and Sierra Leone! Best wishes to the everlasting friendship between China and Sierra Leone! Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 00:38:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The Communist Party of China and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan, attend a reception to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China along with nearly 500 guests from home and abroad in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. China's State Council on Wednesday held the reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council on Wednesday held a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The reception, held a day ahead of the National Day, was attended by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan, as well as nearly 500 guests from home and abroad. Premier Li Keqiang addressed the reception, and Vice Premier Han Zheng presided over the reception. The year 2020 is extremely unusual in the history of the PRC, Premier Li said. Facing the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 and the global economic recession, China, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, has achieved major strategic results in fighting the epidemic by coordinating epidemic control with economic and social development and making people's lives and health the first priority, said Li. Li said China has also achieved economic growth recovery and made further progress in fighting poverty, safeguarding the people's livelihood. He demanded efforts in implementing regular epidemic control measures, helping market entities get through difficulties, nurturing new economic drivers, fostering a new development paradigm, and promoting high-quality development. More job opportunities should be provided by all possible means, Li said, adding that work should be done to solve the people's concerns in terms of education, medical services, old-age care, and child care, among others. Li underscored consistent reforms, greater market vitality and social creativity, a better business environment, and high-level opening-up. He demanded efforts to fully and faithfully implement the policies of "one country, two systems," "the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong," "the people of Macao governing Macao," and a high degree of autonomy for both regions. Actions should be in strict compliance with China's Constitution and the basic laws of the two special administrative regions, Li said, calling for improving the systems and mechanisms for enforcing the Constitution and the basic laws, and ensuring greater success for "one country, two systems." Stressing adherence to the major principles and policies on work related to Taiwan, Li urged efforts to uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus to firmly oppose and deter any "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external interference. He also called for strengthening exchange and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, promoting peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations, and advancing national reunification. China will stay on the path of peaceful development, Li said, noting that the country will take resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests. Li also highlighted that China stands for the vision to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and will work with the international community to contribute more to a victory against COVID-19 and the recovery of the global economy. Li called for efforts to rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, conquer difficulties to march forward, strive to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, and work tirelessly to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Dutch Luck Puts Online Gaming on the Backburner in the Netherlands Published September 30, 2020 by Brett C As players eagerly await online gaming regulation in the Netherlands, another setback has occurred. The Remote Gambling Act is slated to take effect from March 1st, 2021. The online gambling market will officially open on September 1st, 2021. Remote Gambling Act Takes Effect in 2021 Legal-age gamblers in the Netherlands will have to wait until the Remote Gambling Act (RGA) takes effect on March 1, 2021. The highly-anticipated legislation only comes into play next year, later than planned. The Dutch online gambling market will officially open its doors for business on September 1, 2021. The Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker - penned a letter to the Lower House of the Dutch Parliament, confirming that the legislation would come into effect 2 months later. The Dutch online gambling market will officially open its doors 6 months later. While the delay is a setback of sorts, it allows all vested interests to adequately prepare for the changes in the law. Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) Attributes Delay to Coronavirus Industry analysts expected online gambling to officially launch on January 1, 2021. However, the official gambling regulator of the Netherlands Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) delayed the launch date until July 1, 2021, to get things tweaked to perfection. in June 2020, the Minister indicated that there might be delays to the legislation, owing to the coronavirus and its massive disruptive effect on the global economy. The Dutch regulatory authority engaged in intensive discussions with stakeholders, and the timetable was set, with the express knowledge of all vested interests, including Kansspelautoriteit (KSA). The European Commission (EC) has been notified of all these elements of its online gambling legislation, including the requirement for responsible gaming practices for all licensees. Strict Standards in Place to Protect the Integrity of the Industry The Dutch authorities have stipulated strict rules regarding maximum credit allowances for gambler accounts, safeguarding records and reporting requirements, details of technical standards, and structured policies on the prevention of compulsive gambling. Given all of these factors, the Dutch market is markedly different to many others. For example, there is a prohibition on gambling advertising between 6 AM and 9 PM. There are no bonuses or promotional offers available to players during this time either. The CBI on Monday said it has not reached any conclusion in the death of Sushant Singh Rajput and all aspects are under investigation. The AIIMS' forensic chief Dr Sudhir Gupta said on Tuesday the board of doctors has given a conclusive medico-legal opinion in the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput to the CBI and that they were on the "same page" with the probe agency in the matter. A source said the doctors' panel did not find any trace of poison in the actor's viscera, but this information could not be verified further. On his part, Dr Gupta refused to divulge any details, stating the case is sub judice. "The medical board of AIIMS has expressed very clearly and conclusively medico-legal final opinion in this case to the CBI. The AIIMS and CBI are in agreement and on the same page in the matter," AIIMS' forensic chief said. He added, "We don't confirm any speculation running in the media and request all media to refrain from referring to AIIMS' name in any news content." These remarks by Dr Gupta come amid conflicting media reports about the contents of the medico-legal opinion. While some news reports claimed that the expert panel has said there is no proof of poisoning, some others said it has not ruled out murder or homicide. The CBI had on Monday said it has not reached any conclusion in the death of Sushant Singh Rajput and all aspects are under investigation. "The Central Bureau of Investigation is conducting a professional investigation related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput in which all aspects are being looked into and no aspect has been ruled out as of date," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement. Rajput, 34, who made his silver screen debut in the critically acclaimed Kai Po Che seven years ago, was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on 14 June. The CBI had taken over the probe from Bihar Police into the alleged abetment to suicide case filed by the actor's father KK Singh in Patna against Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her family. KK Singh, in his complaint to the Bihar Police, had alleged that Chakraborty along with her family members had misappropriated Rajput's wealth. The allegation was denied by Chakraborty in TV interviews. Last week, KK Singh's lawyer Vikas Singh had expressed "helplessness" over the "slow pace" of the CBI probe into Rajput's death. "The pace of the CBI probe into Sushant Singh Rajput's death has suddenly slowed down and all attention is being diverted to drugs-related issues with the NCB conducting fashion parade of Bollywood stars," the late actor's family lawyer Vikas Singh had alleged on 25 September. Haiti - Education : The teachers' union platform denounces bogus State exams In a protest note, the platform of teachers' unions (UNNOEH, CNEH, UNNOH, GIEL, LINEH, REEH, ANNIH) draws the attention of the population "to the harmful consequences" of the decisions of the Ministry of National Education (MENFP) relating to the functioning of schools in the context of the socio-political and health crisis. The union platform "denounces with the utmost rigor the Ministry's plan to organize a minimum tailor-made examination after the total failure of the implementation of a minimalist and unrealistic school calendar of 50 school days. "The platform believes that the first condition of validity of an evaluation requires that it follow a teaching process and affirms" This decision of the MENFP which has no other purpose than to facilitate the satisfaction of the petty interests of a small group of privileged people in the system is a psychological and educational disaster for the category of the most deprived students." In addition, the platform denounces "mockery aimed at organizing remedial sessions for students who will undergo the official tests without learning, while nothing is done to meet the demands of teachers. While insecurity is raging causing the total stoppage of school activities in certain areas [...] the State is accelerating schemes to carry out an exam that will continue to degrade the value of our Haitian diplomas." Faced with "this threat of downgrading diplomas" the Platform of Teachers' Unions is sounding the alarm against the "minimum skills" program which condemns children "to receive a minimum education for a minimum degree in a minimum school. " See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31893-haiti-flashd-16-everything-about-the-next-official-exams-and-remedial-courses.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31818-haiti-flash-state-exams-revised-calendar-key-dates.htmlc https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31217-haiti-flash-all-the-details-on-the-resumption-of-school-activities.html HL/ HaitiLibre WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps debate comments casting doubt on credibility of ballot counting are a cause for considerable concern, Connecticuts top election official said Wednesday. "My office has also seen a significant uptick in complaints, questions, and concerns from voters who are scared that the President of the United States will be invalidating their absentee ballots, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said. The president's misrepresentations regarding absentee ballots have caused a flurry of fear that Connecticut voters will not be able to exercise their right to vote unless they put their health at risk by going to a polling place, even if they are vulnerable to COVID-19, she added. Connecticut voters should know that the president's claims are baseless and that every valid vote cast in Connecticut will be a vote counted. During the presidential debate Tuesday night, Trump who has for months suggested without evidence that voting by mail is rife with fraud repeated claims ballots sent through the mail would be tampered with or not counted. He said ballots were ending up in creeks and waste bins. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that, Trump said, again raising the prospect that he may not commit to a peaceful transition of power, if he loses the election. At the close of the debate, moderator and Fox News anchor Chris Wallace asked Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden if they will urge voters to stay calm during a possible extended period after the election when the results could be unknown as the ballots are counted. He asked if they would pledge not to declare victory until the election results are independently certified. Trump, who responded first, said he urged his supporters to go to the polls and act as poll watchers as ballots are being counted to watch very carefully and look for misconduct. He claimed poll watchers were thrown out of polling places on Tuesday because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things. The Bucks County Courier Times reported Pennsylvania Secretary of the State Kathy Bookvar called Trumps statements about Pennsylvania elections completely inaccurate because There are no poll watchers yet," Boockvar said. "They literally do not exist right now." Merrill called Trumps remarks wildly irresponsible and not rooted in facts or evidence. I want to make crystal clear that Connecticut and federal law prohibits intimidating or threatening voters for the purpose of interfering with their right to vote, she said. In Connecticut, we take voter intimidation extremely seriously and our laws explicitly restrict access to the polling places to voters and people who are appointed by the local registrars of voters to perform specific Election Day rolls. A record number of absentee ballots will be cast in Connecticut in 2020, due to the ongoing pandemic. Merrills office mailed about 2.1 million ballot applications to all active registered voters, who in turn should send them to their local town clerks if they want to vote by mail. As of last week, Merrill reported that more than 115,000 requests for absentee ballots have been processed by town clerks, who have received additional federal funding to handle the extra work. Election fraud of all kinds, including through mail voting, is exceedingly rare far below even 1 percent of votes cast in states that already vote almost entirely by mail, according to multiple studies. What does happen sometimes is ballots can be invalidated if they are improperly completed or mailed too late. In Manhattan, thousands of absentee ballots were received late by the county Board of Elections, prompting a court battle over whether to count them that delayed the results of the primary race of Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., for weeks. In Connecticuts August primary, hundreds of absentee ballots in Enfield arrived late prompting a U.S. Postal Service investigation. Democrats have been vocal in encouraging voters to return their absentee ballots as soon as possible to ensure mail delays do not prevent them from being counted. In 2019, a probe of absentee voting in Bridgeport by Hearst Connecticut Media found some absentee voters were pressured into voting for the incumbent, Mayor Joe Ganim, who narrowly won on the strength of absentee ballots. The probe also found other errors like people not listed in the state voter registry submitting absentee ballots and two paroled convicted felons voting. City voting officials blamed the discrepancies on human error and the huge volume of absentee ballot applications that reached about 2,000 in the primary. The probe prompted a legal challenge to the city primary and an ongoing investigation by the State Elections Enforcement Commission. The lawsuit did not overturn the primary results. Human errors do in election administration do occur the wrong checked box can move someone from an active to inactive voter list, or make it appear that someone voted when they didnt. With an eye on November, the state Republican Party has taken its concern for potential voter fraud to a new level, creating its own citizen task force to record and investigate cases of potential fraud. Weve got a lot of reports of the wild inaccuracies in the data system that the Secretary of the State has, Republican Party Chairman J.R. Romano said. The safest way to vote is to vote in person to ensure your vote counts. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The public issue of Hyderabad-based Likhitha Infrastructure, an oil & gas pipeline infrastructure service provider, has witnessed good response from investors as it has subscribed 3.1 times on the second day of bidding, i.e. September 30. The Rs 61.2-crore IPO has received bids for 1.58 crore equity shares against offer size of 51 lakh shares, the data available on the exchanges showed. The retail investors are at the forefront in terms of bids as their portion set aside has seen 7.5 times subscription and that of non-institutional investors 3.19 times, while the reserved portion of qualified institutional buyers has subscribed 2.6 percent. The IPO comprises a fresh issue of 51 lakh equity shares and after the public issue, promoters' shareholding in the company reduced to 74.11 percent. The company will utilise fresh issue proceeds for working capital requirements and general corporate purposes. Likhitha Infrastructure IPO: 10 key things you should know The price band for the issue, which will close on October 1, has been fixed at Rs 117-120 per share. "Company is bringing the issue at P/E multiple of approximately 12x at higher end of price band of Rs 117-120 per share on post issue FY20 PAT basis. Company has established track record in executing Pipeline Infrastructure projects and O&M Services has long standing relationship with customers," Hem Securities said. "Also the company has shown strong financial performance with almost zero debt on its book. In addition to this companys order book is healthy which gives strong revenue visibility going forward. Therefore, looking after all, we recommend subscribe the issue," the brokerage added. Company is focused on laying pipeline networks along with construction of associated facilities; and providing operations & maintenance services to the City Gas Distribution (CGD) Companies in India. Founded by Srinivasa Rao Gaddipati in 1998, Likhitha has been engaged in the same line of business for over two decades. Over the years, company have diversified the gamut of services being provided by company from cross-country pipeline projects (CCP); city gas distribution (CGD) projects to providing operation & maintenance (O&M) services to CGD companies. Company's client base comprises of established players in the oil and gas industry, both in public and private sector. It has executed 10.75 OD x 69 Kms Petroleum Product Pipeline for the first ever trans-national cross-country pipeline of South-East Asia connecting India to Nepal, in 2019, for supply of petroleum products. Its total order book as of July 2020 was approximately Rs 662.59 crore. Between fiscal 2015 and 2020, Likhitha Infrastructure's income from operations increased at a CAGR of 38.96 percent and profit 58.56 percent. Frederick County is noted for their bio-medical industries and research, and Kite Pharma is an exceptional addition to their roster." - Pamela Ruff, Executive Director, MEDA Kite Pharma is a division of Gilead Sciences based in California. The bio-medical company focuses on developing cancer treatments. Their Maryland manufacturing facility, currently under construction, is located in Urbana, Frederick County. Frederick County was excited to welcome Kite Pharma, Inc., a Gilead Company, to our biotechnology community last year. Kite Pharma, Inc. has already become a part of our economic vitality and a leading voice within our region. We nominated Kite Pharma, Inc. for this award and are thrilled the Maryland Economic Development Association saw fit to recognize this project. Its projects, like the Kite project, that keep Maryland at the forefront of life science in the United States, says Helen Propheter, Executive Director of Frederick County Economic and Workforce Development. The facility is projected to be completed in 2020. Kite Pharma has already hired 100 employees for this facility and is expecting to employ 400-700 individuals by the end of 2025. Frederick County is noted for their bio-medical industries and research, and Kite Pharma is an exceptional addition to their roster, says Pamela Ruff, MEDA executive director. Their land acquisition and ongoing construction are already adding to the local economy, and this development is set to continue with the completion of their facility. The MEDA Awards are an annual recognition of Marylands best projects, programs and individuals involved in the economic development field. The 2020 awards were presented to the winners on Sept. 22 during the 2020 MEDA Annual Conference. To learn more, visit http://www.MEDAmd.com. About Kite Pharma Kite Pharma, a Gilead Company, is a biopharmaceutical company based in Santa Monica, California. Kite is engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor and T cell receptor engineered cell therapies. For more information on Kite, please visit http://www.kitepharma.com. About Frederick County Office of Economic Development The Frederick County Office of Economic Development (OED) is the catalyst for economic growth in Frederick County, with the mission to increase the overall economic health of Frederick County through attracting new businesses in our targeted industries and helping existing businesses be more successful. Please contact OED at info@discoverfrederickmd.com for more information. About MEDA MEDA is a nonprofit organization of economic development professionals. Established in 1961, MEDA members promote the economic well-being of Maryland by working to improve the states business climate and the professionalism of those in the field of economic development. MEDAs membership includes economic development practitioners employed by government, businesses, and chamber of commerce and other professionals with interest in the economy of Maryland. Through its regular meetings, special programs and projects, MEDA members address such diverse issues as local planning, workforce, transportation, international trade, tourism and finance. MEDA members work diligently transforming lives by creating opportunities, inspiring innovation and enriching communities in Maryland. To learn more about MEDA, visit http://www.medamd.com. The Delhi government is starting the process of preparing a fermented liquid solution to be sprayed on 800 hectares of land in the city where stubble burning is practiced by farmers, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He said all the arrangements for spraying the solution on the farm fields will be made by the Delhi government and will be provided free of cost to the farmers. He said the process will be executed under the guidance of the Pusa Research Institute and the cost of the implementation of the entire project is less than Rs 20 lakh. Addressing a digital press briefing, Kejriwal said, "The month of October is starting tomorrow, and we know that around this time, the entire north India is troubled with the smoke that covers the belt due to the crop stubble burning every year. Whereas Delhi and other cities have to suffer from the smoke, the farmers who are forced to burn the stubble and their villages are the ones who have to suffer the most." In a seeming reference to the Punjab government, he advised that every responsible government must devise "alternate systems" for their farmers so that the farmers are not forced to burn stubble. Calling Pusa's alternate solution as "cheap", he said that four capsules can be mixed with a liquid solution prepared by jaggery and gram flour and can be sprayed to cover one hectare of land. "The mixture when sprayed softens the hard straw and turns it into manure. This is a cheap alternative," he said. Kejriwal said that his government has decided to prepare this mixture itself under the guidance of the Pusa Research Institute. "We have made all arrangements for the same, and this process will begin on October 5. There are around 800 hectares of land in Delhi where the non-Basmati rice is grown, following which the stubble is collected and burned. The Delhi government will be starting the process of preparing this liquid solution by October 5 which will hopefully be completed by October 12-13, after which the Delhi government will visit the farmers with the solution to be sprayed on their farmlands," he said during a virtual media interaction. The scientists have said that once this stubble converts into manure, it will improve the fertility and productivity of the land and decrease the usage of fertilisers. Burning the stubble also used to kill the useful bacteria in the soil. The entire cost of the implementation of this project in Delhi is less than Rs 20 lakh. He urged other states to emulate Delhi. Internationally acclaimed climate change scholar joins UB Sophie Nowicki, an expert on ice sheet modeling, is a global leader in the effort to understand the impact that a warming world will have on sea level rise Nowickis work focuses on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, their connections to the Earths climate system and their impact on sea level. Nowicki, PhD, is Empire Innovation Professor in the Department of Geology in the UB College of Arts and Sciences and in the RENEW Institute , an interdisciplinary institute dedicated to research and education on globally pressing problems in energy, environment and water. Prior to joining UB, Nowicki served as a research scientist and deputy chief for the Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory (Code 615) at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, where her research included co-leading the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (ISMIP6). This collaborative effort recently brought together more than 60 ice, ocean and atmosphere scientists from three dozen international institutions to generate new estimates released in 2020 of the impact that Earths melting ice sheets could have on global sea levels by 2100. We are delighted that Sophie Nowicki, an internationally recognized expert with an exemplary record of research and service, has joined the UB RENEW Institute and the Department of Geology. She will boost UBs position as a premier public research university. Her international intellectual leadership in climate change modeling will help bring together transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary faculty across UB and further development of large grant proposals in this area, said Robin Schulze, PhD, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Amit Goyal, PhD, RENEW Institute director, in a joint statement. Nowickis work is aligned with the Climate Change and Socioeconomic Impacts focus area of the RENEW Institute. In the Department of Geology, she joins a climate change research group comprised of leading ice scientists who are engaged in international collaborations devoted to understanding the past, present and future of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and ultimately, sea level rise through paleoclimate field work, aerial and satellite monitoring of ice sheets, and state-of-the-art computational modeling. Nowickis extensive expertise and partnerships will enhance these efforts. She has been instrumental in organizing and leading large science projects, garnering $7.5 million in research funds since 2010. While at NASA Goddard, Nowicki was a science team member for Operation IceBridge and co-lead for SeaRISE (Sea-level Response to Ice Sheet Evolution), an international effort that investigated the sensitivity of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets to external environmental forcings. She led many projects, such as efforts to couple ice sheet models to the two Goddard climate models (i.e., GEOS-5 and ModelE), and an effort that investigated the feedbacks, processes and impacts of contemporary changes in the Arctic using satellite observations, ice sheet and climate models. Additionally, Nowicki has served as a member of the NASA Sea Level Change Team; a member of the SEARCH Land Ice Action Team; an executive committee member for the Ice Sheet Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise phase 2; a member of the Community Earth System Model Scientific Steering Committee; division head for ice sheets for the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences; and a member of the World Climate Research Programme Sea Level Change and Coastal Impacts Grand Challenge. She was invited to be a lead author on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes 6th Assessment Reports chapter on ocean, cryosphere and sea level change. Nowickis favorite projects are community efforts such as SeaRISE and ISMIP6. She has received numerous awards including recognition as the NASA Cryospheric Sciences Most Valuable Player, and awards for outstanding publications and scientific achievements. She is most proud of receiving the Goddard Honor Award for Mentoring, which recognized not only her work with postdoctoral researchers and early-career scientists, but also the amazing work that they did. Nowicki holds a PhD in theoretical glaciology from University College London, and an MSc in remote sensing and image processing and a bachelors degree in geophysics from the University of Edinburgh. South Africa has reiterated its commitment to support the Mozambique government in developing its emerging gas market. Nomalungelo Gina, deputy minister, trade, industry and competition Covid-19 As we all know, Mozambiques new growth opportunity is anchored on the large natural gas reserves and the associate liquefied natural gas project in the Cabo Delgado province," Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister, Nomalungelo Gina, said during a South Africa and Mozambique virtual trade and investment seminar entitled,The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is also ramping up investment in an infrastructure project in Mozambique particularly in the energy sector. The South African public and private sectors are actively involved in supporting the country in this very important venture through the $120m investment by the bank, Gina told delegated.Meanwhile, Standard Bank is one of the leading financial services providers involved in the financing of up to $485m and $900m ECIC guarantee.Similarly, Rand Merchant Bank provided the largest funding commitment by an African bank.Also, DBSA is assisting ENH, a Mozambican government-owned holding company responsible for the research, exploration, production, refining, transportation, storage, and marketing of hydrocarbons and its derivatives, to develop at length to monetise its natural gas and to become a hub for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.We reiterate our commitment to assist the government and people of Mozambique to leverage the opportunity to capitalise in this mega project and advance a made in Mozambique, made in Africa agenda to increase the supply of locally made goods and services into these projects," Gina said.Gina said these investments are crucial as countries battle with the aftermath of Covid-19.This is one area that weve all seen the need to make sure that we produce locally, we have our mega projects locally, so that we dont depend on other countries to make sure that we survive as countries.I believe as African countries this is one opportunity we can grab with both hands, she added. As the novel coronavirus cases continue to increase throughout Laredo and Webb County, the figures do not represent exactly how many cases the other small cities of the county have. But on Tuesday, the City of El Cenizo confirmed its own count. The small municipality of just a little more 3,180 residents confirmed via a release to LMT that more than 100 cases have occurred in the community, which means that its percentage is high in the small southern city of Webb County. As per the Laredo Health Department, the number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in our city is 136. In this uncertain time, the City of El Cenizo continues to encourage our residents to practice social distance, have good hygiene and limit social gatherings in order to stop and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our city. The amount of positives means that nearly 4.3% of the population has been infected. That percentage is high and indicates that precautions should be taken by people that continue to go out for work and other activities which restrict them not being at home. El Cenizo Mayor Elsa Degollado also voiced concern for the numbers and reminded the people to keep taking this virus seriously in the area. I encourage the community members of El Cenizo and surrounding areas to follow the guidelines from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and your local officials in order to stop the COVID-19 spread, Degollado said. Due to this, that the mayor continues to promote social distancing even within families so that they do not become infected with the virus, and also to prevent the further spread of the virus. The local stores in the city also continue to push for mandatory facemask usage in efforts to enter their premises and avoid becoming infected. Although most of the positive cases are recovered individuals and no deaths have been reported in the small city, the total shows how the virus can affect small communities. Rio Bravo Mayor Gilbert Aguilar Jr. was reached for comment but did not have a statement prior to Tuesday night for an area with at least one reported death from the virus. jorge.vela@lmtonline.com The Local Economies Tracker survey has revealed that localities witnessed an increase in crime during the countrys COVID-19 lockdown period. The survey indicated that about three out of ten communities, representing 34.1 per cent experienced a rise in crime, such as theft and burglary. The Local Economies Tracker survey was conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in 2,770 communities and localities in the 16 regions of Ghana. Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician, presenting the finding of the report, said the rise in crime was followed by an increase in domestic violence, representing 3.7 per cent and assaults, representing 3.1 per cent in communities. He said the COVID-19 restrictions also affected businesses in the local communities, with seven to eight out of ten businesses experiencing a reduction in production, representing 71.7 per cent and sales, representing 89.7 per cent. The businesses also witnessed a reduction in labour supply, representing 36.0 per cent and prices of goods and cost of credit increased, he added. He said the localities in border districts had relatively more structured instituted to support the pandemic. The Government Statistician said according to the residents in the communities COVID-19 might contribute to the increasing inequality in the country. He said most localities in the border districts and others were uncertain of the economic recovery from the pandemic with about 45 per cent of the localities in lockdown districts, indicating that the recovery would occur in about a year. He said, however, assistance from non-state actors such as churches and philanthropists provided significant support in complementing governments efforts to lessen the impact of the pandemic on communities. COVID-19 has undoubtedly had a devastating impact on households, businesses, and the local economy in Ghana, Prof Annim said. He said various individuals, institutions, and government agencies assisted localities in different forms, with seven out of ten, representing 71 per cent localities received some form of assistance, including food and personal protective equipment. He said in terms of the sources of the support, more than 50 per cent of localities received assistance from government and District Assemblies with Members of Parliament being the largest source of assistance to communities. Notably, many communities received assistance from non-state organizations, particularly from churches, representing 41.5 per cent, and philanthropists, representing 40.8 per cent, he said. He said the support received by the communities from churches and philanthropists was a clear demonstration of how non-state actors had and continue to complement governments efforts to ensure communities recover better from the pandemic. He said the results imply that strengthening of district assemblies to take initiatives during shocks, provision of basic amenities, strengthening of social structures, the involvement of district security agencies and non-state organizations was necessary. Prof Annim said the findings show that close to 25 per cent and 78 per cent of localities did not benefit from the subsidies on electricity and water. For electricity, it was because these localities were not connected to the national grid, and for water, it was because they rely on other alternative sources of water. In terms of recovery, the findings suggest that a longer period may be needed for the lockdown districts to recover fully from the pandemic, as almost 2 out of every 5 localities reported that it will take more than a year for the local economies to recover, with a greater proportion of localities in lockdown districts (in Accra and Kumasi) having worse expectations. Madam Silke Hollander, the Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Ghana, said partnerships like these were key for the achievement of the SDGs. She said UNDP was committed to helping and supporting the government to come out with information on the impact of the pandemic to address developmental challenges. We look forward to a continued partnership with government, she said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video WASHINGTON - The Latest on the 2020 presidential election (all times local): 10:15 p.m. President Donald Trump says he enjoyed debating former Vice-President Joe Biden, but he is falsely claiming that Biden is trying to get out of the next two debates. Trump spoke at a campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota, Wednesday. He gloated about the television ratings the debate generated and ignored how contentious and unruly the debate quickly became, in large part thanks to his refusal to adhere to the moderators requests and the debates rules. He made no mention of the Commission on Presidential Debates promise earlier Wednesday to implement additional structure ... to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues going forward. Trump suggested Biden was trying to get out of the next two debates, but the vice-presidents campaign said earlier Wednesday that the Democratic nominee remained committed to taking part in them. __ 10 p.m. Joe Biden says hes out to cut into Republican margins of victory, even in parts of the country where he probably wont defeat President Donald Trump. The former vice-president spent Wednesday on a train tour that started in Cleveland and ended in rural Western Pennsylvania -- but not before taking him through some counties Trump won handily four years ago. Biden said the schedule was no accident. I think some we can win back. Others, its about cutting the margins, he said of the strongly Republican areas where he campaigned. Even if we just cut the margins, it makes a gigantic difference. Speaking to reporters before boarding a flight from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, back to Delaware for the night, Biden added that the Democratic Party was long built on the support of union members and the working class, but it has seen that erode as many people have become fed up with politics in general. He said, Ive been out here a lot in my career, an awful lot and understood that he had to make voters understand that I see them, I hear them. His comments came as Trump was holding his own rally in Duluth, Minnesota. __ 1:35 p.m. The Commission on Presidential Debates says its adding new tools to maintain order to the upcoming debates after a chaotic first debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Trumps frequent interruptions of the Democratic presidential nominee defined Tuesday nights debate, with Biden frequently unable to complete a sentence. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News pleaded with Trump several times to allow Biden to speak uninterrupted, to no avail. The nonpartisan commission has organized every general election presidential debate since 1988. In a statement, the commission said the first debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues. The commission says it intends to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates. And the commission says its carefully considering the changes that it will adopt and will announce those measures shortly. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE: President Donald Trump plans campaign events in Minnesota. Democrat Joe Biden is making stops on a train tour of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Read more: World reacts with surprise, worry to first presidential debate The reality behind Trumps claims about mail voting Big spring slide for U.S. economy A look at how early voting works Trumps message to one far-right extremist group ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: 1 p.m. Democrat Joe Biden is talking to voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania as he takes a train tour of those states a day after his debate clash with President Donald Trump. At a stop in Alliance, Ohio, Biden pledged that if he wins the Nov. 3 election, Im not going to be the Democrat president. Im going to be the American president. Biden said the debate and the election itself are about the American people. And hes posing this question: Does your president have any idea, understand what youre going through and if he does, does he care about it? Biden says his train tour will take him to places that are hurting. ___ 12:45 p.m. After their first debate-stage clash, President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are pressing their contrasting messages in the Midwest as millions of voters cast early ballots. Biden is heading into his most aggressive day on the campaign trail all year, with eight stops planned for a train tour that began midmorning in Cleveland and is scheduled to end Wednesday night in western Pennsylvania. Trump plans to address voters and donors in Minnesota later in the day. Both men candidates have been active on social media early, seizing on the turbulent debate to try to score political points. Gardai have seized three firearms and arrested a man following a major operation in the Midlands tonight. Detectives are investigating if the weapons haul is linked to a west Dublin crime gang and were in the process of being transported when armed gardai intervened. Members of the elite Emergency Response Unit (ERU) were involved in the stop and search of a van in the town of Castlerea, Co Roscommon this evening following a surveillance operation. The vehicle was searched and officers recovered three firearms and arrested a male, originally from Athlone. He is currently being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. The suspect, described as a gillie who is not known to gardai for involvement in serious crime, can be held for up to three days before he can be charged or released pending big a file to the DPP. A source told Independent.ie its being investigated if the lethal firearms were being moved on behalf of a crime gang in west Dublin. This is part of an ongoing operation targeting organised crime and at this stage the weapons are believed to belong to a Finglas based criminal group. They were being transported as opposed to being used for any immediate attack, the source added. The scene of the ERU operation occurred close to where Det Gda Colm Horkan was shot dead in an unrelated incident earlier this year on June 17. Investigations in relation to this evening's seizure are ongoing. EUROPEAN airlines are considering more capacity cuts to be introduced by late October due to even worse than expected bookings for November, according to Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based agency that manages airspace across Europe. Airlines are reporting very low forward booking rates until [the] end of 2020 compared to normal, said Eurocontrol in its latest assessment of activity in European airspace. It added that it now expects the total number of flights in Europe this year to be 55pc lower than in 2019, worse than previously anticipated. Eurocontrol, which is headed by former Irish Aviation Authority CEO Eamonn Brennan, said it had expected that there would be five million fewer flights in Europe this year compared to last. Its latest assessment now predicts the number will be down by six million. It added that until the earlier this week, air traffic had been in line with forecasts. Current evolution indicates the scenario might be optimistic for October onward, it noted. Eurocontrols last traffic forecast was issued just over two weeks ago and took into account the impact of individual and uncoordinated national restrictions, quarantine requirements and testing measures, which it said are primarily in accordance with national epidemiological assessments and national health measures. Often, these measures are announced with very short notice, noted Eurocontrol. This uncoordinated approach by States has led to much confusion and eroded passenger confidence. Airlines including Ryanair, headed by Michael OLeary, have already cut flight schedules for the autumn. Ryanair said earlier this month that it was cutting capacity for October by an additional 20pc, having already announced in August that it was lowering capacity for September and October by 20pc. It means its operating capacity in October at just 40pc of the level it had in October last year. TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- One of the big questions around any new COVID-19 vaccine is: Will it safely protect those at highest risk from the illness -- older people? Now, the results of an early phase 1 trial in 40 adults over the age of 55 suggests that one vaccine, under development by drugmaker Moderna, elicits an immune system response that's equal to that seen in younger recipients. As well, vaccine side effects "were predominantly mild or moderate in severity" and included fatigue, chills, headache or ache or discomfort at the injection site, according to the researchers. They published the preliminary findings Sept. 29 online in the New England Journal of Medicine. "As those at highest risk for severe COVID-19 infection are older adults, it is crucial to understand how well the vaccine works in this age group," explained Dr. Amesh Adalja, an expert unconnected to the trial. "This early phase 1 study appears to be promising, but it is not possible to know definitively until phase 3 data is available," said Adalja. He's a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore. The new study focused on an experimental Moderna vaccine called mRNA-1273. The two-dose vaccine is in late-stage trials and Moderna has said it hopes to have the vaccine ready for widespread use by year's end. However, "among different risk factors, advanced age has been recognized from the beginning as associated with poorer outcomes" from a vaccine, noted Dr. Bruce Hirsch, an attending physician in infectious diseases at Northwell Health in Manhasset, N.Y. So, "doctors are worried that those who need this vaccine the most may respond to the vaccine the least," he said. To help answer the issue, a team led by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta looked specifically at immune response and side effect data for 40 patients, aged 56 and above, enrolled in the mRNA-1273 trial. They observed a rapid uptick in coronavirus-specific immune system antibodies in these older people soon after they'd gotten their first shot. Those numbers rose even higher after the second shot was administered. Most importantly, antibody responses in the over-55 group "appeared to be similar to those previously reported among vaccine recipients between the ages of 18 and 55," the researchers noted. Other immune system markers, such as levels of T-cells and proteins called cytokines, also appeared "strong" in response to the vaccine. Side effects could occur after vaccination, but they were similar to those sometimes seen in people who get the flu shot -- transient fatigue, chills and headache, for example. Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena is an emergency physician at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. Reading over the findings, he agreed that "though the data is limited, this phase 1 study does demonstrate safety in older adults, which is an important target population." Still, Hirsch stressed that the study's small size means caution is still needed. "The vaccine's ability to protect against actual infection in the real world is yet untested," Hirsch said, and "this study leaves unanswered how durable will be the immunity. Still, this preliminary data is reassuring as we look forward to getting a handle on this pandemic." More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the new coronavirus. North Korea has successfully built miniature nuclear weapons, a new United Nations report has claimed. The UN also found that the DPRK is continuing to build ballistic missiles and continues to dodge sanctions placed on the country. The report, conducted by monitoring experts appointed by the Security Council, said that the regime has continued to find ways of buying and selling forbidden items despite the sanctions and its isolation during the coronavirus pandemic. It comes as North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released images on Tuesday showing leader Kim Jong Un chairing a Workers' Party of Korea meeting the day before. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency today North Korea is now believed to have made a key breakthrough in their nuclear weapons programme by creating a nuclear warhead small enough to be carried on a ballistic missile, according to a report in The Times. It comes after the country successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile with the ability to reach the US mainland in 2017. North Korea is formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The report stated that the DPRK has continued to develop its ballistic missile programme 'at an intense pace' since the beginning of 2020. North Korea has successfully developed nuclear warheads small enough to be fitted to the nose of its ballistic missiles, a UN report has warned (file image) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, above and below It highlighted the ineffectiveness of sanctions to pressure leader Kim Jong-Un into giving up his weapons of mass destruction. 'The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has continued to violate Security Council resolutions through the illicit import of refined petroleum products through ship-to-ship transfers and direct deliveries [and] through illicit maritime exports of coal,' it stated. North Korea has said it has no confirmed cases of coronavirus, though some U.S. officials have cast doubt on that claim. Already weighed down by tough international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Pyongyang is also facing significant economic damage from strict border closures and other measures aimed at preventing a coronavirus outbreak and struggling to cope with damage from recent storms and flooding. North Korea has been subjected to U.N. sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, while the Security Council has steadily strengthened sanctions in a bid to cut off funding for those programs. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump have met three times since 2018, but failed to make progress on U.S. calls for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and North Korea's demands for an end to sanctions. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released images showing leader Kim Jong Un was pictured chairing a Workers' Party of Korea meeting on Tuesday North Korea's ruling party plans a congress in January to decide a new five-year plan, state media reported last month, after a party meeting noted serious delays in improving the national economy and living standards. In May 2018 North Korea followed through on a pledge to blow up tunnels at its main nuclear test site, Punggye-ri, which Pyongyang said was proof of its commitment to end nuclear testing. But they did not allow experts to witness the dismantlement of the site, amid rumours that it had already partially collapsed and was unusable. The U.N. report said that as only tunnel entrances were known to have been destroyed and there is no indication of a comprehensive demolition. One country had assessed that North Korea could rebuild and reinstall within three months the infrastructure needed to support a nuclear test. The U.N. experts said North Korea is violating sanctions, including 'through illicit maritime exports of coal, though it suspended these temporarily between late January and early March 2020' due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year the U.N. experts said North Korea has generated an estimated $2billion using widespread and sophisticated cyberattacks to steal from banks and cryptocurrency exchanges. 'The Panel continues to assess that virtual asset service providers and virtual assets will continue to remain lucrative targets for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to generate revenue, as well as mining cryptocurrencies,' the report said. (Natural News) Major pharmaceutical and medical companies are actively censoring information that runs against Big Pharma-approved narratives, health care policy analyst Dr. Dave Janda said. Janda, a retired orthopedic surgeon who also operates the podcast and radio show Operation Freedom, made the statement during an interview with Health Ranger Mike Adams. According to Janda, the long-running censorship is part of an operation run by medical conglomerates in partnership with several prominent figures in both politics and Big Tech a partnership Janda has since referred to as the medical-industrial complex. This partnership, he said, would regularly scrub the Internet of any information that could cost major medical corporations money. It is all about the money that is what it all comes down to. It comes down to their hatred for Trump, as you mentioned, it comes down to their totalitarian roots, it comes down to their ever-precious dollar and how much can go to their pockets, Janda, who fell victim to a witch-hunt ordered by former President Barack Obama back in 2009 because of his vocal opposition to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care or ObamaCare Act, explained. Hydroxychloroquine, Zithromax, zinc theyre pennies, but when you start looking into antivirals, if you start looking into vaccines, youre looking at a hundred bucks, two hundred bucks three hundred youre looking at big bucks and thats what drives this and thats whats so sick. Thats why you get de-platformed, why you get censored, why I get censored, he said. In his interview, Janda noted that the latest to fall victim to this censorship is the group Americas Frontline Doctors. This week, you had some doctors in front of the Supreme Court, as you mentioned, speaking about the benefits of hydroxychloroquine, and what happened? Their presentations on social media are deep-sixed, Janda said, noting that every piece of information related to the facts mentioned by the group during their press conference has been completely taken off the internet. (Related: Big Tech steps in, yanks Americas Frontline Doctors video, pages from the Internet.) In addition, Janda said, people who only did as much as share video clips or information from the groups conference were also censored. Sidney Powell, the attorney of General [Michael] Flynn, retweeted that video along with Donald Trump JR, and they were de-platformed from Twitter, Janda added. Big Pharma now inciting Democrats to turn on each other? This medical-industrial complex has also targeted people unaffiliated with conservative figures and institutions, Janda said, referring to the censure experienced by Detroit representative Karen Whitsett, who previously blasted state authorities for their slow response to the pandemic. Whitsett, according to Janda, was diagnosed with COVID-19 back in March an infection that was further complicated by Lyme disease. According to Janda, when her condition took a turn for the worse, Whitsett a staunch Democrat who, during the course of the pandemic, managed to raise $ 450,000 in four days for those in need in her district asked if she could be prescribed with the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, which at that time, was being touted by President Donald Trump as a potential treatment option for those with COVID-19. When Karen Whitsett developed coronavirus, she had underlying medical conditions, Lyme disease and the like. She became very ill and she wanted to have hydroxychloroquine, Janda said. Whitsetts request, however, came at the same time that Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer imposed an order banning the prescription and dispensation of hydroxychloroquine in the state. Now at the time when she needed it, our governor in the state of Michigan, a totalitarian thug, Gretchen Whitmer, she had her Department of Enforcement send letters, saying that if a physician prescribed or if a pharmacist dispensed hydroxychloroquine to a person diagnosed with coronavirus, there are administrative actions that would be put into effect that could discontinue their licenses, Janda stated in his interview. According to Janda, it was only when he and a reporter from the Detroit News pointed out that Whitmer, by imposing such an ordinance, was actually practicing medicine without a license, that the governor rescinded her letters and opened up hydroxychloroquine to the state. The point is when I became a physician, back in 1984, I put my hand up and took an oath. Part of that oath, the Hippocratic oath, is to do no harm. The harm Gretchen Whitmer inflicted on the people of Michigan, has not even been counted. How many people died because they didnt have the means to an effective treatment, that being hydroxychloroquine with azithromycin and zinc? Janda noted. Whitsett, Janda said, eventually got her hands on hydroxychloroquine and within hours of taking the drug along with azithromycin and zinc, improved to the point where she did not need to go on a ventilator. Not long after her recovery, Whitsett, in what has since been considered as a bold move from a Democrat, told conservative political commentator and host Laura Ingraham on Fox News The Ingraham Angle that if it wasnt for President Trumps introduction of hydroxychloroquine and his constant pushing for its approval for off-label use, that she may not have made it through the infection. I really want to say that you have to give this [hydroxychloroquine] an opportunity, Whitsett said a markedly different stance compared to the statements put forth by most Democrats about the anti-malarial drug. If President Trump had not talked about this it wouldnt have been something that would be accessible for anyone to be able to get right now, Whitsett added. The Detroit representative would then reiterate her message to President Trump in person after the latter invited her to a meeting at the White House. That was only the start of Whitsetts troubles, however. As reported by the Detroit News, Detroit Democrats unanimously passed a resolution censuring Whitsett, alleging that she broke protocol by meeting with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. According to the resolution passed by the 13th Congressional District Democratic Party organization, Whitsett misrepresented the needs and priorities of Democratic leadership to the president and public. Karen Whitsett had the audacity to thank the President of the United States for calling attention to hydroxychloroquine with azithromycin and zinc She publicly thanked him and when she came back from the White House, from Washington, she was censured by the Democratic Party, who are running people against her, so that she is put out of office, Janda noted. Another Democrat, New York City Councilman Paul Vallone, who represents northeast Queens, said that hydroxychloroquine saved his life after contracting a near-fatal COVID-19 infection in March. Vallone, in an interview, noted that he took the drug along with azithromycin and came back from the brink almost immediately. I couldnt breathe, very weak, couldnt get out of bed. My doctor prescribed it. My pharmacy had it. Took it that day and within two to three days I was able to breathe, Vallone said in an interview with New York Post, adding that within a week he was back on his feet. Similar to Whitsett, Vallone says he is grateful to President Trump for his introduction of the drugs existence to the greater public At that time, there was only fear and panic, he offered hope in a possible treatment when there was none. With my sarcoidosis and then my COVID symptoms, It basically saved me. For that my family will always be thankful, Vallone said. As of press time, Whitsett, who previously lodged and then retracted a lawsuit against Governor Whitmer and other Detroit Democrats, prevailed against a new party-backed candidate in unofficial voting results last week. WATCH: Sources include: Brighteon.com LifeSiteNews.com Breitbart.com Michigan.gov News.Yahoo.com MetroTimes.com FoxNews.com WhiteHouse.gov Freep.com NYPost.com DetroitNews.com Prince Charles has worn a face covering in public for the first time as he and his wife Camilla carried out engagements in Northern Ireland. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall travelled to Belfast on Wednesday for a day of engagements, including thanking nurses for completing their training early to help with the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The pair were seen stepping out of their car with their coverings on, but were able to keep them off for the majority of their engagements. Posting on Twitter, Clarence House explained the coverings were made by seamstresses who have been supported through the Turquoise Mountain Textiles programme. The post added: Charity Turquoise Mountain was set up by The Prince of Wales in 2006 to protect heritage at risk and to provide training and jobs around the world. It's the first time Charles has been seen in public in a face covering. (AFP) Charles and Camilla met nurses and midwives from Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, who transitioned early from Queen's University Belfast and the Open University, into clinical roles to support and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. (AFP) Charles joked 'frame of thrones' as he and Camilla stood by the throne. (AFP) Camilla thanked nurses and midwives while on the visit to the Ulster Museum. (WPA Pool) Read more: The Queen has a ring with a secret engraving and only three people know what it says Camilla, 72, has previously been seen wearing coverings at her engagements, but this is the first time regulations have meant Charles, 71, needed to don one for a visit. The couple spent the day at various spots in Belfast, including the Ulster Museum where they saw an exhibition marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale as well as a replica of the Iron Throne from the HBO show Game Of Thrones. Game Of Thrones was filmed in the region. As the Prince and the duchess posed next to the handwoven replica, Charles joked: A frame of thrones. Before their museum tour, the couple spoke to nurses from the Open University and Queens University Belfast outside about their experiences during the pandemic. WATCH: Royal finances reveal two-day trip cost 210,000 The facemasks worn today were made by seamstresses who have been supported through the Turquoise Mountain Textiles programme. Charity Turquoise Mountain was set up by The Prince of Wales in 2006 to protect heritage at risk and to provide training and jobs around the world. pic.twitter.com/vYaHlQngbM The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) September 30, 2020 Fiona Pierce, who is going to qualify as a midwife at Royal Victoria Hospital, said: Its been a different end to the course than what we envisioned but we all met it with great enthusiasm and so excited to be recognised as being able to support the workforce. Story continues Bronach Best, who works in mental health, said: I think the public have been great, there was one occasion when I was going shopping in my uniform, and met a mum with her son who was wearing a Spiderman costume, and she said, look there is a real life hero there. Its nice to be appreciated. After touring the museum together, and meeting staff and volunteers who helped get it ready for its reopening after lockdown, the couple split up for separate engagements in the afternoon. Charles shares a joke with driver Stephen Taggart (R) during a visit to Henderson Foodservice's food and grocery distribution centre in Newtownabbey. (AFP) Charles thanked staff for their efforts and heard about how things had changed during the lockdown. (AFP) Charles joked with the staff during the visit to one of the company's main warehouses. (WPA Pool) Read more: Six months since Megxit: Could Harry and Meghan ever come back? Camilla visited Belfast and Lisburn Womens Aid where she met staff, supporters and service users. The duchess has made the issue of domestic abuse a key part of her royal agenda, and has worked with several charities to break the stigma of talking about it, and help tackle it. Northern Ireland is understood to have the worst rate of domestic violence of any European country and between April and June recorded the equivalent of 91 incidents a day . Camilla heard stories from survivors during the visit. The Duchess of Cornwall at the Belfast and Lisburn Womens Aid. (WireImage) Camilla wore a green face covering for the trip to Northern Ireland. (WireImage) Camilla looks at wall art reminding the women they are strong and powerful before hearing some of their stories. (WireImage) She listened to one woman, who stayed anonymous, who recounted her story of being trafficked to Northern Ireland from Somalia, whose former husband killed four of their six children. She cried as she told her story and then thanked the duchess, saying: Thank you, thank you for coming to listen. I am very very happy to see you today. Camilla smiled and said: No thank you for telling us, and made a point of going up to her afterwards and telling her: You are so very, very brave. She also recommitted to doing all she can to help after expressing her sorrow at the increase in domestic violence cases during lockdown. Asked if she thought it had got worse, she said: I am afraid so. I would like to say it hasnt but I am afraid to say that it has. We have all got to do our bit to try and break the corrosive silence around the issue. I certainly am trying to do everything I can. Like today, when we are allowed out, I would like to do more. The bravery of the women today was remarkable. I was incredibly moved. Camilla listened to survivors' stories during the afternoon visit to the charity. (WPA Pool) Camilla's face mask was made by a charity set up by the Prince of Wales in 2006. (AFP) Meanwhile, Charles visited Henderson Foodservice in Co Antrim, to thank staff for keeping stores supplied during the pandemic. He visited one of the stores main warehouses and heard how the company maintained food supplies and diversified to include home deliveries. He On Twitter Clarence House said the company had taken part in a number of voluntary projects with five Belfast food banks and helped to provide meals to hospital staff in the Republic. Sumo Group has acquired Oregon-based development studio Pipeworks for an undisclosed fee. The deal is part of Sumo's plan to break into the U.S. market, and includes Pipeworks' 134-strong team and original properties like Prominence Poker. Based in the UK, Sumo Group is the parent company of LittleBigPlanet 3 developer Sumo Digital and others including The Chinese Room, Red Kite Games, and Lab42. Pipeworks was founded in 1999, and has developed or co-developed over 100 games and technology solutions for notable clients including EA Sports, Wizards of the Coast, and Google. It has previously worked on franchises including Terraria and Madden NFL, and is currently working on an unannounced original project. Commenting on the move, Sumo chief exec Carl Cavers said the purchase will help the company produce more new titles and original properties in-house. "This is the largest acquisition Sumo Group has made since IPO," explained Cavers in a press release. "Our underlying market is strong, and we see good opportunities for new games, including Original-IP developed by our talented studios." Teens who have a larger number of friends may be less likely to suffer from depression later in life, especially women, a new MSU research study has found. For female adolescents, popularity can lead to increased depression during the teen years, but can provide lasting benefits of fewer depressive symptoms later in life. Teens who reported fewer friends show higher rates of depression in adulthood, found Molly Copeland (pictured left), assistant professor of sociology, who co- authored the article "The Long Arm of Social Integration: Gender, Adolescent Social Networks, and Adult Depressive Symptom Trajectories" with lead author Christina Kamis, a sociology doctoral candidate at Duke University. It was published Sept. 14 in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. "Adolescence (is) a sensitive period of early life when structural facets of social relationships can have lasting mental health consequences," wrote Copeland. Overall, the study found for both men and women, naming few friends predicts higher depressive levels through adolescence into adulthood. But these results are not the same for all genders. "Compared to boys, girls face additional risks from how others view their social position in adolescence," Copeland wrote. This current study used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, specifically social network data asking students to select up to five male friends and five female friends. They were also asked to indicate how often they felt depressed. Results from both men and women "follow a U-shaped trajectory of depressive symptoms across this period of the life course, where depressive symptoms are highest in adolescence, decline into early adulthood, and then climb into one's early 30s." However, women experience a steeper decline in symptoms around 18-26 followed by a greater increase in symptoms in their early 30s. When combined, the data show that for women, being named as a friend by peers is associated with increased depression at age 12 but fewer depressive symptoms in adulthood. "This result suggests that the association between popularity and greater depressive symptoms reverses with age so that women who were more popular in adolescence have fewer depressive symptoms in their mid-20s compared to less popular peers," Copeland wrote. But men show no association between popularity and depressive symptoms, the study found, only benefits from naming more friends. Copeland believes this gender difference suggests that gendered expectations and roles that lead to popularity create stress and strain on adolescent girls that does not apply to boys. "Gender socialization may lead adolescent friendships to become more taxing to girls if the higher emotional intimacy in female friendships means that popularity creates higher emotion or psychological burdens for girls," Copeland wrote. But the stress of popularity may give these girls psychosocial skills that are beneficial later in life when dealing with higher education and new jobs. "Greater sociality may also contribute to a sense of belonging that is psychologically important in adolescent development, setting youth on pathways of lower depressive symptoms." Copeland joined MSU's Department of Sociology this fall following the completion of her doctoral degree from Duke University. Her research joins social network analysis and medical sociology to examine how social relationships can benefit or introduce risks to health across the life course. ### Stephanie Goodwin is the reservations clerk at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building, Sonoma Countys largest public hall. When people want to get married there, she books them a spot. When their daughters turn 15, she schedules their quinceaneras. And when theres a pandemic, Goodwin cancels them all. She never thought people would call when a wildfire threatened the city. But her number is the only one listed on the website, so people do. Not just dozens of people. Hundreds of them. They ask: Where is the evacuation center? Do I need to wear a mask in a shelter? And especially: Where can I find my mom? Theyre mostly looking for people, said Goodwin, 38, who has three children and a husband whos a plumber. She answers every call. In the middle of the night, as Sunday turned to Monday and the Glass Fire roared ever closer to Oakmont, a neighborhood of older adults, some 4,500 people fled, most in cars. Others, in an assisted-living facility, climbed or were lifted into the five buses sent in to evacuate those too frail to drive themselves. People in walkers and wheelchairs. They joined more than 80,000 people who have fled the Glass Fire. By Monday morning, as happened during the Wine Country Fires of 2017, Goodwins cellphone began to ring. Its linked to the phone listed on the Veterans Memorial site, and on Monday alone, 60 people called. All the people they were looking for were probably upwards of 90 years old, Goodwin said. And 90% of the people calling were looking for their mother. Krista Hattendorf Adamo, in Mich., was one of them. She knew from the last wildfire to sign up for Santa Rosas fire alert system so she could keep track of her mom, 87-year-old Sue Rae Hattendorf, who lives in Oakmont. Adamo got the fire alert just before 2 a.m. Eastern time Monday. Adamo waited to call her mom because she wanted her to focus on evacuating. But in the morning, her moms cell phone went straight to voicemail. Something was either not charged or not right, Adamo said, worry creeping in. She called her mothers friends, who didnt answer either. She called their children. But they didnt know where Hattendorf was. Now Playing: Wildfires are once again ravaging Northern California's Wine Country. The Glass Fire threatens communities in Sonoma and Napa counties, including Santa Rosa, that suffered destruction from blazes in 2017. Video: San Francisco Chronicle Adamos brother called from his home in Thailand. Hattendorf hadnt contacted him, either. So Adamo looked up the place her mother sheltered at in 2017 the Santa Rosa Veterans building. Luckily, there was a name and a number. A woman picked up. She listened to Adamos questions and told her, as she told every caller in search of an evacuee, that even if her mom were safely sheltering in the Veterans building, privacy regulations prevented her from disclosing that information. And since the building had no official phone during the pandemic, Adamo couldnt call over there. But the womans voice was patient, unhurried. In fact, Goodwin was concerned. I generally get over 400 calls, she said. It could be over days or a week. In 2017 it was pretty crazy. That would be enough to make most people beg to get the number off the website. But it made Goodwin think. One idea she had, which she told her boss about, was that when evacuees arrive at a shelter, they could sign an authorization giving personnel permission to assure anxious callers that their relative or friend was safe. And Goodwin had another idea. A long shot, but a thing worried relatives could immediately do. She told Adamo about a Facebook page called Sonoma County Firestorm Update that started in 2017 and serves as a public bulletin board. So my suggestion was to get on that page and post a picture or description, and say, Has anyone seen my mom? Goodwin said. She gave that suggestion to enough callers that she became curious to see if anyone had actually done it. Adamo had. Beneath the photo of a white-haired Hattendorf in rose-framed glasses smiling into the camera, and another one of Hattendorf in a blue shirt giving a little wave, Adamo had written: This is my mother, Sue Rae, who lives in Oakmont and has not notified her family that she is safe somewhere. Has anyone seen or have any information about her?... Any ideas of where to look? Adamo included her mothers street and a description of her car. Goodwin and Adamo alike were astonished at what happened next. More than 1,700 people shared the post. More than 500 clicked an emoji. And 377 people commented with caring words, advice and possible sightings. One was a kind person named Holly Baker Perez. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California I live in Petaluma very close to the Vets building. I can drive over right now and check if shes there, Perez wrote, earning love emojis and strangers calling her an angel. But Hattendorf wasnt there. So Monday night was tough for Adamo, and she thought about getting on a plane to California. And then, on Tuesday morning, her phone rang. Hattendorf was on the line. According to my mother, a volunteer or someone working at one of the evacuation centers, saw her in the hallway and said, Wait a minute! I think Ive got your picture here on my phone! Lets let your daughter know youre safe, Adamo said. And they did. Adamo suspects her mother didnt call because of the shock of displacement, and that she would have done so eventually. Adamo quickly updated the Facebook post in capital letters: SHE IS SAFE AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO HER JUST NOW. THE SHARING OF THIS PICTURE WORKED! I DONT HAVE WORDS FOR THIS THANK YOU, BUT IT IS HEARTFELT. And she thanked each person who posted. My heart is lifted up, Adamo said. I just felt a renewed hopefulness in our world. And she thought of Goodwin. A woman with three kids whose only connection to an emergency was supposed to be ensuring that the Veterans building was available when a couple wanted to get married. Instead, besieged with calls from frightened strangers, she showed patience and kindness. Across the country in Michigan, to nobody in particular, Adamo said, Thank you, Stephanie. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar appreciated against its most major opponents in the Asian session on Wednesday, as the US Presidential election debate failed to impress investors and increased uncertainty about an inconclusive election. President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden clashed over Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and the integrity of the upcoming election in the first presidential debate held at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Comments from Trump suggesting a delay in the election results and uncertainty ahead weighed on the markets. The risk sentiment improved in early Asian trading following the release of better-than-expected China manufacturing data. However, shares pulled back following Trump's comments on the election results. On the economic data front, ADP's private payrolls report, pending home sales and GDP data are due out later in the day. The greenback firmed to 1.3421 against the loonie for the first time since August 4. The greenback is seen finding resistance around the 1.36 mark. The greenback bounced off to 0.7100 against the aussie and 0.6574 against the kiwi, from its prior 1-week lows of 0.7150 and 0.6613, respectively. Next key resistance for the greenback is seen around 0.68 against the aussie and 0.63 against the kiwi. The U.S. currency recovered from its early low of 0.9190 against the franc and an 8-day low of 1.1755 against the euro and spiked up to 0.9219 and 1.1723, respectively. The greenback is likely to face resistance near 0.94 against the franc and 1.15 against the euro. The greenback touched a 2-day high of 1.2806 against the pound, up from Tuesday's closing value of 1.2855. On the upside, 1.25 is seen as its next resistance level. In contrast, the greenback eased off to 105.44 against the yen, after rising to more than a 2-week high of 105.80 at 9:00 pm ET. The next possible support for the greenback is seen around the 104.00 region. Looking ahead, German jobless rate and Swiss economic sentiment index for September are due in the European session. U.S. ADP private payrolls data for September is scheduled for release at 8:15 am ET. Canada GDP data for July, U.S. GDP data for the second quarter and pending home sales for August will be released in the New York session. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de In 2000, Renuka Chaudhary drove into parliament on a tractor to highlight the plight of farmers in Andhra Pradesh. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may do a repeat in a few days to show his and his partys opposition to the recently enacted farm laws. Sources say that a programme is being drawn up in the form of kisan (farmer) protest, which could start from Sangrur in Punjab. Sangrur is one of the agrarian hub in the state, which has also seen much farmer distress. Travelling through some parts of Punjab, Rahul Gandhi is likely to cross through Haryana and then end his yatra in Delhi. This trip on a tractor, possibly to be held in a few legs, will aim to highlight Congress stand against the laws, which it says shows that the Modi government is against the farmers and has framed laws to favour the corporates. Congress has also shirked off the criticism from the BJP that its manifesto in 2009 and 2014 did mention similar clauses on disbanding APMC and that the Congress was being hypocritical in opposing the bill. AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala had contradicted this allegation saying that the Congress had never closed the options of APMC and further said that the farmers will not benefit from the new laws amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Rahul Gandhi, who has been attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, which he said is a suit boot ki sarkar, hopes to recreate a rustic image for the Congress, projecting it as a party which alone cares for kisans and the common man. Tractors are symbols of a farmers power and if he indeed sits on a tractor, he would want to reinforce this image. Recently, Congress had run into trouble when Punjab Youth Congress leaders, led by their chief Brindher Dhillon, had burnt a tractor at the India Gate in Delhi. Brindher and some of his aides were detained. The prime minister, in his message, had attacked the Congress for burning down what he called a farmers tool of worship. Rahul Gandhis plan can be seen as a thumbs down to this allegation as well. However, there already seems to be some opposition to Rahul Gandhis plan. Haryana minister Anil Vij has accused Rahul Gandhi of creating trouble and has said that he wont be allowed to enter the state. But Congress says they wont be daunted and are ready for a confrontation over this. Sources close to Rahul say he has geared up for a fight for a cause he began his politics with land acquisition and famers issues. Parliament has recently passed the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 which got the assent of President Ram Nath Kovid and have come into effect from September 27. WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Merchant McIntyre Associates is pleased to announce that Kathryn (Katie) E. Peterson has been named Partner and General Counsel. Ms. Peterson has served Merchant McIntyre since its inception, successfully leading its efforts to secure millions of dollars in federal grant funding for its clients. Over her career, Ms. Peterson has secured over $150 million in discretionary funding on behalf of hospitals and health care systems, higher education institutions, and municipal governments across the country. "Katie has emerged as a strategic and indispensable leader at our agency during the past several years," said Mark McIntyre. "Our position as a leading government relations and grants firm and our future are tied directly to her growth and leadership. Katie gets a lot of praise from her colleagues for making the trains run on time. That's true, but she's also helped design and build the train station!" Merchant McIntyre is one of the fastest-growing and most successful federal government relations firms focused on federal grant funding in Washington. Merchant McIntyre has successfully implemented dozens of federally funded education, health care, public safety, economic, workforce, and community development projects for its clients in the last nine months alone. Prior to joining Merchant McIntyre, Ms. Peterson worked at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and began her career in Washington as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, representing her home state of Florida. Katie received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and German from Stetson University, and earned her Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law. Ms. Peterson will continue to serve at Merchant McIntyre as General Counsel. Merchant McIntyre Associates is the leading federal government relations agency serving nonprofits and for-profit corporations that resonate with our values. Since 1994, MM professionals have excelled at achieving our clients' federal funding, legislative, regulatory, and policy objectives. Our bipartisan agency is comprised of former Congressional staff, Executive Branch officials, grant writers, subject matter experts, and marketing professionals. Because we know how Washington works, we know how to make Washington work for you. For more information please see: www.merchantmcintyre.com SOURCE Merchant McIntyre Associates Related Links www.merchantmcintyre.com Larry Marano/Shutterstock Brad Parscale, President Donald Trump's former 2020 campaign manager Police in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, took President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Brad Parscale to a local hospital Sunday after his wife said he was armed and acting erratically and she was worried he would try to kill himself, PEOPLE confirms. The incident began Sunday afternoon when Parscale's wife flagged down a nearby realtor who was preparing to show a home in the area and the other woman then called 911, according to audio released by authorities. According to the incident reports, Parscale's wife told police that he "was drunk and they were having an arguement [sic] when Brad Parscale took possession of one of his firearms, racked the slide, loading it right in his wife's presence." She "became so afraid for her safety that she immediately fled the residence on foot with no cell phone or belongings," the incident reports state. "After leaving the residence on foot she claimed to hear a possible gun shot from within the residence, but later stated it could have been a car back firing from down the street." A friend of Parscale's who is an officer arrived on the scene and, after Parscale "was convinced to exit the residence," he was placed into custody and taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment, according to Fort Lauderdale police. RELATED: Trump Campaign Shakeup Campaign Manager Replaced 4 Months from 2020 Election Body camera footage of his detainment shows him shirtless and holding a can in his hand as he approaches the officer, his friend, outside his home. Parscale says repeatedly that "I didn't do anything." "I'm not trying to kill myself," he tells the officer, adding, "She's lying. I'm your friend." "She started saying all this s---," he says in the body camera footage, seemingly referring to his wife. Story continues SWAT officers then quickly move in, telling Parscale to get on the ground. When he does not respond, an officer tackles him at the waist to detain him, the footage shows. "Brad was drinking a beer and was clearly intoxicated at this time," the officer who is his friend later wrote in his report. According to the incident reports, responding police felt "it was evident that" Parscale's wife "could not safely be left with [him] due to his potential for violence to her and/or himself." Authorities tell PEOPLE, however, that he was not charged with a crime and that his wife was "not cooperative" with filing charges. "Brad Parscale has been depressed and suicidal recently," police said Parscale's wife told them, according to the reports. "This has led him to consume alcohol a lot more frequently and make suicidal statements." The 911 audio shows his wife telling the dispatcher that he has been under a "lot of stress right now" and that he had been "ranting and raving about something, I don't know." In total, police say they recovered 10 guns from inside Parscale's home. Parscale was then taken to Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale Police Department Sgt. DeAnna Greenlaw told CNN. He was taken under Florida's Baker Act, which allows for involuntary detainment of an individual in mental health crisis. Stephen Maturen/Getty Brad Parscale Bryan Woolston/Getty Brad Parscale RELATED: Who Is Donald Trump's Supreme Court Nominee? Everything to Know About Amy Coney Barrett Parscale helped lead Trump to his surprising 2016 presidential victory but was ousted from his longtime role in the campaign following Trump's poorly attended campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June and amid a months-long streak of poor poll numbers against rival Joe Biden. The former Trump campaign manager had boasted on social media ahead of the rally that more than a million tickets were requested for the event, which wound up a hallmark disappointment for the campaign after an estimated 6,200 showed up to the 19,000-seat Bank of Oklahoma Center, reportedly angering the president. Trump removed Parscale from the top job weeks later, in July, though he was permitted to stay in a senior adviser capacity. (CNN reported though that Parscale cleared out his work space and left the campaign's offices the day he was demoted.) Our thoughts are with Brad and his family as we wait for all the facts to emerge," Tim Murtaugh, a Trump campaign spokesman, told PEOPLE in a statement after initial reports of the police incident. He initially said in a statement to other news outlets that "the disgusting, personal attacks from Democrats and disgruntled RINOs [Republicans in name only] have gone too far, and they should be ashamed of themselves for what theyve done to this man and his family." Murtaugh did not respond to subsequent requests from PEOPLE after the incident reports and other information gave a fuller picture of what happened. It was unclear Monday if Parscale remained hospitalized. He could not be reached for comment. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org. The 77-year-old actor took to Instagram to share a picture of himself on Wednesday revealing that the Bollywood megastar has pledged to donate his organs. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday revealed that he has pledged to donate his organs. The 77-year-old actor took to Instagram to share a picture of himself from the sets of his popular quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati, where he is seen sporting a green coloured ribbon on his suit. The veteran actor who is quite active on social media when on to explain the significance of the green ribbon in the caption and said that he is a pledged organ donor. The distinction of the wear of the GREEN ribbon ..I AM A PLEDGED ORGAN DONOR!, he wrote in the caption. The picture sees the Amar Akbar Anthony actor with a bright smile on his face. Fans of the superstar flooded the picture with scores of comments lauding his pledge to donate his organs. Amitabh Bachchan, weeks after recovering from COVID-19, is back to shooting and is cautiously following all the necessary precautionary measures. The legendary actor is currently shooting for his much-loved television quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati, and has been sharing pictures from the set on social media platforms. Bachchan who is shooting for the 12th season of the famous show took to Twitter during the wee hours of Thursday and shared a collage of his pictures from the shows set. The picture features crew members of the show clad in PPE Kits, masks, gloves, and shields as they give some final touch-ups to the superstar. Also Read: IPL 2020: Kohli and co enjoy pool, volleyball and karaoke night post face-off with MI Also Read: Balika Vadhu director spotted selling vegetables in Azamgarh, narrates ordeal On August 24, announcing the beginning of the shooting for the new season of his show, Bachchan wrote: Its back to work .. KBC 12 .. started 2000.. 20 years! Amaze .. thats a lifetime. Kaun Banega Crorepati is loved by fans of the superstar across the country. The show began in the year 2000 and since then, has had 11 seasons with the 12th edition being in the production stage at present. Muddy Waters Research is betting against Nano-X Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNOX), saying that the company has "important similarities" with Nikola. In a research report, the investment firm writes that NNOX has "no product to sell other than its stock." NNOX is a medical imaging technology company that has ensured cost-reduced imaging system. Muddy Waters believes that the company has tried to legitimize itself by using the halo of respectable companies and has used other companies' names to run its advertisements. For their ARC machine, they have partnered with a Noble peace-prize nominated hospital named Hadassah Hospital. But, the investor believes that their partnerships have been greatly misrepresented. beerkoff/Shutterstock.com NNOX Imaging has predicted that it has been doing quite well on financial front, but that isn't very true, according to the report. The company offered options for its 1.2 million shares at $2.21 per share, to the president of SK Telecom. The net worth of the offered options was equal to $32.1 million. This deal was made before the SK telecom happened to invest in Nanox imaging. "A convicted felon, who crashed an $8 billion market cap dotcom into the ground, was seemingly instrumental in plucking NNOX out of obscurity and bringing its massively exaggerated story to the U.S. NNOX touts distribution partnerships that supposedly amount to $180.8 million in annual commitments. Almost all of the companys partnerships give reason for skepticism," according to the report. Talking specifically about their product of ARC machine, it was the central point of many decisive claims that NNOX had. This machine was believed to have been operating at Hadassah Hospital which, in reality, was not. A number of radiologists were interviewed whose reports were greatly against NNOX. Not even a single radiologist talked in favor of the company. "We conclude that NNOX has no real product to sell other than its stock," notes the report. NNOX shares went public in August, so we don't have any idea about hedge fund positions in this stock yet. NNOX shares peaked at $66 two and a half weeks ago and currently trade for $24. Disclosure: No positions. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on September 30, 2020 2020/10/01 AFP: The US just held its first presidential debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on the debate given that both candidates brought up China when they spoke on issues such as economic policy as well as the country's coronavirus response? Wang Wenbin: We firmly oppose the US presidential candidates dragging China into their election. As is proven by facts, the US accusations against China are just baseless. They cannot hold water. CCTV: According to media reports, the Chinese vaccines for COVID-19 are priced much higher than those of European and American ones. I wonder if you could comment on this? Wang Wenbin: This is a baseless claim. China is accelerating vaccine R&D to handle COVID-19. We announced that COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good that helps to ensure vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries. Our commitment is clear and we will act on our words. As vaccines are still being developed across the world, there is great uncertainty in their future pricing. However, for China, one thing is certain: we will definitely provide the vaccines to the world as a global public good with fair and reasonable prices. Developing countries will be our priority in this process. We will provide the vaccines to them through various means, including donation and assistance. Middle East News Agency: Yesterday the Kuwaiti Amiri Diwan, which serves as the royal palace of the Kuwaiti emir, announced that Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah passed away. Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was named the new emir. Do you have any comment on this? Wang Wenbin: Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was a leader dearly loved by the people of Kuwait and respected by the international community. He played an important role in the development and prosperity of his country as well as peace and stability in the Middle East, and made important contributions to advancing China-Kuwait relations. We are deeply saddened by his passing and send sincere condolences to the government and people of Kuwait and his family. We extend congratulations to the new emir His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Beijing Youth Daily: China and India are reportedly engaging with each other for the 19th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs. The Indian delegation will be headed by Shri Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, and the head of the Chinese delegation will be Director-General Hong Liang of the MFA's Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs. Can you confirm this? If so, what will the two sides discuss? Wang Wenbin: China and India are currently holding the 19th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs. They will focus on the implementation of the five-point consensus reached by the two foreign ministers in Moscow, settlement of the remaining issues on the ground, and de-escalation in the China-India border area. CNR: China and the Arab League recently held a health experts' video conference. Can you give us more details? Wang Wenbin: On September 29, together with the National Health Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese foreign ministry hosted a video conference of Chinese and Arab health experts which was attended by experts and officials from the Arab League Secretariat and health departments of 10 Arab states. The two sides had in-depth discussions on the risk assessment and multi-level prevention and control of COVID-19 under new circumstances, vaccine R&D, and the changing toxicity of the virus. The Arab side highly commended China's achievements in containing the virus and vaccine development, applauded China's contribution to the global fight against COVID-19, and thanked China for the valuable help and experience it provided to the Arab states. As President Xi Jinping wrote in his congratulatory letter to the ninth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), "Faced with COVID-19, China and the Arab states have been joining hands to overcome difficulties, helping and supporting each other with close cooperation, a vivid example of the two sides sharing weal and woe." This health experts' video conference is the second one this year, and another themed discussion after last week's video seminar on the resumption of work and production. So far China has provided over one million test kits and more than 18 million masks to Arab states, held more than 40 video conferences for experts, sent medical teams to eight Arab states, and shared our diagnosis and treatment experience with them without reservation. China cooperates with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt on vaccines. The phase III of clinical trials in the UAE made most rapid progress with over 30,000 people inoculated. In the next phase, based on the Arab side's need, China will continue sharing information through multiple means, enhancing anti-epidemic cooperation, coordinating epidemic containment and socio-economic development, implementing the ministerial meeting's outcomes, and working toward the building of a China-Arab community of shared future and a China-Arab community of health. Shenzhen TV: The World Bank released its East Asia and Pacific Economic Update on September 28, which adjusted its forecast of China's growth up to 2 percent, 1 percentage point higher than that in June. Taking into account the vaccine development outcomes and steady economic recovery, the World Bank also projects China's economy will grow by 7.9 percent next year. Despite the increasing downward pressure faced by the world economy due to the pandemic, the World Bank still revised China's economic forecast upward. What does China's growth mean to the world economic recovery? Wang Wenbin: The World Bank report demonstrates the world's recognition of China's achievements in advancing epidemic containment and socio-economic development in a coordinated manner. The sustained, steady recovery of the Chinese economy is an even more important driver of the world growth and the global market confidence. From January to August this year, the non-financial direct investment made by Chinese companies to BRI countries reached $11.8 billion, increased by 31.5 percent year-on-year. In the first six months, China invested $6.23 billion to ASEAN, a year-on-year increase of 53.1 percent. From January to August, trade between China and ASEAN grew by 3.8 percent to $416.5 billion, and the two sides for the first time became each other's biggest trading partner. In the first six months this year, goods delivered by China-Europe freight trains - dubbed as "steel camel fleets" to stabilize international supply chains - increased by 30 percent year-on-year. It is foreseeable that the accelerated recovery of the Chinese economy will provide more opportunities for expanding China's economic and trade cooperation with other countries, inject greater impetus in global recovery, and give the international community more confidence. Before we conclude this press conference, I have an announcement to make. Tomorrow will mark the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. As per the public holiday schedule of the upcoming National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, our regular press conference will be adjourned from October 1 to October 8 and resumed on October 9. During the adjournment, you may still reach the MFA Spokesperson's Office via fax, e-mail and WeChat. Taking this opportunity, I'd like to thank you, my friends from the press, for your attention and reporting of China and China's diplomacy. We hope you will continue making fact-based, objective and unbiased reports on China and our diplomacy, and we will continue facilitating your work and assisting you in this regard. I wish our great nation prosperity and strength, and wish you a nice holiday. https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Why-Sukkot-Speaks-to-Us-Now-More-Than-Ever.html Three important messages for our time. People are exhausted, fatigued. Children are in school and then they are not. Tensions within marriages and families are rising. Many feel isolated, lonely and sad. Worry about jobs and financial instability cause sleepless nights. What will be? It is time for us to build our sukkah of peace. Beneath the stars we have been given the gift of serenity. The holiday of Sukkot comes just as we feel depleted and fills us with renewed energy. We must only stop and listen to the whispers in the night. Here are three important messages that Sukkot brings us: 1. Shelter Under the Wings of Faith We dwell in our sukkah for seven days. We leave our homes and all that is within. The dining room table, the mirrors and lighting, the comfort of our couch and we sit in a temporary hut, a sukkah. Why a sukkah? When the Jewish people were taken out of Egypt, God provided them with sukkah booths of shelter. His clouds of glory would be their protection in the harsh desert wilderness. Why wouldnt God give His nation a more permanent dwelling? This generation that left Egypt was weak in faith. God wanted His people to know forever that strength and security come not from a beautiful home or a fancy car. It is not about our possessions, security systems, bank accounts, or jobs. It is all about faith. Come! God beckons. Leave all your fears behind. I will shelter you beneath My wings. You will find your faith, you will discover serenity. Our connection will endure forever. Greater than any thing is the knowledge that you do not live life alone. Find you fortress of faith. Reflecting on our sukkah helps open our eyes to the definition of true trust in God. Sukkot asks us to think: What matters in life? What sustains me? Whatever is important is right here with me. Everything else is temporary. The shelter of the Divine is the only shelter that remains forever. These past few months we have learned how little we know. We have seen how much is out of our control. A virus, a miniscule germ, has brought the world to its knees. Our sukkah reminds us that there was a time our people, too, felt helpless. Just as God sustained us and nourished both our bodies and souls, so too, will we find our sustenance. God will never abandon His people. As difficult as life seems, remember this teaching well. We have gone through an incredible journey, exiled throughout the four corners of the world. Given up for dead. And yet, here we are! Sitting in the sukkah booths as our forefathers did in the desert. The legacy remains alive. We are a miracle. Renew your strength and courage. Inspire yourself. Ignite the spark that lies within your soul. 2. Plug Into Your Roots If we dont know where we come from we dont know where we are going. We are clueless to the power that lies within. What are my hidden strengths? What is my potential? Just as we have physical genes so too, we possess spiritual genes. Our fathers and mothers who walked before us paved the way. They travailed, overcame obstacles, were tried and tested, all so that we their children find the resilience to go through our own moments of difficulty. The Zohar writes that when the Jewish people leave their homes and enter their sukkahs, they merit to welcome the Divine presence along with seven guests. Seven shepherds descend from the heavens above and come as our ushpizin guests. The seven exalted ushpizin are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David. It is customary when entering the sukkah to invite them to join us with a special prayer. When we sit in our sukkah and feel overwhelmed with what is happening in our lives, let us plug into the power of our roots. Our spiritual guests went through incredible challenges. They suffered mightily. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob stood strong holding onto their faith as the whole world stood against them. Joseph was sold into slavery, thrown into prison and disgraced. Jacob thought hed never see his son again. The grief was insurmountable. Moses and Aaron dealt with the pain of bondage, led the people through the desert for forty years but tragically never got to enter their beloved land of Israel. David was subject to rebellion, shame and his own son rebelled against him and threw him out of his royal palace. He never got to build the Temple in Jerusalem which had been his lifelong dream. And yet. These faithful shepherds sought only to bring kindness and truth into the world. They never lost their faithfulness, their compassion, their desire to make this world a better place. God says: You My children are shepherds, here to tend this world with love. It is therefore fitting for the faithful shepherds of old to dwell in the shelter of faith together with you, their faithful children. We are empowered knowing that we come from greatness, that we have the potential to overcome obstacles just as our forefathers did. Bring blessing into the world. Invite the ushpizin in. 3. Strength Comes from Unity On the morning of the first day of Sukkot (when it is not Shabbat), we rise early and recite blessings on the four species. (Shehecheyanu blessing is only recited the first day, the remaining blessing recited the other days). The four species taken are: the beautiful fruit, the esrog; the palm frond, the lulav; the branch of a myrtle tree, the hadas; and the branches of the willow tree, the aravah. The four species together comprise one mitzvah. If one of the species is missing, the mitzvah is not fulfilled. Each species represents another type of Jew. God says that we are to hold all four together as one. Each is necessary. Whoever fulfills this mitzvah brings peace and harmony to himself and to the entire world. These days, we need unity more than ever. Stop judging. Start loving. Call someone you know who is alone. Reach out to another Jew who is not like you. Give a good word, a smile. God grants us peace when there is peace amongst us. Take the four species and seize the moment. Unity brings peace. Peace brings strength. Find joy in your shelter of faith. Clix Capital, which was in advanced talks with Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) for a potential merger, may approach the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for clarity on the future of the deal after the banks shareholders voted out seven board members, including its managing director, two people directly aware of the matter said. The non-banking financial company (NBFC) expects the Reserve Bank to communicate a final decision on the matter within two weeks, the people said on the condition of anonymity. While the merger talks were progressing smoothly, the sudden change of management in Lakshmi Vilas Bank can potentially throw the deal off gear," said one of the two people cited above. The second person, a senior official at Clix Capital, said: We hope that the new management will be open to the merger." However, if the transaction doesnt go through in the next fortnight or month, then there is a likelihood that the Reserve Bank will merge the bank with another bank with a stronger balance sheet," the person mentioned above added. On 25 September, shareholders of Lakshmi Vilas Bank voted against the appointment of seven directors, including S. Sundar as the managing director and chief executive. Besides, shareholders rejected the appointments of N. Saiprasad, K.R. Pradeep and Raghuraj Gujjar as non-executive and non-independent directors, and B.K. Manjunath, Gorinka Jaganmohan Rao and Y.N. Lakshminarayana Murthy as independent directors. The struggling private sector bank is desperately looking for capital and is in talks with the Clix Group for a merger. The banks capital adequacy ratio fell to 0.17% as on 30 June as against a regulatory minimum of 10.875%. The lender, however, narrowed its loss to 112.28 crore in the June quarter from 237.25 crore in the year earlier. At the banks annual general meeting, it had received shareholders approval to raise up to 1,500 crore to fund business growth and increase foreign shareholding up to 74%. Its not an easy buy. They will end up investing a lot of time in dealing with governance issues. In terms of shareholding, whoever buys will need significant control and shareholding," said the second person cited earlier. The private sector lender said earlier this month that the mutual due diligence for its deal with Clix Group is substantially complete". On 30 July, Lakshmi Vilas Bank said its deal with the Clix Group might be delayed owing to the covid-19 pandemic, and both the parties had agreed to extend the exclusivity period till 15 September. The bank has signed a preliminary, non-binding letter of intent with Clix Capital Services Pvt. Ltd and Clix Finance India Pvt. Ltd in relation to the proposed amalgamation of Clix Group with the bank in June. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Scientists, policymakers and the media should acknowledge inherent uncertainties in epidemiological models projecting the spread of COVID-19 and avoid "catastrophizing" worst-case scenarios, according to new research from Cornell University. Threats about dire outcomes may mobilize more people to take public health precautions in the short term but invite criticism and backlash if uncertainties in the models' data and assumptions are not transparent and later prove flawed, researchers found. Among political elites, criticism from Democrats in particular may have the unintended consequence of eroding public trust in the use of models to guide pandemic policies and in science more broadly, their research shows. Acknowledging that models are grounded in uncertainty is not only the more accurate way to talk about scientific models, but political leaders and the media can do that without also having the effect of undermining confidence in science." Sarah Kreps, Government Professor and Study Co-author, Cornell University Kreps and Doug Kriner, government professor, conducted five experiments - surveying more than 6,000 American adults in May and June - to examine how politicians' rhetoric and media framing affected support for using COVID-19 models to guide policies about lockdowns or economic reopenings, and for science generally. The researchers found that different presentations of scientific uncertainty - acknowledging it, contextualizing it or weaponizing it - can have important implications for public policy preferences and attitudes. For example, they said, Republican elites have been more likely to attack or "weaponize" uncertainty in epidemiological models. But the survey experiments showed that their criticism, which the public apparently expected, didn't shift confidence in models or in science. Support for COVID-19 science from several Republican governors who split with their party's mainstream also did not affect confidence. Criticism by Democrats, in contrast, registered as surprising and was influential. When shown a quote by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo disparaging virus models, survey respondents' support for using models to guide reopening policy dropped by 13% and support for science in general decreased, too. "It suggests that the onus is on Democrats to be particularly careful with how they communicate about COVID-19 science," Kriner said. "Because of popular expectations about the alignments of the parties on science more broadly and on issues like COVID-19 and climate change, they can inadvertently erode confidence in science even when that isn't their intent." Another way of ignoring or downplaying uncertainty is to present narratives that sensationalize or "catastrophize" the most alarming projections and potential consequences of inaction. An April article in The Atlantic about Georgia's reopening strategy, for example, referred to the state's "experiment in human sacrifice." The researchers' experiments showed that type of COVID-19 communication significantly increased public support - by 21% - for using models to guide policy, with gains primarily attributed to people who were less scientifically literate. The Alaska Railroad passenger train idles at Seward, Alaska, in a file photo. When completed, the A2A Rail project will connect Alaska and Alberta and ship a variety of freight, and possibly passengers as well. (Public Domain) Game Changer: Stakeholders Welcome US Permit for Railway Between Alaska and Alberta A 121-year-old idea of a freight rail project connecting Alaska and Alberta has received an important push from Washington promising a presidential permit to begin preliminary survey work on the proposed 2,570-kilometre route. On Sept. 29, U.S. President Donald Trump officially gave the green light to the Alberta-to-Alaska railway project, which would run from Fort McMurray, Alberta, through the Northwest Territories and Yukon, and terminate at Delta Junction in Alaska. The permit gives the Alaska-Alberta Railway Development Corporation (A2A Rail) permission to construct, connect, operate, and maintain railway facilities at the international border of the United States and Canada. When I started this project five years ago, I would tell anyone that I cant believe it hasnt been done yet, A2A Rail founder and chair Sean McCoshen tells The Epoch Times. McCoshens aim is to construct the first intercontinental passenger and cargo railway linking the 49th state to the continents rail network, and the issuance of the presidential permit will assist in moving the project forward. The railway would ship cargo such as grain, ore, oil, and other resources as well as containerized goods and possibly even passengers. Weve gone through the pre-feasibility study. We are a bulk commodities shipper, a general cargo shipper, and we also offer passenger rail service, so we have a number of revenue sources, McCoshen says of the $22 billion project. Alaska has enjoyed international rail of a sortthe White Pass and Yukon Routesince the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898, but its an isolated track, unconnected to any other railroad. Sightseers can still take its narrow-gauge line from the port of Skagway, Alaska, to Whitehorse in Yukon, but its post-war days as an international bulk shipper for lead, copper, and zinc ore died in the early 1980s. A cruise ship company co-owns the current route. There is also a 470 km internal rail line, the Alaska Railroad, between Fairbanks and Seward that was completed in 1923. Lacking spur lines from the Canadian interior, Yukon is also disconnected from the continental rail network, and most freight is trucked in from the south. The territorys former premier Darrell Pasloski calls the A2A project a game changer for the Yukon. A railway would be probably the most significant positive impact economically that the territory could ever incur, for so many things, Pasloski says. It creates possibilities in mining by making transportation more affordable, theres tourismits a unique opportunity that opens up a body of markets. The owner of the Attic pizzeria says hes got the provinces OK to open his controversial pot shop in the downtown Stoney Creek restaurants former bar and dining area. Ned Kuruc said his lawyer confirmed the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has given him permission to begin ordering products for the Neku Cannabis shop on Dec. 28. He said hes received approval to do likewise for a second store in Hess Village and expects both to open before New Years Eve. Naturally, I am happy, Kuruc said. Obviously there are some people that arent too happy about it and I respect that. I didnt get angry at it. Kuruc said he feels some neighbours who opposed the Attic location during a 15-day public commenting period are still shocked by cannabis legalization and dont appreciate the tight security controls stores must have in place. A lot of complaints that we got was simply just people were not in the know. They were complaining about stuff that maybe they werent knowledgeable about and, again, I respect that, he said. Its us, its the industry, that has to educate people, not the other way around. Dave Long, who helped rally neighbourhood opposition, said the approval is very disappointing but not surprising given the AGCO has yet to reject a store application. He said he isnt convinced by Kurucs reassurances neighbours wont see a return of the traffic, parking congestion, noise and boorish behaviour of customers of an illegal dispensary that operated in a home Kuruc owns beside the Attic until shut down by police two years ago. He has no control over the neighbourhood once they walk off his property, and he knows it, Long said. He has absolutely no control over his customers. On the property, yes; off the property, no. Coun. Chad Collins, who represents the area, said the AGCOs public consultation process thus far is a sham and in the Attics case ignores that he, neighbours and the citys licensing department opposed the application. Hamilton police also flagged the history of the illegal shop next door and the owners involvement there, and essentially they were opposed, he said. Collins said Premier Doug Fords 2018 warnings that people involved in illegal shops wouldnt get licences for legal ones ring hollow. I still think the crux of the matter is that if theyre going to be handing out these cannabis licences like its Halloween candy, at least give municipalities the ability to zone where they can and cant be located, he said. If theyre not interested in protecting the public, we are, and its one of the only ones I can think of, from a land-use perspective, where the city doesnt have control. The AGCO approval of cannabis shops follows a two-stage process that begins with an application for a retail licence. Anyone awarded a licence can then apply for up to 10 shops, which must be a minimum 150 metres from a school. Kuruc had already passed the licensing stage which bars anyone convicted of cannabis offences or connected with a criminal organizations leaving only approval of the locations at issue. Ontarios Cannabis Licence Act requires the AGCO to consider three criteria considering a store application: protecting public health and safety; protecting youth and restricting their access to cannabis; and preventing illicit activities in relation to cannabis. The Attic shop is set to become the Stoney Creek areas fourth legal store, with seven more awaiting approval. The AGCO website listed nine open shops in all of Hamilton as of Sept. 28, with another 52 in the queue. Marvin Ryder, associate professor of marketing at McMaster University, said he doesnt believe the market has reached the saturation point yet, but shops wont be the licence to print money some may have imagined. He said competition, including from the black market, is forcing cannabis prices down and some successful applicants have already sold their shops to bigger players. In fairness, again, in this world I teach its all about supply and demand, Ryder said. If you want to open a restaurant today in Hamilton nobody stops you even though the odds are youre going to fail because we have lots of restaurants. Kuruc said market saturation is a concern but will be the ultimate test, separating those who know what theyre doing from those that dont. I do not view this business as a get-rich-quick or a fast-money home run, he said. I expect to see a drop off or people who will fail. That is inevitable. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: We wondered if a proliferation of applications for pot shops in the Stoney Creek area might saturate the market and learned the Attic store had been approved while researching the story. Primeste notificari pe email Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare (Premium) Granturi - Finantari (Premium) Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele Ritwika Mitra By Express News Service NEW DELHI: After Amnesty International halted its operations in India citing government witch-hunt, activists said the BJP government was systematically targetting voices of dissent. This government is doing everything it can to silence the voices of civil society organisations. There are many things done in that direction the targeting of anti-CAA protesters, including myself in various police chargesheets, the changes in the FCRA laws, and the clamp down on Amnesty are all part of a larger project to attempt to silence independent voices of dissent which are critical of the majoritarian politics of the present regime, said bureaucrat turned activist Harsh Mander. The amendments in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act would be a blow to the civil society organisatons, said activists. Amnesty International said they came to know of the freezing of accounts on September 10. This is a clear indication that Modi government wants a war without witnesses. That is why it is seeking to evict human rights defenders and rights organisations. There is a clear link between the fact that Amnesty brought out a damning report documenting the rights violations and torture targetting Muslims, said Kavita Krishnan, secretary, All India Progressive Womens Association, and CPI(M) politburo member. If they can do this to an international organisation of Amnestys stature, think of what is happening to human rights defenders at the ground. This should be a wake up call for the rest of the world to worry about the health of Indias democracy, said Krishnan. There is a pattern of government action resulting in curtailment of the activities of human rights organisations that amplify voices of dissent and demand accountability for the actions of the law enforcement agencies, said rights activist Venkatesh Nayak. The voices of dissent are unfortunately being stifled using a variety of methods, including the social media platform, he added. Featured stories The CDC sent Ohio a broken COVID-19 test kit in February, letting a virus run wild (WEWS Channel 5) Clevelands gauge of a successful presidential debate: Enlightenment in the hall, peaceful protest outside (cleveland.com) Ohio looked like a red state a year ago. 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Mike DeWine for coronavirus orders (cleveland.com) Ohio Republican Party pulls attack ad after realizing it attacked the wrong person (cleveland.com) General Motors to repay some Ohio tax incentives as part of deal with state over shuttered Lordstown plant (cleveland.com) Brian Morgenstern, the White House deputy press secretary, said that the administrations cruise ship plans were not politically motivated. The president, the vice president and the task force follow the science and data to implement policies that protect the public health and also facilitate the safe reopening of our country, he said. The C.D.C. under Dr. Redfields leadership has received harsh criticism from scientists for its handling of the pandemic, beginning with its botched rollout of testing kits last spring. Political appointees in the health department pushed through C.D.C. guidelines despite objections from the agencys own scientists saying that people without symptoms did not need to be tested for the coronavirus. The agency then reversed course to recommend testing. It also recently issued new guidance on airborne transmission of the virus, only to take it down a few days later, saying it had been posted in error. Dr. Redfield, squeezed between the White Houses desire to reopen the economy and scientists concerns about further spread of the virus, warned that allowing cruise ships to sail without proper precautions could lead to a public health disaster. The Diamond Princess cruise ship, owned by the Carnival Corporation, became one of the first examples of a coronavirus superspreading event this winter, when more than 700 of its 3,711 passengers and crew tested positive, and 14 died. Between March 1 and July 10, there were 2,973 cruise-related cases of Covid-19 or Covid-like illness, and 34 deaths, in waters subject to the C.D.C.s jurisdiction, according to the agency. The cruise ship industry has considerable political influence in Florida, a state Mr. Trump is fighting hard to win in the election. The Cruise Lines International Association said that the industry generates $53 billion annually in economic activity. The Florida Ports Council said that states cruise industry, the largest in the nation, has been the hardest hit by the coronavirus. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 07:41 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c480d964 1 National Terawan-Agus-Putranto,health-minister,Jokowi,COVID-19,coronavirus,house-of-representatives,Lawmakers,virus-korona-indonesia,virus-corona,health-ministry Free House of Representatives members have called on Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto to rework his communication skills following a series of public gaffes that appear to have persuaded him to lie low despite the country's battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent months, Terawan seems to have made fewer public appearance after critics lambasted him for creating numerous controversies, including by playing down the COVID-19 threat at the beginning of the outbreak in the country, despite his position leading the national efforts against the coronavirus. Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, the chairman of House Commission IX overseeing health care, acknowledged that the minister had displayed rather poor communication skills, though he deemed that Terawan had done a good enough job in handling the virus as proven during previous hearings with the legislative body. Terawan had not been able to inform the public properly about his efforts, therefore causing citizens to question his capabilities, Emanuel said. "One important issue we have found from the minister and his staff is the lack of public communication skills. [Terawan] has done much, but he doesnt let the people know, the Golkar Party politician said on Tuesday. Read also: Govt deploys medical interns to front lines Muchamad Nabil Haroen of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) voiced similar concerns, saying that the current health crisis had tested Terawan's leadership and vision as the leading minister in the health sector. "The minister must improve his public communication strategy. Many ideas and programs are not well communicated to the public, leaving the latter unaware [of the government's efforts to combat COVID-19]," he said. Before Indonesia confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 in March, Terawan was under fire for making light of the coronavirus threat and instead asking people to keep praying. In February, he dismissed a report by Harvard University researchers suggesting that the Southeast Asian country must already have unreported coronavirus cases, calling the study "insulting". The blunder was followed by a series of public gaffes that inevitably made Terawan the subject of ridicule on social media. The most recent criticism he received came in early September, when he appeared to play down Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan's suggestion that the capital city had to return to full large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) amid an alarming shortage of hospital beds, with the minister suggesting that hospitals in Jakarta "could still handle COVID-19 patients." Terawan previously also stirred controversy after responding to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's criticism regarding low spending on the health sector despite the countrys struggle to contain COVID-19 transmission, saying the low spending was due to a low number of patients. Read also: Lawmakers defend Health Minister from Jokowi's criticism Saleh Daulay of the National Mandate Party (PAN) defended Terawan against Jokowi's criticism, saying the minister needed time to spend the budget with the additional funding of Rp 25 trillion (US$ 1.7 million) coming in the middle of the year. Terawan was optimistic about spending the budget optimally this year, Saleh said. "He needs time. He once explained that he allocated around Rp 21 trillion for COVID-19 patients medical treatment and the rest was for medical workers' incentives and medical equipment purchases," he said. Saleh went on to call on Terawan to improve coordination among ministries and state agencies since the minister would not be able to handle the situation alone. "I urge the minister to provide more medical equipment and medicines in regions throughout the country," Saleh said. "[Terawan] should also immediately prepare more health workers, lab personnel and specialist doctors in the regions to avoid overcapacity in provincial and central government hospitals, as well as making PCR [polymerase chain reaction] tests more accessible and affordable. Catholic Cardinal George Pell is on his way to the Vatican for the first time in three years, six months after he was cleared of child sex abuse charges in Australia. He boarded a Qatar plane bound for Rome which departed from Sydney International Airport on one of the last flights departing on Tuesday night. Cardinal Pell, 79, was spotted in the airport lounge waiting to board, where he appeared to be travelling alone and was wearing a full-face protective shield. It's understood NSW Police officers escorted Pell through the airport terminal via a lower ground entrance different to the one used by the public to avoid the waiting media, Nine News reported. The 16 hour flight is scheduled to arrive in Rome later on Wednesday. Cardinal George Pell (pictured in the terminal lounge wearing a full face protective shield) was whisked through a private entrance at Sydney Airport to avoid the waiting media The reason for his trip to the Vatican is unknown. Archdiocese of Sydney adviser Katrina Lee told AFP on Tuesday he was travelling to Rome in a 'private' capacity but declined to comment on the purpose of his trip. 'He always said he would be going back to Rome at some stage,' she said. His return to Rome comes just days after Vatican cardinal Giovanni Becciu resigned over embezzlement claims, having lost the trust of Pope Francis. Cardinal Pell supports the move by Pope Francis, despite Cardinal Becciu denying any wrongdoing. 'The Holy Father was elected to clean up Vatican finances,' Cardinal Pell told the Catholic News Agency last week. 'He plays a long game and is to be thanked and congratulated on recent developments.' The Cardinal was on board this 16 hour Qatar flight bound for Rome pictured as it prepared to take off from Sydney late Tuesday night Cardinal Pell returned to Australia in mid-2017 to fight charges related to the sexual assault of two choirboys when he was Archbishop of Melbourne in the late 1990s. He was convicted in December 2018 and served just over a year of a six-year jail sentence before the High Court of Australia overturned the conviction earlier this year. Cardinal Pell has been living in Sydney since his release from jail in April. In the three years prior to his return to Australia in mid-2017, Cardinal Pell headed up the Vatican's Secretariat of the Economy, tasked with cleaning up the church's vast finances and eliminating abuse. Catholic Cardinal George Pell (pictured at the Vatican in 2017) has returned to Rome for the first time in three years He took taken a leave of absence from the role when he returned to Australia to fight the child sexual abuse charges he was eventually acquitted of. Under current coronavirus travel restrictions, Australians are banned from leaving the country except for official business or compassionate personal reasons. It was not immediately clear under what circumstances Pell would have been granted an exception from the travel ban. The Covid-19 pandemic that swept rapidly around the world over the last nine months didn't hit all countries or health systems equally. Medical workers some laboring in challenging conditions and without enough personal protective equipment said they've done their best to save as many patients as possible. Still, the death toll continues to rise. More than 1 million people likely many more, given inadequate reporting in some regions have now died from Covid-19. The virus, which first appeared in Wuhan, China, has spread to most countries around the world. Some of the worst outbreaks materialized in both hemispheres, as far afield as Brazil, the U.S., and Italy. Even in wealthier countries with advanced health systems, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, health-care workers are nearly 12 times more likely to test positive for the virus than the general population, studies have shown. Those without adequate access to PPE have the highest risk. CNBC interviewed doctors, nurses and other front-line workers across the world to see how their countries and health systems are grappling with the pandemic. Here are some of their stories. Bangalore, India When Dr. Sriram Sunil arrives at work at a public hospital in Bangalore, India, the young doctor checks which of his patients made it through the night. There were typically more than 500 Covid-19 patients admitted to his hospital at any one time, with at least 50 of them in intensive care, he said in mid-September. Many of the patients were from the poorer neighborhoods and required oxygen by the time they arrived. As an intern medic, meaning he's in his first year, the bulk of the workload has fallen on him and his colleagues, as the more senior staff are concerned about contracting the virus. A doctor treating patients with symptoms related to coronavirus takes a break at a health clinic on April 3, 2020 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Francisco Macias | Getty Images Sunil said he is continuing to show up to work for shifts of six hours each with breaks in between. The following week, he quarantines. In India, where more than 93,000 people have died so far, health-care workers have complained that they are ill-equipped to respond to the pandemic, and some have even gone on strike. The country ranks among nations with the highest rates of health-care worker fatalities from the virus, alongside the United States, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico, according to Amnesty International. Sunil's hospital has access to some personal protective equipment, such as gowns, but it's not necessarily the right kind. So, often, he ends up layering scrubs on top of scrubs in an attempt to avoid exposure as best as he can. Once, it got so hot under his layers of gowns that he felt like he was going to faint while doing chest compressions on a dying patient, he said. Sunil is among an army of front-line health-care workers around the globe who have been showing up at hospitals and clinics to battle a disease they've never encountered before. Without proven treatments or a vaccine, they've often felt like they were flying blind, particularly in the early months and even into the fall, they said. CNBC interviewed a dozen doctors, nurses and physician assistants, who recounted their stories from the pandemic, both during the surges and in the periods of relative quiet. Dr. Salim Saiyed with a fellow front-line worker in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Dr. Salim Saiyed Virgin Islands In late May, Dr. Salim Saiyed was part of a contingent of doctors from the Islamic Medical Association of North America asked to fly to the U.S. Virgin Islands to help prepare protocols and treat patients. It was a risk, given that it took several long layovers to get there. But Saiyed took his chances. Saiyed, a hospitalist, or someone who specializes in caring for hospitalized patients, is based in Pennsylvania. He currently works as the chief medical information officer at UPMC Pinnacle, a large hospital system. Throughout his career, he has practiced medicine in a variety of under-resourced settings, including refugee camps. But nothing could have prepared him for Covid-19. "I've seen death and I've seen severe illness, but I've never dealt with a virus where loved ones couldn't even see the dying family member," he said, referring to strict quarantines implemented to stop the virus' spread. The islands, which typically receive a steady stream of honeymooners, were relatively deserted when he arrived because of travel restrictions and a steep drop in tourism. Anticipating a surge among locals, particularly once travel picked back up, Saiyed recalled, several hospitals were fighting for supplies from the mainland. "I was working at a hospital that was recovering from a hurricane, so part of it was still under renovation," Saiyed said. "I feared they would be rapidly overwhelmed." Moreover, there were only limited flights to Florida for the sickest patients and an undersupply of providers to treat them. Saiyed's fears were confirmed when the U.S. Virgin Islands had to ban tourism for a month in August, its massive economic driver, after reporting more than 1,000 cases. "It really drove home for me that so many people, especially our most vulnerable, had few options to protect themselves or to get the care they need," said Saiyed. Maureen Taylor, a physician assistant specializing in infectious diseases, based in Canada. Maureen Taylor Other countries had plenty of resources, but providers still felt moments of helplessness. Toronto, Canada Toronto, Canada, physician assistant Maureen Taylor recalls seeing patients who lived in high-rise apartments with multiple generations of family members packed together. As the patients streamed in during the spring, she set up iPads so they could talk to their loved ones, because in-person visits were canceled. But at times, it was hard for them to breathe and get words out. She said she'll never forget one elderly patient who lived with several family members who tested positive. Taylor was the one who had to tell the woman that her husband didn't make it. "Sometimes all you can do is sit there with the patient, let them cry, and talk about it," she said. Taylor doesn't typically share her own personal experiences with patients, she said, but at that moment she opened up about losing her own husband. Still, she knew it was hard on her patient to have been denied the opportunity to say goodbye. Taylor said the woman was too sick to attend the small funeral gathering, so the hospital streamed it on an iPad a few days later. Dr. Ross Breckenridge with colleagues at the hospital. Dr. Ross Breckenridge In the United Kingdom, biotech executive Dr. Ross Breckenridge didn't feel right being at home while a pandemic raged. He first received an email from the General Medical Council in February to see if he'd be willing to come back into medicine. By the spring, he was on site working at a top London hospital helping treat Covid-19 patients. He was immediately struck by the severity of the symptoms, particularly after spending his Monday evenings tuning into Zoom autopsies. "To see the pathology up close was shocking," Breckenridge said. "The scary thing about this is dealing with a virus you know so little about. It's probably like being a medieval doctor where you try to treat as best you can." Breckenridge felt that part of his contribution could be to help the more junior doctors on the ward to not panic. But there were moments of levity, too. Some of the patients told him they felt bored once they started to recover, because visitors were not allowed. So the staff arranged to hand out iPads and play pub trivia as a way to pass the time. The U.K. has reported more than 42,000 deaths from Covid-19, with more than 430,000 cases. That makes it the site of one of the worst outbreaks in Europe, with a surge that lasted longer and spread to more parts of the country than other hard-hit nations, including Italy and Spain. California internist Dr. Lucy Kalanithi Dr. Lucy Kalanithi San Jose, California California internist Dr. Lucy Kalanithi has is seeing a lot of patients that have to quarantine in multi-generational households in the U.S., which is grappling with the worst outbreak in the world with more than 7 million coronavirus cases and over 204,000 deaths. Even a mild case can send patients into a panic, fearing the worst. "I've been hearing from patients how totally terrifying it is to have this diagnosis," she said. "It can be traumatic even for those who do fine." Since the pandemic, Kalanithi's practice has shifted. Previously, she mostly saw Stanford patients and their families with insurance. Now, she's seeing a broader demographic of people who live in the area, many of whom are lower-income and lack coverage. "We are answering totally different questions," Kalanithi said. "Not only about Covid-19, but how to quarantine family members in a home with just a few rooms." "It's added layers of suffering for people who were suffering already," she said. Once the crisis has passed, she said, she hopes that the United States will take a good, hard look at a system that exposed its most vulnerable and left many with hefty bills. "The world has changed overnight, and it shows that the health-care system as is can change and adapt in the way we do things," she said. Sao Paulo, Brazil In Brazil, a country that mirrors the U.S. with an uncoordinated national response, the poor are also suffering disproportionately. Dr. Guilherme Amaro, an intensive care physician in Sao Paulo, a city that was hit particularly hard by the pandemic, has worked with coronavirus patients since April. It's been exhausting, and there are days when he works for 48 hours straight without going home, he said. But he's grateful that he hasn't gotten sick yet, after watching some of his friends contract the virus, he said. Many doctors and nurses have been doing their best to help patients in the lowest-resourced neighborhoods, including in the favelas, despite a lack of personal protective equipment. Amaro said he believes that there's been a failure of leadership in his country, which is prompting many people to not wear masks or socially distance. The U.S. has also seen its share of citizens refusing to take those precautions. "The president tried to convince the population that nothing much was happening, to keep the economy working," he said of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. "He didn't wear masks much in public and got sick himself." Brazil has now reported roughly 4.7 million coronavirus cases and more than 140,000 deaths, meaning it has had one of the worst outbreaks in the world. Dr. Giovanni Landoni treated patients during a major Covid-19 surge in Milan, Italy Dr. Giovanni Landoni Milan, Italy A new study provides substantial evidence that the first fossil feather ever to be discovered does belong to the iconic Archaeopteryx, a bird-like dinosaur named in Germany on this day in 1861. This debunks a recent theory that the fossil feather originated from a different species. The research published in Scientific Reports finds that the Jurassic fossil matches a type of wing feather called a primary covert. Primary coverts overlay the primary feathers and help propel birds through the air. The international team of scientists led by the University of South Florida analyzed nine attributes of the feather, particularly the long quill, along with data from modern birds. They also examined the 13 known skeletal fossils of Archaeopteryx, three of which contain well-preserved primary coverts. The researchers discovered that the top surface of an Archaeopteryx wing has primary coverts that are identical to the isolated feather in size and shape. The isolated feather was also from the same fossil site as four skeletons of Archaeopteryx, confirming their findings. "There's been debate for the past 159 years as to whether or not this feather belongs to the same species as the Archaeopteryx skeletons, as well as where on the body it came from and its original color," said lead author Ryan Carney, assistant professor of integrative biology at USF. "Through scientific detective work that combined new techniques with old fossils and literature, we were able to finally solve these centuries-old mysteries." Using a specialized type of electron microscope, the researchers determined that the feather came from the left wing. They also detected melanosomes, which are microscopic pigment structures. After refining their color reconstruction, they found that the feather was entirely matte black, not black and white as another study has claimed. Carney's expertise on Archaeopteryx and diseases led to the National Geographic Society naming him an "Emerging Explorer," an honor that comes with a $10,000 grant for research and exploration. He also teaches a course at USF, called "Digital Dinosaurs." Students digitize, animate and 3D-print fossils, providing valuable experience in paleontology and STEAM fields. ### Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt has called on political leaders in the country to bring the Western Togoland separatists to order. Some members of the group on Friday, September 25, 2020 blocked some major roads in the Volta Region impeding vehicular movement and leaving passengers traveling to areas in the Region stranded. The group also attacked Police stations at Aveyime and Mepe in the North Tongu District, amidst demands for the Volta Region to be an autonomous country known as "Western Togoland". However, in a swift response, a joint team from the Military and the Ghana Police Service have apprehended about 31 people in connection with the revolt. On Tuesday dawn, September 29, some unidentified gunmen allegedly belonging to the secessionist group carried out an arson attack at the State Transport Corporation (STC) yard in Ho and set some buses ablaze. The group's attacks have become a grave concern to the nation. Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Kwesi Pratt wondered why the leaders have become silent on the issue. According to him, the actions of the separatists should not been seen through political lenses but rather there should be a collective effort to confront the matter head-on. He said the Westen Togoland is a national problem that needs a national response. "This is a major national problem requiring all true leaders to come together. Yes, we're going to hold elections on December 7th; it should not prevent the political leadership of this country from all the different political parties and so on sitting down to discuss this issue and finding out how to deal with it. Because when we elect you as President on December 7th and you come into government to do whatever you want to do and this issue is still lingering, we can't develop. Our finances won't go well for us; innocent people will die and so on. So, it's very important that we will all have a common purpose and adopt strategy to confront this issue," he stated. He also called for history lessons to be held for the residents as well as secessionists to know the truth. "Ordinary people on the street are not associating with this. It's not that they're not just associating with this but they don't understand it at all. They have no idea what's happening." Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state joined representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square on Wednesday morning. The event, which took place a day ahead of the National Day, was held to mark Martyrs' Day. The other leaders included Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. A military band played trumpets to commemorate the martyrs. At 10 a.m., all participants sang the national anthem, and then paid a silent tribute to those who devoted their lives to the liberation of the Chinese people and the construction of the People's Republic of China, which was founded in 1949. After students sang the chorus of the song of Chinese Young Pioneers, 18 honor guards laid nine flower baskets in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes. The baskets were presented in the names of the CPC Central Committee; the National People's Congress Standing Committee; the State Council; the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; the Central Military Commission; non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and patriotic persons without party affiliations; people's organizations and people from all walks of life; veterans, retired senior cadres and the relatives of martyrs; as well as Chinese Young Pioneers. Xi straightened the red ribbons on the baskets and led a group of senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay tribute. Since the COVID-19 outbreak this year, China has waged an all-out "people's war" against the virus. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, the country has achieved major strategic achievements in the fight against the epidemic and secured remarkable progress in advancing epidemic prevention and control as well as economic and social development. With the goals of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as well as winning the fight against poverty soon to be realized, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups will continue their journey to fully build a modern socialist China under the leadership of the CPC. The ceremony was presided over by Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee. Zac Efron has been cast in the upcoming remake of Firestarter from Universal Pictures and the horror experts at Blumhouse. Drew Barrymore, 45, led the 1984 original shortly after she shot to fame from appearing in Steven Spielberg's E.T. The film will follow a young girl who discovers she has pyrokinetic powers, or the ability to start fires, as well as the ability to see into the future. New role: Zac Efron, 32, has been cast in an undisclosed role in the upcoming remake of Stephen King's Firestarter, which was adapted in 1984 with Drew Barrymore starring; shown in May 2019 After she's kidnapped by a shady government organization seeking to weaponize her powers, her father, who developed telekinetic abilities as the result of a government experiment, tries to rescue her. Efron's role in the film hasn't been announced, but he may be playing the young girl's father, or taking a darker turn to play one of the men hunting them down. The 32-year-old High School Musical star recently moved toward darker fare when he played the serial killer Ted Bundy in the 2019 Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile. The science fictionhorror film will be directed by Keith Thomas, who previously helmed the critically acclaimed demonic possession movie The Vigil. Scott Teems, who scripted the upcoming Halloween Kills, will be writing the screenplay and executive producing. Transition: The High School Musical star moved toward darker fare when he played the serial killer Ted Bundy in the 2019 Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile Rehas: The original earned $17 million against a $12 million budget, but was panned by critics for being too similar to King's Carrie Bad guys: Martin Sheen starred as a government agent trying to track Barrymore's pyrokinetic character down, while George C. Scott played an assassin In addition to starring Barrymore, the 1984 original featured David Keith as her father, a young Heather Locklear as her mother. Martin Sheen played a government official in charge of a secretive agency, while George C. Scott appeared as the assassin John Rainbird who was sent by him to kidnap the girl and her father. The original film earned $17 million against a $12 million budget, but it was lambasted by critics, who complained that it was too much like another Stephen King adaptation, Carrie, and that Barrymore's character was underwritten. Globe trotter: Efron is currently leading the Netflix documentary series Down To Earth, in which he travels across the globe to visit exotic locales; sown in March 2019 In addition to Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, Efron also appeared in the stoner comedy The Beach Bum last year. He's currently leading the Netflix documentary series Down To Earth, in which he travels across the globe to visit exotic locales. Prior to that, he had supporting roles in two awards contenders, 2017's The Greatest Showman and The Disaster Artist. Recently, the actor has been living in Byron Bay, Australia, after sparking up a relationship with the waitress Vanessa Valladares. However, he'll have to return to the US in the near future to film the upcoming Three Men And A Baby remake for Disney+. Berlin, Germany -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- Cybersecurity is an exciting, continually evolving sector within the tech industry. Many professionals see it as a digital arms race to ensure companies and individuals can stay connected through machine learning and autonomous response while keeping their information safe. So much of our daily lives is managed online, this has become particularly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic which saw people restricted in their movements from their home and having to go about their daily errands using the internet instead. Internet banking and online shopping are all methods many of us use consistently throughout the week. Companies of all sizes from agile start-ups to global powerhouses also rely on digitalisation and are thus also at risk of high-profile breaches and cyber security attacks which have been disrupting the global economy. These cybercrime issues are costing the German economy, per year it costs the country 55bn on average as estimated by German trade and Invest . This staggering statistic implies the power, bright, quick-thinking individuals will have in regenerating the industry and ensuring these issues do not occur on such a large scale again. The sector is an exciting and ever evolving one to be involved with and would suit professionals who are not afraid to grapple with change and advancing technologies. "During uncertain times, Glocomms offers reassurance. Crises come in many different forms financial crashes, oil gluts, and now a global pandemic", commented Luis Rolm, Global Marketing Director at Glocomms. He went on to say, "Yet, whatever the challenge, we remain steadfast in our service. We continue to offer guidance to clients in the technology sector and help them secure top talent." Glocomms are the leading specialist recruiters for cyber security talent in the tech sector for Germany and Europe. Founded in 2013, the firm have worked for years to establish a network of skilled professionals and as a result are part of the Phaidon International group making them the preferred recruitment partner for 71 world-leading companies. Glocomms are based in 11+ office locations, with their German team calling Berlin home. Worlwide the firm has 750+ employees working tirelessly to provide the finest recruitment solutions to their clients, with an unrivalled track record. Glocomms have invested heavily in the training of their consultants to ensure they are using the best-in-class recruitment technology to enable quick, efficient and accurate hiring for all those involved. The team of ambitious consultants can advise on job opportunities across the width and breadth of Germany from Berlin to Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich to Cologne. The firm allows companies to rest easy in the knowledge that their biggest worry of talent acquisition is in their safe, expert hands. As well as providing permanent, contract and multi-hire recruitment solutions within the cybersecurity sector of the tech industry, Glocomms also have expertise spanning the tech sector, from enterprise solutions, commercial services, cloud & infrastructure, development & engineering and data & analytics. The industry is on the hunt for passionate professionals who can master the complexities of new technologies to push the industry forward and maintain it's fantastic customer relations and business plans. There is a plethora of cybersecurity positions available currently within the tech sector including: regional sales leader in IIot & ICS Security, head of marketing in information security, senior solutions architect, channel sales leader for threat & risk management and senior solutions engineer. To find out more information about IT and Technology Jobs Deutschland visit https://www.glocomms.de/. For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital 020 7100 0726. For all other enquiries please contact Glocomms Germany : +49 30 72 62 11 444. - For more information about Glocomms Germany services, please go to https://www.glocomms.de/. - Glocomms Germany supports organisations across Germany looking to secure key talent to help build the workforce of the future. The firm was established in 2013 and has extensive industry and candidate connections and a deep well of expertise in the specialist recruitment market. Eynon, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/30/2020 -- Auto Glass Fitters is pleased to announce that the company is available for windshield repair services in Bucks County and the surrounding areas immediately. Any driver who finds him or herself in need of windshield repair or replacement services can count on Auto Glass Fitters to provide them with prompt and top-tier industry-standard services. The company even specializes in mobile repair services, which includes their front and back windshield replacement, windshield repair, and window replacement services. One of the most significant benefits of utilizing an auto glass repair company such as Auto Glass Fitters is that their expert specialists will come out to where the driver is located. They will meet the driver on the side of a road, at a school, office, or anywhere else. After all, the longer someone drives the car with a damaged window or windshield, the bigger the problem will get, and the more money they will spend. Therefore, drivers need to get service immediately no matter where they are. Another benefit of choosing Auto Glass Fitters is that the company makes it easy and straightforward to get a quote. All that a potential customer has to do is input a zip code or click on the state they live in on the company's online quote page. After that, customers input information about the damage and a few other things and then hit submit. After that, an expert will reach out. To learn more about the company's windshield repair services available in Paterson, NJ, as well as the other areas that they serve, please visit https://autoglassfitters.com/. About Auto Glass Fitters Auto Glass Fitters is a repair and replacement service that specializes in mobile vehicle replacements. For car owners dealing with cracked windshields, Auto Glass Fitters will travel to their vehicles' locations and conduct on-site replacements. Beyond windshields, Auto Glass Fitters replaces rear and side windows. The company has 17 locations throughout Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, as well as over 150 other locations in 30 states nationwide. To learn more about Auto Glass Fitters, please visit their website at https://autoglassfitters.com/. Official White House Photo by Shealah CraigheadBy JONATHAN KARL and JORDYN PHELPS, ABC News (WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump's failure to categorically and clearly condemn white supremacists at Tuesday night's debate is part of a well-established pattern in which the president has shown reluctance to disavow radical and racist groups and ideologies. Asked by Fox News' Chris Wallace, the moderator at Tuesday's debate, whether he was "willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence," the president at first said, "Sure, I'm willing to do that." "Then do it, sir," Wallace went on to say, prodding the president for a direct and specific denouncement of the groups blamed, in part, for recent violence in cities like Portland. Biden interjected, "Do it. Say it." But Trump didn't, instead countering, Almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace." When Wallace pressed him, the president asked, "What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, go ahead who would you like me to condemn? White supremacists and right-wing militias, Wallace said, as Biden interjected the name "Proud Boys." "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump then replied, in what appeared to be a reference to a far-right extremist group with alleged ties to white supremacy. "But I'll tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem." According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, "rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists." The Anti-Defamation League describes the group's ideology as "Misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and anti-immigration" and says, "some members espouse white supremacist and anti-Semitic ideologies." For all the shock value of the president's failure to condemn on Tuesday night's debate stage, it was just the latest in a series of episodes in which the president has entertained racist notions and demurred in condemning radical and racist groups. Years before his unlikely presidential bid, the president began to get attention on the national political scene as far back as 2011 when he began peddling an unfounded birther conspiracy, questioning whether former President Barack Obama was in fact born in the United States. The president has still never truly disavowed his promotion of that racist conspiracy theory. As a candidate in 2016, when white nationalists and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke endorsed the president's bid for the White House, then-candidate Trump did not immediately disavow the support. And when he did, it was only reluctantly and in direct response to a reporter who asked him about the endorsement at a press conference. "David Duke endorsed me? Okay, all right. I disavow, okay?" Trump said, offering a snippy, half-hearted repudiation. When neo-Nazis marched with Tiki torches in Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting "Jews will not replace us" in the first year of his presidency, Trump failed to call them out in his first statement reacting to the events. Instead, Trump famously equivocated and said he condemned the violence "on many sides." Trump's reluctance to clearly condemn the racist marchers led to a torrent of criticism across the political spectrum. Two days after his initial statement, the president bowed to pressure from his staff to read a second statement off the Teleprompter that did condemn the white supremacist. "Racism is evil," he said. "And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans." After making the clear condemnation, the president regretted it almost immediately -- blaming his staff for making him do it and telling them, "That's the last time I do that." The very next day after making the carefully crafted statement, the president was back to drawing a moral equivalency between the neo-Nazi protesters and those who came out to counter-protest. "You also had people that were very fine people, on both sides," Trump famously said during an impromptu press conference in the lobby of Trump Tower. And on Tuesday, the president repeated his pattern of not outright condemning white supremacists and their view -- this time on the national debate stage. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. New access to trusted data feeds will support open access needs in German, Austrian and Swiss research communities LONDON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CCC), a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation, is supporting the Open Access Monitor (OA Monitor), Germany with the provision of Web of Science publication, grant and funding data to increase the impact of scientific scholarship and to enable more equitable participation in research. Clarivate will provide weekly customised data from the Web of Science covering the publication literature for the DACH region (which includes Germany, Switzerland and Austria). Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and managed by Forschungszentrum Julich, the OA Monitor provides evaluations of both the volume and financing of publications at federal, state and institutional level in the DACH region. The ability to connect the corresponding author data from the Web of Science with the publication fee information sourced by OA Monitor will have particularly broad implications for the German academic library community. The data will also help policy makers gauge the status of the transformation to Open Access (OA). The collaboration strengthens Clarivate's continued commitment to support open research by investing in community-driven projects and enhanced OA data in its products. Other recent OA activities include the provision of a funding grant to Impactstory (now Our Research) and addition of new OA publication data in the Journal Citation Reports to help the research community to better understand the contribution of gold OA content to the literature and its influence on scholarly discourse. Clarivate was the first company to provide easy access to peer-reviewed OA articles by embedding OA data into its citation index and there are now >12 million articles with OA versions in the Web of Science research intelligence platform. Its publisher-neutral approach means that its data offers the best combination of robust OA data and careful editorial curation as it remains the only citation database that comprehensively covers editorially controlled, peer-reviewed and versioned open research. Dr. Bernhard Mittermaier, Head of the Central Library at Forschungszentrum Julich said: "At Forschungszentrum Julich, we have been using products from Clarivate and its predecessors for decades, and so we are very pleased to have the opportunity to integrate Web of Science data into the Open Access Monitor as well. OA Monitor is a very valuable tool to analyse data on the progress of Open Access transformation, which has now received an important improvement." Jerre Stead, CEO and Executive Chairman, Clarivate said: "Clarivate is a valued and long-standing part of the scholarly ecosystem, and we're always looking for ways to make the process of scientific discovery faster, more robust and more transparent. We are proud of our record on embracing open research and seek to help the research community in the DACH region and beyond make better informed, data-driven decisions on open research policy and strategy." About Clarivate Clarivate is a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation. We offer subscription and technology-based solutions coupled with deep domain expertise that cover the entire lifecycle of innovation from foundational research and ideas to protection and commercialization. Today, we're setting a trail-blazing course to help customers turn bold ideas into life-changing inventions. Our portfolio consists of some of the world's most trusted information brands, including the Web of Science, Cortellis, Derwent, CompuMark, MarkMonitor and Techstreet. For more information, please visit clarivate.com. Media Contact Rebecca Krahenbuhl [email protected] SOURCE Clarivate Plc Related Links http://www.clarivate.com A Ballymena school principal has shared its heartache after a pupil lost her life in a devastating house fire. Brooke Reid McMaster's family has been left devastated after the 12-year-old schoolgirl death. Emergency crews were called to the blaze at Staffa Drive in the Ballykeel area just before 6pm on Wednesday. She was a pupil at Dunclug College. Principal Ruth Wilson offered the school's "heartfelt sympathies" to the family. "The staff and pupils of Dunclug College record deep sorrow on the tragic death of their beloved pupil, Brooke Reid, in Year 9, and send support and prayers to her grieving parents and family circle. 'Suffer the little ones to come unto me'." A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service confirmed that one other person had been taken to Antrim Area Hospital for treatment. The tragedy came hours after police launched a murder investigation in the area after the body of 33-year-old Donald Fraser-Rennie was discovered in a flat nearby on Crebilly Road. Independent councillor Rodney Quigley, who knows Brooke's family, said the local community had been left numb with shock. "From what I'm aware, the fire started in the house in the young girl's bedroom and people tried to get in through the door but were beaten back by the smoke and the fumes," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "I know the family very well. They're very well respected. Expand Close Tragedy: Emergency services at the scene of the fatal fire in the Ballykeel estate in Ballymena Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tragedy: Emergency services at the scene of the fatal fire in the Ballykeel estate in Ballymena "I actually spoke to them and there's total devastation. "In fact, there's a feeling of devastation in the whole area, numbness and sadness after another tragedy." As the news emerged on Wednesday evening, friends of the family began to share messages of support on social media. DUP councillor Audrey Wales said: "This community really must be in such shock. (These are) two disastrous pieces of news within 24 hours. "My heart, sympathies and prayers go out to the child involved. I hope that the community can be assured that they will get all the help that they need from the local council." TUV councillor Matthew Armstrong also passed on his sympathies to the family. "What has happened is unimaginable and heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers go out to them. As a father myself, it's just unspeakable," he said. "Sometimes there's just very few words to describe something as horrific as that. "It's an area and a community that has suffered untold amounts of tragedy and loss over the last three months. "But they're a strong community and a resilient community and I'm sure they will rally around and support the family at an absolutely heart wrenching time. It's been a dark day not just for Ballykeel, but for all of Ballymena." During a search, authorities found two knives with the same "gray and black handle'' as the one found on the scene in Grant Park, Murphy said, adding they appeared to be part of a "set of kitchen knives.'' CTA records showed him using his Ventra card about seven or eight times nearby and around the estimated time of the slaying. His cellphone was tracked to the area as well. The Chiefs of the Asogli State say they are ever ready to deploy their traditional warriors to assist the state security to deal with the criminals parading as separatists who are working at destabilising the region. Togbe Adzie Lakle Howusu, War Lord of Asogli Traditional Area who spoke on behalf of the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede noted that the Chief and people of Asogli do not in any way support the criminal acts of persons parading as separatists. To this end the Asogli State is ready to support the government and other security agencies to thwart the operations of the separatists especially within the Asogli area in the Ho municipality of the Volta Region. These comments come less than 24 hours after two buses were set ablaze at the STC bus Terminal in Ho by criminals referring to themselves as separatists calling for the secession of parts of Volta Region to create Western Togoland State. One of the buses was burnt to ashes while the other was partially destroyed by the fire. Prior to this the criminals had attacked two Police stations, freed inmates, stole weapons, attacked the North Tongu District Assembly, seized and abandoned two vehicles and blocked major entry points to and from the Volta Region. Some 35 persons have so far been arrested with 31 of them remanded into the custody of the BNI to assist with investigations. Reacting to the developments of the separatist groups, the War Lord of Asogli noted that the acts are unlawful and unacceptable hence the Asogli Chiefs, Queens and people dissociate themselves from the group. They also urged the people of the state not to associate with the group and assist the Traditional Council and security agencies to apprehend such elements in the area. They also called for a thorough investigation by the government to apprehend the perpetrators. Togbe Howusu also appealed for heightened security in the Ho Municipality and the entire region as the safety and security of all citizens is very paramount. ---Daily Guide Government policies is deriving child poverty and income inequality in Ireland to Medieval levels, the Dail has heard. But Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Catherine Connolly, said the Dail had struggled to get a quorum for the debate, despite the importance of the issue. Ireland had a duty not just to tackle child poverty, but to eradicate it, she said. If we cant do that, we cannot call ourselves a Republic. Read More Peadar Toibin TD said Amazon boss Jeff Bezos was on course to be the worlds first trillionaire by 2026 - meaning that he would have more money that 137 individual countries. That is just breathtaking, he said, adding that US multinationals in Ireland had not brought widespread prosperity to the people as a whole. Stressing that he was not against foreign direct investment, the leader of the Aontu fringe party, said that the level of income inequality in society hasnt been as bad since Medieval times. Speaking on Social Democrats motion on child poverty, with the Central Statistics Office declaring last year that 200,000 youngsters were living in poverty, Mr Toibin said tax treatment was playing a major role. Tax injustice is feeding the massive wealth creation of a new individuals and robbing many people of the ability to feed and root their families, he said. This countrys tax policies are one of the drivers of that inequality. Foreign direct investment should provide societal benefits on fronts such as Education, public transport, IT connectivity, and Health, he said. It shouldnt be a case of bargain basement taxes. Wealth inequality is leading to massive inequality in Ireland, he added, noting that his constituency office is also headquarters to the Meath food bank, which has helped 600 families this year alone. People Before Profit TD Joan Collins said Dublin was the second most expensive city in Europe after Copenhagen, making it a real struggle to survive for low paid workers. As long as we have low pay, we will have child poverty, she said. There is a virtual reign of terror by management and workers are afraid to raise their voices, let alone join a union, she said. DARWIN, Australia The mining giant Rio Tinto has been accused of environmental and human rights violations in a complaint that says an abandoned mine is leaking waste and poisoning rivers on the island of Bougainville. The claim, signed by 156 residents of the autonomous region in Papua New Guinea, is seeking an investigation by the Australian government into what it calls Rio Tintos failure to clean up millions of tons of waste at the former Panguna copper and gold mine. It said the waste was making the islands drinking water unsafe and causing health problems, including skin conditions and upper respiratory and gastrointestinal illness, particularly in children. The mines abandoned piles of tailings have also caused rivers to flood, destroying sacred sites. We live with the impacts of Panguna every day, Theonila Roka Matbob, a traditional landowner from Makosi Village and a member of the Bougainville Parliament, said in a statement released by the Human Rights Law Center, which lodged the claim. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven won't take part in a European Union meeting in Brussels starting on Thursday since he is attending his mothers funeral and will be represented by his counterpart from neighboring Finland. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin will represent the Swedish government at the Oct. 1-2 summit where only heads of state and government participate, Lofven told Swedens TT news agency. Swedens EU affairs minister Hans Dahlgren also will be present in Brussels, the agency added. On Sept. 18, Lofven said his mother, Iris Melander, died at 90. The cause of her death was not given. Lofven and Marin are the Social Democratic Party leaders in their respective countries. Marin, 34, became Finlands prime minister in December. The summit in Brussels, originally scheduled for September, was postponed to October as European Council President Charles Michel was in quarantine. The former Belgian premier has since ended his self-quarantine after testing negative for COVID-19 for a second time. Leaders stand-in arrangements at EU summits have happened before. In December, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked Michel to represent him at an EU summit due to a coinciding general election in Britain. EU leaders at the summit are scheduled to discuss foreign affairs, in particular relations with Turkey and the situation in the eastern Mediterranean between Turkey and Greece. The leaders are also expected to address relations with China, the political upheaval in Belarus and the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. Watch Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge hit a two-run home run to give his team a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Tuesdays AL Wild Card Series Game 1 vs. the Indians. Introducing Yankees Insider: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers OCTOBER TESTED: Eight of the 28 players on the Yankees' Wild Card Series roster have yet to appear in a postseason game: INF Mike Ford, OF Clint Frazier, RHP Deivi Garcia, C Kyle Higashioka, LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Nick Nelson, OF Mike Tauchman and INF/OF Tyler WadeCole and Kratz are looking to make their Yankees postseason debuts. 16 of the 28 appeared for the Yankees during the 2019 postseason (Britton, Chapman, Cessa, Green, Happ, Loaisiga, Ottavino, Tanaka; Sanchez; LeMahieu, Torres, Urshela; Gardner, Hicks, Judge, Stanton). AGE IS JUST A NUMBER: The Yankees Wild Card roster spans players from age 21 (Deivi Garcia, D.O.B. 5/19/99) to age 40 (Erik Kratz, D.O.B. 6/15/80)overall, have five players age-25-or-younger: Garcia, Loaisiga (25), Nelson (24), Torres (23) and Wade (25) and three age-35-or-older: Kratz, Gardner (37) and Happ (37). AROUND THE WORLD: The Yankees' Wild Card Series roster features players born in eight different countries: United States (20), Dominican Republic (2), Colombia, Cuba, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela. COLE TRAIN: RHP Gerrit Cole will start for the Yankees in Game 1has allowed 1R-or-fewer in six of his 10 career postseason starts, tossing at least 7.0 innings in five of thosehis 10.69 K/9.0IP ratio (78K, 65.2IP) is sixth-highest in postseason history (min. 50.0IP), while his .175 (41-for-234) opponents' BA is fifth (min. 6GS). Went 3-1 with a 1.00 ERA (27.0IP, 14H, 7R/3ER, 5BB, 34K, 2HR) in four starts in Septemberwas the Majors' second-lowest ERA during the month (Oaklands Chris Bassitt, 0.34)min. 25.0IP. His seven wins were tied for the Majors' third-most, while his 94K ranked sixthhis 11.59 K/9.0IP ratio (73.0IP) was eighth. Get Yankees text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text during games with beat writers and columnists. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Sign up now. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Indoor dining allowances came just in time for New York City. Outside, its a nippy 61 degrees. The final day in September marked the first time in 199 days that patrons could return to their favorite dining rooms. Taking an extra sweater to the restaurant will not be needed. Antoinette Macri of Dongan Hills and husband James enjoyed breakfast on Wednesday morning at Harvest Cafe in New Dorp Beach. At the start of the year, neither of the top two candidates for secretary of state showed any formal interest in the job. Republican nominee Kim Thatcher announced her run for the states second-highest office about five weeks before the May primary filing deadline. Democrat Shemia Fagan jumped in the race just 12 days before the window closed. Not surprisingly, neither has presented much of an agenda for the job, which serves as the states top elections official, oversees campaign finance laws and heads the states audits division. Of greater concern: Both bring highly-partisan records to a job best administered in as nonpartisan a manner as possible. Yet mirroring 2020s unpredictability, the two women both of whom are state senators emerged as Oregonians' major-party choices in the November election to replace Secretary of State Bev Clarno, a Republican appointee who is not running. The stakes are particularly high. If the Oregon Legislature fails to fulfill its once-a-decade charge to redraw legislative boundaries, the responsibility falls to the secretary of state. Also looming: The possibility that if Joe Biden wins the presidency, Democratic Gov. Kate Brown could potentially take a post with his administration, leaving the governorship to the secretary of state. Fagan was not our choice in the Democratic primary. But the 39-year-old employment law attorney from Happy Valley makes the better argument for her election in November than her opponent. She has a stronger handle on the demands of the office and her legislative record is more in line with the broad voter access principles that the secretary of state should uphold. With reservations particularly over her acceptance of massive campaign contributions by three public employee unions and her lukewarm support for hardhitting audits we endorse her over Thatcher. Fagan, who served four years in the Oregon House before joining the Senate in 2019, has been a reliable vote for expanding ballot access to Oregonians, from supporting automatic registration of Oregonians to covering the postage of ballots. While its debatable how effective prepaid ballot legislation is in increasing turnout, theres no denying her support for making it easier for Oregonians to vote even going so far as to introduce a controversial bill in 2019 giving 16-year-olds the right to vote. (The bill died in committee.) She was also a chief sponsor of the bill to have Oregon join the National Popular Vote compact, in which states agree to award their electoral college votes to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote. She and Thatcher, 55, overlap on some issues both believe that the ballot return deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day should be changed to accommodate later voting. Both would also look to an independent commission, as largely envisioned by good-government groups, for leading redistricting efforts if legislators fail to reach agreement. But Thatcher shows no particular passion for serving as secretary of state beyond her general interest in running for a statewide office. Her participation in three Senate walkouts over the past two years also calls into question how she would use her authority when partisan interests are at risk. And she continues to underplay a 2010 court case in which a Marion County Circuit judge sanctioned the construction company she owns for willfully disobeying orders to produce documents and data in a lawsuit. Still, theres reason for caution in electing Fagan. She got into the race after her preferred candidate former House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson withdrew as Willamette Week published an investigation into Williamsons use of campaign funds to pay for trips to Ireland and Hong Kong, renting office space from her husbands law firm and other expenses. Oregons powerful public employee unions, who had been supporting Williamson, then turned to Fagan, pouring more than $600,000 into her campaign for the primary. That amount eclipsed fundraising by Democratic opponents Mark Hass and Jamie McLeod-Skinner and far exceeds the totals raised all year by any other candidate for statewide office. That should raise alarm bells, considering Fagan supports campaign finance limits but contends organizations like unions should be treated differently. She also declined to acknowledge how such massive, concentrated spending can distort an election which is exactly what campaign finance limits are supposed to address. There are other reasons for our hesitance. In the primary, Fagan complained of gotcha audits and criticized a groundbreaking review of the states child-welfare system issued under the late Secretary of State Dennis Richardson. She said it hurt morale of social workers a puzzling response, considering the audit championed workers' concerns and focused on leadership failures. The only gotcha was that the audit held Browns administration accountable for severe health-and-safety failures in child welfare. The next secretary of state must put Oregonians' interests above allies'. Its worth remembering that Richardson, who died in 2019, ran the office in a nonpartisan fashion despite his conservative beliefs. He showed how unbiased leadership can build trust, spark reform and improve the lives of Oregonians. We expect that Fagan, if elected, will show that same commitment. -The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board For other November 2020 voting recommendations, visit our main endorsement link. Subscribe to our free weekly Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: PHILIPSBURG:--- In an effort to continue informing the general public and especially the business community as well as to curb the miscommunication between employers and employees as it pertains to the protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry has collaborated with the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) to once again present the protocols to the business community and the general public. In particular, Collective Prevention Services (CPS) identified a gap in information as it pertains to COVID policies surrounding employees returning to work. This concern was brought forward and COCI felt the need to collaborate with both ministries to address this. As a result, a flyer was developed with the aim of providing clarity in a simple and straightforward manner. The flyer, which addresses amongst others, the misconception that it is mandatory for employees who have been in contact with a COVID-19 patient to present a negative COVID-19 test before returning to their place of employment, which, within the protocols established by Collective Prevention Service (CPS) Ministry VSA, is not mandatory. On the contrary, once an employee has been identified via contact tracing efforts as having had contact with a COVID-19 person, they are to be quarantined for a minimum of fourteen days from the date of the last contact, during which time they will be monitored by CPS. If after this period, they do not exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, they should then be allowed to return to work. CPSs testing strategy is to test persons who display signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19 with the aim of finding active cases and prompt source and contact tracing. The flyer will form part of the ongoing COVID-19 awareness campaign and will be published in the media and distributed to the business community to display in their establishments. The Sint Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry would like to take this opportunity to again remind and advise the business community that adherence to the COVID-19 protocol should be adopted as much as possible since the survival of your business also depends on the health of your employees and customers. The Ministry of VSA, through CPS, will continue to inform the community on vigilance and implore the community to be aware of the protocols and safety measures to assist in achieving a COVID-19 free society. The Ministry of TEATT will continue inspection in an efficient manner, so as to ensure the protocols and measures are adhered to by civil society. The Sint Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry is asking business owners/ operators who would like this information to be displayed in your place of business to contact COCI to reserve these flyers and posters. COCI remains committed to assisting where needed in the fight against COVID-19. COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Denmark's jobless rate declined in August, figures from Statistics Denmark showed on Wednesday. The gross unemployment rate fell to a seasonally adjusted 4.9 percent in August from 5.2 percent in July. The gross unemployment fell by 9,700 to 137,800 in August from 147,500 in the preceding month. The youth jobless rate, which is applicable to the 16 to 24 age group, fell to 2.2 percent in August from 2.5 percent in the previous month. Based on the LFS data, the jobless rate was 6.1 percent in the 15 to 74 age group. The number of unemployed persons was 186,000 in August. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. The chief justice of the Talibans network of courts until just a few months ago, Hakim was not a well-known name outside the movement before his appointment to lead negotiations. And little is known about his background beyond his position as an Islamic scholar respected within the Taliban and his time as a lecturer at a madrassa in Quetta, Pakistan, where he instructed many within the groups senior ranks. Given the opportunity during Tuesdays presidential debate to tell white supremacists to stand down, President Donald Trump instead called on a far-right hate group, the Proud Boys, to Stand back and stand by! Adding: Somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left. The presidents failure to condemn racists and his implication that he would pit one group of extremists against another in the nations intensifying culture wars drew immediate condemnation from his Democratic opponents and a wide range of commentators. I heard what we all heard: the president of the United States, in the year of our lord 2020, refuses to condemn white supremacists, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris said on CNN. Also criticizing Trump for trying to stop teachers from discussing critical race theory in schools, Harris added: People talk about is he dog whistling? (on racial issues). Dog whistling through a bullhorn. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, called Trumps lack of critical words for white supremacists astonishing, adding on Twitter: Trying to determine if this was an answer or an admission. @POTUS owes America an apology or an explanation. Now. Shannon Watts, a California gun control activist, said via Twitter that Trumps comment confirmed he is a white supremacist whose strategy is to foment violence among Americans. Television personality Billy Eichner also tweeted that the presidents words were one of the most disgusting, dangerous things that could have possibly been said. Eichners expletive laced rebuke ended with a call to vote Trump out of office. The question that elicited Trumps response about the Proud Boys came during a portion of the debate on the racial disquiet that has been sweeping America since the killing in May of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, noted that Trump had repeatedly criticized former Vice President Joe Biden for failing to condemn left-wing extremist groups such as antifa. Wallace asked Trump: Are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities ? Trump suggested he needed to be given a name of a group to condemn. Biden, joining Wallace in demanding an answer, suggested Proud Boys. To which Trump responded with his remark that the group should stand back and stand by! The presidents words appeared to give comfort to members of the reviled organization. Standing by sir, Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys chairman, wrote on a social media site popular with the far right. Trump basically said to go f them up! This makes me so happy, another prominent Proud Boy wrote on the same site. The sort of violent confrontation that Trump seemed to welcome has been playing out on the streets of some American cities, including Portland, Oregon, where over the weekend hundreds, instead of an anticipated thousands of Proud Boys, turned out in support of the group. The organization is part of a constellation of right- and left-wing extremist factions that have taken advantage of peaceful protests against racial injustice to further their aims. The Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated a hate organization, has sent its followers to Portland in recent years, where they have clashed repeatedly with masked, black-garbed antifa activists. Early this month, Proud Boys members, who refer to themselves as Western chauvinists, accompanied a caravan of Trump supporters driving from Portland to Oregons capitol of Salem. Members of the group said they were providing security to protect Trump supporters from violent leftists. A clash broke out between the far left and far right groups, but no injuries were reported. Jo Ann Hardesty, who last year became the first black woman to serve on Portlands City Council, blamed the right-wing extremists for much of her citys unrest. We allow white nationalists and white supremacists to infiltrate our peaceful protests and then create the kind of chaos and damage in our community, she said in a video recording in June. We must make that stop. 2020 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In the pre-Independent days and for a few decades after independence, ministers, leading men in public life used to acknowledge letters from the public, particularly those with valid criticism or suggestions. This practice, unfortunately, now seems to have gone away.When Mahatma Gandhi gave a call for the Quit India Movement, my father wrote a letter to him asking whether he should participate in the movement since his father was ill. Mahatma Gandhi replied that he should not do so, since he has an immediate duty to his father and the country has millions of people to take care of the movement.When I was a student in the Annamalai University, I used to send suggestions to ministers and people who are known as intellectuals, on my views and ideas, for which I used to get quick replies.I wrote a seven page letter to Rajaji, stressing the importance of world government. My father suggested that such long letter should not be written to Rajaji, as he was an aged person and would receive many letters everyday from India and abroad. However, Rajaji replied in a postcard in his own hand writing your suggestion is a good one and signed as C Rajagopalachari.Before the last fateful trip of Dr CP Ramaswami Iyer to London (he died in 1966 at the age of 86 while on a visit to the United Kingdom), I wrote a letter to him about the importance of linking rivers in India. Dr CP immediately replied asking me to meet him at his residence in Ooty after his return from London to discuss the details.My father was worried as to how a young person like me of 18 years would discuss with a person of Dr CPs eminence about such a crucial issue and asked me to prepare details. I started studying the details allotting an hour every day but unfortunately Dr CP passed away in London and the meeting never took place. Dr CP Ramaswami Iyer During the anti-Hindi agitation days in Tamil Nadu, as a student, I wrote to Gulzarilal Nanda, who was the then home minister, about the feelings of students in Tamil Nadu on Hindi imposition. Nanda immediately replied explaining the governments stand and view and ended the letter stating that the very fact there are students like you thinking on these lines give hope.I wrote to R Venkataraman, former President of India about the serious environmental issue in Besant Nagar, Chennai, due to the operation of open cremation ground. He immediately replied stating that he forwarded the letter to the Tamil Nadu chief minister and asked me to follow up with the chief minister's office and keep him informed.I have continued this practice of writing such letters from my student days till now. I am now 75 years old.Our trust used to conduct periodical meetings of deprived people like visually impaired women, street hawkers etc. to enable them to state their views and give their suggestions. Many deprived people used to express their views which are remarkable, particularly coming from those who are branded by the society as uneducated and poorly informed.We would submit the suggestions made by these people to the chief ministers, the prime minister and others. We never receive acknowledgement or suitable reply these days.In the case of the prime minister, a routine reply would come from the prime ministers office (PMO) that the letter has been sent to the concerned ministry and that would be the end of the matter.A few months back, a group of chemical engineers organized a meeting to discuss the prospects for setting up chemical projects in Tamil Nadu. After protracted discussions, we arrived at a view that tapioca/starch-based chemical complex with an investment of around Rs 1,500 crore should be set up in Salem region, where tapioca is grown extensively and chemicals from tapioca like citric acid etc., which are now entirely imported can be produced by eco friendly process.A pre feasibility report was prepared after spending several man hours and was submitted to the chief minister, concerned minister and several secretaries. So far, even an acknowledgement letter has not been received.It is said that these days, ministers and political/social leaders get many letters and they cannot be acknowledged individually. This is not true. Unlike the earlier days, ministers and others have a number of assistants and communication can be sent fast by emails.The above change in conditions in acknowledging and suitably replying to the well meaning suggestions from the public reflect the falling regard for public opinion, amongst those in authority.--- By PTI PATNA: The RLSP of former union minister Upendra Kushwaha which has formed a third front ahead of Bihar polls after spurned by the NDA and disowned by the RJD-helmed Grand Alliance, on Wednesday received another jolt when its key leader Madhaw Anand resigned over the "disastrous" tie-up with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. Anand, the party's principal national general secretary and chief spokesperson resigned from the posts as well as the primary membership stating that the party ran the risk of being "finished" on account of the "inconsequential" move. "I am leaving not because of any personal bitterness. I joined the party in 2017 and have tried to nurture it since then. But, unfortunately the course chosen by the RLSP will only cause it to perish. And my aim, to make a difference in the politics of Bihar, cannot be achieved in such circumstances", Anand told PTI. The 38-year-old media savvy politician, who has been one of the most visible faces of the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party which was formed in 2013, was incidentally seated by the side of Kushwaha, glum faced, while the alliance with BSP and a non-descript Janatantrik Party (Socialist) was being announced. Later in the day, BSP supremo Mayawati had announced in Lucknow that her party would be supporting Kushwaha as the "Chief Ministerial" candidate, an averment which is being scoffed at by the ruling NDA in Bihar as well as the Grand Alliance comprising RJD, Congress and others. The RLSP had performed dismally in the 2015 Bihar assembly polls when it won only two seats. It later succeeded in getting one of its members elected to the legislative council. However, all the three legislators revolted against Kushwahas decision to walk out of the NDA in December, 2018 and after the party drew a blank in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, they merged with Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U). Anands exit from the RLSP came barely two days after it received a rude shock with its state president Bhudev Chaudhary, one of the party's founding members, joining the RJD. The proverbial straw in the wind had become visible hours later when Anand drove to the residence of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav late last night. He, however, chose to keep his cards close to the chest and asked about the meeting with Yadav, replied "I have personal relations with Lalu ji and his family and I met Tejashwi for a courtesy call. My future political move will be announced soon". Anand insisted that his decision to quit the RLSP was "not guided by any resentments stemming from past injustices, since I remained loyal to Kushwaha through thick and thin". Desertions of senior RLSP leaders leave Kushwaha in the lurch. But, Kushwaha says he is not worried. "Its good that people are getting down from the ship before it sails deep in the sea," Kushwaha told PTI. "When ministers and senior legislators are changing political sides during the election whats so big if some of my party colleagues are doing so. This is routine during poll times and we are not bothered," Kushwaha, who served as minister of state for HRD in Narendra Modi's first cabinet, said. Kushwaha had left Mahagathbandhan in the hope of a "decent" return to the ruling NDA coalition. Earlier, this week he had gone to Delhi to meet top BJP leaders, but it seems things did not work for him. Kushwaha himself had told media persons Tuesday that he met BJP General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav and had also talked on seat-sharing and the RLSP expectations. Media reports suggested Kushwaha is interested in contesting Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha bypolls schduled on November 7. The by-election on the Valmiki Nagar seat has been necessitated due to untimely death of sitting JD(U) MP Baidyanath Mahto. Asked about speculations in the media about RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's estranged brother-in-law Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav joining them, Kushwaha said "you will hear a lot of rumours during election time. " PTI NAC SNS SNS 09301357 NNNN (Newser) Three people were shot dead during a hostage situation in Oregon Monday, including the suspected gunman, authorities said Tuesday. Police said that when they arrived at the Salem home Monday afternoon, Jose Jesus Lopez-Tinoco, 34, was keeping two adults and two children hostage, reports CNN. Police say deputies had established communications with the suspect and were trying to peacefully resolve the situation when they heard gunshots and forced their way inside. They found Diari Bustos-Bustos, 24, and an 11-year-old boy dead from gunshot wounds, along with Lopez-Tinoco, who had apparently shot himself, the Oregonian reports. Another woman was hospitalized with serious injuries. Investigators say they are still trying to determine the relationship between Lopez-Tinoco and the other people in the home. (Read more Oregon stories.) Creating "work bubbles" during the COVID-19 pandemic can help reduce the risk of company-wide outbreaks while helping essential businesses continue to function, as the example of Bombardier Aviation demonstrates in an analysis published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). The need to keep essential businesses open during the pandemic has resulted in large outbreaks in factories and other locations where employees work in close proximity, jeopardizing the safety of employees and the community as well as disrupting supply chains. "Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe work environment for their employees," says lead author Dr. Jeffrey Shaw, a critical care physician and fellow at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, Alberta. "Creating company cohorts, or work bubbles, can reduce the risk of a company-wide COVID-19 outbreak that could affect the larger community." Bombardier Aviation example The authors describe how Bombardier Aviation, a large Canadian company that employs 22 000 people at 7 factories across 4 provinces/states in Canada and the United States, adjusted to the pandemic. Most office staff worked from home, ensuring that only employees who built or supported aircraft delivery were on site. Essential employees were organized into cohorts that interacted only with each other to minimize contact with other staff. Cohorts were organized on the principles that work bubbles should Include the least number of people required to do the job Be designed to allow business continuation if another work bubble is removed from the workforce Be strictly separated from other bubbles in time and/or space to prevent virus transmission between groups. Scheduling rotating workdays and disinfecting shared spaces after use by a work bubble can ensure physical separation of employees. Daily symptom screening and rapid isolation of infected employees is also key to containing and preventing outbreaks. "Adjusting our operational activities to the pandemic was challenging, but we are extremely proud of how proactive and efficient our teams were in adapting to their new working conditions. Keeping our employees safe is our number one priority," says coauthor Nancy Barber, COO, Industrialization, Footprint and Central Planning, Bombardier Aviation. Despite some challenges, work bubbles offer benefits including Reducing the reproduction number of the disease Increasing efficiency of contact tracing Protecting employees from contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at work Increasing employee confidence in workplace safety Allowing for business to continue in the case of positive cases "As we begin to relax the public health measures brought in to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Canada, we must think of how to limit the risk of becoming infected at work," says Dr. Shaw. "Using a work bubbles strategy can help businesses continue to function and ensure the safety of employees." Listen to a podcast with coauthors Dr. Jeffrey Shaw and Hayley Wickenheiser discussing work bubbles and their practical application to factories, schools and sports. ### "Working in a bubble: How can businesses reopen while limiting the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks?" is published September 30, 2020. The article was written by authors from University of Calgary, Alberta; Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario; Bombardier Aviation, Montreal, Quebec; University of Toronto and University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario; and Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. [Read our profile detailing Joe Bidens road to the White House and presidency.] Im just sad with the way last night turned out. Chris Wallace, the Fox News Sunday anchor and moderator of Tuesdays melee of a debate between President Trump and Joseph R. Biden Jr., was on the phone Wednesday from his home in Annapolis, Md., reflecting on his words a terrible missed opportunity. I never dreamt that it would go off the tracks the way it did, he said. In his first interview since the chaotic and often incoherent spectacle in which a pugilistic Mr. Trump relentlessly interrupted opponent and moderator alike Mr. Wallace conceded that he had been slow to recognize that the president was not going to cease flouting the debates rules. Ive read some of the reviews. I know people think, well, gee, I didnt jump in soon enough, Mr. Wallace said, his voice betraying some hoarseness from the previous nights proceedings. I guess I didnt realize and there was no way you could, hindsight being 20/20 that this was going to be the presidents strategy, not just for the beginning of the debate but the entire debate. By Trend Azerbaijan will open an embassy in Cuba, Trend reports. The agenda of the first plenary session of the Azerbaijani Parliament included a bill on the establishment of the Azerbaijani embassy in Cuba (in Havana city). The opening of the embassy would make an important contribution to the development of relations between the two countries. After discussions, the bill was adopted by a majority vote. At present, the diplomatic representation of Azerbaijan is operating in Cuba. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Time travel is possible based on the laws of physics, according to new calculations from researchers at the University of Queensland. But time-travelers wouldn't be able to alter the past in a measurable way, they say the future would stay the same. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Imagine you could hop into a time machine, press a button, and journey back to 2019, before the new coronavirus made the leap from animals to humans. What if you could find and isolate patient zero? Theoretically, the pandemic wouldn't happen, right? Not quite, because then future-you wouldn't have decided to time travel in the first place. For decades, physicists have been studying and debating versions of this paradox: If we could travel back in time and change the past, what would happen to the future? A new study offers a potential answer: Nothing. "Events readjust around anything that could cause a paradox, so the paradox does not happen," Germain Tobar, the study's author and a student at the University of Queensland, told IFLScience. His work, published in the journal Classical and Quantum Gravity last week, suggests that according to the rules of theoretical physics, anything you tried to change in the past would be corrected by subsequent events. Put simply: It's theoretically possible to go back in time, but you couldn't change history. People in Beijing pay tribute to China's coronavirus victims during a national moment of silence on April 4, 2020. Thomas Peter/Reuters The grandfather paradox Physicists have considered time travel to be theoretically possible since Einstein came up with his theory of relativity. Einstein's calculations suggest it's possible for an object in our universe to travel through space and time in a circular direction, eventually ending up at a point on its journey where it's been before a path called a closed time-like curve. Still, physicists continue to struggle with scenarios like the coronavirus example above, in which time-travelers alter events that already happened. The most famous example is known as the grandfather paradox: Say a time-traveler goes back to the past and kills a younger version of his or her grandfather. The grandfather then wouldn't have any children, erasing the time-traveler's parents and, of course, the time-traveler, too. But then who would kill Grandpa? Story continues A take on this paradox appears in the movie "Back to the Future," when Marty McFly almost stops his parents from meeting in the past potentially causing himself to disappear. A dog dressed as Marty McFly from "Back to the Future" attends the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in New York City, October 24, 2015. Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images To address the paradox, Tobar and his supervisor, Dr. Fabio Costa, used the "billiard-ball model," which imagines cause and effect as a series of colliding billiard balls, and a circular pool table as a closed time-like curve. Imagine a bunch of billiard balls laid out across that circular table. If you push one ball from position X, it bangs around the table, hitting others in a particular pattern. The researchers calculated that even if you mess with the ball's pattern at some point in its journey, future interactions with other balls can correct its path, leading it to come back to the same position and speed that it would have had you not interfered. "Regardless of the choice, the ball will fall into the same place," Dr Yasunori Nomura, a theoretical physicist at UC Berkeley, told Business Insider. Fabio Costa (left) with Germain Tobar (right). Tobar's calculations, supervised by Costa, suggest that time travel without paradoxes is possible. University of Queensland Tobar's model, in other words, says you could travel back in time, but you couldn't change how events unfolded significantly enough to alter the future, Nomura said. Applied to the grandfather paradox, then, this would mean that something would always get in the way of your attempt to kill your grandfather. Or at least by the time he did die, your grandmother would already be pregnant with your mother. Back to the coronavirus example. Let's say you were to travel back to 2019 and intervene in patient zero's life. According to Tobar's line of thinking, the pandemic would still happen somehow. "You might try and stop patient zero from becoming infected, but in doing so you would catch the virus and become patient zero, or someone else would," Tobar told the University of Queensland. Nomura said that although the model is too simple to represent the full range of cause and effect in our universe, it's a good starting point for future physicists. Read the original article on Business Insider People protest China's persecution of Uighurs in front of the Chinese Embassy in London - Hasan Esen/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Britains trade relationship with China is under threat after MPs proposed Uighurs should be allowed to petition UK court for genocide ruling. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the co-founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China which is campaigning to stop the human rights abuses of the Uighur community in Chinas Xinjiang province, told the Daily Telegraph that a cross party group of MPs have joined forces to stop doing trade with countries accused of genocide. Sir Iain, the former Conservative Party leader, said the MPs had proposed an amendment to the trade bill which states that if it is deemed that a country is practicing genocide then the trade arrangements with that country should not stand. It is anticipated that the amendment to the trade bill, which was tabled at the weekend and adds the need for a high court judge to make a pre-determination on genocide, will be passed in the Lords. Sir Iain previously told this newspaper he was convinced that the Chinese government was performing the systematic eradication of the Uighur people. It comes after Tory MP Nus Ghani earlier this month launched an inquiry with the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee (beis) exploring how it can look at the UK Uighur supply chain. Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, also launched an inquiry into how best discourage private sector companies from contributing to human rights abuses of the Uighur people. Mr Tugendhat previously warned in The Telegraph that the mass detention of Uighurs in Xinjiang which he said has horrifying echoes of the 1930s. We now have clear, undeniable evidence of the persecution of more than one million people in these so-called re-education camps, with credible reports of physical abuse, forced sterilisation, filthy living conditions and a state-led programme of indoctrination, he said. China has come under scrutiny over its treatment of Uighur Muslims and claims of alleged forced-labour abuses in Xinjiang, where the United Nations cites credible reports as saying one million Muslims have been held in camps. China has repeatedly denied mistreating Uighurs and says the camps are vocational training centres that are needed to tackle extremism, accusing what it calls anti-China forces of smearing its Xinjiang policy. In July, Washington imposed sanctions on Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses against Uighurs under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows the US government to target human rights violators by freezing any US assets, banning U.S. travel and prohibiting Americans from doing business with them. UP: Set on fire after failed gangrape attempt, says college student who was found naked with severe burns Hathras gangrape: UP CM speaks to kin of victim, announces 25 lakh ex-gratia, house, job for kin India oi-Madhuri Adnal Lucknow, Sep 30: Amid outrage over the Hathras gang-rape case, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday announced Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia to the victim's kin, a house along with a governmnet job to one family member. Yogi Adityanath earlier spoke to the family of Hathras gang-rape victim via video conferencing, ANI reported, hours after forming a three-member SIT to investigate the incident. Hathras gangrape case: Cremation was done in family's presence, says UP Police Hathras Gangrape: UP Police force late night cremation | Oneindia News The CM has assured strict action against the accused, PTI reported, quoting an official. "The CM has spoken to the father of the deceased woman of Hathras. Her father...asked for harshest penalty against the accused. The CM assured him that the most stringent action shall be taken against the accused and all possible help shall be provided to the family of the deceased," Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and sought strict action against the accused, the Chief Minister's office said on Wednesday. A day after the death of the 19-year-old Dalit woman's in a Delhi hospital, Adityanath on Wednesday also constituted a three-member SIT to probe the gang-rape case and also asked for conducting the trial in a fast track court. In a tweet, the chief minister's office said the prime minister spoke to Adityanath over the case. "Respected Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji has spoken on the Hathras incident and said that strict action should be taken against the culprits," the CMO said. In a replication of the Nirbhaya case horrors, the Dalit teen was allegedly sexually assaulted by four men on September 14 in a Hathras village and admitted to the AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh. She was on Monday referred to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital in an extremely critical condition with spinal injuries, paralysis and cuts in her tongue and died on early Tuesday, triggering widespread outrage, protests and calls for justice. A senior official said an SIT has been constituted to the probe the case. Secretary (Home) Bhagwan Swarup, will lead the SIT and DIG Chandraprakash and Provincial Armed Constabulary's Agra Commandant Poonam will be its members, he said. The SIT has been asked to submit its report within seven days, the official said. When asked about the controversy over the victim's cremation allegedly forcibly by the police, Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, "It was done with the consent and in presence of family members." Congress, Bhim Army stages protest in Lucknow, Hathras over gang-rape "It's true that allegations have been made, but truth is that the family agreed for the cremation as the body was decaying. The police were there for maintaining peace," he added. The post-mortem report of the victim is still awaited, he said, adding there was no "chopping of the tongue". "The SIT has been constituted to find lapses in probe, if any, and those responsible (for lapses) will have to face action. There is a zero-tolerance policy for the crime against women in the state. Strict action will be taken against the guilty," he said. He said four accused of the Hathras gang-rape case have been arrested and section 302 (IPC) (murder) would be added in the FIR following the victim's death. The Forensic Science Lab (FSL) report is also awaited in the matter, he added. On Tuesday, September 29, United States Trotting Association President Russell Williams issued a statement in regard to the passing of H.R. 1754, which is more commonly referred to as the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. The contents of the USTA's story on the matter appear below. Russell Williams Statement Regarding Passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in the House Editors Note: Following is the statement from U.S. Trotting Association President Russell Williams regarding passage of H.R. 1754, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday (Sept. 29). Were disappointed but not surprised that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was passed by the House; bad legislation gets passed all the time. Sadly, HISA will be devastating to harness racing and put horses at risk. More than that, the bill is unconstitutional. The USTA remains focused in its opposition and will continue the fight in the Senate. Following is the press release from Congressman Paul Tonkos (D-NY) office, who co-sponsored of the bill with Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY): Congressman Paul D. Tonkos bipartisan national horse racing reform bill, H.R. 1754, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives today. The bill has long been co-led by Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) and would designate the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to design and implement uniform national horse racing medication and racetrack safety standards. After nearly six years working to advance this bipartisan legislation to modernize horse racing in the United States, we are at long last rounding the final turn, Congressman Tonko said. Our Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act puts the health and well-being of our equine athletes and jockeys firmly at the centre of the sport, and delivers commonsense medication and track safety standards that will lift this noble sport to higher standards of integrity and safety. These long overdue reforms will help restore public trust in the sport and put it on a path to a long and vital future, supporting countless jobs and driving economic activity in communities across our nation. I thank my longtime collaborator and friend, Congressman Barr, for leading with me in this effort to restore integrity to this sport of kings. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to advance their companion legislation without delay and deliver it swiftly to the President to sign into law. With todays HISA passage in the House, we continue our momentum and move one step closer toward historic reform for the horse racing industry, said Congressman Barr. This legislation, developed through a highly deliberative and bipartisan process, will ensure the safety of our equine athletes and increase the popularity, public confidence, and international competitiveness of the sport. I want to thank my House colleagues for supporting this legislation which will usher in a new era for this great Kentucky, and great American, industry. The bill approved by the House today also has companion Senate legislation introduced recently by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martha McSally (R-AZ), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The Victorian government hastily stood down private security in the states remodelled hotel quarantine program on Wednesday and sent in police to guard people infected with coronavirus after concerns were raised about poor infection control. Staff employed by Spotless were pulled from the floor of the last remaining "hot" quarantine site the Novotel in Southbank mid-shift. The switch came after The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald alerted the government to a healthcare workers concerns that echoed failings of the first quarantine program overseen by the Health Department. The main entrance of Novotel South Wharf. Credit:Penny Stephens The quarantine hotels are now overseen by the Department of Justice, and Alfred Health has been contracted to provide clinical services. Alfred Health subcontracted the floor monitor positions to Spotless. Earlier on Wednesday, a healthcare worker involved in the revised quarantine program told The Age and Herald she feared the practices of Spotless staff could lead to further outbreaks that could trigger a third wave of the virus in Victoria. Muslim scholars condemn killing of Palestine fishermen by Egypt army September 30,2020 | Source: MEMO The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) yesterday condemned the killing of two Palestinian fishermen by the Egyptian army. IUMS Secretary-General Ali Al-Qaradaghi said in a statement that the Union strongly condemns the incident of killing the fishermen Hasan and Mahmoud AlZazoua and injuring their brother Yaser in Gaza Sea by the Egyptian army. Al-Qaradaghi explained that the three fishermen were looking for a source of livelihood to support their elderly parents, wives and children. He stressed that shedding the innocents blood and the unjust loss of lives are great sins, as Allah Almighty says But whoever kills a believer intentionally his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment (An-Nisa: 93) and also says whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land it is as if he had slain mankind entirely (Al-Maidah: 32). Al-Qaradaghi called on the Egyptian authorities to expedite the investigation into the incident in order to prevent crimes of this type from happening again, and ensure retribution against the killers. He also offered the organisations condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims. Egyptian naval forces shot dead two Palestinian fishermen, and wounded and arrested a third on Friday after they allegedly crossed into Egyptian territorial waters. Ardi Associates Ltd 2009-2020. All Rights Reserved Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Vietnam needs to increase expenditures on tertiary education in the context of the 4.0 industry revolution, experts say. A session on Financial Policy in Education was held by the National Education and Human Development Council recently. The session on Financial Policy in Education was held by the National Education and Human Development Council Speaking at the session, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong said that many factors are needed to develop education, including training curriculum, governance, finance and budget. Of these, financial resources play an important role for education to develop. The research team from the Finance Academy believes that it is necessary to specify the responsibilities of central and local educational authorities in coordinating with finance, planning and investment agencies in managing state spending on education. The research team thinks that spending on education should be maintained at 20 percent of total spending of the country, but suggests that it should be suited to individual localities. They also pointed out that it would be better to adjust spending at different education levels; formulate criteria for prioritizing the allocation of expenditures to the local education sector; and strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of investment programs in the education sector. There are three pillars for tertiary education: training, scientific research and policy consultation to state and localities. Hoang Thi Thuy Nguyet from the Finance Academy proposed increasing spending on tertiary education in the context of the 4.0 industry revolution. Allocating a higher budget for tertiary education was also the proposal of Nguyen Lan Dung, a respected educator. He believes that more money is needed on research, saying that this is a solution to improve training quality and raise the quality of university graduates. Meanwhile, other experts said that more research on budget allocation is needed before making a decision, because all education levels need appropriate investments. In order to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of budget expenditures, Nguyet stressed that resources from the state budget and society for education need to be made transparent, which is the basis for medium- and long-term planning. Sharing the same view, Le Truong Tung from FPT University said that financial resources are an important factor that determine the quality of the educational system. Financial resources are not only from the state budget, but also from tuition and capital from investors. In other countries, universities have to make public their financial situations. Le Quoc Tien from the Hai Phong Education Department suggested updating the annual state budget spending of 63 cities/provinces, which would show the entire panorama of the national education system. Thanh Hung Vietnam embraces digital transformation, online teaching in education sector Thai Van Thanh, director of the Nghe An Education and Training Department, said if there are favorable conditions, online teaching will bring big benefits, especially in remote areas. Actionstep, a cloud-based legal practice management system founded in New Zealand and with a significant presence in the U.S., announced an investment from Serent Capital, a private equity firm focused on investing in high-growth technology and services businesses. The partnership enables Actionstep to expand its global presence and accelerate growth in the U.S. market through product, sales, and organizational investments. Since its founding in 2004, Actionstep's platform has helped small and mid-sized law firms across all practice areas drive improved efficiency in case and administrative work. By bringing together client relationship management, matter management, billing trust accounting, document automation storage, time tracking, and reporting in one software solution, Actionstep helps transform law practices into more efficient businesses. "At Actionstep, we have a passion for innovation and we take pride in delivering unquestionable value to our customers," said Ted Jordan, Founder and Chairman of Actionstep. "With Serent's partnership, we're looking forward to bringing that same innovation and value to even more law firms and lawyers in our main regions of New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and of course the United States." He continued, "Through Serent's resources and Growth Team, we believe we can accelerate our go-to-market capabilities and significantly expand our footprint in these core markets." Stewart Lynn, Partner at Serent Capital, shared, "Ted and the Actionstep team have built industry-leading software that empowers law firms to more efficiently manage their day-to-day operations so the lawyers can focus on serving client needs. We have spent the last few years evaluating the legal technology landscape and Actionstep's functionality and customer satisfaction have consistently stood out." Lynn expanded, "Actionstep already has a great footprint and set of clients in the United States. As Actionstep and Ted bring on their first institutional investor and partner, we are excited to support the company's ambitious growth plans." Thousands of law firms from governmental entities to small businesses around the world use Actionstep. The company has operating entities in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the United States. About Serent Capital Serent Capital invests in growing businesses that have developed compelling solutions that address their customers' needs. As those businesses grow and evolve, the opportunities and challenges that they face change with them. Principals at Serent Capital have firsthand experience capturing those opportunities and navigating these difficulties through their experiences as CEOs, strategic advisors, and board members to successful growing businesses. By bringing its expertise and capital to bear, Serent seeks to help growing businesses thrive. For more information on Serent Capital, visit www.serentcapital.com. About Actionstep Actionstep is a complete legal practice management system, built in the cloud, with workflow at its heart. Actionstep gets rid of law firm administrivia and simplifies how law firms work while also providing visibility across the health of the practice, allowing them to focus on serving their clients. Founded in 2004, Actionstep is a global company with operations worldwide, including in New Zealand, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Thousands of law firms from governmental entities to small businesses around the world use Actionstep. To learn more about Actionstep, visit www.actionstep.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005660/en/ Contacts: Kathleen Richmond (512) 639-7492 Kathleen.Richmond@SerentCapital.com SerentCapital.com Massachusetts voters are being asked to re-evaluate exactly how they cast their ballots. The second of the states two ballot measures proposes introducing a new kind of ballot for local and state elections would allow, specifically a ranked-choice voting system. Heres how it works: In elections with more than two candidates, voters rank their top choice and then select their second, third, fourth candidates and so on. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the first-place votes, election officials would review the votes and eliminate the candidate with the least number of first-place votes. Each of those ballots that placed the losing candidate as the top choice would then be redirected to the second-choice candidates listed, and the results would be recalculated. If that second round takes a candidate over the 50% threshold, a winner is declared. If not, another elimination round will commence. Whatever candidate is at the bottom is eliminated and those ballots are reviewed to go to the voters next choice. The process continues over and over again until a candidate captures the majority of the votes. Proponents say this would enable voters to show support for the candidate they believe best aligns for their values, rather than focusing on a candidate who is considered the most viable. What ranked choice voting does is it builds consensus, said Evan Falchuk, a former independent gubernatorial candidate and chair of the Ranked Choice Voting 2020 Committee. Today in politics you take whatever issue there is, and it is used as a weapon against the other side, and so people end up talking past each other. With ranked choice voting, every candidate has an incentive to reach out and find 5 ways to agree as opposed to just disagree with each other. Opponents, however, say the process is confusing and could lead to unintended consequences. We should really be trying to make voting as simple as possible for people, said Jennifer Braceras, a political analyst and board member of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, which opposes ranked-choice voting. The simplest possible election system is a system where you have binary choice. What does the ballot question propose? Question 2 proposes implementing a ranked choice voting system in state and congressional elections, as well as some local races such as district attorney and sheriffs elections. This voting process would not apply to presidential elections. Nor would it apply to county commission or regional school district committee races. The ballot would require the Secretary of State to impose regulations on how voters would mark the ballots. It also would create a central tabulation facility to calculate the results. Under the proposal, the secretary would appoint election officers to oversee the process. Each state committee chair would appoint a computer expert to monitor the ballot counting. The secretary would be considered the presiding officer in this process and delegate responsibilities to the election officers to make sure the ballots are properly counted. What happens if I vote yes? A ranked choice voting system would be implemented in Massachusetts by 2022. Proponents say this ballot measure would not only change voters' options, but would give candidates incentive to campaign to more residents and collaborate with opponents whose platforms are similar. Jesse Mermell, who ran for the 4th Congressional District seat in the Democratic primary, told MassLive she saw coalition building when she campaigned for the late Brian Murphy in the 2001 Cambridge City Council race. Cambridge holds proportional representation elections, similar to ranked choice voting as proposed in the ballot question. There would always be groups of three or four candidates helping each other out, said Mermell, now honorary co-chair and senior advisor to the ranked-choice voting campaign. It very much changes the dynamic. Proponents of ranked choice voting, including Falchuk, say an alternate voting system could have changed the outcome of the one in the 4th congressional district primary. The race to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Joe Kennedy III grew crowded with nine Democrats and two Republicans. By Sept. 1, there were still seven active candidates on the ballot. Dave Cavell, a former senior adviser to Attorney General Maura Healey, and tech entrepreneur Chris Zannetos dropped out weeks earlier and backed Mermell. But by that point mail-in ballots were already being sent to election clerks. Jake Auchincloss beat Mermell by at least 1,506 votes, at the time ending up with 22.4% of the vote to Mermells 21.38%. The winner ends up with 22% of the vote, which means 78% voted for somebody else, said Falchuk said. He called the primary election the poster child for why Massachusetts need ranked-choice voting. Mermell said the outcome of the 4th Congressional District race isnt the point. She said she backs ranked-choice voting, as many of the candidates in that race do, because voters can stop playing political pundit when they cast their ballots and vote for the candidate they like the best, rather than the one most likely to defeat a contender they dont support. The point is making sure voters have a best mechanism at their fingertips to express their voices, she said. Braceras, who opposes the proposal, says implementing ranked-choice voting would actually make voters have to strategize like political pundits about which candidate is likely to come out on top when first-choice and second- or third-choice votes are combined. Republicans in Maine, which approved ranked-choice voting in 2016, took issue with the process as U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, a Republican, lost his re-election bid in 2018 despite getting the most first-place votes. I dont think we should have a system where casting votes in a way that makes logical sense could actually end up hurting the person you want the most. You have to be a very sophisticated voter to anticipate that, Braceras said, who laid out her own hypothetical in a 2019 op-ed in The Boston Globe. Mermell, however, said the results of an elimination round or three wouldnt be so confusing or surprising because at the end of the day, voters who dont get their first choice at least had a chance to influence who the alternate was. Mermell also disagreed that this alternative system would harm seniors or voters who speak a language other than English because the state is required to effectively communicate their rights and options like they are under the current voting system. I have a lot more faith in voters than apparently the opponents of this question do, she said. This has been the case in Cambridge in an incredibly diverse city with seniors, people who speak all sorts of languages. What if I vote no? The states voting system remains the same. What about recounts? Candidates seeking recounts can file a petition up to three days after the results are announced. How much does it cost? The ballot question says no estimated cost has been determined. That doesnt mean its free, but that it was hard to put an exact dollar figure at this point, Falchuk said. Maine, which has ranked choice voting, spent close to $500,000 on its 2018 elections with $22,400 being spent each in the primary and general election for leasing RCV software. The printing and delivery for a separate referendum ballot in the general election cost nearly $269,000 alone. The hardware startup, lease of a high-speed tabulator, courier services for both elections brought the total price tag up to $441,804. Who is finding the proposal and the opposition? The Ranked Choice Voting 2020 Committee has raised millions to push for the alternate voting system, including $2.6 million from Action Now Initiative, a Houston-based progressive nonprofit that is funding ranked-choice and other voting-related ballot questions across the country. The committee has garnered thousands of individual contributions, ranging from $500,000 from Quadrivium president Kathryn Murdoch (daughter-in-law of Rupert Murdoch) to more than 1,000 donations under $25 with many of them from Massachusetts residents. As of Sept. 20, the committee had close to $2.5 million on hand after spending donations on telephone messaging, social media marketing and overhead costs. The opposition has published little financial information. In fact, no contributions had been filed until Sept. 20, when the opposition filed a $250 donation from the Westford Republican Town Committee. No expenditures were reported. MassFiscal, listed as official opponents of the ballot question, has come under scrutiny in the past because the organization does not reveal its donors. The nonprofit isnt required to do so under state law, except in cases like the ballot question campaign where the official organizers and opponents must report their contributions. Related Content: It has pressed for, and Boeing has agreed to undertake, the addition of a new synthetic sensor to the Max as an added layer of protection, the EASA said in a statement to The Washington Post. That would augment the two physical angle of attack sensors, which measure the relative position of the planes nose and oncoming wind, vital readings for safe flight. Planes would be retrofitted over time, with enhanced crew procedures and training in the interim to reduce risks, EASA said. It was business as usual as Rafa Nadal continued his quest for a record-extending 13th French Open title with a 6-1 6-0 6-3 crushing of American Mackenzie McDonald on Wednesday to reach the third round. The Spanish second seed, also looking to equal Roger Federer's record of 20 men's singles Grand Slam titles, was never troubled on court Philippe Chatrier. The claycourt master played deep, using his forehand to devastating effect to set up a meeting with Japanese Kei Nishikori or Italian Stefano Travaglia. After world number 236 McDonald won the second game, Nadal bagged 11 games in a row to move two sets up and despite some resistance from his opponent early in the third set, he had no trouble improving his win-loss record at Roland Garros to 95-2. "My objective is to play as well as I can. It was a good match for me today. I'm very happy," Nadal said. "Then it's another difficult match. We'll see, I hope I'll be at a good level. It's always special for me to play here in Paris, on court Philippe Chatrier." Nadal looks to be on a semi-final collision course with Dominic Thiem, who he beat in the last two finals in Paris. After a first-round match played in chilly and damp conditions, the 34-year-old benefited from better weather on Wednesday. "Today was not that cold, so that's the main thing. Not that cold, the conditions are not that bad," said the Spaniard, who had complained about the new balls used in Paris being too heavy. "The ball is still heavy. When is not that cold, the ball is little bit less heavy always. I see the predictions the next couple of days are not very good." That means Nadal may have to play under the closed roof on court Philippe Chatrier for the first time, but he looks in good form. He fired 17 forehand winners against McDonald, faced zero break points and made only eight unforced errors in a performance that should boost his confidence after he lost in the Italian Open quarter-finals this month to Argentine Diego Schwartzman. A food bank has been set up in one of Geneva's ice rinks during the coronavirus crisis - Getty Images Geneva is to introduce a minimum monthly wage of nearly 3,500, the highest in the world, in response to growing poverty since the coronavirus outbreak. Geneva has been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic because it relies on revenue from tourists and business visitors. At the height of the coronavirus crisis, queues more than half a mile long formed at food banks. The cantons 500,000 voters approved the minimum wage, proposed by Left-wing parties, by a 58-per-cent majority in a referendum, after rejecting it twice in 2014 and 2011. The measure will benefit some 30,000 low-paid workers, two-thirds of them women, many employed as cleaners or in restaurants or hairdressers. More than 300,000 of Switzerlands workers live in neighbouring France, where costs are lower. Most commute to jobs in the Geneva canton, or region. Michel Charrat of the European Cross-Border Group, which supports cross-border workers, told France 3 television that the vote result marked a movement of solidarity with the poor that would help restore a certain balance among the people of Greater Geneva. From October 17, the minimum hourly wage will be 23 Swiss francs (almost 19.50), more than double the rate in neighbouring France or in the UK. It also exceeds the worlds current highest minimum wage of over 11 per hour in Australia. The guaranteed minimum monthly salary in Geneva for a 41-hour week will be 4,086 Swiss francs (3,437). Mr Charrat said: Covid showed that a certain section of the Swiss population cannot live in Geneva 4,000 Swiss francs a month (3,362) is the minimum to stay above the poverty line. Rents in Geneva are often more than 2,000 Swiss francs a month, he added. Switzerland has Europes highest average annual wage of more than 57,000, compared to nearly 35,500 in the UK, but the prosperous Alpine country sets no national minimum wage. Geneva will be the third Swiss canton to adopt one. Jura and Neuchatel have both introduced a minimum hourly wage of 20 Swiss francs (16.85). Story continues Geneva is rated the worlds tenth most expensive city, according to The Economist Intelligence Units 2020 Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, with Paris in fifth place. London is not among the 10 costliest cities in the survey. According to another cost-of-living index compiled by Expatistan, Geneva is the worlds second most expensive city. It rates London ninth. Left-wing parties in Switzerland argue that introducing a minimum wage is a better way to address the rising cost of living than limiting immigration from EU member-states, as proposed by Right-wingers. They argue that immigrant workers have pushed up housing costs and lowered wages. But Swiss voters rejected a proposal to end free movement from EU member-states in a national referendum on Sunday. No casualties have been reported. Ukraine says the past day in the Joint Forces Operation zone saw no violations of the ceasefire agreement. No casualties have been reported, the JFO Command said in a morning update on Facebook on Wednesday, September 30. The Ukrainian military continue adhering to the ceasefire and are ready to respond to any attack by the enemy, it said. Read alsoUkraine intel: Commanders of occupation forces in Donbas embezzle funds, hide personnel shortageThe full and comprehensive ceasefire continued on Wednesday. "The servicemen of the Armed Forces, together with the firefighters of the State Emergency Service, continue to extinguish a wildfire on an area of about four hectares not far from the village of Bobrove in Luhansk region," the JFO headquarters added. Donbas ceasefire: Background Amid outrage over the Hathras gang-rape case, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and sought strict action against the accused, the chief minister's office said on Wednesday. A day after the death of the 19-year-old Dalit woman's in a Delhi hospital, Adityanath on Wednesday also constituted a three-member special investigation team to probe the gang-rape case and also asked for conducting the trial in a fast track court. In a tweet, the chief minister's office said the prime minister spoke to Adityanath over the case. "Respected Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji has spoken on the Hathras incident and said that strict action should be taken against the culprits," the CMO said. In a replication of the Nirbhaya case horrors, the Dalit teen was allegedly sexually assaulted by four men on September 14 in a Hathras village and admitted to the AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh. She was on Monday referred to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital in an extremely critical condition with spinal injuries, paralysis and cuts in her tongue and died on early Tuesday, triggering widespread outrage, protests and calls for justice. A senior official said an SIT has been constituted to the probe the case. Secretary (Home) Bhagwan Swarup, will lead the SIT and DIG Chandraprakash and Provincial Armed Constabulary's Agra Commandant Poonam will be its members, he said. The SIT has been asked to submit its report within seven days, the official said. When asked about the controversy over the victim's cremation allegedly forcibly by the police, Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, "It was done with the consent and in presence of family members." "It's true that allegations have been made, but truth is that the family agreed for the cremation as the body was decaying. The police were there for maintaining peace," he added. The post-mortem report of the victim is still awaited, he said, adding there was no "chopping of the tongue". "The SIT has been constituted to find lapses in probe, if any, and those responsible (for lapses) will have to face action. There is a zero-tolerance policy for the crime against women in the state. Strict action will be taken against the guilty," he said. He said four accused of the Hathras gang-rape case have been arrested and section 302 (IPC) (murder) would be added in the FIR following the victim's death. The Forensic Science Lab report is also awaited in the matter, he added. Closing the Illinois and Ohio plants will reduce pollution that drifts into other states and contributes to dirty air problems throughout the Midwest and Northeast. It also will eliminate the same amount of climate-changing pollution as taking more than 10 million cars off the nations roads would. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Win McNamee-Scott Olson/Getty Images) If You Listened Closely, Biden Said a Worrisome Lot Commentary The first debate is in the books, and it certainly was a rough and tumble affair. If you listened closely, however, you heard all you need to know about the November election and who Joe Biden really is. Keep in mind that debates dont occur in a vacuum. This is shaping up as a close election because we are such a divided country. No president has won with more than 53 percent of the vote since 1988 and few people cross party lines to vote for the other partys candidate. All in all, this election likely will be quite close. Each vote will matter just as it did in in 2016. So, what the candidates said or didnt say should matter. On the plus side for Biden, going into the debate, there were questions about whether he could last a full night. While Biden didnt look overly energetic, he didnt have that awful moment. On the negative side, Biden said many things that every voter should have heard and committed to memory. Reimagining policing? Biden said he wanted sociologists to go with the police to stop them from using force. On the other hand, Biden forcefully stood by his pledge to raise taxes by $4 trillion dollars over the next 10 yearsa pledge that will sink the economy. Instead, Biden said that his tax increases would lead to more jobs. Biden stood by his pledge to end the use of fossil fuelsa pledge that will sink the economy. Bidens son did no wrong? Biden is either completely oblivious about his sons activity (sarcasm) or willing to lie to the American people about his son taking $3.5 million from a Russian oligarch tied to Putin, and about his deals in China and in Ukraine. Who was presidential? Biden accused the president of not being presidential but then Biden told the president to shut up, he called him a liar, a clown, and, of course, called him a racist. Biden said he was the Democrat Party. I doubt AOC, Bernie Sanders, or Elizabeth Warren agrees with that, let alone Antifa. Speaking of Antifa, Biden said Antifa is just an idea. Biden said he was against defunding the police, but he does want to redirect funding. Biden said he didnt call African Americans predatorsbut he did. Biden said he didnt sign onto the Green New Deal, as envisioned by AOC and Bernie Sanders, but he did. Biden also refused to say certain things, and everyone should know that, too. Biden refused to answer whether he would pack the Supreme Court if he becomes president. Biden literally said, No, Im not going to answer that. Biden refused to answer whether he supports ending the Senate filibuster if hes elected. Biden had no response when President Donald Trump pointed out that Biden came up with the idea of investigating Michael Flynn. When asked to name a single law enforcement group that supports him, Biden fell silent. He has none. Do you get the picture? Biden isnt for realistic law enforcement so you can expect our cities to continue to decline. His policies will sink the economy and still, you will have to pay higher taxes. Otherwise, Biden essentially said you have to elect me before I tell you what I will do. Every voter should know that and use that information to vote on Nov. 3. Thomas Del Beccaro is an acclaimed author, speaker, Fox News, Fox Business, and Epoch Times opinion writer, and former chairman of the California Republican Party. Hes the author of the historical perspectives The Divided Era and The New Conservative Paradigm. The views expressed herein are solely those of the author. As a nonpartisan public charity, The Epoch Times does not endorse these statements and takes no position on political candidates. Tolentino panel gives housing chief Del Rosario another chance The Commission on Appointments (CA) has given Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario one last chance to obtain a confirmation on his ad interim appointment. The hearing, chaired by Sen. Francis Tolentino, was suspended on Wednesday to give panel members a chance to cast secret ballots as to whether or not Del Rosario should get the CA's nod. The hearing was suspended due to lack of material time, upon the motion of Majority floor leader and Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Joel Mayo Almario. Tolentino said the suspension will give the CA more time to come up with a more compressed voting procedure, particularly via Zoom, on the confirmation of Del Rosario. Del Rosario, who was peppered with questions from several Mindanao lawmakers about the Marawi rehabilitation, will again face the CA after two weeks. Del Rosario was already deferred twice by the constitutional body. In the Delhi elections, the promise of Jahan jhuggi, vahan makaan (where the house, there the home) resounded across party manifestos. Today, it faces a grave challenge a recent order from the Supreme Court directing the possible forced eviction of 48,000 households on railway land. The order is currently stayed with the railways promising no coercive action for four weeks. The court has tasked the railways, the Delhi government and the central government to instead come up with a comprehensive housing plan for these households. What should such a plan look like? First, any plan must be understood within the realities of housing in Delhi. Despite the language of encroachment and widespread land grab, bastis (slums) are on a minute portion of city land less than 0.6% of total land area, and 3.4% of residential land in the 2021 Delhi Master Plan. This tiny percentage supports no less than 11-15% but possibly up to 30% of the citys population, most settled for decades. One example shows how skewed this number is. In 2017, parking Delhis 3.1 million cars used 13.25 sq km of land, or 5% of all residential area. Cars, then, have more space than the housing of workers, residents, and families. The basti is not an encroachment for personal gain, it marks State and market failure to provide affordable and legal housing. It is, instead, the only affordable housing stock built at scale by any actor in the city. It is the starting of a solution to urban inequality rather than a problem to be solved. Second, settlements are not just houses, but housing. The difference between the two is how workers survive in cities despite low wages. Housing requires not just a pucca structure but the possibility of employment and affordable mobility. It is linked to admission for children in local schools, employers homes that domestic workers can walk to, public institutions were trust has been built, arrangements for child-care with known neighbours, and streets that vendors and rickshaw drivers have mastered as markets. This is why both the central and state governments are right to promise jahan jhuggi, vahan makaan. A house can be resettled, perhaps, but housing cannot simply be transplanted. Media reports on the plan, however, indicate a worrying reliance on peripheral resettlement, often to sites in the northwest and southwest corners of the city despite a clear limit of five km in the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) 2015 policy. Repeated studies on peripheral resettlement show that it is a shock that pushes a generation back into poverty, let alone when it comes amid an economic recession. These under-construction units must not become the default plan. How can in-situ upgradation be prioritised and peripheral resettlement minimised? Regularising settlements on an as is where is basis (as was done with unauthorised colonies) is the fastest, cheapest, safest and most effective way to secure tenure and respect a lifetime of investment. At a mere one sq km of built-on railway land in total, it is also efficient. No new houses need to be built households will do this themselves over a period of time as their economic security grows with legal tenure. Communities and experts can even offer solutions on how to manage restrictions in a safety zone, with mitigation ideas not based on forced evictions. Resettlement plans similarly must not limit themselves to the sites already in progress. Instead, they must leverage all available land land that the three largest landholders in the city certainly have and remain strictly limited to the five km rule. A pandemic is raging. More have already left our cities than during the Partition. Evictions and peripheral resettlement would mean that we have learnt little from it about the exclusionary nature of our urbanisation. Delhi has, in the recent past, found land for large infrastructure projects, transport, stadiums and malls. Jahan jhuggi, vahan makaan is possible. The decision is not if it can be done but if we are willing to do it. Gautam Bhan is an urban researcher and writer The views expressed are personal The University of Illinois Chicago has received an $8 million award from the Army Research Laboratory, or ARL, to support the development of specialized sensors to enable drones to use different types of fuel. They also will seek to advance hybrid-electric optimization, which has relevance for commercial drones and other vehicle types. Unmanned aircraft systems -- otherwise known as drones -- are deployed for numerous reasons. In military settings, drones are used to conduct surveillance and deliver needed goods and materials. Drones today operate on jet fuels shipped from a small number of suppliers in the United States. "The problem with this is that it may be difficult to get needed fuel to remote locations," said Kenneth Brezinsky, professor of mechanical and industrial engineering in the UIC College of Engineering and principal investigator on the project. "Other fuel types, like those that may be more locally available or those that may be found out in the field with unknown properties, may not be usable because drones can't burn them efficiently, or at all." Brezinsky and co-principal investigator Patrick Lynch, UIC assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, are developing sensor technology under an open research program to identify fuel properties and enable drones to adjust so that they can use these fuels. Similar to the unleaded gasoline used in automobiles, which comes in a variety of octanes that reflect different ignition and combustion characteristics of the fuel, jet fuel used in drone diesel engines comes with different ignition characteristics that can be denoted by cetane numbers. The cetane number is reflective of the ease of combustibility of the fuel. Higher cetane numbers indicate fuels that ignite more easily than fuels with lower cetane numbers. However, that's where the similarities end. "You can't just put different cetane number fuels into drones the way you can fill the tank of your car with different octane number fuel and expect it to run," Brezinsky said. "Currently, drones can only use a very narrow range of fuel types, and the first step to broadening their range is to be able to accurately and quickly identify fuel properties." The information provided by the sensors will be used to adjust the drone's combustion system so it can safely and efficiently use that particular fuel. "The more fuels drones are able to use, the longer and farther they will be able to fly," Lynch said. Brezinsky and Lynch, who are experts in combustion chemistry and the diagnostics of reacting chemical systems, will expand on previous UIC research to build and test their sensors for practical application. Their prior work in this area provides unique expertise in characterizing fuel properties and determining the efficiency of fuel combustion during flight. They also will use machine learning systems to enable further development of the sensors. These sensors developed at UIC will combine with models, control strategies, and ignition assistance actuators developed by other university partners and Army Research Laboratory collaborators to enable multi-fuel capability in unmanned aircraft systems. The funding from the ARL will be provided over the course of four years. Approximately $3 million has been awarded for the first two years, with another $5 million to be awarded in the following two years, pending project outcomes and resources. The long-term funding provided by ARL creates a unique opportunity for UIC to educate both undergraduate and graduate students in the basic sciences of combustion, sensing, controls and optimization needed for future unmanned aircraft systems propulsion. The partnerships with ARL prepare and motivate the students to enter the workforce as engineers ready to address the challenges of drone systems. "Collaborative research partnerships between the Army, academia, and industry are crucial to achieving our mission," says ARL Central Regional Lead, Dr. Mark Tschopp. "The University of Illinois Chicago is bringing faculty expertise, unique facilities, and great students in fuel sensing and algorithmic development in a partnership with the Army to advance these technologies and provide future capabilities." UIC's Hadis Anahideh, research assistant professor, and Pranav Bhounsule, assistant professor, both from the department of mechanical and industrial engineering, are senior personnel on the project. ### Mailed-in ballots sit in U.S. Postal Service bins at the office of the Stanislaus County Clerk in Modesto, Calif., on Nov. 6, 2018. (Alex Edelman/Getty Images) Republicans Fight Back in Court Against Democrats Revisions of Voting Policy Republicans in several states are pushing back against Democratic-led changes to state voting laws they say are unfair and likely to cause chaos in the Nov. 3 elections. Republican state senators asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 28 to block a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that extended the Nov. 3 deadline for receiving and counting mailed ballots in the Keystone State. On Sept. 24, the Pennsylvania high court, which has a 52 Democratic majority, refused without comment a request to put its controversial ruling on hold while Republicans prepared to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. The deadline was shifted from 8 p.m. Nov. 3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 6, provided the ballots are postmarked, or believed to be postmarked, by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. The Pennsylvania court also allowed voters to leave their ballots in drop boxes. The courts judgment creates a serious likelihood that Pennsylvanias imminent general election will be tainted by votes that were illegally cast or mailed after Election Day, Republicans stated in court documents. Pennsylvania is among the most hotly contested battleground states in the Nov. 3 presidential election. President Donald Trump narrowly won the state in 2016 by 44,292 votes out of more than 6 million cast. The Republican candidate secured 48.2 percent of the popular vote in the state, beating Democrat Hillary Clinton, who won 47.5 percent, according to Ballotpedia. Pennsylvania has 20 electoral votes out of the 270 needed to be elected president. Last week, a federal judge in Wisconsin ruled that absentee ballots postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day would be allowed if they arrived as many as six days later. But on Sept. 27, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the six-day extension in a lawsuit brought by the Republican National Committee and state party leaders. If that ruling stands, ballots will again be due Election Day by 8 p.m. Wisconsin is an important 2020 battleground state that President Trump narrowly won in 2016. In that contest, Trump won 47.2 percent of the popular vote in the state, beating Clinton, who won 46.5 percent. Wisconsin has 10 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. Meanwhile, a group of conservative Wisconsin voters filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Election Commission against an activist group funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, claiming that election-assistance grants it gave to Democrat-dominated cities violate state law and attempt to unfairly influence the outcome of the November election. The complainant, Wisconsin Voter Alliance, is an unincorporated association of voters based in Suamico, Wisconsin, that desires to have clean and fair elections in the state of Wisconsin, according to the legal complaint. The Alliance claims that grants allocated by the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) favor Democrats because they went to the electoral apparatus in five Wisconsin citiesGreen Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Milwaukee, and Racinewhich, past data show, vote overwhelmingly for Democrats. The CTCL is a left-leaning election reform nonprofit based in Chicago. CTCL announced Sept. 1 that Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, had committed $250 million to the group. Weve seen government playing favorites in elections before, Phill Kline, director of the Amistad Project of the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, said in a statement. Through much of the last century, southern states made it difficult for blacks to vote and easy for white citizens to vote, promoting racism in the manner that they orchestrated their elections. Government targeting a demographic to increase turnout is the opposite side of the same coin as targeting a demographic to suppress the vote, said Kline, who represents the Wisconsin Voter Alliance. According to the Amistad Project, related, separate federal lawsuits by conservative groups have also been filed objecting to the CTCL funding regime in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. The lawsuits claim that the use of the CTCL funds violates the federal Help America Vote Act, which prevents local governments from accepting private federal election grants without state legislative approval, on the theory that such grants lead to government playing favorites in the election process. And in Texas, state Republicans are suing their own governor, Republican Greg Abbott, over an extension of early voting he ordered by citing his emergency pandemic powers, the Texas Tribune reports. Among the plaintiffs are state party chairman and former congressman Allen West, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, and members of the Texas Legislature. In July, Abbott moved the start date for early voting to Oct. 13 from Oct. 19, adding six days in the process. The plaintiffs say in the action filed in the states supreme court that election law mandates a different start date. Governor Abbott seems to have forgotten that the Texas Constitution is not a document that he consults at his convenience, Jared Woodfill, counsel for the plaintiffs, reportedly said. It is an uninterrupted charter of governmental structure that limits Governor Abbotts ability to act as a king. In North Carolina, the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign sued, seeking to reverse a recent change that allows ballots to be received through Nov. 12. Also, ballots returned with deficient information can now be fixed without forcing the voter to fill out a new blank ballot, according to the new changes. With reporting by Mimi Nguyen Ly A man arrested on suspicion of supplying a firearm in connection with the murder of Sergeant Matt Ratana has been released on bail. The suspect was held in Norwich on Sunday after 54-year-old Mr Ratana was shot in a police station in Croydon, south London, two days earlier. He has now been released on bail until late October, the Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday. The man suspected of killing Mr Ratana, widely reported to be Louis De Zoysa, remains in a critical condition in hospital. He was injured after allegedly opening fire in the custody suite as officers prepared to search him with a metal detector, police said. Police investigating the murder of Sgt Ratana are meanwhile still carrying out searches at a house, believed to be the suspects family home, in Southbrook Road, Norbury, south-west London, and a property in Park Road, Banstead, in Surrey. The Metropolitan Police said the second location includes access to several derelict buildings and more than 30 acres of land, with the complex search expected to take days to complete. Croydon Custody Centre, where the shooting took place, remains a crime scene, while searches in London Road, in Pollards Hill, south London where De Zoysa was arrested and a location in central London have also been carried out. Speaking on Tuesday, deputy assistant commissioner Stuart Cundy said: It is five days since the murder of our colleague and our work continues at a high tempo. We have traced a number of witnesses who have been able to contribute significant information about the events leading up to the shooting. We continue to pursue multiple lines of inquiry and consider the results of initial forensic examinations, including of the gun recovered from custody. No police firearms were discharged in the incident, and the case is not being treated as terror-related. By Trend Sali Berisha who served as the second President of Albania from 1992 to 1997 has expressed his support to Azerbaijan in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Trend reports citing Albanian Telegrafi news agency. Berisha said as cited by Telegrafi agency that the reason for the conflict lies in the occupation of vast Azerbaijani territories by Armenia. Friends, for several days now an armed conflict with serious loss of life and numerous injuries of civilians and soldiers has been taking place between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said. He explains that Azerbaijan in accordance with international law seeks to ensure territorial integrity and sovereignty throughout the country, ie in areas that have been held for years and occupied by Armenia. Armenia occupies Nagorno-Karabakh, which is located in the heart of Azerbaijan and is internationally recognized as the territory of Azerbaijan, but also other large territories of this country, Berisha said. Fully supporting the legitimate right of Azerbaijan to establish full sovereignty in all territories occupied for around three decades by Armenia, he called on the international community to engage with the utmost seriousness in the full resolution of this conflict. In accordance with international acts and laws the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia must end. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Florida Republican Matt Gaetz. (EPA) The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a symbolic bill committing its members to the peaceful transfer of power after the upcoming election but while 397 members voted for it, 5 Republicans voted no. The vote came on the same day as Donald Trumps first TV debate with Joe Biden, during which the president not only refused to guarantee an orderly transition but also declined to disavow white supremacy, while also telling the violent Proud Boys to stand back and stand by. The legislation as written reaffirms the House of Representatives' commitment to the orderly and peaceful transfer of power called for in the Constitution of the United States. Of the Houses 435 voting members, 397 voted to back it; many others were unable to vote or abstained. However, taking a stand against the bill were five Republicans: Floridas Matt Gaetz, Texass Louie Gohmert, Louisianas Clay Higgins, Iowas Steve King and Kentuckys Thomas Massie. Asked for comment on why he had voted no, Mr Massie replied: This resolution was a disingenuous political statement meant to poke the president in the eye. Isnt it interesting that speaker Pelosi and leader McCarthy didnt have the time or political willpower to take a recorded vote on the $2 trillion bailout package that passed in March, but theyre now happy to vote on this tripe? Mr Higgins, meanwhile, called the bill a Democrat stunt" and an attack against Mr Trump that falsely asserts an intention to resist a peaceful transition of executive power after an uncontested election result. Remarking that Democrats have refused to accept the results of the 2016 election, he said: I will continue to vote no on gimmicks and politically driven congressionsal actions that seek to further divide our nation. In fact, Hillary Clinton used her 2016 concession speech to specifically stress the importance of non-violent passage between presidents. I still believe in America, and I always will." she said. "And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power. Story continues "We don't just respect that. We cherish it. It also enshrines the rule of law; the principle we are all equal in rights and dignity; freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values, too, and we must defend them." During debate on the bill, Mr Gaetz one of Mr Trumps most pugnacious allies even by the standards of Capitol Hill began his caustic floor speech in similar terms. This resolution, he said, is a way for Democrats to attack the president and disguise the fact that they will refuse to accept the election results unless they win, he said. After a lengthy ramble on supposed Democratic hypocrisy when it comes to political integrity and violence, in which he cited examples of alleged ballot fraud and violence by left-wing Antifa goon squads and fascists in brown shirts, Mr Gaetz said the bill was part of the democrats' plan to lay the groundwork for a colour revolution. The ousting of an elected leader and calling it democracy. The term colour revolution has previously been heavily used in Russian state media to dismiss democratic revolutions in post-Soviet countries as the cynical work of Western nations. In recent weeks, particularly since an interview with a former Trump staffer on Fox News, it has entered the discourse of Trump allies discussing a supposed Democratic plot to steal the election and dislodge Mr Trump using the same methods. But that's not democracy, Mr Gaetz continued. It's nothing less than the destruction of our cherished nation. I unequivocally support the peaceful transfer of power but will vote no on this resolution, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. And I will pray that America survives the Democrats' mad and destructive lust for power. Mr Gohmert, Mr Higgins, and Mr King have all been contacted for comment. Read more What country are we in?: Biden blasts Trump for refusing to promise peaceful transfer of power Matt Gaetz: Twitter adds 'glorifying violence' label after Republican calls for Antifa to be 'hunted down' The Delaware County Emergency Services communications center in Lima was among scores of call centers nationally that could not receive 911 calls Monday night when something went wrong at a third-party routing company. Im aware that this happened to the entire state of Delaware, in Minnesota, in Florida, in New York, Delaware County Emergency Services Director Tim Boyce said Tuesday. It happened to all their providers. Luckily, Delaware County did not have any major emergencies during the approximately 35-minute outage, Boyce said, and the call center infrastructure itself was not affected so dispatchers had no trouble directing first responders when calls did start coming in again. Boyce explained that the call center is really the third ring on emergency calls. When residents call 911, they are first calling their carrier, which redirects the call to a national call directory center company. That company then forwards the call to the appropriate answering point for a designated area, said Boyce. This is how callers from Delco dont get a 911 center in Fresno, California, for example. There are only a few of these directory companies nationally, said Boyce. The one Delaware County has contracted with, Intrado, experienced an unknown failure at about 9:05 p.m., according to Boyce. Emergency Services staff recognized the problem fairly quickly due to a lag in 911 call volume and was able to contact providers to have them route emergency calls through different circuits, Boyce said. Calls were coming in again through a limited back-up system by 9:40 p.m., though they did not include some of the automatic geographical information to call takers that is normally provided. The Intrado system was back up and running again around 10 p.m., Boyce said. Representatives for Intrado did not return calls for comment Tuesday, but Boyce said there are some unanswered questions regarding the failure, including why the company did not immediately alert the 911 center. If you call 911 and it doesnt get through, the system is designed so that they alert us that we are not able to receive the calls, said Boyce. That did not happen last night. That added to somewhat of a delay for us restoring the system because we had to inform them that this was going on. And were informing them at the same time that centers all over the country are trying to get through to get this resolved. Boyce said he briefed the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency director responsible for 911 systems Tuesday morning and the federal Department of Homeland Security would also be briefed. We have not gotten a report from Intrado as to what happened, said Boyce. That is something that I am addressing. We have to make sure that theres a full investigation as to what the cause was so that we can plan contingencies and work around it. Boyce said Intrado, formerly West Communications, has had a contract with the county since 2009. This was the third failure event in the four years since Boyce has been director, he said, including failures of service providers. Boyce said the last time Intrado experienced a failure like this, sometime within the past two years, the company gave assurances that problems would be fixed and redundancies would be built into the system. I understand that in the technology world, things can fail, said Boyce. I dont understand failing the responsibility to communicate in real time with us so that we can put our backup plans into play. Thats the part that needs to be examined this time. Thats got to be addressed. Intrado entered a $1.4 million settlement with the Federal Communications Commission in 2015 for a massive 911 outage in April 2014 that prevented more than 11 million people in seven states from being able to reach emergency call centers, according to an FCC release. CenturyLink, a similar company that had subcontracted to Intrado, paid a $16 million settlement for that outage, which resulted in more than 6,600 missed 911 calls over a period of more than six hours. The FCC concluded that the outage was preventable if the providers had implemented basic safeguards and that the providers failed to provide timely notifications to the affected emergency call centers, the release said. Boyce said there are protocols to alert the public to use different lines of communication when failures do occur, but the system was back up and running before a decision to activate those alerts became necessary. I think the problem is just how technology dependent we are, he said. While we do plan for infrastructure failures from fires or things in the building, there always does seem to be, with any technology, this single point of failure that were trying to address. Boyce noted very few local police departments are staffed around the clock to take emergency calls anymore, so the loss of the ability for residents to make 911 calls is a critical event for his office. I am pleased at our ability to redirect the calls and service, he said. Once we were aware of the scope of the problem, it did not take long. I dont know if other centers across the country were able to get back up and running as quickly as we were. Im not happy about one second being lost, but I am happy that we were able to restore service so quickly. In-Game Collaboration Now Live with Limited Time Events Free-to-play gaming titan, Nexon, today announced it has entered into a partnership with leading car manufacturer, Hyundai, adding a new kart to its exhilarating mobile racer game KartRider Rush+. Hyundai and Nexon's in-game collaboration features exciting content modeled after Hyundai's new sport sedan, the SONATA N Line available now in-game. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005298/en/ KartRider Rush+ Partners with Hyundai Motor Company to Unveil New SONATA N Line Kart (Graphic: Business Wire) Nexon's partnership with Hyundai marks the first in-game collaboration for KartRider Rush+ and is designed to provide the gaming community a fun experience on the tracks with a kart modeled after the best-selling Sonata. The partnership includes a new in-game kart, called the SONATA N Line, that features its very own kart plate and balloon displaying the logo showcasing the unique kart. "Partnering with Hyundai adds immense value to KartRider Rush+, giving players the chance to engage with and race in a kart that is modeled after such a well-known and high-performance vehicle," said Kenny Chang, General Manager of Nexon America, Inc. "Hyundai is among the most creative and forward thinking manufacturers in the automobile industry and we are thrilled to be able to bring the SONATA N Line to life in our mobile experience." In celebration of the exciting partnership, players can participate in limited-time events until October 18th to gain SONATA N Line Shards. These shards can be exchanged for exclusive rewards such as N Line Balloons, N Line Plates, a 30-day SONATA N Line kart or a permanent SONATA N Line kart. Beginning September 28, players who log-in during the event period can collect N Line Shards through item quests, including: Daily logins Daily multi-player race Daily ranked race Log-in for 7 days in a row Play 10 total multiplayer races Play 20 total multiplayer races To download KartRider Rush+, visit the Apple App Store or Google Play and follow @KRRushPlus on Twitter for the latest updates and information. Press Assets: KartRider Rush+ X Hyundai Social Media: Twitch Facebook Twitter InstagramYouTube About KartRider Rush+https://kartrush.nexon.com Based on the popular online gaming phenomenon, KartRider, KartRider Rush+ is a free-to-play kart racing mobile game delivering all the racing action of its namesake on iOS and Android devices. With gorgeous 3D graphics, KartRider Rush+ offers players robust tracks, karts and game modes, just like its online counterpart accommodating every level, from racing novice to drifting champion. About Nexon America Inc. http://www.nexon.net/corporate/about-nexon/ Founded in 2005, Nexon America Inc. delivers outstanding free-to-play online game expertise and live game support, taking the strengths of NEXON Co., Ltd. ("Nexon") and applying them for uniquely western audiences. Nexon America has consistently sustained iconic franchises such as MapleStory and Mabinogi for more than a decade, which have gone on to break records and captivate players. With new projects on the horizon, Nexon America maintains the pioneering and innovative spirit of its parent company, employing its player-first approach, while designing the best possible gameplay experiences for the western market. About Hyundai Motor Company http://worldwide.hyundai.com/ Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company offers a range of world-class vehicles and mobility services in more than 200 countries. Hyundai Motor sold more than 4.4 million vehicles globally in 2019, and currently employs some 120,000 personnel worldwide. The company is enhancing its product lineup with vehicles designed to help usher in a more sustainable future, while offering innovative solutions to real-world mobility challenges. Through the process Hyundai aims to facilitate 'Progress for Humanity' with smart mobility solutions that vitalize connections between people and provide quality time to its customers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005298/en/ Contacts: Nexon America Cynthia Lezama clezama@nexon.com He was instrumental in taking public the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in the state. Back then, nearly four decades ago, it was an indoor affair Chennai: Ramagopalan, veteran RSS pracharak and founder organiser of Hindu Munnani and the force behind popularising public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Tamil Nadu, died in Chennai on Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19. The 94 year-old leader was not keeping well for some time and had been admitted to a private hospital in Chennai on 26 September with complaints of pneumonia and later tested positive for coronavirus, the Munnani said. Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami, DMK president MK Stalin and state BJP president L Murugan among others condoled the death. Among the earliest batch of full time workers of the RSS in Tamil Nadu, Ramagopalan took forward the Sangh's field work beginning in the late 1940's along with late RSS stalwarts of the era like "Shivaramji" and Suryanarayan Rao. Following the infamous Mandaikadu communal riots in the early 1980's in Kanyakumari district, he founded the Hindu Munnani along with former MP, P Thanulinga Nadar (the first state president of the outfit) which over the years evolved as a key front of the RSS in the state. Ramagopalan gave the Munnani a distinctive style of work that focused on bringing together people on the basis of a slew of public events including the 'Thiruvilakku' pooja to take forward the Sangh's ideology. He was instrumental in the public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi, which was till then an indoor affair in the state, as a public festival nearly four decades ago. Ramagopalan was hailed as 'Thennatu Thilakar" (Tilak of the south) by his admirers for organising the festival. "Sivalaya ottam' (a run to Shiva temples) a form of public celebration of Mahashivrathri, famous in Kanyakumari was extended to other parts of Tamil Nadu by him. Unlike the parent body, the RSS, the Munnani held regular public meetings on important current topics. A bachelor, Ramagopalan was known for his simple yet powerful public speeches in Tamil. He had survived a couple of attempts on his life during his long life. He shaped and trained a generation of RSS workers including Tamil Nadu BJP's senior leader L Ganesan, who became a 'pracharak' inspired by the leader. Also, former Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, a former Munnani office-bearer in his formative years, always had regarded Ramagopala as a guru. "The first test revealed he had no coronavirus infection, but he tested positive in the second test. And since the last two days, the doctors attending on him tried their best to save him," Kadeswara C Subramaniam, state president of Hindu Munnani, said. Born on 19 September, 1927 in Sirkazhi in then Tanjore district, Ramagopalan, an AMIE diploma holder, quit his job in the Electricity department and became a full-time RSS volunteer in 1945. He was responsible for the gradual growth of RSS throughout Tamil Nadu and rose to the stature of regional campaigner (states) of the saffron movement. He survived an attack on his life at the Madurai railway station in 1984 which left him with severe cuts on his neck and head. He had always worn a saffron cap since then to cover the deep cut marks. Murugan also recalled the attack on Ramagopalan, while mourning his death. In his condolence message, Purohit said he was saddened to know about the demise of Ramagopalan. "Fondly known as Veera Thuravi (brave saint), he dedicated his entire life span for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu. His demise is an irreparable loss to the people of Tamil Nadu and particularly workers and followers of Hindu Munnani," the governor said. Palaniswami said the Hindu Munnani founder was involved in the freedom struggle and has been a guiding force for the organisation. File image Stakeholders had expressed concerns over indirect foreign ownership of the proposed umbrella entity for retail payments, before the framework was released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Foreign ownership of the entity was an issue raised by stakeholders in their comments on the draft guidelines, Mint reported citing documents obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story. Also read: RBI releases framework for umbrella entity for retail payments The central bank had in August proposed a framework for a pan-India umbrella entity for retail payments, which is similar to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Any foreign investment in the company will need approval from the relevant authorities, as specified under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). The payments system is "expected to interact and be interoperable, to the extent possible, with the systems operated by NPCI," RBI said in a notification. "All entities eligible to apply as promoter / promoter group of the umbrella entity shall be owned and controlled by resident Indian citizens," the central bank added. Some stakeholders recommended restricting foreign ownership at 25 percent, and some believed that allowing such entities to run India's payment systems could hurt national interests, Mint reported. "These foreign-funded companies, if they participate in setting up the umbrella entity, would lead to passing off control to foreign entities indirectly. Although it won't be a direct control, there will be significant influence of funding giants like SoftBank, Tiger Global and alike which could prove detrimental to the interest of the public at large," one comment said, as quoted by the paper. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will convene its 22nd session from Oct. 13 to 17 in Beijing. The decision was made on Tuesday at a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee, which was presided over by Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. According to the proposed agenda, lawmakers will review at the session a draft biosecurity law, a draft export control law, a draft Yangtze River conservation law, a draft support for veterans law, a draft personal information protection law and a draft coast guard law. They are expected to deliberate a draft amendment to the Patent Law, a draft revision to the Law on the Protection of Minors, draft amendments to the National Flag Law and the National Emblem Law, a draft amendment to the Criminal Law and a draft revision to the Administrative Penalty Law. A draft amendment to the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses, a draft revision to the Wildlife Protection Law and a draft revision to the National Defense Law will also be reviewed, according to the proposed agenda. STATEMENT ON FOOD SECURITY BY PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA AT HARAMBEE HOUSE, NAIROBI ON TUESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges to agricultural-based livelihoods and food security in Kenya. We are glad to note that various mitigation measures that were undertaken by all relevant stakeholders and therefore availability, access and affordability was attained. To further improve on this situation and after consulting with relevant stakeholders including Governors in our maize growing region I direct as follows: 1. To ensure that our farmers are able to dry and sell their maize with minimal post-harvest losses, I do direct that maize drying charges at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) be reviewed downward by 50%, from the current Ksh 40/- per unit to Ksh. 20/ per unit. 2. The National Government will also make sure that maize driers are made available to all maize growing areas by the coming season. These driers will be community-based and therefore will be managed by groups of farmers/cooperatives at the community level. This will ensure that farmers are able to store or sell their maize at the appropriate moisture content and thus contribute to enhance farmers income. 3. Our National Cereals and Produce Board has stores across the country that are currently not in use. I therefore direct that NCPB avail these stores to our farmers and farmer groups and traders for storage at an affordable cost. NCPB will therefore be required to review the current storage charges from the current Ksh. 10/- per bag per month to Ksh. 3/- per bag per month. 4. I also direct that the recommended minimum maize selling price by the farmer to be Ksh. 2, 500/- per 90kg bag and require that the Ministry enforces these prices. 5. The above interventions will therefore mean that the Country will have sufficient maize and therefore there will be no maize imports from outside COMESA/EAC region. The millers are therefore directed to ensure that they prioritize mapping and mopping up of all the maize that is available locally. 6. I also direct that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries Cooperatives to engage with input suppliers to ensure that all inputs are available across the country at affordable prices within one (1) month from this date, before the next planting season. 7. I also note that there are outstanding payments due to the maize farmers and I therefore direct that payments to genuine farmers and traders who supplied maize to NCPB to be concluded by the end of this week, Friday, 2nd October 2020 8. I also direct that wheat millers buy all the locally available wheat stocks before importing additional stock from outside the country. And I further direct that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and cooperatives ensures that all this is a conditional precedent before allowing importation. 9. I would also like to say that we had a very productive meeting the Governors of Kilifi and Tana River where we discussed the issue of Galana-Kulalu farm and its future. And we have agreed to work on a program that will involve how, first and foremost, this farm can be subdivided so that the local communities are able to benefit and start participating in our food security situation in the country. And also how our herders can access for their livestock, and also how to commercialize the remaining part of the farm also to enhance food security across the country. Gov. Doug Burgum on Wednesday returned the long-lost military identification tag of a North Dakota soldier to his widow. Ron Hepper, a 1967 Selfridge High School graduate, served a tour of duty with the Army's 196th Light Infantry Brigade. In June 1969, a blast from a hand grenade blew off his boots during combat in Vietnam. He had kept his ID tags in his boots, and he awoke in a hospital with no boots or dog tags. Doctors saved his legs, which had been wounded from shrapnel. Hepper received the Purple Heart. He returned home and ranched near Isabel, S.D. He and his wife, Ruth, moved to Bismarck to be closer to family. Ron Hepper died in 2007 at age 58. He is buried at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan. An American traveling in Russia purchased the tag from a street vendor in Moscow and delivered it to the American Embassy, which relayed the tag to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which contacted the governor's office in North Dakota. It's unknown how the tag came to be in Russia. While we wish we were able to return these tags to Ron himself, we are thankful for the opportunity and tremendous honor to present this keepsake to Ruth on behalf of a grateful state and nation," Burgum said in a statement. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The father of a young Ontario boy with a rare genetic disease is asking the federal government to help fund research that could treat his childs condition, saying the support is particularly needed since the COVID-19 pandemic has made it tough to raise donations. Terry Pirovolakis said his two-year-old son Michael was diagnosed last year with SPG50, an extremely rare disorder that causes a loss of mobility and a decline in brain functions over time. His family has been raising money for research that could help develop treatment for Michael but the pandemic has meant many planned fundraising events had to be cancelled, he said. Its been very difficult because we had to stop all of our fundraising campaigns, Pirovolakis said. Were all in the same situation where our lives are turned upside down but ours is a bit more complex, where were trying to build a cure. The family noticed Michael was not meeting his milestones as a baby, Pirovolakis said. After many tests and doctors appointments, the young boy was diagnosed with the disease that could lead to developmental delays and confine him to a wheelchair by the age of 10, the family said. Determined to help their son, the Pirovolakis family has been trying to raise money to get the child into experimental treatment. The family had put on events that included a golf tournament, a gala and a Christmas market to fundraise last year, but can now only rely largely on online campaigns such as their GoFundMe page while COVID-19 restrictions are still in place, Pirovolakis said. In an effort to keep raising funds and awareness for their sons condition, Pirovolakis said he planned to bike from Pickering, Ont., to Ottawa starting on Saturday and has asked to meet with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau next week. Were seeing if theres any way that we can get some sort of funding from the federal government, he said. Hopefully, well meet Mr. Trudeau and bring awareness and bring funding and support not just for my son, but for the other children affected by this disease. The family has raised almost $1.6 million so far but is hoping to raise $3 million. Pirovolakis said research on SPG50 is being conducted in several hospitals outside Canada and involves gene therapy. Alex Wellstead, a spokesman for the prime ministers office, said the government is in contact with the family. It is truly inspiring to see the love and dedication that the Pirovolaskis have for their son Michael and the hard work theyve put towards this campaign, he said in an email. We will let you know when we have more to say. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 30, 2020. --- Online: --- This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A team from the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) of the University of Valencia has succeeded in synthesizing a new porous material that enables and guides the degradation of compounds analogous to nerve agents used in chemical warfare. This material will make it possible to capture and degrade this type of compounds that until now could not be eliminated. The work has been published in magazine Chem. Nerve agents are highly toxic chemicals that poison the body's central nervous system and prevent it from working properly. They act quickly and their effects range from dizziness to death in the most extreme cases. An example of these agents is Sarin, a synthetic compound classified as a weapon of mass destruction and used in terrorist attacks such as the Tokyo subway in 1995 or, more recently, the 2013 Ghouta massacre in the framework of the Syrian War. Currently, the reference material to capture these gases is activated carbon, which allows them to be retained, but not eliminated. The ICMol team led by Carlos Marti-Gastaldo, FuniMAT, works with porous materials called MOFs (Metal-Organic Frameworks) whose versatility makes it possible to create design materials by modifying their properties. In this way, they have succeeded in synthesizing a new family of highly efficient and chemically stable MOFs (MUV-101) that are capable of degrading a Sarin gas analogue in a way that is very similar to enzymes, the biological catalysts par excellence. "On a laboratory scale, we use nerve agent analogues to avoid the problems derived from their obvious toxicity. That is why we are working with foreign defense agencies to certify that this degradation can be extrapolated to Sarin gas itself," explains Marti-Gastaldo. FuniMAT. Credit: Instituto de Ciencia Molecular - ICMol The stability and efficiency of these designed molecular buildings has been achieved thanks to the incorporation of titanium and iron in their structure. The study published in magazine Chem shows that both metals together have a much higher activity than they would have separately, thus achieving a cooperative catalysis that enables an efficient degradation of the nerve agent in water, without the need for any specific or additive medium for the reaction to take place. These new materials, partially created and developed by Javier Castells, Natalia M. Padial, Neyvis Almora, Maria Romero and Sergio Tatay, have already been patented and can easily be integrated into protective suits or gas masks. For this reason, they can be of great interest in security matters, both in the defense of countries against threats of chemical warfare, and the environment, as well as for personal protection against strong insecticides or the decontamination of waters. Explore further Nanomaterial fabric destroys nerve agents in battlefield-relevant conditions More information: Javier Castells-Gil et al. Heterometallic Titanium-Organic Frameworks as Dual-Metal Catalysts for Synergistic Non-buffered Hydrolysis of Nerve Agent Simulants, Chem (2020). Journal information: Chem Javier Castells-Gil et al. Heterometallic Titanium-Organic Frameworks as Dual-Metal Catalysts for Synergistic Non-buffered Hydrolysis of Nerve Agent Simulants,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2020.09.002 SIUs 2020 New Faces performances will have a new twist by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. Southern Illinois University Carbondales Department of Theater on Saturday will introduce audiences to this years new theater majors through a bit of a twist virtual performances. New Faces 2020 is an evening of short plays and the opportunity to meet students who are new to the universitys theater department. The online performances, written by student playwrights and directed by student directors, will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 3. The students will be performing from various locations via Zoom with the presentations streamed over YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=iCRIyzHsow8&feature=youtu.be Plays explore Conspiracy Theories Lavinia Roberts, a masters student in playwriting, said this years theme, Conspiracy Theories, is comprised of short plays and musical numbers. There are 29 theater students involved: 13 new theater students who will perform; eight old faces or upperclassmen directing the plays, and eight graduate and doctoral-level students who are playwrights. The entire process took two weeks. The playwrights, directors, and actors discussed the theme. The playwrights wrote the plays considering the strengths of the actors and the theme as discussed by the group, Roberts said. Typically, the annual event is in the C.H. Moe Theatre on campus. Part of the challenge, according to Roberts, was for writers to utilize and write for a different medium with Zoom. Creative teams are embracing Zoom to create engaging and creative content, she said. Doing New Faces online gives actors the opportunity to act for the screen which is a different medium and a different skill set than acting on stage, she said. Directors will be considering props, the actors background, and costuming as part of the creative process. Here is a list, by hometowns, of the SIU Carbondale students who are 2020 New Faces. Illinois Arlington Heights: Carolyn Ridler. Beecher: Lucas Reilly. Beecher: Lucas Reilly. Belleville: Luke Schauster, publicity, graphic design and technical. Champaign: Amariya Thompson. Chicago: Dwayne Freeman, Jr. Downers Grove: Caroline Ostrum. Du Quoin: Ara Rice. Harrisburg: Carter Reed Riverside: Nicholas Zia. South Holland: Terrisha Adams. Florida Orlando: Gillian Corpuz. Missouri Charles: Sabrina Holtgrewe. Tennessee Memphis: Jessica Lively. Wisconsin DeForest: Lyndsey Bergman. Roberts said the program will be impactful and a chance for the audience to see some of the creative talent on campus. This really is an opportunity to introduce these new performers to the SIU and Carbondale community, she said. By Trend Over the period from September 27 to the morning on September 30, about 2,300 manpower of the Armenian Armed Forces were neutralized and wounded, about 130 tanks and other armored vehicles, more than 200 artillery and rocket launchers of multiple launch rocket launchers, mortars, about 25 air defense systems, 6 command and control, and command and observation posts, 5 ammunition depots, about 50 anti-tank weapons, 55 units of motor vehicles were destroyed, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend. On Sept. 29, during the fighting in the Shushakend village of the Khojali region, one S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of the Armenian Armed Forces was disabled. "The Armenian armed forces, who mobilized additional forces in the direction of Madagiz in order to regain the lost positions, made an attempt to attack from the early morning of September 30. These actions were suppressed and Azerbaijani troops conduct a counterattack to break his resistance. Currently, hostilities are being conducted along the entire front," the ministry said in a statement. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. LATEST Sept. 30, 7:45 p.m. The Glass Fire has grown to 51,266 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties and is just 2% contained, according to an update from Cal Fire issued Wednesday evening. Sept. 30, 7:35 p.m. New evacuation orders and warnings were issued Wednesday evening as the Glass Fire continues to rage in Napa County, according to Cal Fire. The new evacuation order applies to: The areas between Old Lawley Toll Road and Pope Valley Road from Ink Grade Road to Aetna Springs Road All recreational areas in or near Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, including Table Rock Trail, Palisades Trail and Oat Hill Mine Trail, are closed Highway 29 from Tubbs Lane to the Lake County line will remain open to vehicle traffic, Cal Fire said. The new evacuation warning applies to: All areas north of Aetna Springs Road, extending west to the Robert Louis Stevenson trail head on Highway 29 to the Lake County line, between Highway 29 and west of Butts Canyon Road All addresses on Highway 29 from Tubbs Lane to the Lake County line and Ol Tawley Toll Road West of Highway 29 from the Calistoga city limits to the Lake County line North ofHighway 128 from the Calistoga city limits to the Sonoma County line Sept. 30, 12:15 p.m. Two firefighters narrowly escaped flames without injury in Napa County on Sunday night, but several transport vehicles were heavily damaged, Cal Fire officials said in a Wednesday press briefing. The firefighters were on an active portion of the fire in Napa County where intense fire conditions, fueled by gusty offshore winds, forced them to take refuge in fire shelters, said Cal Fire Deputy Chief Jonathan Cox of the incident that occurred 11:45 p.m. Sunday. Cox said new evacuation warnings issued Wednesday morning in Napa County show that the fire isn't over. Firefighters are preparing for winds to pick up Thursday into Friday, focusing on building containment lines and protecting structures on Wednesday under more favorite weather conditions. "Were looking at a similar wind event to when this fire first ignited three days ago," Cal Fire Incident Commander Billy See said. "Were preparing for the worst-case scenario and hoping for the best. Our firefighters will be working to maintain lines." Ahead of the wind event, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the North Bay mountains 1 p.m. Thursday through 6 p.m. Friday with gusts up to 30 mph possible at the highest elevations. "This wind event is going to be serious enough for everyone to pay attention," added Santa Rosa Fire Chief Anthony Gossner. "You need to pay attention. Its vital. Everyone keeps asking how serious is it? We dont know how serious it will be until it happens." Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mark Brunton gave an update on areas of concern and said flames are threatening the community of Calistoga, with fire in the hillside above the town in the northern Napa Valley. "We have resources there actively suppressing fire and doing structure defense," said Brunton. The fire pushed around the community of Angwin, east of Calistoga in the hills. "Its still intact and hasnt been affected by fire," he said. Firefighters are putting out hot spots in the Highway 29 and Highway 12 corridors and these areas remain a concern. Gossner said crews are still putting out hot spots surrounding the retirement community of Oakmont. "There's still significant properties were dealing with out there," he said. Cal Fire Sept. 30, 11 a.m. New evacuation warnings were issued for Napa County at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday for residents living in the following areas: All areas west of Highway 29 from Whitehall Lane to Madrona, including areas within the city of St. Helena and all residences on Whitehall Lane. All areas between Silverado Trail and Highway 29 from Zinfandel Lane to Larkmead Lane, including areas within the city of St. Helena. All other evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect. Find evacuation order updates here. Sept. 30, 7:30 a.m. The Glass Fire continues to spread its fiery claws across Napa and Sonoma counties and triggered new evacuations in Napa County on Tuesday night. Residents in areas west of State Route 29 and State Route 128 (Foothill Boulevard) to the county line, between Diamond Mountain Road and Petrified Forest Road, were told to leave immediately. The order upgraded a previous evacuation warning. With a warm, dry air mass overhead, the blaze burned actively overnight, increasing 1,800 acres in size and bringing the total burn area to 48,440 acres, according to Cal Fire's Wednesday morning incident update. Containment stands at 2%. Eighty homes have been destroyed; 28 of them are in Sonoma County and 52 in Napa County. There are still 22,553 structures threatened. Favorable weather conditions helped with the firefighting effort Tuesday afternoon and crews started building containment lines. Similar conditions with morning fog and hot afternoon temperatures are expected today, but the weather will deteriorate Thursday with desiccating winds and scorching heat back in the forecast. The National Weather Service has a fire weather watch in effect for the North Bay mountains 1 p.m. Thursday through 6 p.m. Friday, with northwest gusts of up to 30 mph possible at the highest elevations. The winds will be onshore and blowing in a northwesterly direction and any portions of the fire's east zone without containment lines could be impacted, according to the NWS. The Napa-Sonoma inferno began with the Glass Fire at 3:50 a.m. Sunday on the 200 block of North Fork Crystal Springs Road in Deer Park near St. Helena. Two more blazes sprung up the Shady and Boysen fires west of St. Helena on Sunday night and quickly merged with the Glass Fire on Monday. This area about 45 miles north of San Francisco is once again facing devastation as it nears the third anniversary of deadly wildfires that erupted in 2017, including one that killed 22 people. Just a month ago, many of those same residents were evacuated from the path of the lightning-sparked LNU Complex that became the fourth-largest wildfire in state history. Our firefighters have not had much of a break, and these residents have not had much of a break, said Cal Fire assistant deputy director Daniel Berlant. Flames roared across hills Sunday into Monday, destroying several homes in eastern Santa Rosa's Skyhawk neighborhood including "at least a dozen homes on the stretch of Mountain Hawk between Brigadoon Way and Nighthawk Drive," according to the Press Democrat, which posted video footage on YouTube showing hot spots in Skyhawk. The blaze jumped Highway 12 into Oakmont, triggering evacuations in the senior community. "We had explosive fire growth of the Glass Fire as it was able to establish a foothold on the west side of the Napa Valley and burn approximately 4 miles during the course of about six hours overnight to where it finally ended up this morning in the community of Oakmont and trying to push into Annadel State Park," Cal Fire Division Chief Ben Nicholls said in a Monday press briefing. Homes were destroyed and an elementary school severely damaged in Deer Park, the small community north of St. Helena. Nearby, flames engulfed the 40-year-old Chateau Boswell Winery and the Black Rock Inn on the Silverado Trail in St. Helena. The Napa County Office of Emergency Services said 64 wineries sit within the evacuation or evacuation warning areas. California has been devastated by a record-breaking wildfire season in 2020. More than 8,100 California wildfires have now killed 29 people, scorched 5,780 square miles, and destroyed more than 7,000 buildings. There are currently 27 significant wildfires burning throughout California. As flames continue to ravage the state's parched landscape, Newsom declared a state of emergency for Shasta, Napa and Sonoma counties late Monday because of the fires that "have burned tens of thousands of acres, destroyed homes and critical infrastructure and caused the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents," according to a press release. MORE WILDFIRE COVERAGE: 'I'm fully in shock': Chefs react to Napa restaurant burning down Several Napa Valley wineries damaged, destroyed in Glass Fire Napa Valley's famed castle loses building containing all of its bottled wine Map: See where wildfires are burning in the North Bay Nearly 200,000 Californians in the dark amid more wildfires After confusing reports, not all of Meadowood Resort is destroyed Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com. AMSTERDAM, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- JetSupport, in partnership with PAL Aerospace, is pleased to be awarded a contract to provide and support maritime surveillance aircraft and services for the Netherlands Coastguard. This new contract, executed under the authority of the Defence Material Organization of the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands, will see JetSupport and PAL Aerospace modify and deliver two fully missionized DHC-8 aircraft, provide crew training on all systems and support the operation of the aircraft for an initial ten-year period with an option to extend for two additional one-year terms. "Winning this contract in partnership with PAL Aerospace confirms our status as a leading provider of technical services and support solutions for the aerospace industry in the Netherlands," said Ton van Deursen, Managing Director of JetSupport. "We are excited to be a part of the team selected to deliver these vital aircraft and look forward to continuing our support of the Netherlands Coastguard in this essential operation for the next decade." These aircraft will be missionized primarily for the purpose of providing air reconnaissance capacity in the North Sea for the Netherlands Coastguard. The aircraft's tasks will include support for search and rescue, law enforcement and surveillance activities as well as other missions such as "out of area" deployments in support of FRONTEX. "PAL Aerospace's partnership with JetSupport on this vital project solidifies our presence in the European intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance market and deepens our relationship with the Netherlands," said Jake Trainor, Chief Executive Officer of the PAL Group of Companies. "We are excited to work with JetSupport to foster innovation and refine best practices to our mutual benefit, making us a more competitive partnership to pursue additional future work." About JetSupport: JetSupport is based at Schiphol Amsterdam, The Netherlands. A privately owned Dutch company, JetSupport has been a leading independent provider of MRO services and support solutions for international business aviation and special mission aircraft for over 20 years. JetSupport's Line and Base Maintenance capacity extends across multiple aircraft types including Cessna, Dassault, Gulfstream, Bombardier, King Air and Dornier. JetSupport operates over 12,000 sqm of hangar, office, and lounge space at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, provides aircraft and component services with FAA/ESA/TCCA approvals and has maintained the current Netherlands Coastguard Dornier 228 fleet since 2003. JetSupport prides itself on flexibility, honesty, and customer focus. For more information, please visit https://www.jetsupport.nl/ About PAL Aerospace: A proud member of the Exchange Income Corporation family of companies, PAL Aerospace is a Canadian-owned and operated international aerospace and defence company. With a focus on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, in-service support solutions and aircraft engineering and modification, PAL Aerospace is recognized by governments, militaries and industry for on time/on budget delivery and high reliability rates. PAL's record of accomplishment now extends to operations and deliveries around the globe. PAL Aerospace offers a single point of accountability for its programs and takes pride in being the trusted choice for clients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.palaerospace.com Media contact-JetSupport, Ton van Deursen, +31 (0)20 502-2280, gba@jetsupport.nl; Media contact-PAL Aerospace, Joseph Galimberti, +1-709-753-3521, Joseph.galimberti@provincialaerospace.com MailOnline has been inundated with emails from people who had already jetted into Sin City from across the US, Canada , Mexico, the UK and Europe to see the star, who is making a record-breaking $685,000 (500,000) per gig before merchandising. Adele announced the decision in a tearful Instagram video, apologising and telling fans: 'I'm so upset and I'm really embarrassed. We've been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and Covid. Half my crew and team are [ill] with Covid and still are, and it's been impossible to finish the show'. PR guru Mark Borkowski told MailOnline the last minute cancellation was a 'disaster' for the singer, saying: 'It's not great for Adele and I think she knows it', adding: 'Her response seemed very authentic. I guess it's down to whether the fans believe her word'. He said Adele will have to do something to appease her angry supporters, and fast. Ticketmaster are urging people to 'hang on to their tickets' for new dates predicted to be between April and June - but says they will give refunds. But many are already in Vegas having travelled thousands of miles to be there for the opening night, demanding the singer covers the thousands of dollars they have already laid out on flights and hotel rooms they have no hope of getting refunds for, A British fan called David posted a photo from outside Caesars Palace just after the shows were axed. He tweeted: 'Christmas gift gone pear shaped as my wife and daughter are on the way to meet me in Vegas and unfortunately Adele has had to cancel'. Gillian Rowland-Kain, 32, was already on her flight to Las Vegas from New York with her twin sister (together left) when she found out about the cancellation via social media. The attorney from Brooklyn said: 'I was furious that Adele waited so last minute to make this call. Her lack of notice is astounding. I'm angry and frustrated'. By Trend An end must be put to the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories, former Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsun Pakayin wrote on his Twitter page, Trend reports on Sept. 30. The continuation of the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories has neither logical nor legal grounds, Pakayin added. It is difficult to understand Armenias recent statements on the recognition of the "independence" of the so-called regime. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Kolkata: Expressing concern over the news about H1B visa in the United States, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said it is the duty of the Indian government to protect the interests of Indian IT companies and IT professionals abroad. News about H-1B visas is concerning. We must protect our IT companies and professionals and give them full support. India is proud of the world-class talent of its IT techies. It is our duty to secure their interests, she said in a tweet. After the reports that US President Donald Trump is set to sign a new executive order aimed at overhauling H-1B and described it as part of a larger immigration reform effort, India on Tuesday said it has conveyed its interests and concerns to the US. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US firms to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology firms depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The parallels are certainly really striking, said Roberts, 68, a former editor at The Washington Post who lives in Garrett Park, Md. One of the reasons I started to write the book was that even before things got really crazed in the political realm, it looked like American democracy was in trouble. There were so many things going on that seemed to be unraveling. Institutions were on the brink. And the last time we went through a period where it felt like the country was going off the rails was the 60s and early 70s. Joe Biden stirred up both praise and criticism on social media after using the Arabic and Farsi phrase One of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's most well-known character traits is his colourful way of speaking; sometimes he's telling stories about being a teenager at a swimming pool, sometimes he's reminiscing about how his dad used to drive cars, sometimes he's putting his foot in his mouth, and sometimes he's resurrecting decades old words like "malarkey" and plastering them across buses. During Tuesday night's debates, he added a new phrase to his ever shifting lexicon - "Inshallah." Mr Biden deployed the phrase in a testy exchange with Donald Trump regarding his still-unreleased tax returns. "Millions of dollars, and you'll get to see it," Mr Trump said, when asked how much he paid in taxes. Biden dropped an "Inshallah" at the debate. pic.twitter.com/DLrGWR3eGb Waleed Shahid (@_waleedshahid) September 30, 2020 "When?" Mr Biden replied. "Inshallah?" The invocation of the Arabic phrase by the 77-year-old, white, Roman Catholic man from Pennsylvania, did not go unnoticed on social media. Anyone know where Biden got his "inshAllah" line from and how he managed to deploy it in an appropriately sarcastic way? #justaskin Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 30, 2020 Did Biden just say "inshallah"? Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) September 30, 2020 the way Biden said inshallah and how he meant it the same way my parents do... https://t.co/rkTwsqQF5P pic.twitter.com/eHFemWPIHN Jad () (@jadhmusic) September 30, 2020 Mr Biden's campaign confirmed later on Tuesday that yes, he did use inshallah to respond to Mr Trump about his tax returns. Story continues The phrase means "God willing" in Arabic and Farsi, but is used more colloquially as a non-committal response, akin to "not going to happen", "if it ever happens," or as writer Wajahat Ali put it, the "Arabic version of fuggedaboudit." Reaction to his use of the phrase was mixed. Some found it endearing that a political candidate was using Arab American colloquialisms on the national stage, while others criticised his use, likening it to transparent and insulting pandering, or, worse, as disrespectful to Mulsims. Sahid Hamid, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and a contributing writer at The Atlantic, was pleased with Mr Biden's use of the phrase. "If my parents had told me when I was growing up that a major presidential candidate would one day say the words 'inshallah' in a nationally televised debate, I would have assumed they were crazy. But anything is possible in 2020," he wrote. Bas, a rapper in Queens, New York who is French with Sudanese heritage, praised Mr Biden as well. Did Biden just hit him with a inshallah? That's all I needed to hear!!" he wrote. On the other side, some users were already imagining the meandering op-eds explaining how an elderly white man using an Arabic phrase counts as representation. Whoevers writing that op-ed about feeling seen because Biden said inshallah, I urge you to spare your community the embarrassment please, Asad Dandia, a Columbia University graduate student, tweeted. Meriam Masmoudi, a political activist, likened the phrase to table scraps being tossed to the American Muslim community at a time when violence against them has been increasing throughout the country. "It's so disheartening that the best thing the Biden campaign seems to be able to offer Muslim Americans in the midst of an uptick in islamophobic violence is an offhand, completely inappropriately applied 'inshallah' in the debate," she wrote. Though the US Muslim population is relatively small - only about 1 per cent of the US electorate - they account for large populations in swing states like Michigan, Ohio and Florida. Over the summer, Mr Biden held a virtual meeting with more than 3,000 Muslim leaders through the Emgage Action advocacy group. During the meeting, he said he wished public schools did more to educate students on the Islamic faith. "One of the things that I think is important: I wish, I wish we taught more in our schools about the Islamic faith," Mr Biden said. "What people don't realise is ... we all come from the same root here, in terms of our fundamental basic beliefs." He has also pledged to end Mr Trump's controversial "Muslim ban" on the first day of his presidency. Read more The Latest: Biden says he would represent all Americans U.S. Sen. Tim Scott believes Donald Trump misspoke during Tuesday night's presidential debate when he refused to condemn white supremacy and directly addressed a prominent far-right group to stand back and stand by." Moderator Chris Wallace gave Trump a chance during the forum to condemn organizations that were inciting violence. When Trump asked for one he should speak out against, Democrat Joe Biden suggested "The Proud Boys" an alt-right self-described western chauvinist group. Instead of condemning them, Trump told the group to stand back and stand by" and blamed liberals for the violence in many cities. Scott, R-S.C., the lone Black Republican in the Senate, told reporters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday he believed Trump made a mistake and didn't say what he intended. White supremacy should be denounced at every turn," Scott said. "I think the president misspoke, and he needs to correct it. If he doesnt correct it, I guess he didnt misspeak. Trump's reaction was regarded by many viewers as the most notable comment of the night and created a flurry of tweets, headlines and criticism that he was giving the group an endorsement. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tweeted Wednesday he agree with Scott and that Trump needed "to make it clear Proud Boys is a racist organization antithetical to American ideals." Late Wednesday afternoon, as he was preparing to head to Minnesota, Trump didn't retract the statement but told reporters he didn't know anything about the far-right group. "I've always denounced any form of any of that," he said. "I don't know who Proud Boys are, but they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work." Scott has been critical of the president in the past over his racially charged comments. He previously said the Trump administration's "moral authority" had been compromised because of their response to the racial violence during a 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va. In 2019, he also said the president's comments where "racially offensive" when Trump targeted a group of Democratic congresswomen and told them to "go back" to their countries of origin. Following Tuesday night's debate in Cleveland, the Proud Boys turned Trump's words into a logo that has been shared widely on social media and leaders for the organization celebrated the president's comments. Trump's comments about the Proud Boys come after a summer of elevated racial tensions and civil unrest following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery three Black Americans who died at the hands of police and civilians. In response, peaceful protests, as well as some violent riots, have broken out in American cities, including Charleston and Columbia. Trump and Biden's debate was highlighted by crosstalk, personal attacks and a lack of decorum, according to pundits, viewers and politicians. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn told The Post and Courier he was disappointed with Tuesday night's performance, and was especially frustrated with Fox News anchor and moderator Chris Wallace. The debate was a disaster," Clyburn said in a statement. "I think Biden did the best anybody could possibly do with the rules being as they are and the moderator thinking it was not his role to fact check. It seemed like he didnt think it was his role to run the debate. The Democratic congressman from South Carolina was also disappointed by Trump's Proud Boys comment. I think its indicative of who this president is and I think people need to stop making excuses for him," Clyburn said. "I think that what weve seen is the fruition of Martin Luther King Jr.s last book, "Chaos or Community." This man is in search of chaos while Joe Biden is trying to build a community. During a media avail in Columbia on Wednesday, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster declared Trump the victor of the night. "That was a very interesting event," said McMaster, who is heading Trump's campaign in the state. "I was fascinated by the back and forth. I found it invigorating. I think that Donald Trump is the consensus winner and has taken great steps, and I think the people appreciate that." He did do some damage control. During the debate, Trump brought into question the integrity of the election in November and suggested there would be widespread voter fraud. McMaster said there's no reason to believe South Carolinians won't have their vote counted. Additionally, McMaster's spokesman Brian Symmes said "the governor condemns white supremacy and any group or organization thats motivated by hatred of any kind" when asked about Trump's Proud Boys comment. Courvoisier celebrates 'beautiful liquid' with new De Luxe edition World-renowned cognac producer Courvoisier has unveiled a limited-edition liquid designed to celebrate all that is great about its cognac production. Courvoisier De Luxe, released in time for the Christmas gifting season in luxurious new-look packaging, will be available exclusively with Tesco in store and online. The expression, which retails for 40, was first matured in French Limousin oak barrels before finishing the aging process in a special selection of new casks made with fine grain oak trees. Courvoisier says the second maturation has contributed more woody notes and extra layers of intensity to the liquid. Nick Ganich, head of Courvoisier UK, said: "As you would expect from the brand that toasted the Eiffel Tower in 1889, Courvoisier is the perfect choice to celebrate special occasions. The liquid and bottling of Courvoisier De Luxe was inspired by that momentous moment in history and the spirit of the Paris Golden Age, famous for its blend of art, glamour and decadence. 'Celebrating moments' was the inspiration for this launch and we hope everyone enjoys drinking it throughout this special season as much as we enjoyed making it." 30 September 2020 - Bethany Whymark Kim Hyung-tae, front, artistic director of social enterprise Hab Good Village, plays Yongpal-ee in the madangnori (traditional performance) "Dragon Hunters." It has been performed every Saturday at the Korean Traditional Culture Center in Jeonju Hanok Village of the southern city since May. / Courtesy of Hab Good Village Hilarious, educating madangnori 'Dragon Hunters' woos foreign tourists By Kang Hyun-kyung Traditional performance "Dragon Hunters" revolves around four main characters searching for a dragon, hoping to make a fortune. Although it tells the story of people chasing after money, the performance rarely seems materialistic. In the traditional open space musical, the dragon hunters are hilarious rather than greedy or self-absorbed. As opposed to seeking wealth out of a sense of greed, the four dragon hunters plan to use the sizeable financial compensation they hope to get by catching the mythical creature to solve different pressing issues they are facing. "Dragon Hunters" is a hilarious and educational performance. Its genre is madangnori, a combined Korean word of madang (front yard) and nori (play) referring to a traditional performance conducted in an open space. In the play, the four dragon hunters arrive in a small village in the southern city of Jeonju upon hearing rumors of a dragon living there. Samsik-ee, a single man, wants to get married but has no house. He searches for the dragon to make money to buy his own home, one of the conditions that will make him an eligible bachelor. Another dragon hunter Yi-ppunee is a female character suffering in an appearance-oriented society. Unemployed for many years due to her unattractive physical appearance, she seeks to use her fortune to spend during the rest of her life. Her uncle, Yong-palee, joins the journey to help his poor niece. There's one more dragon hunter whose parents in their 80s suddenly have a baby and this new sibling is the reason that motivates him to embark on the dragon hunt. All four of them spend three years searching in vain for a dragon. Their eventual arrival in Jeonju excites the villagers who believe the local economy, particularly the service sector, will benefit from the outsiders. "Dragon Hunters is a story about hope," Kim Hyung-tae, artistic director of the social enterprise Hab Good Village, a production house of the madangnori performance, told The Korea Times over the phone, "All of us have had or still have dreams. For some, there is a big gap between our lofty goals and the reality, so achieving our dreams is nearly impossible. The dragon in the performance symbolizes a dream that remains unachievable." To help audiences relate to the characters, Kim said he adapted the story and included pressing contemporary issues, such as unemployment, strict beauty standards and housing problems, for each character. In addition to directing the musical, Kim also plays Yong-palee. Like other madangnori performances, "Dragon Hunters" is boisterous and flamboyant. The traditional musical is satirical as each character's motives are rooted in social issues that press ordinary citizens hard in their daily lives. "Dragon Hunters" gives its audiences a rare chance to peek into local culture. One of the homegrown cultural traditions featured in the performance is a "gijeop" play. It's a type of play local people formerly enjoyed during the short summer festival that began on July 15 on the lunar calendar. Villagers would show up holding flags bearing emblems of their villages and socialize with others while sharing food and desserts. Since it premiered in 2015 at the National Theater of Korea, "Dragon Hunters" has been performed for five years in Jeonju Hanok Village. It is one of the most popular shows among Korean tourists. Before COVID-19, every show would attract some 100 spectators in the relatively small venue. This year has been tough for the performers. Like other art or music performances, "Dragon Hunters" has gone online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being performed in an audience-free setting on the outdoor stage of the Jeonju Traditional Culture Center in the compound of Jeonju Hanok Village. The performers hope to attract foreign tourists to the traditional performance once social distancing is over. "Jeonju Hanok Village is a popular place for foreign tourists. From next year, we hope they can find time to visit our show to discover lesser-known local culture," Kim said. "To welcome foreign audiences, we prepared a little trick in English in the latter part of our show. It's a punchline." From May this year, "Dragon Hunters" has been performed every Saturday. The last performance of the year will be held on Oct. 10. New Delhi, Sep 30 : The Centre has given more time to taxpayers in yet another compliance measure as it extended the due date to file GSTR-9 and GSTR 9C for 2018-19 by a month on Wednesday. The GST annual return in the two forms was to be filed by September 30, 2020. This now stands extended till October 31. As the decision is coming when elections in Bihar have been announced, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) took approval of the Election Commission before announcing the changes. "After obtaining due clearances from the Election Commission in view of the Model Code of Conduct, Government has extended due date for furnishing Annual Return in GSTR-9 and GSTR 9C for 2018-19 from 30.09.2020 to 31.10.2020," a tweet from CBIC said. The extension of annual return filing has come as much needed relief for GST taxpayers. Along with compliance on GSTR-9 and 9C, taxpayers were also required to follow e-invoicing regulations. The industry had said that complying with both regulations would be difficult. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Galway City Council will also step up warden patrols and extend the hours of operation, according to the Irish Times. It follows an emergency meeting held yesterday between Galway City Council, gardai, NUI Galway and students after large crowds gathered in the city Monday night as colleges returned for a new semester. The gardai have agreed to work with the college and give them addresses of houses where they have been called because of parties, and then the college will make contact with landlords. Authorities agreed to work together to clamp down on large gatherings of young people in the city home to upwards of 30,000 students, with Galway mayor Mike Cubbard saying enhanced communication between gardai and the college was agreed. The gardai have agreed to work with the college and give them addresses of houses where they have been called because of parties, and then the college will make contact with landlords, he said. Advertisement Mr Cubbard said it was not about being a killjoy but when you have 45 people coming out of a party in a two-bedroom apartment at 1.30am as we saw last night, then clearly it is a big problem and something which could easily see us heading back into lockdown. Army It comes as large gatherings on Monday night in the city centre and at house parties were condemned by local politicians as Covid-19 cases rise in the county, with footage of crowds gathered at the citys Spanish Arch going viral on social media. Yesterday, Fianna Fail Senator Ollie Crowe said he believed the army should be deployed to help gardai ensure Covid-19 guidelines were followed. NUI Galway has warned students that they could face expulsion for breaching public health guidelines and has labelled the crowds of young people gathered at Spanish Arch as "deplorable". The university said that while the vast majority of students are doing their utmost to stay safe, they will not hesitate in dealing with any breaches of public health guidelines in line with the student code of conduct, with penalties including expulsion. President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden face off in the first presidential debate in Cleveland. (Associated Press) President Trump has spent the last year trying to find a way to throw Joe Biden off his game and strip him of his status as front-runner in the presidential race: Tuesday night, he unloaded all his attacks at once in a remarkable display of invective and interruption. Face to face for the first time, he took his best, most insulting shots at the former vice president. Rather than crack, however, Biden shot back, not as forcefully as Trump, but with enough strength to rebut the overwrought caricature Trump has tried to create of the 77-year-old as a doddering, tongue-tied Sleepy Joe. Trump, 74, entered the debate trailing badly behind Biden as he has for most of the year. With just over a month to go, the president needed something to happen to change the direction of the campaign. Instead, Biden may have cleared one of the biggest hurdles he will face in the homestretch of the 2020 campaign. The president got hurt tonight," Republican Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator who ran against Trump in 2016, said on CNN. Biden avoided the gaffes and stammering that can plague him if only because Trump kept interrupting him. Rather than being at a loss for words, Biden brought to the debate a collection of one-liners and an uncharacteristic readiness to interrupt. He also made effective use several times of the simple technique of staring into the camera and addressing voters at home, stressing his concern for their problems and, implicitly, drawing a contrast with Trump, who engaged in frequent quarrels with Chris Wallace of Fox News, the nights embattled moderator. Beyond the cross-talk and crossfire, the night's exchanges illustrated the strengths and weaknesses of the two candidates campaigns. Trump, with his loud voice and forceful presence, dominated the debate stage as he has dominated and remade American politics over the last four years. But his scattershot attacks on Biden failed to stick to any one line of argument. Story continues The one attack Trump pursued most forcefully that Biden is a tool of his party's far-left has been the hardest to persuade voters of. In pushing it, Trump gave Biden two opportunities to assert himself as the Democrats' dominant figure. When Trump charged, Your party wants to go for socialist medicine. Biden retorted: The party is me. Right now, I am the Democratic Party. A little bit later, when Trump accused Biden of embracing the Green New Deal a loosely defined set of proposals by progressives to combat climate change Biden was able to shoot back: "I don't support the Green New Deal," a statement that many Democratic elected officials in Pennsylvania, Ohio and other industrial states have wanted Biden to emphasize. Trump commented that Biden would lose the support of his party's left, but within minutes, one of the party's leading progressives, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, tweeted a statement stressing her support for Biden. For his part, Bidens debate performance like his campaign was dominated by his anti-Trump message. That approach has its downside: Any voter who wanted to know more about what Biden would do as president likely came away somewhat disappointed. But the Biden campaign figures he will be on stronger ground framing the election as a referendum on Trump. The president has consistently played into the Democrats' strategy. As much as his campaign strategists would like to shift the focus to the choice between him and Biden, Trump keeps the spotlight focused on himself. He continued to do so Tuesday night, making the debate almost entirely about him, with his domineering presence and disregard for the niceties and norms of such encounters. Even his allies worried he went too far. "On the Trump side, it was too hot," former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on ABC. Before the debate, Biden aides signaled that he would try to avoid taking the bait from Trump and not seek to counter every attack and falsehood. Joe Biden will be speaking to the folks at home, said Symone Sanders, a Biden spokeswoman. Hell be speaking directly to the American people. The former vice president largely followed that plan, even when Trump trotted out the personal attacks that his allies had worried would provoke an emotional outburst questions about his son, Hunter Biden. When Trump brought up Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine, Biden parried with a reference to Trumps own children and their vulnerability to criticism. His family we could talk about all night," Biden said, speaking to the camera. But this is not about my family or his family, its about your family." And when Trump went after the younger Biden's history of cocaine use, Biden, again looking at the camera, said his son had struggled with drugs the way many Americans had and that he was "proud" of him for dealing with his problems. At other points, as it became clear that Trumps debate strategy was to badger, cross-talk and berate Biden at every turn, the Democrat dropped all pretense of civility and gave as good as he got. He called Trump a liar, a fool, a "clown" and unpresidential. He chortled, smiled and laughed out loud as the president spoke. Will you shut up, man, Biden snapped a line his campaign quickly put on a T-shirt. The imbroglio raised questions about the value of the debates for voters. But Biden's campaign clearly felt the 90 minutes provided value to them: Officials said the campaign broke its single-hour fundraising record online as the debate closed. Asked if Biden planned to continue participating in future debates. Biden's deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, told reporters that they liked the contrast with Trump and are especially looking forward to the town hall format of the second debate. "Joe Biden's going to show up," Bedingfield said. "He's going to continue speaking to the American people." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. This is no way to elect the leader of the Free World. It was a train wreck and a dumpster fire rolled into one. It was messy, it was ugly and it never let up. Will you shut up, man? former Vice President Joe Biden told President Donald Trump. Youre not smart, Joe, Trump said a few minutes later. Later: Youre the worst president America has ever had, Biden said. Ive done more in three years than you did in 47, Trump responded. And so it went. For 90 minutes. It was a tawdry embarrassment. And not just for Americans, but for a global audience that once looked up to and once admired our country. The moderator, FOX News Chris Wallace, lost control quickly and often seemed powerless to stop the candidates from talking over each other. Trump interrupted, Biden smirked. Chris Wallace tried to control the flow of the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. At one point, Wallace had to admonish the president for interrupting. Him too, Trump said. But frankly youve been doing more interrupting, Wallace shot back. If youre a Trump supporter, you loved his obnoxious, bullying, in-your-face style. He bulldozed over Wallace, and frequently shoved Biden around verbally. Never mind that the president spewed countless distortions and bald-faced lies on a variety of topics. Were in a post-truth, alternative facts world, where people can believe, if they choose to do so, that the sun rises in the West and sets in the East. If youre a Biden supporter, you loved how he laughed openly at Trump, how he told him to stop yapping, and how "everything he says is a lie everyone knows hes a liar. Biden missed opportunities Even so, Biden wasnt as aggressive as I thought he would be, and didnt display true anger until nearly an hour in, when Trump, as expected, attacked Hunter Bidens work for the Ukrainian gas company Burisma. Biden ripped Trump, telling him everything he was saying had been discredited. Oh, really? Trump said. Im also surprised that it took Biden a while to bring up Trumps non-payment of federal taxes. It would have been easy to slip in early, but wasnt mentioned for about 45 minutes. Trump said a New York Times article reporting he paid only $750 in 2016 and nothing in 10 of the 15 years before that was false, insisting he pays millions. Story continues Show us your tax returns, Biden challenged. But non-payment of taxes isnt exactly new. In their first debate four years ago, Hillary Clinton pounded Trump over the same thing. Trump actually bragged about it. That makes me smart, he told Clinton. Trump's debt raises questions But one thing is different now: the Times report that Trump has more than $400 million in debt that will come due over the next four years. Who owns that debt? How will Trump stave off his creditors? Personally, Im not Russian to any judgments on this, but Biden should have asked: Who owns you, Mr. President? Trumps taxes and financial problems mean nothing to his supporters. Theyve stood by him through the pandemic that has killed 205,000 Americans, shattered families and destroyed millions of jobs. Theyve stood by him amid the recent report in the Atlantic that Trump called dead soldiers suckers and losers. Theyve stood by him from the beginning and the vast majority of them arent going anywhere. The final topics brought up by Wallace were race relations and the integrity of the election. This was the most disturbing part of the night. Trump, continuing to undermine the integrity of our electoral system, repeated his long-standing claim that the election will be a fraud because of mail-in ballots. He refused, as he did last week, to say whether there would be a peaceful and honorable transfer of power should he lose. And when asked whether he would condemn white supremacism as he has Antifa, he refused to do so. He refused, even though his hand-picked FBI Director Christopher Wray, told Congress just two weeks ago that white supremacists are a major threat to U.S. national security. He even gave a shoutout of sorts to one such group, the Proud Boys, which believes that white men and Western culture are under siege. Stand back and stand by," Trump told them, whatever that means. To me it sounded like he may need them if there are problems with the election. Nothing is more dangerous than an animal that has been backed into a corner. Trump knows he's losing. He clawed and hissed from beginning to end. Yet, my guess is that his supporters ate it up. If you want to know what a second Trump term would be like, you saw it last night: Delusional, thoroughly dishonest, bullying and unable to tolerate dissent. As for Biden, despite flashes of aggressiveness, he missed opportunities and frankly could have been sharper. In the former vice president, we saw a man who is hardly without faults, but unlike Trump, his heart is in the right place and hes a decent man. Ill take that any day over what we have now. The one vice presidential debate is next week in Salt Lake City. Biden and Trump will next meet Oct.15 in Miami. God help us. Paul Brandus is the founder and White House bureau chief of West Wing Reports and a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors. His latest book, published last month, is "Jackie: Her Transformation from First Lady to Jackie O." Follow him on Twitter: @WestWingReport You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: First Biden-Trump debate was an embarrassment for America When you think of a middle-aged woman, what comes to mind? Someone whose best days are behind them? Someone whose usefulness to society is decreasing? Thankfully, ideas about women in midlife, long overdue an update, are finally being turned on their heads. Two new books, More Than A Woman by Caitlin Moran and The Shift by Sam Baker (the ex -magazine editor who helmed Cosmopolitan, Red and The Pool) not only explore the complexity of being a modern middle-aged woman but also show how mid-life is being re-imagined by a generation of women who refuse to fade after 40. While our mothers and grandmothers endured the stereotypical milestones of cauliflower perms, varicose veins and bingo, the modern mid-life maven is more likely to be letting her grey grow out, perfecting her yoga prowess and returning to third level education for a career pivot or upskill. Yes, her life is busy but she also wants more than a twilight spent slowly fading into invisibility. Read More Middle age isn't what is used to be and my generation are demanding that this be acknowledged. Caitlin Moran's book champions the middle-aged woman in all her complicated, imperfect and vivid glory. In an achingly funny yet candid confessional of her life, she juggles the kind of multiple to-do lists and commitments that are familiar to so many women my age. Her irreverent mid-life manual is "a guide to growing older, a manifesto for change, and a celebration of all those middle-aged women who keep the world turning." Her book oozes wicked black humour, compassion and chutzpah; it also sharply delineates how women of a certain age quite simply keep society functioning. Sam Baker's book is a more earnest menopause memoir that outlines her personal experience of 'the change' and how she recalibrated her life in its wake. She explains: "What I have discovered in the seven years it took me to get from first hot flush to the seat of acceptance on which I now perch, is that menopause isn't an abyss, it's a bridge - to something new and unexpectedly exciting." This perspective is indicative of a generation now discussing menopause and its challenges (including celebrities Ulrika Jonsson, Meg Matthews and Lorraine Kelly) and hoping that this openness will remove the taboo from what is a natural, biological rite of passage. Change is part of being human and middle-aged women in menopause deserve acceptance, tolerance and education about this time of life. I am 52 and going through the menopause, so am aware how women can struggle with their identity during it and can also feel side-lined by society at this stage of life. Yet the contribution that women in mid-life make is immense - they are mothers who juggle children and careers, the primary carers for elderly parents and the glue that holds much of society together in terms of housework, volunteering and community. Personally, I am in rude good health, fit and active, digitally savvy and have previously returned to study twice as a mature student. Yet, I have still have found it extremely challenging to get employers to consider me for roles. I know that this is reflective of the experience of many women in mid-life - whether they are trying to return to the workplace after rearing a family or trying to change career direction. Post 50, I feel most employers won't give you fair consideration and this really frustrates me. Why is being a middle-aged woman a perceived disability in the workplace? Are life experience, an ability to multi-task, communication and common sense not valuable skills? What exactly does the term middle-aged mean anymore? A report, published by J Walter Thompson Intelligence London, titled the 'Elastic Generation', found that "Women in their 50s, 60s and early 70s are active, engaged and involved. Pillars of family, community and society, nothing they do is motivated by their age." When ideas of age are changing, when are we actually older? I certainly don't feel old yet. Increased life expectancy is also informing more positive attitudes to middle age - if Irish women of 50 today can expect to live to 85, then 50 is still relatively young. Tilda, the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing conducted by Trinity College, reveals compelling data about how Irish society is greying. The demographic changes that Irish society is facing in the next 30 years are unprecedented: by 2030, one in five people here will be over 65 and of the females born today, 50pc are likely to live to age 100 or beyond. By then, 50 will be seen as positively youthful. My middle-aged friends are a vibrant, competent and confident bunch who navigate the aging process helped by our friendship, humour and resilience. They defy old prejudices about ageing: they are shopping younger, staying active and enjoying later life as what digital entrepreneur, Gina Pell, has christened, 'perennials' - ever-blooming people who stay abreast of technology and popular culture, with friends across all generations. For my friendship circle, there is a renewed sense of urgency now during a pandemic that life is not a rehearsal. We know that time and energy are finite, and so are we. Post-lockdown, one friend, Maria Byrne, decided to re-assess her extremely busy life (she has four children, one of whom, Lucy, is autistic, moved house lately and has recently been co-opted to Kilkenny County Council, a job she finds "incredibly diverse and interesting"). She explains: "I recently resigned my full-time position in the HSE because I just can't manage to be there for my daughter's needs and manage a full-time 9-5 job as well. It was difficult to make the decision but I am now a full-time-carer for Lucy, as well as a local councillor. Due to an underlying health condition (rheumatoid arthritis) Maria was vulnerable at work: "I suppose as so many people were succumbing to Covid-19 and so many people lost their lives to it, I realised that I could easily be one of those statistics. I thought long and hard about what were the things in life that were the most important to me. My family and my mum, Maureen." Priorities change as we age: career may be important but not all-consuming, family commitments ebb and flow, our health, both physical and mental, becomes our most precious asset. For myself and my friends over 50, we do not yearn to be 25 again - but we do want to stay looking and feeling as healthy as possible. We would like portrayals in media that show us as independent, intelligent and resourceful, not tired, misogynistic Irish Mammy sketches or demented housewives dancing around a gleaming house with maniacal zeal. Post the cervical check crisis, we particularly want information and advice about female healthcare that is pertinent and accurate. We can survive without the relentless advice about cosmetic procedures and re-capturing our "lost youth". It would be wonderful too if brands showed us our peers in their advertising - we do not want to buy another anti-ageing moisturiser from a dewy 25-year-old. I acknowledge that I am getting older and I accept that I cannot micro-manage all the biological and environmental factors that will shape that process, but I hope to stay curious and creative in a later life that still contains possibilities and challenges. I believe middle-aged women should be encouraged to use their wisdom, experience and talents as they mature into their prime rather than being told they are redundant. The renaissance of older women is the next wave of feminism: with women choosing to define their middle and later years as an adventure rather than a purgatorial wilderness of invisibility and anxiety. As Coco Chanel observed: "After 40, nobody is young, but one can be irresistible at any age". Prosecutors in the Joel Guy Jr murder trial on Wednesday presented more evidence against the man suspected of killing and dismembering both of his parents for financial gain, including chilling photos showing a meat grinder in the trunk of his car. Guy Jr, 32, is facing first-degree murder charges in the horrific killings of Joel Guy Sr, 61, and Lisa Guy, 55, who were repeatedly stabbed and butchered inside their Knox County, Tennessee, home over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2016. Some of the couple's remains were partially liquified in chemicals, Guy Sr's severed hands were left inside his blood-spattered home gym where he was killed, and Lisa's head was found boiling in a stockpot on the kitchen stove. Three days into the trial, jurors have heard testimony from more than a dozen witnesses, including law enforcement officials, Guy Jr's siblings and his best friend, who described him as 'socially awkward,' and said on a jail phone call with the suspect that he was not 'entirely surprised' by what happened. On Day 3 of Joel Guy Jr's murder trial in Tennessee, jurors were shown photographs of a meat grinder in the trunk of his car at the time of his arrest in November 2016 Guy Jr made detailed notes about how he would kill, slaughter and dispose of his parents, and reminded himself to 'bring blender and food grinder - grind meat' Guy Jr is pictured in Knoxville court listening to testimony on Day 3 of his murder trial Among the photos entered into evidence on Wednesday were images that were taken at the time of Guy Jr's arrest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, just days after the murders, reported WVLT. Scott Henning, a homicide investigator at the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office who was present when Guy Jr was taken into custody on November 29, 2016, took the stand and narrated a slideshow of pictures showing deep cuts, scratches and bruises covering the suspect's hands and arms. In the photos taken by law enforcement Guy Jr is seen dressed in a stained white T-shirt, grey shorts and flip-flops. A large wound is clearly visible on his left thumb. A photo of Guy Jr shows him after his arrest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on November 29, 2016 Other images that were presented in court showed Guy Jr's dark-blue Honda. Inside the trunk, a white meat grinder rested on its side next to a deep mixing bowl and a red gasoline canister. According to testimony from Day 2 of the trial, Guy Jr made detailed notes about how he would kill, slaughter and dispose of his parents. Among the numerous items on the to-do list was: 'Bring blender and food grinder - grind meat.' Prosecutors said there was no evidence that Guy Jr used the appliances after the murders to dispose of the remains. The court also heard testimony from Guy Jr's best friend of 10 years, Michael McCracken, along with a portion of a phone call that the accused killer made to his friend from jail. McCracken said he lived with Guy Jr at Louisiana School for Math Science and the Arts, a boarding school for gifted students they both attended. McCracken described his friend as 'socially awkward' and possibly estranged from his father, whom the roommate never once met over the course of 10 years. This image shows deep cuts and scratches visible on both his hands at the time of his arrest According to the testimony, Guy Jr never received phone calls or letters from any relatives other than his mother. He also never mentioned that he had sisters. He said the older Guy Jr got, the more withdrawn he became. He could go for weeks without seeing anyone. McCracken said by the time Guy Jr left Baton Route, he had no friends other than his roommate, and he was beginning to pull away from him as well. Following Guy Jr's arrest, he called McCracken from jail, urging him to forget him. 'I don't have much of a chance to be happy anymore, but you do,' Guy Jr says on the call. 'Consider me dead and move on with life... I genuinely want you to be happy... Why did I do this blah blah blah...' McCracken said he was not 'totally surprised,' presumably referring to the murders. Jurors heard from Michael McCracken, Guy Jr's best friend, who described him as socially awkward, withdrawn and seemingly estranged from most of his relatives 'It hurts my heart,' he said. 'Youve been my best friend for my entire adult life, and I dont know if that will ever change because of what you did... I dont know what to say... Just angry and lost and confused and disappointed and upset and Im mourning you like youre dead even though Im talking to you on the phone. Its taking everything I have to process and maintain my sanity.' Guy Jr said: 'I think about you all the time... You were the only good thing in my life... You're the only thing I'll miss.' Prosecutors say that Guy Jr first knifed his father to death in the upstairs exercise room of his West Knox County house on November 26, 2016, then ambushed and stabbed his mother to death when she returned home from a shopping trip. The son then allegedly dismembered his parents' bodies and tried to dissolve some of the remains and boiled his mother's head in a pot. But before allegedly carrying out the heinous crime, Guy Jr meticulously plotted his every murderous move in a notebook, detailing at great length how he would kill his mother and father, then how he would dispose of their remains, step-by-step. Douse killing rooms (kitchen?) with bleach, one of the bullet points discovered in the notebook reads. Flush chunks down toilet, not garbage disposal dont have to get rid of body if no forensic evidence. Joel Guy Jr, 32, is on trial in Tennessee for the savage murders of his parents, who were dismembered inside their home in 2016 Before allegedly carrying out the heinous crime, Guy Jr meticulously plotted his every murderous move in a notebook, first detailing at great length how he would kill his mother and father, then how he would dispose of their remains, step-by-step The purported murder instructions then advise wiping down areas near killing rooms and bathrooms, before turning up the heating to 90 degrees in the home because it speeds up decomposition and melt[s] fingerprints Guy Sr was stabbed 42 times and had his limbs cut off, while his wife suffered 31 knife wounds and had her head severed and boiled in a pot The notebook was reportedly found in a backpack in the guest bedroom where Guy Jr. had been staying for the holiday weekend, Sandlin detailed. The notes contained a plan for the killings and explicitly describe the steps Guy Jr. was allegedly hoping to take to eradicate any evidence of his apparent role in their deaths. Prosecutors say Guy Jr's motive for the murders was financial because his parents had been planning to stop giving him money so they could retire comfortably Aligning with the polices theory that Guy Sr died first, the notes read kill him with the knife clean up mess from him before she get home. The corresponding bullet point reads kill her with a knife, before instructions to place her to which the police interpret to be Lisa Guy in the shower and turn on hot water and point at her to get rid of forensics. The notes then detail how Guy Jr. allegedly sought to place his fathers body in a plastic bin and use it to haul him into the shower alongside his mothers body to wash away evidence. Cut off his arm and plant flesh under her fingernails, the scrawl, written in blue ink, reads on the page. Use sodium hydroxide to destroy his soft tissue and soften bones for transport. Baste once every hour to accelerate. The purported murder instructions then advise wiping down areas near killing rooms and bathrooms, before turning up the heating to 90 degrees in the home because it speeds up decomposition and melt[s] fingerprints. Another page shows details of the assets belonging to Lisa Guy including a $500,000 life insurance policy that lists Guy Jr as a beneficiary Two plastic containers are pictured inside the home of Joel Guy Sr and Lisa Guy in Tennessee containing the couple's partially liquifed remains A stockpot containing Lisa Guy's severed head is seen boiling on the stove after her murder The male victim's clothes are pictured resting next to a pair of knives in the room The possibility of setting fire to the Guy family home to vanquish all evidence is explored in the notes, as is flooding the home to cover up forensic evidence. A reminder to send a text from her phone to send to me late Sunday is also specified. The author details that such a ruse would prove that I was in [Baton Rouge] and she was alive. Another page shows details of the assets belonging to Lisa Guy including a $500,000 life insurance policy that lists Guy Jr as a beneficiary. $500,000 would be all mine, the page read. With him missing/dead, I get the whole thing. According to the prosecution, Guy Jr's motive for the savage double homicide was financial because his parents had been planning to stop giving him money. Guy was reportedly studying to be a plastic surgeon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and had been in college for nine years while his parents supported him. The couple, who both worked as engineers, were ready to retire and stop providing him with assistance. One of the knives used in the double homicide is seen in a master bathroom sink in this screenshot from a police walk-through video Guy Sr was stabbed to death inside his exercise room, with his blood staining the wall. Police found his severed hands on the carpet (blurred) Deputies performed a welfare check entered the Guys' home in West Knox County, Tennessee, on November 28, 2016, and discovered body parts strewn throughout Guy Sr and Lisa's torso were found submerged in corrosive chemicals. This screenshot from WVLT shows a body being removed the the crime scene Guy Jr arrived at his parents' home on Wednesday, November 23, spent Thanksgiving with his parents and three sisters, and returned to Baton Rouge on Sunday. When Lisa failed to show up for work on Monday, her supervisor, Jennifer Whitehead, made multiple attempts to reach her by phone, but she did not pick up. Concerned for her safety, Whitehead told jurors she called the authorities and asked them to perform a welfare check, leading to the gruesome discoveries that were described by investigators as 'horrific.' One of the attending officers, KCSO Detective Jeremy McCord took the stand Tuesday and revealed that he had an ominous feeling when he arrived first on-scene at the home. He entered the property through a garage door. As soon as that garage door opened, we immediately felt heat, said McCord. Walking through the downstairs of the house, nothing made sense to me. The detective detailed how groceries had not been put away properly and he spotted two peoples wallets next to one another on the table. McCord said after he saw what he believed to be blood on the wall, he instructed all officers present to put gloves on. You can see straight down the hall and I saw hands... not connected to a body. At that point, the other officers held the hallway and we started doing standard building clearing. I will never get those smells out of my head or my dreams, he said. Jurors saw the aftermath of the grisly crime when Knox County Sheriff's officer Sandy Campbell took the witness stand yesterday and narrated a 30-minute video showing her walking through the crime scene. The graphic video shows blood stains on the carpet throughout the house, piles of bloodied, shredded clothing belonging to the victims, and a severed human hand resting on the floor in the couple's blood-spattered home gym. The recording also shows the kitchen, with a large metal stockpot covered with a lid containing Lisa Guy's head boiling on the stove. Guy Jr was arrested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, just days after the gruesome killings Containers of chemicals are seen sitting in a hallways next to a large bloodstains Family and baby pictures of Joel and Lisa's children are seen adorning a wall inside the family's home Later in the video, Campbell encounters two large blue plastic bins with partially liquified human remains floating inside. That portion of the footage has been blurred due to its graphic nature. Deputies who responded to the home on November 28 to perform a welfare check found remains, including human hands, strewn all throughout the gore-splattered home. The victims' torsos and some of their limbs were placed in 45-gallon plastic containers, doused with a corrosive chemical and left to liquify, in what prosecutors described as a 'diabolical stew of human remains,' reported WVLT. Knox County prosecutor Leslie Nassios on Monday detailed the full roster of the horrific injuries sustained by the victims. Guy Sr was stabbed and slashed 42 times, with some of the blows severing his ribs and puncturing his liver, lungs and kidneys. Autopsy showed that the man's hands were cut off at the wrists, his arms were severed at the shoulder blade, his legs were sawed off at the hip and his right foot was removed at the ankle. Nassios said the evidence indicated the father fought for his life. Lisa was stabbed 31 times and had nine of her ribs severed. Her legs were cut off below the knee and her arms were removed at the shoulder. The Guys had just sold their house and were in the process of moving into another home belonging to Guy Sr's deceased mother, which they had recently purchased, The Advocate reported. Rene Charles, Guy Sr's sister, said her brother and his wife had planned to retire in Surgoinsville, Tennessee, according to the Kingsport Times-News. Guy Jr was apprehended at his Baton Rouge, Louisiana, apartment on November 29, 2016 as he tried to get flee in his 2006 Hyundai Sonata. The murder trial is expected to last a week. The state is not seeking the death penalty against Guy Jr. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 09:56:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PYONGYANG, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, presided over a Politburo meeting about the country's battle to fight off the COVID-19 pandemic, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday. The 18th meeting of the Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party was held Tuesday and attended by the Presidium members and members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, the KCNA reported. The meeting pointed out some faults found in preventing the inroads of the malignant virus and had an in-depth study and discussion about the issues on further intensifying the state emergency anti-epidemic work. "The meeting stressed the need to strictly guard against self-complacency, carelessness, irresponsibility and slackness in the anti-epidemic field and employ home-grown style and wisdom to further toughen anti-epidemic measures," the report said. It also called for successfully maintaining a steel-strong anti-epidemic system and order by revving up the mass-based anti-epidemic atmosphere and intensifying the all-people unity of voluntary action. The DPRK has not officially reported a single COVID-19 case so far, which broke out early this year and spread to most countries in the world. According to the report, the meeting also discussed the campaign for recovery from natural disasters, including floods and typhoons that hit the country over the past few months, and examined works conducted on the occasion of the 75th founding anniversary of the party, which is set on Oct. 10. Enditem The actor, who has accused filmmaker Anurag Kashyap of raping her seven years ago, on Tuesday met Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari to seek action against him. The Raj Bhavan confirmed the same on Twitter. Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale accompanied by film actress (name concealed) met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai and presented a memorandum, Raj Bhavan tweeted. On Monday, the actor in a joint media press conference with Athawale, president of the Republican Party of India (RPI), had demanded that Kashyap should be arrested. Athawale told reporters after the half-an-hour meeting with Koshyari that the governor has said he will speak with Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on the issue. I told the governor that the actor (name concealed) has been staying in Mumbai for 10 years. She faced the atrocity some years ago. She has also filed a police complaint in this case, Athawale said. The actor (name concealed) submitted a memorandum to the governor, seeking protection and arrest of Anurag Kashyap, he said. It has been eight days since she raised the issue with the police, but no action has been taken against Kashyap yet, he added. Also read: Priyanka Chopra teases her memoir Unfinished, her journey from Bareilly to Miss World, watch video Athawale on Monday met Mumbais joint commissioner of police (law and order) Vishwas Nangare Patil along with the actor, seeking action against the filmmaker. Meanwhile, the actor also thanked Kangana Ranaut for coming out in her support. She said, You have stood by me like a rock. When the girls are showing how to stand against each other you are a ray of hope for people who want to come out with their truth of supression and other crimes. Thank you dil se. (With HT inputs) Follow @htshowbiz for more Unification Minister Lee In-young answers questions during a session at the National Assembly, Sept. 29. He has stressed the need to revamp the Korea-U.S. working group. Yonhap By Do Je-hae Seoul is facing internal conflict over adjusting the Korea-U.S. consultation framework on coordinating North Korea policies. The Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have begun discussions to reorganize the Korea-U.S. working group, according to Rep. Jeon Hae-cheol of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), a member of the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification, Tuesday. The Korea-U.S. working group was founded in 2018 for more effective bilateral discussions on primary issues related to security on the Korean Peninsula. But it has faced some criticism from supporters of the Moon Jae-in administration's pro-engagement policy on North Korea that it has prevented inter-Korean cooperation from moving forward. BOSTON and PARIS, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Valiantys, a leading global Atlassian consulting and services firm, announced today that it was awarded the Jira Align Specialization Badge. Valiantys is one of a very select group of partners worldwide who has met Atlassian's stringent requirements, and the badge represents Atlassian's recognition of Valiantys' Jira Align deployment capabilities. "We are delighted to be receiving the Jira Align Specialization badge from Atlassian," said Lucas Dussurget, CEO at Valiantys. "With several successful Jira Align deployments under our belt, this new specialization is a testament to the caliber and talent of the Valiantys team, particularly in our Agile practice. We're looking forward to helping more of our customers make their Agile transformation a success." Jira Align accelerates Enterprise Agile transformation Named the best tool for deep Agile transformations by Gartner, Jira Align can help companies optimize enterprise agility, vitally important now more than ever in a world where shifts in the market and uncertainty have become the business norm. As a badged Atlassian Partner, Valiantys deploys Jira Align on behalf of the largest companies in the world, allowing them to scale Agile working practices - such as SAFe - from the team level to the enterprise. Agility at scale requires much more than sticky notes on a wall: work visibility, accurate and real-time reporting, shared understanding of customer value, and vertical alignment across teams are key success factors of an Agile transformation. Valiantys helps major companies around the world unlock all the information stored in Jira using the leading enterprise Agile planning suite: Jira Align. "Atlassian welcomes Valiantys to the elite list of partners who have been awarded the Jira Align specialization badge," said Rick Cobb, Head of Scaled Agile Sales at Atlassian. "This achievement reflects a significant investment of time and resources and highlights a level of commitment appreciated and welcomed by Atlassian and customers." Valiantys recently partnered with Eliassen Group - a leading strategic consulting firm - to offer an end-to-end approach to Agile transformations, with Valiantys providing the expertise on technology and tools, and Eliassen providing the talents to execute changes in people and process. About Valiantys Valiantys is the leading global consulting and services firm dedicated to Atlassian. We accelerate business transformation by digitizing processes and modernizing teamwork, using the best Agile methods and tools. Our Atlassian technical expertise is unparalleled and we support our customers across the entire spectrum of their projects on those platforms. Because teamwork requires more than just tools, we help them bridge the gap between their applications and strategic practices such as SAFe and ITIL. Over the last 15 years, we have helped in excess of 5,000 customers to achieve their desired business outcomes at a reduced time to value, through improved team collaboration. Find out how we can help you get the results you need at valiantys.com SOURCE Valiantys Related Links https://valiantys.com/ Inside Hook After the Geneva International Motor Show followed up their 2020 COVID-induced cancellation by axing the 2021 edition and putting the entire event up for sale, the future of the auto show looked grim. But last weekend there was a glimmer of hope as Auto China in Beijing became the first major automotive exhibition to open after the pandemic was declared. American automakers like Ford are exhibiting alongside Chinese companies like Huawei, but some of the more interesting releases are coming from Chinas smaller manufacturers, one of which has unveiled a wait a second, is that a first-generation Corvette? A company called Songsan Motors debuted a plug-in hybrid called the SS Dolphin. As Carscoops pointed out, not only does it appear to rip off a 1958 C1 Chevrolet Corvette, but the automaker explicitly says copying that classic car is their goal. Go ahead, take a look at their website; its mostly in Chinese, but the photos at the bottom (which I can hardly believe they have the rights to use) are of George Clooney in a real Corvette, Kendall Jenner in a real Corvette, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in a real Corvette and no one in a Songsan Dolphin. 'That,' said CNN anchor Jake Tapper, looking like he'd just swallowed a rotten egg, 'was a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck the worst debate I have ever seen; in fact, it wasn't even a debate. It was a disgrace.' Incredibly, if anything he understated the full horror of last night's first presidential showdown of this US election cycle between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Tapper's colleague Dana Bash, a lady not given to hyperbole or profanity, said simply: 'It was a sh*t-show.' Even that was being generous. I got up at 2am in the UK to watch it, and can honestly say, hand on heart and without fear of contradiction, that it was the single most embarrassing and unedifying spectacle in the history of modern American politics. Which, when you think President Bill Clinton was caught lying about having cigar sex with a 22-year-old White House intern in the Oval Office, is quite something. Last night's first presidential showdown of this US election cycle between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was the single most embarrassing and unedifying spectacle in the history of modern American politics The President basically brought his Twitter game to the debate a relentless bombastic bombardment of abuse, personal jibes, self-justifying tripe and blatant falsehoods. But awful as Trump was, Biden could and should have done so much more to counter and exploit the flailing president Trump, even by his legendarily barbaric debate standards, was repellent. The President basically brought his Twitter game to the debate a relentless bombastic bombardment of abuse, personal jibes, self-justifying tripe and blatant falsehoods. In the worst of many awful moments, he refused to condemn white supremacists, and when specifically challenged about the Proud Boys, a vile racist homophobic transphobic misogynist group of violent bigots, he replied: 'Proud Boys, stand back and stand by!' This astonishing dog-whistle response was immediately, sickeningly, and entirely unsurprisingly, embraced by the group as a formal public presidential endorsement and call to arms. In another horribly ugly exchange, Trump interrupted Biden as he spoke movingly about his late war hero son Beau, to smear his other son: 'I didn't know Beau. I know Hunter. Hunter got thrown out of the military. He was thrown out, dishonorably discharged for cocaine use.' This, like so much Trump spewed last night, isn't true. Hunter was discharged but not dishonorably. But regardless of whether it was true or not, to ignore a man praising his beloved son who died of a brain tumour just so Trump could deride his other boy was a disgusting low blow move that will have surely revolted any viewer with even a half sense of decency. The President even mocked Biden for wearing face masks to ward off Covid-19, as if somehow that is something a responsible citizen should be ridiculed for doing when over 200,000 Americans have already died from the virus. I wish I could say any of this abhorrent conduct shocked me. But it was just Trump being Trump, albeit at his most bestial and in a manner that made even own team uncomfortable. 'It was too hot,' said Governor Chris Christie, who helped the president prepare for the debate. 'With all that heat, you lose the light.' You think, Governor? As for moderator Chris Wallace, one of the most respected figures in American media, I'm sorry to say he lost control, and the plot, allowing Trump to dominate proceedings like an overgrown playground bully and consequently letting the debate collapse into an almost unwatchable charade To me, as someone said on Twitter, Trump resembled a drunken heckler at a comedy club who keeps hammering the acts thinking everyone's cheering him on when in fact they just want the nasty chuntering bore thrown out. But awful though he was, Biden could and should have done so much more to counter and exploit the flailing president. Instead, the Democrat nominee was weak and ineffectual throughout the debate, failing to land any real blows on Trump even as America reels from his diabolical handling of the pandemic which has led to the worst coronavirus death toll in the world and the worst economic collapse too. The challenger struggled with statistics, as he often has in this campaign, mumbled incoherently at times, and frankly did little to dispel persistent Republican-fuelled rumours that he is battling the early onset of senility. I also found Biden's constant weird 'Joker' style mocking laughter, even at very serious moments, inappropriate and grating. The cackling was clearly a pre-planned strategy, but it didn't work. He should have stayed serious, statesmanlike and firmly above the raging bull Trump fray. Americans are really suffering right now, losing loved ones and livelihoods in vast numbers. They don't want laughter in a debate to decide who to vote for in November - they want leadership, empathy and reassurance. And that was all in chronically short supply last night. Biden's biggest mistake was to descend to Trump's level. He is supposed to be the man who's going to bring civility back to the American presidency. Yet last night, we heard Mr Nice Guy call Trump a 'clown', a 'racist' and a 'liar', tell him to 'shut up', and sneer at him to 'keep yapping.' President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on stage at the debate, along with Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden That's not civil, that's just behaving the same way Mr Bad Guy behaves. As for moderator Chris Wallace, one of the most respected figures in American media, I'm sorry to say he lost control, and the plot, allowing Trump to dominate proceedings like an overgrown playground bully and consequently letting the debate collapse into an almost unwatchable charade. Some supporters of the Fox News host said there was nothing he could do given how outrageously Trump was behaving. But there was. As Watergate legend Carl Bernstein tweeted during the unfurling fiasco: 'Chris Wallace needs to shut Trump down and insist he follow rules... and, as moderator, enforce them... stop the debate for 60 secs and lay down the rules.' That, in the end, is what any debate moderator is supposed to do: ask the questions and enforce the rules. By failing to do the latter, Wallace ruined the debate for the millions watching at home. In any rotten food fight, the winner is the one who emerges from the fray with the least amount of putrid gastronomic garbage smothering his face and torso. By that very low yardstick, Biden won as most post-debate polls confirmed. But the sad, dismal truth is that nobody really won. Biden's reputation for civility was damaged by his ill-advised and dumb mudslinging. Trump's chances of winning over independent voters - who will be key to his presidential survival - were mauled by his 90-minute freak show performance. And Chris Wallace's image as a smart, tough newsman was seriously dented by his abject failure to control the mayhem. Most seriously of all, the shambles did a massive disservice to America and the American people. This US presidential debate was watched all over the planet and couldn't have been a worse advertisement for the self-acclaimed greatest superpower. Watching the two election candidates trade pathetic insults like squabbling schoolkids at such a critical time for the country and the world was an excruciating, shameful and humiliating debacle that demeaned everyone involved. Joe Biden may have 'won', but by so foolishly choosing to lie down with rabid attack dog Trump, and play him at his own name-calling game, he sadly ensured we all got up with fleas. Kim Brent / Kim Brent/The Enterprise Southeast Texas school districts continue to adjust their learning methods as the year goes on, with some rolling back virtual options. Evadale ISD announced plans to eliminate the online option for students last week, citing a lack of participation, and West Orange-Cove CISD will now require students to keep good grades in order to learn from home. JEFFERSON CITY A coalition of state parks boosters said an Oregon County judges ruling last week forcing the sale of 625 acres of state-owned land was flawed and that Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Gov. Mike Parson should appeal the order. Groups such as the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the Missouri Parks Association and the state chapter of the Sierra Club have all urged the state to appeal. The ruling puts the two top Republicans in a tricky position with a little more than a month before the Nov. 3 election: They might very well side with many fellow Republicans who have long sought the sale of the land, and opt to move forward with the sale. But in doing so, the leaders risk at least marginal electoral blowback from Missourians who support public lands. Nearly 80% of voters in 2016 cast ballots in support of continuing the states parks, soils and water sales tax, which funds Missouri state parks operations. While that vote doesnt necessarily mean the majority of voters approve of the Oregon County park, or even know about the land, parks boosters such as former Gov. Jay Nixon have cited the statistic in defense of fighting to keep the property. Oregon County Circuit Judge Steven Privette last week ordered the state to sell 625 acres of the 4,200 acres it purchased four years ago, saying that a federal easement precluded the state from ever operating a park at the site along the Eleven Point River. This decision is extremely corrosive since it sets a further precedent for future sales of state parks and public lands in Missouri, the Missouri Coalition for the Environment said in a letter to its members. Judge Privette erred in his decision basing it upon a possible future violation (of the easement) instead of an actual violation. Nixon, a Democrat, has said the state has a history of working within the bounds of federal easements, including its operation of Current River State Park along the federal Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Said the Missouri Parks Association, in a resolution, The new state park near the Eleven Point River can respect the integrity of the existing easements that have long-protected the special qualities of that stream. The parks association continued: The divestiture of the 625 acres provides no guarantee of the recovery of full market value for the land, provides no direction for disposition of the recovered funds, and orders sale by questionable process, potentially to unspecified private interests which would deprive the state, the county, and the citizens of Missouri of the recreational, environmental, and economic benefits of the development of the 4,197-acre Eleven Point State Park. The Conservation Federation said it sent a letter to Schmitt and the Department of Natural Resources on Friday urging the state to fight the sale of the property. The planned park, meanwhile, has long rankled local leaders who have criticized the state for using money from settlements with lead mining companies in order to buy the property. The Republican-controlled Missouri House voted several times to sell the property in the years leading up to Privettes ruling. At trial in August, the plaintiffs argued that use of the land as a park would destroy the wild and scenic nature of the easement. Asked what the state might do next, Connie Patterson, spokeswoman for the Department of Natural Resources, said: We dont comment on pending litigation. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and producer Gauri Khans daughter Suhana Khan has criticised Indian societys obsession with fair skin while taking on social media abusers for trolling her over her skin colour. In an Instagram post, the 20-year-old film student said from an age as early as 12 she has been called ugly, courtesy her brown skin tone. Theres a lot going on right now and this is one of the issues we need to fix!! this isnt just about me, its about every young girl/boy who has grown up feeling inferior for absolutely no reason, she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. Here are just a few of the comments made about my appearance, Suhana Khan wrote, sharing some screenshots of the derogatory remarks she receives on social media about her complexion. For Indians, who are brown by default, showing hatred towards fellow country people over skin tone reflects their insecure nature, she said. Ive been told Im ugly because of my skin tone, by full grown men and women, since I was 12 years old. Other than the fact that these are actual adults, whats sad is that we are all Indians, which automatically makes us brown yes we come in different shades but no matter how much you try to distance yourself from the melanin, you just cant. Hating on your own people just means that you are painfully insecure. Suhana Khan further said one should not let the idea of beauty set up by the social media world and matchmaking sites dictate their life. Im sorry if social media, Indian matchmaking or even your own families have convinced you, that if youre not 57 and fair youre not beautiful. I hope it helps to know that Im 53 and brown and I am extremely happy about it and you should be too, she concluded, with end colourism hashtag. TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OptimalQ, a leader in the Science of Availability, announced a strategic deal with Microsoft today to help organizations improve their sales efficiency through AI and machine learning-recommended call and contact time slots. Through this partnership, customers are enabled to deploy OptimalQ's platform integrated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 without any effort, giving their sales team the edge, they need to initiate contact and close the sale. "Research shows that the first sales team to have a meaningful conversation with a customer makes the sale 50% of the time. The challenge for sales teams is recognizing the right time and channel to reach out to their prospects. OptimalQ improves agent efficiency and sales effectiveness by guiding the call and channel used to reach customers," said Yadin Haut, CEO and co-founder of OptimalQ. "We are very excited about this deal with Microsoft, which will make our platform more accessible to sales teams around the globe." OptimalQ seamlessly integrates the Science of Availability directly into the sales process, requiring no changes or training from the sales team. It takes enterprise contact information and processes the data through its AI engine. Then, it provides sales team members with the best time to reach out, and advises on whether to call, text, or email. A/B testing has demonstrated 45% increase in customers reached, 30% increase in conversions, and overall higher agent efficiency. "Microsoft welcomes OptimalQ into the Microsoft Business Applications ecosystem and will offer its Digital Adoption Platform to Microsoft Dynamics 365 customers and partners," said Toby Bowers, General Manager for Business Apps at Microsoft. "By integrating its solution with Microsoft Dynamics 365, OptimalQ offers a unique, innovative solution that focuses on sales agent efficiency by analyzing and understanding the end customer to organizations around the world." About OptimalQ OptimalQ is the leading the way in the Science of Availability, which uses AI and machine learning to ensure that you reach out to customers when they are physically and mentally available. Using AI and machine learning algorithms, OptimalQ identifies and analyzes user behavior, and translates it into availability insights that can predict the most effective times to engage with leads and customers. For more, please visit our website, and follow us on LinkedIn. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1294827/OptimalQ_Logo.jpg Media Contact: Yadin Haut, CEO [email protected] (US): +1-347-717-4991 (UK): +44-203-769-2551 SOURCE OptimalQ Related Links https://www.optimalq.com A logo of Google is seen at an office building in Zurich, Switzerland July 1, 2020. REUTERS-Yonhap Google Inc. faced strong backlash from South Korean developers after it announced Monday (U.S. time) it will enforce its app market's billing system, which charges a 30 percent fee to all app developers. While Google has taken a 30 percent cut for all in-app purchases on the Play store through its billing system, some apps have circumvented the rule by using other methods, such as direct credit card payments. "We have clarified the language in our payments policy to be more explicit that all developers selling digital goods in their apps are required to use Google Play's billing system," Google said in the post, adding it would give app developers a one-year grace period to adopt the system, while it will start enforcing the billing system on the Play store's new apps Jan. 20. Google said in the post the policy change will not affect the majority of app developers as nearly 97 percent already use Play's billing system. The move has prompted an outcry from South Korean app developers that worry it will harm the local app industry. Last month, even before Google's official announcement, the Korea Internet Corporations Association, which represents major local tech companies, such as top portal operator Naver Corp., requested the country's telecommunications regulator, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), to look into the then purported policy changes. The group argued the move would lead to more fees on app users and further solidify the dominance of Google, which holds a strong grip on the local app market. Google's Play Store held a 63.4 percent share of total app store sales in the country last year at 6 trillion won (US$5 billion), compared with Apple's App Store with a 24.4 percent stake at 2.3 trillion won, according to the Korea Mobile Internet Business Association. Local app developers have also argued that Google's move could be in violation of local telecommunications rules that prohibit unfair restrictions for users choosing services. Han Sang-hyuck, the chairman of the KCC, told lawmakers earlier this month that he views Google's enforcement of its billing system as a violation but is currently reviewing the matter. (Yonhap) The family of 19-year-old Dalit woman from Uttar Pradeshs Hathras, who died in a Delhi hospital of injuries sustained when she was gang-raped, has alleged that she was forcibly cremated. The family claimed that the womans body was taken away by the police in the middle of the night for final rites. The police have forcibly taken the dead body, and my father along with them for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the crematorium) by the police, the womans brother told news agency PTI. The body of the woman reached her village around midnight and the cremation was done by 3 am on Wednesday. The villagers claimed that they wanted to take the body of the woman to her house, but administration pressed for cremation at the earliest. The passage for ambulance was blocked and finally cremation took place in village. The police, meanwhile, said that the cremation of the woman was carried out by the family members. Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikrant Veer denied any urgency by police in cremation despite the fact that cremation usually do not take place in night. He added that the cremation was done as usual after the body reached Boolgarhi village in Hathras district. He claimed that the situation is calm in the village, but heavy police force has been deployed. Also read | We hoped she will survive: Unease shrouds Hathras rape victims village The woman was raped in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras village by four men on September 14 and died a fortnight later after battling serious injuries. The woman was first taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh, but shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi after her condition deteriorated. She was in a critical condition and on ventilator support. The brutality against the teenager has sparked outrage across the country with several political leaders, Bollywood actors and activists demanding justice for her. The case has drawn parallels with the gang rape of a 23-year-old student in Delhi, who was attacked on a moving bus and left to die on a roadside in 2012. A Dalit girl who was a victim of demoniac behaviour in Hathras has passed away at Safdarjung Hospital. For two weeks, she kept struggling between life and death in hospitals, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said on Twitter. She added that incidents of rape in Hathras, Shahjahanpur, and Gorakhpur had shaken the state. Also read: Outrage, stir after Hathras rape victims death Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded that the guilty be tried and hanged at the earliest. The death of Hathras victim is shameful for the entire society, country as well as for all the governments. It is highly sad that so many daughters are being sexually assaulted and we have not been able to protect them, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. The four people accused of raping the woman have been arrested. By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan continues to support entrepreneurs and small businesses to curb the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Some 148,292 taxpayers affected by COVID-19 in Azerbaijan have applied for state support as of September 28, local media reported has reported. The taxpayers applied to the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan for financial support, including 29,268 taxpayers affected by the coronavirus pandemic for the payment of a certain part of the salary to employees and 119,024 private (micro) entrepreneurs. As part of the payment of part of salaries to employees, applications from 25,031 entrepreneurs covering 216,571 employees have been reviewed and approved. To date, the volume of financial support on the approved appeals has amounted to AZN 99.77 million ($58.6M), of which the funds envisaged for payment on the second stage amounted to AZN 49.13 million ($28.8M). As of September 28, the State Treasury Agency of the Ministry of Finance has ensured payment of AZN 98.89 million ($58.1M) As part of the program to provide financial support to private (micro) entrepreneurs, 111,986 taxpayers' requests were received, out of which 107,256 were examined and approved. The volume of financial support on the approved appeals is AZN 63.8 million ($37.5M). As of September 28, State Treasury Agency of the Ministry of Finance ensured transfer of AZN 63.7 million ($37.4M). It should be noted that the results of applications under the financial support program and notifications on the transfer of funds to bank accounts are sent to electronic offices of taxpayers in the Internet tax inspection (www.e-taxes.gov.az) and mobile phones in the form of SMS. In case of any questions, people can contact the call center "195" of the State Tax Service and the local tax authorities where they are registered. Financial support is provided to taxpayers in accordance with the order of the Azerbaijani President and the relevant decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, working in areas affected by the pandemic, and who received funds under the first phase of financial support and have not made significant staff reductions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz KALAMAZOO, MI After 27 years with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Chief Karianne Thomas final shift was Wednesday. Thomas recently announced her retirement. Assistant Chief Vernon Coakley is set to take over as chief effective Oct. 1. Thomas stepped into the role on Nov. 22, 2017, after then-Chief Jeff Hadley left to serve as chief of the Chatham County Police Department in Georgia. City Manager Jim Ritsema said at the time that Thomas, who was serving as a deputy chief, was his first choice for the position. Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson said Thomas broke new ground as the departments first female chief. She championed an effort to gain accreditation for the department, Anderson said, which was completed just days before her retirement was announced, according to the city. KDPS received accreditation through the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, which includes 100 standards accredited agencies must meet and maintain regarding high risk, high liability areas, including use of force, vehicle pursuits, foot pursuits, and search and seizure, according to the city. Thomas' retirement comes amid controversy involving policing the city. The police force has faced criticism for a variety of tactics used this summer from a heavy-handed approach that included tear gassing people lying on the ground at Black Lives Matter protests earlier this summer, to a lack of police presence during an Aug. 15 event that turned violent when counterprotesters and Proud Boys clashed. Anderson said Thomas decided to retire on her own, and the Kalamazoo City Commission did not pressure her to leave. Related: Critics continue calls for resignations over Kalamazoos response to Proud Boys event He said solid and professional are words he uses to describe the chief, and he believes she should be recognized for her impact on the department and the community during her nearly three years as chief, as well as her decades with the department. Thomas was eligible for full retirement as of 2017 and will receive a one-year severance package, per her contract, Ritsema said. Thomas has truly been an outstanding public safety chief and community leader, Ritsema said. She helped build an outstanding department that has become a model for public safety services across the nation, Ritsema said. Though the city did use a search process when hiring former Chief Jeff Hadley, Ritsema has said previously no such process was used at the time of Thomas' appointment as chief in 2017. After Thomas announced her plans to retire earlier this month, Ritsema said the city will again not use a search process, promoting Coakley to the position instead. Assistant Chief Coakley is the ideal candidate to move us forward and strengthen relationships and partnerships in the Kalamazoo community, Ritsema said. I believe Assistant Chief Coakley has the skills and experience to build on KDPS' many successes and continue its track record of service and safety while making improvements to the department as detailed in the recent subcommittee report. Coakley was promoted from captain to assistant chief in 2017, and has nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience, Ritsema said. Prior to Kalamazoo, Coakley served in the Detroit Police Department for five years starting in 1993. He has a bachelors degree from Western Michigan University and a masters degree from Ferris State University. He completed the Senior Management Institute for Police Program in 2010 and attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in 2018, Ritsema said. Coakley has faced criticism of his own this summer, after he ordered the use of tear gas during a protest in June. Public Safety Assistant Chief of Operations Vernon Coakley paces as he stands with City Manager Jim Ritsema after reasoning with protestors to go home after violating curfew as they gather in the intersection of Park Street and West Michigan Avenue in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. The City of Kalamazoo imposed a curfew from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3 after late night vandalism the morning before.Joel Bissell Coakley said Thomas has served as Public Safety Officer, KVET Investigator, Crime Lab Technician and Specialist, Detective Sergeant, Commander of the Detective Division, Inspector, Assistant Chief of the Office of Professional Standards, Director of Human Resources for the City of Kalamazoo, Deputy Chief and Chief of Public Safety. Karianne set high goals for this department, all with the intention of improving the department, and followed through by providing all the necessary training to ensure the officers were well trained and prepared, Coakley said. Our department set out to find policies and procedures that met best practices in the profession. Chief Thomas had the forward thinking to seek accreditation. We are the largest department in Michigan to attain such an honor. Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is a better place today because of the passionate leadership of Karianne Thomas, Coakley said. Read more: First woman Kalamazoo Public Safety chief was managers first choice Kalamazoo protesters urge police to join them, are tear-gassed after curfew Last month, United Airlines announced that it would permanently eliminate change fees for all standard economy and premium tickets for travel within the United States. The rest of the major airlines including American Airlines and Delta Air Lines followed United a few days later. Passengers rejoiced that one of the most hated fees was gone forever. But a closer look reveals that many change fees are still here. Airlines continue to charge for advance seat assignments, luggage (checked and carry-on) and food all things that used to be included in the price of a ticket. Even change fees remain for some cheap economy class tickets and international fares. Airline fees will likely remain a fixture of travel for years to come, with more complexity and less transparency. New Delhi, Sep 30 : The Delhi government is starting the process of preparing a fermented liquid solution to be sprayed on 800 hectares of land in the city where stubble burning is practiced by farmers, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He said all the arrangements for spraying the solution on the farm fields will be made by the Delhi government and will be provided free of cost to the farmers. He said the process will be executed under the guidance of the Pusa Research Institute and the cost of the implementation of the entire project is less than Rs 20 lakh. Addressing a digital press briefing, Kejriwal said, "The month of October is starting tomorrow, and we know that around this time, the entire north India is troubled with the smoke that covers the belt due to the crop stubble burning every year. Whereas Delhi and other cities have to suffer from the smoke, the farmers who are forced to burn the stubble and their villages are the ones who have to suffer the most." In a seeming reference to the Punjab government, he advised that every responsible government must devise "alternate systems" for their farmers so that the farmers are not forced to burn stubble. Calling Pusa's alternate solution as "cheap", he said that four capsules can be mixed with a liquid solution prepared by jaggery and gram flour and can be sprayed to cover one hectare of land. "The mixture when sprayed softens the hard straw and turns it into manure. This is a cheap alternative," he said. Kejriwal said that his government has decided to prepare this mixture itself under the guidance of the Pusa Research Institute. "We have made all arrangements for the same, and this process will begin on October 5. There are around 800 hectares of land in Delhi where the non-Basmati rice is grown, following which the stubble is collected and burned. The Delhi government will be starting the process of preparing this liquid solution by October 5 which will hopefully be completed by October 12-13, after which the Delhi government will visit the farmers with the solution to be sprayed on their farmlands," he said during a virtual media interaction. The scientists have said that once this stubble converts into manure, it will improve the fertility and productivity of the land and decrease the usage of fertilisers. Burning the stubble also used to kill the useful bacteria in the soil. The entire cost of the implementation of this project in Delhi is less than Rs 20 lakh. He urged other states to emulate Delhi. Krasnoyarsk businessman Bykovs detention extended until winter in double murder case RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 12:36 30/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 30 (RAPSI) A court in Russias Krasnoyarsk has extended detention of the local businessman Anatoly Bykov charged with double homicide organization until December 6, the courts press service has told RAPSI. In early September, investigators brought final charges against Bykov as part of a case over double homicide masterminding. Moreover, he is prosecuted of leading a criminal community and organization of one more murder, the statement reads. According to the Russian Investigative Committee, in the first half of 1994, Alexander Naumov, the 23-year old member of a criminal group headed by Bykov, had a conflict with the gang leader because of unjust, according to him, dividing of the joint criminal income. Later, Bykovs car was exploded. The businessman suspected Naumov and his friend Kirill Voytenko of the blast organization and decided to kill them. He ordered his acquaintance Vladimir Tatarenkov to organize the murder; the latter in turn involved his gang members in the crime. On July 24, 1994, Naumov and Voytenko were shot dead, investigators claimed. One of the killers Sergey Bakurov was sentenced to life. Another one is on a wanted list. Tatarenkov was sentenced to 13 years in prison, the Investigative Committees statement read. Investigators claim that many witnesses confirmed that Bykov had business relations with Naumov and a conflict after which the latter was afraid of his life and began wearing body armour. Published on 2020/09/30 | Source Staff bar the seating area in an expressway rest stop in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province on Monday. /Yonhap Advertisement Traffic congestion on freeways that heralds the annual Chuseok migration is expected to start on Tuesday afternoon. Korea Expressway Corporation said Monday that southbound traffic exiting Seoul towards Busan and Muan, South Jeolla Province will start jamming between 11 a.m. and noon and peak between 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport estimates that it will take eight hours and 20 minutes to get from Seoul to Busan, four hours and 50 minutes from Seoul to Daejeon and five hours and 20 minutes to Gangneung, Gangwon Province. The estimated trip length the other way around is seven hours and 50 minutes from Busan to Seoul, three hours and 50 minutes from Daejeon and four hours and 20 minutes from Gangneung. That is still about an hour less than in previous years because many people will heed the government's pleas not to travel amid the coronavirus epidemic. As part of precautions, restaurants in freeway rest areas can only serve takeout food until Oct. 4. Travelers will have to undergo a temperature check at public restrooms and fill in a log book. Politics and religion can bring out the worst in people. And when they come together, the results can be explosive. Politics and religion arent a good mix, Michael Ryan Green warned at the start of a recent Live on PennLive with Joyce Davis. The topic was religion, politics and social unrest, factions many believe are best kept apart. Live On PennLive with Joyce Davis The Christian divide on politics, protests and race are topics for today's Facebook Live with three faith leaders in our region. Get your respectful comments and questions ready for today's discussion. Posted by PennLive.com on Thursday, September 24, 2020 Our nation was founded on freedom to worship or not to worship as one chooses, Jo Margie Kablach Sheppard wrote. Mix religion with politics and inevitably we have a war between faiths. Right, Jo Margie. Or, a war within the faith. This years election is revealing serious divides among one of the most important faith factions in the nation Christians. They are very real divides for many pastors such as the Revs. Kristopher Sledge and Dai Morgan and for Christian theologians such as Messiah College Professor Drew Hart. Messiah College professor Drew Hart is author of two books religion and social justice. Hart is author of the recently released book, Who Will Be A Witness: Igniting Activism for Gods Justice, Love, and Deliverance. The books title sums up where he thinks Christians should be in todays world among the activists. Sledge, pastor of The Journey Church in Harrisburg, has been out there in the streets of Harrisburg marching with Black Lives Matter. And Morgan is interim director of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, walks the gilded halls of the capital, lobbying legislators to protect the diverse interests of Christians of all denominations. Pastor Kristopher Sledge (left) joins the March against injustice and gun violence with former Congressional candidate Shavonnia Corbin-Johnson, Pa. Governor Tom Wolf and Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse. June 3, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com All believe religious leaders must interact with both politics and government, and they must be allied with the poor, suffering and oppressed. Thats not necessarily the views of everyone in their flocks. They understand that. In fact, Hart bemoaned how many Christians have transformed Jesus, a figure he considers revolutionary into a mascot for the status quo. And Rev. Sledge believes Jesus would be in the streets marching with those yelling Black Lives Matter. A lot of his fellow believers might disagree. Many would prefer to simply stay out of these matters. Morgan also thinks religion has a role to play in politics and in social unrest, and he says Christians should use their political power to push for laws and policies that support their beliefs. Bobby Mudell, a member of Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Harrisburg, prays before the "Preachers for a Progressive Change" march in Harrisburg, Pa., June 20, 2020. That goes for elected officials as well as for the voters, according to the Rev. Charles Meile, pastor of the Greater Zion Baptist Church in Harrisburg, who took time to type in his views. A politician SHOULD stand publicly for Biblical views! You have to be a Christian EVERYWHERE! Rev. Meile said. The Separation of Church and State is NOT in the Constitution!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, Pastor Meile added all of those exclamation points and capital letters. Barbara Lightner agreed with him. Separation of church and state is from English law, she said, not USA. But theres a reason so many people cling to the separation of church and state mantra. Its because people of faith, even of the same faith, disagree on so much and will forget their faith to fight for their politics. Dilemma question, Pastors, asked Michael Ryan Green. If we are promoting a political party, what do you do when that Partys actions (lets say abortion) conflict with Gods Word? Im not talking about just voting, which is okay. Im talking about a church actually promoting a party or candidate. Ryan Thompson Jr. had no dilemma: Your [sic] not a Christian if you support abortion. This is clearly where many people draw the line, having others label them heretics or worse because they disagree over social issues or politics. No church should tell a congregation who to vote for or act as an advertisers for a political candidate, Laine Snow insisted. I just parted ways with my church because of this, Daniel Baker said. He may not be the only one whos done so in recent months as racism, COVID-19 and the responses of people of faith have been brought into sharp relief. Our readers' warning about mixing politics and religion are on point. It can be a volatile mix. But these days its proving impossible to keep them apart. Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. And please subscribe to Battleground PA to stay abreast of the issues in the 2020 elections!## An interim report by UN Security Council Committee on North Korea's Panel of Experts, released on Sept. 28, shows a photo of Audi's luxury SUV Q7 at Masikryong resort in North Korea taken in December 2019. Yonhap North Korea continues to violate U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions through illicit means of importing and exporting prohibited items, including oil and coal, while it may also be keeping its workers in other countries to earn hard currency, a U.N. panel of experts said in a report published Monday. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has continued to violate Security Council resolutions through the illicit import of refined petroleum products through ship-to-ship transfers and direct deliveries," said the report, posted on the website of the world body. Under UNSC sanctions, the North is banned from importing more than 500,000 barrels of refined petroleum products a year. The panel noted the communist state appears to have already exceeded the limit, citing "imagery, data and calculations" covering just the first five months of the year from 43 U.N. member states. "The member states estimated that deliveries of refined petroleum products to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea during that period alone already far exceeded the aggregate amount of 500,000 barrels set by the Security Council as the annual ceiling for 2020," the report said. It said China and Russia, the North's closest neighbors, have dismissed the report, arguing it was based on "assumptions and estimations" and that there was no sufficient information and evidence to conclude that the ceiling has been exceeded. The U.N. panel noted the North also used ship-to-ship transfers to export its coal, one of main sources of hard currency for the impoverished North. It also suspected the communist state may be continuing to earn income by sending its workers to overseas countries while all U.N. member countries were required to repatriate all North Korean workers by Dec. 22, 2019. An undated handout photo made available by the U.S. Department of Justice, issued May 9, 2019, shows North Korean ship "M/V Wise Honest" which the DOJ announced had been seized by the U.S. Government for violations of U.S. law and United Nations Security Council resolutions. EPA-Yonhap Watch: Baga, Blu and Vinegar talk about turning a negative into a positive If theres one person that can dish out advice on confidence, it has to be Vinegar Strokes, star of the West End and RuPauls Drag Race UK. As a musical star, shes had her fair share of knock-backs and none were so public as when RuPaul declared her fashion sense to be a little confused on Drag Race UK. The world saw RuPaul come around and say, 'You know what? Your fashion is kind of, umhodge podge!', recalled Vinegar. Now, honestly, as a drag queen the last thing you want to be called is hodge podge. I think that's probably the worst things that someone could ever call you. Listen: Vinegar Strokes, Baga Chipz and Blu Hydrangea talk about their nerves on being in RuPauls Drag Race UK However, Vinegar made a huge negative into a positive and its something she recommends we all do. I was like, Call it Hodge Podge Couture, she recalled about the incident. Read more: Vinegar Strokes' makeup transformation is next-level mesmerising I think that's been my survival mechanism throughout life That when someone says, 'It's a bit s*** you can either sit and cry about it or go, 'OK, let me turn this into a massive, positive and learn from it.' She continued: That's definitely what I did with Hodge Podge because it's made me very, very rich, so that's good! Vinegar Strokes attends RuPaul's DragCon 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images) Fellow agony queen Blu Hydrangeas advice on dealing with naysayers is to understand that its all down to personal opinion. Art is so subjective as well, said the look queen, who has become a huge Instagram star due to her amazing makeup creations. Read more: British women feel ugly from just six years old So, someone's opinion saying, 'Oh, this isn't good enough that's just their opinion too. You've put passion, effort, love into what you're doing. If it's not good enough for that person, forget them. All three drag stars have a huge social media following and they all agreed that social media especially negative comments can affect your confidence. Vinegar said that you can have 99 people telling you youre amazing, but youll only focus on that one person saying something horrible. Story continues Baga Chipz performs onstage at RuPaul's DragCon UK (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for World Of Wonder Productions) It's really interesting how that kind of mindset that we put ourselves in, she said. Blu agreed, saying that social media often made it worse. She said: Being on social media all the time you actually really do get that because there could be a hundred comments, but there's the one that you just read over and over. Read more: Baga Chipz on why its important to be your authentic self As usual, Baga Chipz was there to dish out her no-nonsense advice to anyone else struggling to deal with negative comments or trolls on social media. There's a lovely thing called the block button and you just block them, she laughed. And then they just miss out on future stuff that you're doing. They're just missing out on all the fun and missing out on all of this! Watch: How to tell your parents you want to wear makeup SPRINGFIELD Illinois House Republicans on a special committee investigating House Speaker Michael Madigans role in a bribery scheme involving Commonwealth Edison sought to tie the longtime leader directly to the $1.3 million in payments over nearly a decade made by the utility giant to his associates. House Republicans also pressed for issuing subpoenas to multiple potential witnesses, including Madigan, as well as former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, and former ComEd lobbyist Michael McClain. When Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst, made a motion to vote on whether the committee should issue subpoenas, the committees chairman, Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside, said the motion was out of order, and did not allow the vote, citing his discretion as chairman. House rules state a special investigative committee may, in the discretion of the Chairperson, administer oaths and compel by subpoenaany person to appear and give testimony as a witness or produce papers, documents, or other materials relevant to the charge or charges. Welch also called the issuance of subpoenas premature. You're asking this committee to vote to approve subpoenas that we havent seen, and we haven't discussed, Welch said. However, both sides agreed that the committee would benefit from the testimony of Fidel Marquez, former senior vice president of governmental and external affairs at ComEd. About an hour before the committee hearing began, Marquez pleaded guilty to one count of bribery for his role in the ComEd patronage scheme. Welch acknowledged the guilty plea before the committee hearing ended, adding that the committee would be in touch with Marquez's attorney to determine what our next steps should be. Tuesdays hearing kicked off with a clash between Welch and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, who initiated the disciplinary process under House rules. Welch argued that Durkin could not make an opening statement since he is not a committee member and because he signed a petition accusing Madigan of wrongdoing. Welch ultimately allowed Durkin to give an opening statement, but not to question the witness. In his opening statement, Durkin said the evidence will establish that Madigan engaged in conduct unbecoming to a legislator or which constitutes a breach of public trust. The evidence will be direct, strong and convincing, Durkin said. And we'll meet the burden of proof for this committee that is whether reasonable grounds exist to authorize charges. Mazzochi questioned ComEd Executive Vice President of Compliance and Audit David Glockner the only witness at the five-hour hearing to establish Madigans firsthand knowledge of a scheme from 2011 to 2019 seeking to influence and reward the House Speaker for legislation that would provide monetary benefits of more than $150 million to the utility. In July, as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorneys Office in Chicago, ComEd admitted it arranged for associates of Madigan to obtain jobs, vendor subcontracts, and monetary payments associated with those jobs and subcontracts from ComEd, even in instances where certain political allies and workers performed little or no work that they were purportedly hired to perform for ComEd. Madigan has not been charged with any crime and denies wrongdoing. Mazzochi asked Glockner about a section in the DPA that stated that Consultant 1, identified as former City Club of Chicago President Jay Doherty, had every reason to believe that Individual A had spoken to Public Official A about the retention of Public Official As associates. Is it reasonable to infer that Mr. Madigan had knowledge of the scheme from that, from ComEds perspective? Mazzochi asked. Glockner said he wasnt in a position to comment on that inquiry. ComEd has acknowledged repeatedly through the agreement that it believed or intended to influence the speaker through its conduct. Whether it in fact influenced the speaker, whether the speaker was aware of its intent to influence those are questions that Im not in a position to comment on, Glockner said. Democrats on the special investigative committee including Welch, Reps. Elizabeth Hernandez of Cicero, and Natalie Manley of Joliet pushed back on the Republicans narrative, insisting that Madigan simply made hiring recommendations. So, there's nothing really inappropriate about making job recommendations. But why was ComEd not monitoring their employees? Manley asked during the hearing, alluding to recommended employees who did little or no work for the company, according the DPA. At a news conference following the hearing, Welch claimed Glockners testimony affirmed that Madigan had no personal knowledge of the nine-year bribery scheme. When asked whether he would support a subpoena of Madigan, Welch said the request is premature. I think there's more work that needs to be done. Were going to take it under advisement. Just like we've done with every other request theyve made. We are going to look into it, Welch said. Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information from the committee hearing. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Billy, Eric, Tyson, Jade and Elsie joined Lincolnshire Wildlife Centres colony of 200 gray parrots in August and soon revealed a penchant for blue language. We are quite used to parrots swearing, but weve never had five at the same time, said the zoos chief executive, Steve Nichols. Most parrots clam up outside, but for some reason, these five relish it. Nichols said no visitors had complained about the parrots, and most found the situation funny. Assange bugged while at embassy, court told LONDON Julian Assanges conversations in the latter part of his seven-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London were systematically bugged, even in the toilet, a London court heard Wednesday. In written statements at Assanges extradition hearing, two anonymous witnesses who worked for a Spanish firm with a security contract at the embassy said the WikiLeaks founder faced an intensifying bugging operation from 2017 onwards after Donald Trump became U.S. president. Almost 1 million women living in the UK have not been able to attend breast cancer screening appointments as a result of the pandemic, campaigners have warned. Breast Cancer Now forecasts around 8,600 of the women ensnared in the backlog could have been living with breast cancer which has gone unidentified with their diagnosis postponed due to the public health emergency overwhelming NHS resources. The charity notes early detection of breast cancer is key to stopping women dying from the disease which claims around 11,500 womens lives each year in Britain. Susan Daniels, who lives in South Wales, told The Independent her breast screening was cancelled back in March due to the Covid-19 crisis. The 60-year-old, who works for a civil engineering company, said: All the testings centres in Wales stopped screening. I was quite anxious. It was frustrating and disappointing but I wasnt aware I had breast cancer then. I started subconsciously checking my breasts and found the lump by accident at the beginning of May. The doctor referred me for a rapid diagnosis. Its early-stage grade two. They discovered it in both breasts which is really unusual. I was absolutely devastated to hear someone tell me I have cancer. Fortunately I did find the lump myself. I asked what would have happened if I hadnt detected it and they said it wouldve just grown. I had both the lumps removed but if it had been allowed to grow I couldve had both breasts removed. Ms Daniels raised fears there are currently other women out there who are walking around with breast cancer who dont know they have it and the pausing of screenings is delaying their diagnosis. It is putting women at risk of death, she added. If I hadnt checked myself Id still be obliviously wandering around with breast cancer. And the prospect of that terrifies me. Ms Daniels said she was very anxious during the time between her diagnosis and the surgery adding that she did not sleep properly and was highly emotional. She said she would wake up at 3am in the morning for two hours before going back to bed again. Ms Daniels strongly urged the NHS to get screenings back up and running and clear the backlog - adding that women need to shout and get their voices heard if they are not getting their screenings and should be checking themselves. Baroness Delyth Morgan, Breast Cancer Nows chief executive, said: Mammograms are a key tool in the early detection of breast cancer. We understand that the breast screening programme was paused out of necessity due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, but we must now press play to ensure that all women can access breast screening, and we cannot afford for the programme to be paused again. Governments and NHS health bodies across the UK must set out how the influx in demand for imaging and diagnostics will be met. The UK government must also seize the timely opportunity presented by the Comprehensive Spending Review, to urgently invest in recruiting and training NHS staff so that the workforce is equipped to give all women with breast cancer the best possible chance of early diagnosis. NHS halted breast screening programmes back in March to curb the spread of the virus and redeploy staff to fight on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis. Campaigners warned although screenings are now back up and running again, the picture is massively inconsistent across the country, with the number of appointments on offer drastically cut in the wake of new Covid-19 regulations. Such issues are further compounded by the huge backlog of women waiting to be screened after their appointments were cancelled. Mary Wilson, consultant breast radiologist at the Nightingale Centre in Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, said: Screening diagnoses around 19,000 breast cancers a year in England and there has already been a delay of over four months in the programme. To not only maintain pre-pandemic levels of activity, but also do a huge catch up with inadequate workforce levels is an enormous mountain to climb. Our most valuable asset is our staff we simply have to invest in them. We desperately need more radiologists. You cant make a radiologist quickly, so a long-term investment plan is essential. Theres no overnight fix. As a nation, we must recognise and address the workforce issues and invest in the NHS which throughout the pandemic has done a fantastic job. But we now really do need ongoing support. Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in the UK. There are believed to be roughly 35,000 people who currently have secondary breast cancer in the country. The charity warns those working in imaging and diagnostics were massively over-worked before coronavirus plunged the sector into chaos adding the delays have made women massively anxious. Breast Cancer Now urges all women to go to all their healthcare appointments as well as telling them to contact a health professional straight away if they see any new or out of the ordinary changes in their breasts. Back in May, Breast Cancer Now warned thousands of women who have incurable breast cancer are suffering from acute anxiety their lives could be needlessly cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic disrupting treatment. Patients are fearful they may die sooner than they should due to having surgery and clinical trials cancelled, struggling to get their hands on drugs such as hormone therapy, and experiencing delays to treatment and scans, the charity said. Trump proposes plan to increase black communities' access to funding by $500B President seeks to make Juneteenth a federal holiday and designate KKK and Antifa as terror groups Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Donald Trump unveiled his Platinum Plan for promoting growth and opportunity for black communities, a broad outline that, among other things, pledges to increase access to capital for African-American communities by $500 billion. In a move aimed at appealing to black voters ahead of the November election, the president announced a plan that aims to promote opportunity, security, prosperity and fairness for African Americans. He called it a contract with black Americans that will be something that people talk about for a long time to come. When I ran for president four years ago, I looked at the dismal and shameful record of the Democrat Party and asked black Americans, What the hell do you have to lose?' the president said at the campaign event in Georgia Friday. Today I want to share what you have to gain from voting Republican on Nov. 3. Among other things, the new plan expands on initiatives the Trump administration has already put into place, such as the Opportunity Zones initiative, which seeks to foster economic growth in inner-city neighborhoods by incentivizing investment in those communities. Throughout his presidency, Trump has taken credit for low unemployment rates in the black and Hispanic communities. Under the plan, the president vows over the next four years to not only increase access to capital in black communities by almost $500 billion but also create 3 million new jobs for the black community, create 500,000 new black-owned businesses, give black churches the ability to compete for resources for their communities, and enhance financial literacy and homeownership opportunities for the black communities. The Platinum Plan is a bold vision that we can and really will achieve over the next four years, he said. We will be able to do it, if not sooner. As for the $500 billion in increased access to capital, Trump said that plan includes investing in community development, financial institutions and minority depository institutions. Additionally, the plan vows to follow up on the historic criminal justice reform bill that was passed in 2018, the FIRST STEP Act, by following through with a Second Step Act. [We will] build up peaceful urban neighborhoods with the highest standards of policing. We want the highest standards, Trump stressed. [We will] bring greater fairness to the justice system. We will create a national clemency project to right wrongful prosecutions and pardon individuals who have reformed their life. The president also vowed to create a ladder of opportunity for children by creating school choice for every parent in America, referring to policies that allow tax dollars to follow students to private schools they decide to attend. Trump also said he will bring tailored healthcare to address the historic disparities that we have had for so many years. This includes investing in treatments for Kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, sickle cell disease, and maternal mortality, he stated. Trump also vowed to bring manufacturing jobs back to the inner cities, saying they have been largely forgotten. [We will] end Democrat policies that bring in low-wage foreign workers from overseas to replace black workers in our inner cities, he continued. Joe Biden cares more about the citizens of foreign countries than he does about black Americans living our own country. Under the Platinum Plan, the president seeks to use more tax cuts to grow minority-owned businesses by stimulating hiring and investment. He will also try to encourage onshoring and development of domestic manufacturing to increase supply chain business development and employment, examine barriers to employment including fees, occupational licensing, arrest record inaccuracy, and expungement and increase activity in opportunity zones including benefits for local hires. The plan also states that there will be an effort to invest almost $20 billion toward broadband and internet access that will create job opportunities, improve classroom connectivity, and the ability to utilize tele-health services. It also calls for federal, state and local community partners to close failing schools to replace with full school choice and education opportunity to put American parents back in control over their childrens futures. For decades, Democrat politicians like Joe Biden have taken black voters for granted. They made you big promises before every election and then the moment they got to Washington, they abandoned you and sold you out, Trump argued in his speech. The Democrat Party used you and lied to you every single time. According to a section of the plan titled Prosperous Black Communities, Trump vows to make Juneteenth (an informal holiday celebrated by African Americans on June 19 to celebrate emancipation from slavery) a federal holiday and prosecute the KKK and Antifa as terrorist organizations. Trump also seeks to make lynching a national hate crime. As exit polls showed that Trump received just 8% of the black vote in 2016, he is looking to fare better among that demographic in 2020. Biden also has released his plan, which offers more details than Trumps two-page plan, to foster economic growth and empowerment in black communities. Biden has vowed to ensure that black families can build and sustain wealth for themselves and their communities and ensure that first time home buyers are able to get $15,000 in federal down payment assistance. According to Bidens campaign website, the Democratic nominee will, if elected, invest over $70 billion toward historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions. The Biden campaign has also vowed to double funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative to $3 billion to assist small businesses. His plan includes building and repairing affordable housing units and draw[ing] housing and community development capital to low-income communities. Biden plans to triple Title I funding that goes to schools with a high percentage of low-income students to ensure that teachers are paid a competitive wage and children have access to pre-school. A potential Biden administration would further establish a new grant program to support under-resourced four-year schools that serve large numbers of Pell-eligible students as a way to foster collaboration between colleges and community organizations. A drug arrest is now made in Australia every three and a half minutes, as surging supply of narcotics pushes the value of the illicit trade to a record $3.5billion per year. About 26.6 tonnes of illicit substances were seized by police between 2018 and 2019, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's Illicit Drug Data report released on Wednesday. Figures showed that ice is by far the most consumed illegal drug across the nation, followed by MDMA, cocaine and heroin, with a police seizure every five minutes nationwide. The report found that the weight of seized amphetamine-type substances (ATS) was more than double that of cannabis, heroin and cocaine combined, and the ACIC estimates that 11.5 tonnes of ice is consumed in Australia annually. That compared to 4.6 tonnes of cocaine and 941,000 kilograms of heroin. There were 136,242 arrests for drugs in 2018-19, with 102,352 or 75 per cent of them being men. Pictured: Strike Force Raptor investigators have charged three men and seized prohibited drugs worth $1.3 million as part of an investigation into the supply of cocaine across Sydney Pictured: 300g of cocaine that was found under the front passenger seat of a car in May 2020 NEW RECORDS SET FOR DRUG SEIZURES IN AUSTRALIA BETWEEN 2018-2019 In 201819 new records were set. These include: - 5.1 tonnes of amphetamines at the Australian border. - 5,378 national cocaine seizures. - 5,016 national cocaine arrests 1,029 national hallucinogen arrests. - 1,363 anaesthetic detections at the Australian border. Source: ACIC Advertisement ACIC chief executive officer Michael Phelan said the market for anesthetics, such as the tranquiliser ketamine and the depressant GHB, were also on the rise. He added: 'The number of detections of anaesthetics at the Australian border increased 1,934 per cent over the last decade.' New South Wales residents remain the largest consumers of all drugs, particularly cocaine which accounted for 67 per cent of arrests and more than half the national total. According to the report, one of the reasons for the surge in drug-related activity is a result of the online market. It said darknet markets are appealing to buyers because they can undertake transactions remotely and remain anonymous. The online market also provides a greater variety of stock and the ability to adjust pricing. The weight of illicit drugs seized nationally increased 241 per cent and the number of national drug-related arrests increased 80 per cent with 153,377 arrests from 2018 to 2019. Police charged four men following an investigation into an alleged criminal syndicate involved in the supply of cocaine, methylamphetamine and prohibited weapons across Sydney in May Over the past decade, the number of national illicit drug seizures increased by 77 per cent. 'These upward trends in national seizures and arrests highlight the continued vigilance of law enforcement in reducing the supply of all illicit drugs,' Mr Phelan said. 'They also highlight why illicit drugs continue to be a concern for law enforcement and the wider community, and the ongoing need to reduce demand.' This combination of pictures created on Sept. 29, 2020, shows President Donald Trump (L) and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden squaring off during the first presidential debate at the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Jim Watson, Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Joe Biden Will Keep Facing Trump Despite Calls to End Debates: Campaign Democratic candidate Joe Bidens campaign said he will continue to debate President Donald Trump, amid calls for the former vice president to cancel the remaining two events. I dont know how many different ways we can say it. Yes, we are going to do the debates, Bidens deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, told reporters after the debate on Sept. 29, according to The Hill. His running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), said that Biden would attend the next two debates and is never going to refuse to talk to the American people. The next two events are scheduled for Oct. 15 and Oct. 22. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a top Biden surrogate, told Politico that it wasnt clear whether Biden should commit to future debates. It was very hard to follow what was being said, and President Trump showed not just disrespect to the moderator, but to the American people who tuned in trying to figure out what his plans are, Coons said. The point of the debate is for the American people to make a decision, informed by hearing from the two candidates on whats your record, what are your values? Joe Biden came prepared to respect the American people. Donald Trump did not. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in their first 2020 presidential campaign debate held on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) It came after former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, who worked under President Barack Obama, said there should be changes made for the next two debates, writing on Twitter: 2020 is far too important to have two more episodes of that. Because that was not a debate. Meanwhile, several left-wing news outlets including The Atlantic and Slate opined that the first debate should be the last. Some Democrats pointed out that Trump frequently interrupted Biden and talked over him, while also criticizing moderator Chris Wallace. On Sept. 30, Biden opened his day by delivering a speech alongside the rails of Clevelands train station. The former vice presidents campaign stenciled a map of the train journey hes making with wife, Jill, on a board behind the lectern where he spoke. Trump, meanwhile, was scheduled to attend an afternoon fundraiser in Shorewood, Minnesota, a suburb to the west of Minneapolis, before appearing at an evening campaign rally in Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Getty Joe Biden did not mince words on Tuesday evening. Hes the racist, the former vice president shot at President Donald Trump during the first of three presidential debates. The exchange came during a discussion of the Trump administrations crackdown on federal agencies that mandate racial sensitivity training for their employees. I ended it because it's racist, Trump said of his administrations move. They were teaching people to hate our country. I will not allow that. The exchange marked the first discussion at the debate about race in America and ongoing protests of police violence around the country. Bidens racism charge came amid a defense of efforts to imbue federal agencies with a greater awareness of those issues. People have to be made aware of what people feel like, what insults them, what is demeaning to them. It's important that people know, Biden said. Trump Describes Police Violence Against Reporters as a Beautiful Sight The Trump administration has recently acted on that directive and threatened to penalize federal agencies that mandate racial sensitivity training programs with curricula that the White House has dubbed critical race theory. And as he has publicly said in recent weeks, Trump, during the debate, described the racial sensitivity courses at issue as inherently racist themselves. I ended it because it's racist, Trump said. A lot of people were complaining that they were asked to do things that were insane. It was a radical revolution that was taking place. In our military. In our schools. All over the place. At the debate, Biden sought to tie the effort to other discriminatory episodes in American history. It's like how this guy and his friends looked down on so many people, Biden said. They look down their nose on people like Irish catholics and like me. And people who don't have money. And people who are of a different faith. On people who are a different color. Story continues Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. WICHITA, Kan.: A Kansas woman has been sentenced to life in prison for decapitating her ex-boyfriends mother with a pair of kitchen knives. Rachael Hilyard, 38, of Wichita, was sentenced Tuesday in the 2017 death of 63-year-old Micki Davis, The Wichita Eagle reported. Hilyard apologized at the hearing, which several of Davis family members attended in person or watched via a Zoom call. I feel that even death would be too good for me now. Every day and every night I am sorry, she said. Authorities said Davis was attacked after going to Hilyards home to pick up some of her sons property on April 9, 2017. Prosecutors said Hilyard had planned the killing. Hilyard claimed that Davis fell during a struggle over a painting and that she carried out the decapitation because she thought Davis was dead and wanted to release her soul from her body. A jury convicted Hilyard in February. She will be eligible for parole after serving 50 years in prison. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Shalimar is the 15th new MUV location this year, for a total of 26 dispensaries across Florida. AltMed Florida, one of the fastest growing medical cannabis companies in Florida, continues its statewide expansion with a three-day opening, starting Friday October 2, 2020 at 10 a.m. CDT for its newest MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensary located at 1246 Eglin Parkway in Shalimar. Eglin Parkway is one of the main arterials in the Shalimar/Fort Walton Beach market. MUVs 26th Florida dispensary is located minutes from Eglin Air Force Base, the largest air force base in the free world. Our third Panhandle dispensary is in a great location - easily accessible from Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Wright, Niceville and Ocean City, said John Tipton, CEO of AltMed Florida. We also know this is a very popular vacation destination. Now when Florida patients visit the area, they can access their medications. This MUV dispensary is an old bank building and includes a MUV-through (drive-through) which offers expedited checkout for express orders. Its the fourth MUV to feature a drive-through. During the opening, staggered over three-days (Oct.2 Oct.4) for crowd mitigation, all licensed Florida medical cannabis patients will receive a one-time use only, one per patient, 25 percent off their entire first purchase. Patients are also encouraged to order at muvfl.com for express pickup or delivery to help reduce heavy traffic. Deemed an essential service during the pandemic, AltMed Florida has been able to expand its workforce to over 600 employees with additional teams coming onboard at each of its 15 new dispensaries this year. With higher demand for products from 26 total dispensaries, AltMed has also generated additional construction employment and staffing with the expansion of its massive cultivation facility in Apollo Beach. The newest state-of-the-art MUV dispensary will offer an extensive selection of award-winning products including flower, pre-rolls, a wide range of vaporizer pens, metered dose inhalers, topicals and oral sprays; along with patented encapsulation formulations in its EnCaps capsules, tinctures, 72-Hour transdermal patches and transdermal gels. MUV also has one of the widest selections of concentrates for patients needing macro-dosing options. Like AltMed Floridas 25 other locations (Apollo Beach, Bradenton, Bonita Springs, Clearwater, Deerfield Beach, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Jacksonville/San Marco, Jacksonville Beach, Lady Lake, Lakeland, Longwood/Orlando, Lutz, North Port, downtown Orlando, Ormond Beach, Pensacola, Port St. Lucie, Sebastian, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa, Wellington, West Palm Beach) the new Shalimar MUV stands out because its designed as a premium experience think Apple Store, with a modern open-concept design and expert staff with extensive training. The MUV brand already has a wide following in other legal medical cannabis markets, including Arizona, where it has won five Best of Arizona medical cannabis awards. MUV products are sold exclusively in Florida at MUV dispensaries because, unlike other states, Florida does not allow wholesale of product between license holders - only products that license holders make themselves can be sold in their dispensaries. For more information about the new ADA-compliant MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensary in Shalimar, including hours and available MUV products, visit muvfl.com. AltMed Florida is on pace to open 40 MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensaries across the state, all supplied by its state-of-the-art cultivation facility. Visit this link for images of AltMed Floridas cultivation operations and watch this brief video to see what makes AltMed Florida and its MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensaries stand out. About Plants of Ruskin, LLC - d.b.a. AltMed Florida, LLC - With a focus on quality and attention to detail, Plants of Ruskin has more than 35 years of experience in providing seedlings to farmers for vegetable and medical product production. Plants of Ruskin founders, the Dickman Family, are 4th generation farmers with a long history of working in conjunction with the University of Florida, including an endowed chair specifically dedicated to plant improvement. About MUV - The MUV brand of medical cannabis infused products was launched in Arizona in 2016 and quickly gained international attention and recognition. MUV Dispensary by AltMed Florida was formed a year later through the partnership of AltMed Enterprises and Plants of Ruskin, a multi-generational Florida agricultural leader. Through continual research and development, MUV has received multiple patents for the award-winning MUV Products line that provides quality, consistent and reliable medical cannabis products to patients at all 26 locations (one in Arizona muv-az.com, 25 in Florida muvfl.com, and more added each month). Patients are encouraged to place reservations online at muvfl.com for in-store pickup, order for delivery, or visit any one of the 26 MUV Dispensaries for alternative medical cannabis medicine you can trust. About AltMed Enterprises - Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC, headquartered in Sarasota, FL and doing business as AltMed Enterprises, is a fully integrated medical cannabis company that brings compassion, community engagement and pharmaceutical industry precision to the development, production and dispensing of medical cannabinoids. Forward-Looking Statements - To the extent any statements made in this press release contain information that is not historical, these statements are forward-looking in nature and merely express our beliefs, expectations or opinions. For example, words such as may, should, estimates, predicts, continues, believes, anticipates, plans, expects, intends, potential, strategy and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations or estimates and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) our ability to implement our business strategy of distributing high quality cannabis products where permissible under applicable law; (ii) availability and cost of additional capital; (iii) our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees and management; (iv) the impact of federal, state or local government regulations; (v) competition in the cannabis industry; (vi) our ability to generate revenues; and (vii) litigation in connection with our business. All forward-looking statements included in this press release and attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, regardless of whether new information becomes available, future developments occur or otherwise. BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday shared with the world China's experience in advancing biodiversity governance and ecological progress. China has pursued development under the vision of building an ecological civilization, Xi said at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity. It has always prioritized ecological progress and embedded it in every dimension and phase of its economic and social development, Xi noted. He said that China has rolled out strong policies and actions. The efforts include the conservation of the mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands in a holistic approach, national legislation for biodiversity preservation, the establishment of a national parks system, the implementation of biodiversity conservation projects, and campaigns to increase social participation and public awareness. China has taken an active part in global environmental governance, Xi said. China takes seriously its obligations under environment-related treaties, including on climate change and biodiversity, Xi said, noting that the country has hit, ahead of schedule, the targets set for 2020 for tackling climate change and establishing protected areas. He pledged that China will make greater efforts and contributions toward meeting the objectives of the Paris Agreement by adopting even more forceful policies and measures. Abhay Deol and UK actress Meera Syal have been roped in for an upcoming Disney Channel Original movie titled Spin. According to Variety, the film will be directed by Desert Dolphin fame filmmaker Manjari Makijany and written by Carley Steiner and Josh A Cagan. Zanne Devine is the executive producer of the film. With Avantika Vandanapu as the lead, the film follows an Indian American teen, who discovers her artistic side through the unique world of DJ culture. Avantika will be seen playing Rhea who learns her passion for music my blending, "textures of her Indian heritage and the world around her," read the statement. Meanwhile, Abhay Deol will be seen playing Rhea's father. Syal will reportedly essay the role of Rhea's spirited grandmother, Asha and Aryan Simhadri has been cast as Rhea's younger sibling. For director Manjari, the film is special as it is giving her a way to introduce her culture in an authentic manner. She added, "The team at Disney is committed and passionate about representation and have been extremely supportive of my vision from casting a talented Indian actor such as Abhay Deol and the fantastic Meera Syal, to smaller details in the story that reflect the culture." She also said that she feels blessed to have a truly global cast from Australia, India, UK, Canada and the US. The film's cast also includes Aryan Simhadri, Michael Bishop, Jahbril Cook, Kerri Medders, and Anna Cathcart. A report in The Disinsider said the film is expected to begin filming in October 2020, with a release date sometime in 2021 on Disney Channel. ALSO READ: JL50 Web Series Review: Abhay Deol, Pankaj Kapur's Show Is Predictable And Sloppy Oscar Winner Barry Jenkins To Direct The Lion King Prequel Seoul, Sep 30 : South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday assured the people of the country that his government will succeed in battle against the Covid-19 and safeguard the economy from the fallout of the pandemic. He was delivering a video message to the public on the occasion of Chuseok, the Korean autumn harvest celebration, Yonhap reported. "(We) are observing Chuseok at a difficult time," Moon said on the first day of the holiday period. This year's Chuseok falls on Thursday. South Koreans are greeting one of the biggest annual celebrations in the midst of a national campaign to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The government has requested that people should refrain from visiting families or travelling during the holiday season. Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook also plan to stay at the official residence in the presidential compound, Cheong Wa Dae. "The government will surely repay the people who have endured the difficulties by succeeding in controlling the virus and protecting the economy," Moon stressed. It will also further strengthen the social security net and go toward co-prosperity, he added. While many people have put off meetings with families, relatives and others during Chuseok, "normal and precious days will certainly return to our side," he added. The President expressed his appreciation for medical workers, police and firefighters for their dedicated services. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text One of the UK's only commercial black farmers has revealed he experiences less racism in the countryside than he did growing up in urban areas. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, 63, who received an MBE for services to farming in the Queen's Honours List this year, told the Metro that he wants to see more people of colour in agriculture and rural spaces become more accessible to all. Wilfred who is a child of the Windrush generation, was aged four when he came to Britain from Jamaica in 1961, and lived with his eight siblings in a terrace house in Small Heath, Birmingham. As a kid, I was always looking over my shoulder,' he said. Its nice that people say good morning, and I absolutely love Morris dancing. Black people are often stereotyped, but why shouldnt I enjoy Morris dancing? When we talk about diversity, it tends to be focused on urban spaces, but what about black people in rural settings?' Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, 63, (pictured) who is one of the UK's only commercial farmers, has blasted companies for not doing more to diversify since the Black Lives Matter movement Wilfred fell in love with farming at the age of 11 after tending to his father's allotment in Birmingham. He made a promise to himself to one day own a farm, having viewed his father's green patch as a place to escape from the cramped house he grew up in. Founder of The Black Farmer brand, has worked tirelessly to get supermarkets across the nation to support his latest venture and to amplify black voices within the food industry. He hopes to redefine Black Friday on the 27 November with a campaign to celebrate the 'diversity in business'. Wilfred (pictured) has launched a campaign to redefine Black Friday as an opportunity to celebrate diversity in business Major British supermarkets have already agreed to donate profits, a promotional space and to contribute to a nationwide poster campaign to create awareness. The Black Farmer brand is also set to celebrate the black contribution to British society by launching sausages with a flavour of the Caribbean including jerk pork sausage and jerk chicken. Wilfred revealed that it took him 30 years of hard work with roles in the Army and at the BBC before he was able to move to Devon to become a farmer in 1999. Wilfred (pictured) said more needs to be done to transform the perception of the farming industry to encourage more people of colour to join the community He stood for election as a Conservative MP in Chippenham, Wiltshire, in 2010, but lost, and says he was left with little to show for it other than 150,000 of bills. In 2015, he revealed he was losing his skin pigmentation due to cancer treatment. He said of his battle with acute myeloid leukaemia: 'I am lucky to be alive. This time last year it was touch and go. My organs started to fail and my chances were slim. Mr Emmanuel-Jones said although he had initially attempted to cover up his skin pigmentation he has grown to accept it. A Sydney socialite has branded Western Australia premier Mark McGowan a 'fascist pig' and a 'hillbilly' for tearing families apart with his tough border closure. Kristin Fisher, who runs a beauty salon in the ritzy seaside suburb of Double Bay, hasn't seen her family on the west coast for eight months. She is among tens of thousands of Western Australians who have been separated from their loved ones since Mr McGowan sealed off the state on 5 April. Kristin Fisher (pictured), who runs a beauty salon in the ritzy seaside suburb of Double Bay, hasn't seen her family on the west coast for seven months Ms Fisher is among tens of thousands of Western Australians who have been separated from their loved ones since Mr McGowan sealed off the state on 5 April. Pictured: Ms Fisher was left furious by news reports that Aussies will be able to go to New Zealand before WA Under the strictest coronavirus border rules in Australia, no-one can enter unless they have been granted an exemption, even if they normally live in WA. Even people living in areas such as the ACT and the Northern Territory, which have had no community transmission for months and have fewer Covid cases than WA, are barred. There have been reports of retirees being trapped away from home because they were on holiday over east when the border shut and pregnant women remaining separated from their husbands after leaving WA to visit family. Earlier this month, Ms Fisher missed her father's 70th birthday and said she has 'had enough' of the border closures. On 1 September she wrote: 'Today our beautiful dad turns 70. It's been seven months since we've seen our family in WA and quite frankly, I've had enough. We are missing out on his 70th birthday party in our hometown of Broome where all of our family and friends are flying in for'. She added: 'Mark McGowan get off your high horse and open the god damn borders. The virus isn't going anywhere anytime soon. LET US INTO WA! Without a two week isolation period pls. Who the F has time for that. We ain't flying in from Wuhan mate! End rant.' Under the strictest coronavirus border rules in Australia, no-one can enter unless they have been granted an exemption, even if they normally live in WA. Pictured: Ms Fisher Earlier this month, Ms Fisher (pictured with her dad) missed her father's 70th birthday and said she has 'had enough' of the border closures Ms Fisher claimed Premier McGowan was effectively splitting WA from the rest of the nation On Tuesday Ms Fisher took another swipe at the premier calling him a 'fascist pig'. The federal government is in talks with New Zealand about setting up a travel bubble which would allow residents to move freely between the two countries. Responding to reports that it could be in place before Christmas, Ms Fisher wrote: 'Yet we still can't visit family in the SAME COUNTRY. I hate you Mark McGowan you fascist pig.' Western Australia has an election on 31 March and the border shutdown is popular, leading some commentators to fear Mr McGowan won't open up until afterwards. 'People of WA, seriously. You're backing a lunatic if this is who you're voting for. The rest of the country thinks he's a muppet, and not because he isn't letting us in,' Ms Fisher wrote. 'He's dividing you all from the rest of Australia... can you all not see this? Or are you under this hillbilly's spell?' The WA government has said the border will not open until every other jurisdiction has no community transmission for 28 days, something that has not been achieved since the virus hit Australia in March. All other states and territories have agreed to set a goal to get their borders open by Christmas, but Mr McGowan refused to join in with this aim. He said on Tuesday: 'Western Australia is the envy of the world. Our health and our economy is in the best possible position considering what is happening around us. That is why a cautious approach is necessary. 'As always, like everything, we will continue to monitor the situation over east. But until we have confidence that community spread is under control, the border will stay in place.' The WA government has said the border will not open until every other jurisdiction has no community transmission for 28 days. Pictured: Ms Fisher All other states and territories have agreed to set a goal to get their borders open by Christmas, but Mr McGowan (pictured) refused to join in with this aim. Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has been urging WA to open its border to areas with no community transmission, fearing tourism businesses will collapse without any customers. He has said there is no valid health reason for keeping the border shut to such areas. In the state parliament earlier this month WA Police Minister Michelle Roberts said she was 'incredibly empathetic' to families who were torn apart - but said the border closure will remain. 'I cannot imagine what it would be like to not be able to see a loved one a mum, a dad, a sister, a brother or a child because of Covid restrictions,' she said. 'I know that it has been really difficult for people and that they have faced a burden because of it. 'We have taken those precautions for the benefit of the whole community, because we do not want to deal with the consequences of Covid getting out of control. 'We do not want to have a situation such as the one that has evolved in Victoria, which is not as bad as it is in many other places around the world.' On Tuesday Western Australia recorded more Covid cases than Victoria when eight members of a cargo ship docked in Perth were diagnosed and transferred to hotel quarantine while Victoria suffered only five new cases. Lufthansa Group has announced that Swiss will resume flights from Dubai to Zurich on October 29 with three flights a week. The Dubai-Zurich flights will be on Monday, Thursday and Saturday; while the Zurich-Dubai flights will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The group also announced that Lufthansa German Airlines will increase capacity from Dubai as of October from four to five flights a week. The Dubai- Frankfurt flights will be on: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The Frankfurt - Dubai flights will be on: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. - TradeArabia News Service B oris Johnson's father has apologised after he was pictured shopping without wearing a face covering in west London. Stanley Johnson said he was "extremely sorry" after he was caught perusing the shelves at a newsagents on Tuesday, without a covering over his mouth and nose. The picture emerged in the Mirror newspaper after fines increased to 200 last week for first time offenders who fail to wear a face covering in accordance with the Government's coronavirus guidance. Speaking to the Mirror, Stanley Johnson said he may not be 100 per cent up to speed with current rules as he had just returned to England after three weeks abroad. Im extremely sorry for the slip up and I would urge absolutely everybody to do everything they can to make sure they do follow the rules about masks and social distancing, he said. The fact this was my first day back in the UK after three weeks abroad is, I am sure, no excuse for not knowing the rules. During the Downing Street press conference on Wednesday, the Prime Minister implored the public to follow Covid-19 guidelines. Grant Shapps: Stanley Johnson "ignored travel advice, not restrictions" Bear in mind that the fines are now very considerable and they will be imposed, he said. Face coverings have been compulsory in shops and public transport since July 24, and last week the Government guidance was extended to hospitality venues, theatres, restaurants, bars and pubs unless people need to remove them to eat or drink. It is not the first time the Prime Ministers father has made headlines. In July he defended his decision to travel to Greece in an apparent breach of Foreign Office guidance to avoid non-essential travel. He admitted breaking lockdown rules when he went out to buy a newspaper after his grandchild was born in April, stating he was not sure its an essential journey, and also indicated in March that he would ignore the Governments advice and go to the pub. Q1 2020 revenue of $2,067,340 compared to Q1 2019 revenue of $167,802 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / World-Class Extractions Inc. (CSE:PUMP) (FRA:WCF) (OTCQB:WCEXF) (the "Company" or "World-Class"), is pleased to report the operating and financial results for its first quarter ended July 31, 2020. Company Summary and Highlights Pineapple Express Delivery Inc. World-Class holds a controlling interest in Pineapple Express Delivery Inc. ("PED"), a company which offers compliant and secure delivery of government-controlled substances and regulated products, including medical and recreational cannabis in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and liquor delivery in certain jurisdictions in Saskatchewan. Within Ontario, PED currently offers same day delivery to 17 locations and 3-day delivery to 31 locations. PED continues to improve and expand its existing delivery services and expects to launch prescription medication delivery in British Columbia and the Greater Toronto Area in the near term. PED anticipates its revenues will increase over the coming months resulting from expansion into new jurisdictions, and the continuing growth of deliveries for the B2B sector, which has seen month-over-month increases in revenue since May 2020. Randy Rolph, CEO & Founder of PED stated: "The guiding principles of Pineapple Express Delivery is that clients and patients should be able to receive their regulated product orders (alcohol, prescription medications and cannabis) as quickly, safely and as easily as they can obtain any other product in Canada. The COVID-19 pandemic creates a new landscape for same-day and last-mile delivery, and PED is staying at the forefront in implementing safety requirements for the protection of clients, patients and drivers alike. All PED drivers are trained to follow safe social distancing protocols and are equipped with all necessary PPE items, and driver vehicles are equipped with a 360 security camera. COVID requirements are maintained daily at PED facilities, including disinfecting with special products proven to kill 99.99% of bacteria. PED continues to advance into new territories, offering safe and secure delivery opportunities to better serve the public. PED aspires to be the 'Amazon' of regulated products in a very secure and controlled environment of same-day delivery." Financial (unaudited) Revenue of $2,067,340 for the quarter ended July 31, 2020 compared to $852,890 for the quarter ended April 30, 2020 and $167,802 revenue for the quarter ended July 31, 2019. The increase in revenue is primarily attributable to the operations of PED. Gross margin for the quarter ended July 31, 2020 was 35%. The Company had cash at July 31, 2020 of $4,205,297 (April 30, 2020 - $5,632,160). Working capital as at July 31, 2020 was $2,245,857. The Company has long-term debt consisting of $920,919 in non-current portion of lease obligations and $120,000 in non-current loans payable. The net loss and comprehensive loss for the three months ended July 31, 2020 was $1,094,701 (as compared to July 31, 2019 of $4,222,132). The decreased loss for the quarter is mainly attributed to the following: the decrease in general and administrative expenses - $1,788,131 for the quarter ended July 31, 2020 ($2,242,485 July 31, 2019) which included the following notable expenses: consulting fees of $89,131 (July 31, 2019 - $317,273); research and development expenses of $332,999 (July 31, 2019 - $254,258); lease interest of $37,090 (July 31, 2019 - $3,486); filing fees of $13,232 (July 31, 2019 - $35,732); office expenses of $169,887 (July 31, 2019 - $2,385), professional fees of $174,503 (July 31, 2019 - $359,549); rent of $80,883 (July 31, 2019 - $38,645), remuneration and benefits of $632,315 (July 31, 2019 - $237,519); and share-based payments of $257,058 (July 31, 2019 - $993,135); the decrease in selling expenses attributed to the costs associated with the revenue generated - $19,260 for the quarter ended July 31, 2020 ($377,767 July 31, 2019); the decrease in acquisitions fees - nil for the quarter ended July 31, 2020 ($982,675 July 31, 2019). The acquisition fees for the quarter ended July 31, 2019 are attributed to the merger between World Class Extractions Inc. and Quadron Cannatech Corporation which occurred June 17, 2019; and in addition, the loss includes impairment loss of $15,629, depreciation and amortization of $152,348, interest and bank charges of $190,865, and the loss on asset disposal of $200,276. Rosy Mondin, CEO of World-Class stated: "Pineapple Express Delivery continues to impress, showing sequential revenue growth with significant operating margins, which World-Class is able to capture on its financial statements. As infectious disease experts warn of the fall/winter surge of COVID-19 infections, we will likely see people return to similar shopping habits as seen early in the pandemic- that is Canadians will increasingly make more purchases online. With PED's territorial and service expansions, we expect PED to continue to be the leader in safe and swift delivery of controlled substances and regulated products." About World-Class World-Class is an innovation-driven company with a principle focus on the rapidly evolving cannabis and hemp industries. Through its subsidiaries Soma Labs Scientific Inc. and Greenmantle Products Inc., World-Class deploys and manages custom-built extraction centres utilizing its custom systems, technology, and processes to efficiently produce high-quality cannabis and hemp concentrates and end-products. In addition, through its subsidiary Pineapple Express Delivery Inc., the Company offers compliant and secure delivery of government regulated products, including medical and recreational cannabis in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and liquor delivery in certain jurisdictions in Saskatchewan. Investor Contact Daniel Mogil World-Class Investor Relations 1-437-266-1968 | ir@worldclassextractions.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks, assumptions, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect," "is expected," "anticipates" or "does not anticipate," "plans, "estimates" or "intends," or stating that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding PED's projected preliminary gross margin figures for August 2020 compared to July 2020 the Company's intention to enter into the agreements to outfit and operate cannabis and hemp-based oil extraction facilities, the expected benefits to the Company as a result of the proposed agreements; the terms of the proposed agreements; the effectiveness of the extraction technology. The Company believes there is a reasonable basis for the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements, however these expectations may not prove to be correct. Such statements are only projections and predictions, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, certain of which may be beyond the control of the Company including that the Company may not open the cannabis and hemp oil extraction facilities; the parties not being able to agree to terms of the agreements; that the cannabis and hemp oil extraction facilities may not be fully operational in 2020 if at all; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company's business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed agreements, and other factors beyond the Company's control. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the anticipated closing of any acquisitions by the Company, the continued growth and expansion of the Company's operations, and the receipt of regulatory approvals, including the approval of the CSE. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: World-Class Extractions Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608563/World-Class-Extractions-Reports-Operating-and-Financial-Results-for-the-Three-Month-Period-Ended-July-31-2020 Most Americans say their opinion of President Trump is based more on what he has done as president, which suggest that attacking his character won't resonate with the majority of the electorate. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press ) Since Donald Trumps election in 2016, it is hard to remember a week when my students have not asked me how a man with such an appalling personal and professional record of unethical behavior could still command the respect of so many Americans. Certainly, surveys regularly show that Americans rank Trump lowest among modern presidents on ethical standards, including Nixon and Clinton, and numerous thought pieces by the media focus on his morality and character. But the truth is, when assessing Donald Trump, most Americans care less about who he is and what he stands for. They base their judgment more on what he has done in office. A new poll from the Survey Center on American Life of the American Enterprise Institute offers insight into this question: How do Americans weigh a presidents personal qualities against his policies and accomplishments? The data show that in aggregate 60% of Americans say their opinion of Trump is based more on what he has done as president, while 39% say its based on who Trump is and what he stands for. This suggests that attacks on Trumps character wont resonate much with the majority of the electorate. In fact, this result holds true with little variation among survey respondents by income, geographic location, education or gender differences. Even the opinion of immigrants and native-born Americans converge on this question 64% of Americans born outside the U.S. judge Trump by his actions in office rather than his character and values, as do 59% of people born in this country. Even evangelical Americans, who might be expected to care more about morality and ethics, are also more focused on performance in office (64%) than on the presidents personal morals and ethics. Some 60% of non-evangelicals feel the same way, as do 62% of Roman Catholics and 63% of Protestants. Atheists and agnostics collectively are more likely to view Trump through a character lens, but they still lean toward considering his actions. Story continues Political ideology, however, causes a divergence in views. In the survey, 71% of conservatives said Trumps actions affected their assessment of him more than his character. A far smaller percentage of liberals (55%) said they were swayed more by his actions. But the greatest differences come into play when we look at race and age. More white, non-Latino Americans (64%) say they assess Trump based on what he has done in office rather than on his personal qualities. Latino and Asian Americans, likewise, focus on his job. But Black Americans differ; they are evenly split. The most fascinating part of this story is the generational difference in how Trump is viewed. Of the Generation Z group (teens and young adults), 59% report evaluating the president based on who he is and what he stands for, with only 40% saying they judge him based on his actions. This is the inverse of the overall survey response. Millennials who are out of college, in the workforce and have families of their own are more evenly split, 54% for what Trump has done and 45% for what he stands for. Among baby boomers, 70% say they judge Trump based on what he has done and only about 30% say they focus more on his character. My students like the rest of Gen Z are outliers. They are deeply disgusted by Trumps character and private behavior and judge him on those traits, but most of the country does not agree with them, with even groups that preach morality sidelining those considerations. The lesson here is simple and important as the presidential race heads into its final weeks. It may be less fruitful to focus on Trumps character and values, when a majority of voters is less influenced by such factors. Those who want to defeat Trump in November would be better served to focus on his policies and concrete actions or lack of action in his four years in the White House. Samuel J. Abrams is professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) today issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to purchase Ohio-compliant Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for its Ohio utilities Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison. The purchases will help meet the companies' 2020 renewable energy targets established under Ohio's alternative energy law. RECs sought in this RFP must be eligible for compliance with the companies' 2020 renewable energy obligations in accordance with rules and procedures put forth by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), be deliverable through PJM Environmental Information System Generation Attribute Tracking System (EIS GATS), and generated between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. The companies plan to purchase 373,000 RECs, which can include solar renewable energy credits. One REC represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of generation from a PUCO-qualified renewable generating facility. The cost of the RECs is recovered from utility customers through a monthly charge filed quarterly with the PUCO. No energy or capacity will be purchased under the RFP. The number of individual bidders is not limited. Participants in the RFP must meet and maintain specific credit and security qualifications and must be able to prove their REC generating facilities are certified or in the process of becoming certified by the PUCO. The RFP is a competitive process managed by Guidehouse Inc. (Guidehouse), an independent evaluator and a global consulting firm with expertise in energy markets, renewables and competitive procurements. Based on the RFP results, the Ohio utilities will enter into agreement(s) with winning suppliers to purchase the necessary quantities of RECs. FirstEnergy's Ohio utilities have a website, http://www.FEOhioRECRFP.com, to provide bidders with a central source of documents, data and other information for the RFP process. On October 8, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. EPT, the FirstEnergy Ohio utilities and their consultant, Guidehouse, will conduct a webinar to outline the RFP process and the terms of the agreement, as well as to provide a forum to submit any questions. Questions also may be submitted during the RFP process directly through the RFP website. To participate in the RFP, potential bidders are encouraged to submit credit applications by November 2, 2020, and proposals are due November 10, 2020 by 5 p.m. EPT. The RFP Manager is Dan Bradley, Partner at Guidehouse. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]. FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- Orange Community Education and Recreation is facing a deficit of nearly $1 million, primarily due to the coronavirus pandemic, Orange Schools Treasurer Todd Puster told the Orange Board of Education Tuesday (Sept. 29). As a result, cuts in OCER programming may be necessary, board member Melanie Weltman and Puster agreed. OCER offers learning and recreation opportunities for preschoolers through senior adults in the Orange Schools community. Our goal with OCER is to break even, Puster said. In the past several years, weve been pretty close to that. But because of COVID-19, as of June 30, OCER had a deficit of $700,000, Puster said. That deficit is for the 2019-20 fiscal year, which ended June 30. Thats because weve had to refund a huge amount of money due to cancellation of programs, he said. A lot of work in our office and in the recreation office this spring was related to issuing refunds to our patrons. It was the right thing to do, and we did it. OCER is looking at an estimated deficit of about $250,000 for the first quarter of 2020-21, which ended Wednesday (Sept. 30), Puster said. Thats in addition to the $700,000 that was lost in 2019-20. Thats just because we cant get the programs at a normal level, he said. OCER Director Jill Korsok told the board that participation in fall programming is down about 78 percent from the fall of last year. Jill has been trying to be creative with programming, but theres only so much you can do, because recreation is really an in-person type of activity, Puster said. Puster said the district builds cash reserves for times like these, but thats only a short-term solution. Were just going to simply have to examine what we do, where we can manage our costs, he said. But really, until we can get back to a more normal situation, unfortunately were going to have to anticipate deficits. The meeting was held in person at the Pepper Pike Learning Center. But for health and safety reasons, the public was asked to follow the meeting online, via a live-stream on the districts website, and Korsok took part remotely. Tough decisions ahead Weltman said, If we cant maintain programs, we might have to look at finding ways to cut costs. Absolutely, Puster said. We cant sustain deficits forever. Weltman said the board needs to start thinking about which programs can be continued and which ones cannot. If we have to make challenging decisions and recalibrate, were going to have to do that as a board, she said. Thats our unfortunate role in these times. Puster noted these decisions should be discussed probably sooner than later. These are tough decisions, he said. Superintendent Lynn Campbell said some of those discussions are under way. I had a meeting with Jill last week, and we had some of these conversations, he said. Board member Jeffrey Leikin said he recalled Korsok telling the board in March that OCER was headed for a record year. He asked her what those projections were in March. I think we would have been up more than $200,000, which is money that we take and put into that reserve (fund), she said. When we meet our revenue goals, anything thats extra goes into the reserves. The deficit is nobodys fault, Weltman said. Its the fact that its hard to do these programs when you cant be close together, she said. "There are a lot of innovative and virtual programs, which I think are really great, and maybe now that things have settled down, people may take more of an interest in some of those. Its so unfortunate. I know we have a lot of great things lined up usually in the fall, and its just sad and a shame that all the work that our team has put together has had to be put on hold. Orange Community Education and Recreation is based at the Pepper Pike Learning Center, located on the Orange Schools campus at 32000 Chagrin Blvd. (Ed Wittenberg, special to cleveland.com) OCER is based at the Pepper Pike Learning Center on the Orange Schools campus, where many classes are offered, but it also uses other buildings on the campus. Our late fall and early winter programming will continue to be virtual when possible, with some additional small-group, in-person youth classes, Korsok said. Those would begin in November. Senior center may reopen Nov. 2 Korsok said OCER has been focused on training of staff and the consistent application of our safety protocols since it reopened in July with small-group summer camps. It remains open for both virtual and in-person small-group classes and activities, she said. It had been forced to close on March 13 due to the pandemic. The next step, she said, will be the reopening of the Orange Senior Center, at 32205 Chagrin Blvd., across the street from Orange High School. Korsok noted that Gov. Mike DeWine has authorized the reopening of senior centers, within certain guidelines, but we dont feel were ready for that, she said. So a tentative reopening date has been set for Nov. 2. One of the things making that reopening a little more difficult is that staff members must be tested for COVID every other week, she said. The cost of testing is covered by the state, but were not quite ready to undertake that yet. When we do, there will just be limited health and wellness programming offered. Korsok said some activities for senior citizens that OCER has been doing outdoors may move indoors when the center reopens. We have received a lot of positive feedback from our seniors, she said. "The social aspect is very important -- getting people out to be active is very important -- and theyre relying on us right now for those services. But we recommend anybody, especially our senior adults, to speak with their healthcare provider before visiting the center or participating in any capacity. Trunk or Treat set for Oct. 30 Korsok said OCERs Trunk of Treat event this year will feature a drive-in movie -- Hotel Transylvania -- from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Pepper Pike Learning Center parking lot. OCER has held Trunk or Treat as an alternative to Halloween for the past several years, but it will be much different this year due to the pandemic, Korsok noted. Registration for the event reached its capacity of 100 vehicles on Sept. 24, she said. But we are looking for an alternate date to add a second night, she said. Were working with the mayors (in the district) to avoid conflicting with any events they may be planning. A vendor holding a food license will package treats that will be handed out as vehicles check in, Korsok said. Families will remain in their vehicles, or within their assigned spaces, during the movie so that 6 feet of social distance can be maintained, she said. While the state (face) mask order does not require mask usage outdoors if 6 feet of distance is maintained, we will encourage families to wear masks if they are outside their cars' designated space, she said. Staff will wear face masks, maintain 6 feet of distance and use sanitizer, Korsok said. The Pepper Pike Police Department will assist with parking and traffic control. There are so many good things to say about it, because Halloween this year for the kids wont be what they expect, and this sounds like a fun night, Weltman said. Im really happy to hear that we have a professional vendor handing out the food because I think thats one of the challenges. Korsok said Oct. 31, also from 7-9 p.m., is being considered as a second night for the event. Maybe if the communities arent doing Halloween on Halloween night, that might actually be a really wonderful thing to do that evening, Weltman said. Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun. No matter how Wallace pleaded with Trump or admonished him, he couldnt make him behave. But then why should Wallace have an experience any different from that of Trumps chiefs of staff, of all the other former administration officials who have fled for the hills, of the Republican lawmakers who just threw up their hands and threw away any scruples they had? Trump runs roughshod over everyone and everything, and on Tuesday night in Cleveland he ran roughshod over the idea that two presidential candidates presenting rival visions for America should do so with at least a small measure of dignity and an iota of decorum. The days of crowded bars and night club venues have been pushed behind us by COVID-19. The truth of the matter is that those concepts were struggling even before the virus hit. For nearly three decades music spilled out of the gaping front windows of the Downtown, nestled at the corner of Broad and West Front Street in the heart of Red Banks commercial district. One could wind through the exposed-brick dining room, around the large oval bar, past the small kitchen serving up traditional American fare to reach the retro-chic sushi bar, a small bright back-room hideaway. Travel upstairs to enter a dark, trendy lair of pulsating music, provided by either a local disc jockey or band of any imaginable contemporary genre. From top to bottom, you would feel as if you're anywhere but in the middle of this quaint riverbank town. But yes, its true and its all over town. The long-standing restaurant, bar and nightclub located at 8-10 West Front Street in Red Bank, New Jersey and known identifiably as the Downtown has been sold. In fact, the business, which has been a hot spot and a major nightlife draw at that same location has been named the Downtown Cafe and most recently simply the Downtown since 1990. A group of local investors has purchased the real estate and liquor license and is planning to completely transform the site. It is in need of change, states Richard Santore of Bielat Santore & Company, Allenhurst, New Jersey, the broker for the sale. The days of crowded bars and night club venues have been pushed behind us by COVID-19. The truth of the matter is that those concepts were struggling even before the virus hit. Night clubs had become a weekend business at best and the late-night bar business has been declining for years. I have always been a believer in food. You can get a drink at any bar or restaurant, but the ability to consistently create, prepare and serve value-oriented, quality food is what keeps patrons coming back for more. The new owners intend to totally renovate the building and to introduce a fresh, new and exciting food and beverage concept, something the likes that Red Bank has not seen. Expect renovations to take 3-4 months and the new restaurant to open Spring - 2021. This marks the sixth major real estate sale for the Allenhurst, New Jersey commercial real estate firm during the coronavirus pandemic. About Bielat Santore & Company Bielat Santore & Company is an established commercial real estate firm. The companys expertise lies chiefly within the restaurant and hospitality industry, specializing in the sale of restaurants and other food and beverage real estate businesses. Since 1978, the principals of Bielat Santore & Company, Barry Bielat and Richard Santore, have sold more restaurants and similar type properties in New Jersey than any other real estate company. Furthermore, the firm has secured in excess of $500,000,000 in financing to facilitate these transactions. Visit the companys website, http://www.123bsc.com for the latest in new listings, property searches, available land, market data, financing trends, RSS feeds, press releases and more. Cautiously, with six-inch cotton swabs and four-gallon drums of hand sanitizer, theater is creeping back on the side of a cliff in Cornwall, England; on stoops in Montreal; even, in a few cases, in New York. We asked artists and audiences even an usher and a critic to reflect on what it was like to return to shows across the world. The New York Times LONDON U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday called on Britons to stick to the rules in order to avoid tougher coronavirus restrictions, as the country grapples with a swift upsurge in the number of reported coronavirus cases. "The best way forwards to protect the NHS, save lives, to keep our children in school and the economy moving is to follow the rules wherever we live," Johnson said. "I don't want to go back to a national lockdown where the overall guidance is stay at home," Johnson said, responding to a question sent in from a member of the public. "That is not what we are saying, we want to keep the economy moving, we want to keep young people, pupils in education. But, the only way we can do that is if we all follow the guidance and depress the virus." The prime minister, who has recently had to apologize after muddling the government's own coronavirus rules, was speaking alongside Chris Whitty, the government's chief medical officer, and Patrick Vallance, its chief scientific advisor, during a televised press conference. It comes shortly after the country recorded its highest number of reported Covid-19 infections since the pandemic began. The U.K. reported an additional 7,143 cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, surpassing the number of new cases reported in late April and early May when strict nationwide lockdown measures were in place, although there are now more daily Covid-19 tests being carried out than in the spring. The U.K. also recorded 71 further coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday. It was the highest number of Covid-19 fatalities reported in the U.K. since July 1. The country has the worst official death toll in Europe, and the fifth-highest number of coronavirus fatalities worldwide. At a cafe in Birchgrove, customers waiting for their coffees in a socially distanced cluster are admiring a box of vegetables growing on the front path. Instead of regular potting mix FarmBox uses a mix of cocopeat and coconut fibre. Credit:Robin Powell Its impossible to know if theyre appreciating the red-veined sorrel, corn, parsley and nasturtium, or the vivid rainbow stripes of the box itself. Around the corner there are more boxes on the footpath, here featuring broad beans, cavolo nero, ruby chard and coriander as well as a borage plant humming with bees, because, as their owner Jonathan Norton points out, no bees no beans. Norton was involved with the development of OurFarmBox in his native South Africa. The philanthropic organisation he worked for wanted to make better nutrition possible for communities with little arable soil and limited water. Turns out these are also two of the barriers to food-growing in urban Sydney. OurFarmBox is a bit different to other balcony and courtyard-friendly edible growing systems that use the magic of moisture wicking to conserve water. Instead of regular potting mix FarmBox uses a mix of cocopeat and coconut fibre, which is supplied with the box. (As a dry brick, this weighs almost nothing, necessary for delivery to remote communities in South Africa and for sending through the post in Sydney.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 02:48:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the UN Biodiversity Summit at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 30, 2020. Guterres on Wednesday called for greater ambition to reverse biodiversity loss. (Rick Bajornas/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for greater ambition to reverse biodiversity loss. Biodiversity and ecosystems are essential for human progress and prosperity. They are central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change, he told the UN Biodiversity Summit. Yet, despite repeated commitments, efforts have not been sufficient to meet any of the global biodiversity targets set for 2020. Much greater ambition is needed -- not just from governments, but from all actors in society, he said. Degradation of nature is not purely an environmental issue. It spans economics, health, social justice and human rights, he warned. "Neglecting our precious resources can exacerbate geopolitical tensions and conflicts." Yet, too often environmental health is overlooked or downplayed. The UN Biodiversity Summit provides an opportunity to show the world that there is another way. Humanity has to change course and transform its relationship with the natural world, he said. "By living in harmony with nature, we can avert the worst impacts of climate change and recharge biodiversity for the benefit of people and the planet," said the UN chief. Guterres saw three priorities for conserving and sustainably managing biodiversity. First, nature-based solutions must be embedded in COVID-19 recovery and wider development plans. Preserving the world's biodiversity can yield the jobs and economic growth that are urgently needed today. The World Economic Forum signals that emerging business opportunities across nature could create 191 million jobs by 2030. Africa's Great Green Wall alone has created 335,000 jobs, he said. "Nature-based solutions are also vital tools in our fight to solve the climate crisis. Forests, oceans and intact ecosystems are effective carbon sinks. Healthy wetlands mitigate flooding. We have natural solutions at our fingertips to protect us from natural disasters, job loss and economic fallout. Let us use them," said Guterres. Second, economic systems and financial markets must account for and invest in nature. Nature's resources still do not figure in countries' calculations of wealth. The current system is weighted toward destruction, not preservation, he said. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates the annual global funding needed for nature at between 300 billion and 400 billion U.S. dollars -- less than current levels of harmful subsidies for agriculture, mining and other destructive industries, Guterres noted. Investing in nature will protect biodiversity and improve climate action, human health, and food security. And governments need to include biodiversity as a criterion in financial decision-making, he said. Third, there is a need to secure the most ambitious policies and targets that protect biodiversity and leave no one behind. The Convention on Biological Diversity estimates that services from ecosystems make up 50 to 90 percent of the livelihoods of poor rural and forest-dwelling households. Nature offers business opportunities to poor communities, from sustainable farming to ecotourism or subsistence fishing. All of them depend on conserving biodiversity and using it sustainably. Most indigenous peoples, in particular, depend on healthy ecosystems that can provide the economic and financial services they need to preserve their cultures and livelihoods, he said. Guterres said humanity, instead of waging war on nature, needs to rebuild its relationship with it. More than 60 percent of the world's coral reefs are endangered due to overfishing, destructive practices and climate change. Wildlife populations are plummeting because of overconsumption, human population growth and intensive agriculture. And the rate of species extinction is accelerating, with some 1 million species currently threatened or endangered, he said. "Deforestation, climate change and the conversion of wilderness for human food production are destroying Earth's web of life. We are part of that fragile web, and we need it to be healthy so we and future generations may thrive." One consequence of the imbalance with nature is the emergence of deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and now COVID-19, against which mankind has little or no defense. Sixty percent of all known diseases and 75 percent of new infectious diseases are zoonotic, passing from animals to humans, demonstrating the intimate interconnection between the health of our planet and our own, he said. Nations have failed with regard to biodiversity in the last decade, he said. But nature is resilient and it can recover if humankind eases its relentless assault. The UN Biodiversity Summit presents a unique opportunity for world leaders to make the decisions that will shape the shared future of humankind, he said. Guterres stressed the need to secure an ambitious post-2020 biodiversity framework, one that will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; one that sets out concrete and measurable targets and includes means of implementation, particularly finance and monitoring mechanisms; one that mobilizes a full and effective partnership across state and societies, with businesses, youth, women, indigenous peoples and local communities. "We need a healthy planet for our societies to thrive and our economies to rebuild," he said. Enditem T he chef and restaurateur Imad Alarnab has found a permanent home for his Syrian cooking concept, which has seen him tour London with charity supper clubs and pop-ups. Now, he is crowdfunding to raise the final 50,000 needed to help get his restaurant off the ground. Alarnab will open Imads Syrian Kitchen on the top floor of Carnaby's Kingly Court in early November, serving as the name suggests a choice of Syrian small plates, mezze, alongside a choice of larger dishes for sharing, including the likes of hamsit lahem (marinated lamb shoulder, slow cooked with smoked rice) and anginaar, where artichoke is roasted and stuffed with vegetables. Alarnab's story is an interesting one, having previously been a restaurateur in Damascus, where he ran two restaurants and a host of juice bars and cafes. His entire business was lost over six days during the Battle of Damascus, forcing him to flee in 2015. He then travelled through Europe, cooking for as many as 400 other refugees at a time, before spending 64 days in Calais, sleeping on the steps of a church. Once in the UK, Alarnab began cooking at pop-ups and events and, in four years, raised almost 200,000 for refugee charity Choose Love. With his new restaurant, he will continue the fundraising, donating 1 from every bill to the charity. After four years I am so very excited that I am now finally going to open my own restaurant in the heart of London, the city I and my family now call home," Alarnab said, "Losing my restaurants in Damascus was devastating, but I am so happy that I can now bring my Syrian cooking to Kingly Court in Soho, to the people of London who have supported me so much over the last few years. "Thank you to you all and I cannot wait to welcome you to my new venture, this is a dream come true! Julia Wilkinson, the restaurant director of Shaftesbury PLC, which is behind Kingly Court, says, We are delighted that Imad Alarnab has chosen Kingly Court for the first permanent home for Imads Syrian Kitchen. After working with Imad on several pop-up projects over the past four years, it is fantastic for Shaftesbury to be able to support this next chapter. Kingly Court is an exciting food hub for creative entrepreneurs and new concepts, so Imads Syrian Kitchen is the perfect addition. To watch Alarnab's crowdfunding appeal and to make a donation, visit this page. Original review: Sept. 18, 2021 John ** is a thief. We went with him to buy our first house. He advertised a fancy low rate and credit at closing so we went with him. He had 45 days to meet closing but can't even meet that. We had to bug him repeatedly to get the appraisal scheduled even though we paid for it over a month before closing. He waited several weeks to finally get it scheduled so then it had to be expedited. He wanted to charge us the fee to have it expedited but we complained about that so he claims the company will reimburse us at closing. Now they are telling us that we won't get the appraisal back before closing so we will have to push it back. The Hathras Police which was already facing allegations of a cover up in the probe of the gang rape of a 19-year-old Dalit girl has courted more controversy and outrage. Twitter This after it emerged that the Hathras Police performed the cremation of the victim's body at her village against the will of her family. Read more Babri Masjid Demolition Case: All 32 Including LK Advani, Uma Bharti, MM Joshi Acquitted A special court in Uttar Pradesh today delivered the verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case. The court acquitted all the 32 named in the case including BJP Leaders LK Advani, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi. File image The verdict was pronounced today nearly three decades after the structure was razed down by a mob in Uttar Pradeshs Ayodhya town, sparking communal riots. Read more Crimes Against Women Increased By Around 50,000 In Three Years, 7.8% Rise From 2018 Alone The latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has painted a bleak picture when it comes to the issue of women's safety in India. BCCL India recorded an average of 87 rape cases daily in 2019 and overall 4,05,861 cases of crime against women during the year, a rise of over 7 per cent from 2018. Read more India Is Far From Herd Immunity Against COVID-19, Only 6.6% Have Been Exposed To The Virus One in 15 individuals aged 10 years and above were estimated to be exposed to SARS-CoV2 by August, showing that a considerable population is still susceptible to COVID-19, according to the ICMR's second sero-survey findings released on Tuesday. BCCL 6.6 per cent of the 29,082 people, aged 10 and above, surveyed from August 17 to September 22 showed evidence of past exposure to COVID-19 and 7.1 per cent of the adult population, aged 18 and above, also showed evidence of past exposure to it, ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said. Read more Delhi's Air Quality May Dip To 'Poor' In Next 2 Days; Stubble Burning, Economy Reopening Causes It's time for the national capital New Delhi to brace for its yearly bout of toxic air. Inhouse Delhi's air quality was recorded in the 'moderate' category on Wednesday morning, while a government forecasting agency said it is likely to turn 'poor' by Friday, October 2. Read more Chennai's Waste Management Will Go Hi-Tech From October, the corporation has vowed that these problems will be gone when Urbaser-Sumeet takes over solid waste management in Alandur, Adayar, Valasaravakkam, Perungudi, Sholinganallur, Teynampet and Kodambakkam zones. TOI Chief minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami shall inaugurate the project. People might have to pay a penalty for not giving over segregated waste, but it's not final yet. Read more Three years ago, a large cache of artifacts, including poems, letters and notebooks by some of the greatest Yiddish writers of the first half of the 20th century, was discovered in the basement of a church in Vilnius, Lithuania. In scouring through them and other artifacts that had been rescued from Nazi efforts to destroy all traces of Jewish culture, researchers discovered a more humble document: the writing of a fifth-grade girl telling of her daily life in Vilnius in the 1930s. Now that girl, whose name was Americanized to Beba Epstein, is the central character of a YIVO Institute for Jewish Research exhibition that went up online recently. The exhibition aims to explore Jewish life in Eastern Europe before World War II. By scrolling through Bebas story, a visitor will learn that the first movie she saw was Uncle Toms Cabin, and that her grandfather tried to squelch her mischievous side. My grandfather used to tell me that I had to behave like a good religious girl, wrote Beba, who was born in 1922, in what she called her autobiography. If not, God would spank me with iron rods so I hid from God. There are photographs of Beba and her sister Esye among their schoolmates, and stories of swimming and running in summer. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 30, 2020) - City View Green Holdings Inc. ("City View" or the "Company"), trading through the facilities of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "CVGR" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "CVGRF" announces that further to its news release of September 15, 2020, it has extended the deadline for participation in its warrant exercise incentive program to October 15, 2020. All other terms of the incentive program remain as set out in its September 15, 2020 news release. The Company also announces that it has entered into an independent consulting agreement with Grant Galloway pursuant to which Mr. Galloway will provide, in part, public relations services and investor relations services. The agreement is for an initial three month term. About City View City View is a leading cannabis-infused food company focused on the development of food brands, extraction, and distribution. Upon the anticipated receipt of its Cannabis Act processing and sales licences ("Cannabis Licences"), City View will incorporate cannabis-infused food production and extraction at its Brantford, Ontario facility. Once operational, it is our expectation that City View will produce high quality cannabis-infused food, oils, distillates, and water-soluble products for the food and beverage markets. In addition, City View owns a 27.5% stake in Budd Hutt Inc. ("Budd Hutt"), a retail-focused cannabis company with access to cannabis cultivation and production licences in Alberta and other retail opportunities across Canada. Through its relationship with Budd Hutt, the Company anticipates securing shelf space, product placement, and distribution opportunities for City View's products. For more information visit www.cityviewgreen.ca. For further information contact: City View Green Holdings Inc. Rob Fia, CEO & President Email: rob@cityviewgreen.ca Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements which are not composed of historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include, among others, availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, delays in the development of projects, and ability to predict or counteract potential impact of COVID-19 coronavirus on factors relevant to the Company's business. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/64908 (Natural News) Tucker Carlson hosts the most popular cable television show in American history, but now he is being targeted and censored by the far-left Marxists who control Facebook. For three and a half years, Facebook has claimed a monopoly on ideas, censoring, restricting and removing content that conflicts with their political agenda and business interests. Facebook operates much like the Communist Chinese Party, controlling internet speech and removing any discussion that threatens their power and influence. Facebooks censorship and election interference is out in the open for all to see Now Facebook is going to desperate lengths to shut down opposing facts, discussion and ideas by censoring an independent mind, Tucker Carlson, just weeks away from the November 3rd presidential election. Facebook is flat-out censoring one of the most influential, independent news personalities of the day. In an attempt to silence the truth, Facebook has become arrogant in their censorship efforts. And now Facebooks criminal activity is in the open for all to see. Facebook is engaging in election interference, trying to silence one of the most popular mainstream voices in journalism. Facebook warned Tucker Carlson that his page would have reduced distribution because he has repeatedly shared fake news. Facebook sent the notification just weeks before the 2020 election. Your page has reduced distribution and other restrictions because of repeated sharing of false news. People will also be able to see if a Page has a history of sharing false news. Facebook operates like the Chinese Communist Party, must be held to account for attacking American democracy Carlson was previously censored by Facebook for airing an interview with a Chinese dissident who claimed that covid-19 was created by Chinese government researchers. It seems Facebook is protecting China and their unethical gain of function coronavirus research that was conducted in Wuhan. The Chinese Communist Party not only controls social media and internet content in China, but they are gaining a stranglehold over the information that is shared in the US. Tucker Carlson has been boldly documenting the crimes of the Democrat Party while criticizing their alliance with big tech monopolies in Silicon Valley. He has exposed the lefts mob violence and has provided a channel for victims to speak out and have their voices heard. Carlson has called out Democrat governors who have weaponized virus fears to control peoples lives, threaten individual liberties, and ruin peoples businesses and careers. In 2020, Carlson has aired so many important facts and conversations that Facebook is compelled to target the show and go after Carlsons voice in the run-up to the 2020 elections. Facebook has become a totalitarian nightmare, stifling American democracy, and they must be held to account. The Department of Justice is in the process of stripping social media companies of their censorship powers, reforming section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which has allowed Facebook to remove any conservative or independent content they determine to be objectionable. Under the reform, this term objectionable will be defined and Facebook will have to be transparent with their content moderation practices. On the other hand, the Democrats have already outlined their plan to allow Facebook to censor conservatives and independents at will and interfere in elections on the Democrats behalf. In fact, Vice Presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, has already called on Facebook and other social media companies to ramp up their efforts to silence conservatives and other dissenting voices under the banner of protecting the public from misinformation and false news. Stay up to date on the Democrats ongoing destruction of American democracy at Censorship.News. Sources include: BigLeaguePolitics.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com The leader of the militant Hezbollah group said Tuesday they still welcome the French initiative to help Lebanon out of its crisis, but said Paris has to change its approach in dealing with local factions. French President Emmanuel Macron has been pressing Lebanese politicians to form a Cabinet made up of non-partisan specialists that can work on enacting urgent reforms to extract Lebanon from a devastating economic and financial crisis. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said while he saw France's input as from "a friend that loves Lebanon" there was "no authorisation" for "anyone to be a guardian, governor, ruler, judge or a master" of the country. Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib resigned on Saturday during a political impasse that came amid Lebanons worst economic and financial crisis in decades - made worse by a massive explosion in Beirut in early August. Macron assailed Hezbollah and the entire Lebanese political class on Sunday, and warned of a new civil war if they cant set aside personal and religious interests to unlock international aid and save Lebanon from economic collapse. Nasrallah hit back at those remarks, claiming Macron should see "who was behind the failure of your initiative" he should look towards the United States and Saudi Arabia. The Hezbollah leader also responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's accusations the group was maintaining a secret arms depot in a residential neighbourhood of Beirut. In an address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Netanyahu showed maps purportedly showing the missile depots location next to a gas station and residential housing. He also showed what he said was a picture of the entrance to the depot. Promising to allow the media access to the site, Nasrallah said "the whole world" would discover Netanyahu's "lying". "We do not put missiles neither at Beirut's port or near a gas station and know well where we will put our missiles," he added. The president was given opportunities to denounce electoral chaos, racism and white supremacy and did not, choosing instead to tell members of the right-wing group Proud Boys to stand back and then adding for ominous flavor and stand by, making clear that he already doubts the election outcome, and once more imploring his followers to show up at polling places and appoint themselves as guardians of freedom. Biden let a lot of easy openings pass by and how could he not? He was a man doing battle against disproportionate indecency, with a moderator who never had a hope of controlling the debate. A Massachusetts woman has been exonerated 17 years after she was locked up for the murder of her parents following the discovery of emails that showed prosecutors exchanging 'jokes about Asian stereotypes and mocking caricatures of Asians using imperfect English.' Frances Choy who is Asian-American - was convicted in 2011 of murdering her parents Jimmy and Anne Choy by burning down their house in April 2003, but her 16-year-old nephew later confessed to his involvement. Frances whose parents were from Hong Kong and Vietnam - was released this year and finally cleared Tuesday with her attorneys believing she's the first woman of color to be exonerated in the state. Plymouth County District Attorney filed a nolle prosequi Tuesday saying that they wouldn't request a fourth trial. Frances Choy (pictured in an undated photo) was convicted in 2011 of murdering her parents Jimmy and Ann Choy by burning down their house in April 2003. She was released this month after 17 years and is now 34 years old Prosecutor John Bradley left the DA's office in 2012 and sued the DA over his termination. The emails he was involved in included comparison to a stereotypical character in the movie Sixteen Candles. He and a colleague mocked caricatures of Asians using imperfect English Frances was 17 when she and Kenneth were rescued by firefighters from the burning home in Brockton and she was arrested on two counts of first-degree murder and arson in 2003. There were two mistrials. Her nephew Kenneth Choy was later convicted after he told a friend he planned to set fire to the home as revenge for Jimmy his grandfather from another relationship beating him when he suspected he was dealing drugs. Frances was granted a mistrial in 2008 however Kenneth was exonerated a month later. He testified under immunity that Frances came up with the scheme and he backed out. In 2009, Kenneth had also set fires at the home after he was released and while Frances was locked up. That prompted a prosecutor to email her colleague, 'I think you should just [drop] Frances's case right now.' Kenneth fled to Hong Kong before the third trial in 2011. Judge Linda Giles who presided over the trial where Frances got two life sentences - wrote in her decision on September 17 about how trial prosecutors exchanged 'numerous images of Asian people, some accompanied by pejorative comments and some unexplained.' The racist comments included comparison to a stereotypical character in the movie Sixteen Candles. Giles wrote in her decision that in one exchange about a hearing before the state Supreme Judicial Court, a prosecutor told a colleague she would be 'wearing a cheongsam and will be the one doing origami in the back of the courtroom.' Frances was 17 when she was wrongly accused. One prosecutor wrote that she would be 'wearing a cheongsam and will be the one doing origami in the back of the courtroom' Police had claimed Frances confessed but they didn't have recording capabilities and only an affidavit. Police said that when they questioned Kenneth about two notes he'd written about how to set the house on fire he claimed Frances told him to do it. However a former detective later claimed it was a lie and they did have the ability to record. She also listed other instances of misconduct including failure to pursue other leads. Kenneth's friend was not interviewed after it emerged he had confessed. Kenneth Choy's friend was not interviewed after it emerged he had confessed to the fire. He also set fire to the home in 2009 after he was released from prison then fled to Hong Kong The judge also noted failure by Choy's attorney to recruit an expert witness chemist which could have cast doubt that there was gasoline residue on her pants. State police chemist John Drugan said there was residue on her sweatpants but Kenneth wasn't tested at all. 'It is evident that from the time that Frances was questioned by the State and Brockton Police as a seventeen year old, and through her third trial where the Commonwealth, at the eleventh hour, substituted a role-play of a transcript for their most important, but least credible witness, Frances was disadvantaged by a range of circumstances, procedures and rulings,' Giles wrote. Karen O'Sullivan now works in the Bristol County District Attorney's Office and John Bradley left the office in 2012 and sued the DA over his termination. The DA's office had previously called the emails between Karen O'Sullivan and John Bradley 'reprehensible' and 'horrific,' noting that they had tried to give racial bias training. The judge wrote that Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz 'has taken steps to provide training that is intended to increase awareness of conscious and unconscious bias and to ensure that his professional staff adheres to the highest professional and ethical standards.' O'Sullivan now works in the Bristol County District Attorney's Office and Bradley left the office in 2012 and sued the DA over his termination. Judge Linda Giles, who presided over the trial that convicted Frances in 2011, appeared in a virtual hearing on Tuesday and praised the attorneys for 'their diligent efforts over the years in the interest of justice.' The judge added: 'To Frances, Godspeed' Boston College Innocence Program at Boston College Law School represented Frances in the appeal and Boston College Law School professor Sharon Beckman, said the 'wrongful conviction resulted from racism and other official misconduct and systemic failures.' They fought five years to get the emails released and they only came out last year after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered the DA to release them. 'Usually it's hard to prove bias or show a violation of the Constitution based on racism, but what's unusual in this case is that the emails show what the prosecutors were thinking. They wrote their discrimination down.' 'She can never get back the 17 years the criminal legal system took from her, but we are overjoyed at her exoneration and hope her case will inspire meaningful reform,' Beckman said. Beckman said Frances was 'an innocent crime victim who was instead treated like a criminal suspect.' 'Nothing can erase the pain of losing my parents and how they suffered. I miss them every day. Even in prison I tried to live my life in a way that honored them,' Frances said. 'I'm relieved that the truth has been revealed and to have my life back beyond prison walls.' Boston College Innocence Program at Boston College Law School represented Frances in the appeal and Boston College Law School professor Sharon Beckman, said the 'wrongful conviction resulted from racism and other official misconduct and systemic failures' 'Today's outcome was the culmination of hundreds of hours of diligence by prosecutors in my office working cooperatively with appellate counsel to identify a number of significant legal issues that we could not ignore,' Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz said in a statement to WBUR. 'The role of every prosecutor is to ensure that justice is done. Fairness not only dictated our decision today, but is central to every decision we make.' 'This may be the first case in the U.S. where a murder conviction has been thrown out because of racism on the part of prosecutors,' attorney John Barter said. 'It is tragic that Frances lost her parents, and was then charged with their death, pursued through repeated trials, and deprived for years after her conviction of access to evidence that supported her innocence. 'Despite the fact that as a 17-year-old she was sent off to prison and charged with a crime she didn't commit, she's a remarkable person who doesn't seem to have any bitterness toward the world. She's just looking forward to living her life quietly.' The judge appeared in a virtual hearing on Tuesday and praised the attorneys for 'their diligent efforts over the years in the interest of justice.' The judge added in a video obtained by CBS Boston: 'To Frances, Godspeed.' YEREVAN, Armenia - Heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh continued for a fourth straight day on Wednesday, with statements from both sides indicating that the flare-up of a decades-old conflict that has killed dozens of people since Sunday was no closer to an end. The president of Azerbaijan said Armenias withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh was the sole condition to end fighting over the separatist territory. Armenian officials alleged Turkeys involvement in the renewed conflict and said its neighbours actions hinder the efforts of the international community to cease the hostilities. Meeting with wounded servicemen, Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev said Armenia must unconditionally, completely and immediately leave Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies within Azerbaijan and has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994. If Armenias government fulfills it, the fighting will stop, blood will not be shed, there will be peace, Aliyev was quoted by the Russian state Tass news agency as saying. The scenario laid out by the Azerbaijani leader is at odds with Armenias views on ending the crisis. Aliyevs statement came a day after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Azerbaijans aggression towards Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia needed to end before any compromise could be reached. On Wednesday, Pashinyan said that Armenia may recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as independent, a move that could further interfere with a potential settlement of the dispute. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked for decades in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, where a separatist war was fought in the late 1980s until three years after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The region in the Caucasus Mountains of about 4,400 square kilometres (1,700 square miles), roughly the size of the U.S. state of Delaware, is 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia occupy the region as well as some Azerbaijani territory outside of it. The latest fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh has since killed at least 84 servicemen on the separatist regions side, as well as several civilians. Azerbaijani officials didnt provide details on its military casualties but said 14 civilians have been killed and 46 wounded on its side. On Wednesday, the fighting continued despite repeated calls for a cease-fire from around the globe. Both sides blamed each other for attacks, and Armenia claimed that Turkish drones and fighter jets were being used in the region. Turkey and Azerbaijan denied it. The conflict escalated on Tuesday, with Armenia claiming that a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down an SU-25 from its air force in Armenian airspace, killing the pilot. Turkey, which has been vocal about siding with Azerbaijan in the dispute, denied those claims, and so did Azerbaijan. Hikmet Hajiyev, an aide to Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev, told reporters via teleconference on Wednesday that the incident involved two Armenian SU-25 planes that reportedly crashed into a mountain, rather than an F-16 downing a SU-25. Armenia on Wednesday continued to allege Turkeys involvement in the conflict, saying that Turkish drones and F-16 fighter jets were being deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenias Foreign Ministry demanded immediate withdrawal of the Turkish armed forces, including the air force, from the conflict zone in a statement. The provocative actions of the Turkish armed forces seriously undermine the regional security and hinder the efforts of the international community to cease the hostilities, the statement read. Turkeys Defence Ministry denied claims that Turkeys planes and drones were deployed to help Azerbaijan, dismissing them as propaganda by Armenia. The ministry said Armenia sought to increase international support by creating the perception that it was fighting Turkey. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that If Azerbaijan makes a request, we would do the necessary. Earlier this week, Armenian officials also claimed that Turkey sent fighters from Syria to Azerbaijan. Turkish officials dismissed the accusation. However, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Wednesday that so far some 850 Syrian fighters have arrived in Azerbaijan and hundreds more were expected to arrive there in the coming days. Meanwhile, European officials are seeking to bring the opposing sides to the negotiating table. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking on Wednesday at a news conference in Riga, Latvia, called for talks between France, Russia and the United States the three countries co-chair the Minsk group, set up in 1992 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the conflict to mediate. I will speak to President (Vladimir) Putin tonight and, I think, President (Donald) Trump tomorrow to discuss and propose an exit strategy for the crisis, Marcon said. The French president also condemned recent comments from Turkey as reckless and dangerous and said he was extremely preoccupied by the belligerent messages from Turkey in the past hours. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has called for an emergency meeting of the OSCE that would include Azerbaijan and Armenia to try and achieve a swift end to hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh and a resumption of negotiations. The escalation of tension in Nagorno-Karabakh has a serious impact on regional stability, Dendias said, adding that he is in contact with his counterpart from Armenia and is planning a visit to Yerevan soon. Dendias also called on regional rival Turkey to end actions that would further escalate the conflict. ___ Daria Litvinova in Moscow, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report. The waiter had barely put the plate in front of her when the 46-year-old woman felt the color drain from her face. She was in Fresno, Calif., on a work trip and had come to a restaurant to meet an old friend for dinner. But all of a sudden her stomach dropped the way it might on a roller-coaster ride. A sudden coolness on her face told her shed broken out in a sweat. She felt dizzy and a little confused. She saw the alarmed face of her friend and knew she looked as bad as she felt. She excused herself and carefully made her way to the bathroom. She sat in front of the vanity and supported her head on her arms. There was the now-familiar stabbing pain in her stomach. She wasnt sure how long she stayed like that. Was it 10 minutes? 15? At last she felt as if she could get up. As she hurried to meet her friend at the entrance, she felt the contents of her stomach surging upward. She covered her mouth as vomit shot between her fingers. She lowered her head and bolted through the doorway, trying not to see the horrified faces of the diners. In the parking lot, the rush of stomach contents continued until she was completely empty. Exhausted, she sank into the seat of her friends car. She was too sick to go back to her hotel, her friend said. Instead the friend would take her to her house, until she felt better. The next thing the woman remembered was that she was sitting on the floor of her friends shower, hot water pounding her back. When she could, she crawled into bed. She slept until late the next morning. She thanked her friend, canceled her morning meetings and later that day headed home to Stockton, Calif. STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aircastle Limited ("Aircastle" or "the Company") announced today that it has changed its fiscal year end to the twelve-month period ended February. The Company is changing its financial reporting period to better align with the financial reporting cycle of its shareholders, Marubeni Corporation and Mizuho Leasing Co., Ltd. The Company will file a Form 10-QT with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for the two months ended February 29, 2020 within the next 45 days. In the future, the Company will file quarterly results for the periods ended May 31st, August 31st and November 30th. In January of 2021, the Company expects to file its Form 10-Q with the SEC for the period from July 1 to November 30 and nine-month period ended November 30, 2020. These results will be presented on a comparable basis with the prior-year periods. "In order to provide transparency for our fixed income investors during this fiscal year end transition period, we intend to release selected unaudited financial information for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2020 in early November 2020," said Aaron Dahlke, Aircastle's Chief Financial Officer. About Aircastle Limited Aircastle Limited acquires, leases and sells commercial jet aircraft to airlines throughout the world. As of June 30, 2020, Aircastle owned and managed on behalf of its joint ventures 283 aircraft leased to 80 customers located in 44 countries. Safe Harbor All statements in this press release, other than characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not necessarily limited to, statements relating to our proposed public offering of notes and our ability to acquire, sell, lease or finance aircraft, raise capital, pay dividends, and increase revenues, earnings, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA and the global aviation industry and aircraft leasing sector. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "seeks," "estimates" and variations on these words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on our historical performance and that of our subsidiaries and on our current plans, estimates and expectations and are subject to a number of factors that could lead to actual results materially different from those described in the forward-looking statements; Aircastle can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements which are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated as of the date of this press release. These risks or uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described from time to time in Aircastle's filings with the SEC and previously disclosed under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of Aircastle's 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020. In addition, new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Aircastle to predict or assess the impact of every factor that may cause its actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Aircastle expressly disclaims any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances. Contacts: Aircastle Advisor LLC Frank Constantinople, SVP Investor Relations Tel: +1-203-504-1063 [email protected] SOURCE Aircastle Limited Related Links http://www.aircastle.com John Cena was the first in-studio guest in his new set on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, where he proclaimed his love for BTS and the BTS Army. The 43-year-old actor, WWE Superstar and children's author appeared on the NBC late-night talk show to promote his new children's book Elbow Grease. Fallon will also be featuring new performances from the hit Korean super group BTS all week, with Cena admitting just how big of a BTS fan he really is. BTS fan: John Cena was the first in-studio guest in his new set on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, where he proclaimed his love for BTS and the BTS Army New book: The 43-year-old actor, WWE Superstar and children's author appeared on the NBC late-night talk show to promote his new children's book Elbow Grease New performance: Fallon will also be featuring new performances from the hit Korean super group BTS all week, with Cena admitting just how big of a BTS fan he really is When Fallon mentioned that it's BTS Week on the show, Cena admitted, 'I jam out to them.' Fallon also mentioned during BTS' last appearance on The Tonight Show, he asked them who the one person they'd like to meet is, and they all said John Cena. The Marine star admitted that, 'floored me, like stopped my heart floored me,' while Fallon added that the BTS Army 'embraced' him. BTS Week: When Fallon mentioned that it's BTS Week on the show, Cena admitted, 'I jam out to them' Floored: The Marine star admitted that, 'floored me, like stopped my heart floored me,' while Fallon added that the BTS Army 'embraced' him 'When something becomes a thing, it's open for criticism,' Cena began. 'I love what this band has done, because they're this massively popular thing and they've been so globally popular for so long, I was like, "OK, I should really know about this.' Cena added he was 'originally drawn' to the group because, 'there are rappers in that crew and they use, on some of their intro tracks and bookend tracks, these sick a** boom bap beats and they actually rap.' He added that he was initially interested in the music itself, but then he became interested, 'in what the music stood for' since they advocate 'self-love' and not being afraid of failure. Rappers: Cena added he was 'originally drawn' to the group because, 'there are rappers in that crew and they use, on some of their intro tracks and bookend tracks, these sick a** boom bap beats and they actually rap' Message: He added that he was initially interested in the music itself, but then he became interested, 'in what the music stood for' since they advocate 'self-love' and not being afraid of failure Cena said the group is trying to 'shatter all the stereotypical difficulties and uncomfortable situations we all go through, and they're catering to an audience that is living that, young people.' He added that their fans, known as the BTS Army, have stepped up in other ways, including after the group donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter. 'They were like, if they can do it, we can do it. Fans, who were already coming out of the pocket to support artists, came out of pocket more to support charity, and this isn't the first time they've done this,' Cena said. Audience: Cena said the group is trying to 'shatter all the stereotypical difficulties and uncomfortable situations we all go through, and they're catering to an audience that is living that, young people' Army: He added that their fans, known as the BTS Army, have stepped up in other ways, including after the group donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter Cena added that the group 'resonating enough through the television' to get fans to give back to a worth cause is, 'work, that's purpose, that's f***ing changing the world. That's impressive.' He added that even if you don't like BTS' music, 'how they conduct themselves as human beings and the message they send to the world, that's something special.' BTS also performed in their second night of BTS Week on Fallon, performing the song Home from album Map of the Soul. Special: He added that even if you don't like BTS' music, 'how they conduct themselves as human beings and the message they send to the world, that's something special' SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield City Council overwhelmingly voted on Tuesday to wage a lawsuit against Mayor Domenic J. Sarno over the restoration of a five-member civilian Board of Police Commissioners. Only At-large member Sean Curran voted against the measure, considered for the first time publicly during a brief special meeting of the council. Eleven others including City Council President Justin Hurst, among 10 sponsors of the measure, voted yes. We did have a police commission in the 1970s and 1980s and for a lot of reasons it just didnt work, Curran said. I do believe the strong police commissioner model is the way to go. However, many members of the council have lobbied for the throwback entity for years -- after it was dismantled in 2005 in favor of a single police commissioner with sovereign power over hires, promotion and discipline including firings. Opponents of the police commission have argued the panel became hyper-politicized over decades with candidates for advancement or their proxies clamoring for promotions, or on behalf of others to fend off discipline. Tuesdays vote came after a series of closed door meetings. Northampton attorneys Thomas Lesser and Michael Aleo volunteered pro bono services in June. The vote also comes after years of rancor among certain councilors, Sarno and members of his administration who have stood staunchly behind a single-commissioner model. The council approved an ordinance to create a five-member police commission in 2016, overriding a veto by Sarno. The council took another vote to create a commission in 2018. The mayor responded by refusing to make appointments to the commission, arguing the ordinance is legally invalid. This position has been bolstered by City Solicitor Edward Pikula. Hurst has long argued reviving the police commission will balance the scales of power. Mayor Sarno has a duty to the citizens of Springfield to implement the laws passed by this legislative body. The system is broken when this fails to occur and democracy is compromised. Because the City Council does not have our own attorney who isnt beholden to the Mayor, we have been unable to resolve this legal question for years," he said following the vote. Thankfully, we now have pro bono legal counsel willing to litigate this issue on our behalf and through it all, a City Council who has remained steadfast in their desire to ensure a balance of power in our local government continues to exist, Hurst said. Fellow At-large Council Jesse Lederman said restoring the commission will improve transparency within the police department. A civilian Board of Police Commissioners will foster needed transparency and accountability in the administration of our police departments policies, procedures, and personnel processes. Furthermore, its the law, he said after the vote. In addition to Hurst and Lederman, voting yes were At-large councilor Tracye Whitfield; Ward 1 Councilor Adam Gomez; Ward 2 Councilor Michael Fenton; Ward 3 Councilor Melvin Edwards; Ward 4 Councilor Malo Brown; Ward 5 Councilor and Council Vice Present Marcus Williams; Ward 6 Councilor Victor Davila; Ward 7 Councilor Timothy Allen; and Ward 8 Councilor Orlando Ramos. At-large member Kateri Walsh was absent. Sarno last year submitted a proposal to the council to expand the powers of the existing nine-member Community Police Hearing Board. The proposal includes granting the board subpoena powers as it investigates allegations of police misconduct. Councilors have not acted on the mayors proposal, instead standing by the civilian police commission ordinance. The existing advisory board can make recommendations for officer discipline, but decisions are up to the police commissioner. Appointed by Sarno last year, Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood said she has always supported or exceeded the boards recommendations in terms of discipline. However, some councilors, including Whitfield, contend the civilian review board does not wield enough power. The current system to include the Community Police Hearing Board just isnt working. The oversight of the Springfield Police Department should be independent of the police department. Civilians should be comfortable enough to voice concerns outside of the law enforcement agency," Whitfield said. "In addition, we need full transparency and the assurance that disciplinary actions are imposed when required and necessary. The proposed timing of the lawsuit remains unclear. Ill leave that to the attorneys, Hurst said on Tuesday evening. Michael Angelini, a Worcester attorney handling the matter on behalf of the city, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A man speaks with his child, wounded during shelling, in Stepanakert, the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan on Sept. 28, 2020. (Areg Balayan/PAN Photo via AP) Armenia, Azerbaijan Clash in Separatist Region for a 2nd Day YEREVAN, ArmeniaArmenian and Azerbaijani forces fought over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh for a second day on Sept. 28, with both sides blaming each other for resuming the attacks, which reportedly killed and wounded dozens as the decades-old conflict has reignited. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed that Armenian forces shelled the town of Tartar, while Armenian officials said the fighting continued overnight and Baku resumed offensive operations in the morning. Azerbaijani military officials told the Interfax news agency that over 550 Armenian troops have been destroyed [including those wounded] in a claim that Armenia denied. According to officials in the predominantly Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, 58 servicemen on their side have been killed so far. Initially, the list of killed soldiers from the territorys Defense Ministry had 59 names on it, but officials later said one man on the list was wounded, not killed. On Sept. 27, the ministry also reported two civilian deathsa woman and her grandchild. About 200 people have been wounded, the Armenian Defense Ministry said, while Azerbaijani authorities said six civilians were killed and 26 wounded on their side. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Sept. 27 that there were losses among Bakus forces, too, but he didnt elaborate. The heavy fighting broke out on Sept. 27 in the region that lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Yerevan government since 1994 at the end of the separatist war. Azerbaijan said it destroyed two Armenian tanks, and Nagorno-Karabakhs Defense Ministry reported that Baku lost 10 armored vehicles in a tank battle. The Armenian Defense Ministry said that, while the fighting continued, all offensives of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were successfully suppressed, the enemy was thrown back and suffered losses. Nagorno-Karabakha region in the Caucasus Mountains about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles) or about the size of the U.S. state of Delawareis 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region. The European Union urged both sides to stop fighting and return to the negotiating table, following similar calls by Iran, Russia, France, and the United States. We hope and we urge everyone to do everything they can in order to prevent an all-out war from breaking out, because this is the last thing the region needs, European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said in Brussels. There is no military solution to this conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation is a cause for concern for Moscow and other countries. We believe that the hostilities should be immediately ended, Peskov said, adding that the process of resolving the conflict should shift into a politico-diplomatic dimension. Armenias Foreign Ministry accused Turkey, which sides with Azerbaijan in the conflict, of supporting this aggression. Turkish military experts are fighting side by side with Azerbaijan, who are using Turkish weapons, including UAVs and warplanes, the ministry said. The situation clearly indicates that people in Nagorno-Karabakh are fighting against a Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance, the statement said. Both Armenia and Turkey accused each other of recruiting foreign mercenaries. Omer Celik, a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans ruling party, denied reports that Turkey had sent arms or foreign fighters to Azerbaijan. Armenia is disturbed by Turkeys solidarity with Azerbaijan and is producing lies against Turkey, Celik tweeted. Erdogan reiterated Turkeys support for Azerbaijan and said Armenias immediate withdrawal from the region was the only way to ensure peace. All other impositions and threats will not only be unjust and unlawful but will continue to indulge Armenia, he said. Erdogan criticized France, the United States, and Russiathe three chairs of the so-called Minsk group that was set up in 1992 to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflictsaying they had failed to resolve the issue for 30 years. They have done their best not to solve this issue. And now they come and counsel and issue threats. They say, Is Turkey here, is the Turkish military here? Erdogan said. Whose lands were occupied? Azerbaijans lands. Nobody asks for [Armenia] to account. Azerbaijan has been forced to take the matters into its own hands. By Avet Demourian The Walt Disney Co. said on Tuesday its plans to lay off 28,000 workers division at its theme parks in California and Florida. According to Disney officials, two-thirds of the intended layoffs include part-time workers, but they ranged from salaried employees to hourly workers. Disney parks closed last spring as the pandemic began spreading in the U.S. The Florida parks reopened this summer. However, California parks have yet to reopen as the company follows the guidance of California. Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experience and Product, said that California's unwillingness to lift restrictions for the park to reopen worsens the situation through a letter. D'Amaro added that they had worked very hard to avoid layoffs. Some of the efforts include cutting expenses, suspending projects, and modifying operations. However, this was not enough due to the number of people allowed into the park because of social distancing restrictions and other pandemic-related measures. "As heartbreaking as it is to take this action, this is the only feasible option we have in light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic," he was quoted. On Tuesday, California's health secretary said the state was close to working out a way to have the theme parks reopen responsibly. Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of California Health and Human Services, said that they know that many Californians are eager and thinking when that is coming. Ghaly added that they are working with those industries to put out something thoughtful. He also pleaded to maintain the rest of their framework strongly while following principles to ensure that those extensive activities are done responsibly. Disney officials said the company would provide compensation for the employees, where appropriate. The company said that they would also offer services to help workers with job replacement. Actors' Equity Association said that officials with the union representing actors who play Disney characters were having conversations with Disney officials how they were affected. Officials with the Service Trades Council Union said they were having similar conversations. The Service Trades Council Union represents 43,000 workers at Disney World in Florida. The coalition of six unions said through a statement that they were disappointed to learn that the COVID-19 crisis had resulted in Disney to make the decision to let go Cast Members. Union leaders said that bout 950 workers from Unite Here Local 11 in California will be furloughed starting Nov. 1. Meanwhile, Disney officials did not provide a breakdown of the layoffs between the Florida and California operations. In Florida, Walt Disney World has about 77,000 employees. In California, the Disneyland Resort has more than 30,00 workers. In April, Disney laid off up to 43,000 workers while still paying for their health insurance at its Florida resorts. It then brought back many of them after it reopened in July. Want to read more? Check these out! Downtown Disney Reopening Met With Long Lines Despite Health Concerns Disneyland California Workers Demand COVID-19 Testing for Reopening Florida's Theme Parks Like Disney World Set on Reopening Maharashtra recorded 15,686 cases of economic offences in the year 2019 and was the only state in the country to have six cases involving a sum of over 100 crores. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Maharashtra registered an increase in economic offences in 2019, with 14,854 cases being registered in 2018 and 13,941 cases in 2017. Rajasthan topped the list for economic offences with 26,920 cases being registered in 2019 followed by Uttar Pradesh with 19,968 cases. NCRB statistics claimed that Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra accounted for 38% of the economic crimes in India in 2019. Among Metropolitan cities, Mumbai saw the maximum cases of economic crime with 5,556 cases being registered in 2019, with Delhi registering 4,817 cases. The data reveals that Mumbai leads the list of crime under section criminal breach of trust and cheating with 902 cases followed by Lucknow with 762 cases and Delhi with 315 cases. Officers with the economic offences wing (EOW) in Mumbai Police said that since the city is the financial capital of India, there are a maximum number of cases related to economic offences. Apart from criminal breach of trust Mumbai recorded 4,642 cases of forgery and cheating after Jaipur with 5,905 cases. We are urging people to come forward and report cases even if it involved smaller amounts which have increased the number of cases, said an officer with EOW. Another officer said that creating awareness about economic frauds and cheating is a major part of policing, especially during lockdown when people are at home and are finding ways and places to invest their money to get maximum returns, owing to the anticipated slowdown and unemployment. A man, 36, has been charged with attempted murder in the ambush shooting of two Compton police officers earlier this month, two weeks after he was involved in an armed standoff with cops over an alleged carjacking. Deonte Lee Murray, 36, was charged Wednesday with two counts each of willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder of a peace officer and possession of a firearm by a felon after he allegedly walked up to a police cruiser and shot the two deputies multiple times on September 12. Two officers - 31-year-old Claudia Apolinar and her 24-year-old male partner - were shot multiple times as they sat inside their patrol car outside the Metro Blue Line station at Willowbrook Avenue and Oak Street. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and District Attorney Jackie Lacey in a press conference Wednesday morning identified Murray as the suspected gunman and said they believe he acted alone. Murray, who authorities said 'hates' cops, has been in police custody since September 15 after a huge armed standoff in Lynwood over an alleged carjacking on September 1 where a 51-year-old man was shot in the leg. Authorities at the time denied his arrest was connected to the ambush of the two cops despite the massive SWAT team presence and several law enforcement sources telling the media it was. Police confirmed Wednesday the two incidents were related and said a gun discarded by Murray during the September 15 incident was the same one used in the cop shooting. The vehicle the gunman fled from the ambush in is also allegedly the same black Mercedes Benz stolen in the September 1 carjacking that Murray was arrested for on September 15. A man, 36, has been charged with attempted murder in the ambush shooting of two Compton police officers earlier this month, two weeks after he was involved in an armed standoff with cops over an alleged carjacking. Video of the ambush on the two cops above The female deputy is seen helping her colleague after the shooting. Deonte Lee Murray, 36, was charged Wednesday over the September 12 attack with two counts each of willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder of a peace officer and possession of a firearm by a felon after he allegedly walked up to a police cruiser and shot the two deputies Villanueva announced the gunman's arrest Wednesday and slammed his actions as the 'worst of humanity.' 'We saw the worst of humanity - a cowardly act where a suspect ambushed and shot and attempted to kill two of our deputies,' he said. 'This cowardly ambush was followed by bystanders celebrating and cheering that the deputies had been shot, and that followed at the hospital - the sanctity, the quiet sanctity of the hospital - with protesters cheering and chanting for the deputies to die.' The sheriff was referring to footage that emerged of bystanders mocking the bloodied officers at the scene and protesting outside the hospital where they were taken for treatment on the day of the attack. Villanueva added: 'These acts and that day, I will not forget it, and it represents the worst in humanity and it shocked the whole nation. And that evening, I said we will find this man. And I can report today, we have found our suspect.' Villanueva said the 'worst of humanity' was followed by the 'best of humanity' as law enforcement and the community worked to track down the suspect following the attack. Murray, a convicted felon who allegedly has ties to multiple gangs, is believed to have acted alone in the attack on the deputies. The suspect was arrested two weeks ago on September 15 in connection to an armed carjacking in Compton back on September 1 where he allegedly also shot the male driver of the car, 51, in the leg with a rifle. He faces attempted murder, carjacking, robbery and assault charges in that incident. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted on all charges. Murray appeared at Compton courthouse later Wednesday for his arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to all charges. His bail was set at $6.1 million - just shy of the $6.15 million recommended by prosecutors - and he is being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (pictured) and District Attorney Jackie Lacey in a press conference Wednesday morning identified Murray as the suspected gunman and said they believe he acted alone His attorney Jack Keenan requested Murray be moved to another facility given 'the nature of the victims in the case', claiming his client was having his food taken from him at the prison. 'He doesn't get fed, his food gets thrown away, he hasn't eaten today,' Keenan told the judge. Judge Michael J. Shultz denied the request but said he would order deputies to look into the situation. The suspect's photo is not being released because the investigation is ongoing and its release could impact witness interviews where suspect line ups may be used, authorities said. Both Murray's attorney, prosecutors and the judge were in agreement that its release 'would compromise the defense, the prosecution or both'. He is scheduled to appear back in court on November 17. A felony arrest warrant was issued for Murray after officers sought him in connection to both the carjacking and the shooting of the officers, LA County Sheriff''s Department Captain Kent Wegener said Wednesday. Wegener said police located Murray on September 15 who then led cops on a high speed police chase in a Toyota, culminating in an armed standoff for eight hours in Lynwood. Officials said they finally located him in a trash bin behind an apartment with the help of a K-9 unit and he was charged over the carjacking. The LA County Sheriff's Department - including Villaneuva - insisted at the time that his arrest was not related to the shooting of the two cops. Murray, who authorities said 'hates' cops, has been in police custody since September 15 after a huge armed standoff in Lynwood (pictured) over an alleged carjacking on September 1 where a 51-year-old man was shot in the leg The September 15 standoff above. Authorities at the time denied his arrest was connected to the ambush of the two cops despite the massive SWAT team presence and several law enforcement sources telling the media it was Authorities said Murray's arrest was on suspicion of a carjacking and that there was no known connection between him and the gunman who gunned down the two officers the weekend before despite the massive police presence including helicopters, bomb squads and K-9 units. 'At this time there is no information that would lead us to believe that he is involved in the shooting of our deputies,' a department official said at the time. Villanueva repeatedly told several media outlets the two incidents were unrelated as the standoff rumbled on for around eight hours and residents were evacuated from the area. There were conflicting reports from law enforcement sources who told local media while the standoff was underway that it was connected to the cop shooting. A source told NBC Los Angeles at the time that authorities were increasingly confident the suspected carjacker was connected to the attack on the officers. Wegener said Wednesday a pistol Murray allegedly discarded during the chase was the same pistol used to shoot the two deputies on September 21. He said forensics and ballistics connected the gun to Murray and the cop shooting. The gun was also missing five rounds - the same number fired at the deputies, Wegener said. The black Mercedes Benz sedan stolen in the September 1 carjacking in Compton was also found close to where Murray was hiding out, he said. Wegener said the car was also identified as the same vehicle used as a getaway car after the ambush on the cops on September 12, police said. Wegener defended the department's actions denying any connection between the two incidents saying it would have been 'irresponsible' to confirm a link at the time. Murray, a Compton resident, has a long rap sheet including drugs charges, terrorist threats and burglary charges. When asked about the motive for the attack on the cops, Wegener said 'he hates police officers and wants them dead'. Police confirmed Wednesday the two incidents were related and said a gun discarded by Murray during the September 15 incident was the same one used in the cop shooting. Pictured the scene of the standoff Authorities also confirmed the vehicle the gunman fled from the ambush in is also allegedly the same black Mercedes Benz stolen in the September 1 carjacking that Murray was arrested for on September 15 SWAT teams search homes in Lynwood for Murray during the standoff Two cops were gunned down in Compton on September 12 amid escalating tensions between law enforcement and the American public. Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment the black male suspect strolled up to the police cruiser and shot the officers at close range before fleeing the scene on foot. Apolinar, a mother to a six-year-old boy, was shot in the jaw in the attack while her partner was shot in the head. Despite her injuries, Apolinar was able to get her partner to safety, apply a tourniquet to his wounds and radio for help. A photo of the aftermath of the attack shows Apolinar covered in blood, giving medical help to her injured partner who was also struck in the head. A harrowing dispatch call reveals a shaky voice called in the shooting, muttering: '998 Compton Pax.' Two officers - 31-year-old Claudia Apolinar (pictured) and her 24-year-old male partner - were shot multiple times in the September 12 attack Recognizing the code for a deputy-involved shooting, a dispatcher asks: 'Just happened?' The voice replies, almost unintelligibly, 'Compton Pax, deputies down. Compton Pax 998.' Both officers survived and were taken to hospital in a stable condition while a massive manhunt got underway for the gunman. Authorities said they were searching for a black male between the ages of 28 and 30 in dark clothing who was last seen in a black four-door sedan. The 24-year-old male cop, who has not been identified, was discharged from hospital just over a week after the attack. Four days later, his partner Apolinar was also released from hospital. Both deputies had both only graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy last year. Fox News reporter William la Jeunesse said earlier in the month that 'some believe this ambush was retaliation for some recent police shootings of black suspects in LA.' On August 31 black man Dijon Kizzee was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies after he was stopped for a traffic violation while riding a bike. At the beginning of this month the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also voted to ask the coroner to conduct an inquest into the fatal deputy shooting of 18-year-old Andres Guardado on June 18. Thousands have taken to the streets demanding justice and calling for an end to police brutality and racism since May following the 'murder' of black man George Floyd by a Minneapolis cop who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he passed out and died. Apolinar with her husband and Sergeant Frederickson (left) and in bed, writing out replies for Frederickson to relay to President Trump because she cannot speak Floyd's death reignited outrage over the death of EMT Breonna Taylor, 26, who was shot eight times while sleeping in her bed when three plain clothes officers performed a no-knock arrest warrant at her Louisville apartment on March 13. In June, unarmed father Rayshard Brooks was shot dead while he ran away from cops in the drive-thru of a Wendy's restaurant in Atlanta. On August 23, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a white cop in front of his three young children, leaving the father-of-six paralyzed from the waist down. In early September, footage was released by the family of Daniel Prude, 41, showing cops in Rochester, New York, putting a spit hood over his face and pushing his face into the ground for two minutes until he passed out and died on March 23. The Monroe County medical examiner listed the manner of death as homicide caused by 'complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint' but no charges have been brought against any of the cops. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the December general election is about choosing leaders with competence that Ghanaians can trust to deliver when given the mandate. He said his track record in government in the last four years was enough to secure him a second term despite efforts by the opposition to downplay his achievements. The President, who was speaking at a ceremony to commission a 12-unit classroom block at the Konongo Odumase Senior High School in the Asante-Akim Central Municipality, said it was important for Ghanaians to choose continuity than retrogression. "They said I couldn't implement the Free Senior High School Policy when we were in opposition but after successfully rolling out the programme they have refused to give me credit," he mocked the opposition. He said he was an honest politician who did not promise what he could not redeem and assured Ghanaians of his commitment to building a prosperous nation for all. Every Ghanaian, the President said, had in one way or the other benefited from the people centred policies and programmes introduced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP)-led Government. He, therefore, urged the people to give him four more years to build on the solid foundation laid for the transformation of the country to the benefit of every citizenry. Mr Kwesi Amoako Atta, the Minister of Roads and Highways, said government was tackling a lot of roads across the country in line with the declaration of 2020 as a year of roads by the President. He said all major roads would be dualised in the second term of President Akufo-Addos governance, saying that work on the realisation of such projects were ongoing. He assured the people of Konongo-Odumase of the execution of the Konongo bypass project next year and urged them to renew the mandate of the Party in order not to truncate the process. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ever since President Donald Trump tapped Vice-President Mike Pence to lead the White House Coronavirus Task Force at the end of February, he has presided over more than 340 briefings including 35 governors briefings, with over 156,000 state, local, and tribal participants. He has discussed the federal governments strategy of deploying financial resources, supplies, and technical assistance. He has coordinated the delivery of critical PPE, and helped ramp up testing for states, localities, and tribes. He has stressed the importance of implementing best practices for slowing the spread of the virus, and has spoken at great length about the safety procedures and guidelines for reopening the country. He has discussed strategies that will allow students to safely return to school. He has provided county-by-county summaries, analysis, and recommendations to governors, and has updated them on the progress of vaccines and therapeutics. Yet, even after all the time that Pence has spent working to keep the country safe, the vice-presidents commendable effort has largely gone unnoticed. Instead, it has been overshadowed by a media that has politicized Trumps handling of the virus in a brazen attempt to undermine his support with the American people. Throughout the pandemic, the vice-president has clearly and carefully articulated the White Houses Coronavirus Task Forces strategy to the public, during press conferences and at other public speaking events. He has maintained a calming presence and has struck the right tone between empathetic and optimistic. At a press briefing on June 30th with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the United States Public Health Service Headquarters, Pence said, Our message to every American in the states that are most affected by rising cases and rising positivity rates is: We are with you. We are working with the governors in your state to ensure that they have the resources and the support to meet this moment and provide the level of healthcare that any one of us would expect for a member of our family. At another press briefing on July 8th, at the Department of Education, Pence spoke of his respect and admiration for teachers across the country who had to quickly learn how to do virtual learning on the fly, without any formal training. He also expressed his appreciation for parents who continued working while also helping their children keep up with their assignments. From early in this pandemic, teachers learned how to do the distance teaching and did a remarkable job, oftentimes having to care for their own families and make sure their own childrens studies were happening. So to all of our -- Americas teachers, we say thank you. We also want to say thank you to the parents -- the parents who had to step in and become educators for all of their kids. Its really been remarkable when you see what our kids have been able to accomplish during this difficult time. The vice-president also addressed the importance of schools reopening for in-person learning, and cited health recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Its absolutely essential that we get our kids back into a classroom for in-person learning. We cant let our kids fall behind academically... this is not just simply about making sure our kids are learning and theyre advancing academically, but for their mental health, for their wellbeing, for their physical health, for nutrition. We got to get our kids back to school. Over the last seven months, the vice-president has remained focused solely on putting the safety of the American people first, and has ensured that all fifty states and localities have received the medical supplies and equipment that they needed. It is for this reason that he has received praise from Republican and Democrat governors alike. "If you didn't have a scorecard, you wouldn't have known who was a Republican, who was a Democrat. The vice president was engaged," Republican governor Mike DeWine of Ohio said back in April. When schools in Ohio were shut down, DeWine still wanted to provide food to families of lower-income children who relied on school lunches. Pence responded immediately to DeWines request and was able to bypass bureaucratic hurdles to expedite the process. "We had to get a waiver. And the vice president jumped in, we got a waiver within less than 24 hours. So they have been there when I've got a specific request." DeWine said. Democrat governor Jay Inslee of Washington, who has frequently engaged in verbal spats with the president, has said he has a "really good working relationship" with Pence. He has responded to my questions in a timely fashion. He's called me. We've had quite a number of conversations, and I think that he's been very helpful to the process. Inslee said. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York was praising Pence and Trumps efforts before criticizing the Trump Administrations response became a regular occurrence. Back in March, Cuomo said, Fairness dictates that kudos where kudos are due. Here the vice president and the president responded very quickly so I want to thank them for that. During his RNC speech, the vice-president hit all of the right notes, and expressed empathy for those who succumbed to the virus. After all the sacrifice in this year like no other, all the hardship, we're finding our way forward again, but tonight our hearts are with all of the families who have lost loved ones and have family members still struggling with serious illness. In this country we mourn with those who mourn, we grieve with those who grieve. And this night, I know that millions of Americans will pause and pray for God's comfort for each of you." Pence also expressed his deepest gratitude for healthcare and frontline workers. "Our country doesn't get through such a time unless its people find strength within. The response of doctors, nurses, first responders, farmers, factory workers, truckers and everyday Americans who put the health and safety of their neighbors first has been nothing short of heroic," he said. Over the last seven months the vice president has delivered for the country. He has worked around the clock with other members of the Task Force to keep us safe and defeat the virus. He has repeatedly praised healthcare and frontline workers who rightfully deserve to be recognized for their contributions. Now it is time for the vice-president to finally receive his due for a job well done. Image: Gage Skidmore ConsumerAffairs is not a government agency. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment based on your own personal circumstances and consult with your own investment, financial, tax and legal advisers. Company NMLS Identifier #2110672 Copyright 2021 Consumers Unified LLC. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission. Like other school boards in the area and around the province, the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education has created online programming for students who are not back for in-person learning. The board has more than 60 students who are learning online and has teachers working directly with students every day. Weve had 66 kids registered from Kindergarten through Grade 9 for our online learning, said deputy superintendent Chuck Hellman. Weve also had 11 kids who have requested to go from online learning back to face-to-face learning. Kids being in school is a great thing for them socially and emotionally, but were going to be there to support anyone who chooses online. Hellman says the school board is doing everything it can to make schools safe, including extra cleaning staff, physical distancing and sanitizer all around schools. MHCBE is offering a French immersion option for kids K through Grade 6, and has teachers assigned to working with online students. Hellman says students are welcome to return to school at any point. Weve told our students and parents that kids can come back and learn face-to-face, he said. We want people to know that they can come back when they feel they can. Hellman says he thinks more and more students are getting comfortable with the idea of being in a classroom. In the first week of classes we added a few students to the online program, but since then we havent had any, he said. Weve had a number of students return to be back with their friends and its great to see. Hellman says there is no decision date as of right now for families to commit fully to online or in-class lessons. Read more about: On the final day of fiscal year 2020, however, DeWitt was able to report better-than-expected revenue for the year coming to an end. Income taxes did not plummet as much as predicted, partially because the federal government sent stimulus checks and increased unemployment payouts both of which are taxable as income. Losses were also mitigated because high earners were able to telework and keep receiving a paycheck, and because the stock markets unexpected recovery meant capital gains taxes stayed relatively level. Contrary to his earlier controversial statement, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has reiterated his commitment to an indivisible Nigeria. Mr Mustapha was reported to have described Nigeria as a country with cracks which may bring about its eventual breakup, if not properly checked. Fortunately for us, our walls are not yet broken but there are obvious cracks that could lead to a break if not properly addressed, he said at a church service held in Abuja on Sunday where he represented Nigerias Vice President, Yemi Osinbanjo, in commemoration of Nigerias 60th independence anniversary. Some social media users had decried the statement credited to the SGF, arguing that such remarks would do little to mend the countrys fragile religious, ethnic and political fault lines A similar comment was recently made by Nigerias former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, who attributed the perceived cracks to the governance style of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. Mr Obasanjo had said Nigeria was a near failed and divided state under the leadership of Mr Buhari. Mr Mustapha, in his reaction to the reception of his earlier remarks by Nigerians, said his message and that of Mr Osinbanjo had clearly been misunderstood and sensationalised. For the avoidance of doubt, I want to affirm that His Excellency, the Vice President, and I remain very firmly and irrevocably committed to the ideal of one indivisible Nigerian nation. We are also deeply appreciative of President Muhammadu Buharis consistent efforts to strengthen the unity of the Nigerian nation. Any suggestion to the contrary is a clear misrepresentation of our common position as a Government, he noted in a statement issued on Tuesday. Were witnessing a global gold rush, financed by you and me, as four dozen or so COVID-19 vaccines vie for approval in China, Russia, Europe and the big prize, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The good news, if we can call it that now that weve reached 1 million deaths worldwide, is that Connecticut carries a hefty pick-axe in this quest, with key policy voices and groundbreaking science. Pfizer, in Phase 3 clinical trials for a drug largely developed in Groton, says it will have results as soon as October. Paris-based Sanofi expects to launch its Phase 3 trials in December and have results in early 2021 with an entry made in Meriden, using the same concept as the revolutionary flu vaccine that same outfit launched a few years ago. Both global companies sold 100 million doses to us, the taxpayers, at prices in the range of $2 billion, even before places such as Yale New Haven Health (a Pfizer test site) signed up their share of the tens of thousands of brave guinea pigs in this headlong medical cliff-dive. The White House says well have mass vaccinations delivered not just approved, not just manufactured, but delivered by April. And just for show, in time for the Nov. 3 election, the feds have demanded Connecticut and other states turn out a plan by mid-October detailing how we intend to distribute these life-saving injections. Sure, the same administration that dismantled U.S. epidemic planning starting in 2017, and whiled away two precious months after the outbreak in China as the president lied to the American people, now wants to look like Eisenhowers Allied Forces on D-Day. Its a compelling investment, for sure, totaling $11.111 billion in announced deals so far (true math; add it up here) dished out to companies that will make a fortune for their shareholders if they win. Gee, I thought we didnt like socialism. Maybe all of this will work. But I wouldnt count on crowding into Yale Bowl for, say, Paul McCartneys 78th birthday next June, fortified by mass vaccinations. Kevin Frayer / Getty Images Four tough hurdles A lot can go wrong with Operation Warp Speed, as they call it, starting with four bald facts: No. 1, vaccines typically take ten years or even more from the time theyre developed until theyre approved, let alone manufactured and marketed. Were shooting for less than a year and the two prospects furthest along, from Pfizer and Boston-based Moderna, both deploy a genetic technology thats never gained approval in any vaccine. No. 2, public trust in a potential vaccine, and in the Trump administrations handling of science, is rightly battered because of the perception or the reality of political meddling. No. 3, even some vaccines that win approval have failed in the scale-up and delivery. Consider, the Pfizer and Moderna drugs must be stored in deep-freeze minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit in the case of Pfizers entry. No. 4, were making a vaccine for a disease we still know little about. Can a person whos had COVID-19 catch it again and reinfect others? Is it fundamentally a lung issue or a cardio-vascular issue? How often would we need the vaccine? I dunno, and no one else does either, though smart people like Dr. Tom Balcezak, chief medical officer of the Yale New Haven Health system, are working as fast as they can. Balcezak told me its possible for the large-scale tests now underway to show meaningful results quickly if all goes perfectly. Most vaccine side-effects happen soon after injection, and if the numbers reveal effective protection, we have a gold vein. The expert consensus is the FDA is under so much pressure and the companies are working so hard, my personal bet is that there will be an initial FDA approvalby the first of the year and maybe sooner, Balcezak said. You could have a vaccine approved say, Dec. 15, he added, But you may not be able to get the scale of 200 million shipped, administeredbefore the middle of June. June is a more realistic target date for an approval for widespread vaccinations, said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the Westport resident who was President Donald Trumps FDA chief until April, on CBS Face the Nation Sept. 20. What you really want is a vaccine available for mass inoculation before you head into the fall of 2021, he said. Virginia Mayo / Associated Press Trials can only go so fast Okay, so were a year away under that optimistic scenario. Lets not quibble over a few months, even though weve already seen a major trial by AstraZenica halted due to a feared reaction in a patient in Great Britain. The real issue is whether this massive effort can yield results before the virus runs its course and thats not at all clear. Certainly its possible to speed the approval by conducting different phases at the same time and by making sure the FDA studies every blip of data on the day it arrives. But theres a limit to that. Were talking about long-term population health. These Phase 3 studies, by design, are 22 to 24 months, and often it takes more than one to prove the result in this case, an FDA-determined 50 percent effectiveness rate, which, by the way, aint spectacular. From the beginning Ive told anybody that wants to talk to me about it, dont believe the hype, said a person directing one of the sites for a major clinical study of a COVID vaccine, not in Connecticut. The person is not authorized to speak about the trial and requested anonymity. Lets say they find its safe and you tolerate it, the person said. We dont even know what its doing for youthe only way to test this is to follow people for this length of time. The time can compress if the sample size is large enough, Balcezak said, and thats the hope here. One new trial, led by Johnson & Johnson, has 60,000 participants. Amanda Cuda / Amanda Cuda Unlikely to be needed Manon Cox is the former CEO of Protein Sciences in Meriden, the company now owned by Sanofi thats working on a protein-based vaccination along with London-based GSK. Now advising vaccine developers, the East Haven resident is skeptical not only of the supercharged timeline, but of the whole need to vaccinate a majority of humans. As a top executive at Protein Sciences, starting in 1998, she spent 13 years just getting approval for a new type of flu vaccine, called Flublok for a disease thats very well understood. The company used its platform to work on emergency vaccines for the avian flu, then the previous SARS (coronavirus is a SARS), then Ebola and Zika, mostly without success, often because the pandemic threat would pass. Coronavirus? We dont really know how the biology works, Cox told me, echoing other experts. How can we develop a proper vaccine? What is the exact response that we need to see in people in order to get somebody to be protected? One of the ironies, Cox and Balcezak both pointed out, is that if the incidence of COVID-19 wanes, it becomes harder to show that a vaccine works. In the United States on average, were seeing fewer than 1 percent of the population test positive for it over two months and its far less than that in some places, for some groups. Couple that with the noise from the upcoming flu season, and one quick study could easily fail. And while vaccines work by stimulating a response in the body to fight the disease, the COVID virus may defy that. Youre going to develop a vaccine that induces neutralizing antibodies. But we also know that the people who got really sick and died, they also developed neutralizing antibodies, Cox said in contrast to the way the flu works. In Coxs view, it may ultimately make sense to vaccinate old and sick people, although she agrees the crisis is urgent. The virus will be with us for a long time but we will become more tolerant to the virus and in the end, a vaccine is unlikely to be needed, she said, at least for everyone. Dont think that anybody would be doing these ridiculously high-cost studies if the government wasnt paying for it. / The FDA is on trial Were seeing a lively debate about whether the Trump administration would issue a so-called Emergency Use Authorization prematurely. Gottlieb, the former FDA chief, co-authored a Sept. 20 opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal titled, You Can Trust the FDAs Vaccine Process, describing a culture of career professionals who cant be intimidated. That was followed by a rebuke on Thursday in Fortune by two of Yales big names, Dr. Albert Ko of the School of Public Health and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of the School of Management both advisers to Gov. Ned Lamont, Ko as co-chairman of the coronavirus reopening committee. They spelled out the decline in public trust and the evidence of meddling by Trump and his appointees, including Alex Azar, secretary of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA and the agency that funds vaccine development. Two big ones: Two weeks ago, Azar barred the FDA from issuing new rules a power grab Gottlieb criticized on Face the Nation and last week, when the FDA moved to require outside opinions before granting emergency vaccine approval, Trump threatened to overrule it. Given the Trump administrations pressure to have a vaccine approved before Election Day, the FDA is on trial along with the vaccines themselves, Ko and Sonnenfeld concluded. Just the fact that were having this discussion should alarm every one of us. Ko and Sonnenfeld to say the least are not cloistered academics locked in the Harkness Tower. Ko, according to the Washington Post, had dinner in New Haven on Feb. 27 with his Med school pal and boating buddy, Peter Marks, the FDA career scientist who heads up drug approvals. Marks, a Star Trek fan, pitched and named Operation Warp Speed in April but, perhaps ominously, left the effort to return to the regulatory side where hes the key decider. And Sonnenfeld last week convened more than 100 CEOs of top companies and organizations in one of his regular summits. Overwhelming majorities in his instant poll said that the U.S. response is worse than other industrialized nations and that the government response had increased the number of deaths in the U.S., Yale reported. That death toll, now climbing past 205,000 at a rate of 750 per day, is reason enough why Operation Warp Speed might make sense despite the hurdles. But no one should have faith in a vaccine thats approved by political leaders and no one should think this rush for vaccine gold is the whole answer. I still believe that what we need today is a treatment, said Cox, the former Protein Sciences CEO, not a vaccine. dhaar@hearstmediact.com A western Sydney coronavirus case identified as having no known source attended Liverpool Hospital during a "potential exposure period", NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has confirmed. The case, in a Campbelltown man who was admitted to ICU, reset Queensland's clock for reopening its border last week, prompting an investigation by NSW Health into its source. A "mystery" case identified in NSW last week attended Liverpool Hospital. Credit:Kate Geraghty "The genome sequencing indicates that he has a type of genome sequence that is linked to [the Liverpool Hospital cluster]," Dr Chant said on Wednesday. However, NSW Health has not been able to find "a definitive source or interaction", which resulted in the transmission. Dr Chant said it would be the role of Queensland health authorities to determine if they will still consider the case an instance of commmunity transmission. New Delhi/Geneva, Sep 30 : India on Wednesday said that Pakistan's perennial India bashing at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) amounted to mockery, while its own record of human rights for ethnic minorities, social activists and journalists was abysmally poor. "No fabricated words against India is going to change the fact that Pakistan and territories under its control are deathtraps for journalists, human rights defenders, social activists and religious and ethnic minorities," representative of the Permanent Mission of India at Geneva, Pawan Badhe, said at the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council. India was responding to the statement made by Pakistan, under its right to reply at the interactive dialogue with the Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights on the report of the Secretary General on cooperation with the United Nations, representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights. "The perennial India bashing project of Pakistan in the UN system is also not going to change the fact that hundreds of journalists and human rights defenders die each year in Pakistan due to systematic killings, including extrajudicial ones," Badhe said. Incessant attempts to malign India in all international forums is not going to change the fact that tens of thousands of minorities would not stop fleeing Pakistan, he added. The Indian representative said, "Resorting to abusive and unacceptable language against India in this august forum can't rectify Pakistan's dubious human rights record. Pakistan's India focus agenda demonstrates its own hollowness when it comes to accountability and justice for oppressing those standing for their rights." The pathetic state of affairs for journalists and human rights defenders is well known when the deep state could make prominent journalists disappear in broad daylight in the heart of Pakistan, the Indian diplomat pointed out. "We could only imagine the fate of those journalists and human rights defenders in territories under its control. Silence is the apt word for them effected through enforced disappearances, murders, detentions, custodial deaths and torture in Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Pakistan occupied parts of Indian Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh," he said. While the world has progressed well, Badhe said that Pakistan is still at the crossroads to understand the real meaning of modern laws, democracy and human rights. "The language of accountability, civic space, fundamental freedom and public participation is yet to find resonance with the authorities of Pakistan," he said. Of course, the world has witnessed the history of Pakistan where voice of dissent is brutally muzzled without fail, he added. "We are not baffled that Pakistan does well when it comes to inciting hatred against religious minorities and targeting our leadership with hate speeches. Its well cherished and inherited culture of hatred makes it the perfect candidate for carrying forward the legacy of intolerance against anybody having modern views on human rights," Badhe said. The Indian diplomat said that Pakistan should not make mockery of the "august forum when it attempts to self-crown itself as an ardent supporter of political dissidents, journalists, social activists, minorities and human rights defenders. For that Pakistan has many miles to go." Fueled by social media posts that parroted and then embellished the State Polices version of events, white vigilantes wielding guns descended upon town squares. Read more Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter. SCHELLSBURG, Pa. It was a bit after 11 p.m. in late August when Frank Nitty and a group of Black and white civil rights activists stopped along a highway in rural Bedford County. The group was on day 20 of a march from Milwaukee to Washington. While walking the roads through Indiana, Nitty said, police barred access to gas stations for fuel or restroom breaks. In Ohio, people driving by threw food at them. Frankly, Nitty said, it was the kind of response they had anticipated. But on that night in Pennsylvania, with just flashlights and the occasional passing car lighting their way down Lincoln Highway, things got out of hand. The marchers and their caravan of almost 20 cars were on the side of the road to organize for an uphill hike ahead. Then shots rang out. The incident made national news for a day, another thread in the countrys ongoing struggle with racism. But a closer examination by Spotlight PA and Pittsburgh City Paper reveals a changing narrative by law enforcement authorities the next day, the effects those inconsistencies had in how the story was portrayed, and how local community members took up arms in response. Pennsylvania State Police initially said an argument between residents and the marchers culminated in gun fire. But by the end of the day, the official story had changed twice. In the final version of events, police said the property owners had called them about a gathering of people in a private business parking lot. Before troopers could arrive, police said, the property owners confronted the marchers, the confrontation escalated, and gunshots were exchanged. But interviews with nine marchers and a review of four videos from the scene do not support those official accounts namely, the contention that there was some form of confrontation with the marchers before the shots, and the possibility that a marcher had fired first. The marchers contend that state police have, at every turn, attempted to place at least some of the blame for what instigated the shooting on them. In another video taken after a news conference the day after the shooting, and reviewed by the news organizations, the marchers directly disputed the characterization of an argument with a state police detective, who then agreed that the argument did not happen. It was clear that we didnt start anything, said Leena Le, 20, one of the marchers. It upset me that they twisted the story. But the narrative that the marchers were somehow at fault took hold. Fueled by social media posts that parroted and then embellished the state police version of events, white vigilantes wielding guns descended upon their town squares in Bedford Borough and McConnellsburg, sure that they needed to protect their small towns from Antifa. As a result, the marchers faced continued threats in the days that followed, including being threatened with a gunshot a second time, and having to walk on roads chalked with messages such as ns suck, pick cotton, and go home. Theres no way to mentally prepare someone to being called n, Nitty said, adding that getting him and his team through to the Maryland border required resilience and prayer. One month later, there has yet to be a final account of what happened that night. A spokesperson for the state police said the investigation is ongoing and declined to answer any questions. Meanwhile, the Bedford County district attorney hasnt filed any charges. This investigation is being conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and is ongoing; therefore my office will not be releasing a statement at this time, District Attorney Lesley R. Childers-Potts said. Matthew Zatko, a lawyer representing Terry Myers one of the residents involved said that Myers was not the aggressor that night and that he responded to actions taken against him." Zatko declined to answer specific questions, citing the ongoing investigation. Answers need to be forthcoming sooner rather than later, he said. Clearly, I want my client to be exonerated of any wrongdoing and I would like that to happen promptly, but I want that to happen after a thorough investigation. The marchers' path by the Myers properties was just one tiny stretch of their 750-mile walk to Washington, where they planned to arrive on the 57th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech. The trek was meant to pay homage to the 54-mile peaceful walk that King and others made from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., in 1965. They were coming by my neighborhood, and I followed them along, said Ebony Lee Lombardi, 44. When we got to Gary, Ind., Frank turned around, looked at us, and said, Are yall coming? It was like Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. Thats what it felt like. A documentarian had also joined the group from the start of the march in Wisconsin to capture the experience for a short film. When they got to Schellsburg, three people in the group went live on Facebook. The videos show that the marchers stopped at the bottom of a hill to prepare for a climb, loading children and older marchers in vans so they didnt have to make the venture uphill. On one side of Lincoln Highway was a white house. On the other, a towing garage. Both belong to John Myers. We all pulled up. Some people were parked on the shoulder of the road, but Im not sure if anyone was on this businesspersons property, said Sandy Solo, 49, of Milwaukee. Solo said she saw a man in the white house looking at them. I says, Hey, yall, theres a guy thats looking out the door. It was dark, dark, dark, dark in this rural part of Pennsylvania, anyway. And after seeing that, I immediately heard gunshots. The footage shows some marchers questioning what they heard before a second shot is fired. In the video, John Myers emerges from his house after the first shot is fired and then meets his son, Terry, who appears walking down the road toward the marchers. Terry hands an item to his father and then aims a shotgun back at marchers. In one video, the younger Myers yells at the marchers to get out before another gunshot is heard. In footage captured by a marcher on a cellphone, Tory Lowe, a marcher who was in front of the crowd, pleads with John and Terry Myers, saying theres no need to be violent, before another round is fired. This man came out of nowhere and just started shooting, Lowe said. I kept screaming that there are children with us, and it wasnt until I said there was a pastor with us that he stopped shooting. One marcher was shot in the face, treated at a nearby hospital for minor injuries, and released the next day. From the beginning, Pennsylvania State Police publicized a similar story to John and Terry Myers' account. In its first news release, issued early the next morning, state police said that an area resident and a group of individuals engaged in an argument, which culminated in gunfire. The account then changed later in the day to an incident between the activists and two residents. By that afternoon, the official version of events changed again. The confrontation escalated, and gunshots were exchanged between the property owners and the activists, said a news release. But in the videos, the only time Terry Myers can be heard yelling at people to get away is after the first shot was fired. I can tell you that we had not interacted with either man before the gunshots rang out, said Renee Muza, a video producer who was filming the documentary about the marchers and caught the shooting on camera. We did not speak to, on any occasion, either man. We didnt even see them. When asked for the source of the narrative that an argument or confrontation resulted in gunfire, state police spokesperson Ryan Tarkowski said in an email that it was based on detectives interviewing witnesses who were willing to talk. All nine marchers interviewed by Spotlight PA and Pittsburgh City Paper said they told state police similar stories the next morning about a man shooting at them unprovoked. The marchers also said they gave state police the same footage the news organizations reviewed. When marchers learned of the news releases, they confronted state police detectives while streaming live on Facebook. The detectives said on the stream that the narrative about an argument isnt coming from us. Cpl. Aaron Allen, an officer assigned to the unit that responds to hate crimes in the western region of the state, said that he fixed the original news release to show that there wasnt an argument, changing it to an incident. An organizer challenged Allen on a livestream, saying, You know how dangerous this is to put a narrative like this out there? As the state police story changed, the suggestion that the marchers were, at least in part, to blame took hold on social media, sparking a snowball of misinformation that culminated in new threats to the group on their way to Washington. On Tuesday, the day after the shooting, Facebook users speculated without evidence that the marchers had looked inside the Myers property and were threatening to burn down a local Walmart as well as town centers. A Facebook post that has since been deleted said, All Bedford County Hunters not busy tonight at 6 might want to go to Bedford County Courthouse to help defend it!!! BLM and Antifa are planning on burning it down!!! Another Facebook post, shared 1,000 times, urged residents to defend their homes after the Schellsburg shooting. I couldnt believe it, the post read. Right in my backyard. Threats from BLM and Antifa pouring in to destroy buildings and homes. We will not allow you to destroy our towns. This has to end. The marchers never came, but that didnt stop dozens of people from showing up at the Bedford County Courthouse on Tuesday evening, wielding military-style rifles and camping out for more than four hours. Some demonstrators told a local TV news crew they were waiting for the civil rights marchers. That same night, while many armed demonstrators were still at the courthouse, a group of other armed vigilantes learned the marchers were staying at the Hampton Inn hotel three miles away. One of them, Jeremy Decker, 43, drove to the hotel and fired a gun into the air outside the hotel. Decker was charged by state police with possessing a prohibited firearm, having a firearm not to be carried without a license, and reckless endangerment, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the news organizations. On Wednesday at about 10:40 p.m. two days after the original shooting as the marchers made their way to the outskirts of McConnellsburg, in Fulton County, they walked over roads chalked with racist messages, video taken by the group shows. Also shown on the video drawn on the street: pick cotton," slaves, and go home. When the marchers finally got to McConnellsburg, about 1 a.m., there were several people waiting there for them, according to live video feeds. Some were friendly and offered water, others were confrontational and argued with Nitty and refused to shake his hand. Alexis Kaleigh, a McConnellsburg resident who supports the marchers and the Black Lives Matter movement, said she joined Nitty and the other civil rights marchers on Route 30 and saw the racist messages drawn on the street. We wrote Black Lives Matter and we love you in chalk, said Kaleigh. We wrote things to outweigh the hate. 100% ESSENTIAL: Spotlight PA relies on funding from foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. If you value this reporting, please give a gift today at spotlightpa.org/donate. Thousands of helicopter professionals from 160+ countries "worldwide" visit JustHelicopters.com every day, making it the Helicopter Industry's #1 Online Resource! Whether a Helicopter Pilot, Helicopter Student, Helicopter Mechanic, Employer, Helicopter Flight School, Helicopter Business, or an enthusiast, JustHelicopters.com has something for you. In giving final approval to the measure, lawmakers completed the last of the essential legislative tasks that were keeping them in Washington before the election on Nov. 3, clearing the way for Congress to begin a recess and for members to scatter around the country to campaign for re-election. It remained unclear, however, when lawmakers would depart, as top House Democrats and Trump administration officials made a final push for an elusive bipartisan deal on an economic recovery plan that both sides have said is desperately needed to address to continuing toll of the pandemic. Senators were also bracing for the possibility that a partisan feud over Mr. Trumps Supreme Court nominee could bleed into next week, keeping that chamber in session. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin huddled in Ms. Pelosis Capitol Hill office on Wednesday afternoon, toiling to hammer out a stimulus deal that could be acceptable to Mr. Trump and to Democrats. The meeting ended without a deal, and Ms. Pelosi announced that Democrats would soon vote on Democrats latest, $2.2 trillion proposal, which Republicans are all but certain to reject. But the two said they had made progress in their talks and agreed to continue negotiations. We have more work to do, and were going to see where we end up, Mr. Mnuchin said as he left the Capitol. Renowned journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has described as 'an exercise in futility' NDC's plan to stop the Electoral Commission from registering voters on Thursday, 1st October 2020. The EC intends to embark on another registration exercise for Ghanaians who were not able to do so. In a statement, the EC said this is to give the opportunity to those who have attained the age of Eighteen (18) and Citizens who for one reason or the other were not able to register in the just ended Registration Exercise. The one-day exercise is expected to take place in all district offices of the commission throughout the country. The registration will start from 7 am to 6 pm. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who is against this move is in court seeking a declaration that the EC cannot proceed to reopen and /or conduct the voters registration exercise slated for Thursday 1st October 2020 without first publishing in the Gazette, twenty-one (21) days notice of this voters registration to the political parties and the general public. However, Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, who was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' said "after looking inside the crystal ball, this is going to be an exercise in futility". Listen to him in the video below Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States, Brazil, India and Mexico account for more than 50 percent of the deaths worldwide The total number of COVID-19 deaths globally crossed the grim milestone of one million on Tuesday with the United States accounting for most of the fatalities. The United States, where the virus has killed about 205,000 people, accounts for 1 out of 5 deaths worldwide, far more than any other country despite its wealth and medical resources. Brazil has recorded the second most deaths after the US, with about 142,000. India's toll, the third-highest in the world, is now inching closer to 1 lakh, with the country accounting for 9.57 percent of the total deaths globally. Mexico has recorded the fourth-highest number of fatalities with more than 76,000 people dead. According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States, Brazil, India and Mexico account for more than 50 percent of the deaths worldwide. India's current COVID-19 tally The Union health ministry reported 70,589 new infections in the past 24 hours, taking the cumulative figure to 61,45, 291. At least 776 deaths were recorded in the same period with total fatalities climbing up to 96,318 on Tuesday, PTI reported. At present COVID-19 cases in India are growing at the fastest pace in the world while in terms of testing the country ranks at 10th position among 15 nations reporting the maximum infections. The second-most populous country may become the worst COVID-affected nation in coming weeks, surpassing the US, where more than 71.49 lakh infections have been reported. Total 96,318 deaths reported so far in the country include 35,751 from Maharashtra followed by 9,383 from Tamil Nadu, 8,641 from Karnataka, 5,745 from Andhra Pradesh, 5,652 from Uttar Pradesh, 5,272 from Delhi, 4,837 from West Bengal, 3,428 from Gujarat, 3,284 from Punjab and 2,242 from Madhya Pradesh. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 percent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities. India's low CFR an illusion? With fatality rate at 1.56 percent, the Indian government claims to have dealt with the pandemic better than others. The findings highlight India's large young population, who are less likely to die of COVID-19. In a new study published by the US National Bureau of Economic Research, economists Minu Philip and Debraj Ray, and researcher S Subramanian have found India fares much worse than other countries if the fatality rate is adjusted for age variations. To adjust for age variations, the authors assume that India has similar age-wise case fatality rates as in other comparable countries. After estimating India's age-adjusted case fatality rates (CFR) based on data from 14 other countries, the model found that the evaluations for India would be lower in most age groups than it actually is. "Among adult groups and relative to the comparison countries, India stands out in having a large impact ratio for all but the oldest ages. These relatively young and middle-age groups are not only those excessively represented in overall population, they are also disproportionately more affected by COVID-19," they wrote. This shows that India's actual CFR around 1.5 percent as per latest data is too high rather than too low. Crucial moments of pandemic in India The first person to die due to COVID-19 in India on 12 March was a 76-year-old man from Kalburgi, Karnataka, with international travel history. Soon after, India banned the entry of foreigners and suspended all visas from 13 March to 15 April. On 25 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days, with only essential services kept out of its purview. As of 29 April, there were over 1,000 COVID-19 deaths in the country. At least 1,008 people had lost their lives with total cases at 31,787. When the Centre issued Unlock 1 guidelines, on 31 May, for the phased re-opening of all activities outside containment zones, India recorded more than 2,50,000 COVID-19 cases and 7,200 deaths. By 12 June, India went past the United Kingdom in terms of coronavirus cases to become the fourth worst-hit country with a caseload of 2,97, 205, according to the Worldometer. As per the Union health ministry data, the country had registered the highest single-day spike of 357 fatalities on that day, pushing the toll to 8,102. In another month, India overtook Russia to become third-worst COVID-affected country with a caseload of 6.97 lakh infections. Only the US and Brazil were ahead of India in terms of total coronavirus infections. Another big single-day jump of 24,248 COVID-19 cases took India's tally close to the seven-lakh mark on 6 July, while the toll due to the disease climbed to 19,693 with 425 new fatalities, according to the Union health ministry. With the toll standing at 25,600 and overall tally crossing 10 lakh by 17 July, India decided to resume operations of International commercial flights. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that India was planning to establish a bubble with the United Kingdom soon under which there would be two flights per day between Delhi and London. An air bubble is a bilateral arrangement with a set of regulations and restrictions in which the carriers of the two countries can operate international flights. Between 1 and 8 August, India had recorded 4,55,330 cases, the highest in the world. The US had recorded the second-highest infections in the same period (4,35,891). On 23 August, India's COVID-19 tally hurtled past 30 lakh, just 16 days after it crossed 20 lakh, while with 912 new deaths, the toll reached 56,706. Even though a recovery rate of 82.5 percent was attained in September, health experts have warned about the potential for the virus to spread during the upcoming religious festival season, which is marked by huge gatherings of people in temples and shopping districts. Another potential risk is the Assembly election next month in Bihar, where about 72 million people will cast votes over three days. On 27 September, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan stressed strict adherence to social distancing. "We are far from having achieved any kind of herd immunity, which necessitates that all of us should continue following COVID-appropriate behaviour," tweeted Vardhan. The analysis of mortality data by the Union health ministry also shows that a majority of deaths were among those above 50 years of age. It showed that 1 percent of those who succumbed to the viral infection were below 17 years; another 1 percent between 18 and 25 years; 11 percent deaths among 26-and 44-year-olds; and 36 percent among people in the 45 and 60 years age group. People with comorbidities and elderly are at high risk, as almost 70 percent of those who die have one or more comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac, renal or liver disease. US ranks at top of global COVID-19 toll of over 1 mn Worldwide, the United States ranked at the top in the total number of reported global deaths and fifth per 100,000 people. In less than nine months, the toll jumped from one coronavirus-related death in Wuhan, China, on 9 January to 1,006,379 on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The US has been hit hard by the virus, with almost 72 lakh reported infections and more than 205,000 deaths. The number of new COVID-19 cases in the US has risen for two weeks in a row in 27 of the country's 50 states, and the 316,000 recorded in the seven days ended 27 September was the highest in six weeks, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county data. It began with devastation in the New York City area initially, followed by a summertime crisis in the Sun Belt. Now the coronavirus outbreak is heating up fast in smaller cities in the heartland, often in conservative corners of America where anti-mask sentiment runs high. Elsewhere around the country, Florida's Republican governor lifted all restrictions on restaurants and other businesses Friday and all but set aside local mask ordinances in the political battleground state, in a move attacked by Democrats as hasty. The US is averaging more than 40,000 new confirmed cases a day. While that number is dramatically lower than the peak of nearly 70,000 over the summer, the numbers are worrisome nonetheless. The nation's death toll eclipsed 200,000 this week, the highest in the world. In Springfield, Missouri, hospitals are starting to fill up with COVID-19 patients and the city has seen a big spike in deaths over the past month. On 26 March, the United States surpassed China and Italy in the total number of COVID-19 cases, becoming the worlds largest outbreak. New York state reported more cases than any other country beginning 10 April at more than 161,800 confirmed cases, overtaking Spain, Italy, France and Germany. A second wave in Europe? Europe, hit hard by the first wave, is now facing another surge, with Paris, London and Madrid all forced to introduce controls to slow infections threatening to overload hospitals. A million Madrid residents are under partial lockdown with the city and the surrounding region at the epicentre of Spain's second wave. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman urged citizens to keep to strict hygiene measures. "The development of infection numbers is of great concern to us," Steffen Seibert said. "We can see from some of our European friends where that could lead." A number of European countries have re-imposed lockdowns and other restrictions in their worst-affected regions, and there have been fresh appeals for people to wear face coverings and follow social distancing rules, BBC reported. Mid-September saw a record rise in cases in most regions and the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned virus deaths could even double to two million without more global collective action. Latin America In Latin America, Brazil has the highest number of deaths, with more than 1,40,000 so far. It has also recorded more than 4.7 million cases, the third-highest in the world. Newly confirmed cases in the region are also rising quickly in Argentina, which now has more than 700,000 infections. Latin America and the Caribbean overall have 3,42,687 deaths from 9,256,274 cases. 18% surge in COVID-19 fatalities in Middle East In Asia, where the toll was lower than 100 deaths per day up until mid-April, fatalities have been steadily increasing. The continent has exceeded 1,000 deaths per day almost continually since 20 July and is approaching 1,500 (1,407 on average over the last two weeks). India has been the worst hit, recording more than 96,000 deaths so far. Fatalities are also increasing again in the Middle East (around 330 in the last two weeks, an increase of around 18 percent). In the Middle East, Iran has been badly affected by the virus, and in the past week has confirmed its highest number of new cases since early June. Neighbouring Iraq has seen a steady rise in cases. With inputs from agencies Photo: CTV/file Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps The BC Urban Mayor's Caucus has injected itself into the provincial election campaign. The mayors, representing the 13 largest cities in the province, held a news conference Wednesday outlining four priorities it would like each political party to include in their election platforms. These include mental health, substance use and treatment, affordable housing, public transit and a new fiscal relationship. Caucus co-chair Lisa Helps, mayor of Victoria, said urban communities are facing unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and want to work with the next government in addressing these issues. "In this election, we are asking all parties to commit working with leaders from urban B.C. communities to address the issues we face today, while we plan for the restored prosperity and growth that will eventually emerge as we recover from this pandemic," said Helps. "Moreover, putting our cities on a strong path to recovery will also help to support smaller, neighbouring rural communities in B.C. as a whole." The four priorities outlined Wednesday call for specific action to be taken. On mental health, they ask for an immediate expansion of the availability of a full range of substance use and mental health treatment and recovery options for youth and adults, including appropriate facilities for individuals with complex needs. They are asking for accelerated investments to affordable, supportive and social housing on a priority basis, and to ensure the rental housing system balances the security of tenure for renters with the needs of landlords. On transit, they are asking for a complete fiscal recovery of projected long-term losses facing BC Transit, TransLink and BC Ferries once the Safe Restart funding ends in late 2020, and a redesigning of of the transit funding model that has relied heavily on transit fares and property taxes. And, fiscally, the caucus is asking for municipal finance reform that will provide municipalities with a broader range of sustainable, predictable and reliable funding sources to address increasing financial pressures. Presently, municipalities keep only about eight cents of every dollar collected. Helps says the caucus, which only came together as a result of challenges faced by COVID-19, says they are not speaking up out of frustration, but rather because they see an opportunity. "We are using this election call to highlight the challenges we are finding in our communities, whether it's mental health and addictions, or housing, or transit, or a need for new fiscal tools, we have come together out of a great sense of hope and optimism for what our cities can contribute to a provincial recovery and much beyond that," said Helps. "We hope that all of these calls to action today end up in all of the party platforms." The mayor's caucus includes Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran, who also serves as co-chair, and Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian. The United Kingdom on September 30 began trial of the countrys first hydrogen fuelled train known as the HydroFLEX. The hydrogen train will be using hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. According to the reports by the Air Quality News, the Department for Transport has provided an amount of 750,000 grant to support the plan. Hydrogen-powered train in UK The University of Birmingham and Porterbrook has further contributed 1m for the project. The UK Government has committed to reduce its carbon emissions by at least 80 per cent by the year 2050. The new technology is expected to be available from the year 2023. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps also made another announcement regarding the objective of converting Tees Valley into a Hydrogen Transport Hub. According to the reports by gov.uk, Shapps said that all the people must embed change on their road to recovery. He added that he is delighted that the UK is embracing the power of hydrogen. Shapps also took to Twitter where he shared a video of the train. According to the caption of the video, the new hydrogen-fuelled train is more greener, sustainable and efficient. The caption read, In a UK first, this hydrogen-powered #HydroFLEX train took to the railways today, helping to #decarbonise journeys and make rail travel. Read: World's First Hydrogen-powered Plane Takes Flight In UK In a UK first, this hydrogen-powered #HydroFLEX train took to the railways today, helping to #decarbonise journeys and make rail travel Greener More sustainable More efficient Find out more about our hydrogen-fuelled future https://t.co/bco3YDL1u6#FutureOfTransport pic.twitter.com/bdqQTKC2r6 Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 30, 2020 CEO of Porterbrook, Mary Grant said that Porterbrook is committed in delivering a carbon-neutral and sustainable railway. He added that HydroFLEX has achieved another important milestone today. He said that UK will start producing HydroFLEX trains and create the worlds first electric and hydrogen-powered bi-mode. Porterbook is working on developing more ways to curb emissions across transport. Under the plan to decarbonise transport, a first-of-a-kind approach to decarbonise every mode of transport will be initiated. According to the reports by uk.gov, TechUKs CEO, Julian David said that the announcement made is an exaple of the government's commitment to developing a hydrogen infrastructure. He added that the government is making efforts to 'decarbonise transport and encourage the shift to zero-emission vehicles'. Head of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Birmingham, Professor Stephen Jarvis said that the University of Birmingham is preparing for rail innovation in UK as well as globally. He termed HydroFLEX as a perfect example of industry partnerships with R&D. Read: UK And Canada Announce Sanctions On Belarus Leader Over 'rigged' Election In a separate development, few days back, an aircraft entirely powered by hydrogen fuel cells operated for a short flight from Britain. According to the reports by AP, the aircraft took off from Cranfield Airport in North London as it completed a 20 minute flight through zero-emission hydrogen. The plane which is a six seater has been created by the developer ZeroAvia. Read: UK-EU To Begin Ninth And Final Round Of Post-Brexit Negotiations On Sept 29 Also Read: UK Drops All Charges Against 15 Army Veterans From 1972 'Bloody Sunday' Massacre (Image Credits: Unsplash) TALLINN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in Estonia on Wednesday celebrated on social media the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The embassy posted on its Facebook account a transcript of Ambassador Li Chao's speech entitled "Build on Past Achievements and Join Hands to Enhance Win-Win Cooperation." In the speech, Li expressed his heartfelt thanks to friends from all walks of life who have always cared for China's development and supported the friendship between China and Estonia. As one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Estonia, China attaches great importance to China-Estonia relations, he noted, adding that "since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Estonia have maintained close communication and provided each other with valuable supports." "Even during the COVID-19, in the first half of this year, the export volume from Estonia to China has increased by 14.43 percent year-on-year. People-to-people exchanges between China and Estonia have been well promoted. In the past five years, the number of Chinese tourists to Estonia has tripled," Li said. "Both China and Estonia are global leaders in digital construction, thus we can form a strong alliance in this field," said the Chinese ambassador. "In order to address the new risks and challenges and to build cyberspace featuring peace, security, openness, cooperation and order together, China has issued Global Initiative on Data Security and welcome the active participation and helpful advice from all parties," he added. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Engineers from UNSW Sydney have crunched the numbers on green hydrogen production costs to reveal that Australia is in prime position to take advantage of the green hydrogen revolution, with its great solar resource and potential for export. The researchers identified the key factors required to reduce the cost of green hydrogen to become competitive with other methods of producing hydrogen using fossil fuels. In a paper published today in Cell Reports Physical Science, the authors show how different factors affect the cost of producing green hydrogen by electrolysis using a dedicated solar system and using no additional power from the grid. Without using electricity from the grid, which is predominantly supplied by fossil fuel electricity, this method produces hydrogen with nearly zero emissions. Being free of the grid also means such a system could be deployed in remote locations with good, year-long exposure to sunlight. The researchers examined a range of parameters that could affect the final price of green hydrogen energy including the cost of electrolyser and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, electrolyser efficiency, available sunlight and the size of the installations. In thousands of calculations using randomly ascribed values for various parameters in different scenarios, the researchers found the cost of green hydrogen ranged from $US2.89 to $US4.67 per kilogram. It was possible to get even lower than this, the researchers said, with proposed scenarios approaching $US2.50 per kilogram, at which point green hydrogen starts to become competitive with fossil fuel production. Why A Range Of Prices? Co-author Nathan Chang, who is a postdoctoral fellow with UNSW's School of Photovoltaic Renewable Energy Engineering, says a common problem when trying to estimate the costs of developing technology is that calculations are based on assumptions that may only apply to certain situations or circumstances. This makes the results less relevant for other locations and doesn't take into account that technology performance and costs improve over time. "But here, rather than getting a single calculated number, we get a range of possible numbers," he says. "And each particular answer is a combination of a lot of possible input parameters." "For example, we have recent data on the cost of PV systems in Australia, but we know that in some countries, they pay much more for their systems. We also have seen that PV costs are reducing each year. So we put cost values both lower and higher into the model to see what would happen to the cost of hydrogen. "So after plugging all these different values into our algorithm and getting a range of prices of hydrogen energy, we then said, 'Okay, so there were some cases where we got closer to that $US2 ($AUD2.80) per kilogram figure. What was it about those cases that got it down so low?'" Co-author Dr. Rahman Daiyan, of ARC Training Centre for Global Hydrogen Economy and UNSW's School of Chemical Engineering, says that when they examined the cases where the cost per kilogram approached US$2, certain parameters stood out. "Capital costs of electrolysers and their efficiencies still dictate the viability of renewable hydrogen," he says. "One crucial way we could further decrease costs would be to use cheap transition metal-based catalysts in electrolysers. Not only are they cheaper, but they can even outperform catalysts currently in commercial use. "Studies like these will provide inspiration and targets for researchers working in catalyst development." It All Adds Up The system and cost simulation model itself was built by undergraduate student Jonathon Yates, who got the opportunity to work on the project through UNSW's Taste of Research scholarship program. "We used real weather data and worked out the optimum size of the PV system for each location," he says. "We then saw how this would change the economics in different locations around the world where solar-powered electrolysis is being considered. "We knew that each location that would install such a system would be differentrequiring different sizes and having to wear different costs of components. Combining these with weather variations means that some locations will have lower cost potential than others, which can indicate an export opportunity." He points to the example of Japan which does not have a great solar resource and where the size of the systems may be limited. "So there is potentially a significant cost difference when compared to the spacious outback regions of Australia, which have plenty of sunlight," says Mr Yates. Looking Ahead The researchers say that it is not far-fetched to imagine large scale hydrogen energy plants becoming cheaper than fossil fuel ones in the next couple of decades. "Because PV costs are reducing, it is changing the economics of solar hydrogen production," says Dr. Chang. "In the past, the idea of a remote solar-driven electrolysis system was considered to be far too expensive. But the gap is reducing every year, and in some locations, there will be a cross-over point sooner rather than later." Dr. Daiyan says: "With technology improvements in electrolyser efficiency, an expectation of lower costs of installing these types of systems, and governments and industry being willing to invest in larger systems to take advantage of economies of scale, this green technology is getting closer to being competitive with alternative fossil fuel production of hydrogen." Mr Yates says it is only a matter of time until green hydrogen becomes more economical than hydrogen produced from fossil fuel methods. "When we recalculated the cost of hydrogen using other researchers' projections of electrolyser and PV costs, it's possible to see green hydrogen costs getting as low as US$2.20 per kg ($AUD3.08) by 2030, which is on par or cheaper than the cost of fossil-fuel produced hydrogen. "As this happens, Australia, with its great solar resource, will be well placed to take advantage of this." Explore further Scientists identify new catalysts for more efficient water splitting More information: Jonathon Yates et al. Techno-economic Analysis of Hydrogen Electrolysis from Off-Grid Stand-Alone Photovoltaics Incorporating Uncertainty Analysis, Cell Reports Physical Science (2020). Jonathon Yates et al. Techno-economic Analysis of Hydrogen Electrolysis from Off-Grid Stand-Alone Photovoltaics Incorporating Uncertainty Analysis,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2020.100209 WASHINGTON - Commissioners of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission signaled Wednesday they were prepared to set regulations around carbon pricing, as states around the country adopt policies to lower carbon emissions to combat climate change. At a conference hosted by the Republican-controlled FERC, commissioners questioned lawyers and industry representatives about the commissions legal authority to address climate change and how they might go about setting rules on state-level carbon taxes and cap-and-trade systems, such as the one in place in California. "Our complex energy markets cannot be hermetically sealed from state environmental policies. Thats just an undeniable fact," FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee said. Were at a pivotal point when it comes to these discussionsa point that I think, will ultimately lead to action in some shape or form." The conference marked a rare public debate around carbon pricing, which uses market mechanisms to provide incentives for companies to reduce or eliminate emissions of greenhouse gases that are accelerating climate change. Carbon pricing, however, has had little serious federal consideration since the Senate failed to agree on a federal cap and trade program more than a decade ago. Meanwhile, at least 11 states, including New York, Virginia and Massachusetts, operate cap and trade systems that charge power plants according to the amount of carbon emissions. In 2018, a fee on carbon emissions went on the ballot in Washington state but failed to pass. Chatterjee said at the outset of Wednesday's conference he is not interested in having FERC create a national carbon pricing system. But both he and Commissioner Richard Glick, a Democrat, have said regulation is needed to keep state-level carbon pricing schemes from disrupting power markets. "There's a lot of questions both legal and how a carbon price might be implemented," Doug Vine, a senior energy fellow at the think tank Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, said in an interview. "It's not something that's going to happen overnight, and we need to look at all the dimensions." To open the conference, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., who has introduced a bill taxing carbon emissions at $52 per ton, reiterated warnings from financial institutions about the risk climate change to everything from oil and gas companies to the insurance sector, which could face untold claims from coastal flooding in the decades ahead. RELATED: Biden betting big on climate change. Can he grow the economy at the same time? "The warnings are many and well-founded, so we are well and truly warned," he said. "Even the fossil fuel industry is starting to come around to the fact a carbon price might be in its best interest. If you burn fossil fuels, you have to deal with the carbon. Chatterjee and Glick have found common ground on climate change, voting together on measures to expand grid-scale batteries and so-called demand response operations that scale back air conditioners and lighting at times of high electricity demand. On Wednesday, both largely focused on the technical issues around carbon pricing, such as how to deal with emissions from power generated in other states. "We've already seen a number of proposals from states, and we're going to see a lot more," Glick said. "When states impose carbon pricing it effects the prices charged in wholesale markets." Less clear is the position of Commissioner James Danly, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump earlier this year. He left the meeting after one question, saying he would leave "the remainder of the conference to my two colleagues." As it stands now, the rapid development of wind and solar power is pushing coal, natural gas and nuclear plants off the grid. That can pose supply shortages, as evidenced during a massive power outage in California last month, which Governor Gavin Newsom attributed in part to a series of gas plant closures. With the growth of electric cars, power grids are only going to become more stressed in the years ahead, posing the risk of regular outages. "Electricity is about to be a much bigger part of our economy," said Thad Hill, CEO of Houston power company Calpine. "There will be a lot more renewables. That one's for sure. But the academic work suggests we need every megawatt of gas to ensure reliability for the future." RELATED: Biden, Trump clash on climate change FERC's legal authority to regulate carbon pricing, however, is limited. While FERC has authority to determine whether a state carbon pricing scheme is "just and reasonable" under the law, it's unclear how much leeway the commission has in setting guidelines for states looking to create such schemes, testified Jim Rossi, a law professor at Vanderbilt University. The hope among those advocating for carbon pricing is that Congress will establish a nationwide carbon plan, to some degree letting FERC off the hook. Bipartisan carbon price legislation is, "in the offing," Whitehouse said, but it's unclear whether it could gain enough Republican support to pass the Senate. "It would be the cleanest approach," Vine said, of a national carbon price. "There continues to be a lot of activity on (Capitol Hill), but it would still be a heavy lift." PG | 2h | Drama, Thriller | 1 June 1956 (USA) On vacation, the McKenna family, consisting of Ben (James Stewart), his wife Jo (Doris Day), and their young son, Hank (Christopher Olsen), are on a bus from the airport to a hotel in Marrakech, Morocco. Bens a doctor who works in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Jos a former pop star who had a successful singing career. Alfred Hitchcocks spy drama The Man Who Knew Too Much certainly opens on a dramatic note: The bus hits a bump in the road, and Hank, stumbling forward, accidentally rips off a Moroccan womans face covering. The womans husband takes offense and follows Hank back to his father. In a matter of moments, it looks as if an international event is about to unfold. But a stranger steps in and squashes the misunderstanding. (LR) Doris Day, James Stewart, Daniel Gelin in The Man Who Knew Too Much. (Paramount Pictures) Ben and Jo learn that their kind Samaritans name is Louis Bernard (Daniel Gelin), a mysterious man who is vague when questioned but very interested in getting information about them. The next day during their visit to a Moroccan marketplace, the McKennas spot Louis as he staggers out from an alleywayhes been stabbed in the back with a very long knife. Louis manages to make it to Ben, where he collapses into the doctors arms. He whispers his last words into Bens ear, which details an assassination plot going down in London, England. Louis Bernard (Daniel Gelin) whispers his dying secret to Dr. Ben McKenna (James Stewart), in the Hitchcock thriller The Man Who Knew Too Much. (Paramount Pictures) In order to keep the McKennas quiet about the plot, some nefarious underworld figures kidnap young Hank. Then, adhering to the kidnappers demands, Ben and Jo, instead of relying on local authorities, decide to risk their lives to try and save their son all on their own. This remake of one of Hitchcocks earlier works of the same title (the original was produced in 1934) is a quite daring yet believable story about a couple of ordinary American citizens who get caught up in the murky world of spies and international intrigue. Theres a twist to the film, which is quite ingenious; Ben and Jo are very visible to both the authorities and the bad guys, since they are so public about what they are doing. Its interesting to see them work with what they have, while trying to get to the bottom of the assassination plot unfolding in London, as well as rescue their son from his captors. As a result, many of the films scenes are painted with an unusual sense of high tension and unease. Add to that some moments of witty banter between its many interesting characters, and youve got a smorgasbord of seemingly disparate elements that somehow come together and work. This film showcases Hitchcocks ability to combine all of these themes into a daring, two-hour spy drama that moves along at a brisk pace and never lets off the gas. Jimmy Stewart once again steps into the role of an everyman who is deceptively resourceful (just as he did as L.B. Jeff Jefferies in 1954s Rear Window). Christopher Olsen is likewise convincing as a young boy who has been kidnapped by some really bad people. However, Doris Day really steals the show as Jo, a whip-smart woman who doesnt miss a beat (and thats coming from a lifelong Stewart fan). To get a sense of this, watch one of the beginning scenes where she breaks down the fact that Louis basically interrogated Ben during their bus ride, without giving much information about himself in returnbesides a couple of basic tidbits (such as his name, for example). Later, shes also able to showcase her lovely voice while breaking out into song with Que Sera, Sera, which was as big a hit as the movie. Its hard to believe that such a talented, humble, and kind soul just passed away last year (2019). But thankfully shell live forever on the silver screen. Doris Day is remarkable in The Man Who Knew Too Much. (Paramount Pictures) The film is as easy on the eyes as Day is; Hitchcock takes his time with beautifully shot scenes of both Morocco and England, with well-placed musical pieces that only add to the stunning locales. In the end, The Man Who Knew Too Much has become one of my favorite Hitchcock films (and I thought Rear Window couldnt be topped). It perfectly captures all of the elements that made his films so unique and fun to watchdrama, intrigue, high tension, humorits all there for us to enjoy. The Man Who Knew Too Much Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: James Stewart, Doris Day, Christopher Olsen Rated: PG Running Time: 2 hours Release Date: June 1, 1956 Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5 Ian Kane is a filmmaker and author based out of Los Angeles. To learn more, visit DreamFlightEnt.com Mel B's former body guard hanged himself while wearing full military uniform amid a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder sparked from his time serving in the Royal Marines. 'Devoted daddy' Corporal Ashley Bernard Nickless, 31, was discovered at his Conwy, Wales, home by a friend who became concerned after a worrying text to her, an inquest heard. Mr Nickless - a father-of-one - worked as Spice Girl Mel B's bodyguard after he was discharged from the Royal Marines Commando with PTSD in 2017. Mel B previously said she spoke to him about his struggles while he was under her employ - and said his death is a 'damming indictment of the lack of help for those suffering PTSD'. Mel B's former body guard Corporal Ashley Bernard Nickless, 31, (right and left with Mel B) hanged himself while wearing full military uniform amid a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder following his time serving in the Royal Marines 'Devoted daddy' Mr Nickless (pictured) was discovered at his Conwy, Wales, home by a friend who became concerned after a worrying text to her, an inquest heard During his time in the military - which he joined in 2007 - Mr Nickless (pictured) witnessed his friends killed in Afghanistan and was left with pieces of shrapnel stuck in his arm During his time in the military - which he joined in 2007 - Mr Nickless witnessed his friends killed in Afghanistan and was left with pieces of shrapnel stuck in his arm. When he left in 2017, he kept having nightmares, panic attacks and suffered from flashbacks. Mr Nickless - commonly known as Ash - was wearing medals and cermonial blue uniform when he was discovered. Although desperate attempts to save his life were made, he tragically died from suspension-induced asphixiation, the Ruthin inquest was told. There were traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system, a post-mortem examination found. A Malaria drug was also found, a disease he contracted in Sierra Leone in his post-military career. His family were 'scared of his behaviour' in recent years and he was getting gradually further into debt. He had made two previous suicide attempts, both in 2019, the Daily Post reported. Mel B earlier told The Mirror: 'I talked a lot to Ash about PTSD. I suffer from it as a result of an emotional abusive marriage and he suffered from it as a result of what he went through and what he saw in war zones.' Pictured: Geri Halliwell, Victoria Adams, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown (also known as Mel B) and Melanie Chisholm in the Spice Girls A funeral notice said he was a 'cherished husband of Katie, much loved son of Melvin and Amanda, dear step-son of Claire, [and] loving brother of Amy and Thomas' Mel B earlier told The Mirror: 'I talked a lot to Ash about PTSD. I suffer from it as a result of an emotional abusive marriage and he suffered from it as a result of what he went through and what he saw in war zones. 'I met Ash more than a year ago because he looked after my daughter Phoenix.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details The museum has really cemented the case that were telling an American story that is particular but also for all Americans, he said. Its a leader in how a museum can be a creative place of engagement, a place that speaks to us on lots of different levels. How can we chronicle this particular moment? How can we provide a look at the pandemics of covid and racism? Im looking forward to continuing to do that in an innovative way. Brittany Nevins, Vermont Captive Insurance Economic Development Director Maintaining a strong marketing and business development focus on this important sector is crucial and we are glad that Brittany has joined the team to continue our success in this area. DED Commissioner Joan Goldstein The Vermont Department of Economic Development (DED) is pleased to announce that Brittany Nevins has been hired as the new Captive Insurance Economic Development Director. Nevins will be responsible for the marketing and business development of Vermonts captive insurance industry, working closely with the Department of Financial Regulation and the Vermont Captive Insurance Association to continue to strengthen the states reputation as the premier onshore captive insurance domicile. Vermont has become an international leader in the captive insurance industry and we must work to continue to grow this industry in the state, said DED Commissioner Joan Goldstein. Maintaining a strong marketing and business development focus on this important sector is crucial and we are glad that Brittany has joined the team to continue our success in this area. Brittany replaces Ian Davis, Vermonts former Director of Financial Services. We will hit the ground running and pick up right where we left off now that Brittany has filled the position, noted Deputy Commissioner of Captive Insurance, Dave Provost. We are lucky to have her join the team. Brittany brings a wealth of experience in the economic development and regulatory sectors. Located in Texas for the last 2 plus years, Brittany served as the Community and Economic Development Specialist for Travis County, Texas, managing its property tax rebate program for businesses that sought to develop in the Austin region. Prior to that, she was a Policy Specialist for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, where she provided support for a variety of agency regulatory programs. Brittany has a masters degree in Sustainable Development from the SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro. Having lived in Latin America, she is also fluent in Spanish. We are excited about Brittanys international experience as Vermont seeks to expand further into the Latin American markets, said Richard Smith, President of the Vermont Captive Insurance Association. The captive insurance industry is a model for economic development in the state, bringing in clean, high paying jobs, significant tax revenue, and supports the tourism industry all at the same time, said Nevins. Im humbled and thrilled to be coming back to my home state of Vermont to promote Vermonts best-in-class captive insurance status and help grow its presence and stature throughout the world. For more information on Vermonts captive industry, visit http://www.vermontcaptive.com, call Brittany Nevins at 802-398-5192 or email Brittany.Nevins@vermont.gov. The brother of a mobster who was murdered three years ago in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty in New York to playing a senior role in a massive drug smuggling operation into the U.S. as part of a group called the Wolfpack Alliance. Mihale (Big Mike, Rookie) Leventis, a trained computer programmer formerly from Montreal, pleaded guilty via Skype in Albany on Tuesday to conspiracy to traffic marijuana into the U.S. and 5 kg of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder money. The offences took place between 2007 and 2009 in Franklin and Clinton counties in New York, and Leventis agreed that he personally played a role in the smuggling of at least 350 kg of marijuana from Canada. It was destined for markets in Boston and New York City. Leventis faces a U.S. prison term of between three and 20 years. The court has yet to decide whether he will also be fined up to $1 million (U.S.) He has previously been described by Quebec police as part of a cocaine trafficking consortium with branches in Toronto. That consortium, known as the Wolfpack Alliance, has links to Irish organized crime, the Hells Angels and other groups, including some from B.C. His younger brother, Anastasios Leventis, 39, was shot to death in mid-afternoon on Jan. 30, 2017 outside his condo building near Adelaide Street East and George Street. Police said at the time that two guns were recovered at the scene and that the killer fled into a waiting car. No arrest has been made in the murder. Students at nearby George Brown Colleges St. James campus were blocked from leaving for more than an hour, until police were certain any danger had passed. Mihale Leventis pleaded on Tuesday to playing a senior role in an ongoing drug smuggling network that included hiring drivers and keeping track of funds. The network used a series of scout cars to watch for authorities as it moved drugs into the U.S. Peter Edwards is a Toronto-based reporter primarily covering crime for the Star. Reach him by email at pedwards@thestar.ca Is coronavirus impacting men more? Studies seem to be suggesting it is. While it has been proved that both men and women are likely to get coronavirus, the effects of the virus seem to be manifold, depending on genetic makeup and bad habits. Meaning more men seem to be globally dying of coronavirus than women. New research released during the ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease in September showed that men had a 62 percent higher risk of death associated with Covid-19 as compared to women. Previously, a study published in April in Frontier had also found that though men and women were equally likely to contract the virus, men are more likely to suffer from more acute effects of the disease. Global mortality trends from across the world have pointed at more male fatalities due to Covid-19 than women. But what is causing this discrepancy? Dropping testosterone A new study has linked more men dying of Covid-19 globally than women to the ability of Covid-19 in depleting testosterone levels in the body. Initially, the lower testosterone levels in the Covid-19 patients were associated with poor health conditions, however, a new study shows that it may be a viral infection that is causing the level of male sex hormone to decrease. Testosterone is the male sex hormone and decreases on an average by 0.8-2 percent a year after 40 years. The fact could be comprehended behind the outcome of coronavirus in older patients. Testosterone is associated with the immune system of respiratory organs, and low levels of testosterone might increase the risk of respiratory infections, says Selahittin Cayan, professor of urology, who contributed to the study. Prevalence of comorbidities Elderly men are more prone to exhibit heart disease, high blood pressure and liver disease than elderly women, making men more susceptible to death from Covid-19. As per a 2016 study published by Harvard Health Publishing, men of all ages are twice as likely to have a heart attack than women. Men are also two-fold more likely to get liver disease or liver cirrhosis than women, NCBI data confirmed. These factors may make men easier targets for Covid-19. Male enzymes and immune system Men have a higher prevalence of for certain enzymes such as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 facilitates the COVID-19 virus to infect healthy cells in the body, a study found in May. Researchers also claim that womens genetic make-up which includes the extra X chromosome is intrinsically better designed to fend off infections more than their male counterparts. Bad habits Behaviours such as smoking which negatively impact the lungs can also pose additional dangers to coronavirus patients. So in places such as China where smoking is more prevalent than in women, male COVID-19 patients are more likely to succumb to the virus. Not just smoking, studies have shown that higher levels of air pollution can also have a negative impact on coronavirus patients. A pharmacist compounds traditional Chinese medicine at The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 24, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] "Facing the once-in-a-century global pandemic, it can be said that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has stood the test," said Tong Xiaolin, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and head of the treatment group of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, at a conference on medicine and life health held this year in Nanjing. The Lianhua Qingwen Capsule, Jinhua Qinggan Granule, Lung Detoxification Decoction and other prescriptions have not only provided powerful weapons against the epidemic, but also shown the innovation of TCM. TCM helped treat 91.86% of domestic confirmed cases Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, China has suffered from four large-scale epidemics, including COVID-19. While all four have witnessed TCM offering effective solutions, the role of the traditional medicine has been particularly important this time. As of March 30, TCM had been involved in the treatment of a total of 74,886 confirmed COVID-19 cases, up to 91.86% of all cases, noted Tong. The TCM practitioners hold that the key to combating an epidemic is to figure out its properties. They found that the novel coronavirus is most active in wet and cold environments with a temperature between 5 and 11 and a humidity of between 47% and 79%. Tong pointed out that if one compared the novel coronavirus to a seed, then the Western medicine would directly destroy the seed, while TCM instead devastates the soil on which the seed depended by improving a patient's overall physical condition. Based on this philosophy, Tong invented a prescription to undermine the wet and cold environments favorable to the coronavirus. The prescription has been included into the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia. From February 3 to March 2, a total of 723,000 prescriptions were distributed in Wuhan, Hubei province, curing more than 50,000 infected persons. The prescription combined with isolation in communities and online expert diagnosis formed a set model of epidemic prevention and control. TCM practitioners have not only played an important role in dealing with confirmed COVID-19 cases, but also carried out clinical research of the whole process from prevention to treatment. The study found that with TCM intervention the death risk of severe and critical cases was reduced by more than 80%, the reinfection rate by over 10% and the rate of mild symptoms turning into severe by more than 6%. In addition, the combination of TCM and Western medicine might help relieve the clinical symptoms of the disease and cut the usage of anti-infective drugs. TCM has also mattered in other countries' response to COVID-19. China has donated finished TCM drugs, decoction pieces and acupuncture needles to over a dozen countries and regions including Italy and France. TCM doctors were also sent to foreign countries to assist with their anti-epidemic efforts. In light of the pandemic, Tong Xiaolin said that the establishment of TCM emergency response system for major infectious diseases should be strengthened and a government-coordinated emergency treatment system mixing TCM and Western medicine should be set up. Aside from dealing with major public health crises, TCM could also benefit society in a wider sense. In the 21st century, diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease, among others, are posing a big threat to people's health with the elderly being the most vulnerable. Compared with Western medicine that targets the pathogen, TCM applies holistic therapies which are more suitable for the elderly. Thus, for China, a country facing a rapidly aging population, TCM should be further advanced. TCM originates from China but belongs to the world. The 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) held last year adopted the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11), which for the first time included a chapter about traditional medicine. Some TCM items such as exogenous diseases and Zang-fu organs-related diseases have become "common language" internationally. Content in partnership with Science and Technology Daily WATERLOO REGION There are some items from your familys past that beg to be shown to others and proudly put on display. But there are others with a dark history that should remain hidden from view, either in a box at the back of a closet or stuffed in a corner of the basement. This is a story about one such item in my familys possession a genuine Nazi flag brought home as a memento of war. In the spring of 1945, Pvt. Thomas Jackson and other members of the First Canadian Parachute Battalion were marching across Germany with the mission to stop the Nazis. By early May they had reached the northern port city of Wismar, on the coast of the Baltic Sea, and were tasked with stopping German officers and soldiers from retreating out of Germany. They entered town around 9 a.m. on May 2, and rendezvoused with the Russian army just a few hours later. Thousands of Germans surrendered, and based on the photos Ive seen of smiling Canadian and Russian soldiers that day, their relief that the end of the war was finally in view was palpable. The story of my familys Nazi flag begins when Jackson, my grandfather, was the first person inside the Wismar Rathaus (town hall) on the morning the city was captured. He tore the flag off the wall to keep as a memento or trophy from his years at war. Hed parachuted into Normandy on D-Day in June 1944, helped stop the German counterattack in the Ardennes the following winter during the infamous Battle of the Bulge, and was dropped into Germany in March 1945 as part of the final push against Adolf Hitler. After he returned to Canada in June 1945, the flag spent decades tucked away in Grandpas underwear drawer, and decades more wrapped unceremoniously in a plastic yellow grocery bag at the back of a closet in the spare bedroom of his farmhouse. The first time I saw the flag was in the winter of 2008 when my dad and I were going through his personal items after his death. Have you ever seen a Nazi flag? my dad asked. As a history major at university, I was intrigued. The flag is in terrible condition; its ripped and stained, and has an awful stench. But there was something visceral about seeing the distinctive red, black and white flag in person for the first time similar to seeing colourized photos and video of the war and its destruction after years of only looking at the black-and-white images. It instantly felt more real. We are now left with the conundrum of what do we do with a Nazi flag? Grandpa had a few other items from his time overseas but none as problematic as the flag. Its not an easy question to answer, and its one many families are dealing with now as veterans of the Second World War die and leave these items behind. Every few years theres a story about an auction house or antique dealer getting into hot water for attempting to sell Nazi memorabilia. In 2015, complaints arose after Nazi war items appeared at a local consignment antique shop. And just this week an auction house apologized for listing Nazi flags among its items for sale and promised to destroy them. Should I destroy the flag my Grandpa brought home? Some might argue that by destroying it were erasing history an argument that has been reinvigorated in recent months locally with the removal of the Sir John A. Macdonald statue in New Hamburg but I dont believe history and the ongoing fight against a resurgent form of Nazism and white supremacy would be made poorer by the destruction of one torn and stained flag. In the end, the flag remains balled up in the yellow grocery bag. Maybe a part of me hopes keeping it wrapped in plastic will deprive that piece of fabric of the oxygen it needs to spread the hate and fear it represents. ISLAMABAD (AP) Afghanistans chief peace envoy Abdullah Abdullah ended a three-day visit to Pakistan on Wednesday optimistic the uneasy neighbors have turned a corner from a relationship marked by suspicion and downright hostility toward a partnership for peace in the region. In an interview in the Pakistani capital, Abdullah said he asked Pakistans powerful military to use its influence to press the Taliban into a reduction of violence, which could be seen as a first indication the two neighbors share the same goal of peace. Abdullah's first visit to Pakistan in 12 years comes at a crucial time for Afghanistan as government negotiators sit across the table from the Taliban in the Middle Eastern State of Qatar to plot a future course for a post-war Afghanistan. As chief of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah oversees the government side in negotiations. His visit to Pakistan was seen as particularly significant because of the ties the Taliban have with Pakistan, especially with the powerful military, which is largely responsible for the countrys Afghan policy. Abdullah said he has asked not just Pakistan, but Washington and every other country that has a voice at the Afghan table, to press for a reduction of violence with the Taliban. Still, for most Afghans Pakistan is seen as having the greatest leverage with the Taliban, whose ruling council is widely thought to be headquartered in southwestern Baluchistan. Its in their best interest of peace to encourage the Taliban (but) if cease-fire today, for example, is too heavy a word for the Taliban let us talk together to find what can we do so that people see that there are changes in the security environment, Abdullah said, referring to a reduction in violence. It is time (for the Taliban) to show some practical signs of their commitment for peace. ... Why are they not giving the people a chance to breathe and to see that things are happening? Story continues Pakistan has been applauded by Washington and Kabul for its role in getting the Taliban to the peace table, first in direct talks with the United States, which resulted in an agreement that led to the so-called intra-Afghan negotiations now underway in Doha. In meetings with Abdullah, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan loudly endorsed a peaceful end to Afghanistan's relentless wars and also called for a reduction in violence by all sides in the conflict, a welcome call, said Abdullah. Still, for many Afghans, Pakistan is viewed with deep mistrust, blamed for a resurgence of the Taliban after their defeat by the U.S.-led coalition in 2001 by giving the religious insurgents a safe haven from which to operate. Pakistan is seen by many in Afghanistan as wanting to keep the Taliban as possible leverage against influence in Afghanistan by its long-time enemy India, which has been critical of any post-war government in Afghanistan that includes the Taliban. Abdullah, however, who shared power in Afghanistan's last government as chief executive and before that as foreign minister, said he was encouraged by the tone of conversations in Pakistan. The conversations centered around peace and Abdullah said the improvements in relations and in perceptions of each other as good neighbors will come with time and actions, including messages from Pakistan to the Taliban to embrace the current negotiations underway in Doha. He has asked Pakistan to send the right message to all sides but mainly to the Taliban that this is the right time to make genuine efforts for achieving peace, to be flexible be ready, be determined (and) know that there is no other way. ... This will be the right thing at this stage." A builder accused of murdering his wife's lover 'panicked' after he died during a confrontation at a remote farm, a court has heard. Andrew Jones, 53, is alleged to have shot Michael O'Leary, 55, after discovering the older man was having an affair with his wife. The father-of-three claims the .22 Colt rifle went off accidentally while he and Mr O'Leary grappled during an argument at Cyncoed Farm in Carmarthenshire in January. Jones disposed of Mr O'Leary's body by burning it in an oil drum at a yard next to his home in Carmarthen, Swansea Crown Court heard. Andrew Jones, 53, is alleged to have shot Michael O'Leary, 55, after discovering the older man was having an affair with his wife Rhiannon. Pictured: Jones and Rhiannon together Jones, a builder, claims to have 'panicked' after his love rival died during a confrontation at remote Cyncoed Farm in Carmarthenshire, the court has heard In his closing speech, Karim Khalil QC, defending, told the jurors that once they had analysed all the evidence - putting emotion to one side - they could conclude it was a 'terrible accident'. Mr Khalil said that after the shooting Jones 'wasn't thinking straight' and did not call the emergency services. 'Mr Jones's answer was that, confronted by the horror of one of his best friends dead in his arms, he panicked,' he said. 'He panicked in the knowledge that if he hadn't taken that gun to the scene his friend wouldn't be dead. Pictured: The .22 Colt rifle Jones is accused of fatally shooting Mr O'Leary with The father-of-three claims the rifle he was holding went off accidentally while he and Mr O'Leary (pictured with wife Sian) grappled during an argument in January 'He panicked because he couldn't face Mike O'Leary's wife and children, all of whom he knew and liked. In this moment he thought it better if Mike's family thought he had took his own life. 'He panicked because he wanted to spare them all of knowing of the affair that Michael O'Leary had been conducting with his own wife Rhianon for so long.' Mr Khalil added: 'Once he had taken that first wrong step, he was set on a path which spiralled further and further out of control. Jones then 'panicked' after killing his friend, and disposed of Mr O'Leary's body by burning it in an oil drum at a yard next to his home in Carmarthen, Swansea Crown Court heard. Pictured: Investigators search for Michael O'Leary's body in February of this year 'As he said in evidence, he had dug a hole for himself. Remember the old saying, "If you are in a hole, stop digging". Nobody does.' The barrister said the prosecution assertion of a pre-planned murder 'simply does not add up'. 'The prosecution case doesn't fit when you step back and analyse the evidence fairly,' he said. Michael O'Leary's wife Sian has attended the trial at Swansea Crown Court 'He wasn't planning to kill Michael O'Leary, he did plan to meet him there to talk about Rhianon, and it has got horribly out of control.' Mr Khalil said the prosecution's case that Mr O'Leary's murder was planned overlooked a lack of planning for disposing of his body. 'The one place you are not going to take it is home,' he said. 'If you are so stupid as to take it home, the next thing you are not going to do is leave the body outside in the yard where any inquisitive person, including a member of your family, might just come across it.' Pictured here is a .223 Southern gun rifle, one of eight seized from Jones' property in a search by investigators Mr Khalil QC, defending, said: 'He wasn't planning to kill Michael O'Leary, he did plan to meet him there to talk about Rhianon, and it has got horribly out of control.' Pictured: A .22 Ruger rifle seized at his property Mr Khalil also told the jury that someone who had planned a murder would not burn the remains in a yard next to their home, as that would attract attention. 'This level of risk-taking, we submit, shows it was not planned at all. This is him getting deeper and deeper into absurd things, ghastly things,' he said. 'He was being driven by something else, other than careful planning.' Jones, of Bronwydd Road, Carmarthen, denies murder. The trial continues. [September 30, 2020] Cylynt Announces New Technology in the Fight Against Software Piracy LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cylynt introduces today Cylynt Ranger, a powerful new piracy detection application that enables independent software vendors (ISVs) to identify and track the illegal usage of older, non-instrumented releases of their software applications. By detecting the presence of illegal cracked software installations, this unique product also helps protect end users from the potential threats posed by malware and ransomware that come bundled with cracked software installations. Cylynt Ranger can monitor and report on the use of multiple software releases, in particular, legacy releases not instrumented with phone-home technology. Automated Ranger version updates are deployed from the gateway server to the protected machines. Piracy detection signatures can be continuously updated and deployed as new cracks are identified. As a provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based anti-piracy, license compliance and software monetization technology, Cylynt helps companies identify who is using counterfeit or unlicensed software. Software vendors must be vigilant to stay a step ahead of pirates, who are ever more resourceful and sophisticated at hiding their identities and evading anti-piracy technologies, remarks its CEO Ted Miracco. Several key customers are already deploying Ranger in their extensive license compliance programs as part of a multi-layered protection strategy to overcome even the most sophisticated software hacks and ensure an uninterrupted flow of data. Cylynt Ranger is the latest technology in the Cylynt suite of anti-piracy, usage analytics and license compliance tools. Employed by the worlds leading software companies to protect their intellectual property, the software can be deployed in multiple scenarios to enhance piracy detection and provide detailed data driven intelligence to detect, identify and engage with unlicensed application users. Cylynt Ranger is a key new addition to Cylynts software monetization and anti-piracy solutions. It is easy to integrate and deploy into existing license compliance programs. It can be deployed in conjunction with the existing Cylynt Sentry software development kit in Cylynt SmartFlow Enterprise and Professional, which delivers usage data from within individual applications through phone-home technology, to provide an additional layer of security. Together, Cylynt Ranger and Sentry integrate with Cylynts business intelligence analytics to enable customers to better understand the data collected and to make informed decisions about the best ways to recover revenue lost to piracy and generate additional sales opportunities. Cylynt 2020 Software Monetization and Anti-Piracy Summit Ranger will make its debut at the Cylynt 2020 Software Monetization and Anti-Piracy Summit in October . It will be overviewed at the Cylynt User Group Meeting October 27 and in a panel discussion October 28. Availability and Pricing Cylynt Ranger is available now. Pricing is available upon request; Cylynt has a solution for every budget. To find out more about Cylynt Ranger, and Cylynts suite of software monetization and anti-piracy solutions, please email: info@cylynt.com . About Cylynt Cylynt , headquartered in Los Angeles and Dublin, Ireland, provides SaaS based anti-piracy, license compliance and software monetization technology for the worlds leading software companies. Cylynts data-driven approach to software utilization enables technology companies to derive more value while protecting their intellectual property (IP). Cylynt helps clients make informed business decisions, correct licensing problems, and protect customers from unfair competition. With a solution for every budget, Cylynts innovative technologies organize, analyze, and interpret telemetry data into meaningful market insights and quality lead generation. To learn more about how Cylynt solutions can help protect software brand names and drive revenue generation efforts, call (424) 278-9990 or email info@cylynt.com. Engage with Cylynt at: Website: www.cylynt.com Email: info@cylynt.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cylynt/ Twitter: @CylyntInc For more information, contact: Nanette Collins Public Relations for Cylynt (617) 437-1822 nanette@nvc.com [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] French waste and water management company Veolia on Wednesday raised its offer for a 29.9% stake in Suez owned by Engie to 3.4 billion euros ($4 billion), and piled on the pressure for a swift outcome to its proposal. Veolia has been trying to persuade Engie to part with most of its stake in Suez as a prelude to launching a full takeover bid for the utility, though Suez has pushed back vehemently against the approach. Veolia said it had raised its offer to 18 euros per share from 15.5 euros per share, valuing the stake at 3.4 billion euros compared with 2.9 billion euros previously. It added the offer was valid until the end of Wednesday, sticking to the original deadline of its offer to Engie. But Veolia added it would only launch a subsequent tender offer for the whole of Suez with the blessing of the company's board, and offered a six month period during which to negotiate, should it acquire the 29.9% stake. The French finance ministry has called on Veolia to demonstrate its approach to Suez is friendly. The state has a 23.6% stake in Engie, which in turn has 32% in Suez. Suez shares were up 6.6% in early trading. NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - The Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday announced that Morgan Stanley has agreed to pay $5 Million for violations of Regulation SHO, the regulatory framework governing short sales. According to the SEC's order, the structure of Morgan Stanley's prime brokerage swaps business resulted in violations of Reg SHO. As set forth in the order, Morgan Stanley hedged synthetic exposure to swaps by purchasing or selling the securities referenced in the swaps, and it separated its hedges into two aggregation units - one holding only long positions, and the other holding only short positions. According to the order, Morgan Stanley was able to sell its hedges on the long swaps and mark them as 'long' sales without concern for Reg SHO's short sale requirements. Market participants cannot disregard the rules of the road established by Reg SHO for all short sales,' said Daniel Michael, Chief of the Complex Financial Instruments Unit. 'For many years, Morgan Stanley has improperly relied on Reg SHO's aggregation unit exception, resulting in orders being mismarked for countless transactions.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Almost one year after launching its last set of Pixel devices, Google has launched two new Pixel smartphones today, the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5. The Pixel 4a 5G, as the name suggests, is a 5G-equipped version of the Pixel 4a along with a bunch of upgrades to the hardware. The Pixel 5, on the other hand, is a successor to the Pixel 4 that was launched last year. And it brings plenty of new features to the table compared to its predecessor. Just as leaks and rumors had suggested, there is no XL version of the Pixel this time around. Maybe Google is saving it for a later date. Anyway, let us dive deeper and have a look at what the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a 5G have to offer. Google Pixel 5 The Pixel 5 is the brands flagship smartphone for 2020. However, it is not a high-end device like the Pixel 4/Pixel 4 XL. Instead, it is a mid-ranger. The Pixel 5 is the first smartphone from the brand to feature a high-refresh-rate display. It gets a 6.0-inch 90Hz OLED with FHD+ resolution. You wont get the smoothness of a 120Hz screen with this display but it is still a significant upgrade over the 60Hz unit on the Pixel 4. And we guess most people will be happy with the 90Hz refresh rate. Powering the Pixel 5 is the same Snapdragon 765G chipset that is in the more affordable, Pixel 4a 5G. And that, in our opinion, could be a deal-breaker for some people. Because most people expect a flagship phone to offer a flagship chipset like the Snapdragon 865. What is even worse is that the Pixel 5 is less powerful than its predecessor, which has the Snapdragon 855 processor. Anyway, the phone comes in a single memory configuration, 8GB RAM + 128GB storage, and it runs on the Android 11 OS that was announced recently. Google is guaranteeing a 3-year OS and security upgrade with the Pixel 5. The Pixel 5 features the exact same dual-camera setup as the Pixel 4; it has a 12.2MP primary camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS, and a 16MP ultrawide camera. Just like previous Pixel smartphones, Google hasnt offered a telephoto camera on this phone either. However, there is one big upgrade the rear camera of the Pixel 5 offers over its predecessor and that is 4K60FPS video recording, making the Pixel 5 the first Pixel phone to offer this video recording option. Along with it, the Pixel 5 offers Locked, Active, and Cinematic Pan modes for video recording, which, according to Google, make the everyday look like a movie. The Pixel 5 comes with HDR+ with Bracketing, which, according to Google, offers a huge upgrade in image quality. What is even interesting is that Night Sight now works in Portrait Mode, which means that you will be able to capture portrait images in dark environments with better clarity. The selfie camera on the Pixel 5 is the same 8MP unit that is in the Pixel 4. The Pixel 5 is backed by a 4000mAh battery and it supports 18W USB Power Delivery 2.0 fast charging. There is also wireless charging and reverse wireless charging on offer. The Pixel 5 even comes with an Extreme Battery Saver that can help you extend the phones battery life by up to 48 hours. On the connectivity front, the Pixel 5 offers 5G cellular support, making it the first Pixel smartphone with 5G connectivity. And it will be one of the main selling points of the smartphone. The Pixel 5 also gets dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and IP68 water and dust resistance. The Pixel 5 comes with a price tag of $699 in the US. It will be available in two colors, Just Black and Sorta Sage. You can pre-order the Pixel 5 starting today and it will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States starting 15th October. Google is offering 3 months of subscription to Stadia and YouTube Premium, 100GB of Google Drive storage, Google Play Pass, and Google Play Points for free with the purchase of the Pixel 5. Google Pixel 4a 5G The biggest change that the Pixel 4a 5G brings over its predecessor is, you guessed it right, the 5G connectivity. To offer 5G connectivity, Google has used the Snapdragon 765G SoC in the Pixel 4a 5G instead of the Snapdragon 730G that is in the Pixel 4a. Along with 5G connectivity, the SD765G also offers a faster CPU and GPU performance compared to the SD730G. Speaking of performance, the Pixel 4a 5G has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and that is the only memory configuration on offer. On the software side of things, the Pixel 4a 5G runs on the Android 11 OS and it will get 3 years of OS and security updates, just like the Pixel 5. The second biggest upgrade the Pixel 4a 5G brings over its predecessor is in the camera department. The phone features the same 12.2MP main + 16MP ultrawide dual-camera setup at the back that is in the Pixel 5. And it is a significant upgrade over the single 12.2MP rear camera setup that was offered with the Pixel 4a. The Pixel 4a 5G also comes with 4K60FPS video recording just like the Pixel 5. As for selfies, the Pixel 4a 5G uses the same 8MP unit that was in its predecessor. The Pixel 4a 5G features a larger display than the Pixel 4a; it is a 6.2-inch IPS LCD with FHD+ resolution. Sadly, there is no high refresh rate on offer, which is a bummer, especially when you consider that other phones in the segment offer it. The display has the same top-left mounted punch-hole for the selfie camera and the same size of bezels as that in the Pixel 4a. The new smartphone also retains the same matte black finish on the back panel which Google calls Just Black as its predecessor. And yes, that is the only color option on offer. Powering the Pixel 4a 5G is a 3800mAh battery equipped with 18W USB PD 2.0 fast charging. The phone has stereo speakers and the brand has also retained the 3.5mm audio jack, just like that in the Pixel 4a. You get a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth v5.0, and dual-band Wi-Fi ac. Google has priced the Pixel 4a 5G at $499 for the US market. The pre-orders of the device start today and it will be available in Japan starting October 18. According to Google, the Pixel 4a 5G will be rolled out in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States starting November. Buyers will get the same offers on the Pixel 4a 5G as that on the Pixel 5, which includes a 3-month subscription to YouTube Premium and Stadia, 100GB of Google Drive storage, Google Play Pass, and Google Play Points for free. Our Take Google has taken a rather unusual step with the Pixel 5 by offering it as a mid-ranger rather than a flagship smartphone. And Pixel fans who were expecting the Pixel 5 to be a true flagship smartphone will be highly disappointed. That being said, the Pixel 5 is a great smartphone for its price. And it has the potential to be the king of the mid-range segment. As for the Pixel 4a, it is a great option for anyone who wants an affordable 5G phone. We need to see how do the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a 5G impact the sales of affordable iPhones. By AFP RIGA (Latvia): French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday condemned what he called Turkey's "reckless and dangerous" statements backing Azerbaijan in its bid to take back the breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh. But Turkey fired back, accusing Macron of supporting Armenia's "occupation" of the region, where deadly fighting has raged since Sunday. "I have noted Turkey's political statements which I think are reckless and dangerous," Macron told reporters in Latvia's capital Riga during a visit to the Baltic EU state. "France remains extremely concerned about the bellicose comments that Turkey made in the last hours, which essentially remove any inhibitions from Azerbaijan in what would be a reconquest of northern Karabakh. That we will not accept," he added. He also appeared to voice support for Yerevan: "I say to Armenia and to the Armenians, France will play its role." Turkey views majority-Muslim Azerbaijan as its close ally and Christian Armenia as its historic foe. It also has a range of disagreements with France in the energy-rich eastern Mediterranean as well as Libya and parts of the Middle East. READ HERE | Armenia- Azerbaijan conflict explained: Why the former Soviet Republics are at the brink of war and how is Turkey involved? Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the told the Anadolu state news agency that Ankara was not "categorically anti-France". But when Macron "has no concerns about Azerbaijan's territories, his show of solidarity with Armenia means he supports the occupation", Cavusoglu said. In Riga, Macron said he would discuss the Karabakh tensions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday and US President Donald Trump on Thursday before reporting on the situation to EU leaders. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked for decades in a territorial dispute over Karabakh and have blamed each other for sparking clashes that have caused nearly 100 confirmed deaths since the weekend. Armenia's defence ministry said Tuesday that a Turkish F-16 flying in support of Baku's forces had downed an Armenian SU-25 warplane. Both Turkey and Azerbaijan quickly denied the claim. Direct Turkish military action against Armenia would mark a major escalation after three days of heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over Karabakh. Russia also called on Turkey to stop proclaiming support for Azerbaijan and to work toward a diplomatic solution to the escalation, the deadliest since 2016. President Donald Trump again invoked the Paterson election scandal as he railed against expanded mail-in voting during the first presidential debate. This is going to be a fraud like youve never seen, Trump said during the final segment of the debate with former Vice President Joe Biden. Take a look at what happened in New Jersey. A judge ordered a new election after the citys May contests, conducted entirely by mail, were marred with fraud. State Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal filed charges against four men, including a council member and a member-elect. Trump ticked off several other states, including New York and Virginia, as he complained that states automatically were sending millions of ballots to voters. New Jersey is one of them, making it easier for residents to vote by mail during the coronavirus pandemic. Immediately after the debate, the Trump campaign sent out an email on voter fraud that mentioned Paterson twice. Countless examples across the country illustrate the potential for fraud under Democrats' universal mail-in ballot scheme, the email read. While one in five ballots in Paterson were rejected, but most of them because they were improperly filled out, not because they were illegally cast. Gov. Phil Murphy and other state officials contended that the fact that the faulty ballots were flagged and the four people indicted was proof that the system worked to ferret out fraud. Studies have shown that fraud from mail-in ballots is rare. A 2017 study by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, found the rate of voter fraud was 0.00004% to 0.0009%. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., a former Paterson mayor, weighed in as soon as the debate ended. PSA widespread voter fraud does NOT exist It is a scam concocted by republicans to undermine democracy. Voting is your right and it is safe and secure. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) September 30, 2020 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Secretive Big Data firm Palantir makes low-key stocks debut Palantir Technologies' headquarters in Denver, Colorado -- the data analytics company has begun trading on the New York Stock Exchange Data analytics firm Palantir, which has drawn fire over its law enforcement and national security work, made a low-key debut Wednesday on Wall Street at a hefty valuation of more than $20 billion. Palantir, whose name comes from the mystical, all-powerful seeing stone in "Lord of the Rings," opted for a direct listing which raises no new cash but allows its shares to be traded publicly. The debut came without fanfare, as the trade opened with no splashy bell-ringing event for Palantir, using the symbol PLTR, at the New York Stock Exchange. The shares opened in early afternoon at $10, representing a market value of some $21.7 billion -- close to its valuation by private investors. After some swings higher, Palantir ended at $9.50, making its value slightly above $20 billion. The company, created in Silicon Valley and recently relocated to Denver, has argued that its tech platform helps catch terrorists and keep people safe. But some activists argue that Palantir's technology -- which scoops up financial records, social media posts, call records and internet records -- enables unprecedented opportunities for mass surveillance with little oversight on privacy and fundamental rights. Amnesty International said in a report this week that Palantir's contracts with US authorities to target asylum seekers "raise serious questions about the company's actions to uphold its responsibility to respect human rights." The report said Palantir "has a responsibility to avoid causing or contributing to human rights abuses, and to address human rights impacts in which they are involved" under United Nations guidelines. Responding to the Amnesty report, Palantir said it has no contracts with US Customs and Border Protection and claimed it was the subject of "misreporting and conflation" of its activities. In its prospectus, Palantir said it offers software to defense and intelligence agencies "whose missions are to keep us safe," while adding that it steers clear of data tracking used by other large technology firms. Story continues "Our software is used to target terrorists and to keep soldiers safe," the company said. "We have chosen sides, and we know that our partners value our commitment." - Tracking bin Laden - Founded in 2003 in response to the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, Palantir got initial funding from a CIA venture-capital unit. Its predictive analytics reportedly helped the US military locate Osama bin Laden and track weapons movements in the Middle East. Its platform has also been used in the controversial practice of "predictive policing" to help law enforcement, detect medical insurance fraud and fight the coronavirus pandemic. While Palantir's data practices and algorithms are secret, the company claims it follows a roadmap which is, if anything, more ethical than its tech sector rivals. It moved its headquarters to Denver this year, partly in an effort to set itself apart from its Silicon Valley rivals. "From the start, we have repeatedly turned down opportunities to sell, collect or mine data," it said. One source of controversy for Palantir is co-founder and large shareholder Peter Thiel, an early Facebook investor and one of the rare tech executives who backed Donald Trump's campaign in 2016. Chief executive Alex Karp, a self-described socialist, has brushed aside criticism of the company, saying technology firms should not be in charge of public policy. The listing will lead to fresh scrutiny for Palantir, which posted a loss of $580 million last year on revenue of $743 million. One question for investors is an unorthodox governance system. Independent technology analyst Richard Windsor says the company will have "a voting structure that overwhelmingly favous its founders, ensuring that public investors are at great risk of paying the economic price of bad decisions over which they have no say." Palantir's Class B shares held by founders will have 10 votes to one for the Class A stock along with a new category with variable voting power. "This result is that until all of the founders have died, the remaining founders will have complete control of this company and other shareholders will have none," Windsor said on his Radio Free Mobile blog. jum-rl/bgs The 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence has revealed areas of the Los Angeles basin where the amplification of shaking of high-rise buildings is greatest, according to a new report in Seismological Research Letters. The 6 July 2019 magnitude 7.1 earthquake, located 200 kilometers (124 miles) north of Los Angeles, did not cause structural damage in the city. But there was significant shaking in some high-rise buildings in downtown Los Angeles--so much that their residents reported feeling nauseous from the movement. All buildings have a natural "vibration" or sway, which civil engineers and seismologists refer to as the building's longest natural period since it marks the amount of time it takes for a building to move back and forth in one cycle in a plane parallel to the ground. High-rise buildings of 15 floors or more, long-span bridges and large diameter fuel storage tanks, among other structures, typically have natural periods of three seconds or more. Using data from a network of seismic stations across the L.A. basin, Monica Kohler of Caltech and her colleagues determined that long-period buildings experienced the most amplification of shaking from the Ridgecrest earthquake. But the effect was not the same throughout the basin. At six- and eight-second periods, the maximum amplification occurred in the western part of the L.A. basin and the south-central San Fernando Valley. In the event of a future earthquake similar to Ridgecrest, a high-rise building in those areas could experience shaking four times larger than a building located in downtown Los Angeles, the researchers concluded. In a 52-story building, this means that the upper floors might sway back and forth as much as one meter (about 3 feet)--or as much as two meters in a magnitude 7.6 earthquake, straining the building's structural integrity. When seismic waves enter the softer sediments that fill in a basin, they slow down and their energy "piles up," creating larger amplitude waves that lead to stronger shaking. Researchers around the world have found that in general, the deepest parts of the basin--those with the most sediment overlying bedrock--experience the most amplification. However, Kohler and colleagues found only a partial correlation between basin depth and amplification in their study. "There's always been this assumption that the deeper the sediments or the thicker the basin ... the more amplification you're going to see, and we thought we were going to see that with our results," Kohler said. "But the sites with the largest amplifications for these long periods of more than three seconds are not close to the deepest portion of the basin." "That's of concern because the next generation building code is being developed so that it incorporates parameters that account for deep basin effects," she added, "and if you get the location of the amplification effects wrong, you're going to have an application of the building code that's not right for specific locations." The scientists were able to see a pattern of site amplification after the Ridgecrest earthquake with the help of a network of more than 500 seismic stations across the region, including 360 stations belonging to the Community Seismic Network (CSN). The CSN consists of low-cost accelerometers placed throughout the Los Angeles area, most notably in Los Angeles Unified School District buildings. Data from the network can be processed at the sensor site or in the cloud, and Kohler calls it "a really great example of a citizen science project that has worked for a decade." "The denser the seismic network you have, the better resolution, the better you can see small-spatial-scale variations in ground shaking," Kohler explained She compared the results to suddenly being able to pick individual stars' features out of a cosmic blur with a better telescope. "We're seeing a level of detail that is much greater than has been seen before." It's likely that several phenomena contribute to variations in shaking amplification around the basin, Kohler noted. She and her colleagues are especially intrigued by one possibility: that shallow buried sediment deposits associated with historic waterways and oil and gas development might play a role. "We're actively looking into whether there's a spatial correlation between where these ancient and current water systems associated with the L.A. river could be having an effect," Kohler said, "whether there's a relationship between where the water systems exist and used to exist, and the kind of amplification you see in ground motion." ### STOCKHOLM, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Record high lumber prices in the US, stable income for residual chips, and slightly lower costs for sawlogs moved 2Q/20 gross margins for US sawmills to some of the highest levels seen since WRQ started reporting this sector's profitability back in 2005. Lumber companies in the US Northwest have seen a dramatic shift in their financial health from late 2018 when most sawmills in the region ran at below cash-costs, to the 2Q/20 when gross margins were at their highest levels in at least 15 years. Over in Europe, Swedish lumber companies saw slight improvements in profitability in the 2Q/20 because of increased prices for both domestic and exported lumber and slightly lower sawlog costs. In neighboring Finland, both lumber prices and net wood costs (sawlog costs minus residual income), saw minimal changes in the 2Q/20, thereby maintaining the current and historically low levels of gross margins. Sawlog prices in both countries have trended downward for about two years. However, the decline in wood raw-material costs has not kept pace with the declining lumber prices, leading to a significant drop in profitability in 2019 and early 2020. In other countries tracked by the Wood Resource Quarterly, including Austria, Russia, and Brazil, gross margins increased in the 2Q/20 mainly as a result of sawlog prices declining by 10-20% quarter-over-quarter. It cannot be overstated how important costs of sawlogs are for a sawmill's profitability. Depending on log quality, degree of automation, and end-product, the cost of wood raw-material can account for 65-80% of the total variable production costs. Interested in wood products market information from around the world? The Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ) is a 70-page report, established in 1988 with subscribers in over 30 countries. The report tracks prices for sawlog, pulpwood, lumber & pellets worldwide and reports on trade and wood market developments in most key regions around the world. For more insights on the latest international forest product market trends, please go to www.WoodPrices.com CONTACT: Wood Resources International LLC Hakan Ekstrom [email protected] www.woodprices.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/wood-resources-international-llc/r/lumber-companies-in-the-us-reached-record-profits-thanks-to-high-lumber-prices-and-declining-sawlog-,c3208061 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/wood-resources-international-llc/i/screen-shot-2020-09-30-at-10-16-58-am,c2834005 Screen Shot 2020-09-30 at 10 16 58 AM SOURCE Wood Resources International LLC By Trend As a result of another intensive artillery shelling of the Azerbaijani densely populated districts by the Armenian armed forces upon the instructions of the Armenian military and political leadership, 35 wounded people were hospitalized and 12 civilians died, the Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office told Trend on Sept. 29. As a result of the shelling by the Armenian armed forces, 66 houses, eight civilian facilities became unfit for liviing, livestock was destroyed. Presently, the employees of the Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office are carrying out all possible investigative actions in combat conditions, as well as arrange the appropriate expertise to determine the severity of injuries of local residents and the amount of damage caused to the civilian infrastructure. The public will be regularly informed about the investigation. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The president and CEO of MidMichigan Health says the group's facilities are safe and ready to serve the region's communities. "If you come into our facility, we promise that you will be safe," Diane Postler-Slattery told members of the local chapter of the American Heart Association's Circle of Red in a Tuesday Zoom meeting. She said visits to the MidMichigan emergency room and urgent care facility in Midland dropped significantly when the coronavirus crisis took hold in mid-March, and were similar in April and May. Postler-Slattery said visits to doctors in the region also fell sharply during the spring, with one result being an increase in deaths due to undiagnosed cancer. Other hospital services also were affected. "We had to stop all elective surgeries, and all labs and X-rays," she said. "Those were back in mid-May." Hospital and urgent care visits in Midland have rebounded in the months since, she added. "We have seen a dramatic increase," Postler-Slattery said. "We are back to the volume we were seeing pre-COVID." Katie Langston of the American Heart Association said the organization has launched a national "Don't Die of Doubt" campaign in response to the drop in emergency room and urgent care visits during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. "We don't want to see these numbers like this again," Langston told local members of Circle of Red, which is a national society of women dedicated to fighting heart disease. "We need to do a better job of educating people on warning signs, when to call 911. ... It really has been an uphill battle to reassure people that it's safe to come back to the hospital." Regarding a possible surge of COVID-19 cases this fall, Postler-Slattery said that while some regions of the country are seeing a surge, she doesn't expect a major increase locally. "Midland proper has been very low," she said, with few patients going into serious hospitalization. Postler-Slattery said the most COVID cases at any one time at MidMichigan Health in Midland was 14. However, she doesn't see a speedy end to the virus and the precautions needed to prevent contracting it. "I really now believe until there is a vaccination, we will continue to have to deal with COVID." The CEO said the long-term physical effects of COVID include "being really, really tired," adding that experiencing the virus seems to worsen long-term breathing issues for those already having such problems. Postler-Slattery said the "biggest issue" related to COVID is mental health, including "fear of COVID" and issues related to social isolation. Regarding "lessons learned" thus far from the COVID pandemic, she said MidMichigan Health has seen that "crisis calls people together." As an example, she cited the setting up of tents for rapid testing at each location. "Overnight, we set up tents in all of our subsidiaries ... It was amazing to bring that together in less than 24 hours." Postler-Slattery said. "When crisis pushes you to do something differently, it's possible." However, she said hospitals were hard-hit by their prior dependence on "just-in-time" deliveries for supplies. "We had an extreme shortage immediately," she said, noting that "we had to go to China to get enough masks." Long-term, MidMichigan Health will maintain the pandemic unit it established to deal with the virus. "We're going to be better prepared," Postler-Slattery said. Supreme Courts Presidium upholds of life sentence of ex-senator Izmestyev RAPSI 15:15 30/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 30 (RAPSI) - The Presidium of Russias Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to overturn life sentence of ex-senator for Russias Bashkortostan Igor Izmestyev for organizing terror attacks and murders basing on a ruling of the European Court of Human Righs (ECHR), the courts press service told RAPSI. The Moscow City Courts ruling was therefore upheld. The former Federation Council member was arrested in January 2007. According to investigators, in 1992, Izmestyev with 12 other people organized a criminal gang that committed over 20 serious crimes, including 12 murders. He was suspected of involvement in the attempted murder of Ural Rakhimov, a son of former President of Russia's republic of Bashkortostan Murtaza Rakhimov and ex-CEO of oil company Bashneft. During the trial Izmestyev insisted that the case against him was initiated by Ural Rakhimov and was examined with prosecutorial bias. In December 2010, the Moscow City Court sentenced Izmestyev to life in prison for organizing terrorist attacks and murders. According to human rights advocates, there were about 120 violations in those court proceedings. In 2017, now-deceased head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alekseyeva asked President Vladimir Putin to pardon Izmestyev. #POTUS arrives at #debate just as two men in hoodies get arrested for trying to breach security line for motorcade pic.twitter.com/5d7eMPbQDh Carolyn Presutti (@CarolynVOA) September 29, 2020 CLEVELAND, Ohio Law enforcement at the presidential debate in Cleveland took two men into custody Tuesday after they walked around barriers set up by police as President Donald Trumps motorcade passed, according to Voice of America reporter Carolyn Presutti who witnessed the incident. Police officers converged on the two men, handcuffed them and drove them away in a white van, Presutti said. City officials provided no information about the incident on Tuesday. An unnamed person working in the citys Joint Information Center said in an email that the city would provide updates about the law enforcement activities outside the debate at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Presutti said she was waiting for the motorcade about 4:20 p.m. on Euclid Avenue just outside the area blocked off in front of the Samson Pavilion on the Cleveland Clinics main campus, where Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were set to square off in the first presidential debate. Presutti said officers surrounding the area told onlookers and members of the media to stand further back from the street. She said she heard an officer yell stop. Presutti said she looked up and saw the two men walked around the barrier. She said she was about 10 feet away from the men. Both men wore ski-masks, goggles and backpacks, Presutti said. Presuttis video posted on Twitter shows an officer ride up on a bike while two order the men to take their hands out of their pockets. Both men put their hands up and one turned and put his hands on nearby wall. Presutti said less than a minute later Trumps motorcade drove through the area. Presutti said she did not know if the men were released later or held in custody. Read more from cleveland.com: Protesters march in Cleveland ahead of first presidential debate Watch police officer outside presidential debate give Cleveland Black Lives Matter protesters the finger Tamir Rices cousin decries police violence in BLM protest ahead of Cleveland presidential debate By Richard Pennington At Seoul's sprawling Dongdaemun Market, among the thousands of items on sale are T-shirts of Ernesto "Che" Guevara wearing a rakish black beret. I do not understand why he inspires such fascination. Here is a summary of this polarizing man who liked seven-inch cigars. But let me warn youit's history and not hagiography. Guevara, a native of Argentina, spent the last 15 years of his life fomenting revolution. He was one of Fidel Castro's key helpers in toppling the regime of Fulgencio Batista in Cuba and installing a harsh communist government. They marched into Havana on New Year's Day, 1959. Within 18 months, Time magazine had put him on its cover flanked by Mao Zedong and Nikita Khrushchev and called him "the brains of the revolution." The New York Times was no less flattering. He spoke at the United Nations in December 1964 and thundered against the United States, warning that "the wheel of history" was turning and woe to those who got in the way. He was Hero No. 1 to every left-leaning college student from New Haven to Berkeley. My alma mater, the University of Texas, was not immune to all this Che-worship. Guevara, killed while trying to cause a revolt in Bolivia, got more praise in 2004 when Robert Redford's movie The Motorcycle Diaries was released. Reviews were largely positive, the main exception being Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. He opined that political correctness governed the thinking of most reviewers: "It's not cool to be against Che Guevara." Ebert dared speak the truth, and I will back him up. To those young Koreans, for example who think Guevara was a swell guy, I offer a few facts. He was ruthless during and after the Cuban revolution. Most suspected informers, deserters or spies got a .32-caliber bullet in the head, and he was not afraid to pull the trigger himself. Guevara, an ardent admirer of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, cared little about legal niceties. "To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary," he once said. "These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail." It was not just men but women and children as young as 14 who were summarily shot. Indeed, the entire Caribbean island became a killing field as death squads were sent out in all directions. What about the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962? Castro and Guevara were livid when the Soviets agreed to remove their nukes in exchange for a similar U.S. action in Turkey. "If the missiles had remained, we would have used them against the very heart of America, including New York City," Guevara claimed. "We will march the path of victory even if it costs millions of atomic victims." Castro put him in charge of Cuba's economy in the early 1960s, with woeful results. Guevara had no grasp of or patience for basic economic principles and made numerous impulsive, bone-headed decisions. Although he is assumed to have had all the radical bona fides, Guevara once made crude and racist comments about the black people who make up such a large part of the Cuban population. The self-styled revolutionary statesman also visited North Korea (he got on well with Kim Il-sung), and other far-left or rogue states. After his death in Bolivia in 1967, Guevara was honored in Cuba as Castro ordered three days of public mourning. A crowd of 1,000,000 gathered in Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion to hear the Bearded One lament his comrade's passing. In the summer, I visited a basement club in Gangnam called Cuba Bar where hip young people gather to hear bachata, salsa and meringue music. They dance and drink and have a fine time. Cuba Bar has two entrances, both of which feature the Cuban flag and the handsome visage of Guevara. Two more can be found on the walls downstairs. The owner, Sean Kwon, spoke freely about his club: "We opened three years ago. Business is not good because of COVID, as you might expect. I wanted this place to have a foreign vibe, a cozy vibe. One way to do so was to make Che Guevara the face of our bar. I did it because I respect him." I informed Kwon about Guevara's background as a killer, a racist and a friend of Kim Il-sung. "I didn't know that," he said. "I really didn't know, and I doubt most of the people who come to Cuba Bar would know. But a comparison is that even though we are living in a capitalistic society, it does not mean we like Trump or agree with him." I did not expect him to remove the face of Guevara (who, after all, played second fiddle to Castro in Cuba) which is featured so prominently at the club. He said he has no such plans. Richard Pennington (raput76@gmail.com), a native of Texas in the U.S., works as an editor at a law firm in southern Seoul. He has written 22 nonfiction books, including "Travels of an American-Korean, 2008-2013." He is the director of an NGO, the Committee to Bring Jikji Back to Korea. Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - September 30, 2020) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled charges against Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC for violations of Regulation SHO, the regulatory framework governing short sales. According to the SEC's order, the structure of Morgan Stanley's prime brokerage swaps business resulted in violations of Reg SHO. As set forth in the order, Morgan Stanley hedged synthetic exposure to swaps by purchasing or selling the securities referenced in the swaps, and it separated its hedges into two aggregation units - one holding only long positions, and the other holding only short positions. According to the order, Morgan Stanley was able to sell its hedges on the long swaps and mark them as "long" sales without concern for Reg SHO's short sale requirements. The order finds that Morgan Stanley's "long" and "short" units failed to qualify for a Reg SHO exception permitting broker-dealers to establish aggregation units because they were not independent and did not have separate trading strategies. The order finds that the units had identical management structures, locations, and business purposes as well as the same strategy or objective. The order further finds that, as a result, Morgan Stanley should have netted the long and short positions of both units together or across the entire broker-dealer and marked the orders as long or short based on that netting. The order finds that the failure to do so resulted in Morgan Stanley improperly marking certain sell orders in violation of Reg SHO. "Market participants cannot disregard the rules of the road established by Reg SHO for all short sales," said Daniel Michael, Chief of the Complex Financial Instruments Unit. "For many years, Morgan Stanley has improperly relied on Reg SHO's aggregation unit exception, resulting in orders being mismarked for countless transactions." The order charges Morgan Stanley with violating Rule 200(g) of Reg SHO. Without admitting or denying the findings, Morgan Stanley consented to a cease-and-desist order imposing a censure and a $5 million penalty. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Joshua Brodsky and Brent Mitchell of the Complex Financial Instruments Unit, with assistance from Richard Hong and Eli Bass of the SEC's New York Regional Office, and was supervised by Osman Nawaz. The Enforcement Division appreciates the assistance of staff from the SEC's Division of Trading and Markets and Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations. Hearst Connecticut Media File Photo FAIRFIELD Students at Fairfield Ludlowe High School will be learning remotely again Wednesday and Thursday after three more people there tested positive for COVID-19. Fairfield Ludlowe High School will be closed on Wednesday, September 30 and Thursday, October 1. Students will follow the remoteschedule published last week, Superintendent Mike Cummings said in a letter to parents Tuesday. As he led the interruptions and insults that defined the first presidential debate, President Donald Trump acted more like a challenger than an incumbent. But the reality is he is asking Americans for four more years based on his accomplishments of the past four. So it was striking when Trump was given an easy two minutes - perhaps the easiest two minutes of the debate - to talk about those accomplishments, and he stumbled. "Why should voters elect you president over your opponent?" moderator Chris Wallace asked. Trump talked about unemployment pre-pandemic, veterans health care and filling judgeships. Those are all important issues, and they can be especially animating on the right. But very little of what he brought up he could take credit for himself, and it hardly backed up the claim he led with: "There has never been an administration or president who has done more than I've done in a period of three and a half years." Here's a closer look at how the president defended his record, which is perhaps one of the most important parts of a president's reelection campaign. - He led with conspiracy theories about Democrats. Trump framed how much he has done through the context of Democrats being out to get him and make his presidency fail. It's a common theme on his Twitter feed, but on the stage of a presidential debate where he had an open floor to talk about his accomplishments, it risked coming across as an excuse for how little he had to say: "There has never been an administration or president who has done more than I've done in a period of three and a half years, and that's despite the impeachment hoax, and you saw what happened today with Hillary Clinton where it was a whole, big con job. But despite going through all of these things where I had to fight both flanks and behind me and above, there has never been an administration that's done what I've done." Regarding the "you saw what happened today with Hillary Clinton" line: Hours before the debate, Trump's intelligence chief released unverified information essentially alleging that when Clinton was running for president, she approved a plan to make it look like Russia and Trump were hacking Democratic emails. The information is so sketchy that it was already rejected by senators as not factual, and releasing it Tuesday or at all raised alarms in the intelligence community about how the Trump administration wields intelligence for political purposes. And sure enough, it made it into Trump's debate performance. - On his pre-covid record. Trump is at a disadvantage talking about his record right now because there is a historic and deadly pandemic, economic crisis and racial strife all converging at the end of his first term. Rather than try to defend his handling of the pandemic that polls show is dragging him down, he talked about his accomplishments before 2020, albeit in vague terms for a question he had to know was coming: "The greatest before covid came in, the greatest economy in history, lowest unemployment numbers. Everything was good. Everything was going. And by the way there was unity going to happen. People were calling me. For the first time in years they were calling, and they were saying it's time maybe. And then what happened? We got hit, but now we're building it back up again." Even with the pandemic shuttering businesses, the economy is Trump's political strength right now, with polls showing voters tend to approve of the job he's doing and trust him slightly more than Democrat Joe Biden to handle it. But Trump inherited an economy on the upswing from the Obama administration that didn't jump any higher than the good years under Obama. Interestingly, Trump didn't mention his one major legislative accomplishment that was directed at boosting the economy, the 2017 tax reform law, perhaps because it proved unpopular enough to cost Republicans the majority in the House of Representatives next year. It's also not clear what Trump meant by "there was unity going to happen." It was an odd line for a president known for sowing division. His own former defense secretary, Jim Mattis, lashed Trump this summer for being "the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people - does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us." - Then he talked about the military. "The rebuilding of the military, including Space Force and all of the other things, a fixing of the VA, which was a mess under him; 308,000 people died because they didn't have proper health care. It was a mess. And we now got a 91 percent approval rating at the VA. Our vets - we take care of our vets, but we've rebuilt our military." Government-run veterans' health care has indeed struggled over the years, but fact-checkers say Trump greatly inflates his numbers on how many lives it has cost. In 2018, he signed into law a bill expanding veterans' access to health care - and then he fought Congress on funding it to make it a reality. - And he ended on a base-pleasing accomplishment of confirming judges. "The job that we've done - and I'll tell you something. Some people say maybe the most important. By the end of the first term I'll have approximately 300 federal judges and court of appeals judges, 300, and hopefully three great Supreme Court judges - justices. That is a record the likes of which very few people - and you know one of the reasons I'll have so many judges? Because President Obama and him left me 128 judges to fill. When you leave office, you don't leave any judges. That's like you just don't do that. They left 128 openings, and if I were a member of his party, because they have a little different philosophy, I'd say if you left us 128 openings you can't be a good president, you can't be a good vice president. But I want thank you because it gives us almost - it'll probably be above that number. By the end of this term -300 judges. It's a record." Trump overstates the numbers of judges he and Republicans have approved (it's 218 so far). But filling the courts with conservative judges, capped off by two and likely three vacancies filled at the Supreme Court, is indeed a legacy-defining issue for Trump. But it's also something he was able to accomplish because Republicans blocked President Barack Obama's judges, and filling them now that the GOP is in power doesn't require bipartisan approval, like legislation does. By contrast, Trump has been unable to bring Democrats and Republicans together to make deals on issues like coronavirus relief. There's a political risk for Trump that his successful march to lean the judiciary to the right is motivating the left to focus more on it. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll found voters trust Biden more to fill this Supreme Court vacancy and found evidence that Biden voters are more motivated to vote because of it. SAN DIEGO - The pilot of a fuel tanker showed impressive skills when he touched down safely in a remote area of California and prevented injuries among the seven other crew members after a mid-air collision with a fighter jet, a Marine Corps official and safety aviation expert said Wednesday. It was unclear what happened to cause the F-35B to collide with the KC-130J tanker in the late afternoon Tuesday, said 1st Lt. Brett Vannier, a spokesman at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The fighter jet was refuelling when the collision occurred. The pilot ejected successfully from the F-35B. The tanker pilot landed the big aircraft on its belly in a field near the desert town of Thermal. It was an impressive manoeuvr bringing it down safely by force, Vannier said. His skills kind of speak to itself just in the fact that everyone survived. Aviation safety consultant and retired Marine Corps Col. Pete Field, a former director of the Naval Test Pilot School, agreed. I think the KC-130 crew did a masterful job of airmanship to get that baby down, Field said, noting the size of the tanker that can carry up to 60,000 pounds (27,215 kilos) of fuel. Military officials said the cause of the collision is under investigation and they could not discuss the damage to the aircraft or other details. Field, who examined photos of the damaged tanker, said he does not know how things went wrong during what is generally a routine operation. The images show liquid pouring out of the tankers port wing and damage to the propeller blades, among other things. Mid-air refuelling on any airplane in the fighter world is something that pilots learn to do in their training command. Its a basic thing, Field said. This shouldnt have been done badly. Often the blame lies with the jet pilot who can approach a tanker too quickly or can get too close and not be able to compensate, Field said. But that is highly unusual with todays radar systems and a sophisticated plane like the F-35B. The crash also occurred during the day when visibility should have been good. Field wondered how much experience the pilot had on the F-35B, a complicated plane. There have been deadly accidents during mid-air refuelling . On Dec. 6, 2018, a KC-130J and an F/A-18D collided during a night refuelling off the coast of Japan, killing six U.S. Marines. A military investigation found the fighter pilot was not experienced in mid-air refuelling missions at night and unintentionally crossed over the top of the tanker, colliding with the rear of the KC-130J. Poor training was also a factor, the investigation found, and squadron leaders were fired as a result. The F-35B is a single-seat combat aircraft that can take off and land conventionally and vertically. That plane crashed near the Salton Sea, an inland lake about 100 miles (160 kilometres) northeast of downtown San Diego. The four-engine turboprop tanker landed in Thermal, a small desert city in Riverside County about 125 miles (200 kilometres) northeast of downtown San Diego. Photos from the scene posted online by NBC Palm Springs show a military plane on its belly in a farm field near Thermal Airport. The cause of the crash is under investigation. It wasnt immediately clear whether the planes were on a routine mission or a training exercise. Before the debate, Mr. Trump made clear to advisers that he would like to speak frequently about Mr. Bidens younger son, Hunter, despite being warned that would give the former vice president an opening to discuss the presidents daughter and son-in-law working in the White House and declining to divest themselves of holdings. In the end, Mr. Trump took the risk, ridiculing Hunter Bidens business dealings and history with drug addiction. (An investigation into the Bidens released last week by Senate Republicans found no evidence of wrongdoing or improper influence by the Democratic nominee, though it accused the younger Mr. Biden of having cashed in on his fathers name in overseas business ventures.) The biggest problem, some aides to Mr. Trump acknowledged privately, was that his faring well depended in part on his ability to make Mr. Biden lose his temper. On the broader question that has dominated the election this year Mr. Trumps and his administrations failed pandemic response there is no particularly good answer that the president can offer, some Republicans concede. So he has generally chosen not to answer it and change the subject, as he did when he could on Tuesday. This has always been a rhetorical strength. Four years ago, Mr. Trump was not a polished debater but to the extent he succeeded, it was because he proved willing to go where no other modern presidential candidate would. And near the conclusion on Tuesday, he shared with voters the kind of ominous and meritless forecast that tends to overshadow any fleeting snapshots of discipline. Pointing to the Democratic-leaning city of Philadelphia as the kind of hellscape he thinks could cost him the election, Mr. Trump refused to promise to wait until all ballots are counted before declaring victory. Bad things happen in Philadelphia, Mr. Trump said. I hope its going to be a fair election. Harry Potter fans were left furious after they queued for hours to catch a glimpse of the Hogwarts Express, only for a ScotRail train to block their view. The Jacobite steam train travelled through Drumry train station in Dunbartonshire on its return journey from Carnforth in Lancashire on Monday. The famous locomotive and carriages starred in several installments of the world-famous Harry Potter movie franchise. Dedicated Harry Potter fans, including young children, had piled into the station and gathered across both platforms to catch a glimpse of the recognisable train. But excitement turned into disappointment for fans on one platform. Just as the Hogwarts Express came into sight, their view was blocked by the 4.12pm ScotRail train to Dalmuir, which passed through the station at precisely the same time. Footage posted on Twitter shows the commercial train speeding in front of the crowds of Harry Potter fanatics, while one woman is heard repeatedly swearing after the unfortunate timing. Harry Potter fans flocked to Drumry train station in Dunbartonshire to see the Hogwarts Express. But fanatics on one platform were disappointed as a ScotRail train (left) passed in front of them at the same moment, blocking their view until the locomotive sped away (right) West Coast Railways gave Warner Brothers permission for the The Hogwarts Express to travel over the famous Glenfinnan viaduct (above), which features on the Jacobite's train route Traditional train carriages on the steam-locomotive hauled Jacobite train were used in the filming of the Harry Potter movies, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint The woman laughs as she says: 'Of course that's going to have happened.' Meanwhile fans on the other platform at Drumry train station are heard shrieking in delight as they are able to see the traditional steam train in all its glory. By the time the ScotRail train clears from view, furious fans are only able to see the back of the steam train speeding off into the distance. But some fanatics managed to see the funny side of the unlucky incident, with one person saying on Twitter: 'Everyone buzzing about this Harry Potter Train, can't help myself but laugh at the people at Drumry Station. 'Platform one on route to Hogwarts Express Platform two the 16.12 to Dalmuir just going about their business.' Another joked: 'Sometimes we all pick the wrong side.' Traditional carriages on 'The Jacobite' train were used in the filming of Harry Potter, with West Coast Railways also sourcing a suitable steam engine for Warner Brothers. Hundreds of Harry Potter fans queued at various train stations across Scotland to try and catch a fleeting glimpse of the iconic locomotive. On the opposite platform at Drumry train station, other Harry Potter fans shrieked in delight as they were lucky enough not to have their view obscured by the passing train But the fans of the franchise were slammed as 'idiotic' on social media after piling on to the station's platform, with locals claiming they ignored coronavirus social distancing guidelines. Many people who saw pictures and videos of the scene claimed that fans in the large crowd had not worn face masks and were not staying two metres away from each other. One person took to Twitter to express their anger, saying: 'Yes, its a train from Harry Potter, but I think there are much more important things going on.' West Coast Railways allowed the famous wizarding train to use the route of The Jacobite train, including passing over the scenic famous Glenfinnan viaduct. The 5972 Olton Hall is the model that became famous in the early 2000s as the face of the Hogwarts Express. The Jacobite is a real-life steam-locomotive hauled tourist train service, which runs across iconic settings in Scotland. The majority of Americans say they would not get the first coronavirus vaccine that approved in the US if President Donald Trump says it is safe, a new poll suggests. Conducted by Axios-Ipsos, the report found less than 20 percent said they are 'very or somewhat likely' to receive the jab against COVID-19 if was endorsed by the commander-in-chief. That figure is much lower than other scenarios presented to the survey respondents. More than twice as many people said they would be inoculated if the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the vaccine it is safe and three times as many said they would get the vaccine if their physician says it is safe. The survey comes as many Americans fear the FDA is under political pressure by Trump to approve an immunization before the November 3 presidential election. In a new poll, 62% said they were very likely or somewhat likely to get the coronavirus vaccine if their doctor says it is safe and 54% said they would receive it if the FDA says it is safe (above) Only 19% of Americans said they would get the jab if President Trump says it is safe. Pictured: Trump gives an update on the nation's Coronavirus Testing Strategy at the White House, September 28 There are more than 170 coronavirus vaccine candidates in various stages of development around the globe, according to the World Health Organization. At least 10 are currently in large-scale trials in humans to prove the jabs are both safe and effective. Earlier this month, it was revealed CDC officials told state health officials to be prepared to distribute a vaccine by late October or early November. This has left many to fear that safety and efficacy regulations will be relaxed in order to get a vaccine on the market as soon as possible. For the report, 1,075 US adults were surveyed between September 24, 2020 and September 27, 2020. Respondents were given eight scenarios and asked how likely they were to receive the vaccine in each one. Results showed that 62 percent said they were very or somewhat likely to get the vaccine if their doctor told them the jab is safe. Fifty-six percent said they would receive the shot if their insurance covered the full cost and 52 percent said they would be immunized if the FDA said it is safe. Exactly 50 percent said they would be inoculated if they could get the vaccine during a walk-in visit or at a drive-thru clinic and 44 percent said they would receive the vaccine if they were paid $100 to do so. Only 37 percent said they would get the vaccine if they had to make an appointment and get it at a hospital while 26 percent said they would be receive the jab if they had to pay $100 out of their own pockets. A mere 19 percent said they would receive the vaccine if Trump vouched for it. Trust also fell across all aspects of the executive branch, according to the poll. About half of respondents said they would be immunized if they were paid $100 or if they could get it at a drive-thru clinic. Pictured: A volunteer is injected with a vaccine as he participates in a coronavirus vaccination study in Hollywood, Florida, September 24 Only 28 percent said they trust the White House to provide them with accurate information about COVID-19 and only 27 percent say they trust Trump. About 47 percent say they trust Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden to provide accurate information. 'You don't want to be the least credible on one of the primary issues of the day,' said Cliff Young, president of Ipsos US Public Affairs, in a statement to Axios. 'Not only is he not an expert, but he's undermined his own credibility. He's flip-flopped and twisted and spun things when it comes to the science around the virus.' During the presidential debate on Tuesday, Trump assured that a vaccine is coming 'very soon' despite public health experts warning that a vaccine will not be available for mass distribution likely until summer 2021. As a results of these delays, Indiana voters can be and in fact have been disenfranchised by the noon Election Day receipt deadline, despite complying with the deadline imposed by Indiana law for requesting absentee ballots and promptly completing and returning their ballots upon receipt," Baker wrote. This evidence suggests that the burden on thousands of Indiana voters who are at risk of being disenfranchised in the Nov. 3, 2020 general election based on factors largely outside their control is very substantial. Jose Mourinho has pleaded for England to treat Harry Kane and his worn-out Tottenham stars with understanding and respect. Gareth Southgate will name his latest squad on Thursday as Spurs prepare to face Maccabi Haifa in their third game in five days. Kane is expected to start in the crucial Europa League play-off tie, which will be his ninth appearance for club and country in 26 days since the start of this season. Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho insists England must be careful with selecting Harry Kane Gareth Bale has been ruled out of Tottenham's match against Manchester United on Sunday Mourinho, who has complained bitterly about this week's schedule, takes his team to Manchester United on Sunday before an international break in which England play three times in seven days against Wales, Belgium and Denmark. 'When Kane is fit, he should start every game for Tottenham,' said the Spurs boss, who started with him on the bench for a Carabao Cup tie at Chelsea on Tuesday. 'When you have such a player and you want to win every match, you play him. But you just can't do it.' Mourinho says he trusts Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland to make the right calls on Kane and Eric Dier, who has also had a hectic start to the new campaign, playing the full 90 minutes in seven games for club and country. Harry Winks has played less because he withdrew from England duty last month and has not featured in every game for Spurs. Mourinho insisted that he would not ask Gareth Southgate not to pick his English players Dele Alli has been left out for four of the last five league matches, but will be named on Thursday as part of Spurs' 21-man squad to face Maccabi Haifa. 'I believe that Gareth and Steve care about the players,' said Mourinho. 'I don't think they want to be connected with something that can be a consequence of this week, plus the three matches the national team has, which is obviously too much, especially for my players. 'So I don't speak with Gareth, I don't speak even with Steve. And, of course, with Steve I am a very good friend. I just let them do their job with the freedom they deserve. 'I leave with them the respect they must have to their players because they are also our players so, hopefully, Gareth and Steve understand what happened with Tottenham players this week. 'That's just my hope. I'm not going to call, I'm not going to beg. They deserve their freedom and I have the utmost respect for them.' The Portuguese urged Southgate and assistant Steve Holland to be sensible with his players Mourinho also ruled Gareth Bale out of Wales duty as he fights to regain fitness having returned to Tottenham on loan from Real Madrid. Bale will not be ready for action until after the international break, with West Ham on October 17 his target fixture. 'He is working very hard, very professional, very happy, but not yet ready,' said Mourinho. 'The two weeks of internationals can be important weeks for his last phase of recovering and fitness problem, hopefully to play when we're back.' Maccabi Haifa have made an official apology to Tottenham and Kane for a video clip circulating online of midfielder Mohammad Abu Fani taunting the England captain. 'I felt it necessary to speak up,' said the Israeli club's chief executive Assaf Ben-Dov. 'Following the match in Rostov, Russia, one of our players made an inappropriate comment that does not respect Tottenham Hotspur player Harry Kane. 'Our club condemns such behaviour. We are a club that advocates the person before the player. I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to Tottenham and Harry Kane, who we greatly respect. We wish them a successful season, thank you very much.' OTTAWA - Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says Indigenous communities have been facing an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases during the last few weeks. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Perry Bellegarde, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, and Marc Miller, minister of indigenous services, take part in an event on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on July 7, 2020. Miller says Indigenous communities have been facing an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases during the last few weeks. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says Indigenous communities have been facing an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases during the last few weeks. Miller says 673 COVID-19 cases have been reported in First Nations communities in all, and about 130 of them are active cases now. He says Indigenous communities were successful in facing the first wave of COVID-19 with measures that limited the spread of the virus. The measures included closing communities to outsiders, imposing local restrictions on gatherings and making sure that people were observing basic health and hygiene protocols. Reopening schools and businesses and places where physical distancing is not possible are all factors in the rise. Kluane Adamek, Yukon regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said Wednesday that Indigenous people get their strength from connecting to their land, culture and languages. "We need resources to support community-led, community-driven solutions," she said. Being out on the land, spending time with elders and being able to harvest are things that help First Nations to face the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. "The connection through spirituality, through ceremony and through cultural practices is incredibly important." A lot of these practices have been impacted by COVID-19, she said. Many Indigenous communities are also dealing with the opioid crisis and more mental health issues because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. "It's absolutely something that across the country isn't dealt with in the same way that we have to response to it as northerners," she said. "These are people from small communities that we know. Perry Bellegarde, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, says First Nations communities are among the most vulnerable populations in Canada and need more assistance to keep them safe. "First Nations face unique realities that require unique approaches," Bellegarde said. "Those living in poverty or in rural areas need more support and resources, including social and health supports for families." Dr. Evan Adams, the deputy chief medical officer of health at Indigenous Services Canada, said the biggest concern is ensuring that the more than 650 Indigenous communities are ready for potential COVID-19 outbreaks. His home community on Vancouver Island, the Tla'amin Nation, had a cluster of over 30 cases. "It is scary for them and it's scary for us," he said. "We want them to be prepared and not scared." Miller said the federal government has provided a total of $2.2 billion for Indigenous communities. "That has been deployed according to a formula based on population and community wellness." He said the government made the funding programs flexible so Indigenous communities have a lot of options on how to deal with COVID -19 outbreaks. Miller said there is also a "hidden epidemic" of mental health problems hitting Indigenous people. "We are deploying $82.5 million to tackle the mental health epidemic, which in fact has claimed more Indigenous lives than the COVID has during the same time period." These challenges come on top of issues Indigenous people have been facing for long time including overcrowding, underfunding, lack of infrastructure and limited access to clean drinking water in some communities. "All these other things are exacerbated by COVID but still are present in the top of people's minds," said Miller. He said Canadians have to recognize that Indigenous communities started off with a socio-economic gap that made them more vulnerable to COVID-19. "The fact that they have performed exceedingly well doesn't change the fact that that socio-economic gap still exists." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Adams said Indigenous communities are concerned about having enough personal protective equipment and about whether they will have access to enough medical staff during the second wave of the pandemic across Canada. "We're doing everything we can to make sure their plans are dusted off and ready," he said. He said many Indigenous people can take advantage of the foraging and hunting season to stay outside, especially those who are living in remote and isolated communities. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2020. ---- This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden were originally supposed to take to the stage again for the second presidential debate Oct. 15. WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Real Estate Roundtable's 24-member Board of Directors has approved John F. Fish (CEO & Chairman, Suffolk) as the organization's Chair-Elect, to begin his term as Chairman of the Roundtable in mid-2021. The Board also approved, effective immediately, Jodie W. McLean (CEO, Edens) as its Secretary and Jeff T. Blau (CEO, Related Companies) as the Chair of the organization's newly established Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Committee. Chair-Elect Fish will succeed current Roundtable Chair Debra A. Cafaro (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ventas, Inc.) whose term expires July 1, 2021. "The Board of Directors of The Real Estate Roundtable is excited to announce John Fish as our Chair-Elect and Jodie McLean as our Secretary," said Cafaro. "John has been an active Board member and has played a key role in developing our policy agenda. He is active on a bipartisan basis with policymakers, and his experiences and accomplishments across business, government and philanthropy give John a broad perspective that will benefit the Roundtable and our members. John's emphasis on labor force issues, infrastructure, and the need to level the educational and economic opportunities for all Americans are particularly relevant as The Roundtable develops and advocates fact-based policies that create jobs and inclusive economic growth," Cafaro added. Mr. Fish stated, "I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Roundtable Chair-Elect, work with the talented team and follow Debra Cafaro's impressive record of policy accomplishments in Washington. I have seen the effectiveness of the organization in advocating shared industry concerns to lawmakers and regulators, and strongly believe it is essential for The Real Estate Roundtable to continue its engagement at all levels of policy-making as the nation comes together to address new economic, societal and health challenges." About Fish and McLean Mr. Fish is the Chairman and CEO of Suffolk, which is a national real estate and construction enterprise that invests, innovates and builds, providing value throughout the entire building lifecycle. Suffolk is one of the largest builders and privately held companies in the country, with main offices in the Northeast, New York, Florida, Texas and California. The company services clients in the aviation/transportation, science and technology, mission critical, commercial, education, healthcare, gaming and government sectors. Mr. Fish is a former Chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Boston, current Chair of Brigham and Women's Hospital and member of the Mass General Brigham's Executive Committee, and is serving his second term as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Boston College. Jodie W. McLean is Chief Executive Officer of EDENS, one of the nation's leading private owners, operators and developers of retail real estate. She is responsible for EDENS' strategy to move the portfolio to major urban centers, creating a portfolio of assets that are the center of community life. Ms. McLean currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. She also serves on the boards of Cushman & Wakefield and Extended Stay America, as well as boards of several other institutions and charities. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment of RER On his appointment as the Chair of the Real Estate Roundtable's newly created Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Mr. Blau said, "As leaders, it is our obligation to enact fundamental change. I am honored to chair the ED&I committee and am eager to listen and be guided by diverse voices and perspectives as we work together to promote an industry that is reflective of the society we live in." Roundtable Present and CEO, Jeffrey D. DeBoer commented, "I am delighted with these Board leadership decisions and, in particular, I look forward to implementing recommendations from our ED&I Committee that will help advance equal economic opportunities for all." The Real Estate Roundtable brings together leaders of the nation's top publicly-held and privately-owned real estate ownership, development, lending and management firms with the leaders of major national real estate trade associations to jointly address key national policy issues relating to real estate and and its important role in the global economy. The Roundtable's policy agenda, annual report and policy digest are available on The Roundtable website. The Roundtable's membership represents nearly 3 million people working in real estate; approximately 12 billion square feet of office, retail and industrial space; more than 2 million apartments and nearly 3 million hotel rooms. The collective value of assets held by Roundtable members is estimated at $3 trillion. SOURCE The Real Estate Roundtable Teachers have vowed to continue withdrawing their services over unmet demands, but government yesterday said it was unaware of their grievances. Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing, Primary and Secondary Education minister Cain Matema said he was not sure why his charges were not reporting to work. I am not quite sure formally what is it that the teachers unions want except for what I have seen in the papers, looking at stories in the papers they talk of lack of PPE [personal protective equipment] and that they are incapacitated. I said early on, the government is providing PPE for all teachers right across the board so the issue of PPE as said by teachers doesnt seem to hold water at all, he said. Mathema added: On the other hand, government does understand the issue of teachers salaries, thats why as government and teachers representatives, civil servants representatives we are in the middle of negotiations. In spite of that, government and the President directed that civil servants be given an allowance of USD$75, so that issue is being dealt with. We are saying government has already offered, not excluding teachers. Teachers have written to government demanding a salary of US$520 or equivalent, saying their current salaries had reduced them to paupers. Teacher organisations confirmed yesterday that most of their members had withdrawn their services citing incapacitation. Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) president Obert Masaraure revealed that schools in Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East and Matabeleland South were the most affected while urban schools had better attendance of both teachers and learners. It is official, no learning is taking place nationwide on day two of schools opening. Teachers are incapacitated, learners are ill-equipped for the learning season. Artuz members took heed of the call for job action on the second day of schools opening. We also congratulate sister unions who are continuously mobilising their members for action. Our efforts are not in vain. The workers will be free,Masaraure said. Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said more teachers had boycotted classes on day two of schools opening for examination classes. Most teachers who reported for duty yesterday did not do so today. Several pupils did not go to school today after realising the futility of reporting to school where there are no teachers. Teachers anger has also been exacerbated by reports that the government is preparing to give soldiers double the cost of living adjustment that would be given to teachers. Teachers are increasingly being embittered by the governments intransigent and irresponsible approach. They are more and more determined to forge ahead with the incapacitation struggle and demand a living wage pegged at US$520. Its game on and there will be no defeating, no surrender until final victory, Zhou said. Newsday The farmhouse at Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, Calif., where the Glass fire in Napa County tore through. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The owners of the Castello di Amorosa winery spent $40 million re-creating a 13th century Tuscan castle in Napa Valley, replete with stone turrets and towers, and a small drawbridge. When the Glass fire hit Amorosa and other Napa wineries Sunday and Monday, it did little damage to the front of the castle. But it badly scorched the back building and heated up a stone wall on a processing facility where thousands of wine bottles were stored, many now ruined. Tuesday afternoon, the winerys employees banded together to clear out and salvage what they could from the back storage area and offices above it. Vanessa Close, the castles accounting manager, hunched over a bin in the parking lot and sorted through piles of office supplies and paperwork. The Glass fire in Napa County burns on a mountainside with the Beckstoffer Vineyards in the foreground. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Its really unbelievable, Close said about the winerys partial devastation. You think, its stone, how could that happen? It was yet another blow for a region that has suffered through several bad fire seasons, starting in 2017. This year, the pandemic closed tasting rooms, wildfire smoke threatened multimillion-dollar vintages, and now raging blazes have created a triple whammy for many who call California's famed "wine country" home. "I'm numb," said Vince Tofanelli, owner of the Tofanelli Family Vineyard, another winery in Calistoga devastated by the Glass fire. Tofanelli's grandparents purchased the vineyard's first parcel in 1929, but by Tuesday morning, all of its structures had been destroyed including an old redwood barn, a water tower, two homes and outbuildings, he said. He hadn't been back to the property since evacuating Sunday but was crossing his fingers that the fire hadn't ravaged the vines. Workers set down Vanessa Close's desk, which was recovered from her office in a damaged building at Castello di Amorosa. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) "I can't begin to express my frustration with these continuing wildfires around here," he said. "It's very heartbreaking." The Glass fire ignited just before 4 a.m. Sunday and quickly ballooned to 40,000 acres in the span of just two days. At 0% containment, it straddles Napa and Sonoma counties, which together are home to more than 800 wineries, many family-owned. Story continues It is the fourth major fire to hit the region since the Tubbs fire tore through Santa Rosa in 2017, and many in the area are beginning to grow weary. "We are all dealing with significant fire fatigue," said Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick during a news conference Tuesday. "Many people are feeling the effects, and many people are evacuating and have evacuated multiple times. But it's not only the flames and frequent threat of evacuation. Tourism numbers took a significant hit after the Tubbs fire, and some experts now fear that regular ash and smoke will begin to damage the taste of their varietals. Castello di Amorosa, along California 128 in Calistoga, is shrouded in smoke from the Glass fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Smoke can drastically affect the quality of wine made from affected grapes," said Lewis Perdue, publisher and executive editor of Wine Industry Insight. "It is called smoke taint and does drastically affect the quality of wine. So much so, that many wineries have decided not to make a 2020 vintage." Climate change, which has been linked to much of California's current apocalyptic wildfire season, can also take a toll on sensitive grapes, particularly Pinot Noir, which depends on the cool fogs that roll into the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. "I've seen climate change on a real basis in my 60 years of farming," Tofanelli said. "I have varietals that dont do as well now as they did before, because theyre more heat sensitive. Theyre going to have to plant different varietals to adapt." On Tuesday, a thick blanket of smoke covered Napa Valley, the haze descending from the winding mountain roads into downtown Calistoga, where the town seemed all but closed due to evacuation orders. Ash peppered cars and vineyards, and the smell of soot clung to the air. Workers take down tapestries that were hanging in Vanessa Close's office at Castello di Amorosa. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Spot fires flared on the sides of State Route 29, the main gateway to Napa, and they popped up on winding roads where trees smoldered. Some timbers fell over as cars drove past. The Glass fire is now one of more than 20 wildfires burning in California, in what has been called the most destructive wildfire season in the state's history. Although the region has endured fires before, this one is coming amid a global pandemic that has already hammered its tourism and economy. "Restaurants all over the nation were shutting down, which affects how much wine they move, which affects sales from our wineries," said Michael Haney, executive director of the Sonoma County Vintners, an industry group that represents more than 300 local wineries. This week's fire destroyed the restaurant at the Meadowood Estate, a food destination with a coveted three stars from the Michelin Guide. The farmhouse at the Castello di Amorosa was decimated in the Glass fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Haney said many wineries saw visitor numbers dip during the early months of the shutdown, just as they did after the Tubbs fire. But those numbers were starting to improve with social distancing guidelines and approval of outdoor gatherings, he said. It was the year's early wildfire season that quickly put a stop to that progress. Yet Haney said there was at least one cause for hope: Napa and Sonoma vintners are adaptable. "While these fires, and of course the pandemic, are something extraordinary in everyone's life, they have had to mitigate and address challenges for decades and generations," Haney said of the region's winemakers. "I have had nobody and I mean not one grower or vintner say 'I'm out of here.'" The Fairwinds Estate Winery, along the Silverado Trail in Calistoga, was badly damaged in the fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Bob Knebel, president and CEO of Rombauer Vineyard in Napa, felt similarly optimistic. The Glass fire spared his property, which sits on a road now flanked by smoldering brush and trees. "We're here for the long run, and we love it here," he said. A lifelong Californian, Knebel said the word wildfire could be synonymous with renewal." Everything burned by wildfires will turn into ashen fertilizer, which will lead to a beautiful green spring, he said. Georg Salzner, president of Castello di Amorosa, said about 120,000 bottles or 10% of the winerys stored product was damaged by the Glass fire, representing each type of wine they make. Youre never prepared for something like that, he said, standing in front of the wreckage. We did have fires in the last four years and were kind of getting used to it, but when it really happens to you its much worse. Still, he said, he wont let the fire get in the way of making wine and continuing to serve customers. I think people will want to come, he said. Tofanelli is now anxiously awaiting an update on the status of his grapes, but he is similarly hopeful. "Im standing here with an N-95 mask in the smoke and trying to assess what I'm going to be doing," he said. "But if the vineyard's still here, I imagine I'll be out there next February, pruning the vines and plugging along." Many of the records in the office of Castello di Amorosa accounts manager Vanessa Close were saved despite the destruction caused by the wildfire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Conducting background checks is an important part of building your team of employees. Background checks should only be conducted by legally compliant third-party providers. When done correctly, pre-employment background checks can give you some peace of mind that the person you are bringing into your company hasn't been lying about their past. This article is for small business owners considering a background check program for their business. A critical component of a comprehensive hiring process is conducting background checks on potential new hires. Background checks help you reduce the mystery in the hiring process and home in on candidates who have a higher potential to align with your needs and your company overall. However, to get the most out of the process, you need to conduct it properly, using the right services to guide you along the way. If you already know the best way to conduct a background check service and are looking for the right company to conduct them for you, check out Business News Daily's recommendations for the best background check services. What are pre-employment background checks? Background checks are typically conducted during the pre-employment process for job candidates. Background checks for employment purposes typically reveal any convicted felonies and misdemeanors (for most states), judgments, and records from the FBI, Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Administration and National Sex Offender Registry databases. Pre-employment background checks can also include education and employment verfication. This ensures that the potentional new hire went to the schools they listed on their resume and worked for the companies they listed as previous employers. You can also conduct reference checks at this time. In some cases, you can also check a candidate's credit background, including any history of bankruptcies. However, you should only include this information in a background check if there is a specific vocational need (e.g., for people working within finance) or an embezzlement conviction you want to learn more about. Key takeaway: A pre-employment background check searches for criminal convictions and other legal issues in a candidate's past. It can also be used for educational and employment verification. Editor's note: Looking for the right background check service for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs. What types of background checks are there? There are a few different types of employment-related background checks. The most common is the pre-employment background check. These can be conducted at any point during the hiring process, but they are most often done for candidates who have a contingent job offer. The second type is when employers decide to conduct ongoing background checks on current employees. If you do this, there should either be a reason for the background check, such as a conviction of concern that has come to your attention, or a company policy that outlines how ongoing background checks are administered and how often. If you have a policy, ensure that it is clearly communicated to employees and executed consistently and fairly. [Read related article: Employee Handbooks for Startups] Whether you are screening potential new hires or current employees, there's a wide range of searches you can run. Most background check services give you the option to pay for either a preset package of screenings or only the specific ones you want. For example, a basic plan may include federal criminal searches, one statewide criminal search, a Social Security number trace and a sex offender database check. More comprehensive plans may include additional statewide searches, education and employment verification, motor vehicle record checks, credit history checks, and drug tests. Key takeaway: There are two main types of employment background checks: those conducted during the hiring process and those conducted on an ongoing basis for current employees. What are the benefits of employee background checks? The benefits of pre-employment background checks typically sell themselves. Since roughly 53% of job candidates provide inaccurate information on their applications or in the interview process, background checks help ensure you are getting the truth from potential new hires. There are several value-adds to creating and maintaining a background check program for your company. Ensuring overall workplace safety: Background checks reduce violence and theft in the workplace by showing whether a candidate has a criminal history. Background checks reduce violence and theft in the workplace by showing whether a candidate has a criminal history. Avoiding bad hires: Multiple factors play into what makes a good employee. Some criminal convictions are not violent but still offer some insight into the applicant's character and trustworthiness within the workplace. It also ensures the candidate has been telling the truth about their past education and employment. If they lied about that, they might lie about other things once they are hired. Multiple factors play into what makes a good employee. Some criminal convictions are not violent but still offer some insight into the applicant's character and trustworthiness within the workplace. It also ensures the candidate has been telling the truth about their past education and employment. If they lied about that, they might lie about other things once they are hired. Reducing liability and legal costs: The failure to vet new employees increases your liabilities and potential legal costs if there's an incident involving an employee with a criminal history. One of the more serious liabilities is called "negligent retention," which is when an employee claims their employer failed to terminate or discharge another employee who has caused some type of harm in the workplace. The failure to vet new employees increases your liabilities and potential legal costs if there's an incident involving an employee with a criminal history. One of the more serious liabilities is called "negligent retention," which is when an employee claims their employer failed to terminate or discharge another employee who has caused some type of harm in the workplace. Ensuring position fit: In some industries and companies, certain jobs are considered high-trust positions, such as jobs that involve handling money or large budgets and armed security positions. Background checks that include financial scoring can help determine a candidate's suitability for your chief financial officer or accountant position. Likewise, you do not want to give a sidearm to a candidate with a violent history for a security job. Background checks are important for small and large businesses alike. Since there are no legal requirements for background checks, it is important to create a pre-employment background check policy and share it with all applicants. Key takeaway: Limiting potential violent or criminal behaviors, reducing your liabilities and legal costs, and avoiding poor fits for the position are key benefits of conducting employee background checks. How to run background checks and manage their results Running your own pre-employment background checks, using whatever data you can find online, is not recommended. Your chance of being sued (such as for refusing employment to someone based on inaccurate information) increases if you don't partner with a background check company that complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The FCRA is a federal law enacted in 1970. Its original intent was to help consumers resolve inaccuracies in their credit reports. Since then, it has expanded to include rules on how employers and other entities can pull personal information on applicants. Here is a step-by-step process for running pre-employment background checks in a legal, fair and consistent manner. 1. Get legal advice, and check with your insurance. It is always valuable to consult a lawyer before you decide to conduct pre-employment background checks. They can help ensure you move forward in the right direction. You should also take this time to contact your corporate insurance carrier and discuss your liability plan. 2. Develop a policy. Under no circumstances should you begin this program without a well-reviewed company policy for conducting background checks. If you want to conduct ongoing background checks, be sure to include that information and potential causes for the checks in your policy. 3. Use an FCRA-compliant service that specializes in pre-employment checks. Select a background check provider that complies with FCRA regulations. When you find a provider you are interested in, ask the company if its practices are FCRA compliant and to provide documentation supporting its claims. 4. Notify applicants. You should tell all applicants upfront that your company conducts pre-employment background checks, drug screenings or other qualifying tests for employment at your company. This not only gives them fair warning, but may also weed out applicants who know that a background check may disqualify them from consideration. 5. Make a contingent job offer. It is important to conduct background checks only after you have extended a job offer. This is in relation to ban-the-box laws in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. The ban-the-box law prohibits employers from asking applicants about criminal history on a job application (and, in some states, during an interview or prior to an offer of employment). Though most states don't have this law, it is best practice to first make a job offer contingent on successful completion of a background check. [Read related article: Surprising Laws That May Apply to Your Small Business] 6. Conduct the background check. Every background check agency has its own process. Most of the time, all you need to do is log in to your provider's secure website, fill out a few questions and submit the request. Checks typically take two to four days to complete, depending on how many specific screenings you are conducting. 7. Carefully review and consider the findings. When you conduct the background check, thoughtfully review the information it uncovers. There may be convictions on the report, but how recent are they, and are they relevant to the job? For example, if a job applicant was charged with possession of marijuana 20 years ago and there is not much on the report since then, it's probably fine to proceed with the candidate. However, if there are any sexual or other violent convictions, you should think through the ramifications of bringing this person on board. It may also be helpful to contact your attorney. 8. Follow up on results (particularly when you rescind an employment offer). It's OK to contact the applicant to ask follow-up questions. They should have an opportunity to clear their name, correct a misreporting, or provide context. If you rescind a job offer, be ready to share the facts you found and why they matter. However, this is not meant to be a debate. Do not wait for the candidate to agree with you. Simply state the facts for example, "I'm sorry, Mr. Smith, but a robbery conviction dating back two years does not provide us with enough confidence to move forward with your employment at this time." 9. Be consistent. Do not run background checks for some candidates and not others. For example, if you have a classification or type of job that has several openings and you screen one applicant for it, you need to screen everyone who has reached the same step in the hiring process. 10. Save your records. You should keep your records for at least one year from the close of the job posting. Include records on anyone you've tentatively offered a job and screened. It is prudent to file these records away in case a former applicant inquires about their report, wants a copy of it or even sues your company. Many websites offer additional guidance on pre-employment background checks, broken down by state laws (which are forever evolving). Key takeaway: When running background checks as part of your hiring process, you should have a clear policy in place, use a third-party background check service, consider only relevant information, discuss the findings with the applicant, and save your findings for at least a year. What are the differences between self-run and third-party background checks? If you want to run reliable and legal background checks on employment candidates, you need third-party involvement of some sort, typically a company specializing in background checks. These companies are well versed in the process. They know the sources to turn to and have insights into which information may be inaccurate. Most importantly, they are FCRA compliant. This helps protect you from lawsuits concerning how the background check was conducted should an applicant feel they were treated unfairly. You may be tempted to run a quick online "people search" on your own as a pre-employment background check. However, the vast majority of those sites are not FCRA compliant and clearly state in their terms of use that they should not be used to conduct pre-employment background screenings. Additionally, some of the information on those sites is inaccurate or outdated. So, if you use information from one of these searches to dismiss a candidate from consideration, they could bring legal action against you. Key takeaway: You should only use professional background check services for your pre-employment screenings. They provide the most accurate information and comply with the FCRA, which is mandatory. What are some third-party background check providers to consider? Many companies offer pre-employment background screening services. These are some services that Business News Daily's sister site business.com recommends: GoodHire: Specializing in small businesses, GoodHire offers comprehensive reports at a fair price point. It can customize reports and is FCRA compliant. Pricing generally ranges from $29.99 to $79.99. Specializing in small businesses, GoodHire offers comprehensive reports at a fair price point. It can customize reports and is FCRA compliant. Pricing generally ranges from $29.99 to $79.99. AccurateNow: A division of Accurate Background, AccurateNow can conduct a large variety of searches, such as professional license verification, motor vehicle reports, education and employment verification, and federal criminal searches. Pricing generally ranges from $29.95 to $74.95. Other reputable companies to consider are InfoMart, Sterling, HireRight and Pre-Employ. Key takeaway: You have a decent selection of reputable background check providers to consider, including GoodHire and AccurateNow. What are employment reference checks? There is a common misconception that checking employment references is the same as conducting a pre-employment background check. Although both are important, they are quite different things. Employment reference checks are when you call the listed professional and/or personal contacts the applicant provided to confirm dates of employment, pay history, job title, nature of the job once held, and so on. You can also use reference checks to confirm the character traits and work quality of the candidate by talking to their former or current colleagues, managers, clients, or even friends. [Read related article: 32 Reference Check Questions You Should Ask] While reference checks are not the same as background checks, many background check companies include them in the process. Key takeaway: Reference checks involve speaking with those who can speak for the job candidate's work performance or character. A reference check is not a background check, but it can be a component of one. Jacksonville District 117 school board members voted to approve a report on the salaries of administrative employees with total compensation packages in excess of $75,000 during a special meeting Wednesday. Superintendent Steve Ptacek and the principals of schools in the district are among the administrative officials whose salaries are included in the report, which must be posted by Thursday. Published: 30 September 2020 Foreign direct investments increased strongly in 2019 Corrected 16 October 2020: Figure 9 in the review was corrected During 2019, the value of foreign direct investments (FDI) to Finland from abroad rose from EUR 62.9 billion to EUR 76.4 billion. As financial transactions investments were made to Finland on net to the value of EUR 10.1 billion. EUR 8.0 billion of the investments were debt-based items, that is, capital flowed to Finland from foreign direct investors mainly in the form of loans. The value of direct investments from Finland abroad grew from EUR 112.5 billion to EUR 130.4 billion. Most of the growth is explained by valuation changes of EUR 13.8 billion and reinvested earnings of EUR 3.8 billion. Investments abroad as financial transactions totalled just EUR 0.6 billion. FDI investment portfolio in 2004 to 2019 ) Starting from 2013, the figures are not fully comparable with those for 2004 to 2012 due to changes in the international statistical standard. Examined by country group, investments to Finland came mainly from the EU area, whose combined share of the investment stock was 82 per cent at the end of 2019. The share of the euro area in the stock of Finland's inward FDI was 45 per cent. Correspondingly, direct investments from Finland abroad were mostly directed to the areas of the EU (80%) and euro area countries (51%). During 2019, Finland's returns from outward FDI totalled a record amount of EUR 12.2 billion. The returns generated by foreign owners on direct investments to Finland, totalling EUR 7.4 billion, were also historically high. This property income is recorded in the primary income item of Finland's current account and its net effect on Finland's current account was EUR 4.8 billion in 2019. Returns on FDI in 2006 to 2019 This release includes a review that examines in more detail the development of foreign direct investments in 2019. Source: Foreign direct investments 2019, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Petri Kinnarinen 029 551 3428, balanceofpayments@stat.fi Head of Department in charge: Mari Yla-Jarkko Publication in pdf-format (370.7 kB) Updated 30.09.2020 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Foreign direct investments [e-publication]. ISSN=2342-351X. 2019. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 22.1.2022]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ssij/2019/ssij_2019_2020-09-30_tie_001_en.html President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that the National Liberal Party (PNL) is the "engine of change" and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) - the "promoter of toxic politics", showing that this is why collaborations between the two parties are excluded. "It seems fair to me that, after the election, there should be discussion within the parties about who can make alliances with whom and with whom not to make alliances. For reasons that I have stated many times, I believe that the National Liberal Party is the political force that can beat the PSD and change the way politics is done in Romania. This is seen in the same way in the PNL and, for this reason, the PNL and PSD collaborations are excluded. The PNL is the engine of change, the PSD is, if we can say so, the promoter of toxic politics, which we also see in Parliament and which neither we nor the Romanians want," Iohannis said in a press conference at the Cotroceni Palace. He was asked how the PSD succeeded in taking a political score of 30 pct in the local elections. "Changes in politics in local government do not occur very quickly and people have certainly noticed in many localities that there are viable alternatives and voted for alternatives. This explains that the first time since the Revolution, a right-wing party, i.e. the PNL, won the local elections, but the PSD, with all its leanings and with all its toxic approach in Parliament, still has quite a large number of voters, and if I or someone from the PNL criticizes the PSD, for good reason, then we criticize the Social Democratic Party, not the voters. Every Romanian has the right to vote and to vote for whom they want. There are no good voters and bad voters, there are Romanian voters. That's why we make democratic elections, that's why we end up counting the votes and whoever has the most votes is leading," the president said. According to him, local elections were won by the PNL with a political score of 34 pct, pointing out that it is the first time in post-December history that the PSD has lost local elections. "It's also a symbolic victory for the PNL. This is the first time since the Revolution that a right-wing party has won local elections in Romania. But no one is perfect. There were situations where the results, unfortunately, were far from expectations, as were interesting situations where the results were beyond expectations," Klaus Iohannis said. He was asked about the mayors who went from one party to another and what they expect from them. "I expect changes from the parties that have proven that they have good projects for Romania and I am convinced that the number of mayors who will come up with good projects for their communities is significantly higher than the number of those who just wait the time to pass. It takes people willing to make extra change, a positive, sustainable change, but in politics there is also a need for parties that, on the whole, are willing to make these changes, to take the risk of changes, because changes always come with a political risk. Not everyone wants change for the better, you know. And the National Liberal Party, but also USR PLUS [Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity], which are at the beginning of the road, have proven that they want a change in the way politics is done in Romania, that they want to come up with good reforms for Romania and for Romanians," Iohannis said. Burma Myanmars Military Claim Dead Suspect Was Arakan Army Sergeant U Aye Kaw. / Tatmadaw True News Information Team. Sittwe, Rakhine State A 38-year-old man from Mrauk-U in Rakhine State who died in custody this week was a sergeant in the Arakan Army (AA), according to Myanmars military or Tatmadaw. The AA is an ethnic armed group which is engaged in fighting with the military in Rakhine State. The militarys Tatmadaw True News Information Team said on Tuesday that personnel conducting random security checks stopped U Aye Kyaw, who was riding from Mrauk-U to Daungbuk village on Sunday. The statement said troops found information about the AA and evidence of his connection with the organization on his phone. The alleged AA sergeant admitted to being involved in the arrest of a soldier in Mrauk-U in December last year and two young civilians who are relatives of military personnel in July. The military claimed that as a soldier was preparing to feed him breakfast on Monday, the suspect grabbed his gun and shot himself to death. U Aye Kyaw was a motorbike taxi driver, according to his relatives. He was arrested in front of the Light Infantry Battalion 377 headquarters while transporting a patient from Mrauk-U to a traditional medicine practitioner in Nadin village at around 8 am on Sunday. U Maung Nu, the father-in-law of U Aye Kyaw, said: My son-in-law made an honest living as a motorbike taxi driver. The woman who hailed his motorbike told us he was arrested by the Light Infantry Battalion 377, so we went there. They said they didnt arrest him and asked us to leave. The following day, they returned his dead body. Rakhine State lawmaker U Tun Tha Sein of Mrauk-U Township has criticized wrongful deaths in custody. As a legislator, I dont want to see wrongful deaths in custody. If he did violate any law, he should be prosecuted in court and face an appropriate punishment after a trial, he told The Irrawaddy. The Arakan National Party, one of the major Rakhine State parties, called on Tuesday for a probe into the battalion, claiming that U Aye Kyaw was a civilian who was tortured to death. U Aye Kyaws body was covered in bruises and sent to Mrauk-U Hospital, the party said. Its statement said the party has repeatedly requested that the president, state counselor and commander-in-chief protect innocent civilians but has received no response and incidents keep happening. The military said it handed U Aye Kyaws body to Mrauk-U Township police. U Aye Kyaws funeral was held on Tuesday. On Aug. 7, a 41-year-old man from Pazun Pe village in Mrauk-U Township was arrested by the Tatmadaw, who returned his dead body three days later. A 37-year-old man from Thandwe Township also died in military custody in July. More than 30 people have died in military custody in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Rathedaung and Thandwe townships since clashes between the military and AA in Rakhine State erupted in late 2018. As the government has declared the AA a terrorist organization, The Irrawaddy was not able to contact the armed group for a comment. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: Bangladesh Deploys Troops on Myanmars Border Myanmar Military Demands Return of Two Soldiers Who Confessed to Rohingya Atrocities Photo Beijing 2020, a photo exhibition, opened with its first show marking Chinas fight against the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, in Beijing on Sept. 27. (Photo/Beijing Daily) Held at the China Millennium Monument museum, the first show of the international photography event gave tribute to those who contributed in the fight against COVID-19. Displayed were 705 photos showing the countrys anti-epidemic efforts, including one depicting the first batch of military medical staff flying in planes of the Peoples Liberation Army air force, on their way to Wuhan, former epicenter of COVID-19 of central Chinas Hubei province. (Photo/Beijing Daily) Press photography pieces, especially those from mainstream media, are major sources of the first show at the Photo Beijing 2020, said Ji Chunhong, deputy head of the organizing committee for the photography event. (Photo/Beijing Daily) Ji added that photos showing the Chinese peoples epidemic response during the most challenging eight months in Wuhan, and various areas around China, were selected for the exhibition. Sponsored by Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Beijing municipal government, the Photo Beijing 2020 exhibition will run through next Jan. 31, 2021. Australian scientists have vowed to continue investigating whether taking hydroxychloroquine can stop people becoming infected with coronavirus. Researchers from the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne believe the drug could prevent people catching SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes COVID-19. Hundreds of health workers in NSW and Victoria have been given the drug in the Institute's COVID SHIELD trial in an effort to try and determine its effectiveness as a prophylactic. Hydroxychloroquine was brought to public attention when US President Donald Trump said he was using the malaria drug to 'protect' himself from coronavirus. Melbourne researchers believe hydroxychloroquine (pictured) could prevent COVID-19 Prescriptions for the drug subsequently skyrocketed, before it was removed from major testing trials as it proved to be ineffective in reducing the impact of COVID-19. Scientific journal The Lancet published and later retracted a study based on false data that claimed coronavirus cases taking hydroxychloroquine had an increased death rate. COVID SHIELD co-lead investigator Marc Pelligrini said researchers were not considering the drug as a treatment, but as a preventative. 'The evidence that shows that the drug doesnt particularly help with treatment really never deterred us because we always thought that ... if the drug did have a role in preventing people from getting COVID-19, it has to be even before they were exposed to SARS-CoV-2,' he told The Australian. Scientists from the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne (pictured) are studying whether the drug works as a prophylactic for COVID-19 Test tube studies have found hydroxychloroquine can work to impede the replication of COVID-19 and discourage proliferation. Claire Lobb is an emergency care nurse at The Alfred Hospital and among about 230 frontline healthcare workers signed up for the four-month trial. 'Hydroxychloroquine is a drug that is cheap and readily available, with very few side effects. If there is a chance this drug could help prevent frontline healthcare workers from getting COVID-19, I think it is important that we do a proper clinical trial to test it,' she said. Ms Lobb said she was keen to be involved and excited at the prospect of finding out whether the drug was useful as a prophylactic. 'To have a drug that is cheap and widely available to reduce transmission of the virus to frontline healthcare workers would be really helpful, especially while we are waiting for a vaccine,' she said. Nurse Claire Lobb (pictured right) is among 230 front line health care workers who have signed up to the COVID SHIELD trial of hydroxychloroquine While the Australian researchers remain hopeful hydroxychloroquine could prevent COVID-19, a U.S. study found on Thursday the drug offers no protection. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found about 6.3 per cent of hospital workers who took the drug regularly caught the virus, compared to 6.6 per cent of people who didn't. The effect, they said, was 'negligible' and although a slightly higher proportion of people without the drug became sick, it was not a big enough difference to suggest hydroxychloroquine worked. Whether or not the medicine could help treat people who already had Covid-19 was not studied. Oregon paid out $225 million in unemployment bonuses to 148,000 people on Wednesday, the first day the state began issuing the $300 weekly bonuses. The money comes from an executive order President Donald Trump issued last month; it pays $300 a week for Oregonians who claimed jobless benefits between July 26 and Sept. 5. Oregon is paying the money retroactively to cover the weeks when laid-off or furloughed workers were eligible. Another 87,000 Oregonians may be eligible for the payments, according to the Oregon Employment Department. Most workers must certify their eligibility. Others who have already certified their eligibility may be getting their payments within the next few days. The $300 weekly bonus was a temporary replacement to a $600 weekly bonus that Congress approved in March as part of a coronavirus relief package. That bonus expired in July and Congress has been unable to agree on a replacement. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | Media is dead. And we have killed it. Some of you may recognise these words as a play on Nietzsches famous statement. When he wrote it, he wasnt in a celebratory mood; Nietzsche believed that scientific thought had robbed people of a morality that had always been evident. Just as Nietzsche declared the death of God, so too will I make a case for the slow and tragic death of media. Media used to mean a lot of things; integrity, information and truth chief among them. These days, however, it has a new purpose, one that sees the common man manipulated and the agendas of the few pushed far beyond what should ever have been pushed. Clicks Think of a product on a menu at a restaurant. The more times a product is selected, the more likely it is for the product to keep appearing on the menu. The more this item is prominently displayed on the menu, the more paying customers will see it. The more customers see it, the more likely they will be to purchase it. Thus, the cycle goes. This is how it seems media has developed over time. The more clicks something receives (lets think specifically of digital media), the more widespread it will become; it receives clout and sponsorship and makes its way to a lot more people. When it is seen that some kind of news is reaching more and more people, it gets given more momentum. Tricks So, the question is raised; how does one guarantee these clicks? What can people look at to ensure they will receive as much attention as possible on anything they posted? Think of when youre driving past a car accident. Some part of you simply cannot resist looking over and inspecting whatever happened to that poor motor-vehicle. There just seems to be something about an extreme situation that draws our eyes like moths to a flame. There things are unexpected; they are out of the ordinary, demand attention and stick in our minds. It is not hard to see why media would try to push the most extreme story possible. The more extreme, the more controversy they can generate. The more controversy, the more discussions and arguments will be had around it. The more arguments, the more clicks. The more clicks, the more money. The small percentage of people - the people who own the media and decide what is and isnt published - select what is put forth to carefully generate as many clicks as they can. The Manipulation of Man Think of if you restored sight to a blind person. The person woke up in a pink hospital room. The bed was pink, the floor was pink, there were no windows and even their body had been painted pink. Its not unlikely this person might believe pink was the only colour that existed. The person who woke up in the pink room wouldnt know any better; they would believe what they saw because that was all they had to see; it would be the state of the world because that is the world that had been made for them. Just as the pink patient would accept the world based on all the information they were given, so too do we understand the world through the lens the media presents us. I believe that media is making a pink room of the world. Think of George Floyd and the BLM protests. I have yet to meet a person alive who has not seen this story. It didnt just spark controversy, it ignited riots. It set a country aflame and lit a movement. Im not making commentary on said movement, but I want to bring another name to your attention; Tony Timpa. The case is shockingly similar, and yet I had never heard the name either. This is because the narrative black man unjustly killed by racist policeman is a lot more controversial a lot more sellable than white man victim of police brutality. It riles up a very specific group of people and manufactures a clear victim/oppressor dichotomy that is largely controlled by media in the first place. Every one of us is the person in the pink room. We are believing what we see because it is the information provided to us. We are joining movements because it is what we are told to do. We are accepting reality because it is the reality presented to us. The Bible demands we seek truth; it consistently begs us to not accept things of the world simply because theyre in it (Philippians 4:8, Romans 12:2, etc.). Rather we, as believers, strive to seek out that which is holy. Media is dying. It is digging its own grave and collapsing in on itself. It is becoming a machine designed to manufacture as much controversy and hatred as possible and lost sight of the reason it existed in the first place. What is there, then, to move towards, when we can no longer trust the world that we can see? The apex court made the remark while hearing Jharkhand government's pleas challenging the Centre's decision to auction coal blocks for commercial mining New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that if an area falls under eco-sensitive zone then neither the Centre nor the state government will have the right to mine it. The remark was made by the top court which was hearing Jharkhand government's pleas challenging the Centre's decision to auction coal blocks for commercial mining. The apex court said prima facie Central government is entitled to auction the coal blocks in the state. However, it said that to find out if the areas in question are eco-sensitive or not, it may send some experts. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde asked the Centre to file an affidavit within a week on whether these areas in question are eco-sensitive zones or not. During the hearing, the bench observed that at the moment we are not dealing with whether the Centre has the right or the Jharkhand to do mining. If the area is eco-sensitive then no one either the Centre or the state government have the right to mine. It said, We are not experts to decide whether the areas are eco-sensitive or not. What we will do is send some expert''s to say on this. At the outset, senior advocate FS Nariman, appearing for Jharkhand, said that auction of coal blocks can be postponed for a few months and the suit under Article 131 they have filed needs to be decided. Senior advocate AM Singhvi, also appearing for the state government, said that the state has a large population of tribal people and 30 percent of the area is a forest area and falls under the eco-sensitive zone. I am challenging the coal auction as it is against the public interest and not the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act), he said. The bench told Singhvi that how can he say that the MMDR Act will not apply in the state on the ground that it is a scheduled area. Central government is prima facie entitled to auction the coal blocks, the bench observed and asked Singhvi that under which law there cannot be mining leases in eco-sensitive areas. Singhvi said mining can be done in small areas far away from eco-sensitive zones. The bench asked Singhvi to show the evidence that these areas in questions are eco-sensitive zones. Nariman then referred to various areas including Hazaribagh wildlife sanctuary terming them eco-sensitive zones. The bench said that what has the state been doing in these areas and it would like to hear whether they are eco-sensitive areas. Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for Centre, said that just 14 days before a suit is filed, they had filed a writ petition asking us to roll back auction of coal mine in Jharkhand for six to nine months or unless until Global investment climate improves, so that Jharkhand maximizes returns on natural resources. The bench said that at the moment it is not dealing with whether the Centre has the right or the Jharkhand has right to do the mining but if the area is eco-sensitive then no one either the Centre or the state government have the right to mine. Our experience shows that people want to exploit the eco-sensitive zones and if the areas are eco-sensitive then we will not allow either to mine, it said, adding that as the courts are not an expert on the issue, it may send some experts to ascertain whether they are eco-sensitive areas or not. Venugopal said that they are not eco-sensitive areas and proposed to file an affidavit in this regard. The bench then adjourned the hearing for two weeks and asked the Centre to file an affidavit within a week on the issue and permitted the state government to file a rejoinder thereafter. On 14 July, the top court had issued notice to the Centre on Jharkhand government''s pleas challenging its decision to auction coal blocks for commercial mining. The state government has alleged that the announcement was made by the Centre "unilaterally" without consulting it. On 6 July, the top court had said it would hear this week the plea challenging the Centre''s decision for virtual auction process of 41 coal blocks for commercial mining. It had also said the plea would be heard along with the original suit filed by the state questioning the Centre''s coal block auction. The original suit under Article 131 of the Constitution provides for the state to move directly to the Supreme Court in matters of dispute with the Centre. In its suit, the state has claimed that it is "highly inappropriate" for the Centre to conduct an auction at this time of COVID-19 pandemic as all the machinery of the state and the Centre are to be enjoined to "alleviate the problems of citizen" caused due to the deadly virus. "The defendant (Centre) has announced the impugned auction unilaterally without consultation with the plaintiff (Jharkhand). The plaintiff state is the owner of the mines and minerals situated within the territory of the plaintiff," said the suit. Referring to the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, which deals with administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes, it said that six of the nine coal blocks in Jharkhand Chakla, Chitarpur, North Dhadu, Rajhara North, Seregarha and Urma Paharitola which have been put up for auction fall within the Schedule Fifth areas. It said out of the total population of 3,29,88,134 in Jharkhand, a total of 1,60,10,448 resides in the Scheduled Areas and the impugned action impinges the rights of the indigenous people of the state. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 1 2020 House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees security and foreign affairs, has given a nod to the ratification of a defense cooperation deal between Indonesia and Sweden. During a hearing with the commission on Wednesday, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto spoke about the urgency of House approval for the bill that would legitimize the bilateral cooperation. I hope the House will pass the bill into law as soon as possible, Prabowo said. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login MLB is allowing fans to attend the National League Championship Series and World Series. Baseball announced a plan on Wednesday to sell limited tickets for both series scheduled to take place in Arlington, Texas. In conjunction with the Texas Rangers, MLB will make approximately 11,500 tickets available for each game with 10,550 fans spread throughout the ballpark and 950 in suites, a statement from MLB reads. The American League Championship Series scheduled to take place in San Diego is not expected to permit fans, per state guidelines in California regarding COVID-19. NLCS tickets will be priced between $40 and $250. World Series tickets will sell for between $75 and $450. Seats will be sold in groups of four called pods that are separated from other pods. Fans will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. All seats will be at least 20 feet away from players. Texas to host games, fans The NLCS is slated to start on Oct. 12, and the World Series will start on Oct. 20, with both series scheduled to be played at Globe Life Field, the home stadium of the Texas Rangers. The MLB postseason started on Tuesday following a shortened regular season that saw teams travel as normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans were not permitted to attend games. Teams continue to travel and play in empty stadiums during the wild-card round the playoffs. Fans will be allowed to travel to and attend the World Series in Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File) No travel for later rounds of postseason The later rounds of the playoffs will shift to sites in Texas and California. American League series will take place in San Diego and Los Angeles, while National League series will take place in Arlington and Houston starting with the League Division Series. The idea is to limit travel and subsequent COVID-19 risks for later rounds as the stakes increase. Baseball saw multiple COVID-19 outbreaks during the regular season as teams traveled. [ Check out our favorite MLB playoff gear from Breaking T ] The plan was also pitched as a bubble concept similar to one the NBA has been operating successfully with all games being played on an isolated Disney World campus outside Orlando, Florida. Story continues With fans allowed at the games in Texas, the bubble concept is no longer in play. COVID-19 still persists Texas has relaxed COVID-19 guidelines, with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announcing in June that sports facilities could operate at 50 percent capacity. Fans are not expected to attend the NLCS as California has stricter COVID-19 guidelines. The news arrives amid forecasts of a fall wave of COVID-19 cases as seasons change and restrictions are relaxed. A forecast presented by the University of Washington in early September predicted the death toll in the United States to rise to 410,000 by the end of the year. As of Wednesday, Johns Hopkins data showed that the United States claimed 7.2 million of the worlds 33.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 207,000 of the 1 million global deaths attributed to the pandemic. More from Yahoo Sports: News Microsoft Security Report Warns of VPN Attacks, Ransomware and Phishing Microsoft has released its 2020 "Digital Defense Report," painting a detailed picture of the current cybersecurity threat landscape. The "Digital Defense Report" is an annual publication combining stats from a number of Microsoft's security teams. Unlike Microsoft's "Security Intelligence Report" (SIR), this 88-page report isn't as focused on reporting malware trends. It's more a report on cybercriminal trends over the past year. Microsoft even serves a role by coordinating with law enforcement in some cases. "The goal of this report is to help organizations understand how cybercriminals are shifting their modes of attack and the best ways to combat those attacks," the report stated upfront. The report also has a section on nation-state actors, principally highlighting the actions of Russia, Iran, China and North Korea. Microsoft's past warnings about hacking attempts on U.S. political campaigns was noted. In general, the report appears to be aimed at the chief information security officer level, as well as general readers. It includes details regularly aired in Microsoft's Security blog series. Patch Those VPNs The shift toward supporting remote workers has made virtual private networks (VPNs) a more sensitive area, both in terms of an attack route and in terms of network bandwidth issues. VPNs can be subject to distributed denial-of-service attacks, for instance. Microsoft recommends split tunneling to deal with the bandwidth issues, where Microsoft's patch traffic becomes a trusted source that doesn't get funneled through the VPN. Keeping VPNs properly patched is another problematic trend Microsoft has been seeing: As the world adjusts to increased numbers of remote workers, global enterprise IT departments rely on VPNs to improve the connectivity and security of systems. Typically, this critical service is managed by third-party software deployed across our devices. Since mid-2019, Microsoft has observed nation state actors consistently targeting and frequently compromising outdated and unpatched VPN infrastructure. This activity indicates they view it as an easy and effective method for penetrating and persisting on a targeted network by using compromised credentials. Ransomware Ransomware was the "the most common reason" why Microsoft's Detection and Response Team (DART) got involved in incident response work "from October 2019 through July 2020." The report seemed to steer away from the position that organizations should pay a ransom, even if reconstructing operations would cost more than the ransom sum. It suggested that "the real damage is often done when the cybercriminal exfiltrates files for release or sale, while leaving backdoors in the network for future criminal activity -- and these risks persist whether or not the ransom is paid." To gain a foothold to install ransomware, criminals are looking to access privileged accounts, such as the ones used by IT pros: Cybercriminals rely on off-the-shelf tools used for systems administration or security testing and built-in tools to move from machine to machine, but they need administrative credentials, such as those of a domain administrator, to gain access. To deploy ransomware across an entire organization, cybercriminals must capture a credential and a system with the rights to do this. Domain administrator accounts are often used for their ability to utilize Active Directory policies and file shares intended for software distribution to maliciously deploy devastating ransomware payloads. Phishing for Credentials Phishing impersonation attempts in order to steal credentials were a major theme of the report. Microsoft claims its solutions blocked more than "13 billion malicious and suspicious mails." They typically included URLs set up to enable phishing credential attacks. "We're seeing approximately 2 million such URL payloads being created each month for credential harvesting, orchestrated through thousands of phishing campaigns," the report indicated. Attackers are interested in business e-mail compromise (BEC), spoofing executive identities in e-mails to trick employees into transferring funds. They target executive, accounting and payroll e-mail accounts. It's profitable, and a big part of criminal operations. The report cited IC3 stats to that effect: "According to the IC3, BEC complaints totaled 23,775 and accounted for losses of more than $1.7 billion -- representing nearly half of all financial losses owing to cybercrime." The report found that "the top 10 most targeted industries for BEC attacks are accounting and consulting, wholesale distribution, IT services, real estate, education, health care, chemicals, high tech and electronics, legal services, and outsourced services." Cybercriminals typically send spoofed e-mails pretending they are from official sources to get users to click on malicious links. The report found that "based on our Office 365 telemetry, the top five spoofed brands are Microsoft, UPS, Amazon, Apple, and Zoom." Microsoft itself tests its own employees to ensure they're not falling for phishing campaigns: Every year, we provide more than 200,000 employees and external staff with the experience of being phished, along with prevention education and reporting guidance. We then follow up with users who were susceptible through quarterly simulations to help them better identify key indicators in the future. As detection techniques have improved, cybercriminals are tending to use cloud services to conduct their attacks. Microsoft has also seen other "creative" approaches in the last year: Over the last year, we saw interesting techniques used for launching attacks. We saw cybercriminals using poisoned search results and legitimate URLs that linked to those searches to deliver an attack. In another attack, we saw cybercriminals use custom 404 pages to host phishing payloads. We've also seen man-in-the-middle components used to present less suspicious sites to the targets and captcha and other evasion tools to hide detections. Microsoft's Security Recommendations The report includes an "Actionable Learnings" section at the end. Microsoft is recommending that organizations turn on multifactor authentication (MFA), which adds a secondary identity verification scheme on top of a password, as a top security approach. MFA should be mandatory for IT pros managing a network, and is recommended for all end users. "The preferred method is to use an authenticator app rather than SMS or voice where possible," the report advised regarding the secondary identity verification method. Microsoft is also recommending using identity verification approaches that don't rely on a password, such as "face authentication, fingerprints or a PIN code." Organizations should have e-mail systems that check for malicious links, according to the report. Systems should be kept up to date with the latest patches, including VPNs. "Ransomware operators and nation state actors have found network devices like gateway and VPN appliances to be a practical target for intrusion," the report warned. Network misconfigurations are another attack route. Microsoft recommends having a "robust change management program" to ensure that changes don't open up attack vectors. IT pros should segment systems containing sensitive data to better protect against attacks. IT pros also have solutions to manage "cross-cloud security." Developers should follow a secure development lifecycle. The practice of least-privilege access should be followed for personnel. Microsoft also advocates for zero-trust practices, where "every request is fully authenticated, authorized, and encrypted before granting access." Organizations should have a backup capability in place. Microsoft recommended following the "3-2-1 rule" in that respect. "Apply the 3-2-1 rule for maximum protection and availability: 3 copies, original + 2 backups, 2 storage types, and 1 offsite or cold copy," the report stated. Much more advice from Microsoft can be found in the full report, which can be downloaded here. WASHINGTON The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed legislation aimed at curbing doping in horse racing and improving safety for horses and jockeys on the track. The legislation was the result of years of efforts by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, whose district includes the Saratoga Race Course, along with Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., who represents the city of Lexington, often known as the Horse Capital of the World. Tonko's and Barr's push to reform the industry got a final boost in August when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., secured the support of the biggest industry associations and racing organizations like Churchill Downs and Keeneland for a tweaked version of a proposal that Tonko and Barr had been pressing for years. With McConnell's support, the bipartisan legislation is expected to pass the U.S. Senate and become law. The House bill, which reflects the McConnell deal, would create and implement national medication and track standards for horse racing, an industry that has long operated under a patchwork of state laws. Our Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act puts the health and well-being of our equine athletes and jockeys firmly at the center of the sport, and delivers commonsense medication and track safety standards that will lift this noble sport to higher standards of integrity and safety," Tonko said. "These long overdue reforms will help restore public trust in the sport and put it on a path to a long and vital future, supporting countless jobs and driving economic activity in communities across our nation." Tonko has been working on reforms to horse racing for nearly six years. Many in the industry have agreed that change is needed to protect horses' and jockeys' lives and eliminate the sport's reputation for widespread doping. But even earlier this year, a congressional hearing on the topic showed that how to bring about change was still disputed by corners of the industry. Some industry officials resisted the creation of a national body to oversee horse racing, noting that state commissions already enforce their own rules. The legislation passed Tuesday establishes a private, non-profit authority to regulate horse racing overseen by the Federal Trade Commission and the non-profit U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. It includes a ban on race-day doping, a practice that is believed to contribute to higher rates of horse and jockey injuries and deaths in the U.S. Doping of athletes in sport to enhance performance is widely recognized as a form of cheating in human competition, said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action, who testified before Congress on the issue in January. Its equally wrong and even more dangerous for the athletes involved to allow widespread doping in American horse racing. The New York Racing Association applauded the passage of the legislation, noting it has long supported anti-doping controls. Thoroughbred horse racing contributes billions to the U.S. economy, according to the American Horse Council Foundation. About $11 billion was waged in 2016 at thoroughbred and quarter horse racetracks. In New York,the industry is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact statewide, according to the New York Racing Association. Horse racing is an important cultural and economic driver in our region, said U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville. "I look forward to seeing the positive economic impact [the legislation] has at the Saratoga Race Course and beyond." Overall, the U.S. race horse fatality rate is two-and-a-half- to five-times greater than in the rest of the horse racing world, the New York Times reported in 2019. In 2020, 63 horses have died while racing in New York, including 18 in Saratoga, state Gaming Commission data shows. By Ayya Lmahamad Turkeys natural gas import from Azerbaijan via Trans- Anatolian Gas Pipeline increased by 25.3 percent, during the first eight months of 2020, Turkish media has reported. During the reporting period, Turkeys natural gas import from Azerbaijan amounted to 7.2 billion cubic meters, which is an increase compared to the same period of 2019. Of them, 2.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas were transported to Turkey via Trans- Anatolian Gas Pipeline. It should be noted that total of 6.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas were transported to Turkey via TANAP during the period of January 2018 to September 2020. Earlier it was reported that during the reporting period Azerbaijan increased natural gas production by 8.7 percent or 2 billion cubic meters compared to the same period of 2019. Thus, the natural gas production during the reporting period amounted to 25.1 billion cubic meters. In addition, gas sales abroad increased by 17.6 percent and amounted to 8.7 billion cubic meters. Moreover, test shipment of Azerbaijani natural gas from Shah Deniz-2 gas condensate field to Europe via Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline has started. Thus, gas will pass through the Adriatic Sea via Trans- Adriatic gas pipeline, which connects to TANAP on the Turkish Greek border, and will be delivered to Italy. TANAP is the central part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which connects the giant Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan to Europe through the South Caucasus Pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. The pipeline has a strategic importance as it allows the Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe. The capacity of the pipeline is 16 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year at initial stage and would be increased later up to 23 billion cubic meters by 2023, 31 billion cubic meters by 2026, and at the final stage 60 billion cubic meters. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Coventry, ENG - A shocking video showing hundreds of students climbing on top of ping pong tables while raving at the accommodation block of Coventry University, Tuesday night, surfaced online. According to some reports, not less than 200 students were also present and crammed into a common room at Arundel House which is near the main campus of Coventry University, not observing and following the rule of sic and the social distancing guidelines. A number of revelers can be heard screaming in the background as several male students were seen clambering on a ping pong table while singing along to the ravaging music, Daily Mail reported. The area where the party was just a two-minute walk from campus which is also near to the town center. Coventry University's spokesman stated that while they are handling the 5 confirmed cases of COVID-19, they are also aware of the recent incident which involved their students, breaching the code of conduct imposed by the university and they mentioned that they will make sure that those students will be facing disciplinary proceedings. Despite the havoc caused by COVID-19 in numerous universities around England, the footage that emerged was viewed as very alarming by many. Based on the latest numbers, more than 4,000 students across Britain have been placed under self-isolation for a fortnight. This is after more than 500 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in at least 32 universities, although it is understood there is no lockdown in place at Coventry. The latest University to institute a soft lockdown on students is the University of Exeter wherein they asked the students not to socialized even in other people's residences and only limit their interactions to the people within their household. Read also: 'The Big Bang Theory' Star Jim Parsons Says COVID-19 Experience is "Brutal" Recent reports show that majority of the confirmed cases in Exeter were linked and traced back to the University, over the last week. Moreover, 1,700 students are also under lockdown at the MMU or the Manchester Metropolitan University, Cambridge Halls, and campuses of Birley. According to Metro, for the next 14 days, all lectures, seminars, and classes for first-year students at the University will be done virtually via online classrooms. On the other hand, Gavin Williamson confirmed that students from the University will have to cut their term and will do self-isolation for a fortnight in order to be allowed home for Christmas. The government is currently being criticized for its handling of the pandemic, as it already spread to university campuses, even freshers around the country are being locked down inside the colleges' halls and advised to just isolate with those who are they living with. Because of the ongoing safety measures, students are just posting on their social media accounts, photos of their schoolmates putting up signs on the windows of their accommodation blocks which was shared widely on social media platforms, while other students are begging for help with supplies and foods. Some of the students even tried to get shopping delivery which only shows that some are already running out of food and some parents are turning up to the halls with bags of groceries for their children. On the other hand, some parents are furious and demanding to get reimbursement for the tuition fees that they have paid because of the current situation of their kids. Related article: Maryland Man to Spend One Year Behind Bars for Holding Large Parties Amid Pandemic @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. How PathFactory's Website Tools work Website Tools helps B2B marketers achieve a new level of personalization and website analytics typically reserved only for large consumer brands." Dev Ganesan, President and CEO of PathFactory PathFactory, a member of Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), today announced Website Tools a new suite of AI-driven content intelligence solutions that automatically analyzes website content, informs marketers who is engaging on the website and how theyre engaging, and provides micro-personalized experiences to visitors based on their unique behaviors. As website traffic surges in an all-digital business world, and humans are consuming AI recommended content from the likes of Netflix and Amazon, marketers continue to struggle to keep up with the expectations of increasingly consumerized B2B buyers and deliver similar content experiences, said Dev Ganesan, President and CEO of PathFactory. Website Tools helps marketers achieve a new level of personalization and website analytics typically reserved only for large consumer brands connecting their buyers and customers with the most relevant content when they need it most. Its more important than ever before to deliver personalized experiences, said Stephen Fioretti, CX Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, Oracle. PathFactory provides content analysis and intelligence to help make this easier for brands looking to ensure their customer experience stands out." What I love about Website Tools is that it intelligently determines the very best, most relevant content and recommends it for every individual user, said Joseph Puthussery, former Vice President, Global Digital Marketing, Performance Marketing, Insights and Analytics at Cisco. It is a dream come true for digital marketing, as it automates a lot of what we are trying to accomplish every day." Website Tools adds powerful new content analysis, discovery, and delivery capabilities to the B2B marketers toolbox, including: Website journey tracking and analytics Measure each visitors engagement with recommended content and understand the true impact on performance and the content journey so you can make smarter investments in content development and curation. Track the individual journey of every visitor and account through your website content, pass the data to your marketing automation, CRM, and business intelligence systems, and report on visitors, accounts, and content performance. Intelligent content analysis Automatically build a custom taxonomy and ontology across your content using machine learning, turning it into a structured data set to be used in PathFactorys recommendation service. Recommendation service Deliver unique content recommendations to every visitor using data from the intelligent content analysis as well as visitor profile and behavior data. PathFactorys recommendation service can deliver multiple classes of recommendations, including Recommended For You, Trending (at your account, industry, or across the website), Your History, and Featured, which displays content chosen by the marketer. Guide and Concierge Add turnkey user interface elements to any website page to surface various classes of content recommendations that encourage visitors to self-nurture, binge on multiple content assets, and experience a micro-personalized, Netflix-like destination for B2B content. Website Tools is now available for all PathFactory customers. Learn more about PathFactorys Website Tools here. About PathFactory Leading enterprise and mid-market B2B companies use PathFactory to accelerate nurture, improve win rates, and understand content performance by delivering intelligent content experiences and virtual events across the buyers journey. Using insights and automation to connect people with content, PathFactory removes friction for B2B buyers. PathFactory was recently recognized by Deloitte as one of North Americas Technology Fast 500 and Canadas Technology Fast 50 companies. It was also named the 2020 Top-Rated Content Marketing Software by TrustRadius, a Fall 2020 Content Experience Leader by G2, and a 2019 Cool Vendor in Technology Marketing by Gartner. Learn more about PathFactorys Intelligent Content Platform and the companies that use it at PathFactory.com. About Oracle PartnerNetwork Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) is Oracles partner program designed to enable partners to accelerate the transition to cloud and drive superior customer business outcomes. The OPN program allows partners to engage with Oracle through track(s) aligned to how they go to market: Cloud Build for partners that provide products or services built on or integrated with Oracle Cloud; Cloud Sell for partners that resell Oracle Cloud technology; Cloud Service for partners that implement, deploy and manage Oracle Cloud Services; and License & Hardware for partners that build, service or sell Oracle software licenses or hardware products. Customers can expedite their business objectives with OPN partners who have achieved Expertise in a product family or cloud service. To learn more visit: http://www.oracle.com/partnernetwork # # # Trademarks Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Property managers, landlords and tenants have received new marching orders from the governor. Kate Brown issued an executive order Monday that extended emergency eviction rules that have been in place since March and were bolstered by House Bill 4213, which extended the moratorium to Sept. 30. Browns new order moves the end date on the order to Dec. 31, with the two key pieces being the banning of evictions for nonpayment of rent as well as no-cause evictions. For-cause evictions remain enforceable. The Corvallis Rental Property Managers Group (RPMG) discussed the new order as well as a rental housing survey released by the city of Corvallis at its remote monthly get-together. On hand to help the landlords group understand the situation were Rance Shaw, an attorney who works with the RPMG, and Noah Chamberlain of Access the Law, a firm that represents Oregon State University students. On a practical level, this doesnt change things, Chamberlain said. At a fundamental level, its extending what weve already been dealing with. It does, however, stretch the potential financial pain another three months into the future. And if tenants who lost jobs amid the virus cant keep up with their rent, that affects the ability of property owners to pay their mortgages. According to HB 4213, tenants have until March 31 to pay back rent owed. The rental survey, presented by Tracy Oulman, the citys housing and neighborhood services coordinator, offered the first glimpse of the impact of COVID-19 and the earlier no-eviction orders on the rental market in town. Oulman sent the surveys earlier this month to 1,096 Realtors, property managers and independent landlords and received 185 responses, representing approximately 7,200 of the 15,500 rental units in town. Here is a summary of the highlights (see the full text of the survey online): The vacancy rate in Corvallis is estimated at 5.5%, in line with the national rate of 5.7% but well above historical local levels of 2% to 3%. 2.9% of the units contain tenants who currently are not paying full rent, with another 5.5% expressing concerns that they might not be able to pay full rent in the future. Landlords have been responding to the challenge in a number of ways, the survey found. A total of 29% are accepting partial payments throughout the month, 25% are referring tenants to assistance programs, 18% are reducing rent, 9% are waiving rent and 18% are using other methods. Oulman noted that nowhere near all of those assistance referrals are resulting in help for the tenants. And funds that the Community Services Consortium, the local state-designated community action agency, has to assist must be spent by the end of the year. According to the survey, 1,700 tenants picked up assistance forms, but only 300 have completed and returned them. Oulman said that there was some confusion among tenants regarding how the forms worked that limited the response rate. Contact reporter James Day at jim.day@gazettetimes.com or 541-812-6116. Follow at Twitter.com/jameshday or gazettetimes.com/blogs/jim-day. Love 0 Funny 4 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 7 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 00:22:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Volkan Bozkir (front), President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), addresses the UN Biodiversity Summit at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 30, 2020. Volkan Bozkir on Wednesday called for a green recovery from COVID-19 with an emphasis on protecting biodiversity. (Rick Bajornas/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- President ofthe 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Volkan Bozkir, on Wednesday called for a green recovery from COVID-19 with an emphasis on protecting biodiversity. "Allow me to be direct: our existence on this planet depends entirely on our ability to protect the natural world around us," he told the UN Biodiversity Summit. Yet, every year 13 million hectares of forest are lost, and 1 million species are at risk of extinction. In the last 50 years, vertebrates -- the category that includes everything from frogs to parrots to elephants -- have declined by 68 percent, he noted. "If we continue down this path, we not only lose the beautiful riches of the world around us but jeopardize food security, water supplies, livelihoods, and our ability to fight diseases and face extreme events," he said. A green recovery, with an emphasis on protecting biodiversity, can mitigate risks and build a more sustainable and resilient world, he said. Doing so can help unlock an estimated 10 trillion U.S. dollars in business opportunities, create 395 million jobs by 2030 and encourage a greener economy, he said. Bozkir asked world leaders to use the first-ever UN Biodiversity Summit to build political momentum toward a post-2020 global biodiversity framework for adoption at next year's UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China. The Kunming conference must do for biodiversity what the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris did for climate change, he said. The Kunming conference must elevate the discourse to the mainstream and place it firmly on the political agenda. It must help ensure that biodiversity and ecosystem management are core to sustainable development. It must provide a platform to private sector, to invest in the protection and promotion of biodiversity, not in its elimination. And it must engage civil society and transform their role from an activist to a partner, he said. "We must be pragmatic. Our health care systems rely upon rich biodiversity. Four billion people depend upon natural medicines for their health and 70 percent of drugs used for cancer treatments are drawn from nature. More than half the world's GDP, which is 44 trillion U.S. dollars, is dependent on nature," said Bozkir. "An investment in the health of our planet is an investment in our future, one that we leave for future generations." Enditem France's top appeals court ruled Wednesday that alleged Rwandan genocide financier Felicien Kabuga be transferred to a UN tribunal in Tanzania to stand trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Kabuga, arrested near Paris in May after 25 years on the run, had asked to be tried in France, not Arusha. But judges at the Court of Cassation ruled there was no legal or medical obstacle to executing an international warrant for Kabuga's transfer to UN custody. The octogenarian will be put on trial over his alleged role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide by Hutu extremists of some 800,000 minority Tutsis as well as moderate Hutus. Once one of Rwanda's richest men, Kabuga is accused of having helped create the Interahamwe Hutu militia group and the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines, whose broadcasts incited people to murder, and of helping to buy machetes in 1993 that were distributed to genocidal groups. The Rwandan genocide: A timeline. By Paz PIZARRO, Alain BOMMENEL (AFP) In June, a French court ruled Kabuga should stand trial at the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) in Tanzania, which took over the duties of the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) when it formally closed in 2015. Kabuga's lawyers appealed that decision, citing what they said was his frail health and fears the UN tribunal would be biased. But the Cour de Cassation, France's highest appeals court for criminal cases, disagreed Wednesday, meaning France will have a month to hand Kabuga, who says he is 87, over to the MICT. France has already extradited other Rwanda genocide suspects to the Tanzania tribunal in recent years. Seven counts Kabuga's lawyer Emmanuel Altit told AFP after Wednesday's ruling that the defence team would ask the MICT that Kabuga to be transferred to The Hague rather than Arusha, "because in The Hague his rights will be better protected." During the hearing before the Cour de Cassation, another Kabuga lawyer, Louis Bore, claimed his client would not receive proper medical treatment in Tanzania for conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure and leukoaraiosis -- an incurable illness that erodes physical and cognitive abilities. Kabuga was indicted by the ICTR in 1997 on seven counts, all of which he denies. After Wednesday's ruling, Kabuga's lawyer Emmanuel Altit told AFP they would approach the MICT to ask that Kabuga be transferred to The Hague rather than Arusha. By Benoit PEYRUCQ (AFP/File) Rwanda has said it wants to see Kabuga tried by its own courts. However, transferring jurisdiction from the MICT would require a decision from the UN Security Council, according to MICT prosecutor Serge Brammertz. Rwanda itself carried out 22 executions of people convicted for their role in the conflict before abolishing the death penalty in 2007, a move that facilitated the extradition of suspects from other countries to its jurisdiction. Between 2005 and 2012, some 12,000 popular tribunals know as "gacaca" tried close to two million people, convicting two-thirds of them. European courts, notably in Belgium and France, have also tried and sentenced Rwandan genocide suspects. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said the All India Muslim Peronal Law Board would appeal in the high court against the special CBI court judgment that acquitted LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and 30 others in the Babri Masjid demolition issue. Describing it as a black day in the Indian judiciary, Owaisi alleged that this judgment was given only to satisfy the Hindutva ideology. Muslims of India have not got justice. I request the AIMPLB to go in for an appeal against the judgment, he said. The Supreme Court in its judgment on November 9 last year, pronounced by five judges, had clearly held that the demolition of Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and egregious violation of the rule of law, Owaisi recounted. Now, I want to know whether the Babri Masjid was razed to the ground mysteriously on December 6, 1992 and whether it was also a mystery behind placing of idols of Ram in the mosque in late 1940s or behind opening of locks of the masjid during the Rajiv Gandhi regime? Owaisi asked. He sought to know from the court as to who demolished the Babri Masjid, when everybody was innocent in the incident. He alleged that they had created a violent political climate in the country. Wherever Advanis Rath Yatra was taken out, there was violence and killing of innocents, he pointed out. Owaisi wondered how the CBI court could say the demolition was not pre-planned. How much preparation must have gone into the demolition of the mosque? Is it not true that Uma Bharati had made provocative slogans, asking the activists to demolish the Babri mosque? Is it not true that Advani had distributed sweets after the demolition? he asked. Delivering the much-awaited verdict in the 28-year-old case, CBI judge S K Yadav did not accept newspapers and video cassettes as evidence. The court said there was no conclusive proof against them It also observed that late Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal wanted to save the structure because Ram idols were inside. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON By Nam Hyun-woo Hanwha Group heir Kim Dong-kwan will head the group's energy, chemicals and materials unit, Hanwha Solutions, as the group expedites efforts to pass its leadership on to the 37-year-old. According to Hanwha Group, Monday, it has promoted Hanwha Solutions Vice President Kim to president, as well as appointing him CEO of the company's strategy division. Following the move, Hanwha Solutions will have four CEOs respectively in the strategy, advanced materials, chemicals and solar divisions. Kim, the eldest son of Chairman Kim Seung-yeon, was officially named as the leader of Hanwha Solutions just nine months after he became vice president of the company. Due to this, it is presumed that the group is expediting its efforts to prepare a successor for the current chairman. Hanwha Group said Kim Dong-kwan earned his promotion for "leading Hanwha Solutions to reorganize its portfolio and explore new opportunities in renewable energy and advanced materials." It also added Kim's network and expertise in the global renewable energy market will become a critical asset for the company. After Kim joined Hanwha Solutions, the company showed an improved presence among group units, as its solar energy business hit its stride. Hanwha's solar energy business first swung to profit in 2015, and Hanwha Q Cells, a brand under Hanwha Solutions, is now the top supplier of solar panels in the U.S. market. According to energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie, Hanwha Q Cells took a 22 percent share in the U.S. home solar panel market and a 21.5 percent share in the U.S. commercial panel market in the first half of the year. Including Kim, Hanwha Group appointed 10 CEOs to its units including Hanwha Corp., Hanwha Precision Machinery, Hanwha Defense, Hanwha General Chemical, Hanwha Total, Hanwha Estate and Hanwha Station Development. Of them, five have experience working for Hanwha Q Cells. Kim Eun-hee, appointed as the new CEO of Hanwha Station Development, will be the first woman to head a Hanwha company. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping across the country, school closures have been one of the biggest challenges America has faced. As a result of the economic fallout from shutdown orders, some schools have had to close down permanently. Many have transitioned fully to online learning, a particular difficulty for working parents, and others have attempted to pioneer safe ways to reopen schools for in-person class this fall. Against this backdrop, public debates over school choice have taken on a new sense of urgency, especially as objections from teachers unions and policies from local government have rendered many public schools unable to reopen. A new survey commissioned by the Manhattan Institute suggests that, in five key swing states, Americans are taking a new look at how increased school choice might benefit their families. The poll was conducted by Rasmussen Reports between late August and early September, surveying about 5,000 likely voters in five key swing states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina. The survey found that between two-thirds and three-quarters of those voters support publicly funded K12 school choice. Interestingly, and consistent with past surveys, that support was higher among black respondents in every state except North Carolina. In Wisconsin and Michigan, for instance, black voters were more likely, by seven percentage points, than overall respondents to say they strongly support publicly funded school-choice programs. In every state but North Carolina, meanwhile, black voters were also much more likely to say that their state gave parents too little choice in deciding where to send their children to school. In all five states, a plurality of black voters said they had too little choice, and in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan, a plurality of overall respondents said the same. Only about one-fifth of voters in all five states, by contrast, believe that giving parents more choice in their childrens education would lower educational quality, and black respondents were more likely than overall respondents to say that school choice raises educational quality. Story continues Across all five swing states, somewhere between 51 percent and 62 percent of voters said they support state-funded charter schools as an alternative to district-managed public schools, and that support was higher among black respondents, whose support for such funding fell between 58 percent and 67 percent. This latest survey confirms what plenty of recent polling has shown: By and large, most voters, and especially nonwhite voters, are far more supportive of increased school choice than the Democratic Party is. A poll from this past spring found that 67 percent of African Americans and 63 percent of Hispanics said they support school choice. Those same demographic groups were the most likely of any to support a federal tax-credit scholarship program; close to three-quarters of each group say theyd back such a plan. Since the pandemic began, Republicans have made a bit of progress in appealing to those voters more effectively. For one thing, Senators Tim Scott (R., S.C.) and Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.) offered a bill during congressional negotiating over COVID-19 relief funding that would redirect some of that funding to school-choice programs. Tying it to the economic harms and school shutdowns was wise, because it signaled to families who might not traditionally support conservative politicians that the GOP was taking seriously their concerns about being able to continue sending their children to the schools that are best for them. If the bill were to take effect, 10 percent of federal coronavirus-relief funding authorized by the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act would be redirected to state block grants, which states could then use to fund scholarship organizations. Such programs offer families direct educational assistance, enabling them to cover the costs of private-school tuition or other expenses such as tutoring or homeschooling. Whats more, the bill would create a permanent federal tax-credit scholarship program, offering federal taxpayers dollar-for-dollar tax credits for any contributions they make to scholarship-granting organizations. A handful of states have pioneered similar programs for state taxpayers with great success. In the wake of the pandemic, several states created new school-choice programs or expanded existing ones, aiming to address concerns from parents about keeping their children in school or obtaining the best learning options for them despite the pandemic. In South Carolina, the Republican governor announced a new grant program, funded by some of the states CARES Act relief money, which is offering 5,000 one-time grants of up to $6,500 for low-income students who attend private or independent schools. In Oklahoma, GOP governor Kevin Stitt allocated CARES Act funding to the state education department, to a large technical school in the state to enable some full scholarships, to a fund for low-income students attending private schools, to a program offering stipends to low-income students, and to a state initiative allowing more students to access digital-education content. In Pennsylvania, legislators have proposed using CARES Act funding to create education scholarship accounts, offering a set number of low-income families $1,000 per child to be spent on approved expenses such as tuition costs, tutoring, and online classes. School choice hasnt figured heavily in this years election cycle, but the Trump administration has backed some key policy proposals that are popular in the school-choice movement, including the idea of a federal tax-credit scholarship program. More from National Review Allies Turkey and Azerbaijan have denied Yerevan's claim that a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down the Armenian plane, killing the pilot. On Wednesday (September 30), Armenia's defense ministry named the pilot as Major Valeri Danelin. Fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces over the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh entered a fourth day on Wednesday in the biggest eruption of their decades-old conflict since a 1994 ceasefire, and France and Turkey traded recriminations as international tensions mounted. Azerbaijan and the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh said there were attacks from both sides along the line of contact that divides them. Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded in fighting that began on Sunday and has spread far beyond the enclave's borders, threatening to spill into all-out war between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia. The fighting has increased concerns about stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets, and raised fears that regional powers Russia and Turkey could be drawn in. DRDO officials said all parameters were met during the flight test of the missile which has a strike range of more than 400 km. Balasore (Odisha): India on Wednesday successfully test-fired BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with several indigenous features from a test range in Odisha, in a major step towards achieving "Atmanirbhar Bharat" pledge, defence sources said. The surface-to-surface cruise missile, featuring indigenous booster and airframe section along with other Made in India sub-systems, blasted off from the launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) near here, a defence statement said. Describing the trial conducted at 10.30 am as "successful", Defence Research and Development (DRDO) officials said, all parameters were met during the flight test of the missile which has a strike range of more than 400 km. The BrahMos Land-Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) was cruising at a top speed of Mach 2.8. The successful trial of the state-of-the-art cruise missile is one more major step in enhancing the indigenous content, the statement said. "Today's successful launch has paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos Weapon System realising Atma Nirbhar Bharat pledge," it said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and DRDO chairman congratulated DRDO personnel, team BrahMos and the industry for the spectacular mission. The BrahMos missile can be launched from land, sea platforms as well as fighter jets, defence sources said. Jointly developed by the DRDO and NPOM, a leading aerospace enterprise of Russia, the BrahMos missile is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines, warships, fighter jets or land. The first extended version of the missile, which had a strike range of 450 km, was successfully tested on March 11, 2017. On September 30, 2019 a shorter range land version of BrahMos was successfully test fired from Chandipur ITR. The sophisticated missile, already operational with the Army, Navy and Air Force, is regarded as the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world, the sources said. Nevada to vote on scrapping man-woman definition of marriage in state Constitution Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Voters in Nevada will decide in November whether to change the text of the state Constitution to remove language defining marriage as a union between only one man and one woman. Nevada is one of the about 30 states that passed a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage before such rules were struck down by the 2015 Supreme Court decision, Obergefell v. Hodges, which established a right to same-sex marriage nationwide. However, the text of the amendment remains in the Nevada Constitution even though it is unenforceable. In 2017, former Assemblyman Nelson Araujo and state Sen. David Parks, both Democrats, introduced Joint Resolution 2, which would amend Section 21 of Article 1 of the Nevada Constitution to reflect the fact that the Obergefell decision made it unenforceable. Last year, the Nevada legislature voted so that the question will appear on the ballot as Question 2 this fall. If Question 2 passes, the text of Section 21 of Article 1 of the Nevada Constitution will be revised to read The State of Nevada and its political subdivisions shall recognize marriages and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender. The language offers a caveat that Religious organizations and members of the clergy have the right to refuse to solemnize a marriage, and no person has the right to make any claim against a religious organization or member of the clergy for such a refusal. The proposal stresses that all legally valid marriages must be treated equally under the law. Supporters of Question 2 include the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, the pro-LGBT advocacy organization Human Rights Campaign and Planned Parenthood Advocates. Proponents formed the Yes on Question 2 coalition earlier this month. According to Ballotpedia, Nevada is the first state to leave it up to voters to repeal a constitutional amendment that bars same-sex marriage or defines marriage as between one man and one woman. According to a 2017 poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, 70% of Nevadans support same-sex marriage while 23% oppose it. Nevadas Question 2 is one of several high-profile ballot initiatives that voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on this fall. In another western state, Colorado, voters will decide the fate of Proposition 115, which would ban abortions after 22 weeks of gestation. Currently, Colorado is one of only seven states that does not have any restrictions on abortion. In Louisiana, voters will weigh in on Amendment 1, which, if passed, will add language to the state Constitution declaring that nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion. Similar measures passed in West Virginia and Alabama in 2018. Residents of Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota will vote on the legalization of recreational marijuana, while Mississippi voters will decide whether or not to approve the legalization of medical marijuana in their state. Californians will vote on a ballot measure that would overturn Proposition 209, the 1996 ballot initiative supported by a majority of the states voters that prevented the use of race as a factor when considering employment applications and university admissions. Regional Victorians may be able to travel to Sydney and Adelaide before theyre allowed into Melbourne, as border MPs increase calls for NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to open her state to the regions. The South Australian government will on Thursday consider opening its border to Victorians from regional areas, where no community transmission of coronavirus has been reported in the past fortnight. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack called on state premiers including NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to lift borders faster. Credit:AAP Victorian regions have recorded a total of four COVID-19 infections in the past 14 days, all linked to known outbreaks, and had just three active cases on Wednesday, prompting the state's Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton, to say they would be COVID-free soon enough. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has weighed in on the border push, telling The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that regional communities needed more flexibility as they battled a border shut by Ms Berejiklian since July 7. Less than a month after a guided-missile cruiser spent 207 consecutive days at sea, another ship passed that record. The guided-missile destroyer Stout marked its 208th day at sea on Saturday during a deployment that is stretching into its seventh month, the Navy announced Tuesday. The Stout is currently deployed to the Middle East and hasn't been able to make a port call due to the coronavirus pandemic. Another ship set the record for most consecutive days spent at sea last month. The guided-missile cruiser Vella Gulf recently clocked 207 days at sea. The aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower's crew was at sea for 206 straight days. Read Next: Fire on Navy Cruiser Antietam Injures 13 in Philippine Sea Being at sea for about seven months without a port call is likely a record many Navy crews would rather not set. But after the illness caused by the novel coronavirus spread rapidly through one crew following a port call in Vietnam, leaders have reined in stops that could leave sailors vulnerable during the global pandemic. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday told NBC News in a recent interview that he's concerned the situation could lead to sailor burnout. The Navy will likely need to adjust operating schedules as ships have to stay at sea longer to complete back-to-back training and deployments without leave to prevent exposure to COVID-19, the CNO told the network. "We're going to have to take a closer look at whether or not we can sustain that for a prolonged period of time, and make some recommendations up the chain of command," Gilday said. "... Everybody needs a break every once in a while, and I do think that the toughest challenge ... in a situation like this is trying to understand what that threshold is and not pushing it too far. "You kind of know when people are tired, people are frazzled." The Stout is part of Destroyer Squadron Two Six, which deployed with the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. The ship remained in the Middle East when the rest of the strike group headed back to the U.S. earlier this summer. The destroyer provided overwatch for more than 550 vessels transiting critical chokepoints in the Middle East, according to the news release on its record-setting deployment. The Stout has supported both the Ike and Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups patrolling the Bab el Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz, the release added, and has escorted Army logistics support vessels through the region. The crew also supported the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as it conducted operations in the Middle East. "We are extremely proud of Stout's accomplishments in theater as they've been operating to ensure freedom of navigation," Vice Adm. Samuel Paparo, head of Naval Forces Central Command, said in a statement. "Under the challenges of COVID-19 and the uncertainty of regional tensions, Stout embodied their motto and prevailed with 'Courage, Valor and Integrity.'" -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Navy Captain Sets New Unofficial Record for Consecutive Days at Sea The Rio de Janeiro carnival which was set to hit the streets next February has been postponed for the first time in 108-years due to coronavirus. The carnival attracts millions of visitors to Brazil each year. But Brazil has been one of the countries worst hit by the pandemic with 4.5 million infections and more than 138,000 deaths. Samba schools involved in the parade typically spend the entire year preparing for the event. They had warned in July that it would be difficult to organise the carnival, which was to run between Friday, February 12 and Wednesday, February 17, without a vaccine. Packed crowds dance through the streets and flock to the iconic Sambadrome for massive parades which feature scantily clad dancers, small armies of drummers and all night partying. This event has now been postponed indefinitely. The is the first time the event has been cancelled since 1912. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday spoke to the father of a 19-year-old woman who died two weeks after she was gang-raped in Hathras, assuring him of stringent action against all the accused, a senior official said in Lucknow. The state government has also announced financial aid of Rs 25 lakh to the family of the woman. The CM has spoken to the father of the deceased woman of Hathras. Her fatherasked for the harshest penalty against the accused. The CM assured him that the most stringent action shall be taken against the accused and all possible help shall be provided to the family of the deceased," said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi. The state government has also announced a government job in the capacity of a school teacher for a family member of the deceased, a house under the government scheme, and the trial in a fast-track court. The Dalit woman, who died in a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gang-raped, was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday. Her family alleged the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. However, local police officers claimed the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family" and the news regarding the cremation was "incorrect". On September 14, the woman had gone to the fields with her mother and went missing soon after. She was found later, beaten and tortured, her tongue cut as she bit it when the accused attempted to strangle her. She was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday. Protests held in Delhi and UP The Congress, Left and Bhim Army activists staged protests near the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan and India Gate in Delhi on Wednesday, demanding justice for the victim. Delhi witnessed protests on Tuesday evening as well when the body of the woman was taken to Hathras. On Wednesday morning, Congress and Left activists gathered outside the UP Bhawan for protests separately, but were detained by the police. The police have booked the protesters, mostly students and women activists, for assembling in violation of prohibitory orders and COVID-19 guidelines, and detained some of them briefly. The Left-affiliated All India Students Association (AISA), which gave the call for a candlelight march at India Gate in the evening, alleged that the police forcibly removed the protesters from the spot and harassed and detained women, a charge denied by the police. Some Bhim Army activists also joined the protest near India Gate. In a call for candlelight vigil at India Gate, protesters demanding justice for the Dalit victim of gang rape in Hathras were brutally assaulted and detained by Delhi Police. The protesters were attacked, women members harassed and taken into custody," the AISA alleged. Thirty-two men have been detained for organising an unauthorised protest on Man Singh Road near India Gate, police said. A few female protesters who were part of the protesting group were removed from the spot. The protesters belonged to AISA and Bhim Army. Legal action under relevant sections of law is being taken," said Deepak Yadav, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi). Mahila Congress national president Sushmita Dev, Delhi Mahila Congress president Amrita Dhawan, Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar took part in the protest. The Legal and Human Rights department of the Delhi Congress filed a petition before the National Human Rights Commission, seeking justice to the family of the deceased Dalit woman. The police said an FIR under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act has been registered against the protesters as they violated prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in force in the area and other restrictions regarding COVID-19. There were protests in neighbouring Ghaziabad as well. Activists of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Akhil Bhartiya Balmiki Samaj staged protests in some areas of Ghaziabad, demanding justice for the Dalit woman. (With inputs from PTI) Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-29 22:36:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The UN Environment Program (UNEP) on Tuesday appointed Massimo Bottura, an Italian chef and food system activist as the new Goodwill Ambassador to lead the fight against global food waste and loss. UNEP said Bottura is expected to catalyze action on an issue that not only sees food wasted in a world where over 800 million people go hungry every year, but contributes to the climate and biodiversity crises. "I am delighted that Massimo Bottura, who is already making a difference through his Refettorios, is joining forces with UNEP to help bring real change," Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP said in a statement released in Nairobi. Andersen said there is no room for food loss and waste, especially as millions across the world go hungry. She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call of the urgent need to transform people's relationship with nature, and in particular, rethink the way to produce and consume food. Bottura is expected to send a message to inspire a change of mindset that starts in kitchens at home. "If we can use all of the ingredients to the fullest potential, we will reduce the amount of waste we are creating and shop more efficiently," Bottura said while accepting his appointment. Bottura committed to fighting to reduce global food waste and loss adding that he will require support from populations globally. "We all must start asking and understanding where our food comes from, taking action to preserve food memories and techniques that can help us innovate for the future and take care not to repeat practices and consumption behaviors that have caused the challenges in our food system today," he added. The Goodwill Ambassador observed that the act of cooking as well as that of feeding oneself must become an ethical choice, not just a question of taste. Bottura is chef-patron of the three-Michelin-star restaurant, Osteria Francescana in Modena, and has been recognized as a social entrepreneur for his commitment to the fight against food waste and social isolation, which is one of the main goals of the non-profit organization he founded with his wife Lara Gilmore, Food for Soul. During the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy, his family produced an online cooking show called Kitchen Quarantine, which encouraged people to see the invisible potential in every ingredient. According to UNEP, an estimated one-third of all food produced, about 1.3 billion tons are wasted or lost each year. Enditem Quang Yen Coastal Economic Zone is scheduled to be developed from now to 2035 Located southwest of Quang Ninh and on the border to Haiphong, Quang Yen Coastal Economic Zone will cover a total area of 13,303 hectares, with two functional subzones: the nearly 6,900ha Dam Nha Mac seaport services and industrial zone, and a more than 6,400ha urban area and high-tech sub-zone. The economic zone is scheduled to be developed from now to 2035. Quang Yen Coastal EZ was established with three development goals. The first is to enhance economic, trade, and services connections with other coastal economic zones (CEZs) such as Van Don, Dinh Vu-Cat Hai (Haiphong), and Thai Binh as well as develop socioeconomic links between EZs and neighbourhood areas. Investment attraction to Quang Yen must be in harmony with national defence and security, the preservation and promotion of marine ecosystems and historical and cultural relics in the zone. Secondly, it aims to develop Quang Yen into a major centre of industry, services, logistics, and a modern urban area of Quang Ninh and the Hong River Delta through the synchronisation of technical and social infrastructure, high-tech development, environment-friendly industries, and research and development (R&D) centres. To elevate local investment climate and build up ready-to-serve infrastructures for businesses in a fast manner, Quang Ninh province is calling for more experienced developers like DEEP C to raise the bar for industrial infrastructure development. These two goals must be achieved together by improving the quality of the workforce and increasing incomes and employment opportunities (the third goal). The decision on establishing Quang Yen CEZ will enter into force from November 15, at which time the EZ Tax Package shall be automatically activated for every new project in Quang Yen, regardless of investment size or the number of employees. This is a game-changer in enhancing the investment climate of Quang Yen CEZ and Quang Ninh province. Before the establishment of Quang Yen CEZ, investors already saw the province's huge potential and compiled long-term business plans, including DEEP C Industrial Zones, an IZ developer backed by Belgian group Rent-A-Port. Connectivity and tax incentives are crucial criteria that investors take into consideration when choosing an investment destination. Quang Yen CEZ, with improved regional and global linkages through a series of mega-projects and preferential tax incentives soon to be applied, satisfies both requirements, Said Bruno Jaspaert, general director of DEEP C Industrial Zones. DEEP C invested in two IZs in Quang Yen CEZ, namely Bac Tien Phong and Tien Phong, generally known as DEEP C Quang Ninh. Of the nearly 6,900ha area of Dam Nha Mac subzone, DEEP C Quang Ninh occupies 1,680ha. Quang Yen is well-positioned for us to go beyond the industrial zone concept and build a seamless industrial zone ecosystem connected to seaports, Jaspaert revealed. Besides, 150,000-square-metre ready-built factory space in DEEP C Quang Ninh is scheduled to be built and put into operation next year. With the new change, Quang Yen CEZ now has on offer all the factors that are of prime concern in investment decisions: tax incentives, accessibility, and governmental support. To elevate the local investment climate and build up ready-to-serve infrastructure for businesses in a fast manner, Quang Ninh province is calling for more experienced developers like DEEP C to raise the bar for industrial infrastructure development. These players will play a crucial role in growing Quang Yen toward its outlined path: a high-tech and eco-friendly EZ that contributes to the development of the Hanoi-Haiphong-Quang Ninh economic triangle. Scientists have pinned down the date of a devastating volcano that rocked the Mayan civilization more than a millennia ago. It's long been known that Ilopango volcano, in what is now El Salvador, had a major eruption during the Mayans' Early Classic Period, between 300 and 600 AD - but a more precise date has eluded researchers until now. By conducting radiocarbon dating on a charred mahogany tree found in ash deposits, archaeologists have dated the massive explosion to within a few years of 431 AD. To confirm their findings, researchers used 3D modeling to estimate the eruption plume rose 28 miles into the upper atmosphere. From there, air currents carried it more than 4,300 miles away, as far as Antarctica. Analysis of an ice core recovered in Greenland revealed the same chemical makeup, proving their hypothesis correct - the violent eruption occurred 1,590 years ago. Scroll down for video By conducting radiocarbon dating on a charred mahogany tree found in ash deposits, archaeologists have dated Ilopango volcano's eruption to within a few years of 431 AD Today, Ilopango Caldera is a crater lake less than six miles from modern-day San Salvador. It's part of El Salvador's volcanic arc, a chain of 20 active volcanoes that's one of the most seismically active regions in Central America. That eruption nearly 1,600 years ago blanketed more than 770,000 square miles of Central America with white ash, earning it the name 'Tierra Blanca Joven' - Spanish for 'young white earth.' 'It would have been dark over this region for at least a week,' said lead author Victoria Smith, an archaeologist at Oxford University. The eruption blanketed more than 770,000 square miles of Central America with white ash, earning it the name 'Tierra Blanca Joven' - Spanish for 'young white earth.' Researchers estimate its eruption plume rose 28 miles into the upper atmosphere Tierra Blanca Joven was over 50 times bigger than that of Mount Saint Helens in 1980, Smith added. The volume of its pyroclastic flows - fast-moving currents of gas, volcanic ash and pumice that can reach 1,830 F - was ten times that of Mt. Vesuvius when it buried Pompeii. It killed every living thing within 25 miles and rendered an area twice that size uninhabitable for a century-and-a-half. 'We think the lack of ceramic production in the general area is because people were not there,' Smith told Ars Technica. Tierra Blanca Joven killed everything within 25 miles and rendered an area twice that size uninhabitable for a century-and-a-half. But Mayan civilization survived, having already expanded across Central America by that point But it didn't have a severe impact on the rest of Mayan civilization, which had already expanded across Central America by that point. Research published in 2019 blamed Tierra Blanca Joven for an 18-month period of global cooling around 536 AD, marked by cloudy skies, crop failures and famines as far away as China, reported on by Science Magazine. But Smith's research puts the eruption more than a century earlier. Based on her team's analysis, Tierra Blanca Joven probably lowered summer temperatures for a few years in the Southern Hemisphere. Embattled ex-Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale allegedly threatened to shoot himself and others on multiple occasions in the weeks before police stormed his Florida mansion and had him involuntarily committed to a hospital. Fort Lauderdale police made that claim in a petition seeking permission to confiscate a cache of firearms discovered at Parscale's home on Sunday after someone called 911 and reported that he was suicidal and had barricaded himself inside with a loaded weapon. The petition revealed a bevy of alarming allegations about Parscale's heavy drinking, physical assaults on his wife Candace, and threats to harm himself and others - painting a portrait of a man whose life has spiraled out of control since his Trump campaign demotion in July. Fort Lauderdale Detective Christopher Carita wrote that Parscale, who stands at 6'8", 'poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to himself or others by having a firearm or any ammunition in his custody or control, or by potentially purchasing, possession, or receiving a firearm or any ammunition'. The claims were alarming enough to convince a Broward County judge to sign off on the temporary confiscation of 10 guns from the demoted Trump aide's home in the upscale Seven Isles neighborhood on Wednesday. The petition, first obtained by the Miami Herald, also confirmed several details from the incident that DailyMail.com had already brought to light earlier this week. Scroll down for video Embattled ex-Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale allegedly threatened to shoot himself and others on multiple occasions in the weeks before police stormed his Florida mansion on Sunday afternoon, according to a police petition seeking permission to temporarily confiscate a small arsenal of firearms from his home. Pictured: Parscale moments before SWAT officers tackled him to the ground and had him committed to a hospital The petition revealed a bevy of alarming details about Parscale's heavy drinking, physical assaults on his wife Candace (pictured together), and threats to harm himself and others DailyMail.com revealed on Monday that Candice Parscale was seen screaming and fleeing her home in just her bikini on Wednesday before officers arrived at the scene. Candace allegedly told police that her husband had shown increasing signs of stress in recent weeks Police rushed to Parscale's home just before 4pm on Sunday after a caller reported that he had barricaded himself, fired a gun and was threatening to kill himself, the petition states. DailyMail.com revealed on Monday that Candice Parscale was seen screaming and fleeing the home in just her bikini, telling a passerby: 'I think my husband just killed himself.' According to the petition, Candice was standing outside when officers arrived. She told them that her husband had been drinking, was armed and she was worried that he would shoot either her or himself. She said that she'd heard a loud bang - presumably a gunshot - after she fled from the home, but said she believed he was still alive because she heard him 'ranting and pacing' inside. Parscale contacted one of the officers outside the home, who eventually convinced him to come outside unarmed, the petition states. When he reluctantly emerged, Parscale was shirtless, holding a can of beer, his 'speech was slurred as though he was under the influence of alcohol and he appeared to be crying', an officer wrote in the document. Members of a SWAT team waited for Parscale to put down his beer before they tackled him to the ground and handcuffed him. He was then taken to the hospital as officers began casing the home, with Candice's permission. The petition notes that officers observed several bruises on Candice's arms, which she said came from her husband striking her during earlier incident. She said that Parscale didn't harm her on Sunday, aside from slapping a phone out of her hand during a verbal altercation. Police said a victim's advocate contacted Candice on Tuesday to discuss whether she wants to file charges against her husband, but none have been filed as of Wednesday afternoon. Candice also told police about how Parscale had shown increasing signs of stress in recent weeks and had frequently picked up his guns and racked them in a threatening manner. When Parscale reluctantly emerged from his home he was shirtless, holding a can of beer, his 'speech was slurred as though he was under the influence of alcohol and he appeared to be crying', an officer wrote in the petition Members of a SWAT team waited for Parscale to put down his beer before they tackled him to the ground and handcuffed him According to the petition, Candice was standing outside when officers arrived. She told them that her husband had been drinking, was armed and she was worried that he would shoot either her or himself DailyMail.com published photos on Monday which showed officers carrying boxes believed to contain guns out of Parscale's home prior to receiving a judge's approval for the seizure One of the boxes had a diagram of a rifle on the side and was marked: 'This is evidence' The firearms outlined in the seizure petition were: Six handguns, including two 9 mm Glocks, a 9mm Nighthawk, a 9 mm Wilson Combat, a .45 caliber Dan Wessen and a .22 caliber North American Arms, as well as a Remington 700 model long rifle, a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, a Daniel Defense 5.56 mm long rifle and a Barreta 12-gauge shotgun. The petition was served to Parscale on Tuesday night, just as DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that he is currently under investigation for 'stealing' between $25-$40million from Trump's 2020 presidential campaign, according to well-placed sources. The 44-year-old is also being investigated for 'pocketing' nearly another $10million from the Republican National Committee, the insiders added. A Trump insider explained to DailyMail.com that Parscale went into a tailspin after he was demoted in July and replaced by his former number two, Bill Stepien, as he's worried about the 'gravy train' ending and keeping up with his lavish lifestyle. DailyMail.com exclusively revealed on Tuesday that Parscale is currently under investigation for 'stealing' between $25-$40million from Trump's 2020 presidential campaign, according to well-placed sources Tim Murtaugh, the Communications Director for Trump's 2020 campaign, said in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'Its utterly false. There is no investigation, no audit, and there never was.' Steve Guest, the RNC Rapid Response Director, said: 'This report is categorically false. There is no audit or investigation of Brad at the RNC.' It was widely reported that the President lost faith in Parscale after a much-trumpeted campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma drew a dismal crowd, relegating him to his previous role in digital and data strategy. The well-placed source said just days later, Trump ordered an audit of the spending of the Republican National Committee. The probe appeared to be geared towards examining Parscale's handling of the campaign's money, the source said, putting the 6ft 8in aide under 'tremendous pressure'. The source explained: 'The thing about what Parscale did with the finances of the campaign could actually be totally legal. 'But Brad has tons of bills since his lifestyle picked up, and he sees the gravy train coming to an end.' Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, noted at the third central symposium on work related to Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region that thanks to strenuous efforts from all sides since the second symposium in 2014, major progress has been achieved in the work related to Xinjiang. The region has secured unprecedented achievements in economic and social development and the improvement of people's livelihood and people from different ethnic groups in Xinjiang have gained a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, Xi said at the symposium held from Sept. 25 to 26 in Beijing. Shawulbek Malik, a villager of Kazak ethnic group in Miaoergou township, Changji city, Xinjiang, has realized such achievements from personal experience. "My family has seen great changes over the years," he said, adding that they have moved to a new house, started a business, explored ways to increase the income and the kids have been able to go to schools near home. "We should follow the instructions and guidance of the Party and join hands to embrace a better life," the villager suggested. "Xi's speech has given us greater confidence about the path that we are taking, and made me more determined to win the battle against poverty," said Ma Jianning, a staff member at the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. who was assigned as first secretary stationed to Tuogelake Aigele village, Qira county, Hotan prefecture of Xinjiang. Ma has read carefully the reports on the third central symposium on work related to Xinjiang. By facilitating employment and developing industries, the village plans to lift the remaining 79 impoverished residents from 18 households out of poverty by the end of 2020. It is estimated that the annual per capita net income of farmers and herdsmen will exceed 10,000 yuan (about $1465.4) this year, compared with 7,215 yuan in 2019. "Xi's remarks have really met our expectations of Xinjiang," pointed out Kurbanjan Nizamidine, first secretary stationed in Tuowu Reqi village, Kaletale town, Aksu city of Xinjiang. "Xinjiang is about to usher in huge opportunities for development and we are all very proud to live in the region," the first secretary added. Underscoring the great significance of Xinjiang-related work to the whole Party and the entire country, Xi asked for improvement in working mechanism in which the CPC Central Committee exerts the unified leadership, the central departments offer guidance and support, other provincial-level regions render support and cooperation, and Xinjiang plays its principal role. "To continuously cement the great unity of all ethnic groups requires planning, promoting and carrying out various kinds of work around the major task of fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation," said Shu Yangwen, an official with the National Ethnic Affairs Commission. Shu emphasized the importance to help officials and ordinary people from various ethnic groups develop an accurate understanding of country, history, ethnicity, culture and religion and see that the sense of community for the Chinese nation is deeply rooted in the hearts of people. Jiang Xuelong, executive deputy commander of the headquarters of East China's Anhui Province in Xinjiang for providing partner assistance for the region, pointed out that Anhui has always considered providing partner assistance for Xinjiang a major responsibility of its own. In recent years, Anhui has allocated over 3.26 billion yuan to assist Xinjiang. It intends to further strengthen coordination and cooperation with relevant counties and villages in Xinjiang to improve the comprehensive benefits of partner assistance for the region. Qi Xinping, secretary of Party committee with the 6th division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) in Wujiaqu city of Xinjiang, thinks it necessary to "align our thoughts and actions with the CPC Central Committee's decisions and arrangements on work related to Xinjiang, continue deepening reforms, strengthen capacity-building of the XPCC for maintaining stability, and continuously improve its organizational advantages and ability to mobilize Xinjiang residents". Qi called for forging the XPCC into a top militia force in defense of the border line of China, improving its capabilities related to stability maintenance and contingency response, and establishing a strong force that helps maintain the security along the border. Mike Solomonov, chef-coowner of Israeli-inspired restaurants including Zahav, Dizengoff, and Goldie, happens to be a good friend of Frank Olivieri, owner of Pats King of Steaks in South Philadelphia. Frankie is still talking about their trip to Israel last year, where he ate a shawarma while FaceTiming his crew back at the shop. This happened to be one of many shawarmas the two ate. When Resy, a restaurant-reservation service, wanted to partner two chefs in eight cities for culinary collaborations called The Classics Remix, a Solomonov-Olivieri mashup was a logical choice. This is actually a repeat performance. Solomonov took the grill one night four years ago, and the proceeds of his sandwich went to Broad Street Hospitality Collaborative. Still, they met recently at Pats to firm up the build of the Israeli-inspired steak sandwich, which will be sold as a meal ($25) at Pats (Ninth and Passyunk) from Oct. 16 to 18. They must be ordered in advance via Resy. A first round of sales sold out within hours last week, but more will be made available at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. Solomonov arrived at the tasting with some ingredients that Pats otherwise would not stock. He got beef cooking on the grill and added shakes of the Ararat spice blend from New Yorks La Boite, which combines Urfa pepper, Spanish paprika, and fenugreek. He assembled a chopped salad of tomato and cucumber, added shipka peppers, put everything on the rolls, and spooned on thick tehina. This, folks, is not a cheesesteak. The sesame of the tehina hit the beef with a creamy nuttiness, and the salad popped in fresh brightness as the peppers added a pleasant heat. Solomonov and Olivieri took fries off the fryer, and sprinkled a batch with zaatar and served them with Goldie sauce (tehina ketchup). A Sprite with a dash of pomegranate and rosewater washes it down. Engineers from UNSW Sydney have crunched the numbers on green hydrogen production costs to reveal that Australia is in prime position to take advantage of the green hydrogen revolution, with its great solar resource and potential for export. The researchers identified the key factors required to reduce the cost of green hydrogen to become competitive with other methods of producing hydrogen using fossil fuels. In a paper published today in Cell Reports Physical Science, the authors show how different factors affect the cost of producing green hydrogen by electrolysis using a dedicated solar system and using no additional power from the grid. Without using electricity from the grid, which is predominantly supplied by fossil fuel electricity, this method produces hydrogen with nearly zero emissions. Being free of the grid also means such a system could be deployed in remote locations with good, year-long exposure to sunlight. The researchers examined a range of parameters that could affect the final price of green hydrogen energy including the cost of electrolyser and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, electrolyser efficiency, available sunlight and the size of the installations. In thousands of calculations using randomly ascribed values for various parameters in different scenarios, the researchers found the cost of green hydrogen ranged from $US2.89 to $US4.67 per kilogram ($AUD4.04 to $AUD6.53). It was possible to get even lower than this, the researchers said, with proposed scenarios approaching $US2.50 per kilogram ($AUD3.50), at which point green hydrogen starts to become competitive with fossil fuel production. WHY A RANGE OF PRICES? Co-author Nathan Chang, who is a postdoctoral fellow with UNSW's School of Photovoltaic Renewable Energy Engineering, says a common problem when trying to estimate the costs of developing technology is that calculations are based on assumptions that may only apply to certain situations or circumstances. This makes the results less relevant for other locations and doesn't take into account that technology performance and costs improve over time. "But here, rather than getting a single calculated number, we get a range of possible numbers," he says. "And each particular answer is a combination of a lot of possible input parameters." "For example, we have recent data on the cost of PV systems in Australia, but we know that in some countries, they pay much more for their systems. We also have seen that PV costs are reducing each year. So we put cost values both lower and higher into the model to see what would happen to the cost of hydrogen. "So after plugging all these different values into our algorithm and getting a range of prices of hydrogen energy, we then said, 'Okay, so there were some cases where we got closer to that $US2 ($AUD2.80) per kilogram figure. What was it about those cases that got it down so low?'" Co-author Dr Rahman Daiyan, of ARC Training Centre for Global Hydrogen Economy and UNSW's School of Chemical Engineering, says that when they examined the cases where the cost per kilogram approached US$2, certain parameters stood out. "Capital costs of electrolysers and their efficiencies still dictate the viability of renewable hydrogen," he says. "One crucial way we could further decrease costs would be to use cheap transition metal-based catalysts in electrolysers. Not only are they cheaper, but they can even outperform catalysts currently in commercial use. "Studies like these will provide inspiration and targets for researchers working in catalyst development." IT ALL ADDS UP The system and cost simulation model itself was built by undergraduate student Jonathon Yates, who got the opportunity to work on the project through UNSW's Taste of Research scholarship program. "We used real weather data and worked out the optimum size of the PV system for each location," he says. "We then saw how this would change the economics in different locations around the world where solar-powered electrolysis is being considered. "We knew that each location that would install such a system would be different - requiring different sizes and having to wear different costs of components. Combining these with weather variations means that some locations will have lower cost potential than others, which can indicate an export opportunity." He points to the example of Japan which does not have a great solar resource and where the size of the systems may be limited. "So there is potentially a significant cost difference when compared to the spacious outback regions of Australia, which have plenty of sunlight," says Mr Yates. LOOKING AHEAD The researchers say that it is not far-fetched to imagine large scale hydrogen energy plants becoming cheaper than fossil fuel ones in the next couple of decades. "Because PV costs are reducing, it is changing the economics of solar hydrogen production," says Dr Chang. "In the past, the idea of a remote solar-driven electrolysis system was considered to be far too expensive. But the gap is reducing every year, and in some locations, there will be a cross-over point sooner rather than later." Dr Daiyan says: "With technology improvements in electrolyser efficiency, an expectation of lower costs of installing these types of systems, and governments and industry being willing to invest in larger systems to take advantage of economies of scale, this green technology is getting closer to being competitive with alternative fossil fuel production of hydrogen." Mr Yates says it is only a matter of time until green hydrogen becomes more economical than hydrogen produced from fossil fuel methods. "When we recalculated the cost of hydrogen using other researchers' projections of electrolyser and PV costs, it's possible to see green hydrogen costs getting as low as US$2.20 per kg ($AUD3.08) by 2030, which is on par or cheaper than the cost of fossil-fuel produced hydrogen. "As this happens, Australia, with its great solar resource, will be well placed to take advantage of this." ### The Mumbai-based real estate developer will develop a residential project in Kalyan, Mumbai. Godrej Properties announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a well-located land parcel in Kalyan (Mumbai). The property is spread across 20 acres and will offer approximately 1,39,000 square meters (1.5 million square feet) of saleable area comprising primarily of residential apartments of varied configurations with a small amount of retail/commercial space. Kalyan is an established micro-market within MMR and this site is strategically located with multiple schools, hospitals, retail and residential spaces in close proximity, the company said in a filing today, 30 September 2020. Godrej Properties is engaged in construction and real estate development. It reported consolidated net loss of Rs 20.23 crore in Q1 June 2020 compared with net profit of Rs 89.87 crore in Q1 June 2019. Net sales slumped 88.6% to Rs 72.29 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Rs 635.88 crore in Q1 June 2019. Shares of Godrej Properties declined 1.37% to Rs 866.65. It has soared 71.29% from its 52-week low of Rs 505.95 hit on 24 March 2020. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China Aid head prays on National Mall, asks God to bring Communist China to repentance Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment China Aid President Bob Fu issued a prayer over China and the Chinese Communist Party, asking God to transform the country into a mission-sending church instead of a mission-receiving one. Fu, who was born and raised in mainland China and was a student leader during the Tiananmen Square demonstrations for freedom and democracy in 1989, was among dozens of religious figures and politicians who spoke at The Return: A Global Day of Prayer, which was held on Sept. 26 in Washington, D.C. He told thousands gathered at the National Mall that Washington, D.C., is the epicenter of spiritual warfare. He revealed that even today, Communist Party members in the U.S. continue to harass his family due to his activism. My wife ... called me and said the Communist Party ... agents, thugs, in the United States went to my home, right now surrounding, harassing my wife and children, he said. Fu then led attendees in prayer: Dear Lord, you raise up or tear down nations always for your sovereign purpose, he said. You have shown yourself repeatedly in the past 70 years under brutal socialism, communistic persecution. As Christians continue to endure severe harassment at the hands of the CCP, Fu prayed that God will use this time of suffering and persecution to bring about revival. I pray that you will make the Chinese church a mission-sending church in the 21st century instead of a mission-receiving church, he declared. Referring to the thousands of Christians, Uighur Muslims, and other perceived threats to the communist government who are being held in Chinas reeducation camps, Fu prayed those imprisoned for their faith would experience freedom and justice. He also asked God to curtail the Chinese Communist Party just like in 1989, referring to the Tiananmen Square demonstrations. He prayed for Chinas persecutors, specifically naming President Xi Jinping, who has vowed to sinicize or bring under Communist control every religious ideology in the country. May you have mercy on them [and bring them to] repentance like the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, for their hearts, for their evil deeds, for unleashing the COVID-19 virus to the world, and for their continued persecution, Fu prayed. China Aid is an international human rights organization dedicated to exposing religious persecution by the Communist Party in China and to promoting religious freedom for all in that country. In February, Fu warned that over the last two years, Xis war on religion has reached its worst in 40 years. He accused the president of turning faith into a tool for the indoctrination of communist ideology. For example, all religious leaders must pledge to obey the Communist Partys ideology in their pulpit before they can be allowed to practice their religion, Fu said. Additionally, millions of Chinese Christian children have been forced to renounce their faith by signing a Communist Party prepared document. Clearly the aim is to exterminate any independent faiths, he said, referencing not only the Christian faith, but the faith of Muslims, Buddhists, and others. This is a very, very serious signal, he said. Fu encouraged the international community to pay attention to the truth and spread true information about faith communities and persecution on social media. The Return represented a movement, an appointed time, and a specific day set apart for one purpose the return to God by humbly and sincerely coming before His presence in prayer, and repentance. The movement began Sept. 18 and ended with the Day of Atonement, Sept. 28. Speakers included Anne Graham Lotz, Jonathan Cahn, Dr. James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Mike Lindell, Alveda King, Kevin Jessip, Michele Bachmann, Kevin Sorbo, Gordon Robertson, Marcus Lamb, Bishop Harry Jackson, and others. OTTAWAErin OToole would like you to know he has some thoughts about China. The new Conservative leader has made a point of repeatedly mentioning the communist regime in Beijing, both during his partys leadership race and after his victory. For far too long, Canada has paid a high price with trade for communist China. The price has been too high for Canadian access to safe, reliable (personal protective equipment) in a pandemic. The price has also been to high for many Canadian workers, OToole said in his response to the Liberals throne speech, which notably had nothing to do with China. We will show the Communist Party in Beijing that we are a proud trading nation, but that the one thing not for sale is our values. Its received wisdom in Canadian politics that foreign policy does not tend to sway domestic votes. But OTooles repeated hammering of the Chinese regime may have more to do with domestic politics than it does Canadas place on the world stage. A recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute suggested that Canadians opinions of China have tanked over the last decade and a half, with just 14 per cent of Canadians holding a favourable view of the country, compared to 58 per cent in 2005. That sentiment was a rare one in Canadian politics that cut across party lines and all regions of the country. And it may have been exacerbated by Chinas early handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 84 per cent of respondents disagreeing that the country was transparent and honest about the virus. Just 11 per cent said Canada should increase trade ties with the economic superpower long a goal of the Canadian government under both Conservative and Liberal regimes. A senior Conservative source told the Star the party believes a tough stance on China will also be popular with the Chinese-Canadian diaspora in crucial electoral regions like the GTA and Vancouver. The source, who agreed to talk about party strategy on the condition they not be named, said OTooles criticism of China is driven both by electoral considerations and a desire to move the Conservatives to a more morality-based foreign posture. Plus its the single biggest foreign policy challenge facing Canada said Michael Chong, the Conservative shadow minister for global affairs. While Chong said its true Canadian elections are not typically fought on foreign policy, there have been exceptions referencing the 1911 election on reciprocity with the United States, and the 1988 free trade election. We live in an increasingly interconnected and turbulent world, and what happens outside of Canada is increasingly affecting Canadians in their day-to-day lives, Chong said in an interview with the Star Tuesday. Canada needs a different approach to China things have changed since 2016, Chong said, pointing to Chinas crackdown in Hong Kong, national security concerns, and Beijings trade barriers targeting Canadian farmers. In his leadership platform, OToole took a hawkish position toward China, arguing Canada needs to recognize the threat posed by the country, limit the role of Chinese state-owned enterprises in the Canadian economy, and ban Chinese telecom Huawei from participating in Canadas 5G networks. OToole also argued in favour of imposing Magnitsky sanctions on President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials should Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig remain in detention. Spavor and Kovrig, both Canadian citizens, were arrested in late 2018 on national security grounds in a move widely viewed as retaliation for Canadas detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States. Read more about: The next SpaceX Dragon Crew launch is set to proceed as scheduled on Oct. 31, Halloween day. Not so surprisingly, NASA seemed to have no superstitions regarding this date. Will it have an effect, though? SpaceX to launch Dragon Crew again On the exact date of Halloween, SpaceX is set to launch the renowned Dragon crew capsule into space. The SpaceX's Dragon crew made history this year being the first launch mission using a commercially-built and operated U.S. spacecraft. On Monday, NASA announced that the crew known as Crew-1 will soon have its 'Halloween' launch date. The team will be using a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida that will fly at the exact time of 2:40 a.m. ET (11:40 p.m. PT on Oct. 30). Florida Today said this night will unveil a full moon-- adding factor to the spooky night. After launch of Crew Dragons first operational mission with astronauts on board, SpaceX will launch its 21st cargo resupply mission to the ISS the first to use the upgraded version of Dragon outfitted for cargo missions pic.twitter.com/Bml6bGLgzV SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 29, 2020 Interestingly, the original schedule of the SpaceX Dragon Crew launch was meant on Oct. 23. However, NASA moved the schedule due to issues at the International Space Station. Are there any 'space beliefs' on flying in Halloween day? The Halloween day is not such a superstitious day for astronauts of the Dragon Crew. In fact, one of them points out that the day was perfect for their launch date. "I was very happy that it didn't move to November or December. The work that it has taken to get to this point with all of the things going on in the world, the difficulty of training and creating this hardware and software, the fact that we're still able to launch this fall is amazing and a testament to this great team," Victor Glover told FLORIDA TODAY. Who's ready to see the Dragon Crew celebrate 'Halloween day'? ALSO READ: Conflict with Starlink? SpaceX Announces New GPS III-4 Launch on October 2 While Starlink on October 1 This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Jamie Pancho 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A major industry superannuation fund has teamed up with fund managers responsible for more than $1 trillion to lobby Australia's 200 biggest businesses to hire women in at least 40 per cent of executive jobs. The 40:40 Vision campaign is led by 870,000-member strong HESTA, backed by IFM Investors, Aberdeen Standard Investments, BlackRock Australia, Ellerston Capital, Fidelity International, First Sentier Investors, Pendal Group and WaveStone Capital and aims to increase women's representation in the ASX200. Debby Blakey, CEO of HESTA, has ramped up the fund's lobbying for gender parity. Credit:Wayne Taylor HESTA chief executive Debby Blakey said gender balance in senior leadership roles was considered by the fund to be a crucial risk-reduction strategy for the long-term future of workers' retirement funds and other super funds would be encouraged to join the push. But the ramp up in activist behaviour from the super funds could further fuel tensions between super funds and policymakers. Assistant Minister for Superannuation Senator Jane Hume has been critical of super funds campaigning on issues like climate change, industrial relations and the economic recovery, which she says is overstepping their role of improving retirement outcomes for workers. Dr Ronan Glynn made the comments as he appeared before the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee this morning alongside Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, also saying that a 'significant improvement' would be needed before Dublin could be downgraded from Level Three restrictions. Dr Glynn said the opportunities and lives of young people had been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The narrative around Covid has changed dramatically over the past two months in this country and we evolved to somewhat of a blame culture, looking for the next target. The narrative around Covid has changed dramatically over the past two months in this country and we evolved to somewhat of a blame culture, looking for the next target, the next reason why we cant control this disease, and the latest one is young people," he said. Advertisement Ive been at pains for a number of weeks now to point out the fact that this disease has had an absolute disproportionate impact on the social lives, the education, the work, the employment opportunities, the relationship opportunities for young people. Level Three Speaking at the meeting, Dr Glynn also said that evidence is not yet there to support the downgrading of the Dublin region from Level Three restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19. Professor Philip Nolan and Dr Cillian de Gascun, who are senior members of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), also attended the meeting via video link. I fully appreciate the need for certainty, but what I would say is that the measures that were put in place last Friday week for Dublin will only be beginning to take effect yesterday, today, tomorrow. I fully appreciate the need for certainty, but what I would say is that the measures that were put in place last Friday week for Dublin will only be beginning to take effect yesterday, today, tomorrow, Dr Glynn said. But we do need to see significant improvement over the coming days in Dublin, weve not seen it yet. Speaking before the committee this morning, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly also defended Irelands testing system, saying the country has faster turnaround times than most other European ones. Hundreds of healthworkers The Health Minister also announced that the HSE will begin a recruitment campaign for 255 public health doctors, nurses, scientists and support staff in the next two weeks. The Minister said he would create public health consultancy posts and double the amount of public health professionals working in the health service. Yesterday, Cabinet approved the legislation necessary for this, and I will now be progressing it in consultation with the unions, he said. Mr Donnelly also confirmed that he had sanctioned 30 million for the continuation of supports for the nursing homes sector, the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme. The NHRC has issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the states police chief in connection with the gang rape of a 19-year-old Dalit women in Hathras district, officials said on Wednesday. The woman, who was battling for her life after the assault, died at Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance in connection with the gang rape and brutality of a 19-year-old women belonging to the Scheduled Caste in Hathras district", the rights panel said in a statement. According to reports, she had gone missing on September 14 and was found in a badly injured condition on September 22, and was subjected to gang rape and brutality in Hathras over two weeks ago, it said. The Commission has sent notices to the chief secretary of the state government and the Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh, the officials said. On September 14, the young woman had gone to the fields with her mother and went missing soon after. She was found later, beaten and tortured, her tongue cut as she bit it when the accused attempted to strangle her. She was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim Universitys Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday. By Trend Emir of the State of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. During the conversation, the sides discussed the issues relating to bilateral relations between the two countries. The Emir of the State of Qatar and the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan also discussed the issues relating to tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this regard, the Emir of Qatar called to calm the situation, and try to resolve the dispute between the two countries through dialogue and diplomatic means by protecting the interests of both countries and peoples. President Aliyev noted that on September 27, Armenia committed another military provocation against Azerbaijan. As a result of Armenia's heavy artillery shelling of the Azerbaijani residential settlements and military units along the line of contact, Azerbaijani civilians and servicemen were killed. Giving a worthy response to the enemy, the Azerbaijani army performs successful counter-offensive operations. The president emphasized that the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved only on the basis of norms and principles of international law, within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Former FBI Director James Comey Defended the Russia probe during Senate testimony as done by the book 'in the main' as he faced angry criticism from Republicans in the final weeks before Election Day. He was repeatedly questioned by lawmakers about ex British intelligence officer Chris Steele's 'golden showers' dossier, as well as alleged FBI misconduct during the probe. Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, a Trump loyalist, complained that the FBI used the dossier 'over and over and over' again even though they found it 'fundamentally unsound. Graham, a Republican facing a suddenly tough reelection in South Carolina, fumed: 'What do we do we just say that was bad, that's the way it goes? Does anybody get fired? Does anybody go to jail?' Graham said. Former FBI director James Comey testifies via videoconference during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, to examine the FBI 'Crossfire Hurricane' investigation He told Democrats: 'If it happened to us, it can happen to you.' Comey, the subject of a new two-part series on Showtime based on his bombshell book about the Russia probe and his interactions with Trump, defended the bureau's conduct overall while facing angry questioning. He called problems with surveillance of former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page a 'small slice' of the overall probe. A Justice Department Inspector General identified multiple problems with renewals of the warrant. 'In the main, it was done by the book, it was appropriate and it was essential that it be done,' Comey said. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a President Trump loyalist facing a tough reelection fight, grilled Comey on the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane Investigation Comey, who President Trump fired in 2017, testified by video link Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., listens, as James Comey, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, speaks virtually, rear, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, to examine the FBI 'Crossfire Hurricane' investigation. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool via AP) Comey was grilled about ex British intelligence officer Christopher Steele's dossier on Trump Former Trump campaing foreign policy advisor Carter Page He later added, 'The overall investigation was very important. The Page slice of it? Much less so.' Asked to respond Attorney General Bill Barr's comments that the FBI's Russia investigation was 'abhorrent,' Comey responded: 'I have no idea what on Earth he is talking about.' 'This was an investigation, it was appropriately predicated and opened that had to be opened and it was in the main conducted in the right way, picked up by the special counsel, lead to the indictment of dozens of people, and a finding by your colleagues in the Senate that the head of Trump's campaign was a grave counterintelligence threat to the United States of America because he was funneling in information to a known Russian intelligence officer,' Comey said. 'The notion that the attorney general believes that was an illegitimate endeavor to investigate that mystifies me.' 'To me this is a stunning failure of the system to work,' said Graham, a staunch Trump supporter. Several Republicans cited the case of a former FBI lawyer, Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty in August to doctoring a CIA email submitted with an application so that it said that Page was not an agency source, when in fact, he was. 'I know nothing about Mr. Clinesmith other than what I've read,' Comey said. While the FBI director was 'responsible for everything being done beneath' them, Comey said he was not responsible for ensuring the veracity of certifications he signed accompanying monitoring applications. He said he was 'enormously' proud of the FBI's work. It was his first testimony since information, also put out by Graham's committee, that the FBI had investigated a key source for the dossier for suspected links to Russian intelligence. Comey, making his first appearance before Congress since a harshly critical inspector general report on the investigation, repeatedly said he had been unaware of major problems with each of four applications the FBI submitted in 2016 to 2017 to eavesdrop on a former Trump campaign aide. He said he had been overly confident that the surveillance process was working as it should. He noted that the former campaign aide, Carter Page, accounted for just 'a slice' of the investigation but that he wouldn't have signed off on the surveillance had he known of the problems. The questioning of Comey, conducted with the election just weeks away, underscores the extent to which the FBIs investigation four years ago into potential coordination between Trumps campaign and Russia remains front-and-center in the minds of Republican lawmakers, who see an opening to rally support for the president and cast him as the victim of biased law enforcement. Comey's answers frustrated Republicans, who have seized on the FBI's reliance on Democratic-funded research in applying to a secretive surveillance court for warrants to monitor Page on suspicion that he was a Russian agent. The inspector general report, and documents released in recent months, have raised significant questions about the reliability of that dossier of research. The FBI nonetheless relied on that document 'over and over and over' again even though it was 'fundamentally unsound,' said the Judiciary Committee chairman, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a loyal Trump ally facing a tough re-election battle of South Carolina. 'What do we do - we just say that was bad, thats the way it goes? Does anybody get fired? Does anybody go to jail?' Graham said, before turning to Democratic colleagues and saying, 'If it happened to us, it can happen to you.' Comey was fired by Trump in May 2017, but in the three and a half years since, he has remained a prominent and complicated character for Republicans and Democrats alike. Republicans have joined Trump in heaping scorn on Comey, but Democrats havent embraced him either, angered by his public statements made during the Hillary Clinton email case that they believe contributed to her loss. The saga of the FBI's role in the 2016 election is the subject of a recent Showtime miniseries, 'The Comey Rule.' Democrats lamented the backward-looking nature of the hearing, seeking to make the case that the Russia investigation was valid and that the committee's time could be better spent on other matters. 'Most people think we should be talking about other things, except maybe President Trump,' said Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, while Sen. Patrick Leahy described the hearing as a 'political errand' for the president. Comey, the latest high-profile former official from the FBI or Justice Department to testify in Graham's investigation, acknowledged 'concerning' and 'embarrassing' problems in the handling of surveillance applications. 'I'm not looking to shirk responsibility,' Comey said. 'I was the director.' The FBI, for instance, did not reveal to the surveillance court that a key source for the former British spy who compiled the dossier, Christopher Steele, had disavowed in an interview with the FBI information that was attributed to him. The FBI also had investigated the same source years earlier over suspected links to Russian intelligence, according to newly released documents. A former FBI lawyer pleaded guilty as part of U.S. Attorney John Durham's ongoing investigation into the Russia probe to altering an email related to the surveillance of Page. But Comey defended the investigation, which examined multiple contacts between Russians and Trump associates during the 2016 campaign and was opened after a campaign adviser boasted in London that that he had heard Russia had damaging information about Hillary Clinton. 'In the main, it was done by the book, it was appropriate and it was essential that it be done,' Comey said. He later added, 'The overall investigation was very important. The Page slice of it? Much less so.' A Justice Department inspector general report did not find evidence of partisan bias and concluded that the investigation was opened for a legitimate reason, but Republican lawmakers have seized on those errors to cast broader doubt on the Russia investigation, and have released a series of declassified documents that they say supports the conclusion of a flawed probe. That includes information that national intelligence director John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman and Trump loyalist, said he has declassified even though he said he does not know if it is true. In a letter to Graham, Ratcliffe said that in late July 2016, U.S. intelligence agencies obtained 'insight' into Russian spycraft alleging that Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, had 'approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal against' Trump. But Ratcliffe added that American intelligence agencies do 'not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication.' Comey brushed aside questions about that document, saying, 'I dont understand Mr. Ratcliffe's letter well enough to comment on it. Its confusing...I really dont know what hes doing.' The Senate panel has already heard from Rod Rosenstein and Sally Yates, both former deputy attorneys general, and has scheduled testimony from ex-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. A pair of dodgy investment schemes link an Australian businessman to the upper echelons of the Cambodian Peoples Party. The daughters of one of Cambodias most notorious and long-serving generals acted as fronts for an Australian real estate fraud valued at roughly $100 million, according to a 2019 federal court order. Gen. Pol Saroeun is one of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens most trusted lieutenants commander-in-chief of the armed forces from 2009 to 2018 and now a senior minister. RFA has identified wealth and assets enjoyed by Saroeuns family across three continents, as part of an ongoing investigation into money and property that politically connected Cambodians have squirreled away overseas. In Australia, the Saroeun family was involved in a land bank. These are controversial investment vehicles that divide large tracts of undeveloped land into smaller parcels to be bought up by investors in the hope that one day planning permission will be granted for residential development, sending the value of the land skyward. The Australian government cautions that many investors lose their money to such schemes that are managed poorly, or even fraudulently. Saroeuns daughters Pol Pisey and Pol Sotheavy were embroiled in a scheme that was fraudulent. In July 2011, they were granted, for a nominal sum, five million shares in Aviation 3030 Pty Ltd, an Australian company established as a land bank. Last year, a federal judge ruled to shut down the scheme in response to a case brought by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. The LinkedIn profile picture of the founder of Aviation 3030, Hakly Lao. Hakly Lao Frontwomen for fraud Aviation 3030s founder is Hakly Lao, an Australian Khmer identified as having connections at the highest levels of the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, including with at least one of Hun Sens children. Lao established the company in 2011 after identifying a 240 acre patch of land in the Melbourne suburb of Point Cook that it purchased for 7.8 million Australian dollars (US$5.6 million) in May of that year. Two months later, the Pol sisters bought their five million shares, representing five acres of land, for a total of 50 Australian dollars (US$36). An equivalent allotment of shares would subsequently cost retail investors up to one million Australian dollars (US$715,000) a 1,999,900 percent mark-up on what the sisters paid. In finding against Aviation 3030 in March 2019, Justice John OCallaghan described Pol Pisey and Sotheavy as nominees for the companys founder, Lao. The generals daughters had seemingly allowed their names to be used to obscure Laos beneficial ownership of the shares from future investors. It is not clear what benefit the sisters derived from the arrangement. But it was only the beginning of a series of smoke-and-mirrors techniques deployed by Lao to dupe his investors. Three days before Pisey and Sotheavy were brought on board as nominee shareholders, Lao had already set in motion a pattern of self-dealing that would continue until Aviation was taken off his hands by the court nearly 10 years later. On July 15, 2011, AuDirect Property Group Pty Ltd, an Australian company beneficially owned and directed by Lao, entered into an agreement with Aviation 3030 that would see the land bank paying it millions of dollars in management fees. In registering the similarly named AU Direct Group Co Ltd in Cambodia, Lao gave as his home and the companys headquarters addresses also used in corporate registrations by Sotheavy and her husband Khiev Sokha. The Cambodian AU Direct is no longer listed with the Ministry of Commerce and records archived by U.K. investigations and advocacy group Global Witness offered no indication of the companys purpose. It is unclear how or when the Pol and Lao families first became acquainted members of neither family responded to requests for comment for this story. Explaining his decision to wind up Aviation 3030 and place the company in the care of administrators, Justice OCallaghan gave a laundry list of grifting by Lao and his fellow directors. Directors have issued to themselves and to their associates large numbers of shares at a gross undervalue; they have fabricated correspondence and invoices; they have provided false instructions to the companys external solicitors; they duped and misled investors; they entered into related party loans; and they made unauthorised and exorbitant expenditures, OCallaghan wrote. Aviation 3030 was established in 2011 after its founder Hakly Lao identified a 240 acre patch of land in the Melbourne suburb of Point Cook that it purchased for 7.8 million Australian dollars (US$5.6 million). Credit: RFA Decades of deception The Pol sisters were not the first members of Cambodias political elite to find themselves embroiled in Laos illegal business practices. In 2018, a year prior to Aviation 3030 being shut down, a similar Melbourne land banking scheme chaired by Lao was ordered wound up for failure to properly register with the authorities. The scheme, known as the VKK Investments Unit Trust, had raised 22 million Australian dollars (US$15.7 million) from investors. According to court records first reported on by Al Jazeera in 2018, among those investors was Kong Vibol, head of Cambodias tax department. In 2012, Kong filed a lawsuit against his fellow investors in VKK, as well as the schemes operator, Gem Management Group, which was owned and run by Lao. Amid allegations that the tax chief had deployed threats and intimidation against the defendants, lawyers acting for Kong were seeking a summary judgement of 4.1 million Australian dollars (US$2.9 million) in damages. Their application was denied 2014 and the case does not appear to have resurfaced in court since. In recent years, Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) has made a concerted effort to engage the diaspora community in Australia. In a speech to the Australian House of Representatives, parliamentarian Julian Hill said those efforts have included alleged involvement in serious crimes such as money laundering, intimidation and smuggling of heroin, cigarettes and alcohol. Outreach has also taken less sinister forms, such as the organizing of community groups and events. Formerly a CPP member, whistleblower Kalyan Ky was actively involved in those efforts in Melbourne. In 2014, Ky says she was invited to a meeting at a restaurant in the Melbourne suburb of Burwood by Hun Manith, director of Cambodian military intelligence and son of Hun Sen. In her recollection, there were approximately seven individuals gathered around the table, including Hakly Lao. He was at all the major events and also the first meeting we had with Hun Manith. They seem pretty close, Ky told RFA. He was more connected with the higher-ups than the ordinary members. The business interests of Gen. Pol Saroeuns family stretch from Cambodia, to Australia to the United States, RFA reporting shows. The accumulation of wealth across continents is a far cry from where the patriarch began his career -- as a cadre of the Khmer Rouge. He joined the revolutionary group in 1968, aged 20, and spent the next decade working for the eradication of private property, often through violent and inhumane means. According to a 2018 report by Human Rights Watch, between 1975 and 1978, Saroeun oversaw S-79, a Khmer Rouge prison, where members of the East Zone military accused of betraying the revolution were detained without charge or trial, often tortured during interrogation, and then arbitrarily either executed or held for re-education. Re-education took place at a workplace run by Pol Saroeun. An undated, archive photo from Pol Saroeun's Facebook page shows him (third from the left) pictured alongside Prime Minister Hun Sen (fourth from the left). Credit: Pol Saroeun If Saroeuns family fortunes are anything to go by, he has since abandoned the Khmer Rouges ideological disdain for private wealth. His wife, Noup Sidara, owns and manages a string of businesses across Cambodia. Those include several mines and quarries, many of which civil society organisations accuse of operating illegally and under the protection of military units commanded by Saroeun. His daughters also hold shares in and sit on the board of several Cambodian companies. Sotheavy was co-owner and director of an Australian company, Khamvuth Kingdom, until it was de-registered last year. The companys purpose, if it had any, is unclear and its Cambodian-born co-owner was not reachable for comment. Sotheavy and her husband, Sokha Khiev, also have a retail business in the U.S. state of Texas, where she owns a home valued at approximately US$200,000. In the March 2019 ruling on the Australian land banking scheme, Justice OCallaghan conceded that the Australian Securities and Investment Commission was taking an unusual step in asking him to wind up a company in which investors stand to make significant profits. A shadowy Chinese property developer, Dahua, has offered to purchase the plot of land for roughly 135 million Australian dollars (US$96.4 million), almost 20 times what Aviation 3030 originally paid for it. However, OCallaghan found that the regulator had made an overwhelming case that there is a public interest in the companys winding up, thanks to the the many and varied ways that the directors have demonstrated that they are unfit to sit on the board of Aviation [3030]. Despite the judge also finding that the Pol sisters were acting as nominees for Lao, they still retain their five million shares in Aviation 3030. If the Dahua sale goes through, Sotheavy and Pisey could stand to net between two and three million Australian dollars (US$1.4 million and US$ 2.1 million) out of the deal. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 23:33:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's former warring parties have been urged to hasten resolution of outstanding issues within the signed 2018 peace agreement to realize peace and stability after more than six years of conflict. Hua Ning, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan said he was pleased with the positive gains achieved since the signing of the revitalized peace deal in Sudan, but also urged the parties to move fast to conclude the remaining issues. "China hopes the various parties in South Sudan will continue to consolidate the fruits of peace, accelerate the resolution of the remaining issues, completely eliminate conflicts, and achieve national peace and stability," Hua wrote in an opinion published in the local Dawn newspaper in Juba on Wednesday. "We are pleased to see that breakthroughs have been made in the peace process in South Sudan this year, with the successful formation of a new transitional government, progress in the formation of local governments, and overall compliance with the ceasefire," he added. Hua disclosed that the peace process in South Sudan is promising but still facing many challenges. President Salva Kiir and his first vice president Riek Machar are yet to establish the transitional parliament, debate and pass the amended constitution and training and unification of the army despite forming in February a new transitional unity government. Hua said China is committed to working with all stakeholders to advance the peace process, develop the economy and promote people's livelihood. He said that the year 2021 will mark the 10th anniversary of the independence of South Sudan and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and South Sudan. "It is also the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. These are grand events for both China and South Sudan," he said. Hua revealed that China will provide 50 million U.S. dollars to the China-FAO South Sudan Cooperation Trust Fund, over a period of two years to help with COVID-19 response and the recovery of the economy. "Despite the adverse effects of COVID-19, China continues to actively promote cooperation with South Sudan in the fields of education, health, energy, and infrastructure, striving to improve people's livelihood and promote economic recovery," he added. In late August, the Chinese medical expert team arrived in the youngest nation to share their experience and practices with South Sudan on combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Beijing has already donated 3,000 tons of rice to South Sudan for flood relief and the unification of the army. He also added that China is committed to promoting a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation, firmly safeguarding the international system with the UN as the core and the international order based on international law. Enditem The OnePlus 8T runs on Android 11 based OxygenOS 11 out-of-the-box, the company has confirmed ahead of its launch on October 14 in India. The OnePlus 8T also supports 65W fast charging OnePlus 8T runs on the Android 11 based OxygenOS 11 out-of-the-box, the company has confirmed ahead of its launch on October 14 in India. OnePlus is also expected to announce as many as five other products according to the latest rumours, but there are no concrete details on what those products will be. Nevertheless, the company has also revealed that the OnePlus 8T is the first phone from its stable to support 65W fast charging, thanks to the Warp Charge 65 technology. OnePlus is currently running the OxygenOS 11 Open Beta program and is finalising the update for the public rollout thats expected to reach users in the next few months. More details about the public rollout should be revealed during the launch of the OnePlus 8T. Some highlighting features about this upcoming OxygenOS 11 update includes an Always On Display, a new visual design across the system, Zen Mode 2.0 and more. You can read more about the OxygenOS 11 here. Additionally, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has confirmed that we wont see a OnePlus 8T Pro this time as the company feels that there is no room for upgrade and it will continue selling the OnePlus 8 Pro as its flagship product. OnePlus 8T is up for pre-booking and most key specifications are out in the open courtesy of multiple leaks. OnePlus 8T leaked specifications OnePlus 8T is confirmed to feature a 6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution display with a 120Hz high refresh rate. There is a punch-hole cutout in the top-left corner for the selfie camera and the screen is relatively flatter than the OnePlus 8. OnePlus 8T is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and could be paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage or 12GB+256GB storage options to choose from. The phone is expected to run on OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, out-of-the-box. OnePlus 8T could come with a 48MP primary camera, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera that is housed in the punch-hole cutout. OnePlus 8T is confirmed to come fitted with a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging out-of-the-box courtesy of Warp Charge 65. The Mexico City Policy often referred to as the Global Gag Rule is a US government policy that requires non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are not based in the US and that receive US global health assistance to certify that they will not provide, refer for, counsel on, or advocate for abortion as a method of family planning. The rule also applies to any non-US funding that the organisation may receive. The policy was rescinded by President Obama in 2009 but then reinstated and expanded by President Trump in 2017. While prior iterations applied only to family planning assistance (US$575 million in 2016), Trump's new version extends the restrictions to nearly all US global health assistance an estimated US$9.5 billion which includes funding for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and maternal and child health. For example, it now means that an organisation that provides HIV care and treatment with US funding may not also provide safe abortion. The global gag rule includes exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of the woman; however, these are rarely applied in practice. For over 50 years US Global Health Assistance has provided support to developing countries around three strategic priorities: to prevent child and maternal deaths, control the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and combat infectious diseases. Kenya relies heavily on foreign aid to finance its sexual and reproductive health services. The vast majority of this aid ( 95% in 2018 ) comes from the US government. There are also approximately 71 active US global health awards to various NGOs that were subject to this rule. The African Population and Health Research Center, in partnership with the Global Health Justice and Governance Program of Columbia University, carried out a study to establish how Trump's expanded rule affected sexual and reproductive health services including family planning, safe abortion, and post-abortion care in Kenya. We found that in the first 18 months, the expanded rule's effects transcended the limitation of abortion care. It affected funding and disrupted collaboration and health promotion activities. It also strengthened opposition to sexual and reproductive health and rights. These losses weaken NGO support to the Kenyan health system and, we believe, will likely have a substantial impact on clients seeking sexual and reproductive health services. Our findings call for harm mitigation interventions by advocates, donors and policymakers in Kenya and the United States. Implications We drew our data from in-depth interviews conducted in September 2018 and March 2019 with representatives of 18 local and international NGOs. These implemented sexual and reproductive health, HIV or other health services. We also interviewed 37 health workers whose facilities received support from an NGO for their services, meaning they could be affected by the policy via these NGOs. We found that the policy had far-reaching implications. NGOs were forced to choose between providing safe legal abortion services and accepting US global health funding. NGOs that turned down US funding had to then find replacement funding from other sources. This led to health facilities being closed, frequent contraceptive stockouts, staff layoffs and salary cuts. It also led to the curtailment of community-based activities, such as community health volunteers referring women for services. In addition, NGOs that provided comprehensive integrated sexual and reproductive health services such as HIV, child health and maternal health reported closure of some components of their service delivery when they were forced to choose between US funding and funding for these other services. This meant that women encountered more difficulties obtaining these services. Ambiguous We also found that the Global Gag Rule is ambiguous (and confusing) (we believe purposefully so), leaving ample room for over-interpretation. This led to organisations reducing or ending services not restricted by the rule, such as post-abortion care, out of fear of violating the policy. The policy also emboldened opponents of sexual and reproductive health and rights and safe abortion. This stifled the efforts of those advocating for safe and quality care. It also compounded existing legal, policy and cultural barriers in the delivery of these services. Partnership disruption The Global Gag Rule created divisions between NGOs that chose to comply with the policy and those that declined to do so. This led to the disruption of existing coalitions and partnerships. In addition, some compliant NGOs no longer referred clients for permitted services to non-compliant NGOs. As one interviewee from a non-US NGO said: It's impossible to partner with a US-funded organisationWe are working in siloswe cannot work in the same space. Even in terms of being invited in meetings, you would feel like you are being stigmatised, in fact not invited in those places, yeah, because you do not believe in the Global Gag Rule, and you are pro-choice. What does this mean for Kenya? The US provides 55% of Kenya's development aid for health and 95% of sexual and reproductive health aid. In light of evidence of the effects of this policy, the US government should reconsider how it affects people living in different contexts. And the Kenyan government must figure out how to lessen the impact of the global gag rule on its health system. It is critical for the Kenyan government to look to its own policies and increase budgetary allocation for sexual and reproductive health services so that they cushion the impact of the global gag rule. In addition, policymakers in the US should work to permanently repeal the policy in light of ample evidence demonstrating its adverse impact. The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. By Boniface Ushie, Associate Research Scientist, African Population and Health Research Center And Sara E Casey, Assistant Professor, Columbia University Medical Center And Terry McGovern, Professor, Columbia University Medical Center New Delhi, Sep 30 : The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Wednesday wrote to Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde to urge the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the gruesome gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district. In a letter addressed to the CJI and other Supreme Court Judges, Maliwal said: "Even in her death, the Uttar Pradesh government was not moved by the pleas and tears of the victim. In gravest of grave violation of her human rights, her family was locked up in their home and her body forcibly taken to village fields at 2 am (on Wednesday) and cremated by police. No family member was allowed to cremate the body and the family could not be with their daughter in death." The development came amid the flak the Uttar Pradesh government and state police received after the bereaved family alleged that the 19-year-old victim was cremated forcibly on September 29-30 night. She had died in Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday. The DCW chief claimed that the conduct of the UP government and its police was a "matter of grave concern" since authorities tried for days to pass off the crime -- which occurred on September 14 -- as a dispute between villagers and tried to cover it up. The victim's brother had earlier told the media: "The police forcibly took the body for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the cremation site) by the police." However, Hathras police denied the charges and maintained that the family cremated the body after following rituals under the supervision of police and civil administration. Rachel and Ben Taylor have long been in the habit of watching the nightly news, but as Melbournes lockdown stretched from autumn into spring (with a brief winter respite) the Ivanhoe couple began to share their evening ritual with a new companion: their 10-year-old daughter Mabel. Mabel, who is in year 5 at Ivanhoe Primary School, has developed a taste for current affairs while trapped at home. Mabel Taylor has developed a taste for the news during lockdown. Credit:Simon Schluter We always watch the 7 oclock news and shell want to watch it now all the time where she didnt before, Ms Taylor said. Though the family will shield their daughter from the grisly reports, they are open about the latest updates on COVID-19. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed several shortcomings in the U.S. health care system. The illusion of reliable employer-based health insurance is crumbling; our safety nets have wide geographic variations; high-deductible insurance plans result in delayed care for people with chronic conditions; and underlying racial and geographic disparities in care are worsening.15 The United States spends far more on health care than any other nation, but our life expectancy has fallen behind.6 We must use the lessons of this crisis to better prepare for the next one and address the shortcomings in our health care system. We would have been better positioned to manage acute and chronic health problems during the pandemic if the country had already adopted Improved Medicare for All. Medicare has benefits uncommon with other health insurance plans. Patients can choose from a network that includes 93% of U.S. primary care physicians.7 Once adults are eligible for coverage, their age-specific mortality increases from the worst among 17 peer nations to one of the best (Figure 1).8 The multiyear gap in life expectancy between Black and White patients who require dialysis disappears when both groups are covered by Medicare.9 Medicare also does a much better job of controlling costs compared with private health insurance: during the past decade, Medicare's cumulative increase in per-enrollee spending was 21.5%, far less than the 52.6% average increase among private insurers.10 Enlarge Print FIGURE 1. Ranking of U.S. mortality rates by age group among 17 peer countries, 20062008. Reprinted from Woolf SH, Aron LY; National Academies; Institute of Medicine. U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. National Academies Press; 2013:48. FIGURE 1. Ranking of U.S. mortality rates by age group among 17 peer countries, 20062008. Reprinted from Woolf SH, Aron LY; National Academies; Institute of Medicine. U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. National Academies Press; 2013:48. However, Medicare is far from perfect. The reimbursement model for physicians is bewilderingly complex11; high levels of patient cost-sharing can bankrupt older adults; and the benefit design has significant gaps (dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, and audiology, among others). The Improved Medicare for All approach addresses each of these problems through a simple concept: fix the flaws in the current program, then provide it to all Americans.12 Improved Medicare for All would provide universal access to all medically necessary care. It would obviate the need to develop emergent funding strategies to cover screening, treatment, and prevention of a single viral infection, such as COVID-19, in uninsured and underinsured patients. How can we afford this plan? Administrative savings. Medicare operates with less than 2% overhead, whereas private health insurers often operate with more than 12%.13,14 The complexity of billing multiple payers adds tens of thousands of dollars to medical office overhead, and it diverts time from patient care to administrative tasks. Hundreds of economists declared that the United States would come out ahead economically under Improved Medicare for All.15,16 Compared with our peers in nine other countries, U.S. primary care physicians are far less satisfied with medical practice.17 A key driver of dissatisfaction is the moral indignity of knowing how to help a patient but facing insurmountable economic barriers.18 It breaks our hearts when a patient tells us, I'll pray and wait until I turn 65 and have Medicare. Medical bankruptcy would be scandalous in any comparable nation.19 Improved Medicare for All could help resolve the issue of excessive documentation. Electronic health records are one example of the unique administrative burdens of medical practice in the United States. A study of more than 10 million ambulatory progress notes in one record system determined that those written by clinicians in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates averaged 1,000 characters; the average number of characters in notes written by U.S. clinicians was four times higher.20 Adopting a single-payer system would not automatically shorten these to global norms. However, it would mitigate two drivers of excessive documentation: complex requirements for maximal reimbursement and legal risk protection. If reimbursement requirements were more akin to global norms, physicians could document based on clinicalnot economicneeds. If coverage of future medical care were guaranteed by law, patients would have fewer reasons to sue physicians. Simplifying administrative burdens would allow more time for patient care. A 2016 study found that in some U.S. medical practices, physicians spend as little as 26% of their time with patients.21 In contrast, family physicians in Canada spend 79% of their time on patient care,22 which could be one reason that more of them report being satisfied with their practices.17 In 2018, John Cullen, MD, then-president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, described U.S. medical practice as an incredible bureaucratic mess to get anything done for patients.23 At the same time, Trina Larsen Soles, MD, then-president of Doctors of British Columbia, said of the Canadian system, It's not a big hassle. I can focus on patient issues, not administrative issues.23 Although the political obstacles are formidable, family physicians owe it to our patients and our profession to join the fight for Improved Medicare for All. Address correspondence to Ed Weisbart, MD, CPE, FAAFP, at edweisbart@gmail.com. Reprints are not available from the author. The Main Stand at Warwick on a Trial Day with spectators. Photo David Pratt / dwprattracingphotography.co.uk HORSE RACING AFTER last week's double-header to start the new season, racing returns behind closed doors at Warwick tomorrow, Thursday, with an early start to the seven-race card that gets under way at 12.10pm, writes David Hucker. Wilmcote trainer Olly Murphy has declared all three of his entries in the opening Bet At racingtv.com Mares' "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle over the minimum trip of two miles, with former champion jockey Richard Johnson on the once-raced Fivetotwelve, suggesting that she is the pick of the trio. Pogo I Am won well at Stratford, but didn't seem to take to Southwell's brush hurdles next time, and hurdles debutant Marada, the choice from three entries for Dan Skelton, is worth a look. Point-to-point winner Es Perfecto, who made a pleasing start to his career over jumps when third to Hoi Polloi at Kempton Park in February, could be the one for the racingtv.com Maiden Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs, although the lightly-raced Tide Times is an interesting runner for Alvechurch trainer Ian Williams. Just four have been declared for the Join Racing TV Now Beginners' Chase with Getaway Trump the pick on official ratings. His first run since wind surgery saw him finish last of three at Fontwell Park, which doesn't inspire confidence, and past course winner Golden Taipan could be the one to be on for leading trainer Fergal O'Brien. There is a competitive field of 15 for the Watch Irish Racing On RacingTV Handicap Hurdle and trainer Jonjo O'Neill runs top-weight Bhutan from his two entries. Movie lovers will know that Miss Honey Ryder, played by Ursula Andress, was a character in Dr No, the first of the James Bond franchise, and the equine version, who got her head in front over hurdles at Huntingdon in February, is looking to follow up here. Champion jockey Brian Hughes is an interesting booking for Vancouver, but it's Calum Gilhooley, twice a winner in novice company, including a defeat of Templepark, who gets the vote. Global Tour never got into contention at Perth last time, but is a consistent performer and one to consider in the feature Class 3 Use The racingtv.com Tracker Handicap Chase, although dual winner Court Master, having his first run since wind surgery, might have the edge in receipt of 2lbs. Pink Sheets, a winner over the course last week, sets the standard in the Follow @Racingtv On Twitter Mares' Handicap Hurdle and Captain Morgs is the pick of champion trainer Nicky Henderson's four entries in the concluding racingtv.com Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race. Three foster children who had gone missing from the Lake Oswego area over the weekend have been found, officials with the Oregon Department of Human Services said Friday. The children went missing Saturday, officials said, and all three had been located by Thursday. No further details were provided. This story has been updated. -- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale Jayati Ramakrishnan of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this story. Akima CEO Bill Monet (R) Receives Wash100 Award from Jim Garrettson (L). This award is confirmation of the hard work and dedication that are at the core of our success at Akima, Monet said. Akima President & CEO received a 2020 Wash100 Award from Executive Mosaic for his leadership and expertise in driving company growth and securing major contracts across the government contracting sector. Monet was recognized for his leadership of Akima, a portfolio of over 40 companies and 7,500 employees dedicated to providing excellent services and solutions to the federal government. This award is confirmation of the hard work and dedication that are at the core of our success at Akima, Monet said. I am honored by Executive Mosaics recognition, and I am proud to lead a company of committed employees who deliver impactful results for both our customers and shareholders. The Wash100 is the premier group of private and public sector leaders selected by Executive Mosaic's organizational and editorial leadership as the most influential leaders in the GovCon sector. These leaders demonstrate skills in leadership, innovation, reliability, achievement, and vision. This year represents the seventh annual Wash100 award selection. Executive Mosaic lauded Monets accomplishments. His experience has expanded over 30 years in the federal sector working with federal, state, local and commercial clients. Monet has managed a range of programs under Akimas portfolio, including information technology, system integration, mission support, aviation, facilities management, and construction. About Akima Akima is a global enterprise with more than 7,500 employees, delivering agile solutions to the federal government in the core areas of facilities, maintenance, and repair; information technology; logistics; protective services; systems engineering; mission support; furniture, fixtures & equipment (FF&E); and construction. As a subsidiary of NANA, an Alaska Native Corporation owned by more than 14,300 Inupiat shareholders, Akimas core mission is to enable superior outcomes for our customers missions while simultaneously creating a long-lived asset for NANA consistent with our Inupiat values. In 2019, Washington Technology ranked Akima #38 amongst the top 100 government contractors. To learn more about Akima, visit http://www.akima.com. Facebook: Midland County Sheriff's Office One man died and a second man was injured in a shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon, according to a press release from Sheriff David Criner. Ian Zachary Ramirez, 26, died after an exchange of gunfire with Gunner Thomas Russo Duffy, 20, according to the release. Duffy was in stable condition Wednesday at Midland Memorial Hospital. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe As the largest voting jurisdiction in the country, Los Angeles County needs an army of election workers to run voting sites and process ballots for 5.4 million registered voters. For the general election, the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder's Office estimates it will enlist 16,700 workers, mostly to operate vote centers during the 11-day period when Angelenos can cast a ballot in-person. The first centers will begin to open Oct. 24, but the majority will be available during the following weekend, through Election Day. As of last week, the county had recruited roughly 15,000 election workers. "Those [people] have applied ... have engaged in training, have been contacted to engage in training, and have been provided training options," said L.A. County Registrar-Recorder spokesman Mike Sanchez. The goal is to finish the hiring process by Oct. 16, he added. "We are extremely grateful for the strong community response." Poll workers in L.A. County receive a stipend of $100 per day and $80 for mandatory training days. There's been a surge of interest this year in the usually un-sexy job of election administration. The spectre of a contagious virus, protests for racial justice and a tumultuous 2020 campaign season inspired many civic-minded groups to launch efforts to draft young people to become poll workers. (Younger folks are less vulnerable to COVID-19 than the older cohort who generally make up the majority of staff at polling places nationwide. But in L.A. County there has recently been an uptick in deaths and hospitalizations among young adults in their 20s.) Laura Mueller-Soppart says she founded her organization, Work The Polls, to galvanize people in their 20s and 30s after her own frustrating experience in the New York primary, which was rife with technical problems and long lines. "We're in a very precarious situation in terms of how we administer our elections this year," Muller-Soppart said. "The goal is to diversify the poll worker corps, so the burden doesn't just sit on those over-60 like it usually does." With that in mind, L.A. County has focused more of its recruiting efforts on local college campuses, said L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn. "We are making a much more concerted effort this year to recruit young people to be election workers, and it is paying off," Hahn said. "We wanted to recruit 3,500 college students and we have already far surpassed that goal with 4,500 applications coming in from local students so far." L.A. County vote center lead Steven Toro sanitizes pens to keep voters safe in Palmdale, CA on Sunday May 3, 2020. (Libby Denkmann for LAist) Another major pipeline for election workers? County employees who will be on the clock. [If you prefer to vote by mail, every registered voter in California should get a ballot in their mailbox starting the week of Oct. 5. Learn more through our Voter Game Plan.] In August, Los Angeles County Supervisors took an emergency step to ensure vote centers would have the necessary staffing. They voted to invoke the "Disaster Service Worker" program, which lets the county reassign its employees to different jobs in extreme situations such as an earthquake -- or a global pandemic. The plan includes "mandatory thresholds for each [county] department in order to fill all crucial positions," said Lisa Garrett, Director of Personnel for L.A. County. The county is in the process of identifying 7,400 employees who will serve as vote center staff or reservists. The emergency measures mean they'll be paid differently, too. In the past, county workers who chose to become election workers were paid their usual salary for the day, plus the stipend for vote center staff. This year, as Disaster Service Workers, county employees won't receive the stipend. Instead, many will be eligible for overtime pay (usually time-and-a-half) for working extra hours on top of their normal schedules -- which is typical of long shifts at vote centers that can range from 12-to-16 hours on Election Day. "County departments will pay the regular salaries of their employees assigned as [Disaster Service Workers] during the election and all overtime costs will be funded by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk," Garrett said. "The County continues to pursue additional funding and reimbursement sources for this assignment." That will include at least some CARES Act money to help local governments hold elections under threat from the coronavirus. Earlier this month, the Secretary of State awarded L.A. County $16 million in federal grant funding for election administration. DISAPPOINTED VOLUNTEERS If you're still waiting to hear back about your L.A. County poll worker application, you're not alone, according to Mueller-Soppart of Work the Polls. She says the majority of people who pledged to become election workers here through her organization haven't heard back from L.A. County. A possible bottleneck: the county implemented a new data management system to track poll worker applications, and that included introducing a new online portal for applications on Sept. 3. Mueller-Soppart says the new system went into effect after a flood of applications came in from Work the Polls and other groups, which were active over the summer. She only became aware of the new portal, Mueller Soppart said, after several of her pledged workers grew concerned about a lack of response to their applications and called the county. Members of the media got a preview of the Dodger Stadium vote center, opening up to the general public Oct. 30, 2020. (Libby Denkmann for LAist) "We learned that because of that shift, any new applications that did not already receive a login would have to reapply [through the new portal]," Mueller-Soppart said. "And when asked if there was going to be any kind of notification, or any kind of heads-up, the county let our pledges know that L.A. County would not be letting anybody know." The Registrar-Recorder's office acknowledged there are cases where would-be poll workers are being asked to re-apply, but said that's generally because third party applications didn't have enough of the information the county needed for recruitment and placement. "As we work through those applications requiring more information -- or as individuals reach out to us for follow-up -- we are filling those data gaps," Sanchez said. "In some cases, we are encouraging interested workers to complete the data on our new portal to have a complete record." Mueller-Soppart says she doesn't want young people trying to get involved in civic life for the first time to be discouraged. "We have gotten nothing but excitement back from L.A. County and from every county's office across the country," Mueller-Soppart said. "I really encourage everyone to meet their county halfway and just get [the application] done." New Delhi, Sep 30 : Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, the top Indian Army commander based in Leh who has led the Indian response in the LAC dispute with China in eastern Ladakh, will move out and take charge of the force's military academy. The current 14 Corps Commander based in Leh, Lieutenant General Singh, who was engaged in the military negotiations with China over the border dispute, will take charge of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun as Commandant from October 1. He is being replaced by Lieutenant General P.G.K. Menon, who is currently posted as Additional Director General of the Complaints Advisory Board (CAB) at Army Headquarters. He is in-charge of the service redressal system and reports directly to Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. Lt Gen Menon was also part of the recent Corps Commander-level meet between the Indian and Chinese armies. But Lt Gen Singh had been solely engaged in negotiations with the Chinese in five consecutive Corps Commander-level meetings. He also had been from day one looking after each and every movement of the force at the Line of Actual Control. It was only during the sixth round of talks on September 21 that Lt Gen Menon joined the negotiation team to discuss a resolution in the five-month-long standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. Lt Gen Menon has in the past commanded a division responsible for the China border and had a stint in the 14 Corps as Brigadier earlier. In the last meeting on September 21, China insisted that India vacate strategic heights on the south bank of Pangong lake first ahead of disengagement talks. During Corps Commander-level talks, China told India that they will not discuss disengagement in eastern Ladakh, where the build-up by both sides has triggered a war-like situation over the last four months, till the time India vacates strategic positions. Chinese People's Liberation Army troops are adamant to resolve the situation first on the southern bank where the Indian troops are in a position of strength tactically but India wants a roadmap for de-escalation all across Ladakh. India has strongly asserted that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) should be drawn out. India stated during talks that all friction areas including Depsang should be discussed for disengagement all along the LAC. "Why should discussions be restricted to one or two places when there is a massive build-up all across?" a top Indian Army officer said. India has occupied critical mountain heights on the southern bank of Pangong lake include Rechin La, Rezang La, Mukpari that were unmanned till now. These along with some others peaks allows India to dominate Spangur Gap under Chinese control and also the Moldo garrison on the Chinese side. This has irked the PLA which has made multiple attempts to dislodge Indian troops leading to instances of warning gunshots being fired. India changed the rules of engagement after the Galwan clash of June 15 where 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers were killed. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text OTTAWAThe last heart-wrenching minutes of Joyce Echaquans life and the racist slurs she captured on video took centre stage in Parliament Wednesday. But the national spotlight brought few answers for a grieving family and a community demanding action and change. In the Commons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said all Canadians were shocked by the callous disregard shown to the 37-year-old Atikamekw mother of seven. He called the actions of two unidentified female nursing staff the worst form of racism when she needed the most help. Trudeau was responding to New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh who raised the tragedy of Echaquans death, captured in a Facebook Live video recording she streamed from her hospital bed Monday, and apologized for her suffering. With her last breath, Joyce Echaquan asked for help, said Singh. This was an Indigenous woman who died at the hospital while the hospital staff ridiculed her. I am very sorry, Joyce, the last moments of your life should not have ended like this. The only racialized political leader in Parliament challenged Trudeau to pass from empty promises to real action to combat the systemic racism Echaquan faced. Echaquan documented the nursing staff in Joliette, Que., northeast of Montreal, hurling derogatory insults at her, dismissing her cries of distress. Swearing, they called her stupid as hell, only good for sex and said shed be better off dead. This is yet another example of systemic racism. It is quite simply unacceptable in Canada, said Trudeau in French. A rapid investigation is essential to establish if it was more than just simple racist words. We urge Quebec to take quick action and we will do our utmost to eliminate racism where it exists and to support people who are affected. In Quebec, where Echaquans death prompted vigils and outrage, Premier Francois Legault had already announced two investigations. On Tuesday Legault said one nurse had been fired, and the Quebecs coroners office and the local health authority are probing what happened. While the Quebec premier said the nurses comments were totally unacceptable, he denied systemic racism is at play. I really dont think we have this kind of way of dealing with First Nations people in our hospitals in Quebec, Yes there is some racism in Quebec. Were working on that, said Legault. Federal Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller welcomed the quick decision to hold an inquest, but said her death was not an isolated event. We know this person died in the hands of a racist, Miller tweeted, but we dont know the other conditions or events that occurred off camera. Thats why it is essential that there be a timely, transparent investigation to provide answers as to whether Joyce was subject to more than racist words. Miller told reporters a day earlier to consider that in British Columbia the health minister called an inquiry in June into revelations that emergency room personnel in that province placed racist and unacceptable bets on the blood alcohol level of Indigenous people before they received treatment. Miller said many Indigenous communities have a well-founded skepticism towards the health-care system resulting from events like the one weve just seen. This pattern has serious consequences and needs to be eliminated. Conservative Leader Erin OToole, making his first appearance in the Commons since winning the partys leadership, did not mention Echaquans name but highlighted Indigenous health in his first questions to the prime minister in his role as the leader of the Official Opposition. Returning after a 14-day isolation period due to his positive COVID-19 diagnosis, OToole focused on systemic gaps in health care, and challenged Trudeau over his inaction in meeting a recommendation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to measure and close the gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. The commissions 19th call to action urged Ottawa to publish annual progress reports and to assess long-term needs, focusing on infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services. Trudeau defended his governments efforts on reconciliation with Indigenous communities, saying it is delivering on clean drinking water, on commitments to introduce legislation on health care, adding he was encouraged to see the Oppositions interest a barb that later drew a retort from OToole, who underscored the efforts of all governments to address the fallout of residential schools on generations of Indigenous Canadians. For so many advocates, however, the promises and the political rhetoric are empty. Lorraine Whitman, President of the Native Womens Association of Canada, said she listened with horror and disgust to the nurses uttering racial slurs rather than going to Echaquans aid. It makes us wonder how many other Indigenous women are being subjected to this sort of abuse in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada but did not have the courage or ability to film their own distress, said Whitman in a written statement. She welcomed Quebecs investigation, and hoped the tragedy would spur the province to act on 142 recommendations of the Viens Commission which concluded last year that the province owes Indigenous people an apology for the way they are mistreated by the public service, including in the delivery of health care. Activist Cindy Blackstock, founder of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society Cindy Blackstock, tweeted condolences and a blunt conclusion: So sorry for her family. This is what systemic racism looks like and feels like. Implement the Vien Commission! Echaquans video showed two female hospital staffers entering her room as she moans in pain. They swear impatiently at her. You made bad choices my dear, says one. What would your children think of you to see you like this, eh? Think of them a bit. In the Commons, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said Without this racist contempt, perhaps Joyce would be still alive. Blanchet said it wasnt a question of who has jurisdiction, but one of our collective responsibility saying the time for reports and symbolic actions is over, and demanded justice pour Joyce Echaquan. The Bloc leader later challenged Trudeau to respect health care as a provincial and Quebec jurisdiction and unconditionally transfer increased funds for health care to the provinces. is scheduled to launch its Venus mission in 2025 and will participate in it, French space agency CNES said on Wednesday. The VIRAL (Venus Infrared Atmospheric Gases Linker) instrument co-developed with the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos and the LATMOS atmospheres, environments and space observations laboratory attached to the French scientific research centre CNRS has been selected by the after a request for proposals, it said in a statement. chairman K Sivan and CNES president Jean-Yves Le Gall held talks and reviewed the areas driving cooperation between and India in space. "In the domain of space exploration, will be taking part in ISRO's mission to Venus, scheduled to launch in 2025. CNES will coordinate and prepare the French contribution, the first time a French payload will be flown on an Indian exploration mission," CNES said in a statement. However, there was no comment from ISRO. After the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) and Moon missions Chandrayaan-1 and 2, ISRO has set its eyes on Venus for carrying out its inter-planetary mission. France and India share a robust collaboration in arena of the space. It is one of the three nations with whom India collaborates in the strategic sectors of nuclear, space and defence -- the other two being the US and Russia. In March 2018, the two countries also issued a 'Joint Vision for Space Cooperation'. India and France are also working on ISRO's human space mission Gaganyaan project, which aims to send three Indians to space by 2022. Since September 2018, CNES and ISRO have set up a working group focused on cooperation in the field of human spaceflight, the French agency said. "The two nations are pooling their expertise, notably in the domains of space medicine, astronaut health monitoring and life support. Initial exchanges have concentrated on training for India's flight physicians and technical teams and the supply of CNES flight systems," it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New results to be presented at the 12th European Breast Cancer Conference show that a test, which looks at the activity of 70 genes in breast cancer tissue, is possible to use in the clinic to identify patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) that is at high risk of recurring and progressing. Adjuvant treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or targeted therapies, are not usually offered to ILC patients after surgery as the disease is slow growing and often responds well to hormone treatment alone. So far, there has been little evidence that such treatments improve outcomes, but they can affect people's quality of life. However, the 70-gene signature test (commercially known as MammaPrint) identified some ILC patients whose genetic make-up puts them at high risk of the cancer recurring if they are treated with hormone therapy alone. These patients may benefit from additional adjuvant therapy. ILC is a type of cancer that begins in the milk glands (lobules) of the breast. It becomes invasive when the cancer cells start spreading beyond the lobules and has the potential to spread to the lymph glands and other parts of the body. It affects about 10% of people with invasive breast cancer. By comparison, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) accounts for about 80% of breast cancers in women. It begins in the milk ducts and grows into the surrounding breast tissue, and is often treated with radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapies such as trastuzumab and T-DM1, in addition to surgery. Dr Otto Metzger, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, told the conference: "The decision about whether or not to treat patients diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma with chemotherapy is difficult. Results from earlier research, which I carried out with Professor Christos Sotiriou while I was at the Institut Jules Bordet in Belgium, indicated that 10 to 15% of ILC cases were classified as high-risk at a genomic level. These had worse survival outcomes when compared to those classified as low-risk." In a statement before the conference, the principle investigator of the MINDACT trial, Professor Fatima Cardoso, Director of the Breast Unit of the Champalimaud Clinical Centre in Lisbon, Portugal, said: "In this sub-study of the MINDACT trial, we have investigated further the biology of ILC and have identified a subset of ILC patients who could potentially benefit from chemotherapy or other adjuvant treatments. Here we report for the first time the utility of the 70-gene signature test in a large group of patients with ILC in the MINDACT randomised phase III clinical trial. These results are important for clinicians to help them choose a precise treatment approach tailored to the individual patient. This work was possible due to generous support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation." A total of 6,693 women with early-stage breast cancer enrolled in the international MINDACT trial. Of these, 5,313 patients were included in the current analysis: 487 women had ILC, including 255 classic cases of the disease and 232 variants, and 4,826 had IDC. The tissue samples were reviewed by a central pathology service to ensure consistency in categorising the different types and variants of cancer. The patients were followed for an average (median) of five years after diagnosis. The 70-gene signature test classified 16.2% of ILC as high genomic risk and 39.1% of IDC as high genomic risk. By comparing classic ILC to variants of ILC, it classified 10.2% of classic ILC and 22.8% of ILC variants as high genomic risk. The researchers found that estimates for the proportion of patients surviving without the disease recurring (disease-free survival, DFS) or without the disease spreading to other parts of the body (distant metastases-free survival, DMFS) at five years were similar for both ILCs and IDCs that had been classified as high risk by the 70-gene signature test. DFS was 87.1% for IDC and 84.6% for ILC. DMFS was 92.3% for IDC and 89.4% for ILC. Estimates for IDCs and ILCs that the 70-gene signature test classified as low risk were also similar. DFS was 92.5% for IDC and 92% for ILC. DMFS was 96.5% for IDC and 96.6% for ILC. Dr Metzger said: "We found that DMFS and DFS estimates were similar for ILC and IDC classified as either low or high-risk by the 70-gene signature test. This suggests that the test has prognostic value for ILC. The incorporation of biological features defined by the 70-gene signature test in the treatment decisions for patients diagnosed with ILC should facilitate a complex decision-making process, that includes the extent of disease, other health conditions and patients' preferences." Chair of EBCC12, Professor Nadia Harbeck, of the University of Munich (LMU), Germany, who was not involved with the study, commented: "The results of this study show that the 70-gene signature test may play a useful role in the clinic when doctors are considering whether their patients with invasive lobular carcinoma might benefit from treatments such as chemotherapy in addition to surgery. "As only about 10% of patients with invasive breast cancer have ILC and, in this study, the 70-gene signature test classified only 16.2% as high-risk ILC, a retrospective series of patients could have failed to identify a potential benefit for adjuvant therapies from such a small sub-group of patients. This analysis of over 5,000 women with early breast cancer in the MINDACT trial is an important contribution to our knowledge of the best way of treating these women." ### Abstract no: 6, "Clinical Utility of MammaPrint testing in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Results from the MINDACT phase III trial", Keynote lecture, best and late breaking abstracts session, Friday, 13.15-14.45 hrs CEST, Channel 1 (Dr Metzger's presentation will be at 14.15 hrs). Within one month the grace period for settling a range of building violations will end, according to a recent announcement by the cabinet extending the deadline to the end of October. Fines collected in return for settlement will be used to provide services that benefit citizens, including building hospitals, schools, and government housing projects. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli has said the cabinet may extend the settlement deadline further should a large number of people come forward with new requests. We are not interested in demolishing buildings occupied by families, said Madbouli. Our goal is to codify the status quo and prevent anyone from being in violation of the law. MPs recently demanded another six-month grace period due to the economic situation of millions of Egyptians and their inability to pay the settlement fees, and some analysts believe the recent limited protests in some governorates were triggered by anger over the building code law. By the end of October, according to the cabinet, there will be a six- to 12-month period during which submitted requests will be examined and final decisions reached either approving or denying the requests. Hussein Al-Gibali, former first deputy to the minister of housing, said the settlement law was timely and sent several messages to violators, including that the state is serious about addressing the problems of the past and will place severe limits on building in violation of the law. He argued that the law is consistent with the results of research and studies carried out by the Ministry of Housing which show that building violations and slums increase whenever the authorities announce their intention to reconcile over past misdemeanours. Al-Gibali supports the states decision to be resolute in ending building code violations and disrupt a pattern of illegal building that for decades relied on a lack of will on the part of local administrations. But he warns of problems in implementation that include a lack of resources allocated to local administrations and a shortage of engineers. In some municipalities one engineer can be responsible for 10,000 buildings. The number of engineers in municipalities is clearly not proportional to the volume of construction underway that needs monitoring and supervision, he said. Al-Gibali also pointed out the lack of equipment needed to carry out immediate demolition orders and the absence of budgets to allow engineers to quickly hire registered contractors to implement demolition orders. Al-Gibali argued that strong and decisive local government was required to monitor and supervise construction given that studies over three decades have shown 80 per cent of building violations occur during the initial construction phase. It is essential, he added, that the government work with local authorities and empower them to put in place mechanisms that ensure building laws are applied. Mohamed Abu Samra, formerly of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), believes some violations building on lands on the banks of the Nile, historical sites or government land cannot be subject to reconciliation. Other violations, though, which do qualify for reconciliation, are all too often dealt with badly. Abu Samra argues that for the state to settle violations by collecting fines ignores how the illegal building impacts on the owners of property that was constructed legally. The value of such legal buildings falls when they are suddenly surrounded by slums, and the quality of life in affected neighbourhoods slumps. The settlement law, he warns, is flawed because it approaches the problem from one angle only and social and market value problems caused by the building violations are not addressed. Non-code construction invites inappropriate activities to the area, including polluting and noisy projects that lower the value nearby buildings. The settlement law, therefore, should carefully categorise all violations before settling them. Abu Samra also notes that the settlement law fails to clarify whether neighbourhoods where settlements are reached remain categorised as slum areas or will become regulated areas, which implies major changes to levels of infrastructural spending. The legislation allowing building violations to be settled expires one year after it was issued, after which building violations will be governed by the unified building code issued in 2008 which does not allow for any settlement for violations on desert or agricultural land. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the title: October cut-off Search Keywords: Short link: Pandemic, shmandemic. There was no way Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra music director Gemma New was going to take a pass on her New Zealand concert tour and pass up her New Zealand Symphony Orchestra debut this past August. The New Zealand-born News seven-date concert tour, booked a little over 18 months ago when the world was still in the old normal, was slated to begin in late August and spill over into early September. Her first of three programs, Beethovens Symphony no. 9 and some opera arias with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, was teed up for Aug. 22. Her two other programs were lined up with the NZSO. The Cadence concert for the Shed Series in Wellington on Aug. 28 and Auckland on Sept. 4 brought together works by Mozart, Brahms, Stravinsky, Schulhoff, and New Zealands Maria Grenfell. The Passion bill for the flagship Podium Series in Wellington on Aug. 29, Dunedin on Sept. 1, Christchurch on Sept. 2, and Auckland on Sept. 5 featured Tchaikovskys Symphony no. 6 and Elgars Cello Concerto with German cellist Johannes Moser. New wanted to open Passion with a work that, in her words, could carry the dramatic weight of the Tchaikovsky and Elgar. So, she chose Tu-mata-uenga (God of War, Spirit of Man) by Kiwi composer and clarinetist Robin Toan. This piece tells the Maori story of creation, where Tu split apart his parents, the sky and the land, so that the world could flourish, New told The Spectator. I had enjoyed playing this piece as a young (first) violinist in the NZSO National Youth Orchestra about 15 years ago, when Robin had become the inaugural resident composer. Prior to Aug. 11, New Zealand had reported 102 days without a single new case of community transmission of COVID-19. For the San Diego-based New, that meant all systems were go. There are additional risks involved with travelling this year, so I made sure to take precautions, said New. It was a relief to know that New Zealand had zero cases at the time of my arrival. I flew (from San Francisco) with Air New Zealand. The trans-Pacific flight tends to be around 12 hours, give or take an hour due to the wind direction. The airports I flew into were almost completely empty, as was the flight I took to Auckland. The government requires all those entering New Zealand to undergo 14 days of government managed isolation. And so, I was put into the (5 star) Auckland Pullman Hotel where they took great care of all their guests. On days three and 12, I took the COVID test, and was negative both times. However, on her final day of quarantine, community cases were detected in South Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a 12-day level three lockdown for Auckland and level two restrictions for the rest of the country. News Dunedin concert was deep-sixed as were all but two of her concerts with the NZSO. The Passion program was livestreamed on Aug. 29 by a physically distanced NZSO before an empty 2,210-seat auditorium in Wellingtons Michael Fowler Centre, NZSO principal cellist Andrew Joyce deputizing for Moser in his absence. The Cadence program was recorded, minus a live audience, for future broadcast. An audience presence gives all of us a lot of energy on stage, and it is a special and meaningful process giving music as a gift to others to enjoy and cherish, said New. But we were, of course, aware of loved ones and music lovers watching the concert at home and there was also a wonderful sense of camaraderie on stage as we worked together as a team. This past weekend, New had four dates with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra where she is principal guest conductor. All four one-hour concerts were given by a chamber-sized DSO in front of no more than 75 subscribers who followed strict health and safety protocols in the 2,062-seat Meyerson Symphony Center. Everyone played so sensitively and convincingly, and our audience was very appreciative, said New about the Dallas dates. I look forward to returning to FirstOntario Concert Hall to emulate this experience with our HPO musicians and audience. Catch News Passion NZSO livestream at https://live.nzso.co.nz/concerts/podium-series-passion/watch/. Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-01 03:45:06|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday confirmed Moscow's readiness to provide a platform for organizing contacts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts. Lavrov made separate phone calls with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, during which the Russian foreign minister expressed serious concerns over the ongoing hostilities. Moscow is ready to provide a platform for organizing relevant contacts, including for holding a meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, Lavrov said, according to a press release by the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Russian side calls for an immediate ceasefire and the de-escalation of tensions, as well as for the prevention of provocative and militant rhetoric. The need for an early return of the parties to the negotiating table was underlined, according to the ministry. Lavrov stressed that Russia will continue to make mediatory efforts individually and along with the other co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group to create conditions for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts by political and diplomatic means. A new round of clashes broke out on Sunday morning along the contact line of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes along the borders. Enditem From Net Zero ambition to Total Strategy Regulatory News: Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO, will present Total's (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT) Strategy Outlook in Paris today. The webcast of the presentation in English is available on total.com. Key messages of the presentation include: Increasing energy while decreasing carbon Growing energy demand and getting to Net Zero are the two global trends underpinning the Total Energy Outlook and thus the evolutions of the energy markets that Total integrates into its strategy. Total's strategy aims to transform itself into a broad energy company by profitably growing energy production from LNG and electricity, the two fastest growing energy markets, aiming to create long term value for its shareholders. In the next decade, Total's energy production will grow by one third, roughly from 3 to 4 Mboe/d, half from LNG, half from electricity, mainly from renewables. The Group will progressively scale up profitable investments in renewables and electricity from 2 to 3 B$ per year representing more than 20% of capital investments. Total confirms its ambition to get to Net Zero by 2050 together with society for its global business (Scope 1+2+3). On its way to carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050, Total will reduce the Scope 3 emissions of its European customers by 30%, in absolute value, by 2030. This decrease in Europe allows Total to take the new commitment to reduce the absolute level of the worldwide Scope 3 emissions of its customers in 2030 compared to 2015. In the next decade, oil products sales from Total will diminish by almost 30% and Total's sales mix will become 30% oil products, 5% biofuels, 50% gases, 15% electrons. Increasing energy in gases Total LNG sales will reach 50 Mt/y by 2025 and will double over 2020-30, creating value from scale, arbitrage and integration along the value chain. Cash-flow from integrated LNG business shall grow by 40% to more than 4 B$ in 2025 at 50$/b. Decarbonizing natural gas with biogas and hydrogen as well as continuing to reduce methane emissions will contribute to Total's climate ambition. in electrons Developing an integrated business model from production to sales through storage and trading, Total is targeting 50 TWh of net production and 80 TWh of sales to 9 million customers by 2025. Building on the strong dynamic in 2020, Total will grow as a world leader in renewables, raising its objective to 35 GW gross capacity in 2025 (70% already in portfolio), and has the ambition to add around 10 GW per year beyond, as it managed to do in 2020. Renewables and electricity are expected to deliver a predictable cash flow of more than 1.5 B$ per year by 2025. and privileging value over volume in oil Total will focus on low cost oil projects, privileging value over volume and develop its portfolio of oil projects, all with profitability above 15% at 50$/b, while ensuring consistency for Capex allocation with climate ambition. Adapting energy sales to market evolution and engaging in the mobility revolution As recently demonstrated with the Lindsey refinery divestment and the transformation of Grandpuits refinery into a zero oil platform, Total will adapt refining capacity and sales to demand, particularly in Europe. In the same time, it will further increase its biofuels productions and sales as demand for such renewable products is supported by policies aiming to get to Net Zero. Renewable diesel production is expected to reach more than 2 Mt/y by 2025. The Group is also committing more than 1 B$ over the next ten years to the e-mobility revolution by investing in battery manufacturing and EV charging with a target of 150,000 charge points by 2025. Resilience Growth underpinning compelling investment case In the current uncertain environment, Total remains focused on what it controls and specifically on the pillars that enable the Group to resist the crisis: HSE, delivery, costs and cash, with a view to continuously improve its organic breakeven below 25 $/boe. Discipline and flexibility will be maintained on capital investments with 13-16 B$ over 2022-25 assuming an oil price between 50 and 60 $/b. Considering the short-term uncertainty and low price environment, capital investment for 2021 should be under 12 B$. Cost reduction efforts will be accelerated and increased to 2 B$ by 2023. Accelerating its shift toward low carbon businesses while growing its Upstream production by around 2% per year between 2019 and 2025, mainly over 2022-25, the Group confirms a cash flow growth of 5 B$ by 2025 and a ROE greater than 10% in a 50 $/b environment. Based on this outlook and given the resilience shown by the Group, the Board reaffirms its confidence in the Group's fundamentals and confirms that the dividend is supported at 40 $/b. Beyond serving the dividend, priority will be given to bringing gearing below 20%. Furthermore, the Board is convinced that Total, with its strategy to become a multi-energy company while offering a high yield dividend, is a compelling investment case supporting stock rerating. Following the Strategy Outlook presentation, there will be a series of thematic presentations made by members of the Executive Committee: Becoming a world leader in renewables by Philippe Sauquet, President Gas, Renewables Power The mobility revolution A worldwide ambition in biofuels by Bernard Pinatel, President Refining Chemicals Engaging in the electric mobility revolution by Alexis Vovk, President Marketing Services About Total Total is a broad energy Group, which produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major. Cautionary note This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TOTAL SE directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL SE has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total", "Total Group" and Group are sometimes used for convenience. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TOTAL SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005496/en/ Contacts: Total Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 l presse@total.com l @TotalPress Investor Relations: +44 (0)207 719 7962 l ir@total.com In his weekly report on the situation of the pandemic in Mexico, the undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo Lopez-Gatell commented that the country has recorded eight consecutive weeks with a decrease in the COVID-19 epidemic. "There are eight consecutive weeks that the epidemic intensity is decreasing, considering the number of infected people," he said. According to the official, since the last week of July there has been a 59% reduction in cases, which at this time is 39%. He also explained that 27 of the 32 Mexican states have managed to reduce the epidemic, with Campeche being the first to go to the green light. You may be interested: 'The end of the spread of the virus is not yet in sight,' says the UN Secretary General The undersecretary explained that we have been eight weeks and that "we are passing the ninth" with a sustained reduction in the number of positive cases of the disease that has plagued the world. However, he asked to be careful in the lack of definition since the pandemic has not ended. On the other hand, he encouraged citizens to appear at the corresponding health centers in case of noticing symptoms of COVID-19. Remember to maintain the recommended social distance, constant hand washing, and use the face mask in the correct way. Take care of yourself and let's all take care of ourselves! Related: Kavak se convierte en la primera startup mexicana en convertirse en 'unicornio' Kavak becomes the first Mexican startup to become a 'unicorn' Lopez-Gatell afirmo que el brote de COVID-19 en Mexico sigue a la baja Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved WASHINGTON - A two-page White House memo that directed federal agencies to halt "un-American" and "divisive" employee training has led to widening confusion and cancellations across the government, as stumped officials are unsure how to respond but fearful of backlash from President Donald Trump. The directives have proved so divisive that they became a flash point in the presidential race Tuesday night, with the candidates clashing over Trump's intentions. "I ended it because a lot of people were complaining that they were asked to do things that were absolutely insane, that it was a radical revolution that was taking place in our military, in our schools all over the place," Trump said. "And you know it. And so does everybody." Democratic nominee Joe Biden alleged, however, that Trump had a much different motive for banning the trainings: "He's a racist." Their comments came one day after the White House issued its second set of guidelines on the attempted bans. The guidelines outlined how the government would retaliate against those who did not follow the new restrictions. They have raised numerous questions inside government agencies about how to proceed. It also triggered a backlash within the White House's Office of Management and Budget, with some career employees complaining policy is being set based on what the president sees on conservative cable networks - and OMB officials are happily going along with it. Russell Vought, OMB's director, updated the administration's guidance after the National Park Service sent agency officials a memo last week suspending hundreds of training programs while it tried to understand how to comply with the order, according to emails and documents reviewed by The Washington Post. It would later narrow the list of suspended courses, but some employees said they still included ones on sexual harassment, tribal consultation and how to respond to people with disabilities. The White House orders have led to scrambling throughout the government. Meanwhile, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the government's second-largest agency and among the most decentralized, abruptly canceled a diversity training program at the VA hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla. This decision was made by the agency's Washington headquarters after a conservative activist flagged the event on Twitter. The chain of events stems from a Sept. 4 memo Vought issued, which said Trump had asked him to stop federal agencies from giving employee trainings on "white privilege" and critical race theory. Vought cast this approach as "divisive" and "un-American." The White House issued the memo after Fox News ran a number of segments criticizing "diversity and inclusion" efforts in the federal government. Trump saw one of the cable news programs and asked aides, "What is this crap?" an administration official said, describing his reaction, and he directed OMB to cancel the seminars. Trump saw the matter as a winning campaign issue. Within days, a guest on Fox News who raised the issue had been called, Vought had been summoned to the Oval Office, and the memo from OMB had been drafted. It was released late on a Friday night. Trump followed up with an executive order last week barring federal contractors from using workplace training that includes what he called "race or sex stereotyping or any form of race or sex scapegoating." The president has also asked other aides what else can be done to make sure agencies are complying. The White House directives attempt to create significant penalties for federal agencies that don't comply, which is one reason that some agencies are scrambling to understand what to do. For example, the order and memo purport to allow agency officials to discipline employees who approve certain training sessions. And the OMB memo also encourages federal employees to report such training to agency inspector general offices. On Tuesday, Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform wrote to Vought requesting documents and information about the OMB memo and Trump's order, saying they "exhibited a level of ignorance rarely seen at executive levels in government or the private sector." "Banning such trainings as the OMB memorandum and Executive Order do threatens to undermine decades of equal employment opportunity efforts and blindfold policymakers who should be working to eliminate racial disparities in health care, employment, and other critical sectors of society," the lawmakers wrote. Trump's effort to block the training sessions fits into one of his campaign themes, which is that the country - and the federal government - is focusing too much attention on being politically correct and grappling with its history of racism. His abrupt effort to dismantle the training programs has created something of a mess, however. Vought's guidance from Monday attempts to clarify OMB's earlier memo and Trump's executive order, saying agencies not only need to scrutinize their own trainings but also should consider cutting off any outside vendors that conduct "divisive" ones outlined in any future federal contract. "Contractors who are found to have provided training for agency employees that teaches, advocates, or promotes the divisive concepts specified in the E.O. in violation of the applicable contract will be considered for suspension and disbarment procedures," he wrote in the memo, obtained by The Post. It also states, "Federal contractors are to be required to represent that they will not conduct such trainings for their own employees, with potential sanctions for noncompliance." The new guidance says federal employees who do not comply with the order will face "consequences, which may include adverse action," and suggests senior officials encourage their employees to report any trainings that appear to violate the director to their agency's office of inspector general. The memo directs agencies to review their diversity trainings to determine whether they teach that "the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist or that an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive." It suggests agencies search their procurement data for keywords including "critical race theory," "white privilege," "intersectionality," "systemic racism," "positionality," "racial humility" and "unconscious bias." Several independent and government-funded analyses have found the federal government lacks representation of people of color in senior positions. In July, the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service wrote that while 46 percent of full-time, entry-level employees in the federal civil service are people of color, they make up only 22 percent of the Senior Executive Service, the highest levels of the federal government's leadership. Similarly, the Government Accountability Office found in two reports this year that in the State Department and USAID, racial and ethnic minorities were less likely to be promoted than their White colleagues, even with similar jobs or years of service. In the weeks after the Sept. 4 memo was issued, it wasn't immediately clear to some agencies just how broad of an edict it was meant to be, and some of them quickly took broad steps to halt trainings even tangentially related to those targeted by Trump. In an email on Sept. 22, Park Service official Marlon Taubenheim told other senior leaders that human resources and civil rights officials were assessing "learning objectives" for courses listed on a spreadsheet attached to the email. Until that assessment is complete, he wrote, managers were asked to "refrain from conducting/delivering any of the trainings on this list to prevent non-compliance with the OMB directive." These include trainings related to diversity, sexual harassment and other workplace issues. Taubenheim later sent a second email the same day with an amended, narrower list of suspended courses, though there was dispute even a week later on what exact list of programs remained suspended. Several people familiar with the agency said courses on sexual harassment and other workplace concerns are no longer being held, but an agency spokeswoman insisted they are. "Trainings on issues including harassment, disabilities and other trainings will proceed," said the spokeswoman, Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles. The courses Park Service employees said remain suspended included ones on racial sensitivity, which have been the main target of Trump's ire, but also a broad swath of trainings that appear aimed at ensuring equal access to park facilities and a safe workplace, with titles like "Responding to Visitors Who Are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Blind or With Low Vision," "Equal Opportunity for Supervisors and Managers," "Interrupting Inappropriate and Offensive Language and Behavior," and "Tribal Consultation and the NPS." Park Service employees are sensitive to these issues because of the way the agency has struggled to deal with them in the past. The Park Service reached a settlement agreement in 2014 with a nonprofit advocacy group over access for people with mobility and vision disabilities to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The agency has been plagued with sexual harassment allegations for nearly two decades, and Trump administration officials have pledged to take steps to tackle the problem. Roughly 40% of the Park Service's workforce is female. At Grand Canyon, for example, investigators found in 2016 that male employees pressured female colleagues for sex during long trips down the Colorado River and retaliated against them if they refused. Several people familiar with the agency said they worried officials and employees will be afraid to take any efforts to solve endemic problems with how the Park Service workforce is treated, for fear of falling afoul of the White House. "This will have a chilling effect on staff who are facing discrimination, sexual harassment, and racial bias among other difficult situations," Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association, said of the decision to pause the courses. As part of the effort to address the scandals, the Park Service's then-deputy director, Daniel Smith, issued a 2018 order laying out employee and manager responsibilities in an effort to eliminate harassment. But a course educating employees about that order, titled "Director's Order (DO) #16E: National Park Service Anti-Harassment Policy," is now on the list of suspended courses, an employee said. "(Director's Order) 16E is the bedrock of the Park Service's requirement to address these major, major incidents and I don't understand at all why it's on the list," said one Park Service employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the news media. VA's diversity training session, called the "Race Cafe," was to include a discussion of 'microaggressions," and executives were to sign an "equity pledge" to treat all employees fairly. After one VA official defended the program as basic diversity training, senior executives apparently thought differently and canceled it outright. "VA is fully adhering to President Trump's directive, and the event at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is no longer scheduled," spokeswoman Christina Mandreucci said in an email on Monday, adding, "VA treats all Veterans and employees equally and with the utmost respect." The Environmental Protection Agency, for its part, suspended a speaker series open to all of its staff focused on environmental justice just days after EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler identified the issue as one of his top priorities. The hour-long seminar, which was slated to take place Sept. 15 as part of a broader "Structural Racism and Environmental Justice" series, planned to focus on how discriminatory bank lending practices decades ago continue to shape racial disparities and housing patterns today. The decision to put the talk on hold, which was first reported by Politico, came a week and a half after Wheeler gave a talk at the Richard Nixon Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, Calif., in which he said the EPA "needs to be more effective in addressing the environmental burdens that communities face. . . . Many of the sites EPA has responsibility for are in some of the most disadvantaged communities in this country." "We intend to comply with the executive order and its guidance," said EPA spokesman James Hewitt in an email Tuesday. A senior administration official said the White House had been "extraordinary clear" about how agencies should proceed in the memos and executive order. "The directive specifically allows for diversity trainings - not critical race theory trainings," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the internal deliberations. "Further, the Administration has been in contact with agencies fielding any questions if there are any - if folks are confused, perhaps they should read the memo or reach out." - - - The Washington Post's Carol D. Leonnig contributed to this report. Gov. Gina Raimondo announced on Wednesday that Rhode Island will be celebrating Halloween this year, but trick-or-treating will look a bit different. Livestock, Wildlife Health Focus of UW Position Kerry Sondgeroth The Riverbend Endowed Professor of Wildlife-Livestock Health position at the University of Wyoming has the potential to have an immense benefit on the states livestock and wildlife, says the faculty member appointed to the position. Kerry Sondgeroth, an associate professor and a veterinary bacteriologist in the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL), accepted the position this month. She says she hopes the position will build a solid reputation at UW for wildlife-livestock health and bring awareness to the diseases being studied. The position is a five-year appointment. I hope this is the beginning of great things to come, with benefits to other researchers, students and, of course, our livestock and wildlife health in the state of Wyoming, says Sondgeroth, who joined the UW Department of Veterinary Sciences in 2014. Tim Mellon donated the Riverbend Ranch west of Laramie to the UW Foundation in 2011, with proceeds of its eventual sale earmarked to establish the position in the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Sondgeroth says the position can be a middle ground to gain understanding of certain diseases to protect the health of wildlife, livestock and humans. There is strength in a team approach and understanding that all voices matter, she says. Change is always difficult but, in working together, I think we can establish better relationships between researchers and stakeholders, Sondgeroth says. My hope is that this position becomes one that is respected by both livestock and wildlife interest groups as an expert in disease, not favoring one stakeholder group over another. Sondgeroth received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Colorado State University in 2006 and was a post-DVM graduate student from 2006-2013 at Washington State University, in Pullman, Wash., receiving her Ph.D. in veterinary science in 2013. She grew up in Wyoming and is an alumna of Jackson Hole High School. Sondgeroth says her training and position as the only veterinary bacteriologist in Wyoming provide exposure to many bacterial diseases across the state that are of interest to livestock producers and wildlife interest groups. It has given me the opportunity to collaborate with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department as well as cattle and sheep producers across the state, she says. I have learned what diseases are important to the state and have worked hard to improve the diagnostic testing for bacteria at the WSVL. She says the position will: -- Help provide hands-on research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students. -- Train graduate students on diseases that affect both livestock and wildlife using new technology to answer novel research questions. -- Connect/build collaborations with other researchers at UW, across the country and internationally who are interested in wildlife/livestock health. Graduate and undergraduate research student support is of particular interest to Sondgeroth. This is really important to me, as funding in wildlife/livestock research is difficult to find, but the questions we are trying to answer are really important, Sondgeroth says. The Riverbend endowment is funding four pilot projects, says Jonathan Fox, head of the UW Department of Veterinary Sciences. The total funded amount from the Riverbend fund equates to about $190,000 per year for the first two years, he says. After that, we should have funds for another request for proposals. Researchers -- all in the UW Department of Veterinary Sciences -- and their projects are: -- Assistant Professor Berit Bangoura, Parasitic nematode prevalence and transmission dynamics at the Wyoming wildlife-livestock interface with special respect to anthelmintic drug resistance distribution in ruminants. -- Assistant Professor Jennifer Malmberg, Whole genome characterization of Mycoplasma bovis in wildlife and livestock. -- Associate Professor Brant Schumaker, Bioeconomic analysis of management options for chronic wasting disease and brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Area. -- Sondgeroth, Characterization of bacteria that cause disease in livestock and bighorn sheep. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has told the Bombay high court that if a person does not disclose the fact of drug consumption by another person, it will amount to harbouring of an offender. The NCB made the submission on Tuesday to justify the invocation of Section 27A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against film actor Rhea Chakrabory and four others in relation to alleged drug procurement for late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Section 27A deals with financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders, and attracts a punishment in the range of ten to twenty years of rigorous imprisonment. The lawyers for Rhea and other co-accused submitted that the accused cannot be said to have harboured Sushant as he was living in his own apartment and also Sushant was not under the apprehension of arrest at any point of time. Responding to this, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh submitted on behalf of the NCB : If somebody known to me is consuming drugs...consumption is illegal..and I am not telling this to anyone...not disclosing it to police...then it can be brought under the definition of harbouring(under Section 27A). Justice SV Kotwal asked if it was necessary to make arrest always under the NDPS cases if the intention is to reform drug addicts. Singh replied, any person who procures drugs needs to be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Act for deterrent effect. He also said that in drug cases, recovery is not necessary and if the court sees the entire syndicate, drugs were not delivered only to Sushant. Brother of Rhea was in contact with every drug dealer. The person (Sushant) may not be alive. But that does not mean that the offence goes, he added. Refuting the NCB allegation that Rhea, along with her brother Showik, financed the drug purchases of her boyfriend and late actor Sushant , her lawyer Satish Maneshinde told the Bombay high court that Rajput was in no dearth of funds. President Donald Trump's tax records should not be disclosed to the public without his consent, as stated in Section 6203 of the tax code, according to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Following a report that came out on the New York Times regarding Trump's tax records, the Senate Republicans are under pressure to delve into the documents. However, Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said that any effort of the Senate to obtain and disclose Trump's tax records, while the election is upcoming, could be a violation of the internal revenue code. Under Section 6203 of the tax code, individual and business tax returns are confidential. It further stated that information on those tax returns should not be disseminated by federal officers or employees without the taxpayer's consent. Grassley's reply to reporters asking if he would be seeking to obtain Trump's tax records seem to indicate that he is worried that they would be used for political purposes as the November 3 election nears. According to the New York Times, Trump had not paid any federal income taxes in 11 of the past 18 years. The report also stated that Trump claimed a $72.9 million tax refund that is now the subject of an IRS audit. The Times continued that Trump owed $421 million in loans that will be due in four years time. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had said that this raises a question in the national security. However, Grassley's committee seemed hesitant to get its hands on Trump's tax records. The senator said that he had checked, and that Section 6103 of the tax revenue code does not allow tax returns to be used for political purposes. Grassley's committee may have an exemption as the law provides an exception for congressional committees with jurisdiction over taxes. However, a report published in 2019 on the Congressional Research Service stated that a congressional inquiry must only request for tax records to further a legislative purpose. The report further noted that the Congress does not have the power to obtain private tax records when the intention of its inquiry is not for legislation. Last July, the Supreme Court had ruled that the Congress could not review Trump's tax records. They must first scrutinize whether the congressional request is justified by a legislative interest balanced with the president's position as the head of an equal and separate branch of the federal government. This means that Grassley may be right in holding back from obtaining Trump's tax records. Other Republican senators have balked at commenting on Trump's tax records, how much tax he paid and how much loans he owed saying that it was difficult to verify the report without the original documents. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said that he had read the report on the New York Times which they based on a document that they decline to disclose. He added that it indicates that the documents were given to the Times in violation of federal criminal laws. The report on Trump's tax records has been labeled by the President, himself, as fake news. Check these out: Trump Denies Report on Tax Returns: 'It's Totally Fake News' US Presidential Election: More Than 1 Million Ballots Already Returned COVID-19 Cases: 21 US States Report Increasing Numbers as Cold Season Looms Google will host the Launch Night In event today (September 30) where it will take the wraps off its flagship smartphone, the Pixel 5 and also launch a bunch of other hardware products like a new Chromecast, Nest audio, etc. At the Pixel 5 launch, Google will also unveil the Pixel 4a 5G at the Launch Night In event on September 30. Google Launch Night In: Where to watch the Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5 launch live-stream Google Pixel 5 launch event is scheduled to start at 11.30 pm IST/ 2 pm ET /11 am PT. The company will be hosting the Pixel 5 launch live-stream via the official Made by Google YouTube channel. You can click/ tap on the video link below to watch the Pixel 4a, Pixel 5 launch at the Google Launch Night In event at 11.30 pm IST. Google Launch Night In: Google Pixel 5 5G specifications (rumoured) Google Pixel 5 specifications have been leaked multiple times ahead of its launch at the Google Launch Night In event. Leaked Google Pixel 5 specifications include a 6-inch 90Hz display with a layer of Gorilla Glass 6 and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Like the Pixel 4a, Google Pixel 5 will have thin bezels and a hole-punch cutout on the upper left corner of the screen. Pixel 5 will sport a dual-camera setup on the back with a 12.2MP main camera and a 16MP wide-angle camera has a 107-degree FOV with f/2.2. This camera setup will support 4K 60FPS and 1080p 240FPS video recording. For selfies, there will be an 8MP front camera. The phone is said to be made of 100 percent recycled aluminium and will have an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. Under the hood, Google Pixel 5 will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor for 5G connectivity, coupled with 8GB RAM and 128GB memory. The Pixel 5 will also pack a 4,080 mAh battery that supports wireless charging with a reverse-power capability. Google has confirmed that the Pixel 5 will not launch in India. Google Launch Night In: Google Pixel 4a 5G specifications (rumoured) Leaked Pixel 4a 5G specifications suggest that there will be a lot of similarities between the two devices. The report states that Pixel 4a 5G will have a larger 6.2-inch Full HD+ 60Hz refresh rate display, compared to the 6-inch 90Hz display on Pixel 5. Pixel 4a 5G will also share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor for 5G connectivity and have a dual-camera setup with a 12.2MP primary sensor and a 16MP ultra-wide lens on the back. For selfies, both smartphones, Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 5G will have an 8MP front camera. The main differences include a smaller 3,885 mAh battery on the Pixel 4a 5G, compared to the 4,080 mAh cell on the Pixel 5. The former is also said to skip out on wireless charging and reverse charging. Google Pixel 4a 5G will also have 6GB RAM, compared to 8GB RAM on Pixel 5. Another area where Google is cutting down costs is IP-rating. Pixel 5 5G will be the only Android phone among the two to get an IP-rating for water and dust resistance. Google Launch Night In: Google Nest audio The Google Nest Audio speaker will replace the discontinued Google Home Smart speaker. Leaked images reveal that the new smart speaker from Google will feature an all-fabric design with four LEDs under it and come in charcoal and chalk colour options. Google Launch Night In: Chromecast Google will launch a new Chromecast that will be controlled via a remote. The remote will come with dedicated buttons for Google Assistant and YouTube. President Donald Trump gestures while speaking during the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2020. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo) Portland-Area Sheriff Emphasizes He Doesnt Support Trump President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he received an endorsement from the sheriff overseeing Portland, but he has not. Trump was bragging about the support hes garnered among various groups before saying, Portland, the sheriff just came out today and he said, I support President Trump.' Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese oversees Portland, as the city is inside the county. Reese wrote on Twitter: As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him. Donald Trump has made my job a hell of a lot harder since he started talking about Portland, but I never thought hed try to turn my wife against me! he added. Trump may have been thinking of Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, who endorsed him this week. Both Reese and Beth have, along with other law enforcement officials, responded to unrest in recent months. Reese has criticized the Trump administration before. In 2017, as he tried to win reelection, he said that a federal push to have local law enforcement work on immigration enforcement was controversial & dangerous. Earlier this year, Reese said he rejected a request to meet with acting Homeland Security Director Chad Wolf, who visited Portland to meet with federal officers that were working to quell riots in the city. Federal police make an arrest as they confront rioters in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland on July 26, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) I was under the impression this was going to be a thoughtful, honest, and open discussion, but following statements made by Sec. Wolf, it became clear law enforcement in the City of Portland was becoming highly politicized, and for that reason, I declined to meet, Reese said at the time. Actions by federal officers caused a significant setback in our local efforts to end the nightly violence around the Justice Center and in Portland, Reese said, alleging they failed to display good decision-making and sound tactical judgment. Department of Homeland Security officers and agents surged to Portland in early July after local law enforcement failed to protect the U.S. courthouse there. They clashed with rioters throughout the month, before Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, sent state troops to help respond to the ongoing unrest. The officers were confined to responding to gatherings at or near the courthouse. Riots are still taking place in Portland. Trump during the debate said that, if asked for assistance, the federal government would quell the unrest in Oregons largest city in half an hour. But they wont do it, because theyre run by radical left Democrats, he added. Brown and other state and city leaders have repeatedly refused offers of assistance from the Trump administration. Asked if he had called on Democrat leaders to move to stop the violence, Biden said he doesnt hold public office. They can in fact take care of it if he just stays out of the way, Biden added. The Internet is full of bad takes about extremely important things, but former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju sharing his thoughts about the Hathras gang rape might be the worst thing I've ever read. We can all agree that rape is the most heinous crime that has no justification what so ever. If you take murder in some cases, it could be self-defence, could be something that could be justified, but no. Rape cannot be justified in any case, whatsoever. BCCL Rape is about power and control and feeling entitled to someone else's body. It's about showing that a person can easily be overpowered by someone else. There's no rational way to explain the reasoning behind a rapists' actions. And yet, we have to sit through an old man saying "I'm not justifying rape.." and then going on and justifying rape. Katju, who has also served as the Chairman for the Press Council of India, shared a post talking about how unemployment leads to rape because young men have 'needs' and cannot get married if they don't have a job. Reuters This is not only perpetuating rape culture but it's also extremely disrespectful to men as well. Let's break up his post - "Sex is a natural urge in men. It is sometimes said that after food, the next requirement is sex. In a conservative society like India, one can ordinarily have sex only through marriage. But when there is massive and rising unemployment, a large number of young men cannot marry ( as no girl will ordinarily marry an unemployed man )." Basically, only men can feel the urge to have sex and if their urges aren't met, they will go and rape some girl to fulfil it. That's what I'm getting here. Reuters Women aren't people who can feel sexual attraction, whatsoever, apparently. Moreover, where are all the people who were going 'not all men'? This man is putting all men in one category - that an unemployed man cannot get married because he doesn't have a job so he can't have sex with his wife and therefore he will go and rape a woman. And, let's not forget that marital rape is a whole another topic. "Consequently a large number of young men remain deprived of sex, even though they have reached an age when it is a normal requirement." Sure, it's a natural thing to have sexual urges, but it is, in no way, a requirement for a fully functioning adult. The only time anyone should have sex is when it's consensual by all the parties involved, otherwise, it's rape. Reuters "The population of undivided India before 1947 was about 42 crores. Today India alone has about 135 crore people, which means there has been a fourfold increase in population. But the number of jobs increased are far less than fourfold. In fact, it is believed that in June 2020 alone 12 crore Indians lost their jobs. Therefore will there not be an increase in rapes?" The last sentence sounds a lot like justification, and it's funny how he followed that up with, "I once again make it clear that I am not justifying rapes, rather I condemn it." If there are no jobs, shouldn't the government be responsible? Why are innocent men and women take the brunt of these hypothetical sexually deprived 'young men' who are raping because they cannot get married? Reuters Are you saying the government not doing anything to combat unemployment is causing young men to rape? "I once again make it clear that I am not justifying rapes, rather I condemn it. But considering the situation prevailing in the country, they are bound to increase. So if we really want to end or reduce rapes we have to create a social and economic system in India in which there is no or little unemployment. I reiterate, I condemn the gang rape, and call for harshest punishment of the culprits." Even with booming employment numbers, rapes will not cease to exist because rape is not about fulfilling their sexual needs, it's about being entitled to someone else's body and it's about proving to themselves that they have power over someone they deem inferior. Reuters Employment will not decrease rapes, education and empathy might. It's not surprising that literally every single person's reaction after this was - HBO Just an overall horrible message. "iM nOT jUsTiFyInG rApE" then what else are you doing?Did you even think twice about what you just said? Cause a man needs sex we have to give it to them? Instead of educating people YOU ARE USING POVERTY AS AN EXCUSE? INSTEAD OF GIVING WOMEN RIGHTS??? Nithila (@Lucozade_28) September 30, 2020 We should normalise NOT calling someone educated just because they have degrees and a high post in society. arya (@Naneun_ukae) September 30, 2020 this is a prime example of things people will say to protect rape culture instead of the victims. utter shame. https://t.co/oeeBKah69V Ujasna Nahata (@UjasnaN) September 30, 2020 He just made rapists look like the real 'victims' in here & that in no way can be correct. (@okaySister) September 30, 2020 Because women are born to take the brunt of everything wrong in this society. We are here to take their urges, their frustration. Men can abuse us, beat us up, rape us, harass her and its all okay. We should suffer because of unemployment, conservative thinking, lack of + (@BangtanismyRock) September 30, 2020 It's an urge for a lot of people regardless of gender but do you see women going around forcing themselves on men??? STOP with this narrative of men can't control themselves BECAUSE THEY FUCKING CAN. Hold them accountable instead of putting the blame on UrGeS and unemployment. https://t.co/8B5CmolacA Anu (@sedlifemax) September 30, 2020 time to acknowledge that katju is a fucking creep who publicly says creepy shit to women online, even though he's married and apparently thats what stops people from being sexual deviants lol, it's not a surprise he absolves men of all accountability and frames them as animals https://t.co/TVkJxzdLKt rylock the reverend (@notrylock) September 30, 2020 This country is a joke, this man the biggest joker https://t.co/sJ9WVcm4p1 Priyanka Paul (@artwhoring) September 30, 2020 I agree.Yep.Exactly.Women are just there to cater to men, apparently.Yep.Wow.Seems like it. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 17:29:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A woman was killed and a man injured in a shooting at an Amazon fulfillment center in Jacksonville city in the U.S. state of Florida on Tuesday night. Police found the two victims on the scene, both believed to be Amazon employees, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. The female victim was confirmed dead at the site, and the male was hospitalized with his condition remaining unknown. Local police have launched an investigation into the shooting, and told media that there was no imminent threat to the public. The Amazon center in Jacksonville has confronted two shootings so far this year. The first one occurred on June 29, which killed a 20-year-old man who was waiting for a job application, Fox News quoted local authorities as saying. Enditem The second of three ships from Iran, carrying gasoline to the fuel-starved Venezuela reached the country on Wednesday, September 30. The South American nation is in the midst of social unrest stirred by the lack of goods and services. As per reports, Venezuela has experienced more than 100 demonstrations in remote towns over the last 7 days. Read: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Urges Countries To Rally Against US Sanctions Iranian tankers not enough According to reports, while the protests have been relatively small in size, they have alarmed Venezuelan authorities who have responded by sending soldiers and police to suppress demonstrations. The Iranian Tanker 'Forest' arrived in Venezuela on Tuesday, September 29. The Tanker was carrying 275,000 barrels of gasoline. The second Iranian tanker, named 'Fortune', entered Venezuelan waters on Wednesday, September 30. 'Faxon', the third Iranian tanker is still making its way to Venezuela and is expected to reach sometime over the weekend. Read: Venezuela's Maduro Blasts US In Speech To World Leaders As per reports, Ivan Freites, secretary of the United Front of Petroleum Workers of Venezuela and a Maduro critic has stated that while the gasoline from Iran is welcomed, it falls short of solving the countrys shortages. The South American nations domestic consumption is around 100,000 barrels a day and therefore the Iranian shipments do little to meet the ever-growing demand. Freites added that he does not see an end in sight to the crippling fuel shortages because even though Venezuela has the worlds largest oil reserves, its refineries have been paralyzed due to a lack of investment and maintenance. As per reports, only the Cardon refinery is still operational and it produces just 20,000 barrels a day. Meanwhile, the Maduro government has blamed Venezuela's fuel shortages on US sanctions. According to reports, Maduro believes that the sanctions are attempts on the past of US authorities to drive him out of power and replace him with opposition politician Juan Guaido. (With AP inputs, Image: AP) Read: Colombia Dubs Venezuelan Elex A "pre-fabrication" Read: Mike Pompeo Finishes Latin America Tour With Focus On Venezuela Texas pastor, wife killed in head-on collision; couples 3 children survive Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A church in Texas is mourning the death of their pastor and his wife after a head-on crash in southeastern New Mexico. Their three children, who were injured in the accident, are beginning life without their mom and dad. Kenny Comstock, executive pastor of Crossroads Church in Odessa, his wife Melissa and their three children 6-year-old Natalie, 4-year-old Camden and 1-year-old Carver were in a multi-vehicle accident in the state of New Mexico, the church wrote on its Facebook page, confirming the death of the pastor and his wife. There is no easy way to deliver news like this... I am broken-hearted to inform you that Kenny and Melissa did not survive the accident. Their children Natalie and Carver, both survived with some scrapes and bruises. Camden, sustained head injuries, underwent surgery, and is expected to make a full recovery, wrote Lead Pastor Jeremiah Ramer. In moments like this we turn to the Word of God and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles. Please pray for God's comfort for Kenny and Melissa's families as they mourn the loss of their son and daughter, brother, and sister. Continue to pray for their children, who are beginning life without their mom and dad We will walk this difficult road together in the Lord. More than 800 people commented on the churchs announcement on Facebook, offering prayers and paying tribute to the late pastor. The couple was on their way to Ruidoso Thursday evening. The New Mexico State Police said a 47-year-old Albuquerque man was traveling east on U.S. 380 when he crossed the center line and struck the Comstocks Ford pickup head-on, according to San Angelo LIVE. Pastor Comstock was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife succumbed to her injuries at an area hospital. Police said alcohol may not have been the reason for the crash and that seat belts were properly used by the Comstock family, according to Albuquerque Journal. On Sunday, former lead pastor Griff Jones said he had gone to the wreckage site with Comstock's relatives. Jones had met with the late pastor just that morning for coffee. "It is a miracle that those three babies were not harmed much worse," Jones said. "People ask wheres the loving God in this situation? Same place He was when He saw His son killed (on the cross)." While it will take a long time for the church family to heal from the tragedy, Jones assured, "You need to know that God is love. He is a refuge and He cares very deeply." South Africa: Public urged to be cautious when sharing info on social media The police have urged the public to exercise caution when sharing unconfirmed crime-related information on social media. This comes after a video of a bogus kidnapping in Klerksdorp went viral on social media platforms, particularly on WhatsApp. A preliminary investigation was conducted after police management in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District became aware of the video. It showed that no such incident was reported in Klerksdorp, the provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, said. The police believe that the video was staged to spark fear among members of the public. In the same breath, voice notes with false and unsubstantiated information were over the weekend shared on social media platforms about alleged kidnapping incidents for human trafficking purposes. However, it turned out that no cases were reported to the police either in Mmabatho or Mahikeng, where the purported incidents took place, said Mokgwabone. The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, has appealed for the responsible use of social media platforms. He has since requested users to verify the legitimacy of crime-related videos and voice notes with the police before forwarding them, as some may be false and contribute towards the spread of fake information. Kwena encouraged the public to report any suspected criminal activity to the police for investigation. The police in Gauteng recently cautioned against the peddling of fake stories about human trafficking or the kidnapping of women and children. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Is it time to reframe the assisted dying debate? Several articles published by The BMJ today explore the debate around assisted dying, in which, subject to safeguards, terminally ill people who are near to death, suffering, and of sound mind, could ask for drugs that they would take to end their lives. The views expressed are the authors' own and do not reflect the position of any organisation that they are associated with. Lucy Thomas is a consultant in public health who also works closely with patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families. This experience has led her to question why assisted dying is framed as a medical solution to a medical problem and to propose radically de-medicalising the debate. She points to studies showing that physical symptoms are not predictive, or only weakly predictive, of the desire to hasten death, whereas depression, hopelessness, and perception of being a burden are the strongest predictors. She argues that responding to a patient's expressed desire to end life in a fundamentally different way depending on whether or not they have a serious illness or disability institutionalises discriminatory attitudes about the relative value of different lives. She states that "with medical criteria for what constitutes an acceptable reason for ending life, and with doctors as the arbiters and administrators, medically-assisted dying extends medical authority rather than enhancing patient autonomy, with deeply damaging unintended consequences". So what happens if we challenge this profoundly medicalised perspective, she asks? She believes that moving outside the medical frame "brings the fundamental ethical and practical dilemmas into focus, facilitating serious discussion about how society should respond to those with mental capacity and a consistent desire to end life prematurely." Discussions should include philosophical issues such as what constitutes a rational decision to end one's life, as well as more practical questions such as how could we judge whether an individual's desire to end life is a response to circumstances that should be challenged rather than accepted, how could we predict that someone's desire to end life could never be reversed and, if society were to legalise assistance to end life, who would be best placed to provide it? As with any issue as complex as this, there are no easy answers or simple solutions, concludes Thomas. "Acknowledging this profound complexity may be the first step towards a more constructive debate." In a second article, Paul Cosford, Emeritus Medical Director at Public Health England explains how incurable lung cancer has prompted him to consider again his personal views on assisted dying. "I never wanted to be a supporter of changing the law in favour of assisted dying," he writes. "I have always thought that the law is too blunt an instrument to deal well with the complexities of such difficult moral and ethical issues." He points to the dangers - that assisted dying becomes an expectation, not just an option in certain clearly defined circumstances, and that the lives of people who are seriously ill, who live with disability, or are just different from the norm might be devalued. These are genuine concerns, he says, but he is convinced that it is time to look at this again. "We need to set aside entrenched positions on each side of the debate and look openly at the problems faced by people at the end of their lives," he writes. "We need to understand why rational, law abiding people sometimes feel compelled to travel to Switzerland for such care, often not telling their families why they are going. And we need to understand why their loved ones are sometimes prosecuted afterwards for helping them." "Surely this tells us that our current arrangements are inhumane," he concludes. "I, among others, would be happy to help with such a review." More open-minded and constructive conversations about end-of-life choice is also something that general practitioner Dr Zoe Norris calls for in a linked opinion article. She acknowledges that doctors have expertise to offer on this important topic, but says "we must ensure the full breadth of opinion is represented, and we should not allow our contributions to the debate to drown out others' especially not those of our patients." Regardless of our own personal views, "we cannot ignore the voices of those who have witnessed first-hand the horrific things that can happen when we deny people choice and control over their death," she writes. "I believe as doctors it is our duty to listen to them." "The BMJ supports the legalisation of assisted dying," says Dr Fiona Godlee, Editor in chief. "The great majority of the British public are in favour and there is now good evidence that it works well in other parts of the world, as a continuation of care for patients who request it and are in sound mind. "We believe that this should be a decision for Society and Parliament, and that medical organisations should adopt at least a neutral position to allow an open and informed public debate." ### Peer reviewed? No Evidence type: Opinion Subject: Assisted dying Lucknow: BJP on Thursday approached Election Commission demanding cancellation of candidature of senior SP leader Azam Khans son Abdullah Azam from Swar seat alleging he is ineligible to contest as he is below 25 years of age. In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, senior BJP leaders alleged that Abdullah is below 25 years of age and attached proofs to substantiate their claim. Abdullah is contesting UP assembly polls from Swar seat in Rampur district on Samajwadi Party ticket. The letter, signed by UP BJP vice-president JPS Rathore and general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak among others, also said the returning officer appeared to be biased as he glossed over several shortcomings in Abdullahs nomination papers and demanded appropriate action against him. The BJP leaders claimed that income column in the nomination paper was left blank and the name of political party was written as only Samajwadi, besides there was no mention of year and place in the highest degree attained by the candidate. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Over 70% of those who contract covid-19 do not pass it any further, while a minority act as superspreaders, the first detailed study of SARS-CoV2 transmission patterns in India has shown. The study, which used the largest dataset of contacts of any global study, also shows that children play a bigger role in spreading the virus than earlier believed, and that sustained shared travel is the most high-risk behaviour one could indulge in. Researchers led by Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Washington-based Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy, were given access to the full contact tracing dataset of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh states from the beginning of the pandemic, until 1 August. In all, the two states had seen over 435,000 cases by 1 August, and had reached out to over three million known exposed contacts. However, as in the rest of the country, information was incomplete for the majority of cases and contacts. The researchers had complete epidemiological information and laboratory results for 575,071 tested contacts of 84,965 confirmed cases. Published in Science magazine on 30 September, the study offers five key new insights into how the pandemic is playing out in India. 1. Superspreading defines the disease The researchers found that positive cases among contacts were concentrated among a minority of cases. Over 70% of index cases - original or primary cases found through testing - infected no further people, while fewer than 10% of index cases were responsible for nearly 60% of further infections. Superspreading as an event is a common misconception, Laxminarayan said. Superspreading refers to the fact that some proportion of people transmit much more than other people. It doesnt require an event." The study confirms other literature so far in superspreading, said Gagandeep Kang, one of Indias foremost viral infectious disease scientists. Superspreading is not about the virus but about the circumstances that a person finds themselves in," said Kang. It could be that the person is earlier in their illness and so is shedding more of the virus, it could be that it is a person who indulges in greater social mixing, or someone who has greater opportunity to meet a large number of people, who he or she then infects." The Tamil Nadu government has been using this insight from their data to focus on isolating positive cases within the first 24-48 hours of their discovery, said B Chandra Mohan, an IAS officer in the state and a member of the states epidemic monitoring committee. From our data, we realized quite early on that if we could identify and isolate all cases within the first 24 hours, we could reduce transmission by 70%," said Mohan, who is a co-author on the paper. 2. Long shared transport carries the greatest risk The study categorizes contacts into high and low risk. Those who shared a household with the index case, had contact at less than one metre distance without protective equipment, and travelled in the same shared mode of transport within three rows of the index case were classified as high risk contacts. Over 10% of such contacts of index cases tested positive, meaning that they had a one in ten chance of being infected. On the other hand, people who shared the same space with an index case without meeting these high risk contact criteria were categorized as low risk. Under 5% of them tested positive. By far the most high risk interaction was being in close proximity to an index case in shared transport for six hours or longer - nearly eight out of ten contacts in such cases tested positive. From a policy perspective, it would be important to know whether mask-wearing could reduce the risk on shared transport, Kang said, but this data was not yet available. Living in a shared household carried the next highest risk. But the risk of infection was much lower than in the case of co-travellers. Less than 10% of contacts in shared households tested positive, the study showed. 3. The underestimated role of children in transmission The age group most likely to result in spreading infections is the 20-44 age group, the study found. Children also play a significant role in the spread of infections, the study shows. We found that children transmit to each other, and to the elderly," said Laxminarayan. This finding is particularly of concern since most infections in children are mild, and are likely to be undiagnosed. This is consistent with what we know about influenza, where children are among the primary drivers of the infections; it should not be surprising to see this in a respiratory infection," said Kang. View Full Image Graphic: Mint The study also found that the risk of transmission was highest among pairs of contacts of the same age. This was particularly true among children. Of all same-age pairs the likelihood of transmission was among the highest between pairs of children under the age of 14. While this could have immediate implications for school closures, Kang recommended seeing the finding in the context of how most Indian schools function. Most schools are much better ventilated than other group spaces, and now in the colder months, taking classes outdoors could be considered," she said. 4. Indias elderly have surprisingly low mortality The two states covid cases were younger than expected, even given the lower median age in India as compared to western countries, the study found. Incidence of cases peaks in the 40-49 years age group in the US, and then declines, only to rise again for the elderly, while in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, incidence peaks at an earlier age, and then drops off continuously. While mortality was higher, as expected, among older age groups in the two states, it plateaued at around 75 years, and there was no further elevated risk of mortality among those older, unlike in the US. This was unexpected, experts said. This could be on account of a survival effect, Kang said, where the people who attain very old age are those in relatively better health and without comorbidities. As a result, they might have lower covid mortality than expected. 5. Deaths are occurring worryingly fast In half of the cases involving a death in which the person tested positive before dying, just six or fewer days elapsed between testing and the persons death. The median time to death in the two states was far lower than the US, where it was 13 days from the date of hospital admission. In China, the same figure ranged between two to eight weeks from the onset of symptoms, according to estimates by the World Health Organization. The short time to death is an important finding which highlights the lack of access to care in India, Kang said. We tend to wait too long to get care, and we have seen this before in other diseases. In the field of diarrhoeal disease where most of my work has been, we see that children getting to government hospitals appear to have waited far longer to access care than in private hospitals, which could mean that poorer people face greater difficulty in access to early care," she said. Rukmini S. is a Chennai-based journalist. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Connecticuts lodging industry lost nearly 10,000 jobs over the last six months and that number could nearly double if federal lawmakers dont come up with some kind of bailout package for companies in the sector, a leading industry trade group is predicting. The latest data from the American Hotel & Lodging Association found that 9,925 Connecticut hotel industry jobs were lost between March and September. Connecticuts hospitality industry employed more than 26,000 people when COVID-19 hit the United States and resulted in hotels being closed by public health mandates, as well as dramatic falloff in the amount of business and leisure travel. The AHLA is projecting that without some kind of financial bailout for the industry, Connecticuts lodging sector could lose another 8,310 jobs in the coming months. Chip Rogers, president and chief executive officer of the AHLA, said Congress needs to put politics aside and prioritize American workers in the hardest-hit industries. Hotels are cornerstones of the communities they serve, building strong local economies and supporting millions of jobs, Rogers said. Thousands of hotels across America are in jeopardy of closing forever, and that will have a ripple effect throughout our communities for years to come. AHLA officials said that prior to the start of the pandemic, there were 389 hotels in Connecticut. Without an industry bailout, the organization is projecting that 181 of those hotels will go into foreclosure. A survey of AHLA members done last week found that 67 percent of hotels nationwide dont expect to last another six months if another COVID stimulus bill is not passed. Nationwide, 871,065 of the 2.28 million hotel jobs that existed before the start of the pandemic were wiped out over the last six months. Without some kind of bailout, an additional 729,317 hotel jobs could be lost in the coming months, according to the AHLA. Ginny Kozlowski, executive director of the New Haven-based Connecticut Lodging Association, said its hard to tell whether lawmakers in Washington will act on a bailout before the November election. If the economic numbers continue to look challenged, its possible well see a bill before the election, Kozlowski said. But after the election is probably likely when it will happen. For those looking for data on the health of Connecticuts lodging industry, she said hotel occupancy tax receipts were down by 63 percent in June and off by 50 percent in July. Sept. 30 is the date hotel occupancy taxes for August must be paid, according to Kozlowski. There are a great number of hotels that are financially challenged, even though there was more activity in August because people got displaced by power outages from the tropical storm, she said. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com Palantir Technologies, a company that helps government agencies analyze vast amounts of digital data, saw its shares jump in its Wall Street debut on Wednesday in a sign of continued investor excitement for money-losing software companies. The companys shares began trading at $10 on the New York Stock Exchange, a 38 percent increase from a reference price of $7.25 set Tuesday evening, and closed the day at $9.50. Palantir is one of many companies rushing to go public before the election on Nov. 3. It hit the market the morning after a presidential debate seemed to foreshadow political turmoil that could rattle investors in the coming months. Still, as the rest of the American economy has struggled with mass unemployment and the closing of businesses big and small, Wall Street has been welcoming to new public offerings. The three months that ended with September were the busiest quarter for initial public offerings in 20 years, with 81 offerings set to raise $28.5 billion, according to Renaissance Capital, which tracks I.P.O.s. New Delhi, Sep 30 : The youth these days are not only concerned about pigmentation, acne or dark circles, but also look for that perfect shaped brow. There are multiple procedures for 'designer eyes, the fox eye lift utilises threads to lift the brows and the corners of the eyes to make your eyes elongated, almond-like shape a hot red at the moment, especially with the Hollywood crowd. After celebrities like Cara Delevingne came froth, eye brows took on a renewed prominence, often making or breaking your look. With trends like the untouched brows where the brows are elegantly arched with a few hairs sticking out seemingly unruly to give you that untouched look, and bold, defined brows that catch the eye almost instantly, is where Microblading steps in. It aims to give you perfect eyebrows, however clean or dramatic you'd like them to be. Dr. Mikki Singh, Dermatologist, Bodycraft Skincare Clinic, shares insight into the microblading procedure which is perhaps the most natural looking and popular in the semi-permanent make-up segment. The procedure involves the manual application of extremely fine hair using pigments (similar to getting a tattoo) and is done by a certified Microblading expert doctor, who also has the hands and the mind of an artist. While the procedure is used to make over-plucked, over-threaded or over-waxed eyebrows appear fuller, it is also employed to give those with naturally gifted eyebrows a bit of a boost and definition, Dr Singh informs. "Results of the procedure can last between 12 to 18 months and definitely works in pulling focus from tired, exhausted eyes and dark circles to your beautifully sculpted brows." The expert points out that another procedure which has been the talk of the town is Lip Micropigmentation, popular amongst both women and men. "The procedure, like microblading, involves the application of colour pigments using thin needles, essentially like a tattoo. Contrary to popular belief, lip micropigmentation is not only for smokers or people with dark lips looking at brightening them, it is for anyone who wants their lip to be defined, symmetrical, blushed or coloured to a shade of your choosing, semi-permanently. Lip Micropigmentation is also one of the methods used to transform thin, uneven lips that have lost shape and fullness with age," she says. Dr Sajesh, Microblading and Micropigmentation expert says: "Both services are done using a sterilised and disposable single use instrument. The pigments used are derma tested and some of them have Korean FDA approval as well. The procedures do not have any adverse side effects." Dr Singh says that as with any procedure, assessment, in this case of the face, is crucial and is always the first step. An experienced hand and, as mentioned earlier, with the thought process of an artist is a must in designing fabulous brows. This along with a strong knowledge in colour theory and a keen eye for perfection is vital to ensure that your desired brow shape and the colour of the pigments used is what suits you best, she concludes. LOS ANGELES Prosecutors charged a 36-year-old man Wednesday with a brazen ambush of two Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies earlier this month, an apparently unprovoked shooting as they sat in a squad car outside a rail station. The deputies suffered head wounds in the Sept. 12 attack and have since been released from the hospital. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said their recoveries will be a long process and include further reconstructive surgeries. The suspect, Deonte Lee Murray, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges Wednesday during his arraignment. He faces life in state prison if he is convicted. Murrays attorney, Jack Keenan, declined to comment and said he has not yet seen prosecutors evidence. Murray is being held in jail on $6.15 million bail and is due back in court in November. The sheriffs department arrested Murray two weeks ago in connection with a separate carjacking. But officials at the time said it was not related to the ambush case. Murray has a criminal history including convictions for sales and possession of narcotics, firearm possession, receiving stolen property, burglary and terrorist threats, authorities said. Wednesdays criminal complaint includes allegations that he associates with gangs. Investigators on Wednesday did not provide a specific motive for the attack, other than the fact that he obviously hates policemen and he wants them dead, said Capt. Kent Wegener, the head of the sheriffs homicide bureau. In the shooting which the sheriff said depicted the worst of humanity surveillance video shows a person walking toward the patrol car, which was parked at a Metro rail station in the city of Compton, and firing a handgun through the passenger-side window. The deputies a 31-year-old woman and 24-year-old man who had graduated together from the sheriffs academy 14 months ago radioed for help despite their wounds. The suspect fled in a black Mercedes Benz sedan. Investigators discovered that type of vehicle had been stolen Sept. 1 in a carjacking where the driver was shot. Photographs of the carjacking suspect seemed to match images from the ambush, Wegener said, strengthening a connection between the two cases. On Sept. 15, an investigator spotted the suspect driving another vehicle and tried to stop him. The suspect threw a gun out of the car during a pursuit before abandoning the vehicle in the city of Lynwood. The suspect ran off and was ultimately captured after a nearly nine-hour standoff with police. The black Mercedes was found nearby. That day, Villanueva and other sheriffs officials told reporters the carjacking suspect was not related to the ambush case. On Wednesday he defended his actions that misled the public, saying police didnt at the time have the hard evidence needed before telling citizens the suspect was linked to such a significant crime. Were not going to tell you everything we suspect, the sheriff said, adding that the investigation of the ambush could have been harmed had the name been made public sooner. Ballistics testing of the gun a so-called ghost gun that is homemade and unregistered that was discarded during the pursuit showed it was the one used in the attack on the deputies, Wegener said. The Los Angeles Times first reported Murrays arrest ahead of the news conference. Compton is among communities near South Los Angeles, an area with a large Black population that has long been a flashpoint for racial tension and mistrust of police. In recent weeks, demonstrators have marched to protest fatal shootings in the area, where deputies killed a Black man on Aug. 31 and a Black teenager in 2018. After the ambush, a handful of protesters gathered outside the hospital where the deputies were treated and tried to block the emergency room entrance. Videos from the scene recorded protesters shouting expletives at police and at least one yelling I hope they die. Wednesdays announcement of the arrest in the shooting of the deputies followed a separate, seemingly unprovoked assault on another law enforcement officer in Southern California. A Los Angeles police officer was attacked Saturday night inside the Harbor Community police station in San Pedro. The assailant was recorded on surveillance video as he knocked the officer to the ground inside the station, pistol-whipped him with his own gun and pointed it at his chest. The officer is recovering from his injuries. Francis 'loses patience' in Vatican corruption fight Last week, the 83-year-old pontiff forced the resignation of Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a prominent member of the church hierarchy and close adviser to the prelate. Pope Francis once likened sorting out the Vatican's tangled accounts to "cleaning the Sphinx of Egypt with a toothbrush". By dismissing a close aide linked to a murky London property deal in a move described as "the most significant firing of his papacy", analysts say Francis has deployed a pressure washer to alleged in-house financial impropriety. Last week, the 83-year-old pontiff forced the resignation of Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a prominent member of the church hierarchy and close adviser to the prelate. The former No 2 at the Vatican's Secretariat of State, which manages the church's vast donations, has been accused of syphoning off funds destined for the poor to family members -- a charge he denies. Becciu has been linked in particular to a controversial luxury property investment deal in London, with at least some of the money used reportedly coming from the annual Peter's Pence collection for the poor. It is not the only financial scandal to have dogged the Vatican in recent years: in 2017, the ex-head of a Vatican-run hospital was convicted of funnelling a fortune from a foundation to renovate a cardinal's apartment. And the Vatican bank, known as the IOR, was for decades embroiled in numerous controversies, with one of its former presidents ordered to stand trial on charges of embezzlement and money laundering in 2018. But Francis has upped the speed of his reforms recently, suggesting he is "losing patience" with moral persuasion and "is more inclined to make heads roll," said John Allen, Vatican expert for the Cruxnow.com religious news site. "'Accountability,' in the full American sense of the word, is finally crossing the Tiber in the Pope Francis era," he said, describing it as "by far the most significant firing" of the pontiff's era. The surprise decision to also strip Becciu of the rights associated with being a cardinal -- a very rare punishment -- was a clear signal ahead of an inspection Wednesday by Moneyval, the Council of Europe's anti-money-laundering monitoring body. Story continues - Painstaking work - Vatican expert Marco Politi described the pope's action on Becciu as "a Napoleonic gesture". "With his iron fist, Francis wanted to show that sanctuaries do not exist, that no fiefdom is safe," he told AFP. Soon after being elected leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics in 2013, Jorge Bergoglio vowed to continue efforts to fight corruption begun by his predecessor, Benedict XVI. Around 5,000 suspect accounts were closed at the Vatican bank under Francis. And in a bid to streamline the Holy See's administration, its finances are to be condensed into a single organisation, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), which currently manages thousands of Vatican properties. The Italian bishop at the head of APSA, Nunzio Galantino, said that in future all operations must be "transparent" and "traceable". "If the pope asks me 'Have we got the money to pay the salaries?', I must be able to give him a precise answer," Galantino told Corriere della Sera on Tuesday. Each entity -- including the Secretariat of State -- will make a budget request, which will be decided by a Spanish Jesuit priest who took over the Secretariat for Economy in January and will oversee the funds centralised by APSA. Exerting more centralised control has angered some rivals, said Honduran Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga, coordinator of a group of six cardinals advising the pope on his economic reforms. The biggest obstacles have been "internal enemies," he told La Stampa daily. "Because when you delve into the funds and the department administrations you find things that aren't right, and this provokes very severe reactions," Maradiaga said. - A lonely pope - Various Vatican factions have remained silent as the pope has striven to shake up financial oversight, according to Vatican writer and journalist Politi. Those include conservatives "happy that there are scandals" brought to light through Francis' actions, and therefore which damage his papacy, in their view. But even the reformist front has not defended Francis' shakeup. "In this earthquake you can see the loneliness of Francis," Politi said. One message of support came from Australian Cardinal George Pell, who was due to arrive in Rome for the first time in three years after being acquitted in April in Australia of child sexual abuse charges. "I hope that the cleaning of the stables will continue in the Vatican," Pell said. Pell in 2015 hired external auditors to oversee the Vatican books, but his efforts were thwarted by Becciu, who cancelled the $3-million contract with PricewaterhouseCoopers. A Vatican source told AFP the Vatican judiciary will bring charges soon against Becciu, and six other Vatican employees. cm-ams/ide/adp/txw It was 90 seconds of a 90-minute brawl. But for the media, it was Charlottesville all over again. As usual, it was the presidents bluster that aided the media in pushing a debate post-mortem that reduced the state of American race relations and the presidents feelings on the subject to five ill-advised words: stand back and stand by. During Tuesday nights presidential debate, Trump was asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities. Wallace noted that Trump has repeatedly attacked Joe Biden for refusing to denounce Antifa and far-left provocateurs for the nightly violence theyve unleashed in American cities. But, of course, Trump declined to take the simple route. Sure, Im willing to do that, the president replied, before noting that leftist anarchists have been setting fires, looting, and brawling with cops in much greater numbers than their right-wing counterparts. Almost everything I see is from the left wing, not the right wing. Im willing to do anything, I want to see peace, he continued. Biden and Wallace prodded: Then do it. Trump paused, and asked for a name. Who would you like me to condemn? He got simultaneous, albeit different, answers. White supremacists and right-wing militia, Wallace reiterated. Biden, however, interjected and answered, Proud Boys, referring to a fringe group of young to middle-aged men who spend their Saturday afternoons walking around Americas cities in matching polo shirts goading left-wing protesters into confrontations. Trump, apparently still in half a mind to address Wallaces request for a stand down, riffed off of Biden: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, he stated in a fit of characteristically ham-handed word association. (On Wednesday, Trump clarified that the group should stand down and let law enforcement do their work, adding that I dont know who the Proud Boys are. Perhaps its understandable that the president of the United States would be unfamiliar with a group that was invented by a dirty YouTube comedian and whose unifying characteristics appear to be an appreciation for Fred Perry shirts and a propensity to drink themselves under the table.) Story continues The two candidates then immediately got into an argument about Antifa. Antifas an idea, not an organization, Biden said, misquoting FBI director Chris Wray who had insisted in a recent hearing that he wasnt downplaying the threat posed by the violent anarchist movement by referring to it as an ideology, but instead simply noting the groups lack of organizational structure. Alright gentlemen, were now moving on, an exasperated Wallace said. Trump clearly could and should have been more explicit in responding to Wallaces request for a condemnation of white supremacy, even if he has already done so. And the Proud Boys are a reprehensible yet numerically irrelevant organization that cheapened the debate by their mere mention. Once again, however, in an effort to gin up the frenzy over the latest Trump gaffe, cable talking heads and print reporters dispensed with the same nuance they were accusing Trump of lacking in an attempt to draw a straight line between Trumps Proud Boys comment and Wallaces initial positing of white supremacists another very fine people on both sides moment. Major outlets like NBC and the Washington Post pointed to the enthusiastic reaction that Trumps remarks elicited in Proud Boys social-media circles as proof of the link between white-supremacist violence and presidential rhetoric. The Presidents pointed refusal to denounce White supremacists and his mention of the group, specifically, drew immediate celebration from members of the Proud Boys, CNNs Maegan Vasquez and Paul LeBlanc wrote, emphasizing the stand by section of Trumps remarks as a tacit instruction to prepare for street violence. President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA . . . well sir! were ready!! organizer Joe Biggs wrote as if the couple hundred Western chauvinists have needed Trumps command to brawl on the streets of Portland. As Voxs Jane Coaston has pointed out, the Proud Boys are many things and espouse many bizarre ideas they criticize what they see as the suffocating culture of political correctness and unite around a shared desire to preserve Western civilization but they are not white supremacists, at least not in the way Americans have typically understood that term; Coaston also noted, correctly, that overuse of the term white supremacist dilutes a term that should be reserved for a specific ideological wing of the most vile political actors. But according to the New York Times, the nations paper of record, Coaston who frequently reports on the far Right is apparently uninformed. Several civil rights groups have condemned the Proud Boys, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, which classifies them as a hate group, and the Anti-Defamation League, which refers to them as hard-core white supremacists, Times journalists Sheera Frenkel and Annie Karni explained, emphasizing what appears to be the mainstream medias takeaway from Tuesdays presidential debate that Donald Trump is a white-supremacist stan. In quoting the Anti-Defamation Leagues description of the Proud Boys as hard-core white supremacists, the papers story originally linked to an ADL 2017 article about a group called The American Guard. Proud Boys is not even mentioned in the article. So what does the ADL actually say about the group? While the Proud Boys often publicly denounce white supremacy, their activity has attracted white supremacists who share the groups opposition to progressive politics and proclivity for violence. More from National Review The Earth may have lost as much as 60 per cent of its atmosphere in a collision with another young planet that created the Moon, a new study revealed. New research led by Durham University involved more than 300 supercomputer simulations designed to show the consequence of a huge collision on the planet. Their findings have led to the development of a new way to predict the atmospheric loss from any collision across a wide range of rocky planet impacts. These could be used by scientists investigating the Moon's origins or other giant impacts both in our own solar system and on rocky exoplanets light years away. New research led by Durham University involved more than 300 supercomputer simulations designed to show the consequence of a huge collision on the planet. This is a cross section of a 3D simulation involving two young planets colliding into one another Their findings have led to the development of a new way to predict the atmospheric loss from any collision across a wide range of rocky planet impacts. The simulations incorporate different materials, density and impact angles The Moon is believed to have formed about 4.5 billion years ago following a collision between the early Earth and a giant impactor possibly the size of Mars. Lead author Dr Jacob Kegerreis, in the Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University, said scientists are working hard to unravel the mystery. 'We ran hundreds of different scenarios for many different colliding planets, showing the varying impacts and effects on a planet's atmosphere depending upon a number of factors such as the angle, speed of impact or the sizes of the planets.' The simulations can't directly say how the Moon came to be, but they could show the effects a giant collision had on the Earth's atmosphere. This 'could be used to narrow down the different ways it might have been formed and lead us closer to understanding the origin of our nearest celestial neighbour.' Earlier this year, an initial study by Durham University reported that giant impacts which dominate the late stages of planet formation can have a wide range of consequences for young planets and their atmospheres. That study examined the ways that a planet's atmospheres could be changed by objects impacting at different angles, mass, size and speeds. Simulations revealed Earth could have lost anywhere between 10-60 per cent of its atmosphere in the collision where the Moon came into existence. The researchers say the findings also provide a new way to predict the atmospheric loss from other rocky planets that have been involved in collision. It can go the other way, authors found a slow giant impact between two objects with a lot of atmosphere could add significant atmosphere to both worlds. This latest paper looks at the effects across a much wider variety of impacts adjusting for size, mass, speed and angle of the impacting object. The simulations can't directly say how the Moon came to be, but they could show the effects a giant collision had on the Earth's atmosphere They also changed the density of the impactor and whether it was made of iron, rock or both as part of the new study. The simulations revealed the different outcomes when one or more of these variables are changed, leading to atmospheric loss or gain or sometimes the complete obliteration of the impacted planet. Co-author Dr Luis Teodoro, in the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, said: 'This major suite of planetary simulations also sheds light on the role of impacts in the evolution of Earth-like exoplanets.' The high-resolution simulations were run using the SWIFT open-source simulation code. They were carried out on the COSMA supercomputer, part of the DiRAC High-Performance Computing facility in Durham. The findings are published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. A drunken mother-of-two has been captured on video falsely claiming she was raped and causing 4,000 worth of damage during a rampage at a takeaway. Ann Marie Fowler, 33, was spared a prison sentence and told to pay 400 compensation after she trashed takeaway Kebabish in Falkirk, Scotland, during an outburst shortly before midnight on July 21. Footage captured the moment Fowler threw food, flashed her breasts at horrified workers, smashed a glass cabinet and hit the owner in the head with a charity collection tin. She also grabbed a worker by the t-shirt as he was on the phone to police, and shouted 'you raped me, you raped me' while pulling down her top and bra to expose her breasts. Ann Marie Fowler, 33, was spared a prison sentence and told to pay 400 compensation after she trashed takeaway Kebabish in Falkirk during an outburst shortly before midnight on July 21. Pictured grabbing at one of the workers' t-shirts Fowler - who was on her way back from visiting her son in hospital - admitted racially aggravated assault and a string of other offences when she appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court. Her defence lawyer said benefits claimant Fowler would struggle to pay the compensation handed down. She was also spared a prison sentence - to the dismay of owner Zohaib Arshad who described the 400 compensation order as 'an injustice'. Owner Zohaib Arshad, 33, said: 'People are saying "maybe she's laughing in the pub for what she did and what she got". 'These people are getting money from our taxes and we are the victims. In the Muslim community the accusation of rape is a huge thing. 'We never knew that woman, we had nothing to do with that lady. She's taking her clothes off and accusing me of rape - that video has saved me. Footage captured the moment Fowler threw food, flashed her breasts at horrified workers, smashed a glass cabinet and hit the owner in the head with a charity collection tin 'If we didn't have that video they might have arrested me, if I had been accused of rape I might have been taken in for questioning. 'Some people take their own lives because of accusations like that. Being racist is a crime. She accused us of rape and there was vandalism and racism. 'Everything went into the bin. The compensation should be higher and she must be jailed.' Insurance did not cover the damage, and the smashed glass cabinet had to be replaced by a perspex one. Father-of-two Zohaib said: 'The damage was 4,000 and we had to pay to dispose of the old one. The moment Fowler smashed a glass cabinet. Insurance did not cover the damage and the smashed glass screen had to be replaced by a perspex one 'People in our community are saying it is white supremacy from the judge. She called us so many times "black b******s", they ignored that.' During her tirade, Fowler grabbed one staff member's t-shirt and appeared to spit at the workers. Procurator fiscal depute Rachel Wallace said: 'She became aggressive asking for the food. She went to collect it and immediately threw the entire container up into the air. 'The accused then punched the electronic point of sale system, causing it to break. She continued to shout "Where's my food?" A staff member handed over the original food box which Fowler again lobbed into the air before falsely claiming staff had raped her. Ms Wallace added: 'The accused then picked up a charity collection tin and struck the witness on the head. Owner Zohaib Arshad, 33, said the 400 in compensation was not enough to cover the costs of the damage 'This caused him to sustain a minor lump to his head which didn't require any medical attention. 'The accused then began removing items of her upper clothing while again shouting "You raped me". 'One witness contacted police. The accused began pulling on the glass display case and managed to pull another glass case off the unit.' Police arrived a short time later and found two bank cards Fowler had dropped as she fled the scene. Fowler pleaded guilty to shouting, swearing, uttering offensive remarks and wilfully destroying property belonging to another by punching a till, throwing items of food and pulling a glass display case containing items of food from its stand, causing it to fall to the floor and smash, at Falkirk Sheriff Court. Fowler flashed her breasts at the workers and accused one of them of raping her. The owner, a father-of-two, said the video showing what really happened 'saved' him Fowler, of Kelty, also admitted breaching a court-imposed curfew order to remain at home from 7pm until 7am daily by attending the shop and committing a racially aggravated assault on a man. Defence solicitor Allana Turley said her client had gone to a pub on July 21 after a hospital visit to see her son who had broken his back. She also said Fowler had shown 'genuine remorse and regret'. The solicitor told Sheriff Keith O'Mahony her client was on benefits and would struggle to pay a hefty compensation fee, suggesting Fowler would instead benefit from supervision and counselling for alcohol abuse. Sheriff O'Mahoney told Fowler she was on the 'borderline' of a custodial sentence and, as a direct alternative to imprisonment, placed her under supervision for two years, during which time she must undertake alcohol counselling and pay 400 in compensation. With its stock down 5.0% over the past week, it is easy to disregard Keller Group (LON:KLR). It seems that the market might have completely ignored the positive aspects of the company's fundamentals and decided to weigh-in more on the negative aspects. Fundamentals usually dictate market outcomes so it makes sense to study the company's financials. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Keller Group's ROE today. Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. Simply put, it is used to assess the profitability of a company in relation to its equity capital. Check out our latest analysis for Keller Group How Do You Calculate Return On Equity? Return on equity can be calculated by using the formula: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders' Equity So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Keller Group is: 6.4% = UK28m UK438m (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020). The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. One way to conceptualize this is that for each 1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made 0.06 in profit. What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth? Thus far, we have learned that ROE measures how efficiently a company is generating its profits. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or "retains", and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a companys earnings growth potential. Assuming all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features. A Side By Side comparison of Keller Group's Earnings Growth And 6.4% ROE On the face of it, Keller Group's ROE is not much to talk about. We then compared the company's ROE to the broader industry and were disappointed to see that the ROE is lower than the industry average of 12%. Given the circumstances, the significant decline in net income by 15% seen by Keller Group over the last five years is not surprising. We reckon that there could also be other factors at play here. For instance, the company has a very high payout ratio, or is faced with competitive pressures. Story continues However, when we compared Keller Group's growth with the industry we found that while the company's earnings have been shrinking, the industry has seen an earnings growth of 24% in the same period. This is quite worrisome. Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. If you're wondering about Keller Group's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry. Is Keller Group Efficiently Re-investing Its Profits? Looking at its three-year median payout ratio of 29% (or a retention ratio of 71%) which is pretty normal, Keller Group's declining earnings is rather baffling as one would expect to see a fair bit of growth when a company is retaining a good portion of its profits. It looks like there might be some other reasons to explain the lack in that respect. For example, the business could be in decline. In addition, Keller Group has been paying dividends over a period of at least ten years suggesting that keeping up dividend payments is way more important to the management even if it comes at the cost of business growth. Looking at the current analyst consensus data, we can see that the company's future payout ratio is expected to rise to 47% over the next three years. Regardless, the future ROE for Keller Group is speculated to rise to 13% despite the anticipated increase in the payout ratio. There could probably be other factors that could be driving the future growth in the ROE. Conclusion On the whole, we feel that the performance shown by Keller Group can be open to many interpretations. While the company does have a high rate of profit retention, its low rate of return is probably hampering its earnings growth. That being so, the latest industry analyst forecasts show that the analysts are expecting to see a huge improvement in the company's earnings growth rate. To know more about the company's future earnings growth forecasts take a look at this free report on analyst forecasts for the company to find out more. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. EAST HAVEN Mayor Joe Carfora has hired Branford Assistant Tax Collector Anna DelRosso to be East Havens new tax collector after an extensive search to replace longtime East Haven Tax Collector Lucille Huelin, he said. In East Haven, unlike in many communities, the tax collector is an appointed position, not an elected office. Huelin is retiring after 32 years with the town in various positions, including the last four as tax collector. Mrs. DelRosso brings with her more than twelve years of experience working for the Town of Branford, including six of those years as the assistant tax collector, Carfora said in a release. DelRosso holds a Connecticut Municipal Collector certification, the release said. The process to hire a new tax collector began several months ago when Huelin, whose last day at work will be Friday, informed Carfora that she intended to retire, it said. Though this position is not hired through the civil service department, the Town of East Haven relied on the civil service director and her extensive and diverse job advertising capabilities to advertise this opening, it said. These advertisements generated approximately 50 inquires, it said. At that point the assistant director of administration and management and Ms. Huelin reviewed the applicants and then they interviewed a number of these bringing the final 5 to the mayor. The hiring process was thorough, Carfora said. Utilizing our civil service assets, we were assured that we received broad and diverse advertisement. I was pleased with the pool of applicants and frankly Annas overall experience won the day. I am also very appreciative that Lucille was part of the interview and selection process, since no one knows the requirements of the job better than she does. Lucilles dedication to the Town of East Haven over the past thirty-two years has been greatly appreciated and she will be very much missed, the release said. Lucille has been a wonderful partner with the taxpayers of East Haven, said Carfora. We could not have asked for a better public servant. I wish her health and happiness in all her future plans. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has excluded Vitold Fokin from the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) and dismissed him as first deputy head of the delegation. The relevant decree, No.414/2020, was signed on September 30, according to the presidents press service. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree on the issues of the Ukrainian delegations participation in the Trilateral Contact Group. Under this document, Vitold Fokin has been excluded from the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG and dismissed as first deputy head of the delegation, reads the report. The Office of the President stated that it is a matter of principle for the President that all those entrusted with the performance of duties on behalf of the state should always be guided in their activities and statements by the national interests of Ukraine and act fairly. President Zelensky stated that Fokin deviated from a "fair assessment" of Russia's temporary occupation of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, and certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. To represent the state at any level is not a chance for personal views and ambitions, it is an unconditional obligation to implement the position of the state and the interests of the Ukrainian people," reads the report. The Office of the President noted that the main goal of the Ukrainian delegation and the entire state is to return, exclusively on Ukrainian terms, all the temporarily occupied territories, Ukrainian people and establish lasting peace. As reported, at a meeting of the parliamentary committee on September 29, Fokin said that he saw "no confirmation" of the war between Russia and Ukraine. He named Russia as "counterparty" and reiterated the need to declare a general amnesty in Donbas. Fokin was appointed as first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG on August 18, 2020. iy Two years after her first-ever run for public office resulted in the defeat of a nine-term Republican incumbent, Democratic U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher faces re-election with a solid record of accomplishment and a reputation for working across the aisle and serving constituents. She has kept her promises. We recommend that voters in Texas 7th Congressional District let her continue the job she has started. Fletcher is challenged by Republican Wesley Hunt, a West Point graduate who served as a helicopter pilot in Iraq and as a diplomatic liaison officer in Saudi Arabia. He now works in real estate. Libertarian candidate Shawn Kelly, a drafter-designer in the oil and gas industry, is also on the ballot. Although a political novice, Fletcher, 45, hit the ground running in her first term, authoring a bill to cut federal red tape and speed disaster recovery funding that was much needed in the Houston area. The measure passed the House with just seven votes against as Fletcher teamed with Fort Bend Republican Rep. Pete Olson and even pulled in conservative North Carolina Republican Mark Meadows as a co-sponsor. Meadows is now President Donald Trumps chief of staff. Fletcher also smartly sought spots on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where she is chair of the energy subcommittee. Other panels might be more glamorous or attention-grabbing but they are not as crucial to the interests of the region NASA calls home and where the oil and gas industry and the Houston Ship Channel mean jobs, commerce and development. While some members of the progressive wing of her party have grabbed headlines, Fletcher has made her mark through hard work and coalition building. I dont know how many other people, Fletcher told the editorial board, have been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with a 100 percent rating from the AFL-CIO. That is an approach and an attitude the voters should reward on Nov. 3. Ecuador Foreign Ministry announced reaching a $62.5 million USAID support package for development in the South American country MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th September, 2020) Ecuador Foreign Ministry announced reaching a $62.5 million USAID support package for development in the South American country. "This is the result of the hard work of our governments, the renewed policy and relations of cooperation that the government of President Lenin Moreno is developing," a statement on the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry's website. The agreement was signed by Foreign Minister Luis Gallegos and USAID Deputy Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Michael Eddy earlier this month and made public Tuesday. This is the first such deal since the US foreign aid agency was suspended from the country by former President Rafael Correa in 2014. The government of left-leaning Correa accused USAID of interfering Ecuador's internal affairs and froze its projects in the country. Current President Lenin Moreno has proven much more amiable to Washington since taking office in 2017. In the statement, Gallegos stressed that USAID's return to the country is taking place at a time when Ecuador, like many countries in the region, faces great challenges in maintaining international cooperation. The aid package aims at the UN sustainable development goals and is intended to support civil society efforts to protect human rights, fight corruption, protect vulnerable groups, including indigenous peoples. ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis Risk Solutions, a leading provider of data, analytics and technology for the insurance industry, today announced the availability of the LexisNexis ID Compass Platform for Insurance. A multi-layered identity access management (IAM) solution, the platform combines physical and digital intelligence to help insurance carriers respond to identity risk and reduce friction for consumers seeking insurance quotes and other transactions. LexisNexis ID Compass Platform is a suite of integrated IAM products that deliver identity verification and authentication, which can help carriers avoid unnecessary risk and elevate the consumer experience by identifying and fast tracking genuine consumers while creating more friction for "bad actors". This helps carriers to make better decisions in their workflow and defend themselves and their customers from cybercriminals and potential fraud. ID Compass uses LexisNexis proprietary linking technology and the LexID unique identifier to help resolve, match and manage information for a more accurate view of more than 282 million U.S. consumer identities. It also considers 1,500 data-specific and aggregated phone identity sources, and intelligence harnessed from billions of monthly transactions to provide various scores and attributes. These combined technology assets are delivered through multiple solutions to protect online data for more than a billion consumers across the globe. Insurance carriers face the constant threat of security attacks from online consumer interactions, including identity theft, phishing, smishing, malware and bot attacks. The ID Compass Platform can identify and thwart attacks by analyzing millions of transactions in near real-time across billions of devices. When individuals are verified and identified as trustworthy, their online experience can become more frictionless and seamless. "As consumers gravitate toward digital interactions, it is critical for insurers to defend their online businesses while keeping data secure and their customers' information safe. Our ID Compass Platform gives customers a solution to help detect and prevent unscrupulous online behavior without compromising consumer experience," said Kim Brown, Director, IAM product management, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "Our IAM solutions are a more effective way for insurers to manage digital identity risk, reduce cyber fraud and enhance customer experience." LexisNexis ID Compass integrated suite of solutions includes: LexisNexis Threat Metrix, which analyzes millions of transactions in near real-time across billions of devices for thousands of global digital businesses. LexisNexis InstantID, which returns an index summarizing the level of verification, potential risk indicators and additional information to enhance our customers' due diligence efforts. LexisNexis Phone Finder, which combines authoritative phone content with a large repository of identity information to deliver relevant, rank ordered-connections between phones and identities. LexisNexis One Time Password, which sends a simple alphanumeric authentication code via email, text or voice to a device in the consumer's possession. LexisNexis InstantID Q&A -- a near real-time, interactive knowledge-based authentication technology that verifies a customer is who s/he claims to be. InstantID Q&A generates an interactive, multiple-choice knowledge-based questionnaire using more than thirty (30) years of unique identifiers, such as property, telephone and address history. To learn more about the LexisNexis ID Compass Platform, visit Insurance Identity Access Management. About LexisNexis Risk Solutions LexisNexis Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data and advanced analytics to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. We provide data and technology solutions for a wide range of industries including insurance, financial services, healthcare and government. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. For more information, please visit www.risk.lexisnexis.com and www.relx.com. Media Contacts: Rocio Rivera LexisNexis Risk Solutions Phone: +1.678.694.2338 [email protected] Mollie Holman Brodeur Partners for LexisNexis Risk Solutions Phone: +1.646.746.5611 [email protected] SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions Related Links risk.lexisnexis.com Moscow on Wednesday accused Berlin of "provocative" behaviour" after Germany's top diplomat urged Russia to investigate the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Labs in Germany, France and Sweden have said they confirmed Russian President Vladimir Putin's top enemy was poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet military-grade nerve agent. In a video address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Navalny's poisoning was a violation of the ban on chemical weapons and therefore a problem for "the entire international community." "I call on Russia to do more to clarify this matter," Maas said. On Wednesday, the Russian foreign ministry accused Berlin of "provocative" behaviour by using the UN to make "groundless claims". Moscow said it viewed those statements as the "continuation of Berlin's openly hostile line" on Navalny's case. Russia said it was especially "cynical" because Germany had failed to respond to three requests for cooperation from the General Prosecutor's Office in Moscow. "The West often says that it's no longer possible to deal with Russia, that is to conduct 'business as usual,'" the Russian foreign ministry said. "From our end, we are coming to the conclusion that due to the afore-mentioned behaviour of Germany and its EU and NATO allies it's not possible to deal with the West" unless it begins to behave "honestly and responsibly," the ministry added. Kremlin critic Navalny, 44, was discharged from Charite hospital in Berlin last week after receiving treatment over several weeks for exposure to Novichok. He fell ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow in August in what his allies say was a state-sanctioned attack. The Kremlin has denied involvement. Search Keywords: Short link: Tatiana Turner, 40, of Long Beach was charged with attempted murder Tuesday after she deliberately drove into a crowd of President Donald Trump's supporters The organizer of a Southern California Black Lives Matter rally was charged with attempted murder Tuesday for driving her car into counter-protesters and running over a woman's head. Tatiana Turner, 40, of Long Beach deliberately drove into a crowd of President Donald Trump's supporters with the intent to kill the woman and also seriously injured a man who broke his leg, Orange County prosecutors said. 'She positioned her vehicle to be used as a backup weapon and she used that vehicle as a deadly weapon, willing to injure and kill those who stood in her way,' District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. But a defense lawyer said Turner tried unsuccessfully to get help from cops Saturday in Yorba Linda after her group was overwhelmed by a hostile crowd. Turner saw people with guns and feared for her life when she got into her car that was blocked by Trump supporters, attorney Ludlow Creary II said. According to Newser, Turner called 911 but 'got the runaround'. She then appealed to cops on the ground but was also refused help, they claim. 'Sheriff's deputies on scene didn't do anything,' Creary said. He said she was trying to get away and didn't intend to hit anyone. 'There were actions that caused her to become fearful for her life and that's when she accelerated,' Creary added. 'She wasn't trying to hit anybody. She wasn't trying to hurt anybody.' This is from @buffalo_baff IG LIVE pic.twitter.com/CPvivZL2Gd Resist, Esq. (@ResistEsq) September 26, 2020 Tatiana Turner, 40, was taken into custody Saturday after witnesses said she drove her car into a crowd of protesters in Yorba Linda, California. She was charged with attempted murder Black Lives Matter protesters and counter protesters clashed in Yorba Linda, California, on Saturday. Police eventually declared the event an unlawful gathering and cleared the streets The Orange County Sheriff's Department, however, has claimed Turner was not in any danger when she accelerated. 'It did not appear from the video we've been able to see that there was a direct threat,' spokeswoman Carrie Braun said. 'I wasn't there and wasn't sitting in the vehicle. I don't want to say what she could, would or should have done. Clearly any time an incident like this occurs it's tragic for everybody involved.' Turner made her first appearance in court remotely from the jail and was ordered held on $1 million bail. A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf by her lawyer. According to NBC Los Angeles, the charges hold a potential life sentence. The incident is one of more than 100 where motorists have plowed into demonstrations since late May, following protests against police brutality that grew nationwide over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer, according to Ari Weil, deputy director on the Chicago Project on Security and Threats at the University of Chicago. The vast majority of those cases tallied by Weil involved motorists who ran into those demonstrating for causes aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement, Weil said. He knows of only one other instance where that wasn't the case when a man drove into a people rallying in support of police officers in Eaton, Colorado, in July. 'It's a man bites dog case when compared to the usual pattern,' said Jody Armour, a law professor at the University of Southern California. Armour said it may be difficult for prosecutors to prove Turner tried to kill someone because it requires showing she was more than just reckless or negligent. 'When you're talking about attempted murder, you're talking a requirement that the state prove that ... she drove into the crowd with the true purpose to cause someone's death,' Armour said. 'That says something about their motivations, their character, their state of mind. It's a value judgment. It's a moral judgment.' Tatiana Turner was arrested after video, pictured, showed her driving a car into a crowd of Trump supporters in southern California on Saturday afternoon, injuring two 'Oh my God!' a woman is heard screaming on video as the white Nissan Versa accelerates into the crowd, knocking the demonstrators to the pavement on Saturday Furious crowd members chased the car, hitting it with flag poles, but within seconds police intervened, taking Turner into custody. She was charged with attempted murder Tuesday Prosecutors are alleging just that. The felony complaint said Turner had the 'specific intent to kill' the woman who was run over. The victim has not been named. Authorities said she was hospitalized with major injuries. Turner, who has a felony record for drug sales and domestic violence, is also charged with six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, including one count for causing great bodily injury, mayhem, and two counts of the use of pepper spray by a felon. Turner's group, Urban Organizers Coalition, had planned a peaceful march Saturday at the Yorba Linda Library, about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles. But they were quickly outnumbered and threatened by the other group, Creary said. The DA, however, referred to Turner's group as 'professional militant organizers'. Turner was seen in videos waving a baton and spraying what appeared to be pepper spray earlier in the protest. Some members of her group had helmets and riot shields. Creary said the charges were excessive. 'In my opinion, it's a message to activists that go to OC,' Creary said. 'They want to let them know that they're going to push to the full extent of the law against activists. Again, it's part of the hostile environment.' Deputies were on the scene to maintain peace and quickly arrested the driver Members of Caravan4Justice are seen at a rally in June. Turner is the founder of the group, according to trademark filings and a GoFundMe campaign Orange County Sheriff deputies line up as Black Lives Matter protesters and counter protesters clash in Yorba Linda. People were struck by a car and injured during the events Orange County Sheriff deputies keep protesters and counter protesters apart in Yorba Linda The chaos unfolded as about 250 people gathered, some with a group called Caravan4Justice supporting Black Lives Matter, and others to stage a nearby counter-protest supporting Trump. Federal records show that Turner filed a trademark application for Caravan4Justice in July, and a GoFundMe campaign names her as the group's 'founder'. Police confirmed that Turner is believed to be a member of the Caravan4Justice. It was around 3pm, police say, when a car in the parking lot of the of the Yorba Linda Public Library at 18181 Imperial Highway accelerated into the road and struck at least two individuals. 'Oh my God!' a woman is heard screaming on video as the white Nissan Versa accelerates into the crowd, knocking the demonstrators to the pavement and speeding away. Furious crowd members chased the car, hitting it with flag poles, but within seconds police intervened, taking the female driver into custody. The two injured people, a man and a woman, were taken to a hospital, said Braun. The man suffered two broken legs and the woman had major injuries. They are both expected to survive. Counter-protesters had surrounded Turner's car as she tried to leave Turner could be seen behind the steering wheel before she accelerated The incident occurred as members of Black Lives Matter demonstrated against police brutality and systemic racism. Counter-protesters crossed six-lane Imperial Highway and confronted the BLM protesters, authorities said. The protesters also confronted each other in the parking lot of the Yorba Linda public library, Braun said. A white sedan came went through the crowd in the parking lot or the exit of the parking lot at the public library, injuring two people, Braun added. People chased the car as it tried to drive away, and it was eventually stopped and was surrounded by police, she said. The Register reported it was not known how fast the car was going. The back windshield had been broken out, and it had a flagpole sticking out of it. The front windshield was smashed, the Register reported. Braun said there were 300 people total and at some point it was declared an unlawful assembly and dispersal orders were given. She added that the department were investigating claims from Turner's lawyers that officers had not helped her despite her requests. A protester named only as Mike as he feared harassment from left-wing groups told NBC that he saw the protesters being injured after they had hemmed in the car. He said the protesters were harassing Turner causing a panicked look on her face. 'They started to pound on her car,'' he said. 'It took damage.' On Thursday night, a BLM protester was struck by a pickup truck during a march in Hollywood and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Los Angeles police said Friday the preliminary investigation found that the driver was attempting to maneuver through the crowd when protesters began beating the vehicle with sticks and attempted to open the door. The driver was attempting to drive away from the situation when he struck the protester. The driver stopped several blocks away and cooperated with officers. He was released pending the outcome of the investigation. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 16:51:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government will incentivize welfare recipients to take up work on farms to account for a shortfall in foreign workers. David Littleproud, the minister for agriculture, confirmed that the federal budget for 2020/21 would include measures to encourage young Australians to help stem a critical labour shortage by picking fruit. Under the scheme young unemployed Australians who take up the offer will receive 300 Australian dollars (about 213.6 U.S. dollars) per fortnight on top of their welfare payments. Australia's agriculture industry is facing a shortfall of 30,000 workers with backpackers and seasonal workers who make up the majority of the fruit picking work force unable to enter Australia because of the coronavirus pandemic. Littleproud said the government would "throw the kitchen sink" at the shortfall, urging Australians to "have a crack" at work in the regions. "We can't raise expectations in the current climate of international travel that we'll solve the problem entirely, unless Australians are prepared to get up and have a crack," he told News Corp Australia. The government will also change rules so that backpackers and seasonal workers will be able to extend their visas to remain in Australia longer. The number of backpackers in Australia has fallen from 160,000 to less than 70,000 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem Dublin recorded the highest daily number of Covid-19 cases again yesterday, sparking fresh fears the three-week lockdown may have to be extended. There were 363 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. Of these 154 were in Dublin. Nursing homes are to get a 30m Government winter cash-injection to help prevent another wave of Covid-19 infection affecting hundreds of elderly people. It comes as the risk of more city and county lockdowns loom. The funding to cover the next three months comes as another death from the virus was announced yesterday, bringing the growing fatality toll to 28 this month. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is expected to announce the winter cash-injection for nursing homes today. Grip Mounting fears the country is on course for another surge in the killer virus has sparked an urgent need to prevent another high death toll among older residents in homes. The extended funding, under the temporary assistance payments scheme for nursing homes, will cover extra staff, equipment and protective supplies necessary to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. It comes amid major unease about how the virus is maintaining a grip in counties Dublin and Donegal and also threatening Cork, Roscommon and Galway. Aside from the 154 new cases yesterday in Dublin, there were 40 in Cork, 23 in Donegal, 16 in Wexford, 15 in Roscommon, 14 in Galway and 14 in Monaghan. There were 11 in Kildare, 11 in Meath, 11 in Wicklow, nine in Limerick, six in Clare, five in Mayo, five in Tipperary with the remaining 29 cases in nine other counties. The evidence seems to suggest younger age groups have reached breaking point with obeying Covid restrictions. "Public buy-in and willingness to adhere to public health guidance remains the frontline of our defence against the spread of Covid-19. The vast majority of people continue to take the necessary steps in their everyday activities to protect themselves and others," said acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn. "If you start to experience symptoms, stay at home and contact your GP to assess your need for a Covid-19 test as soon as possible. Difficult "If you have been informed that you are a close contact of someone who has the illness, please don't meet up with other people, including your family or friends, don't go to work or college, don't play sport - and avail of a test when it is offered. "I know that these are difficult choices for people to make but each individual effort will make a significant impact on the spread of this disease and, ultimately, on the numbers of deaths that we can prevent this winter." Figures yesterday showed there were 117 patients with Covid-19 in hospital yesterday evening and 18 were fighting for their lives in intensive care. The virus is also taking hold in the North, where the 14-day incidence rate - the number of new sufferers per 100,000 people - was 144.9. This compared to 88.2 in the Republic. It was at 191 in Donegal and 160.3 in Dublin. The incidence in Derry was highest at 357.7. The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is to meet tomorrow to examine if more lockdown recommendations should be made. At-risk counties include Monaghan. They will look at whether city lockdowns should be imposed on Cork and Galway. The HSE confirmed yesterday it is looking at more use of automated or robot supports for its Covid-19 testing regime. "As part of the HSE's response we have introduced robotic technology into some of the contracted laboratories. This helps to reduce time taken to complete the PCR Covid-19 test. It also reduces some of the associated risk with manual handling of samples," a spokeswoman said. "We are seeking to expand our domestic capacity by using more automated solutions in our laboratories." DUBLIN, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Store of the Future 2020: How to Drive Footfall During and Post Covid-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Covid-19 has changed everything and it is fair to say that the tech industry has stepped up to the plate by and large when it comes to retail. On the other hand, a lot of the solutions described in this report have been around for some time - and now represent old wine in new bottles. The only real novelty and real innovation remain Amazon Go and its just walk out technology. That said, now many of the solutions are appearing in a new light due to changed circumstances brought upon by the outbreak of Covid-19. Whereas, for example, a self check out a solution with computer vision capabilities to add up the prices in real-time was mainly about eliminating costs, associated with manual check out staff and improving flow throughput, it is now all about hygiene issues and avoiding human contact, touchpoints and eliminating queues. In other words, we have seen a big pivot not so much in the solutions themselves, but in the marketing around their use cases and capabilities. Nevertheless, every decade new revolutionary retail concepts emerge (the Apple store turned electronics retailing upside down) and the publisher thinks Peloton is one of these players. Like Apple, Peloton's strategy is helped by selling its own product, the retailer has managed to combine social media, gaming and fitness with a subscription model and a significant draw for shoppers to visit their locations. Obviously, tracking what Peloton does or how a running shoe retailer overcomes the crisis will have limited usefulness for other sectors at first sight, but there are elements that can be incorporated into other business models - especially around social media communication, online communities, engagement and the like. Other currently successful retail case examples heavily involve online in some shape or form, be it the various (unmanned) click & collect stations, automated stores, lockers and vending machines or retailers using Zoom type offerings to sell to shoppers at home. The zero inventory stores are an inversion of this concept and should work well with clothes (especially when changing room use is heavily restricted). Even now there are techniques how retailers can drive footfall to their stores, many of them involving tech, but not all of them. Much of the secret lies in retailers utilising their store locations in a much better way to regain authenticity and localize their stores. And the publisher doesn't mean building MFCs adjacent to their stores (even though that might be a good solution for some retailers). In any case, coupled with the shift to online, the lockdown and the subsequent easing of it have revealed that a lot of physical retail is in a precarious state. So what will happen next? The likely recession impact will see many businesses going to the wall and unemployment rising fast, so a channel shift to the discounters (Aldi and Lidl will win again) is expected. There will be huge distress on the high street, with retail bankruptcies forcing change on the property sector and rents and rate regimes (spreading upstream to pension funds as property investors and PE and so on). For all surviving retailers, a huge speeding up of digitalisation trends is ongoing. The analysts believes that new tech-enabled the generation of stores will replace the old model battered by online and Covid-19. Finally, tech alone will not get retailers through the crisis, but it will play a crucial part in finding a solution or many partial solutions that combined enable something akin to a return to pre-Covid normality. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive summary 2. A new set of circumstances, Coronavirus and the depression to come 3. Tech solutions 4. The return of price over value, as the recession starts to bite 5. Towards a cashless future? Coronavirus speeds up some trends 6. Revolutionary checkouts, the store of the future 7. The essential footfall question after the lost summer of 2020 8. How to drive footfall: Case examples, Peloton 9. How to drive Footfall: Case examples - walking tours, Team up and sponsor greeters and social tourism 10. Zoom retailing & Zero Inventory stores, go fishing where the fish are 11. Lockers, click and collect, unmanned stores, one of the biggest winners from Coronavirus 12. Robots, the rise of the machines 13. Micro fulfilment centres, the solution to unproductive space 14. Takeoff Technologies, an early market leader 15. Alphabot/Alert, the Walmart solution 16. Amazon-Dematic partnership validates MFC model 17. Recommendations & Outlook 18. Sources Companies Mentioned Ahold Delhaize Albertsons Aldi Amazon Apple Bambuser Bonobos Canada Goose Chowbotics Cleveron Decathlon Dior Dunelm Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports Farmer's Fridge FedEx Frasers Property H&M John Lewis Kesko Knapp Lidl Lifvs Neste Nordstrom Peloton Sedano's Starship Wakefern Walmart Wiebelhaus Woolworths For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/t0lgv4 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Like many Americans, I have lost some confidence in the democratic process. The idea of fair elections now seems vague and distant. With each election, we have become less trusting, less willing to think that in the end, things will turn out the way the people intended. The University of Luxembourg has welcomed its first intake of students undertaking its new Bachelor in Medicine. In the first year of the course, 125 students have enrolled to study medicine in Luxembourg. The programme is already underway, having started on 14 September. It is a multilingual course, with 70% being taught in French, 20% in German and 10% in English. The Bachelor in Medicine degree is taught at the University of Luxembourg's main campus in Belval, with some additional teaching at the Limpertsberg campus in Luxembourg City. Nationwide RTE One, 7pm Includes a segment on the Izz Cafe in Cork, which was opened by a Palestinian family after they had left the Direct Provision system. The Comey Rule Sky Atlantic, 9pm Brendan Gleeson takes on the role of Donald Trump in this two-part adaptation of the memoir of former FBI director James Comey. With Jeff Daniels in the title role, the plot mainly revolves around Comey's investigations into Hillary Clintons emails and the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia, until he was fired by the US president in 2017. Grayson Perry's Big American Road Trip Channel 4, 10pm The British artist visits liberals in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, and a 'woke' part of Brooklyn, where people tell him about their anxieties in the Trump era. It's probably not as effective as his exploration of black people's experiences in the opening episode of this enjoyable series, but it does show some of the failings of a group who tend to hold themselves in very high regard. Streaming tips The Boys In The Band (Netflix) Zachary Quinto and Jim Parsons (Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory) star in a film adaptation of the New York play from the 1960s that was considered one of the first depictions of the lives of gay men. American Murder: The Family Next Door (Netflix) Another show for true-crime fans, with a look at the actions of Christopher Lee Watts in Colorado in 2018, when he killed his pregnant wife and their two young daughters. Enola Holmes (Netflix) Fiona Shaw and Helena Bonham Carter are part of the cast of a film following the fortunes of Sherlock Holmes' teenage sister, played by Millie Bobby Brown. Enjoyable family viewing. Barring any last-minute hitches, the Electoral Commission will organise its one-day voter registration exercise on Thursday, October 1 despite a lawsuit filed by the opposition National Democratic Congress against the exercise. A statement from the EC stated that: As previously advertised, the Electoral Commission will undertake a one day voters registration exercise tomorrow Thursday, the 1st of October 2020 in all its district offices across the country. The exercise will allow eligible voters who failed to register in the just-ended process the opportunity to do so. Eligible citizens who take advantage of this exercise will be able to vote in the December 2020 general elections, the statement from the EC noted. The NDC sued the Electoral Commission over the latter's decision to reopen the voters' register. The party said it took the decision because the Commission has not published in the gazette the 21 days' notice of the planned exercise in accordance with the law governing elections in Ghana. NDC is among other things seeking from the court A declaration that the Electoral Commission has acted ultra vires in its attempt to reopen and/or conduct registration of voters scheduled for Thursday 1st October 2020 when the Electoral Commission has not caused to be published in the Gazette, twenty-one (21) days' notice of this voters registration to the political parties and the general public; the NDC averred in its statement of claim. Eligible voters who could not participate in the mass registration exercise organized earlier this year due to the closure of the borders have been given a one day window by the EC to have their names captured in the electoral roll on Thursday . But the NDC is challenging the EC's decision. It wants the court to grant an injunction on the EC restraining it from reopening the register without first gazetting it. The NDC also wants the court to order the Electoral Commission to immediately comply with Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 91) for this intended exercise. 60-day period requirement The EC decided to open the register for the second time following several requests from persons who were unable to register for their voters' ID cards due to COVID-19 restrictions. But some political parties including the NDC expressed concerns over the exercise following a 60-day period limitation specified in the Public Elections Regulations, 2016. The regulation, among others, states that the EC shall include in the register of voters, the name of a person who qualifies for registration as a voter and is registered but shall not include in the register of voters the name of a person who qualifies to register as a voter for an election but who registers less than sixty days to that election. This implies that, if the EC is unable to meet the 60 days to the polls deadline, even if it registers eligible voters, such persons will not be able to exercise their franchise on December 7. citinewsroom Amid the buzz around potential Covid-19 vaccines and the proper distribution and inoculation of it against the novel coronavirus, Russia's President Vladimir Putin declared his intent to get vaccinated, according to a report. The announcement came as a move to decrease the level of measures of Russian Presidents epidemiologic protection, according to a Russian news agency TASS citing Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "There are, of course, special precautions when it concerns the head of state. He has stated already that he is thinking about the vaccine," the spokesman said. He added that "in order to decrease the level of epidemiologic precaution measures, it is necessary to get inoculated," reported TASS. According to reports, Putin will pay an official visit to South Korea under safe sanitary and epidemiological measures in regard to the ongoing global spread of the novel coronavirus, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with South Koreas Yonhap news agency. During his phone conversation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Putin promised to get inoculated and visit Seoul. The spokesman specified that the "president was not talking about trips abroad in general." "In the context of the conversation he was talking exclusively about his potential visit to South Korea. He did not mention other trips," the Kremlin representative said in response to the question whether this meant that the Russian leader would return to the practice of face-to-face foreign travel after the said inoculation, reported TASS. However, the spokesman agreed that in general this measure will greatly facilitate planning such travel. The Kremlin representative declined to comment when exactly the president intends to get vaccinated and whether he will wait until the end of Phase Three of clinical trials. "Lets wait until he makes this decision himself," he concluded. The spokesman promised that this information will be made public. "We wont keep it a secret," TASS reported while quoting the spokesperson. On August 11, Russia became the first country to license a Covid-19 vaccine, calling it "Sputnik V" in homage to the world's first satellite, launched by the Soviet Union. But western experts have warned against its use until all internationally approved testing and regulatory steps have been taken. The vaccine is undergoing Phase 3 trials. The vaccine produced an antibody response in all participants in early-stage trials, according to results published by The Lancet medical journal earlier that were hailed by Moscow as an answer to its critics. The results of the two trials, conducted in June-July this year and involving 76 participants, showed 100% of participants developing antibodies to the new coronavirus and no serious side effects, The Lancet said. However, a group of international scientists questioned results from the Lancet medical journal, saying some of the findings appeared improbable, reported Bloomberg. The researchers flagged concerns over seemingly identical levels of antibodies in a number of study participants who were inoculated with the experimental vaccine. This and other patterns in the data present several different points of concern," according to an open letter written by Temple University professor Enrico Bucci and signed by more than a dozen other scientists. Meanwhile, Russia has registered 8,481 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative case total to 1,176,286, the coronavirus response centre said on Wednesday. The largest increase was identified in Moscow, where 2,308 new positive tests were registered. A total of 276 new cases were recorded in St. Petersburg and 222 cases were confirmed in the Moscow region. No new cases were recorded in the Chukotka Autonomous Region. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Unify Office by RingCentral now hosted in Germany Atos SE (CAC40: ATO), a global leader in digital transformation and RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE: RNG) a leading provider of global enterprise cloud communications, collaboration, and contact center solutions, today announced the launch of Unify Office by RingCentral in Germany. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005279/en/ Unify Office by RingCentral combines the very latest Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) technology with the knowledge and insights of the German communications market from Atos and its strong partner community of 800 partners. The result is a unique set of capabilities that will enable German organizations to communicate and collaborate effectively from anywhere, on any device, using any mode. Ursula Morgenstern, Atos Germany CEO, commented, "Atos has been at the forefront of Communications and Collaboration technology in Germany for many years. To be able to bring the world leader in UCaaS to Germany and tailor Unify Office to this market is an honor. RingCentral's RCause signature Corporate Social Responsibility Program aligns perfectly with our own vision of a decarbonized digital future." Unify Office by RingCentral enables employees to leverage Message, Video, and Phone system capabilities and several out-of-the-box integrations with business applications they love so businesses can remain connected and productive from anywhere, as they continue to adapt to the new ways of working. "We're excited to see Atos bring the very latest business communications technology to Germany with Unify Office by RingCentral. With Atos, we have a market leading partner who knows the German unified communications and collaboration market," said Sahil Rekhi, vice president, Global Strategic Partnerships, RingCentral. "Together with Atos, we are offering users a custom-built solution that will give them access to leading cloud communications technology, enabling them to stay connected and remain productive from anywhere and on any device." Unify Office by RingCentral offers customers several benefits including: Data Residency : All customer data will reside in RingCentral's Frankfurt datacenter ensuring the highest data protection, residency, and back up standards. The datacenter is supplied by 100 percent renewable energy. : All customer data will reside in RingCentral's Frankfurt datacenter ensuring the highest data protection, residency, and back up standards. The datacenter is supplied by 100 percent renewable energy. Language support : 24/7 365 day German language support by Atos to meet local customer needs. : 24/7 365 day German language support by Atos to meet local customer needs. Seamless migration : Atos unified cloud communications and collaboration offers customers a dedicated product management team to ensure seamless migration from existing Atos Unify products to Unify Office by RingCentral and feature parity. : Atos unified cloud communications and collaboration offers customers a dedicated product management team to ensure seamless migration from existing Atos Unify products to Unify Office by RingCentral and feature parity. Security and Reliability : Unify Office by RingCentral offers a safe, stable, and secure solution with more than 20 years of product development behind it, 24/7 platform monitoring and 99.999 percent uptime SLA guaranteed. : Unify Office by RingCentral offers a safe, stable, and secure solution with more than 20 years of product development behind it, 24/7 platform monitoring and 99.999 percent uptime SLA guaranteed. Global footprint:Unify Office enables customers to deploy a single global solution across more than 40 countries without the need to deploy multiple on-premise systems. The solution is localized in more than 10 languages. Unify Office by RingCentral will be available directly from Atos at www.unifyoffice.com as well as leading local Atos Unify partners including KOMSA, Herweck and ALSO. Purchasing association Gemeinschaft Fernmelde-Technik eG (GFT) will support their partners with test access to Unify Office by RingCentral to familiarize them with the solution and aid onboarding. "We're proud to be a launch partner for Unify Office by RingCentral in Germany. Its transformational capabilities will offer our partners and customers new ways of creating integrated digital workplaces," said Rudolf Saken, Sprecher des Vorstands der GFT. About Atos Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 110,000 employees in 73 countries and annual revenue of 12 billion. European number one in Cloud, Cybersecurity and High-Performance Computing, the Group provides end-to-end Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud, Big Data, Business Applications and Digital Workplace solutions. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos|Syntel, and Unify. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index. The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space. About RingCentral RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE: RNG) is a leading provider of cloud Message Video Phone (MVP), customer engagement and contact center solutions for businesses worldwide. More flexible and cost effective than legacy on-premise PBX and video conferencing systems that it replaces, RingCentral empowers modern mobile and distributed workforces to communicate, collaborate, and connect via any mode, any device, and any location. RingCentral's open platform integrates with leading third party business applications and enables customers to easily customize business workflows. RingCentral is headquartered in Belmont, California, and has offices around the world. 2020 RingCentral, Inc. All rights reserved. RingCentral and the RingCentral logo are trademarks of RingCentral, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005279/en/ Contacts: Laura Fau +33 6 73 64 04 18 laura.fau@atos.net Jyotsna Grover 650-513-8712 jyotsna.grover@ringcentral.com The folks at Heritage House will offer five feature films from The Ultimate Vampire / Mad Scientist / Voodoo Master and they will be streamed each Thursday in October at 7:30 p.m. Each of the films will be preceded (at 7 p.m.) by a 20' chapter of Bela's 1939 serial -- The Phantom Creeps, in which Mr. Lugosi portrays a mad scientist intent on, well, Destroying the world." In order to screen all 12 chapters of The Phantom Creeps, the Heritage house will also be streaming additional episodes on Saturday and Monday nights at 7 p.m. as 'solo' entries. Here is the full schedule of gothic season at Heritage House. Thursday, Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m. White Zombie (1932) The Phantom Creeps ep. #1: The Menacing Power at 7 p.m.) Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m. The Phantom Creeps ep. #2: Death Stalks the Highways Monday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m. The Phantom Creeps ep. #3: Crashing Towers Thursday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m. The Silent Command (1923) (Belas Hollywood film debut!) The Phantom Creeps ep. #4: Invisible Terror at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m. The Phantom Creeps ep. #5: Thundering Rails Thursday, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. Bride of the Monster (1955) The Phantom Creeps ep. #6: The Iron Monster at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, 7 p.m. The Phantom Creeps ep. #7: The Menacing Mist Monday, Oct 19, 7 p.m. The Phantom Creeps ep. #8: Trapped in the Flames Thursday, Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. Vampire Over London (aka: Mother Riley Meets the Vampire) (1952, comedy) The Phantom Creeps ep. #9: Speeding Doom at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m. The Phantom Creeps ep. #10: Phantom Footprints Thursday, Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m. The Human Monster (1939) The Phantom Creeps ep. #11: The Blast at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 The Phantom Creeps (finale) ep. #12: To Destroy the World! Review for the movies: The Phantom Creeps (a 1939 serial in 12 chapters) directed by Ford Beebe and Saul A. Goodkind In this excellent low-budget cliffhanger serial, Lugosi plays one splendidly evil mad scientist Dr. Zorka, sporting a rather Mephistophelian beard. Over the course of 12 thrilling installments, he uses a variety of technological gadgets to advance his master plan: wearing an invisibility belt (the better to drive unobserved around town in his station wagon); makes his giant robot smash things (controlling it via a radio-set strapped around his wrist); and soaring high above the city in a biplane, joyously throwing bomb liquid explosives down at the populace below and cackling away! Thursday, Oct. 1, White Zombie (Victor Halperin, 1932) This ghoulish, still-chilling low-budget classic boasts one of Bela Lugosi's finest performances as the homicidal madman ruling over a tiny tropical island. Drenched in atmosphere, the film tells the story of Murder Legendre (Lugosi), who helps a wealthy fellow claim an unwilling girl by turning her into a living-dead zombie, until realizing that he would rather keep her for himself . . . Thursday, Oct. 8, The Silent Command (J. Gordon Edwards, 1923) In his American film debut, Bela Lugosi plays the role of a foreign saboteur who is part of a plot to destroy the Panama Canal. Produced in cooperation with the US Navy as a propaganda film to encourage support for a larger fleet, The Silent Command was shown at the opening of several Fox Theatre locations and was sometimes marketed in conjunction with naval recruitment efforts. Now recognized as the film that launched Lugosi's career in the States (he had previously only done small films in his native Hungary and Germany), it is one of the few Fox films to survive from the silent era. The cinematography of The Silent Command focuses on Lugosis eyes, at times even in extreme close-up, a technique which helped to establish his screen persona for later roles. Thursday, Oct. 15, Bride of the Monster (Edward D. Wood, Jr.; 1955) Besides Tod Brownings Dracula (1931), many may be most familiar with later era Lugosi from his role in this film (as lovingly recreated by actor Martin Landau in Tim Burton's 1994 Ed Wood biopic, a role for which Landau won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.) As we would be sadly remiss if we neglected to screen an example of Lugosi & Woods brief partnership (they made three films together) here is the original article, a film in which Lugosi plays a mad scientist attempting to create a race of atomic supermen while plotting from deep in his swamp-bound hideout. Thursday, Oct. 22, Vampire Over London (aka: Mother Riley Meets the Vampire/My Son the Vampire) (John Gilling, 1952) In the last of the popular English Mother Riley series of comedies, the cantankerous Irish washerwoman (played in drag by Arthur Lucan) foils an evil scientist (Lugosi) who aims to take over the world with his series of radar-controlled robots. At the time of the movies lensing, Lugosi had recently travelled to the UK to appear in a stage revival of Dracula (which he had originally portrayed the legendary vampire prior to it being adapted into a film.) Unfortunately, the production failed to connect with English audiences. As he needed money to return to the US, his producer persuaded a coworker to use Lugosi in a movie while he was in London. It was felt that Lugosi's presence in the cast of Vampire Over London might give the film a chance of success outside Mother Rileys normally British audience, where her escapes were traditionally considered children's pictures. Thursday, Oct. 29 (Halloween Thursday): The Human Monster (aka: The Dark Eyes of London) (Walter Summers, 1939) In London, philanthropist Dr. Orloff (Bela Lugosi) volunteers his services at a home for blind men, which serves as a cover for his notorious exploits. For on the side, Orloff is running an insurance company that offers loans to desperate, unattached men whom he then convinces to list him as a beneficiary. With the aid of a blind man from the home, Orloff then coldly murders the men one by one to collect their insurance. And although the police are hot on his trail, Orloff continues his brutal killings unabated . . . We hope you enjoy this sequence of special evenings devoted to one of the original masters of on-screen horror. Some women no longer feel like they ever had breast cancer when they look in the mirror, thanks to a complex new procedure available at Houston Methodist in The Woodlands. Breast Cancer does not run in Tana Keys family. The occupational therapist had a normal mammogram. But not even a full year later, she began to feel what was only suspected to be a small, flared-up lymph node. A thorough investigation in the dense tissue eventually resulted in the discovery of a small spot of Ductal carcinoma in situ breast cancer, stage 0. But the diagnosis was not a death sentence. After deciding to remove both breasts, a bilateral mastectomy, Key, 48, learned that precancerous cells were found in her other breast as well. She believes the early detection made it possible to prevent the potentially fatal spread. I chose the more aggressive surgical route because I didnt want to have to worry anymore, Key said. Following the emotional experience, she turned to the Houston Methodist Institute for Reconstructive Surgery at the hospital off Texas 242 in The Woodlands, where she became the first patient there to undergo a less commonly performed, profunda artery perforator flaps procedure, also known as a PAP flap surgery with ReSensation technique. The procedure involves taking excess fat tissue and small blood vessels from deep within the back of the patients thigh, along with donated nerve grafts, to give the woman innervated breasts that not only look but feel natural. Now Key has not only defeated cancer, but regained sensation, confidence and peace of mind. She praises the Houston Methodist team for their care and skill, which inspired her to return to work for the hospital systems outpatient therapy clinic and gave her a chance to live a normal life again including to care for her patients at another facility and to paint rocks to cheer up members of the hospitals breast cancer support group, which she believes empowered her throughout and beyond the recovery experience, during the novel coronavirus pandemic. When I look mirror, I see no scars, Key said. I dont see that anything has been done. I dont have to have that constant reminder. Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon, Dr. S. Benjamin Albright was assisted with a team, including Keys breast surgeon, Dr. Liza Thalheimer, his partner Dr. Steven Gordon, and physicians assistant Katie Borths, PA-C to perform the two procedures for Key. He shared after a patient has removed part, one or both breasts they have the option of either implants or the excess fat tissue for reconstruction. While implants have a shorter surgery and recovery, it could also rupture and not age as well. The breasts also remain permanently numb after the tissue, where nerves travel to the skin, has been removed. Nerves are remarkable in that they want to regenerate, the body will try to rebuild itself, but if you put an implant there those nerves just cant make it through the implant, they cant get out to the skin, so patients cant recover sensation in their breasts, Albright said. While some women are not bothered by the loss of feeling, others feel as though the reconstructive breasts are foreign and have asked Albright to remove the implants and converted to tissue-based reconstruction which can have that sensation returned. This is an uncommon technique in the plastic surgery community where Albright said there has not been a lot of people interested in restoring sensation. Up until roughly the last decade, he said the industry was more focused on moving the tissue and getting it to survive, which is now able to be completed safely and consistently. This is the next task we are trying to tackle is to figure out how we can make a breast that looks like a breast also feel like a breast so that the woman feels more complete, so that she feels like she has more than the body part restored but the actual sensation and awareness of it that she is missing, he said. Keys neighbor Barbara Carmichael, 55, of The Woodlands underwent reconstruction with body tissue in 2015 with a different surgeon, shared her reassuring experience and recommended the option to Key. After experiencing weight loss, she went to see Dr. Albright for revision and the ReSensation technique as well. She described remarkable results, similar to Key, in that she doesnt feel like she had breast cancer when she looks in the mirror either. I have never focused on any of my scars, I feel complete, in some ways I dont feel like I went through any of the surgery to begin with and I cant think that is not a fantastic outcome, Carmichael said. I didnt let cancer define me, Carmichael added. Cancer is a moment in time in my life. It was something presented to me and I took on the challenge and I surpassed the challenge. I think this surgery, while it is extremely long, it is at tedious at times recovery, it is something doable from a long-term result and a desirable result that can give you confidence. It is pretty amazing, and I am quite confident in anything I wear. mellsworth@hcnonline.com NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Button, the leading mobile commerce technology company, announced that Drop, the app that provides rewards to millions of millennials, has launched on Button's Personalization API that is part of Button Evolution, the affiliate industry's first suite of personalization and intelligence products designed to move this industry forward. Drop is setting the stage for marketers to have a better understanding of the impact of their spend and drive a higher return on investment. In a world where marketers have relied mostly on two channelsFacebook and Googleto target and acquire users, the current economic downturn and boycott of the tech giants have sent marketers on a quest to diversify their strategies and spend. The affiliate channel makes up 15% of marketing spend in e-commerce according to Thesis, and is highly profitable, but has not historically offered marketers personalization capabilities that are commonplace in all other channels of marketing like display, search, and social. Drop is leading change in the affiliate channel as a mobile innovator by giving marketers a sophisticated new way to tap into users and increase sales efficiency. Through Drop's integration with Button's Personalization API, brands in Drop's rewards program are able to target unique audiences to offer them more tailored rewards and optimize these offers in real timecapabilities that were never before available to marketers in the affiliate channel until today. All the while, publishers who adopt the Personalization API unlock up to twice the amount of revenue they generate from brands because their goals are aligned. Additionally, publishers are able to introduce new content from brands that only invest in opportunities where personalization capabilities exist, as well as from established brands that can now offer publishers exclusive offers because of the Personalization API. By reaching users at their moments of high shopping intent with the most compelling offers through the Personalization API, Drop enjoys an increase in conversion and yield, and improves user engagement. "Millions of smart shoppers come to Drop to look for ways to earn rewards and level-up their shopping experience," said Derrick Fung, Co-Founder and CEO of Drop. "Button enables Drop to personalize that experience for our users and provide them with more delightful shopping journeys. We look forward to reaching new heights in our partnership with Button to help our app remain sticky, relatable, and useful to our users." "Drop approached Button wanting to create the best rewarded shopping experience for its users," said Michael Jaconi, Co-Founder and CEO of Button. "Today, Drop is delivering on that promise to shoppers and paving the way for other companies building commerce-first strategiesshowing how much more value can be created through smarter, targeted spending enabled by Button's technology. Together with innovators like Drop, we look forward to driving an evolution in the partnership and affiliate channel, as well as making commerce the model more companies turn to in the future." About Button Button (usebutton.com) is the mobile commerce technology company that is powering a commerce-driven internet. As the leading mobile commerce enablement platform, Button powers mobile growth for the world's largest brands and publishers, while offering consumers more seamless, enjoyable experiences. With each action taken, brands make sales, publishers earn revenue, and consumers get exactly what they want at the tap of a button. Founded in 2014, Button has driven over $3 billion in spending to date and has raised over $64 million in venture capital. With offices in New York City, San Francisco, and London, Button has consistently been recognized as one of the best places to work by Fortune, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Crain's. About Drop Drop (joindrop.com), is a rewards company on a mission to level-up the way consumers shop. Using the free app available on iOS and Android, Drop builds a personalized rewards experience from over 300 partner brands. Users earn points when they shop using the app, and can redeem their Drop points for gift cards at places like Uber Eats, Starbucks, and Sephora. To date, Drop has over 3 million users and has rewarded over $19 million to consumers. Headquartered in Toronto, with an office in New York, Drop is backed by world-class investors including NEA, HOF, Royal Bank of Canada, Sierra Ventures, and White Star Capital. SOURCE Button Related Links http://usebutton.com A 54-year-old Massachusetts man who got lost hiking Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire was found in the early stages of hypothermia when he was rescued by state authorities Tuesday night, officials said. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department received a 911 call around 4:30 p.m. from the lost hiker, who was identified as Yogesh Shridhare, according to a statement from the department. The man, who is from Arlington, Massachusetts, told authorities he was off the trail, lost and cold, the statement said. First responders were able to provide GPS coordinates for Shridhares location, which was more than 1,000 feet in the woods north of the Pumpelly Trail, according to officials. A conservation officer tried to give the lost hiker directions back to the trail over the phone, but Shridhare did not know how to work the compass on his cell phone, the department said. Conservation officers arrived at Monadnock State Park headquarters in Jaffrey at 5:45 p.m., met with Department of Natural and Cultural Resources mountain patrol rangers and started searching for Shridhare, according to authorities. The lost hiker was found by two conservation officers around 7:55 p.m. Shridhare was not properly dressed for the chilly conditions and was in the early stages of hypothermia, officials said. He was wearing shorts and a light-weight long-sleeved shirt and was soaking wet, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said. Conservation officers provided him with warm clothes, water and a headlamp. Getting Shridhare out of the woods and back to the trail proved difficult due to the rain, wind and fog. Authorities noted there was only 10 feet of visibility, which drastically slowed their progress down the mountain. The officers and Shridhare reached the parks headquarters by roughly 11 p.m., and Shridhare was given a ride back to his car at the Birchtoft Trail Head, according to officials. Before getting lost, Shridhare had begun his hike around 1 p.m. Tuesday and reached the summit of Mount Monadnock roughly two hours later, the departments statement said. After summiting, though, Shridhare lost the trail due to the low-visibility weather conditions, according to the statement. This incident could have had a much different outcome had Shridhare not been able to make a call from his cellular phone, the statement said. That particular area of Mount Monadnock is known for spotty cellular phone coverage. India is a place where you would expect a disease like this to roar through, at least in the older populations, said Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease expert at the Medical University of South Carolina. They havent seen that as much as you would expect. India recorded its first case of Covid-19 on Jan. 30 in an Indian citizen evacuated from China. The government began screening travelers from China and other countries on Feb. 7 and extended these efforts to travelers by sea and land on March 15. The country shut down on March 25 but reopened two months later, despite soaring rates of infection. The study focused on two southern Indian states, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which together have a population of about 128 million, and represent two of the five Indian states with the most cases. They also have among the most sophisticated health care systems in the country. Contact tracers reached more than three million contacts of the 435,539 cases in these two states, although this still did not represent the full set of contacts. The researchers analyzed data for the 575,071 contacts for whom test information was available. I think what they were able to do is actually really remarkable, to be quite honest, said Dr. Kuppalli, who has spent time in Tamil Nadu doing public health work. Contact tracing has proved difficult enough to do in the United States, she said. I cant imagine what it would be in a place like India, where its such a more crowded, crowded area. The contact tracing data revealed that the people infected first known as index cases were more likely to be male and older than their contacts. That may be because men are more likely to be out in situations where they might be infected, more likely to become symptomatic and get tested if they do become infected, or perhaps more likely to respond to contact tracers calls for information, Dr. Lewnard said. NEW DELHI A teenager from a north Indian village who was dragged from a field and raped by a group of men died of her injuries at a hospital in New Delhi on Tuesday, triggering nationwide outrage again after years of what experts describe as a gang rape epidemic in India. The 19-year-old woman, whom Indian law prohibits naming, had been transferred to the hospital just a day before, two weeks after she was gang-raped and mutilated by higher caste men near their village in the Hathras District in Uttar Pradesh State, her family said. The police chief in Hathras, Vikrant Vir, said that four men had been arrested on charges of gang rape and murder. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that strictest action should be taken against the attackers, according to a Twitter post by Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradeshs top elected official and a leader of Mr. Modis Bharatiya Janata Party. But justice is unlikely: Of the tens of thousands of rape cases reported in India annually, only a handful result in prosecutions, National Crime Records Bureau figures show. Activists say the true scope of the problem is far worse, as many cases are never reported because of the stigma of sexual violence in India. One of her attacks alleges that only Trumps friends in the top 1% benefitted from Republican tax cuts. I know my wife and I paid a lot less tax under the new Republican laws, but we certainly are not in the top 1% and Im sure we werent the only ones in our bracket who benefitted! Her distorted allegations go on and on to the point of accusing Republicans of losing their souls to a soulless man. Oh, please! Heres my point: This election is about making choices that will either protect our freedoms or destroy everything we are (a reimagining of America, as liberals would call it). The election is about protecting the Constitution of the United States from forces that want us to renounce our history, our values and our identities while surrendering to political ideologies that resemble Communist regimes. If you think that is a stretch, then you arent paying attention to whats going on in todays Democratic Party. Ray Salinas, Omaha Catholics, dont be single-issue voters With the announcement of Amy Coney Barrett as the nominee for the Supreme Court, it is assumed that most Catholics will support a pro-life candidate. "As a small business, indefinitely suspending our services left us feeling completely helpless. However, we just could not sit idly by and watch our beloved city suffer. Even with our limited resources, our team immediately shifted operations to provide warm, well-balanced meals to those fighting on the frontlines as well as vulnerable members of the community. Seeing how food brought people together during this critical time made us want to take the initiative even further. As the hot topic of conversation constantly shifts, food insecurity remains a huge issue. According to Food Bank for New York, more than 1.2 million New York City residents lack consistent access to enough food. Through our #CateringOurCommunity program, we aim to help tackle this issue and are actively looking to join forces with other like-minded organizations." Helah, Founder & CEO Founded in 2009, JPO Concepts is an events and hospitality company based in NYC. From wedding to corporate events, their small but mighty team of hospitality professionals specialize in a wide range of offerings such as catering, venue rentals, production services, and more. We are actively seeking meal sponsors for new initiatives and would love to hear from you! More info: https://jpoconcepts.squarespace.com/catering-our-community Go Fund Me: www.gofundme.com/catering-our-community or gf.me/u/xv7kyz Instagram: @jpoconcepts SOURCE JPO Concepts Related Links https://www.jpoconcepts.com Some 189 of pieces depict 24 people who had ties to the slave trade, while 40 pieces depict 14 abolitionists Parliamentary art collection in Westminster is reviewed by Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art Collection features former MPs Sir Robert Peel, William Ewart Gladstone, Henry Dundas and William Beckford Black Lives Matter protests spark calls for statues and paintings of those involved in slave trade to be removed Portraits of former prime ministers including William Gladstone, Robert Peel and Lord Liverpool could soon be accompanied by plaques detailing their links to slavery after Parliament launched a review of its artwork yesterday prompted by the Black Lives Matter movement. More than 230 works of art in the Parliamentary art collection have been found to have links to the transatlantic slave trade, while 189 of the pieces listed in the study by the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art depict 24 people who had ties to the slave trade. Forty pieces depict 14 people who were abolitionists. ADVERTISEMENT Among those listed as having 'financial or family interests in the slave trade' are prime ministers Robert Peel, who served two terms between 1834-35 and 1841-1846, Lord Liverpool, who served from 1812-1827, and William Gladstone, who served as prime minister for 12 years over four terms between 1868 and 1894. The inclusion of all three is likely to stir debate, though, as Peel, the son of a cotton trader, campaigned for the abolition of slavery, while both Lord Liverpool and Gladstone's views evolved over time. The art linked to slavery makes up 2.4 per cent of the Parliamentary collection which features more than 9,500 works in total. It comes as a package of measures is being introduced by the committee in Westminster, supported by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to look at issues around slavery and representation. Sir Robert Peel William Beckford Henry Dundas William Ewart Gladstone The portraits listed include figures who were 'directly involved in, and profited from, the forced Labour of enslaved peoples', according to a document produced by Parliament seen by The Daily Telegraph. It states: 'Today this is recognised as abhorrent. The intention of the Parliamentary Art Collection is not to venerate people who have supported and committed acts of atrocity, but to truthfully reflect the history of Parliament, our democracy and the people who played a part in it.' Click here to resize this module Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams, who is chairman of the committee, said: 'We will look for ways to explain the lives of the people depicted in our artworks - including controversial aspects - honestly and more fully. MPs in Parliamentary art with links to slave trade Sir Robert Peel MP: The first Sir Robert Peel opposed abolition because he saw it as a threat to his fortune in the cotton industry trade. His son was a prime minister of the same name and founded the Metropolitan Police. William Ewart Gladstone MP: Liberal politician spoke out against abolition in Parliament because his family had slaves on plantations in the Caribbean John Gladstone MP (father): Businessman was one of the largest slave owners in the British West Indies and had huge estates in Jamaica and British Guyana Thomas Gladstone MP (brother): The Tory MP regularly provided his father with intelligence about the political manoeuvrings of abolitionists in Parliament Henry Dundas MP: The home secretary and war secretary was instrumental in deferring the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade until 1807 William Beckford MP: Owned property in Jamaica including 22,000 acres of sugar plantations and about 3,000 slaves, and formed a powerful pro-slavery lobby Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood: The merchant and his brothers imported slaves from west Africa to work on their plantations in Barbados George Stevens Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford: The Whig politician owned 159 slaves in Jamaica but failed in a bid for compensation after slavery was abolished Edward Ellice MP: The co-owner of eight sugar estates in the West Indies received 35,000 in compensation when his 300 slaves were freed Henry Goulburn MP: Managed estates in Jamaica through agents because he could not visit due to ill health, and owned 277 slaves at the time of abolition William Alexander Mackinnon MP: The Tory MP was involved in the in slave trade in Antigua where he is thought to have owned more than 200 slaves 'The interpretation of our artworks is reviewed constantly but this is the first time we are systematically reviewing the entire collection looking at issues around slavery and representation.' ADVERTISEMENT The committee said its list relates to the transatlantic slave trade, including works depicting both people who had financial or family interests in the transatlantic slave trade and slavery, as well as artwork featuring abolitionists. A spokesman said: 'The list has been developed through crosschecking pieces in the collection with rigorous academic research which has identified people known to have been involved in the transatlantic slave trade. 'The list is not comprehensive and the documents will be updated as research continues. Data and resources on the representation of ethnic diversity in the Parliamentary Art Collection has also been gathered.' The committee also said it is trying to broaden the diversity and inclusion of its collection in line with how museums, art galleries and other large collections have responded to the demonstrations in recent months. The British became involved in the transatlantic slave trade in 1562, and the country was the world's biggest slave-trading nation by the 1730s. The abolition movement helped lead to the end of the trade in 1807 and then the use of enslaved labour in British colonies in 1833. However, many British people including politicians continued to have direct financial gain from the trading and use of enslaved labour in the West Indies, America, India and elsewhere. The committee has said the intention of the Parliamentary art collection is 'not to venerate people who have supported and committed acts of atrocity, but to truthfully reflect the history of Parliament, our democracy and the people who played a part in it'. ADVERTISEMENT The Black Lives Matter movement was sparked by the killing of black man George Floyd in the US after he was arrested by police and an officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis. Protesters in Bristol tore down a statue of Edward Colston on June 7, on the same day a memorial to Winston Churchill in London was defaced with the words 'was a racist' written on a plinth underneath. It prompted a wave of statues being targeted with graffiti or being attacked during protests, culminating in some statues, including ones of Nelson Mandela and Churchill, being covered up to be protected from vandals. A portrait of Diane Abbott MP by Stuart Pearson Wright A portrait of Paul Boateng MP by Jonathan Yeo The central lobby of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster is pictured (file image). More than 230 works of art in the Parliamentary art collection have been found to have links to the transatlantic slave trade The Topple the Racists campaign launched a comprehensive list of statues it wanted to see removed as it believed the names behind the monuments held racist beliefs. It led to Oriel College at Oxford University voting to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes, a colonialist politician in southern Africa in the 19th century. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in June: 'We cannot now try to edit or censor our past. We cannot pretend to have a different history. The statues in our cities and towns were put up by previous generations. ADVERTISEMENT 'They had different perspectives, different understandings of right and wrong. But those statues teach us about our past, with all its faults. To tear them down would be to lie about our history, and impoverish the education of generations to come.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Cleveland, United States Wed, September 30, 2020 13:20 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c482c8b3 2 World Donald-Trump,Far-Right,militia,US-presidential-election,US-presidential-race Free US President Donald Trump drew outrage on Wednesday after he dodged an opportunity to condemn white supremacists, and instead dropped the name of a far-right militia group during the first presidential debate. When asked if he was willing to reject racist and militia groups Trump deflected and said: "Proud Boys -- stand back and stand by." "But I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about Antifa," he continued, referring to the far-left movement. The Proud Boys, a far-right paramilitary group, then appeared to adopt the phrase, with one known social media account posting a logo that read "Stand Back, Stand By." Outrage swiftly followed the president's words. "At a time of peak far-right violence and growing racism... [Trump] gave another nod to white supremacists, who are already calling that a 'shoutout'", tweeted Rita Katz, director of SITE, a US watchdog of extremist groups. The head of the Anti-Defamation League called on Trump to explain or apologize. "Trying to determine if this was an answer or an admission. President Trump owes America an apology or an explanation. Now," Jonathan Greenblatt wrote on Twitter. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a major civil rights organization, has classified the Proud Boys as a hate group. They are at the opposite end of the spectrum to Antifa, which stands for anti-fascist and refers to a loose international coalition of activists and protesters who oppose far-right ideology. Joe Biden, Trump's challenger in the November 3 presidential election, also attacked the president over his mention of the group. "This is Donald Trump's America," Biden wrote in a re-tweet of a New York Times reporter's message that noted "The Proud Boys are ecstatic tonight about getting mentioned in the debate." According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Proud Boys are known for anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric. "Their disavowals of bigotry are belied by their actions: rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists," the center noted. (Alliance News) - Garda World Security Corp on Wednesday unveiled terms for its cash offer for G4S PLC which values the security services provider at close to GBP3 billion. Earlier in September, G4S said that Montreal-based Garda World's 190 pence per share cash offer undervalued the company. In its latest release, Garda World highlighted that the offer values the FTSE 250-listed firm at around GBP2.97 billion, with the 190p figure an approximately 86% premium to G4S's 102p June 12 share price - that being that last business day before GardaWorld made its first approach to G4S's board in connection with the offer. Additionally, 190p is also a 30% premium to G4S's September 11 share price, which was the last closing price before the offer period commenced. On Wednesday, shares in G4S were up 4.6% at 197.75p, exceeding the offer price. According to Gard World: "G4S has a long history of overpromising and under-delivering and has consistently failed its stakeholders over the last decade." Garda World claimed that it would "bring experienced, professional management to G4S" to help solves the company's "significant challenges". Moreover, Gard World said the offer provided "clear, immediate as well as long-term benefits to shareholders, customers, employees, the public and members of G4S's pension schemes. Garda World is also planning to maintain UK headquarters in London and retain all UK public sector contracts. Gard World Chief Executive & Chair Stephan Cretier said: "G4S is a deeply troubled business which needs a committed owner-operator team that understands the sector and has a definitive and comprehensive plan. Stakeholders can take no confidence in the promises of a senior management team that has been in place for seven years and has not delivered for shareholders, customers, employees or the public. "The G4S board has behaved in a cavalier way by rejecting our potential offer out of hand. We look forward to meeting with investors to explain the challenges ahead and why this is a full and fair price for an asset which faces turbulent times and difficult operating conditions." On Monday last week, G4S said underlying earnings for the first eight months of 2020 were ahead of the prior year period due to a "resilient" revenue performance. Group revenue for the eight months to August-end was just 1.9% lower overall and this was more than offset by tight direct and indirect cost control and reduced interest costs, the latter reflecting both refinancing benefits and the company's improving net debt position, G4S explained at the time. Secure Solutions revenue, which account for 93% of group revenue, were broadly in line with 2019, it said. By Anna Farley; annafarley@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. New Delhi: SK Yadav, the special CBI judge who was due to retire in 2019, was given an extension to pronounce the verdict in the high-profile Babri Mosque demolition case on Wednesday. All 32 accused in the case were acquitted citing "lack of evidence'' against them for hatching the alleged conspiracy. The court also observed that the 1992 demolition was not "pre-planned." The district and sessions judge of the CBI court in Lucknow has been conducting daily hearings in the case since 2017 following an order by the Supreme Court. The 60-year-old judge was to retire in 2019, but he has been given extensions by the top court to hear the high- profile case which he has been handling since 2015. The hearings - which involved evidence from 351 CBI witnesses and about 600 exhibits - had ended on September 1 and the judge had started writing the judgment from the very next day to meet the deadline set by the Supreme Court. In April 2017, the top court had asked the special court to complete the trial within two years with daily hearings. Later, it was given several extensions and when the judge asked for more time, the court had extended the deadline to September 30. Live TV The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday said that it is not satisfied with the special CBI verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition and it will appeal against it in the higher court. AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani said that the judgment pronounced by the special CBI court in the Babri Demolition case is wrong. "We will appeal against the judgment in the High Court," said the lawyer who was also part of the Babri Action Committee. Mohammad Iqbal Ansari, the Babri Masjid litigant, on Wednesday welcomed the special CBI court verdict in the Babri Mosque demolition and said that its good that the trial is over now. Welcoming the verdict, Ansari said, Its good that this is now over. Lets all live in peace. Let there be no fresh trouble of this nature. Hindu and Muslim have always lived in peace in Ayodhya. The demolition of the 15th Century mosque has been a watershed moment for the country, costing more than 3,000 lives in the riots that followed. Mughal emperor Babar is said to have ordered the construction of the mosque after pulling down a temple that marked the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. On December 6, 1992, thousands of Kar Sevaks had pulled it down following a long campaign by the BJP that was escalated by a series of rath yatras held by senior BJP leader LK Advani. A 36-year-old Malaysia based Nigerian, identified as Mr. Samuel Kalu, has been shot dead by unknown gunmen while having a haircut at a barbing saloon located at Umuibe Street, Ndiegoro, in Aba, Abia State. Vanguard gathered that the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-based Kalu visited Nigeria before the Covid-19 lockdown and was planning to return back to the Asian country before he was assassinated. A source close to the deceased told Vanguard that Kalu went to Umuibe Street to have a haircut, while seated and having the haircut, he got a call from unknown persons. After responding to the call, unknown gunmen stormed the barbing salon and shot him dead. According to the source, the gunmen shot Kalu on the head at a close range, while seated on a barber's chair and quickly took his phone away to conceal their identity through the last call he received. Some residents of the area urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to provide security in the Ndiegoro area of Aba, especially at Ngwa road and Ohanku areas. This area is not safe and everybody knows it. I don't know those who killed him, we don't feel safe here. Police hardly come here and when they come it's always them and some Marijuana selling boys that will exchange money and they'll go, but they hardly look into the security situation of this area. Our bad roads in this entire Ndiegoro axis have not helped our security situation. We've cried, we've prayed and nothing is happening. A few weeks ago, a young man was also killed at Agu road off Ohanku road in this same Ndiegoro axis. We urge the government to do something, A resident who preferred anonymity, lamented. Other residents blamed the Abia State Police Command for failing to provide security in the area and urged the state government to urgently arm the Abia State Vigilante Group to help eradicate crime in Ndiegoro axis of Aba. Efforts to contact the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Janet Agbede, were unsuccessful as her mobile number indicated that it was switched off. However, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, failed to respond to text messages and calls sent to his mobile number. (Credit: Vanguard) Reliance Industries (RIL) on September 30 said the co-investors of private equity giant Silver Lake will invest an additional Rs 1,875 crore in its retail unit, the latest deal underscoring growing interest from global investors. This takes the combined investment by Silver Lake and its co-investors in Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) to Rs 9,375 crore in exchange for a 2.13 percent stake. This latest investment the second on September 30 and fourth in three weeks values Reliance Retail at a pre-money equity value of 4.285 lakh crore, RIL said in an exchange filing. Commenting on the aggregate investment brought by Silver Lake, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of RIL, said, Silver Lake and its co- investors are valued partners on our journey to transform Indian Retail for the benefit of all Indians. We are pleased to have their confidence and support, as well as the benefit of their leadership in global technology investing and their valued network of relationships for the Retail revolution in India. Silver Lakes additional investment is a strong endorsement of the tremendous potential of Indian Retail and the capabilities of Reliance Retail. Reliance Retail has been aggressively collecting funds in the past few weeks from overseas investors. Indias biggest brick-and-mortar retail business collected a combined Rs 13,050 crore in the past few weeks from private equity giant Silver Lake Partners and US buyout firm KKR & Co in exchange for 1.75 percent and 1.28 percent stakes, respectively. Earlier on September 30, private equity firm General Atlantic said it will invest Rs 3,675 crore in Reliance Retail in exchange for a 0.84 percent stake. Commenting on the investment, Egon Durban, Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Silver Lake, said, We are delighted to increase our exposure and bring more of our co-investors into this unmatched opportunity. The continued investment momentum over the last few weeks is proof of the compelling vision and business model of Reliance Retail and underscores the tremendous potential of the transformative New Commerce initiative. The transaction is subject to regulatory and other customary approvals. Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Retail and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsels. Latham & Watkins and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co acted as legal counsels for Silver Lake. ANTEBELLUM MA, 106 minutes, now showing Antebellum has earnest ambitions. Its out to show Gone with the Wind fans that life in the Antebellum South wasnt all magnolias, mint juleps and slaves cheerily orchestrating singalongs in the cotton fields. And it wastes no time in getting down to business, opening with the slave owners committing a gruesome series of atrocities, most of which are inflicted on women. Janelle Monae stars in Antebellum. Credit:Lionsgate The producers who gave us Get Out, Jordan Peeles elegant combination of horror movie and political polemic, are responsible for the film but its creators, Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, dont have Peeles taste for irony or his faith in the power of restraint. The overacting is infused with such vigour that I feared for the scenery. The title is slightly misleading, for the Civil War is well under way when we arrive at the plantation. Its been requisitioned by a Confederate unit under the command of Captain Jasper, played by Jack Huston, clearly rejoicing in his role as chief sadist, although Jena Malone is offering him serious competition as his wife, Elizabeth. Admittedly, her crinoline gives her extra swagger, but her southern drawl with snarl makes her particularly impressive. Antebellum's failings drown out its timely message. Credit:Roadshow Loading We observe them through the eyes of Eden (Janelle Monae), a slave who has attracted the eye of a Confederate general (Eric Lange) and is required to sleep with him during his regular visits to the plantation. Reaching the end of her tether, she is plotting her escape but her plans havent gone very far before were treated to a flashback delivering the news that she has somehow been spirited away from her life in contemporary New York as Veronica Henley, a prominent feminist activist and author with a happy marriage and a small child. A video submitted as evidence is subject to a confidentiality order and has not been released to the Tribune. According to the complaint, the video shows the teacher dragging the boy "by the hood of his hoodie out of the classroom and 15-20 ft across the floor to the stairway, and down 2 flights of stairs by the neck of his hoodie as he unsuccessfully attempted to gain his footing. The Associated Press Epic Games will strive anew Monday to convince a judge that its hit title Fortnite should be restored to Apple's App Store, despite sidestepping the tech titan's standard commission on transactions. Apple does not allow users of its popular devices to download apps from anywhere but its App Store and Epic is challenging its practice of taking a 30 percent cut of money spent on the apps by users. The clash comes as Apple puts a priority on selling digital content and subscription services to the one billion-plus people around the world using devices powered by its iOS mobile operating software. The commission dispute has also become a rallying cry for app makers who believe Apple's App Store policies are monopolistic. Major app developers including Epic and Spotify recently formed a coalition to press for new terms with the major online marketplaces operated by Apple and Google. Google runs a Play Store for apps tailored for devices powered by its Android software and also takes a commission, but people are free to get apps from other online venues. The new Coalition for App Fairness advocacy group said it will seek legal and regulatory changes for the app stores which serve as gatekeepers for much of the mobile software distributed to smartphone users. The move comes amid rising criticism of the fees and terms imposed by the app stores, and legal challenges by both Epic and Spotify to Apple's commission for online subscriptions. A hearing slated for Monday before a federal judge in California will focus on whether Apple should be compelled to put Fortnite back in the App Store while an overarching lawsuit plays out. Apple pulled Fortnite from its online mobile apps marketplace on 13 August after Epic released an update that dodges revenue sharing with the iPhone maker. (Also read: Fortnite can still be downloaded on Samsung phones via the Galaxy Store app: Here's how) The judge in the case previously rejected an emergency injunction request by Epic, saying Fortnite's eviction by Apple was a "self-inflicted wound." But Epic did not back down from its fight against Apple, accusing the tech giant of being "a monopolist." Due to the legal row, Fortnite fans using iPhones or other Apple devices no longer have access to the latest game updates, including the new season released at the end of August. UPSC prelims 2020 exam will not be postponed says Supreme Court India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 30: The Supreme Court has refused to order postponement of the UPSC exams. UPSC exams: For those attempting a last time, relaxation possible | Oneindia News A Bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Sanjiv Khanna delivered its verdict on a batch of petitions that sought for the postponement of the Civil Services (Prelims) Examination 2020 scheduled for October 4. On the last date of hearing the court had asked the UPSC to file an affidavit. The plea had been filed by the UPSC civil service aspirants, who are seeking postponement of the exams scheduled to be held from October 4 in view of the pandemic. The petitioners said that holding the exams at such a time would pose a great risk to health and safety of the candidates. UPSC Civil Service Final Result 2019 declared: Direct link to download The UPSC told the Supreme Court that it has already incurred expenses of over Rs 50 crore to conduct the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2020 scheduled for October 4. Any further delay will result in a huge loss to the public exchequer, the UPSC said in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court. "The Commission has incurred an expense of Rs 50.39 crore which includes committed liabilities of around Rs 16.09 crore in order to facilitate logistical preparation for conduct of the examination and postponement of the examination would cause a huge loss to the public exchequer," stated the affidavit. Several exams conducted by the Commission have already been postponed, but the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (CSP) 2020 was crucial to fill up vacant posts in government services, the affidavit stated. "Any disruption at any stage has the potential of upsetting the entire (examination) cycle not only for once but likely to have a cascading effect in future as well. Over 1.058 million candidates have applied for the examination, of which 0.687 million candidates (nearly 65%) have downloaded the e-Admit card as on Monday. The examination will be held at 2,569 venues across 72 exam centres. All preparatory measures have been taken and the examination material, attendance sheets, list of invigilators and supervisors has already been dispatched to the respective exam venues, the affidavit stated. The Cabinet Secretary as well as UPSC Secretary have instructed all Chief Secretaries to provide transport for candidates on October 3 and 4 so they can give the examination without any hassle. Jammers have been installed at all examination centres, UPSC also said. Yoon Seong-hyun, chief of the Coast Guard's investigation team into the deadly shooting of a South Korean fisheries official in North Korean territorial waters, briefs about the interim investigation result at the Coast Guard headquarters in Incheon, Tuesday. Yonhap By Yi Whan-woo The mystery behind the deadly shooting of a South Korean fisheries official in North Korea's territorial waters last week is deepening the political and ideological divide in the South. The government and the North Korean authorities are apparently at odds over how the official surnamed Lee, 47, was killed after going missing from a fisheries patrol boat, Sept. 21, near the western sea border and floating into the North's territorial waters. Seoul said he was shot while attempting to defect while Pyongyang argues it was in response to Lee refusing to identify himself and trying to flee. They also disagree over the whereabouts of Lee's corpse, with the government saying it was burned by the North, which responded that it only set fire to a floating "object" he was holding onto and officers there have no clue where the body is. This conflicting scenarios has left room for the rival political parties here to accuse each other of being pro-North Korea or having an outdated mindset regarding inter-Korean peace and related incidents. Among the latter was an apology offered both by President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the South Korean people over Lee's death, and the National Assembly's abortive attempt to adopt a resolution to denounce Pyongyang. Announcing the results of an interim investigation, the Coast Guard said Tuesday that the official was trying to defect to the North. The announcement was based on intelligence received from the military, the analysis of tidal currents on the day of the incident and other circumstantial evidence. "Based on the investigation so far, we believe that he intended to defect to the North," Yoon Seong-hyun, chief of the investigation team, said during a press briefing. He added the dead official "knew his way around" the waters off Yeonpyeong Island near the Northern Limit Line the de facto border where he went missing. Since launching Drive Pink in 2015, AutoNation has directed its philanthropic efforts towards driving out cancer. This year alone, funds raised through DRV PNK are being invested in seven major research projects through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation . According to Mrya Biblowit, BCRF President and CEO, "AutoNation has played a valuable role in enabling BCRF to be at the vanguard of every major breakthrough in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship." "Every October, we celebrate all that we have accomplished through DRV PNK" said Mike Jackson, AutoNation's Chairman and CEO. "This year, we've taken our mission to new levels, thanks to the incredible support of our Customers, our Associates and our partners." AutoNation sponsored NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers, Jack Harvey, Alexander Rossi and Marco Andretti have also joined in the efforts to raise awareness for breast cancer by sporting pink liveries in the INDYCAR HARVEST GP Race 2 on Saturday, October 3. They may be competitors on the track, but off the track they are united in their commitment to help drive out cancer. AutoNation Associates from coast to coast are busy preparing for the Company's annual DRV PNK Across America Day by selecting local cancer treatment facilities to receive care bags for patients battling cancer. Because the celebration is virtual this year, bags and frontline caregiver appreciation treats will be shipped directly to the treatment centers on behalf of the stores. "Each year our Associates look forward to delivering thousands of comfort bags to patients battling the disease," said Mike Jackson, "This year's deliveries may not be in-person, but the compassion, dedication and enthusiasm have not waned at all." For longtime AutoNation Associate and breast cancer survivor, Lisa Logan, DRV PNK is personal. "Sadly, just about everyone has been touched by cancer. I am so proud to work for a company that not only supported me throughout my journey, but that also supports such an important cause." About AutoNation, Inc. AutoNation, America's largest and most recognized automotive retailer, is transforming the automotive industry through its bold leadership, innovation, and comprehensive brand extensions. As of June 30, 2020, AutoNation owned and operated over 325 locations from coast to coast. AutoNation has sold over 12 million vehicles, the first automotive retailer to reach this milestone. AutoNation's success is driven by a commitment to delivering a peerless experience through customer-focused sales and service processes. Since 2013, AutoNation has raised $25 million to drive out cancer, create awareness, and support critical research through its Drive Pink initiative, which was officially branded in 2015. Please visit www.autonation.com, investors.autonation.com, www.twitter.com/CEOMikeJackson, and www.twitter.com/AutoNation, where AutoNation discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations. Please also visit www.autonationdrive.com, AutoNation's automotive blog, for information regarding the AutoNation community, the automotive industry, and current automotive news and trends. About the Breast Cancer Research Foundation Breast cancer is a complex disease with no simple solution. Research is the key to stopping it in its tracks. Founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world. We invest in the best minds in sciencefrom those investigating prevention to metastasisand foster cross-disciplinary collaboration. Our approach accelerates the entire field and moves us closer to the answers we urgently need. We can't stop now. Join us in fueling the world's most promising research. With you, we will be the end of breast cancer. Learn more and get involved at BCRF.org. SOURCE AutoNation, Inc. Related Links http://www.autonation.com The cause of the crash of the An-26 military aircraft in Kharkiv region could be a human factor, lapped with technical malfunctions, said Oleh Urusky, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, head of the government commission to investigate the circumstances of the crash. "The investigation is considering several different versions of the plane crash. However, it is becoming clear that the technical malfunctions that took place were superimposed on the human factor in its various manifestations," Urusky wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. He also said that work on decoding the flight recorders continues. "They are in a satisfactory condition. Aviation experts are working on them. The completion of the decoding process is expected this week," Urusky said. In addition, the investigators carried out a number of measures, including the appointment of forensic medical examinations, the seizure of documents on the organization and conduct of flights, the interrogation of more than 40 people who witnessed the disaster. "At a separate site on the territory of the A4104 military unit, the aircraft fuselage is already being assembled, the wreckage of which was transported there from the crash site," Urusky said. As reported, at about 20:50 on September 25, on the Kyiv-Kharkiv-Dovzhansky highway, a plane crash occurred. During planned training flights, an AN-26 military aircraft fell and caught fire, which was landing at the airfield of a military unit in the town of Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region. There were 27 people (20 cadets and seven officers of the Kharkiv University of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine named after Kozhedub) on board. 25 people died on the spot, two cadets were hospitalized. On the morning of September 26, one of the hospitalized died in the hospital.According to the State Bureau of Investigation, the investigation is checking four versions: a catastrophe due to a technical malfunction of the aircraft; catastrophe due to improper performance of their duties by the crew; improper performance of official duties by persons who were responsible for flight control; inadequate maintenance of the aircraft and its preparation for flight. J-10 fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade of the air force under the PLA Southern Theater Command taxi out of aircraft hangars successively onto the flightline during a real-combat flight training exercise in mid September, 2020. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wang Guoyun) Microsoft on Wednesday announced it has trained close to 774,000 learners in India as part of its global skills initiative launched in June this year, to help 25 million people worldwide gain more digital skills in the pandemic-hit year. In the three months since the launch, Microsoft, its professional networking platform LinkedIn and open source repository GitHub have reached 10 million learners in 231 countries and territories. Across 21 markets in Asia Pacific, more than 1.5 million learners across 21 markets in Asia Pacific have been reached to date. "Addressing and closing the skills gap is an urgent task, key to inclusive economic recovery and digital transformation," said Dr Rohini Srivathsa, National Technology Officer, Microsoft India. "While we are close to the halfway point of our goal to help 25 million people globally, we continue to strive in our commitment to drive societal progress and help improve lives of people in India by advancing their capabilities and expertise". Within India, the top learning paths are software developer, data analyst and digital marketing specialist. Globally, the most popular in-demand learning paths are software developer, customer service specialist, and data analyst. Microsoft on June 30 announced the global skills initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire new digital skills by the end of the year. The announcement comes in response to the global economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. "Covid-19 has created both a public health and an economic crisis, and as the world recovers, we need to ensure no one is left behind," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. "We're bringing together resources from Microsoft inclusive of LinkedIn and GitHub to reimagine how people learn and apply new skills -- and help 25 million people facing unemployment due to COVID-19 prepare for the jobs of the future". Earlier this month, Microsoft joined hands with industry-driven learning ecosystem Nasscom FutureSkills to launch a nation-wide initiative that aims to skill 10 lakh students in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by 2021. Commenced from September 21, the initiative called "AI Classroom Series" will be placed in three modules. The online classes will include live demos, hands-on workshops and assignments through self-learning, virtual instructor-led training, and mentoring. The special CBI court observed that the people who demolished the mosque were anti-national elements and that the accused people were, in fact, trying to control the crowd Editor's note: This article was originally published on 10 November, 2019, after the Supreme Court allowed the construction of a temple at the site where the Babri Masjid once stood in Ayodhya. The article is being republished after a special CBI court acquitted all the 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, saying that the demolition was not pre-planned. A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Lucknow on Wednesday acquitted all the 32 accused in the Babri Masjid Demolition case nearly 28 years after the mosque was razed by a mob in Uttar Pradesh. The court acquitted the accused, which included BJP veterans LK Advani and MM Joshi, Union minister Uma Bharati and then UP chief minister Kalyan Singh, among others, as the evidence against them was not strong enough. It also observed that the Babri Mosque demolition incident "was not pre-planned". The court observed that the people who demolished the mosque were anti-national elements. The accused people were, in fact, trying to control the crowd, the judgement added, reported News18. The CBI, which went into the case, produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the court. Charges were framed against 48 people, but 16 had died during the course of the trial. Twenty-six out of the 32 accused were present in the special court when the judgment was pronounced. Advani (92), Joshi (86), Bharti (61), Singh (88), Nritya Gopal Das, and Satish Pradhan were not present in court and attended proceedings via video conferencing on Wednesday. The CBI court verdict has come just months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for a Ram temple after the November 2019 Supreme Court verdict which paved the way for the construction of the Ram Temple at the site of the Babri Masjid. The Supreme Court on November, 2019, settled the seven-decade-long Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute with the historic verdict of awarding a Hindu group the ownership of a centuries-old religious site. It ordered the allotment of an alternative piece of five acres of land to the Muslims for a mosque. The core of Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute lies in the belief that Lord Ram was born in a room located under what was the central dome of the Babri Masjid. The masjid was built on the orders of Mughal emperor Babur in the 16th century before its demolition by kar sevaks on 6 December, 1992. Following is the timeline of events leading up to the special CBI court acquitting all the 32 accused in the planning the demolition of the Babri Masjid on 6 December 1992. 30 September, 2020: Special Judge S K Yadav delivers judgment in the mosque demolition case, all accused acquitted. 22 August, 2020: Supreme Court extends by a month the deadline for completion of trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case. 5 August, 2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes part in 'Bhoomi Poojan' ceremony for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 4 August, 2020: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that the COVID-19 protocol will be strictly followed during the bhoomi pujan ceremony for Ram temple and only those invited should come. 4 August, 2020: Iqbal Ansari, who was a litigant in the Ayodhya land dispute case, has decided to gift a Ram nami stole and a copy of the Ramcharitmanas to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he attends the bhoomi pujan ceremony for the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday. 3 August, 2020: Ayodhya District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha formally handed over the certified copy of five-acre land to the Sunni Waqf Board, as mandated by the Supreme Court for the construction of Babri mosque. A delegation of the newly formed Masjid Trust Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation led by its president Zufar Faruqi and the Board's Chief Executive Officer Sayyad Mohammad Shoib met Ayodhya DM Anuj Kumar Jha at the latter's residence. 30 July, 2020: The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board formed a 15-member-trust to look after the construction of a mosque on five acres of land allotted by the Supreme Court. Zufar Ahmed Faruqi, chairman the board which was the main Muslim litigant in the title suit said the trust was named as Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation, which will ensure the development of the allocated land in Dhannipur village in Ayodhya. 26 July, 2020: More than five months after its announcement, the trust meant to construct a mosque in Ayodhya following the Supreme Court verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit, is yet to be constituted. 24 February, 2020: The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board decided to accept the five acres allotted to it by the state government for building a mosque in Dhannipur village in Sohawal tehsil of Ayodhya, around 25 km from the site where the Babri Masjid had stood. The board, which was the main litigant in the case, also announced the formation of a trust to look after the construction of the mosque as well as an Indo-Islamic Centre, a grand hospital and a public library on the land. 12 December, 2019: The Supreme Court dismissed a batch of petitions seeking review of its Ayodhya land dispute case verdict. The top court, which took these review pleas for consideration in-chamber, rejected them after finding no merit. There were 18 review petitions, out of which nine have been filed by parties who were part of the earlier litigation and the other nine were filed by third parties. 6 December, 2019: Four review petitions supported by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) was filed on 6 December, 2019, against the Supreme Court's Ram-Janmabhoombh-Babri-Masjid land title dispute verdict. The review petitions were filed by Maulana Mufti Hasbullah, Mohd Umar, Maulana Mahfoozur Rehman and Mishbahuddin. Challenging the ruling, the petitioners argued that Hindus never had exclusive possession of the entire site. They added that the apex court's judgement had, in fact, given directions to clear the existing structure that remains after the Babri Masjid was demolished at the site in December, 1992. 3 December, 2019: Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, who appeared for Muslim petitioners in the landmark Ayodhya temple-mosque case, posted on Facebook that he had been sacked unceremoniously by the group Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind over reasons he described as "total nonsense". Reflecting a rift within, however, other Muslim petitioners asserted that Rajeev Dhavan remained their lawyer and had been removed only by the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind. 2 December, 2019: Maulana Syed Ashhad Rashidi, a legal heir of original Ayodhya land dispute litigant, had filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its ruling in favour of the Ram temple at the disputed site. This was the first review petition filed by a Muslim party against the verdict. Rashidi said the judgment by the five-judge bench had acknowledged "few of the several illegalities" committed by the Hindu Parties but "proceeded to condone the said illegal acts and awarded the disputed site to the very party which based its claims on nothing but a series of illegal acts". November 2019: On 9 November, the Supreme Court granted the entire 2.77 acre of disputed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla. The possession of land will remain with the Central government receiver until a trust, as mandated by the court, is formed. The Supreme Court also directed the Centre and Uttar Pradesh govt to allot 5 acre land to the Muslims at a prominent place for building mosque. August 2019: The mediation panel failed to reach an amicable settlement. The top court began hearing the case on 6 August. 2018: In February, Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board questioned the court about the hurry and requested that the hearing to be put off till July 2019. In September, the Supreme Court declined to refer the case to a five-judge bench. In March, SC appointed a mediation panel headed by Judge (Retd.) FMI Kallifulla for an out-of-court settlement. 2017: The Supreme Court said that the matter is sensitive and the rival parties should settle it out of court. 2011: In May, the Supreme Court stays the High Court order to split the land, stating that the status quo will remain. 2010: The Allahabad High Court ruled that the disputed land be divided into three partswhere one third will belong to Ram Lalla, represented by the Hindu Mahasabha; one third to the Islamic Waqf Board; and the remaining third to the Nirmohi Akhara. In December, the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha and the Sunni Waqf Board move the Supreme Court, challenging the HC ruling. 2002: In an attack on a train from Godhra in Gujarat, believed to be carrying karsevaks to Ayodhya, at least 58 people were killed. Riots erupted across the state and about a thousand people were said to have been killed during it. The High Court ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to excavate the site and to determine if it was earlier a temple. In April, three HC judges started the hearing to determine who the site belongs to. 1992: The disputed Babri Mosque was razed to the ground by karsevaks on 6 December. This led to some of the most deadliest riots across the country which led to the deaths of more than 2,000 people. The central government, headed by PV Narasimha Rao, formed a commission of inquiry under Justice MS Liberhan. 1989: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) laid the foundation of a Ram temple on the land next to the Babri Masjid. Justice Deoki Nandan Agarwal, former VHP Vice-President, filed a fresh suit asking for the mosque to be shifted elsewhere. In October, the four suits that have been pending at the Faizabad court are transferred to a special bench of the High Court. 1986: A district court ordered that the gates of the mosque be opened and Hindus be allowed to worship there, on a plea by Hari Shankar Dubey. As Muslims protested the move to allow Hindus to pray in the mosque, a Babri Mosque Action Committee is formed. 1961: The Sunni Central Board of Waqf filed a case against the placing of idols inside the mosque and claimed that the mosque and surrounding land was a graveyard. 1959: The Nirmohi Akhara filed a third suit seeking possession of the site and claimed to be the custodians of the Ram Janmabhoomi. 1950: Gopal Singh Visharad and Mahant Paramhans Ramchandra Das filed suits at the Faizabad court seeking permission to offer prayers to the idols in the janamsthan. While the inner courtyard remained locked, prayers were allowed. 1949: Lord Ram's idol appeared inside the mosque. Muslims claimed that the idol was placed by Hindu groups. Both sides file civil suits following which the government declared the area as disputed and locked the gates to the premises. 1885: Mahant Raghubir Das filed the first case, seeking permission to build a canopy on the Ramchabutra (a raised platform) outside the mosque. The plea was rejected by the Faizabad district court a year later. 1859: The officials from British colonial administration erected a fence at the site to separate the places of worships. While the Muslims were allowed to use the inner court, the Hindus were allowed the outer court. 1853: The first recorded incident of violence between Hindus and Muslims over the holy site took place during the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. Nirmohis, a Hindu sect, claimed that a Hindu temple had been destroyed during Babur's times to build the mosque. 1528: Mughal emperor Babur's commander Mir Bagi came to Ayodhya, and is believed to have destroyed the pre-existing temple dedicated to Lord Ram to build Babri Masjid. With inputs from PTI Takeaways from the Trump-Biden U.S. presidential debate: An acrid tone from the opening minute, Sept. 30 U.S. President Donald Trump misbehaved in his usual schoolyard bully style. The moderator could not match his tactics, as Trump jumped in whenever, wherever possible. And yet, it seems it could have been much better managed with the judicious use of two simple switches, controlled by the moderator. At the end of the two-minute talk period, or if the one speaker becomes too belligerent, turn his sound off. He would soon notice he is speaking only to the limited few. The television audience would then be watching only a demonstration of ridiculous mouthing. I think this would bring about a much more intelligent debate, with much improved results. Or is this against some sort of law? Mark Scanlon, Brighton, Ont. The only possible winner was Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who tried to hold his own against a badgering, lying and interrupting President Donald Trump, who completely ignored the rules of the debate. At times, Trump looked dangerously unhinged, his bully-boy tactics on such full display that they would make a grade-school bully blush with envy. Other than Trump, the other loser was hapless moderator Chris Wallace, who should have been more forceful in curbing Trumps constant, boorish interruptions when it was Bidens turn to speak. If theres another debate, hopefully the next moderator will have a cut-off switch to prevent a repeat of Trumps tactics and allow Biden to make his case. Sam Markou, Mississauga A system that has no way to remove a defective leader is not a safe system. We have seen similar problems in Canada because there is no oversight on how zealous, political party members choose their leaders. It is a process open to all kinds of abuse, legal and otherwise, that can install a party leader who is inexperienced and morally and intellectually unsuitable to govern. But when the election returns the party in question, that person automatically becomes the leader. There must be a pan-partisan process for insuring only suitable candidates are successful as party leaders in order to ensure the integrity of our democracies. Tom McElroy, Toronto What theyre saying about the 2020 U.S. presidential debate: Trump vs. Biden, Sept. 30 Americans will use different criteria to determine whether U.S. President Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Joe Biden should become the next president following one of the most chaotic and unusual presidential debates in U.S. history. Trump rudely interrupted his Democratic challenger at almost every turn, leaving Biden unable to talk while refusing to heed numerous warnings from the moderator. So when Biden told Trump, Will you shut up, man, he expressed a thought many Americans have wanted to hear directed against a president who has developed a reputation as a bully, intimidating anyone who disagrees with him. Americans are supposed to look up to their president as a role model; his behaviour during this debate was a disgrace. Robert Ariano, Scarborough Watching Tuesday nights presidential debate conjured up a new interpretation of the star-spangled U.S. flag. Instead of stars in harmonious unity over a calm blue sky, each star now represents an ideology that a single-minded sector fanatically embraces over turbulent, troubled blue waters. Most commentators panned Donald Trumps behaviour and handed Joe Bidens lacklustre performance a small win. Unfortunately, single issue voters ie. pro-lifers, pro-gun supporters, Christian evangelists, white supremacists can look past Trumps blatant disregard for civility and converge their support to give him a winning chance in the upcoming election. Trump knows it and feels comfortable acting like a clown. All Americans will do well following Bidens advice to shut up and listen. Only then can Americans use the bicoloured strips on the American flag as planks to bridge Americas racial, ideological divides. Choose wisely, America. Simon Wong, Mississauga Read more about: A feminist poster campaign in Paris that draws on street art techniques to denounce rape, sexual harassment and murder is striking a chord with city residents and inspiring copycats as far afield as China, its creator said. Over the last year, activists have been pasting walls with white A4 paper sheets painted with black letters to spell out messages such as Shes not dressed as a slut. You think like a rapist and Women are screaming. The state remains silent. In the beginning, we addressed our messages to politicians, urging them to act about domestic violence, said Marguerite Stern, 29, who initiated the campaign by putting up several poster messages and sharing photographs of them on social media. While the government has done nothing concrete, the posters have given women a forum and helped change how they approach public spaces, Stern told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. They help those who put up the posters and also those who just walk by and see the messages, because they feel theyre not alone any more, she said. Putting posters on city walls is illegal in France so the Gluers, as they have become known, work quickly and normally after dark to avoid being spotted. Although France became the first country to pass a law punishing public sexual harassment in August 2018, women say they continue to be subjected to catcalls, insults and violence when they walk in the street. A quarter of French women aged between 18 and 29 are afraid when they are out in the streets, and at least 20% face harassment at least once a year, according to a 2019 report by the countrys INSEE statistics bureau. Nearly 70% of young women living in the Paris area have suffered sexual harassment or violence in public, another government study found. Sterns first poster message, which she put up in February 2019, recalled her experiences of sexual harassment on the streets of Paris and later in Brussels. Men on the street have been making comments about my appearance since I was 13, the poster read. She followed it up a month later with a stinging criticism over a femicide case: Julie was killed by her ex on 03.03.2019. She had made five complaints. France has Europes second-highest femicide rate after Germany, the Eurostat data shows. The number of women killed by their partner or ex-partner in the country rose by a fifth in 2019 to 146, according to figures released by the French Interior Ministry in August. Eager to share her striking protest medium, Stern made an appeal on social networks for fellow activists and women to get involved. Since then, similar poster messages have popped up elsewhere in Europe and in China, she said. Chloe Madesta, 27, who belongs to a Paris-based Gluers group, said activists sometimes face hostility from men when they spot them sticking up the posters. Weve been pelted with eggs, vegetables, all sorts of things, she said. A group of women in Montpellier was almost run over by a car. Although the posters are often torn off or painted over, their photos survive on social media, inspiring more activists to spread their messages on city walls. The fact the posters are defaced means their message is striking a chord, Stern said. Our fight is not over yet. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter What would happen, she wondered, if there were not only more little free libraries in neighborhoods of color, but if they were dedicated to books that told stories of kids of color? What if the kids and their parents didnt have to worry about having a library card or riding the bus to a distant library? And during the pandemic, when kids are quarantined at home without access to a school library, her idea would be even more useful. Bashar al-Jaafari has rejected the claims of some western countries, regarding the chemical file in Syria writes SANA;. Syrias Permanent Representative to the UN, Bashar al-Jaafari, has said that representatives of some Western states at the Security Council are intentional trying to distort scientific facts and to fabricate lies regarding the chemical file in Syria. He underlined the necessity of closing this file completely, because Syria has fulfilled its obligations since its accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention and that Syria has destroyed all of its stockpile since 2014. Jaafaris remarks came during an informal meeting of the Security Council on the chemical file in Syria held last night via video, at the invitation of the delegations of Russia and China. He pointed to the serious violations and gross defects that overshadowed the work of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Jaafari reiterated Syrias condemnation of the pressure exerted by the governments of hostile Western countries on the representatives of the United Nations and the OPCW, with the aim of politicizing the chemical file in Syria and giving priority to false claims over facts and technical issues. He noted that representatives of some Western countries at the Security Council depend on lies and intend to distort scientific facts about the chemical file in Syria. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense has affirmed that Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists are plotting to stage fake chemical attacks against civilians in Idlebs southern countryside and blame the Syrian army. Gen. Alexander Grinkevich, Deputy Chief of the Ministrys Coordination Center in Hemeimeem, was quoted by TASS as saying on Monday that, terrorists in Idleb are planning for staging a false flag chemical attack against the civilian population in the de-escalation zone in Idleb as a provocation against the governmental forces and with the aim of accusing the Syrian Arab Army of carrying out that attack. Grinkevich added that the Coordination Center, has received information that preparations are underway for carrying out new provocations by using toxic substances in the eastern part of the de-escalation zone in Idleb. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. There had been significant changes in the rim of Halema'uma'u crater in the active Kilauea volcano. A year after. Halema'uma'u Crater partially collapsed, and a hot water lake has been slowly rising from it to form a deadly crater lake. Eric Mack of Forbes made interesting monitoring of the lake since its eruption in 2018 to develop the deadly crater. The Makings of a Deadly Crater The Kilauea volcano Spewed Lava and Hazardous Gases in May 2018 and prompted 1700 people to evacuate their homes. As early as March of 2018, however, experts said that the Pu'u' O'o vent erupted. The eruption took volcanologists by surprise as this has been erupting since 1983, and the recent eruption impacted Leilani Estates, a residential area near Kilauea. Earthquakes were felt that week, which then proceeded to lava eruptions. The month-long eruption of Kilauea drained the lava lake. The crater crumbles from repeated earthquakes while lava erupted from fissures in the volcano's lower east rift zone, damaging several homes. READ: Sangay Volcano Eruption: 55,000 Hectares of Banana Plantation Covered With Ash in Ecuador On July 25, 2019, the deadly hot water lake started accumulating as water pooling at the bottom of Halema'uma'u Crater. A week later, another puddle emerged. By August, the little ponds grew out to form a milky green lake where the pit of roiling lava was found a year earlier. HVO geophysicist Jim Kauahikaua reported that the water level is rising at the rate of three feet per week. He also said that there is two possible explanation for the rapid water rise. For one, it may be just a simple accumulation of rainwater, or it might be the rebounding of the water table after the volcanic activity year earlier and the literal collapse of the crater itself. According to Kauahikaua, the unusual color may be due to the absorption of sulfur dioxide gas, further strengthening the notion that it flows from below rather than from the sky. It continued to rise and became one of the hottest lakes in the world. READ ALSO: Guatemala Fuego Volcano Releases Cloud of Ash 4,700 Meters up Into the Atmosphere in a Major Eruption The lake is rising rapidly that it has reached 43 meters or 140 feet earlier this month. It also is hot: like 185 degrees Fahrenheit as per USGS temperature measurement in August. Scientists attribute this to local gas vents or heat from the nearby rocks. But more than the hot temperature, USGS reported that sulfur dioxide dissolved in the lake, turning into sulfuric acid. This makes the lake unsafe for swimming or other activities, prompting authorities to prohibit people from getting near the dangerous water body. To study the lake's developments, scientists used drones to retrieve samples for further analyses to give light on what is happening in the deadly zone. READ NEXT: Surprising New Evidence Shows Venus Has Active Volcanoes Check out more news and information on Volcanoes in Nature World News. New Delhi: India on Tuesday categorically rejected China''s "so-called unilaterally defined" Line of Actual Control(LAC) of 1959, and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from advancing an "untenable" interpretation of the de-facto border. The Indian government also reminded China that its insistence there is only "one LAC" is contrary to the solemn commitments made by Beijing in previous bilateral agreements, and expected it will "sincerely" abide by them in their entirety. The assertion by the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) came in response to comments by a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson that China continues to follow its 1959 stand on the perception of the LAC. The sharp exchange of words between the two countries on the perception of the LAC came in the midst of their nearly five-month-long tense border standoff in eastern Ladakh with both sides deploying thousands of troops as well as heavy weapons like tanks and missiles in the mountainous region. "India has never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Control. This position has been consistent and well known, including to the Chinese side," MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to a question by the media on China insisting that it takes the 1959 line on perception of the LAC. Srivastava further said the two sides had engaged in an exercise to "clarify and confirm" the LAC up to 2003, but the process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it. The spokesperson's comments came after the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Hindustan Times that China abides by the LAC as proposed by then Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter dated November 7, 1959. The comments by Srivastava also came on a day when China needled India and questioned the status of Ladakh as union territory of India. "China does not recognise the so-called ''Ladakh Union Territory'' illegally set up by India. We are opposed to conducting infrastructure development for military purposes in disputed border areas," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a media briefing in Beijing. Wang said this in response to a question by a Western journalist that India is prioritising the construction of high-altitude all-weather roads on its border with China in the Ladakh region. When China voiced its opposition last year to creation of a separate union territory of Ladakh, India had said it does not comment on the internal affairs of other countries and similarly expects other countries to do likewise. On Tuesday, Srivastava also referred to various pacts including the 1993 agreement on maintenance of peace and tranquility along the LAC, the 1996 pact on confidence building measures (CBMs), the 2005 protocol on implementation of CBMs and the 2005 agreement on political parameters and guiding principles for settlement of the boundary issue, to emphasise that both sides were committed to "clarification and confirmation of the LAC" to reach a common understanding about its alignment. "In fact, the two sides had engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC up to 2003, but this process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it," he said. "Therefore, the insistence now of the Chinese side that there is only one LAC is contrary to the solemn commitments made by China in these agreements," he added. Referring to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh''s recent address to Parliament, Srivastava said it is the Chinese side which by its attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts of the Western Sector has tried to unilaterally alter the status quo. "As we have previously made clear, the Indian side has always respected and abided by the LAC," he said. The MEA spokesperson also talked about repeated affirmation of the Chinese side in the last few months that the current situation in the border areas should be resolved in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries. "In the agreement reached between External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart on 10th September also, the Chinese side has reiterated its commitment to abide by all the existing agreements," Srivastava said. "We therefore expect that the Chinese side will sincerely and faithfully abide by all agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC," he added. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held a bilateral meeting in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet. At the talks, the two sides reached a five-point agreement to resolve the standoff in eastern Ladakh. The agreement included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC. On the basis of the understanding reached between Jaishankar and Wang, the two sides held a nearly 14-hour-long high-level military dialogue on September 21 following which they announced a slew of decisions to de-escalate the situation. The decisions included to stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters. It was for the first time that the two armies announced specific measures to ease tensions in eastern Ladakh where the face-off began in early May. The situation escalated manifold after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15. The Chinese side too suffered casualties, but it is yet to divulge the details. The situation further deteriorated following at least three attempts by the soldiers of the Chinese People''s Liberation Army(PLA) to "intimidate" Indian troops along the northern and southern bank of Pangong lake area between August 29 and September 9 where even shots were fired in the air for the first time at the LAC in 45 years. The two sides are expected to hold another round of diplomatic talks this week under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs. TAIPEI, Taiwan, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Taipei Fashion Week (https://www.tpefw.com/) officially announced the theme for its upcoming multimedia extravaganza taking place in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park from Oct 6-10. A portmanteau of two words, Reconnect and Next, the show's RE:CONNEXT theme conveys the sartorial industry's hopes for reconnecting and reconstructing the future, after sustained blows by the global pandemic. The upcoming Taipei Fashion Week is already generating hopeful buzz across the globe, and will be an artful blend of virtual and physical events. Taipei has been internationally recognized for keeping COVID-19 rates down with its rigorous anti-epidemic measures, and fully expects that its protocols will continue to keep attendees, journalists and models safe during this year's fashion week. RE:CONNEXT This year's Taipei Fashion Week theme: "RE:CONNEXT" is to combine the two terms of "Reconnect and Next", expecting that the disconnected fashion industries will be connected again, constructing interpersonal and recovering industries, thinking about the next step of fashion in the post-epidemic era, and reflecting on how we can use the power of fashion creativities to look to the future "TAIPEI FASHION WEEK : RE:CONNEXT" is opening on 10/5 with the social media challenge: Your Inner Fashion, calling fashion lovers' creative submission in social media and @TPEfashionweek to connect fashion week with public. "This is an extremely important event for us," said a representative from Taipei Fashion Week. "Taiwanese design culture is ready to break out onto the international stage as a powerhouse of fashion talent. In addition to being a worldwide textiles hub (total export value over 2.5 billion from January to April 2020), we are also a mix of cultures and talented designers who have often studied abroad in New York, Paris, and Italy. But these designers always remain true to our heritage, returning here to showcase their dazzling and original contributions to an ever-evolving, global fashion language." Taipei Fashion Week: Show Features A fashion week highlight, Taipei will launch an online interactive buyer's meeting for the first time, to keep up with the frequent waves of new fashion trends as they emerge across the world. Designers can interact with international buyers instantly, without time and space restrictions, using the new Taipei Fashion Week Brand Database developed by the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Economic Affairs. The database will be virtual and interactive for this event. Taipei will remain a classic runway show, but will also incorporate the most innovative digital exhibition experiences as well: connecting the present industry with the future of fashion. The show will combine multimedia arts, VR technology and Taiwanese aborigines performances, seamlessly integrating virtual elements for a reinvention of the fashion show experience. This year will bring in a far more public audience than usual at a major fashion show, using the power of social media platforms. Taipei Fashion Week is also excited to launch a new "Fashion Challenge" via Instagram. The Fashion Challenge is a call for creatives to submit their best fashion looks, using the hashtags #TaipeiFashionWeek and #RECONNEXT. The best will be recognized publicly in the opening media of the show. View the official rules for the contest online. Taipei Fashion Week will feature brands from: ALLENKO3, JEAN, Dleet, DOUCHANGLEE, GIOAI PAN, if&n, INF, Luxxury Godbage by JUST IN XX, oqLiq, Seivson, SHIATZY CHEN, SILZENCE men, Syzygy, WEAVISM, WEIYU HUNG, and #DAMUR. For the latest updates, scheduling information, and events, follow the groundbreaking show via social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Media Contact: Name / Title: Sunny Chiang/ Global PR Director Phone: 16462705533 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Taipei Fashion Week Related Links https://www.tpefw.com The upcoming presidential election in the United States, whatever the outcome, is unlikely to change Washington's current stance of keeping Syria under economic sanctions, Bouthaina Shaaban, a political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, told Sputnik in an interview MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th September, 2020) The upcoming presidential election in the United States, whatever the outcome, is unlikely to change Washington's current stance of keeping Syria under economic sanctions, Bouthaina Shaaban, a political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, told Sputnik in an interview. The US is set to hold the presidential election on November 3. Incumbent President Donald Trump is running as the candidate of the Republican party, while former vice president Joe Biden is running as the Democratic candidate. "I don't think that change of president is going to change much of the American decision [on the Syrian sanctions] because it is governed by lobbies which historically governed the United States," Shaaban said. According to the politician, these lobbies in the US have proved capable of advancing their agenda regardless of whether a Republican or a Democrat president is at the helm, specifically with regard to Washington's actions in Syria and the Arab-Israeli conflict. "Syria was subjected to American sanctions and punishment since 1979 and there were so many American administrations which came along, and we even went into a peace process for 10 years with American [backing] and they never lifted any of the sanctions they took against us," Shaaban argued. Syria has been designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism by the US since December 1979 over Damascus' alleged support for various terrorist groups, including the facilitation of their transit to neighboring countries. In 2004, a new round of sanctions was imposed on Damascus by Washington under its 2003 Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act. Atop of asset freezes and ban of commercial flights to and from Syria, the US froze all exports to the middle Eastern country, except for humanitarian aid. The US followed up with several more rounds of sanctions when the Syrian political disarray began in 2011, which would then escalate into a war that is still ongoing. The sanctions were imposed to deprive Assad's government of resources needed to resist militant opposition forces. In 2020, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act went into force in the US, targeting individuals or companies that cooperate financially with the Assad government. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said that the country and its people will resist all US sanctions as stubbornly as they have resisted terrorism. Slate's Who Counts? series is made possible by the support of Slate Plus members and readers like you. When New York City suddenly shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March, Marilyn moved to Pike County, Pennsylvania, a rural region hugging the scenic Delaware Water Gap and the Pocono Mountains. Marilyn and her husband have owned a second home in the county for more than 20 years, and she decided, like many New Yorkers, to live there at least while the pandemic was still a threat. In September, she went to the county election office to register as a Pennsylvania voter. According to Marilyn, an official told her she needed a Pennsylvania drivers license. Marilyn said she didnt have one, but would gladly provide other information to prove her residency. Advertisement No, the official said. You need a Pennsylvania drivers license. Marilyn pointed out that this requirement does not appear on the voter registration form. I live here, she said. I own a house here. I get to vote here. Nadeen Manzoni, director of the Pike County Elections Office, then came to the desk and, according to Marilyn, said that a lot of people are trying to do this because of COVID. Manzoni then asked how long Marilyn planned to remain in Pennsylvania, questioning her legal residency in the state. Marilyn told Slate that Manzoni ultimately refused to accept the registration form. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. The seemingly bureaucratic dispute has undeniable political undertones. Pike County voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump in 2016 and looks poised to do so again this year. But it has seen a surge in new arrivals since Marchprimarily New Yorkers like Marilyn seeking more space to avoid COVID-19. Many of these individuals have long owned a second home in the county where they decided to live full time beginning this spring. Advertisement Advertisement Marilyn isnt the only Pike County resident whom the elections office reportedly refused to register. (Slate granted her request to withhold her last name because she fears retribution when she tries, once again, to register.) Manzoni appears to have adopted a policy limiting former New York City residents ability to vote in Pennsylvania after they relocated to the state. That policy aligned with a broader resentment in the community that so many New Yorkers have migrated to Pike County this year. On Sept. 24, Manzoni sent an email to county residents, stating: Many people who own second homes in Pike County have been spending more time here as a result of COVID-19. Anyone considering registering to vote in PA should be aware of Pennsylvania Residency requirements when considering how to vote this year. She attached a flyer that she also posted in the elections office. Advertisement Advertisement This flyer warned voters that while many people who own second homes in Pennsylvania are spending more time here due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are not necessarily eligible to vote. The flyer then asserted that voters must register in the state of their Primary Residence. It listed indicators of an established Primary Residence. Qualified voters, the flyer explained, must have a Pennsylvania drivers license, bank statements, and payroll stubs with a Pennsylvania address, and medical and other insurance policies with a Pennsylvania address. They must file federal taxes from a Pennsylvania address and spend more than 183 days per year in Pennsylvania. Any individual who does not meet these qualifications but still registers, the flyer explained, may be imprisoned for seven years, fined $15,000, and stripped of their voting rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krista Gromalski, communications director of the Pike County Commissioners Office, denied on Tuesday that Manzoni refused to register any voters. It felt like I had no power to do what I know is my right as an American citizen. Marilyn, a Pike County voter Virtually all of the flyers alleged voter qualifications are false, as a group of local attorneys informed the elections board on Monday in an alarmed letter. Pennsylvania voters are not required to have a Pennsylvania drivers license to register. They are not required to have bank statements, payroll stubs, or insurance policies with a Pennsylvania address. They do not have to file federal taxes from a Pennsylvania address and spend more than 183 days per year in the state. Advertisement Advertisement So where did all the flyers rules come from? They were cobbled together from various statutes, including the Motor Vehicle Code and tax laws, that have nothing to do with voting. In reality, an individual may vote in Pennsylvania so long as they consider it the state where their habitation is fixed and to which they have the intention of returning whenever they leave. And it is illegal for election officials to summarily reject someones voter registration form on the suspicion that they do not qualify. The local attorneys highlighted these laws in their letter to the board. Advertisement Thomas Farley, the solicitor of the Pike County Board of Elections, responded to the local attorneys letter on Tuesday with indignation. I am insulted, Farley wrote, that anyone would suggest that the office intended to reduce voter registration. He continued: I agree that voting access is a bipartisan issue. However, we have had many individuals visit the Election Office and indicate they wish to register in Pennsylvania because it is a battle ground State. However, they also in the same breath tell the office staff that they are residents of New York and/or New Jersey or another border State. They inform the office staff they do not wish to reside in Pennsylvania permanently, but they have a second (2nd) home in Pike County. The flyer was prepared to educate our Pike County voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, I asked the Pennsylvania secretary of states office about the Pike County Elections Offices misinformation. A spokeswoman told me that the Department of State, in response to a request from Pike County officials some weeks ago, provided a list of the only three qualifications there are to register. A qualified voter must have been a U.S. citizen for at least one month before the election, been a resident of their election district for 30 days before the election, and be 18 years old. The Pennsylvania Constitution and the Pennsylvania Election Code include no other qualifications to be registered, the spokeswoman said, and they do not require a resident to obtain documentation proving residency prior to registering to vote. Advertisement Well likely never know how many Pike County residents were illegally denied the opportunity to register or were dissuaded from voting in Pennsylvania because they previously lived in New York City. Those who were turned away have until Oct. 19 to register. The elections office, which had posted the flyer, removed it on Tuesday. But the United States extremely decentralized election system puts a huge amount of power in the hands of civil servants like Manzoni. Advertisement Advertisement In 2016, Trump won Pennsylvania by 44,000 votes. The Pike County dispute might seem minor, a small-town kerfuffle with no impact on the broader race. But in a close election, each instance of voter suppression can make a difference. My real concern is that this has been going on for months, Marilyn told Slate. I know this happens to people all over the county, and now I realize how genuinely horrible it is. It was intimidating. It felt like I had no power to do what I know is my right as an American citizen. I felt like I had no power. Theres something calming about the Century City mall. Already a hot-spot for luxury-ticket items like Next Healths trendy Cryotherapy and Vitamin IVs, or, at the other end of the spectrum, Eatalys multi-story Italian decadence, the shopping center has recently become home to another one-of-a-kind offering: Equinoxs first ever completely outdoor fitness club. Officially opening its doors to the public in late September, the club was already bustling when I visited late last week. Dubbed Equinox+ In The Wild, the 27,000-square-foot outdoor gym is equipped with the same level of hospitality and attention to detail that the indoor clubs offered in a pre-pandemic world, and it might be the solution for staying in shape and preserving community while indoor fitness remains risky. Between views of the L.A. skyline and the added bonus of working out in the sunshine, this new club is a win-win at least for Angelenos. An outdoor option is less tenable for cities like New York, Toronto or London, especially as winter approaches, but here in L.A., where indoor-outdoor living has always been part of the culture, embracing In The Wild is a no-brainer. When people come up here to do their first workout, theyre like, Oh my God, this is awesome! laughed Jack Gannon, Equinoxs Senior Vice President for the West Coast. Theyre so excited to be outside with the views, and the air, and to just not be in their own apartment. This has been an adventure and we put this together in about three weeks so from an operations standpoint it was challenging. Weve even rearranged the club four or five times as we learned member behavior. Gannon is right: the new outdoor club is not only impressive, its completely unexpected. On the top floor of the malls parking structure, a back corner lot has been completely re-imagined from drab gray concrete into a sleek, turf-covered paradise, complete with a full selection of cardio machines, weights, dedicated class space and plenty of room for distanced free weights, TRX, yoga, stretching and more. For destination members who are already familiar with this Equinox location, the shift is fairly easy: simply head up two more floors from the regular third-floor entrance to the fifth floor, then turn left to find the new outdoor space. Entering the terrace build-out feels like an event itself, with temporary silver rails and a logo-covered backdrop to direct visitors to the gyms check-in desk, where all guests have their temperature taken and sign a waiver indicating theyve had no known contact with anyone with symptoms of COVID-19. Masks are required to enter, but per Californias guidelines, as long as there are eight feet or more of distance, people can safely remove their masks while working out. To that end, all cardio machines are safely spaced eight feet apart to allow for non-masked use, and as long as social distance is in place, weight lifting and other strength-building workouts can also be performed without masks. Visiting the gym on a particularly sunny day last week, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much space there was to workout freely. Soldiering my way through a 45-minute workout curated by Equinoxs Regional Personal Training Manager, Annie Blackford, I squatted, planked and lunged my way through multiple sets without anyone outside our group coming within 10 feet of us and the gym was plenty full when I was there, too. Even during my brief visit, I saw equipment being sanitized and wiped down all throughout the space, and since opening the space, Equinox has begun using medical-grade disinfectant on everything. As the Regional Director of Group Fitness for Equinox, Stephanie Vitorino is confident that bringing people together at the outdoor club is safe not only for guests taking classes, but also for herself and her coworkers in their workplace. And there is something special about coming back together after six months of isolation. Weve worked with health experts and created a task force that implemented guidelines for cleaning, social-distancing and safety protocols as well as mandatory health screenings, Vitorino explained. Im extremely confident in how our brand is protecting the safety of our members and teams. And since Into The Wild is centrally located in the heart of Los Angeles, were seeing members come together from many different clubs. Reuniting with people they havent seen in months is bringing so much joy and a sense of belonging. When I was visiting, even members who had clearly come to workout together were respectfully holding space from each other, and the overall setup of the gym made that easy. Divided into several different sections, there was no chance that a speed workout would run over into the cardio section, or that a midday class might crowd out strength training. And as much as there is room to be separate at the outdoor club, Gannon reiterates that the companys core focus on community remains the same. We are definitely community-based, and the company has evolved so much around that over the last several years, Gannon said. Weve been open under a week here, and so much of the community hasnt seen each other in six months. Its so interesting to see people run into each other and watch this reunion take place and then two days later theyre showing up together. So that community is starting to build again as weve opened this opportunity. Especially in the times were in, people need that more than ever before. All the space you might need for a great workout. Equinox Joining Equinox can be a spendy endeavor, but like plenty of other brands, the company has shifted with the times to increase accessibility when it comes to budget. Currently, membership tiers all range in the $200-$300/month range, with single-club memberships in Los Angeles on average around $220, a regional Southern California option at $245, and global club access at $305 per month. Right now, the pricey $300 initiation fee has also been waived, and the month of October is free. That offer is good through September 30, so if an outdoor gym is calling your name for the fall, now is the time to act. Like most gyms, all of the Equinox indoor club spaces have been closed since the Mayors office gave an order for shut down in early March. After six months, Gannon said a massive wave of the community has opted to try out the outdoor space and resume membership. The overwhelming positive response from our members that have come, visited, and rejoined has been incredible, he said. Its off the charts beyond our expectations both from a business and that were meeting our members needs. Were very proud of it, and were still learning, but were proud of the experience weve built. The post Review: Equinox Takes Luxe Fitness Into The Wild at Their First Outdoor Gym in LA appeared first on InsideHook. Pope Francis will not meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week when he visits the Vatican (Getty Images) Pope Francis has reportedly refused to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Rome over a dispute between the Vatican and China. Mr Pompeo plans to visit the Vatican this week to protest the imminent renewal of a two-year-old deal between the Catholic church and China, which the secretary of state has claimed would endanger the churchs moral authority. He is slated to meet with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the foreign minister for the Vatican. But Pope Francis, whom Mr Pompeo met with last October, would not be meeting with him. According to reports, Pope Francis cited the looming United States presidential election as the reason to not meet with Mr Pompeo. But the Trump administrations criticism over the deal between the Vatican and China could likely be a factor in the decision. This deal, which the details have not been disclosed to the public, has allowed the Vatican to have a say in the Catholic bishops appointed in China. Since the historic deal was agreed upon two years ago, two new bishops have been appointed in China after consultation with the Vatican. Mr Pompeo has argued that the Vatican should not renew its deal with China due to Xi Jinpings administration facing accusations of religious persecution. The human rights situation in China has deteriorated severely under the autocratic rule of Xi Jinping, especially for religious believers, Mr Pompeo wrote for an article in First Things magazine this month. He added that there have been credible reports of forced sterilizations and abortions of Muslims in Xinjiang as well as abuse of Catholic priests and laypeople. Pope Francis has been notably silent on China's violations of human rights. These violations include the imprisonment of at least one million Uighurs and other Muslims in prison camps, with reports of them facing starvation, torture, murder, sexual violence and much more while at the camps. Story continues The Holy See has a unique capacity and duty to focus the worlds attention on human rights violations, especially those perpetrated by totalitarian regimes like Beijings, Mr Pompeo wrote. In the late 20th century, the churchs power of moral witness helped inspire those who liberated central and eastern Europe from communism, and those who challenged autocratic and authoritarian regimes in Latin America and East Asia. He added. What the church teaches the world about religious freedom and solidarity should now be forcefully and persistently conveyed by the Vatican in the face of the Chinese Communist partys relentless efforts to bend all religious communities to the will of the party and its totalitarian program. In a tweet, Mr Pompeo added that the Catholic church endangers its moral authority, should it renew the deal. The extension of the deal between the Vatican and China is expected to be signed next month. Mr Pompeos trip to the Vatican comes with him also traveling to Greece, Italy, and Croatia to promote diplomatic relations and religious freedoms. Read more 'That makes him a mark': Trump biographer warns debt leaves president open to blackmail Trump tax news latest: President insists he has 'very little debt' amid claims he is vulnerable to blackmail First presidential debate: When and how to watch Trump vs Biden A team from the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) of the University of Valencia has succeeded in synthesizing a new porous material that enables and guides the degradation of compounds analogous to nerve agents used in chemical warfare. This material will make it possible to capture and degrade this type of compounds that until now could not be eliminated. The work has been published in magazine Chem. Nerve agents are highly toxic chemicals that poison the body's central nervous system and prevent it from working properly. They act quickly and their effects range from dizziness to death in the most extreme cases. An example of these agents is Sarin, a synthetic compound classified as a weapon of mass destruction and used in terrorist attacks such as the Tokyo subway in 1995 or, more recently, the 2013 Ghouta massacre in the framework of the Syrian War. Currently, the reference material to capture these gases is activated carbon, which allows them to be retained, but not eliminated. The ICMol team led by Carlos Marti-Gastaldo, FuniMAT, works with porous materials called MOFs (Metal-Organic Frameworks) whose versatility makes it possible to create design materials by modifying their properties. In this way, they have succeeded in synthesizing a new family of highly efficient and chemically stable MOFs (MUV-101) that are capable of degrading a Sarin gas analogue in a way that is very similar to enzymes, the biological catalysts par excellence. On a laboratory scale, we use nerve agent analogs to avoid the problems derived from their obvious toxicity. That is why we are working with foreign defense agencies to certify that this degradation can be extrapolated to Sarin gas itself." Carlos Marti-Gastaldo, Corresponding Author, University of Valencia The stability and efficiency of these designed molecular buildings has been achieved thanks to the incorporation of titanium and iron in their structure. The study published in magazine Chem shows that both metals together have a much higher activity than they would have separately, thus achieving a cooperative catalysis that enables an efficient degradation of the nerve agent in water, without the need for any specific or additive medium for the reaction to take place. These new materials, partially created and developed by Javier Castells, Natalia M. Padial, Neyvis Almora, Maria Romero and Sergio Tatay, have already been patented and can easily be integrated into protective suits or gas masks. For this reason, they can be of great interest in security matters, both in the defense of countries against threats of chemical warfare, and the environment, as well as for personal protection against strong insecticides or the decontamination of waters. The Inorganic Chemistry Department of the University of Granada (Spain), the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (United Kingdom), the Centre for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies of the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the company Micromeritics Instruments Corporation have also participated in the work. (USA). By Trend Social media posts sharing images of a helicopter engulfed in flames as it crashes out of the sky do not show an Azerbaijani aircraft being downed, Trend reports citing Reuters. The posts, from Facebook and Twitter, have attracted hundreds of reactions and retweets in less than 24 hours since they were posted online. Both suggest the images show the downing of an Azerbaijani aircraft amid the current escalation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Similar claims were made in Facebook posts in other languages. "The images are actually screenshots from a video showing a widely reported incident from February, in which a helicopter was downed over the town of Nairab in Syria. A high quality version of the video can be seen here and from another angle here. Verdict: False. The images do not show an Azerbaijani helicopter being downed over the weekend as they are screenshots of a video from a separate, and earlier, incident in Syria in February," the Reuters report said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The tenure of the Delhi governments present order concerning relaxations of Covid-19 lockdown norms lapses on Wednesday. While the Central government is likely to release its Unlock 5 guidelines Wednesday, the document will be studied by the Delhi government, which is likely to issue fresh orders concerning relaxations of certain norms within two days, said a senior official of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). Under the Centres guidelines, state governments are allowed to implement the Unlock regulations in a stricter form but they are prohibited from diluting them. Some of the key fronts on which Delhi government are likely to take a call on include Schools and education institutes The Delhi government is scheduled to take a fresh call on this by October 5. Under the current rules, students from classes 9 to 12 are allowed to visit their schools voluntarily and higher education institutions can be opened only for research scholars and post-graduate students of technical and professional programmes. In Delhi, however, all education institutes are closed till October 5, as per an order by the state government. Also Read: Centre releases safety workplace guidelines for industry to prevent Covid-19 Multiplexes and theatres Even if the Central government allows multiplexes, cinema halls and theatres to reopen under its Unlock plans, the final call for Delhi will be of lieutenant governor (L-G) Anil Baijals, who is the chairperson of DDMA. A DDMA meeting is likely to take place later this week. Multiplexes, however, have standard operating procedures (SOP) in place, said a senior office bearer of the Multiplex Association of India. He added the new SOP includes gaps between seats, a thorough disinfection of halls and auditoriums after every show and complete migration to e-tickets and contactless check-ins. Maximum gathering size Currently, Central government guidelines allow gatherings up to 100 people. But, the government is yet to notify that. This essentially means a gathering of over 50 people are prohibited in the city. The maximum limit of 50 was initially set for marriages and has been in place under the Central government guidelines since June 1. Under the guidelines currently applicable in Delhi, it applies to all gatheringspolitical, religious, cultural, academic, etc. The Durga Puja festival is also scheduled in the third week of October and most organisers are so far in a state of confusion, not having received a go-ahead from the police or the government yet. DENVER, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Business Enterprise Institute (BEI), the leader in the Exit Planning industry, announced their latest update to the EPIC software platform. This enhancement provides advisors with an efficient way to create a detailed recommendation plan for their business owner clients with different needs. BEI Planning and Full Licensed Members now have three powerful types of recommendations to provide their clients. EPIC logo blue Recommendations (NEW!): This version includes an explanation of what each Recommendation is, how it works, pros and cons, and details that will need to be addressed if the Recommendation moves forward as part of the chosen planning strategy. Quick List: This version allows advisors to quickly present their planning ideas in a list format. Enhanced Recommendations: Each Recommendation includes a number of elements that allow for added details suggested by the responsible advisor and/or decisions made on how the Recommendation will be structured or implemented. The New Recommendations version allows advisors to educate their clients, get the ball rolling, and keep planning projects moving forward. With a variety of recommendation options, advisors now have the ability to present custom ideas and produce planning documents tailored to their clients' needs as well as their individual planning style. "This enhancement will save advisors and business owners time, resources, and effort while still generating enough information business owners need to jumpstart their Exit Plans," comments Jared Johnson, CEO of BEI. "We are thrilled to provide this new enhancement for our Licensed Members." Contact BEI to learn more. About BEI: Founded in 1996, BEI is the global leader in the Exit Planning industry and the only organization offering advisors access to a comprehensive and proven Exit Planning process. Its mission is to train and support business advisors with proprietary planning, marketing, and training tools to help their clients successful excel then exit their businesses. As a BEI Licensed User, members ultimately seek to help business owners and their families benefit from their lives' work. Media Contact: Lisa Fannin 303-321-2242 [email protected] SOURCE Business Enterprise Institute Related Links https://www.exitplanning.com Overdrive Honda 2 Wheelers India has revealed their first-ever cruiser motorcycle called the CB350. While the exact prices are still not out as Honda is saving that for the festive season. The Japanese motorcycle major has confirmed that the Honda CB 350 will be priced around Rs 1.9 lakh, ex-showroom. For now, the motorcycle will be displayed at some of the key Big Wing India dealerships in Gurgaon, Mumbai and other regions, wherein customers can get a look and feel of the product. The CB 350 will be sold in two variants, DLX and DLX Pro. Design details of Honda CB 350 As seen from the images, the Honda CB 350 carries the modern-classic CB design that was seen on motorcycles like the CB 750 and others. The CB 350 comes with a neo-classic LED headlight with DRLs, telescopic suspension, blackened alloy wheels, a voluptuous tank design that can be availed in a single shade or a dual-tone finish depending on the variant. The motorcycle also sports a contoured single seat that looks reasonably comfortable for longer saddle hours and a pillion grab handle. Honda has also gone generous with the use of chrome on the fenders, exhaust, mirrors and also on the engine. Features of Honda CB 350 Why should consider the Honda CB 350 over the Royal Enfield Classic 350? This surely is one of the most popular questions. And Honda's reply to that is the long list of modern features. The Honda CB 350 comes with Honda Smartphone Voice Control system using which the rider can connect his smartphone with the motorcycle via Bluetooth through HSVCS application. Once connected, rider can operate the system with controls on the left side of the handle bar to use distinct features such as phone calls, navigation, music playback and incoming messages. Then there is Honda select torque control and dual-channel ABS with 310mm disc in the front and 240mm rear disc. The company is also vocal about the better reliability that the CB 350 would offer over the rivals. Technical Specifications of Honda CB 350 In terms of technical specifications, the Honda CB 350 is powered by an air-cooled single-cylinder 350cc engine. The power figure is yet to be unveiled but it will make 30Nm, confirms Honda. The company mentions that the engine note, mainly the "thump" played a big role in development. It will come with a large tailpipe of 45mm that optimizes balance with the muffler capacity, producing a bold low-pitched sound. But at the same time, the engine will also offer refinement and smooth performance stated the company. This could be Honda CB's strength over the RE Classic 350. Additionally, the CB 350 powertrain will also have a slipper clutch, to offer a better riding experience. Sales network, servicing and price of Honda CB 350 Honda will be selling the CB 350 through its premium arm, the Big Wing India across the country. These outlets will also handle the after-sales support for the model. Honda is yet to announced the pricing but has given a ballpark of around Rs 1.9 lakh, ex-showroom. This will be the pricing for the standard variant whereas the more premium Deluxe premium can attract an additional Rs 30,000-35,000. Honda is quite confident of aggressive pricing as the motorcycle has 90 per cent localisation and is being manufactured in the country. Further, Honda is also open to exporting the CB 350 to international markets as the motorcycle complies with the latest emission norms but wants to establish a base in the country. Speaking on this occasion, Atsushi Ogata, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, "Globally, CB series of motorcycles symbolize Honda's history of challenges. For more than 60 years, Honda has consistently given the prefix "CB" to models representing on-road sports. Also, the riders have always been the focus in the evolution of the CB. It was once again the Indian riders who motivated the development of H'ness - CB350. To this end, the latest technologies are generously reflected in its 9 new patent applications. Today, we are proud to usher in a new motorcycling culture in the mid-size segment with this global unveiling of H'ness - CB350." Royal Dutch Shell PLCs RDS.A local unit is considering selling its 45% interest in the Malampaya gas-to-power project in the Philippines. Notably, the project is a major source of electricity for the country's main island of Luzon. The discovery of Malampayas natural gas was made by Shell in 1991 which fuels four power plants satisfying about 20% of the countrys electricity demands. According to a company spokesperson, the planned divestment is part of an ongoing portfolio rationalisation by Shell to simplify and increase the flexibility of its business. Shell has assured an effortless handover of the asset to a credible buyer who would be well placed to optimize its value. It is worth mentioning that the local unit Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp permanently shut down its refinery last month. The move is in sync with its strategy to secure the long term sustainability of its business and grow in the new normal and energy transition. The decision comes in the wake of Shell looking to cut down cost of producing oil and gas by 40% to save cash and reinvest and focus more on renewable energy and power markets. The divestment plan came up about a year after Chevron CVX agreed to sell its 45% interest in the project to Philippine oil and shipping group Udenna Corp. Udenna Corp put forward their interest in acquiring Shells stake in the Malampaya project, in partnership with state-owned Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) which already has a 10% interest in the project. The Udenna Group believes that Malampayas asset is of superior nature, contributing to the future welfare and energy security of the country. Price Performance Shells shares have underperformed the industry in the past six months. The stock has lost 26.5% compared with the industry decline of 13.2%. Zacks Rank & Key Picks Currently, Shell has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked players in the energy space are Global Partners LP GLP, and SilverBow Resources Inc SBOW, both sporting Zacks rank #1 (Strong Buy). Story continues You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Global Partners has been raised 1,245%. SilverBow Resources is expected to see earnings growth of 22.1% in 2021. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Chevron Corporation (CVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report Global Partners LP (GLP) : Free Stock Analysis Report SilverBow Resources Inc. (SBOW) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. On the southern Chinese island of Hainan, a duty-free shopping paradise, mainland tourists keen to splurge will often patiently line up for an hour or more to enter a Gucci, Tiffany or other luxury brand store. Im mentally working on a shopping list," says Zeng Rong, 34, a Beijing-based auditor who is looking forward to her upcoming Hainan trip. Id like to buy a Bottega Veneta bag as well as a coat and a down jacket from Moncler before the weather gets cold." With the coronavirus pandemic having sent most of the worlds luxury spending into a tailspin and China the only major economy expected to show growth this year, high-end brands now depend more than ever on Chinese consumers like Zeng for sales. Their spending largesse, which extends across Chinas biggest cities, is spurring luxury brands to double down on the Chinese market and embracing e-commerce and pushing ahead with store openings whereas in most other countries such plans have been postponed or scaled down. Lavish events are also back. Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh held a Spring/Summer fashion show before a live audience in Shanghai last month. Prada hosted private viewings of its new collection last week - also in Shanghai, the countrys fashion capital which has begun to replace Hong Kong as the favoured shopping haven for domestic tourists. Driven by well-heeled consumers forsaking their usual overseas trips to places like Milan and Paris as well as pent-up demand that built during lockdown, spending in China on luxury goods has surged. Prada has said the groups China sales jumped 60% in June and 66% in July, while LVMH noted that in some weeks since March when the country came out of lockdown, Louis Vuitton and Dior have seen China sales more than double. Mainland China has become the place where all the purchase power is trapped," said Mauro Maggioni, Asia Pacific CEO at Italian luxury sneaker and apparel brand Golden Goose which has 21 stores in mainland China. It also opened stores on Chinas top e-commerce sites last month and plans a new shop in Hainan soon. As luxury spending in China reaches new heights for some brands, the Chinese are set to account for around half of all global spending on high-end brands in 2020, up from 37% last year, according to McKinsey & Company. That said, industry executives say it will not be enough to make up for the near absence of Chinese tourists abroad, who have been responsible for two-thirds of Chinese luxury spending. Total global luxury spending is expected to plunge as much as 35% from last years $300 billion, according to consultancy Bain. YOUNG AND FLUSH WITH CASH China is, however, the place to be. Store numbers for top luxury brands there rose 4% in the first half of 2020, while those for cosmetics brands jumped 8%, according to a report by property consultancy Savills. I can see the continuous potential of the Chinese market," Michele Norsa, executive deputy chairman at Italys Ferragamo, told an earnings briefing this month. The luxury shoe and accessories maker is reviewing its store network with a view to closing some in Europe and opening more in China. Helping stoke domestic demand, the Chinese government has long sought to bring some of the money splashed abroad by its citizens overseas back home. It cut import tariffs in 2018, enabling luxury brands to reduce their China prices, while this year in Hainan, it has expanded the amount of duty-free shopping allowed to 100,000 yuan ($14,650) from 30,000 yuan as well as the types and number of products allowed. Also, unlike many other countries where luxury spending tends to be the domain of older generations, China skews younger with many luxury consumers between 25-35 - often the only child of the family and armed with money from indulgent parents. Younger Chinese shoppers also prefer e-commerce and the worlds poshest brands have started wading into online sales in China, putting aside concerns about the potential for counterfeiters to take away their sales and the loss of the luxury shopping experience over the internet. Services like livestreaming now give luxury brands the ability to more directly connect to shoppers, said Golden Gooses Maggioni, adding that with online stores his brand could now reach shoppers in up to 100 Chinese cities. Alibabas Tmall marketplace has seen 50 brands including Giorgio Armani and Alexander Wang open stores on its three-year old luxury platform this year and another 20 are expected to join by the end of the year, bringing the number to 220. Getting brands to join is not hard, Luna Wang, head of the division said at a Tmall Luxury event last month, noting the far greater market penetration that comes with an online presence. When the brands see the figures, they speed up," she said. ($1 = 6.8210 Chinese yuan) Xi Jinping straightens the red ribbons on flower baskets during a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. Xi and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan joined representatives from various walks of life in the ceremony to mark Martyrs' Day on Wednesday morning. [Xinhua/Shen Hong] BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state joined representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square on Wednesday morning. The event, which took place a day ahead of the National Day, was held to mark Martyrs' Day. The other leaders included Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. A military band played trumpets to commemorate the martyrs. At 10 a.m., all participants sang the national anthem, and then paid a silent tribute to those who devoted their lives to the liberation of the Chinese people and the construction of the People's Republic of China, which was founded in 1949. After students sang the chorus of the song of Chinese Young Pioneers, 18 honor guards laid nine flower baskets in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes. The baskets were presented in the names of the CPC Central Committee; the National People's Congress Standing Committee; the State Council; the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; the Central Military Commission; non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and patriotic persons without party affiliations; people's organizations and people from all walks of life; veterans, retired senior cadres and the relatives of martyrs; as well as Chinese Young Pioneers. Xi straightened the red ribbons on the baskets and led a group of senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay tribute. Since the COVID-19 outbreak this year, China has waged an all-out "people's war" against the virus. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, the country has achieved major strategic achievements in the fight against the epidemic and secured remarkable progress in advancing epidemic prevention and control as well as economic and social development. With the goals of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as well as winning the fight against poverty soon to be realized, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups will continue their journey to fully build a modern socialist China under the leadership of the CPC. The ceremony was presided over by Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee. Xi Jinping walks around the Monument to the People's Heroes to pay tribute during a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. Xi and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan joined representatives from various walks of life in the ceremony to mark Martyrs' Day on Wednesday morning. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei] Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan join representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. [Xinhua/Ju Peng] Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan join representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi] Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan join representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi] Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan join representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower baskets to deceased national heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2020. [Xinhua/Wang Ye] (Source: Xinhua) After the family members of the Dalit woman who was gang-raped and succumbed to her injuries claimed that her body was forcibly cremated at 2.30 am, Uttar Pradesh assistant director general (law and order) Prashant Kumar said the funeral was conducted with the consent of the family. They were present during the funeral. The body was putrefying. The victim died yesterday in Delhi. After the post-mortem, the funeral was conducted with the consent of the family members. The details of the examination will soon be out and shared, Prashant Kumar said. The family claimed that the womans body was taken away by the police in the middle of the night for final rites. The police have forcibly taken the dead body, and my father along with them for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the crematorium) by the police, the womans brother told news agency PTI. The body of the woman reached her village around midnight and the cremation was done by 3 am on Wednesday. The villagers claimed that they wanted to take the body of the woman to her house, but the passage for ambulance was blocked and finally cremation took place in village. A video of the victims mother beating her chest to have a last look of her dead daughter has been doing rounds on social media. The woman was raped in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras village by four men on September 14 and died a fortnight later after battling serious injuries. The woman was first taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh, but shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi after her condition deteriorated. The Durham Region Health Department is urging guests and staff to come forward after an COVID-19 outbreak at a wedding at Oshawas Caribbean Cultural Centre on Sept. 19. According to the department, about 50 guests and eight to 10 staff and volunteers were in attendance, resulting in eight positive cases of COVID-19 so far. It is very important that individuals who participated in this wedding contact us as soon as possible to allow Health Department staff to provide appropriate followup, said Dr. Pepi McTavish, Durham region assistant medical officer of health, in a news release. Two workplaces have also been contacted for further investigation. Anyone who attended the event is encouraged to call the Health Department at 905-668-4113, ext. 2680. Read more about: ABC News Demonstrators gathered in Washington on Friday for the country's largest annual anti-abortion rally around the anniversary of the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing the right to an abortion -- but this year, 49 years later, they march with the fate of Roe v. Wade more uncertain than ever. "We expect this year's March for Life to be historic with even higher levels of enthusiasm from participants," Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life, told ABC News in a statement. "We are all hopeful that, with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case before the Supreme Court, this year will bring us much closer to building the culture of life we have all marched for since Roe v. Wade was imposed on our nation nearly 50 years ago." The proposed reclamation of the Lotus jetty near the Haji Ali Mosque in Worli not only threatens the delicate ecosystem of the area's shoreline but will also take away the largest boat parking space available to at least 100 small fishers in the area The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's ambitious Coastal Road project has affected the livelihood of the small and artisanal fisherfolk in Mumbais Worli area with fishers claiming not just an exponential fall in catch, but also fishing equipment worth lakhs being damaged since reclamation work began in the area in 2018. The community now fears further loss of livelihood with the proposed reclamation of the Lotus Jetty near the Haji Ali Mosque in Worli as part of the Coastal Road project, damaging not just the delicate ecosystem of Worli's shoreline, but also taking away the boat parking space available to them in the area. The Lotus Jetty is one of the largest spaces for Mumbais small and artisanal fisherfolk to dock their boats. It is currently used by over 100 fishermen. Locals say the reclamation work that has been undertaken in the last two years has already destroyed the inter-tidal pools that are rich in marine life. The noise from the heavy machinery too has driven the fish away from the area, they add. They want a parking space for their coastal road, but what about our parking space? Does our profession have no value?" asks Sanjay Baikar, secretary of Vanchit Machhimar Haji Ali Sahkari Sangathana Maryadit, an association of the fisherfolk living between Worli and Walkeshwar. "This project has caused massive damage to our livelihood and is a threat to our way of life," adds Bhaikar. Local fishers said that on 30 August, supervisors affiliated to the civic body arrived at the Lotus Jetty and asked them to remove their boats, as reclamation was set to begin. The locals claimed that the authorities hadnt served any prior notice, and alleged that the verbal instruction was followed by threats and abuses. Sixty-year-old Jais Khambal, a member of the association, says that the Lotus Jetty is the only space left for fishers in the area to dock their boats. Khambal informs that he started docking his boat at the Lotus Jetty after reclamation work began near his residence in Priyadarshini Park. "We will have no way to earn a livelihood if this jetty gets reclaimed as well, he says. The United Nations defines small and artisanal fishing as, traditional fisheries involving fishing households (as opposed to commercial companies), using relatively small amount of capital and energy, relatively small fishing vessels (if any), making short fishing trips, close to shore, and mainly for local consumption. Many of the fishers using the jetty in Worli are third-generation fishers to take up the profession while others have been fishing for over four decades now. For them, fishing is the primary source of livelihood, and most of those who venture out on the sea are sole earners in their families. Waiting for the chief minister's reply Members of the fisher community are angry as well feeling intimidated by the Coastal Road project. They have rallied against the coastal road project under the Vanchit Machhimar Haji Ali Sahkari Sangathana Maryadit and have been demanding from the government to stop the Coastal Road project as it's impeding their source of income. The association, which represents over 600 people, including the fishers families, has written to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray several times, seeking an audience to discuss their grievances regarding the project. However, they say that they are yet to receive a reply from the chief minister. Fishing equipment worth over Rs 20 lakh damaged, say locals The ongoing reclamation work is in the immediate vicinity of the Lotus Jetty, and the fisherfolk are incurring losses worth lakhs of rupees as their engine-powered boats, dinghies, and nets are damaged in the process. In June, 25-year-old Salman Sayyed lost an engine-powered boat worth more than a lakh due to reclamation work at the jetty. With 10 dependents in his family, he and his younger brother are the sole earners. They (BMC field officers) gave me an hours notice to remove my boat from the jetty. I had agreed to, but they buried the boat under rocks despite that, he alleged. Now Sayyed is left with just a dinghy. Locals say that while an engine-powered boat can venture at least 15 kilometres into the sea, the capacity of a dinghy is drastically lower. At best, it can cover a kilometre. Fifty-five-year-old Palaniswami also recounts a similar experience from two weeks ago. They broke my engine boat, with only a days notice to remove it from the jetty. It seems like they destroy the boats in the night, when no one is around, he alleges. Another resident of the area, Alauddin Khan, gives an overall figure of the financial losses the community has seen so far. At least seven-eight such boats have been broken since 2018, and countless nets have been damaged. Overall, the fishers in the area have borne losses worth Rs 20-25 lakh, says Khan. BMC denies asking fishers to clear Lotus Jetty Meanwhile, the BMC has denied any knowledge of having issued any order instructing the fishers to clear the Lotus Jetty. Niranjan Khanolkar, chief engineer in the BMCs Coastal Road Department, said, Our office is not aware of any such action. Sometimes a contractor or a supervisor might give such instructions for technical reasons or on a temporary basis. The proposed 30-kilometre-long coastal road aims to decongest existing arterial roads in Mumbai by connecting south Mumbai to the northern suburb of Kandivali. The first phase of the plan includes bridges on stilts, an underwater tunnel, and road segments between Marine Drive and Worli. The 9.9-kilometre road will ultimately join the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. While the government is justifying its plan to reclaim at least 100 acres of land as a way to develop the citys infrastructure, the adverse effects of the project on the local fishing communitys livelihood are concrete and manifold. Locals face loss in income Many fishers said they are facing a severe shortage in their catch due to the disturbance caused to the coastal marine ecosystem. On 2 September, Kamlesh Soni set out with three other boat-mates at 5.45 am. In over four hours, Soni said they had managed to catch fish worth only Rs 100-250 in total, which he split with the others. In a week, I earn Rs 2,000 while the diesel costs Rs 3,000. Even though we go fishing every day, how will we sustain ourselves with such little produce? Earlier, we could yield a good catch with one or two nets, but now we need 10 nets to catch the same amount of fish, he says. Locals say that there has been a significant reduction in their familys monthly income due to the effects of the reclamation work. A lot of them are also incurring debts of over a lakh. Since 2018, our incomes have been reducing. We used to earn between Rs 15,000-30,000 in a month, but now we are barely earning between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, Baikar says. Fishbait and other small creatures are our last resort to make ends meet, he adds. 30.09.2020 LISTEN It is a difficult time to be an Ewe in this country. And the awkwardness of their situation is not about to get any better. This is because there are those in portions of Eweland that have taken arms against this country and shouting to secede. They have attacked police stations, shot officers and seized weapons. They have burned state busses and shot at citizens and blocked streets and organized their mass rallies and driven through cities with law enforcement trucks with impunity. And if you are the typical Ewe patriot, exactly what can you do? Already in this country, there were those who unfairly harbored hatred for the Ewes and viewed them askance. And I will be remiss to allege that the feeling was gratuitous. Misguided elements have been mutually obnoxious on both sides.on both sides. But the present disturbances by these western Togolanders have greatly skewed the balance against all Ewes. Because those who have been looking for opportunities to insult them and demonize them now have the field day to do so. It is as if every Ewe in this country is now a potential rebel and a secret sympathizer of this rebellion taking place. Notwithstanding that the chiefs, and prominent persons and opinion leader of that area have all condemned the groups activities. To date, no Ewe of significance has been mentioned to be associated with the group, and many have expressed shame of the goings on of at that place. Out of shame, many have even gone to the extent of alluding that the government was behind the whole thing. If they were proud of the actions taking place in this Western Togoland, they would have come out openly to support them and claim responsibility for the occurrences. But here, there is a general shame of it, hence the attempt to shift responsibility elsewhere. Does the government really need any pretext to send troops to any part of the country such that it will go through this trouble of creating this mayhem. If this government wants to send troops to any corner of this country, it doesnt need any false flag or decoy. It will just go ahead and send the troops. And there is nothing anybody can do about it. Period Ironically, although this rebel group has not openly claimed responsibility for acts of lawlessness that have occurred, they have not denied them either. So by rule of res ipsa loquitur (Meaning the thing speaks for itself), we need not entertain any doubt whatsoever that the rebellion taking place in West Togoland are acts perpetrated by the West Togolanders. Besides, the rebel group has been trumpeting their grievances from the very beginning and threatening the country. To wit, they allege, inter alia, that their areas have been neglected; that they have been deprived of roles in the governance of the country, and that they have been made to feel like second class citizens.. Nobody can make people feel the way they feel unless they want to feel that way. Once you are born Black, outsiders and your own kind are struggling to outdo one another to describe you and denigrate you and make you feel subhuman. And nobody can do anything about that except ones self: We must insist on describing ourselves and thereby disempower the enemy from describing us. The issue of being made to feel anything is therefore a purely personal one for which nobody can do anything. All I can say is that inherent in the feeling of superiority or inferiority is a state of illiteracy better derided by the wise.And once your enemy knows that you are affected by his derogatory opinion of you, he will keep on expressing it. As to the question of the people of the Volta Region not having been involved in the governance or leadership of this country, the record will reflect otherwise. The people of the Volta Region have provided the best human resources in every field of this country. They have been in government, education, banking, business, culture and artisanship. It doesnt take too much to find the Ewe genius, ubiquitous and versatile, in this country. The presumption that they are not given the opportunity to play their part is therefore false. Now comes the development of the region itself. It is true that the Volta Region might well be the least, or among the least, developed region in the whole country. Way back in 1995, I led a delegation of mourners, in my capacity as Casford Hall President, from the University of Cape Coast to a small village in the Volta region; and I was appalled at what I saw. Apart from the beautiful verdant forests and mountains, everything else was rather backward. The roads were bad. The buildings were bad. There were no significant cities or businesses along the road In short, everything was in shambles. Given the complaint of neglect we hear every day, there is no reason to believe that much has changed. And so if the people are making the claim that Volta Region has been neglected, they have a genuine case. And explaining to the people why they have been neglected has nothing to do with the fact that they have been neglected. It is not enough to posit that the nation has been proportionally governed by people from this area. It is not enough to blame them for their votes for a particular party. It is not enough to blame those of their prominent citizens who have chosen to build plush homes elsewhere in the country. It is not enough to ascribe notions of perennial dissatisfaction to that ethnic group and insult them for complaining too much. We have a duty to develop the place to bring it to par with all the rest of the country. If we are not able to do this, then there is some grounds for grievance. However, lack of development of an area is not an adequate grounds for secession. If government outlines unjust laws targeting groups and tribes and clearly debarring them from participation in the privileges existing in the country, that might be enough grounds to secede. But everybody agrees that we are not there yet. There might be actual neglect without intentional neglect as per policy. This means that everything could be quickly rectified for us to remain a unitary nation. If that is the case, then every person from that region has to help quell the insurrection taking place there. The government can do little where the people know the nooks and crannies of their land and will fight a guerilla warfare were the rebels to be attacked. The government also doesnt have the capacity to fight a street by street war to flush out the rebels: Too many people will be killed to endanger the security of the whole country. And if these people get killed, Ewes will turn around to blame the government for killing their kinsmen. It is therefore left with the people of the West Togoland themselves to flush out the rebels who are their brothers and sisters and cousins hiding among them. Only they know them and can bring them to face the law. If they fail to do this, they will be morphed together with the rebels and presumed to be collaborators and traitors. Those who want to insult them will not make any differentiation between one Ewe and another. And if the day of catastrophe arrives, the situation could be similar to Rwanda and Burundi. In their own interest therefore, the ewes must go through their neighborhoods armed with their own guns and machetes, killing or arresting their brothers and sisters and cousins who are threatening the stability of this country with the intent to secede. As far as I can see, that is the only pathway left for them to rid themselves of the present shame and calumny. Dr. Samuel Adjei Sarfo, Esq. [email protected] Pointing fingers at the ruling BJP, the opposition Congress in Assam have demanded chief minister Sarbananda Sonowals resignation over the job recruitment scam in the states police department. The Assam unit of the Congress staged a protest rally in Guwahati on Wednesday seeking the resignation of Sonowal over the police recruitment scam. Congresss state unit president Ripun Bora and MLA Rakibul Hussain and dozens of party workers were detained by the police. The written exam to recruit T587 sub-inspectors (SI) was cancelled on September 20 after the question paper got leaked and was found circulating on Whatsapp. Nearly 64,000 applicants were scheduled to appear for the examination. At present, the crime branch and criminal investigation department (CID) are probing the leak and have arrested over a dozen suspects. However, a retired IPS officer and a BJP leader, both believed to have played a key role in providing applicants with question papers in lieu of cash, are absconding. Sonowal should resign on moral grounds and seek a fresh mandate from the people in view of the governments failure to keep electoral promises and exposure of multiple recruitment scams including the latest one in the police, said Congress MLA and leader of opposition in assembly Debabrata Saikia. After coming to power the government headed by Sonowal has been depriving jobs to eligible youth by operating illegal job syndicates and the SI recruitment scam is the latest one. The nefarious racket is being operated from the CMs secretariat with involvement of various BJP leaders, he added. Sonowal on Wednesday reiterated the governments resolve in ensuring that all accused involved in the police recruitment scam are nabbed and brought to justice. He also assured that no deserving young men will be deprived of jobs because of such scams. Within 15 minutes of the reported leak of the question papers, the state government cancelled the examination and ordered an inquiry. There have been several cases of question paper leaks under various governments since 1952, but never did any government act so expeditiously and transparently, he said in a programme in Guwahati. Police say $1 million worth of jewelry has been stolen from a store in coastal Georgia. WTOC-TV reports the heist took place before dawn Friday at Kay Jewelers in Hinesville. Officers responded to an alarm at the store, but walked around the building and looked through the windows and saw nothing wrong. Police say they called the store manager to come and reset the alarm and inspect the store, but the manager declined. When employees arrived Friday morning, they found a hole in the roof and the stores safe broken open and emptied. Investigators say theyre examining similar burglaries at other jewelry stores in Georgia and neighboring states. Kay Jewelers is a unit of Signet Jewelers Ltd., a Bermuda-incorporated company that describes itself as the worlds largest retailer of diamond jewelry, with more than 2,900 stores. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Georgia Law Enforcement SIXTEEN commercial sex workers in Chivhu on Saturday announced that they had quit the worlds oldest profession and formed a business association to transform their lives. The sex workers publicly announced that they had stopped prostituting during the official launch of the national diabetes outreach programme at Madamombe Clinic in Chikomba. Addressing delegates and villagers at the launch, the sex workers said they had since formed the Chivhu Womens Hand Association, which is aimed at encouraging other sex workers to quit the sex trade, which they said was no longer profitable. Chairperson of the Chivhu Womens Hand Association Jesca Masinda said they decided to quit the profession after realising that they had been subjecting themselves to unnecessary abuse by men. It took courage for us to declare publicly that we have decided to quit prostitution. We discovered that we have lost more than we have gained from selling sex. In our community, prostitution is immoral, but the economic hardships pushed us into selling sex. We have no savings acquired from prostitution but some of us have instead contracted HIV, broke ties with families among other things, due to the practice, Masinda said. Another sex worker, who only identified herself as Mellisa, said the COVID-19 pandemic helped them realise that they could earn a living using other means than sex work. We had difficulties in trying to fend for ourselves during the early days of the lockdown because we were staying at home. It was difficult for us to meet up with clients at brothels and truck inns. We later encouraged each other to venture into other income-generating businesses such as plaiting hair, vending, and others depending on ones area of specialisation, Mellisa said. She added that the sex workers were socially-marginalised hence they needed counselling and spiritual support from experts for them to fit into the community. Health and Child Care deputy minister John Mangwiro said the sex workers decision to quit the trade was vital in reducing the spread of HIV and Aids and other sexually transmitted infections in Zimbabwe. He urged authorities in Chikomba to provide the necessary support to the former sex workers to help them achieve their goal in starting a new life. Chief Chivese said stopping prostitution was a restoration of humanity in the community and advised the sex workers to play a leading role in changing community attitude towards them. Debra Tshuma Foundation, a humanitarian organisation, donated 100 kilogrammes of dried kapenta to kickstart the womens project. The organisation will also provide funding for various projects the former sex workers would want to engage in. Newsday (TNS) The Detroit City Council approved a contract that will upgrade controversial facial recognition software used by police to fight crime in the nation's most violent city despite calls to ban the technology opponents argue is "racist."The measure to cover costs associated with upgrades and maintenance was approved Tuesday by a 6-3 vote following a protest, lengthy discussion among council members and an hour of public comment from residents and activists.The nearly $200,000 contract with South Carolina-based DataWorks Plus will fund software maintenance and support for the city's facial recognition equipment. The contract would run Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2022.Councilman Gabe Leland, who supported the contract, acknowledged it's a "delicate balancing act" between "empowering DPD with more tools, empowering victims and also protecting the general public."The council initially delayed action on the matter in June, citing a need for Detroit police to engage the community about its use of the crime-fighting technology.Council President Brenda Jones, Pro Tem Mary Sheffield and member Raquel Castaneda-Lopez voted no on Tuesday.Castaneda-Lopez said she couldn't support the software that she contends has implicit bias." In using it, she said, "we compromise people being discriminated against ... for the sake of efficiency."It has proven in multiple studies to have a racial bias and that is one of the fundamental flaws, she said. I dont support the administration saying 'if this contract doesnt go through were going to do it anyways.' Thats a really flawed approach to have and dangerous.Added Jones: I cannot support with my head and feel good with my heart the equipment that we have and that we are using today."Councilman James Tate said besides those against the contract, other residents in Detroit are victims of crime and do not feel safe."They also state they would want any and all tools available to ensure that justice is brought about," he said.But Tate, who ultimately voted in favor of the contract, also pointed to statistics provided by Police Chief James Craig that the technology on its own misidentifies individuals 96% of the time."How has the software helped with the humans who are actually filling in the missing pieces out of that 96%?" Tate said.The Detroit police administration said the software is a tool to speed up investigations and its face-matching capability is paired with a digital book of mug shots. Once a potential hit is identified, it's then up to detectives to investigate further."The efficiency that we gain from using facial recognition is tremendous," Detroit Deputy Chief Marlon Wilson told the council. "A lot of these cases would just be a whodunit."Detroit Councilman Roy McCalister Jr. said "nothing is 100%" and, in seeking answers from police department officials during the session, noted it's a priority to protect the seniors and young children who fall victim to crime."People who are just living their daily lives and who are attacked, we want to make sure their constitutional rights and their privileges are just as much protected as well," he said.Detroit Police Capt. Aric Tosqui said Tuesday the technology has been used 106 times this calendar year and made 64 matches. It assisted in 12 arrests.A December review of the industrys leading facial recognition algorithms by the National Institute of Standards and Technology found they were more than 99% accurate when matching high-quality headshots to a database of other frontal poses.But trying to identify a face from a video feed, especially using ceiling-mounted cameras commonly found in stores, can cause accuracy rates to plunge. Studies also have shown that face recognition systems dont perform equally across race, gender and age working best on white men, with potentially harmful consequences for others.In one high-profile case, Robert Williams, who is Black, said he was mistakenly tagged by facial recognition as a suspected shoplifter in Detroit in 2018.The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint with the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners seeking a public apology from police, permanent dismissal Williams' case and removal of Williams' information from criminal databases.City police revised the policy governing use of the software last year, removing a contentious provision that allowed it to be used to scan faces in real-time if there's a terror threat. The revisions also laid out punishment for officers who abuse the system.The rules were adopted last fall after it had been in use by the department for a year-and-a-half.U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, took to Twitter on Tuesday to reiterate her disapproval of facial recognition and expressed her disappointment with the council's vote."Facial recognition technology is racist," she tweeted. "I cannot believe that some of the leaders of a majority Black city, Detroit, want to continue to use a racist facial recognition technology."In tandem with Tuesday's meeting, members of the Detroit Will Breathe coalition led a 10-car caravan protest over facial recognition through the city's East English Village neighborhood.Organizers drove past Councilman Andre Spiveys home in the neighborhood chanting Black Lives Matter and F--- facial recognition, and claiming Spivey has been critical of opponents of the software.Spivey, during Tuesday's session, noted the caravan circled his home and he's supportive of their right to protest. But news reports of statements he allegedly made about opponents of the technology are untrue, he said."Whoever put that language out there, it was an error," Spivey said.Organizer Jae Bass said the group, which assembled to march against police brutality in the wake of the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, won't only hit the streets for the Black Lives Matter movement. It also will take protests mobile where they matter most, he said.Facial recognition is racial profiling, said Bass, 25.Escorted by Detroit police, the caravan circled the blocks of Yorkshire and Kensington honking for a half hour. They were met with support by residents who opened doors and exited their homes with fists raised.Jordan Weber, another organizer, held the megaphone out of the sunroof of her Jeep to chant against the software.Its racist, inaccurate and causes black and brown bodies harm and trauma they dont need, said Weber, 26. There are other ways of keeping our communities safe."Detroit's City Council first approved a two-year, $1 million contract for facial recognition software in 2017. The city's use of the technology and Project Green Light surveillance cameras have been contentious.Supporters of Detroit Will Breathe also drove past the homes of council members James Tate and Janee Ayers this summer ahead of the council's anticipated June vote that ultimately stalled.Tosqui told council members during a subcommittee meeting last week that the department convened multiple community engagement sessions on facial recognition prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and has continued hosting them via Zoom in recent months.The department, he added, owns the software in perpetuity and is continuing to use it to help solve crimes. But police needed the council's approval on the contract to ensure it's properly updated and maintained.The police department said there's a "strict policy" for the technology to only be used in connection with the most egregious violent crimes and home invasions.But Gabriela Alcazar, a resident of southwest Detroit, said it's a failure and must end.Detroit Police Department changing its policy to only use facial recognition for violent crimes does not solve the inherent flaws in the technology, said Alcazar, adding: It does nothing to reduce crime. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: A U.S. citizen who is also a Saudi national is set to be tried in Saudi Arabia on Thursday by a counter-terrorism court that has been used to imprison rights activists in a case that could spark further tensions in already uneasy U.S.-Saudi relations. The case of Salah al-Haidar, who has been detained since April 2019 in Saudi Arabia, has caught the attention of members of Congress who are urging President Donald Trump to personally seek his immediate and unconditional release. Al-Haidar, who has a family home in Vienna, Virginia, is facing between eight and 33 years in prison for alleged Twitter posts criticizing the Saudi government, according to people with knowledge of his case, including a U.S. official familiar with the case who insisted on anonymity to discuss it with The Associated Press. His mother is the prominent Saudi womens rights activist Aziza al-Yousef, who is among nearly a dozen women on trial for charges related to their activism, such as pushing for the right to drive before the ban on women was lifted in mid-2018. Al-Yousef, a grandmother and former university professor, was released from prison the week before her sons arrest. She and others have told a Saudi criminal court they were abused during interrogations, including being waterboarded, beaten with canes and electrocuted. She has been barred from leaving the kingdom, despite holding permanent residency in the U.S. The crackdown on perceived critics of the government has intensified under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who continues to face criticism over the killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in late 2018. Since Khashoggis murder, the imprisonment of the women activists and others in Saudi Arabia has drawn widespread condemnation from members of Congress, the British Parliament and others. Representatives of a congressional delegation in Virginia, where al-Haidar has immediate family, are pressing the U.S. State Department to send personnel to observe his trial and to ensure transparency to the extent that the Saudis permit it, the U.S. official said. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, a ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations subcommittee that oversees countries in the Middle East, and Democratic Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, who sits on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and its subcommittee on the Middle East, asked Trump in a letter Wednesday to raise al-Haidars case with the highest levels of the Saudi government. They said they believe his arrest is a targeted effort against the family because of their advocacy for social reforms. We urge you to secure the unconditional and immediate release of Mr. al-Haidar and facilitate his and Ms. al-Yousefs return to the United States. We also urge you to do the same for all other U.S. citizens being held in Saudi prisons over allegations relating to peaceful dissent, the Virginia representatives said in the letter, which was also addressed to the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema bint Bandar. The Trump administration has been criticized by Democrats for not pressing Saudi Arabia enough on its human rights record, instead prioritizing lucrative Saudi weapons deals and the kingdoms tacit support for Gulf Arab normalization with Israel. The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment on the case. The Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh presiding over his trial is notorious for its secretive nature. According to a 53-page report released earlier this year by Amnesty International, the court has been used as a weapon of repression to imprison peaceful critics, activists, journalists, clerics and minority Shiite Muslims, including some who were sentenced to death and executed. A range of cases are brought before the court under broadly worded counter-terrorism laws that criminalize acts such as insulting the government and disobeying the ruler. The government contends that the specialized court follows the same rules and procedures of other criminal courts and that defendants, their lawyers and families can be present during hearings. However, Amnesty International said it had documented numerous cases of trials held in secret. Attempts at appealing the courts judgements were further conducted behind closed doors, without the presence or participation of defendants or their lawyers. A person with knowledge of the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said al-Haidar has not been allowed to meet with his lawyer to discuss the charges he faces. Al-Haidar, 35, has been imprisoned since his arrest 17 months ago in Saudi Arabia, where his wife and two-year old son reside. ___ Tucker, AP National Security writer, reported from Washington. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor GARY Thanks to an anonymous donor, the fire department is getting the city's first baby box a safe place where mothers can discreetly place newborns if they are unable to care for them. Gary Fire Chief Sean G. O'Donnell said the Safe Haven Baby Box will be located at Garys newest Fire Station No. 5 in the citys Glen Park section. This location was selected as opposed to the high-trafficked areas like Station No. 1 in the downtown area because its more low-key and offers mothers anonymity and protection, O'Donnell said. Giving up a child is a very hard thing to have to do, so we wanted mothers to have that anonymity, ODonnell said. But theyre doing the right thing. This gives them a safe place to do that. The Indiana Safe Haven Law, first enacted 20 years ago, enables a person to give up an unwanted infant no more than 45 days old anonymously, and without fear of arrest or prosecution. As long as there are no signs of intentional abuse on the baby, no information is required of the person leaving the baby in the incubator box, according to the Indiana Department of Child Services. The 50th anniversary of the passing of the late Egyptian president and Arab leader Gamal Abdel-Nasser falls this year, and the occasion provides an opportunity to undertake a more distant, from a historical perspective, and therefore also hopefully more objective assessment of the Nasserist era. The importance of such an assessment is relevant not only in the light of the need to read history, explain it and interpret it through the most impartial, realistic and scientific methodology, but also has ramifications regarding how to learn lessons from the Nasserist era that could be of use to both Egypt and the Arab world today half a century after the death of Nasser. I will confine my analysis in this article, trying to answer one question that touches upon many aspects of the Nasserist experience, namely, why is Nasser still so popular today, 50 years after his death, both in Egypt and the Arab region, and even in other parts of the world, particularly in the Third World? The question has been repeatedly brought up by historians, political analysts, sociologists and media observers over the years, whether in Egypt, the Arab world or the world as a whole. There have been confusing factors that have made some analysts unable to answer such a question, when they have tried to do so according to criteria usually followed in contemporary political science or political sociology. The first factor has been the fact that in his lifetime Nasser encountered a number of major failures, domestically, in the Arab region, and at the global level. There was the scandalous form in which the secession of Syria from the United Arab Republic with Egypt took place in September 1961, the humiliating military defeat in the Six Day War with Israel in June 1967, and the failure to establish a participatory political system that would allow for pluralism, or at least would ensure some institutionalised linkages between the people and the leadership, in Egypt. All these things figure among Nassers failures. The second factor that has confused such analysts has been the fact that ever since the passing away of Nasser, a number of influential figures in the media, culture, and the arts and other figures having an impact in either formulating or influencing Egyptian and Arab public opinion have expressed their disenchantment with the choices made and policies enacted by later Egyptian and Arab leader in various areas, whether economic, political, or social and cultural, and whether internal or external. This has definitely negatively affected the attitude of portions, even if limited ones, of Egyptian and Arab public opinion, including among the younger generations that were born after the death of Nasser, towards the Nasserist experience. According to analysts, these two factors, as well as others, should have contributed to substantially diminishing the popularity of Nasser five decades after his death. However, they have found that this does not correspond to reality. In trying to answer this confusion, I will refer to two arguments that could contribute to explaining the continuing popularity of Nasser in Egypt and the Arab world today. The first is related to the fact that Nasser symbolised for major sectors of the Egyptian and Arab people, and for many continues to symbolise, the notion of national, whether Egyptian or pan-Arab, dignity and pride. The importance of this lies in the fact that Egypt achieved its complete independence through the national liberation war conducted against the British occupation troops in the Suez Canal Zone. This war started in October 1951 after then prime minister Nahas Pashas unilateral abrogation of the 1936 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty, and was interrupted in January 1952 in the aftermath of the Cairo Fire and former king Farouks overthrow of the Wafd-led government that had a majority in parliament at the time. It was then resumed after the 23 July 1952 Revolution of the Free Officers led by Nasser, culminated in the signing of the October 1954 Anglo-Egyptian Evacuation Agreement. Yet, the story did not end there, as Nasser considered that the independence and national security of Egypt would be incomplete unless the independence of the other Arab countries then also under foreign occupation could be secured. As a result, he used a lot of Egypts resources in actively supporting national liberation movements in the Arab countries that were fighting against European colonialism, the most famous case being his determined support for the Algerian struggle against French colonialism. Moreover, the steadfast stand Nasser took in nationalising the Suez Canal Company in July 1956 and then refusing to surrender and insisting on resistance in the face of the Tripartite Aggression of the UK, France and Israel in October and November of the same year no doubt elevated his status in Egypt and the Arab world to an almost legendary one. It suffices to recall here that when Nasser travelled to the Sudanese capital to participate in the Arab summit after Egypts and the Arabs military defeat in the June 1967 War, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese people welcomed him and even carried his car on their shoulders through the streets of Khartoum. The second argument is based on a central theme that made Nasser popular, particularly in Egypt, among many from the lower, lower-middle, and middle classes, whether during his lifetime or after his death. The reason was that the objective of achieving an advanced degree of social justice and equality in the country figured among the priorities of the Nasserist era. This priority was also not confined to simple rhetoric, but was translated into policies that were implemented in fact. Although such policies have been subject to controversy regarding their economic viability, they definitely contributed to redrawing the social map of Egypt in the 1950s and 1960s. History has taught us that the majority of the rank-and-file in any society, particularly, but not only, in developing countries, have long accorded more priority to the achievement of social justice and economic equality than to acquiring more democratic and political rights. In conclusion, I would like to underline that one methodological pre-requisite when assessing any human experience in past history, including the Nasserist era with both its achievements and its failures, is to judge it against the criteria that were prevailing at the time and not by the criteria of another era, including those of the present. *The writer is a commentator. *A version of this article appears in print in the 1 October, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: The installation of Healthe Far-UVC 222 technology is the beginning of a nationwide plan to protect employees and locals Australian-inspired coffee and hospitality brand Bluestone Lane announced today that it will become the first nationwide cafe chain to install Healthe's Far-UVC 222 light technology to increase protections for locals and employees against the spread of harmful pathogens. Australian-inspired coffee and hospitality brand Bluestone Lane announced today that it will become the first nationwide cafe chain to install Healthe's Far-UVC 222 light technology to increase protections for locals and employees against the spread of harmful pathogens. New York, NY, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Australian-inspired coffee and hospitality brand Bluestone Lane announced today that it will become the first nationwide cafe chain to install Far-UVC 222 light technology to increase protections for locals and employees against the spread of harmful pathogens and viruses like COVID-19. Bluestone Lane is first deploying Healthe s suite of light solutions in its Collective Cafe (55 Greenwich Ave.) and Bowery Cafe (19 Kenmare Street), with plans for a nationwide rollout. The wellbeing of our staff and our locals is the top priority as Bluestone Lane continues to reopen stores, said Nick Stone, Bluestone Lane Founder and CEO. Weve been early to adopt technologies such as mobile ordering to help keep our locals safe, and Healthes Far-UVC 222 lighting is another technology that will help to ensure safety through ongoing sanitization as we reopen our doors to New Yorkers, starting with two of our largest cafes. Healthes solutions are a comprehensive suite of state-of-the-art sanitization products that utilize UVA, UVC and Far-UVC 222 light to continuously sanitize indoor environments by deactivating air and surface contaminants. Bluestone Lane will be installing the following Healthe products: Healthe Space , (formerly known as Cleanse Downlight) is a ceiling light that combines general illumination with Far-UVC 222 sanitizing light to continuously clean air and surfaces. It is designed to replace traditional downlight cans and can be easily retrofitted into existing standard 6 housings. Healthe Air (formerly known as Cleanse Troffer), a low-profile troffer that draws room air through a HEPA/Charcoal filter, then exposes the air to UVA and UVC light that targets remaining airborne pathogens, achieving a 99.9% kill rate in the expelled air. The UV components are contained within the troffer to prevent human exposure. Story continues As we continue to ramp up deployment of our emerging sanitizing solutions, we are proud to be partnering with a popular, international coffee brand in Bluestone Lane, said Healthe Executive Chairman Abe Morris. Our solutions will help ensure that companies like Bluestone can continue to provide the services and products that their customers come to expect, while navigating the unknowns of an unprecedented health challenge. A growing library of evidence, including independent research backed by many peer-reviewed papers, demonstrates that Far-UVC light is effective at inactivating viral particles in the air and on surfaces. In addition, as a leading Far-UVC researcher David Brenner has said, Far-UVC can be safely used in occupied public spaces, and it kills pathogens in the air before we can breathe them in. About Bluestone Lane : Bluestone Lane, an Australian-inspired, New York-born coffee and hospitality brand, and one Americas top 25 fastest-growing fast-casual businesses, is leading the movement in third and fourth wave coffee culture. Known for introducing the Flat White and Avocado Smash to the United States, the brand has had an undeniable influence on the American market, and has enjoyed rapid adoption from consumers who are looking for superior coffee, an elevated experience and healthier menu options. Bluestone Lanes award-winning coffee and cafe business was founded by former Melbournian, Nicholas Stone, who upon moving to New York City, discovered that there was a real opportunity to provide an enhanced coffee and cafe experience, rather than one focused purely on transactions and solving a need for caffeine. Bluestone Lane currently operates 51 coffee shops and cafes across the U.S. and Canada. About Healthe : Healthe is the technology leader in developing and deploying sanitization, circadian and biological lighting solutions that inactivate viruses and bacteria in the air and on surfaces, regulate the bodys internal clock, boost performance and enhance sleep. Its mission is to harness the power of light to create a safer, more productive and healthier environment. Learn more at www.healtheinc.com and connect on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram Attachment CONTACT: Healthe Inc. 321-779-5520 press@healtheinc.com An Post has responded to a report from the Irish Postmasters Union, claiming the network will collapse unless the State acts quickly. The report, which was published by Grant Thornton and commissioned by the union has recommended an annual Public Service Obligation (PSO) of 17m for the post office network. It states that urgent government investment is needed, as it provides "a multi-fold economic and social return to communities, far in excess of the PSO requirement." The report warns that action is needed as soon as possible as the network "faces significant levels of unrestrained closures by the end of 2021". "Many local Post Offices, large and small, urban and rural, will likely be forced to close if the financial conditions under which they operate do not change in the short-term," it said. The report forecasts average losses of 19,181, which it says will impact all post offices in the country. Grant Thornton has recommended that the Government implement the Public Service Obligation model, which would raise 17m to compensate for the projected shortfall from 2021 onwards. This model is already in place in the UK, France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Finland and Poland. It would see services traditionally delivered by the network to be delivered by an 'online first' approach and a reduction in mails business. The review stressed the importance of the Post Office network, describing it as a "highly valuable national asset which contributes far more to the economy than the cost of the PSO." Almost 30% of the population use the Post Office every week, including the distribution of 4.6 billion of social welfare related cash. It provides spin-off support to other local businesses as well as providing services for people who are financially or socially excluded. Though it is difficult to measure the social value of the service, the British model of calculating social contribution finds the Irish Post Office Network worth 334-776 million annually. The Covid-19 pandemic has also created difficulties for the company, with a 25% reduction in transactions in August 2020 compared to the same period last year. President of the IPU Sean Martin said no further review is needed. "We do not have time to delay and do not need further evidence. The level of closures next year is potentially so significant as to mean a collapse of the Irish Post Office Network as we know it. In a statement in response, An Post said that the Post Office network and the delivery network are "performing very well" through the Covid-19 pandemic. The group acknowledged the higher level of footfall in post offices due to the double social welfare payment schedules during the crisis and said they are working with Government to restore these. They wrote that any subsidies for independent postmasters are an issue between the Government and the postmasters. An Post say that while the pandemic will cost "a significant amount", the company's "strong balance sheet" will fund the network. OHC SOHC First things first; it goes without saying that Honda s majestic GL1000 Gold Wing is a force to be reckoned with, even by todays standards. Back in the 70s, this bad boy was truly unrivaled, thanks to its outstanding performance and ruthless power output figures.Take, for instance, a 1977 model of the Gold Wing family. The ferocious tourer is brought to life by an ominous four-strokeboxer inline-four mill, with a compression ratio of 9.2:1 and two valves per cylinder head. This feral liquid-cooled leviathan has an enormous displacement of no less than 999cc.It is perfectly capable of producing up to 82 hp at 7,500 rpm, along with 61 pound-feet (83 Nm) of brutal twisting force at around 5,500 revs. This malicious power is handed over to a shaft final drive by means of a five-speed transmission. Ultimately, GL1000 is blessed with a generous top speed of just under 122 mph (196 kph), which isnt too bad for a colossus that weights as much as 650 pounds (295 kg) with a full gas tank, if you ask me.At the front, Hondas behemoth crawls on a humungous 19-inch wheel that wears dual 232 mm (9.13 inches) brake rotors and two-piston calipers. On the opposite end, you will find a 17-inch module, which houses a 250 mm (9.84 inches) disc and a single-piston caliper. Lastly, Gold Wings wheelbase measures approximately 60.8 inches (1,545 mm).Without going into any other details, its quite safe to conclude that were dealing with a showstopper! As such, Ill bet the folks over at Dragons Motorcycles had one hell of a time crafting their gorgeously monstrous one-off Goldie a remarkable display of mechanical artwork that looks like it eats tarmac for breakfast.Ever since its debut, the Spanish workshops fiendish two-wheeled masterpiece was featured in a plethora of press releases that praised its sheer magnificence. Needless to say, their unique creature guarantees to leave just about any moto-loving gearhead in awe.For starters, GL1000s standard engine was replaced with that of a glorious GL1500C Valkyrie. This nasty piece of liquid-cooled machinery prides itself with as many as six Keihin carburetors and an astronomical displacement of 1520cc, which is simply staggering.Additionally, the six-cylinderboxer powerplant has a compression ratio of 9.8:1 and a total of twelve valves. At 6,000 revs, it will generate 100 ponies, accompanied by an unholy torque output of 96 pound-feet (130 Nm) at 5,000 rpm.To accommodate this untamed beast, Gold Wings frame and swingarm were subjected to an array of thoughtful tweaks that prepare them for their new duties. You may also notice a set of carbs from a 68 Porsche 911 replacing the original Keihin units, as well as a custom exhaust system that allows the engine to breathe with ease.After treating the suspension to a complete overhaul using top-grade Ohlins components, the Madrid-based firm turned their attention to the finishing touches. The original fuel tank was disposed of to make room for a CB750s handsome item, while Motogadget supplied the electricals. These include an aftermarket gauge and an M-Lock starter setup, as well as a juicy M-Unit that keeps everything running.And there we have it. In conclusion, Ill have to admit that I find Dragons exploit to be fascinating in the truest sense of the word!What do you think? UPSC prelims 2020: The South Central Railway (SCR) zones Vijayawada division has announced that it will run two special trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam to facilitate civil services aspirants to appear in the examination. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will be conducting the civil services prelims 2020 on October 4, 2020, at 2569 centres spread across 72 cities in the country. The special train will depart from Vijayawada at 3 pm on Saturday and will reach Visakhapatnam at 10 pm on the same day. Likewise, on the next day, the special train will leave Visakhapatnam at 8:30 pm and arrive at Vijayawada at 4 am. The special train will halt at Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Nidadavolu, Rajahmundry, Samalkot, Tuni, Anakapalli, and Duvvada stations in both the directions. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea seeking the postponement of the civil service preliminary exam. The plea was filed by 20 civil service candidates who wanted the deferment of UPSC prelims due to the coronavirus pandemic and floods in several parts of the country. In a region marked by turbulence and change, the emir of Kuwait was regarded as one of the last powerful voices of the traditional old order a ruler who spread his considerable influence through pragmatism and restraint. The death of Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah at the age of 91 is not going to lead to generational and high-profile change in Kuwait as has taken place in Saudi Arabia, for example, with the emergence of the young crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, whose regime has been marked by significant reform as well as acts of brutality. Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who was sworn in as emir on Wednesday, is 83 years old. He has shown no inclination to pursue radically different policies from those pursued by Sheikh Sabah for 14 years, including a foreign policy that the late emir had fashioned for more than a half-century. On international relations, the onus has been on partnership with the west, particularly the US, the need for which was acutely highlighted by Saddam Husseins invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and the subsequent Gulf War. The country also has well-established relations with Britain, which sent troops in 1961 when Iraq had also sought to recover what Saddam declared as its 19th province. In terms of the Middle East, Sheikh Sabah sought to avoid the confrontations taking place among neighbouring states. He played a key role in setting up the Gulf Cooperation Council in 1981 and, as he assumed the mantle of an elder statesman, the emir sought to reconcile the dispute between Qatar and a Saudi and UAE-led bloc. He sought to mediate in the Yemen war, hosting a meeting between opposing sides and also chaired conferences on aid for victims of the Syrian conflict. Kuwait, under Sheikh Sabah, did not take an aggressive international role as was the case with two other Gulf states the UAE and Qatar in arenas like Libya. He also avoided the spotlight, which fell on others, such as Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the 59-year-old Emirati crown prince, who is seen as a moderniser and is described, somewhat simplistically, as the mentor of Saudis crown prince. Some stances on foreign affairs taken by Sheikh Sabah, however, were portrayed by critics as failing to recognise changing dynamics. The emir had, for example, opposed the recent peace agreements signed between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain from the time they were first mooted. Kuwait lays the late ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah to rest (Reuters) The deals, Kuwait pointed out, were in breach of a 2002 consensus on the conditions needed for the recognition of the Jewish state by Arab countries, and offered little to the Palestinians. Sheikh Sabah stressed to regional leaders last year that Kuwait would not countenance normalising relations with Israel unless there were undertakings on a two-state solution. Israels deals with UAE and Bahrain, and possibly one to follow with Sudan, followed pressure from the Trump administration, with the US presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner, presented as the chief broker. A victory for Donald Trump in Novembers election would likely lead to a further push for Arab states to fall into line, an issue the new emir will have to address. Sheikh Sabah died at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, New York, where he had undergone surgery in July. There had been speculation during his illness that members of the royal family might challenge Sheikh Nawaf over the succession. Kuwaits national assembly has greater powers compared with other Gulf states. Its members can remove ministers and counter any vetoes by the emir with a two-thirds vote. Each new crown prince needs to be approved by a majority in the assembly. The succession of Sheikh Nawaf as crown prince changed established rules by which the emir and the crown prince alternated between the al-Jaber and al-Salem branches of the al-Sabah family. Sheikh Sabah, upon becoming emir, consolidated the power of his branch of the family by getting the assembly to vote in his half-brother as crown prince and then appointing Sheikh Nasser Mohammed al-Ahmad al-Sabah as prime minister. Some Gulf royal watchers said that the the precedent for change would allow for a challenge for the emirs throne from Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Sabah, who has served as defence minister and deputy prime minister in the past. Aged 72, Sheikh Nasser can hardly be described as representing a new generation, but he has been a vocal advocate of reform and proponent of commercial initiatives such as the Silk City mega-project in the north of the country. He tweeted about the need to battle corruption after Sheikh Sabah went to the US for his operation. In the end, however, no such challenge materialised. Kuwaits establishment chose, instead, to continue on the path of caution and stability set by their late emir. CENTER CITY, Minn., and CHARLESTON, W.Va., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Charleston Area Medical Center, southern West Virginia's leading healthcare provider and medical teaching facility, has joined the Hazelden Betty Ford Patient Care Network, a national collaborative aimed at strengthening and expanding access to quality services and resources for people and families affected by addiction. "CAMC is excited to collaborate with Hazelden Betty Ford and be part of its growing network of addiction care providers so that, together, we can help more people," said Shelda Martin, MD, FACP, AAHIVS, Associate Chief Medical Officer for CAMC Ambulatory Services. "West Virginia and the nation now face two serious public-health crises: addiction and COVID-19, which makes the need to work together and learn from one another more paramount than ever." The nonprofit Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is the leading national system-of-care committed to helping individuals, families and communities affected by addiction and mental health concerns. Its Patient Care Network brings together providers from across the country to share knowledge and best practices, extend the continuum of care, and improve quality and outcomes for patients. "We are thrilled to welcome the highly respected Charleston Area Medical Center to our national Patient Care Network," said Bob Poznanovich, Hazelden Betty Ford's vice president of business development. "Not only will CAMC expand the network's reach but it will bring in significant experience and expertise helping babies, moms and pregnant women who have been affected by substance use." CAMC's "Women's Health Addiction Program" and "Babies First" programs are supported by a perinatal clinic, where women can get substance-use-disorder treatment throughout pregnancy, and a neonatal intensive-care unit that helps keep babies healthy and families together. As CAMC expands its behavioral health offerings further, Morris says the health system will leverage its membership in the Patient Care Network to help bolster medication-assisted treatment services for patients with opioid use disorder and establish therapeutic resources for young children whose families have been affected by addiction. "We have always been focused on the entire family, and Hazelden Betty Ford shares that commitment," said CAMC's Dr. Martin. "Our shared chargeto provide quality, comprehensive care centered on the whole person and their familymakes for a natural partnership." Headquartered in Minnesota, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation has 17 sites across the country, robust telehealth services and extensive education, prevention, research, advocacy and publishing resources. Recognized as a Center of Excellence by many insurance providers for its comprehensive approach to treating addiction to opioids, alcohol and other substances, Hazelden Betty Ford launched the Patient Care Networkthe first of its kind in the addiction treatment industryin 2017. "It's appropriate that CAMC joined the Patient Care Network during SeptemberNational Recovery Month, a time every year when we celebrate the more than 20 million Americans who have overcome substance use problems and shine a light on the hope they represent," said Hazelden Betty Ford's Poznanovich. "By working together with a focus on evidence-based approaches that meet the complex needs of the people we serve, we will help make recovery a reality for even more people." About the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As the nation's leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults and youth, the Foundation has 17 locations nationwide and collaborates with an expansive network throughout health care. With a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center, the Foundation today also encompasses a graduate school of addiction studies, a publishing division, an addiction research center, recovery advocacy and thought leadership, professional and medical education programs, school-based prevention resources and a specialized program for children who grow up in families with addiction. Learn more at HazeldenBettyFord.org and on Twitter @hazldnbettyford. About Charleston Area Medical Center Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) is the flagship of the CAMC Health System. CAMC is a nonprofit, 956-bed, regional referral center with nearly 8,000 employees. More than 700 physicians have admitting privileges at CAMC which is also West Virginia's premiere medical teaching facility, hosting, on any given day, more than 800 students in programs leading to degrees or certifications in health professions. CAMC's cancer program has been continuously accredited since 1947. CAMC is home to one of the top heart programs in the United States; the first kidney transplant center in the state; West Virginia's only free-standing Women and Children's Hospital; the highest level newborn intensive care unit, highest level pediatric intensive care unit and one of the busiest Level I Trauma Centers. CAMC Health System is a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, the first and only organization in West Virginia to ever receive the honor. The award, established by Congress, promotes quality awareness and is America's highest honor for innovation and performance excellence. For more information, visit camc.org. SOURCE Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Related Links http://www.hazeldenbettyford.org German Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed Chinas plan to be carbon neutral by 2060, contrasting it with the United States failure to abide by the goals of the Paris climate accord. In a speech to Germanys parliament, Mrs Merkel stressed the significance of Chinese President Xi Jinpings announcement last week as the European Union debates ramping up its own medium and long-term emissions reduction goals. Xi Jinping said China aims to be carbon neutral by 2060 (AP/Mary Altaffer) She told German MPs: I think its beyond debate that we need to work with China when it comes to protecting the climate. China is now the biggest emitter worldwide and its very important that China contributes to efforts to protect the climate. Without naming the United States the worlds second biggest source of man-made greenhouse gases she added: And unlike other large emitters, its encouraging that China stands by the Paris climate accord. Mrs Merkel said the target set by Beijing should be seen in light of the economic development China still has ahead of it compared to other industrialised nations. Mrs Merkel addressed German MPs in the Bundestag (AP/Markus Schreiber) This is a very ambitious goal that should spur us in Europe to really fulfil our targets, she said. The EU recently proposed raising its target for cutting planet-warming greenhouse gases to at least 55% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. Some of the 27-nation blocs members, particularly in the coal-reliant east, are opposed to the goal, however. Germanys environment minister said she hoped to reach consensus among EU members during her countrys current six-month presidency of the bloc. International climate policy is gaining momentum and we are perhaps at a crucial turning point for the future of this planet, Svenja Schulze said before a meeting with EU environment ministers in Berlin. Two of the worlds most economically robust regions, the EU and China, are reinforcing the effectiveness of the Paris agreement. Asked whether Europe should not be setting its sights even higher and aim for a 65% reduction, as scientists have suggested is necessary to achieve the Paris accords goal of capping global warming at 1.5C, Ms Schulze said the current proposal envisages a review every five years. She said: Whats important to me is that we reach an agreement. We need this signal now. DES MOINES Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Wednesday he's concerned how the New York Times obtained access to President Donald Trump's tax information, citing a law meant to keep tax information confidential. "That information should have never gotten out, and whoever got it out violated the law," Grassley, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, said on a conference call with Iowa reporters. The New York Times in a report published Sunday night said its reporters had obtained and analyzed tax return data for Trump and his businesses over more than two decades. The Times is in the process of releasing additional reporting, which so far have shown Trump sustained large financial losses over his career and has had small federal tax bills. The Times reported that all of the information it obtained "was provided by sources with legal access to it." Want to talk more about politics?: Join our Facebook group: Across the Aisle, Across the Nation. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee markup meeting on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in Washington. Trump has long refused to release his tax returns, saying it's because he's under audit. He has dismissed the Times' articles as "fake news" but hasn't agreed to release his returns to refute the reporting. Grassley on Wednesday pointed to section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code which governs the confidentiality and disclosure of tax returns and return information by the Internal Revenue Service saying he would be concerned about how the information became sent to the Times. Asked about the substance of the Times' reporting, Grassley said he doesn't have enough evidence. The senator pointed to Trump's statements that he has paid "millions of dollars" in income taxes, rather than the $750 per year in 2016 and 2017 reported by the Times. "All I've got is the president saying he's paid millions of dollars in taxes, and you've got the New York Times printing what they think, and we don't have the facts to make a judgment," Grassley said. "But let me say that I'd be very concerned about how it got out." Story continues Grassley said earlier in the week that he's also concerned about why it has taken the Internal Revenue Service so long to complete its audit of Trump's taxes. He said Wednesday he's confident the IRS "will eventually get its job done." "If you owe taxes, you're going to pay those taxes," he said. "Because there's nothing more certain as you've heard many times in this world than death and taxes." The Times has not released the tax documents themselves. Executive editor Dean Baquet said in an editor's note that the Times is not publishing the documents because it does not want to jeopardize its sources. Baquet also wrote that the Supreme Court "has repeatedly ruled that the First Amendment allows the press to publish newsworthy information that was legally obtained by reporters even when those in power fight to keep it hidden. Ian Richardson covers the Iowa Statehouse for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at irichardson@registermedia.com, at 515-284-8254, or on Twitter at @DMRIanR. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Chuck Grassley says Trump's tax returns shouldn't have gotten out It was further found that while masks were able to reduce the large particles FEND, made by Boston-based technology startup Sensory Cloud, was more effective in reducing the smaller particles A COVID-19 patient can generate infectious aerosols while sneezing, coughing and even singing. Aerosols are tiny droplets that are believed to travel up to six feet in the air and cause infection when they come in contact with a mucous membrane of a healthy individual. In order to control the spread of COVID-19, people have been asked to wear three-layered masks (surgical mask, N-95 masks or homemade face mask) and maintain physical distance. Since masks can only prevent transmission to a certain degree, scientists have also suggested the use of oral and nasal povidone-iodine, in addition to wearing masks, to reduce viral load in the nose and throat, thus minimising the risk of transmission. In a recent paper published in the Molecular Frontiers Journal, scientists have discovered a more effective way of eradicating aerosols from the nasal passage by using a calcium-rich saline solution. The scientists conducted three different studies to reach their conclusions. First study: Using FEND against aerosols FEND is a drug-free nasal saline solution made up of calcium chloride and sodium chloride mixed in distilled water. The solution, made by Boston-based technology startup Sensory Cloud, is believed to reduce the infected airborne particles from airways. Researchers from Cambridge and Massachusetts assessed the effect of nasal inhalation of FEND on exhaled aerosol in a study which included 76 participants at No Evil Foods in Asheville, North Carolina. The participants were divided into three categories on the basis of the amount of aerosols exhaled; people who exhaled greater than 850 particles per litre of air, those who exhaled 250 to 850 particles per litre and those who exhaled less than 250 particles per litre of air. Before these participants were given FEND, the scientists found that the first two categories of participants were super-spreaders as they contributed to 80 percent of the total exhaled particles produced. Also, out of these super-spreaders, the ones who exhaled over 850 particles per litre of air contributed to 64 percent of the overall aerosol production. All the 76 participants were given FEND in the form of a mist of 9 to 10-micron diameter droplets with the help of a hand-held mister. The results of the study showed that after giving FEND, there was an 84 percent reduced aerosol exhalation in the people who were earlier exhaling over 850 particles. Also, the overall exhaled aerosols reduced by 78 percent in the super-spreader group. Second study: Use of FEND in reducing aerosols in a COVID-positive patient The second study was conducted to find out the effect of FEND on the reducing aerosol release in a group of four people living in the same house, which included a 51-year-old woman with COVID-19, her husband (54 years) and two children (14 and 16 years). In the study, the scientists examined the family for five days, starting from eight days after COVID-19 symptoms started to appear. On Day 8, the COVID-19 patient self-administered FEND and examined the exhalation of aerosols. It was found that the amount of aerosols reduced significantly for the following four hours. The patient further self-administered FEND on the 9th and 10th day and found that the aerosol levels reduced to average baseline levels that are seen in a COVID-19-negative patient. Third study: Use of FEND against surgical masks In the third study, scientists compared the use of FEND against surgical masks in 12 children and adults. Out of these 12 participants, three were found to be super-spreaders. Use of FEND reduced the exhaled particles in two of the three super-spreaders by 98 percent and 82 percent, respectively, while it was reduced by 93 percent and 76 percent by the use of masks. It was further found that masks were able to reduce the large particles while FEND was more effective in reducing the smaller particles. Conclusion The scientists concluded that FEND can be an effective addition to the present COVID-19 protection measures such as wearing masks, maintaining social distance and washing hands. FEND can improve the efficacy of masks, which help in preventing the entry of the virus into the airways and lungs. For more information, read our article on COVID-19: Droplet transmission. Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health. Spate of stolen pigs, cows and produce sparks fears in Japan, but the media is preoccupied with the nationality of the criminals. Japan has often been touted as a safe country, where theft is so rare you can leave your smartphone, laptop or wallet unattended and rest easy knowing that nobody else will touch it. However, this summer thereas been an increase in theftaof livestock, farming equipment and agricultural produce. The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) alerted everyone to the problem with this tweet posted to their official account on 3 September (translation follows). aaPlease be alerta Producers are suffering from theft of livestock and agricultural products grown with tender care, and machines such as tractors. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in conjunction with the National Police Agency, is alerting people and putting points in order to prevent theft. In regards to the producers, please take care against theft in accordance with these points.a The farm theft has affected a number of producers throughout Japan, particularly in Ibaraki, Saitama and Gunma prefectures. Saitama Prefecture has been worst hit, with 688 pigs (including piglets), two cows and 28 chickens reported stolen across five areas, while a total of 132 pigs have been stolen from two cities in Gunma Prefecture and six cows from a city in Ibaraki Prefecture have also been reported stolen. A spate of farm thefts of this magnitude is extremely unusual, and as reports began gathering, so too did the questions about who might be behind the crimes. A number of high-profile people in Japan decided to weigh in on the topic with their two yen, but they waded into murky waters by bringing race into the discussion. Until the criminals are caught, however, it might be best to stick to reporting the facts of each case as they come to light. And while itas right to be outraged at the thefts on behalf of Japanese farmers, the nationality of the criminals shouldnat be more of an issue than the crimes theyave committed. Because a thief is a thief, regardless of where they come from. The Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) on Wednesday asked the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana to ensure that small and marginal farmers in their states get easy access to stubble-removal machines at affordable rates so that cases of crop residue burning can be controlled in the upcoming winter season. EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal on Wednesday said in his letters to the top officials of Punjab and Haryana that with the number of Covid-19 cases rising across the country, controlling early instances of farm fires will become more important this year because if unchecked, these could worsen problems for people with co-morbidities. The Punjab government had on August 14 directed that crop residue management machines be provided at a subsidy of 80% to farmers across the state, and that these should be made available to small and marginal farmers on priority. The government said the farmers will be charged only operational cost and no rental for the machines. The operational cost includes power charges and operator wages but not the cost of capital. The rate of rental, which is being waived of, is not apparent; the cost of operation is not laid down. We would urge you to ensure this is done so that small and marginal farmers have access (to the machines) at affordable/free cost, Lal said in his letter to Vini Mahajan, chief secretary of Punjab. A senior Haryana government official said that the office of the chief secretary will respond to the letter in a few days after scanning its contents. The office of Punjab chief secretary did not comment. On similar lines, the Haryana government had on August 24 directed that small and marginal farmers would be given preference in the use of crop residue management machines in panchayat-run custom hiring centres, by providing 70% reservation for them. Lal in his letter to Haryana chief secretary Keshni Anand Arora, wrote, We would urge you there should be a clear directive on the rate/free use of machines to small and marginal farmers. The machines have been provided at 80-100% subsidy to panchayat-run CHCs to ensure that farmers, who cannot afford to purchase them, have access. He asked both governments to ensure these schemes are widely publicised among farmers. Meanwhile, the EPCA also submitted a report before the Supreme Court on implementation of schemes announced by state and central governments in Punjab and Haryana to control stubble burning this year. Citing data from the union ministrys air quality monitoring agency, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting snd Research, the EPC report said that while stubble burning is not the only cause of pollution in Delhi, there is no doubt that the transportation of pollutants from burning fields is the tipping point that makes winters already unhealthy air quality a public health emergency. This year, farmers have already begun burning crop residue in parts of Punjab and Haryana, suggesting an early start to a practice that aggravates winter pollution. Every year these farm fires usually begin in full swing by mid-October. Delhi BJP MP Hans Raj Hans on Wednesday demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government led by his party leader Yogi Adityanath take strict action against officials responsible for the hasty cremation of the Hathras gangrape victim. In a letter to UP Chief Minister Adityanath, Hans also requested that his government should ensure that justice is provided to the victim and that no one would dare to commit such an act in future. Clarification should be sought from those officers who without consent of the family cremated their daughter in a hasty manner at 2 AM (Wednesday). If any officer is found guilty, strict action should be taken against them, he wrote. Hans, who represents the north-west Delhi reserved constituency, also said in the letter the Hathras gangrape shocked him and the entire country, and he hoped the culprits will be taught a lesson so that a message is sent across the nation that any injustice to women will not be tolerated. The 19-year-old Dalit woman died at a Delhi hospital on Tuesday morning, days after being raped by four men in Hathras. The woman was shifted to Safdarjung hospital in Delhi from Aligarh on Monday after her condition showed no signs of improvement. She was gangraped on September14 and received severe injuries, following which she was admitted to the AMUs Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh. The four accused have already been arrested. The womans body was cremated in Hathras in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging that the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. Local police officers, however, told PTI that the cremation was carried out as per the wishes of the family. The Uttar Pradesh Police took the victims body and her family members back to the state from the hospital on Tuesday night. STONY BROOK, NY, September 30, 2020 - Bats are nature's solution to control insect pests like mosquitos and earworms, they play crucial roles in pollinating plant so they set seed, and they can survive or ward off many viruses. With all these astonishing characteristics of bats that impact earth's ecology and the lives of people worldwide, a new research network is forming to coordinate bat research and drive it forward. Called the Global Union of Bat Diversity Networks (GBatNet), the network will consist of 14 bat research groups from many institutions. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is providing almost $2 million to three institutions to lead and fund GBatNet. Stony Brook University is one of the three receiving an NSF GBatNet grant. There are more than 1,400 bat species living worldwide. GBatNet will collaborate and coordinate research with a shared vision to address pressing questions in bat biology related to ecosystems and human health. They will delve further into key aspects of bat biology that are not fully understood such as bat longevity and metabolism, as well as the causes and consequences of population declines, with possible relationships to viruses circulating in bat populations spilling over to other mammals- a trait that is often inaccurately communicated to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic. "Around the world, bats are important insectivores that save billions of dollars in agricultural pesticides each year, and that is just one of their benefits to society," says Liliana M. Davalos, PhD, Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution in the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University and co-investigator. "Our goal with the network of networks is to articulate research from diverse fields, from genomics, to conservation, and including epidemiology, to implement our vision of sustainable bat diversity in a changing world." Davalos' role in GBatNet is to orient research efforts across all networks and to oversee collaborative and interdisciplinary work that leads to realizing the GBatNet goal. As part of GBatNet, her project, titled "Bats as a model for understanding global vertebrate diversification and sustainability," will receive $185,000 from the NSF, starting January 1, 2021. She adds that in addition to the great value in researching bats, now is an important time because many species are in danger and key habitats vanishing. For example, in North America a fungus introduced by accident has led to millions of dead bats including formerly common species such as the little brown bat In New York State. The two other funded institutions for the GBatNet are the American Museum of Natural History and Texas Tech University. According to Davalos and her international colleagues, this bat "network of networks," creates a new avenue for global research exchanges and brings together experts in varied scientific disciplines. They hope GBatNet will also lead to further education about bats and global outreach. ### About Stony Brook University: Stony Brook University, widely regarded as a SUNY flagship, is going far beyond the expectations of today's public universities. With more than 26,000 students, 2,700 faculty members, over 200,000 alumni, an academic medical center and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, it is one of only four University Center campuses in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. The University embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate, and professional education of the highest quality, and has been ranked among the top 35 public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook's membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 65 research institutions in North America. The University's distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. Part of the management team of Brookhaven National Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Stony Brook is one of only eight universities that has a role in running a national laboratory. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the University totals an impressive $7.23 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/) and Twitter (@stonybrooku). A care home nurse who was fired after attending a protest claiming the global pandemic is a hoax insists she has seen 'no evidence' of a killer virus. Carley Louise Stewart, 31, of Preston, was among the 10,000 Covid-19 conspiracy theorists who took to the streets of London in August to demonstrate against lockdown restrictions and vaccination programmes. Dressed in her uniform from the Ribble View care home in Fishwick, and brandishing a placard with 'We have empty beds' on one side and 'Nurse on call. Where's the pandemic?' on the other, the mother-of-two argued lockdown has done more harm to the British public than coronavirus. She told FEMAIL she was moved to take action after seeing 'absolutely no evidence of a killer virus, let alone a pandemic'. Her claims come after the number of lives claimed by Covid-19 worldwide since the outbreak emerged in China late last year reached the grim one million milestone on Sunday. Carley Louise Stewart, 31, of Preston, was among the 10,000 Covid-19 conspiracy theorists who took to the streets of London in August to demonstrate against lockdown restrictions and vaccination programmes Having lost her job, Carley said she's now determined to speak out on behalf of people who are 'suffering' as a result of being isolated from friends and family. 'At the start of the pandemic, I was worried but as time went on, I saw absolutely no evidence of a killer virus, let alone a pandemic,' she said. 'While there were news reports saying the elderly were dying in droves in care homes, in the home where I was working no one became ill and no one died. Of anything. 'I can't bear dishonesty of any kind, and I could see dishonesty on a massive scale during this so-called pandemic. I couldn't stand by and not say anything. I'd be as complicit in the lies if I did that.' Having lost her job, Carley said she's now determined to speak out on behalf of people who are 'suffering' as a result of being isolated from friends and family She added: 'I'm not doing this for myself I don't need the hassle to be honest. I'm doing it for the people who are suffering, especially those in care homes, separated from friends and family, slowly losing the will to live. 'Thanks to the lockdown, people are now malnourished, despairing and losing their minds. Where are the figures on that? Many care home residents are now at breaking point and I need to speak up on their behalf.' When the UK was plunged into lockdown in March this year, Carley told how she and her colleagues prepared for the worst. But she claims no deaths occurred at the care home where she worked, between January and August, leading her to have doubts about the scale of the pandemic and the measures in place to stem its spread. When the UK was plunged into lockdown in March this year, Carley told how she and her colleagues prepared for the worst. But she claims no deaths occurred at the care home where she worked, Ribble View, between January and August, leading her to have doubts about the scale of the pandemic and the measures in place to stem its spread Dressed in her uniform and brandishing a placard with 'We have empty beds' on one side and 'Nurse on call. Where's the pandemic?' on the other at the protest, mother-of-two Carley argued lockdown has done more harm to the British public than coronavirus When she decided to attend the rally organised by Save Our Rights UK, a group led by political campaigner Louise May Creffield and Jeremy Corby's activist brother Piers, Carley said colleagues of hers shared her line of thinking. 'By then, I could see the harm the lockdown was doing not just to the elderly in care homes, many of whom had become depressed and suicidal due to being distanced from their loved ones, but to everyone,' she explained. 'I was hearing about suicides, murders, domestic violence and child abuse. Mental health problems soared as restriction after restriction was put in place. 'I saw no virus, no deaths but I could see that the lockdown was killing people.' She went on: 'I tried to get [other nurses and doctors] on board but they were too scared of losing their jobs. Although many of them agreed with my views on the situation... they didn't feel they were in a position to speak out.' After the protest, Carley received a formal dismissal via email, which informed her wearing her uniform to a protest was a breach of company policy Carley said she did manage to persuade a few other nurses to accompany her to the rally - most not in uniform - and got one of them to pose for photos with her, but couldn't talk them into going public with their theories. 'It wasn't just their fear of losing their jobs, they were scared that they wouldn't be believed, and that they'd be ridiculed and humiliated. So they just kept quiet,' she claimed. When photos of her at the protest went viral on social media, Carley received a phone call from her boss and was asked to attend a meeting. 'I knew I was in trouble but I didn't care,' she admitted, adding that she told the care home manager: 'I can't work like this and you shouldn't be either.' She said she later received a formal dismissal via email, which informed her wearing her uniform to a protest was a breach of company policy. Yesterday Britain recorded another 7,143 coronavirus cases and 71 deaths as the outbreak continues to grow with both infections and fatalities spiking more than 40 per cent in a week It also stated that Carley attending a protest and exposing herself to thousands of people with no social distancing meant she was putting herself and, in turn, the care home staff and residents, at substantial risk. More than 15,000 people died of the virus in care homes earlier this year, according to official figures, after it was reported that many elderly residential facilities were flooded with Covid-19 patients returning from hospital. Carley said she doesn't believe viruses spread in the way we are led to believe. Covid-19 outbreaks soar fourfold among elderly residents Covid outbreaks in care homes have increased fourfold in the past two weeks, raising fresh concerns that they are once again becoming deadly coronavirus hotspots. According to recent figures, there were 35 covid-related outbreaks in care homes in the first week of September which rocketed in the second week to 228 incidents. The latest weeks statistics reveal a dip, to 134 outbreaks in care homes, but show how the virus has continued to spread since the start of the month. It means the number of Covid outbreaks in care homes has become as high as it was in the second week of May. With infections rising at a worrying rate across the country, care homes are yet again among the worst-hit locations for coronavirus outbreaks, vying only with schools for the highest number of cases. Jason Oke, senior statistician at the University of Oxford, said: 'Acute Respiratory Infection incidents broadly followed the trends in Covid cases, so as the cases pick up in September it is not surprising that incidents in care homes should follow in the absence of any effective measures to prevent it.' Advertisement The World Health Organisation [WHO] states Covid-19 is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person generated through coughing and sneezing, as well as people touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. 'Personally, I know through my studies, that viruses are not even contagious they're the body's reaction to being generally unhealthy or run down,' Carley argued. 'Colds and flu coronaviruses are outward symptoms of your body having a clear-out and fixing itself. The best way of not getting ill is by eating healthily, exercising regularly, avoiding toxins, drinking lots of water and getting enough sleep. 'Vaccines and prescribed drugs are not about health they're just about the big pharmaceutical companies making money. They make money by keeping us ill: most people know that now.' Outspoken Carley says she doesn't care what people think of her, adding: 'I know who I am and if anyone thinks I'm something I'm not, that's their prerogative. What other people think of me is none of my business.' Speaking about losing the job she 'loves', she admitted: 'It's very important to me - but the truth is more important. 'I knew that by speaking out on social media - which I was doing a lot by then - and attending protests, there was a risk that I'd be suspended or sacked, but it was a risk I was prepared to take. 'Like most people I need money to live, but I had some savings and I knew that if I was fired, I could get by on that for a bit. I'm a very "in the moment" kind of person and try not to think too far ahead and it was that part of my personality which enabled me to do what I did.' Knowing she has a four and seven-year-old to support, Carley's newfound followers offered to set up a GoFundMe page for her, but she declined. 'It didn't seem right. I'm managing OK at the moment for the next month or so anyway and I'm confident that a new job will pop up soon,' she said. 'For now though being a truther and whistleblower is my job. I feel this is what I've been put here to do. It's going to be a fight, but I'm ready.' Cornell University professor emeritus and Russian human rights leader Yuri Orlov is dead at age 96, the Moscow Helsinki Group announced Monday. Orlov died Sunday, according to the human rights group that Orlov founded in 1976. A cause of death was not named. Orlov was a nuclear physicist and a Soviet dissident who became an advocate for human rights during the Cold War, co-founding the Soviet branch of Amnesty International before launching the Moscow Helsinki Group to monitor the Soviet Unions compliance with the 1975 Helsinki Accords. According to his biography, he was a lifelong activist, getting banned from scientific work in Moscow in the 1950s after giving a pro-democracy speech; spending 16 years in exile in Armenia, where he became an expert on particle acceleration; returning to the U.S.S.R. in 1972; and getting arrested in 1977 by the KGB, who sent him to a gulag labor camp in Siberia for anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda. He stood up, and that matters, Esquire magazine wrote of Orlov, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times. Soviet dissident Yuri Fyodorovich Orlov at New York airport upon arrival from Moscow on October 5, 1986. Orlov was imprisoned in 1978 and released in September 1986 before going into exile in the United States.Jerome Delay/AFP via Getty Images According to The Moscow Times, Orlov was freed in 1986 and stripped of his citizenship, and deported to the U.S. as part of a prisoner swap with American journalist Nicholas Daniloff for Soviet spy Gennady Zakharov. Orlov met with President Ronald Reagan at the White House that year and became an American citizen in 1993. Orlov moved to Ithaca and joined Cornells Newman Laboratory in 1987 as a senior scientist. He was later elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, wrote a memoir (1991s Dangerous Thoughts) and became a Cornell University professor of physics and government in 2008, teaching seminars on human rights and graduate physics. According to Cornell, Orlov authored or co-authored more than 200 scientific papers and technical reports since arriving in the West. His physics research investigated systematic errors, spin coherence time and other theoretical issues related to the proposed measurement of the proton, electron and deuteron Electric Dipole Moments. His work on the theoretical foundations of quantum mechanics focused on the origin of quantum indeterminism. The U.S. Department of States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor said Orlov was also the first to be awarded the American Physical Societys Andrei Sakharov Prize, bestowed on scientists for exceptional work in promoting human rights, in 2005. He lived a long and active life, teaching his beloved physics to the last and continuing to stand by the human rights movement, the Moscow Helsinki Group said. Orlovs survivors include his wife Sidney and children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Yuri Orlov, founder of the Moscow Helsinki Group & a champion of human rights in the fmr Soviet Union. Dr. Orlovs work was critical to advancing fundamental freedoms around the globe, and my thoughts are with his family. Steny (Wear a Mask) Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) September 29, 2020 Yury Orlov, a Soviet physicist, dissident and founder of Russias oldest human rights organization the Moscow Helsinki Group, died at age 96 on Sunday https://t.co/9OiFjYJahu The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) September 28, 2020 A Cochrane Review into the effectiveness of hospital-based specialist palliative care has found evidence that when compared to usual care, it may slightly improve patient satisfaction and depression, and increase the chances of patients dying in their preferred place (measured by home death). The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of hospital-based specialist palliative care for adults with advanced illness and their caregivers was produced by an international group of researchers led by Dr Sabrina Bajwah from the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation at King's College London and funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). A Cochrane Review is a study of all the best available evidence generated through research in health care and health policy, which are published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Most people die in hospital and although the numbers of hospital-based specialist palliative care teams are increasing in response to unmet palliative care needs, there is a lack of clarity around whether they are effective. An earlier Cochrane Review has provided valuable evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of home palliative care services (Gomes 2013)1. However, there is no such available evidence for specialist palliative care in hospital. Researchers looked at evidence from 42 Randomised Controlled Trials involving 6,678 patients and 1101 caregivers/family members. The evidence was found to be low quality and therefore should be interpreted with caution. However, hospital-based specialist palliative care may offer small benefits for several patient-centred outcomes including health-related quality of life, symptom burden, depression and satisfaction with care. The review also showed that those receiving hospital-based specialist palliative care may have 1.63 higher odds of dying in their preferred place (measured by home death). The 1.63 higher odds translate to an increase of 22% in the likelihood of dying in the patient's preferred place (confidence intervals 8% to 39%). While the review found no evidence that hospital specialist palliative care causes serious harms, the evidence was insufficient to draw strong conclusions. Dr Sabrina Bajwah, Clinical Senior Lecturer at King's College London said: "Population-based projections have indicated that palliative care needs will increase in the future2. Whilst we should interpret the results with caution, our systematic review provides clinicians, policy makers and funders with some clarity on the benefits of hospital palliative care. "This may help make informed decisions when looking to prioritise further commissioning of hospital-based specialist palliative care. It also provides patients and their care givers valuable information to inform treatment choices on how hospital palliative care may be able to help improve patient centred care and increase the chances of dying in their preferred place, which is often at home. The provision of palliative care is an ethical imperative for those unlikely to survive and may have the advantage of diverting dying people away from overburdened hospitals as well as providing the care that people want. These benefits may be especially clinically relevant during pandemics and at an advanced stage of disease." ### Outspoken Hollywood star and anti-masker Scott Baio has hit back at the movie industry for shutting down his film production over coronavirus breaches, insisting 'let me live my life.' Baio expressed his anger at not being allowed to work during the pandemic and insists he should be able to decide whether to wear a mask or not, no one else. 'Live your life, let me live mine. If I dont want to wear a mask, its on me. You want to wear a mask, thats on you. Thats fine,' he said. In an animated interview while attending Hollywood's first red carpet film premiere, Baio said he felt castigated in some quarters in Hollywood for standing up for his views, labeling it 'facism'. In an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV, Scott Baio, pictured with his daughter, hit back at the movie industry for halting production of his new movie for coronavirus breaches on set, saying 'Live your life, let me live mine' Baio and daughter Bailey spoke Monday night as they walked the red carpet to support close friend David A R White, who is the star and executive producer of Beckman - a new Christian based action movie The veteran actor and vocal Trump supporter feels that his freedoms are being thwarted. 'Im an American and Im free to do what I want, but unfortunately, were in a spot now where were not,' he said. Baio's production for his new film Courting Mom & Dad was shut down in June over coronavirus breaches on set 'I want to be free, express my opinion and not want to have a brick thrown at my head for it.' Baio's comments come as President Trump mocked Joe Biden for wearing a mask and asked a crowd in Pittsburgh why the Democrat would spend 'all that money on the plastic surgery' to cover up his face Wednesday. Baio - best known for his role as Chachi in hit sitcom Happy Days - admitted that his anti-mask comments would likely prompt outrage, but is adamant not to be held back from his right to free speech. The 60-year-old actor came out firing about masks after his new film Courting Mom & Dad was shut down in June after it 'failed to comply with LA County Health Orders and SAG-AFTRA protocols in connection with COVID-19.' Biao is unhappy with the decision: 'I get it. Im cool. I want you to live your life. I dont want you to live my life. 'I live my life, so dont force your life on me. If you dont want to come to work, okay, then well have to figure something out. If you do want to come to work, great. Thats how I am about everything I do, whether I want to go into a store. If I dont want to wear a mask, thats on me. If I get the flu or the virus, its on me.' Baio added that he feels that industry bodies, regulators and health organizations should allow him and other cast members the right to go mask free - even if it means being unpopular. Child actors Everson White, Bailey Baio and Ryan Florida play Baio and Kristy Swanson's kids in Courting Mom and Dad Baio - best known for his role as Chachi in hit sitcom Happy Days (pictured in 1978) - admitted that his anti-mask comments would likely prompt outrage, but is adamant not to be held back from his right to free speech 'Im responsible for me. Youre not responsible for me. Thats what I would say. You dont want to go to work? Stay home. You want to go to work? Go to work. And if you want to socially distance, thats great too. 'Live your life. We beat SARS, H1N1, MERS, The Spanish Flu, the flu now - still dealing with it. People die from that and I dont want anybody to die, but people die from viruses and Im an old enough, grown man to know what I want to do and dont want to do. Thats how I would handle it. Its not about show business. Its about life,' he said. Baio has spoken out in the past about being a victim of an ongoing smear campaign, since he voiced his support for Donald Trump in 2016 and spoke at the Republican National Convention. The actor feels that his views do not get the coverage that others have in the past. He reacted: 'Thats facism. Thats what they accuse me of for being a conservative American. I want people to live their life. I dont care what you look like, what your lifestyle is, I dont care. 'So if you want to try and shut me up, youre going to have a problem, just like I would never shut you up.' Baio and daughter Bailey spoke Monday night as they walked the red carpet to support close friend David A R White, who is the star and executive producer of Beckman - a new Christian based action movie. Around 150 people gathered for the socially distanced outdoor screening of Beckman in a parking area of the Universal Hilton hotel in LA - around 200 meters from the front gates of shuttered theme park Universal Studios. Beckman releases on DVD nationally as well as PPV & VOD on all digital platforms on September 21. Panacea Biotec hit a lower circuit of 5% at Rs 184.45 after the US drug regulator issued a warning letter to the drug maker's unit in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) issued a warning letter to company following its inspection of the company's Baddi plant conducted from 10 to 20 February 2020. According to a statement published on the website of the US FDA, the warning letter summarizes significant violations of current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations for finished pharmaceuticals. Until you correct all violations completely and we confirm your compliance with CGMP, FDA may withhold approval of any new drug applications or supplements listing your firm as a drug manufacturer, the US drug regulator said. Panacea Biotec is an innovation-led biotechnology group that focuses on discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines. The company reported a net loss of Rs 8.84 crore in Q1 June 2020 as compared with a net loss of Rs 29.21 crore in Q1 June 2019. Net sales jumped 208.10% to Rs 76.48 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Q1 June 2019. In the past three months, the stock has lost 8.44% while the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex gained 9.37% during the same period. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukraine on Tuesday marked the 79th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre, one of the most infamous mass slaughters of World War II. Babi Yar, a ravine in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, is where nearly 34,000 Jews were killed within 48 hours in 1941 when the city was under Nazi occupation. The killing was carried out by SS troops along with local collaborators. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the Babi Yar monument on Tuesday and took part in a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the tragedy. Seventy-nine years ago, a black page was inscribed in the common past of the Ukrainian and Jewish people. We bow our heads before all the victims of Babi Yar. And we have no right to forget these terrible crimes, Zelenskiy said in a statement. After the ceremony, Ukraine's Minister of Culture Olexandr Tkachenko and World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation between the Ukrainian government and the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center. The parties to the memorandum called for joint efforts of Ukrainian society, the state, the international community and organizations researching and studying the Holocaust and the tragedy of Babi Yar, aimed at preserving and restoring historical memory, so that it becomes a constant reminder of the price people pay for peace, Zelenksiy's office said. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Bharat Book Bureau Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market 2019-2028under Information Technology Category. The report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, competitive intelligence and Market reports. The Global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market would notice a CAGR of 24.15% over the projected period of 2019-2028. The increase in the number of data centers, demand for data protection and disaster recovery, demand from virtual desktop infrastructure, and cost savings owing to hyper-converged infrastructure are driving the market growth in the evaluated period. Certain aspects generate opportunities in the market, such as a surge in investments in data center infrastructure and increased investment in edge technology due to the 5G network implementation. However, there are factors that are hampering the market's progress, which include cloud compatibility and scalability issues. The extra expense of redesigning the existing facility's power distribution system challenges the market advancement on a global scale. Request a free sample copy Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market Report @ https://www.bharatbook.com/marketreports/sample/reports/2177505 REGIONAL OUTLOOK The global hyper-converged infrastructure market covers the Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa regions. It is evaluated that the Asia-Pacific will become the fastest-growing region in the global market during 2019-2028. China and Hong Kong are major countries holding data center operations in the region. In China, several cloud, internet, and telecommunication service providers lead the investment made in the data centers. Moreover, it is likely for the investments to surge during the forecast period as China's demand for cloud-based services increases. This is boosting the growth of the market for hyper-converged infrastructure to a large extent. As the data center market has been witnessing an increase in the investment value on a year-over-year basis, Hong Kong has gained the title of being one of the major data center hubs worldwide. Moreover, the increase in the implementation of submarine fiber cables is also anticipated to boost the country's hyper-converged infrastructure market growth. COMPETITIVE OUTLOOK Some of the notable players in the hyper-converged infrastructure market are Microsoft Corporation, Hitachi Vantara, NEC, Fujitsu, Dell Technologies Inc, Cisco, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Nutanix Inc, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, Hiveio, Datacore, Pivot3, VMware Inc, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Netapp Inc, and Scale Computing. Huawei Technologies is an information and communication technology company and offers smartphones, broadband, core network, transmission network, and data communication products to its clients. The company has its consumer base spread across telephone and internet operators. Huawei's FusionCube hyper-converged infrastructure carries out computation, storage, network virtualization, and management into one integrated package to attain high performance. It provides its solutions in the United States, Africa, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. Table Of Contents 1. Global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market - Summary 2. Industry Outlook 2.1. Market Definition 2.2. Key Insights 2.2.1. Effects Of Data Sovereignty On Market 2.2.2. Higher Adoption Of Converged And Hyper-Converged Infrastructure 2.2.3. Growth In Mergers And Acquisitions In Data Center Market 2.3. PorterS Five Forces Analysis 2.3.1. Threat Of New Entrants 2.3.2. Threat Of Substitute 2.3.3. Bargaining Power Of Suppliers 2.3.4. Bargaining Power Of Buyers 2.3.5. Threat Of Competitive Rivalry 2.4. Market Attractiveness Index 2.5. Vendor Scorecard 2.6. Market Drivers 2.6.1. Rise In Number Of Data Centers 2.6.2. Rise In Demand For Data Protection And Disaster Recovery 2.6.3. Rise In Demand From Virtual Desktop Infrastructure 2.6.4. Cost Savings Due To Hyper-Converged Infrastructure 2.7. Market Restraints 2.7.1. Issues With Cloud Compatibility 2.7.2. Problems With Scalability 2.8. Market Opportunities 2.8.1. Increased Investments In Data Center Infrastructures 2.8.2. Rise In Edge Data Investments Due To 5G Rollouts 2.9. Market Challenges 2.9.1. Added Expense Of Redesigning Of Power Distribution In Existing Facility 2.10. Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market 3. Global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market Outlook - By Components 3.1. Hardware 3.2. Software 4. Global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market Outlook - By End-User 4.1. Remote Office/ Branch Office 4.2. Virtualization Desktop Infrastructure 4.3. Data Center Consolidation 4.4. Backup Recovery/ Disaster Recovery 4.5. Virtualizing Critical Applications 4.6. Others Browse our full report with Table of Content : https://www.bharatbook.com/marketreports/global-hyper-converged-infrastructure-market-2019-2028/2177505 About Bharat Book Bureau: Bharat Book is Your One-Stop-Shop with an exhaustive coverage of 4,80,000 reports and insights that includes latest Market Study, Market Trends & Analysis, Forecasts Customized Intelligence, Newsletters and Online Databases. Overall a comprehensive coverage of major industries with a further segmentation of 100+ subsectors. Contact us at: Bharat Book Bureau Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773 Email: poonam@bharatbook.com Website: www.bharatbook.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Emil Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, September 28, 2020 08:31 481 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4797cab 3 Opinion Insight,democracy,regression,stagnation Free The recently launched book Democracy in Indonesia: From Stagnation to Regression has grabbed the attention of many. If initially after the fall of the New Order in 1998 Indonesia was transformed from a highly centralized regime into a vibrant democracy through a landmark election in 1999, two decades later, most political analysts agree that its democracy is in decline, as indicated by populist mobilization, growing intolerance, deepening sectarianism, increasingly dysfunctional electoral and representative institutions, and the deterioration of civil liberties. So the dominant question arises: What explains Indonesias democratic regression that marked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyonos tenure (2004-2014) and President Joko Jokowi Widodos first term (2014-2019)? The next burning questions are: What will happen in the future? Will Indonesia slump into deeper regression? The indications are that a vibrant democracy requires a total shift of direction in economic development, which has contributed to the ever-increasing unequal distribution of land and other natural resources between a narrow wealthy elite and the mass lower-income class. An effective democracy requires the cutting off of links among local candidates of elected officials by financially strong businesspeople. In brief, the contributors of the book argue for a complete separation from the political and corrupt business behaviors of past regimes if a clean democracy is to survive. Indonesian democracy is in regression, but it can be diverted into progression if a two-pronged attack is targeted at (a) democratic regression from above, and (b) democratic regression from below. With democratic regression from above, the book focuses on political party leaders, elected politicians, state officials and wealthy capitalists that have eroded the effectiveness of genuine democracy. The declining quality of Indonesian political parties comes with an absence of financial accountability. The increase in the legislative threshold has made it impossible for new political parties to arise, with the tendency being that established political parties grow into dominating power groups. On the one hand high, the threshold rationalizes the Indonesian political party system. On the other hand, it opens the door for a conglomeration of like-minded political parties to morph into a controlling political force. This may be useful as a countervailing power against the ruling political force. But it also runs the risk of cooptation of the small by strong political parties, hence reducing the effectiveness of political checks and balances. The fact that regional head candidates require the support of political parties with seats in regional legislative councils opens the opportunity for the emergence of financial sponsors, which are locally called cukong demokrasi. Democratic regression from below is symbolized by the ineffectiveness of civil societies, NGOs, local adat (customary) leaders, intellectuals, farmers groups and labor unions in their participation in political and economic decision-making at the local and regional levels. The fact is that most local adat leaders, NGOs and civil societies face difficulties in actively engaging in the field. The living space for civil society is gradually being reduced. The license for international environmental group World Wildlife Fund, for example, was revoked even though it had worked in Indonesia for decades. Most indications show that effective democracy from below is fading away. More conclusive points can be drawn from the book, but suffice to say that Indonesia is encountering a steep, difficult and winding road to an ideal Pancasila democracy that our founding fathers had fought for. After reading the book and browsing the morning papers, one can sense the distress that this nation is encountering. The burning priority of the current agenda is, first, to beat COVID-19 and, second, to address the deepening economic recession. In this time of pandemic, the governments budget absorption capacity is sadly low. As of the third quarter of the year, only Rp 254.4 trillion or 36.59 percent of the budget had been allocated toward addressing the pandemic, with the Health Ministry spending a meager Rp 18.45 trillion of the fund. And yet, the House of Representatives and the government continue deliberation of an omnibus bill that aims to recentralize important investment decisions from regional governments to the central government. In less than three months, the simultaneous regional elections will take place despite a warning from the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) on the rising vulnerability of regions to the pandemic. At least 50 out of 270 regions that will host elections are classified as high-risk areas as of today, up from 27 in June. In brief, the challenges to build a sound, healthy and responsible democracy in Indonesia are huge. My hope is, however, the uphill trials will ignite a common sense to face common concerns, especially among the millennial community. The goal of a prosperous Indonesia must and can be reached by the new generation growing up in this new world of Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0. It is disheartening that a survey shows the current millennials are not interested in joining the current political system because of its negative image. But as Endy Bayuni says in his foreword of the book, Indonesias democracy is like the popular dance Poco-Poco, with two steps back and one step forward to the rhythm of cha-cha-cha music. Lets pray that Indonesian democracy will follow the dance of Poco-Poco, but instead with one step back, 10 steps forwards to the rhythm of jazz music performed by millennials. ---------- Professor of economics who launched the book Democracy in Indonesia: From Stagnation to Regression on Sept. 23 Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Topics : Insight democracy regression stagnation Nearly 2 million homes, mostly in the Western U.S., with a rebuilding value of more than $638 billion are at an elevated risk of wildfire damage, a report out today shows. An annual wildfire report from data provider CoreLogic comes amid historic blazes in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the worst wildfire seasons in California history still ongoing. CalFires latest report shows 3.75 million acres burned, and 7,874 structures destroyed. This years acres burned is 26 times higher than the acres burned in 2019, a relatively tame year for wildfires, for the same time period, according to CalFire. CoreLogic examined the risk in 15 wildfire-prone states, where more than 1.9 million single-family residences are at an elevated level of risk. The reconstruction value of those homes is estimated to be roughly $638 billion. The Western U.S. has a disproportionate amount of wildfire activity, the report notes. California is home to 76% of the residences on the top 10 list, however but the reconstruction cost value of the homes comprise nearly 84% of the list. The CoreLogic report shows the Los Angeles metro area tops the list of metropolitan areas with the greatest single-family residences at wildfire risk, with 154,462 homes with a reconstruction value of $90.31 billion. Thats followed by the Riverside (126,628 homes) and San Diego (98,970 homes) metro areas. The other California cities atop the list were Sacramento, San Francisco and Truckee. Austin Texas, where 73,756 homes with a reconstruction value of $22.67 billion, is No. 5 on the top 10 list. Denver, Colo. (55,762 homes), and San Antonio (41,299 homes) were also on the list. Brekenridge, Colo., had the most multi-family residences at elevated risk, with 4,135 MFRs and a rebuild value of $1.06 billion. COVID-19 hasnt made things any easier. The pandemic has created a shortage of contractors to conduct necessary structure and landscape mitigation, leaving high risk areas more vulnerable to wildfire damage, the report notes. The full impact of COVD 19 is still unknown, but there may be disruptions to the supply chain for raw materials, manufacturing and transportation, causing repair and rebuild efforts post-disaster to be especially challenging, the report states. Additionally, insurers may be challenged with an influx of claims and fewer adjusters to review damages. Related: Topics California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Homeowners Kuwaits Crown Prince, Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, has taken the constitutional oath before the countrys unicameral parliament as the new ruler of the Persian Gulf monarchy, according to the state-run TV. The oath-taking makes the crown prince the 16th Emir of Kuwait. His appointment was declared after the governments emergency meeting that took place late on Tuesday following the news of the death of Emir Sabah IV. Our country is currently passing through a sensitive time. I promise the Kuwaiti citizens to preserve the unity of the country and act for its security and stability, the emir said during his inauguration ceremony. The new emir stressed that Kuwait would remain a state ruled by the law and government structures. According to Kuwaits legislation, the heir to the throne automatically becomes the countrys new ruler after the death of the previous one. However, his powers enter into force only after a swearing-in ceremony before the National Assembly. Emir Sabah IV had ruled Kuwait since 2006. He briefly served as prime minister and foreign minister for several decades before that. The 91-year-old was hospitalised in Kuwait on July 18 for surgery, reportedly to remove two tumours, and later flown to the U.S. for further treatment. ALSO READ: Why foreign countries are scrambling to set up bases in Africa Sheikh Nawaf was born on June 25, 1937. He had served as the minister of interior from 1978 to 1988 when he was appointed as minister of defence. On Oct. 16, 2003, a royal decree was issued to name Sheikh Nawaf as first deputy prime minister and minister of interior. On Feb. 7, 2006, he was named crown prince. Kuwaits late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah passed away at the age of 91 on Tuesday. The vice president of British Petroleum hanged himself at his 2million home a week after he was made redundant, a coroner heard today. Newly-married Nick Spencer, 61, was found dead at his luxury home where he lived with his wife Eve in Buckinghamshire in April. His inquest heard he spent a decade working for the oil giant BP when he was forced to leave the firm on March 31 this year. After he was told of the redundancy the successful father-of-two became depressed and worried about managing his finances, Eve told the coroner. In a statement she said: 'Since he was made redundant he had been depressed. Newly-married Nick Spencer (pictured), 61, was found dead at his luxury home where he lived with his wife Eve in Buckinghamshire in April His inquest heard he spent a decade working for the oil giant BP when he was forced to leave the firm on March 31 this year. Pictured, his home in Buckinghamshire 'He had been looking for a new job and I felt he seemed positive but there was an oil crisis because of Covid-19 and he was worried about remortgaging the house and the finances. 'In the period leading up to his death, he seemed a bit more down and it was the 12th anniversary of a family bereavement. The successful father-of-two (pictured) became depressed 'On the evening before his death, we watched the news and went to bed. We talked about TV and he came to bed at 2am which was unusually late. 'At 6.40am on April 7 he got up. He was normally an early riser and I went back to sleep. I later went into the study and saw the letters he had written. I opened the one addressed to me and called the police, I was very worried.' The first police officer to arrive at the home in Beaconsfield, Bucks., discovered Mr Spencer hanged in the house's garage. Eve identified the body as her husband at 10.30am. Pathologist Dr Steven Corrigan confirmed the cause of death as hanging. After graduating from Harvard Business School in 1999, Mr Spencer became a general manager at European Refining, directing three refineries across Europe. He went on to work at ConocoPhillips for the next seven years, tasked with establishing the business in the MENA region. In October 2009, he joined British Petroleum (BP) as a business unit leader working for the next five years at the largest refinery in the US. Following his huge success, he was selected as Vice President of Global Refining in November 2014 where he led 7,500 employees with a gross margin of $6 billion. He stayed in this position until he was made redundant in March this year. After graduating from Harvard Business School in 1999, Mr Spencer (pictured making a chocolate cake to celebrate the completion of a project) became a general manager at European Refining, directing three refineries across Europe In a report to the inquest a psychiatrist confirmed seeing Mr Spencer on January 18 where he referenced his employment coming to an end, stated he had had suicidal thoughts for a while and even had a specific plan in mind. 'He spoke about the symptoms of his redundancy, building up regrets and thoughts of his children. He talked about the cost of pain caused by some of his actions. 'I felt the protective element in terms of his family prevented him from actioning any thoughts of suicide,' the psychiatrist added. After the appointment in January, Mr Spencer refused to follow up and cancelled his arranged appointments. Sitting at Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire coroner Crispin Butler said: 'Many weeks had passed but all through that period of the job coming to an end was the reality of that. Mr Spencer is pictured with Olympic Long Jump record holder, Bob Beamon. In October 2009, he joined British Petroleum (BP) as a business unit leader working for the next five years at the largest refinery in the US 'Saying goodbye to people he worked with but not in the way in which one hoped because he couldn't have a leaving party and the physical element of having his IT equipment taken from his home address, had affected him. 'It seems his depressive illness, loss of work, his personality, uncertainty about finances, remortgaging, an element of social anxiety and a life long privacy all affected him. 'The changes to Nick's life were reinforced in the notes that he wrote. It was not something he had done to demonstrate he was calling out for help, it was his decision. One can see the evolution of the processes as he reacted to the ending of his job.' He recorded a verdict of suicide at the inquest which was attended by Mr Spencer's devastated sons Robert and Richard Spencer. After Mr Spencer lost his job he worried he would no longer be able to afford his 2million Buckinghamshire home (pictured) Dozens of online tributes poured in for the oil expert from past colleagues who remembered his 'calm' nature fondly. One of them, Mark Taylor, said in his posting: 'Nick recruited me into BP in 2010 and gave me huge support, capacity and accountability to deliver the different components of the project. 'Nick's personal contribution, leadership and calm shone through every day and without which the project could not have been delivered. I will forever remember your calmness and steely resolve with accompanying sense of humour and fun.' John Finnegan wrote: 'It was my pleasure to know and work for Nick. From our time at the Lake Charles Refinery to Ponca City to Humber, Nick was the kind of leader everyone would want to work for. 'If you did get to work for Nick, he would be your teacher, mentor and friend. It was his kindness that I remember most.' Bob Allendorfer added: 'Having had the pleasure of working with and for Nick for the better part of the last 10 years, I look back on our time together with fond memories and will carry it forward for many years to come. 'Nick's calm, systematic, longer-term approach provided much needed balance in turbulent times and has been deeply appreciated by me and many others. 'It is clear to see where Nick has made his mark on our businesses and, more importantly, his lasting impact on those who lead it. Eve, Richard and Robert my heart goes out to you. Nick was a good man.' A spokesman for BP told MailOnline: 'Nicks death was a huge shock and immensely sad for all of us at bp. 'He worked for bp for over a decade and was an admired leader and great friend to many throughout the company. 'We cannot possibly imagine the sadness that his wife and family must have experienced all our thoughts are with them.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or click here for details The fast-growing Glass Fire, which erupted Sunday near St. Helena, forced the citys only hospital to evacuate more than 50 patients by helicopter and ambulance. It was the second time in five weeks Adventist Health St. Helena had to relocate all patients and staff due to encroaching flames. Just last month, the LNU Lightning Complex fires prompted the hospital to execute a similar evacuation. Both times, patients were safely taken to several other Northern California facilities, including Queen of the Valley in Napa and Adventists sister hospitals in Marysville and Ukiah, said spokeswoman Linda Williams. She said she believes these are the only two times in the history of the hospital, which was built in 1878, that it has had to evacuate. The sad part is, having just gone through this ... we really know what to do, Williams said. The most critically ill patients were taken by helicopter and the rest by ambulances that came from across the Bay Area to help, Williams said. The 55 evacuated patients included 13 mental health patients who were transferred to Adventists mental health facility in Vallejo. The hospital relied on an internal alert system, called MIR3, which sends alerts by phone and email to hospital employees. The Glass Fire is believed to have started around 4 a.m. Sunday. By 7 a.m., the hospitals incident command unit was up and running and by 9 a.m., ambulances from around the region and a medical helicopter began transporting patients. The entire process was completed by noon, Williams said. It was efficient, calm and quick, she said. Last month, the LNU fire came within 8 miles, but did not reach hospital property. The 151-bed hospital did not sustain any damage. This time, the Glass Fire did reach the hospital grounds, which includes apartments and condos rented by hospital employees, but did not appear to touch the hospital building, Williams said. There were no reported injuries among patients or staff. By Tuesday afternoon, the Glass Fire had burned through 42,560 acres and was 0% contained. Evacuation orders remained in place, and hospital administrators have not yet been able to return to assess the damage. The hospital employs about 1,200 staff. Some may temporarily work out of the facilities that took in the evacuated patients to help care for those patients. Others may be directed to work at Adventist Health clinics in the area. Adventist Health also operates seven clinics in Napa County, including one in St. Helena, and all but one plan to reopen Wednesday. The clinic in Calistoga will remain closed because the city is still under evacuation orders. Like last month, once the Glass Fire is over, hospital officials will hold a hot wash or debriefing to review how protocols could be improved next time, Williams said. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho NAIROBI, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- China has been on the frontline of advancing environmental sustainability in the past decades with efforts and results visible to the world, a Kenyan expert said Tuesday. Cavince Adhere, an international relations scholar, made the comments responding to Washington's recent attack on China's environmental record, saying that the U.S. attack is unwarranted and will jeopardize efforts to make the planet greener, livable and prosperous. The U.S. government on Friday stepped up its smear campaign against China with an alleged "fact sheet" about China's environmental abuses. The groundless accusation against China "risks rolling back global efforts to create safe, livable and sustainable ecological ecosystems," Adhere told Xinhua. He said that the so-called "fact sheet" is unjustified and only illustrates the hegemonic and bullying attitude of the world's only superpower that bodes ill for the global green agenda. "Directing attacks at Beijing, which has emerged as a strong advocate of international climate action, only show the United States, as a bellicose power, tries to settle political scores instead of constructively contributing to global ecological security," said Adhere. The expert noted that contrary to Washington's allegations, it is visible that the Asian nation has taken sterling performance in reforestation, reversing desertification and desilting the Yellow River. "Other key pillars of China's ecological revolution include insisting on the harmony between humans and the environment, concerted efforts to produce more ecological products and widespread beautification and awareness programs," said Adhere. China could serve as an example for developing countries grappling with a host of ecological challenges, according to Adhere. "The country's success forms crucial learning points for other nations, particularly the developing economies on the facets of policy, communication and capacity building," said Adhere. China aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly via video. Adhere said that China's ecological civilization model has inspired the rest of humanity to rally behind efforts to achieve inclusive and green development. "The world is a unified environment and no single country can claim superiority in the fight against climate change," he said. "Ecological conservation and efforts to roll back climate change are cross border matters and can only be sustainably confronted with international synergy," he added. All Americans, whatever their political inclinations, should make time to watch Tuesday nights presidential debate, and every minute of the two forthcoming debates. President Trumps performance on the debate stage was a national disgrace. His refusal to condemn white supremacists, or to pledge that he will accept the results of the election, betrayed the people who entrusted him with the highest office in the land. Every American has a responsibility to look and listen and take the full measure of the man. Ignorance can no longer be a tenable excuse. Conservatives in pursuit of long-cherished policy goals can no longer avoid the reality that Mr. Trump is vandalizing the principles and integrity of our democracy. Its a tired frame, but consider how Americans would judge a foreign election where the incumbent president scorned the democratic process as a fraud and called on an armed, violent, white supremacist group to stand by to engage with his political rivals. The debate was excruciating to watch for anyone who loves this country, because of the mirror it held up to the United States in 2020: a nation unmoored from whatever was left of its civil political traditions, awash in conspiratorial disinformation, incapable of agreeing on what is true and what are lies, paralyzed by the horror of a pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands and beholden to a political system that doesnt reflect the majority of the country. A company bugged Julian Assange in the toilet at the Ecuadorian embassy at the request of 'friends in America', who plotted to kidnap or poison the WikiLeaks founder, his extradition hearing was told today. A series of extraordinary claims were made by a witness at the Old Bailey about instructions they say they were given by bosses looking to bring the stalemate with Assange to a close. These even included orders to steal the nappy of a baby that regularly visited him, to establish paternity. Julian Assange, pictured, was bugged in the toilet at the Ecuadorian embassy at the request of 'friends in America', who plotted to kidnap or poison the WikiLeaks founder, his extradition hearing was told today UC Global boss David Morales, pictured, allegedly instructed the installation of cameras with sophisticated audio capability to secretly record Assange's meetings, particularly with his lawyers, the court heard Assange was 'acutely troubled' after unredacted documents became public, court told Julian Assange was 'acutely troubled' when he learned of the imminent release of unredacted leaked documents, a court has heard. The 49-year-old is fighting extradition to the US over the release of thousands of classified documents by WikiLeaks. The US government has accused him of potentially putting informants lives at risk after names appeared in unredacted material. In a statement to the Old Bailey, Italian investigative journalist Stefania Maurizi described Assange's reaction when he found out the material was about to be made public, after a password appeared in a book by a Guardian journalist. In 2011, when she became aware the password had been compromised, Ms Maurizi had been due to visit Assange at Ellingham Hall in Norfolk, the court heard. She said: 'Upon my arrival at Ellingham Hall, I encountered enormous concern. 'There was an ever-widening circle of awareness that the files, until then considered to be safely encrypted, might nonetheless be public very soon because of the book which had been published.' A German newspaper had published a story the day before making it possible to 'connect the dots', it was claimed. She said there was a 'misunderstanding' by some that WikiLeaks could have done something about the situation. She went on: 'I remember that when I arrived there were fierce discussions as to what to do. Julian was clearly acutely troubled by the situation with which WikiLeaks was faced.' When the unredacted material was published by Cryptome in September 2011, it was 'never wished for by WikiLeaks or Assange' and every possible step had been taken for over a year to avoid it, she said. 'While I was at Ellingham Hall, Assange was himself making urgent attempts to inform the (US) State Department the information was circulating out of WikiLeaks' control.' After WikiLeaks eventually published the material, Ms Maurizi consulted 'security guru' Bruce Schneier. He allegedly told her in an email that both parties made 'dumb mistakes' but the Guardian's was 'worse'. He told her: 'Without the key, no-one would have been able to brute force the file. No one, probably not even aliens with a planet-sized computer.' Advertisement Assange had sought refuge at the London embassy for seven years from 2012, fearing he would be pursued over the publication of thousands of classified documents. The court today heard from two anonymous witnesses who had worked for a Spanish firm with a contract at the embassy. One of them revealed the lengths 'friends' in the US considered going to after President Donald Trump came to power in 2017. UC Global boss David Morales allegedly instructed the installation of cameras with sophisticated audio capability to secretly record Assange's meetings, particularly with his lawyers, the court heard. One of the witnesses said: 'On one occasion around December 2017, Morales said the Americans were desperate and suggested more extreme measures to put an end to the situation, suggesting the door in the embassy would be left open, allowing people to kidnap him from outside, and even the possibility of poisoning him was discussed. 'All these considerations were under consideration with contacts in the US.' The court heard how UC Global had a contract with Ecuador from 2015. In 2016, Mr Morales travelled to Las Vegas where he showcased UC Global and obtained a 'flashy contract' with a wealthy associate of Mr Trump, it was alleged. Afterwards, he announced to the office: 'We will be playing in the big league.' A witness said: 'He entered into arrangements with US authorities to supply them with sensitive information about Assange and the president of Ecuador.' The second witness, employed as an IT expert from 2015, recalled Mr Morales saying they were moving into the 'premier league' having 'gone to the dark side'. Mr Morales allegedly told staff they were being vetted by 'our friends in America', so everything confidential should be encrypted. Once Mr Trump won the US election in late 2016, the collection of information intensified and Mr Morales became 'obsessed with obtaining as much information as possible', the court heard. The witness said they were told to form a task force at the firm's headquarters in Spain and security cameras with sophisticated audio recording capacity were installed at the embassy. Around June 2017, Mr Morales instructed that the cameras should allow streaming so 'our friends in the US would be able to gain access to the interior of the embassy in real time', it was alleged. The witness, who refused, saying it was illegal, suggested that English instructions on how to do it were provided by a third party, possibly US intelligence. In 2018, the witness was told to travel to London to install microphones including a fire extinguisher in a meeting room and in a toilet at the embassy where Assange met people. The aim of bugging the embassy was to record meetings with visitors, specifically lawyers, as 'that was required by our US friends'. Protesters supporting Assange have demonstrated outside the Old Bailey during the hearing this week The witness was asked to take pictures of 'decorative objects' in a meeting room that could be used to conceal bugs, the court heard. Personnel were asked to obtain Assange's fingerprint from a glass imprint, it was alleged. The witness also stated they were asked by Mr Morales to steal the nappy of a baby that regularly visited Mr Assange, to establish paternity. Instead, the witness revealed the plan to the child's mother. The recordings were taken personally by Mr Morales to the US, the court heard. It was claimed he had increased assets, including a new home estimated to be worth one million euro (910,000) and high end vehicles, and was being paid 200,000 euro (182,000) a month by the US. At the end of 2018, Assange's lawyers requested material possessed by UC Global. It was alleged Mr Morales proceeded to remove all the material from 'Operation Hotel', the name of the contract. On Tuesday, Judge Vanessa Baraitser granted the two witnesses the same anonymity as approved by a Spanish court, amid fears for their safety. The extraordinary claims come as the court was also told how the Taliban's lies helped the US government prosecute Assange and Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. The WikiLeaks founder, 49, is wanted in the US for allegedly conspiring with Manning to expose military secrets between January and May 2010. Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Assange, read out the statement from the Independent's Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn at the extradition hearing today. The WikiLeaks founder, 49, is wanted in the US for allegedly conspiring with Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, pictured, to expose military secrets between January and May 2010 'He's reported about various wars since 1977 and they have included the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and he sets out his views on the impact of the publication by WikiLeaks in 2010 and 2011. 'He reports exclusively from the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan and says that he and other reporters suspected but could not prove features of the US activities there including the fact the US authorities were killing civilians in significant numbers. 'The WikiLeaks documents exposed the way the US, as the world's sole superpower, really conducted its wars - something that the military and political establishments saw as a blow to their credibility and legitimacy. 'There were some devastating revelations. 'The early attempts to discredit Assange focused on trying to prove that the WikiLeaks disclosures led directly to the death of US agents and informants. 'The Pentagon put a great deal of effort into substantiating this allegation, it set up an Information Review Task Force headed by a senior counterintelligence officer, Brigadier General Robert Carr, which studied the impact of the revelations and sought to produce a list of people who might have been killed because of the information the cables contained. 'Carr later described the extent of his taskforce's failure - that is failure to blame WikiLeaks - in testimony given at Manning's sentencing hearing in July 2013. 'His team of 120 counterintelligence officers hadn't been able to find a single person among the thousands of American agents and secret sources*who could be shown to have died because of the disclosures. 'Carr told the court that at one point his task force seemed to be getting somewhere: the Taliban claimed to have killed a US informant identified in the WikiLeaks cables. 'It was a sign of desperation on the part of the counter-intelligence officers that in seeking evidence against Wikileaks they were reduced to citing the Taliban as a source. 'The Taliban turned out to be lying. The named individual wasn't even in the WikiLeaks disclosures at all. 'He finishes by saying 'WikiLeaks did what all journalists should do.' Assange is fighting extradition to the US on charges relating to leaks of classified documents allegedly exposing US war crimes and abuse. He could face a prison sentence of up to 175 years if convicted on all charges and be held in the 'supermax' administrative maximum facility near Florence, Colorado. The hearing continues. A new documentary is diving into the complicated, and sometimes contradictory life of James Meredith, a Black civil rights figure who helped change Mississippi. Walk Against Fear: James Meredith, scheduled to air Thursday on the Smithsonian Channel, examines the life of a U.S. Air Force veteran and human rights agitator whose admission to the University of Mississippi forced President John F. Kennedy to send federal troops into the state to quell a white supremacy uprising. It was one of the most violent moments of the Civil Rights Movement and Merediths determination to enroll in Ole Miss forever transformed life in the American Deep South. Known as a bold, stubborn character from the movement, Meredith was later shot during a peaceful demonstration in Mississippi, and years later drew anger from civil rights leaders for endorsing former Klansman David Duke for Louisiana governor. He shunned interviews and openly supported former segregationists who he said he was helping transform. But Meredith told The Associated Press on Tuesday he believed all of his actions in his life had been predestined by higher forces. My life has always been according to a plan, Meredith said. And I was not the engineer of most the plan. Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, Meredith graduated from high school in St. Petersburg, Florida, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he took courses at New Mexico Western College now Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New Mexico. Those classes in New Mexico changed his life and set him on a path to become a writer. It was the most important thing that ever happened to me, Meredith said. The experience in New Mexico also got him thinking of attending Ole Miss, an all-white college that barred Black students. The documentary follows Meredith from his decision to challenge the University of Mississippis segregationist policies and then a governor who personally tried to refuse to admit him. Meredith eventually attended classes thanks to federal court orders only to see white students walk out in protest. Later, he set out on a public Walk Against Fear in 1966 to prove that a Black man could walk peacefully in Mississippi. He was shot on the second day. AP photographer Jack Thornell captured a haunting image of Meredith grimacing in pain as he tried to pull himself across Highway 51 after being shot in Hernando, Mississippi. I didnt feel anything, Meredith recalled. The only thing that mattered to me was that I wasnt dead. Meredith said he had been reluctant to open up about his life but was pleased with a BBC project about him that involved Sol B. River, a British theater director and filmmaker. River approached Meredith about the documentary idea and he agreed. Hes an extremely intelligent and complex man, said River, who spent years getting to know Meredith. I hope that people will see this from the viewpoint from the first person ... almost as if they are James Meredith going through this. New Delhi, Sep 30 : The Indian Navy has conducted exercises with Russia and 'Quad' countries - an informal security forum comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia - in a message to China on getting a wider footprint in the Indo-Pacific region. The Indo-Pacific region is seen from the west coast of India to the US. The Indian Navy carried out a three-day bilateral maritime exercise with Japan in the north Arabian Sea from September 26, 2020 to September 28, 2020. It was the fourth edition of India-Japan Maritime bilateral exercise JIMEX, which is conducted biennially. The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in October 2018 off Visakhapatnam in India. Naval cooperation between India and Japan has increased in scope and complexity over the years. Advanced level of operations and exercises took place during three days. It is indicative of the continued upswing in Indo-Japanese defence relations and continued efforts by both governments to work closely for a more secure, open and inclusive global commons, in accordance with international regulations. The helicopter carrier of Japan JS Kaga took part in the recent exercise. The Kaga and its sister ship the Izumo are being converted into aircraft carriers that will carry US-built maritime planes, the F35-B. India, Japan, China and South Korea are the countries now involved in what is seen in strategic circles as the Asian carrier race. The Australian Navy and Indian Navy carried out passage exercise in the East Indian Ocean Region from September 23 to September 24. The exercise involved participation of HMAS Hobart from the Australian side and Indian naval ships Sahyadri and Karmuk. In addition, an Indian maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters from both sides carried out coordinated exercise. The exercise, aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices from each other, involved advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firings, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and cross deck flying operations. To boost mutual confidence and cooperation, a bilateral maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Russian Navy took place in the Bay of Bengal on between September 4 and September 5. "The exercise was aimed at imbibing best practices between the two navies," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal told IANS. He also said that the exercise helped to further boost mutual confidence and cooperation between the two Navies and would reinforce the longstanding bond of friendship between the two countries. The exercise is known as 'Indra Navy' and is the 11th edition. It is a biennial bilateral maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Russian Navy. Indian Navy units undertook Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with units of US Navy - Nimitz Carrier Strike Group as they transited through Indian Ocean Region on July 20. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) Lower-income Americans, blacks and Hispanics bearing brunt of COVID-19 economic fallout: study Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Large swaths of American adults have been struggling to pay for necessities like housing and food since the start of the new coronavirus pandemic. But the brunt of the economic fallout from the virus has been more acutely felt among adults with lower incomes, those without a college degree and black and Hispanic Americans, according to the findings of a new Pew Research Center survey. The survey of 13,200 U.S. adults conducted from Aug. 3-16, 2020, using the Centers American Trends Panel, found that overall, one-in-four adults have had trouble paying their bills since the start of the pandemic, a third have dipped into savings or retirement accounts to make ends meet, while approximately one-in-six have borrowed money from friends or family or received food from a food bank. Among lower-income adults, according to the survey, an even larger share (46%) say they have had trouble paying their bills. Some 32% say its been hard for them to make rent or mortgage payments compared to the 20% of middle-income adults who face these struggles. The challenge among upper-income adults is substantially smaller. When it comes to job loss, some 25% of U.S. adults reported that they or someone in their household was laid off or lost their job because of the coronavirus outbreak overall. Some 15% reported personal job loss with lower-income adults and young adults being impacted the most. Prior to the pandemic, the Feds Survey of Consumer Finances showed that personal finances fueled by income gains and rising home prices had been improving for American families. Economists are now worried that the gains from the longest economic expansion on record may have been wiped out for minority and less-educated employees who were more likely to be working in the service industry jobs impacted by the pandemic. Without a doubt, it will worsen, Julia Coronado, founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives and a former Fed economist, told The New York Times. We know that the skew of the unemployment is toward lower-income, more economically vulnerable people. Labor Department data shows that while the unemployment rate was 8.4% in August, it was 13% for black people. The jobless rate for those with less than a high school diploma was also more than twice that for adults with a bachelors degree or more. The economic downturn has not fallen equally on all Americans and those least able to shoulder the burden have been hardest hit, Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said at a news conference this month. In particular, the high level of joblessness has been especially severe for lower-wage workers in the services sector, for women and for African-Americans and Hispanics. The new data from the Survey of Consumer Finances also highlighted dramatic gaps in income and wealth across racial groups. Black families median wealth stood at just $24,100 in 2019 compared to $188,200 for white households and $36,100 for Hispanic families. There are now 20 airlines which have committed to net-zero goals including Royal Air Maroc. Image: WayPoint 2050/Atag The plan will rely on a significant shift away from fossil fuels, the introduction of radical new technology and continued improvements in operations by the sector. Executive director of the cross-industry Air Transport Action Group, Michael Gill said: A decade ago the aviation industry became one of the first to commit to a long-term climate action plan. We are now able to provide detailed analysis of different pathways to achieve the goal of halving net aviation CO2 emissions by 2050 and, with the right support from governments and researchers, be on our way to net-zero emissions a decade or so later. We should be under no illusion that the decarbonisation path for aviation is an easy one. Without the off-the-shelf technology available to most other parts of the economy, reaching our climate goals is going to be a significant challenge. But our Waypoint 2050 analysis shows that decarbonisation is possible, and in a number of different ways. We now need the commitment from governments, the energy industry, researchers and from the aviation sector itself to make it happen. The prospect of new technologies such as radical aircraft designs, electric and hydrogen powered aircraft is factored into the analysis and these are expected to be able to enter the fleet from around 2035-2040 for short-haul flights. Operational improvements such as more efficient air traffic management and better use of existing aircraft play a fundamental early role and help reduce emissions further. Most importantly, the nearly complete shift to sustainable aviation fuels up to 450-500 million tonnes of this low-carbon energy source will be required to meet the industrys climate goal. For sustainable aviation fuel in particular, we need support from governments in the next decade to help set the stage for the future of low carbon connectivity. These new fuels are already flying today over 270,000 commercial flights have taken off so far but are still a tiny part of our overall fuel mix. We know that we can begin the energy transition away from fossil fuels in earnest, but we need support from governments to do so. Importantly, we know that this new fuel can come from completely sustainable sources and there is enough of it available without impacting on land or water use. The analysis released by the industry, alongside work by governments and researchers, will be used to inform United Nations negotiations towards a long-term climate goal for air transport. The aviation industry has encouraged this process, anticipated to be finalised at the next International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly in 2022. Air transport is a vital driver of global economic development, social cohesion, family connections and business opportunities. Governments can play a key role in helping to sustain a green recovery for aviation from the Covid-19 crisis and a path towards net zero emissions from air transport. But the next 10 years will set the sustainable aviation agenda out to 2050 and beyond. This is a crucial period, said Gill The industry believes that with the right support from governments, net-zero CO2 emissions from global air transport may be achievable by around 2060-2065, but it is likely that some regions will be able to meet this goal earlier with work underway in some parts of the world to identify those roadmaps. A number of individual airlines and companies in the industry have already set themselves net zero targets. We are encouraged to see increasing awareness of this important milestone and we urge all parts of the industry to work on accelerating climate action and building sustainability into the heart of their business strategy. However, we recognise that for many parts of the global sector decarbonisation will be a significant stretch and they will need a little more time to make it a reality. (Natural News) Another installment of Project Veritas truth series has been released, this one exposing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) as a ballot harvesting crook. Undercover footage captured by the illustrious James OKeefe shows key political allies and associates of Omar openly admitting that they use ballot harvesting to steal elections. Money is the king in everything, one ballot harvester captured on tape boasted, further admitting that he is helping to illegally harvest hundreds of 2020 absentee ballots. Numbers do not lie these here are all absentee ballots my car is full. You can watch the full Project Veritas undercover video exposing Ilhan Omar and her cronies below: Ali Isse Gainey, Omars campaign manager, is now revealed as one of the key players in Omars ballot harvesting scheme, as is a man named Liban Mohamed who was caught harvesting ballots to help his brother win a vacant Ward 6 city council race in the Minneapolis Aug. 11 special election the same day the primary was held for Omars MN-05 congressional seat. All these are for Jamal Osman, Mohamed boasted about the carload of harvested ballots he obtained. We got 300 today for Jamal Osman only. Amazingly, Mohamed boasted about this on video in a series of Snapchat videos that he posted publicly on July 1 and July 2 to his personal account. Ilhan Omar will do anything that she can do to get elected, whistleblower reveals Described by OKeefe as a cash-for-ballots harvesting scheme, Omars scam involves paying people cash to collect the harvested ballots, which is apparently enough for these bottom-feeders to commit election fraud on behalf of hijab-wearing criminals like Omar who belong in prison, not in Congress. If you got no money, you should not be here, period, Mohamed is quoted as saying. You know what I am saying. Omar Jamal, a political insider who is very active within Minneapolis Somali community, reached out to Project Veritas to expose the scheme. He told OKeefe that its an open secret that Omar uses illegal ballot harvesting to help herself stay in office. [Omar] will do anything that she can do to get elected, Jamal is quoted as saying, adding that Omar has hundreds of people on the streets doing that. Jamal further stated that the scam is probably already too big to stop, adding that maybe its too late. Theres a lot of people invested in this, you know, and they dont care how they did it: We win, and thats it, Jamal added. The way it works is that Omar operatives request ballots in order to fill them out for voters. They then submit these fraudulent ballots, which are tallied as actual legitimate votes. They come to us, Jamal indicated. They came to our homes. They said: This year, you will vote for Ilhan. They said: We will make the absentee ballots. We will fill out the forms for you and when you get them back, we will again fill it out and send it.' Hennepin County Attorney Jeff Wojciechowski reportedly told Project Veritas that what Jamal has described is illegal, and that the county will be investigating. Commenting on what he discovered during his investigation, OKeefe noted that ballot harvesting is real and has become a big business. Corrupt politicians like Ilhan Omar are using it to steal elections, and they are specifically exploiting elderly and immigrant communities to get the job done. These crooks, he says, have turned the sacred ballot box into a commodities trading desk. We are showing Americans what is really going on in one of our great cities but, its not me saying we have the operators on tape saying it all themselves. More related news about election fraud can be found at Deception.news. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com Brighteon.com NaturalNews.com By Trend Late in the evening on September 28, Georgian border guards refused to allow trucks with tires heading to the zone of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to pass through the Georgia-Armenia border, Trend reports citing Georgian media. Reportedly, ethnic Armenians living in southern Georgia's Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda regions have started to collect tires, food and medicine to help the Armenian soldiers fighting on the frontline. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (MFA) has previously issued statement, hoping for deescalation of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The statement says that Georgia is ready to contribute to de-escalation and establish peace in the region in any way. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz US President Donald Trump used the platform provided by Tuesday nights debate with Democratic candidate Joe Biden to incite fascist violence against voters and make clear that he would not accept the outcome of the election, now just over one month away. Asked by Chris Wallace of Fox News whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and groups who have instigated violence, Trump responded with a hysterical denunciation of socialism and left-wing politics and an open call for the extra-constitutional mobilization of paramilitary organizations. Almost everything I see is from the left-wing, he proclaimed. Not from the right-wing. Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, Trump said, referring to a fascistic, racist and anti-Semitic organization that has terrorized protests against police violence throughout the country with armed patrols. Ill tell you what, Trump added, Somebody has to do something about Antifa and the left. This is not a right-wing problem. This is left-wing. Trump concluded the debate by renewing his call for supportersthat is, right-wing vigilante organizationsto monitor polling places and not accept the results of the election. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that, he stated. President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate former Vice President Joe Biden both speak during the first presidential debate. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) As polls show he is heading for a massive defeat in the popular vote, Trump is not guided by any sort of conventional electoral strategy. He is inciting as much havoc as possible, using it to lay the foundations for a violent repudiation of the election results. In the course of the debate, Trump repeated his declaration that the election would be characterized by fraud like youve never seen and that ballots were being throw into rivers and destroyed. He added that he was counting on the Supreme Court to look at the ballots in the election, that is, that he sees the court as central in legitimizing a coup detat. This is the language of civil war. Trump is an out-and-out fascist who is conspiring to erect a presidential dictatorship. He is inciting violent reprisals against all those who would oppose him. If the debate made one thing clear, it is that he will not accept the outcome of the election. The response of Biden epitomized the breakdown of the entire political system. He attempted to parry Trumps hysterics with conventional responses whose effect was to downplay the obvious seriousness of Trumps threats. The Democrats have selected as their representative an aged reactionary who is unable to speak truthfully about anything. Bidens only response to Trumps threats of violence was to urge his supporters to vote, ignoring the fact that Trump is planning on repudiating the results. In response to the attempt by Trump to ram through the appointment to the Supreme Court of Amy Coney Barrett in an effort to pack the court ahead of a contested election, Biden declared, Im not opposed to the justice. She seems like a very fine person. The Democrats have already given up any effort to block Senate confirmation of Barrett. Biden did not even note that Barrett played a central role in the Supreme Courts intervention in the 2000 election, which handed the presidency to George W. Bush. In the face of Trumps open declaration he would not accept the results of the election and calls for violence, Biden was anxious to express his commitment to accept the outcome of the ballot. I will accept it, Biden said, and [Trump] will too If it is me, in fact fine. If it is not me, Ill support the outcome. And I will be a president not just for the Democrats; Ill be a president for Democrats and Republicans too. Toward the end of the debate, when asked why voters should choose him over Trump, Biden seized on the opportunity to attack Trump for being weak on Russia, the central theme of the Democrats opposition to Trump for the past four years: Ive gone head to head with Putin and made clear we arent going to take any of his stuff, Biden said. Hes Putins puppy. As Trump attempts to transform the election into a coup detat, the Democrats overriding concern is to prevent any popular mobilization that would threaten the interests of Wall Street and the geopolitical imperatives of American imperialism. What happened Tuesday night was not so much a debate. It was a portrait of political degeneration. What is playing out in real time is the collapse of American democracy under all the putrefaction and filth of American capitalism. Trumps diatribes set the tone for an event whose degrading character shocked even the media. That was the worst debate that I have ever seen, one commenter on CNN said. It wasnt even a debate. It was a disgrace. Others called it a complete disaster on all fronts. The debased character of Tuesday nights spectacle was clear to everyone, and much commented on. But what is being avoided in the media is the clear political import of what is in fact unfolding. Trump is seeking to establish a presidential dictatorship, and the White House is now the political nerve center of a conspiracy to carry out a coup detat. One statement by Trump on Tuesday night will prove to be true: This will not end well. No, it certainly will not. This crisis is not going to be resolved on election day, and will not be resolved in any conventional manner. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, which has already killed 200,000 people, what is required is a mass political mobilization of the population to defend its social and democratic rights. In the final analysis, Trump speaks for the most ruthless section of the financial oligarchy, determined to protect its wealth at any cost. What is exposed, however, is not just Trump. Tuesdays filthy spectacle is a portrait of American capitalism and its political system. Decades of growing inequality and endless war, vastly accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, have vomited up the political underworld. Workers and young people must wake up to the gravity of the political situation. They must break free of the stranglehold of the Democratic Party, which fears the mobilization of popular opposition to capitalism much more than it fears the imposition of a fascistic dictatorship under Trump. The American ruling class has forfeited its right to rule. The only thing that people should be thinking about after Tuesday night is how to put an end to this dysfunctional system. Pro-life Senator Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) said on Monday that she thinks the likelihood of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal, is very minimal. Ernsts comments during an hour-long debate for the U.S. Senate race against her pro-abortion opponent, Democrat Theresa Greenfield. Moderator David Yepsen asked what each candidate would do if the Court overturned the ruling, which President Trump has suggested may happen now that he has nominated pro-life Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the high court. If confirmed, Barretts appointment would create a 6-3 conservative majority on the Court. Ernst explained that she is proudly pro-life and thinks every life has value and is worthwhile but expressed skepticism that the ruling would be overturned. I think the likelihood of Roe v. Wade being overturned is very minimal. I dont see that happening, truly I dont see that happening, she said. The Iowa Republican went on to say that what pro-lifers can do, in lieu of a Court decision, is educate the public on how important life is. I think that the views that are being taken by Theresa Greenfield and those that are backing her from the coasts, from California and New York, its inappropriate and not acceptable to most Iowa voters, she said. Ernst has supported overturning the ruling in the past, and in January joined 206 other members of Congress in petitioning the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade. Greenfield said she believes abortion rights are settled law. I will always defend a womans right to make her own health care decisions with the guidance of her doctor, she said. Barrett, when asked in 2016 about ways a future Supreme Court might allow states to pass more restrictions on abortion, said she didnt believe the core case behind Roe v. Wade would change. I think dont think the core case Roes core holding that, you know, women have a right to an abortion I dont think that would change. But I think the question of whether people can get very late-term abortions, how many restrictions can be put on clinics I think that would change, she said. Story continues Greenfield is currently polling 2.6 points ahead of Ernst, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polling totals. Editors Note: A previous version of this article identified Theresa Greenfield as anti-abortion, when she is in fact pro-abortion. More from National Review Killing Eve star Jodie Comer was pictured larking around with Matt Damon as day two of filming The Last Duel continued following a six month break due to coronavirus. Wearing face masks and 14th century costumes, Jodie giggled with Hollywood actor Matt Damon, 49, on location at Cahir Castle in Co. Tipperary, Ireland. Hollywood star Damon was sporting a mullet hairstyle and a beard and had whipped his shield off for a second in between takes. Nice mullet! Killing Eve's Jodie Comer larked around with Matt Damon behind face shields as The Last Duel filming continued in Ireland at Cahir Castle in Ireland on Wednesday Safety precautions: Walking around set, they were surrounded by a crowd of cast and crew who were all wearing various face masks Jodie, 27, was wearing a fur-lined robe and had her hair styled into Princess Leia style plaits as they walked alongside a couple of horses, while Matt was wearing regal green velvet. Walking around set, the actors were surrounded by a crowd of cast and crew who were all wearing various face masks as they milled around. Adapted from Eric Jager's book of the same name, The Last Duel follows the true story of Jean de Carrouges (Damon), a 14th century knight who embarks on a fight to the death with former friend Jacques Le Gris (Driver) after accusing him of raping his wife. How are you finding that beard, Matt? Jodie had a big smile on her face as filming continued for a second day following a six month break due to coronavirus Jodie plays Marguerite de Carrouges, the woman at the centre of the fight in the Ridley Scott-directed epic. The Last Duel marks the first return of Damon's writing partnership with Ben Affleck since their award-winning script for Good Will Hunting. Matt co-wrote the screenplay alongside Nicole Holofcener and his longstanding writing partner Ben, the latter is also starring in the film, although he wasn't seen on set. Acclaimed: Jodie is best known for playing Villanelle in BBC TV series, Killing Eve Trimmed: Matt as he usually looks without his mullet and beard (pictured in 2017 in NYC) Originally, Matt and Ben were set to play the two leading roles in the film, but they ran into scheduling conflicts because of Ben's film Deep Water, so he is now set to play King Charles VI, while Adam Driver was cast to take over the role of Le Gris. Filming began on the movie in February in France but the set was shut down in March due to the pandemic and travel restrictions in Europe. Matt was at the film's next location in Ireland when lockdown began and amid the travel ban ended up isolating in the seaside resort of Dalkey, an affluent suburb of Dublin with his wife and four children for a few weeks. The Last Duel had a scheduled released date of December 2020 but it has now been pushed back to October 15, 2021. (Alliance News) - Coal producer MC Mining Ltd on Wednesday reported a significantly narrowed annual loss following reduced impairment charges. For the financial year that ended June 30, MC Mining reported a pretax loss of USD12.9 million versus USD33.5 million the year before. The company's annual net impairment expense dropped to USD1.3 million from USD21.9 million the year before. Revenue dropped 35% to USD17.2 million from USD26.4 million. The Uitkomst metallurgical and thermal colliery produced 431,354 tonnes of run-of-mine coal during the year, down 8.7% from 472,647 tonnes the year before. The colliery sold 254,193 tonnes, down 18% compared to 309,401 tonnes the year before. Uitkomst's average revenue per tonne declined 20% to USD65 per tonnes from USD81 per tonnes. MC's Acting Chief Executive Brenda Berlin said: "The spread of Covid-19 in South Africa in 2020 has had significant adverse effects and resulted in the company, its employees and contractors having to adapt to new operating environments. MC Mining has followed government recommendations and implemented measures to identify and minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission on our sites." The company noted, however, it made "significant progress" prior to the lockdown. "The development of the Makhado project will result in MC Mining being the pre-eminent South African producer of hard coking coal, a key ingredient contributing to the manufacture of steel and a commodity that trades at a significant premium to thermal coal. The two phases of the Makhado project have a combined life-of-mine in excess of 46 years and the projectas long term viability is supported by forecast economic development and urbanisation, driving increases in per capita steel usage," CEO Berlin added. Shares in MC Mining were down 3.6% in London on Wednesday at 6.50 pence. In Johannesburg, the shares were 13% lower at ZAR1.14. By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. A 12-year-old girl has died in a house fire in Ballymena. Emergency services were called to the blazing property in the Staffa Drive area of Ballykeel at around 5.50pm on Wednesday evening. Police attended the scene alongside ambulance and fire and rescue services. Paramedics were unable to save the child. Emergency servies were called to the blazing property in the Staffa Drive area of Ballykeel at around 5.50pm on Wednesday evening Police attended the scene alongside ambulance and fire and rescue services A local councilor described the incident as an 'unspeakable and unimaginable tragedy'. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) confirmed one person was rushed from the burning house to hospital. Local Councillor Matthew Armstrong gave his 'deepest sympathies' to the victim's family. 'My deepest sympathies to the family and everyone involved,' he told Belfast Live. 'It is an unspeakable and unimaginable tragic event and one in an area that has sadly been no stranger to tragedies in last short period of time. 'Sometimes in all honesty there are no words to express or even to imagine what the family are going through at the minute. I am truly devastated and heartbroken for them all.' The incident marks the second death reported in the Ballykeel area of the town on Wednesday after a man's body was discovered at a flat in Crebilly Drive, sparking a murder investigation. In conjunction with an additional debt raise and existing resources, the investment will provide Hyperion with up to $1.5 billion to accelerate its growth with both selective acquisitions and investments in data and technology, noted Hg, which invests in software and tech-enabled services businesses. Meanwhile it was highlighted that Hyperions management team and employees will remain the biggest shareholder group in the company, with over 1,000 individuals owning shares. Hg went on to say: The transaction establishes a sustainable, long-term capital model with core employee ownership supported by collaborative investment partners, enabling Hyperion to build out Howden as a leading international challenger broker and DUAL as an international specialist MGA. Hyperion chief executive David Howden, who is thrilled to welcome Hg as a long-term partner, cited the two camps shared understanding of what building a business to last means for both staff and clients. This, the quality of the Hg team, their support for our core employee ownership and our culture of empowerment, and the desire of the Hg partners to contribute to our digital and data strategy, makes them an excellent partner to join General Atlantic and CDPQ as we continue our journey, stated the CEO. The investment, the full terms of which were not disclosed, comes hot on the heels of Howden Broking Groups swoop for A-Plan Group from Hg in the UK. The Rs 2,160-crore initial public offering (IPO) of UTI Asset Management Company, the eighth-largest asset management company in India in terms of mutual fund QAAUM, has been subscribed only 78.5 percent on September 30, the second day of bidding. The issue closes October 1. The response seems to be lukewarm when compared to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders and Likhitha Infrastructure IPOs that too are open for subscription. These issues, however, are smaller in size compared to UTI AMC. The UTI AMC IPO received bids for 2.15 crore equity shares against an offer size of 2.73 crore equity shares, the data available on exchanges showed. The price band has been fixed at Rs 552-554 per share. The offer size excludes the anchor book portion that opened for a day on September 28. The company has received Rs 645 crore from anchor investors. UTI AMC IPO to open on September 29: Here are 10 key things to know The portion set aside for retail investors has been subscribed 1.15 times and that of employees 66.5 percent. The reserved portion set aside for non-institutional investors has been subscribed 34.7 percent and that of qualified institutional buyers 47.82 percent. The company has reserved 2 lakh shares for employees. The public issue consists an offer for sale of 3,89,87,081 equity shares by sponsors State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, PNB and LIC, with each having a 18.24 percent pre-offer stake in the company, and private equity firm T Rowe Price International, which holds 26 percent stake. UTI Asset Management Company IPO opens today: Should you subscribe? "The company is bringing the issue at P/E multiple of approximately 25x at higher end of the price band of Rs 552-554 per share on FY20 EPS basis. Company is pure play independent asset manager with strong brand recognition & diverse portfolio of funds with multiple distribution channels, wide reach, broad and stable client base," Hem Securities said. "The company has an established position in retirement solutions through product innovation and large retirement fund mandates. Also, valuation are looking reasonable at which the company is bringing the issue. Therefore, we recommend subscribe the issue," the brokerage added. UTI AMC is the second-largest asset management company in India in terms of total AUM and the eighth largest in terms of mutual fund QAAUM as of June 2020. The company also had the largest share of its monthly average AUM attributable to B30 cities of the top ten Indian asset management companies by QAAUM. With 1.09 crore live folios as in March 2020, the company's client base accounts for 12.2 percent of the approximately 89.7 crore folios managed by the Indian mutual fund industry as of that date. The company manages 153 domestic mutual fund schemes, comprising equity, hybrid, income, liquid and money market funds as of June 2020. Its domestic mutual fund QAAUM was Rs 1.3 lakh crore as of June 30, 2020, which accounted for approximately 5.4 percent of the QAAUM invested in all mutual funds in India as of June 2020. Centrum Broking is optimistic about the AMC space as asset management, being a fee-based business, is slated to grow (QAAUM) at an 18 percent CAGR in the medium term led by overall economic growth, growing investor base and higher disposable income levels. "Recent regulatory changes such as revised expense ratios would lower costs for mutual fund investors which should aid in greater retail participation. Over FY17-20, return on equity fell from 18.5 percent to 10.2 percent as yield dropped by 10bps since the mix shifted from debt to liquid and others while equity share at 32 percent as at June 2020 is lower to listed peers. Weaker RoE profile was also driven by lower dividend payout (4-year average 19 percent). This could change as equity outlook is positive and dividend payout might rise to 50 percent in FY21E. Valuation is attractive with P/E at 25.4x FY20 EPS," said the brokerage. UTI AMC also manages retirement funds, National Pension System, offshore funds, including the Shinsei UTI India Fund, a co-branded fund with Shinsei Bank of Japan, and alternative investment funds. Sitting down at a table inside a restaurant for a meal, an everyday act thats been forbidden by health orders in San Francisco for over six months, will be legal again Wednesday. Its an enormous shift that could give the citys restaurant industry a shot in the arm, even as concerns remain about the coronavirus ability to spread indoors. It shows how Bay Area counties are seeking to balance keeping the pandemic in check with providing small businesses some relief from shelter-in-place restrictions. San Francisco moved on Tuesday into Californias orange tier, which reflects whats considered a moderate spread in the states four-color blueprint for recovery. The city is now able to permit restaurants to operate at 25% capacity or with 100 people whichever is fewer. San Francisco joined Amador and Calaveras on Tuesday in being among the states first counties to jump into the orange tier, the second least restrictive. Contra Costa, alongside Butte, Fresno, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara and Yolo counties, moved into the red, leaving only Sonoma among the Bay Areas nine counties in the states most restrictive purple tier. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle We know this continues to be a challenging time with people struggling economically and emotionally. However, thanks to San Franciscos commitment to following public health guidance, we are seeing improvements in our numbers, which means we can continue to move forward with reopening, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement. San Francisco will also allow places of worship to fill to 25% of capacity, among several other changes: Outdoor protests may increase to 200 people, and indoor malls may increase to 50% capacity, along with indoor food courts that follow safety guidelines for dining. Outdoor carousels, miniature trains and Ferris wheels will also be allowed to reopen, with safety precautions. San Francisco hopes to open outdoor playgrounds by Oct. 14 now that state officials have allowed public recreational facilities to operate with specific safety regulations. This latest round of activities and reopenings is a result of the dedication and commitment of our residents and businesses. Our actions to limit the spread of the virus continue to pay off, San Francisco Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said in a statement. San Francisco and Napa started in the red tier, reflecting a substantial spread of the virus, when the state shifted to a four-color-tiered blueprint last month. Alameda, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Solano moved from the worst tier purple to red during the past two weeks. A new state designation does not mean an immediate change in local rules, since counties can maintain more stringent regulations than the baseline for a tier, but many counties have promptly adopted state guidelines as they progress. Contra Costa entered the red tier Tuesday and will be allowed to expand mall and retail capacity from 25% to 50%. It may also open limited capacity for indoor operations at gyms, movie theaters and personal care businesses. The credit really belongs to the residents of Contra Costa, who have adapted to the new normal and modified their lifestyles to reduce the spread of COVID in the county, said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costas health officer. The toll of COVID-19 reached a grim milestone Monday, hitting 1 million deaths worldwide. More than 33 million people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. In his Tuesday news conference, California Department of Public Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly repeatedly emphasized a slow and stringent approach as the state prepares for reopenings and the upcoming Halloween holiday and flu season. He said that hospitalizations were up, but that cases overall were still on the decline in the state and that test results were being processed faster. The rates have generally flattened, but not decreased, in the Bay Area. The effects of recent evacuations, which inevitably lead to more mixing of people and hence possible new infections, may not be seen for weeks. San Franciscos status under the state blueprint has advanced because of its case rates and extensive testing. Doing business indoors couldnt come at a better time as we approach the colder months. And, now our restaurants need us. So lets stay safe and do what we do better than any other city: eat out often, said Joaquin Torres, director of San Franciscos Office of Economic and Workforce Development. Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron In what may be a last-ditch effort before the presidential election, Democrats have unveiled a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package that includes a second round of stimulus payments and a boost to unemployment benefits. It has been more than four months since House Democrats sent the GOP Senate $3.4 trillion in desperately needed coronavirus relief grounded in science and data, and Leader (Mitch) McConnell hit the pause button, Pelosi said Monday night. In our negotiations with the White House since then, Democrats offered to come down a trillion dollars if Republicans would come up a trillion dollars. Then, we offered to come down $200 billion more, even as the health and economic crisis has worsened and the needs have only grown. The bill is an updated version of the HEROES Act, an earlier measure passed by House Democrats. It includes another round of $1,200 direct stimulus payments and the restoration of $600 in federal money for the unemployed. The bill also provides $225 billion in education funding; $120 billion in grants for restaurants; $436 billion for assistance for state, local and tribal governments; $15 billion in funding for the U.S. Postal Service; and increased food assistance benefits. The bill comes as negotiations over a COVID-19 relief package continue to drag on with little progress. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke Monday night and plan to meet again Tuesday morning, according to Politico. The meetings are likely the last-ditch effort for negotiations ahead of the acrimonious Senate debate over the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett and the Nov. 3 presidential election. Republicans have indicated the latest bill and its hefty price tag are dead on arrival. Republicans backed a $300 billion package in early September while Democrats initially passed a $3.4 trillion relief plan in May. The two parties remain far apart on a middle ground that would include renewal of relief for small business and direct payments to American families. During the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress passed a massive relief package that included direct payments for the public. The payments included $1,200 for most individuals and $2,400 for married couples with $500 per dependent child. He made it before the pandemic, Mr. Royal said. But because of the pandemic its something we have actually used, rather than this thing we sat at from time to time. If the apartment has a decorating scheme, it could be called cactus country casual. Two throw pillows with a Southwestern print are arranged on the gray sofa from Ikea. When Mr. Royal and Mr. Mysinski visited Zion National Park in Utah a few summers back, they stumbled on a Native American art gallery and came home with two small, rectangular rugs. A trip to the Grand Canyon netted a dreamcatcher. To mark a recent anniversary, the couples joint present was a photo of Antelope Canyon that Mr. Mysinski took; Mr. Royal had it blown up and mounted on canvas. Image Perched on the piano: a photo Mr. Mysinski took of Antelope Canyon in Arizona, when he and Mr. Royal vacationed out West. Credit... Calvin Royal III We had to postpone a vacation to the West Coast partly because of the roaring fires that are right now taking place in the region we were supposed to visit, said the Polish-born Mr. Mysinski. So were doing everything we can to create an environment that reminds us of the times we were able to go there, and this picture helps. But their memento gathering is all over the map. The bookcase holds a sculpture of a hand from the Rodin Museum in Paris and a bottle of sand scooped from a Florida beach during a trip to see Mr. Royals family. On the television stand: the keys to the city of St. Petersburg, an honor bestowed a few years ago when Mr. Royal was performing in his hometown. In-person company classes, rehearsals and performances are mostly on hold during the pandemic. One casualty was a history-making production of Romeo and Juliet, starring Mr. Royal and his colleague Misty Copeland, the first Black lead A.B.T. dancers to be cast in the title roles. But, of course, the work goes on. Home has turned into my own personal office, my own personal studio, Mr. Royal said. Daily, he unfurls a square of studio flooring, rolls out a newly acquired portable barre why, he wonders, didnt he buy one sooner? and goes through the dancers rituals in the living room or on the balcony. Then he turns over the space to Mr. Mysinski, whos got his own practicing to do. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Phuket airport lab approved, now just need Bangkoks blessing to receive tourists, says Governor PHUKET: Regional health ministry officials today (Sept 30) conducted a demonstration test of the COVID-19 test laboratory at Phuket International Airport, ahead of other regional medical officers conducting a formal inspection and test of the COVID-19 test and prevention measures at the airport tomorrow. COVID-19tourismhealtheconomicsCoronavirus By The Phuket News Wednesday 30 September 2020, 07:55PM The approval of the test laboratory at the airport is considered the last hurdle before Phuket can be finally cleared by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok to welcome international tourists once again. Phuket Governor Narong Woonchiew, Phuket International Airport General Manager Thanee Chuangchoo and Phuket Provincial Health Office Chief Dr Thanit Seermkaew were all present today for the demonstration test of the laboratory and tourist-arrival procedures. Leading the inspection was Dr Pimpa Techakamolsuk, Deputy Director Region 11 office of the Department of Disease Prevention and Control (DDC). Following the test demonstration today, Governor Narong said plainly, Even though we have yet to be officially approved by Bangkok, we are ready to welcome foreign tourists. However, Governor Narong also made it clear that he had yet to be officially informed that the first tourists to arrive on the island since the COVID-19 lockdown began six months ago would be 120 tourists arriving on a flight from Guangzhou, China, touching down at Phuket International Airport next Thursday (Oct 8). I have not received any official information from the CCSA yet, but I have already seen the news in the media, he said. The Phuket Government will follow the orders of the CCSA strictly, as they were approved by many officials before, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior, Governor Narong assured. Regional DDC chief Dr Pimpa noted that officers from the Department of Medical Sciences under the Ministry of Public Health will come to inspect the test procedures at the airport tomorrow (Oct 1). Only after then can Phuket be officially approved to directly receive international tourist arrivals, she said. Airport General Manager Mr Thanee also explained that he had yet to receive any official confirmation from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) that general commercial passenger aircraft would once again be allowed to enter the country. We have not received any requests for landing slots for a charter flight from China, so the flight has not been confirmed yet, Mr Thanee said. Asked how flights will be managed once the country reopens to inbound international commercial passenger flights, Mr Thanee said, We have not done anything for that, as we are still waiting for the CCSA confirmation that the tourists are coming. Regarding the process of testing and allowing tourists to enter the country through Phuket airport, Regional DDC Chief Dr Pimpa explained that swab samples will be collected from tourists at the airport, then the tourists will be strictly guided through the immmigration and entry process before being taken to their registered quarantine accommodation. The test results will take two to three hours, and will be sent to medical staff at each tourists respective hotel, she added. PPHO Chief Dr Thanit also explained that, for now, nine hotels, altogether with around 1,200 rooms, had been approved by the CCSA to serve as alternative state quarantine venues (ALSQ). The PPHO will continue inspecting the hotels that have applied to become ALSQs, in order to increase the number of hotels open to welcome tourists, he said. Reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot and Eakkapop Thongtub This article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. WASHINGTON A federal appeals panel refused on Tuesday to delay a court-ordered, independent medical examination of a mentally ill prisoner who was tortured at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to decide whether he should be repatriated to psychiatric care in Saudi Arabia. The decision in the case of Mohammed al-Qahtani by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sets the stage for a showdown between the Trump administration and a federal judge over outside evaluation of health care at the prison, which holds 40 people. Justice Department lawyers have warned that the first use of a mixed medical commission one doctor from the U.S. Army and two from a neutral country chosen by the International Red Cross and approved by the United States and Saudi Arabia would be disruptive and unleash more requests by other prisoners. Mr. Qahtani, who is in his 40s, suffered an acute psychotic break attributed to schizophrenia in his homeland long before he was taken to Guantanamo. His lawyers argue he is too profoundly ill to be treated by American military medical personnel there, and requires inpatient care in Saudi Arabia. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Bouthaina Shaaban, a political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, in an interview with Sputnik accused Turkey of failing to fulfill its commitments in Syria's region of Idlib to separate opposition and terrorists and carry out join patrols MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th September, 2020) Bouthaina Shaaban, a political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, in an interview with Sputnik accused Turkey of failing to fulfill its commitments in Syria's region of Idlib to separate opposition and terrorists and carry out join patrols. Recent talks in mid-September between Turkish and Russian military officials in Ankara on the situation in Idlib have failed to produce and agreement, with Moscow torpedoing Ankara's proposal to transfer the Syrian cities of Tall Rifat and Manbij under Turkish control, according to Turkish sources. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later said that Russian-Turkish agreements on Syria were not being implemented fast enough. "Unfortunately, Turkey has not honored this commitment aimed to separate between terrorists and opposition in Idlib and neighboring area and neither honored the agreement of the president signed by President Putin about Idlib and about M-4," Shaaban said. The adviser criticized Turkey for deploying more armaments and troops in the province and coordinating with insurgent forces. "It is very obvious to the Syrian people that all these terrorists are working in full coordination with Turkish operatives," Shaaban concluded. In 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed on the creation of a de-escalation zone in Idlib, which included an obligation to separate opposition from terrorists. Nevertheless, the deal was not fully implemented and fighting in the area continued. This March, the presidents agreed on a ceasefire in the province as well as setting up of a security corridor along the M-4 motorway, patrolled by Russian and Turkish forces. By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijans Deposit Insurance Fund has paid AZN 537.1 million ($315.9M) to the 22,757 depositors of four banks that were liquidated in the past few months, the fund has reported. According to the report, the International Bank of Azerbaijan has paid over AZN 192.5 million ($113.2M) to 8,038 depositors of AGBank and NBCBank as a compensation in the process of liquidation. The payment of compensations to these banks were made in non-cash form in 20 branches through debit cards of the International Bank of Azerbaijan. As of September 29, AZN 78.9 million ($46.4M) was paid to 4,112 depositors of AGBank and AZN 113.6 million ($66.8M) to 3,926 depositors of NBCBank. Moreover, Kapital Bank has paid AZN 344.5 million ($202.6M) to 14,719 depositors of "Amrahbank" and "Atabank" as a compensation in the process of liquidation. The compensations to these banks were paid in non-cash form in 35 branches through Kapital Bank debit cards and Khazri fast money transfer system. During this period, AZN 132.2 million ($77.8M) was paid to 5,567 depositors of Amrahbank and AZN 212.2 million ($124.8M) to 9,152 depositors of Atabank. According to Article 28.3 of the law "On Insurance of Deposits", the Deposit Insurance Fund accepts applications from depositors within one year from the date of first publication of the notice on compensation. The licenses of Azerbaijans AtaBank OJSC and Amrahbank OJSC were canceled on April 28 upon the decision of the Board of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA). On May 12, the licenses of AGBank OJSC and NBC Bank OJSC were canceled and the bankruptcy process was launched. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz CLEVELAND, Ohio The driver in a police caravan led by vehicles marked as belonging to the city of Shaker Heights gave the middle finger to protestors lining the street in University Circle ahead of the presidential debate. UPDATE: Cop who flipped off peaceful protesters during Cleveland presidential debate identified as Shaker Heights officer The incident happened as a caravan of vehicles carrying armed officers turned from East Boulevard onto Hazel Drive not far from a where a non-violent social justice protest that included Black Lives Matter Cleveland was held. Early crowd estimates say at least 500 people attended the event. Why are you in riot gear? I dont see no riot here, protesters can be heard chanting as the vehicles pass by. The one-finger salute can clearly be seen from an arm extended out of the window of the third vehicle of officers. A driver in a police caravan gave the finger to Black Lives Matter protesters in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood ahead of the Sept. 29 presidential debate. (Robin Goist, cleveland.com) I uploaded this from the field last night, so the quality is a bit grainy. You can pretty clearly see the finger at about 9 seconds pic.twitter.com/lEDsQd02Lt Robin Poltergoist (@robingoist) September 30, 2020 The BLM march circled around the cordoned off areas near the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion of the Health Education Campus. Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University are hosts of the debate. Many demonstrators called it a night as the sun went down shortly before 8 p.m. as the march returned to Wade Oval near the Cleveland Museum of Art. The 90-minute debate between President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden is set to begin at 9 p.m. Mumbai, Sep 30 : Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Wednesday evening said that the co-investors of Silver Lake will invest an additional Rs 1,875 crore into Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL). This brings the aggregate investment by Silver Lake and its co-investors in RRVL to Rs 9,375 crore, which will translate into a 2.13 per cent equity stake in RRVL on a fully diluted basis. The latest investment values Reliance Retail at a pre-money equity value of Rs 4.285 lakh crore. With more than $60 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital and a focus on the world's great tech and tech-enabled opportunities, Silver Lake is the global leader in large-scale technology investing, the RIL statement said. Its mission is to build and grow great companies by partnering with world-class management teams. Its other investments have included Airbnb, Alibaba, Alphabet's Verily and Waymo units, Dell Technologies, Twitter and numerous other global technology leaders, the statement added. Commenting on the aggregate investment by Silver Lake, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, said: "Silver Lake and its co-investors are valued partners on our journey to transform Indian Retail for the benefit of all Indians. We are pleased to have their confidence and support, as well as the benefit of their leadership in global technology investing and their valued network of relationships for the Retail revolution in India." He added that Silver Lake's additional investment is a strong endorsement of the tremendous potential of Indian Retail and the capabilities of Reliance Retail. Egon Durban, Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Silver Lake, said: "We are delighted to increase our exposure and bring more of our co-investors into this unmatched opportunity. The continued investment momentum over the last few weeks is proof of the compelling vision and business model of Reliance Retail - and underscores the tremendous potential of the transformative New Commerce initiative." The transaction is subject to regulatory and other customary approvals. Earlier in the day, RIL announced that global growth equity firm General Atlantic will invest Rs 3,675 crore into its subsidiary Reliance Retail Ventures Limited to pick up 0.84 per cent equity stake in the company. NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. - A Pennsylvania woman vacationing with her family at the New Jersey shore drowned while trying to rescue her three children from rough waters, authorities said. Emergency responders responded to the 18th Street Beach in North Wildwood around 3 p.m. Tuesday after receiving reports of swimmers in distress. They were able to rescue two boys, ages 8 and 10, and a 19-year-old woman, but their 49-year-old mother was soon found face down about 150 yards off the shoreline. The woman was taken to a hospital, but she was pronounced dead there a short time later. Authorities said the family was from Wernersville, but their names were not released. Authorities said the incident remains under investigation. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced several major projects for five districts in north Bengal with a new medical college and hospital, expansion of the Bagdogra airport and major grants for different communities figuring prominently in her list. The chief minister virtually laid the foundation stone of Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital and granted 104 acres of land for the expansion of Bagdogra airport near Siliguri town. Night landing has already started at Bagdogra. More flights will operate after the expansion, she said while handing over land documents to the chairman of the airport. The government also announced that 161 former members of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) would be employed as home guards so that they can be rehabilitated. Formed in 1995, the KLO carried out an armed struggle for a separate state for the local Rajbanshi community which comprises a sizeable section of voters. While addressing an administrative meeting with officials from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts, Banerjee made a series of announcements but did not hide her grievance, saying the governments sincere efforts were not appreciated. She did not directly refer to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in which the Bharatiya Janata Party won seven of the eight seats in the region. Banerjee also announced a grant of Rs 5 crore for the Rajbanshi Language Academy and Rs 10 crore for the Rajbanshi Development and Cultural Board. We will also set up a second campus of the Panchanan Barma University and for this a 50 acre land has been earmarked at Mathabhanga, said the chief minister. Barma is the most prominent face of the Rajbanhsi community since he carried out the first movement against caste politics. The chief minister reached out to other communities as well. She handed over monthly allowance and home building funds to the chief priest of the famous Madan Mohan temple at Cooch Behar Palace. Banerjee announced that Cooch Behar Medical College and Hospital would be renamed after Maharaja Jitendra Narayan, the former king of Cooch Behar who died in 1922. Among his five children was Gayatri Devi who was married to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur. Jitendra Narayan was married to Indira Raje, daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda. The state government also announced that Rs 6 crore had been granted for the second phase of renovation at the Katherine Graham Memorial Chapel in Kalimpong. The chief minster gave a grant of Rs 175 crore to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the district council in the Darjeeling hill region. So much has been done by us for north Bengal and yet some people only spread canards. Our projects are not being publicised. Something has to be done about this, said Banerjee. Banerjees efforts however did not satisfy everyone. Bangshibadan Barman, general secretary of Greater Cooch Behar Peoples Association (GCPA) and chairman of both the Rajbanshi Language Academy and the Rajbanshi Development and Cultural Board, did not attend the administrative meetings held on Tuesday and Wednesday although he was invited as he had been tested for Covid-19. When contacted by HT, Barman said, Rajbanshis comprise 52 per cent of the population in Cooch Behar and 40 per cent in four other districts. The amount sanctioned by the government so far is not enough to run the board which looks after the welfare of the community in entire north Bengal. Barman made it clear that he was not in favour of any political party. Whoever works for the Rajbanshi community will get my support. Candidates can raise objections, if any, in the preliminary answer keys by 30 September up to 5 pm. They will be required to send their suggestions/ grievances related to the answer key to the University at email address ailetadmissions@nludelhi.ac.in. The provisional answer keys of All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) 2020 have been released by the National Law University (NLU) Delhi on its official website nludelhi.ac.in. The entrance exam was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on 26 September. According to reports, NLU Delhi has also released the question papers of AILET 2020, along with the answer keys. Candidates can raise objections, if any, in the preliminary answer keys by 30 September up to 5 pm. They will be required to send their suggestions/ grievances related to the answer key to the University at email address ailetadmissions@nludelhi.ac.in. To register their objections, candidates will have to mention the name of the programme, serial number of the question. Reports also said that AILET 2020 final answer key will be released after the scrutiny of suggestions/ grievances on the provisional answer key submitted by the candidates. The result of AILET 2020 will be made available on the official website after the release of the final answer keys. Steps to check and download NLU AILET 2020 provisional answer keys: Step 1: Go to the official website of NLU Delhi - nludelhi.ac.in. Step 2: Scroll down on the homepage and under the announcement tab, opt for the link that mentions, "Notification - Question Booklets with Provisional Answer Keys (Dt. 29/09/2020)." Step 3: You will be directed to a new page where a PDF document will open Step 4: At the end of the document, tap on the link to check the answer key and question papers for the exam that you have appeared for Step 5: Save the answer key and match your responses. Note the question number to raise objections if any. Click here for the direct link to check AILET 2020 answer keys AILET is conducted for students who want admission to BA LLB (Honours), LLM and PhD courses offered by the National Law University Delhi. The exam this year followed the computer-based test (CBT) methodology. University of Michigan Director of Debate Aaron Kall said Tuesdays contest between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden was probably the worst presidential debate in history. The 90-minute debate was nearly unintelligible at points as the two candidates talked over each other and Moderator Chris Wallace, Kall said. The candidates were given advanced notice of the six topics up for debate Tuesday, but the event overall lacked concrete discussion of serious issues facing the country. Trump frequently derailed the discussion with personal attacks, while Biden jabbed back in frustration. The former vice president called Trump a liar and a clown and laughed out loud several times while being interrupted. Will you shut up, man? Biden said to Trump at an early point in the debate. Wallace also struggled to keep the debate on track, at times showing visible frustration. The country would be better served if we allowed both people to speak with fewer interruptions, Wallace said to Trump. Im appealing to you, sir, to do it. Matt Grossman, director of the Institue for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University, said the debate failed to offer undecided voters much opportunity to make up their mind. Debates tend to have positive effects in that a lot of people tune in who havent been paying very much attention ... I think we cant completely underestimate that, if people sat through it, Grossman said. But it wasnt a pleasant viewing experience, so I dont know if people who dont pay that much attention to politics would have sat through that whole debate. Kall also had a dim view of how productive the debate was for voters. He said the public deserves more." The whole point of debates -- to educate, draw contrasts and things like that -- just kind of get lost when theres not even really debate, Kall said. Its just kind of two people talking over and at each other. Trumps aggressive approach will probably be well-received among his base, Kall said. The president touted his support for law enforcement while bragging about the state of the economy throughout his term. You dont have anything to say about law and order, Trump said to Biden. Biden said Trump is the worst president in history, criticizing his handling of the coronavirus and racial divisions that sparked over the summer. Kall said Biden was smart to speak directly to the camera throughout the night. How many of you got up this morning and had an empty chair at the kitchen table because someone died of COVID? Biden said while discussing the pandemic. Later in the debate, Wallace about why voters should pick each of the candidates. Trump said there has never been a president who has done more for the American people. He cited reforms to veterans health care programs and his appointment of federal judges. Biden argued that under Trump, the country had become weaker, sicker, poorer, more divided and more violent. Michigan received two quick references Tuesday night, both from Trump. The president brought up the state while criticizing Democratic governors for shutting down businesses to prevent coronavirus outbreaks. He later claimed car companies were bringing auto plants back to the state. Biden pleaded with voters to cast a ballot however they see fit, either through an absentee ballot or by voting in person on Nov. 3. Clerks in Michigan began sending mail-in ballots to the 2.4 million registered voters who requested one last week. Tuesdays debate is one of the last chances the candidates have to sway voters with only 33 days left until the election. Grossman said public opinion has largely solidified. I dont think were going to see much change (after the debate)," Grossman said. I think its just going to be a lot of criticism that the debate went poorly. That doesnt seem likely to move a lot of voters. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Northern Michigan Democrats hope Jill Biden visit puts us on the map First presidential debate: Trump says Michigans COVID-19 orders like being in prison Michigan congresswoman worries Trump wont concede if he loses election Poll: Trump trails Biden in Midwest battlegrounds, but undecided voters could make the difference Liberal MP for Oatley Mark Coure says former MP Daryl Maguire never had consent to use his position as a parliamentary group chair when he tried to link private Chinese business associates with oil companies in Australia. Mr Coure on Wednesday appeared as the eleventh witness in an inquiry before the Independent Commission Against Corruption, investigating whether Mr Maguire used his position for his own financial benefit between 2012 and 2018. Liberal member for Oatley Mark Coure (second from left) is the secretary for the Asia Pacific Friendship Group. The inquiry heard an intercepted phone call from May 2018, in which Mr Maguire spruiked his role as "chairman" of the NSW Parliament Asia Pacific Friendship Group. "We're normally the first port of call for just about everything from Asia-Pacific countries," Mr Maguire said in the call with the head of Australia's oil and gas industry peak body. In a clinical trial testing whether a daily regimen of hydroxychloroquine could protect those most likely to be exposed to COVID-19, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found there was no difference in infection rates among health care workers who took the drug versus those taking a placebo. While the researchers observed a lack of effect associated with hydroxychloroquine, infection levels were low among the participants, which the researchers believe points to the effectiveness of other prevention measures in the health system: social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, and proper hand hygiene. The study was published today in JAMA Internal Medicine. "This work represents the first randomized trial of hydroxychloroquine's prophylactic effect for those not yet exposed to COVID-19," said the study's lead author, Benjamin Abella, MD, MPhil, a professor of Emergency Medicine and the director of Penn Medicine's Center for Resuscitation Science. "And while hydroxychloroquine is an effective drug for the treatment of diseases like lupus and malaria, we saw no differences that would lead us to recommend prescribing it as a preventive medication for COVID-19 in front line workers." Due to the novel nature of COVID-19, the science and medical communities have had to rapidly assess treatment and prevention measures. One drug that has been considered as a potential preventive solution was hydroxychloroquine, based on laboratory studies that it could prevent SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from entering cells in tissue culture. As such, Abella, along with the study's senior author Ravi Amaravadi, MD, an associate professor of Medicine in Hematology-Oncology and the program co-Leader of Cancer Therapeutics at the Abramson Cancer Center, and their co-authors set out to rigorously test whether taking a substantial dose of hydroxychloroquine - 600 milligrams daily for two months- would have an effect on infection rates. They conducted this study among hospital workers that regularly came into contact with COVID-19 patients. The researchers were able to analyze a pool of 125 physicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, emergency technicians, and respiratory therapists that they recruited for the study. This population worked in several different areas of the two University hospitals, including the emergency departments and COVID-19 units. Roughly half of the participants in the study took hydroxychloroquine while the other half took a matching placebo (a cellulose pill). The study was double-blinded, meaning neither the researchers, nor the participants knew which drug they were assigned. Extensive testing was used to rigorously prove who did or did not contract the virus. Each person received swab and antibody testing for COVID-19 at the start of their participation in the study, halfway through, and at the end--an eight-week span during the study period that began April 9 and ended July 14, 2020. Participants also had electrocardiogram (ECG) tests because of concerns about hydroxychloroquine causing heart rhythm problems in severe cases of COVID-19. "To really test the potential of HCQ as a prevention drug, we felt it was key to recruit health care workers with many hours of direct physical exposure to COVID-19 patients, then randomize them in a double-blind manner between hydroxychloroquine or a matching placebo, and treat them for a long period of time," said Amaravadi. "Through that whole time, we monitored participants closely for their safety." At the end of the study, 6.3 percent of those who took the hydroxychloroquine had tested positive for COVID-19 while 6.6 percent of those who took the placebos were positive. None required hospitalization. Additionally, there was no difference detected in the heart rhythms between those in either arm of the study, which showed that while the drug had no preventive effect, it was also not detrimental, outside of some temporary side effects like diarrhea for some. "The differences we saw were negligible," Amaravadi said. "And those who did get the virus, whether they were taking hydroxychloroquine or not, were all asymptomatic or had very mild forms of COVID-19." While the study was originally slated to recruit 200 health care workers, an analysis along the way showed that a continuation of enrollment would not yield different results. An independent data safety and monitoring board reviewed the findings and concurred. These results will have an impact on the dozens of planned and ongoing clinical trials around the world that are testing hydroxychloroquine as a prevention for COVID-19 infection in health care workers. While a much larger study could potentially find a different result, the results of the Penn study suggest other forms of prevention, including vaccines, may be worth more attention. ### Funding for this study came through a philanthropic donation from Leonard and Madlyn Abramson and Mark and Cecilia Vonderheide. Sandoz, a division of Novartis provided the hydroxychloroquine. PCR testing was supported by Quest Diagnostics. Other Penn authors on this study included Eliana L. Jolkovsky; Barbara T. Biney; Julie E. Uspal, MD; Matthew C. Hyman, MD, PhD; Ian Frank, MD; Scott E. Hensley, PhD; Saar Gill, MD, PhD; Dan T. Vogl, MD; Ivan Maillard, MD, PhD; Daria V. Babushok, MD; Alexander C. Huang, MD, PhD; Sunita D. Nasta, MD; Jennifer C. Walsh; E. Paul Wiletyo, PhD; Phyllis A. Gimotty, PhD; Michael C. Milone, MD, PhD; Shaun K. McGovern; Edith M. Teng; Niraj J. Vyas; Steve Balian, MD; Jonathan A. Kolansky; Abby R. Dolan; Kehinde O. Oyekanmi; Jaldhi S. Patel; Nabil M. Abdulhay; David R. Helfer; Isabelle S. Mullen; Charlotte F. Tisch; Sarah K. Fiordaliso; Rachel McFadden; Sigrid Gouma, PhD; Selene G. Nunez-Cruz, PhD; Olivia Doran; Paul L. Callahan; and Sarah Gamblin. Tuesdays first presidential debate was a lot like America these days: Two people talking over each other, nobody able to moderate them, and little of substance to be gained at the end of the night. Here are three main takeaways: A disaster for democracy: President Trump is behind in the polls and had to do something bold, something game-changing to swing momentum his way. So he tried to kill presidential debates. The first 20 minutes were unlistenable the word debate applies only because it was billed as such. Trump constantly talked over former Vice President Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace, on the rare occasions when the Fox News journalist tried to get the president to be quiet and let his Democratic challenger speak. For much of the first half of the 94-minute event at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, it was impossible to hear what anyone was saying, because everyone was talking at once. Almost always, it was the president doing the interrupting. Nathan Gonzales, publisher of the nonpartisan Inside Elections, tweeted that it felt like the president was live-tweeting a Biden speech, except doing it from a podium with a microphone. Biden ignored him at first. Then he tried talking to the TV audience. But Trump kept trying to throw him off his game. Biden tried to dismiss it with a smile. No luck. Then Biden said something never before heard at a debate between two candidates vying to be leader of the free world: Will you shut up, man? Wallace, the rare network journalist who wins bipartisan praise, lost control right away. He couldnt stifle Trump, nor did he possess the ability to turn off his microphone. At one point, he outshouted both candidates to get them to refocus on the next question. Patrick Semansky / Associated Press Before the first hour was over, nationally regarded University of Virginia politics Professor Larry Sabato tweeted: CANCEL THE REMAINING PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES. It is impossible to have an orderly, productive exchange with Donald Trump. Stop pretending otherwise. So what was the point of Trumps strategy? Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who watched the debate with a focus group of undecided voters, tweeted that the consensus is that Trump dominated ... and turned off undecided voters in the process. ... This debate has actually convinced some undecided voters to not vote at all. Ive never seen a debate cause this reaction. Trump declines to condemn white supremacy, again: Race became a central issue, with the backdrop of a pandemic that has disproportionately harmed Americans of color and a national reckoning on racism spurred by police killings of Black people. Wallace asked Trump point blank to condemn white supremacists and armed militias that have sought to police racial justice protests and tell them to stand down. He didnt. Instead, after Biden named a far-right group called the Proud Boys, whose members have confronted racial justice protesters in some cities, Trump said they should stand back, stand by. Patrick Semansky / Associated Press The exchange followed tense back-and-forths about which candidate would better handle issues of racism. Biden pointed to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017, when Trump suggested there were fine people among not only antiracism protesters, but also the neo-Nazis they confronted. He said Trump has only inflamed divisions since. This is a president who has used everything as a dog whistle to try to generate racial hatred, racist division, Biden said. This man, is the savior of African Americans? This man cares at all? This mans done virtually nothing. ... He just pours gasoline on the fire constantly. Trump attacked Biden for not explicitly condemning antifa protesters whom the president blames for violence in some cities, though Biden did condemn violent protests in general. So Wallace asked Trump if he would condemn white supremacists. I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing, Trump said. Pressed by Wallace, he added: Im willing to do anything. Then do it, sir, Wallace said. After saying the Proud Boys should stand back, stand by, Trump concluded, But Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem. No play to the middle: The Trump America saw Tuesday night aggressive and confident, loud and unapologetic likely delighted his base, the people who voted him in four years ago because they wanted to see someone who would challenge the Washington insiders they believed had ignored them for decades. Ive done more in 47 months than youve done in 47 years, he told Biden. It was everyone except his base who was left out of the Trump messaging. Even though hes down by six percentage points in the RealClearPolitics national polling average, this was no pitch to the shrinking number of undecided voters Trump needs to pull to his side. Instead, his debate strategy was one of constant attack on Biden and an angry, animated recital of the greatest hits from his campaign rallies. When Biden said Trumps mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic had resulted in 200,000 American deaths, the president claimed without explanation that if we had listened to you, it would have been 2 million. Bidens support of the Green New Deal would cost the country $100 trillion, Trump said, ignoring that Biden does not support the environmental wish list. He ridiculed Bidens stance on the violence that has erupted in Democrat-controlled cities, saying Biden cant even say the words law enforcement because you would lose your radical left support, with no apparent attempt to win over voters who believe too many police departments abuse Black communities. Trump even challenged Bidens intellectual ability, saying he finished last in your class, and accused Bidens son Hunter of being dishonorably discharged from the Navy and accepting millions from Russian and Chinese interests, which Biden angrily denied. While Trump reluctantly said human-caused pollution might play a role in climate change, he went back to his long-running attack on California for not properly managing its forests. He said the regular calls he gets saying California is burning, California is burning, would go away if the state cleared dead trees and dry tinder, not mentioning that more than half the states forest land is managed by the federal government. Joe Garofoli, Tal Kopan and John Wildermuth are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com, tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com, and jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Shepard Smith returned to television Wednesday evening with a new show on CNBC, nearly one year after he abruptly quit Fox News. The 56-year-old newsman made his debut on his general interest nightly newscast Wednesday at 7pm EST called The News with Shepard Smith, putting him back in the time slot he loved before Fox moved him to the afternoon seven years ago. Smith, a Fox News original who joined that network at its start in 1996, left the network in October 2019 following a spat with Tucker Carlson. During his time there he also faced repeated taunts from Donald Trump as he was one of the network's few critics of the president. On Wednesday, Smith opened his show calling out the president's comments during Tuesday night's debate. He said Trump 'called into question the heart of our democracy'. Smith also noted 'the president told a group of white supremacists...to stand back and stand by' and how Biden called Trump 'a racist, a liar, a clown'. He opened his show with no music, arguing the debate had been 'noise' and ended the evening by revealing a CNBC poll found 53 per cent of those asked thought Joe Biden did best in the debate, compared to just 29 per cent for the president. Other topics covered in the show included the limited reopening of indoor dining in New York City, California wildfires and mail in ballots. Shepard Smith returned to television Wednesday evening with a new show on CNBC, nearly one year after he abruptly quit Fox News Smith has previously said that unlike the Fox News model, his new show won't focus on analysis, pundits and opinions - in fact his new show has a strict 'no pundits' rule. 'We're going to come out and do just the news,' he said. 'We're not planning to do any analysis in our news hour. We're going to have journalists, reporters, sound and video. We're going to have newsmakers and experts... but no pundits. We're going to leave the opinion to others. It's exactly what I've been wanting to do. It's what I've been working at for 30 years,' he added. He said he's relishing the fresh start after spending 23 years at his old base. 'It's not an easy thing to start from scratch,' Smith said. 'There's no muscle memory at CNBC in terms of doing a general newscast. We're creating all of that. And that's fun. It was fun creating in 1996, and it's fun creating in 2020.' Now it's up to his Fox News followers to migrate with him to the new network. The Twitter page for the show describes it as 'Non-partisan coverage of the days most important stories'. In a commercial for the show Smith says: 'Whats crucial is accuracy in context and with perspective... I came to CNBC to report the news, without bias, without opinion, its my belief that the facts will the day.' Smith will work out of a new studio that's been built for him at CNBC's New Jersey headquarters by three crews that kept construction going 24 hours a day over eight weeks. He begins a general interest nightly newscast Wednesday at 7pm EST, putting him back in the time slot he loved before Fox moved him to the afternoon seven years ago Smith pictured during his photoshoot for his new TV program in July Mark your calendar. Don't miss the premiere of The News with Shepard Smith! Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. ET on @cnbc. https://t.co/sUcW9AKhYU pic.twitter.com/GwEncBZTCL The News with Shepard Smith (@thenewsoncnbc) August 24, 2020 Smith left more questions than answers upon his exit from Fox News in October 2019. 'I built a career at Fox News and I have some deep friendships, ones that I'm going to keep forever,' he said. 'But simply, I just felt it was the right time to leave. I asked them if I could and they eventually allowed me to do that.' He abruptly left his television home two weeks after a clash with conservative host Tucker Carlson. Carlson had brought on a guest on his show who said Fox's Andrew Napolitano was a 'fool' for analysis offered on Smith's show. Smith said on the air that Carlson's attack was repugnant and Carlson later mocked him for it. Smith had also felt pressure in the public eye and was repeatedly taunted by President Donald Trump for his 'liberal' coverage. As Smith progressed in his career at Fox he found himself veering away from his peers' style of work at the network where opinion is king. 'It's not an easy thing to start from scratch,' Smith said. 'There's no muscle memory at CNBC in terms of doing a general newscast. We're creating all of that. And that's fun. It was fun creating in 1996, and it's fun creating in 2020.' Pictured above in a Fox News studio Eventually in 2013 he was pulled from the evening schedule, where the biggest cable news audiences reside, which also served as an early sign that the network was tipping more towards opinion. It was announced that he would be on call to anchor in prime-time during big stories, but there proved little interest in pre-empting the stars. His 3pm newscast was influential, even if unpopular with many core Fox viewers, and the network's willingness to pay its personalities well no doubt eased hurt feelings. At Fox, 'their business model is working very well for them,' he said. 'Their opinion people state their opinions and they draw big audiences. I have no problem with that.' When asked about his final exit, Smith said: 'I had felt like it was time for a new challenge for a long time. Nothing about any talent, any on-air people at that place, pushed me out the door.' When asked about Smith's departure by DailyMail.com, President Trump said: 'Is he leaving because of bad ratings? Is he leaving because of me?' Smith, a Mississippi native, said he enjoyed some down time after his departure from Fox News, with a couple of vacations. Smith has been quarantined on Long Island since March with his partner Gio Gaziano and their dog Lucia. Smith has been quarantined on Long Island since March with his partner Gio Gaziano and their dog Lucia. Pictured together above in 2015 In his down time he also took meetings with media suitors. 'He's smart as a whip, agile, super curious and an amazing broadcaster,' said news consultant Michael Clemente, Smith's former boss at Fox News and a longtime ABC News executive. 'He's in the same league as Peter Jennings. He's probably got better chops than just about everyone who is out there, and he's not a product of New York. He's not from Los Angeles. He's from the core of the country.' Every few years when Smith approached the end of a contract, CNBC Chairman Mark Hoffman would check in with Smith's agent, Larry Kramer. This year the three men met in a nearly empty Manhattan restaurant just before the COVID shutdown. With CNN, MSNBC and the broadcast networks courting Smith, CNBC was considered an underdog, at best. 'My feeling was that it was not an obvious, conventional move for him,' Hoffman said. 'But at the same time I felt we had a concept we had been thinking about for a number of years that just might fit his interests. It just so happened that it was, item for item, exactly what Shep was looking for.' Since leaving Fox News, Smith had been courting offers from CNN, MSNBC and CNBC. Final negotiations with CNBC were made over Zoom as the network seeks to start an evening newscast to bridge the hard stock news of the day into the lighter evening programs. Smith pictured in March 2014 CNBC offers financial news during the day and general interest programs that appeal to an affluent audience at night, things like Shark Tank, Jay Leno's Garage and Secret Lives of the Super Rich. The network needed something to serve as a bridge between the day and night identities, and thought a smart, straight newscast could do the trick, he said. 'We really clicked at that first meeting,' Hoffman said. 'It was one of those easy conversations. It wasn't a sales pitch. We didn't talk about what we wanted him to do. I just talked about what we wanted to do. We had a nice chemistry and our interests seemed to be aligned. I would say he left the meeting intrigued and then it moved from there.' That was their last face-to-face meeting. Negotiations were done via Zoom. Smith said he heard great ideas from other networks. 'It's just that this one fit better,' he said. Being part of the larger NBC News family would hold potential future options for Smith, as well as providing journalists whose work could be included in his new CNBC show. Otherwise, CNBC offers the closest thing to a clean slate you can find in television news. Fox News Channel is averaging 2.7 million viewers in the 7pm time slot this year. MSNBC has 1.7 million and CNN has 1.5 million, the Nielsen company said. At the same time on CNBC, Shark Tank has been averaging 153,000 viewers. While it could take a while to build up an audience, Smith is entering the evening newscast slot at a good time as audiences have spiked for the 6.30pm newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC this year, likely due to the pandemic and protests. Armenia and Azerbaijan vow to keep fighting as deaths mount People in southern Azerbaijan were seen lamenting a coffin said to contain a soldier killed in the fighting Armenia and Azerbaijan vowed to keep fighting and rejected international calls for negotiations Wednesday as clashes over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region raged for a fourth day. In the breakaway province's capital Stepanakert, two explosions were heard around midnight as sirens sounded. Residents said the city had been attacked by drones. Streets were dark with public lighting shut off, although some shops were open in the city, which local authorities said came under fire when fresh violence erupted Sunday. Moscow said Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron had called for a "complete" halt to fighting in Karabakh and said they were ready to intensify diplomatic efforts to help solve the conflict. "Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron called on the warring sides to halt fire completely and as soon as possible, de-escalate tensions and show maximum restraint," the Kremlin said. In a telephone call, the two leaders expressed "readiness" to see a statement made on behalf of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group -- Russia, France and the US -- that would call for an "immediate" end to fighting and start of talks, it added. Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed. The confirmed death toll surpassed 100 people including civilians Wednesday, with both sides claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on the other. Baku and Yerevan have ignored mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, sparking fears the conflict could escalate into all-out war and draw in regional powers like Turkey and Russia. "We need to prepare for a long-term war," Karabakh separatist leader Arayik Harutyunyan said Wednesday. Moscow, which has a military pact with Armenia but also good ties with Azerbaijan, has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting and on Wednesday offered to host negotiations. Story continues - Russia 'ready' for meeting - In separate phone conversations with his counterparts from both ex-Soviet countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's "readiness" to organise a meeting. But neither leader showed signs of being ready for talks. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev promised his military would keep fighting until Armenian troops withdraw fully from Karabakh. If "the Armenian government fulfils the demand, fighting and bloodshed will end, and peace will be established in the region," he said while visiting wounded soldiers. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said it was not "very appropriate" to speak of negotiations "at a time of intensive hostilities". In the Armenian capital Yerevan, dozens of men gathered outside a recruitment office to join the fight. "We must act to defend our homeland against the aggressor," said Kamo, a 32-year-old factory worker. "This is our land. We will die before we abandon it." There has been no let-up in the fighting since the weekend, with both sides reporting new civilian casualties Wednesday. Armenia has recorded 104 military deaths and 23 civilians killed. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said its forces have killed 2,300 Karabakh separatist troops and "destroyed 130 tanks, 200 artillery units, 25 anti-aircraft units, five ammunition depots, 50 anti-tank units, 55 military vehicles". Armenia claimed that Azerbaijan had lost 130 troops while another 200 were wounded. "Armenian armed forces destroyed 29 tanks and armoured vehicles," a defence ministry spokesman said. - 'Real enemy' - Karabakh's defence ministry, for its part, said Azerbaijani forces "continued artillery shelling" along the frontline. The two sides have accused each other of targeting civilian areas, including some away from Karabakh. Yerevan claims that Turkey, a longstanding ally of Azerbaijan, is providing direct military support for Baku. It said on Tuesday that a Turkish F-16 flying in support of Baku's forces had downed an Armenian SU-25 warplane, but Ankara and Baku denied the claim. The Karabakh separatist leader reiterated claims Turkey was involved. "The real enemy is Turkey," Harutyunyan said. There have been reports of Turkey sending fighters from Syria, where Ankara is allied with some rebel groups, to join the Azerbaijani side. Azerbaijan for its part also claimed Armenia was deploying foreign fighters. "Mercenaries from Middle Eastern countries are fighting against us alongside Armenian forces," Aliyev's foreign policy adviser, Hikmet Khadjiyev, told AFP. Russia's foreign ministry said that "fighters of illegal armed groups including from Syria and Libya" were being deployed to the conflict zone. It said it was "deeply concerned" but did not say who was responsible or lay any blame. - 'Close to large-scale war' - "We are definitely very close to seeing a large-scale war, possibly even on a regional scale," said Olesya Vartanyan of the International Crisis Group. Talks to resolve the conflict have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement. bur-mm-as/spm New Jerseys gasoline tax will rise more than 9 cents a gallon Thursday to the fourth-highest rate in the nation. New Jersey will collect 50.7 cents on every gallon of gasoline sold in the state and 57.7 cents on each gallon of diesel. LOS ALTOS, Calif. and BUDAPEST, Hungary, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Univfy Inc., an artificial intelligence (AI) company whose mission is to improve fertility patients' experience and their access to Assisted Reproductive Technologies such as IVF, announced today a partnership with Gedeon Richter, a major pharmaceutical company headquartered in Central Eastern Europe focused on women's health, to make Univfy's AI counselling platform available to patients and fertility specialists in Europe. Univfy combines AI, clinical expertise and empathy to make IVF success more predictable for women and couples navigating their family building options, while improving growth and efficiency for fertility centers. The partnership with Gedeon Richter, a global leader in women's health and reproductive medicine, will enable more individuals and couples to access their personalised Univfy PreIVF Report and Your Fertility Report to support physician-patient shared decision-making. Many patients may need multiple IVF treatments to be successful. With the Univfy PreIVF Report, providers counsel patients upfront about their chances of having a baby to help individuals and couples make better informed treatment decisions. The Univfy PreIVF Report provides individualised prognostics, showing each patient her own probability of having a baby with up to three IVF cycles. The probabilities are based on the woman or couple's holistic health profile, including their age, BMI, reproductive history, ovarian reserve test results and their partner's semen analysis. The predictions are validated based on the clinical IVF outcomes data of the center where the patient is receiving treatment. Univfy's technology has shown that more than 50% of patients have IVF success probabilities that are higher than estimated by age. Read a recently published commentary on the topic by Jenkins et al. 2020. Empathetic application of machine learning may address appropriate utilisation of ART: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.07.005. The Univfy AI Platform is currently being used by fertility specialists in over 50 locations in 17 states across the U.S. and in Canada. More than 10,000 fertility patients have been counseled with the support of Univfy reports to date and based on provider participation, we anticipate that more than 20,000 fertility patients will have access to Univfy report-supported counselling in 2021. The highly scalable Univfy AI platform provides valuable insights to patients and providers from having modeled data from over 200,000 IVF cycles across diverse demographics globally and mapped fertility service utilisation for more than 70,000 women. The Univfy AI Platform is set to roll out at participating European fertility centres starting in early 2021. "Women's healthcare is of key importance for Gedeon Richter. We are committed to providing innovative and valuable solutions for women. We believe Univfy's application of AI/machine learning to help prospective parents understand their chances of success with various fertility treatment options will serve as an invaluable counseling tool for patients and fertility clinics," said Erik Bogsch, Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors. "We are glad to partner with Univfy to launch this technology in the European market." "I am excited to partner with Gedeon Richter, a global leader in women's health and reproductive medicine, which shares Univfy's vision in using technologies that are grounded in science and data to improve the experience of women and couples and their access to fertility services," said Univfy CEO Mylene Yao. "It is a great privilege for the Univfy team and I to collaborate with fertility leaders in Europe to advance the new frontier of shared decision-making between physicians and patients." About Univfy: The Univfy AI Platform helps women and couples navigate their family-building options with cost-savings, greater success and a simplified experience. Univfy empowers individuals with personalised information and counselling to inform smarter spending and decision-making, maximising their chances of success, while increasing growth and efficiency for providers. We are a highly-scalable AI platform providing scientifically validated, personalised reports that counsel patients from diverse demographics about their probability of having a baby from assisted reproductive technologies such as IVF. Through technology developed by Stanford University researchers, Univfy uses a rigorous scientific process to develop and validate prediction models and to provide essential information to support patient counselling. Our methods have been published in top, peer-reviewed research publications, in which we reported and established benchmarks for measuring the performance of our IVF outcomes predictive model. Univfy has a global IP portfolio, comprising patents issued in the US and other countries. Visit www.univfy.com for more information. About Gedeon Richter: Gedeon Richter Plc. ( www.richter.hu ), headquartered in Budapest/Hungary, is a major pharmaceutical company in Central Eastern Europe, with an expanding direct presence in Western Europe, in China and in Latin America. Having reached a market capitalization of EUR 3.6 billion (USD 4.1 billion) by the end of 2019, Richter's consolidated sales were approximately EUR 1.6 billion (USD 1.7 billion) during the same year. The product portfolio of Richter covers many important therapeutic areas, including Women's Healthcare, Central Nervous System and Cardiovascular areas. Having the largest R&D unit in Central Eastern Europe, Richter's original research activity focuses on CNS disorders. With its widely acknowledged steroid chemistry expertise, Richter is a significant player in the Women's Healthcare field worldwide. Richter is also active in biosimilar product development. For more information: Contact Univfy Investors: [email protected] Media: Heather Holland Director of Communications Tel: +1 (646) 400-2745 [email protected] Twitter: @univfy Fertility Centres, please contact Heather Holland for more information. Contact Gedeon Richter Media: Zsuzsa Beke Tel: +36 1 431 4888 Fertility Centres: Marco Menabrito [email protected] SOURCE Univfy Related Links http://www.univfy.com 'We were expecting at least they would be held guilty, but instead they have gone scot-free.' IMAGE: Senior advocate Mahipal Ahluwalia offers sweets to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, one of the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, after the verdict by the special CBI court on September 30, 2020. All the 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case were acquitted by the court. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo The Babri Masjid demolition case has been decided after 28 years, with the special CBI court acquitting all the 32 accused that included Lal Kishenchand Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti. Delivering the much-awaited verdict in the 28-year-old case, CBI Judge S K Yadav did not accept newspaper reports and video cassettes as evidence, reports Press Trust of India. All the accused faced charges of conspiracy and promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion. However, Judge Yadav dismissed all the evidence proffered by the CBI and said the demolition of the mosque on December 6, 1992, was not a pre-planned act. Speaking to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com soon after the verdict was pronounced, S Q R Ilyas, joint convener, Babri Masjid Action Committee and a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, says, "Babri Masjid was a strong structure and it could not have fallen without planning." Your first reaction to the judgment? It is very unfortunate. Everybody knows who instigated the people to come to Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. Everybody knows who gave motivated speeches like 'Ek dhakka aur do Babri Masjid tod do'. All these evidences are there. And apart from that, there were so many eye-witnesses and prominent journalists who were present at the time of demolition of the Babri Masjid. But all these factors were not considered in the judgment, and that is very unfortunate. Why do you feel it was not a spontaneous decision of kar sevaks to demolish the Babri Masjid? It was not spontaneous. The Babri Masjid was a strong structure and it could not have fallen without planning. And these people who demolished the Babri Masjid came with shovels, hammers, ropes and other things. It was well-planned. What is your next move now? Our working committee will read the judgment and decide whether we will challenge it or not. Kalyan Singh, as then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, had given a commitment to the Supreme Court of India that he will ensure the protection of Babri Masjid. He did not keep his promise and he too has been let off. Uma Bharti said that day, 'Ek dhakka aur do, Babri Masjid tod do' -- she too has gone scot-free. People who were on the stage were embracing each other after the Babri Masjid fell. What else proof does one need? L K Advani had described the demolition of the Babri Masjid as the saddest day of his life. Let him say anything later on. It is a well documented fact that he took out a rath yatra across India and there were riots across India due to which thousands of people lost their lives. And now if he says it was the saddest day of his life, can anyone believe him? The answer is, no. In your opinion where did the prosecution fail in proving its case? There is one Urdu shayri. Vahi Qatil Vahi Shahid Vahi Munsif Thahre, Aqraba mere karen qatl ka dawaa kis par He is my murderer, he is the witness, he is the judge Then who will my relatives accuse of my murder? The CBI is a so-called independent agency, but they don't act so and it is unfortunate. Even if you see past experiences where the CBI was involved in solving corruption cases, you will find many cases got buried. Another thing, it is said that audio and video evidences presented before the court were not clear and visible. But there were other media organisations who covered it well. The CBI could have procured those videos and produced those evidences in court, but they did not do it. December 6, 1992, was once considered National Shame Day, but now all seems to have been forgotten. This was said by Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, then President of India. The Supreme Court of India too while giving its judgment in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid case in November 2019 said that the demolition of Babri Masjid was a crime and illegal. So, we were expecting that at least a symbolic punishment would be given to the accused, but the court gave them clear-cut acquittal absolving them of their crime. But you did believe they would get a symbolic punishment. Yes, I was expecting it. They would have not served the sentence in their lifetime as they would have gone to the high court or Supreme Court of India in appeal. Like Kalyan Singh had got one-day punishment earlier, which was symbolic. We were expecting at least they would be held guilty, but instead they have gone scot-free. Don't you feel 28 years is a long time and people should move on? The Supreme Court of India gave a judgment in favour of the Ram mandir, but there is a saying that justice delayed is justice denied. If some wrong has been done in history, then it must be corrected even if takes a long time to do so. What will this judgment mean to Indian Muslims? The Supreme Court of India said that it was wrong to demolish the Babri Masjid. The Supreme Court of India said that the Ram idol placed in Babri Masjid in 1949 was a wrong act, and then they gave the Babri Masjid site to the same people who demolished it. That was a very unfortunate decision and an injustice to Muslims. After the Ram mandir decision you have let off these people now, so this judgment was not on unexpected lines for Indian Muslims. A third member of the transnational MS-13 gang convicted recently by an Ohio federal court has been linked to the 2017 murder of a 15-year-old Houston girl whose death was widely speculated to be part of a Satanic ritual. Police found the slain body of Genesis Cornejo-Alvarado on the side of a road in the 8900 block of Sharpcrest in Chinatown. She was shot in the head and chest. According to court records and federal prosecutors, 30-year-old Jose Salvador Gonzalez-Campos, also known as Danger, directed Houston MS-13 gang members Miguel Angel Alvarez-Flores and Diego Alexander Hernandez-Rivera to execute the teen girl because she had been dating a man with a rival gang. Alvarez-Flores, Hernandez-Rivera and a person identified as Cornejo-Alvarados boyfriend told her they were going to buy marijuana when they took her to the street where they would ultimately kill her, according to federal prosecutors. MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox It was widely reported in 2017 that authorities believed a satanic ritual was a factor in Cornejo-Alvarado's death. While searching the apartment of Alvarez-Flores and Hernandez-Rivera, police found an altar to Santa Muerte, the Mexican folk saint of death that has been prominently tied to the criminal syndicate, according to federal court records. A police investigator, while grilling Alvarez-Flores whose nickname was Diabolico on the death, fixated on what the altar meant, according to a Houston Police Department report shared in federal documents. But investigators also stated in court records following the 2017 arrests that Cornejo-Alvarado had been dating a man with the rival 18th Street gang also a transnational syndicate. Both gangs were founded in Los Angeles. For that transgression, MS 13 sentenced her to death, federal prosecutors said in sentencing paperwork against Gonzalez-Campos. In short, Mr. Gonzalez-Campos ordered fellow MS-13 members living 1,500 miles away to kill a teenage girl because he believed the victim was dirty and ruined from a relationship with a rival gang member and therefore did not deserve to live, federal prosecutors continued. Gonzalez-Campos was sentenced to more than 39 years in federal prison for directing Cornejo-Alvarado's death and for two murders in the Columbus, Ohio area. In translated interviews with Alvarez-Flores and Hernandez-Rivera nearly two weeks after the teen girl's death, investigators asked them in detail about the Santa Muerte altar. An investigator said he heard the real reason why Genesis ... was killed and that it was to offer her soul to the folk deity. Alvarez-Flores denied that Cornejo-Alvarado was sacrificed or that he prayed to the devil. He said he looked to Santa Muerte for a never-ending source of marijuana and for protection against the law. Alvarez-Flores also denied killing the teen girl. During the same interview, Alvarez-Flores said a rumor surfaced that Cornejo-Alvarado was dating a rival gang member and that Gonzalez-Campos found out. He told investigators that Gonzalez-Campos ordered her execution, while Hernandez-Rivera admitted to Alvarez-Flores passing down that order, according to federal court documents. Attorneys for Alvarez-Flores and Hernandez-Rivera, who are awaiting trial on murder charges, have not returned requests for comment. After repeated delays, Alvarez-Flores is expected to go to trial in October, according to court records. Harris County District Attorneys Office spokesman John Donnelly attributed the delays to the coronavirus pandemic. The trial for Hernandez-Rivera, who was briefly deemed incompetent and at one point sent to a mental hospital, is slated to begin in November. Nicole Hensley contributed to this report. rebecca.hennes@chron.com By Trend International organizations have been informed about the Armenian provocation on the front line, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova said, Trend reports. Gafarova noted that the Parliament sent 113 letters to 88 countries and 11 international organizations. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Associated Press STRASBOURG (France): The European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday called on both Azerbaijan and Armenia to ensure civilians remain safe as fighting continues over the breakaway Nagorny Karabakh region. "The current situation gives rise to a risk of serious violations" of the European Convention on Human Rights, which both countries ratified in 2002, the court said. Armenia sought interim measures from the court after the deadly clashes broke out Sunday in Nagorny Karabakh, a breakaway region of Azerbaijan mainly inhabited by Armenians. The long-running territorial feud has resulted in nearly 100 confirmed deaths, officials say, mainly Armenian separatists but also 17 civilians on both sides including women and children. READ HERE: Armenia- Azerbaijan conflict explained: Why the former Soviet Republics are at the brink of war? "The court called upon both Azerbaijan and Armenia to refrain from taking any measures, in particular military action, which might entail breaches of the Convention rights of the civilian population, including putting their life and health at risk," it said. It also specifically warned military forces against using torture or inhumane treatment against captives, and urged them to indicate what steps were being taken to prevent it. So far both sides have resisted international calls for a ceasefire. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday that peace talks with Azerbaijan under Russian mediation would be inappropriate. "It isn't very appropriate to speak of a summit between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia at a time of intensive hostilities," Pashinyan told Russia's Interfax news agency. Ahead of the first presidential debate Tuesday evening, former Vice President Joe Biden mocked the unfounded allegations that he relies on an earpiece and performance enhancing drugs to appear coherent. "Its debate night, so Ive got my earpiece and performance enhancers ready," he wrote on Twitter with a photo of tangled earbuds and a pint of ice cream. The remark comes after President Donald Trump and campaign surrogates, who have repeatedly suggested that Biden lacks the physical fitness and mental acuity to serve as president, advocated for pre-debate ear inspections and drug tests. Rumors have swirled on social media that Biden used an earpiece at a town hall in September, prompting the demand for third-party ear checkers. But a review of the footage from the town hall shows Biden was not wearing an earpiece. Nevertheless, the Trump team hammered in the point on Tuesday with a claim that Biden had backed out of a pre-debate inspection for electronic earpieces. Fact check: Allegations that Joe Biden wore an earpiece at town hall, debate are false Last week, Trump also claimed Biden will "get a big shot of something" before the debate for energy. On Sunday, he tweeted that he would be "strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night." In retort, Kate Bedingfield, the deputy campaign manager for Biden, fired off a joke of her own. Vice President Biden intends to deliver his debate answers in words," she said. "If the president thinks his best case is made in urine he can have at it." In a call before the debate, Bedingfield also told reporters, "Of course hes not wearing an earpiece," and denied having asked for breaks throughout the 90-minute debate. The pre-debate tweet also may have been a nod to the state hosting the debate the ice cream Biden tweeted, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, is based out of Columbus, Ohio. The debate is in Cleveland. Story continues Not everyone liked the joke. Steve Guest, a spokesperson for the Republican Party, took to Twitter to call out the price of the brand, which is also known to be a favorite of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. "Just like Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden is an out of touch elitist," Guest wrote. "Did Biden happen to get the $13-dollar a pint ice cream out of Pelosis $24,000 fridge?" Its debate night, so Ive got my earpiece and performance enhancers ready. pic.twitter.com/EhOiWdjh1b Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 29, 2020 This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Presidential debate: Biden posts headphones, mocking 'earpiece' theory Render by Moare, courtesy of Snhetta Snhetta is the internationally known architectural group that began as a collaborative architectural and landscape workshop, and has remained true to its trans-disciplinary way of thinking since its inception. For 30 years, Snhetta has designed some of the worlds most notable public and cultural projects, including the new library of Alexandria, Egypt, the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo, the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center in New York City, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Expansion in California. And soon, there will be a Snhetta design in the Badlands of North Dakota. Snhetta has been selected winner of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Competition, that will be built in Medora, North Dakota. This is a town in western North Dakota where the Theodore Roosevelt National Park is also. It is an area where the Great Plains meet the Badlands, where bison, elk, and prairie dogs live near the Little Missouri river, and where President Roosevelt once lived before he became the 26th President of the United States. Shortlisted from an original pool of 40 applicants, the Snhetta team traveled to Medora over the summer to survey the site and to meet with the local community, stakeholders, and residents. As the selected design architect, Snhetta will work with a local, North Dakota-based architect to deliver the final project. Snhettas design for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is informed by the Presidents personal reflections on the landscape, his commitment to environmental stewardship, and the balance of quiet introspection and active civic engagement that marked his life, both before and after his Presidency. The Library design is a journey through a landscape of diverse habitats, punctuated with small pavilions providing space for gathering and for solitude. The Librarys sloping roof points in a northeasterly direction, toward the National Park, the Little Missouri River Valley, and the Elkhorn Ranch, the location of Roosevelts principal home in the Badlands. When designing a new project, we think about how we can more give to the site or community -- more than is initially asked of us, said Craig Dykers, founding partner and architect at Snohetta, We integrated the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library into the landscape of the North Dakota Badlands. We have much to learn about President Roosevelt, and were looking forward to working with the Medora community and the broader project team to translate this new knowledge into an immersive place that reflects T.R.s life and legacy. Render by Moare,courtsy of Snohetta One of Theodore Roosevelts most enduring legacies is conservation and our national parks, said Theodore Roosevelt V, a great-great-grandson and namesake of the 26th President. This will be the only presidential library alongside a national park and the only national park alongside a presidential library. It will invite visitors to see and experience the very cradle of conservation. The buildings location at the northeast edge of the butte, preserves the landscape for conservation research while offering a setting for educational walks, leisure, and recreation. As visitors set out on the Library loop, they will encounter adventurous paths which connect to the nearby Maah Daah Hey Trail -- as well as several small pavilions. The architectural design functions in harmony with the unique ecology of the region and expresses the conservation ethos for which Roosevelt is remembered. Its construction will use locally sourced and renewable materials, while its energy systems will set a new standard for sustainable design in the region. The design also mitigates the impact of wind and other climatic factors so that the Library will be accessible in all seasons. www.snohetta.com Render by Moare, Courtesy of Snohetta Looking back at the Library Render by Moare, Courtesy of Snohetta Interior of Library Pavilion chief Chandrashekhar Azad and its Delhi unit head, Himanshu Balmiki, have been detained by the police while they were on their way to Hathras, accompanying the family of a 19-year-old Dalit gangrape victim, Azad's associates alleged on Wednesday. Senior Aligarh police officials denied knowledge about the matter. According to functionaries of the Azad Samaj Party, which was launched by the chief in March, Azad and Balmiki went missing after 10 pm on Tuesday while they were on their way to Hathras, accompanying the family of the gangrape victim, who died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday. The Azad Samaj Party and affiliates of the pro-Dalit Bhim Army, among others, had joined the protests outside the Safdarjung hospital in the capital on Tuesday to demand justice for the gangrape victim and her family. "There is no clue about the location of Azad and Balmiki after they reached the Jewar toll plaza to get on the lane to Tappal, Aligarh," Azad Samaj Party's core committee member Ravindra Bhati said. He alleged that Azad and Balmiki were detained during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, but the police were not making it public. The body of the gangrape victim was cremated in Hathras in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family members alleging that the local police forced them to perform the last rites at the dead of night. Local police officers, however, told PTI that the victim was cremated "according to the wishes of the family". Around 12.30pm on Wednesday, dozens of Azad Samaj Party and activists reached the Tappal police station in Aligarh and staged a demonstration. "A delegation of our representatives will be meeting senior police and administration officials to inquire about Azad and Balmiki," Bhati told the protesters inside the Tappal police station compound. When contacted, a senior Aligarh police official said, "I have no idea about this (detention) claim." The district police chief and some other senior officers could not be contacted as according to another police official, they have been infected with the coronavirus and are under medication for the last three-four days. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BEIRUT - Kuwait today is bidding farewell to emir shaykh Sabah al Sabah, who died yesterday at the age of 91 in the United States after a long illness, and is welcoming the new governor of the rich Gulf principality, the elderly shaykh Nawwaf al Sabah. He is being sworn in today while the body of the later emir is awaited back home. The late emir was being treated at a clinic in Minnesota since July. His funeral will be held privately, also due to the coronavirus pandemic. And while the country has been in mourning since yesterday for the next 40 days, analysts say that the 83-year-old shaykh Nawwaf, the new emir, will maintain the same foreign policy adopted over the past 14 years by his predecessor and half sibling. The foreign policy is based on a strategic alliance with the United States and Saudi Arabia, while maintaining open negotiation channels with Iran. Donald Trump; Joe Biden; Presidential Debate U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3. Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images Let's talk about trauma. That term has made the rounds extensively over the last decade or two, and to a particularly heightened degree within the last four. No coincidence there, considering the rise of the #MeToo movement and the national televised hearings for Brett Kavanaugh, who was confirmed to the Supreme Court despite testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford alleging that he sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. But that event opened old wounds across the nation while also leading to profound and nuanced discussions about the lasting impact of trauma on its victims particularly the way that trauma plays havoc with the memory save for a few horrifying details. Trauma's shock can numb us to the horrors in which we're engulfed, sometimes to the point of creating feelings of intense disturbance around events, places and practices that are under normal circumstances completely safe. Only those who deal out trauma or deny its existence dismiss its impact that is, if they even acknowledge they've traumatized anyone. If you are wondering what any of this has to do with the chaos masquerading as a presidential debate on Tuesday night, then I can only guess you fall into one of two camps. Either you weren't watching a wise choice or you are so accustomed to Donald Trump passing off bullying as leadership that you don't see what occurred as a problem. And, I hate to break it to you, that makes you a participant in continuing the trauma cycle. If we're going to discuss what happened on Tuesday night, we should be honest in the terms we use: that was not civilized discourse between Trump and his challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden. It was the first of what is supposed to be three debates, but who knows if the electorate has a stomach for two more of these? Nobody won. Everybody lost, with the world watching us fail and stumble. Story continues This one took place at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Ohio before a small audience of each candidate's family and staffers. The setting itself might have a bitter irony to it if the confrontation's "moderator" Chris Wallace were able to get the candidates to engage in any substantive discussion about Trump's shoddy pandemic response, their differing approaches on mitigation strategies or even mask wearing. Biden's wife Jill wore a mask while sitting in the audience, as did Melania as she entered; Trump's children did not. Only Biden seemed prepared to do any of those things. Trump came to his debate podium with his own plans, mainly a strategy to dominate airtime while knocking his opponent off-balance. His bludgeons of choice were cheap ad hominem attacks that had nothing to do with the topics at hand, and distractions from the topic of tax returns. Biden stayed on his game nevertheless, even keeping his temper in check save for the moments he took to state the obvious, as he did during Trump's attempt to bloviate as Biden talked about eliminating his administration's tax cuts. "You're the worst president America has ever had, come on," Biden fumed. To some, Biden's appeals to those who have lost loved ones to COVID-related illnesses are a demonstration of his sensitivity to the woes and concerns of the common man. Trump's bombastic theatrics in the face of this were a show for his base, for whom such aggressive displays are markers of strong leadership. How do we process such derangement when it sustains itself over an hour and a half? We can be understated, like your relative at holiday dinner who cuts the tension following a screaming match between that racist uncle and the cousin who's had enough with, "Who wants pie?" That's the tactic Fox News' Martha MacCallum adopted, describing Trump's tantrum "a tumultuous back and forth, no holds barred." Her co-host Bret Baier, playing the part of the relative in denial about having a murderer in the family, described it thusly: "I do feel like we've been through something, and maybe you at home might feel it too." Which is quite different from the position of CNN's Dana Bash: "That was a sh*tshow." "We are beyond the partisan. We are beyond politics," declared her CNN coworker Van Jones. "We are in an immoral swamp of misbehavior that we wouldn't tolerate from our children in a kindergarten class." We can be plainspoken in what the abuse in question implies, as Rachel Maddow was. "It feels like a choice between a type of civic normal politics, where there are debates, which have rules," she said " or we have what we have seen tonight, and what this incumbent president is promising, which is a monstrous, unintelligible display of logorrhea which has absolutely nothing to do with civic discourse, with debate, or even with the integrity of the contest that they're about to approach." Now that it's all over save for the night sweats, it's really important to understand what it was that Americans and untold millions in nations around the world were subjected to. MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace put it best when she framed it as an assault. To her it was an assault on the senses, and she's not wrong. Debates can be tough to sit through for many reasons, and sometimes calling them crazy is a compliment. This was different. This was a televised assault on the last vestiges of decorum and whatever passes for normalcy in these deeply abnormal days we're living in. This was excruciating, like having klaxon horns taped to your ears while the cruise ship is sinking. And while there are people who would excuse Chris Wallace for his inability to control Trump's wild bucking, Nicolle Wallace is having none of it. Neither should you. "Try driving down the freeway in a rainstorm with an eight year old in the back seat screaming," she said. "There's always something you can dothere's always something you can deprive a misbehaving child of. In this case it was Donald Trump desperate for the oxygen of airtime." Tuesday's event was a brickbat to democratic etiquette, one that quickly got away from Chris Wallace and initially caught Biden off guard. Neither had faced this version of Trump before, a man backed into a corner but still secure in the completeness of his corruption, even with more than 206,000 Americans dead from COVID-19-related illnesses, the result of a pandemic he delayed in responding to, needlessly resulting in thousands more deaths. This year's Trump model has shown us time and again that rules and laws don't apply to him. Therefore, his refusal to play by rules agreed upon by his team and Biden's prior to the debate should not have caught anyone flatfooted and surely not Chris Wallace, whose previous turns as a debate moderator won him respect and acclaim from most quarters. But Trump interrupted Biden almost constantly as Biden attempted to answer questions or respond to his opponent's statements. Furthermore, Trump blasted past Wallace's irritated admonishments that he adhere to the agreed-upon debate rules. The Trump of 2016 that Hillary Clinton handily shredded was a game show host with a few tricks up his sleeve but no public service record and no political will backing his every move, regardless of how craven. Today's Trump has ample experience in running roughshod over the media and distorting facts and reality itself to the point that his followers will believe his lies more than they trust science, facts and history. CNN's Daniel Dale was on deck to fact check Trump but wasn't machine-gunning correctives on Twitter as he might have been in the past, because most of the lies Trump repeated last night are among his greatest hits. Anyway, fact checks barely matter anymore since the people who support Trump don't believe anything that doesn't come from his mouth. Cutting his mic could be a solution for future moderators, but in order for that to work he'd have to agree to it in the debate negotiations, and what's the likelihood of that happening? The days and hours leading up to the debate were full of chatter questioning its purpose. After what we saw on Tuesday, those skeptics have a point. In elections past presidential debates served as a means of contrasting one candidate's temperament against that of his or her opponent. Ideological differences and a demonstrative confidence in one's platform play some role here, but they're really about selling the public on who these candidates are as people. Tuesday's performance didn't illuminate anything about Trump or his leadership style that Americans didn't already know. Instead it painted Trump as "the abuser" of the proceedings, in Nicolle Wallace's words and, as she pointed out, that places Chris Wallace among the abused. "This is a serious subject," Wallace said at one point, "so" deep sigh "let's try to be serious about it." Wallace did what he believed he could do, asking the candidates questions about healthcare, the pandemic, race, the Supreme Court and to the surprise of many, climate change. But Trump's chest thumping, whether via his cheap shots at Biden's intelligence or his attempts to denigrate the military record of Biden's late son Beau, or to bring up the widely discredited and unsubstantiated corruption allegations about Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine, ensured that none of the important answers stuck. Instead we're still worried about the same thing he had us fretting over before the debate, which is his refusal to guarantee a peaceful transition of power. However, as much as Biden could do so, the debate allowed him to speak directly to the audience by looking into the camera while Trump glowered at him. In those fleeting moments it might not have mattered that we couldn't absorb what either man was saying if Biden needed to play the role of the adult in the room while his opponent was erupting in plain sight, achievement unlocked. For a sound bite or two. Whereas Trump's method is a favorite among assailants, which is to stun. When Chris Wallace asked Trump if he were willing to disavow white supremacy, he called out the white supremacist group the Proud Boys by name, telling them to "stand down and stand by." Later, he made the alarming suggestion that his supporters show up at polling places on election day to supervise the process. Of course, he also made that comment during an uninterrupted two-minute closing rant devoted to undermining the election and spewing falsehoods about mail-in voting time which, according to the debate rules he steamrolled for the previous 80-something minutes, he was allowed. So what will we remember about Tuesday night's debate, besides the existential terror, disillusionment and resultant depression produced by watching it? Before answering that, let's consider what we can recall about presidential debates past. Ronald Reagan won the election in 1980 with a few humorous zingers that made him seem like an amicable old guy and by asking voters a simple question: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" Mitt Romney lost in 2012 on that unforgettable "binders full of women" comment. The simplest words can be a candidate's making or undoing. No such punchlines sealed the deal for either candidate last night, which is appropriate for a night with no winners and millions of people nursing bruised psyches. Biden might have come close when he attempted to commiserate with Wallace as Trump kept interrupting Joe Biden. "It's hard to get any word in with this clown," Biden said before making a theatrical feint at decorum: "...excuse me, this person." But to Trump, the performer with a talent for seeming unproduced when the truth is quite the opposite, this election isn't about a motto or a good line, or persuasion. Tuesday's debate was meant to dissuade anyone who thinks their vote might make a difference from even trying to pry him from office -- the act of a man who Maddow explains is running against the election itself. It was to numb us into despair and inaction. That's how abusers maintain their power over others. As a nation we may not recall many specifics about Blasey Ford's testimony, but the line I'll never forget is this. "Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter, the uproarious laughter between the two. And their having fun at my expense." She was referring to referring to Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge, who she recalls being present when Kavanaugh allegedly held her down and pushed his hand over her mouth. If we're going to make it through two more of these, we're going to have to adopt a survivor's mentality, be on our guard and brace ourselves for a slightly different version of the same kind of vitriol. It starts by refusing to call what happened on Tuesday night a debate. Related Articles SPRINGFIELD A 20-year-old driver was injured in an early morning crash on Boston Road in Pine Point Wednesday when he lost control in the heavy rain and crashed into a traffic light pole, police said. The driver, whose name was not disclosed, was taken to Baystate Medical Center for treatment. His injuries were described as not life-threatening. Ryan Walsh, police spokesman, said the crash happened at around 4 a.m. near 32 Boston Road, which is in the center of Pine Point where Boston Road meets Berkshire Avenue. Walsh said the drive was attempting to merge left onto Berkshire Avenue from Boston Road when he lost control on the wet road. The SUV went off the road right where the two roads converge, and slammed into a pole and traffic control box. The pole remained standing but the box was torn from its base. The vehicle sustained heavy damage and needed to be towed. The Springfield Fire Department was called to free the driver from the wreckage. Conference to agree steps to deliver robust, green recovery Focus on equality and digital transition Governors will select new President The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) holds its Annual Meeting on 7 to 8 October, fully focused on delivering a robust post-Covid future for the 38 emerging economies where it invests. At the meeting, which was postponed from May and will be held in virtual session, shareholders will be asked to approve an EBRD strategy for the next five years that preserves the benefits of successful economic transformation in the face of the pandemic challenge. As our regions start to recover, our goal will be to support an acceleration of transition, helping our countries build a more resilient, sustainable future, Acting President Jurgen Rigterink said. The emphasis of the 2021-25 strategy that goes before the EBRD Governors will be on delivering green, low-carbon economic growth, promoting equality of opportunity and accelerating digital transition. Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calvino, the current Chair of the Board of Governors, will open proceedings at the Annual Meeting in a public session that will also feature speeches from UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak and Acting EBRD President, Jurgen Rigterink. The Prince of Wales will also be delivering a pre-recorded special address to the event. Meeting will elect new President The Annual Meeting will also see the election of a new President of the EBRD after Sir Suma Chakrabarti stepped down at the end of two full four-year terms in July. Three candidates are standing for election: Polish Finance Minister, Tadeusz Koscinski; former Italian Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan; and Odile Renaud Basso, Director General, French Treasury, Ministry of Economy and Finance. The new strategy that is going to the Board of Governors notes that Algeria, part of the EBRDs southern and eastern Mediterranean region, has applied to become a recipient county following the approval of its request to become a member of the Bank. The strategy also confirms the EBRDs interest in a limited and incremental expansion of its activities to sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq during the next five-year period. Governors will consider an update on this issue in 2022, reflecting guidance from the 2021 Annual Meeting. At the conference this year, the EBRD Governors are expected to decide on whether Iraq should become a shareholder of the Bank. Governors asked to back EBRD becoming majority green bank by 2025 The EBRD has responded to the immediate impact of the crisis with its emergency investments, but is preparing to do even more now to ensure that the recovery when it comes is green, resilient and sustainable. Within the strategy presented for approval to Governors is a plan to scale up the EBRDs Green Economy Transition approach, with a goal of raising the share of green finance to at least 50 per cent by 2025. By becoming a majority green bank, the EBRD aims to reduce net CO 2 emissions in its regions by between 25 and 40 million tonnes over the five-year period. The EBRD has already reacted decisively to the crisis, investing at record levels within a 21 billion two-year Solidarity Package that has delivered emergency capital to firms affected by the virus, upheld the provision of vital infrastructure services and increased access to trade finance in order to keep commerce flowing. After financing of an unprecedented 10.1 billion in 2019, investments rose to just over 5 billion in the first six months of this year, compared with 3.7 billion a year earlier and a previous first-half record of 3.9 billion in 2016. The Bank complemented its increased financing with scaled-up policy support. The pipeline of future projects is also at record highs and the Bank has the potential to increase annual financing well above 10 billion in the five-year period to 2025. The EBRD will promote equality of opportunity by strengthening the Banks work in supporting access to skills and employment, with a priority on women, young people and those in less-developed regions. It aims to speed up digital transition, promoting technological progress that is a key driver of transition across its countries of operations. In light of the increase in the level of state involvement in the economy in response to the Covid-19 crisis, the EBRD will also pay heightened attention to economic governance during the strategy period. The coronavirus has dealt a severe blow to the economies of the countries where the EBRD invests across three continents spanning from Estonia to Egypt and Morocco to Mongolia. Exports have shrunk, international and domestic tourism has fallen sharply and remittances have been sliding, while many migrants have returned to their home countries. At CES 2019, Hyundai unveiled the much-talked about Elevate concept , a car that had wheels but also robotic legs that allowed it to pick itself up and crawl over treacherous terrain. Elevate was a UMV, according to Hyundai: the Ultimate Mobility Vehicle that would be suitable for a variety of purposes, both on Earth and on future space missions.Because not all concepts are destined to live solely on the page theyre drawn on, Hyundai is working towards making a production version of Elevate. Thats the plan, at the very least: a new unit within Hyundai will focus on creating UMVs and ultimately redefine personal vehicular mobility.That unit is called New Horizons Studio and will be fronted by Dr. John Suh. The first project that will be developed by this new division is the Elevate UMV, with Dr. Suh saying in a statement, We aim to create the worlds first transformer-class vehicle, also known as the Ultimate Mobility Vehicle.As noted above, such a UMV would have multiple applications. The robotic legs would allow it to crawl over terrain not accessible by wheeled vehicles, which would make it ideal for rescue missions either on rock or in snow. It could also be sent to space to crawl over the surface and pick up samples. It could even be used for disabled passengers who dont have a ramp to use: the UMV would lift itself up and allow access directly into the cabin with a wheelchair.These vehicles will be subject to more challenging applications and environments, adaptable to changing conditions, Hyundai says of UMVs and its goal of pushing the boundaries of vehicle development.Let not these big words distract you from the reality that these UMVs are most likely still in the distant future. But this Hyundai unit is a step in the right direction, literally so. Workers assemble vehicles in a smart factory of Chang'an Kuayue Automobile Co., Ltd. in Wanzhou District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Sept. 23, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector came in at 51.5 in September, up from 51 in August, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Wednesday. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below reflects contraction. It is the seventh month in a row that the figure has remained in the expansion territory. Commenting on the sustained expansion, NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe said the Chinese economy keeps recovering steadily with increasing positive factors as the country continues to advance the policies of balancing epidemic control and economic development. In September, the sub-index for production stood at 54, up 0.5 points month on month, while that for new orders rose 0.8 points to 52.8. With the steady recovery of supply and demand as well as the coming of the busy season for traditional manufacturing, enterprises' purchasing willingness is on the rise and market activities are increasing, Zhao said. With the implementation of policies on stabilizing foreign trade, the export and import of the manufacturing sector saw further improvements, Zhao said. The sub-index measuring new export orders gained 1.7 points from the previous month to 50.8, above the boom-bust line of 50 for the first time this year. The sub-readings for high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing stood at 54.5 and 53, respectively, pointing to quickening industrial upgrading. Besides, thanks to measures to aid small and micro businesses, the PMI for small firms came in at 50.1, up 2.4 points from the previous month. However, despite the overall improvements in manufacturing PMI, the recovery of the sector was not balanced, Zhao noted. Wednesday's data also showed that the PMI for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 55.9 in September, up from 55.2 last month. In September, the service sector accelerated its pace of recovery, with the sub-index for business activities expanding 0.9 points from the previous month to 55.2. The effects of policies encouraging consumption continued to filter through, boosting domestic demand and reviving business activities, Zhao said. While analyzing the PMI readings for September, Wen Bin, chief analyst at China Minsheng Bank, said in a co-authored research note that the Chinese economy has maintained a streak of steady recovery, with improvements in both supply and demand. However, challenges still persist for further economic recovery as the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been curbed, Wen said, adding that support for the manufacturing sector and small firms should be beefed up. There has been a three-fold increase in the existing price of raw materials produced by Indian manufacturers In the current pandemic situation, when affordable healthcare should be a priority, there has been an exponential rise in the prices of raw materials for immunity boosting medicines such as Vitamin C prescribed by doctors for patients. Experts shed light on the cause of these rising prices and why patients end up paying a higher price for basic affordable vitamins which were otherwise available at reasonable prices earlier. There have been reports about the rise in the price of Sodium Ascorbate and Ascorbic Acid - the essential Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) of Vitamin-C due to supply disruptions in China. To add to it, there has been a three-fold increase in the existing price of raw materials produced by Indian manufacturers. This has led to rise in the cost of production of these medicines, consequently, the selling price, which has been hurting consumers pockets. Dr. Gajendra Singh, Public Health Expert explains, Vitamin C is best known for boosting the immune system, but it's also a powerful antioxidant with many other benefits, including fighting inflammation. It is available in forms of Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Calcium Ascorbate and other mineral ascorbates. Vitamin C in form of drugs like Limcee and Celin come under the purview of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and have consistently been offered at an affordable price as they are under price control being part of National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). Vitamin C is also sold as a food supplement approved by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the manufacturers here have had an advantage of increasing the prices owing to hike in cost of production caused due to rise in price of APIs. Why is there a need to increase the price of medicines when Indians should be offered these medicines at affordable prices in the current time of crisis? The problem is an increase in the prices of raw materials and Indian manufacturers as per the reports have blamed it on China. According to them, as soon as anti-dumping duty expired; China has been flooding Indian market with Vitamin C medicines. Domestic manufacturers further assert that they can suffice the needs of pharmaceutical companies in India at a competitive price. Thus, India can curb its imports from China. But this is not all as simple as it seems. Unfortunately, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) doesnt regulate the prices of APIs or raw materials, so they cant do much with the increase in raw material prices by these domestic players, replies Dr. Singh. The problem doesnt end at the price aspect. For instance, the price of the Limcee stands at Re.1.67 per tablet and there is no scope for hike in price as they come under price control. The manufacturers of this type of Vitamin C, are facing issues in producing abundant affordable medicines for the consumers when there is clearly, a huge demand, says Dr. Amir Ullah Khan, Economist, at the MCRHRD Institute of the Government of Telangana. If you look both ways, it is the patient that suffers. The patient does not have access to the more affordable versions as companies cannot cater to the demand because of inadequate supplies and pricing structure of the domestic raw material providers. This forces the patients to buy the higher priced versions that are not under price control. This defeats the purpose of Make in India. It is good to push for self-reliance, but it is also equally critical to ensure that the domestic industry is capable of handling the needs and expectations of the millions of patients in India. Blaming the end of anti-dumping duty here is not the answer, fair business practices by domestic suppliers and the wherewithal to have adequate capacities and capabilities is the larger problem, adds Dr. Khan. Agreeing with Dr. Khan, intellectual property lawyer Ankit Prakash, Partner, Processo Veritas Consulting (Advocates & Solicitors) says, We cant neglect the issues faced by the pharmaceutical companies owing to the increase in prices of raw materials by domestic suppliers who have almost complete control over the market for this requirement. The patient interests are compromised because of the lack of adequate suppliers, in addition to the higher prices of non-price-controlled products. Thus, regulation in the cost of the APIs is a must as affordable medicines are every patients right especially in the current turbulent times. Sufficient protection has already been given to the domestic industry. The answer is not to re-impose anti-dumping duty that only allows domestic companies to monopolize the situation, even though they are not able to cater to the demand of the raw materials. It calls for policy intervention by the government to regulate the price of raw materials, while ensuring open-minded regulatory policies. This move shall also contribute to Indias mission of providing affordable and accessible healthcare to the people of this country. Prakash had, in August 2020, also engaged with the Directorate General of Trade Remedies, urging the authorities not to initiate a sunset review of the anti-dumping duty imposed on the imports of Vitamin C originating in or exported from China. Latinos across the country have been devastated by the deadly virus, in part because many are front-line workers who cannot telecommute, which increases their risk of exposure. Many Latinos also live in crowded or multigenerational homes, which makes it a struggle to socially distance. Many are reluctant to get tested at government-run sites because of President Trumps public charge rule, which makes it harder for immigrants to get permanent residency status if they use public assistance. LAPORTE Tax abatement has been granted to a leading maker of mattresses expected to bring up to 350 jobs to LaPorte County. The LaPorte County Council Monday night voted unanimously in favor of a 10-year tax abatement for Corsicana Mattress Co. The tax abatement is in response to Corsicana's commitment to invest $8.5 million on renovating and repurposing a 165,000 square-foot assembly plant inside a building vacant for about 20 years at Indiana 2 and 500 West at Pinola. Seeing somebody come in there and occupying that, its going to be an absolute great thing, said County Council President Randy Novak. James Booth, chief operating officer for the Dallas, Texas, based firm, said the plan is to start production with up to 60 workers by the end of the year. Booth said as many as 350 people could be employed in skilled and unskilled positions at the plant in three to five years. The average worker salary will be about $15 per hour. This is going to be a win, win for LaPorte County. Lets get them here and get it going and get them jobs, said Councilman Jeff Santana. Sugarlogix CTO Paula Hicks Hicks is a proven technical leader with 20 years of broad experience in diverse industries utilizing biotechnology to produce small and large molecules in food & beverages, flavors and fragrances, pest control, and pharmaceuticals. Sugarlogix, a bioengineering company creating functional oligosaccharides with health benefits, today announced the appointment of Paula Hicks as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In her new role at Sugarlogix, Hicks joins the senior management team and is charged with developing its overall strategy for using technological resources with immediate plans to scale operations and manufacturing. Hicks is a proven technical leader with 20 years of broad experience in diverse industries utilizing biotechnology to produce small and large molecules in food & beverages, flavors and fragrances, pest control, and pharmaceuticals. Before joining Sugarlogix, Hicks was at Evolva for more than seven years, most recently as the Senior Vice President of Technology in the Commercial Team. While at Evolva, Hicks had vital leadership roles in commercializing products such as stevia, vanillin, and nootkatone. Before Evolva, Hicks experience ranges widely from startups to large corporations. She was one of the early employees and built the R&D strategy at Abunda, a startup later acquired by Evolva. Hicks spent the first nine years of her career at Cargill, Inc., where she was a Principal Scientist in the BioTechnology Development Center. Her passion for developing creative and efficient technologies to take products to commercialization is what led her to Sugarlogix. Sugarlogixs novel technology to utilizing yeast to produce HMOs (human milk oligosaccharides) and the technologys relative maturity immediately impressed me, said Hicks. The impact of delivering yeast-produced HMOs to the infant nutrition market is colossal, and I look forward to participating in this opportunity. We are thrilled to appoint someone of Paulas caliber as our CTO. Having her on our team prepares us well for Sugarlogixs next stage of growth in scaling up, commercialization, and expansion of R&D operations, said Sugarlogix Co-Founder and CEO Chaeyoung Shin. Paula is among a very select group of people with a deep track record of developing novel fermentation routes for several highly innovative food ingredients. With this appointment, Sugarlogix continues to strengthen its position as the leading player in yeast-based HMO development, said Sugarlogix Board Chair, and Former CEO of Evolva, Simon Waddington. About Sugarlogix Sugarlogix, whose mission is to create functional sugars with health benefits, is a bioengineering company that makes human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) for infant nutrition. HMOs are the fiber-equivalents in human breast milk that play crucial prebiotic functions in babies' guts. Sugarlogix' novel HMO-producing technologies offer safe and affordable HMOs for babies without access to breast milk. Founded in 2016 and led by Co-Founder and CEO Chaeyoung Shin, Sugarlogix is headquartered in Oakland and is financially backed by 8VC, Berkeley Catalyst Fund, and SOSV and private investors. For more information, visit http://www.sugarlogix.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Pronab Mandal By Express News Service KOLKATA: UP governments decision restricting Durga Puja is likely to soar up the mercury in poll-bound West Bengal's political landscape as the ruling TMC is gearing up to portray BJP's "anti-Bengali Hindu" stance over the Bengalis biggest religious event. BJPs Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, too, castigated the UP governments order saying it is unfair and even absurd and the TMC is going to use the statement to sharpen its attack aiming the BJP ahead of the crucial 2021 Assembly elections. "UP Govts order that Durga Puja should be done at home is unfair & even absurd. Like the allowances for Ram Lila, Durga Puja should be permitted with harsh but sensible restrictions. Otherwise, it is discriminatory. Bengali Hindus in UP appeal to @myogiadityanath to review order," Dasgupta tweeted. UP Govts order that Durga Puja should be done at home is unfair & even absurd. Like the allowances for Ram Lila, Durga Puja should be permitted with harsh but sensible restrictions. Otherwise it is discriminatory. Bengali Hindus in UP appeal to @myogiadityanath to review order Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) September 29, 2020 Dasgupta, however, said he is hopeful that Yogi Adityanaths government will review its order. "Organising Durga Puja at home is not an easy event to perform. In Uttar Pradesh, Durga Puja events are being organised for over 100 years. Durga Puja is not only a religious festival, it is an event that involves communities. I am hopeful that the UP government will review its order and allow the Durga Puja festival with strict restrictions," Dasgupta told The New Indian Express. A senior TMC leader described Dasguptas tweet as an admission of BJPs "anti-Bengali Hindu" stance. "PM Narendra Modi and BJP leader Amit Shah had held TMC chief Mamata Banerjee accused of not allowing Durga puja celebration in Bengal during their campaign in 2019 general elections. Now their party is practicing it in reality on the soil of Uttar Pradesh. The BJP is allowing Ram Lila without restrictions but not Durga Puja. It shows how the saffron camp treats Bengali Hindus and we will highlight under what circumstances the Bengalis are living in the BJP-ruled state." The TMC leader further said the UP governments decision and Dasguptas comment will change the ruling partys poll narrative before the next years election and bring electoral dividend in favour of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks during a news conference concerning the extension of eviction protections in the next coronavirus bill, at the U.S. Capitol on July 22, 2020. The real takeaway from President Donald Trump's reported $750 federal income tax payments, according to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is that the U.S. tax system is not working. "The problem here is that the system itself is broken, and you've got to ask why," Warren said in an interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer during the virtual Delivering Alpha conference Wednesday. "And you want to know why? The reason is because of the Donald Trumps of the world, the people who have used their money and used their influence to get Congress to keep rewriting those laws." Warren referenced the blockbuster New York Times report published Sunday that claimed Trump had paid $750 in federal income tax in the year he won the presidency and in his first year in office. The report also found that Trump had paid no federal income tax in 10 of the previous 15 years. CNBC has not viewed the income statements reported by the Times. Trump, who is reputed to be a billionaire, previously called the report "fake news." During Tuesday's presidential debate he said he has paid "millions" in federal income tax and said "you'll get to see it," though he did not provide a firm date. Trump has previously cited an audit by the Internal Revenue Service as a reason why he has not disclosed his income statements, though the IRS has said that would not bar a taxpayer from sharing such information. White House spokesperson Judd Deere said in a statement that Trump "has been clear, he's paid millions of dollars in taxes." Warren also said Trump's "one legislative achievement" was a tax bill that benefited millionaires and billionaires. Deere said Trump's tax cuts allowed middle-income families to exempt more income from taxes, doubled the child tax credit and said the legislation allowed companies to announce raises and bonuses for workers. "The President's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act helped build the strongest, most inclusive economy in our history and helped lay a firm foundation for this country to bounce back quicker than anyone predicted from the COVID shutdown," Deere said in the statement. "While President Trump wants to lower taxes, Sen. Warren and her colleagues want to raise taxes on hardworking families." Warren and other Democrats have advocated for wealth taxes aimed at taxing assets of the richest taxpayers, which would generally not raise rates on lower and middle-class families. Warren said Wednesday that the problem with the system is that because wealthy people can get away with paying less, other taxpayers need to fill in the gaps. "It's not just that Donald Trump doesn't pay taxes, it's that somebody else has to pay to keep this country going," Warren said. "Nurses pay a big share, teachers pay a big share, grocery store clerks pay a big share, and Donald Trump just pays a tiny little bit." WATCH: President Trump dismisses a New York Times report alleging years of tax avoidance By Trend Videos about arms shipments from Iran to Armenia are being actively disseminated on social networks, Trend reports, Trend reports citing the Iranian media. Also, there were videos showing how Azerbaijanis living in Iran burned cars transporting weapons to Armenia in protest. Of course, the essence of these videos requires a detailed study, but such actions of the southern neighbor definitely contradict good-neighborliness, friendly relations, and Islamic solidarity, said the media. According to the official representative of Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saeed Khatibzadeh refuting the supply of arms to Armenia through Iran. Iran will not allow any country to supply weapons from its territory, and is closely monitoring the transfer of goods from Iran to other countries, he noted. In early September, another incident occurred. A number of media outlets said that a convoy of tractors with military trucks and other special equipment without identification marks crossed the Iranian-Armenian border through the "Norduz" checkpoint. Earlier, by the way, our other neighbor - Georgia - refused to provide its territory for military transit to Armenia. But all this, as the photo shows, passed through Iran, unfortunately, without any problems. In general, the data that came to our editorial office makes us think that statements about Muslim solidarity, about the unity of Muslim countries, and much more that Azerbaijan hears from Iranian officials, would be nice to back up with deeds. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Bangladesh has requested Saudi Arabia to increase flights between the two countries so that the expatriates stranded in Dhaka can return to their workplaces, the media reported. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen made the request to his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud during a telephone conversation on Sunday evening, The Daily Star newspaper reported. Bangladesh also urged the Kingdom to give permission to Biman Bangladesh Airlines to operate flights on Dhaka-Dammam route. Currently, the national flag carrier has permission to operate flights to Riyadh, Madinah and Jeddah. Last week, the Saudi government positively responded over workers issues ending barriers to their return to the workplaces in the Kingdom. Also Watch: The kingdom recently partially relaxed its suspension on international flights from India. The country has now decided to allow scheduled flights to fly from India while retaining the suspension on passengers flying from India to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia banned flights to and from India on Tuesday amid a surge in coronavirus cases. In a circular issued on Tuesday, Saudi Arabias General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said it was suspending travel to and from the following countries: (India, Brazil and Argentina) including any person who has been in any of the mentioned countries above in the last 14 days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom. (With inputs from agencies) Paris Police has clarified that the loud sound heard by people on September 30 in Paris that led to panic online and in the city was caused by a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier leading to a sonic boom. Un bruit tres important a ete entendu a Paris et en region parisienne. Il n'y a pas d'explosion, il s'agit d'un avion de chasse qui a franchi le mur du son. N'encombrez pas les lignes de secours ! Prefecture de Police (@prefpolice) September 30, 2020 The massive boom resembled an explosion that led to panic among the residents who took to Twitter to update people about the development. Some even claimed that the reverberation shook their windows and rattled their doors. Though the police urged people not to panic and call emergency services, Parisians were already on the edge after a knife attack outside the former offices of Charlie Hebdo last week. The sound was heard over most parts of the city and the nearby suburbs. It could also be heard during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, where Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka and his German opponent Dominik Koepfer paused in astonishment after hearing the sonic boom. The Maharashtra government on Wednesday withdrew its August order to implement the new farm laws after Congress threatened to boycott the cabinet meeting. The Uddhav Thackeray-led government was already in a dilemma over the implementation of the agriculture reform laws, which were recently passed by the Parliament, after Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) opposed the farm laws in the state, calling them anti-farmer. Last week, deputy Maharashtra chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar had announced that the state government would not implement the agriculture reform laws. Deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar announced last week that the state government would not implement the farm laws in the state. On Monday, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had advised the states ruled by the party to inspect all possibilities of legislation under the Constitutions Article 254(2) to negate the anti-agricultural laws and to prevent the grave injustice being done to farmers. Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat had earlier claimed that all the three ruling parties have opposed the bills. The parties were to raise the issue at cabinet meeting, which is being held today. The Upper House of Parliament recently cleared farm reform laws amid uproar and protests from the opposition parties in the house. Since then, oppositions parties and several farmers groups all across India have been carrying out protests against the laws. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As someone who was very close to getting my U.S. green card right before the 2016 election, I felt relieved to move back to Canada when I did. The United States is in great danger of losing their democracy and becoming an authoritarian state. So the power now lies in the hands of the voters. And its everyone on deck. Ambassador Susan Rice shared a CBC article on Twitter that called for all Americans who are eligible to visit americansabroad.org to register to vote. Just 5.3 per cent of eligible U.S. voters living in Canada cast votes in the 2016 election. This is dismal, and we can help change this. Get the word out, to your friends and family. Share this information as broadly as possible. A Catholic priest, Jude Onyebadi, who was kidnapped in Aniocha North local government area of Delta State, has been released. Premium Times reported how the cleric was abducted by suspected gunmen at his farm around the Isele-Uku/Issele-Mkpetime Road in Aniocha council on Saturday. A source in the community confirmed the release of the cleric. The source said the priest was rushed to a hospital around Asaba, the state capital, for medical treatment after his release. It was not clear if the cleric sustained any injury during his ordeal in the hands of his captors. It was also not clear if any ransom was paid to secure his release. The priest was kidnapped alongside three of his workers. The workers were later freed in the evening of the same day. This was the second time the priest would be kidnapped by gunmen. ALSO READ: Catholic priest abducted in Delta The cleric had previously been abducted in 2018, which led to a protest by Catholic priests in the Isele-Uku Catholic Diocese. He is the parish priest of Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Issele-Azagba, a community close to Asaba, The police spokesperson in the state, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed the release of the priest. Yes, the priest has been released, she said. OSHAWA The first officer tasked to investigate the disappearance of Joanne MacKenzie said Robert McGregors comments, Im very worried and I hope you find her, have always stuck in his mind. McGregor is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection to the death of his ex-common law partner MacKenzie in the summer of 2011. The then 23-year-old went missing July 2, 2011, and her body was found four days later in a shallow grave approximately 230 metres from McGregors Lakefield home. MacKenzies body was discovered with 15 stab wounds, including injuries on her back, arms and neck, and her throat had been cut. Its the prosecutions theory that McGregor killed the mother of their daughter because they were in a custody battle for their then five-year-old daughter. The jury has also heard an agreed statement of facts that McGregor caused MacKenzie's death. The trial entered its fifth day of evidence in Oshawa Superior Court of Justice Tuesday with Peterborough police Det. Const. Mike Self on the stand. Self told the court he was dispatched to MacKenzies mothers home around 8 p.m. on July 2, 2011 to investigate MacKenzies disappearance. Self testified he was informed McGregor was the last to see her, so he and another officer went to McGregors home on the 10th Line of Sewlyn. A woman at the home informed them McGregor and a friend were out looking for MacKenzie, but called McGregor for the officer. Self told the jury he spoke to McGregor over the phone and informed him he was in Curve Lake First Nation and he could be back in five minutes. Self said he and the other officer left because the woman didnt feel comfortable with them on the property without a warrant. Self said McGregor was supposed to call him within five minutes, but 15 minutes went by so the officer called him before returning to the property. After McGregor arrived, he spoke with Self at the end of the driveway, Self testified, and told the officer how he was supposed to meet MacKenzie that morning to talk about issues related to their daughter. According to Self, McGregor wanted to discuss how their daughter was having stomach pain, and had been inappropriately touching herself. Self said McGregor told him the meeting never happened because he was jumped by six unknown males. I didnt see any injuries that indicated a serious attack had taken place, Self told the jury, noting it was dark but he used his lights from the car to help examine McGregor who lifted his shirt for the officer. As he was leaving the 10th line property, Self testified McGregors voiced raised as he said Im very worried and I hope you find her. That has always stuck in my mind, said Self. The officer returned to Peterborough to continue his investigation by doing a search of the parking lot where McGregor said he was jumped. Officers were looking for evidence that could support McGregors story or help them locate MacKenzie. Nothing was found, so officers returned to the 10th line property at 4 a.m. on July 3, 2011 to speak with McGregor again. This time he returned with Peterborough police officer Sean Wilson and three members of the OPP. Wilson testified on Tuesdaythat when he was walking on the 10th line property towards the trailer McGregor was believed to be staying in, he noticed a foul odour that he described as burning plastic. Further, he testified that when McGregor came out of the trailer, he said, I guess you got the warrant. Wilson said one of the OPP officers responded with what for, and McGregor said to arrest me. During his conversation with McGregor, Wilson said he asked McGregor if he ever hurt MacKenzie. Wilson said McGregor said he wouldnt because he stilled loved her and that MacKenzie was depressed and he wanted her to seek psychological help. Like Self, Wilson also testified he didnt see any injuries on McGregor. During cross-examination of both officers, McGregors lawyer Christopher Hicks focused on their use of quotation marks used in their notes. He suggested the quotes noted by McGregor couldnt be verbatim because their notes were taken after their discussions with the accused. Both officers disagreed and told the jury they were confident with their notes despite making them later that night and morning. MacKenzies younger brother Joseph Hanlon also testified on Tuesday. He appeared in the courtroom via video from British Columbia to give his evidence. He explained he was close to his sister despite being about seven years younger. Hanlon said his sister and McGregor got along for the first few years after their breakup, but in months leading up to her death, MacKenzie would end up crying most of the time after talking or texting with McGregor. Hanlon said MacKenzie was secretive and didnt tell her family what was going on with McGregor and that she was meeting him without them knowing. Like his mother did during her testimony earlier in the trial, Hanlon agreed he told police on July 3, 2011 that he noticed scratches on McGregors face when the two of them went to McGregors home to try and locate MacKenzie. The trial was to continue Wednesday. The throne speech, delivered on September 23rd, promised a slew of measures that would financially affect individual Canadians as the Trudeau government outlines its strategy to set the country on a recovery path from the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Liberal government unveiled plans to extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy through to next summer and a variety of initiatives to help workers and especially women rejoin the workforce, including steps toward a Canada-wide childcare system and funding for skills training. The throne speech, read in the Senate by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette, mentions additional ways to tax extreme wealth inequality, including by concluding work to limit the stock option deduction. Many hard-hit industries had called on the government to extend the wage subsidy to support their businesses and workers. The last claim period for the current wage subsidy, which provides a varying degree of support based on the extent of the revenue loss suffered by eligible businesses, ends on November 21st. The Trudeau government also says it will also expand the Canada Emergency Business Account to help businesses with fixed costs, and improve the Business Credit Availability Program. It also promises industry-specific help for vulnerable sectors such as travel and tourism, hospitality and cultural industries like the performing arts. The government describes two of its most ambitious, and possibly costliest, initiatives as part of a broad plan to get Canadians back to work. The first is a significant, long-term, sustained investment to create a coast-to-coast affordable childcare system that takes inspiration from the Quebec model. With childcare under provincial jurisdiction, though, its unclear whether and how Trudeaus vision would work. The government also pledges to make the largest investment in Canadian history in training for workers, with programs that would prepare Canadians for jobs in growing sectors as well as help connect workers and employers. As well, Ottawa promises to set up an Action Plan for Women in the Economy to reverse the drop in female workforce participation triggered by the pandemic. We have long understood that Canada cannot succeed if half of the population is held back, the speech says. The Liberals also say they will expand Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to increase paid-work opportunities for young Canadians next year. Premier Jason Kenney slammed the throne speech, saying, Alberta is disappointed that instead of listening to Canadas provinces, the federal government doubled down on policies that will kill jobs, make Canada poorer and weaken national unity. Kenney held a news conference in Edmonton the day after the speech, where he acknowledged that there are some individual policies in the throne speech which he supports, including the extension of the federal wage subsidy. However, he once again stressed that in a throne speech of about 6,800 words, there seemed to be countless priorities except a realistic plan to bring back investment in our largest sectors to create real jobs. My message here today is that we are facing the most serious economic crisis here since the 1930s, Kenney said. Albertans arent seeking bailouts and subsidies. What we are asking the government of Canada to do is no harm. First do no harm to the resource industries that are the backbone, not just of the Alberta economy, but the Canadian economy. The Alberta NDP also had a negative opinion of the speech. NDP Leader Rachel Notley stated, We need a bold economic vision for the future of Alberta and we need it now. Its clear neither the federal or provincial government has any plan for bringing Alberta out of recession and into recovery. Alberta has been the hardest hit among all Canadian provinces and yet there was no mention of specific support in todays Throne Speech. She continued, While we are encouraged by news of federal investment in pharmacare and affordable child care, we need to see the details. In addition, neither will mean anything for Albertans if Jason Kenney continues to outright reject these key elements of our economic recovery. We are building a concrete plan for our economic future and we will be inviting all Albertans to get involved and share their ideas with us in the days ahead. Working together, we can put forward a vision for an economy that works for everyone. Read more about: On Nov. 3, several students will be heading to the polls for the first time to cast their ballot in the 2020 presidential election. Ahead of voter registration deadlines in various states, student groups on campus have begun their final efforts to mobilize young voters on campus. Nationally, young voters are among the least likely to participate in elections. To overcome this challenge, Get Out the Vote (GOTV), the Universitys student-led voter engagement group, has focused on registering and educating fellow Canes about the importance of civic engagement. If everyone our age voted, we would have the power to shift the results of entire elections, senior Estefania Caputo, a GOTV executive board member said. People dont realize the power their vote could carry." As election day steadily approaches, first-time voters on campus share their excitement ahead of their inaugural election season. Ximena Mendoza, a first-year student studying neuroscience: Im excited because its the first time I feel like I can make a difference politically in this country. Ill be doing mail-in voting just to be safer during the pandemic. I hope my vote will bring change. I want to see a lot of things change, and I hope my vote helps do that. Christopher Papa, a first-year student studying civil engineering: I think its cool how we have the power to implement change in our government and say how we feel about policy and things in our country because not everybody around the world has this right. Its so important to embrace it and take advantage of it. Especially living in Florida, I think this is an important year to vote. Younger people have been on the decline in voter turnout, so I think its important for kids our age to get out there and participate. Angelica Kuca, a sophomore studying accounting and finance: Im excited to finally use my voice. I think voting is really important so Im glad that Im finally able to take part in that. I want to make use of that and not waste that. Remembering previous elections, it feels good to finally feel like I have a say in who I want to vote for. Kennedy Debow, sophomore studying sociology: Its exciting, but a lot of things are at stake so Im a little nervous. I feel like my vote really matters this year, especially being GenZ. I hope everyone on campus and everyone around the country also makes sure they get out to vote. Will Fleck, a first-year student studying business: Its really interesting, we dont realize that not a lot of people are afforded the opportunity to vote. We have to realize were given this opportunity, and we have the opportunity to make history depending on how the election pans out. So, Im excited. Im from Massachusetts, so Ill be voting absentee. Coordinated by the Butler Center for Service and Leadership, the Canes Vote Network is a coalition of students, faculty, staff, and community members who are passionate about civic participation in the University of Miami community. The Canes Vote Network provides online resources for students to register, request ballots, and find local polling sites and will be hosting various events through the remainder of the election season to help all voters be election ready. Below are a couple of dates to keep in mind: Debates Watch Parties on the University Foote Green: Oct. 7 from 9 to 10:30 p.m. (Vice Presidential debate) Oct. 15 from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Oct. 22 from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Amid reports of differences over recent elevation of former TMC leaders in the BJP hierarchy, the Bengal leaders have been called to Delhi to attend a key meet to be helmed by home minister Amit Shah. The former BJP president, who had set the target to oust the Trinamool government in 2021 after his party won 18 of the states 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, will chart out the strategies to be followed by the West Bengal unit in the run-up to the coming assembly polls. Bengal leaders called to Delhi are state president Dilip Ghosh, national vice-president Mukul Roy and, quite significantly, Rahul Sinha, who expressed his grievance in public after being removed from the post of national secretary during the reshuffle on Saturday. On being replaced by Anupam Hazra, a much younger leader who left the TMC and joined the BJP in January 2019, Sinha rued the fact that after a service of 40 years to the party he was removed to make way for TMC leaders. In the same reshuffle, Roy, who had been a BJP national executive member since 2017, when he left the TMC, was made national vice-president. The meeting has been called to discuss an overall strategy to be followed across Bengal. Differences that have emerged over elevation of former TMC leaders in the BJP hierarchy will also be ironed out, a senior state BJP leader aware of the developments said on condition of anonymity. No constituency-specific policy will be discussed at this meeting. Only core issues will be discussed on Thursday, he told HT. There is a speculation in the BJP state unit that Roy may be entrusted with the task of overseeing the Bengal units election machinery since the BJP performed well in the 2018 panchayat and 2019 Lok Sabha election when he was convenor of the state election committee. He was able to bring over many TMC leaders to the BJP. Sinhas journey to Delhi was marked by an agitation by his supporters at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday afternoon. More than a hundred men and women blocked his path outside the entrance to the airport, asking him not to take the flight. We do not want the BJP to turn into a B-team of the TMC, the BJP workers shouted. I am going to Delhi as I have been invited. Let me attend the meeting and return. I will talk to you, Sinha told his supporters. Other than Shah, BJP central leaders to attend the meeting are Arvind Menon, Shivprakash, Kailash Vijayvargiya and party president JP Nadda. Menon, Shivprakash and Vijayvargiya are tasked with overseeing the Bengal organisation on behalf of the central leadership. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The National Coordination of the management of coronavirus (COVID-19) said here Tuesday epidemiological data gathered up to 20 September indicated a slowdown in the spread of the pandemic, sources at the ministry of Health and Populations told PANA A Houston-area official says it will take 60 days to ensure a city drinking water system is purged of a deadly, microscopic parasite that doctors believed killed a boy and that led to warnings for others not to drink tap water. Lake Jackson City Manager Modesto Mundo said that three of 11 samples of the citys water indicated preliminary positive results for the naegleria fowleri microbe. Mundo said Lake Jackson residents are still urged to boil their tap water before using it. One sample, Mundo said, came from the home of Josiah McIntyre, the 6-year-old boy whom doctors said died earlier this month after being infected with the brain-eating parasite. Maria Castillo, Josiahs mother, said Monday that her son first started showing flu-like symptoms. But those quickly worsened to the point where he had trouble standing and communicating. We found out that it was, most likely this amoeba that was causing all of these symptoms, Castillo said outside her home, in front of a yard sign that showed a picture of her son. Doctors took measures to alleviate swelling in the childs brain and tried to save him. It was hard for Josiahs mother to accept the death of a child so full of life. Josiah loved to be outside and he loved to be with his sister and his cousin, Castillo said He was a lovable little boy and loved everybody he was around. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality warned the Brazosport Water Authority late Friday of the potential contamination of its water supply by the deadly microscopic flagellate. The TCEQ has advised the community to flush out its water distribution networks with chlorine to help eradicate the microbe, Mundo said. The citys water utility is trying to purge its system of any old water so the system can be disinfected and replaced with fresh water. Well be doing that for a 60-day period, Mundo said. The investigation into Josiahs death led to the detection of the brain-eating amoeba after heath officials conducted water sample tests. The Brazosport Water Authority initially warned eight communities late Friday night not to use tap water for any reason except to flush toilets, but on Saturday it lifted that warning for all communities but Lake Jackson, where the authoritys water treatment plant is situated. The advisory also was canceled for two state prisons and Dow Chemicals massive Freeport works. The advisory was finally lifted for Lake Jackson, but the TCEQ has advised its more than 27,000 residents to boil any tap water before using. The authoritys water source is the Brazos River, and it stores the water in two reservoirs. Naegleria fowleri is a free-living microscopic amoeba, or single-celled living organism commonly found in warm freshwater and soil, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It usually infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose. From there it travels to the brain and can cause a rare and debilitating disease called primary amebic meningoencephalitis. The infection is usually fatal and typically occurs when people go swimming or diving in warm freshwater places such as lakes and rivers. In very rare instances, naegleria infections may also occur when contaminated water from other sources (such as inadequately chlorinated swimming pool water or heated and contaminated tap water) enters the nose. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas Apple was forced to remove Skype from the iOS App Store in China to comply with the local laws in the country. The move was confirmed by Microsoft which said that Skype was temporarily removed from the App Store. Apple had removed Skype and many other similar apps from the Chinese App Store over a month ago to comply with local laws. Despite the removal, users who have Skype installed on their device are still able to use it without any issues. We have been notified by the Ministry of Public Security that a number of voice over internet protocol apps do not comply with local law. Therefore these apps have been removed from the app store in China, an Apple spokeswoman said Tuesday in an emailed statement responding to questions about Skypes disappearance from the app store. These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business. Microsoft says that it is working to reinstate Skype back to the iOS App Store in China, though it failed to provide a timeframe as to when that would happen. Interestingly, the Skype app is also missing from other popular third-party Android app stores in China. However, Android users always have the option of sideloading the APK after downloading it manually. Since the beginning of this year, Apple has had to remove a number of apps from the Chinese App Store including all VPN apps to comply with local laws. In addition, the local Chinese laws have led to a disruption in service for WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. The Cupertino company is also in the process of opening a data centre in Chian to comply with the local laws. Since the new Chinese local laws have come into effect, the government has cracked down on messaging apps and services featuring end-to-end encryption. It has also removed or banned services that allow users to bypass the Great Firewall. [Via New York Times "I've seen firsthand how hard businesses have been hit by this pandemic," says John Vuong, owner of Local SEO Search. "Many of our clients have been affected, and I wanted to find a way to give back to the community and make an impact. As a minority myself, I know how hard it can be for minority and black-owned businesses. I am confident that we can help these business owners find new customers and new revenue with this initiative." The five-year-long program has an estimated value of $2 million. Each year, Local SEO Search will choose 20 businesses, bringing on 1 to 2 new companies each month. The selected companies will be given a full SEO campaign for 12 months and a complete website redesign, if necessary. This plan will focus on small to medium-sized businesses in Canada with hopes to expand in the coming years. "SEO has been increasing in popularity since the onset of COVID-19. Most of us search for anything and everything digitally. This means that, as a business owner, reaching your audience online is getting more competitive," says Roger Murphy, Vice President of Sales at Local SEO Search. "We want to help small businesses get a boost in sales and thrive going forward!" Businesses who are interested can apply at LocalSEOSearch.ca/impact-initiative. Each SEO campaign will be focused on localized SEO. A localized SEO campaign will help these businesses get found on Google by their ideal customers in their local market. The hope is to find companies that share their values, who will use this new growth to give back to their own communities. You can click here to submit your application and learn more. About Local SEO Search Local SEO Search is one of Canada's leading SEO agencies, providing personalized digital marketing campaigns for local businesses across the country. Through website optimization and full-range SEO campaigns, they have successfully increased client rankings on search engines like Google. SOURCE Local SEO Search For further information: Kayla Claus, [email protected], 905-808-1323 Related Links https://www.localseosearch.ca/ President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden traded insults Tuesday night in an often out-of-control debate over taxes, COVID-19, the economy and mail-in ballots. Military and veterans issues were not on the debate agenda, though neither candidate stuck to the plan. The issues surfaced only briefly on the periphery and then mostly as vehicles by both candidates to launch personal attacks. Halfway through the 90-minute debate, Biden called Trump the "worst president America's ever had." Read Next: Marine Corps F-35 and C-130 Collide During Refueling Exercise, All Personnel Found Safe Trump responded that he had turned around a nation left in ruin by the Obama administration, including "fixing the broken military you gave me." The president said his administration is responsible for "rebuilding the military, including Space Force." Biden later pivoted off a question about another issue to charge that Trump had remained silent on allegations that Russia had put bounties on U.S. troops in Afghanistan because he is beholden to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "He's Putin's puppy," Biden said of Trump. Defense Department officials, including Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, have said that they took the allegations of Russian bounties seriously but have found no corroborating evidence. Both candidates cited the military again when asked about racial sensitivity and diversity training programs after the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, caused by a police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Trump defended the executive order he issued last week banning diversity training programs in the military and the federal workforce that he says brand the U.S. as inherently racist. "It was a radical revolution that was taking place in our military," he said of the training. "Nobody's doing that," Biden said, adding that diversity training is needed to heal racial divides. He called the programs "the only way we're going to bring the country together." One of the only references to veterans issues came when Trump cited improved approval ratings for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He also challenged Bidens record, as vice president, on wait times for military health care. Joe, youve had 308,000 military people dying because you couldnt provide them proper health care in the military. So dont tell me about this, Trump said, as Biden challenged him on his response to COVID-19. While many observers seemed confused by this statement, Trump appeared to be referring to a 2015 report from the VA Inspector General that found more than 300,000 veterans likely died while waiting for health care amid long appointment backlogs. The candidates' policy positions on a range of issues were often difficult to assess amid the overtalk and backbiting that left the exasperated moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, pleading with Biden and Trump to give each other a chance to finish a sentence. In general, Trump, trailing in national polls for months, sought to label Biden as mentally unfit and not up to the demands of the presidency; Biden sought to portray himself as a seasoned political operative who has the skills to unite a divided nation left in chaos by Trump's time in office. Trump led off the 90-minute debate, which was held with no breaks. It was sponsored by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic and held on the clinic's Health Education Campus. Neither candidate wore a face mask as they entered the stage before a small, socially distanced audience. The tensions leading up to the first of three presidential debates and the amped-up rhetoric of the candidates' supporters led to heightened security outside the venue, guarding against the possibility that potential protests would turn violent. At the request of local police, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine activated 300 members of the Ohio National Guard to assist in debate security to ensure a "safe and secure environment." Wallace set the format for the debate last week. It was supposed to have been broken up into six, 15-minute segments, including the respective records of the two candidates; the Supreme Court; COVID-19; the economy; race and violence in cities; and the integrity of the election system. However, neither candidate stuck to the format. Although military and veterans issues got little play, both candidates have previously staked out general positions on defense spending, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and improving health care at the VA. In an extensive survey of the candidates' positions released Sept. 16 by the Military Officers Association of America, both Trump and Biden said they are committed to the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, but Biden said the move could be more drawn out to ensure stability in both nations. Trump favors continued increases in defense budgets and military pay; Biden also supports troop pay increases but suggests that defense spending could be cut by retiring legacy systems more quickly. "We can maintain a strong defense and protect our safety and security for less," Biden told MOAA. Trump made his administration's enactment of the Mission Act, which expands private health care options for veterans, the centerpiece of his appeal to veterans. He also has touted major increases in VA funding during his administration and the establishment of the VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection to clean up corruption at the department. Biden has not challenged the Mission Act but said his administration would make it work more efficiently. He has promoted expanded benefits for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, improved care for disabled and female veterans, new efforts to aid homeless veterans, and programs to cut veteran unemployment rates. -- Hope Hodge Seck contributed. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related: On the Issues: Presidential Candidates Reveal Policy Plans for Military, Veterans Portland police training instructors have stepped out of their lanes to vouch for officers in fatal shootings before grand juries even though they had only a passing familiarity of the facts, city-hired consultants found. The California-based OIR Group highlighted the training officers' testimony before grand juries in its latest report that reviewed six Portland police shootings and one death in custody from May 28, 2017, through Nov. 22, 2018. The consultants have conducted regular reviews of use of deadly force by Portland police and will present their latest findings Wednesday afternoon to City Council. In three of the six shootings reviewed in this report, the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office called police training officers to testify as expert witnesses and all said the officers had followed proper instruction in using deadly force. But in each of the three cases, police hadnt completed internal affairs reviews. There is no evidence that the Training officers had any opportunity to review the investigative materials in the relevant cases, the report said. Even if the officers had been provided with the complete criminal investigative files, it was inappropriate for a Bureau officer assigned to the Training Division to opine about the propriety of a shooting before the administrative investigation had been completed. In a response, the Police Bureau said its training officers have ceased determining if an officers actions complied with bureau policy, yet said when these officers are called as witnesses before a grand jury, the Police Bureau doesnt have authority to direct the district attorneys line of questioning. The consultants also highlighted other concerns from problematic police questioning of a shooting victim after he had declined to speak to detectives, to a prosecutor who seemed to suggest before a grand jury that a 2018 shooting should be labeled a suicide by cop contrary to any evidence offered. The cases reviewed by the consultants were the May 28, 2017 police shooting that missed Michael Grubbe but sent 26 shotgun pellets into a nearby house, the Aug. 30, 2017 police wounding of Jesse Brockner, the Oct. 25, 2017 wounding of Chase Peeples; the March 8, 2018 wounding of Sarah Brown, the April 7, 2018 fatal shooting of John Elifritz, the Sept. 30, 2018 fatal shooting of Patrick Kimmons and the Nov. 22, 2018 death in custody of Richard Barry. The other findings: -- Portland State University officers and medics from Portlands Fire & Rescue Bureau "ignored or defied requests'' when subpoenaed to answer internal affairs questions about a death in police custody of Richard A. Barry, 52, on Nov. 22, 2018, though they were on the scene and could have provided key information. Three PSU public safety officers and one PSU police officer were struggling with Barry, who had been running erratically into the street and screaming for help before two Portland police officers arrived. Over the next 90 seconds, Barry was forced to the ground and handcuffed while continuing to struggle and call for help. At some point, he was placed on a backboard and went into cardiac arrest. He died at a hospital. An autopsy found he died of acute methamphetamine and cocaine toxicity that affected his existing cardiovascular disease. When internal affairs investigators sought to interview the PSU officers, Fire Bureau medics and AMR ambulance company employees who responded -- issuing subpoenas through the citys Independent Police Review office - all refused or ignored the requests, the consultants said. Because Portland police routinely back up PSU officers, there should be a mutual agreement for university officers to assist the Police Bureau in its internal affairs inquiries, the consultants recommended. The fact that the subpoenas were ignored and there was no apparent attempt to enforce them calls into question the efficacy of (the Independent Police Reviews) subpoena authority, the report said. "If that authority is to have teeth, entities that ignore issuance should face consequences for non-compliance.'' Portland State University officers and medics from Portlands Fire & Rescue Bureau and AMR Ambulance ignored or defied requests, when subpoenaed to answer police internal affairs questions about a death in police custody of Richard Barry on Nov. 22, 2018, though they were on the scene and could have provided key information, consultants found. -- Officers of the Police Bureaus Behavioral Health Unit interviewed a man wounded by other officers two days after the man refused to answer questions from investigating detectives and asked to speak to a lawyer. The Behavioral Health officers had been asked by detectives to question Chase Peeples about his mental health history after he was wounded on Oct. 25, 2017, but they crossed a line when they delved heavily into the actions that Peeples took immediately prior to the shooting while questioning him in a hospital, according to the consultants. Using the information that Behavioral Health officers obtained from Peeples "to clear an officer in a use of force incident has the potential to undermine the necessary trust relationships that BHU must maintain among the mental health community, the report said. The Behavioral Health officers should not have been used as an investigative arm of the detectives, the consultants said. Officers in the Behavioral Health unit work to connect people with mental illness who have frequent encounters with police to mental health services. The unit was created after a federal investigation in 2012 found that Portland police had a pattern of using excessive force against people with mental illness. Further, the Behavioral Health officers who questioned Peeples while he was still in the hospital did so without recording the interview, against Police Bureau policy, said Michael Gennaco, the head of the OIR Group. Peeples, a suspect in a bank robbery, was shot and wounded when he pulled a wallet from his pocket, not a gun as officers had thought, according to the investigation. A memorial for John Andrew Elifritz, 48, outside City Team Ministries in Southeast Portland. Police shot and killed Elifritz after he burst into the homeless shelter on April 7, 2018, with a knife. -- A Multnomah Coutny prosecutor raised the potential of suicide by cop with a deputy medical examiner before grand jurors reviewing the April 2018 police shooting of John A. Elifritz, even though no Portland officer ever suggested in interviews that Elifritz was trying to intentionally engage officers in an attempt to end his life. Elifritz had run into a homeless shelter armed with a knife. The consultants questioned why the district attorney raised the issue despite the absence of any formal conclusion by either the police or the medical examiner. It "could be seen as an effort to obviate any potential criminal culpability for the officers, the report said. "It is also misleading.'' -- The consultants continue to urge the Police Bureau to interview officers who use deadly force before the end of their shifts, quicker than the 48-hour span after a shooting that is now the standard. Officers involved in Elifritzs shooting in the shelter, for example, were able to view a video of the shooting that was posted on Twitter by a witness before they were interviewed by the bureau investigators. The viewing of the video may have shaped their statements to investigators, the report said. Police leaders continue to disagree. If an officer who uses force doesnt voluntarily agree to an immediate interview, they are given 48 hours to be questioned by internal affairs. We believe the delay is necessary to fully process the scene, review witness statements, and uncover evidence that will allow us to conduct a comprehensive interview of the member, the bureau responded to the consultants. Sequoia Turner, Patrick Kimmons' girlfriend for nine years, holds photo of Kimmons and her with their two boys, now 3 and 6. Kimmons, 27, was shot and killed by Portland police Sept. 30, 2018, after he wounded two other men in a downtown parking lot, police said. -- The bureaus Training Division failed to ask pertinent questions in reviews of some police shootings, as in the Sept. 30, 2018, fatal shooting of 27-year-old Patrick Kimmons, the report said. Kimmons, who had shot two men and then ran with a gun toward officers who arrived at the scene in a downtown parking lot, presented a high threat at that moment, the consultants wrote. Yet the officers were not asked to account for whether the threat presented by Kimmons was different after Kimmons turned away from the officers and moved away from them, nor were they asked to describe the threat they interpreted when they apparently continued to fire as Kimmons turned away, the report found. At a grand jury hearing, though, the officers were asked about their decision to continue to fire at Kimmons after he darted between two parked cars in the lot. The officers testified that they still considered Kimmons a threat. He still had that gun in his right hand Im trained to essentially address and neutralize that threat, Officer Jeffrey Livingston testified. When I saw him start to go to the ground and I saw the gun drop, at that point, my reassessment says, Okay. We now have addressed that. While a fleeing and armed person remains a threat, the level of threat to the officers is certainly significantly less imminent than when an armed man is advancing toward them, the consultants wrote in the report. Kimmons was shot nine times. Two rounds hit him in the chest, while others entered his body from the side and back, the autopsy showed. Its possible the Bureau may have determined that even if the threat level had been somewhat reduced, it was unreasonable to expect the officers to stop firing in the moment, considering the dynamic nature of the event, the consultants' report said. "Regardless, it was incumbent upon the review entities to consider the entire volley of shots, and objectively evaluate the level of threat presented to the officers throughout.'' -- Five of the seven cases reviewed involved someone suffering from mental illness or some type of mental health or addiction crisis. Thats consistent with a pattern in bureau shootings cited by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2012. Of the 57 police shootings and in-custody deaths reviewed by consultants in the past 10 years, 33 involved people who were apparently in some type of mental health crisis, they found. Despite the substantial evolution in the Bureaus approach to mental health concerns, Portland police officers continue to use deadly force on people in crisis, leaving many to question how to make sense of the Department of Justice substantial compliance finding in conjunction with the number of people shot and killed by officers, the report said. We do not purport to have an answer to that question, but it is certainly related to a broader array of social concerns then just policing, including the availability of mental health and addiction treatment services, hospital practices, and poverty. The consultants latest report brings the total police shootings and in-custody deaths to 57 that the consultants have examined. The police shootings and deaths in custody span 14 years, from March 2004 through November 2018. Heres a look at the cases so far reviewed by the OIR Group, from 2004 through 2018: Case reviews by California-based consultants the OIR Group. Case reviews by California-based consultants the OIR Group. Case reviews by California-based consultants the OIR Group. Case reviews by California-based consultants the OIR Group. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page Smoking gun: An Armenian soldier fires an artillery piece during fighting with Azerbaijani forces. Photo: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OF ARMENIA VIA AP Armenia has claimed one of its warplanes was shot down by a fighter jet from Azerbaijan's ally Turkey, killing the pilot, in fighting over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Both Turkey and Azerbaijan denied it. The move would represent a major escalation in the decades-old conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region that was reignited on Sunday. It followed numerous calls from around the globe for a ceasefire. Armenian officials said an SU-25 from its air force was shot down in Armenian airspace by a Turkish F-16 fighter that took off from Azerbaijan, and the pilot was killed. The allegation was "absolutely untrue", said Fahrettin Altun, communications director for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Azerbaijani officials called it "another fantasy of the Armenian military propaganda machine". Azerbaijan's defence ministry said Armenian forces shelled the Dashkesan region in Azerbaijan. Armenian officials said opposing forces opened fire on a military unit in the Armenian town of Vardenis, setting a bus on fire and killing one civilian. Armenia's foreign ministry denied shelling the region and said the reports were laying the groundwork for Azerbaijan "expanding the geography of hostilities, including the aggression against the Republic of Armenia". Dozens of people have been killed and wounded since fighting broke out. The Nagorno-Karabakh defence ministry reported 84 servicemen killed, while Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said 10 civilians were killed on its side, without mentioning military casualties. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994 at the end of a separatist war following the break-up of the Soviet Union three years earlier. The region in the Caucasus Mountains of about 4,400 sq km is 50km from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pushed for "an immediate ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table" in phone calls with the leaders of both countries. She told them the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe offers an appropriate forum for talks and the two countries' neighbours "should contribute to the peaceful solution", said her spokesman Steffen Seibert. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to Greece that "both sides must stop the violence" and work "to return to substantive negotiations as quickly as possible". Mr Erdogan urged Armenia to withdraw immediately from the separatist region. His foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said Turkey was "by Azerbaijan's side on the field and at the [negotiating] table". Mr Cavusoglu said the international community must defend Azerbaijan's territorial integrity in the same way it defended the integrity of Ukraine and Georgia. "They are holding Azerbaijan, whose territories have been occupied, on an equal footing with Armenia. This is a wrong and unjust approach," he said after a visit to Azerbaijan's embassy in Ankara. Russia, which along with France and the US co-chairs the Minsk group set up in 1992 to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, urged every country to help facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict. "We call on all countries, especially our partners such as Turkey, to do everything to convince the opposing parties to cease fire and return to peacefully resolving the conflict by politico-diplomatic means," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The British government reportedly proposed processing asylum-seekers on a remote volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean more than 4,000 miles (6,435 kilometers) from the U.K. a plan that has been derided as inhumane and a logistical nightmare by critics. The Financial Times reported Wednesday that British Home Secretary Priti Patel had ordered officials to explore plans for building an asylum processing center on Ascension Island, a British overseas territory with a population of under 1,000. The report said Patel later appeared to have dropped the plan. Thousands of people have crossed the English Channel this year by small boats to seek asylum in the U.K. Patel has pledged to stop the record number of arrivals and to make the route unviable," and has appointed a former Royal Marine to the new role of clandestine Channel threat commander." The Home Office did not deny that the idea of transferring asylum seekers to remote islands had been considered. As ministers have said, we are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it, it said in a statement. Alan Nicholls, a member of the Ascension Island Council, told the BBC on Wednesday the proposal was unfeasible. Looking at cost and logistics, we are some 4,000-plus miles away from the UK, I would have thought it would be extremely expensive and a bit of a logistical nightmare to get asylum seekers here to Ascension, he said. The opposition Labour party said the proposal by the ruling Conservative government was inhumane, completely impractical and wildly expensive. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The court also sentenced six other defendants in the case to 10 years in jail Zagazig criminal court in the NIle Delta handed death sentences to six members of the terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood over killing of policemen in Sharqiya governorate in 2016. The court also sentenced six other defendants in the case to 10 years in jail. The verdicts can be appealed. Prosecution had charged the 13 members of the Brotherhood cell of joining the outlawed group, attempting to overthrow the government, fomenting chaos, and murder and attempted murder of policemen. Search Keywords: Short link: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is facing growing criticism within his party over the state's COVID-19 response but his leadership of the 'election-winning machine' is not under threat according to Labor insiders. Mr Andrews has faced numerous calls to resign in the wake of the coronavirus but sources says with no alternative leader yet emerging he is unlikely to be challenged for the top job. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos sensationally resigned from her position on Saturday after Mr Andrews told an inquiry she was 'accountable' for the state's doomed hotel quarantine program which has been linked to numerous deaths. Ms Mikakos is the fourth minister the under-fire premier has lost in barely three months - after three other high-ranking Labor politicians were stood down or sacked over branch-stacking allegations which emerged in June. The premier's list of detractors in the party is growing according to sources - particularly in Victorian Labor's right-wing faction - who believe he made Ms Mikakos a scapegoat, but he is likely to survive the pressure. Scroll down for video Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday. Sources inside the state's Labor Party have claimed while criticism of the under-fire leader is growing in the party room, the opposition has not yet reached 'critical mass' Ms Mikakos resigned from parliament altogether and took a parting swipe at the premier as she claimed in a statement her integrity had been 'undermined'. Mr Andrews won re-election as Victorian premier in November 2018 in a landslide victory, but a MediaReach poll earlier this month said the Liberals were now well ahead with 61.2 per cent of the vote on a two party-preferred basis. But an MP on the party's right said the number of voices critical of their premier was still not enough to force through a leadership change, The Age reported. 'Theres a few more people in the disgruntled camp today than there was 12 months ago,' the Labor MP said. 'Its got a bit more volume, but nowhere near critical mass.' A left-leaning MP inside Labor's Victorian branch said while anger was growing over Mr Andrews' response to the pandemic, his opponents had put forward no alternative for who should lead the party. Another source on the left of the party though conceded the premier would have little opportunity to earmark a successor if he chose to walk away. Young women are seen walking together along a track by Princes Park in Melbourne on Monday. An inquiry into Victoria's hotel quarantine program has heard 768 people have lost their lives in the state to COVID-19 because of the botched regime 'Hes there for as long as he wants, hes an election-winning machine, no one would argue against that. But if he says "Ive had enough, by the way, Im off, and this is what I want", thats a kiss of death well do the exact opposite of that,' the MP said. One MP from the right faction said Mr Andrews' authority had been 'chipped away at' due to his comments about Ms Mikakos during his appearance last week at the hotel quarantine inquiry. But an MP on the party's left said a leadership challenge should be the furthest thought from the minds of Victorian Labor members. Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos stepped down from her role on Saturday after Mr Andrews said she was 'accountable' for hotel quarantine in the state. A Labor source there is anger due to the belief he threw Ms Mikakos under the bus over the crisis Daniel Andrews celebrates his re-election in November 2018. An unnamed MP said the Victorian Labor leader is an 'election-winning machine' Earlier on Tuesday, it emerged the taxpayer-funded budget for the inquiry into Victoria's bungled hotel quarantine program had blown out to $5.7million. Mr Andrews has approved an extra $2.7million to the inquiry board, on top of the $3million originally allocated by the Victorian government. So far, 794 Victorians have died and five million Melburnians have been forced to endure weeks of Stage Four lockdown. The inquiry heard of that total, 768 had died because of outbreaks at the botched hotel quarantine program responsible for the state's deadly second wave of cases. The inquiry is now sifting through the final submissions and more than 200,000 documents after six weeks of hearings ended last week. The independent inquiry into the bungled program is being chaired by Jennifer Coate The inquiry's final findings will be handed down November 6. The public hearings have already been slammed by some commentators and Victorians, after it did not find the person responsible for allowing private security guards to work in the hotels. Victoria recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths on Wednesday, bringing down the 14-day average to 16.4 in Melbourne and 0.3 in regional Victoria. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 29) The Philippine economy will see a deeper slump this year as the COVID-19 crisis remains uncontained in the country, pushing more people into poverty, the World Bank said. In its latest report, the World Bank said it expected a full-year contraction of 6.9 percent, with the worst-case scenario of a 9.9 percent crash for the Philippines. This is a big downgrade from its June forecast of a 1.9 percent contraction, and is steeper than the government's -5.5 percent estimate for 2020. READ: Gov't sees PH economy shrinking by 5.5% in 2020 with deeper slump, return to MECQ "Indonesia and the Philippines face uncertain prospects. The regions two most populous countries after China have not so far succeeded in controlling the pandemic," the multilateral lender said in its October 2020 Economic Update for East Asia and the Pacific. It noted that the country has been on a "cycle of repeated strict lockdowns and reopenings." "Both countries have the advantage of young populations but suffer from large informal sectors and poor living conditions for a large fraction of their population," the report added. Output has so far contracted by 9 percent as of June. World Bank economist for the Philippines Rong Qian said signs point to a better third quarter outturn, coming from a record 16.5 percent fall in the country's gross domestic product from April-June. Fiji, largely reliant on tourism, will see the sharpest drop in output at 21.7 percent this year, followed by Thailand at 8.3 percent. The Philippines will suffer the third-biggest plunge across Developing East Asia and the Pacific from baseline projections. The World Bank added that the Philippines faces more challenging prospects given its greater reliance on global trade, tourism, and remittances, which could lead to an "uneven and volatile" path to economic recovery. Domestic economic activity has recovered in Asian states which have already contained the spread of the virus. "Poverty in the region is projected to increase for the first time in 20 years: as many as 38 million people are expected to remain in, or be pushed back into poverty as a result of the pandemic (based on the upper-middle income poverty line of $5.50 a day)," the bank said. Of these, 33 million would have otherwise escaped poverty if the pandemic did not hit, while another 5 million may be dragged back to poverty. Qian said a little over two million Filipinos could be driven into poverty, with the "new poor" made up of workers unable to work or make a living due to the COVID-19 crisis. She added that the Philippine economy will likely return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, but the risk of another spike in infections and a return to lockdowns could bog down the path to growth. "Recovery will be very slow but if the vaccine is available early next year, the recovery may be accelerated," Qian said in a Tuesday media briefing. World Bank country director Ndiame Diop added that cash transfers and cash-for-work programs are the way to go in easing poverty, noting that every peso placed directly on the hands of the vulnerable will be crucial in easing their struggles and in boosting domestic consumption. Stronger spending will also stimulate communities and breathe life into small businesses, which have also been hit hard by the crisis. RELATED: No more SAP cash aid for 2021, Palace says Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government is pushing for the gradual reopening of the tourism industry in a bid to pluck "new poor" Filipinos out of poverty, and providing credit to overseas Filipino workers displaced by the global crisis to help them bounce back. Public policies should focus on "smart containment" measures that will address infections with minimal economic disruptions, alongside greater relief spending. Wider social protection must cover the existing and new poor, such as cash transfers, the lender said. Aaditya Mattoo, World Bank's chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific region, said investing in testing and tracing capacity will be the way forward in the absence of a vaccine. READ: Economic team tells IATF to reopen more industries as vaccine not expected until mid-2021 Other economies in the region are faring better in putting the coronavirus outbreaks under control, with some beating the first wave of infections already. The World Bank compared the COVID-19 response of Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines where it found that contact tracing capacity in the Philippines remains "weak," against Vietnam's "strong" testing capacity that included a patient's close contacts early on. RELATED: How Vietnam managed to keep its coronavirus death toll at zero The region is seen to manage a 0.9 percent growth this year, only pulled up by China, Vietnam and Myanmar as most economies are poised to contract. A growth rebound is seen for 2021 at 7.4 percent. The Philippines should likewise return to its growth path after this year's recession, managing 5.3 percent in 2021 and 5.6 percent the year after. However, this is weaker than the 6.5-7.5 percent projected by President Rodrigo Duterte's economic team. Fastmarkets price assessment for November shipments of steel heavy plate export, fob China main port was $505-510 per tonne for the week ended Tuesday September 29, down by $5 per tonne from $510-515 per tonne fob a week earlier A Shanghai-based trader said a trading house based in Zhejiang province had sold small quantities of plate to South America. The transaction was concluded using an A36 base price of $505-510 per tonne fob, he said. A Zhejiang-based... Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here. About two dozen schools across the state have paused in-person classes so far this school year because students and teachers have tested positive for the coronavirus. In most cases, the switch to all-remote learning is temporary -- typically for a few to as many as 14 days. And many districts have only had to send home students from one school, where the cases of COVID-19 were found, but students at other schools in that district continue in-person learning. Gov. Phil Murphy has said that about 400 school districts started the school year doing a mix of remote and in-person learning, about 300 are fully-remote and 75 are doing only in-person instruction. The state Department of Health issued guidelines for schools on how to handle positive cases, when to ask students to quarantine and when schools need to switch to remote learning. Among the recommendations is to shut down the school if two or more people in multiple classrooms get sick within 14 days and a clear connection between the cases cannot be easily identified. Closure is a local decision that should be made by school administrators in consultation with local public health, the state guidelines say. Here are the districts we know to be affected so far. This list will be updated throughout the day as new information becomes available: Bergen County Mahwah: Two schools in the township informed parents Sept. 21 that they had positive cases of coronavirus. Mahwah High School moved to remote learning Tuesday, Sept. 22. Its on-site hybrid model will resume Thursday, Oct. 1. And a staff member at Ramapo Ridge Middle School tested positive for COVID-19. That school did remote learning beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22. On-site classes for the middle school will resume Oct. 6. Joyce Kilmer, a school for fourth and fifth grades, notified parents Wednesday that it would move to remote learning while it does contact tracing for a staff member who tested positive for coronavirus. Woodcliff Lake: Woodcliff Lake Middle School closed for 14 days after a teacher reported testing positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 10, Superintendent Lauren Barbelet told NJ Advance Media. The districts administrative team notified families and other staff members who came in close contact with the teacher on Sept. 8. The school reopened on Wednesday. Burlington County Medford Township: Lenape High School in the Lenape Regional High School District was closed Sept. 18 because a second COVID-19 case was discovered there. The school was reopened for in-person classes Monday, Sept. 21, principal Tony Cattani said in a letter sent home to parents. Gloucester County Washington Township: School officials announced Saturday, Sept. 12 that three district staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. Hurffville Elementary School, which had two of the staff cases, will be closed for 14 days. Hybrid instruction was scheduled to resume on Sept. 28. Washington Township High School, which had one staff member test positive, also suspended in-person classes with the exception of some special education students. Remote learning was extended for the high school on Wednesday, Sept. 23 until Sept. 28 because another staff member and several students reported testing positive on Tuesday, according to a letter to the school community from Superintendent Joseph N. Bollendorf. Hunterdon County MIlford: Holland Township School closed for one day, on Sept. 17, for contact tracing and a deep cleaning after one person reported testing positive for the coronavirus, according to a letter on the schools website. Mercer County Pennington: Hopewell Valley Regional School District said Wednesday, Sept. 16 that one case of COVID-19 was found at Central High School. The school was closed to staff and students until Monday, Sept. 21 to allow for deep cleaning, superintendent Thomas Smith said in a letter sent to parents. Middlesex County East Brunswick: A freshman at Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools campus in East Brunswick campus tested positive for the coronavirus, officials announced Sept. 10. That campus did only virtual learning until Sept. 22. Half-day, in-person classes resumed on Sept. 23. The county vo-tech school system also has campuses in Edison, Perth Amboy, Piscataway and Woodbridge. Those schools remained open under a hybrid plan of in-person and remote learning. West Windsor-Plainsboro: Community Middle School closed Sept. 16 for in-person instruction and was closed through Friday, Sept. 18 after one staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. No students have been sickened in the district. In-person classes resumed Monday, Sept. 21. Monmouth County Howell: Griebling Elementary School switched to remote instruction for 14 days on Sept. 12 for some students after a person in the pre-kindergarten through grade 2 school tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a letter from school officials to parents. Howell Township Schools opened Sept. 10 to students who were broken into two cohorts. Half attend in-person Monday and Tuesday and the other half attend Thursday and Friday. Lincroft: Christian Brothers Academy moved to all virtual learning beginning Thursday, Sept. 25 through Friday, Oct. 9. In person classes are scheduled to resume Oct. 14, after the holiday weekend. Three students tested positive for COVID-19 within the past two weeks, although the cases seem to have originated outside of school, President Brother Frank Byrne said in a statement on the schools website. The all-boys Catholic High School has about 880 students. Little Silver: A student at Markham Place Middle School tested positive for COVID-19 on the second day of classes, Superintendent Michael Ettore said in a letter to parents. As a result, students in cohort A of the sixth grade were asked to stay home from school as of Thursday, Sept. 10 until further notice for remote learning, he said last week. The school serves students in fifth through eighth grades. Township of Ocean: Ocean Township High School has suspended in-person instruction from Wednesday, Sept. 23 until Tuesday, Sept. 29 because of three related COVID-19 cases. School officials told parents about the first case in a message Sept. 18. That student had not been in school during school hours but attended an outdoor extra curricular activity last week. The second case was reported Sept. 21 and on Sept. 22 the third case was reported, according to a message to parents Tuesday from Superintendent Jim Stefankiewicz. Morris County Chatham: Chatham High School on Sept. 9 announced it switched to remote learning two days into the districts planned hybrid school year after a student tested positive for the coronavirus. This case may be linked to a non-school event that took place over the holiday weekend, Chatham Superintendent Michael LaSusa said. An undisclosed number of additional cases were identified among students, according to a Sept. 11 letter from LaSusa to the staff and parents. Chatham High School said it would reopen Sept. 29. East Hanover: Schools in the district will be virtual until Sept. 30 after a coronavirus case that affects multiple schools, a notice posted on the districts website says. Long Valley: Long Valley Middle School was closed from Sept. 14 through Sept. 18 after an individual tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a letter from school administrators. Morristown: Morristown High School switched to all-remote instruction three days starting Tuesday after a person affiliated with the school tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said. Morris School District officials said 37 people are quarantining for 14 days and that a close contact of the person who tested positive is also displaying symptoms and is waiting for test result. The district described infected person as a member of the Morristown High School community and didnt say if the person is a student or staff member. Passaic County Pompton Lakes: Pompton Lakes High School reopened Sept. 29 after moving all students to remote learning on Wednesday, Sept. 15 because school officials learned that a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Three upperclassman from the high school tested positive the previous week. Those cases did not disrupt classes because they were linked to an exposure that was not related to the school setting, Superintendent Paul Amoroso said in a letter to the community. Sussex County Frankford Township: The district switched to virtual instruction for two weeks after a student tested positive for the coronavirus on Sept. 11, Frankford Township Superintendent Braden Hirsch said. Frankford Township has one, pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school with about 500 students. Union County Cranford: Cranford High School reopened Tuesday, Sept. 29 after a person tested positive for COVID-19. The transmission occurred at a non-school event, Superintendent Scott Rubin said in a statement to parents. And one classroom at Hillside Avenue School was unable to have in-person instruction Tuesday, Sept. 29 while the township health department conducts contact tracing, Rubin said in a statement to the community Tuesday. That classroom will be back in-person Wednesday, Rubin said. Elizabeth: Teachers in Elizabeth will work from home until Oct. 2 after at least three staff members tested positive for coronavirus. Students had been distance learning since the school year started but teachers were working from their classrooms. Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy was closed Friday, Sept. 11 for cleaning after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus. The other sick staffers work at Mabel G. Holmes School No. 5 and Juan Pablo Duarte-Jose Marti School No. 28, school officials said. Westfield: Westfield High School switched to virtual instruction on Sept. 16 for two weeks after seven students tested positive for the coronavirus, the district superintendent wrote in an email to parents and guardians. Westfield High School reopened on Sept. 10 to a hybrid plan of in-person and virtual instruction. It plans to return to a hybrid calendar on Oct. 1. Warren County Belvidere: The entire school district moved to virtual instruction on Friday, Sept. 18 because of a positive COVID-19 case. All district buildings were thoroughly cleaned and reopened on Monday, Sept. 21, according to Superintendent Chris Carrubba. The New Jersey Department of Health issued several matrices to help schools decide if and when they should ask students to quarantine or shut down school buildings if someone tests positive for COVID-19. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- UBS announced today that Carol Mani Johnston, a financial advisor in the firm's San Antonio office, has been named to Working Mother and SHOOK Research's 2020 list of Top Wealth Advisor Moms. Working Mother and SHOOK Research rank advisors based on the volume of assets overseen by the advisors and their team, revenues generated for the firm, and the quality of the advisor's practices. The list is comprised of 300 financial advisors and criteria is based on quality of practice, industry experience, working mother status, compliance record, assets under management and algorithm results by SHOOK research. "We're proud of Carol and her continued dedication to her clients, the firm and her family," said Sam Parker, Central Texas-Market Head at UBS Wealth Management USA. "Carol has all of the qualities of an exceptional UBS advisor and we are lucky to have her serve in the Central Texas market. She is an exceptional leader and great role model for others in the firm." Building upon 20 years of discretionary portfolio management, Carol focuses her holistic practice on retirement planning, generational planning through trusts, life insurance and estate preservation and protection using long-term care insurance. Her own experience with the costs and challenges of elder care gave her valuable insight into the financial realities that many will face but are often unprepared to tackle. Outside of work, Carol serves on a number of different charitable boards, including an eight-year term for the Ronald McDonald House Charities during their expansion phase from one to three facilities in San Antonio. She served on the board of the Friends of the McNay Art Museum and currently participates in the Battle of Flowers Women's organization, which celebrates the rich heritage of Texas. For the full list and further information visit: https://www.workingmother.com/top-wealth-advisor-moms-2020 About UBS Global Wealth Management As the world's largest wealth manager, UBS Global Wealth Management provides comprehensive advice, solutions and services to wealthy families and individuals around the world. Clients who work with UBS benefit from a fully integrated set of wealth management capabilities and expertise, including wealth planning, investment management, capital markets, banking, lending and institutional and corporate financial advice. Media Contact: Kaitlin Ross Pierpont Communications 713-627-2223 https://www.ubs.com UBS 2020. All rights reserved. The key symbol and UBS are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of UBS. Working Mother and SHOOK Research Top Wealth Advisor Moms is comprised of 300 financial advisors. The criteria is based on quality of practice, industry experience, working mother status, compliance record, assets under management, revenue and algorithm results by SHOOK Research. Neither UBS Financial Service Inc. or its employees pay a fee in exchange for these ratings. Past performance is not an indication of future results. SOURCE UBS Global Wealth Management Related Links https://www.ubs.com Xiaomi could soon launch Redmi phones powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 750G processor, according to the popular tipster Digital Chat Station Xiaomi could soon launch Redmi phones powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 750G processor, according to the popular tipster, Digital Chat Station. Xiaomi is rumoured to be developing new Redmi phones powered by the two flagship chipsets and is expected to launch these phones in China first. While not much known about these Redmi phones, there are rumours that Xiaomi could launch the Redmi Note 10 series soon. According to a post by the Twitter handle Digital Chat Station, Xiaomi is preparing to launch Snapdragon 865 and 750G-powered phones under its Redmi sub-brand. These phones are expected to feature high-refresh-rate LCD screens and a high-capacity battery to boot. The tipster hasnt revealed any more information about the upcoming phones, but we expect to know more in the coming weeks. Dont worry, Redmi will soon be Shanghai overseas with the same Snapdragon 750G/Snapdragon 865 new machine, and those who like high-brush LCD large batteries can wait [halo] Digital Chat Station (@StationChat) September 30, 2020 As for the Redmi Note 10 series, it has been leaked previously after being certified and listed on Chinas regulatory authority TENAA as well as Geekbench. The two listings revealed key features of the Redmi Note 10 series but those arent in line with the latest information as the Geekbench listing states that the phones run on MediaTek DImensity processor. Moreover, a new report indicates that Xiaomi could announce the Redmi Note 10 series in October and the phones may be rebranded versions of the Mi 10T series that is scheduled to launch later today. Meanwhile, heres everything we know about the Redmi Note 10 that leaked online previously. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G leaked specifications Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G features a 6.57-inch Full HD+ resolution display that uses an AMOLED panel. The phone measures 8.99mm thin and weigh around 206 grams. It is powered by an octa-core processor clocked at upto 2.6GHz and is paired with 4GB/6GB/8GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB storage options to choose from. The phone also supports microSD card up to 2TB for storage expansion. The Redmi Note 10 5G has a triple camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 48MP camera with support for EIS and LED flash. The other two cameras use an ultra-wide-angle lens and a depth sensor. On the front, theres a 16MP selfie camera tucked away in the waterdrop notch. The listing indicates that the Note 10 5G has an in-display fingerprint sensor and doesnt lose out on 3.5 mm audio jack. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G packs in a 4,500mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging out-of-the-box. Anunt de selectare a participantilor si participantelor la cel de-al doilea curs de instruire din cadrul Programului educational pentru dezvoltarea competentelor lucratorilor de tineret New Delhi, Sep 30 : The Director General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) has asked HOEC to respect and follow the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) in PY-3 oil block. DGH has asked HOEC to pay bank guarantee for 10 per cent of its share of budget in 30 days' time, starting September 22. Sources say that the Petroleum Ministry wants to pursue the target of reducing oil imports by 10 percent at any cost and has therefore given instruction to DGH to implement each project diligently. DGH, in turn, has indicated to HOEC that if it fails to comply by the PSC than under the contract it will be evicted from the oil block. The 20-21 per cent stake of HOEC will be distributed amongst ONGC, Hardy Exploration and Tata Petrodyne as per the ratio of their holding in the block. Industry observers note that HOEC single handedly stopped the production from the prolific PY-3 fields in 2011 when it declined to pay the due to the service provider. The issue was dragged to an arbitration court in Malaysia. The operator of the block, Hardy, cleared all the dues. However, HOEC again refused to pay the operator as well. The arbitration court asked all the players to pay the operator. ONGC and Tata Petrodyne paid their amount to Hardy Exploration. But HOEC yet again used the delaying tactic and sat on the order till the last day to appeal. HOEC has not even paid the dues of the arbitrators in this case. Sources say that HOEC is probably not investing in PY-3 oil block as it does not have enough monetary resources because of its mounting liabilities. An industry report says that the company wants to raise some funds by selling its entire participating interest in PY-3 so that it can payback the debtors. However, considering DGH's nudge, HOEC may not be able to sustain its delaying tactic any further. The PY-3 oil block in the Bay of Bengal has the potential of one per cent of India's oil production. This will help in lowering the dependence on oil imports and hence play a big role in India's endeavors to become self-reliant (Aatmanirbhar). Ramping up production from discovered oil and gas fields could help the country achieve the target of lowering imports by 10 percent, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Unfortunately, the PY-3 oil field has been shut for almost 10 years now. Considering PY-3 contributing an incremental 1 percent of domestic production (approx $132 million per annum) India has probably incurred a loss worth more than $1 billion (Rs 8,000 crore). Sources say, gauging the seriousness of the situation, Directorate General of Hydrocarbon (DGH) -- technical arm of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) -- called a meeting of operators. The participants included state owned oil major ONGC, which has a 40 per cent participating interest in the block. However, the DGH faced a stiff resistance from Chennai based Hindustan Oil Exploration Company (HOEC), which seems to have stalled the project all this while. All the players in the PY-3 oil block - HOEC, ONGC, Hardy Exploration and Tata Petrodyne -attended this meeting. Barring HOEC, all the players including the government nominees from DGH and MoPNG agreed on the work program (WP) and the full budget to re-start the production from this crucial oil field. Sources in the government said that HOEC has 21 per cent participating interest in the oil block but the company is not ready to pay 21 per cent of the approved work program of $7.7million for 2020-21. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The companies will jointly commercialize the medicine to make it available to physicians and patients across Japan Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Eisai Co., Ltd. have announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted Gilead K.K. (Tokyo, Japan) regulatory approval of Jyseleca (filgotinib 200 mg and 100 mg tablets), a once-daily, oral, JAK1 preferential inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapies, including the prevention of structural joint damage. Gilead Japan will hold the marketing authorization of Jyseleca in Japan and will be responsible for product supply of Jyseleca in Japan, while Eisai will be responsible for product distribution of Jyseleca in Japan in RA. The companies will jointly commercialize the medicine to make it available to physicians and patients across Japan. Gilead is developing Jyseleca in collaboration with Galapagos NV (Mechelen, Belgium). The two companies are conducting global studies investigating the potential role of Jyseleca in a variety of diseases, including the previously reported Phase 3 SELECTION trial in ulcerative colitis. Despite progress in the treatment of RA, existing therapies have not enabled many patients to reach the treatment goals recommended in clinical guidelines. There continues to be a need for effective and well-tolerated new treatment options, said Tsutomu Takeuchi, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine and Chief of Rheumatology at the School of Medicine, Keio University. Jyseleca is a new JAK inhibitor that, in clinical trials, has demonstrated clinical improvement, low disease activity and clinical remission in a broad patient population, including patients with inadequate response to biologics. Ukraine's movement towards the European Union is a key priority for the Government in the coming years, therefore, at almost every meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers approves European integration documents. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said this at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday, September 30, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "The EU-Ukraine Summit will take place in Brussels on October 6. Yesterday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine's movement towards the European Union is even more relevant than before, and we certainly agree that this is a key priority for our work for the coming years. Therefore, we are constantly working and making important decisions on European integration in the field of ecology, education, business support, and deregulation in many other areas," Shmyhal said. He added that at almost every meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers approves European integration regulations and other by-laws. In this context, Shmyhal said that at today's meeting, the government, together with the EU, has prepared three new agreements totaling EUR 60 million to help small and medium-sized businesses in the context of their greening, to support the regions of eastern Ukraine, and to develop civic society. ish The council said after a closed-door session in New York that its 15 member states strongly condemn the use of force and regret the loss of life and the toll on the civilian population. Security Council members voiced support for the call by the [UN] Secretary General on the sides to immediately stop fighting, de-escalate tensions and return to meaningful negotiations without delay, it said in a statement. Security Council members expressed their full support for the central role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and urge the sides to work closely with them for an urgent resumption of dialogue without preconditions, added the statement. The Minsk Group is co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France, three of the councils five permanent members. The mediating powers have also expressed concern about the dramatic escalation of the Karabakh conflict in separate statements made in recent days. The Security Council meeting was reportedly initiated by Estonia. Armenias and Azerbaijans ambassadors to the UN did not attend it. The council had not discussed the Karabakh dispute since 1993. Yerevan and Baku blame each other for the outbreak early on Sunday of large-scale fighting along the line of contact around Karabakh which has left dozens and possibly hundreds of soldiers dead. In separate interviews with a Russian TV channel aired earlier on Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also accused each other of obstructing peace process. The Armenian prime minister publicly declares that Karabakh is [part of] Armenia, period. In this case, what kind of negotiating process can we talk about? Aliyev said. Pashinian stated, for his part, that the Azerbaijani offensive in Karabakh has failed. Azerbaijans armed forces have failed to achieve their objective, he said. I hope this will make Azerbaijan realize that there is no military solution to this conflict. The hostilities continued on the night from Tuesday and Wednesday and in the following hours. Both sides reported heavy artillery fire at northern sections of the line of contact. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in the morning that Armenian forces are shelling the Goranboy district just north of Karabakh. Karabakhs Armenian-backed army said, meanwhile, that Azerbaijani warplanes and drones are firing rockets at its frontline positions in the mountainous area. PORTLAND, Ore. - The top U.S. prosecutor in Oregon on Wednesday rejected a request from Portlands mayor to end the federal deputation of dozens of police officers as part of the response to ongoing protests, saying it was the only way to end lawlessness. In a joint statement, U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy J. Williams and Russ Berger, the U.S. Marshal in the state, swatted down Mayor Ted Wheelers request and called him out for a lack of leadership that they said has allowed acts of violence to overshadow more than four months of nearly nightly protests since the death of George Floyd. Wheeler said Tuesday that he had asked the U.S. attorneys office to withdraw the designation that deputized the officers. Deputizing the Portland officers gives federal prosecutors the option to charge anyone arrested by those officers with federal crimes, which often come with more severe penalties than the state crimes for which local police usually make arrests. It also allows law enforcement a route around Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidts decision not to file state charges against hundreds of protesters arrested for lower-level and non-violent offences, a policy that has angered some in the law enforcement community. Portland has seen protests almost every night since Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis. Many of them have ended with some protesters vandalizing police and other government buildings, setting fires, shining lasers into the eyes of police and throwing objects at officers. Last week, violence reached a new level when protesters hurled three firebombs into a line of advancing police officers. Wheeler has declined offers of assistance from federal law enforcement and Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, has declined to call up the National Guard. Trump sent U.S. agents from the Department of Homeland Security to guard a federal courthouse in July, setting of two weeks of intense protests and clashes with federal authorities in a two-block area of downtown. Those agents withdrew in late July, however, after a deal brokered by Brown that saw Oregon State Police take over crowd control. Williams and Berger said rank-and-file law enforcement needed more support as the protests approach their fifth month. Importantly, the federal deputation supports front line law enforcement officers and their families in a way that they have not seen from City Hall. Portlanders, and Oregonians in general, are sick of the boarded-up and dangerous conditions prevalent in downtown Portland due to a lack of leadership, the statement said. We call upon citizens of this city and state to denounce violence, demand accountability, and work together to end the violence. Fifty-six Portland officers were deputized before a rally in the city last weekend by the far-right Proud Boys group. Portland city officials apparently did not know that their officers federal deputization status would last until the end of this year. A key feature of the designation is that anyone who assaults a federally deputized official could be subject to federal charges, Wheelers statement said. Fortunately, I am confident the Multnomah County district attorney will continue to prosecute anyone who assaults or otherwise harms police officers or others. In an email to the U.S. attorneys office obtained by Oregon Public Broadcasting, Portland city attorney Tracy Reeve wrote that city leaders had been under the impression that the deputization would end with the termination of the governors state of emergency declared only for last weekends protests, which ended Sunday evening. During Tuesdays presidential debate, President Donald Trump refused to condemn armed militias. When prompted about the Proud Boys, he said: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. The president also referenced the Portland protests in his remarks. On Wednesday, Wheeler condemned Trumps statements on the Proud Boys. Yesterday morning, City leaders met with the Western States Center for a training about the history and tactics of white supremacy. We learned about its hallmarks, and how to recognize it, he said. Then, last night, we saw it in action when Donald Trump refused to denounce white supremacy, and in his not-so-veiled call for his supporters to engage in intimidation at the polls and elsewhere. The Proud Boys have visited the city several times since Trumps election, often drawing a response from hundreds of counterprotesters. Alan Swinney, a member of the Proud Boys, was booked Wednesday on suspicions of a dozen charges, including allegations he pointed a revolver at counterprotesters and fired a paintball gun and mace at them on two separate occasions in August. Swinney, who is scheduled for a court appearance Thursday, was charged in a secret indictment Sept. 11 but not arrested until Wednesday. An attorney for Swinney was not listed in court records. Swinney remained in custody Wednesday and it wasnt immediately clear if he had retained an attorney or would be assigned a public defender. Protests in Portland continued overnight Tuesday. Authorities said arrests were made after police told protesters not to go on the property of a public safety building and officers towed a vehicle that had shields, helmets, gas masks and paintball guns that demonstrators may have planned to use. Two juveniles were detained and released and a man was arrested on a charge of interfering with a peace officer, disorderly conduct, trespass and escape, according to police. ____ Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus The other victim, about the same age as the man fatally shot, suffered a wound to the left leg and got himself to the hospital but his condition was not immediately known, police said. Donald Trump and Joe Biden during the debate on October 22 (Image: AP) The first US presidential debate for the November 3 elections was held earlier today (0630 IST), between incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden. It was the most chaotic of such debates that I have watched closely since the 2008 cycle. This was perhaps to be expected given Trumps provocative style, and it was marked by his repeated interruptions of his opponent, for which he was called out by the moderator on several occasions. Biden did not have any particular high moment, but he held his ground contrary to Trump campaign projections of a disoriented and aged person. The takeaways for commentators and analysts, till the next debate scheduled for October 15, were Trumps refusal to criticise white supremacist groups and actually naming one and asking them to stand back, stand by, and predicting election fraud in mail-in ballots and a contested election result and no clear decision for days, weeks, months after the election. There were also some unseemly personal attacks. Trump wanted to rope in references to Bidens son who had remunerative arrangements from companies in Ukraine, Russia and China. Biden did not attack any member of the Presidents family, but slipped in comments about Trump being racist, Putins puppy, a clown, doesnt know what he is talking about, doesnt have a plan, and that he was the worst President America has ever had. Reflecting the issues current in US politics, the debate focused on nomination of next Supreme Court Justice, response to COVID-19, economy, Trumps federal income tax payment, race and violence, law and order, climate change, integrity of the election and Trump and Bidens respective records in governance. On these issues, there were no surprises, with respective positions having been already laid out during the campaign so far. Trump stuck to his position that he had been elected for four years, not three, and was empowered to nominate the next judge for the Supreme Court, especially with a Republican controlled Senate. Biden argued that the election process and early balloting had already begun, and nomination should await the winner of the election. On COVID-19, Trump repeated his claims that he had shut the US early enough, was mobilising for an early vaccine, and it was a problem attributable to Chinese hiding of early data. Biden criticised him for not following science, muzzling his infectious disease advisers, and giving conflicting signals on preventive measures including use of masks and social distancing. Trump argued that the economy was doing extremely well during his watch till January, with historically low unemployment levels, and was now bouncing back after the initial shock over April-June. He also criticised Democratic governors for not opening early enough, with negative economic impact. Biden claimed credit for coordinating the successful US response to the 2008 financial crisis, and that the economy had done far better in the last three years of the Barack Obama administration than in the first three years under Trump. He also drew attention to the recent New York Times report of Trump not having paid any income tax for years, and only $750 in 2017 when he was President, when even teachers were paying more than him. While denying this, Trump asserted that he only exploited loopholes and provisions in existing laws in which Biden was, in a way, complicit as a Congressman, Senator and Vice-President for years. It was on race, violence, law and order that there was a play for some of the undecided voters. Biden criticised Trump for doing dog whistles to white supremacists, ending race sensitivity training for police, and emphasised the need for law and order with justice. He acknowledged that there was systemic injustice in education, work, law enforcement and justice in US, there was need for accountability in harsh police action, and that peaceful protests were legitimate. He called out Trump for being a racist, for looking down on Irish Catholics, and people who do not have money among others. Trump faulted him for not criticising violence in the protests, and for earlier support for tough anti-crime laws that disproportionately incarcerated African Americans. Biden reiterated his stance of rejoining the Paris 2015 accord on Climate Change, supporting renewable energy, electric vehicles, and energy efficient technologies. Trump referred to harmful economic impacts of Climate Change-focused regulations. Talking of his record as President, Trump spoke of rebuilding of US military through enhanced budgetary provisions, better healthcare for military veterans, and appointing an unprecedented number of federal, court of appeal, and Supreme Court justices in his three years-plus. Biden criticised him for making America weaker, sicker, poorer, more divided and more violent. Trump made two unnecessary negative references to India, equating us with Russia and China in hiding COVID-19 figures and being major emitter of greenhouse gases. The process can be expected to get bitterer in the ensuing weeks, with growing anxiety in US and elsewhere about how the post-election process plays out. This could create some uncertainties for both the US and global economy. There will be many, many real polls and opinions about what happened Tuesday night when, for the first time, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden shared the same stage. But for now, lets enjoy the responses of veteran GOP pollster Frank Luntzs Zoom focus group of 15 undecided voters in swing states. Immediately after the debate came to a close, Luntz sprung to action conducting digitally (this year) what is normally done in a blank room in a business park somewhere in the suburbs of an anodyne American city. Advertisement By Luntzs count, the most [insert adjective] debate in American history left nine (nine!) focus group participants still undecided. One who did not remain undecided was nouveau American icon Ruthie from Pennsylvania, who unleashed a real corker of the internet age, describing Trumps debate performance as trying to win an argument with a crackhead. When the rest of the undecidedsnine of which were men and six womenwere asked to use actual words to describe the two candidates and their performance Tuesday night, this is what they had to say (via Politico): Despite their indecisiveness, most described Trump in a negative light, including one of the participants who was leaning toward voting for the president. The voters characterized Trump as unhinged, arrogant, forceful, a bully, chaotic and un-American. When asked to describe Biden they offered: better than expected, politician, compassion, coherent, and a nice guy lacking vision. Coherent! Nice guy lacking vision! Not exactly a slam-dunk endorsement, but better than the alternative. Slap it on a bumper sticker and lets get voting! A friend in California once found a raccoon cookie jar at a thrift store. Obviously, it was meant for McKanes collection. The friend mentioned it to her neighbor, who happened to know some people traveling to Nebraska. These friends picked it up, hand carried it on the plane, and brought it over to my house, McKane said. I couldn't believe it. I didn't even know these people. She guesses she regularly receives raccoons from 15 different states. It's interesting to see where they come from, and who has heard about my collection, she said. McKane is in contact with only one other serious raccoon collector shes been able to find who lives in Illinois, and theyve sent each other many items over the years. It is nice to know that there's somebody else out there, she said. She often searches online to find other raccoon collectors, but hasnt had any luck yet. By Trend Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova has sent a letter of gratitude to Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Shentop, Trend reports citing the Parliament. The letter says that Azerbaijan met with great enthusiasm the Joint Declaration adopted on September 28, 2020, by the four parties represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, in which the next act of aggression and provocation of Armenia is strongly condemned. On her own behalf and all members of the Parliament, Gafarova expressed gratitude for the fact that the Turkish parties expressed a decisive and fair position. Azerbaijan, using the right granted to it by international law, is fighting for the liberation of its lands from the Armenian occupation. As a peace-loving state, Azerbaijan has been patiently waiting for a peaceful resolution of the conflict at the negotiating table for the past 30 years. Azerbaijan demanded the implementation of decisions and resolutions of numerous international organizations led by the UN and the OSCE to resolve the conflict on the basis of restoring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. However, for 30 years Armenia has not complied with these resolutions, and the international community has not put pressure on it to implement these decisions. As a result, this led to the fact that unpunished Armenia again launched an offensive against Azerbaijan, trying to occupy new territories. But these attempts by the Armenians were in vain thanks to the determination of the valiant Azerbaijani army. Were convinced that the glorious Azerbaijani army will very soon completely liberate the occupied territories and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan will be restored, said the letter. The letter stressed that the mentioned Declaration has again shown that Azerbaijan and Turkey are always close in all matters of a national nature. STAMFORD A city man who got into a fight with workers at a Chinese restaurant in the city, and claimed he became enraged after having found a fried mouse in his food, will have to spend three months in jail after pleading guilty to criminal charges connected with the incident late last week. Antwaun Boyd, 27, of Stamford, pleaded guilty on Friday to second-degree assault and breach of peace charges in return for a 90-day sentence. He had faced as many as 25 months in jail. Boyd began serving his sentence Friday. Mark Sherman, Boyds Stamford criminal defense lawyer, said Judge John Blawies sentencing was thoughtful and fair in light of the case circumstances and severity of the victims injuries. While Antwan was hoping to avoid jail, the Courts sentence allows him to continue to move upward and forward in his young life, and continue his community service work and his dream to become a professional athlete, he said. During his sentencing, Sherman highlighted Boyds meaningful work with the Stamford Peace Youth Foundation, whose chief executive Lenwood Latta submitted a letter of support for Boyd. Latta told Blawie that Boyd regularly taught students to think before you react, a lesson that Sherman explained to the Court was learned by Boyd in this case. Police were called to China Xpress on Selleck Street on August 2, 2018 when Boyd and his grandmother went to the restaurant to confront employees about the mouse he found in his delivery order from the night before. According to what Boyd told police, the employee examined the rice and removed the mouse to show there was no rodent inside the carton. A fight then broke out between restaurant employees and Boyd who was joined by several friends, police said. A cashier and manager at the restaurant said he suffered a broken nose and collarbone and needed stitches. police as Boyd argued with the cashier and was trying to lure the employee outside for a fight. Sun said Boyd went outside and called several friends who he claims started attacking the cashier. Police said Boyd punched the manager in the face, prompting other kitchen employees to join the fight and hit the men with spoons. Boyd fled the with his friends, leaving his grandmother at the restaurant where police said an employee struck her with a wooden spoon. China Xpress refuted the claim that a mouse was served to Boyd. A cashier told The Stamford Advocate right after the incident, Truth is truth, said Ray Sun. Its common sense. Mice in a box ... unbelievable. Or Id say, impossible. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com More Democratic voters than Republican ones in key battleground states have requested and returned their mail-in ballots for the November election - a sign that has GOP strategists worried President Donald Trump's attack on mail-in voting will backfire on their party. Of the more than 9 million voters who requested mail ballots as of Monday in five critical states where the data is available - Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maine and Iowa - 52 per cent were Democrats, 28 per cent were Republicans, and 20 per cent were unaffiliated. Additional internal Democratic and Republican Party data obtained by The Washington Post shows a similar trend in Ohio, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, the paper reported. Republicans are so concerned that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has met with Trump twice on the issue, encouraging him to stop talking about mail balloting 'imprecisely,' a strategist told the paper. Florida and North Carolina - two states were Trump is fighting to win and polls show the race within the margin to Democratic rival Joe Biden - have Democratic voters returning their ballots at a higher rate that Republicans. It's believed Trump needs Florida - his new home state - to win a second term. Republicans worry President Trump's railing against mail-in voting could hurt them in November Broward County Mayor Dale V.C. Holness helps load vote-by-mail ballots into a truck for transport to a local U.S. Postal Service office in Florida Thursday A record number of voters - more than 80 million - are expected to vote via mail because of the coronavirus pandemic. There's also concerns that older voters, who are an usually reliable voting bloc, may stay home on Election Day because of the pandemic. Trump has repeatedly assailed mail-in voting, including during Tuesday night's presidential debate. 'This is going to be a fraud like you've never seen,' he said of the November vote, citing mail-in ballots. An election official wearing a protective mask drops off a mail-in ballot in a drop box at a polling location in Miami Trump has repeatedly claimed mail-in ballots will lead to a 'rigged' election despite numerous studies showing that is not the case. 'If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can't go along with that,' Trump said as many states have begun mailing out their general election ballots. And he complained about the New York City ballots in a Wednesday morning tweet. The New York City Board of Elections is printing and resending nearly 100,000 absentee ballots to voters who received erroneous envelopes in their ballot packages. Several Brooklyn voters received absentee ballots with the wrong name and address printed on the return envelope. 'Wow! 100,000 Mail In Ballots in New York City a total MESS. Mayor and Governor have no idea what to do. Big Fraud, Unfixable! Cancel Ballots and go out and VOTE, just like in past decades, when there were no problems!,' Trump wrote on Twitter. Republican officials told The Post they are working to reverse the mail-in voting trend and to reassure voters their mail-in ballot will count. 'It's astronomical,' said one Republican strategist, who noted he was 'horrified' by the discrepancy. 'You see these numbers in a state like North Carolina, and how can you not be concerned?' Trump surrogates and family members, including Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, are recording calls to urge supporters to vote by mail. Additionally, the party has invested heavily in a ground game, having volunteers knock on doors to encourage people to vote. 'We always expected to be behind at this point as Democrats have made it their mission to push for an all-mail election that brings fraud and chaos into the system,' said Republican National Committee spokesman Mike Reed. 'You'll see Democrats predominantly vote by mail, and our voters will come out in droves to vote in person, especially on Election Day.' Democrats have feared Trump would not accept the results of the November 3 election. Both sides have legal teams on stand by in case of challenges to mail-in ballots. Given that different states have different rules regarding mail-in ballots - such as when the count can start and how long they can be accepted by election boards - the results of the presidential election may not be known for a few weeks. Anton Petrus/Getty On Tuesday, one day after Yom Kippur, and three before the start of Sukkot, shoppers vastly outnumbered masks along the central commercial corridor of Borough Park, Brooklyn. Here, in the heart of New York Citys ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, COVID-19 is surging, with positivity rates spiking to as high as 17 percent on Sunday. From what was visible along 13th Avenue just north of New Utrecht Avenue, whether at the outdoor stalls selling palm fronds and citrons, or through storefront windows of busy shops, or the dark glass of lumbering yellow yeshiva buses, even those who took some precautions often failed to cover both their mouth and their nose. Thats not unique to a neighborhood and a community leery of being singled out by authorities for what some allege is a double standard. Virtually any block in the five boroughs has complacent residents months after sirens wailed inescapably across New York, formerly the global epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, and more recently a sort of U.S. pandemic safe harbor. But with some experts fearing a second COVID-19 waveor a backsplash of the firstmisconceptions about immunity and social distancing have Brooklyns ultra-Orthodox in danger of getting soaked a second time. The surge threatens not just to help unravel local progress in containing the coronavirus pandemic, but to hamstring school reopenings across Americas largest city. Most of the community had it already, so were not so worried, 32-year-old Aron Brever told The Daily Beast in Borough Park, his blue mask hanging around his beard. Brever said he, his wife, and his children all tested positive for the disease in March, but experienced little other than a loss of taste and smell. Were careful, but were not afraid, he added. Zero Progress: The Fall Coronavirus Surge Is Already Here Public-health experts and government agencies, the embattled Centers for Disease Control and Prevention among them, have said that past infection and attendant antibodies may offer only limitedif anyprotection, especially six months later. Story continues Anybody whos had COVID in the past is probably at a lower risk for about three months, said Rabbi Aaron Glatt, chairman of the Department of Medicine and chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau, before warning, We really dont know. And there have been cases where people have gotten COVID a second time. My advice to people is that you can get COVID a second time, he told The Daily Beast. On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a dire warning, citing that one-day 17-percent positivity rate in the 11219 ZIP Code that covers Borough Park. Recent state and local figures also pointed to a spike in ultra-Orthodox communities in other neighborhoods, as well as in such areas north of the city, and in ZIP Codes in southern Brooklyn with substantial non-Jewish populations. On Tuesday, with the city-wide positivity rate cracking 3 percentwhich, over time, could force schools to closeMayor Bill de Blasio teased new enforcement measures, fines for failing to wear masks among them. Some yeshivas have already been shut down over fear of wider outbreaks as the city attempts to reopen the largest public-school system in the country. In Borough Park, Tzvi Rosenberg recalled his own experience with COVID-19 symptoms months ago. Then he suggested most members of the community were taking appropriate precautions, and that many had already conquered the plague. Most people had it way back, Rosenberg told The Daily Beast, enjoying a cigarette unmasked a few feet from a similarly unprotected friend. In the synagogue, on Yom Kippur, it was all social distancing, masks. Were not wearing right now, because were smoking. Misperception is common in the neighborhood, according to local activist and podcaster Yosef Rapaport. The deluge of ultra-Orthodox deaths and funeral notices in the early months of the year, he argued, created an impression of ubiquitous and nearly universal infection. When cases fell as New York flattened the curve over the summer, Rapaportwho lost a brother and a brother-in-law to the diseasesaid many of his neighbors assumed the catastrophe had passed and that they were immune. Put together mixed messages from de Blasio and Cuomo, the popularity of President Donald Trump among the areas socially conservative voters, and crazy clips from [Russian President Vladimir] Putins St. Petersburg basement, as Rapaport put it, and the area has faced a perfect storm of misinformation. Were being buffeted by outside forces, said the 66-year-old, describing how many in the community believed in the Trump-touted but medically dubious treatment of hydroxychloroquine, and how a friend approached his wife in synagogue and warned her, falsely, that masks cause COVID-19 infection. People were lulled into a false sense both from the president and from experience. Still, Rapaport maintained the situation had improved dramatically in recent days, thanks to the exhortations of local press and political leaders. He admitted many fail to wear their masks properly, but argued that was hardly unique to Borough Park. That you see all over town, he said. David Schwartz, a 26-year-old local Democratic Party official, agreed. Having himself tested positive for the disease, he complained his community had been scapegoated for what were really institutional failures. Its not a secret that this is more Republican than other parts of the city, said Schwartz, who reported having quarantined himself for a full two months as the pathogen coursed through his entire family. If were being failed on information, the city needs to step up. De Blasio and Cuomo have held meetings with ecclesiastical and elected authorities in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. And some medical experts defended the local governments efforts at engagement. The de Blasio administration was well aware of the issues there, and have had outreach by people recruited from the community to spread the word, and thats been going on for a long time, said Irwin Redlener, director of the Pandemic Resource and Response Initiative at Columbia University and an adviser to the mayor. The mayor and the governor are right to clamp down on any group that is intentionally defying what we need to sustain the publics health and control this COVID-19 outbreak. Redlener warned that those who fail to comply with social distancing and masking rules risk spreading the disease beyond their own neighborhoods, and suggested an even more forceful response might be necessary. On Tuesday, The Daily Beast encountered employees of the city hospital system distributing leaflets at the 55th Street D Train station, which serves the core of Borough Park. They pointed passersby to a free testing center set up on an empty lot a few blocks south and east. But when The Daily Beast visited, the facility seemed all but empty. On approaching a station of the Hatzolah of Borough Park, the volunteer ambulance corps that serves the community, The Daily Beast spotted an unmasked man shutting the gate and climbing behind the steering wheel of a van. The vehicle sported an EMS sticker in the window and several other unmasked individuals in the backseats. I dont talk! I dont talk to nobody! the driver shouted before speeding away. Some messaging, however, seems to be getting through, if sporadically: A number of 13th Avenue shops have taken the precaution of putting up a Please Wear a Mask sign. Eli Babio, owner of Black Velvet shoes, hastily raised his mouth and nose guard when a reporter from The Daily Beast entered. Of course Im worried. Im worried for my health, he said, despite also reporting having experienced the disease once already. Babio said he stayed home from services during the High Holidays for the first time in his life, and has his kids taking their religious lessons remotely. He even endorsed the mayors suggestion that the city may need to again shut down schools, which could be authorities fail-safe for COVID-19 enforcement here. If he feels its scientifically correct, he should do it, Babio said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. It wouldnt surprise Christopher Morgan if more Americans sign up with Niagaras Democrats Abroad chapter after the first rowdy U.S. presidential debate. The co-chair of the Niagara chapter said interest in voting in Novembers election was already up among Democrats living in Canada and the debate will push some people to act. We saw there was actually more activity on our website last evening during the event, he said Wednesday, the day after the first debate between incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat nominee and former vice-president Joe Biden. You could tell there was some growth and interest among Democrats. Throughout the televised debate Tuesday, Trump was chastised by Fox News moderator Chris Wallace for interrupting Biden and himself and the debate was widely criticized for its chaotic and unruly nature. At one point, Biden told Trump to shut up. Democrats Abroad Canada hosted a nationwide online viewing event so members like Morgan, a Niagara Falls resident from Buffalo, N.Y., could chat and break out into groups for discussions. I thought it was generally off-base fully for what youd expect from political decorum and many times there was shouting over one another, Morgan said, adding he wasnt surprised by what he saw based on Trumps behaviour in the 2016 election and the past four years. He said the debate felt chaotic and disorganized. As far as the result, I dont think particularly that Trump helped himself or that Biden hurt himself. The Niagara chapter has grown from just more than 300 members in August when it branched off from the Hamilton and Burlington chapter to more than 400 now. Its main message has been telling the estimated 620,000 Americans living in Canada who may not know they have the right to vote in U.S. elections that they can by going to non-partisan website votefromabroad.org. Its estimated less than six per cent of those eligible voters cast ballots in 2016, something Democrats Abroad are hoping changes dramatically. They say the number of eligible U.S. voters in Canada alone can make a difference in swing states. Carl Krasnor, originally from Massachusetts and retired from Brock University, said he doesnt think the debate will move the needle much in terms of how people vote. Everybody behaved the way we know they would behave or thought they would behave, said Krasnor, a member of the Niagara Democrats Abroad chapter who participated in the viewing event. But while he wasnt surprised by what he saw, it didnt mean it wasnt distressing. Just watching the behaviour of the guy thats running the country is enough to make people pretty sad, he said. Thats the one thing Ive gotten from people Ive talked to. A lot of people couldnt sit through the whole thing because its such a testimony to where weve come. Niagara Falls resident and chapter vice-president Joanne Smales review of the debate was more blunt. I am in total agreement of vice-president Joe Biden in sharing Shut up, man. Thats my reaction. I have nothing more to say, said Smale, originally from Florida. Ed Unger, co vice-chair of Democrats Abroad Canada in Toronto, said the organizations phone was ringing non-stop Wednesday morning. Everybodys just aghast. And theyre saying weve got to stop him. He said membership has seen double-digit increases across Canada for this election. In Ungers view, the election is a crucial point in American history. But while he said Canadians are well informed about American politics, it is only the American citizens living in Canada who have the power to vote, which is why Democrats Abroad is pushing the message that they can. Were trying to save democracy, Unger said, adding if America loses it, it wont be good for anyone. It wont be good for the U.S., it wont be good for Canada, it wont be good for the world. Period. Republicans Overseas Canada does not have a local chapter and attempts to contact the national organization were not immediately successful Wednesday. A representative told the Toronto Star earlier this month that Republicans are not as well represented in Canada as Democrats and the organizations focus is on tax reform, a significant issue for Americans living abroad. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 23:53:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BERLIN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The total number of confirmed cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in Germany has increased to 38 since the first ASF case was detected on Sept. 10, Germany's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) announced on Wednesday. The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI), the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, confirmed two more cases of ASF in wild boars found in the federal state Brandenburg near the border with Poland, according to BMEL. One of the infected wild boar was found at a site outside the previously defined risk area. Brandenburg "must now adapt the existing protection zones and protective measures accordingly in order to prevent the further spread of the disease," BMEL stressed. A crisis management team was established in the area where the infected wild boar was found, the Maerkisch-Oderland district announced on Tuesday and the construction of a mobile electric fence around the area was in preparation and would start on Wednesday. "Five different teams are on the way," Thomas Berendt, spokesperson of the district, told the German Press Agency (dpa) on Wednesday. The electric fence is to be built over a length of 20 kilometers. To prevent the risk of importing ASF into Germany, a solid wildlife fence was built on the border with Poland, the federal state Brandenburg announced last week. The domestic pig population in Germany was still free from ASF, a disease not dangerous for humans, BMEL noted. Nevertheless, Germany's pig farmers were "of course severely affected by the trade restrictions and the associated drop in prices," market expert Matthias Quaing of the association of pig farmers in Germany (ISN) told Xinhua on Wednesday. "We hope that ways can be found to make the export of pork to Asia possible again, for example by excluding individual regions or agricultural enterprises from the export possibilities," added Quaing. Before ASF was detected in Germany, China had become the country's "most important trading partner" for pork exports in the first half (H1) of the year, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced two weeks ago. Between January and June, 233,300 tons of pork were exported to China, accounting for 26.8 percent of Germany's total pork exports, more than doubled compared with the same period of last year, Destatis noted. Enditem HARRISBURG A smaller than usual crowd of a few hundred people rallied for gun rights on the steps of Pennsylvanias Capitol on Tuesday, an annual event that also was attended by a few dozen state lawmakers. The Rally to Protect Your Right to Keep and Bear Arms constituted a pep rally, provided an update on the gun lobbys legislative efforts and opposition, and gave those present an opportunity to target Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and other political opponents. Gov. Wolf needs to read the Pennsylvania Constitution again, said state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, a Clinton County Republican. Every right that has been given to us hinges on the Second Amendment. Organizers said rainy weather and the pandemic may have kept down attendance, and there were none of the busloads that have brought much larger crowds in other years. Most of those in the crowd and a majority of state lawmakers did not wear masks. Mark Opdycke, a retired manufacturing worker wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, said he drove from his home in Tatamy to show lawmakers that there is support for the Second Amendment. Opdycke said he keeps guns primarily for self-defense against an evil government that we havent had to use yet. Rep. Harry Readshaw of Allegheny County, one of the few Democratic lawmakers at the event, urged the crowd not to give up the effort. You have to be aware of who youre electing, simply because the newer people dont seem to understand the Constitution, they dont seem to understand the Second Amendment, and they wont be for you, said Readshaw, who is retiring at the end of the year after 13 terms in the House. Legislative proposals to restrict or regulate firearms usually stall in the Republican-majority General Assembly. When lawmakers and Wolf approved a law in October 2018 to require those convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence or subject to protective orders to give up their guns within 24 hours, it was the first anti-violence legislation in the state to deal directly with guns in more than a decade. I see some of the bills that try to get through the Legislature and it really fires me up sometimes, said Steve Anthony of Saxonburg, who attended the rally with a 9 mm handgun and a yellow flag bearing an image of a rifle and the words, Yinz Cant Take It. Im afraid of other restrictions being put forth. Dimitrius Perez, an unemployed resident of West Chester, had an AR-15 style rifle slung over his shoulder. Here, so far, nothing but good responses to his open carry, Perez said. Everywhere else? Terrible. Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Franklin, who chairs a committee that handles many gun-related proposals, vowed to block efforts to pass red flag gun seizure bills, gun registration legislation or taxes or registration for ammunition. Adam Garber, executive director of Cease Fire PA, which advocates to reduce the harm done by firearms, said gun sales have increased sharply during the pandemic. He said about 1,600 people have been killed by guns in Pennsylvania in the past year. But instead of offering common sense solutions to suicide, domestic violence and gun homicides, some legislators and gun rights advocates continue to point towards a phantom threat to peoples right to bear arms, Garber said. There is no risk to peoples right to bear arms, just to residents lives because of the lack of common sense protections. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 E very lost job is a tragedy particularly in these difficult economic times. But Shells cuts today are less dramatic than they first seem particularly given the collapse in demand for oil. Chief executive Ben Van Beurden tries to look tough by announcing cuts, but peer closer and hes really being a pussycat. BP is cutting 10,000 jobs right now. Theyll be done by the end of the year. Thats what I call tough. Shell may bid farewell to 7,000, and not til the end of 2022 more than two years away. Of those, 1500 have already agreed to take voluntary redundancy. Theoretically, then, we could be talking about 2,250 a year. In a company with nearly 90,000 staff, after natural wastage (a horrible phrase), thats hardly carnage. What will be more interesting is how Van Beurden reorganises those remaining in his sprawling group so Shell can thrive in greener times. He wants Shell to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 and cut the carbon its customers spew out, too. That means not only developing new biofuels for them to use, or hydrogen for lorries. It also means helping build the infrastructure to deliver it. On top of that, it has to get the public to buy in, too. That means getting governments to impose taxes and grants to change peoples behaviour. A huge body of work, then, requiring everything from hard-core engineering to big data analysis to lobbying and PR. Financial trading skills will be key, too. BP and Shell have huge trading arms, buying and selling all sorts of energy and carbon credits for clients around the world. This will be key as multinationals demand a one-stop shop for clean power. The good news is that London is the world leader in all these activities. The adjustment will be painful for those whose roles are lost or changed, but there will be no shortage of jobs in the capital as we move to a greener world. London, Sep 30 : The first person cured of HIV, Timothy Ray Brown, has died from cancer. Brown, who was also known as "the Berlin patient", was given a bone marrow transplant from a donor who was naturally resistant to HIV, the BBC reported. It meant he no longer needed anti-viral drugs and he remained free of the virus, which can lead to AIDS, for the rest of his life. The International AIDS Society said Brown gave the world hope that a HIV cure was possible. Brown, 54, who was born in the US, was diagnosed with HIV while he lived in Berlin in 1995. Then in 2007 he developed a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia. His treatment involved destroying his bone marrow, which was producing the cancerous cells, and then having a bone marrow transplant. The transfer came from a donor who had a rare mutation in part of the DNA called the CCR5 gene. CCR5 is a set of genetic instructions that build the doorway that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) walks through to infect cells. Mutations to CCR5 essentially lock the door and give people resistance to HIV. After the treatment, levels of HIV in Brown's blood fell to undetectable levels and he no longer needed anti-retroviral therapy. He was in effect "cured". But the leukaemia, that led to his HIV cure, returned earlier this year and spread to his brain and spinal cord. "It is with great sadness that I announce that Timothy passed away... surrounded by myself and friends, after a five-month battle with leukaemia," his partner Tim Hoeffgen posted on Facebook. He added: "Tim committed his life's work to telling his story about his HIV cure and became an ambassador of hope." Brown's cure was too risky and aggressive to be used routinely - it remains principally a cancer treatment. The approach is also too expensive for the 38 million people, many in sub-Saharan Africa, thought to be living with HIV infection. However, Brown's story inspired scientists, patients and the world that a cure could eventually be found. The International Aids Society (IAS) said it was mourning with "a profoundly heavy heart". "We owe Timothy and his doctor, Gero Hutter, a great deal of gratitude for opening the door for scientists to explore the concept that a cure for HIV is possible," said Prof Adeeba Kamarulzaman, the IAS president. New York, Sep 30 : More heat than light was generated as President Donald Trump and his Democratic Party challenger Joe Biden clashed in a chaotic presidential debate focused on domestic issues that overwhelmed the moderator and descended into invectives. In the first debate on Tuesday night, Trump played up his pre-Covid-19 economic record and the threat to law and order from the radical left, who he said were the force behind Biden. Biden hammered on the Covid-19 pandemic that has taken more than 200,000 lives in the US, which he said was the result of Trump's mismanagement and the racial divisions that, according to him, have gotten worse under the president. Trump went into the debate held 35 days before this election 6.1 per cent behind in the aggregation of polls by RealClearPolitics with the hopes of drawing fence-sitting voters, while for Biden it was to retain and build his lead. The debate started without the traditional handshake - although it was only because of the Covid-19 pandemic nevertheless appeared to presage the all out bout. Trump with his usual bluster threw off the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, talking over him and loudly interrupting Biden, taunting him on his 47-year political career and telling him at one point, "Don't ever use the word smart with me, Joe." Biden paid him back for his aggression calling him Russian President "Putin's puppy", a "liar" a "clown" and a "racist" and telling him, "Will you shut up man?" A harried Wallace tried - sometimes vainly - to keep order, giving the impression of a weak teacher in an unruly classroom, at one point almost pleading with an obstreperous Trump, "If I may ask my question, sir..." The result of the election with a large number of postal ballots this time is likely to be delayed because of the time it will take to sort and count them, unlike in recent elections which were run with machines. Biden agreed with the moderator that he would tell his followers to stay calm and would accept the result when it is announced. But Trump would not give a categorical assurance. "I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that's what has to happen" because "they will cheat," he said, avoiding direct response. He also said, "If I see tens of thousands of ballot being manipulated, I'm not going to accept it.a The president warned of election fraud citing the military ballots marked for him that were found in trash in Pennsylvania, the thousands of postal ballots issued in duplicate or sent to wrong addresses. Biden denied that there was a problem with the postal ballots, expected to increase in huge numbers because some states were issuing them to all voters. Trump repeatedly tried to paint Biden in the bright red colours of "the radical left" wing of the party. "They're going to dominate you, Joe, you know that," Trump said. At least twice, Trump made Biden disown the left. Pressed on a joint platform he had made with Senator Bernie Sanders, the leftist who had challenged him, Biden said "My party is me. I am the Democratic Party right now. The platform of the Democratic Party is what I approved of." At another point, he disowned the "New Green Deal" drafted by the party's left that calls for 100 per cent zero carbon emission and a host of other demands like government dole to people who just do not want to work. When Wallace pressed him on it, he repeated, "No, I don't support the Green New Deal." Trump taunted him, "That means you just lost the radical left. It's gone." While some Republicans have said they would vote for Biden, Trump's base is mostly intact, while Biden has to hold on to the ideologically disparate Democratic Party and also appeal to the uncommitted. Biden did not outrightly condemn the violence from the protests against police encounter killings of African Americans and racism, only saying that violence should be prosecuted and asserting that the long-running riotous situation in Oregon state that Trump often spoke of can be taken care of if Trump "just stays out of the way". Trump hit at a Democratic Party weak point - law and order that has deteriorated seriously because of the protests and the party holding the areas where the situation is the worst with rising crime rates. Biden turned around said that it was taking place under Trump's watch. Trump said that not one organisation of law enforcement personnel has endorsed Biden. (In the US, unions of government employees are permitted to support candidates in elections.) When the New York Times report of Trump paying only $750 in income tax in 2017 came up, he said that he had paid tens of millions in taxes and the amounts were dictated by the tax laws Biden had played a role in enacting. On race, an issue roiling the country, Trump was low key deflecting the questions to the role of the left. Asked by Wallace to condemn White supremacists, Trump said, "Sure, I'm willing to do that, but I would say almost everything I see is from the left-wing, not from the right." "Who would you like me to condemn? Who? Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," he said referring to a violent White Group. But he added, "Somebody has got to do something about ANTIFA" which is a leftist anarchist group. Biden also criticised Trump for ending a controversial training programme run mostly by outside contractors on sensitising White people to racism by drawing attention to their privilege and called him a racist. Biden mostly stuck to his script, while Trump was more freewheeling, bringing up Biden's son Hunter's foreign business deals - to which Biden repeatedly said they were not true, without launching a counterattack on Trump's family. Biden stood by his son admitting that he had had a drug problem -- like in many families -- but had recovered. Trump said that Hunter Biden had received billions from China to invest and $3.5 million from the wife of Moscow's mayor. He said that under Biden jobs had been flowing out to China, which on trade "China ate your lunch, Joe." Foreign affairs came up only in the passing when Trump said that India -- like China and Russia -- does not give a "straight count" of the number of people killed by Covid-19 when Biden hit him on the high US toll. Trump also crticised India and China as being environmental polluters, justifying pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. Biden made a threat to countries that will not follow his environmental agenda warning Brazil "you're gonna have significant economic consequences" if it continues tearing down forests. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) Government TechnologyIn this months installment of the Innovation of the Month series, we explore the work of Julia Stoyanovich, an assistant professor of Computer Science, Engineering, and Data Science at New York University, and Falaah Arif Khan from Data, Responsibly, who are creating comics designed to increase awareness of responsible data science. MetroLabs Ben Levine spoke with the two about the background and development of their project.Can you tell us about the origin of the Data, Responsibly project and who has been involved in it?The name of the project was coined in 2015. Serge Abiteboul and I used it for the first time in our Data, Responsibly manifesto that was published as an op-ed piece in Le Monde (in French) and, in an extended version, in the ACM SIGMOD Record blog post . Then, in summer 2016, Serge and I, together with Gerome Miklau and Gerhard Weikum , organized a Dagstuhl seminar by the same name. Dagstuhl is an academic retreat venue in Germany, and having the seminar allowed us to start building a research agenda in responsible data management. In 2016, we joined forces with Bill Howe and HV Jagadish , who have been instrumental in taking the project to a new phase with concrete research ideas and specific applications, primarily in the urban context, that we were able to develop with generous support from the National Science Foundation.We have been working with many brilliant students. I would particularly like to underscore the contributions of my Ph.D. student Ke Yang , who has done tremendous work on fairness, diversity and interpretability. She will be graduating in May 2021.The next stage of this project is the Center for Responsible AI (Artificial Intelligence) that we are launching at NYU. Many of the activities of Data, Responsibly will feed into the work of the new Center.How have the objectives of Data, Responsibly changed over time and with the arrival of new technologies?The top-level objective has always been to help make the responsible use of data and of technologies like AI that rely on data the only kind that society will tolerate. It became increasingly clear to me over time that technology itself is, in some sense, the easy part of the puzzle. Or, at least, the part that we know how to start addressing. Whats much harder is understanding how to develop a good human/technology interface: how to educate people at different levels about what data and technology can and cannot do, and what we should ask and expect of it, and what we should do when technical checks and interventions are inappropriate, or when they fail. As a result, Data, Responsibly has been developing a strong focus on policy and education, in addition to the technical work. And this is why I jumped at the opportunity to work with Falaah to create the comic.Can you tell us about what led you to create thecomic? How did the comic help you to express ideas better than other formats?The more I create scientific comics, the more I see what a natural fit they are for presenting technical ideas. There are all these nuances in the work that get lost in the trigger-happy discussion on social media or the jargon of technical papers. For the general public, theres something about opening a technical paper that is extremely intimidating and hence isolating, and so its a challenge to engage the public using conventional methods. So we figured that wed break down these arguments into relatable metaphors and depictions and make it more amenable to the general public by wrapping it in a bunch of pop culture references and funny, silly illustrations!I think of the process of creating comics as sort of like an artists take on Feynmans principle of learning: If you want to identify how well you understand something, teach it to a child. To me it has now become, if theres a topic that Im obsessively researching and thinking about, that I have to sit down and turn it into a three- or four-panel comic to really distill my understanding. It has enforced a first principles kind of thinking about the machine learning landscape, and so even as a creator its a very enriching experience to go through the process of making one of these volumes.I have come to realize that a gap in responsible AI education in academia, in industry, in government, among members of the public is perhaps the greatest impediment to progress in this field. AI and ethics are just such intimidating topics on their own, but especially when we have to think about them in combination. And the whole conversation about ethics and responsibility in AI has just been so dead serious! To learn about a topic, we have to first feel that its within reach. And nothing is more helpful for this than a healthy dose of humor. The comic is helping us bring the necessary lightness into the conversation. It is also helping us say things directly without folks getting offended after all, its a comic!In, you talk about the importance of understanding who a project is for: Were so caught up in the how, that we forget to ask, For whom? For whom was this comic created, and how do you see them using it?This was actually the first question we asked ourselves and it drove our entire creative process. The bottom line was that we are going to make a resource that can cater to as wide an audience as possible, without compromising on the fundamental message in the piece. This meant that there were elements we had to rework repeatedly until they reached a point where the most casual reader could engage with it. Other times we removed entire parts because we found that they had become too catered to one demographic and wouldnt make sense to other readers.Like we say in the About page, it really is meant to be for everyone. We want it to be that random, cool thing that a layperson who has nothing to do with AI discovers on the Internet and immediately sends to their friends to read. We want it to be the repository of illustrations that academics turn to to add a breath of fresh air to their conference presentations or lecture slides. We want it to be a supplementary or introductory reading for an undergraduate course on AI.When we were making it, we kept gushing about the onion-like structure that was forming, where readers of different backgrounds would have these layers to peel off and enjoy. As with any creative project, you hope that your reader finds something new each time they read it and pick up on a tiny detail in the sketch or a nuance in the wording that they hadnt noticed the last time.How have you approached this project with accessibility in mind?We are not experts in accessibility, but we decided right away to make accessibility one of the focal points of the series, and of the first volume. On the implementation side of this, we learned about what it takes to create a comic that is accessible to the blind and made mistakes along the way, despite our best intentions. Amy Hurst , who directs the Ability Project at NYU , gave us lots of helpful tips that allowed us to get started. Still, the first version of the comic did not show the text in the right order when read with a screen reader. Chancey Fleet generously gave us several rounds of feedback and helped us fix accessibility bugs. Our experience shows that there is clearly a gap in the process those of us with good intentions still lack the training and the tools and devices to embed and test accessibility features in the work we produce.Will you continue making other comics? What are some of the next projects on the horizon for Data, Responsibly?We absolutely plan to continue making more Data, Responsibly comics. The landscape of responsible AI is so wide and spans so many disciplines beyond computer science, such as law, policy and ethics, and so we have a bunch of follow-ups in the works!Personally, I see scientific comics being just another deliverable at the end of a research cycle. Right now, we go work on something obsessively for months and then write a paper to present our ideas to the technical community. Its the same thing, but instead of limiting the discussion to the academic community, we also take all the discarded ideas, thoughts and learnings that are not amenable to a paper and make a comic out of it for the general public.Im excited to see how we can impact the AI landscape and how that will in turn inform the comics.was a primer on the spectrum of ideas and perspectives we hope to delve into in subsequent volumes, and a lot of the thoughts we presented are just ground zero for deeper discussions. My hope is that as the public develops fluency and the mainstream discourse gets more nuanced, were also challenged to dig deeper and break down even more radical ideas.Indeed, we plan to continue! Our initial work is on a series that targets people who are already familiar with data science and AI, at least to some extent. Im eager to get started on another series where the audience is the general public. You can find this AI comic and future comics here News New Microsoft Security Report Highlights Phishing, Ransomware and Unpatched VPNs Microsoft on Tuesday announced the release of its "Digital Defense Report," which is described as "a reimagining" of Microsoft's "Security Intelligence Report" (SIR). The "Digital Defense Report" is an annual publication combining stats from a number of Microsoft's security teams. This 88-page report isn't as focused on reporting malware trends as the SIR. It's more a report on cybercriminal trends over the past year. Microsoft even serves a role by coordinating with law enforcement in some cases. "The goal of this report is to help organizations understand how cybercriminals are shifting their modes of attack and the best ways to combat those attacks," the report stated upfront. The report also has a section on nation-state actors, principally highlighting the actions of Russia, Iran, China and North Korea. Microsoft's past warnings about hacking attempts on U.S. political campaigns was noted. In general, the report appears to be aimed at the chief information security officer level, as well as general readers. It includes details regularly aired in Microsoft's Security blog series. Signals Collection Microsoft harvests more than "8 trillion security signals per day" from endpoints, the network edge and the cloud. The privacy of such data collection depends on "your privacy settings and the products and features you use," the report stated in a footnote. Signals harvesting was broken down into the following numbers: >470 billion e-mails scanned >600 billion documents scanned >18 million URLs scanned >4.1 billion meeting minutes delivered >630 billion authentication events >5 billion threats blocked Phishing for Credentials Phishing impersonation attempts in order to steal credentials were a major theme of the report. Microsoft claims its solutions blocked more than "13 billion malicious and suspicious mails." They typically included URLs set up to enable phishing credential attacks. "We're seeing approximately 2 million such URL payloads being created each month for credential harvesting, orchestrated through thousands of phishing campaigns," the report indicated. Attackers are interested in business e-mail compromise (BEC), spoofing executive identities in e-mails to trick employees into transferring funds. They target executive, accounting and payroll e-mail accounts. It's profitable, and a big part of criminal operations. The report cited IC3 stats to that effect: "According to the IC3, BEC complaints totaled 23,775 and accounted for losses of more than $1.7 billion -- representing nearly half of all financial losses owing to cybercrime." The report found that "the top 10 most targeted industries for BEC attacks are accounting and consulting, wholesale distribution, IT services, real estate, education, health care, chemicals, high tech and electronics, legal services, and outsourced services." Cybercriminals typically send spoofed e-mails pretending they are from official sources to get users to click on malicious links. The report found that "based on our Office 365 telemetry, the top five spoofed brands are Microsoft, UPS, Amazon, Apple, and Zoom." Microsoft itself tests its own employees to ensure they're not falling for phishing campaigns: Every year, we provide more than 200,000 employees and external staff with the experience of being phished, along with prevention education and reporting guidance. We then follow up with users who were susceptible through quarterly simulations to help them better identify key indicators in the future. As detection techniques have improved, cybercriminals are tending to use cloud services to conduct their attacks. Microsoft has also seen other "creative" approaches in the last year: Over the last year, we saw interesting techniques used for launching attacks. We saw cybercriminals using poisoned search results and legitimate URLs that linked to those searches to deliver an attack. In another attack, we saw cybercriminals use custom 404 pages to host phishing payloads. We've also seen man-in-the-middle components used to present less suspicious sites to the targets and captcha and other evasion tools to hide detections. Ransomware Ransomware was the "the most common reason" why Microsoft's Detection and Response Team (DART) got involved in incident response work "from October 2019 through July 2020." The report seemed to steer away from the position that organizations should pay a ransom, even if reconstructing operations would cost more than the ransom sum. It suggested that "the real damage is often done when the cybercriminal exfiltrates files for release or sale, while leaving backdoors in the network for future criminal activity -- and these risks persist whether or not the ransom is paid." To gain a foothold to install ransomware, criminals are looking to access privileged accounts, such as the ones used by IT pros: Cybercriminals rely on off-the-shelf tools used for systems administration or security testing and built-in tools to move from machine to machine, but they need administrative credentials, such as those of a domain administrator, to gain access. To deploy ransomware across an entire organization, cybercriminals must capture a credential and a system with the rights to do this. Domain administrator accounts are often used for their ability to utilize Active Directory policies and file shares intended for software distribution to maliciously deploy devastating ransomware payloads. Patch Those VPNs The shift toward supporting remote workers has made virtual private networks (VPNs) a more sensitive area, both in terms of an attack route and in terms of network bandwidth issues. VPNs can be subject to distributed denial-of-service attacks, for instance. Microsoft recommends split tunneling to deal with the bandwidth issues, where Microsoft's patch traffic becomes a trusted source that doesn't get funneled through the VPN. Keeping VPNs properly patched is another problematic trend Microsoft has been seeing: As the world adjusts to increased numbers of remote workers, global enterprise IT departments rely on VPNs to improve the connectivity and security of systems. Typically, this critical service is managed by third-party software deployed across our devices. Since mid-2019, Microsoft has observed nation state actors consistently targeting and frequently compromising outdated and unpatched VPN infrastructure. This activity indicates they view it as an easy and effective method for penetrating and persisting on a targeted network by using compromised credentials. Microsoft's Security Recommendations The report includes an "Actionable Learnings" section at the end. Microsoft is recommending that organizations turn on multifactor authentication (MFA), which adds a secondary identity verification scheme on top of a password, as a top security approach. MFA should be mandatory for IT pros managing a network, and is recommended for all end users. "The preferred method is to use an authenticator app rather than SMS or voice where possible," the report advised regarding the secondary identity verification method. Microsoft is also recommending using identity verification approaches that don't rely on a password, such as "face authentication, fingerprints or a PIN code." Organizations should have e-mail systems that check for malicious links, according to the report. Systems should be kept up to date with the latest patches, including VPNs. "Ransomware operators and nation state actors have found network devices like gateway and VPN appliances to be a practical target for intrusion," the report warned. Network misconfigurations are another attack route. Microsoft recommends having a "robust change management program" to ensure that changes don't open up attack vectors. IT pros should segment systems containing sensitive data to better protect against attacks. IT pros also have solutions to manage "cross-cloud security." Developers should follow a secure development lifecycle. The practice of least-privilege access should be followed for personnel. Microsoft also advocates for zero-trust practices, where "every request is fully authenticated, authorized, and encrypted before granting access." Organizations should have a backup capability in place. Microsoft recommended following the "3-2-1 rule" in that respect. "Apply the 3-2-1 rule for maximum protection and availability: 3 copies, original + 2 backups, 2 storage types, and 1 offsite or cold copy," the report stated. Much more advice from Microsoft can be found in the full report, which can be downloaded here. (Natural News) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have announced that they will be taking steps toward lowering drug prices to make them more affordable for American patients. The two steps that the FDA and HHS will take were outlined in a new document called the Safe Importation Action Plan. The first of these steps will implement a provision of federal law to allow the importation of drugs from Canada. These imported drugs will have to meet certain conditions to make sure that they dont pose any risk to the health and safety of the American public. The other way, as highlighted in the plan, is to import the same FDA-approved drug sold in a foreign country. These drugs would still need to be verified by the FDA to ensure that theyre the same as those sold in the U.S. market. Should that condition be met, then the FDA would allow the foreign version to be imported and sold in the country. Todays action is an important part of FDAs priorities to promote choice and competition, said FDA commissioner Stephen M. Hahn. The Safe Importation Action Plan aims to clearly describe procedures to import drugs that would lower prices and improve access while also maintaining the high quality and safety Americans expect and deserve. New guidance allows import of cheap drugs The steps take advantage of a provision within the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act to allow the importation of drugs. Under the new rule, states (including the District of Columbia and territories), Indian tribes and even pharmacists and wholesalers in certain future circumstances submit importation program proposals to the FDA for review and authorization. These programs can also be co-sponsored by a state, Indian tribe, pharmacist or wholesaler. These programs, referred to as Section 804 Importation Programs, will be managed by their respective sponsor and any co-sponsors and authorized by the FDA to facilitate the importation of the drugs, with appropriate labeling. These drugs would have to be relabeled with the required U.S. labeling after undergoing testing. In addition, the programs will have to demonstrate a significant cost reduction of the covered product to the American consumer. In guidance issued on Sept. 24, the FDA describes procedures for a drug manufacturer to obtain a National Drug Code (NDC) for certain FDA-approved drugs, including biological products and combination products intended for sale in a foreign country. According to the FDA, using an NDC for these drugs may allow companies greater flexibility to offer them at a lower price than what their current distribution contracts require. Prescription drugs, including biological products, imported through this method could be available to patients in various settings. This includes hospitals, health care providers offices or licensed pharmacies, and would include the FDA-approved labeling including prescribing information. New steps part of Trumps America First healthcare plan The steps outlined in the Safe Importation Action Plan are part of President Donald Trumps America First healthcare plan, as outlined in the press release issued by the HHS on Sept. 24, Thursday. Aside from lowering the prices of drugs through importation, the healthcare plan also considers healthcare plans and insurance by lowering healthcare insurance premiums. The Presidents Plan delivers better care, more choice, and lower costs for all Americans, said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Because of the Presidents leadership, Americans will enjoy lower drug costs, lower insurance premiums, real access to prices of healthcare services and to their medical records, new protections from surprise bills, and the ability to work with their doctor to determine what treatments make sense for them. The plan also comes as Trump announced the signing of an executive order on drug pricing. Just signed a new Executive Order to LOWER DRUG PRICES! My Most Favored Nation order will ensure that our Country gets the same low price Big Pharma gives to other countries, Trump stated on Twitter. The days of global freeriding at Americas expense are over, and prices are coming down FAST! Also just ended all rebates to middlemen, further reducing prices. For more on how big pharmaceutical companies are charging Americans more for drugs, follow BigPharmaNews.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com HHS.gov 1 FDA.gov HHS.gov 2 Ever since nearly two dozen Congress MLAs switched to the BJP to bring down the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh in March, turncoats have had a field day in the states politics and the situation remains the same with assembly bypolls around the corner. While the BJP is forced to offer tickets to the MLAs who moved to it from the opposition party in the past few months, the cadre is not too impressed with the importance being given to the outsiders. Senior leaders like Jaibhan Singh Pawiaya and former minister Deepak Joshi have been among the more vocal leaders who have spoken out publicly. However, as the ruling BJP is inching closer towards announcement of tickets, unease is creeping in further in its camp. BJP leaders including KL Agrawal, Suresh Raje, Parul Sahu and Satish Sikarwar, have already deserted their own party and have secured tickets from the Congress on their respective seats. The Congress whose 25 MLAs have resigned post March this year and two others died, has a different set of problems. The party, desperate to crush Jyotiraditya Scindia on his home turf, is not holding back from deploying turncoats of the BJP and BSP as party candidates and is also using outsider candidates to seal victory in bypolls. However, for obvious reasons the party leaders are upset at several seats and open protests have been witnessed in many constituencies after the names of candidates were announced. These include Nepanagar, Jaura, Bhander, Sanwer, Dabra, Gwalior East, Karera, Gohad, Dimni, etc. The Congress has a fresh headache in Gwalior as a senior party leader, Ashok Sharma, who was a strong claimant for the ticket here, is rumoured to be switching to the BJP. The party, rattled by the March exodus, is even carrying out oath-taking events in the Gwalior-Chambal region ahead of the bypolls to make local leaders pledge loyalty and unity. Fake lists of candidates are also making their way to social media but both the BJP and Congress have denied any role in this, though each keeps blaming the other. Voting for 28 assembly seats will take place on November 3 and counting of votes and announcement of results will take place on November 10. New Delhi: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is running its parallel investigation in the Bollywood drugs nexus case which emerged after investigations into actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death. Many high-profile celebs have been named and questioned in the case and now, it has been learnt that three male stars are under NCB radar. Last week, actresses Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh and fashion designer Simone Khambatta were questioned for several hours by the NCB for their alleged drugs chats. Sources told Zee News, that the NCB is keeping a close eye on the three stars and is arranging for proof against them for their alleged drug consumption. If they get the proof, the stars can be summoned by the NCB in the next 15 days. The names of these three stars emerged during NCB investigations into the drugs case in Bollywood. As per sources, these three are top film stars. It is to be noted that arrested drug peddler Karamjeet had revealed 50 names to the NCB during interrogation. Now, the NCB, which had seized phones of the drugs peddlers, is recovering the data for proof against them. Meanwhile, NCB chief Rakesh Asthana also arrived in Mumbai a couple of days ago to review the probe. He chaired a meeting with Delhi and Mumbai teams investigating Bollywood's drug nexus. So far 20 arrests have been made in connection to the drugs probe while 35 people have been questioned. Actress Rhea Chakraborty, who was Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend, has also been arrested in a drugs case related to his death. She's the skincare entrepreneur and author who has just released a new children's book called Back to Sleep. And this week, Zoe Foster Blake was interviewed by her husband, comedian and TV star Hamish Blake, in a bid to promote the book. The pair appeared in a hilarious clip together from their Melbourne home, which showed Hamish pretending to be a TV host and asking rather outlandish questions for 'clickbait'. 'Have you had fillers and what celebrity do you hate?' Hamish Blake hilariously interviewed his wife, Zoe Foster Blake, this week in a bid to promote her new children's book 'Zoe, real name?' Hamish began, as the pair started laughing together. 'Celebs write books sometimes... what celeb do you hate? Who is the worst celeb you've kissed?' he went on, as Zoe glared at him. 'In this book there's a house that they live in. How much does your house cost? Got any fillers?' he added. Cheeky: 'In this book there's a house that they live in. How much does your house cost? Got any fillers?' Hamish asked his wife Zoe responded: 'No, no fillers. I don't have my lips done. Haven't had my hair or nails done in months.' Later, Zoe asked if Blake would like to hear more about her book, and he replied: 'I think I've got the gist.' Back to Sleep is a tongue-in-cheek children's book about a child who tries to go to sleep, but is being constantly woken up by his parents. She said on Instagram of the mock interview, saying: 'Since Covid and lockdown decimated my press tour, I was forced to appear on the only show I could: the one Hamish created in my house. What a pity.' New work: Back to Sleep is a tongue-in-cheek children's book about a child who tries to go to sleep, but is being constantly woken up by his parents On The Project on Tuesday, the 40-year-old revealed the most outrageous way she and Hamish had ever been woken up in the middle of the night by their children, Sonny, six, and Rudy, three. The beauty guru and bestselling author recalled how Rudy once alerted Hamish, who is arachnophobic, to a spider in the bathroom. 'Rudy recently woke up my husband saying there was a spider in the bathroom, and he should come and see it for a shock,' Zoe said. Family life: On The Project on Tuesday, the 40-year-old revealed the most outrageous way she and Hamish had ever been woken up in the middle of the night by their kids, Sonny and Rudy 'He is arachnophobic, so that was a wake-up call for him!' she continued. Zoe also revealed how Sonny had once interrupted the couple watching a violent show on television, informing them of a hair clip he'd found in his bed. In an interview with The New York Times in March, Zoe, who is the founder of skincare line Go-To, admitted she sometimes finds it hard juggling work and motherhood. 'I have a nanny who helps me three days a week, because if I didn't have those three days to work, I couldn't do any of this,' she said. 'My husband and I are a good team as well. I don't have an answer. I'm scattered and I get anxious and I get stressed like everybody. The best thing that I can do is compartmentalise.' A mother who went missing two years ago was discovered floating alive off the coast of Colombia. She lost contact with her family for the duration. The family had no idea where she was when she vanished until she was found on September 26 floating around a mile off a beach from Puerto Colombia in Atlantico. Fishermen discovered woman floating at sea The woman was later identified as Angelica Gaitan, 46, who was located in an ailing state with signs of hypothermia by fisherman Rolando Visbal. How she ended up in the sea and what she had been doing in the past two years is currently being probed into by police officials. Visbal and his friends lifted her onto his boat to bring her back to land. Her family was made aware until news of her being located at sea made national headlines. Gaitan was discovered floating 1.2 miles off a beach from the town and municipality of Puerto Colombia on its Atlantic coast. She was floating in the water for an estimated eight hours and hospitalized where she arrived in a state of shock, reported Ebene. A video showed the moment of discovery. Gaitan was ailing from the cold that she could practically not utter a word when spoken to. Visbal spoke to her first in Spanish and then in English, apparently in an attempt for the victim to understand him, reported Mirror. The 46-year-old was located unconscious and suffering from hypothermia. The missing mother floating alive's first words upon being rescued was reported "I was born again, God did not want me to die," reported The Sun. Also Read: 'Glee' Actress Naya Rivera's Last Word Revealed by Son Footage of the recovery displayed Visbal and his pal Gustavo approached the floating woman who was almost entirely unresponsive. One of them was attempting to divert the attention of the visibly floating unresponsive woman towards them. Attempted suicide After her rescue, Gaitan told local media that she had jumped in the sea in order to commit suicide. She said that she was subjected to 20 years of domestic abuse courtesy of her former husband which cut her off from her family and friends. The fishermen initially thought the struggling person stranded in the ocean was a log. When they drew closer, it dawned on them that it was a woman waving her hands for help. As shown in the footage, Gaitan was dragged towards a boat through a rope tied to the lifesaver which the fishermen had thrown in her direction. Visbal appeared to be struggling to lift the woman into the boat. She remained unresponsive but moved her torso merely enough to help move her body over the edge and safely onto the boat. The fishermen then came back to shore and reported the incident to the police. Police officials are investigating how she was led off the coast of Puerto Colombia in Atlantico, Colombia. The initial report that the missing mother floating alive wanted to escape physical and psychological abuse from her partner of 20 years was dismissed by her family. Another report alleged that she had experienced bullying by people at a shelter in Barranquilla where she was residing for seven months. Related Article: Naya Rivera's Death Certificate Discloses She Drowned in Minutes @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Julian Assange's conversations in the latter part of his 7-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London were systematically bugged, even in the toilet, a London court heard Wednesday. In written statements at Assange's extradition hearing, two anonymous witnesses who worked for a Spanish firm with a security contract at the embassy said the WikiLeaks founder faced an intensifying bugging operation from 2017 onwards after Donald Trump became U.S. president. Judge Vanessa Baraitser on Tuesday granted the two witnesses anonymity amid fears for their safety. Lawyers acting on behalf of the U.S. government did not contest the submission of the anonymous statements but said they were largely irrelevant to the matter under consideration in London's Old Bailey court. The two witnesses alleged that David Morales, the director of Spanish security firm Undercover Global, switched to ``the dark side'' and had instructed the installation of cameras with sophisticated audio capabilities to secretly record Assange's meetings at the embassy, particularly those with his lawyers. Assange lived in the embassy for seven years from 2012 after seeking refuge there while fearing his potential extradition to the U.S. He was evicted in April 2019 and has been in a London prison since. The anonymous witnesses both claimed that Morales said the surveillance was initiated at the behest of ``our American friends`` and that he had been handsomely rewarded. One of the witnesses said Morales traveled to Las Vegas around July 2016 to showcase the security firm and subsequently obtained a ``flashy contract'' with the Las Vegas Sands, which was owned by Sheldon Adelson, a wealthy associate of Trump's. ``After returning from one of his trips to the United States, David Morales gathered all the workers in the office in Jerez and told us that `We have moved up and from now on we will be playing in the big league,''' the witness said. The other anonymous witness, who was employed as an IT expert from 2015, alleged that while in Jerez, the city in southern Spain where UC Global's had its headquarters, Morales had said in December 2017 that ``the Americans were desperate.'' The witness said a suggestion was made that ``more extreme measures should be employed against the `guest' to put an end to the situation of Assange's permanence in the embassy.'' Specifically, the witness said the idea was raised for the door to the embassy being left open, ``which would allow the argument that this had been an accidental mistake, which would allow persons to enter from outside the embassy and kidnap the asylee.'' There was, the witness claimed, even a suggestion that Assange could be poisoned. ``All of these suggestions Morales said were under consideration during his dealing with his contacts in the United States,'' the witness said. The witness also alleged that Morales had asked him soon after to install a microphone in an extinguisher in an embassy meeting room, as well as in a toilet where Assange had been holding meetings due to concern he was the target of espionage. ``I used a nearby socket to conceal a microphone in a cable in the toilet in the back of the embassy,'' the witness said. ``This was never removed, and may still be there.'' U.S. prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks' publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. Assange's defense team says he is entitled to First Amendment protections for the publication of leaked documents that exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have also said he is suffering from wide-ranging mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies, that could be exacerbated if he ends up in inhospitable prison conditions in the U.S. Assange's extradition hearing, which was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, is due to end this week. Search Keywords: Short link: Cardiac Dimensions, a Kirkland, Wash.-based leader in the development of innovative, minimally invasive treatments for functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) in patients with heart failure, closed a $17.5m Series C financing. All existing shareholders participated in the round including Aperture Venture Partners, Arboretum Ventures, Hostplus, Life Sciences Partners, Lumira Ventures, and M. H. Carnegie & Co. The financing will be used to accelerate commercial sales of Cardiac Dimensions Carillon Mitral Contour System in Europe and allow for expansion into other geographies such as Australia. Earlier this month, Australias Therapeutic Goods Administration approved the Carillon System for commercial use in FMR patients with mild to severe mitral regurgitation. Led by Rick Wypych, Chief Executive Officer and President, Cardiac Dimensions develops innovative, minimally invasive treatments to address heart failure and related cardiovascular conditions. The company is advancing the Carillon System, which offers a simple right heart approach to transcatheter mitral valve repair designed to reshape the anatomy and function of the mitral apparatus from the coronary sinus. The Carillon System, CE-marked (0344), has been implanted in over 1,200 patients in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Turkey and the Middle East. The Carillon System is currently being studied in The CARILLON Trial pivotal trial and limited to investigational use in the United States. FinSMEs 30/09/2020 /* custom css */ .tdi_75_475.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_475 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_475.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_475.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_475.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has urged the Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Adamu, to as a matter of urgency, deploy security for the protection of traditional rulers in Plateau State. The Senate President made the call on Tuesday during plenary sequel to a point of order raised by Istifanus Gyang (PDP Plateau North). Coming under order 43, the lawmaker lamented the killing of over ten traditional rulers across the state by suspected killer herdsmen. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_427.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_427 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_427.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_427.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_427.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } He said, the latest is the killing of Gwom Rwei of Foron, His Royal Highness, Da Bulus Chuwang Jang, who was assasinated at his palace last week, and the burial is due for this Friday. Mr. President, this trend is quite disturbing, because not less than ten other traditional rulers have unfortunately suffered death through the same circumstances. This development calls for the need for security to be tightened around our traditional rulers, to ensure that the increasing threat to their safety is averted. It is also unfortunate that just last week, five of our youths who were resting and having an evening out were brutally assassinated in Vom district, Jos South Local Government Area. All of these developments are providing increasing insecurity in my constituency. Plateau State and my constituency which had experienced the return of peace is suddenly again being visited with these very ugly attacks. And of course, it is common knowledge that the attackers are suspected to be killer herdsmen. This is very disturbing in a nation where we need to be our brothers keeper, Gyang said. In his remark, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who condoled with the Government and people of Plateau State, called on security agencies in the country to provide security for traditional rulers as well as the people of Plateau State. Let me on behalf of the Senate send our condolences to the Government and people of Plateau State, particularly Plateau North Senatorial district, where all of these incidents took place. We pray that the security agencies should provide sufficient security around traditional rulers, as well as for everybody. The situation requires that we continue to work together with the Executive arm of Government until we find enduring solutions to the security challenges which the country faces, Lawan said. Advertisement Boris Johnson tonight begged Britons to stick with his coronavirus plan as he warned that a 'more costly' second full lockdown cannot be ruled out Boris Johnson and his top two scientific advisers tonight wheeled out a set of striking statistics laying bare Britain's Covid-19 divide between the North and the South, as the Prime Minister warned of a second 'more costly' lockdown unless the outbreak tails off. In a rallying cry urging Britons to keep fighting the disease to protect the NHS and save lives, Mr Johnson insisted the country knows how to drive down the virus because 'we did it before'. And in warning the UK had reached a 'critical moment', he vowed not to 'throw in the sponge' and pledged to bring in tougher measures if needed. And in a defiant message to Tory hawks desperate to reopen the economy faster, the PM insisted that letting the virus 'take its course', in a Sweden-style approach, risked overwhelming the NHS and causing thousands more deaths. He also warned it was too early to judge whether the Rule of Six and 10pm curfew were working. Top experts have repeatedly warned that Britain needs to learn to live with Covid-19 because it will be with us for generations. Businesses fear tougher measures similar to ones imposed in the first draconian lockdown would cripple the economy even further. Mr Johnson addressed the nation alongside Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, despite coming under intense pressure drop scientists from such briefings amid complaints they are being used as 'propaganda' to back up increasingly draconian restrictions. The trio presented maps that starkly exposed the North-South coronavirus divide. And official data shows that the average number of positive tests each day is at least twice as high in North West England as in any other region, and that Scotland's cases are 14 times higher than they were at the beginning of August, outpacing England's outbreak. An average 1,595 cases of Covid-19 are being diagnosed in the North West every day now, compared to just 150 in the South West, while Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East face the second highest infection rates. All of the 10 areas with the worst case-per-person ratios are in the north, while eight of 10 of those with the lowest are in the south. Professor Whitty said there was a 'heavy concentration' of coronavirus towards the top of England. In a plea to the public the Prime Minister said: 'If we put in the work together now then we give ourselves the best possible chance of avoiding that outcome and avoiding further measures.' 'I know some people will think we should give up and let the virus take its course despite the huge loss of life that would potentially entail. I have to say I profoundly disagree. I don't think that is what the British people want. I don't think they want to throw in the sponge. They want to fight and defeat this virus and that is what we are going to do.' 'Even as we fight Covid, it is vital that people get all the treatment they need for other conditions. But I must be clear, if the NHS were to be overwhelmed by covid, then no-one could get any such care.' Highlighting the sharp rise in infections and defending his recent comments warning that the UK could see 50,000 coronavirus cases a day by mid-October, Sir Patrick said grimly: 'Things are definitely going in the wrong direction.' Professor Whitty slapped back at critics, saying they had accused him of being 'too optimistic and too pessimistic on numbers'. But he said that in March the government failed to recognise how fast the virus was spreading and the mistake could not be repeated. In a gloomy message, he said: 'We have a long winter ahead of us.' Earlier, Mr Johnson finally bowed to demand to give MPs a vote before any fresh lockdown restrictions - after furious Speaker Lindsay Hoyle blasted him for treating the Commons with 'contempt'. In another frantic day in the coronavirus crisis: The UK recorded 7,108 more coronavirus cases and another 71 deaths today including a three-month high of seven in Scotland; The Bank of England's chief economist Andy Haldane has called for optimism on the country's prospects, warning that a 'Chicken Licken' attitude could harm the recovery; Business Secretary Alok Sharma faced a backlash after blaming 'gotcha' questions for the PM's muddle over the North East lockdown rules yesterday; Ministers fear that the public is showing increasing signs of 'lockdown fatigue' as the pandemic drags on and the rules become more complicated; The Prime Minister displayed the latest slides on the status of coronavirus at the No10 press conference tonight Chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief science officer Patrick Vallance were in Whitehall today for the Cabinet meeting Data presented by Professor Whitty in the televised briefing showed a clear north-south divide in the coronavirus infections across England. The scientific advisers admitted the top half of the country is clearly worse affected than the bottom, but insisted 'it would be wrong' to think the problem isn't nationwide. A heat map of infection rates across the country showed that almost all of the South West, South East, East Midlands and the East of England were shaded in the lightest possible colour, meaning the numbers of cases are below the average for England. WHY IS THE OUTBREAK NOW CENTERED IN THE NORTH? Gloomy government statistics wheeled out at the No10 press conference tonight show cases are rocketing in the North and in Scotland. But Boris Johnson or Downing St's top two scientific advisers, Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty were unable to offer any explanation as to why. Top scientists have speculated it could be down to the North having lower levels of immunity from Britain's first wave in the spring. For instance, government advisers estimate around 17 per cent of people living in the capital have developed Covid-19 antibodies suggesting they have already had and beaten the virus. But the rate for the rest of the UK is believed to be lower than 10 per cent. Academics warned the virus would have thrived in London before the lockdown on March 23, because of how densely populated the city of 9million is, with buses and Tubes packed full. Thousands of tourists who possibly could have been carrying the disease were also allowed to fly in and enjoy the capital's attractions without being checked. One expert did not play down the theory that the North could now be being battered by the second wave because of its gloomier weather. Several studies have explored the possible link between weather and Covid-19 outbreaks but have yet to make a clear consensus. Manchester's average temperature in August is around 16C (60F) but drops to below 13C (55F) in September the two months when cases began to spiral in the North West. It is even colder in Scotland. For reference, London is only slightly warmer than Manchester. The capital's average temperature stands at around 19C (66F) in August and 17C (63F) in September. Dr John McCauley, one of the world's most eminent scientists on flu, told MailOnline that people are driven inside when it is raining and cold. But he admitted it would be very 'tricky' to firm up the link. Dr McCauley, of London's Francis Crick Institute, pointed to flu outbreaks in Ireland and Poland, where the climates are 'very different' but the seasonality of the virus is 'pretty similar'. Poland's winter can see temperatures regularly dip below freezing, forcing people to stay inside. Ireland tends to be battered by heavy winds and rain. Cold and flu viruses are known to thrive indoors, and experts say the coronavirus which spreads through coughs, sneezes, and breathing will be no exception to the trend. Respiratory viruses also prefer the winter because people spend more time together indoors, where they are forced into closer contact than they would be in the park in summer. The closer together people are, the more likely they are to spread the virus between them. Dr McCauley also told MailOnline the outbreak in the North could simply be down to bad luck. But Professor Anthony Brookes, an expert in genomics at the University of Leicester, said researchers 'struggle' to understand what is truly going on because of a lack of data on testing for the different regions. 'They do release for whole country, but per region per day - thats whats missing. That makes it difficult to dissect whats going on in different regions at different times. We are only left with number of positive cases detected. Nevertheless, given that caveat about not having the number of tests done per day per region, one can estimate this. 'And doing so suggests there really is no second wave in London. That is, however, quite the opposite is true up north. Advertisement The average infection rate for the country as a whole was 35.7 cases per 100,000 as at Public Health England's latest official update last Friday. Colour-coding showed the problem is worst in the North West around Liverpool and Manchester and also in the far North East, towards Newcastle. Much of those two regions and the West Midlands - and to a lesser extent London and Cornwall - were shown in a darker colour, indicating case rates are near or above average. Professor Whitty said: 'At this point in time there is a very heavy concentration in particular areas - in particular in the North West, the North East and parts of the Midlands 'Theres a general increase [in the rate of infection] across the whole of England and the same is also true in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but a very rapid increase in particular areas; again, particularly in the North East, North West and areas of the Midlands [but] not exclusively.' Numbers of positive tests reported by the Department of Health reflect what was shown in the map, with the North West reporting significantly more cases than any other region. In the week up to September 23 - the most recent data available - there were an average of 1,595 cases diagnosed each day in the crisis-hit region. This was more than double the 663 daily average in Yorkshire and the Humber, three times as high as the 564 in the West Midlands and 551 in the North East. It blows the more southern regions, except London (471 per day), out of the water. In the East Midlands there were 274 cases per day over the same seven-day period, along with 227 in the South East, 185 in the East of England and just 150 in the South West. This means that the looming threat of a national lockdown, which Mr Johnson today said he didn't want to resort to but would if he had to, places millions of people at risk of being lumped under tight restrictions because of the actions of people hundreds of miles away. MPs have already cautioned against 'broad brush' tactics that see people in less-affected areas unfairly punished. But Sir Patrick Vallance insisted in today's conference: 'It would be wrong to take from this that this is a problem that's only in certain areas. 'It is worse in certain areas but there is evidence of spread everywhere, and we need to be mindful of that and everyone needs to take precautions across the country.' The images presented at the briefing mirror what is shown in Public Health England's data. Of the 48 areas in the 'intervention' category on PHE's watchlist, none are further south than the Midlands. Birmingham and nearby Sandwell, as well as Leicester and Oadby and Wigston, are the furthest south areas to have any local lockdown measures in place. Eight out of 10 areas with the lowest infection rates per 100,000 people are in the south of England - the Isle of Wight, Somerset, East Sussex, Dorset, Devon, Wokingham, Swindon and Torbay. Suffolk in the East and Herefordshire in the West Midlands complete the list. And all 10 of the areas with the highest infection rates are in the north - Bolton, South Tyneside, Blackburn with Darwen, Knowsley, Halton, Liverpool, Bury, Newcastle, Manchester and Oldham. Frustration is growing with local lockdowns in these areas, however, and MailOnline understands Cabinet hawks are increasingly frustrated by the dire warnings from the medical and science chiefs about a second wave. Former Downing Street aides have been calling on the government to take the experts out of the limelight, warning they are not great communicators and it gave the impression decisions were clear cut rather than a matter of judgement for ministers. CASES ARE RISING QUICKER IN SCOTLAND THAN IN ENGLAND, DATA SHOWS Official testing data shows that the number of cases is rising significantly faster in Scotland than it is in England. Although there are fewer infections north of the border, the daily average number of cases is now almost 14 times higher than it was at the beginning of August, whereas England's has increased five-fold in comparison. The figures suggested Scotland outbreak is accelerating at a rate three times higher than England's. In the first week of August there were an average 38 cases per day diagnosed in Scotland. This rolling average has since surged 1,252 per cent to 514 yesterday. In England, meanwhile, the average of 807 cases per day recorded in the first week of August has risen by a comparatively smaller 445 per cent up to September 28. Today's and yesterday's data cannot be used for the comparison because the numbers are low as the positive tests are not all recorded on the day. And Scotland's cases surged to an all-time high of 806 on September 29 up from a low of just two positive cases on July 7. Meanwhile England's hit a ceiling of 7,143 yesterday, September 29, up from a low point of 398 on July 14. England's increase has been of around 1,700 per cent - some 17 times higher - while Scotland's has boomed more than 400 times over. The increase will be particularly worrying and disappointing for the nation, which came closer than any other part of the UK to wiping out the disease, with a month-long spell without a single death between July 17 and July 18. Advertisement Senior Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin upped the ante today by swiping that the government is using 'science as propaganda'. Prof Whitty told the Downing Street briefing there was a 'significant rise' in test positivity in the north-east and north-west of England, and Yorkshire and Humber. 'This increase is accelerating quite rapidly in some of those areas,' he said. He said that rates in school age children 'are really not changing very much'. But he said hospitalisation is rising, particularly in hotspots, though the figures remain 'in a much lower level than at the beginning of April'. Professor Whitty added: 'We are pointing out that the direction of travel for both hospitals and intensive care is going in the wrong direction, particularly in these areas that have seen rapid increases in cases.' Sir Patrick said: 'It is very clear that rates are still going up. And, so, we don't have this under control at the moment. 'And the increases that Chris (Whitty) has described in some areas are of concern, and will lead to further problems.' Mr Johnson said the way the virus is spreading may be different now to the way it was in March. 'We are seeing some very clear local peaks,' he said. 'It may be that this is a more localised phenomenon this time in which case all the more reason for us to concentrate on these local solutions as well as these national solutions.' Professor Whitty said that although the virus was not doubling as quickly as it was in March, the numbers could pick up again quickly. 'This small number of deaths now shouldn't reassure us that we won't be, in relatively short order, in quite difficult places, certainly in the regions where we are seeing significant growth at the moment.' The North-South divide was highlighted after Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham warned that coronavirus could be worse for the north of England than Margaret Thatcher. Mr Burnham said local restrictions to combat the spread of the virus could 'massively increase' England's North-South divide and called for more support for businesses in Bolton, which has the strictest lockdown measures in the region. The Conservative leader of Bolton Council, David Greenhalgh, also said he was pleading with the Government to recognise the disparity between boroughs as he claimed the town's hospitality businesses had been 'thrown to the lions'. Speaking at a weekly coronavirus press briefing, Mr Burnham said: 'If we go into a winter with the north under local restrictions, millions of people under restrictions, businesses suffering because of those restrictions, no support for those businesses, we are going to see a widening of the north-south divide. WHITTY SAYS CASES ARE NOT SPIRALLING OUT OF CONTROL IN SCHOOLS Coronavirus cases are not spiralling out of control in schools, Professor Chris Whitty insisted tonight. England's Chief Medical Officer said rates are not going up for school-age children under the age of 16. And in tonight's Number 10 press conference, he claimed the trend was true 'across the country'. But he warned this wasn't the case for 17 to 21 year olds, where outbreaks are getting bigger 'quite rapidly'. The figures come after unions and scientists warned that the return of schools would cause an explosion in cases which, although children do not seem to get ill with Covid-19, could have put the health of staff and parents at risk. Justifying his claims about schools in a clear graph, Professor Whitty presented official data on test positivity rates for five different age groups. Test positivity reveals how many people who think they have Covid-19 actually do and is a measure that can be used to track infections without the influence of the total numbers of cases, which can fluctuate unreliably as more or fewer tests are carried out. Professor Whitty's data that he pointed to showed test positivity rates have soared to around 12.9 per cent among 19 to 21 year olds, doubling from 6 per cent at the start of the month. But he failed to offer any explanation as to why. The data presented at tonight's press conference which saw Boris Johnson warn of a second lockdown unless the outbreak tails off also showed the test positivity rate has jumped to around 9.6 per cent in 17 and 18 year olds. For comparison, it had stayed fairly stable at below 7.5 per cent in the first two weeks of September. But rates have barely changed among five to 10 year olds (1.5 per cent), 11 to 14 year olds (2.2 per cent) and 15 and 16 year olds (3.8 per cent). Advertisement 'If you look back in years to come you'll think Covid-19 did more harm to the north of England than Margaret Thatcher and whatever she did in the 1980s. 'This is a real danger that is staring us right in the face. 'A government that says it wants to level up cannot put the north of England under restrictions without support. It's pretty much as simple as that.' He said he believed Bolton, where restaurants and pubs are only allowed to provide takeaway food and drink, had been 'forgotten about' by national politicians. He added: 'There are many places today that have a higher case rate than Bolton but their hospitality remains open and it's this lack of consistency that I think is making people lose faith in what is going on. 'The sense of injustice in Bolton is very, very real today. 'I would say it's simple either the Government closes hospitality in areas with higher case rates, with full compensation by the way. 'If they're not prepared to do that, they should let Bolton open. It's got to be one or the other.' Mr Greenhalgh told BBC News the restrictions, imposed earlier this month, were 'breeding resentment' among residents. He said: 'I still think there's an element of Government, because the restrictions are so complex, that doesn't understand the huge disparities there are up and down the country.' Earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the concessions in the House, saying the government would 'consult Parliament' on any England-wide or UK-wide restrictions, and a vote will be held in advance 'wherever possible'. 'Today I can confirm to the House that for significant national measures, with effect in the whole of England or UK-wide, we will consult Parliament wherever possible we will hold votes before such regulations come into force,' he said. 'But of course responding to the virus means that the Government must act with speed when required and we cannot hold up urgent regulations which are needed to control the virus and save lives.' Sir Graham Brady, who led the Tory revolt, welcomed the climbdown - which followed weeks of rising tensions with the backbenches. The move came after Sir Lindsay delivered an extraordinary rebuke, complaining that sweeping powers for ministers to deal with the public health crisis were being abused. Reading the riot act to the PM as he sat silently in the chamber, Sir Lindsay made clear that he is ready to side with dozens of Tory rebels and opposition parties to ensure more scrutiny - warning that the government's must act now to restore 'trust'. DATA CONFIRMS NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE IN ENGLAND Data presented by Professor Whitty in the televised briefing showed a clear north-south divide in the coronavirus infections across England. Cases are clearly surging faster and to higher levels across the North West and North East of the country, while the South West and South East look almost unaffected. The scientific advisers admitted the top half of the country is clearly worse affected than the bottom, but insisted 'it would be wrong' to think the problem isn't nationwide. A heat map of infection rates across the country showed that almost all of the South West, South East, East Midlands and the East of England were shaded in the lightest possible colour, meaning the numbers of cases are below the average for England. The average infection rate for the country as a whole was 35.7 cases per 100,000 as at Public Health England's latest official update last Friday. Colour-coding showed the problem is worst in the North West around Liverpool and Manchester and also in the far North East, towards Newcastle. Much of those two regions and the West Midlands - and to a lesser extent London and Cornwall - were shown in a darker colour, indicating case rates are near or above average. Professor Whitty said: 'At this point in time there is a very heavy concentration in particular areas - in particular in the North West, the North East and parts of the Midlands 'Theres a general increase [in the rate of infection] across the whole of England and the same is also true in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but a very rapid increase in particular areas; again, particularly in the North East, North West and areas of the Midlands [but] not exclusively.' Numbers of positive tests reported by the Department of Health reflect what was shown in the map, with the North West reporting significantly more cases than any other region. In the week up to September 23 - the most recent data available - there were an average of 1,595 cases diagnosed each day in the crisis-hit region. This was more than double the 663 daily average in Yorkshire and the Humber, three times as high as the 564 in the West Midlands and 551 in the North East. It blows the more southern regions, except London (471 per day), out of the water. In the East Midlands there were 274 cases per day over the same seven-day period, along with 227 in the South East, 185 in the East of England and just 150 in the South West. This means that the looming threat of a national lockdown, which Mr Johnson today said he didn't want to resort to but would if he had to, places millions of people at risk of being lumped under tight restrictions because of the actions of people hundreds of miles away. MPs have already cautioned against 'broad brush' tactics that see people in less-affected areas unfairly punished. But Sir Patrick Vallance insisted in today's conference: 'It would be wrong to take from this that this is a problem that's only in certain areas. 'It is worse in certain areas but there is evidence of spread everywhere, and we need to be mindful of that and everyone needs to take precautions across the country.' The images presented at the briefing mirror what is shown in Public Health England's data. Of the 48 areas in the 'intervention' category on PHE's watchlist, none are further south than the Midlands. Birmingham and nearby Sandwell, as well as Leicester and Oadby and Wigston, are the furthest south areas to have any local lockdown measures in place. Eight out of 10 areas with the lowest infection rates per 100,000 people are in the south of England - the Isle of Wight, Somerset, East Sussex, Dorset, Devon, Wokingham, Swindon and Torbay. Suffolk in the East and Herefordshire in the West Midlands complete the list. And all 10 of the areas with the highest infection rates are in the north - Bolton, South Tyneside, Blackburn with Darwen, Knowsley, Halton, Liverpool, Bury, Newcastle, Manchester and Oldham. Advertisement 'The Government must make greater efforts to prepare measures more quickly, so that this House can debate and decide upon the most significant measures at the earliest possible point,' he said. 'I am now looking to the Government to rebuild the trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt that it has shown.' The Speaker did reject an amendment tabled by Tory rebels to a motion renewing the Coronavirus Act powers, that would have forced votes before new measures are imposed - saying it would breach parliamentary procedure. However, the intervention was enough to trigger an immediate shift from the government. In an extraordinary attack in the Commons - which Mr Johnson had to sit and listen to - Sir Lindsay slammed the way the government was railroading through restrictions. 'The way in which the Government has exercised its powers to make secondary legislation during this crisis has been totally unsatisfactory,' he said. 'All too often, important statutory instruments have been published a matter of hours before they come into force, and some explanations why important measures have come into effect before they can be laid before this House have been unconvincing and shows a total disregard for the House. 'The Government must make greater efforts to prepare measures more quickly, so that this House can debate and decide upon the most significant measures at the earliest possible point.' He added: 'I am now looking to the Government to rebuild the trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt that it has shown.' Mr Johnson did not make any reference to the stinging criticism from the Speaker as he took to his feet for PMQs afterwards. Disquiet has been growing among MPs about the influence of Prof Whitty and Sir Patrick over the government's approach. One Cabinet 'hawk' told MailOnline that Mr Johnson had no choice but to act given the dire warnings he was getting. 'You can understand why the PM has to be cautious when he is being told that tens of thousands of people are going to die,' they said. The minister added that the government was getting advice more 'widely' from experts now. 'The hawks in the Cabinet are a lot happier with the spread of opinion than they were,' they said. The source pointed out that the was a huge range of opinion among scientists, and ministers had to be confident to take a view. 'Earlier in the crisis we were a lot more in thrall of the scientists. But there is a huge difference between doubling every seven days and every 20 days,' they said. 'We are talking more widely to people with different views. It might be that people like Carl Heneghan have the right assessment. ' 'The modelling is not at all accurate. It just gives you general idea of what might happen.' The PM gathered his Cabinet this morning after embarrassingly getting muddled about the draconian rules imposed on households mixing in the North East. The blunder elicited a rare apology from Mr Johnson, who admitted he had 'misspoken' by suggesting different households could still legally socialise in groups of six indoors. Tory MPs insisted if Mr Johnson cannot 'keep up' with the changes being by the government there is no hope for ordinary members of the public. But Business Secretary Alok Sharma swatted away the criticism this morning, accusing journalists of 'gotcha' questions and turning the situation into a 'quiz show' - saying people should check council websites rather than listening to the PM. 'There is an element of slightly 'gotcha' about this in terms of this line of questioning. You are a flagship programme when it comes to serious news and it is not a quiz show,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Asked whether he thought that calling on ministers to explain what their coronavirus regulations were was as 'trivial as a quiz question', he said: 'No, absolutely not. But what I'm saying to you is that what is important is if people want to understand the precise restrictions that they have in areas which are more restricted, then they should go on to the (local authority) websites.' A dire day for the government kicked off yesterday when skills minister Gillian Keegan suffered a series of car crash interviews Tuesday morning, admitting she was unable to answer key questions over new curbs that came into effect from midnight. Quizzed on the North East lockdown after a speech at Exeter College in Devon later, Mr Johnson said: 'On the rule of six, outside the areas such as the North East where extra measures have been brought in, it is six inside, six outside. Coronavirus 'could be worse for North-South divide than Thatcher', says Manchester mayor Coronavirus could be worse for the north of England than Margaret Thatcher, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said. Mr Burnham said local restrictions to combat the spread of the virus could 'massively increase' England's north-south divide and called for more support for businesses in Bolton, which has the strictest lockdown measures in the region. The Conservative leader of Bolton Council, David Greenhalgh, also said he was pleading with the Government to recognise the disparity between boroughs as he claimed the town's hospitality businesses had been 'thrown to the lions'. Speaking at a weekly coronavirus press briefing, Mr Burnham said: 'If we go into a winter with the north under local restrictions, millions of people under restrictions, businesses suffering because of those restrictions, no support for those businesses, we are going to see a widening of the north-south divide. 'If you look back in years to come you'll think Covid-19 did more harm to the north of England than Margaret Thatcher and whatever she did in the 1980s. 'This is a real danger that is staring us right in the face. 'A government that says it wants to level up cannot put the north of England under restrictions without support. It's pretty much as simple as that.' Advertisement 'And in the North East and other areas where extra tight measures have been brought in you should follow the guidance of the local authorities. 'But it's six in a home or six in hospitality, but as I understand it not six outside. That is the situation there.' Whitehall sources claimed No10 had been blindsided by Matt Hancock's decision to press ahead with the new restrictions, which had not been expected until at least the end of this week. Former minister Steve Baker, one of the rebel ringleaders pushing for parliament to get a bigger role in deciding lockdown, said it demonstrated the confusion that was being caused. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think it was a vivid illustration of the problems you have when a hundred Acts of Parliament are used to put in place 247, I think it is, pieces of delegated legislation which are subject to repeated amendment and revocation. 'When you get such a large and shifting body of law, you find even ministers and the Prime Minister cannot keep up with it. 'What possible hope can the public have? I had one minister say to me yesterday, with terror in his eyes about the disease, we might have to change the law every 24 hours. 'We can't possibly expect 70 million people to keep up with law that changes every 24 hours this would be chaos and ruin.' Senior Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin also turned up the temperature by accusing ministers of using science for 'propaganda'. 'We saw during the Iraq war, intelligence being used as a propaganda,' he told Times Radio. 'The scientists are not there to explain what the government has judged necessary to do'. Mr Sharma defended the way restrictions were being rushed through. 'The reason we are sometimes having to bring these in pretty quickly is to actually keep people safe - and I know all parliamentarians, Steve (Baker) and others totally get that - and the issue is the scrutiny,' he said. 'It is the case that when we've introduced restrictions, we have to make sure there is a vote within 28 days or they lapse. 'But what colleagues are asking for is if there is some way, prior to decisions being made, whether they can be involved and I know that is something that we are looking at in Government and we will come forward with some suggestions.' Reading the riot act to the PM as he sat silently in the chamber, Sir Lindsay made clear that he is ready to side with dozens of Tory rebels and opposition parties to ensure more scrutiny - warning that the government's must act now to restore 'trust' Pictured left to right, Boris Johnson, new Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, Matt Hancock and Michael Gove leaving Downing Street for the Foreign Office today, where Cabinet is held because there is more space for social distancing LIVERPOOL IS BEING 'CLOSELY MONITORED' OVER SPIKE IN CASES The weekly infection rate in Liverpool now stands at 258.4 per 100,000 people. Liverpool would be the first city to have a two-week lockdown Number 10 today said it was 'closely monitoring' Liverpool's rising infection rate after its mayor said the city was just 'days away' from having to introduce a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown. Boris Johnson's official spokesman said officials are 'constantly reviewing' the area's coronavirus restrictions - after Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson called for a full lockdown to restrict the virus from spreading. The weekly infection rate in Liverpool now stands at 258.4 per 100,000 people. It would be the first city to have a two-week lockdown, which could also include parts of the wider region. However, at a conference of local leaders this afternoon, Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham distanced himself from Mr Anderson's call for a two-week lockdown and said he had never discussed this idea with the Government in Westminster. Mr Rotherham said he is meeting with all the region's leaders meeting after the press conference. The North East was made subject to new restrictions this morning, with people banned from meeting anyone inside unless they are part of their Covid bubble. However this stopped short of a full lockdown that would shut pubs and restaurants. Advertisement Pressed on whether there were concessions coming, the minister said: 'We are having a look, as I said - I don't want to pre-empt anything that comes out.' The PM's blunder had uncomfortable echoes of the skit by Lucas, which was aired at the start of the Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 last week. It saw the comedian dressed up as Mr Johnson taking a faux press conference in Downing Street. Ridiculing the complicated rules, Lucas urged people to 'bake in a tent' if they must, before adding: 'Don't bake in a tent.' The Government has been desperately trying all week to soothe a mutiny among dozens of MPs who had lined up behind the amendment tabled by backbench chief Sir Graham Brady. It insisted that Commons votes should be held before any future curbs are put in place. But one Tory MP in the North East told the Telegraph: 'What happened with Boris only strengthened the argument for greater parliamentary scrutiny of new rules. He can't work out what the rules are because there is no logic to them.' Mr Johnson rushed to defuse the row over his muffed explanation of lockdown within hours, issuing a rare apology. 'Apologies, I misspoke today,' he wrote. 'In the North East, new rules mean you cannot meet people from different households in social settings indoors, including in pubs, restaurants and your home. 'You should also avoid socialising with other households outside. 'This is vital to control the spread of coronavirus and keep everyone safe. If you are in a high risk area, please continue to follow the guidelines from local authorities.' While the PM has defended their advice and expertise that has led to local lockdowns and early closures of pubs, Tory MPs have vented their ire on the pair in recent days, with calls for them to be sacked. The government's use of the sweeping powers it was granted by Parliament at the start of the coronavirus crisis has been causing increasing discontent among Tories. The Coronavirus Act 2020 - which underpins the lockdown along with the Health Protection Act 1984 - has to be renewed every six months, with a vote due tomorrow. But ministers have been trying to find a settlement with Sir Graham's band of rebels after they threatened to derail the process. The government is now expected to commit to holding votes where practical before any further restrictions are imposed. Senior Tory Steve Baker has likened some of the Government's coronavirus restrictions to George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, specifically referencing a ban on singing and dancing in bars, cafes and restaurants. The PM is also under mounting pressure from hard-hit hospitality bosses demanding the 10pm curfew be constantly reviewed. More than 100 of the UK's biggest restaurant chains including Wetherspoon and Pizza Hut wrote to Mr Johnson urging a three-week review - and for it to be axed if ineffective at tackling the steep rise in cases. Mr Johnson appealed to MPs to renew the powers in the Coronavirus Act, saying the nation remained in a 'serious situation'. 'Nobody wants to do these kinds of things. Nobody in their right mind wants to stop people singing and dancing in pubs or enjoying themselves in the normal way,' he told the press conference. 'I appreciate the (Orwell) characterisation but if we all work together and get this thing down, get this virus down, then we can keep going with our strategy, keep education open, keep the economy moving and work for the day, as I say, when I believe that those medical scientific improvements will truly deliver the long-term liberation we need. 'And to deliver it we've all basically got to work together and follow the guidance. That's what I respectfully say to my colleagues in Parliament and they will, as I know they all want, have an opportunity to talk about these issues, to debate them properly, and discuss them as parliamentarians should.' He also reiterated his commitment to give more regular debates on coronavirus in the Commons and promised that MPs will be able to question the Government's scientific advisers more regularly. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the concessions in the House, saying the government would 'consult Parliament' on any England-wide or UK-wide restrictions, and a vote will be held in advance 'wherever possible' Matt Hancock and Michael Gove (pictured left) were at Cabinet today, as was chief whip Mark Spencer (right) who has been trying to broker a deal with Tory rebels Ex-No10 adviser urges PM to ditch scientists Boris Johnson should stop relying on scientists and 'take responsibility' for decisions, a former No10 adviser has said. James Frayne, who conducted focus groups and polling for the Cabinet Office but has now stopped, made the call as he critiqued the government's performance. In an article on ConservativeHome.com, Mr Frayne said that 'PR Advice 101' was to 'wheel out the independent experts that the public trust, and play down the role of politicians'. 'So we've seen nothing but Government scientists for months,' he said. 'There are two problems with this approach. Firstly, it has implied that the scientists are ultimately in control of the situation and that there are simple, empirical decisions which can and must be made. 'This isn't true, and has given the public a false sense of security. 'Secondly, most of the scientists are poor communicators. The media love the idea of the boring, trusted scientist that the public all love. But this isn't reality. 'The scientists aren't professional communicators and putting them in positions of public influence in this way is a mistake.' He went on: 'The Government needs to show some balls and downgrade the scientists' role as communicators, and take responsibility for what are essentially political decisions.' Advertisement However, after the Prime Minister's plea, further pressure came from the senior group of MPs on the Liaison Committee, which gets to question Mr Johnson in the Commons. Senior Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, writing to Mr Johnson as committee chair, said the 'majority of us' support Parliament having a vote 'before or immediately after' restrictions come into force. 'The idea that such restrictions can be applied without express parliamentary approval, except in dire emergency, is not widely acceptable and indeed may be challenged in law,' Sir Bernard said. Measures have been tightened in Northumberland, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham. Aimed at stopping a resurgence of coronavirus, the Department of Health said laws would ban inter-household mixing indoors, including in pubs and restaurants. But it left questions about whether the measures, to be enforced with fines, would include meeting people from other homes outside in hospitality settings. Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday, Ms Keegan said: 'I'm sorry I can't clarify that. 'I don't know the answer to that question but I'm sure they can find out the answer to that question.' Pressed on how people are meant to keep up to date with the latest restrictions when even ministers cannot, she said: 'I'm sorry I can't answer that question. I'm sure there are many people who could. I don't represent the North East.' Tory disquiet over new rules, regulations and fines also increased after it emerged the authorities will have the power to use 'reasonable force' to make people self-isolate. New laws published by the Government state that 'reasonable force' can be used if someone refuses to comply with an instruction to stay at home after testing positive for coronavirus or if they have been in contact with someone else who has the disease. The power will be available to all 'authorised persons' amid reports that could include so-called 'Covid marshalls' as well as the police and council staff. TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Strigo today announced that it has tripled its customer base since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and closed an $8 million Series A financing round. The new investment was led by Velvet Sea Ventures and existing investor Greycroft with participation from Hanaco, the company's lead seed investor. Companies including Elastic, Mirantis, NCR, VMWare, Sage, and Zenika have adopted Strigo's unified platform to deliver remote instructor-led, on-demand and third-party training. Strigo's Customer Training Cloud drives growth and retention by empowering customers throughout their relationship with the product knowledge and skills they need to maximize customer success. Customer training has become a critical business driver and software companies are making significant investments to scale and improve the quality of their training. With many software companies working remotely for the foreseeable future, Strigo has become an essential tool to drive customer success. Strigo's clients are using the Customer Training Cloud to continually empower their customers by creating an ecosystem of hands-on training experiences that can be delivered in any format and at any time to best fit the needs of each customer. The platform centers around the product and eliminates the hassle of juggling various online applications by merging communication, content sharing, collaboration tools and product environments into a seamless experience. "We are excited to lead the software industry toward our vision around the Strigo Customer Training Cloud. Our platform enables companies to deliver and scale impactful customer training to thousands of customers each month. We are especially proud of our ability to help companies quickly pivot to remote training since the outbreak of COVID-19," said Nevo Peretz, CEO of Strigo. Today, efforts to effectively train customers often fall short as companies must patch together a number of tools that are not intended for customer training in order to deliver instruction. This results in poor training experiences and limits the ability to reach more customers. In addition, they lack data and insights to measure the effectiveness of their programs. These challenges have become more acute since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus which has eliminated the opportunity for in-person training. In addition to achieving high growth, Strigo is attracting top talent at every level of the organization. The company has hired Michael Jaindl as Chief Customer Officer to build out its customer success team globally. Prior to joining Strigo, Michael was VP Customer Success at Salesforce, which he joined after serving as Buddy Media's chief client officer before its sale to Salesforce for $800 million in 2012. "Strigo is building a new category in the software industry with its Customer Training Cloud," said Michael Lazerow, partner and co-founder of Velvet Sea Ventures. "There is nothing more important for software companies than turning customers into power customers and Strigo is the first platform I have seen to do just that at scale. The market has already begun to embrace its vision for using a unified training platform that delivers the best training experience available and gives companies the flexibility and agility to provide a broad range of offerings in every format to empower their customers." The company will use this round to scale up product development and its go-to-market strategy to meet rapidly increasing demand and to accelerate customer growth. "As Strigo has further expanded into the market, there is a recognition that the company's innovative approach is helping software firms transform their customer training into a growth driver," said Will Szczerbiak, partner at Greycroft. "We saw Strigo's great potential during the seed round, and Nevo and the rest of leadership has succeeded in making their vision into a reality," said Pasha Romanovski, co-founding partner at Hanaco and existing board member. Read Strigo's latest blog: Customer Empowerment in the Age of SaaS. About Strigo Strigo transforms customer training for software companies, offering a new way to empower customers and drive growth and retention. Strigo's Customer Training Cloud enables companies to enhance their customers' product knowledge with hands-on training experiences that can be delivered in any format at any time to best fit the needs of each customer. Leading venture capital firms, including Greycroft, Velvet Sea Ventures and Hanaco Ventures and back Strigo. Visit www.strigo.io About Velvet Sea Ventures Velvet Sea Ventures is a multi-stage venture capital firm that helps entrepreneurs turn their visions into reality. With more than 80 years of combined experience as founders and venture investors and more than $2.2 billion invested, the firm provides seed-to-growth stage capital investments coupled with strategic support across all sectors. Velvet Seas partners' past investments include such notable companies as Twitter (TWTR), Square (SQ), SpaceX, Snap Inc. (SNAP), Facebook (FB), Pinterest (PINS), Domo (DOMO), Scopely, Buzzfeed, Namely, Eaze, Braze and Map Anything (CRM). About Greycroft Greycroft is a seed-to-growth venture capital firm that partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to build transformative companies. The firm has deep experience in both consumer and enterprise technology, with a portfolio that spans the globe. Greycroft values building enduring relationships with founders and understands that they want more from investors than just capital. Greycroft manages more than $1.5 billion in capital with over 200 investments, including Acorns, App Annie, Axios, Bird, Braintree, BetterCloud, Bright Health, Buddy Media, Huffington Post, Icertis, Lightricks, Openpath, Plated, Scopely, Shipt, TheRealReal, Thrive Market, Trunk Club, and Venmo. About Hanaco Ventures Hanaco Ventures backs early-stage technology companies with bold, visionary and passionate Israeli entrepreneurs, wherever they are across the globe. Hanaco was founded by Alon Lifshitz, Lior Prosor and Pasha Romanovski in 2017. For more on Hanaco, visit http://hanacovc.com SOURCE Strigo Related Links https://strigo.io/ Long-term connectivity solutions require months or years of planning and construction, but students need Internet access now. With its mountainous topography and sparsely populated areas, West Virginia understands this un-ideal reality as well as any state, so it created what some might call a Band-Aid solution: the Kids Connect Initiative , a unified education network with hundreds of Wi-Fi access points.The project started in early August, leaving little time for implementation before Sept. 8, the first day of school in West Virginia.We had roughly 30 days, said Joshua Spence, chief technology officer of the state. There was no contract. There was no equipment. There was basically just a list of locations and a concept.We had a ton of cablers scrambling throughout the state, said Tim Conzett, a senior administrator for the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). It was crazy. Twelve- and 14-hour days over and over.The concept was to allow any K-12 or college student the ability to use Wi-Fi from any access point within a network spread over the entire state. Spences office coordinated with WVDE and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) for the initiative, which called for installations at county schools, higher education institutions, libraries and state parks.By Sept. 8, the state managed to set up about 850 locations that were ready for students. Since then, more places, such as some of the states national guard armories, have received installations. More access points are in the works at Division of Motor Vehicles offices, county school board offices and other easily accessible sites in every county.We intend to have over 1,000 [locations] when its all said and done, Spence said.If one sites down or somethings not working, they wont have to go too far to get [Internet], said Matt Turner, HEPCs executive vice chancellor for administration. The more sites we have, the more convenient it is for students and families.The state had to suspend procurement rules in order to attain the necessary equipment within the short timeframe, Spence said. Three companies Advantage Technology, Alpha Technologies and Citynet divvied up most of the installations. Spences office, which doesnt do IT for education directly, ended up installing equipment at 100 libraries in 10 days.Spence said the equipment was procured from Cisco Meraki, whose cloud technology fit well with West Virginias goal.Cloud management enables a unified management of the wireless network more easily, Spence said, adding that the state is now taking care of the authentication component.Conzett said it was impressive how three competing companies, which normally try to outbid each other, came to the table with similar costs for things. Conzett also gives a lot of credit to Spences organization, as WVDEs developers were tied up with existing data system and network management duties.Its not like we can pull [WVDE developers] out and say, Help us make this work, Conzett said. Joshs office was essential.Spence believes the success of the initiative contradicts a typical narrative about the nature of government response.I think theres a perception that government is slow and inflexible, Spence said. However, with certain challenges, government can respond and leverage technology to make dramatic changes in the short term.Spence also provided advice for other state organizations that may be looking at doing similar fast solutions.Its real important to talk about the plan or the goal of your plan and repeatedly come back to those goals and make sure all stakeholders are on the same page, Spence said. Sometimes I feel, especially in technology projects, we may be saying the same words, but words have different meanings resulting from different interpretations and different perspectives. When you need to move extremely quick, you have to prevent that divide from occurring.Although all of the stakeholders in West Virginia government admit that Kids Connect is a short-term fix, something had to be done for the present semester. From Conzetts perspective, calling the initiative a Band-Aid doesnt give enough emphasis to the urgent need for connectivity in West Virginia. More than half of the states K-12 population didnt have acceptable Internet access.Were not just talking about students, Conzett said. Were talking about staff as well. There are teachers in the state of West Virginia who dont have Internet access at home, either. The network is as much for them as it is for the student side.In West Virginia, a large city is 40,000 people, Turner said. It truly is. We have a lot of first-generation college students who grew up in rural West Virginia. They may not have reliable broadband access in these small communities.Conzett added that hes having regular conversations with technology directors at local school systems. He keeps telling them to reach out to local partners, as one never knows what kind of deal can be made to get students more convenient broadband. He cited the example of Doddridge County.Between the board of education, the county board and this company, they put together a plan to wire every home in Doddridge County, Conzett said. Theyre going to use the [Career Technical Education] kids to help do troubleshooting and other things at the home. There was a negotiated cost. The vendor is doing the installations. Its not going to cost a fortune to the county. The Feast of Tabernacles - Leviticus 23:33-44 NKJV 33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it 37 These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day-- 38 besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord 39 'Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. 40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.' " 44 So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord. Meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) The Feast of Tabernacles is also called Sukkot which is the Hebrew word for booths or tents. The Jewish people constructed makeshift tents, just as the Israelites while roaming in the desert, for the feast to commemorate their liberation from Egypt by the hand of God. This joyful holiday is a recognition of God's salvation, shelter, provision, and trustworthiness. The Feast of Tabernacles is a 7-day autumn celebration honoring the 40-year pilgrimage of the Israelites in the desert. Along with Passover and the Festival of Weeks, Sukkot is one of three notable pilgrimage feasts found in the Bible when all Jewish men were expected to come before the Lord in the Temple in Jerusalem. The image above is of a Tabernacle in Timna Park from Wikipedia The Feast of Tabernacles in 2020 Sukkot commences five days after Yom Kippur, from day 15-21 of the Hebrew month of Tishri (which occurs in September or October). In 2020, the Feast of Tabernacles will begin on the evening of Friday, October 2, and end on the evening of Friday, October 9. Feast of Tabernacles in the Bible Biblical mentions of this holiday are found throughout the Old Testament, including Exodus 23:16, 34:22; Leviticus 23:34-43; Numbers 29:12-40; Deuteronomy 16:13-15; Ezra 3:4; and Nehemiah 8:13-18. Learnreligions.com also highlights that "As a feast instituted by God, Sukkot was never forgotten. It was celebrated in the time of Solomon: He (Solomon) offered the sacrifices for the Sabbaths, the new moon festivals, and the three annual festivalsthe Passover celebration, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Sheltersas Moses had commanded. (2 Chronicles 8:13, NLT) In fact, it was during Sukkot that Solomons temple was dedicated: So all the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn in the month of Ethanim. (1 Kings 8:2, NLT)" Jesus' Revelations at the Feast Jesus not only observed this feast but also proclaimed one of his most important prophecies during it. This holiday looked toward a coming time of messianic hope and salvation. Premierchristianity.com explains the glorious declarations of Jesus during the Feast as found in John chapter 7: However at the time of Jesus, Israel was spiritually destitute. They were living under Roman rule. Even the Holy of Holies was empty and dry. This moment in the feast wasn't just a cry for physical rain, but a desperate cry that God would pour out his spirit - the 'living water' they longed for. It was during the height of this ceremony, on the final day of the feast, that Jesus chose to stand up and say in a loud voice: Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them (John 7:37-38). Jesus was telling them the solution to their spiritual drought is found in him, the true water of life what a declaration! No wonder when he said this, some declared, This is the Messiah (John 7:41). The ceremony was a reassurance that God had vowed to send a light to restore Israel's glory, deliver them from bondage, and renew their joy. This was the connection for Jesus saying: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12). The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates a future time when God will again tabernacle with us on earth when Jesus appears and renews all things. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! Gods dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4) U.S. personnel staged a mock amphibious assault during this month's drills. South China Morning Post By Kristin Huang The United States has staged a simulated island assault exercise featuring a red silhouette of China on air personnel's uniforms, in what Chinese state media described as a provocative gesture. The drill, to be completed on Tuesday, was being conducted in California, but triggered warnings from Chinese state media that China would fight back if the US attacked it in the South China Sea. US-based Air Force magazine reported that the training by the US veteran drone fleet, which began on September 3, suggested that the US Air Force was focusing more on the Pacific region. Patches on uniforms made for the exercise featured an MQ-9 Reaper drone superimposed over a red silhouette of China, the report said. In the drill, Exercise Agile Reaper, three MQ-9s partnered with the US Navy's Third Fleet, which deployed carrier strike groups, submarines and other vessels and aircraft to the eastern Pacific, along with transport aircraft C-130s, and special warfare and Marine Corps personnel. The reapers performed air strikes during a mock amphibious assault on San Clemente Island off the Californian coast. Patches on uniforms made for the exercise showed a drone superimposed over a red silhouette of China. South China Morning Post A Co Louth hotel owner who refused diners with a postcode in locked-down Dublin last week says he was taken aback at being slated for trying to adhere to Government regulations against the spread of Covid-19. Terry McKevitt of McKevitts Village Hotel in Carlingford has described a Tripadvisor review - which labels the hotel a "den of ignorance" - as "unfair". The review, which advises customers to "avoid this place", states: "My parents went in here for lunch and a young lady member of staff promptly approached them and demanded their eircode. "As our eircode (postcode) starts with a D, she promptly interrupted, declaring that they will not be serving anyone from Dublin. Understandably it was very humiliating for my parents to be denied service in front of all those people. "This den of ignorance should not be frequented by any right-minded individuals. "My parents moved their custom where the staff were polite and happy to receive customers. "I'll make certain when the current crisis is over that not a solitary individual known to myself will be darkening the door of this establishment as long as it stands." In a reply owner Mr McKevitt said: "We accept all feedback whether it be positive or negative. However, we feel like this type of review is very unfair. "Since our reopening on June 29 we have taken every precaution to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. "We have completed all Covid-19 safety charter criteria. As a result we have passed Failte Ireland inspection and are proud to be registered as Covid-19-compliant premises. "Part of these changes has been to abide by all Government guidelines in relation to Covid-19. "We made the decision as a business to not accept guests from any county affected by Government restrictions as a protective measure for all. "We do not apologise for protecting our customers in these trying times and certainly do not apologise for making every attempt to ensure the safety of our hardworking staff. "We encourage all potential customers to listen to Government guidelines and recommendations and we will continue to provide a safe environment for all permitted customers." The rise in popularity of home cooking that occurred early in the coronavirus pandemic has been sustained, according to McCormick & Company CEO Lawrence Kurzius. "This has really become a trend that's becoming a habit," Kurzius said in an interview Tuesday on CNBC's "Mad Money." Shares of the spice maker fell 2.7% on Tuesday to $189.89 apiece, following the company's before-the-bell earnings report. McCormick reported sales of $1.43 billion, topping Wall Street expectations of $1.39 billion. Per-share earnings came in at $1.53, slightly better than the $1.52 analysts had been looking for. Third-quarter sales were up 8% compared with the same period last year. That mirrors the 8% year-over-year increase it reported for the second quarter, which ended May 31 and encompassed the initial wave of stay-at-home orders that swept the U.S. In Tuesday's earnings release, McCormick reported sales in its consumer segment were up 15% as pandemic economic restrictions were eased in the U.S. and other parts of the world. In the second quarter, the maker of Old Bay Seasoning, French's mustard and Frank's Red Hot saw consumer sales growth of 26%. Kurzius, who has served in various roles for McCormick since joining in 2003, said he sees additional encouraging signs. "Our household penetration is up 8%. That's millions of households, and the repeat rate is up 7%. That means consumers are using our products and coming back for more," he told CNBC's Jim Cramer. "We've gained market share in most of our categories, and this isn't just a U.S. phenomena. This is happening around the world. It's going to drive growth for a long time to come." For evidence, Kurzius pointed to China, which he said is the company's largest market outside the U.S. He explained that China, where the coronavirus first emerged late last year, is at least "several months" ahead of America on its pandemic recovery timeline. "Yet we're still seeing sustained consumer demand in China as well," he said. The restaurant industry has been hit hard during the pandemic, with various restrictions on operations put in place by state and local governments designed to slow the spread of Covid-19. McCormick has exposure to the industry through its flavor solutions segment, which saw a 3% decrease in sales in the third quarter compared with the same period a year ago. Even so, Kurzius said that represented "a strong bounce back" from the declines experienced earlier in the pandemic. In the second quarter, when many restaurants may have been shut down or only open for takeout or delivery, McCormick's food solutions sales plummeted 18% year-over-year. "Quick service restaurants, restaurants that are oriented to the takeaway and drive-thru and eat out, as opposed to dine-in, they've really recovered very well," Kurzius said. "Our quick-service restaurant customers are back in growth in some parts of the world and recovering very strongly." On the other hand, Kurzius said "white tablecloth" establishments and other individual restaurants located in places with economic restrictions face "a tough road ahead." As of Tuesday's close, McCormick shares are down almost 10% from their Sept. 3 high of $211.07. However, it's been a tough month for Wall Street overall, and McCormick's stock remains up more than 60% since its coronavirus-era bottom in late March. On Tuesday, the Baltimore-based company announced a 2-for-1 stock split, its first since April 2002. McCormick said it expects its stock to start trading on a split-adjusted basis Dec. 1. - Sergei Torop, known to his followers as Vissarion, has been running a religious sect for the last three decades - The former traffic police was arrested along with two other leaders of the group and is accused of extorting money and causing physical and emotional harm - The 59-year-old lost his job back in 1989 and later he claimed to have experienced an awakening - Sergei's followers who are based in Siberia count years from 1961, the year of his birth Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in A former traffic police officer who has been running a cult while claiming to be the reincarnation of Jesus has been arrested by Russian authorities. Sergei Torop, known to his followers as Vissarion, has been running a religious sect for the last three decades known as the Church Of The Last Testament. Sergei Torop has been running a religious sect for about three decades Photo: Sky News Source: UGC According to The Guardian, Sergei was arrested in the depths of Siberia, where his communities are based, with helicopters and armed police storming the area before capturing him. He was arrested along with two other leaders of the group and stand accused of extorting money and causing physical and psychological harm. The 59-year-old lost his job in 1989 and later he claimed to have experienced an awakening shortly after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The former traffic police officer has a community based in Siberia Photo: The Guardian Source: UGC Many of his followers range from professionals from Russia and also believers from several countries across the world, according to the Guardian. His followers, based in Siberia, reportedly wear strict clothing which are always bright in colour and count years from 1961, the year Vassarion was born. Sergei sitting in a police cell after his arrest Photo: Kirill Kukhmar/Tass Source: UGC Christmas to them comes early in the year on January 14, which is Sergei's date of birth. According to BBC, they are also not allowed to consume meat, coffee, tea, sugar, and wheat products. It was previously reported that a mzungu preacher resembling 'Jesus' who brought things to a standstill in Kitengela, Kajiado country during a crusade organised by local PEFA Church. Michael Job, a prolific preacher from United States of America (USA), left locals in awe and great admiration of his striking resemblance with the Messiah soon as he took to stage to preach. The powerful sermon which went down on Wednesday, July 24, evening, was characterised by commotion and confusion emanating from the preacher's appearance. Majority of locals who arrived at the open field venue where the prayers were being held surrendered their lives to Christ fearing the world could be coming to an end. Ghanaian painter Anita-Pearl Mwinnabang can turn any given space into an artistic paradise #Yencomgh Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! Source: YEN.com.gh By Associated Press BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised women in Belarus for staging peaceful protests in the wake of the country's disputed presidential election and said Wednesday that she plans to meet soon with the main opposition candidate. Merkel's comments came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Lithuania. Tsikhanouskaya went into exile there after the Aug. 9 election that Belarus officials claimed President Alexander Lukashenko won with 80% of the vote to her 10%. Opposition activists and some poll workers say the results that gave Lukashenko a sixth term were fraudulent. Britain and Canada have imposed sanctions on the president, his son and six government officials over a crackdown during weeks of post-election protests in Belarus. The European Union is considering whether to impose sanctions as well. Germany currently holds the EU's rotating presidency. We dont recognize the election of President Lukashenko," Merkel told German lawmakers, reiterating her condemnation of the violent crackdown on political opponents in Belarus. I will meet soon with the opposition activist Ms. Tsikhanouskaya," she said, adding: "When you see the bravery of women thats on display in the streets there, for freedom and a life without corruption, then I can only say: I admire that and I find it really impressive. Merkel, who has been Germany's chancellor for 15 years, joined the newly emboldened opposition movement in East Germany shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, declined to say whether a date and place for the meeting with Tsikhanouskaya had been set. Asked about Britain and Canada's decision to impose sanctions on Lukashenko, Seibert said Germany is firmly resolved that the European Union should also agree on sanctions against Belarus. We regret that this hasn't been possible yet, he told reporters in Berlin. But it remains our goal that such restrictive measures are taken. To do this we are continue to have intensive exchanges with our European partners, Seibert said. The goal is therefore comparable to that of Britain, for example. Dana Bash, CNNs chief political correspondent, called it a s***show. Jay Rosen, a New York University professor and press critic, called it a national embarrassment. Undecided voters told Republican pollster Frank Luntz that it was like reality TV ... except its the destruction of America that were watching. So who can claim victory in such a chaotic event officially dubbed the first of three general election presidential debates, but panned by pundits, journalists and academics as a wild mishmash of heated exchanges buried deep beneath a barrage of unpresidential interruptions by President Donald Trump? Regardless of whether Trump or his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, won in the eyes of public opinion, the early consensus is that American voters were the chief losers, according to many political observers who endured Tuesday nights spectacle. Jesus Christ, Northeastern University journalism professor Dan Kennedy tweeted. I have never seen anything like this in my life. CNNs Jake Tapper asserted the horrific event was nowhere near a genuine debate. That was a hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck, Tapper said. It was a disgrace. Primarily because of President Trump, who spent the entire time interrupting, not abiding by the rules he agreed to. Well talk about who won the debate, who lost the debate. One thing for sure, the American people lost. The New York Times characterized it as an ugly shouting match, while The Washington Post called it the worst presidential debate in living memory and The Boston Globe deemed it the worst general election presidential debate in American history. Critical issues facing Americans got air time: the COVID-19 pandemic, health care, the Supreme Court, the economy, racial injustice and climate change. But chaos coursed through nearly every discussion. Two more debates loom in the weeks ahead on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 though many pundits and viewers argued the public stood to benefit if voters were spared any more like this one. Some Democrats suggested Biden should refuse to face Trump if the president continues to ignore debate rules and basic decorum. But Bidens team says the Delaware Democrat will continue to debate and speak to the American people. According to Slate, Trump interrupted either Biden or the moderator, Fox News' Chris Wallace, at least 128 times. The strategy exponentially builds on a pattern Trump demonstrated four years ago in his first debate against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In that contest, at Hofstra University in Long Island, the Republican drew fire for cutting off Clinton at least 22 times in just 26 minutes, and more than 50 times overall. Wallace on Tuesday repeatedly scolded the president and insisted he keep quiet to let Biden finish in other words, to simply follow the debate rules to which the Trump campaign agreed over the course of a 90-minute back-and-forth that wore on uninterrupted. Bidens team cut the scene into an ad featuring a crying emoji over Trumps face and background audio of a wailing baby while Wallace, sternly eyeing the president with raised hands, struggles to maintain order. Had enough? Biden tweeted Wednesday morning. Trump, his campaign and allies quickly claimed debate domination over both Biden and Wallace. Chris had a tough night, Trump said. Two on one was not surprising, but fun. Trump argued Biden threw progressives to the wolves and falsely claimed they were dumping the Democrat. Zero Democrat enthusiasm, WEAK leadership!" he tweeted. Were almost done with the debate, and consensus is that Trump dominated And turned off undecided voters in the process. #Debates2020 Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) September 30, 2020 Luntz, who argued the bickering of the two septuagenarian men hurt his ears, both candidates and America, said the consensus was that Trump dominated ... and turned off undecided voters in the process. While Trumps base-pleasing tactics may not have swayed many undecided voters in his direction, Luntz effectively summed up one of the potential strategies of the incumbent, whos repeatedly called the integrity of the election into question. This debate has actually convinced some undecided voters to not vote at all, Luntz said. Ive never seen a debate cause this reaction. Biden supporters, Democratic lawmakers and others pointed to the stark contrast in performances as evidence of whos a better fit for the White House. Biden, despite Trumps consistent efforts to rattle him, often looked directly into the camera to address viewers, casting Trump as a clown who wouldnt let him get a word in and would rather insult his son than talk in-depth about policy. Joe Biden wants to protect and expand health care. Donald Trump wants to take it away. Its really that simple no matter how much Trump rants, raves and lies, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said during the debate. Fern L. Johnson, a senior research scholar at Clark University and an author, called the debate a disservice to the American people." This was truly a low point for politics, Johnson said in a statement. The president of the United States acted the role of thug a person who has never been in civil society and has no regard for the truth or agreed upon rules of order. Joe Biden gave it back to some degree, but he, unlike Trump, tried to address the American people, answer the questions and express points in relation to the questions asked. Calling Biden the winner in a loser-event, Johnson added that it was gravely embarrassing to see this level of bully-mean-schoolboy antics" by the commander-in-chief. Media Matters for America, a left-leaning nonprofit media watchdog, blasted Fox News for appearing to parrot Trumps efforts to depict Biden as senile" both before and after the debate. Trump and his campaign have made questioning Bidens mental fitness for the Oval Office a cornerstone of the re-election effort. Now that expectations for (Biden) have been set so low, if he comes out and doesnt drool and gets through everything pretty well, it could end up being quite a boost for him, commentator Brit Hume told Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Biden did not appear to drool on Tuesday. Now Brit Hume is on to say that Biden is definitely senile but there's a chance that won't be visible tonight and he'll be well-prepped and perform well anyway. pic.twitter.com/L22kyboYNE Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) September 30, 2020 A post-debate poll by CNN showed 60% of viewers believed Biden won the contest; just 28% said Trump won. The results are remarkably similar to the first Clinton-Trump matchup, when 62% favored Clintons performance compared to only 27% for Trumps. A Telemundo poll showed 66% of Spanish speakers believe Trump was the victor, according to Newsweek. Just 34% said Biden had a better showing. Immigration was not one of the central topics of the debate, which were chosen by Wallace. The next showdown is set for Thursday, Oct. 15 at 9 p.m., in Miami, Florida. Related Content: Asked about the C-17 flight, U.S. Air Force Central Command based in Qatar referred questions to the U.S. militarys Transportation Command, which declined to comment. A U.S. State Department official said America provided assistance to help with the emirs treatment, without elaborating. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as the information had not been made public. WASHINGTON Democrats in Texas say the state is Joe Bidens to lose. Republicans are imploring President Donald Trump to make another trip to the state before November. But if Texas really is a battleground, you wouldnt know it from watching the first presidential debate. Pennsylvania and Michigan got direct shoutouts. The debate was held in Ohio. Trump beat up on Democrat cities like New York on the coronavirus and the candidates fielded questions on rioting in Portland. Biden mentioned Scranton, Pennsylvania at least twice. Texas barely showed up. Trump included it in a list of states where he has strong support from law enforcement. Moderator Chris Wallace mentioned Fort Worth as an example of cities where crime is on the rise. EARLIER TUESDAY: Beto ORourke says Texas is Joe Bidens to lose Public polling suggests Texas is gearing up for the closest presidential race in decades. Before the debate, Beto ORourke told the media the state is Joe Bidens to lose. Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz have warned the race is real. The chairman of the Texas GOP said during the Texas Tribune Festival this week that hes asking Trump to come back, anticipating close races across the state. It was a night dominated by gunfighter talk, one liners and insults. Trump: Dont ever use the word smart with me. Biden: Youre the worst president America has ever had, come on. Some issues surfaced, including a few likely to resonate in Texas energy, the suburbs, police budgets. Trump said Biden wont say the wordslaw and order because hes afraid of losing support from the left. He yet again warned that if Biden ever got to run this country our suburbs would be gone. He wouldnt know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn, Biden said, adding that the suburbs are being flooded, theyre being burned out thats why the suburbs are in trouble. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Trump attacked Bidens plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change as likely to wreck the U.S. economy. They want to rip down buildings and rebuild the buildings, Trump said. Its the dumbest thing, where airplanes are out, the two-car system is out and they want to take out the cows too. Biden responded that his plan is going to create millions of good paying jobs, adding that we spend billions of dollars on floods and hurricanes By the way, he has an answer for hurricanes, Biden said, referencing reporting from last year, which Trump denied, that he suggested nuking big storms. I never said that, you made it up, Trump said. You make up a lot of things. James Osborne contributed to this report. Photo: (Photo : Cool & Dope on YouTube) A 7-year-old boy from Maryland shipped a trailer full of COVID-19 essential supplies for Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Cavanaugh Bell donated a truck-full of supplies ahead of winter, including canned foods, cleaning supplies, and other essential items. "I'm just trying to do what is best for them" According to People.com, Cavanaugh Bell first learned about the place while passing through during their road trip back from Colorado two years ago. He said he thought of doing something for the people there since they are in the middle of nowhere. Apart from its location, Bell also learned that Pine Ridge is considered the poorest county in the United States. The official poverty rate for American Indians in Pine Ridge is 53.75% while the national average is 15.6%. About 97% of its population lives below the U.S. federal poverty line. Pine Ridge Reservation also struggles with the rising number of suicide among its youth. The teenage suicide rate is reported to be 150% higher than the national average. Cavanaugh Bell established a nonprofit organization called Cool & Dope with the aim of ending all forms of bullying worldwide by 2030. He said that he was also being bullied for doing work faster than others. "I had the darkness inside me," he said, and he doesn't want other kids to feel the same. Pine Ridge community expressed their appreciation for everything that Bell has done for them. "He believes he can save the world," a resident said, "and I believe him." "Making positivity and kindness a thing" It was while he was buying supplies for his grandma, who has asthma, that he got the idea to create care packs for other elderly people in their area who also need help during the pandemic. On March 14, the second-grader then used his $640 savings to purchase the first batch of supplies for the COVID-19 care packs that he made. Since then, he was able to distribute hundreds of care packs locally and served hot meals to people in need. He also launched his "Love is Greater Than COVID-19 Community Pantry" to help the elderly and low-income students. He is able to continue helping people through the help of volunteers and donations from the community through an Amazon wishlist, GoFundMe, and in-person donations, and help of businesses and other organizations. His first delivery of supplies to Pine Ridge was on July 10, and then he followed it up this September with another batch of essential supplies. "Winter is horrible," he explained, and it is going to be a mix of flu and coronavirus. Weather is extreme on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Summer temperatures can reach more than 110 degrees while winters can go 50 degrees below zero or even lower. So, he thought of giving them clothes to stay warm, "like all of us, and have a happy life, like all of us." "People need help during these times, so I'm just trying to stay positive and give back," Bell told Good Morning Washington. Read next: California Boy Opens a 24-Hour Free Food Pantry to Celebrate His 8th Birthday 3-Year-Old Celebrates Birthday With His Superheroes - Their Neighborhood Sanitation Crew A Group of Teens Collected 10,000 Face Masks for People in Need Actor Gurmeet Choudhary and wife Debina Bonnerjee have tested positive for Covid-19. Gurmeet shared a note on Instagram to inform his near and dear ones about the same. The two are currently in isolation at home. Gurmeet wrote, My wife and I have tested positive for Covid-19 today. We are touch wood, doing fine and are taking all the necessary precautions, in isolation at home. We request all those who have been in contact with us to take care. Thank you all for your love and support. Their friends and followers wished them for a speedy recovery in the comments section. Luv Sinha wrote, Sorry to read about this. Get well soon Guru. Gurmeet had recently shared a video from the last day of shoot for the film, The Wife. He wrote, And its a wrap!! Finally we have completed our film #thewife. its the first Bollywood film which we completed in this pandemic!! It was a challenge to shoot under these circumstances but @zeestudiosofficial did an amazing job at it. Talking about the safety precautions they had undertaken, he further wrote, From testing every member at every step to comfort everything was done to the T. Every member under 1 roof following safety precautions and shooting.... the feeling is surreal. Testing every member again after the wrap and sending them back home not an easy task but achieved with ease Bcosof the stupendous coordination of zee studios Jaipur @zeestudiosjaipur Team. Got back Home with fond memories. Cant wait for the release. Also read: Bhumi Pednekar: I cleaned Seema Pahwas house for one month to train for Dum Laga Ke Haisha, made tea and swept floor He had also suffered a lower back injury while shooting for an action sequence. The horror film also stars actor Sayani Dutta. Earlier, he had also shared a video as he left for Jaipur for the shoot. He was seen dancing in the video and was in complete Covid-19 protective gear in a PPE suit. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Uttarakhand Congress president Pritam Singh and other party members have been booked for allegedly violating the Covid-19 norms by holding a protest march on September 28 against the recently passed agriculture laws by the Centre, said police officials on Wednesday. Congress members led by Singh had held a protest march towards the governors house against the aforementioned laws but were stopped on the way by the police. The Congress members had then held a sit-in protest before submitting a memorandum to the sub-divisional magistrate, who had come at the protest site to meet them. Manibhushan Shrivastava, station house officer of Dalanwala police station, where the Congress leaders have been booked said, They were booked on Tuesday for violating the Covid norms under relevant sections of Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act. In the case registered, party state president Pritam Singh, vice president Suryakant Dhasmana were named along with at least three others and unidentified other members. We are examining the video footage of the protest and identifying other people in the march. Also Read: In farm bill protest, Cong finds a new inspiration: Arun Jaitley Reacting to the development, Congress vice-president Dhasmana called it a move by BJP-led state government to suppress the voice of the Opposition. This is purely done to stop us from raising our voice against the governments anti-people policies. But we are not going to hold back despite these cases and will continue to hit the streets for the public, said Dhasmana. He added, We are not going to be intimidated by the government and wont even take permission for our future protests. Will just inform them about the date and thats it, as Mahatma Gandhi never took permission from British government for protests. Also Read: With 493 new Covid-19 cases, Uttarakhands tally touches 47,995 The BJP, meanwhile, justified the action accusing Congress of flouting all Covid-19 norms by holding public events. At the time when the government is making all efforts to curb the Covid-19 spread, Congress is hell bent on derailing it and spreading the infection by carrying protests and rallies. This is highly condemnable, said Devendra Bhasin, BJP state vice-president. This is not the first time that the Congress leaders have been booked for violating Covid-19 norms. Earlier during the lockdown, Singh, former CM Harish Rawat and other senior leaders were booked in at least three cases for organising rallies and protests against the government. Summoned to New Delhi in 1964 after Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri declared he wanted national milk cooperatives along the lines of what had been accomplished in Anand, Gujarat, Verghese Kurien found himself up against bureaucrats protecting their turf and insisting that a national dairy board be headquartered in the capital. Kurien stormed out of a meeting with the agriculture minister. The incident is a reminder that setting up 10,000 farm producer groups, as the Narendra Modi government proposes to do in the wake of the abolition of agricultural procurement monopolies, may prove to be easier legislated than done. Still, decades on, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul) and the dairy industry are templates for what could be accomplished if producers cooperatives are well run and built from the ground up. R.S. Sodhi, managing director of GCMMF, points out that revenues from milk sales in India are more than wheat, paddy and sugarcane combined; producers income growth far outstrips that in agriculture. Few people know this, but there is no [minimum support price] in poultry or milk, no power subsidy, nor is animal husbandry tax exempt," Sodhi told me. The recent legislation of labour and agriculture reforms may prove to be the most significant by the Modi government, but their implementation will be critical. The government passed an over-complicated goods and services tax and then rushed ahead with an overly ambitious start date in July 2017 before firms and indeed the government were ready. Given that industry was substantially de-licensed from 1991 onwards, agricultural reforms were long overdue. Raising productivity on farms and allowing firms to grow larger by removing restrictive labour laws were important and well sequenced parts of Chinas liberalization decades ago. Historian Frank Dikotter points out that agricultural reform in China was, in fact, led by peasants and farmers in the late 70s after the chaos of Mao Zedongs Cultural Revolution. Collectivization was abandoned and small farmers started selling their surplus. They subverted the planned economy and hollowed out the partys ideology," Dikotter writes. In an economic if not political sense, they buried Maoism." From 1980, Deng Xiaoping set up special economic zones (SEZs), starting with Shenzhen, where town and village enterprises operated as private factories would, and in Fujian. Huge investments flowed into Guangdong, Chinas most industrialized province just across the border from Hong Kong, from the Chinese diaspora in Hong Kong and Taiwan, which had the knowhow and know-who to sell labour-intensive products to the West. In 2019, Guangdongs exports were $444 billion, comfortably ahead of Indias total manufactured exports. As Guangdong and other parts of China saw labour costs rise by double-digits through much of the past decade, labour-intensive factories migrated to Vietnam and Bangladesh, whose garment exports are now twice those of Indias. These countries have broadly followed the China model; labour laws allowed companies to build large factories and gain economies of scale, and the workforce participation of women was similar to Chinas in places such as Vietnam, among the worlds highest at 73%. By contrast, Indias is 20%, currently one of the lowest globally and declining. When I was a journalist in southern China between 2010 and 2013, I was told by factory owners that women were much better workers than men. Their role in the workforce, much higher East Asian agricultural productivity, and the advantage of global networks that Taiwanese, Hong Kong and Korean businessmen gave East Asian economies are all under-appreciated foundations of their development story. Firm size also matters in raising industrial productivity. Indias restriction on hiring and firing workers without first seeking government permissionhitherto limited to companies with less than 100 workers and now raised to 300and a host of other compliance issues have handicapped the countrys industry for decades. A recent McKinsey & Co report found that not only did large companies in India play a much smaller role in the countrys economy, but also their productivity levels were on average one-tenth to one-quarter those of (their) peers" in other outperformer" economies. Arguably, Indias labour code changes are already decades too late. Nonetheless, large companies such as Apple and many others are looking to diversify and move some production out of China as tensions with the US, India and Taiwan continue unabated. India would gain by being less like Communist China and by burnishing its reputation as a democracy and an open economy to forge military and trade alliances . Sadly, challenging the Vodafone arbitration and events such as the closure of Amnesty Internationals office in India this week, after it said it had suffered reprisals" by the Indian government for reports on Kashmir of human rights abuses and the patently biased police investigation of the Delhi riots earlier this year, send all the wrong signals. These are very likely to figure in legislative hearings and shareholder meetings, just as pressure on Apple to improve labour conditions at factories making its products in China surfaced repeatedly a decade ago until it was forced to act. More than ever, we need mavericks in business and public administration to speak truth to power, as Kurien did. Rahul Jacob is a Mint columnist and a former Financial Times foreign correspondent. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A Georgia-based company called Cybercorps LLC plans to offer real-time agricultural data for farmers, resource managers, first responders, and other interested user groups with the help of a patented NASA technology. Cybercorps has signed a license agreement with NASA for the Compact Thermal Imager (CTI), a technology developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The technology, conceived at Goddard by CTI Principal Investigator Murzy Jhabvala, is small enough to fit on a cube satellite, or CubeSat, a type of miniaturized satellite whose size is measured in units of 10 square centimeters that plays a growing role at NASA for science missions and technology demonstrations. Though tiny in size, CTI can provide high-resolution information about crop health and soil conditions by measuring surface temperature. After collecting more than 15 million images of Earth during a successful demonstration on the International Space Station in 2019, the instrument is now ready for commercial use. "Technologies like CTI were developed for research purposes, but they often have additional applications outside of pure science," said Eric McGill, a senior technology manager with the Strategic Partnerships Office at Goddard. "In this case, infrared imaging can play an important role in monitoring crop health and helping members of the agricultural community yield better harvests." The CubeSat that will carry CTI will capture thermal images while pointed at Earth's surface. Farmers and other interested customers can subscribe to Cybercorps' service to access the thermal imaging data, which can be used to evaluate the health of agricultural and aquatic ecosystems. In combination with more traditional techniques, this bundle of information could help farmers optimize fertilizer treatments and watering schedules. "This instrument is very versatile," said Compton Tucker, a senior Earth scientist at Goddard and co-investigator for CTI. "As a new technology, it has tremendous usage potential in biomass burning and crop surface temperature." In addition to CTI's agricultural applications, Tucker said the technology can help detect wildfire activity by distinguishing between high combustion areas and less hot, smoldering sections of land. For firefighters on the ground, this data could guide them to actively burning areas. CTI provides precise spatial resolution of around 262 feet (80 meters) per pixel, improving on older instruments that provided less detailed resolution at 3,280 feet (1 kilometer) per pixel. Cybercorps will take advantage of CTI's ability to measure surface temperature. Plants need sufficient water to complete photosynthesis, and surface temperature provides a key data point in determining how much irrigation is needed to prevent crop death. "Our company's core components are research, education, and commercialization, so the space camera subscription project spans all three of our objectives," said Kevin Howard, chairman and founder of Cybercorps. In addition to commercializing its service, Cybercorps plans to include students in the development of this project. The company will participate in the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, which takes place Oct. 2-4. "This is our first license agreement with NASA, and we're really excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Goddard on this," Howard said. CTI was installed on the space station in 2019 as part of the Robotic Refueling Mission 3, with the goal of qualifying Strained Layer Superlattice (SLS), an advanced detector technology. SLS is an improved version of the detector technology that is part of the thermal infrared sensor on Landsat 8 and the upcoming Landsat 9. CTI instrument development was supported and funded by NASA's Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) under the Sustainable Land Imaging Technology program. To learn more about NASA's Technology Transfer program and space technologies available for license, please visit: https://technology.nasa.gov SOURCE NASA Related Links https://technology.nasa.gov HONG KONG, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Tuesday handed over the Central Military Dock to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison in the HKSAR. The dock has been delimited as a military restricted zone with effect from 7:00 a.m. local time Tuesday and will be managed and used by the garrison, the HKSAR government said, citing the Law of the People's Republic of China on Garrisoning the HKSAR. The dock in Central is 150 meters long and has an area of 0.3 hectare. Under the Basic Law of the HKSAR, the central government is responsible for the defense of the HKSAR. The dock is a military site and facility that should be re-provisioned by the HKSAR government for the garrison. The dock is the last military facility required to be re-provisioned for use by the garrison, and the HKSAR government has fulfilled its relevant responsibilities after the handover, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said. This is a historic moment that fully underlines the relationship between the central authorities and the HKSAR under "one country, two systems" and carries an important constitutional significance, Lam said. Over the past 23 years since Hong Kong returned to the motherland, the garrison has been performing its defense duties strictly in accordance with the Basic Law, the garrison law and relevant laws, Lam said. The garrison has provided a solid back-up for maintaining the HKSAR's long-term prosperity and stability and is well respected by Hong Kong residents, Lam said. Commander of the PLA Garrison in the HKSAR Chen Daoxiang said the garrison will use and manage the dock in strict accordance with the law and continue to keep close communications with relevant departments to ensure the sound operation of the dock. As fierce fighting continues between bitter rivals Azerbaijan and Armenia over a breakaway region, fears are growing of a regional war that could draw in Russia and Turkey. The two former Soviet republics have reported that dozens of fighters have been killed and hundreds wounded since hostilities broke out Sunday. On Tuesday, both accused each other of firing directly into each other's territory beyond the conflict zone, as civilian deaths grew and fighting raged for a third day. As the violence escalates, NBC News looks at the main players and what is behind the recent fighting. What is Nagorno-Karabakh? At the heart of the conflict is Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region slightly bigger than Rhode Island. It is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been under de facto Armenian control since the early 1990s. Its allocation to Azerbaijan during the Soviet era was contested by its ethnic Armenian majority. This led to a war after the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s and Nagorno-Karabakh attempted to declare independence. Image: AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA-KARABAKH-CONFLICT (Armenian Foreign Ministry via AFP - Getty Images) Some 30,000 died in the conflict, which also displaced around 1 million before a cease-fire in 1994. Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh has remained a breakaway region inside Azerbaijan. There is a local leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh, but the territory, home to about 150,000 people, relies on Armenia for financial support. Long-running negotiations mediated by Russia, the United States and France have seen little progress, and there have been periodic clashes on the regions borders. Why is there fighting now? Tensions between the two sides simmered over the summer, spilling into deadly clashes in July, which led to Sundays hostilities. The escalation in July was perceived to be a setback for Azerbaijan, which was reported to have lost a high-profile general in the fighting, said Kevork Oskanian, a political science research fellow at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Story continues Sundays clashes may have been an attempt by Azerbaijan to save face, Oskanian said. But while the latest bout of fighting started over the weekend, the conflicts roots go back centuries. Armenians see Nagorno-Karabakh as their ancient kingdoms province of Artsakh, Oskanian said. Meanwhile, the area has central cultural importance to Azeris, who trace Shusha in modern-day Nagorno-Karabakh back to 18th-century Karabakh Khanate. While religion is used by both sides for propaganda purposes, in both majority Christian Armenia and mainly Muslim Azerbaijan, Oskanian said the conflict is almost exclusively about competing secular nationalism on both sides. On the Armenian side, you often hear the argument that this is a struggle over life and death, that if their side lost, it would mean the annihilation of the Karabakh Armenians, and, perhaps, of Armenia itself, he wrote in an email. On the Azerbaijani side, people talk about the importance of Karabakh to their sense of what it means to be Azerbaijani. Whats Turkeys role? Turkey has cultural, economic and political ties with Azerbaijan, and the two nations also held large military exercises in July and August. Turkeys strongman president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said Monday his country would stand with brotherly Azerbaijan will all its resources and heart. Turkey is trying to shore up domestic legitimacy by supporting fellow Turkic nation Azerbaijan, Laurence Broers, associate fellow with the Russia and Eurasia programme at the London think-tank Chatham House, said in an email. It has recent battle experience in several regional theaters, and it also has a defense industry keen for new markets, Broers said. Pashinyan, Armenias prime minister, has called on the international community to halt any possible interference by Turkey, which, he said, will destabilize the region. In what could be a major escalation of the violence Tuesday, Armenia alleged that one of its warplanes was shot down by a Turkish fighter jet, killing the pilot, but Ankara has denied any involvement. Armenian officials have also accused Turkey, a NATO member, of supplying Azerbaijan with fighters from Syria and weapons. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey deny it. Turkey has been in a bitter dispute with Armenia over the mass killing of 1.5 million ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, centered in present-day Turkey, in early 20th century, which Armenia considers a genocide. The Turkish government has vociferously denied that the killings constitute a genocide. Who else is involved? Russia has remained the most active international player in the conflict, and the main mediator. Moscow tries to maintain good relations with both sides of the conflict and deepen its influence in the region, Oskanian said. The Kremlin also does not want tensions to spin out of control and draw in outside powers notably Turkey, he added. While the U.S. remains one of the mediators in the conflict, Nagorno-Karabakh has not been prioritized by Washington since 2001, Broers said. The recent flare-up has drawn Americas attention, however, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging both sides to halt the violence Tuesday. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian West, who has Armenian roots, has also commented, urging diplomatic measures to prevent unnecessary escalation and tragedy in a series of tweets Sunday, calling on Azerbaijan to cease all offensive use of force. Whats next? The worst-case scenario is an all-out war involving Russia and Turkey, experts say, including Broers. The conflict could destabilize the South Caucasus region Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia which serves as a corridor for pipelines transporting oil and gas to world markets. But Broers and Oskanian said pipelines are not the primary consideration, although they may become so if the conflict becomes extended. Oil and gas pipelines run quite close to the present front line. A few dozen kilometers in fact, Oskanian said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. (CNN) The global pandemic has stress levels running high these days. "One of the first things on everyone's mind is the uncertainty around us. Uncertainty in our jobs, kids going to school, of just going to the grocery store. There is a lot of weight on us," said Benjamin Miller, a psychologist and chief strategy officer for Well Being Trust, a national foundation focusing on mental and social health. And it's having an impact on our mental health, which can interfere with our work. That makes it an employer's problem, too. "People who are stressed out and who are feeling more anxious, depressed... they become less effective and less productive. Employers should care a lot," said Liza Gold, a psychiatrist and clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University. While talking more openly and providing employee resources about mental health can help destigmatized issues, it's still a tough conversation to have with your boss. Consider going to HR first If you are suffering from depression and anxiety, industrial-organizational psychology practitioner Amy Cooper Hakim suggests going to your Human Resources department first to learn about possible accommodations. "You need to make sure you are taking care of yourself and benefiting from whatever resources you get through your company. There are lot of programs available and specifically designed for this." For example, some Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) can offer professional help for workers. Many companies have increased their mental health benefits since the pandemic started, like adding free meditation apps and providing additional paid time off. But if you have a specific ask that relates directly to your work, Cooper Hakim suggests going to your immediate supervisor. For instance, if you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed out and need a few extra days on a deadline, that is a conversation to have with your boss first. Limit what you say Be careful what you disclose to your manager, since once you put something out there, you can't take it back, said Gold. "Err on the side of just enough but not more. If you tell everyone you are having a problem with severe depression and need time off work to get medication straight, now every time you have a bad day in the future, people are going to wonder," she said. "There can be a stigma attached to that." She added that even if you have a good relationship with your boss, you don't need to provide a lot of personal information when asking for mental health days. She suggested saying something like: I am feeling a bit burned out, I met the deadline but really struggled with it. Can I take a few days off and recharge? "Most people can relate to that -- as opposed to saying: 'I'm so anxious, I want some time off.'" Stay solution-focused Bringing solutions to the conversation makes it more productive. For instance, if the mornings are overwhelming you as you're trying to get your kids onto their online classes, then suggest starting your workday later. "Bring something back to the employer that allows for a win for you and a win for the boss," Miller said. Other options can include requesting additional resources to help finish a project, a more flexible schedule or help with prioritizing tasks and deadlines to streamline your responsibilities. Be proactive If you know your work is suffering, chances are your boss has picked up on it too. So it's better to bring it up before it becomes a major problem. Gold suggested saying something like: I know I haven't been up to my normal speed, I am going through a difficult time. Then provide a concrete way to move forward, like getting assistance through an EAP, taking time off or shifting some responsibilities. "Adopt a problem-solving position," said Gold. "You don't necessarily want to start off with, 'I am not making my deadline because I have a mental illness.'" Be candid, but careful Talking about mental health is important, but Cooper Hakim suggested being selective with who you share with in the office. If you have a co-worker that you really trust, it's tempting to be honest about what's going on, but the workplace can be a competitive place. "We still have to maintain a professional demeanor," she said, adding that disclosing your struggles to a colleague could come back to bite you in the future. She advised confiding in a trusted friend outside of the workplace instead. Yet despite two additional summits the following year, talks on eliminating North Koreas nuclear arsenal produced little more than token gestures. Trump basked in the media spotlight when he crossed the Korean demilitarized zone to shake hands with Kim, but the author of The Art of the Deal could not persuade Kim to open his weapon bunkers for inspection, or to part with his nuclear weapons, estimated by U.S. intelligence officials at between 40 and 60. Those officials concluded that Kim never intended to give up his arsenal, which the dictator views as the ultimate guarantor of his regimes survival. In this screenshot from the RNCs livestream of the 2020 Republican National Convention, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) addresses the virtual convention on Aug. 26, 2020. (Courtesy of the Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images) Senator Blackburn and Colleagues Call on All Americans to Support Supreme Court Nominee Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) led her Republican female colleagues in the Senate in a press conference Wednesday to acknowledge their support for Supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, saying all Americans should celebrate that another powerful woman is succeeding late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and put aside their bias. We are so pleased to have a woman who is so accomplished, who is widely applauded by her colleagues, whether theyre coming from the left or the right. As someone who is disciplined in the law, has a curious mind a strong intellect, that has an appreciation for the Constitution, and an appreciation for the rule of law, Blackburn said. If confirmed to the Supreme Court, Barrett will become the fifth woman out of the 113 Justices to serve on the Supreme Court. Besides Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the women include Justice Sandra Day OConnor, Justice Elena Kagan, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor. All of us, especially women. All of us should celebrate that and we should be looking for women to serve as role models, said Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.). Senator Shelley Capito (R-W.Va.) said she will be meeting with Judge Barrett later Wednesday and looks forward to speaking with her both about the judiciary and her experience as a mother. Senator Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), the first female Air Force fighter pilot in the Senate, said Ginsburg had a brilliant mind and served as a role model for all women, and regardless of party affiliation, Democrats should support Barrett the same way. She really was a role model for so many. And I think it is fitting that we have judge Barrett being nominated to continue to push forward in breaking those barriers, shell be just the fifth woman if confirmed on the court. And she will be the first with school-aged children serving on the Supreme Court, said McSally. Barrett has 7 children, ranging in ages from 5 to 16, including 2 adopted children from Haiti and 1 with down syndrome. Seventh U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barretts family and First Lady Melania Trump watch during Barretts Supreme Court nomination ceremony, at the White House in Washington on Sept. 26, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) told the press that she was troubled when she heard of Ginsburgs passing and was reminded of how Ginsburg broke barriers for women and served as a role model for her. She believes Barrett will also inspire the next generation. Barrett has her own list of accomplishments, which include being appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate 55-43 to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017. Thats exactly what I see emulated in judge, Amy Coney Barrett. She has been lauded by conservatives and liberals about being just a wonderful judicial mind. But bottom line they always come back to the fact that not only is she fair. But she is truly a decent human being, said Ernst. At the time of her 2017 confirmation, every full-time member of Notre Dame Law Schools faculty signed a strong letter of support (pdf) for her nomination, as did every law clerk who served as a U.S. Supreme Court justice during the term that Barrett clerked for Scalia (pdf). Barrett, 48, earned her J.D. at Notre Dame Law School in 1997. She served as a clerk in 1997-1998 for Judge Laurence Silberman of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and later as a clerk in 1998-1999 for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in 2016. After her clerkship, she was an associate at law firm Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin in Washington, D.C. for a year, and later moved to Texas-based firm Baker Botts in 2000 before leaving for academia. Judge Amy Coney Barrett in Milwaukee, Wis., on Aug. 24, 2018. (Rachel Malehorn, rachelmalehorn.smugmug.com, via AP) In 2002, she became a professor at Notre Dame Law School, where she taught constitutional law, the federal courts, and statutory interpretation. She was named distinguished professor of the year three times, according to SCOTUSblog Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called the judge highly qualified in all the areas that mattercharacter, integrity, intellect, and judicial disposition, and said that the Senate has enough votes to confirm her to the highest court in the nation. Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report A teenager been charged for allegedly dragging a woman into bushland and raping her while she was on her morning stroll in north Queensland. The 66-year-old woman was walking along a pathway next to the Ross River near Victor Street in Cranbrook in Townsville on Wednesday just before 6am. She was allegedly grabbed from behind by a large unknown man and sexually assaulted before he fled the scene. The traumatised woman is now being treated in Townsville University Hospital after she suffered serious facial injuries in the attack. An elderly woman was allegedly raped on a morning walk in North Queensland. Pictured: a policewoman at the scene scans for evidence The teenager, 19, was arrested at about 12pm and has been charged with two counts of rape and one count of assault with intent to commit rape. The Cranbrook man was also charged with assault occasioning bodily harm after a 51-year-old woman suffered facial injuries after being allegedly punched at a home in Rosslea at abut 3am on Wednesday. He will appear in Townsville Magistrates Court on Thursday. Police were called to the scene and found the woman sitting on the grass 'shaken' and 'upset'. 'This is a horrendous thing to happen to anyone she's been provided the best possible care,' District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Scot Warrick told Courier Mail. A large crime scene was set up with detectives scouring the area to find any information to identify the perpetrator. A 19-year-old man was charged with rape and assault with intent to commit rape. Pictured: detectives at the large crime scene on Wednesday Police said the woman was not able to give a clear description of the man. 'This is a pretty popular area at this time of the morning for walkers and exercising, there would have been many people here this morning, along with residents along this area,' Sen Sgt Warrick said. 'I am confident that someone may have seen something or someone suspicious we need every piece of information.' One local who was walking his dog at about 7am this morning said he had moved to the area in 1984, and had never heard of anything like it happening before. Another neighbour described the situation as 'horrible' and said the attack made them feel uneasy. Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Anthony Abaayifa Karbo, has disclosed that he finds it very difficult to understand why ex-President Mahama is worrying himself to return to the Presidency, Jubilee House. He further stressed that, the ex-President has nothing more to offer Ghanaians as he did all he could within the four years that he was in power, a performance which he rates as abysmal by all standards. He disclosed this when he addressed persons from the informal sector at Seventh-Day Adventist Church at Mataheko as part of four-day tour of Vice President Bawumia to the Greater Accra Region. I say if John Mahama left any of his belongings at the Jubilee House after he was defeated in the 2016 election, he should tell me so I go and pick it up for him. He has no business going back to the Jubilee House. I dont know why hes worrying himself spending his resources and energy wanting to return to the Presidency. Ghanaians rejected him resoundingly and that remains. What at all did he do right in power that he wants Ghanaians to give him the opportunity to return? Our woes as a country should be blamed on ex-President Mahama, he went for huge loans but a large amount of them was misappropriated and not used for the intended purposes. Anthony Karbo believes Mr Mahama will be engaging in an exercise in futility if he contests in the 2020 election and his defeat will be grand. NDC Flagbearer was beaten in the 2016 elections resoundingly by then three-time lucky NPP Flagbearer Nana Akufo Addo who polled 5,716,026 as against Mr. Mahamas 4,713, 277 votes. Representative image (Source: Reuters) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Government has extended the deadline for submission of expression of interest (EoI) for Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) disinvestment to November 16. This is the fourth time that the deadline has been extended to accommodate delays due to the coronavirus outbreak. The last deadline was to end today (September 30). "In view of further requests received from the Interested Bidders (IBs) and the prevailing situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, the last Date for submission of EoIs is further extended to 16th November, 2020," the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said in a statement. The government had in November 2019 said it will sell its 52.98 percent stake in BPCL, in a move to privatise to privatise the refiner. Russia's Rosneft and Saudi Aramco are unlikely to bid for the government's holding in BPCL, according to a Reuters report. Update: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is extending the order requiring facial coverings in public places until Nov. 8. The governor announced the extension at a press conference today in Montgomery. Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris issued the mask order effective July 16 as the state saw increasing numbers of coronavirus cases. The order was extended twice, most recently on Aug. 27, and was set to expire Friday. It is now extended through Sunday, Nov. 8. Ivey mentioned the national election as one reason for extending the order past Nov. 3. I want everyone to (vote) and to be able to do it safely," she said, adding that Alabamas coronavirus case numbers saw consistent decline after the mask order was instituted. The mask order requires people to wear coverings over their nostrils and mouth when within 6 feet of people from another household in indoor spaces open to the public, a vehicle operated by a transportation service, or an outdoor space where 10 or more people are gathered. Masks are not required for children 6 and younger, people with a medical disability that prevents wearing a mask, people voting, or those actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship. Ivey also announced changed in policies that limited visitors to hospitals and long-care term facilities, including nursing homes. Effective Oct. 2, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities may allow each patient or resident to be accompanied by one caregiver or visitor at a time. Alabama currently has 154,701 COVID-19 cases, 137,564 confirmed and 17,137 probable. Earlier: Gov. Kay Ivey is planning a press conference today to provide an update on the states battle against coronavirus. Ivey will be joined by State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris for the 11 a.m. press conference. The press conference is being live streamed, below. The announcement comes as Alabamas mandatory facial covering order is set to expire on Friday. Ivey has indicated she plans on extending the order. Yes it has, and I know a lot of folks grumbled about it and still are, Ivey said in an interview last week when asked about people being upset over the mask requirement. But look. Its working. Our students and teachers are back in school. Our businesses are open. Weve got one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. And yall its working, and so weve just got to keep on being strong. Alabama has seen a decrease in new daily cases, hospitalizations and the rate of positive tests since the order was put in place in mid-July. Fire chiefs have apologised for taking more than two hours to arrive at the Manchester Arena bombing, despite the fact that some firefighters had heard the explosion. A public inquiry examining potential failings during the response to the 2017 attack heard they were partly held back by fears that active shooter or more terrorists were at large. Peter O Reilly, the former chief fire officer at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said he was worried that firefighters should be shot or hit by a second bombing, Wednesdays hearing was told. In the aftermath of the attack, he told Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham: The Fire Brigades Union and the Health and Safety Executive would have had me in the dock if firefighters had been sent directly to the scene and had been killed by a terrorist. The inquiry previously heard that if firefighters had been deployed to the scene, they would have been able to help with the treatment and evacuation of casualties, who were carried on crowd barriers and advertising boards because of a lack of stretchers. Andrew Warnock QC, representing GMFRS, said it accepted that its response was neither adequate nor effective. It is unacceptable that it took over two hours for the fire and rescue service to attend the arena, he added. On behalf of GMFRS we would like to say to the families and victims that we are sorry that this happened. He said that many firefighters were still have profound feelings of frustration and deep anguish that they were not there to help after being held back by their superiors. A key reason for the delay, Mr Warnock suggested, was the focus of emergency services had been on preparing for marauding terror attacks of the kind seen previously in Paris, where bombings were followed by gunmen. The inquest heard that GMFRS received reports of an active shooter from both police and the ambulance service, and were not updated when they realised that Salman Abedi had carried out a lone suicide bombing. Firefighters mustered at a station three miles outside the city centre and were operating under a misinformed and skewed understanding of an on-going threat, Mr Warnock said, while there was silence from the police. Bomber Salman Abedi pictured moments before Manchester Arena massacre Mr Warnock suggested the decision not to mobilise until further information from police about a possible active shooter was not unreasonable. But he admitted that the confusion had striking parallels with a training exercise that saw a terror attack simulated in Manchester a year before. Only one of the 22 victims injuries have been formally declared potentially survivable during the inquiry so far. But Mr Warnock said firefighters could still have provided practical assistance, helped the ambulance service, casualties and witnesses. He added: The inter -agency liaison, communication and decision-making on the part of all the responding agencies fell very far short of what was expected ... and GMFRS regrets the part that its own shortcomings played in that overall failure. Greater Manchester Police and the North West Ambulance Service have previously admitted communications failures, which will be examined in greater detail later in the inquiry. As well as the emergency response, it will examine the preventability of the attack, including what security services knew about Abedi before he struck. A lawyer representing the Home Office admitted that he had been identified as an associate of six MI5 subjects of interest, visited a terrorist prisoner twice and regularly travelled to war-torn Libya. Cathryn McGahey QC said Abedi was investigated for five months in 2014 but the file was closed because there was no intelligence indicating that he posed a threat to national security. Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on Show all 10 1 /10 Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Flower Festival at St Ann's Church marking the Manchester Arena bombing Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Trees of Hope trail in St Ann's Square where people are encouraged to leave and share tributes Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Flower Festival at St Ann's Church marking the Manchester Arena bombing Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Trees of Hope trail in St Ann's Square where people are encouraged to leave and share tributes Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Trees of Hope trailin St Ann's Square where people are encouraged to leave and share tributes Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Trees of Hope trailin St Ann's Square where people are encouraged to leave and share tributes Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Trees of Hope trailin St Ann's Square where people are encouraged to leave and share tributes Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on Embracing Manchester Exhibition at St Ann's Church was created by artist Ghislaine Howard after being inspired by Muslim video blogger Baktash Noori who, after the attack spent days in the city centre trying to win the trust of the public. Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Flower Festival at St Ann's Church marking the Manchester Arena bombing Manchester Bombing Attack: one year on The Trees of Hope trailin St Ann's Square where people are encouraged to leave and share tributes Ms McGahey said some detail could not be made public for security reasons, and would be heard only in closed hearings, but denied that secrecy was being used to conceal failure amid relatives demands for openness. On two separate occasions in the months prior to the attack, intelligence was received by MI5 about Abedi, she added. The intelligence was assessed at the time to relate to possibly innocent activity or to non-terrorist criminality on his part. In retrospect , this intelligence was highly relevant to the planned attack, but the significance of it was not fully appreciated at the time. Abedi first came to MI5's attention in December 2010 through his links to an address relevant to a subject of interest (SOI) but was not investigated, the inquiry was told. Three years later, an investigation into an unnamed SOI A, suspected of planning to travel to Syria, discovered telephone contact with Abedi. In March 2014, MI5 opened a dedicated investigation into the future bomber but closed that July based on his lack of engagement with individuals of interest to MI5. In 2015, MI5 found Abedi owned a telephone in contact with SOI B, who was previously linked to al-Qaeda and had been under investigation for helping others travel to Syria. He also met B in person several times and Ms McGahey said he was likely to have influenced Abedis extremist ideology, but did not know about the planned attack. Also in 2015, intelligence was received Abedi was in contact with a longstanding SOI C who was affiliated with extremists in Libya and may have had some radicalising influence. A photo of Salman Abedi obtained from Facebook, which was shown to the Manchester Arena inquiry on 9 September (Greater Manchester Police) MI5 had intelligence that Abedi regularly travelled to Libya and that from 2015 onwards the service received conflicting information about him espousing pro-Isis views. Ms McGahey said that information was not judged to make him a security threat, and that MI5 believed there was nothing inherently suspicious about Abedis trips to Libya because he had family there. Spies were also aware of his visits to terror offender Abdalraouf Abdallah, who had fought in Libya and was jailed for helping jihadis travel to Syria, but chose not to reopen him as an SOI. Abedi was identified as a second level contact of three other SOIs who had links to Isis fighters abroad, in April 2016 and April and January 2017. His name also hit a priority indicator during a separate review of former subjects of interest and MI5 was due to consider reopening their investigation nine days after the Manchester Arena bombing. Ms McGahey said MI5 believes its decisions were reasonable and understandable when judged in the light of the information available at the time. In its rigorous review after the attack, MI5 did not identify any points where a different course of action would have been likely to lead to a different outcome, she added. It concluded that even if Salman Abedi had been re-opened as a subject of interest , successful pre-emption of his plot would have been unlikely. The inquiry, which is expected to continue into spring 2021, will resume on Thursday. The minister was asked almost a week after he said Ukraine was not recognizing Lukashenko as Belarus' legitimate president. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has explained how Ukraine will officially refer to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. During an online briefing on Wednesday, the minister was asked, how Ukraine would officially refer to Lukashenko and address him. "Alexander Lukashenko," Kuleba answered, according to an UNIAN correspondent. Read alsoRisks "immeasurable" for Ukraine: Kuleba on Lukashenko's friendship with RussiaThe foreign minister was also asked whether Lukashenko would be referred to as an illegally elected or illegitimate president. "These are excellent wordings for media, for headlines, for Facebook posts, but you're asking about the official position, and I answer you, the official position is 'Alexander Lukashenko'," he said. Belarus election: Reactions Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly claimed "foreign interference" in the election and external efforts to foment the protests. He spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin who had promised him comprehensive assistance upon request. On August 27, Putin suggested sending Russian security forces to suppress protests in Belarus. The European Union declared non-recognition of the Belarus election results and reached an agreement to impose sanctions against Belarusian officials in response to vote rigging and the use of violence against protesters. On September 15, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a statement on Belarus. Ukrainian lawmakers said the presidential elections in that country were unfair. They condemned repression against protesters and vowed support for sanctions to be introduced by the European Union against Belarusian officials. On September 14, Putin received Lukashenko in Russia's Sochi. During the meeting, Putin promised to lend US$1.5 billion to Belarus. After the meeting, the Kremlin announced they would recognize Lukashenko as the only legitimate president of Belarus. On September 23, Lukashenko was sworn in as President of Belarus during an inaugural ceremony held behind closed doors in the Palace of Independence in Minsk. On September 24, Kuleba said Ukraine does not recognize Alexandr Lukashenko a legitimate head of Belarus following the latter's inauguration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is in solidarity with the position of the European Union on the events taking place after the presidential elections in Belarus. On September 27, French President Emmanuel Macron said Alexander Lukashenko must step down, days after the European Union's foreign policy chief said the Belarusian strongman's so-called inauguration lacked democratic legitimacy. Shooting reported at an Amazon workplace in florida (AFP via Getty Images) At least one person is dead and another wounded following a a shooting at an Amazon warehouse in Jacksonville, Florida. According to reports, shots were fired at the Amazon fulfilment centre at 7.24pm on Tuesday, with police arriving on the scene minutes later. Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said one woman was found dead inside the warehouse, whilst a male victim had visible gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, and is currently in an unknown condition at this time, News4Jax reported. During a news conference, lieutenant J.D. Stronko said the situation was not active, and that an investigation had been launched into the shooting. I want to emphasize that this does not appear to be any type of active shooter incident, said the lieutenant, who said a weapon was recovered from the scene. "There were some indications there may be a domestic relationship between the two parties...but it's too soon to release any exact details," she added. Boris Johnson apologised on Tuesday after he 'misspoke' regarding coronavirus rules in the North East. (Getty) The UK has so many coronavirus laws even the prime minister cant keep up with them, a Tory MP has warned. Boris Johnson apologised on Tuesday after he failed to explain the new local lockdown measures for large parts of the North East. Conservative MP for Wycombe Steve Baker said the PM made the mistake because of the large and changing number of regulations. He told BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Wednesday: When you get such a large and shifting body of law, you find even ministers and the prime minister cannot keep up with it. What possible hope can the public have? I had one minister say to me yesterday, with terror in his eyes about the disease, we might have to change the law every 24 hours. We cant possibly expect 70 million people to keep up with law that changes every 24 hours this would be chaos and ruin. Watch: Boris Johnson apologises for getting new coronavirus rules wrong The prime minister is under pressure to give Parliament the opportunity to vote on future restrictions, with around 52 Conservatives signalling they could revolt ahead of Wednesdays vote to renew the powers in the Coronavirus Act. The rebel MPs have drawn comparisons between the sweeping powers being used to prevent a coronavirus resurgence and George Orwells dystopian novel of authoritarianism 1984. New rules in parts of the North East include a ban on inter-household mixing indoors, including in pubs and restaurants. The rebels have publicly backed an amendment to the legislation by Sir Graham Brady, the influential chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories. The amendment would force the government to let MPs vote and debate any potential changes to the rules before they were enforced. With Labour and the Liberal Democrats backing the motion, the rebels believe they have the numbers to defeat the government if it is put to a vote. Conservative MP for Wycombe Steve Baker. (Getty) Johnson has appealed to MPs to back him, saying the nation remains in a serious situation. He told a press conference on Tuesday: Nobody wants to do these kinds of things. Nobody in their right mind wants to stop people singing and dancing in pubs or enjoying themselves in the normal way. Story continues I appreciate the (Orwell) characterisation but if we all work together and get this thing down, get this virus down, then we can keep going with our strategy, keep education open, keep the economy moving and work for the day, as I say, when I believe that those medical scientific improvements will truly deliver the long-term liberation we need. Johnson also reiterated his commitment to giving more regular debates on coronavirus in the Commons and promised that MPs would be able to question the governments scientific advisers more regularly. While it was uncertain at the time of writing whether Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle would select the amendment, the rebels expressed optimism the government would make concessions after a meeting with health secretary Matt Hancock. Business secretary Alok Sharma also said ministers would come forward with some suggestions to pacify concerns that there had been a lack of scrutiny in a recent flurry of restrictions. Watch: What are the fines for not self-isolating? Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news, advice and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter Researchers in the United States and Japan have conducted a study showing a common mutation in the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVD-19) - enhances the infectivity, replication, and early transmission of the virus. The teams study of SARS-CoV-2 engineered to harbor the D614G mutation found that this strain was replicated more efficiently in primary human proximal airway epithelial cells than the wildtype virus did. In a hamster model of infection, the D614G strain also showed much faster respiratory droplet transmissibility than the wildtype virus shortly following infection. Ralph Baric (the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin, University of Tokyo, and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, say the findings support the need to periodically review SARS-CoV-2 contemporary isolates and identify any new variants with increased transmissibility and pathogenesis that may have emerged. A pre-print version of the paper is available on the server bioRxiv*, while the article undergoes peer review. D614G substitution does not alter SARS-CoV-2 virion morphology and S protein cleavage pattern but change viral sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies . A. Transmission electron microscopy image of WT and D614G virions on airway epithelial cell surface, scale bar: 200 nm. B. Scanning electron microscopy images of WT and D614G virions on airway epithelial cell surface, scale bar: 100 nm. The importance of the spike protein Since the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified in Wuhan, China, late last year, the virus has continued to sweep the globe and has now infected more than 33.8 million people and caused more than one million deaths. Although most people who become infected only develop mild or asymptomatic disease, some develop severe health complications such as cardiac problems, coagulopathy, stroke, or acute respiratory distress syndrome. To gain entry to host cells, SARS-CoV-2 uses a surface structure called the spike glycoprotein to bind the human cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This spike protein has, therefore, become a central focus of interest in studies aiming to develop vaccines and therapies. During its pandemic spread in naive populations, a virus may select for mutations that change its virulence, pathogenesis, or transmissibility. Studies have recently identified the D614G substitution in the spike glycoprotein as the most prevalent strain of SARS-CoV-2 circulating globally. However, the effects of this variant on the function, pathogenesis, and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear. What did the researchers do? To investigate the function of the D614G substitution in SARS-CoV-2 replication and transmissibility, the researchers engineered variants containing the D614G mutation in the spike protein, as well as a second variant containing the gene for the bioluminescent reporter nanoLuciferease (nLuc). The team compared the growth of wildtype SARS-CoV-2 and the D614G variant in primary human nasal epithelia (HNE), large (proximal) airway epithelia (LAE), and distal lung small airway epithelia (SAE). The D614G-infected HNE and LAE cultures, but not the SAE cultures, exhibited significantly higher viral titers than the wildtype-infected cultures. Competitive co-infection assays performed in LAE cultures simultaneously infected with both viruses showed that the D614G variant became dominant in the cultures, whether the wildtype virus was originally present at a 1:1 or 10:1 ratio over the D614G mutant. These data suggest the D614G substitution enhances SARS-CoV-2 replication fitness in the primary epithelial cells, with a marked advantage in the upper respiratory tract epithelial cells in nasal and large (proximal) airway epithelia, say Baric and colleagues. Next, the team performed scanning and transmission electron microscopy to visualize virions present on the surface of primary human airway cell cultures. No significant differences in virion morphology or the number of spike proteins were observed between the two viruses. Further analysis revealed more differences between the viruses The researchers used the nLuc-expressing recombinant SARS-CoV-2 encoding either wildtype or D614G spike to measure antibody neutralization activity in serum samples taken from mice vaccinated with D614 (wildtype) spike. This revealed that the samples half-maximal inhibitory dilution values against the D614G virus were between 0.8 and 5.1 times higher than against the wildtype virus, indicating that the D614G variant makes SARS-CoV-2 more sensitive to neutralizing antibodies. Evaluating respiratory droplet transmissibility To evaluate the role of the D614G variant in SARS-CoV-2 respiratory droplet transmissibility, the researchers set up eight pairs of hamsters, each comprising a naive hamster alongside an infected animal 1 day following infection. Both the wildtype and D614G viruses were efficiently transmitted to naive hamsters. At 4 and 6 days following infection, the infected hamsters and the exposed hamsters exhibited similar viral titers, regardless of which virus they had been infected with. However, five of eight hamsters exposed to the D614G-infected group showed infection and had detectable viral shedding on day 2, while those exposed to the wildtype-infected group showed no infection or viral shedding. This suggests that the D614G variant is transmitted much more quickly between hamsters via droplets and aerosols than the wild type virus is. Our study demonstrated the SARS-CoV2 D614G substitution enhances infectivity, replication fitness, and early transmission, conclude the researchers. Our data support the critical need to periodically review SARS-CoV-2 contemporary isolates across the globe and identify the emergence of new variants with increased transmission and pathogenesis and/or altered antigenicity, especially as levels of human herd immunity and interventions alter the selective forces that operate on the genome, advises the team. *Important Notice bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. VALPARAISO Roderick Silas, who was 15 when he was accused of joining in on the robbery and murder of a Portage woman last fall, was waived Wednesday to adult court to face charges. Silas, now 16, who appeared in the same adult circuit courtroom as his two co-defendants have, did not oppose the waiver and acknowledged that prosecutors have sufficient evidence for the move, according to Porter County Juvenile Public Defender Harold Harper. But in return for not opposing the waiver, prosecutors agreed to a proposed plea deal in the case, though the details are being kept under wraps for now, Harper said. Silas, of Gary, also was given the right to remain at the county juvenile detention center until sentencing as opposed to being transferred ahead of time to the county jail. The Times had refrained from identifying Silas by name while his case remained in juvenile court. Porter County Juvenile Probation Officer Kate Lesniak testified Wednesday that she recommended waiver in the case because of the serious nature of the charges that the juvenile system is not designed to address. Russian lawyer proposes to introduce mediation procedure in criminal proceedings RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 11:59 30/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 30 (RAPSI) Victims and defendants need to have an opportunity to settle their conflicts under mediation procedure, Co-Chair of Business Against Corruption Center lawyer Anatoly Kucherena believes. Some time ago, the lawyer said addressing a meeting of the Center, he established a working group at the Center of Conciliation Procedures, which developed a draft federal law envisaging amendments to certain legislative acts so to ensure that victims, suspects, and defendants engaged in criminal proceedings could have an opportunity for reconciliation. Kucherena believes it was an important bill and intends to ask that it was backed. Earlier, the lawyer headed the Center of Conciliation Procedures established in Moscow at the office of Moscow Business Ombudsman Tatiana Mineyeva in order to carry out conciliation procedures (mediation) with participation of independent persons acting as conciliators; the body, Kucherena believes, is to help to diminish the number of corporate wars. The Vatican said on Wednesday it had denied a request from Mike Pompeo for an audience with Pope Francis, and accused the Secretary of State of trying to drag the Catholic Church into the U.S. presidential election by denouncing its relations with China. The extraordinary remarks from the two top diplomatic officials at the Vatican came after Pompeo accused the Church in an article and a series of tweets this month of putting its 'moral authority' at risk by renewing an agreement with China over the appointment of bishops. Pompeo, who was in Rome on Wednesday and due to meet Vatican officials on Thursday, repeated his denunciations of China's record on religious freedom at an event hosted by the U.S. embassy to the Holy See. The Vatican said Wednesday that it denied a Pope Francis meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is currently in Rome, but the Vatican would not allow him face time with the Popo and accused him of dragging the Catholic Church into U.S. politics The Vatican's two top diplomats, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher, said Francis had declined a request from Pompeo for an audience, as the pope avoids meeting politicians ahead of elections. 'Yes, he asked. But the pope had already said clearly that political figures are not received in election periods. That is the reason,' Parolin said. The Vatican's two-year-old agreement with Beijing gives the pope some say over the appointment of Chinese bishops. It was due to expire next month, but is expected to be renewed. Officials in the Holy See say the agreement is not perfect but call it a step forward, after decades during which Chinese Catholics who recognise the pope were driven underground. Parolin and Gallagher both described Pompeo's public criticism as a 'surprise', coming just before his planned visit. 'Normally when you're preparing these visits between high-level officials, you negotiate the agenda for what you are going to talk about privately, confidentially. It's one of the rules of diplomacy,' Gallagher said. Asked if he believed that Pompeo's criticisms of the Vatican deal were intended for political use in the United States, Parolin said: 'Some have interpreted it this way ... that the comments were above all for domestic political use. I don't have proof of this but certainly this is one way of looking at it.' The Vatican-China deal 'is a matter that has nothing to do with American politics. This is a matter between Churches and should not be used for this type of ends,' Parolin said. For his part, when asked at a briefing if he was 'picking a fight' with the Vatican over China and what impact that could have on Catholic and other Christian voters, Pompeo replied: 'That's just crazy.' President Donald Trump has campaigned on his hard line towards China ahead of the Nov. 3 election. He is also strongly associated with conservative Protestant and Catholic movements, many of which have been critical of Pope Francis. In his speech on Thursday, Pompeo did not directly address the Vatican agreement with Beijing, but he described China as the world's worst abuser of religious rights. 'Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than in China,' Pompeo said. The Chinese Communist Party was looking to 'to snuff out the lamp of freedom ... on a horrifying scale'. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 18:57:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia recorded 89 new confirmed COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, bringing the national total tally to 11,224. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press release that three of the new cases were imported ones and the other 86 were local transmissions. Two more deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic were newly reported, bringing the country's total deaths to 136. Another 28 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of the cured and discharged to 9,967, or 88.8 percent of all cases. Of the remaining 1,121 active cases, 16 are being held in intensive care and three of them are in need of assisted breathing. Enditem At the start of the pandemic, hotels across the Chicago area furloughed and laid off workers, under the strain of stay-at-home orders and suspended travel. The hotel industry, which is a large source of jobs and tax revenue for the state, has been one of the sectors hardest hit by the health crisis. In September, leisure and hospitality jobs in Chicago were down almost 27% from 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2014, Heather Lozada was working as a nurse in Lubbock, but she felt something pulling her to Houston. She applied for some jobs in Lubbock, but also put in for some in Houston where her sister lived. She applied for an educator position in the Texas Medical Center and within hours was scheduled for an interview. It was like God was saying, Go to Houston, Go to Houston, she said. She got the job and days later she and her husband, Joseph, bought a house in Houston. Everything was working out like it was supposed to, Lozada said. But she had a nagging feeling. She felt a lump but wasnt too concerned. She was breastfeeding her 9-month-old son. She thought it was just a clogged milk duct. She knew her insurance was about to run out with the job change, so she wanted to get it checked out just in case. She had a mammogram and her OBGYN ordered an ultrasound. Cancer diagnosis Everything had been working out so well, then all the sudden it was oh, you have cancer, she said. She had no history of breast cancer in her family and she had always lived a healthy and active lifestyle. It was a shocker being diagnosed with breast cancer, she said. I just never really thought it would happen to me. While she was still in Lubbock, she had a body scan and a biopsy. She got the results while on a girls trip traveling to Houston with three of her closest friends. Over the phone she found out she had Stage IV breast cancer that had spread to her liver and her lungs. It took my breath away, she said. I remember whispering, because thats all I could do, Its in my liver. Especially being a health care professional, I knew what that meant. It was totally shocking because of my age and someone who lived a healthy lifestyle. She couldnt help but question, how could this happen and why? Once in Houston, she reached out to Dr. Julie Nangia with Baylor College of Medicines Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center. Nangia was the wife of her husbands college friend. Nangia presented the case to her colleague Dr. Kent Osborne and he became Lozadas doctor. First he had to get the results from Lubbock of what type of breast cancer it was. They determined it was HER2+ breast cancer. Before she had even received the results of what type of cancer it was, she had asked Dr. Osborne what type of cancer he specialized in and he told her HER2+. I remember my heart skipped a beat. God had set me up with this physician who is world known for this type of cancer that I have, she said. She knew her care was in the right hands. I felt like I was a person at Baylor College of Medicine, she said. Not just a number. Starting treatment Her treatment began on July 11, 2014. She started on four different types of cancer medication and the aggressive chemo drug Taxotere. She did the strong chemo for four and a half months. She lost all her hair and her eyebrows. But she took the hair loss in stride saying being bald was so much easier. In January 2015, she had a double mastectomy with Dr. Elizabeth Bonefas and eventually two reconstructive surgeries in fall 2015 with Dr. Shayan Izaddoost. Throughout this time she was still working in the Texas Medical Center and commuting in from Magnolia which had its challenges. One was sitting in morning traffic on the way in. She would get on the bus for the commute at 6:15 a.m. Most people would grumble about the early commute and traffic, but due to the gratitude and thankfulness she developed during her cancer journey, she learned to appreciate and enjoy little things about the commute like the sunrise. She eventually transferred closer to home as an education specialist in CHI St. Lukes The Woodlands Labor and Delivery unit. All was smooth sailing until she began getting constant headaches in August 2016. An MRI scan showed cancer in her brain and eventually her spine. It was devastating all over again, she said. Why is this happening to me? This time the cancer was treated with brain radiation. And shes been in a stable health situation since completing brain radiation. For the past year and a half shes been receiving chemotherapy infusions at CHI St. Luke The Woodlands. She said while she enjoyed seeing all the staff at the Medical Center, the drive took a big chunk out of her day. Having the infusions done locally also allowed her to spend more time with her young sons. I feel cared for and I know Im getting the best treatment, Lozada said. Its been very nice to have everything that I need right here in this building. Ongoing journey She does her treatments on Fridays. At the end of her work day, she has has a chemo infusion every three weeks. Then she goes home and rests. And shes a little tired on Saturday, but then shes recovered by Monday. She said her cancer journey has brought her closer to God and her friends and family. Her sons have also been one of her big motivators. One thing I never wanted was for my kids not to be able to do something or for me not to be there because Im sick, she said. I think thats been a motivator for me. I have the ability so lets do it. She said she feels very blessed to be stable and able to live a normal life. Every day is a blessing, she said. Be thankful for the day that you have and the life that you have. shernandez@hcnonline.com The Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation has described the 2020 NDC Peoples Manifesto as "purely populist manifesto" which "lacks substance and vision for the sustainable growth of Ghana". The Foundation which rather expressed much confidence in the Manifesto of the ruling NPP, maintained that all the promises outlined in the NDC's manifesto would not be able to meaningfully address the long-term development of Ghana. In a statement issued in Accra, the Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation questioned: "what will legislation to legalize Okada, build more mortuaries in Zongo Communities, paying half of tertiarry students' fees and tax incentives to landlords to reduce rent advance payments do to contribute to the sustained building of the Ghanaian economy and improve the lives of all citizens for the long term?" It stated that the NPPs 2020 manifesto unlike the NDC, had laid out concrete roadmap to continue the transformational and structural changes being made to build a prosperous Ghana now and for the future generations. "From our perspective, however, whereas the 2020 NPP Manifesto seeks to build on achievements attained through the implementation of its 2016 Manifesto, the NDC Manifesto is inundated with short term offerings and platitudes that is designed to serve the interests of selected interest groups". According to the Foundation, the 2016 and 2020 NPP Manifestos, on the other hand, "lay out concrete plans to build a solid foundation for the economic and social growth of Ghana". The statement cited the rejuvenation and expansion of the Ghana Railway Network to key Regions of the country, the ongoing building of roads to critical productive areas of the country, the One District One Factory, One Warehouse and One Dam programs among others as some of the key examples of infrastructure projects by the NPP already impacting lives. It said that those projects are critical and formidable infrastructure projects that will transform and sustain the economy and growth of Ghana for generations. According to the Foundation, the NPP manifesto as part of continuous building of the capacity of Ghanaian youth endeavours to: enhance the Free SHS and the educational system in order to provide the needed quality of personnel and expertise that will build Ghana. Adding that, with the credibility gained from the Free SHS implementation, the NPP proposes to offer tertiary student loans without a guarantor, and only a Ghana Card is needed to get the loans. The statement opined that the NPP manifesto also seeks to continue the clean-up of the financial services sector to re-grow the now restored credence and confidence in the sector. This the Foundation said was vital to provide Ghanaian citizens and businesses access to credit facilities. It further opined that the NHIS, which was virtually collapsed and overwhelmed with 1.2 billion Ghana Cedis debt under the NDC, had been resuscitated by the NPP, also proposed to build 96 hospitals across the country to improve the health of the citizens. "Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation is however humbled to know that the NDC now believes in the relevance of NPPs Free SHS, job creation programs, maintenance of allowances for trainee nurses and teachers (a program the NDC cancelled when in office) but have duly coopted these programs in their Manifesto". The statement expressed confidence that the citizens of Ghana would not allow the NDC to hoodwink them with their purely populist Manifesto in the December 7th election but would rather realise that the NDC lacked the credibility to deliver and their Manifesto was not designed for requisite long-term development. More than 50 women have accused international aid workers from the WHO and leading NGOs of sexual exploitation and abuse during the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In interviews, 51 women - many of whose accounts were backed up by aid agency drivers and local NGO workers - recounted multiple incidents of abuse during the 2018 to 2020 Ebola outbreak. The majority of the women said numerous men had either propositioned them, forced them to have sex in exchange for a job or terminated contracts when they refused, an investigation by The New Humanitarian and the Thomson Reuters Foundation revealed. More than 50 women have accused international aid workers from the WHO and leading NGOs of sexual exploitation and abuse during the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Pictured: burial workers carry the body of an Ebola victim in Beni in 2019 The number and similarity of many of the accounts from women in the eastern city of Beni suggests the practice was widespread, with three organisations vowing to investigate the accusations uncovered. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the allegations to be 'investigated fully'. Women said they were plied with drinks, others ambushed in offices and hospitals, and some locked in rooms by men who promised jobs or threatened to fire them if they did not comply. 'So many women were affected by this,' said one 44-year-old woman, who told reporters that to get a job she had sex with a man who said he was a WHO worker. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the allegations to be 'investigated fully' She and the other women spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Some identifying details have been removed to protect their identities. 'I can't think of someone who worked in the response who didn't have to offer something,' she added. Some women were cooks, cleaners and community outreach workers hired on short-term contracts, earning $50 to $100 a month - more than twice the normal wage. One woman was an Ebola survivor seeking psychological help. At least two women said they became pregnant. The WHO said it was reviewing a 'small number' of sexual abuse or exploitation reports in Congo but declined to say whether they may have taken place during the Ebola outbreak in the east of the country, which ended in June after more than 2,200 deaths. In interviews, 51 women - many of whose accounts were backed up by aid agency drivers and local NGO workers - recounted multiple incidents of abuse (file image of a health worker administering vaccines during the outbreak) A WHO spokeswoman said the allegations stemming from the investigation were under review internally and encouraged the women involved to contact the WHO. Many women said they had never reported the incidents for fear of reprisals or losing their jobs. Most also said they were ashamed. Some women said abuse occurred as recently as March. 'We would not tolerate such behaviour by any of our staff, contractors or partners,' said WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib, reiterating the agency's 'zero tolerance' policy. Despite 'zero tolerance' policies and pledges by the UN and NGOs to crack down on such abuses, as exposed in Haiti and Central African Republic, reports of such behaviour continue to surface. Most aid agencies and NGOs contacted said they had received few or no claims of sexual abuse or exploitation against their workers in Congo. The majority of the women said numerous men had either propositioned them, forced them to have sex in exchange for a job or terminated contracts when they refused The investigation, conducted over almost a year, found women who described at least 30 instances of exploitation by men who said they were from the WHO, which deployed more than 1,500 people to the government-led operation to control the outbreak. The next highest number of claims were against men who said they were with Congo's ministry of health, noted by eight women. Reporters also interviewed five women who said they were exploited by men who said they worked for World Vision, while three women pointed to men who said they were from the UN Children's Fund UNICEF. Two women accused men who said they were workers with the medical charity ALIMA. Single claims were made against men who said they worked with Oxfam, the UN migration agency IOM, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The investigation has prompted an internal inquiry at World Vision, which said the reports were 'shocking' as all staff were trained on preventing sexual abuse and it was working hard to address 'entrenched cultural and power inequalities'. The number and similarity of many of the accounts from women in the eastern city of Beni suggests the practice was widespread. Pictured: an Ebola treatment centre in Beni ALIMA also said it would undertake an inquiry after being contacted with the outcome of the investigation. UNICEF received three reports involving two partner organisations responding to Ebola, said spokesman Jean-Jacques Simon. He declined to name the charities but said the cases appeared to be different from those discovered by reporters. 'Despite our best efforts, cases of sexual exploitation and abuse in DRC remain grossly under-reported,' said Simon, adding that the agency had introduced 22 ways to file complaints in Congo, including a confidential hotline and complaint boxes. Spokespeople for IOM, MSF, UNICEF and Congo's health ministry said in mid-September they had no knowledge of the accusations brought to their attention, and several said they would need more information to take action. Oxfam said it did 'everything in our power to prevent misconduct and investigate and act on allegations when they arise including supporting survivors'. WHO and most of the aid groups involved in the response said they had policies in place to prevent and report abuse or exploitation, from staff training to reporting hotlines. Although the women did not know all of the men's nationalities, they said some came from Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, France, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast. Many women said they had never reported the incidents for fear of reprisals or losing their jobs. Most also said they were ashamed. Pictured: health workers preparing to bury a child in Beni in 2019 'Why would you even ask if I reported it?' asked one woman who said she was offered money for sex by a man who said he worked for the WHO and another who said he worked for UNICEF. 'I was terrified. I felt disgusting. I haven't even told my mother about this.' Many women said they were approached outside Beni's main supermarkets, in job recruitment centres or outside hospitals where lists of successful candidates were posted. Some said men approached them after they were visibly disappointed at being passed over for jobs. One woman said the practice of men demanding sex had become so common, it was the only way of finding a job in the response. Another called it a 'passport to employment'. 'You'd look to see if your name was on the lists they posted outside,' said a 32-year-old woman, who said she was made pregnant by a man who identified himself as a WHO doctor. 'And every day we'd be disappointed. There is no work here.' Many women said they were approached outside Beni's main supermarkets, in job recruitment centres or outside hospitals. Pictured: healthcare workers spray a funeral room in 2018 Women said men routinely refused to wear condoms - at a time when physical contact was being discouraged to halt the spread of the deadly virus. Many knew the men's names. One 25-year-old cleaner said she was already working for the WHO when a doctor invited her to his house in 2018 to discuss a promotion. On arrival, he took her into his bedroom. 'He shut the door and told me, 'There's a condition. We need to have sex right now',' she said. 'He started to take my clothes off me. I stepped back but he forced himself against me and kept pulling off my clothes. I started crying and told him to stop ... he didn't stop so I opened the door and ran outside.' At the end of the month, she said, her contract was not renewed. Though reports of jobs-for-sex schemes - and other forms of corruption - are not uncommon in humanitarian aid in Congo, almost all the women said they had never encountered similar experiences when trying to find work. In discussions with hundreds of community members in multiple towns, sexual exploitation was a 'consistent finding', said Nidhi Kapur, a consultant commissioned by aid group CARE International to research gender issues during the Ebola crisis. Health workers dressed in protective gear begin their shift at an Ebola treatment center in Beni 'Whether we talked to adolescent girls or adult women or women in the community or in the government, everybody said the same thing,' Kapur said. However, when The New Humanitarian and the Thomson Reuters Foundation surveyed 34 of the main international organisations and a handful of local NGOs involved in the Ebola operation, most of the 24 that provided data indicated that they had received no complaints during the near two-year outbreak. Congo's health minister Eteni Longondo said he had received no reports of exploitation by aid workers. 'I ask any woman who is asked for this kind of sexual abuse and exploitation services to denounce it, because it is not allowed in Congo,' Longondo said. 'If it is a health worker who is involved in this case, I personally will take care of it.' Some women said they were considering whether to file formal complaints with aid agencies, NGOs or the health ministry; most, however, said they simply wanted to tell their stories so other women were not subjected to the same behaviour. Congo's 10th and deadliest Ebola outbreak, in a nation decimated by decades of conflict, proved a major test for the UN, coming just two years after west Africa's epidemic which killed more than 11,000 people. Congo's 10th and deadliest Ebola outbreak, in a nation decimated by decades of conflict, proved a major test for the UN More than 15,000 people were involved in the 2018 to 2020 operation that cost more than $700 million and was marred by hundreds of attacks by armed groups on treatment centres, medical staff and patients, as well as militia violence. Many of the women said Congolese workers involved in the crisis were more likely to demand financial kickbacks in exchange for work rather than sex. The women reporting abuse said most sexual encounters took place at hotels that doubled as hubs for UN and NGO offices. Among the favourite spots were Okapi Palace and Hotel Beni, where aid groups had offices and often booked blocks of rooms. One 32-year-old Ebola survivor said she was phoned by a man who invited her to come for a counselling session at a hotel. Ebola patients' telephone numbers were routinely taken for follow up care after they were discharged. In the lobby, she accepted a soft drink. Hours later, she said she woke up naked and alone in a hotel room. She believes she was raped. 'I lost my husband to Ebola,' she said, adding that she stayed silent about the incident because she already felt shunned by people afraid of catching Ebola from her. 'Instead of help, all I got was more trauma.' A handful of aid agency drivers corroborated organisational affiliations of the men. More than 15,000 people were involved in the 2018 to 2020 operation that cost more than $700 million The men - doctors, health workers and administrators - used official drivers to shuttle women to the hotels and to their homes and offices, according to four drivers interviewed. All the drivers requested anonymity so as not to jeopardise job opportunities. One woman said the man who abused her drove in a vehicle marked 'World Health Organisation'. 'It was so common,' said one driver. 'It wasn't just me; I'd say that the majority of us chauffeurs drove men or their victims to and from hotels for sexual arrangements like this. It was so regular it was like buying food at the supermarket.' Young men were also exploited, aid agency drivers said. One driver said a doctor would routinely ask for young men to be brought to restaurants and hotels. Other boys and young men were paid to procure women, according to a recruiter for an international NGO who spoke on condition of anonymity. One woman said, 'In this response, they hired you with their eyeballs. They'd look you up and down before they'd make an offer.' Some of the women showed reporters their name badges with organisation logos or pictures of them in uniforms after they were hired. One said a money transfer came from the WHO as payment for a job she said she was given in exchange for sex. The women reporting abuse said most sexual encounters took place at hotels that doubled as hubs for UN and NGO offices. Pictured: healthcare workers carry the body of a young Ebola victim in a coffin in 2018 Most women interviewed were unaware of hotlines and other ways to report abuse. A programme to protect against sexual abuse was put in place a year after the operation began, said David Gressly, the UN's former Ebola response coordinator. Critics said this highlighted the failure of programmes to protect against sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian operations, which were underfunded, an afterthought, and male-dominated with few women in decision-making roles. 'It was very clear that women and children were deprioritised,' said Kapur, the CARE consultant. Even when allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation are reported, they are often found by investigators to be 'unsubstantiated'. In Central African Republic, for example, investigators were found to lack experience or tried to discredit victims who made accusations against UN peacekeepers. One former humanitarian worker, who now advises international organisations and governments that fund humanitarian efforts, said the only way things will change is when donors - and taxpayers - demand change. 'Donor governments should take a much stronger stance and must ensure that taxpayer funds are not misused for the purposes of violating the rights of vulnerable aid recipients,' said Miranda Brown, formerly with the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Though relief efforts in Ebola-affected areas have been scaled down amid budget constraints and more pressing concerns - from COVID-19 to a new Ebola outbreak in northwestern Congo - the experiences haunt many of the women. 'If they really wanted to help people, they would have done it unconditionally,' said a 24-year-old woman. 'Instead of helping us, they destroyed our lives.' By Robert Flummerfelt and Nellie Peyton, with additional reporting by Sam Mednick in Beni and Butembo, Guylain Balume in Goma, Philip Kleinfeld, Paisley Dodds and Izzy Ellis in London Many people living in Chennai have been complaining over the years in order for streets to be swept, at times having to pay cash. Some have gotten their waste dumped with other garbage in landfills. But from October, the corporation has vowed that these problems will be gone when Urbaser-Sumeet takes over solid waste management in Alandur, Adayar, Valasaravakkam, Perungudi, Sholinganallur, Teynampet and Kodambakkam zones, as per a TNN report. Chief minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami shall inaugurate the project. People might have to pay a penalty for not giving over segregated waste, but it's not final yet. A toll-free number shall help people get their complaints throughout the day. We will set up a control room in Alandur that will have separate teams to attend to complaints about each zone and monitor route maps of battery-operated vehicles, trucks and compactor bins. Everything will be geotagged and monitored by a GPS system. We will know even if the worker stops for having tea, said Mahmood Sait, CEO of Urbeser-Sumeet, according to TNN. TOI We have already hired significant manpower for Adyar zone and will hire 11,000 people for the entire process. All our vehicles are BS-VI norm compatible ensuring they wont pollute. We will focus more on awareness to segregate waste by conducting roadshows and various campaigns, he added. Roadside eateries, bakeries and commercial establishments have been given guidelines to put waste in a separate bin that can be properly collected. But not everyone is buying all this Similar promises were made when Ramky took over, said V Rama Rao who hails from Nanganallur. TOI Even if segregated waste is collected 100%, wet waste will be 50% and 35% recyclable waste. To dispose of this, the civic body hasnt created enough facilities proportionate to waste generated. So it will end up in dump yards. What will actually change? asked Jayaram Venkatesan from Arappor Iyakkam. Brain-eating amoebas are commonly found in nature. But when a boys death this month led to detection of the amoeba in Lake Jackson drinking water, it stirred up a great deal of fear. Jennifer Cope, medical epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, talked with the Houston Chronicle about how to protect against it and why it might show up in public water systems during a pandemic. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. How common is it to find brain-eating amoebas (naegleria fowleri) in nature? When we talk about the more traditional water exposures that we see -- lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs -- all of it points to it being relatively easy to find. It thrives in warmer water temperatures. Certainly in Texas, when you go swimming in a lake, you should assume there is naegleria fowleri in the water. When it comes to treated water settings -- whether that's a swimming pool or a drinking water system -- thats where it becomes more concerning to find. How do you protect against it? The safest thing to do is keep your head out of the water or avoid activities that might get water up your nose. But we recognize that's not always practical, so any way that you can minimize the amount of water getting up your nose is potentially going to be protective. We talk about holding the nose and using nose clips. Water systems normally should not have this present, right? Naegleria fowleri technically have three forms. The trophozoite is the form that infects people. In this form, it can be killed by adequate levels of chlorine, or chloramine -- the two main disinfectants youll see used in water systems. The other thing youre dealing with in water systems are the biofilms, the slime inside a pipe. That's where naegleria does like to hang out and it's actually protective. If it remains completely in that biofilm and that doesnt slough off, it's probably not as much of an issue. But when it does get into the water, that's obviously when it can be used by someone and go up the nose. Do you definitely get infected if water with the amoeba goes up your nose? It would be hard to believe that this child was the only one to get this water up the nose. This is a tough infection because we dont necessarily know all of the pieces that have come together and why that one person got it and not the other people who might have been doing the exact same thing. That contributes to the fear around it. Does boiling water help? If you are someone that does nasal or sinus rinsing with a neti pot or other device, we recommend boiling the water, regardless of what water system youre in. Drinking water is treated to be safe to drink. When youre going to use water in any other part of the body, it really should be treated additionally. We recommend boiling for one minute and then letting it cool. Has an infection from public water occurred before? In the United States, the most recent example of this happening is in Louisiana in 2011 and 2013. Prior to that, there had been a situation in Arizona in 2002. The water was these geothermal wells, so its a little bit different. Prior to that, Australia dealt with cases in the late 70s and early 80s. Their water source was a river but they had to pipe that water over a fairly long distance in overland pipes which got very hot in the summer. By the time the water would reach the homes it had no disinfectant left in it. Their response was to increase and add booster stations, so right before the water would start to go into the city water system, they would boost the chlorine level in it. They have not had any additional cases associated with their city drinking water systems since. Its tough with naegleria fowleri because the cases are rare. Every time something happens you have to learn as much as you can from each scenario. Maybe climate changes makes this more important to watch. Water age and water use can also affect disinfectant levels, so weve been asking: Was less water being used? Our understanding is the splash pad is in the downtown area, so earlier in the pandemic were less people coming into the city center to work or shop? Was there less water being used there, which contributes to water age? That is potentially an aspect. In Louisiana, one of the areas that was affected back in 2013 was an area that had been heavily affected by Hurricane Katrina, south of New Orleans. Not everybody came back, so that lowered demand on the water system. Anything else people should know? I realize this is very unsettling. But I do want people to know there are steps they can take to minimize water going up the nose and that's what they should focus on, although they need to continue to follow directions of the water utility. I just want to empower them to think that there are steps that can be taken to lower the risk of this infection. RALEIGH, N.C. Most candidates on presidential tickets couldnt compile a video of themselves dancing with drum lines. But California Sen. Kamala Harris is not like most candidates. The Democratic vice presidential nominee has made a habit of appearing at campaign stops with marching bands and their percussion sections typically, predominantly Black ones, as she did here this week. Its less a comment on her musical tastes, however, than a strategic message about where a candidate should visit and which communities she should highlight. On Monday, addressing the drum line of Platinum Sound, Shaw Universitys marching band, its cheerleaders and student onlookers, Harris said her visit to the historically Black university was purposeful. Now Playing: California Sen. Kamala Harris stopped by Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., an HBCU, to campaign as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee and shore up support in the Black community. Video: Tal Kopan It was very important to me that the first trip to North Carolina, that the first place I stop, is right here at Shaw, Harris said, using a bullhorn to speak to the safely distanced crowd. This university, like so many of our HBCUs, has such a rich history that is about Americas history. And you students here today are part of that long legacy we are all so proud of you. A graduate of Howard University, Harris is the first candidate on a major party ticket to have attended a historically Black university. The daughter of an Indian immigrant mother and Jamaican immigrant father, she is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Black sorority. During a campaign that has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic, Harris and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are taking far fewer trips than candidates typically do, making each stop that much more significant. In her visit to this swing state, as well as recent trips to Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Harris focused on energizing and persuading people of color who will have to turn out in large numbers for Democrats if Biden is to defeat President Trump in November. Harris chose Shaw as the location for her speech on the confirmation fight over Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, which Democrats cant win in the Senate but believe will help them at the polls. She called the school a reflection of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs legacy of pressing for equality, noting that Shaw was founded six months after the Civil War ended, and that the building in which she spoke was one of the first built for the higher education of Black women. Her engagement with the marching band, in particular, spoke volumes, said university President Paulette Dillard. Thats so much a part of the HBCU experience, the marching band, the drum line, Dillard said. It creates a rhythm, a togetherness, a sense of pride and jubilation, and thats how we show it. ... Its all part of the celebration of Black pride in our rich culture, and that is who we are, and students come for that experience. Harris visit was especially important for students in a year in which African Americans are reeling from the pandemic and killings of Black people by police, Dillard said. A visit from a vice presidential candidate to showcase culture like the band, especially a candidate who went to a historically Black university, offers a breath of fresh air that there is hope, that there is tomorrow, Dillard said. It gives Black students that sense of, OK, she is me, when my time comes. From Shaw, Harris motorcade made the eight-minute drive to Whites Barbershop, a Black family-owned shop that has been in business more than 50 years. There, she met with Black voters to defend her record as a San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general on criminal justice issues and talk about the importance of voting. Sara D. Davis / Getty Images A voter introduced as Marcus Bass pressed her on her record, saying the Democratic ticket needed a more substantial message than simply being an improvement on Trump. The perception among many young Black and brown voters is that a Biden-Harris ticket may not be reflective of a hard line on the true reforms necessary in our criminal justice and social economic systems, Bass said. The better-than-45 message alone with six weeks to go needs a sharper hard line for the base of voters protesting in this moment right now. How will a Biden-Harris ticket move past the lesser-of-two-evils narrative being used to promote them to young Black voters and get in tune with the issue base of the criminal justice community? Harris said she appreciated the point, and agreed that we have to earn the votes. Nobody is supposed to vote for us we have to earn it. She also said its important to define winning not as beating Trump then the job is over the day we got sworn in. Instead, she said, if winning is creating change, The job begins the day were sworn in. Harris spoke at length about her relationship with the criminal justice system, both as a former prosecutor who hoped to make reform from the inside, and as a Black woman who knows how unjust the system can be. Her remarks got some applause as she listed the campaigns pledges, including ending for-profit prisons. There is nothing like going to the barbershop to know whats really happening, Harris said at the outset of the event. I always say to my team, OK thats fine, you can talk about polls, you can talk about this and you can talk about that, but what are folks in the barbershop talking about? Because thats about real talk. Mondays trip was part of Harris agenda of visiting locations with significance for communities of color. In Milwaukee, she held a roundtable with Black entrepreneurs and met with Latino community organizers. In Florida, she visited a Venezuelan restaurant in Doral in Doralzuela, as a patron told her. She was greeted by the marching band at Florida Memorial University, another historically Black university, for a roundtable on the challenges faced by South Floridas Black community. In Nevada, she spoke with members of the Latino community at Rafael Rivera Community Center, named for the Mexican scout who was the first non-Native American to reach Las Vegas. In Philadelphia, Harris visited a Black-owned florist and restaurant and was greeted by an African American dance troupe. In Flint, Mich., Harris visited three Black-owned businesses and held a round table with Black voters at a Detroit barbershop. Its a recognition that the electorate in many battleground states is increasingly diverse, and that Democrats can win or lose the election based on the turnout in communities of color. Shaw Universitys president said Mondays visit may have given some students that motivation. There has been, you have to admit, a great deal of horrible news, Dillard said. All of those kinds of things after a time become overwhelming. And people can check out. ... I think seeing the senator, hearing her words, has just reignited the willingness to stay in the battle. Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan File image Launching a scathing attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the death of Hathras gangrape victim, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, on September 30, demanded his resignation from the post. After the 19-year-old Dalit girl, who was gangraped and tortured, succumbed to her injuries, the UP Police reportedly cremated her body in the Hathras district at night and did not let the family take the body home to perform last rites. I was on the phone with the Hathras victims father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair. He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night he was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites, Priyanka Gandhi wrote on Twitter. Asking Yogi Adityanath to resign, she tweeted: The 19-year-old Hathras gangrape victim died in Delhis Safdarjung Hospital on September 29. She had been shifted to the hospital in Delhi from Aligarhs JN Medical College and Hospital, Uttar Pradesh, on September 28, after there were no signs of improvement in her condition. She was raped and tortured by four men in her village on September 14; all four have been arrested. Just about everything has gone virtual these days. And college fairs are no exception. Advance Media will host a live virtual college fair for high school juniors and seniors from Oct. 25 to Nov. 8. This event will give students the chance to meet and talk with representatives at more than 30 colleges and universities throughout the northeast, without ever leaving home. To help students and parents make the most of the fair, here are 10 tips. Take your picks. Make a list of schools youre interested in. Note the academic programs in each and jot down what you find most appealing about each schools offerings. If you can think of any, note the pros and cons of attending each school. Do your research. Check college websites before the fair for information about the schools you are considering attending. Make room. Have a room ready for your virtual visit. Be sure you have a quiet place with good Wi-Fi connection. Also be sure to check out the background others will see. Make sure it represents you in the best possible light (literally and figuratively). Check your tech. Charge your phone and your laptop. Check your Wi-Fi connection. Make sure your headphones work if using. Test all your technical equipment before the college fair so you dont have to deal with any last-minute frustrations. Have a list of questions for each school. Take notes during your discussions with schools. Write down what you liked most about each school. How did you feel during each discussion? (Intimidated? Comfortable? Excited?) Get contact information. Note your contacts name, email and anything personal you can remember (their stylish glasses, cool tie or bold jewelry, anything that will help them stand out in your memory.) Be prepared to talk about yourself what inspired you to pursue your academic interest, your hobbies, study habits, adults whove influenced who you are today, high school experience, favorite books and movies, etc. Dress to impress. You can probably get away with just socks on your feet. But keep the rest of your attire professional and comfortable. Wearing appropriate attire will help put you in the right mindset and make you feel more successful. As for the socks? Thats up to you. Smile. This is supposed to be fun. Dont let the pandemic hamper your future. Youre already finding a way through it with this fair. To register for the Northeast College Fair, visit www.necollegefair.com. (Newser) "A hot mess." "A terrifying time to be alive." "Mayhem." "Almost unwatchable." Those were just some of the media descriptions given to the first presidential debate of the 2020 general election. Takeaways from both sides after the Tuesday night event, which was moderated by Chris Wallace: RedState: "This is a hard one, folks. Time and again, this debate proved to me that this is a terrifying time to be alive," writes senior editor Joe Cunningham. "Two old men shouting at each other while a third old man tries to get them to stop shouting at each other? Watching this debate was a type of self-destructive behavior that Ill be recovering from for a while, I think." He declares Trump the winner, "but barely." Full piece here. "This is a hard one, folks. Time and again, this debate proved to me that this is a terrifying time to be alive," writes senior editor Joe Cunningham. "Two old men shouting at each other while a third old man tries to get them to stop shouting at each other? Watching this debate was a type of self-destructive behavior that Ill be recovering from for a while, I think." He declares Trump the winner, "but barely." Full piece here. Vox: A number of writers at the site list three winners (none of them Trump or Biden) and four losers of the night. One of the winners? China. "No government can feasibly end American global hegemonyexcept for the American one," argues Zack Beauchamp. "Nobody benefits more from this kind of internal discord in the worlds most powerful state than China." Full piece here. story continues below Washington Post: Aaron Blake is one of many naming Wallace a clear loser of the night. "What struck me most was Wallaces attempts to almost placate Trump," Blake writes. "'Mr. President youre going to be very happy, because were going to talk about law and order,' Wallace said at one point while trying to move past Trump talking over Biden. 'Let me asksir, youll be happy, Im about to pick up on one of your points to ask the vice president,' Wallace said at another point." Full piece, which is one of multiple to use the word "unwatchable," here. Aaron Blake is one of many naming Wallace a clear loser of the night. "What struck me most was Wallaces attempts to almost placate Trump," Blake writes. "'Mr. President youre going to be very happy, because were going to talk about law and order,' Wallace said at one point while trying to move past Trump talking over Biden. 'Let me asksir, youll be happy, Im about to pick up on one of your points to ask the vice president,' Wallace said at another point." Full piece, which is one of multiple to use the word "unwatchable," here. More from the right: Hot Air's livestream combines tweets from a number of Townhall Media editors; see it here. A number of the tweets slam Wallace, most seem happy with Trump's performance, and at least one points out that Biden refused to answer a question about Democrats potentially packing the Supreme Court. Hot Air's livestream combines tweets from a number of Townhall Media editors; see it here. A number of the tweets slam Wallace, most seem happy with Trump's performance, and at least one points out that Biden refused to answer a question about Democrats potentially packing the Supreme Court. Axios: Mike Allen, who calls the debate "a hot mess," was apparently so disheartened by the whole thing the site's own format sort of fell apart. In the "Why it matters" section after one point, Allen writes simply, "Honestly, who the hell knows?" Full piece here. Mike Allen, who calls the debate "a hot mess," was apparently so disheartened by the whole thing the site's own format sort of fell apart. In the "Why it matters" section after one point, Allen writes simply, "Honestly, who the hell knows?" Full piece here. Politico: David Siders says the "mayhem" of the night didn't throw Biden off, and writes that if the talking points around the election itself are any indication, the aftermath is going to be "war." The president said at one point that he is "counting on" the Supreme Court to "look at the ballots." Full piece here. David Siders says the "mayhem" of the night didn't throw Biden off, and writes that if the talking points around the election itself are any indication, the aftermath is going to be "war." The president said at one point that he is "counting on" the Supreme Court to "look at the ballots." Full piece here. Wall Street Journal: Rebecca Ballhaus writes that amid the "messy" debate, Biden "gave a more forceful performance than the low expectations set for him by the president and his allies." That said, Trump did appear to "rattle" him several times. Full piece here. Rebecca Ballhaus writes that amid the "messy" debate, Biden "gave a more forceful performance than the low expectations set for him by the president and his allies." That said, Trump did appear to "rattle" him several times. Full piece here. Fact checking: ABC News fact-checks the debate, and finds multiple falsehoods. Full piece here. CNN's version is here. The Federalist has a piece about Biden making a false claim about Dr. Anthony Fauci; see that here. For more on the debate, see Newser's live coverage here , the AP's six takeaways here , the biggest insults of the night here , how the mask issue played out here , and one of the most talked-about moments here . (Read more Election 2020 stories.) FARMINGTON A bevy of attorneys representing the estate of Fotis Dulos and his creditors will argue whether his estranged wife can be declared dead for probate purposes and how much his former criminal defense attorneys will have to return of a $250,000 retainer during a hearing in late October. Attorney Christopher Hug, the court-appointed administrator of Fotis Dulos estate, contends he needs Jennifer Dulos declared dead by a Probate Court judge before he can disperse a $194,000 Individual Retirement Account. For the estate to gain access to the IRA, a judge must determine that Jennifer Dulos predeceased Fotis Dulos since no beneficiary of the account was named. The determination of death without a body could set precedent in Connecticut. It appears no one who has been missing for less than seven years has been declared dead in the state, according to case law cited by Hugs attorney, Carmine Perri. A hearing is scheduled in Farmington Probate Court for Oct. 22 when Hug also wants Judge Evelyn Daly to agree to a $137,500 settlement offered by criminal defense attorneys Norm Pattis and Kevin Smith to resolve a lawsuit alleging they improperly kept a $250,000 retainer Fotis Dulos paid them two weeks before he died. That money would go to the estate to pay debts Fotis Dulos racked up as he was fending off foreclosures, lawsuits and criminal charges in the death and disappearance of his estranged wife. Attorneys representing Gloria Farber, the mother of Jennifer Farber, say the family has stipulated the 52-year-old mother of five is dead based on arrest and search warrants. In arrest warrants, police claim Fotis Dulos was lying in wait at his estranged wifes New Canaan home when she returned from dropping off their children at school on May 24, 2019. The states chief medical examiner later determined Jennifer Dulos would not have survived the injuries without immediate medical attention, the warrants state. Around the time Jennifer Dulos was reported missing, police said Fotis Dulos and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, were seen on surveillance cameras driving around Hartford, the warrants state. The video footage showed Fotis Dulos making several stops and dumping bags that were later determined to contain his wifes blood and clothing, the warrants state. The U.S. Supreme Court and other state courts have ruled on deaths of people who have not been missing for seven years, Perri said in a brief filed Monday with the Probate Court. Those rulings were based on a preponderance of the evidence that a death may be proven during the period of time before a presumption of death arises, which in Connecticut is seven years. Perri called the circumstances of the Jennifer Dulos disappearance and the issues surrounding the estate of her estranged husband uncommon and said he could find no other comparable Connecticut court decisions. After being charged in 2019 with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution, Fotis Dulos was charged with murder and kidnapping on Jan. 7. He gave Pattis and Smith a $250,000 fee on Jan. 16 to represent him in the pending murder case and in any appeal, according to documents filed in Probate Court. Two weeks later, Fotis Dulos died from an apparent suicide on Jan. 30. Attorney Mark Dean, a trustee representing Farber, filed a lawsuit in August, alleging Pattis wrongfully kept the retainer months after his client died. Attorney Richard Weinstein, representing Farber, contends a fee arrangement signed by Fotis Dulos and Smith indicates that any unused portion of the money, based on hourly rates, would be returned if there is some unforeseen event that prevents me from continuing to represent you. Based on the information that has been provided, Pattis and Smith provided minimal hourly services to the decedent Dulos between Jan. 10, let alone Jan. 16 to Jan. 30, said Weinstein, who continued that all or the majority of the fee should have been promptly returned. Attorney John Williams, representing Pattis, said his client had an arrangement with Fotis Dulos that the $250,000 included payment for earlier services provided while representing him on the earlier tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution charges in the case. The signed agreement attached to Weinsteins objection to the settlement does not indicate any of the money was payment for previous services. After the New York City Board of Elections admitted that a vendor error left up to 100,000 people with the wrong absentee ballot envelopes, renewed calls have emerged to reexamine and reform the agency to make it more transparent and effective. But talk of reforming the citys famously dysfunctional election agency isnt new. What has always been lacking is the political will from lawmakers to see it through. But, now that Democrats control both chambers of the state Legislature, it may actually be possible. It seems with each election year, the city Board of Elections fails in a new, previously unimaginable way. In 2016, the board illegally purged 200,000 voters from the rolls ahead of the Democratic presidential primary. In 2018, ballot scanners all over the city broke in the middle of Election Day, leading to long lines as people waited and overwhelmed poll workers. In June of this year, thousands of people didnt get their absentee ballots in time to vote in the primary, while thousands of other ballots were initially tossed because of a postal error before a judge ruled that some of them should be counted. Each time, good government advocates called to reform the city Board of Elections, as well as for the resignation of its Executive Director Michael Ryan, a man who himself has faced scrutiny for conflicts of interest. Yet no major reforms passed, and Ryan still has the job. Good government advocates have recommended implementing a nonpartisan, rather than bipartisan, Board of Elections for years, overhauling both the city and state boards to make them operate like normal professional agencies such as, for example, the city and state departments of transportation. New York should enter the 20th century, not to mention the 21st century, and professionalize the Board of Elections, one elections expert, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the board, told City & State. We have a lot of well-meaning, good people who work at the board, who unfortunately get the brunt when the leadership acts in less-than-competent ways. City Council Member Carlina Rivera was one the people who called to replace Ryan following the June primary. Every election, we continue to be disappointed, so there has to be a reckoning at the top, Rivera told City & State. In a July op-ed, she laid out several short-term reforms to help the general election run more smoothly than the primary. Most were policies specifically aimed at the upcoming election such as sending absentee ballot applications to all voters and doubling the number of early polling places. Some needed state approval, like creating drop boxes for absentee ballots. Others, like properly vetting all vendor contracts after distribution errors in the primary, did not. On contractors, Rivera noted that the board evidently ignored her recommendation, since a mistake by the vendor printing and mailing the ballots resulted in nearly 100,000 Brooklynites receiving incorrect materials. Vendors need to be held to account today, as does the boards executive director for this error, Rivera said. The buck stops must stop with the leadership. In this case, the city board awarded the company Phoenix Graphics a $4.6 million no-bid contract in May, meaning the upstate firm didnt have to compete with other bidders. It was the first contract the company had with the Board of Elections, but the city Department of Citywide Administrative Services contracted with the firm to print general election ballots between 2010 and 2014. Rivera also advocates for a total overhaul of the board, but the city Board of Elections is governed by the state, so any changes must happen in the state Legislature. Election reform advocates have long said an overhaul is necessary, but there has been little movement in Albany. Currently, the city Board of Elections is a bipartisan agency, with party leaders from each borough choosing commissioners five Democrats and five Republicans and rubber stamped by the City Council. An inherently political operation, its one of the last vestiges of old-school machine operations, journalist Ross Barkan wrote in City & State in 2018 after Election Day mayhem that year. Unlike most other workers in city agencies, board employees do not need to take civil service exams and they are often hired thanks to connections to party leaders. Poll workers are often hired the same way, through recommendations from party leaders or lawmakers, Barkan wrote. Theres a systemic problem, Council Member Antonio Reynoso told City & State for this story. He recently delayed the appointment of the Brooklyn Democratic commissioner whom the county party tried to rush through, after an extended vacancy, to better vet the nominee. Reynoso said the first thing he asked her was if she would make political hires based on party leader recommendations, or hire truly qualified people. He said she committed not to make political hires, which he said was important to him, but that this alone doesnt change the structural problems. For structural change to occur, the state Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo would have to make revamping the Board of Elections a priority in the next legislative session. State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, chair of the Senate Elections Committee, told City & State that he plans to address some of the issues raised in June and again this month. But he didnt offer too many specifics just yet. I am concerned about the contracting process, about the structure of the board of elections, about the sort of nebulous, accountability authority, Myrie said. I think all of those things merit very serious discussion. He added that he agrees the boards structure should be revisited, but that the state should carefully consider other potential options before moving forward. Myrie said that the Legislature has not been shy about passing election and voting reforms updating the states voting laws was one of the first things the new Democratic majority did when it took over in 2019. So he said that a hearing on this years elections administration and bigger election reforms is likely, even if the timing and final subject matter of such a hearing are still in the air. But rebuilding the state and New York City BOEs from the ground up would require a state constitutional amendment. A proposed amendment must pass two consecutive Legislatures before going to the voters as a ballot referendum. The process would take a minimum of three years if lawmakers passed something in 2021. The process also might be slowed down by reticence from the governor. While Cuomo is not against reforming the Board of Elections, it doesnt seem like hell be putting his political muscle behind the effort and make it a personal priority. When asked about criticisms about how the city Board of Elections is run and the possibility of the state passing reforms, he seemed to lay responsibility on the City Council. It's very common that the New York City Council will pass a law that requires state approval, but pass the law and then give us the law, Cuomo said at a Tuesday press conference. We can't pass your law if we don't have it, right? But Reynoso, at least, predicts that Cuomo and other state leaders will take the initiative soon. Give it a couple of months, Reynoso said. After this election, Gov. Cuomo, everybody is going to come out: We need to reform the BOE! Were ready. With additional reporting by Jeff Coltin. BAGHDAD - At least six missiles targeting Irbil international airport in northern Iraq were intercepted Wednesday evening, a statement from the Kurdish Interior Ministry said, as diplomatic tensions between Washington and Baghdad mounted over a spate of rocket attacks targeting the U.S. presence. The U.S.-led coalition maintains a troop presence on a base inside the airport. The recent attacks have, until now, exclusively targeted the heavily fortified Green Zone, the seat of the Baghdad government, and the capitals airport. Roadside bombs have also routinely targeted convoys carrying materials for the U.S.-led coalition forces. According to the statement, the missiles were intercepted at 8:30 p.m. and did not cause any major damage. Two Kurdish officials said one of the rockets hit the headquarters of an Iranian-Kurdish opposition party banned in Iran. The officials requested anonymity in line with regulations. The statement said the rockets were fired from a pickup truck near Bartella, south of Irbil in Nineveh province, which are areas under the purview of Brigade 30 of the Popular Mobilization Forces. The brigade is composed of ethnic Shabak militiamen. Iraqs military said the perpetrators were terrorist groups, and that one rocket had landed close to Hasansham camp for the internally displaced. The frequency of the attacks led to U.S. threats last week to close its Baghdad embassy unless decisive action was taken to reign in Shiite militias suspected of launching the attacks. Iraqs foreign minister on Wednesday said the government was taking measures to consolidate security in the Green Zone and airport. The attack in Irbil, a rare target for rockets, is considered a serious escalation by Iraqi officials. Kurdish officials, and former Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, said the incident was yet another escalation to undermine security in the country by the same groups who are attacking the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and its convoys. Action is needed to stop it. Shell lorry Shares in Shell tumbled to a new low on Wednesday after the oil titan announced 9,000 job cuts following a historic crash in oil prices. Europe's largest oil company is culling 10pc of its workforce following a vow earlier this year to embrace green energy and slash its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, in the latest sign of seismic changes sweeping the oil industry. Shell launched an extensive review last month aimed at restructuring the company in response to low oil prices following a Covid collapse in demand, and the shift to a post-oil world where fossil fuel drilling becomes less lucrative. The firm has said the job cuts will help it save up to $2.5bn (1.9bn) annually by 2022. Much of these cuts will come from Shell's upstream division, company sources said, signalling a lasting move away from the business of drilling for oil. The axe is likely to fall hard on Shell's 6,500 staff who work on North Sea upstream projects, which aim to open up new sources of oil. Oil companies have been under tremendous pressure this year after the coronavirus pandemic triggered a collapse in prices, with the International Energy Agency (IEA) describing April as the worst month ever for the industry. Ben van Beurden, chief executive of Shell, said: "Make no mistake: this is an extremely tough process. It is very painful to know that you will end up saying goodbye to quite a few good people." The news comes five months after Shell slashed its dividend for the first time since the Second World War in response the crisis. The company's A shares fell 2pc to 963.9p - below their March nadir of 970.8p - while the B shares dropped 1.7pc to 940.2p. Mr Van Beurden is to take direct control of multiple Shell divisions of in an effort to simplify its operations and shore up its finances. He hinted that this would include technical staff, the mergers and acquisitions team and the marketing division. Story continues He said: "We have looked closely at how we are organised and we feel that, in many places, we have too many layers in the company. "Too many levels between me, as the chief executive, and the operators and technicians at our locations." Shell also issued a stark trading update ahead of its third quarter results at the end of October. Its prized upstream division is expected to post a loss after warning of significantly lower oil production for the quarter. Output levels have been sharply reduced over the three months after hurricanes and measures related to the pandemic forced the closure of several offshore platforms owned by the group. Mr Van Beurden said on Wednesday that 12 people working for the company had died of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile Shell said its chemicals business, gas division and oil products unit will suffer a one-off earnings hit from tax charges to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Some experts are worried that the jobs lost this year from the oil industry may never return as the fossil fuel industry shrinks permanently due to the rise of alternative energy sources. Rival oil major BP said earlier this year that following more than a century of steady growth, the world has likely now passed peak oil demand. Asylum processing centres could be built on the Isle of Wight, the Shetlands or the Isle of Man, it emerged yesterday. The new 'offshoring' proposal which might also see asylum hostels built on other remote Scottish islands is part of Priti Patel's over-arching programme to crackdown on the Channel migrant crisis. Under a parallel project also being considered by the Government, asylum seekers who arrive in Britain could be flown out to processing centres in Morocco, Moldova or Papua New Guinea. Downing Street is the driving force behind proposals to hold refugees in offshore detention centres and has asked officials to consider the option of sending asylum seekers abroad. Official documents marked 'sensitive' and produced earlier this month, summarise advice from officials at the Foreign Office, which was asked by Downing Street to 'offer advice on possible options for negotiating an offshore asylum processing facility similar to the Australian model in Papua New Guinea and Nauru'. Home Office officials have also been ordered to draw up feasibility studies for the hostel-type centres on islands within the British Isles. It emerged yesterday that officials had previously looked at locating a centre on Ascension Island or St Helena, thousands of miles away in the South Atlantic. However, using such distant British overseas territories was ruled impractical over costs and logistical problems. Now, proposals for asylum centres on islands closer to home will be drawn up. Migrants would be processed on disused ferries moored off the coast under the plans being considered. Another option being considered is buying retired ferries and converting them into asylum-processing centres. Marina with boats on the Solent at East Cowes, Isle of Wight. Migrants who land in Britain could be flown to hostels on the island Migrants are currently being housed in Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, which has been repurposed for them New proposals are part of Priti Patel 's over-arching programme to crackdown on the Channel migrant crisis Boris Johnson is reportedly keen to deter migrants from making dangerous crossings from France with the proposals. Meanwhile, The Times has been told that the Home Office held discussions about moving migrants to decommissioned oil platforms in the North Sea for Ministers decided that it was a 'no go' but the plan to move migrants to ships is thought more realistic and is being given serious consideration. Miss Patel is understood to believe the processing centres would deter migrants who hope to settle in UK towns and cities. 'Offshoring is still at the scoping stage and policy is yet to be decided,' said a Government source. 'But we are looking at all options to stop the small boats in the Channel, and offshoring is part of that. In terms of locations you could look at the Shetlands, the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Man, and those sorts of areas. 'There are also lots of little islands up by Scotland.' The source added: 'This is all fairly down the track and it's not going to be an overnight thing. It will also require changes to legislation. And if we were going to build anything at any of these places we would have to ensure there are appropriate services and provisions for asylum seekers who are sent there.' The source said any accommodation constructed on an island would not take the form of secure detention centres. 'We do not detain asylum seekers, they are free to come and go,' he said. It comes after it was revealed last month that a former Second World War barracks in Folkestone, Kent was now being used by the Government to house up to 400 asylum seekers. Opening the camp was intended to put out a discouraging message to anyone thinking of crossing the Channel illegally. The sparse conditions are very different from the comfortable accommodation complete with a 40 a week spending allowance some migrants have been given on arrival in Britain. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought into Dover, Kent, by Border Force following a small boat incident in the Channel yesterday Under a parallel project also being considered by the Government, asylum seekers who arrive in Britain could be flown out to processing centres in Morocco, Moldova or Papua New Guinea Gibraltar, another British overseas territory, had been ruled out as a location because it is too small, it is understood. The source added: 'We are looking at what other countries do in terms of offshoring asylum applications and what would be appropriate for us. Government departments including the Foreign Office were asked to look at options. 'Ascension Island was one of the places they came up with. But the Home Secretary does not think that location is feasible. 'Offshoring is something that was previously proposed by Tony Blair's government.' It is unclear how a Home Office asylum facility could be set up on the Isle of Man, which is self-governing. Separately, leaked documents marked 'sensitive' revealed that Downing Street asked the Foreign Office to consider processing centres in Morocco, Moldova and Papua New Guinea at the direct suggestion of the Prime Minister. The three countries were specifically 'floated' by No 10, The Guardian reported. However, the Foreign Office identified a number of diplomatic and practical problems with the plan. Bhuj: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday seized one more abandoned Pakistani fishing boat near Sir Creek in Kutch district on the Indo-Pak border during an extensive search operation in the area, officials said. With this latest seizure, the total number of Pak fishing boats captured in creek area has gone up to four in the last three days, they added. BSF has seized a Pak fishing boat in the Indian territory of the creek area today. Occupants of the boat have fled to the neighbouring country before the boat was spotted. This is the fourth such boat seized by BSF troops during the last three days, a senior BSF official said. On Tuesday, BSF seized an abandoned Pakistani fishing boat from Sir Creek, following which, an extensive search operation of creek area has been commenced by the BSF. Later on Wednesday, two more engine-fitted boats from the neighbouring country were seized by the BSF from the same area, officials said. These two boats were abandoned in Pabewari Creek near Sir Creek by Pakistani fishermen, who fled away into Pak territory after being chased by a BSF patrol party, the official said, adding nothing suspicious has been found from these boats. Pakistani fishing boats are found in creek area at regular intervals. Earlier, such abandoned boats were found in Padala Creek and Haraminala area by the BSF. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A letter sent by Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe seems to suggest so : Where the allegations that Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential elections made up by the Clinton campaign? The letter says that then CIA Director John Brennan briefed President Obama on the intelligence. He reported that the Russians believed that Clinton approved the campaign plan on July 26 2016. So U.S. intelligence spying on Russian intelligence analysts found that the Russians believed that Clinton started a 'Trump is supported by the Russian hacking of the DNC campaign. The Russians surely had reason to think that. Emails from the Democratic National Committee were published by Wikileaks on July 22 2016, shortly before the Democratic National Convention. They proved that during the primaries the DNC had actively worked against candidate Bernie Sanders. On July 24 Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook went on CNN and made, to my knowledge, the very first allegations (video) that Russia had 'hacked' the DNC in support of Donald Trump. It is likely that the Russian analysts had seen that. Mooks TV appearance was probably a test balloon raised to see if such claims would stick. Two days later Clinton allegedly approved campaign plans to emphasize such claims. In the infamous Steele dossier, prepared for the Clinton campaign by a 'former' British spy, the first entry that is tying the Trump campaign to the 'Russian DNC hack was allegedly written on July 28 2016. The president of Crowdstrike, the cybersecurity company which investigated the DNC leak, later said that his company never found any proof that Russia had hacked the DNC. There are suspicions that Seth Rich, an IT administrator for the DNC and Bernie Sanders supporter, has leaked the DNC emails to Wikileaks. Rich was murdered on July 10 2016 in Washington DC in an alleged 'robbery' during which nothing was stolen. The claims made in the Ratcliffe letter fit the timeline of the scandal as it developed. They supports the assertion that the Clinton campaign made up 'Russiagate' from whole cloth. It was supported in that by a myriad of media and by dozens of high level anti-Trump activists in the FBI and CIA. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council. The UAE announced the effort on Tuesday to obtain a nonpermanent seat for the 2022-2023 term. The Gulf countrys Minister of Foreign Affairs said the UAE, given its experience and leadership in the region, can play a key role in helping solve global problems, the state-run Emirates News Agency reported. We will be guided by our understanding of these crises, our experiences in the Arab region and our close relationships with other states, said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UN Security Council has 15 members and addresses international security and conflict. The United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom are permanent members and have veto power, meaning they can vote down any resolution. The other members are divided among other countries that hold the seat for two years without veto power. Three-fifths of the Council, or nine countries, must vote affirmative for any measure to pass. There are currently no Middle Eastern states on the Security Council. The Security Council deliberates on several issues of importance to the UAE. In September, the body voted to urge all parties in the Libya conflict to abide by a UN arms embargo. The UAE backs the Libyan National Army against the Libyan government. Earlier this month, the Security Council rejected efforts by the United States to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran. The UAE has relations with Iran but is closer to Tehrans foes Saudi Arabia and Israel. The UAE voted alongside other Gulf nations in August to ask the UN to extend a weapons embargo on Iran. In September, the Emirates became the first Gulf state to normalize relations with Israel. Bahrain did the same after the UAE decision. Saba Naqvi, author of a book on the recent history of the BJP, said she was stunned by the verdict. The destruction of the Babri Mosque was the most public crime in contemporary India, Naqvi said, yet the judge has let everyone go. The ruling sends the message that there are certain crimes for which people will not be punished, she said. "The Trump campaign is trying to say that the president put in a strong performance" at Tuesday night's presidential debate, "but Robin, nobody really believes that," ABC News' Jonathan Karl told Robin Roberts on Wednesday's Good Morning America. "I heard from Republicans after the debate, some during the debate, frankly exasperated by the president's performance the bullying, the rudeness, the incessant interrupting of the moderator, the utter inability to make a case for what he would do in the next four years if he was re-elected." "You know, Democrats weren't particularly thrilled with Joe Biden's performance, but they believe the contrast was crystal clear, that there was only one person on that stage who appeared plausibly presidential," Karl said, and it wasn't Trump. Biden's campaign also said it raised $3.8 million between 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. during and right after the debate breaking its single-hour fundraising record. The Biden team reports their single best hour of fundraising during last night's debate and both camps respond to last night's slugfest. @jonkarl reports. https://t.co/sYnd3PPPlx pic.twitter.com/hi1KTLeRuX Good Morning America (@GMA) September 30, 2020 At the very least, Politico says, "Biden cleared the very low bar Trump set for him: He was cogent, and not the mental mess the president has been suggesting for months." But as CNN's Dana Bash said, the entire debate was "a sh-tshow," and despite what Biden's campaign says, it is possible we watched "the last presidential debate of 2020." On CNN's New Day, John Avlon said Trump owed any children watching their first presidential debate an apology for throwing "rhetorical feces" at Biden and America. Story continues .@JohnAvlon: If there were any kids watching their first presidential debate last night we owe them an apology. Really Donald Trump owes them an apology. Because Joe Biden showed up for a presidential debate and Donald Trump...made a mess of the processhttps://t.co/J1SNjZHRX2 pic.twitter.com/ksKJJKGwyB New Day (@NewDay) September 30, 2020 More stories from theweek.com 7 savagely funny cartoons about the Trump tax revelations Homeland Security reportedly told U.S. officials to speak sympathetically about Kyle Rittenhouse Chrissy Teigen and John Legend share 'deep pain' after losing baby due to pregnancy complications A university student accidentally applied for a 3 maintenance loan instead of 3,000 - which she would be paid in three 1 instalments. Shadna Ismail, 19, thought she'd requested the loan from Student Finance England but instead discovered she would be handed three instalments of 99p, 99p and 1.02. The second-year biomedical science student at The University of Roehampton in southwest London said: 'I was panicking at first thinking I'd have to get through the year with 3. 'I'd checked the bank and it didn't look like any money had come through so I checked my student finance account and it said I'd only applied for 3. 'I sent a screenshot to my friend and asked if it definitely said 3 and not 3,000 and she thought it was hilarious. Shadna Ismail (pictured) thought she'd requested the loan from Student Finance England but instead discovered she would be handed three instalments of 99p, 99p and 1.02 'We laughed but we were also in shock at how I could make that mistake. 'It isn't something I would normally do because I'm not usually that ditsy but my friends did think it was a typical Shads thing to do.' Ms Ismail had applied for the lowest amount available because she's living at home in Hayes, west London, about 12 miles away from the campus. Thankfully, after contacting Student Finance England, the embarrassing mistake was rectified, and she was given her full 3,000. 'Me and my family just panicked wondering how I'd be able to survive but once I got in touch with them, they said they'd correct it which is a relief,' she said. Ms Ismail shared her error on Twitter and the post racked up over 5,000 retweets and almost 70,000 likes. She said: 'I never expected it to go so viral. Ms Ismail had applied for the lowest amount available because she's living at home in Hayes, west London, about 12 miles away from the campus 'I only posted it for friends and family but everyone seems to think it's hilarious.' A spokeswoman for the Student Loans Company said: 'We appreciate that there is a lot for students to think about as they return to study at this time and, of course, it's easy for them to make a mistake. 'We process almost two million applications per year, many of which are processed automatically and the Student Loans Company can only award funding based on the information provided by the applicant. 'If we are made aware of a student error, we try and resolve it for them quickly. We encourage all students to complete their applications carefully, read their entitlement letters carefully, and get in touch with us if there is anything that doesn't seem right.' Seven mourners were shot and wounded as they attended a funeral in Wisconsin, according to reports. A gunman is said to have pulled up in a car outside the Serenity Funeral Home in Milwaukee and opened fire on a crowd of 100 people gathering for the ceremony on Wednesday. The victims, who are aged between 24 and 48, are all in stable condition in a city hospital, say police. Acting Milwaukee police chief Michael Brunson said that they are all expected to survive at this stage. Authorities are continuing in their search for the attacker. Funeral home owner Cedric Guy was in a different part of the property when he heard gunshots ring out at around 12.45pm. Once we heard the shots we called 911. We just shut everything down. It just went crazy from there on, Mr Guy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Mr Guy said the funeral was for Braxton Taylor, 26, who was murdered in the city on September 17. Mr Taylor was shot to death and his killing reportedly remains unsolved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) A House member on Wednesday expressed confidence that Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco will be able to garner the numbers needed for the House speakership, after President Rodrigo Duterte supposedly pushed for the enforcement of his term-sharing deal with current speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. Speaking to CNN Philippines, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon, who was present during Tuesday nights discussion among the officials, relayed that Duterte had the intention to enforce the agreement, one that the chief executive himself brokered at the start of the 18th Congress last year. It was clear to me, speaking in my own behalf, and I think everybody will agree with my perception during that time, that the decision has already been made, Leachon, a supporter of Velasco, said in an interview with The Source. It was the intention of the president to enforce the agreement. Yung katotohanan naman, pagdating mo roon, wala na yung supermajority ulit. Pag nagsalita ang pangulo, its equivalent to 300 votes. Thats plain and simple, the PDP-Laban stalwart noted. [Translation: The truth is, the supermajority will be erased again. When the President speaks, its already equivalent to 300 votes. Thats plain and simple.] Malacanang has not issued a fresh statement on the matter, saying it would leave such announcement to the House of Representatives. Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, quoting Duterte, said the latter cannot do anything if Velasco loses his chance to be Speaker due to a lack of votes in the chamber, a co-equal branch of the government. CNN Philippines on Tuesday night got information that Velasco is set to take over as House speaker starting October 14, following the much-anticipated meeting. Despite the development, some lawmakers believe the speakership squabble is far from over, especially if the post comes down to a vote. In an earlier interview with CNN Philippines, Rep. LRay Villafuerte, a House Deputy Speaker and Cayetano supporter, said Velasco wont likely stand a chance in the voting, since majority of the lawmakers have already expressed their support for Cayetano. No turnover date yet? Leachon, citing a conversation with Velasco, said the parties compromised on the October 14 turnover date to make way for a smooth transition in leadership before Congress goes on a break in the middle of the month. Villafuerte, however, refuted this, saying there was no fixed date mentioned during the meeting. He added the agreement was to let Cayetano announce what transpired during the meeting. Under the July 2019 term-sharing agreement, Cayetano is expected to serve as speaker for the first 15 months until October, with Velasco set to replace him for the succeeding 21 months. DETROIT Ford is recalling more than 700,00 vehicles across North America because cameras that appear while the driver is backing up can show distorted images or suddenly go dark. The recall covers nine different models, including most 2020 versions of Fords F-Series trucks, the 2020 Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge. Also included are the Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair. F-Series trucks are the top-selling vehicle in the U.S., according to the Associated Press. The affected vehicles were assembled at several different facilities in Dearborn, Chicago, Kansas City and Louisville between Oct. 26, 2019 and June 22. The action affects 620,246 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 76,566 in Canada and 4,302 in Mexico. Ford said in documents posted Wednesday by the U.S. governments National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that a poor electrical connection is causing the problem, the Associated Press reported. Ford says it doesnt know of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem. Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to start Nov. 7. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20C19. A Kansas woman was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for decapitating her ex-boyfriend's mother with two steak knives and leaving her head in the kitchen sink. Rachael Hilyard, 38, of Wichita, was sentenced over death of 63-year-old Micki Davis in what prosecutors claimed was a planned killing. Davis was attacked after going to Hilyard's home to pick up some of her son's property on April 9, 2017. Davis arrived at Hilyard's home with her nine-year-old grandson but the child ran away and called for help before his grandmother was beheaded. The older woman's body was found in the garage while her head remained in the kitchen. Hilyard apologized at the hearing on Tuesday, which several of Davis' family members attended in person or watched via a Zoom call. 'I feel that even death would be too good for me now. ... Every day and every night I am sorry,' she said. 'I apologized to the many people that knew and loved Micki Davis, I apologized to her whole family, to her grandson, to all of her friends, to my neighbors, I apologized for who I became.' Scroll down for video Rachael Hilyard, 38, (pictured left) was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday in the beheading murder of 63-year-old Micki Davis (pictured right) in Wichita, Kansas, in April 2017. She apologized to the family before Judge Bruce Brown announced her sentence Davis's family, however, branded Kilyard a 'monster' as they faced her once again in court before the sentencing. 'Mom taught us one of the worst 4 letter words you can say is hate. And I'm not gonna lie, I hate this monster and I think my mom would be okay with that,' said Jeremy Rush, Micki Davis's son, according to KAKE.com. 'I will never get over this anger, I will never not be angry.' 'The monster, she was a mother. She has scared her son, not just him I'm sure the whole family. Her actions were selfish and wrong in every way,' added Jacona Gillespie, Davis's daughter. The judge on Tuesday decided that Hilyard's mental health issues did not relieve her of the 'horrific' crime. 'Mental health issues do not equate to crime. Having a head injury does not equal crime,' said Judge Bruce Brown. 'Your life isn't over and my charge to you at this point would be that you turn your life to a life of good. 'This case and the actions taken I lack words for,' he added. Davis's family, pictured, branded Kilyard a 'monster' as they faced her once again in court Jeremy Rush, Micki Davis's son, said he hated Hilyard during the hearing on Tuesday Jacona Gillespie, Davis's daughter, said Hilyard's actions were 'selfish and wrong' After she had received her life sentence, the family said they could never forgive Hilyard for what she had done. 'We knew we couldn't change that she had passed away. We had to move forward from that,' said Gillespie of her mother. 'We knew that's what it should be. But I don't know, just this case is so horrific that there shouldn't be any other verdict anyway, so that's how it was. Yeah, just glad, glad it's over with,' added Rush. Before she was found guilty in February, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said that Hilyard attacked the older woman with provocation. She then grabbed a knife 'to finish what she started,' Bennett said. He said Hilyard used a second knife after the first blade broke. 'For her own reasons, Rachael Hilyard had had it with Micki,' Bennett said. Davis, pictured, was attacked after going to Hilyard's home to pick up some of her son's property on April 9, 2017. She her nine-year-old grandson with her who ran for help Hilyard cut off the victim's head with two steak knives back in April 2017 Police found Davis' body in Hilyard's garage and her head in the kitchen sink. Testimony during the trial indicated Davis may have been unconscious but alive when Hilyard decapitated her During her trial, Hilyard's lawyer, Quentin Pittman, had acknowledged his client killed Davis but said it was not premeditated, which is required for a first-degree murder conviction. Her attorney said Hilyard thought Davis was dead when she severed her neck. Hilyard claimed that Davis fell during a struggle over a painting and that she carried out the decapitation because she thought Davis was dead and wanted to release her soul from her body. 'I just freaked out, and we were wrestling into the garage, and we got into a fight,' she said. 'God was telling me to do it,' she earlier told police who questioned her about the killing: But prosecutors noted a police interview in which Davis grandson described Hilyard jumping on and beating Davis with no warning. Hilyard testified in February that she thought Davis was already dead and that she cut off her head to free her soul from her body. She also told cops god was telling her to do it Testimony during the trial also indicated Davis may have been unconscious but alive when Hilyard decapitated her. Hilyard mentioned that she had been in a car accident in 2003 that left her with a traumatic brain injury, but she was quick to point out that it had nothing to do with 'it'. In the days leading up to the murder, she made a series of bizarre posts on Facebook referencing serial murder and beheadings. 'Well this is how it feels to be insane. & i must say that i don't like it,' she wrote one week before Davis was killed. 'They can try to cut my head off,' she wrote in verse one evening, 'But what im sure/They don't know/Is that i knew more than you.' 'Well my Psychopathic Serial Killers for beginners in training class is over for the day...."whew" now for homework time or what kids?' another post after midnight reads. 'Please don't let them cut my head off,' yet another post an hour later reads. A jury convicted Hilyard of first-degree murder in February. She will be eligible for parole after serving 50 years in prison. Her trial was delayed several times as she underwent multiple mental health evaluations. She was treated at a state psychiatric hospital before she was declared competent for trial. BEIRUT - The Trump Administration imposed sanctions Wednesday on entities and individuals in Syria as part of Washingtons pressure campaign against President Bashar Assad and his inner circle. The sanctions came a day after intense clashes in southern Syria broke out between Russia-backed Syrian troops and local fighters who belong to the minority Druze sect, killing and wounding dozens. The sanctions were not related to the fighting in southern Syria. The Treasury Department and State Department sanctions are the result of legislation known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, named after the pseudonym of a Syrian policeman who turned over photographs of thousands of victims of torture by the Assad government. Among those sanctioned Wednesday was the Syrian armys Russian-backed 5th Corps that was established during the countrys conflict that started in March 2011. The 5th Corps includes rebels who later paid allegiance to Assads government. The State Department said it is sanctioning 5th Corps commander Maj. Gen. Milad Jedid for his involvement in the obstruction, disruption, or prevention of a ceasefire in Syria. The sanctions also included two sisters of Yasser Ibrahim, who is suspected of obstructing a political solution to the Syrian conflict and using his networks across the Middle East and beyond to cut deals to enrich Assad. The Ibrahim family, led by Yasser Ibrahim, acts as a front for Bashar Assad and his wife Asma al-Akhras, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. The State Department identified the sisters as Nasreen and Rana. The U.S. began implementing the Caesar Act in June with a raft of economic and travel sanctions for human rights abuses and blocking a settlement of the countrys bloody nine-year conflict. Sanctions imposed earlier this year included Assad and his wife and their eldest son, Hafez, as well as members of the extended Assad family, senior military leaders and business executives. Many of those on the list were already subject to U.S. sanctions, but the penalties also target non-Syrians who do business with them. The new wave of sanctions came as opposition activists reported clashes in southern Syria between the 5th Corps and local fighters who belong to the minority Druze sect. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the fighting that broke out Tuesday in Sweida province left 16 Druze fighters and 12 members of the 5th Corps dead. It added that dozens were wounded on both sides. The Observatory said the situation was relatively calm in the province Wednesday. The Suwayda 24, an activist collective in Sweida, said a funeral was held Wednesday in the provincial capital, also called Sweida, for 15 fighters killed the day before. It said the fighting broke out on Tuesday when local fighters attacked the 5th Corps in the nearby village of Qaraya to force them out of agricultural lands they had entered earlier. Veteran rocker Neil Young has followed up his recent announcement of another box set release with news of a new package centered around his historic 2003 tour. Return to Greendale is limited-edition deluxe box set includes a Blu-ray of the full concert (from a Toronto stop), two LPs and two CDs, and a DVD of Inside Greendale,a documentary capturing the making of the album. The mini rock opera follows the story of the Green family going about their lives in a small California town. The tour, featuring his band Crazy Horse, made a stop at the Mullins Center in Amherst. Last week, Young announced the release of Archives Volume 2 a 10-disc release that features work from 1972 through 1976. The package includes 12 songs that have never been released and 50 previously unreleased versions of songs. In all, there are 132 tracks. The final disc is a live recording Odeon Budokan from shows in London and Tokyo with his band Crazy Horse. That box set is also due out in November. Shop for concert tickets here: StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticketmaster A new website has been launched for parents to find out how at risk their children are from coronavirus at school. The National Education Union has developed the online tool, that lets mothers and fathers type in the school's name and see levels of infection in the area. It displays the number of Covid-19 cases in their locality, whether it is on a watchlist or if local restrictions are in place. The NEU believes it will reinforce public health messaging from local authorities and Government where cases are higher. It adds that it says it hopes the map will also reassure parents of children in low case areas. The site will use the increased amounts of data now made available by the Government. Cick here to visit the website. Commenting on the launch, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: 'Everyone in the education sector has worked hard to make full opening of schools, colleges and universities as successful as possible this autumn, but they have been let down by the Government which hasn't even ensured that Covid testing has kept pace with need. 'The NEU School Covid Map presents up to date information on the Covid rate in every part of England. This website will support public health messaging everywhere. We believe it has the clearest information. We hope that it will encourage ongoing conversations about school safety, and how everyone can play their part. The new website can be used to find any schools, no matter if they are independent or private Pupils in Huddersfield adopting new Covid-secure measures for their return to the classroom Some schools have struggled with the return after lockdown over fears of infections rising 'But this website will also encourage parents to support our asks of the Government that they help to support safety in our schools and colleges. 'We have written to the Prime Minister calling for much quicker testing for staff and students, Nightingale sites for smaller classes, guaranteed home working for vulnerable staff, and more funding for already strained schools and colleges to maintain Covid-security. 'Parents, students and staff also need urgent answers on next year's exams, and how fit for purpose they will be. This is in light of not only the past summer's fiasco, but also the disruption of local lockdowns in the months ahead.' The site comes after parents and teachers aired serious concerns about going back into schools after the strict coronavirus lockdown. Coronavirus figures for the UK show cases are rising again for the second wave Previously NEU chiefs have called on the government to create 'Nightingale classes' amid a drop in the number unable to fully open due to Covid-19. The latest government figures revealed one in six state secondary schools could not fully open last week - with most unable to do so because of coronavirus. Schools are considered to be not fully open if they are unable to provide face-to-face teaching for all pupils for the whole school day and have asked a group of students to self-isolate. Latest school attendance statistics reveal approximately 84 per cent of state-funded secondary schools were fully open on September 24 - down eight per cent from a week earlier. Bosses from the NEU, the largest education union in the UK, have renewed calls on the government to create 'Nightingale classes' in a bid to get all of the country's students back into lessons. According to the Department for Education (DfE)'s latest school attendance statistics, approximately 84 per cent of state-funded secondary schools were fully open on September 24 - down from 92 per cent a week earlier. The cause of schools not being fully open was 'mostly due to Covid-19 related reasons', the DfE said. The Prime Minister displayed the latest slides on the status of coronavirus at the No10 press conference tonight A row raged over the government's decision to send children back to school, with scientists warning of the return triggering a devastating second wave of Covid-19 that could infect twice as many as the first. In August, scientists said reopening schools in the UK would inevitably result in another crisis that peaks in December. In a major study, experts found that to prevent a second wave when schools reopen, the NHS contact tracing system must reach 68 per cent of cases and their contacts. The Government in August announced that face masks will be compulsory in the communal areas of secondary schools in parts of England which are subject to local lockdowns. A decision on whether to wear masks in non-lockdown area schools was left up to individual head teachers. The change in policy came after days of ministers and Downing Street insisting there were no plans to change the guidance in England which had said masks were not necessary if all other hygiene measures were adhered to. Schools cited fears of increased bullying, of pupils wearing dirty reused masks and of it being harder to challenge bad behaviour in corridors because it may be unclear which children are responsible. Teachers also said they had been left 'dizzy from all of the U-turns that have happened this summer'. Meanwhile, a school leaders' union immediately challenged the Government's approach as it said it will be telling all of its members, regardless of whether they are subject to local lockdown, to ask pupils and staff to wear face coverings in communal spaces. The eleventh-hour change in tack followed new advice from the World Health Organisation at the weekend. Tory MPs have been left fuming by the handling of the issue with one senior figure describing the situation as an 'utter s***show' and said it was 'beyond comprehension' that the decision had not been taken earlier. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson defended the move this morning as he said the safety of pupils is 'absolutely critical'. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When it's time for your next fuel stop, look for the blue hose and fill your tank with sustainable and environmentally-friendly E15, also known as eblend, gasoline to save money and the environment with every mile you drive. That's the message behind the new "Look for the Blue Hose" campaign that kicked off today, aimed at increasing awareness and sales of E15 or eblend gasoline, a cleaner-burning, higher ethanol gasoline made with American-grown field corn. Perfectly safe for virtually all modern gasoline engines, E15 gasoline has proven to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions, making the air safer and lowering the risk of pollution-related health issues. Not to mention, E15 saves drivers 3 to 10 cents per gallon compared to conventional gasoline. While most gasoline today already contains about 10% ethanol, E15 contains a slightly higher blend of ethanol (15%) with conventional gasoline (85%) that effectively lowers carbon emissions and improves engine performance. In fact, E10 has already reduced greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 by 54.1 million metric tons the equivalent of removing over 11.5 million cars from the road for a full year. Growth Energy recently reported that drivers have surpassed 16 billion miles driven on E15. "We all want cleaner air for ourselves and for our children. For many people, the solutions feel complex and far beyond our reach," said Angela Tin, National Senior Director, Clean Air Initiatives at the American Lung Association. "But this is very simple: By reaching for the blue hose at your next fill up, and asking your friends and neighbors to do the same, each of us can have a huge impact on the air quality in and around Colorado Springs, and improve the long-term health of our children and future generations." A renewable resource, ethanol is made from field corn, commonly used for livestock feed. This "grain alcohol" has been used for over a century as an engine fuel, including Henry Ford's famous Model T. Despite rumors to the contrary, E15 is safe for all 2001 and newer cars, SUV's, and light duty trucks. It is EPA approved and is the most widely tested fuel on the market. "Not only is E15 better for the environment, it is also a powerful way to support the American economy, specifically American farmers, including those right here in Colorado," said Nick Colglazier, Executive Director of the Colorado Corn Administrative Committee, a co-sponsor of Look for the Blue Hose campaign. "When you choose E15, you support clean, home-grown energy that benefits America's farmers and fuels our local economy. It's a win-win-win for drivers, farm families, the environment and the economy." Drivers looking to fuel up with E15 around Colorado Springs have plenty of options. The area is home to the largest concentration of E15 or eblend filling stations, including 58 Kum & Go locations throughout Colorado. "As a family-owned business, the health and wellbeing of our customers is a personal priority for everyone at Kum & Go," said Ken Kleemeier, Vice President of Fuels with Kum & Go. "We are part of the Look for the Blue Hose campaign to make Coloradoans aware of a great fuel product that ultimately helps to bolster the economic vitality of our farming communities." How You Can Help Fill up your tank with E15. To learn more about the benefits of E15 gasoline, or find an E15 fuel stop near you, visit www.lookforthebluehose.com Follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram for contests, resources and more Media Contact Melanie Swan [email protected] About Colorado Corn: Colorado Corn Administrative Committee (CCAC) is a farmer driven organization focused on research, market development, promotion and education on behalf of corn producers in the state. SOURCE Colorado Corn Administrative Committee Related Links http://www.lookforthebluehose.com We would not have sold the dealership without George and Juans help. Their knowledge of the nuances of selling Harley-Davidson dealerships was key to completing the sale. " Tom McCreery Performance Brokerage Services, a new car and Harley-Davidson dealership broker, is pleased to announce the sale of Salem Harley-Davidson of Salem, Oregon from Tom McCreery and Gordon Eiland to Ben Bloomfield and Greg Woodward. Salem Harley-Davidson in Salem, Oregon was purchased by Tom McCreery and Gordon Eiland in 2005. Tom McCreery, an Air Force Veteran, was already familiar with the Harley-Davidson brand as a partner in Four Corners Harley-Davidson in Farmington, New Mexico. Their passion for serving the community showed through the many charity events they held at the dealership. The Capital City Brewfest supported charities such as Vets Helping Vets, which assists veterans returning home to get acclimated. Following the sale, Tom McCreery commented, We would not have sold the dealership without George and Juans help. Their knowledge of the nuances of selling Harley-Davidson dealerships was key to completing the sale. They identified the buyers and helped us complete the sale using attorneys and appraisers they had worked with many times. Their understanding of deal dynamics helped resolve various issues throughout the process. Thank you! Over the last 5 years, Performance Brokerage Services has represented for sale over 250 automotive and motorcycle dealerships making it the highest volume automotive and motorcycle dealership brokerage firm in North America. George C. Chaconas, the exclusive advisor for this transaction and the head of the National Harley-Davidson and Powersports Division for Performance Brokerage Services commented, It has been a pleasure and honor to work with Tom McCreery and Gordon Eiland advising them on the sale of Salem Harley-Davidson. Throughout the marketing and selling process, we came to learn a lot about each other and became friends. We worked diligently together towards a successful closing with a first-time Harley-Davidson buyer. Juan and I feel extremely fortunate to have worked with Tom and Gordon on the sale and one step closer to retirement. We are profoundly grateful to have helped Ben Bloomfield acquire his first of many Harley-Davidson dealerships. Ben and Greg have a long track record of success as business operators and in the private and venture equity fund arenas. The two got to know each other when Greg was the CFO of Pluralsight, a software company, and Ben was working at Wells Fargo as an investment banker. What started as a professional relationship quickly evolved into becoming good friends. Greg, having been a longtime Harley-Davidson enthusiast, acquired Grand Teton Harley-Davidson, Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson and Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson. This investment together and the continued friendship ultimately led Ben and Greg to look for the next Harley-Davidson dealership acquisition. Bloomfield stated, Tom McCreery and Gordon Eiland created a solid business and hired an excellent team. We are thrilled to inherit that team and look forward to working with them to continue the success at Salem Harley-Davidson. We wish Tom and Gordon the best in their retirement and thank George Chaconas and Juan Pardo at Performance Brokerage Services for getting us in front of this opportunity. The dealership will retain the name Salem Harley-Davidson and remain at its current location at 3601 Silverton Road in Salem, Oregon. The sellers were represented by Robert Bass and Grey May of Bass Sox Mercer Attorneys at Law. The buyers were represented by Matthew Tenney of Tenney Legal Services and Kristin Lentz of Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. About Performance Brokerage Services Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is the nations highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in intermediary services to buyers and sellers of automotive, motorcycle, powersports, commercial truck, RV and equipment dealerships. Performance Brokerage Services offers a unique approach by providing complimentary dealership assessments, no upfront fees, no reimbursement of costs and is paid a success fee only after the transaction closes. Clients benefit from utilizing an extensive network of industry related accountants, attorneys, hundreds of registered buyers and longstanding relationships with most of the automotive, motorcycle and powersports manufacturers. With corporate offices in Irvine, California, and 5 regional offices in Utah, Florida, Texas, Virginia and New Jersey, Performance Brokerage Services provides its clients national exposure with local representation. After 25 years, 700 transactions and with a 90% closing rate, the companys reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct, integrity and transparency. For more information about the services offered by Performance Brokerage Services, visit https://performancebrokerageservices.com. Over the years, Fantano has professionalized working with a managing editor, a video editor, a booking agent and an entertainment lawyer (whose son was a fan) but the look and feel of his videos has hardly changed since he started The Needle Drop in 2009, with a plain backdrop and a digital representation of the album cover in question over his right shoulder. Such consistency, a result of his type-A workaholism, has been crucial to Fantanos success. His output is regular and optimized: a review almost every weekday, plus immediate reactions to new tracks, music news and other recurring features on his second channel, which he started in 2017 to circumvent the YouTube algorithm. (The more content youre dropping on a single channel, the less likely it is that YouTube is going to appropriately promote all of it, he said.) His critical voice earnest, adjective-heavy enthusiasm mixed with boyish, 4chan-inflected internet humor and his taste, which can be eclectic but skews toward heavy rock, outre and experimental pop and rock-influenced rap, are also reliable. The only five albums to earn a perfect 10 from him are by Kendrick Lamar, the noise-rap trio Death Grips, the Kids See Ghosts duo of Kanye West and Kid Cudi, the aggressive rock band Swans, and Daughters, which he praised for its nuclear bomb of cathartic hideousness and vile displays of auditory abuse. Predictably, The Needle Drops most popular videos take on polarizing stars like West, Eminem and Chance the Rapper, but Fantano often avoids big-ticket Top 40, which could bring him more views, in favor of proselytizing for something smaller or stranger. He referred to what he does as giving a synopsis or CliffsNotes for an artist or album, but also obviously values his role as a curator and tastemaker, too. Theres no number of negative reviews I can give to Nav that can end his career, Fantano said, referencing his takedowns of the slyly popular rapper. But I feel like I can break an artist I do have the power to do that. Daugherty whose work Ive reviewed several times and I were both interested in how artists and critics could learn more about each others functions, could demystify our roles in some small way. Social media has brought many reviewers into far closer proximity with theater artists than ever before. It occurred to us that exploring how the mistrust that often develops between critics and artists might be mitigated was worthwhile, especially when live theater has been sidelined and many theater events are occurring in the digital space. According to a report in The Times of India, the result has been released in the PDF format The Class 12 summer zone revaluation results have been released by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Secondary Education (JKBOSE) on its official website jkbose.ac.in. Candidates who have applied for revaluation can check and download their update score from the official website. According to a report in The Times of India, the result has been released in the PDF format. After opening the document, candidates can press Control and F key together on the keyboard and enter their name or roll number to check their score. As per Careers 360, a total of 3,646 students have applied for JKBOSE Class 12 revaluation. If there is no revision or change in the marks after revaluation, then the list will mention "No Change" next to the candidate's name and roll number. Students whose marks have been revised will be able to collect their original mark sheets from their respective schools after some days. Steps to check JKBOSE Class 12 Summer Zone revaluation result 2020: Step 1: Log on to The Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education official website - jkbose.ac.in. Step 2: Scroll down and tap on link that mentions, Enter main website. Step 3: You will be directed to a new page where under the Notifications tab, you have to click on the link that reads, "12TH ANNUAL REGULAR SUMMER ZONE, 2020, JD RE-EVALUATION RESULT NOTIFICATION." Step 4: The re-evaluation results will open on the page in form of a PDF document. Step 5: Look for your name and roll number and the changed score. Step 6: Check your marks carefully before saving and taking printout of the revaluation result. Here is the direct link to check the result ALLIANCE, Ohio A day after a staggeringly contentious presidential debate, Joseph R. Biden Jr. sought again to put President Trump on the defensive on Wednesday by casting his opponent as a callous plutocrat who abandoned the working Americans who elected him. In his most vigorous day of campaigning in months, Mr. Biden embarked on an old-fashioned train tour to directly appeal to the blue-collar white Americans who powered Mr. Trumps victories in the industrial Midwest in 2016. The trip brought him to a host of cities in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, a region where Mr. Trump had previously won over working-class white voters who traditionally voted for Democrats, setting off a realignment of the political parties. What I saw last night was all about him, Mr. Biden said of the debate in Cleveland, during which Mr. Trump constantly interrupted and taunted him, and the Democratic nominee issued his own series of sharply personal criticisms. He didnt speak to you or your concerns or the American people even once. Mr. Biden, the former vice president, faces a steep challenge in seeking to win back many of the white longtime Democratic voters who supported Mr. Trump in 2016 and have only grown more intense in their commitment to him. In Alliance, Ohio, a sizable and organized pro-Trump contingent showed up on Wednesday morning to loudly protest Mr. Bidens appearance, and the parts of the states Mr. Biden visited were often blanketed in Trump yard signs. Over time, Dunlap came to believe that either he was being used as a figurehead or the commission wasnt doing anything, because he heard little else after he was named. But behind the scenes, von Spakovsky, Adams, Kobach and the vice presidents aides were in regular contact and were soon planning a public meeting to showcase the latest research on voter fraud. All the commissioners would be present at the meeting, which was set to take place in New Hampshire that September. Among the findings was a report from the Government Accountability Institute a conservative think tank founded by Stephen K. Bannon, Trumps former campaign chief, and the conservative writer and political consultant Peter Schweizer. Much of the funding for the institute came from Robert and Rebekah Mercer, the billionaire political activists who had also backed Bannons website, Breitbart News. Schweizer introduced Paoletta to the reports author, and Paoletta helped arrange his testimony, internal commission emails showed. (Schweizer and Paoletta had other common concerns. It was Schweizer who would go on to write a book raising questions about Joe Bidens son Hunter and his actions in Ukraine; it was Paoletta who would help devise the Trump administrations legal rationale for withholding congressionally approved aid from Ukraine as Trump pressured its new government to investigate the Bidens. Through a spokeswoman, Paoletta said he had not maintained contact with Schweizer after his work on the commission.) A central claim of the report was that some 8,500 people voted twice in 2016. The evidence was shaky, though one prominent political scientist, Paul Gronke of Reed College, called the research sloppy and misinformed. But days before the meeting, Pences office came across information that could make for a blockbuster announcement, giving Trump exactly what he was looking for: An analysis of voter rolls by the New Hampshire secretary of states office found that 6,540 people who had registered to vote on the day of the 2016 election had presented out-of-state drivers licenses, yet only 1,014 of them had switched their licenses over to New Hampshire in the months since. Kossack alerted Kobach and Paoletta in an email, suggesting that the rest appeared to be out-of-state residents who could have swung the election. Hours later, Kobach published a column on Breitbarts website, declaring that, in all likelihood, the New Hampshire election was stolen through voter fraud. When Gardner, New Hampshires secretary of state, heard Kobachs description of the findings at the meeting, though, he immediately objected. The discrepancy could be explained by the simple fact that residents of other states are allowed to vote in New Hampshire if they are effectively living there, as thousands of out-of-state college students most certainly were. When Kobach asserted that perhaps the legitimacy of the election would never be known, Dunlap was incredulous. Making this equation that somehow people not updating their drivers license is an indicator of voter fraud would be almost as absurd as saying that if you have cash in your wallet, thats proof that you robbed a bank, he said, drawing laughter from the audience. From that point on, Dunlap said, he was shut out. The commission had come to view him as a saboteur, as Adams put it to me, and Dunlap came to see Kobach and his cohort as voter-fraud vampire hunters who treated any rare example of actual fraud, no matter how accidental or inconsequential, as proof of its ubiquity. Stonewalled by the committee, Dunlap decided that he would need to take more extreme steps. That November, with the help of the nonpartisan watchdog group American Oversight, he sued his own commission, demanding that it share its records and stop excluding him from commission business. He would ultimately obtain 8,000 pages of pages of emails and plans and post them publicly on his Maine secretary of state website. The documents showed that there was a much larger project in the works. In several meetings, Kobach, von Spakovsky, Adams, McCormick and the vice presidents office had discussed the creation of a gargantuan database of government-held information to search national voter rolls and find irregularities. Such list matching, as the practice is known, is the means by which states regularly analyze their voting rolls to ensure that they do not contain dead people or people who have moved out of state. But when data matching is done poorly, it can be a prolific source of false claims about supposedly invalid voters and can cause wrongful cancellations of large numbers of legitimately registered citizens. In the wrong hands, there could be no more powerful engine of voter suppression. Kobach had built out a prototype for such a database as Kansas secretary of state. His Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck system matched first and last names and birthdays of registered voters across nearly 30 states. But it had serious flaws. One study showed that Kobachs program would cause 300 wrongful terminations for every double registration it might prevent; another study found that nonwhite voters who are more likely to share the same names than white voters are were far more likely to be flagged in its data. The entire program was ultimately suspended because of litigation. There is tension in Zaria, the seat of the ancient Zazzau emirate, as residents anxiously await government announcement of a new Emir of Zazzau. The tension is escalated by the long, unusual delay in naming a new emir. Scholars and palace insiders interviewed said a new emir is typically appointed within three days of vacancy of the stool. The throne became vacant on September 20 with the death of the 17th Fulani emir of Zazzau, Shehu Idris. Mr Idris, 84, who was from the Katsinawa ruling house, reigned for 45 years. PREMIUM TIMES reported that four princes from three of the four ruling houses are in the forefront in the race for the coveted throne. Those said to be in the frontline are Iyan Zazzau, Bashir Aminu; Magajin Garin Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli; Yeriman Zazzau, Munir Jaafaru and the Turakin Zazzau, Aminu Idris. However, as reported by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the Zazzau emirate kingmakers had recommended three of the contenders based on a grading and voting system agreed and executed by the five kingmakers. Mr Aminu was graded highest by the kingmakers with 89 per cent grade and 3 votes while Mr Jaafaru came second with 87 per cent and one vote. The son of the late Emir Idris, Aminu Idris, was graded 53 perfect with one vote, putting him in the third position. Mr Bamalli was eliminated from the contest. But the state government later decided to jettison the report of the kingmakers on allegation that the selection processes were tainted by bribery. The governments decision brought back to the race Ahmed Bamalli, a man believed to be Governor El-Rufais favorite of the contenders. Mr Bamali was not recommended by the kingmakers because he was not among the three top scorers. Tension, rumours in Zaria The long wait has heightened tension with expectant residents circulating rumours around the decision. The announcement of a new emir was expected on Monday. Rumours went round on Sunday with supporters of two leading contenders announcing their favourite as the successful pick. Pictures of Mr Bamalli in turban and a royal walking stick were widely shared on with his supporters proclaiming him as the Emir Idris successor. Also a message was circulated on WhatsApp announcing a purported governments decision to appoint Mr Bamalli. Around the same time, a video emerged with fans congratulating Mr Jaafaru on his purported appointment to the throne. Another video purportedly captured a convoy entering the residence of Mr Jaafaru with a voice describing the convoy as that of Governor El-Rufai. The speculations led to a video message by a close associate of Mr Jaafaru, denying the rumours and calling for calm. How the new emir will emerge Official PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the state government has decided to give consideration to all eligible persons. Already, the government has forwarded the names of all the princes who indicated interest, 11 in total, to security agencies in the state for screening. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters is also writing confidential report on all the 11 persons. This would be attached to the security report and submitted to the governor for his decision, an insider familiar with the process told this newspaper late Saturday. Advertisements Mr El-Rufai, writing on his social media platforms, confirmed this process, saying the government was awaiting security report and confidential briefing from the Ministry of Local Governments. The recommendations of the Ministry & security reports on the aspirants will then be sent to me for final decision, Mr El-Rufai wrote on Thursday. Fears over outcome Security has since been beefed up in major junctions in Zaria and environs to curtail possible riots resulting from the announcement. PREMIUM TIMES recalls that riots broke out in Kano when Lamido Sanusi was announced to replace late Emir Ado Bayero. In two different tweets, a Zaria native and public commentator, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed , raised concerns about the danger of delaying in announcing a new emir. ALSO READ: It will now be irresponsible not to advise KDS Gov that further delay in announcing decision on Zazzau Emir and silence over reasons for the delay are capable of discrediting the entire process and could threaten the peace. It is being interpreted as undue political interference, he wrote on Sunday. In an earlier tweet, Mr Baba-Ahmed said delay in picking the new emir would lend credence to the rumour that the government is looking for its own emir, not emir of Zazzau. Asides the tension, some candidates are said to to be weighing options ahead of the appointment. One of the contenders is said to be preparing to go to court in case the government announces anybody other than him. The spokesperson for the Kaduna Government, Muyiwa Adekeye, did not respond to request for comments on this story. D onald Trump has claimed his comments about injecting bleach were "sarcasm" during a fiery clash with Joe Biden at the first 2020 presidential election debate. The event, held in Cleveland, Ohio, saw the rival candidates attack and interrupt each other as they discussed the coronavirus pandemic, job losses and the Supreme Court. The president was discussing plans for the military to deliver the vaccine when Mr Biden attacked his trustworthiness, bringing up the disinfectant comment. In April, Mr Trump sparked worldwide condemnation when he said injecting disinfectant could help treat the virus in what appeared to be an earnest suggestion at a Covid-19 press briefing. Joe Biden brought up the disinfectant comment / AP Medics and manufacturers rushed to warn people that they should not follow his potentially-fatal advice. During the debate, Mr Biden said: "This is the same man who told you by Easter this would be gone away. By the warm weather it would be gone - miraculous, like a miracle. US Elections 2020: Trump v Biden First Presidential Debate 1 /20 US Elections 2020: Trump v Biden First Presidential Debate Getty Images AP Getty Images AP AP AP AP AFP via Getty Images Getty Images POOL/AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images AP "By the way, maybe you can inject some bleach in your arm and that would take care of it. This is the same man." Mr Trump interjected to say: "That was said sarcastically and you know that. That was said sarcastically." Donald Trump and Joe Biden's first presidential showdown / AFP via Getty Images Mr Biden carried on to say that the president needed to get "a lot smarter, a lot quicker" to stop more people dying. The president went on to attack the Democrat over his academic record. He also talked over his opponent, prompting Mr Biden simply to say Will you shut up, man? Insults and interruptions dominate Donald Trump and Joe Biden's first debate Mr Biden then called his opponent the worst president America has ever had, while Mr Trump threw back allegations about Hunter Bidens international business practices. The Democrat called the claims against his son discredited and fired back: I mean, his family we can talk about all night. Meanwhile, the president danced around a question from debate moderator Chris Wallace about whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and military groups. He said: Proud Boys Stand back, stand by, but Ill tell you what, somebodys got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not right-wing problem This is a left-wing problem. The debate ended with a question from the moderator, who asked both candidates if they would urge your supporters to stay calm during this period, not to engage in civil unrest and will you not declare victory until the election has been independently verified? Mr Trump said he will tell his supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because thats what has to happen. Im urging them to do it. Loading.... Mr Biden replied: Once the ballots are all counted, thatll be the end of it. If its me, thats fine. If its not me, Ill support it. Special Honors and Awards to ETAN and ETAN activists ETAN was awarded the government of Timor-Leste's highest honor (May 2012) Awards ceremony at Presidential Palace. Photo by ETAN ETAN's Charles Scheiner receives Timor-Leste's Princess Grace of Monaco award from Timor-Leste Parliament (May 2010) John Rumbiak Human Rights Defenders Award for 2009 to ETAN and John M. Miller The 2005 Program for Southeast Asian Studies at Arizona State University Southeast Asia Prize for Service to the Program and the Community (ETAN Arizona and Chris Lundry). 2002 Certificate of Appreciation for ETAN Arizona's work in the Southeast Asia Culture Week. 2000 Program for Southeast Asian Studies at Arizona State University Student Award for Contributions to Southeast Asian Studies (Chris Lundry and ETAN Arizona) Visions in Action 1999 Working for Global Justice Award for Outstanding Activism to ETAN Ten Good Groups That Make a Difference, Counterpunch, December 16-31, 1998 A little over 4 million people, mostly in containment zones, and comprising asymptomatic high risk groups, such as the elderly (above 60 years of age), children under the age of 10 , and pregnant women are now routinely being monitored on a daily basis as part of the governments strengthened community surveillance strategy. In zones where population density is high such as slums, these high risk groups are moved to a quarantine centre to be kept under observation, according to Union health ministrys containment and surveillance plan that was revised earlier this month. The phase of pandemic that we are in currently demands robust surveillance mechanism in place so that infected individuals are identified and isolated in time before they further spread the disease within the community. About 80% of contacts are successfully traced within 72 hours of the process having started, said an official familiar with the matter and who works at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). A list of 100 households is assigned to each team that screens everyone in the household, and takes readings of their temperature and oxygen saturation; those found with fever or low oxygen saturation levels are isolated for testing and further necessary action. Any temperature of 100.4 F or greater is considered as fever, and oxygen saturation level below 95% will warrant monitoring under medical supervision. The surveillance teams are formed by state authorities based on the requirement. Community surveillance is one of the mainstays of the governments strategy to fight coronavirus disease (Covid-19) transmission in the country. The Union health ministry is focusing on strengthening surveillance further by way of contact tracing and testing in collaboration with State governments. The 4.2 million people currently under community surveillance, have been identified as high risk contacts of confirmed cases, according to the government data. The plan is active at the district and block level to ensure no infected individual is missed. Contacts put under surveillance are individuals who have been exposed to an infected person (confirmed by a laboratory) from 2 days before to 14 days after the onset of illness. According to the plan, high risk contacts include those who live in the same household as the patient; were in close proximity (within 1 meter) of the confirmed case without precautions (mask) for more than 15 minutes; had direct physical contact with the body of the patient including physical examination without personal protection equipment; or shook hands or hgged or kissed an infected person. Contacts that need special focus are largely family members, visiting relatives and domestic help among household contacts; neighbours, friends, milk and vegetable vendors etc. among contacts within community; co-travelers and drivers in flights, trains, buses, taxis and auto rickshaws etc. in the travel category; and those who attended a marriage, party, funeral , religious meeting, conferencs etc. among social gatherings. There is a large section of workers who have been adequately trained to execute community surveillance measures. The plan has been broken down to the block level and there are dedicated supervisors who are trained in monitoring and handholding the workers wherever required,added the official. The integrated disease surveillance programme (IDSP) network in states is a dedicated unit that is responsible for executing surveillance measures, in collaboration with other state health bodies that have been pressed into action. As a result of strong monitoring mechanisms and improved awareness levels the infections reported per positive case have dropped significantly. From 81-130 in May this year, the number has come down to 26-32 in August, according to the data shared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). It highlights the importance of effective testing, tracking and treating strategy in fighting the pandemic, and that we need to strengthen it further to keep the momentum going, said Dr Balram Bhargava, director general, ICMR. Experts in the field of community medicine say that for effective community surveillance workers need to be trained adequately in interpersonal and communication skills. It is not only about what is communicated to members of the community but also about how it is communicated that makes the difference, said Jugal Kishore, head, community medicine department, Safdarjung Hospital. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Photo: The Canadian Press Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The federal Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois say they supported the Liberal government's new financial-aid package for workers affected by COVID-19 because Canadians need help, but they remain unhappy with how the legislation was introduced. The two opposition parties laid out their reasons for voting in favour of Bill C-4 on Wednesday after the package, which includes billions of dollars in new pandemic-related relief, was passed unanimously in the House of Commons only hours earlier. At the same time, they continued to criticize the government as well as the NDP for working together to fast-track the legislation, with the Tories and Bloc taking a particularly hard line with their opposition New Democratic colleagues. "This is a minority government, not a coalition government," Conservative House leader Gerard Deltell said. "We have to keep that in mind and I hope that the NDP will continue to do their job. They are there as an opposition party and they have to do opposition work in the House of Commons." The bill is now headed to the Senate. The Conservatives had been vocal in their opposition to the fast-tracking of Bill C-4 and sought to use procedural tricks to delay its adoption on Tuesday night. That only added to the surprise when the Tories, along with all other parties in the House, voted in favour of it in the early morning Wednesday. "In the big picture, we are talking about Canadian workers," Deltell said when asked about the vote. "They need some support. Canadian business, they need some support. So this is why we approved the bill at the end of the process." Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet echoed that position during a news conference on Parliament Hill, saying "the principles" of the legislation "are pretty good" as he explained why his party also threw its support behind the legislation. Yet both he and Deltell continued to complain about the fast-tracking, with Blanchet saying the Liberals' decision to rush the aid package was a blow to democracy, robbing MPs of a chance to analyze and possibly improve the bill. "We were not given time to proceed with the analysis and the improvements that this law might have received because the government decided for some particular reasons or purpose that ... it was important enough for the government to impose the 'shut-up' procedure,'" Blanchet said. The NDP says it grudgingly agreed to support fast-tracking of the bill to provide assurance to recipients of the $500-per-week Canada Emergency Response Benefit that they won't be cut adrift now that the support program for workers affected by COVID-19 has been wound down. But all opposition parties blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for necessitating the speedy approval, without allowing for adequate parliamentary scrutiny. Bill C-4 replaces the CERB, which came to an end last weekend after helping almost nine million Canadians weather the impact of the pandemic. The CERB is being replaced with a more flexible and generous employment insurance regime and, for those who still don't qualify for EI, a new Canada recovery benefit. The bill also creates a new sick leave benefit and another new caregiver benefit for those forced to take time off work to care for a dependent due to the pandemic. At the behest of the NDP, the government has increased the proposed new benefits to $500 per week from the originally proposed $400, aiming to see that no one receives less than they were getting under the CERB. It has also expanded the eligibility criteria for the sick leave benefit so that it applies not just to individuals who contract COVID-19 but also to those with underlying health conditions or other illnesses, including the flu or the common cold, that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19. There are unsurprising partisan divides over President Donald Trumps push to quickly replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court before Election Day. Theres plenty of finger-pointing about who is to most blame for the countrys increasingly bitter judicial confirmation fights. But theres also bipartisan agreement that this court fight looks ugly for everyone, and for the United States. These are some of the takeaways from the second convening of The Inquirers Election 2020 Roundtable, which took place over the course of two days last week, before Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to succeed Ginsburg. The roundtable brings together a representative group of 24 voters from across Pennsylvania, a critical swing state, for a series of open virtual conversations about politics, policy, and the presidential election. Heres what some of them said. Learn more about the Election 2020 Roundtable here. A divide on what to do and what it means Opinion polling shows that a majority of voters think the winner of the Nov. 3 election should get to replace Ginsburg. Our Roundtable appeared more starkly divided. Republicans who cited an election eight months away in blocking President Barack Obama from filling a Supreme Court vacancy in 2016 are now rushing to confirm Trumps nominee just weeks before an election. And Democrats who called on Senate Republicans to confirm Obamas nominee in 2016 are now insisting Republicans must abide by the standard they set in 2016 and wait. But most of our Roundtable members readily accepted their partys change in position as reflective of cold political reality. The Democrats, if they were in the same boat that the Republicans are in today, they would be doing the same thing," said Lauren Jessop, a 62-year-old Republican in Northampton County. They have flipped-flopped, and politics being like it is, its like chess. If you have the advantage, youre going to take it. READ MORE: Pennsylvania braces for a presidential election reshaped by a Supreme Court fight Drew Jennings, a 47-year-old Republican from Chester County, echoed the sentiment, faulting Democrats for failing to outmaneuver Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell even as he expressed discomfort with the outcome. Schumer and Pelosi are not playing the same game," Jennings said, referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrats in Congress. "McConnell is interested in one thing: winning. Winning doesnt mean I want to do anything with the result. Winning doesnt mean I want to govern the country. It just means, I want to win. Doesnt mean its the right way to govern, but its happening, Jennings said. We are essentially running the government by executive order and court enforcement of it. It isnt because Trumps a dictator, its because Congress is broken. Much of the argument from Republicans in favor of replacing Ginsburg before the election echoed GOP leaders in noting that Republicans now control both the Senate and the White House, as well as historical precedent around Supreme Court nominations dating back decades. Glen Beiler, a Republican in Lancaster County, said the 2016 court fight and this years edition are basically apples and oranges." The voters in the country voted for a majority in the Senate and they also voted for the president, said Beiler, 61. I just see it as the balance of power and a constitutional duty. While few Democrats were surprised by the situation facing their party, many expressed deep disappointment. Im pretty baffled by where we are, said Vanessa Benton, a 54-year-old Democrat in Philadelphia. The same people [are involved] and we can present their quotes to them, and they disregard that and move forward." Melissa Robbins, a 47-year-old Philadelphia Democrat, said: Its about power. Its always been about power. Its always been about white men dominating, making the rules, changing the rules. It completely delegitimizes our democracy." And Ani Hatza, a 34-year-old Democrat in Montgomery County, called it hypocritical and frustrating. "Ive never felt less represented by my government, she said. Bipartisan unease with the optics and what comes next Roundtable members across the political spectrum lamented how divided the country and its government have become. And many worried what the growing polarization means for the future. The biggest thing to me is the optics of taking something that should be a purely apolitical position and centering it around an election deadline, said Scott Young, a 51-year-old Republican in Bucks County. Its the blatant hypocrisy that I cant with live with. Young noted that his son is 18, about to vote for the first time, and is already jaded. Shawn Berhel, a 26-year-old Democrat in Northampton County, blamed the countrys two-party system. It tends to divide us a little more. It gets everyone more intensified and frustrated and we feel as though we need to take it out on the other side," he said. It makes more Americans feel less heard and feel less respected as citizens of this nation. READ MORE: Biden has a clear lead over Trump in Pa. as the 2020 election enters the homestretch David Graham, a 66-year-old Republican from Johnstown, blamed Democrats for their treatment of Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings. What they did to Kavanaugh really ticked off the Republicans and the Republicans are getting retribution, Graham said. But Graham also said he didnt like that Senate Republicans refused to even hold a hearing on Obamas 2016 nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. To block Merrick Garland the way they did was wrong," he said. "If they had the votes to defeat him, they could have defeated him. But thats not the way they did it, they were dishonest. The federal government is broken, Graham added. Jennings, the Chester County Republican, asked: Is hypocrisy a political norm now? Could be. I dont like that were in this position, I really hate it. Now were going tit for tat and tit for tat and tit for tat." Mary DeBeer, a 66-year-old independent in Armstrong County, was nervous about rushing to confirm a nominee before the election. Anything thats rushed through just makes me think were going to get poor quality people in a position thats there for life, she said. Scalia and Ginsburg used to go to the opera together," DeBeer added, referring to the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. "That type of collegial working together for the good for the country, I dont know where thats gone. But thats a bad place to not have that kind of collegiality. When you've finally finished a piece of course work, it's understandably tempting to hand it straight over for marking and be glad to see the back of it - but an extra check at the end could save you from years of embarassment. Students from the UK and the US have learned the hard way to always proofread their exam papers and check over their homework before turning them in for grading. In a hilarious gallery by Bored Panda, they've shared the blunders they wished they'd noticed before their teacher did, incuding a student from Ohio addressed her final essay to 'Professor Whats His Nuts.' In the UK, one university student tilted her term paper 'The Art of not Giving a F***.' Meanwhile, in Indiana, a graduate simply wrote 'I don't know' in her thesis' footnotes. Students have shared the worst blunders they submitted in their final term papers. One student, believed to be from Texas, bit their tongue after submitted an essay with 'I give up' written in capital letters across the middle What's in a file name? One student was shocked to find they had sent their paper, saved under 'Last Paper B*****' to their teacher A student at Atlanta's Savannah College of Art and Design said titling her essay 'incoherent screaming' was her 'crowning achievement' One student from Texas submitted her final essay as 'Thomas the Choo Choo Train' and did not catch it before it was too late An UK-based student revealed sending an essay titled 'The Art of Not Giving a F***' was the 'peak' of her academic career One student from Ohio went viral after explaining she addressed her essay to 'Professor Whats his nuts' and sharing her teacher's tweet about the incident At the University of Indiana, one student learned the hard way that devil's in the detail after writing 'idk,' meaning 'I don't know' in her thesis footnotes One student noticed after handing their paper that they had called their teacher a h** in their Intro to Film essay's title At Harvard Divinity University, a student titled her essay 'Something Very Clever' and almost submitted it One student from the university of Toronto's whimsical introduction to her essay made it to her final submission A jokster from Phoenix, Arizona explained the funny title she picked for her essay did not keep up from getting the best grade In New York City, a student's grade was not hindered by the 'creative' title she picked, which admitted her hatred for the class she was taking An University of Texas student was left in a state of shock after sending her final essay with the title 'last f****** paper' One student from Los Angeles panicked after she titled her essay 'F**** my holes' as a joke, not knowing it would show when she submitted it In Florida, one student learned the hard way why you should not joke in your term paper, even when it's at the draft stage How Lashkar operatives planned on burning down the Secunderabad-Darbhanga Express Why NIA arrested former Congress MLAs daughter-in-law in an Islamic State case Two Bangladeshis part of the ABT convicted by special NIA court India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 30: A special court of the National Investigation Agency has convicted two accused in the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) case. They have been sentenced to 7 years rigorous imprisonment after they pleaded guilty. Shahdat Hussain and Umar Farooque, both residents of Bangladesh were also fined Rs 26,000 and Rs 33,000 respectively. The case was initially registered by STF Kolkata in 2017 and pertains to arrest of five members of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) in Kolkata. ABT is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Bangladesh. Four of the arrested ABT members were Bangladeshi nationals and one is an Indian national. NIA to have new branches in Imphal, Chennai and Ranchi NIA took over the case in 2018. Investigation by NIA revealed that Bangladeshi members of ABT entered India in 2016 in pursuance of the conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in India. The accused persons travelled and stayed at Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai in the guise of labourers. Investigation also revealed that the accused persons tried to procure chemicals from a shop in Patna and tried to establish hide-outs in Ranchi. The accused persons also tried to procure arms and ammunition in Kolkata. Babri Demolition Case:Court acquits all 32, says 'leaders tried to prevent demolition'|Oneindia News Several incriminating materials like map of Sealdah Railway Station, Howrah Bridge, literature on explosives and bomb-making, fake Aadhaar Card, fake PAN Card were seized from their possession. MARYVILLE Our Lords Lutheran Church (OLLC) is hosting a virtual discussion about advocating for hunger advocacy at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7 featuring Zach Schmidt, senior regional organizer with Bread for the World. Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nations decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. Based in Crystal Lake, Illinois, Schmidt is responsible for identifying, training and equipping leaders and congregations in the Midwest to actively engage in advocacy to end hunger. Schmidt studied Bible and theology at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. obert Maddock, 44, got into 'physical altercation' with the Lieutenant last year Veteran Staff Sergeant Robert Maddock, 44, pictured leaving Bulford Military Court, got into a 'physical alteration' with a Lieutenant A long-serving Army sergeant has been court martialed for a drunken clash with a junior officer who insisted he call him 'sir' at a Christmas party. Robert Maddock, 44, got into a 'physical altercation' with Lieutenant Sebastian Navarro after the younger man 'belittled his career and experience'. The dispute had been building throughout the evening and culminated in a shoving match between Veteran Staff Sergeant Maddock and Lt Navarro, who is understood to be a reservist with a degree in Architecture. The court martial heard SSgt Maddock had drunk red and white wine as well as multiple gin and tonics throughout the evening and was charged with 'misconduct through alcohol'. Prosecuting, Captain Laura Fogden told the hearing: 'The catalyst for this argument was rank and heated words were exchanged, with Lieutenant Sebastian Navarro reminding Maddock he was a commissioned member of the British Army and telling him to address him as sir.' She told the court that a brief physical altercation took place between the two men, with the married father-of-three 'pushing' the Lieutenant before a Major walked in and broke up the fight. SSgt Maddock of 104 Regiment Royal Artillery, which is part of the Army Reserve and based in Plymouth, Devon, has completed tours of Bosnia and Cyprus and was in the regular armed forces for more than two decades before joining the reserves four years ago. Mitigating, Richard Paton-Philip told the court: 'He should have walked away. 'It was a Christmas party and all ranks were together. I don't think I am stepping on any toes when I say probably too much was had to drink by many, that included Navarro. 'There was an ongoing argument relating to their respective careers. My client saw it as Lieutenant Navarro belittling his career and experience. 'It was entirely avoidable until things became more disorderly. For no more than a minute there was a brief spell of pushing and shoving which was stopped by the arrival of the Battery Major. Soldiers of the Royal Artillery are pictured firing 105mm Light Guns during an exercise. SSgt Maddock is part of the Army Reserve's 104 Regiment Royal Artillery in Plymouth, Devon SSgt Maddock, who pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct through alcohol, was handed a severe reprimand at Bulford Military Court, above, in Salisbury, Wiltshire (file photo) 'Things were said which rankled SSgt Maddock and he knows better but he took the bait.' The incident, which took place at the 266 Battery Royal Artillery in Bristol in December last year, was described by the judge as 'two men getting very drunk and trying to wind each other up'. Sentencing SSgt Maddock at Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire, Assistant Judge Advocate General Robert Hill said: 'You both got very drunk and you both managed to wind each other up. 'You both could have walked away and there was pushing on [Maddock's] part.' SSgt Maddock, who spoke only to confirm his name and plead guilty to one count of misconduct through alcohol, was handed a severe reprimand. An American employee at the US Embassy in Kiev has died in hospital after she was found beaten unconscious with head injuries in a forest area near some railway tracks. Ukrainian police confirmed Wednesday an unidentified woman who worked at the embassy was killed while jogging in a park close to the compound and that a search was under way for a male suspect. The badly-beaten victim was discovered, wearing running gear and headphones, by a passer-by near the railway tracks by Kyivs Nyvky Park outside the city center in the Shevchenko district of the Ukrainian capital. She had suffered a head injury in the attack and was rushed to hospital where she died of her injuries, authorities said. A US Embassy employee in Kiev has died in hospital after she was found beaten unconscious with head injuries in a forest area near some railway tracks. Pictured the US Embassy Artem Shevchenko, spokesman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said in a Facebook post that her death was being investigated as a murder but that it was possible it could have been an accident. He shared images of the railway line above A witness shows authorities where he discovered the badly-beaten victim lying by the tracks Ukrainian police said a work identity card for the US Embassy was found in the victim's belongings. 'The unconscious woman was admitted to a hospital where she subsequently died,' Ukrainian police said on Facebook. 'During the examination of the victim's belongings, an identity card of an employee of the U.S. Embassy in her name was found.' Police said they are looking for a tall dark-haired man aged 30 to 40 and dressed in dark shorts, a t-shirt and dark blue running shoes in connection to the assault. The US Embassy in Kiev confirmed Wednesday to DailyMail.com that the victim is a US citizen. 'We are heartbroken to report the death of an American member of the U.S. Embassy Kyiv community,' they said in a statement. 'Officials from U.S. Embassy Kyiv are currently working with authorities to determine the circumstances of the death.' No further details have been officially released about the victim's identity but a US source told The Guardian she was the wife of a US foreign service officer, and worked in a non-diplomatic job in the embassy. The victim was found close to the railway line above where investigators were seen working Wednesday. Shevchenko said she was wearing athletic wear and headphones, suggesting she was out jogging at the time The US Embassy in Kiev confirmed the victim was an American employee The Ukrainian Ambassador to the US also tweeted his condolences to the family The Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Volodymyr Yelchenko tweeted his condolences to the family and called for justice. 'Terrible news. My deepest condolences to the family and friends. Perpetrators must be found and prosecuted swiftly,' tweeted Yelchenko. Artem Shevchenko, spokesman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said in a Facebook post that her death was being investigated as a murder but that it was possible it could have been an accident. 'The National Police of Ukraine is investigating her death as a deliberate murder ... but an accidental death is not ruled out. The body was in sports clothes and wearing headphones,' he wrote. 'The death of such reckless pedestrians as a result of injuries (caused by a) train is not uncommon on the railways.' The US Embassy in Ukraine's current chief of mission Kristina Kvien He shared images of the railway line where the victim was found and said she was wearing athletic wear and headphones. The victim's body has been sent to a forensic examiner to determine the cause of death and police are interviewing witnesses. Around 181 Americans and 560 Ukrainians are employed at the embassy, which is based on the eastern edge of Kyiv's Nyvky Park and is only half a mile from where the woman was found. The embassy's current chief of mission is Kristina Kvien. The US Department of State directed DailyMail.com's request for comment to the statement from the US Embassy in Ukraine. Kiev has long been seen by American diplomats as a relatively safe posting, with no reported attacks on workers in recent years. Tensions have increased somewhat between the two nations after Donald Trump allegedly tried to put pressure on the Ukrainian government to spread damaging narratives about Joe Biden, sparking Trump's impeachment trial in January. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 15:25:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli parliament passed a law on Wednesday that enables the government to limit public protest during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. The law was approved in a 46-38 vote in an overnight session. The controversial law allows the government to announce a state of emergency for a week, during which it would be able to limit participation in demonstrations to one kilometer from the participants' homes. The new legislation was widely seen in Israel as a measure to halt the weekly rallies outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem. Thousands of Israelis have been rallying in major crossroads across the country and outside the official prime minister's residence every Saturday. They call Netanyahu to resign over corruption charges against him and his handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the economic crisis. Netanyahu is facing a criminal trial over three charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. Enditem New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday addressed rally in Lambi for the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls. Rahul said that Congress takes along everyone. He added the forces which broke Punjab are again trying to find their feet. Here are the live updates from the Rahul Gandhis rally: # Capt Amarinder singh will work here and I will work in Lok Sabha for the welfare of people from the state # Congress party is the only party which will take everyone along. # This state can be torch bearer for other states # Cancer patients from Punjab go to other states for treatment, we will make a cancer hospital of such standard that patients from other states would visit it # We will make arrangements for free medical facilities in four months # We will give government jobs as well as private jobs in the state # Earlier, Punjab was an industrial state, people used to come from states to put industries in Punjab. Badals have not promoted these. # Any family cannot stand on their own without owning a land. We want everyone to own land in Punjab # We will bring strict law against drugs # Badal government has spread drugs in Punjab # I want to make five promises, after fulfilling those, Punjab will change # Amarinder Singh will become Punjab's Chief Minister, he will work for you here and I will do the same in Lok Sabha in Delhi # Congress takes along everyone. Forces which broke Punjab are again trying to find their feet For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A top-secret missile plant worker has been jailed for life for the double murder of a VIP banker and her friend as they ate pizza at a Russian beauty spot. Alexey Alexandrov, 35, was detained after a massive police search by police in which 4,500 people were questioned over the random shootings of Ksenia Soltanova and Natalia Kuznetsova in 2018. The married father-of-one said the random murders were to avenge his childhood bullying, and coldly admitted to detectives in a chilling video confession: 'My purpose was to kill.' Alexey Alexandrov has been jailed for life for the double murder of a VIP banker and her friend as they ate pizza at a Russian beauty spot. Pictured: the killer posing with one of his many firearms, one of which was used in the shootings More than 4,500 people were questioned over the random shootings of Ksenia Soltanova (left) and Natalia Kuznetsova (right) in 2018 He denied any sexual motive, but said he killed them because of the alleged abuse he faced at school and college, even though he had never met his victims and they had nothing to do with the bullying when he was a child two decades earlier. Banker Ksenia, 29, and Natalia, 28, were enjoying a late picnic at picturesque Mount Uktus near Yekaterinburg when he used night vision to track and shoot them each three times. Alexandrov, a design specialist at a defence factory making advanced missile systems for the S-300 and BUK-M1, then put on medical gloves and dragged them fatally wounded into long grass. The married father-of-one, pictured playing with a gun with his wife in a forest, has confessed to the killings He works as a design specialist at a defence factory making advanced missile systems for the S-300 and BUK-M1 The pair intended to watch the dawn rise but sinister amateur photographer Alexandrov shot them with his 6.35-caliber air rifle in August 2018. 'They were eating pizza,' he said. Alexandrov, 'happily married' with a three-year-old son, worked at Kalinin Machine-Building Plant, which makes Russian anti-aircraft missile systems. A picture shows the 'cold-blooded killer' and his wife Yulia, 33, playing with a gun in a forest. Ksenia (pictured) worked with VIP customers for Russia's largest financial institution Sberbank Tatyana Kuznetsova, mother of Natalia (pictured), had appealed in a phone in to Vladimir Putin for action from law enforcement to find the killer The pair intended to watch the sunrise at a popular beauty spot near a forest in Mount Uktus She was unaware that he secretly drew up a 'retribution programme' two decades ago to counter the bullying he faced, he told police. He had planned four killings but 'after committing this double murderI could not sleep at night' and he abandoned his intention to shoot two more people. 'I realised I was wrong. I had to forgive my (bullies).' The killer was only brought to justice after a high profile campaign by the mothers of the two victims demanding action from state investigators to solve the murders. Ksenia (left) and Natalia (right) were enjoying a late picnic at picturesque Mount Uktus near Yekaterinburg when he used night vision to track and shoot them each three times Alexandrov (pictured crying in court), is 'happily married' with a three-year-old son and worked at Kalinin Machine-Building Plant, which makes Russian anti-aircraft missile systems Tatyana Kuznetsova, mother of Natalia, had appealed in a phone in to Vladimir Putin for action from law enforcement to find the killer, and now she is demanding a return of the death penalty. She said Alexandrov 'killed and abandoned them like dogs', saying: 'My daughter lived for a week after she was shot, he made porridge of her brains. As the doctor told us, it was like mincemeat. 'Why did he curse us like that? In one second, he completely destroyed two families.' Alina Soltanova, mother of Ksenia, who worked with VIP customers for Russia's largest financial institution Sberbank, said: 'We will do everything so that he gets a full life sentence. Alina Soltanova (pictured), mother of Ksenia, said: 'We will do everything so that he gets a full life sentence' 'His child is growing up, and he will find that his dad killed two defenceless women. 'But what for? I don't understand. 'He just came up behind them, shot, and went home calmly to bed.' Despite his confession, Alexandrov's lawyer Danil Zadorin claimed his client had been framed and will now appeal. 'There is no DNA of Alexandrov, he was not identified on the recordings from CCTV cameras. The rifle from which the shots were fired was never found,' he said. Father of the killer Alexander Mogilnikov said he sympathised with the grieving mothers while claiming his son was not the killer. 'I understand their condition. But listening to this in relation to my son, of course, is unpleasant for me,' he said. Deputies were dispatched at 8:00 pm to the 500 block of Mount Triumph Street in Roanoke, Louisiana, in reference to a call of the complainants brother covered in blood from a possible gunshot wound on Sunday, September 20, 2020. When deputies arrived, the victim was on the kitchen floor, with an injury on the back of his head from a blunt object. It was determined he was not shot but, stated he was shot at. Deputies discovered the incident occurred at a different address in Roanoke. Deputies located evidence at the residence , including a modified shotgun. Alejandro Carlos Mitchell Jr., 32, of Welsh was arrested on charges of Aggravated 2nd degree battery and Aggravated assault with a firearm by Calcasieu Parish deputies. Mitchell had warrants in Calcasieu for an unrelated incident and was held until Tuesday, September 29th when Mitchell was transported to Jeff Davis for booking. New Delhi, Sep 30 : The O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has established a new school, Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling (JSPC) on the eve of the 11th anniversary of the University. This is the 10th School launched by JGU in response to the growing need to understand human psychology, mental health and encourage teaching and research in these fields. The Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling will contribute to the creation of a dynamic and resourceful centre to train young students to contribute in the field of psychology. The Guests of Honour for the inauguration of the 10th school of JGU were Ian Paul Everall, Executive Dean of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London and Nimesh G. Desai, Director, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Government of Delhi. JSPC will be composed of a diverse and expert group of professors, each with their independent psychology research programme and will establish an experimental laboratory with various psychological equipment to facilitate faculty research and for the use of student training. International student exchange programmes will help students to live in and study psychology at an international university. In the classroom, the faculty will utilise experiential and goal-based teaching to facilitate understanding. Outside the class, each student will be mentored by a specific faculty member, with a potential opportunity to directly assist in their research. In the coming years, a Masters and a PhD course will also be introduced. JSPC also aims to start and publish an online journal, run by the faculty and students to document the latest findings and accolades for the school, faculty and students. Speaking on the occasion, C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University observed "The Jindal School of Psychology & Counselling (JSPC) is being launched by JGU on the basis of five guiding principles, which include, the interdisciplinary dimension of the study of psychology within the larger context of humanities and social sciences. The second principle behind the setting up of the school is to inculcate a sense of research in the broader field of psychology". "The third principle stems from the need to develop disciplines surrounding psychology with a view to improving the discourse around mental health in particular. The fourth aspect is to deliver on a long felt need to have a world class school of psychology within India with a view to fulfilling the aspirations of a large number of young people in the country. Keeping in mind the fifth guiding principle, JSPC wishes to be an institution, which provides foundational knowledge, and expertise, and skills for developing the next generation of mental health professionals," he added. "The need to create a school dedicated to Psychology and Counselling was also felt due to the prevalence of a deep stigma attached to mental health issues in India. With one in five Indians being afflicted by some kind of mental health issue, it is important to ensure that such issues are addressed at the earliest," said Sanjeev P. Sahni, Principal Director of the Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS). "The Jindal School of Psychology & Counselling will work towards making a huge impact on the teaching and research in the broader field of psychology and behavioural sciences. Studies by WHO have revealed that 14-15 percent of the Indian population suffers from some form of mental disorder. We are starting this school because India has only 4,000 professional mental health experts," added Sahni. President Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the Tree Crops Development Authority, whose focus will be on the development of tree crops and the consequential benefits to be accrued to the country. Inaugurating the Authority on Tuesday, 29th September 2020, at the Golden Bean Hotel in Kumasi, President Akufo-Addo explained that Government's strategy is to promote the development of tree crops, other than cocoa, with equal or even higher economic potential. The Tree Crops Development Authority, which is the legal and institutional outcome of PERD, will lead the agenda for the diversification of Ghanas agriculture by developing the tree crops sector, he said. The President continued, To kick start the implementation of PERD, seven tree crops namely mango, cashew, shea, rubber, cocoa, oil palm and coffee have been identified and selected for promotion under the programme, six of which are directly under the supervision of the Authority. I am hopeful that, sooner than later, coffee will also be brought under the direct supervision of the Authority. With its headquarters, here, in Kumasi, the Authority will operate like COCOBOD, and put in place policies and programmes to guide research, production, pricing and marketing of the six tree crops. He told the gathering that if the economic potential of the six selected tree crops are properly harnessed, Ghana could soon increase exponentially her agricultural export earnings. Thus far, 220,257 farmers have enrolled onto the PERD programme, whilst 235,850 hectares of land have been cultivated, with a total of thirty million seedlings of the various crops produced and to be distributed to farmers and interested persons. At full implementation, the PERD programme will link agriculture to industry through the provision of a solid raw material base for industrialisation, develop our rural economies, and assist in the structural transformation of the national economy. All these will propel growth, create employment, particularly for the youth, and the creation of wealth, the President added. The 29-member Board of Directors of the Authority is chaired by Stephen Sekyere-Abankwa, with a very proactive management team consisting of Chief Executive, William Quaitoo, and his two Deputies, Yaw Osei Oteng, in charge of Finance and Administration, and Foster Boateng, in charge of Operations. President Akufo-Addo assured the Members of the Authority of the systematic efforts being made by Government to secure funding for the upgrading of the relevant research institutions to assist in the effective development of the sector. The President was confident that, in the fullness of time, Government's approach will be wholly vindicated when all these initiatives are vigorously implemented. The over-arching vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid is neither rhetoric nor gimmickry. We are determined, through action, to achieve this vision, and today's programme is a clear indication of our total commitment. With God on our side, we shall surely succeed, he added. We are seriously concerned about this development that not only escalates tensions in the conflict zone but also creates long-term security threats for all countries in the region, read a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry. We urge the leaders of the interested states to take effective measures to prevent the use of foreign terrorists and mercenaries in the conflict, and we call for their immediate withdrawal from the region, said the statement. Although the statement did not name those countries, the warning seemed primarily addressed to Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey. Western media as well as Syrian opposition sources have reported in recent days that Turkey is recruiting Turkish-backed Syrian rebel fighters and sending them to support Azerbaijan in the escalating conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The Reuters news agency quoted two fighters from Islamist rebel groups in areas of northern Syria under Turkish control as saying in late September that they are deploying to Azerbaijan in coordination with Ankara. According to Reuters, both men said they were told by their Syrian brigade commanders they will earn around $1,500 a month. One of them claimed that nearly 1,000 Syrians are set to be sent to Azerbaijan. Citing unnamed reliable sources, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the first group of 300 Syrian mercenaries was flown to Azerbaijan on September 24, three days before the outbreak of fierce fighting along the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact around Karabakh. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have flatly denied those reports. But Armenia has described them as credible, saying that Islamist militants from the Middle East are participating in the hostilities in Karabakh. Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian expressed serious concern over the recruitment of foreign terrorist combatants by Turkey, their transfer to Azerbaijan and involvement in hostilities when he spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday. The phone call took place shortly before the Russian Foreign Ministry issued the statement saying that militants from illegal armed units are being moved to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone from Syria and Libya. GENEVA The World Health Organization, already struggling to lead a global response to the coronavirus pandemic, has been hit with potentially damaging allegations that doctors and other employees working on the agencys response to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo peddled jobs for sex. The New Humanitarian, a nonprofit news organization based in Geneva, and the Thomson Reuters Foundation published on Tuesday the findings of a yearlong investigation in which 30 of 51 women interviewed reported exploitation by men identified as working for the W.H.O. on the Ebola outbreak starting in 2018. The W.H.O., a United Nations agency which says it has a policy of zero-tolerance toward sexual abuse, said its leadership and staff were outraged by the reports and promised a robust investigation. The betrayal of people in the communities we serve is reprehensible, the W.H.O. said in a statement on Tuesday about the report. We do not tolerate such behavior in any of our staff, contractors or partners, it added. Anyone identified as being involved will be held to account and face serious consequences, including immediate dismissal. The U.N. secretary-general appealed to the international community Wednesday for $35 billion to rapidly fund equitable global access to COVID-19 tests, therapeutics, and when available, vaccines, as deaths from the coronavirus surpass 1 million. It is in every countrys national and economic self-interest to work together to massively expand access to tests and treatments, and to support a vaccine as a global public good a peoples vaccine available and affordable for everyone, everywhere, Antonio Guterres told a virtual forum on the ACT-Accelerator, the mechanism through which the U.N. is coordinating its response. The ACT-Accelerator was launched at the end of April as a global collaboration of governments, scientists, private sector and civil society groups to end the pandemic by making sure that not just rich countries get the necessary tools, including vaccines, but that poorer ones do too. The initiative received an initial $3-billion infusion for its start-up phase and the U.N. chief said it needs an additional $35 billion $15 billion of that immediately in order to meet its goals of producing 2 billion vaccine doses, 245 million treatments and 500 million diagnostic tests. These resources are crucial now to avoid losing the window of opportunity for advance purchase and production, to build stocks in parallel with licensing, to boost research, and to help countries prepare to optimize the new vaccines when they arrive, Guterres said. The initiatives vaccine arm, known as the COVAX Facility, is supporting the development of nine vaccines, with several more in the pipeline. Collaboration is our best hope to bring the pandemic under control and our best hope to keep our economies and our societies open, which can ensure a genuinely collective economic recovery, event co-host, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, said. His government and several others, including Germany, Sweden and Canada, announced commitments of nearly $1 billion in new financing for the initiative. Although the U.S. government is not participating, there is private support from American corporations and organizations for the ACT-Accelerator. Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has committed up to 500 million vaccine doses to lower income countries to be delivered by mid-2021. U.S. philanthropist Bill Gates announced in a video message that his foundation had just signed a joint agreement with 16 pharmaceutical companies to scale up the speed and distribution of vaccines once they are approved. The companies involved in the agreement are committed to using donations, foregoing profits and using tiered pricing to make their products as affordable as possible, Gates said. The World Bank president said his institution will make vaccine funding available to low- and middle-income developing countries. I have proposed to our board to make available up to $12 billion of fast track financing to countries for the purchase and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, once the vaccines have been approved by several highly respected, stringent regulatory agencies, David Malpass said. U.N. agencies including the World Health Organization and the childrens agency, UNICEF, also will use their vast networks and supply chains to speed COVID-19 vaccines to all parts of the world. UNICEF says it is working to secure more than 2 billion doses by 2021. More than 150 countries are now committed to or eligible to receive vaccines through the ACT-Accelerator. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi opens the 9.2-km Atal Tunnel under the 13,050-ft Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, on October 3, he will be paying tribute to a bond of friendship between ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a tribal farmer, Tashi Dawa. It was Dawa, alias Arjun Gopal, who had suggested to Vajpayee get a tunnel built under Rohtang, which in the local Bhoti dialect translates into a pile of bodies in view of the high casualty rate of those trying to cross the treacherous terrain in the winter months. Convinced, Vajpayee laid the foundation stone of the tunnel on May 23, 2002, while work on the project started in 2010. It took 10 years but this tunnel brings hope for the people of Lahaul-Spiti. With all-weather road connectivity, the dream of Vajpayee and Dawa has been realised, says Ram Lal Markanda, the BJP legislator from Lahaul-Spiti and tribal development minister. Dawa, who belonged to Tholang village in Lahaul valley, and Vajpayee had been friends during their stay at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) camp in Baroda, Gujarat, in 1942. Vajpayee used to call on Dawa whenever he visited his cottage at Prini village on the outskirts of Manali. Dawa passed away in 2007 at the age of 83 and Vajpayee in 2018. The entrance to the south portal of Atal Tunnel at Rohtang Pass. (Aqil Khan/HT) ECONOMY GETS A FILLIP The opening of the tunnel will give a boost to the all-round development in the tribal valley. It will revolutionise horticulture, agriculture and tourism. Farmers will get round-the-year access to markets and the reduced distance will bring down the transportation cost. Agriculture and horticulture units are expected to come up in the valley. Vegetables such as potato, cauliflower and cabbage are grown in this belt, while medicinal plants such as seabuckthorn grow in abundance. People will have the option of taking up poultry and dairy farming. BOOST FOR TOURISM The tunnel will increase the tourist flow to the region, opening up new employment and self-employment avenues. With all-weather access to the valley, new hotels are expected to come up, creating jobs and stopping migration. The valley residents shall have access to improved education and healthcare services. A few residents, however, fear the price of the abrupt model of development. Mindless mass tourism will add to the haphazard construction and this region may start resembling other popular tourist destinations of Himachal Pradesh, said a resident, requesting anonymity. The impact on the vulnerable ecosystem of the valley also needs to be assessed. Local culture and tradition will also need to be protected. MILESTONES TO ATAL TUNNEL June 2000: Then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announces construction of the tunnel under Rohtang Pass during a public meeting at Keylong. May 6, 2002: Construction work entrusted to Border Roads Organisation. May 23, 2002: Vajpayee lays the foundation stone of the tunnel. June 28, 2010: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi launches construction work of the tunnel. October 3, 2020: The 9.2-km tunnel will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. H ealth chiefs will next week consider new measures to further restrict mixing between households in London to combat Covid-19. A fresh clampdown, if ordered, is expected to be city-wide given how Londoners tend to move between boroughs for work and in their social life. The capital is understood to be heading towards tighter restrictions unless new nationwide measures including the rule of six and 10pm curfew for pubs, restaurant and clubs succeed in stemming the rise in cases. Londoners could also avoid new limits on social interactions if they followed the rules more stringently and the growth in the epidemic is brought under control. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan stressed: London is at a very serious tipping point in the spread of the virus. I urge all Londoners to do their bit to protect our city by following the rules. Ministers are not expected to announce new restrictions for the capital this week, but if cases jump this could happen as soon as the next. Coronavirus: Areas in England with most new cases per 100,000 people The hotspots are mainly in east London, including Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham and Tower Hamlets. However, given how people move between boroughs, it is expected that any new measures would be city-wide. Latest figures showed the number of cases in London has risen above 3,000 a week. MPs believe the real level has been concealed by a shortage of testing. Testing may now be starting to increase which could account for some of the growing number of cases. Loading.... However, Professor Kevin Fenton, London director for Public Health England, tweeted yesterday: We are seeing a rising tide of Covid-19 infections in London. We must act now and pull together to do our bit and help reverse this trend. Covid levels in the capital are still significantly below hotspots in the North. Mr Khan is pushing for tighter restrictions for the capital. But Boris Johnson has rejected the demands amid concerns over economic damage. London during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures 1 /66 London during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures A woman jogging near City Hall, London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA An image of Queen Elizabeth II and quotes from her broadcast on Sunday to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA A pedestrian walks past a billboard reading "Please believe these days will pass" on Broadway Market in east London AFP via Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge Getty Images Boris Johnson Jeremy Selwyn Sun-seekers cool off in the water and sunbathe on the riverbank at Hackney Marshes in east London AFP via Getty Images Ed Davey is shown on screens as he speaks via videolink during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London PA A herd of fallow deer graze on the lawns in front of a housing estate in Harold Hill in east London AFP via Getty Images A woman wearing a mask crosses a bridge over Camden Lock, London PA An empty Millenium Bridge PA A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images People push to enter the Niketown shop in Londo AP Jo Proudlove and daughter Eve, 9, follow the daily online "PE with Joe" Joe Wickes' exercise class on "Fancy dress Friday Reuters Waterloo station looking empty PA Police in Westminster Jeremy Selwyn Getty Images A quiet Parliament Square Getty Images PABest A man walks along a passageway at London's Oxford Street Underground station the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the Coronavirus PA Social distancing markers around the camel enclosure at ZSL London Zoo PA A police car patrols Greenwich Park in London PA The Premier League in action in front of empty stands AP Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed. A deserted Piccadilly Circus PA A general view is seen of a deserted Trafalgar Square AFP via Getty Images Getty Images The iconic Abbey Road crossing is seen after a re-paint by a Highways Maintenance team as they take advantage of the COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown and quiet streets to refresh the markings Getty Images A view of 20 Fenchurch Street (the 'Walkie Talkie' building) in the City of London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus PA A deserted Chinatown PA A person looks at graffiti on a JD Wetherspoon pub in Crystal Palace, south London. Wetherspoons workers have described founder Tim Martin's lack of support for his chain's 40,000 employees as "absolutely outrageous" PA The London ExCel centre that has been turned into a makeshift NHS Hospital and critical care unit to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic PA The Palace Theatre, which usually shows the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play, sits in a deserted Shaftesbury Avenue PA The Sondheim Theatre, which usually shows the Les Miserables musical, sits in a deserted Shaftesbury Avenue PA Two members of a British Army mounted regiment exercise their horses in Parliament Square AP Westminster Bridge is deserted PA A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA An empty street and bus stop at St James's Park AFP via Getty Images Whitehall Jeremy Selwyn A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA A single pedestrian walks past The national Gallery AFP via Getty Images London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Kings Cross and St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn Buckingham Palace looking empty in London, PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Kings Cross and St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London's Carnaby Street empty as shops closed after a lockdown was announced in the latest bid to stop the spread of coronavirus through the UK AP A single pedestrian walks past The national Gallery AFP via Getty Images A quiet Jubilee line westbound train carriage PA A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA Empty Embankment Jeremy Selwyn A total of 22 Londoners have died within 28 days of a positive Covid test in the last week, taking the total up from 6,191 on the previous Tuesday to 6,213 as of yesterday afternoon. The number being treated for Covid in London hospitals increased by a net total of 57 in the last week, from 206 on the Tuesday to 263 yesterday. The number of patients on mechanical ventilation in London hospitals has increased from 37 to 50 during the same period. At Barts Health, the capitals biggest NHS trust, 54 inpatients had Covid as of 8am yesterday, of which 11 were in intensive care. Eight days earlier, Barts had 32 inpatients with Covid, of which one was in intensive care. Women aged 25-29 constitute the biggest number of Londoners contracting the virus, according to the Governments Covid dashboard, with 2,644 infections a rate of 937.8 per 100,000 population. The infection rate was lower than that for women aged 80 and above, which rises to 3.543.6 per 100,000 for those aged 90 and older. For London men, the 30-34 age group had most infections, a total of 2,007 since the start of the pandemic. This rate of 522.4 cases per 100,000 was lower than all rates for men 50 and above, all of which increased directly with age. New restrictions are expected to be announced shortly for Merseyside and other parts of the North West with a social lockdown limiting household mixing already imposed on parts of the North East. Joe Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden has blasted President Trump after he took aim at her father Hunter and late uncle Beau during a trainwreck presidential debate Tuesday night. The 26-year-old tweeted her contempt for the president as the two candidates went head to head for the first time in Cleveland, just 35 days before the election. 'I wouldn't have survived 5 minutes on that stage without slapping him across the face - and I don't think I'm alone in thinking that,' Naomi said of Trump. 'So tell me how someone Trump calls 'sleepy joe' and says is on uppers could wade through an hour and a half of this nonsense,' she added. Naomi Biden (pictured far right with grandfather Joe Biden in 2018) blasted President Trump after he took aim at her father Hunter during Tuesday's debate Naomi said she wouldn't have 'survived 5 minutes' without 'slapping [Trump] across the face' During the trainwreck debate, Biden and Trump repeatedly shouted over each other and insulted each other Her comments were in reference to the Trump campaign's earlier claims that Biden would use an earpiece and performance enhancing drugs during the debate. She also slammed Trump as the 'worst president in American history' and urged followers to vote him out of office in November. During the 90-minute televised event, Biden and Trump repeatedly shouted over each other and insulted each other as moderator Chris Wallace lost control of the debate. Things took a personal and nasty turn more than hour into the angry clash when Trump went after Biden's children. Trump brought up Hunter Biden's history with drugs as well as claims the 50-year-old investment advisor took $3.5million from the wealthy wife of the former Mayor of Moscow. Last week, Naomi defended her father in a tweet thread, describing him as a man 'filled with love, integrity, and human struggles.' Naomi also blasted Trump as the 'worst president in American history' in a series of tweets Trump brought up a Senate Republican report that claimed Hunter got $3.5 million from the wealthy wife of the former Mayor of Moscow. Hunter Biden's lawyer has denied the characterization 'The pain he has endured would be enough to make a lesser man give up on life all together. But despite the best efforts of an cruel few to destroy a private man, he is sober, happy, and as at peace as ever today because as long his family needs him, he has not lost his purpose,' she said. During the debate, Biden had brought up recent claims that Trump had referred to fallen troops as 'suckers' and 'losers', which the president again denied. The former VP then made an impassioned pitch for his late son Beau's military service. He spent a year in Iraq serving in the National Guard. 'Speaking of my son, the way you talk about the military - the way you talk about them being losers and being, and just being suckers - my son was in Iraq and he spent a year there,' Biden said. 'He got the Bronze Star. He got the Conspicuous Service Medal. He was not a loser. He was a patriot. And the people left behind there were heroes,' said Biden. 'You talking about Hunter?' Trump asked, bringing his embattled younger son into the exchange. Naomi defended her father in a tweet thread last week, describing him as a man 'filled with love, integrity, and human struggles' Biden answered he was speaking of Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015. 'I don't know Beau. I know Hunter,' Trump interrupted, then amped up his attacks. 'He was thrown out, dishonorably discharged for cocaine use. And he didn't have a job until you became vice president,' Trump said. 'That's not true. None of that is true,' Biden responded. 'He made a fortune in Ukraine, in China, in Moscow, in various other places,' Trump said. During Tuesday's debate, Biden had brought up recent claims that Trump had referred to fallen troops as 'suckers' and 'losers'. He made an impassioned pitch for his late son Beau's military service (pictured together in 2009). He spent a year in Iraq serving in the National Guard Hunter Biden received an administrative discharge from the Navy in after failing a drug test for cocaine in 2013. He was seeking to be commissioned as a reserve officer. He did not receive a dishonorable discharge, but an administrative one, according to press accounts at the time. Biden responded: 'My son, like a lot of people we know at home, he had a drug problem.' 'He's fixed it. He's worked on it,' Biden said. 'And I'm proud of him.' Earlier in the night, Trump took yet another shot at Hunter, saying: 'And no wonder your son goes in and he takes out billions of dollars to manage. He makes millions of dollars.' It was a reference to business Hunter Biden did with his firm Rosemont Seneca Partners, LLC. Trump brought up a Senate Republican report that claimed Hunter got $3.5million from the wealthy wife of the former Mayor of Moscow. Hunter Biden's lawyer has denied the characterization. 'What did he do to deserve it?' Trump asked. 'My son did nothing wrong in Burisa,' said Biden after Trump expanded his attack to Hunter Biden's lucrative seat on the board of a Ukrainian energy firm. This is the moment an ingenious father-of-three came up with a crafty way to clean the house and occupy his six-month-old daughter at the same time. Daniel Bedenbaugh had kept his six-month-old daughter Lucy at home in South Carolina after she came down with a runny nose on September 22. The 30-year-old father was working in sales from home and had to juggle his job with entertaining his youngest daughter and cleaning the house. But Mr Bedenbaugh had a genius idea when he noticed that their Roomba vacuum was around the same size as the base of Lucy's seat. The inventive father found a couple of feet of silver duct tape in his garage and went about wrapping it around the base of the seat and underneath the mechanical floor cleaner. Hilarious video footage shows Lucy riding around on top of the DIY robot chair while her cheerful father sings Roger Miller's King of the Road to her. Daniel Bedenbaugh, 30, duct taped his daughter Lucy's chair to a Roomba vacuum to do the cleaning while entertaining his six-month-old girl, a video from September 22 shows The father (right), who also shares four-year-old Charlie (centre left) and Jojo (centre), three, with his wife Cara (left), came up with the hack while working from home in South Carolina The little girl spins around in small circles while the Roomba vacuum is set up to clean the floors of the family home, the video shows. When his youngest was securely fastened into her DIY chair, Mr Bedenbaugh sent the adorable footage to his 30-year-old wife, schoolteacher Cara. Mrs Bedenbaugh vowed never to leave the pair alone together again, until she spotted the tape and realised that her husband had 'attempted to make it safe'. After her initial fears, the mother shared the video to social media where friends branded the idea 'genius' while others said it's something their own husband would do. Daniel, who also has two older daughters - four-year-old Charlie and Jojo, three - with his wife, said: 'Cara told me she thought to herself "I shouldn't leave those two alone together" until she noticed the tape and decided I was at least attempting to make it safe. 'I was attempting to clean the house while entertaining Lucy, while working, when I realised the base of her seat was about the size of the top of the Roomba. 'In about five minutes, with a couple feet of duct tape, I had the seat secured to the hoover for a trial run. 'She rode around the room for about 15 minutes and was a little apprehensive at first because the Roomba only has one speed which is a little bit faster than ideal for baby transportation. Mrs Bedenbaugh shared her husband's unusual childcare technique on Facebook where friends branded it as 'genius'. Above, Lucy (right) with her sisters Charlie and Jojo (centre) Mrs Bedenbaugh, 30, (right) vowed not to leave her husband alone with Lucy after watching the footage - before spotting the tape and realising he had 'attempted to make it safe' 'But it didn't take long for her to embrace the experience and she fully enjoyed her new ride. 'When I showed my boss, he told me I have too much time on my hands. A few friends have joked I should patent the idea.' Another person commented that Mr Bedenbaugh seemed to be starting his daughter on household chores a little 'early' on. Another person commented: 'She is having a blast. Fyi...my husband would have done this too (if we had one when they were that small).' Lines for early voting snake around the building Tuesday, the fifth day of early voting in DuPage County. The DuPage Fairgrounds in Wheaton is the only site for in-person early voting at this point in DuPage County. It is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Additional early voting locations and expanded hours begin Oct. 19. Voters who requested absentee ballots through the mail began receiving them this week, and the ballot drop box at the DuPage Government Complex in Wheaton was consistently busy Tuesday morning. The ballot drop box is located outside the Jack T. Knuepfer building, 421 County Farm Road in Wheaton. The in-person early voting site is located at the DuPage Fairgrounds off Manchester Road, also east of County Farm Road in Wheaton. (Anne Halston / Naperville Sun) LONDON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Accountancy firm WIS Accountancy Ltd are celebrating being shortlisted for a remarkable total of three awards in The Contracting Awards 2020 - the only company to find themselves in this exceptional position. These significant awards celebrate and recognise outstanding UK service providers to the contracting community. The three categories WIS Accountancy Ltd have been shortlisted for are, The Best Contractor Accountant (under 1000 clients), The Best Umbrella Company (under 1,499 clients) and The Best Contractor Mortgage Provider or Broker. Read more about WIS Accountancy's awards winning services here https://www.wisaccountancy.co.uk/ WIS Accountancy Ltd put this unique position down to their high service levels, their breadth of expertise and to putting client relationships first, even working pro bono to help clients that had been furloughed over the summer. Since the start of lockdown they have seen their client reviews double and this positive feedback was the catalyst to apply for these prestigious industry awards. Director, Wijay Kanagasundaram, who heads up Accountancy Services, said of being shortlisted "we must thank our clients for encouraging us to be nominated through the positive feedback and reviews that we have received. To be shortlisted for three categories across the different sectors that we cover confirms our reputation as a one stop shop for all your financial needs" Director Suneth Silva, heading up Wealth Management, said "WIS Accountancy Ltd is very much a team and extends beyond into our families. Therefore, I would like to thank the entire WIS team for their sheer hard work, support and delivery each and every time." Founded in 2009 WIS specialised in accountancy for contractors and SME business owners. The three directors demonstrated their passion to serve their clients above and beyond when they discovered that many clients, due to the nature of their profession, struggled to easily find high street mortgages. The directors studied and qualified as mortgage brokers themselves to help their clients direct. Next, they added wealth management to their expanding business services, when one director qualified to specialise in this area. "Our vision is to be able to offer all the relevant financial services that contractors need under one roof, offering accessible advice whilst still remaining friendly and approachable" said Director, heading up Mortage Services, Ifthikar Mohamed. The Contracting Awards 2020 will be taking place virtually early November. Catalan president Quim Torra gestures during a press conference at the Generalitat Palace in Barcelona on Sept. 28, 2020.(Pau BARRENA / AFP) (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images) Spains Top Court Rules to Remove Catalan Chief From Office MADRIDCatalonias outgoing regional president has called on voters to advance the cause of separatism from Spain after the countrys Supreme Court barred him from office for disobeying the countrys electoral law. The top courts ruling earlier on Sept. 28 upheld a previous decision to remove Quim Torra as the chief of the northeastern region for refusing to remove a banner that called for the release of imprisoned separatist leaders and was displayed on a public building before the 2019 general election. The ruling has triggered a new period of political uncertainty in the northeastern region where demand by some for independence has caused the countrys biggest constitutional crisis in decades. According to the existing regulations, Torras deputy Pere Aragones should take over as president-in-charge until the regional parliament elects a new leader or a new election is held. Pro-secession activists reacted by calling for protests later on Sept. 28 in the regional capital, Barcelona. No unjust law applied for the purpose of revenge against those who defend human and universal rights will ever be able to defeat democracy, Torra said in a televised address surrounded by members of his Cabinet, including Aragones. He also called on Catalans to turn the next regional election into a de-facto plebiscite on independence by voting for separatists and vowed to take his appeal against Sept. 28s ruling to European courts. The only way forward is by democratically breaking away, he said. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo told reporters that the deadlock should be resolved with a new election as soon as possible in order to reactivate dialogue between the regional and central authorities. The sooner Catalonia is ready to have the ability to work with the government of Spain, the better for everybody, Calvo said. In their ruling, the panel of judges unanimously agreed to uphold 2019s decision by a lower court to ban Torra from holding any public office for 18 months and fine him 30,000 euros ($35,000). Torra, a staunch separatist, became the head of Catalonias government following the 2017 push for the regions independence that resulted in Spain removing then-regional president Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium and has been fighting off extradition to Spain since then. Once more, the Spanish state interferes in our democratic institutions, Puigdemont wrote in a tweet. Torra had remained at the helm of Catalonia during the appeal, but Sept. 28s decision must be implemented even if the case is taken to the European Court of Human Rights, as pledged by Torras defense team. The banner at the center of the case referred to a dozen former Catalan Cabinet members, lawmakers, and activists who were imprisoned or left Spain following a declaration of independence in October 2017. The court on Sept. 25 said Torra had stubbornly disobeyed the countrys electoral board by refusing to take it down from a balcony in the regional governments headquarters. In hearings, Torra and his defense lawyers had argued that he was defending the higher cause of political and human rights. But the Supreme Court judges said that the electoral boards order didnt violate Torras right to free speech, only limited what he could do in his role as an elected official. Polls and election results show that the 7.5 million residents of Catalonia, a wealthy northeastern region, are roughly equally split on the question of whether it should become independent from Spain. By Aritz Parra Members of the far-right group immediately posted about the shout out Tuesday Their account on Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir' Following the call out the group appeared to pledge their allegiance to Trump One online account made 'Stand back. Stand by' part of a new logo for the group Proud Boys organizer Joe Biggs wrote: 'President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA... well sir! we're ready!' 'Trump basically said to go f*** them up! this makes me so happy', he added Joe Biden retweeted a post which looked to show a number of their posts in the wake of Trump's comments; he wrote: 'This. This is Donald Trump's America' Proud Boys is a far-right organization that admits only men as members The Proud Boys were celebrating online Wednesday after Donald Trump told them to 'stand back and stand by' during the first presidential debate - while president was attacked by members of his own party for refusing to condemn white supremacy before delivering his message to the far-right group. Members of the group posted about the shout out, telling the president: 'We're ready.' Their account on the social media app Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir.' ADVERTISEMENT Proud Boys is a far-right organization that admits only men as members and promotes and engages in political violence. The group believes white men and western culture are under siege and one of its co-founders recorded a video titled '10 things I hate about the Jews.' 'Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' Trump said when he was challenged to condemn white supremacists during Tuesday's presidential debate. He claimed the protests in the country on race relations were a left-wing problem. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a liberal advocacy organization, has designated the all-male Proud Boys as a hate group. The group is known for its violent clashes at political rallies. The Proud Boys were celebrating online Tuesday night after Donald Trump told them to 'stand back and stand by' during the first presidential debate Following the shout out several members of the group appeared to pledge their allegiance to the president. One social media account connected to the organization even appeared to made 'Stand back. Stand by' part of a new logo Joe Biden retweeted a post which looked to show a number of their posts in the wake of Trump's comments. He wrote: 'This. This is Donald Trump's America' READ THE FULL 'PROUD BOYS' EXCHANGE CHRIS WALLACE: You have repeatedly criticized the vice president for not specifically calling out Antifa and other left wing extremist groups. But are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia group and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we've seen in Portland. DONALD TRUMP: Sure, I'm willing to do that. CHRIS WALLACE: Are you prepared specifically to do it. DONALD TRUMP: I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing not from the right wing. CHRIS WALLACE: But what are you saying? DONALD TRUMP: I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace. CHRIS WALLACE: Well, do it, sir. JOE BIDEN: Say it, do it say it. DONALD TRUMP: What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, go ahead who do you want me to condemn. CHRIS WALLACE: White supremacist and white militia. JOE BIDEN: Proud boys. Proud boys. DONALD TRUMP: Okay. Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what somebody's got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem this is a left wing. JOE BIDEN: His own FBI Director said unlike white supremacist, Antifa is an idea not an organization- DONALD TRUMP: Oh you got to be kidding me. JOE BIDEN: not a militia. That's what his FBI Director said. DONALD TRUMP: Well, then you know what, he's wrong. CHRIS WALLACE: We're done, sir. Moving onto the next [crosstalk] Following the shout out several members of the group pledged their allegiance to the president. ADVERTISEMENT One social media account connected to the organization even appeared to made 'Stand back. Stand by' part of a new logo. Proud Boys organizer Joe Biggs wrote: 'President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA... well sir! we're ready! 'Trump basically said to go f*** them up! this makes me so happy.' Joe Biden retweeted a post which looked to show a number of their posts in the wake of Trump's comments. He wrote: 'This. This is Donald Trump's America.' Republican Senator Mitt Romney said 'of course' President Donald Trump should have condemned white supremacists during the presidential debate Tuesday night. 'Of course, of course,' Romney, who's openly criticized Trump when he disagrees with the president, told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning. 'It was not a Lincoln Douglas debate, that's for sure,' he added of the clash between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden that pundits dubbed a 's*** show' and 'dumpster fire.' Other Republicans said they would give the president a chance to explain, including Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black GOP senator. 'I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wllace's comment,' Scott said on Capitol Hill Wednesday. 'He was asking Chris what he wanted to say. I think he misspoke. I think he should correct it. If he doesn't correct it I guess he didn't misspeak.' And Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana said the president should have been clear that extremist groups from both the left and right should be condemned. ADVERTISEMENT 'He should have been very clear, and he should have made it very clear that there's no room for people on the far left or the far more far right. When it comes to either an antifa or these white supremacist groups should have been very clear,' Young said. And Hogan Gidley, the spokesman for the Trump campaign, said the president condemned them three times during the debate. 'He did call them out. He has condemned them,' Gidley said on CNN. 'He said sure three times.' Some of the president's other supporters also said he missed out on the chance to condemn such hate groups, including Brian Kilmeade, one of the co-hosts of Trump's favorite morning show 'Fox & Friends.' 'Donald Trump ruined the biggest layup in the history of debates by not condemning white supremacists,' Kilmeade said on the cable news morning show Wednesday. 'I don't know if he didn't hear it, but he's gotta clarify that right away,' he added. 'Why the president didn't just knock it out of the park, I'm not sure.' Click here to resize this module The Proud Boys hold a rally in Portland, Oregon on Saturday. Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency prior to Saturdays rally as fears of political violence between Proud Boys and Black Lives Matter protesters grew. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted: 'It's astonishing that, when asked a simple question, will you condemn white supremacists, @POTUS responded - 'The Proud Boys should stand back and stand by.' 'Trying to determine if this was an answer or an admission. @POTUS owes America an apology or an explanation. Now.' Proud Boys describes itself as a fraternal organization that 'venerates the housewife' and is 'anti-political correctness.' It has been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook. Computer science professor Megan Squire told NBC News: 'To say Proud Boys are energized by this is an understatement. 'They were pro-Trump before this shoutout, and they are absolutely over the moon now. Their fantasy is to fight antifa in his defense, and he apparently just asked them to do just that.' Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the president's campaign, said Trump's call to 'stand by' was 'very clear he wants them to knock it off'. A Proud Boy wearing a Proud Boys yamaka is seen during a Proud Boys Rally at Delta Park Vanport. The Oregon governor declared an emergency in advance of the event hosted by a right-wing group with a history of violence at protests Members of the far-right group posted about the shout out, telling the president: 'We're ready.' Their account on the social media app Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir' The Trump campaign tweeted afterward: 'President Trump has repeatedly condemned white supremacists. What a ridiculous question from Chris Wallace.' Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes started the Proud Boys in 2016. McInnes and the Proud Boys have described the group as a politically incorrect men's club for 'Western chauvinists' and deny affiliations with far-right extremist groups that overtly espouse racist and anti-Semitic views. In February last year, McInnes sued the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling the Proud Boys as a hate group. In response to the lawsuit, the law center said Proud Boys members often spread 'outright bigotry' over the internet and have posted social media pictures of themselves with prominent Holocaust deniers, white nationalists and 'known neo-Nazis.' In New York City in October 2018, police arrested several Proud Boys members who brawled with anti-fascist protesters following a speech by McInnes at a Manhattan Republican club. Proud Boys members also have frequently clashed with counterprotesters at rallies in California and Oregon. About 1,000 people gathered at the Proud Boys rally in Delta Park on Saturday, while a group of 500 left-wing counter-protesters massed at nearby Peninsula Park, leading to fears of clashes. Ahead of the right-wing rally, which organizers said was to support President Donald Trump and 'to end domestic terrorism', Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency and Mayor Ted Wheeler said it poses the 'greatest threat we've faced so far' amid fears of clashes with left-wing protesters. President Donald Trump listens to Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate Tuesday Debate moderator Chris Wallace asked the president if he would condemn white supremacists and militia groups. 'I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing,' Trump said. Wallace asked him to clarify what he meant. 'I'm willing to do anything, I want to see peace,' Trump said. 'Then do it, sir,' Wallace challenged. 'What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name,' Trump said. 'White supremacist and right wing militias,' Wallace said. Instead, Trump turned to attack antifa, an unorganized group opposed to extreme right-wing political groups like fascists. 'Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' he said. But antifa is not an organization - it's a political idea that many different groups support. And law enforcement has found no evidence these groups were working with the Black Lives Matter protesters in cities across the United States. Trump has declined to call out the citizen militias that have sprung up during the protests as he declined to do Tuesday night. 'Antifa is an idea not an organization. His FBI director said,' Biden said. 'Antifa is a dangerous, radical,' Trump started saying as Wallace interrupted him to say they were moving on to another topic. But the president got in one last zinger on antifa: 'They'll overthrow you.' Race relations, like other debate topics, resulted in a furious back-and-forth, shouting over each other conversation between the presidential contenders. At one point in the night, Biden called Trump a 'racist' when the two men debated race relations in the country. ADVERTISEMENT Trump was defending his decision to end racial sensitivity training for federal workers when his Democratic rival hit him with the 'racist' label. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) The Department of Health on Wednesday said it will confer with the World Health Organization after one COVID-19 antigen test it has endorsed for emergency use did not pass the standards of local researchers. Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire confirmed that the SD Biosensor rapid antigen test kit from South Korea did not meet the diagnostic performance required. Based on the validation study conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, she said the test kit only has 71% sensitivity; WHO has required that the sensitivity should be at at least 80%. "Hindi pumasa sa local validation sa sensitivity but it was approved as an emergency use product sa WHO," she said in an online media forum. She said DOH will ask for guidance if it can still be used. [Translation: It did not pass the local validation for sensitivity, but it was approved by the WHO to be used in emergencies.] SD Biosensor's "STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test" was the first antigen test kit reviewed by the RITM. This South Korean brand donated 1,500 of its antigen test kits to Cebu City in August. It is also among the 120 million antigen rapid diagnostic tests that will be distributed by WHO to low- and middle-income countries without extensive laboratory facilities to conduct RT-PCR tests, which remains to be the "gold standard" in detecting the virus. The company promises that its antigen tests can produce results in less than 30 minutes after getting the specimen through a nasopharyngeal swab, similar to the RT-PCR but results usually take days. Antigen tests are used to determine if a patient is currently infected. Appeal in Babri demolition case to be taken after studying judgment says CBI counsel Babri demolition verdict: All you need to know about the key figures Black day for Indian judiciary as SC said 'calculated act' earlier: Owaisi India oi-Briti Roy Barman New Delhi, Sep 30: As a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Lucknow on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused of Babri Masjid demolition, including BJP leaders LK Advani, Uma Bharti, MM Joshi and others, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has slammed the verdict. Babri Masjid Case: All acquitted due to LACK OF EVIDENCE | Oneindia News Taking on Twitter Owaisi reacted with a quote in Urdu shayari by Malikzada Manzoor Ahmed roughly translates to - "The one who is the killer, he is only the litigant, he is also the judge. Therefore, a lot of verdicts are one-sided." Babri demolition verdict: All you need to know about the key figures Further, while issuing a press conference right after the tweet, Owaisi slammed BJP leaders and Congress. The AIMIM chief said, "Today is a sad day in the history of Indian judiciary. Now, the court says there was no conspiracy. please enlighten me, how many days of months of preparations are required to disqualify an action from being spontaneous?" He added, "Congress is at the root of all this conspiracy. When they were in power, masjid was demolished, idols were placed inside the structure, so on and so forth." "Decision by CBI court is a black day for Indian judiciary because the SC already said in civil property dispute of the site as 'an egregious violation of rule of law' and 'calculated act of destroying a public place of worship". Also by slamming BJP he said, "This is an issue of justice. This is an issue of ensuring that people who are responsible for Babri Masjid demolition should've been convicted. But they've been politically rewarded in the past by becoming HM and HRD minister. BJP is in power because of this issue." Earlier, Owaisi opposed the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict in Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid title suit, in which disputed land was given to Hindu parties and an alternate 5 acre was given to Muslim parties to build a mosque. Muslim bodies to collectively decide on challenging Babri case verdict Today's verdict in the Special CBI court in Lucknow was announced by the Special CBI judge Surendra Kumar Yadav who observed that demolition was not "pre-planned" and happened in the "spur of the moment". Online fashion firm Boohoo has raised its full-year sales outlook after posting a 51% hike in first-half profits amid a furore over allegations of low pay and poor working conditions for factory staff. The group reiterated a pledge to make long-lasting and meaningful change to the business after a damning report last week found serious issues in its supply chain. Boohoo, which accepted the recommendations in the review and set out steps to improve working practices in the Leicester factories, insisted when unveiling half-year results that it can make the changes without impacting lead times or financial expectations. The figures show pre-tax profits jumped to 68.1 million in the six months to August 31, up from 45.2 million a year earlier, and Boohoo now expects annual sales to jump by 28% to 32% against the 25% hike it previously pencilled in. It also nudged up guidance for profit margins to around 10% for the year from 9.5%-10% previously. Boohoo said robust trading continued into September in a good start to the second half of its financial year. But it said: At this stage we feel it is prudent to continue to plan for a period of economic uncertainty in the second half of the financial year, including possible reduced consumer spending. The firm said it is also bracing for an increase in the number of items returned, back to more normal levels, having fallen during lockdown, as well as delivery cost hikes in some overseas markets and higher marketing spend. The half-year results showed sales jumped 37% in the UK and 44% across the group as a whole as locked-down shoppers switched spending online. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said Boohoos bumper set of results will be little consolation to the staff abused in its supply chains. TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said: The company needs to get its house in order. But we also need the Government to act too. Too often big firms hide behind the behaviour of their subcontractors, while they continue to cash in on the mistreatment of their workers. But Richard Hunter, head of markets at interactive investor, said the scandal had done little to harm Boohoos profits or prospects. He cautioned the groups measures in response to the report will, of course, come at a cost and the possibility of wider investigations cannot be ruled out. However, any reputational damage caused by the allegations has not filtered through to a very strong set of numbers, he added. Barefoot Contessa star Ina Garten made a name for herself in the food world thanks to her Hamptons-inspired recipes and easy entertaining style. But, Garten also loves to travel and enjoy food from different countries and cultures. One of her favorite places abroad is Paris. Not only does Garten have an apartment in the City of Lights, she also has favorite places to wine and dine. Food Networks Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten | Mike Smith/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images Ina Gartens dream was to have an apartment in Paris Barefoot Contessa fans know that Gartens Instagram feed is dominated with posts about food and entertaining. However, she sometimes shares pics of her family especially her husband, Jeffrey. When Ina and Jeffrey celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2018, she posted some throwback pics of the couple. She also shared the story of how Jeffrey made her dreams come true when he bought a Paris apartment. Ina explained that back when she and Jeffrey were dating, he wrote her a letter. She says she still has the letter, and in it Jeffrey wrote that he wanted to take her to Paris. However, since they couldnt afford a hotel, he promised they would go camping. He then told her that on their next trip they could stay in a hotel. And, maybe someday they could afford to have an apartment in Paris. Jeffrey, youve made all my dreams come true! #besthubbyever, Ina wrote. The Barefoot Contessas Paris neighborhood is a food lovers dream Garten once told Fodors Travel that her Paris neighborhood is the perfect place for a foodie. The area is filled with cheese shops, patisseries, and amazing fresh produce. She said that her favorite street market to visit is the one in front of her apartment on Boulevard Raspail. On Sundays, its an organic market, Ina explained. Theres a guy who makes potato pancakes. They have all the produce and cheese and everything you can imagine in a market, including an American guy who makes muffins. This is how the Barefoot Contessa does Paris (food lovers, you won't want to miss this) https://t.co/ZXww4sac8y pic.twitter.com/hoyVPVSxyn AFAR Media (@AFARmedia) September 16, 2017 RELATED: Barefoot Contessa Ina Gartens Favorite Pizza Has a Surprising Topping The Food Network stars apartment is on the border of the 6th and 7th arrondissement. She says its located between the three best things in Paris. Poilane, a bread bakery, Fromagerie Barthelemy, the cheese shop, and Bon Marche, a specialty food store. The Barefoot Contessa explained that everything she needs for a dinner party is within a few blocks. And, she loves to give dinner parties in Paris. The Barefoot Contessa star has a number of favorite destinations in Paris The bakeries and specialty food shops are perfect for when Ina is entertaining. But, shes not always cooking meals at home when shes in Paris. She also loves to enjoy the restaurants and hot spots that Paris has to offer. She says her favorite bar with the best bourbon sours is inside the posh hotel, Le Meurice. According to People magazine, Ina also has a favorite Paris restaurant Le Voltaire. She describes it as heaven on earth. She also loves Au Bon Accueil, which is near the Eiffel Tower. She says that after you go to dinner and you walk out of the restaurant, youre at the foot of the Paris landmark. Ina Garten's new cookbook, MODERN COMFORT FOOD, hits shelves 10/6! Pre-order & submit your proof of purchase to receive the first-ever downloadable Barefoot Contessa Recipe Index, which includes every recipe in Ina's 12 beloved cookbooks! Learn more: https://t.co/6VhBARh44j pic.twitter.com/706aopgjBL Random House (@randomhouse) August 6, 2020 RELATED: What 5 Things Does Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten Always Have in Her Pantry? Its just fabulous. And you just go walk down the Seine after that, Ina explained. For the quintessential Parisian cafe experience, Ina says fans should visit Cafe de Flore. Ina says that her idea of a perfect meal in Paris is an omelet and a glass of champagne at Flore. The Barefoot Contessa airs on The Food Network. By Trend Georgia has two positions regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the first is that the public in Georgia undoubtedly fully supports the Azerbaijani side, Omar Ardashelia, professor, Candidate of Historical Sciences of the Sukhumi State University of Tbilisi told Trend. "I think that in political terms, Georgia also supports Azerbaijan, although the country's officials call on both Azerbaijan and Armenia to stop hostilities and sit down at the negotiating table," the expert noted. The Georgian side will seek to ensure that the parties shift their efforts from military operations to peace negotiations. "At the moment, the situation is very explosive," Ardashelia said. The expert believes that Armenia will have to sit down at the negotiating table. "Today, Azerbaijan has maximum advantages, since the international community fully supports Baku, because Azerbaijan has been trying for decades to resolve this conflict through negotiations, but Armenia refused under various pretexts, as a result of which the situation escalated," he said. "The hostilities can end at any moment as soon as the Armenian side sits down at the negotiating table and undertakes to conduct a constructive dialogue. This is a prerequisite for the cessation of hostilities and the Armenian side understands this well," Ardashelia said. According to him, today the political and military initiative is in the hands of Baku and it has the right to dictate its terms. The 30th annual Komen Houston Race for the Cure is going to look much different than in previous years. Instead of congregating at a central location to run side-by-side, on Oct. 3, participants across greater Houston will walk or run routes in their neighborhood. The pandemic may have forced them to be distanced physically, but participants will remain united in the goal of ending breast cancer. Trauma support: His Whole House founder shares her story of loss to build suicide awareness Among them will be Spring resident Mary-Anne LeBlanc. This will be LeBlancs 12th year participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure an annual event with participants around the world raising funds and awareness for breast cancer. LeBlanc began participating in the Komen race the same year she was diagnosed. She was nearly finished with six months of chemotherapy treatments when she ran her first race. On HoustonChronicle.com: Two families have the future in sight thanks to cornea donation The first race that I did was in 2009, LeBlanc said. I was bald. Everyone said, When did you finish chemotherapy? And I said, I had chemotherapy yesterday, and still ran the race. LeBlanc is captain of the Komen Houston fundraising team Stage None. She said one of her biggest reasons for participating is to raise awareness. For people to see healthy survivors that you would never even think wouldve had cancer before just to remind people that even healthy people can get cancer and survive and get through it, she said. LeBlanc was 48 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Doctors found two tumors. Just a year before, her mammogram showed no signs of cancer. To go from identifying two tumors to having to have a mastectomy and six months of chemotherapy was shocking, to say the least, considering I wouldve thought, Its an early detection, they caught me early, this should be a piece of cake, she said. Having surpassed a decade in remission, LeBlanc said shes been released from an oncologist and is now seeing a physician assistant. Even 10 years out, LeBlanc remains steadfast in advocating for the recommendation that women begin routine mammograms earlier than age 50. I had no symptoms, absolutely no symptoms, at 48, she said. So, the biggest message I want to get out and what I love about Komen and the awareness is all women should at least get a baseline mammogram and do their routine checkups. My mother-in-law died of cancer before she was 50, and by the time they realized she had breast cancer, it had spread too much. If I wouldnt have gotten the mammogram until I was 50, who knows it couldve spread, and all sorts of unthinkables. LeBlanc is glad that Komen is continuing the Race for the Cure this year, even if virtually. People can participate in virtual events in the days leading up to the Oct. 3 race day program. Wednesday, Sept. 30, is Chalk the Walk during which people decorate their sidewalk with the names of breast cancer survivors, artwork, and supportive messages. Participants are encouraged to share photos of their work on Facebook or Instagram tagging @komenhouston and using the hashtags #pinkfor30 and #racewhereyouare. On Thursday, Oct. 1, Komen Houston invites people Pink Your Pet adorning their fur babies in pink and sharing photos on social media. Oct. 2, the day before the virtual race, has several activities planned including More than Pink Day Pink Out Friday, where people dress up in pink and post to the Komen Houston More Than Pink Facebook Group. Children can participate in the Kids Coloring Competition by coloring a pre-drawn Komen Houston Race for the Cure sign, which can be downloaded from the Komen Houston website. The contest winner, to be announced Oct. 3, will get one year of pancakes from IHOP. A Team T-Shirt Design Competition invites registered teams with two or more members to design a creative T-shirt for a chance for each team member to win a $5 Academy gift card and bragging rights. The designs can be submitted to race@komen-houston.org. Those who show their spirit throughout the Komen Houston Race Week have the chance to be selected for the Betty Bezemer Spirit Award. On Saturday, Oct. 3, people can tune in for the Virtual Race Day Program where breast cancer survivors, patients and awareness advocates will discuss their experiences and the importance of research and resources. Im pleased with this calendar of events to make sure that people dont forget about it and theyre simple, theyre easy, they dont cost a lot of money, but just to make people aware that the Komen Race is still going on this year, LeBlanc said. On race day, LeBlanc plans to take a small group of people on a run around a lake in her neighborhood and post a photo to mark their accomplishment of completing the race in support of Komen. I still really believe in everything that they do and all the volunteers that they have working for them, she said. For people who may currently be going through breast cancer, LeBlanc wants them to know that help is out there. There are a lot of resources available to everyone and Komen is a great starting place to get you connected and hooked up to resources available to you in our local community, she said. Theres a large group of survivors within that community that can give you supportand listen and point you in the right direction in your path towards fighting breast cancer. For more information, visit www.komen-houston.org. mfeuk@hcnonline.com A 21-year-old man who drove through the streets of Southeast Portland at speeds estimated up to 80 mph was sentenced Tuesday to 12.5 years in prison for running a red light and crashing into another car, killing two sisters. Antonio Trayvontae Montgomery gathered some documents from his BMW SUV before running from the crash scene at the intersection of Southeast 148th Avenue and Powell Boulevard on July 8, 2019, according to a probable cause affidavit. Some witnesses told him not to run and recorded video of him fleeing. He dropped his wallet and identification nearby and witnesses retrieved them. Montgomery, then 20, ran into a home and hid in a shower. When the residents found him he offered them money if theyd let him take their truck, according to the affidavit. When they refused, he ran off and later was found hiding in a swimming pool under a tarp. Shortly before the fatal crash, Montgomery had crashed into a different car at Southeast 171st Avenue and Powell Boulevard, which was about one mile away. And two months before that, Montgomery had been charged with criminal driving while his license was suspended or revoked, and he had a warrant out for his arrest. Earlier in September, Montgomery pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter, hit-and-run driving and third-degree assault for injuring someone in another car that he struck. Tuesday, during his sentencing hearing in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Montgomery apologized to the family of Charlene Hauth, 60, and Robin Macready, 59 -- sisters who died from injuries suffered in the crash. Hauth was a passenger and died at the scene. Macready was driving the Jeep the sisters were in and was rushed to Oregon Health & Science University. She died the next day, according to the affidavit. Charlene and Robin were inseparable, said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Brad Kalbaugh in a news release Wednesday. They were the heartbeat of a very close and loving family. The selfish and reckless decisions of Antonio Montgomery to drive at excessively high speeds and to then run a red light will cascade for a lifetime. In addition to the prison time, Multnomah County Circuit Judge Christopher Marshall ordered that Montgomerys drivers license be permanently revoked. -- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee Diplomats from India and China are currently holding talks to implement the five-point consensus reached earlier this month by the foreign ministers of the two countries to resolve border tensions, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Senior diplomats from the two countries are meeting via video link under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs. The last time the WMCC met was on August 20. The two countries were unable to bridge the differences on the disengagement of the two militaries at the meeting. Currently, China and India are holding the 19th meeting of the WMCC on border affairs. The main topics (being) discussed are how to implement the five-point consensus reached in Moscow (on September 10) by the two foreign ministers to resolve outstanding issues on the ground and to ease the situation along the border, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin. Wang was responding to a question on the WMCC meeting asked by Chinese state media. The WMCC meeting is being co-chaired by joint secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava of the external affairs ministry and Hong Liang, director general of the boundary and oceanic department of Chinas foreign ministry. This was the bodys sixth virtual meeting since the standoff along the disputed border emerged in the open in May. In his response at a regular ministry press conference on Wednesday, Wang referred to the meeting between external affairs minister, S Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Moscow on September 10. The two sides had reached an agreement on five points during talks between Jaishankar and Wang, comprising dialogue aimed at quick disengagement, maintaining proper distance between troops of the two sides and easing tensions, abiding by all agreements and protocols on border management, and working on new confidence-building measures once the situation eases. Sharp differences between New Delhi and Beijing have become public this week with India dismissing Chinas claims that it abides by a 1959 Chinese definition of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the notional alignment dividing the two countries. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has approved plans to step up procurement of kharif or summer-sown crops, especially pulses and oilseeds, at minimum support prices (MSPs), at a time when farmers are protesting against a new set of laws they fear may weaken the MSP regime and the procurement mechanism. The Centre will launch a special procurement drive to buy nearly 1.4 million tonnes of pulses and oilseeds from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Haryana under its price support scheme at MSP prices, according to an order of the agriculture ministry. The approval for procuring pulses and oilseeds came after a proposal from these five states, a ministry official said, requesting anonymity. The government is open to approving more requests for procurement of pulses and oilseeds from other states, the official said. Also Read: Haryana farmers protest as stalemate over paddy procurement continues Among non-food crops, the government is also preparing for procurement of cotton for the 2020-21 season. Cotton Corporation of India will start purchase of FAQ (fair and average quality) grade cotton from 1st October 2020 onwards, the official said. The National Cooperative Development Corporation, the apex financing organisation of the agriculture ministry, has sanctioned, in the first instalment, funds worth 19,444 crore to Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Telangana for paddy procurement at MSP rates, the official said. Also Read: SAD asks Rahul Gandhi to tell farmers why he supported abolition of APMC Act According to the first advance estimates of food production released by the agriculture ministry on September 23, output from the countrys kharif crops is likely to touch a record 144.5 million tonnes. The estimates are marginally higher than the 143.4 million tonnes produced during the kharif season of 2019-20. WATCH | Farm laws are like dagger through farmers heart: Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre The increase in food output is largely due to higher estimated production of pulses at 9.3 million tonnes, up 20% year-on-year from 7.7 million tonnes last year. Production of rice, the main staple, is estimated to be 102.4 million tonnes, slightly higher than last years. The government will buy pulses and oilseeds outside the five states under the price support scheme if the market rate dips below MSP during the notified harvesting period, the official quoted above said. According to data from the agriculture ministry, the Union government, through its nodal agencies, has procured 46.35 tonnes of moong with an MSP value of 33 lakh, benefitting 486 farmers in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, 5,089 tonnes of copra having an MSP value of 52.40 crore has been procured, benefitting 3,961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu against the sanctioned quantity of 123,000 tonnes for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Also Read: Delhi farmers to get free chemical to tackle stubble: CM Kejriwal The procurement of paddy started from September 26 in Haryana and Punjab. Up to September 28, 3,164 tonnes of paddy in Haryana and 13,256 tonnes in Punjab, totaling 16,420 MT, with an MSP value of 31 crore. had been procured from 1,443 farmers in the two states. Big farmers groups, particularly in Punjab and Haryana, are protesting three laws . The reforms have cost the BJP one of its oldest allies, the Shiromani Akali Dal, which has quit the ruling alliance. Given higher production, wholesale prices of many commodities are expected to fall. It would be interesting to see if government agencies end up procuring substantially more than in usual years, especially pulses and oilseeds. It will send a political signal to protesting farmers that the government is committed to the MSP regime, said R Mani of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Dateline s Keith Morrison on His Weird Fame, Huge Family and 50 Years in the Business Datelines Keith Morrison on His Weird Fame, Huge Family and 50 Years in the Business All these years later, this job, its the love of my life," Keith Morrison tells PEOPLE in this week's issue In this week's issue of PEOPLE, the Dateline correspondent and award-winning journalist opens up about his successful broadcast career, becoming the most recognizable voice in true crime, his unexpected celebrity fanbase, and his loving, growing family. "I had no expectation this would become what it has, Morrison, 73, says of NBC Datelines success. All these years later, this job, its the love of my life. Born in Lloydminster, Canada, to his mother Margaret, a music teacher, and father Ernest, a preacher, Morrison was one of five children. I officiated at a funeral for a farmer and I realized Im just not up to this, he says. It was a seminal moment in my life when I knew: Okay, this is not what I should be doing for a living. At 19, he flunked out of college and bounced from job to job until one day, I was sitting on the couch watching the local news. I thought, I can do that. For more from Keith Morrison, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday That, he did. For the next 25 years or so, Morrison worked at different television stations in Canada and Los Angeles before finding a permanent home at NBC in 1995. Youd be amazed how often I find myself musing on stories I may have done 25 years ago, says Morrison, who has covered every major crime case since he joined the network, including Casey Anthony and the Robert Durst trials. Though he reports on a number of heart-wrenching stories involving the darkest aspects of life, Morrisons priorities have always been respect and dignity. RELATED: Lester Holt on Replacing Brian Williams, Making History and Telling the Truth Not surprisingly, Morrison who has often felt grief and anger for victims and the injustice hes witnessed says remaining detached is not an option for him. Story continues Its both the blessing and the curse of this job, he admits. It might be a failing on my part as a journalist and if it is, Ill live with it. That compassion remains one of the biggest reasons hes beloved by so many. Its sweet and lovely and overwhelming ... and undeserved, says Morrison of his unexpected fanbase. And through it all, there's one thing that has remained unequivocally everlasting: family. Courtesy Keith Morrison Keith Morrison and stepson Matthew Perry Theres no describing what a wonder it is, Morrison says of his wife of 39 years, Suzanne Perry, 72, and six children: stepson and actor Matthew Perry, 51, as well as his son from a previous marriage, Michael, 46, and his and Suzannes four kids, Caitlin, 39, Emily, 35, Will, 34, and Madeline, 31. They also share four grandchildren. When were all together, its just a brew that you could not mix no matter how hard you tried if you did it by hand. Now, on the brink of his 29th season with Dateline, Morrison says hes not planning on going elsewhere. Ill just go on as long as I can because, why not? he declares. Im extremely lucky. Dateline airs Mondays and Fridays at 10 p.m. ET, as well as Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET, on NBC. Police are expecting the number of fines handed out for breaching coronavirus lockdown restrictions to increase - despite half of all penalties issued so far having gone unpaid. National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) chairman Martin Hewitt said that as new regulations are brought in, forces in England and Wales are expecting the number of fines issued to increase. He made the prediction despite figures showing that, of 18,646 enforcement letters sent out in England and Wales, only 9,428 resulting fines had been paid, while 9,413 had not. These include some people who are formally contesting their fine, while others who have not paid fall to be considered for prosecution. Other data published by the NPCC on Wednesday also showed that hundreds of travellers suspected of breaking quarantine rules had not been traced. Police enforcing coronavirus lockdown rules this weekend in London. There is no suggestion the man pictured was fined Mr Hewitt said: 'We anticipate there will be an increase obviously as regulations are introduced in different parts of the country. 'The FPNs (fixed penalty notices) were designed in the way that a number of other FPNs are and every individual has the right to decide not to pay that fine and elect to go to court and plead their case.' Up to September 22, 4,114 cases were referred to police by health authorities, including 240 where people were found not to live at the address they had given, and 440 cases where there was no answer when officers attended an address. Figures showed 3,216 were found to be complying with self-isolation rules, and 218 were found to be in breach but were spoken to by officers to encourage them to comply. Police issued 38 fines to those failing to self-isolate after returning from a country on the Government Quarantine List. The NPCC said that just 15 fines were handed out in England in the first week of the 'rule of six' lockdown regulations, although this number could increase when figures are updated. In the seven days from September 14, four fines were issued by Greater Manchester Police; seven by Lancashire Police; two by Leicestershire Police; and two by West Yorkshire Police. In total, 18,912 lockdown fines were issued in England and Wales between March 27 and September 21. In the final four weeks of that period, 147 fines were issued in England and four in Wales. Eighteen fixed penalty notices for breaking rules around large gatherings including illegal raves and parties, that carry a 10,000 penalty, have been issued in England and two in Wales. National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) chairman Martin Hewitt is expecting the number of coronavirus fines handed out to increase Police have given 61 fines for failing to wear a face covering on public transport, up from 38 up to the middle of August, while 28 were handed out for not doing so in shops. Mr Hewitt said: 'It is crucial that people do everything they can, including limiting social contact, to reduce the spread of coronavirus. The country is at a critical point, and personal choices will matter in the weeks and months to come. 'Thank you to the vast majority of the public for sticking to the rules and following the guidance in place to limit the spread of the virus. 'A small minority, however, are not following the rules, and are making decisions which put lives at risk - they should expect to have enforcement action taken against them.' It comes as a runner said he had been fined 120 by a 'Covid Officer' for sweating during his jog. Mark Meghezzi, 30, said he had been targeted by one of the London Borough of Hounslow workers on Tuesday. The university management graduate, originally from Aberdeen, said he had been resting in Chiswick after a vigorous dash when he was spotted. Mr Meghezzi had been sweating heavily and blew from his mouth to get the perspiration off his face. But he said an officer said he thought he had been spitting and issued him with a fine. Council leaders said the person who fined him had been an Enforcement Officer who had acted under anti-littering regulations. The alleged wrongdoing - which is denied by Mr Meghezzi - falls under Environmental Protection Act regulations, something now considered more important during Coronavirus times. Mr Meghezzi wrote online: 'Is this really what it has come to? 'Sadiq Khan I can't imagine this is how you intended these resources to be deployed. Runner Mark Meghezzi was still sweating when he posted the picture of the fine online 'I received a fine from Sadiq Khan's London Borough of Hounslow for doing nothing more than going for a run down Chiswick High Road. 'I paused at Turnham Green Terrace and went down on my haunches (it was a tough one) and waited for the traffic lights to turn green. 'As I did so, naturally the sweat poured off me and I blew some away from my lip, towards the road. This is natural and unavoidable when running. 'I was then accosted by a very excited young 'Covid Officer' who advised me that I had been 'observed spitting' and who then very eagerly issued me with the 120 FPN in the picture. 'I stood back (mostly in shock) after receiving the FPN from this 'officer'. 'I observed him repeat his truck twice more with passing joggers and cyclists, stopped at the lights. 'Needless to say this FPN will not be being paid and a complaint has been raised against the individual for their conduct in issuing it.' Cllr Steve Curran, Leader of Hounslow Council, told MailOnline the person issuing the fine was an Enforcement Officer. 'The Fixed Penalty Notice was not given for any Covid offence or sweating, and nor was it issued by a Covid marshal. The notice was issued by an Enforcement Officer for spitting, which is a littering offence. 'Officers tackle a wide range of offences to tackle environmental and anti-social behaviour to support the local community. All of our officers are provided with body-worn cameras that capture interactions between staff and members of the public. Details of why a Fixed Penalty Notice was issued is provided on the notice along with details of a representative process that allows for notices to be reviewed.' Spreading coronavirus via spit is thought to be possible because it could contain matter from the nose or lungs. Running websites advise joggers try to be careful not to do it when they are out exercising. Photo: The Canadian Press Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick A sombre Yves-Francois Blanchet reflected Wednesday on his own experience with COVID-19, saying he was lucky to have caught a mild case of the illness but that many Canadians are not so fortunate. The Bloc Quebecois leader made the comments as he and Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole returned to Parliament Hill after being diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month. Both underscored the responsibility that Canadians have to keep their guard up against the illness, which has so far infected more than 158,000 people in the country and left 9,200 dead. Blanchet, whose wife also tested positive for COVID-19, made a point of focusing attention on those who have died as he was asked during a news conference what it was like to have had the illness. "Some people go through it much more painfully than I did," he said. "I was very, very, very lucky. Some people die of that thing." He went on to state that while there is "no absolute protection" from COVID-19, all Canadians have a responsibility to keep up their guard against it to protect those who might be at risk of serious illness. "There is only ways to reduce the probability of catching the thing and giving it to somebody that might be more vulnerable to it," he said. "And for that very reason, we must be very, very careful." O'Toole made similar comments ahead of a meeting with members of his caucus Wednesday morning, after he and his wife Rebecca also tested positive this month. "We all have to be very cautious," he said. "We're in a second wave in Ontario and Quebec, in particular. So we must stay cautious. I've been working with public health about coming back. I'm excited, I feel good." Ontario alone reported 625 new cases of COVID-19 and four new deaths Wednesday, with new modelling predicting that the province could see 1,000 new cases each day by the first half of October. O'Toole rose in the House of Commons to applause as he put his first question to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Opposition leader. "Seeing him in good health, seeing the leader of the Bloc Quebecois back in the House as well, is a good thing," Trudeau said. An Irish dancer who was allegedly murdered by a couple who wanted to plunder his bank cards had a potentially incapacitating drug in his system that was "well in excess" of therapeutic levels, a court has heard. Diana Cristea, 18, and Joel Osei, 25, are accused of killing Adrian Murphy between May 31 and June 5 last year, after his body was found in a 17th-storey flat in Battersea, south-west London. Cristea and Osei are also accused of poisoning a second man, who cannot be named due to a reporting restriction, on May 30 2019, before stealing about 2,000 worth of his belongings. Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told the jury at Croydon Crown Court that the drug scopolamine, which is said to be "popular with robbers and rapists" who use it to incapacitate their victims, was used in both incidents. Toxicology tests estimated that the concentration of scopolamine in Mr Murphy's body was 67 micrograms per litre of blood, and then 28 micrograms. The court has heard that research into a separate, fatal robbery involving the drug found that a victim only had 4.8 micrograms of scopolamine in their blood. Forensic toxicology expert Kirsten Turner, in relation to the tests on Mr Murphy, told the jury on Wednesday: "The fact that we have detected scopolamine at these levels suggests to me that it was used within a few hours of death and the test suggests that it was a high dose." She described it as "well in excess" of the amounts used in therapeutic doses and said "toxicity could lead to fatality". Mr Aylett previously told the jury that, particularly in Colombia, the drug is "said to be popular with both robbers and rapists who use it to incapacitate their victims, rendering them deeply unconscious for long periods of time". He added: "In Colombia, they don't call it scopolamine, in Colombia they call it 'the devil's breath'." Post-mortem tests also showed that 0.12 milligrams of methamphetamine per litre of blood was found in Mr Murphy's body, the court heard. Ms Turner accepted that the level of this drug could have been higher at an earlier stage before his death. She suggested that if it had been higher, this would have been "some hours before death". Mr Murphy, 43, had worked as a dance teacher and a choreographer at the Royal Academy of Dance, but was on a year-long sabbatical at the time of his death. It is claimed that the defendants used his details to try to buy $80,000 (68,400) of diamonds from a jeweller in New York, the court has heard. Osei is alleged to have met the victims in person through the gay dating app Grindr, before lacing their drinks with the drug and stealing their possessions. Cristea was alleged to have been "egging him on" in the background and sold the stolen items, Mr Aylett said. The former couple are both charged with a single count of murder and a count of administering a poison or noxious substance so as to endanger life, which they both deny. They are also standing trial on several fraud charges and two counts of theft. Cristea, of Langley Park, Mill Hill, Barnet, north London, has admitted one count of fraud but denies two counts of theft and six other fraud charges. Osei, who was previously living at Kerswell Close in Seven Sisters, north London, but is now of no fixed address, denies two counts of theft and eight counts of fraud. A man owes his life to his wife, who is pregnant, after a 9-foot bull shark latched onto his shoulder while he was snorkeling in the Florida Keys. Without hesitation, she dove into the water and rescued him. The Monroe County Sheriffs Office reported that 30-year-old Andrew Eddy took his wife, Margot Dukes-Eddy, out to Sombrero Reef on Sept. 20, along with her parents, sister, and sisters boyfriend. Eddy had just gotten into the water when a huge shark took hold of his shoulder with its jaws. When Margot saw a sharks dorsal fin followed by blood filling the water, she acted immediately. Dukes, without hesitation, dove into the water and pulled Eddy to the safety of the boat, Deputy Christopher Aguanno wrote in his report. When the boat returned to the beach, medics were already waiting on scene to take care of Eddys shoulder wound, which police deputies described as severe. This was a very rare medical crisis for the Florida Keys, but everyone came togetherincluding those witnesses on the boat to 911 Communicators to all our emergency respondersin order to ensure this victim received life-saving care, said Sheriff Ramsay in a Facebook update. Eddy was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The family requested privacy, and Eddys condition was not made public. According to reports, there were no boats fishing or chumming the waters nearby, and several snorkelers were out swimming in the same area. Bull sharks are not uncommon in the Florida Keys, but unprovoked shark bites are rare. George Burgess, former director of the University of Floridas International Shark Attack File, called shark attacks in the Keys relatively uncommon. Bull shark (Illustration Fiona Ayerst/Shutterstock) The International Shark Attack File reports that since 1882, Monroe County has experienced only 17 unprovoked shark bites. This is a stark contrast with Volusia County, which has earned itself the reputation of shark bite capital of the world with 312 unprovoked bites in the same time frame. You have different types of activity, he added. Different types of sharks and different types of density. Surface recreationists, such as swimmers and surfers, are at highest risk for shark attacks. However, its still possible to bump into a shark while snorkeling or scuba diving, so its best to be aware of the dangers and how to respond in an emergency. Some sources have speculated that the shark that bit Eddy was a tiger shark and not a bull, but Burgess confirmed that it was likely a bull shark. Bull sharks account for 20 percent of shark bites in Florida, making them one of the top three species to bite without provocation. Bulls are regular inhabitants at that attack site, tigers less so, but still common, Burgess said. - Next-generation nanofiber membrane to complement Astrea's ligand discovery capabilities and bioseparation products, expanding Gamma Biosciences' downstream purification offering - Novel, non-woven, high capacity nanofiber technology enhances Astrea's chromatography offering and addresses increasing demand for improved downstream processing solutions for advanced therapies MENLO PARK, California and CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gamma Biosciences, a life sciences tools platform created by KKR, today announced that it has acquired Nanopareil LLC, a South Dakota, US-based company developing next-generation nanofiber membrane products for chromatographic separation in bioproduction. Nanopareil's membrane technology employs a novel, durable nanofiber structure that offers significant performance advantages compared with conventional chromatography resins as well as similar, non-resin-based separation technologies. Gamma will operate Nanopareil as part of its existing subsidiary, Astrea Bioseparations. Together with Astrea's recent acquisition of Essential Life Solutions, the US-based developer of SNAP brand chromatography columns and other accessories, Nanopareil positions Astrea as a leader in next-generation, downstream purification for biopharmaceuticals and advanced therapies. Matt Gunnison, President of Gamma Biosciences, commented, "We are excited to bring Nanopareil into the Gamma family as part of Astrea. Nanopareil's highly innovative technology and deep expertise in the field of bioseparations supports our commitment to help our customers achieve new levels of process efficiency and performance." Dr Steve Burton, CEO of Astrea Bioseparations, added, "Nanopareil's robust and highly porous nanofiber membrane provides significant performance advantages in comparison to beaded chromatography media and competing non-woven membranes, including very high surface area and binding capacities, as well as pore sizes compatible with today's larger advanced therapies. With almost instantaneous binding and residence times in the region of one second, Nanopareil brings a combination of features that addresses key challenges currently faced by the biomanufacturing industry." The acquisition complements Astrea's ligand discovery capabilities, expanding its range of derivatizable substrates to develop custom separation products for a wide variety of biopharmaceutical applications. Gamma plans to invest substantially in further productization and technology development, application development and customer support as it establishes Nanopareil as a key platform within Astrea's growing range products. "We are equally excited to be joining the growing team of world-class professionals at Gamma Biosciences and Astrea," said Dr. Todd Menkhaus, Co-Founder and CSTO of Nanopareil LLC. "We look forward to our collaboration that will bring forward Nanopareil's technology to dramatically improve downstream purification operations for biopharmaceuticals" "From our first meeting, we quickly developed an extraordinary partnership with Astrea," said Craig Arnold, CEO of Nanopareil LLC. "The Astrea team has a strong track record of bringing innovative new products to the market. With their leadership and capabilities, Nanopareil will be well positioned to become the next-generation market leader." Nanopareil was advised in the transaction by John Chickosky of Binder Associates, GmbH. About Gamma Biosciences Gamma Biosciences is a life sciences tools platform created by KKR. Gamma's mission is to build a leading player in next-generation bioprocessing for advanced therapies by acquiring high-potential businesses with outstanding technology and accelerating their growth. For more information about Gamma Biosciences, please visit www.gammabiosciences.com. About Astrea Bioseparations Astrea Bioseparations Ltd. (formerly Prometic Bioseparations Ltd) provides bioseparation products to the pharmaceutical and biotech markets, including chromatography adsorbents, custom adsorbent discovery and development services and pre-packed chromatography columns and column hardware. A wholly owned subsidiary of Gamma Biosciences, a life sciences tools platform supported by KKR, Astrea Bioseparations has R&D laboratories located at Cambridge, UK and manufacturing facilities located at the Isle of Man, British Isles, Joliette, Quebec, Canada and Stoughton, Massachusetts, USA. For more information about Astrea Bioseparations, please visit www.astreabioseparations.com. About Nanopareil Nanopareil, LLC was founded on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) and was a beneficiary of several projects sponsored by the US National Science Foundation. Nanopareil's range of products will allow customers to benefit from off-the-shelf installation into existing manufacturing processes while providing industry-leading binding performance and production advantages, including faster throughput, lower operating pressure, higher adsorptive capacity, less water consumption, less waste generation, and greatly improved manufacturing simplicity and reproducibility to realize the promise of end-to-end single-use biopharmaceutical manufacturing. For more information about Nanopareil, please visit www.nanopareil.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1295160/Gamma__Logo.jpg New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday (September 30) that India has established separate bilateral air bubble arrangements with Kenya and Bhutan for the operation of special international passenger flights between the two countries. Till September 17, India had formed bilateral air bubble arrangements with 13 countries including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Canada, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, the Maldives, Nigeria, Qatar, the UAE, the UK, and the USA. Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international passenger flights can be operated by their airlines into each other's territories under restrictive conditions. In a tweet, Puri said, "In order to further boost bilateral international air connectivity air bubble arrangements are now in place with Kenya & Bhutan. Indian carriers will be able to operate to these countries." Puri further tweeted, "Carriers of these countries will be able to fly to India." Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Notably, special international passenger flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission in India since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July. Live TV Earlier on Tuesday, Air Bubbles with Germany has been suspended, informed the Director-General of Civil Aviation, adding that negotiations are currently underway. According to the DGCA statement, "India formalised an Air Bubble with Germany in July 2020. An Air Bubble arrangement allows nationals of both countries to travel in either direction. However, there are restrictions in place for Indian nationals desiring to travel to Germany which was putting Indian carriers at a significant disadvantage resulting in an inequitable distribution of traffic in favour of Lufthansa." The DGCA further said that while Indian carriers operated 3 to 4 flights a week, Lufthansa operated 20 flights a week. "In spite of this disparity, we offered to clear seven flights a week for Lufthansa which was not accepted by them. The negotiations continue," the DGCA added. Suspension of scheduled int'l passenger flights extended Indian aviation regulator DGCA today said that the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till October 31, adding "However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis." The circular said that scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with selected countries since July. It further said that the suspension does not affect the operation of international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by it. (With Agency Inputs) Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang 30.09.2020 LISTEN Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Vice Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), says the socio-economic hardships facing Ghanaian workers, especially in the informal sector, can be resolved. "The NDC has provided the solutions before, and we will do it again when given the mandate by the people to return to power," she said. Interacting with traders and artisans at a town hall meeting at Twifo-Praso in the Central Region today, as part of her tour of the area, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, described the halt in support facilities for traders and artisans under the present administration as regrettable. Responding to concerns raised by representatives of hairdressers, seamstresses, tailors, market women, commercial motor riders and drivers associations, the Running Mate, noted that all incentives advanced to the various groups, during the previous NDC administration, would be restored. In addition, she said the payment of stipends to apprentices would be restored, adding that start-up packages would be provided to enable trainees who complete their apprenticeship to effectively commence their small scale businesses to also create jobs. Touching on a concern over the deplorable state of the Twifo-Praso market, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang gave assurance that the market would be properly developed as part of the NDC infrastructure development agenda. "If it comes to building modern markets, you know what we can do because we have the track record," she said, citing the multi purpose Kejetia market project as an example. The NDC, she explained, would continue to prioritize the development of markets because of the essential role markets play in the local economies, saying the Twifo-Praso market would not be neglected. Earlier, the Running Mate interacted with commercial drivers and commuters at the Twifo-Praso main lorry station, where she assured them of better living condition under the next NDC administration. So, White Supremacists Ruined Another Shirt Fred Perry has pulled a polo shirt from the US market due to association with Proud Boys. Just a few months after learning that an alt-right, gun-toting group called the Boogaloo Bois had claimed Hawaiian shirts as a symbol of sorts, a polo is being pulled from shelves for similar reasons. Fred Perry's iconic black/yellow/yellow colorway will no longer be sold in the US market, due to the fact that it has become associated with a far-right hate group called the Proud Boys. Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images Members of the Proud Boys, a far right organization dedicated to fighting with leftists, hold a rally on September 26, 2020 in Delta Park, on the northern edge of Portland, Oregon. In a statement released on its site, the brand made it clear that it is in no way associated with the Proud Boys, despite the fact that they use a subverted version of the Fred Perry logo, the Laurel Wreath, as representation. It mentioned that the iconic design has been around since the '70s and that it is now working to lawyers "to pursue any unlawful use of our brand." Fred Perry does not support and is in no way affiliated with the Proud Boys. Read our statement here. Fred Perry (@fredperry) September 25, 2020 "Despite its lineage, we have seen that the Black/Yellow/Yellow twin tipped shirt is taking on a new and very different meaning in North America as a result of its association with the Proud Boys," the statement read. "That association is something we must do our best to end. We therefore made the decision to stop selling the Black/Yellow/Yellow twin tipped shirt in the US from September 2019, and we will not sell it there or in Canada again until were satisfied that its association with the Proud Boys has ended." Proud Boys was established in 2016 during the presidential election by VICE Media co-founder Gavin McInnes. The Southern Poverty Law Center has since designated the Proud Boys a hate group, citing a known love of "white nationalist memes" as well as "anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric" something the Proud Boys deny, claiming they are actually anti-political correctness and anti-white guilt." In case you missed it, President Trump was asked during 2020's first Presidential Debate if he would denounce the group and tell them to stand down. He instead said to "stand back and stand by." He says Russia is a party to the conflict. First Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian delegation to the Minsk Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas Vitold Fokin must resign over his controversial statements. This opinion was expressed by head of the Ukrainian President's Office Andriy Yermak on Facebook on September 29. Read alsoMembers of Holos parliamentary faction initiate Fokin's withdrawal from TCG "My personal position is that Mr. Fokin must leave the TCG," Yermak said when commenting on Fokin's recent statements. At a parliamentary committee meeting on September 29, Fokin said he had not yet seen evidence that Russia had been waging a war against Ukraine. "As for the war. I am not a politician and I cannot give any definition of this. Therefore, I have not seen any confirmation that there is a war between Russia and Ukraine," he said. Yermak noted that although it was not Fokin who "had agreed on the commitments to arrange elections in ORDLO [Russia-occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions] before, not after, Ukraine's retaking the border with Russia" and it was not Fokin who "had agreed on the commitments to consult on amendments to Ukrainian laws," he must resign. Yermak also stressed that the official position of Ukraine regarding the war in Donbas, which has been going on for the seventh year, is the following: "Point 1. Yes, we have an ongoing war where Russia is a party to the conflict rather than an observer. And precisely because of this, as well as because of the annexation of Crimea, the West has imposed sanctions on Russia. Point 2. We insist on the complete end of the [Russian] occupation and return [by Russia] of all our territories only this could mean the restoration of true peace," Yermak wrote. "Russia must leave our land, taking everything with it the army, armed formations, military equipment, occupying structures," he added. Yermak also says that the TCG does not make any decisions, as it is a platform for agreeing details and deals made by the Normandy Four leaders (Ukraine, Germany, France, and Russia). "All key decisions are made by the president and the parliament of Ukraine, and the government. The president [acts] within the framework of the Normandy leaders' dialogue. And the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine's parliament] adopts respective laws. And there's nothing else," he added. Response to Fokin's controversial statement Here are the key figures among the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case who were on Wednesday acquitted by a special CBI court in Lucknow of all charges. L K Advani The political face of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, he along with many other accused, including Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, was at a podium as frenzied mob of karsevaks (volunteers) brought down the mosque on December 6, 1992. He later called it the saddest day of his life, a statement that did not go down well with the BJP's Hindutva base. At 92, he is no longer actively involved in politics but a judicial closure to the case in his and other accused's favour will be a matter of huge relief to him. A leader who often spoke about the importance of public propriety and morals in politics, the verdict has vindicated his stand that the then BJP leadership was not a party to any conspiracy to mosque's demolition. It was his 'Rath Yatra' in 1990 in favour of building a temple at the disputed site, where believers hold that Lord Ram was born, that brought the issue to the center stage of national politics and help the BJP emerge as an alternative to the Congress. Murli Manohar Joshi Joshi was the BJP president during the period when thousands of karsevaks gathered in Ayodhya as part of the campaign for building Ram temple, and the mosque was brought down. A contemporary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, he along with his two more illustrious colleagues was one of the key faces of the party in 80s and 90s. At 86 years of age, he like Advani is no longer much active in politics. He has been a member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh several times and was considered close to the RSS. Kalyan Singh Another veteran BJP leader, he was Uttar Pradesh chief minister when the mosque was demolished. His government was dismissed by the Centre as he had assured that no violence will be allowed during the 'karseva' and the mosque will remain safe. As the head of the state government, he was held as the "main culprit" by many for the demolition but he had always maintained his innocence. Ironically, he is one BJP politician whose political career suffered as the party was in a majority in Uttar Pradesh when his government was dismissed and he could never lead it to a similar win again. His differences with the party leadership resulted in him quitting the BJP twice before making a final homecoming. Now 88, he is also no longer much active. Uma Bharti The most recognised woman face of the movement, the 'sadhvi' was known for her fiery oratory. She was seen elated and emotional as the mosque was brought down and had always maintained that it was an spontaneous act not a conspiracy. Whatever happened occurred in front of everyone, and there was nothing to hide, she has often said. Never apologetic about the incident, she had said before the verdict that she would not seek bail if she was convicted. A Cabinet minister in the first NDA government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she did not fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and has generally kept herself out of the BJP's organisational affairs. At 61, she is much younger than many others linked to the movement and is known for her mercurial temperament. Vinay Katiyar A firebrand Hindutva leader, he once headed the Bajrang Dal, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's youth wing. Like Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, he was among the crop of OBC leaders of the BJP who were strongly associated with its Hindutva politics. His political graph soared within the party during the 90s as he was elected to Lok Sabha several times. He was also made president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP but was unable to come anywhere close to Singh in terms of political appeal. The 66-year-old has at times hit headlines for his extreme remarks and is seen to be out of favour with the current party leadership, which has banked on a new generation of leaders in the state. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Champat Rai Das, 82, was one of the leading seers associated with the temple movement. He headed the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and is now head of the trust formed by the central government to oversee the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya. Rai is a leading Vishwa Hindu Parishad and is general secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust which Das heads. He is considered a key member of the Hindutva brain trust associated with the temple movement. SEAS welcome 9 new faculty members by Jane Stoyle Welch The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences welcomes nine new faculty members this fall, bringing with them renowned expertise in the fields of artificial intelligence, biometrics, computer vision, data visualization and mining, energy harvesting, machine learning, and project and quality management. It gives me great pleasure to welcome the new members to our SEAS community and I look forward to how their expertise will help lead us to even higher levels of innovation, excellence, and impact. Kemper Lewis, dean School of Engineering and Applied Sciences It gives me great pleasure to welcome the new members to our SEAS community and I look forward to how their expertise will help lead us to even higher levels of innovation, excellence, and impact, says Kemper Lewis, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Of the nine, Siwei Lyu and Nalini Ratha join SEAS as SUNY Empire Innovation Professors and both are affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Below are mini-bios of each listing their prior degrees, work experience, research interests and other noteworthy information. Computer Science and Engineering Siwei Lyu, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor Siwei Lyu, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor Joins UB from: The University at Albany, State University of New York, where he was a professor in the Department of Computer Science and the founding director of the Computer Vision and Machine Learning Lab. Research interests: Digital media forensics, computer vision and machine learning. Noteworthy: Lyu has published over 140 refereed journal and conference papers. He received a Google Faculty Research Award in 2019, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activities in 2018, the IEEE Signal Processing Society Best Paper Award in 2011, and a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2010. He currently serves on the IEEE Signal Processing Society's Information Forensics and Security Technical Committee, and is on the Editorial Board of IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security. He is a senior member of IEEE, ACM, Sigma Xi and Omicron Delta Kappa. Education: PhD, Computer Science, Dartmouth College. Hometown: Shenyang, Peoples Republic of China. Nalini Ratha, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor Nalini Ratha, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor Joins UB from: The IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, where he was a research staff member. Research interests: Computer vision, artificial intelligence, biometrics and fairness, and trust in AI. Noteworthy: Ratha is a Fellow of IEEE and International Association of Pattern Recognition, and an Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) distinguished scientist. He received the IEEE Biometrics Council Leadership Award in 2019 and has received several IBM awards including a Research Division Award, Outstanding Innovation Award and Outstanding Technical Accomplishment Award, along with several patent achievement awards. In 2018, he was named as IBM Research Division Master Inventor. During 2011-2012, he served as the President of the IEEE Biometrics Council. He has authored more than 80 research publications, and co-chaired several workshops on the topics of blockchain, biometrics, and fairness and trust in AI, and co-edited several special issues of IEEE publications. Education: PhD, Computer Science, Michigan State University. Hometown: Yorktown Heights, New York. Nasrin Akhter, assistant professor of teaching Nasrin Akhter, assistant professor of teaching Joins UB from: George Mason University, where she was a PhD student and Graduate Lecturer in the Computer Science Department. Research interests: Machine learning and computational biology. Noteworthy: Akhter received the Outstanding Graduate Student award in 2019 and Outstanding Graduate Teaching award in 2017, both from George Mason University. She also serves as a reviewer of IEEE/ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics and PLOS ONE. She was an intern at the Los Alamos National Laboratory for two summers, where she did research in the area of structural bioinformatics in the Information Sciences group. Education: PhD, Computer Science, George Mason University. Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh. Ziming Zhao, assistant professor Ziming Zhao, assistant professor Joins UB from: The Rochester Institute of Technology, where he was an assistant professor, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, where he was a visiting faculty member this summer. Research interests: Hardware-assisted security, system security, usable security and cybercrime analysis. Noteworthy: Zhao directs the CyberspACe securiTy and forensIcs Lab (CactiLab) and advises the hacking team Cacti, which participates in hardware and software Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions. He received Best Paper Awards from USENIX Security 2019, ACM CODASPY 2014, and ITU Kaleidoscope 2016, and his research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense. Education: PhD, Computer Science, Arizona State University. Hometown: Sichuan, Peoples Republic of China, which is famous for its spicy food and Sichuan pepper. Engineering Education Corey Schimpf, assistant professor Corey Schimpf, assistant professor Joins UB from: The Concord Consortium, where he was a research scientist. Research interests: Agent architecture and AI, design research and design thinking, data visualization, critical studies, data mining, educational technology, case-based methods, research methods, and computational social science. Noteworthy: Schimpf is the Program Chair-Elect for the Design in Engineering Education Division of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference, and he is a member of the Reviewers College for the International Journal of Social Research Methodology. His research work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Economic and Social Research Council (UK Funding Agency). Education: PhD, Engineering Education, Purdue University. Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio. Alice Nightingale, assistant professor of teaching Alice Nightingale, assistant professor of teaching Joins UB from: Nightingale has been serving as an adjunct teaching professor in UBs Department of Engineering Education, where she taught statics and dynamics. Research interests: Adaptive-optic control and aero-optics. Noteworthy: Prior to moving to Buffalo, Nightingale was a contributing member of the Aero-Optics Group at Notre Dame as a Research Assistant Faculty. The group is involved in researching the aero-optic effects and the mitigation of those effects caused by turbulent flows on aircraft-mounted optical devices. Nightingale is also interested in curricular design and preparing students for professional practice as engineers. Education: PhD, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame. Hometown: Williamsville, New York. Industrial and Systems Engineering Cecilia Martinez Leon, associate professor of teaching Cecilia Martinez Leon, associate professor of teaching Joins UB from: Clarkson University, where she was an associate professor of engineering and management. Research interests: Quality management, project management and lean systems engineering. Overall, her research interests lie in identifying, articulating, and integrating engineering and management principles for developing effective product development and continuous improvement deployment frameworks for successful and sustained performance excellence. Noteworthy: Martinez is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and prior to working in academia, has worked for the automobile and electronics industries. She has served as a process improvement consultant across the different functions of businesses from the manufacturing and service sectors. She recently co-authored a book on improving health care quality, and her last team of capstone students from Clarkson University won first place in the IISE Operational Excellence Student Best Paper Competition. Education: PhD, Systems and Engineering Management, Texas Tech and ScD, Engineering Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico. Hometown: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Jiaoyan Li, assistant professor Jiaoyan Li, assistant professor Joins UB from: Idaho National Laboratory, where she was a postdoctoral associate. Research interests: Multiscale modeling from atom to continuum, computational mechanics and high-performance computing, with applications to nano-/bio-/energy systems. Noteworthy: Li received an Early Career Travel Fellowship to participate in the International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the National Academy of Science, and earned the Best Student Poster Award at the 12th U.S. National Congress on Computational Mechanics. Education: PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The George Washington University. Hometown: Shenyang, Peoples Republic of China. Jun Liu, assistant professor Jun Liu, assistant professor Egypt is looking into establishing a satellite-carrying rocket launch station on its territories, Mohamed al-Qousi, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA), told Al-Monitor. The feasibility study is ready and awaiting the approval of the political and security leadership before it can be implemented, Qousi said, without specifying an implementation date. He noted that Egypt does not currently have a problem in seeking the help of foreign countries in the process of launching satellites. On Sept. 21, Qousi told Elbalad.News that the satellite launch project is not a luxury, but rather a duty that must be fulfilled. We are now focusing on building satellites, while the launch process is secondary at the present time. Indeed, a feasibility study has been conducted but we currently have friendly countries that we cooperate with in the launch process, and we have no issue doing so for now, Qousi told Al-Monitor. On Nov. 26, 2019, Egypt successfully launched its first communications satellite, Tiba-1, from a base on the French Guiana island in South America, with the purpose of improving internet services and fighting terrorism. A space rocket by the European company Arianespace, lifted off, carrying Tiba-1 toward the orbital position of 35.5 degrees East. Tiba-1, manufactured by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, is supposed to remain in orbit for 15 years. The Egyptian government is handling the operation of controlling Tiba-1 from the headquarters of EgSA in the Fifth Settlement, in eastern Cairo. Egypt has limited experience in the field of satellites as it dates back to 1998. It owns six satellites, some of which are out of service, and others are still operating efficiently. Unlike Tiba-1, its newest satellite, all of them are designated for the purposes of satellite communications and remote sensing technology. Cairo is seeking to make its way into the field of space technology, toward which it started taking serious steps in early 2018, when Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved a law to establish EgSA. The law defined the objectives of this agency, namely developing space science and technology, localizing them and improving its own capabilities to build and launch satellites from Egyptian territories in a way that serves development and achieves national security. For funding, EgSA relies on loans, grants and donations, in addition to the financial budget that the state allocates to it in its general budget. The EgSA budget amounts to 65 million Egyptian pounds ($4.12 million) in fiscal year 2021. Qousi told Youm7 newspaper Aug. 28 that EgSA is currently working on 22 space projects, the most prominent of which is manufacturing a satellite to monitor the Egyptian borders, scheduled to be launched between June and September 2021. Speaking about the importance of satellite technology in securing the Egyptian borders, Qousi said that Egypt has a 1,100 kilometer-long (683-mile) borders with Libya, which has been mired in internal conflicts since 2011, in addition to the southern Egyptian border with a length of 1,200 kilometers (745 miles). Securing such long borders and with equipment that relies on the human factor in extremely harsh conditions does not allow for a 24/7 cover nor a 100% security rate, he noted. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Qousi said Egypt seeks to have a complete space system that includes building satellites and ground control stations. He noted that Egypt has a data receiving station in the southern city of Aswan, as well as a control station inside the EgSA headquarters. Egypt is currently establishing a satellite collection center in the new administrative capital, in eastern Cairo, with a Chinese grant estimated at about $23 million. It is scheduled for completion in 2021. China also provided a $45 million grant to Egypt in August 2018 to create the Misr Sat-2 satellite, provided that the satellite would be fully tested at the Egyptian satellite collection center before its launch, scheduled for September 2022. We are working on manufacturing another satellite, in partnership with a German company; [Egypt] is building 45% of this satellite, while the rest is being built by Germany. We are also cooperating with Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and Sudan to establish a joint satellite to monitor climate changes in the African continent, Qousi said. Essam Heggy, an Egyptian space scientist who works at NASA and supports the establishment of a satellite-carrying rocket launch station in Egypt, told Al-Monitor that this step comes within the framework of sustainable development and a true understanding of the importance of science and scientific research for economic advancement and improvement of citizens' lives. He said that Egypt is a country whose basic resources, such as water, come from outside the borders, and its agricultural resources are affected by phenomena that come from outside its borders as well, such as climate change, desertification, sand movement and coastal erosion as a result of weather fluctuations in coastal areas. This, he explained, requires Egypt to have an understanding of environmental and natural phenomena outside its borders that greatly affect its economy and the daily life of the citizen. Heggy stressed that such an understanding can only be through satellites. He noted that Egypt uses the results of satellites from Western countries such as the European Space Agency, the Indian Space Agency, NASA, and others. But most of these satellites are designed with measures and standards for phenomena in European regions and North America and are not entirely dedicated to studying desert areas like Egypt. This is why, he noted, countries located in desert regions must design satellites for studying desert phenomena and launch them for these purposes. Does Egypt need a platform to launch rockets for space purposes? If we believe that Egypt needs to design satellites to study the aforementioned phenomena, then it most certainly does, Heggy stressed. He said that launching the satellites is the most costly step of the process, but with the presence of an Egyptian platform it will reduce the process of spending and allow Egypt to freely launch these satellites at the most appropriate time and without being linked to other international parties. This is particularly important when it comes to small satellites that Egypt relies on, as they need to be launched on a rocket that often carries another satellite, which forces Egypt to wait in order to share the launch. Spending funds on space science is a step toward understanding the sustainability of environmental, climatic and water factors and is not a waste of public money as some might see it, Heggy concluded. An ex-Comanchero bikie has showed off the five bullet holes in his body as he vows to turn his back on crime for his family. Vince Focarelli survived six assassination attempts during his life as a gangster but says it was the 2012 murder of his stepson Giovanni Focarelli, 22, in Adelaide that forced him to reassess his life choices. In a video interview with KiniTV Focarelli said leaving a life of crime could be difficult as it often leads to making 'easy money' as he showed off the wounds to his back, ribs, upper leg and temple. He said: I was shooting at people, I was getting shot, selling drugs, drinking alcohol, these are not things that you can easily get away from. The former bikie spent time behind bars for multiple offences including possession of a firearm without a licence and one count of possession of a controlled drug. Former Comanchero bikie leader Vince Focarelli (pictured) opened up about surviving six assassination attempts which left him riddled with bullets before giving up a life of crime He turned to Islam while in jail, shortly after his stepson's murder, and said the religion helped him turn his life around. Focarelli and his wife opened a restaurant in Adelaide in 2016, named La'Fig Cucin, and used their position to help feed the homeless and less fortunate. The pair created a Tuesday night soup kitchen and had grateful people packing in for a feed. But in 2017 he learned he would likely be deported back to Italy because of his criminal history. Instead of waiting for deportation Focarelli chose to move to Malaysia where he remains today. He took his elderly mother with him but had to leave his wife and stepdaughter behind. Focarelli and his wife (pictured together) opened a restaurant in Adelaide in 2016, named La'Fig Cucin, and used their position to help feed the homeless and less fortunate Focarelli showed off scars from the times he had been shot during his career as a bikie (pictured), but it was the last assassination attempt which claimed the life of his stepson that changed his life forever The reformed bikie didn't see his wife again until they celebrated Eid together in Malaysia last year. He said she was forced to close their restaurant but they hoped they could open a new one in Kuala Lumpur someday. Focarelli fell in love with the country almost immediately and said he was eager for his wife and stepdaughter to join him. 'I have never experienced any culture as beautiful as this. I feel free and I sleep well at night,' he said. Once a man who's life literally involved dodging bullets, Focarelli has now devoted himself to caring for his mother, who has stage-four cancer. He said he would never turn back to a life of crime despite 'knowing that world' better than he knows his new world. By Trend The world community should definitely support Azerbaijan in its fair war, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Sukhum State University of Georgia Kakha Pipia told Trend. According to him, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Azerbaijani people have been suffering historical injustice from Armenia for several decades. "As a result of the Armenian aggression, more than a million citizens were expelled from their homes and every day since then people have been waiting for their return to their homelands," he said. "Armenia, instead of negotiating a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, continued to behave provocatively, unfortunately the world community turned a blind eye to the Armenian attacks," Pipia notes. As the expert said, over the years the conflict grew and the prospect of its solution was not foreseen, and the world community, apart from statements from the high tribunes, could not offer anything for the de-occupation of Azerbaijani territories. "Today, the armed forces of Azerbaijan are ready to liberate the Azerbaijani lands from the Armenian occupation, this is also required by international law, UN resolutions and simply historical justice. In this regard, I believe that the world community should definitely support Azerbaijan," he said. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities. Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Benny Mawel (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura Wed, September 30, 2020 11:45 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4823e46 1 National Papuan-students,protest,rally,demonstrasi,special-autonomy,TNI,National-Police,Polri,polda-papua,Universitas-Cenderawasih,demo-tolak-otsus-papua Free A joint force of personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police dispersed a group of Papuan students protesting the governments plan to extend Papuas special autonomy status on Monday. The protesters, who were students of Cenderawasih University, held a demonstration at the main gate of their campus in Abepura district, Jayapura, Papua. The joint force reportedly seized the demonstrators banners, fired tear gas and warning shots into the air. Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) director Emanuel Gobay said two students were injured after being hit by the security personnel. The students were identified as Yabet Lukas Degei, a student from the School of Law, and Telius Wanimbo, a student from the School of Teachers Training and Education. [Yabet] was beaten with a gun on the back of his head, Emanuel told The Jakarta Post on Monday. Read also: Stop confusing freedom of expression with treason in Papua: Activists [Telius] was hit with a gun on the top of his head, kicked and beaten in the face. Papuan human rights lawyer Gustaf Kawer said the efforts to quash the demonstration had violated the right to express opinions in public, in accordance with Law No. 9/1998 on freedom of expression. Gustaf urged the central government to stop all forms of restrictions against the right to express opinions and any form of violence against citizens. He also urged the National Police and TNI to immediately change their approach in law enforcement and security in Papua. He asked the National Police chief to immediately evaluate the performance of local police chiefs in Papua. Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ahmad Mustofa Kamal confirmed with the Post on Tuesday that security personnel had dispersed a group of student protesters in Abepura but declined to elaborate on what conditions had triggered them to do so. (syk) ICICI Securities research report on GSK Pharmaceuticals Company believes its key brands and therapies would continue to grow over the next five years. Company has witnessed that most of its key brands have outpaced their respective industries and gained market share. Vaccines remains an important growth area followed by respiratory. It will also invest in therapies like oncology but that would take time to scale up. Vaccine contributes ~23% of revenue and is expected to grow in double digits. Its imported and has lower margin than the company but it would be supported by cost optimisation. Company has received approval for Augmentin ES600, Trelegy and Fluarix Tetra and has filed for Shingrix, Rotarix liquid oral vaccine and Nucala liquid pediatric indication to support growth over long term. In the near term it is focusing on Nucala and Menveo. Company has witnessed a contraction in the dermatology and anti-infective market as patients defer skin treatment and better hygiene has reduced the acute illness. Pandemic caused disruption at the beginning of the lockdown. Company implemented several safety protocols and work from home policy wherever possible. Gradually, ~60% of the workforce was able to achieve ~100% production. Roughly 4,000 employees are working from home. Company witnessed MoM recovery in all therapies and expect to achieve normalcy soon. Company also provided extended credits to its partners (stockists, dealers, etc.) in order to support the system. Outlook GSKPs exposure only to domestic formulations, strong balance sheet and strong brand equity augurs well for the company. Recent correction has made valuations fair, hence we upgrade to HOLD from Reduce with a target price of Rs1,539/share based on 40xSep22E EPS. Key downside risks: addition of key drugs in National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), product concentration and government intervention. Key upside risks: better than expected performance in key products and launch of COVID-19 vaccine in India. For all recommendations report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More Care homes are waiting up to three weeks to get their coronavirus test results, it was claimed today as the UK's swabbing fiasco continues. The Government had promised to get carers swabbed every week, and residents every 28 days, so new cases could be detected quickly and isolated. But the 'world-leading' testing system is failing to turn around samples on time as it battles to get through an ever-growing backlog of samples. Care home leaders have branded the situation 'totally unacceptable', and warned it is only going to 'get worse, not better' because 'test results are not coming back quickly enough'. The backlog adds to Britain's ongoing testing crisis which erupted earlier this month after demand rose to up to four times capacity. Ministers warned the shortage would last for weeks. Scores of Brits, including nurses and doctors, complained about being unable to get swabbed for the disease despite some drive-in sites standing completely empty. Others were forced to travel hundreds of miles to find out whether or not they were infected. Care homes are having to wait up to three weeks to get coronavirus test results, and some staff are being sent for swabs before receiving previous results (stock) Home with one in four batches going to waste A care home boss has hit out at the Government's 'inadequate' testing system which has seen one in four batches of tests go to waste because couriers have not turned up. Mark Ellison, 46, owner of Temple Grove care home in East Sussex, said his manager was almost in tears this week after another 57 carefully administered swabs had to be thrown away. He said he had expected 'teething problems' but it is 'unacceptable' that at least 25 per cent of the time the couriers do not turn up to collect the home's samples. When tests are collected, the results are often delayed with some coming back weeks later. Mr Ellison, who owns the home with his wife Joanne, said: 'At the moment our staff are agreeing to be swabbed, but we can't force them to and I worry if this continues to be such a shambles they will be less inclined.' Advertisement The chairman of the Sheffield Care Association, Nicola Richards, told the Daily Telegraph she had to wait almost three weeks to get results for some swabs carried out on staff. 'Such a delay is putting the residents, staff and the public at serious risk,' she said. 'By not getting the results back in a timely manner, it's unsafe. 'I know it's a national problem as well as a local one. We have a Whatsapp group for local care professionals, and there are people on that group saying they haven't had results for a week.' She revealed they had sent a letter to Public Health England and local councillors to complain about the situation, but were yet to receive a response. The managing director of St Cecilia's Care Group in North Yorkshire, Mike Padgham, said its four homes are waiting up to five days for results which makes it 'very difficult' to keep testing staff weekly. 'There is no doubt that staffing is the biggest issue facing us at the current time,' he said. 'Given that the Government has had six months to get proper testing of key workers in place, it is a scandal that we are struggling in this way and very worrying, especially as we are approaching winter, when traditionally healthcare is put under extra strain.' The chairman of the National Care Association, Nadra Ahmed, who represents care homes across the country, told MailOnline many are having to wait four to six days to get test results. 'We're having cases of people who sent their first test on Friday and received result on Thursday evening, which is just in time for the second lot of tests to go off again,' she said. 'There are some people who are telling us that the second lot of tests are not being collected in a timely fashion.' She branded the shambles 'totally unacceptable' and said it is heightening anxiety among both staff and residents who have 'lived through quite a challenging period already'. The chairman added that many care homes are starting to over-staff themselves to ensure they have enough employees on hand for residents, as workers spend days in self-isolation waiting for test results after they developed coronavirus-like symptoms. NHS Covid-19 app refuses to let users enter test results, as testing fiasco rages on The Government's long-awaited NHS app did not allow users to enter coronavirus test results from NHS hospitals or Public Health England labs when it was first launched. The oversight meant that the 70,000 swabs completed at these centres every day could not be put into the device, meaning others who may have been exposed could not be advised to self-isolate. Department of Health officials said this happened as there was a problem getting the app to accept codes from these swabs. It was the latest scandal to rock the test and trace system which has warned it is 'weeks behind' Boris Johnson's deadline of 500,000 tests a day by the end of October. It completed 198,000 yesterday, with lab bosses warning delays in equipment supplies mean they are some way off further expansion. The app's issue was rectified after it was reported on. A spokesman said a 'minority' of people had been unable to put their results onto the app. Advertisement Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said he understood there was a problem with lab capacity, but that 'simply isn't good enough from the sector's point of view'. 'If you want to keep care homes free of coronavirus then they need their test results back in minutes, not days,' he said. 'We are getting into a situation where some care homes aren't even getting the last week's results back before testing staff again.' The executive director of the National Care Forum, Vic Rayner, who represents 120 of the UK's social care charities, accused the Government of saying 'all the right things' while failing to take action. 'Things are improving, but if this is a juggernaut on the turn the Government needs to put a lot more hard spin on the wheel to get the prioritisation of test results in care settings to feel like a meaningful commitment on the ground,' he said. Kelly Andrews, GMB care lead, said: 'If even the big providers are struggling with testing - where does this leave smaller companies who can't close down homes to protect their vulnerable clients?' She added: 'Leaving staff untested for weeks at a time is a recipe for disaster. Not only are workers put at risk, but it could lead to care home deaths rocketing.' Public Health England (PHE) data reveals the number of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes surged more than six-fold from the week ending September 11, when 35 outbreaks were recorded, to the week ending September 18, when 228 were identified. In the most recent release, for the week ending September 25, a further 134 outbreaks were reported in the sector. But care home bosses poured cold-water on these figures this morning, suggesting they do not provide an accurate picture of the situation. In one week in September the UK's biggest care home provider, HC-One, said it had seen new outbreaks in a dozen homes - equivalent to four per cent of its facilities. By contrast, PHE said there had been outbreaks in just one per cent of all homes in the same week. Judy Downey, chair of the Relatives and Residents Association, told The Guardian it looked like they were 'underestimating' the numbers. 'The system seems to be riddled with inconsistencies,' she added. The warning comes amid fears local authorities could ban visits to care homes if Covid-19 outbreaks in their areas escalate, cutting off vital support for vulnerable residents. Care UK and HC-One, two of the largest operators, have already closed dozens of homes to visitors in response to the new outbreak. Age UK warned a number of care home's residents have already died prematurely because they had 'gone downhill fast' after being cut off from their loved ones when visits were banned for four months. Experts have previously urged councils to avoid banning visits, saying they can lead to the deterioration of conditions such as dementia. The Government processed 198,000 tests yesterday, a 25 per cent drop from a high of 250,000 tests on Saturday. Number 10 has still yet to hit its target of processing results within 24 hours, despite promising it would be reached by the start of July. Around half of the capacity is given to care homes, to protect them from another outbreak. Care homes were left high and dry in the first wave of the pandemic, when patients with the virus were discharged back to the centres and they were provided with inadequate supplies of PPE. As many as 15,000 residents died from confirmed or suspected Covid-19, the Office for National Statistics said. And at least 10,000 more died unexpectedly from other causes. A Department of Health spokesman said: 'We continue to prioritise care homes for repeat retesting, and any care home resident or member of staff with symptoms is able to immediately access a free test with more than 120,000 sent out every day. 'Between September 3 and 16, more than 700,000 tests were carried out at care homes with the average time for results less than four days. 'Through our Adult Social Care Winter Plan, we are providing free PPE to care homes and have ring-fenced over 1.1billion to support providers through our Infection Control Fund.' Here are the most important things to know about COVID in Connecticut. This story will be updated regularly with the latest on COVID-19 in Connecticut and beyond. Check back later for more. Nov. 13 CT announces 2,746 new cases since Thursday State officials announced 2,746 new COVID cases since Thursday, 42 more hospitalizations and 11 deaths. The positivity rate has risen to 6.7 percent after having decreased to 4.3 percent on Thursday. Rolling seven-day average of positivity rate continues to climb According to a CT Insider analysis of the states data, the rolling seven-day average positivity rate has gradually increased each day this week since Monday. On Monday, the rolling seven-day average positivity rate was 4.0 and by today it climbed to 4.7. Although gradual, this change reflects a steady rise in infections. Research: Parts of Africa may have a history with COVID-19 Researchers at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kifili, Kenya, found that approximately 4.3 percent of Kenyas population had a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the journal Nature reported. Antibody studies revealed that by the end of June, 4 percent of Kenyas population was infected but the death toll remained relatively low in comparison. Their findings suggest that the sharp contrast between Kenyas antibody prevalence and its COVID-19 deaths hints that the coronaviruss effects are dampened in Africa, according to the article. Missing school may be linked to a shorter life expectancy, analysis shows An analytical model published by the JAMA Network examined years of life lost in association with primary school closures in early 2020 and compared them to potential years of life lost had schools remained open. The model estimates that closing public schools during the pandemic can be associated with a decrease in life expectancy for American children because of the adverse effects missed education creates. We estimated that there is a 98.1% probability that the decisions to close U.S. primary schools in March of 2020 could be associated with more eventual YLL [years of life lost] than would be observed if these schools had remained open, even if schools remaining open had led to a substantial increase in the rate of death observed during the early phase of the pandemic, the researchers said. Re-testing should be done carefully, study says Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 infection should proceed to get repeated testing, but not in the 90 days following infection, the journal JAMA Internal Medicine reported. Not getting re-tested in that time period will help those patients avoid unnecessary quarantines as remnants of the virus may give a false positive if re-tested too soon. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests can be positive because of nonviable remnants of the virus, the article says. This means that the test cannot accurately determine whether or not the infection can be transmitted. Nov. 12 COVID hospitalizations surpass 600 in Connecticut State officials announced 33 more coronavirus hospitalizations since Wednesday raising the total to 617 patients currently hospitalized. In a press conference, Gov. Lamont expressed concern. We've doubled the number of people in the hospitals in the last two weeks, he said. CT reports another 1,158 cases since Wednesday Connecticut announced 1,158 new COVID cases since Wednesday amounting to a total of 85,899 cases since the onset of the pandemic. The daily positivity rate slightly increased to 4.8 percent. The state announced 10 more deaths for a total of 4,726. Changes in smell can help predict COVID outbreaks, researchers say Its been known for a while that loss of smell and taste are early symptoms of the coronavirus. Now a team from Penn State is showing that self-reports of changes in smell and taste can predict COVID outbreak. Our research suggests that an increase in the incidence of sudden smell and taste change in the general population may indicate that COVID-19 is spreading, One researcher said. This knowledge could help decision-makers take important measures at the local level, either in catching new outbreaks sooner, or in guiding the relaxation of local lockdowns, given the strong impact of lockdown on economic and social activities. Poll finds that two-thirds of Americans support a one-month lockdown Results from a poll conducted by YouGov suggest that nearly two thirds of Americans would support a one-month lockdown to limit the spread of the coronavirus. About 64 percent of the 13,000 U.S. adults surveyed said they would support a lockdown, while three out of 10 said they would not. Broken down by party, more Democrats 87 percent said they would support a lockdown, compared to 30 percent of Republicans. Yale supervises national rollout of new, cheap COVID test A team from Yale University is supervising a national rollout of a cheaper coronavirus test. The SalivaDirect retails for about $25, and was developed by Yales Anne Wyllie, associate research scientist in epidemiology, and Nathan Grubaugh, assistant professor in epidemiology. The test is also saliva-based, and not nasopharyngeal, which makes it less invasive. Nov. 11 CT now averaging more than 1,000 cases a day As of Monday, Connecticut is averaging more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases a day, a level not seen since April 26. There have been more than 1,000 new cases reported by the state every day this week. The highest number of average daily cases since the pandemic began was April 22, when there were an average of 1,102 new cases. It is important to note, however, that many of these cases may be asymptomatic. Early in the pandemic, the state was conducting significantly fewer tests, and then only on patients displaying symptoms consistent with a coronavirus infection. More recently, the state has ramped up testing, which may be identifying a significantly larger number of positive cases. COVID cases continue to climb in CT: 1,574 new cases reported The state announced 1,574 new COVID cases Wednesday and 36 new hospitalizations bringing the number of patients currently hospitalized for the virus to a total of 584. Nine more deaths were reported raising the cumulative amount to 4,716 deceased. The positivity rate is 4.7 percent, a decrease from a high of 6.7 percent on Tuesday. Entitled people are less likely to comply with COVID guidelines, research says Are you entitled? If you have a sense of entitlement, youre less likely to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, according to a survey of three studies conducted by researchers from Cornell University. Not only were people higher in psychological entitlement more likely to believe that the threat of the virus was overblown, but they were also more likely to report that they had contracted COVID-19. Cell phone data uncovers superspreader locations for COVID infections Using cell phone data, researchers mapped what they called mobility networks, tracking and mapping the hourly movements of 98 million people from major metro areas across the United States as they went to and from points of interest like restaurants and religious establishments. They found that a small minority of superspreader [points of interest) account for a large majority of infections. The study, published this week in the journal Nature, also suggests that restricting occupancy at specific points of interest would be more effective than uniformly reducing mobility. Researchers find rapid COVID tests to be about 99 percent accurate Researchers went to a public plaza in San Francisco and tested the Abbott Labs rapid coronavirus test on 878 subjects, and found that it was spot on about 99 percent of the time, producing a false positive only very rarely. Connecticut has been expected to receive thousands of the $5, 15-minute tests, as Gov. Ned Lamont announced in October. The tests were accurate regardless of symptoms, researchers said. Nov. 10 CT positivity rate jumps to 6.7 percent with 1,524 new cases reported Connecticut announced 1,524 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, substantially raising the one-day positivity rate (the percentage of tests that are positive) to 6.7 percent. There were 52 new hospitalizations, for a total of 548 COVID patients currently in the hospital, and nine more deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-related deaths in the state to 4,707 since the start of the pandemic. 40 percent of COVID-19 patients experience severe ringing in the ears A sizeable portion of people with COVID-19 experience exacerbated tinnitus (ringing in the ears), according to new research. An international group of researchers found that 40 percent of people with symptomatic COVID-19 said theyre tinnitus got worse. The good news is that 6 percent said their tinnitus got a little better, and 54 percent said there was no change. Lockdowns may have had an effect, too, according to the study: Pre-existing tinnitus was significantly exacerbated for those self-isolating, experiencing loneliness, sleeping poorly and with reduced levels of exercise. Increased depression, anxiety, irritability, and financial worries further significantly contributed to tinnitus being more bothersome during the pandemic period. Respiratory illnesses becoming less common during the pandemic may not be a good thing There has been a much lower incidence of common respiratory illnesses (like RSV and the flu) during the pandemic, but researchers at Princeton University said that it wasnt necessarily good news. As NPIs (non-pharmaceutical interventions, like masks and social distancing) are in place, people could become more susceptible to these common diseases, resulting in a stronger comeback. While this reduction in cases could be interpreted as a positive side effect of COVID-19 prevention, the reality is much more complex, study author Rachel Baker said. Our results suggest that susceptibility to these other diseases, such as RSV and flu, could increase while NPIs are in place, resulting in large outbreaks when they begin circulating again. Existing drugs can curb an influx of cytokine that is a factor in COVID-19 deaths A cytokine storm is the human bodys immune response to infection. Its when the immune system goes awry, causing all sorts of inflammation so much so that it is one of the reasons people die from a COVID-19 infection. A new study shows that two chemicals in particular are responsible for generating that cytokine storm, as Science News reported, and that existing drugs might help curb that effect. Its worked in mice, but immunologist Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti said whether or not it will work in humans is another question. I know my colleagues have cured mouse COVID, he told Science News. But most of the time when you do the trials in people, they turn out to be negative. Working from home has potential health benefits A report from the CDC suggests that working from home has some potential health benefits. The findings suggests that, of the COVID-19 patients sampled, patients were more likely to test positive for a coronavirus infection if they had gone in-person to work or school, suggesting that alternative methods are preferable. Most community exposures were not associated with teleworking, the CDC said. Nov. 9 3,338 new cases since Friday and 94 new hospitalizations Connecticut announced 3,338 new coronavirus cases Monday, raising the positivity rate (the percentage of tests that are positive) to 3.7 percent. There were 94 additional hospitalizations, for a total of 496 COVID patients currently in the hospital, and 27 more deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-related deaths in the state to 4,698 since the start of the pandemic. Bridgeport and Hartford averaging over 50 new cases a day Bridgeport and Hartford continue to average a relatively high number of cases per day according to a CT Insider analysis of data. Bridgeport is averaging 59 new cases and Hartford averages 52. Stamford has the third-highest rolling seven-day average of Connecticuts largest cities, with approximately 42 new cases a day. 58 percent of Europeans would take COVID vaccine Only 58 percent of people in Europe said they will take a coronavirus vaccine, according to new research, well below the threshold needed to generate herd immunity. Thats a problem, and education is the answer, according to researchers: Only by educating the general public about the benefits, safety and efficacy of vaccines can we hope to avoid the unnecessary prolongation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Antibodies found in camels used to neutralize COVID virus Scientists have synthesized so-called nanobodies (very small antibodies) found in camelids (camels and llamas) to create an ultrapotent treatment for the coronavirus. The aerosol can actually neutralize the virus, according to researchers. Air pollution creates higher risk of death for COVID patients Air pollution may be linked to COVID deaths in the United States, according to new research. This is the first study that provides some consistent evidence that, if youre living in a [U.S.] county with a higher level of fine particulate matter, it increases the risk of covid mortality, Harvards Francesca Dominici told the New Scientist. The effect is not insignificant: For every microgram of particulate matter the COVID-19 mortality rate increased by 11 percent, the study says. Nov. 6 Another 1,000 COVID cases in a single day Connecticut announced Friday an additional 1,065 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with a positivity rate (the percentage of tests that are positive) of 3.6 percent. There were 22 additional hospitalizations, for a total of 402 COVID patients currently in the hospital, and 15 more deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-related deaths in the state to 4,671. CDC lifts no-sail order for cruise ships (with one caveat) The CDC has lifted its no-sail order, giving cruise ships the green light to sail again, with one important caveat: No passengers. In April, the CDC issued a no-sail order, and maintains that cruise ships pose a greater threat to disease transmission than other settings. But now the agency has issued a phased approach to resumption of activities, starting with simulated voyages designed to test cruise ship operators ability to mitigate COVID-19, followed by a return to passenger operations after certification. Danish minks could pose COVID threat to humans A coronavirus mutation found in Danish minks has already infected 214 people in Denmark, according to local news sources. The mutated virus variant reportedly has a lower resistance to antibodies, making potential vaccines less effective, according to the Danish prime minister. We have a great responsibility towards our own population, but with the mutation that has now been found, we have an even greater responsibility for the rest of the world as well, Mette Frederiksen said this week. Masks dont inhibit oxygen during exercise, research says Canadian researchers have found that wearing a facemask does not reduce the bodys ability to get oxygen during exercise. In terms of oxygen levels in the blood or muscles, No differences were evident between wearing or not wearing a mask, according to the study, published this week by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan. Wearing a face mask during vigorous exercise had no discernable detrimental effect on blood or muscle oxygenation, and exercise performance in young, healthy participants. Study says wealthier people were able to socially distance more A study was published this week in the journal Nature showing that wealthier people are more likely to practice social distancing. Residents of low-income neighborhoods were more likely to work outside the home, compared to residents in higher-income neighborhoods, the study says. Nov. 5 CT reports over 1,100 new cases in a single day Connecticut announced 1,157 new coronavirus cases on Nov. 5, 10 more deaths and six new hospitalizations for a total of 380 patients currently in the hospital. The positivity rate has lowered to 3.7 percent. Asymptomatic COVID patients may be contagious for longer periods of time Usually, people who test positive for the coronavirus but do not have any symptoms remain contagious for about eight days. As reported by the journal Cell, one woman was contagious for more than 70 days, raising more questions about how the disease operates. The patient, a woman in her 70s, is a leukemia patient, which is why they kept checking her blood for the virus, and which may have something to do with why she remained infectious for so long. Researchers said they expect to see more cases like this in the future. Rutgers: Workers in support roles have higher risk of contracting COVID Hospital workers are at greater risk of catching the coronavirus than the general public, and specifically those in support roles, according to the latest research from the Rutgers School of Public Health. Its not necessarily those in patient-facing roles who are more at risk: Phlebotomists, maintenance workers and housekeepers, and food services workers were specifically found to be at risk. COVID corpses show extensive lung damage A study in the journal Lancet uses postmortem examination of the lungs of COVID-19 patients to show how the disease attacks the body. This kind of study may shed light on so-called long COVID, researchers said. COVID-19 is a unique disease characterized by extensive lung thrombosis, the study said. Several of COVID-19 features might be consequent to the persistence of virus-infected cells for the duration of the disease. Coronavirus on surfaces can provide warning sign of infection surges, research shows Research from Tufts University shows that many surfaces carry coronavirus RNA, but not much of it. A team of researchers sampled 33 surfaces in public places, and found that All samples showed only low-level contamination, and the infection risk from touching one of the contaminated surfaces is low, according to an article in the journal Nature. The authors also found that sampling heavily touched surfaces might provide a warning of a surge of infections. Nov. 4 CT reports 530 new cases, positivity rate slightly lowers Connecticut announced 530 new coronavirus cases on Nov. 4, 11 more deaths and seven fewer hospitalizations for a total of 374 patients currently in the hospital. The positivity rate has slightly lowered to 4.2 percent. New Haven sees fewer new cases than other major cities in CT New Haven has a significantly lower average of new coronavirus cases than other large Connecticut cities. Since September, New Haven has averaged 12 new COVID-19 cases each day, according to a CT Insider analysis of state data. By contrast, Hartford has averaged nearly 30 new cases a day during the same time period. Danbury and Bridgeport are averaging about 22 and 24 new cases each day, respectively, while Stamford is averaging nearly 19 new cases each day. Was COVID here before March? COVID may have been circulating locally for longer than we think. This study suggests that the coronavirus was present in New York City long before the first case was identified on March 1. It also shows that the virus is about 10 times more deadly than the flu. The studys authors found seropositive samples as early as mid-February in patients at New Yorks Mount Sinai Hospital. Superspreaders impact is outsized, study says How important are superspreading events? Very, according to researchers from MIT. Superspreaders, infected individuals who result in an outsized number of secondary cases, are believed to underlie a significant fraction of total SARS-CoV-2 transmission, according to a study published this week. These events have a fat tail, the study shows, resulting in the spread of disease long after the events themselves. Researchers suggest that controlling superspreading events should be a focus: Our findings indicate that large superspreading events should be the targets of interventions that minimize tail exposure. Pregnant women more likely to die from COVID: CDC Pregnant women with the coronavirus are more likely to have a severe infection, according to the CDC. An analysis of 400,000 women with symptomatic COVID-19 infections showed that intensive care unit admission, invasive ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and death were more likely in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. How much more likely? The analysis showed that pregnant women were nearly four times as likely to need invasive ventilation and twice as likely to die as women who were not pregnant. Nov. 2 CT reports 2,651 new COVID cases since Friday Connecticut announced 2,651 new coronavirus cases on Nov. 2, 11 more deaths and 11 new hospitalizations for a total of 340 patients currently in the hospital. The positivity rate has increased to 3.3 percent. CDC: People can still vote if sick or quarantining within guidelines The CDC has released guidelines for in-person voting on Nov. 3. In an email to CNN, the CDC confirmed that someone who is currently recovering from COVID-19 or quarantining from being exposed to the virus, can still vote. Any such voter is encouraged to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from others and wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after voting. These voters are also urged to notify poll workers of their condition or quarantine status. Diabetes patients with metabolic syndrome at risk for severe COVID You are much more likely to die from a COVID-19 infection if you suffer from metabolic syndrome, a disease associated with type 2 diabetes, according to a series of recent research. A study of metabolic syndrome and COVID-19 mortality among a group of adult Black patients found that metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with increased mortality, admission to an intensive care unit, invasive mechanical ventilation and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Construction workers at high risk of contracting COVID, research suggests Construction workers may be at significant risk of catching the coronavirus, specifically if construction work continues during lockdowns. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that resuming construction work during shelter-in-place orders was associated with increased hospitalization risks in the construction workforce and increased transmission in the surrounding community. Among the cohort in central Texas researchers studied, construction workers were five times more likely to be hospitalized. DETECT study: Smartwatches can detect a COVID infection Early results from research called the DETECT study has found that a computer using information obtained from smartwatches and other wearable technology can accurately detect a COVID-19 infection. The study is a big one 30,529 people, of whom 3,811 reported coronavirus symptoms. Its accurate, but not a panacea, as the study itself says: Such a passive monitoring strategy may be complementary to virus testing, which is generally a one-off, or infrequent, sampling assay. But it may be an important step, representing the transitioning of research from a dependence on brick and mortar research centers to a remote, direct-to-participant approach now possible through a range of digital technologies. Oct. 30 CT positivity rate drops to 2.5 percent and 761 new cases reported Connecticut announced 761 new coronavirus cases on Friday, seven more deaths and eight new hospitalizations for a total of 329 patients currently in the hospital. The positivity rate has sharply dropped to 2.5 percent after surpassing six percent on Oct. 29. Study finds 20 percent of grocery employees infected A study has found a high rate of asymptomatic COVID infections among grocery store workers. Published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, the study found that one out of every five of the grocery store workers tested were positive for coronavirus. Of those who tested positive, 76 percent were asymptomatic, and 91 percent had roles in the store that put them in contact with customers. Bad air can linger for 5 hours, researchers say Ventilation matters a lot, according to a study published last week in the British Journal of Anaesthesia. Aerosolized particles can remain in the air for more than five hours in a room with low ventilation rate, suggesting that hospital rooms with COVID-positive patients should be considered contaminated for extended durations after aerosol-generating procedures have been performed, the study said, since it has been shown that airborne SARS-CoV-2 remains viable for at least hours. One patient at summer camp infects 118 people: CDC A single COVID-positive patient infected 118 people at a summer camp in Wisconsin, according to the CDC. That patient tested negative a week before attending the camp, but developed symptoms and tested positive shortly after arriving. The result, the CDC said, was 76 percent of the people at the overnight camp, hailing from 21 states and two foreign countries, later tested positive. According to the CDC, this case demonstrates the need for pre-arrival quarantine and testing, cohorting, symptom monitoring, early identification and isolation of cases, mask use and enhanced hygiene and disinfection practices. FDA considering expanded access process for COVID vaccines The FDA announced that it is in the early stages of considering whether to use expanded access to distribute a potential Covid-19 vaccine, CNN reported. Expanded access is not an approval process, but rather a method to move along the process of approving an investigational medical product, like a vaccine. The process has been used before for vaccines, just not for a massive distribution that would be needed with a COVID-19 vaccine, according to CNN. Oct. 29 CT positivity rate hits six percent and over 1300 new cases reported Connecticut announced 1,319 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, five more deaths and 12 new hospitalizations. The positivity rate has significantly jumped to 6 percent. Research suggests schools may not be COVID hot spots Data from worldwide research is showing that schools may not be COVID hot spots. Despite fears, COVID-19 infections did not surge when schools and day-care centres reopened after pandemic lockdowns eased. And when outbreaks do occur, they mostly result in only a small number of people becoming ill, the journal Nature reported. Outbreaks in schools were found to be uncommon, even in places where infections were rising. Decreased death rates could change if hospitals reach capacity again, a study suggests Death rates are down, but that could change if hospitals reach capacity again, according to a study from researchers at Britains University of Exeter Medical School. In late March, four in 10 people in intensive care were dying. By the end of June, survival was over 80 percent, John M. Dennis told The New York Times. Dennis research showed that a better understanding for how the disease should be treated has played an important role in declining death rates, but also a falling critical care burden, the study said. Harvard study: Flying in an airplane may be safer than grocery shopping Flying in an airplane may be safer than grocery shopping or eating out, according to a study published Tuesday from researchers at Harvard Universitys school of public health. The risk of COVID transmission on a plane will be below that found in other routine activities during the pandemic, such as grocery shopping or eating out, the study said, though with a few caveats. There needs to be a multi-layered approach in order to keep passengers and employees safe, including wearing face masks, disinfection of surfaces and maintenance of appropriate ventilation gate-to-gate. CDC: College students contract COVID because of failure to follow protocols College students are getting COVID because they are not following standard protocols, according to the CDC. Following an investigation into 17 COVID cases at a Chicago college, the CDC determined that Colleges and universities are at risk for COVID-19 outbreaks because of shared housing and social gatherings where recommended prevention guidance is not followed. The Chicago Department of Public Health was notified in August of a cluster of COVID-19 cases among a universitys mens and womens soccer teams. That cluster, the CDC said, was the result of several events, including a birthday party and an unsanctioned game between the mens and womens teams. Oct. 28 CT reports 17 new hospitalizations, decrease in positivity rate Connecticut announced 490 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, nine more deaths and 17 new hospitalizations. The positivity rate has decreased to 3.4 percent from the previous high of 4.1 percent announced Tuesday. New cases in Bridgeport have doubled, on average In the last three days Bridgeports seven-day rolling average of new cases has nearly doubled, according to a CT Insider analysis of state data. The average of 40 new cases is the highest it has been in months. Bridgeports rise in cases mirrors the overall surge in the state. Long-term exposure to air pollution tied to COVID-19 deaths: report A study from the journal Cardiovascular Research found that long-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to 15 percent of COVID-19 deaths globally, as Aljazeera reported. Evidence suggests that in East Asia 27 percent of COVID-19 deaths could be tied to effects of poor air quality. The deaths linked to COVID-19 and air pollution presented a potentially avoidable, excess mortality, researchers said. Study: Some antibodies attack body instead of COVID-19 virus Some antibodies produced during a COVID-19 infection attack the body, as opposed to the virus, according to a study published by MicroB-plex, Inc., last week. Some patients bodies are producing so-called autoantibodies, which happens with diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The research may be helpful in understanding in the increasingly documented cases of lingering COVID-19, researchers wrote. Flu shots may help prevent COVID-19 infections, research suggests A flu shot might help prevent a COVID infection according to new research. The research is preliminary, but scientists at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands found that health care workers who had received a flu shot were 39 percent less likely to test positive for COVID-19, as Scientific American reported. As of June 1, 2.23 percent of the health care workers studied who did not get vaccinated against the flu tested positive, while 1.33 percent of those who got a flu shot tested positive for COVID. Oct. 27 6 deaths, 538 new cases in a day Connecticut announced 538 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, six more deaths and 22 new hospitalizations. CT positivity rate up to 4.1 percent, highest rate since June Gov. Ned Lamont announced Tuesday that the infection rate is up to 4.1 percent. This is the highest Connecticut has had since June. The rolling seven-day average positivity rate has risen every day for the last week, accumulating to an average of 2.5 percent today. CDC: Six percent of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 are health care providers Between March and the end of May, 6 percent of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 were health care providers, according to the CDC. Of those health care providers hospitalized with COVID, most, 73 percent, were obese. About 36 percent were nurses, 16 percent of them needed to be mechanically ventilated and 4 percent of those health care providers hospitalized with a COVID infection died. COVID antibodies providing immunity dont last, according to a study Antibodies associated with immunity from the coronavirus dont last, according to a study from the Imperial College London. Using a finger prick test to detect antibodies in the blood, researchers found that the number of people testing positive dropped by 26.5 percent between June 20 and Sept. 28. These findings suggest that immunity wont last more than a few months in some cases, but Helen Ward, one of the lead researchers in the study, was reluctant to draw that conclusion explicitly: We dont yet know whether this will leave these people at risk of reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19, but it is essential that everyone continues to follow guidance to reduce the risk to themselves and others. Researcher suggests coronavirus may increase risk for Parkinsons disease Coronavirus may increase risk of Parkinsons disease, according to a commentary published last week in the journal Trends in Neurosciences. "Evidence is mounting that the side effects of COVID-19 infection, such as inflammation and damage to the vascular system, could lay the foundation for development of Parkinson's disease, researcher Patrik Brundin told Science Daily. COVID-19 is clearly a major and ongoing public health threat, but the consequences of infection may end up being with us for years and decades to come. Oct. 26 Over 2,000 cases and 37 new hospitalizations in three days Connecticut announced 2,047 new coronavirus cases Monday, 12 more deaths and 37 new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) has decreased to 2.2 percent from 2.9 percent on Oct. 23. Mayo Clinic: More physically fit patients are less likely to be hospitalized for COVID Exercise matters, according to research published by the Mayo Clinic. The more physically fit a patient was in the years prior to catching COVID, the less likely they were to be hospitalized, according to the study. As the study concludes, Maximal exercise capacity is independently and inversely associated with the likelihood of hospitalization due to COVID-19. Study: Lockdowns affect health in both good and bad ways What is being called a first-of-its-kind global study showed that lockdows significantly affected peoples health, in both bad and good ways. People cooked more and often ate healthier, but their mental states were adversely affected by community-wide lockdowns. The stay-at-home orders did result in one major health positive. Overall, healthy eating increased because we ate out less frequently. However, we snacked more. We got less exercise. We went to bed later and slept more poorly. Our anxiety levels doubled, said Leanne Redman, PhD, Associate Executive Director for Scientific Education at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Predictions show CT to have 6,000 to 9,000 COVID deaths by February The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, has released predictions for COVID-related deaths by state through the end of February. The most likely trajectory in Connecticut is somewhere between 6,000 and 9,000 deaths from the coronavirus, an increase of more than 1,000 in the next four months at the low-end. Nationwide, if 95 percent of the population wore masks, it would be the difference between 1,053,206 total deaths by the end of February and 381,798 total COVID deaths, according to the IHME. NonCOVID-19 hospitalizations decrease during pandemic peaks, study says A study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found a substantial decrease in the number of nonCOVID-19 hospitalizations across a range of diagnoses during the peak COVID-19 period. There were less hospitalizations for injuries, worsening of chronic conditions and medical events requiring inpatient care. The study attributes the decrease to three things: patients avoiding emergency care over fear of COVID-19, loss of health insurance, increased threshold for hospitalization and changes in patient lifestyle because of social distancing. Oct. 23 CT positivity rate increases to 2.9 percent On Oct. 23, Connecticut announced 679 new cases, eight more deaths and one new hospitalization. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) has increased to 2.9 percent from when it was 2.2 percent on Oct. 22. In the last seven days the positivity rate has fluctuated, but shown a general uptick where on six of those seven days the positivity rate is above two percent. WHO: No normalcy for at least a year The World Health Organizations chief science officer said this week that the world wont go back to some measure of normalcy for at least a year, even if a vaccine is approved and administered. Were looking at 2022, at least, before enough people start getting the vaccine to build immunity, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said during a media briefing. So, for a long time to come, we have to maintain the same kind of measures that are currently being put in place with physical distancing, the masking and respiratory hygiene. Oxford vaccine creates strong response to COVID-19 The coronavirus vaccine being developed by Oxford University creates a strong immunity response, according to researchers at the University of Bristol, as British news source Metro reported. Vaccines usually inject tiny bits of a pathogen in this case, the vaccine instructs the body to create the relevant protein itself, and it appears to work. This is an important study as we are able to confirm that the genetic instructions underpinning this vaccine, which is being developed as fast as safely possible, are correctly followed when they get into a human cell, said David Matthews, from Bristols School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. Researchers: Age does not determine if you contract COVID-19 or not A group of Japanese researchers have determined that age has nothing to do with susceptibility to the coronavirus, according to research published in the journal Nature. Their mathematical model shows that age does affect severity of infection, but how old you are has nothing to do with whether or not you catch the virus in the first place. Study: Mismanagement of pandemic led to more deaths A study from the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University estimated how many deaths the United States could have prevented if it had mirrored the policies and responses in six other high-income nations, namely South Korea, Japan, Australia, Germany, Canada and France. In the U.S., the death rate is 66.33 for every 100,000 people. Had The United States adopted strategies similar to those in the other countries studied, at least 130,000 fewer people would have died, according to the studys authors. By contrasting the U.S. proportional mortality rate with that of six other high-income countries, this report highlights the stark reality that is the United States continued mismanagement of the pandemic response, the study says. Oct. 22 Connecticut reports 502 new cases On Oct. 22, Connecticut announced 502 new cases, two more deaths and 19 new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) has slightly decreased to 2.2 percent from 2.6 percent on Oct. 21. Rolling 7-day average of positivity rate is steadily climbing The rolling seven-day average for the positivity rate in Connecticut is on an uptick. In the last week, the average has steadily increased. CDC: COVID can be spread during brief encounters The CDC has said COVID-19 can be passed from one host to another during even brief encounters, as Stat news reported, prompting the agency to redefine terms. The CDC had defined a close contact as spending 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of someone else. Now its cumulative you just need to spend a total of 15 minutes or more of the course of a 24-hour period within 6 feet of someone who was infectious. Brazilian health officials: Patient dies in AstraZeneca COVID vaccine trial Brazilian health officials have said that a patient involved in the vaccine trial run by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has died, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. It was not made clear if the patient had been administered the trial vaccine or was in the control group. The patient was reported to be a man in his 20s and was from Rio de Janeiro. Russia is promoting COVID disinformation: ABC News An internal U.S. intelligence bulletin reportedly obtained by ABC News says Russia is continuing to actively promote disinformation related to the coronavirus. Dated Oct. 19, the bulletin said those efforts have increased in pace since the start of the month. Russia continues to spread COVID-19 disinformation and conspiracy theories that have the greatest potential to impact U.S. public health efforts, the bulletin says, according to ABC News. Oct. 21 State logs 416 new COVID cases The percent of total coronavirus tests that were positive dropped slightly Wednesday, from 3 percent to 2.6 percent. The state added an additional 416 coronavirus cases, and eight new COVID-associated deaths. Four fewer people were hospitalized with COVID-19 infections Wednesday, according to data released by the state. Hartford averages twice the new cases seen in other CT cities The rolling seven-day average of new coronavirus cases in Hartford is double that in other major cities in Connecticut, according to a CT Insider analysis of state data. For the last seven days, Hartford has averaged 43 new cases per day. By comparison, Bridgeport is averaging 23 new cases per day. Danbury, which was considered to be having a coronavirus surge earlier this fall, is averaging 16 new cases per day. CDC: Over 200,000 excess deaths during pandemic The CDC said this week that there have been 299,028 so-called excess deaths during the course of the pandemic in the United States, significantly more than the 216,000 deaths directly attributed to COVID-19. Excess deaths are the number of deaths above the average for the time period, and are considered a good way to estimate the true loss of life from the pandemic. Study: 71.5 percent of people open to take a COVID-19 vaccine Globally, 71.5 percent of people would be somewhat likely to take a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a study published this week in the journal Nature. The research asked 13,426 people in 19 countries their feelings on the subject of vaccines, and found a wide range nation to nation. In China, almost 90 percent of people said they would take a vaccine, compared to only 55 percent in Russia. In the United States, 75.42 percent of people answered yes to the question, If a COVID-19 vaccine is proven safe and effective and is available, I will take it. American Academy of Pediatrics: CT children have lower COVID-19 infection rates than other states The percent and number of kids with COVID-19 is lower in Connecticut than in most other states, according to a study released by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nationwide, 10.9 percent of all coronavirus cases were among people aged 18 and under. In Wyoming, nearly 30 percent of all cases were among children, compared to about 4.3 percent in New York City and New Jersey. Connecticut saw less than 10 percent of all COVID cases among children, below the 11 percent median. Oct. 20 CT positivity rate leaps to 3.0 percent On Oct. 20, Connecticut announced 434 new cases, five more deaths and 22 new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) has jumped to 3 percent from 1.7 percent on Oct. 19. This is the highest it has been since June. COVID-19 vaccine may be ready for approval by December The CEO of pharmaceutical manufacturer Moderna said a coronavirus vaccine should be ready for approval by December. Stephane Bancel, speaking to the Wall Street Journal, said that authorization might not happen until early next year. Moderna is one of four drugmakers in late-stage coronavirus vaccine trials. Straits Times: University developing COVID-19 breathalyzer test The National University of Singapore is developing a COVID-19 breathalyzer test, the Straits Times reported. Theres only been a pilot of 180 patients so far, but the test returned results in less than a minute and was shown to be 90 percent accurate. "Results are generated in real time, making it an attractive solution for mass screening, especially in areas with high human traffic, one researcher said. Study: Nasal and oral rinses may deactivate coronavirus Results from a Penn State College of Medicine study suggest that some nasal and oral rinses may inactivate coronaviruses. Listerine, for example, actually reduced the viral load under laboratory conditions, as did CVS Antiseptic Mouth Wash and others. The key may be how long you rinse your mouth, researchers said. One minute or more actually made a significant difference. Most of the common overthecounter mouth washes/gargles tested demonstrated at least a 90 percent reduction in infectious virus at one minute of contract time with the majority of products showing increasing virucidal activity with longer contact times, the study said. UK vaccine trial moves toward human challenge trial A UK vaccine trial announced it will begin a COVID-19 human challenge trial in January, the journal Nature reported. The trial is aimed at accelerating COVID-19 vaccine development in hopes of potentially ending the pandemic. But the prospect of deliberately infecting people even those at low risk of severe disease with SARS-CoV-2, a deadly pathogen that has few proven treatments, is uncharted medical and bioethical territory, the journal stated. Oct. 19 CT COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations rise On Oct. 19, the State of Connecticut announced 1,191 new cases, 12 more deaths and 11 new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) has decreased to 1.7. percent from 2.4 percent on Oct. 16. Study shows organ damage in some hospitalized COVID patients A new study of patients who have been in the hospital with a COVID infection suggests a potential link between chronic inflammation and ongoing organ damage among survivors, as Reuters reports. About 60 percent of patients showed abnormalities of the lungs, 29 percent had kidney issues, 26 percent had heart problems and 10 percent had abnormalities in the liver. CVS is hiring 15,000 workers to help handle vaccines CVS is adding 15,000 workers across the United States to handle vaccinations for both the flu and a potential rollout of a coronavirus vaccine, the company said in a statement. Were estimating a much greater need for trained pharmacy technicians this year given the continued presence of COVID-19 in our communities, said Lisa Bisaccia, CVS chief human resources officer. Notre Dame: Virus-related lockdowns prevent thousands of deaths linked to pollution A study from researchers at Notre Dame University showed that virus-related lockdowns in China and Europe prevented tens of thousands of deaths related to pollution. Researcher Paola Crippa and her colleagues looked at the average number of deaths associated with pollution, the number of similar deaths that happened during pandemic lockdowns and the decrease in airborne particulate matter. The study estimated that 24,200 deaths associated with particulate matter were prevented in China, and another 2,190 pollution-related deaths were avoided in Europe, compared to the average. WHO trial finds that COVID-19 associated drugs did not clearly impact patient outcomes The WHO Solidarity trial found that four drugs Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon have have little or no effect, on hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Research found that none of these drugs clearly reduced mortality, initiation of ventilation or hospitalization duration. Oct. 16 CT Positivity rate drastically jumps to 2.4 percent On Oct. 16, the State of Connecticut announced 802 new cases, two more deaths and no new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) increased to 2.4 percent from 1.3 percent on Oct. 15. Rolling seven-day average for positivity rate is at 1.7 percent The rolling seven-day positivity rate average is at 1.7 percent, its highest in weeks according to a CT Insider analysis of state data. The positivity rate jumped to 2.4 percent on Oct. 16 from previously being at 1.3 percent on Oct. 15. For the past week, the average has varied between 1.3 and 1.5 percent until today. Large Thanksgiving parties are a risk: Dr. Anthony Fauci Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that families need to reconsider having large Thanksgiving parties. "That is unfortunately a risk, when you have people coming from out of town, gathering together in an indoor setting," Fauci, the nations leading expert on infectious diseases, told CBS news. "It is unfortunate, because that's such a sacred part of American tradition the family gathering around Thanksgiving. But that is a risk." Politico: Pfizer will not seek vaccine approval until after election Pfizer, one of four U.S. drug manufacturers in late-stage coronavirus vaccine testing, said that it wont seek authorization for a vaccine until after the election. "Let me be clear, assuming positive data, Pfizer will apply for Emergency Authorization Use in the U.S. soon after the safety milestone is achieved in the third week of November," the companys CEO wrote, as Politico reported. CDC releases guidelines for COVID testing in schools The CDC has released interim guidelines for coronavirus testing in schools. The guidance goes into detail on the types of testing, when testing is and is not recommended for students and staff, and which schools (and which people within schools) to prioritize testing. The agency made it clear that these are just guidelines, not mandates: These considerations are for testing in school settings and are intended for K-12 school administrators working in collaboration with their state, tribal, local, and territorial public health officials. Oct. 15 CT positivity rate decreases to 1.3 percent On Oct. 15, the State of Connecticut announced 213 new cases, three more deaths and three new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) decreased to 1.3 percent from a high of 2.4 percent on Oct. 13. Coronavirus strain infecting pigs in China could spread to humans A related coronavirus that has torn through the pig population in China (Its called swine acute diarrhea syndrome, or SADS) has the potential to jump to humans, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The good news is that, "It is impossible to predict if this virus, or a relative of it, could emerge and infect human populations, as one reseracher said. However, it has been shown to replicate in human cells, which demonstrates potential risk for future emergence events in human and animal populations." Research shows coronavirus travels through the air in different ways Researchers have modelled how the coronavirus is transmitted via droplets and in aerosolized form, and suggest that it moves from host to host in different ways depending on the humidity in the air. UC Santa Barbara researchers say that ability to be transmitted in both droplets and aerosolized form may be why the virus did not abate in the summer as some researchers thought it might. We found that in most situations, respiratory droplets travel longer distances than the 6-foot social distance recommended by the CDC, researcher Yanying Zhu said. Oxford University scientists developed a 5-minute COVID test Scientists at Oxford University have developed a 5-minute antigen test, as NBC reported. Our method quickly detects intact virus particles, said Professor Achilles Kapanidis, at Oxfords Department of Physics. He said the test, described as cost-effective, should have an approved device in the middle of next year. Israeli scientists identify drugs that can reduce COVID-19 severity Israeli scientists have engaged in an extensive, systematic analysis of electronic health records to identify drugs that could reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, according to research published this week. Their results were encouraging: We identified several drugs and products sold in pharmacies that are significantly associated with reduced odds ratios of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalization and disease severity. Oct. 14 CT positivity rate decreases to 1.9 percent On Oct. 14, the State of Connecticut announced 164 new cases, four more deaths and 16 new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) decreased to 1.9 percent, still a relatively high rate, but lower than the previously reported 2.4 percent on Oct. 13. Dutch woman is first known death from COVID-19 reinfection An elderly woman in the Netherlands has become the first known person to die from a COVID-19 reinfection, according to Dutch experts. She died nearly two weeks after being infected with the virus a second time. The lady had a rare bone marrow cancer called Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, but researchers said her immune system could have still been sufficient to eliminate, the virus. COVID-19 financial losses amount to about $16 trillion, study says A pair of researchers from Harvard published a study this week in which they show that the estimated cumulative financial costs of the COVID-19 pandemic related to the lost output and health reduction is about $16 trillion in the United States. Thats equal to about 90 percent of the total annual GDP of the United States, translating to an average loss of almost $200 000 for a family of four. Those numbers are not so straightforward. Half of that $16 trillion is lost income from the COVID-19-induced recession the rest is the estimated economic effects of shorter and less healthy life, researchers wrote. Deaths 20% higher because of the pandemic There were 20 percent more deaths than usual between March and July, according to one recent research letter published by scientists from Yale University and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Those deaths were not all directly related to COVID only about 67 percent of those 225,530 excess deaths were from a coronavirus infection. The remainder are from pandemic-related issues (like increased poverty or stretched-too-thin hospital resources. Effects of COVID-19 on mental health will be profound: NYU researchers Three mental health professionals from NYU expressed concerns in a research letter over what the sheer number of pandemic-related deaths might do to the people left behind. Each COVID-19 death leaves an estimated nine family members bereaved, which projects to an estimated 2 million bereaved individuals in the U.S., they wrote. Thus, the effect of COVID-19 deaths on mental health will be profound. Its not just the effects of dealing with death. There is also a significant amount of stress and social disruption caused by the pandemic, which has increased rates of depression and anxiety, and substance abuse. A second wave of devastation is imminent, attributable to mental health consequences of COVID-19, they wrote. The magnitude of this second wave is likely to overwhelm the already frayed mental health system, leading to access problems, particularly for the most vulnerable persons. Oct. 13 CT positivity rate significantly increases to 2.4 percent On Oct. 13, the State of Connecticut announced 320 new cases, one death and 17 more hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) increased significantly to 2.4 percent. Pfizer expands vaccine study to include teenagers Pfizer has altered its vaccine study to include younger participants aged 12 through 15 after getting permission by the Food and Drug Administration. The study originally planned for 30,000 participants, but expanded the participant pool to 44,000 in September. Johnson & Johnson pauses COVID-19 vaccine trial after unexplained illness Johnson & Johnson is temporarily pausing its COVID-19 vaccine trial after an unexplained illness in a study participant. The company said adverse events, like illnesses, are an expected part of any clinical study. The illness is being reviewed by ENSEMBLE independent Data Safety Monitoring Board and internal physicians. It is not always immediately apparent whether a participant received a study treatment or a placebo, the company said. COVID-19 reinfection more severe the second time, study says A study by The Lancet, a medical journal, found that a person re-infected with COVID-19 had more severe symptoms during his second battle with the virus. The patient developed myalgia, a cough, shortness of breath and signs of pneumonia. Researchers speculate that the reinfection may have been more severe for one of the following reasons: the patient may have been exposed to a higher dose of the virus, this version of the virus may be more malicious or antibodies could have been infected and became dependent on the virus. U.S. experiences more COVID-19 deaths than any country, according to JAMA Network The medical journal JAMA conducted a study to explain why the U.S.has experienced more COVID-19 deaths than any other country. After the first peak in early spring, U.S. death rates from COVID-19 and from all causes remained higher than even countries with high COVID-19 mortality, the study says. JAMA found that these results came from several factors, including weak public health infrastructure and a decentralized, inconsistent U.S. response to the pandemic. Oct. 12 Coronavirus can linger on touchscreens for at least 28 days Coronavirus can live and remain viable for at least 28 days on touchscreens and banknotes, according to newly released research from Australia. The study, from researchers at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, showed that, at 68 degrees fahrenheit, the coronavirus can survive for a month on common surfaces such as glass, stainless steel and both paper and polymer banknotes. At 100 degrees fahrenheit, the virus can live less than 24 hours on those surfaces, the study said. CDC: Infections in younger people happen before spike in infections in older people A study of infection data by age group released by the CDC showed that in counties considered hotspots, including counties in Connecticut, a spike in the number of infections among younger people preceded a spike in infections among older people by several weeks. The dynamic was less profound in Northeast states, but the CDC notes that addressing transmission among young adults is an urgent public health priority. CT projected to average over 16 deaths a day by 2021 Connecticut is currently seeing an average of 1.68 deaths from the coronavirus every day. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation data shows the state hitting 2.3 average daily deaths by Election Day, and more than 16 deaths per day by Jan. 1. The IHMEs predictions dont go any further than February but, by that point, Connecticut could be looking at 30 deaths per day from the coronavirus, with significant increases in infections and hospital resource use as well. Hartford is averaging 10 new cases per day Hartford has been experiencing a steady rise in new COVID-19 cases every day. Data shows that Hartford has reported at least 10 new cases every day since Sept. 28. The rolling seven-day average shows an average 11 new cases each day so far in October. Trinity College and UNH suspend in-person learning over COVID-19 outbreaks Trinity College in Hartford and the University of New Haven have experienced outbreaks in the last few days. The University of New Haven announced today that it is suspending in-person learning until Oct. 17 because of the outbreak. Trinity has also paused in-person instruction until it can get a handle on the growing cases. Oct. 9 CT positivity rate increases to 1.68 percent On Oct. 9, the State of Connecticut announced 290 new cases, three more deaths and six new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) increased to 1.68 percent. States without mask mandates have 10 times the COVID-19 cases A study of states policies as they reopened showed that those without mask mandates saw 10 times the number of coronavirus cases as those states with mask mandates. This study contributes to the growing evidence that mask usage is essential for mitigating community transmission of COVID-19, the study concludes. States should delay further reopening until mask mandates are fully implemented, and enforcement by local businesses will be critical for preventing potential future closures. A serious COVID-19 infection can provide long-lasting immunity A Harvard study suggests that a serious COVID-19 infection does provide long-lasting immunity. Its been assumed that catching the virus does grant some measure of immunity, but Harvard researchers may be the first to confirm that severe infections do result in some measure of immunity on a long-term basis. We showed that key antibody responses to COVID-19 do persist. the lead researcher said. Coronavirus can live on human skin for nine hours Coronavirus can live on human skin for nine hours, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. The study shows that this nine-hour window during which the virus lingers creates a higher risk of transmission and underlines the importance of washing your hands or sanitizing. Trump plans to hold a rally in Florida Saturday, whether infectious or not President Donald Trump plans to hold a Saturday rally in Florida, an event which his doctors have cleared him for after a COVID diagnosis last week. Depending on the severity of his COVID infection, he may or may not be infectious at that point. According to the CDC, patients with mild to moderate remain infectious no longer than 10 days after symptom onset. Patients with more severe infections can be contagious for up to 20 days. The New York Times reported that Trump began experiencing symptoms on Wednesday, Sept. 30, exactly 10 days before his planned Saturday rally. Oct. 8 384 cases and 5 COVID deaths as phase 3 begins Gov. Ned Lamont announced an additional five deaths from COVID-19 Friday, as the state begins phase 3 of reopening, increasing indoor capacity in restaurants and opening up arts venues. The state also logged an additional one-day increase of 384 COVID cases, and a positivity rate of 1.4 percent. White House chief adviser lays out vaccine approval for after election A chief adviser to the White Houses Operation Warp Speed this week laid out a timetable for vaccine approval, after Nov. 3. On Tuesday, Moncef Slaoui told a symposium run by Johns Hopkins University that "Nobody can really say when," a vaccine would be approved, "but the expectation would be that this would happen between the month of November and December." European Union secures 400 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine The European Union has secured 400 million doses of a vaccine being developed by Johnson & Johnson, one of four U.S.-made vaccine candidates currently in late-stage trials. The contract allows member states to purchase vaccines for 200 million people. They will also have the possibility to purchase vaccines for an additional 200 million people, the EU commission said in a statement, as was reported by Reuters. The E.U. has already signed similar deals with drugmakers AstraZeneca and Sanofi, which are also working on vaccine candidates. U.S. ranked nine of 19 for pandemic management The U.S. ranks ninth of 19 nations in terms of public perception of pandemic management, according to a new tool developed by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and the City University of New York. The U.S. was rated highly in terms of income, food and shelter aid, but did not perform as well, in the view of survey respondents in terms of government cooperation with other nations and global agencies. 500,000 sharks could die for COVID vaccine, conservationists say A conservationist group says that as many as 500,000 sharks could be killed to provide a coronavirus vaccine to the worlds population. Squalene, used as an emulsifier in many vaccines, is often derived from shark liver oil. California-based Shark Allies has put together a Change.org petition to encourage the worlds drugmakers to use squalene from other sources. The organization estimates that, depending on the vaccine, as many as 500,000 sharks could be killed to provide two vaccine doses globally. Oct. 7 Note: Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday that the state actually administered more than more than 17,700 coronavirus tests Tuesday, instead of 8,200 as he initially reported. That brought the percent positive to 0.7 percent instead of 1.6 percent. CT positivity rate increases since Oct. 6 On Oct. 7, the State of Connecticut announced 123 new cases, one death and nine more hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) increased to 1.62 percent. Fauci says the U.S. could have as many as 400,000 deaths before pandemic ends Anthony Fauci said during an event hosted by American University that the United States could see as many as 400,000 coronavirus deaths before the pandemic is over, as Axios reported. "We could have 300,000-400,000 COVID-19 deaths, if precautions arent taken, he said. NY locks down on COVID-19 hotspots New York State is locking down again, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, placing restrictions on businesses, churches and schools near COVID-19 hotspots. Cuomo said the rules will be enforced in parts of Brooklyn, Queens, Orange and Rockland counties, and that they would take effect no later than Friday. CT has had a 75 percent increase in COVID-19 cases over the last 14 days The numbers are small, but the percentage increase in both cases and deaths from the coronavirus is high in Connecticut, according to data maintained by Kaiser Health News. There has been a 75 percent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state over the last 14 days, the sixth highest in the nation. There has been a 40 percent increase in the number of COVID-related deaths, though the state is still at a rolling seven-day average of two deaths per day, which is relatively low for the United States. There is a seven-day average of about 200 new cases in the state. One-third of COVID-19 patients experience neurological effects A study by Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology found that nearly a third of hospitalized COVID-19 patients experienced some form of an altered mental capacity. The symptoms are varied, ranging from dizziness to confusion to unresponsiveness. Patients with neurological symptoms experienced worse medical outcomes as a result, reported the New York Times. Oct. 6 No new hospitalizations since Oct. 5 On Oct. 6, the State of Connecticut announced 121 new cases, 4 more deaths and no new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) decreased to 1.47 percent. Quest diagnostics releases at-home COVID-19 test kit Quest Diagnostics has released a new, at-home COVID-19 test kit, WFSB reported. The kit includes a nasal swab PCR test that can be returned in an overnight FedEx envelope. A test kit costs $129 and can be ordered online at the Quest Diagnostics website. Alternatively, someone can complete the at-home test by buying it online and taking the specimen to a drive-thru pharmacy at a nearby Walmart. White House blocks FDA guidelines preventing vaccine approval before election The White House has blocked proposed FDA guidelines that would have prevented a vaccine from being approved before the Nov. 3 election, as multiple news organizations have reported. The FDA had instructed vaccine manufacturers to follow patients involved in vaccine trials for two months, a timeline that would have pushed any approvals to after the election. 13-year-old spreads coronavirus to 12 people in four states The CDC has detailed how a 13-year-old with coronavirus spread the disease to at least 12 other people in four states. Fourteen people stayed in a house with the index patient, of whom 12 were infected (none worse masks or practiced social distancing). Six other relatives stayed outside of the hose and none of them caught the virus. Relaxing social distancing rules contribute to increased transmission rates across U.S. A study from researchers at the Center for Global Health in Boston showed that the transmission rate across the United States began increasing as soon as social distancing rules were relaxed. We detected an immediate and significant reversal in SARS-CoV-2 epidemic suppression after relaxation of social distancing measures across the U.S. Premature relaxation of social distancing measures undermined the countrys ability to control the disease burden associated with COVID-19, researchers said. Oct. 5 Connecticuts positivity rate increases to 1.6 On Oct. 5, the State of Connecticut announced 823 new cases, four more deaths and 19 more hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) increased to 1.6 percent from the previous 1.3 percent on Oct. 2. CT transmission rate at its highest since March Connecticuts transmission rate is at its highest since March. The transmission rate is 1.11, according to rt.live and Yales model pins the rate at 1.15. This number means that an infected person will spread the disease to at least one other person on average, causing COVID-19 to spread. MIT develops a cheap, new COVID-19 test MIT has developed a COVID-19 test that is so cheap it could be administered at home every single day. The test returns results in 30 minutes to an hour, and is more than 90 percent accurate. We need rapid testing to become part of the fabric of this situation so that people can test themselves every day, which will slow down an outbreak, Omar Abudayyeh, an MIT McGovern Fellow working on the diagnostic, said in a release. The test is still in the research phase. Coronavirus cases increase as cold front arrives As the cold weather has arrived, there has been a record number of coronavirus cases in nine states, as Reuters reports. The states seeing the largest increases are those where the cold has taken hold, particularly in the northern Midwest. In Wisconsin, for example, an average of 22 percent of all COVID-19 tests are coming back positive. CDC updates guidance to confirm COVID-19 can be spread through aerosols Despite a mountain of other research, the CDC has gone back and forth about whether the virus can spread through aerosols, but a newly updated guidance affirms it can be spread through the air. Small viral particles can linger in the air for minutes or hours after a person has left a space, potentially infecting others. This kind of spread is called airborne transmission. Oct. 2 Connecticuts COVID-19 cases continue to climb On Oct. 2, the State of Connecticut announced 460 new cases, two more deaths and three more hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) is at 1.36 percent. Norwich issued a COVID-19 alert after outbreak of positive cases The state has issued a COVID-19 alert for the town of Norwich following a recent spike in cases in the area in the last two weeks, Gov. Ned Lamont said in a tweet early Friday morning. The state Department of Health said that Norwich recorded at least 84 new coronavirus cases in mid-September to raise the daily case rate to 24 per 100,000, the highest rate in the state. This is a significant increase in cases in Norwich we need to focus everyones attention on, said Acting DPH Commissioner Deidre S. Gifford in a release. Moderna says vaccine could be ready by March 2021 The CEO of Moderna, one of the leading companies working on a coronavirus vaccine, said this week the company plans to submit its vaccine candidate to the FDA in January 2021, at the earliest, with an expected vaccine ready for public consumption no earlier than March or April of next year. Kids are efficient virus spreaders, study says Heres a little more about superspreaders: A study of 575,071 people who had been exposed to confirmed COVID-19 patients the largest such study ever found that children and young adults in particular were good at spreading the virus. Kids are very efficient transmitters in this setting, which is something that hasnt been firmly established in previous studies, said lead researcher Ramanan Laxminarayan. Blumenthal getting tested after potential exposure at White House President Trump has tested positive and is experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19. Following his diagnosis, a string of White House officials along with Connecticuts Sen. Richard Blumenthal, have chosen to get tested. Sen. Chris Murphy stated the White House could now be a superspreading site, according to the New Haven Independent. Oct. 1 Positive tests continues to grow in Connecticut The percent of total tests that were positive in Connecticut continued to grow Thursday 1.85 percent of all coronavirus tests in the state came back positive, up from 1.78 the previous day. Again, three more deaths from the virus were identified, and another three people were fighting the disease in the hospital, according to the state Who should get a vaccine first? Health care professionals A study asked members of the public who they thought should get a vaccine first when one is available. Most people thought health care professionals should get a vaccine first. The goal is not only to better allocate limited resources but to build a little trust. Public engagement can contribute to resource allocation decisions, the studys authors said. Incorporating public preferences could advance the perceived legitimacy of vaccine allocation guidelines. Vaccine trial participants experience symptoms in phase three Participants in the vaccine trial being managed by Moderna and AstraZenica reported symptoms like fever, body aches, headaches and exhaustion, and while the symptoms were described as intense by some patients, they tended to abate in a single day or less, as CNBC reported. The Moderna vaccine candidate is one of of four currently in phase three trials in the United States. Fauci says vaccine trials need a diverse group of patients National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci told congress that vaccine trials need to include a diverse group of patients. We need to get a diverse representation of the population in the clinical trials," he told a panel of Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) members, as The Hill reported. "So when they are proven to be safe and effective, we can say they are safe and effective in everyone, not only in whites." FDA looks into a wider scope of side effects from AstraZenica vaccine candidate The FDA is widening the scope of its investigation into possible side effects from the AstraZenica vaccine candidate, probably resulting in further delays, as Reuters reported. The stage three trial has been on hold since Sept. 8, after a patient in the trial developed a spinal cord illness called transverse myelitis. Sept. 30 Percent positive up in CT About 1.8 percent of the total number of coronavirus tests in Connecticut were positive, an increase of about .1 percent from the day before. There were a total of 221 new cases announced, and 12 new COVID-19-related hospitalizations. In addition, there were three more coronavirus-related deaths in the state. COVID-19 may be ramping up in NYC Coronavirus cases are spiking in New York City. The daily rate of positive coronavirus tests jumped to 3.25 percent on Tuesday from 1.9 the day earlier, though it then dropped back down to below 1 percent. That spike may be centered in the citys Orthodox Jewish community, but the city did just open up to 25 percent of indoor capacity at restaurants. Percent positive up in New Jersey New Yorks positivity rate the percentage of tests that are positive may be jumping up and down, and Connecticuts may be inching up, but pay attention to New Jersey. State officials there said Wednesday the positivity rate in that state climbed over 3 percent after being in the 2 percent range for weeks. Transmission on surfaces unlikely in the real world Coronavirus transmission on surfaces is unlikely, according to a letter published in the journal Lancet. In laboratory conditions its possible, but in the real world its far less likely, provided that standard cleaning procedures and precautions are enforced. Wash your hands. Chinese citizens are already getting a vaccine There has been no coronavirus vaccine yet approved in China, but state media has said that hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens are receiving an unapproved shot under an emergency authorization, as The New Yorker reported. The goal, they said, was to beat the United States to the punch. Chinese officials are thinking that Donald Trump might approve a U.S. vaccine before the election, Yiwu He, the chief innovation officer at the University of Hong Kong, told The New Yorker. So their goal is to have a vaccine approved before that. Sept. 29 COVID-19 hospitalizations rise Since Tuesday, the state of Connecticut announced 182 new cases, 2 more deaths and 17 more hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) has decreased to 1.06 percent. Less than 10 percent of U.S. adults formed antibodies during first COVID-19 wave A study by The Lancet shows that fewer than 10 percent of the U.S. adult population developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, during the first wave of the pandemic and fewer than 10 percent of those with antibodies were diagnosed. This has a lot of implications when youre looking at things such as vaccines. Rapid COVID-19 tests to be used in Connecticut schools Connecticut is expecting to receive 1 million rapid COVID-19 tests from the federal government. The tests are meant to help keep schools open. Of the 1 million tests, 69,000 will arrive next week, according to Gov. Ned Lamont. The tests will also be used in nursing homes, day care centers, prisons and for the state's rapid-response team to deal with virus outbreaks. Lawsuit to stop kids from wearing masks in schools goes to court Parents from five Connecticut towns are arguing that the state lacked the authority to create the mandate and violated the constitutional rights of students by imposing it. A state Superior Court judge is presiding over the lawsuit. Americans over 30 have been drinking more during the pandemic Adults over 30 have been drinking more during the pandemic, according to the JAMA Network Open journal. Alcohol consumption has increased 14 percent since 2019, averaging out to one additional drinking day per month by 75 percent of adults. Sept. 28 More cases reported and one less hospitalization since Sept. 25 Since Sept. 25, the State of Connecticut announced 560 new cases, two more deaths and one less hospitalization. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) is at 1.1 percent Monday. Silent reinfections coming to surface An article from the journal Nature reports that the reinfection found in two Indian doctors who contracted COVID-19 in May is genetically different the second time around, according to the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in New Delhi. The evidence indicates that the doctors bodies are not harboring leftover virus, but instead being infected all over again. To this extent, it suggests asymptomatic reinfections are underreported. CDC releases guidelines for a safe Thanksgiving The Center for Disease Control released guidelines for Thanksgiving plans. One of these guidelines calls for those hosting a dinner to only include people who live in the household or have a virtual dinner. Long-term care facilities allowing visitors again in Connecticut The state Department of Public Health announced that long-term care facilities can begin to have visitors again. Visitors will be screened by the facility and are required to wear protective gear, such as masks. There will be limitations on how many visitors a patient can have at a time and how many are allowed in the facility. The horseshoe crab could be a saving grace against COVID-19 Horseshoe crab blood is a key ingredient in the making of vaccines, even one for COVID-19, according to an article in National Geographic. The blood contains a substance called limulus amebocyte lysate, which helps detect a bacterial toxin that could be deadly if it makes it into vaccines. It just so happens this ingredient might be a saving grace in fighting COVID-19. Sept. 25 Positivity rate in Connecticut is back down below 1 percent There were 115 new cases of the coronavirus reported in Connecticut Friday afternoon, the lowest single day increase in recent memory. In addition, the state posted a positivity rate (the percentage of coronavirus tests that were positive) of a bit more than 0.8 percent. This news comes a day after Gov. Ned Lamont that the state would begin its phase three opening, allowing for restaurants to go to 75 percent capacity indoors. Transmission rate remains slightly elevated The only dark spot on Connecticuts COVID-19 horizon is the transmission rate (denoted as R0) which, according to rt.live, remained at 1.10 as of Friday evening. An Rt over 1 means the virus is spreading below 1 and the virus is contained and not spreading through the population. COVID-19 deaths globally are close to 1 million The world is expected to cross the threshold of 1 million deaths from COVID-19 within the next few days. According to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University, there were 985,104 deaths worldwide from COVID-19 as of Friday afternoon. Most estimates suggest that the world will hit 1 million deaths from the coronavirus before MOnday. Non-COVID hospital admissions up for some Hospital admissions dropped considerably during the pandemic, but non-COVID-related hospital admissions bounced back (to 16 percent below normal) in June and July. Not among all cohorts, according to this study in Health Affairs. Hospital admissions in majority Hispanic areas were 32 percent lower, and were 44 percent lower among pneumonia patients and 40 percent down among people with COPD or asthma. Is there a new way to test for COVID? There is potentially a new way to diagnose COVID-19 which could potentially be used to analyse thousands of samples per day on a single instrument, according to the pre-printed study. The LamPORE test platform, as its called, is about as accurate as the current PCR tests being used. The 2021 Toyota Corolla and 2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback have both arrived at the Lexington Toyota showroom. Learn more about both models today. The Toyota Corolla is often the first vehicle to arrive at the Lexington Toyota showroom each model year. That trend has continued for the 2021 model year. Toyota completely redesigned the Corolla just a year ago, but that hasnt stopped the automaker from making some subtle upgrades. The 2021 Corolla also introduces the Apex Edition which will deliver a new level of refinement and style for the platform, putting it well ahead of one of its top competitors. Lexington Toyota customers looking for something a little different can also choose to take the 2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback home, which also picks up some new gear for the new model year. The team of product experts at the dealership are very eager to let potential customers know what these vehicles have to offer. Toyota has really done some hard work making sure the 2021 Toyota Corolla offers a strong balance of fuel economy and engaging handling. It can be equipped with one of two available engines, the larger of which can make up to 169 horsepower. The lone power plant available with the Corollas rival will make only 149 horsepower. Both 2021 Corolla engine options will record 30 miles per gallon in the city and 38 miles per gallon on the highway. The previously mentioned Toyota Corolla competitor will get roughly the same fuel-efficiency estimates. The 2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback only uses the 168-horsepower, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. But it can be attached to a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission. Every Corolla Hatchback trim will post around 30 mpg in the city and about 40 mpg on the highway. Both versions of the 2021 Corolla make a smartphone-compatible infotainment system standard equipment. In addition to access to both the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto suites of applications, a high-speed 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot can be found on a lot of versions. Anyone can view the entire Lexington Toyota inventory today by visiting the dealerships websites, http://www.lexingtontoyota.com. The showroom is located at 409 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420. Customers can schedule a test drive with any version of the Toyota Corolla that piques their interest today by calling 781-325-8558. Residents in five major northern New South Wales communities can cross the border hassle-free, meaning access to essential services such as medical appointments are possible once again, and Queensland workers can return to their jobs across the border. Thursday marked the expansion for the Queensland border bubble to include the NSW local government areas of Byron Shire, Ballina, the city of Lismore, Richmond Valley and Glen Innes. A police checkpoint in Coolangatta on the Queensland-NSW border. Credit:Elise Derwin These NSW residents were officially allowed into Queensland as of 1am, as long as they filled out a border declaration, and Queenslanders could also travel to these areas freely once again. But the mayor of a Queensland border town is concerned about the extra 152,000 people from NSW who can come into the state without a pass and the amount of pressure it will put on the crossings, especially with Army personnel withdrawing from the border checkpoints on Thursday. "The challenge with that area is how do you convert intelligence into evidence. We have a fantastic relationship with ASIO and the intelligence community about how we wash that into a brief of evidence." Loading He said the dedicated AFP unit currently had 65 officers but it had the budget to expand beyond that number. While the AFP is currently investigating a number of foreign interference cases based on intelligence from ASIO, Mr Kershaw predicted his agency would eventually be following up its own cases as well as referrals from state police forces. He also confirmed right-wing extremism was a growing concern for the AFP, but stressed that his agency did not differentiate between counter-terrorism cases. "Weve become pretty experienced... Weve been able to do lots of disruptions and prevent attacks," he said. Mr Kershaw said one of his biggest achievements so far in the job was putting in a new "decentralised" operating model which sped up decision-making by moving assistant commissioners outside of Canberra. "Its taken almost a year to build the team - refresh those areas and also going to new crime-types like espionage and foreign interference, were new to that, and also dealing with the increase in child protection, fraud and serious and organised crime," he said. Mr Kershaw conceded the AFP still had some "residual issues" of trust with the media and public following last year's raids on ABC and News Corp journalists but said he believed it now had a better relationship with the media. "If weve made a mistake, then lets admit it," he said. "Weve been far more open and transparent, weve shared more of our stories. Loading "Cops inherently just want to get on with the job and dont think they need to tell anyone about it. But I think weve been able to explain to our workforce that thats really important." The long-awaited report handed down by Parliament's intelligence and security committee endorsed changes to Australia's search warrant regime that would expand the role of a public interest advocate to contest agencies' applications for warrants against the media for publication of leaked material. Mr Kershaw said the AFP would apply whatever the government decided to put into law, but he thought a proposed "notice to produce" regime whereby media organisations would have the opportunity to raise concerns about handing over material to police before it had to be provided would be better. "Where the journalist is not the necessarily the target, thats where that framework would come in, but it doesnt mean we would never say 'no' to executing a search warrant," he said. The AFP boss said he recently set up the Sensitive Investigations Oversight Board, which is made up of senior executives and chaired by a deputy commissioner, will be critical in making the final decision on whether to execute warrants against journalists as well as in other sensitive cases. Before taking on the AFP role, Mr Kershaw spent five years managing the Northern Territory police through a period of turmoil after his predecessor, John McRoberts, was forced to resign in 2015 amid serious fraud allegations. McRoberts was later found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice and he was sentenced to three years in prison suspended after 12 months. Mr Kershaw said the AFP had its challenges with integrity like any organisation, but it should not be compared with what he had to deal with in the NT. "I havent had to confront perhaps what I did in the NT - and I think thats a one-off, probably since going way back in time - thats probably the most serious thing in 25 years in Australian policing," he said. "Thats been really pleasing for me [not having to deal with the same integrity issues]. I spent a lot of my years up there [the NT] doing almost the job of almost a mini-royal commission at times." Loading The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age last month revealed former AFP boss Mick Keelty admitted he passed on confidential information given to him by his ex-colleagues to former special forces soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, just days after the AFP had launched inquiries into the Afghan veteran and Victoria Cross recipient. Asked about the revelations, Mr Kershaw said Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity boss Jaala Hinchcliffe was investigating the issue and he was confident no officers in the AFP had acted improperly. "Its an ongoing investigation, theres not much I can say there, but Im confident that whatevers been referred to ACLE thats a matter for the commissioner over there, and I have every confidence in her [Ms Hinchcliffe]," he said. It's been more than 50 days since anti-government protests started in Belarus following the alleged reelection of Alyaksandr Lukashenka in a disputed presidential vote. One noteworthy feature of these demonstrations is the leading role women have played in events. Not only is the main political challenger to Lukashenka a woman, there are many prominent female opposition figures and protesters as well. That's despite Lukashenka dismissing women as "poor thing[s]" that would be crushed under the burden of the presidency. What started as peaceful gatherings of women wearing white, bringing flowers, and showing solidarity, has turned into protests where police don't hesitate to use violence when detaining hundreds of female demonstrators. Yet, Belarusian women don't seem to be intimidated and are continuing to demand political change in their country. Who Are The Women Supporting Political Change In Belarus? The Trio Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya decided to run for president after her husband was arrested and blocked from registering for the vote. She joined forces with Maryya Kalesnikava and Veranika Tsapkala, whose husband was also barred from running for president. They have been leading a pro-democracy movement and campaigned as a trio to oust Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The Coordination Council On August 18, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced the creation of the Coordination Council, which was established to facilitate a transfer of power. As many as 600 people are said to be involved with the council, and seven, including Maryya Kalesnikava, are part of the presidium. Many have been detained or forced to leave the country. The Protesters Besides attending regular pro-democracy protests, women have also organized women's marches to show solidarity and support to the opposition. How Are Women Keeping The Pressure On? After a state-sponsored exit poll indicated an overwhelming victory for Alyaksandr Lukashenka on August 9, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets. Since then, pro-democracy rallies have continued to keep pressure on the Minsk government. Here's an overview of the protests that were organized and attended mostly by women and how they have evolved over time. Why Have Women Been So Heavily Involved In The Protests? There are probably many reasons why women in Belarus have joined the protests in such large numbers despite the violence used against them, but the emergence of Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has undoubtedly been an inspiration. The story of a stay-at-home mom who became the leader of the Belarusian opposition in just a few short weeks may have motivated other women to take to the streets and demand political change. Also, Alyaksandr Lukashenka has claimed that the Belarusian Constitution is not for women and that society has not matured enough to vote for a woman as president. Perhaps they've decided to prove him wrong. Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Industrias Bachoco, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:IBA) by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for Industrias Bachoco. de The model We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF (MX$, Millions) Mex$1.51b Mex$2.04b Mex$2.73b Mex$3.23b Mex$3.60b Mex$3.91b Mex$4.17b Mex$4.39b Mex$4.59b Mex$4.76b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ 11.35% Est @ 8.61% Est @ 6.7% Est @ 5.35% Est @ 4.41% Est @ 3.76% Present Value (MX$, Millions) Discounted @ 8.8% Mex$1.4k Mex$1.7k Mex$2.1k Mex$2.3k Mex$2.4k Mex$2.4k Mex$2.3k Mex$2.2k Mex$2.1k Mex$2.0k ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = Mex$21b Story continues We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.8%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030 (1 + g) (r g) = Mex$4.8b (1 + 2.2%) (8.8% 2.2%) = Mex$74b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= Mex$74b ( 1 + 8.8%)10= Mex$32b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is Mex$53b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of US$37.0, the company appears a touch undervalued at a 22% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf The assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Industrias Bachoco. de as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Industrias Bachoco. de, we've compiled three fundamental elements you should consider: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Industrias Bachoco. de , and understanding it should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does IBA's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NYSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Hyris "bCUBE" based test kit is the only authorised medical device approved for human tests in Point of Care currently commercially available in Canada. Hyris Ltd. now focuses on supporting Canada in fully facing the new virus escalation. The Government of Canada has issued a significant approval for PFS' London based client Hyris for rapid Coronavirus testing, which will be deployed across the country as Hyris "bCUBE" has been approved for human tests by Health Canada scientists; as such, the bCUBE is the only authorised medical device, commercially available in Canada for diagnostic use related to COVID-19, which can provide a certified 'point of care' solution. The bCUBE adopts "gold standard" genetic sequences in line with CDC and WHO guidelines: it can provide human COVID-19 test results at the same level as a hospital laboratory, without the requirement for a lab, also reducing the time needed for diagnosis. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005330/en/ PFS High Tech Partner Hyris Secures Canadian Government Megadeal. (Photo: Business Wire) The technology features an Internet of Things (IoT) architecture, meaning it can easily be scaled at speed to help millions of people to receive a reliable Coronavirus test result in under 2 hours. Hyris says it can profoundly positively impact satellite healthcare facilities, communities and companies worldwide that are currently starved of access to this type of disruptive solution. One time aspiring astronaut turned tech entrepreneur, Stefano Lo Priore, Founder CEO at Hyris, said: "The greater London area is a global hub for Biotechnology and Finance, and we feel we are well-positioned with our local partners to support the worldwide expansion of our user network. This authorization from the Canadian Government is an important confirmation for us as well as for PFS, which has been a trusted partner in this adventure for several years." Lee Britton, CCO at PFS (a company of EML), explained: "It's an honour to stand with our High Tech partner Hyris and our good friend Stefano as he enables testing heroes across Canada, and soon here in Europe, to fight COVID with an invaluable diagnostic solution. As we continue to engage with all kinds of inspirational tech thought leaders requiring smart payment solutions, we never lose sight of the positive impact companies like Hyris can have on countries around the world, and closer to home. Soon, Stefano and his team will be live in more than 12 nations.' In the future, thanks to its platform, Hyris believes the units will generate data that when analysed collectively, may give next-level insights into pandemic developments and feed into AI algorithms that could help to best manage a global response. About Hyris Hyris Ltd is a fast-growing, cutting-edge multinational biotechnology Company based in London. Hyris offers its partners and clients a disruptive platform that enables 'on the edge' genetic testing of biological samples in any setting, at any time, with real-time access to results on its dedicated cloud-based software platform. An international leader in the field of advanced diagnostic, with an Italian heart and a bold vision, the company is based on a product excellence strategy, delivering significant advantages to its clients and allowing a much larger cohort of users to deploy genetic testing solutions for the medical, veterinary, and agro-food industries. Visit: http://hyris.net/ Inside the Cube The bCUBE is a miniaturised, state-of-the-art device for the analysis of nucleic acids designed and produced in Italy in accordance with the strictest quality and engineering requirements. With ultra-compact instrument design and superior analytical performance, the bCUBE is being adopted by a growing number of prestigious clinical, academic and industrial partners worldwide. Certified to both European and North American standards, the bCUBE deploys PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology that is the gold standard in COVID-19 testing and has demonstrated its performance in clinical trials; similar trials are currently underway with the FDA. The bCUBE enables direct connectivity to the proprietary Hyris bAPP cloud-based portal, which can be interfaced from any mobile device such as a smartphone. On top of that, the bCUBE includes an integrated module of artificial intelligence which not only learns from all existing connected 'cubes', but also provides automatically interpreted results, which are easy to read even for non-specialised personnel. Discover more: https://www.hyris.net/index.php/products About PFS (a company of EML) (ASX: EML) PFS, an agile FinTech, is a Payment Provider of Choice delivering robust payment technology solutions and offers world-class innovation in electronic money. A pioneer in the evolution of the FinTech ecosystem, PFS' award-winning solutions include eWallets, physical and virtual prepaid cards, IBAN accounts and prepaid consumer and business current accounts in the UK and Eurozone. PFS is one of Europe's largest eMoney issuers and has returned profits for 12 consecutive years. With programmes active in 28 countries and growing, the company has the ability to transact in 25 currencies. PFS' products and state-of-the-art technology platforms are trusted by Governments, Local Authorities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Traditional Banks and a comprehensive list of Corporates. PFS is chosen by other FinTechs to revolutionise the digital economy in real-time. The company develops a range of trendsetting mobile payment and wearable solutions securely and seamlessly by providing quick and easy integrations into mobile payment applications. Discover more about PFS' next-generation payment solutions by connecting with Sales@PrepaidFinancialServices.com Explore the future of prepaid financial solutions today, as the world moves towards a cashless society tomorrow, by visiting: https://prepaidfinancialservices.com https://www.emlpayments.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200930005330/en/ Contacts: Press Marie O'Riordan MPRCA MAM Head of PR PFS (a company of EML) Email Marie.ORiordan@PrepaidFinancialServices.com Tel +353 46 94 2010 9 +44 207 183 5856 3 1 of 3 Democratic National Convention Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Eva Longoria Baston wants to make sure you get out and vote by giving you the opportunity to speak with her as incentive. The Texas native shared out a post on her Facebook page asking constituents to register to vote on Go2Vote.org. Those who register could win a chance to speak with the Latina actress, producer, director, and activist. PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of St. Maarten will be clamping down on businesses that violate the measures in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Minister of TEATT Ludmilla de Weever announced at the Council of Minister's press briefing on Wednesday that businesses will remain closed as of midnight while inspectors from TEATT and the police will continue with controls. De Weever said that that all COVID 19 guidelines must be maintained such as the use of masks in public places, and the 2-meters social distancing. Businesses that have been closed due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus will be reviewed on an individual basis, however, the Minister was clear that those businesses must remain close for now. The Minister said that businesses that are caught in violation can receive a fine to having their licenses suspended for an undefined amount of time. De Weever said that all are being done to ensure that the curve on COVID-19 is flattened. China's Golden Week holiday this year starts with the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day - Qilai Shen/Bloomberg People have begun swarming into Chinas rail stations and airports as the country where the coronavirus pandemic emerged enters into its first major public holiday week after lockdowns began easing, potentially raising the risk of new infections. Nearly half of the countrys 1.4 billion people are expected to hit the road during Chinas Golden Week, kicking off on Oct 1 as the nation celebrates its founding anniversary. Chinese authorities have relaxed some travel restrictions as the number of daily infections have begun dropping significantly. About 30 people were confirmed with the coronavirus through Tuesday this week, a figure that could rise given increased movement of people over the holiday. As such pandemic precautions remain in place, including detailed contact tracing via mobile phone apps that allow users to flash a green, yellow or red code a health contagion profile that determines whether someone might pose an infection risk. Passengers wait in Hongqiao High-speed Railway Station in Shanghai - Qilai Shen/Bloomberg Upon arrival to public places, such as restaurants or parks, visitors also still have to submit to temperature checks sometimes via facial recognition thermal screening. Many provinces and municipalities also have their own system of recording arriving passengers in case a cluster outbreak occurs. And bottles of disinfectant can be found everywhere for people to use. While facemask regulations have slowly relaxed in some instances, most people on the go whether on flights or on the daily subway commute continue to wear them. Now the pandemic in China is getting much better so I can travel, but we still need to be careful, wrote one user online. Im prepared to take a pile of masks with me! For many Chinese as it has been around the world 2020 has been about sheltering in place. The coronavirus outbreak erupted in China near the start of the calendar year, and just before the Lunar New Year holiday, which is the countrys last major travel period, before the pandemic shut everything down. At the time, the movement of travellers that week spread infections across the country and even abroad. Story continues Draconian lockdowns went into place in Wuhan, ground zero of the pandemic, and later across the country as authorities sought to battle the outbreak. So its no surprise that many Chinese are eager to be on the move. I signed up for a tour group, one person posted online. Now that the pandemic situation is improving, its time to go out and get some sun on myself, which is getting moldy. Gerreyl Fleming Whether that change is planned or unexpected, when you work with Caring Transitions, we can partner with you to help you meet your goals without the physical or emotional strain of doing it yourself. - Gerreyl Fleming Tidewater native Gerreyl Fleming is pleased to announce the launch of her new senior-focused relocation and estate clearing company, Caring Transitions of South Hampton Roads. Caring Transitions specially-trained professionals handle decluttering, organizing, packing, moving, resettling, in-home estate sales and online auctions, home clean-outs, estate clearing and preparing homes for market. Caring Transitions of South Hampton Roads works with clients in Western Branch, Harbor View, Nansemond River, Churchland, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and the surrounding areas, including Virginia Beach. Caring Transitions services are perfect for managing the many aspects of a senior move, including assisting with the process of downsizing to provide a safer living situation, as well as for busy families and people clearing out the home of a loved one who has moved into assisted care or passed away. All of Caring Transitions services are customizable, so clients choose the solution that best fits their needs. As a rehabilitation specialist, I worked with quite a few seniors who faced changing needs, whether because of their health or their living situation, and sometimes those needs changed very quickly. So what do you do when you have to transition that fast? Thats what led me to Caring Transitions, Fleming said. Whether that change is planned or unexpected, when you work with Caring Transitions, we can partner with you to help you meet your goals without the physical or emotional strain of doing it yourself. After graduating from Washington High School she earned a BS in kinesiology from Wheaton College in Illinois. She spent a couple of years working for the local YMCA, which started a life-long appreciation for that organization. After serving adolescents and seniors with disabilities with Barry Robinson Center and Eggleston services for a short time, she attended James Madison University to become an Occupational Therapist. Now, as the owner of Caring Transitions, Fleming is also a Certified Relocation and Transition Specialist. Caring Transitions is unique because of our specialized training, focus on seniors and customizable services. We want to speed up your transition, relieve the stress and protect your family relations by being a third party partner who is there to serve your family by providing solutions, Fleming said. Caring Transitions of South Hampton Roads, which is part of the national Caring Transitions franchise, is bonded and insured and all employees are background checked. For additional information, call 757-574-2450, email GFleming@CaringTransitions.com or visit http://www.CaringTransitionsHamptonRoads.com. The UN Security Council has "strongly condemned" the violence between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces along the Line Of Contact after three days of fighting this week over the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh. After a closed-door meeting, the council reiterated UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's appeal for both sides to "immediately stop fighting, de-escalate tensions, and return to meaningful negotiations without delay." However, intense fighting "along the entire front line" spilled over into its fourth day on September 30. In fact, the violence and tensions escalated as two Armenian warplanes were said to have been downed or crashed, while Ankara pledged to "do what is necessary" to back ally Azerbaijan. Outside powers have been left scrambling. France blamed Azerbaijani forces for sparking the latest violence and accused Ankara of "bellicose" language in its support of Baku. And the European Court of Human Rights demanded that both sides avoid military actions that threaten civilians. While the fighting threatens to be more widespread and deadlier than previous breakdowns since the shaky cease-fire reached 26 years ago, it did not come out of the blue. There were mounting signals in recent days and weeks of intense frustration on both sides of Europe's longest "frozen conflict," and statements and actions leading up to this week's bloodshed pointed to the potential for a major escalation. OSCE Failures At Mediation Russia, France, and the United States have spearheaded mediated peace efforts within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Minsk Group to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But the Minsk Group's last significant effort to achieve peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan fell apart in 2010. Critics say it has slid into an inactive and ineffectual peace process that has arguably been marked by inattention from international actors. "A lot of time has been wasted," Thomas deWaal, a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region, said recently. "The last time serious talks were 20 years ago. Instead there has been sporadic contact and what one mediator calls 'Kabuki negotiations.'" July Flare-Up, Nationalist Anger The most conspicuous sign of trouble came in July with cross-border shelling and other fighting in a northern region along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Unusually, it was confined to an area on Azerbaijan and Armenia's internationally recognized border. Most of the frequent skirmishes of the past decade have taken place along the so-called Line of Contact separating Azerbaijani and ethnic Armenian forces in and around the disputed territory. But it was the deadliest violence since 2016, and included heavy artillery, tank fire, and aerial attacks. Russia helped negotiate a quick cease-fire to put an end to the July fighting. Chants of "Return Karabakh!" and "Revenge!" arose from angry crowds in the streets of Baku. Orchestrated or not, the nationalist foment in Azerbaijan's capital was reminiscent of scenes during the 2016 flare-up, when the Azerbaijani authorities reported turning away thousands of volunteers eager to fight for Nagorno-Karabakh and the country. The Azerbaijani side had made limited territorial gains in the 2016 fighting, the first time that had happened in more than two decades. Chatham Houses Laurence Broers said at the time that Azerbaijani media framed it as "a turning of the tide." "I'm sure that there is pressure in Azerbaijan to sustain the narrative of military success," he told Armenian media this week. Joint Military Exercises, Tensions Within weeks of the eruption of violence in mid-July, joint military exercises were under way with outside regional powers in both countries to combat precisely the kind of threats that have manifested themselves this week. Armenia announced on July 23 that its troops were training with Russian air-defense commanders and troops to improve responses to possible threats from unmanned aerial vehicles. By all accounts, such aircraft have played a conspicuous role in the current conflict. On the other side of the border, Azerbaijan conducted nearly two weeks of joint military exercises alongside Turkish troops. They included air and air-defense forces as well as armored vehicles and heavy artillery. The Jamestown Foundation's Vasif Huseynov called them "the largest of its [sic] kind in the recent history of military cooperation between the two countries." Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan called the Turkish-Azerbaijani drills "destabilizing." Aliyev's Challenge To Moscow Moscow, a traditional Armenian ally, has sought to exert greater influence in Yerevan since Armenia's bloodless "revolution" two years ago. Armenia hosts a Russian military base near Gyumri in northwestern Armenia near the Turkish and Georgian borders. It is also a member of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Armenia also enjoys Russian security guarantees. But recent cargo shipments to Armenia after the July violence piqued Aliyev's public anger. In August, the Azerbaijani president was said to have asked Russian President Vladimir Putin about reports of large shipments of military supplies that began on or around July 17. The reports have not been confirmed. But Aliyev reportedly suggested there had been an acceleration of such supplies -- some 400 tons since the July fighting -- and he said they "caused concern and serious questions in Azerbaijani society," according to his press service. He argued that Armenia had intended to draw "third parties" into the conflict and asked Putin to clarify the situation. Pashinian Changes Tone In Stepanakert Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian took a more defiant tone with respect to Nagorno-Karabakh during a visit to the region in early August. "Artsakh is Armenia, and that's it," he told a crowd of ethnic Armenians in the de facto capital, Stepanakert, invoking the name for Nagorno-Karabakh that Armenians chose in a 2017 referendum that is not recognized by the international community. It appeared to signal a pivot by Pashinian from an arm's length relationship with the territory to an embrace of a region whose leadership had deep ties to the very officials that Pashinian's bloodless revolution had unseated two years before. It also vastly overstepped lines contained in the 1994 cease-fire that is the starting point for talks within the OSCE Minsk Group format. The speech immediately evoked anger in Azerbaijan, and was described by a media outlet with purported ties to Azerbaijan's security services as a more "radical and intransigent" position. Then, in the middle of September, the de facto leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arayik Aratiunian, pledged to move the seat of the occupied territory's government from Stepanakert to Shusha, a Soviet-era mountain resort that was a stronghold of Armenian life in medieval times. Turkish Signals At the UN General Assembly last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Armenia of being "the biggest obstacle to lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus." He said its lingering conflict with Turkish ally Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh should be resolved in line with Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty. AFP this week quoted Jean Radvanyi, an academic specializing in post-Soviet geopolitics, as saying Turkey's support for Baku fit into a nationalism-fueled "historic project" to create a union of Turkic peoples. "It's also a way to show Turkey is a growing regional power that is capable of intervening in many theaters of war," he said. "What we're seeing, effectively, is perhaps the movement of the resolution process, the settlement process, out of a Euro-Atlantic framework and into a framework of regional powers where the two principle powers, Armenia and Azerbaijan, will become more reliant on security partners Russia and Turkey," Broers said. "And I think a key implication of that is that they [Yerevan and Baku] will have less influence over the settlement process than they did before." Chatham House's Broers said this week that Turkey's increased involvement "is challenging the status quo and the security balance that's existed and kind of held the peace -- however imperfectly -- over the last 15 years or so." "It's a very difficult moment for multilateralism and for that deliberate democratic order on which the Minsk process was itself founded back in the 1990s," Broers said. Dueling UN Statements Aliyev reminded the world that "almost 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory remains under occupation of Armenia for almost 30 years" and renewed accusations against Armenia of "ethnic cleansing" in those occupied areas. He called the Armenian presence "a major threat to regional peace and security" while accusing Yerevan of trying "to derail the [OSCE-led] peace process" in order "to maintain the current status quo of occupation and to annex the occupied territories." Aliyev rejected the idea of "negotiations...for the sake of negotiations" and told the Minsk Group leaders that "statements are not enough. We need actions." Pashinian, whose allied forces control Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani territory, pledged to the UN General Assembly that Yerevan would continue "its constructive engagement in the peaceful resolution of the conflict." But he added that "the status and security of the Republic of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] is an absolute priority of the Republic of Armenia." "Any attempt to resolve the conflict through military means represents a direct threat to regional security, democracy, and human rights," he said. Trenches For Villagers Near The Line Of Contact Azerbaijani authorities were overseeing months of trench-digging in many Azerbaijani-controlled villages this summer in the area of Agdam, which is bisected by the Line of Contact east of Nagorno-Karabakh. Agdam has been a hot spot in this week's violence. Some of the trenches were completed just two weeks or so before the latest fighting. An RFE/RL Azerbaijani Service correspondent saw newly installed surveillance cameras and military posts in some of the same communities during a visit on September 21. "It was dug 15 days ago," a resident told RFE/RL. "They're going to cover the trench and make a shelter. If the war starts, we'll use it." There were also Azerbaijani and Turkish flags decorating some of the roadsides in the area, seemingly reflecting Azerbaijani hopes placed in the potential support of Baku's strongest regional ally. Aliyev Steps Up Threats Days later, on September 25, Aliyev accused the Armenian side of "preparing for war." Speaking to the EU's special representative to the region, Toivo Klaar, he accused Yerevan of the "deliberate disruption" of the peace process, deployment of a cross-border effort to "sabotage the Line of Contact," and an "aggressive policy of Armenia against Azerbaijan." Aliyev went on to accuse Armenian officials of "concentrating their forces not far from the Line of Contact," adding, "Of course we will defend ourselves." Then came news on September 21 of the Azerbaijani authorities' call-up of reserve troops following a skirmish on the border with Armenia. By September 27, each side was pointing the finger at the other as heavy casualties were reported in serious clashes that have now claimed dozens of lives. New 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible Woodcliff Lake, NJ Sept. 29, 2020Today, BMW is proud to present the all-new, second generation 4 Series Convertible, 35 years after the very first 3 Series Convertible was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new four-seater continues the tradition of exhilarating open-air motoring, rightfully deserving The Ultimate Driving Machine moniker with its modern styling, low-slung shoulder line, cutting-edge technology and performance. All new 2 nd generation of BMWs 4 Series Convertible. generation of BMWs 4 Series Convertible. More style, power, torque and performance. The latest safety, driver assist and infotainment technologies. MSRP starting at $53,100 for the 430i Convertible plus $995 Destination. Market launch set for March 2021 for RWD variants and July 2021 for xDrive models. Woodcliff Lake, NJ Sept. 29, 2020Today, BMW is proud to present the all-new, second generation 4 Series Convertible, 35 years after the very first 3 Series Convertible was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new four-seater continues the tradition of exhilarating open-air motoring, rightfully deserving The Ultimate Driving Machine moniker with its modern styling, low-slung shoulder line, cutting-edge technology and performance. The most noticeable change from the previous generation is the switch from hardtop to newly designed soft-top, which brings many benefits including weight reduction, greater cargo space and a lower center of gravity for improved handling. MSRP is $53,100 for the new 430i Convertible, $55,100 for the 430i xDrive Convertible, $64,00 for the M440i Convertible and $66,000 for the M440i xDrive Convertible. Pricing does not include $995 Destination. New convertible soft-top The new 4 Series Convertibles top uses large panel bow elements with a honeycomb-design construction, a flush-fitting glass rear window, multiple layers of insulation and a fabric cover available in two colors. The fabric is pulled taut when the roof is closed, giving the car a coupe-like appearance with a classic fabric top convertible feel. The soft-top roof color choices include standard black and an optional Moonlight black which gives the fabric a classy metallic shimmer, especially in direct sunlight. The soft-top is also approximately 40 percent lighter than the previous generations hardtop. The smooth surface, when closed, improves the 4 Series Convertibles aerodynamics and reduces wind noise. The effective insulation allows for quicker heating of the cabin in colder temperatures. Another benefit of the fabric top is an extra 0.2 inches of headroom when compared to the previous hardtop. Opening and closing the soft-top takes 18 seconds and can be performed at up to 31 mph. The three bow panels fold neatly into a compact Z configuration which can also be performed via the remote key thanks to the Comfort Access system which is standard on the M440i models and optional on the 430i models. The compact dimensions of the folded soft-top increase cargo area to 9.0 cubic feet, an increase of 1.2 cubic feet over the previous 4 Series Convertible. The top features a safety mechanism which prevents it from being lowered if the trunk area is filled. A pass-through door in the rear seat allows for longer items to be carried inside the car. A standard wind deflector with two mesh elements can be fitted in the rear to reduce both wind noise and air turbulence. When not in use, the deflector can be stored either within easy reach behind the rear backrest or in its fitted bag in the cargo compartment. Exterior Design and Improved Aerodynamics The new 2021 4 Series Convertible is 5.2-inches longer (5.3-inches for M440i models), 1.0-inches wider and 0.1-inch higher. It also has a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase than its predecessor. The front track has grown by 1.5-inches, accentuating the wider and more aggressive stance of the low-slung open-top cars. The new 4 Series Convertibles aerodynamic properties are also improved over those of its predecessor (by 0.02 Cx) thanks to the sleek new soft-top, a nearly sealed underbody and numerous improved aero aids such as air curtains and air flap control. The striking front end of the 4 Series features a new BMW kidney grille design which provides adequate airflow to meet engine cooling requirements. The grille is angled forward and extends to the bottom of the front bumper cover. The kidney grille is framed by surfaces with a three-dimensional mesh structure. The arrow-shaped lines of the hood come together at the grille while the air curtain intakes at the edges of the front bumper highlight the 4 Series width. Standard LED headlights are slimmer in design and taper toward the kidney grille. Two U-shaped daytime running light elements in each headlight are the most pronounced feature. The turn signals consist of three glass blade units in the corners of each front light assembly. The profile of the new 4 Series Convertible shows the new models very clean and minimalist classic lines - a notchback silhouette with the roof up or the wide, low muscular appearance with the roof down. The width of the new 4 Series Convertible is reinforced in the rear by slim, darkened L-shaped LED taillights which extend into the quarter panels. Vertical apertures at the corners of the rear bumper mimic the fronts air breather openings. The M Sport Package includes a uniquely styled front bumper with larger air intake openings and a restyled rear bumper with Shadowline inlays. The rear diffuser panel, front air intake trim, side window moldings and lower exterior mirror housings are all finished in high-gloss black. Selecting the optional Shadowline Package provides a high-gloss black finish to the kidney grille, exhaust tip trim and a black finish to the mirror caps. The M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles exterior styling is set apart by a Cerium Grey finish to the kidney grille, front air intake trim, exterior mirror caps and rear trapezoidal exhaust tip trim. Interior Design A premium driver-centric cockpit is the focus of the new 4 Series Convertibles interior design. Newly designed front power Sport seats and leather Sport steering wheel are standard. The upswept center console creates individual space for the front seat passengers. The M Sport Package and M440i Convertible models offer additional soft knee padding on the sides of the center console as well as an M Sport steering wheel and door sill plates with the M logo. The center display screen flows into the instrument cluster area to form a congruous unit. The light functions are operated from a panel of buttons to the left of the steering wheel. The start/stop button is now located in the center console along with the newly designed gear selector lever, the iDrive Controller and the buttons for the Driving Experience Control switch. Rear seating with integral head restraints is designed for two passengers and features a center armrest with storage and cupholders as well as a pass-through section to the cargo area. The interior of the new 4 Series Convertible features lighting for front and rear interior, glovebox, center armrest storage compartment, sun visor mirrors, trunk area and door courtesy lights. The optional interior ambient lighting provides adjustable lighting for the contour lines across the instrument and door panels. The lightings distribution, brightness and color scheme can be configured via the iDrive menu to suit the drivers taste and mood. The storage trays and compartments around the front seats and in the rear are more capacious than in the outgoing model. As well as the traditional glove compartment and the storage space under the center armrest, there is also a stowage tray in front of the gear selector lever, roomy door pockets and an additional storage compartment underneath the control panel for the lighting functions on the drivers side. The cover at the front of the center console opens with a fingertip push to reveal two cupholders, a 12V socket and a USB port. A second USB port can be found in the illuminated storage compartment under the center armrest. Convertible-specific noise reduction measures have been taken in the areas of the intake system, engine cover and underbody to dampen engine noise and thereby increase acoustic comfort when driving with the top down. Measures to divert wind noise effectively around the body further enhance comfort levels. The acoustic properties of the air conditioning system have also been improved by reducing airflow noise. A three-zone automatic climate control system allowing independent control of the temperature and ventilation settings for the drivers side, the front passenger side and the rear passenger compartment is standard. Power and Performance All models of the new 4 Series enjoy a boost in horsepower and torque over the models they replace. Powering the new 430i and 430i xDrive Convertibles is an updated B46 2.0-liter 4-cylinder BMW TwinPower turbocharged engine delivering 255 hp @ 5,000 6,500 rpm (an increase of 7 hp) and 295 ft-lbs. of torque @ 1,550 4,400 rpm (an increase of 37 ft-lbs.). The 430i Convertible accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds (tbd for 430i xDrive) and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph or 130 mph depending on the selected wheel and tire combination. The new M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles are powered by the B58 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder BMW TwinPower turbocharged engine producing 382 hp @ 5,800 6,500 rpm (an increase of 62 hp) and 369 ft-lbs. of torque @ 1,800 5,000 rpm (an increase of 39 ft.-lbs.). The M440i Convertible accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds (tbd for M440i xDrive) and can reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph or 130 mph depending on the selected wheel and tire combination. Both 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines use a single, twin-scroll turbocharger, high precision fuel injection (operating at over 5,000 psi), VALVETRONIC fully variable valve timing and Double-VANOS variable camshaft timing. The 3.0-liter 6-cylinder motors in the M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles also benefit from weight-optimized pistons and connecting rods and from an exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head allowing for better thermal efficiency from the integrated water-cooling passages. Drive systems and 8-speed transmission with new Sprint function The new BMW 4 Series Convertibles are available in a choice of either traditional rear-wheel drive or with BMWs latest intelligent xDrive all-wheel drive system offering additional traction during both performance driving and in varied weather conditions. The BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system helps to sharpen the cars handling properties. Power is sent to the wheels via an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case. The latest xDrive system found in the new 4 Series Convertible offers rapid, precise and fully variable distribution of drive torque between the front and rear wheels. In driving situations where all-wheel drive is not needed, all the power is directed to the rear wheels. All 4 Series models deliver their drive torque to the road through a standard 8-speed sport automatic transmission with launch control. The M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles also include a standard rear M Sport differential (optional on the 430i and 430i xDrive) which helps improve traction by equalizing drive torque between the left and right rear wheels under acceleration. It also works in conjunction with the DSC Stability control system to reduce unwanted understeer. The latest version of BMWs quick-shifting Sport automatic transmission features a new, optimized hydraulic control system for improved response and efficiency. A new generation of torsion dampers reduce irregularities within the powertrain, enhancing both driving comfort and shifting. Integral twin-damper systems for isolating vibrations reduce the degree of slip at the torque converter lock-up clutch. Besides standard Launch Control the 8-speed Sport automatic transmission on the M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles feature a brand-new Sprint function. Pulling on the left shift paddle for at least a second engages the Driving Experience Control switchs SPORT settings for the accelerator response, exhaust note and gearshift characteristics. At the same time, the transmission will drop straight into the lowest possible gear for maximum acceleration. SPORT mode displays appear in the instrument cluster and the word SPRINT flashes up. Intelligent connectivity enables the 8-speed automatic transmission to adapt its shift strategy according to the route and driving situation. Working with the standard navigation system, the 8-speed Steptronic transmission uses data from this system and from the optional Active Cruise Control systems radar sensor. This makes it possible for the transmission to avoid unnecessary gear changes by shifting down early in order to use engine braking to scrub off speed and be in the correct gear to accelerate out of a turn. New 48-Volt Mild Hybrid System A new 48-volt mild-hybrid system is standard on the 6-cylinder M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles. The 48-volt starter/generator unit is complemented by a separate 48-volt battery which allows for energy recuperation, storage and use during driving. Energy can be recuperated from deceleration, braking and from excess electricity generated while driving in Sport mode. The excess energy is converted to electricity by the 48-volt starter/generator and stored in the 48-volt battery. This energy can be used by the starter/generator unit to boost performance during hard acceleration or by providing power for electronic systems, thus reducing the load on the engine and improving overall efficiency. The 48-volt starter generator also improves efficiency by allowing the stopped engine to be restarted quickly with little vibration. The Auto Start/Stop function can now turn off the engine while the driver is braking for a stop as soon as the speed drops below 9 mph. Chassis and Suspension The body of the new 2021 4 Series Convertibles are made from hot-stamped steels, multi-phase steels and aluminum alloys to help reduce weight while providing for the most rigid platform possible to allow the suspension to work at its fullest potential. Additional bracing has been added, connecting the front shock towers to the bulkhead and to the front end as well as the rear axle area to help the new 4 Series deliver better agility and precision. Convertible-specific reinforcements include side skirts with greater torsional rigidity, aluminium shear panel in the front end, a reinforced transmission tunnel in the rear as well as a rigid rear floor plate. As a result, static torsional rigidity of the new BMW 4 Series Convertible is up by 4 percent overall compared to its predecessor. The front end of the car uses extruded aluminum side member panels and die-cast aluminum shock absorber housings. The hood, front fenders and doors are now made from aluminum, saving approximately 44 lbs from the front end when compared to the previous model. The very rigid passenger cell and specially designed supporting structures impart an excellent structure for the active and passive safety systems to work together to help protect passengers. The lift-related shock absorbers can deliver both sport-focused handling and driving comfort. The shocks reduce body movement and even out road vibrations by continuously adjusting the progressive damping force based on the changing spring travel. Excessive compression and rebound forces are better controlled to prevent the new 4 Series Convertible from becoming unsettled not only when driving over rough surfaces but also during performance driving. The lift-related shock system adds extra hydraulic damping to the front shocks and extra compression limiting to the rear shocks. At the front, vibrations are reduced by an additional element that drops down into the inner sleeve of the shock absorber. Only when greater loads are encountered does the entire shock become active. The varying wall thicknesses of the front shocks, tubular anti-roll bars and lightweight control arms act together to reduce unsprung weight, improving the suspensions responses. The optional M Sport suspension (standard on the new M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles) features firmer spring settings, stiffer bushings and mounts, firmer anti-roll bars and a greater negative wheel camber. Passive safety and rollover protection system A comprehensive passive safety package maximizes occupant protection in an extremely wide range of situations. In addition to the super-stiff passenger cell and highly resilient supporting structures, there are integrated safety electronics which deploy the restraint systems at the optimum moment and with the required effect for the type and severity of the collision at hand. The hot-stamped steels and aluminum alloys used for the safety passenger cell are supplemented by multi-phase steels for extra reinforcement. The reinforced side skirts are manufactured from tailored rolled steel blanks with varying wall thicknesses to cater for the different loads. There are also high-strength side impact members in the doors and seat cross-members to reduce deformation depth in the event of a side-on collision. The full ensemble of restraint systems comprises three-point inertia-reel seatbelts with belt tensioners on all seats, as well as front, head and side airbags whose deployment is controlled by the central safety electronics. The new BMW 4 Series Convertibles rollover protection system is triggered automatically the instant the central safety electronics indicate the car is at risk of turning over. The system consists of two protective bars made from high-strength aluminum and fitted out of sight behind the rear-seat head restraints. In hazardous situations, the pre-tensioned bars are extended by a pyrotechnic charge in a fraction of a second and combine with the extremely sturdy windscreen frame to create a survival space for the occupants. Optional Adaptive M Suspension The optional Adaptive M Suspension combines all of the best traits of the M Sport suspension with electronic shocks to offer a wide range of adjustment from sport to comfort. Continuously adjustable valves allow the damping force to be adjusted for each wheel individually. Switching between the various Driving Experience Control modes delivers clearly different variations in the damping characteristics from the well-balanced comfort COMFORT mode to the highly dynamic setup activated in SPORT. The ADAPTIVE setting allows for automatic adjustment of the steering, damping, accelerator pedal responses and the Sport Steptronic transmissions shift characteristics to suit the driving style. The control system responds to accelerator and steering inputs to switch the powertrain and suspension to a sportier or more comfortable response. Map data supplied by the standard navigation system can also be used to anticipate upcoming turns. Steering Electric power steering with Servotronic speed-sensitive power assistance is standard on the new 4 Series Convertible Variable Sport steering, part of the optional M Sport Package and standard on the M440i and M440i xDrive models, adjusts to changes in the steering angle to maximize cornering agility and low speed comfort. The steerings direct, precise responses enhance turn-in performance while the wheel angles required for parking maneuvers are achieved with only a few turns of the steering wheel. Wheels, Tires and Brakes All 4 Series Convertibles are equipped with standard 18 x 7.5-inch alloy wheels with all-season run-flat tires. Optional on all models are 19 x 8.0-inch alloy wheels with 225/40R19 all-season run-flat tires or 19 x 8.0-inch front alloy wheels with 225/40R19 and 19 x 8.5-inch alloy wheels with 255/35R19 performance run-flat tires. The M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles offer 18 x 7.5-inch front alloy wheels with 225/45R18 and 18 x 8.0-inch alloy wheels with 255/40R18 performance runflat tires. Both 430i and M440i models offer 19-inch non-runflat high-performance tires as part of the optional Dynamic Handling Package. Standard brakes on the 430i and 430i xDrive Convertibles are vented disks with single-piston floating calipers, front and rear. The M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles are equipped with vented disks with M Sport Brakes with Blue calipers featuring vented disks with four-piston front fixed and single-piston floating rear calipers. M Sport Brakes with Red calipers are optional on the M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles. The 430i and 430i xDrive Convertibles offer a choice of optional M Sport Brakes with either blue or red calipers. M Sport Brakes deliver outstanding thermal resistance with short pedal travel for sportier driving. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems The 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible comes equipped with standard assist features designed to deliver peace of mind and improved driving comfort. Included systems are: lane departure warning with steering correction; frontal collision; pedestrian warning with braking function; blind spot detection; rear cross traffic alert; rear collision preparation, automatic high beams; and speed limit information. Optional on the new 4 Series is the Driving Assistance Professional Package which adds Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Extended Traffic Jam Assist for limited access highways a Level 2 autonomous assist system which helps to reduce fatigue in stop-and-go freeway traffic by allowing for extended hands free vehicle operation, lane keeping assistant with side collision avoidance, evasion aid, front cross-traffic alert and emergency stop assistant which can help guide your BMW to the shoulder and bring it to a halt in a medical emergency situation. The optional Parking Assistance Package includes a panorama view and 3D surround camera views to assist with parking. The system helps identify suitable parallel and perpendicular parking spots and can guide your 4 Series into and out of your selected spot. The included back-up assistant records the last 50 yards driven at speeds below 20 mph and can automatically reverse your 4 Series along the exact path take to help navigate narrow or winding driveways, for example. The remote 3D view function gives drivers the ability to call up a three-dimensional live image of their parked vehicle and its immediate vicinity on their smartphone. The drive recorder, a new optional feature on a BMW 4 Series equipped with the Parking Assistance Package, uses the cameras of the various driver assistance systems to record video footage from the front and/or rear viewpoints of the vehicle before storing the recordings. The saved video files can be either watched later on the center control display when the car is stationary or exported via the USB port. When activated, the drive recorder shoots and stores up to 40 seconds of video. In the event of a collision, a period of up to 20 seconds around the moment of impact is automatically recorded and saved. BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant The new 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible also offers the latest version of BMWs Intelligent Personal Assistant to help interact with your car in a more natural way. Activated by a spoken prompt, such as Hey BMW or at the touch of a button, this digital companion learns the way you communicate to provide better and more accurate responses. The Intelligent Personal Assistant can now recognize who is speaking -- the driver or passenger -- and can react accordingly by changing the temperature settings on only one side of the cabin for example. Naturally spoken instructions can now also be used to open and close the cars windows (partially or fully) or adjust the air conditioning. In addition, the driver can set rules by which the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant learns routines that increase convenience in specific situations. For instance, the drivers window could be opened automatically when the vehicle reaches a chosen location entered using GPS coordinates, such as the entrance to a garage. Standard iDrive 7 with Navigation and new BMW Maps Standard on the new BMW 4 Series Convertible is iDrive 7 with intuitive operation, individually configurable content and seamless interaction between driver and vehicle. Up to 10 pages can be personalized with two to four tiles of content each. Ways to interact with your new 4 Series Convertible include the touchscreen center control display, the iDrive controller, the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel and via the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. Standard displays are an 8.8-inch center touchscreen control display and a 5.1-inch color display between the instrument gauges. Selecting the optional Live Cockpit Professional upgrades the displays to a 10.25-inch center touchscreen control display and a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument display. The standard navigation has also been improved with a new digital cloud-based feature called BMW Maps. The benefits are faster route calculations and dynamic recalculation based on precise real-time traffic data. The route is worked out using an anticipatory approach, meaning upcoming traffic along the entire route is factored into the calculation of the expected arrival time. Complete traffic data is now available for more minor roads, too. Hazard warnings transmitted online from the BMW fleet now reach the car even faster thanks to connected navigation. These improvements help to produce a very accurate estimate of arrival time and improved route guidance. The destination input function has also been improved and now lets the driver enter any word. Alternatively, the destination can be entered at any time simply by voice control. Plus, points of interest (POIs) along the route are described in greater detail, with reviews, opening times and photos. When selecting the optional Live Cockpit Professional, the navigation system is enhanced with 3D visualizations of the surrounding area, depicting all cars, trucks and motorcycles registered by the cameras and sensors in the drivers current lane as well as those in any adjacent lanes. They are shown in the central section of the instrument display. Vehicles within a critical distance are highlighted. Graphics indicate maneuvers which can be carried out with the help of the assistance systems. This ensures the driver has an overview of the situation and relevant courses of action at all times. If route guidance is activated, the screen also shows a panel with navigation instructions above the 3D view. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Compatibility The new 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible offers standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Compatibility. This benefits already enjoyed by Apple iPhone owners are now available to Android users making it easier to access a large number of digital services from the car in the same way as on their smartphone. These include Google Assistant, Google Maps, music streaming services like Spotify and Amazon Music, and the WhatsApp messaging service. Exterior colors The 430i and 430i xDrive Convertibles offer a choice of two standard non-metallic paints and seven optional metallic finishes, three of which are new colors. The M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles offer a choice of one standard non-metallic color, five optional metallic finishes and two optional Individual metallic paints. Alpine White (standard) Jet Black (standard on 430i and 430i xDrive only) Black Sapphire Metallic Mineral White Metallic Sunset Orange Metallic (430i and 430i xDrive only) Bluestone Metallic (430i and 430i xDrive only) Portimao Blue Metallic (new) San Remo Green Metallic (new) Arctic Race Blue Metallic (new) Individual Dravit Grey Metallic (M440i and M440i xDrive only) Individual Tanzanite II Blue Metallic (M440i and M440i xDrive only) Interior Upholstery and Trim Standard 430i and 430i xDrive models is SensaTec in a choice of Canberra Beige or Black. Vernasca Leather is standard on the M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles and optional on 430i and 430i xDrive models. Canberra Beige / Black SensaTec (430i and 430i xDrive only) Canberra Beige / Black Vernasca leather Tacora Red Vernasca leather Mocha Vernasca leather Cognac Vernasca leather Oyster Vernasca leather Black Vernasca leather Black Vernasca leather with Blue contrast stitching Open Pore Fine Wood Oak Grain trim is standard on the 430i and 430i xDrive Convertibles. Aluminum Tetragon trim is standard on the M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles. Optional on all models is Aluminum trim with mesh effect, Open Pore Fine Wood Maple trim or High-gloss Fine Wood Ash Grey-Brown trim. A SensaTec dashboard is standard on the M440i and M440i xDrive models and optional on the 430i and 430i xDrive Convertibles. Standard Equipment The new 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertibles include a very comprehensive list of standard equipment. The 430i and 430i xDrive Convertibles 18-inch V-spoke bicolor orbit grey wheels with all-season run-flat tires 8-speed Sport Steptronic transmission Sport Leather Steering wheel Alarm system Universal garage-door opener Rear-view camera Convertible wind deflector Matte chrome exterior trim Auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors Power front Sport seats 40/20/40 split folding rear seat Open Pore Fine Wood Oak Grain trim Black convertible top Park Distance Control Rain sensor and auto headlights Automatic climate control Dynamic Cruise Control LED Headlights Automatic High Beams SiriusXM with 360L and 1 year All Access Subscription Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Compatibility Navigation Active Protection Automatic front seat belt tensioning Automatic closing of windows and moonroof Fatigue and Focus Alert Post-crash braking Active Driving Assistant Lane Departure Warning Speed limit Information Active Blind Spot Detection Rear Cross-Traffic Alert Rear Collision Preparation Active Guard Pedestrian Warning with braking Frontal Collision Warning City Collision Mitigation with braking The M440i and M440i xDrive Convertibles adds: 18-inch M Double-spoke alloy wheels with all-season run-flat tires 48-volt Mild Hybrid System M Sport Brakes with Blue calipers M Sport Differential Variable sport steering Comfort Access keyless entry SensaTec dashboard Aluminum Tetragon trim M sport suspension M steering wheel Lumbar support and adjustable seat width Aerodynamic kit Rear spoiler Shadowline exterior trim Packages and Optional Equipment Convenience Package (430i and 430i xDrive only) Comfort Access keyless entry Lumbar support Ambient interior lighting. M Sport Package (430i and 430i xDrive) 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 797M bicolor wheels with performance run-flat tires or 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 797M bicolor wheels with all-season rf tires or 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 791M jet black wheels w/ performance rf tires or 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 791M jet black wheels w/ all-season rf tires or 19-inch Double-spoke Style 793i orbit grey wheels w/ all-season rf tires Aerodynamic kit Variable sport steering M Sport suspension or Adaptive M Suspension or Dynamic Handling Package SensaTec dashboard M Steering wheel Aluminum Tetragon interior trim or Open Pore Fine Wood Oak Grain trim or Open Pore Fine Wood Maple trim or Fine Wood trim with Ash Grey-Brown high gloss or Aluminum trim with mesh effect Shadowline exterior trim Dynamic Handling Package 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 791M wheels with performance non-runflat tires or 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 797M wheels with perf. non-runflat tires or 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 792M wheels with perf. non-runflat tires (M440i models only) M Sport Brakes with either Blue or Red calipers (standard on M440i models) M Sport Differential (standard on M440i models) Adaptive M Suspension Driving Assistance Professional Package (all models) Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go. Extended Traffic Jam Assistant for limited access highways (Level 2) Active Lane Keeping Assistant with side collision avoidance Evasion Aid Front Cross-traffic alert Shadowline Package (all models) Extended Shadowline exterior trim to kidney grille surround and exhaust tips Black mirror caps Parking Assistance Package (all models) Parking Assistant Plus Active Park Distance Control Surround View with Remote 3D View Premium Package (all models) Heated Steering Wheel Comfort Access keyless entry (standard on M440i and M440i xDrive) Lumbar support (standard on M440i and M440i xDrive) Heated front seats Ambient lighting Head-Up Display Live Cockpit Professional Executive Package (all models) Heated Steering Wheel Comfort Access keyless entry (standard on M440i and M440i xDrive) Lumbar support (standard on M440i and M440i xDrive) Heated front seats Ambient lighting Head-Up Display Live Cockpit Professional Icon Adaptive LED Headlights with Laserlight Gesture Control Individual Options Remote Engine Start 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 791M jet black wheels with performance run-flat tires 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 791M jet black wheels with all-season run-flat tires 19-inch Double-spoke Style 793i bicolor orbit grey wheels with all-season run-flat tires 19-inch M Double-spoke Style 792M cerium grey wheels w/perf. rft tires (M440i models) 19" M Double-spoke Style 792M cerium grey wheels w/all-season rft tires (M440i models) 19" M Double-spoke Style 797M bicolor wheels w/ performance rft tires 18" M Double-spoke Style 848M bicolor wheels w/performance rft tires (M440i models) Heated Steering Wheel M Sport Brakes with Blue calipers (430i and 430i xDrive) M Sport Brakes with Red calipers Adaptive M Suspension Satin aluminium line exterior trim (430i models) Moonlight black soft top Heated front seats SensaTec dashboard (430i models) Front ventilated seats Ambient lighting Head-Up Display Harman Kardon surround sound system Drive Recorder Wireless charging for compatible mobile devices Live Cockpit Professional Open Pore Fine Wood Oak Grain trim High-gloss Fine Wood Ash Grey-Brown trim Aluminum trim with mesh effect Neck warmers Specifications 430i 430i xDrive M440i M440i xDrive Seats -- 4 4 4 4 Number of Doors -- 2 2 2 2 Drive type -- RWD AWD RWD AWD Length inches 187.9 187.9 188.0 188.0 Width inches 72.9 72.9 72.9 72.9 Width including mirrors inches 81.9 81.9 81.9 81.9 Height inches 54.6 54.6 54.6 54.6 Wheelbase inches 112.2 112.2 112.2 112.2 Ground clearance inches 5.0 tbd 5.0 tbd Turning radius feet 18.7 tbd 18.7 tbd Shoulder width front inches 55.1 55.1 55.1 55.1 Shoulder room 2nd row inches 43.9 43.9 43.9 43.9 Legroom front inches 41.8 41.8 41.8 41.8 Legroom 2nd row inches 32.5 32.5 32.5 32.5 Headroom front inches 40.6 40.6 40.6 40.6 Headroom 2nd row inches 36.1 36.1 36.1 36.1 Trunk volume ft 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 Fuel Tank capacity gallons 15.6 15.6 15.6 15.6 Curb weight lbs. 3,918 tbd 4,171 tbd Gross vehicle weight lbs. 4,806 tbd 5,071 tbd Payload lbs. 756 tbd 858 tbd Weight distribution front / rear percent tbd tbd tbd tbd Engine type -- B46B20O1 B46B20O1 B58B30O1 B58B30O1 Induction Turbocharged Turbocharged Turbocharged Turbocharged Cylinders -- 4 4 6 6 Valves per cylinder -- 4 4 4 4 Bore x Stroke mm 82.0 x 94.6 82.0 x 94.6 82.0 x 94.6 82.0 x 94.6 Displacement cm 1,998 1,998 2,998 2,998 Compression rate :1 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 Engine power hp 255 @ 5,000 6,500 255 @ 5,000 6,500 382 @ 5,800 6,500 382 @ 5,800 6,500 Engine torque ft.-lbs. 295 @ 1,550 4,400 295 @ 1,550 4,400 364 @ 1,800 5,000 364 @ 1,800 5,000 Fuel type -- Gasoline Gasoline Gasoline Gasoline Recommended Fuel -- Premium Premium Premium Premium Engine oil capacity quarts 5.5 5.5 7.3 7.3 Output per liter hp/liter 127.6 127.6 127.4 127.4 Transmission type -- Sport Steptronic Sport Steptronic Sport Steptronic Sport Steptronic Gear ratios 1st gear -- 5.25 5.25 5.25 5.25 2nd -- 3.36 3.36 3.36 3.36 3rd -- 2.17 2.17 2.17 2.17 4th -- 1.72 1.72 1.72 1.72 5th -- 1.32 1.32 1.32 1.32 6th -- 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 7th -- 0.82 0.82 0.82 0.82 8th -- 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.64 Reverse gear -- 3.71 3.71 3.71 3.71 Final drive ratio -- 3.15 3.15 2.81 2.81 Power-steering type -- EPS EPS EPS EPS Steering ratio :1 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.2 18 Tires, standard front / rear 225/45R18 225/45R18 225/45R18 225/45R18 18 Tires, optional rear -- -- 255/40R18 255/40R18 18 Wheels, standard front / rear inches 18 x 7.5 18 x 7.5 18 x 7.5 18 x 7.5 18 Wheels, optional rear Inches -- -- 18 x 8.5 18 x 8.5 19 Tires, optional front / rear 225/40R19 225/40R19 225/40R19 225/40R19 19 Tires, optional rear 255/35R19 255/35R19 255/35R19 255/35R19 19 Wheels, optional front / rear inches 19 x 8.0 19 x 8.0 19 x 8.0 19 x 8.0 19 wheels, optional rear inches 19 x 8.5 19 x 8.5 19 x 8.5 19 x 8.5 Track, front inches 62.3 62.3 62.3 62.3 Rear, track inches 62.7 62.7 62.7 62.7 Cx -- 0.28 tbd 0.28 tbd 0-60 mph seconds 5.9 tbd 5.0 tbd Top speed (with perf. tires) mph 130 (155) 130 (155) 130 (155) 130 (155) EPA Fuel Economy, city / hwy mpg tbd tbd tbd tbd BMW Group In America BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; technology offices in Silicon Valley and Chicago, and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 349 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 144 BMW motorcycle retailers, 117 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Groups sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Curbs by the United Kingdom, India and other countries due to the coronavirus pandemic led to a significant fall in the number of UK visas issued, according to latest immigration figures for the year ending June 2020, by when the virus was rampant. The Home Office figures reflect the impact of the pandemic until June, but later figures are expected to show a bigger fall in visas issued to Indian students, since most such visas are issued in July and August, before the academic year begins in September. The visas of 12,708 stranded Indians were extended due to Covid-19-related issues until June 2020, mainly because they were unable to travel home due to flights being discontinued. Overall, in the year ending June 2020, there were 1.7 million applications for Visitor visas, a decrease of 37% compared to the previous year, largely as a result of the pandemic, officials said, adding that the largest falls were for Chinese (272,105, down 44%) and Indians (206,206, down 41%). During the same period, Indian professionals granted Tier 2 work visas accounted for 48% of all visas issued, but their number decreased by a quarter (25%) to 42,196. For those already in the UK, Indian professionals were granted the highest number of all work-related extensions during the year (41% of the total). Officials said overall, there was a notable increase in the number of Tier 4 student visas issued to Indians during the year, but very few were granted in the latest quarter until June. From 21,868 visas granted to Indians, the figure until June 2020 was 48,297. The Home Office said: Indian nationals saw a notable increase in the number of Tier 4 visas granted, more than doubling (up 121% to 48,297) compared with the year ending June 2019, and continuing an increase seen since 2016. Although very few Tier 4 visas were granted to Indian nationals in the latest quarter (down 100% compared to the same quarter in 2019), there was a 136% increase in grants in the first three quarters of the period (July 2019 to March 2020), leading to an overall increase for the year ending June 2020. The majority of study visas are granted in the third quarter of the year (July to September) and as such, the full effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will not yet be fully apparent, it added. The figures show that the top non-EU nationalities being granted British citizenship after fulfilling requirements were Indian (13,564), Pakistani (12,607) and Nigerian (8,080) nationals. The largest number of recorded voluntary returns was of Indian nationals (1,290, or 16% of the total). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The fractious first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden on Tuesday evening led to a spike in searches about how US residents could move to Canada, according to Google. The online queries, which included move to Canada and how to apply for Canadian citizenship, jumped dramatically during and after the polarised 90-minute debate in Ohio. The search for how to apply for Canadian citizenship peaked roughly an hour into the debate and was particularly popular among internet users in Massachusetts. The states of Washington, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio also recorded high volumes of the same query on Tuesday evening. The debate between the two septuagenarians was widely criticised for descending into chaos, with both men speaking over one another and trading insults. As a result, moderator Chris Wallace, an anchor at Fox News, came under fire for not having a firmer grip on proceedings. With just five weeks to go until the November election, Mr Biden denounced the incumbent president as a liar and criticised his handling of coronavirus, while Mr Trump launched a familiar attack on the Democratic nominees son, Hunter, for his overseas business interests. The evening was also clouded by disinformation, with the current president falsely claiming that his campaign rallies did not present health risks during the pandemic. Commentating on the debate, Christopher Devine, an expert on presidential campaigns at the University of Dayton in Ohio, said: Debates usually have very little influence on how people vote. It's even more difficult to see how this one could persuade voters one way or the other, since it gave us so little opportunity to learn about the candidates and their plans. Several polls suggest that the American public deemed Mr Bidens performance to be better than Mr Trumps, including one by CBS, which found that 48 per cent of voters thought the former vice president had won the debate, compared with 41 per cent who believed Mr Trump had edged it. Were moving on from GAPA, but I expect to work with aldermen to propose an alternative form of civilian oversight that we will introduce in either October or November," Lightfoot said. "Weve got to get it done, weve waited too long, we need to move forward and its unfortunate that the GAPA folks have not come forward to us with a concrete proposal that solves some of these outstanding issues, but the time is now for us to act. We cant wait any longer. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Golden Dawn Minerals Inc., (TSXV:GOM)(FRANKFURT:3G8C)(OTC PINK:GDMRD), ("Golden Dawn" or the "Company"), announces that it is about to start exploration work at its Golden Crown property in the Greenwood mining district of southeastern British Columbia. Golden Dawn is about to kick-off its 2020 exploration program with trenching on its Golden Crown property. Approximately 2,000 metres of exploration trenching is planned for the Golden Crown and JD areas this season. This work is aimed at extending the Golden Crown deposit and discovery of new gold zones to add to the existing Golden Crown deposit. Aeromagnetic map showing 3.5 km trend between Golden Crown and JD areas. The Golden Crown resource is estimated at 163,000 tonnes Indicated Resources grading 11.09 grams per tonne gold and 0.56 percent copper and Inferred Resources of 42,000 tonnes grading 9.04 grams per tonne gold and 0.63 percent copper (see "Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Greenwood Precious Metals Project, Greenwood, British Columbia, Canada, P&E Mining Consultants Inc., Effective Date: May 5, 2017", filed on SEDAR June 19 2017). The heart of the Golden Crown deposit is a vein system consisting of 17 discrete massive sulfide and quartz-sulfide veins within an area 130 by 800 m. The JD area lies northwest of the known Golden Crown deposit along a 3.5 km long corridor of steeply dipping veins defined by historic drill hole intercepts, trenches, gold soil geochemical anomalies and geophysical ("VLF") anomalies (see figure above). These features indicate excellent potential for discovery of new gold bearing zones in the underexplored gap between the JD and Golden Crown. The 2020 trenching program will test the historic JD mine area and along the corridor of anomalies, where sulphide-quartz veins of similar composition and orientation to those at the Golden Crown deposit were previously identified. Rock chip sampling at the JD area by Golden Dawn in 2017 returned values ranging up to 5.87 g/t gold over 4.0 metres (see photo below). Photo of historic JD mine workings The Golden Crown property also lies 3 km from the Greenwood Processing Plant and is included in the proposed mine plan outlined in the 2017 Preliminary Economic Analysis along with the Lexington mine. Permits are in place for the Greenwood Processing Plant and Lexington Mine, with operations pending upgrades and refurbishment of the plant and mine. The Greenwood Precious Metals Project covers approximately 15,400 hectares within which are numerous mineralized zones and 34 historic mines including the large-scale historic Phoenix copper-gold mine. Geologically, the project is situated within an area of tectonic extension defined by the Republic and Toroda Grabens, which extend from south of the 49th parallel in the USA where they are associated with major gold deposits in the prolific Republic Mining District. Assays reported above were from samples collected under the supervision of Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo. and delivered to Activation Laboratories (Act-Labs) in Kamloops, B.C. Activation Laboratories (Act-Labs) is an independent commercial laboratory that is ISO 9001 certified and ISO 17025 accredited. Analyses for gold were by the fire assay method using 30 gram samples with an AA finish. Fire assay gravimetric analyses were carried out on initial gold analytical results in excess of 30000 ppb gold. Silver and other elements were analyzed by ICP-OES using an aqua regia digestion. Copper results above 1% were re-analyzed by peroxide fusion. Results above 100 g/t silver were re-analyzed in duplicate for ore grade concentrations by the Fire Assay gravimetric method using a 30 gram sample. Quality control was monitored using reference and blank samples inserted into the sample sequence at intervals. Technical disclosure in this news release has been approved by Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., President of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, For more details, please see the most recent National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the Company's website at www.goldendawnminerals.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors:\ GOLDEN DAWN MINERALS INC. Per: "Christopher R. Anderson" Christopher R. Anderson Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Golden Dawn Minerals Inc. - Corporate Communications: Tel: 604-221-8936 Email: Office@goldendawnminerals.com Forward-Looking Statement Cautions: This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, preliminary plans for a consolidation of the Company's Shares. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the possibility that the TSX Venture Exchange will not approve the proposed share consolidation, and that the Company may not be able to raise sufficient additional capital to continue its business. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Golden Dawn Minerals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/608389/Golden-Dawn-to-Start-Exploration-Trenching-at-Golden-Crown-Property Rebel Walk Dr., 7800 block, 1:03 a.m. Sept. 21. Three masked men entered a residence and brandished firearms at two women and two men. The three men prevented the occupants from leaving or contacting police, then took property and fled. Three males, 18, 21, and 17, of New York, were arrested and charged with abduction, burglary and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah was sworn in as Kuwaits new emir on September 30 after Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah died in the United States at the age of 91. The 83-year-old Crown Prince was sworn in during a session of the National Assembly amid a 40-day period of national mourning. Sheikh Nawaf served as Kuwaits defence minister when Iraqi troops, under the command of Saddam Hussein, attacked the oil-rich state in 1990. According to media reports, he is popular within the ruling family and largely maintained a low profile all these years. While the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain opted for a dramatic change in their foreign policy vis-a-vis Israel, Kuwaits policy is expected to remain unchanged during Sheikh Nawafs reign. Pursuant to the provisions of the constitution... the cabinet calls upon the crown prince, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah, as the Emir of the State of Kuwait," deputy prime minister Anas Khalid Al-Saleh had said during a televised address on September 29. Sabah al-Ahmad was widely regarded for his diplomatic achievements ever since he became Kuwaits Emir in January 2006. The former Emir was known for pushing regional issues at all international platforms and had organised a donors' conference to raise funds for war-torn Iraq and Syria. Whenever he remained absent in the past, his duties were assigned to his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf, in accordance with the constitutional law. Read: Deeply Saddened By Demise Of Amir Of Kuwait, Close Friend Of India: Prez Kovind Read: Kuwait's Cabinet Says Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah Sworn In As Ruling Emir Condolences from India Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences over the demise of Sheikh Sabah, saying the Arab world has lost a beloved leader, India a close friend, and the world a great statesman. PM Modi said that Sheikh Sabah played a leading role in strengthening the bilateral relations and always took special care of the Indian community in Kuwait. President Ram Nath Kovind also extended his condolences to Sheikh Sabahs family and the people of Kuwait. Read: Kuwait's 91-year-old Monarch Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Dies In The US Read: Kuwait Amir Always Took Special Care Of The Indian Community: PM Modi In September 2019, phones across Philadelphia pinged with cryptic text messages seemingly calling for criminal-justice reform while recruiting plaintiffs in a discrimination lawsuit against the city. Philadelphia courts are soft on illegal immigrants and hard on African Americans. Lets push back on City Hall, read many of the texts, sent to a list of more than 120,000 Black independent and Democratic voters. The message directed recipients to a site called USACriminalJusticeReform.org, which decried Philadelphias sanctuary city status and District Attorney Larry Krasners commitment to consider immigration consequences for undocumented defendants in nonviolent cases. In January 2020, a class-action lawsuit was filed. But it was against the right-wing radio host who commissioned the text campaign, which the recipients alleged amounted to illegal robo-dialing. These uniform text messages, which were designed to appear to be initiating a two-way communication on issues of public importance, were, in actuality, one-way communications designed to elicit personal information for use in promoting defendants purported expertise and value to political campaigns," wrote lawyers for the named plaintiffs, four Philadelphia residents. That suit is still pending in federal court, but depositions and discovery in the case finally clarify what was behind the text campaign. According to the documents, obtained by The Inquirer, the campaign was a proof of concept to convince wealthy donors that the organizers could use texts to recruit Black voters for President Donald Trumps campaign. The effort also aimed to test messaging around criminal justice reform that pitted Black voters against immigrants, a strategy that echoes sentiments seen in the presidents speeches criticizing deadly sanctuary cities that protect criminal aliens. The California-based Campaign Solutions Group, which handled the text blast, was commissioned by Kevin Jackson, the Missouri-based creator of a conservative site called the Black Sphere, author of a book called Race Pimping: The Multi-Trillion Dollar Business of Liberalism, and a former Fox News personality who was fired in 2018 for describing people who accused then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of rape as lying skanks." Neither Jackson nor Campaign Solutions president John Mabie, who was also named in the lawsuit, responded to requests for comment. READ MORE: Philly residents puzzle over mass anti-Krasner texts linked to ex-Fox News commentator A report on the project is subtitled: Summary prepared for August Busch. The goal (I assume) is to motivate and inspire August Busch to provide BIG BUCKS for future outreach efforts ... that will ultimately produce change and promote racial justice in Philadelphia, John Mabie, president of Campaign Solutions, wrote to Jackson. We need to look at this initial $20K investment as our ONE SHOT ONE CHANCE to impress August Busch. The emails do not specify which August Busch. August Busch III, the former Anheuser-Busch chairman, is among the nations most generous individual donors to Republican candidates and committees, giving $2.7 million since 2019, including $500,000 to Trump Victory. His son August IV donated $2,500 to Vice President Joe Bidens fundraising committee. Attempts to contact Busch III were unsuccessful, and a lawyer for Busch IV did not respond to a request for comment. According to the presentation prepared for August Busch, only 1.3% of text-message recipients responded positively; the rest responded negatively (often colorfully so) or not at all. A spreadsheet of responsive texts included only a couple explicitly pro-Trump messages. Even so, in emails honing the report, Jackson suggested that Mabie revise his initial summary, which said there was some support for Trump, to state: We saw surprising support of President Trump. The final report called the texts undoubtedly effective, adding, We believe cell phone outreach could influence up to 4 percent of the black vote in the 2020 election cycle. At various points in the planning documents, the campaign is also described as the Philly IRLI Project, and emails are copied to staff at the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), the legal affiliate of the anti-immigration organization Federation for American Immigration Reform. IRLI provided a statement denying any involvement or funding role in the text campaign. However, IRLI did review Jacksons claims for possible litigation. It was alleged that Philadelphia prosecutors were dropping or reducing charges for illegal aliens to avoid immigration consequences, but not doing the same for American citizens, which is unlawful," the statement continued. We communicated to Mr. Jackson that if he had proof of these allegations and a plaintiff, we would consider litigating such a violation of rights." No such litigation has been filed, IRLI said. And its not clear if the effort succeeded in winning funding for additional text campaigns. The site USACriminalJusticeReform.org, which has dedicated pages for Atlanta and Philadelphia, does not appear to have been recently updated. The outcome of the class-action lawsuit over the mass texts is expected to hinge on a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is slated to hear another case about automatic dialing in December. One of the plaintiffs, Bryan Mercer, executive director of the nonprofit Movement Alliance Project, said the lawsuit has at least brought a sense of closure: A year after the fact, it feels good to start getting some explanation of what this was all about. It looks like it really was about him trying to bolster his career as a Republican operative. Another, Candace McKinley, an organizer for the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, said uncovering what she saw as a ham-fisted sales pitch was underwhelming." But shes hoping that, by taking action, she can deter similar campaigns from flooding voters phones. People were upset about it, because there were people trying to meddle with elections and unduly influence voters in this way, she said. I wanted to do something small to push back against that. A Statement By The Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) Condemning the Recent reported Lopsided Recruitment by The DSS and Promotions that Favour One Section of Nigeria-HAUSA/FULANI MOSLEMS, Which Offends Federal Character Principles Since the Inception of The Current Administration of Muhammadu Buhari. THE ISSUE: We are all aware that Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution provides that the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies. However, in a continued flagrant disregard to these provisions, the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has seen deep seated Northern domination of all strategic federal recruitments and appointments including the recent secret uneven recruitment into the Department of State Security Services by the Director General; Yusuf Bichi that could overfill the security agency with personnel from the Northern part of Nigeria. According to revelations from media reports, official documents and contributions of senior intelligence officials showed that the North had a massive share of the roughly 1,300 Nigerians currently undergoing cadet training at two different camps of the secret police in Lagos and Bauchi. According to recruitment filings, of the total 628 cadet trainees, who had resumed at the Bauchi facility as of September 23, 535 identified themselves as trainees joining the service from either the North-East or the North-West. Only 93 were from the South-East, South-South, South-West or North-Central. More worrisome is that findings also showed that at least 71 of those currently undergoing cadet training hailed from Bichi Local Government Area, Kano State; the Director-Generals home local government area. Another concern is the appointment of candidates from Northern states of Kwara and Taraba as chairman, and secretary respectively of the Federal Character Commission; a commission saddled with the responsibility to drive the process and implementation of the federal character principle. This is not only unnationalistic and divisive in approach but negates the principle for which the commission was established. Then, instead of the then outgoing acting Chairman; Mallam Shettima handing over to the most senior Commissioner who happened to be a southerner, he was directed to hand over to Secretary Mohammed Tukur. At the end, another northerner, Abdullahi Shinkafi was again appointed after that as the acting Chairman of the Commission. Also, with the composition of the present Police architecture it can be safely concluded that the entire police leadership of the country is in the hands of the North-West, which falls short of both regional and federal balance. The Chairman of the Police Trust Fund board; Suleiman Abbah and the Executive Secretary; Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, are both from the North-West of the country. Also, two other members of the eight-man team, Mansur Ahmed and Usman Bilkisu, are from Kano and Kebbi states respectively in the same region. It can be safely concluded then that the entire Police architecture is being dangerously titled in favour of one zone of the country as the Minister of Police Affairs; Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi is as well from the North-West. in PENCOM, the President Muhammadu Buhari violated extant laws by naming a Northerner as Chairman to replace a South Easterner whose tenure was truncated. OUR POSITION AND DEMANDS: It was Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio who said that one of the swiftest ways of destroying a Kingdom is to give preference of one particular tribe over another or show favor to one group of people rather than another. And to draw near those who should be kept away and keep away those who should be drawn near. Obviously, this government has consistently violated one of the most ingenious and ambitious affirmative actions entrenched in our constitution to promote national unity, uniquely named Federal Character. As the nation marks Independence Day on October 1st 2020, Nigerians are now more than ever divided alongside Ethno Religious platforms no thanks to the extremist PRO-NORTHERN MOSLEM TENDENCIES AND CHARACTER OF THE MUHAMMADU BUHARI'S CIVILIAN REGIME. As a foremost civil rights advocacy group, we- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) will continue to mince no words in warning that Nigeria has become dangerously polarized and risk sliding into crises of epic proportions on account of the current administrations lopsided recruitments, appointments and promotions that continue to give undue preference to some sections of the country over others. Nowhere is this more glaring than in the leadership cadre of our security services. Yusuf Bichis regional recruitment agenda, which came three years after his predecessor implemented a similar hiring process that failed to reflect Nigerias diversity is another consistent negation of a critical national consensus and should be resisted and rejected by all well-meaning Nigerians. If according to the establishing Decree 19 of the National Security Agencies Act of 1986 and the SSS instrument I of 1999 Presidential Proclamation, the Department of State Security is the organization assigned to primarily perform the role of Nigerias intelligence agency, the audacity of focusing on one part of the country to bring in new cadets offends our national unity and has long term implications. Therefore we are by this statement calling for an outright cancellation and for a fresh recruitment that would reflect the federal character principle to be conducted. Relatedly, we have it from a good authority that as Yakubu Mahmood's controversial five years tenure as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission ends in December, there is a plot to name President Buhari's niece; Amina Zakari, who is a commissioner in INEC as his replacement. Recall that it was this same Amina who Buhari had recommended to Jonathan as acting INEC chair before Yakubu assumed office as substantive chairman of INEC. We Call on President Buhari to address this fears being expressed in many quarters so as not for him to kill Constitutional democracy through nepotism. This is because, the seed of national discord has been systematically sowed over the past five years and should be halted We recommend that INEC Chairmanship vacancy should be advertised now and Nigerians from all over the World be shortlisted and the most competent three be invited to take written, aptitude and security tests and screenings from where the best will be picked as substantive Chairman. The current INEC chair whose tenure is almost over is the most compromised and incompetent electoral manager globally and we are listing him in the human rights hall of infamy for conducting the highest number of inconclusive, rigged and annulled elections in the electoral history of Africa. One very huge problem Nigeria is facing in the implementation of the federal character principle since this current administration in the Commission itself. The appointment of the Chairman and Secretary violated Section 4 of the subsidiary legislation which states that the distribution of position shall be across the zones. This has been the tradition that Chairman and Secretary are from the North and South respectively. This is the same reason past Governments including that of Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan had appointed Northerners as Chairmen and Southerners as Secretaries. The principle cannot be implemented in other agencies and bodies of the government if it is not upheld in the commission that is supposed to drive the process. SUMMERY: We reiterate that in the last five years, the current administration of Muhammadu Buhari has planted animosity between different Ethnic nationalities than even the civil war created and that it will take the Grace of God and the will to overpower our differences for Nigeria to rebuild the bridge of unity that the selective administrative style of President Muhammadu Buhari has destroyed in the last five years. We shall continue to express our apprehension over deep seated Northern domination of all strategic federal governments recruitments and appointments under President Muhammadu Buhari, and that the next government may need to convoke a year-long National Constitutional Conference to try to mend the deeply broken fences. We repeat our warning and caution that the president muhammadu buhari administration has dragged Nigeria back by 60 years because of the prevalence of his regime's unrepentant penchant for appointing only northerners into top political and economic offices of the federation. The recent secret uneven recruitment in the DSS must be canceled so there is a broad spectrum of representation of the diverse interests and groups unless and except we are now being told that the DSS is a Northern Security Service and if that is the case, the basis of one Nigeria is rubbished. Fresh appointments to fill vacancies in the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) also created uproar on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday because of President Muhammadu Buhari's PRO-NORTHERN MOSLEM BENT. HURIWA like most Nigerians are not surprised that Senators across party divides were upset immediately Senate President Ahmad Lawan read a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari announcing the nomination of Aisha Umar as the director general of PENCOM. They alleged that the appointment breached the Federal character principle. The letter equally announced Oyindasola Oni as nominee for the office of Chairman of the PENCOM. Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe had risen to protest the appointment in which Aisha Umar, a nominee from the North East, was picked to replace, the former Director-General (DG) of PENCOM, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, from South East. He described the nomination as a flagrant breach of the Act establishing the PENCOM. Abaribe pointed out that by the provisions of Section 20(1) and section 21(1) and (2) of the National Pension Commission Act 2014, in the event of a vacancy, the President shall appoint replacement from the geo-political zone of the immediate past member that vacated office to complete the remaining tenure. Senator Abaribe maintained that the replacement for Mrs Anohu -Amazu must come from the South East. I recall that the tenure of the incumbent was truncated, therefore the new letter from the president that has now moved the Chairman of the Commission to another zone may not be correct because it is against the law setting up the National Pension Commission, Abaribe said. Before you (Senate President) send it to the appropriate committee, I wish to draw the attention of the committee to it. In his response, Senator Lawan rebuffed Senator Abaribes point of order and observation. If there is any petition to that effect it should be sent to the committee, he said. It was later found out that senators across party divides are set to resist the nomination of Aisha Umar as DG of PENCOM. One of the lawmakers who pleaded not to be named revealed that the opposition to the contravention of the act establishing the National Pension Commission cuts across the south east, southwest and the North central. We are set to meet tonight (Tuesday) to harmonise our positions, the lawmaker said. The lawmaker recalled that move by Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to push for the nomination of Mr. Funsho Doherty from the south west as successor to Mrs Anohu -Amazu as the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) was frustrated in the past. Professor Osinbajo, as acting President could not push it through. They threatened him with impeachment and used the lawmakers from the North to block him, citing provisions of the same Pension Act. The lawmaker accused the President of the Senate of being a willing tool in the hands of the Presidency in its agenda of promoting nepotism". HURIWA is worried that Senate President Ahmed Lawan is not independent of President Muhammadu Buhari's Pro-Northerm Moslem agenda which is tearing apart the fabric of national unity. This PHANTOM NATIONAL UNITY BUILT ON DECEPTION AND DECEIT WILL NOT STAND THE TEST OF TIME AND WE MAKE HASTE TO WARN THAT THE PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI IS PUSHING NIGERIA RAPIDLY TO THE STATE OF ANARCHY AND DISINTEGRATION. *COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO: NATIONAL COORDINATOR. Miss. Zainab Yusuf: Director, National Media Affairs. HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). SEPTEMBER 30TH 2020. Update/correction: Earlier versions of this story suggested Ichiban is permanently closed. That is not the case. It is open for dining and takeout. Liverpool, N.Y. One of Central New Yorks oldest and most beloved hibachi-style Japanese steakhouses is under renovations that will allow a Cajun-style seafood restaurant to take over at least part of the space in a few months. Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse at 301 Old Liverpool remains open for takeout and dining, according to manager Bridget Hodgson. Renovations are underway that will accommodate Seafood Harbor restaurant, which also has a location in Rochester. The seafood restaurant will take the left side of the building, while Ichiban will remain on the right side. Seafood Harbor Rochesters Facebook page describes it as offering Louisiana Cajun seafood with strong drinks and a beautiful setting. Dishes include large communal seafood boils, seafood fettuccine alfredo, spicy scallops with sausage, seafood poboys, lobster rolls and more. Seafood Harbor will be the second Cajun seafood restaurant in the area, joining Boil It Cajun Seafood House, which opened at 702 Old Liverpool Road in 2018. Other Louisiana-style seafood boil restaurants in the Syracuse are include Storming Crab which opened at 2841 Erie Blvd. E. in DeWitt in 2018 and King Seafood, which took over the former China Road location at 2204 Brewerton Road in 2019. Ichiban was founded in 1975 by Chiyeko and Jolene Ogata. It became known for its showy hibachi-style tableside cooking and was one of the first restaurants to introduce sushi to Central New York. In recent years, it has been under new ownership. Ichiban did not serve takeout during the initial phase of the coronavirus shutdown from March to June, but then opened for takeout and limited seating in its tea lounge in mid-June. In mid-September, the Onondaga County Health Department issued a notice that an employee had tested positive for the coronavirus and may have exposed customers on Sept. 10. Seafood Harbor, a Cajun-style seafood restaurant, is expected to take over at least part of the space occupied by Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. (Don Cazentre) MORE ON FOOD AND DINING IN CNY Want to buy a landmark Tipp Hill bar? This one, closed since St. Patricks Day, is available New Dunkin' now open in DeWitt, not far from its competitor Inns of Aurora adds former Pumpkin Hill Bistro to its Cayuga Lake dining portfolio Salt City Market, the downtown Syracuse food hall, resets opening to January 2021 Hidden Gems of CNY: A well-known restaurant creates a backyard oasis during pandemic SkyTop Coffee: Manlius shop finds silver lining in pandemic opening Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. Your browser does not support the audio element. Ho Chi Minh City is considering a proposal to turn five downtown streets into promenades to better meet the need of residents and tourists. Dong Khoi, Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Thai Van Lung, and Thi Sach Streets, near the popular Nguyen Hue promenade in District 1, have been proposed as potential new weekend venues for pedestrians. Pursuant to the proposal, vehicles would be banned from Dong Khoi Street on weekends, similar to the traffic suspension on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm every Saturday and Sunday. An official survey revealed more support for the plan than two other proposals one of which was turning both Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi together with other connected streets into promenades 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The proposals are part of a broader scheme drawn up by the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Management of Road Traffic Infrastructure to build more downtown promenades during the 2021-25 period. The citys Department of Transport is collecting feedback from related agencies to complete the plan before submitting it to the municipal Peoples Committee. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has two promenades Nguyen Hue Street opened in 2015 and Bui Vien Street in 2017. Both get particularly crowded on weekends and public holidays. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! President Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden argue during the first presidential debate in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020. (Associated Press) President Trumps volcanic debate performance put his sympathy for white supremacists in the campaign spotlight Wednesday, heightening a sense of menacing chaos in the race that threatens to undercut other Republicans up for reelection in a year that was already a challenge for the GOP. The fallout from the first presidential debate plunged Republicans into cleanup mode, with even some of the president's closest allies acknowledging his combative approach may have backfired and urging Trump to more definitively disassociate himself from violent white nationalists. By midday, the president distanced himself from his most inflammatory debate remark a call to the Proud Boys, an extremist group, to stand back and stand by" saying that he didn't know the organization. "Whoever they are, they need to stand down," Trump said. He also said he "always denounced any form of" white supremacy, despite failing to unambiguously do so Tuesday night. His Democratic rival, Joe Biden, seized on the chance to revisit the themes that had propelled the former vice president's bid a restoration of the nation's character that had been degraded by political coarseness and racial animus. "Last night I think was a wake-up call for all Americans," Biden said during a campaign event in Alliance, Ohio one of seven stops in a train tour Wednesday through two key states, Ohio and Pennsylvania. He blasted Trump for his "dog whistle to white supremacy," particularly his words for the Proud Boys. Biden issued his own message to the far-right hate group: "Cease and desist." Appearing before supporters at a rally in Duluth, Minn., on Wednesday night, Trump presented a cheery assessment of his debate performance. "The verdict is in and they say that we we, all of us won big last night," he said, even as he complained of having two debate opponents Biden and the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News. (Two public snap polls of debate viewers showed Biden winning the debate 60% to 28% in a poll by CNN, and a closer outcome, 48% to 41%, in one by CBS.) Story continues Trump made no mention of the white supremacy exchange that had disquieted many in his party. But he continued his use of nativist rhetoric that has thrilled hate groups, such as falsely stating that Biden had a plan to inundate Minnesota "with a historic flood of refugees." Few others enjoyed the helter-skelter nature of the Tuesday night face-off, including the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonpartisan nonprofit entity that has sponsored all general election presidential and vice presidential debates since 1988. The commission acknowledged changes were needed to facilitate "a more orderly discussion of the issues," and announced that it plans to "ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates." The organization did not specify what those changes would entail; the next presidential debate is Oct. 15, while the vice presidential contenders will meet Oct. 7. The news was immediately panned by the Trump campaign, which accused the commission of siding with Biden. "They shouldnt be moving the goalposts and changing the rules in the middle of the game, campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said. Trump's signature pugilistic approach has enthralled his core backers, who have loyally stuck with the president. That base comes up well short of a majority, however, both nationally and in key battleground states. "His supporters will stay with him. He didnt lose anyone. But theres still a small sliver of undecided voters to think about," said Mike DuHaime, a veteran Republican strategist, who noted a performance like Trump's on Tuesday "would normally drive away undecided voters." Trump's aides have been hoping to reshape the final weeks of the campaign in terms that Republicans think work to his advantage as a choice between himself and Biden, whom he portrays as a tool of the Democratic Partys extreme left wing. The reaction to the debate, however, appeared to lock in the current framework of the race a referendum on Trump, which has clearly favored the Democrats. "It feels like 2018 all over again," said GOP pollster Neil Newhouse, referring to the midterm elections that delivered gigantic losses for the party and turned control of the House over to Democrats. That election "was a referendum on Donald Trump, and this year feels exactly the same way. Republicans dont fare well in that kind of election environment." Even many of his staunch supporters strained to make sense of his comments and spin them in a favorable light. Brian Kilmeade, a Trump-friendly host on Fox & Friends, the presidents favorite television show, expressed sharp disappointment. "Donald Trump ruined the biggest layup in the history of debates by not condemning white supremacists. ... That's like, are you against evil?" he said. "Why the president didn't just knock it out of the park, I'm not sure." Conservative shock jock Rush Limbaugh, whom Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom this year, lamented that the president "undermined his own strategy." Elected Republicans urged Trump to clarify his remarks. I think he misspoke, I think he should correct it," said Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the only Black Republican senator. "If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak. It took repeated questions from reporters on Wednesday about white supremacists for Trump to affirmatively denounce them. His initial response emphasized "law and order," a continual trope of his reelection bid, and he then quickly pivoted to challenge Biden to be more forceful in his own condemnation of violent left-wing groups. The controversy echoed the blowback over Trump's handling of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Va., three years ago, when he said there were "very fine people on both sides, " comments that Biden said spurred him to run for president. The aftermath of the debate could pose a threat not only to the president, who has trailed Biden for months, but also to Republicans up for reelection in swing states, such as Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who are already struggling to keep the backing of Trump supporters while distancing themselves enough from the president to woo undecided voters. Collins said Wednesday that there was "fault on both sides" for the acrimonious debate, and added that Trump had made a mistake in not condemning white supremacy more forcefully. The tumult could also hurt Republican efforts to hold on to swing congressional districts in the nations suburbs. Many found the entire debate disturbing, said Sarah Chamberlain, president of the Republican Main Street Partnership PAC, a group that supports the dwindling band of GOP centrists in the House. "Our polling shows he damaged the brand in suburban areas, she said. The Biden campaign reported it raised nearly $10 million in the three hours during and after the debate and garnered nearly 100,000 new sign-ups for volunteers. The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for equivalent fundraising figures. On Wednesday, Biden tried to recast the focus on Trump's disconnect from everyday voters, a theme he labored to get across in the din of the debate. What I saw last night was all about him, Biden said. He didnt speak to your concerns or the American people even once." The former vice president's whistle-stop tour through eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania cuts through the heart of territory handily won by Trump in 2016. The Biden campaign sees potential to peel off some of the region's white working-class voters by emphasizing the president's mishandling of the pandemic and their economic woes that predated COVID-19. The president's bellicose approach to the debate could provide Biden with more opportunity to sway white women without a college degree who were originally drawn to Trump's unorthodox style and political outsider persona four years ago, said Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster. "That persona became a governing style that came right into their kitchens and dining room tables," said Lake, who works with the Biden campaign. "It affected whether their grandkid can go to school, it affected whether they could see their mother or elderly friend in an assisted living facility." Hook reported from Washington, Stokols from Alliance and Mason from Los Angeles. Times staff writers Evan Halper, Chris Megerian, Sarah D. Wire and David Lauter in Washington contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), through the Romanian embassies in Yerevan and Baku, is ready to provide consular assistance to Romanian citizens, according to their legal remits and in strict observance of the measures adopted by the authorities of the respective countries, informs a press release of the MAE. The Romanian Ministry recommends Romanian citizens to avoid making trips that are not essential in the area, to show maximum caution and to always get information from official sources about the possible changes of the travel conditions in the two countries.The clarifications come in the context of developments in terms of security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.At the same time, Romanian citizens are advised not to travel in the areas adjacent to the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the international border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the Romanian citizens that it has issued two travel warnings for the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the recommendation to avoid any travel in certain areas/regions. Further information can be found in the Travel Warnings section of the MAE website. Shutterstock Arethusa Falls A hiker was killed after falling from a waterfall in New Hampshire on Saturday, marking the states third climbing-related death in less than a week. The man was hiking Arethusa Falls in Crawford Notch State Park with two friends, and went ahead of them on the trail to the top of the falls, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said in a statement. When the friends arrived at the top, which is about 70 feet high, they found his body, but had to leave the area in order to obtain cell phone service to call 911, the statement said. The mans body was recovered from the two-mile trail just before 11 p.m. His identity has not yet been released. The fatal accident came just one day after another hiker died following a climbing accident at the Rumney Climbing Rocks, about an hour and a half away. In that instance, a man fell about 55 feet to the base of a cliff while climbing a route known as the Dead Sea Equestrian, the Fish and Game Department said in a statement. RELATED VIDEO: 24-Year-Old Hiker Falls to His Death in Hawaii While Trying to Retrieve Hat 24-Year-Old Hiker Falls to His Death in Hawaii While Trying to Retrieve Hat An adventurous 24-year-old man from Hawaii was killed when he fell hundreds of feet on Easter Sunday along a trail that has been the sight of three other deaths since 2011 The man had told his climbing partner that he was coming down when he suffered a catastrophic equipment malfunction and fell, unaided, dozens of feet to the ground, according to the release. Nearby climbers quickly rendered aid and called 911, but he died of his injuries at the scene, the department said. The man was reportedly using a makeshift climbing harness made from a leather belt and a kayak strap when it broke, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported. RELATED: Body of Missing 24-Year-Old Hiker Who Was 'Always Smiling' Found in Rocky Mountain National Park Both incidents came just days after another fatal fall on Sept. 20, in which a climber plunged to his death at Cannon Cliff in Franconia Notch State Park, the department said in a statement. Story continues Benjamin Kessel, 34, fell 150 feet down the cliff after a large rock dislodged and severed his climbing rope. His body was not recovered until the next morning due to dark and cold conditions, the statement said. RELATED: Woman, 41, Dies While Hiking in Santa Monica Mountains During California Heat Wave Rescuers who observed the area said a rock as large as a refrigerator had dislodged as Kessel approached it from below, then slid over and severed his climbing rope, knocking him more than 100 feet down. It then became lodged in some small spruce trees. Kessel was an engineer and avid rock climber whod climbed in places like Nepal, China, Thailand, Patagonia and Peru, according to his obituary. He was from Somerville, Massachusetts, and taught and led expeditions with the MIT Outing Club. Williamstown Select Board Criticized for Inaction on Town Manager, Police Chief WILLLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Select Board continues to draw fire from its constituents about its handling of the town manager and police chief in light of a federal lawsuit naming both, along with the town, as defendants. "Clearly, the one thing you could have done was you could have put the police chief on administrative leave to send a signal that you don't agree with how this came down," Janice Loux told the board on Monday. "And you didn't do that. I hope you'll reconsider that thought and put him on leave." Some in town have been calling for both Police Chief Kyle Johnson and Town Manager Jason Hoch to be put on leave or removed from office since the mid-August release of a job discrimination claim by a Williamstown Police Department sergeant that includes allegations of sexual misconduct and racial discrimination within the department. On Monday evening, the Select Board gave updates on a series of steps it has taken to address the issue, including training for town employees in the prevention of discrimination and harassment and planned audits of both policies and procedures of the Police Department and the human resources procedures of the town. Board Chair Jane Patton specifically announced that "no change to the town manager's status is being made at this time," a stance that generated continued discussion throughout a lengthy public comment period. Both the board and Hoch acknowledged Monday that he should have informed the elected officials about a 2019 filing before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination that was the precursor to the lawsuit Sgt. Scott McGowan filed on Aug. 12 in U.S. District Court in Springfield. In the weeks following that Aug. 12 release, the Select Board has informed the town it knew nothing of McGowan's claims until the lawsuit was filed, even though the suit's most incendiary allegations were included in the MCAD filing. At several junctures, including during Patton's opening statement, the board stressed that it has made it clear for Hoch and future town managers that the board expects timely communication about any such complaints. "We are viewing this primarily as a communication failure," Select Board member Hugh Daley said. "I think there is a little bit of room in there, and I hope that the community will accept that there is a little bit of room in there for this to be a communication issue as opposed to creating the environment that is listed in the allegation. A good chunk of those allegations precede Jason's tenure. "And I only say that as clarification. There's nothing in the allegation that anybody would want to associate themselves with." Hoch himself told the community that he regrets not informing the Select Board at the start of the process. "If I had to make the decision again, I would never have repeated it the same way," Hoch said. "I had a set of facts at hand It should have been done differently. "I truly hope that for the remaining time of my tenure here, we don't have any more filings at the MCAD. I'm hoping that this plan to ensure that we have communications on those issues I would much rather not be in the position to have those [issues] in the future. "I made a mistake." "You made more than a mistake," Loux shot back. "You made more than a mistake. And I won't get into the long list of atrocities at that police station. But the answer is not satisfactory to me, but I do appreciate you answering it." Hugh Guilderson agreed. "What I have not heard is why Mr. Hoch and Chief Johnson are still here in their positions," Guilderson said. "What I have not heard yet is how and when this situation will change and how it will be fixed. I have to tell you I and others in town don't believe it will be fixed if the people who brought us to this situation are still employed by the town. "It isn't a mistake. It's incompetence." Neither Hoch's answer or the board's response to what it perceives as a communications failure satisfied Margot Besnard. "I believe it was a breakdown of communication, but I also believe that isn't all it was," Besnard said. "I think it also is showing the lack of consequences that white people, especially white men, face when they make a mistake. The second chance that Jason's getting now is a second chance for the police officer who committed assault and battery against a resident [as alleged in McGowan's suit], a second chance for the police officer who hung a Hitler photo. "The people who he arrests don't usually get a second chance, right? Even the people who get tickets at the parking lot [the local elementary school] don't get a second chance. You can believe in restorative justice, and I do too, but when the people who are violating our rights are police officers, they need to have consequences too because they give out consequences, and sometimes that means a person is dead in the street. And it's usually a black person." The Select Board was repeatedly challenged for not taking strong enough action in the wake of the lawsuit. It also was criticized for sharing a special counsel with Hoch and Johnson in the McGowan matter. "The question is a legitimate question," said Select Board member Andrew Hogeland, a retired attorney. "I've been in cases where one attorney has represented hundreds of clients or dozens of clients. And as long as their interests are aligned, that's an acceptable way to go forward. "At this point, I don't think our interests have diverged enough to warrant that. I think it's a good question. But as of today I don't think it's ripe to act on that. Fair question, but, so far, I don't see the need for that. And it is common for many defendants to have a common counsel." Hogleand, who is taking the point for the Select Board in communications with the counsel representing the town, Hoch and Johnson, clarified that the board is directing the town's strategy. He cited Section 15, Paragraph K of the Town Charter, which reads, "The Town Manager shall, with the approval of the Selectmen, have authority to prosecute, defend and compromise all litigation to which the town is a party, and to employ special counsel whenever in his judgment it may be necessary." "He's got the lead, but we need to know enough about it to approve it," Hogeland said. Arlene Kirsch told the board the Town Charter itself needs an overhaul. She argued that Williamstown needs to flip the power dynamic away from its current strong town manager form of government and toward a strong Select Board, vesting more of the power with the elected officials. "Any of you who think a strong town manager government is the way to go haven't lived in a town that has a strong town select board and town administrator form of government," Kirsch said. "The situation we're in could never have happened. It would not be able to have happened." Select Board member Anne O'Connor disagreed. "I entirely stand by the strong town manager form of government," she said. "I have confidence in our current town manager. I would not have supported him staying if I didn't have that confidence." O'Connor also repeated a point that several of her colleagues have made in the weeks following the lawsuit: In their capacity of overseeing the town's response to the suit, the members of the Select Board have access to more information than they can legally disclose to the public. "I certainly regret that what you're seeing from your elected Select Board is feeling like non-communication," O'Connor said. "As Jane [Patton] said, our tongues are tied. I want, very much, for the community to feel the board is listening and is connected and is hearing you, hearing the entire community. We are, even if we're not saying as much as we'd like to say in response. "I want to say that I do stand by every decision I've made thus far in this process, personally. Not every decision has been easy, but with the material I have and everything I was deliberating, they were reasoned decisions, and I know my colleagues feel that way as well." Patton said that while it can look like the board is inactive, in fact it is "chipping away" at the problem constantly. She appealed to the public to accept the slow progress but said she understood if members of the community cannot accept that. "Nobody is shirking away from it, nobody is backing away from it, nobody is pointing fingers at anybody else," Patton said of the board. "We're going to right this ship. It's not going to happen overnight. We can keep saying, 'It sucks,' or we can say, 'What can we make better today?' What questions can we ask today? What policies can we do? "I know that these five people, this Select Board, is going to do all the things we're telling you we're going to do, without question. It's up to you to slowly start to believe that or not. And I respect your decision either way." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 Sometimes I am very ashamed to be a Muslim when I see Islam used as a reason for intolerance and for spreading hatred, especially toward minorities, like lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people for example. But recently, I found two books that made me really proud to be Muslim: Santri Waria (Transgender Students of Islam) and Memahami Keragaman. Gender dan Seksualitas: Sebuah Tafsir Kontekstual Islam (Understanding Diversity. Gender and Sexuality: a Contextual Interpretation of Islam). Both express not just love, but total acceptance, respect and regard for transgender people who both authors say are perfect creations of God. Santri Waria (Diva Press, 2020) by Masthuriyah Sadan, is about the life of the students of the AlFatah Islamic school in Kotagede, Yogyakarta. Santri is what the students of a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) are called, although in the case of the Al-Fatah, the santri do not actually live there because they are aged 45-69 and they are waria (transgender). to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Oregons U.S. marshal wont cancel the federal deputization of certain Portland police, state troopers and Multnomah County sheriffs deputies, saying it serves as a deterrent to violence during protests and helps protect officers. Importantly, the federal deputation supports front line law enforcement officers and their families in a way that they have not seen from City Hall, U.S. Marshal Russ Burger said in joint statement Wednesday with Oregons U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams. Portlanders, and Oregonians in general are sick of the boarded-up and dangerous conditions prevalent in downtown Portland due to a lack of leadership, they said. "We call upon citizens of this city and state to denounce violence, demand accountability, and work together to end the violence. The deputization of 56 Portland officers and 22 county deputies will last until Dec. 31, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office, despite the Portland mayors opposition and request for a halt to the designation. Juan Chavez, director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center who has represented some protesters in recent suits against local and federal officers, said he was disturbed by the development. He suggested the mayor keep these deputized city officers off the street during protests. What were they thinking for Gods sake? he said. Its a naked attempt at a power grab a month before the election. Its the makings of a fascist takeover. Its the usurpation of federalism to punish political dissidence. On Saturday, the U.S. Marshals Service swore in officers from Portland Police Bureaus Rapid Response Teams as special deputy marshals, hours before the far-right group Proud Boys rallied in North Portlands Delta Park while left-wing counter-demonstrators gathered in other city parks. Portlands Rapid Response Teams are the riot-clad crowd control officers who are called in to disperse crowds once police declare a riot or unlawful assembly. Theyre armed with impact munitions including stun grenades and foam-tipped rounds. Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton had requested the federal powers for the local officers after Gov. Kate Brown tapped him to lead the police response to the weekend rallies along with Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese under an emergency executive order. The deputizing ordinarily lasts one year, according to federal rules. State troopers who were deputized earlier this summer will have their federal status last one year, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Asphaug. The designation allows federal prosecutors to bring allegations of assault on a federal officer if the deputized officers face attacks from demonstrators, including thrown fireworks, rocks, bottles or other objects. Federal offenses typically carry a stiffer sentence. Assault on a federal officer could bring penalties ranging from a fine to up to eight years in prison, if physical contact is involved. Yet even without the designation, federal prosecutors have and will continue to select certain protest cases to pursue in federal court - either after local police have arrested people on state charges or through inquiries initiated by the FBI, which announced last month that it was stepping in to investigate acts of violence tied to the demonstrations. Of 91 cases pending in federal court from protests over the last four months, 39 people face allegations of assault on a federal officer and 11 people face a civil disorder charge, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Mayor Ted Wheeler and City Attorney Tracey Reeve on Tuesday urged the U.S. attorney to drop the federal designation for Portland officers, saying they thought the federal status would last only through the weekend. The City of Portland does not consent to the continuing federal deputization of (Portland Police Bureau) officers and hereby formally withdraws its consent to this deputization effective immediately, Reeve wrote. Please confirm at your earliest convenience that the deputization of all (Portland) officers has been terminated. Reeve wrote that the city was extremely grateful for the partnership with Oregon State Police, the Sheriffs Office and federal partners in ensuring that Portlanders were kept safe and large scale violence was avoided during the Proud Boys' provocative, divisive and unwelcome visit to our City. Later Tuesday night, the mayor told a community meeting that the city was withdrawing its consent for the deputization of Portland officers. Wheeler said Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt will prosecute assaults against police officers so theres no justification for the continuity of that deputization. Wheeler said he and the Police Bureau were under the assumption that the deputization was for the extent of the governors emergency order, which expired Monday morning. Asked if the deputization can continue without the citys consent, Wheeler said Tuesday night he did not believe so. But Hampton countered Wednesday morning, urging Williams to maintain the federal designation as a protection'' to the Portland officers in the face of violent opportunists" who seek to harm them. Having the accountability measures in place, like federal designation as a U.S. Marshal, is a responsible protection to the men and women that are serving our communities, Hampton wrote to Williams. OSP Troopers will not serve the City of Portland in any capacity that needlessly endangers them or their colleagues. I call upon Oregons U.S. Attorney to leave this measure of accountability in place for all agency crowd control units serving in Portland, so violent offenders that harm police officers will face the maximum consequence afforded by Oregon and Federal law. Hampton didnt specify a particular time frame in his request for Portland police officers and county deputies to be deputized, state police spokesman Capt. Tim Fox told The Oregonian/OregonLive. On Saturday, 22 Multnomah County sheriffs deputies also received the federal status. About 50 members of the Oregon State Police mobile field force, the state agencys crowd control squad, also were deputized as federal officers earlier this summer when the governor sent them in on July 30 to take over security of the exterior of the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse for two weeks. The move allowed federal officers to retreat into the courthouse and state troopers to respond to any problems outside the downtown courthouse or in the streets around it. Brown declined through a spokesperson to answer questions Wednesday about whether she had a say in the request to deputize Portland police or in the duration of the status. The governor put Hampton in charge of the law enforcement response to the Proud Boys and took a hands-off approach, noting she entrusted the joint incident commanders, along with (Portland Police) Chief (Chuck) Lovell, with the operational details of the joint command," according to a statement from Charles Boyle, the governors deputy communications director. The deputized officers are still Oregon State Police troopers, Portland Police Bureau officers, and Multnomah County Sheriffs Office deputies, respectively, and they still report to their local chain of command and must follow their agencys policies and Oregon law," Boyle said by email. On Sept. 10, the mayor banned Portland police use of tear gas, drawing criticism from the citys police chief and Hampton, who described the gas as an important tool for officers attempting to clear crowds during declarations of unlawful assemblies or riots. Social justice protests have occurred in Portland on most nights over the last four months, with peaceful gatherings often devolving late at night when some in the crowd have thrown commercial-grade fireworks, rocks or frozen water bottles at officers. Fires have been set in the Portland police union office, the Multnomah Building and Multnomah County Justice Center, with other fires set in dumpsters or garbage cans placed near Portland Police Bureaus North and East Precincts. Shortly after Schmidt took over the county District Attorneys Office in August, he announced he would not pursues charges against demonstrators accused of interfering with police, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, escape or harassment if the allegations dont involve "deliberate'' property damage, theft or force against another person or threats of force. Responses by Portland police and federal officers, from firing tear gas to bull-rushing crowds with batons, have led to multiple lawsuits against the city and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Portland police Deputy Chief Chris Davis said the federal designation isnt a green light for Portland officers to use additional force, though protesters and journalists have complained about their recent tactics -- including the shoving to the ground of a veteran photojournalist Saturday night in downtown Portland or the snatching of signs from demonstrators in a park before anyone had started to march. I would not say that weve changed our overall strategy, Davis said. We always have a variety of options available to us, depending on the circumstances. Weve always had the authority to remove things from the crowd that can be used as weapons, including a sign." Davis said police were especially concerned last Wednesday when someone threw at least one large explosive at officers that ignited a fire in front of Central Precinct as they were trying to break up a crowd. The federal designation will bring the threat of more serious federal charges against people who try to assault officers, Davis said, but that certainly isnt going to give (police) any kind of enhanced feeling of authority or anything like that. The recent prosecution of civil disorder cases in federal court - which doesnt require an officer to be deputized with federal powers - has marked a significant detour from past practice in Oregon. Federal prosecutors here hadnt used the charge in recent memory before pursuing such cases this summer. Critics have argued that its such a broad federal criminal statute that allows prosecutors to select cases that arent based upon any legitimate federal interest. Heres the full statement from Oregons U.S. marshal and U.S. attorney: The U.S. Marshal will not cancel the cross-deputation of local and state law enforcement officers. Law enforcement and law-abiding citizens of Portland have endured months of nightly criminal violence and destruction. Officers have been repeatedly assaulted with bottles, bats, sledgehammers, lasers, rocks, and other weapons of convenience. In addition, the public has seen repeated efforts by criminals to burn down public buildings. These violent, senseless, and criminal acts have no bearing on social justice. They only serve to exacerbate lawlessness in this city. Federal cross-deputation of Oregon State Police, Multnomah County Sheriff and Portland Police Bureau personnel underscores the importance of providing accountability and deterrence for these criminal acts. Importantly, the federal deputation supports front line law enforcement officers and their families in a way that they have not seen from City Hall. Portlanders, and Oregonians in general are sick of the boarded-up and dangerous conditions prevalent in downtown Portland due to a lack of leadership. We call upon citizens of this city and state to denounce violence, demand accountability, and work together to end the violence. Oregonian reporters Everton Bailey Jr. and Hillary Borrud contributed to this story. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page What immediately became apparent as the pandemic hit was that this virus, and the way we responded to it, replicated the experience of being hit with any type of chronic illness. We saw how our lives could be transformed into something unrecognisable in just a blink of the eye. It felt like muscle memory for me and for many people with chronic illness, each stage mirroring the ones I had gone through when I first became unwell. But this time, rather than a quiet retreat into a bedroom alone, the experience was being shared by the world. People who have chronic illness have faced the challenges the pandemic presented before: isolation, fear, employment instability and loss, mental health challenges, confronting your mortality, and life being utterly transformed in the smallest fraction of time. When cities began to shut down, many people with chronic illness noted that their lives stayed much the same. There are no structures that meaningfully support an illness that is ongoing. Credit:istock As Melbourne became even more isolated and turned within itself when the second wave hit, slowly the penny began to drop. This pandemic was not going away soon. It was chronic. What we had hoped might take us a couple of months we were beginning to understand would now be much longer. And with that understanding came the slow dawning that this changed life would be our new identity. EnWave Signs Equipment Purchase Agreement with Intakt Snacks of Chile Posted by Publisher Internet EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (?EnWave?, or the ?Company? https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/enwave-update-on-covid-19-impact-rev-machine-sales-reviving/ ?)?announced today that it has signed an Equipment Purchase Agreement (the ?Agreement?) with Lake Blue SpA d.b.a. INTAKT SNACKSTM (?Intakt Snacks?), a Chilean royalty partner of the Company. Intakt Snacks has purchased a second 10kW Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) machine to double its royalty-bearing capacity for the commercial production of dried cheese snacks in Chile. Intakt Snacks previously signed a royalty-bearing commercial license with EnWave in July 2015 and pays the Company a royalty equal to five percent of the revenues it generates from REV?-dried products. Intakt Snacks? portfolio of crunchy cheese products includes different types of cheese infused with various natural ingredients like Chili Pepper and Coriander (Spicy), Black Pepper, Oregano, Mozzarella-Blue Cheese, Onion, Tomato-Basil-Oregano (Mediterranean Mix), Blueberry, Raspberry, and Honey. Intakt Snacks currently distributed its products through domestic retailers in Chile and the U.S. through several keto snack distribution companies and e-commerce platforms. Intakt Snacks plans to expand its distribution into the Chinese and the Japanese markets in 2021, and recent growth has led to the need for additional REVTM machine capacity. EnWave currently has forty active royalty-partners, including twelve companies that are using REV? technology to create innovative, nutritious, shelf-stable dairy applications. REV? offers its users proven scalability, reliability and material economic advantages. About Intakt Snacks Lake Blue SpA d.b.a. INTAKT SNACKSTM, is a family owned agro-industrial company with a history spanning more than 60 years in dairy and meat ?production in the Rivers Region of southern Chile, one of the most pristine places in the world. During the last decade, LakeBlue has developed fruit production that has successfully been exported to markets including the United States, Europe, China and Korea.? Intakt Snacks has been producing and selling cheese snacks internationally since 2016. For more information about Intakt Snacks, please visit www.intaktsnacks.com. About EnWave EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed a Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products.? REV? technology?s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors, including legal cannabis. EnWave?s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with innovative, disruptive companies in multiple verticals for the use of REV? technology. The company has signed over thirty royalty-bearing licenses to date. In addition to these licenses, EnWave established a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to manufacture, market and sell all-natural dairy snack products in the United States, including the Moon Cheese? brand.? EnWave has introduced REV? as a disruptive dehydration platform in the food and cannabis sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently offers two distinct commercial REV? platforms: 1. nutraREV? which is a drum-based system that dehydrates organic materials quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; and, 2. quantaREV? which is a tray-based system used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying. More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net. EnWave Corporation Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA President and CEO For further information: Brent Charleton, CFA, President and CEO at +1 (778) 378-9616 E-mail: bcharleton@enwave.net Dan Henriques, CPA, CA, CFO at +1 (604) 835-5212 E-mail: dhenriques@enwave.net In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management\-\-s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company\-\-s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third-party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third-party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it\-\-s Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate Tuesday night in Cleveland. Read more There was a time when much of the world watched President Donald Trumps conduct with a mix of worry and amusement, concerned about U.S. policy but content to watch the spectacle. That time has passed. The global reaction to Tuesday's presidential debate was somber and disquieted, as countries considered anew the increasingly real possibility that the U.S. president could challenge the results of November's election, rattling the foundations of democracy and roiling the global economy. Though Trump's presidency has been defined by moments of disruption and surprise, what unfolded Tuesday night still seemed like a turning point, as a world beset by the novel coronavirus pandemic and the political turmoil it has wrought saw a superpower's election run through with chaos and dysfunction. In a scene that foreign observers likened to a "cage fight," Trump cast doubt on the U.S. electoral system and told a far-right group that has endorsed violence, and that rights organizations have condemned for white supremacy, to stand by. His opponent, Democratic nominee Joe Biden, and the moderator, Christopher Wallace, struggled to push back. To many watching from afar, it seemed like a warning: There are new rules now. For traditional U.S. allies, the debate was another sign that something is deeply wrong with a country and system that, while flawed, has served as a beacon for others. "The U.S. has always been a democratic role model," especially for Germany, but "our motherland of democracy has gone down a dangerous path," Stephan Bierling, an international politics professor at the University of Regensburg in Germany, who recently published a book on Trump. "A second Trump term would severely damage its democratic norms." The English language edition of China's Global Times, a Communist Party-controlled newspaper, offered a similar assessment, saying the debate "showed the world a divided and chaotic U.S." The debate initially sent markets stumbling Wednesday, renewing fear that what happens in November could push the global economy into a spiral. In a note to investors, UBS Global Wealth Management chief economist Paul Donovan, said that the key debate takeaway was "increased expectations for a contested election result." For outsiders, U.S. presidential politics has long had an air of reality television - never more than under President Trump. But many people saw what played out Tuesday night as something more alarming. "That was gross," read the headline of an opinion piece in Canada's Globe and Mail. "The tawdry details of the first U.S. presidential debate of 2020 will be unpacked and analyzed for weeks," wrote critic John Doyle. "Insults, interruptions, noise," Nick Robinson, a BBC journalist who moderated last year's debate between opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, wrote on Twitter. Robinson compared the U.S. debate to a "street fight" - as did several others. "The first debate between would-be leaders of the free world was better suited to the Colosseum of ancient Rome or a cage fight in Las Vegas," according to the Australian. Foreign observers saw the tone not as not just populist showboating, but as evidence of a country come undone. "Whoever is looking for an explanation for the shape the United States is currently in will find it in those 90 minutes, that should have been a political debate," Switzerland's right-leaning, German-language Neue Zurcher Zeitung newspaper Wednesday morning. "Instead, the tradition has degenerated into cheap reality TV. What flickered across TV screens was the image of a country in chaos." "The spiteful debate mirrors a country that is no longer even capable of having a dignified discussion," the editorial continued. This sentiment is not new. In recent years, Pew Research Center polls have captured growing global disillusionment with the United States under President Trump. Views of the United States among some of its closest peers have slid to the lowest level in two decades, amid clashes with foreign partners and over the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. But even among U.S. critics there was a widespread assumption that U.S. institutions would prevail. That confidence gave other countries the ability to watch the United States with a bit of a wink, treating the Trump administration as a circus that would pack up and leave town one day. As the election nears, observers in foreign capitols are less inclined to laugh. Trump's actions have raised "the question of the effectiveness of checks and balances, Congress and courts in particular, that are supposed to prevent abuse of power by the president," Switzerland's Le Temps wrote this month, citing numerous examples of Trump breaking Democratic norms. The spectacle of the debate seemed to unite observers with divergent ideological allegiances. The chaos at the top of US politics "reflects division, anxiety of U.S. society and the accelerating loss of advantages of the US political system," Hu Xijin, editor of the state-run Global Times, wrote on Twitter. The debate "was truly terrible," Anna Soubry, a former British lawmaker, wrote on Twitter. "Whatever our views let's agree and promise we will never allow British politics to plummet to such a level." "At the end of watching the debate in the U.S., I really appreciated the political culture in Europe and its modesty," Markus Kaim, Senior Fellow at German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said in a seminar on Wednesday. Others saw the debate as a warning - and not just to Washington. "Four years of Trumpism have largely contributed to weakening one of the greatest democracies in the world," warned an editorial in Le Monde, a French newspaper. "It's a lesson for everyone else." Trump even managed to sow discontent in at least one of the few countries where his popularity has been on the rise since he assumed office. Shekhar Gupta, founder of popular Indian news site ThePrint, tweeted, "Trump is holding up the mirror for legions of his fans in India," after the president raised doubts over whether India and other countries were reporting accurate coronavirus mortality figures. "You can see that he has zero respect for India, forget any affection," Gupta wrote. This weeks Buzz Bites offers all kinds of celebratory delicacies to get your autumn off to a delicious start. Decade at DuCard DuCard Vineyards in Etlan begins its 10th-anniversary celebrations from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday by releasing Decade One red and white wines. Look for remarks and presentations at 2 p.m., plus music by Local Vocals; the Peppers Grill food truck will be there all day. Theres no admission charge, but as capacity will be limited as a result of pandemic mandates, reservations are recommended at ducardvineyards.com. Thats where you can learn all the COVID-19 safety precautions youll find when you get there. A Virtual Tasting event is planned for 7 p.m. Oct. 22; look for DuCards XOXO sparkling wine and new Decade One wines. Check the website for details, which will be available soon. There also will be reunions for staff members and welcome-back events for couples whove tied the knot at DuCard. Mark your calendars for other events this month, including Vines and Bines with Bald Top Brewing on Oct. 10 and 11, which includes music by South Canal Street on Oct. 10 and Joe the Spy on Oct. 11, plus OTTC food truck both days; Sippin for Saplings on Oct. 17, which features music by Kat and the Travelers and a visit by the BBQ-U food truck; Fall Harvest and Leaf Peep with music by Scuffletown and food by 106 Street on Oct. 24; and Halloween Howl at the Moon on Oct. 31 with Bennie Dodd and BBQ-U. Fall flavors at Bonefish Bonefish Grill is serving a Fresh Apple Martini, which includes a hint of honey and cinnamon, and an autumn entree thats a returning favorite. Grilled Swordfish and Pumpkin Ravioli comes with wood-grilled swordfish topped with crispy onions and crumbled feta cheese, plus pumpkin ravioli and a seasonal vegetable. Its also possible to order a Family Bundle to feed up to five people. The Family Bundle menu includes salad, sides and cookies; options include Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos, Chicken Marsala, Mahi + Shrimp or Lilys Chicken + Shrimp. The packages start at $30. Online ordering is available at order.bonefishgrill.com. For National Taco Day Sunday is National Taco Day, and Fuzzys Taco Shop will mark the occasion with several taco choices available for $1.50 throughout the day. Theres a 10-taco maximum, and the holiday price doesnt include the fajita, shrimp or mahi options, including the California Heat choice and the new Citrus Heat Mahi. Get all the details at FuzzysTacoShop.com. Books and wines Revalation Vineyards in Madison will present a benefit for the Literacy Council of Madison County from 3 p.m. to sunset Friday. Ten percent of the days proceeds will be donated to the Literacy Council to help support its adult and family education services. Learn more about the event at revalationvineyards.com. Single-malt salute Virginia Distillery Company in Lovingston is paying tribute to Jim Swan by releasing the second batch of American single-malt whisky in its Courage & Conviction product line. Swan, who died in 2017, had a 40-year career as a chemist, professor, researcher and author. He consulted for Virginia Distillery Company and other distilleries around the world. The second batch of Courage & Conviction is described as having notes of caramel and butterscotch and evolves on the palate with hints of bright red fruit, raspberry, cocoa, barrel spice and vanilla. The batchs additional nuances include honeyed apricots, blood orange, milk chocolate, vanilla custard and red berries that mingle with butterscotch and toasted pecans. A 750 ml bottle retails for $74.99. Learn more at batch.info. Virginia Distillery Company also picked up a new honor from USA Today. It was included in the top 10 in the Best Craft Whiskey Distillery category in the newspapers 10Best Readers Choice Travel Awards. Autumn orchard guidelines Chiles Peach Orchards fall offerings will be offered in a new environment of pandemic safety precautions. Before you head out, check the website at chilespeachorchard.com to read the visitor guidelines and make reservations. Remember to keep your face coverings on when you arent eating those apple cider doughnuts. To keep crowd sizes in line with safety mandates, tickets will be required for pick-your-own apple and pumpkin visits on Saturdays and Sundays. (Its not necessary to make appointments for weekdays.) Tickets also are not required for the Farm Market, the pavilion or Bold Rock Tap Room. Curbside service is available for apple butter, cider and other treats; just call ahead at (434) 823-1583. Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Tower Transit awarded the Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun bus packages. (ILLUSTRATION: LTA) SINGAPORE The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded a contract totalling $1.03 billion for the Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun bus packages to Tower Transit Singapore (TTS). The five-year contract will start progressively from the second quarter of 2021. If TTS were to perform well over the period, the LTA has the option to extend the contract term by another two years thereafter. TTS currently operates the Bulim package, consisting of 29 bus services running from Bulim Depot. It will continue to manage Bukit Batok and Jurong East bus interchanges. The Sembawang-Yishun package, which is currently operated by SMRT Buses, consists of 27 bus services. These services will operate from the new Mandai Depot, which will be handed over to TTS by next month. TTS will also manage Sembawang and Yishun bus interchanges. The tender for the two bus packages was called on 29 November 2019 and bus operators had the option to bid for either bus package or for both packages. Affected SMRT employees of the SembawangYishun bus package must be offered a job by the incoming operator, at employment terms that are not worse off than before the transition. Since the move to the bus contracting model, Singapores bus industry has benefited from the entry of two new operators, TTS and Go-Ahead Singapore, the LTA said. This has created more job opportunities for bus workers and levelled up the industry, where the bus workforce now enjoys better working conditions as well as employment terms and conditions. Meanwhile, National Transport Workers Union (NTWU) Executive Secretary and Radin Mas MP Melvin Yong said NTWU will work closely with SMRT and TTS to ensure that all affected workers will have a smooth transition. The Union is committed to work with the different public transport operators to take care of our bus workers and create a safe working environment for them. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Story continues More Singapore stories Singapore to lift curbs for visitors travelling from Australia excluding Victoria state and Vietnam Electricity tariff for households to increase by 9.3% for October to December No plans to fine those who display national flags after 30 September: Edwin Tong Bogus shaman cheated woman who was seeking marriage of almost $50,000 A Supreme Court-mandated pollution control authority has said it "may not be a viable option" to provide an incentive of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy produced to for not burning stubble. If at all necessary, any such incentive should be provided by state governments from their own budget, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority told the apex court in a report submitted on Wednesday. Following the Supreme Court guideline to incentivise to stop stubble burning, the governments of Punjab and Haryana last year announced a bonus of Rs 2,500 an acre for small and marginal Farmers say the incentive can help them cover the cost of fuel used in operating machinery for in-situ management of stubble. Last year, the Punjab government provided incentives amounting to Rs 28.51 crore to 31,231 farmers. The state has sought funds from the Centre this year, saying it won't be able to pay on its own. The Haryana government provided incentives amounting to Rs 1.63 crore to 3,930 farmers last year. This year, it plans to disburse bonuses worth Rs 301 crore. The report said, After deliberations, it was found that inclusion of cost of stubble removal in MSP (minimum support price) may not be a viable option. It has been agreed that any such incentive, if at all necessary, should be provided by the state government from their own budget, it said. member Sunita Narain said, Incentive should not be given to stop people from doing something bad. We believe the farmers can be incentivised in different ways by giving free machinery or buying stubble from them. An incentive for not burning stubble is a perverse incentive. This has been our view for the last three years, she said. Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh attract attention during the paddy harvesting season between October 15 and November 15. Farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue left behind after harvesting and before cultivating wheat and potato. It is one of the main reasons for the alarming spike in pollution in Delhi-NCR. Last year, Punjab produced around 20 million tonnes paddy residue. Farmers burnt 9.8 million tonnes of it. Farmers in Haryana burnt 1.23 million tonnes out ofthe7 million tonnes of paddy residue produced. Despite a ban on in Punjab and Haryana, farmers continue to defy it as there is a short window between harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat. The high cost of manual or mechanical management of straw is a major reason why farmers choose to burn it. State governments are providing 50 to 80 per cent subsidy to farmers and cooperative societies to buy modern farm equipment for in-situ management of paddy straw, installing paddy straw-based power plants and running a massive awareness campaign against But these measures are yet to make any significant impact on the ground. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cases of Covid-19 surged among college-age individuals in August and September, just as schools were opening across the country. Two new studies released on Tuesday take an in-depth look what may be driving the numbers up. The CDC study In the first study, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at nearly 100,000 coronavirus cases reported to the agency between August 2 and September 5. The study found that during that period, weekly Covid-19 cases among persons aged 18-22 years increased 55% nationally. Researchers found the greatest Increases in the Northeast at 144% and the Midwest at 123%. 'The observed increases in Covid-19 cases among persons aged 18-22 years could be driven by many factors, including changes in behavior or risk profiles resulting from multiple social, economic, and public policy changes during this period. Because approximately 45% of persons aged 18-22 years attend colleges and universities and 55% of those attending identified as White persons, it is likely that some of this increase is linked to resumption of in-person attendance at some colleges and universities,' the researchers wrote in the CDC's weekly report on death and disease, the MMWR. 'Previous reports identified young adults as being less likely than other age groups to adhere to some Covid-19 prevention measures, which places them and their close contacts at higher risk for Covid-19,' they added. CNN previously spoke to several psychologists about why students may rebel against Covid-19 safety measures. 'Their decision making ... is more about 'what's in the moment, what am I missing out on, what is the thing that would make me happiest in this moment?'' Ben Locke, the senior director for Counseling & Psychological Services at Pennsylvania State University said. That imbalance, he said, may cause this age group to make more risky decisions, like attending a party. The North Carolina Department of Health and University of North Carolina study The second study, led by a team at the North Carolina Department of Health and the University of North Carolina, showed what happened in real time as students began to return to campus on August 3. The university tried to make moving in safe, spreading it out over a week, reducing crowding in dining halls and taking other measures. But the students gathered and partied, anyway. The university quickly determined the virus was spreading too fast and moved all classes online. It also asked students to move back home or off-campus. By August 25, 670 cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed, almost all of them in people under the age of 22. The largest cluster was at an off-campus apartment complex affiliated with the university. 'The rapid increase in cases within two weeks of opening campus suggests that robust measures are needed to reduce transmission at institutes of higher education, including efforts to increase consistent use of masks, reduce the density of on-campus housing, increase testing for SARS-CoV-2, and discourage student gatherings,' the researchers wrote. So, who is to blame? The University of Tennessee had a similar event happen and had to scramble to create more quarantine and isolation space as more and more students became infected. Across the nation, many colleges and universities that have reopened amid the pandemic have experienced a similar fate: They opted for in-person learning, with safety precautions in place, but were still hit by Covid-19. So, what is driving in-person learning to fall flat? CNN previously reported that there are several reasons, including institutions placing blame on students. 'Any public health plan that requires radical changes in behavior and perfect compliance is doomed to fail,' Julia Marcus, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Harvard Medical School, told CNN in a recent interview. 'And that's exactly what's happening.' However, not all of the blame is on the schools and administrators. Holden Thorp, editor in chief for the 'Science' family of academic journals, told CNN he believes colleges were placed in an impossible situation. 'You've got so many constituencies that have so many different views ... The administrators are trying to bridge a divide that really can't be bridged, between what the campus wants and what outside forces want.' No matter the reason, many colleges and universities have opted to stick to virtual learning or have had to revert to virtual learning to be on the safe side. New Delhi: The government today said it would launch Incredible India 2.0 Campaign across the world, besides setting up five special tourism zones in the country. "Tourism is a big employment generator and has a multiplier impact on the economy. Five special tourism zones anchored on SPV (special purpose vehicle) will be set up in partnership with the states," Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in his budget speech for 2017-18. Incredible India is a flagship programme of the Tourism Ministry aimed at boosting tourism in the country.India at present account for less one per cent in the global tourism market. Foreign tourist arrivals in India surged by 13.6 per cent to 10.37 lakh in December on year-on-year basis.Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during December 2016 were 10.37 lakh as compared to 9.13 lakh during December 2015. The US accounted for the highest share of tourists arrivals, followed by Bangladesh and the UK the last month. The growth in overseas tourist arrivals in 2016 stood at 10.7 per cent with a total of 88.90 lakh as compared to 80.27 lakh in 2015 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. CLEVELAND, Ohio If voters were hoping for a productive conversation at Tuesday nights presidential debate in Cleveland, they were likely sorely disappointed. Tuesday marked the first time Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden directly faced each other this election cycle, on stage at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion in the 90-minute forum co-hosted by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. With Fox News anchor Chris Wallace moderating or, at least, attempting to at times any semblance of a policy discussion was rendered moot within minutes. Trump, seeking to shift what appear to be waning re-election prospects, was looking for a boost, with advisers saying beforehand he was taking debate prep seriously. Instead, the public was greeted by Trump largely reverting to his normal routine interrupting, name calling, outright ignoring the topics at hand and instead constantly turning the discussion to Bidens son, Hunter. In fact, it got so bad, Wallace was forced to give Trump a stern talking-to. I think the country would be better served if we let both people speak without interrupting, Wallace said to Trump, after nearly an hour of seemingly unending talking over one another. Him too? Trump asked of Biden. Well, frankly, youve been doing more of the interrupting, Wallace said. Fact-checking the debate >> Trump largely side-stepped questions about the more than 200,000 people who have died because of the coronavirus pandemic, saying more people would have died if Biden were in office. Trump also questioned the data that has the United States as the world leader in coronavirus deaths. You dont know how many people died in China. You dont know how many people died in Russia. You dont know how many people died in India, Trump said. They dont exactly give you the best numbers. Biden, oftentimes speaking straight into the camera in an attempt to directly address the public, said Trump was incapable of taking responsibility for his failures. When he was presented with that number, he said, It is what it is. It is what it is because you are who you are, Biden said. The president has no plan. He hasnt laid out anything. Biden grew visibly exasperated by being drawn into a bickering match with Trump and wasnt immune from his own snappy quips, including hushing the president on multiple occasions, even at one point telling him to shut up. You are the worst president America has ever had, Biden said during one exchange. Come on. The debate was meant to mark a turning point in the presidential race thats been upended by the coronavirus pandemic. With limited in-person campaigning, both Trump and Biden have largely been relegated to campaigning over the airwaves, either through media appearances or on television commercials. Instead, Tuesday nights contest was more a continuation of the race Americans had been watching at home for months. And it came at a time when the race in Ohio has shifted. Once largely ignored by the Democrat in lieu of other states that provided a clearer path to the White House, Ohio is now a focus for both Trump and Biden. Last week, Trump held rallies in Dayton and Toledo, a sign the campaign still feels it needs to stump in a state it won by 8 percentage points in 2016. Following a trio of strong polls for Biden, including one from Fox News in which he led, the former vice president is blitzing the state this week, inviting two Northeast Ohioans to join him as guests in the limited audience, featuring Sen. Sherrod Brown on his pre-debate national press briefing and kicking off his train tour Wednesday in Cleveland, with another stop in Alliance. Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son and one of his top surrogates, will also be in Ohio on Wednesday in Tipp City. Two more presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate remain before the Nov. 3 election. The vice-presidential debate between Republican Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris will be Oct. 7 in Salt Lake City. "Google has raised the bar once again with Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G), including a stunning camera and beautiful display," said LifeProof CEO Jim Parke. "We are eager to continue our sustainability journey by offering stylish protection for your new device with WAKE. This case not only uses recycled ocean plastics to protect your most treasured moments, but each case purchased can help our non-profit partners improve our waterways for generations to come." WAKE was created to help address the growing problem of plastics in our oceans. This 85 percent ocean-based recycled plastic case doesn't compromise on protection meeting the LifeProof standard of 6.6 feet of drop protection and is compatible with all networks, including 5G. WAKE is available in two colors for Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) and features a sleek wave pattern. In line with our corporate mission of giving back, LifeProof invites its consumers to make a difference, too. In partnership with non-profits Water.org, the Coral Reef Alliance, American Rivers and Oceana, LifeProof will make a donation for every case sold to support a healthier future for our world's water. Consumers can visit lifeproof.com/makingwaves to register their product and select the charity of their choice. LifeProof WAKE is available now for Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a (5G) for $39.99. For more information, visit lifeproof.com . About LifeProof: LifeProof was created for those who rise before dawn for a pre-work paddle out. And those who put off sleep to tighten up a new song. And those who lose all track of time because they're lost in creating, exploring, practicing, dancing or reinventing themselves. LifeProof is there to keep the wind in their sails while they live fulltime. At LifeProof, we build products that inspire individuals to get lost in the now. From independents to athletes, scenesters to world travelers, creatives to curators free spirits everywhere turn to our cases and accessories to feed their passions because only LifeProof is made to follow you into the moment. For more information, visit lifeproof.com. #ShowUsYourProof Notes: 2020 TreeFrog Developments, Inc. All rights reserved. The LifeProof name and LifeProof trademarks are the property of TreeFrog Developments, Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE LifeProof Related Links http://www.lifeproof.com Industry Update Appointment 30 September 2020 Carrie Hunt Appointed Director of Sales & Marketing At The Last Hotel in Saint Louis - MO, USA Carrie Hunt, Director of Sales & Marketing,joins The Last Hotel with more than 15 years of hospitality, sales, and marketing experience. Most recently, she served as the associate director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis. Prior to joining Hyatt, Carrie held various hospitality management and marketing roles for several Hilton Hotels including Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in Washington D.C. As the director of sales and marketing, Carrie will oversee all sales efforts, marketing operations and strategic positioning for The Last Hotel. HRI Lodging At HRI Lodging, we offer the unique perspective of hotel and mixed-use property ownership as well as management for multiple third-party owners. From prestigious premium hotel brands and Five Diamond resort spas to independent boutiques and revitalized historic buildings, weve done it all. more information Recent Appointments at HRI Lodging Khushnum Modi - Director of Sales 16 June 2021 The Aloft Santa Clara, HRI Lodging's first hotel in Silicon Valley, has announced the appointment of Khushnum Modi to Director of Sales. Khushnum Modi joins HRI Lodging and the Aloft Santa Clara from the Marriott Fremont, CA where she served as the Assistant Director of Sales and Business Development for the last three years. read more Tyler John - General Manager 16 June 2021 The Aloft Santa Clara, HRI Lodging's first hotel in Silicon Valley, has announced the appointment of Tyler John to General Manager. As General Manager, Tyler John brings his diverse experience across all facets of hotel operations to the Aloft Santa Clara. read more Rotunda Rumblings What a mess: If viewers hoped for a substantive discussion of the issues at the highly anticipated first presidential debate Tuesday night in Cleveland, they were left disappointed. As Seth Richardson describes it, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden spent much of the forum talking over one another, with moderator Chris Wallace futilely attempting to scold Trump for doing most of the interrupting. Backgrounders: If youre still trying to put this debate in perspective, Rich Exner has you covered with a series of stories laying out the facts behind the food fight. And Sabrina Eaton documents the candidates' failure to play to the hometown crowd. Street view: Demonstrators took to the streets near the debate site prior to show time, including a large anti-Trump protest that drew hundreds of people (and at least one middle finger from a police officer). But as Emily Bamforth notes, the scene remained peaceful throughout. Green line: Hanging out near the debate venue was Green Party presidential nominee Howie Hawkins, who told Robin Goist that the debate was a fraud. Hawkins also explained why he opposes abolishing the police and said he wouldnt hold it against anybody in Ohio who votes for Biden instead of him. Featured guests: Tickets were extremely limited for the debate, with only about 80 people in attendance. That group included two Northeast Ohioans, a steelworker and a boutique owner, who attended as Bidens guests. On the right track: Biden will embark on a train tour of Ohio and Pennsylvania starting with Cleveland today, Richardson writes. Biden will also make a stop in Alliance. The campaign stop marks his first to the state since March before the coronavirus pandemic was in full force. Up in the air: If you didnt believe Richardson when he wrote that Ohio is now firmly in toss-up territory, perhaps the Cook Political Reports recent shift in the race will sway you. The political handicapper moved Ohio, along with Iowa, from Lean Republican to Toss-up before Tuesdays debate. Zuckerbucks: Ohio elections officials are beginning to receive millions of dollars in private grants, funded by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to help with the upcoming presidential elections, Andrew Tobias writes. But some, like Republicans on the Summit County Board of Elections, are wary of taking the free money, especially given the controversy surrounding Zuckerberg, Facebook and Big Tech in general among conservatives. Zuckerberg gave $300 million to pay for elections-related costs in September. The money is being routed through two nonpartisan non-profits. The Ohio Controlling Board approved $1.1 million received by Secretary of State Frank LaRose on Monday. On second thought: What if you requested an absentee ballot but decide youd rather vote early in person at your board of elections? It shouldnt be a problem -- as long as you havent already returned your ballot. Tobias explains that Secretary of State Frank LaRose put out some guidance on that issue, which has been confusing some voters. Speaking of absentee ballots: A three-judge panel on the 10th District Ohio Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled LaRose doesnt have to accept electronic absentee ballot applications, unanimously overturning a Franklin County judges decision ordering him to do so. All three judges agreed state law doesnt require LaRose to not accept electronic requests, per Tobias. Two Republican judges say he reasonably interpreted the law in choosing not to do so. A Democratic judge disagreed with LaRoses interpretation, but agreed that changing protocols so close to the election could create confusion and pose security risks. Bag the bans: Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday he plans to sign a bill temporarily banning local governments, including Cuyahoga County, from setting local bans on plastic bags and other single-use containers, Tobias reports. DeWine explained that hed normally veto a bill telling local units of government what to do. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, DeWine said it makes sense during this period of time to have that uniformity and assurance that people will have the ability to use Styrofoam containers, to have carryout containers and to use the plastic bags. The scoop from poop: The states wastewater testing program continues to show a link between increased coronavirus found in wastewater and new outbreaks four to seven days later. Even the state prison system has begun testing wastewater, Laura Hancock reports. Rise up: DeWine also announced a new Ohio Medicaid program called Ohio Rise, which is designed to improve coordination of care and access to treatment programs for thousands of children. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, the governor also announced state Medicaid officials will begin accepting offers on Wednesday for new managed-care plan contracts new Medicaid managed-care plan contracts that will, among other things, focus more on preventive care and increased transparency. Counting up: The number of new coronavirus cases in Ohio increased by 1,105 to 152,907, Hancock reports. Breaking ranks: The Trump campaign announced Tuesday it had landed an endorsement from Columbus state Rep. Bernadine Kennedy Kent, who has been feuding with her fellow Democrats and is slated to leave office at the end of the year. She has been boycotting the Statehouse since an altercation with Democratic staff last year, and hasnt shown up for her job there for over a year, the Columbus Dispatch recently reported. Kennedy Kent greeted Trump at the airport in Cleveland. Full Disclosure Five things we learned from Betsy Raders Feb. 13 financial disclosure. Rader, a Democrat, lives in Geauga County and is running for Ohio Senate District 18, which is open because state Sen. John Eklund, a Republican, is term-limited. Rader faces Republican Jerry Cirino on Nov. 3. 1. She works as an attorney at her own firm, Betsy Rader Law LLC. 2. In addition to her attorney income, she received dividends last year from Retail Properties of America, Inc. State ethics forms only require incumbents to disclose dollar figures. 3. Shes a volunteer trustee for the Dorothy O. Rader Trust, a volunteer board member of the Ohio Employment Lawyers Association and a volunteer board member of Near West Theatre. 4. She listed having, either for herself or through a family member, six mutual funds through savings-and-investments plans from the Cleveland Clinic. 5. She leases or owns property in Newark, outside Columbus. State ethics forms dont require candidates to disclose personal residences. On the Move The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee on Tuesday named 12 Ohio Democratic legislative candidates to its spotlight program, which aims to bring candidates to the attention of the public and donors. The 12 include state Sen. Sean OBrien; state Reps. Phil Robinson, Mary Lightbody, Jessica Miranda, and Erica Crawley; and legislative nominees Monique Smith, Nancy Day-Achauer, Amy Cox, Chris Stanley, Betsy Rader, Tom Jackson, and Crystal Lett. Birthdays Aaron Pickrell, Democratic political consultant and Ohio adviser to the Biden campaign Straight from the Source Sitting here staring at a silenced TV and thoroughly enjoying it. -Jason Williams, Enquirer political columnist, tweeting after the presidential debate. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. Kathmandu, Sep 30 : In a controversial move that could further irk India and its ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, a local government of Nepal has decided to build Ayodhyapuri Dham spanning over 100 Bighas or 40 acres. The Madi Municipality of Chitwan district, where Lord Ram is believed to have been born as claimed by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, has decided to allot the land for the construction of Ayodhyapuri Dham. The executive body meeting of the municipality on Tuesday decided to allocate the 100 bighas for the construction of the Dham, Thakur Prasad Dhakal told Nepal's national news agency. On July 14, Oli made sensational remarks about the birth place of Lord Ram and went on to claim that Ram was born in Nepal, and not in Ayodhya of Uttar Pradesh in India. Oli also accused India of creating a fake Ayodhya, which according to Oli was a cultural attack against Nepal. Oli's statement created furore in both India and Nepal at a time when Nepal-India ties had hit a low ebb due to boundary dispute and Nepal's overt closeness with China. "We have allotted 100 bigha land of present Ayodhyapuri Park for the construction of Ayodhyapuri Dham at ward 8 and 9," Dhakal said. After declaring the controversial birth-place of Lord Ram, Oli had held meeting with a delegation of Madi Municipality led by Mayor Dhakal on August 9 and instructed to begin excavation in that area to gather more evidence. Oli also vowed to extend all possible support from his government to the Madi Municipality to carry out the excavation works as well as formulating a Master Plan and start installing idols of Ram, Sita and Laxman immediately. "We have additional 50 bigha land which we can use in case we face any technical problem we can use that," Dhakal said adding that a master plan has been prepared for the construction of Ayodhyapuri Dham and a Detail Project Report would be developed soon. "The municipality is continuously working to facilitate and manage the tasks for Ayodhyapuri Dham construction as per the directive of the Prime Minister," Dhakal said. Oli's controversial statement was criticised by his own party leaders as well as by India's ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party among others. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Helicopters were deployed several times to pull injured hikers from the woods, and fires in hard-to-reach places kept forest rangers in the Adirondacks and other upstate areas busy during the past week. On Sept. 22 at 12:10 p.m., Franklin County 911 transferred a call to the Department of Environmental Conservation's Ray Brook Dispatch office reporting an injured 64-year-old hiker from Dyer, Indiana, was on Baker Mountain. The hiker went off the trail, fell, and injured his right leg. Once on the scene, rangers provided first aid, and due to the extent of the injury, called for a State Police helicopter along with backup rescuers including members of Search and Rescue of the Northern Adirondacks in case of a carry-out involving rope protection was needed on the steep terrain. A helicopter completed the hoist rescue off the mountain at 4:18 p.m. The hiker was transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment. On Sept. 23 at 3:15 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a group of hikers reporting that a 60-year-old woman from Bath had dislocated her left shoulder on the trail for Phelps Mountain. The caller reported that they believed the subjects shoulder was back in the socket and that they had tied a belt around the injured womans shoulder to keep it in place. The group continued down to Marcy Dam where they were met by a ranger who provided a sling for the injured shoulder and escorted the hikers to the outpost where they were given a ride back out to their vehicle. The injured hiker advised that she should seek further medical treatment on her own. On Sept. 24 at 10:30 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for Forest Ranger assistance regarding a 60-year-old man from Warren, Connecticut, who had a medical issue on the Stag River Trail on Whiteface Mountain. Rangers arrived on the scene at 11:08 a.m. and took the man to the Whiteface Ski Center where he was evaluated by Whiteface Medical Staff and transferred to Wilmington Rescue for transport to a local hospital for treatment. On Sept. 25 at 6:50 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance from SPOT Locator Services, a satellite-based tracking and communication company, for a 60-year-old Ballston Spa woman with a non-weight bearing knee injury at the Ouluska lean-to on the Northville-Placid Trail. Due to the remoteness of the area, rangers called for a State Police helicopter to assist in performing a hoist operation to extract the injured hiker. Forest Rangers and State Police extracted the woman and flew her to a local hospital for treatment at 10:35 a.m., while Rangers using UTVs drove to Ward Brook to meet the subjects husband. The man was given a ride out to the gate and a courtesy ride to his vehicle at the trailhead. On Sept. 25 at 1:05 p.m., Essex Countys 911 dispatch office transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch from a pair of hikers on the Blueberry Mountain Trail reporting a 76-year-old hiker from Katonah with a non-weight bearing ankle injury. Once on the scene, rangers splinted the injured ankle and the hiker attempted to make his way out with crutches, but was unsuccessful. The Keene and Keene Valley Fire Departments Back Country Rescue responded with a litter and backpack carries to assist with the carry-out with rangers. On Sept. 25 at 3 p.m., a forest ranger received a call from Steuben County 911 to assist the Woodhull Volunteer Fire Department and other local volunteer fire departments with a fire that originated from a disabled motor vehicle along State Route 417. Due to the steep slope adjacent to the highway, the fire progressed quickly up the slope and spread into a mix of grass pasture and woodland timber litter, burning a total of 7.9 acres. The ranger patrolled the fire the following two days and extinguished small areas of ground fire in the fire perimeter. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Earlier on Sept. 21, Livingston County 911 contacted DEC r about a tree on fire in the Hemlock Lake State Forest. Three forest rangers used a boat to transport hose, pump, and hand tools to fell and extinguish the tree in a hard-to-access area along Hemlock Lake. Then while investigating the fire on Sept. 24, a ranger observed another fire 200 feet uphill from the Hemlock Lake fire. Rangers then conducted fire line construction and mopped up the second fire over the following days. On Sept. 26 at 3 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance for a 26-year-old hiker from Queensbury with an ankle injury on Whiteface Mountain just below Hoyt's High. Three rangers arrived on the scene at 3:34 p.m. via the ski trails and began to carry her down the mountain to an ATV. After loading her to the ATV, the rangers continued down the mountain to meet the Wilmington Rescue Squad, waiting to provide additional medical treatment. On Sept. 26 at 5:15 p.m. DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a group of hikers on Pitchoff Mountain reporting that one of their group had fallen, hit her head, and lacerated her leg. Five rangers responded and determined the woman was unable to walk out on her own. Rangers requested assistance from the Keene Valley Backcountry Rescue for assistance. With the bleeding stopped, rescuers carried the hiker out and arrived back at the trailhead at 9:32 p.m. The 51-year-old hiker from Westport was turned over to Keene Ambulance for further medical treatment. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518-454-5758 @RickKarlinTU Infection-control experts say Victorias decision to hold back on opening indoor dining is sound science because the risk of spreading the coronavirus is much higher indoors than out. Under Victorias road map, indoor dining wont resume until Victoria has had 14 consecutive days without any new coronavirus cases. The main dining room at New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park. Credit:Eleven Madison Park The restaurant industry says there is no conclusive Australian evidence showing indoor dining is more risky than outdoor dining. But Philip Russo, president of the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control, said there was strong evidence COVID-19 spread much more easily indoors. Of the many candidates and issues on the Nov. 3 ballot, theres one that could have a big impact on local schools. The Renew Wayne County Schools Committee has officially launched the Renew Wayne County Schools campaign to help pass a regional enhancement millage. Renewing this millage is an investment into the future of our students and every community in Wayne County, said Dr. Randy Liepa, superintendent of Wayne RESA. Every child in Wayne County deserves access to a high-quality education and, by renewing this millage, we can ensure our schools and neighborhoods stay strong. According to the committee, renewing the enhancement millage will provide Wayne County schools with: ?Critical financial support, allowing them to promote safety, prepare students for jobs and provide world-class programming. ?Resources that would otherwise not be available to help address long-term costs associated with addressing COVID-19, safety and security. ?Support for all Wayne County students, especially the districts most at-risk populations, including students with disabilities. Monica Meritt, superintendent of Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, said the regional enhancement millage, which is distributed to local public schools on a per-student basis, has been a stable source of funding for local school districts for the past four years. The millage has also provided critical resources, otherwise not available, to help ensure a safe return to school in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In these unprecedented times, we need to renew our support for Wayne County schools because keeping our schools strong is a key part of keeping Wayne County strong, Meritt said. The regional enhancement millage renewal is a continuation of the current millage and wont cost property owners one penny in new taxes, added Derrick Anderson, a grandparent from the Detroit Public Schools Community District and member of Renew Wayne County Schools. All of the funds collected by this millage go to 33 local public school districts and to public school academies in Wayne County, giving them the flexibility to use those dollars to meet the needs of their schools including lowering class sizes, making facility improvements and improving technology and security. This millage has provided tremendous benefits to our community, and I hope everyone votes on Nov. 3 to renew this proposal. Wayne Countys public school districts have been fiscally responsible stewards of the enhancement millage and the funding provided by this renewal will continue to be spent wisely and transparently, said Terry Dangerfield, superintendent of Lincoln Park Public Schools. If passed on Nov. 3, the renewal will continue to undergo independent audits and all spending will be tracked on a public website to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent transparently and with accountability. I encourage every Wayne County voter to get the facts about this important proposal. Learn more about the Renew Wayne County Schools campaign at renewwayneschools.com. Photo credit: Archive Photo From Autoweek NASCAR has doubled the number of Cup road course events in 2021. Bristol will be covered in clay for the first Cup race on dirt since 1970. The races at Darlington and Nashville be now use the low downforce package. The NASCAR Cup Series schedule will look radically different in 2021. Radically. Highlighted by the first dirt race in over 50 years, at Bristol Motor Speedway no less, NASCAR has also doubled the number of road course events and will limit its low horsepower, high downforce rules package to oval tracks 1.5-miles or larger. The Brickyard 400 will no longer take place on the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval after 27 years. Instead, NASCAR and IndyCar will share the August 14-15 weekend on the IMS Road Course. Bristol Motor Speedway will be covered in clay for its Mar. 28 event -- marking the first time since 1970 that the highest level of the discipline will race on a dirt surface. The Night Race at Bristol on Sept. 18 will remain on the more traditional concrete surface. Photo credit: Robert Reiners - Getty Images The Cup Series will double its overall number of road course events from three to six. Those races will take place at Indianapolis, Sonoma Raceway on June 6, Road America on July 4, Watkins Glen on Aug. 8 and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL on Oct. 10. In addition to Circuit of the Americas, Road America and the Bristol Dirt Configuration, Nashville Superspeedway will also host a new event on June 20. Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. and Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ken. will no longer host any NASCAR national touring events. Texas Motor Speedway will only host one points paying race on Oct. 17 but gains the All-Star Race on June 13. That agreement allowed Speedway Motorsports Inc. to lease Circuit of the Americas and for Atlanta Motor Speedway to gain two dates on Mar. 21 and July 11. Michigan International Speedway will lose a date and will only host one Cup Series race on August 22. That allows Darlington Raceway to pick up a second date for the first time since 2004. The spring race has been added for May 9 and the Southern 500 has been scheduled for Sept. 5. After two years of utilizing the low (550) horsepower, high downforce rules package, Darlington will now revert to the higher (750) horsepower, low downforce configurations. Story continues The new race at Nashville will also utilize the higher horsepower and low downforce package. NASCAR has scheduled off weekends for Easter on April 4 and a two-week break for the Olympics where no races are scheduled on Aug. 1 and August 8. Pocono Raceway will continue its doubleheader weekend that features two Cup Series races on June 26-27. The Cup Series Playoffs are largely unchanged from the 2020 season with Kansas and Texas switching dates inside the final three-race round. The Xfinity Series and Truck Series schedules will be released at a later date. Start times, television networks and the number of one-day shows will also be revealed at a later date. Feb. 14 | Daytona 500 Feb. 21 | Homestead-Miami Speedway Feb. 28 | Auto Club Speedway March 7 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway March 14 | Phoenix Raceway March 21 | Atlanta Motor Speedway March 28 | Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Layout April 10 | Martinsville (Va.) Speedway April 18 | Richmond (Va.) Raceway April 25 | Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway May 2 | Kansas Speedway May 9 | Darlington (S.C.) Raceway May 16 | Dover (Del.) International Speedway May 23 | Circuit of the Americas (COTA) May 30 | Charlotte Motor Speedway June 6 | Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway June 13 | All-Star Race (Texas Motor Speedway) June 20 | Nashville Superspeedway June 26-27 | Pocono Raceway (doubleheader) July 4 | Road America July 11 | Atlanta Motor Speedway July 18 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway August 8 | Watkins Glen International August 15 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course August 22 | Michigan International Speedway August 28 | Daytona International Speedway Sept. 5 | Darlington Raceway Sept. 11 | Richmond Raceway Sept. 18 | Bristol Motor Speedway Sept. 26 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway Oct. 3 | Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 10 | Charlotte Roval Oct. 17 | Texas Motor Speedway Oct. 24 | Kansas Speedway Oct. 31 | Martinsville Speedway Nov. 7 | Phoenix Raceway William B. Plowman/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images It's been said by countless pundits that preparing to debate President Donald Trump with his disregard for debate rules, propensity for interrupting and combative rhetoric is an impossible task. But Joe Biden tried nonetheless, and here's how he reportedly did it. The man tasked with playing Trump in at least one mock debate was attorney Bob Bauer, both CNN and Fox News reported. Bauer served as the White House counsel for President Barack Obama from 2010-2011. He has since returned to private practice, but has been active in assisting the Biden campaign. Earlier this year, he helped Biden vet vice presidential nominee candidates. The Civil Defense, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Board (CDCFIB) has approved the promotion of 8,999 officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to enhance efficiency in service. The Comptroller General, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Mr Sunday James, on Wednesday in Abuja. Mr Babandede directed that all the promoted officers be decorated immediately, adding that the promotion is part of the on-going developmental activities and reforms in the Service. He urged the officers and men across board on the need to maintain high level of discipline, commitment to their duties and absolute loyalty to the nation and the Service in their day to day activities. The 2019 promotion exercise released on 28th September 2020, consists of 5,351 successful officers. The list comprises officers from the ranks of Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCI) to Senior Inspector of Immigration,(SII) as approved by the CDCFIB, vide letter referenced CDCFIB/NIS/DTS/CORR/503/VOL.1/157 and dated 25TH September, 2020. It can be recalled that the Service had earlier decorated 100 senior officers, 3,548 junior officers and 118 converted officers on 5th August 2020. This recent promotion list brings the total number of promoted NIS personnel in 2019 to 8,999. A breakdown of the total number of senior officers promoted is as follows 29 CIS ACG ,71 DCI CIS, 270 ACI DCI, 726 CSI ACI, 529 SI CSI, 363 DSI SI, 78 ASI1 DSI, 32 ASI2 ASI1, 403 CII CII tech, 378 DCII CII, 336 ACII DCII, 295 PII ACII, 1496 SII PII, 445 II SII, he said. Mr Babandede, who congratulated all affected officers, reiterated that the promotion is to re-energised the beneficiaries toward the discharge of their task and responsibilities. Mark Levert walked out of a reopened gym in late July convinced that fitness clubs are not doing enough and arent required to do enough to protect him and others from COVID-19. Im not stepping into a gym until they change the rules to mask-on 100 per cent of the time, and each machine or station has its own spray bottle of disinfection, he said. Any doctor would find the protocols not safe. But are enough Ontarians huffing and puffing the virus into each other enough to justify such fears? Levert doesnt know. Neither do Ontario medical experts. Most details about where people are getting infected, as the virus roars back in Toronto and other Ontario communities, stay in a public health black box, along with other outbreaks details that could inform residents and change behaviours. Public health officials navigate a difficult daily path releasing data useful in the fight to put the lid back on COVID-19 infections before hospitalizations and deaths start to rise again, while protecting provincially mandated patient confidentiality. Information made public has already identified and stigmatized some Ontarians with COVID-19, a regional health official told the Star. But in a deadly pandemic, when infections are rising exponentially because people are exposing themselves to risk, where do public health units draw the line? I dont think theyre sharing enough information, said Dr. Ashleigh Tuite, an epidemiologist at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health. I would like to see more data around specific types of businesses or venues, and specific risk factors for people who are getting infected. Long before the pandemic there was tension between officials wanting to share information on health hazards, so people can understand circumstances and avoid potential risk, and the need to not cause stigma or hardship to people or businesses. In general, provincial and regional health units publicized disease outbreaks, such as Hepatitis A or measles, when there was no other way to warn people potentially exposed who need to take action to limit further spread. COVID-19 is another beast, threatening mass death, economic meltdown and a host of knock-on impacts for societys most vulnerable, changing that dynamic. When a late June outbreak in Kingston was tied to a nail salon, the local public health chief, Dr. Kieran Moore, named the salon. Using a diagram in a news conference shared on YouTube, he laid out the spread, risk and investigation. Moores findings, relayed to the public, set the stage for mandatory masks in indoor public settings long before other communities, including Toronto, did so. When University of Western Ontario students fell ill, the Middlesex-London Health Unit produced a graphic tracing their Sept. 8 to 13 trips between named businesses and student bars, sharing drinks, e-cigarettes and lifts without masks. The health units Dr. Alex Summers told the Star at the time: Weve recognized there is the importance of being able to tell the story of how COVID is transmitted in our community and doing that requires being able to break down the day-to-day activities of the cases and contact over the people that get infected... Western Gazette, a student-run news outlet, used information in the graphic to produce a video tracing the events and behaviours that triggered the outbreak. Toronto Public Health, which has taken a conservative approach to the release of data about specific outbreaks, last week tweeted a graphic. The real-life example showed how one night in TO led to 20 infections with 80 people exposed. No locations or business names were provided. What has been missing, said U of Ts Tuite, is routine release of the kinds of places where outbreaks are occurring, plus behaviours and environmental factors that contributed to the spread. The information we actually want is What are the sorts of businesses or venues where people are getting infected? she said. I think you can provide that information in a way that doesnt identify individual places of business ... What proportion of those (infections) are in restaurants, what proportion are in bars, in private gatherings? Even more granular, for bar or private gathering outbreaks, what proportion of them are happening in an indoor setting versus an outdoor setting? That information is really useful. Thats part of the challenge with whats happening in Ontario right now there are a lot of questions about what should we do, what is the right thing to do and we dont have that data. Dr. Eileen de Villa, Torontos medical officer of health, is pushing back against such calls. Her mantra is that people need to know the danger to them is in their risky behaviours not physical distancing, not wearing a mask, not washing hands, joining crowds rather than sites or types of places they visit. I understand the belief that if we just list all the places that infected people have been it will tell us where we can go safely. But it doesnt work that way, and could lead to a false sense of safety, she said Monday. Even if her unit listed infection locations, she said, by the time confirmation came back from the lab the immediate threat has likely been over for many days, that person or persons (exposed) is circulating in the community ... You get COVID-19 from people, not from places and, in a big city like ours, people are everywhere. But some around de Villa have recognized the public is clamouring for information about virus spread, urging her unit to find more ways to comply without compromising patient confidentiality. Coun. Joe Cressy, chair of Torontos public health board, recently led the board to request the health unit publicly release data on workplace outbreaks to protect vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19. In an interview Cressy said de Villas office has since agreed that will happen. We are living in the most significant global pandemic in more than a century and as a result the traditional roles, the traditional ways in which we communicate communicable disease transmission need to change as well, while safeguarding privacy, he said. In the context of a pandemic, complete transparency is important to ensure the public has an understanding of risk and in turn can appropriately inform their behaviour, Cressy said. He noted that TPH routinely discloses outbreak sites for public schools, seniors homes and homeless shelters, and private sites such as strip clubs when theres an outbreak and not everyone exposed has been reached. You could be forgiven for thinking if youre not a health care worker and you dont visit strip clubs that somehow youre not at risk, Cressy said. In fact, transmission is much broader than that and so, from a public transparency point of view traditional communicable disease communications have to be turned on their head Its just fundamentally that what we know the public should know because thats the best way to inform public behaviour. Transparency, however, carries risks. Dr. Mustafa Hirji, acting medical officer of health at Niagara Region Public Health, told the Star that some people contacted by his unit, who might have been exposed to COVID-19, fear exposure. When our clients do not think they can trust public health with their personal health information, lest it be shared with others or released to the public, they become unwilling to share with us their personal details which are critical to us accomplishing our work, he said. Multiple people diagnosed with COVID-19 have informed us that, based on public healths release of information on COVID-19 cases, they were identified by people in their social circle and suffered bullying and stigmatization as a consequence, Hirji said. In one case, someone shared information with the media, resulting in an individual suffering personal attacks, mental anguish and reputational harm, he said, adding: These are stark examples of how much we need to carefully protect the publics personal health information. Dr. Andrew Morris, a U of T professor of infectious diseases and physician at Sinai Health and University Health Network, gives health units a B-plus for data disclosure but adds they can better in these extraordinary times. Morris notes he has recently heard contradictory statements from public officials about whether bars and restaurants are a problem and about the risk of indoor dining. Health clubs? he said, when asked about gym user Leverts concerns. I have no idea, no clue. If people are getting infected at bars and nightclubs, say, we need to figure out how to give them a lower risk exposure somewhere else. Clearly everything weve done up until now with bars and nightclubs hasnt really worked. To implore people to do the right thing and to say Hopefully theyll do that that hasnt worked. Its a great idea but it hasnt worked. Correction - Sept. 30, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that misspelled Dr. Ashleigh Tuites given name. "We have always been an organization dedicated to spreading kindness and preventing bullying and cyberbullying. However, this year, we are encouraging communities, youth, students and society to use their voice to end the hate and change the culture," said Ross Ellis, CEO and Founder of STOMP Out Bullying. "This October, we mark 15 years as an organization. I never want to see another child in pain," added Ms. Ellis. STOMP Out Bullying announces October as "World Month of Bullying Prevention" and will focus on spreading the message of kindness. Ms. Ellis enlisted a "Kindness Team" to help design its signature t-shirt and produce its PSA for their annual campaign. The companies and people that participated in this year's campaign include Flint & Steel, Rooftop2 Productions, the musical group Sugarland, The Hive, Tylie Jones and Musical Director Kyle Norris. When picking a creative team to help support the STOMP Out Bullying mission, Ross Ellis, founder and CEO of STOMP Out Bullying, said, "The vision I had for our 2020 t-shirt was all about kindness because that is the message we need to deliver to kids and teens around the world now more than ever." Ellis adds, "It was important to select the right folks in the creative community who understood our mission with a group of top creatives, designers, producers and others to help convey our message of kindness. In addition, STOMP Out Bullying will partner with Clearasil for the first time. Clearasil will donate $25,000 to STOMP Out Bullying and help promote teen emotional health through anti-bullying, kindness, empathy, acceptance and skin-positivity. The medicated acne care brand will provide added support by sharing toolkits and educational resources to urge their following to get involved in the national anti-bullying movement. During National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, students, organizations, communities, and individuals go BLUE together with a massive worldwide statement against bullying with millions of people participating across the globe. STOMP Out Bullying is thrilled to announce the following buildings across the U.S. and in Canada who will light blue in honor of World Month of Bullying Prevention and the kickoff of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Empire State Building, New York MetLife Stadium, New Jersey Boston Harbor Hotel, Boston Capitol Wheel, National Harbor, Maryland Cupola at Legislative Hall, Delaware State Capitol, Delaware Delaware State Capitol Building, Delaware One Liberty Place, Philadelphia Two Liberty Place, Philadelphia Prudential Center Tower, Boston, MA San Francisco City Hall, San Francisco, CA Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA State Capitol Building, Nashville, TN Wrigley Building, Chicago Niagara Falls Illumination Board, Ontario Calgary Tower, Calgary Due to our wonderful long-term partnership with the New York Jets, MetLife Stadium is kind enough to light Blue in honor of World Bullying Prevention Day!! About STOMP Out Bullying Created in 2005, STOMP Out Bullying is the leading national nonprofit dedicated to changing the culture for all students. It works to reduce and prevent bullying, cyberbullying, and other digital abuse, educates against homophobia, LGBTQ+ discrimination, racism and hatred, and deters violence in schools, online and in communities across the country. In this diverse world, STOMP Out Bullying promotes civility, inclusion and equality. It teaches effective solutions on how to respond to all forms of bullying, as well as educating kids and teens in school and online. It provides help for those in need and at risk of suicide, and raises awareness through peer mentoring programs in schools, public service announcements by noted celebrities, and social media campaigns. Web Site: http://www.stompoutbullying.org Twitter @STOMPOutBullyng Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StompOutBullying/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theofficialstompoutbullying/ Contact: Erin Cohen, Media Relations 516.380.5873 [email protected] SOURCE STOMP Out Bullying Related Links http://www.stompoutbullying.org This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1312 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year, and our current goal, expanding our reach. By Janine Aron, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for New Economic Thinking; Associate Member, Nuffield College; Member of the Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford and John Muellbauer, Senior Research Fellow, Nuffield College; Professor of Economics, Oxford University; Senior Fellow, Institute for New Economic Thinking. Originally published at VoxEU The US has 4% of the worlds population but 21% of the global COVID-19-attributed infections and deaths. This column shows that when comparing excess mortality rates, a more robust way of reporting on pandemic deaths, Europes cumulative excess mortality rate from March to July is 28% lower than the US rate, contradicting the Trump administrations claim that Europes rate is 33% higher. The US Northeast the region most comparable with individual European countries has experienced substantially worse excess mortality than Europes worst-affected countries. Had the US kept its excess mortality rate down to the level in Europe, around 57,800 American lives would have been saved. The US has the highest COVID-19-attributed infections and deaths, accounting for 21% of global deaths. Defenders of the USs pandemic policy record assert that such figures are misleading since reported COVID-19 cases depend on the testing regime and many countries under-count COVID-19-related deaths. Using excess mortality data is a more rigorous way to compare the pandemics death toll. Excess mortality counts deaths from all causes relative to what would normally have been expected. This avoids miscounting deaths due to the under-reporting of COVID-19-related deaths and other health conditions left untreated, or potentially misattributing deaths to COVID-19 that had other causes. Measures taken by governments and individuals may influence death rates for example, deaths from traffic accidents may decline but suicide rates may rise. Excess mortality captures the net outcome of all these factors. We show that the P-score a measure of the rate of excess deaths (actual deaths minus normal deaths) relative to normal deaths is preferable to measuring excess deaths relative to population. President Trump has claimed that Europe1 has had a 33% higher rate of excess mortality than the US. It is unclear what measure of excess mortality and which comparison period he was using he may have been considering excess deaths per capita. It is also unclear how he defined Europe possibly Italy or Spain were the countries he had in mind in his intended comparison with Europe.2 Our figures suggest the opposite: Europe had a 28% lower excess mortality rate than the US during March to July, using the most reasonable comparative measure. From end-February to 25 July, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calculates that excess deaths were about 207,000 above normal. If the US excess mortality rate had matched that of Europe, around 57,800 US citizens would have survived.3 Yet US policymakers had at least four advantages over their European counterparts in countries such as Italy and Spain that should have led to lower excess mortality rates than in Europe: First, there was more time to prepare. Genomic evidence suggests that Europe was the source of most infections that became evident in New York in early March. The US administration had three weeks more warning given the lag between initial rises in excess mortality in Italy and Spain versus the US Northeast. For the South, West and Midwest (accounting for 83% of the US population), the delayed spread of the virus should have provided an even greater advantage. Second, the US has a younger population 4 and COVID-19 mortality is significantly correlated with age. and COVID-19 mortality is significantly correlated with age. Third, the US has a lower population density than Europe as a whole and for large conurbations within, and viral spread is greater in more dense populations. 5 Fourth, the later onset should have enabled US authorities to take advantage of rapidly improving medical knowledge and capacity (the nature of the disease, treatment regimes, testing capacity, and the effectiveness of policies such as social distancing and masks). These multiple advantages should have reduced US excess mortality rates relative to Europe, but instead rates far exceed those of Europe and its countries (see Figure 1). The more robust excess mortality P-score measure could help analyse cross- and within-country differences in order to draw lessons about the social and economic consequences of the pandemic and of relaxing lockdown restrictions. Studies on the spatial variation in COVID-19 infection and death rates to inform policymakers, many appearing via CEPR, are useful for framing the kinds of variables urban density, spatial patterns, racial inequality that are useful in cross-country comparisons. Table 1 summarises a representative subset.6 Table 1 Selected 2020 studies on spatial and socio-economic variation in COVID-19 infections and deaths When Is It Valid to Compare Rates of Excess Mortality for the US and Europe? In an application to European countries, we assessed the comparability of data on excess mortality between countries and regions (Aron et al. 2020a,b), reviewing the available data sources and comparing and contrasting different statistical measures of excess mortality.7 We argued that P-scores at a weekly frequency or cumulated from the start of the pandemic were the most robust indicators for comparing excess mortality across countries. They are preferable to per capita rates of excess mortality, which are biased in favour of countries with younger populations. The P-score is defined as excess deaths as a percentage of normal deaths. For weekly data, normal deaths are often defined as the previous five-year average of the same weeks.8 Normal death rates reflect persistent factors such as the age composition of the population, the incidence of smoking and air pollution, the prevalence of obesity, poverty and inequality, and the normal quality of health service delivery. An advantage of the P-score is that it takes into account such differences in normal deaths between countries or regions. Even P-scores need to be interpreted with care. While P-scores are less affected than per capitaexcess deaths by differences in the age-composition of the population, they are not immune. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately more severe outcomes for the elderly. Though less biased than the per capita rate, even the P-score measure of excess mortality computed for all ages will favour countries like the US with a younger population.9 Comparing Plausible Indicators of Excess Mortality for the US and Europe We compare measures of excess mortality for the US (using CDC data) with Europe (using data from the Human Mortality Database, or HMD).10 European coverage consists of the 27 EU countries, excluding Ireland, Cyprus and Malta (with 5.0, 0.9 and 0.4 million people, respectively), but adds Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK nations. The total included population is 522.2 million, compared with 330 million for the US. For the US, CDC data, adjusted for trends, define normal weekly mortality. For European countries, normal weekly mortality is calculated as the average for that week in the previous five years.11 The weekly count of excess deaths is then calculated as the actual deaths for that week minus the normal number of deaths. For weeks where excess deaths are estimated to be negative, a count of zero is used instead. This avoids the problem of undercounting recent deaths, which could contribute to finding spuriously negative rates of excess mortality.12 We compare cumulative excess mortality from the last week of February to the penultimate week of July13 and compute the two measures of rates of excess mortality: the per capita measure of excess deaths and the percent of normal (i.e. the P-score measure). The July endpoint reflects missing data for some European countries for later weeks; also, recording lags in the US data14make later observations less accurate. Table 2 shows the comparative results. Table 2 Comparison of cumulative excess mortality in the US and Europe Sources: The P-scores for Europe are calculated by the authors using the Human Mortality Database (see metafile) for the European countries; the normal or expected weekly deaths are defined as the average for the previous 5 years, except for Germany and Greece where the previous four years are used. The P-scores for the US are calculated using CDC data where normal deaths take mortality trends into account. Notes: (i) See the text and Figure 1 for the countries included in the definition of Europe. (ii) Cumulative P-scores cover the weeks 9-30. Data are available for the US to week 36, but given reporting lags, are liable to undercount mortality in recent weeks because of lags in registration. (iii) Negative excess deaths were set to zero. (iv) See other notes under Table 3. As noted, Europe has an older population and hence more normal deaths per capita than the US (see Table 2, column 5). The all ages P-score measure of excess mortality takes (significant)15 account of this and in Europe was 28% lower than in the US. Even on the cruder per capita figure, excess mortality in Europe was 21% lower than in the US. A cumulative P-score of 17.2% means that for every 100 normal deaths, there were 17.2 additional deaths in those weeks in 2020. Despite the multiple advantages of the US discussed above, which should have reduced relative excess mortality, the US rates far exceed those in Europe. Figure 1 shows P-scores, ordered from highest to lowest, for the US, Europe as a whole and various European countries. Spain and England and Wales16 have the highest excess mortality rates amongst European countries. Comparing a large, highly heterogeneous country like the US with individual European countries is inappropriate; also, the pandemic timing needs to be matched. A more relevant comparison is of the worst-affected US region with the worst-affected European countries during the pandemics first wave. Figure 1 Cumulative P-scores of excess mortality comparing the US to Europe, weeks 9 to 30 Sources: The P-scores for Europe are calculated by the authors using the Human Mortality Database (see metafile) with the normal or expected weekly deaths defined as the average for the previous five years, except for Germany and Greece where the previous four years are used. The P-scores for the US come from CDC data where normal deaths take mortality trends into account. For the US Northeast, excess and normal deaths are cumulated over the nine member states. Notes: (i) Cumulative P-scores cover the weeks 9-30. Data are available for the U.S. to week 36, but given reporting lags, are liable to undercount mortality in recent weeks because of lags in registration. (ii) Negative excess deaths were set to zero. (iii) See other notes under Table 3. Digging Down: Comparing the US Regions to Large European Countries Arguably, the Northeast census region of the US (comprising nine states)17 provides a good comparator with the larger European countries in terms of population size, density, age composition, urban-rural structure and the timing of the pandemic. For the five worst-hit European countries, we compared weekly P-scores and the peak week cumulative P-scores in the first wave of the pandemic (Aron and Muellbauer 2020b). For an 11-week peak period, the starting dates varied by country between week 10 (ending 8 March) and week 13 (ending 29 March) of 2020. The equivalent 11 weeks for the US and the US Northeast are weeks 13 to 23.18 Table 3 compares cumulative P-scores for the US and the Northeast with the eight worst-affected European countries and with Germany, which registers the lowest P-score among large European countries. The US Northeast suffered by far the highest rate of excess deaths in the first wave of the pandemic. In a like-for-likepeak week comparison, its P-score was 75%, compared to 55% for Spain and 5.7% for Germany. The US Northeast also had the highest per capita excess mortality in these weeks. For the cumulative P-scores for weeks 9-30, the pattern is repeated. Figure 2 also shows Europes cumulative P-score for weeks 9-30, which lies below three out of four US regions, and below the US as a whole. Table 3 Cumulative P-scores for the 11 peak pandemic weeks for the US, the US Northeast and major European countries and for weeks 9 to 30 Sources: The P-scores are calculated by the authors using the Human Mortality Database (see metafile) for the European countries with normal or expected weekly deaths defined as the average for the previous five years (four in the case of Germany), and for the US and US Northeast (aggregating data for its nine states) from the CDCs Excess Mortality website. The CDC uses models incorporating trends and seasonal to estimate normal or expected deaths. Notes: ** The US as whole is included for reference but cannot provide a like-for-like comparison with individual European countries over this time frame, since at least two of its four regions (the South and the West), comprising 62% of its population, experienced a far later spread of the pandemic and all four regions have not returned to zero excess mortality. The Northeast US region can be fairly compared over this time-frame with individual European countries. (i) Cumulative P-scores cover the 11 peak weeks shown in column 2. (ii) Negative excess deaths were set to zero. (iii) The European country ordering is by cumulative P-scores; the countries shown have the highest P-scores in Europe, apart from Germany, which has the lowest among the large economies. (iv) HMD only report for England and Wales, not separately for each; they report for Scotland and Northern Ireland. (v) HMD use deaths by week of occurrence for all the above countries, except the UK, where deaths by week of registration are used. (vi) For the US, the CDC define a week as ending on Saturday. For Europe, HMD define a week as ending on Sunday, except for England and Wales, which is Friday (see their metafile). Figure 2 Cumulative excess mortality P-scores across the four US regions Sources: The P-scores are calculated by the authors using the Human Mortality Database (see metafile) for European countries, and for the U.S. and its regions from the CDCs Excess Mortality website. See notes under Table 3. The weekly profiles of P-scores for the US Northeast and the US in Figure 3 suggest that deaths had almost returned to normal levels by week 23 in the Northeast, but not for the US as a whole, and illustrates the later arrival of the pandemic compared with Italy. The even later spread of the pandemic in the other US regions is seen in Figure 4, which also shows the share of these regions in total US excess deaths. Figure 3 Weekly profiles of P-scores: The US Northeast, the US as a whole and Italy, weeks 9 to 30 Source: The P-scores are calculated by the authors using data for the US and the US Northeast (aggregating data for its nine states) from the CDCs Excess Mortality website. The CDC uses models incorporating trends and seasonal to estimate normal or expected deaths. Data for Italy are from the Human Mortality Database (see metafile) for the European countries; the normal or expected weekly deaths are defined as the average for the previous five years. Notes: (i) Data are available for the US to week 36, but given reporting lags, are liable to undercount mortality in recent weeks because of lags in registration. Data for Italy end in week 26 and were interpolated to week 30 using EuroMOMO z-score data (ii) Negative excess deaths were set to zero. (iii) The CDC define a week as ending on Saturday. HMD define a week as ending on Sunday, see their metafile. (iv) See other notes under Table 3. Figure 4 Regional weekly excess deaths and the share of all US excess deaths across the four US regions Sources: Excess deaths for the US and its regions from the CDCs Excess Mortality website. See notes under Table 3. The Bottom Line: Is the Claim that US Excess Mortality Is Lower than in Europe a Fact or Fiction? We compared cumulated excess mortality for the US and Europe, measured by excess mortality per capita and the percentage of excess mortality relative to normal deaths. Our definition of Europe has broad coverage. Excess mortality rates were significantly lower in Europe than in the US (from end-February to near-end of July 2020 (Table 3, Figure 1). US deaths exceeded normal deaths by around 207,000. If the US excess mortality rate had matched that of Europe, around 57,800 US deaths would have been avoided. By the P-score, excess mortality in Europe was 28% lower than in the US; even on a cruder per capita figure, excess mortality in Europe was 21% lowerthan in the U.S. This is surprising as: (1) the pandemic arrived later in the US, giving policymakers more time to prepare; (2) the lower population density and degree of urbanisation and (3) lower median age in the US than in Europe should have resulted in lower mortality; and 4) the US could have taken better advantage of rapidly evolving medical knowledge and capacity. Our findings contradict repeated claims by President Trump that Europe had a 33% higher rate of excess mortality than the US.19 Examining the US Northeast census region, which is much more comparable than the rest of the US to European countries in terms of population, population density, age structure and degree of urbanisation, and in the timing of the first wave of the pandemic, leads to a similar conclusion. The first wave lagged Italys first wave by three weeks. Comparing the 11 peak pandemic weeks for each, the Northeast had substantially higher rates of excess mortality than the most severely affected European countries (see Table 3). The Northeast region had 36% proportionately worse excess mortality than the worst-affected European country, Spain (i.e. a P-score of 75% versus 55% for Spain). Most states and cities in the US Northeast have Democrat governors and mayors. Some might attribute higher excess mortality rates to this political factor. However, higher rates of excess mortality in Northeast states cannot be attributed to the governing party. A study of COVID-19 deaths and infection rates across US counties finds that counties with a high 2016 vote share for Trump have higher rates of COVID-19 mortality, accounting for population density, racial/ethnic composition and other controls (Desmet and Wacziarg 2020). This result appears to be confirmed at the state level when using excess mortality as the dependent variable: states with a higher share of the Democrat vote in the 2016 election have lower cumulative P-scores, given appropriate controls.20 While the dense, urban Northeast had the highest excess deaths, the Midwestern and Southern states, many of which have Republican political leadership, also suffered higher excess mortality than Europe (Figure 4), despite being substantially less dense, more rural and having advance warning. These results raise important questions as to why the US, with its technical and institutional capabilities and other advantages cited, was far less effective in its response to COVID-19 than Europe. Spatial studies that explain these excess mortality patterns could lend policy insights. Authors note: We are grateful to Eric Beinhocker of INET for comments and to Jessica McDonald of FactCheck.org for highlighting the current relevance of the issue and working with us. Her article can be found here. We thank Our World in Data, especially Charlie Giattino, for providing data. See original post for references This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1295 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year, and our current goal, expanding our reach. Yves here. Im old enough to remember Californias 1990 zero emissions vehicle mandate, which required 2% of all vehicles sold starting in 1997 to be zero emissions. New York and Massachusetts adopted similar mandates. I drove a GM prototype ZEV, an electric car with nickel metal hydrate batteries, in 1992. It was cute but had terrible acceleration. And the lack of charging stations would have been a problem. I recommended against investing in advanced battery technology then because the prices were way out of line (due to the mandate) relative to the prospects for delivering performance in automobiles that consumers would accept any time soon. California abandoned the mandate in 1995 and the eastern states followed suit. By Irina Slav. Originally published at OilPrice Californias Governor Gavin Newsom last week announced that the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines would be banned from 2035 in the state administrations latest effort to reduce its carbon footprint. The move was praised by environmentalists and carmakers alike the latter already having committed billions to build an EV presence. But there is one problem the Golden State might want to fix by 2035 if the ban is to work: its power supply. Last month, California was threatened by the first rolling blackouts in about two decades as a heatwave led to a spike in electricity consumption. This, in turn, revealed that the states demand exceeded its supply including imported electricity and ignited a debate about whether it had grown its renewable energy generation capacity too aggressively for its own good. The debate is important if California plans on letting millions of EVs on its roads in less than two decades. These EVs will add to the demand for electricity, and there is no guarantee whatsoever they would need this electricity in off-peak hours. In the meantime, California will continue expanding its renewable capacity but likely not gas capacity. According to some, this could be a problem because gas provides an essential baseload when solar and wind cant supply power to the grid. Others, however, have brushed off these concerns. The president of the California Independent System Operator, the state grids manager, recently told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that the problem was more complex than some made it out to be. A shortage of imports and mostly the fact that Californias grid operates too close to the margin were at the heart of the outages. We knew coming into the day on Friday that we were going to be tight, but thats not unusual, Stephen Berberich told the LA Times. Were often tight. And imports generally take care of the gap. In this case, because it was hot in the West, we werent able to get the imports we would normally get. Renewables are not at the heart of the issues we had on Friday night. Yet renewables do bear improvement in the form of batteries, which, according to Berberich, could help with the load problem. However, they wont solve it on their own. Solar, he noted, is not available 24/7. In fact, Solar has virtually no value in the net peak hours, in the evening. This intermittency has plagued solar and, perhaps to a lesser extent, wind for years. Batteries are getting bigger and better, but they have a long way to go before they can completely replace power plants with a constant supply of fuel. In other words, the California grid is quite vulnerable to outages, especially during the summer season. This summer, when authorities asked Californians to conserve energy to prevent blackouts, they did. But can the authorities prescribe EV charging times to alleviate the load on the grid? This will hardly work with millions of people. Electricity demand in California could jump by 25 percent if all passenger vehicles on its roads are electric, the Wall Street Journals Russell Gold wrotelast week, citing calculations done by experts. This is a major demand increase even if it is hypothetical: California will not be banning existing ICE cars from the road, only new sales. Sales of used ICE cars will also be allowed after 2035. But the goal is clear enough: make EVs the dominant mode of transportation. And this will cost the grid. There has been an idea to use EVs to actually supply power to the grid when needed, but it has been fraught with problems that, for now, make it impractical. Thats all right because the millions of EVs that the idea envisages as grid supporters have yet to hit the road. For now, the only other idea about how to cope with the situation is adapting the grid to the higher demand: upgrading the transmission and distribution equipment to handle the stronger demand from households, since most EVs are charged at home. One utility, the WSJs Gold reported, has also suggested incentivizing people to charge their cars during off-peak hours to avoid overloading the grid. For now, the best time to do this seems to be the middle of the day. Trying to make millions of people charge their EVs during the middle of the day could be challenging despite any incentives utilities might think of. And in case it does work, the additional EVs would just turn into another peak demand period, potentially threatening more outages in its own right since most drivers would want to fast-charge their EVs if they would be charging them at noon instead of at night, at home. Reconciling Californias grid vulnerability with its EV ambitions will require a lot of workwork that needs to get underway now. Currently, EVs comprisejust a tenth of Californias car demand. This may change by 2035, and with the proper incentives, it probably will. So, the grid needs to be prepared for the surge in EVs that would need charging because the heatwaves during the summer are unlikely to go away. The chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline, the world's largest maker of vaccines, said she was optimistic the industry will be able to make an immunisation against COVID-19 widely available next year. "I share the optimism that we will have solutions next year. The challenge here is getting to the scale that is required," GSK CEO Emma Walmsley said at an online event of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) on Tuesday. GSK is contributing adjuvants, efficacy boosters that play a vital role in many vaccines, in several development alliances for potential future vaccines against the novel coronavirus that has claimed more than a million lives globally. The group's most advanced project is with French partner Sanofi and the two have said they hope to get approval for their candidate next year. Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: Moderna trials appear safe, show positive signs in older adults Walmsley stressed the industry's unprecedented speed of developing an immunisation did not compromise safety because trials were not smaller than usual and regulators and companies were taking steps in parallel that were previously done consecutively. "We are condensing timelines that can take 10 years into two years. But people should feel very reassured that the way we do that is (due to) a completely different level of collaboration with regulators," the CEO said. Also read: How soon can we expect coronavirus vaccine? Crucial data expected by October-end "We are putting our funds at risk, governments have put funds at risk so that we don't restrict the scale, which is really important in a trial for vaccines," she added. Also read: Don't agree with Adar Poonawalla's Rs 80,000 crore calculation for COVID vaccine, says govt Victor Nana Kankam and Benjamin Okyere 30.09.2020 LISTEN The Abeka Magistrate Court has adjourned the case of a landlord, Victor Nana Kankam who shot and killed his tenant in Ofankor. The accused who is facing a murder charge shot the late Benjamin Okyere, a budding musician over a misunderstanding. He was remanded into prison custody while the case docket was forwarded to the Attorney General's Department for advice. Appearing in court yesterday, the prosecution led by Inspector Stephen Ahiable told the court that he has not received any new updates from the investigator in the matter as to whether has been able to complete a directive given to him by the AG's Department. He subsequently prayed the court for an adjournment as they await the AG's advice. The court presided over by Her Worship, Achamaa Ofosu granted the request and adjourned the matter to October 15, 2020. The suspect, Victor Stephen Nana Kankam, allegedly shot the victim, Benjamin Okyere, a budding musician, four times. He was initially rushed to Anoeja Hospital at Tantra Hill and later the case was taken to the Achimota Mile 7 Police Station, where a formal complaint was lodged. The victim was then taken to the Police Hospital where he was pronounced dead. While it is still not clear what triggered the deadly incident, there are rumours that the landlord killed the tenant over a woman. The accused later claimed to the police that he acted in self-defence. Daily Guide An entomologist from the University of Melbourne lets thousands of mosquitoes bite his arm regularly in order to keep them fed for research on eradicating Dengue fever. Dr Perran Stott-Ross has been involved in mosquito research at the University of Melbourne for many years now, trying to find effective ways of curbing the spread of the Dengue virus, passes between humans via mosquitoes. One of the most promising strategies has been infecting swarms of mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a bacteria that naturally blocks the transmission of dengue fever and is passed on over generations of mosquitoes. But in order to further this research, Dr. Stott-Ross has to monitor thousands of blood-sucking bugs, and as part of that monitoring he offers his own arm as an all-you-can-eat buffet The Australian scientists first drew attention back in March, when he tweeted a photo of his blister-covered arm after reportedly feeding a record 5,000 female mosquitoes. He admits that the bites can be painful sometimes, and that he always has to abstain from scratching after blood-feeding sessions. Heres a photo inside the cage with my arm going through a mesh stocking. This helps to reduce escapees. It also helps if I shake my arm as I take it out. pic.twitter.com/4yZFmKfY5y Perran Ross (@MosWhisperer) May 8, 2020 Sometimes it can sting a little bit if they get you in the right spot, but mostly its just slight irritation, Ross told Science Alert. Its absolutely itchy later. As soon as I take my arm out, I have to resist the urge to scratch. Looking at some of the photos and videos Perran Stott-Ross has shared on his Twitter account, one has to wonder if he has developed an immunity to the pain and irritation associated with mosquito bites. I myself can barely handle one or two stings, but having my whole arm covered with them I cant even imagine how itchy that must feel. One day later, and my arm is nearly back to normal pic.twitter.com/OHSQzKSnwP Perran Ross (@MosWhisperer) December 13, 2017 Record day of mosquito blood feeding today. ~5000 female mosquitoes fed and 16 mL of blood lost, the scientist captioned one of his most shared photo. President Donald Trump during his first debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday in Cleveland. Read more Poll watchers in Philadelphia were thrown out. President Donald Trump at the first presidential debate on Sept. 29 In the final moments of Tuesdays raucous presidential debate, President Donald Trump attempted to undermine confidence in the election by complaining that his supporters had been blocked from observing the first day of in-person early voting in Philadelphia. Today there was a big problem, Trump said on the debate stage. In Philadelphia they went in to watch. Theyre called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They werent allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things. Trumps accusation is full of misinformation. Under state law, poll watchers in Pennsylvania may only observe voting at traditional polling places on Election Day, and they must be certified by the state to do so. But the state hasnt designated any Republican poll watchers yet thats typically done a few days before an election. And even if the state had, those people wouldnt be allowed to watch anything until Nov. 3. So, what is Trump talking about? Lets unpack his remarks. On Tuesday, Philadelphia opened new satellite elections offices where mail ballots can be requested, completed, and submitted. Its a mail-in vote without having to use the mail, Lisa Deeley, chair of the Philadelphia city commissioners, said outside the Liacouras Center at Temple University, where one of the new offices is located. On Tuesday afternoon, a woman arrived at the satellite office inside Overbrook Elementary School in West Philadelphia, and told a supervisor she was there to monitor the integrity of the election. The supervisor told her she was not allowed inside the building unless she wanted to use the offices services. Again: Poll watchers in Pennsylvania are only allowed to observe voting on Election Day. The woman told The Inquirer she had been hired by the Trump campaign to monitor the West Philadelphia site and calmly stated she had a right to be inside. Once again: She did not. No poll watchers in Pennsylvania will be allowed until Nov. 3. READ MORE: Fact-checking Trumps claim that Biden would immediately eliminate fracking and mining in Pa. The state also requires that poll watchers be registered to vote in the county where they wish to observe voting. The Trump campaign has been fighting in federal court since July to overturn that requirement, and to get approval for poll watchers to have access to all locations in Pennsylvania where votes are being cast a move that would open access to sites like the one at the heart of the presidents debate night accusations. Satellite offices are a new feature of Pennsylvania elections created under Act 77, a law enacted last year that permits any registered voter to cast a ballot by mail. The satellite offices make it easier for voters to request and submit mail ballots. Previously, voters could only request mail ballots through the mail or in person at the main county elections offices. They now have more places to go. Its also important to note that none of the mail ballots submitted at satellite locations popping up across Pennsylvania in the weeks ahead are allowed to be counted until Election Day under state law. Our ruling Trump said poll watchers were thrown out of a polling place in Philadelphia. But the incident we witnessed, and any others that occurred Tuesday, took place at satellite offices, not at traditional polling places. And they involved self-appointed observers, not licensed poll watchers. While mail voting was indeed happening in physical locations Tuesday, and Trump supporters tried to watch, that voting wasnt happening at polling places and those supporters werent poll watchers. Trump either knew or should have known that poll watchers arent allowed at satellite locations, because his campaign is fighting in federal court right now to change that. His statement is not accurate. We rate it False. Our sources The Philadelphia Inquirer, 'Bad things happen in Philadelphia,' Trump says at debate, renewing false claim about poll watchers, Sept. 29, 2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer, The start of early voting in Philly was riddled with technical issues, Sept. 29, 2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer, A trio of Pennsylvania Supreme Court rulings will likely boost Biden against Trump in a key state, Sept. 17, 2020 PolitiFact is a nonpartisan, fact-checking website operated by the nonprofit Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Despite precautions at Pioneer Elder Care that might have helped make its assisted living facilities resistant to outbreaks, the COVID-19 virus somehow found its way into one of the companys St. Catharines homes. But if the private retirement homes that specializes in providing care to residents with dementia had followed a recommendation of public health against testing all staff and residents, Pioneer co-owner and director of client services Mary Ellen Spear said the extent of an outbreak at one of its facilities could have been worse than it is. Pioneers home on Lakeshore Road was added to Niagara Region Public Healths list of facilities experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks on Sept. 22, after a nurse who was not in direct contact with residents tested positive for the virus after complaining of a migraine headache. The nurse has since been off-site recovering. Spear said Niagaras public health department advised the homes director of care that testing all staff and residents including those who had no symptoms was not required, and added if you want to go above and beyond thats up to Pioneer. She said Pioneer chose to test all staff and residents at both its Lakeshore Road and Vine Street locations. As a result, she said one asymptomatic resident at the Lakeshore Road location has tested positive for the virus so far while the results of several other tests remain outstanding. Ministry of Health guidelines for COVID-19 testing last updated Sept. 24 recommend all staff and residents within a long-term care or retirement home where an outbreak has been declared should be tested. But Niagaras acting medical officer of health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji, whose office has the discretion to declare outbreaks and order testing at long-term care homes, said the specific circumstances of the Pioneer outbreak did not warrant broad testing at the time. He said the first case was a staff person who had limited contact with a few staff members and no contact with residents. So, we decided to focus on the people who had a likely exposure and deal with them, Hirji said. That limited contact is why tests were not ordered for all staff and residents. That changed after the company ordered tests found a resident case. Hirji said there is no information yet that links that resident to the infected staff person. It is possible, he said, the resident was exposed by someone else. But Spear said if the home hadnt tested everyone after being told it was unnecessary, the asymptomatic resident would not have been identified as quickly possibly adding to the risk of spreading the virus to other residents and the staff that work with them. We did it on our own. Why arent they saying it is required that everyone get tested? I dont know if we dont have enough tests or enough manpower, if its politics. I dont know, she said. When youre dealing with the most vulnerable and the elderly and front-line staff during an outbreak, what constitutes requiring testing? We wouldnt have known about the positive result. Touch wood that none of the other tests have come back positive, although some of the results seven or eight days later are still not back. Spear said too many staff and residents at Pioneer, as well as their families, have been left to worry while waiting to learn if they have the virus. Theyre (test results are) basically trickling in. A lot of the results are outstanding and these are front-line workers, working in an outbreak, she said. Its really been a nightmare. It seems like all the systems are overwhelmed. Of course, the province relaxed a lot of the measures opening up the homes to visitors, allowing residents to go out. Its been challenging. The provincial government announced a rollback of some of the reopening measures on Tuesday, again imposing visitor restrictions at long-term care homes in hot spot areas such as Toronto and Ottawa. Spear said those restrictions should include Niagara, too. Were looking after the most vulnerable in our community. With dementia residents its not the same as someone who doesnt have cognitive impairment. They dont understand wearing a mask. They dont understand that they cant walk from room to room. She said additional measures have been put in place. We have followed every protocol for screening, checking temperatures for residents. There were no signs or symptoms, she said. But if it can happen at Pioneer, it can happen anywhere. "The Naval Aviation`s pilots complete missions, improve their skills in the operational zones of the Pacific, North, Baltic, and Black Sea fleets, and intensively master new types of weapons and military hardware. The arm is supposed to be 25%-rearmed with Su-30SM multirole fighter jets by the year-end," a MoD`s official spokeperson said. Earlier, the Naval Aviation was reported to get over 50 Su-30SM multirole fighters by 2020. The aircraft will significantly shore up the combat capabilities of the Naval Aviation`s units. Such Su-30SM`s distinctive characteristics as long flight range (1,500 km), aerial refueling, and ability to fire air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles are in high demand by the arm. Russia will replace all of its Su-24 Fencer bomber jets operating in the Black Sea Fleet on the Crimean Peninsula with Su-30SM Flanker multirole fighters by 2020, the head of the Russian Black Sea Fleets Naval Aviation said previously. According to Irkut Corporation, Su-30SM are super maneuverable twin engine jets, equipped with phased array radar, thrust vectoring engines and canards. The fighter is able to use modern "air-to-air" and "air-to-surface" high-precision weapons. The Russian Navy Su-30SM are not intended for the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov but operate from naval aviation bases on land. They have a two-tone dark gray camouflage and bear a St. Andrew's flag (Russian Navy Ensign) painting by the cockpit. The relevant decree was signed on September 30. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Vitold Fokin from the post of First Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian delegation to the Minsk Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas following the latter's controversial statements on Donbas. The relevant decree was signed on September 30, as reported on the president's website. "To remove V. Fokin from the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the Trilateral Contact Group, relieving him of his duties as the first deputy chairman of the delegation," the document says. Read alsoNSDC chief on Ukrainian negotiators' notorious statements: "Own opinions"The decree comes into force on the day of its publication. Fokin's controversial statement: Reactions Vitold Fokin has claimed he "does not see" a war ongoing between Ukraine and Russia in Donbas; he believes that mercenaries from 30 countries have been fighting against the Ukrainian Army in the east of Ukraine, and he is convinced a comprehensive pardon is required for those who committed crimes in Donbas. All the members of the Parliament Committee who heard Fokin speaking at the Q&A, except those from the pro-Russian Opposition Platform For Life Party, backed a motion asking President Volodymyr Zelensky to recall Fokin from the Ukrainian delegation at Minsk talks. The official position of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group was announced by Head of the delegation, Leonid Kravchuk, his First Deputy Oleksiy Reznikov, and Deputy Oleksandr Merezhko, in a joint statement: "Mr. Fokin, like any person, has the right to his own position, no matter how strange it may seem. But being part of the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations with the TCG, we must adhere exclusively to the official position of our state, even when we do not participate in the negotiations." Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, in turn, posted an emotionally charged response in which he criticized Fokin's statement. "[Mr.] Fokin, thousands of our soldiers and civilians were killed in the war, which, as you claim, does not exist. Tell that to the families of those who died from Russia's multiple rocket launchers near Saur-Mohyla and Ilovaisk!? .. You scoundrel. 'They aren't there' these are the words of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, rather than those of a representative of Ukraine," the minister said. Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Serhiy Kryvonos dubbed Fokin a 'senile, blind fool.' Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Andriy Yermak said Fokin must resign over his controversial statements. The President's Office said they were "struck by personal assessments and comments" by Fokin on the war in Donbas and Crimea. In response to a wave of public outrage, Fokin defied criticism, saying MPs were "unwilling to figure things out" and that he felt his "phrases would be taken out of context," Vesti reported. In the absence of an official, comprehensive record of the coronavirus lockdown-triggered exodus, an exhibition curated by artists Rumi Samadhan and Prabhakar Kamble foregrounds and responds to the Indian migrant's long journey home. On 24 March, as the nationwide lockdown was put into place to battle the spread of COVID-19, thousands of migrant workers set off homeward, some to their families and some with. For the next few weeks which eventually turned into months, the workers, marooned on unknown streets, battled hunger, disease, and apathy from the state and public. It was unimaginable that these were the same bodies that had helped build the houses we live in and the hospitals that stand tall amid the coronavirus pandemic. At the end of their perilous journeys, some of the 1.04 crore workers made it home while others didn't. However, perhaps the greatest mockery of the crisis was made when the government said it had no data of the number of migrant lives lost during the lockdown. In the absence of an official, comprehensive record of the exodus, an exhibition-fundraiser curated by artists Rumi Samadhan and Prabhakar Kamble foregrounds and responds to the Indian migrant's journey home. A collective act of solidarity and dissent, Broken Foot Unfolding Inequalities contextualises the works of 60 artists within larger frameworks of politics, governance, environment, laws, and culture. Excerpts from an interview with the curators below: The exhibition touches upon the varied implications of the pandemic. What was the thought and reference point behind it? This exhibition is a thought of lending a helping hand for the artists who are in trouble due to the rise of pandemic. Initially it was started with a discussion of how to raise a COVID-19 artist relief fund; we came up with the idea of exhibiting online in collaboration with Mojarto. Very early on, a series of intense discussions began as the migrant labour crisis unfolded in simultaneity with the economic impact of the pandemic on the lives of artists. These talks led the making of Broken Foot Unfolding Inequalities where 60 socio-politically conscious artists have been invited to build a context for the curatorial vision, as they help us create a fundraiser for the artists in need. How would you define your curatorial process? The exhibition merges different art design and elements together; how did that convergence play out? The curatorial process was research-based and a process-driven engagement. A topographical view of curatorial vision, artists and direction converged organically after a point. We were observant and moved by the spontaneous solidarity shown by a few artists as a critical response to the migrant-labour crisis. The invitation to the artists was non-hierarchical, keeping in mind an inclusion of different forms of aesthetics, such as spontaneous line drawings, conceptual works, experimental sculptures-paintings, inclusivity of art of the indigenous, as well as photography. Through this curation we look at interrelations of socio-political, economic-ecological as well as technological aspects that build our milieu, where existential social realities become the core aspects of life. A bit about the works featured Umesh Singh faced a rough journey home from Varanasi to Bihar, an arduous 40-hour travel. He documents this cathartic escapade undertaken with migrant workers through a series of works within Acts of solidarity. Sunil Awchars black and white drawings are a sensitive responses to the turbulence the migrant workers faced, embodied in works such as We just want to somehow get back home, Disinfection and The Constitution. Vikrant Bhises 'A journey with hunger - I' unearths a vitriolic projection of starvation and helplessness, conjoining the intestines and legs of those travelling homeward. Kerala-born, Baroda-based visual artist Anil Thambai retrieves the erased ideas of collective labour through They were walking, as he traces architecture in history to question the absence of labour. Moreover, photographers T Narayan and Aparna Olwe captured real-time images of the pandemic. Narayan documented the daunting journeys the migrants undertook in precarious conditions either by foot or through transport an estimated 1.04 crore labourers had gone home by road across India by then. Aparna Olwe captured an unthinkable scene of Mumbai's barren roads and as well as vignettes of Dharavi where anxieties about social distancing and the sustenance of small scale industries were increasing. Broken Foot seems to aim to start a new discourse on labour, politics, and economy as understood in the post-coronavirus world. How much of that discourse has been achieved in the Indian context? The pandemic enabled us to witness the interdependency of labour, politics and economy. Though the exhibition is multi-vocal in its radius, the locus of the exhibition is within the subject of labour. It seeks to identify the unaddressed interconnectivity of the labour crisis with indigenous communities, the farmer crisis, urbanisation, ecological conflict and so on. Within India, Broken Foot enabled us to bring some of the strongest figures representing forms of labour as a collective voice. Some of these artists not only represent but also hail from labourer families. They respond to their existential conditioning, or their surroundings as observations. Birender Yadav, for instance, reflects on his identity of being the son of a coal miner from Dhanbad. The struggles and plight faced by illiterate labourers has been his lived experience. His works reflect the appalling conditions faced by them, while experiences allow him to lend an empathetic eye to these unnoticed masses, and give viewers a vantage point to the narratives of their survival against all odds. An academically trained painter, he works with different materials which help him to explore the physicality of toil the painstaking task of a labourer. His Angootha Chaap series is a documentation of the lives of the uneducated masses, children, men and women employed in brick kilns. Through the curation, he questions the welfare schemes for the upliftment of the poor. He questions the identification processes biometric markers like thumb and fingerprints as well as how someone who cant read or write due to lack of access to formal education can access these provisions. Ambedkarite ideas are a large part of the overarching theme. What does working with such powerful iconography which challenges hierarchies and dominant narratives, both in the sphere of art and outside, entail? For the first time in visual arts, the role of Dr BR Ambedkar in the social sphere, through his engagement with the labour movement, has been consciously centralised. Ambedkar's crucial contribution [to India] was not just the Constitution, but also his effort towards a specific concern of the working class the labour laws. He brought in the eight-hour working day, bringing it down from 14 hours. Additionally, on 8 November, 1943, he introduced the Indian Trade Union (Amendment) Bill demanding for the compulsory recognition of trade unions. He symbolises the Constitution and notions of equality, a quality which becomes the fundamental reason to invoke him in current times. Some of the works in Broken Foot register the existential fallout of the migrant labour crisis as a rupture and a shifting form of inequality, unfolding a trajectory of an inheritance of those very forms of inequalities. The pandemic itself centres around touch, which brings us to the subject of untouchability an aspect explored in Unfolding Inequalities, represented by Arun Vijai Mathavan and Palani Kumar. How vital is it to engage with art in the time of a pandemic, specifically as a commercial activity? Is it time to look beyond art as a 'luxury'? The intention of this activity is to help sustain artists in need; we have to make such attempts to revive ourselves, as we lend our voices to a cause. Engaging with art at any time is an artist's most important role; art is always a commentary on the time they live in. LUCKNOW, India - An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 people accused of crimes in a 1992 attack and demolition of a 16th century mosque that sparked Hindu-Muslim violence leaving some 2,000 people dead. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2020 (479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Policemen stand guard outside a court in Lucknow, India, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused, including four senior leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, in a 1992 attack and demolition of a 16th century mosque that sparked Hindu-Muslim violence that left some 2,000 people dead. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) LUCKNOW, India - An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 people accused of crimes in a 1992 attack and demolition of a 16th century mosque that sparked Hindu-Muslim violence leaving some 2,000 people dead. Four senior leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, were among the defendants in a trial that languished in Indias sluggish legal system for almost 28 years. Seventeen of the 49 accused died of natural causes during the trial. The four BJP leaders were accused of making inflammatory speeches that incited tens of thousands of their followers who had camped out in the city of Ayodhya ahead of the attack on the mosque. Last year, Indias Supreme Court ruled in favour of building a Hindu temple on the disputed site. Hindus believe their god Ram was born there and say the Muslim Emperor Babur built a mosque on top of a temple at the site. The Supreme Court also ruled that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was illegal and ordered that the separate trial in the mosque demolition case be completed expeditiously. Jai Bhagwan Goyal, a leader of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and an accused in the 1992 attack and demolition of a 16th century mosque, celebrates outside a court in Lucknow, India, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused, including senior leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, in the case. The demolition sparked Hindu-Muslim violence that left some 2,000 people dead. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Judge Surendra Kumar Yadav ruled there was no criminal conspiracy to attack the mosque by hard-line Hindu activists and no conclusive evidence to prove it, said attorney Rishab Tripathi, who represented one of the defendants. The incident was not pre-planned," Yadav said in his ruling in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state. The leaders present there actually tried to control and pacify the mob. Some of those acquitted and their supporters shouted Jai Shree Ram," hailing the god Ram, in the court. They later distributed sweets outside the court to celebrate the decision. The four acquitted BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh have said the mosques demolition was a spontaneous eruption by angry Hindu activists. I.B. Singh, an attorney who represented Joshi, said investigators couldn't prove the authenticity of audio and video evidence submitted in the case, and the judge held that the case lacked legal evidence that the accused were part of any conspiracy. Joshi, who was a minister in a former BJP government, said "the truth has triumphed. Former lawmaker from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ram Vilas Vedanti, an accused in the 1992 attack and demolition of a 16th century mosque, celebrates outside a court in Lucknow, India, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused, including senior leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, in the case. The demolition sparked Hindu-Muslim violence that left some 2,000 people dead. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Advani said in a statement that the judgment "vindicated his and the BJPs belief and commitment toward the Ram temple movement." Another acquitted defendant, Jai Bhagwan Goyal, said: We had done nothing wrong. The whole of India is happy. Lord Rams temple is coming up in Ayodhya city. The Muslim community will challenge the acquittals in an appeals court. This is an erroneous judgment, as it is against evidence and against law," said Jaffaryab Jilani, representing the All India Muslim Law Board. The verdict also was sharply criticized by Maulana Khalid Rashid, chairman of the Islamic Center of India, who said Muslims have always respected court decisions, but this was an injustice to the community. When the Supreme Court said that the demolition of the mosque was an unlawful act, how can a lower court set free the accused? he said. Rashid said Muslim organizations should evaluate whether it is prudent to challenge the decision. Will Muslims get justice there? he said. Muslim-majority Pakistan strongly condemned the court judgment and said the defendants who had "boasted of the criminal act publicly could not have been set free." Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement that Hindu nationalists' hatred of minorities, particularly Muslims, indicates that India is fast becoming a Hindu nation where minorities are second-class citizens. On Dec. 6, 1992, tens of thousands of Hindus gathered for a rally near the disputed site, and groups climbed the mosque and demolished it with axes and hammers. The accused included Lal Krishna Advani, 92, a co-founder of the BJP who served as deputy prime minister from 2002 to 2004 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Others included another former government minister, Uma Bharti, as well as Kalyan Singh, who was the top elected BJP leader of Uttar Pradesh state when the mosque was demolished. In its ruling last November, the Supreme Court ordered the entire disputed area of 2.77 acres (1.1 hectares) to be allocated to Hindus for the construction of a temple, while 5 acres (2 hectares) at another location would be allocated to the construction of a mosque. ___ Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Pakistan, contributed to this report. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Campbell County Sheriffs Office are investigating the report of a black bear found consuming a deceased human body near Jellico in Campbell County. Just before midnight on Tuesday, Campbell County sheriffs deputies responded to a call to check on a person in the Duff community near Jellico and located a bear at a deceased human body in a wooded area behind a residence. It appeared that the bear, which left upon the officers arrival, had scavenged the body. A TWRA wildlife officer was notified about the incident this morning and a bear trap has been set in the area of the incident. The victims body has been taken for an autopsy and the incident remains under investigation by TWRA, TBI, and CCSO. BROOKLYN, New York, Monday, September 28, 2020 In March, just as New York City began a strict lockdown, a team of 16 student researchers from the New York University Tandon School of Engineering commenced a project funded by a National Science Foundation Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant to observe individual behaviors outside of COVID-19 hotspots. The project, a collaboration between NYU Tandon and the NYU School of Global Public Health, was led by Debra Laefer, a professor of civil and urban engineering at NYU Tandon and director of citizen science at the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP). It aimed to collect hyper-local data from around the citys medical facilities to aid in the understanding of the role surface vectors and destination choices as means for the global spread of infection. Employing novel, three-dimensional geospatial methods, as well as two-dimensional virus mapping techniques that date back to 1854, the team captured hyper-local data on movement and behavioral choices of people when leaving high infection COVID-19 medical facilities: they created precisely detailed spatio-temporal records of what people touched, where they went, and whether they were wearing personal protective equipment, thereby identifying surfaces and locations most likely to be disease transmission points (including public transportation and for hire transportation like Uber). Collectively, the team spent over 1,500 hours recording observations across all hours of the day and days of the week. They collected 5,065 records documenting the behavior of 6,075 individuals around 19 hospitals and urgent care clinics across four of New York Citys five boroughs. Observing subjects from a distance for periods of up to 20 minutes, the researchers documented the gender of the subject, objects touched, route taken, and destinations. Each record also included locational information about the medical facility, the weather, and 61 other attributes related to the demographics of the facilitys zip code. The records show clear trends over time and differences in behavior by gender in both transportation choices and PPE usage. These include a higher PPE usage rate at from the very start and a visible increase in mask wearing after the Governors mask mandate. The researchers, including Thomas Kirschner of NYU Global Health and director of the NYU Mobile Health Lab, discovered that: 75% of individuals touched at least one thing after leaving the medical facility 11% touched their phone 55% left the area by a form of mechanized transportation 13% returned to the medical facility 81% were wearing PPE Women were nearly twice as likely to ride public transportation The team has made the complete data set available as a resource for scientists building machine learning models to map and analyze the spread of the coronavirus. It can be downloaded at NYUs Spatial Data Repository. As soon as COVID-19 started impacting New York, I sought to find a way to use my skills to help further research, and many of our students felt the same way. After receiving the grant from the National Science Foundation, we were quick to organize and start collecting data, said Laefer. While it was great to see such a high percentage of people wearing PPE, many were quick to touch their phone or other objects, potentially spreading the virus. We hope this data will help create more accurate virus tracking models and more awareness as to possible transmission routes. She added that by releasing this highly detailed data set researchers around the world would have a basis for designing machine learning models that could more quickly forecast disease spread in urban areas based on physical movements, transmission locations, transportation choices, and a pathogens characteristics. The importance of rapid modeling of disease spread in three dimensions cant be overstated, as anyone knows who has taken even a cursory look at the spread of contagions like Legionnaires disease, or avian flu, said Laefer. We are optimistic that the data from this work will betoken new disease transmission models that can radically improve public health decision-making, intervention, and risk communication, all of which need to be fast, accurate, and responsive to the most current data, especially where a global pandemic is concerned. ### About the New York University Tandon School of Engineering The NYU Tandon School of Engineering dates to 1854, the founding date for both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. A January 2014 merger created a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences as part of a global university, with close connections to engineering programs at NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai. NYU Tandon is rooted in a vibrant tradition of entrepreneurship, intellectual curiosity, and innovative solutions to humanitys most pressing global challenges. Research at Tandon focuses on vital intersections between communications/IT, cybersecurity, and data science/AI/robotics systems and tools and critical areas of society that they influence, including emerging media, health, sustainability, and urban living. We believe diversity is integral to excellence, and are creating a vibrant, inclusive, and equitable environment for all of our students, faculty and staff. For more information, visit engineering.nyu.edu. New Delhi, Sep 30 : India's steel industry is seeking a ban on exports of iron ore and has petitioned the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in this regard. Government data show that from April to August this year, India's iron ore production came down by 36 per cent whereas its exports surprisingly went up by 80 per cent during the same period. Even Odisha's iron ore production came down by 49 per cent whereas exports of iron ore from Odisha ironically went up by 118 per cent from April to August. Sources said the survival of the steel industry depends more on domestic iron ore when the country is going through a pandemic. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, India surprisingly witnessed a huge jump in iron ore exports to China between April and September. Apart from large, primary steel producers, it is the small, secondary steel players which will collapse and witness huge losses if such steep rise in iron ore exports are not stopped immediately. Secondary steel units contribute 50 per cent of steel production in India. Apart from steel, sponge iron production is roughly 31 million tonnes while the pellet plant capacity is approximately 85 million tonnes. India's iron ore production in April-September at 47 million tonnes has witnessed a sharp de-growth of 50 per cent over the same period last year. This has been mainly on account of the change in hands of the expired iron ore mines, numerous evacuation issues and delays in clearances. During the same period, exports have witnessed a sharp rise of 63 per cent at 22 million tonnes, much to the dismay of the captive miners. In the last financial year, India's iron ore exports rose to 37.69 million tonnes from 16.15 million tonnes in 2018-19, a jump of almost 133 per cent. Owing to the strong demand from China, India exported nearly 30.86 million tonnes of iron ore, or 82 per cent of the total exports, to China alone. Though India mainly exports lower grade iron ore, with up to 58 per cent iron content, having nil export duty to countries such as China, Japan and South Korea, there has always been a fierce debate that a major chunk of this below 58 per cent Fe iron consists of a blend of greater than 58 per cent Fe iron, causing a huge unchecked dent to the exchequer. Export of over 58 per cent iron content attracts 30 per cent export duty and is, thus, widely used by the domestic industry. However, the present condition is quite different as the industry is battling an acute iron ore shortage. India had already started stepping up its iron ore exports since last year to bridge the global supply gap, as flows from the world's two biggest producers -- Brazil and Australia -- were on a decline. Odisha, the country's largest iron ore producing state at 135 million tonnes, and the state with all the major steel units with approximately 34 million tonnes of crude steel capacity, is facing a steep cut in steel capacity utilisation which is likely to further aggravate in the months to come if robust measures are not put in place and raw material concerns are not addressed. The All India Induction Furnaces Association wrote to the PMO and called for banning iron ore exports for the survival of the secondary steel producers. It added that this is required to prevent huge job losses in the steel sector. The Association said that iron ore should be converted into steel within the country and then the finished steel products should be exported. Rajeev Singh, Director General, Indian Chamber of Commerce, also wrote to the PMO seeking discouragement of exports of iron ore and making it available for the domestic steel industry. (Sanjeev Sharma can be contacted at sanjeev.s@ians.in) CEDARVILLE, Ohio, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cedarville University is applying some home remedies to helping its students through COVID-19. Cedarville began its Caring Well Meals service on September 19. The service enlists the faculty, staff, and student volunteers to deliver three meals a day to students who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation, or to students who had contact with a COVID-19 positive classmate and are in quarantine. Meals are delivered each day at 7:30 a.m., noon, and 5:30 p.m. by a volunteer team of 10 to 12 people. "Lots of people have come together to contribute their time and talents to serve our students well," noted Dan Howdyshell, director of financial planning and analysis, and one of the meal service coordinators. "The volunteers are really concerned for the students and want them to know there is a community of people who want to care well for them." The meals service involves a cross-campus collaboration of Pioneer College Caterers and the student life and Christian ministry division. Students who have tested positive or identified as having had contact with a COVID-19 positive classmate are immediately entered into Cedarville's emergency communication system. They are notified about next steps, including a link to an online form where they choose their three meals by midnight for the next day. The meals are gathered up on the Stevens Student Center loading dock then placed in delivery vans for drop off. Volunteers hand off the meals to residence directors (RD) outside the students' residence, and the meals are then delivered to the isolated or quarantined students inside. "We are following all the COVID safety protocols," Howdyshell explained. "The meals are closed by Pioneer staff, and they are not opened till they get to the students. The delivery vans are being cleaned before and after every use." In addition to the Caring Well Meals, the university has also begun the iCare initiative. This is an online opportunity for anyone to write a note of encouragement to students who are quarantined or isolated. Individuals can write a note of encouragement to students in quarantine or isolation by visiting cedarville.edu/icare. Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,550 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Visit www.cedarville.edu . SOURCE Cedarville University Related Links http://www.cedarville.edu This week, Christianity Today published an in-depth report on allegations of sexual misconduct by popular apologist Ravi Zacharias: Three women who worked at the businesses, located in a strip mall in the Atlanta suburbs, told Christianity Today that Ravi Zacharias touched them inappropriately, exposed himself, and masturbated during regular treatments over a period of about five years. His business partner said he regrets not stopping Zacharias and sent an apology text to one of the victims this month. RZIM denies the claims, saying in a statement to CT that the charges of sexual misconduct do not in any way comport with the man we knew for decades. The organization has hired a law firm with experience investigating such matters to look into the allegations, which date back at least 10 years. RZIM declined to answer any further questions about the inquiry. This week on Quick to Listen, we discuss this story with Daniel Silliman, the journalist who wrote it. He joined global media manager Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss how he went about reporting this story, what makes this story unique from other stories of other fallen Christian leaders, and why CT reports bad news on Christian leaders, even after they have passed away. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Leeand Ted Olsen Why we report bad news about leaders: A note from the editors on the Ravi Zacharias investigation Follow our guest on Twitter: Daniel Silliman Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Leeand Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Highlights from Quick to Listen: Episode #232 We may have listeners who do not know who Ravi Zacharias was. Can you give us an overview of his life and work? Daniel Sillman: Ravi Zacharias died earlier this year, but he was a Christian apologistone of the most notable Christian apologists. Originally from India, born in India in 1946, moved to Canada when he was about 20 and has been in the US since the 70s. Hes really been famous within evangelical circles since the early 80s as an apologist, as someone who makes arguments about the philosophical foundations and framework that show that faith in God is reasonable. So he traveled the worldhis ministry has offices in 16 or 17 countries nowand he really traveled the world, both engaging nonbelievers about the reasonableness of faith and the philosophical foundations, and teaching many Christians to do that as well. So he both moved many people to faith in Jesus and also strengthened the faith of many Christians around the world. Ravi was part of the world of Western apologetics. Can you tell us a little bit about that spacehow it's been characterized, how influential it has been, and the ways Ravi fit into it? Daniel Sillman: So apologetics is mostly historically an academic discipline. It's a part of philosophical discourse going back to Aristotle and Greek philosophy and then even Seneca, and Aristotle's philosophy goes into the Muslim world, and it comes into the West through scholasticism and these doctors of the church who engage with these big philosophical arguments about being and causes and existence, capital E existence. And then it's really not until the 20th century that this becomes a kind of popular phenomenon, that it becomes something that's sort of normal Christians in the pew, rather than in a Ph.D. program somewhere, are engaging with it. You really see it with the rise of mass media, which C.S. Lewis is a pretty prominent, famous example. I think most of our listeners will have heard of Mere Christianity, but they may not know that that started as a series of radio broadcasts. So it's really mass media, it's really the radio, that makes it this popular phenomenon. Article continues below Now in the late 70s, early 80s, there's this boom within evangelicalism. There's a boom of ministers, doctoral students, and evangelists who are taking some of these old philosophical arguments and making them understandable and clear for regular church folks. And Ravi Zacharias is a part of that change in the early 80s. Ted Olsen: He also seems to have become more prominent as American evangelicals were becoming, in particular, more interested in engaging with learning from Christian leaders from that from the majority world. So there's a sense where I think him having come from India also drew a lot of American evangelicals to wonder what he had to say, to give us both an English perspective on things but also an Indian perspective on things. There was some of that in his talks, where he would refer frequently to Hinduism and world religions in a way that previous apologists and popular apologists like the Josh McDowell's wouldn't quite do. Daniel Sillman: The ministry he founded is Ravi Zacharias International Ministry (RZIM), and the I of that acronym is well earned in that Ravi Zacharias brought his experience of growing up in India in that kind of multicultural society, amid the religious conflicts that so often has happened in Indian history and his firsthand knowledge of Hinduism and Buddhism and Islam, as well as the fact that the ministry and Zacharias himself were not just speaking to an American audience. We so often in the U.S. end up having a really provincial view of evangelicalism as if it's just an American phenomenon, and I would say in his life and ministry, you really see how international and global evangelicalism can be. So when did it first seem that perhaps not everything was adding up when it came to Ravi's character? Daniel Sillman: I think it's so hard to know what the first signs are and who might have first seen them. I wonder, if we go back, if there are people he parted ways with, or organizations he didn't cooperate with that in retrospect might seem like they'd tell us more than they did at the time. I would say that I first started wondering when looking at some of his personal narratives. Like a lot of preachers, he told personal stories and talked about stories about his own life. And there were standard parts of his biography that seems to shift and maybe get exaggerated, and then parts that kind of couldn't be confirmed. Like, it might be true, but it sounds a little exaggerated and there's not a lot of evidence. But it just seems like as his ministry went on, there are more stories that he tells that don't have clear facts and that seemed like they're self-aggrandizing and growing in the talent. But then in 2017 is really when I think some issues surfaced and everyone had to stop and take notice. One with credentials, there was an issue where titles claimed and advertised, specifically doctorates and teaching positions, were misstated or overstated. And then there was a sexting scandal and allegations that he had solicited nude photos from a woman that he met at an event and then developed a relationship and some correspondence with, and then solicited explicit photos. He sued her alleging that she was trying to extort money from him. There was a settlement and there are some nondisclosure agreements, so there are some things we don't know about the details of that situation, but there was enough there to give anyone pause. Even if you believe everything that Zacharias said about the situation, there are some real red flags and things that didn't seem right. Article continues below We reported on the sexting story many years ago and mentioned it in his obituary, but this report that we've published on Tuesday brings in another thread. Can you walk us through some of the specifics and stories in that article? Daniel Sillman: Most of the allegations Im reporting now happened between 2005 and 2010. Zacharias owned two day spas, where people would go to get massages, facials, or pedicures, in a strip mall in Johns Creek, Georgia, which is a pretty rich northeast suburb of Atlanta. I spoke to three women who worked at these places. And they alleged that Zacharias would come in regularly for treatments on his back and in the process of that sexually harassed them. Specifically that he touched them inappropriately against their wishes, that he exposed himself to them in these private rooms were where people would get treatment, and then ultimately masturbated. One woman told me that he masturbated in front of her more than 50 times over several years. The allegations are about sexual harassment at business two businesses that he owned and toward the people that worked there. And to be clear, his ownership of the day spas were not a secret? Daniel Sillman: They weren't a secret. I mean, I certainly hadn't heard this before and I don't think these were public knowledge, but RZIM has denied the statements that the women but they admitted that he owns the businesses. I was able to obtain financial records that had his name on them and show that he was a part-owner, I found a record that indicated that he'd invested around $50,000, and he also had a business card listing himself as an owner of one of these day spas. So it's two spas in the same location. One shuts down in 2008, and Zacharias and a business partner open a second spa in the same location. And when they reopened, they have a grand opening and invite some famous people to come. So it wasn't a secret. Certainly, the people closest to Zacharias would know, but it's a little unusual that a famous international minister owns a spa and it wasn't something talked about at conferences or something. I mean, you can imagine a minister who also owns a business would give an example from his business life when preaching a sermon or something like that, and that's not what was happening here. Can you tell us a little bit about how you went about reporting this story, given the sensitivities that you had to navigate and also the stakes of it? Daniel Sillman: I got the tip about the ownership of the spas first and so I started looking for financial records that would show me whether that was true. And my experience is that if stories are not true, you find out pretty quickly. But for every fact that you find out is true, that it makes it more likely that the next thing that you will find out is true. So I just moved really quickly to establish a couple of facts. And then, through the tip, I had the name of one person who had worked there, and so I started talking to her, building trust and talking off the record, and then going and checking out every detail that I could of her story and her life that would confirm that she was telling me the truth. Over the course of five weeks, I ended up hearing from seven people who worked at these two spas, calling, tracking them down sometimes at great length, and three of them trusted me with stories and told me their accounts of what happened. They all overlapped in notable and dramatic ways. One of them didn't want to talk but confirmed a couple of facts, and several others also confirmed parts of the stories that they knew to be true. Article continues below The lead of the story you wrote says that Ravi Zacharias International Ministries has opened an investigation into allegations. So some of the claims that are in the piece have been out for a couple of weeks, and the sexting situation has been known for a couple of years. How has the ministry responded previously compared to how it's responding now? Daniel Sillman: I contacted RZIM last week to tell them that I was working on this and I asked to speak to somebody. And they didn't want to talk to me, but sent me an email denying all of the claims of sexual misconduct, calling into question why this would come up now, and then actually affirming the businesses existed. We then went back and forth, and I contacted them again when I had some more information that they have now hired a law firm that is going to conduct an investigation. I'm not sure how to characterize that. They didn't want to sit down and talk through everything with me, they just said, here's what we're doing, and we won't answer any further questions. Which is somewhat similar to what happened last time. They released a statement in 2017 about the sexting scandal and then declined to answer any questions. I should also say that the women who told me that these things happened to them were all very clear that they're not expecting anything from the ministry and they're not asking for anything. They all independently and separately said, We don't want money. We don't want publicity. There's two of them who told me they don't even want an apology. And that the only reason that they spoke up is that they believe that there are other women out there who are victims who think that they're alone or think that this is their fault, that they actually did something to cause a great Christian man to stumble, and have blamed themselves or just felt really, really alone in their trauma. And these women spoke up just for that reason. Were these victims aware of who Ravi Zacharias was in the larger Christian world? Daniel Sillman: Two of them were not originally and then became aware. One person told me there'd be whispers and someone would say, That's Ravi, he's famous. And one of them told me her first words to Ravi was, So I hear you're a genius. But then at the second spa, they sold his books in the store. And the women told me that they read the books. If you give someone a massage or a facial, you can spend a lot of time with that person. And he would come in sometimes two or three times a week when he wasn't traveling, and so they would read the books and then ask him questions about faith, then talk to him about their own spiritual journey. And so, he wasn't just a business owner to them. He wasn't just a Christian CEO. They were also kind of aware of his celebrity and he had a role as a minister in their lives. It sounds like the way he talked about God was wrapped up in the behavior as well. Theres a line in the article that he had made spiritual justification for his behavior with them. Can you talk more about that and the effect it had on the women? Daniel Sillman: So one woman, in particular, told me that he would talk about how much of a burden his ministry was and that he would leave it all behind if he could, but he couldn't. And that he needed to literally masturbate in front of her as a release and as a therapy for the stress that he was under from ministry. The research that I've seen shows that more than 90% of victims of any sexual harassment experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. So intense feelings of isolation and anger and helplessness. But the research shows that with Christian ministers, when your spirituality is wrapped up in the abuse that happened to you, it's different. It often results in intense feelings of shame, more intense feelings of shame, guilt, and sometimes long periods of spiritual confusion. Article continues below So the one woman told me that she sort of suddenly stopped believing in God, and it took her a lot of therapy to kind of recover her faith. Another woman told me that she hasn't been to church in over a decade since this happened and that she can't trust religious institutions. Given all of that, what does make this story different from other fallen Christian leaders' stories like that of Bill Hybels or Jean Vanierboth of whom we reported onand what makes it similar? Daniel Sillman: There are definitely similarities around celebrity and power and accountability. In many of these cases, when you drill down, it seems that the Christian leader was celebrated, and supported by a ministry and assisted in ministry, but there wasn't really anybody holding that person accountable. A difference is the details about the spas. This was a business off to the side and not as a direct result of traveling and speaking internationally. I don't know what to make of that, but that seems unique to the situation. What do all of these abuse allegations mean for evangelism? Daniel Sillman: It has to mean something about accountability. It as to mean something about not trusting celebrity and not trusting power and taking the accounts of people who aren't very powerful seriously. I mean, I think we've set up these structures that we think are serving the gospel and are doing a lot of good work for the gospel, and yet they're just broken people. And I don't know what to do about that. And I don't know how to undo the things that we as Christians have built and have supported. I think being willing to think about the truth and look at the truth and report the truth is one step, but we also need repentance and we need some change, and I don't know what that will look like right now. Ted Olsen: I do hope that for Christian leaders that there is a and awareness that these things don't stay hidden and that there is help on the other side of these things. And I think more importantly for the victims, I think to hear that they're not alone. I think that's one of the things that we've seen really in the last few years, both through the #metoo movement and the #churchtoo movement. They have helped to change some of these stories. There are a lot of Christian leaders who went to their grave having done stuff like this and victims who went to their graves never having had the chance to get some healing and thinking that a lot of people just didn't care. Evangelism at its core is talking about who we are and who Jesus is. And I think that these kinds of stories are becoming more central to how we talk about evangelism. That we take seriously that sin is destructive, that sin really ruins the lives of all sorts of people. There are primary effects, there are secondary effects, there are effects that carry on after people die, there are generational effects, and I think that those realities are really coming home in some real ways. And I think also the knowledge that all have sinned is not like an excuse. And I think that that's something that I think we should all be wrestling with as we talk about who Jesus is and who we are. That when we say, all have sinned, we don't ever say that with a shrug. We say that with serious tears in our eyes, knowing that all have sinned, and all have hurt. And that the people who know that the solution to sin is in Christ are also the people who should be taking a sin the most seriously. Article continues below And that's where I hope evangelism goes next. Daniel Sillman: If I can add to sort of add on to that, we all have these self-justifications. One thing you find when you report these stories is how many self-justifications there were. And the truth of the gospel has to be that we can't justify ourselves, but we are justified by Christ. We are not justified because we did good work, and we're not justified because we had the right opinions or we knew what the truth was, we're justified by the work of Christ dying on the cross. And if that doesn't make us more attentive to and more responsive to both real victims in the world and suspicious of the ways that we justify ourselves and the people that we hold up, then, to me, that feels like a betrayal of the gospel that we need to promote and proclaim. How did you, and how have you, balanced the tension of navigating all of this stuff as a Christian and a journalist? Daniel Sillman: As I was writing and reporting, I kept thinking about people three groups of people. The first are those who've been victimizedwhether it's other people with Ravi Zacharias or even other ministersand just how they might feel alone, how they might feel abandoned. One of the key effects of abuse is making you feel thrown out and like refuse in the world. And I kept thinking about those people. And the women that talked to me all said that it was also those people that they were speaking up for. The second group I was thinking of though is ministers and people in positions of power who haven't done anything wrong. And that they might take this as a warning. That they might see someone who did a lot of good work and who helped a lot of people's faith and then all of this comes out and that they might think, Who am I to not have a structure in place to be protected or not have accountability? And do I trust the goodness of my heart so much that I'm not going to find ways to check myself? And then also ministers who have done something. I mean, as a Christian, I believe in the possibility of repentance and I believe that that's only possible with light. And so for the people who are reading this, who are hiding something themselves, I think telling the truth can be a call for those people to repentance, to confess what they've done, and come forward and turn and go a different way. So that's kind of my prayer as I send this out into the world. They recently relocated to the UK after years of living in Los Angeles. And Cat Deeley and her husband Patrick Kielty are enjoying all the luxuries of life in the capital as they headed to Nobu on Park Lane for dinner on Tuesday. The So You Think You Can Dance? host, 43, and TV funnyman, 49, who share sons Milo, four, and James, two, were out to celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary, during which Cat put on a stunning display in a chic black ensemble. The happy couple: Cat Deeley and her husband Patrick Kielty are enjoying all the luxuries of life in the capital as they headed to Nobu on Park Lane for dinner on Tuesday Cat looked stunning for the dinner, as she showcased her lengthy legs in the thigh-skimming mini which belted at her tiny waist. Putting safety first, she donned a face covering, while wearing her famous locks - which won her a contract with Pantene - in loose, bouncy lengths. Patrick meanwhile went for a stylish bomber jacket over a light blue shirt as he chivalrously led his wife to a waiting cab outside the eatery. Cat and husband Patrick recently relocated to the UK after living in Los Angeles for 14 years, where she hosted US series So You Think You Can Dance? Out and about: The So You Think You Can Dance? host, 43, and TV funnyman, 49, who share sons Milo, four, and James, two, were out to celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary, during which Cat put on a stunning display in a chic black ensemble Homeward headed: They recently relocated to the UK after years of living in Los Angeles Loved-up: They looked happier than ever as they stepped out Speaking about her move to the US, she said: 'I think the thing that would surprise the young me about her future is what's happened in America. 'I mean, I never went to America when I was a kid. I never went to Disneyland or anything like that, I'd never even seen it before. And when I did go, I never made a great proclamation: ''I'm going to crack America.'' 'A relationship had just ended and I just fancied a fun adventure. It did feel crazy at times... There's no way my 16-year-old self would believe me if I went back and told her she'll be there one day.' Hold me close: Speaking about her move to the US, she said: 'I think the thing that would surprise the young me about her future is what's happened in America' I'm back baby: The veteran host also recently confirmed that she will be reuniting with her SMTV co-hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly for a one-off special looking back at the beloved Saturday morning show Sweet: The couple could not tear themselves from one another after the dinner The veteran host also recently confirmed that she will be reuniting with her SMTV co-hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly for a one-off special looking back at the beloved Saturday morning show. The presenter told The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X that she's already filmed the special and it will air at the end of the year. 'I can confirm yes.' Cat teased, when asked about it by Chris. 'We have filmed a documentary, it's going to be aired at the end of the year. 'We went back to the studio where we did it. They rebuilt the set. We all cried. I walked in and [Ant & Dec] were doing their interview and Dec was crying and I was like ''ok you're crying!'' and then at the end of my interview I was like [sobs] ''waaah!'' Back together! Earlier this week, she posed alongside her SM:TV co-stars Ant and Dec Timothy Ray Brown made history as the "Berlin patient", he was the first person known to be cured of HIV infection. Brown has passed away at the age of 54 due to cancer. Successful HIV treatment On September 29, Brown passed away at his home in Palm Springs, California, according to a social media post by his partner, Tim Hoeffgen. The cause of his death was a return of the cancer that originally prompted the unusual bone marrow and stem cell transplants that Brown received in 2007 and 2008, which for years seemed to have eliminated his leukemia as well as his HIV infection, the virus that causes AIDS. According to Dr. Gero Huetter, the Berlin physician who led Brown's historical treatment, Brown symbolized that it is possible, under special circumstances, to rid a patient of HIV. He said that it is something that many scientists had doubted could be done, according to The Guardian. Dr. Huetter added that what happened to Brown was a "very sad situation," referring to the cancer that returned and cost him his life because Brown still seemed free of HIV. Dr. Huetter is now the medical director of a stem cell company in Dresden, Germany. Also Read: Drug Companies May Kill 500,000 Sharks, Use Livers to Create COVID-19 Vaccine The International AIDS Society, which had Brown speak at an AIDS conference after his successful treatment, issued a statement after they heard about the news of his death. The statement read that Brown and Huetter are owed a "great deal of gratitude" for promoting research on a cure. Brown's life Brown was working in Berlin as a translator when he was diagnosed with HIV and then later, leukemia. Transplants are known to be an effective treatment for the blood cancer, but Huetter wanted to try to cure the HIV infection too by using a donor with a rare gene mutation that gives natural resistance to the AIDS virus. Brown's first transplant was in 2007, but it was only partly successful. His HIV was gone, but his leukemia was not. In 2008, he had a second transplant from the same donor, and it worked, according to BBC. However, Brown's cancer returned in 2019. Brown said in a recent interview with The Associated Press that he is still glad that he had the transplant. Brown said that the transplant opened up doors that were not there before, and it inspired scientists to work harder to find a cure for HIV. A second man named Adam Castillejo, called "the London patient," is also believed to have been cured by a transplant similar to Brown's in 2016. Since the donors are rare and the transplants are risky, researchers have been testing gene therapy and other ways to try to get a similar effect. At an AIDS conference in July 2020, researchers said that they might have achieved a long-term remission in a Brazilian man by using a powerful combination of drugs meant to flush dormant HIV from the patient's body. Mark King, a blog writer from Baltimore, said that Brown was "just this magnet for people living with HIV." King admitted that he has HIV too and that Brown embodied the hope for a cure. Related Article: Google Worker's Broken Arm Turns Out to Be Cancer, Survive Months After Told He's Got 24 Hours to Live @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) canceled its flight to Yerevan, which was supposed to depart on October 1, due to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "Based on the results of the planned analysis, as of this hour, it was decided to cancel another regular Kyiv-Yerevan flight PS611, scheduled for Thursday, October 1 at 17:00 UTC. The airline made the relevant decision, guided by the extremely high priority of flight safety and the need to comply with international aviation safety standards," the airline's press service said on Wednesday evening. At the same time, the airline will provide the necessary service to the passengers of the flight and will ensure all the necessary support that this situation provides. As reported earlier, due to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, Ukraine International Airlines canceled the Kyiv-Yerevan flight scheduled for September 28. Thats not to say that there isnt a future to them, though. Gravity Industries, founded by British inventor Richard Browning, has been on the market for 10 years and, after one of them was spent in talks with the Great North Air Ambulance Service, a possible new partnership looms. Gravity and GNAAS have tested out the first paramedic jet suit in the mountainous terrain of Lake District.The idea is to get a paramedic to a victim in a fraction of the time a unit could reach him or her by car or on foot. In this particular exercise, included in the video at the bottom of the page, a climb that would have taken 25 minutes by foot was covered in just 90 seconds. In any emergency scenario, these are potentially life-saving minutes.Andy Mawson, director of operations at GNAAS, piloted the jet suit for the simulated rescue operation, noting that the paramedic would also carry a rescue kit and flares to summon helicopter support.The biggest advantage is its speed, Mawson explains in a statement to the BBC . If the idea takes off, the flying paramedic will be armed with a medical kit, with strong pain relief for walkers who may have suffered fractures, and a defibrillator for those who may have suffered a heart attack.We are just scratching the surface in terms of what is possible to achieve with our technology, Richard Browning adds. Emergency response is one of the areas Gravity is actively pursuing, alongside launching a new commercial training location at the world-renowned Goodwood Estate.Before going into emergency response, Gravity attempted to go down the commercial route with its jet suit, in between setting some records and putting on public displays meant to drum up publicity. In 2018, for instance, one such jet suit went on sale at the upscale Selfridges in London, with a price tag of no less than 340,000 (approximately $436,582 at todays exchange rate).Also then, the three-engined jet suit was able to fly continuously for only about 9 minutes, at 32 mph (51.5 kph) and altitudes of 12,000 feet (3,657 meters). Gravity didnt say whether these figures still apply to the current version of the suit. Astronauts on the International Space Station have finally found the source of an air leak that was first detected a year ago in September 2019, according to NASA. Three members of the ISS crew were woken in the middle of the night on Monday by ground control to search for the leak's source - as it appeared to be growing rapidly. They shut compartment hatches one by one and used an ultrasonic leak detector to collect data - eventually pinpointing the leak to the Zvezda Service Module. The exact location of the leak within the Russian module still hasn't been found - but NASA says it hadn't really grown in size and poses no risk to the crew. The ISS has been under constant occupation by astronauts since November 2000 but due to structural fatigue needs to be decommissioned by 2030 The Zvezda module is a key part of the Russian half of the station as it provides the segment with oxygen and drinkable water. It also houses CO2 scrubbers and has the sleeping quarters, bathroom and dining room for the Russian cosmonauts. Previous leak checks had ruled out the US section of the station, including the European and Japanese modules housed in the US area, NASA confirmed. NASA astronaut and station commander Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner were woken to carry out the air leak search. It turned out the actual air leak hadn't increased in size, as first feared, but rather made to appear larger from the ground due to a temporary change in temperature. 'One by one, the crew closed hatches between Zvezdas aft and forward sections and Zvezdas passageways to the Pirs Docking Compartment and the Poisk module while using an ultrasonic leak detector to collect data,' a NASA spokesperson said. 'Throughout the night, pressure measurements were taken to try to isolate the source of the leak. 'At the completion of the overnight checks, the crew opened hatches once again between the US and Russian segments and resumed regular activities.' By Tuesday morning the crew had confirmed the leak was in the main work area of the Zvezda module, NASA said. 'Additional work is needed to locate the exact source of the leak,' the space agency wrote in a blog post about the leak search. Commander Chris Cassidy and his crewmates Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin stayed in the Zvezda service module for a weekend late August In August the same three crew members were asked to house themselves in the Zvezda compartment while ground control carried out a failed hunt for the leak. After that search failed to detect the leak, NASA said it was likely that the source was in either the Zvezda or Poisk Mini-Research module - which serves as a docking station for incoming spaceships. 'With the crew living and working in these modules, it was impossible to achieve the proper environmental conditions necessary for this test,' a NASA spokesperson told Business Insider. When ground control detected what was initially thought to be a rapidly growing increase in the size of this leak - it was decided the matter had become more urgent. The Zvezda module also connects tot he Soyuz spacecraft - which is the emergency escape for the crew if there is a risk to the station - closing the module makes it harder to reach the spaceship. On Monday night the leak had 'gotten large enough' that conducting the search overnight was a good option and a chance to focus in on the source. The crew relied on life support from the US side of the station during the test but have since returned to the Russian segment - despite the leak still being in place. From left, NASA astronaut and Commander Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts and Flight Engineers Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. The three-man team on board the ISS have been working with ground staff to pinpoint the location of the leak Generally, tiny amounts of air leak from a space vessel over time, requiring routine re-pressurisation from nitrogen tanks delivered on cargo resupply missions. The stations atmosphere is maintained at pressure comfortable for the crew members but if the leak grows too quickly it may cause problems. NASA and its international partners first saw indications of a slight increase above the standard cabin air leak rate back in September 2019. 'Because of routine station operations like spacewalks and spacecraft arrivals and departures, it took time to gather enough data to characterise those measurements,' NASA admitted last month. August 2018 saw astronauts rush to fix a hole (pictured) which had appeared in the outer wall of the Soyuz capsule on the orbiting laboratory. Its origins are still a mystery This isn't the first leak on the ISS two years ago, the space station's crew discovered a 2-millimetre (0.08 inches) hole on the outer wall of the Soyuz capsule on the orbiting laboratory, which they had to plug with epoxy and gauze. Russian media reports that Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Roscosmos, knew the hole's source, but wouldn't disclose it to NASA. 'We know exactly what happened, but we will not tell you anything,' Rogozin said in September 2019, as quoted by Russian news agency Ria Novosti. The exact cause of the breach was thought to be a botched repair job by an engineer who drilled through the side of the spacecraft. However, some made allegations of subterfuge and deliberate sabotage. Illegal gaming operations including one held in a lavish $9-million, 20,000-square-foot Markham mansion prospered after the province shut down legal casinos because of COVID-19, police say. It opened up an opportunity for these more extravagant locations, Supt. Mike Slack of York Regional Police said on Wednesday in front of a newly built stone residence on Decourcy Court near Warden Avenue and Major MacKenzie Drive. His comments came after police announced they have arrested a husband and wife for allegedly running the multimillion-dollar gambling operation, as well as dozens of alleged gamblers. Their arrests were part of a police operation called Project End Game, which also involved raids on residences in Toronto and Vaughan. The gated, high-security Markham mansion had an extensive wine cellar and bar, kennels for German shepherd guard dogs, 32-foot high ceilings, 13 bathrooms, elevator, indoor pool and an eight-car garage, set on a lot of almost 2 acres. Gamblers needed an invitation to attend and once inside, they could dine on illegal delicacies including shark fins from a chefs kitchen, police said. There was no social distancing or requirement to wear masks to ward off COVID-19 in the opulent illegal Markham gambling centre, Slack said. Human sex trafficking is also suspected and is under investigation, Slack said. Investigators with the York Regional Police Guns, Gangs and Drug Enforcement Unit said they seized 11 guns and more than $1 million in cash when they raided the mansion as part of a probe into illegal gaming and organized crime. No one was injured in the July 23 raid, in which 92 tactical officers stormed the mansion. Eleven firearms, including a loaded AR-15 assault rifle and .357 magnum revolver, more than $1 million in cash and $1.5 million in alcohol were seized, police said. A planned raid a week earlier was called off at the last minute when helicopter surveillance showed there were a half dozen children on the premises, Slack said. Deputy Chief Brian Bigras said gambling is far from being a victimless crime. It most often leads to increased violence, Bigras said. Charged with keeping a common gaming house, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and selling liquor without a licence is Wei Wei, 52, of York Region, who police said was the owner of the operation. His wife, Xiang Yue Chen, 48, was charged with keeping a common betting house, possession of proceeds of crime and selling liquor without a licence, as was their daughter, Chen Wei, 25. Wei Dong, 32, who lived on the premises, was charged with multiple offences, including keeping a gaming house, 11 counts of unsafe storage of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. There were related raids staged by police on July 30 on Woodland Acres in Vaughan, in which three people were arrested and more than $70,000 cash were seized and at 3276 Midland Ave. in Toronto in which gaming equipment and more than $20,000 were seized, police said. The money moving through these underground casinos leads to huge profits for criminals that fund other ventures such as prostitution and drug trafficking, York Region Police Chief Jim MacSween said in a prepared statement. This illegal high-stakes gambling also leads to gun violence, armed robberies, kidnappings, extortion and other serious violent offences within our community, MacSween said. Peter Edwards is a Toronto-based reporter primarily covering crime for the Star. Reach him by email at pedwards@thestar.ca AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DuFrane Watches, a watch brand in Austin, TX, announced today the launch of their newest watch model, The Waterloo. Aptly named after the city of Austin's original name, The Waterloo was designed for its versatility, clarity and elegant simplicity. The Waterloo is made in the essence of DuFrane's previous models yet has a more simple, refined design to be worn all day, every day, as a true go-anywhere, do-anything watch. New watch release; The Waterloo is available in four variations. "The Waterloo is a quintessential DuFrane piece, masculine and durable but with fresh, unique qualities and a simple versatility that will fit with any occasion," said DuFrane Watches CEO and Founder Steven Lee. "It is our most well-rounded watch that can be worn on a weekend outing or complement a suit. The Waterloo was designed so you never have to take it off your wrist." According to Lee, the design of the Waterloo was several years in the making, and attention to detail is evident at every phase of the design to exude the renowned DuFrane brand essence and quality. The dial is strikingly clean and minimalist, combining industrial and vintage elements but with complex undertones. The Waterloo dial features milled Arabic numerals on the brushed chapter ring, a linen-textured main dial surface, and an understated date window at the six o'clock position. The handset for the mechanical models are heat blued steel (oxidized by heating to 290 degrees Celsius) and coated with Swiss SuperLumiNova to assist visibility. "My main goal when designing the dial was for it to be highly readable and super radiant," said Lee. "If you are going to be wearing a watch all day and every day, it needs to be highly functional, and that starts with it being a joy to read." To emphasize its versatility, The Waterloo comes in two choices of Swiss movements. For traditionalists, an automatic mechanical version will feature the renowned and robust Sellita SW200. For those looking for a little less maintenance, a quartz version will feature a Ronda 715 movement with approximately five years of battery life. The Waterloo's 39mm case was also carefully designed, featuring striking, brushed 316L stainless steel, the tightest tolerance case DuFrane has built to date. The result of this precision is a mechanical version of The Waterloo that is just over 10mm thin, with the quartz version measuring 8.8mm for extreme comfort and wearability. Both watches have a 10 ATM (330 ft) depth rating. "Though it isn't a tool watch and is designed for comfort, we know The Waterloo wearer will be doing a variety of different activities that still require the same level of DuFrane reliability and fortitude," said Lee. "It was important that this be included as part of The Waterloo's design." To begin promotion of The Waterloo, DuFrane is launching a Kickstarter campaign on October 1 with The Waterloo for sale at a heavily discounted price of $299. For more information and more detailed specs, please email [email protected] or visit the DuFrane Watches website at www.dufranewatches.com About DuFrane Watches Founded by watch enthusiast and collector Steven Lee, DuFrane Watches designs watches that are elegant, timeless watches made for the adventuring man who exudes quiet confidence. All DuFrane Watches are made in small batches, feature Swiss movements, and are proudly designed and tested in Austin, TX. You can find DuFrane Watches on the web at www.dufranewatches.com, @dufrane_watches on Instagram and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dufranewatches Related Images dufrane-waterloo.jpg DuFrane Waterloo New watch release; The Waterloo is available in four variations. Related Links Website SOURCE DuFrane Watches Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-27 23:31:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Somalia on Sunday signed an agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP) for the implementation of the country's emergency locust program. Sadik Warfa, minister of labor and social affairs said the deal enables WFP to implement the shock responsive safety net for locust response project on behalf of the government. Warfa said the locust response social assistance program will focus on addressing the immediate impact of the locust infestation on poor and vulnerable households by meeting their short-term food security and consumption needs and protecting their livelihoods and human capital assets through emergency cash transfer. "Today, we have launched immediate support to the families affected by the locusts, with the aim to uplift families from falling into deeper levels of food insecurity," said the minister in a statement issued in Mogadishu. He said the government has made enormous efforts to reach the locust affected families, noting that the program will benefit families in 43 districts who are most affected. This comes after Somalia secured a 40 million U.S. dollar grant from the World Bank to help the locust affected rural communities in 43 districts across Somalia for a period of six months. The minister said the intervention builds on the government-led Baxnaano national safety net program that envisages reaching the most vulnerable segment of the society through progressive cash-based social assistance while also building the necessary systems for national social protection systems. According to the agreement, WFP will support the ministry in the implementation and delivery of emergency cash transfers to about 100,000 poor and vulnerable rural locust-affected households. Enditem Sweeney Todd, Waitress, Toast baking and the stage have had a lengthy and lucrative relationship. So we're more than obsessed with the return of The Great British Bake Off, which hit TV screens this month. Providing audiences with a much-needed amuse-bouche of quaint British boulangerie expertise, it features whimsical banter from hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas plus judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. But did you know that some of the contests have a background on/ around the stage? First of all, there's digital manager Laura who, when not volunteering for the Samaritans, is a major lover of all things musical theatre and has seen / performed in shows across her life. According to her (admittedly baking heavy) Instagram, she even caught Cabaret at the Marlowe Theatre last March and Wicked a few weeks before that. Furthermore, she also saw Dear Evan Hansen in its opening week a hot ticket by all accounts! Oh, and did it even need (kneed) to be said of course, she indulged a slice of baking extravaganza Waitress in 2019. Her versions of Freddie Mercury's head may be somewhat unorthodox, but her taste in stage shows is bang on. Secondly there's Lottie Bedlow, who (spoilers!) earned a special handshake from Paul Hollywood last week after her impressive florentines. While she may be a master crafter of baked goods, she's also a fine theatre creator, currently working as a production coordinator at Anton Benson Productions. Overseeing ABP pantos in 2018 and 2019 (oh YEAST she did!) with stars such as Kerry Katona, Bedlow has experience as a production co-ordinator at the prestigious Hampstead Theatre in north London from 2015 to 2017, and before that was an administrative assistant for hit producer Bill Kenwright. Whether or not Bedlow will remain in the theatre profession after the series or be snatched up by the baking community, only time (thyme?) will tell! Music teacher Rowan, known for his extravagant designs, channelled his theatricality into his ambitious bust of Marie Antoinette and a Magic Flute-inspired bake. He's said to be a major theatre and opera nut. And lest (zest) we forget Lucas, who recently completed a new stint in Les Miserables in the West End. Mr Justice Tony Hunt told the Central Criminal Court jury of seven men and five women today that legal issues had to be canvassed and if the defence was not calling evidence then they would be "straight into closing speeches". Sebastian Barczuk (32), with an address at Briarwood Lawn, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 has pleaded not guilty to murdering Michal Kurek (33) at a place unknown within the State between August 3rd and 4th, 2017. Mr Kurek, a homeless man with addiction difficulties, was found lying face down in the gateway of a country lane in Ballyboughal with 62 stab wounds to his body, including 25 knife wounds to his back on the morning of August 4th. A Nokia 105 mobile phone was located in the right hand pocket of the deceased's jeans and the handset was still powered on. Advertisement Evidence has been given that a cyclist discovered the deceased's body lying next to a gateway in the Grange area of Ballyboughal on the morning of August 4. Former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis has testified that Mr Kurek died from "multiple stab wounds and with a contributory factor of blunt-force trauma to the head and chest". The trial has heard evidence that the accused man's phone made a data connection at a cell site near Ballyboughal in north county Dublin at 00.53 on the morning Mr Kurek's body was discovered, while the deceased's phone also utilised a cell site at Ballyboughal at 00.52 on the same morning. Mr Barczuk insisted to gardai in his interviews that he had not travelled to north Co Dublin on the same morning that the body of his homeless friend was found there. Evidence has also been given that the lower amount of DNA in a mixed profile taken from Mr Kurek's Nokia phone matched the DNA of the accused Mr Barczuk. On the final day of evidence, Sandra McGrath from Forensic Science Ireland told defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC that she found a mixed DNA profile on Mr Kurek's blood-stained hoodie. The major contributor was from Mr Kurek and the minor contributor consisted of DNA at a very low level, said Ms McGrath, adding that she could not rule out that the minor contributor came from more than one source which meant that the profile could not be interpreted. Prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC told the jury in his opening speech that ultimately the question for them was "who did it" and not whether the deceased was murdered or not. Counsel said the prosecution cannot say where or why Mr Kurek was murdered and a murder weapon was never recovered. The prosecution has told the jury that it will be asked to use circumstantial evidence to convict Mr Barczuk. The trial continues tomorrow in front of the jury and Mr Justice Hunt. Remote monitoring of police interviews with terror suspects is legally covered by procedural safeguards, the High Court ruled today. Senior judges dismissed a challenge brought by a west Belfast man arrested as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity. Lawyers for Risteard O Murchu claimed the policy of downstreaming - where police questioning is observed at another location by others - was an invasion of privacy. But Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan held that a position statement setting out guidance on remote monitoring "has the necessary quality of law". Mr O Murchu, a 50-year-old from the Ballymurphy area, was detained under the Terrorism Act in May 2019, but released unconditionally later the same day. At the time he raised concerns about any downstreaming of his interviews, claiming PSNI officers had previously approached him about becoming an informer. Expand Close Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan A similar challenge was mounted by a north Belfast woman questioned in March last year over suspected benefit fraud. She claimed police or MI5 officers had put money in her bank account and requested her help in return. In both cases objections were raised to any remote monitoring by unseen individuals who were not present in the interview room. With a defence solicitor disputing the lawfulness of the operation, police carried out the interviews without downstreaming. In court it was claimed that the wider monitoring practice involved "draconian" powers with implications for personal reputations. Lawyers contended that anyone could be present in the other room. However, counsel for the police argued there was no reasonable expectation of privacy in the intended use of downstreaming because each suspect was already held in a custodial environment where CCTV and recording applied throughout their periods of detention. Delivering judgment, Sir Declan cited a Position Statement issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (ACPO) which set out guidance on deploying remote monitoring. He said it replicated earlier procedural safeguards contained in a Home Office code of practice. The Position Statement was a commitment made by the relevant professional bodies about how downstream monitoring would be carried out, according to the Lord Chief Justice. "The circumstances of the detention and interview of each applicant arose from the proper interest of police in the investigation of crime, but at the time of each interview neither applicant had been charged with any offence," he said. "Each was subject to state detention which would give rise to anxiety in any reasonable person." Sir Declan held that any point about Article 8 right to privacy should not be confined to the "narrow" issue of the downstreaming. Dismissing the challenges, he confirmed: "It is not necessary for us to determine whether in those circumstances Article 8 is engaged, but if it is engaged we are satisfied that the ACPO Position Statement has the necessary quality of law." The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday refuted claims about clean chit given to Bollywood divas Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and others questioned in connection with the a drugs case surrounding the death Sushant Singh Rajput, saying such reports are devoid" of truth and facts". The news article mentioning that the drugs law enforcement agency giviing clean chit to those examined by NCB is devoid of the facts and truth." He said that the necessary rebuttal" is being issued to the concerned. The remarks came after a media report claimed that the NCB has given clean chit to Deepika, her former manager Karishma Prakash, Sara, Shraddha and others in a drugs related case. The NCB questioned Deepika, Shraddha and Karishma on Saturday in Mumbai for several hours over their alleged chats discussing drugs. The NCB also questioned Sara, who starred with Sushant in Kedarnath" for over five hours in the case on Saturday. Deepika is the daughter of badminton icon Prakash Padukone and married to actor Ranveer Singh, while Shraddha is daughter of veteran actor Shakti Kapoor. Sara is daughter of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh. The NCB also grilled actor Rakul Preet Singh in connection with its probe on Friday for four hours. However, the officials of the NCB have remained tightlipped on its findings after the questioning of these actors in the case as it is corroborating the statements of all the people questioned in the case so far. The NCB also arrested Kshitij Ravi Prasad former executive Producer of the Dharma Productions in connection with the case after it was found that he procured drugs for over a dozen times between May to July and paid Rs 3,500 for every 50 gm of the contraband. The NCB has already arrested Sushants girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, the late actors house manager Samuel Miranda, personal staff Dipesh Sawant in the case along with 16 other accused. The NCB registered a case after it received a request from Enforcement Directorate (ED) following the alleged chats discussing drugs came to the fore. The NCB registered two cases and Sara and Shraddha are inter linked in both of the cases. Besides NCB, the CBI and the ED are also probing the death of Sushant, who was found dead in his Bandras Mont Blanc apartment on June 14. ANKARA (dpa-AFX) - Turkey's trade deficit widened in August as exports fell and imports rose strongly, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed on Wednesday. The trade deficit increased to $6.278 billion in August from $2.341 billion in the same month last year. In July, the trade deficit was $2.8 billion. Exports fell 5.7 percent annually in August and imports increased 20.4 percent. On a seasonally and calendar adjusted basis, exports decreased 4.6 percent in August and imports rose by 18.9 percent from the previous month. Calendar adjusted exports decreased 9.1 percent and imports rose by 15.3 percent from a year ago. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. The United Kingdom has returned the sum of $100,000 confiscated by airport security from Nigerian businessman, Nasiru Danu, after a court gave judgment in his favour in a confiscation suit. Court documents and banking details seen by this newspaper showed that the money was paid with interest that accrued in the last one year as ordered by a magistrate court on September 7. Mr Danu was intercepted by officials of the United Kingdom Border Force and Immigration officials on arrival at the London airport on September 13, 2019 after his then newly-acquired Maltese passport with which he travelled there turned out to be fake. The businessman, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, was duped of $35,000 by a travel agency which offered to help him obtain a Maltese passport. Unknown to him the passport delivered to him by the agency was fake. On returning to Nigeria, Mr Danu petitioned the State Security Service (SSS) over the passport fraud and his resultant arrest and deportation from the UK. The SSS later referred the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which is now pressing charges against one Rabbi Okpara. PREMIUM TIMES had in December reported how Ms Okpara was docked by the EFCC before an FCT High Court for allegedly defrauding Mr Danu and other unsuspecting Nigerians. Ms Okpara is the owner of Green Valley Concept Limited, a purported travel agency. EFCC investigators said Ms Okpara used her travel agency to lure unsuspecting members of the public to buy into a sham travel/residency arrangement in Malta. The EFCC said Ms Okpara in her statement to the agency admitted to liaising with a third party, one Mr Ugbaja, in obtaining these fake travel document for her clients. Count one of the charges reads: That you Rabbi Okpara and Jude Ugbaja(at large) sometime in August 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired between yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit; causing to be used as genuine forged documents, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP, MI7 laws of Federation Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same act. Count two reads: That you Rabbi Okpara, Jude Ugbaja ( at large), Green Valley Concept Ltd and Palmary Travels and Tours Ltd, sometimes in August 2019 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court forged a maltase passport with the name Nasiru Haladu Danu with number 9647443 dated 27 April/AVR 2018 with intent that it be used as genuine; thereby committed an offence contrary to 320(a) of the Penal Code, Law of the Federation 1990 and punishable under section 322 of the same law. Seized cash returned Aside deporting Mr Danu to Nigeria on his arrest at the airport in September, the UK authorities also took possession of $100,000 found on the businessman. The businessman had protested the seizure of the money saying it was his legitimate earning and that he declared it appropriately with customs authorities in Nigeria before travelling with it to the UK. Mr Danu also explained that he travelled with that amount of cash because his credit card had failed him repeatedly, leaving him stranded on a number of occasions. But despite his explanations, the UK authorities seized the cash and approached a court for confiscation hearing. However, the legal team for Mr Danu challenged the UK Border agencys move to permanently confiscate the money. They succeeded. The court found that the security officials were wrong to seize the money as the money was from legitimate income which was not intended for an unlawful purpose and should therefore be returned to the owners, said Mr Danus lawyer, Femi Joshua. Mr Danus Nigerian Bank account was credited with the money with interest in two tranches of $50,471 on September 23, according to documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES. When contacted Tuesday, Mr Danu said he was pleased that the court noted that he was a victim of crime by a syndicate which swindled him and sold him a fake passport. The court saw that I am a legitimate and honest businessman and that the cash found on me were legitimately earned and properly declared, Mr Danu said. Snap polls on the debate performances of the presidential candidates leaned towards Biden, who withstood a barrage of barbs from the 74-year-old Trump while delivering some of his own US President Donald Trump and Joe Biden return to the campaign trail on Wednesday after a chaotic debate that allowed the 77-year-old Democratic candidate to rebuff Republican claims that he doesn't have the stamina for the White House job. Snap polls on the debate performances of the presidential candidates leaned towards Biden, who withstood a barrage of barbs from the 74-year-old Trump while delivering some of his own. A CBS sampling of 1,039 likely voters who watched the televised debate held in Cleveland, Ohio, had Biden edging Trump by 48 percent to 41 percent -- a margin similar to that of the national polls heading into the November 3 election. But the overall winner -- or loser in the case -- was the 69 percent of those surveyed who said the unruly shoutfest simply left them "annoyed." "A hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a trainwreck," said CNN host Jake Tapper, an assessment shared by many viewers and analysts. "That was the worst debate I have ever seen. "It was a disgrace and it's primarily because of President Trump," Tapper said. Trump spent much of the time interrupting Biden, accusing him of being controlled by the "radical left" and trying to get under his skin with comments about his son Hunter's past business affairs. Trump had insinuated ahead of the debate that Biden is too old for the job and his mental faculties have been diminished by age. An exasperated Biden variously described Trump as a "clown," a "fool," a "liar" and "Putin's puppy" while telling him at one point to "shut up, man." But the former vice president mostly kept his composure and went toe-to-toe with Trump for the full 90 minutes, attacking his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, race relations and the economy. "Much of the tone for this debate was driven by Donald Trump's strategy to rattle Joe Biden with constant interruptions, taunting, and name-calling," said Mitchell McKinney, a communications professor at the University of Missouri. "The overall image projected tonight by Donald Trump was one of a petulant president," McKinney said. "Joe Biden avoided any major gaffe or stumble tonight that would feed into the Trump narrative that Biden is too old or not fit for serving as president," he said. - 'Meltdown' - While the Biden camp was praising their candidate's performance on Wednesday, Trump took to Twittter to lash out at Fox News host Chris Wallace, the moderator, claiming he had joined forces with Biden and ganged up on him. Biden responded with a tweet depicting Trump as a crying baby. The Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said Trump's debate behavior demonstrated why she had recommended that Biden not debate him at all. "You saw a political nervous breakdown, a meltdown," Pelosi said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "(Trump) has never respected the dignity of his office and he demonstrated that last night. "You saw his authenticity and you saw Joe Biden's authenticity and I just thought the contrast was so great," she said. "The election has to be the major intervention into this president's behavior." Pelosi said she was particularly disturbed by Trump's failure to condemn white supremacists and had "lost a lot of sleep" over it. The Cleveland debate was scheduled to be the first of three before the election but the acrimonious debacle led to calls by some commentators for the two others to be cancelled. In an interview with CNN, Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested it was unlikely that Biden would bow out of the next debates. "Joe Biden's never going to refuse to talk to the American people," she said. "I think the American people benefitted from a very clear contrast (between Trump and Biden)." Trump was to attend a fundraiser on Wednesday and address an outdoor campaign rally at the airport in the town of Duluth in Minnesota, a state narrowly won by Hillary Clinton in 2016. Biden was to embark on a train tour of the battleground states of Ohio and Pennsylvania billed as the "Build Back Better Express." The next debate is scheduled to be held on October 15 in Miami, Florida, with the final debate on October 22 in Nashville, Tennessee. Search Keywords: Short link: By Allison Lampert and Mahad Arale MONTREAL/TORONTO (Reuters) - Quebec on Monday ordered new restrictions on bars and restaurants in coronavirus hot spots, while Ontario's premier warned of a "more complex" second wave, as Canada's two most-populous provinces saw big increases in COVID-19 cases. Quebec, the Canadian province hit hardest by the novel coronavirus, will curb social gatherings in homes and limit bar and restaurant service to takeout for 28 days in Montreal and two other regions, Premier Francois Legault said. It reported 750 new coronavirus cases on Monday. "It's time to take action," Legault told reporters in Montreal. "The situation is at the limit." The restrictions, which start on Thursday in the three regions, will not close businesses or schools. But Legault introduced restrictions like allowing only people living at the same address to be there at the same time. Libraries, movie theaters and museums will close and protesters will have to wear masks during demonstrations, he said. Earlier on Monday, Ontario, Canada's most-populous province, reported a new daily high of 700 cases, with a bit more than a day's worth of samples still pending at labs. The number of patients in hospital was also rising steadily, reaching 128, data showed. "We know that this wave will be more complicated, more complex, it will be worse than the first wave we faced earlier this year," Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters in Toronto. The Ontario Hospital Association called on the province to bring back restrictions in some regions on indoor dining and bars, places of worship, weddings, gyms and other non-essential businesses. Canada garnered praise earlier this month after it reported zero coronavirus deaths for the first time since March. But health officials are now warning that some local authorities could be overwhelmed unless the wave of infections is curbed. In Alberta, where cases have also been rising, the provincial government postponed dozens of surgeries and imposed visiting restrictions at a Calgary hospital because of an outbreak. Twenty-six patients and 27 staff have confirmed infections and more than 100 staffers are in isolation. Four patients have died. Overall, cases in Canada rose by 1,454 to 153,125, while six more deaths took the total to 9,268, according to data released on Sunday. (Reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal and Mahad Arale in Toronto; Additional reporting by Allison Martell and and Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Editing by Denny Thomas and Peter Cooney) The Election Commission on Wednesday removed state excise commissioner from his post for failing to present an effective action plan to check the illegal flow of liquor ahead of the three-phase assembly elections in Bihar. An ECI team, led by chief election commissioner Sunil Arora, is on a three-day visit to Bihar to review poll preparedness. The team held meetings with officials from 26 districts and enforcement agencies, including the excise and income tax departments on Wednesday. Also Read: Bihar assembly polls: Nothing less than 70 seats agreeable, Congress tells RJD Following the meeting, Bihar chief electoral officer, HR Srinivasa, said that excise commissioner B Karthikey Dhanji was removed from the post with immediate effect. Election Commission has removed Shri B Karthikey Dhanji, IAS (BR:2008) from the post of Excise Commissioner with immediate effect for non presentation of effective action plan for preventive measures and grossly inadequate preparedness during the review of Enforcement Agencies located in /having headquarters in Bihar today (Wednesday), a statement issued by Srinivasa said. Also Read: BJP appoints Fadnavis as Bihar election in-charge, seat sharing talks begin People familiar with the matter said that the ECs action is indicative that the poll panel is unhappy with the reports of illegal flow of liquor into the state from neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and also states like Haryana. Also Read: Bihar Assembly Election 2020: State faces flood challenge in run-up to polls There have been reports of seizures of contraband items and drugs in East Champaran and adjoining district in the last one month. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nina Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 30, 2020 15:07 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4836f27 1 National homeworkers,homeworkers-protection,female-workers,minimum-wage,labor-rights Free A recent study by the SMERU Research Institute, in cooperation with the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Gender Equality And Womens Empowerment (MAMPU), reveals that women who work from home in the informal sector are struggling to access the basic rights of workers. The longitudinal study involved 1,742 households, 6,138 individuals and 3,180 women in five regencies in five provinces from 2014 to 2020, and found that homeworkers were usually not considered employees. They were thus omitted from basic workers rights, including minimum wage and employee health insurance schemes. It also discovered that the majority of homeworkers, or 73.5 percent, were women. "Our study found that homeworkers work 30 to 40 hours per week on average, sometimes even more. However, they receive very low wages, less than Rp 500,000 [US$33] a month," SMERU researcher Veto Tyas Indrio said on Monday. In addition to the long hours and low wages, SMERU found that homeworkers generally had poor working conditions. Most of them did not have any safety equipment, nor did they have have work-related insurance. Most of the homeworkers surveyed said that work safety was their primary concern, especially since they typically worked in labor-intensive industries such as furniture and textile manufacturing, including textile weaving. They also said that they often had to source safety gear like masks and gloves on their own. "Most of them feel that being supplied with [protective gear] is a luxury for homeworkers," said Veto, stressing that homeworkers were generally more vulnerable than other types of informal workers. "In general, they work without any written contracts. Some of them are subcontracted through middle men," he said. Dharendra Wardhana, who heads the legal analysis division at the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), said that the poor working conditions of homeworkers was a timely and highly relevant issue in light of the COVID-19 health emergency. "A Bappenas study projects that most new jobs in the future will be created in the informal sector, including homeworking. However, it would be difficult to [regulate] these issues in national regulations, as the deliberation of the new omnibus law on job creation has stalled amid the pandemic," he said. Dharendra said that for now, the most realistic course to take in improving the working conditions of homeworkers was to provide awareness and training programs on topics such as labor rights and workplace health and safety. He also urged scholars and researchers to dig deeper into the issue to provide more evidence-based insights. "More research is crucial to bring this issue to a wider audience," he said. TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Superwise.ai, a pioneer of AI assurance and monitoring solutions, today announced that it has been recognized in the Cool Vendors in Enterprise AI Governance by Gartner1. The report includes the following recommendation: "Build trust in AI solutions by applying an explainable AI (XAI) approach to holistically address aspects of AI models such as trust, transparency, bias mitigation, explainability, accountability, privacy and regulatory compliance." Superwise.ai focuses on assuring the health of machine learning models in production, alerting when something goes wrong, at the right time; and provides thorough mechanisms to achieve observability over the models behaviors in real life. The solution enables data science, data engineering and operational teams to create robust AI processes at scale, by extracting key insights, and gaining control over the machine learning operations. "We consider our recognition in the Cool Vendors in Enterprise AI Governance by Gartner, to be a confirmation of our mission to empower AI practitioners with the visibility and control to efficiently and responsibly scale their AI operations; as well as a recognition of our unique practical approach that already delivers benefits to customers globally, across verticals and use cases: E-commerce, Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), Fraud Detection, and more," said Ofer Razon, CEO & Co-Founder of superwise.ai. "Our solution leverages AI for AI to make it possible to stay on top of all the different changes that impact models. We deliver practical capabilities to extract easily understandable insights about the machine learning process, at the right time, and to power a virtuous cycle of continuous improvements - from validation to production," added Oren Razon, CTO & Co-Founder at superwise.ai. The solution integrates seamlessly, using API and SDKs, and is platform agnostic, supporting any ML platform, - i.e.: AWS SageMaker, Kubeflow, Azure ML, DataRobot, or custom implementations. Gartner subscribers can view the report here . Gartner, Cool Vendors in Enterprise AI Governance, Shubhangi Vashisth , Erick Brethenoux , Farhan Choudhary , Svetlana Sicular , 22 September 2020. Gartner Disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About superwise.ai Superwise.ai enables data science and business operations teams to monitor and assure the health of their AI-based systems. Its AI Assurance platform monitors AI models used operationally, detecting and taking action in real-time when there's any risk to these models' expected behavior, reducing the pitfalls derived by the black-box nature of these implementations. The company is serving global players in the area of eCommerce, online marketing, and financial services with AI performance management, bias detection, explainability and AI analytics capabilities. Among the use cases already implemented by its customers: Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) predictions, fraud detection, lead scoring, credit risk, and more. Contact Person: Pearl Lieberman, Head of Marketing, [email protected] SOURCE Superwise.ai STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Dish talks to restaurant owners about the issues facing their businesses each Wednesdays at 9 a.m. It is live-streamed from various establishments on Staten Island. This edition takes place on the first day of indoor dining in 199 days. This week on The Dish: Navy Pier Prime opens this week at the Urby complex in Stapleton at 25% capacity. KUWAIT: Kuwait on Wednesday laid to rest late ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, a Gulf Arab elder statesman who helped steer his nation through some of the regions most turbulent decades, in funeral rites closed to the public due to COVID-19 concerns. The only leader of fellow Gulf Arab states in attendance was the emir of Qatar, which has been boycotted by Saudi Arabia and its allies, including the United Arab Emirates, in a dispute that Sheikh Sabah, 91, tried until his death to resolve. His successor and brother, Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 83, headed the rites after being sworn in at parliament, pledging to work for the OPEC member states prosperity, stability and security. Our dear nation today faces difficult situations and dangerous challenges that can only be overcome by unifying ranks and working hard together," he told the National Assembly. Sheikh Nawaf takes the reins of the small wealthy nation, which holds the worlds seventh-largest oil reserves, at a time when low crude prices and the coronavirus have strained the finances of a country with a cradle-to-grave welfare system. His succession is not expected to change oil or investment policy and he is seen maintaining a foreign policy that saw Kuwait balance ties with larger neighbours Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran. Dignitaries from around the world paid respects to Sheikh Sabah, a seasoned diplomat and savvy politician widely respected as a humanitarian who strove to heal rifts in the Middle East, mending ties with former occupier Iraq and championing the Palestinian cause. He will be long remembered by all who work for regional stability, understanding between nations and between faiths, and for the humanitarian cause," Britains Queen Elizabeth said in a statement tweeted by Buckingham Palace. DIFFICULT TIMES" Sheikh Sabah, who died on Tuesday in the United States were he was hospitalised since July, had ruled the U.S.-allied country since 2006, and steered its foreign policy for over 50 years. Sheikh Nawaf was at the airport when the plane brought the body back home, wrapped in a white shroud and the Kuwaiti flag. Sheikh Sabah was buried in Sulaibikhat cemetery alongside his kin, after prayers at Bilal bin Rabah mosque where mourners, including Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, all wore face masks. The UAE said it was represented by its deputy premier, who is also interior minister, and the minister of tolerance and coexistence, both members of Abu Dhabis ruling family. When Kuwaits previous emir, Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah, died in 2006, thousands of Kuwaitis attended the funeral and many, along with expatriates, lined the streets. I am sure all the men would have loved to go and we as women would have loved to somehow pay tribute to our emir," Khadija, a Kuwaiti fitness instructor, told Reuters. I wish we could have young leadership and new visions I want to see change in our economy, education, and implementation of many promises that didnt take place," she said, adding that other Gulf states saw change under a new generation of leaders. Sheikh Nawaf, who lacks the diplomatic skills of his predecessor, is likely to focus on domestic matters such as naming a crown prince who would manage ties with a parliament that has often clashed with the government and hindered economic reform efforts, diplomats and analysts say. Under the constitution, the emir chooses the crown prince but traditionally the ruling family, some of whose senior members have been jostling for the position, convenes a meeting to build consensus. Parliament also has to approve the choice. I dont expect big change under Sheikh Nawaf. We have big problems and some may be resolved but Im not very optimistic," said Mohammed Abu Ghanem, a 45-year-old Kuwaiti. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor "Total Financial Awakening" is a business fable based on Sokurec's own journey. After coming to the United States from Belarus (formerly of the U.S.S.R.), Sokurec found himself working long hours and missing time with his family. Through real estate investing, he found the time and freedom he sought. "I was burned out working 70 - 80 hours a week, neglecting my family and still not earning enough to be financially free," Sokurec says. "My mentor introduced me to real estate investing, and it turned my life around. I hope 'Total Financial Awakening' helps others enhance their lives, too." Harvey Mackay, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive," says, "Total Financial Awakening is a masterclass not only in financial freedom, but also in the freedom to live the life you want. Andrey Sokurec paints a clear picture of what is possible if you are ready to embrace the Four Freedoms." The book is available through totalfinancialawakening.com. For more information, contact [email protected] or (612) 924-3788. About The Authors: Andrey Sokurec, Homestead Road Co-founder & CEO: Andrey was born and raised in Belarus. Graduating with honors from Belarus Economic University, he earned a degree in Finance. Andrey moved to the U.S. without any money or even knowing how to speak English. He bought his first investment property in 2005 and has since completed more than $100 million in real estate transactions. Sokurec lives with his wife and three children in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Alex Delendik, Homestead Road Co-founder and COO: Alex is also a native of Belarus, where he studied engineering and economics before working in risk management for an Austrian bank. He came to the U.S. to pursue his dream of a career in international business, later leveraging his education and experience by partnering with Andrey to launch Homestead Road. Media Contact: Allison Ortiz (612) 924-3788 [email protected], Totalfinancialawakening.com SOURCE Homestead Road Rep. Collins Calls on FBI Director to Resign Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) on Wednesday called on FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign. In a letter to Wray, Collins accused him of being unwilling or unable to bring accountability to the upper echelon of the FBI. I am sure you are aware of the recent revelation that the FBI had knowledge that the Russian collusion hoax was a creation of Hillary Clintons presidential campaign, he added. In your refusal to act on this knowledge, you are complicit. I urge you to do the right thing for this country and resign. Information declassified this week showed that then-FBI Director James Comey received an investigative referral on Sept. 7, 2016, regarding Clintons approval of a plan concerning Donald Trump and Russian hackers as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private mail server, according to John Ratcliffe, director of national intelligence. Asked to respond to Collins, the FBI told The Epoch Times via email, The FBI has been, and will continue to be, fully cooperative with all congressional inquiries, and Department of Justice reviews, into the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. The FBI conducted a counter-intelligence probe dubbed Crossfire Hurricane into Trumps campaign in 2016. It relied in part on a dossier created by ex-British spy Christopher Steele. Both Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid Steele. Recently released documents show Steeles primary source was a suspected Russian spy. FBI Director Christopher Wray, testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Threats to the Homeland on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Sept. 24, 2020. (Tom Williams/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Most high-level FBI and Department of Justice officials were either reassigned, demoted, fired, or had resigned in the months following Trumps election, an Epoch Times analysis shows. That included Comey, who was fired on May 9, 2017, and Peter Strzok, an FBI agent who led Crossfire Hurricane. Collins last month said Wray should resign after another declassified document indicated the FBI may have lied to the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2018 regarding the reliability of Steeles dossier. Either he was willfully not knowing what was going on, he was intentionally misleading the Senate, or there was actually a cover up going on, Collins said during an appearance on Fox Business. Let somebody else come in so that we can have clarity on what actually happened and whats actually being done to make sure this never happenswhether its lying to Congress or lying to the American people, he added. Comey testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Wednesday. Trump has also taken issue with Wray, sharing a video of him describing Antifa as more of an ideology or a movement than an organization while testifying to senators earlier this month. And I look at them as a bunch of well funded ANARCHISTS & THUGS who are protected because the Comey/Mueller inspired FBI is simply unable, or unwilling, to find their funding source, and allows them to get away with murder,' Trump said on Twitter. Cleburne Cafeteria has been open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Houston dining institution which has been around since 1941 and located in its current spot at the intersection of Edloe and Bissonnet streets since 1969 survived by offering takeout early in the pandemic. They have gradually returned to more dine-in customers as Texas coronavirus restrictions have eased. One of many milestones: Cleburne Cafeteria marks 65 years As of Sept, 28, the state now allows restaurants up to 75 percent dine-in capacity in accordance with a Sept. 17 executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott. Even with limits on capacity, Cleburnes iconic cafeteria line remains open. I remember when COVID first started, it was two-three weeks to flatten the curve. Well, two-three weeks to flatten the curve has turned into eight months, Mickelis added. Theres a lot of similarities from the standpoint of belt tightening, adjusting your budget, really watching your costs and controlling your labor cost and food cost and just your general overhead cost. Theyve all had a profound effect, on, as a business person, how do I manage a finite amount of money for an indefinite amount of time? However, now there are stickers on the floor and reminders to socially distance. Masks are also required when going through the cafeteria line and hand sanitizer is readily available. The eatery already had a sneeze guard in place throughout the line. As capacity restrictions gradually fade, some of the customer patterns still remain. Owner George Mickelis estimates that 60-70 percent of Cleburnes business is still take-out or curbside delivery as opposed to 10-15 percent pre-COVID. Mickelis acknowledges that ordering online and getting curbside delivery is a somewhat different experience. People do eat with their eyes, and, in the cafeteria business, people may get a little bit more if theyre going through the line, he said. Especially dessert. Dessert is such an impulse (buy) at the end (of the line). Mickelis has seen sales of dessert increase significantly. Dessert is comforting, and we specialize in serving comfort food chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, turkey and dressing, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, he said. Cleburnes business was down 80 percent in March. Now it is down just 30 percent, and Sept. 27 was its best day since the pandemic started. Mickelis hopes theres no coronavirus second wave but feels that, if there is, Cleburne has learned how to better run a to-go business and has maximized its efficiency for its curbside and drive-up delivery. He hopes people would still eat from his restaurant. Gary Noble, a Memorial resident who said he has been coming to the eatery for 20-25 years, was part of the lunch crowd at Cleburne on Sept. 28. He was happy to be back. The foods good. Its family, he said. I like businesses where the owners there and takes care of his customers. This year is not the first time Mickelis and Cleburne have faced adversity. The cafeteria burned down in a fire in 1990 and again in April 2016. After that second fire, it did not reopen until Nov. 2017. Hes always here. Hes been burned down twice. He comes back. He doesnt fret about it, Noble said of Mickelis. Hes jumped right back in and rebuilt it. Its better now than it was before. Cleburne rebuilds and reopens: Risen from the ashes, Cleburne Cafeteria is back Mickelis received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program and has not laid off any employees, some of whom have been at Cleburne more than 30 years. Were a great example of a true mom-and-pop thats still around, Mickelis said. We only have one location. We really are part of the community now; next year will be 80 years here in Houston. Were a part of the fabric. We employ locally, and we buy locally. Were very thankful that our regular customers have been extremely loyal and have remembered us, and I think people that dont know about it, theyve been reminded that, gosh, there are a lot of small businesses. elliott.lapin@hearst.com Chinas insects and other invertebrates are spoilt for choice with the countrys array of deserts, rainforests, mountains and tropical coastlines. The winning photographs of the Wild China Biodiversity Photography Contest hosted by Wild China Film present the countrys sweeping lands and rare plants from unexpected perspectives. Here is a pick of the crop Jan 21, 2022 06:20 PM SPRINGFIELD Eversource Energy expects to receive state approval next week for its $1.1 billion purchase of Columbia Gas' Massachusetts operations, which includes facilities in Springfield, Brockton and Lawrence. The deal will also make Eversource an energy utility monopoly in Springfield and other cities, controlling both electricity and gas. Columbia Gas serves 330,000 natural gas customers in more than 60 communities in Massachusetts including Springfield. Once the approval arrives from the state Department of Public Utilities, Eversource expects to close the sale in a matter of days not weeks, said James W. Hunt III, senior vice president of regulatory affairs and chief communications officer for Eversource. Hunt met Wednesday with editors and reporters at The Republican to discuss several matters, including the Columbia Gas deal; ongoing renewable energy efforts including offshore wind, solar and electric vehicle charging stations; and energy system reliability. Hunt and his team had also met Wednesday with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno met with James W. Hunt, Esp., Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Chief... Posted by City of Springfield, MA - Office of Communications on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 The Columbia Gas deal was first announced in February, at the same time Columbia Gas was ordered to pay $53 million in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors over the 2018 gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley that killed one person, injured many others and damaged homes and businesses. And that wasnt the first time Columbia Gas was disciplined following an explosion. It was also held at fault for a 2012 gas explosion in Springfield. The city reached an $850,000 settlement with parent company NiSource in 2013. NiSource also reached private agreements with individual landowners and businesses. The Department of Public Utilities confirmed Wednesday that both Eversource and Columbia Gas of Massachusetts requested a ruling on the purchase by Oct. 7. Hunt said Columbia Gas customers have already gotten mailers and announcements about the rebranding. And well be back out here to talk about the changes, he said. Eversource has committed to hiring all 850 Columbia Gas of Massachusetts employees, including about 300 working at a service center here in Springfield, Hunt said. We have already made offers, Hunt said. A Columbia Gas service center on Roosevelt Avenue will remain. Eversource has its own electrical maintenance depot nearby at 300 Cadwell Drive, which will also remain. Hunt said it is difficult bringing employees first following the trauma of the Lawrence explosions ones blamed on the overpressurization of gas lines and also the trials of laboring as essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. He said energy rates will hold steady for a year after the transaction. Utility rates for gas and electricity are regulated by the state. Hunt wasnt able to talk Wednesday about how the purchase will impact two proposed pipeline projects one in Agawam and one across the river in Longmeadow that Columbia Gas pursued with Tennessee Gas Pipeline and its owner Kinder Morgan. The work in Agawam and Longmeadow is called the Greater Springfield Reliability Project. Tennessee Gas Pipeline hopes to increase horsepower at its Agawam compressor station; build a 12-inch, two-mile pipeline loop in Agawam ; and construct a West Longmeadow Meter Station, a delivery gate that would feed a new pipeline backbone to Springfield. Activists fear the environmental impact not just of the new pipelines but also of the use of fossil fuel natural gas generally. In Springfield, city councilors have raised questions about the pipeline projects and about a Columbia Gas agreement with the city to repair small gas leaks that it had been ignoring. Hunt said federal securities trading rules mean he cant talk about Columbia Gas assets until they are Eversources assets. But he said public opinions on the pipeline projects were among the first communications Eversource received once the deal was announced. 02/21/2019 SPRINGFIELD The Eversource solar site on Performance Boulevard is now providing 5.62 megawatts of green energy through more than 14,000 solar panels, enough energy to power well over 900 homes. (photo provided) Eversource agreed with the state to study alternatives to gas for New Englands heating needs in order to speed approval of the deal. That could include green electricity or geothermal power. The company has a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030 and it has 22 solar farms generating 70 megawatts of power. It has a goal of 3,500 charging stations for electric cars by 2030 and it plans to develop 4,000 megawatts of offshore wind. Just one rotation of one of the largest offshore wind turbines can power a home for 29 hours, the company said. By Akbar Mammadov The artillery units of the Armenian armed forces began shelling the village of Ashagi Agjakend in the Goranboy region of Azerbaijan, the Defence Ministry said on September 30 at 10:50 am. "A few minutes ago, artillery units of the Armenian armed forces began firing on the village of Ashagi Agjakend in the Goranboy region," the ministry said. The ministry noted that the Azerbaijani Army is taking adequate measures against the occupying Armenian armed forces. Earlier, this morning, the ministry reported that Armenian armed forces are shelling Azerbaijani Terter city using artillery installations. The preliminary data says that civilian infrastructure was damaged, several people were injured. Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Azerbaijan liberated Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district as well as strategically-important Murov height and destroyed the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Around 14,000 inmates of Delhis three jails will be allowed to meet their families in person for the first time in six months, starting Thursday, senior officials said. The bi-weekly prison visits were suspended on March 23 due to the burgeoning coronavirus disease crisis. Several prisoners have written to jail officers over the last two months, asking not only to meet their families but requesting that visitors be allowed to bring a fresh set of clothes, saying the ones they were wearing over the past six months were either torn or worn out. Mumbai ranks third in crimes, after Delhi, Chennai: NCRB data A senior prison officer, who asked not to be named, said that starting October 1, one member of every prisoners family will be allowed inside the jail each month. Until March 23, before visits were suspended, a prisoner was allowed to meet their family twice a week. In an order issued by the prison headquarters that HT has seen, every visitor will be allowed to get one set of clothes. India records 1.6% rise in crimes in 2018-19: NCRB data With in-person visits disallowed, prison inmates were allowed to interact with family members over video conferencing, a practice jail officers said would continue, saying it would help curb the spread of Covid-19. Earlier this month, at least 15 inmates across jails had written to senior prison officers requesting new clothes. The number of visitors at every visiting room inside the jail will be almost half of what it was before the lockdown. Rooms will be sanitised before every meeting by a team of prisoners. This is for every ones safety. Every visitor will be thermally scanned and have to give an undertaking that they have not come in touch with any Covid-positive person, the senior prison officer told HT. A second officer, who also asked not to be named, said new rules regulating the visits will also be in place for prisoners. The clothes will have to be soaked in soap water for at least half an hour before it is worn the first time, the officer said. Till Wednesday, at least 83 prisoners of Tihar, Mandoli, and Rohini jails, and 207 staffers had been infected with Covid-19. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Prawesh Lama Prawesh Lama covers crime, policing, and issues of security in Delhi. Raised in Darjeeling, educated in Mumbai, he also looks at special features on social welfare in the National Capital. ...view detail Higher iron ore prices and hopes of progress on a US stimulus deal buoyed ASX investors on Thursday to help the local bourse start the new month on the front foot. The benchmark ASX200 went some way to repairing Wednesdays quarter-ending nosedive with a 57 point, or 1 per cent, rise to 5872.9. The market had been as much as 1.7 per cent ahead before easing into the close. The ASX 200 finished 1 per cent higher on Thursday. Credit:Tamara Voninski Mining titans BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue metals played a starring role as iron ore prices leapt ahead of Chinas Golden Week holiday period. The big banks and local real estate trusts also contributed to the rebound rally as all sectors finished ahead. US markets wobbled to a higher close as investor hopes fluctuated on the likelihood of a new stimulus package before the November 3 presidential election. Sentiment rose on news US House of Representative speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were meeting to try and strike a bipartisan deal, before US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Democrats and Republicans remained some distance apart. Bell Direct analyst Jessica Amir said markets would continue to endure volatility while the timing and size of the package remained uncertain. Historically October is one of the most volatile months anyway, and the big end of town is expecting a pullback, Ms Amir said. Theres the US election, and this fiscal stimulus keeps on getting kicked down the road. The thinking is that is could be delayed until after the election. She also nominated the onset of the European winter and the potential danger for coronavirus numbers as another hurdle for investors in the final quarter of the year. Theres a lot of risk on the table at the moment, she said. Local trading volumes were low on Wednesday with a number of other Asian markets on a break and Japans exchange closed due to technical difficulties. BHP added 1.9 per cent, Rio Tinto 1.2 per cent, and Fortescue Metals 2.3 per cent to boost the materials sector. Rare earths miner Lynas Corp added 5.2 per cent to $2.44 after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing America's dependence on China for precious minerals that vital to the electronics and defence sector. ANZ led gains for the big banks, up 1 per cent to $17.39. Elsewhere in the financial sector, Afterpay rival Zip Co rose 7 per cent to $6.60. Property firms boomed, with Scentre, Vicinity, Dexus, Stockland, Mirvac, and GPT each up by between 2.3 per cent and 4 per cent. Plumbing and heating supplier Reliance Worldwide was the best performer on the day, finishing 10.5 per cent higher at $4.22 and hitting an eight-month high in the process. Nearly every poll finds that Joe Biden began the day ahead of President Trump. If so, I think hes still ahead after tonights debate, and he may be further ahead than before. Biden showed that he can hang in with Trump at his most aggressive for two hours without faltering. There was no moment in which Biden struck me as being less than fully with it. A check of the tapes would show, I think, that Biden was almost as sharp in this debate as he was in his 2012 encounter with Paul Ryan. Biden remains able to stick to a script, to lie with a straight face, to dodge questions to which he has no good answer (e.g., about packing the Supreme Court), and to brawl with his opponent. President Trump has all of the same attributes, except that, for better or worse, hes largely unscripted. Generally speaking, Trump doesnt need a script. However, he missed out on several opportunities because he didnt offer specifics to back up some of his potentially explosive statements. For example, Trump asserted that Biden would destroy the suburbs, but he didnt explain why. He didnt mention the key AFFH measures Biden supports that would accomplish this. Thus, Biden was able to get away with calling Trumps claim a dog whistle from the 1950s, whereas, in fact, the claim stems from a very specific, very recent Democratic agenda item which Biden supports and wants to expand. The same kind of thing happened on the question of Trump getting rid of federal sensitivity training and critical race theory programs. Trump called the programs in question anti-American propaganda, as indeed they are. But he failed to give concrete examples of their radical content. Thus, with the help of Chris Wallace (if there was any doubt as to whom Wallace supports, it vanished early tonight), Biden was able to make it look like Trump is against sensitivity to matters of race. Speaking of race, Trump failed to present his usual case about how well African-Americans have fared during his administration. The only accomplishment he touted regarding race was the leniency for felons legislation. He was right to tout this. Having helped put a terrible policy in place, he might as well seek political gain from it. And Trump likely scored points by pointing to Bidens legislative efforts in the 1990s that increased the incarceration of Blacks. But there was much more Trump could have said to help himself with black voters. And he made no pitch for the Latino vote. Trump had a similar problem with the portion of the debate regarding the Wuhan coronavirus. His main defense of his response was to say that lots of Democratic governors have praised it. That may be true, but Trump should have said more about why he deserves the praise. He did mention the production of ventilators, but there was much more he could have said about the federal effort to help states combat the virus and its effects. On the personal side, both men were nasty. Biden was probably the nastier of the two. He called Trump a liar, a racist, and a clown. But Trump may have seemed nastier because he interrupted Biden so frequently. Biden was nastier, but Trump was more obnoxious. Trump may have hoped that Biden would wilt under the pressure of the onslaught, but Biden didnt. I think, then, the debate was either a draw or a Biden win. It probably needed to be a Trump win. As I discussed here, most incumbent presidents lose the first debate, but go on to win the election. But the incumbents to whom this applies werent behind in the polls by around 6 points, as Trump is The debate left me mildly depressed. I take solace only from the fact that my assessment of the performances might not be shared by the voters who will decide the election. UPDATE: Ive heard that participants in a snap poll conducted by Telemundo thought, by a margin of nearly 2-1, that Trump won the debate. So maybe the president did gain ground with Latinos. I dont know how much stock to put in a poll like that, but I was happy to hear about it. This is the moment a rare Kermode bear is spotted standing on its hind legs to have a good scratch against a wooden power pole. Footage recorded in Terrace, British Columbia, Canada, shows the bear - also known as a 'spirit bear' because of its white coat - wandering up to the post. After a quick glance upwards, the bear rears up and leans its back against the pole. A rare Kermode bear stands up on its hind legs and leans against a wooden power pole Terrace, British Columbia, Canada, before moving up and down to scratch its back It then raises its snout so the top of its head is against the post and starts enthusiastically rubbing up and down against it. The bear reaches a paw up and grabs hold of the pole before wiggling its hips rhythmically, in what looks surprisingly like dancing. After a quick gnaw at the pole, it has another scratch and then lumbers off into the forest. After its gyrations, the bear drops back onto four paws and lumbers off into the forest The video, recorded on August 27, has been widely shared on social media. Though not considered endangered, there are believed to only be around 400 Kermode bears left in the wild. They are a sub-species of the American black bear with a rare gene that turns their fur white or cream. Only one in 10 black bears possess the gene and for cubs to be born with the pale fur both parents must have it. Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has claimed on Wednesday, September 30 that at least 2,300 Armenian troops have been killed and wounded in the full-fledged clashes in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. News Agency ANI quoted the Defence Ministry saying, "From September 27 and up to this morning, around 2,300 enemy fighters were eliminated and wounded; around 130 tanks and other armoured vehicles, over 200 artillery, missile and mortar launchers, around 25 air defense weapons; six command and control and observation posts; five ammunition depots; around 50 armour-defeating weapons, and 55 automobiles were eliminated and brought out of action". READ: Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: UN Chief Urges Leaders Of Both Sides To Stop Fighting Tensions escalate The skirmishes between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been going on since July this year with both sides reporting casualties. The skirmishes resumed on September 27 and have been continuing ever since. According to reports, Armenia has mobilized its male population, while Azerbaijan has imposed martial law on its side of the border. READ: Tensions Mount As Armenia, Azerbaijan Continue Fighting Armenia and Azerbaijan have been fighting over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region since 1988. In 1994 a Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement was signed between both the countries but numerous violations have occurred since then. The tensions between both the nations escalated on Sunday morning along the contact line of Nagorno-Karabakh.As per reports, an Armenian-majority autonomy that proclaimed independence from what then was the Soviet Azerbaijan Republic in 1991. Azerbaijan in its response launched a "counteroffensive" while the Artsakh authorities blamed Azerbaijani military for destroying regional stability and open firing against civilians. Armenia also accused the opponent of destroying civilian infrastructure in its capital of Stepanakert. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders to immediately establish a ceasefire along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. Azerbaijani and Armenian troops are currently engaged in fighting around the separatist region. Both sides accuse each other of starting the fight in the conflict zone. READ: Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Russia Urges Turkey To Work On Ceasefire READ: Azerbaijan And Armenia Brush Off Suggestion Of Peace Talks Image: Azerbaijan MOD/Twitter ANN ARBOR, MI If yard signs are an indicator of how a town votes, its looking increasingly likely President Donald Trump is not going to perform well in Ann Arbor in the 2020 election. Many yard signs have sprouted throughout the city proclaiming support for Democrat Joe Biden and taking jabs at Trump. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Global Wollastonite Powder Market was valued US$ 184Mn in 2017 and is expected to reach US$ 420Mn by 2026 at a CAGR of about 10.87% during a forecast. Global Wollastonite Powder Market is segmented into by type, by application and by region. Based on Type, wollastonite powder market is classified into Acicular Wollastonite Powder & Ultrafine. In application type are divided into Ceramics, Polymers, Paints, Metallurgy, Friction Products, construction & other. Geographically into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. Global industry Analysis and forecast 2018-2026. Driving factors for the wollastonite powder market are growth in construction industry, bulk demand for wollastonite is for use in floor and wall tiles, wollastonite reduces warping and cracking during firing and increases strength and widely used as a flux in the casting of steel and in the production of paints and coatings. Wollastonite powder market will boost the industry came with the increase in demand for wollastonite as a filler and extender for the rapidly growing plastics market. Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10403 Cost of material and wollastonite powder related to aqueous carbonation in the high energy consumption can hamper the growth of Wollastonite Powder Market. In terms of type, Acicular Wollastonite Powder segment shares the highest market during the forecast period. Wollastonite powder process of mining wollastonite Acicular wollastonite powder is an ideal substitution of as industries because it is non-poisonous an innocuous and widely used in mining and construction field, Increases Tensile Strength & Modulus, Excellent Impact Resistance, Increased Scratch and Mar Resistance and Lower Costs compared to fibre glass. In terms of Application, Construction segment shares the fastest growing market during the forecast period. Rising in disposal income, increasing construction with higher pace at world level, government norms for better safety and precaution are too helping construction segment to create more opportunity in wollastonite powder market. Among region, Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Emerging economics and strong presence of manufacturers in Japan, China, and India will boost the market in this region. Material cost are very low in Asia pacific and China is a key country of the wollastonite powder market in Asia Pacific, due to high usage of ceramics in the country. Nordkalk. Wolkem, Imerys, ACBM JSC, Xinyu Siyuan Mining, NYCO, Lishu Dadingshan Wollastonite, R.T. Vanderbilt Holding Company, Inc., Canadian Wollastonite, Xinyu South Wollastonite Co.Ltd., Changxing Earth New Type of Material Co., Ltd., Jilin Shanwei Wollastonite Mining CO., LTD., GAMMA GROUP, GUANGZHOU SHANGYEAR CERAMIC MATRIAL CO. The scope of the Report Global Wollastonite Powder Market: Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10403 Global Wollastonite Powder Market: By Type Acicular Wollastonite Powder Ultrafine Wollastonite Powder Global Wollastonite Powder Market: By Application type Ceramics Polymers Paints Metallurgy Friction Products Construction Other Global Wollastonite Powder Market: By region North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa Latin America Key Player analyzed in theA Global Wollastonite Powder Market Report: Nordkalk Wolkem Imerys ACBM JSC Xinyu Siyuan Mining NYCO Lishu Dadingshan Wollastonite R.T. Vanderbilt Holding Company, Inc. Canadian Wollastonite Xinyu South Wollastonite Co.Ltd. Changxing Earth New Type of Material Co., Ltd. Jilin Shanwei Wollastonite Mining CO., LTD. GAMMA GROUP GUANGZHOU SHANGYEAR CERAMIC MATERIAL CO More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/10403 By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Breathe easy. Covid -19 cases are on the decline in Telangana. The State government on Tuesday announced that the number of cases has come down drastically in September as it had predicted in the past. Speaking to the media, Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao said that Telangana has seen a steady decline in the number of cases in the last two month even with increased testing rates. The positivity rate recorded in March after just 1,087 tests per day was at nine per cent. The rate peaked during June with a positivity rate of 27 per cent and then on began its descent. September has recorded a positivity rate of only five per cent with over 50,000 tests being done everyday. Director of Public Health G Srinivas Rao and DME Ramesh Reddy addressing a press conference on Tuesday | VINAY MADAPU At present, of the 29,477 active cases in the State, close to 4,026 cases are active in the GHMC area, followed by Rangareddy with 2,291 active cases and Medchal with 2,276 cases. In addition to this, Director of Medical Education Dr Ramesh Reddy, said that the State is working towards auditing all private hospitals overcharging patients, decentralising access to oxygen supply and increasing oxygen beds across all hospitals in the State. Asking citizens to be aware and not treat symptoms themselves, Dr Srinivasa Rao, said: Of the total tests done in the State, close to 45 lakh were rapid antigen tests. If you are symptomatic and your rapid antigen tests come negative, definitely demand the hospital or the diagnostic centre to perform an RT-PCR test to confirm that you are truly Covid-19 free. We are conducting 79,206 tests per million. Only Delhi and Assam are ahead of us. We have increased the number of tests as planned. The recovery rate is 84 per cent in Telangana while it is 83 per cent according to the national average. Only Bihar, Odisha and Kerala have higher recovery rates than us. Close to 230 private hospitals are offering Covid-19 treatment and 34 per cent of these hospitals are occupied. Mahabubabad, Bhupalpally, Warangal Urban and Nalgonda districts have the highest number of cases at present. Hopefully in another week to 10 days there will also be a decline in these districts, he added. Dr Ramesh Reddy, said: No doubt there is a decrease in the number but there could be a surge in the near future. To prepare for that we are getting more oxygen beds. There are about 8,860 Covid care beds in district hospitals and more than 20,000 Covid care beds across all hospitals. Of these, 7,172 beds have oxygen and 1,225 beds have ventilators. We also have CPAP ventilations. At present, we have less than 25 per cent occupancy of the oxygen beds. We are also planning to provide oxygen supply to about 12,000 additional beds, Reddy added. Dr Rao also pushed for reopening of private workplaces and IT companies. We havent stopped IT firms from functioning. Private workplaces do not amount to public gathering. They can put social distancing protocols and work. Dr Ramesh Reddy added, In other countries, private companies are back to work. They are taking precautions by calling their employees on a shift basis to make sure that too many people are not in the same room at a time. In Hyderabad, majority of the IT employees have been working from home since the implementation of lockdown. Racket Hall Hotel in Roscrea has updated its management structure. "These changes are as a result of certain departures and also to position us well in advance of things getting some way back to normal," the hotel has said. Mr Gerry Lavin has been appointed General Manager. Gerry joins from the Lakeside Hotel in Killaloe but has significant experience having worked in Dunboyne Castle as Operations Manager, Mount Wolsey Hotel and The Anner Hotel as General Manager to name but a few. "Mr Kieran Bradshaw will resume his original role as Operations Manager. We would also like to recognise the recent arrival of Ms Jane Greene, Jane has joined us in a Duty Manager role and has settled in very well. Jane joined us from EMIRATES Airlines where she worked for the last five years," the announcement continued. "These changes will strengthen our management structure and will enable us to consolidate growth to date and assist us in moving the hotel forward once we come out of Covid-19." Racket hall is a forty bedroom, four-star property located in Roscrea, Co Tipperary. It is a member of Original Irish Hotels and is a very successful weddings and event hotel. PARIS Wearing a long, white tunic with the names of two African ethnic groups written on it, the defendant stepped forward to the bar, took a breath, and launched into a plea. No one has sought to find out what harm has been done to Africa, said the defendant, Mwazulu Diyabanza, a Congo-born 41-year-old activist and spokesman for a Pan-African movement that denounces colonialism and cultural expropriation. Mr. Diyabanza, along with four associates, stood accused of attempting to steal a 19th-century African funeral pole from the Quai Branly Museum in Paris in mid-June, as part of an action to protest colonial-era cultural theft and seek reparations. But it was Wednesdays emotionally charged trial that gave real resonance to Mr. Diyabanzas struggle, as a symbolic defendant was called to the stand: France, and its colonial track record. While the young seem on hell bent on destroying everything that us older Canadians worked and fought for, perhaps it will be their undoing in the end. They want to destroy the economy of a once great province whose generously have contributed billions of dollars to the rest of Canada. The sin? Success in raising the quality of living for all Canadians but mostly socialist Quebec. Imagine for a moment if they are successful. The fossil fuel industry has collapsed. Transport of goods now dependant on fossil fuel imported from the USA. Surely they wouldnt take advantage of us Canadians who bravely fought again a warming planet and saved the world, would they? So since Canada cant supply such things as diesel fuel that semi trucks need to transport goods and the last time I looked trains use diesel to propel their engines (electric trains are toys in case you forgot) Canadas only option is to temporarily buy diesel from the USA. Of course there is always aircraft oops they use aviation fuel, damn another fossil fuel but no worries Canadians can always buy from the USA. Quebec can always buy more from important suppliers from the Middle east and Venezuela instead of Canada. Really what do they care? They have indicated they have no social appetite for that terrible Alberta dirty fuel. Saint Greta has scolded world leaders except in China, India, United States and Venezuela who are major polluters because she wants the world to penalize Alberta not major polluters. But hey reality does not exist in the eyes of Greta of Green Fables. The latest fable in the quest to destroy Capitalism is the PETA like demonstration by dwellers living in their parents basement who are against Ribfest which is a fundraiser to help disadvantaged. What a great quest! Should they be successful nobody would lose I guess. Yes I am an older white guy..surprise! Eventually they will win and BBQs will be outlawed. In the meantime those bastard extremely rich cattle ranchers will be outcasts in their own country but that doesnt matter does it? These modern crusaders will be in charge of a country that is heated by dung. Crops will be cut manually and diesel guzzling fossil fuel tractors and combines will be confiscated by the politically correct who were given ribbons for managing to show up at elementary and high school events. Anybody else tired of the protest De Jour? Those superior beings who glue or chain themselves to a variety of buildings should be left alone to protest. Why does anyone need to bring their quest to the public? The generation following the protest generation might view thing a bit different. They might determine that the extreme position of the lame generation that made their life so difficult could be different. But they will likely find impossible to change as the damage has been done. At my age I only can wring my hands and write comments about how I feel. Robert Hepting T he FTSE 100 was today expected to edge down as investors digested the first Presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Ahead of the November US election, the pair clashed in a fiery debate on key areas including the coronavirus crisis and the economy. As Covid claimed a million lives globally, debate rages over Trumps handling of the outbreak. For investors, the outcome of the debate was far from definitive, which was reflected in mixed Asian market trading. The Hang Seng in Hong was up 1.3%, while the Shanghai Composite index was also up, but stock markets in Japan and Thailand fell. South Korean markets were closed today. A factor in the pick up in some markets was likely positive signals for the recovery of the Chinese economy. The country, the source of the Covid outbreak, posted a slight slip in its Caixin manufacturing PMI index to 53.0 from 53.1 but a score over 50 still indicates growth. And the countrys official PMI figure increased to 51.5 from 51.0, its highest level in two years. The economic recovery has picked up pace with supply and both domestic as well as overseas demand improving, Stephen Innes of AxiCorp said in a commentary. After a positive start to the week on Wall Street, big consumer stocks which rely on Americans spending fell back, as well as banking and energy shares. In Europe, the FTSE 100 was forecast to nudge down 23 points to 5848, following a 30 point drop yesterday. Sterling will be in focus with revised UK GDP figures for the second quarter due, and post-Brexit trade deal negotiations in play. The mood music around the UKs talks with Brussels has improved slightly this week, which could lift sterling. On a brisk day for UK corporate trading, Boohoo was likely to be the focus for investors in retail stocks. The company is due to post interim results which should show the extent to which the boom in online retail during lockdown helped sales. But the update has been overshadowed by last weeks damning report into allegations of modern slavery at the firm which found bosses knew of the poor treatment of factory workers at its suppliers in Leicester in December last year at the very latest but failed to stem the problems. The affair has sparked called for the brands founder-chairman Mahmud Kamani to quit. The presidential debate on Tuesday quickly spiraled into chaos as President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden yelled over each other. Early into the presidential debate, the two men argued about the Supreme Court pick and health care. The debate turned into a heated exchange from that point on. At one point during the presidential debate, Biden called Trump a "clown" and "the worst president that America has ever had." Moderator Chris Wallace even struggled to keep the candidates' equal two minutes worth of talking time. Both candidates tried to talk over each other. Not even halfway through, Wallace was getting involved in the attacks as Trump sparred with him. "Will you shut up, man?" For much of the first hour, Trump was clearly dominating the discussion. "Donald, would you just be quiet for a minute?," Biden asked when he realized Trump was taking over the stage. Later on, he just broke and told Trump, "Will you shut up, man?" As CNN tracked the amount of time consumed by each candidate, they found that Trump talked for about little over a minute longer than Biden. He spoke for 39 minutes and six seconds while Biden talked for 37 minutes and 57 seconds. The debate is divided into six segments and about six different topics, but the discussions on COVID-19 and taxes were some of the most heated ones. Coronavirus Handling When the conversation moved on to the pandemic, Biden pointed to the staggering number of people who died from contracting COVID-19 and the number of daily infections. Biden was struggling to get his point across and appeared to be flustered by Trump's dominating character. He chuckled on many occasions as he tried to get a word in edgewise. Then, he managed to get a counter attack in, "He doesn't have a plan. The fact is this man doesn't know what he's talking about," Biden said. But Trump disputed Biden's statements. He promised that a vaccine and life-saving treatments were coming to Americans soon. On top of promises for immediate treatments, he added that his administration was doing a good job at managing the pandemic. He said if Biden were in his position, the condition of the country would have been much worse. "You could never have done the job we did," he retorted. To make his case, he cited the Obama administration's management of the swine flu. "We got the gowns. We got the masks. We made the ventilators," Trump said. "You wouldn't have made ventilators. And now we're weeks away from a vaccine. We're doing therapeutics already." Trump claimed there could have been a far higher number of COVID-19 cases if Biden took office. But, under his administration "fewer people are dying." "I'll tell you, Joe, you could never have done the job that we did," Trump added. Tax Returns Amid the exchange over the New York Times report on Trump's tax returns, Biden claimed the Trump paid less in taxes than most school teachers. In an earlier statement, Trump denied the issue saying he only paid $750 in his tax returns. When he was asked how much he's paid in federal income taxes during 2016 and 2017, he claimed he "paid millions of dollars in taxes." He told Wallace the people will get to see his tax returns as well. But he didn't release the documents. In an earlier report, he said the New York Times report was "fake news" and the IRS was not "treating him well." The Tuesday debate is just one of three showdowns between Trump and Biden. Candidates will have about two weeks to brace for the October 15 debate in Nashville Tennessee and the other debate on October 22 in Miami, Florida. Check these out! How do Trump, Biden Prepare for Tomorrow's First Presidential Debate? First Presidential Debate To Focus on These Six Topics Trump Denies Report on Tax Returns: 'It's Totally Fake News' President Trump listens during the first presidential debate with Joe Biden in Cleveland on Sept. 29. (Associated Press) To the editor: I have been a subscriber to the Los Angeles Times for more than 47 years. During that time, I have been compelled to write a letter to the editor only twice: once during the "chokehold era" at the Los Angeles Police Department, and then after the monstrous killing of George Floyd. ("Trump's bullying was an insult to the American people," editorial, Sept. 29) Now, I am beyond outraged at the conduct and rhetoric of President Trump during his first debate with former Vice President Joe Biden. He refused to clearly denounce white supremacist groups, even telling one in particular to "stand down and stand by." This is the most despicable display of overt racism that I've seen in my 70 years since the days of Alabama Gov. George Wallace. The Dixie Democrats who went to the Republican Party have finally found their next Wallace or Jefferson Davis. Racism is not dead in America, because for many Americans the Civil War never really ended. Personally, I will not stand down and stand by; I will vote. Leonard Baker, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Trump's bullying behavior in the first "debate" makes me wonder that if he's like this in public, he must be truly horrific in private. No wonder he has so many ex-staffers willing to write tell-alls. So, a suggestion for the next debate: Borrow the old setup from the 1950s quiz show "The $64,000 Question," and put the candidates in sound-proof booths. Each can speak for his allotted time with his microphone on, while the other candidate's microphone is off, guaranteeing no interruptions. Both microphones go off when the moderator is speaking. That way, Trump can shout all he wants in his own little booth, but no one will hear him until it's his turn to speak. Vicki Torres, Sherman Oaks .. To the editor: As I watched the vicious "debate," I couldn't help but wonder in astonishment how it came to be that the greatest nation on Earth could only proffer these two unqualified old men as its possible leaders. Story continues Clearly, we need a third party. The current political system in this nation is not working because it won't allow true leaders to lead. Michael Pravica, Henderson, Nev. .. To the editor: I imagine most citizens agree that the first debate was difficult to watch. Any chance for civility and truth was destroyed early on by the usual Trump rampages. That aside, I couldn't help but notice the contrast in post-debate assessments aired by conservative and liberal cable news outlets. It makes one wonder if we live on two different planets. Why don't we dispense with rounds two and three of Trump versus Biden, and invite a debate between, let's say, Rachel Maddow and Sean Hannity, then Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson? The moderator could present a proven fact supported by evidence, then allow for debate on that subject. Doing this may provide a greater insight into how the various factions come to their beliefs. Rick Cohen, Avila Beach .. To the editor: I have occasionally seen some unruly children act like Trump when they disrupted a family gathering, a restaurant meal or a classroom. You could take away a toy or send the child to bed or to the principal's office. In my 91 years I have never seen an adult act like Trump did in the debate. No supper for Trump? No more tweeting? Send him to Mar-a-Lago; just don't give him four more years in the Oval Office. Irving Weinstein, Ventura To the editor: As a third-grade teacher participating in distance learning, I have an idea for the next debate moderator: Record the whole event on Zoom, where you can remotely mute each candidate when his two minutes are complete. My 8-year-olds have benefitted from this gentle reminder of finding their mics locked. Maybe other children will too. Janet Reid, San Pedro .. To the editor: Your editorial on the debate said that "Americans can be excused for turning off the television in disgust." This is too true. My 21-year-old son, voting for the first time in a presidential election, texted me, "I could only watch 20 minutes of it. That debate was embarrassing." How sad a spectacle for voters, young and old. Amy Siroky, Arroyo Grande This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Massachusetts man who defrauded a Connecticut art dealer was sentenced to five years probation in federal court on Wednesday. Harold Gordon, 71, of Templeton, Mass., was sentenced to probation on one count of wire fraud, stemming from a scheme that started in 2012, federal authorities said. In October 2012, Grodon started talking to an art dealer and appraiser in Connecticut by phone and email to get the dealer to buy a tall, antique desk, commonly known as a secretary desk, authorities said. Gordon falsely told the victim that the desk was decorated and dedicated as a Civil War memorial for a Connecticut solider who died in the Battle of Antietam while fighting for the Union, authorities said. These misrepresentations included Gordons claims that the surviving soldiers in the fallen soldiers Connecticut regiment had crafted the desk to serve as a war memorial for the deceased soldiers family; that other than cleaning the vintage clock, Gordon had done nothing else to refurbish or decorate the desk; and that Gordon had purchased the desk from a descendant of the deceased Connecticut soldier, federal authorities said in a news release. In March 2014, the victim went to Gordons Massachusetts home to look at the desk, and took several steps to confirm the authenticity of it. The victim eventually bought the desk from Gordon for $64,500 providing the payment in three separate checks at Gordons request, authorities said. The following February, the victim sold the desk to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford. After the sale, the victim sent another $25,000 to Gordon because the victim made a significant profit off the desk, authorities said. In February 2018, three years after the desk was sold to the museum in Hartford, various third parties made inquiries to the victim about the desks authenticity. The victim confronted Gordon, who admitted he refurbished and decorated the desk himself, authorities said. Authorities said Gordon told the victim he created the false narrative about the desks history and targeted the victim to purchase it due to the victims respected stature in the American folk art community. Authorities arrested Gordon, who pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on Jan. 29, 2019. The victim made full restitution to the museum. The judge ordered Gordon to pay restitution of $84,500 to the victim. WASHINGTON - Democratic voters who have requested mail ballots - and returned them - greatly outnumber Republicans so far in key battleground states, causing alarm among GOP party leaders and strategists that President Donald Trump's attacks on mail voting could be hurting the party's prospects to retain the White House and the Senate this year. Of the more than 9 million voters who requested mail ballots through Monday in Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maine and Iowa, the five battleground states where such data is publicly available, 52% were Democrats. Twenty-eight percent were Republicans and 20% were unaffiliated. Additional internal Democratic and Republican Party data obtained by The Washington Post shows a similar trend in Ohio, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Even more alarming to some Republicans, Democrats are also returning their ballots at higher rates than GOP voters in two of those states where that information is available: Florida and North Carolina. The wide Democratic lead in mail voting so far has been the subject of urgent discussions among top GOP officials, according to people familiar with the conversations. The margins are "stunning" - and bad news for Republicans up and down the ballot, said longtime GOP pollster Whit Ayers. While the Republican Party is focused on getting voters out on Election Day, he noted that older voters who have traditionally supported Republicans are most concerned about covid-19 infection and could choose to stay home if an outbreak arises as the election nears. The trend has emerged after Trump has spent months assailing voting by mail, making unsubstantiated claims that it is prone to corruption and fraud - attacks that have resonated with Republican voters, polls show. State and local Republicans, fearful of losing what has long been a key turnout advantage for the GOP, spent the last few months racing to reassure voters that mail voting was safe, despite the president's rhetoric. But GOP voter distrust in mail ballots now appears to be translating into an advantage in early voting for former vice president Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, and for Democratic challengers in close Senate races in Maine, Iowa and North Carolina. Democrats say they are keenly aware that the advantage could dwindle if their voters don't return requested ballots in high numbers, or if Republicans successfully challenge large numbers of mail ballots after Election Day, as they have said they plan to do. But several Republicans acknowledged privately that there is little upside for their party in the numbers - and said they are working feverishly to reverse with a last-minute press with voters. "It's astronomical," said one Republican strategist involved in Senate races who said he was "horrified" by the discrepancy and, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal concerns. "You see these numbers in a state like North Carolina, and how can you not be concerned?" The RNC is trying to close the gap, turning to Trump surrogates and family members, including the president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to record calls and urge supporters to vote by mail. The issue is of such concern that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has twice met with Trump to urge him to stop talking about mail balloting "imprecisely," a strategist said. McConnell has told others he is concerned the president's rhetoric could depress Republican voters from voting by mail. And former RNC chairman and former Trump chief of staff Reince Priebus has repeatedly told others that the mail-voting gap could be the GOP's biggest challenge this fall. A spokesman for McConnell declined to comment. The White House referred questions to the Trump campaign, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Republican Party officials, meanwhile, downplayed the disparity in mail ballots so far, saying that most of their voters will show up on Election Day - and that Trump will be able to close the gap. "We always expected to be behind at this point as Democrats have made it their mission to push for an all-mail election that brings fraud and chaos into the system," said RNC spokesman Mike Reed. "You'll see Democrats predominantly vote by mail, and our voters will come out in droves to vote in person, especially on Election Day." The RNC and the Trump campaign are touting an extensive ground operation consisting of more than 2 million volunteers, almost 300 offices across the country and thousands of door-knockers, which officials described as a key advantage in turning out Election Day voters. They noted that Biden's team has largely foregone door-knocking, opening offices or running a traditional ground game. Republicans are also planning to wage a massive post-Election Day legal battle to challenge ballots that are missing witness signatures, or an outer envelope, or that arrive with no postmark. Democrats acknowledge that an electorate largely unused to mail voting could make mistakes that lead to ballots getting rejected in numbers, which could make a difference in close states. Election officials are already flagging ballots for such errors. In North Carolina, for instance, about 5,800 out of roughly 281,000 cast have been set aside so far, the vast majority because of a witness signature deficiency, according to state data. Voters still have an opportunity to remedy their errors. "The peril we worry about is what Trump's going to try to do if there are a lot of ballots still to be counted on election night," said Terry McAuliffe, the former Virginia governor and a prominent Biden surrogate. "He's going to try to say they're fraudulent." McAuliffe said the Biden team has made a huge push to help voters with mail balloting and encourage them to vote early, whether in person or by mail. "We've really taken it to a new level," he said. Trump, lagging in the polls behind Biden in a slew of battleground states, has been lobbing nonstop attacks on voting by mail for months, making unfounded claims that it opens the door to rampant fraud. In fact, states that have embraced universal mail voting have documented tiny rates of ballot fraud, data shows. More recently, the president has tried to distinguish between absentee and mail balloting, claiming that absentee ballots, which he has cast in Florida, are safe, while states that conduct universal mail voting invite fraud. In fact, the two terms are used interchangeably in most states. Meanwhile, state and local election officials have been sprinting for months to make mail balloting easier for voters worried about coronavirus infection. Currently, after dozens of rule changes and new laws across the country, at least 84% of American voters can cast ballots by mail this year, according to a Washington Post tally. There are already signs that this year's election is drawing out voters who did not cast ballots in the last presidential race. Michael McDonald, a political scientist at the University of Florida who is tracking mail voting trends at his website, the United States Elections Project, noted that in some states, the number of ballots cast are already approaching 10% of the vote total in 2016. He added that turnout this fall could surpass that of four years ago before Election Day even arrives. In North Carolina and Georgia, for instance, one in five voters who have already cast ballots didn't even vote in 2016, McDonald said. Mail ballot requests are up astronomically in dozens of states; the figure is 350% in Michigan, for instance, when compared to 2016. In North Carolina, 17 times more people have requested ballots than four years ago; in Wisconsin, requests were up by a factor of 12, according to internal RNC data. The fact that more Democrats have not just requested their ballots but have also turned them in is also a reversal of the trend in prior elections, McDonald said. It means one of two things, he added: That Democrats are more enthusiastic and are filling out their ballots quickly, or that Republicans are holding onto their ballots despite requesting them, out of concern over potential fraud. "It could be that they're listening to Donald Trump, and even though they are requesting a ballot, they are going to vote in person if they vote at all," he said. Additionally, younger voters are a much smaller share of the voters who have already cast ballots so far than was the case overall in 2016 - leading him to believe that most young people, the majority of whom will support Biden, will vote much closer to Nov. 3 or on Election Day itself. "I can't say with certainty that this is going to carry through," he added. "But everything that's happened over the past couple of decades, and our understanding of how people vote, is being upended in this election." Republicans once carried an advantage among mail ballots. Ayers, the Republican pollster and a vocal critic of the president, said Trump's rhetoric on mail voting has undermined decades of GOP work in the area. "That's what we do!" Ayers said with audible frustration. "We have made an art of tracking down people who would otherwise be reluctant to vote in person and getting them to use absentee ballots. It's part of what we've done well in the past." He noted that the current GOP push for voters to cast absentee ballots runs counter to Trump's rhetoric. "I've seen these appeals to likely Republican voters - 'Please apply for your absentee ballot.' But it's at the same time those voters are hearing from their president that mail voting is ripe with fraud," he said. GOP operatives said they are hoping for a leveling of the field once early in-person voting kicks in widely, and then on Election Day. Polls show that Trump supporters are more willing to come out to the polls on Election Day amid the pandemic. Nationally, 82% of registered voters who support Biden say they are very or somewhat worried about a family member catching the coronavirus, compared with 39% of Trump supporters, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted this month. One benefit of banking votes early is that a smaller portion of the electorate is still subject to changing its mind. In 2016, polls showed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton ahead in numerous battleground states at this juncture in the race, but her lead narrowed and ultimately vanished in key states as October wore on. Similarly, campaigns can keep track of which voters have voted and cross them off their lists of people to target with advertising or get-out-the-vote exhortations. If the mail-voting trend continues to benefit Democrats, that means Biden, already enjoying a cash advantage compared to Trump, can focus his spending on a smaller universe of voters, to potentially greater effect. - - - The Washington Post's Emily Guskin and Scott Clement contributed to this report. A woman who killed three of her children by driving them into a Melbourne lake has been sentenced for the third time in as many years. Akon Guode must spend at least 14 years behind bars for deliberately driving her car into the Wyndham Vale lake in April 2015, while severely depressed. Her 16-month-old son Bol, and four-year-old twins Hanger and Madit, died. But her daughter Alual, then aged five, survived. Their mother's case has been subject to multiple appeals. Akon Guode (left) killed three of her children by driving them into a lake in April 2015 One-year-old Bol (left) and four-year-old twins Hanger and Maudit (right) all died when their mother intentionally drove a car carrying them into a Melbourne lake Guode was originally jailed in 2017 for 26-and-a-half years, after pleading guilty to two charges of murder, and once each of infanticide and attempted murder. The refugee had survived rape and seen her soldier husband shot-dead in war-torn Sudan before coming to Australia. Given the circumstances, Guode lawyers thought her original jail term was too harsh and took it to the Court of Appeal. In 2018, it reduced the sentence to 18 years, with a minimum of 14, on the basis of Guode's disturbed mental state when she killed her children. However, prosecutors weren't happy and re-appealed the case to Australia's highest court, which in March decided the appeal judges got it wrong. They erred in considering Guode's guilty plea to infanticide, and her relevant mental state, in re-sentencing her for murder and attempted murder, the High Court found. The Crown reportedly argued the sentencing judge took into account Guode's mental state (pictured car being pulled from water) The mother said she was mentally disturbed after giving birth when she drove the family car into the lake (pictured) killing the three children The case was sent back to the Court of Appeal and the same three judges on Wednesday affirmed their decision from two years prior. Chief Justice Anne Ferguson, and Justices David Beach and Phillip Priest, said the reduced sentence took into account factors including mercy. They also noted the delay Guode had endured while her punishment was appealed twice. 'It should not be thought that, in reaching (the conclusions we have reached), we have lost sight of the fact that three vulnerable children lost their lives (and that a fourth nearly did),' the judges said, repeating some of their comments from two years earlier. 'Adjectives such as 'tragic' are inadequate to convey the depth of emotional response provoked by the destruction of such innocent lives.' But the judges maintained the original jail sentence was too harsh given Guode's 'pitiable' situation and severely compromised mental state when she drove into the lake. Mondays Supreme Court ruling that upholds the Catalan presidents conviction for a crime of disobedience is yet another step in the process of decay of Spains justice system. It is not a small step, but a very significant one. Article 410 of Spains Criminal Code deals with the crime of disobedience and it establishes two different kinds. One, which we could call judicial disobedience, and another that we might refer to as administrative disobedience. Judicial disobedience is the most important supposition and the one that received the most attention from the lawmakers. This is the opening sentence of Article 410: Any authority or public worker that openly refuses to comply with a court order So any authority or civil servant, be they in the Spanish, regional or local administration, who openly refuses to comply with a court order will be guilty of a crime of disobedience. Nobody is exempt from complying with this obligation and the administration they happen to work for makes no difference: local, regional or country-wide. Administrative disobedience occurs when an authority or a civil servant openly refuses to comply with decisions or instructions from a higher authority (Article 410.1). Therefore, it is a crime that can only be committed within a particular public administration. The presupposition here is that someone in authority or a civil servant refuses to comply with an order or a decision from a hierarchically superior authority. The hierarchy principle operates within each administration. Within the Spanish, regional or local administration, which are not communicating vessels, but airtight compartments. At the top of Spains administration is the Spanish prime minister. The highest authority in a regional administration is the regional president. And, at a local level, it is the mayor. There is no hierarchical relationship between them whatsoever. Therefore, the prime minister of Spain, a regional president and a mayor do not have any hierarchical superiors whose orders they may disobey. Owing to the position they occupy in the government system as established in the Constitution, they are unable to commit a crime of administrative disobedience. This is undisputed evidence in our legal doctrine. Therefore, it beggars the question: could president Torra have committed a crime of disobedience? He cant have committed judicial disobedience because Spains Central Election Board (JEC) is not a court of law, but an administrative body. It is part of the electoral administration, not the judiciary. It does not issue rulings, but administrative decisions which can be appealed before an court of administrative law. Could president Torra have committed a crime of administrative disobedience? Could Spains Central Election Board be understood as an administrative authority that is superior to the Catalan president, so that when refused to take its orders or comply with its decisions, he might have committed a crime of disobedience? The answer is blatantly obvious. It is obvious that the Catalan leader refused to comply with an JEC order, but it is equally obvious that his decision didnt break the law. In order for it to be a crime, president Torra should have been given an order by Catalonias High Court (TSJC). Had he ignored it, then he would have committed a crime of judicial disobedience, which is the only crime of disobedience that a regional president can commit at all. But that is not what happened. The TSJC did not command president Torra to comply with the instructions of the JEC. That is made clear in the first statement of the facts in the High Courts ruling. Given that there was no court order, the Supreme Court has determined that the JEC is a hierarchically superior body to the president of Catalonia during an election campaign and, therefore, when president Torra refused to comply, he committed a crime of administrative disobedience. This shifting interpretation of the hierarchy principle cannot be justified through any of the interpretation rules generally accepted in law, less so in a criminal case. It is impossible for the Supreme Court judges who issued the ruling not to be aware of this. They cant be unaware of the fact the the Central Election Board is a superior body only within the electoral administration. There is and there can never be no hierarchical relationship between the JEC and the presidency of Catalonia, or any other regional government. I would like to emphasise that this is something which the judges of the Supreme Court simply must know. It is a basic notion that you learn as part of your law degree. So this is not a case of inexcusable ignorance, but a textbook example of a knowingly unjust ruling. The ruling that has upheld president Torrass conviction is contemptible, judicially contemptible. It is as contemptible as the ruling that convicted Juan Mari Atutxa, the Speaker of the Basque Parliament, in 2008. Japan share market finished session lower on Wednesday, 30 September 2020, as profit booking by investors on tracking a negative lead from Wall Street overnight along with concerns over rising coronavirus infections and the uncertainty surrounding the U. S. election result. However, market losses capped on the back of better than expected retail sales and industrial production data for August. At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average was down 353.98 points, or 1.5%, to 23,185.12. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange declined 32.61 points, or 1.97%, to 1,625.49. Total 31 issues of the 33 industry category of Topix index ended into red territory, with Banks, Securities & Commodities Futures, Air Transportation, Glass & Ceramics Products, Warehousing & Harbor Transportation Services, Insurance, and Marine Transportation issues being notable losers. Shares of Japanese telecommunications firms were mostly lower following a recent shakeup in the sector, with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) set to take over its telecommunications unit, NTT Docomo. Shares of NTT fell 3.6% on Wednesday while NTT Docomo surged 20.9%. Meanwhile, shares of NTT Docomo's mobile peers were lower SoftBank Corp dipped 1.1% while KDDI shed 0.3%. The move by NTT comes as new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga calls on wireless carriers to reduce prices, with the hope that the savings generated will stimulate consumer spending elsewhere in the economy. ECONOMIC NEWS: Japan Industrial Production Adds 1.7% On Month In August- Japan industrial production climbed a seasonally adjusted 1.7% on month in August, the ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Wednesday, following the 8.7% gain in July. On a yearly basis, industrial production dropped 13.3% following the 15.5% decline in the previous month. Upon the release of the data, the METI upgraded its assessment on industrial production, saying now that it is picking up. Japan Retail Sales Rise 4.6% On Month In August Japan retail sales added 4.6% on month in August coming in at 12.419 trillion yen, the ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Wednesday, following the downwardly revised 3.4% drop in July (originally -3.3%). On a yearly basis, retail sales fell 1.9% after slipping a downwardly revised 2.9% in the previous month (originally -28%). CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen traded at 105.63 per dollar, having seen an earlier low of 105.80 against the greenback. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Faced with a pandemic that is spreading out of control and a deepening economic crisis, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced last week that a state of calamity would be extended for an entire year. Imposed in March, the six-month state of calamity recently expired. The extension, until September 2021, may be lifted or prolonged further as circumstances warrant, the president told a news conference. The state of calamity allows national and local governments to draw emergency funds from anywhere in the country, in order to address the economic slowdown caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Officials are also able to control the prices of basic commodities like rice and cooking oil, the government proclamation explained. Moreover, the measures permit a rapid mobilisation of police and military forces when summoned by the government. Duterte followed the declaration by ordering all law enforcement agencies to ensure peace and order in areas affected by the pandemic. Duterte reviewing troops (Credit: Presidential Communications Operations Office) The Duterte administration first introduced emergency measures on March 17 when the number of infections was nearing 200, with around a dozen deaths. The figures have since soared to more than 307,000 confirmed cases and over 5,400 deaths. Due to extremely low testing rates and incorrect data, the real numbers are undoubtedly higher. In an attempt to justify the extended emergency powers, Duterte claimed there had been significant strides in the pandemic response, BenarNews reported. However, the number of COVID-19 positive cases and deaths continue to rise despite efforts and interventions to contain the same. The truth is that the health crisis has been grossly neglected in favour of implementing repressive police-state measures and reopening businesses as quickly as possible. Aside from the continued lack of testing and contact tracing across the archipelago, hospitals and other medical facilities remain grossly understaffed. There are approximately 65 doctors and nurses per 10,000 people in the Philippines. Hundreds of thousands of nursing graduates remain unemployed, despite the urgent need for new staff. Health workers are underpaid, overworked, and often lack appropriate protection from the virus, leading some to describe themselves as priso-nurses. Thousands have appealed to the government to be allowed to travel abroad to earn a living, Reuters reported earlier this month. The government said a partial lockdown would be enforced in the central city of Iloilo for two weeks due to infection spikes. Yet, the Boracay Island beach resort in a nearby region was planned to reopen to local tourists. Efforts to revive the tourism industry, a key source of the countrys revenue, are drawing criticism. A newly constructed artificial beach in Manila Bay, designed to benefit nearby waterfront hotels, has come under fire from social media and public commentators. Many suggested the millions of pesos used to fund the project should have been invested in containing the pandemic. On September 14, even as the country reached a record-high 259 coronavirus deaths in one day, the government decided to incrementally reduce the minimum physical distancing on public transport to just 30 cm. Epidemiologists pleaded with the government to reconsider its increased abandonment of restrictions. This will be risky, reckless and counter-intuitive and will delay the flattening of the curve, Anthony Leachon, ex-president of the Philippine College of Physicians, told news channel ANC. Duterte has utilised the pandemic to ramp up state repression, continuing to incite extrajudicial executions with impunity. These killings are carried out under the name of a war on drugs that has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives since Dutertes election in 2016. Duterte responded last week to critics of the extended state of calamity who accused his administration of not doing enough to address the public health crisis. What enough do you want? he declared. There are hospitals, beds and funeral parlours. Everything is there The only thing that we can do, really, is to wear a mask, wear a face mask, and thats it and wait for the vaccine. Duterte has staked his pandemic response on a vaccine being available by December and leaving the nation better off by January. This is essentially an admission that no serious action to curb the spreading virus will be taken, as the government presses on with its economic reopening, with scant regard to the cost to lives. The extension of emergency measures comes as the extent of the pandemics economic and social impact is becoming clearer to the Filipino ruling elites. Gross domestic product is expected to fall to its worst rate in at least 36 years, surpassing the 1984 debt crisis during the waning years of President Ferdinand Marcoss dictatorship. The ASEAN +3 Macroeconomic and Research Office (AMRO) has projected that the economy, one of the fastest-growing in the region before the pandemic, will contract by as much as 7.6 percent this year, a sharp reversal from the almost 6 percent growth in 2019. The shrinkage will be compounded by declining foreign remittances, a major prop for domestic consumption and local growth. Around 600,000 overseas workers had been repatriated as of mid-August, adding to the rising pool of unemployed. More than 10 million people so far have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Millions are reportedly threatened with starvation, with broad sections of the working poor in Manila forced to gather scraps of food on the streets. In a short film documenting the growth of poverty and social inequality, Channel News Asia spoke with an impoverished informal worker, Bernadette Sablaza, 64, who said: Were not afraid of COVID. Were afraid of dying from hunger. The intensifying anger within the working class and rural masses is fuelling a crisis within the political establishment. While his approval ratings plummet and his administration is discredited in the eyes of millions, Duterte is accusing Vice President Leni Robredo, leader of the opposition, of undermining his handling of the pandemic. Robredo, who sits in Dutertes cabinet but heads the Liberal Party, has begun to openly question the administrations delayed economic stimulus packages and reliance on a future vaccine. She speaks for factions of the ruling class that demand further corporate restructuring and bailouts, and a closer alignment with the United States against China. This establishment opposition to Duterte is backed by the Stalinist Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). After assisting and supporting Dutertes rise to power in 20152016, the CPP and its allied organisations are now trying to channel the hatred of workers and youth toward Duterte behind pro-US factions of the bourgeoisie, including the military. The Ghaziabad police on Tuesday rescued 19 Nepalese children from the clutches of human traffickers and arrested a woman and three men involved in the crime, police said. Acting on a tip-off from Delhi Commission for Women, a Ghaziabad police team intercepted a bus carrying the children from Nepal in Vijay Nagar area of the city and rescued them, said Vijay Nagar SHO Mahaveer Singh Chauhan. He said the police also arrested a woman and three men who were bringing the children via Uttarakhand, he said. The DCW was alerted by a team of NGO workers, who were tailing the bus from Garh Mukteshwar in Uttar Pradesh after getting information about the human trafficking bid from their own sources in Nepal, said police. The children were being brought to the national capital region for employing them as domestic aids and in various commercial outlets, said police. The Vijay Nagar SHO said a case was registered against the human traffickers in his police station under various sections of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act and Indian Penal Code. The children would be produced before the Child Welfare Committee after medical examination, he added. This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Chief Steve Dickson, sitting inside the flight deck of a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, conducts a pre-flight check ahead of an evaluation flight from Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, September 30, 2020. The head of the Federal Aviation Administration was upbeat about Boeing's 737 Max after testing out the plane on Wednesday, the latest turn in the process of getting the jetliners flying again after two fatal crashes. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, a former commercial and military pilot, last year said he wouldn't clear the planes for service unless he flew the jet himself. The 737 Max jets, Boeing's bestseller, have been grounded worldwide since March 2019 after crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed 346 people. Boeing has since made a number of changes to the planes. Pilots in both crashes struggled with an automated flight-control system, which the manufacturer has since made less powerful. "I liked what I saw," Dickson told reporters, adding that he hasn't flown a 737 in almost 15 years. "I felt that the training prepared me to be very comfortable." He flew the 737 Max 7, the smallest model in the family. The FAA and other regulators' review of the planes and the new training that will need to be approved before the jets can return to service are progressing. That could conclude in the coming months, but Dickson reiterated that the agency has no firm timeline. American Airlines, which had 24 Max planes in its fleet when it was grounded, is preparing to train its 737 pilots on the planes as early as November. Pilot training could take weeks and it isn't yet clear whether the planes could return to commercial fleets before the end of the year. Probably the most inspiring personal testimony we'll hear all week . . . Whilst the world copes with rising violence, this report focuses on how Kansas City gunfire impacted the life of AN INCREDIBLY BRAVE first responder. Read more: India and China on Wednesday agreed to hold a meeting soon between the senior commanders of their armies for an early disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where the two countries are locked in a face-off since June this year. New Delhi and Beijing held their 19th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs on Wednesday. Both sides agreed that the next, i.e., the seventh round of meeting of senior commanders should be held at an "early date so that both sides can work towards early and complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols, and fully restore peace and tranquility". The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) of the Ministry of External Affairs. The Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation. An official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said that the two sides reviewed the current situation along the LAC and had "frank and detailed discussions on the developments since the last meeting of the WMCC on August 20". Both India and China attached importance to the meetings between the two Defence Ministers and the two Foreign Ministers held earlier this month. They also noted that the agreement between the two Foreign Ministers should be "sincerely implemented to ensure disengagement at all the friction points along the LAC". The two sides positively evaluated the outcome of the sixth senior commanders' meeting held on September 21. They emphasised the need to implement the steps outlined in the joint press release issued after the last meeting of the senior commanders so as to avoid misunderstandings and to maintain stability on the ground, the statement said. The representatives of both the sides said that there was a need to strengthen communication, especially between the ground commanders. Both sides agreed to continue to maintain close consultations at the diplomatic and military levels. CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 29: Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News gestures toward President Donald Trump and former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) It's safe to say this year's presidential debate schedule has undergone some significant changes. President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden first faced off in a presidential debate in Cleveland on Sept. 29. The political event was marred by major inaccuracies and constant crosstalk, with moderator Chris Wallace often unable to interject with questions and productively guide the conversation. Then, days later, Trump revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19, leaving the remaining two debates hanging in the balance. The second presidential debate had originally been scheduled to take place in Miami on Oct. 15, with C-SPAN political editor and senior executive producer Steve Scully moderating. The debate fell through, however, when Trump declined to do it virtually, as requested by the Commission on Presidential Debates out of concerns over Trump's coronavirus diagnosis. Instead, Biden and Trump appeared in separate town hall meetings on what would have been the date of the second debate. George Stephanopoulos moderated Biden's town hall on ABC, while Savannah Guthrie moderated Trump's town hall on NBC. Related: Where Do Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Stand on Racial Justice Joe Biden Expanded on His Plan for Racial Justice During His Town Hall - Here's Where He and Kamala Harris Stand The vice presidential debate, meanwhile, took place as planned on Oct. 7 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page conducted the conversation. At press time, the third and final presidential debate is still scheduled to take place on Oct. 22 at Belmont University in Nashville, with Kristen Welker moderating. Welker is a White House correspondent for NBC News and coanchor on Weekend Today. This will mark her first time serving as moderator. Democratic nominee Joe Biden refused to attack President Donald Trump's choice for the Supreme Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett during Tuesday night's first presidential debate. 'I'm not opposed to the justice, she seems like a very fine person,' Biden said. He did argue that her nomination put the future of Obamacare and the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade 'on the ballot.' Barrett's nomination was the first topic of the Cleveland, Ohio debate, which was riddled with insults and interruptions throughout the 90-minute span. Democratic nominee Joe Biden (left) called President Donald Trump's (right) Supreme Court pick Amy Coney Barrett a 'very fine person' but warned debate viewers that she could kill Obamacare and Roe v. Wade The topic of Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court was the first subject to come up during Tuesday night's first presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio Trump scoffed at Biden's wording, after the vice president pointed out that abortion rights are now a campaign issue. 'You don't know what's on the ballot. Why is it on the ballot? Why is it on the ballot. It's not on the ballot,' Trump said. The ex-veep jumped in stating, 'It's on the ballot in the court.' 'I don't think so,' the president shot back. Biden then simply that said it's 'in the court.' 'Donald would you just be quiet for a minute,' Biden said as Trump continued to talk. Trump then accused Biden of now knowing Barrett's view of Roe v. Wade. The president's decision to go ahead and nominate Barrett and press Senate Republicans to give her a floor vote is controversial because in 2016 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wouldn't do the same for President Barack Obama, who nominated Judge Merrick Garland in March of that year. McConnell had seemingly set a precedent not to move Supreme Court picks during a presidential election year - until the White House and Senate majority represented the same party. 'We won the election and therefore we have the right to choose her and very few people knowingly would say otherwise,' Trump said on the debate stage. 'And by the way, the Democrats, they wouldn't even think about not doing it.' Trump pointed to the example of Garland. 'But the problem is they didn't have the election so they were stopped,' Trump said. Democrats didn't have a House nor a Senate majority in 2016 - but Americans had re-elected Obama to the White House in 2012. Biden argued pushing a justice through now was even more unfair because people were already starting to vote. 'The American people have a right to have a say in who the Supreme Court nominee is and that occurs when they vote for United States senators and when they vote for president of the United States,' the Democrat said. 'They're not going to get that chance now because we're in the middle of an election already. The election has already started.' Biden pressed the point that 'we should wait.' 'We should wait and see what the outcome of this election is because that's the only way the American people get to express their view is by who they elect as president and who they elect as vice president,' Biden said. Iranian militias have attacked a village in Hama, stealing the livestock and leaving 15 civilians dead, in a horrific attack reports Shaam News. Iranian militias committed a horrific massacre against a number of civilians after stealing their livestock in the village of al-Fasidah, near the al-Saan district, in the eastern Hama countryside, according to reports by local sources. Massacres have become recurrent events in the areas of influence of Iranian militias and they spread corruption and killings fueled by sectarianism in the rural areas of Hama, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. Activists said that the attack was carried out by Iranian militias on Monday evening. They resulted in the killing of at least 15 civilians, who belong to the al-Mawali and al-Hadidin al-Muaatala tribes. Herds of cattle were stolen and the bodies of the victims were left laying on the ground. Local sources published a picture of a civilian who had fallen victim to the attack carried out by sectarian militias against the inhabitants of the village. The latter is home to civilians who work in agriculture and livestock farming. Incidents of this nature are frequently committed by Iranian militias, who have a track record of carrying out crimes against herders in Syrias desert areas. Local media sources had previously reported that Iranian militias carried out a criminal operation against the residents of the village of al-Khufiyah, east of al-Saan district in the eastern Hama countryside, which resulted in killing and wounding a number of civilians, whose property was stolen. The sources pointed out that the Iranian militias mobilized a military force from their control areas in Athria Khanasser and Sheikh Hilal in the eastern Hama countryside, towards the village, in order to attack it, killing and wounding civilians from the al-Ubaid family and the al-Jamal clan. Online pages demanded eastern Hama countryside notables to put an end to the practices of Iranian militias that are committing massacres against the Sunni tribes and clans scattered across the al-Jiftlik area, and indicated that accusing Hama countryside people of belonging to the Islamic State is a claim that is frequently used. The pages stressed that there are no Islamic State members in the eastern countryside of Hama, and those who inhabit it are nomadic Bedouins who go wherever there are grazing areas. This confirms that the Iranian militias are behind the repeated massacres and crimes in the Syrian desert, especially in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor and the Maadan region near Raqqa. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Uncontrolled military clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus involving artillery, tanks, helicopters and drones have continued for a third day after fighting erupted over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on Sunday. It marks the bloodiest Armenian-Azeri fighting since the 1988-1994 conflict between the two former Soviet republics, which erupted in the run-up to the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. While Yerevan claims its forces have caused 500 deaths of Azeri forces, Baku says Armenian forces have lost 550. However, officials in Nagorno-Karabakh (who call it by the Armenian name Artsakh) only acknowledged that 80 servicemen were killed and nearly 120 were wounded in Artsakh as well as four civilians. On the other hand, Baku claims 12 civilians have been killed in Armenian attacks. Russias Sputnik news agency reported that hostilities are not only taking place in Karabakh, but also in other areas of Armenia and Azerbaijan. While Azeri Defense Ministry Colonel Vagif Dargahli stated that the 3rd Martuni motorized rifle regiment of the Armenian armed forces, stationed in Khojavand region, was destroyed, the Armenian Defense Ministry has released a footage purportedly showing the destruction of an entire Azerbaijani military unit. Baku has declared that it will destroy Armenian S-300 missile systems if they are deployed in the Nagorno-Karabakh. Though severe clashes continued yesterday, and Baku has claimed that it has seized certain villages around Nagorno-Karabakh, several Russian military experts speculated that neither of them is capable of achieving a significant military success. The fighting further escalated yesterday, when Armenian Defense Ministry spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan claimed that a Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot down an on-duty SU-25 jet of the Armenian Air Force in Armenian airspace, killing the pilot. Both Azeri and Turkish officials rapidly denied this allegation, denouncing it as a lie. While Baku said, The report alleging Armenias Sukhoi-25 was destroyed by an F-16 fighter is a lie, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans Communications Director Fahrettin Altun told Bloomberg: The claim that Turkey shot down an Armenian fighter jet is absolutely untrue. He added: Armenia should withdraw from the territories under its occupation instead of resorting to cheap propaganda tricks. Moreover, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan directly accused Ankara of being involved in the military conflict. Interviewed by Russias Rossiya1 TV channel, he said: This operation was planned beforehand, and there are no doubts that this operation was plotted during joint drill with the Turkish armed forces. He asserted: A very important detail is that Turkey is essentially involved in this process. While Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu declared on Tuesday that Ankara will continue to stand with Baku on the ground, and at the negotiation table, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said: Turkey is our brotherly country and our ally. It gives us only moral support, and we are grateful for its solidarity. Whether or not allegations of Turkish involvement are true, it is clear that the war between these two former Soviet republics could rapidly spiral out of control, engulfing both a NATO member state, Turkey, and nuclear-armed Russia, Yerevans main backer. Both Turkey and Russia have bilateral military pacts with their allies in Baku and Yerevan, respectively, ensuring military support in case of a war with a third party. With Armenian officials leaving the door open to ask support from Russia and other allies, such a case would inevitably raise the prospect of an all-out regional or global war. Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toghonyan said yesterday: Whether there is now a statement on the possibility of contacting the CSTO or not, we have this opportunity. We are now discussing this issue in connection with the development of the situation. A military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) includes Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The terms of the CSTO treaty require all member states to respond militarily if any member state is attacked by a third country. This war is the toxic product of the Stalinist regimes dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and three decades of escalating NATO imperialist war in the region. The Caucasus, an energy-rich, strategically-located trade and pipeline route through Eurasia, is at the heart of bitter geopolitical rivalries in the region involving all the major world powers. NATOs wars of the last decade vastly intensified tensions between Ankara and Moscow, who back opposing sides in the civil wars provoked by NATO in both Libya and Syria. The current fighting takes place amid war preparations in Washington against both Russia and Iran. As Washington accelerates its effort to forge an anti-Iranian axis involving Israel and the Gulf oil sheikdoms, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that we are not ruling out a preliminary strike against Tehran. After US forces conducted provocative military exercises near Russian borders in Ukraine, NATO has raised the conflicts over the disputed Abkhazia and South Ossetia, calling Moscow to withdraw its forces from these breakaway regions in Georgia. In 2008, Tbilisi provoked a war with Russia over these regions. US and European media backed Georgia, falsely blaming the war on Russian peacekeepers stationed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the ensuing Georgian Civil War. At a joint press conference with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: We call on Russia to end its recognition of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to withdraw its forces. He also told Gakharia: I encourage you to continue making full use of all the opportunities for coming closer to NATO, and to prepare for membership. Stoltenbergs comments are a threat against Russia and mark a further, dangerous escalation of military tensions in the region. If Georgia joined NATO, a renewed Georgian attack on Abkhazia or South Ossetiaif NATO again blamed it on Russiawould let the Georgian government claim NATO was legally bound to go to war with Russia in its defense. While the current Armenian-Azeri war and the 2008 war in Georgia are products of capitalist restoration in the USSR, exposing the reactionary character of the nation-state system, the social and economic crisis in both countries, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, is a key factor in the warmongering of the Azeri and Armenian ruling elites. Class tensions in both countries were already explosive before the pandemic, and both Baku and Yerevan fear a social explosion in the working class as part of a resurgence in the class struggle internationally against capitalist governments homicidal response to the disease. Yerevan launched its back-to-work campaign in early May, and it now has the highest death rate in Asia, with 959 deaths out of its 2.9 million population. 54 percent of Armenians said their financial situation has worsened due to the pandemic, 35 percent have lost their job or income, and one-third expect the situation to worsen, according to a poll conducted in July. After it also lifted coronavirus measures prematurely, oil-rich Azerbaijan now faces a deep economic crisis linked to the collapse of global oil prices amid the pandemic. Income from oil exports fell 30 percent in the first half of 2020. Oil and gas sales account for nearly 40 percent of Azeri GDP and 81 percent of export revenues. According to an August report by Khazar University, 1.3 million people in Azerbaijan may lose their jobs due to the pandemic, or nearly 25 percent of Azerbaijans nearly 5.1 million-strong labor force. The only way forward against the escalating bloodshed in the Caucasus is to unite and mobilize the working class of all nationalities and ethnicities in the region and internationally against war and nationalism on the basis of a socialist program. Paris, Sep 30 : As part of sweeping new animal welfare measures, France has said it will gradually ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. On Tuesday, Ecology Minister Barbara Pompili said, "Our attitude to wild animals has changed." She also announced a ban on farming minks for fur and on keeping dolphins and orcas in captivity in marine parks, BBC reported. The move was hailed as "an historic victory" by leading animal rights groups. "It is time to open a new era in our relationship with these [wild] animals," Pompili said during a press conference. "It is time that our ancestral fascination with these wild beings no longer means they end up in captivity." The Minister did not outline a precise timetable for the changes but said they would be implemented "in the years to come". "Putting a date on it does not solve all the problems," she told reporters. Bears, tigers, lions, elephants and other wild animals would no longer be allowed in travelling circuses under the ban. But the government said the rules would not apply to zoos and other permanent attractions or shows. In addition to the measures, and starting immediately, Pompili said France's three marine aquariums would no longer be able to breed or bring in new dolphins or orcas. No new marine aquariums would be built, she said. The Minister added that the government was considering creating a sanctuary for the animals currently in captivity. Pompili said the government would offer an 8m euro (A7.3m; $9.3m) package to help circuses and marine parks adapt to the new measures. "We are asking (circuses) to reinvent themselves," she said. "That transition will be spread over several years because it will change the lives of many people." But the announcement was met with anger from the circus industry. "She didn't want to listen to us," William Kerwich, the head of the circus animal trainers' union, told AFP news agency. "Who is going to pay for the meat for the lions and tigers and the food for the elephants?" "Circuses will have to abandon their animals and the minister will be responsible," he added. Animal rights groups, meanwhile, praised the government's announcement. Independent.ie reporters will be bringing you the latest updates on our liveblog. 16.58 The opposition has drafted a letter to the Ceann Comhairle asking for the Minister to come before the Dail tonight. "I did suggest I would come before the Dail I would be very happy to give the fullest of information available to me." She says that this will be in the next couple of days. 16.53 We're not in a position to give the full data to you, says the Minister. She adds that this will come in the coming days. The effect on the grade inflation overall will not be that broad. 16.46 No students grades will be lowered as a result of this error, confirms an official from the State Examinations Commission. Students who already have their places in the CAO system, hold that place. If they get a better offer, they may take it if there is an available place or they may defer it. 16.39 The "original value" of the contract with the Canadian company was 75,000. An official from the Department of Education said that "the expenditure to date" is 160,000. 16.37 Minister Foley says that "there are absolutely" penalties in relation to the Canadian company finding errors in the code. Error was identified by the contractor on Tuesday night last week after checks were run on the code. 16.35 Taoiseach was informed on Wednesday afternoon of the errors. "This was our intention and this was planned," says the Minister of the news of the errors being made breaking today. 16.33 New CAO offers will be made for current academic year where at all possible, Minister Foley said. 16.29 A text message has been sent to students, says the Education Minister. She says she is aware that this has been a "phenomenally difficult" year for students". Three separate checks now underway and results expected in coming days and will give us certainty. 16.24 The errors were made in the link to the schools Junior Cert results. The calculation was supposed to have included Irish, English and Maths and students two best subjects. What happened was that the Irish, English and Maths results were linked to students two worst subjects. A second error was discovered that compounded that. The look back at the Junior Cert results was not suppose dot include Civic Social and Personal Education (CSPE), but it was include in the calculations. 16.20 Minister Foley apologises for 'distress' errors will cause The information is available on gov.ie Leaving Certificate A dedicate helpline has been set up: 01 8892199 which will be open for the coming week. "This changes things for students. "It will be distressing for students. "On behalf of Dept of Education and skills, I want to apologise sincerely for the situation we and in and the distress it will case," said the Minister. 16.16 7,200 grades affected - Minister Minister Foley: "These are errors that should not have occurred "However the error will not disadvantage any student "On Wednesday last, the sec gen of dept of education told me a mistake was spotted by a Canadian company Polymetrika international. "We knew one line out of 50,000 lines of code had a mistake in it. we knew that mistake would impact on the results of some students "It was important to find out as much a possible about the mistake before making an announcement." A 'detailed analysis' began, she said. "6,500 students received a grade lower than they out to have received "Checks indicate error has affected 7,200 grades. 16.12 Deputy O'Riordain said that this crisis is not a "resigning matter" for the Minister. "Students are again getting a drip feed of information. "We got a 20 minute briefing. It's very hard to work with a department and a Minister that has no interest in working with us." 16.09 Labour education spokesperson Aodhan O'Riordain speaking on RTE News said that the minister briefed education spokespeople at 3.30pm this afternoon. "She outlined the errors, the number of students affected," he said. "She said that the process is still in place. "We are deeply deeply frustrated. We have tried to work with government from the start with the Leaving Cert." 16.00 Main error in source coding, additional Third Level places will be created if necessary - Taoiseach Reports Senan Molony, Political Correspondent There will be additional places If necessary for students who may qualify for third level courses, the Taoiseach told the Dail. It remained to be worked out, he said. The key error appears to be in the coding of the calculated grades, he told the Dail. The coding had been provided by an external consultant firm, and had then examined by the Department of Education, he said. There had also been a parallel process of examination, he said, but a company had now been brought in from the United States to examine the situation and carry out an audit. The second error was discovered by the Department itself, the Taoiseach said, without giving details. Further checks had shown no further errors in the coding, he said. The external consultants now engaged was ETS, Education Testing Service, which was a US non-profit organisation which specialised in educational measurement, he said. The correct model was now being used to re-run the grades, he said. I am not happy that it happened at all. The Minister very much regretted what had happened and her thoughts were with the students, he said. The ramifications across the country for this are humongous, Labour leader Alan Kelly told the Dail. Students had been put through hell and this extraordinary development puts the cherry on top. How in the name of God did this happen, he asked. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was the icing in the cake in terms of the overall cock-up of the exams. I am very concerned that you had this information from last week, that it was clearly kept from members of the Opposition. The Minister for Education didnt brief anyone. To say that this is a mess is very much an understatement. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said it was a gigantic, inexplicable cock-up which could have very severe implications for those already in third level courses. Outsourcing may have played a role, he said, which reflected on Ireland having the lowest level of investment in Education in the Western world, he said. Mr Kelly said: It's extraordinary, these students have gone through absolute hell, and this has d put the cherry on top We can't penalise students who have already been offered places. There were situations with students repeating their Leaving who may be going to college, with parents paying for accommodation which they may never need now or use. They could be going to other colleges or third level institutions as a result of this development, he said. They may no longer be in the courses based on results. The ramifications for this across the country are humongous. This is hitting into every single family network across the country. The Taosieach said outside expertise had brought in for coding of the calculated grades. It was examined both internally by the Department and in a parallel process. The key error appears to have been in the coding. That has given rise to this. When the department first became aware of this, it was important to ascertain what is involved so that as many questions as possible can be answered to reassure students and do the very best for them. He added: Mechanisms and strict portals will be in place that will enable individual students to get access to their new grades. The nuts and bolts of the rectification of this, and the presenting of this to students is the Department and the ministers priority. A lot of work would have to be done with universities and third level institutions and the CAO body to ensure no students were disadvantaged, he said. It's important that the full implications of the error are ascertained. An external independent audit was introduced, and a company from United States has been brought in to work through the entire system again, to make sure. It has to be done, and I think it's important that that be done. The whole situation was very regrettable, he said. Believe me, it's not something anybody wanted to hear about, not least about the students themselves. And I know that this will cause additional alarm and worry. The objective now is to reassure students in terms of the places that they already have, and if necessary, creating additional places for students who may not qualify. All of that has to be still worked out. 15.57 Around 6,300 students will have at least one Leaving Cert mark upgraded after errors discovered Hugh O'Connell reports AROUND 6,300 students will have at least one of their Leaving Certificate marks upgraded as a result of errors discovered in the calculated grades system. Opposition TDs have been told in a Department of Education briefing that affected students will receive an improved grade in their Leaving Certificate results, as a result of the error. For the vast bulk of these students it will be simply a single grade higher in one subject. Students can only receive a higher offer or a higher result, officials told the meeting. Education Minister Norma Foley told the meeting the new marks will be given to CAO and CAO will make a higher preference offer when it can be made. The Minister said that no student would lose their college place as a result of the issue. Where a higher preference offer can be made, it will be made, she said. Ms Foley said the maximum level of detail will be available in the coming days and she will make a full statement in the Dail early next week or in the coming days. Ms Foley told the briefing that she first became aware of the error last Wednesday when she was made aware of a coding error discovered by the company that made the code. The meeting was told the error was in a single line of code and was unrelated to the decision to drop school-profiling in calculating the grades. An external company from the US is now carrying out an audit of the system to finalise the full data. 15.49 Sinn Fein calls on Norma Foley to make Dail statement The Sinn Fein spokesperson for education Donnchadh O Laoghaire has called on Education Minister Norma Foley to make a statement in the Dail on errors which have been spotted in the calculated grades system. He also said that she should take questions from TDs following her statement. "The Minister for Education needs to come before the Dail urgently, make a statement and answer the many serious questions that now arise. "According to the Taoiseach, the government knew about these errors last week. The second round of CAO offers went out last Wednesday. Did the government allow the second round offers to proceed knowing that these problems existed?" he asked. He said that 800 and 900 students may have lost out of their college place due to the errors. "Thousands of students will be wondering how this could affect their grades and their future. "It has been reported that 10pc of students - 6,000 - may be affected and that between 800 and 900 students may have lost out on a college place due to these errors. What does this mean for them? Will they now be able to access those places? "What does this mean for the prospect of further legal challenges?" He said that a press conference at 4pm "simply won't cut it". "Right now, there are more questions than answers. A statement from the Minister to the media simply won't cut it. "Minister Foley needs to bring clarity and certainty for students who are experiencing a great deal of stress and confusion today. She needs to tell students and their families how she will fix this. That needs to start by taking questions in the Dail," he added. 15.42 Heartbroken mother of twins says the family couldn't 'celebrate for Conor because Aaron was heartbroken' Reports Ciara O'Loughlin Mother Denise is hoping that her child is one of the 6,000 students who was incorrectly downgraded. Speaking to Joe Duffy on RTE Radio Ones Liveline, the mother explained how one of her children was downgraded by the Department of Education and didnt get offered his dream course- medicine. Denise has identical twins - Conor and Aaron (18). Both were high achievers and hoped to receive 625 points to study medicine, but only one of them received it. They both got 10 As in the Junior Cert. So, all along we expected the same in the Leaving Cert, she said. Both were awarded 625 points by their teachers but Aaron was then downgraded. He got 601, which is outstanding...but he wanted to do medicine. They both wanted to do medicine, but only Conor has gotten it. Hes decided to wait for next year because he wants to do medicine and nothing else will do. We couldnt celebrate for Conor because Aaron was heartbroken. 15.35 Student anguish on Liveline - 'I want my points back' Reports Ciara O'Loughlin Leaving Cert students are speaking out after it was announced that 6,000 students were wrongly downgraded in what is being attributed as a coding error. Speaking on RTE Radio Ones Liveline, Institute of Education student Amy Craven believes she could be one of the students affected as she received 443 points, however, her teachers awarded her 44 points higher than this. I wrote a letter to Norma Foley when I found out to get some sort of explanation to why this happened, she said. Weve no idea why we got downgraded, no one does. Im now doing my sixth choice out of ten. I want my points back. Im willing to reapply to the CAO next year. I dont understand how they can come out and say this now, at the start they said no school was subject to bias. Its a bit late to say it now. Alan Harte is repeat Leaving Cert student who decided to re-sit exams this year in order to obtain better grades to get into the Army Cadets. The student attended school up to November of 2019, however, his mother had a mini-stroke so he had to study at home while looking after her. Due to being downgraded, he didnt receive the grades to get into the Army Cadets, however, he said he is unaware if this is because of the grades his teachers gave him or by the Department of Education algorithm. In order to get into the Army Cadets three H5s and basic passes in English, Irish, Maths and a foreign language is needed but, unfortunately, Alan did not obtain this. Last year I got 308 points and this year Im actually not aiming for points Im aiming for grades for a cadetship with the army, he said. Last year I got a H5 in Geography and this year I got a H8, which is no marks. I dont know what to do now. 15.30 Errors have been discovered with the Leaving Certificate calculated grades system with Minister for Education Norma Foley to make a significant announcement at around 4pm on Wednesday afternoon, Independent.ie has learned. Government sources say an emergency helpline is being set up and Minister Foley will make an announcement at the Department of Education with an official from the State Exams Commission. The exact numbers of those impacted may not become clear until towards the end of the week. The students involved will be treated as if they have succeeded in an appeal and where where an error has pointed to a student receiving a higher grade than warranted, there will be no negative impact. This may mean that extra third-level places will need to be found for these students if there is a material difference to their points total as a result of their adjusted grades. With creative industries hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, the funds will be very welcome. Further details of the fund, initially announced by Screen Ireland and Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht Catherine Martin as part of the July stimulus package, have now been revealed. 900,000 is set to be allocated to five new TV drama projects which are set to be filmed in counties Galway, Cork, Claire and Limerick. There will also be a specific focus on regional development, diversity and emerging talent with 600,000 invested in a new National Talent Development Academy for drama and scripted production. Screen Ireland said additional details about the academy will be revealed shortly but it will be based outside of the Dublin/Wicklow region. The fund also includes 1 million for a number of joint development initiatives across comedy, young peoples drama programming, Irish language TV drama and a diverse range of short films with the leading Irish broadcasters including RTE, Virgin Media and TG4. Advertisement Screen Ireland Chair Dr Annie Doona said: Throughout the pandemic, Screen Irelands focus has been to support the sector in getting back into production as safely as possible. There are now a number of projects up and running with strict COVID-19 guidelines in place. The industry is demonstrating resilience and creativity in making sure that production can go ahead, whilst also keeping strict protocols and procedures in place to control the spread of Covid-19. As the pandemic continues to evolve, the stimulus support fund made available from Government has provided us with a clear path of investment for the television sector, ensuring further opportunity for employment and creative development in the months ahead and into 2021." A healthcare worker checks people for COVID-19 symptoms in the Dharavi slum in Mumbai, India, in July. (Rafiq Maqbool / Associated Press) In the bleak ranking of worst COVID-19 outbreaks, the United States, with 7.2 million infections, is likely to be eclipsed only by India, which has 1 million fewer cases but is catching up fast. Yet parts of India have led the world in one aspect of the pandemic response: contact tracing the labor-intensive, time-sensitive, painstaking work of identifying people who were exposed to a known infected person. Extensive contact tracing in two southern Indian states offers the strongest evidence yet that a few super-spreading individuals are responsible for a disproportionate share of new coronavirus infections, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Science. It also suggests that children are more efficient transmitters of the virus than widely believed. A team of Indian and U.S. researchers examined data from 575,071 individuals who were tested after coming into contact with 84,965 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19. That's an average of seven contacts per case, and a cohort more than 10 times larger than in a previous study from South Korea that mapped how the virus was transmitted. Its the largest epidemiological study anywhere on COVID by far, said the lead author, Ramanan Laxminarayan of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy, in New Delhi. Laxminarayan and his colleagues found that just 8% of people with COVID-19 accounted for 60% of the new infections observed among the contacts. Meanwhile, 7 out of 10 COVID-19 patients were not linked to any new cases. The finding underscores the essential role of super-spreaders in the COVID-19 pandemic: One individual or event, such as in a poorly ventilated indoor space, can trigger a high number of new infections, while others might not transmit the virus at all. In the new study, researchers tracked down 78 people who had shared a bus or train with one of eight known infected people and sat within three rows of that person for more than six hours. Health workers visited these contacts at their homes to conduct follow-up screenings and determined that nearly 80% of them had contracted the coronavirus. Story continues By contrast, people who were known to be exposed to infected individuals in lower-risk environments such as being in the same room but more than three feet away became infected only 1.6% of the time. Super-spreading events are the rule rather than the exception, Laxminarayan said. "It has lots of implications for modeling COVID, for how to keep places safe." The study suggests that super-spreading events are influenced by behavior that proximity to an infected person, length of contact and ambient conditions determine the level of risk. It doesn't examine whether some infected people spread the virus more efficiently because of biological factors, a question scientists are still trying to answer. The results could help guide safety measures in places such as gyms, churches and choir practice spaces that have been locations for previous super-spreading events. People wait for results of their COVID-19 tests at a government hospital in New Delhi. (Manish Swarup / Associated Press) The study also found that although children younger than 17 were the least likely to die of COVID-19, they transmitted the virus at rates similar to the rest of the population, underscoring the idea that the disease doesn't spare young people. One data point in particular holds implications for reopening schools: Children ages 5 to 17 passed the virus to 18% of close contacts their own age. Antonio Salas, a Spanish researcher who has investigated the role of super-spreaders in the pandemic, said the study's findings regarding children were important in light of "previous reports suggesting a minor role of children in the pandemic." "National policies on how to proceed with children in schools and other social activities could change dramatically if the scientific evidence underpins the idea that children can infect as efficiently as adults, and even more, they could also behave as super-spreaders," said Salas, who was not involved in the India study. As India's coronavirus caseload has doubled over the past month, from 3 million to more than 6 million, the study authors said their work showed one strength of the country's response: the ability to mobilize large numbers of health workers and civil servants to conduct contact tracing, identify high-risk individuals and closely track their cases. The two Indian states in the study, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, have a combined population of 128 million and boast some of the largest healthcare workforces and highest levels of public health spending in the country. Both turned to disease-surveillance networks put in place years ago during the AIDS epidemic to make house-to-house checks at levels unseen elsewhere in the world. In Tamil Nadu, which includes the coastal metropolis of Chennai (formerly known as Madras), thousands of public and private healthcare workers were trained as contact tracers and health surveillance officers. The state had experience identifying at-risk populations from its battle against AIDS, which struck Tamil Nadu harder than almost anywhere else in the country. Once a person tested positive for the coronavirus, a public health worker interviewed them by phone about where they'd been and whom they'd met over the previous two weeks. Immediate family members were tested and isolated right away; others were located through phone calls and text messages. Nearly all the contacts traced were people known to the infected person, so many strangers were missed. Still, in Chennai, health workers located and tested an average of 17 contacts per infected person through Aug. 1. Although contact tracing is crucial to identifying, isolating and testing those vulnerable to infection and helped countries such as South Korea avoid disastrous outbreaks an effective system has eluded most of the U.S. because of shortages of trained staff and funding. L.A. Countys contact tracing program has failed to stop major outbreaks and been dogged by language barriers, slow turnaround times for test results and inaccurate information from patients. The county has hired about 2,600 contact tracers to cover a population of 10 million. Madurai, a semi-urban district in Tamil Nadu, had an equal number of health workers covering a population one-third the size, said Chandra Mohan, a state official who helped oversee the response and was a co-author of the study. Although poorer nations now account for most of the worlds COVID-19 cases, much of what is known about how the coronavirus is transmitted has come from relatively small-scale studies in China, the U.S. and the wealthy nations of Europe. India imposed one of the strictest lockdowns anywhere in late March, measures that the new study found slowed the spread of the virus considerably. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has eased restrictions to revive the economy, the disease, not surprisingly, has resurged. But Mohan said the contact tracing program saved lives. Tamil Nadu has recorded nearly 600,000 infections and 9,400 deaths, which translates to 13 deaths per 100,000 people. The U.S. COVID-19 mortality rate is roughly 62 per 100,000. What is required is clarity of thought and the ability to mobilize resources and put them to use, Mohan said. I suppose a good governance structure makes the difference between what can be done and what cannot be done. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Iraqs foreign minister on Wednesday said his country hopes the US will reconsider its decision to close its diplomatic mission in Baghdad, as a group of ambassadors expressed their willingness to help Iraq tackle security challenges. Fuad Hussein spoke at a news conference during a heated week sparked by the US warning that it was taking measures to close its embassy in Baghdad. The US said it would be closed unless the Iraqi government took action to stop frequent rocket and improvised explosive device attacks by Iran-backed militias and rogue armed elements against the American presence in the country. Hussein called the threat to close the US Embassy dangerous because there is a possibility that the American withdrawal from Baghdad will lead to other (embassy) withdrawals. Rocket and mortar attacks have targeted the Green Zone, the seat of Iraqs government and home to many foreign embassies, including the US Embassy. These attacks have also targeted Baghdads international airport, and a recent rocket attack intended for the airport struck a residential home, killing six Iraqi civilians, all women and children. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered the embassy closure warning to Iraqs President Barham Saleh and Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in separate phone calls last week. A US official said the warning was not an imminent ultimatum. But some Iraqi officials appear to be under the impression it may coincide with the expiry of the latest Iran sanctions waiver in two months time. Iraq desperately needs the waivers to import Iranian energy. The US official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. In the press conference, Hussein said: We hope that the US government and American administration will reconsider this decision. ... Because the decision is a wrong one, it was taken at the wrong time and the wrong place. He said it would also send a message to the armed groups and extremists perpetuating the attacks that they were effective in reaching their political aims. He said Iraq acknowledged the domestic climate in the US ahead of the November presidential election, which might have precipitated the warning. But he said the new Iraqi government barely in office four months was taking measures. It is the governments duty to take action and it has taken some actions, he said, naming security measures in the Green Zone and the airport. His comments came after a group of 25 ambassadors and charges daffaires in Iraq released a statement in support of the Iraqi government and stability in the country, which was issued following a meeting with al-Kadhimi. In Wednesdays statement which included ambassadors from the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Canada the diplomatic envoys expressed deep concern at the rise in the number of attacks against diplomatic missions in Iraq. They welcomed the actions taken by al-Kadhimi, including recent security operations and heightened security around the airport, and encouraged more measures to consolidate forces within the Green Zone. As friends of Iraq, we also expressed our willingness to help Iraq in addressing these security challenges, the statement said. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The SpaceX Go Navigator recovery ship lifts the Crew Dragon capsule out of the Gulf of Mexico, near the coast of Pensacola, Florida, on August 2. NASA/Bill Ingalls SpaceX discovered unexpected erosion on its Crew Dragon spaceship's heat shield after its first astronaut mission. A SpaceX executive said the crew members the NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley were never in danger. But as a precaution, SpaceX updated the heat shield ahead of its next crewed launch in October. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. SpaceX discovered unexpected damage to part of its Crew Dragon space capsule after the vessel carried its first astronauts this summer, officials said on Tuesday. The Demo-2 mission flew the NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on May 30. The two men stayed there for two months, then weathered a fiery fall through Earth's atmosphere to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico on August 2. But as the company recovered and studied the toasted space capsule up close, examiners spotted something unusual: deep erosion on Crew Dragon's heat shield. That thermal protection system is a collection of heat-resistant tiles that line the spaceship's vulnerable underbelly. It protects Crew Dragon by deflecting and absorbing heat that can reach 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit while the space capsule plummets through the atmosphere and creates superheated plasma on its return to Earth. SpaceX expected to find some wear and tear, but not quite this much. An illustration of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spaceship returning to Earth with a blaze of plasma ahead of its heat shield. SpaceX via YouTube "We found, on a tile, a little bit more erosion than we wanted to see," Hans Koenigsmann, SpaceX's vice president of build and flight reliability, told reporters during a briefing on Tuesday. Koenigsmann said the affected part of the heat shield was close to "tensions ties" that connect the Crew Dragon to its large cylindrical trunk. (The trunk helps propel the spacecraft in orbit but is thrown away before the spaceship begins reentry.) One of four areas surrounding those tension ties got deeply worn away by searing-hot plasma as Behnken and Hurley returned to Earth. Story continues The spaceship and its crew safely returned home despite the unexpected problem. "At all times the astronauts were safe and the vehicle was working perfectly," Koenigsmann said. NASA and SpaceX revamped the heat shield for the next astronaut mission Before Behnken and Hurley returned to Earth, Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO and chief designer, said reentry was the part of the mission that he worried the most about. NASA surveyed the heat shield for damage ahead of that return flight, while the Crew Dragon capsule was still docked to the space station. During the ship's two months attached to the orbiting laboratory, small bits of space debris could have damaged its heat shield. The inspection relied on a robotic arm on the space station and some onboard cameras but did not turn up any problems. It was only after Behnken and Hurley were back on Earth that SpaceX discovered the weak spot in its heat shield. But these are the types of issues Behnken and Hurley's flight a demo mission was meant to find and iron out. The Crew Dragon is next set to carry a crew on its first routine mission, called Crew-1. The NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker and the Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi are scheduled to launch aboard the Crew Dragon on October 31. NASA and SpaceX have already reinforced the vulnerable part of the heat shield ahead of that flight, Koenigsmann said. NASA's Crew-1 crew members in SpaceX's Crew Dragon. From left: the NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Mike Hopkins, and the JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi. SpaceX via NASA "We've gone in and changed out a lot of the materials to better materials," Steve Stich, the program manager for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which oversees the SpaceX astronaut missions, told reporters on Tuesday. "We've made the area in between these tiles better." NASA tested five samples of the new tile in a simulated environment that mimics reentry: a wind tunnel at its Ames Research Center in California. "I'm confident that we fixed this particular problem very well," Koenigsmann said. "Everything has been tested and is ready to go for the next mission." It's unclear why the excessive heat-shield erosion didn't show up on the prior demo mission, an uncrewed test flight in which Crew Dragon launched, docked to the space station, and returned to Earth with no human passengers. Koenigsmann speculated that the capsule might not have experienced the problem because it was lighter and had a slightly different trajectory on that mission. "At the end of the day, it's great that we found it on this ride," he said. "This was not an unsafe situation at all. This is something that we observed and then basically changed to make sure that nothing bad will ever happen." Read the original article on Business Insider Royal Dutch Shell plans to lay off as many as 9,000 workers as the coronavirus pandemic continues to depress crude demand and as the oil major pivots its business to more sustainable energy sources. The Netherlands-based oil and gas company on Wednesday said it will cut between 7,000 and 9,000 jobs by the end of 2022, which represents about 10 percent of its workforce of 87,000, and include 1,500 voluntary departures. Shell did not disclose how many layoffs are planned in Houston. The company employs about 8,000 people locally, according to Chronicle research. "This is an extremely tough process," Shell CEO Ben van Beurden said in a statement. "We have to be a simpler, more streamlined, more competitive organization that is more nimble and able to respond to customers." OIL CRASH: Oil market in a muddle from mixed messages on demand, glut The layoffs come as oil and gas companies reckon with a global pandemic that has blunted demand for oil and petroleum products such as gasoline and jet fuel. Some oil giants, including Shell and BP, expect oil demand may never fully recover from the pandemic as more countries, companies and consumers shift toward clean energy to combat climate change. As a result, many oil majors are slashing budgets, writing down billions of dollars of assets and cutting shareholder dividends. Oil companies also are reorganizing their businesses and laying off thousands of employees to prepare for a future with fewer fossil fuels. BP plans to lay off 10,000 workers and Chevron plans to lay off 6,000 workers by the end of the year. Exxon, the Irving-based oil giant, said it does not have layoff plans, but has changed its performance review process to be more stringent. Shell, which announced plans to become a net-zero carbon emissions company by 2050, plans to "transform" its business dramatically to achieve its carbon targets. The company is investing in solar and wind power, hydrogen and biofuels, including investing in one of the world's largest sugarcane ethanol producers. FUEL FIX: Now more than ever, you need our energy news in your inbox The company will also "refocus" its traditional oil and gas businesses, focusing drilling activity to the most productive and profitable wells and pare down its refineries to fewer than 10, down from 55 about 15 years ago. Together with the layoffs, this restructuring is expected to save between $2 billion and $2.5 billion annually by 2022, the company said. "We will continue to invest, but it will not be about how many barrels of oil, or cubic feet of gas, (Shell's upstream business) produces, but how much it adds to the bottom line," van Beurden said. "The projects we invest in will be highly valuable. Upstream will be critical to Shell as we change we need it to be very successful, so we have the financial strength to invest further in our lower-carbon products." Shell is expected to announce its third-quarter financial results next month, which the company said will include write-downs of between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. The company's petroleum product sales fell to around 4 million to 5 million barrels a day from 6.7 million a year earlier. Shell stock fell nearly 2 percent to $25.17 a share on Wednesday. Bloomberg wire contributed. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun talks to journalists in front of the U.S Department of State headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 28 after completing his meeting with his South Korean counterpart Lee Do-hoon. Yonhap U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun said Monday he discussed "creative ideas" on how to move the stalled negotiations with North Korea forward during talks with South Korea's chief nuclear envoy. "The United States and the Republic of Korea remain fully committed to diplomacy as a way to reach an enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula, to achieve denuclearization, to bring about a brighter future for all of the Korean People and to bring about normalcy in the United States' relationship with the DPRK," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun told reporters. He spoke shortly after talks with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Do-hoon. "I very much appreciate (the) encouragement and creative ideas that we discussed today. But we cannot do it by ourselves. The U.S and ROK cannot do it by ourselves. We need the DPRK engaged, and we remain open to that discussion with them when they are prepared," Biegun said. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Lee said the two had "very productive" discussions on ways to move forward. "Special envoy Biegun and I discussed how we will manage this situation and how we will resume our dialogue (with North Korea)," Lee said. "And also in our conversation, (we) discussed various ways on how we will lead our joint tasks of denuclearizing the peninsula and establishing a peace regime," added the South Korean diplomat, who arrived here Sunday on a four-day visit. North Korea has stayed away from any serious dialogue with South Korea and the United States since leader Kim Jong-un's second bilateral summit with U.S. President Donald Trump ended without a deal in February 2019. South Korea's top nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon, left, fist-bumps with Stephen Biegun in front of the U.S Department of State headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 28. Yonhap The Health Minister has said it is inconceivable that more Covid-19 restrictions won't be needed as Northern Ireland has recorded the highest number of positive tests in a single day. Robin Swann made the announcement as 424 positive cases were recorded and a man aged in his 80s has died from the virus. He said this grim truth contrasted sharply with June 30, when just three people tested positive. With the Derry and Strabane Council area experiencing the highest surge, Mr Swann said the Executive would meet on Thursday to agree a response. While not wanting to pre-empt any decision he said measures such as restricting travel and a two week circuit breaker, where things like pubs and restaurants are temporarily closed, were on the table. He said it was unlikely that a circuit breaker for all of Northern Ireland would be used immediately but using it during the upcoming half term holiday was a possibility. The Chief Scientific Officer, Professor Ian Young, also dismissed suggestions that the increased numbers were due to a greater volume of tests being carried out. He explained that testing capacity had not increased in the last two weeks, and was confident the rise was due to increased community transmission. Mr Swann commented: I am now more concerned about what lies ahead in the next few months than I have been since becoming health minister. He urged the selfish minority not taking the pandemic seriously to examine their conscience. He said nearly 400,000 people had downloaded the Stop Covid App and 3,735 had received a notice to self isolate. Mr Swann said Northern Ireland was now facing a severe crisis full in the face and that further action was now necessary to combat the spread of the virus. Ahead of Thursdays Executive meeting, he said: We will have to decide what new restrictions to apply, and should they be to the whole of Northern Ireland or to a more localised basis in areas where cases are particularly high. I would rather that wasnt necessary but its inconceivable to think that we can simply sit back and hope for the best. Farmers put up a road blockade on two highways in Ambala district on Wednesday to protest alleged non-procurement of paddy at the designated centres by government agencies. The vehicular traffic on the Ambala-Hisar and Ambala-Jagadhri highways was affected due to the road blockade. Hundreds of farmers had put their tractors and trolleys in the middle of the highways and sat on a dharna there. They blocked the Ambala-Hisar Highway near the city while the Ambala-Jagadhri Highway was blocked near Saha village. Police had diverted the traffic on the highways through alternate routes. Police force has been deployed in various grain markets and highways, police said. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leaders Sukhwinder Singh Jalbera and Ramesh Rana said that the farmers started bringing their paddy in various grain markets of Ambala district for the last few days. They claimed that their produce is not being purchased and it has been lying in the open area of the grain market. In Kurukshetra district, farmers had held protests at various mandis, alleging delay in and a lack of coordination between the government departments and various agencies. The state government had started procurement in Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar from Sunday, while in other districts it began on Tuesday. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said that the farmers will not be allowed to face any problem in the procurement process. He had asked the procurement agencies to immediately lift the procured paddy from Wednesday. BKU leader Gurnam Singh had said farmers were facing problems in various mandis of the state as well. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vaccine Management Licensing and Permitting The scramble to respond to a global pandemic has required state and local governments to set up technical solutions to logistical problems, fast. Looking ahead at the next major challenge coming down the pike, Salesforce , a giant in the cloud software industry, released a new feature today for its Work.com software dedicated to helping agencies coordinate vaccine programs. Separately, it also announced a set of applications for online permitting and licensing, moving into competitive territory with companies such as Accela CentralSquare and OpenGov The companys global head of public sector, Dave Rey, described Work.com as a set of applications, launched in May, to help organizations get their employees back to work safely with sanitation practices, staggered scheduling and test-and-trace coordination. He said the company has worked with at least 35 U.S. states along with the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Canada on COVID-19-related projects, and he called the new application, Work.com for Vaccines, a logical extension of that effort. Essentially, its a software tool to help customers with inventory management, public outreach, appointment scheduling, online pre-screenings, outcome monitoring and surveys to identify adverse reactions once vaccines become available.This is a highly complex problem. The distribution alone, and the way they have to handle that if theres specific refrigeration requirements, for example, how long can the vials be out? he said. There are so many details that theyre going to need technology to help them manage this.Rey granted there wont be a one-size-fits-all solution for vaccine management, but he said Salesforce consulted medical professionals and health organizations about what the common requirements will be. The software it announced today is meant to help customers design their own programs ahead of time.One thing weve learned from this pandemic is speed matters, flexibility matters and scale matters. Its mattered in contact tracing, its mattered in getting people back to work safely, he said. These decisions have to be made in record time, whereas, you know, typically governments take a much longer time to make these decisions. And I think its going to play a similar role in vaccine management.On Oct. 19, Salesforce will officially get into the licensing and permitting game with purpose-built applications to handle business, land permitting, health and safety, recreation, professional and any other conceivable type of government-issued license. Senior VP of Products Kishan Chetan said the goal is to reduce the amount of time it will take, particularly for their biggest customers, to create and manage online permitting systems, which are more important than ever and wont become less so over time.Chetan said Salesforces local government customers saw a more than 800 percent spike in online traffic since the onset of COVID-19, and only 21 U.S. states allow citizens to apply for government licenses online.Licensing and permitting is a huge value to state and local agencies, because its actually a source of revenue A quarter of U.S. workers need an occupational license, and if you dont have the right licenses, if you make it really hard for them, regions lose about $6.2 billion of revenue (nationwide annually), he said. Licenses and permits are between 6-40 percent of the budget of a specific state and locality, so this is not a service that Im providing to citizens because Im taking taxes. This represents money that these guys are making its a source of revenue. They want to modernize it, they want to make sure theyre quick at processing it, theyre efficient, and theyre keeping citizens safe and secure.Licensing and permitting is a competitive slice of the gov tech market, dominated by well-known entities such as Accela, CentralSquare Technologies, OpenGov and Tyler Technologies . Chetan said Salesforces offerings are partially a consequence of its acquisition of Vlocity in February, which made the forms in its application more dynamic and configurable.One, weve taken a platform-centric approach, i.e., whatever they build should be easy to extend and easy to configure, he said. Second, it should be easy to add new license types. Several of our competitors solutions work really well for one type of license, but the moment the government wants to add another type of license, the system breaks apart because its very hard-wired. The Fix Cafe in Harrisburg is taking latte art to the next level. The coffee shop, which debuts Oct. 1 at 403 Walnut St., is creating personalized cups of coffee, not with a traditional barista, but with the help of a fairly new technology - a 3D printing latte-art machine. The stainless machine can personalize cups of joe with photographs, messages and logos. Co-owner Lakshmi Tanniru said the specialized latte art sets the shop apart. Nobody has it around here," he said. Designs are drawn on foam with coffee extract ink dispensed by a cartridge in the machine. It can print messages, shapes and designs, and customers can share selfies on the spot to create selfieccinos." Latte art is just one of the customized items available at the Fix Cafe, where diners also can build their own crepes, mostly sweet versions with fruits and Nutella. Crepe prices start at about $3 for a plain and an additional 25 to 50 cents per topping. Coconut drinks are made from a coconut milk base and mixed with a variety of homemade fruit sauces including mango, blueberry, kiwi and peach. In addition, a variety of loose leaf teas, flavored lemonades and espresso drinks will be available. The cafe uses organic ingredients, from the coffee to toppings on the crepes. Tinniru, former owner of Namaste Indian Cuisine in Lemoyne, said he had been working on The Fix since August 2019, and always wanted to open a coffee shop. READ MORE: Teriyaki Madness opens restaurant in Dauphin County Coffee is the first thing people have in the morning, so if the coffee is good people will have a good day, he said. The Fix sources coffee from companies in Virginia and Wisconsin, and serves two medium roasted blends. One blend imparts an almond flavor, while Tinniru said the other has notes of chocolate. Unlike some of his competitors, Tinniru said Fix Cafes coffee is not bitter. Originally, the cafe was supposed to open in February but the coronavirus pandemic derailed plans. Cafe partner Liz Albayero said they realize opening during a pandemic might not be ideal timing but they needed to generate some revenue. The biggest concern is how good are we going to do? she said. Last week it was still like an empty town but this week for some reason its a little more busier. She said they are confident that once state employees return to offices, they will support Fix Cafe and surrounding businesses. But at the same time shes worried private companies will continue to operate under work-at-home models to save money. The cafes hours are 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday. Phone is 717-412-4093. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries paused their breast cancer screening programmes. A new study, presented at the 12th European Breast Cancer Conference, suggests that the disruption to screening could result in an increase in the proportion of women who die of breast cancer. However, the study also suggests that this risk can be lowered, for example by making sure all women who would have been screened during the pandemic do not miss out, even if they are now older than the upper age limit for screening. Two further studies, also presented at the conference, show how the COVID-19 pandemic affected treatment and everyday life for women who were already diagnosed with breast cancer. The screening study [1] was presented at the virtual conference by Lindy Kregting, a PhD student at Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. She said: "Screening works by detecting cancers at an early stage when there are the best chances of successful treatment. Cancer screening programmes have never been this severely disrupted before, so we don't know what impact this will have. "We wanted to investigate what the long-term impact on deaths from breast cancer might be and to look at which strategies would be most effective for re-starting breast screening programmes." The researchers used an established modelling tool called MISCAN-Breast to simulate four different strategies for re-starting breast screening following six months of disruption: a straightforward re-start after the delay where all screening continued in the order it was planned, meaning one in every four women would end up going for screening one less time in her life (delay), a delay to screening, except for women due to have their first screening (delay except first screen), a delay to screening, but temporarily raising the upper age limit to make sure women don't miss their final screen (delay with age increase), and increasing capacity to ensure a full catch-up where all delayed screens were caught up in a six-month period following the disruption (full catch-up). Their model was based on the Dutch breast cancer screening programme where women are invited for screening every two years between the ages of 50 and 75. Similar screening programmes exist in many other European countries, although the age range and screening intervals vary. Based on the four scenarios, the model showed how much capacity would be needed - the number of screening tests and follow-up tests - and the effects each strategy would have on rates of breast cancer incidence and deaths. Researchers found that the first scenario (delay) had the most damaging effect, with an estimated increase of 2.35 deaths from breast cancer for every 100,000 women in the next ten years. Increasing capacity to achieve a full catch-up was the best-case scenario with an increase of only 0.13 deaths from breast cancer out of every 100,000 women in the next ten years. However, the researchers say that this surge in capacity is probably not feasible for most countries' health services. The other two scenarios, delay except first screen and delay with age increase, fell between the two with respective increases of 1.98 and 1.85 in breast cancer deaths per 100,000 in the next ten years. Based on these findings, they suggest that a delay to screening with a temporary increase in the upper age limit could be the best option for most screening programmes. Ms Kregting added: "Our study shows that a six-month delay is likely to lead to a modest but important increase in breast cancer death rates, but different strategies for re-starting screening have different outcomes. The best way to prevent deaths from breast cancer is to catch up with all the screening that was missing during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we realise that most breast screening programmes will not have the extra staff and equipment needed to do this. "We found that the next best option, and one that we think is feasible, is re-starting breast screening as normal after the delay but making sure that no woman misses out on her final invitation to screening, even if by now she is older than the upper age limit." A second study [2] including 1051 women diagnosed with breast cancer from Utrecht in The Netherlands looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their daily lives. The study found that 48% of women felt lonely during the pandemic. The research also found that 31% of women were less likely to seek help from their GP, 27% were worried about the effects of the pandemic on their aftercare and 15% were less likely to seek help from their breast cancer physician. The study was presented by Dr Claudia Bargon, a clinician and PhD student at University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht). She said: "We know that medical services, including those for breast cancer patients, had to be rearranged during the crisis. We also know that social support can be of vital importance for many women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and that support can be restricted by social distancing measures. "Our study shows that women were less likely to seek medical help during the pandemic and that a high proportion of women suffered loneliness during lockdown. This suggests that patients need reassurance that they should seek medical help when they need it and that we need to enable patients to access mental health support, even if this needs to be delivered online rather than face-to-face." A third study [3] compared a group of 41 women treated for breast cancer in March and April 2020 at the University Hospital of Sassari, Italy, with 42 women treated in March and April of the previous year. Researchers did not find any difference in how many women had surgery for breast cancer, how long they waited for surgery or whether they had a procedure called sentinel node biopsy, which checks for signs that cancer has begun to spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. However, they did find that women operated on during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic were less likely to receive immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy (removal of the breast) or to receive an 'intraoperative regional nerve block', a procedure carried out during surgery to reduce the likelihood of suffering breast pain after surgery. The work was presented by Dr Alessandro Fancellu, Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Sassari. He said: "These two procedures do not have an effect on the risk of breast cancer returning; however, they do have an effect on women's quality of life following breast cancer surgery. We know that there could be a second peak of COVID-19 and, if that happens, we want maintain the highest possible standards for our patients." Professor Giuseppe Viale is from the University of Milan and the European Institute of Oncology, Italy, and was not involved with the research. He said: "Around the world, our medical services have had to reorganise to cope with the challenge of COVID-19. It's really important that we understand the impact that this has had on diagnosing, treating and caring for breast cancer patients. "These studies bring some reassurance because they suggest that the disruption brought to breast cancer screening, treatment and care has not been devastating. However, they do show where we can do better - for instance in encouraging women to seek any medical help or counselling they may need - and how we can get services such as breast screening back on track." ### A gunman is at large and 5 men on a porch have been hospitalized with bullet wounds following the late-night shooting. As 6ABC in Philly reports, five men, ranging in age from 28 to 56 years old, were hanging out on the front porch at a house in the citys Logan section late Tuesday night when shots rang out. All five men were stuck by bullets, but they scrambled into the house for cover during the 11:51 p.m. shooting on the 4500 block of North 19th Street. Details from 6ABC: Police drove three of the victims to the hospital and the other two were taken in private vehicles. Four of the men are stable while one is in critical condition after being shot in the stomach. The gunman remains at large and no immediate description was available. Theres no indication that there was a confrontation before. Just that somebody walked up and started firing at people on the porch, Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Ben Naish told 6ABC. The police investigation and the hunt for the gunman continues. BREAKING NOW: Ku Klux Klan flyers saying Vote Pro-White under investigation in Pa. Pa. election machine warehouse burglarized; laptop, USB drives stolen Pa. man who lived in Like Home daycare admits sexually assaulting 3 young girls there Pa. womans hoarding is so bad it endangered 12-year-old girl forced to do homework on toilet seat: cops (Donald Trump) is a giant, melon-colored distraction from what is happening to our country under his watch. Joy Reid Liberal TV hostess Hello Downriver, Squirrel. One of the best movies ever made (OK, Casablanca may be the best) had this single word as a punchline throughout. If youve seen the movie, you recognize the reference; if not, try to track down Up, a full-length cartoon. (Or as aficionados call them, animated movies.) This movie, which has one of the greatest opening sequences depicting love and loss, eventually features a dog thats easily distracted no matter whats going on. Squirrel! His head pivots, staying motionless for a couple of heartbeats and then he turns back and picks up where he left off. Without skipping one of those beats. I bring up squirrel! because thats whats been going on now for nearly four years between Donald Trump and the national media. And the media is the dog. Youd think theyd learn (wed learn) not to chase each and every utterance by Trump, but last Thursday, an entire day of programming on at least one channel was spent diagnosing, diagramming and dissecting a comment made by the president the day before. That, when asked whether he would agree to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose in November, he declined to agree. And then went on to attack absentee ballots as possibly threatening the legitimacy of the elections outcome. Squirrel! The truth is simpler: There will be an election, all legally submitted ballots will be counted, and sometime in November well know who won. No, it probably wont be election night, because the sheer volume of absentee ballots this time around wont be all counted that day. Its going to take a few days. But eventually well know who won. And theres nothing Trump can do about that except ridicule the outcome (if he loses, of course) and launch legal challenges against how those absentee ballots were counted. Which, of course, will only further delay the announcement. But the Squirrel! real (no, imagined) story is that the president wont commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses. Even though he has no choice. If he loses this fall, there will be someone else at the podium at noon on Jan. 21 taking the oath of office. And Trump will be left finding places to store his White House ashtrays and towels. ? In creating our Constitution, our founding fathers gave tremendous power to the first two branches of their newly formed government. Congress in Article I had the power of the purse; thereby exerting control over every action imagined by the executive or by their own members. The president in Article II had the power of an executive branch to wage war and enforce laws, backed by the bureaucracy and armaments to make it so. But the Supreme Court in Article III and lower courts within the federal system, were given no such power. It has no control over matters of finance, cant rally troops or even cops to enforce its decisions. No, unlike our local courts which get bailiffs and police to enforce their rulings our Supreme Court has only the power of its words. And a hope that well all listen, accept their decisions and act accordingly including the president and Congress. Fortunately, for the most part, that concept of trust and obedience, based on notions of fairness and a higher belief in the jurisprudence of lifetime jurists, has served us well. We listen to the high courts rulings and, even if we disagree, acknowledge its authority and comply with the outcome. But what happens if we dont? What happens if we lose confidence in a high court being able to render a fair judgment? What if we simply refuse to comply with its rulings? The court has no power to imprison me; it cant fine me. It would take laws enacted as a result of the ruling or actions by the executive to take action against me. And therein lies the risk of whats happening with the Supreme Court today: the potential for appointing yet another ultra-conservative jurist to the panel for life, giving the court a dominating 6-3 tilt to its decision making. And setting the stage for wholesale rebellion against any decisions that come out of that court in the months, years and decades ahead. Which is why Im not totally opposed to exploring expanding the size of the Supreme Court should Democrats take control of the White House and Senate, and retain control of the House. Yes, yes, FDR tried to pack the court in the 1930s when he was angry with the high court for not rubber stamping every page in his New Deal. But that was actions triggered by the pique of a chief executive being thwarted. Thats not what happened here. Instead, weve already witnessed a GOP-controlled Senate act against its own precedent and work to ram through a Supreme Court nominee only days before a presidential election. Even though that same GOP-controlled Senate refused to even hold nominee hearings during a previous presidential election because, they said, it should be left to the voters to decide. So to sit idly by and let this kind of hypocrisy permanently stain the carpeting in the Senate like a dog who couldnt make it outside would be to condone the behavior. And that, my friends, is not something Im willing to let go. Because the size of the Supreme Court is determined by federal law and not the Constitution its well within the rights of the majority to determine a number it sees fit to serve. And so four months from now, I would be perfectly willing to watch a Democratically controlled Senate send a shiver down the spine of every Republican and begin discussions about expanding the bench by six to 15. All liberals, of course. Whats good for the goose, as the saying goes, is good for the gander. Isnt it? ? Another reminder that absentee ballots have gone out we got ours over the weekend. So once you get it, vote as soon as you can and mail it in or drop it off at your city or township clerks office. Of course, if you havent applied for a mail-in ballot (same thing), do it now; thanks to Michigan voters, you dont need a reason to get one. Once youve dropped it off or mailed in your ballot, you can track it at: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/. Craig Farrand is a former managing editor of The News-Herald Newspapers. He can be reached at cfarrandudm@yahoo.com. Aleksandr Melkumian is standing on bloodied ground outside his house in the village of Martuni in Nagorno-Karabakh -- the spot where his ethnic Armenian family was hit by shrapnel from an artillery shell early on September 27. Nearby, a toy doll in a pink dress lies where it was dropped by his neighbor's child when the first shells exploded. Melkumian had just gone out to feed his pigs in the front-line village when fresh fighting broke out between Azerbaijani troops and ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. "On that day in the morning, they bombed here," Melkumian explains, gesturing to the blood-soaked soil. "This is where my mother-in-law, my wife, and my 1-year-and-7-month-old child were." "My neighbor's 7-year-old child was killed. My mother-in-law was killed," he says. "My wife was wounded and taken to a hospital in Stepanakert." Two other village women were wounded and taken to a hospital 40 kilometers away in the Azerbaijani breakaway region's capital, Stepanakert. "Look there, their shoes are still there," he says, tears welling up. "My wounded wife was lying right here. My little child was lying here. My mother-in-law was here, already dead. The 7-year-old child was lying dead there. My two neighbors lay there wounded. Then the shells hit the house and the barn. That's how our morning began." He says his injured wife asked for some water. "Before I could get her any water, another shell fell. They hit the place four times. All this time, I couldn't get water for my wounded wife. And my little child was crying. I embraced my child so that if the shells hit again, I would be the one to take the blow." 'Frozen Conflict' Flares Up The following day, with shells continuing to land in Martuni, artillery fired by ethnic Armenian forces landed in several Azerbaijani-controlled villages in the Terter district north of Stepanakert. Much of Terter has been under the control of the ethnic Armenian separatists since a 1994 cease-fire was reached between Azerbaijan and the de facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh, allowing the area to serve as a buffer zone along the tense Line of Contact. In Azerbaijani-controlled parts of the district, most villagers were evacuated when fighting in the "frozen conflict" flared up again on September 27 and threatened to boil over into all-out war. By September 28, shells fired by Armenian forces were landing in the village of Shikharkh. Azerbaijani officials say two civilians were killed there when a shell struck a multistory building in the village. Another shell hit a boiler house that supplies heat for residential buildings in Shikharkh. Local villager Hicran Amrahova tells RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service that even if the fighting is brought under control in the weeks ahead, the damage will make it difficult for many residents to survive through the winter in Shikharkh. "The boiler house provides heating for the residents," Amrahova says. "Also hot water. Look, the door was destroyed and the metal water tanks are damaged. They can't do anything to our army, so they kill civilians" and make it impossible to live here. Farther north, at Gashalti in the Azerbaijani-controlled region of Naftalan, shelling from Armenian forces killed local villager Elbrus Gurbanov and four members of his family while they were sheltering at home. An elderly woman, seeing their bodies lined up in front of the house, fell to her knees screaming amid the carnage as a correspondent from RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reported from the scene. Claims And Counterclaims There are numerous reports of civilian casualties in other villages in and around Nagorno-Karabakh as well as along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia's Foreign Ministry says the first civilian casualty on Armenian soil since the fighting broke out was on September 29, when the town of Vardenis came under an artillery-and-drone attack from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said the attack was in response to shelling by an Armenian Army artillery unit at Vardenis that had targeted the Dashkesan region inside Azerbaijan. Armenia denied Baku's claim. In fact, both Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of firing into their territory far from Nagorno-Karabakh -- the worst fighting in the area since the 1990s. Armenia and the de facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh have described the fighting as a "wholesale attack" by Azerbaijan. In Baku, officials initially said that Azerbaijani forces were responding to an Armenian attack. Later, they said the fighting was "for the liberation of territories from occupation" -- a reference to Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent district of Azerbaijan that are under the control of the Yerevan-backed ethnic Armenian forces. Warning Against War Crimes Hugh Williamson, the Europe and Central Asia director of Human Rights Watch, says that regardless of who is responsible for escalating the conflict, civilians are once again caught up in the fighting. "All sides should remember that attacks targeting civilians are serious violations of international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes," Williamson said on September 30. "This is true even if they are carried out in reprisal for indiscriminate attacks by the adversary." Williamson said all sides must, at all times, distinguish between combatants and civilians and should respect the absolute ban against targeting civilians or carrying out attacks that indiscriminately harm civilians. Confirmation of events on the ground has been difficult since the escalation. Armenia and Azerbaijan have both declared martial law and have begun to mobilize their troops -- including reservists who've been called upon to deploy to the combat zones. Both countries have laws that restrict reporting about the conflict that is not based on "official" sources. Azerbaijan has also limited Internet access to prevent sensitive strategic information from being revealed on social media or messaging apps. But the extent that the fighting has stoked nationalist sentiments in both Armenia and Azerbaijan is clear from social-media posts in both countries. In Azerbaijan's Xacmaz region along the coast of the Caspian Sea, a crowd of residents gathered outside the local commissariat to cheer and wave goodbye to busloads of reservists called up for military service. In the central region of Goycay, local activist Taleh Xasmammadov from the Center for the Protection of Political Prisoners posted a video on Facebook that he claimed was part of a crowd of 10,000 residents "sending off their brave sons to the fighting." But some have also expressed apprehensions on social media. Togrul Veliyev, an activist from Baku and an outspoken critic of the government, lamented the departure of his brother for what he expects to be combat duty. "My brother has left, supposedly for training, but this is a terrible feeling," Veliyev said on Facebook. "Two things I hate in life -- it's censorship and war. Thanks to our government, we have a mix of the two. They label every piece of information a military secret." "Maybe some people are excited by prospects of war, but I hate it with all of my being because war is not a solution," Veliyev said. "One act of violence calls for another act of violence and it is hard to stop this cycle. All problems can be resolved only with peace." Back in the front-line village of Martuni in Nagorno-Karabakh, Melkumian says the situation "can't go on like this." "It is better we fight until there is a victorious end," Melkumian says. "I am ready to fight. I am ready to die. But we need a solution to this problem. The way it is now -- neither war nor peace -- won't do." Written by Ron Synovitz in Prague based on reporting by RFE/RL's Armenian and Azerbaijani services (CNN) -- Joe Biden on Tuesday released his 2019 tax returns, which show he and his wife, Jill, paid nearly $300,000 in federal income tax last year and had an adjusted gross income of about $985,000. Biden's release of his 2019 tax returns come hours before the first presidential debate and two days after The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump paid no federal income taxes whatsoever in 10 out of 15 years beginning in 2000. Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, the Times reported. Trump has not released his tax returns to the public, which breaks decades of precedent for major-party presidential nominees and presidents. READ: 2019 tax returns for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris California Sen. Kamala Harris also released her 2019 tax returns on Tuesday, which showed that she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, paid about $1.2 million in taxes and had an adjusted gross income of about $3 million. "This is a historic level of transparency and it will give the American people faith once again that their leaders will look out for them and not their own bottom line," Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield told reporters on Tuesday, noting that Biden has now released more than two decades of tax returns. The Bidens made $14,700 in charitable donations, according to the tax documents. They show the Bidens earned income from Northern Virginia Community College, where Jill Biden teaches, and the University of Pennsylvania, where Joe Biden led a center for diplomacy. They also earned income from speeches and books, which passed through corporations they had established. Biden was a six-term senator before joining Barack Obama's presidential ticket, and his financial disclosures often showed that he was among the Senate's least wealthy members. He has described himself as "Middle Class Joe" on the campaign trail. But in the two years after he left the White House, Biden made $15.6 million, largely through speaking fees and book profits. He and Jill made $11 million in 2017 and $4.6 million in 2018, and paid $3.7 million in taxes in 2017 and $1.5 million in 2018, financial documents released by Biden's campaign last year show. The bombshell Times report on Trump's taxes draws on more than two decades of tax information and outlines Trump's extensive financial losses and years of tax avoidance. Trump's taxes also show he claimed a $72.9 million refund, which has become the subject of an Internal Revenue Service audit, for taxes he had paid between 2005 and 2008. Trump denied the Times story at a White House briefing on Sunday and claimed that he pays "a lot" in federal income taxes. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Biden paid nearly $300,000 in federal income taxes in 2019" EDWARDSVILLE Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles School of Business has launched a new undergraduate cybersecurity specialization. There is a global shortage of cybersecurity professionals, according to the 2019 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Workforce Demand Report, including more than 25,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in Illinois and Missouri alone. The School of Business recognizes how critical cybersecurity has become for businesses of all sizes, said Dr. Tim Jacks, associate professor and computer management and information systems (CMIS) undergraduate program director. Various threats, such as denial of services attacks, ransomware, phishing, and cryptojacking are all on the rise. Our program deliberately emphasizes a combination of business and technology skills while offering industry standard certification opportunities. Curriculum for the new specialization has been developed by the Department of CMIS following rigorous guidelines published by the Joint Task Force on Cybersecurity Education, the IEEE Computer Society, and the Association for Information systems (AIS). To ensure real-world relevancy of coursework, the department is also leveraging strategic partnerships with local law enforcement, the FBI, Scott Air Force Base, and the Gateway Higher Education Cybersecurity Consortium (GHECC). Students specializing in cybersecurity will take required coursework in information security while having the opportunity to select electives such as security and analysis, IT audit and control, ethical hacking and penetration testing, and cybercrime. Throughout the program, students will be provided with industry certification opportunities such as Security+, Certified Ethical Hacking, and Certified Information Systems Security Professional. To provide students with immersive, hands-on cybersecurity experiences, the program offers a unique cyber classroom that emulates a Network Operations Command Center (NOCC). The Ralph and Donna Korte Cyber-Analytics Classroom makes use of large, flat-paneled monitors to display lecture slides, software demonstrations, and real-time dashboards of cyber incidents occurring around the world. A rack of functioning telecommunications equipment provides students with the experience of seeing how firewalls, routers and servers interact and physically connect. Having a dedicated space sends a clear signal of how important this is for the School and our students, said Jacks. We intend to educate the next generation of students that will protect businesses and keep them operational and safe. These future cybersecurity professionals will enter the workforce having had immersive, interactive learning experiences. The Department of Labor forecasts 0% unemployment in the cybersecurity industry in the next 5-7 years. Students completing a bachelors in business administration with the cybersecurity specialization will be prepared for entry level positions such as security analysis, security operations, incident response, IT auditing, security provisioning, and threat detection. For more information, visit siue.edu/business-administration/cybersecurity. South Africans now have three mobile network providers to choose from if they want to enjoy 5G connectivity Vodacom, MTN, and Rain. Rain was the first to introduce a 5G product in South Africa back in November 2019, and was followed by Vodacom and MTN in 2020. Vodacom launched the first mobile 5G network in the country in early June and was followed by MTN later in the same month. While mmWave 5G has been able to hit a top speed of 1.8Gbps, all of the providers operate their networks on sub-6GHz spectrum. While typically only capable of providing around 100Mbps-400Mbps for download speeds, this type of 5G requires fewer installations than mmWave 5G to offer adequate coverage. Their current achievable speeds make them an attractive alternative for those who want high broadband speeds but dont have fibre available in their area yet. Rain claims its Premium 5G package offers speeds up to 200Mbps, whereas Vodacom says its 5G network will offer 150Mbps-200Mbps given enough spectrum. MTNs 5G offering comes in two variants, both of which claim peak speeds of 500Mbps, with average speeds as indicated below: 5G home Wi-Fi 100Mbps 100Mbps 5G mobile 50Mbps Weve compared the coverage and prices of Vodacom, MTN, and Rains 5G networks and packages below. Prices If you are lucky enough to have coverage in your area, you will require either a 5G-capable router or smartphone to use the network. Since 5G networks are still very limited in terms of reach, it would make more sense to opt for a router which will be kept in one location. Both Vodacom and MTN offer 5G packages with routers on either 24- or 36-month contracts, while Rain provides a free-to-use router on its month-to-month 5G products. When it comes to data allocation, only MTN and Rain feature uncapped 5G packages, although it should be noted that the former comes with a 200GB fair usage policy (FUP). MTNs uncapped 5G package is priced at R1,249 on a 24-month contract and R999 over 36 months, while Rain charges R999 for its Premium Uncapped package. The table below shows all of the 5G packages available from these three operators that are bundled with a 5G router. 5G data packages in South Africa Mobile network Router Anytime Data Night Data Price Vodacom Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway 100GB 100GB R899 x 24 200GB 200GB R1,199 x 24 R999 x 36 300GB 300GB R1,299 x 24 R1,099 x 36 400GB 400GB R1,499 x 24 R1,299 x 36 Huawei 5G CPE Pro 100GB 100GB R1,199 x 24 200GB 200GB R1,499 x 24 R1,199 x 36 300GB 300GB R1,599 x 24 R1,299 x 36 400GB 400GB R1,799 x 24 R1,499 x 36 MTN ZTE MC801A 75GB 75GB R749 x 24 R599 x 36 Uncapped (200GB FUP) Uncapped R1,249 x 24 R999 x 36 Rain Huawei 5G CPE Pro Indoor router Uncapped Uncapped R679 Huawei 5G CPE Pro Outdoor router Uncapped Uncapped R999 Vodacom coverage Vodacoms 5G network initially went live at 20 sites across Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town. These 20 sites grouped into six clusters Midrand, Sandton, Menlyn, Centurion, Waterfall/Sunninghill, and Century City as shown in the images below. Click here to view Vodacoms network coverage map for a more detailed overview of where its 5G is available. MTN coverage MTNs 5G network encompasses 100 sites in four areas Bryanston and Honeydew in Johannesburg, Blouberg in Cape Town, and Universitas in Bloemfontein. The images below illustrate the exact coverage areas of MTNs 5G network. For a more detailed overview, click here to view MTNs network coverage map on its website. Rain coverage Rains 5G network covers the largest number of areas of the three operators. It currently offers 5G in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town and plans to further expand its footprint in metropolitan areas. The dark blue spots in the images below show where Rains 5G is available, and the light blue colour indicates LTE coverage. To check if you have coverage at your specific address, you can view the Rain coverage map here. Now read: Impressive Rain numbers released 363 Shares Share In these tumultuous times, its hard to find common ground. But I believe we can all agree on one thing: Health care heroes deserve our support. Physicians have spent the last several months working tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some work with minimal personal protective equipment (PPE), while distancing from their own families to reduce mounting burdens on our hospital systems. These men and women are constantly putting their own health and well-being behind the needs of their patients. Many other physicians made sacrifices by closing their practices and suspending elective care to slow the spread of COVID-19. This has had detrimental consequences for practice viability. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), 97% of practices have experienced a negative financial impact directly or indirectly related to COVID-19. While many insurance companies have increased profits amid the pandemic, due to the delays and postponements of elective procedures amid COVID-19. Despite these realities, Virginias largest insurance provider decided to slash Virginia doctor office reimbursements in the summer of 2020right in the middle of the pandemic. To ensure adequate care for their communities, physicians often employ and supervise nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) as part of a comprehensive and inclusive care team. This helps reduce the impact of our nations growing physician shortage by expanding access to high-quality health care. In March of 2019, a notice was issued to providers that they would be fully reimbursed for the work of NPs and PAs who are supervised by a physicianknown as incident to billing. However, in June 2020, a new announcement was released to physicians and their practices that they would lower their rates on these needed health care services. Now practices with NPs and PAs have a choice to makeretain these health care providers and suffer a loss of reimbursement during these trying times, or consider layoffs. Either option will impact patients and families in our communities by limiting access to medical providers. This is an impossible situation and an unnecessary burden on the health care workers who continue to fight and care for their patients during the pandemic. While insurance companies profits have increased, many of Virginias practices are being put at risk of financial ruin. With this new fee schedule, some practices will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. Physicians and practices have no power to object to these changes given their financial situationeither accept the change or lose all patients of one of their largest carriers. These modifications are unacceptable and are hurting Virginias physicians during this vulnerable time. Many practices are only given 45 days to address and accept these sweeping amendments, an unrealistic and unfair timeline. The Medical Society of Virginia and its physicians are calling for an immediate change in this decision. Physician practices are needed now more than ever. We must protect them so they can continue to protect patients. Clifford L. Deal is a general surgeon and president, Medical Society of Virginia. Image credit: Shutterstock.com CLEVELAND, Ohio Young ghosts and goblins will be able to participate in trick-or-treating in many communities across Northeast Ohio in 2020 amid the coronavirus, after all. cleveland.com canvassed the seven-county region to find out which cities are holding trick-or-treating. Below are the responses we received from calls to city leaders. If your community is not listed, we have not yet received an answer. We will update this list as more responses come in, so keep checking back. MBABANE Nkosinathi Dan Siphampanana Duma is no more. Duma, who was a popular radio theatrical actor, renowned for the old-time radio drama styled Sphampanana, succumbed to first degree burn wounds following an arson attack on Saturday. Duma and his girlfriend, Thembisile Tem Tem Lukhele, who is still in a critical condition at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital, were set alight in a feat of jealousy, allegedly by the latters ex-boyfriend and the father of her child, who had a pending case of assault and gender-based violence (GBV). In an interview with Dumas mother, Nomsa Vilakati, she confirmed that her son had died. Admitted Vilakati said her son died yesterday at around 5am, while admitted to the RFM Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She said she was devastated to have lost a child in such a painful manner. According to Vilakati, they were arranging to bury her son on Saturday. She decried that her sons attacker had no respect for her family since he entered the homestead as and when he pleased. Vilakati further decried that before the arson attack, her son and his girlfriend were afraid following an earlier attack. Simanga Mkhabela, who is Dumas nephew, said they received a call yesterday morning informing them that his uncle had succumbed to the burn wounds. Mkhabela said his uncle had internal injuries. He said when they checked on him on Saturday following the incident, he was responsive. Meanwhile, former radio personality and erstwhile government spokesperson Percy Simelane said he learnt about the arson attack through the media and was shocked about the death. He said what befell Duma was a very unfortunate incident, adding that the arts industry and, by extension, the country had been dealt a blow. Simelane said Duma always wore a smile and fitted like a glove in every theatrical part he was assigned to perform, making it more realistic. Simelane is a renowned former radio personality who is skilled in doing voice overs, among many other skills. You've likely heard of the property at the center of the biggest residential real estate deal in the Houston area this week. Socialite-seller Theresa Roemer, a TV personality, philanthropist and self-proclaimed "luxury fitness maven" has a personality as big as her suburban estate. If you haven't attended one of the charitable parties or Gucci Mane rap video shoots hosted at the home, there's still a good chance this place is on your radar anyway: it's known as the house with the "biggest closet in the United States." Roemer grew to national fame (or infamy, depending on who you ask) in 2014, when she welcomed TV cameras into her home. More importantly, she walked reporters through her 3,000-square-foot, three-story closet that reportedly cost $500,000 to build. Yes, the closet is 3,000 square feet, larger than the average American home. The house itself? An expansive 17,380 square feet. It was that room, the "woman cave," that propelled this Houston-area dwelling into headlines of outlets across the country. Unfortunately, the closet, with its lavish interior and collection of high-priced designer goods, also drew the wrong kind of attention. The house was burglarized in 2014, setting off a slew of bizarre developments, including the purported burglar mailing stolen items to the Houston Press. It amounted to what may have been a convoluted blackmail scheme. COOL OFF: Houstonians can now rent a private swimming pool by the hour After its foray into the public eye and the ensuing theft, Roemer listed the two-acre property on the market for nearly $13 million. At the time, Roemer said she was only hoping to capitalize on the attention to attract a great price, but said she was in no rush to sell. That's good, because it took a while. In July 2016, the house was slated to be auctioned off via Platinum Luxury Auctions before facing a slate of perpetual price cuts. The transaction is expected to close before Friday. (We reached out to Roemer for comment, but she said she'd prefer to wait until the deal is complete later this week.) It sold for an undisclosed price, but the most recent list price was roughly $6.5 million. In addition to the "she-cave" dream closet, the Carlton Woods estate also features a home theater, two kitchens, a gym, spa and wine-tasting room. While the famous closet, and the home attached, might have seemed like a project Roemer completed to live in and host parties for a lifetime, she says that it was never meant to be her last property. "This house was never meant to be a house that we would live in together. It was always meant to be a house to flip," Roemer previously told Chron.com. "I want to build another one and build a bigger closet." Albuquerques hard-hit tourism industry is hopeful about a significant bounce-back in 2021, but a full recovery may still be years away. During Visit Albuquerques annual meeting Tuesday, held via Zoom, organization president Tania Armenta provided an update on the challenges the citys tourism industry has faced in 2020, as well as a potential path to recovery in 2021 and beyond. During the meeting, Armenta said travel spending nationwide is expected to spike next year after dropping 44% in 2020 due to the pandemic and other restrictions, though some experts believe it may not fully recover until 2024. The key, Armenta said, is making sure Albuquerque is well-positioned to compete for business that was postponed due to the pandemic. We want to make sure we have Albuquerque out there in the forefront, she said. Prior to 2020, Albuquerques tourism industry was humming. In 2019, Albuquerque ranked in the top 10 markets for occupancy and revenue growth for hotels. But industries were affected more by the pandemic and associated restrictions. Armenta said New Mexico air travel, as measured by volume at airport checkpoints, declined 78% year-over-year in July among the worst drops of any state over that time period. As of August, employment in Albuquerques leisure and hospitality sector which includes tourism had lost 11,300 jobs year-over-year, nearly 25% of the total leisure and hospitality jobs in the city. Almost everyone on this call knows someone who has been affected by a layoff or a furlough, Armenta said. With interstate travel limited, Visit Albuquerque focused over the summer on encouraging New Mexicans to have staycations instead. The organization put together a series of banner ads asking locals to rediscover local attractions like the Sandia Peak Tramway. The idea is to really encourage people to be a visitor in their own city, Armenta said After restrictions began to ease in September, Armenta said the organization began to expand its focus to neighboring states with a series of ads on travel websites like Expedia and Travelocity. At the meeting, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the pandemic could ultimately leave Albuquerques tourism industry in a more competitive position. He said the citys COVID-19 infection rate low compared to cities like Denver and Phoenix combined with existing benefits like a lower cost of living. could help the city attract visitors if the virus lingers. I think, interestingly, there is a very, very compelling path for Albuquerque, Keller said. Armenta said the tourism industry is unlikely to fully recover in 2021, but said shes encouraged by surveys showing about half of travelers feel comfortable traveling outside their communities. With many conventions and other events being rescheduled for 2021, Armenta said the city will have to compete against peer cities to return to normal. The path to recovery is not going to be a straight line, Armenta said. Kentuckys attorney general acknowledged that he never recommended homicide charges against any of the police officers conducting the drug raid that led to Breonna Taylors death, and said he didnt object to a public release of the grand jurys deliberations. Amid outrage over the jurys decision last week to not charge any of the officers for Taylors fatal shooting, Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Monday that he also did not object to members of the panel speaking publicly about their experience. We have no concerns with grand jurors sharing their thoughts on our presentation because we are confident in the case we presented, Cameron said in a written statement. Cameron also revealed late Monday that the only charge he recommended to the grand jury was that of wanton endangerment. He had previously declined to say what charges he recommended. The grand jury last week charged Officer Brett Hankison with three counts of wanton endangerment for firing through Taylors apartment into an adjacent unit with people inside. No one in the adjacent unit was injured. Hankison, who was fired from the force for his actions during the raid, pleaded not guilty on Monday. None of the officers was indicted in the killing of Taylor, who was shot five times after they knocked down her door to serve a narcotics warrant on March 13. In a TV interview Tuesday evening, Cameron also indicated that he had recommended no charges against the other officers, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove. Speaking to WDRB-TV in Louisville, he remarked of the grand jury, Theyre an independent body. If they wanted to make an assessment about different charges, they could have done that. But our recommendation was that Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in their acts and their conduct. At a news conference last week, Cameron said Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in firing their weapons because Taylors boyfriend had fired at them first. Mattingly was struck by a bullet in the leg. There was no conclusive evidence that any of Hankisons bullets hit Taylor, Cameron said. For that reason, the only charge recommended was wanton endangerment, he said. He also said at the news conference that prosecutors walked them (the grand jury) through every homicide offense and also presented all of the information that was available to the grand jury. A judge ordered the public release of the grand jury proceedings during Hankisons arraignment Monday. Cameron said the grand jury is meant to be a secretive body, but its apparent that the public interest in this case isnt going to allow that to happen. The attorney general said a record of the proceedings would be released Wednesday, and that the public will see that over the course of two-and-a-half days, our team presented a thorough and complete case to the grand jury. An attorney for Taylors family reiterated the need to release the complete record. Since the grand jury decision was announced, weve been saying that Daniel Cameron clearly failed to present a comprehensive case that supported justice for Breonna, attorney Ben Crump said in a news release Tuesday. A member of the grand jury sued on Monday to have a record of the proceedings released and allow the panels members to talk publicly about their experiences. The grand jurors attorney, Kevin Glogower, said Tuesday that Cameron has yet to answer what was actually presented as far as the charges and the individual they were directed to. I think thats important to know and my client feels the same, Glogower said. The grand jurors lawsuit accused Cameron of using the grand jury to deflect accountability and responsibility for (the indictment) decisions. The public disclosure of grand jury minutes is rare. Most states have laws that would make it impossible. Other states, such as California, allow it under very specific circumstances, and some require a judges order. Grand jury transcripts were released in the police shooting of Michael Brown in Missouri. But a judge refused to release the minutes of the grand jury that decided not to indict New York City officers in Eric Garners death in 2014, citing in part concerns over secrecy. In Georgia, 11th Circuit this year ruled against releasing grand jury records in the 1946 lynching of two Black couples. A coroners report says Taylor was shot five times and died of multiple gunshot wounds. It says she was hit in the torso, her upper left arm and both legs. She tested negative for drugs and alcohol. The night of the botched drug raid, the officers were carrying a no-knock warrant but Cameron said a witness testified that they knocked and announced their presence at Taylors door. On Tuesday, The Courier Journal reported that the witness gave conflicting accounts. Aaron Sarpee told police in March nobody identified themselves, but in a follow-up interview in May he said he heard officers announce this is the cops, the newspaper said, citing documents it obtained. Mikael Blomkvist Remote work comes with many challenges. One of the biggest is simply getting aligned. Entrepreneurs need to be able to connect with their team from time to time, but the back-and-forth emails to attempt to schedule a call wind up taking far more time than is necessary. Simply syncing with your team shouldn't be so time-consuming. That's why TimeSync was created. TimeSync is an online meeting scheduler expressly designed for remote teams. With this tool, you can automatically keep tabs on scheduled meetings and calls as well as seamlessly sync people, schedules, and outcomes. Making phone or video calls is easy within the platform, and you can always stay on task by creating filter questions and qualifying meetings before they happen so you know exactly what you need to cover, ensuring every meeting is actually necessary. THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Newpark Resources, Inc. (NYSE: NR) announced today that it will release its third quarter 2020 results on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 after the market closes. In conjunction with the release, the Company has scheduled a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the Internet, on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern / 9:00 a.m. Central. What: Newpark Resources Third Quarter 2020 Earnings Conference Call When: Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern / 9:00 a.m. Central How: Live via phone By dialing 412-902-0030 and asking for the Newpark Resources call at least 10 minutes prior to the start time, or Live over the Internet By logging onto the web at the address below. Where: www.newpark.com For those who cannot listen to the live call, a replay will be available through November 18, 2020 and may be accessed by dialing 201-612-7415 and using pass code 13710665#. Also, an archive of the webcast will be available shortly after the call at www.newpark.com for 90 days. Newpark Resources, Inc. is a worldwide provider of value-added fluids and chemistry solutions in the oilfield, and engineered worksite and access solutions used in various commercial markets. For more information, visit our website at www.newpark.com. Contacts: Gregg Piontek Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Newpark Resources, Inc. [email protected] 281-362-6800 SOURCE Newpark Resources, Inc. Related Links http://www.newpark.com STOCKHOLM (AP) The unsolved slaying of former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme 34 years ago wont be reopened, a Swedish prosecutor said Wednesday, adding that those who have requested a review have no connection to the case that would justify a substantive review of the prosecutors closure decision. Under Swedish law, a prosecutors decision can be appealed to a higher prosecutor and a number of petitions for review into the murder of Palme in Stockholm have been received by the Public Prosecutors Office, Chief Prosecutor Lennart Gune said. He didn't say how many. The slaying Palme was gunned down on Feb. 28, 1986 after he and his wife Lisbet Palme left a movie theater shocked the Scandinavian nation and upended its image as being so safe and peaceful that politicians could wander around in public without protection. Gune said normally it's required that the person a suspect, a victim or a close relative requesting an appeal has a legitimate interest in having the decision reviewed. I do not believe that there are such special reasons that justify that the case is now taken up for review, Gune said in a statement. On June 10, the cases chief prosecutor, Krister Petersson, said the investigation was being closed because the main suspect, Stig Engstrom, died in 2000. At the time of the slaying, the 52-year-old Engstrom was reportedly one of the first people at the murder scene and was briefly considered a possible suspect. He had a military background, was member of a shooting club, often worked late and had a drinking problem. Also known as the Skandiamannen because he worked in the nearby Skandia insurance company, Engstrom had a strong dislike of Palme and his policies. Yet Engstroms actions on the night of the murder are unclear. Several witnesses gave descriptions of the fleeing killer that matched Engstrom, while others said he wasnt even at the scene. Engstrom himself claimed to have been present from the beginning, said he spoke to Lisbet Palme and police and attempted to resuscitate the victim. WASHINGTON (AP) They've been fighting in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania over the cutoff date for counting mailed ballots, and in North Carolina over witness requirements. Ohio is grappling with drop boxes for ballots as Texas faces a court challenge over extra days of early voting. Measuring the anxiety over the November election is as simple as tallying the hundreds of voting-related lawsuits filed across the country in recent months. The cases concern the fundamentals of the American voting process, including how ballots are cast and counted, during an election made unique by the coronavirus pandemic and by a president who refuses to commit to accepting the results. The lawsuits are all the more important because President Donald Trump has raised the prospect that the election may wind up before a Supreme Court with a decidedly Republican tilt if his latest nominee is confirmed. This is a president who has expressed his opposition to access to mail ballots and has also seemed to almost foreshadow the inevitability that this election will be one decided by the courts, said Kristen Clarke, executive director of the National Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. That opposition was on display Tuesday during the first presidential debate when Trump launched into an extended argument against mail voting, claiming without evidence that it is ripe for fraud and suggesting mail ballots may be manipulated. This is going to be a fraud like youve never seen, the president said of the massive shift to mail voting prompted by the pandemic. The lawsuits are a likely precursor for what will come afterward. Republicans say they have retained outside law firms, along with thousands of volunteer lawyers at the ready. Democrats have announced a legal war room of heavyweights, including a pair of former solicitors general. The race is already regarded as the most litigated in American history, due in large part to the massive expansion of mail and absentee voting. Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt, a former Justice Department elections official, has tallied some 260 lawsuits arising from the coronavirus. The Republication National Committee says it's involved in more than 40 lawsuits, and a website operated by a chief Democrat lawyer lists active cases worth watching in about 15 states. Story continues Democrats are focusing their efforts on multiple core areas securing free postage for mail ballots, reforming signature-match laws, allowing ballot collection by third-parties like community organizations and ensuring that ballots postmarked by Election Day can count. Republicans warn that those same requests open the door to voter fraud and confusion and are countering efforts to relax rules on how voters cast ballots this November. We're trying to prevent chaos in the process, RNC chief counsel Justin Riemer said in an interview. Nothing creates more chaos than rewriting a bunch of rules at the last minute. But there have been no broad-based, sweeping examples of voter fraud during past presidential elections, including in 2016, when Trump claimed the contest would be rigged and Russians sought to meddle in the outcome. Some of the disputes are unfolding in states not traditionally thought of as election battlegrounds, such as Montana, where there is a highly competitive U.S. Senate race on the ballot. A judge Wednesday rejected an effort by Trumps reelection campaign and Republican groups to block counties from holding the general election mostly by mail. But most of the closely watched cases are in states perceived as up-for-grabs in 2020 and probably crucial to the race. That includes Ohio, where a coalition of voting groups and Democrats have sued to force an expansion of ballot drop boxes from more than just one per county. Separately on Monday, a federal judge rejected changes to the state's signature-matching requirement for ballots and ballot applications, handing a win to the states Republican election chief who has been engulfed with litigation this election season. In Arizona, a judge's ruling that voters who forget to sign their early ballots have up to five days after the election to fix the problem is now on appeal before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a six-day extension for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. The ruling gave Democrats in the state at least a temporary victory in a case that could nonetheless by appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In neighboring Michigan, the GOP is suing to try to overturn a decision that lets the state count absentee ballots up to 14 days after the election. In battleground North Carolina, where voters are already struggling with rules requiring witness signatures on absentee ballots, the RNC and Trumps campaign committee have sued over new election guidance that will permit ballots with incomplete witness information to be fixed without the voter having to fill out a new blank ballot. In Iowa, the Trump campaign and Republican groups have won a series of sweeping legal victories in their attempts to limit absentee voting, with judges throwing out tens of thousands of absentee ballot applications in three counties. This week, another judge upheld a new Republican-backed law that will make it harder for counties to process absentee ballot applications. Pennsylvania has been a particular hive of activity. Republican lawmakers asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to put a hold on a ruling by the state's highest court that extends the deadline for receiving and counting mailed-in ballots. Republicans also object to a portion of the state courts ruling that orders counties to count ballots that arrive during the three-day extension period even if they lack a postmark or legible postmark. Meanwhile in federal court, Republicans are suing to, among other things, outlaw drop boxes or other sites used to collect mail-in ballots. The Supreme Court itself has already been asked to get involved in several cases, as it did in April, when conservative justices blocked Democratic efforts to extend absentee voting in Wisconsin during the primary. There is, of course, precedent for an election that ends in the courts. In 2000, the Supreme Court settled a recount dispute in Florida, effectively handing the election to Republican George W. Bush. Barry Richard, a Florida lawyer who represented Bush during that litigation, said there's no guarantee the Supreme Court will want to get involved again, or that any lawsuit over the election will present a compelling issue for the bench to address. One significant difference between then and now, he said, is that neither candidate raised the prospect of not accepting the results. There was never any question, in 2000, about the essential integrity of the system. Neither candidate challenged it," Richard said. "Nobody even talked about whether or not the losing candidate would accept the results of the election. That was just assumed." _____ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP Guess why North Carolina's 9th Congressional District election was tossed out in 2018. Please read carefully the New York Times' answer to this question and note the underlined portions: A Republican operative in North Carolina has been charged in connection with a voter-turnout effort that investigators said was intended to manipulate the results of a now-overturned general election for Congress last year. In an indictment announced on Tuesday, the operative, L. McCrae Dowless Jr., was accused of obstruction of justice and illegal possession of an absentee ballot , among other charges. Seven other people were also indicted in connection with the election fraud inquiry, but prosecutors said the charges against one person were inadvertent and would be dismissed. In the indictment, prosecutors alleged that Mr. Dowless directed others in the criminal mishandling of absentee ballots and that "spoiled absentee ballots were counted ." Mr. Dowless's crimes, the indictment said, " served to undermine the integrity of the absentee ballot process and the public's confidence in the outcome of the electoral process ." " This offense was done with deceit and intent to defraud and against the peace and dignity of the state ," said the indictment, which a grand jury in Wake County returned on Tuesday. Those statements in the indictment against L. McCrae Dowless, Jr. should be genuinely concerning to every American. I happen to live in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District, so I was shocked when I watched the Project Veritas report on illegal ballot-harvesting in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, represented by Ilhan Omar. After the 2018 N.C. 9th Congressional District election, there was daily front-page coverage of the ballot-harvesting story in the liberal Charlotte Observer and nightly coverage on every local TV network news affiliate. It didn't take long before every liberal cable and network news organization descended on Bladen County, N.C. and began their blanket coverage of the mail-in ballot harvesting scandal. Oh, did I forget to mention that the N.C. 9th Congressional District race was won by a Republican? And not just any Republican, but newcomer Mark Harris, who defeated three-term incumbent congressman Robert Pittenger in a close primary. Pittenger was virtually assured to beat Democrat challenger Dan McCready, but when Pittenger was defeated by Harris, Democrats saw an opportunity to flip a seat held by Republicans since 1963. Democrats poured tons of money into the race, and it looked like McCready would win going into election night. But Harris pulled off an upset win by 905 votes. And then it happened. A local ABC reporter, Joe Bruno with WSOC-TV, decided to follow up on reports of alleged voter fraud in Bladen County, N.C. It snowballed from there, and with evidence mounting, Mark Harris said he thought the best thing for the voters was to have another election, in which he would not participate. Long story short: Republican Dan Bishop defeated Democrat Dan McCready by 3,788 votes and Republicans held the congressional seat. (Kind of fun that McCready lost twice and that it was such a blowout the second time.) So the big question today is, how will the MSM cover the blatant illegal mail-in ballot fraud in Ilhan Omar's congressional district, and how will the Minnesota State Election Board respond to the facts? And if it can be proven that the same mail-in ballot fraud happened in 2018, will Omar step down immediately? Will Nancy Pelosi demand that she be impeached and replaced on the 2020 ballot? We'll see...but don't hold your breath. Maybe WSOC-TV can send reporter Mark Bruno to Minneapolis to investigate? And maybe the N.C. Election Board can send its notes to the Minn. Election Board? Image: Gage Skidmore. By Moira Warburton and Tessa Vikander VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Lawyers for the Canadian government asked a judge on Tuesday to keep Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's extradition case to the United States "on the straight and narrow" and described the evidence presented by the defence as inadmissible. Government lawyer Robert Frater asked the judge to throw out the defence's arguments and end their effort to add an allegation that the U.S. government had abused the process. Lawyers for Meng told the court that the United States extradition request to Canada is based on so many "omissions and misrepresentations that it's unreliable and ineffective." Tuesday's arguments are the latest in a series of hearings in a case that has strained China's relations with the United States and Canada. Meng, 48, was arrested in December 2018 on a warrant from the United States charging her with bank fraud for misleading HSBC about Huawei's business dealings in Iran and causing the bank to break U.S. sanctions law. The daughter of billionaire Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, Meng has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition while under house arrest in Vancouver. Frater said the judge should disregard the defences arguments around who knew what at HSBC and accused the defence of attempting to litigate the fraud charges against Meng in the extradition case. Frater asked the judge to keep the case "on the straight and narrow" and "refuse to spend precious court time on issues that have no hope of success." The crux of Meng's argument is that the United States misrepresented the case when it asked Canadian officials to arrest her. Huawei has long described Skycom Tech Co Ltd as a separate local business partner in Iran, but the U.S. indictment said Huawei controlled Skycom and used it to violate U.S. sanctions. The United States has used part of a PowerPoint presentation given by Meng to HSBC as proof of fraud, but Meng and her lawyers argue otherwise. Story continues "No banker would leave that meeting thinking that Huawei had distanced itself from Skycom," Frank Addario, one of Meng's lawyers, told the court on Tuesday, adding that "HSBC knew what it was getting into." The judge must decide whether the defence's latest allegation is plausible enough to be worth fully litigating. If the judge rules in Meng's favor, an additional set of hearings will be added to the case schedule for arguments. A decision on this issue is expected by Oct. 30. The hearing is expected to wrap up on Wednesday. Meng's extradition case is scheduled to finish in April 2021. (Reporting by Moira Warburton and Tessa Vikander in Vancouver; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Grant McCool) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Yasmine Fathallas family was enjoying a Saturday at the Midland Beach picnic area on Sept. 19 when their leisure turned to horror as they say an unleashed pair of pit bulls attacked them leaving them with a series of puncture wounds and gashes. Fathalla, 22, a Woodbridge, N.J., resident who often meets with her family from Brooklyn on Staten Island, said the chaotic episode began when her aunt and mother saw one beige and one black pit bull, apparently without a leash or nearby owner, moving toward them. Top BJP leaders hailed the special CBI court order acquitting all the accused and described it as a victory of truth and justice. IMAGE: BJP workers celebrate Babri mosque demolition verdict outside state party HQ in Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo The acquittal of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and Hindutva activists in the Babri mosque demolition case on Wednesday has come as a big boost to the saffron party, whose leaders have always insisted that the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya was a spontaneous act and not part of any conspiracy. With the party set to intensify its campaign for the Bihar assembly polls besides by-elections to one Lok Sabha and 56 assembly seats, the court verdict has again brought the emotive issue, which has animated political discourse for long, to the centre stage and given the BJP a handy plank. The special Central Bureau of Investigation court's order effectively absolves the BJP of any responsibility from the most controversial aspect of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and what the Supreme Court had described as an "egregious violation of the rule of law" in its last year verdict that handed over the disputed site in Ayodhya to pro-temple parties in that dispute. All the 32 accused, including BJP veterans L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Kalyan Singh besides Uma Bharti and Vinay Katiyar, were acquitted by the court in Lucknow almost 28 years after the FIR was filed following the mosque's demolition on December 6, 1992 by 'kar sevaks'. The court said there was no conclusive proof against the accused, which also included Sadhvi Ritambhara, Champat Rai and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, who were all part of the movement. The verdict will ensure that the BJP while owning up the movement's success in ensuring the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, can legitimately disassociate itself with the demolition. It has also snatched a potent weapon from opposition parties, most of whom have targeted the BJP for the mosque's fall while either refraining from criticising or even welcoming the temple's construction. It was the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and Advani's ' Rath Yatra' in 1990 to mobile the masses in favour of building a temple at the disputed site, where believers hold that Lord Ram was born, that brought the issue to the center stage of national politics and helped the BJP emerge as an alternative to the Congress. As part of the movement, Hindutva organisations had brought a large number of 'kar sevaks' at the site when the mosque was taken down by the mob. Reacting to the verdict, Advani said it has vindicated the BJP's and his stand. "It is a very important decision and a matter of happiness for us. When we heard the news of the court's order, we welcomed it by chanting Jai Shri Ram," he said. A BJP leader said the judgment has ensured that the Ram Janmabhoomi movement leaves behind a "proud legacy" for the party without having any dimension to it about which it might have felt defensive. Though the CBI has the option to appeal in a higher court against the verdict, it remains far from clear if the central agency will do so. Top BJP leaders hailed the special CBI court order acquitting all the accused and described it as a victory of truth and justice. Attorney general Daniel Camerons office filed a motion on Wednesday morning asking for a weeks delay to enable the redaction of names and personal information. A court in Louisville had been expected to release the audio recordings on Wednesday. The filing said the delay is necessary in the interest of protection of witnesses, and in particular private citizens named in the recordings. Mr Cameron acknowledged this week that his recommendation to the grand jury was that only one of the officers be indicted, and only for the wanton endangerment of Ms Taylors neighbours. Mr Cameron, a Republican protege of Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and the states first African American attorney general, has been criticized since announcing the grand jurys indictment for not seeking charges against the officers for killing Ms Taylor. Mr Cameron said the other two officers who fired their guns were justified because Ms Taylors boyfriend had fired at them first. Advertisement Protesters took to the streets in Louisville and around the country to demand more accountability in the case, as frustrations spilled over after months of waiting for Mr Camerons announcement. Activists and Ms Taylors family called for the grand jury file to be released. Mr Cameron said the record will show that his team presented a thorough and complete case to the grand jury. Ms Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical worker, was shot five times in her Louisville home on March 13 by officers carrying a narcotics warrant. Ms Taylor and her boyfriend were watching a movie in her bedroom when police came to her door and eventually knocked it down. The warrant was related to an investigation of a drug suspect who did not live with her, and police found no drugs at her home. Former officer Brett Hankison, who was fired from the force for his actions during the raid, pleaded not guilty to three counts of wanton endangerment on Monday. Officers Jonathan Mattingly, who was shot in the leg by Ms Taylors boyfriend, and Myles Cosgrove, who Mr Cameron said appeared to have fired the fatal shot at Ms Taylor, according to ballistics tests, remain on the force. Cocooned from the outside world, some 200 critically endangered golden frogs are living a sheltered existence in Panama, protected from a devastating fungus that threatens to wipe out a third of the country's amphibian species -- a situation scientists describe as "critical." The frogs, which are yellow or gold with black spots, enjoy a controlled environment inside fish tanks installed at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), a 5,000-square-foot (465-square-meter) facility in Gamboa, north of Panama City. Though endemic to the lush Central American country, no Panamanian golden frog can be seen in its natural habitat, threatened as it is by a so-called "superfungus" that has decimated amphibians in the wild. According to a report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) published this week, the planet has lost more than two-thirds of its vertebrates in less than 50 years. The situation is especially dire in the tropical areas of Central and South America, where the extent of loss is pegged at 94 percent. Believed extinct in the wild, only about 1,500 of the tiny Panamanian golden frogs are found in zoos where they can reproduce. But it is not only frogs that are vulnerable to the fungus. Toads, salamanders and caecilians -- limbless amphibians similar to snakes -- are also at risk. "In Panama, we can say that about a third of the 225 species of amphibians are threatened in some way," said STRI researcher Roberto Ibanez. Gina Della Togna, a specialist in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Maryland, described the situation as "critical." The biggest threat posed to amphibians is chytrid fungus, which spreads through water. The pathogen is responsible for chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease that scientists say has already caused the disappearance of some 30 species. The fungus becomes embedded in the animal's skin and infects it, causing it to be unable to exchange salts and water with the environment. The disease causes irreparable damage to vital functions. Eventually the animal dies of heart failure caused by asphyxiation. "It's a pretty dramatic and painful disease," said Angie Estrada, a biologist at Virginia Tech University and administrator of Panama's Summit Park. "When the fungus gets to a place where it wasn't, it affects populations very much and animals die en masse. It causes certain death in the individuals it infects. It's a devastating phenomenon," said Della Togna. The microorganism was first detected in the 20th century in the Korean Peninsula and scientists warn that it has already spread throughout the world. "Anywhere in the world where there are amphibians, the fungus is already there," said Estrada. It arrived in Panama in the early 1990s and has been wreaking havoc ever since. "It's a superfungus that can even affect other species that are not amphibians," according to Ibanez. He warned that deforestation, environmental destruction and pollution of streams and rivers caused by humans exacerbate the problem. Despite the gloomy scenario, scientists point to some glimmers of hope, saying that in the past few years some species believed to have gone extinct have been re-discovered. Specialists suspect that some amphibians have been able to bolster their defenses against infection. "This gives us hope, knowing that some frogs are returning and that they have ways to counter-attack" the fungus, said Estrada. Meanwhile, in Gamboa, the STRI maintains some 2,000 specimens from 12 frog species in the hope they can one day be released into the wild to fend for themselves. "The idea is not to keep these animals in captivity forever. We want to be able to reestablish populations in their natural habitat," said Ibanez. To that end, Smithsonian researcher Della Togna is carrying out an assisted reproduction project, where she freezes the animals' semen in order to impregnate the females and increase their numbers. With great care, she injects hormones into the tiny frogs that appear to get lost in the palm of her hand. "Of all the different animals, amphibians are the world's most threatened," Della Togna said. Ohio State Rep. Bernadine Kennedy Kent said Trumps values aligned with her A Democratic lawmaker has made her stance in support of President Donald Trump very clear. State Rep. Bernadine Kennedy Kent, who is Black, said she has been a lifelong Democrat but is now on board with Trump. The lawmaker and her husband met with the president on Air Force One in Cleveland ahead of last nights debate. She released a statement on Tuesday that read, We all recognize that gainful employment and economic development is the best deterrent against violence and social unrest, so I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to ensuring the success of the Black community in every way, according to Cincinnati.com. (Credit: Rep. Kennedy Kent) Read More: Crowd chants fill that seat at Ohio rally as Trump reaffirms court plans Kennedy Kent was kicked out of the Ohio House Democrats in 2018 according to Dispatch.com. She sent a public records request in regards to then-Police Chief Kim Jacobs to Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther using Ohio Legislative Black Caucus letterhead. The problem is that Cleveland Democrat and president of the Black Caucus, Rep. Stephanie Howse, said it was unauthorized. There is no apology, said Howse. Shes just digging down, and you cannot operate that way, especially when youre elected and entrusted with peoples information. You cannot use it for your own personal agenda. Kennedy Kent said the Democratic party, does not have the peoples best interest in mind, in her latest comments. She has not been to the Statehouse since May 2019 and today, she stands with Trump. Read More: White Ohio police chief explains BLM support: We have to listen to people Rep. Bernadine Kennedy Kent (Credit: Rep. Kennedy Kent) She said her values align with the president and accused Democratic nominee Joe Biden of spewing divisive rhetoric, promotion of mass incarceration, and disrespectful, insensitive ideologies. In the prepared statement she added, We all recognize that gainful employment and economic development is the best deterrent against violence and social unrest, so I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to ensuring the success of the Black community in every way. Story continues Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper declared that the endorsement didnt reflect the strong support Biden enjoyed in the state among the party. She basically hasnt been involved with the party or her Statehouse job for a long time, Pepper said. This is the first Ive heard of her in a while. Obviously, she checked out of her public position a long time ago. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Ohio Democratic Rep. Kennedy Kent endorses Trump appeared first on TheGrio. American investment firm General Atlantic will invest Rs 3,675 crore in the retail unit of Reliance Industries Ltd, the Indian conglomerate said on Wednesday, bringing the total funding in Reliance Retail to over Rs 16,000 crore within a month. General Atlantic will pick up a 0.84 per cent stake in exchange and the investment values Reliance Retail at a pre-money equity value of Rs 4.28 lakh crore, RIL said in an exchange filing on September 30. Reliance Retail is receiving growing interest from overseas investors and has been raising funds at a sprinters pace in the past few weeks. Indias biggest brick-and-mortar retail business collected a combined Rs 13,050 crore in the past few weeks from private equity giant Silver Lake Partners and US buyout firm KKR & Co. Last week, American buyout firm KKR decided to invest Rs 5,550 crore for 1.28 per cent stake in Reliance Retail. On September 9, Silver Lake Partners bought 1.75 per cent stake for Rs 7,500 crore in Reliance Retail. The stake sale to General Atlantic marks the second investment by the equity firm in a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, following a Rs 6,598.38 crore investment in Jio Platforms announced earlier this year. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, said, I am pleased to extend our relationship with General Atlantic as we work towards empowering both merchants and consumers alike, and ultimately transforming Indian Retail. Bill Ford, Chief Executive Officer, General Atlantic, said, General Atlantic is thrilled to be backing Mukeshs New Commerce mission to drive substantial positive change in the countrys retail sector, which goes hand-in-hand with his vision to enable a Digital India through the work of Jio Platforms. RIL, an oil-to-telecom conglomerate, is expanding its retail business through acquisitions and lining up a scrum of global investors to take on rivals such as Amazon India and Walmart-owned Flipkart in Indias huge market. The company said in end August it would buy the retail and logistics businesses of Kishore Biyanis Future Group in a deal valued at $3.38 billion, including debt. The Assemblyman for Livim Electoral Area in the West-Mamprusi Municipality in the North East Region, Haruna Ibrahim, has commended the central government and Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL). He made the commendation following the third phase of the disinfection and fumigation exercise in basic and senior high schools (SHSs) in the North East Region. I must commend the government and Zoomlion for their effort to conduct another round of disinfection in schools in the region of which my electoral area has benefited, he expressed. Allaying fears According to him, the exercise would allay the fears of Form Two students of both SHSs and basic schools who were scheduled to resume on October 5. He said now that the schools had been disinfected what was left now was for the students and the teaching and non-teaching staff to observe all COVID-19 preventive measures. The Assemblyman of the Livim electoral area used the opportunity to plead with the government to help them with their deplorable roads in his area. The first school that was disinfected in the region was Banawa L/A Primary at Kata-Banawa followed by Diani Primary/JHS. Other schools were Janga Senior High Technical and Hamdara E/A JHS. Prepared for the exercise The District Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, West-Mamprusi, Mohammed Abdul Razak, disclosed that in all about 138 basic schools and 7 SHSs were expected to be disinfected in the district. He noted that his outfit was already prepared for the exercise and had deployed all the necessary logistics for it. We are are using four days to complete the disinfection exercise, he said. At the Liberty Preparatory and JHS in Janga, the Manager of the school, Yakubu Abdul Sahed, indicated that they were prepared to receive the Form Two students. He was particularly happy that his school had been included in the exercise. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 19:50:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PARIS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A fighter jet that broke the sound barrier on Wednesday over Paris was in operation to provide assistance to an aircraft which lost contact with traffic control, said the French Ministry of the Armed Forces in a press release. Without an elaboration on the aircraft in loss of contact, the ministry said the Rafale of Saint-Dizier (an airbase of the French army in the northeast of the country) was authorized to take off to assist the plane in difficulty, "It (Rafale) passed the sound barrier to the east of Paris," explained the ministry. When breaking the sound barrier, the fighter jet caused a huge noise that was heard across the city of Paris and its suburbs, leading to a surge in calls to police. Paris police also said on Twitter that the major noise was caused by a fighter jet that broke the sound barrier. Enditem A new judge has been assigned to hear the child pornography accusations against former Harrisburg councilman Brad Koplinski to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, his attorney told PennLive. The 51-year-old was charged earlier this month with 15 felony counts of child pornography possession. Investigators said 36 suspected images of children being sexually exploited or child erotica were uploaded from Internet Protocol addresses registered to Koplinskis wife between March 18 and July 1. Koplinski was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Hanif Johnson Sept. 18 and released on $5,000 unsecured bail. His next court appearance, a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 7 in front of District Judge Barbara Pianka, was canceled, however, after she asked to be recused, according to Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo. Koplinskis attorney Bryan McQuillen said he believed Pianka recused herself to avoid any appearance of a conflict. Piankas husband, James Pianka, was known to be a political supporter of Koplinski during Koplinskis time on city council. Koplinski will now appear Nov. 23 at 9:30 a.m. in front of District Judge Sonya M. McKnight, court records show. The judicial handling of Koplinskis case already has been placed under a microscope by civilians who believe he was too easily let off with $5,000 bail. A group of protesters gathered outside Johnsons office Sept. 21 and told PennLive they viewed his bail as an unfair, hypocritical example for the community because defendants with less serious charges than 15 felonies often dont get unsecured bail. Investigators started looking at Koplinski after a national child exploitation agency identified suspected child porn being uploaded to devices registered to his address in the city of Harrisburg. During an August search of Koplinskis North 2nd Street home, investigators said he directed us to a laptop computer that he stated he used to upload the images in question and several thumb drives that were in a drawer in the nightstand next to his side of the bed," according to an affidavit of probable cause. The affidavit said Koplinski later admitted in an interview with police to uploading the images. Koplinski a Democrat who ran for lieutenant governor in 2014 served on city council for eight years before losing his reelection bid in 2015. He was previously charged with stealing a press pass and illegally entering the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. In 2016, Koplinski was charged with driving with a suspended license. He pleaded guilty to failing to report earned income taxes in 2009. READ MORE: A changing story by police on a rural Pa. shooting helped fuel white vigilantes and misinformation Pa. womans hoarding is so bad it endangered 12-year-old girl forced to do homework on toilet seat: cops Stand back and stand by: Proud Boys puts Trumps debate remarks in new logo Today, Arm unveiled new computing solutions to accelerate autonomous decision-making with safety capability across automotive and industrial applications. The new suite of IP includes the Arm Cortex-A78AE CPU, Arm Mali-G78AE GPU, and Arm Mali-C71AE ISP, engineered to work together in combination with supporting software, tools, and system IP to enable silicon providers and OEMs to design for autonomous workloads. These products will be deployed in a range of applications, from enabling more intelligence and configurability in smart manufacturing to enhancing ADAS and digital cockpit applications in automotive. "Autonomy has the potential to improve every aspect of our lives, but only if built on a safe and secure computing foundation," said Chet Babla, vice president, Automotive and IoT Line of Business at Arm. "As autonomous decision-making becomes more pervasive, Arm has designed a unique suite of technology that prioritizes safety while delivering highly scalable, power-efficient compute to enable autonomous decision-making across new automotive and industrial opportunities," added Chet. Cortex-A78AE: High performance in safety-critical applications The new Arm Cortex-A78AE CPU is Arm's latest, highest performance safety capable CPU, offering the ability to run different, complex workloads for autonomous applications such as mobile robotics and driverless transportation. It delivers: * 30 per cent performance uplift compared to its predecessor. * Supports features to achieve the relevant automotive and industrial functional safety standards, ISO 26262 and IEC 61508 for applications up to ASIL D / SIL 3. * New enhanced Split Lock functionality (Hybrid Mode) to offer maximum flexibility. Hybrid Mode is designed to specifically enable applications that target lower levels of ASIL requirements without compromising performance and allow the deployment of the same SoC compute architecture into different domain controllers. For more technical details on the Cortex-A78AE, visit our blog. Mali-G78AE: Redefining safety for embedded GPUs, with flexible partitioning Mali is the number one shipping GPU worldwide, and the new Mali-G78AE is Arm's first GPU to be designed for safety, delivering rich user experiences and heterogenous compute to safety-critical autonomous applications. The new Mali-G78AE enables: * A new approach to autonomous GPU workloads with Flexible Partitioning, with up to four fully independent partitions for workload separation for safety use cases. * GPU resources can now be utilized for safety-enabled human-machine interfaces or for the heterogeneous compute needed in autonomous systems. For example, an infotainment system, an instrument cluster with ASIL B requirements, and a driver monitoring system can now all run concurrently and independently with hardware separation within an automotive application. For more technical details on the Mali-G78AE, visit our blog. Mali-C71AE: An evolution in ISP safety Autonomous workloads need to be aware of their surroundings, often through cameras that must operate in a wide range of lighting conditions. To support a broad range of vision applications across automotive and industrial, the Mali-C71AE offers: * The flexibility needed to support both human and machine vision applications such as production line monitoring and ADAS camera systems. * Enhanced safety features, support features to achieve ASIL B / SIL2 safety capability. * Support for four real-time cameras, or 16 buffered cameras, delivering a 1.2 gigapixel per second throughput. For more technical details on the Arm Mali-C71AE, visit our blog. Enabling the autonomous software ecosystem As autonomous systems move towards more software-defined functionality, Arm is working to accelerate the development of software that will fully realize the benefits of these new technologies through initiatives such as Project Cassini, aimed at laying the foundation for the adoption of cloud-native software paradigms across the entirety of edge computing. Arm is also working with multiple open source communities and specialist software vendors to widely enable the autonomous software ecosystem, adopting innovations from the established cloud-native ecosystem, and collaboratively driving new development to support the features required for autonomous workloads. Find out more about this at Arm DevSummit. Supporting Partner Quotes AImotive "As a leader in AI-based automotive software, we are collaborating closely with Arm on software solutions for ADAS and autonomous driving. We are excited to see this next generation of Arm's safety-engineered IP, helping deliver more deployable automated driving solutions and provide the foundational compute required for future automotive systems," said Laszlo Kishonti, CEO of AImotive. KUKA "The future of smart manufacturing requires innovative automation solutions with computing capabilities that support the safe, flexible, and seamless operation of factories. The Arm architecture is already powering some of our key industrial solutions, and we see Arm's new technologies as a positive step towards enabling the safety and further development of robotics needed for industrial operations to move closer to true autonomy," said Michael Wagner, director, Competence Center Control Technology at KUKA. NVIDIA "Powerful new processing capabilities are needed to enable future autonomous vehicles and machines. As a lead partner for the new Arm Cortex-A78AE, NVIDIA delivers the advanced performance and safety these edge AI systems require with our next-generation NVIDIA Orin SoC," said Gary Hicok, senior vice president of hardware development at NVIDIA. Volkswagen Group "The requirements for higher level of driver automation, electrification and immersive in-vehicle experiences are continually growing, and scalable, heterogenous, safe compute is critical in order to meet the requirements of future vehicle electronics systems. Innovation such as Arm's new technologies and the extensive ecosystem that supports it will help to accelerate the deployment of next-generation vehicles," said Alexander Hitzinger, senior vice president for autonomous driving in the Volkswagen Group and CEO of Artemis. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It's been six months since Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their son Archie Harrison moved to Los Angeles to live a financially independent life. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex planted their roots in Santa Barbara, California, where they purchased a multi-million-dollar mansion. The couple has also signed a massive deal with the streaming giant, Netflix, and was able to pay off the overwhelming renovation cost of Frogmore Cottage, their home in the UK. Prince Harry and Meghan have also stopped receiving money from Prince Charles, which only showed that they are now genuinely independent from the British royal family. Recently, the parents-of-one urged Americans to vote in the upcoming presidential election. Their comments just further indicated as to how they are moving far away from The Firm. Buckingham Palace even dismissed the Duke's comments, saying, "The Duke is not a working member of the royal family, and any comments he makes are made in a personal capacity." Royal watchers noticed these changes in Prince Harry, and they are wondering if he and his dad, Prince Charles, are still close even miles away from each other. As Prince Harry has set himself a brand new life in a country that is not his motherland, an unearthed exchange between him and the Prince of Wales has recently emerged. In a 2017 interview with BBC Radio 4 program, the father-son environmentalists discussed climate change. The Duke of Cornwall told his son, "I want to ensure that you and your children, my grandchildren... have a world fit to live in, that provides them with opportunity." Prince Charles further said that humans are now dealing with the effects of climate change as it's one of the most common problems all over the globe. He added, "We sit here in this part of the world, so often unaware of what's happening in Africa or the Far East." Now that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle live in California, they are closer to the environmental crisis happening in that part of the world as the state is known to have many fatal wildfires. In another interview, the 36-year-old asked his dad what his answer was to those who believe that the younger generation finding tech solutions to the current environmental crisis. To which the future King replied, "The mistake is to think that technology will solve everything." "We somehow abandoned our proper connection." The 62-year-old further said, "We imagine we can manage without, or we battle against her [Mother Nature] in every way, instead of understanding that the future lies in working in far better harmony with nature." The father-son exchange took a whole new different meaning because of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's abrupt move and the coronavirus pandemic. It is believed that Prince Harry and Prince Charles haven't seen each other personally since March. In June, the Duke of Cornwall confessed that it was challenging to be away from his family during the lockdown. He told Sky News that though they video call each other, he knows it still isn't the same. "You really just want to give people a hug," Prince Charles heartbreakingly said. READ MORE: Henry Cavill Reveals Why Sherlock on 'Enola Holmes' is His Favorite Role WASHINGTON Candidates often spend days on debate preparations trying to rehearse their talking points, master key topics and anticipate any scenario that might arise. But often it's the impromptu zingers that become the defining moments of the debate and could even make or break a campaign. Here are a few memorable quips and the context in which they said it: 2020: 'Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential.' Democratic candidate Joe Biden was exasperated by multiple interruptions by President Donald Trump early in the first debate. As they discussed the open seat on the Supreme Court, Trump continually spoke over Biden, leading to Biden's comment. 2020: 'Dont ever use the word smart with me. Dont ever use that word. Because you know what? Theres nothing smart about you.' Biden said Trump's handling of the COVID-19 crisis meant "a lot more (people) are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter and a lot quicker." Trump reacted to Biden's use of "smarter" by disparaging his opponent's intelligence. 1980: 'There you go again.' Republican challenger Ronald Reagan's brusque quip to Democratic President Jimmy Carter after Carter accused the former California governor of starting his political career by campaigning against Medicare. More: Mock debates? Briefing books? How Trump and Biden are preparing for their first debate in Cleveland 1980: 'Ask yourself, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"' Reagan asked this question to voters about Carter's administration during his debate with the 39th president. Variations of that quote have been used by other presidential candidates since, and a recording of Reagan's comments even has been used against President Donald Trump by Democratic groups this year. 1984: 'I will not make age an issue in this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purpose my opponents youth and inexperience.' Story continues Reagan, then running for reelection, humorously turned the concerns that he was getting too old or senile for the job back on Democratic challenger Walter Mondale. Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan shake hands on Oct. 28, 1980, in Cleveland before their debate. 1988: 'I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.' Democratic vice presidential nominee Lloyd Bentsen dismissed GOP opponent Dan Quayle's assertion that his political experience in Congress was comparable to John F. Kennedy's. 2008: 'You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one!' Sen. John McCain, pointing to then-Sen. Barack Obama while referring to him as "that one," became a viral moment online. McCain was talking about an energy bill he said was "loaded down with goodies, billions for the oil companies." McCain noted that Obama voted for the bill while he voted against it. 2012: 'The 1980s are calling to ask for their foreign policy back.' Democratic President Barack Obama's poked at Mitt Romney after the GOP challenger said Russia was the biggest geopolitical threat facing the U.S., not al-Qaida, as Obama had said. Donald Trump, right, debates Hillary Clinton in St. Louis on Oct. 9, 2016. 2012: 'We took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our Cabinet. I went to a number of women's groups and said, "Can you help us find folks," and they brought us whole binders full of women.' Romney's remarks were made at the second presidential debate against Obama. Romney's line "binders full of women" went viral and became a meme. 2016: 'Such a nasty woman.' Then-Republican nominee Trump described Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, as such during the third presidential debate in 2016. The phrase "nasty woman" ended up becoming a meme and launched a movement of Democratic women to vote across the nation. Contributing: Bryan Alexander This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Presidential debate: Candidate quips and barbs prove defining moments Hours before a presidential debate that erased the boundaries of political decorum, I spoke to Democratic vice-presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris. I asked her about the concerns of Black Philadelphians a community that could very well decide the election. In the states most populous city, where African Americans make up nearly half the population, Black people could be the key to winning Pennsylvania. And without Pennsylvania, Joe Bidens path to the presidency narrows considerably. That makes Harris, a woman of Black and South Asian heritage, more than just a capable running mate. She is an ambassador who can speak to African Americans in ways that Biden simply cannot. Thats why when I asked Harris what she and Biden would do about the most virulent, in-your-face racism Ive seen in my lifetime, her answer was interesting because it was an answer that only a Black woman would give. I would beg to differ in terms of this, she said. It is perhaps more evident, but the racism that we have been experiencing, it remains constant in terms of the effects I think so much about this pandemic has been an accelerator, meaning folks who were doing badly before are doing worse now. When we look at the racial disparities that have been highlighted during the course of the pandemic be it public health, be it economic, be it education you see the disparities based on race highlighted. But they existed before We have to speak the truth about the fact of racism. READ MORE: Stacey Abrams pours the sting of loss into making sure others can vote | Solomon Jones Harris said that she and Biden had a plan to deal with racial disparities by investing in Black businesses, addressing the health disparities exposed by COVID-19, putting $70 billion into Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and adopting a national standard on the use of force in policing. But Harris knows she has to do more than quote policy and budget numbers. She has to speak to the experiences of Black people who are tired of promises, tired of disappointment, and tired of a Democratic Party that speaks nicely, but doesnt deliver significant change on race. When Barack Obama ran for office in 2008, the excitement in the Black community was palpable. Obama, the first Black man to have a serious chance of winning the presidency, was himself the change that he so often spoke about. He was brilliant, he was articulate, and he was qualified. Harris, the first Black woman on a major partys ticket, shares those qualities, but in a Black community that has waited patiently for something big to happen, seeing a Black candidate is not change anymore. Weve already been through that, which means Kamala Harris cant be symbolic like Obama. She must be substantive, and she must be able to answer the tough questions so many of us have. Yesterday I asked Harris if she had ever opposed police body cameras, as some of her critics have claimed. Harris said no. In fact, she said, she helped to push body cameras when she was attorney general of California a fact that a quick search of her record confirmed. But Harris past as a prosecutor has brought more questions, including a query from a cynical Black man who confronted her about the overrepresentation of African Americans in the criminal justice system when she visited Philadelphia this month. She told him things would change, and yesterday when I spoke with her, I asked her how that change would come about. READ MORE: Democrats owe Black voters more than Kamala Harris nomination | Solomon Jones I wish that I had more time with the brother, Harris told me. Because he was there I think that was his son and he knows the life experience he has had as a man. And theres not a Black man that I know be he a relative or a friend who has not experienced some form of racial profiling or excessive force or unreasonable stop. Not one. And hes raising a Black child to be a Black man. So his level of concern and righteous anger with a system that has been fueled and in many cases enforced by racial bias and institutional and systemic racism was real, and I respect that. Harris ticked off a few policies that she and Biden would implement to slow mass incarceration in America, including an effort to stop jailing people for drug use. Such commonsense ideas are good, but after a debate in which her running mate faced a president unconcerned about rules and decorum, Harris, the former prosecutor, will have to make her case to my community. I believe her Blackness equips her to do so. I only hope that we are prepared to listen. The 36th edition of the National Farmers' Day for this years will be held in Techiman in the Bono East Region on November 6, 2020. The national event will be held on the theme: "Agribusiness Development under COVID-19 - Opportunities and Challenges". Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, speaking at the launch of the event in Accra, said the choice of the theme was to highlight the new orientation for all actors along the agricultural value chain. "The challenges and opportunities presented by the onset of Covid-19 pandemic reinforce the government's priority placed on the agricultural sector. For us in the sector, including fisheries, we are assured that our farmers and fishers can continue to go about their means of livelihood with the support of government and its partners even in times of emergencies," she said. She said the country's agriculture sector was transitioning from subsistence and primary production to that of value addition and agribusiness. She stated the government's commitment to the sector's growth through its flagship programmes such as the Planting for food and jobs, planting for export and rural development. Mrs Quaye said the Ministry was constructing 12 fish landing sites and fishing harbours in selected communities to improve fish handling and reduce post-harvest losses. She added that the Ministry was rolling out Aquaculture for Food and Jobs as part of the planting for food and jobs initiative to increase domestic fish production and create decent job opportunities along the value chain. This, she explained, would create 3,000 direct jobs and 33,000 metric tonnes of fish annually. Mr Nurah Gyiele, Minister of State at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said the event was to recognize the immense role farmers played to the country's growth. Mr Gyiele, who is also the Chairman of the National Planning Committee, said this year's National Best Farmer would receive an amount of 100, 000 cash prize. "As a ministry, we exist to ensure that farmers and fishers receive the best services in the form of technical support, inputs and infrastructural facilities to promote their enterprise," he said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The first debate for the presidential elections gives the US president another platform to again blame Beijing for the Covid-19 emergency. Joe Biden, Democratic challenger: In the early days of the health crisis, Trump praised Xi Jinping's "great job". The condemnation of Chinese policies is transversal in the US public debate. Cleveland (AsiaNews / Agencies) - "We built the greatest economy in history, we closed it down because of the China plague": US President Donald Trump used the stage of the first electoral debate with Democratic challenger Joe Biden Tuesday to launch yet another attack on China, accused of lying about the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. China has been the target of the White House tenant since the 2016 presidential campaign. According to Trump, the manufacturing industry in the United States has been in crisis due to unfair trade practices in Beijing. The Chinese regime offers subsidies to its exporters, eliminating competition from US companies. The trade war unleashed by the US president led to the signing of a phase one trade deal in January, which has not yet rebalanced the imbalance between the two powers. Biden retorted that Trump did not act in a timely manner to counter the Covid-19 emergency. He recalls that at the beginning of the pandemic crisis, the president had praised the "great job" and the "transparency" of the Chinese counterpart in containing the spread of lung disease. Trump responded that the Democratic candidate is not credible when addressing the issue of the Chinese challenge: he claims that Biden is a puppet in Beijings hands due to his son Hunter's relationship with a Shanghai investment fund. The condemnation of Chinese policies has become transversal in the US public debate. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have approved (or are drafting) a series of "anti-China" measures. They address issues such as the protection of human rights in Tibet and Xinjiang, the safeguarding of freedoms in Hong Kong, the protection of Taiwan, the expansion of Beijing into the South China Sea and technological security. Rachel Rounds (pictured) claims a ban on office affairs would end the excuse that work predators are only flirting YES By Rachel Rounds After having my own ill-fated office affair when I was in my 20s, I support a ban wholeheartedly. I met the man at my first big media production job. We shared a kiss in a taxi after an office night out. I knew there was chemistry; I also knew I was already in a relationship. Suddenly I had a second full-time job trying to stop the office gossips from spotting what was going on. You become paranoid about every look, every gesture and every word you say to each other whatever the topic. We stole the odd kiss in the stairwell and sent love notes over the internal messaging system, but the strain got so tough that I ended things and stayed with my boyfriend. Then things went from bad to worse. My work ex started seeing another colleague, then dumped her as he missed me too much. I finally decided I felt the same and finished with my boyfriend of three years. It was traumatic for him and I deservedly lost plenty of friends. I made my new relationship public and became a source of fascination at work. Any time we were talking to each other, heads would appear over screens. The jilted female colleague made my life a misery. She turned other women against me and I regularly spent my lunch hour crying in the loos. In the end, I quit the job I loved because of her. As for the man for whom I inadvertently sacrificed my dream job, we lasted two years, but the trauma had left a shadow. Disastrous as it was, I was still lucky in one respect: at least the man I dated wasnt my boss. For women who find their superiors coming on to them, its a different story. Its virtually impossible to say no. You feel scared and vulnerable, and dont want to lose your job. Flirting at the water cooler these days is creepy I was assaulted by a senior director at a Christmas party in a hotel, aged 19, and had I not been rescued by an older woman who knew what this creep was like, I dread to think what would have happened. A ban on office romances would not have aided me in that moment. But what of other men like him now? It would help to shut down this sort of behaviour early, ending the excuse that work predators are only flirting. In my experience, most women want to be professional, do their best for their employer and form relationships outside of the office thats what online dating is for. Some guy chatting you up at the water cooler these days is a bit, well, creepy. An office romance may sound the stuff of Hollywood movies, but in real life its nothing more than a bad soap opera. NO Helena Frith Powell (pictured) said a ban would go against the basic right to fall in love By Helena Frith Powell How would you feel if you had to sign a no romance clause when you started a new job? Astonishingly, this is now common practice in the U.S. Meanwhile, BlackRock, one of the worlds largest asset-management firms which has a huge London office, has announced workers must now disclose any personal relationships to HR or face the sack. Last year it even fired two executives who failed to disclose an affair. Surely this goes against some sort of basic right to fall in love (never mind the right not to have management prying into your intensely personal business)? I had an office romance in my 20s, while working at a magazine with the snappy title Project & Trade Finance. If that isnt enough to propel you headlong into the nearest mans arms, I dont know what is. It wasnt love at first sight. He was promoted above me, so I spent a few months scowling behind my computer screen. Then I realised I was never destined to go far in the world of financial trade press, so I forgave him. I wonder what it would have been like if our relationship had been banned. At what point would it have been appropriate to go to HR to fess up before or after we had decided we were a committed couple? The frisson was addictive and made me work harder We didnt get together for a year, as I was scared to make the first move. Then I was hit by a car and ended up in hospital. A few days later, he called and hung up saying: Dont get run over again without telling me. Thats when I knew he felt the same. The funny thing is, I think I worked harder as a result of our romance. It made me more interested in my job, and I spent a lot more time in the office. The frisson was addictive. This silly move is yet another curtailment of human rights, and we have seen more than enough of those over the past few months. It is also a worryingly divisive trend. I was horrified to hear from a friend that her son was told, on his first day in the City, never to get in a lift if there was a lone woman inside. Apparently, the firm is terrified of potential lawsuits that might result from a man and woman spending more than 30 seconds together behind closed doors. If anyone is allowed in their office long enough to form a relationship in these days of Covid then, frankly, good luck to them. Thanks to curfews and social curbs, the workplace is just about the only place you can meet someone now so why should businesses put the boot in? My own office romance now my husband of 22 years is proof they can (pardon the pun) work. Researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) have published new findings in Molecular and Cellular Proteomics on critical cellular processes triggered when cells respond to environmental stress. Mark Marten, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, led the research team, which identified three coordinated pathways involved in the response to cell wall stress in filamentous fungi. Cynthia Chelius, who recently earned her Ph.D. in chemical engineering at UMBC, is the first author on the paper. A previous NSF grant supported the work that Marten conducted with Ranjan Srivastava, University of Connecticut, and Steven Harris, University of Manitoba. Numerous species of filamentous fungi are pathogens that can make people sick, especially people who are immunocompromised. Different species of fungi play an important role in the development of pharmaceuticals and enzymes, and agriculture, where fungi can help improve the quality of soil and make nutrients more readily available for crops. By understanding how cells work and respond to stress, researchers can reverse-engineer processes that could have a broad range of applications. To understand how the fungal cell walls respond to environmental stressors, Marten and his team studied what he describes as the cell's "software"--rules that control how the cell behaves. When fungi experience stress, Marten's team found an increase in the number of septa (or cross-hyphal bulkheads) created. "When you stress cells, they sense it and try to protect themselves," Marten explains. He adds that fungi try to repair damage to their cell walls so that they can resume normal growth and function. The study used a multi-omic methodology, which researchers say can be applied to studying how signaling networks in cells work in general. The methodology allowed researchers to get a more detailed understanding of how cells respond to stressors. They found that when cell walls experience stress, there is a coordinated response through various pathways. By combining short time-scale phosphoproteomic sampling and longer scale transcriptomic sampling, the researchers were able to see a broader view of how cells respond to stress. Marten, Srivatava, and Harris's teams will continue to collaborate on related research, which will be supported by a new three-year grant totaling $1.23 million grant from the National Science Foundation. This work will further explore how filamentous fungi repair their cell walls when exposed to stressors. The team will examine how the parts of the fungal cell are assembled and how fungal gene regulatory networks function. They hope to understand how proteins in cells interact with each other, and how cells can turn on and off certain parts of their DNA to respond to stress. "We were excited to see the results from this paper, as they both revealed a novel connection between different aspects of gene regulation in fungi and served as the basis for a new hypothesis regarding gene regulation in our most recent NSF Collaborative Research Award," says Marten. ### CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 29: U.S. President Donald Trump and former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speak during the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) After a chaotic and confusing first presidential debate, POPSUGAR talked with Mayra Macias, the executive director of Latino Victory Fund, to get a sense of what kind of impact the night's conversation might have on the upcoming election. Macias is an organizer, educator, and political operative who's worked for the 2012 Obama campaign and for the Florida Democratic Party. She's now been with Latino Victory since 2017, a progressive political action committee that works to grow Latino political power through representation. They work to get Latino candidates into public office while building a base of Latino donors to support them. In a crucial point during the debate, President Donald Trump refused to denounce white supremacists and militias. Macias was shocked. "I'm just speechless about his inability to condemn the violence that is being perpetuated by white suprematists, the violence that is dividing our country and that is disproportionately affecting communities of color," she says. Ahead, she shares the effects President Trump's statement might have, how she's feeling after the debate, and why she's more motivated than ever. Related: We Broke Down the Major Inaccuracies From the Presidential Debate, and Whew, There Are a Lot POPSUGAR: To jump right off, how would you sum up tonight's debate in one word? Mayra Macias: Disappointing. Disappointing that we have a man at the helm of this country's highest office who can't even listen for two minutes while his opponent makes his case to the American people. PS: How do you think tonight's debate showed the country what kind of leader President Biden would be? MM: One, I am so encouraged and proud that the Vice President did not take Donald Trump's bait. He spoke directly to the American people when he realized that it was not possible to have a coherent conversation or debate with Donald Trump. I think those were the moments where his authenticity, empathy, and genuine care for this country really came through. Story continues I was really hopeful for the future of this country when Vice President Biden acknowledged that there's systemic racism in this country. And particularly, I'm just flabbergasted that Donald Trump refused to have a conversation about COVID-19 or about science. So again, I'm encouraged to see Vice President Biden bring it back to the issues that keep Americans up at night. Now, 200,000 American lives have been lost [to COVID-19], and as the executive director of Latino Victory, all I can think about is that we've lost [around] 40,000 Latino lives. So many people in our community are disproportionally affected by this pandemic because we are overly represented in the essential worker industries, because Latinos still have the highest rate of being uninsured, because many of us don't have access to health care if we do have COVID-19. I'm just shocked that this current president refused to acknowledge the gravity of this pandemic, abdicated all responsibility, and instead chose to undermine the leading doctor on this. Also, as the head of a Latino organization, I was really hopeful for the future of this country when Vice President Biden acknowledged that there's systemic racism in this country, where on the flip side we have Donald Trump giving, well I don't know what kind of orders he was giving the Proud Boys, but I'm just speechless about his inability to condemn the violence that is being perpetuated by white suprematists. PS: I wanted to ask about that. It was a pretty shocking thing from President Trump, so I'm curious to hear a bit about your thoughts. MM: In August 2019, after the massacre in El Paso, TX, Latino Victory embarked on a tour of Texas, one, because this was the largest attack in modern history on Latinos and we wanted to be there for our community; and two, we genuinely wanted to see how this attack impacted Latino and Texans' attitudes around this president and around engaging in the civic process. We held a series of town halls, hosted a focus group, and conducted a statewide poll, and right away, regardless of party affiliation, the voters we spoke to made a direct connection between Donald Trump's hateful, anti-Latino rhetoric and an increase in hate crimes. That incident was a collective watershed moment for our community. Many people were riled up, rightfully so, and wanted to funnel that anger and energy into civic participation. The language [Donald Trump] used from day one of his campaign, whether or not he intended it to, has emboldened white supremacists in a way we haven't seen in modern history - and really, in a way that I have felt has been targeting Latinos specifically. And so [when we went to El Paso after the massacre] we saw an increase in folks' motivation to go out and vote. And that's all I could think about while he gave "stand by" orders to the Proud Boys and refused to disavow white supremacy - all those folks in Texas, and in El Paso in particular, who see how this president's abdicated responsibility has resulted in a tragic stain in El Paso's history. I'm hopeful that these folks who were watching the debate funnel that energy and that anger and that sense of helplessness into civic participation. I'm hopeful that these voters that we talked to, these folks who were watching the debate, funnel that energy and that anger and that sense of helplessness into civic participation. And I don't mean just voting; I mean getting friends and family to vote or volunteering as poll workers. We heard the president end this debate by sowing seeds of doubt around the integrity of our election. As someone who works with many people who come from various Latin American countries where we've seen authoritarian leaders, its really eerie to hear someone say [what Donald Trump did] because those words echo the feeling that many folks had [when they] fled their Latin American countries because of political turmoil, or because of authoritarian leadership. But more than anything, these are his tactics. He's not trying to win over voters when he sows these seeds of doubt; he's trying to suppress the vote. And my biggest takeaway from this debate is that there are 35 days left, and if I thought I was doing all I could do to make sure that we restore and really preserve the integrity of democracy, [after that] I'm motivated to do even more. Because those parting words foreshadow something I do not want this country to have to grapple with. PS: What did you see as the biggest difference between the two candidates that were laid out tonight? MM: The biggest takeaway for me was that one presidential candidate gave us his plan, his roadmap to build back this country better, and used data to substantiate it. [Vice President Biden] empowered the audience and voters and gave them the tools to go and check their voter registration status and make a plan to vote, and he reassured us of the integrity of our elections. [Donald Trump] did the complete opposite and again tried to sow seeds of division. He used his belligerence to distract from the conversation. [Vice President Biden] empowered the audience and voters and gave them the tools to go and check their voter registration status and make a plan to vote. I'm a former middle-school educator, and I couldn't help but see the parallels of when I had students in class who struggled with reading, how they would disrupt the class because they didn't want to be put on the spot or show their vulnerabilities. That was really striking to me, to see someone who's the leader of our country act in such a juvenile way. But, again, he's sowing seeds of doubt about the integrity of our election, and to me that just translates to suppressing the vote. You have someone who is going to empower people to vote and someone who is clearly trying to suppress the vote. PS: To pivot just a touch, I'm curious: I know you're an activist and an organizer, so going into this debate, were there any issues that were top of mind for you that you were looking out for? MM: One issue that I'm glad was addressed and I wasn't expecting was climate change. Climate change is something that really resonates within the Latino community. We've seen polls showing that it's a top five voting issue, and yet it's something that we don't often associate with being a swing issue for Latinos. And given everything happening with the wildfires in California, and given that we just celebrated the third year anniversary of Hurricane Maria devastating Puerto Rico, [it was encouraging] to hear an acknowledgement of believing in science, and of Vice President Biden's plans to ensure that we preserve our planet - not just for our country - and really thinking about how are we preserving our planet for the future. Another thing I'd love to hear more about that I'm hopeful will happen is more talk about immigration. Donald Trump has used immigration as a wedge issue, and he's launched his campaign on the backs of Latinos. But immigration goes beyond just being a Latino issue; its an issue that affects so many facets of our country, so I would love to hear more conversation around that. Our organization endorsed Vice President Biden in part because of his commitment to put forth comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days of his administration. So, I'd love to hear more talk about immigration because it is something that's top of mind for many people in this country and not just Latinos. BOSTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jenzabar, Inc., a leading technology innovator in higher education serving the new student, today announced an upgrade to Jenzabar SONIS, a student information system (SIS) designed specifically for smaller or specialized institutions. The new release incorporates additional functionality to enable better student communications and engagement. With the latest Jenzabar SONIS release, higher education institutions, including career and technical colleges serving non-traditional students, can implement a new, tailored at-risk alert system that allows staff to establish unique parameters for their institution and measure and track students who are at risk of dropping out due to grades, attendance, notes, or activities. The system includes notification functionality that will alert users if a student's risk levels change based on predetermined metrics and thresholds. "Retention of students is a high priority for all institutions, but more so for smaller colleges like us," said Timothy Ring, Director of Financial Aid & Enrollment Technology at The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences. "It is much easier and more cost-effective to retain a student than it is to recruit a new student. Tracking and alerting staff to at-risk students will allow colleges to reach out to these students and offer services that could put them on the right track to succeed before it's too late. I am looking forward to this new enhancement of Jenzabar SONIS." In addition to bringing in more retention functionality, the new Jenzabar SONIS release includes enhanced digital engagement capabilities by allowing students who are applying online to share a secure link for third parties to fill out reference forms. This new capability is meant to ease the online application process while empowering prospective students with more control. Jenzabar SONIS also includes integrations with Twilio, a communications company, and Duo, an online security company. The integration with Twilio allows institutions to send mass text messages to students and faculty through a user-friendly platform. By integrating Jenzabar SONIS with Duo, institutions can add two-factor authentication and can bolster the authentication setup process. Amid the ongoing pandemic, which is disrupting and influencing radical changes across the higher education industry, Jenzabar remains committed to addressing the pain points of all institutions by continuously delivering product enhancements. The regular improvements made to Jenzabar SONIS has supported the offering's momentum among institutions that are finding it increasingly important to enable stronger digital engagement capabilities. In the past quarter, several unique organizations have partnered with Jenzabar for Jenzabar SONIS, including the Prison University Project, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports the college program at San Quentin State Prison, and the Design Institute of San Diego, a specialized school which only offers a single program in interior design. Because of its multi-language functionality, Jenzabar SONIS is also attractive to international schools. Recently, Jenzabar SONIS was selected by Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, a newly established university in Morocco, as well as The American University of Armenia, a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia. "While COVID-19 has drastically impacted how institutions operate and engage with students, higher education leaders have been looking for solutions that can support their digital transformation and meet the needs of modern students well before the pandemic," said Les Zimmerman, Vice President of Product Development at Jenzabar. "The key to attracting, engaging, and retaining students is to support communications and transparency across all channels. Jenzabar SONIS has evolved to meet these needs. We are excited and will continue to help schools of all types and sizes enable better experiences for students and staff." About Jenzabar Created out of a passion for education and a vision for technology, Jenzabar offers disruptive, innovative software solutions and services that empower students' success and help higher education institutions meet the demands of the modern student. Over 1,350 higher educational campuses harness Jenzabar solutions for improved performance across campus and a more personalized and connected experience for the student. For further information, please visit www.jenzabar.com or on Twitter @Jenzabar or LinkedIn. SOURCE Jenzabar, Inc. Related Links https://www.jenzabar.com The case of Apostle Kwabena Owusu Adjei of Hezekiah Prayer Ministry who allegedly threatened to cause the death of Jean Mensah, Chairman of the Electoral Commission, has been adjourned to October 19. When the matter was called on Tuesday, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) prayed the court for a date. The court presided over by Mr. Emmanuel Essandoh obliged prosecutions request and adjourned matter accordingly. Adjei is currently on GH100,000 bail by an Accra Circuit court. Adjei, as part of his bail conditions, is to provide three sureties two of whom are to be public servants earning not less than GH2,000 a month. The accused was ordered to report to the Police twice a week. The court further directed Adjei to deposit his passport to the Courts Registry. Adjei charged with threat of death, unlawful possession of narcotic plants, assault on public officer, has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutions case was that the complainant was Madam Jean Mensah and that on June 5, this year, the complainant reported to the police that whilst acting in the execution of her statutory duties as Electoral Commissioner, Adjei threatened to cause her death. The Prosecution said based on that, the complainant was interviewed by the police and statement taken. ASP Asare said on June, 9 this year, intelligence led to the arrest of Adjei at Greda Estate in Teshie whiles granting an interview to a team of journalists in relation to a video made by him on social media. He said the accused in the said video threatened to cause the death of Mrs. Mensah. Subsequently, Prosecution said a search conducted on Adjei revealed one infinix 5 mobile phone, a black wallet containing GH29.00 and a Voter ID Card. He said also found on the accused was a brown waist pack which contained inter alia; one mobile charger, two suspected aphrodisiac labelled Mr. Q, one brown smoking XL paper and two brown wrapped substance of dried leaves suspected to be a narcotic plant. Prosecution said after the inventory was taken, Adjei admitted ownership. Meanwhile investigations revealed that within the past four years Adjei accompanied a group which occasionally visited an orphanage by name Jehovah Rapha Foundation located at Suhum to make donations. The Prosecution said in order to facilitate the commission of this crime and also put complainant in fear of death, on June 4, 2020, accused and five others which included a presenter from Otumfuo TV Station, in a guise of donation, visited the orphanage to donate few items which included cooked rice and face masks. The prosecution said further investigations disclosed that Adjei while at the orphanage with the group made a video of himself and in the video he threatened to cause the death of Jean Mensah. According to the prosecution, a careful analysis of the video disclosed the usage of abusive, threatening and insulting language against the complainant. Some of the insults include stupid Jean Mensah, idiot, foolish girl, you are crazy, stupid Akuffo girl. Prosecution said Adjeis video was circulated on social media and on June 9, this year, he was located at Greda Estate at Teshie. The prosecution said on June 17, this year the dried leaves were sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory. He said on June 22, this year, the dried leaves tested positive for Delta9 tetra hydro cannabinol cannabinol and cannabinol. Prosecution said the Police were waiting for the report of transcription of the video tape of the accused. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden gestures as President Donald Trump walks onto stage for the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via AP) Supreme Court May Have to Check Ballots: Trump Results may not be available on election night, both Trump and Biden say President Donald Trump said at the first presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio, that he may be counting on the Supreme Court to check the ballots for the presidential election on Nov. 3 should the results be disputed. At Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic on Tuesday, the president and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden both said that final results may not come to light on election night, hinting at the potential for delays amid a surge in mail-in ballots due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. Biden accused Trump of trying to scare people into thinking their votes will not be legitimate, while Trump alleged a rigged election. Trump said, when asked by debate moderator Chris Wallace whether he would turn to the Supreme Court to settle any dispute: I think Im getting them [the Supreme Court] to look at the ballots, definitely. I hope we dont need them in terms of the election itself. But for the ballots, I think so. This is not going to end well, the Republican president said, adding that universal mail-in voting, or what he now calls unsolicited ballots, is conducive to fraud. Hes just afraid of counting the votes, Biden said of the prospect of the Supreme Court being brought in to resolve disputes. I am concerned that any court will settle this. Biden Signals Trust in Mail-In Ballots Biden contended that over the years with mail-in voting [there] has not been fraud. He also said that FBI Director Christopher Wray said there is no evidence at all that mail in ballots are a source of being manipulated and cheating. Wray had told the House Homeland Security Committee on Sept. 24, we have not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether its by mail or otherwise. We have seen voter fraud at the local level from time to time. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks during a debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 29, 2020. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Biden said at the debate that there will be millions of people voting by mail and also noted that Trump himself had requested a mail-in ballot. Five states have had mail-in ballots for the last decade or more, five, including two Republican states, he added. And you dont have to solicit the ballot, its sent to you. Its sent to your home. He later called the mail-in voting system honest. Biden also said that election officials will make sure that people who are voting in person will be able to vote. Show up and vote, you will determine the outcome of this election vote, vote, vote, if youre able to vote early in your state, vote early, if youre able to vote in person, or in person, vote whatever way is the best way for you, because you will, Biden said. He cannot stop you from being able to determine the outcome of this election in terms of whether or not when the votes are counted, and theyre all counted. Trump Alleges Potential for Fraud But Trump pushed back and made a distinction between universal mail-in voting and absentee votingwhat he calls solicited ballots and unsolicited ballots, respectively. A solicited ballot. Okay, so listen, it is okay. Youre soliciting? Youre asking, they send it back, you send it back. I did that, Trump said. If you have an unsolicitedtheyre sending millions of ballots all over the countrytheres fraud. The president pointed to multiple instances of irregularities and errors that have occurred in the early votes. They found them in creeks, they found some with the name Trump just the other day in a wastepaper basket, he said. That [was] being sent all over the place. They sent two in a Democrat area, they sent out a thousand ballotseverybody got two ballots, the president added. This is going to be a fraud like youve never seen. President Donald Trump walks away from the podium at the conclusion of the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Trump appeared to be referring to: An instance on Sept. 24 in Greenville, Outagamie County in Wisconsin, where police officers found three trays of absentee ballots and other mail lying in a ditch along the side of a highway. The U.S. Postal Service is investigating. An instance in northeastern Pennsylvania where nine ballots were discarded, of which at least seven were known to have been cast for Trump. Local officials at the Luzerne County Board of Elections said on Sept. 25 (pdf) that a temporary seasonal independent contractor had incorrectly discarded [the ballots] into the office trash. The contractor was reportedly removed from their position. An instance in Virginia where at least 1,400 voters received two mail-in ballots. Trump added, We wont know, we might not know for months [the election results] because these ballots are going to be overtake a look at what happened in Manhattan. Take a look at what happened in New Jersey, take a look at what happened in Virginia and other places. Theyre not losing 2 percent, 1 percent, which by the way is too much and election could be one or less for that. Theyre losing 30 and 40 percent. Its a fraud. And its a shame. Did you see whats going on, take a look at West Virginia mailman selling the ballots this is a horrible thing for our country, Trump added. West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner has not publicly announced any incidents of ballots sold by mailmen leading up to the 2020 election. However, a case transpired in July regarding a West Virginia mailman who pleaded guilty on July 9 to altering requests for absentee voter ballots for the states primary. Officials who investigated the situation found that five ballot requests had been altered from Democrat to Republican. Wallace asked whether Trump would pledge to not declare victory until the election has been independently certified. If its a fair election, I am 100 percent on board. But if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cant go along with that, Trump responded. An individual deposits letters into a U.S. Postal Service collection mailbox in Philadelphia, Penn., on Aug. 14, 2020. (Rachel Wisniewski/Reuters) Im urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because thats what has to happen. I am urging them to do it, the president added. As you know, today, there was a big problem in Philadelphia, they went into watch they will call poll watchersa very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out they werent allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things, the president alleged, repeating a claim he made on Twitter earlier in the day. Biden, when asked the same question by Wallace, replied, I will accept it, and he will, too. You know why? Because once the winner is declared after all the ballots are counted, thatll be the end of it. And if its me, in fact, fine. If its not me, Ill support the outcome. Read More Over 1 Million Americans Have Already Voted in 2020 Election President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden squared off Tuesday night in their crucial first debate of the 2020 campaign, the most pivotal opportunity yet for them to outline starkly different visions for a country facing multiple crises. The evening erupted in contentious exchanges over the coronavirus pandemic, city violence, job losses and how the Supreme Court will shape the future of the nation's health care. Here we analyse what each candidate said: On the coronavirus CLAIM: Trump said they have had 'no problem whatsoever' with his campaign rallies. FACT: Trump held an indoor rally in Tulsa in late June, drawing both thousands of participants and large protests. The Tulsa City-County Health Department director said the rally 'likely contributed' to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases there. By the first week of July, Tulsa County was confirming more than 200 new daily cases, setting record highs. That's more than twice the number the week before the rally. Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, 74, died of Covid-19 after going to the rally without a mask. CLAIM: Biden said there are 100million Americans with pre-existing conditions. FACT: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid says a range from 50 to 129 million, not including the elderly, have pre-existing conditions. CLAIM: Trump claimed Biden called him xenophobic after he banned travel from China due to coronavirus concerns. FACT: Biden said in March 'banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world will not stop' the virus. On January 31, hours after Trump's announcement on China, Biden, without mentioning the virus, said: 'We need to lead the way with science not Donald Trump's record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering.' CLAIM: Trump said the US is 'weeks away from a vaccine'. FACT: Health officials have said we may have to wait until next summer until a vaccine is widely available CLAIM: Biden said the US has '5 percent 4 percent of the world's population, 20 percent of the coronavirus deaths'. FACT: This is true. CLAIM: Trump said: 'I'm okay with masks. I'm not fighting masks'. FACT: The president has repeatedly been seen in public without a mask; he often mocks Biden for wearing one. CLAIM: Trump said of Biden: 'He wants to shut down this country and I want to keep it open.' FACT: Biden said in September: 'There is going to be no need, in my view, to be able to shut down the whole economy.' CLAIM: Trump addressing Biden said: 'You didn't do very well on the swine flu. H1N1. You were a disaster.' FACT: Trump frequently distorts what happened in the pandemic of 2009, which killed far fewer people in the United States than the coronavirus is killing now. For starters, Biden as vice president wasn't running the federal response. And that response was faster out of the gate than when COVID-19 came to the U.S. On the supreme court CLAIM: Biden said of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett: 'She thinks that the Affordable Care Act is not constitutional.' FACT: Barrett has been critical of the Obama-era law and the court decisions that have upheld it, but she has never said it's not constitutional. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case on Nov. 10, and the Trump administration is asking the high court to rule the law unconstitutional. On Hunter Biden CLAIM: Trump said Biden's son Hunter was kicked out of the military. FACT: Hunter Biden was discharged from the Navy Reserve in 2014 after failing a drug test and has struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. Trump said it 'dishonorable discharge' but that's untrue - it was administrative. CLAIM: Trump said Hunter was given $3.5 million by the mayor of Moscow's wife. FACT: Hunter Biden had a 'financial relationship' with the widow of a Moscow mayor who was ousted over corruption allegations, according to a report from Republican senators. The 87-page report was released earlier this month by the Republican-led Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Finance Committee, and focuses on Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine. Biden's campaign said the investigation was founded on 'a long-disproven, hardcore rightwing conspiracy theory'. On the economy CLAIM: Biden said Trump will be the 'first (president) in American history' to lose jobs during his presidency. FACT: No, if Trump loses re-election, he would not be the first president in U.S. history to have lost jobs. That happened under Herbert Hoover, the president who lost the 1932 election to Franklin Roosevelt as the Great Depression caused massive job losses. Official jobs records only go back to 1939 and, in that period, no president has ended his term with fewer jobs than when he began. Trump appears to be on track to have lost jobs during his first term, which would make him the first to do so since Hoover. CLAIM: Trump said the country is doing 'record business'. FACT: The federal budget deficit is projected to hit a record $3.3 trillion as huge government expenditures to fight the coronavirus and to prop up the economy have added more than $2 trillion to the federal ledger, the Congressional Budget Office said. The spike in the deficit means that federal debt will exceed annual gross domestic product next year a milestone that would put the U.S. where it was in the aftermath of World War II, when accumulated debt exceeded the size of the economy. CLAIM: Trump said: 'I brought back 700,000 jobs. They brought back nothing'. FACT: Manufacturing employment has risen by just under 500,000 jobs since Trump became president. The sector is currently down by more than 200,000 jobs from when he took office. CLAIM: Biden said the US has a 'higher deficit with China now than we did before'. FACT: The trade deficit with China fell sharply between 2018 and 2019. The deficit fell in 2019 to $345.2 billion - that is in line with the figure in the year before Trump took office when Biden was vice president. On climate change CLAIM: Biden said Trump suggested dropping nuclear weapons on hurricanes. FACT: Sources told Axios in August last year Trump asked Homeland Security and national security officials several times if nuclear bombs can be dropped on hurricanes to stop them from making landfall in the US. 'The story by Axios that President Trump wanted to blow up large hurricanes with nuclear weapons prior to reaching shore is ridiculous. I never said this. Just more FAKE NEWS!', the president tweeted. On healthcare CLAIM: Trump said: 'You agree with Bernie Sanders, who is far-left on the manifesto, we call it'. FACT: Biden and Sanders formed a joint task force in May to unify Democrats on issues including health care, producing a 110-page set of policy recommendations. CLAIM: Trump said he is 'cutting drug prices'. FACT: The president has signed executive orders lower drug prices but experts doubt the relief that it will actually provide. On law and order CLAIM: Biden said of Trump: 'His own former spokesperson said, you know, 'Riots and chaos and violence help his cause.' That's what this is all about.' FACT: The president's former adviser Kellyanne Conway said in August: 'The more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is for the very clear choice on who's best on public safety and law and order.' CLAIM: Trump said Biden called African-Americans super-predators. FACT: The first lady Hillary Clinton used the term 'super predator' in 1994 to support a crime bill co written by Biden. He warned of 'predators' in a floor speech supporting the bill. CLAIM: Trump said: 'Portland the sheriff just came out today and said, 'I support President Trump.' FACT: Multnomah County, Oregon, Sheriff Mike Reese tweeted: 'As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him.' Multnomah County includes the city of Portland. CLAIM: Biden said: 'The fact of the matter is violent crime went down 17 per cent, 15 per cent, in our administration.' FACT: Thats overstating it. Overall, the number of violent crimes fell roughly 10 per cent from 2008, the year before Biden took office as vice president, to 2016, his last full year in the office, according to data from the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting program. But the number of violent crimes was spiking again during Obama and Bidens final two years in office, increasing by 8 per cent from 2014 to 2016. More people were slain across the U.S. in 2016, for example, than at any other point under the Obama administration. CLAIM: Trump said: 'If you look at whats going on in Chicago, where 53 people were shot and eight died. If you look at New York where its going up like nobodys ever seen anything...the numbers are going up 100 150, 200%, crime, its crazy whats going on.' FACT: The statistics in Chicago are true. As for New York, Trump may have been talking about shootings. They are up in New York by about 93% so far this year, but overall crime is down about 1.5%. On voting CLAIM: Trump said: 'This is going to be fraud like youve never heard.' FACT: Voter fraud has proved exceedingly rare. The Brennan Center for Justice in 2017 ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004% to 0.0009%, based on studies of past elections. In the five states that regularly send ballots to all voters, there have been no major cases of fraud or difficulty counting the votes. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday handed over 104-acres of land to the authorities of Bagdogra Airport for its expansion, renovation and upgradation.She expressed hope that once the necessary works are carried out the airport will help neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and West Bengal as well as states like Sikkim and Assam. Night landing has been started. Once it is developed, Bagdogra will be a full-fledged airport. International flights also arrive here. We also provide fuel concession... So once it's developed, countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and West Bengal as well as other states like Sikkim, Assam will be benefitted,she said at the administrative review meeting held at Uttarkanya in Siliguri. (Image Credits:PTI) (This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) According to the revised policy filed in court, federal officials and shelter staff may not take actions to obstruct or interfere with access to court proceedings, abortion counseling or an abortion. Care providers and federal officials are also required to ensure access to medical appointments related to pregnancy in the same way they would with respect to other medical conditions. (Photo : Everything Apple Pro via Twitter (@EveryApplePro)) (Photo : (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)) YICHUN, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 07: (CHINA OUT) People launch Kongming laterns in celebration of the Mid-autumn Festival on September 7, 2014 in Yichun, Jiangxi Province of China. These laterns were launched to celebrate China's upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival on September 8. The world's most valuable multinational technology company, Apple, is relentlessly ramping up its production of the upcoming iPhone 12, since September, in its Foxconn Plant in China, with a non-stop, 24-hour workforce aiming to pile up stocks for the October release. Several employees revealed the plant's extreme working conditions, with mandatory overtimes and canceled holidays, all for the prestigious iPhone 12. Apple is ramping up its production with Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry China Plant, Foxconn, in the massive production of the iPhone 12 for its anticipated launch in October. The plant is working non-stop with continuous 24-hour production in shifts with mandatory overtime. According to the South China Morning Post, the Zhengzhou factory, Foxconn, has numerous workforce but continues to recruit workers with handsome bonuses and salaries. Both newcomers and old-timers can earn, depending on the set-up, as long as workers will come into work for the plant. The iPhone 12 is less than two weeks away from its expected October 13 release, and since the past month, Apple is pushing the production to a rapid pace to pile up stocks for the newest iPhone. Despite the dispute between the US and China, Apple and Foxconn's production is seamlessly working for the massive supplies of the iPhone 12. The quick recovery of the Asian country from the Novel Coronavirus pandemic enabled them to continue productions and pick-up the pace to fulfill its designation as the world's production workforce. The world's second-largest economy has yet again excited its work despite the dangers in productions, particularly in plants, to succumb to the COVID-19. iPhone 12's 24 Hour Production in Foxconn Plant The Foxconn plant in the Henan province has been working at the iPhone 12 since February of this year, despite the global pandemic's dangers. Required overtime work was increased for workers and are only allowed to have four day-offs per month, presumably a six-day work set-up. According to Foxconn employee Wang Guofeng, workers can earn from 5,000 yuan to 6,000 yuan, equivalent to $880 per month. The company offers bonuses for all employees who have worked for more than 90 days in the plant. Foxconn's Recruitment for Added Workforce In terms of recruitment, Foxconn offers a 10,000 yuan bonus for any employee to start after September 18, provided that the worker stays for at least 90 days and works 55 days. The job advertisement for the plant also offers 8,500 yuan for workers who've joined after September 26. Current employees can receive 500 yuan for referrals in the plant. Good-bye Mid-Autumn Festival Holidays are also limited to the plant, especially in one of the biggest Chinese holiday that is scheduled to start tomorrow. The National Day of China, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is set for an eight-day festivities and public holiday for the whole of China. Foxconn encourages employees to forego the holiday and continue working for the plant, with several workers decided to do so. According to one of the workers, China's labor laws dictate that salaries will be tripled for the first three days of the particular festival. The factory is currently at a 200,000 workforce capacity that works relentlessly to deliver the most-awaited 5G iPhone 12. ALSO READ: iPhone 12 Leaks Will See a 'Boxy' and Edged Design That Will Drop on October 13! Apple Now Gears up for New Phone Launch in Two Weeks! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The world is seriously divided, Ledbetter said. This training creates a safe space where people of color, community members and cadets can be together and have open dialogue. The experience is very powerful. Kalamazoo Valley Community Colleges Police Officer Training Academy continues to lead the way in innovative training having recently taken its nationally recognized diversity training program virtual due to COVID-19. The training, called Expanding Our Horizons: A Cultural Awareness Experience, was developed in an effort to strengthen the relationships between law enforcement and community members, with an emphasis on communities of color due to polarizing racial issues occurring across the country. Victor Ledbetter, academy director, added the training to the curriculum in January of 2019. Kalamazoo Valley is the only police academy in the state to offer this type of training. During the day-long experience, implemented in partnership with the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Kalamazoo, the Council of Michigan Foundations, Bronson Community Health, Equity & Inclusion, the WMU Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations, and Black & Blue Networking & Consulting, LLC, the community members and cadets participate together in Racial Healing Circles, which focus on entering into a process that, in part, requires listening deeply, acknowledging mistakes, building accountability, and being respectful of other peoples experiences. Based on prompts initiated by practitioners from TRHT Kalamazoo, a national and community-based process that focuses on eliminating the hierarchy of human value, advancing racial equity, and racial healing in the U.S, the Racial Healing Circles take place the first half of the day so participants can get to know one another. The afternoon is an interactive educational component about the history of the criminal justice system and other historical events in the United States. The world is seriously divided, Ledbetter said. This training creates a safe space where people of color, community members and cadets can be together and have open dialogue. The experience is very powerful. Due to COVID-19, the cadets in the 90th academy had to complete the training virtually. Obviously, I would have preferred to do it in person, Ledbetter said. But this is the state that were currently living in and we adapted. Using Zoom, the cadets and community members gathered together in Virtual Healing Experience break-out rooms and were able to connect from all over the state for discussion and reflection. Virtual Healing Experiences are the virtual version of Racial Healing Circles. Being able to open up and express ourselves to the community members was very special and I am beyond grateful, said Cadet Victoria Anderson. It was a great opening to a discussion that should be the focus of everyone in law enforcement. Ledbetter continues to expand the programs diversity training - dedicating 50 hours to the subject during Diversity Week Training double what is required by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES). Training in de-escalation, ethics in policing, adverse childhood experiences syndrome, implicit bias and civil rights are covered. The Expanding our Horizons: A Cultural Awareness Experience is the culmination of the week-long training. There is currently a state-wide shortage of certified and qualified police officers. The colleges next Police Officer Training Academy begins January 25, 2021, with applications being accepted through October 23, 2020. Visit http://www.kvcc.edu/police for more information. BERLIN Uganda Development Bank (UDB) LTD has on Wednesday 30, 2020 received a global sustainable finance award. The award was received by Ambassador of Uganda to Germany Marcel R. Tibaleka on behalf of UDB at a ceremony held in Karlshruhe, Germany. The award aims to provide recognition to financial institutions that have successfully embedded economic, social and environmental sustainability into their organizational culture; and honour organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the field of sustainable finance among others. The ceremony was held within the framework of the annual Global Sustainable Finance Conference. The conference was co-hosted by European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development (EOSD) and Uganda Development Bank Ltd together with the long-time partners the City of Karlsruhe, the Associations of Development Financing Institutions in Africa (AADFI), Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) and in member countries of the Islamic Development Bank (ADFIMI), and other allies. Honourable Matia Kasaija, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development gave opening remarks at the World Development Finance Forum and attended the ceremony through video-conference. Lord Mayor of Karlsruhe Dr. Frank Mentrup congratulated Ambassador Tibaleka, the Government of Uganda on the Banks becoming a Sustainability-Certified Financial Institution. Related She's no stranger to the lifestyles of the rich and famous, thanks to her reality star mother Kylie Jenner - who is said to be worth a staggering $900 million. But on Wednesday, Kylie's daughter Stormi, two, seriously took things to the next level as she showed off an extremely expensive accessory for her first day of home schooling. While many 'back to school' pictures see children in uniform and a satchel, Kylie's little one was pictured sporting a light pink Hermes Taurillon Clemence Kelly Ado Backpack, which retails for an eye-watering $12K. Now that is a backpack! She's no stranger the luxurious lifestyle, thanks to her mom Kylie Jenner. And on Wednesday morning, proud mom Kylie shared a snap of daughter Stormi, two, before her first day of home school The toddler proudly rocked the pink textured Hermes bag, which featured gold hardware. ADVERTISEMENT Stormi, who is the daughter of Kylie and on/off ex Travis Scott, completed her look with Air Jordans and a black dress; the two-year-old also had delicate diamond earrings. Click here to resize this module Kylie, 22, captioned the image: 'First day of home schooool!' with Stormi posing in front of one of the star's many luxury vehicles in the driveway. Life of luxury: Kylie captioned the image: 'First day of home schooool!' with Stormi posing in front of one of the star's many luxury vehicles in the driveway Closer look: The toddler proudly rocked the pink textured Hermes bag, which featured gold hardware Soon after, Kylie shared a video to her Instagram of Stormi jumping up and down singing 'first day of school!' Stormi is jumping up and down on the driveway between two cars. Kylie, who is filming it, is heard laughing, and her dad Travis, 29, is seen getting in the frame watching his daughter; his back is turned from the camera. Exciting day: Soon after, Kylie shared a video to her Instagram of Stormi jumping up and down singing 'first day of school!' Stormi is jumping up and down on the driveway between two cars Proud parents: Kylie, who is filming it, is heard laughing, and her dad Travis is seen getting in the frame watching his daughter' his back is turned from the camera This is not little Stormi's first designer bag; the tot has a wide variety of luxury bags even at such a young age. Earlier this year, her aunt Khloe Kardashian gifted her with a customized Louis Vuitton Weekender bag featuring characters from her favorite movie - Trolls - as well as her name Stormi - emblazoned on the bag. The duffle bag costs almost $2k prior to customization. So cool: Earlier this year, her aunt Khloe Kardashian gifted her with a customized Louis Vuitton Weekender bag featuring characters from her favorite movie - Trolls - as well as her name Stormi - emblazoned on the bag In July, Kylie snapped an photo of Stormi as she posed with another bag - this time a vintage Louis Vuitton nano Speedy bag, which costs approximately $1,180 for a classic logo version. However, Stormi held on to a white multicolored mini version from the luxury label's famous collaboration with artist Takashi Murakami from spring 2003, making the cost significantly more. Louis Vuitton's multicolor mini speedy bags are only available these days pre-owned and are highly coveted items on the re-sale market. Life of the wealthy: Kylie has previously showed off her enormous accessories closet, which houses over $1 million worth of handbags, many of which are collector's items Wow: In July, Kylie snapped an photo of Stormi as she posed with another bag - this time a vintage Louis Vuitton nano Speedy bag, which costs approximately $1,180 for a classic logo version Last Christmas, Kim Kardashian gifted all the girls in the family with their own mini black Louis Vuitton nano Speedy bag. ADVERTISEMENT Stormi's Aunt Kim shared a snap to her Instagram story of the luxurious items and wrote: 'I got these for all of the baby girls in the fam for Xmas from Japan.' Kim purchased them for her two daughters, North and Chicago and her nieces Penelope, Dream, Stormi and True, but someone noticed there were two more bags left, which she revealed was for a back up measure in case there are more girls in the family. She explained: 'Oh wait I kept one for myself and extras for the future lol.' Stormi, who was 22 months at the time, picked it and swung it over her shoulder, which Kylie shared to her Instagram. Kylie said in the caption: 'Daddy dropped off a new chair for Stormi. And omg this girl threw the bag over her shoulder I cant.' Impressive: Last Christmas, Kim Kardashian gifted all the girls in the family with their own mini black Louis Vuitton nano Speedy bag Stormi, who was 22 months at the time, picked it and swung it over her shoulder, which Kylie shared to her Instagram Kylie said in the caption: 'Daddy dropped off a new chair for Stormi. And omg this girl threw the bag over her shoulder I cant' In April 2019, little Stormi, age one at the time, also carried a mini pink Hermes Kelly Pochette bag in two different posts. Kylie previously said the $7.7K bag, which was a gift from older sister Kourtney Kardashian, was something she wanted to give Stormi as her first bag. In a YouTube video of her closet, Kylie said: 'Kourtney gave me this, which I think is super cute. I was really surprised, because I feel like Kourtney never really cares about Christmas gifts, so when she gave me this last year, it was really special.' Adding: 'This one, I'm definitely going to let Stormi wear, probably, when she says, 'Mommy I want to carry a purse." So this is probably going to be her first purse.' ADVERTISEMENT In the same video, Kylie revealed that she plans on giving her daughter the vintage Louis Vuitton Sac HL Mini Speedy bag that she has had since she was a child - gifted to her by mom Kris Jenner. The bag is worth approximately $620. 'My mom gave these to me and Kendall when we were like super babies,' she explains, 'so I am definitely going to give this to Stormi.' Pink: Last year little Stormi also carried a mini pink Hermes Kelly bag in two different posts; with her dad Travis Stylish: Stormi was cute in a white knitted outfit that had a drawstring belt with tassels and buttons. The little girl also wore gold sandals and has hair done up in a high ponytail Luxury: Kylie previously said the bag, which was a gift from older sister Kourtney Kardashian, was something she wanted to give Stormi as her first bag Hydrate: Stormi seemed to have the time of her life on her first day of 'home school' with cousin True in attendance Just us kids:: The girls counted red and green apples before using the fruit to create masterpieces with paint on a butcher block of paper Having fun: The girls wore aprons to protect their pricey threads from the paint Stormi seemed to have the time of her life on her first day of 'home school' with cousin True in attendance. The girls counted red and green apples before using the fruit to create masterpieces with paint on a butcher block of paper. Stormi got her first Chanel bag last year for her first birthday party - which was the elaborate Stormi World themed event. DJ Khaled gifted the toddler her very first Chanel during her party; the musician unwrapped the gift as Travis held Stormi in his arms. He gave her a pint-sized red velvet Chanel handbag. 'Oh my goodness, Stormi! Stormi, your first Chanel!' Mom cooed. ADVERTISEMENT Kylie's handbag collection is estimated to be worth $1 million, and the star has given fans an in depth looks at inside her enormous closet on YouTube. Blessed: Rapper DJ Khaled also surprised Stormi with her first Chanel accessory at her first birthday party last year (pictured together with the little girl's father, Travis Scott) DJ Khaled knows a thing or two about the finer aspects life, and he put that knowledge on full display with his birthday gift for Kylie Jenner's baby girl Stormi Stormi looked on with her dad Travis as Khaled unwrapped the glittering pink paper, revealing the pint-sized red velvet handbag Looking stylish: The catch-phrase shouting hip hop star popped up at Kylie and Travis Scott's massive Stormi World party to present the little lady of honor with her very first Chanel Views: Kylie Jenner teased a peek at her grand handbag range again in February 2020 All in the details: The star first treated fans to a glimpse of her lavish collection in August 2018, with her closet estimated to be worth more than $1 million Fancy: The closet have various sections that were color coordinated but also separated by the fashion brand Her Hermes crocodile textured handbags 'The cutest', Kylie captioned an image of her heart-shaped Chanel bag Looking good: Kylie shared two more throwbacks from last year to her Instagram; the same outfit she had posted the day before. She revealed on Tuesday it was one of her favorite looks Stunner: The look included a ruched form-fitting dress that perfecting matched her G-Wagon SAN DIEGO: The Trump administration has proposed further slashing the number of refugees the United States accepts to a new record low in the coming year. In a notice sent to Congress late Wednesday, just 34 minutes before a statutory deadline to do so, the administration said it intended to admit a maximum of 15,000 refugees in fiscal year 2021. Thats 3,000 fewer than the 18,000 ceiling the administration had set for fiscal year 2020, which expired at midnight Wednesday. The proposal will now be reviewed by Congress, where there are strong objections to the cuts, but lawmakers will be largely powerless to force changes. The more than 16.5% reduction was announced shortly after President Donald Trump vilified refugees as an unwanted burden at a campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota, where he assailed his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden. He claimed Biden wants to flood the state with foreigners. Biden will turn Minnesota into a refugee camp, and he said that overwhelming public resources, overcrowding schools and inundating hospitals. You know that. Its already there. Its a disgrace what theyve done to your state, Trump told supporters. Trump froze refugee admissions in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, citing a need to protect American jobs as fallout from the coronavirus crashed the economy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration is committed to the countrys history of leading the world in providing a safe place for refugees. We continue to be the single greatest contributor to the relief of humanitarian crisis all around the world, and we will continue to do so," Pompeo told reporters in Rome on the sidelines of a conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy. Certainly so long as President Trump is in office, I can promise you this administration is deeply committed to that. But advocates say the governments actions do not show that. Since taking office, Trump has slashed the number of refugees allowed into the country by more than 80%, reflecting his broader efforts to drastically reduce both legal and illegal immigration. The U.S. allowed in just over 10,800 refugees a little more than half of the 18,000 cap set by Trump for 2020 before the State Department suspended the program because of the coronavirus. The 18,000 cap was already the lowest in the history of the program. In addition, the State Department announced last week that it would no longer provide some statistical information on refugee resettlement, sparking more concerns. Advocates say the Trump administration is dismantling a program that has long enjoyed bipartisan support and has been considered a model for protecting the worlds most vulnerable people. Scores of resettlement offices have closed because of the drop in federal funding, which is tied to the number of refugees placed in the U.S. And the damage is reverberating beyond American borders as other countries close their doors to refugees as well. Were talking about tens of millions of desperate families with no place to go and having no hope for protection in the near term, said Krish Vignarajah, president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a federally funded agency charged with resettling refugees in the United States. Bisrat Sibhatu, an Eritrean refugee, does not want to think about the possibility of another year passing without reuniting with his wife. For the past 2 1/2 years, he has called the caseworker who helped him resettle in Milwaukee every two weeks to inquire about the status of his wifes refugee case. The answer is always the same nothing to report. My wife is always asking me: Is there news?" said Sibhatu, who talks to her daily over a messaging app. Its very tough. How would you feel if you were separated from your husband? Its not easy. I dont know what to say to her." He said the couple fled Eritreas authoritarian government and went to neighboring Ethiopia, which hosts more than 170,000 Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers. Between 2017 and 2019, his wife, Ruta, was interviewed, vetted and approved to be admitted to the United States as a refugee. Then everything came to a halt. Sibhatu, who works as a machine operator at a spa factory, sends her about $500 every month to cover her living expenses in Ethiopia. I worry about her, about her life," Sibhatu said, noting Ethiopias spiraling violence and the pandemic. But there is nothing we can do." He hopes his wife will be among the refugees who make it to the United States in 2021. ___ Lee reported from Washington. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Huo Jing, Ford China's vice president (VP) of communications, said on Sept. 28 via her WeChat Moments that she will leave Ford China in mid-October for the reasons of personal pursuit and family duties. However, her whereabouts still remain unknown. Responding to the resignation, Ford China highly commended Huo Jing for what she has done for the company and show respect to her personal decision. (Huo Jing delivering speech at Global Future Mobility Conference 2019; photo source: sponsor of GFM 2019) Ms. Huo joined Ford China in early 2019 as the company's VP of communications. Before starting her career in Ford, Huo served as marketing director of Borgward Group AG Sales Company and executive managing director of Borgward US R&D Center, and had been accountable for China public relations businesses of Nissan and Infiniti. The recruitment of Huo Jing was part of a scale senior executive reshuffle Ford China carried out to strengthen its localization offensive. In October 2018, Ford Motor Company announced that Ford was reorganizing its Asia Pacific operations in order to speed the companys global transformation and return to profitable growth in Asia Pacific. Ford China was elevated to a stand-alone business unit, which would report directly to Ford global headquarters. Meanwhile, Chen Anning, former CEO of Chery Automobile, was named as president and CEO of Ford China to take charge of the Fords operations in Greater China, including all import and joint venture operations. Besides, Yang Song, former CEO of Borgward Group AG, officially joined Ford Chinas leadership team as President of National Distribution Service Division (NDSD) in April 2019. Panaji, Sep 30 : Following the death of a third doctor in Goa due to Covid-19, Indian Medical Association state chapter on Wednesday urged the government to prioritise treatment of medical professionals. "We all members are definitely pained at the unfortunate lapses in the treatment offered to Dr Mario Godinho, including failure of logistics, non-availability of bed, inadequate oxygen supply, and other impediments," Goa IMA President Dr Samuel S said in a statement. "We would like the Goa government to look into this matter seriously so that such incidents are not repeated. We would appreciate if the government prioritises treatment to medical professionals from government and private sectors to safeguard their health in case of any eventuality," the IMA chief said. Godinho, who had contracted Covid-19, reportedly was unable to avail of a hospital bed and other facilities in time, which eventually led to his death on Saturday. Paucity of beds in designated Covid-19 hospitals has been an area of major concern for authorities in the state, which is in the middle of a spike in viral disease. "We urge the government to improve and update the protocols for admissions, handling and management of symptomatic COVID-19 patients. We urge the government to maintain transparency in procedures and improve the quality of healthcare services," the Goa IMA chief said. Samuel also called for the setting up of a real-time dashboard which can inform the people about availability of vacant beds in designated facilities. More than two per cent of Goa's 1.5 million population has already tested positive for coronavirus. Of the total 32,396 positive cases, 4,917 are still active. In all, 407 persons have so far died of Covid-19 in Goa. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Organizers behind the Terry Fox Run say the annual event has seen a 20 per cent increase in fundraising this year even though it was held virtually for the first time in four decades. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2020 (480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Organizers behind the Terry Fox Run say the annual event has seen a 20 per cent increase in fundraising this year even though it was held virtually for the first time in four decades. More than 80,000 people participated virtually in the run this year, said Martha McClew, a spokeswoman for the Terry Fox Foundation. Participants registered for the event and went on their own runs. Donations are still coming in as people continue to register to fundraise even though the official event is already over, she said. "We didn't expect anything like those numbers to come out on a day where there was actually really nowhere to go, except to walk out your front door and do it around the block," she said. With the event held online this year, McClew said it may have given people flexibility that they did not have before. She said a lot of people told organizers that it was their first time registering for the run. More people also connected this year with other participants through the event's Facebook group and app, she said. "It was much more local in the past. (This year) they didn't have their community that they can connect with. And I think it was really very fitting because to me, Terry connected us as a country and this Terry Fox run did the same thing for people," said McClew. Still, McClew said she hopes this year's run will be the first and last held online. The Terry Fox Foundation is planning to hold its school run on Wednesday, with 3.7 million students from 9,000 schools across the country registered to participate. "I think Canadians sort of thought to themselves, well, Terry Fox ran 143 days by himself. And I think they really felt like we could do that too," said McClew. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 29, 2020. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. She's typically known for her funky fashion choices. And Kelly Brook combated the autumn weather in a cosy fleece-lined leather jacket as she headed to work at Heart FM in London on Wednesday. The model, 40, opted for the stylish jacket teamed with a black and white floral top with boyfriend jeans as she strolled through Leicester Square. Stylish: Kelly Brook, 40, combated the autumn weather in a cosy fleece-lined leather jacket as she headed to work at Heart FM in London on Wednesday Kelly highlighted her famous curves in the chic white top with a floral print and light blue distressed jeans as she headed into Global Studios. The fashion star accessorised her look with black patent ankle boots and a matching quilted backpack as she strolled inside. Kelly completed her outfit with a heavy black leather jacket with a cosy cream fleece lining and oversized sunglasses as she arrived to present the Heart Radio drivetime show. Looking good: The model opted for the stylish jacket teamed with a black and white floral top with boyfriend jeans as she strolled through Leicester Square Kelly, who was spotted with her long-term beau Jeremy Parisi on Monday, previously opened up about intimacy in their relationship. In July, Kelly claimed that sex gets better with age and said her longterm love is a big fan of her curves. Speaking on Vicky Pattison's The Secret To... podcast, she said: 'My boyfriend is 35 and he is Italian, so, you know, he likes a nice large curvy woman so that's always a good thing! I think your sex life gets better as you get older! Stylish: Kelly accessorised her look with black patent ankle boots and a matching quilted backpack as she strolled inside 'You get confident! You are not so hung up on stuff. You know what you enjoy. You know what you like, so you are not as scared to tell them. 'When you're young you don't tell them. They are like 'is that nice?' or whatever and you're like 'yeah!' When you're older you are gonna make sure you get what you want!' The pair have been dating for nearly five years, having started dating in 2015. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU No. 596/2014) ("MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain and shall therefore cease to be inside information. First Sentinel Plc - Interim Results 30 September 2020 First Sentinel Plc ("First Sentinel" or the "Company") Interim results for the period ended 30 June 2020 First Sentinel is pleased to announce its interim accounts for the six months ended 30 June 2020 (the "Interim Accounts"). Extracts of the Interim Accounts are set out at https://first-sentinel.com. The Chairman's Report I present the results for First Sentinel plc for the six months ended 30 June 2020. These have been challenging times but, despite the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the first months of 2020, I am delighted to report that First Sentinel has been able to mobilise its staff to work from home with very little disruption to our business. Since the effects of the pandemic took hold, we have adapted our strategy in order to focus on resilient industries. Between January and June 2020, First Sentinel raised 1,734,426 and deployed the proceeds on a number of loan facilities and on its UK supply chain finance business via its subsidiary, Capable Finance Limited. First Sentinel's Australian subsidiary, Perennial Enterprise PTY Ltd, continues to progress well and its robust capital deployment strategy has kept its financial results immune from the effects of the pandemic. In addition, the Company has made equity investments (Stabilitech, now renamed iosBio, and Vulcan Industries) which have contributed to increasing value to our shareholders. Our strategy during the first 6 months of 2020 has proved successful and I am pleased to report a profit of 1.12p per share (YE 2019: loss of 4.24p per share). In the next 6 months, we intend to enhance the Group's focus on our UK invoice purchasing and supply chain finance activities whilst taking advantage of equity investment opportunities that are aligned with our risk profile and investment strategy. Outlook The six months to 30 June 2020 have continued to be a very successful period for First Sentinel. The success of the fund raising, investments made and the establishment of supply chain finance operations in the UK has positioned the Group very well for the next stage of its development. Our short-term strategy remains at increasing value by providing growth capital for public and private company investments and, in particular, by significantly growing the invoice purchasing activities in Australia and the supply chain finance operations in the UK. I am very optimistic about the Group's growth potential and we look to the future with significant confidence. About First Sentinel plc First Sentinel PLC provides debt financing solutions for small to medium-sized businesses primarily through its supply chain finance and invoice purchasing activities. First Sentinel also invests in a range of secured and unsecured equity and debt instruments in private and public companies. The Company's website is https://first-sentinel.com For further corporate information, please contact: Mr. Brian Stockbridge CEO First Sentinel Plc Tel: + 44 (0) 7876 888 011 AQSE Corporate Advisor Beaumont Cornish Limited James Biddle / Roland Cornish Tel: +44(0)20 7628 3396 -END- Interim Condensed Statement of Comprehensive Income Notes 6 months Ended 30 June 2020 Unaudited 6 months Ended 30 June 2019 Unaudited Year ended 31 December 2019 Audited '000 '000 '000 Revenue 1,199 710 1,440 Cost of sales - (185) (89) Gross profit 1,199 525 1,351 Administrative expenses 4 (678) (591) (1,534) Other Income - 21 33 Operating profit / (loss) 521 (45) (150) Finance Costs (249) (326) (587) Finance Income - 257 33 Profit / (loss) on ordinary activities before taxation 272 (114) (704) Tax on loss on ordinary activities - (24) (63) Profit / (loss) after taxation 272 (137) (767) Other comprehensive income - - - Total comprehensive profit / (loss) for the period 272 (137) (767) Profit / (loss) and total comprehensive attributable the owners of the company 205 (137) (855) Non-controlling interests 67 - 88 272 (137) (767) Basic and diluted Profit / (loss) per share (expressed in pence per share) 5 1.12p (0.90p) (4.24p) Interim Condensed Statement of Changes in Equity Share Capital Share Premium Accumulated Deficit Preference Share Equity Component Share Based Payment Reserve Non-Controlling interest Foreign Exchange Reserve Total Equity '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 Balance at 30 June 2019 152 1,449 (1,092) - 26 154 (113) 576 Issue of shares 61 648 - - - - - 709 Share based payments charge - - - - 105 - - 105 Non-controlling interest - - - - - 92 - 92 Foreign Exchange Difference - - - - - - (134) (134) Loss and total comprehensive loss for the period - - (717) - - - - (717) Balance at 31 December 2019 213 2,097 (1,809) - 131 245 (245) 632 Issue of shares 50 1,021 - 41 - - - 1,112 Non-Controlling Interest - - - - - (229) - (229) Share based payments charge - - - - 84 - - 84 Foreign Exchange Difference - - 104 - - - 196 300 Loss and total comprehensive loss for the period - - 205 - - 67 - 272 Balance at 30 June 2020 263 3,118 (1,500) 41 215 83 49 2,171 Share capital is the amount subscribed for shares at nominal value. Share premium is the amount subscribed for shares in excess of nominal value. Accumulated deficit represents the cumulative loss of the Group attributable to equity shareholders. Interim Condensed Statement of the Financial Position Notes 6 months Ended 30 June 2020 Unaudited 6 months Ended 30 June 2019 Unaudited Year ended 31 December 2019 Audited '000 '000 '000 Assets Non-Current Assets Intangible Assets 51 51 48 Goodwill 88 88 88 Property, Plant & equipment 189 79 54 Right of use Asset 198 - 131 Total non-Current Assets 526 218 321 Current assets Trade Receivables 6,136 5,112 5,730 Other Receivables - 9 - Other financial assets 6 2,072 662 242 Cash and Cash Equivalents 741 1,790 1,255 Total Current Assets 8,950 7,573 7,228 Total Assets 9,476 7,791 7,549 Equity and Liabilities Share Capital 7 263 152 213 Share Premium 7 3,118 1,449 2,097 Preference share equity component 41 - - Share based payment reserve 215 26 131 Non-controlling interest 83 154 245 Foreign Exchange reserve (49) (113) (245) Accumulated deficit (1,500) (1,092) (1,809) Total Equity 2,171 576 632 Current Liabilities Trade Payables 205 1,383 114 Short term lease liabilities 202 - 31 Borrowings 1,840 - 1,944 Other Payables 14 145 170 Total Current Liabilities 2,261 1,528 2,259 Non-current Liabilities Borrowings 5,044 5,687 4,530 Other Payables - - 128 Total non-current Liabilities 5,044 5,687 4,658 Total Liabilities 7,305 7,215 6,917 Total Equity and Liabilities 9,476 7,791 7,549 Interim Condensed Cash Flow Statement Notes 6 months Ended 30 June 2020 Unaudited 6 Months Ended 30 June 2019 Unaudited Year ended 31 December 2019 Audited '000 '000 '000 Cash flows from operating activities Operating profit/(loss) 521 (45) (150) Changes in working capital (Increase) / decrease in receivables (406) (843) (1,514) Increase / (decrease) in payables (2) 1,142 (143) Other adjustments - (172) - Depreciation 22 - 113 Fair value adjustments (431) - 156 Share based payment 84 - 105 Interest Received - (257) 33 Interest elements of lease payments - - (10) Interest Paid (249) - (577) Net cash flow from operating activities (461) (175) (1,987) Investing Activities Acquisition of subsidiary 6 - - (50) Net Proceeds from transactions of financial assets at fair value through profit or loss (1,399) 150 239 Purchases of property, plant and equipment (135) - (41) Net cash flow from investing activities (1,534) 150 148 Cash flows from financing activities: Net proceeds from issue of shares 7 1,071 - 709 Net Proceeds from issue of financial liabilities at amortised cost - loans (104) - 10 Net Proceeds from issue of financial liabilities at amortised cost - bonds 514 965 1,742 Principal elements of lease payments - - (97) Net cash flow from financing activities 1,481 965 2,364 Taxation - 24 (96) Net cash flow for the period (514) 964 429 Opening Cash and cash equivalents 1,255 826 826 Closing Cash and cash equivalents 741 1,790 1,255 Notes to the Interim Condensed Financial Statements 1. General Information First Sentinel plc ('the Company') is a trading company incorporated in the United Kingdom with company number 10183367 and quoted on the AQSE Exchange Growth Market. 2. Basis of Preparation The annual financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the "Group") are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union. The condensed set of financial statements included in this interim financial report has been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 'Interim Financial Reporting', as adopted by the European Union. The accounting policies and methods of computation used are consistent with those used in the Group's latest audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019. A copy of the statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2019 has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditor's report on these accounts was unqualified, did not draw attention to any matters by way of emphasis and did not contain a statement under section 498(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006. 3. Segmental Reporting The Group's management has determined the operating segments based on the reports reviewed by the executive directors that are used to make strategic decisions. They consider the business from a geographical perspective and the group has two reportable segments, the UK and Australia. The Group's main lines of business are that of making investments and invoice purchasing. For the period ended 30 June 2020: UK Australia Total '000 '000 '000 Segment revenue and results Reportable revenue 688 511 1,199 Revenue from external customers 688 511 799 Cost of Sales - - - Unallocated corporate income and expenses (218) (438) (656) Depreciation (22) - (22) Interest expense (5) (244) (249) Interest Income - - - Tax expense - - - Intersegment revenues/costs (186) 186 - Profit/(Loss) 257 15 272 Segment assets and liabilities Reportable segment assets 7,624 5,974 13,598 Intersegment eliminations (4,210) - (4,210) Goodwill 88 Consolidated total assets 9,476 Reportable segment liabilities 5,395 5,485 10,880 Intersegment eliminations - (3,575) (3,575) Consolidated total liabilities 7,305 For the period ended 31 December 2019: UK Australia Total '000 '000 '000 Segment revenue and results Reportable revenue (104) 1,544 1,440 Revenue from external customers (104) 1,544 1,440 Cost of Sales - (89) (89) Other income - 33 33 Unallocated corporate income and expenses (932) (490) (1,422) Depreciation and amortisation (66) (47) (113) Interest expense (350) (236) (586) Interest Income 32 1 33 Tax expense - (63) (63) Intersegment revenues/costs 464 (464) - Loss (956) 189 (767) Segment assets and liabilities Reportable segment assets 5,547 6,039 11,586 Intersegment eliminations (4,125) - (4,125) Goodwill 88 Consolidated total assets 7,549 Reportable segment liabilities 5,069 5,583 10,652 Intersegment eliminations - (3,735) (3,735) Consolidated total liabilities 6,917 For the period ended 30 June 2019: UK Australia Total '000 '000 '000 Segment revenue and results Reportable revenue 32 678 710 Revenue from external customers 32 678 710 Cost of Sales - - - Unallocated corporate income and expenses (321) (259) (580) Tax expense - (24) (24) Loss 105 Segment assets and liabilities Reportable segment assets 4,497 3,122 7,617 Goodwill 92 92 Consolidated total assets 7,710 Reportable segment liabilities 4,174 2,996 7,170 Consolidated total liabilities 7,170 Other segment information Interest expense (152) (359) (511) Interest income 251 7 257 Depreciation - - - 4. Group Result for the period The current period operating loss incorporated the following main items: 6 months Ended 30 June 2020 Unaudited 6 Months Ended 30 June 2019 Unaudited Year ended 31 December 2019 Audited '000 '000 '000 Directors' remuneration and fees 53 152 477 Legal and professional fees 26 49 136 Other expenses 599 390 921 678 591 1,534 5. Profit / Loss per Share Profit / Loss per share data is based on the Group result for the six months and the weighted average number of shares in issue. Basic loss per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to equity shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period: 6 months Ended 30 June 2020 Unaudited 6 Months Ended 30 June 2019 Unaudited Year ended 31 December 2019 Audited Profit/(loss) after tax 272,000 (137,000) (767,000) Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue 24,224,324 15,228,089 18,073,929 Basic and diluted Profit/(loss) per share (pence) 1.12p (0.90p) (4.24p) Basic and diluted earnings per share are the same, since where a loss is incurred the effect of outstanding share options and warrants is considered anti-dilutive and is ignored for the purpose of the loss per share calculation. There were 26,324,316 potential dilutive shares in issue during the period for share options and warrants. 6. Financial assets During the period the Group had the following movements in investments: 30 June 2020 Unaudited At 30 June 2019 Unaudited Year ended 31 December 2019 Audited '000 '000 '000 Secured loan notes - 222 - Financial assets through profit and loss 2,072 440 242 Total financial assets 2,072 662 242 7. Share Capital Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares are classified as equity. Incremental costs directly attributable to the issuance of new ordinary shares are deducted against share capital. Allotted, called up and fully paid ordinary shares of 0.01p each Number of shares Share Capital Share Premium Balance at 17 May 2016 100 1 - Balance at 30 June 2016 100 1 - Share issue at 0.10 - 15 March 2017 6,309,794 63,098 511,233 Share issue at 0.10 - 24 March 2017 50,000 500 4,500 Share issue at 0.10 - 18 April 2017 727,273 7,273 72,727 Balance at 30 June 2019 15,246,770 152,467 1,448,340 Share issue at 0.14 - 05 August 2019 421,429 4,214 54,786 Share issue at 0.15 - 23 September 2019 1,666,667 16,667 233,333 Share issue at 0.10 - 25 October 2019 4,000,000 40,000 360,000 Balance at 31 December 2019 21,334,866 213,349 2,097,119 Share issue at 0.010 - 24 January 2020 815,462 8,155 212,020 Share issue at 0.010 - 11 March 2020 914,535 9,145 173,762 Share issue at 0.010 - 19 March 2020 1,944,810 19,448 369,514 Share issue at 0.010 - 23 April 2020 757,500 7,575 143,925 Share issue at 0.010 - 04 June 2020 557,143 5,571 111,428 Balance at 30 June 2020 26,324,316 263,243 3,107,768 8. Events Subsequent to 30 June 2020 After the period end the Company has raised 200,000 from the initial tranches of Green Finance Preference Shares issued. On the 28 August 2020 the company raised 179,077 by issuing 179,077 bonds -END- ANN ARBOR, MI Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and wife Sue have put their downtown digs up for sale. The couple loves downtown and their condo, but they want to live closer to their children, said longtime assistant Allison Scott, who said theyre remaining in the area. Their elegant, 4,644-square-foot condo at 211 S. Main St. is now listed for $2.35 million through Dresch & Restrick Realtors with Keller Williams Ann Arbor. Nestled in the top two floors of a historic three-story building above a ground-floor retail space, it features two bedrooms and 3.1 bathrooms, according to the listing describing it as a one-of-a-kind condo in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. Originally built in the 1860s, this diamond in the rough has been brilliantly redesigned with custom finishes, it states. The open and spacious sun-filled rooms flow seamlessly to create the perfect home for both everyday living and entertaining. Dont miss this rare opportunity to own this gem! City assessors records show an entity called Ann Arbor Main Street Condo LLC purchased the condo for $1.5 million in August 2014 and it was transferred to the Susan J. Snyder Trust in July 2015, with a $1 sale price listed. Ann Arbor leaders welcome Michigan governors move to $2M condo downtown As word got out in early 2015 that the governor and his wife planned to move into the condo, the citys Planning Commission approved their plans for a $500,000 rooftop addition. That included a roof deck overlooking Main Street and enclosing a rear-facing balcony on both the second and third floors, for a total of 704 square feet of new space The Snyders previously lived in a gated community in Superior Township, just outside Ann Arbor. The Republican governor and Ann Arbor businessman was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. The Flint water crisis cast a shadow on his final years in office and led to regular protest demonstrations outside his Ann Arbor condo, along with anti-Snyder signs and sidewalk chalk messages around downtown. The governor was even heckled and shouted at while trying to go out in public. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder faces growing animosity in Ann Arbor Its unclear how much time the Snyders spent at the condo in recent years, but they were known to split their time between Ann Arbor and a lake house on Gun Lake. Snyder first came to Ann Arbor in the mid-1970s to attend the University of Michigan, where he earned a bachelors degree in 1977, a masters in business administration in 1979 and a law degree in 1982, all by the age of 23. In his professional life, he worked as an accountant, Gateway Computers executive and Ann Arbor venture capitalist. He also was a co-founder of economic development group Ann Arbor SPARK in 2005. He generated national buzz as a potential Republican presidential candidate for the 2016 election. In a recent op-ed published by USA Today, Snyder endorsed Democrat Joe Biden for president, calling President Donald Trump a bully who lacks a moral compass and ignores truth and saying Biden would help restore civility in a divided nation. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS AND MLIVE: Why former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is supporting Joe Biden for president Trump and Biden clash in worst presidential debate in history First presidential debate: Constant interruptions, insults as Trump, Biden face off in Cleveland Concerns remain as officials near decision on Ann Arbor pollution cleanup Chamber of commerce endorses Ann Arbors affordable housing tax proposal George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the many other unarmed Black people killed by law enforcement officers have not deterred Pennsylvania legislators commitment to pushing unsound criminal reform bills. State Rep. Todd Stephens (R., Montgomery), with nine cosponsors, has introduced House Bill (HB) 1850, HB 1851, and HB 1852. The three-bill package has been presented and tabled (i.e., set aside) four times since they were considered last September, but the sponsors persist and are expected to continue to bring them up for the Houses consideration. State Rep. Stephens previously attempted to reinstate mandatory sentencing twice in 2015, and again in 2017. Heres what the latest set of bills proposes, how they could affect you if they become law, and why they would take Pennsylvania backward if passed. Reinstating inefficient mandatory minimum sentencing: HB 1850 is another attempt at reintroducing legislation that the House once passed by an overwhelming majority of 165 to 31 votes, but died in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The sponsors are determined to reinstate mandatory sentences for several offenses, including offenses committed with firearms and for certain drug offenses committed with firearms. They seek to strip judges of judicial discretion by requiring a second-time offender to serve a minimum of 10 years, and a third-time offender to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison for a crime of violence. And they argue reinstating these laws will deter crime. READ MORE: Mandatory minimums don't reduce recidivism. So why is Pa. weighing bringing them back? The sponsors argument is unsupported by the evidence that minimum mandatory sentencing does not prevent or deter crimes, does not create safer communities, and does not decrease recidivism. Mandatory minimum sentences cost taxpayers billions of dollars, ruin families and communities, and disproportionately affect poor people and people of color. And this is not just a liberal position. Conservative groups like the Charles Koch Institute also decry what the sponsors want to reinstate as pos[ing] a real threat to both public safety and human dignity and represent[ing]a punishment that far exceeds proportionality to the crime. Making the mere possession of a gun violent crime: HB 1851 would reinstate mandatory minimum sentencing and elevate a crime committed by a felon in possession of a firearm to a crime of violence even if the firearm was not used in the commission of the crime. If the sponsors of HB 1851 prevail at passing this bill, stories like that of Weldon Angelos who was sentenced to 55 years confinement for selling marijuana while carrying a firearm will not be uncommon. Additionally, if HB 1851 becomes law, a felons mere possession of a gun is as much a crime of violence as a murder. Put simply, all you need to elevate your carrying crime to a violent crime is a past felony and the presence of a gun. It makes no difference whether the gun is seen by the victim or used in the offense. A prohibited person carrying, but not using, a gun will be punished as severely as a prohibited person using a gun to commit a crime. And our taxpayer dollars will pay for their equal mandatory minimum sentences. Replacing concurrent sentencing with needlessly punitive consecutive sentencing: HB 1852 ensures violent criminals pay for their actions regardless of the cost to taxpayers. The sponsors argue that violent criminals who target multiple victims or commit multiple crimes should receive separate and consecutive sentences for different victims and crimes. Whereas judges now may decide to have criminals serve their terms at the same time, i.e., concurrently, HB 1852 would require consecutive sentencing. READ MORE: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wants to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders Imagine a Pennsylvania equivalent of Weldon Angelos is sentenced to 55 years in prison. Assuming the cost of a full year of incarceration in Pennsylvania is $42,727, confining this person would cost taxpayers $2,349,985. These calculations reflect many real cases that have incarcerated real people. Pennsylvania knows from experience that mandatory minimum sentencing does not work. Thanks to mandatory minimum sentencing, as recently as 2010 Pennsylvania had so many prisoners that the state ran out of room to hold them, and Pennsylvania inmates had to be housed in other states. However, when the state Supreme Court invalidated mandatory minimum sentencing in 2015, the prison population decreased, and so did the Department of Corrections budget. READ MORE: Harrisburg moves backward on gun violence | Editorial But no experience or cost has deterred the sponsors from choosing failed traditions over evidence-based reasoning. No opposition from the Governors Office, CeaseFire PA, the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office, or the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania seems to give them cause to pause. And no pandemic or crisis of racism has stopped the attempt to bring back sentencing that largely harms Black Pennsylvanians. We cannot expect the sponsors to show compassion on the communities their bills would harm, but we must stop them from taking Pennsylvanians a dangerous and expensive step back in time. Keenan Rambo is a student at Penn State Law. Samantha Jallah is a Pennsylvania lawyer and writer. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday hailed the verdict by the special Central Bureau of Investigation court after it acquitted all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case. IMAGE: Senior advocate Mahipal Ahluwalia offers sweets to senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, one the accused in Babri mosque demolition case, after the verdict by the special CBI court, in New Delhi. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo "I welcome the verdict by Special CBI Court, Lucknow acquitting all 32 accused. It proves that justice triumphed however late it may be," Singh tweeted. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday welcomed the court verdict in the Babri mosque demolition case, terming it as the victory of truth. Satyamev Jayate, the chief minister said while welcoming the decision of the special court, a statement issued by his advisor Mritunjay Kumar said. The chief minister also accused the then Congress government of framing saints, BJP leaders, VHP office bearers and others to defame them for vote bank politics. The chief minister said those responsible for this conspiracy should apologise to the people of the country, the statement said. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday welcomed the acquittal of BJP stalwart LK Advani and 31 others in the Babri mosque demolition case by a CBI court, describing it as a "victory of truth." "The court's observation that the incident was not pre-planned is a victory of truth," Yediyurappa told reporters. Reacting to the judgment, he said he was personally very much pleased with it as he too was part of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Giving credit to BJP veterans Advani, Joshi and Bharti for setting the stage for construction of the Ram temple, whose foundation laying ceremony was performed about two months ago in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, the CM said, "In this moment of joy for every Indian, I welcome the verdict." Recalling the day when the mosque was demolished, Yediyurappa said no one can ever forget the historic speech by Advani on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan too hailed as the "victory of truth" the special CBI court's verdict acquitting all accused in the Babri masjid demolition case. "Satya pareshan ho sakta hai, parajit nahi. Aaj ek baar phir satya ki jeet hui hai. Bharatiya nyaypalika ki jai. (True can be troubled but it cannot be defeated. Today, truth has won again. I hail the Indian judicial system)," Chouhan tweeted in Hindi. Chouhan also released a video statement, saying the then Congress government was prejudiced and levelled false allegations against saints and senior leaders. "These allegations were proved baseless (in the court's judgment on Wednesday). Everything has become crystal clear now. We welcome the verdict of the court," Chouhan stated. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Wednesday welcomed the verdict and called for harmony in society to face challenges before the country. "Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh welcomes the special CBI court's decision to acquit all the accused in the demolition of the controversial structure. "After this decision, all sections of the society should come together in unity and harmony and work successfully to face the challenges before the country, and work towards the progress of this country," RSS general secretary Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi tweeted. "Truth Always Wins," said Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Hailing the verdict, Sawant, who is currently in New Delhi on an official trip, tweeted, "All the accused in #BabriDemolitionCase have been acquitted. Truth always wins!" -- With inputs from ANI Maximus, a company contracted by the state to do contact tracing, declined to identify the companies but said in an email on Monday that the issue had been resolved and that its calls were not currently being incorrectly flagged to residents as spam. Loading If his own instincts to leave an imprint on the state and Cains urgings werent enough, Andrews had another reason to be an activist premier. The Liberal-National government Labor defeated in 2014 had mostly seemed becalmed during its single term in office, exacerbating the states infrastructure shortfall and squandering the goodwill of an impatient, fast-growing Victorian community. It was a very different scenario from the last time Labor had won power from opposition in 1999, when Steve Bracks surprisingly triumphed over Jeff Kennett. Then, the imperative had been for a period of healing and consensus following Kennetts steamroller leadership. The amiable and cautious Bracks was perfectly attuned to that need, but some problems were put in the too-hard basket. Eventually, time ran out for Bracks successor, John Brumby, not least because of discontent with Melbournes overstretched public transport system. Andrews, by contrast, styled himself as an assertive premier from the moment he took office. This was exemplified by an ambitious infrastructure building agenda: signature policies were a major program of level-crossing removals and the Metro tunnel rail project. Belying his buttoned-up Clark Kent-like exterior, but also confident that Victoria was more receptive to bold social reform than other parts of the nation, his government made Victoria the first Australian state to legalise voluntary assisted dying, established the states first drug-injecting room, firmly supported the Safe Schools program, appointed the Royal Commission into Family Violence, and embarked on negotiating a treaty with the Indigenous community. Andrews the earnest reformer coexists with a powerful streak of the political hard man. He demonstrated a willingness to barge through controversies unapologetically (whether cancelling the contract for the East West Link project, the prolonged dispute over reforming the Country Fire Authority, or revelations about Labors deployment of taxpayer-funded electoral staff in its 2014 election campaign the so-called red shirts affair). Similarly, Andrews seemed to derive satisfaction and affirmation in provoking critics. He thumbed his nose at Melbournes top-rating commercial talkback radio host, Neil Mitchell, and appeared unfazed at earning the enmity of the states News Corp tabloid, the Herald Sun. The formula worked. Despite vociferous attacks by the Herald Sun but aided by a tin-ear law-and-order campaign by the Liberal opposition, which jarred in a community defined by complexity and diversity, the Andrews government was triumphantly returned in November 2018. The victory was so comprehensive that it was dubbed the Danslide. Former Liberal prime minister John Howard sought to console devastated Victorian Liberals by christening the state the Massachusetts of Australia. Yet in a review of the election for the Victorian Liberal Party, Howards former principal adviser, Tony Nutt, acknowledged the effectiveness of Andrews leadership over the previous four years. In private circles, Liberals conceded he was one of the most formidable politicians of the generation. When Andrews so emphatically won a second term, I wrote that a potential danger was that, emboldened, he might grow too domineering. That, of course, was long before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted the political landscape. Early in the crisis, Andrews decisive style appeared ideally equipped for the challenge. As head of one of the senior states, he had an influential presence in Morrisons specially formed national cabinet. In common with his fellow leaders, Andrews management of the first wave of the virus won strong public endorsement. In late April, Newspoll recorded him enjoying an approval rating of 75 per cent, with 85 per cent of respondents believing he had handled the pandemic well. Then came the botched hotel quarantine program, the unleashing of a second wave of the virus and the imposition of strict restrictions on Victorians in early July. For Andrews, who has prided himself on his control of his government and mastery of detail, it has no doubt been a humbling experience. He has responded in perhaps the only way he knows how: by asserting still tighter hold over his government and upping an already onerous workload. Day in and day out for the past three months, he has fronted a media conference to announce the latest COVID numbers, exhausting the questions of a frequently hostile journalist pack. Any semblance of bipartisanship over the management of the virus disintegrated. The state opposition and Morrison government ministers have roundly condemned Andrews. Predictably, the News Corp press has been especially strident. They resent what they regard as Andrews ideological adventurism and also seem actuated by revenge for the 2018 election result. The legitimate criticisms that can be made of his government for its defective co-ordination, lack of accountability and occasionally tactless overreach have been overshadowed in their pages by hyperbolic columns depicting Victoria as a kind of failed state in which Dictator Dan tramples civil liberties. One wonders how many of these columnists have actually walked the streets of Melbourne during the lockdown: the public hardly gives the impression of being cowered under the jackboot of a police state. Last week, through gritted teeth, The Australian reported the results of a Newspoll that indicated support for Andrews was holding up in Victoria. His approval rating was 62 per cent. Two-thirds of those surveyed believed his government was doing well in handling COVID-19. What this suggests is that the shrillest voices of criticism are not representative of public opinion at large. The public stoically accepts the restrictions and also has a sense of proportion about what has happened in Victoria when compared to the severity of the crisis in many other countries. Even as the second wave of the virus is contained, the challenges for Andrews are many. Like his counterparts federally and in the other states, the premiers destiny will likely be determined by how dire the economic reckoning is and how effectively his government handles the task of recovery. EZ Texting Adds Heather Zynczak to Board of Directors EZ Texting, the leader in SMS marketing software for business, today announced the appointment of Heather Zynczak to its Board of Directors. With a career focused on growing companies, Zynczaks experience and knowledge in building, marketing and selling customer solutions will be vital as EZ Texting scales to meet the current and future needs of its customers. As an independent board member, Heather brings to the board a wealth of experience in SaaS marketing and driving strategy with high-growth companies, said Norman Happ, CEO of EZ Texting. Her experience includes piloting massive expansions that enabled her last two companies to go public. EZ Texting is fortunate to have her on the board as we grow in an environment with increasing demand for the real-time communications solutions people prefer. Zynczak is Chief Marketing Officer of Pluralsight, the worlds leading technology learning platform for enterprises, where she is responsible for all aspects of marketing and digital revenue. During her tenure, the company has grown from just over $100 million to almost $500 million in revenue. Prior to Pluralsight, she was CMO of Domo, helping build one of the fastest growing tech startupsstarting from zero revenue and expanding over four years to approximately $100 million, with up to 100% year-over-year revenue growth. She has held executive positions at Oracle and SAP, led teams at several Silicon Valley startups, and served as a business consultant at Accenture, The Boston Consulting Group and Booz Allen & Hamilton. I believe EZ Texting is at an inflection point and primed to be the leader in the market, said Zynczak. Customer communication and prospect marketing are vital to any organization. Connecting with your community is especially essential for small and mid-sized business ownersand connecting in the way that they prefer to communicate is paramount. EZ Texting gets that. Zynczak finds EZ Textings strong leadership team and the innovation and power of the EZ Texting product to be a winning combination. EZ Texting is in the next phase of its growth, and I look forward to providing guidance as the business moves forward. About EZ Texting EZ Texting is a SaaS company that delivers the fastest, easiest and most reliable way to connect. It has served over 160,000 customers and is the #1 SMS platform for business users, setting the standard for business texting. Our messaging solutions allow businesses to quickly and effectively reach and engage their mobile audiences. With employees around the world, EZ Texting is continuously recognized as a Best Place to Work, as well as a top product for small and mid-market businesses. The company is backed by Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital, Investor AB and ROCA Partners. To find out more, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Background: Persistent poverty means that a county has had poverty rates of 20 percent or more in U.S. Census data from 1980, 1990, and 2000. These areas, representing about 10 percent of all U.S. counties, are primarily located in the rural South. Persistent-poverty counties typically have larger populations of racial and ethnic minorities; more children under age 18; less formal education; and greater unemployment. They are also more likely to have high rates of cancer risk factors such as obesity or cigarette smoking, Moss added. She drew a distinction between counties with persistent poverty and those with current poverty, which is defined as 20 percent or more of the population living in poverty according to the 2007-2011 American Community Survey. "Counties that have experienced persistent poverty face health risks that have accumulated for decades, and they have fewer current or past resources to protect public health," she said. How the Study was Conducted: In this study, Moss and colleagues examined cancer mortality rates in persistently poor counties compared with other counties. The median income in the persistently poor counties was $32,156, compared with $47,154 in the counties not experiencing persistent poverty. The researchers calculated 2007-2011 county-level, age-adjusted, overall, and type-specific cancer mortality rates. Results: They found that the overall cancer mortality rate in persistent-poverty counties was 201.3 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 179.3 per 100,000 people in counties not experiencing persistent poverty. For each cancer type studied, mortality was between 11 and 50 percent higher in the counties with persistent poverty. For example, the mortality rate from lung/bronchus cancer was 16.5 percent higher; from colorectal cancer, 17.7 percent higher; from stomach cancer, 43.2 percent higher; and from liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer, 27.6 percent higher in the persistent-poverty counties than in the counties not experiencing persistent poverty. Author's Comments: Moss said the disparities in various cancer types reflected a number of persistent risk factors that are more common in poorer communities, such as smoking, excess weight, and higher rates of infections. These factors, in turn, are likely related to fewer systemic opportunities for accessing good health, for example, fewer job prospects, inadequate health care facilities, and less safe housing and occupational environments. However, Moss said further research should examine other potential causes of the disparities. For example, it is possible that chronic stress associated with less access to health care, more chronic unemployment, and other financial factors may lead to inflammation that gives rise to some cancers, she said. In general, the counties experiencing current but not persistent poverty had higher cancer mortality rates than the overall U.S. population, but lower rates than the persistently poor counties. Moss said the results of this study indicate that researchers should distinguish between persistent poverty and current poverty, since persistent poverty is associated with the strongest risk of cancer mortality. She said the long-entrenched societal problems surrounding persistent poverty merit local and national interventions to improve health outcomes. "To prevent health disparities, we need tools, people, and systems to ensure that everyone in this country has access to the tools they need to thrive, including socioeconomic opportunities, equity, and respect, as well as prevention resources and health care services," Moss said. "We need interventions in these communities to change cancer-causing behaviors, to make cancer screening more accessible, to improve treatment, and to promote quality of life and survivorship," she continued. "Efforts to reduce the risk of cancer in these counties will require strategic coordination, collaboration, and funding, with input from community members every step of the way." Study Limitations: The study's chief limitation is that it did not account for residential history, so the researchers could not determine whether the amount of time spent in a persistently poor county affected cancer mortality risk. ### Funding & Disclosures: This study was funded by the National Cancer Institute. Moss declares no conflicts of interest. To interview Jennifer Moss, please contact Richard Lobb at richard.lobb@aacr.org or 215-906-3322. For a photo of Moss, click here. Visit our newsroom. Bottom Line: Residents of counties that experience persistent poverty face a disproportionately high risk of cancer mortality. Journal in Which the Study was Published: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research Author: Jennifer L. Moss, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. About the American Association for Cancer Research Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes 47,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 127 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 30 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with more than 22,500 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes nine prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients, and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration, and scientific oversight of team science and individual investigator grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and other policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit http://www.AACR.org. A man wearing a face mask waits for customers outside a restaurant in Chinatown during the continuing state of emergency on May 20, 2020 in Yokohama, Japan. Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) said it will spend 4.25 trillion yen ($40 billion) to take its wireless carrier business private, in a deal that opens the path to lower prices as the government calls for cuts. NTT will launch Japan's largest-ever tender offer for the 34% of NTT Docomo Inc stock that it does not own, the firm said in a statement. The telecoms firm will offer 3,900 yen per share, a premium of 40.5% to Monday's closing price. The buyout comes as new prime minister Yoshihide Suga calls on wireless carriers to reduce prices, with the government hoping resultant savings will stimulate consumer spending elsewhere in the economy. On Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato reiterated that call, saying there needs to be "visible progress on lowering mobile phone charges." "NTT Docomo's financial base will become stronger giving us the capacity to cut prices," NTT Chief Executive Jun Sawada told a news conference. NTT's share price fell as much as 5.8% after the company said it was considering the buyout. The stock closed down 3% while NTT Docomo ended up 16% at its daily trade limit. Mobile peers KDDI and SoftBank fell 4%, with SoftBank touching record lows. That continued a slide among telcos which began when Shinzo Abe announced plans to step down as prime minister on Aug. 28, as investors digested the prospect of Suga, who had previously called for price cuts, becoming premier. "The device is so tiny; it could even fit inside a bacterium," says Mottonen who is a joint Professor of Quantum Technology at Aalto University and VTT, and also a Co-Founder of IQM. The new bolometer can measure the energy of photons much more accurately and faster than before. This is essential for quantum computers, since measuring the energy of qubits, the quantum bits, is an integral part of quantum algorithms. Moreover, the device is small and readily integrable into superconducting quantum processors, providing a clear path towards real-world applications. "We started the proof-of-concept using gold palladium for the bolometer," says M.Sc. Roope Kokkoniemi, the first author of the Nature paper who just joined IQM. "It worked but at the same time we also figured out how to make it even better. This is where graphene comes in as a replacement. The end result is indeed a much better sensor that can operate at higher speed, so much better that it can be useful in reading out the state of a superconducting qubit, the building block of a superconducting quantum processor," added Roope. This has also been a collaborative effort with Professor Pertti Hakonen's NANO group of Aalto University, with VTT, and with National University of Singapore. Accelerating the development at IQM In quantum computers such as the ones developed at IQM, this detector technology could prove very useful in replacing conventional readers and enabling the scaling up of future quantum processors due to its relatively small size. By virtue of being at the epicenter of quantum in Finland, IQM is in a unique position to commercialize such breakthroughs through close cooperation with the growing local quantum ecosystem. "We consider this an exciting milestone in the field of quantum technology. IQM is constantly looking for new ways to enhance its quantum-computer technology and this new bolometer certainly fits the bill," explains Dr Kuan Yen Tan, Co-Founder of IQM who was also involved in the reported research. Technology from the best research IQM is a prime example of a successful technology transfer story, epitomizing how research can be commercialized in an expedited way. IQM has become the leading quantum-computer company in Europe in an extraordinarily short time, already making its way towards the first commercial quantum computer sale. The company has managed to establish itself a unique foundation in the field, not only because of it has been able to recruit a major fraction of the highly limited pool of talented quantum engineers, but also because of its ability to cooperate with universities and industry partners all over Europe. Significant part of IQM's rapid development and brilliance in the field of quantum computing stems from the close interplay with academia. In fact, IQM is highly integrated in academia and most of its employees have research background. IQM's team has collectively published over 640 scientific articles with more than 27,000 citations. IQM's aim is to become a pan-European quantum-computer company and further expand its partnerships with the best research teams all over Europe. The link to the Nature article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2753-3 The link to the Aalto University's press release: https://www.aalto.fi/en/news/new-detector-breakthrough-pushes-boundaries-of-quantum-computing Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1121497/IQM_Logo.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1284076/IQM_Graphene.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1284077/IQM_Roope_Kuan.jpg IQM Contacts for questions and comments: Dr Kuan Yen Tan Chief Technology Officer [email protected] Tel. +358 50 477 8091 (English & Chinese) PRESS INQUIRIES Henrikki Makynen [email protected] Tel. +358 40 547 3835 (English & Finnish) IQM PRESS KIT: DOWNLOAD IQM Finland Oy Keilaranta 19 02150 Espoo FINLAND www.meetiqm.com SOURCE IQM Finland Oy Related Links http://meetiqm.com/contact/ TOKYO: Videos showing an 18-metre (59-foot) robot in the Japanese harbour city of Yokohama have entranced the Twitterverse, pulling in more than 6 million views in the past week. The robot is the centrepiece of the Gundam Factory Yokohama, a tourist attraction that was due to open in October but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The park operator said on Tuesday it will open on December 19. The videos, shot by a telephoto lens from Twitter user @yoshi115t, show what appear to be motion tests of the white robot that dwarfs boats speeding by in the background. The 25-tonne Gundam makes a walking motion as it exits a storage area, before kneeling and then raising its right arm to point toward the sky. A giant 59-foot robot comes to life as it undergoes testing in preparation for the opening of a theme park to celebrate the iconic Japanese anime Mobile Suit Gundam https://t.co/uwyIqe0xLS pic.twitter.com/bIIrlVMoJL Reuters (@Reuters) September 30, 2020 The park`s Gundam-Lab will feature an exhibition area and cafe, while the Gundam-Dock Tower will allow visitors to view the robot`s face and body. "Mobile Suit Gundam" debuted in Japan in the late 1970s as a cartoon about enormous battle robots piloted by humans. The series spawned multiple spinoffs and toys while gaining a worldwide following. The Gundam franchise is operated by Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. Engineering company Yaskawa Electric Corp and industrial robot maker Nabtesco Corp are among companies making parts of the giant Gundam in Yokohama, according to the attraction`s website. A celebrity wedding planner has been caught ripping off her late grandfather's huge fortune, partly by forging documents with his signature. Kashaya Williams' business Kashaya & Co has organised special days for couples like Bachelor Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich, AFL star Kieren Jack and his wife Charlotte Goodlet, and even model Erin Holland. But the NSW Supreme Court heard last week that despite regularly mingling with the top end of town, the lavish lifestyle portrayed by Kashaya and her real estate mogul husband Evan Williams has been massively funded by her late grandfather. During a marriage of almost 70 years, Dr Alan Grant and his wife Gwynneth amassed a mutli-million dollar property portfolio through astute investments. But the couple's wealth was depleted by their daughter Nerez who over more than a decade 'dishonestly breached' her responsibility to her father's estate, often to the benefit of granddaughter Kashaya. On one occasion she even forged a letter that claimed Dr Grant wanted Kashaya to have one of his homes for free. The court found that Kashaya had accepted a $60,000 cash transfer and $900,000 home, despite knowing it would leave her grandfather 'substantially disadvantaged'. Celebrity wedding planner and florist Kashaya Williams (pictured with husband Evan) has been ordered to hand back a $900,000 home she received from her late grandfather's estate Kashaya will now have to hand over the home she received, while her mum will have to refund $130,000 to Dr Grant's estate. But the mother and daughter pair were only forced to give back what they took after the Grant's other children took the matter to court in an attempt to settle an ongoing feud. The court heard the Grants married in 1953 and welcomed their daughter Nerez, the first of five children, in 1956. After raising their family in the Hunter Valley they moved to Sydney, buying a home in the harbourside suburb of McMahons Point for $750,000 in 1993. For years before they moved both Dr Grant and his wife had struggled with Nerez's drug use and attitude towards them, including her regularly 'harassing them for money'. Despite their toxic relationship with Nerez, the pair were determined to remain close to their granddaughter Kashaya. They provided her with opportunities her mother could not including a trip to Europe and the U.S in 1997, something they did not offer to any of their other grandchildren. Dr Grant would often sign cheques for his daughter, and in about 2008 and 2009 he began to also regularly give money to his granddaughter. In the years that followed he would continue to give money to Kashaya, her husband and their wedding planning business, the court heard. Dr Grant would give his credit card to Kashaya and her mother, or alternatively they would take him to ATMs and get him to withdraw cash, the court heard. Dr Grant's credit card statements from around that time included baby products, a brand new Audi Q5, and renovations to Kashaya's property at MacMasters Beach on the Central Coast. The most controversial payment Kashaya received was was $50,000 for her lavish wedding to Evan Williams, a real estate mogul with prominent Sydney agents The Rubenstein Group Kashaya was the florist for AFL star Kieren Jack (right) and TV reporter wife Charlotte Goodlet's (left) wedding. They are pictured with fellow TV reporter Julie Snook (far left) and actor partner Hugo Johnstone-Burt (far right) on their special day But the most controversial payment was $50,000 to Kashaya for her lavish wedding to Evan Williams, the prominent Sydney real estate agent. 'The significant cost of this wedding... was a cause of considerable friction in the family and Mrs Grant was not pleased that Dr Grant had been quite so generous with Kashaya,' Justice Michael Slattery told the court. Payments continued to flood in to Nerez and Kashaya over the years to come, much to the anger of Mrs Grant. It eventually drove a wedge in the marriage of 60 years and led Mrs Grant to attempt in 2011 to sever the joint tenancies of the properties she and her husband owned. Instead, Dr Grant and Mrs Grant went through mediation and agreed to sell the three houses they owned in NSW, pocketing more than $3.4million each. In 2012, Mrs Grant cut both Nerez and Kashaya out of her will. The court heard how in or around 2014 a 'power struggle' emerged between Nerez and Kashaya for control over Dr Grant's mother. Nerez won. By the time his wife died in May 2017, Dr Grant was living in a nursing home and after decades of family infighting he admitted to his son he had regrets about the control he had given his daughter over his life. 'Nerez has isolated me from her [Mrs Grant] and my children,' Dr Grant told his son. Just a few months later Nerez - who was now in control of her elderly father's estate - transferred a home owned by Dr Grant at Killcare into Kashaya's name. Kashaya then leased it back to her mother on a lifelong deal. The court heard that Mrs Williams (right) knew a letter signing a $900,000 home over from her grandfather to her was forged. She was slammed by Justice Slattery as an 'unreliable witness' Credit card payments from Dr Grant went not just to Kashaya, but also to her business Kashaya & Co, which recently put together the gender reveal party for Bachelor couple Anna Heinrich and Tim Robards This mansion overlooking Sydney Harbour was the family home for Dr and Mrs Grant after they moved to Sydney in the 1990s. Dr Grant took sole control of the home in 2013 for $2.1 million When questioned about this in court Nerez claimed that Dr Grant always wanted the home to be gifted to Kashaya, but for her to live there to 'have a roof over her head'. 'It is what my father wanted. He had verbally said it numerous times. I even had very small notes from him written that he would I can't find those,' she claimed in court. 'I found a copy of a note that he said he wanted that. So, that was his wishes: to have that property transferred to Kashaya and for me to live there.' Nerez and Kashaya also produced a letter they claimed was from him, but the court found that Dr Grant's signature had been forged. 'Apart from the word "Alan" which does appear to be in Dr Grant's handwriting, the rest of the 10 April 2016 document is typed,' Justice Slattery found. Overall the court heard that Dr Grant had transferred a total of $373,703 to Kashaya, her husband Mr Williams or to their event planning business Kashaya & Co. That came in addition to the overseas trips and paying for her education at a Sydney private school, with the court hearing Dr Grant had taken up a father figure role in her life. One of their regular customers, Anna Heinrich poses with a bouquet of flowers from Kashaya & Co Handing down his judgement in the NSW Supreme Court (pictured), Justice Michael Slattery ruled that Nerez pay back $100,000 and Kashaya forfeit the $900,000 Killcare property Dr Grant passed away in November 2019, aged 98. Despite referencing a long history of potentially dishonest behaviour by Kashaya and her mother, Justice Slattery was only ordered to rule on a single transfer of $100,000 received by Nerez and the Killcare property. He ruled that Nerez pay back the $100,000, plus $34,700 in compensation, and that Kashaya forfeit the Killcare property. Kashaya had already repaid $60,000 transferred from Dr Grant's account to her by her mother. In total more than a dozen witnesses, many family members or close friends, were in court to give evidence during the lengthy trial. Separate court proceedings over the probate of Dr Grant's will are ongoing. Kashaya Williams told Daily Mail Australia she was appealing against the decision of the NSW Supreme Court. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. A recent market study published by Future Market Insights on the pet toys market offers global industry analysis for 2015-2019 & opportunity assessment for 2020-2030. The study offers a comprehensive assessment of the most important market dynamics. After conducting a thorough research on the historical, as well as current growth parameters, the growth prospects of the market are obtained with maximum precision. Market Segmentation The global pet toys market is segmented in detail to cover every aspect of the market and present complete market intelligence to readers. Product Type Plush Toys Rope & Tug Toys Balls Chew Toys Squeaky Toys Interactive Toys Others Request a Sample of this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-12550 Pet Type Dogs Cats Birds Others Type Non-edible Edible Material Type Rubber Cotton Nylon Plastic Others Size Small Medium Large Price Range Economy Mid-Range Premium Sales Channel Wholesalers/Distributors Supermarkets/Hypermarkets Convenience Stores Multi-brand Stores Online Retailers Pet Specialty Stores Region North America Latin America Europe East Asia South Asia Oceania MEA Report Chapters Chapter 01 - Executive Summary The executive summary of the pet toys market includes the market country analysis, proprietary wheel of fortune, demand-side and supply-side trends, opportunity assessment, and recommendations on the global pet toys market. Chapter 02 Market Introduction Readers can find the detailed segmentation and definition of the pet toys market in this chapter, which will help them understand basic information about the pet toys market. This section also highlights the inclusions and exclusions, which help the reader understand the scope of the pet toys market report. Chapter 03 Key Market Trends The report provides key market trends that are expected to impact market growth significantly during the forecast period. Detailed industry trends are provided in this section, along with key market developments or product innovations. Chapter 04 Key Success Factors The report provides highlights the key success factors and promotional strategies followed by the various players in the pet toys market. Chapter 05 The Massive Impact of the Crisis This section provides an in-depth analysis on the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on global economy and its related effect across various countries. Readers can also find information on the impact of the pandemic on various sectors such as manufacturing and supply chain across the globe. Chapter 06 The Impact of Covid-19 on Pet Toys Market, 2020 This section provides an in-depth analysis on the quarter by quarter forecast, 2020 of pet toys market. Readers can also find information on the change in market size by countries, product type, pet type, material type, type, size, price range, and sales channel. Chapter 07 Global Pet Toys Market Demand Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast, 2020-2030 This section provides detailed analysis of the historical pet toys market volume, along with an opportunity analysis of the future. Readers can also find the incremental opportunity for the current year (20202021) and an absolute opportunity for the forecast period (20202030). Chapter 08 Global Pet Toys Market Pricing Analysis This chapter highlights the pricing analysis based on product type for base year 2019 and forecast year 2030. In addition, profit margins at each level of the pet toys market are analyzed and readers can find detailed information on top importers and exporters as well as the value chain of the market. Chapter 09 Global Pet Toys Market Demand (in Value or Size in US$ Mn) Analysis and Forecast 2015-2030 This chapter includes detailed analysis of the historical pet toys market (2015-2019), along with an opportunity analysis for the forecast period (2020-2030). Readers can also find the incremental opportunity for the current year (20202021) and absolute $ opportunity for the forecast period (20202030). This chapter provides details about the global pet toys market on the basis of product type, pet type, material type, type, size, price range, sales channel & region. In this chapter, readers can understand market attractive analysis for all segments. This chapter explains how the pet toys market is anticipated to grow across North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East and Africa. Chapter 10 Global Pet Care Industry Outlook This chapter highlights the consumer spending on pet care in various countries across the globe, top companies in pet care industry, and how much the consumers are willing to pay for the pet toys. Chapter 11 Market Background The associated industry assessment of the global pet toys market is carried out in this section. In addition, this chapter explains key macroeconomic factors that are expected to influence the growth of the global pet toys market over the forecast period. Along with macroeconomic factors, this section also highlights the opportunity analysis for the market. It offers provides key market dynamics of the pet toys market, which include drivers, restraints, and opportunities. Moreover, it will help readers understand key trends followed by leading manufacturers in the pet toys market. Further, the chapter highlights which specific brand preferred by the consumers and why, factor influencing market behavior, which mode of advertisement is more preferred by the vendors, key challenges associated with the market suppliers, and many others consumer sentiment analysis. Moreover, this section of the report highlights the consumer perception for target products on social media platforms, trending brands, trending #hashtags, trending subject titles and many others social media sentiment analysis. Chapter 12 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Product Type Based on product type, the pet toys market is segmented into plush toys, rope & tug toys, balls, chew toys, squeaky toys, interactive toys, and others. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on product type. Chapter 13 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Pet Type This chapter provides details about the pet toys market on the basis of pet type which is segmented into dogs, cats, birds, and others along with market attractiveness analysis. Chapter 14 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Type Based on type, the pet toys market is segmented into non-edible and edible. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on type. Chapter 15 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Material Type This chapter provides details about the pet toys market on the basis of material type which is segmented into rubber, cotton, nylon, plastic, and others along with market attractiveness analysis. Chapter 16 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Size This chapter provides details about the pet toys market on the basis of size which is segmented into small, medium, and large along with market attractiveness analysis. Chapter 17 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Price Range Based on price range, the pet toys market is segmented into economy, mid-range, and premium. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on price range. Chapter 18 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Sales Channel Based on sales channel, the pet toys market is segmented into wholesalers/distributors, supermarkets/hypermarkets, convenience stores, multi-brand stores, online retailers, pet specialty stores. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on sales channel. Chapter 19 Global Pet Toys Market Analysis 20152019 and Opportunity Assessment 2020-2030 by Region This chapter explains how the pet toys market will grow across various geographic regions, such as North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Chapter 20 North America Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the pet toys market in the North America region, along with a country-wise assessment that includes the U.S. and Canada. Readers can also find regional trends, opportunities, and market growth based on product type, pet type, type, material type, size, price range, sales channel, and countries in the North America region. Chapter 21 Latin America Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 Readers can find detailed information about several factors, such as the pricing analysis and regional trends, which are impacting growth of the pet toys market in the Latin America region. This chapter also includes growth prospects of the pet toys market in leading LATAM countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America. Chapter 22 Europe Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 Important growth prospects of the pet toys market based on its product type, pet type, type, material type, size, price range, and sales channel in several countries such as United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Benelux, Nordics, Russia, and rest of Europe are included in this chapter. Chapter 23 South Asia Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the pet toys market in the South Asia region, along with a country-wise assessment that includes, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and rest of South Asia. Readers can also find regional trends, restraints, and market growth of countries in the South Asia region. Chapter 24 East Asia Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the pet toys market in East Asia region including the important growth prospects of the pet toys in several countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea are included in this chapter. Chapter 25 Oceania Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the pet toys market in Oceania region including the important growth prospects of the pet toys in several countries such as Australia and New Zealand are included in this chapter. Chapter 26 Middle East and Africa Pet Toys Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter offers insights into how the pet toys market is expected to grow in major countries in the MEA region such as GCC Countries, South Africa, and the rest of MEA, during the forecast period 2020-2030. Chapter 27 Market Structure Analysis In this chapter, readers can find detailed information about tier analysis and market concentration of the key players in the pet toys market along with their market presence analysis by region and product portfolio. Request for Reports Methodology @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/pet-toys-market#idMethodology Chapter 28 Competition Deep-Dive Analysis In this chapter, readers can find a comprehensive list of manufacturers/ players in the pet toys market, along with detailed information about each company, which includes company overview, revenue shares, strategic overview, and recent company developments. Some of the market players featured in the report are The OurPets Co., ZippyPaws, Fluff & Tuff Inc., Multipet International, Inc., Outward Hound, Kong Company, Pet Qwerks, Inc., Benebone LLC, Chuckit, Jolly Pets, Nylabone, Petmate, JW Pet Company Inc., Coastal Pet Products Inc., Mammoth Pet Products, Petsport USA, Inc., Skinneez, Li'l Palsand, and others. Chapter 29 Assumptions and Acronyms This chapter includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a based to the information and statistics included in the pet toys market report. Chapter 30 Research Methodology This chapter helps readers understand the research methodology followed to obtain various conclusions, as well as important qualitative and quantitative information, on the pet toys market. A French court rules that the Rwandan man accused of having bankrolled the country's genocide can be transferred to a UN tribunal to stand trial. Felicien Kabuga was arrested near Paris earlier this year after 25 years on the run. Also, Cameroon is accused of becoming increasingly repressive as hundreds of opposition protesters remain in jail following their arrest at anti-government demonstrations last week. And several people appear in court in Paris after trying to take African artwork from a museum in the French capital. Shepard Smith on the set of his new CNBC show, "The News with Shepard Smith." With his new CNBC show, "The News with Shepard Smith," longtime journalist Shepard Smith says he doesn't want to tell anyone how to think. He just wants to report the facts so people can make up their own minds. "I hope we can deliver the news of the day in context," Smith tells CNBC Make It. "I want people to feel like I didn't waste their time and that maybe they learned something and that I didn't talk down to them or tell them how to think." It's an appropriate mission for Smith, 56, who says his success in journalism and in life has come from always seeking the truth, and working hard. He's even had to learn his own personal truth along the way. Where it all started Smith's hunt for the truth started as a kid growing up in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Over breakfast, Smith's parents would get into deep debates about the Vietnam War. "Often they would disagree about what was going on, as much of America did at the time," he says. Smith remembers wishing he could go to Vietnam to find out what was really happening so that he could report back to his parents. Then, after Elvis Presley died in 1977 when Smith was 13, the media swarmed nearby Memphis, Tennessee. "The idea of being able to be somewhere when it was happening and reporting on that live," that sounded cool, Smith says. Smith headed to University of Mississippi to study journalism but dropped out two credits shy of a degree to take a TV reporter job in Panama City, Florida. Smith says he never looked back. "I just kept running," he says. "I didn't have legs up, aside from White privilege that I recognize," Smith says. "So I worked my a-- off and I tried not to make big mistakes." 'I never said no' After Panama City, Smith took reporting jobs in Fort Myers, Texas, Miami and Orlando, Florida, before finally landing in New York. After working as a correspondent for Fox affiliate service News Edge, Smith joined Fox News Channel at its inception in 1996. "In the early going, for the first decade, maybe even two decades, ... I never said no. Never. Not to one assignment. Not to anything," Smith says. Smith covered major breaking news stories like the death of Princess Diana in 1997, President Bill Clinton's 1998 impeachment trial, the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and the 2001 execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, to name a few. Smith says he would work nights and weekends, sometimes for weeks without stopping or while he was sick. "They would change out crews and they would change out people and I would just keep going because I just didn't want to miss anything," Smith says. Smith even skipped his stepsister's wedding to cover the McVeigh verdict. "I was the lead correspondent on the story and we didn't have anybody else who had studied it in the way that I had," Smith says. But Smith says his drive was more than just a quest for success it also helped him hide from his personal life. 'Nothing to hide' anymore "I was gay and I hadn't figured it out," says Smith, who divorced his wife, Virginia Donald, in 1993. "I just didn't know how to process all of that." He says that by focusing on work, he didn't have to deal with his sexuality. But over time, Smith decided to figure out his personal truth, too. He saw a psychologist who helped him accept his sexuality. In 2017, Smith talked openly about being gay while speaking to students at his alma mater. He told them he put his sexuality in a box and stowed it away. But "one day I found the box," he said. "Then I cried for a long time." From that moment, Smith said he had "nothing to hide." "I was always as true to me as I knew how to be," Smith told the students. "If I was fibbing to you, it's because I was fibbing to me. And that sounds like such a load of crap, but it really is my truth. I don't have to ever fib about anything again as long as I live." 'I wanted to get out clean' Thousands of children and adults will need warm coats to stay safe each winter. The economic hardships caused by COVID-19 have increased the need for warm coats as winter cold arrives this winter. A coat may seem like a simple thing, but thousands of children and adults in communities across the country will need a warm, winter coat for the cold months ahead. One Warm Coat is working to ensure that we can protect the health and well-being of as many people as possible. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Americans have stepped up to help those in need by donating to their local food banks and supporting local relief efforts. Now, with winter approaching, national nonprofit One Warm Coat is kicking off a campaign to raise awareness about the danger cold weather will soon create for our most vulnerable neighbors. October 1 is One Warm Coat Day -- a day to educate Americans about the dangers associated with winter cold and encourage simple actions that can help save lives. To mark the event, One Warm Coat is encouraging everyone to register to hold a coat drive or make a donation. A coat may seem like a simple thing, but thousands of children and adults in communities across the country will need a warm, winter coat for the cold months ahead, said Beth W. Amodio, One Warm Coats president and chief executive officer. Shelter from the elements is a basic need, and One Warm Coat is working to collect and distribute coats across the U.S. to ensure that we can protect the health and well-being of as many people as possible. The need is especially great heading into the 2020-21 winter season. An estimated 30 million Americans are unemployed and more than 1 in 8 American households are living in poverty. In every corner of our country, families are at severe risk and the need for warmer clothing, combined with increased utility costs, will make the winter months more challenging for those who were already struggling, before the pandemic began. Children are particularly susceptible to the cold because their small bodies must work harder to maintain a safe core temperature. With many students now remaining home due to COVID-19, coats are more essential than ever. Children from low-income families often wear their coats inside their residences, where they may not have working utilities or proper insulation. For adults, a coat can provide warmth as they commute to work, often by foot or on public transportation. For men and women living on the street, a warm coat can mean the difference between life and death. Last year, One Warm Coat provided more than 500,000 coats to people in need. Because of the unique circumstances this year, it is urging Americans to help now before it turns cold. Individuals, community groups, and businesses can support One Warm Coats efforts through its Coat Drive Program, which collects and distributes coats to children and adults in need in all 50 states. Hosting a coat drive is simple. One Warm Coat provides all of the resources necessary to register, promote, and manage your drive and partners with nonprofits in each community to ensure every coat thats collected is delivered to someone in need. One Warm Coat is providing social distancing and safety tips to ensure everyone involved in the Coat Drive Program is safe. One Warm Coat is also encouraging cash donations. Every $1 donated warms 1 person. To learn more, visit: https://www.onewarmcoat.org One Warm Coat Day Partnerships In celebration of One Warm Coat Day, national retailer Lands End and The Weather Channel are kicking off an integrated campaign to spread warmth. Lands' End customers will receive 50 percent off one outwear item when they bring in a new or gently worn coat from October 1 -November 1 (Limited one item per coat donation, up to three per customer). Tune in to The Weather Channel for more information and interviews with One Warm Coat President & CEO, Beth W. Amodio, on October 1. "With the added challenges presented by COVID-19, the initiative to provide warm coats to those who need them is more important than ever," said Nora Zimmett, EVP and Chief Content Officer at The Weather Channel television network. "We're honored to team up with Lands' End and One Warm Coat again to raise awareness for One Warm Coat Day and help keep people safe from winter's brutal elements." As a leader in the outerwear industry, we are proud to partner with One Warm Coat and The Weather Channel for another important year of giving back to the community, said Matt Trainor, SVP Brand Creative, Lands End. Now more than ever, our employees and customers appreciate the opportunity to provide comfort and safety in the form of a warm jacket or coat. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available for this fall and winter. Visit One Warm Coats website for more information. About One Warm Coat One Warm Coat is a national nonprofit organization that provides free coats to anyone in need, without discrimination, and works to create awareness of the vital need for warm coats across the country. Through the Coat Drive Program, One Warm Coat provides tools and resources to empower volunteer-led and sponsored coat drives to collect coats, and partners with nonprofit agencies and schools across all 50 states to distribute those coats to children and adults in need. One Warm Coat also encourages sustainability by working with manufacturers and retailers to match overstock and irregular coats with agencies and schools across the country, where they are most needed. Since 1992, One Warm Coat has facilitated the collection and distribution of more than 6.6 million coats. One Warm Coat believes in the basic right to protection from the cold, for everyone. Resources for Reporters One Warm Coat can provide expert national spokespeople, as well as local heroes who host successful coat drives in their communities, to reporters seeking interviews. To find the right source for your story, contact Peter Panepento: peter@turn-two.co (202) 531-3886 An F-35 demonstration flight at the Wings Over Houston Airshow in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 20, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman James Kennedy) F-35B Jet Crashes After Mid-Air Collision in California: Officials A Marine F-35B aircraft has crashed near the Naval Air Facility El Centro in California following a mid-air collision, said officials on Tuesday. It was reported that an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the F-35B. The pilot of the F-35B ejected successfully and is currently being treated, Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Joseph Butterfield told USNI News. He added: The KC-130J is on deck in the vicinity of Thermal Airport. All crew members of the KC-130J have been reported safe. The pilots identity was not revealed. The nature of the pilots injuries is not clear. The KC-130J, a refueling tanker, landed near a field, according to photos published on social media Tuesday. The incident is currently under investigation, the Marines told ABC News. The KC-130 was carrying at least eight passengers, according to a report from Fox News. The official cause of the crash is currently under investigation, a military spokesperson told the outlet. Updates will be provided as information becomes available. In 2018, an F-35 fighter plane went down near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina. A year later, a Japanese F-35 crashed off the Japanese coast. Lockheed Martins website says the F-35B unit price is now $101.3 million in its latest lot. 12 Eclectic Podcasts For Musicians Living, as we are, in the golden age of podcasting, picking and choosing what you listen to can be a challenge. For those enthusiastic about music and the music industry, we offer up twelve outstanding eclectic podcasts to consider giving a listen to. Guest post from Soundflys Flypaper The team here at Soundfly just recently (proudly) launched our first ever podcast, called Themes and Variation. In it, were bringing tons of musicians and music lovers together with members of the Soundfly team to break down meaningful songs in their lives with a common theme. Listen to Episode 1 of here on Flypaper to check it out, and click over to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or anywhere else you get your podcasts, to subscribe. Themes and Variation is conversational, communal, and celebratory of the tangled web of musical styles and influences that make up ones personal sense of taste, whether as an artist or a listener. In that same spirit of community and celebration, we cant deny the influence that other amazing podcasts have had on how weve organized and produced our own. In fact, theres an abundance of incredible podcasts out there that we listen to addictively, and could list here, but since were a community built around the needs and interests of musicians, lets stick to that today Here are the Soundfly teams Staff Picks of our favorite podcasts for musicians in 2020. Enjoy! Martin Fowler (Associate Producer, Mentor) Our ears are our windows to the lower-frequency vibrations of the world and universe around us, and this show brings an intimate curiosity to our immense experience of these waves surrounding us and informing a huge portion of our reality. Host Dallas Taylor carries each listener through a highly informed and well-researched microcosm of the worlds most recognizable and curious sounds. While not explicitly focused on musical sound, theres a constant enthusiasm about the ways our ears react to the world, and the deeper stories we can tell each other and ourselves through sound. Each episode is a multi-faceted journey through the story of a particular sound or sonic concept, from the mega-viral YouTube hit, Baby Shark, to the most recognizable scream in all of filmmaking, to the beautiful intricacies of birdsong, and so many stories in between. You didnt know you loved sound this much! Recent Favorite Episodes: Copyrights and Wrongs, Seinfeld, The Loudness Wars, Misophonia, The Wilhelm Scream. John Hull (Head of Production, Mentor) Likely to be the newest podcast on this list, Synth History focuses on the heroes and the instruments that shaped the landscape of electronic music and sound. Only one episode exists when writing this, but I cant express how excited I am for this shows future. And since we just launched our brand new online course, Advanced Synths and Patch Design for Producers, this topic is near and dear to our hearts right now. Episode one details the history of one of the first openly trans musicians, Wendy Carlos, whose record Switched-On Bach not only became one of the best-selling classical music albums of all time it also influenced musicians and innovators like Giorgio Moroder and Dave Smith. The information is expertly delivered by the shows host, Danz, and the score and sound-design blend to form a compelling way to look at a topic that Im always excited to learn more about. So stay tuned for future episodes! Recent Favorite Episodes: Wendy Carlos. Mahea Lee (VP of Learning & Curriculum, Mentor) I hear about lots of podcasts from coworkers and Soundflys subscriber community, as well as friends, family members, and acquaintances who vaguely know that what I do for a living has something to do with music. That wasnt the case with the Three Track Podcast, which I found while searching for podcasts with episodes featuring the comedian, James Acaster. As the site says, the Three Track Podcast is lovingly curated by a music nerd, for music nerds said nerd being knowledgeable music enthusiast and comedian, Gabriel Ebuele. In each episode, Ebuele sits down with a guest to talk about three of their favorite tracks, focusing on whatever elements theyd like and going on interesting and entertaining tangents. Among those guests, youll find a whos-who of contemporary British comedy, as well as some familiar names from here in the U.S., like Reggie Watts and Aaron Livingston (Son Little). If you like passionate, but casual conversations about music, comedians with a serious side, and the pleasant sound of an English accent, you should definitely check it out. Recent Favorite Episodes: James Acaster, Reggie Watts. Jeremy Young (Head of Growth, Editor-in-Chief) First of all, how can you not love Questlove? Hes a modern, living and breathing encyclopedia and a collector/diffuser of stories on not just Black American music, but modern music at large. Beyond his scholarly pursuits, hes a Grammy-winning drummer and songwriter, a DJ, a television icon and tastemaker, a charitable fellow from what I hear, and now a podcast host. So thats what you cant not love about Questlove, but what I love about this podcast is that it combines the riveting long-form interview style, usually featuring one individual artist, with the group round table chit-chat radio style that I grew up with listening to on Hot 97 in New York. Its a bunch of radio hosts, artists, friends, and whoever else wants to grab a pair of headphones and a seat, just conversatin and having a blast. As a listener, you want nothing more than to be a fly on the wall in that very room. Questlove moderates, the peanut gallery chuckles and jabs, and along the way, the wild stories of some of pop musics most exciting talents naturally just flow out. If you want to learn about music and music history, specifically mostly Black music history (on which there arent too many textbooks written), with a big dumb smile on your face for an hour, check it out. Recent Favorite Episodes: Jill Scott, Spike Lee, Solange, Tito Jackson, Babyface, Michelle Obama. The Music Biz Weekly podcast is, well, exactly how it sounds! Hosted by Jay Gilbert and Michael Brandvold, two music industry veterans each with some serious career notches in their belt, the podcast covers topics ranging from news around the industry to marketing and business strategies and approaches catered to the DIY artist. As a DIY artist myself, I find it really important both to stay informed and to listen to how others have found success. So the discussions Gilbert and Brandvold have with artists and industry insiders are often vital; which brings me to the fact that they recently invited our very own Carter Lee to come on and talk about Themes and Varation in a riveting chat. Listen to that episode here. Recent Favorite Episodes: Carter Lee! Carter Lee (Community & Mentor Manager, Mentor) I recently discovered this podcast and am so thankful I did. Hosted by Kirk Hamilton, Strong Songs delivers highly produced, in-depth narratives of what makes a song tick. Each episode typically features a single track and dives deep into the devices, techniques, performances, lyrics, and literally every other component of a track you can think of, leaving no musical stone unturned. This show also crosses every conceivable genre, breaking down songs from artists like Miles Davis, AC/DC, The Beach Boys, Rush, Muse, Seal, and so many more. The production quality of this show is on an extremely high level and Hamiltons ability to weave a narrative through some incredibly iconic works is unparalleled. Recent Favorite Episodes: So What, Paranoid Android, Q&A: Tricky Counting, Straight Saxes and Transposing Horns. Zoe Young (Director of Digital Marketing) Broken Record is an interview podcast where author Malcolm Gladwell, New York Times Media Editor Bruce Headlam, NPRs Justin Richmond, and Rick Rubin, producer of like half the music youve ever heard, talk to a wide variety of musicians about their music. It can be pretty all over the place, and in a lot of ways, thats by design. Sometimes theres just one interviewer, sometimes they do the interviews together. The hosts have really divergent interests, experiences, and scopes of musical knowledge Malcolm Gladwell tends to go deep on lyrics, Rick Rubin cares more about production and creative workflows. And the interviewees span all different genres the James Taylor, Run the Jewels, and Esperanza Spalding episodes are back to back. Theres no guarantee that youre really going to connect with any given episode; but youre generally guaranteed a thoughtful interview between a couple of really interesting people. And I often find myself surprised to be getting into an interview I was about to skip over. And as extra motivation for sharing I was listening to the Flying Lotus episode before writing this and its basically a pitch for our Advanced Synths and Patch Design for Producers course FlyLo talks about how he spent most of quarantine going deep into learning synthesis, and now his whole creative process begins by building a synth patch. Which is pretty much what we cover in the course, so check that out if that interests you as much as it does me. Recent Favorite Episodes: Nyle Rogers (the second episode they ever did and I still think about it all the time), Beastie Boys and Spike Jonze, Flying Lotus. Ian Temple (CEO & Founder, Mentor) I listen to so many podcasts that it felt weird to me to choose just one! So, here are just a few that Ive really enjoyed in the past few months: This might have been my favorite podcast of the year. It both gave me an appreciation for the ways Dolly Partons songwriting broke the mold by speaking from new points of view that werent often reflected in country music and the ways that Dolly speaks to some of the United States ongoing schizophrenia as a nation. Its a single season, created by WNYC and the Radiolab crew of Jad Abumrad and Shima Oliaee. Recent Favorite Episodes: This is a single season podcast, so you should probably just listen to the whole thing, but if you need to focus, the episode Sad Ass Songs is the place to head. A fun podcast on the nature of knowledge in listening to music, from two veteran music journalists. It reminds me of the sorts of conversations Id have with my bandmates while on tour, and I miss that. Topics range from the value of music criticism to how much should artists evolve over time. Favorite Episodes: What Makes Music Sound Commercial? We have a lot of nerdy conversations about music at Soundfly. I still remember getting in this amazing argument about what key Rihannas Work is in. Its the sort of argument that doesnt really matter at all, but you find yourself getting really into it. I feel like the Switched on Pop hosts Charlie Harding and Nate Sloan get it. They started out just doing this on their own, two guys chatting about stuff they love, and now theyre on Vox with massive guests and stuff. Favorite Episodes: Theyve got a lot, but I might recommend some of the earlier ones like Why is the 90s so bizarre? Cherie Hu hasnt produced a new podcast episode since last November, but last years episodes are still up and they are worth a listen. She tends to look at the music industry from the perspective of startups and tech, which makes for a really unique perspective that I dont hear often. Its great for tracking trends in the industry at large, in particular, and often teaches me things about the music industry that I had no idea were true. While the podcast isnt running right now, you can also sign up for her great newsletter here. Favorite Episodes: The lowdown on lo-fi hip-hops past, present and future, Why marketing music to strangers, not existing fans, is more profitable This doesnt come up super-often, but I did go through a very strong Phish phase in high school. That said, even while I was in it, I dont think I really understood the people who were deep in it. This podcast involves comedian/writer Harris Wittels trying to convince comedian/writer Scott Aukerman to like Phish in a way thats both hilarious and bound to fail. Unfortunately, the podcast kind of takes on a bit of a tragic and dark vibe now because Wittels passed away from an overdose after years of struggling with addiction. That context ends up lending a comedic podcast an extra sense of reflectiveness and meaning, especially given its covering a band and subculture known for its drug use. Favorite Episodes: This is also just a single season, so you should probably listen to either none of it, or all of it. Ari Herstand has an encyclopedic knowledge of the music business. We made a course with him on royalties a few years ago, and he blew my mind with how much knowledge he was able to just call forth. He brings that to his podcast, along with some great interviews, to help DIY musicians navigate creating independent music careers. Favorite Episodes: The episode about his advocacy efforts against the California law AB5 is a fascinating look into how the sausage is made. Also, his episode on Spotify payments is super-illuminating. All of Us Once again, go ahead and check out our brand new podcast Themes and Variation for an entertaining and educational, and not to mention deeply nostalgic, set of conversations between musicians, composers, producers, engineers, and music lovers breaking down songs relating to common themes. Youre gonna love it. Share on: Vietnam has no COVID-19 cases to report over the last 12 hours, keeping the national tally at 1,094, the Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced on September 30 morning. Tourists have temperature checked at the entrance of the Marble Mountains in central Da Nang city. (Photo: VNA) The country has gone 28 days with no new locally-transmitted infections so far. Vietnam detected 17 new cases of COVID-19 on September 29, all of whom are people being quarantined in concentrated facilities. The 17 new patients all arrived from Russia and are being quarantined in the southern province of Bac Lieu. During the day, eight more COVID-19 patients were given the all clear, raising the total recoveries to 1,007. Among patients under treatment, there is no serious case. The death toll remained at 35. Of the total cases, 691 were locally transmitted, including 551 linked to outbreaks in the central city of Da Nang since July 25. Among those under treatment, one has tested negative for the virus once, three twice and 13 thrice. Death toll remained at 35 with most of the fatalities being elderly people with serious underlying health conditions. More than 15,950 people having close contact with confirmed cases or coming from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine at present. Indonesia, Philippines struggling with rising COVID-19 cases Indonesia reported 4,002 new cases of COVID-19 on September 29, raising the countrys total count to 282,724. The coronavirus disease claimed 128 more lives in the country during the past 24 hours, pushing the fatalities to 10,601. The Philippines confirmed 2,025 new cases and 68 deaths the same day. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country now amounts to 309,303, and death tolls to 5,448. Meanwhile, Thailand will receive the first group of foreign tourists arriving on a flight from China next week, marking the first step in re-starting tourism which has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country so far recorded 3,559 COVID-19 cases, with 59 deaths. Thailand extends grace period for stranded foreigners Thailand's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on September 28 said it has decided to extend a grace period for visa renewals for foreigners stranded in Thailand until October 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to CCSA spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin, the decision came as many flights are not available, and foreigners stranded in Thailand expressed concerns of the rising number of infections back in their home countries. In July, the Thai authorities granted automatic visa extensions from late March to Sept. 26 to all foreigners. After October, a new immigration regulation will allow foreigners to apply for 60-day extensions to remain in Thailand, but only if they are unable to leave due to limited flights or other urgent issues. Thailand's total COVID-19 infections as of September 28 stood at 3,545 with 59 fatalities. The same day, Malaysia said it will impose strict movement restrictions in four districts in Sabah after reporting more than 1,000 COVID-19 infections there in September. Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that as part of efforts to contain the outbreak, non-essential businesses in Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak and Semporna districts will be required to shut down from September 29 for 14 days. The partial lockdown comes amid a recent surge of COVID-19 infections in Malaysia. As of September 27, Malaysia's tally of infections reached 10,919, including 9,835 recovered cases and 134 deaths. Philippines extends restrictions in Manila region to curb COVID-19 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on March 29 that partial restrictions in and around the Manila capital region will be extended for another month until October 31 to contain the spread of COVID-19. In a televised address, the president also appealed to the country's top telecommunication firms to "do a better job" with public schools set to reopen with virtual classes on October 5. Preparations for the resumption of classes have been hit by problems including access, availability and speed of data services. The archipelago nation reported 3,073 new COVID-19 cases and 37 fatalities on September 28, taking its total count to 307,288 cases with 5,381 deaths. Heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh continued for a fourth straight day on Wednesday, with statements from both sides indicating that the flare-up of a decades-old conflict that has killed dozens of people since Sunday was no closer to an end. The president of Azerbaijan said Armenias withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh was the sole condition to end fighting over the separatist territory. Armenian officials alleged Turkeys involvement in the renewed conflict and said its neighbors actions hinder the efforts of the international community to cease the hostilities. Meeting with wounded servicemen, Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev said Armenia must unconditionally, completely and immediately leave Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies within Azerbaijan and has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994. If Armenias government fulfills it, the fighting will stop, blood will not be shed, there will be peace, Aliyev was quoted by the Russian state Tass news agency as saying. The scenario laid out by the Azerbaijani leader is at odds with Armenias views on ending the crisis. Aliyevs statement came a day after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Azerbaijans aggression towards Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia needed to end before any compromise could be reached. On Wednesday, Pashinyan said that Armenia may recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as independent, a move that could further interfere with a potential settlement of the dispute. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked for decades in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, where a separatist war was fought in the late 1980s until three years after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The region in the Caucasus Mountains of about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles), roughly the size of the U.S. state of Delaware, is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia occupy the region as well as some Azerbaijani territory outside of it. The latest fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh has since killed at least 84 servicemen on the separatist regions side, as well as several civilians. Azerbaijani officials didnt provide details on its military casualties but said 14 civilians have been killed and 46 wounded on its side. On Wednesday, the fighting continued despite repeated calls for a cease-fire from around the globe. Both sides blamed each other for attacks, and Armenia claimed that Turkish drones and fighter jets were being used in the region. Turkey and Azerbaijan denied it. The conflict escalated on Tuesday, with Armenia claiming that a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down an SU-25 from its air force in Armenian airspace, killing the pilot. Turkey, which has been vocal about siding with Azerbaijan in the dispute, denied those claims, and so did Azerbaijan. Hikmet Hajiyev, an aide to Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev, told reporters via teleconference on Wednesday that the incident involved two Armenian SU-25 planes that reportedly crashed into a mountain, rather than an F-16 downing a SU-25. Armenia on Wednesday continued to allege Turkeys involvement in the conflict, saying that Turkish drones and F-16 fighter jets were being deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenias Foreign Ministry demanded immediate withdrawal of the Turkish armed forces, including the air force, from the conflict zone in a statement. The provocative actions of the Turkish armed forces seriously undermine the regional security and hinder the efforts of the international community to cease the hostilities, the statement read. Turkeys Defense Ministry denied claims that Turkeys planes and drones were deployed to help Azerbaijan, dismissing them as propaganda by Armenia. The ministry said Armenia sought to increase international support by creating the perception that it was fighting Turkey. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that If Azerbaijan makes a request, we would do the necessary. Earlier this week, Armenian officials also claimed that Turkey sent fighters from Syria to Azerbaijan. Turkish officials dismissed the accusation. However, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Wednesday that so far some 850 Syrian fighters have arrived in Azerbaijan and hundreds more were expected to arrive there in the coming days. Meanwhile, European officials are seeking to bring the opposing sides to the negotiating table. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking on Wednesday at a news conference in Riga, Latvia, called for talks between France, Russia and the United States the three countries co-chair the Minsk group, set up in 1992 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the conflict to mediate. I will speak to President (Vladimir) Putin tonight and, I think, President (Donald) Trump tomorrow to discuss and propose an exit strategy for the crisis, Marcon said. The French president also condemned recent comments from Turkey as reckless and dangerous" and said he was extremely preoccupied by the belligerent messages from Turkey in the past hours. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has called for an emergency meeting of the OSCE that would include Azerbaijan and Armenia to try and achieve a swift end to hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh and a resumption of negotiations. The escalation of tension in Nagorno-Karabakh has a serious impact on regional stability, Dendias said, adding that he is in contact with his counterpart from Armenia and is planning a visit to Yerevan soon. Dendias also called on regional rival Turkey to end actions that would further escalate the conflict. Key equity indices extended gains and hit fresh intraday high in mid-afternoon trade, supported by firmness in Reliance Industries and HDFC twins. At 14:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 207.98 points or 0.1% at 38,178.22. The Nifty 50 index was up 53 points or 0.47% at 11,275.85. The broader market lagged. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.25% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.19%. The market breadth was negative On the BSE, 1185 shares rose and 1310 shares fell. A total of 179 shares were unchanged. HDFC Bank (up 1.68%) and HDFC (up 1.35%) advanced. Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 0.29%. General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, will invest Rs 3,675 crore into Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL), a subsidiary of RIL. This investment values RRVL at a pre-money equity value of Rs 4.28 lakh crore. General Atlantic's investment will translate into a 0.84% equity stake in RRVL on a fully diluted basis. Buzzing Index: The Nifty FMCG jumped 1.9% to 29,993, bouncing back from yesterday's 1.5% decline. Advanced Enzyme Technologies (up 10.83%), Godrej Consumer Products (up 3.33%), EID Parry (India) (up 3.25%), Dabur India (up 3.09%), KRBL (up 2.98%), Hindustan Unilever (up 2.64%), Dalmia Bharat Sugar & Industries (up 2.53%), Radico Khaitan (up 2.51%), Nestle (up 2.4%), Marico (up 2.16%), Colgate Palmolive (up 2.07%) and United Spirits (up 1.52%) were top gainers in FMCG segment. Stocks in Spotlight: Ramco Systems hit an upper circuit of 5% at Rs 426 after the company signed an agreement with a Global Top 5 logistics major. The agreement is for modernizing and transforming the logistics major's multi-country Payroll operations on Ramco's Global Payroll platform. The logistics major will be unifying its payroll operations for 15 countries across Middle East & Africa. BPCL slumped 7.34% to Rs 357.85 after the Government of India (GoI) extended the deadline for submitting initial bids to buy state-owned oil marketing company. "In view of further requests received from the interested bidders (IBs) and the prevailing situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, the last date for submission of EoIs is further extended to 16th November, 2020," GoI said in a statement. The Government had issued a preliminary information memorandum document (PIM) on 7 March 2020 for inviting expression of interest (EOI) for strategic disinvestment of 52.98% stake held by Government of India in BPCL. This is the fourth time that the government has extended the deadline for the submission of EoIs this year. Economy: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced India's balance of payments (BoP) figures for the first quarter of FY21 (April - June). India's current account balance (CAB) recorded a surplus of US$ 19.8 billion (3.9% of GDP) in Q1 June 2020 on top of a surplus of $0.6 billion (0.1% of GDP) in the preceding quarter. India recorded a deficit of $15 billion (2.1% of GDP) in the corresponding period last year. The surplus in the current account in Q1 of 2020-21 was on account of a sharp contraction in the trade deficit to $10 billion due to steeper decline in merchandise imports relative to exports on a year-on-year basis. Numbers to Track: In the foreign exchange market, the partially convertible rupee rose to 73.76 compared with its previous closing 73.86. The yield on 10-year benchmark federal paper fell to 6.017% compared with previous closing of 6.037% in the previous trading session. MCX Gold futures for 5 October 2020 settlement fell to 0.65% to Rs 50,350. In the commodities market, Brent crude for November 2020 settlement fell 17 cents to $42.26 a barrel. The contract rose 1.22% to settle at $42.43 in the previous trading session. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gurugram, Sep 30 : The Cyber Crime Cell of the Gurugram Police arrested three Nigerian nationals and their Indian accomplice for allegedly duping a 60-year-old man of Rs 1.24 crore in an online fraud a few months ago, the police said on Wednesday. According to the police, the victim, Dhirendra Kumar, a resident of Maruti Vihar, Chakkarpur in Gurugram, was contacted on Facebook by a woman named Poonam Makela in June 2020, who posed as an official of the Army Anti Terrorist Department in the USA. She told the victim that she wants to open a medicine company in India and needs a business partner and they later exchanged phone numbers. "From June 19 to July 2020, the 'woman' convinced the victim to transfer a total of Rs 1.24 crore to an account under different pretexts, including that she was sending a box of $8.7 million to him and her agent will bring this box and thus, for receiving that box, the accused cheated him," said Commissioner of Gurugram K.K. Rao. An FIR in the case was registered on September 12, 2020 under various sections of the IPC including the IT Act at the cyber crime police station and police started the probe into the matter. "After receiving the lead inputs about the culprits though technical surveillance two of the accused identified as Ranjit Kumar Thakur of Bihar and currently resides in Kishan Ganj in Delhi and Murphy Amavodia of Nigeria who is also living in the same locality, were nabbed on Monday from Delhi," the commissioner said. "While two of their accomplices Kelenchi and Treasue both are Nigerian nationals currently residing at Tulip Apartment, Mehrauli in Delhi were arrested from Delhi on Wednesday on the information of their gang members," Rao said. The police have also seized a total of 22 mobile phones, Rs 1.40 lakh, 2 pen drives, 1 bank passbook, 1 chequebook and 1 ATM card from their possession. "A bank account was opened by Ranjit Kumar Thakur for cheating, in which they fraudulently had transferred the money of the victim," he added. "The police will take the custody of the arrested accused for further questioning. During interrogation the probe team will ascertain hideouts about their other gang members. Further probe is on," the commissioner said. London: A former employee of a Spanish security firm has told Julian Assange's extradition hearing of a plan to abduct and even poison the Australian as part of a widespread surveillance operation said to have been ordered by an associate of US President Donald Trump. The court at the Old Bailey in London also heard claims the Spanish firm targeted Assange and his lawyers by bugging his living quarters inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, setting up secret cameras and even installing a listening device inside the female toilet where Assange would sometimes hold his meetings because he feared he was being spied on. Julian Assange speaks to the media from the balcony of the Ecuador embassy in 2017. Credit:Getty Images According to the testimony, which was made anonymously in affidavits, the United States organised for laser microphones capable of recording the sound of conversations to be installed inside the building, where the 49-year-old had lived since 2012. The witness, one of two former employees of Undercover Global SL, also known as UC Global, claimed that the firm's owner, David Morales, bugged Assange's living quarters on behalf of his "American friends" the CIA. Marines conduct maritime reconnaissance, Sunday, off the coast of Yeonpyeong Island near the inter-Korean maritime border where a South Korean official was shot dead by North Korean troops last week after floating into the North's territorial waters. Yonhap By Jung Da-min Disputes may rise again over the inter-Korean maritime border in the West Sea, following last week's killing of a South Korean official by North Korean troops in the North's territorial waters. While the South Korean military is continuing search operations for the body on this side of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto inter-Korean sea boundary, Pyongyang warned Seoul against "trespassing" into North Korean waters and creating tensions that could lead to another unsavory event. The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) carried the warning, Sunday, calling for the South to immediately stop trespassing across what it called the "West Sea Maritime Military Demarcation Line." The South Korean military, however, flatly refuted the North's claim, saying the NLL designated by then-commander of the United Nations Command Gen. Mark Clark in August 1953 is the de facto maritime demarcation line between the Koreas and the NLL should be observed and respected. The NLL was drawn up one month after the 1953 armistice and the North did not object until 1973 when it began to insist on nullifying the NLL, committing provocations such as sinking South Korean fishing vessels and kidnapping those aboard boats in the waters near the border area. But the North acknowledged the NLL in 1984 when it received flood relief supplies from the South. The North did not object when the International Civil Aviation Organization updated its Flight Information Region of the Korean Peninsula in 1993 in accordance with the NLL. But the North changed its attitude again in 1999 when it crossed the NLL in June causing the first Battle of Yeonpyeong by preemptively firing at a South Korean ship. The North insisted on the nullification of the NLL in September that year. North Korea's military provocations and military collisions between the Koreas continued in the West Sea, including the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong in 2002 and sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in 2010. Through the Sept. 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement signed as part of the Pyongyang Joint Declaration in 2018, the two Koreas agreed to designate the maritime border area of the West Sea as a "peace zone" but the recent incident has brought further tension to the region. Some military experts say the North was mentioning the NLL issue to simply reject the South's request to launch a joint investigation into the incident, as it claimed it was already carrying out operations in search of the South Korean official's body. The South Korean military said earlier the body was burnt by North Korean military personnel but the North denied it, saying they only burnt a floating item on which the official had been drifting. "The message from Pyongyang is clear: There will be no additional joint investigation as the North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un has already apologized for the incident," said Choi Yoon-cheol, an assistant professor at Sangmyung University's Department of National Defense. Bale's effusive celebrations as Tottenham conquer Chelsea Football They won on penalties Tottenham came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in their Tuesday night Carabao Cup meeting, eventually winning the tie on penalties. Gareth Bale was watching on from the stands and was seen celebrating with passion as Spurs mounted their comeback. Many on social media compared the Welshman's reaction on Tuesday night to his apparent indifference to Real Madrid's victories towards the end of last season. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Kyodo News) Osaka, Japan Wed, September 30, 2020 07:03 479 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c480bb7e 2 Lifestyle student,Japan,employment,foreign-students Free Many foreign students in Japan who hope to find a job in the country are facing an uphill battle as a pandemic-driven economic downturn has led a number of businesses to cut recruitment. The development raises concerns about a potential outflow of promising foreign workers accustomed to Japanese culture and language to other countries while the world's third-largest economy grapples with a rapidly aging population. According to a survey conducted in July by career information provider Disco Inc., 68.5 percent of 343 international students who responded to the questionnaire and are set to obtain their degrees next March remain without a job offer, up 9.1 percentage points from a year earlier. The figure compared with 22.3 percent of 1,230 Japanese students without a job offer as of July, according to the Tokyo-based company. International Students Support Network, a group which advises companies interested in hiring overseas personnel, said a loss of job opportunities is evident in almost all industries, particularly in the tourism and retail sectors. "Unfortunately, industries hit hard by the virus impact are also popular among foreign students," said Manabu Kubota, secretary general of the Tokyo-based group, which works with some 120 universities to help their foreign students land jobs in Japan. Before the coronavirus outbreak, a surge in overseas visitors to the country drove many Japanese firms to recruit foreign students, but travel restrictions imposed due to the pandemic led to dives of more than 99 percent in visitor numbers from a year earlier for five straight months through August. The situation is proving serious for many foreign students at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in southwestern Japan's Oita Prefecture, who account for nearly half of the some 5,700-strong student body at the university, better known in English as APU. Read also: International student shares anxiety over post-college life during pandemic An Indian undergraduate student who wished to remain anonymous for fear of jeopardizing his job prospects said he has not secured any job offers in his search for a sales career in advertising. "Under normal circumstances, most students at the university receive some offers by June" before they are set to graduate the following year, the 22-year-old student of international business management said. In another case, a 23-year-old Indian woman who graduated from APU this March saw her job offer withdrawn by a staffing company in Tokyo after she moved to the capital for work. This instantly put her in a financial difficulty. "The company canceled my place 10 days before I was due to start. I was worried whether I could pay my rent as I had spent every penny to move here." Still, she considers herself to be luckier than some others after involving lawyers to win compensation from the company for nixing her place at such short notice. While getting a living wage in the capital as a part-timer, she is back in the job market, hoping to find other full-time work in the country. While Japan launched a new visa scheme in April last year to recruit mostly blue-collar foreigners in 14 labor-hungry sectors such as construction, farming and tourism, many foreign university students have sought jobs at businesses such as trading houses, information technology companies and consultancies. Kayoko Sato, a career support officer at APU, expressed concerns that the current hardships could lead foreign students to seek careers outside Japan. Stressing the importance of the diversity and strength foreigners can bring to businesses and society, Kubota of the support network called on Japanese companies to take advantage of the current opportunity to recruit capable foreign students. "We will have to make every effort to help them stay here. With understanding of and affinity for Japanese culture, they will play an indispensable part in helping our country stay afloat," he said. (Munehisa Tokunaga contributed to this story.) Didn't Lisa Raye JUST do the rounds for being on some homophobic shit? I mean, there's at least one feasible reason why Da Brat wouldn't wanna have much contact with her. Were yur massss(k) (@angryblkhoemo) September 29, 2020 https://t.co/5ij6wLZKyo Were yur massss(k) (@angryblkhoemo) September 29, 2020 Reply Thread Link She's fucking trash and so are the other women for laughing then agreeing with her. Reply Parent Thread Link right, she's a homophobic pos. is it really shocking brat would keep their interactions to a minimum with a sister like that Reply Parent Thread Link My first exact thought. Reply Parent Thread Link Fuck Lisa Raye and her only white outfit wearing ass. Reply Thread Link isn't she a princess or some such ridiculousness? Reply Parent Thread Link Lol a small village in Ghana gave her an honorary title and she ran with it and claimed she is the queen mother of Ghana. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link First Lady of Turks and Caicos for a while Reply Parent Thread Link I thought you were exaggerating but I googled her and she does only wear white. Why does she do that? Edited at 2020-09-30 02:01 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link here's her full reaction, pay attention to her face when she finds out it's da brat. she's processing A LOT i haven't spoken to my sister in 2 weeks, which is a long time for us. i don't wanna reach out cuz she's crazy so i have no idea what she's mad at me about now. Reply Thread Link this was so awkward with the other girls constantly trying so hard to frame it into what it ain't lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Lisa Raye cant act for shit and her outburst was along those lines. TIL that Lisa Raye & Da Brat are sisters.Lisa Raye cant act for shit and her outburst was along those lines. #kthxBAI Reply Thread Link Damn. No chill. I didnt know they are related/sisters Reply Thread Link Twitter folks seem to take Lisa's side but I'm opposite. I think this dispkay lets me know partly why Brat hasnt been speaking to Lisa. Toxic af. Plus Lisa has said a lot of homophobic stuff so I also see why Brat wouldnt let her know about her relationship. Reply Thread Link if she's willing to act this way with an audience, imagine how she is in private. this is her restrained. says a lot about her Reply Parent Thread Link I don't even think LisaRaye homophobic comments bother Da Brat at all TBH. I want to know the REAL reason why they stopped talking because Lisa said they haven't talked since December. Da Brat did not come out til this Summer so her having a girlfriend doesn't seem to be the main issue but I think it added more fuel to the fire. Reply Thread Link She came out to the public this summer. Who knows when she came out to family/friends. Reply Parent Thread Link Yup. The rumors about Da Brat being a lesbian have been around since forever. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yes, a few. I reconnected with one of them today and we are going to meet up soon. Reply Thread Link Shes always reminded me of the bougie, homophobic, problematic, constantly angry and miserable aunt at the family functions and shes really done nothing to change that over the decades. Reply Thread Link I saw people saying Da Brat was in the wrong because she didnt say anything and Im like....yall must not have real drama queens in your families. Say one word and guarantee theyll flip it, reverse it, and throw it back in your face. We get in arguments with my little sister where her every argument is an immediate contradiction of what you just said even if its a contradiction of what she said before what you said. Just no. I let her rant and have the last words so she can shut up faster. Needless to say my family is not particularly close for soooooo many reasons. Ive got my mom and brothers back for pretty much anything, but we dont talk all the time. Reply Thread Link Yup. Some people just arent worth any of your oxygen. Reply Parent Thread Link I am happy that Brat came out and Lisa's comments were definitely homophobic. However, I wonder if there is more to the story. Brat has a temper and has gotten violent with people in the past. She was sued by another woman for hiting her in the face with a rum bottle. It caused her permanent facial scarring, mental pain, and neurological damage. She was awarded a million I think but I dont think Brat paid. Reply Thread Link Don't forget the part about that sending brat to prison for a while Reply Parent Thread Link this is the kinda thing you do when you hope you can have a good moment with someone because they won't act a fool in public, and then suddenly it's a circus. Reply Thread Link ontd, is there a member of your family you're currently not speaking to? Just one? Let me get my list. Reply Thread Link lmaooo i love that you've made your icon halloween themed dsjfndmsklfs Reply Parent Thread Link Lisa is homophobic trash so this weird ass convo tracks. Also how did I not know they were sisters?? Reply Thread Link I always remember Da Brat for her iconic Mariah collabs Guess who's back in the motherfucking house With two big old tities for your mouth Heartbreakers my part taker the sensation So So Def and Clue hits in the mane? Reply Thread Link Mariah single handedly kept Da Brat fed for years!! Reply Parent Thread Link UPDATE: Heights councilman says feuding groups from Jersey City and Hoboken are behind recent violence Jersey City police are investigating separate shootings that left at least two people wounded in the Jersey City Heights on Wednesday morning, according to police radio transmissions. One person was shot in the area of Leonard Street and Summit Avenue just after 10:50 a.m. Minutes later, a male was found shot three times near the corner of Franklin Street and New York Avenue, authorities said over the police radio, adding that his injuries are life-threatening. A Toyota Rav-4 that is believed to have been used in the second shooting was found unoccupied on Marshall Drive in Hoboken, police said. A Honda fled the scene of the Leonard Street shooting, authorities said over the radio. Mondays shootings were the latest spasms of violence in the Jersey City Heights in recent months. One person was shot in the area of Webster Avenue and Griffith Street on Aug. 14. Another person was shot in the leg on Aug. 25 in the area of Manhattan and Sherman avenues. A 20-year-old was arrested and charged with weapons offenses following the Aug. 25 shooting. A spokeswoman for the city did not immediately respond to emails seeking information on Mondays shootings. New Delhi: Amid the border tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) talks between India and China are underway virtually. This is expected to be followed by the 7th corps commanders meet, whose date is yet to be decided. While this is the 19th WMCC meet since the mechanism came up in 2012, it is the fifth such meet amid the ongoing tension. At WMCC meets, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in Ministry of External Affairs Naveen Srivastava represents India. China is represented by Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Live TV This is the first WMCC meet since the foreign ministers of two countries met in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) earlier in September in which both sides agreed for disengagement to ease the tension. After the FMs meet, 6th corps commander level talks happened at the Line of Actual Control, and while disengagement by China is yet to happen, both sides agreed to "stop sending more troops to the frontline." WMCC is an institutional mechanism for consultation and coordination for the management of India - China border areas. During this meet, both sides exchange views on strengthening communication including on areas such as border security personnel of the two sides. On September 29, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) asserted that India never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Contro (LAC), adding that the position has been consistent and well known including to the Chinese. The MEA said India urged China to "sincerely and faithfully" abide by all "agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC". India and Chinese have been involved in commander talks ever since the Galwan Valley clash in June. On August 29-30, the Indian and Chinese troops were involved in another skirmish as the Indian side sought to push back the Chinese incursion amid the standoff at the border. "As we have previously made clear, the Indian side has always respected and abided by the LAC. As Defence Minister stated in the Parliament recently, it is the Chinese side which by its attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts of the Western Sector, has tried to unilaterally alter the status quo," it said. In the last few months, the Chinese side has repeatedly affirmed that the current situation in the border areas should be resolved in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries. In the agreement reached between External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart on September 10 also, the Chinese side has reiterated its commitment to abide by all the existing agreements, the MEA added. The MEA added, "We therefore expect that the Chinese side will sincerely and faithfully abide by all agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC." "Under their various bilateral agreements including the 1993 Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in the military field, 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for settlement of the India-China boundary question, both India and China have committed to clarification and confirmation of the LAC to reach a common understanding of the alignment of the LAC," said the MEA. The MEA further stated that the "two sides had engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC up to 2003 but this process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it". "Therefore the insistence now on of the Chinese side that they is only one LAC is contrary to the solemn commitments made by China in these agreements," the MEA asserted. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-30 14:59:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SYDNEY, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- As an international news reporter with Xinhua News Agency, Yang Jingzhong has witnessed and documented many wonderful moments of China's opening-up and its integration with the world. However, an unjustifiable raid on Yang's apartment in Sydney three months ago has casted a shadow on his career. In the early morning of June 26, heavy knocks on the door waked Yang. He got up and opened the door. It turned out to be members of the Australian Security Intelligence Agency and the police. On groundless suspicion of possible violations of Australia's anti-foreign interference law, they demanded a search of Yang's apartment. As soon as the intelligence members entered the apartment, they grabbed Yang's mobile phone out of his hands and immediately asked him not to touch any of his electronic and working equipment. Yang argued that according to relevant laws, he has the right to seek consular protection and contact the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney and the headquarters of Xinhua News Agency, and then was allowed to do so, using a phone they provided. The Chinese journalist was asked not to leave the apartment while the search was underway. Sitting in the sofa in the living room with his daughter, who was also suddenly awakened and shocked, Yang watched the intelligence members scrabbling about in the rooms. "Although I was shocked, I quickly calmed down, because I knew I had not broken any laws. But my daughter, who had never experienced anything like this before, was horrified," Yang said. Around 10 agents rummaged through different rooms of Yang's apartment and recorded the whole process. Sitting in the living room, Yang could hear or see them opening drawers one after another. For nearly seven hours, they searched the apartment thoroughly without missing any corner. They took away Yang's electronic devices, including his computers, mobile phones and iPad, as well as printed manuscripts and other materials. Yang asked them to leave the search warrant, but was refused. After the incident, Yang learned about that four journalists working in Australia, including two females, from three Chinese media suffered such raids on the same day. In the following two months, Yang's normal work and life in the country were completely disrupted. As Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Sept. 9, Australia has yet to provide a reasonable explanation for the searches. Zhao stressed that Chinese media outlets in Australia strictly abide by local laws and regulations, and the Australian government's behavior has disrupted Chinese media's normal reporting activities, violated Chinese journalists' legitimate rights and jeopardized the physical and mental health of the concerned journalists as well as their families. He added such action has fully exposed the hypocrisy of the "freedom of the press" and so-called "respect and protection of human rights" self-proclaimed by some Australians. The Xinhua journalist arrived in the country in February 2018 and has since covered a variety of events concerning China-Australia people-to-people and economic exchanges. "In a story I wrote on June 19, New South Wales State Premier Gladys Berejiklian expressed her willingness to continue making use of the provincial-state relations with Guangdong Province to strengthen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation with China in various fields, so as to push forward bilateral relations," Yang said. Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1972, China has always regarded Australia as an important partner. In 2014, the bilateral relationship was upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership. In recent years, the development of China-Australia relations has encountered some headwinds. In particular, some Australian politicians and media have regarded positive moves to promote bilateral cooperation as so-called "foreign interference." However, Yang said that China-Australia friendship "enjoys a profound public support." "I firmly believe that the difficulties will not last long, and the prospect for friendly cooperation between the two countries remains bright," he said. Enditem Up to 100 million additional doses of any eventual Covid-19 vaccines will be secured for delivery to poorer countries in 2021, health groups announced Tuesday, as the virus showed no sign of receding after claiming more than one million lives around the world. The announcement doubles the number of doses already secured from the Serum Institute of India by the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, following an initial agreement last month. The public-private health partnership stressed that the eventual total is "potentially several times" greater, and said the price would be capped at $3 per dose. "No country, rich or poor, should be left at the back of the queue when it comes to Covid-19 vaccines; this collaboration brings us another step closer to achieving this goal," Gavi chief Seth Berkley said. As nine vaccine candidates are in last-stage trials, the World Bank said Tuesday it had asked its board of directors to approve $12 billion to help poor countries purchase and distribute vaccines. Israel's Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa has transformed a car park into an intensive care facility for coronavirus patients. By JACK GUEZ (AFP) A World Bank spokesman said that "the global economy will not recover fully until people feel they can live, socialize, work and travel with confidence." As humanity struggles against Covid-19, the World Health Organization said this week that some 120 million rapid tests will soon be made available to low- and middle-income countries if funding can be secured. The kits -- faster, cheaper and easier to administer than standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab tests, but also less reliable -- will be rolled out across 133 countries in the next six months. European wave UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that "responsible leadership matters" in steering the world through the pandemic. "Science matters. Cooperation matters -- and misinformation kills," he warned, urging people to respect familiar infection control measures like hand-washing, distancing and mask-wearing. Case numbers are climbing rapidly in Europe, where governments are clamping down on movement in an attempt to curb the surge. Timeline of key developments as Covid-19 spread across the world.. By John SAEKI (AFP) Germany introduced new limits on the number of people who can attend private events, after Spain, France, Britain and Northern Ireland all imposed fresh restrictions. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "a reaction is necessary" after recent outbreaks were frequently traced to weddings and other gatherings. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson appeared to share general confusion about his government's measures, apologising after wrongly saying that rules limiting gatherings in northeast England to no more than six people did not apply outdoors. The Czech Republic and Slovakia said they were preparing to declare a state of emergency. In Israel, which has the world's highest infection rate per capita, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Tuesday that there was "no way" the country's second nationwide coronavirus lockdown would be lifted after three weeks as originally planned. New York worries again Across the Atlantic, former coronavirus hotspot New York's rate of positive tests surged to more than three percent from below two in just 24 hours, authorities said, adding that Orthodox Jewish communities have faced a particularly sharp increase. The virus is spreading especially quickly among Orthodox Jewish communities in New York. By TIMOTHY A. CLARY (AFP) The figures were a "real cause for concern," Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters as he introduced fines for those not wearing masks in public. More than one in ten of the 203,107 people who have so far died of coronavirus in the US were New Yorkers. US President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden were gearing up for their first televised election debate, with the country's troubled response to the virus likely to be a battleground. Hours before the debate, the economic impact of the virus was highlighted by Disney saying it will cut 28,000 jobs from its US theme parks division. Worldwide the virus has now infected almost 33.5 million people and killed over a million, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources. Mid-September saw a record rise in cases in most regions and the WHO has warned that virus deaths could even double to two million. On Monday, the number of cases in India surpassed six million, with the country on course to overtake the US in the coming weeks as the nation with the most infections. The country's lead pandemic agency said Tuesday that as many as 60 million of India's 1.3 billion population could already have been infected, based on a study of blood antibodies. burs-tgb/bgs/jm The Bunj hospital in South Sudans Upper Nile State is a hive of activity. Construction sounds fill the air as patients stream in and out of the facility. At the centre of it all is head surgeon and medical director, Dr. Evan Atar Adaha. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic reached South Sudans borders, Dr. Atar was putting in place preventive measures at the only functional hospital with surgery capabilities in the area, some 600 kilometers from the capital, Juba. The health system in South Sudan is weak but we need to be prepared and thats what we are doing, says the 54-year-old. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, new arrivals into the country are screened or placed in mandatory quarantine as per the Ministry of Healths COVID-19 precautionary measures. This is particularly important for Upper Nile State, bordered by Ethiopia to the east and Sudan to the north countries that have both recorded significant numbers of COVID-19 cases. South Sudan has recorded more than 2,600 positive cases since April, but only a small number of those have been in Maban, where the hospital is located. We have been lucky to have no cases in Maban for quite some time, but the threat is always there so we have to do whatever we can to keep the disease from spreading, adds Dr. Atar. Our main job...is to prevent the rapid spread of the disease and we have the capacity to do that. As he walks around the 140-bed facility, Dr. Atar checks on the progress of the construction. A fence now runs from the main gate, where a screening point is situated, separating it from an isolation centre with 20 beds. A water tank is being installed nearby and a kitchen is being repaired so families can cook meals for their loved ones. Dr. Evan Atar meets with patients outside the Bunj hospital in Maban County, South Sudan. UNHCR/Will Swanson Dr. Evan Atar chats with patients outside Bunj hospital in Maban county, South Sudan. UNHCR/Will Swanson Dr. Evan Atar Adaha checks on the construction work at Bunj hospital in Maban county, South Sudan. UNHCR/Isaac Juma Hillary Our main job right now is to prevent the rapid spread of the disease and we have the capacity to do that, he says. Dr. Atar set up his first surgical theatre in Bunj in 2011 at an abandoned health-care centre, where Bunj hospital now stands. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to secure funding and to mentor young refugees and locals interested in becoming nurses and midwives. In 2018, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, recognized the doctors outstanding commitment and self-sacrifice in providing medical services to more than 200,000 people from Bunj and the surrounding area, including some 154,000 refugees from Sudan. Dr. Atar used the Nansen Award prize money to procure maternity equipment and commission the construction of a maternity ward. Upgrading the hospital has strengthened its preparedness for a COVID-19 outbreak, but the facility still lacks ventilators and an ICU. The hospital has just two ambulances and needs a third one to cater specifically for COVID-19 patients. Supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) are also inadequate and the hospitals staff already work 12-hour shifts with barely enough time to rest. We are working day and night to manage the usual emergencies from the camps and the local communities, says Dr. Atar, adding that in case of a major outbreak, he will have to make some tough decisions about how to manage non-COVID-19 medical cases. In the meantime, he says his staff have come up with creative ways to manage with the little resources they have. We face exposure, but we cant stop providing services to the people, he says. People make their own masks and at the screening point, we have put up some plastic sheets to separate the testing staff from the patients. We are on the frontline and we have to care for the patients. With support from UNHCR and partner agency, Samaritans Purse, the hospital has procured some supplies of PPE and plans to hire an additional doctor, clinical officers and nurses. Staff have also been trained on how to handle suspected cases while protecting themselves and other patients. It can be worrying to our families and friends, but this wont be the first outbreak we are facing, says Dr. Atar. We have faced many outbreaks before, and we know what it means to work in such circumstances. He speaks from experience, as he is used to working in tough conditions he routinely carries out as many as 10 operations a day, spending hours on his feet. We are on the frontline and we have to care for the patients. At the end of the day, our lives are in the hands of God. The Nansen Refugee Award is named in honour of Norwegian explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen, the first High Commissioner for Refugees and Nobel Prize winner, who was appointed by the League of Nations in 1921. It aims to showcase his values of perseverance and commitment in the face of adversity. The winner of this year's award will be announced on 1 October. By Joshua Sotomayor Einstein Jose Arango, Hudson County Republican chair, is a negative force in the GOP whose opposition to the marijuana referendum proves how drunk-like his illogic is. In a Sept. 10 piece published by NJ.com, Arango asked, If legal marijuana is so popular, why are you going to amend the constitution? Arangos phraseology demonstrates an ignorance of how referendums work. The constitutional change is the vehicle with which the voters are asked whether they want marijuana prohibition to end. The popularity of the proposition will be tested by the question put to the people. Regardless of how the vote turns out, its popularity, seemingly Arangos principle concern, will only be known after the referendum. Arangos argument is contradictory -- one cannot argue something is unpopular as a reason not to test its popularity. The New Jersey Democratic Party, for which Arango unofficially works, has failed to help millions of residents. While Republicans have been a voice for the everyman, Trenton Democrats have joined left-wing extremists advocating for bail reform efforts that free violent offenders and supported ending agreements with ICE to get violent felons who happen to be illegals off New Jerseys streets. Yet, these Democrats have kept marijuana classified the same as heroin. When Democrats advocate for violent convicts, Arango is silent. When Democratic legislators are against ending marijuana prohibition, which results in lives being destroyed because they are put behind bars for non-violent activity, he joins the anti-freedom chorus and engages in publicity stunts that will hurt the GOP. President Trump and the national GOP have refrained from opposing efforts to end marijuana prohibition. They have done so because it is a losing issue and it goes against the spirit of the presidents historic criminal justice reform to lessen harsh sentences for non-violent, drug-related incarcerations. Equally important, the prohibition Arango advocates for goes against the GOPs foundation as the party of individual freedom. Republicans must ask, how does prohibiting a consensual activity, equal or less harmful than alcohol, and certainly less harmful than driving drunk (for which Arango himself has received one known DUI), advance the cause of freedom? In his argument in insidernj.com, Arango makes the debunked claim that we know from states where marijuana is legal that underage use of pot is increasing as well that those supporting legalization do not care about the damage that legal pot will do to our children. Yet, a 2019 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association states: Consistent with the results of previous researchers, there was no evidence that the legalization of medical marijuana encourages marijuana use among youth. The study concludes that marijuana use among youth may actually decline after legalization for recreational purposes. In an American Council on Science and Health article, Alex Berezow, Ph.D., makes the case that legalization took away some of the mystique associated with marijuana. Teenagers can be rebellious and are often attracted to things they know they shouldnt do. But smoking a joint is hardly taboo anymore. According to drugrehab.com, More than 4,300 youths die each year as a result of excessive drinking''; yet, Arango does not advocate re-instituting alcohol prohibition. Does this mean he does not care about our children? By pushing junk science, Arango is harming Republicans with his anti-freedom fight. Undoubtedly, his ignorance-based foray into policy will increase the November Democratic vote share as left-leaning but low-frequency voters will now be more motivated to vote against the faux Republican perspective he has brought to the public. Joshua Sotomayor Einstein is a Hoboken resident and a GOP state committeeman. One of the unexpected consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is that I found myself able to watch a live courtroom proceeding from the comfort of my desk at home (work). The idea of this was totally fascinating to me because there was what I considered a huge case and I had a front-row seat. If youre in insurance and in Florida, or youre at all interested in cases where a state bar is seeking sanctions against an attorney, the case of The Florida Bar v. Scot Strems ought to catch your attention. It did mine and I didnt even know I was that interested in watching a legal proceeding designed to decide the The whole thing lasted two weeks off and on. They streamed over 20 hours of public testimony. The Florida Bar making their case with document after document decrying the evils of Mr. Strems and his offices. The defense responded with witness after witness and documents aplenty proclaiming the sainted nature of Mr. Strems and the good work his firm sought to do. To be fully open, I couldnt sit through all 20 plus hours of testimony. I did sit through several hours of testimony for both sides, the oral decision, and the sanctions hearing so far. I found the whole process illuminating and educational for me. I can relate four specific facts that I learned during this case and if you read to the end, there are a couple of other thoughts. It takes a lot to get the Florida Bars attention. The initial complaint indicates 18 cases where the firm and Mr. Strems were sanctioned by a court for their conduct during first-party suits against insurance companies. It also mentions that some of the sanction orders refer back to other sanction orders. I understand that the legal process can take a long time. Ive worked in insurance long enough to watch claims that take several years to finally settle. However, it seems that its possible that this could have been taken care of sooner rather than later. As an uninitiated observer of legal matters, I wonder if the Bar couldnt have stepped in sooner to take corrective actions. Whatever they did beforehand didnt have the desired impact. I heard statements where a court gave a verbal dressing down. It seems like that was the equivalent of telling them they were bad and sending them to their rooms to think about what they did. From the testimony I heard, it sounded like the firm was fined repeatedly. That didnt seem to work, either. It turns out that when someone is fined and there is enough money to pay the fine easily, the fine that was supposed to correct behavior turns into another cost of doing business. Good conduct does not make bad conduct ok. During several points in this case, Mr. Strems made the point that his firm did good work and helped people. That point should be conceded. For most people, if they hire an attorney to represent them, and the attorney does a reasonably good job in helping their client, the client is happy. Its a simple standard. Did the customer end up in a better position after dealing with you than they were before? According to that standard, I believe that they did good work and helped people. He also made the point that his firm was involved in a good deal of charitable work. This is also something that we can be glad about. Businesses ought to give back to the community however they can. I can honestly say that the folks there werent all bad people. In fact, Im inclined to say that they are probably good people who did some bad things. The problem is that nowhere in life do we accept some kind of balance between good and bad or right and wrong. A person can drive responsibly for 20 years and if they drink, drive, and cause an accident that kills someone, they can still be convicted of DUI, even vehicular manslaughter. It just doesnt work that way and we know that yet as part of their defense, even while they fought the initial suspension order, they argued that they were still doing good. In truth, if its important to do good, its also important to do things within the boundaries that others have put in place. Those boundaries make it so that we can all play in the same game with the same rules. The firm complained that shutting them down caused people to lose their jobs and that people wouldnt have access to help in fighting against their insurance companies. To that, I submit that they should have thought about that way before things got to this point. Its not my fault doesnt work. In the evolution of his law firm, Mr. Strems went from a scrappy individual lawyer with himself, one team member, and grit on his side to the head of a fairly large firm, with attorneys, other legal staff, support staff, and a leadership structure. He took fewer cases and set supervisors over others so that he could focus on the higher priority things. Thats a good thing. I love it when a small business grows beyond just a couple of people. However, when some of the charges contended that attorneys at his firm were acting badly, he tried to say it wasnt his fault. He did the best that he could to control people, but you cant force people to comply with rules or culture. Since I never worked for them, I cant say directly what the culture was for certain, but I can comment on what came out during the case and how Ive seen things work in other places. Some people will adapt their style to accommodate the culture where they work. Some people will work in a place and if the culture grates against them, theyll go work somewhere else. For the most part, people only stay at a place if they feel like they cant leave, or the culture fits them. Leadership cannot simply divest themselves of responsibility for the actions of their team. Leaders must take responsibility for what happens within their team. If there is a problem that the leader knows about, the leader needs to address it or endorse it. If there is a problem that the leader doesnt know about, the leader has failed. If someone on my team isnt performing, its my fault and my responsibility to fix it. This is certainly not the end of the story. The oral decision has been handed out and the arguments have been made for the sanctions requested by both sides. The Bar is asking for permanent disbarment and the defense is asking for a short-term suspension. This process is far from over. Both sides will push for what they want until there are a final ruling and order, but thats not today. Even when this case is over, the story is far from finished. What will the Bar do next? Will they take this case as an opportunity to look at how they regulate their industry? Will they look at their processes and find places that need to be updated? Will they consider how they track the conduct of the attorney under their purview? Will it be business as usual for the Bar in that they will rarely take action? Who knows? This story continues. Its certainly not the end of the story for Mr. Strems. It matters little if he is as scurrilous an attorney as the story that has been told so far. He might be disbarred. That doesnt necessarily mean that hes never going to be able to practice law. He might be disgraced. That doesnt necessarily mean that hes persona non grata forever. What do you think will happen if he came out and held a press conference and made this statement? Ive come here today to say that I accept the findings of the court against me. I have done wrong and Im sorry. I can see where my actions and failure to act have hurt people, including the people of Florida, my family and friends, the people who trusted me enough to work for me, and the insurance market in this state. As I mentioned, this is something that I never expected to happen. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are opportunities to learn things that I didnt think I would be able to learn, let alone that I would be interested in. In that vein, let me give you two more things that I learned. Watching live (and recorded live) court on YouTube is way cool. It was super cool to sit and listen to the arguments. I found it fascinating to watch this whole thing play out. It was way more civil than I expected. There were no red-faced attorneys yelling. There was nothing dramatic about it. It was a very civil procedure. Yes, I meant that pun. No need to thank me. Watching court proceedings is way more boring than TV makes it out to be. At the same time, it was so boring. The Bar attorney listed fact after fact, quoted transcript after transcript and went on and on about this case and that case. He put documents on the screen, and everyone sat there and read them. Then the defense started and asked yes or no question after yes or no question. Hour after hour of one-word answers was followed by long readings of more documents and such. I mean, Mr. Strems sat there sipping his coffee most of the time and didnt even spill a drop. It was so dull, but I learned a lot and cant wait for the next episode to go live. Topics Florida Help.org, a trusted online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones, has announced the Best Rehab Facilities in Lincoln, NE for 2020. The informational guide recognizes the top 11 rehab facilities based on cost, treatment options, location, accompanying services and more. According to recent studies, drug overdose is the leading cause of death among people under age 50. In Lincoln, deaths related to opioid abuse increased significantly from 2011 to 2015. Substance abuse among adolescents is also escalating in Lincoln with 55 percent of high school students reported using alcohol, 38 percent reported using marijuana, 8 percent reported using prescription drugs without a valid prescription, and 2 percent reported using heroin. With the growing need for accessible and high-quality rehab programs, Help.org has developed a unique ranking process to help connect individuals with treatment providers that meet their needs. The Help.org research team analyzed thousands of facilities across the country and then identified the most cost-effective and highest rated programs in larger cities like Lincoln. Each facility was evaluated based on rehabilitation services, treatment approaches, cost, special programs for unique demographics and ancillary services. The website also provides information about drug use and side effects as well as educational articles. For a detailed listing of the Best Rehab Facilities in Lincoln, NE please visit https://www.help.org/drug-and-alcohol-rehab-centers-in-lincoln-ne 2020 Best Rehab Facilities in Lincoln, NE (in alphabetical order) Behavioral Health Resources, LLC 7441 O Street, Suite 107 Lincoln, NE 68510 402-486-1101 CenterPointe 2633 P Street Lincoln, NE 68503 402-475-8717 Choices Treatment Center, Inc. 127 South 37th Street Suite B Lincoln, NE 68510 402-476-2300 Heartland Family Service 2101 South 42nd Street Omaha, NE 68105 402-552-7400 House of Hope 1124 N Cotner Blvd Lincoln, NE 68505 402-435-3165 Lincoln Medical Education Partnership 4600 Valley Road Lincoln, NE 68510 402-483-4581 Nebraska Mental Health Centers 4545 South 86th Street Lincoln, NE 68526 402-483-6990 Region V Systems 1645 N Street Lincoln, NE 68508 402-441-4343 St. Monica's 120 Wedgewood Drive Lincoln, NE 68510 402-441-3768 Stephen Center 2723 Q Street Omaha, NE 68107 402-715-5442 The Bridge Behavioral Health 721 K Street Lincoln, NE 68508 402-477-3951 ABOUT HELP.ORG Help.org is an online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones. The website provides the latest research through scientifically proven methods, community recovery resources as well as information about local financial assistance. Help.orgs team of researchers, activists and writers work together with addiction counselors and other professionals to offer useful and accurate resources to help individuals seeking recovery. To learn more, visit https://www.help.org/.